Author: Momo Chan

When I found out the investor was Lincoln, I knew I was going to lose to Mia. She was Lincoln’s first love—the one he could never forget. After the meeting ended, Lincoln chose Mia’s proposal, just as I expected. Mia looked at me and sneered, “Even if you’re his wife, in his heart, I’ll always come first.” “Everything you schemed so hard to get comes effortlessly to me.” She and I had been rivals since our student days, ever since her mother stole my father. And she could just as easily occupy Lincoln’s heart. I glanced wearily at Lincoln in the distance, suddenly unwilling to fight Mia anymore. This time, I was giving up on him. Between Lincoln and my career, I chose my career. The company’s new investor caused quite a stir among the young women because he was incredibly handsome. The investor was Lincoln, my husband. The moment I learned this news, I knew my competition with Mia was already lost. In the break room, my colleagues were gossiping about the new investor. “This investor is the CEO of Zenith Group, the heir to the company—Lincoln himself.” “If our team’s design catches his eye, we won’t have to worry about performance metrics going forward.” “I bet Mia’s team will get it. I heard that Lincoln’s first love is Mia.” “Mia and Lincoln were college classmates, each other’s first love. Lincoln’s investment this time is all for Mia.” Hearing these words made my heart tighten. I returned to my office feeling lost. News that Lincoln was the investor had already spread throughout the company. The director called Mia and me to his office. “Jane, Mia.” “The investor for our project is Lincoln from Zenith Group. You two will each lead your teams to design a proposal. Submit them in one month.” The director looked at Mia with meaningful appreciation he couldn’t hide. It seemed he too had heard those rumors and understood why Lincoln had chosen our company. Before I even left the office, I knew our team’s design proposal would be a waste of effort. Competing against Mia, I’d likely just be there to make up the numbers. Outside the office, Mia stopped. We stood facing each other. I met her gaze. She smiled slightly. Her smile was triumphant and bold. “Jane, may the best woman win.” Yet her demeanor showed absolute confidence in victory. Because she knew very well that between her and me, Lincoln would definitely choose her. Watching her walk away with her head held high, I turned and left. The design department erupted in excitement. If my team’s design proposal was rejected, I’d spend the next period working under Mia, swallowing my pride and accepting all her guidance. I didn’t want to humble myself under her. Before the end of the workday, everyone gathered around Mia, praising her endlessly. “Mia, you’re amazing.” I made eye contact with Mia through the crowd. She was surrounded, the center of attention. Compared to her, my corner seemed cold and desolate. I stood alone in the corner, no one beside me. She smiled at me, lips pressed together. I looked away, put on my coat, and walked out.

Lincoln came home. His expression was its usual cool indifference. I still couldn’t help but ask. “Lincoln, you invested in our company?” Lincoln looked up at the sound. He met my eyes briefly, his expression bland, and hummed softly in acknowledgment. I continued asking, “Why did you choose our company?” I used a joking tone, “Will you give me special treatment?” Lincoln’s brow furrowed slightly, his expression serious. There wasn’t a trace of amusement in his eyes. After a moment’s thought, he said, “This was a decision by the company’s senior management.” “The proposal isn’t my decision alone.” The implication was that even being his wife didn’t matter. I didn’t ask any more questions. He was always this cold and distant, following his own rules and logic, never willing to make exceptions for me. And I always humiliated myself hoping to become his exception. Lincoln turned and left, entering his study. The study door wasn’t completely closed. I could hear him talking on the phone. The voice on the other end was Mia’s. Lincoln occasionally laughed softly in response to Mia. After hanging up, he pushed open the study door. He walked to the entryway and grabbed his coat from the rack. Putting on his overcoat and changing into dress shoes. He straightened up and said to me, “I have a business dinner tonight. I’m going out.” I nodded. Lincoln was extremely handsome, with deep-set features, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips. The dark overcoat over his perfectly fitted suit made his figure even more imposing. He disappeared through the front door. He came home very late that night. The words I wanted to ask died in my throat after seeing the post Mia shared on social media. Mia’s post showed a group photo. Four people in the photo: Mia, Lincoln, and two of their college classmates. Seeing this photo, I realized I didn’t need to ask that question. I wanted to ask Lincoln if he would favor Mia. I knew he would. I used to leave a light on for Lincoln when he came home late from business dinners. After turning off the light, I slept soundly. When I woke up, Lincoln and I didn’t run into each other. We each went to our respective companies. Everyone in our design department fawned over Mia, orbiting around her. Everyone knew that without Mia, Lincoln wouldn’t have chosen our company. My conflict with Mia was my own business. My colleagues only needed to care about their year-end bonuses and whether performance targets would be met. Today Lincoln appeared at the company as the investor. The director called Mia over. When Mia returned, everyone’s eyes were on her. “Mia, is Mr. Lincoln intimidating?” Mia’s lips curved slightly, her answer vague and ambiguous. “Mr. Lincoln and I have known each other for quite a while. He’s not intimidating.” “Everyone can relax.” Several people exchanged glances and smiled knowingly. I had already clicked the link and read through Mia and Lincoln’s love story once. If I weren’t Lincoln’s wife, I too would sigh about how beautiful young love was. Unfortunately, reading the love story between Lincoln and Mia compiled by their college alumni, I could only feel heartache. Mia still had a social media account from her college days that she hadn’t deleted. It was full of posts documenting their relationship. I masochistically scrolled through all these posts. The more I read, the more I realized Lincoln had truly loved her. Lincoln would patiently read through each of her posts, then comment and like them. And it was Lincoln who had pursued Mia first. It took me a whole year to pursue Lincoln. When I learned that Lincoln’s ex-girlfriend was Mia, a flash of satisfaction crossed my mind—a sense of revenge against Mia. But I quickly realized I had lost completely. That Lincoln still had his ex-girlfriend in his heart was utter humiliation to me. This let Mia gain another advantage over me.

Mia and I had been rivals since middle school. We were like fire and water, incompatible. Her mother had wormed her way into my family, and my mother became depressed and attempted suicide. I nearly lost my mother. In high school, we ended up at the same school again. She was one point short of getting into First High. My father, Jason, pulled strings to get her in. That year in high school, Mom went abroad. I stayed at the Jane house. I thought if I went too far, Mia and her mother would know when to back off. My methods weren’t sophisticated—rather stupid, actually. I poured ink into their cups. I was afraid they’d actually drink it, so I used colored black ink. I just wanted to scare them, to establish my authority in front of Mia. Unexpectedly, Mia complained to Jason, whose face darkened as he scolded me with furrowed brows. I hated them but didn’t dare do anything truly excessive. And everything I did only made Jason feel he’d wronged them. After high school graduation, Mia and I finally weren’t at the same school. What made me completely give up on Jason was during my first winter break in college, when Jason brought Mia to a gala. He didn’t deny that Mia was his daughter. He even wanted Mia to take the Jane surname. I told him that if he let Mia take the Jane surname, I would change mine to my mother’s maiden name. His eyes filled with fury as he looked at me, his arm raised in midair about to strike me. But a tall figure blocked it. That person was Lincoln. After graduation, I encountered Lincoln again. I pursued him for a whole year. Just when I was about to give up, he relented. It wasn’t until after marriage that I learned Mia was his ex-girlfriend. And that Lincoln had visited the Jane house as Mia’s boyfriend to meet Jason. So when Jason learned I had married Lincoln, his face darkened, clutching his chest, barely able to breathe. “Did you do this on purpose?” “You knew full well that Mr. Lincoln was Mia’s ex-boyfriend, yet you still married him?” I was stunned for a long while. During New Year’s, I didn’t want to return to the Jane house, but Lincoln insisted on taking me back. At the Jane house, Mia and I got into another conflict. We fell in the Jane house courtyard. Lincoln reacted quickly, striding forward to catch Mia. I took a fall. At the hospital, I stubbornly asked Lincoln with red eyes why he didn’t catch me. He cut fruit with an indifferent expression. “I didn’t see.” When Lincoln left the hospital room, Mia came to see me. She smiled as she looked at me lying in the hospital bed, recounting everything about her and Lincoln in college. In her telling, it was a side of Lincoln I didn’t know. My heart constricted. After I was discharged, Mia and I crossed paths again. We even ended up working at the same company. She and I competed neck and neck, neither willing to submit to the other. She wore the identity of Jason’s daughter, making the director treat her with utmost respect. Now she had an additional identity—the heir’s ex-girlfriend. Everyone fawned over her even more. I knew my design proposal would most likely be rejected in the end, but I still led my team working overtime, rushing to complete the design proposal.

A month later, I walked into the conference room with the proposal. Everyone was present except Mia. She arrived with Lincoln. Light fell perfectly on the two of them. Lincoln occasionally bowed his head, accommodating Mia’s height to hear her speak. The man’s profile was illuminated, his features sharp and defined. His eyes were dark, his smile faint. In that unintentional moment our eyes met, I wanted to read something different in his gaze. But there was nothing—still the same cool indifference. The lottery determined the presentation order. I was before Mia. I calmly took the stage and opened my PowerPoint presentation. I explained all my design concepts and inspiration. During the presentation, I was completely focused. When I stepped down, sparse applause sounded. The most enthusiastic applause came from Nora, a young woman who had been interning with me since graduation. Lincoln showed no expression. No one could read his thoughts. The director tried to gauge the meaning in his expression with sidelong glances. It was Mia’s turn to present. She naturally made eye contact with Lincoln. They smiled at each other. Colleagues below exchanged glances with gossipy smiles. Nora leaned close to me and whispered, “Jane, is our team’s proposal going to be rejected?” I pulled at the corners of my mouth, forcing a strained smile. After Mia’s presentation ended, her applause was clearly much louder than mine. The director enthusiastically applauded her. Lincoln’s lips curved slightly upward. There was a thirty-minute break midway. Recently, I’d been caught up in the rumors about Lincoln and Mia, barely able to breathe. The way he looked at me was too cold, making my heart tighten. Through office gossip, I learned more about Lincoln and Mia’s past. Lincoln had actively pursued Mia. He unfailingly walked her back to her dorm and brought her breakfast. All their classmates at Preston University knew how much Lincoln loved Mia. I sat motionless in my chair. Watching Lincoln and Mia walk out side by side, my nose tingled. The man I’d schemed so hard to get held my most hated person in his heart. Only Nora and I remained in the conference room. Nora held my hand. The thirty minutes ended. The results were in. Lincoln and the Zenith Group team had already left. Our director announced the results. Three votes total. All three votes went to Mia. When the results were announced, my eyes stung, welling with tears. I forcibly held back those tears. The director and Mia exchanged glances, expressing his approval. Several colleagues surrounded Mia. “Mia, you’re incredible.” I left with a lonely silhouette. But Mia chased after me. “Jane.” I stopped. Her eyes curved in a smile. “Even if you’re his wife, in his heart I’ll always come first.” “Everything you schemed so hard to get comes effortlessly to me.” Yes, at fourteen, Mia could easily take Jason’s love for me. Now she could occupy Lincoln’s heart too. In the distance, Lincoln was ushered into the elevator by the director, his posture lazy and casual. Suddenly I felt exhausted. I didn’t want to fight Mia anymore. I didn’t want Lincoln either. The elevator stood still. The director, very observant, quickly called out for Mia and me to enter the elevator together. The elevator slowly descended. The director kissed up to Lincoln. “Mr. Lincoln, you and Miss Mia are a perfect match. Made for each other.” Others chimed in. “Exactly. I heard Mr. Lincoln and Miss Mia are already married. Mr. Lincoln really dotes on his wife, specifically choosing our company for Miss Mia.” I numbly listened to these flattering words, unable to summon any reaction. Sensing a covert but burning gaze from beside me, I looked over. Lincoln’s face stiffened. The director nudged my arm, hinting that I should say something too. “Jane, don’t you agree? Mr. Lincoln and Miss Mia are such a perfect match.” The elevator doors opened. I calmly met Lincoln’s eyes. “Indeed, a perfect match.” Panic flashed in his normally indifferent eyes, his thin lips parting as if to say something.

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Ethan Hunt pretended to be gentle for three years, raising me to be a tool for his first love’s paintings. I heard him laughing in the lounge. “I don’t love her at all. Being with her? Aside from the paintings, the sex is amazing.” I stood outside the door holding coffee. My hands didn’t shake, but my heart turned cold. That night, I burned everything he’d given me, jumped from the second floor, and ran toward the future I’d once rejected for him without looking back. Only later did I learn that the SUV that rescued me in the pouring rain wasn’t a coincidence. The man named Louis had been secretly collecting all my paintings since I was a little girl doing street graffiti. He said, “I’ve waited three years for you. Waited for you to wake up from another man’s cage.” This time, I won’t run away again. Cherry POV When I pushed open the slightly ajar door of the gallery VIP lounge, laughter was coming from inside. “Ethan Hunt, we really don’t get you. You’re a billionaire, a top-tier curator. Why are you acting like a servant in front of that poor girl Cherry? Cooking for her every day, even taking off her shoes for her. What’s the point?” Hearing my own name, my hand froze mid-push. After a brief, deathly silence, Ethan’s habitually gentle voice rang out, but it carried a coldness and mockery I’d never heard before. “Wild cats need to be stroked the right way to be tamed.” A lighter clicked, and he seemed to light a cigarette. His voice sounded distorted through the smoke. “Vivian’s hand is ruined. She can’t hold a paintbrush anymore. Cherry’s painting style is identical to hers, even more spirited. If I don’t spoil her rotten and make her devoted to me, how will she willingly paint those thirty pieces to pave the way for Vivian’s comeback exhibition?” Each word stabbed brutally into my eardrums. All the blood in my body froze solid in that moment. I felt like I’d fallen into an ice pit. I was a ghostwriting tool for Vivian?! The lounge fell silent for a moment, then erupted in even more enthusiastic exclamations. “Damn, that’s so you, Ethan Hunt! That’s ruthless. Using your current girlfriend’s blood and bones to feed your first love’s dreams. That’s insane.” “I heard Vivian’s coming back next week? Since you’ve almost gotten all thirty paintings, what about Cherry? She’s so headstrong. If she finds out she’s been used as a blood bag for three years, won’t she blow the roof off?” Ethan laughed lightly, his tone dripping with contempt. “She can’t leave me. For three years, I’ve cut off all her social connections and raised her to be a waste of space who only knows how to depend on me. Even if she finds out, she’ll just stay obediently in the cage I’ve built for her.” Seeing someone about to come out, my face went deathly pale as I jolted awake and stumbled backward out of the hallway on stiff legs. Outside, a blizzard had started at some point. I didn’t even have my coat on as I walked into the swirling snow. Icy snowflakes slammed into my face, melting into water that mixed with my tears and fell into the mud. Everything before my eyes blurred, but scenes from the past three years flashed through my mind. Ethan was the youngest art professor at New York’s top art academy, and also an extremely influential curator in the industry. The first time I met him was in an alley behind an underground racing track. I’d gotten into a bloody fight with some thugs over graffiti territory, biting one guy’s neck like a lone wolf. Ethan appeared holding a black umbrella, his leather shoes stepping through filthy puddles. With those slender fingers that usually handled masterpieces, he wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth. He said gently, “Cherry, hands are for painting, not fighting. Come home with me.” In that moment, having grown up in an orphanage scraping by and enduring countless cold stares, I heard my own heart pounding wildly. I thought I’d found salvation. For three years, Ethan had spoiled me to a pathological degree. He wouldn’t let me do any housework for fear of hurting my hands. He cooked for me with endless variety every day, and when I was tired from painting, he’d even kneel on one knee to massage my aching calves. I thought this was the ultimate expression of love. Turns out, he was just maintaining a useful tool. He was afraid of my hands getting hurt because I had to paint for Vivian. He kept me confined at home because he was afraid my painting style would be exposed prematurely. Even in bed, when he always liked to hold me from behind and force me to watch my right hand holding the brush in the mirror. It was because that hand could fulfill his first love’s dreams! I crouched in the snow, biting hard on the back of my hand, crying until my throat was torn raw and I tasted thick blood. I don’t know how long passed before I swayed to my feet. My tears had dried up, leaving only ash-gray desolation in my eyes. I pulled out my phone from my pocket, found a number I’d blocked for three years, unblocked it, and dialed. It was the private number of Crete, France’s top art master. Three years ago, Crete had recognized my talent and wanted to take me to Paris for secret intensive training to mold me into the next generation’s artistic giant. But for Ethan’s words “I can’t live without you,” I’d refused without hesitation. The call connected. I cleared my hoarse throat, my voice cold as ice. “Mr. Crete, this is Cherry. Is your offer still valid? I’m willing to go with you.”

Cherry POV “Cherry! You’ve finally come to your senses! My God, I knew you wouldn’t let your talent be buried! In half a month I’ll send a private jet to pick you up. Use these two weeks to settle everything in America!” Hearing the French on the other end of the line, excited to the point of breaking, I calmly responded “okay” and hung up. When I returned to the luxury villa Ethan called our “love nest,” it was already late at night. As soon as I pushed open the door, warm air hit my face. Ethan, wearing gray loungewear, was coming out of the kitchen carrying a steaming cup of mulled wine. Seeing me covered in snow and looking disheveled, his eyes immediately creased with concern. “Where were you? How did you get like this, not even using an umbrella?” He walked over quickly, habitually trying to pull me into his embrace. I instinctively turned my head away, avoiding his touch. Ethan’s hand froze mid-air. A flash of displeasure crossed his eyes, but it was quickly covered by gentleness. He sighed and forcibly grabbed my cold hand, rubbing it between his palms. “Cherry, sulking at me again? The gallery was too busy today. I didn’t have time to pick you up. That’s my fault. Drink the mulled wine first, don’t catch a cold. You still need to deliver the last three paintings next week.” Listen to that. Such a perfect excuse. Caring about me was fake. Caring about those last three paintings was real. I lowered my eyes, looking at his refined, scholarly face, and suddenly felt my stomach churning with nausea. “Ethan.” I suddenly spoke, my voice terribly hoarse. “Mm?” He looked down, blowing on the mulled wine, responding carelessly. “If one day I couldn’t paint anymore, would you still treat me like you do now?” Ethan’s motion of blowing on the wine abruptly stopped. He looked up, studying me deeply, then laughed and reached out to ruffle my damp hair. “What nonsense. Even if you became completely useless, I’d still take care of you for life. Cherry, drink up.” If this were before, hearing those words would have made my eyes redden with emotion. But now, I only felt my hair stand on end. His promise to take care of me for life meant keeping me chained in a basement like a pet, draining every last drop of blood from me. I didn’t take the wine. I walked past him and headed upstairs. “I’m tired. I want to sleep.” I didn’t look back, but I could imagine the gentleness instantly draining from his face, his expression turning sinister and cold. Over the next few days, I behaved unusually quietly. I no longer clung to Ethan acting cute like before, nor did I pull him out to look at stars in the middle of the night. I locked myself in the studio every day, painting frantically. Ethan seemed very satisfied with my obedience. He probably thought his “domestication” had finally reached its most perfect stage. At noon that day, Ethan came into the studio carrying cut fruit. “Cherry, take a break.” He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, his chin resting in the crook of my neck, but his eyes greedily fixed on the nearly completed “Sunflowers” on the canvas. The brushwork, color, and light were virtually identical to Vivian’s work from her peak years, even more stunning. “This painting is beautiful.” He praised it sincerely. My hand holding the brush tightened slightly, my knuckles turning white. I turned my head, looking at his face so close to mine, and suddenly smiled. “Is it? Whose name are you planning to sign on this painting?” The smile on Ethan’s face instantly froze. A flash of panic crossed his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure, even adding a touch of indulgent reproach. “What are you overthinking now? Your painting will naturally have your name on it. Next month’s exhibition, I’ll let the entire New York art world know how excellent my girlfriend is.” Watching his masterful performance, the last trace of hope in my heart completely died. I calmly pushed him away and picked up the palette nearby. “I’m thirsty. I want the coffee you make.” “Okay, I’ll go brew it for you.” Ethan kissed my forehead and headed downstairs. After confirming he’d left, I immediately locked the studio door and opened the laptop Ethan had left on the desk. I used to run the streets. My hacking skills weren’t top-tier, but cracking Ethan’s password was more than easy enough. Three minutes later, a document hidden deep in the files appeared on the screen. “Vivian’s Comeback Solo Exhibition Planning Document.” The catalog of thirty exhibited works was exactly all the heart and soul I’d poured out over the past six months! And the exhibition date was in ten days.

Cherry POV The black text on white background on the screen burned my eyes. Thirty paintings. Each one I’d stayed up countless nights to complete, painstakingly crafted stroke by stroke under Ethan’s “gentle encouragement.” Now, they all bore Vivian’s name. I laughed coldly, destructive madness churning in my eyes. I didn’t make a scene. I silently cleared my browsing history and put the computer back in its place. Footsteps sounded outside the door. Ethan came in carrying coffee. “Cherry, coffee’s ready.” I turned around, took the coffee and sipped it, then suddenly my hand shook and the scalding coffee spilled directly onto the nearly finished “Sunflowers”! The dark brown liquid instantly spread, ruining the entire painting’s color structure. “What are you doing?!” Ethan’s voice shot up sharply. His gentle mask instantly shattered, his eyes erupting with barely concealed fury and heartbreak. He shoved me aside and lunged at the canvas, trying to wipe away the stains with his sleeve, but the more he wiped, the worse it got. The force of his push made me stumble backward. My waist slammed hard against the easel, pain making me gasp. But I laughed. “My hand slipped.” I looked at Ethan’s frantic back, my tone light as air. “It’s just a painting. Why are you so worked up? Worst case, I’ll just repaint it.” Ethan’s whole body went rigid. He seemed to realize he’d lost his composure. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the violence in his eyes. When he turned around, he’d become that gentle, considerate perfect boyfriend again. “I’m sorry, Cherry. Did I hurt you?” He came over, rubbing my waist with apparent concern. “I just thought it was such a shame. You spent so long on this painting. I feel bad about all your hard work going to waste.” “Feel bad about my hard work, or about your cash cow being destroyed?” I looked at him with a half-smile. Ethan’s eyes darkened. He suddenly grabbed my chin, applying so much force he nearly crushed my bones. “Cherry, what’s gotten into you today? All these passive-aggressive remarks.” He leaned in close, his tone carrying a dangerous warning. “I’ve been swamped lately preparing for your exhibition. Can you be a little more sensible and stop making trouble?” “I’m making trouble?” I met his gaze fearlessly. “Ethan, do you dare look me in the eye and tell me this exhibition is really for me?” The two of us stood in a standoff, the air thick with gunpowder. Just then, Ethan’s phone suddenly rang. A special ringtone. Ethan’s expression changed. He immediately released me and walked onto the balcony with his phone. Though separated by the glass door, I could still clearly see the careful, treasuring expression on his face. An expression of genuine emotion he’d never shown me. “Vivian, you’ve arrived? Good, wait for me at the VIP passage. I’ll be right there.” Hanging up, Ethan rushed back in, putting on his coat as he spoke. “There’s an emergency at the gallery. I need to handle it. Stay home and paint obediently. That ‘Sunflowers’ must be redone within three days, understand?” Without giving me a chance to respond, he slammed the door and left. I walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and watched the black SUV shoot out of the villa like an arrow released from its bow. I pulled out my phone and called a rideshare. “Driver, to the airport.”

Cherry POV Half an hour later, outside the airport VIP passage. Wearing a hat and mask, I stood behind a pillar. Not far away, Ethan was holding a black umbrella, carefully sheltering a woman in a white trench coat with a delicate demeanor. The woman seemed cold. Ethan immediately took off his own coat and draped it over her shoulders, then naturally tucked her cold hands into his embrace. “Vivian, welcome home.” His eyes were so tender they could drip water. Vivian leaned into his embrace, acting coquettish. “Ethan, how are the preparations for my exhibition going? My hand shakes even holding utensils now. If the exhibition fails, I’ll never be able to show my face in the art world again.” “Don’t worry.” Ethan lowered his head to kiss her hair, his tone firm and cruel. “All thirty paintings are ready. Every single one is top quality. They’ll definitely restore you to your peak.” “That ghostwriter Cherry… she won’t cause trouble, will she?” “Her?” Ethan’s lips curved with contempt. “Just an orphan who’s never seen the world. Give her a few scraps and she’d gladly give me her life. After the exhibition ends, I’ll find some random excuse to get rid of her.” Behind the pillar, I held up my phone, recording every moment of this scene completely. My heart had gone numb from the pain. So in his eyes, I wasn’t even human. Just a piece of trash to be thrown away after use. I put away my phone and turned to walk into the rain. Ethan, you want to use my blood to nourish your first love? Dream on. Over the next three days, I seemed like a different person. I no longer resisted painting. Instead, I locked myself in the studio like a madwoman, working day and night. Ethan was very satisfied with my condition. He thought his trip to the airport hadn’t been exposed, that I was still the fool he had firmly in the palm of his hand. To placate me, he even canceled several important engagements and came home on time every day to cook for me, playing the role of perfect boyfriend. “Cherry, eat first. There’s no rush with the painting.” Ethan set a plate of cut steak on the table and hugged me from behind, intimately nuzzling my cheek. I didn’t turn around. The brush in my hand flew rapidly across the canvas, adding the final brilliant touches of color. “It’s finished.” I set down the brush and turned around, looking at Ethan with calm eyes. Ethan’s gaze moved past me to the canvas. It was a brand new “Sunflowers,” even more vivid and stunning than the one that had been destroyed, as if one could feel the sunflowers’ life force burning under the scorching sun. “It’s perfect…” Ethan murmured, his eyes gleaming with fervent light. He must be thinking to himself. With this painting, Vivian’s exhibition would definitely cause a sensation! He excitedly embraced me and kissed me hard. “Cherry, you’re a genius! Don’t worry, after the exhibition ends, I’ll definitely make it up to you. What do you want? Designer bags? A sports car? Or… should we get married?” Get married? I laughed bitterly to myself. A marriage bought with my thirty paintings. The thought disgusted me. “I don’t want anything.” I pushed him away and walked to the sink, methodically washing my hands. “I’m tired. I want to rest for a few days. I’ll leave the exhibition matters to you.” “Of course. You rest well. I’ll handle everything else.” Ethan couldn’t wait to call a moving company and have all thirty packaged paintings from the studio transported away. Looking at the empty studio, my lips curved into an icy arc. Five days until Crete’s private jet arrived. Three days until Vivian’s exhibition. The show was just beginning.

Cherry POV The next day, Ethan used the gallery as an excuse and didn’t come home all day. I knew he was with Vivian. I methodically packed my luggage. Actually, there wasn’t much to pack. Everything in this villa was bought by Ethan. I didn’t want to take a single item. I only took my passport and the utility knife I’d always carried with me. At ten p.m., Ethan came home reeking of alcohol and faint perfume. “Cherry, still awake?” Ethan loosened his tie and walked to the sofa, habitually trying to rest his head on my lap. I subtly avoided him and stood up. “I’ll run you a bath.” Ethan froze, watching my cold retreating figure, probably feeling an inexplicable irritation rising in his chest. These past few days, I’d been too obedient. So well-behaved it was abnormal. No acting cute, no clinging to him, even the look in my eyes when I looked at him carried the stillness of dead water. He strode over and grabbed my wrist, pinning me against the bathroom doorframe. “Cherry, what exactly are you sulking about?” He looked down at me, his eyes sinister. “I’ve already taken the paintings. The exhibition is about to start. Are you planning to pull some stunt?” He was gripping me so hard my bones ached, but I didn’t struggle. I looked up, meeting his eyes directly, and suddenly smiled. “Ethan, do you have paranoia? What stunt could I possibly pull? I’m just tired.” “Tired?” Ethan sneered and roughly tore open my collar. “If you’re tired, let’s do something relaxing.” He lowered his head and kissed me brutally, with the intent to punish, roughly biting my lips. I didn’t resist, letting him manipulate me like a puppet. This dead-fish response completely enraged Ethan. He shoved me away violently, his eyes full of disgust. “Buzzkill.” With that, he turned and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door with a bang. I leaned against the wall, wiping the blood from the corner of my mouth, my eyes cold as if frozen in ice. Ethan, this is the last time you’ll ever touch me. Vivian’s exhibition was set at New York’s largest private art museum. The night before the opening ceremony, Ethan came home unusually early. He was carrying an exquisite gift box containing a custom haute couture gown worth a fortune. “Cherry, wear this to the exhibition tomorrow.” He placed the gown on the bed, his tone carrying an unquestionable command. I didn’t even glance at the dress, asking flatly, “In what capacity? Your girlfriend, or… Vivian’s ghostwriter?” Ethan’s face darkened, his eyes instantly turning sharp. “What nonsense are you spouting?” He stepped forward, staring hard into my eyes, trying to find any flaw. “Who told you about the ghostwriting?” “Does anyone need to tell me?” I met his gaze fearlessly, my lips curving in a mocking smile. “Ethan, did you really think I was an idiot? I saw the planning document on your computer ages ago.” The air seemed to freeze in that moment. A flash of panic crossed Ethan’s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by icy killing intent. He suddenly grabbed my throat and slammed me against the wall. “You snooped through my computer?!” His voice was distorted with rage. “Cherry, you’ve got some nerve!” The sensation of suffocation instantly overwhelmed me. My face flushed red, but I didn’t struggle. I just stared at him hard, my eyes full of contempt and mockery. “What? Exposed and now you’re lashing out in humiliation?” I squeezed the words painfully from my throat. “Ethan, you disgust me.”

Cherry POV “Shut up!” Ethan tightened his fingers, and watching me struggle in pain probably gave him some perverse satisfaction. “Since you already know, I don’t need to keep acting for you anymore.” He leaned close to my ear, his voice like a venomous snake. “That’s right. All those paintings are for Vivian. You’re nothing but a dog to me. Being able to make way for Vivian is your honor!” He suddenly released his grip. I fell to the floor like a broken doll, coughing violently. “Tomorrow, you’re not going anywhere. Stay home like a good girl.” Ethan looked down at me, his eyes cold to the extreme. “After the exhibition ends, I’ll give you some money. Get out of New York. If you dare say a single word outside, I guarantee you’ll disappear from this world.” With that, he turned and walked out of the bedroom, locking the door from the outside. Hearing the lock click into place, I lay on the floor and suddenly began to laugh quietly. The laughter grew louder and louder, finally turning into heart-wrenching, maniacal laughter. Ethan, you think one door can contain me? You really underestimate me. Late at night, the villa was completely silent. I pulled out a black backpack from under the bed, filled with tools I’d prepared long ago. I walked to the window and looked down at the drop below. Second floor. For someone like me who used to do parkour on the streets, this was nothing. I tore the bedsheet into strips, tied them into a rope, secured one end to the bed leg, and let the other end drop out the window. Just as I was about to climb out the window, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. Then the lock turned. Ethan pushed the door open, holding a glass of water. Seeing me standing on the windowsill, his pupils contracted sharply. The glass in his hand crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. “Cherry! What are you doing?!” he shouted and rushed forward. I looked at him coldly and jumped without hesitation. “No!” Ethan lunged to the window, only catching a corner of my clothing. I slid down the bedsheet halfway when it suddenly snapped. I fell heavily onto the lawn. Intense pain shot through my ankle. I grunted, cold sweat instantly beading on my forehead. “Cherry!” Ethan’s furious roar came from the second floor. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself up from the ground despite the excruciating pain and limped toward the villa’s main gate. I couldn’t let them catch me! Absolutely not! Rain poured down, instantly drenching me. The pain in my ankle made every step feel like walking on knife points, but I didn’t dare stop. Behind me, I heard the villa’s main door being violently pushed open. Ethan, holding an umbrella and accompanied by several bodyguards, rushed into the rain. “Catch her! Don’t let her get away!” Ethan’s voice sounded especially vicious in the thunderstorm. I clenched my teeth and desperately ran toward the mountain road. I knew that if I could just reach the road and flag down a car, I’d be saved. But my ankle had swollen like a bun, and I was getting slower and slower. Just as the bodyguards were about to catch up, a black SUV suddenly burst around the corner, its blinding high beams forcing everyone to shield their eyes. The SUV screeched to a stop in front of me, and the door flew open. “Get in!” A deep, powerful male voice rang out. I didn’t have time to think. I scrambled into the car. The SUV roared like a wild beast and shot forward like an arrow, leaving Ethan and the bodyguards far behind. The car’s heater was on. I collapsed in the back seat, soaking wet, gasping for air. “Thank you…” I said weakly. The man in the driver’s seat handed me a clean towel, his voice cold and hard. “Dry yourself off.” I took the towel and, by the light of the streetlamps outside, got a clear look at the man’s profile. His features were chiseled, sharp as if carved by a blade. His eyes were keen as an eagle’s. He radiated the aura of someone battle-hardened. “Who are you? Why did you save me?” I asked warily. The man didn’t turn around, only saying flatly, “I was asked to do a job. Crete sent me to pick you up.” Hearing Crete’s name, my taut nerves finally relaxed. I leaned back against the seat, closed my eyes, and let exhaustion and pain wash over me. Ethan, we’ll settle our accounts slowly.

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Eight years after my husband Ethan died, I finally agreed to the blind date my sister arranged. Before the date, I went to the salon for a new hairstyle and bought a new dress at the mall. My sister had set fire to Ethan’s belongings. I ignored my burns and snatched our wedding rings from the flames. I held the rings and arrived at the restaurant where I was supposed to meet my blind date, Noah. Through the glass window, I saw Noah chatting with a friend. When Noah lowered his head, I caught a clear view of his friend’s face. In that instant, I nearly stopped breathing. That man was Ethan—the same Ethan I had pushed into the cremation furnace with my own hands. And beside him sat a woman with a stunning figure, clinging close to him. I didn’t have the courage to push open the door. I leaned silently against the wall, listening to the conversation inside. “Noah, the woman you’re meeting is already half an hour late. You think she stood you up?” That voice—I would never forget it, even in death. It was Ethan. My Ethan, the one I’d missed desperately for eight years. But why was he still alive? And why was there a woman I didn’t recognize sitting beside him? Why hadn’t he come back to find me all these years? Why hadn’t he told me he wasn’t dead? Too many questions clogged my chest until it felt suffocating. Then another voice spoke—Noah’s. “Women like to dress up. It’s natural for them to take a little longer.” Then Noah changed the subject. “Ethan, I really envy you. You married a beautiful woman like Ivy and she even gave you such an adorable son. You two must have been together for many years.” Ethan’s cheerful voice drifted out. “Ivy and I have been together for nine years.” How ridiculous. For the past eight years, not only had Ethan not died—he’d gotten married and had a child with someone else. He’d been living carefree in a world I knew nothing about, while I’d nearly lost half my life from missing him. Eight years ago, one rainy night, I’d insisted on having pizza. Even though the rain was pouring, Ethan grabbed an umbrella and went out without hesitation. I curled up on the couch, but instead of pizza, I received news that he’d died in a car accident. By the time I arrived at the scene, his car had burned to a hollow shell. The downpour had doused the flames, leaving only a few streams of foul-smelling black smoke. Ethan in the driver’s seat was burned beyond recognition. If not for the wedding ring on his left hand, I wouldn’t have been able to identify him at all. In the years that followed, I drowned in endless guilt. I kept thinking. If only I hadn’t insisted on pizza that night. If only I’d gone out with him. If only… Ethan were still alive. I turned gray overnight at such a young age. I became a shell of myself. I gave up my social life, quit my job, and locked myself indoors all day. Ethan’s death turned my life completely upside down. If my sister hadn’t pulled me out of that abyss, I probably wouldn’t exist in this world anymore. Tears fell heavily onto the ground. My sobbing finally drew the attention of those inside. Noah slowly opened the door and looked surprised to see me. “What happened? Did something go wrong on your way here?” I shook my head and followed him inside. Noah stood by my side, staring at my red, swollen hands. “If you don’t treat those wounds, they might get infected.” I tucked my hands behind my back, my gaze locked onto Ethan’s face. That face I’d missed day and night now appeared before me like something from a dream. “Ethan, you lied to me so cruelly.” Ethan looked equally shocked. Disbelief flashed in his eyes. “You’re Noah’s blind date?”

At this moment, did it even matter who the blind date was? I just wanted answers for the past eight years. I couldn’t have spent eight years grieving over a man who was still alive. Searing pain shot through my palms. My throat choked up as I shouted at Ethan. “Ethan, tell me—why did you lie to me?” “Do you know what these eight years have been like for me?” “What happened that night? Tell me!” Ethan took a deep breath and glanced at the woman beside him. Then he stood and walked up to me, his gaze settling on my face. “I had no choice.” “That car accident—I planned it.” One phrase—”I had no choice”—to justify his enormous lie. One phrase—”I couldn’t help it”—to turn my past eight years into a joke. I laughed coldly and raised my hand, slapping Ethan hard across the face. “Ethan, you know that’s not the explanation I want!” “This slap is for those eight wasted years.” Then I raised my hand again and struck the same spot. “This slap is for the apology you owe me for lying.” My palm burned with pain. Blood began seeping from my burn wounds. Ethan’s eyes turned cold. He casually wiped the blood from his lip. His fists clenched slightly. “That’s enough, Stella. I told you—I had no choice.” “You always said a man needs to take responsibility. So when Ivy got pregnant, I chose to step up. I couldn’t let the child be born without a father. I couldn’t let people think Ivy was some irresponsible woman.” “What I did was just fulfilling a man’s duty.” “Are you satisfied with that explanation?” “But you cheated on me! How can you talk about cheating like it’s something honorable?” “You couldn’t bear to hurt another woman, but you could let me live like a ghost for eight years and make me feel guilty for the rest of my life.” “Ethan, is this what you call responsibility?” I laughed and staggered backward, remembering that the day after Ethan left, I discovered I was pregnant. I’d wanted to die, but the baby’s arrival gave me a reason to keep dragging myself through life. I never imagined that the belief I’d clung to so desperately would end like this. Ivy, sitting nearby, walked over to Ethan with concern. Her delicate hand gently touched his face. Then she looked at me with an expression full of guilt. “I’m sorry, Stella. We didn’t mean to hide this from you.” “But now Ethan and I are married and we have a child. About the past… could you maybe—” I stared at her seductive face. “Not hold it against us? Not pursue it?” “Ivy, if you were in my position, what would you do? If I told you to be generous, could you actually do it?” “It’s only because you’re not the one who got hurt.” With that, I threw the wedding ring I’d been clutching into a nearby trash can. I turned, opened the door, and walked straight out. So this was how my eight years with Ethan ended—with a period. All that devotion and guilt finally turned to ash in this moment. Noah caught up with me, holding gauze and iodine. No one had expected today to turn out this way. As Noah cleaned my hands, he spoke. “I didn’t know you and Ethan had that kind of history.” “I’m sorry I didn’t warn you they’d be here.” I couldn’t bring myself to smile, staring at the raw red flesh on my palms. “Noah, we can be friends.” His hand paused mid-motion. He looked at me intently. “Stella, I don’t mind your past.” “Don’t shut me out just yet.”

This blind date was my sister’s arrangement. Noah and I weren’t really familiar—we only knew each other’s names. My sister wanted to help me move on from Ethan’s death, and I truly did need to start a new life. Noah was worried, so he took me to the hospital. On the way back, he placed the gift he’d prepared for me on the seat beside me. “Stella, I can wait for you.” His gaze was sincere and warm, rekindling something in my deadened heart for just a moment. When I got home, I hid the fact that I’d seen Ethan from my sister. I knew her temper. If she found out Ethan had deceived me, she’d definitely go after him. But now, I didn’t want to see Ethan anymore. The real Ethan had died eight years ago. A week later, I agreed to Noah’s pursuit and we planned our wedding date. Everyone said we were rushing things, that we should take more time to get to know each other. But I just didn’t want to keep drowning in those old memories. I didn’t want the memories of Ethan to slowly devour me. News of the wedding eventually reached Ethan’s ears. It was the first time he sought me out alone. In the park downstairs. “Stella, you can’t marry him.” The Ethan before me was dressed in a sharp suit, tall and handsome, but his eyes no longer held the warmth I remembered. “Who are you to me? What business is it of yours whether I get married?” “Ethan, please keep your distance. Don’t let your wife get the wrong idea about our relationship.” My deliberate coldness displeased the possessive Ethan. He stepped forward and gripped my shoulders tightly. “Stella, wait for me another ten years. In ten years, my son with Ivy will be an adult. Then we can remarry, okay?” “I really had no choice.” I laughed. “Ten years? How many decades does a woman have? I already gambled away eight years. You want me to gamble another uncertain ten years?” “Do you think I’m still that stupid?” “You had the right to cheat. I have the right to pursue happiness.” I stepped backward. Ethan’s hand hung suspended in midair. Anger shadowed his brow. “Stella, you could marry anyone else. Why does it have to be Noah?” “How am I supposed to face you two after this?” “How to face us? You seem pretty good at adapting.” “Let me tell you—it’s Noah or no one.” Without giving Ethan another chance to speak, I turned and left the park. The night before the wedding, Noah invited many friends to his house. The living room and bedrooms were packed with people. Noah was smiling, holding an air pump and inflating balloons. By the time I arrived at his place, the bridal suite was already decorated. I just didn’t expect Ethan and Ivy to show up uninvited. Ethan held a gift box and casually tossed it onto the coffee table. “Noah, are you really going to marry a divorced woman? As your friend, I need to warn you—it’s not too late to back out.” Ethan said this only because of what happened in the park. He was just bitter. Even though he’d deceived me, even though I’d thought he was dead, in his mind I was only allowed to remain faithful to him. Even if he didn’t want me anymore, I had no right to marry anyone else. Noah stepped forward and took my hand, as if declaring ownership to Ethan. “I don’t mind Stella’s past. What matters is the present.” “Ethan, don’t forget to come drink at our wedding tomorrow.” Ethan flew into a rage, his sharp gaze landing on Noah. “You’re really going to throw away our brotherhood over a woman?” “You’ve got so many women around you. Why does it have to be Stella?” “Noah, let me make this clear—if you dare marry her, we’re done as brothers.”

That night, I received a message from Ethan. “Can’t even wait ten years? Stella.” “Since you insist on getting married, I’ll send you a big gift tomorrow.” It wasn’t that I couldn’t wait. I just didn’t see the point anymore. I didn’t reply. I blocked the unfamiliar number. On the wedding day, Noah invited many relatives and friends. He said he wanted more people to witness our happiness. The large screen behind us displayed our wedding photos. They flashed by one after another. I suddenly remembered that when I married Ethan, we never even took proper wedding photos. He made excuses—too tired, too busy at work—always finding reasons to put me off. Later I understood. He wasn’t too busy. He was spending all his time with Ivy and simply couldn’t get away. As the last wedding photo faded, the guests thought it was over. But then more photos appeared. They showed me half-naked, my cheeks flushed, eyes unfocused, completely drunk and unconscious. Whispers spread through the guests below. “This woman has no shame. Look how exposed she is.” “Could she be a prostitute?” “How inappropriate to show photos like this at a wedding. She’s disgraced the entire family.” A bolder relative stood up and advised Noah directly. “Noah, I think you should call off this wedding.” “I’ll introduce you to someone better later.” “This woman is clearly no good. That kid is probably some illegitimate child she’s too embarrassed to admit to, so she’s calling it her sister.” “Still involved with her ex-husband, and now a child appears out of nowhere. If you really marry her, you’ll regret it.” Noah quickly had the staff turn off the screen and apologized to me repeatedly. I knew whose doing this was. Utterly despicable—just like his fake death eight years ago. Noah still held my waist tightly. “Stella is a wonderful woman. Those photos must be someone’s malicious prank.” “And our wedding is not for outsiders to comment on.” I scanned the crowd and spotted Ethan sitting in the corner, his eyes fixed on me. A faint smile played at his lips, as if mocking me on stage. I lifted my wedding dress and walked up to Ethan. “Is this all you know how to do—these underhanded tricks? Now and eight years ago.” “Ethan, the biggest regret of my life was marrying you.” Ethan let out a scornful laugh, his gaze shifting to Noah behind me. “Noah, you really want to pick up my leftovers?” “You saw it yourself—what Stella looks like in those photos, didn’t you?” Then Ethan withdrew his gaze, his eyes crinkling. “Stella, do you like the gift I sent?” “Actually, if you’d just been nicer to me, I would’ve given you a proper explanation for those eight years.” “I could even bring you home to live with Ivy.” “I know how heartbroken you’ve been these eight years without me.” He deliberately leaned closer, a wicked smile on his lips. “Do you dream about me every night? Do you miss me so much you can’t sleep?” “You’re disgusting!” Furious, I slapped Ethan across the mouth. Ethan immediately straightened up. Every eye in the room turned to him. “Stella, you’re insane!” Ethan grabbed a wine glass and hurled it at me. Just as the glass was about to hit, a small voice called out from behind me. “You bad man! Don’t bully my sister!” Ethan froze mid-motion, staring hard at the little girl. “What did you call her?” Emma said fiercely, repeating herself. “She’s my sister.” Ethan suddenly threw the wine glass at his feet and frowned. “Stella, you don’t even have parents. Where did this sister come from?” “Who is this girl?”

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My mate Leon is the Alpha heir of Shadowclaw pack. Once again, he didn’t spend my birthday with me this year. Because today is also his childhood friend Nora’s birthday. I opened Nora’s Ins, and sure enough, there was a new post. “Grateful for your company every year on my birthday. We promised to spend every future birthday together!” The photo showed two hands making heart signs in front of a cake. One of them was Leon’s—I recognized the watch I’d given him. I hit like, set down my phone, and dumped all the dishes I’d lovingly prepared—all Leon’s favorites—into the trash. Then I went to a restaurant, ordered what I liked, and celebrated my birthday alone. Leon didn’t know I’d already made my decision—to break up with him and return to Frosthowl pack to become the Alpha heir. Halfway through my meal, Leon called, his tone somewhat anxious. “Rhea, did you see Nora’s post?” “I did.” “I’ll come back after I finish celebrating with her. I’ll spend it with you next year. Be reasonable and don’t make a fuss, okay?” The old me would have cried and thrown a fit. But not anymore. I simply said calmly, “Okay.” The next morning around seven, my phone woke me. It only rang a few times before stopping—probably because he didn’t want to wait again. I picked it up and looked. It was Leon. He used to be too lazy to use his own key, so he’d always call me like this—let it ring a few times, then hang up. No matter what I was doing, I’d immediately run to open the door for him. But not today. I tossed my phone aside, pulled the covers over my head, and went back to sleep. The spare key was under the doormat. He knew that. I’d stayed up until three in the morning packing last night, and my head was still foggy. My phone rang several more times, but I didn’t even bother looking. I don’t know how long passed before I groggily heard someone opening the door. The door slammed against the wall with a loud bang, then the bedroom door was shoved open, accompanied by Leon’s angry questioning. “Rhea, why didn’t you open the door for me? I called so many times! You know I hate using keys!” I opened my eyes and looked at him without much emotion. “I was too tired. Didn’t hear it.” Leon opened his mouth, then finally just said, “I’m hungry. Get up and make me something to eat. I was up all night, and I need to catch up on sleep after I eat.” In the past, I would’ve jumped up immediately to make him breakfast. But now I just said flatly, “I’m really tired too. Go buy yourself some breakfast downstairs.” Leon was clearly angry, but he held it in. “You’re still mad I didn’t spend your birthday with you yesterday?” “No, you’re overthinking it.” Leon didn’t believe me and explained unprompted, “Nora is like my little sister. Her dad died for mine. I’ve taken care of her since we were kids—if I don’t stay with her, who will? Stop being so petty, or I’m really going to get angry!” “You’re right, you should stay with her. I’m not mad.” Nora’s father was Leon’s father’s Beta. When Nora was seven, a Rogue attacked Shadowclaw pack, and her father died protecting Leon’s father. Nora’s mother died not long after from grief. Since then, Nora had lived with Leon’s family. Unlike their childhood bond, Leon and I met through a friend’s introduction. When we first met, we both realized we were fated mates. Leon blushed as he looked at me, said it was love at first sight, and asked if I wanted to date him. I blushed too and said yes. Later we fell in love and went on dates everywhere. I thought I’d be happy like that forever—until I met Nora and saw how attentively Leon cared for her. Later I accidentally overheard Nora’s friends talking and learned that before meeting me, Leon and Nora had almost started dating. I was the one who’d come between them, forcing them to remain just friends. From then on, I kept thinking back to my first meeting with Leon. I couldn’t help wondering—did Leon really fall for me at first sight? Or was the so-called love at first sight just an act, something he said because dating his fated mate would solidify his position as Alpha heir? My reminiscing ended. I couldn’t sleep anymore, so I got up to go to the bathroom. Leon grabbed my wrist and reluctantly pulled a bracelet from his pocket. “Here, stop being upset. Your birthday present.” Looking at that cheap bracelet, the decorative metal piece dangling and swaying with the movement, it seemed so perfunctory. Then thinking about the designer watch Leon wore in Nora’s social media photos, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. I shook my wrist, revealing the watch my mom had sent a few days ago. “Thanks, but I have a watch now. Wearing this would be inconvenient. You keep it.” Leon said angrily, “And you say you’re not mad! You used to be so happy with whatever I gave you. Now you’re turning up your nose at it, is that it?” Leon’s income wasn’t high. The things he gave me for my birthday in the past were never expensive either—little trinkets costing a few dollars or tens of dollars, sometimes he’d even forget to give anything. But I’d never minded. Every year on his birthday, though, I carefully prepared gifts. Last week for his birthday, I gave him a designer bracelet. I was tired. I really didn’t have the energy to argue anymore. I took the bracelet and put it in my pocket. “Thank you.” I changed clothes and prepared to leave. Leon asked urgently, “Where are you going?” “Meeting friends. Going to the gym together.” Since getting together with Leon, I’d spent almost all my free time on him. Accompanying him, taking care of him, barely having any time for myself. But not anymore. From now on, I was going to live for myself.

After an exhilarating workout with friends, we sat in the rest area drinking water. My friends joked half-seriously, “We thought you’d forgotten about us once you got a boyfriend. We almost didn’t dare invite you anymore.” I quickly apologized and promised, “I’m sorry! It won’t happen again. If there’s any activity, definitely invite me!” “That’s more like it! Come on, let’s go sit and chat at a café.” After getting together with Leon, I’d always tried to fit into his circle, unknowingly distancing myself from my own friends. Every day revolved around him, putting him first in everything. Looking back now, I’d been such a fool. By the time I got home, it was almost midnight. I pushed open the bedroom door to find Leon sitting on the bed. He frowned. “Rhea, why are you back so late? I had to order takeout for lunch and dinner. It was terrible.” I opened the closet to get clean clothes. “I ate out today too. It tasted pretty good, no worse than homemade.” Leon’s eyes widened in surprise. “Didn’t you used to say you’d cook for me every day from now on, that you wouldn’t let me eat takeout because it’s bad for my health?” “I was wrong. Living in this era, if you can’t cook, you have to get used to takeout.” Anger flashed in Leon’s eyes. “And you say you’re not mad! Out all day, not a single call or message, and you didn’t come back to cook!” I said calmly, “I’m really not mad. Just hanging out with friends. My phone died.” Seeing me like this, Leon suddenly threw off the covers, got out of bed angrily, grabbed me as I was about to leave, and raised his voice: “Can you stop being so petty? I told you we’re just like siblings! What exactly are you making a fuss about? Rhea, my patience has limits!” I pulled my hand free. “I’m really not making a fuss. I’m tired. I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.” With that, I took my clothes to the bathroom, ignoring Leon’s calls behind me. That night, I finally slept soundly through the whole night. The next morning, Leon sat in the living room with his arms crossed, his expression dark. I knew he was waiting for me to apologize first, to make him happy. In the past, whenever he was unhappy, whether it was my fault or not, I’d beg him humbly for forgiveness. Then he’d make a bunch of demands, and only after I’d done everything would he reluctantly forgive me. This had been the pattern for years. I was tired of it. I ignored him, washed up, and left. I had important things to do today. I found a café and made a video call home. My father is the Alpha of Frosthowl pack. Since dating Leon, I’d moved to Shadowclaw pack to live with him, only returning to Frosthowl pack during holidays. This time, I told my parents I was planning to return to Frosthowl pack and wouldn’t be leaving again. I saw the tears of joy in my mother’s eyes. My father was clearly relieved too, saying I should come back to help him share some of the pack responsibilities. Frosthowl pack is located in a quiet northern town with a cold, damp climate. Leon grew up in a warm region and never adapted to the weather there. He’d always refused to go back with me, which is why I’d left my parents to live with him here. That evening, I met my friends for dinner and told them the news. Someone asked, “What about Leon?” I was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly. “We… should be breaking up soon.” I used to think I’d build a family with Leon here. But now that home no longer existed. I was going back to the home with my parents—the one that would never abandon me. When I got home, I saw Leon wearing a white dress shirt, his hair carefully styled, holding his phone on a video call with Nora. Nora’s voice came through the phone. “Leon, you look so handsome! Even a simple white shirt looks so good on you!” Leon laughed happily, his voice full of mirth. “Really? You always know what to say.” I stood quietly without speaking. This expensive white shirt was also a gift from me to Leon. When Leon turned around laughing and saw me, his face immediately fell. He turned back to Nora and said, “I have to go. I’m heading out soon and will be there shortly. Eat something to tide you over first.” Leon could greet Nora with smiles and thoughtful care, but couldn’t spare even a smile for me. He glanced at me with annoyance, walked past me, changed his shoes, and left. He was starting to give me the silent treatment again. Over the years we’d been together, he’d often ignored me over things related to Nora. Each time I’d been anxious, trying every way to make him happy. But this time, I wasn’t worried. I just took the groceries I’d bought and went to the kitchen to make myself a late-night snack. I’d been too busy chatting with friends at dinner and hadn’t eaten much. Now I was a bit hungry. Over the next few days, I busied myself packing. My belongings in the house gradually decreased. Leon didn’t notice.

Today, Leon went out to see Nora again. I sat at the dining table, eating while looking at my phone. Nora had posted: “Whenever I feel lonely, you’re always there. It’s wonderful. Grateful!” In the photo, Leon and Nora had their heads together, making peace signs at the camera. Leon’s buddies all liked and commented, envying their relationship. All along, they’d thought Leon and Nora were better matched—childhood sweethearts, how nice—while I was like a third wheel inserting myself between them. Looking at that post, I suddenly felt those friends were right. The two of them did look more like a couple. In the past, after holding back for a long time, I’d carefully remind Leon to keep some distance from Nora. His buddies would mock me for being too controlling, saying I had control issues and wouldn’t let Leon have freedom in his friendships. Leon never spoke up for me. Instead, he’d join them in criticizing me, telling me not to restrict him and to give him more space. Leon had also commented below: “You’ve always been there for me too!” I calmly exited the app and got up to clear the dishes. Thunder rumbled outside. It was going to rain. I went to the balcony to bring in the clothes. Bean-sized raindrops immediately began pelting the windows. In the past, whenever it rained, I’d rush to call Leon asking where he was, wanting to bring him an umbrella so he wouldn’t get wet. He and his friends would laugh at me for worrying too much, managing too much, preventing them from having fun. I showered early, lay in bed watching videos, and fell asleep without realizing it. The sound of Leon forcefully pushing open my bedroom door woke me. Seeing me asleep, he questioned angrily: “Rhea, it’s raining so hard, your boyfriend isn’t home this late, and you’re not worried at all? If it were my buddies’ girlfriends, they’d already be calling nonstop asking where they are, personally bringing an umbrella to pick them up! And you?” I was somewhat surprised, not understanding why he was so angry. Once before when he was with Nora and it rained, I’d called several times asking where he was and when he’d be back, wanting to pick him up. He’d gotten very angry, saying I was worrying needlessly, that he was with Nora and needed to take her home first. He also said I just didn’t want him with Nora, that I was making excuses for him to come home early, that my need for control was suffocating him. Now I’d given him freedom, yet he was questioning why I didn’t pick him up. I really didn’t understand what he wanted from me. I answered with a heart like still water, “You were with Nora, so I wasn’t worried. You two can hang out longer, then take her home.” Leon’s eyes widened in disbelief. Perhaps he was wondering how I could so calmly mention Nora and even allow them to stay out this late alone. After a while, he seemed to think of something and explained, “Today… was the anniversary of Nora’s father’s death. She was very upset. As a friend, I couldn’t leave her alone. Don’t read too much into it.” I expressed understanding and nodded in agreement. “I get it. You should definitely spend more time with her on a day like this.” My reasonableness left Leon at a loss for words. He studied my face carefully, trying to find a trace of anger, but found none. Leon softened his tone. “Rhea, I need to shower. Can you run the hot water for me?” I looked at him in surprise. This was almost like him initiating reconciliation. In the past, he was always so superior, making me beg and plead before he’d reluctantly make up with me. I pretended not to understand his hint and just said, “No, I’m tired. Run it yourself, then get some rest in your room.” Leon looked at me in disbelief, then angrily turned and left. I got up and closed the door myself, then went back to sleep. A peaceful night’s sleep.

Early the next morning, my friend Vivian called to invite me to dinner. She’d just returned from a business trip. Hearing I was returning to Frosthowl pack, she wanted to get together again since there wouldn’t be many more chances. I felt a bit sad hearing this, but agreed. Before hanging up, she added, “Oh, bring Leon too. I won’t contact him separately.” Right—Vivian wasn’t just my friend, but Leon’s too. She was the one who’d introduced us in the first place. But this way, I couldn’t hide my return to Frosthowl pack anymore. I’d originally wanted to wait until everything was settled before saying anything, to avoid complications. After hanging up, I saw Leon coming out of his room. I hesitated, then spoke up. “Vivian wants to have dinner with us tonight.” He looked at me, seeming somewhat hesitant, about to speak when his phone rang. I didn’t know what the person on the other end said, but Leon soothed them gently, “Nora, don’t worry, it won’t be lost. I’ll come right over to help you find it.” Leon hung up and hurried toward the door, efficiently changing his shoes while saying to me, “Rhea, Nora has an emergency and needs my help. You go to dinner by yourself tonight. I won’t make it. Let Vivian know.” That evening at a restaurant, Vivian and I had just raised our glasses when Leon walked in with Nora by his side. The moment our eyes met, Leon looked somewhat surprised and embarrassed. Nora beside him gave me a slightly provocative smile. Leon stepped forward, his expression somewhat unnatural. “What a coincidence, you’re here too.” Nora said with false apology, “Leon saw I was hungry and said he’d bring me here to eat. We’re not interrupting, are we?” Vivian seemed to have forgotten Leon’s earlier refusal to join us for dinner. She enthusiastically invited them to sit together and had the server add more dishes. Leon wanted to sit next to me. I got up and moved next to Vivian, leaving the opposite seats for him and Nora. Leon’s buddies were right—he and Nora did look more compatible. I shouldn’t squeeze myself in the middle. Leon’s face showed some nervousness. Several times he seemed about to explain to me but was interrupted. I chatted with Vivian on my own. My phone kept buzzing with notifications. I took a moment to glance. They were from Leon. “Rhea, don’t misunderstand. After I helped Nora find her things, she said she wanted to eat at this restaurant, so I brought her.” “I really didn’t know you’d be here too.” “If you’re unhappy, I’ll be more careful next time.” “After dinner, let’s go home together, okay?” I looked down and replied, “No need. You two go ahead. I want to chat with Vivian a bit longer.” I put down my phone and focused on talking with Vivian, ignoring the subsequent messages. After a few drinks, Vivian was a bit tipsy. She put her arm around me, her eyes slightly red. “Why are you suddenly going back to Frosthowl pack? You’re my best friend here. When you leave, I won’t have anyone to chat and shop with.” My heart ached too, my nose tingling with emotion. “My parents are getting older and struggling to handle pack affairs. I need to go back to help them. Come visit me there, and I’ll treat you well.” Vivian ultimately didn’t say more, just raised her glass to toast me again. Leon seemed to have heard something. His eyes widened as he stared at me in shock.

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Five years ago, at my engagement party, I slapped my fiancé’s secretary Samuel so hard I knocked his newly done nose crooked. To avenge his secretary, my fiancé Raymond personally sent me to prison. The day I was released happened to coincide with Raymond and Samuel’s wedding. Everyone thought I would seek crazy revenge. But I didn’t make a scene at the wedding like everyone expected. Instead, I boarded a flight to another city and disappeared without a trace. Five years later, I returned to the country with my husband Manuel, just in time for my birthday. Manuel and I had plans to celebrate together. But when I arrived at the agreed-upon restaurant, I ran into Samuel. “Well, well? Who do we have here?” “If it isn’t Aurora?” “Haven’t seen you in years, Aurora. How did you end up looking so pathetic? Can’t even afford decent clothes?” Samuel’s voice was loud and dripping with sarcasm. The entire lobby instantly fell silent, with everyone’s eyes turning toward us. I looked down at my clothes. Though they looked simple and plain, with no designer logos visible, they were all custom-made by Italian craftsmen. Each piece cost at least a hundred thousand dollars. But I didn’t need to explain that to Samuel. I ignored him and picked up the menu from the table. My disregard only enraged Samuel further. He snatched the menu from my hands, raising his voice: “What, did two years in prison make you deaf? Didn’t you hear me talking to you?” Before he finished speaking, the entire restaurant erupted in whispers. “Looks normal enough, but who would’ve thought she’s an ex-con.” “Oh my God, how did someone like that get in here?” Ignoring the murmurs and pointing fingers from surrounding customers, I slowly raised my head and looked at Samuel expressionlessly: “Excuse me, do I know you?” Samuel froze, then said angrily: “Aurora, what’s with the act? Do you really think you’re still that high-flying CEO from back then?” “Do you even know where you are? This is And Happy, the most elite, most luxurious restaurant in Massachusetts. A single cup of coffee costs hundreds of dollars.” “Take a good look at yourself. Can you even afford to eat here? Get out! Just get out and stop embarrassing yourself!” Samuel looked at me with utter contempt and actually kicked the table in front of me. A loud crash echoed through the space. The coffee cup shook violently, brown liquid splashing out. Looking at the brown stains on my white shirt cuff, my expression darkened. This shirt was a birthday gift from Manuel. Today was the first time I’d worn it. I looked at Samuel coldly: “Apologize!” But Samuel just laughed mockingly: “You want ME to apologize?!” “Aurora, you must be dreaming!” “If anyone should be apologizing, it’s you apologizing to me. Being in the same space as a bitch like you is ruining my appetite.” With that, Samuel turned toward the door, his voice shrill: “Security!” “Where’s security? Where the hell did everyone go? Letting just anyone in! Do you all want to lose your jobs?” Two security guards approached hesitantly. Just then, the restaurant manager arrived after hearing the commotion. Seeing Samuel’s angry expression, the manager jogged over quickly. “What seems to be the problem? Tell me what’s wrong and I’ll handle it immediately.” Samuel snorted coldly: “What’s going on with you people?” “Service standards are getting worse and worse. Can’t you see there’s some poor trash here ruining the atmosphere?” The manager froze, following Samuel’s gaze toward me. “I’m so sorry, I’ll handle this right away.” The manager bowed and scraped before Samuel, his tone full of obvious flattery and fawning. Then he turned to me with a stern expression: “Miss, this is a high-end establishment, not a homeless shelter. Please leave immediately.” He made a gesture toward the door. “Did you hear that?” Samuel smugly patted my face: “Poor people should know their place. If you’re broke, don’t come out here trying to act rich!” I didn’t move. Samuel thought I was scared and became even more arrogant. He pressed harder: “I should’ve made sure you stayed in there a few more years back then, so you wouldn’t get out and embarrass yourself like this.” I smiled coldly: “Samuel, that line should be directed at you.” “Have you been living the good life so long that you’ve forgotten how you used to crawl through garbage heaps looking for food?”

Samuel grew up in the slums. When I met him, he was only thirteen, dressed in rags and digging through a garbage heap for food. I gave him the bread I had left over. He took it and wolfed it down in two bites. When I tried to leave, Samuel knelt at my feet, clutching my pant leg and refusing to let go. I softened in that moment and took him home, supporting him financially all the way through college. After graduation, I even arranged for him to work at the company as Raymond’s secretary. I never imagined that this moment of compassion would eventually push me into an abyss of no return. A wolf is always a wolf. You can never domesticate one. The person I treated with all my heart was the one who stabbed me deepest in the back. Like many people who forget their roots after making it big, that time in the slums was taboo for Samuel—a past he never wanted mentioned. Samuel’s expression changed instantly. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he bristled with rage, pointing at me and shrieking: “Bitch! You’re asking for death!” “How dare you bring up my past!” “Believe me, I’ll cut out your tongue right now and feed it to the dogs!” Watching Samuel’s furious reaction, I smiled coldly: “Cut out my tongue?!” “Are you sure you have what it takes?” “Don’t end up crying in some man’s arms again!” “You…” Samuel choked, pointing at me unable to speak for a long moment, his face turning red then pale. It was the shame and humiliation of having the truth exposed. “Aurora, you’re dead today.” Samuel stared at me, eyes full of venom. The atmosphere in the restaurant suddenly shifted. The previously noisy private room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone’s eyes on me changed too, as if looking at someone courting death who didn’t know their place. Everyone knew that Samuel was the precious darling of Raymond, CEO of the Raymond Group. The Raymond Group had been thriving these past two years, going from strength to strength. In Massachusetts, who would dare disrespect the Raymond Group? Crossing Samuel meant crossing the entire Raymond Group. Samuel roared at the security guards behind him: “What are you standing around for? Get her! Let this bitch know what happens when you piss me off!” As his words fell, two burly security guards immediately stepped forward, grabbing my arms from both sides. The guards’ grip was strong, making my arms ache. “I suggest you let go of me, or you’ll regret it.” My voice was cold, as if pulled from an ice cellar. But Samuel just laughed as if he’d heard the funniest joke: “Regret?” “Who are you trying to scare!” “This isn’t five years ago. You’re just an ex-con, a poor nobody—like a fly to me.” “Forget hitting you, even if I killed you, what could you do about it?” I narrowed my eyes, watching Samuel draw closer and closer. When he was one step away, Samuel stopped, looking down at me from above. After a long moment, he slowly bent down, grabbed my chin with his hand, eyes challenging: “Aurora, you’re worthless.” “Calling you garbage picker and you still won’t admit it!” Worthless. Garbage picker. Samuel’s voice echoed in my ears again and again. I felt transported back to five years ago.

That day was my engagement party with Raymond. When the ceremony reached the cake-cutting portion, Samuel suddenly presented an exquisite gift box. When the box opened, inside was a worn-out high heel. Laughter erupted around us. And Samuel, as if that wasn’t enough, leaned in closer and continued mocking me: “So what if you’re the boss? You still have to pick up my hand-me-downs! Sleep with the man I slept with! You’re worthless, the queen of trash!” Before he finished speaking, an explicit bedroom photo appeared on his phone screen. In the photo, Samuel wore sexy, revealing black stockings, eyes seductive as silk. And Raymond was shirtless, desire burning in his eyes, completely different from his usual cold demeanor. Samuel smiled at me triumphantly. My pupils constricted violently, all the blood in my body seeming to boil. In that moment, I could no longer remain calm. The rage flooding through me burned away all reason. I raised my hand and slapped him across the face… Because of that slap, I spent two full years in prison. “Hahaha—” Pulling myself from the memory, Samuel was still laughing triumphantly. The other people in the restaurant joined in the laughter. Everyone was enjoying my embarrassment and distress. My eyes turned cold. I suddenly jerked my head, shaking off Samuel’s hand that was still pinching my chin. Taking advantage of everyone’s momentary shock, I broke free from the two guards’ restraint. I looked at Samuel’s perfectly repaired nose mockingly: “I see you need to be taught a lesson again.” “Looks like enough time has passed to make you forget the pain of having your nose broken. Today I’ll kindly help you remember.” My eyes were sharp, my voice as cold as Satan from hell. In that instant, everyone was shocked into silence by the powerful aura emanating from me. Meeting my fierce gaze, Samuel looked panicked: “Bitch, you wouldn’t dare?!” “Aren’t you afraid I’ll send you back to prison?” I smiled coldly: “Let’s find out then.” Ignoring Samuel’s threats, under everyone’s horrified and disbelieving gazes, I swung my fist hard at Samuel’s face. “Ahhh—” Samuel staggered back two steps, clutching his nose and letting out a piercing wail. His expensively repaired nose was crooked again. Two streams of blood gushed out between his fingers. “You dare hit me?!” Samuel was shocked and furious. He never expected that after I’d been through prison, I would still dare to strike him. The restaurant manager panicked, snorting coldly: “Don’t you have eyes? Don’t you know where you are? Making trouble here? You must have a death wish.” If Samuel got hurt in his restaurant, when Raymond asked about it, he’d have no way to explain. “Daring to hit Miss Samuel? This is suicide!” The others snapped back to reality as well, looking at the blood on Samuel’s face in horror. “She’s insane, completely insane!” “This bitch has a death wish! She actually dared to hit Miss Samuel?” Everyone looked at me as if I were already dead. But I remained calm and composed. Samuel’s eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted with rage, looking at me as if he wanted to tear me into a thousand pieces. “Aurora, either get on your knees and apologize, or die!” “Choose!” I laughed mockingly: “You want me to apologize? You’re not worthy.” “Good, good, GOOD!” Samuel said “good” three times, then pulled several stacks of bills from his wallet. He slammed them on the table with a “smack” and said to the security guards behind him: “All of you, attack together. Beat her to death! Afterward I’ll pay triple!” Everyone’s eyes lit up, eager to act. Just as fists were about to land on me, a surprised and uncertain male voice came from behind: “Aurora?!”

I slowly turned around, looking toward the voice. Raymond stood there, watching me with complex emotions in his eyes. “Where have you been all these years? Why didn’t you come find me after you got out?” Compared to Raymond’s excitement, my expression was calm, my eyes devoid of emotion. Seeing the man I once loved desperately, my heart was surprisingly still, without a ripple. “Where I’ve been is none of your concern, Mr. Raymond.” That one phrase—”Mr. Raymond”—was distant and unfamiliar. Raymond’s emotions surged instantly, his eyes reddening. A flash of jealous hatred flickered through Samuel’s eyes. “Ugh…” Samuel cried out in pain. “What’s wrong?” Raymond snapped back to attention, looking at Samuel anxiously. When he saw the blood on Samuel’s face, his expression changed dramatically: “You’re hurt? Who did this?” Samuel immediately put on a pitiful expression. “Raymond, you’re finally here. We haven’t seen each other in years. I kindly invited Aurora to dinner, but not only did she not appreciate it, she attacked me.” His eyes reddened, as if he’d suffered infinite grievance. He was completely different from his earlier arrogance. The restaurant manager quickly chimed in: “That’s right! This person came here to cause trouble and insulted Miss Samuel. We were just about to teach her a lesson!” Raymond froze, then frowned, the excitement in his eyes gone as he looked at me: “You really hit Samuel?” I nodded with a smile: “Yes, I did.” Seeing me admit it so readily, Raymond said angrily: “Aurora, I really underestimated you.” “Two years in prison not only didn’t teach you to restrain your violent nature, but made it worse?” “Samuel practically grew up under your care. How could you bring yourself to do this?” Samuel added with false sympathy: “Raymond, don’t be angry. I think Aurora might still resent us for sending her to prison back then…” Raymond snorted coldly: “Resent?!” “If you do something wrong, you should be punished. Otherwise, if everyone could just murder and steal, the world would descend into chaos.” “If you ask me, two years wasn’t enough time.” With that, Raymond picked up his phone and dialed a number: “Chief Johnson? This is Raymond. There’s an ex-con causing trouble at And Happy. Please send some officers over!” Samuel looked at me triumphantly. “Aurora, if you don’t want to go back to prison, it’s not impossible.” “Just get on your knees and apologize. Say you were wrong, and I’ll forgive you.” Compared to sending me back to prison, Samuel preferred to enjoy the satisfaction of grinding me into the dirt. Raymond seemed to sigh helplessly: “You’re always so kind.” Then he looked at me coldly: “Did you hear that?” “Kneel and apologize to Samuel, and I won’t pursue this matter.” Samuel thought victory was assured and became complacent. “But I suggest you hurry. The police will be here any minute.” “I assume you don’t want to go back to prison.” I smiled coldly: “Make me kneel? Dream on!” Raymond’s eyebrows shot up, and he snorted coldly: “Stubborn fool.” “I gave you a chance. You chose not to take it.” “When the police take you away, don’t blame anyone.” Just as Raymond finished speaking, the sound of sudden braking came from outside the hotel entrance. Dozens of black Rolls-Royces approached from the distance, forming a line as they stopped in front of the restaurant.

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I was shopping at the mall when my period suddenly started, the blood staining my entire white pants. I had no choice but to hide in the mall bathroom and ask my boyfriend Ethan to buy me tampons and clean pants. But I waited for three hours. By the time the mall closed, he still hadn’t come back. I called him frantically. He didn’t answer. But then I saw his female assistant post an update on Instagram. “Wanted macarons, and the boss immediately brought me a whole 80 of them! I’m going to be his assistant forever!” Completely disheartened, I sent my mom a message. “Mom, that blind date you mentioned—go ahead and arrange for us to meet.” The mall closed. The lights went out, just like my relationship with Ethan. When I walked out of the mall bathroom covered in blood, I startled the security guard on patrol. “Miss, what happened to you? Did someone attack you? Should I call the police?” I smiled bitterly and declined the kind man’s offer. Ethan had driven off with the car, so I could only stand on the roadside trying to hail a ride. Several drivers saw the blood on my pants and either got scared or disgusted, refusing to pick me up. Half an hour later, I finally met a kind-hearted female driver, and I was finally able to go home. My phone kept ringing while I was washing up. When I came out, I saw missed calls from my mom and a long string of messages. “You finally came to your senses? I told you that Ethan was a heartless bastard!” “Seven years! If he wanted to marry you, he would have done it ages ago! Why would he string you along for so long? At least you’re waking up before it’s too late. The blind date I found for you is eight streets ahead of that scumbag!” It turned out my parents’ words really were wise. When you’re young, you always think they don’t understand love. After a few more years, you realize it’s you who doesn’t understand life. “I was just in the shower. Mom, I’ll listen to you.” Right after I replied to my mom, Ethan finally came home. And he brought along his precious Chloe. “Aria… you… you’re already back? When I got to the mall it was already closed…” He looked somewhat embarrassed, but quickly held up a large plastic bag as if presenting a prize. Inside were various brands of sanitary pads. “I don’t know anything about pads, and I was afraid of buying the wrong kind, so I asked Chloe to help me choose. That’s why I came back a bit late.” What a pathetic lie. But I felt no anger or grievance anymore. This must be what they mean by the greatest sorrow being a dead heart. “It’s fine. I’ve already taken care of it myself. No need to trouble you.” I said flatly, not looking at Ethan’s evasive eyes. Knowing he was in the wrong, he pretended to go to the bathroom, but before leaving, he didn’t forget to earn brownie points for Chloe. “Chloe knew you weren’t feeling well, so she specifically came up to check on you.” “Yeah, Aria, are you okay? We women really suffer when our periods come. Should I make you some ginger tea to warm you up?” Chloe was as good as ever at playing sweet in front of Ethan. But once Ethan went into the bathroom, Chloe’s face immediately changed to a sharp, mocking, vicious expression. She sneered in a voice only the two of us could hear. “Aria, these pads should be enough for an old woman like you to use until menopause, right?” “Haha, it’s embarrassing just thinking about it!” “A woman covered in blood, dirty and smelly, abandoned at the mall with no one caring—if I were you, I’d rather just die!” “Ethan clearly doesn’t love you anymore. Why are you still clinging on shamelessly? Can’t you leave yourself some dignity? Do you have to wait to be kicked out? Do you really enjoy being a beggar for love?” The closer Chloe got, the more she said. She deliberately brought her face close to mine. I knew what Chloe was planning. Nothing more than provoking me to slap her so she could play the victim in front of Ethan. To continue driving a wedge between us. In the past, I definitely would have slapped her. But now? Would you fight someone over a piece of shit? I just looked coldly at Chloe’s performance. Like watching a green fly dancing over a cesspool. Under my gaze, her expression changed from smug provocation to puzzled bewilderment. Then to panic and unease. Finally to shame and anger. She gritted her teeth, suddenly raised her hand, and gave herself a hard slap. With the crisp sound of the slap, Chloe burst into tears. “Aria, don’t do this!”

Chloe’s cry was like a hunter’s starting gun. Ethan burst out of the bathroom like a hunting dog. “What happened to Chloe?” Chloe’s self-inflicted slap had been forceful, leaving a clear handprint on her delicate face. “Aria… she’s in a bad mood… I can understand her taking it out on me… I don’t blame her…” Her acting wasn’t sophisticated, but it was enough for a foolish man. Ethan immediately became the most loyal protector, glaring at me angrily. “Aria! What’s wrong with you? If you’re angry, take it out on me! What kind of skill is it to bully a young woman?” “Chloe just graduated from college. She doesn’t know anything. She’s so pure and kind. Why are you bullying her? Apologize right now!” He demanded I apologize. I was too lazy to speak and turned to go into the guest bedroom, locking the door from the inside. Chloe was crying, and Ethan was comforting her. Finding it too noisy, I put on my headphones. My phone buzzed with a friend request. The note said “Blind Date.” I accepted the request from this man named Marcus. It got quiet outside. Ethan had taken Chloe home. He didn’t come back that night. In the early morning hours, a photo of Ethan in bed suddenly appeared in the company group chat. He was sleeping shirtless, his face showing satisfaction and exhaustion. There were still plenty of night owls. Company employees immediately left comments underneath. But some old colleagues also messaged me privately, feeling indignant on my behalf. “Aria, that bitch is getting more and more outrageous!” “Isn’t this a public declaration of war?” “You need to hold onto Mr. Hayes. Don’t let that homewrecker steal him!” When Ethan was starting his business, I was always his right hand. Many of the company veterans were personally recruited by me. Later, when the business was on track, Ethan said he didn’t want me to work so hard, that he could completely support me. He also said couples weren’t suitable as coworkers, that it easily created conflicts. So I left the company and became a full-time supportive partner. In the blink of an eye, several years had passed. Aside from the company veterans, many new employees no longer knew I existed. “Just a rotten peach. I don’t want it anymore.” After saying that, I left the company group chat. That night I thought I’d have insomnia, but I slept surprisingly well. That blind date named Marcus hadn’t said anything since adding me as a friend. I wasn’t too concerned about it either. I only agreed to the blind date to put my mom’s mind at ease. I didn’t want her worrying about my love life anymore. As for love? I had long stopped expecting it.

The next morning I packed my things to return to my hometown. I organized several large suitcases and had a logistics company send them ahead. Ethan came home around noon. He obviously knew about the bed photo incident in the company group chat last night, and that I’d left the group. After all, he was the group admin. So he was clearly feeling guilty. “Last night was too late and Chloe was worried it wasn’t safe for me to drive at night… Nothing happened between us… I slept on the couch…” “The photo was just a joke. She’s just a young girl—what bad intentions could she have?” Ethan kept talking while carefully watching my expression. “When it comes down to it, you shouldn’t have taken it out on her last night… It was clearly my fault…” Seeing me looking at my phone instead of him, he pulled a box of macarons from his pocket and placed it on the coffee table. “Isn’t it trending online to test your boyfriend or husband with macarons? You don’t need to test me—I already bought them for you! All 8 are yours!” I glanced at the macarons. The production date was yesterday. Chloe couldn’t eat all 80, so he brought the rest back for me to deal with? I reached out and threw the macarons in the trash. “What are you doing? Stop being childish! Men have it hard out there!” Ethan’s face darkened. The truth was so ugly. He didn’t love me anymore. “I don’t like sweets.” I continued looking at my phone. My mom had sent me hotel options, wedding dresses, and banquet menus to choose from. She was being a bit too hasty. I’d only just said I agreed to go home for a blind date, and she was already eagerly preparing wedding arrangements. “You really don’t understand romance!” “When Chloe got the macarons, she was so happy—” Halfway through, Ethan realized his slip and quickly shut up. His eyes unconsciously swept across my phone screen and saw my mom had sent another wedding dress picture. “I think this one suits you better. You’re tall, so you’d look good in this floor-length style. I’ve even found the flower children to carry your train—a pair of twins, hehe…” Ethan’s face immediately looked like he’d eaten shit. “What wedding?” “Who gave you permission to choose wedding dresses on your own? Did you discuss this with me?” “Is your mom pressuring you to get married again? She’s really getting senile! Why is she causing trouble!” Ethan’s tone was full of dissatisfaction with my mom. He’d completely forgotten that when we were in college and my mom came to visit me, she brought him more food and clothes than she brought me. After Ethan’s parents divorced and remarried, he became the extra one. Besides sending him money, his parents basically ignored him. So my mom doted on him especially, letting him feel long-lost maternal love. Back then he always said, “Aria, I love you, and I love your family too!” But we didn’t have much money then, and we didn’t have our own place. We couldn’t afford to get married. Yet every day in our rental apartment, we’d fantasize about our future happy married life with children. That was the greatest motivation for starting the business. Later we had money, we had a house, the business was successful, but marriage became a taboo topic. “Career comes first!” “Too busy!” “I heard marriage is the grave of love!” “We’re still young!” “Let’s wait a bit longer…” Ethan had countless reasons to dodge and deflect. Though I felt wronged, I kept enduring. I always felt that having already invested seven years of my youth, I couldn’t bear to give up halfway. But I’d now come to my senses. If I gave up now, seven years of youth fed to a dog. If I continued being pathetic, I’d just keep feeding a thankless dog. The past couldn’t be undone. Cutting losses was the wisest choice. Ethan was still venting his emotions. The angrier he got, as if my mom had committed some unforgivable crime. Seeing I wasn’t responding, he simply grabbed my phone and started a furious voice message rant. “Ma’am! Stop making trouble, okay?” “We young people have our own plans and rhythm for life. You interfering like this will only cause conflicts between us!” “We have no plans to get married right now! So stop scheming!” After finishing, he angrily threw down the phone. “Aria, your mom is getting more annoying as she gets older!” I slapped Ethan hard across the face. His words stopped abruptly. “You can disrespect me, but you cannot disrespect my mother!” I said word by word. “The man my mom wants me to marry isn’t you. Don’t flatter yourself!” “Let’s break up.” At the same time, his assistant rushed through the door in a panic. She was crying. “Ethan, you didn’t use protection last night, and I didn’t take the pill either!” “I’m too embarrassed to go to the pharmacy to buy the morning-after pill myself. What should I do?” “I’m still young. I don’t want to get pregnant!” 3 Chloe’s crying threw Ethan into complete disarray. “Ah? Now really isn’t the right time to have a baby!” “But the morning-after pill is effective for 72 hours!” Forgetting that I’d just said “let’s break up,” he grabbed Chloe’s arm and hurried downstairs. I looked at the empty apartment. There really was nothing left to miss. I opened my phone’s booking app to check flight information back to my hometown. My hometown was over 800 kilometers away. The nearest flight wasn’t until tomorrow evening. My mom called. She was furious. “Where’s that bastard Ethan? Does he know how to talk to people? All that good food I gave him was wasted on a dog!” “Come home right now! I don’t want you near that animal for one more second!” I calmed my mom down while saying I planned to buy a ticket for tomorrow evening. “Don’t buy a ticket yet. Just wait for word!” My mom hung up in a hurry. Just ten minutes later. The blind date named Marcus on my phone sent me a message. “Come downstairs in 5 minutes. I’m here to take you home.” I was surprised. How did he get here so fast? And how did he know my address? I grabbed my suitcase and went downstairs. It didn’t even take 5 minutes before a black Mercedes van slowly stopped beside me. An elegant, refined man got out of the car. “I’m Marcus. Your mother sent me.” At the same time, across the street at the pharmacy, Ethan, having already bought the morning-after pill, came out with a smug-looking Chloe. He happened to see me and Marcus standing face to face. Marcus even took my suitcase and put it in the back seat. His face immediately turned dark as he strode over. “Aria, where are you going? Stop being childish, okay? I can explain what happened last night. It was just an accident!” I was so sick of his noise. So I pointed at Marcus and introduced him. “My blind date. He’s taking me back to my hometown. We have nothing to do with each other from now on.” After speaking, I got in the passenger seat and closed the door. Ethan’s anger flared even more as he frantically banged on the car door. “What blind date? Aria, get out here!” Marcus didn’t say anything, just got in the car too. He hit the gas, and the van suddenly took off, throwing the unprepared Ethan face-first onto the ground. I saw in the rearview mirror Chloe going over to help him up, but Ethan shoved her away. He staggered to his feet and chased our car, but lost his footing and fell again. I closed my eyes. Ethan, my life will definitely be better without you.

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My sister Hazel was scammed out of all her money by a scumbag, and she came crying to stay at my place. I helped her collect the debt and even gave her my year-end bonus for emergencies. My boyfriend Ethan grew more and more impatient: “Hazel isn’t grateful at all! She maxed out your credit card, called you to pick her up drunk at 3 AM. Natalie, are you her mother? She deserves to be scammed by jerks like that.” For the first time, I threw a cup at him: “Our mom died when she was only eight. I’m the one who raised her. So please, be nice to her.” Later, the company sent me on a business trip, and I still called her every day to help her get through the trauma. Until two months later, I changed my flight and came home early. I pushed open the bedroom door and saw her wearing my silk pajamas, leaning in Ethan’s arms. He picked up a strawberry and fed it to her, looking completely content. The bedroom fell deathly silent in an instant. Hazel was the first to react. She sprang out of Ethan’s arms, her lips trembling. “Natalie? You—how are you back? Wasn’t your flight the day after tomorrow…” Ethan’s hand froze in midair, strawberry juice dripping onto my silk sheets. His face looked terrible, but he said nothing. I stood in the doorway, still gripping my suitcase handle, my fingertips digging deep into my palm. The air conditioning was clearly on, yet my back was covered in cold sweat. Hazel forced out a smile that looked worse than crying. “Natalie, you must be tired. Put down your luggage—” She rushed toward me barefoot in a panic, accidentally hitting her knee on the bed frame. She gasped in pain, her eyes instantly reddening. Ethan frowned and reached out to steady her. “Slow down. You’re so clumsy.” His tone carried reproach, but his hands were impossibly gentle. I stared at the hand supporting her arm, my heart sinking to rock bottom. “When did this start?” My voice was calmer than I expected. Hazel’s whole body stiffened, and she instinctively looked up at Ethan. He pulled her slightly behind him and finally looked at me directly. “It has nothing to do with her. It’s my fault.” Ethan was usually a man of few words, never showing his emotions. I’d agreed to be with him because I valued his stability and reliability—he wouldn’t make me feel insecure like those playboys. The year my mom died, I was twelve and Hazel was only eight. My dad couldn’t handle the blow. He turned to alcohol, skipped work, was eventually fired, and died two years later. From then on, I never relied on anyone again. Ethan was the first person who made me feel that being taken care of wasn’t a debt. That I could be vulnerable too. But now he stood across from me, protecting Hazel behind him, looking at me with the coldest eyes. Like I was a stranger! Hazel peeked out from behind him, her eyes red. “Natalie, it’s not what you think… We…” “Got your excuse ready?” I asked coldly. “Go ahead then. If you’re going to explain, make it clear. What’s your relationship now? When did it start? How far have you gone?” Hazel froze, tears immediately spilling over. She rubbed her eyes, sobbing pitifully. I let out a dry laugh, not sure if I was laughing at her or at myself. Ethan squeezed her hand and said gently: “It’s okay. Let me handle this. You put your shoes on first—the floor is cold.” Then he looked up at me. “Natalie, let’s talk outside.” “Ethan, this is my home.” My voice began to shake. “You’re telling me to leave?” He fell silent for a few seconds, glancing back at Hazel. She stood there with hunched shoulders, toes curled, like a frightened rabbit. Ethan’s voice immediately softened, carrying a note of pleading. “She couldn’t sleep until 4 AM last night. Let her rest first, okay?” In three years together, I’d never seen Ethan beg anyone. He was such a proud person—he never backed down in negotiations, never softened even when he offended people. Now he was begging me for my sister! Ethan picked up his jacket from the chair and turned to Hazel with gentle instructions. “You rest. Don’t wait up for me. There’s milk in the fridge—remember to heat up a glass.” I turned and rushed out. If I stayed any longer, I was afraid I’d cry in front of them. Ethan stayed half a step behind me, eyes downcast, his expression unreadable. When we reached the underground parking garage, he opened the car door for me. I didn’t move. “Let’s just talk here.” His hand paused, then he closed the door and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one. The parking garage lights were dim, the cigarette’s red glow flickering on and off. “I made the first move.” He took a drag, his voice low and hoarse. “Don’t blame her. Hazel is your sister. You raised her—you know her best. She’s timid, can’t survive without someone. That guy she was with before scammed her completely clean. I just… worried about her.” He flicked ash onto the ground without looking at me. “But you’re different. Natalie, you’re the most capable woman I’ve ever met. Even without me, you’ll do just fine.” I stared at him, my nails digging into my palms. “So what? Because I’m capable, I deserve to be treated like this by you two?” I found it utterly absurd. When Hazel first moved into my place, Ethan wouldn’t even mention her name. If he ran into her wandering the living room in pajamas, his brow would knot up, and he’d argue with me in hushed tones back in the bedroom. Saying she had no sense of boundaries as an adult, saying our home wasn’t a shelter. Two months ago when I left on this business trip, I’d asked him to look after Hazel. He stood at the airport departure level, hands in his pockets, his face cold the entire time. “She’s your sister, not my responsibility.” That was only two months ago. Now he stood before me, using that face I knew so well to say the most foreign words.

Ethan shoved the cigarette pack back in his pocket, his tone complicated. “I’ve wronged you. The money you transferred to Hazel for emergencies—I’ll pay back every cent. The apartment is yours. I won’t set foot in it again.” He paused. “I only have one request. Hazel really cares about you. Don’t let my mistake ruin your sisterhood.” I found it laughable—so laughable I didn’t even have the energy to be angry. “Since you know getting involved with my sister was wrong, then why the hell did you do it?!” His jaw tightened. After a long while, he finally spoke: “Natalie, some things I can’t control. What’s done is done. I’ll do everything I can to make it up to you.” “If this gets out, the person who’ll be hurt most is Hazel. You wouldn’t want to see your sister gossiped about, right?” “I’ll take her away tomorrow. Please stay at a hotel tonight—I’ve already booked one. Just give your name at the front desk.” He turned and entered the elevator, leaving me standing alone. My phone vibrated. He’d sent the hotel address, followed by “I’m sorry.” I stared at those three words for a long time. At this very moment, upstairs in what was my home, a light was on. That was a lightbulb Ethan and I had changed together before I left. Now it was shining for someone else. This city had eight million lights. But not a single one was lit for me. I finally crouched down, buried my face in my knees, my shoulders shaking violently. I didn’t end up going to the hotel he booked. Instead, I drove around the ring road all night. The next day, I went to the old district. There was a flower shop on the corner, run by my college roommate Lily. After Hazel’s ex-husband kicked her out, I hired a lawyer for her lawsuit while asking Lily to arrange an easy, low-pressure job for her at the shop. I paid the wages myself and told Lily not to mention it. Lily had laughed over the phone at the time: “Natalie, why do you care more about this sister than yourself?” Hazel stood at the flower shop entrance wearing an apron, crouched on the ground repotting a plant. When she saw me, the trowel in her hand clattered to the ground. “Natalie? How did you know I was here…” I said nothing and pushed the door open. Hazel followed behind me, frantically moving a chair and wiping it over and over with her sleeve. “Natalie, let me get you some water…” She turned too quickly and bumped into the flower stand. The watering can tipped over, water spilling everywhere and soaking her shoes. She looked down, then up at me, standing there helplessly like an elementary student called to the principal’s office. I suddenly remembered when we were little. The year Mom died, she was only eight. She couldn’t sleep alone at night—she had to hold onto my arm to fall asleep. Later when she got a bit older, she was still clingy, following me everywhere like a tail I couldn’t shake off. “Natalie,” her voice pulled me back. “I know you hate me. But I really didn’t mean for this to happen. I don’t know how it turned out this way…” She looked up at me, her eyes completely red. “I know you’ve been good to me my whole life. But you were always so busy. You were always solving my problems, never had time to listen to me talk. But Ethan was different.” “He’d ask what I ate today, he’d remember every little thing I mentioned, he’d answer the phone when I had nightmares.” “You said you hoped someone would treat me well. Now there is someone—why aren’t you happy?” Listening to her aggrieved yet self-righteous words, I couldn’t help but want to laugh. The sister I’d worked so hard to raise for sixteen years turned out to be such an ungrateful wretch! “Hazel, since childhood, what have you asked for that I haven’t given you?” “Your tuition, living expenses, rent, lawyer fees for the lawsuit, the credit card you maxed out, the money that man scammed from you—have you counted how much I’ve spent on you over the years?” “But I never imagined that the sister I raised with my own hands would steal my boyfriend!” She lowered her head, lips trembling, tears falling and splashing on the flower shop’s wooden floor. “I was twelve years old writing homework for others to earn money. At fifteen I was waiting tables at restaurants, getting splattered with hot oil that left scars all over my arm—they’re still there. At twenty I worked overtime until I had a gastric hemorrhage and got taken away in an ambulance with no one by my side!” I rolled up my sleeve, revealing those pale white old scars on my forearm. “You didn’t know any of this because I never told you.” She stared at those scars, the color draining from her face bit by bit. “Hazel, for sixteen years, I’ve given you half my life! And how did you repay me?” “You wore my pajamas, lay in my bed, sat in my boyfriend’s arms!” She slid down onto the flower shop floor, sobbing in a mess, her apron covered in dirt. I crouched down and looked at her with a cold heart. The memories that once meant everything had become unrecognizable in this moment. “Hazel, whatever you wanted that I could give, I’ve already given.” “But what I don’t give, you can’t take. You have no right to take it.”

Ethan arrived just in time to see Hazel collapsed on the floor, trembling with sobs. His expression changed drastically. He strode in and yanked her up from the ground, shielding her behind him. “I told you—if you have a problem, come at me!” He glanced back at the trembling Hazel, then turned back to me with fury nearly overflowing from his eyes. “She has a heart condition—don’t you know that?! Can’t you just talk properly? Did you have to push her this far?!” I looked at him and let out a cold laugh. “Ethan, you’re quite practiced at protecting her. When she first moved into my place, you wouldn’t even say her name! Now you’ve become her guardian angel?” Ethan stood his ground righteously. “Want to rehash the past? Fine. How much money did you spend raising her all these years? How many favors did you owe? Name your price!” “I’ll pay back every cent with interest! Is that good enough?” Looking at this stranger before me, I suddenly remembered three years ago when he was pursuing me. In the dead of winter, he’d wait for me outside the company building after work, keeping my favorite roasted chestnuts warm in his jacket. Because he was afraid of disturbing my work, he never told me—just waited silently, his face turning red from the cold. Back then I thought, this person is truly wonderful. So wonderful that I felt all the suffering in the first half of my life had been to save up my luck, so I could meet him. But now he stood across from me, trying to convert everything between us— Three years of feelings, countless late-night phone calls, too many hugs and kisses to count, those things I thought would be carved into my bones for life—into a cold string of numbers. A one-time settlement. “Enough!” Hazel suddenly shouted, stepping out from behind him. Her face was covered in tears, her chest heaving violently as she gasped for air. Ethan instinctively reached out to support her, but she pushed him away. She stubbornly lifted her head to look at me, her eyes filled with almost savage determination. “Natalie, I wronged you. I owe you a debt I can never repay in this lifetime. But don’t make yourself sound so noble!” “You raised me for sixteen years—every meal, every piece of clothing, every cent—I remember it all. But do you know that the person I’ve hated most my whole life is you?!” “You arranged everything so perfectly, which just made me feel like I, Hazel, am worthless and can’t survive a single day without you!” “I could never hold my head up in front of you, so I desperately wanted to leave you! The only reason I married that bastard was because he said he’d take me to another city!” “He still scammed me in the end, but this time I won’t listen to you anymore.” She took Ethan’s hand, interlacing their fingers. “I’ve found my true love, and even if you hate me forever, I’ll never let go!” “Besides, you have so much already—what’s wrong with giving him to me?!” Hearing her speak so righteously, I felt thunderstruck. I stepped back two paces, watching Ethan firmly clasp her hand in return, then laughed softly. “Fine. Hazel, from today on, you don’t owe me anything anymore. From now on, whether you’re well or not, dead or alive, it has nothing to do with me.” I turned and pushed open the glass door of the flower shop without looking back. The year Dad died I was fifteen. To support myself and my sister, I went to class during the day and waited tables at night. That winter, I collapsed from exhaustion and came down with a high fever. Hazel piled all the blankets in the house on top of me, then went out alone to buy medicine. Afraid the medicine would get wet from the snow, she carefully kept it in her jacket while she fell several times on the icy roads. Her knee wound got frostbite, became infected, and she developed a high fever that eventually turned into myocarditis. The doctor said her heart was damaged and she could never do strenuous exercise again or handle stress. So I always felt I owed her, and was willing to devote myself to her for life. But now she was holding my boyfriend’s hand, saying the person she’d hated most her whole life was me! One was the sister I’d raised with my own hands, the other was the person I’d planned to spend my life with. The two people I cared about most had joined forces to deliver the most fatal blow! Why? I closed my eyes and pulled out my phone, scrolling to a number.

The next day, Ethan came storming to my door. “Natalie, you sent Hazel a lawyer’s letter?! Have you lost your mind?!” “She got so stressed from the letter that she couldn’t breathe until midnight!” I leaned back in my chair and looked at him. “Debts must be repaid—it’s only natural. Don’t you know how much money she’s spent of mine?” Ethan’s jaw clenched. He took a deep breath. “Natalie, I don’t have that much money right now. Withdraw the lawyer’s letter and we’ll settle this privately.” I looked like I’d heard a joke. “Don’t have it? Ethan, didn’t you say yesterday you’d settle everything in one payment?” He stared at me hard, his eyes bloodshot. “Natalie, she’s your sister!” I smiled slightly. “She’s already cut ties with me. Why should I care if she lives or dies? Eighty thousand dollars. Pay up! I’m giving you three months.” Ethan’s face turned iron-blue. He gritted his teeth threateningly: “That client your company is negotiating with—the person in charge is my friend. One word from me and he’ll tear up the contract! Natalie, you’d better not be stupid about this!” With that, he kicked the door open and left. I watched his retreating figure, but my heart felt nothing. He did exactly as he said. The next day the sales director came to me, saying the client suddenly wanted to reassess the partnership. I didn’t ask questions. I just pulled out my backup plan. I’d lost both parents at fifteen. Every step I’d taken was like walking on thin ice—how could I not leave myself a contingency? A week later, I got a call from my cousin Emma. “Natalie, Grandma’s birthday is this weekend. Come back home—she keeps asking about you.” I was about to refuse when Emma paused and added: “Hazel’s coming back too. Says she’s bringing her boyfriend to meet Grandma.” I was silent for a few seconds, then finally agreed. That weekend, I drove back to my hometown. Two tables were set up in the courtyard, with relatives arriving one after another. Before long, Hazel walked in on Ethan’s arm. The entire courtyard went quiet for a moment. Over the years, everyone had watched me hold up this family on my own. Ethan was the man I’d brought home for Christmas. They all recognized him. In just two months, the person by his side had changed to my sister. Ethan instinctively shifted his body, shielding Hazel behind him, his eyes wary. Hazel looked at me, her lips moving. “Natalie…” I looked at the two of them and smiled lightly. “Don’t be nervous. It’s Grandma’s birthday. I’m here to celebrate.” “Since everyone’s here, let’s share a video to liven things up.” The TV behind me lit up. The moment they saw what was on screen, Hazel and Ethan froze in place, the color draining completely from their faces!

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Ten days before the SAT, my grades that should have gotten me into an Ivy League school suddenly plummeted. My mind felt foggy. I couldn’t solve even the simplest formulas. I thought it was just too much pressure, until I accidentally opened my dad’s phone search history. “How to make your daughter fail an exam?” “Where to buy a colorless, odorless drug that makes people stupid?” In that moment, I felt like I’d fallen into a freezing abyss. It turned out that to keep me tethered to them forever, my control-freak parents were working together to poison me. My grades had always been stable in the top three of my class. My teacher said that as long as I maintained this performance, I should be able to get into Stanford. But just two weeks before the SAT, something strange happened at home. That weekend, both my parents were out. A delivery person knocked on the door and handed me a small black package with no sender information. Only my dad’s name written on it. The package felt soft when I squeezed it, like some kind of powder. I didn’t think much of it and casually placed it on the living room table. My dad’s old phone happened to be on the couch charging, its screen lit up with a browser notification. For some reason, I glanced at it. Just one glance, and my blood instantly froze. It was a webpage from a secret forum. My dad’s account was still logged in. In the search box were several alarming entries in the history: “What if my daughter does too well on her exam and leaves us? Who will take care of us when we’re old?” “How to make my daughter fail her exam without it being obvious?” “Where can I buy a real colorless, odorless drug that makes people stupid?” I stared at the screen, breathing rapidly. Below was a highly upvoted response from a user with the ID “Strange Doctor.” “Making her lose her ID is too obvious. It’ll make her hate you forever. The best method is to drug her and make her brain sluggish so she underperforms.” “After she fails, you can brainwash her. Tell her she can’t handle the pressure. Tell her she’s disappointed her parents who worked so hard for her.” “Make her feel guilty for life, willingly stay local working minimum wage, and take care of you.” “I have a special drug here, colorless and odorless. If you’re interested, DM me.” And my dad’s reply under this post was: “Already DM’d you. Looking to buy. Money is not an issue.” I whipped my head around to look at the black unmarked package on the table. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand. How could this be possible? They were my parents! I desperately tried to reassure myself that this might just be junk advertising pushed by algorithms, or maybe my dad accidentally clicked on the wrong webpage. What parents in the world would scheme against their own flesh and blood like this? I forced myself to calm down, put the phone back where it was, and pretended nothing had happened. But once the seed of suspicion was planted, it began to grow wildly.

A few days later, a test at school completely shattered all my wishful thinking. Sitting in the exam room, as soon as I got the math paper, I felt dizzy and disoriented. My head was foggy, my vision blurred. The solid geometry problems that I could usually solve at a glance now looked like gibberish to me. My brain felt like it had been filled with lead. Every thought was incredibly difficult. My hand holding the pen trembled uncontrollably, and cold sweat soaked through my uniform. That exam, I essentially turned in a blank paper. When the results came out, the whole class was in an uproar. My scores were not even enough for a decent state school! My homeroom teacher, Mr. Lee, called me to his office, his brow furrowed into a knot. “Summer, what’s been going on with you lately? Is something wrong at home? Too much pressure?” I looked at the glaring numbers on the grade report, my lips trembling, unable to speak for a long time. That feeling of my brain being forcibly locked up, that sluggishness. It was too real. This wasn’t just pre-exam anxiety. I’d really been drugged. When I brought the grade report home, I was met with a storm. My dad slammed the table so hard the water glasses rattled. “This is your score? How can you face us!” My mom sneered from the side, her eyes full of contempt. “She just can’t handle pressure! Looks like she studies hard normally, but fails at critical moments!” “I’ve said it before. Just because you want to climb higher doesn’t mean you have the brains for it!” “Tell the truth. Did you cheat on all those tests before?” Listening to their coordinated accusations, I stood there, chilled to the bone. The content from that secret forum post surfaced clearly in my mind again. “Take the opportunity to brainwash her…” “Tell her she can’t handle pressure…” “Make her feel guilty for life…” Every word perfectly matched the faces of my parents before me!

If this had been before, hearing these words would have made me ashamed beyond belief. I would have desperately reflected on myself, feeling like I’d let down my parents’ efforts in raising me. Because from childhood on, they’d been manipulating me with emotional abuse. When they made roast chicken at home, my mom would deliberately put the drumsticks on my plate. Then she’d eat only salad herself, sighing and saying, “Summer, I can’t bear to eat it. I save all the good stuff for you. You’d better repay us well in the future.” Back then I was so moved I cried, swearing I’d make something of myself. But the reality? Last month, when our house in the small town was demolished for a resort development, they got three hundred thousand dollars in compensation. They turned around and bought my cousin Luke a new apartment downtown! Didn’t leave me a single cent! When I asked about it, my dad said matter-of-factly, “Luke is the heir to the family. You’re a girl. Your job is to find a good man and get married.” My high school tuition came from scholarships I earned myself. The money for my study materials came from working summer jobs at fast food restaurants. Besides giving me food to eat and a place to sleep, what exactly had they sacrificed? Thinking of this, I felt nothing but absurdity and disgust. I looked coldly at my ranting parents, my voice so calm it even scared me. “I didn’t cheat. I did poorly on this test because I wasn’t feeling well. I was dizzy.” “If there’s nothing else, I’m going to my room to study.” With that, I ignored their stunned expressions, turned, and walked into my bedroom, locking the door behind me. Outside the door came my dad’s furious cursing. “Unbelievable! How dare you give us attitude!” I leaned against the door, gasping for breath. I pulled out my phone again and secretly logged into that secret forum. Found that post. Just half an hour ago, my dad’s account had posted a new reply: “Thanks, Strange Doctor. This drug is amazing!” “I tested it out during this exam. Just used a tiny bit and she dropped almost three hundred points!” “She originally wanted to go to an Ivy League school. Now with a brain like that, even community college would be a stretch!” People below were chiming in. “Congratulations! That’s the way to do it. Girls don’t need college.” “Girls who read too much get crazy ideas. Then they’re hard to find a husband!” “Keep her around working for money, taking care of you in old age. So much better!” Reading these comments, my stomach churned and I rushed to the bathroom to dry heave.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. “Summer, open up. I’m coming in.” I quickly splashed cold water on my face, took a deep breath, and opened the door. My mom walked in carrying a steaming cup of milk. The anger had completely vanished from her face, replaced by a chillingly fake kindness. “Your dad was just upset earlier and spoke harshly. Don’t take it to heart.” She walked to my desk and handed me the milk. “Mom knows you’re under a lot of pressure. Here, drink this hot milk. It’s good for calming nerves and nourishing the brain. Drink it and get some sleep early.” The pungent smell of milk hit my nostrils. I stared at the yellowish milk, my scalp tingling. “Mom, it’s too hot. I’ll let it cool down first.” My mom’s smile froze for a moment, her eyes instantly turning sharp. “Hot? What hot? It’s only effective when you drink it warm. Hurry up. Mom’s watching you drink it.” She moved closer, clearly not leaving until I drank it. My heart pounded like a drum, my brain racing. “Mom, my stomach suddenly hurts really bad. I need to use the bathroom…” I clutched my stomach, pretending to be in pain, and bolted out. “Hey! You stubborn girl…” When I dawdled in the bathroom for ten minutes and came back, my mom was no longer in the room. That cup of milk was still on the desk. Without hesitation, I picked up the cup, walked to the window, and poured all the milk into the flower bed below. Then I put the empty cup back where it was. In the middle of the night, I lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. I quietly got up, wanting to get some water from the kitchen. Passing by the master bedroom, the door wasn’t fully closed, showing a crack. Inside came my parents’ hushed whispers. “Did she drink it?” It was my dad’s voice. “She did. The cup’s empty.” My mom laughed smugly. “This drug is amazing. Seeing her looking so dazed and confused today, I almost couldn’t help laughing.” “Good. The SAT is in a few days. Tomorrow I’ll contact that seller again and increase the dosage! We have to make absolutely sure there are no slip-ups. We absolutely cannot let her test out of here!” “Don’t worry. Once she fails, I’ll have someone find her a job at an electronics factory. Her salary goes straight to my card every month. In a few years, we’ll have her buy a car for Luke.” Hearing this, I bit my lip hard until I tasted blood. I trembled all over, backing up step by step to my room. Tears silently hit the floor. So in their eyes, I wasn’t even a person. I was just an object whose intelligence could be stripped away and whose value could be drained at will!

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After my fiancé Bridges was stolen by my sister Gina, I forced myself on him and got pregnant. Although Bridges had a terrible temper, he was handsome, so I decided to give birth to this superior offspring. Bridges was furious, saying he’d make me wish I was dead when he found me. I lived in fear and hid for five years. Until one day I went to pick up my son from school, and there was a crowd of people at the gate saying someone was fighting. I eagerly pushed through the crowd, ready to watch the show. In the open space at the school entrance, two figures were grappling with each other. The tall one wore a black trench coat, his back straight as a pine tree. The short one wore an elementary school uniform, his little legs kicking rapidly, fists small but every punch landing on vital points. I rubbed my eyes, staring at these two people who looked remarkably similar. This was a disaster. What was wrong with this father and son? They’d never even met before—how could they be fighting?

Bridges turned his head. He dodged my son Isaac’s punch, the corners of his eyes slightly upturned with careless roguishness. That face—it haunted my nightmares. I took a deep breath, then another deep breath, then one more deep breath. Isaac had told me he was very well-behaved at school. Looking at his practiced fighting stance, he seemed more like someone who frequently caused trouble and got into brawls. That left hook was fierce, the angle tricky, and he even knew to feint before throwing the real punch. A circle of parents had already gathered around. Some were holding up their phones filming, others were cheering them on. “Whose kid is this? Pretty impressive!” “Go for it, little guy!” I covered my face, wishing I could find a hole to crawl into. Isaac stood with his hands on his hips, head tilted back. “You’re blocking my way.” Bridges glanced down at him and snorted. “Did your family build this road?” “It’s not my family’s, but you’re blocking the school gate and affecting my classmates getting out of school.” Bridges actually laughed at his audacity. “Who’s your mother? How’d she raise such a little tyrant?” I rubbed my forehead. This child had completely inherited both my and Bridges’ bad tempers. Everyone knew that whenever Bridges and I met, we’d fight, and our fights always drew blood. The day I found out I was the child the Gibbs family had mistakenly raised, Bridges was the first to come watch the drama unfold. “Lewis, so you’re a fake. No wonder you have no manners.” I lunged at him directly and bit down hard on his neck. He used all his strength but couldn’t push me off. Blood seeped through my teeth. He groaned in pain and looked at me in shock, his eyes full of disbelief. “Are you a dog?!” Only then did I release my mouth and licked the blood from the corner of my lips. I just hadn’t expected he wouldn’t get along with Isaac either. Bridges reached out and grabbed Isaac by the back of his neck. “Come on, let’s find your parent. I want to see what kind of parent could raise a little demon like you.” My throat tightened, and I prepared to make my escape. Just then, an angry shout came from the school gate. The homeroom teacher, clicking along in high heels, charged over with fury on her face. “Which class are you from? Bullying our students?” Bridges looked unusually embarrassed. Just as he was about to speak, a woman in a beige trench coat emerged gracefully from the crowd. She naturally hooked her arm through Bridges’ and smiled slightly at Ms. Anderson. “Hello, teacher. I’m sorry, we were presumptuous.” “We’re investors in this school. We happened to be passing by today and wanted to see the school environment. My husband doesn’t really know how to interact with children. If he’s offended your student, I apologize on his behalf.” As she spoke, she bowed slightly, her manner elegant and proper. Ms. Anderson’s anger dissipated by more than half. “Oh, investors… well, you still can’t get physical with students…” Gina turned to look at Bridges, her tone carrying a hint of reproach. “Bridges, really, why are you being so serious with a child?” I looked at their linked arms and clicked my tongue in wonder. After Gina was taken back to her real family, she targeted me at every turn. “Bridges is mine too, Lewis. You’re not going to try to take him as well, are you?” I was shaking with rage. Since she said I was a cuckoo in the nest, I’d show her just how much I could take. That very night, I drugged Bridges and slept with him, then fled overnight. I pressed down the brim of my hat. As long as I wasn’t recognized, everything would be fine. Just then, the homeroom teacher suddenly called out to me. “Hey, Ms. Lewis, you’re here? I was just about to call you.” My steps halted.

Bridges’ gaze was sweeping in this direction. Ms. Anderson walked up to me, holding Isaac’s hand. “Isaac and that gentleman just had a little misunderstanding. I wanted to explain the situation to you…” I turned my back to Bridges, keeping my voice very low. “I have an emergency right now, a really urgent one. Can I contact you later?” Ms. Anderson paused, looking at my expression, then glancing behind me. “But…” I made up an excuse on the spot, bent down and scooped up Isaac. Isaac obediently put his arms around my neck, looking confused. I turned and darted into a nearby alley, quickly taking him home. Isaac slid down from my arms and looked up at me. “That uncle kept staring at you just now. When you left, he watched your back for a long time.” I didn’t say anything. Just as I was about to close the door, a hand pressed against it from outside. Gina stood in the doorway, smiling triumphantly and falsely. “Lewis, it really is you. It’s been so long.” “No wonder Bridges didn’t recognize you. You don’t look anything like that arrogant person you used to be.” Isaac poked half his face out from behind my legs, his little face tense, glaring at her. Gina noticed his gaze, looked down, and smiled. “Which man did you have this one with?” I rolled my eyes dramatically and cut her off. “Are you done?” The smile on her face froze for a moment. She pulled a gold-embossed invitation from her bag and held it out. “Lewis, tomorrow is my and Bridges’ wedding. Mom and Dad said that even though you’re not their biological daughter, they raised you for twenty years and still hope you can come.” Gina shoved the invitation into my hand and leaned close to my ear. “Oh, and I still have those paintings of yours.” I raised an eyebrow. Gina stepped back half a step, a dignified and proper smile on her face, but her eyes were vicious. “You left in such a hurry back then. That kraft paper bag had about twenty-something paintings in it, all from when you were in high school.” Gina tilted her head, smiling sweetly. “I heard you were originally going to apply to art school? What a shame. I was the one who had Mom and Dad cut off all your financial support, which kept you from going to college.” “I’ve looked through those paintings a few times. They’re all large-scale photos of Bridges, aren’t they?” I narrowed my eyes at her. “What do you want? I’ve already left the Gibbs family. After all these years, you still won’t let me go?” She let out a triumphant laugh. “Lewis, you stole so many years of my life. This is nothing.” “The wedding is next Saturday. If you come, I’ll return those paintings to you in front of everyone. If you don’t come, I’ll make them public at the wedding and let everyone see how disgusting you are.” I snorted with laughter. “Fine, then make them public. Let everyone see his nude photos.” Gina froze for a moment, then her face turned bright red. “You’re shameless!” I smiled and pulled out my phone, waving it. “Oh, and if you don’t think that’s sensational enough, I have more here. From when he and I… you know. Want to see those too?” I didn’t actually have anything, but I was used to playing dirty. Gina’s face turned ashen. “Lewis, you’re despicable!” I tilted my head, smiling brightly. “If you don’t show everyone my paintings, you’re a dog.” She was shaking with rage, pointing her finger at me, unable to get a word out for a long time. “You were spoiled rotten by the Gibbs family. You’ve been kicked out for so many years and you still haven’t learned to control your temper. Just you wait.” She glared at me furiously through gritted teeth, then turned and left. I called after her, “I’ll definitely be there tomorrow. If you don’t release them, you’re not human!” Isaac poked his head out from behind the door. “Mom, what did you paint?” I pinched his little face. “Tomorrow Mom’s taking you to a party.”

The next day, I went to the Gibbs house as promised. When Gina walked over in her trailing wedding dress, I was squatting in a corner fixing Isaac’s little suit. “Lewis, you came. Perfect, there’s something I’d like your help with.” I raised an eyebrow, wondering what trick she was pulling. She clapped her hands, and two bodyguards in black emerged from behind her, grabbing my arms on either side. “The kitchen is short-handed today. The dishwashing lady ran off at the last minute. Lewis, you’re not doing anything anyway, so go help out.” I frowned. “Gina, you invited me to your wedding just to have me wash dishes?” She looked me up and down, her gaze full of condescension. “Kitchen work isn’t hard. Washing plates, wiping floors—you can’t tell me you can’t even do that? You’re not the pampered daughter living in luxury at the Gibbs house anymore.” The two bodyguards dragged me toward the kitchen. Isaac rushed over and hugged my leg. “Don’t touch my mom!” She gestured to the bodyguards, and another one came forward, grabbed Isaac by the back of his collar, and lifted him away from me. “Gina!” I struggled and shouted. “Let go of my son!” “Relax, I’m not going to do anything to him.” She adjusted her veil, her tone light and airy. “When you finish your work in the kitchen, I promise your son will be returned to you safe and sound.” She paused, then leaned close to my ear and lowered her voice. “Of course, that’s assuming you do the job well. If you break even one plate, you and your son will have to go home naked today.” The bodyguards dragged me into the kitchen and threw me in front of a pile of greasy plates. “Finish washing before you can leave.” The door locked from the outside. I took a deep breath, rolled up my sleeves, and started washing. I washed for almost an hour, my hands turning pale and wrinkled. Just then, a commotion suddenly came from the distance. Then came Gina’s scream: “How is that possible? I was wearing it on my hand! That diamond ring cost fifty million!” “How could it disappear!” My heart sank with an inexplicable sense of foreboding. I looked out through the crack in the door. The next second, I heard Gina continue speculating: “Just now… just now a child got pretty close to me. He even bumped into me, and then my ring disappeared.” Before Gina finished speaking, bodyguards walked out with Isaac in tow. Isaac was still holding half a macaron, his cheeks puffed out, looking a bit confused by the sudden attention. “I didn’t!” “What are you doing? Let me go!” Isaac began struggling violently. Gina stepped forward quickly, apologizing with false concern: “Isaac, I’m sorry.” “This ring is really too valuable. I can’t afford to lose it. I just want to make sure—just to check if you have it on you. If you don’t, I’ll have them let you go immediately!” Under the gaze of everyone present, the ring was pulled out of Isaac’s pocket. The entire banquet hall instantly erupted in an uproar. Contemptuous and scornful looks came from all directions.

Several people friendly with the Gibbs family were already frowning, pointing at Isaac. “Clearly has no upbringing, charging around recklessly at this kind of occasion.” “Where’s the parent? The child caused trouble—the parent should at least come out and explain.” Isaac’s little face slowly turned red as he loudly protested: “I didn’t! I didn’t bump into her! I didn’t take her ring either!” But his childish voice seemed pale and helpless amid the noisy discussions. I pounded on the door, my palms aching, but the door didn’t budge. Just then, police and on-site security arrived. The evidence was ironclad, witnessed by all. The police crouched down and asked: “Little friend, where are your mom and dad? Who told you to steal?” That question was like a needle, puncturing Isaac’s forced composure. He blinked, moisture gathering on his lashes, but he quickly held it back forcefully. “I don’t know.” Gina nestled against Cameron, who had rushed over after hearing the news, crying piteously. “Mom, that ring… was Bridges’ token to me.” “This is Lewis’s son from outside. We kindly let them come to the wedding, and we didn’t expect him to have such sticky fingers.” The murmurs around grew louder. “Oh, it’s her, that fake…” “No wonder he steals!” Isaac bit his lip hard, not letting his tears fall. Just then, a low commotion came from the banquet hall entrance. The crowd automatically parted to make way. Bridges, wearing a perfectly tailored black suit, walked in expressionlessly. Gina wiped her tears, her tone becoming businesslike. “Officer, there’s one more thing.” She pulled out her phone from her handbag, brought up several photos, and handed it to the police. “These are paintings Lewis made. The content… it’s all photos she secretly took of my husband, then painted as nude portraits.” She paused, her face slightly flushed, as if too embarrassed to continue. “My husband is Bridges, heir to Bridges Group. These paintings seriously violate his right to his image, and the content of the paintings is very… indecent.” The police took the phone, frowning. “Where are these paintings now?” “They were with me originally. Lewis came to the wedding today wanting to get the paintings back. But I think this kind of behavior shouldn’t be tolerated. So I want to pursue her legal responsibility.” She turned to look at Bridges, her voice softening. “Bridges, don’t you think so?” Bridges looked up, walked to the police, and scooped up Isaac. “I’m the child’s father.” “Those photos were also taken when I was scantily dressed, trying to seduce her, begging her to paint them.”

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I work as an online late-night sleep therapist, specializing in treating male sexual dysfunction anxiety. I have succubus bloodline and can directly enter clients’ minds, customizing the wildest erotic dreams for them. They regain their vigor in dreams, while I secretly feed on the overflow of dopamine to stay eternally young. If I encounter a drop-dead gorgeous guy, I don’t mind personally joining him in the dream for some mind-blowing sex. “Thanks for your business. Remember to leave a five-star review when you wake up!” I rubbed my aching lower back, having just kicked an extremely handsome client out of the dreamscape. Before I could catch my breath, my phone suddenly vibrated. “Do you take urgent orders? I seem to have lost interest in all women.” Hearing the voice on the other end, I jumped in shock. It was actually my uncle, the one I’ve loved but could never have. I disguised my voice and immediately accepted this big job. “Don’t worry, I guarantee your satisfaction~” Rodriguez was an orphan adopted by my grandfather, the current head of the Bruno family. And I, a granddaughter of the Bruno family, had fallen in love with this uncle. Since he delivered himself to my doorstep tonight, I wasn’t going to hold back. I rolled out of bed, lit the dream-inducing incense, and locked my psychic power onto Rodriguez’s brainwaves. Once I entered the dreamscape, I would transform into the woman his subconscious most desired. No way he wouldn’t get it up. After the sensation of weightlessness passed, I landed steadily. Opening my eyes, I found myself in an underground parking garage. Who would’ve thought Rodriguez’s subconscious space would be this wild. I followed the sound of heavy breathing. Rodriguez was leaning against a car door, his eyes flushed red. Wearing a slip dress, I walked over and trapped him between me and the car door. “Mr. Rodriguez, were you waiting for me?” I hooked his tie and wound it around my finger, forcing him to lower his head. My other hand tore open his shirt, fingertips tracing circles on his chest muscles. Rodriguez’s whole body tensed. He didn’t push me away. He just stared at me, Adam’s apple bobbing, body rigid. “Why so quiet?” I pressed closer, my thigh brushing against his pants. “You’re pretty intimidating at the office normally, aren’t you?” “But now… you don’t even dare touch me?” “Don’t play with fire.” His voice was hoarse. He raised his hand and gripped my wrist, not forcefully, as if suppressing himself. “What if I do? What can you do about it?” I stood on tiptoe and bit his earlobe with my teeth, tongue trailing down his neck. My palm roamed across his back, leaving several red marks with my nails. This feeling of taking advantage of him with full justification excited me tremendously. Rodriguez gasped, fists clenched, back pressed against the car door. He closed his eyes, letting me cling to him and ignite the fire, tilting his head back, muffled groans escaping his throat as he endured this torturous pleasure. I was waiting, waiting for his body’s response. But five seconds passed, ten seconds passed. Sweat dripped down from his temples as I teased him. But where our bodies pressed together, there was dead silence, no reaction whatsoever. No way, right? He was this aroused, but down there was truly out of commission? Not believing it, my hand continued downward along his V-line. The instant my fingertips touched the bottom line, Rodriguez’s eyes snapped open. “Get lost!” He shoved me away and I fell onto the concrete floor, scraping my palm. The dreamscape began to shake as his emotions collapsed. He was forcibly waking himself up. I cursed and cut the connection, retreating. Bouncing up from bed, I gasped for air, clutching my bruised arm. Rodriguez was psychologically enjoying the teasing, but physiologically showed no response at all. How severe was this psychological barrier? My phone lit up with a Twitter message from Rodriguez: “Didn’t feel anything.” I stared at those three words, anger surging. I worked so hard in the dream, he enjoyed it with his eyes closed, and now he says he didn’t feel anything? Clearly, it’s you who can’t perform! I replied through gritted teeth. “Don’t worry, Mr. Rodriguez. Tonight I’ll give you stronger medicine. I guarantee it’ll cure your condition.”

After the first treatment failed, I spent all day reviewing what went wrong. Physiological dysfunction stems from subconscious defensiveness. An oppressive space like an underground parking garage would make him vigilant. What if I switched to somewhere he’s most familiar with? The next day, I timed my entry into the dream perfectly. The scene was set in his actual bedroom, at the Bruno estate. I opened his closet, picked out a white shirt and put it on, then sat leaning on his bed. The door opened and Rodriguez walked in carrying a glass of water. When he saw me sitting on the bed, his footsteps froze. He stared at my exposed legs, Adam’s apple bobbing. “Come here.” His voice was hoarse. I walked in front of him. Smirking, I took the glass from his hand. Then I tilted my head back and poured the water down my own neck! The water soaked through the white shirt, exposing my body’s spring scenery completely. Rodriguez’s pupils contracted sharply. I pushed him down onto the bed! “Tonight, I’ll take good care of you.” I straddled him on the bed, dripping wet, hands braced on either side of his waist, looking at him. The excitement of freely touching my beloved made my fingertips tremble. I leaned down and pressed against his lips. Then I moved downward, kissing past his Adam’s apple and collarbone. I used my teeth to grip the buttons of his shirt and pulled them open one by one. His chest muscles were exposed. I pressed my lips against them, tongue tracing the lines of his abs. Throughout it all, Rodriguez lay face up, hands tightly gripping the sheets beneath him, veins bulging on the backs of his hands. He remained passively receiving, with only increasingly heavy breathing. I was so excited I was nearly going crazy. When my lips stopped at his belt buckle, I felt his abdomen instantly stiffen. I opened my mouth to bite open his final line of defense. Then a hand grabbed me. Rodriguez suddenly turned the tables, flipping me over and pinning me beneath him on the bed! “Had enough fun yet?!” He roared, yanking off his tie and binding my hands to the headboard. “Rod… Mr. Rodriguez…” I was even more excited by this turn of events. Rodriguez’s hands, through the soaked shirt, caressed my body. Everywhere his palms touched, my skin burned. Being touched by my beloved, excitement and desire made me arch my back in response. Soon, as long as he breaks through his psychological barrier… I closed my eyes, waiting for that final penetration. But he stopped right at the edge of losing control. Rodriguez buried his face in my neck. His body pressed tightly against mine as he deeply inhaled my scent. Then the bedroom around us began to melt away. He was forcing himself awake, dispelling this intimate moment. I snapped my eyes open and punched the pillow. So close! Why would he rather bury his face in my neck sniffing than just go for it?! The next morning, I woke up with dark circles under my eyes and decided to go to his house to investigate. As soon as I entered the living room, I saw Rodriguez sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. And beside him, pressed close to him, was his fiancée, Vivian. “Well, if it isn’t Natalie.” Vivian glanced at me and rolled her eyes. “Coming over to mooch breakfast first thing in the morning. Really treating this place like your own home.” I glanced at her, too lazy to engage. But Rodriguez suddenly put down his newspaper. “Pour me a glass of water.” No choice. I walked to the coffee table to pour water. As I bent down, I felt a gaze land on me, full of aggression. I followed my intuition and looked over. Rodriguez’s eyes were fixed on my exposed collarbone and legs. That look was exactly the same as last night! My heart jumped. I steeled myself and handed him the water. The instant we exchanged the glass, his fingertip brushed across the back of my hand. My whole body trembled. Vivian sensed something was wrong, her expression darkening. Just as she was about to explode. “Your hand is so cold.” Rodriguez dropped this comment and went upstairs with the glass. Vivian remained in place, trembling with anger. I lowered my head, staring at the back of my hand. Something was off. Had he recognized me?!

After returning home from his place, my mom called. “Hurry up, change your clothes and come downstairs! Today’s blind date is the heir to the Edgar Group. “Stop pining after Rodriguez. You two are absolutely impossible!” My head throbbed. Ever since graduating college, my mom had been forcing me on blind dates. She’d seen through my feelings for Rodriguez and feared I would ruin the Bruno family’s reputation. I threw on a t-shirt and went out, meeting the man at a restaurant. “Miss Natalie, even though your uncle is running your family now, you’re still one of the heirs. After we get married and have a son, won’t the Bruno family assets return to your hands?” The man said this while reaching out to touch me. Disgusted, I grabbed the water glass on the table, ready to smash it in his face. A hand suddenly reached over and clamped down on his wrist. He screamed and slid from his chair to the floor on his knees. I looked up in shock. Rodriguez was already standing beside me, his face dark. “Mr. Rodriguez…” The man’s face went pale with fear. “Get lost.” Rodriguez growled, and the blind date scrambled away. Rodriguez turned his head and stared at me. “Miss Natalie has such low standards she’d even consider this kind of trash?” He dropped this line and turned to leave. I stood there, eyes stinging, fists clenched. Fine. You think I’m desperate, is that it? Tonight, I’ll make you taste what it’s like to want something you can’t have! Third dream entry. I set the scene in his CEO office. I wore a fitted pencil skirt, white blouse, black stockings and heels. This mature woman outfit would drive him crazy. Rodriguez pushed the door open. When he saw me, his breathing clearly deepened. I didn’t pounce on him directly like the previous two times. I stood up and walked in front of him. Extending my fingertip, I lifted his tie, traced circles along his chest, then slid inside his jacket, caressing his waist. Rodriguez’s eyes darkened. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he raised his hand, wanting to pull me into his arms. I stepped back half a step, slapped his hand away, expression turning cold. “Mr. Rodriguez, please restrain yourself. This is an office.” Rodriguez’s hand froze in midair, eyes rimmed red. “You…” He gritted his teeth. Ignoring him, I turned and walked to the filing cabinet, pretending to organize. When he approached, I suddenly turned and lightly licked his Adam’s apple with my tongue. “Hiss~” He sucked in a sharp breath, whole body tense, eyes locked on me as he again reached out to press me against the desk. “Smack.” I slapped his hand away again, pulling back distance, adjusting my glasses. “Mr. Rodriguez, there are still two contracts that need your signature. Please focus on your work.” I turned and walked to the office desk, facing away from him, hands braced on the edge. I bent my upper body down. The pencil skirt hugged my waist and hip curves with the movement, black-stockinged legs gleaming under the lights. I heard gasping behind me. Rodriguez pressed up against me, his hand reaching for the top of my thigh! I quickly dodged sideways, slipping away from in front of him, retreating to the other side of the desk. I raised my chin, speaking coolly: “Mr. Rodriguez, your self-control seems rather poor.” “If you can’t even maintain professional conduct, I don’t think our meeting tonight needs to continue.” Finally, Rodriguez’s veins bulged and his rationality completely snapped. “Fuck the work!” He grabbed my collar and pinned me against the floor-to-ceiling window! Ignoring my resistance, his large hand yanked and the shirt buttons instantly flew off. His palm slid down along my waistline and ripped open the black stockings. I was pressed hard against the glass, our bodies tightly joined. In that instant, I clearly felt it! That place that had been dead silent finally showed signs of rising! That massive presence was pressing against my body. I clutched his shoulders and in the heat of passion blurted out: “Uncle…” Rodriguez’s whole body jerked to a halt. “What did you call me?!” He released me and stepped back two paces. The rising trend instantly softened after that word “uncle.” He gasped heavily, bit down on his own lip, and blood welled up. He stared at me intently. “Why… why does it have to be you…” He murmured these words. Then the dreamscape collapsed and I was ejected back to reality. Damn it! Just one final step away, and my stupid mouth, why did I have to call him uncle at the most critical moment?!

I didn’t sleep well all night. I’d planned to rest and battle Rodriguez again tonight. But tonight was the Bruno Group’s tenth anniversary gala, which I had to attend. My mom dragged me along, probing about my progress with Edgar. I answered evasively, but my peripheral vision stayed locked on Rodriguez. Rodriguez had been forced to drink quite a bit tonight. Looking slightly fatigued, he was helped into the private lounge by his assistant. I excused myself to the restroom and secretly slipped inside. Rodriguez was lying back on the sofa, eyes closed, already drunk and sound asleep. I walked to the coffee table and picked up his fallen phone. My fingertips trembling, I entered my own birthday. The screen unlocked! I opened the photo album. Inside was only one photo of me sleeping at home. So he’d had feelings for me in reality all along! Trembling with excitement, I looked at Rodriguez lying on the sofa. Since we always fell short in dreams, and now he was completely defenseless, why not strike while the iron’s hot? I put down the phone and walked to the sofa, half-kneeling on the floor. I extended my finger, trailing down from his Adam’s apple. My fingertip unbuttoned his shirt, palm pressed against his lower abdomen, following the lines of his abs, going directly downward, slipping my hand inside to play freely. I felt the muscles beneath my hand tighten. Rodriguez’s breathing grew heavier, and that place was rapidly awakening. I licked my lips, about to lower my head and go further when— My mom’s voice suddenly came from outside the door. “Where did Natalie run off to? She was just here.” “Don’t worry, Rodriguez is resting here. She probably went to find Rodriguez.” Vivian was there too. Footsteps grew closer, stopping right at the lounge door! I startled and quickly withdrew my hand. Before I could stand up to find somewhere to hide, Rodriguez, who had been on the sofa, opened his eyes! He grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the adjacent storage closet. Rodriguez locked the closet door behind him. From outside came the sound of the door opening and conversation. “Strange, Rodriguez isn’t here. Where’s Natalie?” On this side of the wall, I was pinned against the door by Rodriguez. It was very narrow here. Our bodies pressed tightly together. My phone vibrated violently in my pocket—my mom calling. But Rodriguez’s hand explored over, lifting my skirt inch by inch. Right here, I clearly felt— It was rapidly growing larger, pressing hard against me! I stared wide-eyed in shock, pressing down on his hand, frantically shaking my head at him. Rodriguez lowered his head, whispering in my ear. “You played so wild in the dreams—soaking wet, black stockings, office… trying every trick on me.” “In reality, how come you’re scared?” My brain completely crashed, my consciousness becoming hazy. Rodriguez suddenly tightened his arms around my waist and thrust his hips! “Mmph!” My whole body went soft, pupils contracting sharply. I could only desperately cover my mouth, forcing the moan back down my throat. Outside the door, my mom was knocking on the storage closet. “Why is this door locked? Is anyone in there?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “385787”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster