Category: English

My dad hangs a Performance Improvement Plan chart on the living room wall. Last semester, my sister, Chloe, got straight A’s. Dad put a gold star next to her name. I studied until my eyes bled, but still scored three points lower than her. Dad shook his head in disappointment and drew a giant red “X” next to my name. “Lily, do you know how much money you cost this family this month?” He tapped aggressively on his calculator, his face stern. “Tutors, supplements, plus the SAT prep course… total $5,000. The ROI on you is abysmal.” “Next month, your allowance is docked by $200. You’re covering all chores to pay off the debt.” Chloe smirked, her eyes curving with delight. “Lily, per the performance rules, you have to hand-wash my underwear for a year starting today.” I clenched my fists and nodded timidly. That night, hiding in the bathroom, I searched “how to improve grades fast.” A pop-up link for a forum called “Equivalent Exchange” appeared: “Are you willing to trade?” “Give what you have for what you want.” “Click here to start the transaction.” I stared at the forum, my fingertips cold. Give what you have for what you want. But… what did I have? I only had grades that never improved. Debts I couldn’t pay off. Endless chores. And the cold red “X” on the performance chart. Maybe these things couldn’t trade for what I wanted. Just as I hesitated, ready to close the tab, I heard Mom and Dad talking outside. “What happened with Lily this time? Why did she fail again? Is the pressure too much?” Mom’s voice carried her usual exhaustion. She sighed. “Her total score is three points lower than Chloe’s. Her ranking dropped.” “At this rate, getting into a top-tier college is a pipe dream.” Dad scoffed. Then I heard the sharp sound of the calculator clearing to zero. My body jerked reflexively. I knew that sound too well. Dad pressed it every time he calculated my “cost.” It struck a fear deep into my bones. Sure enough, Dad said with disgust: “Do the math. Tutors, prep courses, those supplements… isn’t that all money?” “We dumped nearly five grand into her, and for what? A splash?” “I just told her, her ROI is terrifyingly low!” “She’s a junk stock. Her fundamentals are trash. No matter how much we invest, it’s a loss!” Even though Dad had said these things countless times, my heart still constricted violently. The soap slipped from my hands into the basin. “Should we stop her supplements next month?” Mom lowered her voice. But I still heard it clearly. “Chloe eats them and her grades go up. It works for her.” “Lily eats them and nothing happens. Might as well stop wasting money.” Dad agreed without hesitation. “Cut it.” “Cut the tutors too. It’s throwing money away.” “Resources are limited. Chloe is the blue-chip stock. She’ll bring glory to the family.” “As for Lily… being a maid who does chores is fine too.” My heart sank. Mom and Dad… were they giving up on me? Footsteps approached the bathroom. I frantically shoved my phone into my pajama pocket. Then I plunged my hands into the freezing water, scrubbing Chloe’s underwear hard. To save money, Mom and Dad didn’t let me use hot water for laundry. My hands were covered in chilblains, stinging at the slightest touch. But Mom and Dad turned a blind eye. Yet when Chloe got a hangnail, they screamed and rushed her to the ER, heartbroken. The bathroom door was knocked symbolically twice. Mom raised her voice: “Lily, hurry up! Stop dawdling! Mop the living room when you’re done!” “Your sister has an early competition class tomorrow, don’t wake her.” “Okay…” Hearing my response, Mom left satisfied. I leaned against the cold tiled wall and slid down slowly. The words they just said buzzed in my brain. Junk stock. Waste. Am I really useless? Trembling, I took out my phone and clicked on the forum. My finger hovered over the screen, unable to press down. The bathroom door cracked open. Chloe poked her head in, frowning deeply. “Lily, why does washing underwear take so long?” “That’s my silk pair, it’s expensive. Don’t ruin it.” I hurriedly turned off the screen and lowered my head. “Okay.” Chloe slammed the door and shuffled away in her slippers. The living room was bright, filled with laughter. Mom, Dad, and Chloe were squeezed on the sofa watching a variety show. On the coffee table were the apple slices I had just cut. I carried the water basin, silently walking around them. After hanging the laundry, I had to mop. I struggled to wring out the mop, the chilblains on my hands stinging. Only when no more water came out did I drag the heavy mop to the living room. I mopped twice before Dad frowned at me. “Lily, didn’t you wring it out?” “There are water marks everywhere. What if your sister slips?” Mom glanced over coldly. “Exactly. Always so sloppy.” I lowered my head and dragged the mop back to the balcony. Soaked it again, wrung it with all my strength. But Chloe looked up, annoyed. “Quiet down!” “It’s so noisy, how can I watch TV?” I froze, lightening even my breathing. After finishing, I returned to my cold, damp room. Every room had heating except mine. In winter, it felt like an ice cellar. I curled up on the bed and lit up my phone again. The forum page was still open. On the black background, a single line of white text: [Are you willing to trade?] Below was a small input box, the cursor blinking. What did I have left to trade? If I could trade for just a little warmth, a little approval, I would give anything. I didn’t want to be a waste anymore. With shaking hands, I typed slowly: [I want Mom and Dad to approve of me.] [I want to be number one in the grade, just like my sister.] The screen went dark, then new text appeared: [Assessing wish…] The text pulsed, the result delayed. My heart hung in the air. [Analyzing tradable assets… Exchange successful!] My breathing quickened. [You will receive: Top grades and parental approval!] Just seeing this line made my eyes hot. I dreamed of getting Mom and Dad’s approval. But then, another line appeared: [You must pay the price: Become a true learning machine, devoid of self, devoid of thought.] [Consideration period: 48 hours.] [During this time, as an adaptation, you will gradually lose various senses.] [You may unilaterally terminate the transaction within 48 hours.] [Do you accept the trial?] [Yes / No] I… hesitated for a moment, then clicked Yes. The forum disappeared. The countdown officially began. Deep into the night, the chill seeped through the leaky window. But strangely, the stinging pain from the cold on my body faded significantly. At first, I didn’t pay attention, thinking I was just numb. But early the next morning, when I was cooking breakfast for the family, hot oil splattered on my hand. I hissed and pulled back. But the expected burning pain didn’t come. There was only a dull sensation. I stared blankly at my red finger. So it had begun. But I panicked. The forum said I would become a learning machine. Would I still be me then? Would I still recognize Mom, Dad, and Chloe? So I secretly took the allowance Grandpa gave me and went into a gift shop. I wanted to buy gifts for my family. When I became an emotionless machine… At least these gifts could accompany them in my place. They wouldn’t be too sad, right? I bought a set of matching family mugs. Just then, someone tapped my shoulder lightly. “Lily?” My desk mate, Sam, wearing a black hoodie, scratched his head awkwardly. “It really is you. I watched from outside for a while, didn’t dare to ask.” “Is it your birthday? Is there anything you li—” Before Sam could finish, a cold voice interrupted him. “I wondered why you weren’t home. Hiding here dating early, huh?” I turned around. Chloe was standing at the shop entrance, linking arms with Dad. He stared at Sam’s clothes, his face darkening. I knew Dad had already labeled Sam, who wasn’t in uniform, as a delinquent. My heart tightened. “Dad, I’m not dating…” I tried to hide the gift bag, but Chloe snatched it. “Wow, buying gifts for your little boyfriend?” She unwrapped the mugs I had carefully packed and sneered. “What, using parents’ money to buy gifts for a boy?” “Why don’t you put this effort into studying?” The ceramic mug dangled in her hand. I reached out to grab it back, but she suddenly let go. “No!” Crash. The mug shattered on the floor. “Embarrassing thing. Let’s go home!” “Are you that cheap? Can’t live without a man? What are you staring at? Move!” Dad dragged me out. “Uncle, we just met by chance…” Sam tried to explain, but Dad glared at him viciously. As soon as I was dragged home, Chloe added fuel to the fire and tattled to Mom. Mom was furious, as expected. Heartbroken, she said: “Lily, how did you go bad? Learning to date early?” “Mom, I…” Dad waved his hand, rubbing his temples wearily. “Take her to the bathroom and check if she’s still a virgin.” “If not, sue that kid.” I froze in disbelief. Shame washed over me instantly. I protested violently: “No! I won’t go… I didn’t do anything!” “You’re wronging me! I don’t want to!” I couldn’t even get the words out. Chloe and Mom together couldn’t drag me. So Dad slapped me hard across the face, grabbed my hair, and dragged me into the bathroom. “Now you’re scared? What were you thinking before?” “Hanging out with trash every day, shaming the whole family! Do you have any self-respect?” The bathroom door slammed shut. They stripped my clothes off quickly. Mom and Chloe’s hands were everywhere, prying my legs apart. As if I were an object, they checked me for damage. The shame almost drowned me. Tears spun in my eyes. I don’t know how long it took before they left, throwing my clothes onto my naked body. I put my clothes on numbly. My buttons wouldn’t align with the holes. Just then, my phone screen, which had fallen nearby, lit up faintly. The black forum popped up automatically. [Adaptation period: 24 hours passed.] [Current sensory loss: 37%] [Warning: If transaction continues, you will become a highly efficient learning machine.] [Do you wish to terminate the transaction?] [Yes / No]

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On the second day of the Lunar New Year, my thirty-year-old cousin stomped on my limited edition figurine, crushing a $5,000 collectible into pieces. My Aunt Clara immediately shielded him behind her back, screeching at me with righteous indignation. “If you didn’t put your things away, they belong to Tyler now! Besides, aren’t you too old to be playing with toys?” My mother was shaking with anger. “How does something my daughter spent five grand on suddenly become yours?” Aunt Clara instantly sat on the floor, slapping her thighs and wailing. “God help me! I come with good intentions to visit my own brother for the holidays, and my sister-in-law tries to extort five thousand dollars from me!” I pulled back my mom, who was on the verge of tears, and smiled at them. “It’s fine, Mom. It’s just a pile of plastic.” “It’s rare for Aunt Clara and Tyler to visit. We should treat them to something better.” Aunt Clara’s wailing stopped abruptly. She scrambled up, suspicious at first, then sneered. “Now that sounds like human speech. A girl like you can’t compare to my precious Tyler.” An hour later, Aunt Clara was handed a $500,000 compensation bill by the police. I smiled even brighter. “That’s right. My cousin is precious indeed.” 1 “See? That’s what I call sensible.” Aunt Clara’s heavy hand slapped my shoulder. “You can tell she’s been in the big city. She knows her place.” After saying that, she turned and rolled her eyes at my mother. “Unlike some people who’ve never left this village their whole lives. Long hair, short wit. Only knows how to protect a money-losing daughter.” My mother’s lips trembled, unable to say a word. Her precious thirty-year-old son, Tyler, was picking his teeth on the sofa, mumbling in agreement. “Making a fuss over a broken toy.” Aunt Clara pointed at the shattered remains of the figurine on the floor and ordered me around. “Sophie, sweep up those broken plastics. Tyler can take them home.” I paused. “Take them home for what?” “They’re broken anyway. We can sell them for scrap and get a few bucks. Can’t waste them.” She spoke as if she was disposing of her own property. Tyler grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. He climbed off the sofa, walked over to the pile of fragments, and lifted his foot. Crunch. Crunch. He stomped down hard, grinding the figurine into dust. “Mom’s right. It’s trash anyway. Stomping it a few more times doesn’t matter.” I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. Aunt Clara’s gaze had already been drawn to the holiday gifts and red envelopes on the coffee table. She picked up the thickest envelope and tore it open right in front of us. Pulling out the cash, she licked her finger and counted the bills one by one. “One, two, three… only two thousand?” Her voice suddenly rose, sharp and piercing. “David! You’re dismissing your own sister with this little money?” My father, David, an honest man his whole life, rubbed his hands together, looking troubled. “Sis, the factory hasn’t been doing well this year, and Sophie’s mom’s medical bills were high…” “I don’t care about that!” Aunt Clara violently threw the money in her hand at my mother’s face. “If you don’t have money, don’t pretend to be fat! What’s the use of raising a daughter? In the end, she’s just a losing investment!” The red bills scattered, the sharp edge of one slicing across my mother’s cheek, leaving a thin red line. My mother gasped, tears bursting from her eyes. She didn’t dare make a sound, just silently crouched down to pick up the money one by one. Tyler swaggered over and stepped on my mother’s hand. “Oops, Auntie, sorry. Didn’t see you.” He apologized with his mouth, but his foot ground down hard. My mother sucked in a breath of cold air, her hand instantly swelling red. The fire in my chest reached its peak. I calmly pushed Tyler aside and forced a bright smile onto my face. “Aunt Clara, Tyler, it’s the New Year. No need to get angry over small things.” “I’ll take you somewhere nice to open your eyes. The new Grand Era Gallery downtown. I heard it’s full of treasures.” Aunt Clara looked me up and down suspiciously. “A place like that? Can a working girl like you even get in?” Her eyes were full of contempt. “You’re not working there as a cleaner, are you?” I didn’t deny it. I just took out my phone, tapped a few times, and sent a message. [Prepare for guests.] Then I looked up, my smile unchanged. “You’ll know when we get there, won’t you?” Seeing my confidence, the greed in Aunt Clara’s eyes overpowered her suspicion, and she finally nodded. On the way to the garage, she lectured my parents, demanding dinner be even more lavish than lunch. Once in my car, she showed her true colors, spitting a glob of phlegm onto the floor mat. Tyler, meanwhile, stuffed his tangerine peels one by one into the crevices of the leather seats. I watched the ugly behavior of this mother and son, the smile on my lips growing wider. The car stopped in front of the magnificent main entrance of the Grand Era Gallery. Aunt Clara and Tyler stared at the building, eyes wide. “My god, Sophie, this place is so grand!” Greed and calculation shone unhidden in Aunt Clara’s eyes. I knew. The fish had taken the bait. 2 The Grand Era Gallery was closed today. It was open only for my aunt and cousin. I led them into the empty exhibition hall. In the magnificent lobby, only the sound of our footsteps echoed monotonously. Aunt Clara touched this and looked at that, constantly clicking her tongue in amazement. “Wow, is this pillar gold? This floor tile is shiny enough to be a mirror!” Tyler was even worse. He wanted to touch everything he saw. Blocked by glass cases, he slapped them hard with his palms. Thud, thud. The dull sounds echoed. The head of security at the door saw me and immediately straightened up, about to approach. “Miss So…” I shot him a glance, and he shut his mouth instantly, pretending not to know me and standing far away. Aunt Clara saw this but completely misinterpreted it. She thought the security guard was scared off by her presence, and she stood even straighter. She turned to brag to my mother: “See? In places for rich people, even the watchdogs know who to respect.” My mother looked worried, tugging secretly at my sleeve. “Sophie, the things here are too expensive. Don’t let them touch anything. We can’t afford to pay if they break something.” I patted her hand reassuringly, then deliberately raised my voice. “Aunt Clara, Tyler, look all you want. Have fun.” Hearing this, Aunt Clara and Tyler’s eyes lit up instantly. “Really? You said it!” Aunt Clara looked skeptical. “Of course. Why would I lie to you?” I smiled with utmost sincerity. With my guarantee, they completely let loose. Aunt Clara pointed at a colorful Tang Dynasty ceramic horse in the center of the hall and insulted my mother. “Sister-in-law, look at this horse. Doesn’t it look like you?” My mother froze. “Working like a horse for David your whole life, exhausted, and can’t even birth a son. Useless.” The harsh words were like knives, turning my mother’s face pale instantly. Tyler wasn’t idle either. He set his sights on an ivory folding fan in a glass case, carved with exquisite landscapes. “I want that fan! Mom, I want to take it out and fan myself!” He whined like a three-year-old. I walked over slowly, looking regretful. “Tyler, this case is special bulletproof glass. It’s locked.” “Only the curator has the key. I can’t open it either.” “Bullshit!” Tyler cursed. “What crappy cabinet? Watch me kick it open!” He stepped back, gathered his strength, and kicked the display case hard. BANG! The loud noise hurt our eardrums. The case didn’t budge. Tyler clutched his foot, grimacing in pain. Aunt Clara didn’t stop him; instead, she clapped and cheered. “Good! Kick it hard! My Tyler is so strong, he’ll be a big boss for sure!” “Another kick! Shatter this stupid glass!” The phone in my pocket vibrated. It was a message from the monitoring room staff. [Ms. Sophie, should we call the police?] I lowered my eyes, tapping the screen lightly to reply. [Wait.] Thinking for a moment, I added another sentence. [The amount isn’t high enough yet.] My mother couldn’t stand it anymore and ran over to stop the crazy Tyler. “Tyler, stop kicking! That’s an artifact! You’ll go to jail if you break it!” Seeing this, Aunt Clara rushed forward and shoved my mother hard. “Get away! You jinx, daring to curse my son with jail?” Caught off guard, my mother slammed her back against a stone pillar with a muffled groan. She was in so much pain she couldn’t straighten up, tears circling in her eyes. Aunt Clara wasn’t done. She pointed at me as I rushed to help my mother and cursed loudly. “Losing investment! Just like your heirless mother!” I ignored her screaming. I took a bottle of water from my bag. Unscrewing the cap, I handed it to her with a smile. “Auntie, you must be thirsty after shouting so much.” “Drink some water to soothe your throat so you have the strength to keep playing.” Aunt Clara snatched the water and gulped down half the bottle. She wiped her mouth and threw the bottle on the floor in disgust. “What is this trash? Not even as good as tap water.” After walking around the hall, Aunt Clara’s thieving eyes started darting around. She walked to an inconspicuous corner. While I wasn’t looking, she stuffed a Qing Dynasty snuff bottle into her large cloth bag. All of this was recorded clearly by the surveillance cameras in the corner. Having stolen something, Aunt Clara grew bolder. She set her sights on me. Her gaze fell on the bag I was carrying. “Sophie, what good stuff do you have in there?” Saying that, she reached out to grab it. I didn’t resist, letting her snatch it away. Aunt Clara unzipped it and dumped the bag upside down. Everything inside clattered to the floor. Lipstick, powder compact, tissues, and my work ID and a personal seal. She picked up the seal, examining it, thinking it was gold or jade. “Ooh, what’s this? Gold?” Then, she picked up my work ID. When she read the words on it, she let out a shrill laugh. “Grand Era Gallery Art Restorer? Sophie, after all that, you just fix junk?” Tyler also came over and stepped on my lipstick, crushing it. He saw my phone on the floor and snatched it. “Unlock it! I want to play games!” he ordered. I looked at him coldly. “No.” “You wanna die!” Enraged by my attitude, Tyler smashed my phone hard onto the floor. The screen shattered. My mother looked at the fragments on the floor, heartbroken. “You child! That phone cost over a thousand dollars!” She tried to pick it up but was shoved away by Tyler. “Get lost, old hag!” My mother stumbled, her forehead hitting the sharp corner of a display case. A trail of blood ran down her temple. “Mom!” I rushed to support her. Aunt Clara looked at my mother’s bleeding forehead and spat on the ground. “Deserved it! Heirless woman, this is your karma!” My mother covered her wound, trembling, tears rolling down. She grabbed my arm, her voice pleading. “Sophie, let’s go home. Let’s go home, please? Mom begs you…” I held her cold hand tightly, my heart clenching. I looked at the wound on her forehead, at her despairing eyes, and a wave of fury hit me. I leaned into her ear, my voice so low only we could hear. “Mom, endure for five more minutes.” “Just five minutes.” “Today, we take back everything we’ve suffered in this life, with interest.” My mother froze, looking at me in confusion. I helped her stand, turned around, and put the docile smile back on my face. I led the still-shouting Aunt Clara and Tyler into the deepest part of the gallery. The Supreme Hall. In the center of the hall, displayed alone, was an ancient painting I had spent countless hours restoring—Spring Mountains. Aunt Clara looked disdainful. “Just this ragged painting? Colors are fading. Not even as nice as my wall calendar.” I didn’t argue. Instead, I lowered my voice and whispered mysteriously: “Auntie, Tyler, don’t underestimate this painting.” “I heard the curator say there’s a secret hidden inside.” Tyler was instantly interested. “What secret?” I leaned closer, voice even lower. “There are gold threads in the interlayer of the paper.” “Tear it open, and it’s full of gold.” As soon as the words left my mouth, greedy light exploded in Aunt Clara and Tyler’s eyes. “Gold? Are you serious?” Aunt Clara’s voice pitched up, sharp and ear-piercing. She stared dead at the Spring Mountains. Tyler pulled a switchblade from his pocket. Click. The blade flashed cold light. “Who cares if it’s real or fake? Cut it open and see!” He raised the knife and charged at the ancient painting. “No!” My mother screamed, trying to stop him. Too late. RIIIP! Almost simultaneously, piercing alarms rang through the entire gallery. Red warning lights flashed wildly, making Aunt Clara and Tyler’s faces look ghastly pale. “What’s happening? Why is it ringing?” Aunt Clara was scared out of her wits. Tyler panicked too, dropping the knife with a clatter. Just then, Aunt Clara snapped out of it. She turned and slapped me across the face with all her might. Smack! Pain exploded on my cheek, ears ringing. “Sophie! It was you, you little bitch! You told Tyler to cut it!” She shrieked at the rushing security guards. “Come look! This black-hearted girl wants to frame her own cousin!” Tyler immediately found his scapegoat and pointed at me along with his mother. “Yeah! It was her! Sophie told me to cut it however I wanted!” Security guards quickly surrounded us. Aunt Clara pulled at me, trying to push me forward to take the blame. “Grab her! She did it! It has nothing to do with us!” The gallery doors burst open. My father, David, ran in panting, followed by several police officers. Aunt Clara’s eyes lit up. She let go of me and threw herself at my father, pounding his chest and wailing. “David! Look at the good daughter you raised!” “What a vicious heart! She wants Tyler to go to jail!” She cried with tears and snot, her acting impeccable. “If you don’t make her kneel and apologize to my Tyler today, I’ll die right here in front of you!” Saying that, she actually grabbed the knife and held it to her own neck. My father, honest to a fault, turned pale with fright, his legs going weak. “Sis, don’t be impulsive, let’s talk…” The scene was chaotic to the extreme. Under everyone’s gaze, I took out a second phone. I pressed play. Clear video and audio flowed from the phone. Aunt Clara insulting my mother, Tyler smashing my phone. Their bandit-like behavior, and finally their false accusations… Everything was recorded. The noisy hall fell deathly silent. The knife at Aunt Clara’s neck clattered to the floor. I walked up to her step by step, watching her trembling body, and spoke clearly, word by word. “Auntie, I forgot to tell you.” “This Spring Mountains painting is a national treasure.” “Its base valuation is five hundred thousand dollars.” The leading officer walked up to me, expression serious. “Director Sophie, we came as soon as we got the call.” “Director… Sophie?” Aunt Clara pointed at me in disbelief, her voice cracking. “What did you call her? She fixes trash! A working girl!” I smiled faintly, pointing at the limp Tyler and Aunt Clara, and said to the police: “Officer, these two are suspected of intentionally damaging precious cultural relics, the amount is exceptionally large.” “Also suspected of theft, and intentional injury.” “Please, handle this with the utmost severity.” Aunt Clara lunged from the ground, pouncing at me to grab the phone. “You little bitch! Give me the evidence!” I dodged sideways, and she slammed heavily onto the floor. In her hand, she was still clutching the stolen snuff bottle. I looked down at her, my tone icy. “Cousin really is precious.” “One move of his hand, and it’s five hundred grand.” 3 Aunt Clara went completely mad, screaming hysterically. “I’m her aunt! She’s framing me! You can’t arrest me!” Her answer was a click. Cold handcuffs locked onto her wrists. “Sophie Summers, Curator of Grand Era Gallery, National Level 1 Art Restorer.” The officer verified my ID. Every word hammered into Aunt Clara’s heart. The color drained from her face, and she collapsed. The woman who was throwing a tantrum seconds ago was now muttering blankly. “Impossible… this is impossible…” “A little girl… how can she be the curator…” The shock of reality shattered her mind. Tyler was even more wretched. The moment the handcuffs clicked, a foul stench spread. He had peed his pants in fear. “Not me! It was Sophie! She told me to cut it!” He pointed at me, snot and tears streaming down his face. “Officer, my mom can testify! She instigated me!” This woke Aunt Clara up. She jerked her head up and crawled to my feet. “Sophie! My good niece! Auntie was wrong! Auntie isn’t human!” She cried while slapping her own face. “Let your cousin go! He’s still a child, he can’t go to jail!” “If he goes to jail, his life is ruined!” A security guard nearby couldn’t help but mutter, “Still a child? He’s twice my size.” Aunt Clara glared at him viciously, then immediately switched back to sobbing. “We’re family! Flesh and blood! How can you be so cruel!” Family? Laughable. When she pushed my mother down, causing her to bleed, did she mention family? When Tyler stepped on my mother’s hand, maliciously grinding it, did she think about flesh and blood? I coldly pushed her hand away and stepped back. “Auntie, it’s too late for that.” “From the moment you laid hands on my mother, there was nothing left between us but the law.” My voice was soft, but it stopped her crying instantly. She looked at me in disbelief, her eyes filled only with venom. “Sophie! You have a cruel heart! You’ll get your karma!” My father, David, finally recovered from his immense shock. He looked at his handcuffed sister and nephew. This honest man’s face was full of pain. His lips moved, wanting to beg for mercy. “Sophie…” I cut him off directly. “Dad, Mom’s head is still bleeding.” I helped up my silent, weeping mother. Without another glance at the mother and son, I walked past them. Behind me came Aunt Clara’s hysterical curses. “Sophie! You heirless wretch who deserves to die horribly! I won’t let you go even as a ghost!” I didn’t stop. A ghost? Fine. But before that, you have to survive hell on earth. Dad and I took Mom to the hospital. The doctor said the wound wasn’t deep, but she had a mild concussion and needed observation. After settling Mom in, Dad sat by the bed sighing, wanting to speak but afraid to. I knew he wanted to persuade me. Blood is thicker than water; forgive and forget. I didn’t give him the chance. A call came in. From the police station. They told me Aunt Clara was throwing a tantrum at the station. Insisting it was a family dispute and demanding a private settlement. She was even calling every relative to cry and complain. Exaggerating how her niece was heartless and cruel. Trying to send her own aunt to jail over a painting. As soon as the call ended, my phone started vibrating wildly. The family group chat exploded. Uncle Bob: [Sophie, your aunt says you’re suing her? It’s New Year’s, don’t make it so ugly.] Aunt Helen: [Sophie, Tyler is your cousin. He’s immature, just let it go.] [It’s just a painting, let them pay for it!] Uncle Mike was the most direct, tagging my dad: [David! Control your daughter! She’s shaming the Summers family name!] Dozens of people in the group. Not one asked about my mom’s injury. Not one cared about the truth. All lecturing me. These words were like dull knives cutting my father’s heart. His lips trembled, wanting to defend me, but he couldn’t type a single word. I remained expressionless. Unlocked my phone, found the full surveillance video. And threw it directly into the family group. The video wasn’t long, but it recorded all the ugliness. Aunt Clara’s tantrum, Tyler smashing the figurine. Aunt Clara throwing money to cut my mom’s face, Tyler stepping on my mom’s hand. How they smashed my gallery stuff, pushed my mom until she bled. Finally, how they cut the painting in front of me and framed me. In the video, the faces of that mother and son were nauseating. The group chat that was spamming messages a second ago went dead silent. For a full five minutes. Aunt Helen cautiously popped up: [This… how could Clara treat her sister-in-law like that?] Uncle Bob: [Tyler is an animal! Hitting an elder!] The wind changed instantly. The people who were advising me to be generous started condemning Aunt Clara and her son. Uncle Mike: [David, this is Clara’s fault. Do what needs to be done, we won’t interfere.] Aunt Helen: [Right, who needs relatives like that!] My father looked at the chat history and let out a long sigh. He never mentioned pleading for them again. Clara, Tyler. You will pay the price for what you’ve done. The next day, my legal team officially stepped in. Intentional destruction of property, theft, intentional injury. Multiple crimes punished together. Tyler faced prison time. Aunt Clara, as an accomplice and instigator, couldn’t escape either. The lawyers moved fast, applying for property preservation immediately. The court ruling came down quickly. Aunt Clara’s old apartment downtown? Seized. The wedding house she bought for Tyler? Seized. All bank accounts in her name? Frozen. When the news reached the detention center, Aunt Clara went crazy on the spot. She banged her head against the bars, screaming that the house was her life. Cursing me, her niece, for being heartless and trying to kill her. Tyler, hearing this in the interrogation room, completely collapsed. His arrogance was gone. Snot and tears covered his face as he slumped in the chair, shaking like a leaf. To reduce his sentence, he started frantically biting his own mother. “It was all my mom! She made me do it!” “She said Sophie’s family is rich, breaking things doesn’t matter!” “She said there was gold in the painting and told me to cut it open!” “Officer, I was the one tricked! I’m the victim!” The police relayed the confession verbatim to Aunt Clara. The mother and son who were usually so close turned against each other completely. Aunt Clara couldn’t believe it. Her precious son, whom she had pampered for thirty years, sold her out completely to save himself. She cursed in the detention center, calling Tyler an ingrate, a beast she raised in vain. Separated by cold walls, the mother and son tearing at each other became the biggest joke in the detention center. And I watched it all with cold eyes. My father held the materials submitted by the lawyer, looking at the astronomical compensation figure, his hands shaking. “Sophie, do we really… have to go this far?” He was soft-hearted after all. I didn’t speak. I just took out a thick stack of IOUs from my bag and slapped them in front of him. “Dad, look at these.” Each one was evidence of Aunt Clara borrowing money from us. Game console for Tyler, $500. Sponsorship fee for school, $8,000. Car for him, $15,000. Wedding house, $30,000. Totaling over $80,000. Item by item, page by page, all his soft-heartedness and indulgence. Aunt Clara never intended to pay back this money. Whenever my parents mentioned it, she would throw a tantrum, scolding my dad for not caring about his nephew, calling us rich and heartless. “Dad, have we helped her little over the years?” “She took our kindness for granted, our concessions for weakness.” “Today she dared to let Tyler step on Mom’s hand. Tomorrow she’ll dare to stab us with a knife.” “Why should we be soft-hearted to such an ungrateful vampire?” My words, like hammers, struck his heart. He looked at the yellowing IOUs, then turned to look at my mother on the hospital bed, still dizzy and nauseous from the concussion. The hesitation in his eyes was finally replaced by heavy guilt and anger. He picked up the pen and, on another document prepared by the lawyer, solemnly signed his name stroke by stroke. No more hesitation. It was a lawsuit to recover all debts with interest. Old debts should be settled with new hatreds. My mother stayed in the hospital for two weeks. During this time, Aunt Clara and Tyler were formally arrested and transferred to the prosecutor’s office. The relatives who had clamored in the group chat disappeared completely. No one dared to visit. Good. Saved my mom the trouble. The day she was discharged, she had lost weight, but her eyes were clearer than ever. She looked out the window for a long time, then suddenly spoke. “Sophie, I used to think taking a step back meant peace in the family.” “Now I understand. With some people, the more you retreat, the more they think you’re easy to bully.”

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I brought up divorce the moment Julian came home. He froze, then turned with a weary smile. “Is this still about the cilantro in your pasta that day?” I zipped up my suitcase, nodding noncommittally. “Sure. Let’s say it’s about that.” He hung up his coat and ruffled my hair, a familiar gesture. “Come on, princess. Stop making a fuss. I was just busy and forgot. It was an accident.” He reached for me, expecting our usual hug. “How can I make it up to you? Flowers? That new handbag you wanted? Or what about the latest necklace from that designer?” In seven years of marriage, he’d always been generous. He was sure I couldn’t bear to leave him. But I stepped back, looking calmly at his handsome face. “Let’s just end it here. The divorce papers are on the table. Don’t forget to sign them.” A man who couldn’t even remember my cilantro allergy was a man I no longer wanted. 1 “Just because I added cilantro to your pasta the day I left for my business trip?” Julian’s face held a familiar mix of exasperated indulgence. He stepped forward and ruffled my hair. “Princess, I honestly just forgot. It was a mistake. I promise it won’t happen again, okay?” His voice was gentle, his expression doting, just like it had always been. It was that very tenderness that had made me fall for him, that had carried us through seven years of marriage, from junior employees to him being the CEO, from a rented apartment to this sprawling villa. I had once believed we could go on like this forever. But what if his tenderness wasn’t reserved for me alone? I gripped the handle of my suitcase and moved past him. “This is it. I’m leaving. The divorce papers are on the counter. Make sure you sign them.” “Zoe!” Julian grabbed my wrist. “Stop fooling around. I was wrong. Let me make it up to you, okay? A hundred red roses? Or that new sapphire necklace from Tiffany’s?” He sounded sincere, but his voice was laced with an easy confidence. He moved closer, his warmth pressing against me as he tried to pull me into an embrace. “We’ve been married for years, and you’re still throwing tantrums like a child?” I ripped my arm away with a force that made him stumble. He stared at me, shocked. I met his gaze, my voice steady. “I have never liked red roses. I like white lisianthus.” A flicker of something—guilt?—crossed his eyes. He stiffened. “Zoe, I’m sorry, I…” Before he could finish, the sound of the fingerprint scanner at the door beeped. The door swung open, and in walked Amelia. His secretary. Her pretty face registered surprise, but a glint of triumph flashed in her eyes as she saw my suitcase. “Zoe,” she chirped, her voice light, “are you going on a trip? Go on, then. I’ll take good care of Mr. Hayes. Don’t you worry.” I let out a low, bitter laugh and turned to Julian. “Well, look at that. The woman who loves red roses is here. And I’m sure she loves cilantro, too.” I wrenched my hand from his grasp and started for the door. Amelia blocked my path, her face half-hidden in the shadows of the entryway. Her voice was pitiful, a stark contrast to the smugness on her face. “Zoe, Mr. Hayes told me he accidentally put cilantro in your pasta before he left for Paris. Is that why you’re mad at him?” Her long lashes fluttered, her beautiful eyes feigning an innocent curiosity that was pure mockery. “He probably just got confused because we eat together so often, and I absolutely love cilantro. It’s such a small thing. If it’s causing problems between you two, I’ll apologize, okay? Please don’t run away from home to make a point. He works so hard, and your tantrums are just another burden for him. You…” Her words were cut short by the sharp crack of a slap. Julian rushed forward, pulling me away. “Zoe! What are you doing? This is between us! Why are you taking it out on her?” I laughed coldly and, in a swift motion, slapped him too. The sound silenced him completely. I had put all my strength into those slaps. Bright red handprints bloomed on both of their faces. I met Julian’s stunned gaze. “Julian, this house is our shared marital property. Who gave you the right to give an outsider fingerprint access to come and go as she pleases?” He was taken aback. “Amelia often has to drop off documents for me. It was just for convenience…” “Amelia? Is that what you call your secretary? How intimate.” My laugh was incredulous. “You’ve been in the business world for years. Don’t tell me you couldn’t hear the provocation in her tone. I can tolerate the flirting at the office, but to bring it into my home? Julian, have you forgotten that I, Zoe Sterling, don’t tolerate bullshit?” I turned to Amelia, who was clutching her cheek. “You’ve been his secretary for what, six months? Can’t you distinguish between professional and private matters? Or are you just a stray dog looking for a master when you let yourself into other people’s homes?” “Those social media posts you’ve been making… they’re set to ‘visible to me only,’ aren’t they? When you don’t know how to write a project proposal, you don’t ask the senior staff for help; you bother the CEO, who is busy running a company. You know he’s a married man, yet you bring him your ‘special homemade lunch’ every single day. When you screw up at work, instead of learning from your mistakes, you have him stay up all night with you to fix them. Is this what a ‘secretary’ does? Does your salary include posting ‘The CEO is so amazing!’ on your private social media?” I shook my head, a scornful smile on my face. “What exactly were you showing off just now? That my husband forgot my deadly allergy because of you? Or that your tireless seduction is finally paying off?” “Zoe! What are you talking about?” Julian’s voice was a low growl of disbelief. “How can you twist our relationship like that? She’s new. It’s my job to mentor her. I helped you the same way when we first met!” Amelia’s eyes were red, her perfectly curled lashes trembling as she let out a soft, choked sob that seemed to echo in the silent room. Suddenly, I was tired of it all. What was the point of arguing with someone who was pretending to be clueless? I locked eyes with Julian. “Is this how you ‘help’ every new employee? Help them so much that you forget your wife of seven years has a severe cilantro allergy and has never, ever liked red roses?” Julian froze. I laughed, a sharp, mocking sound, pushed past Amelia, and walked out of the house, my suitcase rolling behind me. 2 I went to the other apartment I owned, and as soon as I had settled in, my best friend, Chloe, called. “Zoe, are you really sure about this?” Chloe’s voice was anxious. “Did you talk to Julian?” “I did,” I confirmed. “I just moved out. I’m getting settled.” Chloe paused. “Did he agree to the divorce?” I looked at a framed photo of Julian and me on the table. “No,” I said softly. “He probably thinks I’m still just throwing a fit.” “Well, as long as you’ve made up your mind, I support you. But don’t go soft on him when it comes to dividing the assets.” “Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m not a fool.” After hanging up, I gently touched my flat stomach. In the photo, Julian and I were younger, holding each other close, a perfect, happy couple. The next moment, I threw the photo in the trash. I was so emotionally drained that I fell asleep almost immediately. I woke up the next afternoon to a flood of unread messages, mostly apologies from Julian. I ignored them and scrolled through my social media feed. Amelia had posted again. A diamond necklace sparkled at her throat as she flashed a peace sign at the camera. Behind her, a tall, handsome figure was slightly blurred, but I could clearly see the suit he was wearing. It was the one I had given Julian for his birthday this year. The caption read: “The CEO is so sweet! Not only did he not blame me, he even bought me a diamond necklace to make me feel better! Omg, a man like him is one in a million. I have to work harder to be worthy!” It was so ridiculous I had to laugh. I liked the post and commented, “Is this one ‘visible to me only’ too?” Then I tossed my phone aside and went to wash up. While I was washing my face, Julian called. My hands were wet, and I accidentally answered. His voice sounded tired. “Zoe, what was that supposed to mean? That post was public. What will people at the company think of Amelia now that you’ve commented like that? I know I was wrong to forget your preferences, and I’ve apologized. I’ll do anything to make it up to you. Can you just stop this?” I was speechless. I didn’t even know where to begin. “Julian, if you really want to make it up to me, sign the divorce papers. Other than that, I have nothing more to say to you.” I hung up. I went to my parents’ house. Divorce wasn’t a small thing, especially in their eyes. I needed to explain. As I walked in, the aroma of a home-cooked meal filled the air. My nose tingled, and I nearly burst into tears. “Mom? What smells so good? I haven’t had your pot roast in forever. You…” The smile froze on my face. Julian was sitting at the dining table. My expression darkened. He sat there, smiling, his usual gentle self, as if he didn’t notice the storm clouds on my face. He stood to greet me. “Zoe, come on in. Mom made your favorite pot roast and chicken noodle soup.” I slapped his hand away as he reached for mine. “Who let you in?” My dad scolded me. “What’s with the attitude? Julian is the only one who can put up with your temper!” He came over and pushed me toward the table. “Every couple has their disagreements. It’s no big deal. Julian is so good to you, and you’re just being difficult.” My head was spinning. It was always like this. Julian was charming and kind, always gentle with me. My parents adored him. He knew they would take his side and talk me down. That’s why he was here, effortlessly painting me as the unreasonable one. The seemingly harmless, gentle man was, in fact, toxic. “Last dish is ready!” my mom announced, placing a steaming bowl on the table. “You silly girl. Every marriage has its bumps. Julian has already apologized. Stop pouting. We’ve spoiled you rotten!” I looked at my aging parents, their hair graying at the temples, their faces a mixture of concern and gentle reproach. They loved me very much; I knew that. Forget it. My plan was already in motion. It would all be over soon. There was no need to hide it anymore. I tapped the table gently. “Mom, Dad. I’m divorcing Julian.”

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1 After taking prenatal meds from my adoptive sister, searing pain ripped through my abdomen. My eldest brother, a top surgeon, called for an emergency C-section. My husband Leo, my childhood sweetheart, roared, “Save her! I only want my wife!” My three brothers’ eyes were bloodshot. “Quiet, darling, sleep it off. We have the best doctors.” In agony, I was grateful they were all there. But waiting for anesthesia, I overheard them outside. My eldest brother sounded excited. “Willow’s healthy, perfect match. Transplant her heart to Luna.” My second brother, a CEO, agreed. “I’ll destroy evidence. Willow won’t know.” My third brother, a pharmacology professor, added, “I’ll make a drug so even a damaged heart won’t hurt Willow.” After a pause, my husband’s relieved voice came through. “Luna needs a good heart for dancing. We’ll compensate Willow later. I’ll sign the form now.” I felt like I’d fallen into an ice cellar. My heart ached as if carved out. Then a strange voice spoke: [Alert! Host life in danger!] [Final confirmation: Give up all rewards and stay?] I laughed and cried. Their fake love couldn’t hold me anymore. … I struggled to turn over and get out of the hospital bed, but the nurse immediately shoved tubes down my throat and into my nostrils, injecting a large amount of anesthetic into my body. Before consciousness plunged into darkness. I saw Luna, their cherished adoptive sister, Luna Miller, the one who had poisoned me and killed my baby, being wheeled in. My eldest brother, holding a scalpel, coldly instructed the nurse. “Don’t worry about the dead fetus in Willow’s womb for now. Take out her heart for Luna’s transplant surgery.” I felt the blade slice through my chest, layer by layer. Just before I completely lost consciousness. My eldest brother’s murmur reached my ears. “Just hold on, Luna. After you wake up, you can shine on stage without restraint.” Upon regaining consciousness, my first priority was to confirm with the system: [As long as my body dies, I can return to my original world, my heart disease will be cured, and I’ll have 100 million in prize money, right?] [Yes.] How ironic. Initially, I agreed to transmigrate here to save four male protagonists because I couldn’t afford treatment for my heart condition. In the end, these four men, whom I spent fifteen years saving, were the ones who gave me back a compromised heart. Without hesitation, I ripped out the oxygen tube. Breathing became incredibly difficult, my throat tightening as if I was being strangled. Oxygen refused to enter my lungs. My face turned bluish-purple, on the verge of suffocating to death. But a faint smile played on my lips. Death was good. No longer would I have to face their deceitful love. The cardiac monitor blared red, emitting a sharp, piercing beep. My three brothers and Leo, along with a team of nurses, burst in. They roared, “Willow!!” My eldest brother performed CPR and brought me back, then re-inserted the oxygen tube, his eyes bloodshot as he yelled: “Are you insane! Why would you pull out the oxygen tube! It’s just losing a child, you can can’t give up on life!” I clutched my agonizing heart, my voice hoarse. “I just lost a child?” Liam, my eldest brother, knelt down, remorsefully slapping himself. “Willow, blame me. I was the one who asked Luna to give you the medicine that day.” “I thought it would help with the pregnancy, but I didn’t realize you were severely allergic to the medicine, which harmed the baby… and the toxins directly damaged your heart.” “But don’t worry, Liam is the best cardiothoracic surgeon in the country. He will definitely cure you, and we’ll have other children.” His eyes were red. He shuffled on his knees towards me, tightly gripping my hand. “I’ve already punished the doctor who prescribed the medicine; she’s been blacklisted from the industry. Don’t blame Luna, and don’t blame yourself. You have so many people who love you!” Seeing my continued silence, Julian, my second brother, spoke hoarsely. “That’s right, Willow. I’ve already contacted all the hospitals abroad. We’ll find a matching heart for you as soon as possible.” Adrian, my third brother, gently patted me. “Adrian will go back and custom-make special medicine for you, ensuring you can breathe smoothly and skip around like a normal person.” I felt cold all over. How ironic. With just a few words, they intended to gloss over Luna Miller poisoning me, causing the death of my baby, and stealing my heart. A mocking smile played on my lips as I looked at the four men surrounding my hospital bed. “Where’s Luna? I want to ask her directly.” Liam frowned. “You’re still blaming Luna? She was so consumed by guilt that she had a heart attack herself. Thankfully, they found a donor in time to save her life.” Adrian, who had always been the kindest to me, quickly added: “Quietly, darling, don’t cause trouble. Focus on recovering. Liam could save Luna, and he’ll definitely cure you too.” I scoffed. “Is that so? Simultaneous surgeries, my heart fails, and Luna conveniently finds a donor?” The entire hospital room suddenly fell into a deathly silence. “Willow…” Liam began, then hesitated. I was so tired, I didn’t want to hear their nonsense. I forced a smile. “Just kidding. You should go check on Luna. I’m happy she’s recovering.” My brothers froze, wanting to say something, but I simply pulled the blanket over my head. When I pulled back the blanket, my brothers were gone, but Leo was still there. His eyes were filled with guilt. A smile remained on my face. “Could you go check on her for me? Come back and tell me how my sister is doing.” He left without further hesitation. Finally alone, I slowly exhaled, my trembling hand reaching for my phone. The system had promised that if I helped it achieve its KPI, it would grant me one wish. Before entering the operating room, I used that wish to obtain two video clips. I stared intensely at the videos. Obsessively replaying how they conspired to replace my heart. Watching Liam’s resolute movements as he excised my heart, then painstakingly transplanted it into Luna Miller. My entire body’s blood ran cold. Suddenly, I was glad I hadn’t died just now. Because leaving so easily would be too lenient on them… 2 During my hospitalization, they assigned one person each day to accompany me, only to rush off shortly after. I thought they were genuinely busy. Until one time, needing to use the restroom, I found no one around. I grabbed my IV drip and slowly made my way to the bathroom. Passing a hospital room, I saw Leo, who had supposedly rushed off to a meeting, feeding a shrimp dumpling to Luna through the window. My three perpetually busy brothers were also in the room, watching her with doting smiles. Liam’s voice was filled with a helpless affection. “Luna, you can’t just gorge yourself now that you’re recovering. Shrimp dumplings are still too greasy.” Luna swayed his white coat, her voice sweet and coquettish. “But Liam, the shrimp dumplings Julian made are just too delicious!” She then complained. “It’s so annoying, all of you constantly hovering around me. I can’t even sneak a bite of anything.” I tightly pinched my fingers, a self-deprecating smile on my face. During my hospital stay, all I’d eaten were plain congee I ordered from takeout. Luna, it seemed, had them by her side every day, along with meals personally prepared by Julian. Turning stiffly to go back, I then overheard nurses whispering outside the staff room door. “I heard the one I’m taking care of is the biological one. Dr. Liam is so cruel. He specifically told me to give her a few shots of nutrient fluid, preparing to fatten her up as a blood bank. If Miss Luna has a severe rejection reaction, they’ll use her for a full blood transfusion.” My entire body froze in place. The incisions on my chest and abdomen felt like they were tearing open, a pain so intense it left me numb. Why had it come to this? Once, if I merely bumped myself, Liam would fuss and fret for ages. He had even studied medicine specifically to better care for me. Julian and Adrian were no less devoted. When I first arrived in this world, my constitution was weak, and I was constantly battling illnesses. Another time, when a critical condition notice was issued. They had knelt, kowtowing every step of the way, to a thousand-layered Buddhist temple, praying for a peace charm for me. After I recovered, Julian and Adrian, who had been aimless and unmotivated, suddenly turned their lives around. Julian worked tirelessly to build a business and earn money so I could afford medical treatment. Adrian chose pharmacology for his major, determined to create sweet-tasting medicine for me. To accumulate good karma for me, they even rescued an orphan, Leo, who had collapsed in the heavy snow. The entire city of North Point knew that Miss Willow Rhodes was blessed with good fortune, having three brothers who adored her beyond measure. And she had even found an equally devoted tech mogul, Leo, as her childhood sweetheart. As an orphan, I deeply craved this favoritism. After completing the mission, I even refused the rewards, wanting only to stay here with my brothers and Leo. But then Luna Miller appeared. The day they brought her home, my three brothers swore to me as they hugged me. “Willow, she looks so much like our mother, and she has a heart condition just like her. We can’t just ignore her.” “Don’t worry, we’re adopting her to accumulate good karma for you. You’re still our only precious darling.” I believed them and genuinely wanted to embrace her. To show my goodwill, I gave her my room. Every time my brothers returned from a business trip, I’d remind them to bring a gift for Luna too. Feeling sorry that her heart condition prevented her from going to many places, I always brought her along on my dates with Leo. Gradually, Luna became integrated into the family. She would proactively flirt with my brothers for gifts. She would playfully bicker with Leo. But at some point, their attitude towards me subtly shifted. When Luna tripped in front of me, Liam immediately questioned me: “Did you bully Luna?” Julian, on the rare occasion he cooked, only made Hunan dishes, Luna’s favorite. Adrian’s research goal became – to develop a special medication for Luna’s heart condition. Even Leo, during an argument, would blurt out. “Can’t you be more like your sister, and flirt with me more often!” And… they could even conspire to steal my heart for Luna. My emotions surged again. I felt as if my heart had been literally torn out a second time. I wanted to leave this painful place quickly, but in my haste, I slipped and fell. The wounds on my chest and abdomen tore open, and in excruciating pain, I curled up in a ball. My consciousness scattered from the agony, and I instinctively murmured. “Brothers…” Just before I passed out, I saw my brothers and Leo rushing towards me. Liam ran the fastest. He immediately picked me up, sternly reprimanding me. “Willow Rhodes! Just because you saw us all with Luna, you resort to self-harm again to seek attention?!” 3 After being discharged, I was placed under strict surveillance by a caregiver, forbidden from harming myself again. Due to my physical weakness, I could only sit in a wheelchair, and even needed help to use the restroom. Meanwhile, Luna was already freely running and jumping. She danced gracefully in the garden, clad in a pink tulle ballet costume. Leo filmed her on his phone, and my brothers watched her intently, doting smiles on their faces. Feeling utterly devoid of interest, I tried to push my wheelchair away. “Ouch!” With a thud, Luna fell. “Luna!!” The men rushed forward in a panic to help her up. Turning around, I saw Luna pointing at a loose buckle from my wheelchair on the ground, her voice choked with tears. “Sister, I know you blame me for giving you the wrong medicine, which caused you to lose the baby, and that you’re jealous my heart condition is cured while you’re left with heart problems, but…” She suddenly burst into loud sobs, choking out. “But now I can finally dance freely. How could you intentionally throw something to make me fall…” Liam quickly examined Luna’s leg, gently rubbing her reddened calf. Julian’s face was ashen, a vein throbbing in his forehead. “Willow Rhodes! How did we teach you before? How could you become so malicious!” The other three also glared at me with incomprehension and anger. My broken heart felt as if it had been stabbed twice more. I said hoarsely. “I… I didn’t! This part fell off yesterday…” “Still making excuses! We’ve really spoiled you rotten!” Julian was so angry that a vein throbbed in his temple. He raised his hand, poised to strike me. Just as it was about to land on my face, Leo blocked it. “Julian, Willow has just been through too much. We need to give her more time.” Adrian also intervened, “Never mind. Didn’t Luna want to try that new private kitchen? Let’s take her out to celebrate her recovery.” He turned to me, his eyes chilling. “As for you, go home and reflect properly!” Leo wanted to stay with me, but Luna rushed forward, grabbing his hand in front of me and shaking it. “Leo, you come with me too! Didn’t you say you’d treat me to dinner if I behaved well during the surgery?” Leo’s face stiffened. “I should stay home with your sister… she…” I stared intently at their unconsciously intertwined hands, my voice hoarse. “Since Luna wants you to go, then go.” Leo touched my head. “Good wife, then you wait for me patiently at home. I’ll bring you your favorite seafood congee when I get back.” But I slept until 3 AM, and the bed beside me was still empty. Leo hadn’t returned all night. The entire villa was dark, save for the light in Luna’s room. The door wasn’t fully closed. As I approached, I heard the sweet, tearful sobs of a woman. Leo’s voice was low and hoarse. “Quietly, darling, no more. You’ve just…” Luna’s voice was tearful. “Now that my heart is cured, when are you going to divorce her! I knew you before she did! You were always mine!” Leo’s voice was low and gentle. “Sweetheart, you are my true love, but… Willow saved my life. I can’t abandon her. And Liam said if you have a rejection reaction, we’ll still need her blood to save you.” “Leo…” It felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over me from head to toe, a bone-chilling cold. My hands trembling, I clutched my phone, leaned against the wall, and closed my eyes. All night, I listened to their intertwined whispers, their playful banter, and their declarations of love. The next morning. My three brothers, on their way to work, saw me leaning against Luna’s bedroom door. “Willow, why are you here?” I waved at them, then suddenly rushed into Luna’s room. Amidst my three brothers’ astonished expressions, I threw back the covers, and with my phone, snapped pictures of the two naked, embracing figures.

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My mother is my homeroom teacher, but not a single person in the class believes me. When I ranked second in the exams, she forced me to kneel under the flag during the assembly and repent, making everyone line up to spit on my face. After standing in the scorching sun all day, suffering from heatstroke, I bought a bottle of water at the school store. She poured boiling hot tea over me, scolding me for being wasteful and extravagant. During recess, I hid in the equipment room to apply ointment to my wounds. She dragged me by my hair from the gym to the Dean’s office, accusing me of being unable to control my lust and masturbating in public. I became the laughingstock of the entire school. Taking advantage of the situation, she had a blacksmith forge a custom-made iron chastity belt for me. With the key in her hand, I had to beg for permission just to use the bathroom or change a sanitary pad. To escape her twisted control, I studied desperately, secretly changing my college application to the farthest city possible. This time, she didn’t torture me. Instead, she took all my money, sneering as she waited for me to beg for mercy. Penniless, I stole the key, went to the red-light district, and sold my virginity for $300. As a stranger choked me and pinned me down, my vision blurred with pain, and I seemed to see my mother’s hideous face again. “Mom, I’ve completely become the slut you always called me. Are you satisfied now?” 1 With the money in hand, I didn’t even dare to pack. Clutching my ID, I went straight to the train station alone. After a grueling three-day train ride that nearly broke my body, my heart felt lighter than ever. In the new dorm room, my roommate pinched her nose exaggeratedly at my sweaty, disheveled appearance. “Ew, what is that smell?” This subtle bullying couldn’t hurt me at all. I greeted her politely, turned to make my bed, but my phone started screaming. It was my mother. Before even answering, I was already trembling uncontrollably, my nerves instantly taut. Her presence was like the Grim Reaper calling roll; she could execute me at any moment. If I forgot to write “Solution” on a math test, she would make me stand on the podium, prick my finger, and force me to write the word “Solution” all over the blackboard in my own blood. If I spent an extra fifty cents on ice cream in the summer, she would drag me to the school store, make a huge scene, and slap me twenty times in public until the owner refunded the money just to make it stop. When I wrote a few extra words in a male classmate’s yearbook, she made me kneel at the classroom door, tore the yearbook to shreds, and forced me to swallow the pieces—paper, plastic flowers, metal rings and all—while the whole class watched. Looking at my bloody mouth, she stood over me, calling it “character education.” “I can’t control the mistress outside, but I can control you!” “I raise you to prove my daughter is better than that bitch’s daughter. Not only do you have to study well, but you also have to be cleaner than her!” “Only a daughter born of a slut would be so eager to find a man. If this happens again, I’ll cut off your breasts myself and sew you up down there!” Every word sent chills down my spine, making my limbs cramp involuntarily. While I was zoning out, my roommate shoved me. “Are you crazy? Why are you standing by my bed?” I jolted awake, realizing I was thousands of miles away at college. Clutching the remaining $150 in my sweaty palm, I suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. It’s okay. I’m grown up now. I escaped. I used my virginity to buy a ticket out, and I can support myself by working hard from now on. Like a fish released back into the water, I smiled genuinely for the first time in three years. Mom, I’m finally free of you! I relaxed, spread the new sheets I was issued, and started cleaning. The smell of sunlight mixed with dust made me smile again. It’s so good. This will be my new home. A home without a controlling mother. A home where I don’t have to worry about being dragged out of bed by my hair and beaten in the middle of the night. A home where I don’t have to wear custom-made locked iron underwear and can enjoy total freedom! Sitting on the bed, thinking about my future, I was so excited I almost cried. However, just as I gathered the courage to introduce myself to my roommates, my phone received a message. Lighting up the screen, my smile froze. In the sweltering heat, I felt a cold sweat drench me. In the picture, that rusty iron chastity belt had been dug out and thrown on the floor. The message was a furious tirade from my mother. [How dare you steal the key! Don’t you know Mom makes you wear this to protect you?] [Why did you do this? Are you dating someone? Did you sleep with someone?!] [How can you be so cheap, so eager to offer yourself to a man? What’s the difference between you and the slut who stole your dad? Are you trying to kill me along with them?!] Messages popped up one after another. My hand shook, and the phone fell from the top bunk. The roommate on the bottom bunk picked it up, glanced at it confusedly, then suddenly covered her mouth. “Ava, why do you wear this thing?” “And… your mom says you’re a slut who craves men. What does that mean?” In that instant, my sky, which had just brightened, turned dark again. 2 I don’t remember how I ran out of the dorm. When I came to, I was standing by the artificial lake on campus. Looking at my reflection in the water, tears streamed down my face. A voice screamed at me to jump, but reason stopped me. I kept comforting myself: Ava, you’ve escaped. She can’t hurt you. She can only curse and scream through the phone. High school was so hard, but you made it out, didn’t you? You can do this. Taking deep breaths, I wiped my tears and walked back. But for some reason, everyone along the way was looking at me with complicated expressions. Those probing eyes gave me a bad feeling. I lowered my head deeply like a frightened bird, my hunched figure just like in high school. But when I reached the dorm building, the dorm manager, with a cold face, blocked my path with several people. “Student Ava Lane, is it?” “Someone posted on the campus confession wall that you’re working as an escort at such a young age. There’s plenty of evidence.” “The students in the dorm are afraid you have diseases and are demanding you show a medical report!” I looked up, face pale, and immediately saw the phone screen shoved in my face. Line after line, it was all messages from my mother insulting me. The main image was the photo she sent—that rusty set of iron underwear stained with three years of my humiliation. My brain buzzed, my mind went blank. I shouted at the roommates standing behind the manager. “What right do you have to invade my privacy!” Roommate Chloe flashed a strange smile. Holding my phone with a tissue, she threw it at me. “Because we are cleaner than you.” “Even your own mother says you’re horny for men every day. Even iron underwear couldn’t lock you up; you stole the key to sleep around. Who knows what viruses you have?” “Ava, you are not allowed to step foot in our dorm room ever again!” Tears in my eyes, I looked at everyone, hoping someone would say a word for me. But no. The onlookers all around opened and closed their mouths, spewing only insults. My ears rang, my limbs went numb. I turned in panic, wanting to flee. The next second, someone grabbed my arm violently. I felt a long-lost touch of… well, not kindness, but attention. I sniffled and looked up. Before I could see who it was, a sharp pain exploded on my face. Only when I fell to the ground did I realize—oh, someone slapped me. The surrounding students were startled by this turn of events and scattered. That was when I saw who it was. My mom, Linda Lane. Seeing the fear in my eyes seemed to give her immense satisfaction. She raised her hand and slapped me two more times. “Ava, you’re really something. Tell me, where did you get the money for the train ticket!” “Did you sleep with someone behind my back? Did you become a hooker?” “Get up right now! We’re going to the hospital to check if your hymen is still there. If I find out you slept with someone, I’ll sew you up immediately so you can never be a slut again!” I covered my face, motionless. Because I sadly realized my life wouldn’t get better. I thought leaving home would free me from Linda, free me from the painful past. But I was wrong. This slap wasn’t just from Linda; it was from reality. I can never escape. Seeing I wouldn’t move, Linda grew even more furious. She grabbed a mop handle from the dorm entrance and started beating me indiscriminately. “You’re scared! Just like your scumbag father, running away when you can’t answer!” “You think you can hide? Ava, if you don’t leave, I’ll call a doctor right here, strip you naked in front of everyone, and check you myself!” In that moment, I only wished Linda would hit harder. If she accidentally killed me, I wouldn’t have to face any of this. I could already imagine the future. Everyone would avoid me. Roommates would bully me openly. Teachers would ignore me. Even worse, male students would ask how much for a night. Everyone would think I’m cheap. A child not even loved by her mother—no one will love her. I held back tears and looked up. “Just kill me.” Linda froze, then started screaming. “You’d rather die than be checked! You definitely have a problem!” “How many men have you slept with? Are you pregnant?!” I smiled bitterly, looked at her, and repeated: “Just kill me.” Linda’s eyes filled with rage, her strikes getting heavier. Just as she beat me until I vomited blood, school leaders rushed over and stopped her. “Parent, how can you hurt your child like this in public!” Linda didn’t hold back. She spat on my face before answering. “She’s my daughter. I decide whether to beat or scold her.” “Don’t try to pull rank on me. I’m an award-winning teacher; I don’t buy that!” The leaders’ faces changed colors as they continued to persuade. “We can solve any issues privately. This… looks bad.” Mom threw the mop handle on the ground, eyebrows knitting together. She tilted her head, studied the leaders for a few seconds, and suddenly revealed an expression so familiar it terrified me. I jumped up to cover her mouth, but it was too late. “You’re protecting this little slut so much… are you the adulterer?” “I wondered why Ava gave up good grades to come to this crappy school. Turns out, it’s all because of you!” My head buzzed. I shook my head frantically. “Mom, I beg you, stop talking!” She slapped my face, mouth still running. “My daughter is usually the most obedient. She wore iron underwear for three years without taking it off. As soon as she starts college, she steals the key to take it off. It’s all because of you!” The crowd went into an uproar. Some blushed at the mention of iron underwear. Others pointed at the leader, saying the Vice Principal was in big trouble. Oh, so he’s the Vice Principal. Looks like I can’t go to school here anymore. I collapsed in despair, all beautiful dreams drifting away. The Vice Principal was indeed furious, face red. “I’ve never seen this student before, don’t…” Before he could finish, Linda grabbed my hair, shoved people aside, and forced me to say my room number. Then, just like in high school, she choked me with one hand and kicked me forward with her foot. In the dorm room, Linda let go of me and rummaged through her bag. Everyone stared as she pulled out a surveillance camera kit. “Which bed is yours? Install it yourself.” My roommates weren’t having it. One picked up the camera and smashed it on the floor. “What right do you have to invade our privacy? We’ll call the police!” Linda’s skills in throwing tantrums were perfected; even high school principals feared her. Why would she be scared of a few kids? I numbly picked up the broken camera, standing aside like a zombie. Unexpectedly, the police actually came. Two officers took Linda and me away. A policewoman protected me, covered in bruises, and helped me get an injury assessment. Hearing them talk about “intentional injury,” my heart raced again. I seemed to have a way. I seemed to… finally be able to protect myself. Amidst Linda’s screaming insults, I stated without hesitation that I would not settle. Linda’s voice choked in her throat. Her face went cold inch by inch, staring at me with pure malice. Yet I felt a thrill of revenge. But I didn’t expect that my injuries didn’t meet the standard for a criminal case. The incident was ultimately ruled as a “family dispute.” And Linda only received a verbal warning. At this moment, I just wanted to run. I ran back to the dorm, only to find my luggage at the door. Chloe led the way, blocking me, looking at me like garbage. “Ava, we’ve already reported to the counselor. You can’t live here anymore.” Under everyone’s probing gazes, I walked out of the dorm in a daze. Just as I was feeling desperate, my phone received a message. [Tonight, same place. Keep the boss company. I know your name is Ava and your mom is Linda Lane from No. 1 High School. You can’t escape.] I was stunned. Before I could reply, another video came through. [Not talking? Want everyone to see you selling your virginity cheaply?] Watching myself in the video, my heart almost stopped. But I didn’t want to go. I couldn’t go. Hesitating for a few seconds, I typed a reply. [If you dare post it, I’ll call the police.] Life was a mess. I couldn’t think of any way to cope, so I found the cheapest motel near the school to stay temporarily. The next day, I wanted to go to the school leaders to apologize. But as soon as I stepped onto campus, everyone’s eyes focused on me. “That’s the girl in the video, right?” “Yeah. When her mom caused a scene yesterday, I thought it was a misunderstanding. Turns out it’s all true!” “In the video, she’s admitting she’s selling herself while getting screwed. So cheap!” My limbs went numb. I couldn’t move. I took out my phone and frantically opened the campus wall.

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For eight days, I lay in a hospital bed, alone. For eight days, my husband lay in my best friend’s bed, tangled in her sheets. On the eighth day, I was finally discharged. As I walked out of the hospital entrance, I saw him. My husband, Caleb. He was standing across the street, outside the mall, holding another woman’s hand. That woman was my best friend of ten years, Chloe. They were laughing, chatting, holding shopping bags. I stood there, frozen, watching them for three full minutes. They never saw me. 1 “Babe, I have to go on a business trip. Probably a week.” That was eight days ago. Caleb’s last words to me. That same day, I found out I was two months pregnant. I hadn’t even had the chance to tell him. I thought I’d surprise him when he got back. The surprise never came. What came instead was bleeding that wouldn’t stop. At 3:00 AM, I took an Uber to the ER alone. “Caleb, I’m bleeding. Where are you?” Silence on the other end for two seconds. “I’m out of town, didn’t I tell you? Just go to the hospital.” “Can you come back? I’m scared.” “I… I’m in the middle of negotiations, I really can’t leave. Don’t worry, it’s probably just something you ate.” I hung up. Alone to register. Alone to wait in line. Alone for the exam. The doctor’s face was grim. “Threatened miscarriage. It doesn’t look good. We recommend admitting you for observation.” I signed the papers. The room was a double. The woman in the next bed was heavily pregnant. Her husband brought breakfast every morning, soup at lunch, and stayed every night. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. I texted Caleb: “I’m hospitalized. Threatened miscarriage.” He replied: “What? Is it serious? Drink plenty of water, rest well. I’ll come see you as soon as I’m done.” I waited. Day one, he didn’t come. Day two, he didn’t come. I called again. “Caleb, when can you come back?” “Soon, soon. This project is tricky. Just two more days.” Day three. The woman next to me went for a checkup, her husband by her side the whole time. When they came back, he was showing her ultrasound photos on his phone. “Look, honey, the baby is kicking.” She smiled so sweetly. I turned my head, staring out the window. My baby never waited for his father to come see him. Day four. Early morning, I woke up in agonizing pain. The nurse hit the call button. The doctor rushed in. “It’s bad. We need to operate immediately.” I grabbed the nurse’s hand. “My husband…” “Have you contacted family? We need a signature for the surgery.” My phone rang. It was Caleb. “What’s wrong? Calling in the middle of the night.” “I need surgery. Can you come sign the papers?” “What? What surgery?” “Miscarriage.” Silence on the other end. “I… I really can’t make it back in time. Can you ask the hospital if there’s another way? Or can you sign it yourself?” “Sign it myself?” “Yeah, talk to the doctor, it should be fine, right?” I didn’t speak. The nurse looked at me, her expression complicated. In the end, I signed it myself. Before the surgery, the nurse asked, “Family?” I said, “Business trip.” She sighed and didn’t ask again. The surgery was quick. When I woke up, the room was empty. The woman next to me had been discharged. Before leaving, her husband draped a jacket over her shoulders. “Careful, walk slowly.” I lay there, watching them walk away. My phone rang. Caleb. “How was the surgery? You okay?” “It went fine.” “That’s good. Rest well, I’ll try to get back in a couple of days.” I said okay. After hanging up, I realized my pillow was soaked. Day five. Day six. Day seven. He didn’t come. He barely even called. Occasionally a text: “Busy today, talk later.” I didn’t want to fight. I didn’t have the energy. My body was weak. The nurse said to rest, avoid drafts, avoid cold food. I ordered takeout alone, went for checkups alone, signed my discharge papers alone. Day eight. I was discharged. Standing at the hospital entrance, I called Caleb. “I’m out.” “Oh, out already? Go home first, I should be back this afternoon.” “Where are you?” “Still out of town, wrapping things up.” “Oh.” I hung up. And then I saw him. Right across the street, at the mall entrance. He was wearing the blue shirt I bought him. Next to him was Chloe. He was holding her hand. They were laughing and talking. Chloe leaned on his shoulder, acting cute like a little girl. He whispered something in her ear, and she playfully hit him. I stood there, frozen, watching for three full minutes. They didn’t see me. I turned around and hailed a cab. “Driver, nearest hotel.” I didn’t go home. 2 The hotel was quiet. I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. My mind replayed that scene over and over. Caleb holding Chloe’s hand. Chloe leaning on his shoulder. They were shopping. And I had been lying in a hospital bed for eight days. I picked up my phone, scrolling through my chat with Chloe. The last message was from two weeks ago. She said: “Busy lately, rain check?” I said: “Okay.” Chloe was my college roommate. We’ve known each other for ten years. Longer than I’ve known Caleb. She introduced me to Caleb. Back then, she said: “This guy is reliable, you should give him a shot.” We dated for two years, married for one. At the wedding, Chloe was the maid of honor. She even cried, saying she couldn’t bear to let me go. I held my phone, not knowing who to call. Caleb? Ask him why he lied? Chloe? Ask her when she started sleeping with my husband? I didn’t call either. I was afraid I couldn’t handle the answers. After lying there for a while, I got hungry. I went downstairs, bought some porridge, and sat in the lobby eating slowly. My phone rang. Caleb. “Babe, are you home?” I paused. “Yeah.” “Good. My flight is tonight, should be home around nine or ten.” “Okay.” “Did you eat? Should I bring you something?” “No need.” He sounded relaxed. “Alright, see you tonight.” I hung up. Flight tonight? So where is he now? With Chloe? I didn’t go looking for answers immediately. I was too tired. Body tired, heart tired. I went back to my room and slept. When I woke up, it was evening. I checked my phone. Caleb texted: “Almost there, what do you want to eat?” I didn’t reply. A while later: “At the gate, open up.” Still didn’t reply. He called. “Babe, are you home? Why aren’t you opening the door?” I said, “I’m not home.” “What? Where are you?” “Hotel.” “Hotel? Why?” I was silent for a few seconds. “Today, at the hospital entrance, I saw you.” Silence on the other end. A long, heavy silence. I continued, “Weren’t you out of town? Why were you shopping?” He took a deep breath. “Babe, listen to me—” “With Chloe.” “…” “You were holding her hand. You were shopping.” Caleb didn’t speak. I could hear his breathing, slightly rapid. “Caleb, what is your relationship with her?” “Babe, it’s a long story…” “Take your time. I have time.” He went silent again. I waited. After about half a minute, he spoke. “Let’s meet first, I can’t explain over the phone.” “No.” “Babe—” “I don’t want to see you right now.” “Then what do you want?” I thought about it. “First, tell me what is going on with you and Chloe.” He sighed. “It’s really a long story.” “I’m not afraid of long.” “…” Silence again. I hung up. I didn’t want to listen to his circles. If I want answers, I’ll find them myself. I opened Chloe’s Instagram. Latest post was three days ago, a photo of her nails. Caption: “New style, cute?” Caleb liked it. I scrolled down. A week ago, afternoon tea photo. Two coffees, two cakes. Caption: “Rare moment of leisure.” In the photo, I could see a man’s hand across the table, wearing a watch. That watch, I gave it to Caleb. Last year for his birthday, I saved three months’ salary to buy it. I stared at that photo for a long time. Kept scrolling. Two weeks ago, movie ticket stubs. Two tickets. Caption: “Second time, still good.” I remember that movie. I wanted to see it too. I asked Caleb, he said he didn’t have time. Turns out he saw it with her. Three weeks ago, four weeks ago, a month ago… More and more. Every few days, there was a post. Photos didn’t show faces, but there were always traces. A pair of men’s chopsticks, a man’s jacket, a familiar hand. And during all these times, Caleb told me—business trip, overtime, busy. I put down the phone. The room was quiet. Quiet enough to hear my own heartbeat. I suddenly found it laughable. I was hospitalized for eight days, hoping every day he’d come. He said he was busy, I believed him. He said soon, I believed him. Turns out he was shopping, drinking coffee, watching movies with another woman. That woman was my best friend. I sat up, went to the bathroom, washed my face. The person in the mirror was pale, eyes bloodshot. I looked at her and really wanted to ask: How can you be so stupid? Phone rang again. Caleb. I answered. “Babe, don’t be mad. I’m coming to find you now, let’s talk.” I said, “No need.” “Where are you? I’m coming.” “I said, no need.” “What do you want?” He sounded anxious. “You can’t just ignore me like this.” I laughed. “Caleb, I was in the hospital for eight days, you didn’t come once. Now I don’t want to see you for one night, and you’re anxious?” He froze. I hung up. Turned off the phone. I’m going to sleep tonight. The rest can wait until tomorrow. 3 Early the next morning, I woke up. Turned on my phone. Notifications exploded. Caleb called dozens of times, sent dozens of texts. “Babe, where are you?” “I know I was wrong, come out and talk, okay?” “Don’t do this, let’s talk face to face.” “If you don’t answer, I’m calling the police.” The last one was at 3 AM: “I’m waiting at the gate, when are you coming back?” I didn’t reply. There were also messages from Chloe. “Hey girl, haven’t heard from you lately. Let’s grab food when you’re free.” “You there?” “Are you mad at me?” I looked at her messages, feeling disgusted. “Mad at her?” When she slept with my husband, did she think I might get mad? I didn’t reply. I wanted to know more. I logged out of WeChat and opened Caleb’s cloud photo album. We shared an account; he didn’t know I had access. Usually, I couldn’t be bothered to look. Today, I looked. I sorted by date. The most recent was yesterday, the one at the mall entrance. Selfie of Caleb and Chloe, heads touching, smiling sweetly. I scrolled down. Three days ago, at a restaurant. Five days ago, at the movies. A week ago, at a hotel. Yes, a hotel. Photo taken by Chloe. She was in a bathrobe on the bed. In the mirror behind her, Caleb’s reflection. He was wearing the pajamas I recognized. I kept scrolling. Two weeks ago, three weeks ago, a month ago, two months ago… More and more photos. Beach, park, restaurant, movies, hotel… The earliest one was last October. Caleb and I got married last August. So, two months after our wedding, they were together. Wait. No. I scrolled further back. Earlier photos. Last June. We weren’t married yet. A photo in a cafe, Caleb and Chloe sitting together. Chloe leaning her head on his shoulder. Last June. We were planning the wedding. Chloe helped me pick the dress, helped with makeup. She said: “You’ll be the most beautiful bride.” I believed her. I kept scrolling. March last year, January last year, December the year before… The photos went back, uninterrupted. The earliest one was September the year before. I met Caleb in August the year before. Chloe introduced us. She said: “This guy is reliable, give him a shot.” September the year before. Caleb and I had been dating for one month. At that time, Chloe was already with him. I stared at that photo for a long time. In the photo, Chloe had her arms around Caleb’s neck. Caleb was laughing, saying something. Background was an amusement park with a Ferris wheel. I knew that park. It was Chloe’s favorite place. She took me there. She said: “Someday I want to take wedding photos here with my husband.” I thought she hadn’t found that husband yet. Turns out, she found him long ago. He was my husband. I put down the phone. The room was silent. I heard my own breathing, heavy and fast. I remembered many things. When Chloe introduced Caleb, she said they were just friends. At the wedding, Chloe was the maid of honor, smiling and helping the whole time. After marriage, Chloe often asked me out, asking how things were with Caleb. I said great, she said that’s good. Now I know, she wasn’t caring about me. She was checking if I found out. I suddenly felt nauseous. Ran to the bathroom, dry heaved over the toilet for a long time, nothing came out. My body was still weak. Only four days post-surgery. I held the wall to stand up, rinsed my face. The person in the mirror had red eyes. I took a deep breath. Don’t cry. Can’t cry. I have things to do. 4 I saved all the photos from the cloud to my phone. Then I opened his email. I knew the password; it was my birthday. Some work emails, nothing special. I checked “Sent”. Scrolled a few pages, found one to Chloe. Subject: “Babe, Weekend Plans” Content: “Saturday prenatal checkup, I’ll go with you. Sunday look at nurseries?” Date was last Friday. Prenatal checkup? Nursery? I froze. Chloe is pregnant? I scrolled down. Found another one, a month ago. Subject: “About the Baby” Content: “Babe don’t worry, I’ll take responsibility. Once things are handled with her, we’ll be together officially.” “Her” is me, right? “Handled” means what? Divorce? I kept scrolling. Two months ago. “Babe, you’re pregnant, I’m so happy. We’re keeping this baby.” Two months ago. She was two months pregnant then. Plus this month. Chloe is three months pregnant. Three months. While I was hospitalized, she was three months pregnant. I was hospitalized for a miscarriage. She went for a prenatal checkup because she was pregnant. Caleb chose to accompany her. Not me. I sat on the edge of the bed, almost dropping my phone. I remembered the scene at the hospital entrance. Caleb holding Chloe’s hand, laughing. Chloe leaning on him like a little girl. I didn’t know then that Chloe was carrying Caleb’s child. And I once carried one too. That baby is gone. Never got to see his father. I buried my face in the pillow. Finally cried. Not from grievance. From absurdity. I lay in the hospital for eight days, hoping for Caleb. He said busy, I waited. He said soon, I believed. Turns out he was accompanying another woman to prenatal checkups, picking out cribs. That woman was three months pregnant. My baby had been gone for four days. I wanted to ask him: Are you human? But I knew it was useless. He’d say “I had no choice,” “It’s a long story,” “Let’s talk.” Useless. Nothing matters anymore. I wiped my tears, sat up. Done crying. Time for business. I organized all photos, emails, chats into a folder. Called my college friend. She’s a lawyer. “Hey, Eve? What’s up?” “I want a divorce.” Silence for a second. “What happened?” “Caleb cheated. With Chloe. Chloe is three months pregnant.” “…Wait, Chloe? That Chloe?” “Yeah, her.” “Holy sh*t.” Silence. “Do you have proof?” “Yes. Photos, emails, chats.” “Good. Send them to me, I’ll look over them.” I said okay. Hung up, sent the folder. Then I opened my notes app and made a list: House: Bought before marriage, down payment by my parents, mortgage paid by me. Car: Caleb’s pre-marital property. Savings: $40,000 in my account, unknown in his. Wedding gift money: $20,000, my mom kept it, didn’t give it to me. Joint property: Appliances, furniture, less than $10,000 total. The house is the big one. As long as I keep the house, nothing else matters. Eve replied quickly: “Evidence is solid. Cheating is confirmed, you can claim damages. House is pre-marital property, no problem.” I breathed a sigh of relief. Just as I was about to reply, phone rang. Caleb. Thought about it, answered. “Babe, where are you? I’ve been looking all night.” “Hotel.” “Which one? I’m coming.” “No need.” “Babe, listen, I can explain that day—” “No need to explain.” He paused. “What do you mean?” “I know.” “Know what?” I paused. “Chloe is pregnant, right? Three months.” Silence. “You guys were together before us, right?” “…” “You chose to go to her checkup instead of seeing me. Right?” “…Babe, listen to me—” “I said, no need to explain.” My voice was calm. “Caleb, I want a divorce.”

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I was so poor that I didn’t dare accept my childhood friend’s confession. My childhood friend looked down at me and sneered: “You need money, right? Be my follower, five thousand a month.” Since then, he made me run the 800-meter dash for the school beauty during P.E., deliver condoms to a hotel on a rainy night, and give up my spot in the academic competition. I always met him with a smiling face and never refused. Until he made me complete a dare for the school beauty. “The bar street is too sketchy, Chloe is afraid to go.” “You do the punishment for her.” “Here, take these five dollars, say you want to order a male model.” I reached out to take it: “Okay, but this is the last time.” Caleb suddenly let go. Five coins fell to the ground, rolling everywhere. Laughter came from behind. “Who came up with this wicked idea? It’s genius.” “Five bucks? Won’t she get beaten up for looking for trouble?” “Hey, the little follower has a temper too. What do you mean ‘last time’?” Caleb looked down at me from his high horse, twitching the corner of his lips: “Don’t worry, she wouldn’t dare.” 1 Under the colorful neon lights. I was already prepared to take a beating, my voice calm: “I want to buy you.” The man, who was so handsome he almost looked unnatural, looked down at me and sneered: “Little kid, booking me is very expensive.” He held up five fingers towards me, shaking them gently: “At least this much.” I took a deep breath, pulled out five dirty coins from my pocket, and continued playing dumb: “Just enough.” The man swore and raised his hand. I instinctively covered my head and shut my eyes tight. The next second, my wrist was grabbed. “The injuries on your body, how did you get them?” He rolled up my sleeve and frowned. I froze for a few seconds and put my hands behind my back. “I only have five bucks. If you’ll do it, do it. If not, I’ll find someone else.” “Don’t talk about anything else.” Having said everything in one breath, I lowered my head and was about to leave. The path in front of me was suddenly blocked by the man’s long leg. I stopped, feeling guilty: “What… what are you doing?” He put out his cigarette and spoke faintly. “Deal.” 2 Now it was my turn to be at a loss. The man leaned down to look me in the eye, curling his lips. “So, what are we doing tomorrow?” I just felt my scalp tingle, and said dryly: “Can… can we do anything?” The man chuckled softly, eyes rippling. “Anything.” “Even if you want to do something you shouldn’t, I won’t resist.” “After all, you’re the boss.” He dragged out the last two words with a drawl. My face burned, and I spoke incoherently: “Just… tomorrow afternoon at 2 PM, our class has a parent-teacher conference.” “High school, junior year, class one.” “Just show up.” 3 The next afternoon, I waited at the school gate two hours early. When the school beauty, Chloe, and her two followers swaggered over, I instinctively shrank my neck. “Yo, who are you waiting for?” Chloe snatched the report card from my hand, speaking sarcastically: “First in the grade? So impressive.” “But what’s the use of good grades? Who are you going to show your report card to later? Burn it for your parents?” The other two girls immediately laughed loudly. My fingers tightened, and I said softly: “My brother is coming.” “Brother?” Chloe exaggeratedly widened her eyes. “Since when do you have a brother? Did the good student learn to lie?” “Could it be you went to the bar street last night and got beaten silly?” They laughed even more presumptuously. Until Caleb got out of a black sedan. Chloe immediately reverted to her usual gentle and kind demeanor. Caleb’s gaze fell on me, and he frowned: “Didn’t I just give you five thousand to buy a jacket?” “You wear this one piece all year round.” “Mia, are you really that obsessed with money?” I was in no mood to explain to him, just wanting to end my connection with him completely: “I did the dare you told me to do.” “I won’t work for you anymore after this.” Caleb froze for a moment, then his face turned cold: “Didn’t I tell you that you didn’t have to go?” He turned to Chloe: “You didn’t tell her?” Chloe’s face turned slightly pale, and she shook off Caleb’s hand. “I forgot.” “Why are you so anxious? Are you that afraid she’d get hurt?” “I knew you two hanging out every day was suspicious.” Caleb’s expression softened, and he chased after her to hold her hand. “How is that possible.” “She just does things for money. Mia is just my follower.” The two of them pulled each other into the school, quickly leaving me behind. The crescent-shaped marks left by my nails were indented into my palms. I squatted down to pick up the report card, slowly folded it, and put it in my pocket. 4 The parent-teacher conference was about to start, and the school gate on the weekend was empty. The security guard yelled at me: “The bell rang.” “Student, aren’t you going in?” I realized I was probably stood up. But it was only five bucks, it was good enough that he didn’t hit me. But thinking about having to attend the parent-teacher conference by myself, thinking about others’ strange looks, I suddenly realized I was actually looking forward to his appearance. “I, I know.” I dragged my feet back to the classroom. The homeroom teacher’s voice could already be heard in the hallway. The back door was ajar, and I slipped in with my head down. Luckily, my seat was in the last row next to the trash can, and didn’t attract attention. The homeroom teacher was talking about the midterm exam results, and paused when mentioning my name: “Mia has made a lot of progress this time…” Chloe and her little friends laughed, not bothering to cover their mouths. I lowered my head, staring at a doodle on the desk carved by someone unknown. My eyes felt a bit sour. Just as I was almost biting my lower lip until it bled, there was a knock on the classroom door. A gentle, knock knock sound. The homeroom teacher stopped talking, and everyone turned their heads. The door was pushed open, and a tall figure walked in against the light from the hallway. White shirt, black pants, as clean as snow on a distant mountain. Completely different from his flamboyant and rebellious look under the neon lights last night. I froze, and my eyes lit up. Liam’s gaze swept over the classroom and landed on me. “Sorry, teacher, I’m late.” “I am Mia’s brother.” Chloe whipped her head around to look at me, eyes wide. Liam walked straight to the back of the classroom and sat on the empty stool next to me. The homeroom teacher was stunned for a few seconds before reacting, nodding at him, and continuing her speech. Only then did I notice a faint smell of disinfectant on him. Liam turned his head and explained in my ear: “Had a little accident on the way.” “It’s… fine.” Liam looked at the thick stack of certificates on the desk and raised an eyebrow slightly: “Such good grades, and you play with male models in private? Quite the contrast, top student.” “I… I didn’t.” “Why not?” He seemed to have found some amusement, deliberately pressing the issue. “Don’t talk, the teacher is looking.” I pursed my lips and carefully sat up straight. For the first time, I didn’t lower my head at a parent-teacher conference. 5 After the parent-teacher conference, Liam was kept behind by the homeroom teacher to talk. I quickly grabbed him and gave him a few instructions, telling him not to blow his cover. “Just say you’re my cousin.” “I’ll be back after I go to the restroom.” Who knew that as soon as I pushed open the restroom door, I’d be yanked inside by a force. “Not bad, Mia, you even dare to find someone to pretend to be your parent?” Chloe and her two followers cornered me. “Where did you find that guy? You’re so plain and dark, and he’s so pale and handsome, you don’t look related at all.” They held down my neck, grabbed my hair, and pushed me into the sink. The faucet was turned on, and cold water poured over my head. “Planning to find a man to back you up and scare us?” Breathing became difficult. I struggled desperately, but two fists are no match for four hands. A second before suffocating, Chloe pulled my hair and yanked me up. “Looks like the lesson wasn’t enough.” Before I could catch my breath, I was pushed back into the cold water. “I’m warning you, stay away from Caleb.” “Don’t play the victim in front of him.” “If I catch you again, I’ll kill you.” I don’t know how long passed before they finally let go and left. I was soaked, my school uniform clinging to my skin. Shivering from the cold. Gasping for air, I slumped on the floor. A long time later, the class bell rang again. I propped myself up on the floor and struggled to stand. Looking in the mirror, I dealt with my dripping hair, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open. Liam was still talking to the homeroom teacher at the end of the hallway. I kept my head down, wanting to slip past quickly and return to the classroom to put on my uniform jacket. But I heard Caleb’s voice: “Mia, what happened to you?” “I accidentally… got myself wet.” I forced a smile. The homeroom teacher and Liam also looked over upon hearing the voice. Caleb frowned and grabbed my shoulder. “Did this to yourself? Do you think I’m an idiot?” “Mia, is someone bullying you?” “Tell me.” I opened my mouth, just about to speak. “Teacher!” “I want to report something.” Chloe’s voice came from behind. “Teacher, the hair clip I bought for five thousand dollars is gone. Everyone was in the classroom earlier, only she came in last. Mia must have stolen it!” The homeroom teacher’s face changed: “Chloe, don’t make wild accusations…” “I didn’t steal it.” I retorted immediately. Chloe scoffed: “You, someone who finds people to pretend to be parents and lies habitually, what credibility do you have?” “Teacher, that man is not her brother!” “You even dare to deceive the teacher, what else wouldn’t you dare to do?” Classmates gathered around, whispering. I saw the hesitation in the homeroom teacher’s eyes; she knew Chloe’s family’s influence in town. Caleb took off his jacket, wrapped it around me, and looked at Chloe: “I’ll pay for it. I’ll go buy you a new one after class.” “Don’t say anymore.” That familiar sense of powerlessness crept up again. Almost driving me crazy. I laughed in anger, taking off Caleb’s jacket and throwing it at his chest: “What do you mean you’ll pay for it?” “You mean, you also think I stole it.” Caleb didn’t catch it, letting the jacket fall to the ground, taking a deep breath: “That’s not what I meant.” “Then what do you mean?” Caleb ran a hand through his hair, frustrated: “Mia, I’m f*cking helping you.” “Does it matter who stole it? If I replace what Chloe lost, the matter is over. It saves her from suspecting you and saves so many people from watching you make a fool of yourself.” “Otherwise, what do you want? Tell me, how do you want to solve it?” “Call the police.” Liam’s voice wasn’t loud, but it made all the whispers stop abruptly. He took out his phone and neatly dialed 911. Then he looked up at Chloe: “Are you sure the hair clip is worth five thousand? That’s enough to press charges.” Chloe’s face paled, and she froze. The police arrived very quickly. In the office. The security footage was pulled up, showing Chloe hadn’t worn that hair clip to school at all today. Under the police’s gaze, she stammered and changed her story: “Maybe… maybe I remembered wrong and left it at home…” “So it’s defamation?” Liam smiled sarcastically and spoke lightly. Caleb suddenly stood up: “What are you saying?” “She already said she accidentally forgot. Why are you speaking so harshly?” Chloe pulled him and sniffled. “Caleb, it’s my fault I blamed Mia.” “It’s all my fault.” “Just let them scold me.” Liam raised an eyebrow slightly: “Classmate, you falsely accused my sister of stealing and demanded a public search without distinguishing right from wrong. This matter can’t be settled with just a few apologies.” The expression on Chloe’s face froze: “We’re all classmates, just friends playing around, a misunderstanding…” “Then can my sister say right now that these injuries and dirty water on her body were all done by you?” “That won’t do, you can’t say things casually without evidence…” Liam interrupted her, his voice still calm. “So, you also know you shouldn’t say things casually without evidence.” “Public apology, compensate for emotional distress. Otherwise, I’ll personally go talk to your parents.” Chloe bit her lip, glaring at me with red eyes, and finally squeezed out two words through her teeth: “I’m sorry.” She paused, then smiled again. “But Mia, I know your living conditions are difficult.” “As classmates, I won’t refuse whatever compensation you want.” Caleb, standing beside her with a gloomy face, looked at me. He counted out a thousand dollars and shoved it to me, his movements rough. “Are you satisfied now?” “So this is what you were waiting for.” “Mia, next time you want money, you can just ask.” Caleb pulled Chloe away. As he opened the door, his footsteps paused. “Mia, how did you become like this?”

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I went to the rumored Soul Shop. I pawned my ability to love, trading it for a chance to go back in time. Seeing my adoptive sister brought into our home by my parents again, I finally didn’t scream hysterically like in my past life. In that life, my parents’ indifference, my brother’s disgust, and my fiancé’s betrayal. I didn’t care about any of it anymore. But why… was he holding me and crying so heartbreakingly? 1 “Aria, why are you spacing out? Our new sister is almost here, let’s go down and welcome her!” Hearing that name again, I was stunned for a moment. It had been six or seven years since I was called “Aria.” I turned to look at Leo Sterling beside me and found he had indeed returned to his twelve-year-old self. The half-grown boy, dressed in a fitted suit, was looking expectantly at the staircase. One hand was still pulling my arm. I looked at the boy’s slender, clean hand. But what flashed in my mind was the slap mark he left on my face when he grew up. I frowned and shook him off immediately. The expression on Leo’s face froze, and he looked at me in confusion. “Aria, what’s wrong?” The next instant, the villa’s double doors slowly pushed open. The voices of the Sterling parents drifted over: “Leo, Aria, come down quickly! We brought your sister home!” Leo’s eyes lit up, and he immediately left me behind, running downstairs alone. I stood at the top of the stairs, looking at the happy family of four below. I reached out and pressed my hand over my heart. It was amazing. A tingling sensation. But the knife-like pain was gone. 2 Leo and I were twins. For the first twelve years, the Sterling family only had us two children. Being twins—a boy and a girl—was considered auspicious. Parents and elders treated us like treasures. Although Leo was only two hours older than me. He acted like a real big brother, yielding everything to me. He spoiled me into a veritable little princess. People joked with my dad: “Your eldest daughter has quite a temper. Good thing she’s engaged to Ethan Cole early on, otherwise no one would dare marry her when she grows up.” My dad’s face darkened immediately. “My daughter wasn’t born to be married off! If no one marries her, she’ll stay home forever! I can afford to support her!” Mom and Leo didn’t speak, only continuously sending good things my way. Spoiling me to be even more lawless. A jade bracelet worth over $400,000 was the most ordinary birthday gift I received back then. And it was the last birthday gift I received. When I was twelve, an old comrade of my dad’s passed away from illness. On his deathbed, he entrusted his only daughter to him. That girl named Chloe Vance became my nominal sister. From then on, the family’s love, trust, and attention drifted away from me bit by bit. I admit, I hated her. I was jealous of her! I was jealous that two drops of her tears could make the whole family anxious like ants on a hot pan. Jealous that she stole everything I had, bit by bit. I became more and more paranoid. My temper became more violent and strange. Finally, at my 18th birthday coming-of-age ceremony. I witnessed her and my fiancé Ethan kissing in the garden. I completely snapped. I questioned my parents, questioned my brother, my lover… “Why do you treat me like this?” But they only looked at me with almost identical disappointed eyes: “Do you know what you look like right now? You look like a lunatic!” I laughed until I cried. The pain in my heart made me tremble all over. I lunged at Chloe with a knife, but Leo kicked me into a bush of thorny roses. Everyone nervously protected Chloe, comforting her not to cry. No one cared that what I held was just a plastic knife for cutting cake… My parents used mental health issues as an excuse to lock me in a psychiatric hospital. I seemed to have been injured by Leo’s kick. I coughed up blood day and night. Begging the doctor over and over to call my parents. But they never answered once. Finally, after another electroshock therapy session, I took my last breath. And saw it—the rumored Soul Shop. I used all my emotions, my ability to love, to trade for a chance to go back in time. 3 “Aria, come quick! Weren’t you always looking forward to having a sister?” Mom held Chloe’s hand, standing at the door, smiling and waving at me. Chloe raised her pale little face, obediently calling me “Sister.” But I had no reaction. I turned and went back to my room. Leaving everyone in the living room looking at each other. Dad was helpless, “This child, who upset her again?” Mom sounded awkward: “Maybe she’s not used to having a little sister at home yet. It’s okay, I’ll go comfort her later.” Chloe’s voice carried a sob: “Mom, Dad, does Sister not like me?” Before my parents could speak, Leo couldn’t wait to chime in: “No, no, Aria just has a bit of a temper, but she’s not bad at heart. Don’t cry, don’t be sad, I’ll go talk to her later!” My parents laughed ear to ear: “Leo is so sensible. You must take good care of your sister!” Their laughter kept drifting into my room. I thought again, the soundproofing in this villa is really terrible. I don’t like it. Noisy to death. I simply stood up and started counting my assets. It’s been too long; I couldn’t remember what I owned at twelve. Looking closely now, I was truly staggeringly rich. No wonder Chloe liked stealing my things so much. Even the adult me… couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. I picked up the jewelry on the vanity and stuffed it all into my backpack. If I didn’t take it now, Chloe would soon take it with various excuses. I looked at a jade bracelet of excellent quality in my hand, remembering the scene where Chloe broke it in my past life. That was the first time I slapped her. The red-eyed little girl hid timidly behind the door, her tone so aggrieved as if I had broken her possession. “Sister, I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to… I never had these things, just wanted to look… I, I didn’t hold it steady…” She started crying loudly as she spoke, attracting Mom, Dad, and Leo. That was the first time I went crazy and hit someone, and the first time Dad grounded me. Chloe hugged Mom’s leg, crying until she almost fainted, yet still had time to look up and make a face at me… I pointed at her to accuse her, but the next second, Leo shoved me hard into the room. “Aria! Do you have any compassion? Chloe is so pitiful, how can you still bully her? It’s just a bracelet, you have countless ones! What’s wrong with letting her have it?” I gritted my teeth, trying hard to swallow the sob rising in my throat. Just a bracelet? No! That was the birthday gift Leo bought me with his first prize money from a creative competition! But he actually forgot… Starting from that year. I never received any birthday gifts again. Even the dolls, clothes, jewelry that used to flow into my room like water… All diverted to Chloe’s room. Just because she said: “Classmates laugh at me, say I’m thin and small, have no taste, not as glamorous as Sister, like a mud monkey…” She was lying! It was clearly Leo helping her lead the whole class to isolate me! He knew. He clearly knew everything. But he didn’t defend me. Watching Mom and Dad become more and more disappointed in me. More and more partial to their pitiful adopted daughter… 4 By the time I packed all my valuables. There was a gentle knock on the door. “Aria? Sweetheart, come out for dinner.” Mom was patient, her voice unbelievably gentle. I didn’t respond. I just opened the door and let her lead me to the living room. In my original seat sat a nervous-looking Chloe. Dad and Leo were helping her with food. I turned to Mom. “Where do I sit?” Everyone froze. Mom’s hand holding mine tightened unconsciously. “How could this happen? My fault, I forgot to bring a chair for you beforehand. Mrs. Zhang, bring a chair for Aria quickly.” Chloe stood up hesitantly, big innocent eyes instantly teary: “Sister, I’m sorry, I didn’t know this was your seat. I, I’ll give it to you!” Leo quickly got up and pressed her down, looking at me with blame. “Aria, sitting anywhere is the same. Chloe just arrived, don’t scare her! How about this, you sit on my left? I’ll sit between you two, okay?” My parents didn’t speak, instead waiting for my reaction. … Isn’t this tacit approval? I sneered internally. Really, so childish. The family acted like they were singing an opera, but the acting was unusually terrible. Truly appetite-ruining. I took the chair from the nanny, dragged it to the furthest corner of the dining table, away from all of them. Leo’s hand serving Chloe paused. He looked at me several times, wanting to speak but stopping, eventually saying nothing. The meal finished in this strange atmosphere. When I got up to go upstairs, Dad called me. He looked a bit troubled, clearing his throat before speaking with a smile: “Aria, Chloe is a year younger than you and Leo. You are the older brother and sister, you should yield to her more. She just lost her biological parents and is emotionally traumatized. We are her family, we should take care of her more.” Mom chimed in: “Yes, Mom knows you might not be used to having a sister yet, but look how cute she is. Try to get along, you’ll become close eventually.” The two exchanged frantic winks across the table. Clearly facing the next topic, both wanted the other to speak first. I was getting impatient. I said coldly: “So?” Mom was stunned by my question. Perhaps she had never heard me speak to her in such an icy tone, and didn’t know how to respond for a moment. Dad took a sip of tea and smiled: “Aria, Chloe just transferred here, her health and mental state aren’t good. We’re really worried. How about… how about you and your brother repeat a grade and accompany Chloe in school, okay?” As if to make it more convincing, he hastily added: “Leo already agreed. It’s up to you now.” I looked at Leo. He lowered his head, not daring to look at me.

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1 After I was blacklisted, I agreed to my ex-boyfriend’s demand. I would be a nude body double for his mistress, mimicking an adult film actress. One part of me was numb, the other grateful. The money would clear tomorrow, and my mother’s respirator wouldn’t have to be shut off. The third scene ended, and laughter erupted from behind the cameras. “Layla’s wiggling so seductively. Must have practiced a lot in bed, huh?” My spine stiffened instantly. Roman Thorne, from behind me, couldn’t resist a mocking remark. “That’s about the only thing her ‘wildness’ is worth money for.” Humiliation washed over me. Then, he casually added, “That fifty million will be transferred in another six months.” I turned back, terrified. “Didn’t we agree it would be paid as soon as the shoot finished?” Without that money, the hospital would pull the plug tomorrow. Roman Thorne indifferently tossed the script. “The liquid funds were invested in a big production for his new discovery, Clara. It’s her first lead role, so the grandiosity has to be perfect.” He expected me to throw a fit, to beg and plead as I had in the past. But this time, I was genuinely exhausted. … “Are you going out like that?” Roman Thorne raised an eyebrow, eyeing my thin costume, then glanced at the camera. I knew he was reminding me that the crew was all outside. But I had just been paraded, in far more humiliating scenes, in front of a live audience. What else was there left that I couldn’t face? I walked out numbly. Roman Thorne grabbed my wrist. “Can’t you show some decency?” I turned back to him, calmly. “Have you ever given me any decency?” He fell silent. We both knew the truth. From the moment he picked me up from film school at nineteen, he had elevated me to superstardom, earning me countless awards, making me shine with unparalleled glory. He said he loved my pride, loved the spirited way I stood at the pinnacle of success. But when my family faced bankruptcy, he was the first to turn his back. All because Clara, a budding new starlet, had whimpered, “Roman, Layla’s looking at me… I’m scared.” He had personally broken my wings, dragged me down from the clouds, and trampled me into the dirt. Seven years of devotion, yet it couldn’t stand against a newcomer’s few tears. He had broken up with me seven times, each time because Clara needed a better opportunity. Even now, knowing my mother lay in the ICU, with daily expenses that were astronomical, he remained utterly indifferent. My eyes suddenly stung with unshed tears. “How much did you invest in that film?” He answered casually. “Five hundred million.” Five hundred million. My heart felt like it was being cruelly squeezed, making it impossible to breathe. I only needed fifty million. A mere fraction of that five hundred million would be enough to save my mother’s life. Seven years with him, and I was worth less than the pomp and circumstance of Clara’s new film. Roman Thorne had always been absolute with me. He said six months; even if I died here and now, he wouldn’t change his mind. I stopped arguing, simply opening the studio door. Outside, a few stagehands were laughing, but seeing me, they instantly fell silent. They looked at me awkwardly. Someone finally let out a dry cough. “Layla, all done?” They exchanged knowing glances, then resumed their low laughter. I didn’t argue further, just pushed open the curtain. I came face to face with several corpulent investors. They looked at me awkwardly, and someone whistled. “Layla, the award-winner, are you finished with your shoot?” A burst of raucous laughter followed. Roman Thorne threw an ashtray from inside, shattering it at their feet. Glass shards flew, but I didn’t flinch, a piece cutting my calf. Blood trickled down my skin, yet I felt nothing. Roman Thorne stared intently at my wounded leg, his brow furrowing slightly. After a long moment, he tossed his suit jacket over me, in front of everyone. “I said six months, it’s not like I’m not giving it to you. Who are you putting on this act for, huh?” He didn’t even button it, just draped it casually, for appearances. I stared deeply at the man I had loved for seven years. I always believed that if I was just a little more obedient, a little more humble, he would remember the good in me. People often say that loving someone means feeling their pain, but in his eyes, there was only the cold indifference of someone viewing a plaything. The moment I stepped out of the studio, all the strength drained from my body, my legs trembling uncontrollably. As tears streamed down my face, I heard their excited chatter from inside the door. Someone asked Roman Thorne, “Layla’s family definitely got set up this time, Mr. Thorne. Aren’t you going to do anything?” Roman Thorne’s cool voice replied, “I was the one who set it up. Clara said Layla publicly humiliated her when she first debuted, making her suffer for years. I had to get some revenge for her.” “Aren’t you afraid she won’t come back this time? She’s an award-winning actress after all; she has her pride.” At this, Roman Thorne burst out laughing. “Don’t be silly. I’ve known her for eight years, she’s been with me for seven. When has Layla not come running at my every word? If she could truly leave me, I might even respect her more.” I leaned against the wall, biting down hard on the back of my hand, just to keep from making a sound. My family’s bankruptcy, my complete blacklisting online – it was all Roman Thorne’s doing. Simply because Clara had felt slighted years ago. 2 The wounds on my body and my damp clothes clung together, tearing at my skin with every movement. I remembered my mother, intubated, and the doctor’s warning that if I didn’t pay soon, they would turn off the respirator. I slapped myself hard several times. “You fool. It’s because you fell in love with him that you’ve driven yourself and Mom to such desperation.” I had never imagined my love story would end like this. Thorne Media, Roman’s family company, wielded absolute power in the entertainment industry. Roman Thorne’s single word could decide the fate of any artist. If he was determined to get revenge for Clara, no one in the entire industry would dare help me. I stood on an overpass, utterly broken, watching the ceaseless flow of car lights below, almost tempted to jump. But I couldn’t. What would happen to my mother if I died? “Yes, Clara.” A sudden thought struck me. At an awards ceremony long ago, I was the Best Actress, and she was an obscure newcomer. Backstage, an investor, fueled by alcohol, wouldn’t let go of her hand. I happened to pass by and helped her out of the predicament. At that time, I was giving Roman Thorne the cold shoulder because of rumors linking him to another actress. He hadn’t humored me, instead, he’d given a mocking chuckle, as if to spite me. “Is Layla the only one who does good deeds? That newcomer, Thorne Media is taking over her management contract.” Little did I know, that was the beginning of the tangled web between the three of us. I don’t know when Roman Thorne first took an interest in Clara. He showered her with top-tier resources, hired the best acting coaches, and put her on the hottest variety shows. To protect her from being bullied by industry veterans, he outright bought her an endorsement deal for an entire luxury brand. If Clara ever suffered even the slightest grievance, I didn’t need to ask to know. Because Roman Thorne would preemptively break up with me, then use my resources to atone. He always said, “Clara is innocent; she can’t handle the dirt of this industry.” She couldn’t suffer, so I was the one who had to. I rushed to the club where Clara’s celebration party was being held tonight. But the security guard blocked me at the door. “I’m sorry, Miss Hayes. Mr. Thorne has instructed that no one is to disturb Miss Reed’s enjoyment.” This club used to be a frequent haunt for Roman Thorne and me. Now that I was blacklisted, no one would give me any respect. The cold wind pierced through my body, and my wounds reopened, making my lips tremble with pain. “Let her in.” I looked up. Roman Thorne stood in the doorway, looking down at me. A flicker of pity crossed his eyes, quickly replaced by cold indifference. “Who are you trying to play pitiful for? Don’t you know you’ll get a fever if you get rained on?” That was true; I had a weak constitution and would get a high fever if I got wet. During the best period of my relationship with Roman Thorne, he would always anxiously wrap me in his coat, terrified I would get sick. I lowered my head. “I want to talk to Miss Reed.” Roman Thorne frowned, a faint sneer playing on his lips. “You still haven’t changed, Layla.” He was afraid I would cause trouble for Clara. After all, I had a history. When I first learned Clara often called Roman Thorne in the middle of the night, claiming she was afraid of the dark and couldn’t sleep, I had stormed into her film set and, in front of everyone, thrown her phone into a bucket of water. As the entire crew laughed at Clara, Roman Thorne had walked over and slapped me across the face. All the crew members were stunned. I stuck out my neck, asserting my claim. “You’re my boyfriend, not just any stray cat or dog who can be bothered in the middle of the night.” Roman Thorne just gave me a cold look, then, in front of everyone, shielded the weeping Clara behind him. “Look at you now, what’s the difference between you and a madwoman?!” He left me standing there, being judged by everyone. Clara, as a result, landed a film role I had been negotiating for six months with a major international director. And at that time, he locked me in the basement to “reflect.” Clara cried for how many days, I was locked up for that many days. Not a drop of water. Roman Thorne had to coax her for an entire week before he came home. He was also worried she would be affected by public opinion, so he bought a film company and gave it to her as a gift. I shook my head, forcing out a smile that was uglier than a cry. “I just want to explain to her that we’ve already broken up.” His obvious disbelief still brought a bitter taste to my mouth. I admitted I still loved him. Knowing he was the heir to the Thorne family and had immense self-esteem, I had never defied him. I was always afraid that a single expression or word might hurt him. Yet, I never imagined he would be so merciless towards me. That he would conspire to bankrupt my family and have me blacklisted, all just to appease Clara. I don’t not love him; I simply don’t dare anymore. Once the sense of injustice surfaced in my heart, it spread like a wild vine. Tears fell unbidden. Roman Thorne frowned. “Just talk, why are you crying…” He was about to raise his hand when a figure rushed out from inside the club. Clara, wearing a haute couture gown, with exquisite makeup and a body adorned with jewelry, exuded an air of wealth. She was completely different from the timid newcomer she used to be. More like a queen held in Roman Thorne’s palm than I ever was. “Why did you come out?” Roman Thorne took off his jacket, intimately draping it over her bare shoulders, asking tenderly. She looked up, and the moment her eyes reddened, Roman Thorne was thrown into disarray, bending down to gently console her. “What’s wrong? Who upset our Clara?” Only then did Clara’s tears turn to a smile. She gently punched Roman Thorne, whispering, “I heard Layla was here, so I came out to see.” “Now you’ve seen her, are you satisfied?” He asked Clara, but his gaze was fixed on me. I guessed the answer was yes, she was satisfied. The award-winning actress who had once helped her out at an awards ceremony was now in tattered clothes, her hair disheveled and plastered to her face. She was as pathetic as one could be. How could she possibly be dissatisfied? I actually wanted to confront her, but I didn’t dare. After all, if I angered Clara, Mom wouldn’t even have her respirator for a few more days. I forced myself to put on an ingratiating smile. “Clara, long time no see.” She, however, was much more familiar than I was. “Layla, you didn’t really have to come in person. I’ve already forgiven you.” I looked up at her. Forgiven me? Forgiven me for throwing away her phone when she was trying to seduce someone else’s boyfriend, or forgiven me for blocking her path in the entertainment industry? For a moment, I couldn’t tell, just stared at her blankly. Roman Thorne, however, suddenly flared up. “Clara is a generous person. Shouldn’t you say thank you?” Heart-wrenching pain. That was it. I fiercely held back my tears. Three words swirled on my tongue. I bit my tongue until it bled, the metallic taste spreading in my mouth before I could stutter them out. “Tha… thank you…” Roman Thorne’s gaze shifted from me. He pulled out a black card and handed it to Clara. “Here’s fifty million. You decide if you want to give it to her.” My eyes immediately lit up. If I could just get this money, my mom would be saved. I looked at Clara with hopeful eyes, but watched as she slowly tightened her grip on the card. Clara pouted delicately. “Layla caused me to be ridiculed by the whole crew back then, and almost caused a misunderstanding with Roman. I don’t want to just give it to her like that.” Roman Thorne chuckled, gently flicking her nose with his finger. “Whatever you wish.” I instantly panicked. Mom was waiting for this money to save her life, and all my savings had gone to filling the holes in our family’s finances. Now I was penniless, constantly surrounded by paparazzi and creditors. Mom’s heart wasn’t strong; she had ended up in the ICU after a scare. The last shred of hope was right in front of me. I pleaded, “Clara, I’m sorry. I’ll accept any punishment. Please, help me.” Clara thought for a moment, tapping her chin with her finger, then suddenly said playfully, “How about this, Layla? You dance that ‘dog crawl’ dance you did on set for me right here, and I’ll give you the card, okay?” She smiled sweetly, but her words were more venomous than a snake. “The one where you crawl on the ground like a little dog. Lots of people said you danced it especially well.” Roman Thorne still said nothing. He stood with his hands behind his back beside Clara, as if endorsing all her actions. “Not willing, huh…” she sighed regretfully, about to put the card back in her bag. I immediately panicked. “I’m willing!” As soon as those words left my mouth, she smiled radiantly. Her eyes curved into crescents, her chin slightly raised as if waiting for me to act. I glanced at the indifferent Roman Thorne, and slowly bent my body. It was just a simple movement, yet I felt as if I had been killed a thousand times. Thump. My knees and palms hit the cold floor. I collapsed onto it, my fingernails digging hard into my palms, my hands trembling. “Woof… woof…” I barked like a dog, crawling in front of them. Humiliation made my vision blacken. Clara smiled with satisfaction, then stamped her foot. “Oh, Layla, I was just joking with you, you actually did it.” I didn’t move, still prostrate before them. “Ugh…” Clara sighed, then threw the card in front of me. I reached out and picked it up, tears falling one by one onto the embossed card. Mom could be saved. Roman Thorne, I don’t dare to love anymore. I stood up, softly saying, “Thank you.” Roman Thorne’s face seemed to darken. He brushed off Clara’s clinging hand and walked inside. “Roman…” she called out, but Roman Thorne didn’t look back. Clara glared at me, annoyed. “Aren’t you leaving?” I got up and left the club. Behind me, Clara vexed for a while. Then her friends who had returned from abroad emerged, exclaiming in surprise, “Clara, so you really are Roman Thorne’s girlfriend! His family is top-tier elite in the city!” The earlier unpleasantness vanished. Clara proudly lifted her chin. “I told you, but you didn’t believe me.” The girls grew excited, but then one asked, “That Layla just now, she seemed to have quite a relationship with Roman. You just gave her fifty million? Isn’t that too cheap for her?” Clara’s eyes darkened, and a smile played on her lips. “Who said that money was given for free? I’ve already had someone anonymously send the video to all the major media outlets.” “What video?” Clara smiled. “Nothing, just a little video of the award-winning actress Layla… crawling like a dog at the club entrance. That’s all.” I left the club, racing to the hospital. Once Mom had her surgery, I would take her to another city, to start a new life. As for Roman Thorne, this was the end for us.

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I was on a flight home for my wedding after wrapping up a project overseas when the plane went down. When Victoria Hawthorne heard the news, she called my phone, frantic. I was pinned in the twisted metal, unable to move, letting the calls go to voicemail. “I don’t care what it costs, you have to find Nathaniel Ashton!” My heart swelled with love for her, but then I heard the rest of her sentence. “Once you find him, transplant his heart into Marcus. Marcus doesn’t have much time left.” … “Ms. Hawthorne, Mr. Ashton’s legs are shattered. We need to operate immediately, or he’ll be crippled for life.” Victoria’s voice was like ice. “No. Marcus’s surgery comes first. We can’t risk any delays. Besides—” Her voice grew colder still. “A cripple is easier to control. When I bring my son home, he won’t be in any position to object.” I lay just a few feet away from her, tears streaming down my face. The wedding I had looked forward to for ten years was nothing but a charade. And I was just a tool. Later, because of me, this very tool, Victoria would tear the heart from Marcus’s chest with her own hands. Rescue workers spotted me and carefully lifted me from the wreckage. Every inch they moved was a fresh agony, like being pierced by a thousand knives. But it was nothing compared to the pain in my chest. Seeing me lying there, motionless, Victoria spoke without restraint. “I’ve had the artificial heart flown in. After the surgery, tell him his own heart was ruptured in the fall. I don’t need to spell out the rest, do I?” The doctor, busy dressing my wounds, looked increasingly distressed. He couldn’t help himself. “Ms. Hawthorne, Mr. Ashton’s legs are broken. If we don’t operate now, he will be permanently disabled. He’s such a proud man… he won’t be able to handle it.” Victoria didn’t hesitate. “No. Marcus’s surgery is the priority. We can’t afford any delays. And—” Though my eyes were closed, I could feel her cold gaze on me. “I promised Marcus years ago that our child would be the sole heir to the Hawthorne fortune. That will never change.” “Marrying me is the best outcome Nathaniel could ever hope for. As long as he’s obedient and treats my son as his own, I’ll be good to him.” The doctor was still hesitant. “But what if Mr. Ashton finds out the boy is your biological son?” Victoria gently took my one uninjured hand, her thumb tracing patterns on my fingers. “He’s so naive. He hasn’t figured it out in the last five years. He won’t figure it out in the future.” She suddenly leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead. I had to fight every instinct to keep from flinching away. Victoria’s whisper was a demon’s caress. “During the surgery, please make sure he feels no pain.” “Use the best of everything. He has a very low tolerance for pain.” The doctor couldn’t bear to look anymore and sent someone to prepare the operating room. “Ms. Hawthorne, if you don’t love Mr. Ashton, why did you agree to marry him? Why not just marry Mr. Donovan? That way, no one would have gotten hurt…” Victoria’s voice was detached, emotionless. “Because the husband of a Hawthorne must be an Ashton.” A fresh wave of pain washed over me. For all these years, I thought our love was mutual. I had even bragged to my friends that it was possible to find true love in an arranged marriage. What true love? She wasn’t interested in me. She was interested in the Ashton family’s power and my own gullibility. Victoria personally wheeled me into the operating room. Along the way, she repeatedly instructed the surgeons to ensure the procedure was a success and to minimize my suffering. The other doctors and nurses whispered about how lucky I was to be so cherished by the great Victoria Hawthorne. As the doors to the operating room swung shut, I heard her making a call. “Destroy the plane’s black box. Make sure it’s clean. And the personnel involved? Send them all away. Leave no loose ends.” “After today, this was an ordinary aviation accident, understand?” My chest suddenly ached with a tearing, visceral pain that spread through my entire body. A profound emptiness filled my thoracic cavity. Is this what it felt like to have your heart ripped out? I had wondered how I survived the crash. Now I knew. It was all Victoria’s design. She wouldn’t let me die. My heart was too useful. And so was I. The anesthesia began to claim me, and the world dissolved into nothing. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Victoria was asleep in a chair beside me, one hand resting protectively on mine. The slight movement of my fingers startled her awake. Her eyes lit up. “Darling, you’re awake! Are you in any pain? I’ll get the doctor right away.” 2 Looking at her worried face, you would never guess she didn’t love me. Her hand was warm, but her touch sent a chill through my entire body. I gently pulled my hand away. My voice was a raw scrape. “It hurts.” “Victoria, when the plane was going down, I thought I’d never see you again. I was so scared.” “Do you know what it feels like to drown in the ocean? It’s dark, silent… everything around you is dead…” Victoria’s expression faltered. She quickly stood up and rushed out to find a doctor, completely forgetting about the call button right next to the bed. I stared at the phone she’d left on the nightstand. I had never looked at her phone before. I had always given her my complete trust. But now, like any man who suspects his partner of cheating, I picked it up. The password was a simple 1111. Before, I would have thought she was just too lazy to think of something more complex. Now I knew. It was Marcus’s birthday. Victoria, the woman who claimed she never changed contact names, had made an exception for the one person who mattered to her. Marcus was the period at the end of her life’s sentence. I suddenly remembered, six years ago, Victoria had gone abroad for a year to handle a corporate merger. She wouldn’t let me visit, saying she didn’t want me to overwork myself. Now I realized she had been giving birth to her child. Their chat history was sparse, mostly photos of the boy that Marcus sent her. But no matter what time he sent them, Victoria always replied thoughtfully. When I messaged her, she was always impatient. Sometimes she’d let a dozen of my texts pile up before sending a single “OK.” I used to tell myself that a CEO was always busy, that she was making money for us. The truth was, she just didn’t have time for me. She had even forged my infertility report. It wasn’t just that she didn’t want to have a child with me. Tears blurred my vision. I saw a photo of her and Marcus kissing their son’s cheeks, one on each side. A perfect, happy family. Hearing footsteps approach, I placed the phone back where I found it. The first thing Victoria saw when she came in was my tears. She rushed to my side. “Where does it hurt? Why are you crying?” “Doctor! Come and see what’s wrong with him!” After the doctor finished his examination, he cautioned me to remain calm. “Mr. Ashton, you now have an artificial heart. The severe injuries to your legs have resulted in significant nerve damage. It’s highly likely you will be permanently disabled. It’s best for you to maintain emotional stability.” Victoria clutched my hand, her face a mask of sorrow. “Darling, it’s okay.” “Whether you can walk again or not, you are the man I love most. I will only ever have one husband, and that’s you.” I looked into her soulful eyes. For the first time, I realized she had the makings of a world-class actress. Just moments ago, I had seen her chat with her assistant on her phone. The wedding was to proceed as planned. Clicking through the wedding details she had personally approved, I saw the truth. From the very beginning, the man she intended to walk down the aisle with was Marcus. The backdrop, the invitations, the marriage certificate—everything was for Marcus. Including Victoria. I exhaled slowly and wiped my tears. “The wound hurts.” Victoria knew how much I hated pain. My simple explanation dispelled her suspicion. “Vicky, can we postpone the wedding? In my condition, I don’t think I can make it.” She frowned. “We’ve already sent out all the invitations. It’s too late to reschedule.” “But we could find another way. What if we have someone stand in for you, just for the ceremony?” She delivered the line so smoothly, it was as if she’d rehearsed it a thousand times. I nodded. “Whatever you think is best.” She stayed with me for most of the day before a phone call pulled her away. “Nathaniel, I have to preside over an emergency meeting at the office.” I showed no sign of distress, simply telling her to go. I pretended I hadn’t heard the sound of a child crying on the other end of the line. Once I was sure she was gone, I contacted a medical facility overseas and asked them to find me a heart donor. An artificial heart was a temporary solution at best. As for my identity here, I was preparing to erase it. For the next few days, she spent all her free time at the hospital with me, attending to my every need. If I casually mentioned a craving, she would go to any length to get it for me.

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