Author: Momo Chan

Ethan missed Lily’s kindergarten Thanksgiving pageant. I was about to explain things to our daughter when a parent sitting next to me suddenly nudged me and showed me her phone. “Chloe, isn’t this your husband? He’s at the mall right across the street.” In the video, Ethan—the man who claimed he was currently handling an emergency at his factory—was carrying a four-year-old boy on his shoulders. Right next to him, walking so close their shoulders touched, was the single mother he claimed he was only “charitably supporting.” The color drained from my face. Before I could even process the sight, the teacher on stage asked the children if they had anything they wanted to say to their parents. Lily raised her chubby little hand, her voice loud and clear through the microphone. “I want to give my daddy to Miss Maya!” The parents in the audience burst into laughter, whispering about how cute and innocent kids could be. But Lily pouted her lips, looking dead serious. “I mean it! Miss Maya said that if daddy sleeps over at her house more often, little Leo will grow taller.” “Every time daddy comes back from Miss Maya’s house, he’s too tired to even hold me.” “Mommy always says good girls should share their toys. So, I’m sharing daddy with them!”

After Lily finished, she turned around and hugged me with a bright smile. “Mommy, don’t be sad! I’ve already given daddy away to Miss Maya.” The laughter in the room died down instantly. The parent who had just shown me the video awkwardly pulled her phone back. Her eyes darted around, pretending to be deeply interested in the ceiling pattern. Several parents in the front row exchanged knowing, silent glances. The teacher on stage let out a forced chuckle, quickly raising her microphone to break the ice. “Haha, our little Lily is so sweet and generous! Alright, let’s move on to the next activity. Shall we give these beautiful flowers to our mommies?” But Lily stood her ground, clutching her sunflower stubbornly. “I’m not lying. I really want to give my daddy to them.” I took the microphone from the teacher, knelt down, and looked Lily in the eyes. “Lily, you did a great job. When we don’t need something anymore, we should be generous and give it away.” I took her little hand, gave a polite nod to the stunned parents and teachers, and walked out. As soon as we reached the lobby, the phone in my pocket began vibrating violently. It was Ethan. I picked up, and the loud roar of factory machinery filled the background. “Hey, babe. There’s a huge issue with this batch of products at the factory. I’ve been stuck on the workshop floor. Is Lily’s show over yet?” “I’m almost done here. I’ll drive over right now and take you guys out for a big steak dinner.” His voice was as gentle and caring as always. If I hadn’t seen that video, I probably would have spent the last six years worrying about him and telling him to stay safe. “No need,” I said. “What’s wrong? Are you mad?” Ethan softened his tone, sounding a bit desperate to please. “I promise this is the last time. Once this busy season is over, I’ll take time off and we’ll go to Miami…” “Ethan, check the parents’ group chat.” I cut him off and hung up. In the short time it took me to walk off the stage, some parents had already recorded Lily’s speech and posted it in the school’s WhatsApp group. Someone else had posted a candid photo taken at the mall across the street. In the photo, Ethan was wearing a light gray casual jacket, and Maya was wearing a dress of the exact same color. They were holding hands with Leo on either side of them, looking like a perfect little family of three. I led Lily out of the kindergarten gates. My phone rang again. I didn’t answer. I threw it into my bag and led Lily to the car. Our car was parked on the second basement level of the mall across the street. We were bound to run into them anyway.

Ethan came running over, panting heavily, his face pale and tense. Maya stood beside him, holding her son’s hand. Her eyes were red, making her look incredibly fragile and wronged. The moment Ethan reached me, he started pointing fingers. “Chloe! How on earth are you raising our daughter?” “You let Lily say those ridiculous things on stage? Everyone in the school group is laughing at me now! How am I supposed to show my face?!” I pulled Lily behind me and took a step back, looking at this man. This was the man I had loved for eight years. “Which part of what she said was wrong?” Ethan choked on his words, his eyes darting away. Still, he forced a defense. “I only help Maya because it’s not easy for her as a single mom! I was just helping her out!” “Fixing a leaky pipe, changing a lightbulb—how did that turn into something so disgusting in Lily’s mouth?” “Chloe, please don’t be mad at Ethan.” Maya stepped forward, wiping her tears. “Leo saw other kids with their dads and wouldn’t stop crying for one. Ethan just felt bad for him, so he brought him out to buy a toy.” “If you want to blame someone, blame me. I’m just useless. I can’t give Leo a real family.” She certainly knew how to play the victim. Before I could speak, Lily peeked out from behind me and pointed at the massive box Leo was holding. “Mommy, why did daddy have money to buy him a giant Transformer?” “Last week, when I wanted that Barbie doll, daddy said it was too expensive and that kids shouldn’t be greedy. He didn’t buy it for me.” Ethan froze. Leo clutched the box tightly, hiding behind Maya, and yelled loudly: “My daddy bought this for me! You don’t have one!” Maya quickly covered Leo’s mouth, looking at me with an apologetic expression. “He’s just a child, Chloe. Kids say the craziest things, please don’t take it to heart.” “Ethan only bought this toy to calm Leo down because he felt sorry for him.” Ethan’s face turned bright red. He tried to grab my hand. “Babe, let me explain. I only lied because I didn’t want you to worry…” I stepped back, avoiding his touch, and clicked my car keys to unlock the doors. “Shut up, Ethan.” “Whether you did this out of pure charity or because you have feelings for her, you know the truth in your heart.” I opened the car door and buckled Lily into her car seat. Ethan rushed over, grabbing the edge of the door, his voice dropping into a low, threatening hiss. “Chloe, don’t push it.” “I’ve already swallowed my pride to explain this to you. Do you have to make such a scene in public?” “I’m not the one making a scene.” I shoved his hand off the door and slammed it shut. As I drove out of the garage, I saw Maya standing next to Ethan in my rearview mirror, gently patting his arm to comfort him.

At 9 PM, Ethan came home. He was holding a beautifully wrapped, limited-edition Barbie set. The shiny packaging felt like a pathetic attempt to buy his way out of trouble. I sat on the living room sofa, focusing on the latest financial reports of our company. After Lily was born, I had stepped back from the day-to-day operations to focus on our family. I left most of the company’s management to my partner, and handed a small portion over to Ethan. Looking back, it was a total joke. Ethan walked over to Lily’s bedroom door and knocked gently. “Lily, look what daddy got for you!” The door remained closed. Only Lily’s loud voice came through. “I don’t want your toys! Give them to Leo!” Ethan’s patience wore thin. He walked over to me and tossed the Barbie box onto the coffee table. “Chloe, how long are you going to keep this up?” “I already explained everything to you. You need to tell Lily to stop acting out. Don’t bring your petty drama into our kid’s head.” “Do you really have to be this cold and heartless?” Seeing that I didn’t even look up at him, Ethan grew even more frustrated. He yanked at his tie, his voice dripping with self-righteous anger. “Maya’s ex-husband was a deadbeat gambler who ran off and left them with a mountain of debt! She’s raising a sick kid all by herself and can barely afford rent!” “I’m just lending her some money and helping her out around the house.” “You’ve lived a privileged life, Chloe. You have no idea how hard it is for people at the bottom!” I closed my laptop and looked at him blankly. “If you understand her so well, why don’t you just hand over your entire paycheck to her?” “You are completely unreasonable!” Ethan raised his voice. “You sit there with a cold face all day long. This house feels like a freezer! Even when I hand over my salary, you never smile.” “But Maya is always sweet and warm. When I go over to help, she always hands me a glass of warm water, and her kid calls me daddy.” “I just wanted to feel a little bit of warmth in a home. What did I do wrong?!” Unbelievable. He actually managed to paint his emotional affair as a search for “family warmth.” Looking at this complete stranger, I didn’t even have the energy to argue. “Are you done? We have the company’s annual VIP gala tomorrow. I need to sleep.” Ethan was completely enraged by my cold shoulder. He pointed a finger at me, his voice carrying a blatant threat. “Chloe, don’t think you can boss me around.” “Tomorrow’s gala is huge. A lot of major industry leaders are coming, and they’re all coming to see the new projects and patents that “my” team developed.” “If you keep up this attitude, I won’t show up tomorrow. Let’s see how you explain that to the investors!” The gala was for our company’s fifth anniversary. The guests were our key suppliers and investors. It was a crucial event to maintain our business relationships. He thought he could use his leverage to force me to back down. But I have never been someone who takes threats lightly. “Do whatever you want.” With that, I walked into my bedroom and locked the door. Outside, I heard Ethan kick the trash can over with a loud crash, followed by the heavy slam of the front door. The next morning at 10 AM, Ethan showed up anyway. He couldn’t bear to miss an event where he could network and show off his status as a successful businessman. Ethan walked up to me, smiling warmly at a group of executives. “Good morning, gentlemen. Chloe worked sleepless nights preparing for this gala. I was honestly so worried about her health.” The executives praised us for being such a supportive couple. Soon, they started discussing the upcoming projects for the second half of the year with Ethan. Ethan couldn’t hide his smugness. He leaned in and whispered in my ear: “See? Without me, you wouldn’t even have a seat at this table. Let’s forget about last night. I’ll cook you a late-night snack when we get home.” I maintained my perfect smile but said nothing. Half an hour later, my business partner, Liam, walked through the crowd with a frown and pulled me into the VIP lounge. “Chloe, is there something going on with Ethan?” “He just used your digital company credentials to request an urgent wire transfer of two million dollars. He claimed you approved it as an advance payment for a new materials supplier.” He showed me his tablet. The recipient was “R-M Trading Corp.”

My heart sank. “I didn’t sign off on that, and I definitely didn’t approve it.” “Call finance immediately. Halt the transfer under the pretext of a flagged suspicious transaction.” Liam nodded and immediately stepped aside to make the call. I turned around to look for Ethan, but he was no longer in the ballroom. As I walked down the quiet hallway of the lounge area, I heard familiar voices coming from a slightly ajar door. It was Ethan and Maya. Today, Maya wore a simple white shirt, looking pale and vulnerable. She was clutching a hospital bill, her voice cracking with tears. “Ethan, I really didn’t want to bother you today.” “But the hospital said if I don’t pay the deposit for Leo’s bone marrow treatment by noon, they’ll give his spot to someone else. I had no other choice…” Ethan looked around nervously, patting her shoulder. “Didn’t I tell you I’d handle it? Why did you come here? What if someone sees you? The money will hit your account in ten minutes. Go back to the hospital now.” But Maya wasn’t intimidated. Instead, she leaned closer to him, speaking softly. “I’m just so scared.” “No one cares about us except you.” Her act worked perfectly. Ethan’s tense face softened. He wrapped his arm around her, speaking in a gentle, comforting tone. Right then, one of our major investors, Mr. Vance, walked out of the restroom at the end of the hall. Seeing me, he smiled and walked over to say hello. Since the lounge door wasn’t fully closed, Mr. Vance easily spotted the two people cuddling inside. The smile faded from his face. Frowning, he pushed the door open and pointed at Maya. “Wait a minute. Aren’t you the woman who threw a screaming fit at our branch office last month, begging us not to sue your husband for fraud?” The air in the hallway turned dead cold. Every drop of color drained from Ethan’s face. He violently pushed Maya away, rushed to my side, and grabbed my wrist tightly. “Chloe! Why is the cleaning lady you hired last month showing up here to beg for an advance on her paycheck?” He leaned in close, whispering in my ear with a desperate hiss: “Play along with me! If Mr. Vance pulls his investment, the company is finished!” He was threatening me.

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The company decided to implement a brutal stack ranking system. Despite generating over $500 million in revenue for them, I was the one who received the termination notice. I marched straight into the HR director’s office to demand an explanation. She leaned back in her ergonomic office chair, casually shrugging her shoulders. “Chloe, your signature fragrance line did bring in massive revenue, but the production cost for your formula exceeded the budget. When we run the numbers, there’s barely any profit margin left for the company.” Only I knew the truth. The raw materials I used for my custom blend only exceeded the internal budget limit by a mere three cents per bottle. Holding the financial cost report, I went straight to my direct supervisor, Marcus. “Look, Chloe, I know you feel wronged,” Marcus said, placing his hands on his desk. “But this company doesn’t need a rogue genius who brings in cash. We need cogs that follow the rules. If everyone acted like you, how would we keep this place running?” He put on a show of being caught in a difficult position, pretending to offer me a favor. “How about this? I’ll personally plead with HR to keep you on as a basic perfumer. However, your base salary will be slashed from five grand a month to a measly five hundred dollars.” I didn’t say a word. I silently handed him my letter of resignation, walked out, and booked a flight to the Maldives for a vacation. Within just three days, my Snapchat and WhatsApp were blasted with over a hundred frantic messages. “Chloe, get back here right now! If you delay any longer, the company is going to go bankrupt!”

To cut costs, AromaLux decided to launch a ruthless stack ranking assessment. Every perfumer was evaluated on a comprehensive scorecard: production cost, client retention, and total revenue generated. Anyone who ranked at the bottom of the scoreboard for three consecutive months would be fired immediately. Amber, the apprentice I had personally trained and mentored, walked up to my desk with a miserable face. “Chloe, I’ve been at the bottom for the past two months. What am I going to do this month?” Looking at her anxious face, I silently reached into my drawer and handed her a thick, leather-bound notebook. Amber flipped it open, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears. Inside were the contact details and scent profiles of the premium clients I had cultivated over the past ten years. “Chloe… thank you! I promise I will work my ass off to stay in this company.” I nodded, my fingers pausing over the preliminary assessment data on my screen. Since the stack ranking system was implemented, all perfuming costs had to be strictly kept under $10,000 per batch. My custom formula had gone over budget by exactly three cents. At that moment, Amber leaned in, saying cheerfully, “It’s only three cents over, Chloe! That shouldn’t be an issue at all. Your sales performance is still number one in the entire company anyway!” Believing in transparency, I submitted the exact, unaltered data to the system. That afternoon, a company-wide notification popped up on WhatsApp: “Announcing this month’s terminated employee: Chloe. Let us reiterate: the formulation cost for anyone must be strictly under $10,000. Anyone who exceeds this limit—regardless of their revenue or seniority—will be fired immediately. Consider this a warning to all.” Immediately after, a private message from my supervisor, Marcus, lit up my screen: “What this company needs is not a self-centered artist, but a reliable cog that fits the machine. A person who refuses to blend into the team is far more dangerous than a lost $500 million.” Though he didn’t name me publicly, everyone in the office instantly turned their heads to look at me. I had always been the “weird one” in the office. I didn’t do corporate happy hours, I didn’t go to company dinners, I skipped the team-building trips, and the second the clock hit five, I vanished. I didn’t even reply to clients’ messages outside of work hours. The only things I brought to the table were my top-tier perfuming skills and flawless client relationships. But my refusal to flatter him or play corporate politics had made Marcus despise me more and more. As it turned out, this so-called “stack ranking” was just a targeted campaign to push me out. I calmly typed a reply in the chat: “Understood. I will report this situation to headquarters.” After a long silence, Marcus tagged me in the main WhatsApp group, clearly losing his temper: “Chloe, out of respect for your years of service, the management has reconsidered. You can start over as a junior perfumer. Your base salary will be $500 a month. This is the company giving you one last chance. Make it count!” Instantly, the corporate kiss-asses in the group started brown-nosed Marcus. “Marcus is absolutely right. No matter how much money someone makes, they’re useless if they don’t fit into the company culture.” I ignored them entirely. Instead, I gathered all my major clients into a single Snapchat group. “Due to internal changes, I will no longer be able to collaborate with you all.” Mr. Pendelton and Mr. Carter, two of my closest clients, immediately shot me private messages. “Chloe, what’s going on? Is there trouble at work?” “Do you need me to have my assistant talk to Marcus?” My heart warmed. I politely replied, “No, thank you. I can handle it.” After a brief pause, they replied with the same sentiment: “We only buy scents blended by you.” The moment I locked my phone, Marcus burst out of his office, his face red with rage. “Chloe! What the hell did you do? Why did half of our VIP clients just cancel their contracts?!”

I didn’t even look up. “Marcus, according to company policy, a junior perfumer is only allowed to manage five basic accounts.” Marcus’s face turned a brilliant shade of purple. “The rules are there for structure, but you have to be flexible! Why are you so incredibly stubborn?!” I ignored him and continued drafting an email to headquarters. Seeing that I wasn’t taking the bait, Marcus’s voice grew louder, drawing everyone’s attention. “Chloe, is this your attitude toward work? Do not bring your personal petty drama into this office!” I unlocked my phone, pulled up his WhatsApp message, and pointed directly at the words “‘reliable cog.’” Marcus choked on his words, glared at me, and slammed his office door shut. Less than thirty seconds later, my phone rang. It was Mr. Vance, an executive from headquarters. It seemed Marcus knew he couldn’t bully me on his own, so he had gone running to upper management to apply pressure. “Chloe, I’ve heard about the situation,” Mr. Vance’s voice was smooth and patronizing. “I know you feel slighted.” I gripped my phone tightly. For years, I believed that hard work was all that mattered. When I first joined AromaLux, the very first perfume I created became a global sensation, single-handedly launching the company’s IPO. Back then, Marcus was so thrilled he wired me a $50,000 bonus on the spot and told the entire company: “We need real talent like Chloe. Everyone needs to learn from her!” But as the company grew and hired more people, Marcus became obsessed with “corporate culture.” He started favoring those who flattered him, while making life miserable for those who actually did the heavy lifting. If I hadn’t been keeping their profit margins afloat, this branch would have gone under years ago. Before I could speak, Mr. Vance continued in a grave tone, “But the company’s rules cannot be broken. While your revenue is impressive, you did exceed the cost limit. Therefore, we have decided that for every project you close moving forward, you will receive a 0.1% commission.” I almost laughed out loud. My original contract gave me a 1% commission. Under the guise of “helping me,” they were slashing my earnings by ninety percent. And they expected me to thank them for their generosity. What a textbook corporate play. “Chloe, we still have high expectations for you,” Mr. Vance added smoothly. “We want to see you create brilliant revenue while staying within the rules. Do that, and the Senior Perfumer position will be yours again.” The moment I hung up, I drafted my formal resignation letter. But before I could send it, Marcus suddenly called an emergency all-hands meeting in the conference room. With headquarters backing him up, Marcus walked in looking like a king. “Everyone has been working incredibly hard lately, so we’re holding an impromptu award ceremony!” The room erupted into cheers. I sat silently in the back, watching his ridiculous performance. “In third place, Jason! You brought in $100,000 in revenue, and you only used a third of your $10,000 budget! The company is awarding you a $2,000 bonus!” I let out a silent, mocking smile. Jason used cheap, synthetic chemicals that caused severe allergic reactions in customers. The company was currently fighting three different lawsuits because of his “budget-friendly” formulations. Throughout the meeting, people kept glancing at me. Some looked sympathetic, but most eyes were filled with mockery. Amber shot me a worried look from across the table. I gave her a reassuring, silent nod. “And in first place…” Marcus paused for dramatic effect, his eyes scanning the room before landing on Amber. “…Amber! She just secured a massive investment contract from Mr. Pendelton himself! The company is awarding her a $10,000 bonus!” Marcus smirked at me, expecting to see me fly into a rage over losing my biggest client. Instead, I remained completely expressionless. Amber stood up awkwardly to accept the envelope of cash. When she looked at me, her eyes were filled with guilt and fear. She let out a forced chuckle and stammered, “I… I couldn’t have done it without Chloe’s guidance.” Dissatisfied with her giving me credit, Marcus cut in, “Amber, don’t be too modest. Your talent speaks for itself. In this company, we don’t care about seniority—only results.” This time, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Marcus’s double standards were truly a work of art. A few colleagues seized the opportunity to throw salt on the wound. “Exactly! Amber earned this fair and square. No need to be humble!” “Some people think they can walk around like they own the place just because they have a few big clients. Let’s see how she acts now.” “She’s been here for ten years, and now she can’t even keep her own clients. If I were her, I’d have packed my bags and left a long time ago.” Just as the mocking reached its peak, the receptionist knocked and stepped into the room. “Marcus, Mr. Pendelton is here in person. He wants to discuss a $10 million contract, and he specifically asked for Chloe.” The joyful atmosphere instantly froze. The smiles on everyone’s faces vanished.

Marcus reacted instantly. He hurried to the door, his face twisting into a sycophantic grin. “Mr. Pendelton! What an honor. What brings you by today?” Arthur Pendelton walked in, looking impeccably sharp in a tailored charcoal suit, flanked by two assistants. He possessed an effortless authority that commanded the room. Ignoring Marcus entirely, Arthur looked straight at me, his eyes filled with genuine concern. “Chloe, you sent a message this morning saying you couldn’t work with us anymore. Did something happen?” Marcus quickly interjected, shoving his way between us with a greasy smile. “Mr. Pendelton, let me explain. Chloe has been violating company protocols recently, so she’s been demoted. In fact, we are currently reviewing her employment. She’s been gatekeeping clients and bullying the newer perfumers.” Marcus gave a subtle nod to the room, and several colleagues immediately chimed in. “Yes, Mr. Pendelton! Marcus is right. Chloe hoarded all your account info and never let any of us get close to you!” “We’re all perfumers here. Why does she get to work with premium brands while we get the leftovers?” “Honestly, Mr. Pendelton, you partner with us because of AromaLux’s reputation, right? Our skills are just as good as Chloe’s, if not better!” Arthur didn’t say a word. He calmly sat down in one of the conference chairs. Sensing an opening, Marcus quickly pushed Amber forward. “Mr. Pendelton, look at Amber. She was personally trained by Chloe. Her work is just as good, if not better!” Amber stepped forward, trying to look confident, and extended her hand. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Pendelton. I’m Amber. I know the exact formulation for your signature “Deep Ocean” line. In fact, I can offer you a much better rate on our partnership.” I raised an eyebrow, exchanging a brief, knowing look with Arthur. So, Amber becoming my apprentice wasn’t an accident after all. No wonder she was struggling so hard despite my intense training over the past three months. She was playing dumb to get me to hand over my client list. She and Marcus had planned this backstab all along. Arthur let out a soft, cold chuckle. “Ms. Amber, when you reached out to me, you claimed you were acting under Chloe’s direction. That is the only reason I agreed to sign that preliminary contract.” Amber’s hand froze in mid-air. Her face drained of color, and the entire conference room fell into a dead, suffocating silence. Marcus, ever the politician, was the first to recover. He laughed nervously. “Chloe, see how much Mr. Pendelton trusts you? Don’t let him down. Moving forward, you’ll be personally handling his account.” He was trying to corner me in public. He knew I wouldn’t want to embarrass a long-term client by refusing him to his face. In the end, the company would still walk away with the profit. I calmly pulled up my phone, looked Marcus dead in the eye, and said, “I’m sorry, Marcus. But I have officially resigned. I can’t take Mr. Pendelton’s order.”

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My brother thought my wife was gorgeous, sweet, and that my life was perfect in every way. As the spoiled golden child of our family, his jealousy drove him insane. One night, in a fit of psychotic rage, he grabbed me and dragged me off the edge of a high-rise rooftop. But instead of dying, we woke up to find we had traveled back in time—and swapped bodies. He was now me, and I was him. Tyler used my early Ivy League admission to go to a top college. He used my identity to get close to my gorgeous wife, and he used my past successful business plans to pitch to big investors. He even swaggered in front of my face, trying to gloat. He thought I would be eating my heart out. Little did he know, I was absolutely thrilled to swap lives with him. My past life only looked glamorous on the surface. In reality, it was a total train wreck. Now that he had willingly jumped into the fire for me, I only had one thing to say to him: “Thanks for taking over my miserable life, bro!” “Justin, you know what? I’ve hated you since we were kids. I envied everything you had—your smart brain, your smooth life, and your incredibly hot wife, Chloe. I always felt that if I were in your shoes, I’d live a much better life than you.” Hearing Tyler say this made me feel a wave of mixed emotions. My brother, who I hadn’t seen in ages, had suddenly asked to have a heart-to-heart drink with me. He set up a table on the rooftop of my apartment, bought some takeout wings, and started drinking beers with me. After just a few cans, Tyler started whining like a broken record again, bringing up all the old family drama from years ago. He honestly believed that if he became me, he would have a perfect life. But he had no idea that the pain and torment I went through were ten times worse than anything he could imagine. I looked at him, wanting to tell him that life isn’t a simple trade. You don’t magically get happy just by stealing someone else’s life. But what was the point of saying anything? Faced with his near-manic, jealous glare, I just kept drinking, one cup after another. All my bitterness was drowned in the alcohol. Seeing that I remained silent, Tyler’s eyes grew bloodshot. He leaned in and whispered, “To be honest, Justin… I’m at the end of my rope.” “What do you mean?” The alcohol was hitting me hard, making my head spin. “Everyone looks down on me! I just wanted to prove myself! I borrowed money to start a business, but I ended up in massive debt. To pay it off, I started gambling, and now… I owe a bunch of dangerous loan sharks…” At this, Tyler’s face twisted into something monstrous. He slammed his beer bottle onto the ground, shattering it. “It’s not fair! Why does everything go smoothly for you, while I’m always the loser? If I’m going down, I’m taking you with me!” “What are you talking about? You’re wasted…” Before I could finish, Tyler lunged forward and grabbed me. That was when I noticed several fresh needle tracks on his arm! Was this crazy bastard high on something? Taking advantage of my drunken stumble, Tyler wrapped his arms tight around me and leaped off the rooftop! “Hahaha! Die with me!” he screamed, laughing like a maniac. The wind roared in my ears. In those final seconds of free fall, my mind snapped into sharp focus. But it was too late. I felt a pang of regret, but also a strange, overwhelming sense of relief. Then, I hit the ground, and my consciousness plunged into absolute darkness. … I don’t know how much time passed before a familiar voice called out to me. “Hey, wake up! Mr. Davis is coming!” I opened my eyes and looked around. I was slumping over a wooden desk in a crowded classroom. I had traveled back to my high school days! But why was I sitting in the very back row, right next to the trash can? Just then, a guy in the front row stood up and turned around to look at me. It was my own high school face! I looked down at my desk. The name scribbled on the textbook was *Tyler Miller*. It took me a long moment to process what had happened. My brother Tyler and I had both reincarnated, and our souls had swapped bodies! He smirked at me from across the room, his eyes full of smug triumph. Clearly, Tyler had finally gotten the life he had always dreamed of. He must be throwing a party in his head right now. But he had no idea that his nightmare was only just beginning. “What are you staring at?” The familiar voice spoke up again from next to me. I turned my head. Sitting at the desk beside mine was Tyler’s future wife, Skyler Vance. She had grown up in a poor trailer park on the outskirts of town. Her family was extremely broke. Even though our prep school was miles away, she had to commute every day because she couldn’t afford the boarding fees or meal plans. She also had to work a grueling night shift at a local diner to help her family pay rent. I remembered hearing that she only got three to four hours of sleep a night, trying to survive on short naps during study hall. Even though Skyler studied like crazy, her grades were always terrible. After all, human energy is limited. When you’re running on zero sleep, how can you focus in class? She never had time to finish her homework at night, so she was constantly getting reprimanded by teachers and had been banished to the back row with the slackers. Back in high school, Skyler was actually quite pretty in a cute, natural way, but the old Tyler always mocked her for being “trailer trash.” He hated her permanent dark circles and said she was embarrassing to be seen with. He preferred those popular, heavily-makeup-wearing girls or the edgy chicks who sneaked into VIP clubs. Later on, for some reason, the two of them ended up together and got married. During that time, I was busy at college, so I didn’t know much about how Tyler and Skyler’s relationship actually played out. Right now, I rubbed my temples, keeping my emotions in check. I let out a soft laugh and said, “Nothing.” Tyler’s original life was actually much easier and happier than mine. Since he didn’t appreciate it, I was more than happy to take it! The college entrance exams were just a month away. With my Ivy League-level brain and knowledge, reviewing the high school material was going to be a breeze. But Tyler had slacked off and partied for three straight years. Even if you gave him another three years, he’d have to start from scratch—let alone now, with only a month left! The turning point of our lives was here again.

To catch up quickly, I made a strict study plan. The last month of senior year was mostly for review anyway. But since I was slightly out of touch, I had to start from the basics. I pulled out freshman and sophomore math and physics workbooks, picked the hardest problems, mastered them, and moved on. During recess, Tyler walked over to my desk with his hands in his pockets, whistling. He had a mocking smirk on his face. “Yo, little bro, studying hard?” Tyler laughed. “Why put in so much effort? Come on, let’s go ditch class and grab a burger!” I looked up at him, my voice completely flat. “The finals are around the corner. Aren’t you going to study?” I remembered the betrayal of my past life vividly. The moment he dragged me off that roof, all brotherly love and blood ties had died. I felt nothing but cold indifference toward him now. “I already got the Ivy League early admission with a full scholarship. Why would I need to study? Did you forget?” Tyler smirked, leaning over my desk. Ah, right. I remembered now. During our senior year, the school had offered me an early admission spot, but the old me had turned it down because I wanted to prove myself in the actual SATs. But on the day of the exam, I mysteriously got severe food poisoning and ended up with a terrible stomach bug, messing up my scores. In the end, I had to settle for a mediocre state college. It didn’t matter. This time around, I would do even better! Because throughout my entire life, I had always relied on my own brain and hard work. That was where my confidence came from. “Oh. Well, congratulations then,” I said, completely unbothered. Tyler’s face fell slightly when he didn’t see the jealousy or anger he expected. Finding it boring, he muttered a curse and walked away. I put my head down and went back to solving calculus problems, sharpening my mind. I had to admit, Tyler’s body was incredibly healthy. He had been athletic since he was a kid, strong and rarely getting sick. I, on the other hand, had been a sickly child who caught a cold whenever a cool breeze blew. Later in life, due to constant stress and heavy drinking at business dinners, I had developed liver cancer. To keep my family from worrying, I had kept it a secret. No one knew. In this life, I would take care of this body. Health is the ultimate wealth! While I was deep in study, Skyler nudged my elbow with her pen. “Are you sick or something? Why are you suddenly studying?” She paused, looking at me suspiciously. “And you didn’t even yell back at your brother. Usually, you two would be throwing punches by now… What’s up with you? You feel like a completely different person.” I smiled but didn’t explain. I actually felt a lot of sympathy for Skyler. She was a good girl. In our past life, she had worked tirelessly to support Tyler, never complaining about his laziness. Back then, I always thought she was way too good for him. Soon, our homeroom teacher gave us a surprise pop quiz, telling us to swap papers with our desk partners for grading. Since the test was easy, I finished it in ten minutes. Skyler was still struggling, nodding off every few seconds. When we swapped papers, I got a near-perfect score, while Skyler’s paper was a disaster of red ink. “How… did you cheat?” Skyler gasped, staring at my paper. “No, wait, I watched you the whole time. Have you been secretly studying behind my back?” “These questions aren’t that hard,” I said casually. Skyler looked at her own failing grade, her shoulders slumping. “Not hard? I couldn’t understand a single thing. I guess I really am just stupid.” Seeing her sad face, I felt bad. If things went normally, once we graduated, Skyler and I would never cross paths again. Unless… I asked, “What are your plans after graduation?” Skyler kept her head low. “My dad said if I don’t get into a decent college, I have to marry the local mechanic’s son and work at his garage.” No wonder she was trying so hard. No wonder she ended up marrying Tyler in the previous life just to escape her family. “How about I tutor you?” I offered. Skyler stared at me. “You?” “You don’t trust me?” “I do! Almost nobody in our class got the score you just did!” Skyler sighed. “But even with a tutor, I don’t have time. I barely get any sleep as it is.” “That’s easy. Move into the school dorms. I’ll pay for your housing and meal plan,” I said. “Where would you get that kind of money?” Skyler asked, her eyes wide. “Wait, why are you being so nice to me? Are you possessed by a ghost?” “Do you want to get into college or not?” I cut straight to the point. This was Skyler’s only shot at changing her destiny. There was no way she would say no. She agreed immediately, saying she would tell her parents she got a school grant for accommodation. As for the money, that was easy. In our past life, during senior year, a friend and I had walked past a local convenience store and bought lottery tickets for each other. I didn’t win, but he won fifty thousand dollars. The winning numbers happened to be my birthday plus my lucky number. The store owner had even hung a banner celebrating it for a month. I remembered those numbers vividly. Now, I just needed to buy that ticket.

I bought the ticket, and sure enough, I won. After taxes, about forty thousand dollars cleared in my bank account. I transferred a thousand dollars to Skyler to cover her school dorm and meals for the remaining month. With decent sleep, her energy levels skyrocketed. She had missed a lot of classes, so while I tutored her, I also solidified my own knowledge. Just like that, a month flew by. On the days of the finals, I performed perfectly. I chose the same university I went to in my past life—not only because I knew the professors and the curriculum, but also because I missed my old college friends. Skyler performed incredibly well, scoring high enough to get into a good state university. When choosing her college, she picked one very close to mine. In our parents’ eyes, having both sons get into college was a miracle. They immediately decided to throw a massive backyard graduation BBQ, inviting all our relatives. That day, I finally tasted the joy of being the neglected sibling. My parents had always ignored the younger son. During the party, they swarmed around Tyler—who now went by Justin—completely ignoring me. For the old Tyler, this neglect would have filled him with bitter jealousy. But now, as I watched Tyler being treated like a king in the center of the crowd, a cold smile played on my lips. Free things always come with a hidden price. The higher they put him on a pedestal now, and the more expectations my parents loaded onto him, the harder and more painful his fall would be. This was a lesson I had learned through my own blood and tears. Soon, Tyler and I moved to our respective colleges. Skyler’s campus was nearby, and she kept in touch, occasionally coming over to hang out. To pay for her expenses, Skyler worked part-time at a local cafe and was always busy. Tyler, on the other hand, was living the frat-boy dream. He skipped classes, stayed out all night, and his name was constantly on the dean’s warning list for failing grades. One day, I went to the cafe where Skyler worked to drop off some lunch for her, and I ran into Tyler, who was there to buy coffee. He had his arm wrapped around a gorgeous girl. She was wearing designer clothes and heavy makeup, clearly coming from a wealthy family. I recognized her instantly. It was my ex-wife from my past life, Chloe Sterling. “Well, look who it is! Hey, classmate,” Tyler smirked, spotting Skyler first. Then, his eyes landed on me, and his face lit up with absolute smugness. His expression clearly said: *Look, I took your hot, rich wife, and there’s nothing you can do about it.*

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On the day Ethan Pierce won the company’s annual Elite Performance Award, the host asked him who he wanted to thank the most. My feet were already on the steps, ready to walk up to the stage with him. But his eyes bypassed me completely. He looked right past me, focusing on his assistant, Chloe Miller, who was standing under the bright spotlight. He touched the hidden pendant around his neck, smiled, and said into the microphone: “Without Chloe—without her staying by my side through the hardest ten years of my life—I would never have made it to this executive suite!” Under the giant screen, they held each other tight, tears streaming down their faces. They looked exactly like a couple deeply in love. I stood in the dark, gently rubbing my slightly swollen lower belly. Then, I pulled out my phone and dialed the clinic. “Yes. I’m calling to confirm the abortion.” “Vivian, are you sure? I remember how hard you and Ethan tried to conceive this baby. Are you really doing this?” I looked at the two stars of the night on the stage. The flashing lights and roaring applause drowned me out. It was as if I wasn’t the one who had spent a whole decade dragging Ethan out of the mud. It was as if Chloe was the one who had been there all along. Swallowing the bitter pain in my chest, I spoke into the phone, my voice trembling but firm: “Yes. I am sure. Book the procedure.” The doctor fell silent. He knew better than anyone how much time and money I had spent just to get pregnant. Countless prenatal checkups, endless ultrasounds. I used to ask the doctor a million anxious questions every week, pouring my entire soul into this pregnancy. After all, we had been trying to conceive. For three long years. Who would have thought that the words “abort the baby” would ever come out of my mouth? “Vivian, I respect your decision,” the doctor sighed. “But your body is naturally fragile. If you go through with this, you might never be able to get pregnant again. Plus—” I cut him off. “I’ve made up my mind, Dr. Reynolds.” On stage, a romantic French love song began to play, pushing the atmosphere to a climax. Ethan dropped to one knee. Just like the dozens of times he had passionately proposed to me in private, he looked up at Chloe and said: “Will you walk with me down the path of my future career, side by side, as my partner in everything?” The crowd went wild. Chloe covered her mouth, tears of joy sparkling in her eyes as she stood there, looking like the happiest woman in the world. It was a perfect fairytale scene. I looked down at the ring finger on my left hand, where half of the bone was slightly crooked. A cold laugh escaped my lips. I had actually believed Ethan when he promised he would publicly announce our ten-year secret marriage at this gala. It was all a lie. This public proposal was premeditated. The only problem was, the bride-to-be. Wasn’t me. So, what did my ten years of sacrifice mean? To pay for his Ivy League tuition and his startup dreams, I had played the piano at late-night gigs until I almost died of exhaustion. I had literally broken my ring finger on the keys. What did that mean now? When Ethan found out I had ruined my finger for him, he had knelt outside my door for a whole day and night, begging me to marry him. He had looked just as madly in love with me then as he did with Chloe now. The moment Chloe whispered her “Yes” to his proposal, I turned and walked away from the noise. When Ethan clipped my wings years ago, I lost the ability to sit at a grand piano and feel the keys properly. Because of him, I had abandoned my greatest passion. I had filed down my sharp edges, hidden my pride as a world-class heiress, and reduced myself to a quiet housewife. I had traded my dreams for groceries and laundry. But today, as I mentally pulled the dusty cover off my old piano, I suddenly remembered— I was once the most dazzling, proudest pianist under the spotlight. Yet, looking at my calloused hands now, I barely recognized myself. Ethan didn’t get home until very late. And he brought Chloe with him. Only this time, they were holding hands. Seeing that I was still awake, Ethan quickly let go of her fingers. He tried to act natural, frowning at me: “Why aren’t you in bed? Did you forget you have to do the weekly grocery run at the farmers’ market tomorrow morning?” For the twelve years I had been with him, I had managed every single detail of this house. Twelve years. I had never complained. I didn’t even look at him. I just replied flatly: “I have a clinic appointment tomorrow. I won’t be doing the groceries.” Hearing about the clinic, his eyes lit up, and his tone softened a bit: “Right, you need to get more checkups. We worked so hard for this baby; we can’t let anything go wrong.” Then, his gaze fell on my bare ring finger. His voice dropped. “Where’s your wedding ring?” “Oh,” I said casually. “I took it off when I took a shower. It’s on the sink.” Maybe because he felt guilty about what happened at the gala with Chloe, he didn’t push it. “I’m starving. Go make us two bowls of scallion noodles. Chloe doesn’t like eggs or cilantro, so watch the ingredients.” My fingernails dug into my palms. A wave of ice rushed through my veins. We had been together for twelve years. How did he treat me? When I had severe cramps during my period, he would order me iced boba tea. I would be curled up on the couch, unable to speak from the pain, and he would yell at me for being ungrateful and dramatic. I hated vinegar in my noodles, but he would always place a bowl dripping with vinegar in front of me. I had told him my preferences a thousand times, but Ethan never cared enough to remember. He just called me high-maintenance. And here I was, thinking he was just a man who didn’t know how to love. Turns out, he knew exactly how to care. He just didn’t care about me.

“Order takeout. I’m tired today.” Beside him, Chloe glared at Ethan in annoyance before putting on her sweet, fake act: “Ethan, she’s pregnant. Pregnant women are fragile. How could you let her cook? I’m fine being a little hungry. We can’t make Vivian work.” Hearing that Chloe was hungry, Ethan’s temper flared instantly. “What is your problem, Vivian? If you’re mad that I didn’t announce our marriage tonight, just say it! Why are you giving me attitude now?” “Can you stop acting like a spoiled child? Chloe worked from dawn till dusk for this gala. Do you think everyone is like you, just staying at home all day, doing nothing and living off my money?” He dumped all his frustration on me, just like he always did. He never cared about my feelings. Seeing that I remained silent, he added bitterly: “Don’t forget who paid for this house and who has been supporting us for the last ten years. Without me, could you even survive?” “Whatever. I don’t want to fight tonight. It’s a celebration, and you’re ruining the mood!” I looked at Ethan’s face, twisted with anger because he wanted to defend Chloe. It was so incredibly ironic. From beginning to end, what did I do wrong? I just said I didn’t want to cook. Was that a crime? “Ethan, you swore to me that you would announce our ten-year marriage at the gala tonight. Did you do it?” “I’m not even fighting with you. My silence is the greatest mercy I’m giving you. What right do you have to yell at me?” I didn’t bottle it up this time. Because this time, I genuinely felt disgusted by my own past tolerance. Seeing the tension rise, Chloe gave me a smug, subtle smirk. Then, she clung to Ethan’s arm and sighed softly: “Ethan, everyone knows how much you’ve sacrificed for this marriage. But Vivian is still throwing a tantrum over a public announcement.” “Doesn’t she know that going public with our corporate partnership is the only way to take your career to the next level?” By the end of her sentence, Chloe’s voice was barely a whisper, making her look like the victim. I almost laughed out loud. Ethan looked like a dog with its tail stepped on. He roared: “Vivian Vance, do you have a conscience? Everything I do is for you, and instead of appreciating it, you mock me?” “If it weren’t for the baby in your belly, I would have divorced you a long time ago!” Chloe clung tighter to his arm, looking like a delicate, helpless flower. Ethan’s tone softened instantly as he looked at her, then turned back to me: “Fine, Vivian.” “You’re pregnant. Stop throwing tantrums. It’s bad for the baby. Go to sleep. I’ll drive you to your checkup tomorrow.” In his eyes, any emotion I showed was just “throwing a tantrum.” Any half-hearted apology he gave was a favor I had to accept, otherwise I was just “petty.” He treated me like this only because I had spent a decade acting like his loyal, desperate puppy. I had lowered my standards to the floor, given up my music, and turned myself into his shadow. This was my own fault. The next morning, Ethan slammed my bedroom door open. He stood over me while I was still half-asleep, furious. “What is up with the suitcases on the floor? Where do you think you’re going?” Where? To leave you, and this city, forever. I rubbed my eyes and said naturally:

“I signed up for a pregnancy wellness retreat. Just to clear my head.” He didn’t suspect a thing. “Fine. Just be careful. Stop running around like a child. Remember you’re pregnant.” “Chloe has a fever. Get out of bed. We need to drop her off at the clinic first. I’ll drive both of you.” “Okay,” I replied. My appointment was this morning anyway. I didn’t want to delay it, so I didn’t argue. The door slammed shut. By the time I finished packing and went down to the garage, Chloe was already sitting comfortably in the passenger seat. Seeing me approach, she made a show of struggling to sit up, asking weakly: “I’m so sorry, Vivian. I accidentally sat in your seat.” Before she could move, Ethan pushed her back down. He gave me a cold, commanding look: “Chloe gets motion sickness. Let her sit in the front.” For the past ten years, whenever Chloe was around, the passenger seat never belonged to me. I was used to it. I didn’t have the energy to watch them act. I just opened the back door and got in. But the moment I stepped inside, the heavy scent of gardenia perfume hit my nose. It rushed straight down my throat. My face flushed instantly. I struggled to roll down the window, coughing violently. Looking down at my arms, small red hives were already starting to break out. Everyone who knew me knew I was severely allergic to gardenias. I had ended up in the ICU once and almost died. But I never expected Ethan to remember that. He only remembered me when he needed something. Looking through the rearview mirror, Ethan’s face was filled with impatience. “All I hear is you coughing, Vivian. Do you have to be so loud?” “We got up early just to take you to the clinic, and you’re making all this noise. Can’t you show some consideration for Chloe? She’s trying to sleep.” A sharp, throbbing pain pierced my chest. I couldn’t even count how many times Ethan had defended Chloe over me. But this time, I didn’t cry. I didn’t beg for his attention, and I didn’t sit in the corner wiping my tears, hoping he would love me again. I just leaned my head against the cold glass, letting the chilly wind blow over my face. Ten years of devotion couldn’t move Ethan’s heart. Only now did I realize that it was all just my own delusion. Since that was the case, there was no need to keep clinging to a man who wasn’t worth a single tear. I was actually curious— When I get rid of this baby everyone is waiting for, and when I disappear from your life completely… Will you actually regret it? Maybe he realized his words were too harsh, or maybe my silence finally made him uneasy. He looked at me in the mirror, his voice softening a bit as he tried to sound caring: “Just bear with it for a bit when we’re with Chloe, okay?” “Everything I do—including the fake proposal to Chloe—is for this family. It’s for the future of our unborn child.” “The board wants a merger through high-society dating. I don’t have a choice, so—” I looked up, meeting his eyes in the mirror, and cut him off: “I told you, I don’t care.” “I don’t need your explanation, and I don’t want to hear it.” When Ethan first confessed his love to me, he wanted the whole world to know. Back then, he had held a cheap silver ring, kneeling in the dirt with absolute devotion, swearing to me: “Vivian, I swear I will only love you in this lifetime. No matter what happens, my heart will never change!”

The cheers of our friends had drowned us out. I foolishly believed that that moment would last forever. But the vow was still fresh in my mind, while the man who made it had already rotted. Ethan’s patience ran out. He snapped: “Vivian, is this fun for you? Can you stop with the attitude? Nobody wants to look at your miserable face all day!” I ignored him, not letting his words touch me. Chloe pretended to wake up and patted Ethan’s arm to calm him down: “Don’t be mad, Ethan. Vivian might just be going through early menopause. Every woman goes through a phase. But you can’t get tired of her, okay?” Ethan’s anger melted away. The two of them started chatting and laughing, filling the car with a warm, cozy atmosphere. They looked like a happily married couple. I was just the unwanted third wheel. Too bad their happiness had nothing to do with me anymore. When we reached the hospital, Ethan jumped out of the car. He smoothly walked over to the passenger side, opened the door for Chloe, and shielded her head with his hand so she wouldn’t bump it. He did it so naturally, like he had done it a thousand times. Meanwhile, I… Because of the gardenia allergy, my limbs felt like lead. Chloe shot me a smug, challenging look before quickly playing the saint: “Vivian looks really sick. Ethan, go help her. I can walk by myself.” Ethan grunted reluctantly and walked over to help me. It was pathetic. Even now, he wanted me to play along in their little drama just to prove how “kind” they were? I felt sick to my stomach. I violently shoved his hand away from my waist. With the last bit of my strength, I screamed at him: “Get lost! Don’t touch me!” Ethan’s temper exploded completely. “Vivian, are you insane?” “I’m trying to help you! I’m showing you care, and you push me? You must have water in your brain. I was an idiot to try and help you!” “Never again. Are you happy now?” He grabbed Chloe and stormed off toward the clinic entrance. I stood there, my strength completely drained. Before I could even reach the clinic doors, my vision went black, and I collapsed onto the concrete. Is this the love I traded my piano career for? Is this what ten years of my life bought me? What a joke. Ethan, I regret it. If I could go back, I would never choose you. If I had stayed on my own path, I would be performing on the world’s greatest stages right now. But instead, with my ruined finger, I could never play the same way again. When I woke up, Dr. Reynolds was looking down at me, his eyes full of worry. “Vivian, your body is extremely weak from the allergic reaction. Combined with the surgical abortion, your recovery is going to be very difficult.” “Under these conditions, do you still want to go through with it?” I thought of the years I had wasted on Ethan. I had thought we were building a future. But in the end, he had thrown me away like garbage for someone else. My broken heart crumbled into dust. “Do it,” I whispered. “I don’t want to wait anymore.”

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My CEO girlfriend promised she’d marry me the moment I took her startup, AuraTech, public. I worked myself to the bone, pulling endless all-nighters. Finally, in our seventh year together, we hit the milestone. But instead of putting a ring on my finger, Chloe turned around and signed a marriage license with Julian—her golden boy, the one who got away. She even threw a lavish, high-profile wedding to celebrate. On the day of their wedding, my mother, unable to take the shock, collapsed and was rushed to the ICU in critical condition. I literally fell to my knees, begging Chloe to let me withdraw my own money from our joint future fund so I could pay the $50,000 hospital deductible. Instead, she clung to Julian’s arm, laughed in my face in front of all our colleagues, and called me a delusional psychopath before having security beat me and drag me out. I had to watch my mother take her very last breath in that cold hospital bed. Meanwhile, Chloe and Julian were popping champagne and blowing cash at an upscale club. After burying my mother, I went back to our apartment to pack my things. That was when I caught Chloe’s brand-new luxury SUV shaking violently in the driveway. With her clothes disheveled and fresh hickeys staining her neck, Chloe looked at me with a flicker of guilt. “Don’t get the wrong idea, Ethan,” she stammered. “We were just… testing the car’s suspension.” I just smiled. A cold, empty smile. She had no idea. From the moment my mother died, I—the sole developer who held the core algorithm to her entire company—decided to make sure she lost absolutely everything.

I had just finished packing my bags when Chloe walked through the door. Her cheeks were flushed. The moment she saw me, her smile vanished. Her eyebrows knitted together as she slammed her hand down on my suitcase. “Are you throwing a tantrum? Packing your bags just because I had security throw you out of the wedding?” “Can you be any more petty, Ethan? There were so many high-profile guests there! If they found out you were my boyfriend, do you have any idea how badly that would have ruined Julian’s big day?” Hearing her words, I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. A few days ago, at her wedding, Chloe had called me a madman in front of everyone. She had watched with a cold smile as security guards insulted me, beat me, and threw me onto the street like trash. My colleagues had pointed fingers at me, gossiping that I was a gold-digger trying to ruin the CEO’s wedding for a payout. But that money was mine. And Chloe was supposed to be my girlfriend. I chuckled darkly and pushed her hand off my suitcase. Chloe frowned, her lips thinning into a hard line. “Fine. Stop acting like you’re the victim here. Why are you throwing such a massive fit? Did your mother say something to you again?” “Tell you what. I’ll go to the hospital with you tomorrow and explain things to her. Happy now?” See my mother? She wasn’t even fit to utter her name. My mother had been sick for a long time. Her biggest wish was to see me settled down before she passed. But Chloe kept dragging her feet, claiming she “wasn’t ready to settle down” and “wanted to enjoy her youth.” Yet, two weeks ago, when Julian posted on Snapchat about his parents pressuring him to get married, she panicked. “Ethan, Julian’s parents are forcing his hand. I’m just going to have a fake wedding with him to get them off his back. It’s just a show.” And then, she went ahead and legally registered their marriage, throwing a massive wedding for the world to see. When my mother heard the news, the shock sent her into cardiac arrest. The doctor told me she needed immediate surgery. I begged Chloe for my money, but she wouldn’t even transfer $50,000 for the surgery. My own hard-earned money. In the end, I could only watch the woman who raised me turn into a cold corpse. Thinking of this, the anger in my chest threatened to spill over. I closed my eyes, forcing a cold smile. “No need. I…” Before I could tell her my mother was dead, Chloe cut me off impatiently. “Alright, alright! Is this about the money I didn’t give you? I’ll transfer it to you right now, okay? I only kept it because I was thinking about our future.” I wanted to laugh. I really did. Over the last few years, I hadn’t even seen a penny of my paycheck. She had linked my salary card directly to what she called our “Joint Future Fund.” To take any money out, I needed her permission. And even if she approved it, I had to find a way to pay it back. She called it “saving for our future.” And back then, like a naive idiot, I actually believed her. Only later did I find out she was using that very fund to buy Julian luxury cars and pay the down payment on his penthouse. Yet, when it came to me, she was incredibly stingy. She wouldn’t even spare a dime for my mother’s life-saving surgery. I reached out and blocked her fingers on her phone. My face was completely expressionless. “Don’t bother. I don’t need it anymore.” Chloe froze. She shot me a cold, suspicious glare. “Don’t need it? Oh, I get it. You were lying to me! You didn’t need money for her. You just wanted to stop my wedding with Julian!” “Ethan, it was just a wedding ceremony. I don’t get why you and your mother are making such a big, dramatic deal out of it.” She had completely forgotten. She had forgotten her promise to give me a grand wedding, and she had forgotten my mother’s dying wish. I smiled bitterly. “Yeah. My mom and I were blind. We shouldn’t have cared about you at all.” Chloe’s face darkened instantly. I didn’t want to waste another breath on her. I grabbed my suitcase and pushed past her. Right outside the door, I ran into Julian. He was holding a condom wrapper—peach scented, the flavor I hated most. “Chloe, babe, you left this in the backseat of the car. I brought it up for you… Oh, Ethan? What are you doing here?” I stared at his smug face, then down at the wrapper. My heart was dead quiet. “Just packing my bags. Happy wedding, by the way.” With that, I walked past him. This time, Chloe didn’t try to stop me. She was too busy looking at Julian with eyes full of sweetness. “Ethan! If you want to throw a tantrum and live on the streets, go ahead! I won’t stop you!” “But remember, you are the one walking out. I didn’t kick you out!” I walked down the stairs to her cheerful voice. Looking up at the bedroom window as the lights flickered on, I let out a cold laugh. I pulled out my phone and sent my resignation letter straight to the company’s HR inbox.

The next morning, I went to the office early to pack my desk. A few colleagues were already whispering nearby. “Some people really thought they were the co-owner just because they’ve been with the CEO for a few years. Turns out, he was just her little side-toy.” “I knew Chloe and Julian had something going on. Ethan used to act like he was the official boyfriend and banned us from talking about them. Now? Chloe married Julian. Talk about a slap in the face!” If this were the old me, my face would have turned red, and I would have tried to explain myself. But now, I felt nothing. I walked straight to the HR department and submitted my physical resignation form. “We’re processing it,” the HR rep said, not even looking up. “Once the CEO signs off, you’re free to go.” I nodded and went back to my cubicle to pack my personal belongings. When I picked up the framed photo of Chloe, my mother, and me, memories flooded my mind. Years ago, my father died in a car accident, and my mother fell gravely ill from grief. I brought her to the hospital, which was where I met Chloe, who was working as a student nurse. To pay for my mother’s medical bills, I worked day and night. Chloe was the one who looked after my mother when I couldn’t, and she was the one who held me when I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Back then, even when I was covered in dirt and completely broke, she loved me with everything she had. But once our startup took off, everything changed. “Ethan, I’m so scared that once you get rich, you’ll leave me.” Using that insecurity as an excuse, she took back all my shares. Overnight, I went from the co-founder to a mere team lead. She put me on a basic salary. And eventually, she took even that basic salary away, locking it in her “Future Fund.” Six months ago, Julian returned to the country. Chloe immediately made him the Senior Vice President, offering him a seven-figure salary. She threw a massive welcome party for him, and when the team cheered, she even shared a drink with him from the same glass. She completely forgot that day was also my birthday. That was the moment I realized this relationship had reached its expiration date. I took the photo, carefully cut Chloe out of it, and tossed her half into the trash. “Oh my god, Chloe and Julian look so perfect together! Like a match made in heaven!” My colleagues’ sycophantic voices echoed through the office. I looked up and saw Chloe and Julian walking in, their fingers locked, showing off their matching wedding rings. Chloe beamed at the compliments. “Everyone has been working so hard lately,” she announced. “HR, double everyone’s end-of-year bonuses this year!” The office erupted into wild cheers. The atmosphere instantly became electric. “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” someone chanted. Chloe’s cheeks flushed a deep red. She didn’t look like the cold, ruthless CEO she usually was. She leaned in and kissed Julian on the cheek, but Julian turned his head at the last second, catching her straight on the lips. The office went wild, clapping and cheering. Watching them, I felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over my head. My heart was cold as iron. Chloe’s eyes were filled with adoration, but as she glanced around, her eyes landed on me. Her smile instantly froze.

“Ethan? You… when did you get here?” The room went dead silent. Everyone turned their gaze toward me. I paused for a second, my face completely expressionless. “Just got here. Why?” Chloe’s face soured, clearly annoyed that I had ruined her moment. She waved her hand to dismiss the crowd. “Since you’re here, pack up the files for the Zenith Group partnership. Hand them over to Julian.” Hand them over to Julian? I had been working on this project day and night for over six months. We were right on the verge of signing the contract, and she wanted me to hand it over to Julian with a single sentence? I let out a cold laugh, my eyes narrowing. “And why should I do that?” Chloe’s eyebrows shot up. She scoffed, “I am the CEO. You do what I tell you to do. Since when do you get to ask why?” “I’ve thought this through. Giving this project to Julian is the best move for the company. If you don’t like it, you can leave!” I didn’t argue. I just nodded. “Fine. I’ll leave. But don’t regret this later.” I walked to the exit, pulled out my phone, and replied to the email from Zenith Group’s CEO, accepting their job offer. Zenith Group was a Fortune 500 company. Their short-form video platform was sweeping the globe. They were a titan in the tech and entertainment industry. What Chloe didn’t know was that the core AI recommendation algorithm I created was something Zenith Group had been begging to buy for years. The only reason they were even considering partnering with a small company like AuraTech was because of me. Without me, AuraTech’s system would collapse. Suddenly, Chloe ran out of the office like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, blocking my path. “Ethan! Have I been too nice to you lately? How dare you speak to me in that tone!” In her mind, she probably thought I was still the same obedient dog who would crawl back to her the moment she snapped her fingers. Julian stood beside her, a smug smirk on his face. He stepped forward, acting concerned. “Ethan, you shouldn’t talk to Chloe like that. What if she actually fires you? What are you going to do then?” I frowned and pushed him aside. He took a dramatic stumble backward, pretending to lose his balance, and collapsed onto the floor. Chloe’s face turned bright red with rage. She slapped me hard across the face, then rushed to help Julian up. “Ethan! I’ve clearly spoiled you too much, making you forget your place! How dare you lay a hand on Julian right in front of me!” “Apologize to him right now! Or I swear to God, I will fire you!” I touched my stinging cheek and laughed. “No need to fire me. I already resigned. Sign the papers.” Chloe, who had been expecting me to beg for forgiveness, froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You resigned? How dare you!” I shook my head slowly. “It’s not just a resignation, Chloe. I’m dumping you, too.” “I’m done playing this toxic game with you.”

Chloe’s chest heaved violently. Her face was flushed with anger. Without another word, she pulled up her phone and approved my resignation on the spot. “Ethan! Don’t forget that your mother is in the hospital! Once you leave this company, once you leave me, don’t come crying to me when she’s dying on the street!” Julian added with a sneer, pretending to be helpful: “Exactly, Ethan. You’re just an aging developer. Who else is going to hire you besides a generous boss like Chloe?” “Don’t let your petty pride ruin your mother’s life, and your own future.” I stared dead into Chloe’s eyes, my voice cold as ice. “My mother? She’s already dead.” Chloe froze. A flash of panic crossed her face, but she quickly masked it with a cold shrug. “Oh, she’s dead? When? Why didn’t you tell me?” “None of your business. Keep your fake sympathy to yourself.” Chloe’s face darkened completely. Julian smirked, wrapping his arm around her waist. He looked at me condescendingly. “Chloe, babe, let’s go. I already set up a dinner with Mr. Sterling from Zenith Group tonight. Once we sign that deal, our company is going straight to the moon!” “As for Ethan, let him go bury his dead mom.” Chloe’s eyes lit up with excitement. She glared at me one last time. “Fine. If he wants to leave, let him. He’ll regret this soon enough!” With that, she took Julian’s hand and they walked away, looking like the perfect couple. Me? Regret? I’d love to see who regrets what. I pulled out my phone and shot a quick message to Mr. Sterling. That evening, I arrived at the VIP dining hall of the luxury hotel. Just as I stepped in, I heard Chloe’s voice from behind. “Ethan? What the hell are you doing here?” “Did you follow us here to ruin our deal with Mr. Sterling?!” Julian immediately chimed in, dripping with sarcasm. “Ethan, are you still mad because Chloe gave me your project?” “Even if you’re jealous, you can’t just crash a business dinner. Did you forget how you got kicked out of the wedding?” I crossed my arms and smirked. “Crash? What if I told you Mr. Sterling invited me?” Julian let out a loud laugh. “Chloe, you need to get your ex some mental help. He’s completely lost it. Do you have any idea who Mr. Sterling is?” “Inviting a low-level tech grunt like him? In his dreams!” Chloe’s face twisted in embarrassment. She stepped forward and slapped me again. “Ethan, go play crazy somewhere else! Mr. Sterling inviting you? What a joke!” “If it weren’t for Julian’s connections, even I wouldn’t be able to get a meeting with him! You think you can just summon him with a text?” I looked at her calmly. “Actually, yes. One text is all it takes. Unlike this useless fraud next to you.” “A fraud?” Chloe laughed mockingly. “If Julian is a fraud, what does that make you? You’re just a parasite who lived off my company. You actually think you’re hot shit? You’re insane!” Julian stepped up, pointing a finger at me. “Ethan, I can let your insults slide, but you do not disrespect Mr. Sterling! He could ruin our entire lives with a single word!” Chloe raised her hand again. “Did you hear him? Apologize to Julian right now, and get the hell out of here!” I caught her wrist, looking at her smug, vicious smile. “And if I don’t?” “Then I will blacklist you from the entire tech industry! I will make sure you never get a job in this country again!” I laughed out loud. “Blacklist me?” Chloe thought she had me cornered. Her smile grew wider. “That’s right! You’re nothing but a nobody, Ethan! Julian has elite connections. He got us a meeting with Mr. Sterling. He can ruin you with one phone call!” “Oh really?” I smiled. “Are you absolutely sure he’s the one who got you this meeting?” “Of course! If you get on your knees and beg Julian right now, I might ask him to be merciful. But you have to kneel!” Chloe stood tall, her chest puffed out. Julian stepped in front of me, looking down his nose. “Ethan, I really didn’t want to do this to you. But this is what Chloe wants.” He waited, expecting me to drop to my knees. Right at that moment, a booming voice echoed from behind him. “Who wants him to kneel? Who dares make him kneel?!” The room gasped. “It’s Mr. Sterling! The CEO of Zenith Group is here!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “465610”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

The moment my wife saw her “first love” brag on Snapchat about his family’s estate being bought out for redevelopment, she couldn’t wait to drag me to City Hall to get a divorce. “Ethan, Logan’s family estate is being bought out by a mega-developer! I heard they’re offering a massive family compensation package. You know Logan’s situation is tight. I want to have a baby with him so we can claim the three-person premium package!” “Can we just get remarried after we get the money?” With that, she held up three fingers in front of me. “I swear, this baby won’t change how I feel about you. You’re the only one I love.” I looked into her seemingly sincere eyes and nodded slowly. My wife had no idea. The second she proposed divorcing me to have another man’s baby, any chance of us remarrying died. I was going to completely erase the name Ethan Vance from my life. And reclaim my real identity: Ethan Sterling, the sole heir of the developer buying out that land. 0 When Chloe dragged me from the car into City Hall to get our divorce ticket, the grin on her face was practically splitting her cheeks. “Don’t worry, Ethan. As soon as I get the property and the payout, I’ll divorce him and come straight back to you!” After making her grand promise, Chloe stood on her tiptoes and pecked my cheek a few times. “Smile! We’re basically getting a free luxury apartment out of this!” I didn’t say a word. As the red stamp slammed down on the divorce papers, a cold shiver ran through my chest. I felt none of her ecstatic joy. I knew that even without this buyout, Chloe would have divorced me eventually. Logan Hunt was her childhood sweetheart. He had moved abroad years ago due to some family trouble, only returning three years ago. On the day he landed, Chloe—who had never cooked a single meal in her life—actually spent hours in the kitchen preparing a massive feast to welcome him back. She was always too attentive to him. She’d remind him to bundle up when it was cold, and she’d personally drive across town to deliver medicine if he caught a sniffle. I had fought with her over these “little things” more times than I could count. Every time, Chloe would pacify me with sweet words, only to turn around and flirt with Logan again. Eventually, it got to the point where they’d hold hands right in front of me, and I’d just look away. I kept lying to myself, calling it “childhood friendship” that transcended boundaries. I still remember six months ago when Chloe had to go on a business trip. She told me she was only going with a female colleague. But later that weekend, I saw Logan’s Instagram post. They were hugging each other tightly at an amusement park. His caption read: *No matter how much time passes, you’re still my one and only.* After digging around, I found out the truth. The business trip was a complete lie. She had used it as an excuse to go on a romantic getaway with her little lover. “Ethan…” Chloe’s voice snapped me back to reality. “You know the construction near Logan’s place is getting really loud and unlivable now. Do you think he could temporarily move in with us?” I understood exactly what she was getting at. I nodded. “Sure. I’ll pack my things and move out tonight.” Hearing this, Chloe shook her head quickly. “I’m not trying to kick you out!” “There’s plenty of room for the three of us to live together. Besides, you’ve handled all the household chores for years. I wouldn’t be used to you being gone.” I let out a self-deprecating laugh. To put it plainly, Chloe just wanted a free live-in maid. Not only did I have to take care of her daily life, but I also had to serve her lover. Six years of devotion had finally hit a dead end. “It’s fine. I’ll hire a moving truck…” “Chloe! Is the divorce finalized?” Before I could finish my sentence, Logan came wheeling a suitcase toward us. Chloe’s face instantly darkened. “I told you to wait for me at home! Why did you come to City Hall?” “I was just worried Ethan would be angry. I wanted to help explain things to him!” Logan casually wrapped one arm around Chloe’s waist, while his other hand slid down to rest on her flat stomach. It was a blatant declaration of ownership. No wonder she wanted to have a baby with him so badly. They had probably been sleeping together for a while. Seeing that I remained silent, Logan continued, “Don’t worry, buddy. Once the payout and the deed are in our hands, I’ll return Chloe to you in perfect condition.” As he spoke, he gave Chloe’s waist a stealthy pinch. My chest tightened. I didn’t want to stand there for another second. I turned around and walked away. If they dared to be this shameless in broad daylight, I couldn’t begin to imagine what they did behind my back. Swallowing the bitter pain in my throat, I quickened my pace, hailed a cab, and went straight back to our apartment. The first thing I did was pack. I only took a few basic changes of clothes. Anything associated with Chloe, I left behind. Just as I was about to walk out the door, my eyes caught the ring on my finger. It was a simple silver band we bought when we first started dating. Back then, we were broke and couldn’t afford a diamond. Even after our financial situation improved, I couldn’t bear to replace it. I felt like this ring had witnessed everything we went through. But Chloe’s hands had been bare for a long time. It seemed that the moment Logan returned, her wedding ring had conveniently disappeared. Right then, Chloe walked in, clinging to Logan’s arm. Seeing me staring at the ring on my finger, a flicker of guilt crossed her face. “You’ve been wearing that cheap thing for six years. It’s long overdue for an upgrade.” “On the day we remarry, I’ll buy you a brand-new one.” As she spoke, she reached out, slid the ring off my finger, and casually tossed it into the trash can. I forced a smile and said, “Okay.” “Ethan, I’m doing all of this for our future.” “A luxury apartment and a million-dollar payout aren’t pocket change.” I nodded, pretending to understand. As I turned to go downstairs, Chloe called out my name. “Ethan!” “Remember to text me your new address on Snapchat. I’ll come pick you up in a month.” I didn’t look back, and I didn’t answer. The moment I stepped out of the residential complex, my phone rang. “Mr. Sterling, do you need us to send a private helicopter to pick you up?” “No need,” I replied coldly. “I still have some loose ends to tie up here. I’ll return to headquarters in a month!” 0

The first time I met Chloe was six years ago on a busy street. She was trying to help an elderly woman who had fallen. But the moment Chloe touched her sleeve, the woman grabbed her tightly, screaming to the onlookers that Chloe had knocked her down. Naturally, the police got involved, and Chloe was taken to the station. Fortunately, my dashcam had recorded the entire incident. I went to the station and bailed her out. When we stepped outside, she sat on the curb and cried her eyes out. I thought she was just traumatized by the scam. Only later did I find out that day was actually the day Logan had boarded his flight to go abroad. After leaving our apartment, I rented a small condo to clear my head. In the evening, I decided to grab a bite to eat. Passing by a trendy restaurant, I noticed through the glass window a large group of people gathered around Logan, raising their glasses to toast him. Sitting right next to him, draped in his arms, was Chloe—my brand-new ex-wife. Chloe and I both had mild palates and hated spicy food, but Logan loved heavy, rich flavors. The restaurant was serving exactly what he liked. Inside, the venue was decorated with festive banners. Across the main wall hung a giant sign: *Wishing Chloe and Logan a Happy Marriage!* Those words felt like a physical blow to my chest. They had gone straight from my divorce to register their own marriage. No wonder Logan had been in such a rush at City Hall, bringing his luggage along. He literally couldn’t wait a single second. I stood outside the window, pulling my coat tighter around myself. The autumn air was brisk, but for some reason, I was shivering uncontrollably. My mind drifted back to six years ago. It was a similar autumn day when Chloe and I had our wedding. It was just as lively. She had looked into my eyes, reciting her vows, promising to love and cherish me forever. Now, those words were nothing but trash to her. With stinging eyes, I lowered my head and prepared to leave. Suddenly, the double doors of the private dining room were slammed open by Chloe’s parents. They rushed in, absolutely furious. Her father tore the banner down from the wall. “Chloe! What the hell are you doing?! How could you throw Ethan away for this loser Logan?!” “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!” “Did you not hear about all the sketchy things he did while he was abroad? You go find Ethan right now and beg for his forgiveness! Otherwise, don’t ever call us your parents again!” I didn’t expect her parents to show up and crash their celebration for my sake. Their respect was probably the only comforting thing I had left from those six years. “Mom, Dad, you’ve got it all wrong!” Chloe scrambled to explain. “You already signed the marriage certificate! What is there to get wrong?!” her father roared. “Get a divorce right now!” Logan stood awkwardly to the side, his face shifting from pale to red. “Dad! Can we please talk about this at home? All our friends are here!” Chloe tried to coax him, switching to her usual spoiled tone. But her father wasn’t having it. “Home? If you don’t explain this right now, you are officially cut off from this family!” Seeing her father’s stubbornness, Chloe had no choice but to dismiss their guests. Once the room cleared, she finally confessed, “Dad! Ethan and I only got a paper divorce! Logan’s estate is being bought out next month. The developer pays compensation based on the number of registered family members. By temporarily marrying Logan, we can claim an extra luxury apartment and a massive payout. Ethan knows all about this! He agreed to remarry me once the check clears!” Hearing this, her father’s face turned bright red. He pointed a shaking finger at her, gasping for air. In a fit of rage, he grabbed a glass of water from the table and hurled it straight at Logan. “You brainless girl! Do you honestly think a guy like Ethan cares about some cheap apartment payout?” “Do you think you can just play with marriage like a game? You’re going to kill me! Get a divorce right now!” Seeing that her parents wouldn’t budge, Chloe finally lost her temper. “Mom, Dad! Even Ethan didn’t make a big deal out of this! Why are you so angry?!” “My marriage to Logan doesn’t need your approval anyway.” “Since you can’t stand to see me succeed, we’ll talk after the buyout money hits our account.” “When I have the deeds and the cash, you’ll see who was right!” Chloe grabbed Logan’s hand and stormed out of the restaurant. They flagged down a cab, but just as she was about to step inside, she spotted me standing by the window. Her face instantly contorted with rage. “Ethan! Was this your doing?!” 0

“Did you call my parents here on purpose to ruin my wedding?!” Chloe didn’t even give me a chance to speak before she pronounced me guilty. “I’m just trying to help Logan! A baby can get us hundreds of thousands of dollars more! Don’t you understand that?” “We agreed on this, and you said yes! Why do you have to be so difficult now? What is wrong with you?!” When I remained silent, she shrieked, “Say something!” “Ethan, I can’t believe you’re this two-faced. We’ve been married for six years, and I never knew you were this petty!” Yes, six years. And I never knew she was this heartless. “This has nothing to do with Ethan!” Her father walked out of the restaurant, his face grim. “If Logan hadn’t bragged about your marriage certificate on Snapchat, your mother and I would have been kept in the dark forever!” Her father thrust his phone in front of Chloe’s face. She glanced at the screen, her eyes flickering with panic. Without a word of apology, she pushed Logan into the cab, got in after him, and sped away. Once the cab disappeared down the street, my phone buzzed. It was a call from Chloe. She told me to step away from her parents before speaking. “My parents are just emotional right now, so I couldn’t say much. You need to talk to them and calm them down. Tell them we’re still deeply in love and they don’t need to worry.” “Oh, and make sure to mention our plan to remarry, so they don’t think I’m lying to them.” After laying out her orders, she noticed my silence. “Ethan? Why aren’t you speaking?” “Are you mad because I had a wedding ceremony with Logan today?” “Ugh, babe, if we’re going to scam the developer, we have to make it look real. Otherwise, the auditors will flag us for fraud, and that’s illegal!” “Honey, don’t be mad. You know you’re the only one I love. Check your Snapchat, I sent you a little surprise.” After she hung up, I opened Snapchat. It was a highly suggestive boudoir photo of Chloe, wearing nothing but a skimpy outfit with a fluffy bunny tail. *Don’t be mad anymore, okay?~ When we get remarried, I’ll make sure to make it up to you in bed.* I stared at the caption for a second, then deleted the entire chat history. That night, I sat down with Chloe’s parents for a long chat. They had always treated me like a son, and I didn’t want to lie to them. I told them honestly that I had no intention of ever getting back together with Chloe. I begged them not to pressure her, saying she had made her choice, and I sincerely wished her well. “Ethan,” her father said, his voice heavy with emotion. “You’ve loved Chloe for so long. Are you really okay with letting her go?” Whether I was okay with it or not didn’t matter anymore. Relationships aren’t a one-way street. Just because I wanted her didn’t mean she would ever choose me over Logan. Seeing my silence, her father sighed deeply. “Years ago, when my investments failed and we were drowning in debt, it was your support that saved us. I’ve always considered you my true son-in-law. But I won’t force you. If you think a divorce is best, your mother and I will back you up 100%.” He squeezed my hand. “It’s Chloe’s loss. She was too foolish to cherish a good man.” His words brought a lump to my throat. I swallowed my tears, chatted with them a bit longer, reminded them to take care of their health, and left. By the time I got back to my condo, I had completely lost my appetite. Suddenly, my phone screen lit up. It was a direct message from Logan. It was a photo of him and Chloe cuddled up in bed. *Thanks for stepping in and calming her parents down, buddy. They aren’t mad at us anymore.* *Are you free tomorrow? I’d love to buy you dinner to show my appreciation.* I tossed my phone aside and ignored it. This wasn’t the first time Logan had tried to rub things in my face. When I was still Chloe’s husband, it used to make my blood boil. But now that we were divorced, I didn’t even have the right to care. Yet, I didn’t expect such a petty move to trigger Chloe to call me again. 0

Chloe called me in the middle of the night. “Ethan, why aren’t you replying to Logan’s messages? He just wants to thank you.” “We owe you one for handling my parents today. Who knows how long they would have made a scene otherwise.” “Are you free tomorrow? Logan and I really want to take you out for dinner.” I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. “No, I have to go to the office tomorrow.” “But if you don’t come, Logan will think you’re holding a grudge. Plus, I’m planning on bringing him into the company to help out. That way, you won’t have to carry such a heavy workload anymore.” “It doesn’t matter. I don’t care about the company anymore.” The company was a startup I had built from the ground up and gifted to Chloe as a wedding present. She used to promise me she’d cherish it forever. She used to say that even though she was the CEO, I held the real power. She had given me absolute authority. But everything changed the moment Logan returned. Apparently, a company generating tens of millions of dollars a year couldn’t compare to a single free apartment. The location of Logan’s estate wasn’t even in a high-end district. If Chloe wanted real estate, we could have bought dozens of luxury condos. The moment she used that absurd excuse to demand a divorce, I knew our six-year marriage was a hollow shell. Holding on would only drag us both into endless misery. “Chloe, are you sure you want to hand all my active projects over to Logan?” There was a long pause on the other end of the line. The clients and resources for those projects were built entirely on my personal network. Without my connections, those deals would collapse instantly. “We’re going to be family soon anyway, so there’s no need to draw such hard lines. Besides, you’ve been handling too many projects. It’s time to delegate.” *Family?* Chloe really thought of herself as some ancient queen, expecting me to peacefully coexist with her concubine. “Do whatever you want.” I hung up. First, she divorced me. Now, she was using Logan to strip away my authority. The timeline of her actions was so tight it made my blood run cold. She was in such a rush to push me out. The next morning, I went to the office as usual to wrap things up. The moment I walked into my office, I saw Logan sitting in my chair, casually playing with my ID badge. Seeing me enter, his hand flicked, dropping the badge onto the hardwood floor. He deliberately ground his leather shoe over it before stepping toward me. “Oh, look who’s early. Ready to hand over your crown, buddy?” “Ethan, I’ve got to say, you’re the most pathetic man I’ve ever met. Imagine handing your own woman over to another guy.” I sneered. “If I’m done playing with her, what’s wrong with giving her to you?” Logan’s face instantly darkened. He lunged forward, grabbing my collar, and let out a cold laugh. “You think I buy that?” “If you really didn’t care about Chloe, why are you still lingering around after the divorce?” “Aren’t you two just ‘fake married’?” I countered. Logan laughed out loud. “Ethan, are you stupid or just incredibly naive?” “Do you seriously think Chloe is ever going to remarry you?” He leaned in, his face dripping with smug satisfaction. “Let me tell you a secret. Even after the buyout money cleared, Chloe won’t divorce me.” “In her heart, I’m the only one who matters.” I couldn’t argue with that, nor did I want to waste my breath arguing with him. I walked over to the desk, gathered a few files, and turned to leave. But Logan grabbed my arm, refusing to let me go. The second he saw Chloe walking down the hallway toward the office, his demeanor flipped instantly. His eyes filled with tears, and he adopted a fragile, victimized look. “Ethan, I know you hate me. But Chloe already handed these projects to me. You can’t just take them back.” He whimpered, putting his hand over my files. Before I could even push him away, he threw himself onto the floor. “Ethan! What are you doing?!” Chloe slammed the door open and rushed to Logan’s side, kneeling down to check on him. “I’m fine, Chloe. Don’t blame Ethan.” “He’s right. He’s been running these projects from the start. It’s not fair for me to just take over.” Chloe’s eyes went from worried to absolutely furious as she glared up at me. “Ethan! What is wrong with you?! Didn’t I already talk to you about this?” “They’re just a few projects! Is it worth getting violent over? I didn’t know you were this petty. If you want projects so badly, I can fund a few new ones for you!” “Is our company really that desperate for cash?” I looked down at Chloe, a wave of profound disappointment washing over me. Every single time Logan was involved, regardless of the truth, I was always the villain. She was right. The company didn’t lack money. It just lacked a free apartment. “I didn’t touch him. Believe what you want. As for the projects, if he wants them, he can have them.” Whether the clients would actually agree to work with an incompetent freeloader like Logan was another story entirely. Chloe stared at me, momentarily stunned by my cold indifference. She told Logan to step out so we could talk alone. Once the door closed, her angry expression softened, and she reached out to grab my hand, offering a sweet smile. “Logan’s new to the corporate world, so he doesn’t know how things work. Don’t take what I said to heart.” I looked at her and let out a sharp chuckle. “So, you knew he was putting on a show the whole time?” 0

“Logan just joined the company. I couldn’t embarrass him in front of everyone, or he’d have a hard time establishing authority.” So, to help her lover establish authority, her first move was to step on me. “Ethan, try to be understanding. It’s just a temporary marriage and a baby. Do you have to push me at every turn?” “I already promised you that once the divorce is finalized, I won’t have anything to do with him. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? Can’t you just be a man and show some maturity?” “I’ll transfer some money to your account. Why don’t you take a vacation? Go travel for a bit and stay out of our way.” “Don’t worry, Logan and I won’t do anything real. I will always belong to you.” Looking at her face, which was twisted into an expression of utter disappointment in *me*, my heart completely shattered. “I get it,” I said softly. “I’ll hand over all my projects to Logan. I won’t interfere with the company anymore.” “Ethan, that’s not what I meant…” I nodded, not wanting to hear another word. I had originally planned to wrap up some loose ends before leaving, but now, there was no point. In Chloe’s world, Logan was all she needed. Nothing else mattered. I turned and walked out of the office without looking back. Over the next few days, I stopped going to the office entirely, trying my best to stay out of their lives. But Logan was relentless. Every time some trivial thing happened between him and Chloe, he’d send me updates on Snapchat. *Ethan, the mattress you picked out is really soft. You’ve got great taste. The silk pajamas fit me perfectly too.* *Ethan, I noticed you left some luxury watches in the closet. I’m going to borrow a few. You don’t mind, right?* *I’ll take your silence as a yes.* *By the way, your wife is amazing in bed. I’ll make sure to take good care of her for you.* As the messages grew more graphic and disgusting, I blocked his notifications. I knew Chloe. Since they were living under the same roof, even without Logan’s bragging, I knew exactly what was happening. I stayed holed up in my condo for days. On the night before my departure, a close friend insisted on throwing me a farewell party, so I finally went out. He booked a private room at an upscale lounge. When I arrived, a row of gorgeous female hosts was lined up in the room. My friend clapped me on the shoulder. “Take your pick.” I looked at him, confused. “What is this?” “Come on, man. I know what happened. There are plenty of fish in the sea. These girls are top-tier. Look at those faces, those bodies. None of them are worse than Chloe.” “If you ask me, Chloe is a fool. She had a golden husband and threw him away for some broke loser like Logan.” “Without you, would her company ever have reached this level? If she were still drowning in her father’s debt, Logan wouldn’t even look at her twice!” I knew my friends were just trying to stand up for me. But just because Chloe was cheap didn’t mean I was going to degrade myself to get back at her. “You know me better than that,” I said. “Send them away.” But before my friend could dismiss the hosts, the heavy doors of the private room were pushed open. Chloe stepped inside, clutching Logan’s hand. My friend’s face instantly dropped. He nudged the guy next to him and muttered, “Who the hell invited her? Didn’t I say this was a private party for Ethan?” “I swear, man, everyone here is in our circle. Nobody would have invited Chloe!” Ignoring the tense atmosphere, Chloe swept her eyes over the female hosts and marched straight toward me. “Ethan! We just got divorced, and you’re already in a place like this picking out girls?!” 0

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Someone tried to clear the air. “Hey, it’s just a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding.” “What misunderstanding? If Logan hadn’t told me you were here ‘selecting a harem,’ I’d still be in the dark!” “Ethan, we were married for six years! Did I ever treat you badly? How could you do this to me?!” Chloe screamed at the top of her lungs, completely ignoring the crowd. Eventually, my friend ushered everyone out, leaving only the four of us in the massive room. “Chloe, shouldn’t Ethan be the one asking you that question?” My friend snapped, unable to hold back. “How did he treat you all these years? You know better than anyone! He would never cheat on you. But you? Ever since Logan came back from abroad, have you given Ethan a single shred of your attention?” “And now, for a little bit of buyout money, you want to have a baby with Logan and divorce Ethan? Let’s not forget how Ethan paid off your father’s massive debts. Do you really think he cares about some cheap apartment?” Faced with a barrage of questions, Chloe’s face turned pale. She glared at me. “Ethan, is this what you think of me?” “Was my father’s debt paid off solely by you? Did I have no hand in building the company? I discussed the apartment situation with you beforehand, and now you’re throwing all the blame on me?” “I told you, the divorce is temporary! We will remarry! I just need a month!” “My relationship with Logan is strictly business. But what about you? What are you doing behind my back? Hiring escorts?!” “Chloe, watch your mouth!” my friend barked. “Who said Ethan is hiring escorts? You guys are divorced! You’re already on husband number two, and you won’t even let Ethan move on?!” “This is between me and my husband! Since when do you get a say?!” Chloe’s face flushed with anger, tears welling in her eyes. It seemed like she was on the verge of a breakdown. Seeing her emotional state, Logan stepped forward, tugging her sleeve to comfort her, but Chloe violently shook him off. She turned and glared at him with cold fury. This was probably the first time she had ever looked at Logan like that since his return. “You get out too! I need to talk to him alone.” “Chloe…” Logan whimpered, trying to look pathetic. “Get out!” Sensing her genuine rage, Logan reluctantly slunk out of the room. “Ethan, you know my personality. I don’t like to repeat myself. Do you have to make me angry?” “We could have handled this maturely.” “If you didn’t want to do this, you could have told me from the start. Why did you agree to it only to pull a stunt like this now?” I just looked at her, my voice devoid of emotion. “If I had said no, would you have listened?” Chloe got one thing right: I knew her personality perfectly. That was why I knew I never had a choice in our divorce. If I had refused. She would have made my life a living hell, using emotional abuse and the silent treatment to force my hand. Instead of dragging it out, it was better to cut the cord. “What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying I forced you?” “And now you’re here with these girls just to get back at me? Ethan, when did you become so childish?” “Can you stop using these pathetic stunts just to get my attention? I am so exhausted.” “Fine, I admit I haven’t paid enough attention to you lately. I’ll make an effort to change, okay?” “No need,” I said flatly. “Since we’re divorced, let’s not talk about remarrying ever again.” “Ethan? What did you say?” Chloe’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I suggest you think carefully before you speak. If you walk out that door today, I don’t care if you beg me on your knees later, I will never take you back!” I turned around and walked out without a single backward glance, ignoring her frantic screams behind me. I checked the time, caught a cab to my condo to grab my bags, and headed straight for the airport. As soon as I got into the cab, my friend called. “Ethan, where did you go? Chloe has completely lost her mind. She’s smashing everything in the VIP room.” “I’m on my way to the airport.” My friend went quiet for a moment, unsure of what to say. Finally, he just muttered, “Safe travels, man.” “Thanks,” I replied. Suddenly, a massive semi-truck appeared ahead, its high beams blindingly bright. I yelled at the driver to steer away as I slammed the phone down. In the next second, the truck crashed directly into our side. *BOOM!* I felt my body shatter into pieces. The distant wail of sirens and chaotic voices faded in and out of my consciousness. “Hello? Is this the family of Ethan Vance? He’s been in a horrific car accident and is currently in critical condition. Please come to Mercy Hospital immediately.” Through the haze of my fading consciousness, I heard Chloe’s cold sneer through the phone line. “What is his game? He just broke up with me, and now he’s staging a car accident to trick me into coming back?” “Who does he think I am? Tell him that unless he gets his ass over here right now and kneels down to beg for my forgiveness, I will never forgive him!” With that, Chloe hung up the phone in a rage. I let out a bitter, silent laugh. Our six-year marriage had finally reached its absolute end. I just never expected the final curtain to be drawn with my life on the line…

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My coworker invited me to an all-you-can-eat Japanese buffet. It was $78 per person. I took a picture and shared it with my boyfriend, but he completely lost his mind. “A $78 buffet? Are you eating food or gold?!” “Greedy women rot in hell for gluttony! Aren’t you afraid of getting your tongue ripped out?!” To get a free meal, my boyfriend rushed to the restaurant and tried to force me to fake food poisoning with him. Watching him roll around on the floor, howling like a dog, I took a step back and shook my head. “Sorry, I don’t know this man.” To meet our project deadline, our entire team worked overtime for three days straight. We barely managed to finish the tasks assigned by the higher-ups. After logging off, my coworker invited me out to celebrate. So, we made a reservation at a Japanese buffet restaurant we had been wanting to try for a long time. They had a limited-time special for $78 per person, which included unlimited fresh salmon and scampi. It was an absolute steal. Right after we sat down and ordered, I habitually snapped a photo and sent it to my boyfriend, Zach. 【Look! Maya and I are having a buffet today. The vibe here is amazing.】 Usually, Zach replied within seconds, but this time, he went silent for over ten minutes. By the time Maya and I had already started eating, he finally replied. 【I just looked that place up online. That buffet is almost eighty bucks. You are being way too wasteful.】 I took a photo of the gorgeous sashimi platter on our table and sent it to him. 【The seafood here is super fresh. $78 is a bargain for this quality, okay?】 But starting from that message, Zach began bombarding my Snapchat. 【$78 is cheap to you?! They are selling you a bunch of cheap frozen fish and shrimp for nearly a hundred dollars. Are you eating food or gold?!】 【Women are just greedy. You only make like $3,500 a month after tax, and you’re stuffing all of it into your mouth! You don’t know the first thing about running a household. If you’re like this now, what about when we have kids? Do you expect me to pay for everything myself?】 【I’m telling you, if you want to marry into the Miller family, you have to get rid of this horrible habit!】 【Always eating, always wasting. People like you rot in hell for gluttony!】 … And the last message: 【Stay there. I’m coming right now.】 Seeing the disgusted expression on my face, Maya asked with concern, “Is everything okay?” “It’s fine.” I sighed. “But I have a really bad feeling about this.” Sure enough, before we could even finish our food, Zach stormed into the restaurant. Instead of calling me to ask where we were sitting, he started shouting at the top of his lungs in the lobby, “Chloe! Chloe, get out here right now!” And that wasn’t even the worst of it. When nobody answered him in the lobby, he started opening the private dining rooms one by one. Ignoring the curses of the other customers, he finally slammed open our door. “Chloe, are you deaf?! I called your name so many times, and you didn’t even bother to answer!” My face was already pale with embarrassment. His dramatic, embarrassing behavior, combined with his abusive texts on Snapchat, had pushed me to my absolute limit. But clearly, I still didn’t know the real Zach. He grabbed my wrist. “Are you guys almost done? Come on, let’s go while the lobby is crowded.” “What are you doing?!” I yanked my hand back. I watched in sheer disbelief as Zach stuffed a sweet shrimp into his mouth from our table. “Might as well eat some. Let’s stuff our faces first and then run.” I looked at him, completely horrified. “Zach, are you seriously trying to force me to dine and dash?” “Duh!” Zach mumbled, his mouth stuffed with salmon. “Who in their right mind pays this much for a buffet? We have to run!” My chest tightened with pure anger. Seeing the tension, Maya quickly tried to defuse the situation. “Chloe has been working so hard overtime. It’s just an occasional treat. Besides, you have to pay and leave a card on file before you even get seated at this place. Running now is pointless.” “What?!” Zach spat the food out of his mouth, spraying crumbs everywhere. “You already paid?! Chloe, how can you be so damn wasteful!” “Your monthly salary is only $3,500. $78 takes you nearly half a day of hard work to earn back! Have you even done the math?!” I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I snapped back, “I spent my own money. Since when is it any of your business?”

“We’re going to get married! Why are you drawing a line between your money and mine? What’s yours is mine!” “Chloe, my mom said you need to give us a baby boy right after we get married. Do you have any idea how much diapers and formula cost? You went to business school, and you can’t even do this simple math?!” I wanted to slap him across his face, but seeing the disgusting food residue around his mouth, I couldn’t even bring myself to touch him. “Are you insane? We’ve only been dating for a week. Did I say I was going to marry you? Did I say I was going to give you a son? You are a literal psycho.” I tried to keep my voice down, but he didn’t listen to a single word. He pushed me aside and sat right in my seat. “I’ll talk to you after I’m full.” Then, Zach began devouring the food left on our table like a starving animal. Seeing that there wasn’t much left, he screamed at the top of his lungs, “Server! Bring us another sashimi platter! And your most expensive wine!” I came out to enjoy my evening, not to be a laughingstock. The moment he started shouting, I grabbed Maya’s hand and walked out of the room. “Maya, let’s go.” “Wait, stop right there, Chloe!” Zach stuffed one last piece of eel into his mouth and chased us all the way from the private room to the lobby. He grabbed my elbow tightly. “Chloe, don’t walk away! Today, I’m going to teach you how to save money. I’m going to fix your greedy, wasteful habits once and for all!” I thought he was going to start lecturing me again, but in the next second, he clutched his stomach and began to wail. “Help! The food in this place is contaminated! My stomach hurts so bad!” I rolled my eyes, shaking with pure rage. Maya held my hand, gently comforting me. “Don’t let him get to you, Chloe. It’s not worth getting sick over a piece of trash like him.” “Where is the manager?! Get out here right now! I’m dying of stomach pain!” As Zach rolled around on the floor, the other customers stopped eating to stare. The servers rushed over in a panic. “Sir, are you okay?” “Do I look okay?! Your raw fish is crawling with bacteria! It poisoned me! Call your manager out here right now!” The manager, who had been briefed on the situation, rushed to the lobby. He politely tried to help Zach up, attempting to follow protocol to investigate. But Zach cut him off instantly. “The buffet was $78! You are going to pay me ten times that in compensation, or I’m calling the cops and suing this place! By then, you’ll be paying for my medical bills and lost wages!” “Sir, we have to follow standard procedures…” “Screw your procedures! I don’t care about that! Just pay me my money!” Zach glared at Maya and me, then reached out to grab my arm. “My girlfriend ate with me, and her stomach hurts too! You have to pay us double!” $78, ten times compensation, for two people. That was $1,560. This relatively small amount of money made Zach’s face turn bright red with greed. He pulled me close, whispering urgently, “Hurry up, hold your stomach and act like you have food poisoning! This is free money for our future home. Learn something!” I shoved Zach away with all my strength. “Sorry, everyone. We don’t know him.” I dragged Maya to the front desk, closed our tab, and then stood by the door to watch the show. Zach muttered “useless bitch” under his breath before turning back to harass the manager. But just as he was screaming himself hoarse, the manager spoke up in a calm, slow voice. “Sir, it seems you didn’t actually order or pay for anything in our restaurant today.”

The front desk staff had already pulled up the POS records and the security footage, waiting for Zach to dig himself deeper. Even facing concrete evidence, Zach insisted, “I paid the $78! Your system must be glitching!” “Then please show us your receipt or the transaction on your phone.” The manager and the servers kept their polite smiles, but Zach was losing his footing. He quickly changed his story. “I paid in cash! How am I supposed to have a digital receipt?” Then he tried to turn it back on them. “You guys didn’t even give me a receipt!” The manager nodded and pointed to the security camera right above the register. “Then around what time did you pay, sir? We can quickly pull up the footage. If it proves we made a mistake, we will gladly pay you the ten-fold compensation immediately.” “Wait…” Zach was clearly panicking now. His eyes darted around the room until he spotted me standing near the exit. He pointed a finger at me. “It wasn’t me who paid! My girlfriend paid! Her name is Chloe! Talk to her!” Everyone turned to look at me. I shook my head and waved. “I don’t know him. I’m just here for the drama.” “Maya, the circus show is over. Let’s go shopping upstairs.” As Maya and I turned to leave, Zach’s desperate screams of my name echoed behind us. Even after being forced to leave the restaurant empty-handed, Zach kept spamming my Snapchat. 【Chloe, you went way too far! How could you leave me there like that? You owe me that compensation money!】 Then, I saw his Instagram story update. He posted a picture of the restaurant’s aesthetic interior and the food plates. The caption read: *One of my favorite regular spots. Great food, amazing prices. Highly recommend treating yourself here once in a while.* After Maya saw it, she looked like she had just swallowed a fly. “Chloe, your boyfriend is a world-class clown.” “He’s my ex-boyfriend now.” I quickly typed a reply to Zach: 【Let’s break up. Blocked.】 Then I deleted him from Snapchat and blocked his number. I couldn’t afford to have such a delusional, toxic man in my life. Thankfully, Maya was the only one in our social circle who knew I was dating Zach. Otherwise, if the video of him rolling on the restaurant floor went viral, I would have died of embarrassment. But the peace didn’t last. The next morning at the office, my coworkers were whispering. “Isn’t that the ‘Stomach Pain Guy’ from the viral video? Why is he in our office?” I turned around, only to meet Zach’s pathetic, sorrowful eyes. “Chloe, I thought about what happened yesterday.” Zach walked up to my desk, holding out a sad little bunch of wildflowers he had clearly ripped from a random bush outside. “I’ve decided to forgive you.” Me: ? “It’s normal for you to be greedy for high-end food. Your family probably never fed you anything good growing up. I should have been more patient and taught you how to save. Let’s get married, Chloe. I’ve already planned out our future.” “We can rent a place near your office. I’ll bring my mom, dad, grandparents, and sister over to live with us. Since it’ll be close to your work, it’ll be super convenient for you to come home and take care of them every day.” “You need to remember all of their personal preferences. Every meal has to be a balanced three-course dinner. If you perform well, I might consider giving you a $50 weekly allowance for groceries. Oh, and if you give me a son, I’ll immediately give you a $200 bonus!”

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Three years ago, I was diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. A dark, suicidal alter was born inside my mind. To take care of me, Helen quit her six-figure job. David worked endless odd jobs after his regular shifts just to pay for my therapy. My five-year-old sister, Lily, did everything she could to help around the house, always walking on eggshells around me. Today was Lily’s sixth birthday. Helen came to my room early in the morning. “Lily has suffered so much because of you over the years,” Helen said, her voice heavy with exhaustion. “Today is her birthday. Just be good, Maya. Don’t make a scene.” I nodded obediently. What Helen didn’t know was that in order to celebrate Lily’s birthday, I had been taking my medication on time for a whole week. But the moment Lily’s birthday cake was placed on the table, a blinding pain split my skull. Eve, my alter, was trying to take control of my body. Trembling, I gently tugged at Helen’s sleeve. Before I could say a word, Helen — who was usually so gentle — slapped me hard across the face and dragged me into the bathroom. “It’s Lily’s birthday! Can’t you stop faking your episodes for just one day?” “If you’re really in that much pain, then just go die already!” “You psycho! You’re ruining this family!” Helen screamed hysterically at me, slamming the bathroom door shut. Holding back my tears, I gave up. I stopped fighting Eve. I chose to set Helen, David, and Lily free. And I decided to let Eve have her wish.

Eve took over my body. I became a helpless ghost, forced to watch her try to kill us over and over again. When I was eight, she took advantage of our parents being at the care facility looking after my sick grandmother. She climbed onto the balcony, ready to jump. Luckily, David came home early and caught her just in time. But David broke his leg in the struggle. It took him three months before he could walk again. Last winter, Eve found a piece of broken glass while Helen wasn’t looking and slashed our wrist. Helen scrambled to get me to the ER. She stayed by my hospital bed for three days and three nights without closing her eyes. But Eve wouldn’t stop. Not long after we got discharged, she filled the bathtub to the brim and pushed my head underwater. In the end, it was Lily who pulled my shoulder so hard she dislocated her own joint, barely dragging me out of the tub. Eve used my body to court death again and again. Helen and David dragged me back from the edge every single time. Every time I woke up, my family would break down in tears. “Maya, I’m begging you, please stop doing this.” “Are you trying to kill us all before you’re satisfied?” “Maya, are you okay? We were so scared.” To keep them from hurting, I used to swallow handfuls of pills just to fight Eve for control. But this time… Whatever. Eve looked at the eyebrow razor on the vanity, slipping it gently into her pocket. Instinctively, my consciousness screamed and struggled inside our mind. But then, Helen’s words echoed in my head: “If you’re really in that much pain, then just go die already!” I stopped fighting. Outside the door, David’s confused voice drifted in. “Helen, where is Maya? Isn’t she coming to eat cake with Lily?” Helen’s voice cracked, filled with long-suppressed resentment. “She’s in there, faking another episode.” “I tolerate her drama every other day, but today is Lily’s birthday. She just has to ruin it.” “In all these years, Lily has never had a proper birthday party.” David sighed, his voice dripping with pure exhaustion. “Let her cool down by herself. She needs to grow up.” “Let’s just celebrate with Lily. She just wants to eat some cake. We can’t let her down again.” Eve laughed mockingly inside my head. See? David and Helen don’t love you. Why are you still holding on? They are miserable because of you. It’s all your fault. I wanted to scream back at her. I wanted to say that they did love me! They gave up everything for me! But then I thought of the scar on David’s shoulder, the dark circles under Helen’s eyes, and Lily’s desperate, people-pleasing smiles. Maybe Eve was right. I was the source of all their misery. To pay for my therapy, David worked multiple jobs. His back was so ruined he could barely stand, and on rainy days, the pain kept him bedridden. Helen had to run between the care facility for grandmother and home to watch me, sleeping barely three hours a night. Lily, at just five years old, did everything she could to please me, giving up her childhood just to keep the peace. If I died, maybe everyone would finally be happy. I stopped fighting. I watched as Eve turned on the faucet, stepping into the overflowing bathtub. Without a second of hesitation, she took the razor and sliced deep into our wrist. The water slowly bloomed into a deep, crimson red. My soul felt lighter, starting to float. This was good. It was finally over. David wouldn’t have to spend his nights applying pain patches anymore. Helen wouldn’t have to run herself into the ground trying to cure me. And Lily could finally have a normal, happy childhood. My family was finally free of their psycho daughter. Right before my consciousness fully faded, the control shifted back to me. Looking toward the bathroom door, I whispered my very last words. David, Helen, Lily… I’m so sorry. If there is a next life, I promise I won’t burden you again.

When I opened my eyes again, I was floating right next to the dining table. David was gently covering Lily’s eyes while Helen carefully brought out a fruit cake with lit candles. “Happy 6th birthday to our sweet Lily!” Lily opened her eyes, a look of pure joy on her face. “Mom, Dad, I’ve never seen such a beautiful cake!” My eyes welled with tears. When I first got sick, Lily was still a toddler. Because of me, she never had a real birthday. Every single year on her birthday, I would have a severe episode. Helen and David would have to rush me to the hospital, completely forgetting about her. This was literally the first time Lily had ever had a birthday cake. Helen turned her head to wipe away a tear, cutting a large slice for Lily. “Eat as much as you want, sweetheart.” But Lily grabbed the plate and ran straight to the bathroom. She knocked softly on the door. “Maya, come out and eat cake! I saved you the sweetest piece!” I wrapped my ghostly arms around her tiny body, wishing I could speak to her. I’m sorry, Lily. I can’t eat cake with you anymore. It’s my fault. I ruined your birthday again. But my hands passed straight through her. I couldn’t touch her. When no one answered, Lily lowered her head, walking back to the table, deflated. “Mom, is Maya mad at me? She won’t talk to me.” Helen pulled Lily into a hug, her voice hardening with anger. “Ignore her. She’s just playing victim. She threatens to kill herself every time, and we always save her. She’s doing it for attention again.” “Today is your day, my princess. Let’s not let her ruin it.” As Helen spoke, she noticed the plate of food Lily had saved on the table for me. Frustrated, Helen swept the plate directly into the trash can. “If she wants to starve, let her. We don’t owe her anything. I’m sick of her drama.” I froze, tears pouring down my face. I’m not faking it. I was in so much pain every single day. Lily looked at the trash can, panicked, and tried to defend me. “Don’t say that about Maya! She’s just sick. She’s really nice to me when she feels better.” David patted Lily’s back. “Lily, your sister is being selfish.” “She only thinks about her own pain. She never thinks about what this family goes through.” “Because of her, Helen and I are exhausted to the bone, and she still pulls these stunts.” Floating in the air, I stared at David in disbelief. This was the dad who used to cherish me more than anything. It hadn’t always been like this. Everything changed when I was seven.

When I was seven, David and Helen left me at our neighbor’s house for an afternoon. The neighbor, Mr. Henderson, locked me in his basement and abused me. That was the day Eve was born. Eve would replay that basement nightmare in our head, over and over, begging for death. Back then, David would kneel by my bed, crying, begging for my forgiveness, promising he would protect me forever. But David, did you get tired too? I’m sorry. It really was all my fault. Even as a ghost, I felt a sharp, agonizing pain in my chest. Helen nudged David, her voice a mix of anger and grief. “How can you say that? Maya might be difficult, but we owe her this.” Helen’s eyes reddened. “She was only seven when that monster… if we hadn’t left her there, she would be normal. She wouldn’t be trying to end her life.” “Today is Lily’s birthday. Let’s not fight. We’ll have a serious talk with Maya tomorrow.” Helen wiped her tears, gently stroking Lily’s hair. “Lily, you didn’t make a wish yet. Make a wish.” Lily’s face lit up. She closed her eyes tight and said with absolute sincerity: “I wish that David, Helen, Maya, and I can be together forever.” Those words stabbed Helen right in the heart. Helen gasped, covering her mouth as she rushed into the bedroom. I could hear her muffled, agonizing sobs through the door. It was a cry of pure guilt, helplessness, and exhaustion. David’s eyes turned red too. He silently placed a paper crown on Lily’s head. “Dad promises you. We will be together forever.” I wrapped my arms around David and Lily, whispering in the quiet room: I’m sorry, Lily. Your wish will never come true. But without me, you and our parents will be so much happier. No more medical bills, no more constant fear, no more sleepless nights. After tucking Lily into bed, David stood outside the bathroom door, knocking gently. “Maya, come on out. It’s cold in there. Let me make you some food.” “Don’t you love my homemade steak? I’ll make a huge plate just for you.” Only dead silence answered him. I’ll never get to taste your steak again. Seeing no response, David walked back into the bedroom and whispered to Helen. “Why did you lock Maya in the bathroom for so long?” “Her mental state is unstable. Shouldn’t we check on her?” Helen remained silent for a moment before shaking her head. “I didn’t lock the door. She can walk out whenever she wants.” “There’s only an eyebrow razor in there. She can’t do any real damage with that.” “We’ve coddled her for years because of her illness. She can’t keep acting out like this.” My tears fell silently. I was trying to be a good girl. I wasn’t trying to act out. David sighed heavily. He sat down with Helen to calculate this month’s bills. My therapy was over $1,500, and grandmother’s care facility fees were astronomical. Helen covered her face, letting out a low, broken sob. “David… when will this end?” “Maya can’t even go to school. We’re going to have to support her for the rest of our lives. I don’t know if we can survive this.” David squeezed Helen’s hand, pulling her into his chest. “She’s our daughter, Helen. Even if we go broke, we have to cure her.” “Once the construction project is done, I’ll start driving Uber at night. We’ll get through this.” Looking at the silver hairs on David’s head and Helen’s tears, my heart shattered into a million pieces. They hadn’t given up on me. They still loved me. But I realized it too late.

That night, David and Helen slept right outside the bathroom door. Watching them, my soul was crushed under the weight of guilt. As the first light of dawn broke, soft noises came from the kitchen. With bloodshot eyes, Helen stood by the stove, making creamy mushroom soup. When I was little and got sick, she would always make this for me. But ever since my diagnosis, she hadn’t made it once. She was cooking it so carefully, exactly the way I used to beg for it. It smells so good. I want to taste it so badly… but I can’t. Helen carried the bowl to the bathroom door, her voice raspy. “Maya, stop throwing a tantrum.” “I made your favorite mushroom soup. It’s warm. Eat some, and then take your meds.” “I shouldn’t have hit you yesterday. I shouldn’t have said those things.” “Lily is waiting to play with you. Come out, okay? Let’s fix this.” Nothing but absolute silence came from inside. Helen’s patience finally snapped. Her face hardened. “Maya! Don’t do this!” “Do you think faking your death is going to make us feel sorry for you? Haven’t we suffered enough for you?” Still, there was no answer. Fuming, Helen slammed the bowl down on the floor, the soup splashing everywhere, and twisted the doorknob. “Maya, did you actually die in there?!”

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I miscarried in a pool of blood right after my latest agonizing IVF embryo transfer. I called my husband, Ethan Vance, dozens of times. Every single call was instantly declined. On my last attempt, he finally picked up. “Ethan, please, help me. The baby… I’m bleeding—” Before I could even finish, Ethan interrupted me, his voice dripping with impatience. “Maya, are you seriously doing this right now? I told you, Hailey has a massive plumbing emergency at her house. I’m over here trying to fix it so her basement doesn’t flood. Stop calling me over nothing.” With a harsh click, he hung up. My heart shattered. Beneath the hospital sheets, the warm blood kept pooling, cold and relentless. It turned out our seven-year marriage was nothing but a one-woman show, and I was the only fool on stage. Ethan didn’t show up at the hospital until noon the next day. Right behind him was his childhood best friend, Hailey. “Maya! What happened? How could you just start bleeding out like this?” “Is… is our baby okay?” Ethan had a low sperm count. The doctors had told him it would be nearly impossible for him to ever have a child of his own. When we first got the diagnosis years ago, he had collapsed to his knees, sobbing into my lap. He said a man who couldn’t have kids would be whispered about forever. He said he was sorry to his parents, and sorry to me. My heart had ached for him. To save his pride, I spent years visiting countless fertility clinics, subjecting my body to endless, painful hormone shots and IVF procedures. This time, the embryo had finally taken. But I never imagined this tiny spark of life wouldn’t even survive a month inside me. I lay in the sterile hospital bed, pale and hollow, watching Ethan play the part of the devastated father. It was almost comical. The nurse on duty heard the commotion and walked in. Seeing Ethan’s theatrical grief, she sighed softly, her voice filled with pity. “It’s a tragedy. The doctor said if you had arrived just ten minutes earlier, we might have been able to save the pregnancy.” Hearing this, Hailey took a step forward, putting on her best puppy-dog eyes. “Maya… I know you’ve always hated me. But you shouldn’t have neglected your own body and lost the baby just to punish Ethan for helping me with my pipes! You know how much this child meant to him! Ethan, I’m so sorry… It’s all my fault. I’ll stay away from you guys. I won’t ever show my face again!” With a melodramatic sob, Hailey turned and ran out of the room. Without a second thought, Ethan spun on his heel to chase after her. He only paused at the door, giving me a brief, dismissive glance. “Hailey is too unstable to be out there alone in the city. Rest up here, Maya. I’ll be back to keep you company in a bit.” I lay in that freezing hospital bed for six long hours. As the anesthesia wore off, the raw, cramping physical pain was so intense that cold sweat drenched my hospital gown. Around dusk, my phone rang. It was the security desk downstairs. They said my car was blocking the emergency ambulance lane and I needed to move it immediately. I tried to call Ethan. Out of service. Again. Knowing a life could be at stake, I forced my weak, trembling body out of bed. Clutching my lower abdomen, I dragged myself down to the parking lot. But when I reached my car, I froze. Under the dim streetlights, Ethan was holding Hailey tightly in his arms. Hailey, who claimed to suffer from severe clinical depression, was clinging to his chest. She looked up, seeing me stand there in the cold, and let out a soft, fragile gasp. “Maya, I’m so sorry… My divorce papers were finalized today. Ethan was just terrified I’d do something reckless. That’s the only reason he stayed.” Ethan’s face hardened. He glared at me, his eyes full of sharp accusation. “What are you doing running around right after surgery? Hailey is incredibly fragile right now. Can’t you be a little considerate for once?” I stared at his wrist. Specifically, at the blessed silver St. Christopher medal hanging there. “Do you even remember what I was going through in the operating room today?” I whispered, my voice cracking. His posture stiffened for a fraction of a second. But Hailey gripped his jacket even tighter, her voice trembling. “Maya, you can always get pregnant again in the future. But if Ethan hadn’t been with me today, I wouldn’t even be alive.” Ethan didn’t hesitate. Right in front of my face, he unclasped the silver medal—the one I had stood in a freezing rainstorm for five hours to get blessed by the bishop—and fastened it gently around Hailey’s neck. It turned out his devotion was never meant for me alone.

Ethan drove us home in dead silence. In the confined space of the SUV, the air was suffocatingly thick with the sweet, cloying scent of Hailey’s expensive perfume. I leaned my head against the cold passenger window, unable to utter a single word. When we finally got home, the automatic lights in the hallway flickered on. On the dining table sat the healing herbal broth I had carefully prepared for him before leaving for the hospital yesterday morning. It was now cold and stagnant. Right next to it was a handwritten list of notes from my doctor detailing my post-surgery care instructions. “Go get some rest,” Ethan said, sliding his coat off. His voice was flat, completely devoid of emotion. “How is Hailey?” I asked, gripping the wall for support. My throat felt like sandpaper. He immediately jumped to her defense. “She just finalized her divorce. Her emotions are all over the place. I couldn’t just leave a sick, vulnerable woman alone.” He said it so casually, as if it were the most logical thing in the world. Then, he walked into the kitchen and noticed a thick manila folder on the table. It was an urgent set of financial and legal documents regarding my father’s logistics company. My father’s business was on the brink of collapse due to a fraudulent lawsuit. Since Ethan was the senior partner at Vance & Associates, I had placed the documents in the most prominent spot, hoping he would review them tonight. He picked up the file, flipped through a few pages, and scowled. “This is a mess. Tell your dad’s assistant to organize this properly and send it to my office tomorrow.” “If you had spared just thirty minutes last night, you would have finished reading it,” I said, staring at him. “Instead, you spent hours editing Hailey’s divorce agreement, writing notes on every single clause.” Ethan paused, his face darkening instantly. “That was just a quick favor.” He groaned defensively. “Hailey is a single woman who doesn’t understand legal jargon. Maya, can you stop overcomplicating things?” “Overcomplicating?” I almost laughed, though it felt like a sob. “I was on an operating table losing our child. I sent you over twenty messages. You didn’t reply to a single one. Why couldn’t you do me a ‘quick favor’ and text me back?” He stood there, speechless, before falling back on the same excuse he had used for seven years. “Hailey’s parents died when we were young. On their deathbeds, they trusted me to watch over her. I promised them I would take care of her.” “So your ‘promise’ means my father’s multi-million dollar bankruptcy case gets pushed to the back burner?” My hand gripped the edge of the dining table so hard my knuckles turned white. A flicker of exhaustion crossed Ethan’s eyes. “I’ve told you a hundred times, Maya. This lawsuit isn’t that easy to lose.” “Then tell me, what is easy to lose?” He slammed the file onto the wooden table with a loud, echoing thud. “Hailey’s case is about helping a clinically depressed woman escape a toxic, abusive ex-husband and start a new life! Your father’s case is just a standard corporate dispute!” A sharp, violent cramp suddenly ripped through my lower abdomen. Cold sweat broke out across my back instantly. I doubled over, clutching the table edge to keep from collapsing. Ethan’s eyes flashed with a momentary panic. His lips parted as if he wanted to reach out. Right then, his phone blared with a unique, high-pitched ringtone. The ringtone reserved solely for Hailey. He answered it on the very first ring. “Hey, Hailey? Don’t worry, I’m here…” The harsh, defensive voice he had just used to yell at me instantly dissolved into a gentle, soothing whisper I had never heard before. Without throwing another glance my way, he walked straight into his home office, whispering sweet reassurances to the woman on the other end of the line. “Shh, baby, I’m here. I’ll stay on the phone with you until you fall asleep…” Click. The office door closed, shutting me out of his life completely. Listening to the faint, tender murmurs filtering through the wooden door, the physical pain in my body suddenly felt numb. Slowly, I forced myself to stand straight. I grabbed the bowl of cold broth and swept it, along with the expensive porcelain bowl, straight into the trash can.

The next morning, I packed the heavy folders of evidence and drove to Ethan’s law firm. When the receptionist saw me, a look of pure awkwardness washed over her face. “Oh, Mrs. Vance… I’m so sorry, but Mr. Vance took an emergency leave of absence today.” “Where did he go?” “He… he took Miss Hailey to her therapy appointment.” My heart sank into a cold, dark abyss. Standing in the sleek, modern lobby of Vance & Associates, I felt like the biggest joke in the city. From the nearby breakroom, the hushed gossip of two junior associates floated over clearly. “Mr. Vance is seriously a saint when it comes to Hailey. He treats her like a queen.” “Right? I heard he even cancelled his afternoon settlement meeting with the opposing counsel just to drive her to therapy.” I squeezed the folders in my arms, my fingernails cutting deep into the cardboard. “Mrs. Vance, would you like to wait in the VIP conference room?” the receptionist asked, trying to break the heavy silence. I nodded numbly. As the hours dragged on, my phone buzzed. It was my father, Richard. His voice was tight with anxiety. “Maya, sweetheart, how is it going? Has Ethan reviewed the final defense strategy yet?” “I’m still waiting at his office, Dad.” On the other end, my father went quiet for a moment before forcing a warm tone. “Don’t rush him. Being a senior partner is stressful. Let him take his time.” My throat tightened. “How… how are you feeling after yesterday’s surgery?” he asked softly. My fingers trembled. I lied. “I’m doing great, Dad. Don’t worry about me.” At 4:00 PM, Ethan finally walked through the glass doors, guiding a red-eyed Hailey by the elbow. Hailey flinched when she saw me, immediately lowering her head and hiding behind Ethan like a frightened child. “Maya, I’m so sorry… I ended up taking up Ethan’s time again.” I didn’t even look at her. I slid the thick folders across the table directly in front of Ethan. “The deadline to submit our final witness list and evidence is in exactly one hour.” A flash of guilt crossed Ethan’s face. “Hailey had a panic attack at the clinic. I couldn’t just leave her.” Hailey immediately grabbed his sleeve, her voice dripping with artificial sweet poison. “It’s all my fault… Seeing all those scary legal documents just reminds me of how my ex-husband used to threaten me. It makes my heart race…” Ethan gently patted her hand, his eyes incredibly tender. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.” I watched those hands—hands that were supposed to fight for justice in a courtroom—comforting another woman’s fragile ego. The irony was suffocating. “Ethan. Check the files. Now,” I demanded. He picked up a pen, but before he could write a single word, Hailey gasped, clutching her temples. “Oh… my head is spinning so fast…” She turned incredibly pale, as if she were about to faint. Ethan immediately dropped his pen and caught her. “Hailey! What’s wrong?” At that exact moment, my phone rang again. It was my father calling back, desperately seeking an update. Meanwhile, Hailey looked up at me with tears streaming down her face. “Maya, I’m so sorry… Every time I see you, I’m reminded of how badly my own marriage failed. My chest hurts… I think my panic attack is coming back…” Ethan slammed the folders shut. “Maya, check them yourself. I have to drive Hailey home immediately.” I stared at him in utter disbelief. “You promised me you would personally review every single page of this filing!” His face darkened, his eyes suddenly filled with deep disappointment and annoyance. “You’re one of the top translation directors in the country, Maya. Are you telling me you can’t even double-check a few simple documents?” With that, he wrapped his arm around the shivering Hailey and walked away. As Hailey brushed past me, she paused for a split second. In a voice so low only I could hear, she whispered, “You’re so lucky, Maya. You still have a rich dad to save. But me? I have absolutely nothing left.” I stood frozen as the elevator doors closed. Taking a deep breath, I picked up the pen and signed my own name on the final legal submission form.

The night before the trial, I received an urgent call from Ethan’s assistant, Marcus. He informed me that Ethan had abruptly withdrawn our key anonymous witness from the court filing. I couldn’t believe my ears. To protect Hailey’s reputation, Ethan was willing to throw my father’s entire defense under the bus! Clutching the witness files, I barged into Ethan’s corner office like a woman possessed. When I threw the door open, Hailey was sitting comfortably on his leather sofa. Ethan was leaning over his desk under the warm lamp, patiently explaining to her how the opposing lawyers might try to cross-examine her in her own divorce settlement. The scene was so cozy it made my blood run cold. “Ethan Vance!” I slammed the files onto his desk. “Why did you withdraw my father’s key witness?” He took off his gold-rimmed glasses, rubbed his temples, and spoke in a dismissive, matter-of-fact tone. “That witness is a liability. His financial background is messy, and his testimony would inevitably drag Hailey’s personal finances into the spotlight. It would ruin her ongoing settlement.” He said it so logically, as if my father’s life was a fair price to pay. “But that witness is my dad’s only hope of proving he was framed!” I screamed, my voice cracking with rage. Ethan looked at me with the smug confidence of an elite corporate attorney. “Maya, you need to trust my professional expertise. Even without that witness, I have plenty of ways to win this trial.” On the sofa, Hailey stood up, her eyes instantly filling with tears as she put on her classic innocent act. “Maya, please don’t be mad. I didn’t want to hurt your dad…” She sniffled, adding another dose of pure poison: “But you’re rich. You can afford to have Ethan protect you. Me? I have no one else but Ethan.” I turned my cold gaze to her. “Hailey, tell me honestly. Who is the one hurting who here?” Hailey’s face stiffened. Ethan immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her from my gaze. “Maya! Watch your tone! Hailey is a vulnerable victim of domestic abuse. Any negative press could push her over the edge. Protecting her is a matter of basic human decency!” He used his grand, moralistic tone to justify his blatant favoritism. “As the lead counsel, I have to manage all risks.” “Really?” I let out a bitter, cold laugh. “So the risk of my father’s company going bankrupt and his reputation being destroyed is less important than Hailey being mildly criticized by the public?” Once again, when forced to choose between me and Hailey, he chose Hailey without a single second of hesitation. Hailey stepped out from behind him, holding out a cheap, fabric protection charm she had bought online. “Maya, please don’t pressure Ethan. He’s already so stressed. Take this. It’ll bring your dad good luck.” With a sudden wave of fury, I smacked her hand away. The cheap charm flew across the room and hit the wall. “Get out!” I snarled. Ethan’s face turned icy cold. “Hailey already apologized to you. What more do you want?” He declared with absolute authority, “The witness list is locked. I am the attorney here, and I make the decisions. Stop trying to tell me how to do my job!” I looked at him, and suddenly, the urge to fight just evaporated. I nodded slowly, turned around, and walked out. Behind me, Hailey’s quiet sniffling instantly turned into comforted whispers from Ethan. I leaned against the cold wall at the end of the long hallway. My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was my father. I answered it, blinking back my tears, and kept my voice steady. “Everything is under control, Dad.” At the other end of the hall, the elevator doors opened. I watched Ethan personally escort Hailey out of the building. Under the dim parking garage lights, the silver St. Christopher medal around Hailey’s neck caught the light, gleaming like a cruel joke.

The day of the final trial arrived. Right before entering the courtroom, Ethan gave my nervous father a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Richard, relax. I’ve got this.” Then he turned to me, his hand resting on my shoulder for a brief, heavy second. “Go sit in the gallery. Don’t worry.” For a fleeting second, that touch felt warm. I felt a microscopic crack in the icy wall around my heart. Maybe he really was as good as they said. Maybe we could still save this. Just as the bailiff announced the entry of the judge, Ethan’s phone vibrated violently in his pocket. Three times in a row. He pulled it out. His face went dead pale. It was Hailey. She was calling from a highway overpass, threatening to jump. Ethan spun on his heel, preparing to bolt. I reacted instantly, grabbing his briefcase with a white-knuckled grip. “Ethan! The judge is literally walking in! This is the final trial!” My voice was shaking. “Hailey is on an overpass, Maya! A life is on the line!” He violently yanked his briefcase from my grip and turned to his assistant, Marcus. “Keep things moving. I’ll get her down and be back in thirty minutes max!” From the defense table, my weak, pale father spoke up, his voice trembling. “Ethan… go. Go save her. A life is more important. Go.” Ethan seized the excuse instantly, throwing a commanding look at me. “You heard him, Maya. Look at the bigger picture!” The bigger picture. I watched his retreating back, too exhausted to even feel disappointed. An hour and a half passed. Ethan never returned. Without their lead counsel, our defense crumbled under the prosecution’s aggressive tactics. My father’s face grew paler by the minute. Unable to take it anymore, I ran out of the courtroom and dialed Ethan’s number repeatedly. First call, ignored. Second call, he finally picked up. Through the receiver, I could hear the loud, whipping wind of the highway, mixed with Hailey’s pathetic, post-rescue whimpering. “Ethan, I was so scared…” I pressed my back against the freezing hallway wall, forcing my voice to remain steady. “Ethan Vance, get back here right now! We have one last piece of crucial evidence that only you can legally submit!” But his voice was entirely focused on comforting the woman in his arms. “Hailey is still too hysterical. I can’t leave her like this.” He even had the audacity to snap at me, “If you had this evidence, why didn’t you remind me to submit it earlier?” At that moment, a laugh escaped my lips. Tears finally spilled over. He had absolutely no idea that every single second I spent waiting in that court was like sitting on a bed of nails. I quietly hung up the phone. At 5:00 PM, the verdict was delivered. My father lost. The company was ordered into immediate liquidation, leaving him personally liable for tens of millions of dollars in debt. As the judge’s gavel slammed down, my father turned to look at me. His lips parted, but before he could say a word, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed straight onto the mahogany table. “Dad!” He had suffered a severe hemorrhagic stroke right there in the courtroom. By 7:00 PM, Ethan and Hailey finally strolled into the hospital. When he saw the red “ICU” sign and realized my father was fighting for his life, his usually composed face finally cracked. “Maya, I…” Without saying a word, I reached into my bag, pulled out a signed set of divorce papers, and slammed them directly into his chest. “We are done, Ethan.” “And the moment my father wakes up, I am suing you for professional malpractice and negligence.” Hailey, standing nearby, tried to pull her usual act. “Maya, please don’t blame Ethan. It’s all my fault—” “Shut up,” I said, not even deigning to look at her as I walked toward the ICU doors. Ethan reached out to grab my arm, but his phone rang. It was Marcus, and the call was on speaker. Marcus’s voice was filled with a mixture of panic and sheer rage. “Mr. Vance, we have a massive problem! I just ran into the opposing counsel at a bar. They were celebrating… and one of them let slip that they had inside help. They said… Hailey leaked our entire defense strategy to them!”

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After I suddenly suffered acute kidney failure, my girlfriend Lily Carter’s best friend, Jason Miller, donated one of his kidneys to me. I used to always suspect there was something going on between them. After the surgery, Lily told me not to overthink it. “If Jason and I were having an affair, we could’ve just waited for you to die, so why would he cut out a kidney for you?” I thought what she said made sense. For three years, I worked multiple jobs to make money, all to repay Jason for saving my life. One weekend night, I came home early from work because of a high fever, only to hear Lily and Jason talking. “My idea was pretty good, wasn’t it?” “One fake report and one fake surgery not only delayed your wedding, but Ethan Carter also worked himself to death making money for us to spend.” “There’s just one thing. If Ethan finds out, will he cause problems for you?” The next second, Lily’s indifferent voice came through. “Cause problems about what?” “If he dares to cause problems, I’ll dare to break up with him.” “Without me, who would ever be with him?” I leaned against the door and made a phone call. “You once said that if I was still single when I turned twenty-eight, you’d marry me. Does that promise still count?”

I did not want to listen anymore, so I opened the door and went inside. Jason was wearing my pajamas, and he tossed a set of car keys at me. “The car is parked downstairs, so take it to the auto shop later for a full service, then fill up the tank, because I need the car tomorrow.” “Buy some snacks on your way back, you should know what we like, and pick up the packages from the mailroom while you’re at it.” After giving me a whole string of instructions, Jason did not say a single thank you. My face was flushed from the fever, and my movements were slow. Jason frowned impatiently. “Are you deaf or something?” “Hurry up and go.” His car was a top-trim new BMW 4 Series, and I bought it. Because of my work needs, I only had an old car worth a little over thirty thousand that had no idea how many previous owners. I forced myself to stay alert and opened my mouth to explain. “I’m sick, and I really don’t have the strength…” Jason rudely interrupted me. “What kind of attitude is that?” “Is this how you treat the person who saved your life?” “If I’d known, I never should’ve donated a kidney to you back then!” “You’re nothing but an ungrateful bastard.” An ungrateful bastard? I looked at Jason. To repay his kindness, I had eaten cheap meals that cost only a few dollars. I wore old clothes from five or six years ago. Every purchase over fifty dollars broke my heart. And every cent I saved went to Jason. He was a scammer who had taken every advantage possible, yet he was calling me ungrateful? “All right, stop arguing.” Lily took out the medicine kit, found a box of ibuprofen and a fever patch, and placed them in my palm. A faint trace of warmth had just risen in my heart. The next second, Lily said to me, “Ethan, go apologize to Jason.” “He saved your life, and people can’t forget where they came from.” It felt like a huge ball of cotton had blocked my chest, sour and swollen. Things like this had happened countless times over these three years. Because Jason had donated a kidney to me, no matter what conditions he proposed, I was supposed to agree unconditionally. If I was slow to respond or refused, Lily would demand that I apologize. My body was on the verge of collapse, and at that moment, I just wanted to end this farce and rest for a while. I faced Jason. “I’m sorry.” Unexpectedly, Jason had no intention of letting me off. “Go cook me a meal, and I’ll forgive you.” “What?” “You don’t want to?” Lily frowned and was just about to speak. “Fine.” Dragging my body through the intense discomfort, I prepared dinner. In the living room, Lily was playing video games with Jason, and their laughter never stopped. An hour later, I brought out the dishes I had cooked. Unexpectedly, there were empty takeout boxes on the dining table. “You cooked too slowly.” “Jason hasn’t been in good health since the surgery, and he can’t go hungry.” Lily explained. “I saved you some onion rings, so eat with us.” I placed the dishes on the table. “No need.” The moment I turned around, Lily grabbed my wrist. “Are you still mad?” I moved her hand away and said calmly, “I’m allergic to onions.” Lily froze and wanted to explain something. Jason’s shout came from the living room, and Lily left me behind again and walked away. My nose suddenly stung, and a sense of helplessness spread through my whole body. It seemed my six years of sincerity had earned me nothing. I should have been sad, but at that moment, I didn’t even have the energy to feel sad. Dragging my burning body, I opened the bedroom door, and I froze. 2 The wedding photo of Lily and me that had originally been hanging on the wall had now become a couple’s portrait of Lily and Jason. Their hands were clasped together as they looked into each other’s eyes, smiling with pure happiness. My photos, clothes, daily necessities, and all my belongings had all been replaced with new ones. I turned and went to the living room, looking at the two people fooling around on the couch. “What happened to my room?” Jason did not even lift his head. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, I’m staying in this room now.” Lily said, “Jason hasn’t been feeling well lately, so he took annual leave from the hospital.” “I simply had him move in with us for a while.” “I’m a doctor, so it’s convenient for me to take care of him.” I only wanted to rest, so I asked, “Then where do I sleep?” There were only two bedrooms. Lily and I were not legally married, so we each had our own room. Jason clicked his tongue impatiently. “Isn’t there still that little room?” “You can sleep there.” Jason pointed toward the storage room. I turned my head to look. The storage room door was wide open. All my things had been messily dragged out and casually thrown on the floor. Jason’s Chihuahua was holding my figurine in its mouth. But I was exhausted, and my body could no longer support another argument. I closed the door, curled up on the narrow folding bed, and fell asleep almost instantly. In the second half of the night, my body began switching between chills and fever. One second, it felt like I was being roasted over fire, and the next second, I was thrown into an ice cave. I opened my mouth to call for help, but my dry throat could barely make a sound. I struggled to feel around for my phone in the darkness, only to realize I had forgotten to charge it after coming home. Now it had long since shut off. My consciousness drifted in and out, and I suddenly heard sounds from the living room. Then the door was suddenly opened. Jason chased his dog inside. “We’re going out in a bit, so remember to walk Coco for me.” Jason’s dog was named Coco. I did not react. “Stop playing dead.” Jason walked in impatiently and kicked me as I lay on the floor. Seeing my rapid breathing and pale face, a sly look flashed in Jason’s eyes. “Jason, is Ethan having breakfast?” Lily, who had prepared breakfast but still had not seen me come out, ran over and asked. Jason shifted sideways and completely blocked me from view. “Yeah, I just asked him.” “He said he’s tired and wants to sleep a little longer.” “Oh, I see.” Lily did not suspect anything. “Then I’ll leave breakfast on the table.” “I bought your favorite milk and sandwich today, so remember to drink the warm milk after you wake up.” “You have stomach problems, so you’re not allowed to eat anything cold.” After Lily left, Jason glanced at me smugly and followed her out. The door was slammed shut, and the room fell into darkness. One glance, if Lily had looked just one more time, she would have seen my deathly pale face. But she did not. She had always been like this with me. She would ask a few questions, but she would never take care of me as meticulously as she took care of Jason. After less than a while, the two of them finished breakfast and left home, and all sound disappeared. Who knew how much longer passed before my consciousness drifted in and out again, and I seemed to hear Jason’s dog crazily scratching at the door… When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed with an IV drip. I remembered that after I heard the dog scratching the door, I used my last shred of strength to open the front door. The last thing I saw before fainting on the floor was my neighbor running toward me in a panic. After staying in the hospital for twenty-four hours of observation and my vitals stabilized, I only returned home at noon the next day. I plugged in my phone to charge. After being unreachable for a day and a half, many close friends had sent messages of concern. But Lily’s chat box was completely empty. The last conversation was me asking Lily when we would get married. She had not replied. I opened her Ins, and found that she had updated three posts related to Jason in one day. While I was sick, Lily had stayed out all night with Jason, watching the stars on a mountaintop. I closed my eyes and sent a message: “Lily, let’s break up.” 3 Twenty minutes later, Lily called me. “What?” “Trying a new trick this time?” My mind went blank for a moment, and I did not know what she meant. Lily’s tone was irritated. “You’re using a breakup to manipulate me and force me to marry you.” “Ethan Carter, you’re twenty-eight, not eighteen!” “Can you grow up a little?” I let out a self-mocking laugh. “If you don’t want to marry me, then we’ll break up, and I’ll marry someone else.” “Is there a problem?” Lily froze, then scoffed. “Marry someone else?” “Who would be with you except me?” “Stop saying things you don’t mean.” “Can you really bear to leave me?” “Wait obediently at home, and Jason and I will come back this afternoon.” After saying that, she hung up. Near dusk, Lily and Jason came back. They saw their things packed in big and small bags piled at the door. Lily was extremely surprised. Then she found that her fingerprint no longer worked, and she could not open the door. Lily called me to question me. “What is wrong with you?” My tone was flat. “I put both of your things at the door, and from now on, we have nothing to do with each other.” Jason, beside her, frowned and cursed me for being ungrateful. I hung up directly. Lily sneered. “Fine, you brought this on yourself.” After Lily and Jason left, I started cleaning up the apartment. And I had already contacted a realtor to list the place in a few days. Early the next morning, my phone began vibrating nonstop. It was a call from my dad. After the call connected, my dad’s furious roar came through. “Ethan Carter, is it true that you broke up with Lily?” “You even kicked Jason out?” “Do you have any conscience at all?” My dad scolded me without letting me get a word in. “In my life, I hate ungrateful people the most!” “From today on, you are not my son…” “No, Dad, listen to me explain.” The sound of something heavy falling came from the other end of the line, followed by my mom’s helpless sobs. “Your dad fainted, what do we do?” I hurriedly took a cab home. During that time, my mom told me that my dad had been sent to the hospital by kind neighbors. I had barely breathed a sigh of relief when my mom said my dad’s heart condition had relapsed and he needed eighty thousand dollars to save his life. I immediately opened my phone to transfer money to my mom. But my account showed insufficient balance. I tried again, and it still showed insufficient balance. After checking, I discovered that last night, while I was asleep, there had been two expenses, one for sixty thousand and one for seventy thousand. In order to repay Jason before, I had once told him the password to my account. I was afraid he was the one who had taken the money! I tried to contact Jason. The call would not go through. Only on the twentieth attempt did Jason answer the phone. “Jason, give me back my money!” “What’s the rush?” Jason spoke slowly and leisurely. “Have you realized your mistake?” At that moment, I only wanted to get the money to save my dad’s life, and I did not care about anything else. “I’m sorry, I was wrong.” “Hurry and give me the money, this is life-saving money.” Jason did not believe me and still spoke at an unhurried pace. “Tell me exactly what you did wrong, and I’ll give you the money.” “I shouldn’t have kicked you out of the house, and I’m truly sorry.” Jason was satisfied. “Not bad.” “Now transfer the money over quickly.” Jason laughed. “I’d like to give it to you too.” “Unfortunately, the money is gone.” I almost lost my mind and shouted on the street, “What did you spend the money on?” “This is the money to save my dad’s life!” “I asked my colleague about your dad’s condition, and it has always been very stable, so how could something happen so easily?” Lily took the phone. “I even spoke to him on the phone this morning, and he was perfectly fine.” “Coco got frightened yesterday, and we’re going to the pet hospital now, so I’m not talking to you anymore…” My vision went black, and I almost fainted. My dad was in critical condition and urgently needed money, yet you took my money to treat a dog? 4 Three days after I borrowed money to pay for my dad’s surgery, my dad was transferred from the ICU to a regular ward. Only then did Lily’s call finally come late. “I didn’t know your dad’s mental endurance was that bad, and Jason only complained about you a little before your dad fell ill.” “I’ve already transferred back the money I took from you.” “Jason hasn’t been feeling well lately, so I have to take care of him, and I’ll come visit your dad another day.” There was not a single apology from start to finish, and she pushed the blame onto me again. She still believed that I, and even my family, would be like we had been for the past three years, swallowing every grievance and tolerating everything Jason did. “By the way.” Lily changed the subject, her tone full of disgust. “Didn’t I tell you that I don’t want to get married this early, so what do you mean by posting on Ins that the wedding is this week?” “Ethan Carter, is there nothing in your head besides marriage and forcing me to marry you?” She warned me. “Hurry up and delete the Ins post, then make a statement saying you were just joking.” “Otherwise, if there’s no bride at your wedding next week, I won’t be the one embarrassed.” Jason’s voice came from the other end of the phone. “Lily, I feel a little uncomfortable…” The call was abruptly hung up. “What are you doing?” A gentle female voice sounded, and a girl in a white dress leaned close to me and looked over curiously. “Nothing.” “A stranger dialed the wrong number.” I put my phone back in my pocket and reached out to wrap an arm around the girl’s shoulders. “The wedding will be held in a while, so let’s go pick out diamond rings.” “Okay.” The girl held my arm, her smile sweet. After buying the rings, I took a photo and posted it on Ins. Two beautifully cut diamond rings, one large and one small, lay quietly in a black velvet box. The colorful light glittering on the surface of the diamonds proved they were worth a fortune. The comment section was full of blessings: “You’re finally getting married.” “My wedding gift is ready.” “Congratulations!” Jason forwarded the photo of the rings to Lily. “Lily, what does Ethan mean by this?” “He’s forcing you into marriage!” “Are you going to agree to him?” Lily’s gaze softened for a moment, but in the end, she scoffed. “How could I possibly agree to him?” “He ignored my opinion and made such a huge spectacle, all just to make me compromise, right?” “Does he really think he’s that important?” “I absolutely won’t go.” As the two of them were talking, I updated my wedding planning sketches and venue again. Lily could not help clicking into it. It was the best hotel in the city, and anyone could see the wedding would not be small. In the plans, a red carpet covered the floor, surrounded by clusters of flowers. A refined and romantic atmosphere came through at a glance. The grander and more solemn the wedding before her eyes looked, the tighter Lily’s brows furrowed. There was a hint of an unclear wavering in her tone. On one hand, she thought, “I can’t indulge Ethan’s bad habits, and I have to teach him a lesson.” Then she also thought, “He arranged everything so openly and extravagantly, and if I don’t go, he’ll cry, won’t he?” She flipped through the photos one by one until she reached a photo of me. In the live photo, I, who was usually so unsmiling I could almost be called rigid, had a smile at the corners of my mouth that I could not suppress at all. She murmured to herself. “So he’s this happy to marry me?” Lily was completely shaken. Jason panicked and asked, “Lily, are you going to find Ethan?” Lily nodded. “I’ll give in this once. We’ll have to get married sooner or later anyway, so there’s no need to make things too ugly.” But in the next instant, Jason let out a scream.

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