Author: Momo Chan

My grandmother died because of a phone call that was never answered. She’d had a massive stroke. The kind where every second counts, where you need the best neurosurgeon in the city on the line immediately. I was desperate, drowning in a sea of hospital bureaucracy, so I called the one person who had the power to save her: Charlotte, the woman I’d loved for five years, the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar empire. But Charlotte didn’t pick up. Sebastian, her “creative director” and the flame she’d never quite extinguished from her past, intercepted the call. He didn’t just ignore me; he blocked my number. I raced to her office, winded and trembling, hoping to plead my case in person. I was met by a wall of security guards—men Sebastian had personally instructed to keep me out. I begged. I screamed until my throat was raw. I was met with nothing but cold, corporate silence. Five hours later, a nurse placed a hand on my shoulder and told me my grandmother was gone. When Charlotte finally emerged from the building, looking radiant and polished after a long day of “closing deals,” she saw me slumped on the curb. She didn’t offer a hug. She didn’t ask why my eyes were bloodshot. She just narrowed her eyes in distaste. “You’re missing work to sit on the sidewalk? What is this, Nate? Some kind of performance?” I looked up at her, and for the first time in half a decade, I didn’t see the woman of my dreams. I saw a stranger. I let out a dry, jagged laugh. “Charlotte, we’re done. Don’t ever call me again.” — “I just got out of a five-year nightmare,” I said, looking across the small café table. “Are you sure you want to deal with someone like me? I’m still… processing.” The girl sitting opposite me, Sophie, didn’t flinch. She just offered a soft, genuine smile that reached her eyes. “It’s okay. I’m not looking for a perfect version of you, Nate. I’m looking for you. I don’t care about your past.” I stared at her for a long beat, feeling a strange, unfamiliar warmth settle in my chest. I nodded, my voice thick. “Give me one week. I need to settle things there. Then we leave this city. We get married. We start over.” I waved goodbye and stepped down into the subway entrance. It had been four days since my grandmother’s funeral. I’d spent them in a haze of grief, navigating the cold machinery of city departments to file the death certificate and settle her meager estate. Everyone in my small circle knew the woman who raised me was gone. Everyone except Charlotte. She’d never bothered to learn the details of my life. My world was a “distraction” from her trajectory. Since she’d inherited her family’s conglomerate, her time had become a currency too valuable to waste on someone as ordinary as me. She didn’t know that while she was signing a merger, the only person who ever truly loved me was dying in a cold hospital room because I couldn’t reach the “right” people. The moment the hospital called with the time of death was the moment my heart finally went cold for Charlotte. As I climbed out of the subway station, the sky turned a bruised purple, and a sharp wind began to howl between the skyscrapers. My phone buzzed. It was Sebastian. Charlotte’s “right-hand man.” Her childhood sweetheart. My constant shadow. “Nate,” he said, his voice dripping with that casual, high-society arrogance. “We’re out of umbrellas at the office. Head back to the penthouse, grab two of the large ones, and get them here in twenty minutes. It’s about to pour.” He always spoke to me like I was the help. Even now, with my soul feeling like it had been scraped hollow, his voice felt like a serrated blade against my nerves. For five years, Sebastian had been the third person in our relationship. Charlotte shared everything with him—including the intimate details of our life. He knew things he shouldn’t; he made jokes about our private time right in front of me. When I’d blow up at her about it, Charlotte would just look at me with that patronizing “you’re so small-minded” expression. “He’s just joking, Nate. Don’t be so fragile. It’s embarrassing when a man has no sense of humor. I asked him to look out for you because you’re clearly overwhelmed by the city. Try to be grateful for once.” I used to apologize. I used to think I was the problem—the “country boy” who didn’t understand the sophisticated boundaries of the elite. Sebastian was educated, polished, and indispensable to her business. I was just… Nate. But today, I just smiled at the phone. If she wanted Sebastian so badly, she could have the whole package. “I’m on my way home, Sebastian. I don’t have time to be your delivery boy. If she needs an umbrella, call an Uber or send an intern. You know the code to the penthouse anyway.” There was a stunned silence on the other end before Sebastian let out a sharp, nasty little chuckle. “Bold move, Nate. I’ll make sure Charlotte hears exactly how much you ‘care’ about her comfort.” He hung up. I squeezed the phone until my knuckles turned white, forcing down the bile. I was the “official” boyfriend, yet I was treated like a footnote in my own life. I stepped out into the rain. Three hours later, I arrived at the penthouse, soaked to the bone and shivering. My mind was eerily calm. The grief had moved past the stage of tears and into a quiet, cold resolve. I kicked off my shoes and headed for the master bathroom, needing a hot shower to wash away the city’s grime. The door swung open before I reached it. Charlotte stepped out, a cloud of expensive steam trailing behind her. She was wrapped in a plush white towel that hugged her curves, her skin glowing. For a split second, that old familiar ache of attraction hit me. Then, a man stepped out behind her. “Charlotte, babe, you should blow-dry your hair or you’ll catch a chill,” he said softly. The steam cleared. It was Sebastian. He was standing there in a pair of leather slippers—my leather slippers. They were a cheap pair Charlotte had bought me during our first year together. I cherished them because they were the first gift she’d ever given me. Now, they were damp and ruined, stretched out under his feet. I actually laughed. It was the most absurd thing I’d ever seen. “I see the ‘after-work’ activities have already started,” I said, my voice steady. “I’ll leave you two to it.” I turned to walk away, but Charlotte grabbed my arm, her face twisting into an angry mask. “Nathaniel, stop it. Don’t start with the jealousy. We’re only here because you refused to bring the umbrellas. We got caught in the downpour, we were freezing, and I let him use the guest shower. What is wrong with you?” I didn’t want to fight. I was there to pack a bag and leave a ghost. But seeing him stand there, literally treading on the only sentimental thing I had left, snapped something inside me. “Is that why you have those marks on your neck, Charlotte?” Her hand flew to her collarbone. She and Sebastian had clearly been distracted. I knew those marks. I’d spent five years putting them there. Charlotte’s face hardened. Sebastian stepped forward, his voice a practiced silk. “Nate, I know you’ve always been insecure about us, but this is low. Charlotte was bitten by something at the garden party today. Don’t be disgusting.” He was good. He made himself the victim and me the villain in three sentences. Charlotte’s eyes flashed with ice. “Apologize to him, Nate. Right now. You have no right to slander our friendship with your pathetic imagination. If you don’t, I swear, I’m done with you.” I looked at her, really looked at her. “I’m not apologizing. Not now, not ever.” I walked into the bedroom and slammed the door. She didn’t come to bed that night. It was her favorite weapon: the cold shoulder. She expected me to crawl to her office the next morning with flowers and a tearful apology, begging for her “forgiveness.” But she was playing a game I’d already quit. The next afternoon, she did something unusual. She brought home a bouquet of roses and left them on the dining table. She pointed to a vase, her tone clipped and haughty. “I saw them on the way back. They were pretty. Fix them.” This was her version of a peace offering. A command disguised as a gift. In the past, I would have been so relieved by the “thaw” that I would have jumped to do it—ignoring the fact that I’m deathly allergic to pollen. I didn’t move. I called over the housekeeper. “Mrs. Higgins, could you put those in the trash? Or take them home? I don’t want them here.” Charlotte’s head snapped up. She marched over and shoved the bouquet into my hands. “I am trying to move past your tantrum, Nate. Don’t be petty. Sebastian is my most vital asset; he knows secrets that could sink this company. If your ego drives him away, do you have any idea what that would cost me?” My heart gave one last, final throb of pain. We had met in college. She was the heiress; I was the scholarship kid with a tattered resume. She’d been kind once. She’d brought me dinner when I worked late. She’d driven me home in the rain. When I proposed a “real” relationship on Valentine’s Day, she’d said yes without hesitation. I thought we were building a life. But the moment Sebastian returned from his “consulting firm” in London, I became the inconvenient roommate. I dropped the roses on the floor. “If he’s so vital, marry him. Maybe then he’ll stop charging you by the hour for his ‘loyalty’.” “How dare you—” “Charlotte, I’m leaving.” My voice was drowned out by the front door opening. Sebastian walked in like he owned the place. “Charlotte, the gala starts in three hours. We need to move.” Charlotte stood up immediately, grabbing her coat. She didn’t look at me. She treated me like a piece of furniture as she followed him out the door. I waited until the elevator chimed, then I took my resignation letter to the office. My manager looked at me with genuine pity when I walked in. “I’m so sorry, Nate. I tried to fight for you. I thought for sure you’d get the Director position after I moved up, but the executive board said your ‘performance metrics’ weren’t there.” I wasn’t surprised. I’d worked eighteen-hour days for five years. Charlotte had told me once that if I made Director on my own merit, she’d finally agree to a wedding date. I’d chased that carrot until my feet bled. I was the top salesperson every single month. But every year, my review came back “Inadequate.” I’d asked Charlotte to look into it, thinking it was a glitch. She’d just looked at me with disdain. “Don’t blame the system for your own lack of talent, Nate. I’m your girlfriend, not your shortcut. I won’t give you a handout.” Now I knew the truth. “It’s okay, Sam,” I said, handing him the envelope. “I’m done. I’m moving on.” As I walked toward HR to finalize my exit, I heard voices around the corner. “Nate’s review came back as a fail again,” a voice whispered. “He’s probably going to quit.” “He should,” Sebastian’s voice replied, sharp and mocking. “Did he really think he could climb his way into her bed and her boardroom? As long as I’m her chief of staff, that social climber stays at the bottom. If he doesn’t take the hint, keep cutting his year-end bonuses like I showed you. Let’s see how long he lasts on a basic salary.” A hot wave of fury crashed over me. The missed bonuses, the “lost” gift cards, the snubbed promotions… all of it. Sebastian had been strangling my career while Charlotte watched, convinced I was just “untalented.” I didn’t think. I rounded the corner and swung. My fist connected with Sebastian’s jaw. He tumbled back, his eyes wide with shock. “You’ve been sabotaging me for five years,” I spat. “I don’t care about Charlotte anymore, Sebastian. You want her? Take her. But don’t you ever talk about my career again.” Sebastian looked past me, his expression shifting instantly from shock to terrified fragility. He dropped to his knees. “Nate, please! I was just following Charlotte’s orders for the reorganization! I didn’t mean to upset you! Please, don’t hit me again!” The change was so fast it made my head spin. A second later, a stinging slap landed across my face. Charlotte stood there, trembling with rage. “Nathaniel! What is wrong with you? This is a place of business! You do not get to come here and assault my staff because you’re throwing a fit!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394753”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

At our “Welcome Home” dinner, Bennett Miller suddenly stood up to leave. He’d just received word that the power had gone out in the dorm room of his student, Lexi. I caught him by the hallway, my voice low and pleading, trying to keep the peace in front of our families. “I’ll book her a suite at the Four Seasons,” I whispered, reaching for his arm. “I’ll send my assistant to pick her up right now. You don’t need to—” Bennett didn’t even let me finish. He shook his head, his expression hardening into that patronizing “professor” look he used when I was being ‘unreasonable.’ “She’s sensitive, Claire. She’s not like you. A hotel isn’t necessarily safe for a girl like her when she’s panicked. If something happens to her on my watch, it’s my professional failure.” A sharp knot tightened in my chest. The anger I’d been suppressing for months bubbled up, coated in acid. “Is she actually afraid of the dark, Bennett? Or does she just want you there to hold her hand?” His face went pale, then flashed with a cold, sudden fury. He turned to walk away. “Bennett!” I called out, my voice trembling but clear. “If you walk out that door today, we’re done. I mean it.” His gaze dropped to my stomach, where our child was barely a bump beneath my silk dress. “Calm down,” he said, his voice terrifyingly level. “High emotions aren’t good for the baby.” Then, he disappeared down the corridor. That night, Lexi posted to her Instagram story. It was a photo taken from the passenger seat of Bennett’s Volvo. She was holding two iced lattes, her face partially obscured by a stray blonde curl. The caption read: Huge thanks to Professor Miller for the midnight rescue! I’m such a klutz… I accidentally tripped the main breaker and lost my mind in the dark. 1 The table was filled with expensive food, steam rising in the quiet room, but no one moved their silverware. My father slammed his scotch glass onto the mahogany table. My mother gripped my hand, her face a mask of restrained outrage. Bennett’s parents tried to play the peacemakers, their voices frantic. “Claire, honey, you know how Bennett is. He has such an overdeveloped sense of responsibility. The girl was probably just terrified…” My mother cut them off. “What student is more important than his wife and unborn child? This was a family celebration. Does he have any respect for my daughter at all?” My father looked directly at me. “Claire, what do you want to do?” I sat down, my movements mechanical. I felt strangely hollow, as if the person who had been screaming inside me had finally run out of breath. “Let’s eat,” I said quietly. “The food is getting cold.” I began serving my parents, my hands steady. They didn’t know that this wasn’t the first time Bennett had abandoned me for Lexi. Last month, he was supposed to take me for my twelve-week ultrasound. At the last minute, he’d texted saying an “academic emergency” had come up. I told him it was fine, that I was a modern woman and could handle a routine check-up alone. I didn’t expect to see him at the very same hospital. He was supporting Lexi, whose arm was draped over his shoulders. He told me she’d been in a “horrific car accident.” Looking back, Lexi had been the one to describe the “crash” in such vague, dramatic terms that Bennett assumed she was near death. In reality, a teenager on a bicycle had clipped her shoulder while she was looking at her phone. But every single time, Bennett chose to believe her version of reality. My parents didn’t bother being polite to the Millers after that. Bennett’s parents left shortly after, looking small and defeated. The moment the front door clicked shut, the strength evaporated from my limbs. A wave of nausea hit me, and I swayed. “Claire!” My mother caught me, her eyes wide with worry. “I’m okay,” I whispered, leaning into her. “I’m just… I’m so tired, Mom.” Back in my old bedroom, I locked the door and checked my phone. There was a message from Bennett sent twenty minutes ago. She’s still pretty shaken up. I’ll be back late. Don’t wait up for me. Go to sleep. Not a single “I’m sorry.” Not a hint of remorse. A few minutes later, I refreshed Lexi’s feed. I’d added her a year ago when she was an intern at my design firm, back when she used to call me “Ma’am” with wide, admiring eyes. Now, her posts were nothing but thinly veiled provocations. We had been together for five years before we married. He was the brilliant academic; I was the entrepreneur building a luxury lifestyle brand. We were supposed to be a power couple—partners who admired and supported each other. I rarely bothered him with my problems. When I was sick, I drove myself to the doctor. When the water heater burst, I called the plumber. I thought this was what a mature, loving marriage looked like. I realized now I was just at the very bottom of his list of priorities. I pressed my hand against my stomach. It was still flat, yet it held a life. How ironic. He could leave his pregnant wife and his entire family for a girl who couldn’t find a fuse box. The low hum of an engine sounded outside. I walked to the window and moved the curtain an inch. Down on the street, Bennett was climbing out of his car, locking the doors while talking intensely on his phone. Under the glow of the streetlamp, his profile looked focused and tender. I didn’t need to guess who was on the other end. I let the curtain fall and walked into my home office. My inbox was full, but one email stood out—an invitation from the University Alumni Association. They wanted me to attend the Centennial Gala as a “Distinguished Alumna.” I heard footsteps in the hall. The door opened just as I clicked “Accept.” Bennett stood there, looking at me with a practiced, weary tenderness. “Still up? I told you not to wait. It’s not good for the baby to lose sleep.” He walked over and rested his hands on my shoulders—the same hands that had probably been steadying Lexi an hour ago. “About today… I’m sorry. But I couldn’t just leave her in that state. You understand, right?” I didn’t move. He leaned down, resting his chin on the top of my head. “Are you still working? Maybe you should step back from the firm for a while. You don’t need to work this hard, Claire. Your husband can take care of you.” I froze. In all the years we’d been together, Bennett had rarely used that “provider” tone. It felt less like a promise and more like a bribe. I tilted my head back to look at him. “You’re being awfully sweet tonight. Why?” He leaned down to kiss me, but I turned my face away. He laughed softly, unbothered. “I’m just telling the truth.” He headed into the bathroom to shower. As soon as the water started running, his phone on the desk buzzed twice. The notification popped up on the lock screen. Is she calmed down? See, I told you that line would work. You’re welcome! The breath left my lungs in a cold shiver. I closed my eyes and pretended I hadn’t seen it. 2 The night of the Alumni Gala arrived. I didn’t tell Bennett I was going; I just showed up. The grand ballroom was packed. From across the rows of velvet seats, I could see Bennett’s profile in the faculty section. Lexi’s performance was third on the program. Under the roar of applause, she walked onto the stage, looking radiant and ingenue-like in a white silk dress. She stepped to the microphone with a playful pout. “Good evening, everyone. I am so incredibly embarrassed, but there’s been a technical glitch with my backing track.” She scanned the front rows until her eyes landed on Bennett. “I don’t suppose I could convince my mentor, Professor Miller, to join me on stage and help me out with a live accompaniment?” The room went quiet for a beat, then broke into encouraging, indulgent applause. The lighting tech, clearly in on the joke, swung a spotlight onto Bennett. He looked surprised—but not too surprised. He looked up at the stage where Lexi stood bathed in light, her eyes shimmering as she watched him. “Go on, Professor!” a student shouted. Bennett stood up, giving a helpless, charming shrug to the crowd, and made his way to the stage. As he passed my row, he paused for a split second. He saw me. A flicker of genuine shock crossed his face, but he didn’t stop. On stage, she sang a soulful, yearning ballad while he played the piano. The lighting cast their shadows onto the backdrop behind them, silhouettes leaning toward each other, almost touching. When she reached the bridge—I want you by my side, through the dark and through the light—she turned her head to look at him, her expression one of pure, raw devotion. I sat in the darkness, my hand resting protectively over my stomach. I didn’t see Bennett again for the rest of the performance. At the after-party, I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows with a glass of orange juice. My old college roommate, Joanna, walked up and squeezed my arm. “That was quite the show,” Joanna whispered, her eyes narrowed at the stage. “Are you actually okay with this? Because the way that girl looks at him… that is not ‘purely academic.’” She stepped closer. “You’ve got a marriage certificate that’s barely dry, Claire. Does he know how this looks?” I forced a thin smile. “The Arts Department has a long history of… drama.” Joanna scoffed. “I’ve seen duets, but I’ve never seen a professor and a student perform a love song like they were auditioning for a rom-com. ‘I want you by my side’—spare me.” She mimicked Lexi’s breathy vibrato and rolled her eyes. I actually laughed, but the sound died in my throat. Bennett had appeared behind Joanna, his face tight. He’d clearly heard her. “Lexi was just saving the performance,” he said, his voice laced with warning. “There’s no need to project your cynicism onto a girl who’s six years younger than you.” Joanna glared at him, unimpressed. “Bennett, have you forgotten how hard you chased Claire? Are you losing your mind? For a student—” I reached out and caught Joanna’s hand, stopping her. “It’s the Gala, Joe. Let’s not do this here.” She shot me a look of pure pity and sighed. Bennett’s expression softened, seemingly satisfied that I had defended him. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, his voice dropping into that “concerned husband” register. “You’re pregnant, Claire. You shouldn’t be listening to petty gossip.” Suddenly, a burst of raucous laughter erupted from the other side of the hall. A group of theater students was gathered in a circle. Lexi was in the middle, holding a piece of chocolate cake. A male student had a glob of frosting on his finger and was trying to smear it on her face. She was laughing, dodging him, shrieking playfully, “Stop it! Please, don’t!” The boy caught her wrist, and as they struggled, they moved closer together. I felt Bennett’s breathing hitch. His chest began to rise and fall rapidly. Without a word to me, he dropped his arm and strode toward the group. Joanna nudged me, her voice sharp. “Claire, he’s literally running to play the hero. Are you going to just stand there?” I took a slow sip of my juice, my eyes following my husband. “That’s not a hero,” I said quietly. I paused, watching Bennett grab the student’s wrist, his face a mask of cold authority. A bit of frosting fell onto Lexi’s dress. She let out a small gasp, looking down at the stain with a devastated expression. “That,” I told Joanna, “is a man who is jealous.” Bennett pulled a silk handkerchief from his pocket—one I had bought him for our anniversary—and handed it to her. When she looked up at him with those wide, helpless eyes, he actually leaned down and began dabbing the frosting off her skirt himself. I set my glass down on a passing waiter’s tray. “Claire—” Joanna started. “It’s fine. I’m going to the restroom.” I turned the faucet on and watched the cool water wash over my hands. The door swung open, and Lexi walked in. She froze when she saw me, then a sweet, triumphant smile spread across her face. “Oh, hi! I didn’t know you were here.” Her voice was like spun sugar. “Professor Miller was looking for you earlier.” I looked at her through the mirror. “Was he?” She bit her lip, tucking a lipstick into her clutch. “Yeah. He’s so sweet. My dress got ruined, and he was so worried. You shouldn’t be mad, though. He just feels like I’m young and need a little extra guidance.” 3 I turned off the tap and turned to face her. “Lexi.” “Yeah?” “You’re twenty-four, right?” She blinked. “Yes…” “When I was twenty-four, I had already finished my Master’s, launched my firm, and cleared my first seven figures.” Her smile faltered. “What’s your point? You just grew up with money. It’s easy to be successful when you’re born at the finish line.” “If I had your background,” she continued, her chin lifting with a newfound spark of defiance, “I’d be twice as successful as you. Besides, maybe it’s because I don’t have your perfect life that Bennett feels more protective of me. He sees the real me.” I let out a soft, dry laugh. “And tell me, Lexi, besides this ‘pathetic protection,’ what exactly do you have?” I took a step toward her. She flinched. “I suggest you stop trying to build your future on the back of a married man and start focusing on your actual coursework. You’re not a ‘delicate muse,’ Lexi. You’re a cliché.” Her face went bone-white. I pushed past her and walked back into the ballroom. Almost immediately, the Dean of the University spotted me. His face lit up, and he hurried over. “Claire! I was just looking for you. The endowment for the new scholarship… we are absolutely floored by your generosity!” His voice wasn’t loud, but in the quiet of the gala, it carried. Bennett, who was standing nearby, whipped his head around. The Dean took my hand. “A full-ride scholarship for the Arts Department? You’re going to change so many lives. The University is honored to call you one of our own.” I smiled graciously. “I just wanted to give back to the place that gave me so much.” The Dean beamed. “The signing ceremony is next week. We’ll have a full press release. We want the students to see what real excellence looks like!” After the Dean moved on, Bennett approached me, his eyes wide with shock. “A scholarship? In my department? Why didn’t you mention this to me?” “I just decided.” He frowned, his voice dropping. “Claire, you should have consulted me. People are going to talk. You setting up a fund in my department? It looks…” “It looks like what, Bennett?” I looked him dead in the eye. A flicker of embarrassment crossed his face. “Let’s talk about this at home.” “There’s nothing to talk about. The funds have been wired. Are you suggesting I ask for them back?” He grabbed my wrist, his grip tighter than usual. “You know I’m up for tenure this year. It’s a sensitive time. People will think—” “Think what? That I have too much money? Or that the ‘great’ Professor Miller needs his wife to buy his department’s loyalty?” He took a sharp breath, trying to stifle his anger. “It’s a nice gesture, Claire, but you need to think about my position before you act on impulse.” I looked at him, and for the first time, I felt a deep, soul-crushing exhaustion. “What is your position, Bennett? Are you worried about the school’s politics, or are you just worried that your ‘sensitive’ student will realize who actually holds the power in this family?” His pupils contracted. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? Claire, don’t be so small-minded. Not everything is about your insecurities.” I nodded slowly. “You’re right. You’re not ‘small-minded,’ are you? Then prove it.” Before he could respond, I turned to leave. Joanna caught up with me at the valet. “Claire, let me drive you.” In the car, Joanna gripped the steering wheel so hard her knuckles were white. “Is he blind? That little sociopath was practically marking her territory on his lap, and he thinks he’s just being a ‘good mentor’?” My phone buzzed. Claire, we need to talk. I didn’t reply. A moment later, another one. How many times do I have to tell you? We are perfectly professional. She actually just told me she wants to apologize to you in person for the misunderstanding… 4 I didn’t expect him to actually bring her to our house. After the Gala, I’d moved back to my parents’ estate for a few days. My mother was helping me pack some essentials when Bennett showed up—with Lexi in tow. The moment they walked through the door, Lexi’s eyes filled with tears. “Claire, please,” she sobbed. “Professor Miller and I… there is nothing going on. Please don’t be mad at him because of me.” She looked like a Victorian orphan. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have called him that night. I shouldn’t have ruined your dinner. You can hate me, you can resent me, I don’t care.” “In the future,” she gasped, “even if I’m dying, I won’t call him. I promise.” Bennett looked pained. He reached out and squeezed her shoulder briefly. “Don’t say things like that, Lexi. You’re my student. It’s my job to look out for you.” Lexi was supposedly there to apologize to me, but her eyes never left Bennett’s face. She looked like she was sacrificing herself for him, playing the martyr to my “villain.” Bennett looked at me with a touch of reproach. “Claire, everything is out in the open now. Can we please stop this drama?” My mother stepped in front of me, her voice trembling with rage. “Bennett Miller, what is the meaning of this? You bring this girl into my daughter’s home? This isn’t an apology. This is a slap in the face.” Lexi spoke up, her voice trembling. “Ma’am, you misunderstand. I just want them to be happy. Claire’s sudden scholarship… it’s made things so difficult for the Professor at work. If she keeps being this impulsive, it will—” Slap. The sound echoed through the foyer. My mother’s hand had connected with Lexi’s cheek. Lexi stumbled back, falling—quite gracefully—into Bennett’s arms. Bennett’s face went dark. He looked at Lexi’s reddening cheek and then turned a cold, murderous gaze on my mother. “I have always respected you as an elder,” he said, his voice dropping an octave. “But Lexi is an innocent kid. She doesn’t deserve this. You will apologize to her. Right now.” “Innocent?” my mother spat. “An innocent girl doesn’t follow a married man into his home in the middle of the night. What kind of self-respecting woman behaves like this?” Bennett let out a harsh, cold laugh. “If we’re talking about self-respect… Lexi is trying to fix a marriage she didn’t even break. What does that say about your daughter? Getting pregnant to lock down a man before the wedding? Is that what you call ‘good parenting’?” “Bennett!” I screamed, staring at him in horror. He seemed to realize what he’d said, flinching slightly, but he didn’t take it back. My mother clutched her chest, her face turning a terrifying shade of gray. She began to gasp, her breath coming in short, ragged hitches. “Mom!” I lunged for her. “Bennett, call 911! She has a heart condition!” Bennett didn’t move. He just stood there, holding Lexi. I scrambled for my phone on the hallway table, but Bennett stepped forward and snatched it out of my hand. “You want an ambulance?” he said, his eyes hard and glassy. “Then she apologizes to Lexi first.” I looked at him and realized I was looking at a stranger. Lexi, tucked against his side, had a flicker of something that looked like triumph in her eyes. Bennett watched my mother’s face go pale as she slumped against the wall. “I’ve seen your mother’s theatrics before, Claire. She’s fine. She just wants a way out of the embarrassment she caused. This ‘heart attack’ is just a cheap trick to make me feel guilty.” “Claire,” he said, his voice steady. “The ‘victim’ act doesn’t work on me anymore. Apologize.” Suddenly, a high-pitched ping came from my mother’s wrist. Her Apple Watch had detected an irregular, dangerously high heart rate and had automatically dialed her emergency contact—my father. The moment I heard my father’s panicked voice coming from the watch’s speaker, I screamed, “Dad! Mom collapsed! Get the paramedics to the house now!” Within ten minutes, a medical team was swarming the foyer. I didn’t breathe until my mother was stabilized and loaded into the ambulance. As they wheeled her out, I turned to Bennett, who was standing paralyzed in the corner. I took my phone back from his limp hand. I didn’t look at him. I dialed my firm’s head of legal. “This is Claire. I want Bennett Miller ruined by morning. Pull every cent of investment from the Miller family’s holdings. Cancel the contracts. I want every single person with the last name Miller out of this city’s business circles within thirty days.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394752”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

On the eve of our engagement, my father died on a construction site. It was a project owned by my fiancée’s first love. I wanted justice. I wanted blood. But Morgan, my lawyer fiancée, didn’t stand by me. Instead, she crossed the aisle to defend him—the man responsible for my father’s death. She didn’t just abandon me; she ensured my father would go to his grave with his name dragged through the mud and the truth buried under legal jargon. When I was at the edge of the ledge, Madeline appeared. She was the one who found the evidence Morgan had tried to hide. She was the one who forced a half-million-dollar settlement out of them. The betrayal and the grief broke me. I slipped into a depression so deep the world turned gray. Madeline gave up her career as a forensic pathologist to take me abroad, away from the ghosts of my past. In the darkest hours, when I begged for the lights to go out, she would hold me, her eyes red from weeping, and beg me to stay for her. She proposed to me a thousand and one times. She swore that even if the whole world turned its back on me, she would be my sanctuary. But today is our tenth anniversary. And standing outside the cracked door of our living room, I heard her laughing with her friends. “Half a million for a human life,” one of them said. “I still can’t believe you pulled that off, Madeline.” “His father could have been saved,” another voice whispered, chillingly casual. “Who would have guessed you’d just… perform the autopsy while he was still clinging to life?” “If Miles ever found out that you were in on it with them from the start, he’d lose his mind, wouldn’t he?” I froze. The air in my lungs turned to shards of ice. … 1 Then, I heard Madeline’s voice—cool, detached, and utterly unfamiliar. “Marrying him cost me my life,” she said. “I don’t owe him a damn thing anymore.” “But Miles is fragile, Maddie. The depression… if he finds out the truth, he’ll break. He’ll go nuclear.” Madeline’s response was a shrug I could practically hear. “I spent ten years babysitting him in Europe just to keep him from going back and making trouble for Trevor. It’s been a decade. Even if he finds out, where’s he going to go? He has nothing. He has nobody but me.” A single door stood between us, yet her words leveled the world I had built. I gripped the doorframe, my knuckles white, my body trembling so violently I thought I might shatter. “Trevor is the sun,” she continued softly. “I couldn’t let Miles be the smudge on his perfect horizon.” I backed away, one step, then two. I couldn’t listen anymore. I bolted into the study, locking the door behind me. My chest burned with a physical agony, a rhythmic thumping in my ears that sounded like a mockery of the decade I’d spent worshipping her. I thought of the “settlement.” I thought of the “accident.” My eyes fell on her laptop, still logged in. My hand shook as I gripped the mouse. I opened her messages—a secondary account I had never seen before. A secret life. There was a group chat with Trevor and Morgan. Ten years of history laid bare in digital ink. Ten years ago, my father was impaled by a falling rebar on Trevor’s site. Negligence. Plain and simple. Back then, Morgan—my fiancée at the time—dumped me the second the incident happened, stepping in as Trevor’s lead counsel to bury the evidence. That was when Madeline “coincidentally” appeared. She was the doctor on call. she was the one who drove through twelve red lights to get him to the hospital. And yet, by that afternoon, she was handing me a death certificate. She was a forensic pathologist. She knew exactly how to make a heartbeat stop and call it “procedure.” Then came the five hundred thousand dollars. She told me it was a “mercy gift” from Trevor, a way for me to move on. She told me to let it go. She took me to London, telling me we needed to start over. It was a setup. A decade-long con performed by the three people who had ruined me. I let out a jagged, hollow laugh. I reached up to wipe my face and realized I was soaked in cold tears. I stayed there for a long time, breathing through the nausea, until I managed to screenshot every single message and send them to my private cloud. Then, I called an old contact back in the States—a lawyer who had never stopped believing the original case was rigged. “I need the original autopsy report from my father’s death ten years ago,” I whispered into the phone. “I need to look at it again. All of it.” When I finally emerged from the study, I ran straight into Madeline. She looked startled, her eyes darting toward the study door. “What were you doing in there?” she asked, her voice sharper than usual. She seemed to realize she sounded defensive. She softened instantly, reaching out to hook her finger through mine—the familiar, intimate gesture that used to make my heart melt. “I couldn’t find you. I got worried. Did you take your meds today, Miles?” If I hadn’t seen those messages, I would have fallen for it. I would have leaned into her touch. Now, her skin felt like a snake’s. When I didn’t answer, she stood on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around my neck. Her breath brushed my cheek, making my skin crawl. “We’re moving back home next week,” she murmured. “I don’t want any more surprises.” That snapped me back to reality. I pushed her away, gently but firmly. “Why?” I asked, my voice flat. “We’ve lived here for ten years. Why move back now?” She hesitated for a fraction of a second. “My parents are getting older. And you’re stable now, Miles. It’s time to face the world again.” “Is it about your parents?” I asked, looking her dead in the eye. “Or is it about Trevor?” The smile on her face stiffened. She recovered quickly, though. “Don’t be like that. Trevor is like a brother to me. My parents practically raised him. He’s family. He’s going to be your brother-in-law, in a way.” She gave me a playful, dismissive pout and walked into the bedroom to start packing. I watched her back, knowing the truth. She didn’t want a brother. She wanted the man she had killed my father to protect. “Is he really worth all of this?” I whispered to the empty hallway. 2 I laughed at my own stupidity. Fine. If she wanted to go back, we’d go back. But it wouldn’t be the homecoming she imagined. The flight was the next morning. Madeline spent the whole trip in a state of barely suppressed electric excitement. The second we landed, I ceased to exist. She was already scanning the crowd, her pace quickening as we headed toward the arrivals lounge. I lagged behind, watching her run toward Trevor and Morgan. Trevor took her suitcase with an easy, practiced intimacy. He reached out and wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. Madeline didn’t pull away. She looked at him like he was the only source of light in the room. Morgan was the first to notice me. She arched an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “Miles? Look at you. Ten years in hiding. Is the depression finally cured, or are you just better at faking it?” It was a verbal slap, delivered with all the cruelty of the woman who had left me when I was at my lowest. I clenched my fists at my sides, the bile rising in my throat. “Miles,” Trevor said, stepping forward. He looked pained, his voice dripping with performative guilt. “Ten years… I’ve wanted to say I’m sorry every single day. That accident with your dad… it was a tragedy. I hope you can finally find it in your heart to forgive me.” He looked so vulnerable. So “innocent.” It was the act that Madeline lived for. Before I could say a word, Madeline stepped in front of him, shielding him from me. She gave me a warning look. During the flight, she had told me a dozen times: The past is the past. Don’t bring it up. For my sake. “He’s already forgiven you, Trevor,” she said lightly, dismissing my father’s death like a spilled drink. “It’s ancient history. Don’t worry about it.” A sharp pain lanced through my chest. To them, it was just time passing. To me, it was the loss of the only man who had ever truly loved me. When I remained silent, Madeline nudged my arm, her eyes flashing with irritation. “Miles, what is wrong with you? You’ve had a sour face since we landed. You got the settlement money. It’s been ten years. The investigation cleared Trevor of everything! Why can’t you just be civil?” She hissed the last part into my ear. Whenever Trevor was involved, her logic evaporated, replaced by a fierce, maternal protectiveness. I stepped back, creating space between us. “If he’s so innocent,” I said, my voice cold and clear, “then a new investigation shouldn’t bother anyone.” Madeline’s face went dark. She opened her mouth to snap at me, but Morgan cut her off. “Anyway,” Morgan said, holding Trevor’s hand and flashing a massive diamond ring. “I’ve booked out the Heights for Trevor’s birthday. It’s also our engagement party. You two are just in time to celebrate with us.” I watched Madeline’s eyes drop to their joined hands. For a second, a look of pure, raw agony crossed her face. Her “Golden Boy” was officially off the market. “Congratulations,” she whispered, her voice sounding like it was being pulled through gravel. I looked at her and felt nothing but contempt. She had sacrificed her soul to save this man, only to hand him over to someone else. “I won’t be there,” I said. “I have plans.” Madeline and Morgan both looked offended. Trevor’s eyes turned watery. “I knew it. You still hate me. But Miles, I’m basically Madeline’s family. We’re going to be related. Why hold onto a grudge this long?” Madeline couldn’t take it. She turned on me, her voice trembling with rage. “Miles! Enough! What do you want? If you’re going to act like a child, then just leave. Go!” Every word she spoke was a needle in my heart. Trevor’s birthday. The date of the party. It was the anniversary of my father’s death. In London, she used to spend that day holding me while I cried. She hadn’t forgotten the date. She just didn’t care anymore. Not when Trevor was the one blowing out the candles. Madeline grabbed Trevor’s arm and led him away, not even glancing back at me. As Trevor passed, he leaned in, his voice a low, triumphant whisper. “The two women you’ve loved most in your life? They both chose me. You’re a loser, Miles. You always have been.” I went to the party anyway. Morgan had spared no expense. The ballroom was draped in gold and white. Madeline had contributed, too—I saw the massive digital billboard she’d rented outside, flashing Trevor’s face across the city skyline. All the power players of the city were there, clinking glasses and laughing. Trevor stood between Morgan and Madeline, looking like the king of the world. He spotted me and leaned into Madeline. “Maddie, look. Miles is here. But he looks so miserable. Is he… is he jealous of us?” Madeline stiffened. she walked over to me and dragged me into a quiet corner. “I don’t know what your problem is,” she hissed. “But it’s Trevor’s night. Can you please just put on a smile for once? Everyone can see you’re holding a grudge.” My heart felt like a dead weight. I looked into her eyes—the eyes I used to think were my North Star. 3 “I haven’t said a word,” I replied, my voice carrying further than she liked. People began to turn their heads. “If you love him so much, Madeline, why didn’t you just marry him yourself?” The room went silent. Trevor’s face went pale. He managed to squeeze out a few tears. “Miles, you can hit me, you can scream at me… but don’t insult Madeline. She’s like a sister to me. I just wanted us to be a family…” Madeline’s grip on my arm tightened until it bruised. “Are you insane?!” “Today is the anniversary of my father’s death,” I said, my voice shaking. “How exactly am I supposed to be ‘happy’?” Madeline’s hand froze. She let go of my arm, her expression flickering with a momentary, haunting regret. For ten years, she had been my anchor on this day. Today, she had traded my mourning for Trevor’s celebration. “Miles… I… I didn’t mean… Look, as soon as the cake is cut, we’ll leave. I’ll spend the rest of the night with you—” Before she could finish, a commotion broke out near the stage. Trevor had collapsed into Morgan’s arms. He was shaking, his eyes rolled back in his head. Madeline didn’t even look at me. She screamed his name and shoved through the crowd, leaving me standing in the corner alone. A moment later, Morgan was in my face. She didn’t care about the guests. She swung her hand and slapped me so hard my vision blurred. “Are you happy now?” she spat. “Trevor has a heart condition because of the stress from ten years ago! He’s living on an artificial heart because there are no donors! And you just keep pushing him! Your father has been dead for a decade, Miles. If you miss him that much, why don’t you just go join him?” The room spun. I looked toward the doors and saw Madeline cradling Trevor as the paramedics arrived. She didn’t look back. She looked at me with nothing but cold, sharp loathing. I stood there long after the room emptied. My phone buzzed. It was the private investigator I’d hired. He’d sent a video file—old, grainy CCTV footage from ten years ago. In the video, my father is lying on the ground, a mangled mess of blood and bone. And standing over him are Madeline and Trevor. They weren’t calling for help. They were talking. In that moment, every beautiful memory I had of Madeline turned to ash. I forwarded everything to my lawyer friend. He called me immediately. “Miles… this is heavy. I didn’t think they’d actually do it. But it’s been ten years. Are you sure you want to open this cage? Madeline will go down with him.” I gritted my teeth, my eyes burning. “Yes. I want them to bleed. I want them to lose everything.” Madeline didn’t come home that night. I didn’t text her. The woman I thought was my savior was actually the one who had held the blade. I packed my things and moved out of the house. I took every cent she had ever given me—every ‘allowance’ and ‘gift’—and put it all into a single bank account to be returned. While I was packing, Trevor sent me a string of photos. Photos of him and Madeline. The most recent one was of them kissing in his hospital bed. Miles, poor Madeline is so miserable with you, his text read. Whenever Morgan isn’t around, she’s all over me. To the world, she’s a refined doctor. To me, she’s just a dog begging for scraps. She’s happy to be my little secret. A month ago, this would have killed me. Now, I just felt a dull, echoing numbness. I printed the photo out and placed it next to the divorce papers on the kitchen table. I was walking out the door when a notification popped up.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394750”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I stumbled across a post from one of my company’s employees by chance. “The company hasn’t had any income for three months now. It’s about to go bankrupt. Please, someone help me figure out how to get the boss to fire me!” “Oh, and of course, I need every penny of that severance package!” The comment section was packed with drama-loving bystanders, all eagerly offering their advice. “Deliberately eat smelly food in front of the boss. Blue cheese for breakfast, pickled herring for lunch!” “You could play the idiot! Buy Coke for business partners, only order McDonald’s when dining with clients. Once you screw up enough deals, the boss will definitely get rid of you!” “Right! And if the boss can’t stand you anymore and fires you, you can livestream yourself playing the victim, accusing the company of exploiting employees. Once you go viral, that’s another source of income!” I stared hard at the poster’s familiar face, barely stopping myself from throwing my phone. The employee bonus slip I’d been signing every single month without fail suddenly felt impossible to sign. Fine then! If they hated the company this much, they could all just go home!

There was one week left until New Year’s Day. I pulled out the work records, preparing to organize the monthly employee bonuses. Ever since I took over the company my father founded, I’d always stuck to an employee-first principle. Not only did I max out meal allowances and benefits, I also maxed out monthly bonuses. I even made sure all employees’ family members had comprehensive health and accident insurance. Just then, broken fragments of conversation drifted in through the crack in the door. “Did you guys hear? Finance Manager Margaret just said our company hasn’t had any income for three consecutive months!” “Starting this month, they probably won’t even be able to pay full salaries!” The speaker’s voice wasn’t quiet. All the employees were startled, letting out sharp gasps of surprise. “No way! Ever since Mr. Sullivan took over the company, he’s never been late with our salaries. All the benefits have been even better than before…” “Exactly… maybe… maybe the company’s just going through temporary difficulties, so…” A few veteran employees voiced their disagreement in small voices. But the man who’d spoken first cut them off sharply with his piercing voice. “You people are ridiculous! You’ve all been fooled by these little tactics the company uses to win hearts!” “Why do we work so hard every day like corporate slaves? Isn’t it all for that paycheck? If a company can’t even pay salaries, why should we sympathize with capitalists?” “If you ask me, we should get out before the company goes under. If we’re lucky, we might even squeeze out some severance money!” I raised an eyebrow and couldn’t help standing up, walking to the one-way glass window to carefully examine the employees outside. Perhaps because his words were too harsh, the employees who’d always been passionate about their work all wore thoughtful, worried expressions. As for the person brazenly stirring up trouble… It was none other than the young man my dad had just shoved into the company last month, supposedly the “son of a good friend”… Zachary Sullivan! That afternoon, Zachary knocked on my office door with an embarrassed expression. As soon as he entered, he plopped himself down across from me without ceremony. “Mr. Sullivan! I’m Zachary Sullivan, a new employee who just joined last month. I’m here to ask a question on behalf of all the company’s employees!” I suppressed the urge to laugh and nodded slightly, indicating he should continue. “It’s like this! As far as I know, the company’s financial situation is very bad. Even though we’ve always had projects in progress, starting three months ago…” “None of our partners have delivered payments on time!” “As the boss, don’t you know the company account situation? Are you planning to delay our employees’ salaries and benefits next?” I lowered my eyelids slightly and responded at the right moment. “Sullivan Corporation has been established for over ten years. In all that time, the company has never delayed employee salaries or benefits.” “In certain aspects, we at Sullivan Corp far exceed other companies.” “Where did you hear that we’re about to delay employee salaries?” Zachary was stumped by my response. He coughed dryly before stammering out a reply. “I… I’m just… being cautious…” “After all… after all, the company has so many employees. I’m just trying to find peace of mind for everyone!” Under my half-smiling gaze, Zachary’s face turned red and he turned to leave directly. I didn’t take this little episode seriously. Because ever since my father founded Sullivan Corp, most employees had grown alongside the company. Although the company wasn’t huge, I believed no one would be foolish enough to trust a newly hired idiot over the company itself. But that evening, a viral local post shattered my assumptions.

After dinner, I was scrolling through videos on my phone as usual. But a clickbait post caught my attention. “The company hasn’t had any income for three months and is about to go bankrupt. Please help me figure out how to get the boss to fire me!” “Oh, and of course, I need every penny of that severance package—and hopefully I can squeeze out even more!” The familiar phrasing made my eyebrow twitch involuntarily. This… It couldn’t be posted by a Sullivan Corp employee, could it… Even though I didn’t want to believe it, my finger unconsciously clicked into the post. Perhaps because the title was explosive enough, the post had very high engagement. The comment section had gathered thousands upon thousands of modern-day employees, all enthusiastically offering advice to the poster. “Listen to me—only by getting actively fired by the boss can you get severance. Don’t be stupid enough to resign directly!” “Eat blue cheese right in front of your boss every day. No boss can stand that smell assault!” “Blue cheese is nothing! Since you want to get fired, go all in! Blue cheese for breakfast, pickled herring for lunch!” I stared at the comment section, dumbfounded. These employees’ brains were truly not to be underestimated! Thank goodness they weren’t my company’s employees. Otherwise, if they pulled stunts like this on me every day, I really might not be able to tolerate them. The next morning, I shook my slightly foggy head and arrived at the company an hour early. Yes! Even though I knew deep down it was impossible, I still couldn’t resist the urge to investigate. So I came to the company early to lurk around, wanting to find the truth. As soon as I entered the company, I locked eyes with Zachary’s smiling face. I politely said hello, then looked up and down at his workstation. But inside, I couldn’t help breathing a sigh of relief. At least this guy wasn’t like that poster, actually using those tactics to challenge the company’s bottom line. Just as I was mentally mocking myself for overthinking, laughter and commotion came from the break room. “Hahaha! Hurry up and eat, it’ll be work time soon!” “Yeah! Don’t let Mr. Sullivan see you, or he might dock your pay!” “Ugh! Dock my pay? Right now I just hope the salary gets paid on time!” My face turned iron-blue as I glanced over. Sure enough, I saw seven or eight veteran employees gathered around the large dining table in the break room, having a lively meal! “This is the office! The company’s rules clearly state that you’re not allowed to…” Before I could finish, Zachary hurried over. “Boss! Come on! It’s not even work time yet!” “Besides, isn’t the break room exactly where employees eat? Right?” “I’m sure the company isn’t that authoritarian! Not eating breakfast makes you tired all day, you know!” Sitting in my office chair, I couldn’t help clicking into that post again. The poster had already posted a new update. “Hahaha! Thanks for the great advice, everyone! Today I deliberately brought breakfast and let the boss see me eating at the company!” “Who would’ve thought! That coward didn’t dare say a word, just pretended not to see and walked away!” “Tsk tsk tsk… Looks like this crappy company really is about to go under. Otherwise, how could they just let it slide so easily?” The more I read, the angrier I got. Even though the post’s content didn’t match my company, just thinking that I might also be seen as an idiot by my employees made me furious. I sat there in a daze all morning. It wasn’t until my phone chimed with a text notification that I was dragged out of my internal turmoil. “Mr. Sullivan, congratulations on successfully winning the bid. To ensure smooth cooperation, please come to XX Grand Hotel tonight for further discussion…” My eyes reddened with excitement. The project I’d worked on for three whole months finally had results. With this thought, I couldn’t care less about those petty schemes. I immediately replied to the text. “Mr. Webb, you absolutely must honor us with your presence tonight. I’ll arrange everything. Let’s celebrate our successful cooperation in advance!” After having my secretary arrange dinner in advance, I arrived at the hotel first. But to my surprise, when I entered the private dining room, Zachary was already sitting at the table waiting.

Seeing me enter, Zachary’s attitude was extremely humble. “Mr. Sullivan, Secretary asked me to bring colleagues from the PR department to make arrangements. We’ll definitely provide excellent hospitality tonight!” I nodded slightly. Seeing several female colleagues from the PR department nearby, the unease in my heart settled down. But when the servers brought out a table full of dishes, I was dumbstruck. Zachary stood up with a big smile. “Mr. Webb! Mr. Sullivan! You’re always out dining for business, eating rich foods every time—what’s the point?” “Today, our PR department’s Lily specially ordered stomach-friendly dishes for you!” “Look at this—mini burgers, fries and chicken wings, and pizza! Every single dish is a viral internet favorite!” “Chloe even specially went to get bubble tea! Everything is good for your health! You absolutely must eat more!” Zachary acted as if he couldn’t read the room at all. Completely ignoring the dark expressions on everyone’s faces, he enthusiastically kept piling food onto the business partner’s plate. I frantically gave signals under the table until my hand cramped. But the employees who were usually so perceptive all acted blind, desperately echoing Zachary’s words. Not until this very moment. If I still couldn’t see that they were doing this deliberately, then I really would be brain-damaged. The business partners ate this meal with stiff expressions, then all left in fury. The first thing I did when I returned to the company was personally write up termination notices and withhold all severance pay. I knew Zachary wouldn’t let this go easily, but I didn’t expect him to move so quickly. That very afternoon, that familiar Instagram account posted Zachary’s video. He cried pitifully, accusing the company on camera. “I don’t know what I did wrong, but during my time at work, I always gave my all. I finally helped the company secure a project, but all I got in return was a termination notice!” “And! The company didn’t even give half an explanation about the termination compensation!” The live comment section exploded. “Holy crap! Real-life employee exploitation? It’s happening!” “Which company is this? Dude, hurry up and expose them so we can be careful when job hunting!” “Go to labor arbitration right away! Don’t let these people take advantage of you!” I almost couldn’t stop myself from laughing in anger. Just ten minutes ago, I’d received a text from the business partner saying the project was under review. This guy screwed up my multi-million dollar contract, and now he’s transformed into an exploited employee. Is that appropriate? The next morning, as soon as I walked into my office, several veteran employees knocked on the door with troubled expressions. The project department head opened with a devastating blow. “Mr. Sullivan! I know the company’s in trouble lately, but it can’t be so bad that you have to withhold severance pay from a few employees, right?” “Don’t you know the company’s been trending online now? We’re famous!” Business department manager Marcus nodded in agreement. “Exactly! This morning alone I’ve received seven or eight project cancellation notices!” “If this continues, our company… might really go bankrupt…” I waved my hand, signaling them to leave, then clicked into the Instagram app again. Zachary was still playing the victim on camera, looking pitiful. “I’m not doing this for money, but for every single hardworking employee at Sullivan Corp!” “I just joined and already received this kind of unfair treatment—what about those veteran employees who grew with the company?” As soon as he said this, the livestream exploded with virtual gifts. And these gift-sending IDs were all familiar to me. It seemed… Zachary had completely won over the company employees’ hearts. Thinking about how I’d done my utmost to consider the employees, always seeking benefits for them everywhere. Now, just for these immediate gains, they so easily betrayed me. It felt so not worth it! Perhaps I was too easygoing, which made them forget their place! As for Zachary… the truth would come out very soon!

In the following days, Sullivan Corp was essentially at a standstill. Because of the online storm, all ongoing and negotiating projects at the company were completely halted. Even many regulatory departments, due to complaints from internet users, came for inspections every few days. My secretary looked like she wanted to say something but held back. “Mr. Sullivan! Does it really have to come to this?” “But the company was slandered!” My face showed no expression as I nodded calmly. “Deep-rooted diseases must be broken through. This company has been rotten from the very core…” Just as I was busy applying for bankruptcy liquidation of Sullivan Corp, I suddenly received an invitation to a TV program. “Mr. Sullivan! Your company is quite famous online now. Mr. Zachary Sullivan going on the mediation show is also to give everyone a space to resolve the issue.” “Don’t you want to seize this opportunity?” I pondered for a long while, holding the document just mailed over by the private investigator, my heart a jumble of emotions. Yes. I’d always been careful in business, never failing. Yet now I’d stumbled over my own family. How could that not be foolish? The next morning at 7 AM, I arrived at the TV station on time. Due to Sullivan Corp’s recent online popularity, this mediation show attracted an especially large audience. Zachary sat on stage with his head held high. And in the front rows of the audience seats were clearly a group of Sullivan Corp employees. They waved glow sticks, constantly cheering and supporting Zachary. The host said with a smile, holding up the microphone. “We’re honored to have Sullivan Corp’s CEO, Scott Sullivan, here in person. Regarding the recent viral incident online, he also has something to say!” Zachary looked pitiful and spoke at the right moment. “I’ve never had any malice toward the company. I just want an apology.” “I can forgo the withheld severance pay, but I don’t want to be dismissed so unceremoniously…” On the large live broadcast screen below the stage, the comment feed was filled with “Apologize!” “Make Scott apologize!” “Capitalists should apologize! Making all that money without any conscience!” I took the microphone handed over by the director, walked confidently onto the stage, and looked straight into the center camera. “I’m sorry!” The stage and audience erupted in chaos. Zachary turned his face, unable to hide the curve of his lips. And those Sullivan Corp employees below the stage all cheered. I even faintly heard them saying: “Haha! I knew Zachary was awesome! The method he suggested really worked—he actually apologized!” “Exactly! As long as he’s willing to apologize, that’s good. Now truth is on our side. When we go back, we’ll demand compensation!” “As long as Scott doesn’t want the company to go bankrupt, to keep us veteran employees, he’ll definitely have to pay big!” “Right, although jobs are hard to find now, with Sullivan Corp’s reputation, it’ll be even harder to recruit employees! Scott will have no choice but to pay up!” My face remained expressionless as I held up the microphone and continued. “I’m not apologizing because of so-called severance pay, but because I failed to judge people correctly!” “I had no self-awareness, treating employees like family without reservation, which only fed their ambitions!” “However, I acknowledge my mistake!” “Sullivan Corp completed bankruptcy liquidation before today. As for subsequent employee matters, a liaison will contact you to handle them.” My words were like thunderbolts, making the entire studio completely silent. I ignored their incredulous looks and continued announcing. “Also! Regarding former Sullivan Corp employees Zachary Sullivan, Chelsea Martinez, Margaret…, who deliberately damaged the company’s image, stole confidential documents, and profited through abuse of position—” “I’ve already reported this to the police!” As my words fell, I returned the microphone to the host and turned to leave. Just as Zachary snapped back to reality and lunged at me with red eyes to stop me— A group of uniformed police officers rushed up from below the stage and pressed Zachary to the ground. “Zachary Sullivan, right? You’re suspected of involvement in a case of leaking trade secrets. Please cooperate with our investigation!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “369547”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn

My daughter’s life was hanging by a thread. I knelt on the ground, clutching at my husband Lucas’s pant leg. But he shielded his first love beside him, looking down at me with cold eyes. “She just lost a bit of blood. Winona’s been traumatized because of Sweetie—her situation is more urgent.” Later, he personally blocked every way out, letting our child grow cold bit by bit. I signed the divorce papers with a smile and disappeared without a trace. Three years later, he searched the entire city, red-eyed as he cornered me outside my newly opened gallery. “Vivian, I was wrong. Our daughter…” I wrapped my arm around my new boyfriend’s and interrupted him casually. “Mr. Lucas.” “That child died the day you chose to save someone else.” The day my daughter participated in the dance competition hosted by Lucas Corporation, the stage collapsed. I held my blood-covered daughter and begged Lucas to take us to the hospital. But he coldly stepped past me, turning instead to help up Winona Sullivan, who had only minor scrapes, along with her crying daughter. “Vivian, you know Winona has a heart condition. Sweetie’s been traumatized too. If we don’t get them to the hospital and her condition flares up, it could be life or death.” I felt my daughter’s warm blood soaking through, and enormous fear made my voice tremble. “Natalie’s bleeding so much. Please look at her! Your daughter is seriously injured.” Lucas glanced at our daughter, hesitated for only a second, then frowned. “Lucas Corporation’s medical team will be here any minute. Natalie probably just has surface wounds. You stay here with her—I’ll take Winona to the hospital.” Lucas left with his arm around Winona and her daughter. All my strength drained away in an instant. My daughter’s face was deathly pale in my arms. I held her, not daring to move. “Quick, Assistant, please help me get Natalie to the hospital.” Assistant looked at me expressionlessly. “Mrs. Natalie, Mr. Lucas instructed that since the situation happened suddenly, it needs to be handled properly. We can’t have any negative press. The others aren’t seriously injured—only Miss Natalie lost some blood. There’s no need to alert the hospital.” “No need to alert the hospital?” My hands were shaking. “Can’t you see Natalie’s covered in blood? She’s already unconscious! This is Lucas’s child. If something happens to her, can you take responsibility?” Assistant glanced at Natalie once, then turned away to calmly direct staff members to evacuate and comfort the other participants. I forced myself to stay calm. After laying Natalie down, I frantically searched for my phone with shaking hands. I’d just pressed 9-1-1 when Assistant snatched the phone away. “Mrs. Natalie, Mr. Lucas instructed us not to alert the hospital.” Tears fell uncontrollably. My blood-covered hands desperately clutched at Assistant’s pant leg. “Give me back my phone. Natalie’s unconscious—I’m begging you, look at her! Lucas won’t blame you. This is his daughter.” Assistant hesitated for a second, but still refused coldly. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Natalie. I’ll urge the medical team to hurry.” I cried out desperately. “I don’t want the medical team! I need to take my daughter to the hospital! Please, I’m begging you—take my daughter to the hospital!” A staff member ran over after hearing my cries. Seeing Natalie’s injuries, they instinctively moved to help, but Assistant stopped them with a single look. I knelt beside my daughter. “Please, someone call 9-1-1. My daughter really can’t hold on.” Parents and children who’d come for the competition looked over. Some wanted to help, but Lucas Corporation staff quickly ushered them away. Soon, only Lucas Corporation employees remained in the venue—plus me and my blood-soaked daughter. No one would help me. I could only rely on myself. I picked up my daughter, letting fresh blood drip onto the floor as I tried to rush outside, but Lucas Corporation workers blocked my way. “Assistant, Mrs. Natalie is trying to take Miss Natalie to the hospital.” Assistant forcibly took my daughter from my arms. I screamed with every fiber of my being. “Don’t touch my daughter!” But no one cared what I said. Two security guards came forward and grabbed my arms. Assistant gave cold orders. “Take Mrs. Natalie and Miss Natalie to the break room.”

I was dragged toward the break room. My daughter’s blood left a trail the whole way. I cried and pleaded. “Please, my daughter needs a hospital. Please, call an ambulance.” The staff members had mixed expressions. A young woman couldn’t help but try to comfort me. “Ma’am, we’ve already called the medical team. They’ll be here soon.” “It’ll be too late when they arrive.” I shouted in complete breakdown. “She’s lost too much blood. Please, just look at her!” The next second, the break room door slammed shut. “Watch them. No one leaves before Mr. Lucas returns.” Time crawled by, each second like torture. Natalie’s body temperature was dropping. Her little hands were ice cold. I pounded on the break room door, my voice hoarse but still shouting. “Go find an ambulance! If anything happens to this child, you’re all accomplices! Lucas won’t let you get away with this!” Soon, the break room door opened. Lucas Corporation’s medical team entered. “She’s lost so much blood. She needs surgery. Please help her.” The medical team examined Natalie’s injuries, their brows furrowed tightly. “The situation really isn’t good. She needs immediate surgery. We don’t have the conditions for surgery here. We need to immediately—” “Mr. Lucas is calling.” Assistant handed his phone to the doctor. I couldn’t hear what was said on the other end. But the doctor’s expression changed from grave to hesitant, and finally to calm as he hung up. “Mr. Lucas instructed us to use the best medication to stabilize her condition and wait for him to return before making any decisions.” My whole body went cold. I looked at the white pill in the doctor’s hand and shook my head frantically. “No, you can’t. What is that medication? My daughter can’t take that. She needs to go to the hospital. She needs surgery.” The doctor remained expressionless, coldly pushing the pill closer. I couldn’t tell if my face was covered in my daughter’s blood or my own tears. I turned to Assistant, who’d been giving all the orders. “Assistant, look at Natalie! She’s just a child! She’s covered in blood! She’ll die if we don’t go to the hospital! If anything happens to her, Lucas won’t forgive you. Neither will I.” A flicker of emotion crossed Assistant’s cold face. Suddenly, his phone rang again. After hearing just one sentence, the hesitation on his face vanished instantly. “Yes, Mr. Lucas.” He hung up, his voice devoid of any warmth. “Mr. Lucas’s orders: follow the medical team’s conservative treatment plan.” As soon as he finished speaking, two security guards immediately came forward and pulled me away. I struggled desperately, but my body was pinned down. I could only watch helplessly as they forced the white pill into my daughter’s mouth. “Natalie, my baby, you’re killing her! You’re killing her! I’ll kill you all—I’ll kill all of you!” Assistant frowned and instructed the doctor. “Mrs. Natalie is out of control. Give her a sedative so she doesn’t hurt herself or Miss Natalie.” Cold liquid pierced my skin. I collapsed to the floor, finally achieving complete “calm.” Tears fell uncontrollably. I’d once naively believed that this marriage arranged between families could be warmed if I just tried hard enough—that I could eventually melt Lucas’s heart of ice. I respected him, loved him, holding onto humble hope. I thought that by giving birth to our child, I could preserve at least a thread of affection between us. I never imagined that in the face of Lucas’s first love, I—his legally wedded wife—and the daughter I’d risked my life to bear were nothing more than pawns in his eyes. Pieces to be sacrificed at any moment to maintain his and Winona’s dignity and safety, all in service of family duty. I stared at that small figure in the distance, her clothes soaked through with blood, my heart sinking into an abyss. “Lucas, if anything happens to Natalie, I will never forgive you.”

The sedative made my consciousness fade gradually. I sank into the break room sofa, watching my daughter in the distance as despair washed over me. Suddenly, I dimly heard the doctor respectfully call out “Mr. Lucas.” Hope flickered instinctively within me. I thought Lucas had remembered us, thought he was going to send Natalie to the hospital. I struggled to cry out. “Lucas, is that you? Take Natalie to the hospital quickly—she needs surgery immediately.” The doctor glanced at me with a complicated expression, then pressed the speakerphone button. However, what came through was Winona Sullivan’s affected voice. “Vivian, are you and little Natalie okay? Lucas is with Sweetie for a full-body checkup and can’t get away, so he specially asked me to check on you both.” Hearing her voice, I went numb, unable to even react. Winona’s tone lifted with a hint of laughter. “Lucas said that what happened to the children at Lucas Corporation today absolutely cannot get out. Lucas Corporation has a medical team—there’s no need to make a big fuss going to the hospital and tarnishing the company’s reputation. So you all know what to do.” “Winona Sullivan.” I couldn’t believe it. My voice trembled. “Let Lucas answer the phone. I want to hear him say it himself.” A contemptuous laugh came from the other end. “Vivian, how can you still not face reality? Right now Lucas only has eyes for traumatized Sweetie. Where would he find time for you two? Tell little Natalie to hold on a bit longer—it’s just some blood loss. She won’t die. It’s all for Lucas Corporation’s greater good.” Assistant looked at Natalie on the sofa, his brow furrowed. “Miss Sullivan, Miss Natalie really has lost quite a bit of blood. She still hasn’t woken up. We have a medical team here, but we don’t have the conditions for emergency treatment. Could we perhaps ask Mr. Lucas if we could send her—” “Assistant.” Winona cut him off sharply, her voice ice cold. “She just got hit by a falling prop. How serious could it be? If she won’t wake up, feed her more pills. If the bleeding won’t stop, wrap her with gauze—layer after layer until it doesn’t leak. Do I have to teach you everything?” The doctor nearby paled. “Miss Sullivan, that won’t work. The child’s condition really requires a thorough examination at the hospital. If we continue treating her this way, in case—” “In case what?” Winona’s tone grew increasingly impatient. “Children all heal quickly. What could possibly happen? Lucas gave me his phone—his meaning is my meaning. Don’t you understand?” “Think carefully, all of you. If the media catches photos of a blood-covered child being carried out of Lucas Corporation today, how much will Lucas Corporation’s stock price drop tomorrow? Who among you can take that responsibility? Are you really going to destroy Lucas Corporation’s reputation for the sake of one little girl?” I shook my head frantically, tears mixing with blood. “Impossible. Lucas wouldn’t do this. Natalie is his child. Winona Sullivan, you crazy woman, you’ll get what’s coming to you! This is murder! You can’t listen to her, you can’t—” Winona sounded like she’d heard the funniest joke in the world. “Vivian, don’t you understand even now? In Lucas’s heart, what you gave birth to has never counted as his child.” The call was mercilessly disconnected. I looked desperately at Assistant. “Don’t listen to that woman. Lucas wouldn’t do this to his own child. He wouldn’t…” But he simply avoided my gaze, coldly giving orders. “Do as Miss Sullivan said. Get more medication—increase the dosage. Find more gauze to… stop Miss Natalie’s bleeding.” He didn’t even dare look at Natalie again as he added: “Everything else waits for Mr. Lucas’s return.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “369546”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn

Two hours ago, my husband, Robert, missed our anniversary dinner because he was working overtime. Two hours later, I saw him aggressively pursuing a young woman in an online live stream. “My name is Robert, I’m 32, 6’1″ tall, with eight-pack abs, five million dollars in assets, and most importantly, I’m single.” “My declaration of love is: I traveled far and wide to find the girl of my dreams. My money is hers, my heart is hers, my life is hers.” “Delia, will you come with me?” She blushed and nodded, their date a success. But I wasn’t angry at all. In my previous life, I tried everything to get him back home, telling him that woman had AIDS and he shouldn’t touch her. But he didn’t believe me. He even complained that I was ruining their good time, shoved me into a suitcase, and left me there to listen to them make love all night. In the end, I suffocated to death. This life, he could do whatever he wanted. I ended the live stream and immediately sent a message to the woman named Delia. “I’m Robert’s wife. He lied to you.” “I know you’re in it for the money. Get Robert to contract AIDS, and I’ll give you a million dollars.” In my previous life, I had thoroughly investigated this woman. She had a seriously ill younger brother and was desperate for money. So, I wasn’t afraid she wouldn’t agree. Sure enough, she replied. “Deal.” I turned off my phone, then picked up the untouched dinner and wine from the table and dumped them all into the trash. After Robert left that morning, I had sent our three children to my mom’s house for the night. I even went to the hair salon to get my hair styled and then to the grocery store to prepare a table full of his favorite dishes. All the things he loved to eat. If I hadn’t stumbled upon that live stream, I would have had no idea that my seemingly gentle and considerate husband was already itching to cheat. Nor would I have known that behind this seemingly perfect marriage was nothing but betrayal. At three in the morning, Robert came home, reeking of perfume. The table was already clean. He looked at the spotless surface and asked, “Didn’t we say we’d have dinner together?” In my previous life, I would have hysterically questioned where he’d been and why he smelled of perfume. But now, I couldn’t be bothered to ask. I just moved a little further away to avoid the scent. “Eating dinner at three in the morning? Are you crazy, or am I?” Robert froze, his brow furrowed slightly. “Why are you so snarky today? As a stay-at-home mom who doesn’t work, how could you understand the hardship of my overtime?” “I support you. What right do you have to question me?” I almost laughed. He called the three thousand dollars a month he gave me for living expenses “supporting me”? But saying these words would be useless. Seeing my silence, Robert realized his attitude was bad and quickly tried to smooth things over. “Alright, a last-minute business dinner delayed me today. Don’t be mad. Look, I brought you back your favorite oysters.” Hitting me with a stick, then offering a carrot, was Robert’s usual trick. In my previous life, I was fooled by this act, deluding myself into thinking he loved me. Looking back now, it was ridiculous. This man was rotten to the core! “You eat first, I’m going to shower.” Even after I heard the water running in the bathroom, I was still staring blankly at the handful of leftover oysters on the table, my eyes stinging. They clearly looked like someone else’s scraps. Why was I so naive back then that I couldn’t see through it? I fought back tears and unhesitatingly swept the oysters into the trash. Just then, his phone, which he’d left on the dining table, lit up. It was Delia. “Robert, I miss you so much. Let’s go to the hot springs together on Wednesday, okay?” Wednesday was tomorrow. After a hot spring trip, something happening was only natural. I was about to turn off the screen when Robert’s voice came from behind me, full of accusation. “Louise, is it polite to snoop through other people’s phones?” He angrily bumped into me, and I fell to the floor, scraping my elbow. Robert’s expression tightened, then he looked at me like I was an idiot. “You’re a thirty-year-old woman. Why are you still so clumsy?” After my previous life, I understood that saying one more word to a heartless man was a waste. I silently turned to get some ointment. Robert awkwardly took it from me. “I… I’ll help you.” “Louise, there’s something I need to tell you…” “My company ran into some financial trouble. I borrowed from loan sharks, and now I can’t pay it back. I don’t want to drag you and the kids down.” “How about… we get a fake divorce?” I sneered inwardly. What kind of financial trouble could his small company with just a few people have? This was just an excuse to pursue Delia and get rid of me and the children. “Oh.” Robert was choked, looking at me strangely. “You’re not angry?” I lowered my head and smiled, not answering. Angry? In my previous life, I would have been furious, then begged him not to divorce me, and finally used my private savings to pay off his debts. But now, I didn’t even care if he died, so why would I be angry over such a pathetic excuse? “When are we going to do the paperwork?” My quick agreement stunned Robert, and it took him a while to speak. “You…” “Louise, give me some time. I’ll definitely sort this out.” “Once the debt is paid off, we’ll get remarried.” “Don’t worry, the children and the house will be yours. I’ll just take the cash and leave.” “Even though you don’t have an income, your parents are both university professors. With their help, you and the children won’t starve.” Listening to his shameless words, my nails dug deep into my palms. All talk of righteousness, but a belly full of schemes. What did he mean, the house would be mine? This house was my pre-marital property! It was mine whether we divorced or not! At that moment, I truly wanted to rip off his ugly mask! But reason told me I had to endure. Before the divorce certificate was issued, even if we signed a divorce agreement, he could go back on his word at any time! I took a deep breath before speaking calmly. “Alright, I agree to the divorce.”

That day, we signed the divorce agreement. And Robert didn’t even bother to keep up appearances, grabbing his bank card and eagerly leaving. Less than ten minutes after he left, my phone chimed. He had updated a post on his alt account on Twitter. In my previous life, to win Robert back, I had investigated all his accounts. This alt account was what I discovered back then. This life, I followed that account immediately. “Guys! Successfully divorced the old hag! I’m taking all the money from the house!” “My new girlfriend invited me to the hot springs. This time, I’m definitely going to seal the deal!” “Oh, and I need to turn off my phone. What if the old hag changes her mind and ruins my fun?” “Guys, I’ll be back with good news!” Below, a bunch of people were commenting. “Awesome!” “Finding such a beautiful girlfriend, a true legend!” Some also said he was too cruel. “You scumbag, did you even think about how your wife and children will live?” His disdainful tone practically oozed from the screen. “She gave birth to them, she takes care of them, that’s how it should be.” “Besides, those two little bastards cost at least ten thousand a month for formula alone, and I only give her three thousand. She’s doing just fine. She must have private savings.” So, he knew the household expenses… All these years, I understood his struggles with starting a business and never argued with him. I always used the money my parents secretly gave me to supplement our household expenses. I never imagined he was doing it on purpose! I was so angry that I couldn’t stand it. I switched to my alt account and questioned him. “How can you do this to your wife and children? Aren’t you afraid you’ll truly break her heart and she’ll actually divorce you?” He quickly retorted. “Afraid of what? A worn-out, thirty-year-old hag with two kids? Do you want her? If you do, I’ll let you have her for a few days!” Watching his despicable words, my hands trembled with rage. Five years of dating, four years of marriage. I thought that even if the love between us faded, we would still be the closest people to each other. I never thought that in his eyes, I was worse than a prostitute! At that moment, the last shred of hesitation I had because of the children completely vanished. Robert, between us, it’s war till the death! Suddenly, my phone rang. It was my dad. “Louise, your friend John just told me that Robert’s company will still get this project. It’s a big one.” “He’ll earn more, and your family can have an easier life.” Robert didn’t know that all these years, most of his clients were brought in by my dad, who would humble himself to his old friends. Because Robert was a severe chauvinist, I never told him any of this. In the end, I had raised an ungrateful jerk. On the phone, my dad continued, “I’m old now. I don’t ask for anything, I just hope my children and grandchildren are happy and safe.” Listening to my dad’s words, my tears couldn’t hold back any longer. I spilled everything. My dad was furious, cursing Robert as an animal. “Didn’t he say his company was in crisis? Then let it *really* be in crisis!” My dad immediately called everyone he knew, telling them to cancel their collaborations with Robert’s company. In just a few days, the company collapsed. His assistant frantically tried to reach him, but he couldn’t be contacted. After all, he was still blissfully enjoying his wine and fine dining trip. Meanwhile, Delia sent me a message. “Done.” “Seven nights in a row, three times each night.” Along with the message came a video. In the video, Robert lay on a beach chair, his hand wrapped around a woman’s waist, lost in passionate embrace. I gripped my phone, momentarily stunned. I couldn’t tell if I felt relief or sorrow. When we first got married, Robert and I had a wonderful relationship. It was also on a beach that he swore he would only ever have me, that he wouldn’t be interested in anyone else. I never imagined that in just four short years, everything would change. Indeed, a man’s promises only last the moment they are spoken. At this moment, I suddenly felt that I had been utterly foolish in my previous life. But it didn’t matter. Since heaven gave me a second chance, I would collect my due, with interest! As promised, I transferred a million dollars to her, then sent her another message. “Let’s discuss another deal…”

The day we went to get the divorce certificate, Robert, who was usually late, appeared on time. Also with him were my in-laws, Ruth and Andrew, who hadn’t visited once since the children were born. My mother-in-law, Ruth, grabbed my hand, wailing dramatically. “Louise, we only found out today that Robert did such a terrible thing!” “Don’t worry, even if you’re divorcing, you’ll still be our daughter-in-law.” Ruth cried so sincerely that an outsider might actually believe she cared for me. But I knew this family was always hypocritical. In my previous life, I also thought my in-laws truly loved me and treated them with the same devotion as my own parents. But it wasn’t until my brutal death, when they came to help dismember my body, that I realized they had known about Robert’s affair all along. Many times, they even helped him cover it up! Seeing that I didn’t respond, Ruth couldn’t cry anymore and awkwardly wiped away her tears. “Louise, speaking of which, you two are husband and wife. With the company in trouble, you can’t just ignore it…” “How about we sell this house to pay off Robert’s debts? He’ll clear the money sooner, and you two can get remarried sooner, right?” “As for you and the children… Aren’t your parents both professors? Their retirement pensions must be substantial, right? Why not ask them for some money to help out in a pinch?” My father-in-law, Andrew, also slapped Robert on the shoulder and chimed in. “You bastard! Louise has always been kind-hearted, and she’ll definitely agree this time. If you don’t treat her well in the future, I’ll be the first to deal with you!” They had it all figured out, didn’t they? With just a few words, they made decisions for me, as if I were just a pawn in their game. Robert saw my silence, breathed a sigh of relief, and, feigning emotion, took my hand. “Louise, I know you’re the best to me. Marrying you is the blessing of my life.” “Don’t worry, once this is over, I’ll definitely make it up to you.” I coldly watched their family performance, an endless chill rising in my heart. This whole family was not only insatiably greedy but also heartless and rotten to the core! But soon, they would pay back every penny, with interest! I composed myself and took out my phone to show them the transaction record. “I’ve already sold the house. Once we get the divorce certificate…” Before I could finish, the whole family beamed with joy, praising me for being sensible. Even the clerk processing the divorce seemed confused, wondering why such a loving family was divorcing. Laugh all you want. The happier you laugh now, the uglier it will look later! As soon as we stepped out of City Hall, Robert looked at me expectantly. “Louise, now that we’ve got the certificate, the money…” I turned around, a faint smile playing on my lips. “Robert, when did I ever say that money was for you?”

Robert froze, his face instantly changing. “Louise, are you messing with me?!” I raised an eyebrow, an expression on my face that said, *you finally get it*. “I only said I sold the house. I never said I was giving you the money from the sale.” “How shamelessly greedy you are. Did you really take me for a fool?” Then, I opened my phone and showed him the saved live stream replay. “And, did you enjoy the hot springs?” The three of them completely changed color, looking at me as if they wanted to swallow me whole. I completely ignored them, put away my divorce certificate, and turned to leave. Suddenly, Ruth blocked my path. “Louise, you can’t be so heartless.” “Robert made a mistake, but it was just a mistake that all men make.” “How many men these days don’t cheat? As women, shouldn’t we just turn a blind eye?” “Besides, Robert’s heart is still with you. Isn’t that enough?” Andrew joined in. “Exactly! Think about it, who would want a divorced woman with children like you?” I sneered, not bothering to listen to their rambling. “Since you’re so tolerant, remember to advise yourself that way when Andrew cheats in the future.” “As for whether someone wants me, that’s none of your business. If you block me again, I’ll call the police.” Robert saw that I was determined not to turn back and his eyes reddened with anger. “Louise, do you really think I can’t live without you?” “To be honest, you disgust me! I love Delia now. Delia is gentle, kind, and beautiful, a hundred times better than you!” “And, she’s pregnant with my child. We’ve checked, it’s a boy.” “Tomorrow, tomorrow we’re going to get married!” “Without me, you’re just a nobody, a middle-aged woman with three children, no job, no social experience. I’d like to see how happy you can be!” To prove his point, he even turned on his phone and tried to make a video call. Unfortunately, it only showed a red exclamation mark. “How is that possible! Delia must have accidentally deleted it!” Then, he started calling again. This time, it connected. “Robert, you’re not that naive, are you? I was just playing with you.” “As for the baby, I was just talking nonsense. I work at a club, I got an IUD long ago. How could I be pregnant?” “Goodbye, Mr. Early Ejaculation.” With that, Robert’s number was completely blocked. Robert was furious, desperately trying to call again. But all he heard was, “The number you have dialed is currently switched off.” I stifled a laugh and kindly reminded him. “Instead of calling and harassing other people, why don’t you call your assistant back?” “Oh, and a reminder, go get yourself checked out.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “369545”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn

On my 23rd birthday, Alex handed me a paper bag. I opened it to find a set of incredibly revealing lace lingerie. He kept his head down, avoiding my gaze, and said casually, “That guy plays too rough in bed. Juliet won’t survive him. You just need to spend one night with him. Just one night, and when you come back, we’ll get married.” Juliet was his first love, the one who had saved his life, and for her, he was, for the first time, swallowing his pride and begging me. “I won’t look down on you. I’ll make it up to you, twice over.” My fingers gripped the edge of the table so tightly my knuckles turned white, but I forced a smile. “Fine. I just had a full body treatment. You can have him come over tonight.” Alex frowned at my words. “If you don’t want to, you can just say so. I’ll figure out another way. You don’t have to be so sarcastic.” I paused, slightly stunned. “I’m serious. The Velvet Club trained me well. Before a client, it was always a full beauty treatment so my skin would feel smooth and soft.” I replayed my words in my head, not thinking I’d said anything wrong. But Alex wasn’t pleased. He put down the shrimp he had just peeled. “I truly see you as my partner, Elara. You don’t need to bring up that past again.” I knew his words couldn’t be taken seriously. If he truly meant that, he wouldn’t have asked me to do something like this. My senior’s warning echoed in my mind, “Once you walk through Nightfall’s doors, you’re Nightfall’s forever.” Alex looked at me, then suddenly reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “Elara, let’s get married. I’ll give you the grandest wedding imaginable.” I understood why he was suddenly saying this. He was only offering the wedding as compensation. I knew I should be happy. I had waited five years for this wedding. But at that moment, I wasn’t as joyful as I’d anticipated. Still, I nodded hard, smiling at him. “Will you stay with me all day today?” He didn’t know it was my birthday, or the anniversary of the day I first met him. “I’m not going anywhere today,” Alex smiled back, stroking my head, about to pull me into a hug. But his phone suddenly rang. My hearing was excellent. I could hear Juliet’s tearful voice on the other end. Alex instinctively pushed me away, ready to leave. Then he remembered what he had just promised me. He hesitated for the first time. But Alex quickly made his choice. “Something came up at the office that needs me to go back. You should go to bed early too. Don’t wait up.” He didn’t need to lie to me. From the day Juliet returned, I knew that Juliet and I couldn’t be compared in his heart. But I just nodded calmly, desperately trying to ignore the needle-sharp pain in my chest. I shouldn’t ask for so much. Being with Alex should be enough. We met at The Velvet Club. I sold myself to Nightfall as soon as I turned eighteen. That was my first day of work. I was wearing a revealing bunny girl outfit, trembling as I followed others into the VIP room to pour drinks. My stockings were snagged, but I couldn’t bear to throw them away. Instead, it was taken as a clever trick to entice clients. Just as I was being held in someone’s arms, about to be kissed, Alex, who had been silent, spoke up and told them to leave me with him. From then on, I stayed by his side. Alex always seemed cold and aloof, but he always had a faint smile just for me. I thought I was special, but it wasn’t until Juliet appeared that I truly understood. Only for her would Alex fight recklessly, get drunk, and wait below her apartment until dawn. Only for her would he eagerly share even the sight of a flower blooming. The childish behaviors he once scorned were simply because he hadn’t met *that* person yet. Before, I might have still harbored fantasies, thinking that one day we would be together. But now, I only wanted to repay his kindness. I made a birthday wish alone. After this, I would no longer owe Alex anything.

For three consecutive days, Alex didn’t come home. But the people he’d hired had already begun preparing for the wedding. After all, it was something I had longed for for five years. I wanted to wear that wedding dress before I left. On the third evening, he finally returned, bringing Juliet with him. He offered no explanation for his three-day disappearance. “Juliet will be staying with us from today. I’ve asked Maya to prepare the guest room for you.” Juliet was so frail, a delicate wisp of a girl, making anyone want to reach out and protect her. She walked behind Alex, softly greeting me. “Excuse me for intruding, Mrs. Alex.” Both Alex and I were taken aback by the address. Alex was the first to speak. “Just call her Elara.” I knew I had no right to act like the lady of the house in front of Juliet. After a calm and polite nod, I was about to retreat to my room. But then a frantic patter of paws approached. Wolf, who hadn’t seen Alex in three days, was excitedly rushing towards him. This, however, caused Juliet’s face to go pale. She gripped Alex’s hand tightly, scared. “Alex, I’m scared!” Seeing the newcomer, Wolf circled her once. Perhaps he liked her scent, as he tried to nuzzle up to Juliet. Juliet burst into tears instantly, burying her face in Alex’s embrace. Alex wrapped one arm around Juliet, while reprimanding Wolf. “Get lost! Elara, take your dog away!” He kicked Wolf hard, sending him tumbling several times across the floor before he stopped. Wolf didn’t understand why his usually kind dad had suddenly kicked him. He just stared blankly, letting out a whimper. I rushed over and scooped Wolf into my arms. “Wolf, are you okay? Does it hurt? Don’t scare me.” Wolf was a stray dog I had found. That winter, I had no money for heating in my rented apartment, and I was burning with a fever, close to freezing to death. It was Wolf who kept me warm with his small body. Wolf was getting old, and the vet had warned me to be prepared for his passing at any time. My emotions spiraled out of control, and for the first time, I yelled at Alex. “He’s so small, why did you kick him?!” Alex froze after kicking him, wanting to speak, but Juliet interrupted. Juliet was sobbing, her words catching in her throat, gasping for breath. “I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault. I overreacted.” “That place was full of dog barks, I just had a bit of a panic attack.” Juliet had a gambling father who even used her as collateral at the casino. She had endured many hardships to escape the casino, eventually meeting Alex. The casino owner had his eyes on Juliet, demanding she spend a night with him to clear the debt. That casino had deep connections, operating in both legal and illegal spheres, even Alex was wary of him. Juliet suddenly began breathing rapidly, unable to catch her breath. Alex forgot everything else, scooping her into his arms and carrying her into the bedroom. “Call a doctor, quickly!” It was chaos, and no one paid any attention to me. Wolf kept whimpering softly, his leg bent at an unnatural angle. I tried to ask for help. “Wolf seems to be hurt. Can someone take me to the hospital?” But everyone was rushing around for Juliet, no one noticed me. Some even rolled their eyes. “Can’t you see what’s going on, Elara? Is your dog more precious than Juliet?” “Forget a dog, even if it were *you* in trouble today, you’d have to step aside.” Wolf’s whimpers grew fainter. I couldn’t wait any longer. I carried Wolf and started walking down the hill to find help. Alex’s mansion was secluded on a hillside outside the city. Cars were rare, and there were no streetlights. It was completely silent, except for Wolf’s tiny whimpers. I ignored my fear, desperately pleading with the heavens for him to be safe. I had so little. Please don’t take Wolf away too. I walked for three hours in the dark before reaching a hospital. The doctor said Wolf was lucky, it was just a fracture, no other issues. A wave of relief washed over me, then a sharp pain shot up from my feet. I looked down and saw huge blisters, the size of beans, covering my soles.

I returned home with Wolf, and just as I was about to enter my room, someone stopped me. “Last night, Juliet had an asthma attack. In a panic, Mr. Alex carried her into the master bedroom.” “The doctor said Juliet needs quiet rest right now, so you’ll have to stay in the guest room temporarily.” Hearing her words, my heart felt a sharp, piercing pain. But I hadn’t slept all night and was utterly exhausted. I had no energy left to argue. It wasn’t like I hadn’t stayed in the guest room before. When I first came to Alex’s house, I lived in the guest room for three years. Alex’s wedding planner arrived. Today was the day to try on wedding dresses. She brought over a dozen dresses, but the guest room was small. There was no space for them, so they ended up piled haphazardly on the floor. After finally managing to put one on, I couldn’t even see the full effect of the dress. I simply moved all the wedding dresses to the living room. As I was trying on a gown, Alex and Juliet walked in from outside. Juliet had a smile on her face, showing no signs of yesterday’s illness. Seeing me in the wedding dress, Juliet sincerely praised me. “What a beautiful gown, it suits you so well.” Then, an envious look crossed her face, and she murmured, “Every woman dreams of wearing a wedding dress. I might never have that day.” Alex, who had been looking at me with a slightly lost expression, immediately frowned at her words. “Isn’t the room big enough for you to try them on? Why bring them to the living room? Trying to show off to someone?” The excitement I’d felt just moments ago, putting on the dress, largely dissipated. I never imagined that Alex’s first words to me would be these. “What are you standing there for? Go take it off.” I had imagined Alex’s reaction countless times when I wore a wedding dress, but this was never one of them. I didn’t argue, silently returning to the room to change out of the dress. When I came out, Juliet had already gone back to her room. Only Alex remained, head bowed, lost in thought. I looked around, not seeing Wolf, who usually lay nearby. He had injured his leg, so he shouldn’t be wandering off. A bad feeling flashed through my mind, and I started calling his name loudly. Alex stopped me. “Juliet just went back to rest. Don’t disturb her.” I stared into his eyes and asked, “Where’s Wolf?” He averted his gaze. “I’ve increased the wedding budget by another eighty million. Everything will be set up exactly as you wanted.” “As for Wolf, I found him a very good home. He’ll be much happier there than here.” At his words, I stumbled, falling heavily to the floor. Alex moved to help me up, but I grabbed his hand, pressing for an answer. “What do you mean?” “Elara has a phobia of dogs now, and she has asthma. Doctors don’t recommend having dogs in the house.” He let go of my hand. “But you know what Wolf means to me!” “I can take him somewhere else, I don’t want the wedding, I don’t want anything anymore.” I desperately assured Alex that Wolf and I would not appear in front of him. But Alex shook his head, a hint of reluctance in his eyes. “You can’t leave. Juliet still needs you.” “There are already whispers that Toby is returning.” Toby was Juliet’s creditor, the most powerful casino magnate, period. “He’s coming back for Juliet. We don’t have time.” This time, Alex used more force to pull me up, letting me lean against his chest. “Before he gets back, I’ll give you the grandest wedding. Everyone will know that you are Alex’s wife.” I saw Wolf’s favorite ball still scattered on the floor and felt the world spin. My vision went black, and I passed out. When I woke up, Alex excitedly pulled me into his arms. “You’re pregnant! You’re having our baby.” He had completely lost his composure, excited like a child. “If she’s a girl, she’ll be as beautiful as you.” But my face was expressionless, devoid of any first-time mother’s joy. This child was not born of love. The sound of shattering glass broke the silence. Juliet stood at the doorway, forcing a pale smile. “Congratulations, truly.” Alex instinctively pushed me away. “Juliet…” “Alex, you don’t need to worry about me anymore. What’s most important now is taking care of Elara. I’ll handle my own affairs.” Juliet bowed to Alex, tears tracing her cheeks. “Thank you for your trouble before.” With that, she turned and ran. Alex forgot everything, leaving me with a hurried “Get some rest” before rushing out. I moved out of the guest room but didn’t return to the master bedroom. The house staff redecorated a room for me, identical to the original master bedroom. Alex didn’t return for a week.

He looked much more haggard, with dark circles under his eyes. Alex didn’t look at me. He took a deep breath and spoke. “Now isn’t the time. Toby is coming back soon.” “Get rid of the child, and I’ll grant you any wish.” “I want Wolf back.” I spoke without hesitation. Alex hesitated for a moment, then agreed. He muttered, “We’ll have other children,” and then quickly fled, as if he couldn’t bear it. The surgery was quick. Aside from the drilling pain in my stomach, it was as if the child had never existed. Alex and Juliet came to see me together. The first thing I asked him when I saw him was when Wolf would be back. “I’ve already arranged for someone to pick him up. Just focus on recovering.” A hint of impatience flashed across his brow. Juliet, however, offered an explanation. “Alex has been incredibly busy with work lately. He hasn’t had a full night’s sleep in days.” As she spoke, she opened the thermos she’d brought. “This is a soup I stewed. Elara, drink it while it’s hot, it’s really good for you.” Oil slicks floated on the surface of the soup, making it look greasy. I had no appetite whatsoever. Juliet put down the bowl with a look of disappointment. “I understand if you don’t want to drink something I made, but I really stewed this soup for a long time. I just don’t want it to go to waste.” Alex immediately spoke up. “It’s just a bowl of soup. Drink it.” I thought of Wolf, still in his hands, and didn’t want to provoke him. I could only force myself to drink it, swallowing the nausea. Juliet considerately handed me a tissue. As she did, she leaned close and whispered in my ear. “How was Wolf’s flavor?” For a moment, I barely understood what she meant. I turned my head, staring at her. A smile played on her lips. “You raised Wolf so well. His meat made a big bowl of soup.” Understanding dawned on me, and I flung the bowl away, almost frantically, gripping Juliet’s neck with all my strength. “What did you say?! Say it again!” Alex clamped down on my arm, striking my face with a harsh slap before I let go. “Are you out of your mind?!” I calmed down. “Where is Wolf now?” I grabbed Alex. He was my last hope. Alex carefully checked Juliet’s marks before looking at me. “I told you he’s fine. Why are you suddenly acting crazy?!” “Let me see him. I need to see him now.” My voice was tearful, almost pleading. Alex had never seen me like this. He pulled out his phone and made a call. But after connecting, his expression suddenly changed. My heart panicked, and I reached to snatch his phone. Alex held me back fiercely. “Elara, Wolf was already very old. He died peacefully in his sleep. You can’t blame anyone.” Juliet stood not far away, watching my disheveled state, a secretive smile playing on her lips. Alex had someone inject me with a large dose of tranquilizers. I seemed to finally calm down, accepting Wolf’s death. Over the next few days, I was completely obedient to Alex’s arrangements. Tomorrow was our wedding. After the wedding, I would be sent to Toby. “This is my family’s heirloom diamond bracelet. It’s only passed down to the wife after marriage.” Alex handed me a box. “After all this is over, I’ll go with you to pick out another dog. We’ll have our own children.” Alex began to paint a picture of his imagined future. “The children will chase the puppy around, the house will be so lively.” I didn’t open the box, closing my eyes halfway. “I need to rest. I have an early start tomorrow.” Alex didn’t notice anything amiss. “Elara, you’ll be the most beautiful bride tomorrow.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “369544”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn

At the celebration banquet for my promotion to Director, I was just about to give my speech. A usually quiet male colleague suddenly interrupted me. “Miss Harper, congratulations!” “But I noticed your walking posture hasn’t been quite right lately. The gap between your legs has widened by at least two fingers.” “Is it because things got too intense in bed at night, leaving you unable to close your legs properly?” As he spoke, his eyes lecherously scanned my lower body. The private room instantly fell silent, followed by knowing laughter from everyone present. “I knew her rapid promotion wasn’t normal. The Chairman is eighteen years older than her—exactly the type of woman he likes.” “No wonder he always calls her into his office alone, and they stay there for two hours at a time. Turns out they were doing that…” Mr. Richard Harper awkwardly tried to explain, but I stopped him with a raised hand. I stared at my male colleague, smiling instead of showing anger. “I don’t know if the gap between my legs is wide or not, but I do know that eighteen years ago, Mr. Harper did something significant.”

Kyle froze for a moment, then burst into laughter, his gaze sweeping back and forth between me and Richard Harper. He slapped his thigh, laughing uproariously. “Miss Harper just confessed without even being pressed!” “You even know intimate details about Mr. Harper’s private life from eighteen years ago? Looks like this relationship has been going on for quite some time.” He paused, his gaze shifting toward Richard Harper’s lower body. “Seems like you even know exactly how many hairs Mr. Harper has down there.” The private room erupted in laughter, with several male colleagues exchanging knowing glances. “Kyle, you just don’t get it. Miss Harper here is demonstrating her core competitive advantage!” “Exactly! We work ourselves to death chasing sales targets, but Miss Harper just needs to spread her legs.” “What do you call that? That’s called winning while lying down!” Mr. Richard Harper’s face flushed red instantly. He slammed his wine glass on the table. Just as he was about to stand up, I pressed down on his hand under the table. I shook my head at him. I swirled the wine in my glass, looking at Kyle. Seeing Mr. Harper remain silent, Kyle approached me reeking of smoke and alcohol. He held a pair of greasy forks, gesturing left and right toward the area between my thighs. “Miss Harper, since we’re all so familiar now, there’s no need to be coy.” As the fork tips were about to touch my skirt hem, he narrowed his eyes. “Come on, share your experience with the guys.” “Just how wide do your legs need to spread to jump three levels in three months?” “Looking at this gap, I bet you could fit two forks in there with room to spare, right?” “Did Mr. Harper’s size stretch you out that badly?” Some female colleagues looked down, while others curled their lips in disgust. “Kyle.” I suddenly spoke. “What? Has Miss Harper come to her senses? Going to give us a demonstration?” Kyle smirked as he leaned closer. Splash!! I backhanded my glass of red wine directly into Kyle’s face. Wine dripped down his hair, flowing into his eyes and nostrils. “Ahh!! My eyes!” Kyle screamed, covering his face as he stumbled backward, his lower back knocking over a chair. “Fuck! You dare throw wine at me?!” I pulled out a tissue and wiped my hands, looking at him coldly. “Kyle, your mouth is so filthy, someone needs to clean it out.” “If I hear one more word of garbage from you, next time it won’t be wine I throw in your face—it’ll be acid.” Kyle roughly wiped his face, glaring at me with bloodshot eyes. “Evelyn Harper! You whore!” He pointed at my nose. “Who the hell do you think you are? You’re just a slut who slept her way to the top!” “A bitch like you—Mr. Harper is just playing with you for novelty!” “When he gets bored, you’ll be nothing!” “Security!” Richard Harper kicked his chair back. “Throw this trash who can’t keep his mouth shut out of here! Now! Immediately!” Kyle looked at Richard Harper and suddenly let out a strange laugh, his gaze shifting between the two of us. “Oh, oh! So Mr. Harper is protecting his little mistress now?” “Fine, I’ll leave!” “But I’m telling you both—this isn’t over!” “Our company may be private, but we don’t tolerate this kind of dirty business!” “Let’s see how you explain this to Mr. Harper’s wife!” He was dragged out by security. Before leaving, he glanced back at me, silently mouthing, “Wait.”

After everyone dispersed, Richard Harper had the driver bring the car to the back entrance. The atmosphere in the car was heavy. He handed me a bottle of water. “Evelyn…” “I shouldn’t have let him humiliate you like that just now.” I didn’t take the water, staring at the retreating streetscape outside the window. “If you fire him now, you’d actually be harming me.” Richard Harper’s hand froze in midair. “But he…” “He’s an old hand in the sales department, holding several major clients.” I turned my head. “If you fire him now because of me, what will people in the company think?” “Besides, just firing him won’t satisfy my need for revenge.” Richard Harper sighed. “So what do you plan to do?” I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes. “Let him make a scene. Those whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.” “If I don’t send him to prison, my name isn’t Evelyn Harper.” The car drove out of the alley. In the rearview mirror, I saw a figure hiding behind a trash can, flashing something at the car. The next morning. The receptionist kept her head down, pretending to organize files. As I passed the break room, the whispered conversations stopped abruptly, followed by mocking laughter. “Look, there’s that gold-digging slut with legs two fingers apart.” “Shameless. That was Mr. Harper’s car last night, wasn’t it? Getting in his car late at night.” “And they went to that secluded spot on Back Street.” “I heard Kyle got so angry he fell ill. This woman will do anything to climb the ladder.” “She even dares to bully a veteran from our sales department. All legs, no brains.” I walked straight toward the Director’s office. Pushing open the door, my steps halted. My desk was a complete mess. Written on the desk in red permanent marker were large characters: “Gold Digger,” “Bitch,” “Whore.” A doctored AI image was pasted on the monitor screen—my face photoshopped onto a naked body. Below it read: $500 per night, first choice for promotions and raises. Scattered across the keyboard and mouse pad were torn condom wrappers and some sticky fluid. I clenched my fists. “Oh my, Miss Harper, what’s wrong?” “Did one of your sugar daddies get too enthusiastic last night and leave something behind?” I turned around. Kyle was leaning against the doorframe, twirling a ruler in his hand with a gloating expression. Behind him, colleagues crowded together to watch the spectacle. I looked at the intern, Madison. She was holding coffee. Our eyes met briefly before she looked away. She turned and poured the coffee into the trash can. “Oops, this coffee is dirty. Can’t serve it to people.” “Kyle, did you do this?” I pointed at the desk and asked. Kyle shrugged. “Hey, you can’t just make accusations.” “I’m just passing by. Probably some vigilante who couldn’t stand your behavior and decided to deliver justice.” He walked toward me with the ruler. “But Miss Harper, since everyone’s so curious, why don’t you satisfy everyone’s curiosity?” He approached me and suddenly crouched down, extending the steel ruler toward my skirt! “Come on, let’s measure on the spot and see if it’s really two fingers wide!” “Let everyone see just what it takes to land a five-million-dollar deal!” “Ahh!!” Someone in the crowd shrieked. I lifted my foot and stomped hard on Kyle’s wrist with my high heel! Crack. “Oww!!!” Kyle screamed, and the steel ruler flew from his hand. Covered in cold sweat, he clutched his wrist and rolled on the floor. “She’s hitting people! She’s killing me! The slut is hitting people!” He cried out to those around him. “Everyone look! This is guilt! She’s lashing out in humiliation!” HR Manager Victoria pushed through the crowd and entered. “Evelyn Harper! Have you lost your mind?!”

She didn’t even glance at the words on my desk, rushing straight to Kyle’s side to help him up. “As a Director, assaulting a colleague in the company—this is extremely serious!” Victoria pointed at me. “Evelyn Harper, on behalf of the company, I’m issuing you a severe warning!” “Apologize to Kyle immediately and compensate him for medical expenses! Otherwise I’m calling the police!” “Call the police? Fine, go ahead!” I pulled out my phone, opened the camera, and aimed it at my desk, the lens sweeping across every person watching the spectacle. “Perfect timing for the police to see who’s sexually harassing whom, who destroyed property, and who insulted my dignity!” Victoria’s expression changed. She lowered her voice. “Evelyn Harper, don’t think you can do whatever you want just because Mr. Harper has your back!” “Mr. Harper has a reputation to maintain! If this blows up and the police come, the media will expose it.” “People will only say Mr. Harper’s mistress was hitting people at the company!” “When that happens, you’ll see whether Mr. Harper protects you or protects the company!” Richard Harper strode down the corridor with a dark expression. The crowd automatically parted. Seeing Richard Harper, Kyle forgot about his hand pain and crawled over to hug his legs. “Mr. Harper! You must give me justice!” “I was just showing concern for Miss Harper, and she kicked my hand until it broke! How can someone like this be a Director!” “You can’t indulge her just because she’s your… you know!” Richard Harper’s chest heaved, his gaze moving between me and the words on the desk. Just as he was about to speak, I gave him a look. Richard Harper forcibly swallowed his anger. “Security! Take Kyle to my office! I have questions for him!” “Also, clean this place up!” “Anyone else who gossips gets fired!” Richard Harper hauled Kyle away. Less than ten minutes later, a new version spread through the company’s private chat groups. Kyle sent a voice message. “Guys, I’m fine! Mr. Harper called me in to placate me!” “He even praised me for being sensible, said that woman is good in bed and he’s not done playing with her yet, told me to be patient for now.” “He said as long as I don’t make this public, he’ll transfer her away next month, and then everyone will get to enjoy her!” The voice message played on speaker, clearly audible throughout the entire office. Countless gazes stabbed into my back. I sat at my cleaned desk, fingers tapping the keyboard lightly. The screen reflected my cold eyes. That evening, the notoriously lecherous supplier, Mr. Davis, arrived. Kyle uncharacteristically came to my office and slammed a file on my desk. “Miss Harper, Mr. Davis specifically asked to see you.” “He said he’s heard our company’s newly appointed Director is a great beauty, and tonight you must personally handle the negotiation.” “Otherwise he won’t sign this five-million-dollar contract.” Kyle’s wrist was wrapped in gauze, his face full of wrinkled smiles. “This is a key project for the company this year, and Mr. Harper values it highly.” “Miss Harper, you’re so capable—this kind of situation shouldn’t be difficult for you, right?” I closed the file and smiled at him. “Since Kyle thinks so highly of me, I’ll definitely secure this contract.” Kyle froze, then snorted coldly and walked out.

That evening, at the Regal Club. Mr. Davis’s eyes lit up the moment he saw me. He pushed away the woman beside him and patted the empty seat. “Oh, so this is the beautiful Miss Harper! You’re even more charming in person than in photos!” “No wonder Richard keeps you hidden away and won’t bring you out. Come, come, sit next to me!” Kyle poured me a full glass of wine. “Miss Harper, Mr. Davis is our golden goose. You need to keep him happy.” “Once Mr. Davis is happy, the contract is a done deal.” Mr. Davis understood, grabbing my hand and stroking the back of it. “I heard Miss Harper has excellent business capabilities, and your nighttime services are quite skilled too?” “Kyle told me you’re particularly… uninhibited?” Laughter filled the room. I suppressed my disgust, withdrew my hand, and picked up the wine glass. “Mr. Davis, you jest. Let me toast you, hoping for pleasant cooperation in the future.” “Eh, drinking is boring.” Mr. Davis pressed down on my glass and leaned in, reeking of alcohol. “Let’s do something more exciting.” “I’ve long heard about Miss Harper’s legendary leg skills. Kyle says those legs of yours are particularly good at gripping.” “How about this—you perform a split on this table right here, and I’ll sign the contract immediately.” Kyle egged him on. “Exactly! We’re all friends here, why put on an act?” “The gap’s already open—what difference does spreading them one more time make?” “As long as you satisfy Mr. Davis, I guarantee I’ll look after you at the company.” Sensing something was wrong, I quickly pressed the record button on the voice recorder in my pocket. To be safe, I also sent a message to my emergency contact. “Mr. Davis, I’m here to discuss business, not to perform.” “If you’re not sincere, we don’t need to sign this contract.” “Stop pretending!” Mr. Davis suddenly stood up, grabbed my hair, and yanked my head back. “Playing hard to get, are you? A used slut acting all high and mighty!” “I’m going to inspect the merchandise today and see if you’re worth the price!” His other hand reached for my collar to tear it! I grabbed the wine bottle and smashed it on Mr. Davis’s bald head with a crash! Mr. Davis screamed and collapsed on the sofa, clutching his head and rolling around. Kyle was stunned, not even noticing the cigarette that fell from his mouth onto his pants. I gripped the broken bottle neck, pointing it at Kyle who wanted to rush forward. “Move one more step and I’ll stab anyone who comes near!” I threw down the broken bottle, straightened my clothes, and turned to run out of the room. But before I could touch the door handle, a sharp pain shot through my scalp! “Bitch! Hit Mr. Davis and think you can run?!” Kyle grabbed my hair and violently dragged me back to the center of the room. “Hold her down!” Mr. Davis, clutching his bloody head, also pounced on me, pressing me hard to the floor. I struggled desperately, but was pinned down firmly by the two men. They violently tore open my jacket. “Acting like some virtuous woman! I’m going to inspect the goods right here in front of everyone today!” Mr. Davis’s eyes were bloodshot, and his filthy hands were about to completely tear my shirt. I tried to scream in terror, but Kyle covered my mouth tightly. “BANG!” Just then, the heavy door of the room was violently kicked open from outside! A woman in an elegant dress, exuding an air of authority, strode into the room radiating coldness. Behind her followed more than a dozen bodyguards in black. Kyle froze for a moment. But after seeing who it was, not only did he show no guilt, he rushed forward like he’d found a savior, his face full of flattery. “Mrs. Harper! You’re finally here!” He pointed at me, disheveled on the floor, and shouted: “Mrs. Harper, I’ve been wanting to report this to you!” “This vixen is using her looks to seduce Mr. Harper!” “She’s a cancer in our company—you must eliminate this threat to the company!” Mr. Davis and the hostesses outside the room all stopped, ready to watch the spectacle of the legitimate wife tearing apart the mistress. Mrs. Susan Harper walked up to me. She saw my torn clothes and my legs covered in bruises from struggling. The room instantly fell silent. Kyle clenched his fists and laughed viciously. “Hit her! Beat this shameless…” SLAP!!! A loud crack. Kyle’s face instantly swelled on one side, his lip split and bleeding. He covered his face, looking at Susan Harper in disbelief. “Mrs… Mrs. Harper… you hit the wrong person, right?” “I’m helping you! That vixen is…” SLAP! Susan Harper backhanded another slap, and a tooth flew out mixed with blood and saliva. She looked at Kyle, then coldly swept her gaze over Mr. Davis nearby. “Who gave you the nerve to touch her? Do you have a death wish?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “369543”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn

At three in the morning, I was jolted awake by a call from the building’s management office. When I opened my phone, I saw someone had mentioned me in the building’s group chat. ” Apartment 1601, have you no shame? Making those noises every night at this hour, as if you want everyone to know you’re having sex!” “My daughter just started college, and now she’s been corrupted by you.” “If you dare make those sounds again, I’ll start a livestream and let everyone know how shameless you are!” My downstairs neighbor kept hurling accusations at me, and other residents chimed in, saying they’d all been disturbed by my sounds. But I wasn’t even home right then! Thinking my husband might be cheating, I quickly opened the bedroom surveillance camera. The moment I saw the woman on the bed clearly, I laughed. Wasn’t this the college freshman daughter from downstairs? After a week of back-to-back business trips, I was exhausted and just wanted to get home and crash. At three in the morning, my driver had just merged onto the highway. Lying in the back seat, I was woken by an unexpected call from property management. I opened the homeowners’ group and found Sharon complaining again—she lived in the unit below mine. Ever since she moved in below us, she’d been complaining nonstop. Either our footsteps were too heavy and disturbing her rest, or we had too many guests and the elevator passed by her floor too frequently. Big issues, small issues—she’d tagged me countless times. Seeing her accusations this time were completely baseless, I hadn’t planned on responding. But even neighbors who usually stayed silent were speaking up. “These things happen, we understand, but the noise is really too loud. It’s definitely inappropriate. 1601, you should be more careful.” “This is a school district. Everyone has underage children. Yesterday my son asked me what those sounds were. It was really hard to explain.” Reading these messages, I was stunned. If it were just Sharon hearing something, she might be deliberately causing trouble. But I had no conflicts with the other neighbors—they had no reason to slander me. Perhaps they were mistaking sounds from another unit for mine. With this thought, I posted screenshots of last night’s business meeting records and my current location in the group. “I really haven’t been home these past few days. You must have the wrong person.” After my explanation, the group suddenly went silent. Five minutes later, Sharon sent a mocking voice message. “I put my ear to the door and listened. The sounds are definitely coming from your place. If it’s not you, then who?” My heart sank as I immediately thought of my husband cheating. But we’d known each other since high school, survived the difficult long-distance years during college, and built our business together to get where we are today. After all these years together, I couldn’t believe he would cheat. Another neighbor tagged me in the group: “1601, we get it—your husband has stamina. But could you please stop making those sounds!” With trembling hands, I replied in the group. “I’m not home. Give me a moment to check the surveillance.” This was surveillance my best friend had convinced me to secretly install in the bedroom. She said with our substantial assets now and my frequent business trips, our marriage might eventually fall apart. If my husband cheated first, maybe the surveillance would capture evidence. At the time, I’d dismissed her concerns. I never expected I’d actually see my husband with another woman on that surveillance footage! The woman turned her head at just the right moment. The instant I saw her, I was stunned. Wasn’t this Sharon’s college freshman daughter?!

I stared at the screen in disbelief, my body trembling uncontrollably. In that moment, I knew for certain—the man who’d weathered hardships with me had cheated. And I didn’t even know when he and his mistress had gotten together. Sharon’s accusations continued flooding the group, but I was furious yet clear-headed enough to know that the priority now wasn’t fighting back, but preserving evidence and catching them in the act! Over the years, Marcus and I had accumulated joint assets worth tens of millions. Since he cheated first, I’d make sure to take as much as possible in the divorce. I quickly contacted my best friend, who’s a lawyer. Learning of Marcus’s infidelity, she cursed him several times before asking me, “How soon can you get home?” I glanced up at my driver. Having overheard my conversation with my friend, he’d realized something was wrong and sped up considerably. He told me, “Two hours.” My friend immediately started contacting a private investigator to help me gather evidence. She also warned me not to tip them off before I got home. If anyone in the building wanted to knock on my door, I should definitely encourage them in the group to go together, ensuring there would be witnesses. Before hanging up, she said one last thing: “Serena, drive safely. Don’t let your health suffer over a man who isn’t worth it.” From the moment I discovered Marcus’s cheating, I’d only felt shock and anger. But after seeing my friend’s message, tears fell onto my phone against my will. No time to reminisce about the past with Marcus—Sharon, seeing I hadn’t responded in the group, started a group voice call. I declined it. Sharon continued posting in the group. “Oh, so you can see group messages? Then why no response?” “Don’t tell me you’re playing the victim, pretending to just discover your husband’s cheating?” “I saw your car this afternoon. You were home. Now you won’t admit it?” “When you were screaming, you sounded so slutty. Now suddenly you’re embarrassed?” I explained again that I was really on the highway and wouldn’t be home for another hour and a half. Sharon still didn’t believe me. “If the woman upstairs really isn’t you, I’ll not only apologize to you publicly, I’ll personally help you catch that homewrecker and scratch her face up!” I went along with Sharon’s words, taking the opportunity to say: “Then I’m afraid I’ll really have to trouble you to scratch that homewrecker’s face for me.” “I saw on the surveillance—those bastards are asleep now.” “I’ll be home in an hour and a half. Everyone, please don’t tip them off. When I get to the building, I’d appreciate it if the neighbors who are awake could come with me to catch them in the act and help me get justice!” The people in the group just wanted to watch the drama unfold. No one actually wanted to get involved in this mess. Seeing me invite them to witness the affair, the group instantly went silent. Only Sharon kept cursing at me. “You bitch, trying to gain sympathy by not admitting to it this time. You’d even ruin your own husband’s reputation!” “Others might not know you, but don’t I?” “When we were renovating, you faked being sick and said you needed to sleep, making the workers stay quiet. That delayed us moving in by a month!” “Later you hit and killed my dog with your car, but stubbornly claimed you’d injured your leg and hadn’t been driving at all.” “You fake bitch, this time I’ll make you pay!” I remembered both incidents Sharon mentioned. Because this building was close to my company, I was among the first residents to move in. At the time, many units were still being renovated. Everyone renovated during the day, but Sharon insisted on waiting until after work so she could supervise, making the workers renovate in the evening. I’d tried reasoning with Sharon several times, but each time she’d size up my clothes and sneer. “How would a pampered wife like you understand how much we sacrificed for this unit? Of course I need to supervise carefully during renovations. If you think it’s too loud, go stay in a hotel!” At the time I’d had a high fever and wasn’t in the mood to argue with her. I called the police instead. Only then did Sharon start renovating during the day. But after moving in, she decided I’d delayed her renovation schedule and demanded I compensate her a hundred thousand dollars for emotional distress. I completely ignored her. But a month later, as I was driving out, her daughter ran straight toward me with her dog on a leash. Even though I braked hard, I still hit the dog. It died on impact. Sharon and my husband both rushed to the scene. Sharon hysterically claimed the dog was their family member and demanded I pay two hundred thousand in compensation. I insisted on following legal procedures. My husband called the police on the spot. When the police questioned Sharon’s daughter, she was so frightened she could only cry. In the end, it was my dashcam footage that proved my innocence. I paid fifty thousand as humanitarian compensation. Sharon cursed and complained it wasn’t enough, swearing I’d get what I deserved. My husband stared silently at Grace in the distance. That must have been their first meeting. And now, they were lying in the same bed.

I didn’t rush to explain the truth in the group. Instead, I quickly told my friend about my new discovery. “Grace and Marcus must have started their affair after I hit that dog.” With this information, my friend reviewed the timeline from the private investigator with me, mapping out when Marcus had cheated. March 10, 2025: Marcus first met Grace. June 23: Grace claimed her water heater was broken and came upstairs to shower at our place while I wasn’t home. August 15: The two entered a hotel one after the other. Until today—nearly seven months. They’d met 53 times. Marcus had spent two million dollars on her from our joint account. The condo my parents had given me before marriage had become their secret meeting place. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking with rage. Sharon’s messages kept flooding the group. “This Serena loves playing the victim with her fake innocent act. Having her as a neighbor has been such bad luck!” “Good thing you parents with kids haven’t gotten too close to her, or when your kids cry at night, she might fabricate some story about having a heart condition and claim your crying child triggered an attack!” “Not like me—I raised my daughter for twenty years. She’s sweet and well-behaved, blushing even at the sight of people kissing, yet she has to listen to this woman screaming upstairs every night!” “If she corrupts my innocent daughter, I won’t want to live anymore!” The word “innocent” was particularly jarring. I directly posted a screenshot from the home surveillance to the group. In the frame, Marcus was holding a woman while sleeping. But because the image was blurry, Sharon couldn’t recognize it was Grace and immediately started cursing at me. “Serena, you really have no shame! Why are you posting pictures of you and your husband sleeping in the group?!” “Don’t you know there might be minors in this chat?!” I posted a video from the highway to explain: “I’m on the highway. I’ll be home in forty minutes. The surveillance is live. How many times do I have to say—the woman making those sounds in my home is NOT me!” Seeing my anger, people in the group started urging Sharon to back off, saying it might really be a misunderstanding. But Sharon kept insisting. “With Serena’s fake innocent act, if I’d really wronged her, she would’ve been crying and calling the police by now!” “I’m not trying to be aggressive. As long as she promises not to be so loud in the future and compensates my daughter three hundred thousand for emotional distress, we’ll let this go.” Reading the message, I couldn’t help but laugh coldly. No wonder she was making such a big deal today—she thought she’d caught me in the wrong and wanted to force me to pay up! She’d demanded a hundred thousand during renovations, two hundred thousand when I hit the dog. She called me a pampered wife living off my husband, yet all she thought about was my money. I could no longer contain my fury. I sent a voice message to the group: “Sharon, not only is the woman upstairs not me, but even if she were, what you’re doing right now is extortion!” Sharon fired back. “I’m slandering you? Your voice is already hoarse from screaming, and you’re still denying it!” “Just tell me—are you going to pay the emotional distress compensation or not!” I replied directly: “I know you’re jealous of my money, but I earned it through hard work. I’d rather donate it all than give you a single cent for slandering me. And this time, I’m also a victim!” “Bullshit! My daughter is the victim! Since you won’t take what I’m offering, don’t blame me for getting justice for my daughter!”

After saying this, Sharon directly shared a livestream link in the group. When I clicked it, I discovered Sharon was the streamer. In her stream, she was tearfully complaining about how I screamed every day, corrupting her daughter and causing her to mature too early. She claimed that because of me, her daughter had almost been tricked into working at a nightclub. And when she tried to get justice for her daughter by calling me out in the group, she was accused of extortion. Sharon cried hysterically, looking like a desperate mother trying to protect her daughter. Viewers in the livestream who didn’t know the truth were immediately outraged and rallied behind Sharon. “Why even talk to this bitch? Just kick her out of the building and make her compensate you with her condo!” “Best case scenario, this woman is a gold digger kept by her husband. Worst case, she’s a mistress herself. I suggest the streamer expose her identity. If she really is a mistress, it’ll be even easier to deal with!” Sharon pretended to accidentally leak my information in the livestream. Within five minutes, all my information had been dug up, and my company received over a thousand reports overnight! The deal I’d spent a week negotiating on this business trip—the client decided to terminate it after seeing the news. My employees kept calling, asking what was going on and how the company should handle PR. “Save all the evidence and have legal prepare to sue.” After responding to my employees, I quickly called each client back to explain, with no time to address the online backlash. I contacted all the clients. By then, the car had finally stopped at the building entrance. My friend said the evidence chain for Marcus’s affair was ready. Taking a deep breath, I looked at the dim morning sky outside and sent a message to the group. “I know everyone wants to watch the drama. I’m downstairs now. If you’re still awake, come with me to catch them in the act.” I opened the door and got out, looking up at my floor. Many people were leaning out, looking down. Sharon was the first to rush down, holding up her streaming phone. The camera was pointed at my face, but she told her livestream viewers: “This bitch must have snuck out of her home when I wasn’t paying attention, deliberately creating the illusion that she wasn’t home!” “I bet there’s no one in her place now. When we open the door, she’ll definitely say I deliberately slandered her. But she doesn’t know—I already recorded her screaming!” Seeing quite a few neighbors had gathered around, I smiled coldly. “I checked the surveillance. Those bastards are still at home. We won’t come up empty.” “Now, I’m going to take everyone upstairs to catch them in the act!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “369542”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn

In a haute couture boutique in Paris, the wedding dress I’d waited half a year for was now draped on the body of Vivian Snow, the hottest actress of the moment. The store manager stood trembling before Marcus Caldwell, who sat on the sofa, sweat pouring down his face. Marcus rose to his feet and personally adjusted the hem of Vivian’s gown. Then he looked up at me and said: “She’s short a suitable gown for next week’s film festival. What’s the problem with borrowing it? Just pick another one and stop making a scene.” Vivian smiled happily at her reflection in the mirror. Suddenly, this wedding I’d spent a year preparing felt utterly ridiculous. I didn’t lose my temper. I simply removed the engagement ring from my finger and placed it calmly on the table. “You’re right, Mr. Caldwell. I should change my dress. And while I’m at it, I should change my groom too.” The air in the boutique became suffocating in that instant. Marcus’s hand, which had been adjusting Vivian’s hem, froze. He turned slowly. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes narrowed with cold scrutiny. “Miriam Fuller, what did you just say?” His voice carried an oppressive weight. I looked at his handsome face and felt my stomach turn. “I said I’m calling off this wedding.” My voice was perfectly calm. “Pfft—” Vivian, standing before the mirror, suddenly covered her mouth and laughed. She lifted the diamond-encrusted wedding dress—the one that should have been mine—and walked toward me. “Miriam, don’t be so petty.” Vivian blinked, her voice syrupy sweet: “This dress can only reach its maximum commercial value on me.” “You’re usually so gentle. Why are you being so difficult at such a crucial moment?” I looked at her coldly. “Take it off.” Vivian flinched back behind Marcus, her eyes reddening. “Marcus, Miriam’s scaring me.” Marcus immediately shielded Vivian behind him, his brow furrowing. He strode up to me, impatience flickering in his eyes. “Miriam, have you made enough of a scene?” He used that particular tone of his—the one that made hurtful words sound reasonable. “Vivian is the company’s cash cow. Tilting resources toward her benefits our future together.” “You’re a full-time housewife who doesn’t even work. Who exactly are you wearing such an expensive wedding dress for?” His matter-of-fact tone made me feel sick. Five years of devotion, and in his eyes, it only earned me the question “who are you wearing it for?” I took a deep breath, my hands clenched tight. “Marcus, I waited half a year for this custom-made dress.” “Did you ask my opinion before deciding to lend it out?” Marcus let out a cold laugh, completely dismissive. “Ask your opinion?” He moved closer, his presence overwhelming me. “This dress cost three million dollars. I paid for it!” “Everything you wear, everything you use—which of it wasn’t provided by me, Marcus?” “And now you want to talk to me about opinions?” He jabbed his finger at my shoulder, hard. “Miriam, you need to learn gratitude.” “Don’t think that just because I usually indulge you, you can do whatever you want around me.” I stared at this arrogant man and suddenly felt like I was looking at a stranger. He didn’t think there was anything wrong with taking his fiancée’s dress. In his eyes, I was just an object that existed to serve him. I had no interest in arguing further. I turned and headed for the door. “Stop right there!” Marcus shouted. He lunged forward and grabbed my wrist in a vice grip. “Marcus, let go!” I gasped in pain. Not only did he not release me, he yanked me toward him even harder. He lowered his head to my ear, his voice a threatening whisper. “Miriam, don’t push your luck.” “Be good and pick another wedding dress. Next week’s ceremony will proceed as planned.” “As long as you behave, once Vivian walks the red carpet, I’ll rent out an entire island and throw you an even bigger wedding.” “But if you dare walk out that door today…” He paused, his eyes turning sinister. “I guarantee that in all of New York, no bridal boutique will sell you anything, and no one will—” I endured the searing pain in my wrist and lifted my head, staring directly into his eyes. “Marcus, you disgust me.” I used all my strength to wrench my hand free. A ring of red marks had already formed on my wrist. Without sparing him another glance, I turned and walked away.

Click. The boutique’s heavy glass door locked behind me. I turned around. Marcus stood inside, tossing the electronic key he’d taken from the store manager in his hand. Through the glass, he looked at me with a cold smirk. “Miriam, I told you—without my permission, you’re not going anywhere.” I pounded on the glass door. “Marcus! This is illegal detention! Open this door!” “Detention?” Marcus strolled back to the sofa and sat down casually, crossing his legs. “I’m teaching my fiancée what rules mean.” Vivian sidled up to him, leaning against his shoulder and shooting me a provocative smile. “Miriam, stop making trouble. Marcus is doing this for your own good.” “It’s about to pour outside. You won’t even be able to get a car.” Marcus pulled out his phone and made a call right in front of me. “Cancel all cards under Miriam’s name.” “Freeze all her hotel VIP privileges.” “Notify every car service and rideshare platform in New York—anyone who accepts a ride from Miriam is making an enemy of Caldwell Corporation.” After hanging up, he tapped his knuckles against the glass. “Miriam, your pride is worthless.” “Without me, you won’t even find a place to sleep in this city.” “I’m giving you two hours to reflect.” “When you’ve come to your senses, get on your knees outside that door and beg me.” The sky darkened quickly. The wind picked up, and soon heavy rain began to fall. The rain soaked me to the bone, leaving me shivering with cold. I stood beneath the awning outside the boutique, trembling all over. I pulled out my phone. A dozen text messages flashed on the screen. [Dear customer, your credit card has been frozen…] [We apologize, Ms. Fuller. Your ride request has been forcibly cancelled by the system…] Marcus hadn’t been joking. He was using his power to completely cut me off. He wanted to corner me, to make me understand that I was nothing but his accessory. I clenched my jaw and scrolled through my contacts. I couldn’t give in. I called my best friend, Harper Kingston. “Harper, come pick me up. I’m outside the boutique on Madison Avenue.” On the other end of the line, Harper’s voice was choked with tears. “Miriam… I’m so sorry…” “Marcus just called my dad and threatened him. He said if I come get you, the Kingston family’s funding will dry up tomorrow.” “My dad locked me in my room… Miriam, just apologize to him. Marcus has lost his mind!” My heart sank. Marcus had cut off even my last escape route. Through the rain-blurred glass, I could see Marcus leisurely swirling a glass of red wine. He was enjoying watching me suffer in the rain. Vivian knelt at his feet, massaging his legs. The sight stabbed at my eyes and killed whatever feelings I had left for him. I realized I shouldn’t have been looking for a decent person in a trash heap. Filthy garbage should simply be thrown away. I took a deep breath and shoved my frozen hands into my pockets. Since no one was coming, I’d walk back myself. I turned and plunged into the rain. “Wham!” I’d barely taken two steps when a black Maybach screeched to a halt in front of me, splashing muddy water high into the air. The window rolled down. Marcus’s assistant stepped out, holding a black umbrella. He looked down at my drenched figure with contempt and threw a garment bag directly at my feet.

Through the half-open zipper, I could see a cheap white bridesmaid dress inside, loose threads still hanging from it. The assistant looked at me coldly, his tone patronizing. “Ms. Fuller, Vivian is walking the red carpet tonight and needs someone to carry her train.” “Mr. Caldwell said if you put on this dress and attend to Ms. Snow tonight…” “Your credit cards will be unfrozen tomorrow, and you can still have a spot at the wedding.” They wanted me to carry the train for the woman who’d stolen my wedding dress? While wearing this thing? This was humiliation. I stared at the garment bag on the ground, shaking violently from the cold, but my spine remained perfectly straight. “Go back and tell Marcus to go to hell.” The assistant’s expression changed. He pointed at my nose and started cursing. “Miriam, don’t push your luck! Without Mr. Caldwell, you couldn’t even afford to eat!” He waved his hand. The rear door of the Maybach swung open. Two bodyguards rushed out and pinned my arms behind my back. “Let me go! What are you doing?!” I struggled desperately, but my rain-frozen body had no strength left. The assistant picked up the mud-splattered dress from the ground and shoved it forcefully into my arms. “Mr. Caldwell’s orders—It’s best for you not to regret it later!” I was roughly shoved into the car. The door slammed shut. The Maybach sped through the downpour, heading straight for tonight’s film festival red carpet venue. The air conditioning in the car was blasting cold air. Wearing my soaked clothes, I shivered violently, my lips turning purple, my teeth chattering. The assistant sat in the passenger seat, sneering at me through the rearview mirror. “Ms. Fuller, if you’d known it would come to this, why start the trouble?” “Women should just lower their heads and submit. You’d have everything. But no, you had to oppose Mr. Caldwell. In the end, you’re the only one who suffers.” I closed my eyes, refusing to listen to his garbage. Half an hour later, the car stopped at the red carpet’s backstage area. The bodyguards forced me out of the car. In the nearby dressing room, Vivian wore the dress that should have been mine—the one covered in diamonds—surrounded by reporters conducting interviews. Marcus stood beside her in a tailored suit, his gaze indulgent. Seeing me being escorted over, Marcus excused himself from the reporters and strode toward me. He glanced at the mud-stained bridesmaid dress in my hands, his brow furrowing slightly. “Why are you in such a state?” He removed his suit jacket, attempting to drape it over my shoulders. Still using that hypocritical tone. “Miriam, you’re just too stubborn. If you’d just behaved, how could I bear to let you suffer like this?” Nausea churned in my stomach. I turned aside, dodging his touch. The jacket fell to the ground. Marcus’s expression darkened, his eyes turning vicious. “Miriam, my patience has limits.” He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up. “Now. Go change into that dress immediately.” “When Vivian goes on stage, you’ll carry her train from behind.” “If you dare mess this up…” He let out a cold laugh and pulled a bracelet from his pocket. That was the only keepsake my late grandmother had left me! “Marcus! Give it back!” I lunged forward, trying to grab it. He raised his right hand high, his eyes ruthless. “Carry her train, and I’ll return it to you.” “Otherwise, I’ll smash it right now.”

The bracelet was something my grandmother had placed on my wrist on her deathbed. It was my last connection to anyone in this world. Marcus’s fingers tightened slightly around the bracelet. If he released his grip, the jade would shatter on the floor. “I’m counting to three.” Marcus looked down at me condescendingly. “Three.” “Two.” I trembled all over, my nails digging into my palms until they drew blood. “One.” “I’ll do it!” I forced those two words from my throat, my eyes stinging. Marcus smiled with satisfaction. He pocketed the bracelet and patted my cheek. “That’s better. Go on. Vivian’s about to make her entrance.” I took the mud-stained bridesmaid dress and walked into the restroom. Looking at my pathetic reflection in the mirror, my eyes turned cold. For five years, I’d hidden my identity as a venture capital founder to protect his ego. I’d willingly stayed home, supporting him from the shadows. I thought I’d fallen in love with an ambitious man. Turned out, I’d just been feeding a selfish beast. Marcus, every ounce of humiliation you’ve heaped on me today— Tomorrow, you’ll repay it with your entire company. I didn’t put on the bridesmaid dress. I threw it directly into the trash. Pushing open the restroom door, I walked toward the red carpet staging area. Vivian was holding Marcus’s arm, about to step onto the red carpet. Seeing me emerge in my soaked street clothes, Marcus’s expression turned stormy. “Miriam! Are my words going in one ear and out the other?!” He hissed under his breath. Vivian also put on an aggrieved expression. “Miriam, how could you do this? Without you carrying my train, this gown won’t have the same impact.” I looked at them coldly. The flash photography ahead had already started. The host was calling Vivian’s name in a loud voice. Ignoring Marcus, I turned toward the exit. “Grab her!” Marcus couldn’t care less about the occasion. He gave the order directly. The two bodyguards lunged forward and kicked the back of my knees. “Thud!” Completely unprepared, I collapsed onto the hard floor. Searing pain shot through my knees. Surrounding staff members and reporters turned to look. Someone raised a camera. Marcus strode up to me, his eyes cold and merciless. In front of everyone, he pointed at my nose. “Ladies and gentlemen of the press, my apologies.” But his words were cutting. “This woman is a minor assistant at my company who’s harbored unrealistic fantasies about me.” “Today she actually crashed the backstage area to cause trouble, attempting to sabotage Ms. Vivian’s red carpet appearance.” “Someone get this woman out of here. Don’t let her dirty everyone’s eyes!” The entire venue erupted in commotion. Countless camera flashes captured my image kneeling on the floor. He wanted to destroy my dignity this way. The bodyguards roughly hauled me up by my arms and dragged me toward the door and the pouring rain beyond. Marcus wrapped his arm around Vivian’s waist, watching me. “Miriam, this is what happens when you disobey me. Tonight, you can sleep on the streets and reflect properly.” I was thrown into the mud outside the backstage entrance. Rain washed over the blood on my knees. I lay in the muck, watching the two glamorous figures on the red carpet, a cold smile on my lips. From my soaked pocket, I pulled out my encrypted black phone. My fingers trembled as I pressed a string of numbers. It was Damien Ashford’s private line. Damien—New York’s untouchable devil, and the only partner who’d stood beside me when I built my venture capital empire on Wall Street years ago. For five years, he’d willingly retreated into the shadows, managing hundreds of billions in overseas capital for me. He’d begged me countless times, eyes red with suppressed obsession, to leave Marcus. But I’d stubbornly refused, insisting I wanted “an ordinary person’s stable love.” Only today did I finally understand—some garbage doesn’t deserve genuine affection. The call connected. “It’s me.” “The game’s over. Pull all domestic investments from Caldwell Corporation. Cut off their funding.” “Also…” I closed my eyes, letting the rain pound against my face. When I opened them again, only resolution remained. “Damien, come get me. Tomorrow, I want Marcus and his Caldwell Corporation to disappear from New York.” The line was silent for a few seconds. Then came a man’s low, raspy voice—filled with long-suppressed heartache and murderous intent: “Ten minutes. Marcus will pay with his life.” After hanging up, laughter and flirtation still drifted from the nearby dressing room. Marcus and Vivian were still plotting to keep me under their feet. They had no idea they were about to be finished.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “369541”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #现实主义Realistic #惊悚Thriller #浪漫Romance #重生Reborn