Author: Momo Chan

I was discreetly escorting a criminal suspect onto a plane. Mid-flight, a flight attendant approached the suspect and started chatting him up. I subtly warned her of the danger and requested a secluded corner away from other passengers for us. To my surprise, the flight attendant scoffed at me. “Hey, is this your private plane? You think you can sit wherever you want? I’m just talking to a handsome guy, what are you so jealous about?” Seeing her unreasonable behavior, I called the chief flight attendant to intervene. But the flight attendant started crying, claiming I was bullying her, which drew sympathy from other passengers. I was utterly speechless. What she didn’t know was that this suspect wasn’t an ordinary criminal; he was extremely dangerous. During our argument, the suspect suddenly erupted, grabbed the flight attendant, and demanded the plane turn back. I’m a female detective, and I’d spent three months undercover, pouring all my energy into finally capturing a nationally notorious criminal named Florian. Per my superior’s orders, I was secretly escorting him back to state headquarters. Before boarding, my director repeatedly emphasized the need for complete discretion, under no circumstances revealing Florian’s identity to avoid panic among passengers. I tucked away my badge and handcuffs, then sat down next to Florian. While warning him to behave and not pull any stunts, my gaze swept alertly over everyone in the airport, not daring to relax for a second. As soon as the plane entered the stratosphere, a young intern flight attendant in uniform, her face still bearing a trace of childishness, pushed a meal cart down the aisle. When she saw Florian, her eyes locked onto him, unable to move away. The intern flight attendant deliberately slowed her pace, bypassed me, and leaned over to Florian. Her voice was syrupy sweet: “Handsome, what would you like to drink? Water, coffee, or juice?” Florian looked up at her, a cold smirk playing on his lips, and my heart instinctively tightened. I immediately answered for him: “Thank you, he doesn’t want anything. We’re trying to rest, please try not to disturb us.” But the intern flight attendant completely ignored my presence, glancing at me dismissively. She leaned back towards Florian, her tone even more coquettish: “Handsome, are you feeling unwell? Do you need me to get you some medicine?” I suppressed my surging anger, my voice a few shades colder, deliberately emphasizing the “no.” “I said, we need to rest. Can’t you understand not to disturb us anymore?” I looked around the half-empty cabin and added, “Also, please arrange for us to sit in a corner, preferably away from other passengers. I’m sensitive to noise.” To my surprise, the flight attendant instantly flared up as if I’d stepped on her tail. She slammed the water cup in her hand onto the tray table, splashing water on me without a hint of apology. “Ma’am, I’m talking to this gentleman. What business is it of yours? Did I ask you?” “Did your family build this plane? You think you can sit wherever you want? Why don’t you sit on top of the plane then?” My brows knitted together, and I patiently said, “I’m with him. Is it okay if I answer for him? He’s not eating or drinking anything, please don’t ask again.” I tried to subtly hint with my eyes, gesturing towards the silver handcuffs hidden under our jackets, but she didn’t get my meaning. Instead, she raised her voice, even more arrogant: “Stop pretending! Are you that desperate for a man in real life, getting so worked up just because I said a few words to a handsome guy!” Her voice was so loud it drew the attention of many nearby passengers. “Plane seats are fixed. Do you think you’re the queen, just changing seats as you please?” My eyes widened; I couldn’t believe these words were coming from a professional flight attendant. After speaking, she turned to Florian, her voice tinged with grievance: “Sir, look at her. I just wanted to show some concern, and she’s being so hostile towards me.” “If she tries to complain about me after the flight, you absolutely have to put in a good word for me, okay?” Florian looked at me playfully, then slowly said, “Gorgeous, don’t worry. You’re so pretty, how could I let you be reported?” The intern flight attendant lowered her head with a shy smile, immediately pulling out a notepad from her pocket to write down her name and contact information. “Here, this is my Twitter. My name is Claire. Remember to add me!” I took a deep breath, gritted my teeth, and said firmly, “I said! Change our seats!”

Claire, however, stuck out her neck, a look of smug confidence on her face: “I’m not changing your seats! You can die in this seat today if you want!” I was trembling with rage, my full fury no longer contained: “Go get your chief flight attendant! I want to ask her, is this Delta Airlines’ standard of professional conduct?” Claire scoffed: “See? Women really are jealous, always running to their boss at the slightest thing.” “Go ahead and call her! Do you think I’m scared of you?” Whispers erupted around us, and a surge of irrational anger rushed to my head. I’d been a detective for eight years, personally apprehending countless heinous criminals. But I had never encountered someone so ignorant and foolish. She had no idea that the “handsome guy” she was so desperately trying to charm was a criminal with blood on his hands. The chief flight attendant quickly arrived, speaking humbly: “Ma’am, how may I assist you?” Just as I was about to explain the situation, Claire stepped forward and cried out, “Aunt Levitt!” Then she immediately covered her face and burst into tears, drawing the full attention of the entire cabin. “Aunt Levitt, this woman is bullying me! I was just doing my job, and she randomly yelled at me, forced me to change her seat, and threatened to report me!” She deliberately shouted “bullying” and “report” extra loud, appearing fragile and delicate. Uninformed passengers in the front rows were instantly stirred, standing up and looking our way. Some even pulled out their phones to record, their voices filled with sympathy for Claire. A middle-aged man frowned, pointing at me and loudly declared, “I say, you’re going too far, lady! What’s wrong with a young girl working as an intern? Do you really need to threaten to report her?” A middle-aged woman next to him nodded in agreement, her voice tinged with disdain: “Exactly! You look so put-together, yet you’re so vicious! You’ll have children someday, can’t you be more understanding?” “Some people just can’t stand to see others young and pretty. It’s pure jealousy, plain and simple.” “Don’t worry, little girl, if she reports you, we’ll all write letters to the airline to vouch for you.” Another professional-looking woman impatiently took off her eye mask, glancing at me: “Can you be quiet? Are you so miserable in your daily life that you have to complain about every little thing?” I was trembling with anger from the baseless accusations: “Are you all blind? Or is there something wrong with your brains?” “This is completely twisting the facts! She completely ignored my repeated warnings and kept bothering him! I merely asked her to change our seats, and she turned it around on me, claiming I was bullying her!” Seeing people taking her side, Claire cried even harder, choking out: “Thank you, everyone. The public sees clearly… I’m not twisting the facts, I’m just doing my duty! She’s targeting me!” Saying this, she feigned a bow to me: “Ma’am, let’s just say it’s all my fault, okay? I apologize to you, please don’t report me! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Again, sounds of “tsk tsk tsk” rippled through the cabin. “Flight attendants are people too! Look at what she’s reduced her to!” “When will some people understand that everyone is equal? Does she really think she’s above others?” Ms. Levitt’s face instantly darkened. She pulled Claire behind her, her gaze at me turning chillingly cold. Her earlier humility was completely gone.

“Ma’am, please speak with respect. Our flight attendants are not born inferior.” “Professionally, she is my subordinate. Caring for passengers is her job, and there’s nothing wrong with that.” “Personally, I’m her aunt. I’ve watched her grow up since childhood. I know her character better than a stranger like you.” She paused, then raised her voice: “It’s 2026! We’re all women, why are you so male-gaze-centric and anti-woman? Please spend more time online and less time being difficult with your own kind!” “Me? Male-gaze-centric and anti-woman? Me, being difficult with a woman?” It’s true that when you’re speechless, you sometimes just laugh. I said, word for word: “You have the nerve to say that? You’re blindly taking your niece’s side without bothering to understand the truth. Isn’t that also being difficult with your own kind?” “She’s an intern, I won’t argue with her, but you’re a chief flight attendant, in charge of the entire cabin! Didn’t you receive notification about a VIP passenger? Do you know how much responsibility you’ll bear if you disrupt my work?” The discussions grew louder. “Hmph, VIP passenger! Who does she think she is? If she’s so important, why isn’t she in first class? The airline would naturally prioritize her there.” “She really thinks she’s the queen, huh?” “Laughable! Sounds like it’s her first time flying. Just stop talking, I’m embarrassed for you.” Claire, hiding behind Ms. Levitt, secretly flashed a triumphant smile and even gave me a provocative look. Ms. Levitt was stunned by my words, her face immediately turning even paler: “Don’t you dare try to pressure me with this ‘VIP passenger’ talk! I’m telling you, I have all the information about everyone on this plane, including yours!” “If you don’t want me to cause trouble for your workplace, you’d better quiet down. If you continue to be unreasonable, I’ll call the air marshals to handle it!” Just as we were at a stalemate, and my fingertips touched my badge. Another flight attendant rushed from the rear cabin, leaning in to Ms. Levitt’s ear. She spoke quickly in a low voice: “Chief, I just checked the crew notice. There is indeed a very important passenger on this flight who needs our special attention and full cooperation. We absolutely cannot neglect them!” Ms. Levitt and Claire’s faces changed. Their earlier arrogance vanished. Ms. Levitt picked up her tablet, her fingers swiftly scrolling the screen.

Claire also leaned in, her eyes fixed on the notice on the screen. Her triumphant expression completely disappeared, but the next second, a smirk of schadenfreude appeared on her lips. A moment later, Ms. Levitt closed the tablet, calmly looking up at me. She said coldly, “You’re right, there is a very important passenger on this flight, but that person isn’t you!” She paused, then continued, “It’s Professor Richards, our nation’s top heart specialist. He’s on his way to Washington for an urgent conference. We were specifically told by upper management to ensure his travel is safe and comfortable, without any disturbances!” As soon as she finished speaking, a burst of laughter erupted in the cabin. “She scared me! I thought she was some powerful figure, but it turns out she was just blustering.” “Didn’t you hear the chief flight attendant? Professor Richards needs rest. You’ve been making a ruckus for so long, what if you’ve disturbed Professor Richards?” Claire instantly regained her confidence, rolling her eyes dramatically at me, then looking at Florian with concern. “Sir, I think the lady next to you might have some mental issues. For your safety, I’ll arrange for you to go to first class. That way, no one will disturb our conversation.” She started to lead him away. I completely panicked. All my forbearance shattered in that moment. I could tolerate misunderstanding and humiliation, but Florian was a criminal. I absolutely would not allow him to leave my sight. I pulled out my badge and shouted loudly, “I’m a detective, and I’m on duty!” Before I could react, she snatched the badge from my hand. Without even a glance, she ripped it to shreds. “I can buy a whole box of these online! I’d sooner believe I’m the President than believe you’re a detective!” She immediately put on a “righteous” facade: “Don’t you know that handcuffing him like this is restricting his personal freedom, it’s unlawful detention! I have to save him today!” Saying this, she grabbed the silver handcuffs connecting Florian and me, pulling with both hands, desperately tugging them apart. She kept repeating, “Let him go! Quick, let him go! You psycho!” I struggled to block her, my fingertips digging into the handcuffs: “Don’t touch the handcuffs! You’ll get everyone killed! He’s a criminal, he can’t be let go!” Just as we were struggling, Click! The silver handcuffs snapped. I stumbled backward from the sudden release. Looking up, Florian’s wrist was free. Only half of the cold handcuff remained, still tightly locked to my wrist.

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On my wedding day, Ethan and his twin brother, Noah, appeared at the same time. They wore identical wedding suits and had the same hairstyle. “Lily, can you tell which one is me?” In my past life, I recognized Ethan at a glance. He smiled, took my hand, and walked onto the wedding stage, vowing to love me forever in front of our family and friends. After the wedding, he treated me like a queen, and I thought that was happiness. Until Chloe, Ethan’s old classmate, died in a tsunami while on a cruise. He went crazy and pushed me from a tall building. “If you had only picked the wrong twin on our wedding day, I could have traveled the world with Chloe, and she wouldn’t have died! Lily, why did you have to recognize me that day?!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back before the wedding began. This time, I didn’t hesitate. I threw myself into Noah’s arms and whined playfully, “How could I possibly not recognize you!” Ethan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. But he didn’t see Noah’s arms tightening around me, or the ambition in his eyes.

“You guessed right.” Noah’s eyes darkened, and the hand on my waist tightened. “Lily, the ceremony is about to start.” Ethan urged. “You two go ahead. I’ll change out of this suit.” With that, he shot Noah a triumphant look. I pretended to be oblivious and walked out of the dressing room, arm in arm with Noah. As we pushed open the door, we bumped right into Chloe. Her gaze slid past me and landed on Noah’s face. After a few seconds of intense staring, a flicker of glee appeared in her eyes. “Lily, congratulations to you and Ethan on your wedding!” Her blessing was dripping with sarcasm, Chloe was mocking me for picking the wrong groom. But in my past life, she had run off in tears. Back then, Ethan explained that Chloe was emotionally unstable due to trouble at work. I believed him and didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until Ethan pushed me from that tall building that I learned he and Chloe had made a bet. If I hadn’t recognized him on our wedding day, he would pretend to be Noah and travel the world with Chloe for three months. This was to make up for the regret that they couldn’t be together. After three months, he would switch back with Noah, pretending nothing had happened. This time, I decided to fulfill their wishes. I looked at the unmistakable triumph in Chloe’s eyes and gave her a bright smile. “I wish you all the best too.” Before she could react, I pulled Noah toward the wedding stage. As the music started, the wedding ceremony officially began. On the large screen in the background, our names — Lily Evans and Ethan Robert — were displayed. But he and Chloe were sitting below the stage, cuddled together as if no one else was there. It was as if this wedding had nothing to do with him from beginning to end. The ceremony reached its final step when the officiant announced, “Now, please, for the groom and bride to embrace each other and feel each other’s warmth.” Leaning into Noah’s embrace, I turned my head and glanced at the guests. Suddenly, I remembered how, in my past life, Ethan had secretly kissed my earlobe while embracing me, whispering, “Lily, I finally married you.” But now, he was holding another woman below the stage. Catching my eye, Ethan subconsciously loosened his grip on Chloe’s hand. But when he saw Noah next to me, he realized they had already swapped places, and he nervously rubbed his nose. Chloe looked at her hand, which had been pushed away, her eyes darkening. She suddenly stood up and shouted toward the stage, “Hugging is so boring! Why don’t the groom and bride kiss!” As her voice faded, the guests present started to cheer them on. “Kiss, kiss!” “You’re married, what are you shy about?!” Ethan caught his breath, stood up, and pulled Chloe back to her seat, roaring at the cheering crowd, “They don’t like public displays of affection! Stop messing around!” A month ago, when reviewing the ceremony with the officiant, Ethan had specifically insisted on canceling the kissing part. Now it seemed he had already prepared for Noah to stand in for him. Thinking this, I reached out and grabbed Noah’s tie. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him. “Lily!”

Ethan furiously kicked his chair over and vaulted onto the stage. Under the astonished gazes of everyone, he pulled me away from Noah, shouting angrily, “Lily! Are you crazy? How could you kiss him?!” I blinked, looking innocent and wronged. “How is it crazy for me to kiss my husband at my own wedding? And why are you so angry?” Noah pulled my hand, shielding me behind him. “I know you’re upset about me getting married, but she’s Lily, your sister-in-law, you should respect her.” He said, licking the lipstick stain from the corner of his mouth, as if savoring something. Ethan’s eyes blazed red with anger at the sight. “Get this straight…” He had barely started speaking when Chloe, who had rushed onto the stage, interrupted him forcefully. “Enough!” Chloe leaned close to Ethan’s ear and whispered, “Ethan, whatever it is, talk about it after the wedding, off stage. Don’t you see all the guests and media watching you?” Ethan looked down at the audience. Hundreds of eyes were staring at him. The reporters hired by the Robert Group also had their cameras pointed at him. He then realized how reckless his behavior had been. If the media found out that he, the heir to the Robert Group, had an arranged marriage with the Evans family but let his twin brother stand in for him, it could jeopardize the entire Robert Group. Seeing Ethan calm down, Chloe explained to the guests and media on his behalf. “Noah is just overjoyed that I’m getting married, and he’s had a bit to drink, so he’s a little emotional.” “Everyone, please enjoy yourselves, don’t mind this little interruption.” The officiant also chimed in to lighten the mood. “It seems the two young masters of the Robert Group truly share a deep brotherly bond. Please welcome the renowned singer Laila to serenade the newlyweds with a blessing…” Before Ethan left the stage, he shot Noah a furious glare. “You little punk, just you wait!” Noah wore a faint smile, but his eyes were icy cold. The wedding hall was filled with happiness and joy. The lounge, however, was a different scene. Ethan slammed the wine glass in his hand onto the floor at Noah’s feet, and the splashing shards cut Noah’s cheek. “Noah! I told you to stand in for me, not to actually marry her!” “Lily doesn’t know the truth, but you do, don’t you?!” “Why didn’t you refuse her when she kissed you? Were you actually enjoying it?” Noah raised a hand to wipe away the blood trickling down his face. “And risk headlines tomorrow screaming, ‘Robert family unhappy with Evans alliance’?” “Or ‘Robert Group heir resists arranged marriage at his own wedding’?” Seeing the sarcasm and mockery in Noah’s eyes, Ethan stepped forward and grabbed his collar, his voice barely containing his rage. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re really up to!” “I knew you wouldn’t just agree to help Chloe and me. You never gave up on Lily!” “Don’t think you can swoop in and steal her away!” He slowly let go of Noah’s collar, his gaze growing colder. “I’ve arranged a project for you in France, for three months. Your flight is tonight.” “In three months, everything will go back to normal.” “I am the heir to the Robert Group, and the one marrying Lily can only be me.” Just outside the door, I heard every word clearly. But Ethan got one thing wrong. Who I married, and who would be the heir to the Robert Group.

Grandpa Robert had initially asked me to choose between Ethan and Noah for an engagement. The three of us grew up together as childhood sweethearts, and I knew they both had feelings for me. What finally made me decide on Ethan was an accident. When I was eighteen, I was kidnapped by a rival family of the Evans. Just as the kidnappers were about to silence me, Ethan appeared, took the knife for me, and saved my life. After I was discharged from the hospital, I told Grandpa Robert my answer: Ethan. That day was both my engagement day with Ethan and the day the Robert Group announced its heir. The life he saved, I had already paid back with my own life in my previous existence. This time, we were even. As footsteps approached the door, I quickly walked away, took out my phone, and made a call. “Can you arrange for me to meet Grandpa Robert alone?” That night, Noah didn’t listen to Ethan and take the plane. Instead, he came to the bridal suite. When he opened the door and walked in, I was lying on the couch, sipping wine. A flicker of surprise went through me, then I stood up, poured a glass of wine, and offered it to him. “Want some?” Noah took the glass, his intense gaze fixed on the lingering wine stain on my lips. “That’s not all I want to drink…” His Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice hoarse. “Lily.” As his shadow fell over me, he cupped my face and kissed me. Perhaps it was the wine getting to my head. I didn’t refuse; instead, I stood on my tiptoes and returned his kiss. Noah seemed emboldened. He grew bolder and bolder. From the living room to the bedroom, from the couch to the bed, until the very end. He suddenly stopped. “Lily, do you know who I am?” He raised his hand and caressed my cheek, his complex eyes filled with barely restrained desire. I hooked my arms around his neck, tilted my head back, and whispered into his ear. “Noah.” Before the word was fully out, he pressed down on me. Moonlight streamed through the window, our shadows merged in the moonlight. Silence only fell over the room as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon. The next day, I was woken by Noah’s phone ringing. “The project manager told me you never got on the plane to France yesterday.” “Noah! Where are you right now?!” Ethan’s furious roar came through the phone. Noah rubbed his temples, answering lazily, “Where else would I be on my wedding night?” His voice was husky. The next second, Ethan’s voice on the other end suddenly got louder. “Noah! This joke isn’t funny! Get on a plane to France right now.” “I’m on a yacht right now, I’m about to lose signal.” Woken by the noise, I couldn’t help but mumble, “So loud.” The other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds, then a trembling voice spoke, “Is that Lily’s voice?” “Is she with you? Did you sleep with her?!” Before Noah could answer, the call suddenly dropped. Ethan’s phone must have lost signal. Waking up to that call so early, I couldn’t fall back asleep. I felt his burning gaze on me. Thinking of the absurdity of last night, my face instantly flushed crimson. Noah suddenly asked, “Lily, did you know it was me from the start?” I nodded. “Growing up, I never once mistook you two.” Even though they had identical faces. I only needed one glance to know who was who. “Then why did you choose me yesterday?” Seeing the subtle expectation in Noah’s eyes, I answered truthfully, “Because the groom I chose, was you.” Noah was startled at first, then let out a soft chuckle. “So Ethan thought he was so clever, thinking he had tricked you, but in the end, he was the one who got played.” But that same afternoon, Ethan, who was supposed to be on vacation with Chloe on a yacht, suddenly appeared in the bridal suite. He grabbed Noah’s shoulder and dragged him into the bathroom. “Noah, quickly, switch clothes with me! I need to get back to my own identity!”

At the same time, Chloe rushed in, ignoring the butler. She walked past me to the bathroom door and knocked. “It’s my birthday today. Please, can you spend this birthday with me?” Her voice had a hint of a sob. “This was my birthday wish last year. We promised, didn’t we? Just indulge me one last time.” Exactly a year ago, I was rushed to the hospital after a car accident. At the time, Ethan used a business trip abroad as an excuse for not being able to come back to be with me, but he was actually celebrating Chloe’s birthday. The bathroom door opened. Out walked Ethan. He saw the tears in Chloe’s eyes, and his heart aching, he pulled her into a hug. “Don’t cry. I promise.” Chloe nestled into his embrace, her shoulders trembling slightly. “I knew you couldn’t bear to leave me.” Noah glanced at the two of them indifferently and walked toward me. “Lily.” Ethan finally noticed that I had been sitting on the couch, quietly watching them. A flicker of internal struggle crossed his eyes, then he spoke, “Since it’s Chloe’s birthday today, why don’t the four of us go celebrate together? Chloe is your classmate, isn’t she? You shouldn’t mind.” He looked at Noah, a warning in his eyes. Noah ignored him and turned to me instead. “Honey, what do you think?” I stood up, took Noah’s arm, and shook my head, refusing. “No, we’re going to get our marriage license this afternoon.” In my past life, Ethan, fearing Chloe would be unhappy, used the excuse that a marriage license was a burden on marriage and kept delaying getting ours. But Noah was different; he wanted to get the marriage license to make our marriage official. The next second, Ethan’s eyes suddenly widened. “You’re getting your marriage license?!” His face fell, but only for a moment, then he recovered, a smile playing on his lips. “Since you two are going to get your license, then we won’t keep you.” Before leaving, he slipped his ID card into Noah’s pocket. He leaned closer to Noah, avoiding my gaze, and whispered instructions. “I know you’re standing up for Lily, and you deliberately used that fake audio to make me angry this morning.” “But I never betrayed Lily. I just wanted to be a friend and help Chloe fulfill her dream of traveling the world.” “I promise you, after today, we’ll switch back. I’ll make it up to Lily, I swear.” “You get the marriage license for me, and I can overlook your actions.” After they left, Noah took Ethan’s ID card from his pocket and tossed it into the trash can. Seeing this, I understood. Ethan still thought Noah was just playing along. So full of himself. He didn’t know that his former fiancée and the Robert Group would soon no longer belong to him. At the registry office, Noah and I quickly processed our marriage license. The names on the two columns read Lily Evans and Noah Robert. Just then, Ethan’s message popped up on my phone. “Noah, did you get the marriage license with Lily yet?” “Quick, send me a picture.” “You’re really helping me out this time. When I inherit the Robert Group, I’ll split everything with you.” Noah took two photos of the marriage license and sent them. The next second, Ethan’s call came through.

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Six years ago, I saved a girl named Scarlett in a remote mountain village. I sponsored her education, and we became the best of friends. Yet, because she fell in love with my husband, Ethan Miller, she drove a car and ran me over. To escape responsibility and prevent my body from being identified, she crushed my head with the tires. She framed me as a fugitive wanted for highway robbery. Ethan Miller, the city’s top forensic expert, protected Scarlett. He personally fabricated the scene, intending for me to take the fall for her. The police launched a massive manhunt, determined to apprehend me. But no one knew. My body lay right there, before all of them. After I died, Scarlett immediately called Ethan. He rushed over. Upon seeing the death scene, he instinctively frowned. “How did it end up like this?” Even a seasoned forensic expert rarely encountered such a gruesome scene. The body lay twisted there. The entire head was gone. The road was covered in bloodstains and bone fragments. Faced with Ethan’s question, Scarlett chose to answer with tears. She sobbed, throwing herself into his arms, and after a long moment, managed to say, “I’m scared…” That one sentence melted Ethan’s resolve. He sighed softly. While comforting Scarlett, he began examining the crime scene. My death was truly hideous. Ethan had to first collect my bone fragments. He put on gloves and, with tweezers, painstakingly pieced together what remained of my skull. He frowned, examining it closely. “The victim’s head was run over multiple times, and her limbs are twisted.” “Her fingernails are torn from extreme force; she must have endured immense pain before death.” Based on his professional forensic skills, Ethan immediately sensed something was wrong. His frown deepened. “This death wasn’t just an accident.” I nodded frantically, wanting to scream and tell him. Scarlett deliberately ran me over. She was jealous of my happy life and tortured me brutally before I died. She then crushed my head to prevent my body from being identified. Alas, the dead cannot speak. But Scarlett’s tears easily won Ethan’s trust. She looked up, sobbing and gasping for air. “I didn’t mean to, it was this robber. Lily paid him to threaten me.” “I was so scared, I accidentally stepped on the gas instead of the brake.” Ethan silently watched the bone fragments in his hands, speaking in a calm tone. “Involuntary manslaughter usually carries a sentence of three to seven years in prison.” “Given the victim’s initial aggression, it could be argued as self-defense, potentially reducing the sentence to around three years.” Scarlett’s body trembled, and she shook her head vigorously. “No, I don’t want to go to jail, I don’t want to be separated from you.” “Ethan, please help me, won’t you?” “Don’t let my unborn child lose its mother!” Ethan’s frown deepened further, as if in contemplation. Scarlett started crying again. Her hands tightly gripped him, her last hope. Her flowing tears ultimately pierced Ethan’s heart. He remained silent for a long moment. Then, he gave my body a profound glance. “I’ll reconstruct the scene and make Lily take the blame for you.” “From now on, you need to remember every word I tell you.” I was stunned. Years ago, when Ethan and I first started dating, I accidentally took a photo of a crime scene. Usually composed, Ethan had a furious outburst at me. He said it was a desecration of the deceased, a disrespect for the body. “Lily, you’re a doctor, you should understand my professional ethics.” “These poor victims deserve respect, just like anyone who puts their trust in a medical professional.” “I won’t allow anyone to challenge my professional boundaries, not even you.” It took me a long time to calm Ethan down. From then on, I was cautious, never daring to cross that line. But now, he had met Scarlett. He not only abandoned all his professional ethics for her but was also willing to risk his entire future. Scarlett lowered her head, desperately trying to hide the smirk on her lips. Her voice was still so innocent. “But wouldn’t that be unfair to Lily?” Under the moonlight, a surgical scalpel glinted with a cold, menacing light. Ethan changed gloves. He took a scalpel from his car. “There’s nothing unfair about it. Lily is different from you.” “She has a successful career and a loving family.” “She can still live a good life after getting out of prison.” “You’ve come so far from that mountain village, it hasn’t been easy. I absolutely won’t let you fall back into the struggles you escaped.” “Lily… let’s just say I owe her. I’ll do my best to make it up to her when she gets out.” My shattered heart, though long ceased to beat, still felt an agonizing pang. A tear slipped in the night. I closed my eyes and silently said, Ethan, I admit you have the cunning to pull off such a deception. But this time, things won’t go your way. I won’t take the blame for Scarlett, as you wish. Because I’m already dead.

Ethan didn’t speak again. He lowered his head, intently focusing on my body. When he got to my hands, he suddenly paused. My heart lurched; I thought he’d seen the diamond ring on my finger. But he just calmly looked at Scarlett. “Did you two fight?” “Yes.” Scarlett nodded. She lowered her eyes, as if deeply wronged. After a long moment, she spoke with reluctance. “She said Lily told her to ruin my face.” “I was too scared, so I had no choice but to fight back.” A flicker of disdain crossed Ethan’s stern face. He scoffed, his doubts vanishing instantly. “So many years have passed, and Lily’s spoiled princess attitude hasn’t changed a bit.” “It might do her good to suffer a harsh lesson in prison.” “Maybe then she’ll wise up.” Saying this, he used forceps to pry open my stiff fingers, one by one. He was looking for any lingering traces hidden within the body. The nail on my index finger was gone. The other fingers were twisted to varying degrees. The diamond ring on my ring finger was caked in dried blood. If Ethan had paid a little more attention. He would have seen that the ring was engraved with our names. He had personally placed it on my finger. But he didn’t. His complete focus was on Scarlett. He carefully removed the skin tissue from beneath my fingernails. As if handling a work of art. Piece by piece, erasing Scarlett’s traces. I watched his focused, patient profile. Suddenly, I remembered our wedding day. That day, he had also looked so serious as he placed the ring on my hand. And together, we had vowed to be with each other through life and death. Now, to exonerate Scarlett. He broke his vows, abandoned his ethics. And personally desecrated my body. The skin tissue from beneath my nails was quickly cleaned. Ethan then turned his gaze to my slightly swollen abdomen. “Repeatedly driving over the victim goes far beyond the scope of self-defense.” “I need to re-examine the victim’s internal organs.” “Scarlett, if you’re scared, just close your eyes.” Scarlett nodded timidly. But her eyes held an unmistakable excitement. I sighed helplessly, marveling at Ethan’s naivety. Why would she be scared? She’s the one who killed me! She was the one who smashed my head with a roadside stone. And when I was barely clinging to life, she drove over me. I believe that with Ethan’s professional skill, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine the scene of my death. But he didn’t care. He didn’t care if the dead felt pain. He didn’t care how heartbroken I was when I found out about his affair. The evening breeze swept through. Clouds drifted, obscuring the moon. Scarlett held up her flashlight. Ethan positioned the scalpel toward my lower abdomen. At this moment, I stared wide-eyed, shaking my head repeatedly. “Ethan, no, don’t do it!” “You’ll regret this, you’ll definitely regret this!” I screamed at the top of my ethereal lungs. But no one could hear the cries of a soul. The blade sliced, and Ethan cut through my skin. The standard Y-incision, the very one I had personally taught him. After eight years together, Ethan had memorized all my habits. The way he held the knife, the decisiveness of his cuts. Even the details of the sutures were indistinguishable from mine. He truly was the genius forensic expert his professors always raved about. But… such a brilliant man. He failed to recognize that the body beneath his hands was me. Processing internal organs required utmost concentration. Ethan held his breath, the knife gliding over my body. Fat layer, muscle layer… Finally, the uterine wall. When the last cut was made. Ethan, who had been so calm and composed, finally broke. His hand trembled, and the knife skewed slightly. Ethan quickly regained his composure. But his voice was filled with shock. “She’s pregnant.” “How could a wanted fugitive be pregnant?” I closed my eyes in despair, unable to watch. “Ethan, because that was your child.” Our little life, expected for so many years, dreamt of day and night. Finally conceived.

This morning, I wasn’t feeling well. I went to the hospital for a check-up and found out I was three months pregnant. I placed the ultrasound report on the bedside table and prepared a candlelight dinner. I wanted to surprise Ethan when he came home from work. After dinner was ready, Scarlett called. She said she had something important to tell me. As soon as I arrived, I was hit by her car and sent flying. Scarlett, wearing high heels, stepped out of the car. She grabbed my hair and dragged my barely clinging body to the side of the road. She cursed through gritted teeth. “Lily, I know you were good to me.” “But only if you die can I become Mrs. Miller.” “Blame your bad luck for getting in the way of Ethan and me!” Only in my dying moments did I realize. My beloved husband had long been having an affair with my best friend. While I was working tirelessly, putting in endless overtime for our future. He was with Scarlett, having an affair in our bed. While I was pulling strings and calling in favors to help Scarlett find a decent job. She was lying in Ethan’s arms, laughing at my stupidity. I wanted to cry. But the pain in my body overshadowed the agony in my heart. The primal instinct to survive propelled me to crawl forward. I wanted to find a glimmer of hope for myself, for my unborn child. Even as my fingernails tore and bled, I dared not stop. Like a cat toying with its prey, she savored my agony. She drove her car, closing in on me. Slowly, she tortured my very soul. “Did you know, Ethan and I were already together in college?” “We were together for six years; I gave him my virginity.” “He told me he only loved me, and that he was with you to gain your family’s connections.” “Now that his career is stable and successful, he no longer needs you.” “So let me be the one to make this decision for him!” The car ran over my legs. I could distinctly hear the bones shattering. Then, my body, my head… After I was finally released from the pain. All I saw was my gruesome corpse. I desperately wanted to rush forward and take Scarlett down with me. I wanted to ask Ethan why he betrayed me. But I could do nothing. A helpless, ethereal soul. A pathetic woman betrayed by her husband. Could only drift alone in the silent night, weeping. I watched Ethan desecrate my body for Scarlett. Watched my closest, most trusted people conspire to frame me. Watched my poor child exposed to the air. Perhaps it was the unspoken bond of blood. I saw a flicker of hesitation in Ethan’s eyes. Scarlett’s lies were full of glaring inconsistencies. This blood-related child finally sparked a subtle doubt in him.

The next second, Scarlett grabbed Ethan’s hand, her voice agitated. “If the victim is pregnant, will that extend the sentence?” “Ethan, this child can’t be discovered.” “Lily taking the blame for me is already sad enough.” “We can’t let her entire life be ruined in prison!” Worry overshadowed doubt. Ethan’s attention returned to Scarlett. He composed himself, nodding gently. “You’re right.” “Three years in prison is already long enough for Lily.” “I’ll take care of this child.” He carried the tiny embryo to the riverbank. Silently, he let go. The swift current instantly swept it away. I tried to reach out and stop him, but my hand passed directly through Ethan’s body. And that tiny life was gone, leaving no trace. It was so small. So small it had no discernible weight. So small it couldn’t leave any lasting impression on Ethan’s heart. My tears were nearly spent. I thought at the end of my life, at least I would have this child by my side. Now, it had been brutally torn from my womb. With the body dealt with. Ethan continued his finishing touches. He cleaned the bloodstains, rearranged the body. He placed a scalpel I often used near the corpse. After ensuring everything was perfect, he calmly dialed 911. “Chief Miller, on my way home, I discovered a hit-and-run case.” “I’ve already examined the scene.” “Preliminary assessment suggests the time of death was 9:30 PM, near Greenwood Lane.” “The hit-and-run perpetrator… could very likely be my wife, Lily Miller.” After the crime scene photos were sent, they immediately drew high-level attention from the senior officers. The police promptly issued an arrest warrant. The continuous wail of police sirens echoed throughout the city. My photo, as the top suspect, appeared on the news headlines. Alongside mine was Ethan’s. Facing the interview cameras, he was composed and articulate, handling the situation with ease. “I love my wife very much, but I have my principles and unwavering professional ethics.” “After she’s released from prison, I will steadfastly stand by her side for the rest of our lives.” “But as a forensic expert, I will never distort or conceal the truth for anyone!” His striking appearance and emotional performance earned Ethan widespread praise. People expressed sympathy and regret. Such a good man, yet he was married to such an unworthy woman. Ethan called me many times, but there was no answer. He thought I had gotten wind of the investigation and fled. He didn’t realize I had been dead for quite some time. Suddenly, public outrage quickly escalated. The hospital where I worked immediately revoked my medical license and fired me. My parents published a notice disowning me. Saying I was a disgrace to our family, a stain on our name. Unworthy of their years of upbringing. Everyone around me condemned and reviled me. Wishing they could instantly distance themselves from me. Only Ethan was pleading for me. He gathered information on the robber Scarlett claimed to have encountered. He compiled it into new evidence and submitted it. “Chief Miller, while a hit-and-run is inexcusable, Lily’s actions were not without cause.” “The victim was a wanted fugitive robber; Lily acted in self-defense.” “Based on this, shouldn’t she receive a lighter sentence once she’s found?” The recipient took the information and looked it over, raising his head in confusion. “Professor Miller, could you be mistaken?” “That particular robber was apprehended three days ago and is currently serving time in our county jail.” “How could that be?” Ethan looked at the sheet-draped body in disbelief. His voice trembled with fear. “If the deceased isn’t that robber, then who could it be…?” Just as he spoke, the office door was pushed open. A junior officer rushed in with a file. “Chief, the DNA match results are in.” “The deceased… the deceased is Professor Miller’s wife, Lily Miller!”

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My husband, Ethan, recently became obsessed with miniature landscapes. He set up a massive ecosystem tank in our master bedroom and strictly forbade me from touching it. One night, getting up to use the restroom, I thought I heard faint panting coming from the tank. As I leaned closer, a mechanical voice suddenly echoed in my mind, followed by a torrent of frantic messages: [OMG, Aurora still thinks he’s raising ants in there.] [Ethan got a shrinking potion just to get off with Chloe by Aurora’s bed. So wild!] [Having sex in the ecosystem tank right in front of his wife, Ethan sure knows how to find thrills!] I’m Aurora, and Chloe is Ethan’s distant cousin. I looked at the two rice-sized figures, frantically having sex in the tank, then turned and walked to the kitchen, grabbing a can of bug spray. “What are you doing, standing in front of my ecosystem tank with bug spray in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?” Ethan’s voice suddenly cut through the silence from behind me, laced with clear panic and suppressed fury. I turned around. He stood barefoot in the bedroom doorway, wearing nothing but boxer briefs. His chest heaved violently, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, and even his hair was soaked. I looked at the bug spray in my hand, then at him. “We have bugs,” I said. “If there are bugs, just kill them! Why are you spraying bug spray into my tank?” He strode over, snatching the plastic bottle from my hand. I looked up at his disheveled state. “Weren’t you sleeping in the guest room?” I asked. “Why are you covered in sweat?” His eyes darted away, and his voice immediately rose. “Can’t I get up at night? I just did a set of burpees in the living room. What’s wrong with a little sweat?” “Two-thirty in the morning, doing burpees in the living room in your boxer briefs?” “I’ve been stressed lately, can’t sleep. Working out helps release some energy. Got a problem with that?” He slammed the bug spray onto the nightstand. “The moss and miniature plants in this ecosystem tank are expensive imports. Even a drop of chemicals will ruin them. Stay out of the master bedroom from now on, and don’t you *dare* touch my tank.” So *that’s* what your tank is for, huh. The mechanical voice in my head chimed again, accompanied by frantically scrolling messages. [OMG, OMG, I almost died of fright! Aurora was actually going to spray bug spray!] [Good thing Ethan reacted fast, instantly using the ‘Grow Bigger’ and ‘Teleport’ functions, or he and Chloe would’ve been poisoned to death in there.] [Ethan’s excuse is so lame, burpees in the middle of the night, LOL.] [But Aurora totally bought it, because in the original story, she’s just a blindly devoted fool when it comes to Ethan.] [Poor Chloe, she was just getting into it, then Ethan suddenly disappeared. Now she’s naked and shivering behind the miniature rock formation in the ecosystem tank.] I lowered my head slightly, my gaze sweeping over the five-foot-long giant ecosystem tank. The tank was adorned with a realistic miniature rainforest, complete with miniature rock formations, a flowing stream, and intricate vines. Behind the rock formation in the far corner, I vaguely saw a tiny, unnatural fleshy spot. It was minuscule, only the size of a grain of rice, and it was trembling slightly. So the mistress was still in there. “What are you looking at?” Ethan took a step forward, blocking my view. “Nothing,” I retracted my gaze. “Just thinking the landscaping in this tank is quite unique.” “It’s unique, but it’s none of your business.” He scowled and pointed towards the door. “Get out, I’m going to sleep.” “I thought you had insomnia?” “Just worked out, now I’m tired.” He pushed me towards the door. I walked out, yielding to his force. “Fine, then get some good sleep,” I said. The door slammed shut in front of me and was locked. I stood in the hallway, listening to the faint sounds from inside. The messages continued. [Ethan is so manly, he kicked his wife out just to protect Chloe.] [Hurry, hurry, Ethan, change back! Chloe’s waiting for you behind the rock formation.] [Tonight’s thrill isn’t over yet, keep going!] I turned around expressionlessly and walked back to the guest room. Ethan is a partner at an architectural design firm, always impeccably dressed in suits, looking every inch the respectable professional. We’ve been married for two years, and he’s always touted himself as a man of principle, a perfectionist with a clean freak obsession. He’d even frown and spend ages vacuuming if I dropped a single hair on the couch. Now, to pursue so-called “thrills,” he was shrinking himself down to roll around in a tank full of dirt and moss with another woman. I lay on the bed in the guest room, staring at the ceiling. Bug spray would be letting them off way too easy. Since they loved the miniature world so much, and loved seeking thrills… then I’d let them experience what *true* thrill was like in that tank.

“Aurora, don’t look at me like that, you’re scaring me.” The next evening, I pushed open the front door after work and heard that sugary sweet line. Chloe sat on the living room sofa, wearing an oversized men’s white dress shirt, with the collar open, revealing her collarbones. I recognized that shirt; Ethan had bought that limited edition last month. Ethan came out of the kitchen, carrying a bowl of cut fruit, which he placed in front of her. “Aurora, you’re back.” He glanced at me, his tone flat. “Chloe just arrived in the city looking for a job, she has nowhere to stay, so she’s crashing with us for a few days.” Chloe took a bite of an apple and flashed me a sweet smile. “Aurora, you don’t mind, do you? Ethan and I are like siblings.” “Like siblings?” I walked over, staring at the shirt she was wearing. “Do siblings share clothes now?” “Aurora, please don’t misunderstand. I just arrived, and my clothes got dirty, so Ethan lent me this.” Chloe turned and tugged on Ethan’s sleeve. “Ethan, maybe I should just go. I don’t want to cause trouble between you and Aurora.” Ethan immediately stood up when he heard that. “What do you mean, go? This is your home.” He turned to me, his brows tightly furrowed. “Aurora, can you stop being so petty? Chloe’s a young woman out on her own, what’s wrong with me looking out for her?” “I just asked about the shirt.” “Even asking isn’t allowed! Your tone is just dripping with sarcasm.” Ethan slammed the fruit bowl onto the coffee table. “It’s bad enough you act like a boss at work, but you come home and put on airs for my cousin too? Who do you think you are?” Seeing his self-righteous expression, I actually found it amusing. The messages floated across my mind right on cue. [Hahaha, Aurora’s speechless, isn’t she?] [Chloe played that retreat-to-advance card perfectly, Ethan’s practically melting with sympathy.] [Wearing Ethan’s white shirt? So hot. Later, when they shrink, they should totally do it in his shirt pocket.] [Yes, yes, right under Aurora’s nose, in Ethan’s shirt pocket, just thinking about it is thrilling.] I averted my gaze, pulled out a dining chair, and sat down. “Fine, if she’s your cousin, she can stay.” I picked up a glass of water and took a sip. “Which room?” “The guest room,” Ethan said. “Then where do I sleep?” “You’ll sleep with me in the master bedroom,” he said, as if it were obvious. I raised an eyebrow. Last night he kicked me out of the master bedroom, and today he wants me back? Looks like he has some new tricks up his sleeve. “Alright,” I agreed readily. Dinner was takeout Ethan ordered, all Chloe’s favorite spicy Mexican dishes. I have a sensitive stomach; we usually cook very light meals at home. I couldn’t eat any of it. “Aurora, why aren’t you eating?” Chloe picked up a large chili pepper and put it in my bowl. “Are you saying the takeout isn’t clean?” “I have a sensitive stomach; I can’t eat spicy food.” I picked the chili pepper out. “Oh, you’re so fussy,” Chloe pouted. “Ethan used to love spicy food. He hasn’t had a proper, satisfying meal in ages, just to accommodate you.” She turned to Ethan, her face full of concern. “Ethan, you’re so pathetic. Getting married and losing your freedom to even eat what you want.” Ethan sighed, his eyes filled with helplessness and indulgence. “Can’t be helped, I married her after all. You eat more, don’t mind her.” I put down my forks and quietly watched their performance. After dinner, Ethan couldn’t wait, practically dragging Chloe into the master bedroom. “Chloe, didn’t you say you were interested in miniature landscapes? I’ll show you the ecosystem tank I just set up.” “Oh yes, yes, Ethan, you’re amazing, you can do anything.” The door closed in front of me, but it wasn’t locked. I walked to the bathroom and turned on the faucet to wash my face. The messages in my mind were already practically flooding the screen. [Here it comes, here it comes, the main event!] [Chloe has already drunk the shrinking potion, Ethan is taking off his clothes.] [Tonight’s script is sex on Aurora’s pillow! So wild!] I dried my face, then casually picked up a half-empty bottle of disinfectant from the counter and unscrewed the cap. “Since you’re going to play on my pillow, I’ll disinfect it for you.”

When I pushed open the master bedroom door, the room was quiet. Ethan sat on the rug in front of the ecosystem tank, holding a pair of tweezers, seemingly focused on trimming the moss. Chloe was gone. Or rather, the normal-sized Chloe was gone. “What are you doing in here?” Ethan asked without looking up, his tone very impatient. “I came to get something.” I walked to the bed, my gaze sweeping over my side of the pillow. On the white pillowcase, there was an incredibly tiny indentation. If you weren’t looking closely, you’d never notice it. The messages were flashing frantically. [OMG, Aurora is here! Right next to them!] [Chloe is lying right in the folds of the pillow, and Ethan’s finger is on her.] [This angle is insane; Aurora’s huge face leaning over, the pressure is so strong.] [Stay calm, Ethan, don’t let her find out.] I looked at Ethan’s left hand, resting on the edge of the pillow. His index finger was subtly rubbing the folds of the pillowcase at an almost imperceptible rhythm. His breathing was heavy, and though his eyes were fixed on the ecosystem tank, his peripheral vision kept darting towards the pillow. “What are you getting?” His voice was a little hoarse. “Disinfectant,” I said, holding up the bottle. “What are you doing with disinfectant?” He turned, his eyes wary. “I think the room smells a bit off.” I twisted the nozzle. “Maybe it hasn’t been aired out properly lately; even the pillows smell musty.” I aimed the nozzle at my pillow. Ethan’s face instantly changed. “Stop it!” He lunged forward, snatching the disinfectant from my hand with such force that he shoved me two steps back, my lower back hitting the nightstand. “What the hell are you doing?” he roared at me. “I’m disinfecting my own pillow, why am I going crazy?” I steadied myself, looking at him confused. “The smell of this disinfectant will get into the tank! How many times have I told you, miniature plants are delicate!” He threw the disinfectant directly into the trash can. “If you think this room smells bad, then go sleep in the guest room!” Watching his fingers tremble slightly from tension, I chuckled internally. The messages had already exploded. [I almost died of fright! Almost got sprayed with disinfectant!] [Aurora must be doing this on purpose, right? Has she figured something out?] [Nice one, Ethan, that’s how you put her in her place and make her leave.] “Fine, I’ll leave.” I didn’t argue, turning to walk out. “Wait.” Ethan called out to me. He walked to the nightstand, picked up a jewelry box, and threw it at my feet. “Take your stuff, it’s an eyesore.” The jewelry box hit the floor and popped open. A crystal bracelet rolled out, cracking into three pieces with a sharp snap. It was something my mother left me before she passed away last year. I looked at the shattered jade on the floor and felt my heart being brutally squeezed. “What are you doing?” I looked up, my voice trembling.

“How was I supposed to know it would fall out?” Ethan’s tone softened a little, but quickly hardened again. “It’s just a cheap old bracelet, isn’t it? Such poor quality, how much could it be worth? I’ll just get you a new one tomorrow.” “My mom left this to me.” “So what if your mom left it to you? Whose fault is it that you didn’t put it away properly?” He waved his hand dismissively. “Alright, don’t stand there looking so mournful. Clean it up and get out. Don’t disturb my landscaping.” Mom told me when she gave me the bracelet that if I married the right man, I wouldn’t need to wear it. But if I married the wrong man, this bracelet would be my last resort, my ultimate security. I had smiled then, saying, “Ethan is so good, how could I possibly marry the wrong man?” He really was good back then, so good that I thought having him was all I needed for this life. I squatted down, picking up the broken jade piece by piece. The broken pieces were sharp, cutting my fingers, and blood welled up. I didn’t feel the pain. I just felt that the idea of spraying them to death with disinfectant earlier was far too merciful. “Alright, I’ll clean it up.” I stood up, put the shattered jade back in the box, and turned to walk out of the master bedroom. That night, I sat at my computer in the guest room all night. I didn’t cry, and I didn’t make a scene. I simply ordered a few extremely tiny pinhole cameras online, along with an industrial-grade temperature control system. Ethan, you like miniature worlds so much, don’t you? You think nothing in this world is more important than your thrills, right? Then I’ll help you make that world a little more perfect. “I hope you two enjoy your stay in this tank,” I said softly, looking at the order confirmation page on my computer screen.

That weekend, Ethan said he was throwing a welcome party for Chloe and invited a few colleagues from his company over for dinner. I didn’t want to join the commotion, but he insisted I attend, claiming it would “look bad” if I wasn’t there to greet everyone. At noon, colleagues began to arrive. The living room was bustling. Chloe, in a floral dress, moved through the crowd like a diligent hostess, serving drinks and laughing flirtatiously. “Chloe is so thoughtful, Ethan is lucky.” “She really is, her cooking is better than restaurant food.” Several male colleagues complimented her without reservation. Ethan sat in the center of the sofa, beaming. “Of course, Chloe has always been skilled with her hands, unlike *some* people who, even after marriage, won’t even step foot in the kitchen.” He glanced at me, pointedly. I sat quietly in a corner armchair, sipping plain water, pretending not to hear. “Aurora, dinner’s ready!” Chloe walked out with the last dish, warmly calling to me. Everyone sat around the dining table. Chloe specifically pushed a plate of peanut butter fried chicken in front of me. “I made this just for you. See if you like it.” I frowned slightly. “I’m allergic to peanuts, don’t you know that?” The atmosphere at the table instantly chilled. Chloe immediately covered her mouth, her eyes welling up with feigned grievance. “I’m sorry, I… I really forgot. I just remembered Ethan loves this dish the most, so I just made it.” She looked at Ethan for help. Ethan, as expected, did not disappoint her and immediately scowled. “Aurora, what’s wrong with you? Chloe worked so hard to make all this food, why are you being so nitpicky?” “I’m just stating a fact; I can’t eat peanuts.” “If you can’t eat it, just pick it out! Do you have to be a killjoy when everyone’s having a good time?” Ethan slammed his fork onto the table. “If you don’t want to eat, then don’t! Go back to your room.” Several colleagues exchanged glances. “Ethan, she’s allergic, let it go,” someone tried to mediate. “What ‘body type’? She’s just being dramatic!” Ethan snorted. “Aurora, my bad, really. Here, let me get you some soup as an apology.” Chloe offered a bowl of soup. To leave quickly, I drank it. Less than a minute later, my throat started to tighten, and my breathing grew shallow. Large red rashes quickly broke out on my skin, itching terribly. “Aurora, what’s wrong with you?” Chloe called out, feigning surprise. I clutched my chest, gasping for air, trying to stand up from the chair, but my legs buckled, and I tumbled to the floor. “Aurora, what are you faking now?” Ethan sat in his chair, not moving an inch. “How serious can a bowl of soup be? Don’t embarrass me in front of my colleagues!” My airway was already seizing up; I couldn’t even get out a full sentence. The colleagues around finally realized something was seriously wrong. “Ethan, she really looks bad, her face is turning purple!” “Call 911!” The scene devolved into chaos, some rushing to help me, others grabbing their phones to call. Only then did Ethan stand up and walk over, looking down at me. “Such a pain, can’t even eat a meal in peace.” He didn’t help me up, nor did he come with me to the hospital. When the ambulance arrived, he merely asked a female colleague to accompany me. “I still have guests to entertain. You go with her, and I’ll cover the medical expenses,” he said dismissively, standing at the doorway. I lay in the hospital emergency room for four hours. After an IV drip and an anti-allergy shot, my breathing gradually stabilized. At midnight, the colleague had already gone home, and I was alone in the hospital room. I leaned against the headboard, took out my phone, and opened the home surveillance app. The footage from the master bedroom was crystal clear. Ethan and Chloe stood in front of the ecosystem tank. “Ethan, where should we play tonight?” Chloe’s voice came through the wiretap. “To her hospital room.” Ethan’s face was twisted in a wicked grin. “She’s probably half-dead in that bed right now. We’ll try it out right on her hospital bed; she’ll never know.” Messages instantly flooded the screen. [OMG, in a hospital bed? Ethan is so wild!] [Chloe’s poisoning move today was brilliant. It got Aurora out of the way so they could go find thrills in the hospital room.] [Hurry, hurry, I can’t wait to see them having sex right under Aurora’s nose.] I looked at the screen, a cold smile playing on my lips. On the screen, Chloe tilted her head back and drank a small bottle of blue liquid, instantly vanishing from the spot. Ethan vanished too. I put down my phone and glanced at the thermos of steaming hot water on the nightstand. “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

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The day SAT ended, my class decided to throw a party. At one point, someone suggested we play a “love compatibility game.” When it was Liam’s turn, the party room went quiet for a moment. Four words flashed across the screen: “Total softie for love.” The entire class erupted. Someone joked, “I always thought Liam was a total ice-king, but he’s actually a softie for love?” Liam was my secret boyfriend of three years. I was about to open my mouth and say Liam was anything but a softie for love, but Chloe spoke first. “You guys found out.” She said, then linked her arm through Liam’s. “He really is a softie, so clingy. He even insisted on going to the same university as me.” Liam smiled gently and tightly clasped Chloe’s hand. Chloe smiled, looking around. “I didn’t mean to keep it from you all, but before the SATs, I was worried it would affect Liam’s studies if we went public.” She leaned her head on Liam’s shoulder. “And our families have known each other forever. We’re childhood sweethearts. My mom said as soon as the acceptance letters come in, she’s throwing us an engagement party!” Liam didn’t push her away. He just took a sip of his ice water, his face devoid of expression. The whole room was silent. Someone in the corner whispered, “I won! I told you Chloe and Liam were a thing, and you guys didn’t believe me.” “Seriously? They kept it so quiet!” “Didn’t you notice? Liam only ever lent his study notes to Chloe. When he played basketball, Chloe was always in the front row handing him water. Even for college applications this time, Liam applied to the same city as Chloe!” Everyone exchanged glances, cheers rising in waves. I sat in the farthest corner, holding a glass. My fingertips felt numb with cold. All those details they talked about made me incredibly uncomfortable. He didn’t have time to organize his study notes; I stayed up three nights copying them for him. The soda he drank during basketball games? I saved half a month’s breakfast money to buy cases of it and had someone carry them to the court. Even college applications… He had said, “Aurora, romance affects studies. We’ll talk after the SATs.” He had said, “Aurora, I want to go to New York with you.” Because of that sentence, I gave up my original college applications. It turned out he wasn’t cold to everyone. I thought we’d meet at the top together. It turned out he was just enjoying having an all-in-one caretaker manage everything for him, and the only person he truly loved was his childhood sweetheart. The students’ cheers grew louder: “Liam, say something! Is that a yes?” Liam finally moved. Not only did he not deny it, but he clasped Chloe’s wrist, lowering his voice, “Stop it.” His tone was full of indulgence. Then, he looked up, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, landing on me. But it quickly moved away, as if I were just an insignificant passerby. Chloe smiled even sweeter, adding, “Our families have even picked out our wedding home. Everyone has to come to our wedding, okay?” The entire room erupted again. I suddenly felt it hard to breathe, as if all the air had been sucked out of the party room. I stood up, not looking at anyone, and walked straight to the door. “Hey? Where’s Aurora going?” someone asked. “To the restroom,” I said, without turning my head. The moment I closed the party room door, I heard someone inside say, “Aurora’s been chasing Liam relentlessly. She’s getting what she deserves now!” “Please, with her pathetic, desperate act, does she even deserve him?” I rushed into the restroom, locked myself in a stall, covered my mouth, and silently cried. Three years of hidden devotion, three years of a secret relationship — in his eyes, it wasn’t even worth a joke. My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a message from Liam: “Let’s talk later, don’t throw a tantrum.” I forced a smile, typing a few words on the screen: “Liam, we’re over.” A hot summer breeze hit me, but I shivered from cold. When I reached the intersection, I turned my phone back on to call a ride. The screen lit up. There was no plea from Liam, only a text from an unknown number: “Aurora, right? I want to talk to you about your college applications. I’m Liam’s mom.”

The next morning, at a coffee shop downtown. Eve, Liam’s mom, sat across from me, elegantly sipping her tea, not even bothering to look at me directly. She pushed over an agreement and a bank card. “I know about you and Liam,” she said, her voice cold, with a condescending sneer. “Aurora, it’s important to know your place.” I sat frozen, my fingers tightly gripping the hem of my shirt. “Your grades were good enough to get you into a top school like Stanford, but to go to the same city as Liam, you intentionally chose Columbia University in New York. Am I right?” I didn’t speak. Eve sneered. “Too bad, Liam and Chloe already got into Cornell University. Even if you go to New York, you’ll only be at a step-down school like Columbia. Did you really think you could cling to him in the same city?” My head spun. Liam had never told me! It turned out he’d always had a backup plan, while I foolishly gambled my future for him. “There’s two hundred thousand in this card,” Eve tapped the table. “Sign this agreement, promise never to contact Liam again, and this money will be my charity to help you pay for college.” “I don’t want your money.” I gritted my teeth, my voice trembling. Eve’s eyes narrowed. “Your dad’s struggling factory? Half of its orders this year come from our company’s patronage. If you don’t know what’s good for you, your family’s going to have a very hard time for the rest of the year.” My blood instantly froze. Just then, the coffee shop door opened. Liam strode in, wearing a well-tailored white shirt, still looking as neat as he had for the past three years I loved him. I shot up, a final flicker of hope igniting in my eyes. He glanced at me, then walked to Eve’s side: “Mom, I’ll handle it.” Then, he turned to me, his gaze colder than I’d ever seen it: “Aurora, just sign it.” “What did you say?” I couldn’t believe my ears. “Chloe has a delicate heart; she can’t handle stress. If she knew about you and me, she’d get sick.” Liam frowned. “Columbia University isn’t bad. For the tuition… I can have my mom compensate you.” “Liam.” I heard my voice tremble. “You want me to sign an agreement, admitting I was the one harassing you?” “What else?” he retorted, his self-righteousness chilling. “These past three years, you willingly acted as my assistant, allowing me to use you, didn’t you?” I looked at the man before me, feeling utterly alien. I didn’t take the card. Instead, I grabbed the agreement from the table, tore it to shreds, and threw it hard in his face. “Liam, you disgust me.” I turned and stormed out of the coffee shop, not looking back. A few days later, our class reunion dinner. The homeroom teacher explicitly called me and made me go. Pushing open the party room door, Chloe and Liam were clearly the center of attention. Someone asked me, “Aurora, where did you end up getting accepted?” I looked down: “Columbia University.” Chloe covered her mouth, exclaiming in “surprise”: “Oh, that’s too bad! You almost got to be classmates with Liam and me at Cornell. But Columbia University is good too! Liam said we’re all classmates, and he’ll look out for you in New York.” Hearing this, Liam said indifferently, “Honey, eat. Don’t worry about other people’s business.” Everyone around them laughed and agreed, every word praising how perfect they were for each other, every word mocking my presumption. When the dinner ended, I stood alone by the road, waiting for the bus. A brand-new BMW pulled up in front of me. The window rolled down, revealing Liam’s unreadable face. It was the car his family rewarded him with for his summer job. “Get in, I’ll drop you off.” His tone was like an act of charity. I stepped back, shaking my head. The rear window immediately rolled down, and Chloe poked her head out, smiling sweetly. “Aurora, don’t be shy. Liam just seems cold, but he’s really warm-hearted. He takes good care of old classmates. Come on up.” Looking at them, my stomach churned. Just then, my phone rang. “Dad” flashed on the screen.

As soon as I answered, my father’s hoarse, tearful voice came through: “Aurora, something happened at the factory… That most important order was canceled. We have to pay a penalty… I’m so sorry, I might not be able to afford your college tuition anymore…” What does it feel like when your world collapses? I didn’t know before, but now I did. That crucial order for my father’s factory was with a company under Liam’s family. They unilaterally canceled the contract, citing “substandard quality,” and demanded a massive penalty. Our family’s economic pillar instantly crumbled. My mother, overwhelmed by stress, suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage that night and was rushed to the hospital. The machines in the ICU beeped, “drip-drip,” burning through money every second. I frantically ran around like a madwoman, humbly knocking on every relative’s door. “Aurora, it’s not that I won’t lend you money, but your dad’s hole is too big, we can’t fill it.” “Did your family offend some bigshot? We can’t get involved.” I was met with cold shoulders and couldn’t borrow a single dollar. College tuition and my mother’s medical bills weighed on me like two crushing mountains. Just when I was at my wit’s end, Chloe contacted me. In a coffee shop across from the city hospital, Chloe, in an elegant dress, pushed a thick envelope toward me. “Aurora, I heard your mom’s in the hospital? Take this money for emergencies.” “I know you like Liam.” I stared at the envelope, not moving. Chloe sighed, leaning closer, her eyes holding a hint of condescending disdain and malice. “Oh, by the way, you probably don’t know why everyone in class suddenly turned against you that day at the dinner party, do you?” She lowered her voice and chuckled. “Before the SATs, I secretly looked at Liam’s phone. I picked a few segments of your chats where you actively sought him out and took screenshots. Now, everyone thinks you’re a persistent, clingy tramp willing to be a mistress.” My blood instantly rushed backward, and I glared at her. No wonder! No wonder the whole class was laughing at me! “Don’t be stubborn. You know Liam has a soft spot.” Chloe sat up straight. “This money… consider it peace of mind for you. Don’t bother him and his mother anymore, and don’t try to use your dad’s bankruptcy to gain sympathy, okay?” I abruptly stood up and splashed a glass of ice water directly onto her face. “Take your money and get out.” Chloe shrieked, drawing stares from everyone in the coffee shop. Shortly after returning to the hospital, Liam’s call came in. As soon as I answered, his furious voice exploded: “Aurora, are you crazy? Why are you taking it out on Chloe! Was that sweet, obedient girl act all fake?” I leaned tiredly against the wall: “She went to you to complain?” “She kindly brought you money, and not only are you ungrateful, you splashed water on her?” Liam’s voice was full of impatience. “Let me tell you. My family doesn’t owe you anything. Your dad’s factory issue is a business problem; he didn’t do his quality control properly. Don’t blame my family. Chloe isn’t well, don’t keep bothering her!” “Business problem?” I laughed, tears streaming down my hand. “Liam, do you dare swear your mom didn’t pull strings behind the scenes?” “Aurora, you’re absolutely unreasonable.” He coldly threw out one last sentence, “If you keep acting like this, no one can save you.” The call ended. At eleven PM, the nurse station called: “Family of Room 3, if you don’t pay the fees tomorrow, we’ll have to stop the medication.” I crouched in the cold hospital hallway, looking at the mere ten-odd dollars remaining on my bank card. Despair washed over me like a tide. Trembling, I dialed Liam’s number. This was my last time bowing to him.

The phone rang for a long time. The moment it connected, Chloe’s soft, drowsy voice came through the receiver: “Who is it… Liam’s already asleep. Is something wrong this late?” After a while, she chuckled softly: “Oh, it’s Aurora. Are you short on money? Let’s talk tomorrow, don’t wake him up…” The call was immediately disconnected. I scrolled through my contact list, hundreds of names, but I couldn’t find a single person to ask for help. Finally, my gaze stopped on a familiar name—Ethan. A transfer student in senior year, always skipping class and getting into fights, with the worst grades, but seemingly from a very wealthy background. He always teased me. Once, he handed me a crumpled business card, grinning mischievously, “If you’re in trouble, call me.” With trembling fingers, I dialed the number I thought I’d never call in my life. “Where are you?” The moment the call connected, Ethan didn’t waste a single word. Half an hour later, a black Aston Martin screeched to a halt in front of the hospital. Ethan, in a loose black T-shirt, with messy hair, but sharp eyes, rushed straight to the payment desk without a word. He paid all the overdue fees with his card, and even pulled strings to get the best neurosurgeon from out of state transferred overnight. He still had that playful, rebellious look, leaning against the hallway wall, twirling his car keys. “Don’t look at me like that. This money is a loan, and there’ll be interest.” I cried in front of him like a broken mess, and he just handed me a pack of tissues. “Alright, someone taller will bear the weight if the sky falls.” With Ethan’s help, my mother’s condition temporarily stabilized, and I finally got a moment to breathe. To repay the money and earn college tuition, Ethan asked me to do a short-term internship in one of his company’s project teams. Although it was mostly running errands and odd jobs, the pay was surprisingly generous. A few afternoons later, I walked out of Ethan’s company building, carrying a stack of files. A familiar BMW was parked at the bottom of the steps. Liam got out of the car and blocked my path. “Aurora, are you really going to stoop this low?” I looked at him coldly: “Move.” “For money, you’ll throw away all your dignity, and hang out with trash like Ethan?” Liam gritted his teeth, “After leaving me, are you only fit to be a plaything for people like him!” I found it utterly ridiculous and couldn’t be bothered to explain anything to him. “Does it concern you what I do?” I walked around him. Liam grabbed my wrist: “I offered you money, but you refused! Now you’re here selling yourself? Are you being fair to your parents?” I swung my hand back and slapped him hard across the face. “Don’t talk about my parents, you’re not worthy.” I shook off his hand and walked away without looking back. However, the very next day, several candid photos suddenly went viral in the class SnapChat group. The photos were blurry, but clearly showed me getting into Ethan’s car, and also a picture of me and Ethan talking outside a fancy restaurant, from an extremely ambiguous angle. The caption was vicious: “No wonder she used to follow Liam, and now she’s not. Turns out she’s latched onto a richer branch. Pretending to be so pure, but still just a plaything for rich men.” I looked at the messages in the group, my hands and feet turning cold. Immediately after, Chloe Snapchatted me privately. She sent a screenshot of her chat with Liam. Liam: “She’s changed. She’ll do anything for money. I really misjudged her.” Chloe replied: “Forget it, Liam. To each their own. I just didn’t expect her to be so eager. It’s only been a few days since her mom passed away, and she’s already in the mood to hook up with a rich guy…” What? My mom was clearly still in the ICU, and Chloe was cursing her like that behind my back! Just as I was about to be crushed by this overwhelming malice, my phone rang with a jarring sound. It was the hospital. “Aurora! Come to the hospital immediately! Your mother suddenly developed severe complications and urgently needs brain surgery! You need to pay eight hundred thousand for the surgery right away, or she won’t make it!” I rushed to the hospital like a madwoman. Ethan’s phone was temporarily unreachable. He had gone out of town with his father to handle an urgent project. The whole world seemed to shrink to just me, rapidly plummeting into the abyss of despair. Just then, my phone screen lit up. It was a text message from Liam. It contained a picture and a sentence. I trembling clicked on the picture. In the photo, my father was kneeling on the ground, humbly before Eve, holding a pen, ready to sign an agreement that waived all claims and accepted the exorbitant penalty. Liam’s message said: “Beg me. Or, let your dad go to jail.”

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My boyfriend pointed at the message from a male colleague on my phone. [“Tough luck having to work late this weekend. Your voice sounded like you were coming down with a cold.”] “You’re ending a three-year relationship over a trivial bit of small talk?” he asked, his voice dripping with disbelief. I nodded slowly. “Yes. Exactly over this.” 01 When I brought up the breakup, Bennett Foster remained silent. I couldn’t read a single emotion on his face. He probably thought I was just throwing another one of my “tantrums,” using the word ‘breakup’ as a desperate lever to get him to cuddle me. But none of that mattered anymore. I went back to our bedroom to pack. It didn’t take long. I didn’t have much—just enough to fill two suitcases. As I reached for the door handle, I felt a fleeting spark of hesitation. Would he be like he was during our first year? Would he rush over, his eyes red and swollen, grabbing my hand and stumbling through a desperate explanation before we collapsed into a tearful kiss? Or like the second year, when he’d pull me into his chest, even when he was furious, his silent embrace and the gentle pat on my back telling me he still cared? He didn’t move. He stayed on the sofa, mindlessly scrolling through TikTok. Until the moment I walked out that door, he never once looked up. 02 They say breakups are loud, but this one was hauntingly quiet. I realized then that ending it wasn’t just about clearing out a closet. It was about purging the digital ghosts—the Instagram posts, the shared albums, the birthday tags. I’d already archived every photo of Bennett months ago. I knew he didn’t know. Ever since we stopped being long-distance and moved in together, he stopped following my life. He was in it, so he felt he didn’t need to watch it. After one particularly bad fight, I had waved my phone in his face. “The next time you pull this crap, I’m not just archiving our posts. I’m deleting them. Forever.” He had just ruffled my hair with a gentle, patronizing smile and said nothing. He was so certain I would never leave. Even if his face vanished from my feed, he wouldn’t panic. He saw my threats as a game. I’d joked once, “Bennett, do you even care? You haven’t liked a single post of mine in six months.” He was busy de-shelling prawns for my dinner plate. He frowned slightly. “Harper, I just spent an hour calming you down. I’m exhausted. Can we not do this right now?” I looked at the pile of perfectly cleaned seafood on my plate, a mountain of effort he’d made for me. He hadn’t eaten a bite himself. He was always busy ‘doing’ things. Suddenly, I wanted to cry. I couldn’t even remember why we had been in a cold war for a week. I just remembered that I was the one who broke first, the one who apologized and went back to him. He was like he always was—taking me out to a nice dinner, talking about everything and nothing. In our friend group, I was the “dramatic” one, and Bennett was the saint who put up with me. “Infinite tolerance”—that was the label they gave him. Because no matter how many times I mentioned leaving, I knew that if I turned around, he’d be there. But Bennett would never take that extra step forward. He was perfectly self-contained. He never admitted fault. He was immune to my pouting, my logic, and my tears. If I pushed too hard, the silence just lasted longer. Once, we didn’t speak for an entire week. Every day, I fought a war inside my head. In the end, I was the one who crawled back. I remember the smell of creamy mushroom pasta wafting from the kitchen. Bennett was in his apron, focused on his knife work, making my favorite meal. But there was no apology. Not a single word. I tugged at his sleeve. “Can you tell me when you’re unhappy? Your silence affects my mood. When you don’t speak, I feel like you don’t need me anymore.” Bennett put down the knife. His hair fell over his eyes, obscuring his expression. His voice was gentle, as always. “Harper, am I good to you?” I nodded. “If you’re here because you want to make up, welcome. But if you’re here to prove I was wrong again, maybe you need more time to cool off.” He had his own logic. Why share the bad parts? If you know an emotion is negative, why pass that poison to your partner? At the time, I had looked into his eyes and hugged him tight. “Because that’s what lovers do. They share the weight.” He laughed and pressed my head against his chest, his chin resting on my hair. That day, I posted a quote on my story: “We share the cold fronts, the thunder, the lightning; we share the mist, the rainbows, and the dawn.” But time proved he never intended to share the storm. Every frustration at the office, every stress from the startup—he swallowed it all alone. So when I tried to share my work stress with him, he just frowned. “Harper, we’re adults. We should have the ability to process our own emotions.” In his eyes, my need for emotional support was childish. I thought he was right. I thought I was the immature one. After all, everyone told me how lucky I was. He took his company public in three years. He was handsome, loyal, and had zero vices. He remembered every preference I had. No matter how busy he was, he’d come home and cook a gourmet meal, never letting me lift a finger in the kitchen. 03 The night before the breakup, at 3:00 AM, his phone buzzed. For the first time in three years, I felt a strange impulse. I checked it. “Hey Big Bear, I’m staring at the ceiling. What was the name of that painfully long movie you mentioned? I need something to put me to sleep.” The chat history had been wiped clean. The contact photo was a white kitten. Half of the matching pair was a black cat being tugged by the ear. Classic couple’s avatars. A woman’s intuition is a terrifying thing. I clicked on her profile. It was a diary of her life with her “boyfriend.” [“The best part of travel: He carries both massive suitcases, I just carry the aesthetics.”] [“Ugh, he was worried I’d be cold so he made me wait in the car while he ran out to buy me hot roasted nuts.”] There were no faces. No names. No interactions on their public feeds. I scrolled desperately. Finally, I found a photo of a car. I zoomed in until the pixels blurred. In the corner of the frame, the edge of the window revealed the car’s color. White. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Bennett drove a black SUV. I laughed at myself. I was being paranoid. It was probably a wrong number, or an old friend reaching out on a whim. Bennett never hid his phone. If they had been in contact all this time, how would I have missed it? But as I went to exit the app, a watermark on the photo caught my eye. It was a handle for a private Instagram account. I searched it. The handle was: @Is_The_Big_Bear_Groveling_Yet? It was a private account with exactly one follower. My fingers trembled as I requested to follow, then realized I didn’t need to. Her “Threads” were public. It was a record of their daily trivia. Even when Bennett was drowning in work before the IPO, he would reply to the songs she shared. [“A bit loud, but I guess it’s what girls your age like.”] During the week of our longest cold war, Bennett had told her: [“Not in a great headspace lately. Might go off the grid for a few days.”] [“Cold war again?”] she asked. Bennett didn’t reply. She posted a photo of Bennett napping at a desk. A female finger was poking his nose, squishing it into a “pig snout.” The sleeve in the photo belonged to a volunteer shirt for a local animal shelter. I remembered that weekend. Bennett had declined my movie date, saying he had to do volunteer work. He was actually with her. The latest post was from today. She was complaining about a difficult boss. Bennett had replied with paragraphs of advice, comforting her, even criticizing the boss’s behavior. She replied with a string of “LMAOs.” I remembered the time I lost a massive file at work. My boss had screamed at me for twenty minutes, only to realize later that he had taken the file himself and forgotten. He didn’t apologize. He told me it was a “learning experience” and that I should always have a backup. I had called Bennett from the stairwell, sobbing. He was silent for a long time before saying in his most ‘gentle’ voice: “Harper, objectively speaking, he’s right. Everything in life needs a Plan B. Everything needs a backup.” The tears had blurred my vision then. I realized now that Bennett knew exactly how to comfort someone. He knew how to provide emotional value. He just chose not to provide it to me. I didn’t sleep that night. The next day, I calmly asked for a breakup. He leaned against the doorframe. The spring air was crisp, the snow was melting, but nothing was as cold as the look in his eyes. “Why?” I showed him the text from my colleague. [“Tough luck having to work late this weekend. Your voice sounded like you were coming down with a cold.”] He curled his lip in a mock smile. “You’re leaving me because of a trivial bit of concern from a stranger? “Harper, does three years of my devotion mean nothing compared to a random text?” I nodded. “Yes. Exactly.” Bennett would never understand. He didn’t hear the sickness in my voice that night. A stranger did. 04 We didn’t speak for a whole month. Then, on Valentine’s Day, I got a text from him. [“I found some things you left behind. Come get them if you want them.”] Attached was a photo of a small velvet pouch. Inside was a St. Christopher medal I had bought for him at a cathedral in Europe. Bennett was the man who had everything. Wealthy, successful, elite. I thought the only thing that could move a man like that was pure, unadorned sincerity. I had stood in the rain outside that cathedral, praying for his safety. “If you grant one person your favor, may you spend the rest of your life being generous with them.” The rain had been heavy that day, mirroring the ripples in my heart. When Bennett had walked up with an umbrella, smelling faintly of cherry blossoms, I was sure the universe had heard me. “It’s my birthday and you’re not here? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Inside the restaurant, he had tenderly dried my hair. Our friends teased us. “Bennett only blew out the candles so he could wish for you to come back.” He had smiled. “What were you praying for at the church? Health?” I clutched the medal, blushing. “No. I wished for us to be this happy forever.” Bennett’s face had gone cold instantly. “Harper, praying for happiness in a relationship is the beginning of a disaster.” The medal felt like it was burning my palm. I gripped it tight. He was right. Bennett was always logical, always restrained. How could I have been so naive to think a piece of ‘sincerity’ could bind him? Someone asked, “What’s in the bag, Harper? A gift for Bennett?” I forced a laugh. “Nothing. Just a lucky charm I got for myself.” The bitterness was overwhelming. In Bennett’s vast world, love was just a tiny, manageable province. That night, Bennett had been drinking. He pinned me against the wall, kissing away my tears, murmuring into my neck. “Where’s my gift, Harper?” “I forgot to get one.” “Then you’ll have to pay me back another way.” 05 In the present, my friend Chloe was staring at Bennett’s text. “In my professional dating opinion, this is a total ‘come-back-to-me’ text. Getting Bennett Foster to reach out first is like getting blood from a stone.” Someone asked, “So what now?” Chloe was fast. She sent my current location to Bennett before I could stop her. “The enemy has moved. We reveal the location and see his next move. Ten to one, he shows up at the door.” I snatched my phone back and blocked his number. “You’re overthinking it,” I said coldly. “But his profile picture is still that photo of your back! And his header is still the sunset you took! You changed yours, but he hasn’t.” From the corner of the room, a scoff rang out. “He’s just too lazy to change it. What does that prove? “I could put a photo of Harper in my living room, but does that mean anything? You women love to mistake convenience for commitment.” It was Jax Montgomery. We went to college together. Back then, he was the guy everyone had a crush on. He had a ‘thing’ with a girl named Seraphina, but it was always messy. I didn’t expect this loose cannon to show up tonight. Jax and I had always been at odds in college, but today, for once, we were on the same page. Bennett’s little Instagram girlfriend probably had a partner too. They used matching icons, they stayed in touch, they stayed juuuust on the right side of the line. It was an ’emotional affair’ they both enjoyed. The thought made me nauseous. A few rounds of drinks later, someone suggested Truth or Dare. Jax lost. “When was the last time you felt a spark?” someone asked. The bar lights flickered. Jax swirled his bourbon. “Nineteen.” That was freshman year. The year he met Seraphina. According to Bennett, Jax was a classic player—always flirting, never committing. He was the definition of a red flag. I rolled my eyes. Men only realize what they had once it’s gone. A few rounds later, Jax lost again. Chloe smirked. “Is the person who gave you that spark in this room tonight?” Everyone in the room was from our college circle. If he said yes, it was Seraphina. I felt a gaze on me, heavy and fleeting. “Yes,” Jax said. Seraphina walked into the room almost exactly as he said the word. The room erupted in whispers. I felt a headache coming on and stepped out for some air.

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We were stuck on the highway heading home for the holidays, caught in a massive blizzard. My boyfriend said, “When we get married, your family’s dowry car can’t be worth less than fifty thousand dollars. If it’s less than fifty thousand, I’m not driving it.” I asked calmly, “And how much is your family offering for the engagement ring and wedding expenses?” He replied, “In my hometown, it’s tradition to give three thousand. Maybe five thousand at the absolute most.” He told me to be mature and understanding, saying it wasn’t easy for his parents to earn money. I nodded in agreement. “Alright then. We’ll have a courthouse wedding. I won’t ask for a ring or a wedding, and I won’t bring a dowry car.” Furious, he dumped me on the side of the freezing highway, blocked my number, and gave me the silent treatment. After the holidays, he came looking for me. “Have you thought it through? If you apologize, this wedding can still happen.” I laughed out loud and replied, “I’m sorry, Mr. Evans. I’m already married.” 1 The weather this year was brutal. Freezing rain and a massive blizzard grounded all flights and halted the Amtrak trains. I was driving my boyfriend home for the holidays when we got completely stuck on the interstate. The atmosphere in the car was tense. Aaron’s mood was visibly dark. I was just about to crack a joke to lighten the mood when he stared at the bumper of the car in front of us and spoke. “When we get married, your family’s dowry car can’t be worth less than fifty thousand dollars. If it’s less than fifty thousand, I’m not driving it.” I glanced at him in shock. His expression was dead serious. He wasn’t joking. In my mind, Aaron wasn’t the kind of person who would say something like that. He was always polite, modest, and seemed to have a strong moral compass. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have dated him for two years. I maintained my composure and asked, “And how much is your family offering for the engagement ring and wedding expenses?” I sensed a subtle defensiveness instantly wash over him. With a half-smile, he said, “In my hometown, the tradition is three thousand. Maybe five thousand at the absolute most.” I tried to state the facts as calmly as possible. “So, your family is offering five thousand at most, but you expect my family to buy a car worth no less than fifty thousand.” Aaron seemed to know his demand was outrageous, so he tried to justify it. “You need to be more understanding. My parents don’t make money as easily as yours do. You can’t expect me to drain their entire life savings just to get married, can you?!” I nodded directly in agreement. “Alright then. We’ll do a simple courthouse wedding. I won’t ask for a ring or a wedding, and I won’t bring a dowry.” Aaron’s face twisted in an instant. He glared at me furiously. “If you don’t bring a dowry, how are we going to afford the renovations for the house?! Have you even thought about our future?!” The “house” Aaron was referring to was a property he bought before we met. It was legally solely his. His monthly salary was $10,000, and his mortgage was $8,000. That meant not only was I expected to drop over a hundred thousand dollars on a car and renovations for his house, but since his salary barely covered his mortgage, I would be paying for 100% of our living expenses after we got married. Every single step of this marriage was a calculated financial trap. I sat in silence for a moment, studying his face as if I were seeing him for the very first time. Aaron had always seemed so principled, but the moment his core financial interests were involved, his true, greedy nature was exposed. I said, “That house is your pre-marital asset. It has nothing to do with me.” Aaron’s brow furrowed deeply, and he immediately shot back, “How does the house have nothing to do with you? After we get married, you get to live there rent-free! Isn’t that enough?” “Don’t you want to live comfortably? Shouldn’t you contribute money to renovate the place you’re going to live in?!” I didn’t want to start a screaming match while driving, but I couldn’t keep the anger out of my voice. “Think about it for a second. For this marriage, your family is contributing five thousand dollars maximum. My family is expected to contribute over a hundred thousand. Do you honestly think that’s fair?” Aaron’s face darkened. “Your family has money; my family doesn’t. If contributing a little more means we have a good life after we get married, what’s the big deal?!” “We’ve been together for two years. Do you really have to be this calculating?” I saw right through his hypocrisy. I went completely silent. Only one thought remained in my mind: I cannot marry this man. 2 Our car crept forward about thirty feet in a suffocating, oppressive silence. Tap, tap, tap. Someone knocked on my window. I turned my head, quickly rolled down the window, and was genuinely surprised. “You’re driving home too?!” Liam offered a bitter smile. “Yeah. Who knew the highway would be a parking lot?” He handed a couple of hot canned coffees through the window. I thanked him. Liam looked past me to Aaron and said, “Taking the boyfriend home for the holidays, huh.” He greeted Aaron politely. Aaron kept a stony face, gave a stiff nod, and turned his head away, ignoring him completely. I felt incredibly awkward, but Liam just smiled and didn’t seem to mind. I decided to step out of the car to chat with him properly. Liam was my old neighbor. We had been really close friends up until we graduated high school, but we gradually drifted apart after heading off to different colleges. I pointed to a black Mercedes three cars back. “Is that your car? Taking your girlfriend home for the holidays?” Liam looked surprised. “How did you know?” I smiled but didn’t answer, mostly because the woman sitting in the passenger seat of that Mercedes was glaring daggers at me. Her stare was so intensely hostile that I didn’t want to be oblivious and cause trouble. After chatting for a few minutes, I pretended the cold was getting to me. I stomped my boots and said, “You should head back to your car. Don’t freeze out here.” Liam looked somewhat reluctant. “You go ahead and get back in. I want to get some fresh air for a bit.” I got back into my car and watched through the rearview mirror. Liam stood shivering in the narrow gap between the idling cars, clearly freezing but refusing to go back to his own vehicle. I dug around in the backseat and found an expensive, unopened skincare gift set. I smiled, stepped back out, and walked over to Liam. “I just accepted your coffees, and I happen to have this really nice skincare set. I’d love to give it to your girlfriend. Why don’t you introduce us?” Liam laughed. “We haven’t seen each other in years. Since when did you get so formal?” I followed him to his car. The girl inside was still glaring at me. I leaned down and waved through the window. “Hi, I’m Mia. Thanks so much for the coffee earlier! This is a skincare set a friend gave me. I’d love for you to try it.” Chloe shot me a dirty look and said coldly, “Take it away. I don’t use that brand.” I was stunned and didn’t know how to respond. I looked up and saw Liam’s face flush with embarrassment. He opened his mouth to apologize, but I beat him to it. “No worries. We’re even for the coffee now.” Liam paused, then let out a relaxed, appreciative chuckle. 3 Since she clearly didn’t want it, I wasn’t going to press a hot face against a cold cheek. I carried the gift set back to my car. Aaron glanced at me and sneered, “Back already? Couldn’t give it away?” I thought he was going to comfort me, but instead, he mocked me. “They give you two cheap coffees, and you rush over to hand them a luxury gift set. Why are you so generous with outsiders?” His words ignited my temper. “So what if I gave them a gift? When have I ever been stingy with you?!” Aaron’s eyes flared with anger. “My sister asked you to buy her a single lipstick, and you refused! But with a total stranger, you casually hand over an entire luxury set!” He glared at me with pure venom. “Mia, I see exactly who you are now.” I couldn’t believe it. In his eyes, refusing to buy his sister makeup was a valid reason to attack me. When I first met his sister, she acted incredibly arrogant, acting like I should be groveling for her approval. She specifically added me on social media, never actually talked to me, but every few days she would send me links demanding I buy her things! I darkened my expression and fired back. “Since we started dating, your mom has asked me to buy her clothes. Your parents asked me to buy all their winter groceries. Your dad even told me to buy his expensive liquor and cigars. Why the hell should I have to buy your sister makeup too?!” “I am just your girlfriend! I am not your family’s personal ATM!” 4 Being called out so bluntly made Aaron’s face flush with humiliation. He kept his head down, aggressively typing on his phone with a dark scowl. The atmosphere in the car was suffocatingly tense. We slowly crawled our way to the next rest stop. Suddenly, he yelled, “Pull over!” I pulled the car over to the shoulder and stared at him coldly. Aaron got out, gripped the car door, and said, “Drive yourself back. My family is coming to pick me up.” It took me a second to process. “You’re not coming to my family’s house this year?” Aaron’s face twisted into a mocking sneer. “Why would I?” He looked down at me condescendingly and issued a warning. “You better think long and hard about whether you still want this marriage. You’ve already slept with me. Aside from me, who else is going to want you?!” My eyes widened in absolute shock. I could not believe my ears. “Are you seriously slut-shaming me right now?!” Aaron slammed the car door shut with terrifying force. I never imagined a man with a Ph.D. would be so utterly classless as to slut-shame his own girlfriend. I was so furious I was shaking. I pulled out my phone and fired off a rapid string of texts: [What century are you living in?! You think you can control women by slut-shaming them? You think sleeping with a woman makes her your property? Is your d**k a branding iron? Why don’t you go brand Mother Earth while you’re at it and announce you own the planet?!] [You think you’re so great, but you’re literally just a ten-second disappointment! I’ve spent the last two years paying for everything just to keep a useless, manipulative ten-second toy around! What else are you even good for?] [I am officially dumping you! I’m done!] Before my last barrage of texts even went through, a red exclamation mark popped up. He had blocked me. Heh. 5 Aaron’s hometown was only about twenty miles from the rest stop. My family’s house was over five hundred miles away. He abandoned me alone on the side of a freezing highway and blocked my number. I was so enraged by his slut-shaming that tears streamed down my face uncontrollably, blurring my vision. The thought that I had wasted two years of my life with a man like that made me physically nauseous. I felt so incredibly sorry for myself. Later that evening, his sister sent me a photo. It was Aaron, out to dinner, chatting intimately with another woman. In the photo, he looked polished, gentle, and attentive. The woman was soft and delicate. The way they were looking at each other, the chemistry was undeniable. [Looks like I’m getting a new sister-in-law soon! Hehe.] You see, whether a man loves you or not is painfully obvious. He can completely disregard my safety, not caring for a single second that I was stranded alone on a dangerous, snow-covered highway. And immediately after abandoning me, he could rush off to a romantic date with another woman. Suddenly, a terrifying sequence of massive crashes erupted from the highway behind me. I gasped, my eyes darting to the rearview mirror. A massive multi-car pileup had just occurred. Thank God I had pulled over into the rest stop area. I forced myself to calm down. Compared to dying in a highway pileup, being disgusted by a piece of trash for two years was a minor inconvenience. By 8:00 PM, I finally managed to crawl to the next major rest area. I was mentally exhausted from the hyper-vigilant driving, so I decided to spend the night there. My phone rang. I thought it was Aaron calling to argue, or his sister calling to gloat. But the caller ID showed an unknown number. “Hello? Mia? It’s Liam.” “Could you… possibly give me a ride?” 6 I waited by the main entrance of the rest stop for a long time before I spotted a dark figure slowly trudging through the snow. I ran toward him. As I got closer, I realized he was practically freezing to death! In weather this brutal, a normal person couldn’t stand being outside for ten minutes. How the hell did he walk all the way here from the previous rest stop?! I quickly shoved two hot coffees and a couple of warm steamed buns inside his jacket and asked, “Where’s your car?” His eyes were red-rimmed. “My girlfriend kicked me out.” I grabbed his hand. It was as cold as a block of ice. “Come on. Get in my car.” I blasted the heat to the max and poured the last bit of hot water from my thermos for him. Liam sat there for a long time before he finally caught his breath. Shivering violently, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and started sending voice memos to Chloe. Liam: “Please, stop being angry. Pull over somewhere safe. It’s too dangerous for you to drive alone in this snow. Wait for me, and I’ll drive you back.” I sat quietly, watching him. He was incredibly emotionally stable. Even after being abandoned by his girlfriend in a freezing blizzard, his first instinct was to make sure she was safe. Compared to Aaron, it was like night and day. Chloe never replied. Liam called her dozens of times before she finally answered. He said calmly, “We can talk about all of that later. It’s not safe to drive in this snow. Pull over, and I’ll drive you home.” Chloe’s voice was icy. “I don’t need you. I’m already off the highway, heading to my parents’ house.” “You can just freeze out there.” I didn’t know how much damage the phrase “You can just freeze out there” could do to a person, but I watched Liam hold his phone, staring silently out the window for a long, long time. I caught his reflection in the glass. His eyes looked suspiciously bright. I tried to lighten the mood. “Hey, you’re not the most pathetic one here. My boyfriend dumped me on the highway too.” 7 Liam looked shocked. “In this blizzard?! He actually felt okay leaving you to drive alone?!” I put on a brave face. “Yep. Because I refused to drop fifty thousand dollars on a dowry car, he left me behind.” Liam let out a short, bitter laugh. “What a coincidence. I refused to buy her family two more houses, so she kicked me out.” I was stunned. “Isn’t one house enough to live in? Why two? And the housing market is terrible right now anyway.” Liam’s expression turned grim. “She has a younger brother. She demanded I buy them two houses, and the bigger one had to be a luxury villa. For her brother.” Hearing that, I almost applauded the audacity. “What do they call that? When one person strikes it rich, the whole village expects to be carried to the top?” Liam smiled helplessly. “Did you agree?” I asked. Liam gave me a look that said everything. “What do you think?” Even if he agreed, his family would absolutely never allow it.

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I accepted a system quest to redeem the tragic second male lead of a romance novel. Over a few years, he gradually healed from his past trauma. Everyone said he loved me, treated me even better than he ever treated the original female lead. Until he discovered the female lead’s childhood diary. It was filled with entries about her secret crush on him… The feelings he had deliberately suppressed reignited like a dying ember catching the wind. He started revolving his life around her again. Everyone thought I would have a breakdown, including the system. But I just calmly waited for the quest to end. When the system asked if I wanted to stay, I firmly shook my head. “Suffering for the female lead is the second male lead’s destiny. He doesn’t deserve my redemption.” 01 On the weekend, after visiting Arthur’s parents, we were driving home from their estate when his phone suddenly started ringing with a ringtone I had never heard before. The ringtone was a bit staticky. It sounded like a poorly played violin mixed with electronic interference, like someone had recorded it on a cheap phone. I frowned, and before I could even speak, I saw Arthur visibly freeze. A few seconds later, he almost frantically pulled the car over to the side of the road. He didn’t even wait for the car to come to a complete stop before hastily answering the phone. The soundproofing in the car was excellent, making the interior exceptionally quiet. Even though Arthur tried his best to lean away, I could still clearly hear the soft female voice on the other end. It was Chloe. I knew it. Only she could make the usually composed Arthur Sterling lose his cool in a second. Sure enough, after hanging up, Arthur immediately looked at me with an apologetic expression. “I’m sorry, Elena. I can’t take you home.” “Why?” I asked, knowing full well what the answer would be. “Chloe… she just landed at the airport. She can’t get an Uber, and it’s too late. It’s really dangerous for a girl out there alone.” I lowered my eyes and gave a soft “oh.” “Can’t you just take me with you? It’s not like there’s only one seat in the car.” Arthur’s expression grew incredibly awkward. “Chloe… she… she…” He stammered, unable to form a complete sentence. But I knew exactly what he meant. He just wanted to say that Chloe didn’t like me and definitely didn’t want to see me. He didn’t want to make things unpleasant for her. Since the atmosphere had already reached this point, saying anything more would be useless. I grabbed my purse, opened the car door, and stepped out. Arthur threw out two more “I’m sorry”s. Then he slammed on the gas and sped past me. 02 Wearing high heels and clutching my coat tight against the biting wind, I walked step-by-step along the mountain road. After Arthur’s parents retired, they didn’t want to stay in the city, so they moved back to their old estate in the suburbs. This meant that every time Arthur and I visited them, it was at least an hour’s drive. Arthur was clearly too excited. His mind was completely consumed by the fact that Chloe was back, and he couldn’t let her freeze at the airport alone. But he forgot how far this mountain road was. I couldn’t even hail an Uber out here. How was I supposed to walk back? [He even forgot to drop you off at an intersection where you could easily get a ride.] The system chimed in, twisting the knife. “…” I sighed helplessly. “Can you stop constantly reading my mind?” [Sorry, sorry, I couldn’t help myself.] The system sheepishly retreated. The mountain road was incredibly difficult to navigate at night. Once I finally made it to the main road, I immediately found the nearest hotel. I couldn’t walk another step. That night, I lay alone on a soft, king-sized bed. Even though I was exhausted, I wasn’t sleepy at all. This was already my third year transmigrated into this world. Before I arrived, the story belonging to the female lead, Chloe, had already ended. Like every happy ending, she lived happily ever after with the male lead. Leaving behind only the second male lead, Arthur, to drown his sorrows in alcohol every day, silently pining for her. And my appearance was meant to fulfill the dreams of countless readers: to heal Arthur. To be fair, I gave it my all during these three years. Arthur’s attitude towards me slowly shifted from initial resistance to a deep affection. I once believed I had successfully unlocked his heart. But then that diary surfaced… Arthur finally, belatedly realized that the young Chloe had once liked him too. He had just been too dense back then, giving the male lead the perfect opportunity to swoop in. See? That’s the magnetic pull the female lead has on the second male lead. No matter how much I did. As long as the female lead gave him a sliver of hope, he would reignite like a dying ember catching the wind. 03 I barely slept at the hotel. Until I checked out the next morning, my phone didn’t receive a single new message. It was obvious Arthur hadn’t gone home last night. Otherwise, he definitely would have asked where I was. It was the weekend. I didn’t have to go to work, so I just waited at home. But by evening, Arthur still hadn’t returned. My long-silent phone finally received a new message. [Having dinner with some college friends. I won’t be home for dinner.] I stayed silent for a moment, then replied: [Okay.] I wasn’t hungry to begin with, and now I had even less of an appetite. I just sat on the edge of the sofa, quietly lost in thought. Suddenly, my phone started vibrating frantically. I answered it, and a cacophony of noise instantly blasted through the speaker. It was Mia, Arthur’s college friend. She and I were actually pretty close. Right now, she was keeping her voice low, asking me nervously, “Elena, what’s going on with you and Arthur?” “What do you mean?” “We’re having a college reunion. He said he could bring a plus-one, but he showed up with some strange woman.” I froze for a second, then immediately realized who this woman was—nine times out of ten, it was Chloe. “Why didn’t he bring you? Is he cheating?” Mia was always blunt. But having been bound to the system for years, I was already used to defending Arthur. “Don’t misunderstand. I was busy today. Besides, that’s his sister.” “What ‘sister’? The way they’re making eyes at each other, she looks like a little homewrecker.” “…” Mia was furious on my behalf. Afraid she would make a scene, I could only make up a few more excuses for Arthur. She hung up, still half-doubting me. But not long after, she sent me a few photos. [Look at the way they’re staring at each other. You can practically cut the tension with a knife! Something’s wrong, very wrong! [Look, Arthur is even taking drinks for that little homewrecker! [Elena, I’ll block the door for you. Get over here, now!] 04 Half an hour later, following the location Mia sent, I arrived at the restaurant where they were having dinner. Except… I was there to bring Arthur his medicine. Since a few years ago, when Chloe and the male lead left to travel the world, Arthur had developed a habit of heavy drinking. Like every deeply devoted second male lead in a novel, he had neglected his health, completely ruining his body. His stomach was practically destroyed. Every time his stomach issues flared up, he would be in agonizing pain. So, I hadn’t let him drink for a long time. But now… I guess what was meant to happen, happened. I sat outside the private dining room and texted Arthur to come out and get his medicine. But time ticked by, minute by minute. My legs were getting stiff from sitting, and he still hadn’t replied. The sounds of laughter and cheering kept drifting through the door. Exhausted, I had no choice but to stand up and slowly push the door open. Mia saw me first, her face lighting up with excitement. I guiltily avoided her gaze, walked over to Arthur, and pressed the pill bottle into his hand. “I texted you, but you didn’t reply. I had to bring it in myself.” Arthur looked panicked, his eyes constantly darting toward Chloe, who was sitting next to him. Chloe, on the other hand, sat calmly. She didn’t greet me, just focused entirely on swirling the glass in her hand. The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned incredibly awkward. I quickly waved my hands at them. “It’s fine, I was just dropping something off. You guys keep having fun.” Then I pushed the door open and walked back out. 05 By the time I got into a taxi, my phone was blowing up with messages. Mia was furious with me for not standing my ground. [Elena, what are you doing?! [When people throw mud at you, do you just lie down and take it?] I closed my phone, feeling a bit helpless. What was I supposed to do? This mission was destined to fail. Right now, the best choice for me was to maintain my persona as the understanding, considerate partner. I needed to rack up as many “persona points” as possible so the penalty wouldn’t be too harsh when the mission ended. Besides, the good news was that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. According to the original mission timeline, I only had to endure this for another six months. 06 Just as the taxi was approaching my apartment complex, Mia started bombarding me with messages again. [Holy shit, is this woman married?! [Some guy just kicked open our private room door and dragged her out. [Arthur thought she was in danger and chased after them, but they ended up making out passionately outside. [Elena, you knew already, didn’t you? [This circle is so messed up.] Holding my phone, I almost instantly understood Chloe’s goal. She had lost interest in Arthur a long time ago; she was just using him to make the male lead jealous. Looking at it this way, was Arthur, the ultimate tool, really any better off than I was? … That night, it was incredibly late by the time Arthur got home. As soon as he pushed the door open, he collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud. He was covered in cold sweat, his shirt soaked through. His face was a sickly pale, his lips completely devoid of color. It was obvious his old stomach issue was acting up again. “Did you take the medicine I gave you?” I asked. Arthur’s eyes flickered. I immediately knew the answer. He definitely hadn’t taken it. Of course, how could he bring himself to take the medicine I brought while he was in front of Chloe? I sighed, helped him up, poured a glass of water, and handed it to him along with his medication. This time, he didn’t refuse. He obediently took the pills and leaned against the sofa, waiting for the pain to subside. After a long while, seeming to feel a bit better, he opened his eyes and said “I’m sorry” to me. “I brought Chloe to the college reunion today purely because she happened to be right next to me. “She told me she hasn’t had a proper meal in a long time. That delinquent she’s with doesn’t even have a real job. I really don’t know how he takes care of her…” “Wait,” I gently interrupted him. “What does that have to do with you? Love makes you blind to hardship. Besides, both of you have your own families now.” Arthur froze. After what felt like an eternity, he turned his face away and muttered, “That’s true.” “It’s best if you can see that. Actually, Chloe isn’t as perfect as you think she is. Your memory has idealized her. I don’t believe you couldn’t tell that she was just using you today…” Before I could finish, Arthur snapped his head back toward me. I had never seen his eyes look so cold. “Elena, you don’t understand Chloe at all. What gives you the right to slander her to my face?” 07 After saying that, Arthur didn’t even care about my shock. He grabbed his coat, furiously pushed the door open, and stomped into the living room. The bedroom returned to silence. I stayed quiet for a long time, then gave a self-deprecating shake of my head and lay back down on the bed. Not long after, the system randomly piped up: [Host, are you feeling pretty disappointed?] “Didn’t I tell you to stop reading my mind?” The system chuckled awkwardly: [I was just curious.] I ignored it, but after a while, it couldn’t hold back and asked me again. “Host, I can feel your sadness. Do you have feelings for the second male lead?” My eyelashes fluttered. Developing feelings for the target is a massive taboo when trying to complete a mission. I didn’t need a reminder; I knew this very well. But… Arthur was, after all, my first mission target. I had spent three years with him, day in and day out. I’m human, not a robot. How could I not feel something? Seeing my silence, the system let out another awkward chuckle. [It’s totally normal for you to like him. From what I know, almost everyone develops feelings for their first mission target. [And half of those people choose to stay forever.] I gave a faint “oh,” and then heard the system ask: [Host, do you want to stay?] I remained silent. Honestly, during those three years of living with Arthur, the thought crossed my mind more than once: “Maybe he’s forgotten the female lead and fallen for me,” “Maybe staying like this wouldn’t be so bad…” But looking at it now, I was being incredibly naive. My relationship with Arthur was like a seemingly solid block of ice. As soon as the sun came out, it was destined to melt into a muddy, messy puddle. 08 Early the next morning, Arthur rushed out of the house. I thought he was going to work, but near noon, his secretary suddenly called me. She said there was an urgent document that needed to be signed at the company, but she couldn’t reach Arthur no matter what she tried. “Is Mr. Sterling coming to the office today?” I froze for a second, then snapped out of it, smoothly covering for him. “He’s tied up today. You can just sign it. If there are any issues, I’ll take the blame.” The secretary agreed repeatedly and hung up. For some reason, I had a gut feeling. Arthur definitely went to find Chloe… Sure enough, toward evening, I received a video. It was from Mia, downloaded from some gossip account. She asked: [Elena, isn’t that the little homewrecker? Why is she out buying a house with Arthur? [And the guy standing in the corner… isn’t that the guy she was making out with last time? [Is Arthur seriously being a cuckold for these two?] I clicked on the video. It was definitely them. The gossip account’s caption for the video was: [The city’s most anticipated luxury condo development just opened, and it sold out in less than a day! There are just too many rich people!] …My feelings were incredibly complicated. About six months ago, someone jumped off a building in the complex where Arthur and I lived. The surrounding neighbors gradually moved out. I felt it was getting too quiet and had mentioned it to Arthur. And what did he say? He said the company was too busy lately, and we’d look for a new place when he had some downtime. And so we waited, and waited, right up until now. Why, when it came to Chloe, was he suddenly not busy anymore? 09 That night, when Arthur returned, he was radiating a sweet, cloying perfume scent. He awkwardly took off his clothes, trying to cover it up. “Ugh, all these business dinners are so exhausting.” Before I could speak, the system laughed. [Are you going to expose him, Host?] I shook my head. The scale in his heart had already completely tipped toward Chloe. What was the point of me exposing him? So, I took a deep breath, composed myself, and as usual, helped him put his clothes in the hamper. Arthur shot me a guilty look, then used taking a shower as an excuse to slip into the bathroom. The moment the door closed, I suddenly remembered something. I had left my tablet in there after watching the video this afternoon! “Arthur!” I ran over and knocked on the door, but there was no sound from inside for a long time. Just as I was about to knock again, I grabbed at thin air. Arthur pulled the door open and stood there, lips pressed tightly together, holding my tablet in his hand. And the tablet’s screen was paused right on that video. [Hehe, the crematorium arc begins.] The system cheered. I sighed in exasperation. But Arthur thought I was venting my dissatisfaction at him, and his brow furrowed involuntarily. “Elena, don’t overthink this. There’s a reason I bought a house for her.” “I know.” I nodded, playing along perfectly. “You and Chloe are childhood friends. You were too dense when you were young and accidentally hurt her, so now you want to do everything in your power to make it up to her.” Arthur choked on his words. “Elena, you…” “It’s true, don’t say anything else. I understand completely.” “…That’s good, then.” Arthur finished speaking and went back into the bathroom. Leaving me standing there, completely expressionless. [Host, you seem really upset.] The system said softly. I ignored it, acting like I hadn’t heard a thing.

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Married into wealth for three years, I was universally acknowledged as the “docile, zen” trophy wife. I was so low-profile that I never even took off my sunglasses in public. Until my husband’s childhood sweetheart deliberately leaked a photo of me online. Instantly, the entire police department went on high alert. On the dark web, a bounty was placed on my head, clear as day: “Codename Phoenix: $100 Million Cash Bounty.” “First come, first served.” 01 Having been married into wealth for three years, I had almost gotten used to this quiet, comfortable life. Liam rarely came home, but my allowance was always more than enough. He laid his cards on the table the very first day we got married: “My parents don’t like Mia, which is the only reason you slipped in. “You’d better just quietly play the role of Mrs. Sterling. “As for anything else, don’t even think about it.” I nodded enthusiastically, so fast that even Liam couldn’t help but ask: “Were you… actually listening to me?” “Repeat what I just said.” I replied, earnest and deadpan: “You said you like playing the flute.” Liam was so furious that he didn’t even stay for the wedding night, storming out immediately. I didn’t care. It was a transaction. To him, I was just a random woman he grabbed off the street to act as a shield against his parents. But to me, he was a meticulously chosen safe haven. So, for the three years of our marriage, I made sure to never cause him any trouble. My main goal was to have “zero presence.” I became known in his circle as the “docile, zen” trophy wife. Everyone envied Liam for having a wife who never caused drama, allowing him to play the field as much as he wanted. My only demand was that I absolutely would not show my face in public. When I occasionally accompanied him to social events, I was fully armored: mask, sunglasses, hat. If it weren’t for the mandatory “psychological evaluation” I was forced to undergo every month, life would have been perfect. 02 That day, I finished my psych evaluation and was driven back to the mansion in an unmarked black SUV. I was feeling extremely agitated. Flashes of memories kept crossing my mind. A woman with fiery eyes raising a challenging eyebrow at me: “Sisters for life.” “Hold your gun steady, sis, and I’ll hand you a Medal of Valor.” A stern senior officer demanding answers from me: “Did you sell out your partner?!” “Why are you the only one who came back!” “Why did you insist on marrying Liam Sterling?!” And a doctor in a white coat looking at me with pity: “Due to extreme trauma, your memories are fragmented and confused. “It’s okay, they’ll come back slowly. “But you’re no longer fit for field duty, plus… there are some sensitive issues… “In short, you can finally get some real rest.” In my groggy state, I felt a hand on my forehead. I jolted awake instantly: “Scarlett!” Liam’s hand hovered awkwardly in the air. After a moment, he frowned in displeasure: “Who is Scott?” “Your little boy toy? “Using my money to keep a pretty boy. You’ve got nerve.” I gasped for air, drenched in cold sweat. It took me a long time to reply coldly: “Why are you back?” “Didn’t we agree that I only sell my acting skills, not my body?” Liam’s frown deepened, as if he could crush a fly between his brows: “Why are you throwing a tantrum?” “Do you feel neglected? “Or did you hear that Mia is back in the country?” Three rapid-fire questions, and not a single one hit the mark. I put on a look of innocent confusion: “Who is Mia?” Liam… Just then, my phone chimed with a “ding.” I stiffened. Very few people had my phone number. Even when Liam wanted to contact me, he had to leave a letter with someone at the door. Literally sending messages via carrier pigeon. I opened the message. It was an image. The moment I saw it clearly, my pupils shrank: How is this possible? She’s dead! A message from Chief Harris followed immediately: “Our guys intercepted this on the dark web. “There will be a live human auction on the first of next month. “But we don’t know if it’s real yet. It might just be bait.” I sank into deep thought. Beside me, Liam was still rambling: “I know you’ve always felt like a replacement. “Now that Mia is back, I’m going to test the waters with my parents. “If they can accept her, I’ll draft the divorce papers…” Before he could finish, I managed to lift a hand and give him a crisp “OK” sign. Liam… Liam lost his cool: “Seriously, could you show me a little respect?!” Respect was impossible. The only person in the world who commanded my respect was currently lying in a military cemetery. 03 With practiced ease, I opened a browser—bypassed the firewall—and logged into my dark web account. I sent the photo I just received to a contact named “Broker”: “Check this for me. I need the timestamp and any signs of Photoshop.” “And find out how legit this human auction early next month is.” ‘How legit’ meant what percentage was true versus false. The reply came quickly: “Got it.” “By the way, got some new AK-47s in. You want some?” “They kick ass, and shipping is free.” I scoffed: “You think AK-47s ‘kick ass’? You need to get out more.” “Give me…” After finishing my sentence, I logged off. Looking up, Liam was still standing by the bed, staring at me with a complicated expression. I was suspicious: “Why haven’t you left yet?” For a second, Liam’s expression was almost feral. It took him a long time to suppress his anger: “There’s a gala tomorrow. You’re coming with me.” “Mia will be there too. Don’t make things difficult for her.” I nodded noncommittally: “Fine. Same rules as always: no photos at the event.” “And I get to wear my mask and sunglasses.” 04 The next day, fully armored, I arrived at the banquet hall. Liam was already there, accompanied by a girl who looked so fragile a breeze could knock her over. She looked at me timidly: “You must be Chloe, right?” “I’m Mia. Thank you for taking care of Liam for me all these years.” I waved my hand dismissively: “Don’t mention it. Save the sentiment, just pay me for my trouble?” “Doesn’t have to be a lot. A million or so will do.” Mia looked completely bewildered, her clear, innocent eyes full of massive confusion. She tried hard to steer the conversation back to the “One True Love vs. The Forgotten Stand-In” narrative: “You’re so funny, Chloe.” “By the way, why are you so bundled up? Is it because you’re insecure about being ugly?” I adjusted the edge of my mask: “You’ve got a lot of nerve.” Mia instantly shifted into combat mode, ready to fire back. But I continued: “You should lay off the spicy food.” “Your breath is reaching me even through the mask.” Liam tried to join the fray: “That’s enough! Mia just got back, and you’re already bullying her!” I looked up and smiled: “Oh, sorry, I missed you.” “You too.” “The smell is really strong. It burns the eyes.” In the end, the two of them were shaking with anger. Fortunately, someone intervened and invited everyone to take their seats for dinner. 05 Everyone at the gala was a shrewd social climber. They all knew that Mia would likely soon replace me as the new Mrs. Sterling. So, absolutely no one bothered talking to me; they were all entirely focused on kissing up to Mia. I wasn’t paying attention to the gala anyway. I was anxiously waiting for “Broker” to send me the investigation results. I checked my phone every ten seconds. And downed a glass of champagne every thirty seconds. Even Liam couldn’t help leaning in to say: “Drink a little less.” “Drinking on an empty stomach will give you an ulcer.” I didn’t even need to use my peripheral vision to know that Mia’s rage meter was fully maxed out at that moment. I awkwardly took a big bite of food, trying to avoid conversation. To my surprise, a moment later, Mia suddenly laughed: “Oh my, I accidentally posted a photo of Chloe on Instagram.” “The internet is rating your looks right now.” “Tsk, how could someone give you a one out of ten? That’s too mean.” I nearly spit out my wine. I swiftly snatched Liam’s phone from beside him and immediately saw the trending post on Instagram. It was a picture of me drinking. The comments underneath were buzzing: [The mysterious Mrs. Sterling finally shows her face.] [I almost forgot Liam was married. His wife is way too low-profile.] [Heh, everyone knows she’s just a stand-in. Mia will take her rightful place soon.] [Sure enough, she looks painfully average. Not even half as pretty as Mia.] [To the person above… when you said ‘painfully average,’ didn’t your conscience hurt a little?] I looked at Liam with eyes like ice. He guiltily rubbed his nose, then loudly defended himself: “I didn’t know Mia took a picture of you!” “Besides, you’re not famous. What’s the big deal if she posted it?” Mia chimed in loudly too: “Exactly. You’re just a normal person.” “It’s not like fans are going to camp outside your house at midnight begging for an autograph.” “You really think you’re someone special.” Of course no one was going to camp outside for an autograph. There would only be mercenaries camped out at sniper vantage points at midnight, ready to take my head. I took a deep breath and solemnly announced: “Ms. Mia, you’re in deep trouble.” “I prematurely express my condolences for the legal consequences you’re about to face.” “But you brought this on yourself with your itchy fingers.” Mia laughed disdainfully: “Legal consequences? You’re joking.” “What could possibly…” Mid-sentence, she suddenly froze. It wasn’t just her. Everyone in the hall was looking at their phones in confusion: “Why was the post deleted?” “And Mia’s account was banned?” I took a sip of wine. The police department was probably on high alert by now. But even with them acting fast, it was probably too late… Just then, the piercing wail of police sirens erupted outside the hotel. Simultaneously, the large screen in the banquet hall suddenly flared to life. A jumble of code flashed frantically across the screen. Then, a masked, mixed-race man appeared on the screen: “Officer Phoenix, you really are still alive.” “You’ve hidden yourself too well these past few years.” “But since you’ve surfaced, I won’t let you disappear so easily again.” “It’s time to settle the score for you taking down my entire drug manufacturing operation years ago, and for the death of your partner.” “From this moment on, I am issuing a bounty to all mercenaries and hunters on the dark web.” “The head of Codename Phoenix: $100 Million Cash Bounty.” “First come, first served.” “Of course, you are also welcome to come find me for revenge.” “I will be waiting for you at the site of our old shootout.” “I wonder, do you still have the guts to show up alone like you did back then?” I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging deep into my palms. Staring straight at the man on the screen, I mouthed silently: “With pleasure.” He couldn’t possibly hear my answer, but in that fleeting second… Stephen, the drug lord who had once ruled from the shadows, smiled a chilling smile of satisfaction. 06 The entire banquet hall plunged into a dead silence. The next second, the main doors were kicked open by SWAT teams. Chief Harris’s frantic, booming voice echoed into the room: “Secure the perimeter! Secure the perimeter!” “Check all sniper vantage points!” “Where is the cyber division?! Did they send toddlers?!” “Delete the video immediately! Check our firewalls!” The SWAT team swarmed in. Captain Chen, leading the charge, yelled at the top of his lungs: “Everyone, get down on the ground!” The socialites and executives in the room were dumbfounded. But meeting the glaring eyes of the SWAT officers, they instantly and uniformly dropped to the floor with a collective woosh. Chief Harris marched over, nodded sharply at me, then narrowed his eyes and roared: “Who uploaded Officer Chloe’s photo just now?!” Mia, trembling uncontrollably, hid behind Liam. Neither of them made a sound. Chief Harris followed my gaze, locked onto Mia, and waved his hand authoritatively: “Take her in first. Run a full background check on her social connections.” “See if there’s a motive for intentional exposure.” Mia was stunned. It wasn’t until a SWAT officer stepped forward to grab her that she snapped out of it: “Why are you arresting me?!” “I have civil rights…” She was hauled out before she could finish. Two other men in the room, shifting their eyes nervously, were pointed out by me and taken away as well. They were Liam’s good buddies. As they were dragged out, they glared at me in silence, their expressions venomous. Liam, on the other hand, looked completely clueless: “What is going on?” “Why did they take them away?” “What is it that I don’t know?” I stared at him intently for a long moment, then smiled: “Just stay like this. It’s better this way.” The cyber division finally got into position. But Stephen’s video had already spread rapidly in that incredibly short window. He hadn’t just hijacked the banquet hall’s screen; he had even forced the video onto the jumbotrons in the downtown shopping district. Countless people witnessed his declaration of war. The worst part was that many people recorded the video and uploaded it to the internet again. It was already trending everywhere. The whole internet was buzzing, trying to figure out my identity. The cyber cops were cursing in despair: “No way, are these people insane?!” At the same time, my phone rang. It was an encrypted call. I walked to a corner, avoiding Chief Harris’s scrutinizing gaze, and answered the call. Broker’s excited voice blasted through: “Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! You’re a cop?!” “I’ve been working for a cop this whole damn time?!” I cut him off ruthlessly: “Did you not get paid?” The other side instantly went quiet. After hesitating for a moment, he said: “It’s not about the money. You’re the dark web’s number one target now.” “I can’t help you anymore, or I’ll lose my own life.” “I found out what you asked me to look into.” “Consider this one on the house. No charge. Take care of yourself from now on.” I curled the corner of my mouth: “Thanks.” “You’d better pack your bags and hide overseas for a while.” Broker’s dismissive voice came through: “Relax, what could happen to me?” “I’m just a low-level hustler doing odd jobs for cash.” “Let me tell you about the main thing, about that photo… what’s that sound?” A terrible premonition suddenly washed over me. I instinctively yelled: “Watch out!” Every eye in the venue turned to me. But I couldn’t care about that. A very faint snick came from the other end of the line. Followed by the sound of flowing liquid. I cried out: “Broker? Broker, what happened?!” The call was forcefully disconnected. A video was sent to my phone. I clicked it open. Broker was slumped softly on the floor. His throat was slit, the bone clearly visible. His eyes were empty, his limbs twitching involuntarily. A horrifying gurgling sound came from his throat, striking directly at my nerves. He seemed to want to tell me something. Maybe it was the investigation results, maybe he wanted to curse at me, or maybe he just wanted to say he regretted it. But he would never speak another word. He died, silently. The next second, a person wearing a black cloak and a white smiling mask appeared on the screen. He held up a piece of paper to the camera: 【This is only the beginning.】 07 Back at the familiar yet strange police station, everyone was rushing around frantically. Some were glaring and ordering suspects to “confess and get a lighter sentence, resist and face the consequences.” Some were typing furiously, trying to scrub videos off the internet. And some were playing whack-a-mole, fielding angry calls from various superiors. I stood by the window, feeling completely out of place. After a while, Chief Harris came back, panting: “Why are you standing by the window? Stay out of sight!” I set down the coffee I was holding for warmth: “It’s fine. This is a sniper blind spot.” “Any results on Scarlett’s photo?” Chief Harris slapped his thigh in frustration: “Nothing. Experts say it was processed with a special method.” “It’s hard to verify when it was taken.” “And command says we’re not prioritizing properly.” “We should be focusing on capturing Stephen immediately, not getting bogged down by a photo of unverified authenticity.” I let out a soft scoff: “No surprise there.” Chief Harris was silent for a long moment before finally asking: “Why have you been maintaining contact with someone on the dark web all these years, even having him investigate things for you?” “And how did you know that the businesses of those two kids we just grabbed were connected to Stephen?” “You…” I narrowed my eyes and looked at him: “Why don’t you just ask me directly if I’ve gone rogue?” “Isn’t that the answer you’ve always wanted?” Chief Harris’s eyes hardened instantly. I didn’t back down, meeting his stare head-on. “Officer Chloe, please maintain your trust in the organization!” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud: “Has the organization ever trusted me?” “Haven’t you spent all these years trying to dig up evidence of my betrayal?” Just as we were at each other’s throats, Chief Harris’s secretary hurried over: “Chief, there’s a call from the State Department.” Chief Harris didn’t spare me another glance, turning and walking away briskly. I stared at his back, a mocking smile tugging at the corner of my lips. The secretary glanced at me, offering an apologetic smile: “Officer Chloe, the Chief doesn’t mean any harm. He’s just getting older and a bit stubborn.” “Why don’t you wait in his office for a bit? You two can have a proper talk later.” “I’ll go make you a cup of tea.” With that, he dashed off. 08 As I sat in Chief Harris’s office, sipping tea with nothing to do, a check caught my attention. It was blank, with no amount specified, but it bore an official stamp. And it was from a Swiss bank. In other words, this was an “unlimited blank check” that could be cashed anywhere in the world. The bearer could write in any amount they desired. But why was it in Chief Harris’s office? How could a 50-year-old man who still used a cheap thermos won at a company raffle possess a Swiss bank check? Just as I reached out to examine it closer, a sudden sensation of my hair standing on end washed over me. It was the instinct forged through countless brushes with death. Without a second thought, I dove to the ground, rolling and using the filing cabinet as cover. At the exact same moment, the spot where I had been standing was riddled with bullets. Submachine gun fire poured relentlessly into the office. The alarms blared: “Hostiles in the building!” Realizing they had missed their window for a stealth kill, the attackers instantly chose to retreat. By the time the police surrounded their sniper vantage point, all that remained was a pile of shell casings. Chief Harris was furious: “Damn it! This is outrageous!” “How dare they?!” “How did mercenaries get into the country?!” “Investigate this immediately!” “Did some travel agency approve tourist visas for them?!” I raised an eyebrow and pointed at the shell casings: “Snakes have their paths, rats have their holes.” “These mercenaries are ‘corporate employees’.” “They’re managed by an organized syndicate, dispersed and lying low in various countries well in advance.” “When a mission comes up, they strike. Whether they succeed or fail, they extract immediately.” “Once things cool down, the syndicate rotates a new crew into the country.” “The same crew never executes an assassination mission in the same country twice.” Captain Chen of the SWAT team looked enlightened and gave me a thumbs-up: “Officer Chloe is very knowledgeable.” “We learned something new.” Chief Harris snapped at him impatiently: “Don’t make me smack you in the middle of a crisis!” “What do we do now?” “Every lead is dead—the photo, the auction, the dark web source…” “And those two kids we grabbed earlier? They swear their families just run ‘self-storage units’.” “They provide the space, but they don’t know who’s renting or what’s being stored.” “We sent people to check, and it really is a fully automated, scan-to-access operation.” “Damn it, sometimes technology is too advanced for its own good…” I raised my hand to stop his rambling: “They definitely know that self-storage is meant to lower costs.” “What kind of idiot pays five times the market rate for a self-storage unit?” “Interrogate them again. They’re definitely the weak link.” Chief Harris suppressed his frustration, ordered his men to re-interrogate the suspects, and then said: “Since our next move is unclear, you should stay at the station for a few days.” “I’m worried that if you walk out that door, someone will blow you away to cash in…” I joked half-heartedly: “A hundred million dollars, huh? Even I’m a little tempted.” “Harris, aren’t you tempted?” Chief Harris stared blankly for a moment before realizing what I was saying. He waved his hand dismissively: “No way, no way. You hold grudges like nobody’s business. I’m afraid you’d haunt my bedroom at night.” I stared at Chief Harris’s balding head and spoke slowly: “Actually, there is one other path.” A path Stephen had laid out for me long ago. And he knew, without a doubt, I would take it.

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On the day the high school queen bee who bullied my boyfriend gets married. My boyfriend jumps into the ocean to kill himself. While sorting through his belongings, I found a hidden folder on his computer. It was overflowing with photos of her, filled to the brim with his longing and love for her. He even wrote a song for her: [Every day without you, I toss and turn, sleepless.] So, when I am suddenly reborn, back to the day she rallies the entire class to isolate him. I withdraw my gaze and do not stand up for him. But he stops me, his voice trembling and desperate: “Why… why aren’t you helping me this time?” 1 The genius singer-songwriter Carter released a new song, Harper. The reference in the song was too obvious. During an interview, everyone asked if the new song was modeled after the woman he loved. The corners of his lips curled up. He looked at the camera with a cold, clear gaze. “Yes. I wish her happiness.” A reporter, eager for drama, slyly asked: “By wishing her happiness, does that mean you are marrying Stella?” I am Stella. From high school until now. From a dim basement apartment to a glittering mansion. We had walked hand in hand for over a decade. This was no secret in the industry. In the video, Carter looked slightly stunned to hear my name. He didn’t answer the reporter’s question. He merely announced that the interview was over and left under the escort of his staff. I watched this fruitless interview. I remembered a saying I had read before. If you’ve been with someone for many years and still haven’t gotten married, there’s a high probability you never will. I just didn’t expect that Carter and I truly wouldn’t get married. Because he committed suicide by jumping into the ocean. On a large rock by the sea, he left an old, outdated cell phone. The screen was left open on his text thread with Harper. There was an unsent message: I love you. 2 Carter was an orphan. With him gone like this, I was the only one left to handle his affairs. He probably anticipated this day long ago. He had drawn up a will early on, arranging everything meticulously. He said he loved children, so he donated his savings to the foster care system. He said he didn’t have a family, so he left all his real estate to me. He said there was a love he couldn’t speak of in this life, and by dying, he could finally be brave for once. He even remembered the kindness of a young intern who had only crossed his path a few times to bring him fruit at the company. But for me, he didn’t leave a single word. It was as if the decade I spent by his side was entirely insignificant. Utterly irrelevant. Like a soulless marionette, I handled everything for him. Until I found an old laptop he hadn’t used in years sitting on a bookshelf. In a folder I accidentally opened. It was packed with photos of another woman. Our high school’s queen bee, Harper. He had named the folder [Daisy]. The flower language of the daisy is hidden love deep in the heart. Feeling almost suffocated by despair, I counted them. Exactly 520 photos. But after high school graduation, they had never crossed paths again. I clicked through the photos. Some of them clearly had social media watermarks at the bottom. The earliest one was Harper taking a bow after her performance at the freshman orientation gala. The most recent one was Harper’s wedding photo. I suddenly understood who Carter’s new song Harper was written for. There was a lyric in it: [Every day without you, I toss and turn, sleepless.] He was using the song to scream his love to the world. I also finally understood the meaning of I wish her happiness. My heart felt like it was being crushed in someone’s fist, throbbing with a piercing, unbearable pain. At the very bottom of the photos was a document. It recorded his secret crush on Harper starting from freshman year. How ridiculous. Harper bullied him from the first day of school. She mocked him for being a hillbilly, cornered him in the bathroom to dump cold water on him, hired guys to beat him up in an alley after school, cut up his clothes, forced him to do her homework, and made him run errands to buy her snacks… I couldn’t stand watching it, so I saved him time and time again, pulling him back to a normal life. He didn’t care about any of that. The only thing he cared about was that on a rainy day, Harper tossed him an umbrella. He felt the whole world stop. Amidst the noise of the world, only her beautiful silhouette remained. It was that silhouette that obsessed him for a lifetime. Even his decision to become a singer was because Harper mocked the lyrics he hid in his notebook after playing a prank on him. She read those embarrassing, emotional words out loud in front of the whole class. She provocatively told him that not just any stray dog off the street could be a star. Instead of feeling humiliated, he only wanted to stand at the very top, just so she would look at him. My eyes stung. So, my years of devotion were just a joke. I didn’t even deserve a name in his story. With trembling hands, I read the last line Carter typed. [If there is a next life, I will be brave.] Tears blurred my vision. If there is a next life, I absolutely will not interfere in the drama between you two. Go chase your true love! 3 When I opened my eyes again, Carter was introducing himself on the podium. When the teacher asked him to sit next to me and be my desk mate. I only froze for a second before my hand shot up. “Mr. Davis, I don’t want to.” Yes, I was back in high school. The exact year Carter was secretly in love with the girl who bullied him, Harper. This time, I wasn’t going to help him. Carter on the podium clearly didn’t expect me to say that. His face flushed bright red. In an instant, embarrassment and hurt washed over his face. Perhaps not understanding my reaction, the homeroom teacher was stunned for a moment before asking in a deep voice, “Why?” Because I didn’t want any entanglement with Carter whatsoever. I wasn’t going to have any ties to this ungrateful backstabber. “I can read auras, and his clashes with mine,” I lied with a straight face, not a trace of panic in my voice. The teacher was rendered speechless, scolded me for being superstitious, but ended up seating him next to the queen bee, Harper. When he walked over, I saw Harper roll her eyes. She exaggeratedly shoved her chair away and spat out two words: “Ew, trash.” At this time, Carter was living in a foster home and worked odd jobs after school. His living conditions were poor, making him look malnourished and much thinner than the other boys his age. His clothes were washed out, heavily patched, and completely out of style. In my past life, when he was my desk mate and Harper sat in front of us, she called him trash. I kicked her chair hard and told her to wash her filthy mouth. Because I knew that once bullying starts, if no one stands up, it only gets worse every day. At the time, I had no romantic interest in Carter; I just genuinely hated seeing him get picked on. But this time. Watching Harper’s actions, I didn’t say a single word. But I noticed Carter’s back go completely rigid. I even had the fleeting illusion that he wanted to turn his head and look at me. I ignored it and kept my eyes on my textbook. 4 After being reborn, I was only lost for a few days before I adapted to my new life. Actually, for a long time growing up, I regretted failing my college entrance exams and not getting into my dream university. So this time, it felt like a gift from above. I was going to seize it. I didn’t care how things developed between Carter and Harper. Falling in love with your own bully? And obsessing over her forever? Why would I try to save a masochist like that? So, when school was almost out, I saw Harper and her clique corner Carter in the girls’ bathroom. I just washed my hands. I tactfully didn’t even glance their way. “Do you know how disgusting you are?” “You smell terrible! It’s making me sick!” “Carter, do you roll around in the garbage or something?” “Does your foster home not have showers? Let me wash you!” … Filthy insults spilled from Harper’s mouth. In my past life, I couldn’t understand how such a pretty girl could be so rotten. So when I bumped into them cornering Carter, I stepped in front of him, shielding him behind my back. I fought a fierce verbal battle with Harper until she stormed off in a rage. And that bucket of cold water was never poured over Carter. At the time, I even told him that when faced with bullying, he had to fight back because no one could save him every single time. He thanked me, but I didn’t notice that his eyes were glued to Harper’s retreating back. Thinking back now, why did I even butt in? Who knows, Carter was probably thoroughly enjoying it on the inside. So, I picked up my pace toward the bathroom door. Halfway there, the bucket of water finally splashed all over him. I didn’t break my stride. I pretended I saw nothing. I kept walking forward. Until I heard Carter’s hoarse, desperate voice call out to me: “Stella…” 5 Tough luck! I ran even faster. As a result, I didn’t see the person in front of me and crashed right into a guy, knocking him to the ground. “What the f*ck…” The guy sitting on the ground squinted his eyes, rubbing his forehead. He looked like trouble. Terrified that Carter would run out and see me, I threw out a quick “Sorry!” and bolted. Without my help, Carter was essentially living in a fiery hell. Kids this age are naturally sensitive and insecure. Combined with his bone-deep pride, he didn’t utter a sound no matter how badly he was tortured. Harper seemed to love the feeling of trampling him under her feet, constantly inventing new, cruel ways to torment him. She only reined it in a bit recently. Because she was preparing for her performance at the freshman orientation gala. Carter’s first photo of her was her holding her award on that stage. I wasn’t interested, so I skipped the gala this time. I thought Carter wouldn’t miss the chance to see his goddess. But to my surprise, he didn’t go either. Seeing his figure in the classroom, I froze for a second. Then I started packing my bag to go home. “Stella.” As I zipped my bag, he turned his head. His brow was furrowed, as if he was suppressing some intense emotion, eager to prove something. In my past life, being with Carter for so many years, he rarely showed any emotional fluctuation. Even during intimate moments, he was always cold and distant. One of his few moments of losing control was when he confessed to me at high school graduation. The boy’s gaze was sincere and burning. Asking me to be with him seemed to take every ounce of his strength. He stared at me, gripping the hem of his shirt tightly, his eyes overflowing with love, terrified I would say no. But now, overlapping that memory with the figure before me, I only felt sick. Maybe back then, he was just looking through me, seeing someone else. So I just gave him a flat, indifferent glance. Under his expectant gaze, I walked right out the door. 6 Carter was cornered by Harper again. This time, it was in a small alley right off campus. It was also on my route home. I don’t know if it was my imagination, but I felt like I saw a flicker of hope deep in Carter’s eyes. Was he hoping I would save him like in my past life? Absolutely not! I gave a passing glance and looked away. Harper had a bizarre obsession with bullying Carter. “Trash, what are you holding?” She laughed cruelly. “Are you a pervert? That looks like a girl’s accessory.” Carter clenched his jaw, saying nothing. Denied an answer, Harper reached out to snatch it. “Did you steal my stuff, you freak?” To everyone’s surprise, Carter reacted violently. He shoved Harper away, but his eyes locked onto me. “It’s not yours.” His voice was dangerously low. “If you break it, I’ll kill you.” It scared me so much I stared straight ahead and fast-walked away. As determined as if I were marching to join the military. The tiny glimmer of light in Carter’s eyes slowly died out against my coldness. Soon, I heard the sound of fists hitting flesh. And his muffled groans. I still didn’t look back. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw him desperately gripping whatever was in his hand. 7 Just as I exited that alley, I stumbled into another one. And ran into someone vaguely familiar. His face was bruised, and he was slumped against the wall. His clothes and jeans had streaks of blood on them. Looked like he had just survived a brutal street fight too. Tsk, this route was cursed. I’ll take a detour next time. Just as I thought that, the guy spoke up: “Hey, leaving me to die?” I froze in my tracks. I’ve read enough novels to know you don’t just pick up stray men off the street, especially not handsome ones. Besides, I saved Carter over and over in my past life, and he never remembered my kindness. Why should I meddle in someone else’s business again? So, I pretended I didn’t see him. Just as I lifted my foot to leave, he shot me a sideways glance. “Seriously? Not gonna save me?” He was persistent. He scoffed lightly. “You can’t even help me up? Last time you knocked me down, my tailbone is still hurting.” I pulled out my phone. “I can call 911 for you.” He raised an eyebrow. “You’re really something.” “Thanks. Since you can still talk, I’m guessing you’re not fatally wounded.” “I’m not lying, I really can’t walk. If you help me up, I won’t sue you. We go to the same school, right?” Seeing I still wasn’t moving, he let out an exasperated laugh. “Are you always this defensive?” “I don’t know if you’re a good guy or not. What if you’ve got a knife and decide to stab me because you’re having a bad day?” “You’ve got a wild imagination.” He pulled his student ID out of his pocket and tossed it at my feet. “Liam, Class 3.” I bent down and picked it up. Yep, he was from my school. “I help you up, and then what?” “Lady, if you wait any longer, my leg is actually going to fall off!” I finally noticed the blood seeping continuously through his pant leg. But I still hesitated. The Carter situation had left me with major psychological trauma. “What are you thinking about? Sister, I’m dying here.” With a heavy sigh, I walked over, bent down, pulled his arm over my shoulder: “Is it completely broken?” “Right leg.” “Okay, I’ll support you. Use your left leg to stand up.” I vastly underestimated Liam’s weight. I couldn’t lift him at all! I refused to give up and used every ounce of strength I had. Then I heard a gritted voice from above my head: “A minute ago it was my leg, now my arm is going to snap.” Oops, my bad… I finally managed to support him to the entrance of the alley. Only to come face to face with a severely bruised Carter. 8 His gaze lingered on me for a long time. Then, he stared in utter disbelief at Liam, whose entire body weight was leaning on me. I almost saw his tightly wound emotions crumble piece by piece. I remembered the past. When I used to show up when Harper was harassing him, I would scream “Fire!” to draw a crowd and save him. It was me who stepped forward to support his bruised body, asking if he was okay. I even took him to the hospital and stayed with him all day. At the time, I truly didn’t have romantic feelings for him. I was just genuinely a nice person. What happened later taught me that being the ‘good guy’ is a thankless job. You don’t even earn a word of gratitude. So now, I had completely withdrawn my kindness toward him. “Stella.” Carter’s voice was hoarse, carrying a barely detectable tremor. “You helped him.” I looked at him calmly and frowned slightly. He took a step forward, his frail body trembling. To my confusion, he held out his hand. In his palm lay a strawberry hair clip. The thing he had fought so desperately to protect just moments ago. It was mine. Like a drowning man grasping at a final lifeline, he looked at me with despair and near-begging eyes. His voice dropped to a whisper: “Why… why aren’t you helping me this time?” 9 For a split second, I thought I was seeing things. How could Carter have a look like that on his face? He was gloomy, silent, cold, and never smiled. He liked Harper. This was also the third time he had called my name since I was reborn. But this was the same guy who didn’t leave me a single word before he killed himself. He was so utterly ruthless, acting as if I were just a passing NPC in his life. So when I looked up at him, my eyes were filled with pure ice. “Do we know each other?” He had asked me the exact same question the first time I saved him in our past life. I thought he was just embarrassed about being seen at rock bottom. So I had told him we were desk mates, and I wanted to protect him. Looking back now. He probably didn’t give a damn about my self-proclaimed ‘kindness’. During every sleepless night since my rebirth, I wondered—did I do something wrong? Now, I wasn’t helping him. I was helping someone else. I didn’t know what he was thinking. But I remembered a quote I read a long time ago. [I just want you to clearly watch me give up on you, time and time again, to save someone else.] [To let you spark with hope, then despair, torturing yourself in endless darkness.] So, whatever he was thinking, let him think it. If he got the wrong idea, even better. “We are…” Carter opened his mouth, his chest heaving violently, his face pale. He seemed to want to scold me. After all, even if we weren’t desk mates, we were in the same class. I shouldn’t leave him to die. But his words were violently interrupted by the guy leaning on me: “A grown man, your arms and legs work fine. Stop playing the victim. Stella, if we don’t move, I’m going to collapse.” Tsk, pretty fierce for a guy who needs someone to hold him up to walk. Liam didn’t lose an ounce of his arrogant attitude. Carter was stunned by his words. His lips trembled slightly, and the corners of his eyes turned red as he stared at me. I just wanted to dump this annoying burden as fast as possible. So I agreed, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to the hospital.” Hearing my words, the previously silent Carter looked like a ghost. His frail figure swayed unsteadily, looking like a strong gust of wind would blow him away. But the look he gave Liam was bone-chillingly cold. 10 “That guy looked at you like a total psycho. You better stay away from him.” Sitting in the cab, Liam suddenly spoke up. “Unlike me. I have good character, a loving family, and I’m a simple guy without all those twisted, dark thoughts.” ??? I turned my head to look at his flamboyant, battered face and couldn’t help but say, “Then why were you fighting? And if you’re so terrible at it, why did you let yourself get beat up this badly?” Liam bristled instantly, puffing out his chest like a proud peacock. “Excuse me, I fought a whole gang by myself, okay? They’re way more hurt than I am! I’m just bleeding a little; they’re wrecked.” “So, if it’s just ‘bleeding a little,’ we don’t need to go to the hospital?” Liam froze, pressed his lips tightly together, and immediately leaned weakly against the window. “I can’t… my blood sugar is crashing. I’m going to pass out.” My silence was deafening. But I still pulled a piece of chocolate out of my pocket and handed it to him. He happily took a bite, the tips of his ears turning bright red. As I was leaving the hospital, Liam grabbed my sleeve and insisted on getting my number. “You’re my lifesaver! I’m taking you out to dinner when I get discharged.” “I’m Liam from Class 3. Remember that! When I transfer into your class next time, you’ll see. I’m a genius at AP Physics.” I froze. I suddenly remembered something. I had seen Liam’s name in my past life. It was in a news article about research on parallel universes. He was the author of the published paper. But the buzz around his paper was completely overshadowed by the news of Carter’s suicide. The internet trending topics dragged Harper into the spotlight as well. After discovering how beautiful she was, many people started writing fanfiction about their tragic romance. They praised Carter as a devoted lover, using his suicide to prove his epic love. And I was painted as the evil, scheming villain who ruined their relationship. I tried to clear my name countless times, but because Carter was dead, I had no proof. People flooded my private accounts with the most vicious insults imaginable. They even claimed I drove Carter to suicide so I could inherit his company and money. They conveniently forgot that his will left absolutely nothing to me, not even a single word of goodbye. He was truly selfish.

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