Author: Momo Chan

The day I tore up my acceptance letter to a top university, my mom cried on the bed, and my brother cried outside the door. Ten years later, my brother returned from studying abroad with a gilded resume, a $500,000 annual salary, and a wealthy, beautiful girlfriend. I was still hunched over a sewing machine in a garment factory, my hands covered in needle pricks. Our old house was demolished, yielding a compensation of $6.23 million. My mom held my hand: “It’s all yours, Chloe. Mom is so sorry for what she put you through.” I fell to my knees: “Mom, give it to Noah. He needs money to get married.” My mom slapped me and cried, “Mom isn’t senile!” My brother’s girlfriend pointed her finger at my nose: “What does a factory worker need all that money for? Let it collect dust in the bank?” My brother remained silent the entire time, his eyes darting away. My mom pulled a metal tin from under the bed, inside was a stack of yellowing papers: “This is your three years of high school tutoring fees. Your sister paid for it.” “This is your four years of college living expenses. Your sister transferred it.” “This is your first year’s tuition for studying abroad. Your sister borrowed it.” “Noah Davis, your sister put you through school for ten years, not so you could pay her back.” “It’s so you remember that your glamorous life was bought with your sister’s torn-up acceptance letter.” “Now, please get out.” My mom stood in front of me like a mother wolf protecting her pup. 1. That year, I was eighteen. Clutching my acceptance letter to Parsons School of Design, I stood in the hospital corridor. The doctor said my dad couldn’t be saved. My mom fainted from crying in the hospital room. My brother, Noah, was fifteen, curled up on a bench like an abandoned puppy. Relatives came in waves, leaving behind sighs and thin envelopes of cash. I heard them say: “Looks like Chloe won’t be going to college after all.” … Three days later, we buried my dad. My mom lay in bed, unable to get up, saying she was overwhelmed with grief. We later found out her chronic kidney disease had worsened. Noah cried so hard he couldn’t stand; I supported him the whole time. My aunt held my hand: “The garment factory is hiring. Room and board included, two thousand a month. If you want to go, I’ll introduce you.” I turned to look at Noah standing in the doorway. “Sis…” he called out, his voice impossibly hoarse. I went over and hugged him. He leaned on my shoulder, his tears soaking through my shirt. That night. I sat in front of my dad’s memorial photo and tore my acceptance letter to pieces. The red fragments fell into the brazier, quickly curling, blackening, and turning to ash. My mom was crying in the inner room, her sobs heavily suppressed. The next day, I went to the employment agency and filled out a form. The staff asked what I could do. I said I could use a sewing machine. “Garment factory hiring, room and board included, two thousand a month, overtime extra. You in?” “I’m in.” And just like that, I became a worker at the Eastside Garment Factory. I was eighteen that year, employee number 247. 2. Ten years. It’s a light word, taking only a second to say. But for me, it was torment. The first three years were the hardest. My mom got sick, her chronic kidney disease turning into renal failure. She had to do dialysis twice a week, and every time, she looked like she had died and come back. Noah was in high school. Tuition, tutoring fees, living expenses—it was a bottomless pit. My dad’s settlement money was like a pebble thrown into a river; a small splash, and then it was gone. During the day, I pedaled the sewing machine in the workshop. At night, I bussed tables at a night market food stall. I’d get home in the early hours of the morning, massage my mom’s swollen legs, and check Noah’s homework. In the fourth year, Noah got into college—a top university in San Francisco. Tuition was eight thousand a year, housing twelve hundred. I stayed up all night doing the math. In the end, I borrowed from coworkers and relatives, scrapping together enough for his first year’s tuition. The day I sent Noah to the train station. He hugged me and wouldn’t let go. “Sis, when I graduate, I’ll definitely make sure you have a good life.” I patted his back: “Just study hard, don’t think about these things.” The train pulled away. I stood on the platform, my eyes stinging. In the seventh year, Noah said he wanted to do an exchange year abroad. I asked over the phone: “How much?” Noah’s voice was low: “Tuition and living expenses, about two hundred thousand. Sis, maybe we should just forget it.” “Go. I’ll figure out the money.” I started borrowing again. Coworkers, relatives, neighbors… Eight people pitched in fifty thousand. It wasn’t enough. Finally, I found a payday loan online. The interest rate was terrifying. My hand shook as I signed, but thinking of Noah’s future, I signed it anyway. The tenth year, which is this year, I am twenty-eight. Ten years. I went from a blushing teenage girl to “Chloe,” the fastest worker in the shop. My hands were covered in calluses, my knuckles chronically cracked, and I had lumbar muscle strain that made it impossible to stand straight on rainy days. I had never dated. Not because I didn’t want to, but because I had neither the time nor the money. The older women at the factory had set me up a few times, but nothing ever came of it after the first meeting. They thought I had too much baggage—a sick mother and a brother still in school. I don’t resent him. Really. When I saw the photos Noah sent. Seeing him looking so confident speaking at an academic conference. I felt it was worth it. Sometimes, biking through the empty streets late at night after work. I would think back to that summer when I was eighteen. Think back to that red acceptance letter. Think back to my homeroom teacher saying, “Chloe, you are the pride of our school.” If I had gone to New York back then. What would my life be like now? I don’t know. And I don’t dare to imagine. 3. The news of the demolition spread this spring. The old neighborhood we lived in was slated for redevelopment. City officials went door-to-door, registering, measuring square footage, and assessing compensation. Our two-story house was originally assigned by my dad’s workplace, and we later bought the property rights. Six hundred square feet. The day the assessment value came out. The city official came to our door personally. “Mrs. Davis, congratulations! The assessment is out, $6.23 million!” My mom was prepping vegetables, and her hand shook so much she dropped them all over the floor. “H-how much?” The official grinned from ear to ear: “$6.23 million! With your square footage and this prime location, that’s the compensation amount!” I had to hold onto the doorframe to keep from collapsing. $6.23 million. At $4,200 a month, I’d have to work 140 years without eating or drinking to save that. The official left, and the house was terrifyingly quiet. My mom sat on her small stool, staring at the vegetables on the floor, not speaking for a long time. I called out softly: “Mom?” Her eyes were red: “Chloe, I’ve decided what to do with this money.” I was bewildered: “Huh?” Every word she spoke seemed to take all her strength: “It’s all yours. I’m not keeping a cent. It’s all yours.” My legs gave out, and I almost knelt on the floor. “Mom, what are you talking about! This money has to be saved for your retirement, and for Noah?” My mom suddenly raised her voice: “Noah can earn his own money! He’s in San Francisco making tens of thousands a month! And you? You make four thousand a month and still have to pay off debts!” I was stunned. So Mom knew. She knew I had debts on the outside. I felt guilty and whispered: “Those debts… are almost paid off…” My mom stood up abruptly, swaying because she moved too fast. I quickly supported her. “So what if they are? You’re twenty-eight! You’ve never dated, you’re not married, you don’t even have a decent piece of clothing! These past ten years, how much have you sacrificed for this family, for your brother? Mom knows in her heart!” She grabbed my hand: “This money, Mom insists on giving it to you! If you don’t take it, Mom will donate it! Donate it to a charity school, no one else is getting it!” My eyes welled up with tears: “Mom!” My mom cried: “Don’t try to persuade me! Chloe, Mom is so sorry. I dragged you down for ten years. Mom was useless, making you suffer so much. Now that we finally have some money, Mom just wants to compensate you. Just let Mom compensate you this once, okay?” I broke down in tears. Mother and daughter held each other, crying like two fools. That night. I called Noah. It rang for a long time before he answered. The background was loud, like a bar. “Sis? What’s up so late?” His voice was a bit slurred, probably from drinking. “Noah, about the demolition money, the assessment is out.” “Oh, that. Mom told me, over six million, right? Sis, don’t worry, when I get the money, I’ll give you a million. That’s enough for you to buy a place in the county.” My heart sank bit by bit. “Noah, Mom’s intention is to give it all to me.” The other end of the line went silent. After a few seconds. Noah laughed: “Sis, stop joking.” “I’m not joking. Mom said it in front of the city official today.” Noah’s voice rose: “Has Mom gone senile? Give it all to you? Why?” “Mom said I suffered for ten years.” Noah got agitated: “And what about me? Did I not suffer out here? Sis, do you know how much pressure I’m under in SF? Rent is eight thousand a month, food and socializing is another four or five thousand. Mia’s family has high standards; the down payment for a marital home alone is three million. My five hundred thousand salary sounds like a lot, but after taxes, what’s left? Saving two hundred thousand a year is considered good!” I gripped my phone, a sour feeling welling up in my heart. “Noah, Mom’s health is getting worse. What about medical expenses?” Noah cut me off: “I’ll pay for the medical expenses, but the demolition money must be split evenly! This is the house Dad left behind, I have a share too!” “Mom won’t agree.” Noah practically yelled: “Then persuade her! Sis, I remember how much you sacrificed for me! When I have money in the future, I will definitely compensate you! But right now, I really need this money! Whether Mia and I can get married depends on this house!” I closed my eyes and asked: “Noah, can I really not have this money?” Noah’s voice softened, filled with pleading: “Sis! I’m begging you, okay? Talk to Mom. Split it evenly, or you take a bit more and just give me three million. Mia is pregnant; I need to give her a home!!!” I snapped my eyes open: “What? Pregnant?” “Yeah, two months. I haven’t dared to tell the family yet. Sis, I really need this money, please.” The call disconnected. I sat frozen for a long, long time. Pregnant. Noah was going to have a child. I was going to be an aunt. But why? Why couldn’t I feel happy at all? 4. Noah and Mia arrived the following afternoon. Mia wore a tailored suit and carried a bag that looked very expensive. “Auntie, Sis, we’re back.” She placed a gift box on the table. “Auntie, I brought you some bird’s nest, it’s good for your health.” My mom sat in her chair, nodded, and didn’t say a word. The atmosphere was stiff. I poured tea, and the four of us sat around the dilapidated dining table. No one spoke first. Finally, Mia broke the silence: “Auntie, I heard the house is being demolished? Congratulations, your life will finally improve.” My mom just hummed in acknowledgment. Mia said carefully: “Um, about the demolition, Noah and I discussed it, and we think it’s best to split it evenly. We’re family after all, harmony brings wealth.” My mom looked straight at Mia: “Mia, you’re a good girl, but this is Davis family business. You shouldn’t interfere.” Mia’s face changed. Noah quickly chimed in: “Mom, Mia isn’t an outsider. She’s my fiancée, and she’s carrying your grandchild!” My mom froze and looked at me. I lowered my head. My mom’s voice trembled: “Pregnant?” Noah held Mia’s hand: “Yes, two months along. So Mom, I really need this money urgently. Mia’s family requires us to buy a house in SF, and the down payment is three million. My savings plus this money is just enough.” My mom asked: “So you came back for money just to buy a house?” Noah choked on his words. “Mom, that’s not what I meant…” My mom’s voice suddenly turned fierce: “Then what do you mean? Your sister suffered for ten years to put you through school and study abroad! Now that you want to get married and buy a house, you want to take the money that belongs to her? Noah Davis, where is your conscience?!” Noah’s face turned bright red: “How do I lack a conscience? I said, when I have money in the future, I will compensate her!” “In the future? When is ‘in the future’? Your sister is twenty-eight this year! She gave the best ten years of her life to this family! What ‘future’ does she have?!” My mom started coughing violently. I quickly patted her back: “Mom, don’t get worked up…” My mom grabbed my hand, tears streaming down her old face: “How can I not get worked up? Chloe, tell them right now, do you want this money or not?” Three pairs of eyes in the room stared at me. Noah’s eyes held pleading. Mia’s eyes held scrutiny. My mom’s eyes held absolute resolve. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Noah looked at me, his eyes red: “Sis, since we were kids, you loved me the most. When I got into college, you were happier than anyone. When I left for the UK, you cried like a baby at the airport. Sis, I know you sacrificed a lot for me, and I remember it all. When I’m stable, I’ll repay you properly, but right now, I really need this money.” He was crying. My brother. The brother who used to trail behind me calling “Sis” was crying. My heart ached like it was being sliced by a knife. I knelt down, kneeling in front of my mom: “Mom, give this money to Noah, he needs it.” My mom slapped me hard across the face. It wasn’t heavy, but it was loud. I froze, and Noah and Mia froze too. My mom’s voice shook: “Chloe Davis! Stand up right now!” I remained kneeling, unmoving. My mom practically roared: “Stand up!” I slowly stood up, my cheek burning. “These past ten years, how many times have you knelt for your brother? Begging the school for an extension on tuition, begging relatives to borrow money, begging the factory for an advance on your wages.” My mom was shaking as she cried. “And now, you want to kneel for him again? Chloe Davis, are your knees really worth that little?!” I cried too: “Mom, he’s my brother… he’s having a baby… he needs money…” My mom pointed at my face: “He needs money, and you don’t? Look at yourself! Twenty-eight years old, looking like you’re thirty-eight! Your hands are covered in calluses, your back hurts so much you can’t sleep at night! Can you think of yourself for once?! Just once!” I cried so hard I couldn’t speak. Noah cried too: “Mom, Sis, stop arguing. I don’t want the money anymore, I don’t want it, okay?” Mia suddenly stood up and said coldly: “Auntie, I respect you as an elder, but your words are too harsh. Noah is your son. He wants to get married and have kids, he needs money to buy a house, is that wrong? Sister sacrificed a lot, but she did it willingly, Noah didn’t force her. Using that for moral kidnapping now, is that interesting?” The room fell dead silent. My mom looked at Mia, looked at her for a long time, and then laughed. A desolate, sarcastic laugh. My mom muttered to herself: “Willingly… yes, she was willing… willing to give up college, willing to work in a factory, willing to support her brother… all willingly…” She raised her hand and pointed at the door: “Leave. I won’t give a single cent of this money. If you want to sue, go sue. If you want to make a scene, go make a scene. I only have one thing to say: this money goes entirely to Chloe, and no one else is taking it.” Noah wanted to say something else, but Mia pulled him back. Mia kept a cold face: “Auntie, I’ll remember everything you said today. I hope you don’t regret it later.” They left. The door closed, leaving only me and my mom in the room. My mom collapsed into her chair as if all her strength had been drained. I walked over, squatted in front of her, and held her hand. Her hands were very cold and shaking. “Chloe, was Mom too cruel?” I shook my head, tears falling onto the back of her hand. She touched my face: “Mom just doesn’t want you to suffer any more grievances. Did that slap hurt?” I shook my head: “It didn’t hurt.” My mom’s tears fell: “Liar. Mom’s biggest regret in this life is you. When your dad passed, he held my hand and said, ‘Susan, our Chloe has potential, you must make sure she goes to college.’ But Mom was useless, I couldn’t afford it.” “Mom, stop talking.” “Let Mom finish. These past ten years, I dream of your dad every night. He asks me, ‘Where’s Chloe? Why isn’t Chloe in college?’ Mom can’t answer. I have no face to answer.” She sobbed uncontrollably: “Now that we finally have a chance, Mom wants to compensate you, wants you to have a better life, but you won’t even give Mom this chance.” I hugged my mom, and we cried together.

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My husband’s childhood friend has a contradictory personality. When chatting with friends about private topics, I blushed and mentioned that my husband has two moles on his inner thigh. She immediately jumped out to contradict me, personally pulling down his pants to prove there was only one. I angrily questioned her with red eyes, but Arthur Sterling just sneered mockingly: “Mia’s contradiction was right, otherwise I wouldn’t have known you don’t understand me at all.” For the sake of our young son, I chose to endure it. Until my son got food poisoning. I frantically tried to call 911. But Mia immediately started contradicting me again: “No, no, no, I think he should stay home and be observed for a while. It doesn’t look like poisoning.” Hearing this, Arthur furiously froze all my bank accounts. “Using the child to vie for attention, what kind of mother are you?” Watching my son foaming at the mouth in my arms, I finally compromised with Mrs. Sterling and dialed her number: “Send an ambulance right now, and from now on, I am no longer a daughter-in-law of the Sterling family.” … Mrs. Sterling didn’t even ask for a reason. She agreed immediately and sent over $500,000 as “divorce compensation.” Because ever since Mia formed the habit of contradicting me, I had long become the most unreliable person in the Sterling family. I joked that the meat inspection stamps wash off after a few washes. Mia actually stamped me with three red seals while I was sleeping to prove they wouldn’t wash off. I had a low libido after giving birth. She spread rumors everywhere that I was hooking up with three male college students in hotels, Photoshopped pictures, and uploaded them to the family group chat. I lost all face and truly couldn’t bear it anymore. To demand an explanation, I smashed our marital home to pieces. But Arthur looked at me like I was a clown, mocking me coldly: “Mia’s contradictions are well-founded. This only shows that you are flying into a rage out of humiliation!” I was left speechless but continued to endure for the sake of our child. Until I was cooking for my son and mentioned that raw green beans are toxic. To contradict me, Mia secretly fed them to him. Arthur praised her for being smart, unable to see our son’s purpling face or hear his weak breathing. This time, I gave up explaining, because I was truly tired. The ambulance arrived quickly. But before he could even be taken into the operating room, the doctor looked regretful: “He was brought in too late. The child has stopped breathing. My condolences.” Instantly, wails spilled from the corners of my mouth. Holding my son’s cold hand, my heart also chilled completely, inch by inch. The entire hospital corridor echoed with my mournful cries. Only after receiving our son’s death certificate did Arthur unfreeze my bank accounts like bestowing charity: “When you’re done making a scene, go buy the kid a few decent outfits. The day after tomorrow is Mom’s 60th birthday, don’t always…” I interrupted him hysterically: “Your son is already dead! He’s dead!” There was a pause on the other end of the line, immediately followed by Mia’s contradiction: “I don’t think so. The experts on TV said eating the wrong thing causes diarrhea at most. The little master isn’t that delicate, right? Sister Chloe should really surf the internet before lying…” With her single instigating remark, Arthur’s even more furious voice pierced my ears: “Always using our son to vie for attention, aren’t you afraid of bringing bad luck? Watch out, or I’ll give our son to Mia to raise!” With that, he hung up the phone with a snap. Clutching the certificate tightly, a dense pain spread across my chest once again. I attended my son’s cremation ceremony alone, bidding him farewell through the thick glass. Holding the light urn, I no longer had any attachments to the Sterling family. After signing the divorce agreement sent by Mrs. Sterling, I called that familiar yet strange man: “You promised you’d always save a place for me. Does that still count?” I disappeared for three days, handling my son’s funeral alone. The whole world knew he was dead, except for his father. Because the last time I was followed by a creep, I could only post on Moments to try and get more people to save me. As a result, Mia quickly posted a Moment contradicting me: “Impossible. It’s obviously just a little romantic game a spoiled wife plays to seduce her husband.” After seeing it, Arthur was very angry. He ignored me completely and completely blocked my Moments, nearly causing me to be assaulted by the creep. Now, I held no expectations whatsoever, only wanting to accompany my son one last time. Three days later, I returned home in a daze. As soon as I pushed the door open, Arthur uncharacteristically looked up at me and then handed over his phone. “How about this matching parent-child necklace?” My eyes suddenly lit up. This was the one I had circled in a magazine, but later forgot to buy because I was too busy. I didn’t expect him to care so much about me and our son. My heart was just feeling a bit moved. Unexpectedly, the next second, Mia stepped out looking pretty in my pink lace nightgown, throwing a throw pillow at the man. “Brother Arthur, you big meanie, don’t you dare try to take advantage of me!” “Trying to get me to call you ‘Daddy’ just by giving me a necklace? I won’t fall for your trick!” Arthur’s eyes were full of her playfulness, his face full of indulgence, “You little rascal, I just thought this necklace matches your nightgown.” I stood frozen to the side, seemingly like a clown intruding on their harmonious picture. I used to be at an age where I liked pink too. But Arthur always poured cold water on it: “You don’t look good in pink. Don’t wear it anymore.” So I pressed that beloved nightgown to the bottom of the wardrobe, never to see the light of day again. Now, worn on Mia, it seemed more fitting. Forcing down the pain surging in my chest, I made to turn and go upstairs, but saw a puppy walk by wagging its tail. Previously, my son had cried and fussed for three days, wanting to keep a puppy at home. I strongly supported his compassion. But it was met with Arthur’s cold words: “No. I’m allergic to dog hair. You should also consider my feelings.” Because of this, my son was depressed for several days. It turned out he wasn’t allergic to dogs; he was allergic to me and my son. Mia suddenly appeared behind me, smiling and blinking at me: “Brother Arthur and I adopted it together. He insisted I bring it over to show him. Sister doesn’t mind, right?” My heart ached heavily. I was just about to ignore her and leave. Unexpectedly, the next second, Mia suddenly grabbed the dog’s tail and tumbled down the stairs. “Ah! My puppy!” With a sprained ankle, she held the crushed puppy and cried uncontrollably: “If Sister Chloe can’t stand me, she can hit me or scold me. But the puppy is innocent…” Arthur pushed me away without a second thought. His first reaction was to check on the dog. My ankle bone struck the steps, instantly feeling as if it had shattered. The man, as if blind, roared at me hysterically: “Chloe Jones, you won’t even spare a dog? Get down here right now and apologize to Mia!” Looking at Mia’s clumsy acting, I really didn’t want to play along with them anymore. I turned around without showing any emotion. “From now on, absolutely no dogs are allowed in the house. Let’s see what you do when our son blames you!” “If you were even half as sensible as Mia, our son wouldn’t be educated by you to be so impolite, not even returning my calls!” A loud crash of something smashing came from behind. Amidst his furious roars, I didn’t stop limping upstairs. Looking at Arthur—who was allergic to dogs—personally burying it in the garden downstairs, my heart still ached fiercely. More so, I felt it was unworthy for my son, who cried for his father when he left. He couldn’t even use his life to get his father to take one more look at him. Returning to my room, I sorted my son’s belongings piece by piece and packed my luggage to leave. Just then, Arthur suddenly pushed the door open and walked in. “What are you doing packing our son’s things?” The man’s gaze fell on those toys, his nerves unconsciously tensing. “Because he…” I hesitated for a moment, then continued, “The teacher wants him to board at school for a while.” The truth on my lips was ultimately swallowed down. I didn’t want to use my son’s life to gain his sympathy. Nor did I need anyone’s pity. Besides, he wouldn’t believe it. Hearing this, Arthur breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s fine too. We have to take Mia to the old estate tomorrow. We wouldn’t fit with an extra person.” My tongue felt numb. I couldn’t say a single word. Arthur’s sports car could seat two people, but Mia could always permanently occupy one seat. My son and I could only choose one or the other. It turned out his heart never had a designated place for us, mother and son. The next day, when Arthur took me to the old estate, Mrs. Sterling looked terrible. “Didn’t you say you were leaving immediately? Why are you here being an eyesore again?” Arthur froze upon hearing this, frowning in confusion: “Where is Chloe going—” Right then, a loud bang came from not far away. I saw a pile of misshapen fireworks being ignited. Mia held a lighter and looked over with a smile. “Happy 60th Birthday, Mrs. Sterling!” The old lady was coaxed into laughing heartily, and I was completely left aside. But the next second, the familiar box by Mia’s feet fiercely pierced my eyes. That was my son’s urn, which I had buried in the cemetery! My voice instantly tore out: “Mia Lin! What are you holding in your hand! Is it my son’s ashes?!” I simply couldn’t believe it. I rushed over, snatched the firework from her hand, and choked her neck fiercely. Scalding sparks fell on my arm, instantly raising several blisters. “Ah! Sister Chloe, what’s wrong with you? I just wanted to celebrate the old lady’s birthday. Brother Arthur, hurry and save me!” In a panic, Arthur picked up the box on the ground and smashed it against my forehead. My eyes were instantly blinded by blood. “Chloe Jones, what crazy fit are you throwing? Who gave you the audacity to hit Mia in front of Mom!” The old lady clutched her heart in anger: “Mia specially prepared a firework show for my 60th birthday. What right does an outsider like you have to blame her!” I couldn’t hear their accusations. I picked up the remaining ashes from the ground bit by bit. “Someone come! Serve her with the whip!” the old lady ordered angrily. I looked up in shock. I saw bodyguards gripping whips, advancing towards me step by step. I looked at the cold man in front of me in disbelief. “Arthur Sterling, I am your wife!” I struggled desperately, but those men pinned me to the ground one after another. Arthur’s heartless voice drifted over lightly: “Since you are a daughter-in-law of the Sterling family, you must abide by the family rules. You are no exception!” The next second, the whip in the bodyguard’s hand slashed over fiercely. “Ah!” My piercing wail echoed throughout the courtyard. But Arthur shielded Mia behind him, raising his hand to cover her eyes: “Close your eyes, don’t be frightened.” The whip struck my body, each hit heavier than the last. Splattering blood foam fell before my eyes. My entire back felt the piercing pain of burning fire. Seeing me paralyzed on the ground like a broken rag doll, Arthur couldn’t help but frown. Until the bodyguard stopped and asked: “Mr. Sterling, that’s enough for 100 lashes. Should I continue?” “Enough! Send her to the hospital immediately.” Before my broken body was lifted, Arthur draped his coat over my mangled back. However, it was precisely this action that added a bit of hatred to the originally smug Mia’s eyes. Sneaking home from the hospital, I endured the pain and grabbed my luggage. Two beeps sounded outside the door; I knew he had come to pick me up and leave! I was limping outwards when suddenly a massive force kicked me viciously back into the room. Struggling to open my eyes, I found it was actually Mia. “Chloe Jones, you were served by the family rules until you look like a monster, and you still have the mood to go on a trip?” “Oh right, how come you aren’t taking your precious son with you on your trip?” Seeing my blood-red eyes, the woman became more and more smug as she spoke: “Oh I forgot, he, is, already, dead!” As she finished, I couldn’t bear it anymore. I rushed up and grabbed her hair, my eyes burning red: “You shut up! Aren’t you afraid of retribution for intentionally killing my son?!” The woman wasn’t angry but laughed. Following close behind, several servants came in and poured gasoline into every corner of the room. “I just wanted to intentionally get rid of you mother and son. This way, Brother Arthur can fulfill his childhood promise and marry me into the family.” “But you won’t have the chance to complain, because I’m going to send you down to reunite with your son right now!” As soon as her words fell, she instantly flicked a lighter and set the room on fire. The tongues of fire quickly swept over. The already stinging wounds sizzled as they were burned. When Arthur rushed over upon hearing the news, I grabbed onto him like a lifeline, desperately calling for help. “Arthur, I’m here, save me…” But I didn’t expect Mia to escape first, lock the door, and block him. “Help me, Brother Arthur!” “Sister Chloe had people set a fire to burn me to death in the house. She already escaped a long time ago. Save me quickly, boohoohoo…” Immediately after, I only heard the man’s curses from outside the door: “How did she become so vicious? Burning her to death wouldn’t be too much!” With that, he picked up Mia and left swiftly. The flaming wardrobe crashed heavily onto my back, and my last shred of hope shattered with it. When Arthur returned, he scoured the entire villa but couldn’t find a trace of me. His heart sank. He quickly called the kindergarten: “Have you seen my wife? Did she pick up our child?” “The little boy hasn’t come to class for several days,” the teacher answered, puzzled. Arthur was just about to ask further when, the next moment, a death certificate suddenly appeared on his phone… Arthur magnified the death certificate infinitely. Written starkly on it was his son’s name. “This… how is this possible? It must be a prank!” He suddenly thought of Chloe publicly setting a fire to burn Mia to death, and suspicion arose. Maybe this was another one of Chloe’s tricks to vie for attention. But he still felt uneasy and sent the certificate to his assistant. “Check this for me immediately. Is it a forgery or not?” Then, he angrily called Chloe. Just as a reprimand was about to leave his mouth, he realized he was met with a robotic female voice. 【The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later…】 He called his child again, but the result was the same. “What on earth are those two, mother and son, plotting? This is absolutely outrageous!” Putting away his phone, he intended to leave the mother and son hanging for a few days and properly compensate the burned Mia. Hearing the news, Mrs. Sterling rushed to the hospital, gnashing her teeth in anger. “I said Chloe was unreliable. I didn’t expect her to do such a heinous thing. I will absolutely not forgive her!” Lying in bed, Mia looked the picture of innocence: “It’s okay. Sister Chloe must have just been acting on impulse. I won’t blame her.” “You’re just too kind.” Arthur comforted her distractedly. Right then, he discovered a divorce agreement in the old lady’s bag. “Mom, what is this?” The old lady looked a bit uncomfortable, trying to word how to explain it to him. At this moment, the doctor rushed into the room. “Mr. Sterling, I’m sorry. The ashes Ms. Chloe Jones entrusted us to keep are missing. I can’t reach her on the phone. How do you want to handle this?” Arthur frowned deeply, extremely puzzled: “What ashes? What exactly is going on?” The doctor was bewildered and explained in more detail: “The young master was brought to the hospital a few days ago and passed away from food poisoning. Did Mr. Sterling not know this?” Hearing this, Arthur nearly slumped to the floor. It took him a long time to find his voice. “What… what did you say? My son passed away?” It turned out Chloe had never lied from beginning to end. A few days ago, when Chloe cried and tearfully complained “our son is dead,” it was also true. Arthur stood up indignantly and grabbed the doctor’s collar: “Why didn’t you call to inform me in time? And how could his ashes go missing?” Mrs. Sterling beside them was also completely dumbfounded, painfully clutching her heart: “Chloe, that useless woman. She can’t even look after a child. What else can she do?!” The old lady almost cried until she fainted. The doctor quickly explained: “The child passed away due to food poisoning. He consumed a large amount of raw green beans. But Ms. Jones already called to inform you at the time. She sounded completely devastated.” “Please accept my condolences.” With that, the doctor turned and left.

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Late at night, I was scrolling through my feed when I saw the news of Arthur’s wedding. With trembling hands, I posted a status update. “Why can’t people who love each other be together? Woo woo woo, I just want to die.” After posting, I blocked Arthur and all his friends. But I forgot to block my family. Soon, my phone was buzzing like crazy. I opened the comments, and my family’s replies completely broke me. 1 At 11 PM, I was lying in bed scrolling through my feed, my thumb swiping up mechanically. And then I saw that photo. Arthur Sterling and Emily Chen’s wedding photo. They were both wearing white dress shirts, standing in front of the city hall, smiling so radiantly. Emily had her head resting on Arthur’s shoulder, and Arthur had his arm around her waist, holding their marriage certificate. The caption read: “Finally waited for you, the rest of my life is all you.” My finger froze in mid-air, my whole body seemingly hitting the pause button. A sharp pain shot through my heart, hurting so much I couldn’t breathe. I opened my mouth wide to gasp for air, tears falling without warning. We had only been broken up for six months. Six months, and he had already gotten his marriage license with someone else. Back then, he said he needed to focus on his career, that he didn’t have the means to get married, that we should wait a little longer. I waited for five years. For five years, I lived frugally, helping him take care of his sick parents and paying for his younger brother’s college tuition. For five years, I stayed by his side as he went from an intern to a department manager. For five years, I never bought a decent piece of clothing or went to a nice restaurant. He said that when he was capable, he would definitely give me the best wedding. And the result? He gave it to someone else. I stared at that photo for a long time, so long my eyes ached. Then I opened the status update box, my fingers trembling as I typed: “Why can’t people who love each other be together? Woo woo woo, I just want to die.” Before hitting send, I specifically blocked Arthur and all his friends. And Emily Chen. I didn’t want them to see me in this pathetic state. 2 Less than a minute after posting, my phone started buzzing uncontrollably. I clicked it open; it was replies from my family. My Dad: “Why don’t you go drive their wedding car? You know that route better than anyone.” My Mom: “Go make their bed, isn’t that the bed you loved sleeping in the most?” My Aunt (Dad’s sister): “Why don’t you go toast the guests? Don’t his relatives and friends like you the best?” My Aunt (Mom’s sister): “Go be a bridesmaid, you know the answers to all the questions the bride won’t know.” My other Aunt: “Why don’t you go hand out the wedding favors? Weren’t you the sweetest thing in front of him?” My eldest Aunt: “Why don’t you go help him hold the baby? Didn’t you want to have his kids?” My Uncle: “Go cook the banquet food, didn’t you love cooking for him the most?” Looking at these replies, my tears completely broke loose. Every word they said was like a needle piercing my heart. Yes, I knew that route best. When Arthur first started in sales, I accompanied him every day, running through every street and alley of this city. He said I was better than GPS. That bed, I did love sleeping in it the most. The first apartment Arthur rented had a mattress hard as a rock, but I still loved curling up on it because it was our little home. His relatives and friends really did like me. Every gathering, his aunt would always hold my hand and say, “Chloe, when are you and Arthur getting married? Auntie is waiting to drink at your wedding.” I knew everything about him. He loved spicy food but couldn’t handle it too spicy; he hated cilantro; his birthday was March 7th; his dad had high blood pressure and needed to take medication every day. I really was sweet in front of him. Sweet without a bottom line, so sweet I believed anything he said. I did want to have his kids. I had even thought of the names: Leo for a boy, and Mia for a girl. I cooked for him. Three meals a day, for five years straight. He had a weak stomach, so I got up early every day to make him millet porridge. But in the end? In the end, he married someone else. In the end, he held someone else’s hand and walked into city hall. In the end, he told someone else, “The rest of my life is all you.” I held my phone, trembling all over from crying. Tears blurred the screen, and the replies kept popping up one by one. My Aunt (Uncle’s wife): “Chloe, come home, Auntie will make you chicken soup.” My Cousin (older brother): “Sis, I’m taking tomorrow off to take you to a steakhouse, the most expensive one.” My Cousin (older sister): “Silly girl, a guy like that isn’t worth it. I’ll introduce you to someone way better.” Looking at these messages, I cried even harder. They all felt sorry for me. They knew how I had spent the last five years. They knew how stupid I had been. 3 My phone rang again; it was my Mom calling. I wiped my tears and answered it. “Mom.” “Chloe,” My Mom’s voice was very soft. “We saw your post. Don’t take it to heart, we were just so angry we said some harsh things.” “I know,” I said, choking back tears. “Know what?” My Dad roared from the other end of the line: “That guy is a piece of garbage. What did I say back then? I said all he cares about is money and climbing the ladder. You didn’t believe me, do you believe me now?” “Dad, please stop yelling.” “I will yell.” My Dad’s voice got louder: “My daughter suffered such a huge injustice, and I can’t even yell? That bastard Arthur, I was truly blind to ever agree to let you two be together.” “Alright, alright, don’t yell at the kid.” My Mom grabbed the phone back: “Chloe, come home. Come stay at home for a few days.” “Mom, I have to go to work tomorrow.” “What work! Call in sick.” My Dad snatched the phone again: “Come home, Dad will support you. We don’t have to take this crap.” Listening to them argue on the other end, my heart felt sour but warm. Sour because my last five years really were like a joke. Warm because no matter how silly, stupid, or disappointing I was, my family would always be on my side. “Dad, Mom, I’m fine.” I sniffled: “I’m really fine, just… just a little sad.” “If you’re sad, come home. Mom will make your favorite sweet and sour ribs.” “Yeah! Come home!” My Dad shouted: “Dad will take you out for a fancy meal, we’ll celebrate. Celebrate you escaping that sea of bitterness.” I laughed, laughing until I cried again. After hanging up, I looked at Arthur’s post one more time. In the photo, Emily Chen was smiling so sweetly. I couldn’t clearly see Arthur’s expression, but I knew he must be very happy now. After all, Emily Chen could give him what I couldn’t. Emily Chen could save him twenty years of hard work. While I could only endure hardships with him. I put down my phone and pulled the covers over my head. That night, I cried until dawn. 4 Arthur and I got together in our junior year of college. He was a prominent figure in our department: handsome, had good grades, and was the student council president. I was a girl as ordinary as could be: average grades, and my looks weren’t particularly stunning. I don’t even know what he saw in me. He said I was grounded, that I was kind, that being with me felt comfortable. I believed him. The year we graduated, something happened in his family. His dad was diagnosed with liver cancer, his mom was hospitalized with high blood pressure, and his younger brother was still in high school. His family’s savings were wiped out instantly, and they were deeply in debt. My parents were dead set against us being together. My Dad said: “Chloe, if you stay with him, you’ll suffer.” My Mom said: “Honey, Mom isn’t being a snob, I just can’t bear to see you suffer.” I didn’t listen. I thought love could conquer all. I got into a massive fight with my family, dragged my suitcase, and moved into the basement apartment Arthur rented. That basement was only about a hundred square feet, with no windows, requiring the lights to be on even during the day. In the summer, it was hot as an oven; in the winter, it was cold as an icebox. But I was very happy. Because Arthur said: “Chloe, when I make money, I’ll definitely buy you a big house.” I believed him. To save money, I only ate two meals a day. To make more money, I worked three jobs simultaneously. I worked at my company during the day, worked part-time at a convenience store at night, and tutored on weekends. Arthur worked hard too, working late into the night every day. We were like two spinning tops, constantly spinning. But every night, squeezed onto that tiny bed, he would hold me and say: “Chloe, thank you. When things get better, I’ll definitely treat you doubly well.” Then I felt everything was worth it. The first year, his dad’s condition stabilized, but the medical bills were several thousand dollars a month. The second year, his younger brother got into college, and we paid for his tuition and living expenses. The third year, he finally got promoted to manager, and his salary doubled. I thought the bitter days were finally over. But at the end of the fourth year, he met Emily Chen. 5 Emily Chen was his boss’s daughter. She had just returned from studying abroad and was parachuted into his department as a director. The first time I heard Arthur mention her was during a late night at work. He surprisingly called me on his own initiative, his tone laced with excitement: “Chloe, Director Chen took our department out to dinner today, we went to a Michelin-starred restaurant.” Me: “Really? That’s great.” Him: “Director Chen is so nice, completely unpretentious, and she said she wants to focus on developing me.” Me: “Then you should work hard.” After hanging up, I felt a little uncomfortable. But I didn’t dare say anything. I was afraid he would call me paranoid. Later, Emily Chen appeared more and more frequently. Arthur’s phone started having messages from her. Arthur’s clothes started smelling like her perfume. The hours Arthur worked overtime got longer and longer. I asked once: “You’re getting pretty close to Director Chen.” He said: “She’s the boss, I have to suck up to her a little. Chloe, you have to understand me. Isn’t my working so hard all for our future?” I believed him again. At the beginning of the fifth year, Arthur celebrated my birthday. He bought a small cake, stuck candles in it, and told me to make a wish. My wish was: “I hope we get married soon.” He was silent for a long time, then said: “Chloe, wait a little longer. Wait until I’m a bit more stable.” Me: “Okay.” That night, he got a call. It was from Emily Chen. He said there was an emergency at the company and he had to go back to work. I ate that cake all by myself. In March of our fifth year, Arthur suddenly moved out of our rented apartment. Him: “Chloe, I got promoted. The company gave me an apartment.” Me: “What about me?” Him: “You stay here for now. Once I’m settled, I’ll come get you.” I believed him again. The day he moved out, I helped him pack his bags. He looked at me, his eyes a little red: “Chloe, I’m sorry for making you wait so long.” Me: “It’s okay, I’ll wait for you.” He hugged me, turned around, and left. 6 I only found out later that the apartment was Emily Chen’s. Emily Chen let him move in. After Arthur moved out, we saw each other less and less. He always said he was busy, rushing a project, accompanying a client. When I called him, he often didn’t pick up. When I messaged him, he took a long time to reply. I panicked. I went to his company to find him. The receptionist wouldn’t let me in. I said I was looking for Arthur Sterling. “Manager Sterling is in a meeting. Do you have an appointment?” I said no. “Then you can’t go up.” I waited in the lobby all afternoon. At 6 PM, Arthur came out. Not alone, but with Emily Chen. Emily Chen was holding his arm, and the two were laughing and talking. Seeing me, Arthur’s expression changed. He pulled his arm away and walked over quickly: “Chloe, why are you here?” I looked at Emily Chen, and she was looking at me too, with a provocative look in her eyes. “I came to find you.” “I’m busy.” Arthur lowered his voice: “You go back first. I’ll come find you tonight.” “Can’t we talk now?” “It’s not convenient.” Emily Chen walked over, looked me up and down, then said to Arthur: “Arthur, who is this?” Arthur looked a bit embarrassed: “This is my friend, Chloe Miller.” Friend. Five years of relationship, exchanged for the word “friend.” I laughed: “Arthur, I’m your friend?” “Chloe…” Arthur frowned: “Don’t make a scene.” “I’m making a scene?” I looked at Emily Chen: “Director Chen, right? Do you know who I am?” Emily Chen smiled gracefully: “I know, Arthur’s ex-girlfriend. He said you guys broke up a long time ago.” I looked at Arthur: “We broke up?” Arthur didn’t dare look me in the eye. Emily Chen continued: “Ms. Miller, since you’re broken up, stop harassing him. Arthur is my boyfriend now. You’re causing him trouble by doing this.” Boyfriend. That word was like a knife stabbing into my heart. I looked at Arthur: “Is what she saying true?” Arthur remained silent. Silence is consent. “Arthur, say something,” I yelled. People in the lobby were staring at us. Arthur’s face turned red. He grabbed my hand: “Chloe, let’s go outside to talk.” “We’ll talk right here!” I shook him off: “Tell me clearly, did we break up? Did I agree?” “Can you stop making a scene!” Arthur also raised his voice: “This is my company. If you have no shame, I still do.” I have no shame. He said I have no shame. Looking at him, I suddenly felt he was very unfamiliar. Was this still the person who said he would treat me well for the rest of my life? Or the one who called me kind and grounded? Emily Chen tugged at Arthur’s arm: “Arthur, stop arguing with her. Let’s go, we still have dinner with Mr. Zhang tonight.” Arthur glanced at me, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Then he said: “Chloe, you go back first. I’ll call you tonight.” With that, he turned and walked away. Emily Chen followed behind him, looking back at me with a smirk on her lips. I stood rooted to the spot, watching their figures disappear through the lobby doors. A chill ran through my entire body.

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“I’m pregnant.” I smiled and handed the pregnancy test to Mia for her to see. She took it and looked down at it. Silence. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. She looked up, her expression very strange. “Is the baby your husband’s?” I froze. “What do you mean?” She looked at me, the corner of her mouth twitching. “Nothing.” But I saw it. That trace of… Panic in her eyes. 1. Mia is my best friend. From high school to now, twelve years. When I got married, she was my bridesmaid. When I bought a house, she looked at over twenty properties with me. Whenever I fought with Arthur, she always took my side. “Men are all trash.” That was her catchphrase. She said she didn’t want to get married; she was fine on her own. Three years ago, she got pregnant. “Whose is it?” I asked her. She said it was a married man, they couldn’t go public. “Then what are you going to do?” “Have it.” She said it very calmly. “I’ll raise it alone.” My heart ached for her. During that time, her morning sickness was terrible. I went over after work every day to take care of her. When she gave birth, I was the one waiting outside the delivery room. When the baby turned one month old, I helped organize the celebration. She said money was tight. I lent her a total of eighty thousand dollars over time. She said it was fine. She’d pay me back slowly. It’s been three years. Not a cent has been paid back. I never pressed her. We’re best friends, after all. I always thought that way. Until today. Until she asked that question. “Is the baby your husband’s?” Sitting in the car, I repeatedly recalled her expression. That three-second silence. That trace of panic. And that inexplicable question. Why ask, “Is the baby your husband’s?” Shouldn’t a normal person say, “Congratulations”? I picked up my phone and scrolled through my chat history with Arthur. Very normal. Reporting his itinerary every day, “working overtime” two or three times a week. Working overtime. I suddenly remembered. Over the past three years, the number of times he worked overtime seemed to have increased. It used to be once or twice a month. Now it’s two or three times a week. I scrolled through his social media feed again. Very normal. Work, gym, the occasional selfie. No abnormalities whatsoever. But— I opened the app and found Mia’s feed. Three years ago, she started posting photos of her baby frequently. “Baby’s first smile.” “Baby’s first time calling Mom.” “Baby is three today!” I looked through them one by one. Suddenly, I stopped. There was a photo. The baby sitting on a man’s lap. The photo only captured the man’s lower half. Slacks. A belt. That belt. The birthday present I gave Arthur. 2. I stared at that photo for a long time. Maybe it was a coincidence. That specific belt was a few hundred dollars online, a lot of people bought it. Maybe it was just a coincidence. I put down my phone. Arthur said he was working overtime tonight, probably wouldn’t be back until ten. I waited for him. At nine-thirty, the door opened. When he walked in, I was sitting on the sofa. “You’re back?” “Yeah,” he said, changing his shoes. “Overtime today killed me.” “Want some water?” “Sure.” I went to pour water, taking a casual glance at his phone. He had placed his phone face down on the coffee table. Screen facing down. He never used to do that. “Honey.” “Hm?” “Where’s that belt? The one I gave you.” His movements paused for a second. “Which one?” “The Hermes one. The one I got you for your birthday last year.” “Oh, that one,” he took a sip of water. “It’s at the office. I switch them out sometimes.” “I haven’t seen you wear it lately.” “The style is a bit outdated.” He said it very naturally. Too naturally. Like he had rehearsed it. That night, I couldn’t sleep. At 2 AM, I looked at Arthur sleeping soundly beside me. I picked up his phone. I knew the passcode. His birthday. I opened his messaging app. Contacts. No Mia. I opened his text messages. Nothing. Call history. Nothing. Too clean. Abnormally clean. I opened his banking app. Transfer history. My heart started racing. March 2023, transfer: $5,000. April 2023, transfer: $8,000. May 2023, transfer: $5,000. Payee: Mia M. Mia’s last name was Miller. I kept scrolling down. Every single month. As little as three thousand, as much as twenty thousand. I scrolled to the earliest transaction. June 2021. Three years ago. The month Mia got pregnant. I calculated the total. Six hundred and eighty thousand. My hands were shaking. Six hundred and eighty thousand. I lent her eighty thousand and was always too embarrassed to ask for it back. My husband transferred her six hundred and eighty thousand. Six hundred and eighty thousand. I gently put the phone down and lay back in bed. The man beside me was breathing evenly, sleeping very deeply. I kept my eyes open until dawn. 3. The next day, I called in sick. I had to find out the truth. I went to the apartment complex where Mia lived. She lived on the Eastside, in an older complex; she said she was renting. At least, that’s what she said. I stood at the entrance of the complex and waited for two hours. At 10 AM, Mia came out. She was holding her baby’s hand. The baby was three years old, growing fast. I watched them from a distance. Mia made a phone call, looking very happy. I couldn’t hear what she was saying. But I saw her smile. A very sweet smile. They walked into the mall across the street. I didn’t follow them. I walked into the apartment complex. Found the property management office. “Hello, I’d like to check the property information for an apartment in this complex.” The property manager looked at me. “Who are you?” “I’m looking to buy a house. Someone recommended this complex.” I gave them Mia’s apartment number. The manager checked the computer. “This unit isn’t for sale. It’s owner-occupied.” “Who is the owner?” “It’s not convenient to disclose that.” I smiled and pulled two hundred dollars out of my purse. “I just want to confirm if it’s someone I know.” The manager looked at the money and lowered his voice. “Arthur Vance. Bought it three years ago, all cash.” All cash. Three years ago. The year Mia got pregnant. I walked out of the management office, my legs feeling a bit weak. Arthur bought a house for Mia to live in. All cash. I didn’t know how much. But I had checked the housing prices in this complex. At least two million. A two-million-dollar house. Six hundred and eighty thousand in transfers. And that child. I stood at the entrance of the complex, watching the people coming and going. Suddenly, I really wanted to laugh. Mia said she was renting. Mia said money was tight. Mia said it was so hard being alone. I lent her eighty thousand. Helped her take care of the kid. Helped her organize the one-month celebration. Helped her find a maternity nurse. I thought I was a good best friend. Turns out I was an idiot. 4. I had to see it with my own eyes. Not because I didn’t believe the evidence. But because— I needed to see what they looked like behind my back. It was a Friday. Arthur said he had a business dinner and wouldn’t be home for dinner. I said okay. At 6 PM, I drove and followed his car. He didn’t go to any dinner. He went to the Eastside. To Mia’s complex. I parked my car across from the complex. Watched him park his car, grab a bag, and enter the building. Twenty minutes later, a light turned on in a window. I stared at that window. At 7:30, a small figure pressed against the window. The baby. What was he waiting for? At 8:00, I saw a man walk to the window and pick the baby up. It was Arthur. He lifted the baby high, and the baby laughed. I couldn’t see what they were saying. But I saw Mia walk over too. She leaned against Arthur. The three of them stood in front of the window. Like a family. Like a normal, happy family of three. I sat in the car, staring at that window for a long time. I didn’t even notice when the tears started falling. I didn’t charge up there. I didn’t knock on the door. I just sat in the car until the early hours of the morning. Arthur came out at 11 PM. He got in his car and drove off. I knew he was going home. Back to our home. To lie down next to me. And then tell me, “Drank too much at the dinner.” At midnight, I got home. Arthur was already asleep. I stood in the doorway of the bedroom, looking at the man on the bed. Married for five years. I thought we were very happy. I thought he just occasionally worked overtime. I thought my best friend just had bad luck. Turns out— I knew absolutely nothing. 5. I started pretending I didn’t know anything. Working during the day, cooking at night, shopping with Arthur on weekends. He couldn’t see anything unusual. Because my acting was stellar. I spent a week gathering evidence. Transfer records: $680,000. Property info: In Arthur’s name, occupied by Mia. Photos: Over a dozen photos of Arthur and the baby, scraped from Mia’s social media. Chat logs: I found his secondary messaging account. He had two accounts on his phone. One that I knew about. The other had only one person in its contacts. The alias was “Wife.” It was Mia. I clicked open the chat history. “Hubby, the baby called me Daddy today.” “I’ll come over tonight.” “Miss you so much.” “Me too.” I scrolled down, message by message. All the way back to three years ago. “I’m pregnant.” “Have it. I’ll take care of you both.” “But you’re already married…” “I’ll get a divorce. When the time is right.” When the time is right. Three years. I waited for his “time is right.” I kept scrolling. Down to last month. “Hubby, what do we do if she’s pregnant?” “Ignore it for now. Let me think.” “You don’t actually want that kid, do you?” “I only want you and the baby.” I stared at those chat logs. He only wanted her and the baby. The child in my belly, he was going to “ignore it for now.” I touched my stomach. It wasn’t showing yet. The doctor said eight weeks. A little life. I thought it was a surprise. I thought Arthur would be thrilled. Turns out— My child, in his heart, was just a “nuisance.” I took screenshots of the chat logs, sent them to myself, and then deleted the sending history. I put his phone down. He was still sleeping. Sleeping very deeply. I looked at his face and suddenly felt he was a complete stranger. Married for five years. Turns out I never truly knew this person. 6. I met with a lawyer. “Mrs. Vance, I need to understand your situation.” “My husband cheated and has a child out of wedlock.” I handed him the evidence. Transfer records. Property info. Chat screenshots. Photos. The lawyer flipped through it all, his expression grave. “The evidence is very solid.” “I want a divorce.” “No problem,” the lawyer nodded. “Based on this evidence, you can claim severe fault on his part and fight for a larger share of the assets.” “I don’t want a larger share.” I looked at him. “I want him to leave with absolutely nothing.” The lawyer paused. “That… will be difficult.” “The house was bought before marriage; I paid the down payment, and he pays the mortgage. I can claim the appreciated value of the mortgage payments. The car was bought after marriage, that can be split. As for the savings, I have records of him transferring $680,000 to that woman over the past three years. I want him to pay that money back to me.” I listed them one by one. “Furthermore, he used marital assets to buy a house for the other woman, over two million in cash. I want that recovered.” The lawyer looked at me for a moment. “Mrs. Vance, you’ve done your homework.” “I have plenty of time.” I smiled. “He cheated for three years, I have three years of evidence.” The lawyer nodded. “I understand. I will help you prepare the materials.” “One more thing.” I looked at him. “That woman also has a husband.” The lawyer looked up. “Her husband doesn’t know about this.” I paused. “I want him to know.” The lawyer remained silent for a moment. “This is your personal matter, it’s not appropriate for me to interfere. But legally, you have the right to inform him.” “Good.” I stood up. “I’ll have the materials ready. Next week, I’m going to sit down and talk with them.” “How do you plan to do that?” “In front of both sets of parents.” I looked out the window. “I want everyone to know what they did.” 7. I called my in-laws. “Mom, come over for dinner this weekend, I have something to say.” “What is it?” “Good news.” I also called my parents. “Dad, come over this weekend, I have something to tell you.” “What is it?” “You’ll know when you get here.” Friday night, Arthur came home very early. “Wife, Mom and Dad are coming this weekend, what are you planning to cook?” “What do you want to eat?” “Anything. Whatever you make is delicious.” He smiled and put his arm around me. I didn’t dodge. “Hubby.” “Hm?” “Do you love me?” He froze for a second, then smiled. “Of course I do.” “What about Mia?” His smile stiffened. “What?” “Mia. My best friend. The baby’s mother.” I looked at him. “Do you love her?” His face changed. “What… what do you mean?” “That messaging account with the alias ‘Wife’, I saw it.” He took a step back. “You went through my phone?” “Six hundred and eighty thousand in transfers. That house on the Eastside. The baby calling you Daddy.” I enunciated every word. “Are you still going to pretend?” He opened his mouth. But nothing came out. “Mom and Dad are coming this weekend.” I smiled. “Let’s all have a chat.” His face went white. “What are you going to do?” “What am I going to do?” I looked at him. “I’m going to let everyone know that you and my best friend have been raising an illegitimate child behind my back for three years.”

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Everyone in high society knows I’m just a dog kept by the Sterling family. The true heiress of the Sterling family is my twin sister, Mia. She is the apple of everyone’s eye. While I am merely the fake brought out to take the blame whenever she makes a mistake. Only my uncle, Arthur Sterling, would secretly bring me pastries when I was punished to kneel in the ancestral hall. “Chloe, bear with it a little longer. Once Uncle takes control of the Sterling family, I’ll take you away.” For this, Mia despised me to the core, finding every way to torment me, all of which Arthur quietly deflected. Until Arthur finally defeated my father and became the new head of the Sterling family. I thought my suffering was finally over, but when I pushed open his bedroom door, I saw him and Mia passionately entangled in bed. “If your dear niece knew that you went to such great lengths to ruin the Sterling family just so she’d have no way out and become your dog, would she go crazy?” In an instant, I felt like I had plunged into an abyss. Faced with my devastated questioning, Arthur didn’t even bat an eyelid. “Since you know everything, I won’t bother pretending anymore.” “This is the Sterling family’s underground fighting ring. If you want freedom, win against all the opponents I arrange for you and walk out of there alive.” … My entire body stiffened; I thought I was dreaming. “What, you don’t believe it?” He chuckled lightly. “Did you really think I stopped Mia because my heart ached for you?” “I just didn’t want my toy to be broken by someone else before I got to play with it.” Mia also poked her head out from the room at that moment. “Sister, did you really think Uncle loved you?” She walked up to me. “The only person he has ever loved is me.” “As for you, you’re just a replacement who looks like me. Not even a replacement, really, just a dog that needs to be trained.” “Looking at your eyes, you want to kill us, don’t you? The more you hate, the more excited I get.” I stared dead at Arthur, my voice unbelievably hoarse. “Why… you weren’t like this before!” “There is no why,” Arthur walked to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a glass of wine. “From the day your father picked me up, I was just a tool for him to climb higher. Now, I’m taking back what’s mine. Is there a problem?” “And you, Chloe Sterling, are just a part of my spoils of war.” “Think it’s unfair? There is no fairness in this world.” “You’ve enjoyed the title of the eldest Miss Sterling for twenty years. Now, it’s time for you to pay the price.” Too lazy to say more, he waved his hand impatiently, and two men in black suits appeared behind me. “Take her to the fighting ring, let her learn the rules.” Before I could even react, one of them grabbed my hair and roughly dragged me out. A tearing, agonizing pain radiated from my scalp. As we passed Mia, she leaned close to my ear and whispered: “Sister, guess who the first fighter will be?” “It’s that bodyguard whose leg Uncle broke just because he took an extra look at you.” “He… must be missing you like crazy right now.” Arthur’s voice came from behind. “To make it more interesting, all your opponents will be men.” “Chloe, don’t disappoint me.” He added a hint of playfulness, “At least, try to live a bit longer.” I was dragged into the elevator; the feeling of weightlessness made my stomach churn. Ding— The elevator doors opened, and the frantic, roaring sound engulfed me instantly. I was roughly pushed out, stumbled a few steps, and bumped into a man’s back. The man saw me, froze for a second, and then let out an obscene whistle: “Yo, Mr. Sterling’s new toy? So tender, it’d be a pity to beat her to death right away.” The people around immediately erupted in laughter. Looking at these crazed faces, I laughed, laughing at myself for ever having illusions about Arthur. I was thrown into a spartan room. A bodyguard threw a set of black lace lingerie at my feet. “Mr. Sterling’s orders. Put it on.” The fabric was pathetically sparse; it couldn’t even cover my body. “What if… I don’t?” The bodyguard sneered and lit up his phone screen. On it was a photo of my grandmother in her nursing home. “Mr. Sterling said, if you don’t behave, your grandmother might have a sudden heart attack in the nursing home at any time.” The last trace of color drained from my face. Without another word of nonsense, I took that ridiculous lingerie and, under the bodyguard’s explicit, greedy gaze, took off my clothes piece by piece. I straightened my back, allowing those gazes to flay me. The corridor leading to the fighting ring was lined with people. The moment I appeared, whistles and filthy teasing were incessant. “Is this tonight’s appetizer? Mr. Sterling is really getting more and more creative.” “Fighting in that? I bet she won’t last ten seconds!” “Ten seconds? I bet she pees her pants the moment she gets in the ring!” Step by step, I walked towards the iron cage spotlighted in the center. Arthur was sitting in the VIP seats directly facing the cage door. Mia was wrapped around him, smiling and saying something to him. Seeing me, Mia’s smile grew even more triumphant. She raised her glass to me and mouthed silently: “Good luck.” The referee stopped me and loudly announced the rules tailor-made for me. “First, for the sake of fairness, Miss Sterling cannot use any weapons.” The crowd erupted in a burst of laughter. A woman without the strength to tie a chicken, wearing lingerie, and they were actually saying it was for “fairness” that she couldn’t use weapons. “Second, to increase entertainment value, Miss Sterling is not allowed to retreat more than three steps during the match; otherwise, it’s an automatic loss.” This meant I could only take hits head-on, unable to dodge. “Third, and most importantly,” the referee drew out his voice, “after each round, the audience will vote to decide a special program to be completed jointly by Miss Sterling and the victor.” What the so-called “special program” was, went without saying. The cheers almost blew the roof off. Arthur’s gaze landed on me. He wanted to see me break down, see me kneel and beg for mercy. “What if I win?” The referee froze, seemingly never having considered this question. Arthur, however, twitched the corner of his mouth. “You win? That would be even more interesting.” “Win all the matches, and you can walk out of here alive.” He paused, “And, you can do whatever you want to your final opponent.” “Including killing him.” As he said this, his eyes stayed fixed on me, as if hinting at something. Mia giggled in his arms. “Uncle, you think too highly of her. She can barely stand steady.” Before she finished speaking, I mimicked the posture of a fighter, striking a clumsy combat stance. My ridiculous lingerie, coupled with this comical movement, instantly ignited roaring laughter from the entire audience. “Hahahaha! What does she think she’s doing? Dancing Swan Lake?” “Oh my god, I’m dying of laughter. Where did Mr. Sterling find this clown?” The smile on Arthur’s face deepened; it was the pleasure of watching a clown perform. Only a friend beside him frowned and whispered: “Arthur, isn’t this a bit too far? She is your niece after all.” Arthur’s eyes instantly turned cold: “Shut up! I have no niece here, only my plaything.” The moment the words fell, memories of his past with me flashed through his mind. He picked up his wine glass, using the alcohol to suppress that fleeting fluctuation. I slowly lowered my hands and, facing Arthur in the VIP box, clearly enunciated two words: “I accept.” The opponent for the first round was indeed the bodyguard Mia had mentioned, Carter. He limped onto the stage, the look in his eyes towards me full of sick excitement. “Eldest Miss Sterling, long time no see. Didn’t expect to meet in a place like this, did you?” He sneered, rolling his wrists. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you die too quickly.” “I’ll break your bones inch by inch, let you taste what I went through back then.” At the referee’s command, Carter lunged at me fiercely. I instinctively retreated, and the referee’s voice rang out, reminding me of that ridiculous “no retreating more than three steps” rule. I forced myself to stop, meeting his massive fist. Bang! A heavy punch landed squarely on my abdomen. The intense pain instantly made my body arc, acid rushing straight up my throat. He didn’t give me any chance to breathe, grabbing my hair and smashing my face fiercely against the chain-link fence. “Scream! Why aren’t you screaming? Weren’t you so high and mighty before!” The rough wire scraped my cheek, leaving streaks of blood. The roars and whistles of the crowd grew even more frenzied. “Useless thing, can’t even dodge.” Mia’s sharp voice drifted over. “Uncle, look at her, she really embarrasses the Sterling family.” Arthur didn’t speak, just picked up his wine glass and took a sip. The pain made me almost lose consciousness, but Carter’s insults, Mia’s mockery, and Arthur’s coldness—these things kept me awake. The moment Carter grabbed my head to smash it against the wire mesh again, I used all my strength to ruthlessly knee him in the groin! “Aaargh—!” Carter let out a miserable shriek, clutching his crotch and falling to the ground in agony. No one expected that this seemingly weak woman would use such a ruthless move. I took the opportunity to break free, leaning against the wire mesh, panting heavily. Despite the excruciating pain all over my body, a sliver of satisfaction rose in my heart. In the VIP box, Mia opened her mouth wide in surprise: “She… how dare she!?” However, my counterattack did not bring victory. After twitching on the ground for a few seconds, Carter abruptly raised his head, filled with a crazed murderous intent. “Bitch! You’re dead!” He leaped up from the ground, his fists raining down on my face like a storm. I was beaten completely defenseless and soon collapsed on the ground. He stepped on the back of my hand, slowly turning his heel, grinding down with force. Crack. The crisp sound of bones breaking echoed throughout the arena. The severe pain made my vision go black, and I almost passed out. “Stop!” The referee’s voice rang out. “Carter wins!” Only then did Carter release his foot, his face showing the thrill of revenge: “Eldest Miss Sterling, how is the taste?” I lay on the cold ground, my consciousness blurring. On the large screen, the votes rolled rapidly, finally stopping on two words: “Lick toes.” The crowd cheered. Carter smugly extended his foot towards my face. “Come on, lick it clean, like a bitch.” At this moment, Arthur was watching this scene with great interest. Not only did he not stop it, he picked up the microphone and said to the entire arena: “It seems our Miss Sterling doesn’t quite understand the rules yet. Who will come teach her?” As soon as he spoke, two burly men stepped onto the stage, pressing down hard on the back of my neck, trying to force me to lick his foot. Over the next few matches, I became a joke. Every night, I was dragged back to that small room, and the next day dragged back into the ring, repeating the cycle of defeat and humiliation. “Striptease,” “Bark like a dog”… The special programs thought up by the audience became increasingly vulgar, each one trampling my dignity underfoot. But I never begged Arthur for mercy, not even once. My silence clearly angered him more than crying or screaming would have. The opponents he arranged for me grew stronger and stronger, even bringing in ruthless desperadoes. Until a butcher pulled out a dagger. The crowd went into an uproar, and even the referee looked towards Arthur. Arthur just said coolly: “In the fighting ring, life and death are on your own head.” The sharp knife slashed across my face, leaving a wound deep enough to show bone. Just when I thought I was going to die here, some dormant instinct within my body was awakened. I dodged a fatal thrust, used my shoulder to viciously ram into his ribs, followed by an extreme burst of energy. I won, in a tragic, desperate manner. I clutched my bleeding arm, looking coldly at the VIP box. The expression on Arthur’s face seemed to be one of heartache. But before that emotion could fully form, it was completely strangled by Mia’s vicious words. “Uncle, look at the way she’s looking at you. It’s like she wants to eat you alive.” “She’s an untamable wolf cub. Your soft-heartedness will only make her hate you more.” She leaned close to his ear and said something else. Arthur’s body clearly stiffened, and immediately, that trace of heartache in his eyes vanished completely. “You’re right, I was being too merciful.” He picked up the microphone and announced to the arena: “Tonight’s matches are over.” “But to reward our brave Miss Sterling, I have prepared a… truly special program for her.” As soon as he spoke, several men walked in, surrounding me with malicious intent. Leading them was Carter, the one who broke my hand in the first match. “Arthur! You’re crazy!” The friend who had previously advised him stood up again. “You can’t do this!” Arthur pushed him away. “What I do is none of your business!” “Chloe, this is your last chance.” “Kneel down right now, beg me, say you were wrong, say you’re willing to be my dog, and I’ll let you go.” Mia giggled beside him: “Sister, hurry up and beg for mercy. Look how much Uncle cares about you. All you have to do is kneel and wag your tail, and you can be saved.” I looked at those ugly faces and suddenly laughed. “Arthur Sterling, dream on.” My answer completely destroyed his last shred of patience. “Let her know what true despair is.” I didn’t struggle, nor did I cry out. I just opened my eyes wide, staring dead at that blurry figure in the VIP box. I don’t know how long it lasted before it was all over. I was just left like that in the center of the ring. “Arthur Sterling, you will regret this!!” I don’t know how much time passed before someone dragged me out of the iron cage like a dead dog, throwing me into a corner backstage. Arthur and Mia had also left. In the massive fighting arena, only a few cleaners were left, numbly cleaning up the mess. One of the older cleaners saw me, a flash of pity in his eyes. He quietly walked over and draped a reasonably clean employee jacket over my broken body. “Girl, get out of here.” “If you don’t leave now, you really won’t be able to.” I used all my strength to barely prop myself up, but the agonizing pain in my hand bones and my torn body made me fall again. Just then, a pair of expensive leather shoes stopped in front of me. It was the friend who had advised Arthur earlier, Julian. He took off his suit jacket, wrapped it completely around me, and picked me up in his arms. “Don’t be afraid, I’m taking you out of here.” I leaned against his chest, my consciousness wavering between wakefulness and passing out. I only heard him make a phone call. “Dr. Vance, do me a favor. Prepare the best room and doctor at your private hospital. I’m bringing someone over right now.” “Remember, use your name. Don’t let anyone trace it, especially not Arthur Sterling.” When I woke up again, I was lying in a clean, bright hospital room. My wrists were properly bandaged and immobilized, and the wounds on my body had been treated. Julian was keeping watch by the bed. Seeing me wake up, he breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re finally awake. You’ve been unconscious for two days.” I looked at him and rasped out, “Why did you save me?” “Because I still have a conscience.” “Arthur… he’s gone mad, blinded by hatred. I can’t just watch him destroy you, and destroy himself too.” I let out a cold laugh, the sound pulling at the wound on my face, a piercing pain. “Destroy himself? He’s riding high right now.” Julian remained silent for a moment, then handed me a tablet. “This is what I secretly copied. All the illegal records of Arthur consolidating assets, including the cash flow and transaction list of that underground fighting ring.” “I don’t know what you want to do, but I figured you’d need this.” I took the tablet, my fingertips turning white from gripping it so hard. “Why are you betraying him?” “He is my best friend,” Julian’s eyes dimmed, “But I can’t watch him turn into an absolute monster.” “And…” he paused, his voice low, “I owe you my life.” I was stunned. “Five years ago, your father planned a car accident to get rid of me. You secretly made an anonymous call to warn me, letting me escape.” “Although you never admitted it, I know it was you.”

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1 After my year-end bonus hit my account, my husband, Liam, and I went out for the omakase dinner we’d been drooling over for ages. We hadn’t even taken a few bites when my mother-in-law called. She was sobbing, out of breath: “Your dad… went to the hospital today.” My husband panicked and shot up from his seat: “What’s wrong? What did the doctor say? Stop crying and tell me first…” My mother-in-law rambled on, starting from three days ago when my father-in-law chipped his tooth on a hard bone, all the way to how cold the doctors at the hospital were. Half an hour later, she finally got to the point: “The doctor said, in his situation, he needs a dental implant.” My husband sighed in relief: “I thought it was something serious. Then just get the implant.” My mother-in-law hemmed and hawed: “It’s a bit expensive.” “How expensive could it be?” “Eighty thousand.” My husband fell silent. I quietly savored the delicious food. The anxious and apprehensive mood I’d had for days finally settled completely at this moment. “Liam? Liam? Are you listening?” My mother-in-law’s shrill voice seemed to pierce through the receiver. Liam looked at me and said in a low voice: “I’m listening. I’m out right now, I’ll call you back later.” I sneered inwardly. I’d bet anything my mother-in-law wouldn’t hang up. Every single time my in-laws asked him for money, this was the routine. First, my mother-in-law would lead the charge with crying and wailing. If Liam agreed immediately, the call would end there. If Liam didn’t agree, then it was my father-in-law’s turn. The mother-in-law was responsible for crying, the father-in-law for scolding. Heavy accusations like “unfilial,” “raised you for nothing,” and “what’s the point of living” would come crashing down. In the very end, Liam would always compromise. This time, of course, would be no exception. I counted silently in my head. Three, two, one. Sure enough, the next second, my mother-in-law said: “I’ll put your dad on the phone.” Liam frowned and sighed. His demeanor was becoming more and more like his father’s. On the other end of the line, my father-in-law sighed heavily. “Sigh, I know I’m putting you in a tough spot. Given our family’s situation, forget it. It’s all my fault for being useless, who told me not to make money when I was young? “I’m getting old anyway. If something really happens, I’ve lived long enough. Sigh… let’s not talk about it. You and Chloe go ahead and enjoy your meal, don’t fight over this little thing.” Liam anxiously interrupted: “Dad, don’t say such unlucky things…” Answering him was the beep, beep sound of the call disconnecting. He hurriedly called back. No one answered on the other end. He stared at me. I stared at the omakase chef’s hands. These hands are really beautiful. Just for these beautiful hands, I could eat thirty more pieces. The sea urchin is so fresh. It melts in the mouth. But in the end, I only ate one piece. Because Liam blew up at me. He said: “My dad is in this state, how can you still have the appetite to eat?” 2 Married for three years, I had heard similar accusations many times. The first time was in the third month of our marriage. My in-laws went to a wedding banquet, and it started raining on their way home. Instead of seeking shelter, the two elders just rushed home in the rain. Afterward, they both caught a cold and were bedridden. My mother-in-law called Liam. In my father-in-law’s words: “Liam and his wife need to know about this.” After I found out, I sent a polite message of concern in the family group chat, telling them to drink plenty of hot water and rest well. The group was dead silent; no one acknowledged me. That day after work, I was opening packages, trying on new clothes in front of the mirror, and casually asked Liam if they looked good. He instantly got angry. “My parents are like this, and you still have the mood to buy clothes? How can you be so selfish and cold-blooded!” The sudden barrage of accusations left me stunned. Then Liam slammed the door and left, not returning all night. At that time, my love for him was strong. Being suddenly called cold-blooded to my face made me very uneasy. I reflected on whether I hadn’t done enough. But they just caught a cold, did they expect me to go back and take care of them? After thinking it over, I sent my in-laws a red envelope of a thousand dollars each, telling them to buy something nice to eat to nourish themselves, to spend what they needed to spend, and not to worry about the money. This time, my father-in-law instantly praised me for being filial, and my mother-in-law chimed in saying I was sensible. I didn’t say anything, but I felt an indescribable sensation in my heart. The next morning, just as I woke up, I saw Liam wearing an apron, making breakfast for me in the kitchen. He apologized to me. “I’m sorry, honey. Mom and Dad talked to me. It’s just a cold, I overreacted. But—” his tone shifted, “as children, we can’t just look at the surface, we have to look at the big picture. Why did Mom and Dad catch a cold? Isn’t it because they don’t have a car? If they had driven home, they wouldn’t have gotten rained on, right?” I remained silent. Liam continued: “I looked at a three-wheeled enclosed motorcycle. It’s not expensive, just thirty-eight thousand. They can drive it when they visit relatives too.” Thirty-eight thousand. A three-wheeler. Not a car worth over a hundred thousand. It seemed… maybe… not too unreasonable? In the end, I nodded. Liam hugged me and laughed, saying the money would come from his savings so I wouldn’t have to worry about it. But after that, for a full six months, he didn’t contribute a dime to the mortgage or daily expenses. I was dissatisfied, but inexplicably, I couldn’t bring myself to fight with Liam over this. I always felt like I was being unreasonable. In the end, I could only console myself by saying he was just being filial. Husband and wife are supposed to support each other. He had no money, I had money, so it was normal for me to shoulder a bit more, right? Besides, situations like this wouldn’t happen often. But reality quickly slapped me in the face. The in-laws’ second major expense arrived unexpectedly. 3 At that time, Liam’s project had just paid out. A total of three hundred thousand. I jumped for joy, planning to pay off some of the mortgage early. After all, a monthly mortgage of eight thousand was always a heavy burden. Paying off a bit early would lessen the pressure. Liam supported this with both hands raised. He even pinched my nose, praising me for being a virtuous wife, thinking of the mortgage instead of living it up when we had money. But the next day, a neighbor from his hometown called Liam. Saying my father-in-law went up to the roof to change the awning and accidentally fell and broke his leg. My mother-in-law sprained her back while helping my father-in-law upstairs. Now, both elders were immobilized. Liam and I rushed back, only to see my father-in-law with his leg in a cast, lying in bed looking weak as a kitten. My mother-in-law was beside him, holding her back, sobbing uncontrollably. Seeing this, the visiting relatives all started accusing us: “Truly unfilial! Leaving your parents in the village to live in a leaky, drafty house while you hide in the city enjoying life.” “Take this situation, for example. If his Third Uncle hadn’t come over to visit and found him, to put it bluntly, maybe even…” “Liam, you can’t be the kind of person who forgets his mother once he gets a wife, letting someone instigate you to be unfilial.” “Chloe, I’m not trying to scold you, but what kind of daughter-in-law lives so far away from her in-laws after marriage? If something happens, how can they rely on you?” “If you don’t want to serve your in-laws yourself, at least don’t stop Liam from fulfilling his filial duties. You’re so immature!” … Being accused by so many people for the first time, I sat there feeling deeply uncomfortable. Liam, with red eyes and his head down, promised over and over again that this would never happen again. My father-in-law raised a hand, and as soon as he opened his mouth, he coughed so hard he couldn’t catch his breath: “Sigh, don’t blame Liam. It’s hard for him too, it’s not easy to ask for time off work now, cough cough cough…” My mother-in-law rubbed his back while wiping away tears: “Yes, yes, we’re actually fine. If something really happens, that… that’s just fate…” As they spoke, the two elders held each other, weeping silently. Liam dropped to his knees: “Dad, Mom, I’ll take you both to live in the city.” He looked at me, his tone resolute: “This matter is settled.” I opened my mouth, but the words of objection just wouldn’t come out, no matter what. Just like that, my in-laws followed us to the city. 4 In a three-bedroom apartment, my in-laws insisted on sleeping in separate rooms, one each. My father-in-law took a liking to the master bedroom, saying the orientation brought him good luck. My mother-in-law picked the second bedroom, saying it had good ventilation. As for Liam and me, my father-in-law said: “If you open up the living room and the study, it’s a very big room.” Anyone who heard this arrangement would think it was unreasonable. I had a huge fight with Liam, not even bothering to lower my voice. My thought was simple: they can stay, but they can’t stay like this. If they just had a little common sense… But who knew that in the middle of the night, my in-laws would leave a note and head back to the village. Even more exaggerated was that they got lost on their way to the bus station. In the end, the police called Liam. The family of three cried in a huddle at the police station. My in-laws insisted on returning to the village, while Liam knelt and begged them to stay. He pulled at me: “Hurry up and come kneel with us.” I just thought he was sick in the head. Just as I turned to leave, my father-in-law spoke up. He said: “Sigh, Liam, get up. Your mom and I really want to go home. We can’t get used to living at your place. That apartment is too small, it’s hard to even turn around… How about this, if you have some spare cash, give us some money, and I’ll renovate the house back home…” Liam tearfully agreed and transferred two hundred and eighty thousand on the spot. I made a scene with Liam, and he accused me: “Chloe, I know you have something to say, but you hold it in. I ask you, is this your money? “Can you stop being so possessive over other people’s money? “What’s wrong with me using my money to fulfill my filial duties to my parents?” I was stunned. He softened his tone: “You saw that old, dangerous house of my family’s too. It really needs fixing. “This is the last time. Once my parents are settled, I can finally live a peaceful life with you. Just forgive me this once. I’ll figure something else out for the mortgage, okay?” To be fair, he treated me quite well. As soon as his salary hit his account, he transferred it to me, leaving only a thousand for himself. As long as he was home, I hardly had to lift a finger for daily chores. When my mom was hospitalized, he ran around taking care of her without a single word of complaint. As long as it didn’t involve his parents, he was indeed a good husband. Now, the car was bought, the house was renovated; the two elders shouldn’t have any more major expenses, right? Therefore, I forgave Liam once again. But reality slapped me hard in the face once more. 5 Taking that two hundred and eighty thousand, my in-laws didn’t return to the village to renovate the house. Instead, they turned around and bought a three-bedroom apartment in the county town, with a monthly mortgage of one thousand two hundred. They said: “The medical facilities in the county are good. If anything happens, we can get medical attention in time.” This move caught Liam completely off guard. He asked who would pay the monthly mortgage. My in-laws looked at him as if it were the most natural thing in the world: “You, of course! We’re old, how much longer can we live? In the end, this house will be yours anyway. You’re just paying the mortgage for your own house right now.” Things having reached this point, what else could he do but grit his teeth and accept it? After that, my in-laws were very quiet for a while. And it was only for a while. Then, they started acting up again. They said they were getting old and had mobility issues, so they needed to hire a nanny. It wasn’t expensive in a small place, just two thousand a month. They said a certain miracle drug would make them live to a hundred, and a bottle was only five or six thousand. Not expensive, very worth it. They said a certain magnetic therapy pillow had outstanding effects, and one was only a little over two thousand, with a lifetime warranty. Very cost-effective. … Every single time, Liam readily transferred the money. He said: “They worked hard their whole lives, it’s only right they enjoy some comfort in their old age. Since I can’t be by their side to fulfill my filial duties, I should just give them more money.” I wanted to say, they aren’t old. They’re only fifty-three, not even at retirement age. I wanted to say, they haven’t even saved ten thousand dollars in their entire lives. I wanted to say, could they live within their means and not force themselves to “enjoy comfort” they can’t afford? There were many things I wanted to say. In the end, they all dissolved into silence. Liam was like a pre-programmed software. As long as the topic touched upon his parents, he would react impulsively and become unreasonable. His monthly salary was fifteen thousand. Mine was twelve thousand. We normally ate at the company cafeteria, wore work uniforms, and went back to my mom’s place for holidays… Excluding the eight thousand monthly mortgage, we had almost no major expenses, and my mom often subsidized us with shopping gift cards. Yet, after three years of marriage, our savings were less than thirty thousand. My in-laws were like leeches hiding in the dark. Whenever we had a little income, they would suddenly bite and suck it away. And Liam, holding high the banner of filial piety, kept compromising and yielding, like an accomplice to a tiger. I endured my boss’s gaslighting, working hard just to make our small family’s life better. But just as I was putting my heart and soul into gathering firewood for this home, the person sharing my bed was endlessly supplying blood to his wretched original family. He was holding me back! He was calculating against me! Many times, a person’s awakening happens in an instant. One second I was texting Liam complaining about my in-laws, the next second I felt life was utterly dull. This marriage was incredibly meaningless. I wanted a divorce. 6 I thought about it for a long time. I went back to my parents’ house and told my mom what I was thinking. My mom said: “Liam is hardworking and ambitious, and he listens to your every word. He even washes your underwear for you. “His parents’ spending is indeed a problem, but at the end of the day, no matter how much they spend, how much can it really be? “Just pretend Liam doesn’t have an income, okay? If we don’t have enough money, Mom will sell that empty old house of ours and help you pay off the mortgage early. How about that?” “Not happening.” I flatly rejected my mom. Originally, my in-laws were just sucking the blood of my small family. If my mom did this, wouldn’t it mean my side of the family was also paying for their consumption? In the end, I told my mom: “Let’s make a bet. Let’s see if, push comes to shove, Liam chooses me or his parents.” If he chose me, our marriage could continue. If he chose his parents, that meant he was indeed a great, filial son, just not suitable for marriage. Or rather, not suitable for marrying me. This eighty thousand performance bonus was the bait I specifically laid out. Sure enough, my in-laws came running as soon as they caught the scent. And Liam’s performance, as always, disappointed me. Right now, he was still endlessly accusing me. I don’t know when it started, but whenever his parents asked for money, Liam would use this little combo on me. First, he’d stand on the moral high ground and accuse me. Then, he’d wait for me to respectfully offer up my income. Finally, he’d apologize guiltily and promise there wouldn’t be a next time. His promises were bullshit! He’d told the lie so many times, he even believed it himself. But the bank balance told me: it was all fake, all of it! I looked at him quietly: “I worked hard and finally got my performance bonus. Why wouldn’t I be able to eat? “As for your dad’s tooth, get the implant. It’s just eighty thousand, what’s the big deal? “Or is it that you’ve finally realized you have no money and can no longer support your parents’ desires?” Liam shut his mouth, his face looking terrible.

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“Professor, how can a man have an affair for six years without his wife ever finding out?” My student, whom I had mentored for three years, suddenly asked. Scandals in the journalism industry are always flying around. I told her to focus her energy on her studies and gossip less about other people’s business. As a result, that very night, I scrolled past a local push notification: “Giving the sisters a little treat.” “My husband is 6’2″ and packing.” In the video, a man in a sharp suit had his large hand gripped tightly around a woman’s slender waist. The comment section was full of screaming. “Those veins, those thick knuckles! Sister, you are truly blessed!” I let out a soft chuckle and was just about to scroll past. When I caught a glimpse of the sparkling diamond ring on the man’s finger. It was identical to the one I had spent countless days and nights polishing by hand. I froze, then forwarded the video and the blogger’s boastful comment directly to the person involved. “Mr. Sterling, why didn’t you tell me your technique had improved?” The next second, the account was banned. He came home with a dark face. “I already married you, do you really have to monitor me like this?!” “Don’t worry, she won’t have any children. She won’t get anything except love.” “Can’t you just let me go?” I have never been the type to swallow my pride. That very night, I found a lawyer to draft a divorce agreement. That night, his room was littered with cigarette butts. Ultimately, he compromised. “I will send her abroad, but before that, I want to make it up to her with a graduation trip.” From then on, he disappeared from my world. He didn’t even show up on the day of our daughter’s funeral after her car accident. I packed up my daughter’s belongings and quietly booked a flight to Europe. Since you two love each other so much. Then I’ll just leave. Chapter 1 “Alfred, please hand this over to Arthur.” I handed the court judgment to the butler. After Arthur said he wanted to compensate Mia with a graduation trip, he disappeared for two whole years. I petitioned the court for a divorce based on a breakdown of the marriage and a two-year separation. “Madam, you and the young master used to be so good together. Is there really… no room for reconciliation?” The butler’s expression showed a hint of reluctance. My gaze, however, passed through him, looking at the villa I had lived in for eight years. Cold and desolate. In two days, it would be my daughter’s birthday. In previous years at this time, the house would already be bustling with decorations. Now, the villa barely had any lights on. I suddenly remembered the video Mia posted on social media two days ago. She was holding a cat, and the cat was wearing a birthday hat. Mia was leaning on Arthur’s shoulder, smiling. The caption read: “Celebrating our little baby’s birthday~ It’s so good to have someone willing to be crazy with you~” The comment section was flooded with “Perfect match,” “So happy,” “Such a good boyfriend,” and “Happy birthday, kitty.” Even a cat could have a warm home, while my daughter could only stay in this cold urn. And the other person in the video was my daughter’s biological father. The irony was extreme! My eyes couldn’t help but redden. It was five days ago that Chloe had her accident. I called Arthur countless times. When he finally answered, I only got a cold, “Mia’s trip still has a month left. Whatever it is, wait until I get back,” before he hung up. When I called back, I only got the busy signal of being blocked. Thinking about how my daughter, right before she died, was still asking when Daddy would come back, saying Daddy hadn’t come to see her in a long time. My heart felt like it was being tightly squeezed, hurting so much I could barely breathe. The butler was still looking at me with sorrowful eyes, trying to make me stay. But I wiped the tears from my face, my tone even firmer. “It’s impossible to go back to the past.” “And this, please pass this on for me too.” Saying that, I took off the diamond ring on my ring finger and got into the car without looking back. On the way to the airport, my phone pinged. An account I followed had posted a new video. “So sad to leave Venice, boohoo. Someone promised to bring me back next year!” Mia was kissing the sleeping profile of Arthur. Even from a photo, you could see the unmistakable sweetness between them. I masochistically scrolled through Mia’s account from beginning to end. Arthur took her to see icebergs, to see the aurora borealis. He also kissed Mia romantically next to historic buildings. My heart suddenly ached. These were all the things he had once promised to do with me. The year we first got together, on a whim, we bought a “100 Things Couples Must Do” list. We also each wrote down three wishes, promising to fulfill them together. After exchanging wishes, Arthur’s paper was blank. Catching my confused look, the young man’s eyes were full of smiles. “Chloe’s wishes are my wishes.” I still remember that loving look. Just like the look he now gave Mia. Antarctic glaciers, Arctic auroras, Paris, France. These were the three most romantic places I could think of. But after we got married, he never mentioned them again. It turned out he didn’t forget; the person he wanted to love was just no longer me. Just as I was about to click unfollow. A message suddenly popped up on my phone, pulling me out of my heavy mood. “Chloe, if you need anything, please contact me immediately. I will always be your backup.” Chapter 2 My gaze lingered on this message for a moment. With a swipe of my finger, I blocked and deleted the number. A day later, the plane landed. I brought my daughter’s ashes to the Alps. My daughter’s dying wish was for her parents to bring her here once. Unfortunately, before I could fulfill this wish for her, we were separated by death. But upon entering the hotel, I suddenly saw a familiar figure. Arthur had his arm around Mia’s waist. The two were sharing the same scarf, pressed sweetly against each other, waiting for the elevator. Before I could react, the hotel receptionist followed my gaze and saw them. The receptionist smiled and joked. “They are such a sweet couple.” “The gentleman specifically booked out the entire hotel the day before yesterday, just to celebrate his six-year anniversary with his girlfriend.” “Later, it was the girlfriend who said it was too quiet and no fun, so they changed it to just the top-floor penthouse suite.” “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been able to book a room at our hotel today, ma’am.” I froze. “Excuse me, you just said they are celebrating their… six-year anniversary?” The receptionist nodded. Seeing my expression change, she asked if I needed her to call the hotel’s medical staff. I gritted my teeth and waved my hand. Six years, six years. That meant they got together right when I first got pregnant. I stared with near hatred at the two figures, one tall, one short, by the elevator. Mia was my student. She was studious and motivated, and I often mentored her. But this very student, whom I was so proud of, climbed into my husband’s bed in the very first month I brought her home. I had thought Arthur only had a change of heart after we had been together for ten years. I could still lie to myself that at least his feelings for our daughter were real! Now it seemed that perhaps he never loved me, nor did he ever love our daughter. “Sorry, I won’t be checking in.” I almost lost my composure as I snatched my ID back under the receptionist’s surprised gaze. As I was walking away quickly, I was suddenly stopped. “Professor Miller, it really is you!” Mia’s pleasantly surprised voice rang in my ears. I turned around abruptly, meeting Arthur’s disgusted gaze. “Chloe, are you stalking me?” “I said I would go back after accompanying Mia on her trip. Do you really have to fight me on this right now?” “Are you trying to completely ruin Mia’s trip and make everyone miserable before you’re satisfied?” I was almost amused by his blatant reprimand. In his eyes, I was that kind of person? “Arthur, you’re being too harsh on Professor Miller.” Mia playfully patted Arthur’s arm. Arthur actually restrained himself, even touching Mia’s cheek. “Sorry, I lost my temper. Did I scare you?” Watching him back down because of Mia’s single sentence, I zoned out for a moment. Having been with Arthur for ten years, I knew clearly that beneath his peaceful exterior lay a severe case of male chauvinism. Getting him to change his mind was almost impossible. Yet now, he was actually backing down for a single playful smile from Mia. Over the past ten years, the number of times he compromised for me could be counted on one hand, and even then, only after I had pleaded and pleaded. I shook my head in self-mockery. So, being loved versus not being loved was this obvious. I thought my heart would ache, but all I felt was indifference. “Your whereabouts are known to everyone on social media. Do I need to stalk you?” Arthur frowned at my words, but before he could ask, his attention was drawn by my next sentence. “Besides, we are already divorced, Mr. Sterling.” Chapter 3 “I’m here for serious business too. I don’t have time to play cat-and-mouse games with you.” As my cold laughter fell, Arthur’s face darkened drastically. “Do you think I don’t remember whether or not I signed the divorce agreement?” He sneered. “Chloe, a few days ago you could still think of using our daughter to trick me. How come today you can only come up with such a clumsy trick?” Hearing him mention our daughter, my heart was suddenly pierced with pain. I couldn’t help but take a step forward. “Daughter? You still have the nerve to mention our daughter to me?” “I ask you, why didn’t you answer when I called you?” “I messaged you that our daughter had an accident. You clearly saw the message, why didn’t you reply?!” “Did you know that in her final moments, she was still thinking about you coming home to see her!!!” With every word I spoke, I lost a bit more control. By the time I finished the last sentence, my eyes were red, and my whole body was almost trembling. Arthur, however, still looked at me with disdain, even adding a trace of wariness as if looking at a madwoman. “The same lie didn’t work the first time, and you want to try it a second and third time?” “Chloe, do you really think I’m an idiot?” “If something really happened to our daughter, given your personality, you should have died with her, right? How can you still be standing here perfectly fine?” Mia also seemingly worriedly supported my hand. “Yes, Professor Miller. You know how much Arthur cares about Chloe. How could you come up with such an idea to play with his feelings?” “I know you’ve always blamed me for taking away Arthur’s affection, but by doing this, aren’t you also actively consuming his affection for you?” I forcefully shook off Mia’s hand. “Get lost! I don’t need your fake kindness!” My daughter is gone, what use are a man’s illusory feelings? I didn’t think I used much force, but Mia was thrown completely to the ground. “My back, Arthur.” Smack. A sudden pain bloomed on my cheek. I clutched my rapidly swelling cheek, staring blankly at the person who hit me. Arthur seemed not to have expected that he actually hit me either. His expression showed a moment of reluctance and stiffness. He was just about to reach out and comfort me. Mia on the ground immediately clutched her stomach. “It hurts, my stomach…” Arthur’s attention was instantly drawn away. Watching him hold Mia in his arms, asking her concerned questions. I revealed a mocking smile. Just as I was about to leave, I was stopped by Arthur’s voice. “Stop right there!” I turned around with a cold expression. “You pushed Mia, and you think you can just walk away like this?” His eyes were chilling. “Apologize to Mia immediately.” Being falsely accused, my anger turned into laughter. “What if I say no?” We stood in a silent standoff. Finally, it was Mia who tugged at Arthur’s sleeve. “I feel much better, Arthur. Don’t force Professor Miller either. I just lost my footing earlier.” Hearing this, Arthur became even angrier with me. “You disappoint me too much, Chloe.” “Mia is ten years younger than you, and you don’t have half her maturity.” “It seems I protected you too well over the past few years, so much so that you’ve forgotten your place!” “This time going back, Mia will still be with me. I’ll let her teach you what the rules are.” I sneered. Saying all this, wasn’t it just laying the groundwork to bring Mia back? On the surface, he looked like a gentleman and a business elite, but in the end, he was just a hypocritical snake. Arthur took Mia back to the top floor. I originally planned to change hotels. But a snowstorm suddenly blew in outside. Helplessly, I had to stay. And secretly hoped that it would definitely clear up tomorrow. Because tomorrow was the seventh day since my daughter passed away. I wanted to bury my daughter at the peak of the Alps, fulfilling the wish she couldn’t realize. Chapter 4 I was fraught with worry and didn’t sleep all night. But by the next day, the snowstorm still hadn’t stopped. Ignoring the warnings, I borrowed a windbreaker from the hotel and headed up the mountain alone with my daughter’s urn. Just as I rested halfway up and was preparing to continue. The small bag I had placed by my feet suddenly vanished! It held my daughter’s ashes! I sprang up to search for it, only to see Mia, wearing the same type of windbreaker, not far away. “Professor Miller, are you looking for this?” I saw pure malice on her face. “Give it back to me!” I lunged forward to grab it, but Mia held her hand high and dodged left and right. Just keeping it out of my reach. In a fit of anger, I shoved her hard. This scene was witnessed by Arthur, who had just arrived. He sharply reprimanded: “Stop!” Arthur caught Mia, who looked terrified. “Mia knew you braved the snow to go up the mountain, and disregarding her own safety, she came out to find you. Is this how you repay her kindness?!” “How did you become so vicious!” I acted as if I didn’t hear his accusations at all, only fixing my gaze on the urn in Mia’s hands. “Give it to me! Give it back to me!” Mia shrank her hand back, completely hiding in Arthur’s arms. “What exactly are you going crazy about?!” Arthur completely lost his patience. I was almost about to blurt out that it was our daughter’s urn. But meeting his furrowed brows, I suddenly sobered up. He would probably think I was lying again. “That is something very important to me.” I gritted my teeth. Mia poked her head out. “Since it’s something important, I should definitely help you keep it safe, Professor Miller.” “My coat has pockets, don’t worry, it definitely won’t fall out if I keep it here!” I wanted to refuse again, but Arthur spoke up. “Enough, if you want to climb the mountain, hurry up. If it weren’t for Mia being kind-hearted and worrying about you having an accident, who would brave the danger to accompany you.” “Don’t end up dragging us down with you!” “Yeah, Professor Miller, are you taking this to the top of the mountain? Then let’s hurry up the mountain. I’ll give it to you when we get there.” All my words were rejected by the two of them. Seeing their figures already starting to climb, I could only grit my teeth and follow. Arthur and Mia supported each other, while I was all alone. I arrived at the mountaintop a full half-hour later than they did. I was panting. “The thing, give it to me.” Mia giggled and handed the urn back. But I suddenly felt the weight was wrong. I sharply cracked open the lid, only to see that the ashes inside were gone! In an instant, my eyes turned blood red. “Mia! Where are the contents of this?!” “You mean that dirty dust? I cleaned it out for you on the way.” Her smile was gentle, as if she were considering everything for my sake. “Professor Miller, how long has it been since you washed this jar? There was a whole layer of dust settled at the bottom. I conveniently wiped it clean for you.” “Even if Arthur hasn’t gone back to spend time with you for a long time, you shouldn’t be this sloppy.” I gripped my fists tightly.

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Arthur cheated, a one-night stand. The girl got pregnant, caused a scene in front of me, and demanded Arthur take responsibility. Arthur smoked a cigarette and left the choice to me. “It was just once.” “If you can forgive me, we’ll live our lives well.” “If you can’t, we divorce.” I looked pale, asking with a trembling voice: “It’s your fault, right?” “If we divorce, you’ll admit it’s your fault, right?” 1 My marriage to Arthur was picking up my sister’s leftovers. Chloe is bubbly, cheerful, yet spoiled and willful. She refused to be trapped for a lifetime by a so-called arranged marriage. So she took a card with twenty million dollars and ran away. My mom doted on her youngest daughter and couldn’t bear to lose a good son-in-law like Arthur. So she pushed me forward. Acting as if as long as it was a daughter from the Smith family, Arthur would marry her. Who is Arthur Vance? In the capital, if a signboard fell, it would hit a row of his ancestors. He was the biggest fish in the pond. Chloe fleeing the wedding had already made him lose face. And they wanted him to marry me? Were they daydreaming? But I still went to see him once, volunteering myself, and he actually agreed. This year is the fourth year of our marriage. In front of outsiders, we are the model couple. But privately, we treat each other with utmost respect, maintaining the most basic etiquette even in bed. My mom kept pushing me, saying I should have a child by now, nagging me for being useless, saying if things kept going like this, I wouldn’t be able to tie Arthur down, and what if he ran away? I wanted to say, Arthur isn’t a dog. I want to tie him down, but would he let me? But I wouldn’t say it. I would only nod submissively and incessantly. My mom couldn’t stand seeing me like this the most, rolling her eyes and strutting away, swaying her hips. But what I didn’t expect was that I actually got pregnant. 2 My period was late by one, two, three, maybe four weeks. Last night I bought a pregnancy test, and it showed two lines. Today I went to the hospital and got a blood test. The doctor held the report. “9 weeks pregnant. Do you want to keep this baby or not?” “I think I want it!” I was a bit hesitant. Arthur didn’t know yet. This child was also outside of our plans. I had to go ask him. So, holding the report, I went straight to his company. When I arrived, Arthur was in a meeting. His assistant led me to his office, poured coffee, brought pastries, and asked me to wait a while. I picked up the cup, just about to drink. Can you drink coffee while pregnant? I don’t know. Let me check. Yes, you can. Then no problem. I took a small sip and sighed in satisfaction. I was only halfway through the sigh when sudden noisy arguments erupted outside, accompanied by a woman’s scream. I pushed the door open and locked eyes with a woman being held back. She roared, her eyes bloodshot: “Tell Arthur to come out! He knocked someone up, doesn’t he need to take responsibility?” Such a loud voice. Such a big scene. So many people. So embarrassing!!! I wished I could find a hole in the ground to hide in. I just wanted to say, this matter has nothing to do with me! Thankfully, Arthur appeared in time. He walked through the crowd with a cold face and saw me peeking through the crack in the door. That large, bony hand covered my eyes. I instinctively shrank back. He moved his hand and closed the door. I blinked. Hold on. My husband cheated, knocked someone up, and now the person involved has come knocking, and I don’t need to be involved at all? 3 Arthur indicated that it wasn’t completely unnecessary for me to be involved. He dismissed the crowd, whispered a couple of sentences to that woman, opened the door, and brought her in front of me. Looking at his breezy, calm, and composed demeanor, I really wanted to applaud. To be able to cheat with such self-righteousness, he was probably unprecedented and unrepeatable. The woman was very cool. Wearing simple sportswear, hair in a high ponytail, and a baseball cap. Sitting there with her legs crossed, her whole body screamed “Don’t mess with me.” But she was also genuinely pretty. Exquisite features, glamorous and cold eyes. Just based on her looks, it was hard to hate her. It’s just a pity she had a mouth. “This is your wife?” “Get a divorce.” “I’m pregnant, you need to take responsibility for me.” I pursed my lips. Well, I’m pregnant too, who’s taking responsibility for me? Logically, as the original wife, I should definitely have an advantage over a mistress. But when marriage becomes a battlefield, the more immoral one becomes the more self-righteous. “Sigh!” I sighed, grabbed a small cookie, and ate it. Milky and fragrant, not too sweet. Not bad. “Do you want one?” The woman looked disgusted, pointing at me. “Is she crazy?” Arthur rarely frowned, but he did now. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the lounge. He smoked a cigarette in silence. “Just once.” “I mistakenly drank spiked alcohol and accidentally slept with her.” “Elena.” He looked up at me, his gaze exceptionally serious. He said: “The fault is mine, you make the decision.” “If you can forgive me, we’ll live our lives well.” “If you can’t, we divorce.” The sudden appearance of the word “divorce” made my heart skip a beat, then accelerate rapidly. I uncontrollably pinched the web between my thumb and index finger. “It’s your fault, right?” “If we divorce, you’ll admit it’s your fault, right?” 4 Arthur looked at me seriously. He’s good-looking, better-looking than anyone else I’ve ever seen. I really like looking at him. Especially in bed, looking up from below, seeing his hazy eyes, listening to his sexy panting. All of this always makes me forget myself and experience ultimate pleasure. Divorce is quite a pity. But divorce isn’t impossible either. “So, your choice is divorce?” I nodded and pointed outside. “It’s already come to this, not divorcing won’t do!” “Just, with my mom, you’ll admit it’s your fault, right?” I confirmed again. Arthur’s expression, however, faded. Such unfamiliar and distant eyes are quite uncomfortable. But I am best at dealing with inner discomfort. Take a deep breath, exhale, and it’s fine. Arthur stood up, brushed off non-existent dust from his clothes, and said calmly: “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” Phew! Then I’m relieved. “If we divorce, I don’t want anything else, I just want Vanguard Pharmaceuticals.” “Fine.” “But if it’s convenient for you, giving me a villa would be nice too.” “Okay.” “Then can I also ask for three hundred million?” Arthur looked back, staring at me. “You want everything, and still want a divorce?” “Don’t divorce, and it’s all yours.” I avoided his gaze, lowered my head, and stepped on my right foot with my left. Listen to him. Then don’t cheat! No cheating means no need for divorce. No divorce means wife and kids are all yours. ………… Wait. If he cheats and divorces, he still has a wife and a kid. Damn! As expected of a businessman chasing profit, he’s calculated everything perfectly. 5 The woman was sent away by Arthur. What they said, what he promised her, I don’t know any of it. By the time I came out of the lounge, the woman had already left. Not a single delicious pastry was left. I looked and looked again. When leaving, I couldn’t resist grabbing the assistant. “Those little cookies from earlier, could you pack some up for me?” Assistant Reed hesitated, looking like he had a lot to say but didn’t know how to start. Behind me, Arthur let out a cold laugh. “Pack them for her!” This incident blew up too big. By evening, my mom called. The first one, I didn’t answer. The second one, I still didn’t answer. The third one, I stared at the phone for a long time, then threw it into the sink. Finally, I sighed in relief. At the same time, I figured out an issue: I’m going to give birth to the child in my belly. This child, I will provide half of its chromosomes. It will grow nourished by my flesh and blood, come out of my body, and grow into a new living being. It shares a bloodline with me. That’s my dearest kin. What reason do I have not to give birth to it? Yes, I’m going to have this baby! This decision made me excited. I opened that four-hundred-thousand-dollar bottle of red wine in the wine cabinet. Can you drink alcohol while pregnant? No? No, in moderation. So, cheers! 6 At eight o’clock, my mom came storming over. The bang bang smashing on the door was enough to get her reported. But there was nothing she could do; I live in a detached villa. I put on my headphones and turned the volume to the max. Yet I could still faintly hear her cursing. Not clearly. But I could probably guess, it was nothing more than the “Elena is Useless Theory” and the “Meaning of Elena’s Existence Theory.” Lacking innovation, lacking distinctiveness, yet still something I didn’t want to hear. I don’t know how much time passed, but the sound seemed to stop. I don’t know how much more time passed, but my bedroom door seemed to open. Arthur took off my headphones. Holding my ruined phone in one hand, and a new phone in the other. Expressionless, speaking coldly. “Insert the SIM card yourself.” “The lab couldn’t reach you and called me. Call them back immediately.” I looked up at him. “Arthur, you didn’t admit your mistake.” “What?” “It was clearly your cheating that led to our divorce, yet my mom still came to cause trouble for me.” Arthur looked at me. Took a deep breath. “Got it. I’ll handle it.” Arthur handled it very poorly. I’m going to give him a bad review. My mom stormed the company and was stopped by security. At the time, I had just come out of the lab. After staying up all night, the sample’s reaction wasn’t optimistic. Several researchers were a bit discouraged and depressed. Arthur said that at a time like this, I should give them encouragement, give them hope, and mobilize them. “But they are human too; being discouraged and depressed is normal.” “Having chosen this profession, they possess the courage to start over again even after failing a thousand times.” This was what fascinated me the most. But the secretary said my mother was here, naming names and demanding to see me. She wouldn’t rest until she saw me. But the truth is, if I didn’t want to, she really wouldn’t be able to see me. I went down via the private elevator, got in my car, and sneakily prepared to leave. My mom suddenly appeared, standing right in front of my car, glaring at me fiercely. Left with no choice, I had to treat her to a cup of coffee. At the same time, I was counting on my fingers. We mother and daughter hadn’t seen each other for 372 days. We could have set a new record, but now it’s all for naught. What a pity. “You’re going to divorce Arthur?” “Mm.” “Are you sick in the head?” My mom launched her attack instantly, so fast it caught people off guard. Then came the continuous output. “Do you have no brains?” “In this world, are you, Elena Smith, nobler than others? Which man doesn’t cheat? Which man is completely innocent? Only you are so special, clamoring for a divorce over such a trivial matter. If you’re not embarrassed, I am.” “Who’s to blame when a man cheats? It’s yourself for not being able to keep him, to manage him.” “I’ve said it before, what’s the use of just having a smart brain! You don’t understand human relations at all, you’re oblivious, you have no social awareness, you’re rigid.” “Outsiders always say I favor Chloe. If you only had half of Chloe’s understanding, half her thoughtfulness…” “You would still be biased!” I interrupted her and finished her sentence. My mom choked, glaring at me and screaming. “Elena, you just have to go against me, don’t you?” No. I’m just tired, I want to sleep. I’m pregnant, the fertilized egg in my belly still needs to develop. Standing up, I wanted to leave. But my mom, as if her reverse scale had been touched, grabbed me, looking fierce, and just like countless times in my childhood, raised her hand to slap me. In that instant, I was terrified. I could dodge her, I could block her, I could even fight back. But my nerves seemed to be blocked, unable to make any reaction. I could only stand frozen. Blankly, like a puppet, even my breathing stopped.

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After I got out of prison, I had no home, no degree, only a severe case of “Princess Syndrome.” My best friend sighed as she watched me unable to take my eyes off the luxury goods. “Miss Sterling, the only thing that fake heiress can’t beat you in is your eye for these things. Why don’t you just become a luxury sales associate?” I did it for three years, and every year I was the top seller. In the third year, Evelyn Sterling came into the store to order custom leather shoes. It just so happened to be my turn to serve her. I knelt down practicedly, just about to help her take off her shoes, but she helped me up. Her tone was surprised: “Chloe, how can you do this kind of thing?” She seemed to have never imagined that her once cherished and pampered daughter would now serve people so properly. I used her leverage to stand up and smoothly talked her into loading $200,000 onto a VIP card. She generously complied. As she was leaving, she asked somewhat tentatively, “Chloe, do you still hate Mom?” I flashed a standard professional smile and escorted her out. Then I immediately turned to my manager and requested a transfer to another store. I had long since stopped hating her, but I also didn’t want anything to do with the Sterling family ever again. 1 It was raining heavily when I got off work. Evelyn’s car was parked by the side of the road, hazard lights flashing. She rolled down the window and called out to me, “Chloe, Mom will give you a ride home.” I looked at the ride-hailing app on my phone; the wait time was endless. So, I smoothly got into the car. Life these past few years had taught me one truth: never pass up an opportunity to make yourself comfortable when it’s available. Otherwise, this whole life will just be a tribulation. The driver was still Uncle Wang. Seeing me, he chuckled happily: “The eldest miss looks a bit different.” “More composed than before, a bit like Mr. Sterling.” “Uncle Wang, just drive your car.” My father’s death was a thorn in all of our sides; even a slight mention brought unbearable heartache. A soothing classical melody soon flowed through the car. Evelyn originally looked like she had something to say, but after my father was mentioned, she leaned back wearily against the seat, her expression dark. I took advantage of a gap in the music to speak up: “Uncle Wang, just call me Chloe. I stopped being the eldest miss of the Sterling family a long time ago.” Uncle Wang still chuckled; Evelyn’s attitude didn’t affect him at all. “It’s just a habit. I can’t change it after all these years.” 2 Listening to Uncle Wang’s gentle voice, I couldn’t help but smile too. When I was 14, right at the peak of my rebellious phase, Evelyn brought home a child she had been sponsoring. Her original name was Ruby Chu. Later, when Evelyn found out both her parents were dead, she had her change her last name to Sterling. Thinking “Ruby” didn’t sound nice, she changed her first name to Clara. I was Chloe Sterling, she was Clara Sterling. But everyone said Clara was well-mannered, attentive, and thoughtful. No wonder she won Evelyn’s deep affection. In contrast, I was arrogant and conceited, worse than a child from the mountains. A rebellious teenager has her own pride; how could I allow myself to be outdone? I scolded every gossiping servant in the house. Tired from scolding, I sat on the sofa to catch my breath, only to run into Evelyn coming around the corner, her eyes full of disgust. Beside her, Clara, wearing the latest season’s new clothes, leaned affectionately against Evelyn, looking radiant. I knew it was all her doing. Ever since she arrived, no matter what I did, I was labeled a bully relying on my family’s power. Clearly, I was friendly to her at first, but she always acted hesitant and timid. Within a few days, rumors spread that the Sterling family’s eldest daughter looked down on the poor girl. I swore to Evelyn, argued, and hugged her in tears, asking her: “Mom, why don’t you believe me?” But she only sighed: “Chloe, when will you grow up and be sensible?” She always thought I was uneducated and useless. It’s like she forgot she once said that no matter what Chloe did, Mom would always have her back. I wanted to rip off Clara’s mask and show Evelyn her dirty heart. But I don’t know why, what came out of my mouth was: “What status do you have to be wearing that dress?” A dress that changes with every season—if Evelyn hadn’t allowed it, how could she wear it? Evelyn’s favoritism had shown signs long ago; I was just too stupid, still wanting to fight for a win. After that day, Clara Sterling changed her name to Mia Sterling. The Sterling family’s only precious Mia. And I was an utter joke. 3 The only two people standing by my side were my dad and Uncle Wang. My dad was too busy with work and felt guilty towards Evelyn. Even if he knew I was wronged, he would just give me more money. Evelyn despised me even more, thinking I would do anything for money. Uncle Wang was originally my dad’s driver. Later, after hearing that Mia was being picked on, Evelyn assigned Uncle Wang to pick up and drop off Mia, showing that the entire Sterling family stood behind her. But no matter how Mia tried to curry favor, Uncle Wang remained unmoved and didn’t say a single extra word. Instead, when he ran into me, he would remind me: “Miss, it’s getting cold, dress warmer.” Seeing me depressed, he would comfort me: “Miss, you are madam’s own flesh and blood. She still loves you.” Does she? I actually stopped believing that a long time ago. But I was still grateful for his kindness. A dark cloud of mockery hung over my head, and only Uncle Wang tried hard to let a ray of light shine through for me. The car drove slower and slower; I knew we were almost at my place. “Uncle Wang, just stop here. It’s hard to get into the alley ahead, and even harder to get out.” Evelyn seemed to have just woken up from a dream, looking at the surrounding environment in shock. “Chloe, you… you live here?” I smiled and politely said goodbye: “I’ve taken up Mrs. Sterling’s time. Thank you for dropping me off.” She looked a bit pained: “Do you really have to talk to me like this?” I bowed slightly. Opened my umbrella, and walked alone into the heavy rain. 4 When I got home, I noticed a new friend request on WeChat, with the note [Mom]. My manager said Evelyn had specifically asked him for my contact info, praised my excellent service, and specifically loaded $2,000,000 onto a VIP card. “Chloe, keep this big client happy, and the top seller spot is yours.” I hesitated for a long time. Thinking of Autumn’s medical condition, I finally clicked accept. “Thank you for your support, Mrs. Sterling 😁😁” It kept showing “typing…” I waited for a while, not knowing what long speech she was preparing to send, so I eventually tossed my phone aside and went to take a shower first. When I came back, I found many messages had been unsent. Only one sentence remained. “The anniversary of your father’s death is the day after tomorrow. Are you coming?” That sentence gave me nightmares all night. The dream kept repeating the events from back then. Mia was suddenly diagnosed with leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant from me. But I was pregnant at the time. I refused to abort my child; I would rather give up everything in the Sterling family and run far away. But the night before I was to leave, Evelyn pulled me aside for a heart-to-heart. She talked about how I hated having long hair when I was little, but she really wanted to raise a princess-like daughter. So, for her birthday, I showed up wearing a rainbow wig, only to get scolded for being too flashy. The more I thought about it in the middle of the night, the sadder I got. I woke my mom up crying, saying: “I just wanted to make Mom happy.” She also talked about elementary school. My grades were bad, but after hearing someone mock my mom for “not knowing how to teach her child” after school, I forgot to eat and sleep and scored a perfect 100 on a test. The price was that I lost a lot of weight. When I rested my pointy chin on my mom’s shoulder, she said: “My shoulder hurts, and my heart hurts too.” Evelyn looked at me nostalgically: “Chloe, do you still love Mom like you did when you were little?” “Of course, but Mom, do you still love me?” “…Of course.” If only I could have seen through her evasive eyes in the dim light. I wouldn’t have taken that drugged glass of water. When I collapsed, I happened to land in a warm embrace. Clearly, soft fingertips brushed across my cheek, gently wiping away the rolling tears. But when I woke up, I could only face cold reality. My own mother drugged me and aborted my child. That child was hard-won. With the child gone, I also lost the chance to ever have children again. 5 In the empty hospital room, I had only one thought: I wanted to get revenge for my child. To hell with my biological mother. From that day on, in my heart, she only had a code name: “That Woman.” I rushed back single-handedly. In the cool autumn breeze, I was wearing a thin hospital gown. They were celebrating Mia’s birthday. I smashed the massive villa to pieces with a baseball bat. If the security guards hadn’t stopped me, I would have definitely bashed their heads in. Even exhausted, I still roared. The anger in my eyes made That Woman stumble back in fear, supported by Mia. In the end, they decided to lock me up in a mental asylum for “recuperation.” If my dad hadn’t rushed back in time, I would have long become a delirious lunatic. Or maybe just a pile of white bones. When my dad returned, he brought the truth. The so-called leukemia needing a bone marrow transplant was nothing but a play directed and acted by Mia herself. Her target was my fiancé. My engagement to Julian Vance was set when we were children. After the Vance family’s renewable energy business skyrocketed, their status far surpassed the Sterling family’s. No matter how That Woman paraded Mia around their social circles, they couldn’t find a better match than this. So Mia had secretly been in touch with Julian for a long time. And I, back then, trying to win my future mother-in-law’s approval, went through countless IVF treatments and finally got the key to enter the Vance family. 6 Now that the truth was out, That Woman just hugged Mia affectionately. “Since it’s like this, let Mia marry into the Vance family.” “What else can we do? Can we just give up the Vance family’s backing?” “As for Chloe…” She seemed to think of something very troubling to her, glanced at me, and then looked away. “The villa in the north side of the city is yours now. Move there today.” I grew up in the south side, yet she was sending me to the north side. I didn’t want to stay in this house anymore either, but letting this matter pass so lightly? Absolutely impossible! My father threw a fit, and That Woman whimpered softly: “What can I do? I already have such a sweet daughter like Mia, do you want me to lose her too?” “It’s all because you’re never home. How am I supposed to manage her all by myself?” “If I can only have one daughter, it has to be Mia!” “You want to kick Mia out? Then I’ll leave with her.” In the end, it was my father who compromised. The day I left the Sterling family, he said: “When your mom figures things out, don’t hold a grudge against her.” But he didn’t know I resented him too, so I didn’t even say goodbye. I lurked in the darkness like a venomous snake. Watching Mia and Julian get married, with That Woman attending the wedding beaming with joy. Hearing that the young Mr. Vance gifted the Sterling family’s young miss a yacht, they gleefully threw a party. The Sterling and Vance families formed tight business ties, and the media called Mia a lucky charm. That day, my father called me: “Mia is pregnant. Morning sickness made her lose a lot of weight.” “You must have had it even harder back then.” “Chloe, it’s been so many days. Has your body recovered?” I heard myself reply woodenly: “No. Is she at the Vance family hospital? I’ll schedule my appointments to avoid her.” “She’s at the Sterling family hospital.” Everything that followed replayed like slow motion. I drove to the hospital and saw That Woman supporting Mia, laughing and talking. My father and Julian were walking side-by-side, a picture of harmony. I stepped on the gas. Accelerate, accelerate, accelerate. I was going to kill Mia at the happiest moment of her life. My child was so innocent; what right did she have to have a child? Everyone’s faces changed drastically. My father rushed out, pulled Mia away, and crashed onto my windshield. Blood spread along the spiderweb cracks in the glass before he tumbled down. I slammed on the brakes desperately, smashing into the steering wheel. My chest tightened, then ripped apart. My car door was pulled open, and I was dragged out. That Woman smashed her bag onto my head. Something scratched my cheek; before I could see what it was, I was slapped countless times in succession. The police cars arrived, and I was taken away. My father’s dying words were: “Don’t blame Chloe.” But That Woman and the Vance family hired the best lawyers, firmly demanding I be sentenced to the maximum penalty. The day I went to prison, they said Mia couldn’t keep her baby. I gave a small laugh. They cursed me again: “You psychopath, how can you still laugh?”

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My childhood sweetheart, the husband who loved me more than life itself, was set up and ended up sleeping with the new female communications officer. After the drug wore off, the first thing he did was drag the girl in front of me, knelt down, and said I could punish him however I saw fit. After seven years of deep love, I treated it as an accident, softened my heart, and forgave him. For the next five years, we treated each other with mutual respect, becoming the loving couple everyone envied. Until the night Arthur was promoted to Major General. I specially took a leave of absence and flew for 11 hours to surprise him. Instead, I overheard a conversation between him and a woman at the door of his office. “So clingy. We haven’t been in touch for just an hour, and you’ve almost blown up my phone.” “Just wait. Tonight, I’ll make sure you can’t get out of bed.” My hand, poised to knock, froze. I carefully pushed open the slightly ajar door just a crack. Looking closely, I was instantly stunned. This woman was that very same communications officer from years ago. … The woman was held in Arthur’s arms, her lace panties already pulled down to her knees. The woman hugged him tight: “I missed you.” Arthur’s voice was suggestive: “Tonight, you can reach your hand in, follow my waist, and touch all the way to…” Like a ghost possessing me, I took out my phone and sent Arthur a text message. [Arthur, is your promotion ceremony over?] He didn’t reply. The woman took out two boxes of condoms from the drawer of Arthur’s desk. The same brand and flavor, the ones I was familiar with, the ones Arthur liked using with me the most. Arthur’s voice was cheerful: “Today is the great day of my promotion to Major General. You call the shots on how many times we do it.” I looked down at my phone; still no reply. The smile on the woman’s face grew wider: “You make it sound like I’m the one begging you for it!” Arthur also smiled dotingly: “Alright, alright, let’s get dressed, and then we’ll do it till we’ve had enough.” Seeing them getting ready to come out, I hurriedly hid in a corner, my hands trembling as I pressed the call button. The mechanical female voice replied coldly: “The number you have dialed cannot be reached at the moment.” I understood. Arthur had turned on “Do Not Disturb” mode. This year, Arthur said he had to prepare the materials for his promotion to Major General. As soon as he entered his office, he was too busy to answer calls. It wasn’t the first time I couldn’t reach him. Coming back to my senses, Arthur and the woman were already walking out of the office, hugging each other. I slightly turned my head to look. With just one glance, I was nailed to the spot. Arthur was wearing a crisp military uniform, and on his face was the joyful smile I was so familiar with. The woman tilted her head up and dropped a light kiss on the corner of his lips. Arthur smiled gently: “Pulling this trick again.” The corridor lights were dim, but I happened to see his face clearly. The owner of this face had accompanied me through thirty years of my life. At age three, I accidentally fell in the military family compound and cried loudly. He shoved a bullet casing ornament into my hand: “Here, I’ll protect you from now on, don’t cry!” At age fourteen, imitating a scene from a movie, he hid my photo in his tactical bag. After I found it, his ears turned red. “I just like you, so what?” At age eighteen, our first love. After Arthur and I had our first kiss, he was so excited he treated the whole unit to a meal. “I wish I could tell everyone that I am the happiest person in the world.” At age twenty-five, a successful proposal. In front of both our families, Arthur swore to love only me for the rest of his life. Everything froze on the night before our wedding. When I opened the door to his dorm room, he was naked and entwined with a strange girl. That day, everything was too chaotic. Everyone said he was set up, drugged, and that’s why he slept with the new communications officer. As his childhood sweetheart, I should give him a chance. After the drug wore off, the first thing Arthur did was drag the girl in front of me, knelt down, and said I could punish him however I saw fit. Seeing my silence, he picked up a dagger and pointed it at his own heart. “Chloe, as things stand, I’ve wronged you.” “If you don’t believe me, I’ll cut it open and show you. You’re truly the only one in my heart!” Tears blurred Arthur’s face. His voice trembled: “Don’t leave me, wife, I beg you. I’ve loved you for so many years.” “We grew up together, give me one chance. If you don’t want me, I really will die…” After seven years of deep love, I treated it as an accident, softened my heart, and forgave him. I thought we were inseparable, that we would go from childhood friends to growing old together. But this second. Our thirty years finally collapsed. Chapter 2 I arrived at the military base dorms in a daze. My mom sent a message: [How is it? Arthur must be thrilled to know you’re there, right?] I took a deep breath, rubbed my sore eyes, and pretended to be calm as I replied: [I just got to his dorm, haven’t told him yet.] The dorm door was pushed open from the outside. It was Arthur. Our eyes met. His expression was unnatural for a few seconds, but he quickly regained his composure. “Why didn’t you tell me in advance you were coming, so I could pick you up at the airport?” My expression was indifferent: “Wanted to give you a surprise.” Arthur walked over smiling and gave me a big hug: “I couldn’t bear to let you do that.” “You must be tired from the flight, right? It’s just my promotion to Major General, yet my wife had to go through the trouble of flying over.” Arthur wanted to say something else, but his phone rang. As he looked down to reply, the familiar gentleness and patience appeared between his brows. Then he turned his head and said to me apologetically: “My comrades invited me out for dinner tonight to celebrate my promotion. I’ll have to wrong you for tonight, honey.” Before I could speak, he grabbed a piece of clothing from the closet. I instantly understood. He came back to the dorm to get the personal item Mia had forgotten. This dorm, where Arthur temporarily lived after being transferred to the Cloud City military district, I had taken the time to decorate for him. For this, I took a week off from the Seacity military district, missing out on a major mission. But right now, the tactical watch I spent half a day hunting down at a military auction and brought over personally was gone. Even the photo of the two of us stuck to the fridge had vanished without a trace. A wave of nausea seeped into my heart along with the clothes. I stood up abruptly, grabbed my suitcase, and headed for the door. Arthur followed: “Are you angry?” He hugged me from behind: “The dorm isn’t clean. I’ll book you the best room at the guesthouse.” “I promise, I’ll spend the whole day with you tomorrow, okay?” As usual, he pressed against my cheek, wanting to kiss me. I turned my face away. He didn’t mind and left impatiently. Across from the dorm, a man walked out and whistled at me. “Major General Hayes has a girlfriend, I’ve seen her. Why are you looking for a married man?” “Everyone who lives here knows them, they live very happily.” The man kept talking and actually stepped forward, trying to hug me. Like a reflex, I kicked him hard. The man cried out in pain, and I dragged my suitcase towards the stairs. Even when I stumbled and fell awkwardly to the ground, I didn’t dare stop to see where I had scraped my skin. Hearing the man’s angry curses behind me, I was terrified of getting into trouble, so I got up and ran downstairs. Heading straight to the military airport, I sat blankly in the waiting hall. I didn’t understand. Why did Arthur cheat again? During the first two years of our marriage, I often had nightmares. In my dreams, Arthur was holding a strange girl, both of them stark naked. When I woke up, my heart would always ache. Arthur would hold me, coaxing me over and over. “It’s all my fault. I made my wife sad again.” He changed the passwords of all his electronic devices to my birthday and introduced me publicly at military events. What he did every day, who he met—he always reported to me in detail. Even when he had to stay outside while executing military missions, he would leave the video call on all night, falling asleep to the sound of my breathing. He and I were both carefully repairing that trust. Exactly when did it start? Faintly recalling that woman’s name, I opened the military forum and searched. It took me only a minute to find her among many accounts with the same name. Only because that profile picture was taken in Arthur’s dorm. Chapter 3 Behind the photo hung a hand-drawn military topographic sand table painting, which I had specially commissioned. Just because Arthur said he liked it, I paid a special visit, standing outside the master’s studio for a whole afternoon to move him. Mia usually shared her daily life on the military forum. I scrolled down her forum homepage. The earliest post related to Arthur appeared three years ago. Mia and Arthur had their fingers intertwined, the background being the training ground of the Seacity military district. [I’m with my god from when I was eighteen!] At the same place, eighteen-year-old us held hands for the first time. The night breeze was cool, and Arthur was so nervous his palms were sweating. “When our hair turns white, we’ll come back here together.” Mid-July the year before last, right on our wedding anniversary. Arthur said he had a meeting at the military district, but his social media showed him accompanying Mia on an outing around the military base. Last New Year’s Day, I was hospitalized with a high fever. Arthur appeared in Mia’s post, focused on disinfecting a scrape on her fingertip. The hand holding my phone was shaking. Arthur’s full face didn’t appear in any of the photos. But the familiar side profile made it impossible for me to continue deceiving myself. With a casual swipe, Mia’s latest post loaded. The lace maid outfit in the picture was so revealing that taking an extra glance made me feel sick. [The reward he prepared for me tonight.] So, what Arthur just went back to the dorm to get wasn’t Mia’s personal item, but the sexy gift he had prepared for her. In all the years Arthur and I had been together, he never played this kind of kink with me, yet he could go to such lengths for another woman. Someone left a comment on the post: [Brother-in-law eats this well? Sister loves him too much.] Mia replied: [I couldn’t help it. I asked him today when he fell for me.] [He said it was five years ago, the day I bravely told him I liked him for the first time. He praised my eyes for being frighteningly bright, saying he could never forget.] [Thinking that he was also thinking of me these past few years, my heart just melted.] Five years ago was the day I caught them in bed. I pursed my lips tightly. Mia posted a short video. The camera focused on a large bed covered in rose petals. Mia spoke: “You’re thirty now. Do you have any new plans for our relationship?” Arthur’s gentle voice came through: “Plans?” “I do want you to give me a child.” The camera shook, and the sound of fabric rubbing violently could be heard. My fingertips went stiff. I dialed wrong several times before finally calling Arthur. The phone rang three times before finally connecting. My voice trembled: “Arthur, am I still in your future plans?” He was silent for a few seconds, then said casually, “Yeah, why wouldn’t you be?” Immediately after, Mia’s laughing voice came from the other end: “Hubby, stop answering the phone, come here.” If I hadn’t stumbled upon Arthur and Mia, I probably would have continued being kept in the dark by Arthur. The past love, the future we envisioned together. At this moment, suddenly vanished into thin air. Perhaps because I was silent for too long, Arthur became slightly angry. “Are you not trusting me again?” “For you, I rejected dozens of transfer orders from the Seacity military district, just because you’re always so suspicious!” “It wasn’t easy for me to get a temporary transfer to the Cloud City military district. I got promoted to Major General here tonight, and I’ll be going back to the Seacity military district in a few days.” “I’m considering our future too. Can you not be so willful?” I laughed softly. “Arthur, you’re right.” “I am suspicious.” “I am willful.” “When you get back to the Seacity military district, we’re getting a divorce.” Chapter 4 Arthur hung up the phone first. He snorted coldly: “Fine, whatever you want.” The dial tone came from the receiver, hitting my heart like a drumbeat. On the way back to the Seacity military district, I didn’t sleep a wink. I used to think happiness was within reach. But now, everything has fallen through. After resting at home for a day, I received another message from Arthur. [I’m back at the Seacity military district. We’re having a family dinner tonight, don’t give me attitude in front of my parents.] [Chloe, you’re an adult. You should know your limits when throwing a tantrum.] I replied, agreeing to attend. When I sorted myself out and appeared at the Hayes family’s old estate, both families were already there. Arthur sat down next to me. He looked at my averted face, his tone helpless. “Are you still angry?” He took out a bullet casing ornament and shoved it into my hand. “It’s my fault, okay?” “An apology gift for you. Smile, hm?” My palms were ice-cold. Just yesterday, before I was preparing to go home, Mia posted a new video on the forum. On a messy king-sized bed lay a bunch of gifts. Mia opened them one by one: a limited-edition tactical watch, a custom-made military dress uniform, keys to a modified Jeep… Only one bullet casing ornament she looked at with disgust: “This thing isn’t special at all, I don’t want it.” The person taking the video laughed dotingly: “I get promoted to Major General and you receive the gifts, and you still despise them. Can I just go throw it away then?” I opened my hand, letting the ornament fall to the ground. Arthur frowned: “What more do you want from me? Take it or leave it.” Mother Hayes smiled affectionately, trying to ease the tension. “Chloe, I heard you specifically rushed to the Cloud City military district to celebrate Arthur’s promotion to Major General, but he didn’t accompany you because he was having dinner with his comrades. He was wrong to do that.” My mom tried to smooth things over from the side. “You child, you insisted on running over there without telling Arthur. By the way, didn’t you find Arthur’s grandmother’s belongings? Did you give them to him?” “Grandmother’s belongings?” Arthur froze, turning to look at me in disbelief. “Chloe, did you really find them?!” He stood up abruptly, the corners of his mouth rising uncontrollably. The coldness in his eyes melted, rippling with undisguised excitement. I didn’t avert my gaze, seeing every bit of his emotion clearly. The elders of both families laughed out loud. “Look at this silly boy.” I said softly: “No.” “Someone offered a higher price, so I sold them.” The atmosphere froze. Arthur’s excitement froze on his face. His eyes panicked for a few seconds before he forced a smile: “Chloe, stop making such jokes.” I didn’t reply, pulling out the divorce agreement I had prepared in advance. Then I gave a slight smirk: “Arthur, I’ve seen Mia.” “If we don’t divorce, are you going to let her be a mistress for the rest of her life?” Chapter 5 “What Mia?” Arthur stared at me intently. “Who’s been talking nonsense to you?” “Honey, we’ve been together for almost thirty years, do you have no trust in me at all?” The Hayes family breathed a sigh of relief and chimed in. “That girl named Mia, she disappeared years ago.” “Chloe, these past few years, Arthur has reported his whereabouts to you wherever he went. Let’s not bring up what happened back then.” Mother Hayes even reached out, wanting to take away the divorce agreement. “Chloe, I can understand that you resold the belongings and won’t hold it against you, but you can’t joke about divorce.” “Put it away quickly, you scared us to death.” Father Hayes righted the teacup he had just bumped, letting out a sigh of relief. Even my mom darkened her face and glared at me. “What nonsense are you talking about.” Looking at their concerned yet slightly reproachful faces, I suddenly felt it was absurd. Opening my mouth, I couldn’t speak for a moment. How could I not trust Arthur? For the past five years, I didn’t dare bring up any details related to Mia. I never dared to actively recall that nightmare-like scene of catching them in bed. I believed Arthur’s promise that it wouldn’t happen again, carefully maintaining this marriage. But how did it still come to this? No one hoped more than I did that all of this was fake. But my aching heart reminded me I had to stay clear-headed. I gently pushed Mother Hayes’ hand away. My voice wasn’t loud, but it instantly silenced the entire old estate. “You don’t need to put the agreement away. I’m serious.” I looked at Arthur, enunciating every word: “I’m not joking.” Arthur’s face changed instantly. He fiercely grabbed my wrist, making it hurt: “You’re joking, right?!” Arthur’s voice rose sharply. “Chloe, how could you possibly divorce me…” “Why couldn’t I?” I laughed out loud, forcefully shaking off his hand. I slammed my phone heavily onto the table. The screen lit up, showing Mia’s forum homepage. “Then tell me, what is this?!” Mia’s profile picture was exceptionally glaring under the lights. “Five years ago, you said you were set up and drugged, that you mistook her for someone else, and I believed you.” “For five years you’ve been obedient to me, and I believed that too.” “But Arthur, tell me, what is this? Why is she in your Jeep, why is she wearing my pajamas in your dorm, in your bed, asking you about plans for children?!” “And then you even answered Mia, saying you wanted her to have a child!” With every question I asked, Arthur’s face grew a shade paler. He opened his mouth, seeming to want to defend himself. But when his eyes fell on the phone screen, all his excuses got stuck in his throat. “It’s not… it’s not what you think.” Arthur stumbled back a step dejectedly, bumping into the dining chair with a harsh scraping sound. The truth was laid bare in front of everyone. Arthur’s parents looked at their son, who looked like he had lost his soul after being exposed, too shocked to speak. My parents’ eyes reddened even more, looking in disbelief at the son-in-law they had always treated as half a son. Father Hayes’ voice trembled: “Arthur, is what Chloe saying true?” Arthur didn’t answer. He suddenly rushed over, wanting to hug me, but I stepped sideways to dodge him. “Honey, listen to me explain, I was wrong…” He stammered: “I was… I didn’t want to do anything with Mia…” “The one I love is you, it’s always been only you!” This sentence again. Five years ago, he was like this too, kneeling in front of me with tears streaming down his face, promising me I was the only one in his heart. I bent down, picked up the bullet casing ornament on the floor that Mia had despised, and placed it in Arthur’s hand. “Arthur, your love is too dirty, I can’t accept it.”

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