Author: Momo Chan

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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When I saw my best friend’s luxury jewelry lying on the vanity in the bridal suite, I didn’t help her put it away. Instead, I stepped out and called the groom, Liam Bennett, and his mother, Eleanor. “Vanessa left her diamond necklace on the vanity. Eleanor, could you come and lock it up in person? I just want to make sure everything is accounted for so there’s no misunderstanding later.” In my past life, I was being the “helpful best friend.” I picked up the jewelry box and handed it to her. Who knew that thirty minutes later, Eleanor would throw a massive fit because the inventory didn’t match. Vanessa sobbed and put on a show. “That diamond necklace worth fifty thousand dollars was definitely in there… Clara was the only one who touched the box just now…” “Clara, I know you’ve always been jealous of my marriage, but you can’t play a prank like this!” Eleanor didn’t listen to a single word of my explanation. She slapped me across the face right there and called the police, accusing me of grand larceny. I didn’t just lose my dream job and my boyfriend of three years, Ethan Carter. I was completely blacklisted in our social circle. I couldn’t even step out of my apartment. Ultimately, while trying to escape the online harassment, I was hit by a car on a rainy night and died. It was only after my death that I saw the truth. Vanessa had sold that heirloom necklace long before the wedding to pay off her brother Zach’s gambling debts. She just wanted to use a gullible friend like me as her scapegoat. And by ruining my reputation, she could steal my spot for that high-paying corporate job. This time, I won’t touch a single piece of your jewelry. I want Eleanor to count every item in front of everyone. If a single piece is missing, I’d love to see who you’re going to blame this time, Vanessa. 1. Seeing Vanessa Sterling leave her jewelry box unattended on the vanity, I silently pulled out my phone and started recording. In my past life, I helped her lock the box in the drawer. Half an hour later, the diamond necklace inside went missing. Vanessa wept, saying, “Clara touched the box, but I really don’t want to doubt my best friend.” As a result, Eleanor slapped me in public. Guests took videos and posted them on Snapchat, and netizens branded me a thief. My job offer at the luxury jewelry firm, which I had waited three months for, was rescinded. My boyfriend, Ethan, told me he couldn’t bear the pressure of being with a thief. In the end, driven to a breakdown by cyberbullying, I died in a car crash on a rainy night on my way to the police station to clear my name. Only after my death did I find out Vanessa had already pawned the necklace to cover her brother Zach’s gambling debts. This time, with my phone camera rolling, I directly called the groom, Eleanor, the wedding planner, and the bridesmaids into the room. “Vanessa’s jewelry box is here.” “Nobody touch it.” “Let’s inventory it right now.” The bridal suite still smelled of hairspray and expensive roses. The velvet jewelry box sat right in the middle of the vanity, its lid slightly open, looking like a trap waiting to snap shut. I stood by the door, keeping my phone camera pointed at it. Chloe Miller, the wedding planner, was the first to arrive. Dressed in a sharp black suit with her earpiece clipped to her collar, she paused when she saw me holding up my phone. “Clara? What’s going on?” I didn’t beat around the bush. “The bride’s jewelry was left unattended. I don’t want any trouble, so I need you to witness this.” Chloe’s expression tightened instantly. If expensive jewelry went missing on the wedding day, the venue would be held liable. She immediately spoke into her walkie-talkie to call security and called the groom, Liam Bennett. Three minutes later, Liam and his mother, Eleanor, rushed in. Eleanor was wearing a deep burgundy mother-of-the-groom gown, her hair styled perfectly. The welcoming smile she had for the guests faded the moment she saw the box. “Who left this here?” I kept my phone raised, my voice calm. “I came in to touch up my makeup and saw it. I haven’t touched it. I’ve been recording since the moment I walked in.” Eleanor shot a cold glance at me. She knew I was Vanessa’s college friend, and she also knew I worked as a professional jewelry appraiser. In my past life, that exact credential was what doomed me. Because of my expertise, everyone assumed I was the perfect thief who knew exactly how to steal and sell it. Liam frowned and looked at Chloe. “Did anyone notify Vanessa?” Chloe nodded. “I sent a bridesmaid to get her.” Eleanor took a deep breath. “Let’s do the inventory first.” Chloe put on disposable white gloves and opened the registry list. “One gold chain.” “One pair of diamond earrings.” “Two diamond rings.” “One diamond brooch.” With each item read, a bridesmaid picked it up and placed it on a black velvet cloth spread on the table. When she reached the last line, Chloe paused. “And… one heirloom diamond necklace.” The space on the velvet cloth remained empty. Eleanor’s face darkened completely. Liam reached over and searched the hidden compartments of the box. Nothing. He shook out all the small velvet pouches. Still nothing. An uncomfortable, suffocating silence fell over the room. Right then, Vanessa pushed the door open. Her makeup was flawless, her veil cascading down her shoulders, her eyes perfectly red and watery. “What’s going on?” Nobody answered. Eleanor slammed the inventory list onto the vanity. “The heirloom necklace is gone.” Vanessa looked shocked, her fingers clutching her silk robe. “How… how is that possible?” She looked up at me. With just one look, I knew she was starting her performance. “Clara, you were the one who found the box?” I nodded. “Yes.” “Then did you…” She hesitated, looking as if she couldn’t bear to finish the sentence. “Did you open it to take a look?” In my past life, she did the exact same thing. She didn’t use the word “steal.” She didn’t say “take.” She just asked, “Did you look inside?” And she let everyone else’s malice fill in the blanks. I turned my phone screen toward the crowd. “The video started before I even crossed the threshold. You can see for yourselves. I’ve been standing by the door the entire time.” Vanessa bit her lip, tears streaming down her face. “I’m not doubting you, Clara. It’s just… the suite was empty, and you were the first to find it…” Eleanor snapped her gaze to me. “Clara, open your bag.” I let out a cold laugh. “Absolutely not.” Her face turned pale with anger. “The item went missing right in front of you, and you refuse to cooperate?” I saved the recording and uploaded it to my cloud drive. Then, I dialed 911. “Let the police handle it then.” Vanessa’s face went pale for a fraction of a second. She immediately lunged forward and grabbed my hand. “Don’t call the police!” Everyone stared at her. She cried even harder. “Today is my wedding! I don’t want to make a scene. Clara, if you just had a temporary lapse of judgment, just give it back. I promise we can pretend this never happened.” Classic Vanessa. She blocked every exit, then pretended to offer me a way out out of the goodness of her heart. Liam pinched the bridge of his nose. “Clara, today is a special day. Just cooperate. Don’t make this a bigger deal than it already is.” Ethan Carter arrived at that moment. He was my boyfriend, and he was supposed to be a guest today. He looked at the crowded room. His first instinct wasn’t to ask if I was okay. Instead, he lowered his voice and whispered, “Clara, don’t be stubborn.” My heart felt like it had been doused in ice water. He was exactly like this in my past life. He didn’t trust me. He was just terrified of trouble. I took a step back. “I’ll say it one last time: I didn’t touch that box.” “If anyone wants to search me, bring a warrant.” “If anyone wants to accuse me, bring proof.” A crowd of guests had already gathered at the door. Some were holding up their phones. Someone whispered, “Isn’t she a jewelry appraiser?” “Only someone in the industry would know how to pull this off.” “The bride treated her like a sister, and she does this? Unbelievable.” Vanessa leaned against Liam’s shoulder, her body trembling with tears. I looked at her. Suddenly, I wanted to laugh. In my past life, I cried until my voice went hoarse, and nobody cared. In this life, I wouldn’t shed a single tear. I would just wait for her to finish her little show. 2. Within ten minutes, half the venue knew the heirloom necklace was missing. Vanessa’s cousin, Beatrice, took a video and posted it to the wedding guest Snapchat group. The angle was perfectly framed. In the video, Vanessa was weeping in her wedding gown, looking fragile. Eleanor stood beside her with a cold, stern face. I stood there holding my phone, looking entirely calm and defiant. The caption was toxic: “Bride’s best friend suspected of stealing the groom’s family heirloom. Refuses to be searched and is threatening everyone by calling the cops.” It was quickly screenshotted and shared. Within seconds, the group chat exploded with comments. “On her wedding day? How trashy.” “Of all things to steal, a family heirloom?” “She works in the jewelry business, right? No wonder she knew what was valuable.” “The bride is still defending her. What a nightmare friend.” I stood in the hallway outside the bridal suite, scrolling through the comments. In my past life, these words were like knives. The more I explained, the more they mocked me. When I posted a statement, they screenshotted it to ridicule me further. Later, someone leaked to my prospective employer that they were hiring a thief. That high-paying position vanished overnight. In this life, the timeline was moving even faster. At 11:20 AM, I received a text from Mrs. Katherine Harper. She was the hiring director for the luxury jewelry company. Just yesterday, she had assured me that my background check was clear and my official offer would be sent on Monday. Now, her text was strictly professional and cold. “Clara, we have been made aware of the allegations regarding property theft circulating online. Since this role involves high-end appraisal and handling client assets, we must put your hiring process on hold until this matter is fully cleared up.” I stared at the screen, my fingers turning cold. Vanessa didn’t just want the money from the necklace. She wanted me blacklisted from the entire industry. Late last year, the company opened up a position for a Senior Appraisal Consultant. Both Vanessa and I submitted our resumes. She was rejected early on, while I made it to the final round. She had hugged me back then and said, “Clara, once you’re in, don’t forget to pull me up.” And I actually believed her. She didn’t want me to pull her up. She wanted to drag me down and use my corpse as her stepping stone. The main hall was starting to call for the ceremony to begin. The MC’s cheerful voice drifted through the doors. “The ceremony is about to begin. Will all guests please make their way to the main chapel.” But this corner of the bridal suite felt like an isolated execution ground. Eleanor wouldn’t let me leave. Two bridesmaids blocked the doorway. Ethan stood by my side, his expression growing more irritated by the second. “Clara, stop fighting them.” I looked up at him. “You think I took it?” He avoided my eyes. “That’s not what I mean.” “Then what do you mean?” “I just think right now isn’t the time to argue about who’s right or wrong. Vanessa only gets married once. Calling the police to her wedding is just humiliating her.” I smiled. “I didn’t take it. Why should I sacrifice my integrity to save her face?” Ethan frowned. “But acting like this only makes you look more guilty.” Of course. Refusing a search meant I was guilty. Calling the police meant I was threatening them. Refusing to apologize meant I was stubborn. In my past life, I was backed into a corner by these exact arguments. In my past life, I had dumped the contents of my bag onto the table, letting them rifle through my life. Lipstick, tissues, compact powder, car keys. No necklace. Then they said I must have hidden it on my body. I was shaking with rage, refusing to strip. They said my refusal was proof of guilt. When Eleanor’s slap finally landed on my face, Vanessa held me and cried. “Clara, why did you do this?” Back then, I actually wondered if she had genuinely misplaced it. Only after my death did I realize she was the one who handed them the knife, and she was the one who pretended to wipe away my blood. At noon, Chloe returned with security. She whispered to Liam that the hotel had already secured the security footage for the hallway outside the bridal suite, the elevators, and the parking garage. Liam nodded, looking relieved. When Vanessa heard this, her eyelashes fluttered. It was a tiny, almost imperceptible twitch. But I saw it. She clutched Liam’s sleeve. “Liam, can we please wait until after the ceremony to look into this? I don’t want to make our guests watch a drama.” Eleanor’s face was grim. “The heirloom necklace is gone. How can we proceed with the ceremony?” Vanessa’s tears fell again. “We can use another necklace for now. Eleanor, please. I don’t want my wedding ruined over this.” Over this. A fifty-thousand-dollar heirloom. The most expensive item on the registry. And the crime she was trying to frame me for. I spoke up. “Since the ceremony is going forward, I’m coming to the main hall too.” Eleanor shot me a icy look. “You still want to go in there?” “Of course.” I slid my phone into my bag and zipped it up. “You all accused me of theft, right?” “Then let everyone who saw that video see how this ends.” 3. I was taken to a holding room next to the main hall. They said it was to “wait for the police,” but it was essentially house arrest. Two of Liam’s cousins stood guard at the door like prison guards. I sat on the sofa and texted Chloe. “Chloe, can you verify something for me? Did the heirloom necklace go into the hotel safe last night? Is there a signed receipt and a photo of the sealed box?” She replied almost instantly. “Yes. The groom’s family deposited it at 7:45 PM yesterday. It was photographed and sealed according to the inventory. This morning, the bride signed it out herself.” Looking at the words “the bride signed it out,” the weight in my chest finally lifted a little. In this life, the thread was unraveling. I texted back: “Can you make a backup copy of that log? I might need it in a minute.” Chloe was silent for a few minutes. “Clara, the hotel cannot release security footage or guest records to individuals. But if the police request it, or if both parties agree, we can show it.” I replied: “The police have been dispatched. Please have it ready when they arrive.” Next, I dialed another number. Audrey Stone. My college roommate, who was now a defense attorney. In my past life, everyone abandoned me after the incident. Only Audrey had tried to reach out. The call connected, and her voice was sharp and clear. “Clara?” “I’m at the Grand Plaza Hotel for Vanessa’s wedding. Her groom’s family heirloom is missing, and they are framing me for it.” Audrey didn’t hesitate for a second. “Don’t sign anything, don’t agree to a private settlement, and do not let them search your body. Save every text, video, and recording. Before the police arrive, state only facts, not opinions.” My eyes stung. Not everyone was going to force me to bow my head. I screenshotted the Snapchat video, the group chat texts, and the HR notification, and sent them all to her. Audrey looked them over and sent back five words: “We can sue them all.” The door to the holding room opened. Vanessa walked in. She had changed into her reception shawl, her makeup touched up, her eyes still artfully red. Ethan followed closely behind her. I put my phone away. Vanessa walked over and knelt in front of me. “Clara, we’ve been friends for eight years. I really don’t want to make this ugly for you.” I said nothing. She reached out to grab my hand, but I flinched away. Her expression hardened for a split second before returning to her usual victim act. “Eleanor is furious. She said if you write a statement admitting you ‘misplaced’ it and agree to pay for it after the wedding, she won’t press charges.” Ethan chimed in. “Clara, this is the best way out.” I looked at him. “You want me to admit to stealing a fifty-thousand-dollar necklace?” He frowned. “It’s not stealing. It’s just ‘misplacing’ it.” I laughed out loud. “A heavy, custom diamond necklace? I misplaced it? Where? Did it just evaporate into thin air?” Ethan looked uncomfortable. “Can you stop being so defensive? Everyone is trying to help you.” “Help me?” I stood up, staring him down. “Ethan, have you asked me even once if I actually did it?” He went quiet. At that moment, the pain completely vanished. In my past life, I could never understand why three years of love couldn’t withstand a few rumors. Now I understood. Some people’s love only exists when you are clean, convenient, and easy. The moment you get dragged into the mud, their first instinct isn’t to pull you out. It’s to make sure none of it splatters on them. Vanessa said softly, “Clara, don’t blame Ethan. He’s just worried about you. If this drags on, what about your job? I know how much you wanted that position.” Finally, she let a piece of her true motive slip. I looked at her. “You knew my job offer would be affected?” Vanessa’s eyes flickered. “The guest group chat is talking about it. I just guessed.” “What a perfect guess.” Her face paled slightly, and she immediately burst into tears. “Are you doubting me now? I’m the one getting married, and my heirloom is gone! I’m the victim here!” A knock came at the door. Eleanor’s voice was icy. “Vanessa, it’s time.” Vanessa wiped her tears and stood up. Before she left, she leaned close to my ear and whispered in a voice only I could hear: “Clara, don’t destroy your own future.” I looked up at her. “I’d say the same to you.” She stared at me, the warmth completely draining from her eyes. There was resentment there. And panic. I knew she was starting to lose her grip. Because in this life, I hadn’t followed a single line of her script. 4. The ceremony was delayed by twenty minutes. The guests in the main hall were already growing restless. The MC was trying to keep things light, announcing that the couple was doing some last-minute touch-ups, but every table was whispering. “Did her bridesmaid friend really steal the diamonds?” “I heard she refused to be searched.” “The police are on their way. The bride is so sweet, she’s actually trying to protect her.” When I walked into the main hall, the whispers briefly quieted. Every eye turned to me. They looked at me like a criminal about to be sentenced. The chandeliers in the hall were blindingly bright. At the front of the room sat Eleanor, with a row of Bennett family members lined up beside her. Vanessa stood near the stage, tears on her face, still looking like a picture-perfect bride. Liam stood beside her, his brow furrowed. Ethan followed me, trying to grab my wrist. I shoved his hand off. “Clara, stop making a scene,” he muttered. I didn’t look back. Eleanor took the microphone, her voice steady and echoing through the speakers. “Family and friends, we’ve had a small incident today. The Bennett family is not unreasonable, and we do not wish to ruin a young person’s life over a temporary lapse in judgment.” She looked at me. “Clara, if you stand here, explain what happened, admit you ‘misplaced’ the necklace, and sign an agreement to pay for the damages, we can put this behind us.” Immediately, some guests nodded in agreement. “Yeah, just apologize and get it over with.” “The bride isn’t even pressing charges. Why is she being so difficult?” “She’s ruining the wedding.” Vanessa took the microphone, her voice trembling. “Clara, I really don’t blame you. We’ve been friends for so long. I know you’ve been under a lot of stress looking for a job lately, and things haven’t been easy for you.” She paused, a tear slipping down her cheek at the perfect moment. “Just give the necklace back, or promise to replace it later. I’ll beg Eleanor not to take this further.” She finished her speech and reached her hand out to me. The entire room watched. It was a flawless trap. The forgiving bride. The magnanimous groom’s family. The stubborn, ungrateful thief. If I bowed my head now, my past life would repeat itself. If I didn’t, they would say I was unrepentant. I took the spare microphone from the MC. I walked up to the giant projector screen. “Since everyone has already watched the leaked video and discussed my supposed theft in the group chat, I’d like to take three minutes of your time to clarify.” The room fell quiet. Eleanor frowned. “Clara, do not push your luck.” I ignored her. “First, I was never in charge of Vanessa’s jewelry box.” “Second, I never touched it after I found it.” “Third, the diamond necklace was already gone before I ever set foot in the bridal suite.” Vanessa’s head snapped up. “Clara, how can you say that? What proof do you have?” I looked toward the side door. Chloe stood there, her face tense. I knew she was under immense pressure. Hotels dreaded wedding disasters. But she also knew that if the security footage could prove the truth, she couldn’t hide it. I spoke clearly into the microphone. “Chloe, the police are on their way. I request that we play the video from my phone, followed by the hotel’s hallway security footage.” Liam glanced at Chloe. “Play it.” Vanessa immediately grabbed his sleeve. “Liam, please don’t…” Liam said quietly, “If she’s innocent, we need to clear her name.” That was probably the only decent thing he had said all day. The projector screen lit up. First was my phone recording. The footage started from the moment I opened the door to the bridal suite. I stood at the entrance, nowhere near the vanity. In the shot, the jewelry box sat alone. My voice recorded: “The jewelry box was left unattended in the suite. I haven’t touched it. I’m calling the coordinator to verify.” Then it showed me calling Chloe. Then Chloe, Liam, and Eleanor entering the room. Throughout the entire video, I was at least three feet away from that vanity. The whispers in the crowd began to shift. But that wasn’t enough. It only proved I hadn’t touched it after I found it. It didn’t prove who took it. I clicked the remote for the next file. The hallway security footage appeared. Timestamp: 8:16 AM. Vanessa, wearing her silk bridal robe, walked out of the bridal suite holding the jewelry box. She walked to the end of the hallway, paused for a few seconds, then turned back and placed the box back on the vanity. At 9:03 AM, I entered the room. Between those two timestamps, absolutely no one else entered that suite. The entire chapel felt as if it had been choked of air. The color drained from Vanessa’s face. I turned to face her. “Now, can you explain? Why is it that the last person to touch that box before I found it was you?”

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When I went to return the engagement ring, the designer asked me why. Right in front of her, I tried to slide the ring onto my ring finger. But the band got stuck at my second knuckle, refusing to go any further. “See? It’s not my size.” The designer’s face turned pale. She immediately offered to resize it. I shook my head, my voice incredibly calm. “You can resize the ring, but you can’t change the shoe size. And you definitely can’t change the wedding dress.” My wedding with Ethan Carter was just around the corner. But except for the bride’s name on the invitations, nothing about it belonged to me. Every time I asked Ethan to go try on wedding dresses, he would stare at his laptop screen without even looking up. “I’m busy. I know your measurements anyway. I already sent them over to the designer. Just relax and get ready to be a beautiful bride.” But three days before the wedding, what I received was a ring that wouldn’t fit and a wedding dress I couldn’t even squeeze into. The wedding shoes, the gloves, and even the bridal lingerie… they were all my best friend Chloe’s size. The long-held anticipation in my heart completely vanished, leaving a hollow ache in my chest. Ethan frowned, still trying to negotiate with me. “It’s just a ceremony. You and Chloe are so close. Honestly, would it be so bad if Chloe stood in your place?” I didn’t argue, nor did I refuse. I just thought to myself: If she can stand in for me, then it should be perfectly fine if I change the groom, too.

When I got home, Ethan was on the phone with someone. “She’s back. Make sure you stay warm. That cashmere throw blanket I bought you should arrive today.” “Drape it over your legs when you sleep. Don’t catch a cold…” Listening to those tender, pampering whispers, my eyes burned. I had told him so many times that the AC vent at my office desk blew directly at me. It made my body ache all over. Sometimes, he would look at his computer and casually reply, “Bring a jacket then. Drink some hot water.” Other times, he would just stare at his phone and give a lazy, “Oh, okay.” Not once had he ever spoken to me in such a soft, gentle voice, telling me he bought me a blanket to stay warm. Hanging up the phone, he finally noticed me. He casually said, “Go make dinner. Chloe is coming over to eat in a bit.” Then, he began counting on his fingers. “She likes home-cooked meals. Grill some chicken breast, sear some salmon, make some pasta… oh, and add a salad. She’s always talking about losing weight, so a salad is perfect.” For a long time after he finished speaking, I didn’t move. I didn’t say a word. I just stood there, staring at him. Ethan slowly realized something was off, and a forced smile appeared on his face. “What’s wrong? Why are you so quiet?” I averted my eyes and looked at the framed wedding photo hanging on the wall. “Aren’t you going to ask me how the ring and dress alterations went?” He gave an “Oh,” and asked half-heartedly, “Right. How did they go?” A wave of overwhelming exhaustion washed over me. My lips parted, but as my gaze fell on the photo of the two of them just below the wedding portrait, I suddenly didn’t know what to say. Before I could speak, he lowered his head to his phone again. Something on the screen made his lips curl into a smile. Even from a few feet away, I could see it clearly. The person texting him was Chloe Miller. In his Snapchat chat history, her name was pinned at the very top. Mine was somewhere below. Her chat was pinned with a golden star. Mine had nothing. At this moment, my best friend looked far more like his girlfriend than I did. Ethan looked up at me, a hint of annoyance in his eyes. “What are you still standing there for? She’s about to arrive.” I had been home for thirty minutes. He hadn’t asked a single real question about the wedding or the ring. Even when I tried to remind him, he only gave me a lazy, superficial response. Yet, he was incredibly attentive to everything concerning Chloe. I tried asking one more question. “Does she have any food allergies?” Ethan looked up immediately, his answer slipping out of his mouth without a second thought. “She doesn’t eat onions. You know that, right?” I fell silent. After a few seconds, I replied. “I know her tastes.” “But I didn’t know you remembered them so well.” Leaving those words behind, I ignored his changing expression and turned toward the kitchen. This would probably be our last dinner together.

Half an hour later, Chloe arrived with some coffee. Ethan practically sprinted to the entryway. He kicked my slippers aside as if they were in his way, then took out a fresh pair of slippers from the top shelf of the shoe cabinet and handed them to her. A smile played on his lips. “Bought these for you.” They were a pair of pink, cozy slippers with cute bunny ears. This exact pair had been sitting in my Amazon cart for six months. Every time I wanted to buy them, Ethan would stop me. “How old are you? Still wearing childish things like that? Aren’t you afraid people will laugh at you?” But when it came to Chloe, there was no talk of being “childish,” and no fear of being laughed at. He had simply used my credit card to buy them for her. Noticing my gaze, Chloe turned to me with a sweet smile and waved. “Summer, I brought you coffee.” Unsurprisingly, there were two iced Americanos and one hot oat milk latte. As she handed me the latte, a memory flashed in my mind. When Ethan and I first started dating, his favorite drink was a hot latte. He had a sweet tooth. He used to say that the taste of a hot latte was just like me, warm and sweet, and once you had a sip, you could never forget it. Back then, my face would turn red, and I would playfully punch his chest. He would laugh out loud, running away while teasingly begging for mercy. After that summer, my usual iced Americano order changed to a latte. But somewhere along the way, the latte in his hand had quietly reverted back to an iced Americano. “Thanks,” I muttered, taking the coffee and heading toward the kitchen. Chloe sat down right next to Ethan, leaning her shoulder against his. She waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, come on, we’re best friends. No need to thank me…” She thought I was thanking her for the coffee. In reality, I was thanking her for showing me what a piece of trash my fiancé was. The sizzling of the oil in the pan couldn’t drown out the loud laughter and flirting coming from the living room. Ethan was asking her one question after another. “Is the design for the SE project finalized? You have to put your heart into it. The executives really care about this one.” “What do you want to eat tomorrow? Sandwiches or a salad?” “Have you bought the accessories for your bridesmaid dress yet? Do you want me to get them for you?” I listened quietly, and in my distraction, the knife slipped. “Ouch,” I hissed. From the living room, Chloe called out, “Summer, what happened?” I sucked on my bleeding finger and answered vaguely, “Nothing, just cut my finger.” “Oh,” Chloe replied. “Be careful then.” Ethan poked his head through the kitchen door. After confirming that I wasn’t dying, he shook his head with a mocking chuckle. “Your cooking skills are really going downhill. How do you manage to cut yourself just chopping veggies?” He didn’t offer to get a Band-Aid, nor did he offer to take over. He just leaned against the doorframe, making snide remarks. Back in college, when I bumped my knee on his bicycle, he had panicked. He practically carried me on his back all the way to the campus clinic, making the doctor reassure him a dozen times that I was fine before he finally let me go. Back then, resting my chin on his shoulder, I thought, This is the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. But I never could have guessed that years later, when I was bleeding right in front of him, he would look at me with complete indifference. He turned back to the living room to keep chatting with Chloe. My finger kept bleeding, staining the cutting board red. Realizing he couldn’t play blind anymore, Ethan sighed and stepped into the kitchen. “Go patch that up. I’ll finish this.” I looked up at him. “I thought you hated cooking.” He had sensitive sinuses and couldn’t stand the smell of grease. Ever since we moved in together, the cooking and dishwashing had always been my job. Just last week, we had a huge argument over whose turn it was to do the dishes. But now, he was putting on the apron and rolling up his sleeves with ease. “What choice do I have? Someone said she’s hungry…” A playful protest instantly came from the living room. “Ethan!” The man let out a low chuckle and gently pushed me out of the kitchen. I stood frozen in the hallway, finding his laughter incredibly grating. Chloe put down her phone, pulled me down onto the sofa, and grabbed the first-aid kit, crouching in front of me just like she used to. An alcohol swab wiped across my cut. Then, she began wrapping the gauze around my finger. Looking down at my college best friend, my feelings were incredibly complicated. When I had acute appendicitis back in school, writhing in pain on my bed, she was the one who stayed by my side in the ER all night. When we ran out of money at the end of the month, she was the one who bought cheap frozen pizzas so we could survive together. When Ethan and I first made our relationship official, she had hugged me, crying and saying, “Even if you have a man now, you can’t abandon me.” So, when she moved to New York to find a job, I submitted a special request to bring her into my design department. When she eagerly volunteered to help organize my wedding, I handed all the wedding chores to her so I could focus entirely on the SE project. I had anticipated a beautiful beginning, but I never saw this ending coming. After tying the knot on the bandage, Chloe looked up at me. “Summer, can you let me have Ethan?”

Even though I had already made up my mind, hearing her ask so bluntly still sent a sharp sting through my heart. Under the living room lights, Chloe’s eyes were glistening with tears. “You’re already the design lead. You’re talented, successful, and you have a wealthy family to back you up. But I have nothing.” So, that was her excuse for stealing my man. “What if I say no?” The pitiful look on Chloe’s face vanished instantly. She squeezed my injured finger tightly, leaning in close, whispering every word. “He gave those sizes to the designer himself.” “Don’t you want to think about why he knows my measurements so well? Don’t you want to know how far we’ve actually gone?” Without a word, I raised my hand and splashed the cold coffee right in her face. Chloe screamed. “Summer! I’m sorry… it’s my fault! I shouldn’t have messed up your ring and dress sizes…” The next second, Ethan rushed out of the kitchen. Without giving me a single glance, he grabbed a towel, wrapped it around Chloe’s head, and gently wiped her face. Then, he spun around and glared at me. “Are you insane?! The wrong sizes weren’t her fault! If you’re mad, take it out on me!” He shielded her behind his back, his eyes red with anger. It was as if I weren’t his fiancée, but his worst enemy. I bit my lip, my voice trembling. “Aren’t you going to ask what she just said to me?” Ethan looked back at Chloe, his eyes filled with pity. “She’s simple-minded and naive. I don’t need to ask to know it was your fault.” “Chloe is your best friend. Why do you have to make things so difficult for her?” He didn’t even care to ask for the truth. He just assumed everything was my fault. The room fell into a dead silence, broken only by Chloe’s quiet, dramatic sobbing. After a long pause, Ethan let out a breath, his tone softening slightly. “I’m sorry, I raised my voice. But you really went too far this time.” “Honestly, I felt a bit guilty about my next request, but seeing how you treated her, you owe Chloe an apology.” “Give her the credit and signing rights for the SE project.” I stood up, staring at him in utter disbelief. Last month, to secure the design for the SE project, I had worked eight nights straight until I passed out and was hospitalized. At the time, he had hugged me and said, “Don’t push yourself so hard. You have me.” He knew better than anyone that this project was my ticket to becoming the Design Director. And now, he wanted me to just hand it over. Chloe didn’t say she didn’t want it. She didn’t try to play peacemaker either. She just clutched Ethan’s sleeve, taking a small step closer to him. I stared at their hands, tightly gripping each other through the fabric. “And if I refuse?” I asked in a low voice. Ethan frowned. “Chloe worked tirelessly to help plan our wedding. You should give her this project as a thank-you.” “If you don’t agree, our wedding will be postponed indefinitely.” I clenched my fists. “Are you sure about that?” He didn’t answer. He just took Chloe’s hand and walked toward the door. Before closing it, he looked back at me and sighed. “We’re going out to eat. Think about it. If you come to your senses, the wedding in three days will go on as scheduled.” He didn’t say what would happen if I didn’t “come to my senses.” But his hand, tightly holding hers, said everything. “But I’ve already decided to change the groom…” I whispered to the empty room. The only response was the click of the door locking shut.

That night, Ethan didn’t come home. No texts, no calls. The next morning, I called my parents. “I’m changing the groom.” They didn’t ask a single question. Instead, my mom laughed. “Good. We knew there was something sketchy going on between Ethan and that Chloe girl. You should have dumped him sooner.” “If you hadn’t been so head-over-heels for him, we would have never accepted that fake nice-guy anyway.” She was right. My parents saw through him instantly, while it took me years to finally see the truth. No wonder Chloe had sent me a photo of their heads resting next to each other in bed this morning, adding a mocking text: Guess what we did last night? I took a deep breath and locked my phone. The moment I stepped out of the elevator at the office, a notification popped up on my phone. The HR Director had tagged me in the WhatsApp work group: “Summer Montgomery from the design department is suspected of plagiarizing the SE project and taking credit for someone else’s work. Following a board meeting, the company has decided to terminate Summer Montgomery immediately. She will be blacklisted from the industry.” The message was short, but I stared at it for a long time. Muffled laughter and whispers immediately erupted around me. “She called herself the design lead, but she’s just a thief. Her own best friend reported her, so it must be true.” “To think Ethan wanted to marry her. Who would marry a thief? Gross!” Hearing the insults and jeers, my feet felt like they were glued to the floor. Chloe suddenly appeared, pressing a cup of warm water into my hands, her eyes red. “Summer, it’s okay. I don’t blame you for the plagiarism. We can still be friends, just like before.” Her words sounded comforting, but the smirk on her face was almost splitting her cheeks. I looked straight into her eyes. “Why?” She leaned in close to my ear, whispering, “I warned you to get out of New York. Handing over your man, your project, and your wedding is exactly what a loser like you deserves.” “What makes you so sure you’ve won?” She chuckled. “Oh, just wait and see.” Right then, a colleague shouted, “Summer stole Chloe’s design by abusing her trust! Getting fired isn’t enough, she needs to apologize personally!” “Exactly! A thief like her should be banned from the industry! Let’s see who will hire her after this!” Before I could speak, Ethan walked out of the engineering department and stood in front of me, looking like he was trying to protect me. For a split second, my heart softened, and I wanted to tell him I didn’t do it. But he quickly turned around, grabbed my wrist, and whispered, “Summer, just apologize. If you admit to it and show some remorse, Chloe won’t take legal action.” “And our wedding can still happen.” The fleeting warmth in my chest vanished instantly. The morning sun hit his handsome face, making him look so familiar yet so incredibly foreign. When I first joined this company, a senior designer tried to steal my credit. Ethan had snatched his badge and marched straight into CEO Mr. Evans’ office, risking his own job to get me justice. Back then, he was just a junior programmer with no power or status. Now, he was an executive, yet he was forcing me to apologize for a crime I didn’t commit. I shook his hand off and took a step back. “I didn’t do it,” I said, my voice trembling. He paused, then leaned in closer, dropping his voice even lower. “I know. But since you refused to give her the credit, this was the only way.” It felt as if a bomb had gone off in my head. My throat felt tight, and I couldn’t breathe. Seeing me shake with anger, a flash of pity crossed Ethan’s eyes. He took a step forward, staring at me intently. “Even if you lose your job, you still have your parents and me. We can support you.” “But Chloe has nothing. If you admit to the plagiarism, she will get the Design Director position.” Those lips had kissed me countless times and whispered sweet promises, but now, every word they uttered was like a dagger to my heart. I pried his fingers off my wrist one by one. My voice was hoarse. “I will never admit to it.” “You have to!” Ethan’s patience finally wore thin. He pointed at Chloe. “Remember when you had acute appendicitis in college? If she hadn’t saved you, you would have died. You owe her this.” His words were cold and sharp. Chloe pretended to look hurt, but her eyes were dancing with joy. All around me, colleagues were shouting, demanding an apology. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “Fine. I apologize. I plagiarized. I am a thief.” I gave a deep bow to the triumphant Chloe. Consider this my payment for her saving my life all those years ago. As I walked out of the building carrying my box of personal belongings, a sleek black Maybach was already waiting by the curb. I looked up at the 35th floor one last time, then slid into the backseat. Almost immediately, Ethan’s text popped up on my phone. “The day after tomorrow, I’ll be waiting for you at the wedding venue.” I typed a quick reply: “No need. My groom isn’t you.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “465603”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I married the richest man in Los Angeles. He pursued me for four years and spoiled me for five. I was the woman every woman in Los Angeles envied. But the “good man” they talked about turned around and rolled around with his female assistant in my car, then even forged photos of me cheating so he could throw me out. Only later did I learn that I was the Foster family’s long-lost heiress. Using my identity as the Foster heiress, I personally acquired Ashford Group. On the day we signed the acquisition agreement, he begged me with red eyes to come home. I only said two words: too late. Me living well was the best revenge against him. Evelyn Clark POV “Hello. I want a divorce.” I pushed a stack of documents and materials toward the lawyer. The lawyer across from me froze for a full half minute, looking at my ID, then at the letter of authorization, repeatedly confirming the client’s identity. The door to the reception room hadn’t been shut properly, and the staff’s whispers drifted in through the crack. “Oh my God, is that Mrs. Ashford?” “Did I hear that right? She wants a divorce?” “Did she have a fight with Mr. Ashford? No way. Everyone in Los Angeles knows how much Mr. Ashford dotes on his wife. What could possibly be serious enough for a divorce?” “Exactly. Their wedding of the century five years ago—champagne roses practically covered half of Los Angeles. No one in elite circles has topped that scale even now. That was a real-life fairy-tale romance. I was moved for the longest time. If those two get divorced, I’ll never believe in love again.” “If Mr. Ashford finds out Mrs. Ashford came here, he’ll tear this whole building down.” I lowered my eyes, bitterness spreading through my chest. Everything they said was true. Adrian Ashford and I were college classmates. One of us was a scholarship student from a poor background who grew up in an orphanage, relying entirely on scholarships to get through college. Other than good grades, I had nothing. The other was the sole heir of Ashford Group, the student council president, a campus celebrity everyone looked up to. At the University of California, there wasn’t a soul who didn’t know him. But Adrian Ashford just had to fall for me at first sight, launching a grand, public pursuit. Flowers piled up across the lawn beneath my dorm. The Ferris wheel kept its lights on for me all night. He set off fireworks for me, and every burst spelled out the same sentence: Evelyn Clark, be my girlfriend. Back then, it wasn’t that I wasn’t moved. I just knew all too well how worlds apart we were. Adrian Ashford was good in every way. So good he didn’t seem like someone who could ever belong to me. When I refused, he didn’t get angry. For four whole years, every night at ten, he stood outside the library waiting for me. On rainy days, he held an umbrella. On snowy days, he wrapped himself in an overcoat. More than a thousand nights, through wind and rain, he never missed a single one. How many four-year stretches does a person get in their youth? I didn’t want to keep failing his feelings, and I didn’t want to keep failing my own heart. In the final semester before graduation, I finally stood in front of him and said yes. After we got together, Grandpa Ashford, Malcolm Ashford, reacted exactly as expected. He turned against it. I came from an orphanage. I had no family, no background. I wasn’t worthy of marrying into a wealthy family like the Ashfords. So Adrian Ashford protested by going on a hunger strike. He didn’t eat for five days. He was the only child of three generations of the Ashford family. Malcolm Ashford couldn’t do anything to him, and in the end, he relented. Five years ago, Adrian Ashford married me in grand fashion, giving me a wedding of the century that shocked the entire United States and turning me into the Mrs. Ashford everyone envied. After we married, Adrian Ashford spoiled me even more, practically lifting me to the heavens. He had never once even raised his voice at me. If I casually mentioned liking an original painting by a famous artist, the next day, that painting would be hanging in my walk-in closet. Malcolm Ashford looked down on me, so Adrian Ashford protected me every second, never letting me be alone with Grandpa for even a moment. Adrian Ashford said that as long as he was alive, he would protect me to the very end. And he truly did. On that rainy night three years ago, Adrian Ashford drank too much at a business dinner. I was worried, so despite being four months pregnant, I drove myself to pick him up. On the way back, we were hit by a truck that ran a red light. Although Adrian Ashford instinctively shielded me, both of us were still rushed into the emergency room. I survived, but our child was gone. And I would never be able to have another one. Adrian Ashford stayed by my hospital bed for seven days and seven nights. He said to me, “It’s okay. I don’t need a child. I don’t need an heir. I only need you to be okay.” Malcolm Ashford was so furious he ended up hospitalized, but Adrian still didn’t back down. At that time, I thought this man was worth entrusting my entire life to. But this Adrian Ashford, who loved me so much, had an affair with his young assistant two months ago. Lily Sullivan posted every detail of the two of them on WeChat Moments, setting it to visible only to me. In the car, in the office, in the conference room, in hotel suites—everywhere had become a place for them to have sex. Those positions Adrian Ashford had never let me try, those sex toys he had never let me use, all appeared in Lily Sullivan’s WeChat Moments. At first, I only found it absurd. I thought they were maliciously photoshopped images. Until I saw the mole on the man in the photo. That mole was in a special place. Only I had ever seen it. It couldn’t be faked. The evidence was irrefutable. I had no choice but to believe it. On yet another night when Adrian Ashford and Lily Sullivan were making love, I stayed awake until dawn. After my tears had all dried up, I finally made my decision. Since he was the first to betray our relationship, then I didn’t want him anymore either. I had never cared about the position of Mrs. Ashford. The lawyer’s voice pulled me back to reality. “Ms. Clark, all the materials are complete. One month after the agreement is signed, you can obtain the final divorce decree, if the other party agrees.” I took the drafted divorce agreement, stood up, and thanked him. After leaving the law firm, I drove to Ashford Group. When I arrived at the CEO’s office, I didn’t knock. I pushed the door open and walked straight in. Adrian Ashford was sitting behind his desk, a thin layer of sweat on his cold, handsome face. Hearing the door open, anger flashed across his face. “Coming in without knocking—” When he saw it was Evelyn Clark, the anger turned into panic. “Evelyn, why are you here?” The man leaned forward slightly, but he didn’t stand. His posture was awkward in a way I couldn’t quite describe. I looked around the office and didn’t see Lily Sullivan anywhere. “It’s your company. Am I not allowed to come?” I asked back, my gaze fixed directly on his face. “Of course you are. It’s my company, and Evelyn can come whenever she wants.” Adrian Ashford quickly pulled both hands back under the desk, and his voice returned to its usual gentleness. “It’s just, why didn’t you let Uncle Jack drive you? Did you drive yourself? Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t drive on your own? I worry.” Ever since the car accident three years ago, Adrian Ashford had never let me touch a steering wheel again. Whenever I went out, a driver picked me up and dropped me off. I looked at the concern written all over the man’s face right now, and my heart ached even more. He clearly had me in his heart. He clearly remembered every detail of the hardships we had gone through together. Yet he could still have sex with another woman and sink so deeply into it. So his heart was this big after all. I alone could never fill it. “I came to have you sign something.” I didn’t linger on that topic and placed the divorce agreement in front of him. “I’ve got my eye on a villa in the mountains. I need your signature.” Adrian Ashford habitually started flipping through the documents. Sweat seeped into my palms. Suddenly, a suppressed groan rolled from Adrian Ashford’s throat. The man’s tall body went abruptly tense, as if he was enduring something incredibly difficult. I understood instantly. Lily Sullivan was under the desk. A strong wave of nausea surged in my stomach. I came today to get the agreement signed. Catching them in the act on the spot would feel satisfying, but it would also create complications. It took every ounce of strength I had to force the sourness rushing up my throat back down. “Just sign it. It’s only a house.” I pushed the documents a little closer to him. Adrian Ashford clearly had no attention to spare for reading anything carefully right now. The intense pleasure and the thrill of being almost discovered by me left him unable to handle it. He picked up the pen and hastily signed his name. I reached out and took the agreement back. The messy handwriting showed exactly how hard he was restraining himself right now. “You’re busy. I’ll go.” I didn’t want to spend one more second in this room. “Evelyn, wait.” Adrian Ashford called out to me. “Sit in the reception room for a bit. I’ll clean up and then drive you home.” Since the agreement had already been signed, at this moment, I deliberately made things difficult for him. “Then I’ll wait for you in your lounge.” In the past, whenever I came to the company to see Adrian Ashford, I would always wait in the lounge inside his office. “Don’t—” Adrian Ashford blurted out. “I mean, the lounge just had a deep clean. The disinfectant smell is too strong. It’s not good for your health. Wait in the reception room, okay? Be good.” I understood. Deep clean? More like the traces of the two of them having sex in the lounge hadn’t been cleaned up yet. Besides, if I stayed in the lounge, Lily Sullivan under the desk wouldn’t even have a chance to come out and get dressed. The situation would be impossible to resolve. I pulled up the corners of my mouth, revealing a smile with no warmth at all. “Okay.” I walked into the reception room next door. From just beyond the wall came the man’s panting and the woman’s sweet, coquettish pleas for mercy. I squeezed my eyes shut hard. I took out my phone, photographed the signed agreement, and sent it to the lawyer. “What’s the fastest this can be finalized?” The lawyer replied quickly. “If we expedite it, one week.” I didn’t hesitate. “Then expedite it.”

Evelyn Clark POV The door to the reception room was pushed open. Lily Sullivan walked in carrying two cups of coffee. She placed one in front of me and held the other herself. Her makeup was flawless, her collar slightly open, and the corners of her lips carried just the right amount of concern. “Ms. Clark, would you like something to eat? Mr. Ashford is still busy, so I’ll take care of you.” I lifted my eyes and studied her. Early twenties, delicate makeup, a tight suit skirt. Curves where she should have curves, perky where she should be perky. She was indeed a stunner. No wonder Adrian Ashford had fallen for her. “Shouldn’t Ms. Sullivan call me Mrs. Ashford?” Lily Sullivan covered her mouth and laughed softly. “Please forgive me, Ms. Clark. After all, I’m only twenty-three. I can’t possibly compare to the emotional intelligence of someone who’s nearly thirty.” I let out a cold laugh and was just about to speak. Footsteps sounded in the hallway, growing closer. Lily Sullivan clearly heard them too, because the contempt on her face vanished instantly. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and splashed the scalding coffee in her hand onto her own arm. Hot coffee ran down her forearm, and her skin quickly reddened. Lily Sullivan sucked in a sharp breath, and her eyes immediately filled with aggrieved tears. “Mrs. Ashford! Even if the coffee I made wasn’t to your taste, I could have made you another cup. Why did you have to throw it on me…” Her volume was just loud enough for the person outside the door to hear. I looked at Lily Sullivan’s reddened arm. Good move. Adrian Ashford strode in. His gaze first swept over Lily Sullivan’s arm, and his brows furrowed. “What happened?” Lily Sullivan bit her lip, tears swirling in her eyes, and was just about to speak. I spoke first. “Your assistant said I splashed her.” I stood up, picked up the cup of coffee on the table, and in front of Adrian Ashford, threw it straight at Lily Sullivan. The coffee splashed across Lily Sullivan’s shirt, the dark brown liquid spreading in a large stain. Lily Sullivan screamed and stumbled back two steps in a sorry state. “But I didn’t splash her just now.” I set down the empty cup and dusted off my hands. “Now I have. Are you going to demand justice for her?” I looked straight into Adrian Ashford’s eyes, refusing to back down in the slightest. Adrian Ashford’s expression was terrible. His gaze moved between the two women. Then he turned to Lily Sullivan. His brows twisted into a hard line, and his face sank to freezing point. “Low-class thing. Get out!” Lily Sullivan’s tears finally fell. This time, they were real. Clutching her arm, she stumbled out of the reception room. I watched the direction Lily Sullivan disappeared in, the corners of my lips moving slightly. So it ended with one scolding. If anyone else had dared slander Mrs. Ashford to her face, Adrian Ashford would have made that person disappear from Ashford Group that very day. But Lily Sullivan only got one sentence. How was that a reprimand? It was clearly him giving her an out. Adrian Ashford had already walked up to me. He reached out to wrap an arm around my shoulders and lowered his head to look at my expression. “She’s been under a lot of pressure lately. Her emotions are a little unstable. Don’t stoop to her level.” He gently patted my back to comfort me, his tone soft. “It’s not worth ruining your health over anger.” I only felt that the smell of women’s perfume on Adrian Ashford was unbearably sharp. I shifted slightly to the side and pushed his hand off my shoulder. “If you’re done, let’s go.” Adrian Ashford froze for a moment after being pushed away by me, but he didn’t think too much of it. “Okay. Let’s go home.” The two of us walked into the parking lot one after the other. Adrian Ashford opened the passenger door for me. The moment I sat down, I felt that the seat’s position was wrong. Someone had moved the passenger seat. I remembered back when we were dating, Adrian Ashford wouldn’t let anyone besides me sit in his passenger seat. Once, Adrian Ashford’s childhood friend sat there, and Adrian Ashford dragged him right out. I laughed at him for being childish. He said with perfect confidence that the passenger seat was my wife’s seat. If you’re not my wife, what right do you have to sit there? So in his heart, even the wife’s seat could hold two people. I reached out to adjust the seat. Before I could finish adjusting it, there was a knock on the car window. Lily Sullivan stood outside the car, staring straight at Adrian Ashford. She had deliberately left the burn on her arm exposed. It was so red it made people ache for her. Adrian Ashford lowered the window. “Mr. Ashford, my arm is burned. I really can’t hold a steering wheel, and I can’t get a rideshare… Could you drop me off at the hospital if it’s on your way?” I sat in the passenger seat without even lifting my eyelids. Since when did an assistant who couldn’t get a car have to ride in the boss’s car? Adrian Ashford frowned and was just about to speak. Lily Sullivan’s eyes reddened again, and her lips trembled lightly, like she was desperately holding back tears. Adrian Ashford’s refusal got stuck in his throat. “Get in.” He turned his head to look at me and lowered his voice to explain. “Don’t overthink it. After all, she got hurt at the company. I’ll drop her off at the hospital since it’s on the way, so people at the company won’t gossip about you.” I only found it ironic. Back then, when Adrian Ashford had just taken over the company, I stayed up with him and endured it all together. A poor student from an orphanage marrying him—I heard plenty of gossip behind my back. They said I was trying to marry up, that I wasn’t worthy of Mr. Ashford. Adrian Ashford’s way of handling it had been simple: whoever gossiped was gone. He wouldn’t let me suffer even the slightest grievance. But now, wonderful. He was using “so people at the company won’t gossip” to shut my mouth, openly and righteously letting Lily Sullivan into our car. For a moment, I was too angry to speak. Adrian Ashford immediately took my silence as agreement. “What are you waiting for? Get in.” But Lily Sullivan stood there without moving, twisting her fingers together. “I… I get a little carsick. If I sit in the back, I might throw up. Could I sit in the passenger seat?” I sat in the passenger seat without even changing my posture. When Lily Sullivan didn’t get a response, she continued on her own. “I’m being unreasonable. I shouldn’t bother Mr. Ashford and Mrs. Ashford, and I definitely shouldn’t make Mrs. Ashford sit in the back. I’m sorry. I’ll call a car myself.” After saying that, she let out a soft hiss, as if the injury on her arm hurt again. Her mouth said she was leaving, but her feet stayed nailed to the spot. She didn’t move a single step. Adrian Ashford glanced at the burn on her arm, his Adam’s apple shifting slightly. He was about to speak when my voice sounded first. “If you know you shouldn’t bother us, then what are you still standing here for?” Lily Sullivan went stiff. Adrian Ashford knew my next sentence would be to tell Lily Sullivan to leave, so he quickly spoke up. “Get in the car already.” Lily Sullivan didn’t dare say anything else and got into the back seat with an aggrieved look. The car had just pulled out of the parking lot when Lily Sullivan spoke again. “Mrs. Ashford, could you get my lip balm for me? I accidentally left it in Mr. Ashford’s car last time. It’s in the side storage compartment to your right.” Adrian Ashford’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Last time, we went to a business dinner. She drank a few glasses for me and got drunk, so I dropped her off at home since it was on the way. It was just that one time. Don’t overthink it.” I didn’t look at him. I opened the side storage compartment on the passenger side. Lip balm, women’s perfume, a comb, lipstick, hair ties, earrings. The storage compartment was stuffed full. It was practically Lily Sullivan’s personal makeup bag. Just that one time? I casually rummaged through the things in the compartment, then closed it. “I didn’t see any lip balm.” I turned to look at Adrian Ashford. “How long has it been since you cleaned out this compartment? There’s too much trash. Pull over. I’ll throw it away.” Adrian Ashford didn’t understand what I meant, but he still pulled the car over to the side of the road. I pushed open the car door, bent down, and threw everything in the storage compartment into the roadside trash can. In the back seat, Lily Sullivan’s face went pale, then red, then pale again. She seemed to want to say something. Her lips moved a few times, but in the end, she didn’t dare speak. I dusted off my hands, sat back in the passenger seat, and closed the door. “Let’s go. Isn’t Ms. Sullivan in a hurry to get to the hospital? The intersection up ahead is it.” Adrian Ashford glanced at Lily Sullivan’s expression in the rearview mirror, then at my perfectly calm profile. He seemed to realize something. But since I didn’t make a scene, he was more than happy to let it slide. The car drove in silence to the hospital entrance. Adrian Ashford stepped on the brake, stared straight ahead, and said coldly, “Get out.”

Evelyn Clark POV Lily Sullivan got out of the car, clearly unwilling. Adrian couldn’t bear it, but he couldn’t say anything. Without a word, he pressed the gas and drove away. I leaned back in the passenger seat, watching the streetlights flash past outside the window. I didn’t speak either. The car was as quiet as stagnant water. By the time we got back to the villa, the car had barely stopped before I pushed the door open and walked off. “Still mad?” Adrian caught up in a few quick strides and reached out to grab my wrist. I tried to shake him off, but I couldn’t. Adrian took the opportunity to hold my hand even tighter, his voice softening. “Come on. She’s just an assistant. She’s young and doesn’t know any better. She offended you today. I’ll punish her.” He gently squeezed my hand and lowered his head to look at my face. “Don’t ruin your health over something so small, okay?” Punish her? I sneered inwardly. How? Punish her in bed? Or punish her in exactly the way Lily Sullivan wanted most? When Adrian saw that I wasn’t speaking, he simply pulled me straight into his arms. “Evelyn looks so beautiful when she’s jealous.” His tone was light, tinged with amusement, as if he thought this whole thing was just a childish little tantrum. I stood in his arms. I didn’t hug him back, but I didn’t push him away either. “Adrian Ashford.” I called him by his full name. “If you ever betray me, I’ll make sure you never see me again.” Adrian’s arms tightened around me. “Of course I won’t. How could I ever betray Evelyn?” He lowered his head, resting his chin against the top of my head, his tone certain. “In this lifetime, I only love you.” “But a lifetime is so long.” I lowered my eyes and said, “People’s hearts change.” Adrian was silent for a moment, then the tip of his nose brushed over my hair. “People’s hearts change, but mine won’t.” He lifted my chin, forcing me to look straight into his eyes. There was no hesitation in them at all. “If I ever betray you, let me go bankrupt. Let me end up on the streets and die a miserable death.” I stared into his eyes. There was real conviction in them. Flawless confidence. My chest felt as if it had been struck by something blunt, aching and numb all at once. “You dare swear something that vicious? Aren’t you afraid it’ll actually come true?” Adrian let out a low laugh, bent down, and kissed my forehead. “I’m not afraid. No one knows better than I do how much I love you.” “I can’t live without you in this lifetime. How could I ever betray you?” He looked at me seriously, his gaze gentle. “Evelyn, without you, I wouldn’t be able to live at all.” I didn’t say anything else. I let him hold my hand. Then let’s wait until a week from now and see whether you really can’t live at all, just like you said. After we entered the house, Adrian went straight to the kitchen. He tied on an apron, opened the fridge, and moved through the motions smoothly. Ever since we got together, he had learned to cook and refused to let me do it. Even now. No one would imagine that the CEO of Ashford Group, worth over a hundred billion, would tie on an apron every night and cook dinner for his wife. I had once found it unbelievable too. I asked him, it wasn’t as if we couldn’t afford help at home, so why learn to cook? He said, I want you to eat the food I make for the rest of your life, until you can never leave me. After we got married, whenever we were home, Adrian was the one who cooked. That habit had never once been broken. When the dishes were brought out, they were all the flavors she liked. Scrambled eggs with tomatoes sweetened with caramelized onions, BBQ-style roasted chicken legs without scallions, and creamy beech mushroom soup on the side. I sat at the dining table and mechanically put food into my mouth, unable to taste anything at all. Adrian’s phone was sitting by the table, message notifications going off nonstop. He glanced at the screen, didn’t reply right away, and turned the phone face down on the table again. Two minutes later, the phone rang again. His brows furrowed. He picked up his fork, then set it back down. Then he flipped the phone over and placed it face down on the table. I saw everything, but said nothing. After a while, the messages were still coming. Adrian finally couldn’t sit still. He pushed back his chair and stood up. “There’s an urgent issue at the company. The people under me can’t handle it. I’ll be right back.” He moved quickly, picking up his coat and car keys as he walked toward the door. “Evelyn, take your time eating. Don’t wait for me.” The door closed. I set down my utensils and looked at the empty chair across from me. I was silent for a moment, then, as if torturing myself, got up and followed him out. Outside the villa. Adrian had stopped by a tree not far away. I hid behind a porch column and made no sound. A car stopped by the road outside the villa. Lily Sullivan got out and ran toward Adrian, throwing herself into his arms. “Adrian, it hurts so much.” Adrian didn’t push her away. He patted her back, his tone darkening slightly. “You deserve it.” “How many times have I warned you? You can make all the trouble you want in private, but when you’re in front of her, keep yourself under control.” “She is my wife. What the hell are you? What was that stunt today supposed to mean?” His words sounded harsh, but there wasn’t much real anger in his tone. Lily tilted her head up, her eyes red, her lower lip caught lightly between her teeth. “I’m sorry, Adrian. I just love you too much. I couldn’t help it.” She lifted her injured arm and brought it in front of Adrian. “And it really hurts. I went to the hospital alone, got the injection alone. I was so pitiful.” Her voice was soft and sweet, half coquettish, half pleading. “Blow on it for me.” As she spoke, she kept pressing and rubbing her chest against Adrian. Adrian lowered his eyes and looked at her injured arm, his gaze darkening. “If it hurts, then behave.” He scolded her, but still bent down, his thin lips gently covering the red mark. Standing in the darkness, I slowly clenched my fingers. The corners of Lily’s mouth lifted. Her hands began to wander restlessly, sliding down along his waist. “Don’t come to the office for the next few days. Stay home and recover.” Adrian lifted his head, held her arm in his palm, and carefully checked whether her wound had been treated properly. “It’s just a small injury.” His reprimand was gentle. “It won’t kill you.” Lily tilted her head, her lashes fluttering lightly, amusement flowing through her eyes. “But if I can’t see you, I’ll miss you. What should I do?” “Where will you miss me?” Lily took his hand and slowly guided it toward her body, her voice dropping lower. “Find it yourself. Everywhere misses you.” Adrian didn’t pull his hand away. His hand followed the direction she guided it. Lily let out a soft, coquettish moan. Her whole body melted into his arms, pressing against Adrian as she looked up at him with watery eyes. My nails dug into my palm. Only when damp heat seeped into my palm and pain spread all the way up from my hand did I forcibly suppress the urge to break down sobbing. I had known for a long time. But knowing was one thing. Seeing it with my own eyes was another. That man who was calm and self-possessed in front of outsiders, considerate and gentle in front of me. Facing Lily Sullivan now, he was wearing a completely unfamiliar face. That hungry, desperate look in his eyes—I had last seen it during the year we were newly married. Lily hooked one arm around his neck and whispered something by his ear. Adrian let out a muffled groan and cursed under his breath. “You little vixen.” He scooped Lily up in his arms and strode toward the car.

Evelyn Clark POV The car door slammed shut in urgent impatience. Soon, the car began to shake rhythmically. I stood in the darkness for a long time. I didn’t know how I walked back inside. It wasn’t until I stood in front of the dining table that I finally came back to myself. The entire table of food had gone cold. It looked greasy and disgusting. I sat down in the chair and stared blankly at that table of food. Tears fell without warning, more and more of them. But as I cried, I started laughing. The way Adrian looked now was honestly even more excited than when he first won me over. Then what was there left for me to miss? I picked up the dishes on the table and dumped them all into the trash without the slightest hesitation. The dining table was wiped clean. I took a deep breath, picked up my phone, and opened the car’s companion app. The dashcam’s live feed appeared on the screen. The car was still parked in the same place. In the footage, two figures tangled in the back seat, clothes in disarray. Lily Sullivan’s seductive voice came through. “Adrian, slower. It’s so deep…” The man didn’t slow down. Instead, he thrust harder. “What did you call me?” “Daddy… Daddy!” “Say it filthier.” His voice was low. “You’re so filthy.” Lily played along, crying out, her panting coming clearly through my phone. A moment later, Lily’s voice drifted over, coy and teasing. “You’ve been gone so long. Aren’t you afraid your wife will find out?” “Shut up!” The man’s voice suddenly sank, obviously impatient. “Just take it. Don’t mention her!” I stared at the screen as a violent wave of nausea surged up from my stomach. I rushed into the bathroom, bent over, and threw up. My stomach churned until there was nothing left, tears and snot smearing all over my face. I turned on the faucet and buried my face in the cold water. After a long while, I straightened, stared at my pale, wretched face in the mirror, and took a deep breath. I picked up my phone again and saved that video. Then I walked into the walk-in closet, dragged a suitcase down from the rack, and started packing. A few pieces of everyday clothing, toiletries, important documents. The suitcase was packed quickly. As for the remaining clothes, designer bags, and jewelry, I found several large cardboard boxes and packed them away one by one. Tomorrow, I would donate all of it. Anything Adrian had given me—I didn’t want to keep a single piece. As I was packing, the sound of the front door opening came from downstairs. I glanced at my phone. Four hours had passed. Adrian was finally back. He came upstairs and entered the bedroom. When he saw the packed boxes on the floor, his steps paused. “Why are you packing?” There was panic in his voice that he couldn’t hide. “The season’s changing.” I didn’t look up and kept folding clothes. “I’m putting away the things I don’t wear often.” Adrian stood there, his gaze lingering on my face, scrutinizing me carefully. He didn’t see anything unusual. He walked over, hugged me from behind, took the clothes from my hands, and put them back on the hanger. “Stop packing. Throw it all out. We’ll buy new ones.” I didn’t follow his strength. I gently pushed him. “Go take a shower.” I turned my head, avoiding his approaching face. “You smell like sweat.” Adrian’s body stiffened. He had indeed sweated all over in the car. Now it clung to his shirt, giving off a sour, fishy smell. He let go and walked toward the bathroom without saying another word. I sat on the edge of the bed, listening to the sound of running water from the bathroom. Adrian’s phone lit up. I glanced at the screen. It was a photo from Lily Sullivan. Along with a line of text: [Good night, baby. Make sure I’m in your dreams.] I withdrew my gaze and picked up my own phone. Sure enough, Lily Sullivan had updated her WeChat Moments. Still visible only to me. The latest post was a close-up photo of an astronomically expensive necklace. Limited edition, Tiffany’s main piece for the latest season, entirely rose gold, with a pear-shaped pink diamond as the main stone. That necklace—I had seen it in a magazine half a year ago, before it had officially launched. I’d said I liked it. Adrian had said at the time, once it’s released, I’ll be the first to buy it for you. The caption on the photo was: [Even though the old witch poured coffee on me, I got compensation from someone, so I’ll forgive him!] I took a screenshot of the post and saved it. Lily Sullivan probably thought making those WeChat Moments visible only to me was a form of torture, a silent display of bragging and provocation. She didn’t know that those posts had long since become solid evidence in my hands. When a mistress doesn’t know how to keep a low profile, it’s the stupidest thing in the world. The sound of the shower stopped. I put down my phone and lay back on the bed. Adrian came out of the bathroom and lay down beside me, his arm naturally reaching around my waist. Every hair on my body stood on end. Without showing it, I shifted slightly toward the edge of the bed, avoiding his hand. Adrian didn’t move closer. He had already eaten his fill earlier. This intimacy now was only out of habit. There was no other intention behind it. But that tiny movement of mine still made him sense that something was off. “Evelyn, what’s wrong?” “Nothing.” I closed my eyes, my tone calm. “Tomorrow is the day we go to your grandfather’s estate. Did you forget?” Adrian answered with a soft sound, and his panic faded a little. So I was unhappy because we had to go back to the estate. Then he could relax. His parents had passed away early, and only Malcolm Ashford was left at the estate. Malcolm Ashford was arrogant and looked down on me. Openly and secretly, he had given me who knew how many cold faces. Adrian had slammed the table in front of Malcolm Ashford several times before he finally restrained himself somewhat. But that restraint was only on the surface. His contempt for me had never truly disappeared. In order not to put Adrian in a difficult position between us, every time we went back to the estate, I forced myself to keep my spirits up. Afterward, I would come home depressed for days. Adrian leaned closer, his lips near my ear. “Don’t be scared. Tomorrow, I’ll stay by your side the whole time. I won’t let Grandpa make things hard for you.” I didn’t answer. I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. Adrian also closed his eyes in relief. Early the next morning, Adrian went to the company. I had a moving company haul away all the boxes of packed clothes. Not a single piece was left behind. Everything was donated to charity. After that, I called a secondhand luxury reseller to come over. The packed boxes in the walk-in closet were carried downstairs one after another. Those bags, that jewelry, the things I had once liked or the things Adrian had forced on me, were all turned into a long string of numbers on my phone screen. Before the reseller left, they sighed with emotion that Mrs. Ashford was truly generous. I looked at the number on my phone screen, a number I couldn’t spend in this lifetime, and the tightness in my chest loosened slightly. Then I booked a flight to Italy three days later. The booking platform’s callback came quickly. “Hello, please confirm the passenger information.” “Confirmed. I booked the ticket myself.” “What ticket?” At some point, Adrian had come back. He asked anxiously. “Where are you going?”

Evelyn Clark POV “Concert tickets.” I put my phone into my pocket as if nothing had happened. “They’re for next month. I booked two. Why are you panicking?” Adrian froze, then immediately let out a breath of relief and strode forward, pulling me into his arms. “You scared me to death.” His chin rested on the top of my head, and his arms tightened. “I thought you were leaving me.” “Why would I leave you?” I raised my head and looked at him calmly. “Did you do something to betray me?” Adrian’s arms tightened slightly. “Of course not.” He lowered his head and pressed his forehead against mine, his smile natural. “I’m just too nervous about you. I love you too much. I can’t help it.” After saying that, he had already let go of me and picked up his coat. “Let’s go. Grandpa is waiting at the estate.” In the estate dining room, Malcolm Ashford was sitting at the head of the table. The moment he saw me enter, his face darkened. During the meal. Malcolm Ashford stayed quiet for only a short while before he couldn’t help speaking. “Adrian, you’re not young anymore. With an estate as large as the Ashford family’s, there can’t be no heir.” Adrian didn’t even put down his fork. He didn’t lift his head. “I don’t need an heir. I only need Evelyn.” Malcolm Ashford let out a cold snort and said nothing else, lifting his water glass again. If it were before, I would have already stood up to pour water and ease the atmosphere. But this time, I sat firmly in my seat without saying a word. Malcolm Ashford had always looked down on me, thinking I was a poor girl clinging to the Ashford family. After the car accident three years ago, the doctor said I would very likely never be able to get pregnant again, and Malcolm Ashford’s attitude toward me dropped straight to freezing. In his eyes, I was now a sinner who had occupied a place that was never mine and cut off the Ashford family’s descendants. Adrian poured me a glass of red wine. I glanced at it, eating without tasting anything. From the corner of my eye, I saw the screen of Adrian’s phone, which was sitting by the table, light up. Lily Sullivan had sent a photo, with a line of text beneath it: [Are you coming or not? Offer expires soon.] I withdrew my gaze, looked back at my own plate, and silently started counting down in my heart. Half a minute later. Adrian stood up. “There’s a sudden urgent issue at the company. I’ll go handle it first. You and Grandpa keep eating.” He said to me, “It won’t take long. Wait for me.” Before I could answer, he was already gone. The dining room door closed. Malcolm Ashford slowly took a sip of soup, set the bowl back on the table, and let his gaze fall on my face. “Adrian is just too softhearted.” I didn’t respond. “Back then, he wouldn’t listen no matter what I said. He insisted on marrying you. Fine. I accepted it.” “But in all these years since you entered this family, what has the Ashford family gained? You couldn’t even keep a child. Do you know why that child died? Because your fate is too hard. You cursed it.” My fingers tightened. “The Ashford family has had only one heir for three generations. Adrian is our only grandson.” Every word from Malcolm Ashford was like a nail. “If your womb can’t produce anything, fine. But you even took that child’s life with you! Tell me yourself—should I swallow that anger?” “All these years, for Adrian’s sake, I’ve turned a blind eye. But you should have some self-awareness too.” “Look at yourself in the mirror. With your background, with what little ability you have, are you worthy of sitting in that chair? Leave while you still can. At least you’ll preserve a little dignity for yourself and give Adrian a way out.” In the past, I had always gritted my teeth and endured words like these. I didn’t want to make things hard for Adrian Ashford. I didn’t want him caught between Malcolm Ashford and me, torn and miserable. But today, I didn’t endure it anymore. “Grandpa, that child died because Adrian Ashford got drunk that night, and I went to pick him up and take him home. That was why the car accident happened.” I lifted my head and looked calmly at Malcolm Ashford. “That child wasn’t cursed to death by me. It was killed by the driver who hit us. I don’t owe the Ashford family anything. Not a single thing.” “If I leave, it’ll be because I choose to leave, not because you drove me out. When I, Evelyn Clark, leave and how I leave is not for you to decide.” Malcolm Ashford’s face turned livid. He slammed his palm down on the table. “How dare you!” “Disrespecting your elders! You’re out of control!” He pointed at me, then turned and shouted toward the door. “Someone, drag her to the basement. Make her kneel there and reflect on herself!” Two bodyguards walked in and, without another word, seized my arms and dragged me into the basement. The basement floor tiles had not seen sunlight all year round. They were damp and bitterly cold. I was forced to kneel. The chill seeped straight from my knees into my bones. After half an hour, the cold had climbed to my waist. After one hour, it had reached my chest. I stared at the thin strip of light seeping through the crack under the door and counted the time. He still hadn’t come back. Where was he now? On top of Lily Sullivan, or on his way back? Two hours passed. My legs had already gone numb, and my heart was ice cold. Three hours later, the door was kicked open. Adrian Ashford strode into the basement, his face dark as death. The moment he saw me kneeling on the floor, his eyes turned vicious. He raised his foot and kicked over the bodyguard guarding the door. “Get out!” After saying that coldly to the bodyguard, he bent down and lifted me into his arms. My legs had lost all feeling, and a sharp, tingling ache shot through my knees. “I’m sorry, Evelyn. This is my fault.” Adrian Ashford carried me out in long strides, genuine guilt in his voice. When we got back to the car, Adrian Ashford settled me into the passenger seat and immediately turned the heat to the highest setting. He took out a thermos, poured hot water, and handed it to me. “Drink something warm first.” I took it and wrapped both hands around it, but I didn’t drink. Adrian Ashford was already crouching by my feet. His large palms cupped my knees, rubbing them back and forth, helping me drive away that bone-deep chill. “This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have left you there alone. The company matter was too urgent, and in my panic, I forgot. It’s my fault, Evelyn. I’m sorry.” As he spoke, he pressed the seat-heating button to the highest level. “They’re still cold.” “Do your knees hurt? Should we go to the hospital and have them checked?” He frowned, lowered his head, and breathed warm air over my knees. “It’s my fault. All of it is my fault. Yell at me. I’ll take it.” I leaned back against the seat and watched him lower his head, seriously warming my knees. This man was good in every way. So good that I once thought as long as he was by my side, I would be afraid of nothing. Because the heat was turned up too high, a layer of fog slowly covered the car window. I unconsciously turned my head, and my gaze landed on the glass. The fog blurred the window, but instead made the marks on it clearer. Behind the mist, two overlapping handprints were clearly stamped on the glass. One large and one small, fingers interlocked, printed right in the center of the car window. So during those three hours I had been kneeling on the icy floor tiles in the Ashford estate’s basement, he had been right here. He had been in the car outside the estate, having sex with Lily Sullivan. I looked at those two sets of handprints, and a miserable laugh slipped out of me as tears fell.

Evelyn Clark’s POV When Adrian Ashford saw me crying, he panicked at once. “Evelyn, this is all my fault. I shouldn’t have left you alone at the old residence!” “I promise you, from now on, no matter what happens, I will never leave you halfway again.” His promise? He had made that same promise countless times before, and again last night. But today, the moment he saw Lily Sullivan’s message, his soul was gone. I raised my hand and wiped away my tears. “Drive.” Not long after the car left the old residence, Adrian Ashford’s phone lit up again. Lily Sullivan again. Adrian Ashford frowned and hung up at once. I leaned back in the passenger seat, closed my eyes, and said nothing. A few minutes later, the phone lit up again. This time, Adrian Ashford didn’t hang up or answer. He let it ring for a long time until it ended on its own. When it rang for the third time, he was already unable to sit still again. I tugged the corner of my mouth. “Answer it. Maybe there’s another emergency at the company.” “I just promised you. No matter how urgent something is, nothing is more important than you.” Adrian Ashford’s tone was firm. His eyes stayed on the road ahead, and he didn’t touch the phone. I sneered inwardly and said nothing. But I knew he would leave in the end. When the phone rang for the fourth time, Adrian Ashford finally answered. Lily Sullivan’s hoarse, crying voice came from the other end. Adrian Ashford’s expression changed abruptly. “Don’t be scared. I’m coming right now!” He hung up and turned toward me, his face full of conflict. “I’m sorry, Evelyn. Something really did happen at the company. I—” “Pull over.” I didn’t want to hear him finish, so I cut him off. “Evelyn…” Adrian Ashford sighed and pulled the car over to the side of the road. “I have no choice when it comes to the company. Once I get all the shares from Grandpa, nothing will ever be able to make me leave you again.” I had already unbuckled my seat belt. “I’ll have the driver come pick you up. Wait here—” Before he could finish, I pushed open the door and got out. The night wind was strong. There was nothing blocking it by the roadside, and the cold air poured straight into my collar. My knees ached sharply. I didn’t wait for any driver. I opened my phone and started calling a ride. This road was some distance from the city, and there usually weren’t many cars passing by. I waited for a long time, but no driver accepted the order. The driver Adrian Ashford said would come never appeared either. I pulled my coat tighter around myself and held my phone in my palm for warmth. Lily Sullivan updated her WeChat Moments again. It was a night view photo taken from the passenger seat. The caption read: [No matter when or where, you always show up by my side in time and make me feel safe.] I looked at the post and simply wrapped my coat tighter. But the cold wind still slipped in mercilessly, chilling me to the bone. An hour later, I finally got a car. I got into the taxi, gave the driver my destination, leaned back against the seat, and closed my eyes in exhaustion. I didn’t know how long it had been when the car suddenly jolted violently. A massive force threw my entire body forward. A sharp pain pierced my forehead, and warm liquid flowed down from my head. My consciousness began to scatter. In the chaos, by instinct, I opened my contacts and dialed the most familiar number. The call connected. But the voice on the other end was not Adrian Ashford’s. “Hello, Ms. Clark?” It was Lily Sullivan’s voice, arrogant, smug, and careless. “Mr. Ashford is taking a shower. If you need anything, I can pass along the message.” My consciousness plunged completely into darkness, and the phone slipped from my hand. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital room. Outside the window, the sky was already bright. I glanced at my phone. Ten o’clock the next morning. The phone was perfectly quiet. Not a single unread message, not one missed call. Adrian Ashford hadn’t come home all night, nor had he called me once. The door to the hospital room was pushed open, and the doctor on duty walked in. “You’re awake? Where’s your family? Still not here?” When I was brought in last night, they had been unable to reach any family. “I don’t have any family.” I calmly shook my head. The doctor fell silent, then nodded. “You sustained a blow to the head and have a mild concussion. You’ll need to stay for observation for two to three days. Don’t do any strenuous activity these next two days. If you feel dizzy or nauseous, press the call button by the bed immediately.” I nodded in response. That morning, a nurse came to tell me to go for an examination. I walked alone down the hallway toward the examination room. When I reached the corner, I stopped. At the other end of the hallway, Adrian Ashford was carefully supporting Lily Sullivan. Lily Sullivan had one hand on her stomach, and her other hand gently hooked around Adrian Ashford’s arm. Her face was full of shy happiness. Adrian Ashford kept his head lowered, looking at her the entire time. Occasionally, he bent down to say something to her, his expression focused and gentle. I had seen that expression before. Three years ago, he had used that same expression when he accompanied me to my prenatal checkups, supporting me through every hospital hallway. I stood where I was and watched the scene, my heart oddly calm. Because I had known one thing for a long time. In that car accident three years ago, Adrian Ashford was injured even more severely than I was because he protected me. The doctor secretly told me that Adrian Ashford’s injuries had affected his fertility. He could no longer have children. I never told Adrian Ashford. I was afraid he would be devastated. I was afraid he would feel incomplete. So I kept it buried alone, covered it up for him, and told the outside world only that I was the one who couldn’t have children. But now, Lily Sullivan was pregnant. Then whose child was in Lily Sullivan’s belly? Things were getting interesting. I quietly watched the two people in the hallway. Adrian Ashford lifted his head, and his gaze happened to sweep over me. He visibly panicked. He immediately started running toward me, saying, “Evelyn, don’t misunderstand.” Lily Sullivan grabbed his sleeve at just the right moment, her hand covering her lower belly. “Adrian, my stomach hurts a little…” Adrian Ashford immediately stopped in his tracks. He turned back to support her and asked anxiously, “Where does it hurt? Is it serious? I’ll call the doctor over right now. Don’t be scared.” By the time Adrian Ashford looked back again, I was no longer there. I returned to the hospital room and lay back down on the bed. My phone started vibrating. It was Adrian Ashford calling. I didn’t answer. Messages popped up one after another. “Evelyn, where are you?” “Don’t misunderstand what happened just now. It’s not what you think!” “Why are you at the hospital? Are you sick?” I placed my phone on the bedside table and closed my eyes. Before long, the door to the hospital room was shoved open. Adrian Ashford rushed in. The moment he saw the gauze on my forehead, his expression changed drastically. He strode over and grabbed my arm. “What happened? You’re hurt? How did you get hurt?” “There was a car accident last night.” My tone was calm. Adrian Ashford froze. His hand loosened, then curled into a fist. Last night, when he heard the news that Lily Sullivan was pregnant, he was so excited that he forgot to send the driver to pick me up. “It’s all my fault. Last night, I told the driver to pick you up. He must have been delayed!” His voice was a little hoarse. “I’m the reason you got hurt. I’m sorry, Evelyn. Hit me. Yell at me. I’ll take it.” “It’s fine.” I pulled my arm back. “Your company is important. I understand.” Adrian Ashford lifted his head. There was no emotion on my face at all, and that made him even more uneasy. “Don’t misunderstand what happened earlier.” He sat down beside the bed, leaned down, and looked into my eyes, lowering his voice. “Lily Sullivan broke up with her ex-boyfriend, and that man has been harassing her. Last night, she was pushed down and got a little hurt.” “As her boss, I couldn’t just ignore it, so I came with her to get checked. It was on the way.” I looked at him. He said it so seriously, so matter-of-factly. There wasn’t the slightest flicker in his eyes. Had he told so many lies that even he believed them now? Had he forgotten that the department he was in was obstetrics and gynecology? Ex-boyfriend? Since he was so willing to be the father of someone else’s child, I wasn’t in a hurry to tell him. I would let him look forward to it more and more. When the day came that he learned the truth, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. “Mm. I understand.”

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Four years with Justin, and I honestly thought I was the most important person in his life. Until one night, after he fell asleep, his phone lit up. I saw a hidden folder labeled “Do Not Delete.” Over two hundred photos, spanning from high school to just last month. Every single photo featured the same girl. And it wasn’t me. I knew her. Vivian. The girl Justin always brushed off as “just an old high school classmate I don’t talk to anymore.” I didn’t throw a tantrum. I didn’t smash his phone. The next afternoon, I went to the mall, bought a gorgeous new dress, put on the makeup he loved most, and asked him out for dinner. Over a candlelit dinner, he smiled and asked why I looked so beautiful all of a sudden. I raised my wine glass and asked him, in a soft, casual voice: “Justin, if Vivian came back to you, who would you choose?” He froze for three seconds, then laughed. “What are you talking about? You must be drunk.” He never said, “I’d choose you.” I put my glass down, pulled a printed one-way flight ticket from my bag, and slid it across the table. “Fine. I booked you a ticket to her city. It departs tomorrow morning.” “Goodbye.” The wind was freezing when I walked out of the restaurant that night. I blocked and deleted him on Snapchat and every other app. For the first time, the streetlights seemed incredibly bright.

“Are you sure he actually got on that plane?” Maya poked her head out of the kitchen, holding a mug, her hair looking like a bird’s nest. The notification from my flight tracker app was still glowing on my screen—7:05 AM, passenger Justin Harris had checked in. Destination: Denver. The city Vivian had been living in for the past three years. “I booked the ticket. It was tied to his ID.” Maya walked over, glanced at the screen, and then at me. “Chloe, you threw a ticket in his face, said goodbye—and he just left? Without even trying to call you?” “I blocked him everywhere.” “But he could have used a burner number! He could have shown up at your door! He could have—” “He wouldn’t.” I flipped my phone face down on the coffee table. “The flight was at 7:05 AM. We left the restaurant at 11:00 PM last night. In those eight hours, he only had enough time to go home and pack a bag.” Maya blinked, stunned. “So… he didn’t even hesitate?” “Hesitation takes time. He didn’t want to waste any.” She slammed her mug down on the table. “Where is he rushing to? His own funeral?” I didn’t laugh. “I need to go back to the apartment and get my things. While he’s gone.” “I’m coming with you.” “No need. I’ll be in and out in twenty minutes.” I turned the key in the lock. I had done this motion for four years. This was the last time, and it felt no different. The door opened. The place was empty. His grey running shoes were missing from the entryway. He had indeed come back to pack before rushing to the airport. On the fridge, there was a handwritten sticky note: *The yogurt is about to expire. Remember to throw it out.* Four years. All the yogurt in the fridge was always his because I’m lactose intolerant. He ate the breakfast I made him for four years, yet he could never remember that one simple detail. But he remembered to tell me to throw out his trash. I searched the bottom of the closet and my fingers brushed against something hard. A deep blue velvet box, about the size of my palm. I opened it. Inside was a delicate silver chain with a tiny sapphire pendant. Tucked under the cushion was a card: *Happy Graduation, Viv. – J* The date was from three years ago. Squatting by the closet, I called Maya. “What’s wrong?” she answered. “I found a box at the bottom of the closet. A sapphire necklace with a card that says ‘Happy Graduation, Viv.’ From three years ago.” “…Why is that still in your apartment?” “I don’t know. Maybe he bought it and never sent it, or maybe she sent it back. But that’s not the point.” “What is?” “Three years ago, around that exact date, he told me he was tight on cash and borrowed eight thousand dollars from me. He said it was for rent.” The other end of the line went dead silent for a few seconds. “Did he ever pay you back?” “No. He said ‘I’ll get you back later.’ It’s been three years of ‘later’.” I hung up and was about to zip my suitcase when my phone buzzed. Caller ID: Eleanor. Justin’s mom. I hesitated for two seconds, then picked up. “Chloe, sweetie! Justin told me he’s out of town on a business trip. Are you home alone? Why don’t you come over for dinner?” A business trip. So that’s what he told his mother. “Eleanor, Justin and I broke up.” There was a pause, and then she laughed—the kind of dismissive laugh used for toddlers throwing a tantrum. “Oh, sweetie, young couples fight all the time. Justin can be so emotionally clueless sometimes, don’t take it to heart.” “Eleanor, we didn’t fight. We broke up.” “Chloe, listen to me. He called me last night. He said you’ve been under a lot of stress lately and your mood hasn’t been great. See? He worries about you.” “Did he tell you he went to see Vivian? Do you know about that, Eleanor?” Silence. But this silence was different. It wasn’t surprise. It was calculation. “Well… Vivian is a sweet girl. She and Justin grew up together. It’s hard for her living out there all by herself. It’s only normal for him to check on her.” “He has over two hundred photos of her on his phone, from high school until now. Did you know about that, Eleanor?” I heard her sigh. “Chloe, a girl shouldn’t go snooping through a man’s phone. The more you look, the more miserable you’ll make yourself.” “Let me ask you this, sweetie—has Justin been good to you? He has, hasn’t he? He let you manage the household budget, he came home on time every day, and he didn’t mess around with other girls. What more could you want?” Three rhetorical questions. I couldn’t even bother to argue. Except for the last one—whether he “messed around” or not apparently depended on how one defined two hundred photos and a necklace bought with my money. “Eleanor, if Vivian comes back to Seattle permanently, who will Justin choose?” Another pause. “Well, isn’t Vivian doing so well over there in Denver…” “If she comes back?” Eleanor didn’t answer. “Chloe, come over this weekend. I’ll make you some comfort food.” I hung up. I zipped my suitcase and walked out the door. In the elevator, I texted Maya: *Eleanor didn’t say he’d choose me either.* She called back instantly. “What does that mean?” “Exactly what you think it means.” “Chloe, are you ever going back to that apartment?” I watched the elevator floor numbers tick down. “That place was never my home anyway.”

*Hi, Chloe.* This Snapchat friend request appeared on the third day. The profile picture was a backlit silhouette, but I recognized the sapphire necklace. It gleamed mockingly in the sunlight. The add request had no other message. Maya told me to ignore it. I tapped accept. *Hey girl, I’m Vivian,* a smiling emoji followed. *Justin gave me your Snapchat. He said you guys had a little misunderstanding and wanted me to clear things up.* A little misunderstanding. Our breakup was reduced to a “little misunderstanding” in his mouth. “No need to explain. We broke up. It has nothing to do with you.” *I know,* she replied instantly. *Justin has been staying at my place the last few days. He’s really devastated.* “Staying at my place.” She typed those words so casually, as if he had just dropped by to pick up a package. *He’s just not very good at expressing himself. I’m sure you know him better than I do.* I didn’t reply. A minute later, another paragraph came through: *Please don’t get the wrong idea, Chloe. Justin and I are really just old friends. He saved those photos on his own, I had absolutely no idea.* *I guess he’s just a bit sentimental? Guys are like that, you know.* Two hundred photos of another woman is “sentimental.” *Chloe, can I ask you something?* “What?” *What does Justin usually like to eat? I’ve been cooking for him the past two days, but he barely touched his food. I’m worried he’ll starve.* Maya walked over, saw my expression, and leaned in to look at the screen. Five seconds of silence. “Is this bitch insane?!” “She’s asking me what he likes to eat.” “I see what she’s asking! I’m saying she’s psycho! Who asks the ex-girlfriend what her ex-man likes to eat?!” “She doesn’t think of me as his ex-girlfriend.” I took my phone back. “Justin told her we were just roommates who split the rent. He told her we were never officially dating.” Maya opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again. “Four years. And he claims you weren’t officially dating?” “Yeah. He never posted me on Instagram, never introduced me to his friends.” “What about anniversaries? Your birthdays?” “We celebrated them privately. He said our relationship was nobody else’s business.” Maya sat down beside me, speechless for a long time. My phone lit up again. Vivian sent a photo. It was Justin’s back, standing in the kitchen, chopping vegetables. He was wearing a light blue apron I had never seen before. Warm sunlight streamed through the window, making the scene look like a cozy magazine spread. The caption read: *Look, Chloe! Justin is learning how to cook! He’s so clumsy at chopping potatoes, haha.* I stared at the photo. For four years, he never stepped foot in the kitchen. I cooked every single meal. He would sit down, eat, and the most he’d say was, “It’s fine.” I always thought he just didn’t know how to cook, or hated it. Turns out, he wasn’t incapable. He just didn’t want to do it for me. “How are you going to reply?” Maya stared at me. I thought about it and typed: *He hates cilantro. He has a weak stomach, so don’t make things too spicy.* Maya snatched the phone out of my hand. “Are you out of your mind, Chloe? She’s rubbing it in your face, and you’re giving her a manual on how to pamper your ex?!” “Well, I don’t need the manual anymore.” I took the phone back and exited the chat. Vivian sent one last voice message. It was eighteen seconds long. I didn’t play it. Maya grabbed the phone and played it anyway. After listening, her face darkened. “What did she say?” “She said, ‘You’re so sweet, Chloe. No wonder Justin said you’re the kindest person he’s ever met.’” Maya paused. “And?” “And then she said—’But he also told me that kind girls are usually not the ones men actually fall in love with.’” That night, after turning off the lights, I stared at the ceiling. I realized the word “kind” could sound so incredibly ugly. My phone vibrated. An unknown number with a Denver area code. *You blocked me? How childish.* I ignored it. The next morning, three more texts appeared. *Chloe, have you thrown your tantrum yet?* *I’ll be back in a couple of days once things are sorted here.* *Did you throw out the expired yogurt in the fridge yet?* That last text was sent at 4:00 AM. Maya brought in breakfast, saw me staring at my phone, and asked if it was him. “Yeah. He’s still worried about his expired yogurt.” “Is something wrong with his brain?” “He doesn’t care about the yogurt. He just wants to make sure the girl who cleans up after him is still waiting.” Maya set the coffee on the nightstand. With the most serious face I had ever seen her make, she asked: “Are you still waiting?” “No.”

“You must be Chloe.” Vivian stood in the entryway. She was wearing my plush slippers—the pink ones with the slightly worn-out left sole. She held a mug of water. It was also mine. A white mug with a blue rim that I bought in a set of four from Ikea. “Justin went out to get groceries. He said you were coming to pick up some files today? Come on in.” She smiled warmly. Her hair was in a messy bun, and she wore an oversized t-shirt. She didn’t look like a guest. She looked like she lived here. “When did you get here?” I asked. “Two days ago. Justin said there was a spare bedroom, so he let me stay here while I look for a job.” A spare bedroom. That was my home office. I didn’t step into the living room. I walked straight toward the bedroom. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the changes. There was a vase of dried flowers on the coffee table. A small frame sat on the TV stand—their high school graduation photo, Justin and Vivian standing side-by-side in the crowd. A light grey throw blanket was draped over the sofa. Not mine. The fridge magnets were gone. All twelve of them, which I had collected from every city I visited, had been cleared out. In their place were a few cute cartoon magnets. “Chloe? Are you okay?” “Yeah. I’m just grabbing my things and leaving.” “Won’t you wait for Justin to come back? He bought your favorite—” “No.” She leaned against the doorframe, sipping water and chatting with me while I packed, her tone as casual as a neighbor gossiping over the fence. “Chloe, don’t blame Justin.” “He’s just too indecisive. He’s so afraid of hurting anyone that he ends up hurting everyone.” “To be honest, during the years you two were together… I was really miserable over in Denver, too.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Sometimes when he forgot to reply to my texts, I’d wonder if he was with you. I’m sure you know exactly how that feels.” I stopped packing and looked at her. She was standing in my apartment, wearing my slippers, drinking from my mug, and telling me that *she* was the victim. “I don’t blame him, and I don’t blame you. I’m just done.” “But he said he couldn’t reach you. He was so worried he drank himself to sleep last night…” Her eyes welled with tears. “He kept calling out your name when he was drunk.” The front door unlocked. Justin walked in, holding two bags of groceries. When he saw me, he froze. “You’re here. Why didn’t you tell me beforehand—” “Tell you beforehand? So you could hide her first?” “Chloe, can you talk like a normal person for once?” “I am talking normally. You let her wear my slippers, drink from my mug, sleep in my home office, and you threw away all my fridge magnets. I came to get my things. Is that unreasonable?” Vivian sniffled softly. “I’m sorry, Chloe. I found the slippers in the closet. I didn’t know they were yours…” “It’s not your fault. It’s the fault of the guy who gave you the keys.” Justin’s jaw clenched. “She just moved to the city and had nowhere to stay! I’m letting her crash here temporarily. Why do you have to blow everything out of proportion?” “You have thirty hotel apps on your phone, Justin.” “Chloe.” He took a step closer, lowering his voice. “When you said you wanted a breakup, I didn’t stop you. When you said goodbye, I respected it. Now you’re back here throwing a fit. What exactly do you want?” I grabbed my bag and walked right past him. At the door, Vivian called out behind me. “Chloe, you forgot something.” She was holding out the white mug with the blue rim. “This is yours, right? I washed it.” A set of four. When we moved in, I brought two: one for me, one for him. “Keep it. I don’t want it.” I got into Maya’s car. Before I could even buckle my seatbelt, she started asking questions. “How did it go?” “She’s wearing my slippers, using my mug, and sleeping in my room. The fridge magnets are gone.” “And him?” “He said I’m blowing things out of proportion.” I started the engine and drove out of the lot. At a red light, I said, “She told me he drank himself to sleep calling my name.” “You believe that?” “It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter whose name he calls anymore.” The light turned green. I kept driving. After a long silence, Maya finally spoke. “Chloe. You paid the down payment on that apartment, didn’t you?” “Yeah. Thirty-eight thousand.” “And the mortgage?” “Paid from our joint account. But I put in seventy percent of the funds.” “Whose name is on the deed?” The cool wind rushed in through the window. I didn’t answer. Because we both knew the answer. “Chloe, you need to get back what is yours.”

“Chloe! You’re here, come on in!” Eleanor poked her head out of the kitchen, her apron covered in flour, her smile warm and welcoming. I had scheduled with Justin to come by at 2:00 PM to pick up the rest of my legal documents. He assured me no one would be home. Yet, sitting on the living room sofa was his aunt, Clara. On the coffee table were plates of fruit and pastries. And Vivian was curled up in an armchair, holding a mug of hot cocoa. Clara saw me and let out a dry laugh. “Oh, is this…” “Justin’s old roommate,” Eleanor cut in smoothly, guiding me inside. “They shared an apartment for a while. Chloe, dear, have a mandarin orange.” Roommate. Shared an apartment for a while. Four years of my life were reduced to those two sentences. Vivian smiled softly at me. “Hi, Chloe.” She was wearing a pastel yellow sweater today. And on her wrist, there was something new. I looked closely. It was a vintage emerald bracelet. Highly polished and clearly an antique. I recognized that bracelet. Three years ago, during Thanksgiving dinner at Eleanor’s, she had pulled it out of her jewelry box to show me. *This was Justin’s grandmother’s. It’s meant for his future wife.* Three years ago, she only let me “look at it.” Now, it was sitting on Vivian’s wrist. “Vivian has such delicate wrists, it fits her perfectly,” Clara piped up with a smile. “You have great taste, Eleanor.” Eleanor smirked. “Oh, they aren’t even officially engaged yet. Don’t start calling her your niece-in-law.” Vivian looked down at her wrist, her ears flushing red, but she didn’t say a word. And she didn’t take it off. “Eleanor, I’m just here to grab some documents. I won’t stay to bother you.” “What’s the rush? Stay a while. We’re making homemade lasagna today. We have plenty of food.” She tried to shove a plate of sliced fruit into my hands. “Chloe, don’t be a stranger. Even though you aren’t living with Justin anymore, you’ll always be like family to me.” “Not living with Justin anymore.” Not “broken up.” Just “not living together.” Just like our four years weren’t a relationship, but a “roommate arrangement.” I set the fruit plate down and walked into the study. When I pushed the door open, I thought I was in the wrong room. All my books on the shelves were gone. The desk was covered in a lavender tablecloth, and a row of succulents lined the windowsill. My yoga mat in the corner was gone, replaced by a full-length mirror. Two of Vivian’s coats hung behind the door. I knelt down to search the desk drawers. My passport and bank statements had been shoved to the very bottom, buried under a stack of papers. As I pulled them out, my fingers brushed against another document. An official form. The bold heading read: *Real Property Transfer Deed Application* Grantor: Justin Harris. Grantee: Vivian Wen. My fingers froze on those two names. The down payment on this apartment was $38,000. My hard-earned savings. The monthly mortgage was $2,200, paid from a joint account for three years, with over seventy percent of the deposits coming from my paycheck. He was preparing to transfer the deed of the apartment—bought with my money—to Vivian. From the living room, Eleanor’s laughter drifted in. “Vivian, sweetie, tell me what you want to eat tomorrow and I’ll make it.” Vivian replied sweetly, “I love anything you cook, Eleanor.” Clara joined in, “Look at her, Eleanor, she’s so sweet. No wonder Justin has been crazy about her for all these years.” I pulled out my phone. I took photos of every single page of the transfer deed. Front and back. I didn’t miss a single line. Then, I placed it back exactly as I found it. I grabbed my passport and bank statements and walked out of the study. As I put on my shoes at the door, Eleanor called out from behind me, “Chloe, you really won’t stay for dinner?” “No, Eleanor. I have things to take care of.” “Alright then. Come visit whenever you’re free. Don’t be a stranger now.” Vivian leaned forward slightly from the sofa. “Goodbye, Chloe.” The emerald bracelet caught the light as she waved. I walked out of the building, got into my car, and immediately dialed Maya’s number. “Maya, find me a lawyer. Right now.” “What happened?” “He’s transferring the deed of the apartment to Vivian.” There was a dead silence on the line. “The down payment was your money, right?” “Thirty-eight thousand dollars. And I paid the majority of the mortgage. I have every single bank transfer record.” “Chloe, do you have proof of the transfer deed?” I looked at the photos stored in my phone gallery. “I do now.”

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Chloe was kneeling at my door for the fourth time. Her face was black and blue, and her voice was completely hoarse. “Harper, please. I’m done with Wyatt for real this time. I just need you to help me one last time.” The first time, I lent her $7,000 to help her rent an apartment and move out. The second time, it was $11,000. She said she needed to move out of state to start over. The third time, $20,000. She claimed Wyatt was threatening her and she needed to hire a lawyer. Each time, within less than a month, they got back together. And she never repaid a single dime. Now, she wanted $30,000. “I swear, once I pay him off, I’m leaving and never looking back.” I didn’t reply. Instead, I opened her main Instagram account and looked at the post she had uploaded last week—a beautiful two-bedroom condo. The deed showed two names: Hers and Wyatt’s. The down payment was a cool $70,000. I turned my phone screen to face her. “Chloe, the promissory notes all have your signature on them.” “I’m heading to the notary office. Want to come with me?” 0

“Harper, have you lost your mind?” Chloe’s voice was trembling, but her eyes weren’t. I had known her for twelve years. I knew exactly when her tears were real and when they were fake. Right now, her eyes were welling up and her lips were bitten white, but the look in her eyes was freezing cold. She violently pushed my phone away. “You stalked me?” “You actually investigated me?” “I treated you like my own sister, and you went behind my back to spy on me?” She switched to the victim card so fast. Three seconds ago, she was kneeling on the floor begging for money. Now, she was standing, pointing right at my face. “Wyatt’s mom gave us the money for that down payment! What does that have to do with you?” I kept quiet. “I was telling the truth about breaking up with him!” She grabbed my wrist. Her grip was surprisingly tight. “Harper, I didn’t put a single penny into that house. His mom forced my name onto the deed to tie me down…” “A $70,000 down payment.” I swiped to the next screenshot on my phone. It was a post from her real estate agent’s page, congratulating Chloe on her new home. The picture showed Chloe and Wyatt holding the keys together. She was smiling radiantly. There wasn’t a single bruise on her face. The post was uploaded three days ago. And she was kneeling at my door—today. Chloe’s face went pale for a second. It wasn’t the paleness of guilt. It was the feral look of a beast backed into a corner. “Harper, what the hell do you want?” “My money back. Thirty-eight thousand dollars. Every single cent.” She laughed. She laughed so hard tears actually ran down her face. “Do you have any idea how disgusting you’re being right now? Wyatt beat me so badly my face is swollen, and I come to you for help, and you’re trying to do math with me?” “Your face was swollen last time you begged me, too.” I crouched down and pulled a legal folder from beneath the shoe rack. Four promissory notes. $7,000, $11,000, $20,000, and a blank one—which I had prepared before she arrived. “The first time, $7,000. You said you needed to rent a place. You checked out after three days, got your deposit back, but where did the money go?” “The second time, $11,000. You said you were moving out of state. You didn’t even buy a plane ticket.” “The third time, $20,000. You said you were hiring a lawyer to sue Wyatt. The law firm’s receptionist had never even heard of your name.” Chloe’s face cracked, piece by piece. “I checked every single one.” Out of that $20,000, my parents had pulled $5,000 out of their high-yield savings. My mom had said, “Chloe is a good girl, Harper. She’s in an emergency. We should help.” My dad had said, “Money comes and goes, but your friend is like our own daughter.” That CD had been maturing for six years. They lost all the accrued interest just to pull it out early. Chloe stared at me for ten long seconds. Then, she did something I never could have anticipated. She snatched the folder, pulled out the four promissory notes, and with lightning speed—before I could even react—crumpled two of them and stuffed them straight into her mouth. I froze. I was completely dumbfounded. She chewed like a maniac, swallowing hard, her eyes locked onto me like a cornered wildcat. I lunged forward to grab them back. I only managed to save two. The $7,000 one and the $20,000 one. The $11,000 note and the blank one were already down her throat. She wiped the paper crumbs from her mouth and suddenly smiled. “Harper, without the notes, how are you going to sue me?” The door was still open. The hallway light flickered, broken for a long time without anyone fixing it. Chloe stood up and brushed the dust off her skirt. It was as if the girl who had just been crying on her knees never existed. “If you know what’s good for you, we’ll let this go.” She walked to the door, looked back at me, and tapped her phone screen. “If you don’t—I have way more friends than you do.” The door slammed shut. I sat on the floor, clutching the two crumpled pieces of paper. My phone rang. It was Mom. “Harper, honey, is everything sorted out with Chloe? That poor girl has such a hard life…” I opened my mouth. But in the end, all I could say was: “Mom, I’ll pay you guys back that $5,000.” 0

“What’s it like to have your best friend turn into a loan shark and threaten you?” Chloe’s long-form post went up on Snapchat and Instagram at exactly 8:00 AM the next morning. The title was a knife to my throat. I saw it while sitting at my desk at work. My coworker, Lily, shoved her phone in front of my face. “Harper, tell me this isn’t about you.” It was over a thousand words. It was written with such raw emotion and dramatic pacing; it was ten times better than her college graduation thesis. The gist of it was— Every time she got beaten by her ex and knocked on my door covered in bruises, I would force her to sign a promissory note before even letting her in. Later, she found out I was charging her high-interest rates. $7,000 became $9,000. $11,000 became $15,000. Yesterday, I allegedly cornered her at her house, demanding she pay back a total of $60,000 immediately. “Sixty thousand. I only borrowed twenty-some thousand, and she used loan-shark interest to inflate it to sixty.” “While I was being abused by a man, my best friend was holding papers to my throat.” “That’s my best friend.” She attached nine photos. Three of them were cropped screenshots of me asking her to pay me back. All the context was gone—all her messages begging for money, her voice notes, her crying about how she couldn’t survive—not a single one of those was left. Only my messages remained: “Chloe, we need to talk about the money.” “If you can, send me a partial payment by the end of the month.” “I have the notes safe with me, don’t worry.” Out of context, every single message made me look like a ruthless debt collector. The comments section exploded with over two hundred replies in half an hour. “Oh my god, Chloe, you poor thing!” “Cut this toxic trash out of your life!” “Harper? I know her. She seemed so normal. I can’t believe she’s this sick…” Lily gasped beside me. “Harper, did you really charge her interest?” I didn’t answer. I opened Snapchat. I had over thirty unread messages. Sienna: “Harper, you’ve gone too far.” Phoebe: “Chloe is going through hell and you’re pushing her to the edge?” Our college group chat was blowing up, tagging me: “Harper, care to explain?” Then came a text from my mom. “Harper, is what Chloe saying true? Are you lending money like a criminal? You can’t do things like that, sweetie!” My mother’s message made my fingers freeze. Chloe didn’t even spare my mother. My phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. I went to Chloe’s chat. She had sent a voice note. I tapped it. It was only three words, quiet but dripping with smugness. “Ready to behave?” I slammed my phone face down on the desk and closed my eyes. My mind was filled with thoughts of that $5,000. Last November, Chloe said Wyatt was threatening her and she needed $20,000 right away. I only had $15,000 in my account. I sat on my bed for half an hour, doing the math over and over. Finally, I called my mom. “Mom, can I borrow five thousand dollars?” “Oh? What about your own savings?” “A friend needs it for an emergency.” The other end went quiet for a long time. Finally, my mom said, “Your dad put some money into a six-year CD. We were saving it for his medical bills later on.” “But Chloe is a sweet girl, and she’s in trouble. Take it. I’ll talk to your dad.” The bank teller had asked my dad, “Are you sure? If you withdraw this early, the interest rate drops to a standard checking rate. You’ll lose about three hundred dollars in interest.” My dad said he was sure. His hand shook when he signed the paperwork. His reading glasses slid down his nose, and he had to push them back up three times. The night that $5,000 hit my account, I rounded up the $20,000 and transferred it all to Chloe. She had told me: “Harper, you are the only person in this world who truly cares about me.” And now, she was calling me a loan shark on social media. Lily silently set a mug of hot tea next to my hand. “Harper, why aren’t you saying anything? Just clear the air. Post the promissory notes.” I shook my head. She ate two of them. I only had two left. If I posted them, she would just say: “See? She only has notes for a fraction of the amount, the rest is made up.” It would only make me look more guilty. My phone buzzed again. Chloe had posted another update. “Thank you all for the love. I’m so scared right now. She’s threatening to take me to court… I’m just an abuse survivor. What am I supposed to do…” Someone commented: “Don’t worry, Chloe! We’ll help you find a lawyer!” I closed the app. The phone rang again. It was Mom. “Harper, Chloe called me crying hysterically. She said you’re trying to put her in jail with those notes… How could you do that? The poor girl gets beaten by her boyfriend, she’s already suffered so much…” I gripped the phone, my throat tight. “Mom. Out of the thirty-eight thousand dollars I lent her, five thousand was Dad’s medical money. She hasn’t paid back a single cent.” The line went completely silent. So quiet that I thought the call had dropped. Then, a very soft sigh came through the speaker. “…Harper, why didn’t you tell me sooner?” 0

“Saturday at 3:00 PM. Our usual spot. Everyone show up, we need to talk.” Sienna sent the message to our group chat, tagging me. I knew exactly what this was about. Our usual spot was a local café near our old university campus. The five of us had been meeting there regularly ever since graduation. Me, Chloe, Sienna, Phoebe, and Maya. When I arrived, the other four were already seated. Chloe sat in the corner. The bruise on her left eye was mostly gone, covered with heavy concealer, but you could still see the faint yellowing if you looked closely. The moment she saw me, her eyes welled up with tears. Sienna spoke first. “Harper, we’ve heard bits and pieces about what’s going on between you and Chloe. Let’s lay it all out today. Let’s not make a scene on social media. It looks bad for everyone.” “How much does Chloe actually owe you?” “Thirty-eight thousand dollars.” Chloe snapped her head up. “No, I don’t! I paid you back for the first two times!” I looked at her. “Which ones? When? Where are the bank transfer receipts?” Her lips trembled. “I gave you cash! Did you forget? You’re doing this on purpose!” Phoebe chimed in. “Harper, is it possible she did pay you back and you just forgot? You know how hard things were for Chloe back then; she was borrowing survival money. Even if she hasn’t paid it all back, you don’t need to threaten her with a lawsuit. It’s so cold.” Maya didn’t say anything, just quietly stirred her coffee. Sienna cleared her throat. “Harper, we think—since you and Chloe have been friends for so long, you should work this out. How about this? Chloe pays you back $150 a month, slowly. And you drop the legal stuff.” One hundred and fifty dollars. A month. To pay back thirty-eight thousand dollars, it would take her twenty-one years. Chloe nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes! I’ll pay monthly, I swear.” She grabbed my hand. Her fingernails dug into my skin. “Harper, please. Just don’t go to court. If this goes on my record, I won’t even be able to get a car loan…” I pulled my hand back, leaving a row of white marks on my knuckles. “Chloe. You and Wyatt just bought a two-bedroom condo with a $70,000 down payment. And you want to pay me back $150 a month?” The café went dead silent for three seconds. Phoebe broke the silence. “What condo? Chloe, aren’t you breaking up with Wyatt?” Chloe’s face went white, but she recovered instantly. “Wyatt forced me! He used the house to trap me. He beats me if I don’t agree—” “You signed the deed yourself. You both pooled the down payment. You looked pretty happy holding those keys in the agent’s post. No bruises at all.” I laid the printed screenshots on the table, one by one. Chloe’s eyes darted between the screenshots and the faces of the other three girls. Then, she started crying. This time, it was real. Not from sadness, but from being cornered. “Harper! Are you trying to destroy my life?!” She slammed her hands on the table. Her coffee cup tipped over, spilling all over the wood. “Fine! I borrowed your money and didn’t pay it back! But do you have any idea what my life has been like?! Abused by Wyatt, insulted by his mother—who cared about me? Only you!” “I thought you actually cared, but all you care about is your stupid money!” She pointed a shaking, tear-stained finger at me, her voice cracking. “How are you any different from a loan shark?!” Other customers in the café turned to stare at us. Sienna quickly pulled her back down into her seat. Phoebe wiped the table with napkins, muttering, “Harper, you’re too much. We came here to talk, and you pull a stunt like this. Chloe is wrong, but your attitude is horrible. Friends are supposed to help each other out. Remember when we graduated and you couldn’t afford rent? Chloe lent you $500. Did you forget that?” Five hundred dollars. She was comparing five hundred dollars to thirty-eight thousand. Maya finally looked up. “I have a question.” She looked at Chloe. “Chloe, you borrowed $5,000 from me last month. You said it was for a retainer fee for a divorce lawyer. You never hired one, did you?” Silence fell over the table again. Chloe’s crying cut off instantly, like a paused video. Sienna gasped. “Chloe borrowed money from you too, Maya?” Maya nodded. “And another $3,000 last year. She said she had an emergency medical bill.” She looked at me. “Harper, did she tell you the same ‘breakup and moving’ story?” Chloe’s lips parted, but no sound came out. Then, she did the most shocking thing of the afternoon. She turned to Maya and smiled. “Maya, what is that supposed to mean? Are you teaming up with Harper to attack me?” Maya hesitated. “I’m just stating the facts.” “Facts? Let me state a fact then.” Chloe wiped her tears, reached into her bag, and pulled out her phone. She brought up a chat log. It was a very flirtatious conversation with a man. I recognized the profile picture. It was Maya’s husband’s coworker. “Maya, I really didn’t want to bring this up.” Chloe’s voice was suddenly sweet and gentle. “We all have secrets, don’t we?” Maya’s face drained of color instantly. The air in the café froze. Chloe put her phone back in her bag, picked up her half-empty cup, and took a slow sip. “You see, Harper? Everyone has a skeleton in their closet. Don’t push me too hard.” 0

“Harper, the police are here. They say someone filed a harassment and intimidation report against you. What’s going on?” Lily ran into my office, looking panicked, while I was organizing project reports. Two officers were standing at the entrance of the conference room, looking strictly professional. The stares from my coworkers made my back stiffen. I followed them inside. “Ms. Harper, we received a report that you have been engaging in persistent harassment and threatening behavior over a personal debt, disrupting the victim’s life.” “Was the report filed by Chloe?” The two officers exchanged a look. “How did you know?” “Because she owes me thirty-eight thousand dollars. I asked her to pay me back, and she called the cops.” The younger officer opened his notepad. “The complainant provided some evidence—including records of you showing up at her apartment, public threats on social media, and screenshots where you threatened to put her in jail.” I was stunned. “When did I ever threaten her on social media?” He handed me his phone. The screenshot showed an Instagram story. My profile picture, my handle. The text read: *Some people think they can just get away with not paying back their debts. Don’t blame me for being ruthless. Pay me back today, or I’ll see you in court tomorrow.* It was paired with a GIF of a hammer smashing a piggy bank. I had never posted that. Never. “This isn’t mine.” “Ms. Harper, the screenshot clearly shows your account.” “I can log into my account right now to show you—there is no such post in my archive or story highlights.” The older officer spoke up. “You could have posted it and deleted it immediately. We suggest you cooperate with our investigation, and we will verify the metadata later.” When I walked out of the conference room, the glares from my colleagues felt like needles. Lily whispered from behind, “Harper… everyone is gossiping. They’re saying you hounded someone so badly they had to call the police.” I didn’t say anything. I opened my phone and checked my account three times. Nothing. Post, screenshot, delete. Three simple steps, taking less than ten seconds. Chloe knew me too well. She knew I rarely posted on social media. She also knew that once she had a screenshot, she could delete the evidence and leave me with no way to prove my innocence. I stood in the office hallway, staring out the window. Then, I dialed a number. *Stone & Associates Law Firm. Ethan Stone.* “Ms. Harper, I understand your situation. How many promissory notes do you have left?” “Two. One for $7,000 and one for $20,000. She literally ate the other two right in front of me.” He adjusted his glasses. “The missing $11,000 note is tricky. But do you have the bank transfer records?” “Yes, all done via online bank transfers and Venmo.” “What about the chat logs? Her exact words when asking for the money?” I pulled up my phone. Every single time Chloe asked for money, her opening line was almost identical. “Harper, save me.” “I’m breaking up with Wyatt. Please help.” “This is the last time, I promise.” Ethan scrolled through them one by one. A small, confident smile appeared on his face. “Ms. Harper, you have a very good habit.” “What’s that?” “You never delete your chat history.” He handed my phone back. “Before 3:00 PM today, take all chat history, transfer screenshots, and the original promissory notes to a notary public for official evidence preservation. Also, screenshot her social media posts claiming you are a loan shark. That is defamation and also serves as evidence.” “Furthermore, regarding the police report—get a copy of your statement. If she acknowledged the debt in her statement to the police, she basically handed us the final nail in her coffin.” “And you mentioned she bought a house with this Wyatt guy?” “Yes, a $70,000 down payment. Both names are on the deed.” “Perfect. I’ll run a title search on that property. I’ll look into the mortgage details and the source of the down payment.” He looked up at me as he wrote. “Ms. Harper, brace yourself. If your money was used for that down payment, this case will be much more complicated than you think.” “But it will also be much more in your favor.” The sun was setting by the time I left the law firm. I went straight to the notary public. The process was smoother than I expected. Three years of chat logs were downloaded, printed, and cataloged page by page. Eleven bank transfers. Two promissory notes. Six screenshots of Chloe’s smear posts. Thirty-four screenshots of mutual friends’ comments. The fake screenshot she used for the police. The copy of the police report. Everything was officially notarized. A thick, blue-covered notary binder, 236 pages in total. As I walked out, my phone buzzed. A text from Chloe. “Harper, I’m so sorry. I was just too emotional the other day. Can you give me some time? I’ll pay you back slowly. Please, don’t go to the notary.” It was followed by a hugging emoji. I put the notary binder into my bag. And texted back a single word. “Go to hell.”

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