Author: Momo Chan

**Genre:** Female Lead | Rebirth & Revenge | STDs | Cheating Childhood Bestie | Toxic Ex Regrets | Badass Doctor Lead | Clean Break My boyfriend’s childhood bestie came to my department for a checkup, and her tests came back positive for syphilis. The moment I told my boyfriend, he grabbed my phone and smashed it to pieces. He accused me of being consumed by jealousy and fabricating the medical report. He even took that woman live on TikTok, crying to the camera that I had forged her medical records to ruin her life. I was doxed and harassed by the entire internet, suspended by the hospital, and ultimately had sulfuric acid thrown in my face on my way home. I will never forget my boyfriend standing at the back of the crowd, watching my face burn. He said, “That’s what you get for trying to tear Hailey and me apart. You deserved it.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day his bestie tested positive for syphilis. This time, I didn’t say a single word. Since he loves her so much, he can spend the rest of his life loving her—sores and all. *** **01** “Chloe, is Hailey’s test result out yet or what?” Justin’s voice was dripping with extreme impatience. I snapped out of my daze, staring at the blood test report in my hand. It clearly printed: TPPA and RPR double positive. Hailey Miller had syphilis. It was the exact same lab report from my past life. I had actually been reborn! Justin snatched the report from my hand, his brows furrowed. “Hailey just got some minor rashes lately, and you insisted on drawing so much of her blood.” “If she faints from anemia, I’m holding you responsible.” He grumbled while looking down at the paper, which was covered in medical jargon. Hailey gently tugged at Justin’s sleeve, looking fragile. “Justin, don’t blame Chloe.” “She’s just doing this for my health. Doctors are always cautious.” “Maybe I’ve just been too stressed with work lately. My immunity probably dropped, and that’s why I got the rash.” Her voice was soft, laced with a delicate grievance. Justin’s heart instantly melted. He grabbed her hand tightly. “You’re just too sweet, always sticking up for others.” “Chloe is just a terrible doctor who makes a big deal out of nothing.” “She loves torturing people just because she has a medical license.” In my past life, out of professional duty and trust in my boyfriend, I had immediately told Justin about Hailey’s syphilis diagnosis. I thought he would finally see her for who she really was. Instead, he flew into a violent rage. He didn’t just smash my phone; he slapped me hard in front of everyone. He screamed that I was jealous of Hailey and had forged the report to ruin her reputation. Later, he even joined Hailey on a TikTok live stream to cyberbully me, which eventually cost me my job—and my life. In this life, I looked at their tightly intertwined hands. I only felt a deep, sickening irony. I took a deep breath and looked at the lab report. “The report looks fine. There’s nothing to worry about.” “It’s just common contact dermatitis with a minor fungal infection.” “Go home, apply some ointment, and you’ll be fine.” Hearing this, Justin immediately let out a sigh of relief. He turned to glare at me, his eyes full of mockery. “See? I told you it was nothing.” “You insisted on taking so many vials of her blood. Did you do that on purpose just to see Hailey suffer?” “Chloe, how can you be so petty?” Suppressing the cold sneer in my chest, I said seriously, “I was just following standard hospital procedure.” “But since you think I’m making a big deal out of nothing, Hailey shouldn’t book appointments with me in the future.” I walked over to my desk and began organizing other patients’ files. Seeing this, Hailey’s eyes immediately welled with tears. “Chloe, are you mad at me?” “I know I shouldn’t have bothered you, but Justin and you are the only people I know in this city.” “If you give up on me, I really don’t know what to do.” As she spoke, her tears began to stream down her face. Justin was heartbroken. He quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe her tears. “Don’t cry, Hailey. If she won’t take care of you, I will.” “Chloe, you need to apologize to Hailey right now.” “She came to you in good faith, and what is this attitude?” I stopped what I was doing and looked up at him. “What’s wrong with my attitude?” “I examined her, gave a diagnosis, and prescribed medicine.” “So, Mr. Vance, what other ‘special services’ are you expecting from me?” Justin was rendered speechless by my sharp retort. His face turned red with anger, and he pointed a finger at me. “You are completely unreasonable!” “Hailey, let’s go. We don’t need to put up with her attitude.” He helped Hailey up, carefully wrapping his arm around her. At the door, he stopped and looked back at me. “Chloe, I think you’re just jealous that Hailey is younger and prettier than you.” “You better fix your attitude soon.” “Otherwise, we might as well just break up.” With that, he took Hailey and left the clinic without looking back. I watched their retreating figures, a cold smirk playing on my lips. Break up? Oh, we absolutely will. But before we do, I’m going to watch you both drag each other straight to hell. Hailey’s syphilis was already in stage two. It was highly contagious. With Justin protecting her so fiercely, it was only a matter of time before he got infected. I couldn’t wait to see if he would still speak of his deep devotion when his own body was covered in syphilitic chancres. “Dr. Sterling, the next patient is ready,” Nurse Sarah whispered from the door. I snapped back to reality and put on my professional smile. “Great, send them in.” In this life, I wouldn’t waste another second on trash. I was going to focus on my career and live my best life. As for them? Let them rot together in their own filthy gutter. *** After work, I didn’t go to the grocery store like I usually did. Instead, I drove straight back to the apartment Justin and I rented. Actually, I paid the down payment on this condo, and the deed was solely in my name. Justin had always said we would add his name to the deed after we got married. Looking back, it was laughable. I pulled out a suitcase and began packing Justin’s things. His clothes, his shoes, his razor. Everything that belonged to him went straight into heavy-duty trash bags. While packing, I pulled a half-used box of condoms from his nightstand. I stared at the box for a moment. A wave of intense disgust washed over me. Justin and I hadn’t slept together in three months. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who he had been using these with. Suppressing my nausea, I threw the box into the trash bag. Just as I was about to haul the bags out to the dumpster, the front door swung open. Justin walked in, holding a few shopping bags. Seeing the trash bags scattered across the floor, he froze. “Chloe, what the hell is wrong with you?” “Why are you packing my stuff?” He strode over and ripped open one of the bags. Seeing his personal belongings inside, his face instantly darkened. “Are you seriously throwing a tantrum right now?” “Just because of what I said at the hospital today?” I looked at him coldly. “I’m not throwing a tantrum.” “We’re done. Pack your trash and get the hell out of my apartment.” *** **02** Justin looked like he couldn’t comprehend my words. He frowned, looking at me as if I were a child making a scene over nothing. “Chloe, don’t push it.” “I bought groceries and was planning to cook for you. What more do you want?” “Hailey was terrified today because of you, and I didn’t even blame you.” “And now you’re giving me attitude?” He slammed the grocery bags onto the table. Vegetables and fruits rolled out across the counter. I looked at the mess, feeling absolutely nothing. “I said, we are breaking up.” “Do you not speak English?” “Take your trash and get out of my home.” I pointed toward the door, my voice leaving no room for argument. Justin’s expression finally shifted. He seemed to realize I wasn’t joking. Yet, instead of reflecting on his behavior, he still thought I was being hysterical. “Chloe, are you insane?” “We’ve been together for three years, and you’re dumping me over nothing?” “Is this about Hailey? I told you, she’s like a sister to me!” “Why can’t you just tolerate her?” He got more and more worked up, reaching out to grab my shoulders. I stepped back, dodging his touch. “Don’t touch me. You disgust me.” “She’s ‘like a sister’ to you, yet you keep a half-used box of condoms in your nightstand?” I pointed at the ripped trash bag. The half-empty box lay right on top. Justin’s eyes followed my finger. His expression froze for a fraction of a second, but he quickly recovered his arrogant stance. “You went through my things?” “Chloe, do you have any concept of privacy?” “I bought those a long time ago. They’ve just been sitting there unused.” He raised his voice, trying to drown out his own guilt. I looked at his familiar face, feeling nothing but detachment. “You and I both know when you bought those.” “I’m not arguing with you. Get out.” Seeing that I wasn’t buying his lies, Justin decided to drop the act entirely. “Fine! We’re breaking up! Do you think I actually want to be with a frigid woman like you?” “All you care about is your job. You have zero passion.” “If it weren’t for your money, I would have dumped you a long time ago.” He cursed under his breath as he grabbed the trash bags. But at the doorway, he suddenly stopped. “Since we’re breaking up, let’s settle the bill.” “I’ve wasted three years of my life with you. Even if there’s no love, there’s labor.” “This apartment belongs to me too. I want half of it.” I almost laughed out loud at his sheer audacity. “Justin, is there water in your brain?” “I paid the down payment, and I pay the mortgage.” “With your miserable salary, you can barely feed yourself.” “On what planet do you deserve half of my apartment?” Justin let out a cold laugh. “Because I provided emotional value to you for three years.” “You owe me a youth compensation fee. Let’s call it twenty grand.” “If you don’t pay up, I’m not leaving.” He threw the trash bags down and plopped himself onto the sofa. He was acting like a total parasite. I didn’t waste my breath arguing. I pulled out my phone. “911? Yes, I have an intruder in my apartment who is currently attempting to extort me.” “My address is…” Seeing that I had actually dialed the police, Justin’s face turned pale. He jumped up, lunging to grab my phone. “Chloe, you’re crazy! It’s just a breakup! Why are you calling the cops?” I easily dodged his hand and glared at him. “You want money? Go ask the cops for it.” Justin gnashed his teeth, pointing at me. “Fine. You’re vicious, Chloe.” “Don’t regret this.” “A heartless woman like you deserves to die alone.” He grabbed his trash bags and scrambled out of the apartment. With a loud *slam* of the door, the world finally fell silent. I took a long, deep breath. It felt as if a massive boulder had finally been lifted off my chest. In my past life, I had constantly compromised for this relationship. Ultimately, it cost me my face and my life. In this life, I would never repeat that mistake. *** The next morning, the moment I arrived at the hospital, I noticed a few nurses whispering at the station. When they saw me, they instantly dispersed, casting strange glances my way. I ignored them and walked straight to my clinic room. Not long after I sat down, the door was pushed open. Hailey stood there with red, puffy eyes, holding a thermos. “Chloe… can I come in?” She looked at me timidly, like a frightened little deer. I frowned. “Come in. What do you want?” Hailey walked over to my desk and set the thermos down. “Chloe, Justin came to see me last night.” “He told me you guys broke up.” “I know it’s all because of me. That’s why I made this chicken soup to apologize to you.” “Please forgive Justin. He really loves you.” She began to unscrew the lid of the thermos. I looked at her pale, delicate hands. Thinking of her syphilis report, my skin crawled. “Hailey, my breakup with Justin is between him and me.” “It has nothing to do with you, and I don’t need your fake apology.” “Take your soup and leave. I have work to do.” I rejected her bluntly. Hailey’s hand froze in mid-air. Tears began to roll down her cheeks like a broken string of pearls. “Chloe, do you despise me?” “I know I’m not good enough for Justin, and I never wanted to come between you two.” “Why are you treating me like this?” She suddenly raised her voice. Patients and families passing by the door began to peer in. I stared at her “green tea” act, sneering inwardly. Was she trying to start a smear campaign against me in my own hospital? “Hailey, this is a hospital, not a soap opera set.” “If you’re sick, go register at the front desk.” “If you’re not, get out. Don’t disrupt my work.” I pressed the call button to summon the next patient. Seeing that I was completely unbothered, Hailey suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my sleeve. “Chloe, I’m begging you!” “Get back together with Justin, or I will live with a guilty conscience for the rest of my life!” She gripped me so tightly that her nails dug into my skin. I violently shook her off. “Let go of me!” As I pulled away, Hailey let out a sharp cry. She lost her balance, stumbled backward, and fell heavily to the floor. The thermos knocked over, spilling chicken soup all over the tiles. “Ah—it hurts—!” Hailey clutched her stomach, groaning in pain on the floor. Right at that moment, Justin burst through the door. *** **03** “Hailey! What happened?” Justin rushed to her side, his face pale with worry. He gathered Hailey into his arms and glared up at me with murderous eyes. “Chloe, what did you do to her?” “If you have a problem, take it out on me! What kind of person attacks a defenseless girl?” A crowd of onlookers had already gathered at the clinic door. People began whispering and pointing at me. “Did that doctor just push her?” “I heard it’s a love triangle. The ex is attacking the new girl.” “Still, she shouldn’t get violent in a hospital. That’s so unprofessional.” Hearing the crowd’s support, Justin grew even bolder. He pointed a finger right at my nose, screaming. “Chloe, it’s bad enough that you’re an abusive tyrant at home!” “Now you’re abusing your power to settle personal scores at work!” “I am going to file a formal complaint with the board. I’ll make sure you lose your medical license forever!” I watched their dramatic performance with cold detachment. Slowly, I pulled a tissue from my drawer and wiped the sleeve Hailey had touched. “Justin, are you blind?” “She fell because she lost her balance. Which eye of yours saw me push her?” “Furthermore, this is a clinic. There are security cameras.” “Should I have security pull up the footage for everyone right now?” I pointed directly at the camera mounted on the ceiling. Justin froze, instinctively looking up at the lens. Hailey’s sobbing paused for a split second too. But she quickly resumed her agonizing groans, clutching her stomach. “Justin, my stomach hurts so bad…” “I think I just slipped. It’s not Chloe’s fault.” “Don’t complain about her. It wasn’t easy for her to become a doctor.” Her reverse psychology immediately triggered the crowd’s sympathy again. “She’s so sweet. She’s the victim, yet she’s still defending the doctor.” “Exactly. That doctor looks heartless.” Justin lovingly stroked Hailey’s hair. “Don’t worry, Hailey. I’m here. No one’s going to hurt you.” He stood up, towering over me. “Chloe, even if you didn’t push her, she fell because of you.” “You must apologize to her today, and you’re paying for her medical bills and pain and suffering!” I was completely dumbfounded by his twisted logic. “Justin, are you here to scam me?” “She barged into my office, threw a fit, spilled her own soup, and slipped.” “Why the hell should I pay for anything?” “If you two don’t get out right now, I’m calling security.” I reached for the desk phone to dial security. Just then, Dr. Harrison, the head of the department, pushed his way through the crowd. “What is all this racket? This is a hospital, not a flea market!” Dr. Harrison walked in, his face grim. Seeing the spilled soup and Hailey on the floor, his frown deepened. “Dr. Sterling, what is going on here?” Justin immediately spoke up to twist the facts. “Dr. Harrison, you came at the perfect time.” “Your doctor here, Chloe Sterling, intentionally pushed my sister due to a personal grudge.” “A person like this is unfit to practice medicine. I demand you fire her immediately!” Dr. Harrison looked at me, then at Justin. “Dr. Sterling, is this true?” I looked at Dr. Harrison calmly. “Dr. Harrison, there is a camera in this room.” “You can ask security to review the footage to see if I ever laid a hand on her.” “Also, Ms. Miller is not my patient.” “She trespassed into my clinic and severely disrupted my work.” Dr. Harrison nodded. “Alright. The hospital will investigate this thoroughly.” “Security, escort these people out. Do not let them disturb the other patients.” Several security guards stepped in, forcefully dragging Justin and Hailey out. As he was being dragged away, Justin yelled back at me. “Chloe, you’ll pay for this!” “I will make your life a living hell!” I watched his furious, pathetic exit, smiling inwardly. I’m waiting. I’m waiting for the day your syphilis symptoms blow up. Although Dr. Harrison suppressed the incident, rumors still spread like wildfire through the hospital. Some said I was green with jealousy and couldn’t stand my ex’s new girl. Others said Justin was a gold-digging jerk and Hailey was a manipulative snake. I ignored all the gossip. I went to work every day, treated every patient with utmost care, and lived my life. A few days later, Dr. Harrison called me into his office. “Chloe, I reviewed the camera footage.” “The girl slipped on her own. You are completely cleared of any wrongdoing.” “However, the public perception isn’t great. Doctor-patient relationships are very tense right now.” “For the next couple of weeks, I’m taking you off clinic shifts. Go work in the inpatient ward and manage admitted patients.” I knew this was the hospital’s way of playing safe to quiet down the rumors. I didn’t argue. I simply nodded. “Understood, Dr. Harrison. I will follow your arrangement.” Working in the inpatient ward was fine by me. Out of sight, out of mind. Besides, if my calculations were correct… Hailey’s syphilis was about to take a turn for the worse. Sure enough, less than two weeks later, Hailey was admitted to our department. The intern assigned to her happened to be Leo, whom I was mentoring. “Dr. Sterling, the patient in Bed 302, Hailey Miller… her symptoms are really strange,” Leo said, holding her chart with a puzzled expression. “She has red, maculopapular rashes all over her body, especially on her palms and the soles of her feet.” “She claims it’s just an allergic reaction, but it doesn’t look like it to me.” “Plus, she has a low-grade fever and swollen lymph nodes.” I flipped open the chart and scanned the records. Everything aligned perfectly with my past life. The classic symptoms of secondary syphilis had fully erupted. “Order a syphilis serology test for her,” I said calmly, handing the chart back to Leo. Leo gasped. “Syphilis? No way. She looks so sweet and innocent.” I looked up at him. “Pathogens don’t care how innocent someone looks.” “Do as I say. Let me know the second the results are out.” Leo nodded quickly and went to submit the order. I stood in the hallway, looking at the door of Room 302. Justin was currently walking in, carrying a basket of fresh fruit. His devotion to Hailey was unmatched. He took care of her a hundred times better than he ever did for me when we were dating. A mocking smile curved my lips. Justin, you love taking care of her so much. I hope you can take good care of yourself soon. *** **04** Hailey’s lab results came back that afternoon. Leo ran into my office, his face pale, holding the printout. “Dr. Sterling, you’re a psychic!” “It really is syphilis! And the titers are insanely high! She’s extremely contagious!” Leo whispered, his voice trembling with shock. I took the paper and looked at the numbers. They were even higher than in my previous life. It seemed she and Justin had been “deeply connecting” quite a lot recently. “Go inform the patient of her results,” I said, handing the paper back to Leo. Leo hesitated. “Dr. Sterling… Mr. Vance is in the room with her.” “Should I break the news in front of him?” I raised an eyebrow. “Why not?” “As her partner, he has a right to know.” “And with infectious diseases like this, close contacts must be screened as well.” Leo swallowed hard, gripped the report, and walked toward Room 302. I didn’t follow him. I sat in my office and waited quietly. Not five minutes later, a screaming match erupted in the hallway. “What the hell are you talking about?!” “How could Hailey have a disgusting disease like that?” “Is your hospital trying to scam us?!” Justin’s roar was loud enough to shake the ceiling. I picked up my mug and took a slow, satisfying sip of tea. The show had begun. I walked leisurely out of my office and approached Room 302. Inside, Justin was gripping Leo by the collar, his face contorted in rage. Hailey was sitting on the bed, sobbing hysterically. “Justin, don’t be rash!” “This must be a misdiagnosis. How could I have syphilis?” “I’ve never even held hands with another guy!” As she cried, she shot a quick glance at me standing at the door. A flash of panic and pure malice darted through her eyes. I stepped into the room and looked at Justin coldly. “Let go of him.” Seeing me, Justin found his target. He pushed Leo aside and lunged at me. “Chloe, did you do this?” “You forged Hailey’s labs to say she has syphilis just to get back at us, didn’t you?” “How can a woman be so evil?!” He pointed his finger at my nose, his spit flying near my face. I took a disgusted step back. “Justin, do you have a brain deficiency?” “The lab report was issued by the Pathology Department. It has a machine-printed anti-counterfeit barcode on it.” “I am a clinical doctor. How could I forge automated lab data?” “If you don’t have basic common sense, don’t embarrass yourself in public.” Justin’s face turned bright red. “But there’s no way it’s syphilis!” “Hailey is a clean girl! How could she get this?” “Your hospital’s machines must be broken!” I looked at his stubborn, pathetic denial. It was truly comical. “If you think our machines are broken, you are free to take her to another hospital to retest.” “But let me remind you, secondary syphilis is highly contagious.” “As her intimate partner, you should probably get tested too.” “Lest you die without knowing why.” Hearing the words “intimate partner,” Justin’s expression instantly changed. He instinctively reached up to touch his neck. I noticed a few faint red spots peeking out from beneath his collar. It looked like he had already caught it. “Stop trying to scare me!” “Hailey and I are completely pure. What intimate partner?” “Chloe, you just hate seeing us happy!” Justin desperately clung to his pride. Hailey quickly piped in. “Yes, Chloe. Even if you hate me, you shouldn’t joke about something like this.” “If this gets out, how am I supposed to face the world?” I scoffed. “How you face the world is none of my business.” “I am merely doing my duty as a doctor to warn you.” “Since you don’t believe me, pack your things and discharge yourselves. Don’t occupy our hospital beds.” I turned to Leo. “Process their AMA (Against Medical Advice) discharge papers. Let them go ruin some other hospital.” Leo felt like he’d been given a lifeline and rushed to the nurses’ station to grab the paperwork. Justin pointed at me, shaking with rage. “Fine! We’re leaving!” “Chloe, just you wait. I’m going to report you to the Medical Board!” He helped Hailey pack her things, and they stormed out of the ward. Watching their pathetic exit, the smile on my face deepened. Report me? Go ahead. Once you get diagnosed at another hospital, let’s see if you still have the face to sue me. That night, Justin suddenly posted an update on his Instagram. It was a photo of his hand tightly holding Hailey’s. The background was a high-end French restaurant. The caption read: *”No matter how others slander you, you will always be my purest angel. We are getting engaged on the 18th of next month.”* Once that post went up, our mutual friend group exploded. People flooded my Snapchat, asking what was going on. *”Chloe, is Justin seriously getting engaged to Hailey?”* *”Didn’t you guys just break up? He moved on instantly!”* *”Purest angel? More like a pure parasite.”* I didn’t reply to anyone. I simply saved the photo of their clasped hands. Engaged? Wonderful. I would make sure to prepare a spectacular gift for their big day. Over the next few weeks, I threw myself entirely into my work. Occasionally, I heard updates about Justin and Hailey from mutual friends. Apparently, they went to the most expensive private hospital in the city for a checkup. The results, of course, were identical. Word was that Justin threw a massive tantrum at that hospital, smashing several things. Yet, bizarrely, he didn’t break up with Hailey. Instead, they went ahead with the engagement preparations. My guess was that Hailey must have spun some elaborate lie to brainwash him. Perhaps she claimed she caught it from a public pool, or by accidentally using someone else’s towel. Given Justin’s sheer stupidity, it wasn’t surprising he believed her. After all, he was starting to develop syphilitic rashes himself. He and Hailey were now two parasites bound to the same host. Soon, the day of their engagement party arrived. I specifically swapped my shift, put on an elegant black dress, and prepared to attend this “grand” event.

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My boyfriend’s assistant posted on Instagram. Her caption read: “I mentioned how boring rainy days are, and he booked a flight right away.” The attached photo showed Ethan smiling, leaning across a candlelit table to put food on her plate. It brought back memories. Last winter, when I was burning up with a 102.5°F fever, I called him and asked if he could come over. He said it was too far and that we’d talk tomorrow. Last month, I told him I wanted to see the ocean. He said, “Let’s wait for Memorial Day weekend. I promise I’ll take you then.” But when Memorial Day weekend arrived, he said his project was too busy and told me to go ahead without him. So, I booked the flight alone. I made the itinerary alone. I stood in the lines alone. And at the seafood diner, I told the host, “Just a table for one, please.” As for Maya? All she had to do was say, “Rainy days are so boring.” And just like that, he booked a flight, popped open a bottle of red wine, and took photos of the sunset through her floor-to-ceiling windows. It wasn’t that he was busy. I just wasn’t worth his time. My phone buzzed. It was a text from Ethan: “Where are you? I’ll fly out to meet you tomorrow.” I replied: “Don’t bother.” He wrote back immediately: “What is that supposed to mean? Stop acting up.” I stared at those three words for a long time. Then, I smiled. I pressed down on the chat, hit delete, and cleared our entire message history. For the first time in two years, my phone felt incredibly light.

“You’re back sooner than I thought.” Ethan was sitting on the couch. He was wearing his loungewear, his hair still damp from the shower. He looked perfectly relaxed, like nothing had happened. I stood in the entryway, holding my suitcase, without even taking off my shoes. “You brought your suitcase? Where are you going?” “I’m moving out.” He stood up and stepped aside to make room for me. “Let’s sit down and talk.” “There’s nothing to talk about.” I walked past him into the bedroom, pulled open the closet, and started tossing my clothes into the suitcase. He followed me, leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets. “Is this because of Maya’s Instagram post?” I ignored him. “Chloe, you deleted our chat, ignored my calls, and now you’re packing your bags. Do you really think this is how mature adults handle things?” T-shirts, sweaters, and the gray cardigan I had worn for the past two winters. I folded them and packed them in one by one. He took a step closer. “You won’t even give me a chance to explain before jumping to conclusions?” “What is there to explain?” “Then let me explain for you.” His voice softened, sounding like he was soothing a throwing-a-tantrum child. “It was raining that day. I was in her city on business, and a few of us from the team grabbed dinner. She exaggerated it on her post. If you don’t believe me, I can send you the group photo with the other coworkers.” My hands paused for a second. “You can call our team lead to double-check,” he added. I didn’t answer. I opened his side of the closet to see if any of my things had gotten mixed up in there. The third hanger on the right was empty. I stared at the empty space. For his birthday last year, I bought him an indigo windbreaker. He tried it on, said it was a bit too oversized, and hung it right there. It had stayed there ever since. Every time I opened the closet, I saw it. Now, it was gone. “Where is that blue windbreaker?” His expression didn’t change, but his eyes darted toward the closet for a fraction of a second. “Which one?” “The one I got you. The one you said was too big to wear.” “I probably left it at the office.” “You never wore it. Why would you take it to the office?” He let out a sigh, giving me a helpless smile. “Chloe, look at yourself. You’re spiraling. Just because a jacket isn’t where it usually is, you assume I gave it to someone else. You’re going to drive yourself crazy if you keep this up.” I kept staring at the empty hanger. I remembered scrolling through Maya’s Instagram last month. She had posted a selfie at a coffee shop. The background was blurry, but draped over the back of her chair was an indigo windbreaker with dark contrast stitching along the collar. It was identical to the one I bought him. I didn’t say a word. Even if I did, he would have a million excuses ready. He always did. I zipped my suitcase shut and glanced around the bedroom. There were two of my books on the nightstand. I reached over and grabbed them. “That’s all you’re taking?” He blocked the doorway slightly, but not completely. He stood at an angle, leaving just enough space for me to hesitate. “What about the stuff in the living room?” I chose the living room curtains. I bought the vase on the coffee table. Half the books on the shelves were mine. But those belonged to “this apartment,” not to “me.” In our two years together, I had filled this place with so many things. But what actually belonged to me only filled half a suitcase. “Keep it.” He stepped closer. “Chloe, calm down for a couple of days. Once you cool off, you’ll realize how ridiculous you’re being.” I walked right past him and opened the front door. “Don’t regret this when you walk out,” he called out behind me. I dragged my suitcase into the elevator. It wasn’t heavy. Just half a suitcase of clothes and two books. My phone vibrated. It was Harper. “Are you out?” “Yeah.” “Was he home?” “Yes.” “What did he say?” I thought about it. “He said I’d regret it.” There was a three-second silence on the other end. Then Harper said, “Get over to my place. The hot pot is bubbling. I’ve got the beef waiting for you.”

“Have you ever wondered why he’s so calm? It’s because he’s 100% sure you’ll crawl back.” Harper dropped a piece of sliced beef into the boiling pot. She swirled it around for exactly eight seconds and pulled it out like she was performing surgery. I stayed quiet. “You deleted his texts, packed your bags, and he didn’t even chase you down the hall.” She dipped the beef in sesame sauce and placed it on my plate. “Do you think someone who’s actually afraid of losing you would be this chill?” “Maybe he thought chasing me wouldn’t change anything.” “No. He just thinks he doesn’t need to. When you guys fight, what’s the longest you’ve gone without talking to him?” I thought back. “Three days. Three days max.” “He’s just waiting out his three days,” Harper said. The pot bubbled, fogging up my glasses. I took them off to wipe them, unable to see her expression. My phone screen lit up. It was a text from Ethan: *I’ve been thinking, and you’re right. I’ve really neglected you lately. Take a few days to rest. I’ll come pick you up this weekend, and we can have a real talk.* Harper leaned over, glanced at the screen, and let out a cold laugh. “A textbook Phase Four: Play the victim.” “What do you mean?” “Just watch.” She held up four fingers. “Phase One is anger—’Stop acting up,’ which he already used. Phase Two is shifting blame—’It was just a team dinner, she posted that on her own.’ Phase Three is the threat—’Don’t regret this.’ And Phase Four is showing vulnerability—’I’ve been thinking, and you’re right.’” She counted them down on her fingers and looked at me. “One, two, three, four. He hit every single mark in perfect order.” “How do you know this so well?” “I’ve spent three years in the ER. I’ve seen plenty of toxic couples. When the abuser gets sober, they always go through these exact four phases. Some people forgive them at Phase Four, only to start right back at Phase One.” I looked down at the text. I wanted to reply, but then I put my phone face down. The next day. A mutual friend messaged me. It was Tiffany, the girlfriend of one of Ethan’s college friends. We had grabbed dinner a few times, but we weren’t super close. “Chloe, I heard you and Ethan had a fight? He seems really down today. He’s just sitting at his desk staring into space. What happened? Do you want me to set up a double date so you guys can talk it out?” I replied: “We broke up.” She sent a string of question marks. “How could you break up? Didn’t you guys have plans to travel for Memorial Day weekend?” “He bailed.” “But didn’t he say his project was super busy? Their team has been under crazy pressure lately. My boyfriend had to pull overtime too. Don’t overthink it, Chloe. This kind of stuff is totally normal for couples.” *Overthink it.* I flipped my phone over. At 3:00 PM, Maya messaged me. We didn’t talk much on Snapchat, but we had each other added. “Hey Chloe, I heard there’s some misunderstanding between you and Ethan. What happened the other day was honestly just a team dinner. I wrote that caption without thinking, and I’m so sorry if it gave you the wrong idea. Ethan and I are strictly professional. You have nothing to worry about!” I read those sentences twice. Every word was polished. Every punctuation mark was precise. The apology was polite but firm, clearing her name without sounding defensive. It read like a corporate PR statement. I screenshotted it and sent it to Harper. Harper replied instantly: “If they’re just ‘strictly professional’ coworkers, why is the young assistant reaching out to explain things the second you break up with your boyfriend?” I stared at the message and suddenly noticed a detail. She called him “E” in her snap. Not “Ethan,” not “your boyfriend,” and not “him.” Just “E.” I had never called him “E.” I always called him Ethan. How close do you have to be to someone to call them by a single letter? Harper sent another message: “And notice how she said ‘if it gave you the wrong idea.’ She’s not admitting she did anything wrong. She’s saying *your* perception is the problem. She’s apologizing while gaslighting you into thinking you’re just crazy.” I put my phone down. Tiffany messaged me again: “Chloe, Ethan wanted me to tell you that he’s really, truly sorry this time. Can’t you just give him one more chance? It’s been two years. Don’t throw it all away over a silly little argument.” *A silly little argument.* Bailing when I had a 102.5°F fever was one “little” thing. Ignoring my vacation itinerary was another. Canceling our trip was another. Each one, taken on its own, was a “little” thing. But nobody wanted to stack those little things up and see how high the pile had gotten. I replied to Tiffany: “Thanks, but no thanks.” She wrote back: “You’re being way too stubborn. Ethan is such a catch. Do you really think you’re going to find someone better out there?” I stared at the screen for half a minute. Then, I closed the app. I didn’t delete the message, and I didn’t reply. Harper called me. “Chloe, listen to me.” “Yeah.” “No matter who contacts you these next few days, and no matter what they say, remember one thing. You had a 102.5°F fever, and he didn’t show up. That wasn’t a minor detail, it wasn’t a misunderstanding, and you weren’t overthinking. That is a fact.” “Facts don’t need explanations. Anything that needs an explanation is just an excuse.”

“Hey Chloe! Long time no see. Did you come alone?” I turned around, holding my glass of wine. Maya was standing in front of me with a sweet smile, her makeup flawless. She was flanked by two girls from her office whom I had met at a company retreat last year. This was an industry networking gala. I hadn’t wanted to come, but my hospital needed representation. “Yes, just me.” “What a coincidence, Ethan is here too. I think he’s over there.” She pointed with her chin toward the right side of the room, her voice just loud enough for the people around us to hear. She called him Ethan, right to my face. The short-haired girl next to her eyed me up and down, asking with casual curiosity, “Chloe, aren’t you and Ethan together anymore? How come we haven’t seen you guys out lately?” “We broke up.” “Oh?” The short-haired girl’s shocked expression lasted for about two seconds before shifting into a knowing smile. “Well, that’s a shame.” She glanced at Maya, her lips curving upward. Maya lowered her eyes, playing the innocent bystander who had accidentally been caught in the middle. The other girl chimed in. “To be honest, I always felt like your personalities didn’t really match. You’re so quiet, and Ethan is so outgoing. Sometimes, when the gap is that big, it’s not ‘opposites attract.’ It’s just draining.” *Draining.* She used the word “draining” to describe me. I forced a smile. “Maybe you’re right.” Maya stepped in smoothly, her voice soft. “Don’t take it to heart, Chloe. They’re just talking. They don’t mean anything by it. Honestly, being single is great. Sometimes it’s a relief to just be on your own.” She was wearing a jacket tonight. An indigo windbreaker. With dark contrast stitching along the collar. I recognized that jacket. I had spent two hours in the mall picking it out for his birthday last year. I remembered the origami exhibit next to the fitting rooms, the three people in line ahead of me at the register, and the forest-green ribbon tied around the shopping bag. He had said it was too big and that he wouldn’t wear it. It had hung on the third hanger on the right side of his closet. Now, it was on Maya. It fit her perfectly. The oversized cut draped over her petite shoulders, giving her a chic, effortless look. She noticed me looking. “Do you like this jacket?” She looked down, brushing her sleeve with a casual air. “I bought it a while ago. I’m obsessed with this color.” “It’s indigo,” I said. “Yeah! Do you like this color too?” “I used to see one exactly like it in Ethan’s closet. The collar, the stitching, the color—identical.” Her smile faltered for a fraction of a second. “Really? I guess it’s a popular style then.” The two girls next to her exchanged a look. I said nothing more. Just then, Ethan walked over, holding a drink. When he saw me, his steps slowed down for a beat before he adjusted his pace and walked up to Maya’s side. “Chloe,” he said, giving me a polite nod, treating me like a distant acquaintance from the industry. I nodded back just as politely. Maya naturally slid her hand through his arm. A few people nearby were watching. I turned to leave. Behind me, the short-haired girl whispered loud enough for me to hear: “Honestly, some people only realize what they had after they lose it. But once you’re gone, you’re gone.” They giggled. I walked to a quiet corner of the hall and set my wine glass down. My hands felt icy. My phone buzzed. It was a text from Ethan. *Don’t go around talking about our private business.* I replied: *What did I say?* *Why did you bring up the jacket in my closet to Maya? What are you trying to do?* *Did you give her that jacket?* He didn’t reply. A minute later, he texted: *Can you please stop? Acting like this just makes you look like a bitter, desperate ex.* *A bitter, desperate ex.* Just four days ago, he was begging me to give him a chance. Today, I was a desperate ex. I pocketed my phone and headed for the exit. As I passed the corner of the hallway, I heard Maya and the other two girls talking. They weren’t even trying to lower their voices; they were laughing. “The way she looked at my jacket was so creepy.” “Who cares about her? They’re broken up, and she’s still crying over a piece of clothing.” “I think she just can’t let go. What can you do when someone is that obsessed?” Maya’s voice was soft. “I didn’t want things to be like this, but Ethan told me she’s been really emotionally unstable lately. He told me to avoid triggering her.” *Emotionally unstable.* He told Maya that I was emotionally unstable. I stood around the corner, keeping silent. I pressed my back against the wall, my knuckles white as I gripped my phone, then slowly let go. I walked out of the building and called an Uber. Once I got in and closed the door, the driver asked where I was going. I gave him Harper’s address. Two blocks later, my phone rang. It was Harper. “Hey, what’s wrong? Your voice sounds off.” “I just ran into them.” “Ethan and Maya?” “Yeah.” “She was wearing the jacket I bought him.” Silence stretched over the line for five seconds. “Chloe, get over here right now. Don’t think about anything else.” “Okay,” I said. As the city lights blurred past the window, Harper added one more thing: “You’ve played nice for long enough. Stop letting them walk all over you.”

“Take a look at this.” Harper handed me her phone. On the screen was an Instagram post her coworker had shared. I clicked on the profile—it was Maya’s. It was a beautifully composed photo of the Northern Lights in Iceland, the sky glowing with vibrant green and deep blue. The caption read: *E promised he’d show me the real Aurora Borealis at least once in this lifetime. He kept his promise.* The post was dated two months ago. I stared at the date. Two months ago. Two months ago, I had asked Ethan if he had any vacation time this winter so we could go see the Northern Lights. He had said, “We’ll see. Work is too crazy right now.” The Northern Lights. When we first started dating two years ago, we lay on the grass in a park, looking up at the stars. He told me that when he made enough money, he would take me to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. I had saved a photo of the Aurora as my lock screen and kept it there for two years. I brought it up six months ago, and he told me to wait. I brought it up again two months ago, and he told me we’d talk about it later. But he took her instead. And he told her it was a promise for “this lifetime.” “There’s more,” Harper said, sliding to the next screenshot. It was from Thanksgiving. A photo of a dinner table with a rustic wooden cabinet and holiday decorations in the background. The caption read: *Thanksgiving dinner at E’s place. His grandmother’s pecan pie is absolutely divine.* I recognized the room. Ethan had shown me photos of his grandmother’s house. The wooden cabinet, the pothos plant on the windowsill, the vintage painting on the wall. It was identical. On the day before Thanksgiving, he had told me his grandmother wasn’t feeling well and that having too many people over would overwhelm her, so I shouldn’t go. I had spent two weeks preparing. I bought premium tea and gift baskets, practiced baking a pecan pie his grandmother might like, and tried on four different outfits for him to help me choose. He told me not to go. But Maya went. She was the one who ate his grandmother’s pie. Harper didn’t say a word. She sat across from me, waiting for me to process it on my own. I handed the phone back to her. “When did these happen?” “The Iceland trip was two months ago. Thanksgiving dinner was last November. You guys were still very much together,” Harper’s voice was dangerously low. “Chloe, this didn’t happen after the breakup. While you guys were still dating, every single thing he promised you but failed to do, he did with her.” I sat on her couch, staring at the fruit bowl on the coffee table. Harper said, “Remember when you told me that the first time he brought up Maya, he complained about how ‘clingy’ she was? Do you remember if he was smiling or looked annoyed when he said it?” I remembered. He had been smiling. “He was smiling,” she repeated. “When a guy introduces another girl to you and the first word he uses is ‘clingy’—and he’s smiling while saying it—that’s not a complaint, Chloe. That’s a boast.” The doorbell rang. Harper got up to answer it. Ethan was standing in the doorway. He must have gotten Harper’s address from Tiffany. “Is Chloe in there?” Harper blocked the door, refusing to let him in. “Just let me talk to her,” he said, looking exhausted. “Five minutes. That’s all I need.” Harper glanced back at me. I stood up and walked to the door. When Ethan saw me, his lips parted. The calm, composed face I had known for two years was gone. His eyes were bloodshot. “Chloe,” his voice was hoarse. “I know you saw those posts. I know you hate me.” He had never spoken to me in this tone before. “I planned the Iceland trip. And Thanksgiving too,” he said. “But it’s not what you think. Maya helped me out a ton with work back then. My parents were the ones who suggested inviting her to Thanksgiving, and the Iceland trip was actually a company retreat with some extra days tacked on.” He paused, as if waiting for me to argue. I said nothing. “I know you’re angry.” He took a half-step forward, reaching out to take my hand. I stepped back, leaving his hand hanging in mid-air. “I can change. I swear. Starting right now, I’ll do whatever you want. If you want me to block Maya, I’ll block her. If you want me to get a new job, I’ll hand in my resignation.” Standing beside him, Harper said coldly, “You can block her right now. Pull out your phone and block her in front of us.” He froze. “I’m not talking about these superficial gestures,” he said, bypassing Harper to look directly at me. “Chloe, we’ve been together for two years. Are you really going to throw all of that away over this?” *Two years.* He always used those two years to guilt-trip me. “I’ll change,” his voice dropped even lower. “I promise, from this day on, you are my number one priority. If you want to see the ocean, we’ll go tomorrow. If you want to see the Aurora, I’ll book the flights tonight.” It sounded incredibly sincere. If I had heard this three months ago, a month ago, or even last week, I probably would have believed him. I had spent the last two years being exceptionally good at believing him. But not today. Because right as he was saying “I promise,” the phone in his pocket lit up. I couldn’t see the full caller ID, but I saw the first letter. *M.* He didn’t answer it. He probably didn’t even notice. But that letter glowed in his pocket for two seconds before going dark again. Even as he was begging me and promising change, she was calling him. I suddenly wanted to laugh. Not a sad laugh, but a genuine, hysterical laugh at how absurd this whole situation was. “Ethan.” “I’m listening.” “Shouldn’t you answer that call in your pocket first?” He went stiff. He looked down at his pocket, his face turning pale. Harper leaned against the doorframe, saying nothing, but her smile was cold enough to freeze water. He pressed the power button to silence the phone. “It’s not important. Chloe, listen to me—” “No need.” I pulled the door, signaling him to step back. “Go home, Ethan.” “What do you want from me?” “Nothing anymore.” I shut the door in his face. Harper looked at me, keeping silent. I walked back to the couch and sat down. My phone sat on the coffee table, its screen dark and clean. I picked it up, opened my Notes app, and started typing. My very first sentence was: *On the night I had a 102.5°F fever and asked if he could come over, I could hear his video game music in the background of the call.* Harper glanced over my shoulder. “What are you writing?” “I don’t know,” I said, my fingers flying across the screen. “I just felt like writing.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “464889”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

After we got engaged, the six of us planned one last trip before the wedding. That night, my best friend Chloe suggested we play a game: “24-Hour Partner Swap.” The rules were simple. Whoever drew matching cards would have to act like a couple for the entire day. But the person who drew the blank card? They had to be the designated photographer and luggage carrier for everyone else. In the first round, I drew the blank card. My fiancé, Ethan, and Chloe both drew the “Moon.” They held hands as they watched the sunrise. I walked behind them, carrying three heavy backpacks. In the second round, I got the blank card again. They drew the “Rose.” Their penalty was to hug each other for a full minute. Everyone cheered and hyped them up. I stood off to the side, timing them with my phone. The third round, the fourth round… Seven rounds in a row. I was always the leftover one. Chloe leaned into Ethan’s chest, smiling as she “comforted” me. “We’re just playing a game, Hazel. You’re not actually jealous, are you?” Ethan ran a hand through her hair, looking at me. “Don’t worry about her. She’s always been a sore loser.” On the last night, they drew matching “Wedding” cards. The rule was that they had to hold a mock wedding ceremony. Chloe slipped into the simple white wedding dress I had brought for my pre-wedding photoshoot. Ethan slid my engagement ring off my finger and slipped it onto Chloe’s ring finger. All our friends crowded around them, chanting, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” The next second, Ethan actually leaned down and kissed her on the lips. While everyone was celebrating, I quietly walked over and opened the custom card deck box. The compartment meant for me was filled entirely with blank cards. But Ethan and Chloe’s compartments? They were packed with identical Moons, Roses, and Wedding cards. It turned out my bad luck wasn’t luck at all. This entire game had been rigged for the two of them from the very start. I smiled faintly. Then, I pulled out my phone and deleted all the digital wedding invitations I had spent months preparing. Since there was never room for me in a six-person trip. Then for the rest of my life, I didn’t need to save a seat for them either. ***

Right when I deleted the invitations, a loud cheer erupted behind me. Ethan ended the kiss and released his grip on Chloe’s waist. Chloe’s cheeks were flushed, but her hands were still resting on his shoulders. Tyler shouted, still wanting more drama, “One more time!” Ethan laughed and flipped him off. “Get lost.” But he didn’t push Chloe away. It wasn’t until Chloe noticed me standing there that she seemed to suddenly remember. She looked down, touching the ring on her finger. “Hazel, the ring is stuck. I can’t get it off.” She waved her hand at me, her voice dripping with innocence. “Can I just wear it for tonight? Is that okay?” That engagement ring was a custom piece Ethan had given me on my birthday. He told me it was tailored specifically to my ring finger. But right now, it fit Chloe perfectly. I didn’t call her out. I just nodded. “Sure.” Ethan looked at me, seemingly surprised that I had agreed so easily. He frowned. “Hazel, don’t look so miserable.” “Everyone came on this trip to celebrate with us. Don’t ruin the mood over a silly game.” I looked at him. “I’m not ruining the mood.” “Then smile.” Tyler was already holding up his phone. “Come on, temporary bride and groom, look at the camera!” The others quickly crowded around Ethan and Chloe. The five of them stood in a perfect line. Tyler handed the phone to me. “Hazel, you take the best photos. Take a bunch for us.” I took the phone. They stood incredibly close, with Ethan right in the center. Chloe wore my wedding dress, holding his arm. The other three surrounded them. It looked like a real wedding photo. “Hazel,” Ethan called out, his voice laced with impatience. “What are you staring at?” I snapped out of it and pressed the shutter. One, two, more than a dozen photos. Not a single one had me in it. By the time we got back to the hotel, it was already 2:00 AM. I had booked three double suites. The other four stayed in two suites, while Ethan and I were supposed to share one. But when we got the room keys, Liam suddenly announced with a grin, “The partner swap still has twelve hours left.” “According to the rules, Ethan has to stay with Chloe tonight.” My hand froze on the keycard. “Staying in the same room is a rule too?” Chloe explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s just sharing a room, Hazel. The suite has two beds.” “It’s not like anything is going to happen.” Ethan’s face darkened too. “With everyone watching, what are you so worried about?” I looked at him. “Then where do I sleep?” They exchanged looks. Tyler pointed down the hallway. “Ethan and Chloe’s suite is a family suite.” “There’s a pull-out couch in the living room. Can’t you just sleep there?” So, they wanted me to sleep right outside the room of my fiancé and my best friend. Listening to them close the door, Waiting for their twenty-four-hour game to end. Suddenly, the whole thing felt incredibly absurd. “I’ll book another room.” Liam immediately stopped me. “Don’t do that.” “Rooms here are hundreds of dollars a night. Why waste that money?” “Besides, we all grew up together. We all know each other.” ***

I didn’t actually grow up with them. The five of them had been best friends since high school. I only met Ethan in college, and he brought me into their circle. For the first few years, I tried so hard to fit in. When they talked about the time they snuck out of school, I didn’t get the jokes, but I laughed along anyway. They had inside nicknames only they understood, and I would secretly write them down in my notes app so I wouldn’t forget. I remembered everyone’s birthdays, allergies, and habits. When they had dinners, I was always the first to arrive. When we traveled, I was the one booking the cars, the hotels, and making the itineraries. But no matter how much I did, Whenever they brought up the past, they always said the same thing: “You didn’t know us back then, Hazel. You wouldn’t understand.” Eventually, “You wouldn’t understand” turned into “No need to tell her.” They would change restaurant reservations last minute without letting me know. They all changed their group profile pictures, but no one sent it to me. Even for this trip, I only found out about it through Ethan and Chloe’s Snapchat chat history. They had been planning it for six months. When I asked why no one told me, Ethan just laughed and patted my head. “Weren’t we just waiting for you to handle the logistics?” So, the flights, the hotels, the itinerary—I handled all of it. I even paid for everything upfront. In the end, the five of them came to enjoy the vacation. While I handled the labor. And now, even my own room Had to be given up. I let go of the keycard. “You guys take it. I’ll go down to the lobby.” I didn’t argue anymore. The next morning, when I woke up, the living room was empty. There was a photo in the Snapchat group of the five of them having breakfast. Five plates were set on the table. Chloe sent a message: [Hazel, we didn’t want to wake you up, so we came down first.] [Grab some food when you wake up!] After getting ready, I went down to the restaurant, only for the waiter to tell me that breakfast service had just ended. Right then, Ethan called. “Where are you?” “The restaurant.” “Why are you still at the restaurant?” His voice was impatient. “We’ve been waiting at the dock for twenty minutes.” I checked the Snapchat group. No one had told me what time we were leaving. “You guys didn’t call me.” “Didn’t Chloe message you?” “She only said you guys went down to eat first.” Ethan fell silent for a second, then snapped, “Any normal person would ask where everyone went when they saw the room was empty. “Everyone is waiting for you.” I ended up skipping breakfast. By the time I reached the dock, the yacht was already starting up. The five of them were standing on the deck. No one had saved a spot for me. Chloe was wearing Ethan’s white button-down shirt. The hem of the shirt barely covered her thighs. When she saw me, she quickly pulled the collar tight. “Hazel, don’t get the wrong idea. The zipper on my dress broke, so Ethan lent me his shirt.” Ethan’s shirts were something I was never allowed to touch. Once, when doing laundry, I accidentally washed one of his white shirts with a dark shirt, staining it slightly gray. He didn’t speak to me for an entire week. He told me he hated people touching his personal clothes. But now, Chloe was wearing it, And he barely glanced at her, only saying softly, “Put on some pants later so you don’t catch a cold.” Chloe stuck her tongue out at me. “See? He’s such a control freak.” I grabbed the railing to climb onto the boat. Liam shoved a pile of gear into my arms. “Perfect. Hold the sunscreen, the camera, and the water for us, will you?” I held their things, And sat in the seat closest to the loud engine. The sea breeze hit me, and because I hadn’t eaten, my stomach started to ache. For today’s diving activity, I had spent six months taking swimming lessons. Ethan loved the ocean, but I was terrified of water. Still, I had secretly signed up for diving classes just to surprise him on this trip. But once we reached the diving spot, the instructor said only five people could go down at a time. Tyler laughed and looked at me. “Hazel is scared of water anyway. Just stay on the boat and watch our bags.” I opened my mouth, wanting to tell them I had already gotten my diving certification. But Chloe suddenly grabbed Ethan’s arm. “Ethan, I’m a little nervous. You have to hold my hand when we go down.” Ethan checked her oxygen tank. “Don’t worry, I’ll be right next to you.” I swallowed my words. The five of them jumped into the ocean, Leaving me alone on the deck, watching over their clothes and phones. After a while, the instructor asked me, “Don’t you want to go down?” I pulled the brand-new diving certificate out of my bag. I stared at it for a long time, then shook my head. “No, I’m good.” ***

At lunch, Chloe got seasick, and Ethan stayed by her side the entire time. My stomach hurt so badly I couldn’t eat. I wanted to ask the waiter to exchange my meal for some plain oatmeal. But Liam laughed and said, “Hazel, why are you suddenly feeling sick too?” “Are you copying Chloe’s seasickness on purpose?” The others laughed. Ethan looked up at me. “You’re usually fine on boats.” I explained, “I didn’t eat breakfast, so my stomach is hurting.” But he just looked down, handing a glass of warm water to Chloe. “Then just bear with it. Don’t cause trouble while she’s actually miserable.” The waiter soon brought a bowl of oatmeal. Just as I reached for it, Ethan slid the bowl over to Chloe. “Eat some of this first.” My hand froze in midair. That was the oatmeal I had ordered. But no one in the group thought anything was wrong with what he did. Chloe took two bites and complained it was tasteless. “I don’t want it anymore.” She pushed the messy bowl back to me. “Hazel, didn’t you say your stomach hurts? Here, you can have it.” The oatmeal was already a mess, and her lipstick was smudged on the spoon. In the past, I probably would have eaten it anyway. Because Chloe would always tell me, “We’re best friends, what’s mine is yours.” And Ethan would praise me, “Hazel is always so understanding, not high-maintenance like other girls.” But this time, I called the waiter over. “Could you throw this away, please?” Chloe’s smile froze. “I barely touched it. Do you find me gross?” I said calmly, “I don’t eat other people’s leftovers.” Ethan’s face instantly darkened. “Hazel, she’s feeling terrible and she still thought of saving food for you.” “Do you really have to embarrass her right now?” I looked at the five people in front of me, suddenly feeling a sense of detachment. Over the years, they always left their leftovers for me. When a table was too full, they made me sit elsewhere. When there wasn’t enough room in the car, they made me take an Uber. When they needed a photographer, they remembered me. But the moment I said no, just once, I became the one who didn’t fit in, who was petty, who couldn’t take a joke. I lowered my eyes. “I’m sorry.” Everyone’s expressions softened. Tyler laughed, “That’s more like it. We’re on vacation, let’s just have fun.” I smiled too. But this apology wasn’t because I thought I was wrong. It was because I was done trying to explain myself to them. That night, they went to drink on the balcony again. I stayed in the room alone, packing my bags. This trip was supposed to last seven days, and only three had passed. But I didn’t want to play their game anymore. I booked the earliest flight back for the next morning. After finishing, I realized my charger was missing. Remembering Chloe had borrowed it earlier, I went to her room to grab it. The door was unlocked, and the room was empty. But the tablet on her nightstand was glowing. A new message notification popped up. The group chat name was: [The Core Five] Tyler had sent a video—it was the clip of Ethan and Chloe kissing from yesterday. Below it was a flood of teasing emojis. [Finally kissed!] [Told you this game would work.] [Hazel’s face went totally pale, but she still took it. Impressive.] [She really knows how to fake it.] ***

I stood by the bed, my fingers turning cold. It was a group chat without me. I scrolled up through the chat history. The oldest message went back three months. Chloe had shared a screenshot of a “Partner Swap Game.” [Hazel always says she fits right in with us, right?] [Let’s see how many rounds she can last before she loses it.] Liam replied quickly, [Make sure all her cards are blank.] Tyler added, [And make sure Ethan and Chloe’s cards match up perfectly.] [From holding hands to hugging and kissing. This is going to be wild.] I kept scrolling up. Ethan hadn’t replied at first. But much later, he sent a text: [Don’t take it too far.] I stared at those words, a pathetic spark of hope rising in my chest. At least he had tried to stop them once. But in the next message, Ethan wrote: [Hazel takes things too seriously.] [We still need her to organize the wedding. Don’t actually drive her away.] Tyler sent a laughing emoji. [Don’t worry, she’ll never leave you.] Ethan replied: [True.] Those few words felt like a slap to my face. It turned out he knew all along that the game was rigged. He knew from the very start that my cards were blank. He knew everyone was waiting to watch me make a fool of myself. And he knew I would swallow my pride and endure it over and over again. But he was only worried they would play too hard And ruin the wedding preparations I was handling for him. I kept scrolling. Further up was the planning of this trip. I had sent them the detailed itinerary I spent weeks making. No one had replied in our main group. But this private group of five was extremely active. [The diving spot Hazel picked looks so boring.] [Chloe is scared of water. Let’s do a yacht party instead.] Ethan wrote: [No need to tell her.] [We’ll just change it when we get there. She won’t say no.] They even discussed the room arrangements. [Let Ethan and Chloe take the family suite.] [What about Hazel?] [The couch.] [What if she refuses?] Ethan replied: [I’ll say a few words. She’ll agree.] Standing in Chloe’s room, I suddenly found it hard to breathe. All these years, I thought I was just a slow-to-warm person, which was why I couldn’t fully integrate into their group. So I tried my best to be good to them. I memorized their preferences, tolerated their jokes, and took care of all the tedious tasks. Only now did I realize it was never about me not fitting in. They were just standing inside a locked room, holding hands, Watching me struggle outside, laughing at my futile attempts to get in. A new message popped up in the group. Liam asked, [Where is Hazel?] Tyler replied, [Probably crying in her room.] [Should we start the next round?] Chloe quickly sent a voice note. “Let’s stop. Hazel seems actually mad.” Ethan replied, “If she’s mad, let her cool off on her own.” “Does everyone have to baby her every single time? It’s exhausting.” Listening to his voice, The last bit of warmth in my chest vanished. Just as I was about to turn off the tablet, a new video popped up. It was a video sneaked by Tyler. On the balcony, only Ethan and Chloe were left. Chloe was drunk, leaning on his shoulder, asking, “Ethan, if I hadn’t rejected you back then…” “Would you still be with Hazel?” My finger hovered over the screen. The wind on the video was loud, And Ethan remained silent for a long time. Finally, he said softly, “No.” Chloe smiled, but tears fell down her face. “Do you regret it now?” Ethan didn’t answer, But he reached out and gently wiped her tears away. That tender gesture was more than enough of an answer. The video ended there. The group chat was silent for a few seconds before Tyler texted, [I’m telling you guys, you two are the real soulmates.] Liam chimed in, [Hazel was always the interloper anyway.] [She’s taken Chloe’s spot for so many years. It’s time to give it back.] My ears buzzed. It turned out that in their eyes, The girl who had loved Ethan for seven years and was about to marry him Was just an interloper. I turned off the tablet and put the charger back. I didn’t confront them, nor did I storm onto the balcony. Because the answer was already crystal clear. I went back to my room and changed my flight to the final red-eye of the night. I had two hours left. More than enough time to leave. Since there was never room for me in a six-person trip, Then for the rest of my life, I didn’t need to save a seat for them either.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “464888”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

To keep me from remaining in a vegetative state, my boyfriend Ethan and my best friend Sophia sacrificed so much over the past three years. Ethan went to medical school to study neurology, while Sophia changed her major to physical therapy. But when I finally opened my eyes, the very first thing I saw was Ethan trying to pull the oxygen mask off my face. “Chloe, I know you’re in pain.” “Letting go might be the best thing for both of us.” I stared at him in sheer disbelief, my eyes wide. Before I could even make a sound, the hospital room door swung open. My father’s voice boomed from the doorway. “We only have an hour before our appointment at City Hall. Helen and I will watch Chloe. You and Sophia need to go sign your marriage license now.” “Chloe? You’re… you’re awake?” Ethan’s hand shook violently as he pulled his fingers away from my face. It was only then that I realized Sophia and my parents were all standing in the room. So, they had all agreed to let me die? After being in a coma for three years, every single inch of my body screamed with an unspeakable, grinding pain. Yet, none of it compared to the sharp, tearing agony in my chest. I parted my lips, but my throat was so dry and parched that no sound came out. Sophia rushed forward, grabbing both of my hands. Her hands trembled so hard that she eventually let go and slapped herself across the face. Hard. “Chloe, I’m so sorry.” “Ethan and I… we got together. We thought… we thought you…” You thought I would never wake up, right? “Chloe, don’t blame Sophia. I was the one who fell in love first. I was the one who confessed to her. She didn’t want to accept it at first. If you want to hate someone, hate me.” Ethan gently stroked Sophia’s cheek, his voice filled with protective tenderness. “That’s enough, Chloe. Stop causing a scene the second you wake up.” My mother, Helen, stepped in, shielding the two of them behind her like a protective lioness. “If it weren’t for Ethan and Sophia taking care of you these past three years, you’d be dead by now. To help you, one studied neurology and the other became a therapist. I was the one who gave them my blessing to be together.” I hadn’t said a single word. I had only opened my eyes. And yet, in my mother’s eyes, I was “causing a scene.” Tears slipped silently from the corners of my eyes. I never could have imagined that after fighting so hard to wake up from the dark abyss for three years, this was the reality waiting for me. “Helen, don’t blame Chloe.” Sophia stepped out from behind my mother, her face drenched in tears. She looked at Ethan with deep, agonizing longing. My breath hitched. The way she called my mother “Helen” was so natural, as if she had been doing it for years. In these three years, Ethan had become her fiancé. Had my mother become hers too? “Now that she’s awake, everything should go back to the way it was. I’m sorry, Ethan. You should marry Chloe. I’m stepping out of your lives.” Her voice was choked and slow. It sounded so heartbreaking that even I felt a pang. “No! I don’t agree! Sophia, the one I love now is you!” Ethan rejected her words instantly, grabbing her wrist tightly, his eyes turning bloodshot. Sophia fell to her knees right in front of him. “Please, Ethan. We already owe Chloe so much. If we hadn’t gotten into that car accident back then, she wouldn’t have become a vegetable. Just marry her.” Ethan finally looked at me, tears in his eyes, as if he were making the most painful, self-sacrificing decision of his life. “Fine. I’ll marry her.” They decided everything among themselves. Not a single person asked me what I wanted. The pain in my chest grew numb. My breathing turned shallow and rapid, and the heart monitor suddenly began to beep frantically. When the medical team rushed in and wheeled me away, I couldn’t see if any of them followed. All I knew was that by the time all the emergency tests were done, the waiting area outside was completely empty. The doctor sighed and wheeled me back to my room. Right as she reached for the doorknob, my parents’ voices drifted out from inside. “Why did Chloe have to wake up now? The medical bills from the past three years have already put us in massive debt.” “Her future physical rehab is going to cost an absolute fortune. Robert, I just…” “It’s not your fault, Helen.” My father, Robert, seemed to be comforting my mother, or maybe himself. After a long silence, he spoke. “Why couldn’t she have just slipped away peacefully? It would have been better for everyone.” The doctor’s hand froze on the doorknob. She looked at me with deep sympathy. A suffocating feeling choked my throat. My chest heaved, but I couldn’t get enough air. “Is physical therapy really that expensive?” I whispered. The doctor looked at me. “Actually, I have a slot for an experimental neuro-rehab program for long-term coma patients. It’s at a private research center in Switzerland. The therapy is still experimental, but it’s entirely free. Do you want to go?”

After a long time, the doctor opened the door and wheeled me in. My parents, their faces stained with tears, were comforting Sophia. “Sophia, we know how good you are. But in Chloe’s current state, she doesn’t deserve a man like Ethan anymore. I’ll talk to her. You and Ethan should go ahead and get married as planned.” The sound of the door opening cut them off. Ethan instinctively took a step toward me, but he paused when he passed Sophia. Only after Sophia nodded did he take over my wheelchair from the nurse. “Chloe, your parents didn’t mean it that way. Don’t worry, I will still marry you.” His knuckles turned white on the handles of my wheelchair, showing just how much force he was using. “No need…” I spoke slowly, but Sophia interrupted me by dropping to her knees right in front of my chair. She was just as beautiful as she was three years ago, but now she had a mature, sophisticated charm that made her even more stunning. Meanwhile, my reflection in the window showed a hollow, sickly, and dying frame. “Chloe, I know I’ve wronged you. Please don’t reject him. I’m really willing to step aside. I just want your forgiveness. Please? We grew up together. After my parents passed away, you were the one who walked me to school every day. I can’t lose you.” She buried her face in my lap and sobbed. I looked up. Ethan was staring at me, his eyes cold and demanding. “I said I’d marry you. We’re putting things back to how they were. Just do it so she doesn’t have to carry this guilt anymore. Can’t you just—” “I don’t forgive you,” I said, cutting Ethan off. Sophia’s sobbing stopped instantly. One of her hands instinctively rested on her flat stomach. “I understand,” she whispered. Before we could process what she meant, Sophia turned and rushed out of the hospital room. Ethan’s face darkened. He grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look at him. “Chloe! Sophia literally got down on her knees to beg for your forgiveness! What more do you want?! She gave up her own dreams to study physical therapy just to take care of you for three years! Yes, we fell in love. But she’s willing to leave, and I’m willing to marry you! How long are you going to keep throwing this tantrum?!” I stared at his familiar face. He was still as handsome as ever. To them, these three years had been a painful, agonizing trial. But to me, it felt like I had just taken a long nap. I woke up only to find my best friend and my boyfriend together. How was I supposed to just forgive that? The pain in my jaw burned. Ethan seemed to realize what he was doing and let go, his voice cracking with emotion. “Chloe, I wish I was the one sitting in that wheelchair right now. Anything would be better than being dragged into this endless guilt trip with you.” My body trembled uncontrollably. I felt like a criminal, standing trial under the silent accusations of Ethan and my parents. Just then, Ethan’s phone buzzed. A Snapchat notification popped up. He glanced at the screen, and his face suddenly turned pale. He grabbed my wrist with terrifying force. “Chloe! Did you know Sophia went to the clinic? She had a miscarriage! My baby is gone now. Are you happy?!” My eyes widened in sheer shock. They already had a baby? It had only been three years. Not only were they planning to get married, but they had already been sleeping together. And yet, looking at me, they felt no real shame. A sudden wave of nausea hit me, and I felt like throwing up. But they didn’t even notice my distress. “Chloe, if you keep acting like this, I don’t even know if I want to marry you anymore.” With those words, Ethan left with my frantic parents to find Sophia. Once again, I was left all alone in the quiet hospital room. They had abandoned me. Again. I wiggled my fingers and looked at the nurse who came in to check my vitals. “Please tell Dr. Avery… I’ll go to Switzerland for that clinical trial. As soon as possible.”

By the time they brought Sophia back, Dr. Avery had already finalized my departure date. It would be in exactly one month. Sophia’s face was paper-white, tears still lingering on her eyelashes. Ethan claimed that the miscarriage had taken a massive toll on Sophia’s body. So, they moved her into my deluxe hospital bed and put me on the tiny, uncomfortable fold-out cot beside it. My entire body was already in pain, and after switching to the cot, I couldn’t sleep at all. They spent all their time fussing over Sophia. They even let a male nurse handle my daily sponge baths without my consent. “Helen, please… can you ask them to switch to a female nurse?” The complete loss of my privacy made me cast my pride aside. I cried and begged my mother, but she remained silent, blowing on a bowl of hot soup to feed Sophia. Ethan stood by, his face expressionless, his voice cold. “To medical staff, gender doesn’t matter. Besides, look at yourself. Do you really think anyone is looking at you like that?” My body froze, and I couldn’t bring myself to say another word. After the nurse left, I pulled out my old, cracked iPhone. I started following rehab videos on YouTube, trying to stretch my limbs. The shattered screen often cut my fingertips, and without professional equipment, my skin quickly became covered in bruises. “Chloe, are you really that desperate to marry me? Sophia already told me that the way you’re doing physical therapy is completely wrong. Stop hurting yourself on purpose just to make us feel guilty.” Ethan tucked Sophia safely into bed, treating her like a fragile glass doll, before turning around to mock me. Sophia would always offer her “expert advice” whenever I tried to train, but her words did nothing but ruin my rhythm. I stopped my movements and said softly, “Ethan, I told you, I don’t want to marry you. I just want my dignity back. That’s all.” At first, he had felt a shred of guilt toward me. But every time he showed even a tiny bit of concern, Sophia would look at him with those devastating, tearful eyes and talk about leaving the hospital or transferring rooms. Now, he had nothing left for me but pure irritation. “Sophia is being discharged today. You’re coming home with us too. You can do your therapy slowly at home. Stop making things hard for your parents.” He looked down, gently helping Sophia put on her coat and shoes. I silently wrapped my own jacket around myself, letting the cold draft from the AC hit my joints until they throbbed with pain. After a long, exhausting ride, we finally arrived home. My mother opened the door. Her face lit up with a warm smile when she saw Sophia and Ethan, but when she looked down at me, a flash of annoyance crossed her eyes. “You both went through medical issues, so why do you look so filthy and unkempt?” Wasn’t the answer obvious? Sophia was pampered and taken care of, while I, a newly awakened coma patient, was forced to fend for myself. Perhaps out of a lingering shred of guilt, Ethan spoke up. “Helen, it’s not Chloe’s fault. Let’s go inside. Sophia is still weak.” Hearing that Sophia was weak, my mother quickly ushered her inside and brought her a cup of hot chamomile tea with honey. I looked around the apartment, feeling completely disoriented. The wall where my high school certificates used to hang was now covered with Sophia and Ethan’s engagement photos. The balcony, where I used to care for my favorite plants, was now cluttered with wedding decorations. The fruit on the counter was all Sophia’s favorite. Even my old bedroom was filled with her things. This was no longer my home. My heart finally went completely cold. My home, my boyfriend, my parents—everything now belonged to Sophia. “Ethan, I can forgive Sophia, and I can forgive you. But I have one last request. I want you two to accompany me to the amusement park we were supposed to go to before the accident.” There were only two days left before my flight to Switzerland. This was my final wish.

After Sophia coaxed him, Ethan agreed, and we set out for the amusement park the next morning. In the car, I stared out the window. Three years ago, on a sunny day just like this, we had been driving to this very park. A drunk driver had crossed into our lane, speeding straight toward us. To protect them, I had swerved hard to the right, taking the brunt of the impact. Before I lost consciousness, Ethan and Sophia had risked the car exploding to pull me out of the wreckage. Back then, Ethan had wept and said, “Chloe, no matter what, I’ll save you. Please don’t leave me.” But on the road to saving me, he had taken a detour into someone else’s arms. We arrived at the amusement park. Ethan pushed my wheelchair in silence. Perhaps he, too, was remembering the day of the accident. I opened the itinerary I had made three years ago on my phone. “Let’s just follow this.” Even though I couldn’t ride most of the attractions, the classic photo spots were still the same. At the wishing tree, I picked up a wooden tag and wrote: [I wish for Chloe to be healthy and happy.] Writing those few words took almost ten minutes because of my stiff fingers. “These wishes are all fake anyway. Don’t you think you’re asking for too much?” Ethan took the tag from me impatiently, but when he saw what I had written, he fell silent. He hung it up on a branch and quietly folded his hands in prayer. “Wow, that guy is so devoted. His girlfriend is sick, but he still brought her out to have fun.” A passing tourist made a casual comment. Hearing those words, Sophia’s eyes immediately filled with tears. Ethan instantly forgot about praying for me and turned all his attention to comforting her. They didn’t notice, but my eyes fell on a wooden tag hanging nearby. The handwriting was Sophia’s: [Chloe, we came to the amusement park for you. Please bless Ethan and Sophia so we can be together forever.] A sharp pain pierced my heart. As it turned out, I was the only one who hadn’t been to this amusement park. This three-way trip had been my solo act all along. I took out my pen and quietly scribbled a few words on the back of her tag. The next few stops on my list were all romantic couple spots. Without me saying a word, Ethan purposely walked right past them. I lost all interest. The place I had sacrificed so much to visit was actually so incredibly boring. Finally, we reached the last spot: a couple’s photo booth. Just as Ethan was about to push my chair past it, a park employee walked up with a photo in hand. “Mr. Miller! Happy upcoming wedding! You mentioned last time you were here that you and Miss Vance were getting married soon. This is a little gift from us.” Ethan awkwardly took the photo. The smiles on their faces in the picture were blinding. They were so familiar with the staff here. Who knew how many times they had visited without me? I let out a bitter laugh. “Let’s go. I want to go home.” “Chloe, that’s enough!” Sophia snatched the photo from Ethan’s hand and tore it into pieces. “I know you’re doing this just to make me feel guilty! Yes, Ethan and I came here before. I was wrong! I’m a terrible person, okay?! But you were in a coma for two years back then! Everyone said you were never going to wake up! I’ve already decided to step aside now. Why can’t you just let me go?!” She wept so hard she looked like she might faint. Ethan instinctively gathered her into his arms and glared at me with pure rage. “So this was your plan all along! You knew we had been here before, didn’t you? You dragged us here just to guilt-trip me into marrying you sooner! Chloe, I never realized you could be this manipulative and petty. I truly regret saving you. Why didn’t you just die in that hospital?” My heart squeezed violently, and a wave of pure agony washed over my limbs. But he had already lifted Sophia into his arms and was walking away, leaving me entirely alone in the middle of the crowded park. Tear after tear rolled down my cheeks. I pulled out my phone and dialed Dr. Avery’s number. “Please send me to Switzerland.”

I was a billionaire heiress from New York’s elite Lind family. Ten years ago, against everyone’s advice, I married Ethan Carter, a penniless security guard. After we got married, he treated me like a queen. He literally brought me warm water to wash my feet in bed every night. The socialites who used to laugh at my choice ended up green with envy, wishing they had such a perfect husband. But I was fragile. I fell ill and died at thirty. After my death, my spirit lingered, unable to leave his side because I loved him so much. But I never expected what would happen the very next day! My grieving husband, who had wept hysterically by my deathbed, couldn’t wait to move four of his mistresses into my mansion! I finally realized that the ten years of pampering were just a show. He was playing the long game to steal my family fortune. Even my failing health was all because of the ” drink” he forced me to drink every single day! Watching them divide up my billion-dollar estate right in front of my funeral portrait, rage surged through my soul, and I was violently pulled back to life!

With trembling hands, I grabbed the phone on my nightstand and lit up the screen. The date was screaming at me—ten years ago! I had traveled back in time! I was reborn! Back to the days before I married that scumbag, Ethan! Just then, there was a knock on my bedroom door. Our housekeeper, Martha, called out from the hallway: “Miss Chloe, are you awake? Ethan is downstairs making a scene. He says it’s urgent.” Ethan! The warmth drained from my eyes instantly. “I got it. Tell him to wait.” I walked into my walk-in closet, took my time picking out a silk slip dress, and did my makeup to look cold and untouchable. I deliberately wasted over an hour before putting on my stilettos and walking out. I slowly descended the spiral staircase. And there he was, sitting on my living room sofa. Hearing the click of my heels, Ethan looked up sharply. A flash of awe crossed his face when he saw me, but it was quickly replaced by impatience. “What took you so long?!” Ethan stood up, complaining with that familiar, entitled attitude: “I’ve been waiting for over an hour, Chloe!” Listening to his whining, I felt a wave of pure disgust. In my past life, he used this exact “I’m poor but I have pride and I’m not afraid of you” persona to make me fall for him. Instead of rushing to hug him like I used to, I crossed my arms and stared down at him coldly. “What do you want?” Ethan choked on his words, taken aback by my coldness. His arrogance faltered slightly, but he quickly put on his usual “offended pride” act. “Chloe, did you pay my mother’s fifty thousand dollar medical bill behind my back?!” Ethan acted as if I had deeply insulted him. “How many times do I have to tell you? I can pay for my mom’s treatment myself! I don’t need your charity!” I watched his passionate performance, sneering inwardly. Back then, I would have apologized profusely, telling him I just wanted to help because he was working three jobs. To protect his fragile ego, I even secretly upgraded his mother to a luxury VIP suite under his name. And what did he do? He greedily soaked up all my money while pretending to be too noble for it. What a natural-born actor. “Oh, is that so?” I glanced at him sideways, a mocking smile on my lips. “In that case, I’ll call my assistant and have them cancel the transfer immediately.” The moment the words left my mouth, the fake anger on Ethan’s face froze. He never expected me to call his bluff! Panic flared in his eyes, but he quickly tried to cover it by raising his voice. “Chloe! What kind of man do you think I am?!” He put on a face of righteous fury. “You think you can control me just because you’re rich?! Don’t think your money gives you power over me! I won’t stand for this!” Looking at his hypocritical face, I burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?!” My laughter stung him, and his face turned red with anger.

Just then, my phone rang from inside my bag. It was my dad. I raised an eyebrow and put a finger to my lips, signaling Ethan to shut up. Ethan gritted his teeth and swallowed his words. My father’s voice came through, filled with sighing resignation: “Chloe, sweetheart. I know you’ve been seeing that security guard lately. But you two come from different worlds. He can’t give you the life you deserve. Don’t be stubborn. I’ve arranged a meeting with Liam Harrison, the heir to the Harrison empire. He’s a gentleman, brilliant, and handsome. Just do me a favor and meet him, okay?” In my past life, I had screamed at my dad over this call. I cried, saying I would only marry Ethan, even threatening to end my life, which broke my father’s heart. But in this life, I looked at the ungrateful man standing before me and smiled. “An arranged marriage? Sure, Dad. Send me the address. I’ll be there this afternoon.” Hearing how easily I agreed, my dad gasped in delight and immediately texted me the details. I hung up. Ethan stared at me, his face turning pale and then red. “Chloe, are you done throwing a tantrum?” “Do you think going on a blind date will make me jealous? Stop playing hard to get just to grab my attention!” “Ethan!” I snapped. “You’re highly overestimating your value. Remember your place.” “You…!” Ethan gritted his teeth. “Fine! Don’t regret this!” He threw a tantrum, stomped out, and slammed my front door. I watched his departure with a cold, mocking smirk. Regret? The only thing I regret in my entire life was being blind enough to fall for a parasite like you! That afternoon, I arrived on time at the upscale cafe my father suggested. In my past life, brainwashed by Ethan, I had despised the idea of a business marriage and refused to even see the Harrison heir. But this time, when I walked into the reserved lounge and saw the man waiting for me, I couldn’t help but gasp inwardly. My dad’s taste was absolutely flawless! He was wearing a perfectly tailored dark bespoke suit, looking like a classic, strikingly handsome model. “Hello, Chloe. I’m Liam Harrison.” He stood up and politely extended his hand, his voice deep and magnetic. “Nice to meet you, Liam.” I smiled and took his hand. The date was surprisingly pleasant. Liam was not only breathtakingly handsome but also incredibly charming and well-spoken. We talked about everything from venture capital to art collecting. We clicked instantly. Over the next few days, Liam found every excuse to ask me out. We went to concerts, visited art galleries, and even rode horses at a private estate. I hadn’t thought about Ethan’s sickening face for days. Until one evening. After an exquisite dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant, Liam politely drove me home. “It’s still early. Would you like to come in for some drink?” I stood by my front door, smiling as I invited him. “I’d love to.” Liam smiled, his captivating eyes gleaming with warmth. I scanned my fingerprint, opened the door, and was about to gesture him inside. But as I stepped in, I froze. Ethan was sitting comfortably right on my sofa! Seeing me bring another man home, Ethan’s face twisted into an ugly scowl. He glared at me, his tone accusing: “Chloe, it’s so late. Why are you bringing another guy home?” I frowned, feeling sick at his casual use of my name. “Ethan, watch your tone. I am your employer, not your girlfriend.” Embarrassed in front of a stranger, Ethan’s face flushed bright red. “What are you standing there for?” I ordered him coldly, treating him like the hired help he was. “Go to the kitchen and brew some drink for Liam.” Ethan’s eyes burned with humiliation. But under my icy glare, he had no choice but to turn and slink toward the kitchen. “Liam, please make yourself comfortable. I’ll change into something more comfortable and be right down.” I smiled at Liam. “Sure.” Liam nodded, his gaze lingering on me with quiet understanding. I went upstairs to change into lounge wear.

Just as I reached the landing of the stairs, I heard a loud crash from the living room, followed by Ethan’s dramatic shriek! I hurried downstairs. Ethan was clutching his left hand, kneeling by the coffee table in theatrical pain. Liam stood nearby, completely unfazed. “What happened?” I walked over, frowning. “Chloe! He pushed me!” Seeing me, Ethan immediately whined. “I was just trying to serve him drink, but he was jealous because I’m close to you! Liam met my eyes, his voice steady: “Chloe, I didn’t touch him. He tripped.” I glanced down at Ethan’s hand. The so-called “burn” was a tiny pink smudge no bigger than a thumbnail. There wasn’t even a blister. Looking at his pathetic attempt at drama, I let out a dry laugh. “Cut the crap, Ethan.” “It’s barely a scratch. Why are you acting like you’re dying? Just put a Band-Aid on it.” Hearing me take a stranger’s side, Ethan’s face twisted with rage. “Chloe!” Ignoring him entirely, I turned to Liam with an apologetic smile. “Liam, I’m so sorry. The hired help clearly doesn’t know his place. Let’s call it a night. I’ll make it up to you on our next date.” Liam glanced at the trembling, furious Ethan, a subtle smirk playing on his lips. “Alright. Get some rest, Chloe. Goodnight.” Once Liam left, the house fell quiet. It was just Ethan and me. Ethan stared at me, his eyes bloodshot, his voice thick with fake betrayal: “Chloe… you’ve changed. Why are you doing this to me?” Looking at his puppy-dog eyes, I felt absolutely nothing. “Have I?” Without another word, I walked past him and went upstairs. Over the next few days, he stopped acting like the proud, untouchable man. Instead, he became a total kiss-ass, desperately trying to get back into my good graces. He made breakfast before I even woke up. He ran to open my car door whenever I went to work, even trying to whisper cheesy French pickup lines to win me over. I wasn’t touched, nor did I kick him out. I just used him. I happily let him serve me like a dog. Sometimes, I’d take Liam’s FaceTime calls right in front of him, or dress up in stunning gowns to go on romantic dates with Liam. Every time, Ethan would swallow his anger and try even harder to please me. I knew he was terrified. He was terrified of losing his ticket to a life of luxury. He didn’t want his billionaire dream to vanish. And when people are desperate, they make mistakes. I waited patiently for him to show his true colors. Finally, the moment arrived. Lind Enterprises was in the middle of a massive international acquisition. I worked late for several nights in a row, coming home past midnight. One night, I was reviewing the final financial reports in my study. There was a soft knock, and Ethan walked in carrying a tray. “Still working, Chloe?” He walked over and set the tray down. On it sat a cup of drink. “You’ve been working so hard lately. You look pale. I brewed this special wellness tea for you.” He looked at me, his eyes full of fake worry. “Drink it while it’s hot. It’ll help you sleep.” Smelling that familiar, metallic scent, my hand holding the pen froze. In my past life, he had looked at me with this exact loving expression, bringing me this slow poison every single night. I drank it for ten years until my body withered away and I died in agony. I took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to kill him right then and there. I picked up the bowl and slowly brought it to my lips. Ethan stood close, his eyes gleaming with suppressed, desperate anticipation. Just as the rim touched my lip, I stopped. I slowly lowered the bowl and slid it across the desk, right in front of him. “Chloe? What’s wrong?” Ethan blinked, startled. I leaned back in my chair and stared at him. “I just remembered a family tradition of ours.” “What’s that?” Ethan asked, confused. “Whenever someone prepares an unfamiliar dish or drink, the staff must taste it first to ensure it’s made correctly.” “So, you drink it first.” Ethan’s face drained of color instantly. “Chloe… what do you mean by that?” He stared at me in disbelief. “Are you doubting me? Do you think I’d poison you?!” His eyes welled with fake tears of betrayal. “I might be poor, but my love for you is pure! How could you treat me like some lowlife?!” I remained silent. Seeing that his drama wasn’t working, Ethan gritted his teeth. “Fine! If you don’t trust me, I’ll prove it to you!” He grabbed the bowl, tilted his head back, and chugged the entire thing! Then he slammed the empty bowl onto the tray. “Are you happy now?!” With that, he stormed out of the room. I sneered. So what if he drank it? It was a slow-acting toxin. Drinking it once or twice wouldn’t do anything. Once he was gone, I opened a hidden folder on my laptop and brought up the security feed. My father had installed hidden cameras throughout the estate for my safety. Ethan had no idea they existed. On the screen, Ethan hadn’t left the house. He rushed downstairs, made sure the hallway was empty, and slipped into the basement pantry. The camera caught his expression—it was cold and malicious. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. As soon as the call connected, he hissed in a low voice: “Plan B! That bitch Chloe knows something is wrong with the drink!” His voice was quiet, but my high-definition mic picked up every word. It rang clearly in my speakers. The person on the other end said something, and Ethan’s face grew darker. “I know! We can’t wait anymore. We need a quicker method. Just make sure your side is ready.” He hung up, paced around the pantry for a moment, and then walked out as if nothing happened. He was getting desperate. It was time for him to make his final move.

I dialed the number of a private investigator. I hired them to dig into Ethan. At the next high-society gala, I made a grand entrance, clinging to Liam’s arm. When reporters asked about our relationship, I leaned against Liam’s shoulder and smiled warmly at the cameras. “I’ve accepted Liam’s proposal. We will announce the engagement date very soon.” Liam was surprised, but he played along flawlessly, planting a tender kiss on my forehead. I also leaked some details to the city’s biggest gossip tabloids. The next day, headlines flooded the internet. #Lind Heiress to Marry Billionaire Liam Harrison! Security Guard’s Golden Dream Shattered!# #Gold Digger Shut Out! Chloe Lind Announces Engagement, Leaving Ex-Guard as the Town’s Laughingstock!# I expected Ethan to confront me after this humiliation. But surprisingly, he swallowed his pride. He kept showing up at my house, behaving even more like a devoted servant. It was as if he would endure any insult just to stay close to my money. This only made me more vigilant. A silent dog bites the hardest. Three days later, the investigator sent me the report. It revealed that Ethan had been meeting with Leo, my family’s garage manager, over the past week. Leo’s son had run up massive gambling debts, and loan sharks were threatening his family. Ethan had offered Leo one million dollars to cut the brakes on my car and stage a fatal accident. Once I was dead, Ethan would use a forged will to claim my entire estate. But what shocked me most was the last section of the report. The puppet master backing Ethan was actually someone inside my own family! But they were incredibly clever. Even my investigator couldn’t trace the anonymous offshore accounts funding them. Cold sweat drenched my back as I read the files. So, it wasn’t just Ethan the parasite who wanted me dead—there was a viper in my own family bloodline! I forced myself to calm down. Since I couldn’t identify the mastermind, I had to lure them out. Leaning back in my chair, a brilliant plan took shape in my mind. If they wanted me dead so badly… Fine. I would gladly die for them. Just once.

On our first wedding anniversary, Carter and his childhood best friend’s couple vlog went viral all over the internet. Chloe’s caption on TikTok was loud and proud: *Finally, my dream came true.* In the video, they kissed in a sea of roses and hugged under the moonlight. Even our mutual friends commented, calling them a match made in heaven. Seeing my scowl, Carter snapped impatiently, “Can you stop overreacting? This is just her job. What’s wrong with me helping her shoot a video?” Later, when Julian and I were filming our civil ceremony at City Hall, Carter saw us. He sneered at me. “Don’t think this will make me jealous. You’re delusional!” But the moment he saw our signed marriage certificate, his eyes turned bloodshot. He whispered, “It’s all fake, right?” ### The vlog reached a hundred million views. Tens of thousands of comments praised their chemistry, wishing them a happy life together. Among them was one of Carter’s close friends, who asked: “So, when are you guys making it legal at City Hall?” Carter replied instantly: “Soon.” Meanwhile, the Snapchat messages I sent him this morning remained unread. When I tried to call him, he declined it immediately. Clutching my stomach, which was cramping from hunger, I dialed Chloe’s number. “Summer, please don’t be mad,” Chloe’s sweet, innocent voice came through. “Carter is just helping me shoot a video. It’s not what you think.” Before I could say a word, Carter snatched the phone from her. “Summer, what the hell is wrong with you?” Carter yelled. “I told you Chloe has severe depression! She can’t handle stress. Are you trying to kill her?” It was our first wedding anniversary. Yet, he was screaming at me because of another woman. “You know Chloe is a TikToker. Her videos are just for her fans. I’m just helping her with her work. What’s the big deal?” In the video, he went down on one knee and slid a diamond ring onto Chloe’s ring finger. That was a custom-made ring he had pre-ordered from Europe six months ago. I had foolishly thought he hid it under our bed to surprise me today. A year ago, he said he was too busy with work and proposed to me with a cheap ring he bought on a whim. Even he felt it was too pathetic, so he promised that on our first anniversary—today—he would give me a proposal I’d never forget. Suddenly, I lost all energy to fight. I hung up, reheated the cold dinner on the counter, and forced myself to eat it, bite by bite. By the time Carter came home, I was already packing my bags. He kicked my suitcase open. “Cut the act. If you leave this apartment, do you even have a home to go back to?” He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and threw it at me. “Chloe insisted I bring this back to make it up to you. She was worried you’d be mad. When will you learn to be as mature as her? Hurry up and text her an apology!” I opened the box. It was indeed the custom ring from the video. But the ring was tarnished now. And so was Carter. “Carter, let’s break up. You can go shoot videos with her from now until you’re six feet under.” He didn’t take my words seriously. He stared at me with a mocking smirk, as if I were just throwing another tantrum. But when I tossed the ring onto the couch like trash, he lost it. “I’ve spoiled you too much! Don’t push your luck, Summer. If Chloe hadn’t begged me to come home, do you think I’d even be standing here?” I couldn’t remember when it started, but Chloe’s name was now constantly on his lips. No wonder even his friends thought they were the ones getting married. Carter stormed over and grabbed my arm tightly. Instantly, his hand was covered in fresh blood. Earlier, while washing the dishes, I had gotten so angry that I smashed a plate, cutting my hand deeply on a piece of porcelain. There was a band-aid right there, but Carter had grabbed me so violently he didn’t even notice. He quickly let go, panic flitting across his face. “What happened? Where’s the first-aid kit? Let me bandage it.” Suddenly, Chloe’s custom ringtone blared from his phone. His hand froze on the medical box, and he put the call on speaker. “Carter! I hear someone scratching at my front door! Please come save me, I’m so scared!” “The power went out too! What should I do? Am I going to die?” Carter dropped the medical box right onto my lap. Chloe always claimed she was being stalked by crazy fans just to lure Carter away from me. And it worked every single time. I grabbed his jacket. Before he left, there was something he needed to know. But he shoved me off irritably. “Chloe is in danger! And you’re still trying to use this cheap sympathy play to keep me here? If something happens to her because I’m late, you’ll be a murderer!” He pushed me hard. My knees buckled, and my lower back slammed violently against the sharp corner of the coffee table. A sharp, agonizing pain shot through my abdomen, causing it to spasm. I gasped, clutching my stomach. “Carter… I’m hurt. Take me to the hospital, please.” Seeing my face turn pale and covered in cold sweat, a flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes. But Chloe’s cries for help on the phone grew louder. After a two-second pause, he made his choice. He tossed my phone onto the couch. “It was just a bump. Stop being so dramatic. Chloe’s life is actually on the line!” He snatched his car keys and bolted out the door. I collapsed onto the floor, and slowly, a pool of blood began to spread beneath me. That was my baby. Two months old. Gone. — ###

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in a hospital bed. Carter had always wanted a child. I used to look forward to the day we would welcome a baby into the world. But when the doctor told me the baby was gone, I actually felt a wave of relief. I felt so selfish. My best friend, Maya, held me tight, gently stroking my hair. “It’s not your fault, Summer. It’s those two toxic trash bags, Carter and Chloe. They killed your baby. The baby is in heaven now, and they will pay for this.” Carter hadn’t contacted me all night. During the summer of my sophomore year in college, I didn’t go home. My abusive father had tracked me down to campus and attacked me. It was Carter who threw himself in front of me, took the blows, and helped me call the police. With his bright, warm smile, he pulled me out of the darkness and gave me the courage to escape my father’s control. But I had only escaped one trap to fall into another—one named Carter Miller. Just like he said, without him, I had no home to return to. So every time we fought, I was always the first to bow my head and apologize. But this time, Carter actually initiated the conversation. He sent me a message on Snapchat. “Babe, still mad?” Attached was a photo. In a messy bedroom, he and Chloe were lying in bed together, their necks covered in dark hickeys. It was clear how intense their night had been. I didn’t even need to ask. Chloe must have taken Carter’s phone to send this to me. I screenshotted the photo immediately. “Thanks for sending me the evidence of your infidelity. And thanks for taking out the trash for me.” Sure enough, a few minutes later, Carter called me. “How many times do I have to tell you? Chloe has depression! Stop harassing her! Do you want to drive her to suicide?” Carter always used Chloe’s depression as a weapon to hurt me. But six months ago, I was the one diagnosed with severe depression. At the time, he had sneered, “You’re such a copycat, Summer. Chloe gets diagnosed, and suddenly you have it too? You’re disgusting.” Ever since Chloe came back into his life, he never believed a word I said. Maya couldn’t stand it anymore. She snatched the phone from my hand. “You disgusting piece of trash! Summer miscarried because you pushed her! She just lost her baby while you two were busy hooking up! Aren’t you afraid of getting hit by a car when you step outside?” Carter instantly flared up. “A miscarriage? Are you seriously using a fake pregnancy to guilt-trip me now? How can you guys be so wicked as to curse a non-existent child? If you’re telling the truth, why don’t you bring the baby’s corpse to show me!” Who was the one actually cursing the child? What did I do in my past life to deserve falling for such a monster? My baby couldn’t be born, probably because they didn’t want me to stay tied to this pathetic man. “I’ll bring you the proof, Carter. The question is, do you actually have the guts to look at it?” “Also, I told you yesterday I wanted a divorce. You didn’t think I was joking, did you?” “Oh, wait. A year ago, we only had a wedding ceremony. We never actually signed the papers at City Hall. We aren’t even legally married.” “So I don’t even need a divorce. I’m just dumping you. Go to hell!” The other end of the line went dead silent, save for his heavy, ragged breathing. After a long pause, Carter screamed, “Don’t you dare come crawling back to me crying!” — ###

After we hung up, Maya hugged me tightly, her eyes full of worry. I told her I was fine, but hearing her comforting voice made my throat tighten. Logically, I knew leaving him was the best thing for me. But my heart still ached. I swore to myself that from this day on, I would never shed another tear for them. My past seven years of love were just dog food. After graduation, the moment Carter found out Chloe was starting a couple’s vlog, he volunteered to be her partner. First, it was lending his shoulder for her to lean on, then holding hands, and finally taking romantic couple photos. At first, he would explain and check in with me. But later, when I was sick and asked him to take me to the ER, he said he was busy helping Chloe. When I threw him a surprise birthday party with all our friends, he stood us up because Chloe needed him. Once, his friend called me to pick up a drunk Carter from a bar. When I arrived, I saw Chloe crying in his arms. “Summer is going to be mad again,” Chloe sobbed. “I only asked you to film a video with me. You shouldn’t come anymore, Carter. I’ll find someone else.” Carter frantically wiped her tears. “No way! You worked so hard to get these followers, and they all love us as a couple. Don’t worry about her. If she makes trouble, just tell me. We’ve known each other for twenty years. Who is she to dictate my life?” Chloe didn’t even have to try. Carter was always eager to bite the hook, terrified that she might look at someone else. “Besides, if Summer hadn’t kept begging me, I would never have married her. She doesn’t even compare to a single hair on your head!” Those were his true thoughts. Six years of dating, one year of living like a married couple. I was nothing but a clown. Perhaps I had seen this end coming long ago. Which was why accepting his betrayal was easier than I expected. Maya fed me a spoonful of warm soup, trying to cheer me up. “Once you’re discharged, I’m taking you to see the sunrise in Aspen, and then we’re going to see the Northern Lights in Norway. It’ll be a million times better than their fake rose garden!” Listening to her vivid descriptions, I couldn’t help but smile. Just then, a tall, handsome man in a white doctor’s coat walked into my hospital room. My smile froze, and my heart skipped a beat. It was Julian Sterling—my high school crush. Back in high school, I had always wanted to look perfect in front of him. But unfortunately, he was the one who saw my ugly, bloody wounds from my father’s abuse. And now, meeting him again, I was in a pathetic state once more. Julian asked me how I was feeling. I quickly shook my head, my hands gripping the bedsheets tightly. After he finished the check-up and left, Maya nudged me with a gossipy smirk. “Well, well. Isn’t this the perfect chance for a second-chance romance? I asked around—he’s single, and so are you.” I tapped her forehead. “Stop playing matchmaker. We were only lab partners for half a semester. After he moved to the UK for college, we didn’t even keep in touch.” She looked at me like I was an idiot. “When I brought you in yesterday and you were covered in blood, his face went completely pale. He was terrified.” She pointed to the soup on the table. “He bought this for you this morning. And the way he looks at you? Trust me, it’s definitely not just ‘high school nostalgia.’” Because of Maya’s words, my heart raced every time Julian walked into my room over the next three days. But he was strictly professional, making me feel like I was just flattering myself. On my last day, I ran into him in the stairwell. I got so nervous that my feet tangled, and I missed a step. Just as I was about to tumble backward, he caught my hand and pulled me firmly into his chest. The clean scent of his cologne filled my nose, and my ears burned. He let out a soft, low chuckle. “Still as clumsy as you were in high school, Summer.” He pulled out his phone and opened his Snapchat QR code. “Add me. I heard you’re working at an ad agency now. I actually need your professional help with a project.” — ###

Leaving Carter was much easier than I thought. It took me only half a day to pack my things. And another half a day to sign a lease on a cute new apartment. Then, I took my annual leave and went hiking in the mountains. When I came back, Maya and I drank late into the night to celebrate my new life. The next day, when I saw Julian standing outside my office, I thought I was still drunk and hallucinating. By the time I fully processed what was happening, I was already standing outside City Hall with my ID in hand. A bit dazed, I asked him, “Wait, am I being scammed? Am I going to wake up tomorrow and find out my kidney is missing?” Though I joked, my heart felt incredibly safe. Just like back in high school, when he silently draped his jacket over my shoulders to hide the bruises on my arms so the other kids wouldn’t see. If my family had been normal, if I hadn’t had an abusive father, maybe I would have had the courage to confess my feelings to him back then. Julian smiled and handed me a thick folder. “Since you didn’t look closely earlier, here.” Inside were his employment contract, bank statements, medical records, credit history, and a copy of his ID. This guy was way too trusting. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll lock you in a basement and take your kidney?” I teased. His eyes crinkled with amusement. “If you do, I’ll hand you a scalpel. It’s much sharper than a kitchen knife.” The weather was perfect, the sky was clear—a beautiful day to get married. But of course, trash had to ruin the view. Carter was walking toward the entrance, holding Chloe’s hand, with two cameramen trailing behind them. They were obviously here to film a “getting married” TikTok. The moment Carter saw me, his face darkened. “Summer? How many times do I have to tell you to stop stalking me and Chloe? If you keep this up, I’m calling the cops for harassment!” I rolled my eyes, ignored him, and pulled Julian straight into City Hall. While Julian was filling out the marriage license form, I held up my phone to record him. We needed to make a beautiful wedding video to show his grandmother, who was very sick and wanted to see him get married. I had asked him why we needed to film a video instead of just showing her the certificate. He said his grandmother was sharp and feared he’d get a fake certificate to ease her mind, so she demanded video proof. He asked for my help because I worked in advertising and knew how to make things look romantic and authentic. I stared at Julian through the screen. The warm sunlight filtered through his hair, casting a soft glow over his focused face as his pen scratched against the paper. It felt like we were back in high school. Seeing how intensely I was looking at him, the clerk couldn’t help but smile. “You two are so sweet together.” My cheeks flushed, but then a mocking sneer echoed from behind us. “You actually hired an actor to play your groom? Do you really think this cheap trick will make me jealous? Pathetic!” Carter scoffed. Chloe chimed in, “Summer, you must be joking. You wouldn’t actually marry a stranger just to get Carter’s attention, right?” Normally, Carter couldn’t stand me being near him. Now, he was the one constantly picking a fight. I turned around and glared at them. “Shut up. What I do is none of your business.” Carter flinched. I had never spoken to him in such a cold, commanding tone before. When it was my turn to sign, Julian took the phone to record me. Suddenly, Carter rushed over and grabbed my arm, his face twisted in anger. “Is this little video shoot of yours done yet?” I shook his hand off. “Who said we’re just shooting a video?” Carter panicked. “Are you actually marrying him? You lived with me for years without getting a license, and now you’re registering with a stranger?” “That’s because every time we scheduled a trip to City Hall, your precious Chloe had some ‘life-or-death emergency’ that you had to run to.” Julian stepped in, blocking Carter, while the security guard quickly walked over. Carter was forced to back down, his eyes wide as he watched me hand the signed forms back to the clerk. “Just because I blew you off a few times? You’re going to throw our relationship away? What if he’s a scammer?” His eyes turned red as he stared at me. “This is fake. You’re lying to me, right?” He sounded so desperate, as if he actually loved me. Yet, every time he got drunk, the only name he called out was Chloe’s. I turned to leave, but he tried to follow. The security guard firmly held him back. Julian held up our official marriage certificate right in front of Carter’s face. “Please stop harassing my wife.”

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Right before our engagement, my sight—which I lost in a car crash years ago—unexpectedly came back. I wanted to share the amazing news with Liam, but as I walked down the hallway, I froze. On the first-floor sofa, Liam and his young secretary, Amber, were having wild, breathless sex. The entire living room was filled with his heavy panting. He was cupping Amber’s mouth, keeping her from crying out. I had heard these sounds a few times before. Whenever I asked, Liam would always tell me he was just working out in the living room. Amber spotted me. There was no panic in her eyes—only pure provocation. She pulled Liam’s hand away and squealed, “Babe, let’s change positions. I’m tired.” Liam’s familiar, pampering voice reached my ears. “Alright, but keep it down. Otherwise, that little blind girl will start asking questions again.” “I don’t get what my mom is thinking. She raised a blind girl like a princess for ten years, and now she wants me to marry her.” His tone turned incredibly disgusted when he mentioned me. My heart shattered into a million pieces. I quietly retreated to my room, completely numb. 0

I sat in my room for a long time, until I heard the front door close. A moment later, Liam walked in. He leaned in close from behind. The smell of his sweat mixed with her perfume made me feel utterly sick. “What’s wrong, Chloe? Are you upset?” I did my best to suppress my disgust, pretending to know nothing. “Did we have a guest? I thought I heard Amber’s voice.” Liam paused for a second, acting as if nothing happened. “Yeah, she brought over an important contract that needed my signature. She already left.” “Anyway, Chloe, working out is so exhausting. I’m going to take a shower first.” While he was showering, his phone on the nightstand kept lighting up. I picked it up, typed in my birthday, and successfully unlocked it. His mother had forced him to set my birthday as his passcode, lecturing him constantly about how he had to love and protect me. Too bad Liam didn’t have a single ounce of love for me in his heart. I opened Snapchat. It was flooded with messages and videos from Amber, who had just left. “Liam, make sure to mute your phone before watching! I’ll be waiting for you at the Grand Plaza Hotel tonight.” The videos were incredibly explicit. What was even worse was that they had filmed themselves right in front of me just for the thrill of it. They took advantage of my blindness to stomp all over my dignity. Watching those two writhing vermin on screen, I swallowed my disgust, forwarded the videos to my own account, deleted the chat history, and put the phone back exactly as it was. When Liam came out of the bathroom, he didn’t check his phone. He went straight to the kitchen to make me breakfast. Over the years, he really did take good care of me. I used to hate breakfast because the maid’s cooking wasn’t to my liking, so he learned how to toast bread and make oatmeal himself, ensuring every morning meal was rich and nutritious. But looking at the breakfast he had lovingly prepared, my stomach churned with nausea. He blew on the oat milk to cool it down and held it to my lips. Seeing me hesitate, his bright face flashed with impatience. His lips moved, silently mouthing, *So damn demanding.* A second later, he forced a gentle smile and coaxed me. “Come on, drink up.” “I don’t want it,” I said quietly, turning my head away and fumbling on the table as if looking for a plate. He glared at me, shoved the sandwich into my hands, and pulled out his phone. Seeing Amber’s message, his annoyed expression instantly lit up. I took a bite of my sandwich, watching him rapidly type out his reply. “Baby, how about tomorrow? I have to take the little blind girl for her checkup in a bit, and we have a family dinner at my parents’ estate tonight.” “I’m sorry to make you wait, baby. I’ll come stay with you the second I’m free, okay?” Suddenly, his phone rang. He shot me a guilty look. “Eat your sandwich, Chloe. I need to take this business call.” He jogged over to the far end of the balcony. I held my breath and listened closely. Over the years, despite being blind, my memory and hearing had become exceptionally sharp. It didn’t take long before I heard his impatient voice. “If I don’t go back with her, my mom will skin me alive. Do you really want to see me get grounded?” “I must have owed her in a past life. Now I’m slaving away like her servant.” “She has to get those useless eyes checked regularly. No matter how many specialists she sees, she’s still just a little blind girl.” Those words struck my heart like a dagger. I remembered high school. A cruel boy had deliberately tripped me on my way out of the restroom, dismissively saying “my bad” afterward. But when I stepped outside, the hallway was in chaos. I heard Liam’s roaring voice as he fought the boy. He fought viciously, his voice trembling at the end as he screamed, “You piece of trash! How dare you bully a girl who can’t see! I’ll kill you!” He was suspended that day, and his father made him kneel for two hours as punishment. Liam used to be so good to me. He truly lived up to his mother’s expectations, protecting and shielding me from the world. For someone with a disability like mine, surviving in society is incredibly hard. I was an outsider, and the world is cold to outsiders. But Liam hadn’t cared. He pitied me for not being able to see the light, vowing that he would be my eyes forever. Now, my sight was back. I thought I was finally going to see the beautiful light of this world, but instead, I was forced to look at his pitch-black heart. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Even now, I couldn’t believe the boy I loved so deeply didn’t love me back. I returned to my room, threw the rest of the sandwich into the trash, and forced myself to calm down. After his call, Liam walked into the room, hesitating. After a few seconds, he spoke up. “Hey, Chloe… something urgent came up at work. I don’t think I can take you to the clinic today. Can we reschedule for another day?” As soon as he finished, his phone buzzed again. Another demanding message from Amber. Amber was his newly hired secretary. She was beautiful, sweet-talking, and had Liam wrapped around her finger. I offered a bleak smile. “It’s fine. Work comes first. As for the checkup, it doesn’t really matter anyway.” His eyes lit up instantly, filled with excitement. “Chloe, you’re the best. I’ll come home right after I’m done.” He turned to leave, but then remembered something, a hint of shame in his voice. “Uh, about the family dinner tonight… could you…” “It’s fine. I’ll call Aunt Catherine and tell her I’m not feeling well. I’ll skip the dinner.” *You must be thrilled, Liam. With me as your shield, you can run off to your precious Amber.* Perhaps sensing something off in my expression, his brow furrowed. But before he could ask, another ping from Amber summoned him away. The front door slammed shut. I walked barefoot to the floor-to-ceiling window, watching his car speed away. I slid down the glass, burying my head in my knees, my shoulders shaking violently. I didn’t understand how someone’s heart could change so fast. Just because I was blind, did I deserve to be treated like garbage? 0

I went to a different hospital alone to get my eyes checked. When the specialist confirmed my vision was completely restored, a massive weight lifted off my chest. At least I would never have to live in darkness again. Just as I stepped out of the clinic, I ran straight into Aunt Catherine. My heart skipped a beat. Thank God I had instinctively brought my white cane, or my recovery would have been exposed. Aunt Catherine rushed over to support me, looking puzzled. “Chloe? Why are you alone? Where on earth is Liam?” I couldn’t tell her that Liam was currently screwing Amber. I lied, “He had some urgent business to handle at the office.” “That idiot! How could he let you come to the clinic alone? He seriously needs a beating.” With that, she pulled out her phone to call him. I tried to stop her, but it was too late. Liam answered, but he sounded incredibly busy, panting heavily as he barked into the phone. “How many times do I have to tell you I’m busy? Why the hell do you keep calling?!” Through the speaker, I could faintly hear a woman’s soft whimpering. Aunt Catherine’s eyes widened. She shot me a glance, then walked a few steps away, covering the mouthpiece. “Liam Vance, say that again. Where are you? What are you doing?” The other end went dead silent. A few seconds later, Liam’s guilty voice drifted over. “Uh… Mom, sorry. I was swamped with work and didn’t see it was you.” “I don’t care how busy you are, you don’t leave Chloe alone at the hospital. I’m giving you exactly ten minutes to get to the Medical Center, or don’t bother calling me mom again.” No matter how resentful Liam was, he didn’t dare defy his mother. Aunt Catherine took me to a nearby coffee shop to wait. Before long, a disheveled Liam rushed in, his eyes burning with silent fury when they landed on me. Aunt Catherine scolded him severely for half an hour. He remained silent, but I knew he was absolutely seething inside. Once Aunt Catherine left to handle some errands, instructing him to drive me home safely, his facade crumbled. 0

The rage in Liam’s eyes boiled over. He grabbed my arm, dragging me out of the cafe and shoving me brutally into the passenger seat, not caring whether I could see or not. He buckled my seatbelt and slammed his foot on the gas. “Chloe Sterling, do I have to spend every single second of my life catering to you for you to be happy?!” Every word was laced with pure hatred and disgust. The car window was rolled down, and the freezing wind howled inside, instantly swallowing any words I wanted to say. “Liam… slow down… please… I’m scared…” Flashbacks of the car crash flooded my mind. My parents had been arguing in the front seat. In a fit of rage, my dad accelerated to the limit, crashing into an overturned semi-truck. My mother had shielded me with her body, dying alongside my father in that horrific wreck. “Liam… I’m begging you…” The wind roared past my ears. Liam’s profile remained cold and unyielding, completely indifferent to my terrified pleas. I gripped the seatbelt so hard my knuckles turned white. Just when I felt like I was going to pass out, he finally slammed on the brakes. Fumbling for the handle, I pushed the door open, but my foot slipped, and I fell heavily onto the asphalt. My stomach violently turned, and I dry-heaved, spitting up nothing but bitter bile. “Chloe… are you okay?” Liam’s voice sounded slightly panicked. I clutched my chest, ignoring him. “I was just angry. We had a deal, and then you went and ratted me out to my mom. How did you expect me to react?” I dragged my trembling body off the ground. He reached out to help me, but I shoved him away with all my might. Liam stared at his rejected hand, his brow furrowing deeper. “Chloe, can you stop acting like this? You’re the one who messed up, so why do I always have to be the one to apologize? Just because you’re bl—” He cut himself off, but my body went rigid. Tears spilled over my cheeks. He kicked the car door in frustration, scratching his head as he looked at me with a mix of guilt and annoyance. “Look… I didn’t mean it like that.” I shook my head, pretending not to care as I wiped my face. “No, you’re right. I ratted you out. I’m a cripple. You’re supposed to take care of me forever.” My words set him off again. He let out a cold laugh. “Chloe, I don’t owe you a damn thing.” “There are plenty of cabs here. Get home yourself.” He climbed back into the car and sped off without looking back. I stared at the empty road, feeling entirely dazed. Was this really the same Liam who had promised to protect me forever? He used to say he would never let anyone hurt me. But now, the one hurting me was him. With tears pouring down my face, I pulled out my phone and called my closest friend. “Ethan, is that voice-over position still open?” 0

Ethan Cross was my senior in college. He had recently finished producing an indie animated film and had invited me to voice one of the characters. I had turned him down because of my upcoming engagement to Liam. But now, I finally understood. I couldn’t be a vine clinging to someone else anymore. I had to grow into a tree of my own, strong enough to weather any storm. Ethan’s studio was in Seattle. Without hesitation, I booked the earliest flight for the next afternoon. I hailed a cab, planning to go home and pack my things. While waiting at a red light, a familiar figure caught my eye. In the restaurant across the street, Amber was sitting opposite a burly, intimidating-looking man. Instinctively, I pulled out my phone and started recording. Amber took a thick envelope from her purse and handed it to the man, her expression sour. Their English conversation drifted clearly through the open cab window. “This is all I have right now. Give me more time, I’ll pay it off.” The man took the envelope, looking at Amber mockingly. “Instead of working so hard to sleep with that rich pretty boy, why don’t you just submit to Mr. Miller? Not only would your debt be wiped, but you’d also get a legitimate status.” “That kid is about to get engaged anyway. You think he’s going to keep throwing money at you forever?” Amber grit her teeth, remaining silent. When the man went to speak again, she cut him off. “Don’t worry about that. I don’t just want his money.” She smirked. “I want his status and his name, too.” “Seems like you’ve got it all figured out, Miss Brooks…” The light turned green, and their voices faded as the cab pulled away. I quietly put my phone away. I could smell a conspiracy brewing around Liam. I asked Ethan for the contact info of a private investigator and hired them to dig into Amber. Even though I had decided not to marry Liam, I couldn’t stand by and watch Uncle Richard and Aunt Catherine get scammed. They were the ones who pulled me from the wreckage of that car crash and raised me as their own daughter. That was a debt of gratitude I could never fully repay. 0

Back at the penthouse, a framed photo sat on the coffee table—a family portrait of me, Liam, Aunt Catherine, and Uncle Richard taken at our college graduation. Amber had knocked it over and shattered the glass a few days ago, and I hadn’t had time to fix it. I slipped the photo out of the broken frame, sighed, and tore off the section with my face on it. “I’m sorry, Aunt Catherine. I guess I can’t be your daughter-in-law in this lifetime.” I went to my room and started packing for Seattle. I had a lot of belongings, but I only packed a few changes of clothes. Once I finished, the penthouse felt suffocatingly quiet. On the wall hung a photo of Liam and me when we were eighteen. The innocent boy in the photo was looking at me with eyes full of deep, genuine affection. Suddenly, my phone rang. It was Liam. My heart fluttered for a split second, thinking maybe he had found his conscience and was calling to check if I made it home safely. I answered, only to be met with the heavy, breathless gasping of a man and a woman. “Liam… do you love me, or that little blind girl?” “You, baby. Always you.” Liam’s voice was thick with lust. After they finished, he spoke in a low, lazy tone. “Babe, don’t bring her up at times like this. I don’t want her ruining our mood.” My heart shattered into dust. Forcing down my rage, I raised my voice. “Liam? Is that you?” The other end went dead silent. A second later, the call was abruptly cut off. The floor-to-ceiling window reflected my pathetic, desolate state. How utterly wretched. I didn’t sleep a wink that night. The next morning, I called Aunt Catherine to tell her I was leaving for Seattle. She sounded shocked and confused, but then she remembered the suspicious noises she had heard during her call with Liam the day before. Over the phone, she let out a heavy sigh, sounding as if she was on the verge of tears. I declined her offer to send me off, grabbed my suitcase, and took a cab to the airport. Before boarding, I sent Liam one last Snapchat. [No one will ever ruin your mood again.] I forwarded all the Snapchat videos and chat logs I had saved to his account, blocked and deleted him, and switched off my phone.

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My boyfriend brought me to his family’s private estate for the first time. His adopted sister, Chloe, had just climbed out of the pool. The strap of her bikini was broken. Summer swimwear leaves little to the imagination. She gasped, covering her chest with her hands, and ran straight to my boyfriend. “Asher, my strap broke! Quick, tie it for me!” The butler and the maids immediately looked down, avoiding their eyes. Asher acted like this was completely normal. He grabbed her hand, turned her around, and expertly tied a knot. His hand even slid across her bare, smooth back. “What cheap trash is this?” he murmured playfully. “I’ll buy you a better one next time.” Blood rushed to my head. “Asher Vance!” I snapped, my voice shaking. “Did you completely forget what I told you?” Chloe turned to look at me, her eyes wide and innocent. “Hazel, don’t overthink it. Asher practically raised me. This is nothing.” “If there were really something between us, I’d be the mistress of this house by now, wouldn’t I?”

She turned back to him, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “Asher, how many times do I have to tell you? When you tie it, you need to push the fabric forward from the back. It makes my curves look better!” “You’re like a block of wood. You ruined the shape.” Chloe reached straight into her bikini top, adjusting herself right in front of Asher, completely ignoring my presence. And Asher didn’t even look away. He stared directly down, his eyes lingering on her cleavage for a solid two seconds. He sighed helplessly and actually reached out to help her adjust it. “Chloe, do you not have hands?” I finally lost my temper. I marched forward and shoved myself right between them. “Asher, am I invisible to you? Is this something a normal guy does for his sister?” “Even if you grew up together, there are boundaries. Do neither of you have any self-respect?” The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I always knew Asher had an adopted sister. But I never knew they were this close. They had completely crossed the line. There were so many staff members around, and they dared to do this right in front of me. I couldn’t imagine what they did when they were alone! The air went dead silent. Suddenly, Asher let out a soft laugh. He reached out and pulled me into his arms. “Are you jealous, baby?” He rubbed his nose against my neck. “You’re right. I’ll pay attention next time. Don’t be mad, okay?” “Besides, I just see Chloe as a kid. She’s like a daughter to me.” His words only added fuel to the fire. He still didn’t see the problem. A daughter? What kind of father strokes a twenty-year-old girl’s bare back while tying her bikini? Irritated, I shoved his hands off me. Before Asher could speak, Chloe let out an annoyed sigh. “Alright, Hazel. Asher apologized once to be sweet, but you’re being dramatic now. Don’t ruin the mood.” Asher’s mother, Victoria, walked over holding a fruit platter, a polite smile plastered on her face. “Hazel, dear, it’s your first time visiting the estate. Don’t let such a small thing ruin the mood. Asher and Chloe have always been close. You’ll get used to it.” She handed me a slice of melon. “Chloe lost her parents when she was young. We love her like our own. Asher treasures her like a prized possession. You need to be more understanding.” I was shaking with rage. Everyone around me was looking at me like I was making a big deal out of nothing. Even Asher didn’t think his behavior, or his mother’s words, were a problem. I took a deep breath, ready to blow up, when Chloe suddenly groaned loudly. She stamped her foot at Asher. “Asher, I’m starving! Didn’t you say the chef was making truffle lobster and caviar today? I can’t wait!” Asher’s brows furrowed instantly. He looked at me, his eyes turning cold. “Are you done making a scene? Can we go inside and eat now? Chloe has a sensitive stomach. She’ll get a flare-up if she waits too long.” In that second, my heart went completely cold. Was I the one making a scene? Every breath he took was about Chloe. Just because Chloe wanted to eat, I had to swallow my anger. With a “sister” like this, why did he even bother getting a girlfriend? I closed my eyes, forcing my tears back. “I’m done. And I’m done with you, Asher. Let’s break up.” As I turned to leave, I paused and looked back at Chloe. “Oh, by the way. Since you love each other so much, maybe you should share a bed to bond even more.” “I hope you two have a happy life together, and have beautiful, messed-up babies.”

I walked fast toward the main gate. Asher suddenly grabbed my arm, yanked me back so hard that I stumbled. His grip on my wrist was bruising. “Can you give me some respect in front of my family? Stop throwing a tantrum!” “What do you want to eat? After dinner, I’ll have the chauffeur take you to buy it. I’ll spend the whole day with you tomorrow, okay?” His voice softened, as if he were making a massive sacrifice. I laughed. Everything I wanted came second to his sister. What was I to him? I wrenched my wrist free and looked at the red handprint. I chuckled coldly. “No thanks, Mr. Vance.” Without another word, I turned and walked away. This time, Asher didn’t follow. Behind me, I heard Chloe’s mocking voice. “Asher, is she crazy? We’re family. She actually thinks we have something going on? Talk about paranoia!” Victoria was sighing too. “Asher, is this really the kind of girl you like? Her temper is way too big. She’ll cause trouble for us in high society.” Frustrated, Asher ran a hand through his hair. He casually threw an arm around Chloe’s shoulder and walked toward the dining room. “Mom, stop it. It’s annoying. Just let her go. If she wants to leave, let her leave.” “Let’s go, Chloe. I’ll take you to get your favorite lobster.” Tears finally spilled over. I held them in until I got into an Uber, and then I completely broke down. For this man, I had turned down a stable job my parents arranged for me. I had moved to his city completely alone. We had been dating for three years. I thought our love was unbreakable. I was such an idiot! The moment I got back to the apartment we shared, I started packing my things. For two whole days, Asher didn’t call or text me once. I forced myself not to reach out. I started planning my new life. I messaged the HR manager of a company I had previously turned down, asking if the position of Executive Assistant to the Director was still open. They replied quickly, saying the job was still mine if I wanted it. They asked when I could start. I told them next Monday. Just when I thought I was ready to start fresh, the doorbell rang. I opened the door. Asher stood there holding a massive bouquet of blue roses. There was barely any apology on his face. “Surprise!” He forced a stiff smile, shoving the flowers toward me like he was checking off a chore. “Baby, I’m here to make it up to you. Forgive me, okay?” As he spoke, his eyes drifted past my shoulder, scanning the apartment as if checking for something. Before I could speak, Chloe popped out from behind him. She shoved a luxurious gift box into my arms, smiling warmly. “Hazel, don’t be mad anymore. If a woman gets angry too often, her skin gets ruined.” Then, as if she owned the place, she kicked off her shoes and slid into my favorite pair of fluffy designer slippers. Asher walked right in after her, not even looking at me. His attention was entirely on Chloe. “Careful, don’t trip.” He pulled me to the sofa. “Baby, look. Chloe came all this way just to apologize to you.” He opened the gift box. Inside was a necklace. The diamond was huge and blindingly bright. “The ‘Heart of the Ocean’ necklace. You stared at it at the auction last time. I bought it for you. Do you like it?” My heart skipped a beat. Before I could process it, he stepped behind me and draped the cold diamond necklace around my neck. “Beautiful,” he whispered, his warm breath hitting my ear. “It suits you.” Chloe, who had been standing quietly, suddenly spoke up. Her voice held a perfect touch of jealousy. “Hazel is so lucky. You’re so good to her, Asher. I’m almost jealous.” She walked over, staring directly at the necklace on my neck. Her lips pouted, and her eyes welled up with tears. “Asher, I’ve grown up with you, and you’ve never bought me such an expensive gift. At the auction, I told you how much I loved the ‘Heart of the Ocean,’ but you pretended not to hear me…” The warmth on Asher’s face froze, replaced instantly by guilt and affection for his sister. He cooed, “Be good, Chloe. Next time I find something nice, I’ll buy it for you first.” “I don’t want next time. I want this one,” Chloe pouted, grabbing my arm. “Hazel, you have the kindest heart. Can I just borrow this necklace for a second? Just a second, to see how it looks on me…” “I…” Before I could even finish my sentence, Asher frowned impatiently. He looked at me and said, “Just let her try it. It’s just a necklace. Chloe likes it so much, why are you being so petty?”

Without even waiting for my consent, he reached out, unclasped the necklace he had just put on me, and fastened it around Chloe’s neck. “Asher, look! This necklace looks way better on me!” Chloe laughed, spinning around happily. Asher smiled, his eyes full of adoration. “Our Chloe looks good in everything. You’re a natural model.” Looking at the two of them laughing and playing, I felt a wave of nausea. The necklace that was supposed to be mine had stayed on my neck for less than a minute. Now, it was just a tool to please another woman. I forced a tight smile. “Did you two come here today just to disgust me?” Chloe looked at me innocently. “Hazel, how could you say that!” “Asher bought you the ‘Heart of the Ocean’ just to make you happy! He never bought me anything this expensive!” “He even called me to ask for advice before coming. I just got back from Europe and was sleeping off my jet lag, but his call woke me up!” “Seriously, he’s a grown man but doesn’t even know how to romance a girl. You need to teach him more, Hazel.” Asher laughed and tapped her head. “Alright, that’s enough. No sister talks about her brother like that in front of others.” “I’m not an outsider! I’m your favorite sister!” Within seconds, they were playing and teasing each other again. The diamonds of the “Heart of the Ocean” flashed in front of my eyes, making my chest ache. I wondered what was wrong with me. Why did I even open the door for them? Next to me, Chloe was being tickled by Asher, laughing hysterically. “Oh, you dare bully me? I’m going to show Hazel your embarrassing videos!” She broke free, ran to my side on the sofa, and opened her Snapchat memories. My face remained cold. I wanted to see just how much more they could destroy my sanity. She opened a video. The background was the Vance family library. Asher was working on some business documents. Chloe, wearing a silk slip nightgown, walked in holding a glass of milk. She set the milk on the desk but didn’t leave. Instead, she sat straight onto Asher’s lap. “Asher, you haven’t read me a bedtime story in so long.” Asher put down his pen and looked at her helplessly. “How old are you? You still want bedtime stories?” Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck. “I don’t care. I want one.” Suddenly, she leaned down and kissed him right on the lips. “That’s the deposit.” In the video, Asher froze. Then, his throat bobbed, and his eyes darkened. He didn’t push her away. Instead, his hand slid up her back. His voice was husky. “You little devil.” The video cut off there, shaking violently as if the person filming was trembling. In real life, Chloe laughed so hard she had to wipe her tears. “Hazel, let me tell you, Asher is so innocent. I was just teasing him, but his face went as red as a tomato.” “Of course, he didn’t disappoint me later. He carried me back to my room and read to me all night.” “By the way, Hazel… is your sex life not very active? Asher’s reaction was way too intense.” The video finished playing, leaving Asher’s lust-filled face frozen on the screen. Beside us, Asher flicked Chloe’s forehead hard. “What nonsense are you talking about? Hazel and I are perfectly fine. Mind your own business.” Chloe stuck her tongue out, and the two of them went back to flirting. Her phone was left forgotten on the sofa. I calmly picked it up. I forwarded that video, along with several other disgusting, intimate videos from her gallery, straight to my own Snapchat. Then, I deleted the chat history. Once they were done playing, Asher finally remembered me. His breathing was still a little shallow. He looked down at me, his voice carrying a tone of smug charity. “Alright, you saw it. Even in that situation, I only read her a story. You’re the one in my heart. That should be enough.” “So, stop throwing tantrums, okay? Let’s just get back to normal.” My chest felt tight. He actually thought he was the victim here? But I swallowed my anger and smiled, nodding gently. “Okay. I know I was wrong. I won’t do it again.” Oh, I was wrong indeed. My mistake was thinking I could just walk away quietly. For a toxic man and a green tea bitch like them, if I didn’t ruin their lives completely, I would be wasting the last three years of my life.

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Right after I landed a job with a six-figure salary, Justin said he wanted to throw a big celebration for me. But that very night, I scrolled past a trending post on Reddit: *I’m about to get married, but my girlfriend just got a $10k-a-month job. What should I do?* The poster was a man, claiming he was terrified he wouldn’t be able to “control” his girlfriend after they tied the knot. People in the comments were all feeding him ideas. The top-voted comment read: “Run a compliance test on her. For example, pretend your mom is sick, and offer her $500 a month to move in and be your mom’s full-time maid.” The poster had liked that comment. I was just about to screenshot it and send it to Justin so we could laugh at this disgusting guy together. Right then, Justin sent me a voice note. His voice was frantic: “Babe, my mom just fell really sick. I can’t celebrate with you tomorrow.” 0 There was no way it could be this coincidental, right? Landing a six-figure job, followed immediately by his mother getting sick. Both details matched the Reddit post perfectly. The poster couldn’t possibly be Justin, right? But the moment the thought popped into my head, I forced it down. After all, Justin was known as the ultimate golden-retriever boyfriend. We had been together for three years. He never missed a single holiday, constantly showered me with gifts and surprises, and was always the “yes-man” in our relationship. How could a guy like him write such a toxic post? Pushing the suspicion aside, I decided not to send him the screenshot. Instead, I messaged him with concern: “Oh my god, is Helen okay? Should I come over and check on her?” He replied almost instantly: “No, don’t worry about it. Don’t you start your new job tomorrow? My mom’s fine for now, your career comes first.” Seeing how considerate he was, my heart melted a little. But right at that moment, a notification popped up on my phone. The Reddit poster had replied to that compliance test comment. * [Poster]: I did exactly what you suggested, bro. She offered to come over and check on my mom, but I played the caring boyfriend card and told her to focus on her new job first.* Reading that, I felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head. Coincidences don’t just line up perfectly one after another like dominoes—unless the poster was indeed Justin. A chill ran down my spine as the reality set in. Was Justin’s sweet, caring persona all a lie? When I called him earlier to tell him I got the job, he had literally spun me around in his arms, screaming about how proud he was of his “powerhouse girlfriend.” Yet, the moment my back was turned, he went online to post this garbage. Did he only date me just to control me? How had I never seen this side of him before? Clinging to a shred of hope, I tapped on the poster’s profile. I desperately searched for any evidence to prove this wasn’t Justin. The user had posted quite a bit. I scrolled down, my heart sinking heavier with every swipe. Most of his posts were about basketball and corporate finance. Coincidentally, Justin’s absolute favorite sport was basketball, and he worked in the exact same field. Every piece of evidence pointed directly at him. But just as I was about to lose all hope, I spotted a post from six months ago. The title was: *Girlfriend is begging to go to Tulum. Need itinerary recommendations.* But I hadn’t planned any trips in the last two years. Could I really be overthinking this? Was it just a massive coincidence, and the poster was actually someone else? Was the universe just playing a sick joke on me? While I was forcing myself to calm down, another voice note from Justin popped up on Snapchat: “Babe, can we talk about something?” “My mom needs quiet recovery at home for the next three months. You know I’m up for a promotion right now, so I really can’t take time off. Can you turn down that new job and come live with us to be my mom’s caregiver? It’ll give you a chance to bond with her, and I can pay you $500 a month on top of free rent and food. Honestly, it’s a win-win-win for everyone!” 0

Hearing Justin’s words, my hands started shaking uncontrollably. It felt like a balloon had violently popped inside my brain. Everything matched. Even the insulting $500 monthly pay matched the Reddit comment. But what about the other girlfriend who wanted to go to Tulum? Before I could even process this, my phone buzzed again, automatically playing his next voice note: “If you truly love me and want to marry me, you’d view this as a trial run for our future family life, right?” “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to grow closer. You’ll take it, right, babe?” I literally laughed out loud from sheer rage. I swiped call, and the moment he picked up, I roared into the receiver: “You make a decent salary, Justin! Why the hell can’t you hire a professional caregiver? Why do you want me, someone who just landed a six-figure job, to be your personal maid?” “Babe, please don’t be mad. Just let me explain the benefits, okay?” Hearing my fury, Justin softened his voice, putting on his best puppy-dog tone. “Think about it. We’re getting married anyway. If you do this, I’m paying you, and you get to have quality bonding time with my mom. It’ll make living together so much easier after the wedding. Isn’t this an amazing deal for you?” An amazing deal? “Are you out of your mind, Justin? If it’s such an amazing deal, why don’t you quit your job and take care of your own mother? I worked my ass off to get this six-figure offer, and you want me to throw away my career to wipe your mom’s counter? For five hundred dollars? Do you have any idea how much a private nurse costs? And you expect me to be grateful for this?” I slammed the hang-up button, my head throbbing with rage. Once I calmed down a bit, I opened Reddit again. The post was already flooded with comments calling the poster a cheap, toxic loser. Then, I saw the poster’s update under the top comment: * [Poster]: I proposed the $500 caregiver gig to her, but she rejected it and blew up at me. How can a woman be this selfish?* The original commenter replied almost instantly: *[Commenter]: Play the victim, bro. Guilt-trip her. Women are soft-hearted. If she loves you, she’ll break eventually. Once she compromises this time, you’ll have the upper hand in the relationship forever.* * [Poster]: Thanks, man. I get it now.* Staring at the screen, my hands wouldn’t stop trembling. This was the nail in the coffin. The poster was Justin. But then I remembered the Tulum trip post on his profile. A chilling realization struck me. Could Justin… have another girlfriend? 0

Justin and I met three years ago at a college mixer. During the party, some creepy guy was trying to peer-pressure me into taking shots. Justin stepped in, drank them for me, and turned around to give me the warmest, most reassuring smile. Under the flashing party lights, I fell hard for that smile. After we got official, he treated me like a princess. Last Thanksgiving, he even came to visit my parents. They absolutely adored him and kept hinting that we should lock down a wedding date soon. Justin had promised we would get engaged this year. I honestly thought I had found my happily ever after, the man I would build a beautiful home with. Who would have thought that right before the ring, I’d discover such a grotesque, hidden side of him? Thinking about his other post about the Tulum vacation, I forced myself to cool down. I couldn’t just break up with him over text. I’m a vengeful woman by nature. I wanted to tear off his sweet, hypocritical mask and see what kind of ugly monster was hiding underneath. Sure enough, an hour later, Justin called again. “Babe, I’m so sorry about earlier. I was being selfish and didn’t think things through,” Justin said, his voice cracking with feigned tears. “But I’m just so desperate. You know my dad passed away early, and my mom raised me all by myself. Now that she’s sick, I just panicked because I wanted to be a good son.” Hearing this, I almost snorted. He wanted to be a good son, so he outsourced his filial piety to me? We weren’t even married yet, and he was already trying to use me as free labor. “I thought about hiring a stranger, but I keep reading these horror stories about caregivers abusing the elderly. I just can’t trust them. Plus, my promotion review is this month. I’ve been working toward this for over a year, and I have zero time… That’s why I panicked and asked for something so unfair…” Justin’s sobbing got louder through the speaker. It was almost comical. His promotion was important, but my six-figure job was disposable? I gripped my phone, took a deep breath, and forced my voice to sound incredibly calm and sweet. “Justin, it’s not that I don’t want to take care of Helen. It’s just… offering me $500 felt like an insult.” “Babe, is it about the money? We’re going to be family soon anyway! I’m already saving up for a gorgeous diamond ring and our dream house. My money is your money!” I didn’t want to hear his cheap excuses anymore, so I cut him off. “Justin, do you know why I was actually mad?” “Why?” “Because by offering me money, it felt like you didn’t view me as family. Why would I charge money to take care of my future mother-in-law?” I could practically hear his eyes light up through the phone. “Chloe! Are you serious? Oh my god, I had no idea you felt that way! If I knew, I never would have insulted you with that money!” I sneered silently, keeping my voice soft. “It’s fine. We’re family. A job can always be found again, but Helen’s health is the priority.” After hanging up, I refreshed his Reddit post. Sure enough, his smug update appeared: * [Poster]: Compliance test successful! She agreed to take care of my mom, and she didn’t even take the $500. She said we’re family, and taking money would be an insult to our love.* His update immediately drew a barrage of angry comments: * [User 1]: This poor girl loves you so much, and you’re just manipulating her?* * [User 2]: You are a disgusting piece of trash. And this girl is a complete idiot…* Seeing the post gain massive traction, I quickly screenshotted everything before he could delete it. He wanted to test my compliance, completely unaware that I was now standing right behind him, waiting to watch his entire life crumble.

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At the high school reunion, everyone was talking about the photos on their girlfriends’ phones. They laughed, saying their couples’ selfies didn’t even make up a fraction of the photos of their favorite celebrities. I stayed quiet. My girlfriend didn’t follow celebrities. But she had an encrypted album on her phone. Inside were hundreds of photos of her ex-boyfriend. During our three years together, she spent every single day planning. She was just waiting for him to come back to the country so she could find an excuse to dump me. Later, I gave her exactly what she wanted. I walked away first. But then, she got wasted night after night, begging me in every way possible not to leave her. When I got out of the Uber, the Snapchat group chat was still blowing up. They were accusing me of gatekeeping the prettiest girl from our high school, keeping my relationship with Chloe a total secret. Marcus, my desk partner from high school, spoke up first: “If we don’t see the queen Chloe herself at the next reunion, I swear the guys and I will drink you under the table.” I laughed and replied, “We’ll see who passes out first.” The takeout seafood chowder I brought back from the restaurant was getting cold. I unzipped my winter coat, tucked the container close to my chest to keep it warm, and hurried upstairs. Two weeks ago, I had asked Chloe to come to this reunion with me. My project had just wrapped up, and I took her to a cozy cabin spa resort nearby. The scent of red wine blended with the warm steam of the hot spring, wrapping around us. She was in high spirits. Looking at me through the misty air with hazy, romantic eyes, she nodded. That was the happiest day of my life in the past three years. Chloe had never liked publicizing our relationship. She was the type of person who would post on Instagram about every little detail of her day, yet for three whole years, she never once mentioned my existence. I thought her agreeing to come to the reunion meant she was finally ready to go public. I thought my three years of devotion had finally earned me a decent, presentable spot in her heart. Until I woke up in the middle of the night and found her fast asleep beside me. The moonlight fell on her face, highlighting a wet tear mark at the corner of her eye. I reached out to pull her into my arms, but then I noticed something glowing faintly underneath her tightly closed palm. I glanced over. The screen was lit, displaying a familiar face. Julian. Her ex-boyfriend. That night, I sat propped up against the headboard, slowly going through Chloe’s phone. The heating in the hotel room was blasting, but my blood ran cold. Inside that screen, Julian was everywhere. An encrypted album held hundreds of photos of him. A Spotify playlist named “J.S.” was filled with dozens of love songs. A list in her Notes app titled “Julian’s Favorites” recorded every song, movie, and restaurant he had ever recommended. On her Snapchat, Julian was the only contact with a red heart next to his name, pinned at the very bottom of her chat list. While everyone else had the default background for chats, her chat with him used a photo of them at their high school graduation. I remembered that day. The sun was perfect. Everyone thought this golden campus couple would end up together forever. Including me, who had quietly loved Chloe for three whole years. But now, Chloe was sleeping peacefully by my side. And during our three years together, she hadn’t exchanged a single text with Julian. Their chat log remained frozen in time, three years ago. Except… She had upgraded her phone four or five times in the last three years. Why had she never deleted those chats?

After putting the seafood chowder in the microwave, I quietly pushed open the bedroom door. The nightstand lamp was still on. This morning, Chloe suddenly told me she wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t make it to the reunion. Since I had already braced myself for this, I wasn’t surprised. I just told her to get some rest. But seeing her curled up under the duvet, staring at her phone with flushed, smiling cheeks, still made my chest tighten. I walked straight toward the bed. Hearing me approach, she instantly locked her phone and shoved it under her pillow. Ignoring her guilty movements, I lifted her up from the bed and pulled her into my arms. Only when I held her warm, soft body tight could I actually feel that she was my girlfriend. She was the girl I had been with for three years, the one I wanted to build a future with. “I brought you some seafood chowder. Want to have some?” I asked softly, burying my face in her neck. Maybe she noticed something was off with my tone. She reached up and gently rubbed the back of my neck. “I’ll make you some honey water first. It helps with the hangover.” I didn’t answer. I kept my face hidden against her shoulder. The phone she had hurriedly stuffed under the pillow slipped out slightly. The screen lit up with several consecutive Snapchat notifications from Julian. “I’m flying back tomorrow.” “It’s been so long. Want to grab dinner?”

I had already heard rumors about Julian’s return. During the reunion, someone mentioned that his family’s business was in deep trouble. His parents were caught up in some major lawsuits, forcing him to drop out of his university abroad and come back. Hearing this, Marcus had thrown an arm around my shoulder and asked if I was scared Julian would steal Chloe back. I rolled my eyes at him. “What’s mine stays mine. No one can steal her.” I didn’t believe that in Chloe’s heart, a guy who broke up with her three years ago and vanished without a trace could ever compete with me, the one who had been by her side every single day. But the moment I saw Julian’s messages pop up on her screen, my confidence shattered. What if this was all just my wishful thinking? What if Chloe had never truly belonged to me? Her heart had belonged to Julian from the very beginning. Three years ago, when she got drunk and called me crying, she was just desperate for someone to fill the empty space Julian had left behind. Back then, Julian had just boarded his flight to go abroad. She threw herself into my arms, sobbing hysterically. She said Julian couldn’t handle a long-distance relationship, so he ended things. And she hated herself for not having the courage to leave everything behind to go with him. That day, she was so fragile, like a stray kitten begging for warmth. And I willingly took the bait.

“What time do you get off tomorrow? I booked a table at that restaurant near your office to celebrate our third anniversary.” I intentionally blocked her view, preventing her from seeing the new messages on her phone. Maybe she felt guilty for flaking on me today, because she agreed immediately. “Sure. I’ll head over right after work.” Our actual anniversary was the day after tomorrow. I deliberately chose tomorrow because I wanted to see who she would choose when forced to make a decision between me and Julian. The next day, I took a half-day off. I went to the mall to pick up the Bvlgari necklace I had ordered, then arrived at the restaurant early. I ordered the dishes. All I could think about was making sure Chloe could have a hot, comforting meal the second she got off work. She had a terrible stomach. They said it was because in high school, Julian told her she would look prettier if she lost some weight. So, she starved herself for six months, giving herself chronic stomach issues. During our three years together, I paid obsessive attention to her meals. I knew exactly what she could and couldn’t eat. I knew which foods helped her digestion, and which ones would trigger her pain. Because I had seen her curled up in agony, cold sweat drenching her neck, unable to speak a single word. I had stayed up night after night by her hospital bed, watching the IV drip. Seeing her pale face resting against my chest made my heart ache. I believed no one in this world loved her more than I did. Not even herself. As the dinner rush hit, the restaurant filled up. I took a photo of the table full of food and sent it to her. She replied saying she was still working overtime and would be late. I told her it was fine, that I’d have the waiter reheat the food when she got here. But after putting my phone down, I couldn’t help but look toward her office building. Her company was only a five-minute walk from this restaurant. I watched her colleagues walk out of the building one by one, saying goodbye to each other. The streets were bustling. I sat by the window, my eyes glued to the sixteenth floor of her office building. I tried to convince myself that as long as the lights were on, she wasn’t lying. But the tables around me cleared and filled up again. The waiter refilled my glass of wine over and over. Yet, I kept staring at that sixteenth floor. Until the very last light on that floor was turned off, plunging it into darkness. Only then did I call Chloe. “Are you done with work? Should I pack the food and pick you up so we can eat at home?” There was a pause on the other end. “The year-end workload is just crazy. Everyone in the office is still working. Why don’t you head home and eat first? Tomorrow… let’s celebrate our anniversary tomorrow. It’ll be my treat, to make it up to you.” I was about to say “no need,” when I heard a voice in the background of her call. “Chloe—” It was Julian’s voice. Raspy, and clearly drunk. Chloe seemed terrified that I would hear him. She quickly blurted out that her colleague was asking for files and hung up. The cold dial tone beeped in my ear. It felt like a harsh wake-up call, telling me it was time to wake up from this beautiful dream.

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