Author: Momo Chan

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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At my twenty-fourth birthday party, my fiancée’s sponsored student almost died from an allergic reaction to a fruit wine I gave him. That day, I discovered the ambiguous, intertwined feelings between them. I insisted on breaking the engagement, but Chloe brought both our parents and cried in front of me, begging for my forgiveness. Under the persuasion of our parents, considering the five-billion-dollar partnership between our two families, I compromised. But on the third day after our wedding, she got into a car accident. Her lower body was severely injured, rendering her unable to be intimate. To prevent her from being blamed by my family, I had to lie to the outside world, claiming I preferred the DINK lifestyle and didn’t want children. Four years later, on a foreign variety show, I saw my wife, Chloe, playing games with a little girl. After some investigation, I discovered that four years ago, Chloe had settled abroad with Liam. She even gave birth to his daughter, Emma, and was currently pregnant with another. I stormed into her office to confront her, only to accidentally overhear her talking with a friend. “Just to punish your husband for giving Liam a glass of wine, you faked a car accident and haven’t let him touch you for four years? You’re really something.” Chloe casually examined her new manicure and sneered, “Who told him to almost kill Liam back then? This is his lesson.” “When my daughter with Liam grows up, I might consider bringing her back to let him acknowledge her as his daughter. He has the title of my legitimate husband and gets a daughter for free. He should be content.” My body felt like it was plunged into an ice cellar. So, all these four years of visiting doctors and praying to gods everywhere, my bottomless tolerance towards her, were all a punishment for a single glass of wine. Since that’s the case, this marriage of convenience can go to hell. 1 The conversation inside continued. “Chloe, honestly, your husband treats you really well. A pampered rich kid, traveling everywhere to find famous doctors for you, even kowtowing up the mountain to pray for blessings.” “Isn’t it a bit too cruel to treat him like this? Making him celibate for life, growing old without children, it’s a bit…” Chloe’s mocking laughter rang out. “This is the price he pays for hurting Liam.” “So what if he’s a rich kid? Does that mean he can bully Liam just because he has no one to rely on? I’m just making him taste the bitterness others have suffered, so he doesn’t spend his whole life only knowing how to bully people.” Her friend sighed. “Chloe, aren’t you afraid your husband will find out the truth and make a huge scene demanding a divorce?” Chloe’s gaze immediately sharpened. “Autumn, you didn’t get soft-hearted and tell him, did you?” Autumn shook her head, helplessly looking down and sipping her tea. Chloe’s cold voice continued. “Don’t you dare ruin my big plan. I’ve been plotting this for half a year.” “Since I promised Liam I wouldn’t let him touch me for the rest of his life, and that our children will be the sole heirs of both families, I can’t let Liam down.” Chloe’s tone was full of warning, terrified of leaking any information, failing her scheme, and making her Liam sad. I couldn’t help but recall those bitter nights. My desires were clearly about to explode, yet I endured and didn’t touch her. It was hard on her to fake heartache, trying to use various little tricks to help me release. At that time, I even thought she had no choice either. It turns out she was just keeping herself pure for her little lover. I listened to the conversation inside in humiliation, my heart feeling like it was pierced by ten thousand ice swords. So she wasn’t just treacherous, she was vicious. These four years, amidst the gossip of high society, enduring the humiliation, I gritted my teeth and bore it all. My knees still bore the scars from kneeling while praying for blessings, stinging every time it rained. Back then, I devoutly hung the amulet I prayed for around Chloe’s neck. What was she doing then? Rolling in the sheets with her sponsored student, enjoying paradise, even mocking my stupidity and pitying me. Then letting her group of friends judge me with sympathetic and mocking eyes. I wiped away my tears, turned and left, and canceled the American specialist I had booked for Chloe. The person on the other end asked in surprise, “Mr. Vance, this is Professor Chemistry, whom you pulled so many strings to get. Why are you suddenly canceling?” I laughed self-deprecatingly, “Because my wife is cured, and she even gave birth to a beautiful daughter.” 2 That night, when Chloe came back, I almost couldn’t control the urge to rush over and tear her apart. I wanted to confront her, why did she lie to me like this? Was it really just because I gave Liam a glass of fruit wine? For four whole years, the torment I suffered, from sadness to worry, even preparing to live a monk’s life with her forever, all ended up being just a joke. I watched Chloe calmly walk into the living room, throw herself into my arms, tilt her head up, and kiss the corner of my mouth. “Hubby, I learned some new tricks tonight. I want to make you happy too.” I stared fixedly at Chloe, trying to see if there was a trace of guilt or a guilty conscience on her face. Finally, I gritted my teeth and nodded. “Okay!” That night, Chloe washed up and wore a bathrobe, while I lay naked on the bed as she requested. She raised an eyebrow and winked at me. I sneered, carefully examining her expression. Following her line of sight, I finally discovered the anomaly. In the eyes of the huge wedding photo opposite the bed, there was a faint glimmer of light. I instantly understood. She clearly didn’t love me, so why was she willing to use various little tricks to please me? Before I could react, Chloe threw off the thin blanket covering me, exposing my naked body. Thinking about who might be on the other end of that micro-camera? A wave of nausea washed over me. I vomited with a “bleh,” spraying it right onto Chloe. Chloe immediately frowned in disgust and pushed me away. “Arthur, if you’re disgusted by me, just say so. There’s no need to be so disgusting.” “From today on, go sleep in the guest room. No need to force yourself.” If it were in the past, I definitely would have patiently coaxed her, then willingly tried again and again, enduring the humiliation and anger. But this time, I just silently stood up, looked at her coldly, said “Okay,” and turned to walk out. Chloe froze, then with a bang, a teacup was smashed onto the floor. “Arthur, I knew you weren’t sincere towards me! It’s only been four years, and you’re already disgusted by me, aren’t you?” I paused, turned back, and looked at her self-deprecatingly. “Chloe, aren’t you disgusted?” Chloe looked at the seemingly knowing expression on my face and couldn’t help but freeze. All her accusations instantly stiffened on her face, her eyes darting around guiltily. “Arthur, what nonsense are you talking about? We’re a loving couple, what’s disgusting about that?” I slammed the door shut, never wanting to look at her again. That once pure and elegant aura was now only left with shameless disgust. The next day, while she was at work, I decisively hired a private investigator. When the private investigator placed the investigated information and videos in front of me, I instantly slumped into my chair. In that moment, I had the urge to take a knife and hack her to pieces. Chloe, how could you deceive someone like this? Aren’t you afraid of going to hell? Since that’s the case, the evil you have committed, I will definitely repay double. 3 I holed up at home for three whole days, unable to face those videos. Even less daring to imagine how many people had seen them. When Chloe came back, she saw me sitting by the window, drunk. She came over, took my arm, and sighed. “Arthur, I’m sorry. Did someone gossip again? If you really can’t stand it, let’s get a divorce.” She looked so sad, so deeply in love. I calmly pushed her away and stared dead into her eyes, trying to see a fraction of sadness, trying to see if my sacrifices over the years were worth even a little bit. “Chloe, I didn’t do anything wrong. Why treat me like this?” Chloe froze completely, then her eyes reddened with grievance. “Arthur, I can’t please you. I understand if you despise me, but I really don’t want to leave you.” Saying that, she hugged me and cried. At this moment, I seemed to see the Chloe from ten years ago. Back then, she followed me around all day, calling me “Brother Arthur,” bringing the best pastries to my hands. When climbing mountains with me, she chattered like a happy little sparrow. Under the brilliant starlight, the young girl’s eyes were brighter than the stars. She held my hand tightly. “Brother Arthur, I don’t want to leave you in this lifetime. Let’s be together forever, okay?” Back then, I thought we would have a forever future. Until Chloe and I went playing in the mountains and met fourteen-year-old Liam. He was being held down by several men, trying to lift him onto a tricycle. He knelt on the ground, struggling desperately and begging, “Dad, don’t give me away. I’ll go up the mountain to chop wood, I’ll go to the fields to plant vegetables, I can make money.” Tears mixed with dust plastered his dark face, his hair messy and rough. From the murmurs of the people around, I learned that it was his father, wanting to sell him to an illegal brick factory as a laborer to get money to build a house. I immediately felt pity, scolded those people away, and protected him behind me. In the end, after an argument, Chloe gave all our travel expenses to Liam’s dad, saving him, and promised to sponsor his education in the future. I didn’t expect that after graduating from college, Liam would run straight to the city to find Chloe and stay by her side as an assistant. He constantly played the victim, acting timid and subservient in front of me, as if I were bullying him. Chloe said more than once that Liam was timid, telling me not to be forceful when speaking to him, to be gentle. I thought he was just naturally unpresentable. I didn’t expect he was deliberately digging traps for me. Until my birthday, I kindly handed him a glass of fruit wine. “Liam, let me introduce you to some friends. Hang out with them more in the future.” I didn’t expect that after taking just two sips, he would clutch his stomach and say I forced him to drink, intentionally causing his allergy. He cried hoarsely, clutching his stomach and collapsing into Chloe’s arms. That day, Chloe looked at me with eyes like poisoned arrows. In the end, she said nothing and rushed Liam to the hospital. That day, I was also furious. I had a huge fight with Chloe and wanted to break the engagement. Ultimately, under her pleading and the mediation of both our parents, I naively thought the matter was just over. But I didn’t expect the seed of resentment had already been planted. Chloe believed I intentionally tried to kill Liam and began using her whole life to punish me. I apathetically raised my hand, touched her head, and sneered, “Chloe, if you had to choose between me and Liam, who would you be reluctant to leave?” A flash of panic immediately appeared in Chloe’s eyes. “Arthur, why bring him up out of nowhere? Did you hear someone say something?” “I haven’t contacted him for a long time, don’t overthink it.” I lowered my eyes, wiped away my tears, and stood up apathetically. “No one said anything.” “I was just feeling sentimental. If I hadn’t made Liam drink that glass of fruit wine back then, maybe you guys would have been together for five years.” Seeing her expression visibly tense up and her back stiffen, she blurted out, “Arthur, how could I possibly be with a lowly mud-leg? I’d rather die alone in this life than be with him.” I sneered, supporting my body and slowly walking towards the bedroom, clutching the message Liam had just sent me. “Arthur, do you know what Chloe says about you? A high-and-mighty rich kid, not even as good as a gigolo in a club.” “Oh right, to prove her sincerity to me, every time you act slutty, she specifically video calls me. I thought it shouldn’t go to waste, so I did a live broadcast. The fans watching exceeded a million. Everyone praised you for being slutty enough.” Chloe, if you betray me, I will never let this go. I will make sure you get your retribution. 4 I silently deleted all the messages, without questioning or roaring. Because I know, if roaring could solve problems, the ruler of this world wouldn’t be the tiger, but the donkey. The five-year project between our two families was successfully completed. I specifically chose Blueberry Manor and invited all relatives, friends, and partners to celebrate together. On this day, I specially prepared a huge gift for Chloe. She even giggled and asked me what I had prepared. I just smiled and told her, it would be something she’d never forget for the rest of her life. The crystal chandeliers of the cooperation celebration banquet reflected the mingling of guests. Chloe took my arm and walked onto the stage. As the confetti bloomed above our heads, it represented the success of the Vance-Smith cooperation. I smiled, took the contract, and secured the interests belonging to the Vance family. Amidst thunderous applause, I took the microphone, my gaze sweeping across the entire venue. “Distinguished guests, relatives, and friends, today is not only the successful conclusion of the Vance-Smith cooperation, but also the fifth anniversary of my marriage with Chloe.” “Today, I have a big gift I want to give her, to let everyone witness Chloe’s true feelings for me over these five years.” As the applause died down, a few bodyguards carried in two large boxes, even wrapped with exquisite silk bows. I chuckled lightly and pushed Chloe in front of the boxes, signaling her with my eyes to open them. The entire venue instantly fell dead silent. Everyone craned their necks, curiously looking at the wide boxes, wondering what precious gift I would give. Chloe looked at me sweetly, then reached out, undid the latch, and flipped open the lid of the box with a smack. Under her shocked gaze, a man slowly stood up from the box. The moment he looked up and saw Chloe in front of him, he immediately burst out crying and hugged her tightly. “Wife, you scared me to death! Didn’t you tell me to bring our daughter back to attend the celebration?” “Getting stuffed into a box right after getting off the plane, it’s really, too scary.” Saying that, he turned his tears into laughter and hugged Chloe’s waist. After three seconds of silence, the entire venue suddenly erupted in an uproar. “What’s going on? Why is this man calling Chloe ‘wife’?” “And brought a daughter? Isn’t Chloe infertile?” Chloe’s face changed drastically. She immediately spun around and flipped open the other box. Her daughter was inside, eyes tightly shut, sleeping soundly. Chloe was immediately horrified. She lunged over, snatched the child out, and shouted loudly. But the little one just slumped her head on her shoulder, motionless. Chloe panicked. After patting her a few times, she cast her gaze on me. “Arthur, what did you do to Emma?” I sneered and walked forward, staring at her with chilling eyes. “Chloe, why are you so nervous? Could it be this is your daughter?” “Oh, right, I forgot. Our Ms. Smith was injured in a car accident, she probably couldn’t give birth to such a cute child.” Saying that, the ring on my hand gently traced across the child’s cheek, leaving a red mark. Chloe froze. Without pondering for even a second, she forced a smile onto her panicked face. “Arthur, don’t misunderstand. This child… this child…” In a rush, even someone as shrewd as Chloe couldn’t find a suitable excuse for a moment. Suddenly she seemed to think of something and immediately presented the child in front of me. “Arthur, this child is Liam’s little niece. Liam knew we couldn’t have children. To repay our kindness, he specially gave this child to us to be our daughter.” As she spoke, her voice steadied, becoming excited for finding such a good excuse. “Arthur, look how cute this child is. Haven’t you always wanted a child? Good people get good rewards. Liam is grateful for our sponsorship and really gave us a child.” Seeing the child in my hands, Liam couldn’t help but get anxious. Just as he was about to rush over, Chloe grabbed his arm and glared him back. I slowly stroked the child’s soft hair. My sharp ring traced across the child’s delicate face again and again, leaving white marks. Watching Liam’s eyes turn red with anxiety, admiring Chloe nervously swallowing and her eyes darting around. Suddenly, I grabbed the child by the neck and sharply rebuked, “Liam, you almost died by my hands once. Do you want your daughter to die by my hands too?” Liam was horrified. A high-pitched yell echoed through the hall. “Arthur, that’s Chloe’s daughter! You can’t hurt her!”

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I am a top-tier gold digger, and I’ve transmigrated into a green tea supporting female character who was cyberbullied to death. On the campus forum, there’s a photo of me and the male lead hanging there. 【I heard Arthur Sterling has someone he likes. Could it be her?】 【We’re about to witness Cinderella marrying into a wealthy family.】 The girl egging things on in the comments is my roommate. She smiles brightly and says, “Be bold and confess your feelings! He doesn’t have a girlfriend anyway.” Floating text comments drift past my vision: 【The male lead doesn’t have a girlfriend, but he has a fiancée, wow!】 【The female lead is too kind. She saw the supporting character secretly likes the male lead, so she kept her identity as the fiancée a secret.】 【The supporting character shouldn’t flatter herself. The male lead only likes her roommate.】 【As soon as the clown supporting character confesses tonight, the male lead will publicly announce the female lead.】 I curl my lips and post a faceless selfie on a new account. Caption: 【My good friend keeps telling me to confess to her childhood friend. What should I do?】 1. Because the selfie page is tagged with a local IP from my university, it’s quickly pushed to the campus network. Alumni comment: 【Are you interested in her childhood friend?】 【OP’s figure is fire, love it. Does your friend want to keep the good stuff within the family?】 【Is her childhood friend handsome?】 I reply to them one by one: 【I like him a little bit.】 【Maybe so. She’s always trying to set us up, bringing me along to all sorts of activities.】 【He’s very handsome. But our family backgrounds don’t really match.】 Soon, the alumni reply jokingly: 【You’ve already tested into this university; what are you worried about family background for? Unless it’s someone like Arthur Sterling, then you might have to worry a bit.】 【What’s there to worry about? Go for it, sister! If you break up, you might even get a ten-million-dollar breakup fee thrown at you.】 I like all their comments. The floating text comments surge rapidly. 【Does the supporting character think she can seduce the male lead just by showing off her figure? Dream on! The male lead only follows Emily Chen.】 【Posting this kind of thing is so green tea. Good thing the male lead won’t see it, otherwise what if he misunderstands the female lead?】 These floating comments are in real-time. If used well, I can grasp a lot of information. I curl my lips. Although I don’t know the male lead’s account, I know my roommate Emily Chen’s account. I click into her following list. She only follows 36 people in total. 【Lmao, is the supporting character trying to find the male lead’s account?】 【Give up, she definitely won’t find it.】 I investigate them one by one and finally lock onto a “momo” with 1 follower. Because only this account follows solely the female lead, and its IP address has always been in this city. I click follow. The floating comments explode. 【Holy shit! Scheming bitch!】 【How did she find it?】 Arthur Sterling’s account has always been quiet. Except for a few close friends in his circle, no one knows this “momo” is his account. He looks at the new follower that suddenly popped up and frowns slightly. Who is “A Cup of Oolong”? He pays it no mind and turns off his phone. The floating comments gloat. 【The male lead didn’t even click into the supporting character’s homepage.】 【This supporting character is such a dead green tea; her ID really suits her.】 【This novel is about childhood sweethearts and love after marriage. The male lead is very responsible and will only love the female lead after marriage. It doesn’t matter how beautiful the supporting character is.】 【The female lead always suspected he didn’t love her because he was so cold to her. Later, seeing the beautiful supporting character’s confession ruthlessly rejected, she was instantly relieved.】 【The clown supporting character is just a touchstone for their love.】 I look at my bank card. Before I transmigrated, Emily Chen told me to buy a dress worth $25,000. She said a confession required a battle outfit, and that people in their circle wouldn’t wear cheap stuff worth a few hundred dollars. Driven by an inferiority complex, the supporting character gritted her teeth and bought an expensive but tacky out-of-season dress. Now the balance on my card is 0, and I still owe money on credit. I look coldly at the balance and without hesitation, put the dress up for sale on a secondhand app. Gold Digger Rule No. 1: Never spend an extra dime for a man. 2. My roommate’s account is also managing a rich heiress persona. On her account, there’s a perfect fiancé. Rich, handsome. Whatever she wants, her fiancé can immediately satisfy her. Because their marriage alliance was only recently arranged and hasn’t been made public yet, she has never revealed their identities on it. She just frequently does giveaways for the fans who ship them in the comment section. The sentimental little love stories she writes get tens of thousands of likes each. Actually, she didn’t have that many followers at first. Until she posted the marital home her fiancé gave her, which costs over $80,000 per square meter. The post instantly blew up. I leave a comment underneath: 【So sweet to ship! Sister, your fiancé is so good to you. If only I could snag someone like this.】 【What type of girl does he like? wow!】 Emily Chen has always liked seeing fans ship them. But when she sees my comment, she frowns. She replies: 【He has very high standards. It’s best to be skilled in various talents and highly educated. You don’t even know how long I worked hard just to make him notice me.】 Then she likes a comment below hers. 【The most important thing is matching family backgrounds.】 Everyone below is crazily shipping them. 【The heiress gave up studying abroad and tested into this university just to pursue love.】 【Bright and glamorous heiress VS Ice-cold childhood friend.】 【As long as he turns around, he can see the heiress has always been behind him.】 【Patience pays off! After the marriage alliance, the childhood friend’s attitude immediately changed. He used to ignore her, now he brings whatever the heiress wants right to her.】 【The heiress’s childhood friend’s family is so rich, yet he’s starting a business in college. So motivated. Unlike me, who just wants to eat and wait to die.】 As the only insider to the original novel. I know that their true romantic arc happens after my cannon fodder supporting character is written off. It follows the “love after marriage” plot, and right now, the male lead’s kindness to the female lead is solely due to their marriage alliance. Heh, this dog couple is using the original owner as a stepping stone. 3. I twitch the corners of my mouth and upload a video of myself playing the piano on my homepage. An essential quality of a top-tier gold digger: proficiency in various high-society talents. Whether it’s piano or equestrianism, I’ve studied them all. I reply: 【I know a lot, actually! I’ve been studying hard lately~ hoping to catch the guy I have a crush on.】 Many people think my comment sounds a bit like a green tea showing off and click into my homepage. Then, they teasingly reply: 【What a coincidence, Little Oolong is also a beauty from this university.】 【Don’t just fake the IP to this university; show us your student ID on the official website.】 I ignore them. Because soon, university alumni recognize that the background of my first photo is exactly the school dormitory. The most-liked post on my homepage is a faceless selfie. Caption: 【So conflicted. My friend keeps telling me to confess to her childhood friend, what should I do?】 Emily Chen wouldn’t associate me with her shy, easily-fooled little roommate. Because the original owner couldn’t do anything. A while ago, she was dragged by Emily to play the piano at her birthday party and embarrassed herself because she was unskillful. She encouraged the original owner to go up and play the piano to attract the male lead’s attention, so the original owner went up and played “Happy Birthday.” The female lead’s best friends mocked her for playing terribly, and Arthur Sterling spoke up to bail her out. From then on, the original owner developed a crush on the male lead. She didn’t know the male lead’s fiancée was Emily Chen herself, and under her instigation, foolishly went to confess. In the end, Arthur Sterling publicly announced his fiancée on the spot. The original owner lost all face in front of the entire school. Later, the female lead wrote a sad essay about her secret crush, caused by feeling inferior because of her roommate’s beautiful looks. This led the original owner to become a scheming green tea in everyone’s eyes, and she was eventually cyberbullied to death. Floating comments jump up: 【The supporting character is so scheming. Is she trying to get attention?】 【It’s fine. Once the male lead rejects her tonight, she won’t be able to jump around anymore.】 Emily Chen originally wanted to chat with Arthur Sterling. But she noticed his follower count suddenly increased by one. Suppressing her anger, she clicks into my homepage. After scanning around and seeing the photos, a hint of dissatisfaction reveals itself in her eyes. She keeps feeling that this figure looks indescribably familiar. And my process of starting this account is very similar to hers. If it’s not posting talents, it’s posting about a secret crush. Arthur Sterling’s alt account is only known to a few close friends around her, and she deliberately showed it off in a group chat. She guesses it might be some little heiress who caught wind of it. So, she directly @’s Arthur Sterling under my photo: 【Nice figure, do you like it?】 Arthur Sterling casually lingers on the screen for a second, the photo flashing past. 【Boring…】 Seeing the reply, Emily Chen laughs out loud. She turns around and shares this as a joke within their circle. Floating comments jump up: 【Hahaha, the male lead looked at the photo the supporting character painstakingly took and just said ‘boring’.】 【Lmao, working hard for nothing.】 【Just a clown supporting character. If it weren’t for her confession, I reckon the male lead wouldn’t have agreed to make the female lead’s identity as his fiancée public.】 【After all, the male lead is currently developing the game ‘Phantom Journey’ behind his family’s back. It’s still in closed beta, and he doesn’t want to cause any extra trouble.】 【Feelings will grow over time after marriage~ The male lead isn’t frigid at all. After marriage, the female lead is going to be shocked faint by the tricks this dog of a man comes up with.】 【The male lead’s family are all old-fashioned. They oppose him making games. The little childhood friend is the only one who understands him in the future.】 【In the future, the male lead’s game will be a massive hit, becoming a national sensation. Even the streamers who broadcasted it early on will make tens of millions.】 I extract information from the floating comments. A few days ago, I already applied for the closed beta qualification for “Phantom Journey” on the official website. Emily Chen still doesn’t know about the game’s existence. Using the game to get close to Arthur Sterling is the best entry point. 4. My game ID is still 【A Cup of Oolong】. I curl my lips, switching screens to message Arthur Sterling while grinding my game level. In the original text, the supporting male character, Julian Vance, is also grinding mobs here. He’s the male lead’s roommate, and they’re all in the same circle. Back then, after reading the female lead’s essay about her inferior secret crush, he misunderstood the original owner as deliberately trying to be the other woman, and he cursed her out the most viciously online. Stupid, reckless, and self-proclaimed righteous. He’s the most suitable to be used as a tool. I target Julian Vance, team up with him, and then steal his mob at the final hit, opening my mic and saying coquettishly: “Thank you, big brother.” Julian Vance’s hand trembles, his victorious smile freezing on his face. Arthur Sterling looks at his phone. The screen pops up a complaint from his good bro: 【Bro, there’s this highly skilled cross-dresser who stole my mob! My ‘First Blood of the Server’ title is gone!】 【I hate this! That person called ‘A Cup of Oolong’ or whatever is now at the top of the leaderboard! So shameless!】 Floating comments jump up: 【The supporting character’s methods are just dirty! Who steals the last hit!】 【Just deliberately trying to attract the supporting male character’s attention. Stop dreaming, the supporting male character only likes pure, innocent girls.】 After following Arthur Sterling, I only sent him one sentence: 【Thank you, Arthur, for bailing me out before~ Can I treat you to dinner tonight?】 After that, I posted a screen recording of the game with the “Phantom Journey” tag on my new account. 【The experience of this game is awesome!】 Smooth operations, combined with hyped-up editing and background music, quickly gained a wave of popularity. Arthur Sterling looks at the familiar ID, a trace of surprise appearing on his face. He clicks on my profile picture. The first thing he clicks open is the game recording I edited. The cover is the settlement screen where Julian Vance got his mob stolen. Floating comments jump up: 【Lmao, the male lead is a straight guy through and through; he’s only interested in games.】 【Suddenly relieved, the male lead definitely won’t pay much attention to the supporting character.】 【Even if the supporting character plays games well, so what?】 At the end of the game video. He unexpectedly hears a sticky, charming: “Thank you, big brother.” The video comments also suddenly increase here. Arthur Sterling’s finger pauses slightly. Then he drags the progress bar back. And listens again. In the original text, he is a closet voice-con. He only discovers he’s a voice-con while in the female lead’s bed. I deliberately recorded this voice at the end of the video. I bet he would watch to the end. The floating comments are all cursing— 【What exactly is the supporting character being so slutty for!】 Arthur Sterling restrains himself and only replays it once, then exits the video. On my homepage, the only photo showing my full body is of my back. The composition is great, my body proportions are excellent, and I didn’t even use a leg-lengthening filter. Logically, he should exit the homepage. But he takes an extra look and finds it somewhat familiar. He then clicks on the new video posted today. It’s a clip of me playing a piano piece, fluid music pouring out. The caption is: 【If my confession fails today, I’ll change my name to Tisu and beat up scumbags.】 He suddenly guesses who the woman on the other end is. Because Emily Chen just sent him a message. 【Come to the dorm tonight; my little roommate has something to say to you.】 Arthur Sterling: 【Tisu again? Didn’t you tell her about our relationship?】 Emily Chen replies vaguely: 【A young girl’s crush is understandable. You can just reject her privately later, right?】 He tries to search his memory to see if he ever offended Tisu. His mind only retains the clumsy “Happy Birthday” I played last time. In his perception, apart from her beauty, Tisu has no memorable traits and stutters whenever she gets close to him. Online, however, she is much more vibrant. Logically, he shouldn’t agree to have dinner with me privately. But he hesitates. First, he clicks into the piano video and comments: 【Just started learning? Fast progress.】 Floating comments fly up rapidly. 【??? Why is the male lead paying attention to the supporting character?】 【Poseur! The female lead has studied piano since childhood; how can the supporting character compare!】 I reply with a cute emoji, lying righteously: 【Yeah, just started! Even the teacher praised me for having a talent for it.】 【Plus, I learn everything super fast!】 Arthur Sterling looks at the “scumbag” in the caption, his finger pausing slightly, then finds the chat box and replies to me. 【I’ll pick you up downstairs at five.】 The time Emily Chen arranged for him is 8 PM. He thinks a private rejection earlier might be more appropriate. He doesn’t think the tiny ripple that just stirred up in that instant will make him betray his fiancée. The male lead in the original text has always been principled, so the supporting character’s confession tonight is bound to fail. What I need to do now is pull myself from the position of the “other woman” to the identity of an innocent party. I curl my lips and reply with a cute emoji: 【Okay! (finger hearts)】 Then I send another sentence. 【Can we not order anything too expensive.】 【Kitten begging for mercy gif.】 Arthur Sterling looks at the conversation and raises an eyebrow. I send a screenshot, saying pitifully. 【My roommate said I needed to buy a nice dress, and now I have no money.】 The screenshot is of a ripoff dress Emily Chen strongly recommended, along with my payment page showing $25,000. Arthur Sterling looks at the big red dress and remains silent for a moment. In less than three seconds. He replies: 【Send your card number.】 I don’t play hard to get; I quickly send it over. My bank card receives a deposit of $30,000. The note tells me to eat well. The money I spent in the game easily multiplied and came back to me. This kiss was worth it. It’s his first kiss; he’ll definitely remember it deeply. And this round, I have the upper hand. His bottom line was breached, but he feels guilty and can’t blame me. Killing two birds with one stone. A person’s bottom line is always slowly lowered.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394715”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My dad’s old friend entrusted his daughter to our family. She was outgoing and lively, unlike me, who only knew how to study and take exams, quiet and a woman of few words. Dad doted on her like his own daughter. My brothers drove her to all the trendy spots for photos and bought her the latest gadgets. Even my boyfriend, the most popular guy in school, only paid lip service to complaining about her being too clingy and whining too much. But during every club activity, his eyes would unconsciously drift toward her. For the school anniversary gala, he even changed the song he had promised to sing with me to a four-hand piano duet with her. I looked down at the program in my hand, my name crossed out, and said calmly. “Let’s break up.” 1. Arthur’s hand froze mid-air. He looked at me in disbelief. Before he could speak, Mia, standing behind him, immediately got teary-eyed. She was wearing a white gauze dress, identical in style to the performance outfit I had prepared. “Chloe, please don’t blame Arthur. It was me… I wanted to perform at the gala so badly, and Arthur took pity on me, so he…” I ignored her and just looked at Arthur. “I said, let’s break up.” Arthur’s brows furrowed tightly, his face full of impatience. “Chloe, stop making a scene. It’s just a song. Is this really necessary?” “Mia just got here, and it’s her first time at the school anniversary. What’s wrong with me helping her out as an upperclassman?” “It’s one thing that you’re usually dull and boring, but since when did you become so petty?” I looked at him, didn’t say another word, turned around, and walked off the stage. The audience was buzzing; no one noticed this little episode in the corner. I threw that voided program into the trash, walked out of the auditorium, and sent Arthur a text. [I’m not discussing this with you. I’m informing you: we’re broken up!] When I got home, the living room was brightly lit. Dad, my eldest brother, my second brother, and Mia were sitting around watching the live stream of the gala. On the screen was Arthur and Mia’s four-hand piano duet. The piano music was melodious, and the two of them did look like a good match. “Wow, our Mia is so multi-talented. She plays so well!” My eldest brother clapped first. “Yeah, much better than some people who only know how to bury their heads in books all day.” My second brother shot a pointed glance at me. Dad’s gaze moved from the screen to me, full of scrutiny. “Why didn’t you come back with Arthur?” I changed my shoes, my voice flat. “We broke up.” The living room instantly went dead silent. Mia was the first to stand up, running over to me with tears in her eyes. “Chloe, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. Please don’t break up with Arthur… I’ll go explain everything to him right now!” Dad’s face darkened, and he struck the floor heavily with his cane. “This is ridiculous! Chloe, how old are you? How can you be so willful!” “Mia is the younger sister. It’s only right for Arthur to take care of her. As the older sister, not only are you not magnanimous, but you’re also breaking up over such a trivial matter. Where are your manners?” I looked up and met his gaze calmly. “My manners are what my mom taught me before she died: never let yourself be wronged.” With that, I walked straight upstairs and started packing my things. Not long after, my door was pushed open. My eldest brother leaned against the doorframe. “Chloe, what kind of act is this now? Running away from home? Do you think you’re still three years old?” I folded a few pieces of clothing, put them in my suitcase, and ignored him. “Enough is enough. Go downstairs, apologize to Dad, and let this pass.” “Mia is a guest and the daughter of Dad’s old friend. We should treat her well. Why are you so intolerant of her?” “I’m not intolerant of her.” “I’m intolerant of you guys.” My eldest brother’s face instantly turned ugly. I pulled my suitcase and walked past him. Down in the living room, my second brother stopped me. “Chloe, what’s wrong with you? Will you only be satisfied when you’ve made things completely ugly?” I looked at him, then at my father on the sofa with a gloomy face, and Mia crying silently beside him. “I’m tired. I don’t want to play the role of the sensible, magnanimous, and understanding sister and daughter anymore.” “Please, let me go!” I pushed my second brother aside, opened the front door, and walked out without looking back. Behind me came my father’s exasperated roar. “If you dare walk out that door today, don’t ever come back!” I didn’t stop, disappearing into the night. They all thought I was just throwing a tantrum. That I would soon come crawling back, tail between my legs, because I had no money and nowhere to stay. Unfortunately for them, they miscalculated. 2. I took a cab to a penthouse apartment in a high-end complex. Fingerprint unlock, door open. This was my coming-of-age gift from my mom on my eighteenth birthday. She said back then: “Chloe, Mom hopes you’ll always have a foundation, a fallback plan for the rest of your life.” No one but her and me knew about this place. I put down my luggage, poured myself a glass of water, and stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the dazzling city lights. My phone vibrated constantly in my pocket. I took it out and glanced at it. Missed calls from Dad, my brothers, and dozens from Arthur. I put my phone on airplane mode. I didn’t want to be harassed by them anymore. First thing the next morning, I went to the school and filed the paperwork to become a commuter student. My counselor was a bit surprised but approved it anyway. Just as I walked out of the office, I ran head-on into Arthur. He had faint dark circles under his eyes. He looked like he hadn’t slept all night. He was still wearing the suit from yesterday’s performance, now wrinkled. Seeing me, he rushed over immediately and grabbed my wrist. “Chloe, why didn’t you answer my calls? Do you know how worried I was? I searched for you all night!” His voice was loud, filled with suppressed anger, causing students in the hallway to look our way. I tried to shake off his hand, but he gripped it tighter. “What kind of tantrum are you throwing? There’s really nothing going on between me and Mia. I just saw that she’s new here, doesn’t have any friends, and is all alone. It’s pitiful.” “I’ve already scolded her, and she knows she was wrong. Come back with me, let’s talk properly. Let’s not break up, okay?” I looked at him and found it ridiculous. “Arthur, do you think the problem is Mia?” He froze. “Isn’t it?” “It’s that between me and her, you chose her.” “You handed over the performance I spent two months preparing for on a silver platter to her.” “When I needed you to stand by my side the most, you accused me of being boring and petty.” “So, we’re done.” Arthur was at a loss for words for a moment, wanting to keep me but not knowing what to do. “Chloe… I…” “Let go.” A cold male voice came from the side. Both Arthur and I turned our heads. Liam Vance. A big shot at our school. Not only was he the student body president, but his family background was also extremely prominent. He was half a head taller than Arthur. He frowned slightly, looking at Arthur gripping my hand tightly. Arthur obviously recognized him too. His face got even uglier, but he still refused to let go. “This is between us as a couple. It’s none of your business.” Liam didn’t speak. His gaze just lingered on me for a second. His eyes were calm, but it felt like they could see right through my feigned toughness. Then, he turned to Arthur. The temperature in his eyes instantly dropped to freezing, filled with disdain. He pulled out his phone and took a picture of us. Then he waved his phone and said flatly, “Tsk, tsk. Isn’t this fresh material of a campus simp? I think the forum will be very interested in an idiot like you who only knows how to use violence to resolve relationship disputes.” Arthur’s face turned even uglier. He glared at me fiercely, then reluctantly let go. “Chloe, you’ll regret this!” He dropped the harsh words, turned around, and left. I rubbed my reddened wrist and thanked Liam. Liam put away his phone, his gaze lingering on my face for two seconds. “The partner switch for your performance yesterday was quite sudden.” I nodded. “Heh, completely caught off guard.” He didn’t ask further, just said, “Living off-campus alone, be safe.” With that, he turned and left, leaving behind a tall, straight back. I watched his retreating figure, feeling a bit strange. We weren’t close. We had only met a few times during project group meetings, yet he had helped me again and again. This person, who seemingly stood above the clouds, wasn’t as distant as I had imagined. 3. I didn’t have classes in the afternoon, so I went to a bank downtown. I had two cards under my name. One was the supplementary card my dad gave me for monthly living expenses. The other was the one my mom left me. As soon as I walked into the VIP wealth management room, I got a call from the bank manager. “Ms. Davis, your father just called the bank and froze your credit card ending in 8888.” I wasn’t surprised at all. This was Dad’s usual trick. He thought that by cutting off my financial source, I would obediently listen to him. “Understood.” “What about the other card?” The manager’s tone became even more respectful: “Ms. Davis, the gold card your mother left you has the highest clearance. No one has the right to operate it except you personally. The current balance on the card is…” He read out a long string of numbers. Enough for me to live comfortably for the rest of my life. “Okay, thank you.” Hanging up, I transferred a large sum of money from the gold card to my regular debit card. Coming out of the bank, I received a message from my second brother. [Chloe, Dad stopped your card. If you’re out of money, come home early and admit your mistake. Don’t be stubborn out there.] Annoying. That evening, Mia sent me a message on WhatsApp. [Chloe, please don’t be mad at Dad and your brothers anymore. They are just too worried about you. Where are you now? I’ll ask Arthur to go pick you up and bring you home, okay?] A photo was attached at the end. It was my family’s living room. The four of them were eating fruit together, a picture of harmony. Mia leaned against Dad, smiling radiantly. On the coffee table, there was an opened gift box containing the latest gaming console. That was the one my eldest brother had promised to buy for me a few days ago. Now, it belonged to Mia. I curled my lips and replied: [Thanks, but no thanks!] The next day, I went to class as usual. As soon as I entered the classroom, I felt the atmosphere was off. Everyone was looking at me with strange eyes. My desk mate, a girl I usually had a decent relationship with, hesitated before coming over. “Chloe, did you… see the post on the campus forum?” I took out my phone and opened the forum. A red-hot trending title immediately caught my eye. [Massive Tea! Chloe Dumps Campus Heartthrob Boyfriend out of Jealousy over New Transfer Student, Runs Away from Home Overnight!] The post vividly described what happened on the night of the school anniversary. It painted me as a jealous, petty, and unreasonable mean girl. Mia, on the other hand, was an innocent, pitiful, and endearing little white flower. Arthur was portrayed as a “good man” who valued friendship and loyalty, willing to anger his girlfriend to help a friend’s daughter. The post also included several photos. One was Mia crying her eyes out backstage. One was Arthur on the phone, looking extremely anxious. And another was my back as I coldly turned and left. The angles were well-captured, making me look exceptionally cold and heartless. The comments below had already reached hundreds of threads. “I always thought Chloe was pretentious. Turns out this is what she’s really like.” “Tsk, tsk. Arthur really has the worst luck, ending up with a girlfriend like this.” “Feeling sorry for Mia. Getting bullied as soon as she arrives.” “Person above, I heard she’s even living at Chloe’s house. She’s in for it now, definitely going to get targeted.” My desk mate asked me cautiously, “Chloe, maybe you should go explain? You can’t just let them talk behind your back like this!” My nails dug deep into my palms. For a moment, I wanted nothing more than to drag out the person who posted this and rip apart their lying mouth. But eventually, the surging emotions turned into a numb wasteland. I put away my phone, my voice calm. “There’s nothing to explain.” The facts didn’t matter at all. They only wanted to believe what they wanted to believe. And it didn’t take a genius to figure out who made the post. Who else but Mia would have those “perfectly timed” photos? 4. The post went viral quickly. By the afternoon, my reputation as a “mean girl” had spread throughout the school. Walking around, I could feel people pointing and staring everywhere. Even classmates who usually greeted me took detours to avoid me. Arthur’s buddies even came up to me specifically and said sarcastically, “Chloe, you can’t be too selfish. You have to be forgiving when you can.” I couldn’t be bothered with these pests. However, when I ran into Liam again at the library entrance, he asked an extra question. “The forum post, do you need help handling it?” His tone was still flat, but I could hear the concern in his voice. “No need. Just a clown jumping around.” He gave me a deep look and didn’t insist. “By the way, I’ve set up a project group for a research topic on the ‘Digital Protection of Urban Cultural Heritage.’ We’re still missing a lead for data integration and analysis. Interested?” I was a bit surprised. I knew about this topic. It was a key project supported by the school, and only the top students from various departments could participate. “Why me?” “Because your grades are the best, and your logic is the clearest,” Liam said matter-of-factly. “I’ve reviewed all your past papers and coursework.” I didn’t expect him to pay attention to that. “Alright, I’m in.” I needed something to distract me, to keep myself busy. This project was the perfect opportunity. For the following days, I practically lived in the library and the project group’s activity room. Dad and my brothers probably realized the silent treatment wasn’t working on me and changed their strategy. My eldest brother started frantically posting pictures on social media of him taking Mia out to play. Disneyland today, skiing tomorrow, flying to an island resort the day after. The caption was always: “Sisters are the most considerate. A man with a sister is a treasure.” My second brother was even more direct. He changed his profile picture to a selfie of him and Mia. They thought this would provoke me, make me jealous, make me regret it. I just muted all their posts. I also deleted all past chat histories with my second brother. Out of sight, out of mind. Until one afternoon, I received a frantic phone call from our nanny, Aunt Zhang. “Miss, you have to come back quick! That piano your mother left… Mr. Davis is giving it away!” My brain buzzed. That piano was my mom’s gift for my tenth birthday. It was one of her most precious relics. I hung up, immediately hailed a cab, and rushed home. All the way there, my heart was tied in knots. When I reached the front door, I saw a few movers carrying the white grand piano out. In that moment, I felt all the blood rush to my head, and my eyes instantly turned red. But I gritted my teeth hard, forcing the tears back. Mia stood by, directing them with a look of “concern.” “Be careful, don’t bump it… This is very valuable…” Seeing me, a flash of panic crossed her face, but she quickly reverted to her usual innocent expression. “Chloe, you’re back? Dad said you don’t play this piano anymore, and it takes up space in the house. A friend of mine studying music happens to need one, so…” “Put it down!” The workers looked at each other and stopped. Mia bit her lip, her eyes turning red again. “Sister, don’t be like this… I know Auntie left this for you, but if it just sits there unused, doesn’t it lose its value? Isn’t it better to let it go somewhere it can be useful?” Her twisted logic was exactly the same as what Arthur said when he swapped my duet song. “Useful?” I sneered. “Its value is that someone like you has no right to touch it.” I took out my phone and dialed 911 directly. “Hello, police? I want to report a crime. Someone has trespassed into my private residence and is stealing my personal property.” Mia’s face went completely pale. “Chloe, you… how could you call the police? This is our own home!” “This is my house.” “The name on the deed is mine. All of you are currently living in my house.” “Including you, Mia. An outsider who doesn’t even count as a guest.” Before Mia could retort, Dad and my brothers hurried out upon hearing the commotion. Hearing that there was a theft in a wealthy neighborhood, the police arrived incredibly fast. Just as the standoff was escalating, the police arrived. Seeing the police, Dad’s face immediately darkened. “Chloe! Are you crazy! What are you calling the police for! It’s such a small matter, why waste police resources? Tell them to leave right now!” I ignored him and just said to the police, “Officers, this piano is my mother’s relic, valued at over a million. Now, without my permission, they are trying to move it out and sell it.” Hearing the high value involved, the police immediately became serious and started questioning Dad and Mia. Dad was shaking with anger, pointing at me and cursing. “You’re out of control! I am your father! I need your permission to dispose of a piece of furniture?” “Yes, you do. Because my mom left this to me. In this house, anything that belonged to my mom, you have no right to touch.” “Also, I am officially notifying you now. Please move out of this house within a week.” 5. Dad was so furious he almost blacked out. He grabbed a teacup nearby and smashed it hard on the floor, sending shards flying everywhere. “You’re out of line! You ungrateful daughter!” He pointed at me, his fingers trembling. My eldest brother, Julian, looked ready to explode. He lunged forward, trying to grab my collar, but my second brother grabbed him around the waist. “Chloe, are you crazy?! Do you have no conscience?! This is our home!” “Excuse you, this is my home.” “The deed has my name on it. It’s the pre-marital property my mother left me.” “If you want to keep living here, you can. Pay rent at the market rate.” My second brother’s face was also extremely ugly. “You’re kicking us all out for an outsider?” He glared fiercely at Mia, who was already scared silly nearby. Mia was so scared she just cried, unable to articulate anything. After understanding the situation, the police determined it was a family dispute. However, due to the high value of the item, they took statements and explicitly informed Dad that without my consent, they could not touch the piano. The movers had long since carefully put the piano back in its original place and slipped away. After the police left, Dad sat on the sofa, his chest heaving violently. My two brothers stood behind him, both looking at me like an enemy. Mia shrank in a corner, shivering. “One week,” I repeated. “If you can’t find a place, tell me. I can have a realtor help you.” With that, I turned to leave. “Stop right there!” Dad demanded. “Are you really going to be this ruthless?” I stopped but didn’t turn around. “You guys were the ones who abandoned me first.” From this moment on, between me and them, there was only blood, no family bond. Back at the apartment, I received a message from Liam. [Need any help?] I froze for a moment before realizing he had probably heard about my family. Our circle was very small; any little wind couldn’t be hidden from people. [No need, it’s all handled.] [That’s good. Tomorrow is the project group meeting, don’t forget.] [Okay.] The next day, I went to the project group meeting as usual. Pushing open the door to the activity room, everyone inside looked at me with complex expressions. Only Liam acted as if nothing had happened. He nodded at me and pointed to the empty seat next to him. “Sit.” The meeting went smoothly. When discussing data visualization for the later stages, disagreements arose. Based on the existing data models, I proposed a new presentation plan that could more intuitively display the loss of cultural heritage. My plan was logically rigorous and well-supported by data, quickly convincing everyone. Even the usually critical advising professor was full of praise for me. After the meeting, Liam stopped me. “I heard about what happened at your house. You did well.” This out-of-the-blue compliment surprised me. “Thank you.” “There’s a charity auction this weekend, sponsored by my family. I need a plus-one. Are you free?” He suddenly extended an invitation. I hesitated. “Don’t misunderstand,” he immediately said. “It’s just a pure social event. There will be many industry experts and scholars present, which will help our project. Also, Arthur and his parents will be there.” I instantly understood. He wanted to help me; help me win a round back. “Okay.”

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In the apocalypse, I acted out due to my pregnancy. Others couldn’t even get water, but I’d make Richard clear out zombie-infested supermarkets just to get me milk. Until I gave birth to a… zombie baby. I fainted from shock, then was jolted awake by the system: [I told you to romance the male lead, not to cheat on him!] [And a zombie, no less! Now it’s impossible to trick the male lead into taking the kid!] [The male lead already hates zombies. Now you and your baby are definitely going to be thrown into the zombie horde…] Richard once again offered me milk, warmed with his powers. I frantically shook my head. “I-I’m never drinking milk again.” 1 “Say that again. What’s in my belly?” The system repeated firmly: [You’re carrying a zombie!] After humanity entered the apocalypse, the medical system completely collapsed. Fortunately, I was still bound to a system that regularly helped me with prenatal check-ups. The progress of romancing Richard had been stuck at 99%. The system and I both agreed that the key to ultimate success lay with this child. At the moment of complete domestic bliss, the strong, tragic male lead would surely be completely healed. But now. It was telling me that what I was carrying was not Richard’s child at all. But a zombie’s? My vision went black. I fainted instantly from fright. Richard was the leader of the Southern Base. Everyone knew he detested zombies. He killed every one he saw. That’s how he earned his current top-tier ability and status. [Youth is good, just fall over and sleep. But host, wake up first.] The system jolted me awake with a “biu.” It was utterly heartbroken. [I told you to romance the male lead, not to cheat on him!] [And with a zombie, no less! Now it’s impossible to trick the male lead into taking the kid!] [The male lead already hates zombies. Now you’re doomed. He’s definitely going to throw you and your baby into the zombie horde…] I was utterly confused. And collapsing. “How could this happen…” Good heavens. I truly never cheated on him! No. Except for that one time… 2 That day, I found a bottle of fruit wine among the supplies Richard had gathered. I couldn’t resist drinking it all. In my drunken stupor, I vaguely saw a pair of red eyes. Chilling, dangerous. Clearly not the eyes of a normal human. Those belonged to the legendary high-level zombies. Half-sober, I was terrified. I tried to run. But was dragged back by my ankle. When I woke up, I was lying in the base’s bedroom. Richard was bringing me food back to the room. I simply thought it was a dream. Now that I think about it. Richard’s expression was a bit strange then. He asked me, “Do you remember anything? Do you feel any discomfort?” I was so embarrassed, I thought he was asking about his performance last night. I threw a pillow at him. “Don’t ask!” He froze for a moment, then said nothing more. He just pulled me into his arms, holding me very tightly. 3 “How about we draw lots again?” The ability team was discussing personnel assignments for a mission, when someone suddenly suggested, in a nuanced tone. Pulling my thoughts back. I looked at them blankly: “Why redraw?” Then I realized they were also observing my reaction. It turned out that during the drawing, Richard and a newly joined female ability user, Sarah, were accidentally chosen to go on an S-rank mission together. I was notorious for my ‘demanding’ nature, leveraging my beauty. Since seeking protection from Richard, the Southern Base leader, I had a reputation for being ‘difficult’. I was very possessive of him. If he was going out on a mission, I’d cling to his arm and insist on going for a drive with him. If he spoke an extra word to a female team member, I’d be jealous for three days straight. Not to mention this kind of isolated outing for two people, a man and a woman. My behavior only intensified after I got pregnant. But now… The system urgently warned me, [At this point, let’s not be arrogant. Put the romance mission aside; self-preservation is key!] [It was understandable that you were possessive of the male lead for the sake of the mission. But now, self-preservation is paramount. Listen to me, it’s best to quickly hand over the male lead, this hot potato, to the female second lead…] [Anyway, you don’t really have feelings for him beyond the mission.] Hearing that last sentence. My hand paused, mid-stroke, on my belly. My thick eyelashes lowered, concealing a hint of bitterness. In the living room. Richard said calmly, “No need.” “I can handle it alone. Sarah can go with your other team…” Before he could finish. I quickly interrupted: “Just follow the drawing.” “Sarah’s abilities complement yours perfectly. You two go together.” Richard looked at me in surprise, his eyes dimming slightly. I returned a sweet, soft smile. 4 Evening. Everyone had returned from their missions. Except for Richard and Sarah, who had the most arduous task. Following their tracker, we found them in a warehouse of an abandoned supermarket. Richard was shirtless, his muscles wrapped in bandages. Sarah was crouching in front of him, her hand resting on his chest. Hearing the commotion. She frantically withdrew her hand and stood up. “Why are you all here?” As she spoke, she made small, restless gestures. Tossing her hair, her cheeks flushed: “I was treating Captain Hayes’s wounds. He’s quite hurt… Please don’t overthink it, Phoebe.” The other team members exchanged glances, having initially not thought much of it. I also stood motionless. Richard’s gaze was as cold as ever, but on closer inspection, it seemed to hold a hint of tension. Everyone was waiting for my reaction. I pursed my lips. But, uncharacteristically, I was generous. “Well, why don’t we wait for them in the car? We’ll head back together after they’ve finished treating their wounds.” The air was silent for two seconds. The others were momentarily unsure if I was being sarcastic. Richard’s face darkened. Ignoring his wounds, he picked up his shirt and put it on. He hoisted a carton of milk supplies by his side and walked away. As he brushed past me. He gave me a fleeting glance. That look sent shivers down my spine. On the way back, he didn’t say a word. When we got home, he still heated a cup of bedtime milk for me first. Then he sat there, changing his own dressing. I went to help. He pulled his hand back. “No need.” I froze. He struggled to wrap the bandage himself, one hand being inconvenient, making a messy job of it. Eventually, I snatched it from him and re-bandaged it properly. In the quiet bedroom, a low, hoarse, unwilling voice suddenly broke the silence. “Why weren’t you angry today?” 5 My hand paused. I chose to feign ignorance. “Huh, angry about what?” “Phoebe, don’t pretend.” His dark eyes were still, fixed on me. I continued to wrap the bandage, speaking softly. “You two were treating wounds, what’s there to be angry about?” On the way here. Afraid my emotions would trigger early labor, the system showed me the remote monitoring. They truly weren’t doing anything. Besides, I was carrying another being’s child in my belly. Even if they really were doing something. What right did I have to be angry at him? He was silent for a few seconds. “Phoebe, you weren’t like this before.” That night, Richard tossed and turned. Suddenly, he hugged me from behind, his hand resting on my belly, even unconsciously stroking it a few times. My body stiffened. I knew he couldn’t tell the baby’s species by touch. Still, I instinctively felt guilty. As soon as I moved his hand away. He put it back. “You, don’t want to?” I moved it away again. “No.” He stopped moving. After a while, his voice was muffled, containing a hint of uncontrollable joy. “You really are angry after all.” I shook my head. “No, I’m just tired.” He was silent for a moment. His hand reached over again, this time gently pulling me into his embrace. “I’m sorry, you’re tired from pregnancy. Just sleep if you’re tired.” I didn’t struggle anymore. But I couldn’t sleep either, secretly rubbing my leg. I actually wanted to… Late-pregnancy hormones were acting up, making my body uncomfortably restless. I had secretly asked my doctor friend before. She said it was okay, as long as we were careful. But Richard was afraid of hurting me. Each time, he would unilaterally attend to my needs, then use his powers to take a cold shower. Or he’d go out to hunt zombies to vent, returning with a chill and then hugging me tightly again. Today, he definitely wouldn’t touch me. Sure enough, he hugged me for a while, then released me and went to the bathroom. The sound of rushing water went on for a long time. When he came out, he carried a coolness with him. He lay down again, this time a little further from me. Waking up the next morning, a pile of crystal cores lay on the pillow beside me. All of them were his earnings from yesterday. I had no abilities, so I couldn’t absorb them. But I liked these sparkly things, like diamonds or crystals. He always saved them for me. I counted them. There were more than usual. He probably gave me all of yesterday’s spoils. I looked up. And saw Richard staring intently at me. Our eyes met, and he awkwardly looked away. “Awake?” I nodded. Clutching those crystal cores, my heart ached. “I heard… Sarah is at a bottleneck in her Level 3 abilities and needs a lot of crystal cores to level up. Maybe you should give these to her instead?” “It would be a waste if they were given to me.” 6 “And the milk, you don’t have to bother with it next time either.” “A-anyway, I’m almost due, so I don’t need extra nutrition anymore…” He stared at me silently for a while. Just as I felt a chill run down my spine, he suddenly chuckled softly, with a hint of obsession. “Phoebe, when you suddenly clung to me, saying you liked me, I asked why, and you said you wanted my protection. I gave it.” As he spoke. He suddenly pressed close, pinning me against the headboard of the bed. “Now you’re telling me you don’t want anything anymore. Why? Is there another man offering you more?” “Tell me if there’s anything I can’t give you. I can find anything for you, just tell me.” The system told me to stop being difficult, and to be thoughtful and generous, to make him happy. I was already changing. But why did he seem even angrier? I stared at his cold profile, feeling very uneasy myself. Richard was injured last night. The system once again started fretting for me, [It’s over! It looks like the baby in your belly is about to be exposed, and you’ve gone and gotten the male lead injured again?] I wanted to cry but had no tears. “I didn’t! He was injured on the mission.” [This is the apocalypse. Water is more precious than gold, let alone milk. You keep clinging to him, demanding milk every day. Yesterday, he risked injury just to reclaim that carton of milk from dozens of zombies…] I froze. I liked drinking milk, especially a cup of warm milk before bed. But that was a pre-apocalypse habit. I had just mentioned it casually, never expecting Richard to remember it all this time. Just as I was about to say something. A sharp pain shot through my belly. My face changed. Richard suddenly sat up. “Phoebe, are you going into labor—” I endured the pain, shaking my head. “It’s nothing, maybe just… a stomach upset.” “Aren’t you leading a zombie clear-out today? Go quickly. I’m really fine.” He didn’t move. “I’m not going.” My heart was pounding, threatening to burst. If he didn’t go out, and I suddenly went into labor. Wouldn’t everything be exposed? “Really, it’s nothing. Just a cramp earlier, it’s fine now. Your mission is important, don’t delay.” He stared at me, silent. I forced out a pale smile, pushing him out. I looked incredibly considerate. “Go on, go on, don’t make the team wait.” He was silent for a few seconds, then rose and got dressed with a cold expression. He walked to the door. Turned to look at me. “Even if you hate me, it’s too late!” “You provoked me first. I gave you a chance to leave, but you didn’t take it. Trying to get rid of me again? Impossible.” A startling obstinacy flashed in his eyes. He abruptly pulled open the door and left. The sound of the door closing was still silent, however. I’ve always lacked a sense of security since childhood, developing a habit of being easily startled by sudden noises. After he left. I slowly leaned against the headboard, biting my lower lip hard to keep from crying out. My eyes were already red, ring after ring. I gently patted my belly. Baby, just bear with it a little longer. Mommy hasn’t figured out a way yet.

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My friends called me a simp. I worked three jobs, all to put my girlfriend, Scarlett Reed, through law school. She’d say: “Ash, when I pass the bar, I’ll come back to you.” “Ash, when I get confirmed, I’ll marry you.” “Ash, when I become a partner, we’ll get married immediately.” My friends told me that once they make it, they often ditch their loved ones. I didn’t believe them, and I waited seven years. Until my mom was nearly assaulted and accidentally killed her attacker. Frantically, I tried to reach Scarlett, but I couldn’t get through. Desperate, I had no choice but to go to Zenith City to find her. “Attorney Reed, which Attorney Reed?” “Oh, you mean Scarlett, don’t you?” “Attorney Reed is already a senior partner at our firm at such a young age. She just married our boss’s son and is on her honeymoon.” The receptionist picked up a box of wedding favors from the desk. “Here, the firm gave these out recently. Their wedding photos are gorgeous.” 1 I stared at the wedding favor box the receptionist handed me, at the names and the wedding photo. My mind exploded in a deafening buzz. Scarlett Reed. Married? My girlfriend of seven years, seven years of long-distance, the woman I’d poured everything into to get her through school, was married? My face went ashen, my fingertips trembled. I didn’t even notice the papers I was holding slip to the floor, my airway instantly constricting, leaving me gasping for breath. The receptionist looked at me, surprised. “Sir, are you alright?” My gaze remained fixed on Scarlett’s picture. Snapping back to reality, I shook my head, my throat tight. “I’m fine, I’m fine.” “My mom got into trouble. I came all the way from out of town to Zenith City to ask Attorney Reed to represent her, but I didn’t expect… I didn’t expect her to be so busy.” I explained, my voice catching. The receptionist looked sympathetic and offered to register me to see if other lawyers could help. “Thank you.” “Can I keep that wedding photo?” “It’s really beautiful. I’d like to find a similar dress when I get married.” The receptionist didn’t think much of it and handed me the entire box of favors and the photo. I pulled out the photo and slipped it into my jacket pocket, right over my heart. In that moment, my heart felt like it was being torn to shreds. That day, I sat on the steps outside the law firm all afternoon, repeatedly looking at the wedding photo. It was the most agonizing day of my life. Mechanically, I kept dialing her number, but the call never went through. I couldn’t understand how Scarlett, who I talked to almost every day, found time to be with someone else. I couldn’t understand why Scarlett, who promised to marry me, ended up marrying another man. All of it made the past seven years—the three jobs, every penny sent to her for tuition, exam fees, and living expenses—into one colossal, heartbreaking joke. Bitterness, pain, and fury churned inside me. I tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. It wasn’t until dawn that my phone finally rang. I groggily answered, and Scarlett’s voice came through the line. “Ash, where are you? Are you still at our firm?” “I forgot to tell you I went for an out-of-town training session. It was a closed program, no phones allowed. I just got mine back.” “I’m booking a ticket back right now. Wait for me.” Scarlett’s urgent tone on the phone would have sounded like genuine concern to anyone. If I hadn’t personally received her wedding favors, I might have drowned in her deceptive excuses once again. Thinking back, in the year since she joined Sterling & Co., she’d frequently ended our video calls and canceled our dates with various excuses: training, business trips, client meetings. I’d occasionally get upset, but she’d always soothe me with a few words. Now, I realized I’d been a complete fool. I clutched my phone, the questions I wanted to ask ready on my tongue, but just as I was about to speak, a muffled male voice drifted from the receiver. “Wifey, still on the phone in the middle of the night?” “Did Dad give you another case? Such a hassle, can’t even enjoy our honeymoon in peace…” The voice sounded strangely familiar. I thought I’d heard it a few times before on her calls. She had betrayed me long ago. Scarlett must have stepped outside, muffling the receiver. I didn’t hear another word of what followed. “Ash?” She cautiously called my name. I stared into the dark hallway, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. “Scarlett Reed, were you really at a training?” A long silence stretched on the other end, broken only by her soft sigh. “You’re doing it again.” “Ash, I know you’re exhausted because of your aunt’s situation, which is why you’re being so suspicious.” “Alright, I’ll rush back first thing tomorrow morning. Be good, go to sleep.” Before I could say another word, Scarlett abruptly hung up, leaving only a dial tone echoing in my ear. The next morning, I saw Scarlett, looking disheveled, rushing towards me outside the law firm. She hadn’t even had time to change into her professional attire, her face etched with concern. “Ash, I’m so sorry, so sorry. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone on that business trip now.” Her familiar embrace and warmth made my nose sting. When I saw the marks on her neck, my already cold heart gave a painful twitch. Scarlett, seeing my distraught state, simply assumed I was worried about my mother’s case. After briefly asking about the situation, she pulled me into the law firm, saying she’d ask her colleagues for a referral. I followed behind her, overhearing a colleague ask her. “Attorney Reed, who is this?” “Oh, just a cousin from back home, here for some personal business.” I clenched the case files in my hand and lowered my head, a bitter laugh escaping me. After she finished speaking with her colleague, I walked over and took Scarlett’s hand. “Cousin, shall we go?” Scarlett froze, her hand trembling uncontrollably, her expression panicked. “Cousin, why aren’t you moving? Did I say it wrong?” The colleague across from us looked at our clasped hands, deep in thought. Scarlett snapped out of it, pulling her hand away from mine. She gave an awkward laugh and led me out of the office area. Once outside, she pulled me into a secluded corner of the stairwell. “Ash, I said you were my cousin because I didn’t want people gossiping about our relationship.” “Otherwise, during your aunt’s trial, there’d be endless chatter, and you wouldn’t get a moment’s peace.” Such a convincing reason, but behind it lay her recent marriage and the relationship that had long betrayed me. I instinctively tightened my grip, quietly pulling my hand away. “I understand.” Scarlett affectionately patted my head. “Good boy.” Scarlett claimed she’d help me find a lawyer, but she kept making excuses—either the collaborating lawyer was unavailable, or the case was too difficult and no one dared to take it. I knew she just didn’t want to get involved with my affairs, didn’t want my presence to affect her life. The day before the trial, I took the organized evidence to Scarlett’s office to make one last plea. I pushed the door open, but she wasn’t there. The office was elegantly furnished, with hardly any personal items visible. On her desk stand, there was an engraved pen with delicate script: “Law in Heart, Integrity in Action.” Signed, Grenier Thorne. Her new husband, the law firm owner’s son. The door creaked open. It wasn’t Scarlett, but Grenier. He paused when he saw me, then immediately understood. “You’re here to see Scarlett about a case, aren’t you?” Grenier took out paper cups and tea from a cabinet and made me a cup of tea. “Please, have a seat and wait. She’s in a meeting, she’ll be back soon.” His movements were practiced and natural. Then, he pulled a small, delicate crystal photo frame from his desk drawer and casually placed it in a prominent spot on the corner of the desk. Inside the frame was an intimate photo of them, and a date was engraved at the bottom of the frame. It was last New Year’s Eve. The New Year’s Eve Scarlett had stood me up. At that time, Scarlett had just received her bar license and was preparing to be promoted to lead attorney. We had planned for her to come home for New Year’s and formally meet my family. My mom cooked a feast, and even my sister took time off work to wait for her. But by six in the evening, with the food already cold, Scarlett called to say she had an urgent client case to handle and couldn’t make it back. I saw the angry expressions on my parents’ and sister’s faces. After hanging up, I had to calm them, “It’s just work, you know, she can’t help it…” But the disappointment in my heart was something no one could soothe. Now, seeing this photo frame, I realized that the “urgent case” was actually to spend New Year’s Eve with another man. Scarlett Reed, you truly outdid yourself. Seeing me staring at the photo frame, Grenier chuckled. “Looks like we’re very happy, right?” “On New Year’s Eve, my wife insisted we take this photo. She said to put it on the desk so she could see it every time she looked up, symbolizing that I’m always in her sight.” The joy in Grenier’s eyes was so thick it made my own eyes ache. “Your wife is truly romantic.” I suppressed the bitter churning in my chest and responded offhandedly, my voice terribly dry. “Indeed, she pursued me for over two years, you know. Even though we’ve only been together for less than a year, she was eager to settle down with me,” He chuckled, waving his hand, his tone full of pride. “She said you have to hold on tight to the person you like, or they’ll just run off.” “But honestly, couples who date for seven or eight years and still don’t get married—ultimately, it’s just not meant to be. Nine times out of ten, they end up parting ways.” Every single word was like an ice-cold needle, piercing deeply into my heart, prodding at the most painful spots. “My wife is one of the brightest young minds at our firm. When she handles a case, her thinking is clear, her methods are tough, and she’s never lost. If your family’s case were in her hands, it would be a sure win!” When Grenier spoke of her, his face was alight with pride, an expression like a massive stone, suffocating my chest, making it hard to breathe. Once upon a time, I too would brag about Scarlett to friends and family, gushing about how smart and hardworking she was, how she passed her bar exam on the first try, how she would become the most brilliant lawyer, my lifelong pride. But now, she was still the “excellent” person in others’ eyes, but no longer someone I could proudly speak of. Click. He pulled out a cigar and lit it. I was surprised. Scarlett hated smoking, saying it smelled bad and was unhealthy. He clipped and lit the cigar, then turned back to me with a smile. “Just to unwind. My wife doesn’t like me smoking these, but it’s fine as long as I don’t do it in front of her.” “She’s pregnant, and the smell might bother her.” A buzzing sound filled my ears. My breath caught. She… she was pregnant? So, principles could be selective? My heart ached as if pierced by needles. I picked up a dropped document from the floor and handed it to him. Just as I was about to speak, the door opened. It was Scarlett. Scarlett looked visibly flustered seeing us together. She gave me a deep look, then smelled the cigar smoke in the room and frowned. “What are you doing here?” “Are you smoking again?” Beneath her slightly scolding tone was an undeniable undertone of concern. I lowered my head, tracing the paper cup in my hands. It held only warm water, but it felt scalding hot, making my insides ache. “Oh, don’t nag me.” “You have a client waiting for you…” Grenier gestured towards me with his eyes. Scarlett coughed, then spoke, feigning calmness. “Come with me to the office next door, and bring the materials.” I followed her out. As soon as the office door locked, Scarlett’s expression changed. “Didn’t I tell you not to come looking for me? I said I’d keep an eye out for a suitable lawyer for you.” “Coming directly to my office like this, did you consider my situation?” “What did you say to him?” Scarlett’s voice was high-pitched, yet deliberately lowered, as if afraid of being overheard. “From the moment we met until now, you haven’t given me a straight look, not a single explanation, and the first thing you do is blame me.” “You betrayed our seven years together; how can you be so self-righteous in questioning me?” “What could I say? Should I tell him he’s the other man, that he interfered with our seven-year relationship, and let everyone know what kind of person you are?” Scarlett’s expression drastically changed. She frantically clamped her hand over my mouth. “Don’t shout.” “Ash, I’ll explain this to you later.” “For now, please, just go back, alright?” My tears streamed down during the struggle. Perhaps it was out of hatred; I bit hard into Scarlett’s hand. She yelped in pain and let go. “Why should I leave? Scarlett Reed, tell me, why should I leave!” “If this blows up, I won’t be the one who’s humiliated!” Scarlett pressed her bitten hand, her dark eyes filled with anger. “Ash, if you dare to cause trouble, no lawyer in Zenith City will dare to take your mom’s case!” The woman I had loved for seven years, through gritted teeth, used my mother’s case to threaten me. From the moment I discovered she had married someone else, I’d replayed our potential confrontations over and over in my mind. I’d imagined furious arguments, her admitting or denying, apologizing or begging. But I never imagined she would say something like this, to warn me. “Scarlett Reed, are you even human?” “Every penny you spent during your seven years in law school was earned by my hard work.” “I supported you through seven years of schooling, through your bar exam, through getting your license. I wasted seven years of my youth on you, seven years!” “Scarlett Reed, do you have any decency?” Scarlett’s cold gaze seemed to pierce right through me. “I’ll pay you back the money.” “But you can’t disrupt my peaceful life anymore.” Scarlett left, shutting the door with a bang. I watched as Grenier put his arm around her waist and they walked out of the law firm building. News about Scarlett and me spread like wildfire. I didn’t know what Scarlett had said. In the rumors, I was the “other man” trying to break up Scarlett’s marriage. The poor country cousin who came to latch onto high society. “I’ve never seen such a shameless home-wrecker before!” “I knew something was up when he saw Attorney Reed’s wedding favors at the front desk and looked so pale. Turns out he was just trying to worm his way in as the other man!” “Yeah, I heard he used his mom’s case to gain sympathy, even trying to emotionally blackmail Attorney Reed into getting a divorce!” “Attorney Reed already promised to help him find a lawyer, and he still bit the hand that fed him!” “Oh my god, you really can’t trust these poor relatives.” “He’s just jealous now that Attorney Reed is a partner and doing well. He wants to take a shortcut. He didn’t appreciate her when she was struggling; now who would want a man like him?!” I listened to the whispers from the law firm’s break room, then turned and roared. “I’m not, I didn’t!” “I’m not the other man!” My defense was swallowed by the chatter. Everyone started to shun me. Even when I tried to consult other lawyers, they all made excuses and turned me away. I don’t know why my mom heard some whispers in the detention center. Through the visitation glass, she asked me, looking frail, “Ash, did something happen?” “Don’t be afraid, Mom is fine. Mom won’t hold you back.” My mother’s words made me want to cry. But I knew I had to hold back. At least, I had to wait for my mother’s trial, to get a verdict. “No, nothing’s wrong. What could be wrong?” “Mom, don’t worry, I’ve already found a lawyer. The trial will definitely clear your name, and you’ll be out soon.” I lied. My voice trembled even as I spoke the lie. The trial date arrived. Without a professional lawyer to defend her, my mom was speechless, unable to respond to the opposing lawyer’s interrogation. Ultimately, the court immediately pronounced my mom guilty of negligent homicide, sentencing her to two years in prison. My mom collapsed in the courtroom on the spot and was escorted to the detention center by court officers. On the third day of her detention, I received a call from the detention center saying my mom had a sudden heart attack, and after being rushed to the hospital, she passed away. When I arrived at the hospital, I only saw my mom covered by a white sheet. In that moment, my world crumbled. Back at the detention center, everyone pointed at me and whispered. “Look how quickly karma strikes. What good can come to a home-wrecker? Serves him right!” “Indeed. Do enough morally bankrupt things, and retribution will come knocking eventually. He brought this upon himself!” “Why choose to be the other man and even show up at their doorstep? I heard the wife is heavily pregnant too…” “It’s a sin, serves him right!” “Hey? Wasn’t the wife that lawyer who came to see his mom?” “Seems so. I heard she’s the managing partner’s son…” “The wife must have gone to settle scores with his mom. No wonder his mom passed away so suddenly…” The whispers were soft, but I heard every single word.

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