Category: English

He didn’t mean it in a happy way. When I slid the positive pregnancy test across the table, my sister froze for three solid seconds. Then, the tears started flowing. “Sis?” She didn’t answer. She just grabbed a napkin, wiped her eyes, and turned her back to me. I thought she was happy for me. Arthur and I had been married for eight years with no luck. Now, finally, it was happening. But the way she was crying felt wrong. Her hands were shaking. She stood at the front door for a long time when she left, her lips moving, but nothing came out. The next day, she came back. Holding a plain vanilla envelope. Inside was a divorce settlement. Completely blank. “Maddie,” she looked at me, her eyes red-rimmed, “think long and hard before you decide to have this baby.” 1 I thought my sister had gone off the deep end. “Sis, what is this supposed to mean?” I pushed the envelope back toward her. A blank divorce settlement. What on earth was she doing bringing this into my house? “Everything is good with you and Arthur, right?” She didn’t answer my question; she just countered with her own. “Of course it is.” “Has he been working a lot of overtime lately?” “Yeah. He just got promoted to Project Director. Being busy comes with the territory.” “How late is ‘late’ usually?” “Eleven, midnight. Sometimes later.” “And when he’s working late, does he pick up when you call?” 我愣了一下。 “Sometimes no. He says the signal is terrible in the company’s underground garage.” My sister put her coffee mug down. Her hands were still shaking. “Maddie, have you… ever checked his phone?” “Check his phone?” I actually laughed. “Sis, I’m not that kind of person. Marriage is about trust—” “Check it.” She cut me off. Her voice was quiet, but incredibly firm. “Just check it once. Tonight, after he’s asleep, just check it once.” I looked at her face. She wasn’t joking. She had heavy bags under her eyes, her lips were chapped, and she looked like she hadn’t slept in days. “Sis, what is going on? Can you just tell me straight out?” She opened her mouth. Then closed it again. “I can’t just tell you,” she said, “because you won’t believe me. You’ll just think I’m trying to cause drama in your marriage.” “You are my sister—” “I am your sister, and that is exactly why you won’t believe me.” She stood up. “You’ll think I’m jealous because you married rich, that since my divorce, I can’t stand to see you happy.” That stung. My sister got divorced three years ago. Her ex cheated, she got taking for everything in the settlement, and she’s been raising her daughter on her own ever since. “Sis, I have never thought that—” “I know.” She grabbed her bag. “That’s why I’m not telling you. Go see for yourself.” She walked to the door and stopped. “Maddie.” “Yeah?” “No matter what you see, remember one thing—you are not alone.” The door clicked shut. I stood in the living room, still clutching that vanilla envelope. It felt very light. But suddenly, it felt like it weighed a ton. Arthur didn’t get home until very late that night. Eleven-forty PM. He brought a chill in with him as he entered. Seeing me still sitting on the couch, he smiled. “Not asleep yet?” “Waiting for you.” “Don’t be silly, you’re pregnant. Get some rest.” He placed his phone on the entryway table—that was his routine. Phone down first, then take off his shoes. In the past, I thought that showed self-discipline—not looking at his phone at home, focusing on me. Today, staring at that phone, it suddenly looked like a locked box. He went to take a shower. The sound of running water started. I sat on the couch, staring at the phone on the entryway table. My sister’s words spun in my mind: Check it. Just check it once. I didn’t move. The water stopped. He came out, drying his hair, and saw me still sitting there. “What’s wrong? Why are you just staring?” “Nothing.” “Go to sleep early. I’m taking you to your prenatal appointment tomorrow.” “Okay.” I followed him into the bedroom. Lay down. Lights out. His breathing became even very quickly. I lay there with my eyes open in the dark, staring at the ceiling. His phone was in the entryway. His breathing was heavy. I did not move. It wasn’t that I was scared to. I just didn’t want to. If there was nothing in that box, I would be suspecting him over nothing. If there was something— I closed my eyes. But I couldn’t sleep. Two in the morning. I got up to use the bathroom. Passing through the entryway, I stopped. His phone was on the table, face down. I picked it up. The passcode was my birthday. He had never changed it. Holding that thought, I entered the six digits. Unlocked. I went to his messaging apps. Three conversations were pinned to the top. The first was me. Listed as “Wife.” The second was his mother. Listed as “Mom.” The third— Listed only as a house emoji. 🏠 No name. Just a house. I tapped on it. The latest message was from 9:17 PM tonight. It was a picture. In the photo was a little boy, wearing dinosaur pajamas, lying on a bed laughing. Below it was a line of text: “Daddy, your son won’t sleep. He’s waiting for you to come home.” 2 I put the phone back on the entryway table. Face down, exactly how it was before. I went back to the bedroom and lay down. Arthur rolled over, his arm draping over my waist. “Mmm… cold?” “No.” His hand was very warm. I stared at the ceiling in the darkness, completely still. That little boy in the dinosaur pajamas looked about two years old. He had big eyes and monolids. Arthur has monolids. I didn’t sleep a wink all night. The next morning, Arthur got up and made breakfast. Bacon, eggs, and toast. He was busy in the kitchen wearing an apron, turning back to smile at me. “Want some orange juice? Got to keep those vitamins up for the baby.” “Okay.” I sat at the dining table, watching his back. I had looked at this back for eight years. Eight years ago, he was making forty thousand a year, and I was making sixty. We lived in a walk-up apartment on the fifth floor. No elevator. Every day when he got home from work, he would carry up the groceries I bought first, then go back down to find parking for his car. Back and forth. Later, when we bought the house, we didn’t have enough for the down payment. I borrowed thirty thousand from my mom, ten thousand from a classmate, and emptied my 401k. He said, “Babe, when I make it big, I’m going to pay you back double.” Later, he changed jobs, and his salary went up. He changed jobs again, and it went up even more. From forty thousand, to eighty, to one hundred and fifty, to two hundred thousand, to four hundred thousand a year. When his salary went up, he said, “Don’t worry about the money anymore. I’ll handle the finances.” I thought he was doing it out of love. He took over the family finances. He transferred me two thousand dollars a month for living expenses, and he said he was saving the rest. “When we save enough, we’ll buy a big house with a huge yard.” I believed him. For eight years, I managed the household bills, paid the mortgage, and sent his mother five hundred dollars every month. He said the rest was in investments and savings. I never asked for specific numbers. Because I trusted him. I thought about what happened last winter. November. Our wedding anniversary. I took a half-day off, went to the grocery store at three PM. I bought his favorite steak and lobster tails. I also bought a bouquet of flowers. I don’t usually buy flowers. They are too expensive. But that day, I thought, We’ve been married seven years, let’s be romantic. Six PM, dinner was ready. Seven PM, he wasn’t home. Eight PM, I called. Went straight to voicemail. Nine PM, a text: “In a meeting, be back late.” I took the flowers out of the water glass I used as a vase. I still needed the glass. Eleven PM, he came home. “Did you eat?” “Yeah, got pizza with the team.” The steak and lobster on the table were stone cold. “It’s fine,” I said. “I can just reheat it.” He didn’t notice the flowers. Nor did he remember what day it was. I reheated the lobster and ate it myself. Thinking about it now—when he didn’t pick up at nine PM that night, where was he? Who was he with? Was that child in the dinosaur pajamas calling him “Daddy” right then? Breakfast was placed in front of me. Bacon, eggs, and toast. “Eat up while it’s hot.” He sat opposite me, smiling. I looked down and ate. The eggs were very hot. I ate very slowly. “Arthur.” “Yeah?” “What time did you get back last night?” “A little past eleven, I think. Told you, babe, the project is running tight.” “Okay.” I continued eating. He got up to clean the kitchen. I heard the sound of the running water. After breakfast, I did the dishes. He was putting on his blazer, getting ready to leave. “Might be another late one today. Don’t wait up.” “Okay.” The door closed. I sat back on the couch. I took out my phone and sent my sister a message: “Sis, you were right.” Three seconds later, she replied. As if she had been waiting. “What did you see?” I didn’t reply. Because I didn’t know how to say it. I sat there for a long time. Then I stood up and put his dirty clothes from last night into the washing machine. A receipt fell out of his blazer pocket. From a upscale children’s boutique downtown. Amount: $238. Item: Children’s puffer jacket, blue, size 2T. Size 2T. That is the size a two-year-old child wears. 3 My sister came over. This time, she didn’t beat around the bush. She brought a folder. It was transparent, filled with papers. “This is what I’ve gathered over the last six months.” She put the folder on the coffee table. I didn’t touch it. “Six months?” “Yes. Six months ago, I saw his car in the parking lot of a high-end mall. A woman was sitting in the passenger seat. There was a car seat in the back.” I looked at her. “You saw that, and you didn’t tell me?” “I wasn’t sure at the time—” “You weren’t sure, so you investigated for six months and still didn’t tell me?” She didn’t speak. “Felicia,” I called her by her first name. “Six months. You kept this from me for six months.” Her tears started falling. “I was scared you couldn’t handle it. You had just found that lump on your thyroid, you hadn’t even had the biopsy yet—” “So you made the decision for me?” “No—” “How are you any different from him?” I said. Those were harsh words. I knew that. She was different. She wasn’t Arthur. But at that moment, I couldn’t control myself. Six months. Half a year. I slept in the same bed with that man every day, cooked his meals, washed his clothes, got pregnant with his baby—and my sister knew he was lying to me, watched me being played for a fool, and didn’t say a single word. My sister sat opposite me, crying silently. I didn’t cry. “Give me the folder.” She pushed it over. I opened it. The first page was a photo. A surveillance shot from a parking garage. It was Arthur’s car. A long-haired woman was in the passenger seat, and there was definitely a car seat in the back. The second page was an address. Upscale condo complex on the East side. Building 3, Apartment 1402. “I followed him,” my sister said. “Twice. Both times, he went to this address. Once he stayed the whole night. The other time was a Saturday afternoon, he was there for four hours.” The third page was the property records for Apartment 1402. Owner: Stephanie Vance. Purchase date: Two years and three months ago. “Your husband bought this place,” my sister said. “It’s in her name.” I flipped to the next page. It was a screenshot of a bank transfer. Arthur → Stephanie Vance. The 8th of every month, $5,000. Memo: For this month. Six consecutive months. Six screenshots. Five thousand times six is thirty thousand. That was just the six months my sister was tracking him. What if we calculate from two years ago? Five thousand times twenty-four— One hundred and twenty thousand. I calculated my monthly household budget. Arthur transferred me two thousand. Sent his mother five hundred. I paid the mortgage—three thousand six hundred. I made three thousand a month. After paying the mortgage, I was left with a negative six hundred dollars. Negative. Every month, I was out of pocket six hundred dollars, made up for by my year-end bonus and freelance work. While he was giving that woman five thousand a month. I closed the folder. “Sis.” “Yeah.” “Thanks for gathering this.” “Maddie—” “But I don’t want to talk about you keeping this from me for six months right now.” She opened her mouth. “Wait until I’m done dealing with Arthur. Then we’ll talk about that.” I grabbed the folder and stood up. “You should go, Sis. He gets home at seven.” When my sister left, she stood at the front door for a while. “If you need anything, call me.” “Okay.” The door clicked shut. I sat alone in the living room. There were two coffee mugs on the table. She hadn’t really touched hers. It got dark outside. There was leftover dinner from yesterday in the fridge. I went into the kitchen, made a plate of food, and ate it. Alone. I did the dishes. I wiped the table. Then I sat on the couch, waiting for Arthur to come home. Seven-twenty PM, the door opened. “Wife, I’m home! Early today.” He smiled as he changed his shoes. “Hey, you already eat? What smells good?” “Leftovers. Yours is on the stove, help yourself.” “Awesome.” He went into the kitchen. I watched his back. I had looked at this back for eight years. Today, for the first time, I felt like it belonged to a total stranger. 4 For the next three days, I did nothing. I went to work. I came home. I cooked. I talked to Arthur, as usual. But I started watching his phone. Details I hadn’t cared about before now felt like needles in my eyes. Whenever he made a call, he went to the balcony. His phone’s screen-lock time changed from thirty seconds to ten. When he showered, he took the phone into the bathroom—something he never used to do. The third night, he worked overtime again. He didn’t get home until eleven. I smelled laundry detergent on him. Not our brand. We used Tide pods. He smelled of Downy scent boosters. “Worked so late at the company?” “Yeah, gotta get that proposal submitted.” “You work hard.” “As long as my wife appreciates me.” He smiled and亲了一下我的额头。 The smell of Downy pressed against me. I didn’t flinch. Nor did I speak. The fourth day, I took a sick day. I drove to the East side, to the condo complex. It was about a forty-minute drive. Not a huge complex, nice landscaping—the kind of trendy, small units young professionals liked. Building 3, Apartment 1402. I stood downstairs and watched for a bit. The windows on the fourteenth floor had pink curtains hanging. There were clothes drying on the balcony—a man’s white dress shirt, a woman’s dress, and some tiny children’s clothes. It looked like a home. Another home. I sat in the coffee shop across the street from the complex for two hours. At ten-thirty AM, a woman came out pushing a stroller. Long hair, wearing a designer coat and sunglasses. A little boy was sitting in the stroller. Wearing a hat with a dinosaur print. That was the child from the photo. She pushed the stroller to the park next to the complex. She sat on a park bench. The child got out of the stroller, toddling around. He tripped and burst out crying. She bent down, picked him up, and comforted him. The child stopped crying and hugged her neck. She took out her phone and snapped a picture. I knew who that photo was going to be sent to. Twelve PM, I got back in my car. I sat there for a long time. Then I opened Arthur’s banking app—the password was his mother’s birthday. He had made me memorize it for him when he set it up. He didn’t know I still remembered it. I scrolled through the credit card transactions line by line. Downtown Jeweler: $12,000. The date was three months ago. I hadn’t received any jewelry. Postpartum Recovery Center: $6,500. The date was May, two years ago. May, two years ago. I was traveling for work that month. I was away in Chicago for two weeks. Arthur had texted me: “Take care of yourself, babe. Miss you.” That month, he was accompanying another woman in her recovery center. Private Pre-K Enrollment: $20,000 annual fee. Payer: Arthur Sterling. Children’s Photography: $1,200. Gap Kids: Multiple charges, amounts ranging from hundreds to a thousand dollars. I logged out of the app. My hands rested on the steering wheel. I realized my fingers were shaking. I took a deep breath. I took out my phone. I looked at the photos of my sister’s folder again— The screenshots she took of the transfers were only for six months. But on the banking app, I could look at records going back three years. Three years. A fixed monthly transfer of $5,000 to Stephanie Vance. That’s one hundred and eighty thousand in three years. Add in the jewelry, the recovery center, Pre-K, kids’ clothes, and daily spending— I did a rough calculation. Well over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. And my savings over these three years— I opened my own banking app. Balance: $6,812.15. The entirety of my savings from an eight-year marriage. I bought a coffee at the shop. Held it in my hand. Didn’t drink it. Sat there until the coffee went cold. Then I threw it away and drove home. On the way back, I made a call. “Sis.” “Maddie? What’s wrong?” “The third page, the property on the East side. Did you find the mortgage info?” “I checked the public filings. It’s 1200 square feet, bought in cash in March 2022. Total price was eight hundred and fifty thousand. The owner is listed as Stephanie Vance. I couldn’t trace the source of funds—” “I found it.” The other end was silent. “Eight hundred and fifty thousand. He bought her a luxury condo. In cash.” “Maddie—” “Between the monthly transfers and everything else, in three years, it’s at least four hundred thousand dollars.” My sister didn’t say anything. “I’ve been married for eight years. I have six thousand in the bank.” “Maddie, listen to me—” “Sis, in your folder, do you have that woman’s background information?” “Yeah. Stephanie Vance, born in 1994, same college as Arthur.” Same college. Arthur had told me he never dated in college. “Their child, what’s the date of birth?” “January 2023.” January 2023. I counted backward. Pregnancy would mean conception around April 2022. April 2022— That month, Arthur and I were actively trying for a baby. I was taking folic acid. He told me, “Don’t stress, let nature take its course.” Let nature take its course. I tried for two years and couldn’t get pregnant. She got pregnant. “Sis.” “Yeah.” “There’s one thing I don’t get.” “What?” “I tried to get pregnant for two years, and it never happened. I went to the doctor, they checked me out, said I was fine. The doctor said he was fine, too. But I just couldn’t get pregnant.” There was a long silence on the other end. “When you get home,” she said, her voice very low, “check by your water cooler. See if there’s anything there that shouldn’t be.” 5 I didn’t check the water cooler right away. Because my sister’s words carried too much weight. I needed to confirm it for myself. That night, Arthur worked late until eleven, as usual. I opened the drawer in his study. The bottom one. He said it was for old files and electronics warranties. I searched for five minutes. Tucked inside an envelope labeled “Tax Receipts,” at the very back, I found a blister pack of pills. They were white, in foil packaging. The writing on them was very small. I held it under the desk lamp. Ethinyl estradiol and Cyproterone acetate. A form of birth control pill. More than half the pack was gone. Seventeen pills were missing. Those weren’t my pills. I had never been on birth control. This pack was in his study. And the water I drank every day—he always poured it. Every morning, he got up before me, heated up water, poured it into my travel mug, and put it on my nightstand. “Wife, have some water before you get up.” He’d been saying it for over two years. I thought he was being considerate. I sat in the chair in the study holding that blister pack. I stared at it for a long time. I didn’t cry. I just felt cold. A coldness seeping out from my bones. I took out my phone, snapped a photo. Then I put the pills back exactly where they were. Put the envelope back. Closed the drawer. I walked to the bathroom. Turned on the faucet. Let the water run for a long time. I splashed water on my face. Looked in the mirror at myself. I was thirty-one years old. There were fine lines around my eyes. He said, “Babe, you work so hard.” He said, “Babe, get some rest.” He said, “When we save enough money, we’ll buy a big house with a huge yard.” While saying all that, every single day, he was crushing a birth control pill into my water cup. Ensuring I wouldn’t get pregnant for two years. Because the woman over there had already had his child. He didn’t need two. I turned off the faucet. Dried my face. Walked out of the bathroom. Sat in the living room. Took out a notebook. Actually, it was an Excel spreadsheet on my laptop. I calculated every penny from the last eight years. Mortgage: Three thousand six hundred a month. For eight years, that was three hundred forty-five thousand six hundred dollars. The first three years, I paid it alone—his salary was low back then. Later, his salary went up and he said, “I’ll handle the mortgage.” But the bank account for deductions was never changed. It was always my card being charged. The down payment: The borrowed money and my 401k, totaling forty thousand dollars. Household expenses: He transferred me two thousand, but the actual monthly spend was three to four thousand. I covered the difference. Eight years, I’d subsidized at least ninety-six thousand dollars. Financial support for his parents: Five hundred a month. For eight years, that was forty-eight thousand. He said, “I’ll send it to my mom.” But for three years, I transferred it directly—because he “forgot.” My bonuses: Eight years, all went toward joint debts, household shortfalls, and buying gifts for his family during the holidays. Total— I calculated it three times. Five hundred sixty-nine thousand, six hundred dollars. In these eight years, I had poured five hundred sixty-nine thousand, six hundred dollars into this home. While he had spent at least four hundred thousand dollars on that woman in just three years. My eight years. Her three years. I opened my sister’s folder and turned to the property page. condo, eight hundred fifty thousand, paid in full. Our own house, I paid the forty thousand down payment, and we still owed one hundred and fifty thousand on the mortgage. He bought the mistress a home in cash. He gave me a mortgage. I closed the laptop. Picked up my phone. “Sis.” “I’m here.” “Help me find a divorce lawyer. The best one.” “Already found him. Mr. Fitzgerald. Tomorrow at three PM.” She had prepared everything six months ago. “Thank you.” “Maddie, are you still mad at me?” “Yes.” “…” “But I’m going to deal with Arthur first.”

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The company’s annual gala announced a new rule: employees are allowed to bring a plus-one. I blurted out without thinking, “Can I bring someone else’s husband?” My colleagues stared at me, eyes wide as saucers. Our boss snapped the fountain pen in his hand, sneering, “Sure, go ahead and try.” I immediately, joyfully, texted my dad. “Dad! Tell Mom not to cook tonight! Hurry up and come get some free food!” 1 With the end of the year approaching, we had finally wrapped up a notoriously difficult case. Our boss, the modern-day Scrooge, showed unexpected mercy and announced that we could bring a plus-one to tonight’s annual gala. “Holy crap, why didn’t you say so earlier?!” My colleagues cheered, springing into action, calling and texting their significant others. As the only single person in the department… I weakly raised my hand: “Excuse me, can I bring someone else’s husband?” The moment the words left my mouth, the room fell dead silent. My colleagues looked like meerkats popping out of their holes, their eyes perfectly round. “Holy crap, is she really saying that out loud?” “Chloe, you’re usually so quiet, I would have never guessed…” They exchanged shocked glances, then quickly lowered their heads and started typing furiously on their keyboards, completely ignoring my question. The department manager wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, leaned in close to me, and lowered his voice. “Chloe, theoretically, you can bring whoever you want. But if you actually bring him, it’s not going to look good…” ? I scratched my head. Why wouldn’t it look good? I’m just bringing my dad to dinner, what’s the big deal? Sure, my dad can eat a lot, but it’s not like he’s going to eat the company into bankruptcy. I was just about to press the issue. When a sinister voice sounded from behind me. “Chloe Davis, you’re really something. You’ve hidden it better than anyone.” 2 The man standing in the doorway, dressed in a sharp suit, held a fountain pen snapped cleanly in two. Ink dripped steadily onto the floor, making his handsome face look even darker. “M-Mr. Sterling, what brings you here…” “Good thing you came, otherwise we wouldn’t have known we had such a wild card in the company…” The manager smiled obsequiously, “Please, don’t say that. Chloe is definitely just confused right now. I’ve already talked to her, she absolutely won’t bring him to the gala…” “Bring him! Why shouldn’t she?” “Bring him out and let us see what he’s made of. Let’s see what you’re really capable of.” “Am I right, Chloe Davis?” After all these years, Arthur Sterling’s meanness had only increased, not decreased. But that was fine. I had also evolved into a thorny black rose. I forced a smile and shot back without missing a beat. “Of course, I will definitely bring him.” “I need to show some ignorant people who the true father figure in my heart is!” The manager’s face went from white to green, green to red, and red to purple, looking as spectacular as a spilled palette. My colleagues remained deathly quiet, looking at me as if I were a valiant warrior. It wasn’t anything special, really. The reason I dared to publicly sass the boss wasn’t because I was crazy, but because I planned to quit right after the New Year. And the reason for my resignation was the newly parachuted second-in-command of the conglomerate— Arthur Sterling. My lifelong nemesis. 3 Arthur and I were college classmates. He pursued me. After graduation, he went abroad, and we broke up. The last time I saw him was at a class reunion. Our old class president, his face flushed from drinking, emboldened himself and asked: “Arthur, what exactly happened between you and Chloe? You broke up so quietly, there were no warning signs at all…” “Yeah, exactly! You went through so much trouble, giving everyone in the class red envelopes, and you must have spent a fortune transferring to our department. Why did you break up? We were getting ready to attend your wedding!” “What really happened? Tell us the story!” The man put down his glass, scanned the crowd, and said coldly: “She’s dead. Didn’t you know?” The next second, I pushed the door open and walked in. Under the horrified gazes of everyone present, I nodded: “Pay attention, this woman’s name is Xiaomei. Reborn from the ashes, she will take back everything that belongs to her.” I will never, ever forget the expression on Arthur’s face at that moment. I was so speechless I could have died. I had never seen such a petty man. We broke up, so what? He actually started a rumor that his ex was dead! When the gathering ended, I avoided his burning gaze, turned around, and left without a word. Ridiculous. Does he think I’m still the poor girl who let people push her around? I am this year’s poor girl. Poor, but with a spine! When Arthur parachuted into our company, I knew the poor girl’s good days were over. And coincidentally, I had hit a bottleneck in my career at this company anyway. So I immediately decided that as soon as I got my year-end bonus, I was jumping ship. As the saying goes, when you want nothing, you fear nothing. He told me not to bring him, so I was definitely going to bring him. I immediately ran outside to make a call. “Dad! You are forbidden from eating lunch today! Keep your stomach empty and come eat my corporate-slave-tears’ worth of food tonight!” 4 Because of my heroic deed this morning, no one dared to talk to me all afternoon. I was happy to have the peace and quiet. While slacking off, I scrolled past a forum post. 【URGENT! My first love is degrading herself, becoming the mistress of an old man… and she’s planning to bring him to the company gala to show off to me! What should I do?!】 ? Interesting. I rubbed my chin and clicked on it. 【Here’s the situation. My first love is a beautiful, kind-hearted girl. Although there’s a certain gap in our family backgrounds, I truly loved her. I always thought she left me back then to make a name for herself so she could be with me with peace of mind. But today I found out she’s actually degraded herself, becoming the mistress of a married old man… Tonight she’s bringing that old geezer to show off to me. Save me, guys, I’ve been crying non-stop!】 So tragic! The kind-hearted netizens were filled with righteous indignation and flooded the comment section with ideas. 【OP! Do you have a dog at home?】 【You mean I should let the dog bite him?!】 【Don’t talk nonsense. We live in a civilized society, biting people is not encouraged. I mean, if you have a Border Collie at home, it might be able to come up with some ideas for you. At least you wouldn’t be so lost.】 【OP, do you have toothpaste at home?】 【You mean I should bring it to humiliate him, tell him to brush his stinky old teeth?!】 【No, I’m almost out, I wanted to ask if I could use yours.】 【OP, do you have canola oil at home? Remember, it MUST be canola oil!】 【You mean I should bring it to mock him for being a middle-aged greaseball?!】 【No, canola oil is healthier. I can’t get used to other oils.】 … 【Hahahaha, I’m back. Thank you everyone for the comments, I’ve read them all! However, I am not the girl in the post, nor the guy in the post. I am myself, and I comment when I want to.】 【I’m a psychology major. In my professional opinion, you must be very anxious in this situation, but please don’t be anxious.】 【Don’t be sad, OP. Let me comfort you: the youth has the madness of youth, standing tall like mountains and rivers.】 【OP, I know what this is. This is the ‘groveling to win her back’ trope. First, make an appointment at the hospital for an abortion and put down his phone number. Then, buy a high-speed train ticket and run away. He will then use all his connections in City A to frantically search for you… That’s how it’s written in novels.】 The comment section was truly a case of “trouble in one place, chaos from all directions.” The original poster remained silent for a long time, then replied with a single question mark, looking even more pitiful. I had a moment of weakness. I thought about it and left a comment. 【It’s obvious that guy is bad news. He has a family and still comes out to seduce young girls. Even if OP’s first love sees reality and leaves this time, who’s to say other girls won’t be victimized in the future? OP, you seem pretty capable. I suggest you deal with that old man ruthlessly and solve the problem at its root!】 Perhaps because I appeared too normal amidst a sea of abnormal answers. Not long after, the OP added my account and sent me a large private red envelope. 【A true soulmate is hard to find!】 【Tell me, how should I deal with him?】 I clicked open the red envelope. One, two, three, four, five, six… The zeros were dazzling. I gasped and unilaterally declared— From now on, I will become the most loyal strategist for this “Why didn’t you tell me earlier” gentleman! 5 Regarding how to “deal” with the old geezer, I offered many constructive suggestions. Including but not limited to— Dropping a diaper and pretending it fell out of his pant leg; loudly asking whose dentures fell into the food; singing “Don’t Pick the Wildflowers by the Roadside” or “Perfume is Poison” during the gala performance. The OP was silent for a while. 【…A bit childish. Do you have anything more high-end? I want the kind that kills the heart without shedding blood.】 Yes, boss, I do. I deployed the knowledge I had accumulated over an entire summer. 【Did you know, there’s a secret technique to eliminate a romantic rival, and that is—make your rival fall in love with your fierce self!】 【When you and your first love become fans of the same thing, you’ll form the deepest bond! You’ll have a common language, a common goal, walking hand-in-hand on the path of love, no longer alone. Plus, you can endure the old geezer’s bad breath in place of your first love.】 【Once the old geezer falls for you, you hit him with a backhand report and send him behind bars. Not only will it make your first love give up on him, but it will also expose his true colors to his legal wife, and even ruin his descendants’ chances of getting government jobs. Three birds with one stone, how about that?】 【That’s so wicked… I mean, brilliant.】 【But Master, what if the old guy doesn’t like me?】 【Then you prepare a few more attacks, eventually something will hit the spot.】 【Thank you Master, I have reached enlightenment.】 The OP was a quick study and sent another massive red envelope. Playing the strategist for the first time, I stroked my non-existent little goatee, feeling quite satisfied. I clicked to collect the money. And realized that in just one short hour, I had already earned a year’s salary. I don’t need this crappy job anymore! I finally made it to the end of the workday, went home, and picked up my dad to head to the venue. As soon as he opened the door, I almost didn’t recognize him. The little old man had somehow produced a suit, even arranged a wig for himself, wore my mom’s thick gold chain around his neck, and pretentiously tucked a briefcase under his arm. “Dad?” “You’ve been retired for so many years, are you planning a comeback?” When my dad was young, he was a real estate agent (the unsuccessful version). He was clumsy with words, bad at selling, couldn’t bring himself to rip people off, and even often paid out of pocket to help poor people who couldn’t afford food. This led our family to struggle on the poverty line for years. Used to seeing my parents fight over money, once I got into college, I stopped asking for an allowance and started working part-time as a tutor for kids. Our university was in the suburbs, the environment was nice, and there were many villas nearby. While looking for work, I stumbled upon the biggest one. The first trial lesson. I took a deep breath and opened the door. An oversized child sat at the desk, his peach-blossom eyes curving, shooting me a charming wink. The door I had just opened, I closed again. I turned to leave, but his butler rushed out and stopped me. Crying bitterly, he said his young master was graduating and going abroad, but his English was terrible. They had brought in a bunch of teachers, but only I was left. He begged me to teach him. I shook my head. I am a person of principle. He pulled out a thick stack of cash. My eyes curved into a smile: “You’ve found the right person.” 6 Even though I lived a secluded life, I had still heard of this guy’s notorious reputation. Arthur Sterling, the little tyrant of A University. Arrogant, rebellious, with a terrible temper. He had once used his power to bully and bring over a dozen girls to tears. But I wasn’t afraid. Because I’ve heard a saying: a man’s psychology is the same as a child’s psychology. I was patient, gentle, and spoke nicely. Surprisingly, he behaved himself. During class, he stared at me unblinkingly, very focused. Although his homework assignments always made my vision go dark with errors, at least when I guided him hand-by-hand, he caught on. He was somewhat teachable. I thought to myself quietly, maybe… he wasn’t as terrifying as the rumors said. As they say, rumors are fiercer than tigers; maybe he was just slandered. I gradually let my guard down. Until one day, Arthur propped up his chin and asked lazily: “Teacher, do you mind student-teacher relationships?” … As the saying goes, there’s no smoke without fire. Rumors do have some truth to them. He wasn’t not messing with me, he just wanted to mess with me in a different way. If I said I didn’t mind. My teaching certificate would look at me in disappointment from heaven. If I said I did mind. This high-paying job would melt away like butter. Don’t do that, I still needed to save up to buy my mom a thick gold chain! After rapid brainstorming. I sat up straight, looking deeply pained. “Although I am undeniably a peerless beauty who makes fish sink and birds fall, eclipsing the moon and shaming flowers… before you speak, you should consider your status, right? The grand Young Master of the Sterling family, how could you possibly stoop to be with me? Do I deserve it? Can I reach that high? How can a toad like me hope to eat swan meat?!” I spoke with righteous indignation, just short of slapping myself twice. “Ah?” Arthur was stunned. “Sister, why would you talk about yourself like that? I just wanted to…” “Thinking about it is not allowed either! Thinking about it is a crime!” “Alright, considering this is your first offense, I’ll let it slide this time. Next time, you are not allowed to take me so seriously, got it?” “Come, look at the problem.” After much talking, I finally managed to fool him. I kept this lucrative, low-effort job, silently sticking my tongue out in my mind, celebrating my brilliance. Actually, after spending time with him, I realized Arthur was really good to me. When he saw me gnawing on plain steamed buns at noon, he would pinch his nose and toss me the bird’s nest and peach gum stewed with milk that his nanny made. The peach gum was soft and sticky, the bird’s nest sweet. After guzzling it for a month, my period cramps disappeared. When he saw static sparks flying from my polyester clothes, he threw me clothes he bought in the wrong size. That pink Hello Kitty collab sweater got me through the entire winter. It was the first time I knew clothes could be both warm and lightweight. Even so, I knew clearly in my heart that Arthur and I belonged to two different worlds. His confession to me. Was probably just a rich boy’s fleeting whim. I might as well take it as validation of my charm, smile, and move on. 7 Winter break passed, and my tutoring career finally came to an end. For the last class, Arthur was well-behaved and very calmly said goodbye to me. The heart that had been hanging in suspense finally settled down. The moment I stepped out of the villa, I waved to the man by the terrace, my steps light. Probably. I would never see him again for the rest of my life. The next day in Advanced Calculus, the young master smiled and waved at me: “Sister, what a coincidence.” Things got complicated. “Turns out we go to the same university. Looks like we have plenty of time ahead of us.” “If you don’t agree, it’s fine. I brought my tools.” ? Was this some trope where the wealthy heir aggressively throws money to pursue love? I was a bit excited, swallowed hard, ready to put up a token resistance before accepting that cold, heavy bank card. But who knew he’d pull out a hemp rope and wrap it around his neck circle by circle. “Sister, if you don’t agree, I’ll give you my life.” ? I always thought “giving your life for liberal arts” was a legend! How did I actually run into it? Who wants a useless thing like that?! That year, a mysterious legend appeared on the campus forum— A handsome guy, suffering too much from studying Advanced Calculus, openly used a swing in the classroom. From then on, the probability of humans being killed by Advanced Calculus was no longer zero. That year, for that class, the professor didn’t assign a single homework problem until finals. I guess that was the one good thing Arthur ever did.

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While I was pestering my aloof boyfriend to pick a boba tea flavor, the cashier suddenly spoke up in a passive-aggressive tone: “This offer is for couples only~” “Mistresses cannot participate.” By the time I snapped out of my daze, Liam had already paid for two cups of boba. He took my hand and led me away. Seeing I was upset, he gave a helpless, mocking smile: “It’s just an extra five bucks, is it really that big of a deal?” I was just about to argue. When we heard his neighbor exclaim: “Liam, your girlfriend has been home since noon, cooking dinner for you… “Are you doing right by her doing this?” 1 As soon as her voice fell, Liam’s apartment door was opened from the inside. A fair, plain-looking girl, holding a garbage bag, locked eyes with me— She didn’t panic in the slightest. Casually tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she smiled gently: “You must be Chloe, right?” “I’m Mia.” Then, Mia shot a playfully reproachful glance at Liam. “Chloe coming to Capitol City is such a big deal, and you didn’t even tell me~ “Bring her inside first. “I’ll go take out the trash. I haven’t made your favorite sweet and sour spare ribs yet.” I looked at the scene before me, feeling somewhat bewildered. For a moment, I genuinely didn’t know who Liam’s real girlfriend was. I instinctively tugged at Liam’s hand. Just as I was about to demand an explanation. Liam let go of my hand. Frowning with a serious expression, he took a step forward and said to Mia: “Your wrist is bothering you, didn’t the doctor tell you not to do chores?” Without leaving room for argument, Liam took the garbage bag from Mia’s hand. And strode onto the elevator. Leaving me standing there, my mind a mess. After a long silence, the neighbor lady finally gave an awkward laugh: “So she’s a relative from your hometown… Haha, I was wondering, since you and Mia are so in love… “And Liam is so handsome and upright, how could he bring a mistress home? “Sorry about that, it was a misunderstanding. I even wanted to stand up for you.” Having said that, the neighbor lady hurriedly carried her groceries into the apartment next door. But Mia had no intention of explaining. She merely pushed up her glasses, smiled, and opened the door. “It’s quite cold, hurry and come in. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll give Liam a call and ask him to pick up a package from the lobby. “If he doesn’t get it soon, we won’t have any cotton tissues to use.” I stood in the living room. Watching Mia bustling about, acting completely like the lady of the house. With a cold face, I finally spoke: “You know I’m Liam’s girlfriend, right?” 2 Actually, from the moment we bought the boba, I vaguely felt something wasn’t right. But Liam was as aloof, restrained, and indifferent as usual. It didn’t seem like there was a problem. Besides, I didn’t want to cause a dramatic scene in a public place. But now. Looking around Liam’s rented apartment, seeing the matching couple slippers and the room filled with pink items. I couldn’t maintain my dignity anymore. “Liam and I have been together for four years, and doing long-distance for just one, and you shamelessly insert yourself—” “What are you talking about?” Liam suddenly appeared, his stern voice cutting me off. He stood tall and straight, looking down at me from a commanding height. “Mia is the comrade I told you about, the one who studied for the grad school entrance exams with me. “As for the ‘girlfriend’ thing, it’s just a lie we tell to fend off unwanted attention for each other. “I am equally a beneficiary of this fake relationship. How can you have such malice towards Mia?” I pinched my palms tightly, trying my best not to let my tears fall. Mia smiled helplessly. Generous and understanding, she smoothed things over: “Liam, don’t be so fierce to Chloe~ It’s only human nature for her to think this way since she doesn’t know the truth. “She’s a young girl, it’s completely normal for someone so focused on love to subconsciously feel competitive. “This is why I told you not to tell her about this. See, she’s angry as expected, right?” I laughed out of pure anger: “Are you not a girl?” Mia let out an “Ah?”, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes: “I didn’t mean it like that. “It’s just that Liam mentioned you went to an ordinary college, and upon graduating, you just went with the flow and joined an ordinary company— “I just feel it’s a bit different from our… well, our value system of striving for the top.” She smiled sweetly and handed a glass of warm water to me. “Besides, you’re so pretty and know how to do makeup, unlike me, I have no aesthetic sense, I only know how to study. “Don’t worry, I’m planning to stay single forever. My life plan doesn’t include men. “So you don’t have to treat me as an imaginary rival~” The water glass hovered in mid-air. I didn’t take it. After a long while. The smile on Mia’s face became difficult to maintain. Until Liam chuckled lightly, took the glass, and intimately pulled me into his arms, saying affectionately: “Alright, we haven’t seen each other in months, how did you turn into such a little jealous pot? “The boba will get cold if you don’t drink it soon. I’ll give you mine too, okay?” Mia turned her head away, wearing a knowing “auntie” smile, and tactfully went into the kitchen. While Liam grabbed my hand, slipping it under the hem of his white shirt. “Want to inspect the eight-pack abs you love to see if they pass the test?” Instantly, a firm, warm sensation was transmitted from my hand. My face flushed red. I quickly pulled my hand back. Looking up at Liam’s ascetic, cold face. I suddenly remembered that when I first met him, he was as cold as an iceberg to all women. Only when he was with me would Liam show a different side. He spoke very seriously: “It really is just to fend off unwanted attention, nothing more. “We’re doing long-distance, don’t you even have this little bit of trust in me? “If you really can’t accept it, then hurry up and quit that job, come to Capitol City and end this long-distance—” “Oh right.” I almost forgot the purpose of my special trip to see Liam. I hesitated: “My boss values me highly and plans to—” I hadn’t even finished saying he planned to transfer me to the headquarters when a scream came from the kitchen. Liam’s expression changed drastically. “Mia, what happened?” I watched his tall, broad back as he hurried into the kitchen. Then I looked down at the message from my boss on my phone: [Have you thought about it?] I fell deep into thought. 3 To be honest. Out of this batch of newly hired interns, the opportunity to transfer to the headquarters was only offered to me and one other male colleague. It was a rare opportunity. But once I transferred, my relationship with Liam would face an even tougher situation. I couldn’t bear to let it go. After all, I put a lot of thought and effort into winning over this unattainable “flower on a high peak.” Just as I was agonizing over the decision. My boss sent another message: [I’ll give you three days to consider.] I breathed a sigh of relief. Put my phone away. And called out towards the kitchen: “What happened? Is everything okay?” 4 I had heard Liam talk about his “comrade.” A straight-A student from a small town. Supported by her entire family’s sacrifices to get to where she is today. Strong-willed, unafraid of hardship or exhaustion. So, even though I didn’t have a good impression of Mia, Seeing her pale face and pained expression now, my heart still sank. “Do we need to go to the hospital?” “Obviously.” Liam’s eyes were icy, showing no mercy. After picking up the frail Mia, he said coldly: “Mia knew you love double-cooked pork slices, so she wanted to make a plate for you— “That’s why her hand got burned by splashing oil while frying the meat. “Chloe—” He looked at me, enunciating every word: “Did you know her dream is to become a doctor? “If something happens to Mia’s hands, her dream will never be realized.” I looked at Liam in astonishment. I couldn’t believe it. That these words would come from someone usually so rational and calm. “Chloe, I’m so sorry my presence has brought you trouble.” Mia’s voice trembled, tinged with a sob as she spoke: “But right now, I need your boyfriend to take me to the hospital. “Don’t worry, we only pretend to be a couple in front of outsiders. We haven’t crossed any boundaries. “Today is a special circumstance, I didn’t expect the hot oil to splash while frying meat… My original intention was just to…” “It’s not your fault, you don’t need to grovel like this.” Liam said while grabbing his phone: “Even if it were a complete stranger, I would take them to the hospital.” He carried Mia in his arms horizontally. Looking at me expressionlessly, he ordered: “Open the door.” I pondered over Liam’s words. Feeling somewhat confused. It’s not her fault, is he insinuating— That it’s my fault? 5 After Liam and Mia left. I stood alone at the door. I stood in a daze for a long time. Then I replied to my boss: [No need to consider. [I’ll go.] When Liam’s mother called. I was discussing the details with my boss. Her voice was as kind as always: “Chloe, have you seen Liam yet?” I gave a muffled “Mm,” “I saw him.” Full of grievances, I didn’t know where to start for a moment. Just as I was about to speak, I heard Liam’s mother say earnestly: “A few days ago, Liam and I talked on the phone, and he was hesitating to speak. “I knew he had something hard to say. “After pressing him repeatedly, he finally said he wanted your Uncle Vance to use his connections to get you a job at a big tech company over in Capitol City…” She sighed. “Hearing him, I felt pretty bad. “After all, you are his first love, and your personalities complement each other so well. It’s only in front of you that Liam can relax and be himself. “You’ve been doing long-distance for so long, I guess he can’t stand it anymore but feels bad asking directly…” My deadened heart instantly reignited. I confirmed, somewhat nervously: “Really? I thought—” “Of course! When I said no problem, Liam was so incredibly happy.” Liam’s mother stated definitively: “Since he was a child, he never showed his emotions openly. It was the first time I’d seen him like that. “So Chloe, when are you quitting your job—” I took a deep breath. “Thank you to you and Uncle Vance for your kindness, but I have no plans to quit my job for now.” I interrupted her very softly, speaking gently: “I really like this job. “My bosses also value me highly. “I can’t give all this up for Liam. A big tech company is great, but it might not be suitable for me.” Seemingly not expecting me to refuse. The other end was quiet for a long time. Then Liam’s mother gave an awkward laugh: “You chased Liam for so long back then, this is a good opportunity… “It’s fine, Chloe, think about it some more…” I wanted to say “no need to think about it,” but I felt Liam’s mother had good intentions. I could only give a slow “Mm.” 6 After hanging up the phone. I stood in the empty room. Let out a long breath. Prepared to leave. But at a glance, I saw a small gift box on the floor— It must have fallen out of Liam’s pocket when he left in a hurry. As if possessed. I stopped and picked it up. Inside was a pair of dazzling, sparkling diamond rings. From Darry Ring. A brand where a person can only customize one ring in their lifetime. And the purchaser was indeed Liam. Connecting it to what Liam’s mother had just said. A sudden wave of guilt washed over me— So, Liam had already been considering our future. And here I was, acting out of spite, planning to leave without communicating with him. I calmed down. Put on the ring. Ready to call Liam. But his name jumped onto the screen first. I clicked answer, impatient to speak, “Liam, you left something behind, right?” “Mm.” Liam hadn’t expected me to answer so quickly, showing a bit of surprise before calming down again. “Mia’s wound has been treated, no major issues. She just needs a dressing change tomorrow morning, and then she can leave. “Sorry, I was too anxious earlier.” He paused, his voice hoarse. “Do you have time now to help me—” I looked at the striking diamond ring on my ring finger, thinking of the happy times I spent with Liam. I answered preemptively: “I do. “I can.” Liam’s tone became much more relaxed, chuckling lightly: “That’s good. “Mia’s period started early, and the sanitary pads she usually uses are in the compartment of the bathroom cabinet. “I didn’t want to bother you, but Mia is alone at the hospital, and I can’t leave. Her constitution is weak, so she can’t just use any brand you’d buy at a random store—” Mia’s voice calling out came from the other end. Liam quickly sent his location and hung up. My smile was still frozen on my face. My hand was still suspended in mid-air. Only the beep beep beep of the disconnected call remained in my ears. Seeming to remind me: The dream was over. 7 After thinking it over repeatedly: We are all adults. Ending a relationship should be done clearly face-to-face to do justice to these four years. Thirty minutes later. I stood in the emergency room lobby. I spotted Liam and Mia at a glance. In the noisy, chaotic environment, only the two of them seemed to exist in a tranquil bubble, completely out of place. As if sensing something. Liam happened to turn his head. And locked eyes with me. He looked at me, then looked at the bag in my hand. He curled his finger casually and freely, like an enchanting fairy from a myth, his voice also gentle: “Chloe, how can you be so cute?” Saying that, Liam raised an eyebrow and smiled at Mia: “I told you, my girlfriend isn’t the petty type. “See?” Mia’s face looked ugly for a second. She gave two perfunctory laughs. Only when she lowered her eyes did the darkness in them flash by. Liam didn’t notice. He was just focused on taking the things from my hand. The next second. He suddenly noticed the diamond ring on my hand. His expression changed drastically. “Why are you touching other people’s things without permission?” Before I could react. He coldly took the diamond ring off my finger. “Mia has been pestered by a senior recently, so she used the money she saved for a long time to buy these rings. “It’s just to make others believe she has a boyfriend and that their relationship is very strong. “It’s to fend off bad romances—” Liam’s eyes were cold, seemingly forcing himself to stay calm and lowering his voice. “I know you are very anxious about the progress of our relationship. “But you can’t just take other people’s things as your own like this.” I kept my head down. Looking at my somewhat red finger, I couldn’t help my eyes tearing up. No wonder it was so hard to put on. I thought I had gained weight, turns out… Just as the atmosphere was tense. The male colleague who was supposed to transfer with me initiated a video call. On the other end, he smiled brilliantly and freely: “Only half a month left before we have to leave. “Hey Chloe, when are you coming back to hand over your work?” … Clatter. The things in Liam’s hands fell all over the floor. His eyes were deep, his voice hoarse: “Hand over your work? “Chloe, where are you going?”

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The moment I sat in the passenger seat of my husband’s car, I knew he was cheating on me. The seat was reclined to an angle that clearly indicated a pregnant woman had been sitting there. Just as I was about to confront him, I suddenly saw a barrage of comments floating across my vision. [Will the female lead’s baby really be okay locked in the trunk by the male lead?] [It should be fine for a little while. He just needs to find a chance to get rid of the yellow-faced wife later.] I froze. Trunk? Baby? Yellow-faced wife? So, my husband’s mistress is currently locked in the trunk? Heh, things just got interesting. My mom’s Husky has been having diarrhea lately. Why don’t we take him for a nice, long ride on the highway and stir things up a bit? 1 “Why are you here? Didn’t you say you were getting your nails done today?” My husband, Arthur, tapped the steering wheel impatiently. But my mind was entirely focused on the comments I had just seen. And those comments were currently attacking my sanity, which was on the verge of snapping. [What a bitch, insisting on clinging to our male lead.] [The two of them finally got some alone time, and she had to come and ruin it.] I forcefully yanked the seatbelt out. I turned my head and stared directly into Arthur’s eyes. “Why is this passenger seat reclined to this angle?” Arthur’s pupils shrank suddenly. Before he had time to come up with a good lie, he blurted out some nonsense. “Oh, this? The car wash guy adjusted it.” I laughed: “When did you go? Don’t you usually make me take the car to be washed?” Arthur turned his head to look out the window, his hands continuing to tap rhythmically on the steering wheel. The sound was incredibly annoying. I wanted nothing more than to grab his fingers and break them one by one. [Why is this supporting female character so annoying? What’s there to question?] [Exactly. No wonder the male lead doesn’t like her; she gives him zero space.] I leaned forward: “Cat got your tongue? There’s dust and dirt everywhere. You call this a car wash?” Arthur’s body visibly stiffened. [This part is a bit funny. The male lead doesn’t seem very smart.] [Right? Locking our precious female lead in the trunk… what kind of smart person does that?] [Our female lead is probably rolling her eyes in the trunk right now.] What? She has the nerve to roll her eyes? I’ll let her roll them all she wants today! Arthur pulled his hands back from the steering wheel and turned to hold mine. “Hey, the car wash guy was just getting ready to wash it when I suddenly remembered it’s your dad’s birthday today.” I raised an eyebrow: “And?” “And so I rushed out to buy a gift for your dad!” I followed the direction of his finger and looked towards the back seat. Sure enough, there was a gift bag sitting there. 2 [I’ll give this round to the male lead.] [But he bought that for the female lead’s baby’s dad! It’s not fair!] [It’s fine, it’s fine. He’s spending the supporting female’s money anyway. He can buy another one next time.] I grabbed the gift bag from the back seat and looked inside. Wow, he really went all out. Two cartons of premium cigarettes, two bottles of expensive liquor. This must have cost at least a thousand dollars, right? I twitched the corner of my mouth: “Alright then, just take me straight to my parents’ house.” Arthur’s fake smile froze on his face, the corner of his mouth twitching uncontrollably. I reached out and pinched his neck: “What’s wrong with you? Having a seizure? Do we need to go to the hospital?” Arthur coughed repeatedly from my pinch. He irritably pushed my hand away: “Cough, cough! I still have some things to take care of. You get out first, and I’ll come pick you up later.” I smiled: “What things? I’ll go with you.” Arthur’s eyebrows were furrowed so tightly they could crush a mosquito: “Just some stuff with my buddies. Be a good girl, get out, and I’ll be back soon.” [Hurry up and get lost, old lady.] [Yeah, I’m dying of anxiety. If you don’t leave, our precious female lead won’t be able to hold on.] I sat up straight, looking forward. “Since you’re in a hurry, you get out and take a cab. I’ll drive over and give the gifts to my dad.” Arthur panicked and slammed his hand on the dashboard: “Chloe, why are you being so unreasonable! Making a grown man take a cab to run errands, where’s my dignity?” I looked at him expressionlessly: “This is my car. You’re a grown man who didn’t even have a car to drive before we got married. Why didn’t you care about your dignity then?” Hearing me say this, he choked, his Adam’s apple bobbing anxiously. A few seconds later, he replaced his expression with a gentle one. He coaxed me softly: “Okay, okay, you’re right. It’s my fault. Be a good girl, and I’ll come pick you up as soon as I’m done.” I pushed his hand away: “No, I want to drive to my parents’ house. Besides, I need to use the car too. “You’ve been hogging the car for months, making me take cabs and the subway every time. It’s my turn to use it.” Only then did I realize why he hadn’t let me touch the car for the past few months. It turns out he was taking his mistress to her prenatal appointments. Heh, pretty good treatment she’s getting. 3 [This supporting female is really annoying me. Her car, her car. She doesn’t save any face for her own man.] [Exactly. Can you blame the male lead for not wanting her? Is he really a playboy?] [That’s right, the male lead cheating is purely this supporting female’s fault.] [If she had shown even a little bit of gentleness and love to the male lead, things wouldn’t have come to this.] I sat up straight, refusing to get out of the car. “Either you drive me to my parents’ house, or you get out, and I’ll drive myself.” Arthur let out a long breath. He probably realized I was determined to dig my heels in. Left with no choice, he reluctantly agreed. “Fine, I’ll drive you to your parents’ house, but you have to let me go once we get there. Don’t delay my buddies’ business.” I didn’t say anything. Let you go? You wish. [What is this supporting female doing? Why is she so clingy.] [The female lead’s baby is already suffocating in the trunk.] [Is she experiencing chest tightness again? That happens when you’re five months pregnant, especially in stuffy air.] [Yes, yes, yes, the female lead’s baby’s face is flushed red.] [Good thing her belly isn’t too big yet, otherwise I really wouldn’t dare imagine how she’d survive in such a small space.] I sneered inwardly. If she really dies in there, it won’t be my fault. I didn’t know she was having an affair in my car. And I wasn’t the one who dragged her pregnant belly into the trunk. Just like that, Arthur drove toward my parents’ house, restless and irritable the whole way. I sent a message to my mom in advance: [Feed Max some laxatives. I’m coming over right now to take him to the vet. The vet said he needs to take laxatives first to make it easier to get a sample.] My mom replied quickly: [That’s great! Max has been having diarrhea and vomiting for days. Hurry up and take him.] I glanced at Arthur; he kept checking the time, probably calculating how much longer the cargo in the trunk could last. I happily leaned back: “Oh, the weather is so nice today. I really want to go for a drive in the suburbs.” Arthur’s face instantly went pale. “Ancestor, please don’t mess around. I really have things to do today.” [Can the male lead slap her a few times? Watching this is making me furious.] Go slap your own mother! 4 As soon as we parked below my parents’ apartment, we saw my mom standing there holding Max. The moment she saw us, she stamped her feet anxiously. “Oh my, you’re finally here. Any longer and I was afraid Max wouldn’t be able to hold it.” Arthur refused to get out of the car. He impatiently urged me to hurry up and take the gifts upstairs. My mom looked at him in surprise: “Are you that busy on a weekend? You don’t even have time to get out and say hi?” I turned and glared at Arthur. “You’re really exaggerating. You live in a house my mom bought, drive a car my mom bought, and you disrespect her like this.” Arthur couldn’t hold it in anymore; he roared at me. “Are you fucking done? I told you my buddies have an emergency, and you still fucking drag this out!” [Beautiful! Well done, male lead!] [Finally grew a spine and taught this damn supporting female a lesson.] [Satisfying! He should have done this to her ages ago.] Arthur angrily gripped the steering wheel tight: “Hurry up and take the gifts up to your dad. I don’t have time to waste with you; I have important things to do!” My mom looked at me in shock: “Chloe, did you two have a fight?” I squeezed my mom’s arm and took Max from her. “No, don’t worry.” I opened the back door and shoved Max inside. Arthur glared at me: “What are you doing putting this dead dog in the car? Didn’t I tell you to grab your things and leave?” The more anxious he got, the happier I felt: “Max is sick. My parents are going out for a gathering later, so I have to take him to the vet.” Hearing this, he excitedly pounded the steering wheel. “I’ve told you a million times I’m in a hurry! What will it take for you to stop pestering me?” [Look at how he’s forcing our male lead. Is this something a normal person would do?] I slammed the back door shut, marched straight to the driver’s side, and yanked the door open. “If you’re in a hurry, grab a cab and get the hell out! How many times do I have to tell you? This is MY car!” Arthur visibly panicked. He was so nervous he didn’t know what to do, his eyes constantly darting toward the digital clock. “Fine, fine! Let’s hurry up! I’ll navigate to the nearest vet right now. “But let’s be clear this time. Once I drop you and this dead dog off, you have to let me go immediately.” 5 [Oh my god, our female lead is doing really badly.] [Boohoo, the baby is so pitiful. Her face is pale, and she’s having trouble breathing.] [Our baby won’t die, right? I’m begging this supporting female to do something human.] I opened my phone and located a vet twenty kilometers away. “No, we have to go to this one. Only the vet here understands Max. If we go anywhere else, I won’t get out of the car.” Arthur gritted his teeth so hard I thought they might break. The look he gave me was practically setting me on fire! But he had no choice. He could only floor the gas and head that way. Good, this is exactly the feeling I wanted. He was driving so erratically it made me sick. And Max in the back was even more miserable than I was. So the one in the trunk must be the most miserable of us all. [The car is too fast. Is the female lead’s baby getting carsick?] [Hold it in, whatever you do, don’t throw up, otherwise you’ll be discovered.] I smiled in satisfaction. At that moment, Max seemed to have caught the scent of the stranger in the trunk. He kept sniffing the back of the seat. Arthur looked in the rearview mirror, muttering angrily. “Dead dog, what are you sniffing at? I bet he’s not even sick, just faking it. “Your whole family loves to fake it. Your dad fakes being important, and your mom fakes being deaf and dumb.” I waved my hand dismissively: “Yeah, yeah, yeah, and the husband I married loves to fake being a big shot.” Arthur was so angry he slammed on the gas, and my body was thrown forward involuntarily. The seatbelt jerked me back hard, and for a moment, my stomach churned. Just then, a foul stench drifted over from the back seat. I quickly covered my nose and mouth and looked back. Fantastic. I don’t know when, but Max had thrown up a massive puddle. He was so nauseous from Arthur’s erratic driving that he was currently squatting in the back seat, having explosive diarrhea. That watery liquid was seeping through the cracks in the back seat and flowing into the trunk. [Holy shit! It’s flowing all over our female lead’s baby.] [So disgusting! The female lead’s baby can’t hold it in anymore; she’s going to throw up.] [Oh no, oh no! Is the supporting female going to discover the female lead? Help!] At that moment, Arthur glanced back, and that one glance made him panic completely! In his desperation, he slammed on the brakes. “Fucking dead dog! I’m going to kill you!” Heh, funny. You’d better think about the consequences of braking suddenly on the highway for no reason first! 6 Arthur had been in such a hurry that he finally managed to squeeze onto the expressway. Braking suddenly at 75 mph, even if the car behind was maintaining a safe distance… It still slammed right into us. The driver behind us got out of his car, cursing. Meanwhile, Arthur was opening the back door, trying to drag Max out. “Fucking dead dog! Today I’m going to throw you right here, and you can just die here!” I anxiously stepped forward to stop him, but Arthur’s eyes were already red with rage. “Get down from there, or I’ll beat you to death right here!” Saying that, he pulled a hammer out from somewhere in the back seat. He was about to smash Max’s head in. I snatched the hammer from his hand. “Don’t you dare, Arthur! If you harm a single hair on Max’s head today, I’ll fight you to the death!” The driver of the car behind us stood by our car, arms crossed, roaring at us. “Are you two fucking crazy? Braking suddenly on the expressway? There’s no car in front of you! Get ready to pay up!” Arthur finally calmed down a bit. [The supporting female is such a troublemaker. I really want to reach in and slap her twice.] [Hurry up and throw her and that dead dog on the highway, and take our female lead to the hospital.] [Yeah, the female lead’s baby can’t hold it in anymore. Look, what’s that seeping through her fingers?] [She threw up! Our female lead’s baby threw up, so pitiful.] Not enough, this is still not enough. The comments haven’t given me the answer I’m looking for yet. Arthur immediately plastered on a fake smile, approaching the man like a lapdog to apologize. The guy was huge; one punch could probably knock both Arthur and me flat. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, big bro. It’s all my fault, all my fault. Just name your price, and I’ll transfer the money right now.” How could that be? That would mean he’d get away in ten minutes! I would absolutely not allow that to happen. I suddenly raised the hammer I had just snatched and smashed it hard onto the trunk lid. Thud! A loud noise startled everyone, making them look at me. “I did nothing wrong! Why are you saying it’s our fault? If you had maintained a safe distance, would you still have hit us?” The big guy’s expression had just softened, but my provocation instantly made it turn red again. He rolled up his sleeves and was ready to come over and beat me: “What did you say? You’re not leaving today! Call the police! I’m calling the police right now!” 7 Arthur was so anxious he was about to cry. He turned around and gave me a hard shove, making me stumble. “What is wrong with you? It was originally our fault. Just pay up and let’s go.” I simply sat my butt right on the trunk lid, conveniently deepening the dent I had just made. [Move your big butt! Damn supporting female.] [That hit just now already knocked our female lead’s baby unconscious.] [It’s over, it’s over, the female lead has lost consciousness. She’s not going to die, is she?] [Boohoo! So pitiful. She finally had a chance to escape her family of origin and be saved by the male lead, only to end up here.] [Yeah, I was still waiting for the male lead to get his hands on the supporting female’s family fortune and marry our female lead’s baby into the family.] [And then the female lead’s baby would return to the university campus, get her master’s and Ph.D., and reach the pinnacle of life.] [Damn supporting female, relying on her good family background to bully our female lead.] I tightened my grip on the hammer, a faint smile playing on my lips. Escaping her family of origin, wanting to return to campus. Heh, I finally know who you are. I raised the hammer in my hand and frantically began smashing the trunk lid, clang, clang, clang. “Call the police then! Do you think I’m scared of you? See this? It’s my car, and I can smash it if I want to! “You fat pig, don’t even dream about scamming money out of me!” “I don’t even want this car anymore. When the police come, I’ll tell them you caused all the damage.” [It’s over! The female lead’s baby has completely lost consciousness.] [She’s starting to foam at the mouth.] [What do we do? The male lead needs to think of something fast. The female lead is bleeding down there, she might lose the baby!] The big guy was so angry his face turned red and pale by turns. He rolled up his sleeves, ready to come over and beat me up. “Come on! Hit me! If you dare touch a single finger of mine, I’ll completely destroy my car today! “I’ll call a tow truck and have it hauled straight to the scrapyard, crushed into a flat piece of scrap metal.” “I’ll blame it all on you, tell them you hit it. Let’s see what you can do to me!” “Nyah nyah nyah, you fat pig, you fat pig covered in rolls of fat.” That completely enraged the big guy. He roared and charged forward, swinging his fists to smash into my body. I nimbly spun around. His two massive fists smashed straight into the trunk. Thud! Arthur’s legs gave way, and he fell straight to his knees.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394686”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My sister cried. It wasn’t a happy cry. When I showed her the positive pregnancy test, she froze for three whole seconds. Then, the tears started falling. “Sis?” She didn’t speak. She grabbed a tissue, wiped her eyes, and turned away. I thought she was happy for me. Arthur and I had been married for eight years without a child. Now, we finally had one. But the way she cried was wrong. Her hands were shaking. When she left, she stood at the door for a long time, her lips moving, but no words came out. The next day, she came back. Holding a manila envelope. Inside the envelope was a divorce agreement. Blank. “Chloe,” she looked at me, her eyes red, “think very carefully before you decide to keep this child.” 1 I thought my sister had lost her mind. “Sis, what do you mean?” I pushed the envelope back. A divorce agreement. Blank. What was she trying to say by bringing this to my house? “You and Arthur are doing fine, right?” she asked instead of answering. “Of course we are.” “Has he been working a lot of overtime lately?” “Yes. He just got promoted to Project Director. It’s normal to be busy.” “How late does he stay?” “Eleven or twelve, sometimes later.” “When he’s working overtime, does he pick up when you call?” I paused for a second. “Sometimes he doesn’t. Bad reception. He says there’s no signal in the company’s underground parking garage.” My sister put down her cup. Her hands were still shaking. “Chloe, have you… ever checked his phone?” “Check his phone?” I found it funny. “Sis, I’m not that kind of person. A husband and wife need to trust—” “Check it.” She cut me off. Her voice was soft, but very firm. “Just check it once. Tonight, after he falls asleep, check it once.” I looked at her face. She didn’t look like she was joking. She had dark circles under her eyes and cracked lips, like she hadn’t slept in days. “Sis, what is going on? Can’t you just tell me directly?” She opened her mouth. Then closed it. “I can’t tell you directly,” she said. “Because you won’t believe me. You’ll just think I’m trying to drive a wedge between you two.” “You’re my sister—” “I’m your sister, which is exactly why you won’t believe me.” She stood up. “You’ll think I’m jealous that you married well, that I can’t stand seeing you happy because I’m divorced.” That stung. My sister got divorced three years ago. Her ex-husband cheated. She left the marriage with nothing, raising her daughter alone. “Sis, I’ve never thought that—” “I know.” She picked up her bag. “That’s why I’m not telling you. Go see for yourself.” She walked to the door and stopped. “Chloe.” “Yeah?” “No matter what you see, remember one thing—you are not alone.” The door closed. I stood in the living room, still clutching that manila envelope. It was very light. But I suddenly felt it weighed a ton. Arthur came home very late that night. Eleven forty. He brought a gust of cold air in with him. Seeing me still sitting on the sofa, he smiled. “Not asleep yet?” “Waiting for you.” “Silly, you’re pregnant. Get some rest.” He placed his phone on the shoe cabinet in the entryway—it was a habit of his, put the phone down first, then change shoes. I used to think this was his self-discipline—not looking at his phone when he got home, focusing on me. Today, staring at that phone, I suddenly felt it looked like a locked box. He went to take a shower. The sound of running water started. I sat on the sofa, looking at the phone on the shoe cabinet. My sister’s words echoed in my ears: Check it. Just check it once. I didn’t move. The water stopped. He came out, drying his hair, and saw me still sitting there. “What’s wrong? Spacing out?” “Nothing.” “Go to sleep early, I’ll take you to your prenatal checkup tomorrow.” “Okay.” I followed him into the bedroom. Lay down. Turned off the light. His breathing soon became even. I lay there with my eyes open, staring at the ceiling in the dark. The phone was in the entryway. His breathing was heavy. I didn’t move. Not because I didn’t dare. Because I didn’t want to. If there was nothing in that box, I would have suspected him for nothing. If there was— I closed my eyes. But I couldn’t fall asleep. At 2 AM, I got up to use the bathroom. As I passed the entryway, I stopped. The phone was on the shoe cabinet, screen down. I picked it up. The passcode was my birthday. He had never changed it. Thinking this, I entered the six digits. It unlocked. WhatsApp. Three pinned chats. The first one was me. Nickname “Wife”. The second was his mom. Nickname “Mom”. The third— The nickname was a house emoji. 🏠 No name. Just a house. I tapped it. The newest message was from tonight at 9:17 PM. A photo. In the photo was a little boy, wearing dinosaur pajamas, lying on a bed laughing. Below it was a line of text: “Your son won’t sleep, waiting for you to come back.” 2 I put the phone back on the shoe cabinet. Screen down, exactly as it was. I went back to the bedroom and lay down. Arthur rolled over, his arm draping across my waist. “Mmm… cold?” “No.” His hand was very warm. I stared at the ceiling in the dark, completely still. The little boy in the dinosaur pajamas looked about two years old. He had big eyes and monolids. Arthur has monolids. I didn’t sleep all night. The next morning, Arthur got up and made breakfast. Tomato and egg noodles. He was busy in the kitchen wearing an apron. He turned around and smiled at me: “Want a fried egg? You need the nutrition now that you’re pregnant.” “Okay.” I sat at the dining table, looking at his back. I had looked at this back for eight years. Eight years ago, he made four thousand a month, and I made six thousand. The apartment we rented was on the fifth floor, no elevator. Every day when he came home from work, he would first carry the groceries I bought upstairs, then go back down to park his electric scooter. Five trips back and forth. Later, when we bought a house, we didn’t have enough for the down payment. I borrowed eighty thousand from my mom, fifty thousand from a classmate, and withdrew all my 401k. He said, “Wife, when I make money, I’ll definitely pay you back double.” Later, he changed jobs and his salary went up. He changed jobs again, and it went up even more. From making four thousand a month, to eight thousand, to fifteen thousand, to an annual salary of two hundred thousand, to four hundred thousand. When his salary went up, he said, “Don’t worry about the money anymore, I’ll manage it.” I thought he was just being considerate. He took over the household finances. He transferred five thousand to me every month for living expenses, and said he saved the rest. “When we save enough, we’ll buy a bigger house.” I believed him. For these eight years, I managed the household expenses, paid the mortgage, and sent his mother two thousand every month. He said the rest was invested, saved. I never asked for specific numbers. Because I believed him. I thought of what happened last winter. November. Our wedding anniversary. I took a half-day off and went to the market at 3 PM. I bought his favorites: sweet and sour spare ribs and braised fish. I also bought a bouquet of flowers. I rarely buy flowers. Too expensive. But that day I thought, we’ve been married seven years, let’s be a little romantic. By 6 PM, dinner was ready. Four dishes and a soup on the table. The flowers were in a water glass; I didn’t have a vase. At 7 PM, he wasn’t back. At 8 PM, I called. Phone turned off. At 9 PM, a text: “In a meeting, be back late.” I took the flowers out of the glass. I still needed to use the glass. At 11 PM, he came home. “Did you eat?” “Yeah, company ordered takeout.” The four dishes on the table were stone cold. A layer of white fat had solidified on top of the sweet and sour spare ribs. “It’s fine,” I said. “I’ll just heat it up.” He didn’t notice the flowers. Nor did he remember what day it was. I heated up the spare ribs and ate them myself. Thinking about it now—when he didn’t answer his phone at 9 PM that night, where was he? Who was he with? Was that child in the dinosaur pajamas calling him “Daddy”? Breakfast was served. Tomato and egg noodles, with a fried egg. “Eat while it’s hot.” He sat across from me, smiling. I looked down and ate the noodles. The noodles were very hot. I ate very slowly. “Arthur.” “Yeah?” “What time did you get back last night?” “A little past eleven. Didn’t I tell you? We’re rushing a project.” “Mhm.” I continued eating. He got up to clean the kitchen. I heard the sound of the faucet. After finishing the noodles, I washed my bowl. He was putting on his coat, getting ready to leave. “Might be late again today. You go to sleep first.” “Okay.” The door closed. I sat back on the sofa. I took out my phone and sent my sister a message: “Sis, you were right.” She replied in three seconds. Like she had been waiting. “What did you see?” I didn’t reply. Because I didn’t know how to say it. I sat for a long time. Then I stood up and put the dirty clothes he wore last night into the washing machine. A receipt fell out of his coat pocket. A mall, basement level. Children’s clothing store. Amount: $85. Item purchased: Children’s puffer jacket, blue, size 3T. Size 3T. That’s the size a two-year-old child wears. 3 My sister came over. This time she didn’t beat around the bush. She brought a binder. Clear, filled with documents. “This is what I’ve collected over the past six months.” She placed the binder on the coffee table. I didn’t touch it. “Six months?” “Yes. Six months ago, I saw his car in the mall parking lot. A woman was sitting in the passenger seat. There was a child’s car seat in the back.” I looked at her. “You saw it, and you didn’t tell me?” “I wasn’t sure at the time—” “You weren’t sure, so you investigated for six months and still didn’t tell me?” She didn’t speak. “Lily,” I called her name. “Six months. You hid this from me for six months.” Her tears started falling. “I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to handle it. You had just been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, you hadn’t even had the surgery yet—” “So you made the decision for me?” “No—” “How are you any different from him?” I said. That was harsh. I knew. She was different. She wasn’t Arthur. But at that moment, I couldn’t control myself. Six months. Half a year. I slept in the same bed with that man every day, cooked for him, washed his clothes, got pregnant with his child—and my sister knew he was lying to me, watched me being deceived, and said nothing. My sister cried with her head down. I sat across from her. I didn’t cry. “Give me the binder.” She pushed it over. I opened it. First page: a photo. A screenshot from parking lot security footage. Arthur’s car, a woman with long hair in the passenger seat, and indeed a car seat in the back. Second page: an address. East side, Emerald Gardens, Building 3, Apartment 1402. “I followed him,” my sister said. “Twice. Both times to this address. Once he stayed the whole night, once on a weekend afternoon, he stayed for four hours.” Third page: property records for Emerald Gardens. Owner of 1402: Sarah Jenkins. Purchase date: Two years and three months ago. “Your husband paid for this apartment,” my sister said. “Put it in her name.” I flipped to the next page. A screenshot of a Venmo transfer. Arthur → Sarah Jenkins. The 8th of every month, $2,000. Note: For this month. Six consecutive months. Six screenshots. $2,000 times 6 is $12,000. And that’s just the six months my sister followed him. What if we calculate from two years ago? $2,000 times 24— $48,000. I calculated my monthly household budget. Arthur transferred $700 to me every month. $300 to his mom. I paid the mortgage, $900 a month. My monthly salary was $1,700. After deducting the mortgage and household expenses, my monthly balance was negative $200. Negative. I was losing $200 every month, making up for it with my year-end bonus and overtime pay. And he gave that woman $2,000 every month. I closed the binder. “Sis.” “Yeah.” “Thank you for collecting this.” “Chloe—” “But I don’t want to talk about you hiding this from me for six months right now.” She opened her mouth. “Wait until I’m done dealing with Arthur, then we’ll talk about that.” I picked up the binder and stood up. “You should go, Sis. He gets back at seven.” When my sister left, she stood at the door for a moment. “If you need anything, call me.” “Okay.” The door closed. I sat alone in the living room. There were two glasses of water on the coffee table; she had barely touched hers. It was getting dark outside. There was still some leftover rice in the kitchen from lunch. I went into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and took out two eggs. I made a plate of egg fried rice. Ate it alone. Washed the dishes. Wiped the table. Then I sat on the sofa, waiting for Arthur to come back. At 7:20 PM, the door clicked. “Wife, I’m home! Early today.” He smiled as he changed his shoes. “Hey, you cooked? What smells so good?” “Egg fried rice. Your portion is in the pan, serve yourself.” “Great.” He went into the kitchen. I watched his back. I had looked at this back for eight years. Today, for the first time, I felt it was the back of a stranger. 4 For the next three days, I did nothing. Went to work as usual. Came home as usual. Cooked as usual. Spoke to Arthur as usual. But I started paying attention to his phone. Details I hadn’t cared about before now each felt like a needle. He always went to the balcony to make phone calls. His screen auto-lock time changed from thirty seconds to ten seconds. He took his phone into the bathroom when he showered—he never used to do that. On the third night, he worked overtime again. Didn’t get home until eleven. I smelled laundry detergent on him. Not our brand. We used Tide. He smelled of Downy. “Worked so late at the company?” “Yeah, rushing a proposal.” “You worked hard.” “As long as my wife cares about me.” He smiled and kissed my forehead. The smell of Downy pressed close. I didn’t pull away. And I didn’t say anything. On the fourth day, I took a day off. I went to Emerald Gardens. East side, a forty-minute drive. It was a small, well-landscaped complex, the kind of small apartment popular with young people. Building 3, Apartment 1402. I stood downstairs and watched for a while. The windows on the fourteenth floor had pink curtains. Clothes were hanging on the balcony—a man’s white shirt, a woman’s dress, and some very small children’s clothes. It looked like a home. Another home. I sat in a bakery at the entrance of the complex for two hours. At 10:30 AM, a woman pushing a stroller came out. Long hair, wearing a beige coat and sunglasses. A little boy was sitting in the stroller. Wearing a hat with a dinosaur pattern. The child from the photo. She pushed the stroller to the park next to the complex. Sat on a bench. The child got out of the stroller, walking unsteadily. He tripped and burst into tears. She bent down, picked him up, and coaxed him. The child stopped crying and hugged her neck. She took out her phone and snapped a picture. I knew exactly who she was sending that photo to. At noon, I went back to my car. Sat there for a long time. Then I opened Arthur’s banking app—the password was his mom’s birthday. He had asked me to remember it for him when he registered. He didn’t know I actually remembered it. Credit card statements. I scrolled down line by line. A jewelry store: $11,500. Dated three months ago. I hadn’t received any jewelry. A postpartum care center: $4,500. Dated May of two years ago. May of two years ago. I was on a business trip that month. Away for half a month in Chicago. Arthur had texted: “Take care of yourself, wife. Miss you.” That month, he was accompanying another woman during her postpartum recovery. An early childhood education center: Annual fee $2,400. Payer: Arthur Sterling. A children’s photography studio: $500. A children’s clothing store: Multiple transactions, ranging from tens to hundreds of dollars. I exited the app. My hands rested on the steering wheel. I realized my fingers were shaking. I took a deep breath. Took out my phone. Flipped to the photos of my sister’s binder— The transfer records my sister took photos of were only for six months. But the banking app records went back three years. Three years. A fixed monthly transfer of $2,000 to Sarah Jenkins. That’s $72,000 in three years. Add in the jewelry, postpartum center, early education, children’s clothes, and daily expenses— I did a rough calculation. Over $110,000. And my savings over these three years— I opened my own banking app. Balance: $4,888.21. My entire life savings from an eight-year marriage. I bought a cup of coffee at the bakery. Held it in my hand. Didn’t drink it. Sat there until the coffee went cold. Then I threw it away and drove home. On the way home, I made a phone call. “Sis.” “Chloe? What’s wrong?” “Page three, that apartment in Emerald Gardens. Did you find the property records?” “I did. 650 square feet, registered in March 2022, bought in cash, total price $125,000. Owner is Sarah Jenkins. I couldn’t trace the source of funds—” “I found it.” The other end of the line went quiet. “$125,000. He bought her an apartment.” “Chloe—” “Adding the monthly transfers and other expenses, in three years, it’s at least $210,000.” My sister remained silent. “I’ve been married for eight years, and my savings are $4,800.” “Chloe, listen to me—” “Sis, do you have that woman’s background info in your binder?” “Yes. Sarah Jenkins, born in 1994, went to the same college as Arthur.” College alumni. Arthur had told me he never dated in college. “And their child’s birth date?” “January 2023.” January 2023. I counted backward. That means she got pregnant around April 2022. April 2022— That was the month Arthur and I were trying for a baby. I was taking folic acid. He told me: “Don’t stress, let nature take its course.” Let nature take its course. I tried for two years and couldn’t get pregnant. She got pregnant. “Sis.” “I’m here.” “There’s something I don’t understand.” “What?” “I tried to get pregnant for two years and couldn’t. I went to the hospital, they said I was fine. The doctor said he was fine too. But I just couldn’t get pregnant.” There was a long silence on the other end of the line. “When you get home,” she said, her voice very low, “go check around your water dispenser. See if there’s anything there that shouldn’t be.” 5 I didn’t go check the water dispenser immediately. Because my sister’s words carried too much weight. I needed to confirm it myself. That night, Arthur worked overtime until eleven as usual. I opened the drawer in his study. The bottom drawer. He said it was for old documents and warranties. I searched for five minutes. Tucked deep inside an envelope full of receipts, I found a blister pack of pills. White, in aluminum foil packaging. The print was very small. I held it up to the light. Ethinylestradiol and Cyproterone Acetate Tablets. Birth control pills. More than half the pack was gone. Seventeen pills were missing. These were not my pills. I had never taken birth control pills. This pack of pills was in his study. And the water I drank every day—he always poured it. Every morning, he got up earlier than me, boiled the water, poured it into my cup, and placed it on my nightstand. “Wife, have some water before you get up.” He’d been saying this for over two years. I thought he was considerate. I sat in the chair in the study, holding that blister pack. I stared at it for a long time. I didn’t cry. I just felt cold. Cold seeping out from my bones. I took out my phone and snapped a picture. Then I put the pills back exactly where they were. Put the envelope back. Closed the drawer. I walked to the bathroom. Turned on the faucet. The water ran for a long time. I splashed water on my face. Looked up at myself in the mirror. I was thirty-one. There were fine lines around my eyes. He said: “You work so hard, wife.” He said: “Go to sleep early, wife.” He said: “When we save enough money, we’ll buy a bigger house.” While saying all these things, he was crushing a birth control pill into my water cup every single day. Making sure I couldn’t get pregnant for two years. Because the woman over there was already pregnant with his child. He didn’t need two. I turned off the faucet. Dried my face. Walked out of the bathroom. I sat in the living room. And opened my laptop. I opened Excel. Eight years of accounts. I calculated every single penny. Mortgage: $900 a month. Eight years is $86,400. I paid the first three years entirely by myself—his salary was low then. Later, he got a raise and said, “I’ll take over the mortgage.” But the bank account for deductions was never changed. It was always my card being charged. Down payment: The money I borrowed and my 401k withdrawal, totaling $30,000. Household expenses: He transferred $700 to me monthly, but actual expenses were $1,000-$1,100. I covered the difference. Eight years, I subsidized at least $30,000. Allowance for his parents: $300 a month. Eight years is $28,800. He said, “I transfer it to my mom.” But for three years, I transferred it directly—because he “forgot.” My year-end bonuses: For eight years, all went toward paying back favors, covering household deficits, and buying gifts for his family during the holidays. Total— I calculated it three times. $212,000. Over these eight years, I had poured $212,000 into this home. While he had spent at least $210,000 on that woman in just three years. My eight years. Her three years. I opened my sister’s binder and flipped to the property page. Emerald Gardens, $125,000 paid in full. Our own house, I paid the $30,000 down payment, and we still owed $88,000 on the mortgage. He bought his mistress a house in cash. He gave me a mortgage. I closed the laptop. Picked up my phone. “Sis.” “I’m here.” “Help me find a divorce lawyer. The best one.” “Already found him. Attorney Davis. Tomorrow at 3 PM.” She had prepared everything six months ago. “Thank you.” “Chloe, are you still mad at me?” “Yes.” “…” “But I’m going to deal with Arthur first.”

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Because I couldn’t be bothered to talk, I made everyone think I was mute. The school’s bad boy thought I was incapable of speech. Every day, he’d tell me about the pain his family caused him. I listened to him babble on, annoyed beyond belief. So one day, I beat the crap out of all the debt collectors looking for him, leaving them half dead. Then I turned around and grabbed him by the throat. “You little mute, you…” “Shut up.” I kissed his lips. Ignoring the emotions in his eyes. A stray dog without an owner. I’m taking him home. 1 The first time I met Arthur was in the school counselor’s office. I was sleeping on a bed behind a curtain. He had just driven the counselor away in a fit of rage, then started flipping through his own file. “Arthur, eighteen years old, violent tendencies, lacks empathy, absent family upbringing…” Arthur read the description of himself from the file while yawning. “What is this nonsense?” He laughed at his own file, then said: “I’m a very kind-hearted good guy.” I kept my eyes closed, remembering what the counselor had just said: he instigated a group fight and then ran away himself. What a “good guy.” I don’t know if anyone ever taught Arthur that disturbing someone’s sleep without permission is very rude. Anyway, when he pulled open the curtain next to me, I didn’t open my eyes. Five seconds later— “Stop faking it. Why pretend to sleep when you’re clearly awake?” I opened my eyes, and Arthur’s distinct, handsome, yet infuriating eyes looked straight at me. I didn’t say anything. “What? Faking sleep isn’t enough, now you’re faking being mute?” I pinched my thumb and index finger together and moved them from one side of my mouth to the other. It meant: Zip it. Arthur froze for a second: “Sign language? You really are mute?” I reached out and tapped the file he was holding. My information was in there too. “Chloe, eighteen years old, speech impairment, introverted, antisocial personality, low desire to communicate.” Arthur put down the file and looked back at me: “So you really are a pitiful little thing.” Let him think whatever he wants. I closed my eyes again. I pretend to be mute precisely to avoid interacting with idiots like this. “Hey, why did you close your eyes again? You haven’t told me what that sign language meant.” I rolled over, turning my back to him. Even without sign language, that action clearly conveyed my meaning. Piss off. … 2 If I had known from the start how annoying Arthur was. I might have actually graced him with an explanation on the very first day we met. The next day, out of habit, I pulled open the curtain in the counselor’s office. And froze when I saw the person lying on the bed. Arthur acted as if he had been waiting for me for a long time. He propped his head up, lying on his side, and waved when he saw me: “Oh, little mute, we meet again.” I ruthlessly yanked the curtain shut again. The third day. The fourth day. The fifth day… By the seventh time I saw Arthur smiling and waving at me, I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed him by the collar, raw anger in my eyes. He twisted my arm and pinned my hand down, still smiling: “Don’t be mad. If you tell me what that sign meant the other day, I won’t fight you for the bed anymore.” After two years, I pulled out my phone again to explain the meaning of a sign to another human being. Arthur looked at the two words I typed out, “Zip it,” and fell deep into thought. “The little mute has a pretty fiery temper, huh? Just like this…” He pulled out a picture of a Jalapeño pepper from Plants vs. Zombies to show me. … For the next two days, Arthur didn’t steal my spot again. Just as I was thinking my days could finally return to normal, Arthur was called into the counselor’s office once more. “Arthur, I hope you can hold some goodwill towards this world instead of blindly using violence to solve problems. Violence is never the most effective solution.” Arthur’s lazy voice sounded: “Doctor, you’re overthinking it. It was just self-defense.” “Self-defense?” The counselor’s tone was laced with obvious disbelief. “Arthur, I’ve seen too many students like you. In reality, most people use self-defense as an excuse to minimize their actions. But ask yourself honestly, weren’t you the one who actually provoked the incident?” Arthur laughed softly: “It’s really strange. How did someone like you, who thinks so highly of himself, become a psychological counselor? Is the school really that desperate?” 3 The counselor slammed the door and left. Arthur pulled open the curtain next to me: “Little mute, you heard all that, right?” I plugged my ears. Arthur crouched down and pulled one of my hands away from my ear: “Alright, stop faking. Make some room for me?” I opened my eyes. It was only then that I noticed the cut on the corner of his mouth. Arthur stood up and got onto the bed, but how could that poor, tiny bed fit two well-developed teenagers? The bedboards creaked loudly. Just as I was contemplating how to kick him off. The door to the counselor’s office opened. The counselor, holding a thermos, froze in place when he saw the position we were in. And just like that, both Arthur and I were banned from entering the counselor’s office again. I walked up to the roof, and Arthur followed right behind me. Until I turned around and gave him the sign for “get lost.” “That means… you want me to leave?” I looked at him and sneered internally. Reality is far crueler than you imagine, idiot. Seeing I didn’t say anything, his intuition told him he guessed right, so he said: “Little mute, I was misunderstood. I need comforting.” Looking at his smiling face, I always felt he wasn’t asking for comfort. He was asking for a slap. I wouldn’t give him what he wanted. So, I patted him on the head like I was petting a dog. Arthur’s facial expression went blank for a second. But very quickly, he resumed his smile. “Do you come to the roof often?” I didn’t answer, raising my hand to open the roof door. It was locked. I frowned, and before I could react. Arthur pressed up behind me. He leaned against my back, reaching forward with a key in his hand. With a click, the door unlocked. Arthur’s smiling voice sounded from behind me: “After you, little mute.” 4 Arthur gave the key to me. “It’s my fault you can’t sleep in the counselor’s office anymore. You can hang out here from now on.” I typed on my phone and showed him: 【Will you come?】 “Do you want to see me?” He leaned down to look at me. I typed: 【Forget it if you’re coming.】 … Arthur broke his promise to come less often. Out of seven days, he came five times. He even brought his test papers and candy with him every time. Probably because we knew each other now, I started running into him frequently. Sometimes I’d see him staring blankly out the window, sometimes feeding stray cats, sometimes getting confessed to. Arthur was popular with both guys and girls, but his answer was always the same: “Wake up, we’re at the age where we should be studying.” A guy who looked like a total slacker loved advising others to study. What a fake. “Little mute, want some candy?” I was leaning back against the wall, my hands behind my head, eyes closed. I didn’t say anything, just opened my mouth slightly. The next second, an orange-flavored candy was popped into my mouth. But following it were fingertips. I opened my eyes and looked sharply at Arthur. He had already pulled his hand back, looking as if he hadn’t expected me to lick his fingers. I had gotten used to Arthur feeding me candy, mostly because rejecting him was too much trouble, but it had always been lollipops. So this was the first time this happened. His Adam’s apple bobbed: “That…” I looked at the fresh scratches on his face, took a deep breath, and looked away. I’ll spare your life. Because I looked away again, I missed seeing Arthur staring blankly at the finger I had just licked. 5 The more time we spent together, the more Arthur talked. The day he talked the most was the day he got beaten the worst. The sky was nearing dusk, and other students had gradually left after school. I took off my headphones and just opened my eyes. The roof door opened. His usually clean school uniform was covered in mud and dirt, his hair was a mess, and his face was covered in large and small cuts. Great, a face that could easily have been the school’s heartthrob was now barely fit for a host club. He walked up to me holding a bag of medicine, smiling a very ugly smile: “Little mute, help me put some medicine on?” When I saw the shocking wounds on his back, I furrowed my brow. Arthur seemed to feel he should explain, so he said: “This is from fighting for the position of mafia boss…” I pressed the cotton swab hard into his wound. “Hiss…” He drew a sharp breath of cold air and quickly changed his tune: “It was from debt collectors.” I switched to a new cotton swab, dipped it in iodine, and applied it to his wound. “But they aren’t my debts. I’m an upstanding young citizen.” Still joking around even when talking about serious things. I couldn’t be bothered to respond. “It’s debt my dad owes.” Arthur seemed to find the situation a bit awkward. He felt his pockets; no more candy. Then he checked another pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He stared at it for a while, then put it back. Then he pulled it out again. I snatched the cigarettes from him and tossed them into the trash can. He froze for a moment, then suddenly started laughing. Listening to his laughter, I thought he had been beaten crazy. “My mom was trafficked. After I was born, she ran away. When I was 13, my dad racked up a bunch of gambling debts and ran away too.” The setting sun cast a glow on half his face. The blood had long dried. I listened quietly, my hands never stopping the application of medicine. “But I’m lucky. My grandma came looking for me. She gave me a sum of money. It wasn’t enough to pay the debts, but it’s enough for me to finish college.” I’ve never seen someone live like this and still say they were “lucky.” But I wasn’t interested in what he was saying. I just thought it was incredibly rare that someone like him hadn’t turned into a scumbag out for revenge against society. After all, living like this, there was no hope to be seen. 6 After bandaging the wounds on his back, he turned his face toward me. I wiped the dried blood off his face, then applied ointment. As I rubbed the ointment in circles around the corner of his mouth, he stared at me, completely motionless. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I pressed a clean finger against his lips, then slipped it inside. Arthur opened his mouth, looking like he was about to suck my finger in. But I pulled it out. Looking at his thoroughly red ears, I remained expressionless, but my stomach was doing flip-flops. I knew I shouldn’t hang out with idiots all the time. Now look what happened. I’ve become an idiot too. Since that day, the dynamic between Arthur and me became subtle. Simply put, Arthur started initiating physical contact with me frequently. Feeding me candy involved touching my lips, leaving together meant he’d grab my wrist, and sometimes when he was half-asleep doing test papers, he’d rest his head on my shoulder. Of course, I knew he wasn’t actually sleeping. Purely faking it. I had threatened him, but it was also true that he didn’t listen at all. And because he was badly injured that day, rumors flew around the school the next day. Even someone like me, who slept on their desk during class, heard the students in front of me discussing him when I woke up. “He definitely got into a fight again. After all, right after school started, he fought a dozen thugs and beat them all down.” “Oh my god, so that was true! I always thought it was just a rumor…” “How could it be a rumor? If it were, would everyone in school be so afraid of him? They even crowned him the school boss.” It made sense. I nodded, then kicked the chair of the student in front of me. The two of them turned around, and I gave them the sign for “quiet.” This was the sign I used most frequently with them. So, after turning back around, they consciously kept quiet. I looked out the window, a question surfacing in my mind. Are debt collectors really that good at fighting?

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My mom was forced into a divorce. The instigator was my aunt. Because she only wanted me, my mom was forced by my aunt to leave with nothing. On the day of the court verdict, in front of everyone, I declared that I wanted to live with my dad. That year, I was 12, and my revenge had just begun. 1 The one who “successfully usurped the throne” was my biological aunt. She was only 26 that year, with a pretty face, a seductive figure, and eyes full of cunning. Unfortunately, such a “beauty” had never found a match. Most likely because she had a cousin whose father was unknown. My grandparents worried sick about her. Even on their deathbed, they urged my mother to take good care of her “immature” sister. To fulfill her parents’ dying wish, my mother kindly took care of my aunt. I didn’t expect my aunt to climb straight into her brother-in-law’s bed. My mother, who had always been gentle and mild, couldn’t bear the sight and fell ill immediately. Young as I was, I still remember her tearful, “tragic” display by my mother’s bedside. “Sister, I really couldn’t control my feelings…” “Besides, for all these years, Robert… I mean, brother-in-law and I have had feelings for each other.” “Moreover, this isn’t the first time he’s done something like this.” A paternity test completely destroyed any remaining love my mother had. It turned out that my cousin, whose background was unknown, was actually my half-sister! The double blow from her husband and sister made my mother bedridden. My aunt was still the same aunt, but I finally saw clearly the wolf’s eyes she couldn’t hide under sheep’s clothing. Young as I was, it seemed I grew up in an instant. During the height of summer, whenever my aunt came, she would always cry her eyes out, asking my mom not to be too hard on them for the child’s sake. Just when my mother thought she still had a shred of conscience and wanted to “settle it internally” for my sake, Unexpectedly, her real thought was… “Sister, just divorce brother-in-law.” “Your daughter has already enjoyed the warmth of a family for 10 years, it’s time for our Mia’s turn.” “Mia, quickly beg your aunt!” She dragged her 5-year-old cousin right up to my mom’s sickbed. “Please, Auntie, you already have a sister, please give Mia’s daddy back to Mia.” My cousin was really “a big drama queen in a small body.” While bowing to my sick mother, she actually started crying directly. Ha, how shameless. 2 Although my mother felt uncomfortable, what happened had already happened. In the eyes of my shameless aunt, she had gained the upper hand. She stopped going to the job she had been introduced to, stayed at our house every day, and stubbornly demanded an explanation. “Anyway, the child is here. You can kill us or do whatever you want.” My aunt pushed my cousin forward, looking as if she were at our mercy. “Auntie, I beg you, don’t hit me.” My little cousin was even more ridiculous. Her eyes were like faucets; her acting skills were so refined she could cry in three seconds. For a time, the house was always filled with the child’s crying and my aunt’s roaring, making everyone anxious and restless. In such an environment, my mother was both annoyed and agitated. Over the next few days, I continued to hear arguments between her and my father. Those unbearable truths painted a “dirty picture of adults.” For several days in a row, whenever night fell, I couldn’t sleep, so I could only wander aimlessly around our old house. My father’s ancestors had always been in business, and by his generation, they were already wealthy. Since my parents got married, I had been living in this old house left by my grandparents. Even if some of the wood had problems, my father would rather seal off the rooms than dismantle them easily. “This place holds all my childhood memories. If I tear it down, it will lose its flavor.” My father was a sentimental and nostalgic person, and he was very gentle and considerate to my mother. To be honest, my dream used to be marrying a man like my father. But I didn’t expect that without the filter, my father would turn out to be even more unbearable than an ordinary person. Below the stairs, I caught a glimpse of my father sitting alone at the bar, drinking. During the few days my mother was exhausted, he also looked increasingly haggard. “Robert, why aren’t you sleeping yet?” A soft female voice came. Late at night, I caught sight of the figure I had already guessed. My aunt, wearing a light green silk nightgown, stood under the light, stretching her waist, graceful and charming. “I can’t sleep, do you want a drink with me?” She held a bottle of wine in one hand and held a slender wine glass with the other. When I grew up, I often wondered why my father fell for it back then. After thinking about it, the only answer is—human frailty. The more concentrated the mind, the easier it is to get distracted. There are no absolutely rational people in the world, especially in an environment full of temptation. Never fight against human nature; you will inevitably lose terribly. 3 After Mia’s identity was exposed, my aunt moved in openly. My mother’s complexion worsened day by day, but apart from shedding tears, there seemed to be no substantial progress. My aunt took root in our house with unprecedented speed. She gradually replaced the servants and the driver. By the time my mother reacted, she had no one available by her side. My father, probably also “too lazy to argue,” just hid at his company. Only my mother and I were left at home. Every day at the dining table, my aunt and Mia acted more like the true masters of this house; even the seats were swapped. “What exactly are you trying to do?” My mother’s spirit was near collapse, but my aunt was still smiling. “Sister, I just want Mia to have a better life. You’re a mother too, you definitely understand me.” My aunt’s foxy eyes were smiling, but that touch of ruthlessness always sent a chill down my spine. It wasn’t just my mother; Mia’s “invasion” towards me also slowly began. She said she liked my room and moved in. She didn’t kick me out but insisted on sharing the room with me. Every evening after dinner, she would always call my father’s office and then quickly hang up after I entered the room. “Sister, do you know? I’ve envied you so much since I was little. Every time you came to grandma’s house, you wore different clothes.” “At that time, I really hoped you would grow up faster, so that when you couldn’t wear those clothes anymore, you could give them to me.” “But now, I have new clothes too.” She held up a long dress and showed it to me. The floral long dress reached her ankles; it was clearly my size. Mia’s behavior was bizarre and confusing, tormenting me constantly. Finally, my mother lost her composure, sat down with my aunt, and laid her cards on the table. She asked what it would take for my aunt to leave. I thought my aunt would fly into a rage out of humiliation, or even tear off her mask, but what happened was unexpected… “I’ll leave this afternoon, the tickets are already bought.” My aunt answered very straightforwardly; let alone my mother, even I was stunned. “Sister, take care of yourself.” “Are you really…” “Really, I mean what I say. Even if you beg me, I won’t come back.” The next day, my aunt did indeed leave with Mia. Everything happened so fast, but it dissipated with unusual ease. “Chloe, everything that happened recently is over.” My mother’s comforting smile looked exceptionally weak. Looking back at the few months since my aunt arrived, it really felt like a nightmare. Autumn wind blew in from the window, and I felt a bleak chill. The green plants my aunt gave us when she arrived had grown, and their leaves were swaying with the wind. Will she really leave so simply? My doubts were confirmed three days later. My father, who had been hiding for weeks, finally returned home, but it was to argue with my mother. It turned out my aunt had anonymously reported my father. “If it weren’t for my friend at the stock exchange tipping me off, do you know how serious the consequences would be? Can you stop provoking your sister? You really know how to cause trouble.” My father was truly panicked. So much so that he even forgot why my aunt came in the first place. Helpless, my mother still called my aunt. She didn’t answer the whole day; it wasn’t until late at night that my mother’s phone kept ringing. “Sister, you were looking for me.” “What exactly do you want? Where are you now? Let’s talk this over properly.” “You’re asking me to come back, right? Then I’ll set the conditions. Divorce. Except for the child, you take nothing.” Compared to my mother’s hoarse voice from anxiety, my aunt’s voice was noticeably light and thin. Ringing in the quiet midnight, it had an indescribable eeriness. Like a death warrant from a grim reaper. It suffocated my mother like she was dying. 4 Sure enough, the consequence of my mother’s compromise was divorce, leaving with nothing. My father also “kindly” stated that my mother could take me away; mother and child are connected by heart, he understood. Leaving with nothing? Although I was still young, from the reminders of others, I still understood that my aunt wanted to drive my mother out of the house. She didn’t want to give my mother a single penny of the money that should have belonged to her. My mother could also go to court and sue my father for bigamy, but she still didn’t want me to have a tainted father, so she chose to endure. I wanted to urge my mother to sue; I wasn’t afraid of my father having a stain. But my mother insisted that I was small and my considerations were not comprehensive enough. Ultimately, during the divorce mediation, when the court pronounced the verdict, to my mother’s astonishment, I chose my father. Because I wanted to protect my mother; she absolutely must not have nothing. Because she couldn’t get my inheritance rights, my mother finally calmed down and proceeded with the divorce mediation with my father, ultimately taking away a small portion of my father’s net worth. The scene I caused in court really made my aunt panic for a while. Her wishful thinking was not perfectly realized because of my sudden change, but soon, she accepted this fact. “If you like calling me aunt, keep calling me that. If you don’t, you can call me whatever you want.” “The family has its rules; call me what you should.” My father, “freshly remarried,” was completely bewitched; every word he spoke was defending my aunt. “Then sister should just call her mom with me.” Mia also blinked her big eyes, looking innocent. Since my mother was forced to leave, I got to see my aunt’s methods. In terms of understanding my father, my mother really couldn’t compare to this “latecomer.” Compared to my mother’s care and interaction as a wife, her attitude towards my father was more like to a boss. She could easily control my father’s emotions and state her demands at the most appropriate time. My aunt was like boiling a frog in warm water, step by step restricting my father’s emotions. My aunt provided the best emotional value to my father, but to me, it was endless psychological suppression. My aunt would from time to time “display family warmth” in front of me. But when my father wasn’t around, she would mock me in various ways. Fortunately, I, who understood my situation, learned self-control. When it was really unbearable, I went to see my mother. As long as my mother was there, my life wasn’t too hard; for my mother, I had the courage to persevere. My aunt would grow old, and I would eventually grow up too. When that time came, I would be able to protect my mother completely. Having a clear goal, I put all my energy into my studies. My studies were as good as ever, and I could win places in various competitions. But not long after, using “my health” as an excuse, my aunt gradually reduced my various skill classes. Without money to renew the fees, I had to say goodbye to the things I liked, but Mia walked my old path and became the “beloved pupil” of those teachers. Even so, my aunt was still worried about me “overusing my brain.” In my first year of high school, she rarely studied my various grades. Without my consent, she arbitrarily changed my career direction, switching from liberal arts, which I liked best, to science. “I’m doing this for your own good.” Every time, she would strike me and then smile brightly at me. I looked at her; she gradually got crow’s feet, but that ruthlessness was only more terrifying than before. I knew the reason why my aunt was restraining herself was that she hadn’t gotten her biggest “bargaining chip” yet. Just half a year after I entered school, I finally heard the news. “Sister, I’m going to have a little brother.” Mia happily announced to me. This time, she didn’t even bother saying “we,” but directly used the word for herself. After being away from home for half a year, I finally learned that my aunt had been pregnant for over 7 months. Even though she was an older pregnant woman, she put a lot of thought into it, and the pregnancy was very stable. 5 Shortly after learning about my aunt’s pregnancy, I took advantage of the weekend to visit my mother. After the divorce, my mother, who got the dividends, quickly started a new life. With growing experience, my mother started her own small business. Although it couldn’t compare to my father’s industry, compared to her past life as a full-time housewife, it was a “qualitative leap.” I occasionally met with my mother; she was still gentle, but the light in her eyes was somewhat diminished. “Mom, actually, after so many years, if there is a suitable person, you can remarry.” I had this idea long ago. But I was too young before to dare mention it to my mother. Now, my aunt is about to secure her position in the family completely because of her child, while I, who originally thought I could drive this mother and daughter out of the house after I grew wings, in fact, not only made no progress, but my aunt is now “elevated by her child.” “I’m tired, I’m not looking anymore.” My mother stroked my face, very affectionately. “When you get into college, you can date, and then mom will check them out for you.” “I’m not looking, I’ll just be with mom for the rest of my life.” I shyly snuggled in my mother’s arms, enjoying a rare moment of warmth. As the sun set, I also said goodbye to my mother. She stood behind me, waving and telling me to be careful crossing the street. A pregnant figure entered my mother’s shop after I left. Three minutes later, my mother rushed out crying. She was too sad; tears overflowed her eyes, blurring her vision. When I turned around and ran forward, I only heard a loud bang, and after a huge impact, my mother’s crying abruptly stopped. Not far away, my aunt was sticking out her pregnant belly, looking at all this with an innocent face. 6 Six years later. Looking at the Golden Glory Building in front of me, I smiled comfortably. I had been back here for a week, but I hadn’t contacted anyone. Now, I was no longer the little orphan girl who lost her mother, but a top student from Yale with an MBA. Giving up a high salary in the US, I resolutely chose to return to my home country. Everything was because of a man I had never met. That person was the “ideal son-in-law” my aunt had her eye on. I heard my aunt had secretly arranged for him to interact with Mia for a long time, just waiting for Mia to graduate to finalize this matter completely. That man was very mysterious; after checking for a long time, I didn’t know much either. I heard he was someone from the province’s largest enterprise—the Sterling family, a year older than me. “Aunt, your daughter should taste the suffering my mother went through.” I found my father’s old “rival,” and with his help, I passed the interview at the man’s company using a completely clean identity. “Miss Vance, please wait a moment, the president’s meeting will be over in half an hour.” Today was the final round of my interview for the president’s secretary position. In the office behind me sat my examiner for today. He was also my aunt’s most desired “ideal son-in-law,” Mia’s future “fiancé.” Since she gave birth to a son six years ago, my aunt’s status as a wealthy wife has been secured. Mia also became the veritable eldest miss of the Wang family. At this point, everything is ready except for a decent marriage. As for me, not only because I wasn’t 18 at the time and my inheritance could only be kept by my guardian father, I was also “sent overseas for further study overnight” by my aunt without a penny. I lost not only my mother but also my surname, which was changed to my mother’s maiden name. “My sister left early, we must leave a memento.” From then on, I was logically kicked out of the scope of heirs. In a foreign land, without even a high school diploma, I managed to earn my pre-university tuition by washing dishes in Chinatown. For six years, I didn’t contact anyone. Naturally, they didn’t pay attention to me either. My aunt would never know that, thousands of miles away, I still thought of “her” all the time. Over the past few years, my father and she seemed glorious, but in reality, it was just an empty shell. I had originally intended to wait until their foundation was a bit more solid before returning. But now… Calculating the time, I stood up and walked towards the pantry. When I returned to the waiting area with a coffee, the door to the president’s office happened to just be closed. I knocked on the door. “Come in.” A pleasant male voice sounded from inside, gesturing for me to enter. “Hello, President. I am Chloe Vance, here for the secretary interview today.” I placed the coffee cup on the desk, but the man didn’t even look up. I carefully examined the man’s face. He looked very young, yet carried the aura of a king in power. To be honest, my aunt really had a good eye for choosing men. But would a “little white flower” like Mia really be this guy’s type? 7 The man was looking at documents on his own, not paying any attention to me at all. After a long while, he finally tapped the coffee cup lightly with his fingernail and then looked up at me. “I don’t like subordinates who take matters into their own hands.” The implication was that he was asking me to leave. “Today is Wednesday. What you wanted to drink should be Blue Mountain…” “But I don’t have the right to use the key to your exclusive locker, so I could only choose the best beans available on the counter.” “This cup is Mandheling, best for refreshing.” Rumor had it that Sterling Group was negotiating an acquisition with Sudilai Chemical, and the stock market was changing every day. Presumably, he must have been incredibly busy pulling all-nighters recently. “You can go out now.” This time, he scrutinized me carefully. At the moment I closed the door, I caught a glimpse of him picking up the coffee cup from the corner of my eye. I smirked. It seemed the result of my interview should be pretty good. … Just as I was about to celebrate my initial success, a late email disrupted my plan. “Sister Chloe, I’m sorry, I sent you the wrong photo.” The hacker I hired apologized profusely to me. Looking at the smiling but very unfamiliar face on the screen, my expression completely froze. If the man on the screen was my actual “brother-in-law,” then who did I meet today? Soon, I found out the answer. “I originally wanted to flirt with a rookie, but stepped on an eagle’s wing.” It turned out my aunt’s appetite wasn’t that big. The one she set her sights on was not the current big boss of the Sterling Group, Arthur Sterling, but his nephew—Julian Sterling. Legend has it that Julian lost his mother when he was young and was deeply involved in the battle for family assets, almost becoming a discarded pawn. Fortunately, he had a powerful uncle. Arthur, who was only in his twenties at the time, not only helped him protect his maternal family’s property but also set a trap for his brother-in-law’s company, slowly eating away and swallowing it up. Because of his childhood experience, Arthur has always carefully protected his nephew, not letting him fall deep into the complex business world. Julian, who only held a sinecure, was kind to others and had a very honest and sincere temperament. The face I interviewed with today appeared in my mind. He looked decisive and resolute, with “Don’t Mess With Me” written all over him from head to toe. “Really, he’s obviously an older guy, why does he look so young… If you had an old face, would I have made such a blunder?” There was no way around it; I had already flirted with him, so the only plan for now was to stay in the company first. 8 In the days that followed, while exposing my “shortcomings,” I continued to secretly collect information about Julian. This time, I didn’t make any more mistakes. Fortunately, Julian also worked at Sterling Group, just in a different department. My “feigned clumsiness” quickly wore out Arthur’s initial “good impression.” A week later, I received a suspension notice from HR. “Miss Vance, starting tomorrow you will no longer be the president’s secretary. If you are willing to accept a reassignment, you can still stay in our company.” No matter what, I had to stay first. I held my patience, started from the bottom, and constantly paid attention to internal transfers within the company. Through round after round of promotion exams, I finally got my wish and became the assistant to the Marketing Director, Julian. HR also finally sent the transfer order. Heh… Brother-in-law, it’s really hard to get to see you. … And just like that, I became Julian’s assistant. At work, I performed impeccably in professional aspects, but in human relations, I occasionally made some insignificant little mistakes. “Your family must have protected you very well; you can’t even read the room.” “I’m sorry, Director, it won’t happen again next time.” I looked a bit frustrated and lowered my head in anger. But the kind-hearted Julian wasn’t angry at all and even comforted me. “It’s okay, you don’t have to come to this kind of social event next time.” I was just about to argue, but instead received a look of affirmation from him. “Everyone has what they are good at, you don’t need to mind.” “…” In fact, Julian was the one who was best protected. So much so that he couldn’t see through my little tricks even once. Over time, my persona as a “confused elite” was firmly established. In today’s era of big data, I had already clearly figured out Julian’s preferences. Science shows that the so-called “dream lover” in people’s hearts is actually the idealized self that they have not yet reached. Men and women use the combination of “love and marriage” to fulfill the regrets in their hearts. I wasn’t sure if Julian would “make do and try” with Mia, but getting him to sincerely accept this marriage would be no easy task. Especially after I had already worked hard to mold an image infinitely close to his “dream lover.” … Late autumn was approaching, and the cemetery had become unusually desolate. Standing in front of the tombstone, the autumn wind blew the hem of my coat. My mother’s face on the tombstone was still beautiful, but it could no longer respond to my calls. “Chloe, is that you?” My father’s voice came from behind. The eye drops I deliberately put in took effect; after the soreness, tears fell right on cue. “Dad?” Turning around, my face was full of astonishment, and I took off my sunglasses. The man in front of me had long lost his bossy spirit from my memory; he had a potbelly, and his hair was slightly sparse. They say you are influenced by the company you keep. He really looked more and more like my aunt.

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When I woke up in the hospital, I was facing a handsome stranger. He babbled a whole bunch of things at me. I didn’t react at all. When he mentioned that we couldn’t get our marriage license for the time being, my brain finally started working again. “What marriage license?” I blurted out instinctively. “Our marriage license, Chloe. Did you hit your head and go stupid?” He reached out to touch my forehead, his movements incredibly natural. Is this a joke? I’m a beautiful young girl who just finished her high school finals. I’m not even of legal age to get married yet! Where did this scammer come from? 1 “Doctor!” I shoved the guy away and stretched my neck, yelling, “Doctor, come quick! There’s a bad guy here!” The doctor arrived quickly, followed by two nurses. They gave me a huge sense of security. I hid behind the kind-looking older doctor and loudly tattled. “I don’t know this guy! He’s trying to trick me into marrying him! He’s a human trafficker!” The handsome young man looked exasperated. “I know you’re mad. Getting the license is just delayed, not canceled. Mia didn’t mean to hurt you either. Don’t blame her—” “Where’s my phone?” I cut him off, looking at the doctor. “I need to call my parents.” “Your parents?” The guy frowned. “Your injury isn’t serious. There’s no need to alarm them. Seattle is far; it’s not easy for them to make the trip.” I was dumbfounded: “We’re not in Seattle?” The handsome guy was also dumbfounded. The doctor cleared his throat. “I was just about to tell you. The fall wasn’t too serious physically, but she hit her head. There’s some bleeding causing a hematoma that’s affecting her memory.” “Affecting my memory?” I muttered. “You mean, I have amnesia?” The doctor nodded: “Yes. But don’t worry, as the hematoma slowly dissipates, your memory will gradually return.” The handsome guy spoke up: “How long will that take?” “It’s hard to say. Could be a few months, could be a year or two.” I noticed the handsome guy visibly relaxed. After the doctor left, he picked up a women’s purse from the chair next to the bed, pulled out a phone, and handed it to me. “Since you have amnesia, there’s no rush for the license. But I really am your boyfriend. If you don’t believe me, look at the photos on your phone.” Lighting up the screen, the first thing I saw was the time and date in the center. 2025! But my memory was still stuck in the excitement of checking my scores after the finals. Six years had passed! 2 My attention shifted to the lock screen photo. It was a close-up selfie of two people cheek-to-cheek. The two people in the photo were me and the handsome guy standing in front of me. I unlocked the phone and opened the gallery. There were many photos of him. Judging from the angles, most were taken secretly. There were shots of him playing basketball, his profile while drinking water, and him sleeping with his head on a desk… “You actually took this many secret photos of me?” The guy leaned closer, his tone smug. “Now do you believe we’re a couple?” I pushed him away expressionlessly: “But I have absolutely no memory of you in my head. Stay away from me!” “Oh, then let me introduce myself.” His phone chimed. He picked it up and glanced at it, unable to hide the joy in his eyes. He typed a reply, his attention entirely on his phone, his tone casual. “I’m Ethan Vance. The boyfriend you stalked and shamelessly chased for a whole year before finally getting…” With a few simple sentences, he summarized my experiences over the past few years. As soon as I started college, I set my sights on Ethan, a rich kid, and became his ultimate lapdog. I followed him around constantly, impossible to shake off. I obeyed his every word. My behavior was high-profile and bold. Everyone at the university knew me. After more than a year of relentless pursuit, I actually succeeded. Ethan, the playboy, after a few brief flings and dumping several girlfriends, finally agreed to my pursuit. The whole school was taking bets on how long it would take for him to dump me. But surprisingly, a month passed, years passed, we graduated college, and we still hadn’t broken up. Recently, after I finished my master’s degree, Ethan even agreed to my proposal. He, who never posted on social media, made a high-profile announcement that we were getting our marriage license. Yesterday, we went to the courthouse together. At the entrance, he was called out. It was his childhood friend, Mia, who had been abroad for years. She bit her lip, grabbed his arm, and asked: “Can you not get married?” Angry, I got into an argument with her. In the scuffle, she tripped me. My head hit the steps, and I passed out. When I woke up, I was the amnesiac me of today. Ethan was still looking down, replying to messages, the corner of his mouth slightly raised. “Mia didn’t do it on purpose, and you just have amnesia, no serious physical harm. Don’t be unreasonable.” “She’s coming to visit you later. Be magnanimous and treat her nicely.” “She and I are just childhood friends who grew up together. Stop being jealous over nothing.” I took a deep breath and reminded him: “Did you forget? I have amnesia.” “To me right now, you are a complete stranger. Why would I be jealous?” Ethan put his phone in his pocket and leaned over me. His eyes were full of certainty. “Back then, it was love at first sight for you. You said my face was perfectly sculpted to your aesthetic.” “So don’t worry, you’ll fall in love with me all over again.” 3 I looked at the face mere inches from mine. Almond eyes, high nose bridge, thin lips, a sharp jawline. There was a hint of rebelliousness in his features. He gave off the vibe of an untamed boy from a comic book. He was indeed very handsome. But to say he was “perfectly sculpted to my aesthetic” was an exaggeration. I could only say he fit my aesthetic. He was a handsome guy. But my taste in handsome guys wasn’t limited to one type. I like almond eyes, but I also like fox eyes. Thick eyebrows and big eyes are nice, but there are plenty of handsome guys with monolids too. Pale, sweet “golden retriever” boys are lovable, but rugged guys with a bronze tan have their own charm. So, how could I have become his lapdog just because of his looks? I was absolutely certain his physical appearance didn’t hold that much attraction for me. While I was lost in thought looking at his face, a coquettish female voice came from the doorway. “What are you guys doing?” Snapping back to reality, I saw Ethan immediately straighten up, take two steps back, and eagerly put distance between us. He looked toward the door: “Mia, you’re here!” Saying that, he took the fruit basket from her hands and placed it on the small table next to the hospital bed. “Look, Mia even specially bought fruit for you. Stop being so petty!” The girl named Mia was wearing a floral dress, tall and slender. Her wavy long hair fell to her waist, her makeup was flawless, and she wore rimless glasses. She had an elegant, intellectual beauty. “Chloe, I’m sorry. Everything yesterday was my fault for causing you to get hurt.” Wearing stiletto heels, she walked to my bedside in three quick steps. Without giving me a chance to speak, she continued on her own. “I really didn’t mean it, I was just a little anxious.” “I didn’t want to ruin your wedding either, but Auntie specifically told me I had to stop you.” “You have to be understanding of her. After all, the Vance family has a massive business empire, and there are too many people approaching with ulterior motives. It’s only natural for Auntie to be afraid that you’re only after Ethan for his money.” “I don’t want you guys to get married right now either, but my reasons are different from Auntie’s.” “In my opinion, marriage is a serious matter. At the very least, both sets of parents should meet, right?” “You bypassing both families to get the license, isn’t that too childish?” “Also Chloe, even though Auntie refuses to see you, for Ethan’s sake, you should work hard to get her approval.” “Lowering your stance for love and pleasing your future mother-in-law isn’t shameful.” “How could you not even be willing to try, and just instigate Ethan to get the license directly?” “One more thing, I need to make my stance clear. Although Auntie has tried to set me and Ethan up more than once, I only see him as a younger brother and have absolutely no other thoughts.” I swallowed hard. Holy crap. That’s a lot of information to process. I need a moment to digest this. 4 My brain went into overdrive, quickly extracting useful information from Mia’s words. First, Ethan isn’t just an average rich kid; his family is extremely wealthy. Wealthy enough to create a massive class divide between him and me, who comes from a middle-class family. Second, our relationship did not have the support of our parents. Especially his mother, who suspected I was after Ethan for his money. She refused my requests to meet. Lastly, Mia subtly flaunted her extraordinary relationship with the Vance family. She and Ethan are childhood friends, so their family backgrounds should be similar. Most importantly, Ethan’s mother is her godmother. They have a close relationship. Ethan’s mother always wanted Mia to be her daughter-in-law. In just a few short sentences, she managed to provoke me and show off. This Mia is not simple. “Don’t worry, Mia. She has amnesia now and doesn’t even remember me. We won’t be getting the license anytime soon.” Ethan stared fixedly at the person in front of him, his gaze greedy, as if he couldn’t get enough of looking at her. Mia glared at him: “How many times do I have to tell you? Call me ‘sister’. I’m older than you!” “What do those few months matter?” Ethan grinned, “I’m going to call you Mia, what are you going to do about it?” It was like watching a puppy demanding affection from its owner. As someone who usually loves shipping couples, I felt slightly nauseated. Right now, I just wanted these two to get out of my sight as quickly as possible. “I want to rest. You guys should leave!” I started issuing eviction orders. Mia pursed her lips, sounding aggrieved: “Chloe, do you dislike me? I’ll leave right now.” Ethan grabbed her as she turned around. “You’re overthinking it. She’s probably just tired. We won’t bother her sleep anymore!” Without bothering to say goodbye to me, his supposed girlfriend, he pulled his childhood friend and left directly. He didn’t even consider that, having just woken up from being unconscious for over ten hours, how could I possibly sleep? However, their departure was exactly what I wanted. I picked up my phone and started investigating my situation. Because I didn’t believe a single word Ethan said. I had just quickly glanced through the photos on the phone. Most of them were secret photos I took of him, but there were also some photos of us together. In every single photo together, including the lock screen where our faces were pressed together, I had a slight smile. That’s the problem. I never just smile slightly for photos; I always show my teeth in a big grin. The person who knows me best is myself. Looking at those photos, I could tell those smiles weren’t genuine. I was forcing a smile. Or rather, I was putting on a performance of being happy for someone else to see. 5 There was one more crucial thing. I had someone I liked. Ethan had his older childhood friend. I also had my childhood sweetheart. Liam Hughes. The boy I grew up with. My companion, my older brother figure, my best friend. Throughout my life, his presence was everywhere. He was a genius scholar, the “perfect child” in every parent’s eyes. A dazzling existence like a star wherever he went. The most handsome guy you’d spot instantly in a crowd. The patient childhood friend who tutored me all the way to my good high school finals score. He was the one I had liked since my first flutter of teenage romance. We liked each other. We had already agreed to go to the same university. And start dating freely as soon as we got to college. With someone who amazed my entire youth right there, how could I possibly fall in love with anyone else? I picked up my phone and started dialing the familiar number from my memory. “The number you have dialed is not in service,” the automated voice reminded me. Impossible! Like a crazy person, I dialed the number over and over again. Over and over again, I listened to the mechanical voice from the receiver. How could this be? How could the number I had dialed countless times, the one I knew by heart, be out of service? I opened the phone gallery again and looked through it from beginning to end. It was entirely filled with that stranger, Ethan! Notes, memos, university intranet, various chat apps, I checked them all. Starting from my freshman year six years ago, my life was entirely consumed by Ethan. There was no trace of Liam. Did my amazing, prominent childhood sweetheart just vanish into thin air? Oh right, Mom and Dad. I called my mom. “Chloe? Did you finish all your graduation paperwork? When are you coming home?” Thank goodness, it was the voice I knew. Before I could speak, my mom started chattering away. “If you haven’t decided on a job yet, don’t rush. Come home and relax for a bit, then look slowly.” “And that boyfriend of yours, you’ve been dating for a few years now, right? Bring him home for us to meet when you have time.” “I’ve mentioned it a few times before, and you always found excuses to refuse. What, is he unwilling to come back with you?” So, I had been dating Ethan for years and hadn’t met either set of parents. His parents looked down on my status and refused to meet me. As for my side, was it that Ethan didn’t want to come meet my parents, or was it that I myself didn’t want to bring him? On the phone, my mom was still asking about my health, asking if I had lost weight again recently, and telling me to stop dieting. “Mom, where did Liam go?” I suddenly asked. The voice on the other end came to an abrupt halt. 6 It took a while for my mom to seem to find the name in her memory. “Liam? Why are you suddenly asking about him? Didn’t their whole family move abroad?” “Old Mr. and Mrs. Hughes too, it’s like they evaporated after moving abroad. They haven’t been back to our hometown once in all these years.” “We lost contact years ago.” “Speaking of which, you and Liam used to be stuck together like glue when you were little. We all thought you two would end up dating.” “Who knew that as soon as you started college, you fell for someone else, and Liam’s family just moved abroad.” “It’s a pity for you two childhood sweethearts. I really liked Liam. If he had been my son-in-law, I would have been a hundred percent satisfied!” It seemed my mom didn’t know what happened between me and him either. I chatted absentmindedly for a few more minutes and then hung up. Lying in the hospital bed, I briefly organized my experiences from the past few years. After the college entrance exams, the day the scores came out, I excitedly went looking for Liam. I wanted to tell him that I could go to the same university as him. My memory stopped on the road running towards his house. Waking up again, it was today, six years later. I had already graduated with my master’s. As soon as I started college, I fell for a guy named Ethan, went crazy for him, lost my mind over him. Shamelessly chased him for a year before finally getting him. Judging from Ethan’s condescending tone, I was clearly the subordinate in this relationship. I don’t understand. Even if I had moved on to someone else, my IQ should still be intact. Why would I do something so brainless? What happened six years ago that turned me into this? Could it be that someone transmigrated into my body? No, I had seen several photos of handwritten course notes I took in the phone gallery. The handwriting was exactly the same as mine. Using different colored highlighters for different key points was also my personal habit. It was evident that I took my master’s courses seriously and didn’t slack off on my studies. In my chat history with my advisor, he mostly praised me. I didn’t let my “love brain” delay my studies. This discovery made me breathe a sigh of relief. However, if even an absurd hypothesis like transmigration was ruled out, how could I explain my madness over these past few years? While I was thinking, I felt the need to use the restroom. I got up and went to the bathroom. Pushing the door open, facing me was a mirror hanging on the wall. Seeing myself in the mirror, I froze. It was still my face, but why had I lost so much weight? No wonder on the phone, my mom asked if I had lost weight again. She used to always remind me to eat less, saying I wouldn’t look pretty if I gained more weight. The old me couldn’t be called fat, but I was definitely not skinny. My face used to be round, with a bit of baby fat. Fair skin, good complexion. Liam always said my cheeks were like peeled eggs, supple and bouncy. And now? My cheeks were actually sunken in slightly from being so thin. My arms were as thin as bamboo sticks. Could it be that Ethan likes slim girls, so I dieted for him? What kind of willpower would that take?! I’ve always had a good appetite since I was little. I loved snacks, BBQ, cakes, desserts, and boba tea. I gave all of that up for Ethan? Too crazy, I couldn’t believe I was capable of doing that. I walked to the toilet and pulled down my pajama pants. Looking at my thighs, I froze again. It seemed it wasn’t just a simple matter of dieting. My thighs were crisscrossed with multiple scars. I had self-harming tendencies! 7 “Miss Smith, you can’t leave the hospital yet! You still need an IV drip this afternoon!” the little nurse yelled while chasing after me. “I have something to do! I’ll come back this afternoon!” I waved at her as I ran. The shopping app on my phone had my delivery address. It turned out I had rented a place on the university campus. Even though I had graduated, yesterday’s purchase history showed items were still being delivered there, meaning I hadn’t moved out yet. I called a cab and headed straight to the apartment on campus. I had the keys in my bag. Walking into the apartment, I confirmed at a glance that this was my place. The decorations, the potted plants, the plushies, the snacks in the fridge—they were all things I liked. The clothes in the closet were all styles I favored. Once again proving that for the past six years, that person was indeed me. No transmigration involved. Following my past organizing habits, I started searching the desk area. Finally, in a document folder in the drawer, I found a stack of medical records. Over the past few years, I had seen a psychiatrist, and more than once. According to the medical records, I had moderate depression and self-harming tendencies. The doctor’s conclusion was that, because the patient refused to cooperate and confide, they had not yet found the cause of the illness. In other words, I was depressed and self-harming, I felt something was wrong with me, so I went to see a psychiatrist. But facing the doctor, I refused to speak what was on my mind, preventing the doctor from making an accurate diagnosis and therefore unable to provide an effective treatment plan. This was very contradictory. Since I went to see a psychiatrist, I obviously wanted to save myself. Why didn’t I confess everything to the doctor? Could it be that someone stopped me from confiding in the doctor? I had to find out what happened over these past few years. I called my mom and asked her to take photos of every page of my high school yearbook and send them to me. Back at the hospital, sitting on the bed, I started calling my former high school classmates one by one. Asking them if anyone could contact Liam. I even asked our old homeroom teacher and subject teachers. Unfortunately, no one knew where he was. In the evening, Ethan called and said he was having his family’s housekeeper deliver food to me. He was busy and wouldn’t be coming over. For the next two days, he didn’t show up again. But every meal was delivered on time. Even when I was discharged, I didn’t see a shadow of him. Back at the university, I spent a whole day walking around the campus. This was once the shared goal of Liam and me. We agreed to apply here together, and then officially start dating. The result was, only I came. Why didn’t he come here as promised? If he didn’t come to this university, why did he go abroad? Why did he vanish? And what had happened to him? 8 That night, I turned on my laptop and started searching my online footprint over the past few years. Ethan called. “I heard from the housekeeper yesterday that you were discharged when she brought you lunch. How is it? Your body’s fine now, right?” “It’s fine!” I stared at the computer screen, brushing him off. “Since you’re fine, run an errand for me! Go to the wine cabinet in my house and grab a bottle of wine. I’ll send you a picture of it in a bit.” A very natural tone. He must have ordered me around like this a lot in the past. “Not going.” I hung up immediately. A few minutes later, he called again. I didn’t answer, and the phone kept ringing. I picked it up, annoyed: “What do you want? I told you I’m busy!” “Chloe, you’ve got some nerve, talking to me like that?” “Just a reminder, I have amnesia. To me, you’re a stranger. Why do you think I’d listen to you?” I asked. “Oh, I remember now, you have amnesia. I was wondering why you, who used to be so obedient, suddenly grew a spine.” He chuckled lightly. “So, stop bothering me, OK?” I hung up. The next second, I received a message from him on WeChat. “Are you sure you’re not coming?” Followed by a photo of a little bear keychain. “This is yours, right?” “Do you still want it?” I stared at the little bear in the photo, stunned. This was a gift Liam gave me in our senior year of high school. This little bear keychain was originally one of the prizes he won for placing first in the grade. He put the prize box in front of me and told me to pick what I liked. Inside were a fountain pen, a notebook, an electronic English dictionary, and more. I instantly fell in love with this little bear. A month after I attached this little bear to my backpack, I made it into the top ten of the grade for the first time in a mock exam. I even joked with Liam that it was my lucky star protecting my grades. I said I would keep it on my bag forever. How did it end up with Ethan? Ethan offered an explanation: “When you fainted that day, it fell at the entrance of the courthouse. Mia picked it up.” “If you want it, be a good girl and go get my wine.” I went to Ethan’s house, used the passcode he gave me to open the door, grabbed the wine he wanted, and then rushed to the private club he was at. When I pushed the door open, the noisy chatter stopped instantly. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at me. Including Ethan and Mia sitting in the center of the sofa. A slacker-looking guy spoke up: “Yo, didn’t they say Chloe had amnesia? How come she’s still at your beck and call?” Another chimed in: “Maybe submission to Ethan is already encoded in her DNA. Even with amnesia, she can’t forget her instincts.” “Sigh, Ethan’s charm is just too powerful!”

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I loved wearing short white skirts, my wardrobe was perpetually a soft mix of pink and white, and everyone always said I was sweet and obedient. He dyed his hair red, was rebellious, and had a terrible temper. He was my older brother’s best friend. Every time we met, I would hide behind my brother to greet him. Distant and reserved. No one knew I liked him. 1 During the summer break of my sophomore year in college, my parents went traveling, so I had no choice but to stay at my brother’s apartment. At this hour, my brother was at work, but I knew his apartment passcode. Rolling my suitcase, I opened the door, only to hear someone inside speaking with a cold sneer. “Why don’t you let your unborn sibling play instead?” “What I mean is, you might as well go back into the oven and be remade.” A familiar voice. I stopped in my tracks. I recognized it. It was him. Arthur was my brother’s best friend. They had hung out since middle school, and I knew they had always been close. But I didn’t expect him to be living in my brother’s apartment. Arthur started playing esports in high school, and after retiring, he became a gaming streamer. That voice just now—he was definitely cursing out his teammates on stream. I understood immediately because I watched his streams every day. I was his top donator. No one knew. I softened my movements and went to the room my brother had prepared for me. It was still a cozy room in pink and white hues, filled with plushies. I didn’t plan to go over and bother him, but before I could finish unpacking, someone knocked on the door. Turning around, I saw Arthur leaning lazily against the open doorway, his narrow eyes glancing my way. “Didn’t you say you were arriving tonight?” Obviously, my brother had given him a heads-up but hadn’t told me. I didn’t know why, but facing him always made me feel a bit guilty. Maybe it was because I liked him. “My roommates all left early, so I changed my ticket.” I have mild social anxiety, but I also like being around people. Arthur pulled out his phone and glanced at it. Three o’clock. He raised an eyebrow. “Hungry?” He had always treated me like a younger sister, taking care of me just like my actual brother did. I nodded. “I’ll order takeout in a bit.” He let out a scoff. “Your Brother Arthur is standing right here, and you’re going to order takeout?” “You actually know how to cook?” I looked at him with bright eyes, a bit pleasantly surprised. I always thought he was lazy and had no interests other than gaming. Arthur lifted his chin. “Wait here.” 2 To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for Arthur’s culinary skills until I saw a fragrant bowl of scallion oil noodles on the dining table. “You actually cooked.” I sat down reservedly, feeling a bit embarrassed yet surprised. He gave a short laugh. “Eat up. I’m going to go rank up.” I ate the noodles he cooked, watching him take long strides and cross the room in two or three steps. For the past six months, while I was at school, I could only watch him in his stream. Other female fans could brazenly call him “Hubby.” But even typing those two words made my face turn red. I felt like a hopeless case. He was streaming upstairs, and I was downstairs, eating noodles while secretly opening his stream. He had just restarted his broadcast, and fans in the chat were asking where he went. Unlike his usual cold and arrogant demeanor, he raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly. “I was afraid the silly cat at my friend’s house would starve to death.” He deliberately lowered his voice, so I hadn’t heard it at all downstairs. The chat was curious about how cute the kitten must be for him to be in such a good mood after feeding it. He lowered his eyes, clicked to start a game, and gave an ambiguous smile. “It’s pretty cute.” His voice came through the phone, making my heart pound wildly. Where was there a cat? It was just me. 3 My brother came back that evening, looking exhausted and apologetic as he said to me, “I have to fly to the US tomorrow for a business trip. I’ll hang out with you when I get back.” Then he turned to Arthur, telling him to take good care of me. I saw him casually say “Hmm,” his back to us as he continued cooking. My brother was still telling me to stay up late less, but I couldn’t hear a word of it. The thought of being alone with him for half a month made me lower my head, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness. “Arthur, take good care of my sister, or I’ll kick you out when I get back.” “I’ll starve her,” he retorted to my brother in a mean voice. My brother laughed out of exasperation, walked over, and pretended to hit him. The two of them bantered for a bit. I sat at the dining table, watching them laugh. I felt a bit envious of my brother. I didn’t think I could act so naturally around him. When I woke up the next day, my brother had already left. Looking at the worried messages he left on my phone, I washed up and went downstairs to make some instant noodles. Halfway through eating, Arthur came downstairs. My brother had mentioned before that he had terrible morning sickness. Seeing him looking full of hostility and annoyance, I swallowed my greeting and silently buried my head in my noodles, not daring to make a sound. “Little Chloe, you’re not very polite.” I blanked for a moment, looking up under his dissatisfied gaze with an embarrassed smile. “Morning.” He leaned in, gave it a look of disgust. “No nutrition. Wake me up tomorrow to cook.” It was as if he specifically came down just to say that to me, and as soon as he finished, he went back upstairs. I looked at his tall, lean back in confusion. Did he specifically come down just to snap at me? But Arthur always had a bad temper, so I didn’t think much of it. At noon, Arthur came downstairs with messy hair to cook. Hearing the noise in the living room, I spoke up apologetically, “Sorry, Arthur, for troubling you.” He scoffed, not even turning his head as he snorted coldly, “Not even calling me Brother. Watch out, I might starve you.” I chuckled quietly from behind. Arthur was fierce, but his bark was worse than his bite. “You wouldn’t.” His back seemed to stiffen for a moment. Then he brought the dishes over and said in a fierce tone, “Get your ass over here and eat.” 4 He was fierce, but his cooking was delicious. Coming down to eat on time every day was the only interaction I had with him these past few days. Even though I hadn’t said many words to him, I was incredibly happy. I got to see him every day. When he cooked wearing an apron, I would prop my chin up and watch from behind, secretly raising my phone to take a picture of his back. I didn’t have any photos with him, only some large group photos from my brother’s gatherings. I kept all of them, along with the occasional sneaky photos from over the years. My finger tapped lightly, the screen flashed, paused, and the flash went off. I was terrified, frantically turning my phone around as he looked back. “What are you doing?” He held a spatula in his hand, his handsome face looking very grumpy. I stammered, raising my phone slightly. “S-selfie.” I didn’t know if he believed it, but he frowned at me for a good while before turning back to continue cooking. I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly turned off the flash on my phone. Damn it, when did I turn the flash on? I was still feeling frustrated and guilty, not daring to look up. So I also didn’t see him send a message to my brother. “Is your sister complaining about me?” A reply came instantly. “Chloe is very well-behaved; she wouldn’t complain.” He snorted and retorted, “Not well-behaved at all.” She sweetly called everyone else “Brother,” except for him. The other side seemed exasperated, pausing for a moment before replying. “Is it really true what they say, that you hate Chloe?” “Everyone likes her and says she’s sweet. You’re the only one who thinks she isn’t.” The food was ready. He plated it and placed it on the table. The girl, looking very soft in her pink and white pajamas, obediently served herself rice under his gaze, then blinked at him. As if asking if she could start eating. He chuckled and spat out one word. “Eat.” I smiled at him, picked up a piece of cola chicken wings, and praised him enthusiastically. “Arthur, the cola chicken wings you make are really delicious.” I deliberately softened my voice, which somehow sounded a bit like acting cute. A bit embarrassing. We weren’t close enough for me to act cute with him. The corners of his lips seemed to tilt up, but his tone was still fierce: “If it’s delicious, then hurry up and eat. Why all the nonsense.” Like a cat with its fur standing on end. I was surprised to find that Arthur actually really liked being praised. 5 Just when I thought Arthur and I were getting along a bit better because of my compliments, I saw him coming downstairs impatiently in the evening. Seeing me actually downstairs, the hostility between his eyebrows seemed to dissipate a bit. “Going out for a bit. I’ll bring you dinner back tonight.” He twirled the car keys in his hand and explained to me. His hands were long and handsome. My gaze lingered for a second, and I nodded obediently. Arthur glanced at me, seemingly very satisfied with my obedience, his steps even becoming a bit lighter. When he came back that night, he brought me a rice bowl dish. He hurriedly went upstairs to stream, his expression still looking a bit poor. I was a bit curious, but didn’t dare ask, so I opened his stream. I heard him turn on his camera with a dark face. He stayed silent for a moment before telling the chat, “Company request. Playing duos today.” He was very skilled and always streamed solo, carrying the team single-handedly. Occasionally, he would play duos with former teammates or male streamers he was close with. Before the fans and I could react, an account with a cute pink avatar suddenly invited him to team up. He accepted without batting an eye, but his expression was still very poor. The female streamer on the other end turned on her mic, her voice sweet and sugary. Fans in the chat explained that she was also a streamer in the gaming section. I didn’t watch other gaming streamers besides him, so it was normal that I didn’t know her. But he was playing duos with another girl. Even knowing it was his job, I was still a bit unhappy. The game started, and I listened to them talk while eating. Actually, it was just the female streamer talking the whole time; he completely ignored her. The female streamer had quite a few fans. Seeing his terrible attitude, they started cursing him in the chat. “Our Frosty is so sweet. Why is this straight guy giving her attitude?” “Feeling bad for Frosty.” “Taking my Frosty away, stay away, you grumpy guy.” The chat was a complete mess. The female streamer didn’t seem affected. She was still acting cute, asking him to let her have the blue buff, and her character had even run over to him. But he took the blue buff without a change in expression and went to the side lane to help gank without looking back. The chat rolled even faster. He glanced at the screen and said sparingly: “You having the blue buff is useless.” His own fans were all laughing, typing “hahaha” and calling him a straight guy, while the female streamer’s fans were going crazy with anger. Many of Arthur’s old fans knew that he had a sharp tongue and did whatever he pleased, so they weren’t surprised that he didn’t give up the blue buff. It was exactly the kind of thing he would do. The chat was cursing so viciously. I couldn’t stand it and threw a bunch of special effect gifts. The chat started saying things like “Long time no see, top donator sister.” He glanced at it twice and said coldly, “Thanks for the gifts.” I kept my head down, eating the food he brought back, and smiled, my eyes curving, when I heard his “thanks.” One game ended quickly. I don’t know if the female streamer noticed his overly cold attitude, but she made an excuse and said she was done playing. His expression slowly softened after the female streamer left. Anyone with eyes could see how much he disliked her. The chat was full of “hahaha,” asking if he didn’t like soft girls. Arthur usually wouldn’t respond to these, but today he looked at the chat and paused for a second. “I like them.” The chat paused for a moment, then started scrolling even more vigorously. “Like what!” “So you do like soft girls?!” “Then why were you so mean to Frosty.” He scoffed. “Does that even count as a soft girl?” He thought of the girl downstairs. She ate slowly, much like the videos of rabbits or hamsters eating that he scrolled past online. Very well-behaved. None of them ate as well as he did. It was just that she was occasionally disobedient, afraid of him, and wouldn’t call him “Brother.” So he likes soft girls. My mind was a mess, thinking of countless possibilities that made the corners of my lips curl up. But if he liked me, how could he be so indifferent? A couple of days ago, my brother even sent me a message, worried that our relationship wasn’t good, telling me to hang around him less. I sighed and threw the empty takeout box into the trash can. 6 A couple of days later, he made breakfast and was about to go out again. He said the same thing, that he would bring lunch back for me. I wanted to say that I could actually just order takeout, but he didn’t even give me a chance to speak. He just left after saying that. I had some snacks for lunch. Later, feeling a bit bored while waiting, I wanted to play a game for a while. As soon as I logged on, I received many team invitations. I accepted my roommate’s. I didn’t expect that after I joined, she pulled a senior from our club in as well. The senior was a nice guy and took good care of us, but I could tell he was interested in me. I usually avoided him, rejecting him both explicitly and implicitly. I didn’t expect to run into him again today. “I haven’t played a game with Chloe yet.” The senior smiled and turned his mic on first, and my roommate immediately clicked start. The senior’s gaming skills were good. After he got a triple kill, my roommate and I smiled and praised him. “Triple kill! You’re awesome, Senior.” The apartment door clicked open. Just as I finished speaking, I locked eyes with Arthur, who was walking in carrying takeout boxes. From the phone, the senior was still modestly saying it was nothing special, and then a clear voice came through: “Chloe, come get the blue buff.” I saw Arthur’s face visibly darken. He raised an eyebrow and placed the takeout boxes in front of me. I said “No need” into the mic and quickly turned it off. “You’re back.” He gave a cold laugh. “Obviously.” I smiled awkwardly. He suddenly leaned in and asked, “Little Chloe, are you dating someone?” It was out of nowhere, but I felt his words were dangerous. I hastily shook my head, not wanting him to misunderstand. “I’m playing with my roommate and a senior. We’re all friends.” He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, reached out and messed up my hair, warning me fiercely: “Better not be. If you are, watch out, I’ll tell your brother.” My heart was beating very fast. After he went upstairs, the senior and my roommate asked me on my phone why I stopped talking. I inexplicably looked down and smiled, turned on the mic, and told them I wasn’t playing anymore. I felt like he cared about me a little bit. 7 That evening, after dinner, Arthur suddenly asked me if I wanted to play a game together. I was stunned. Besides the times when my brother was around and dragged us both to play, I hadn’t played alone with him before. Plus, he usually streamed after dinner. “Aren’t you streaming?” He leisurely poured a glass of water. “I am. Do you mind?” Didn’t his fans all say he had no taste, that he didn’t even like soft girls like Frosty? He was going to show them who really had no taste. I was very nervous, but the opportunity was rare. “I don’t mind.” He went upstairs, and I followed him with my phone. My heart was thumping. It was my first time in his room. Clean and tidy. He set up his equipment in a moment, then told me he started the stream. I hid in a spot the camera couldn’t see and softly said “Hmm.” I felt an inexplicable sense of shyness. Like we were dating behind the fans’ backs. Even though we weren’t yet. His mic picked up sound very well. The fans must have heard and asked if there was someone else with him. “Yeah, carrying my friend’s sister today.” I didn’t know what the chat was saying, but I heard him chuckle. I really wanted to click into his stream and take a peek, but I didn’t dare. The game started. His rank was very high. Afraid of being cursed at by my teammates, I picked a support hero. This entire game, I experienced both tension and a magical feeling. Listening to his clear voice talking to me for the whole game. “Follow me.” “Take the blue buff.” “I’ll come pick you up.” “Don’t be afraid, wait for me.” Was it because I was sitting next to him? I actually felt that the person who was usually cold in the stream was exceptionally gentle. When the game ended, he took a moment to look at the chat, seemingly in a very good mood. The sister is way sweeter than that female streamer! “You guys are right.” Is it really a friend’s sister? It’s not a girlfriend? “Yeah, friend’s sister.” Friend’s sister. I gripped my phone tightly, and the little bit of secret joy I couldn’t hold back just now instantly vanished. 8 Before heading back to my room after playing, I composed myself and told him he didn’t need to get up specially to make breakfast for me tomorrow morning. Arthur had just turned off his equipment. He looked back and gave me a deep look. “Why?” I didn’t dare look at him. I grabbed my phone and ran out. “No reason, just felt it was too much trouble for you.” Everything was fine while we were playing the game just now. Arthur watched the girl’s retreating figure and frowned imperceptibly. When I went downstairs the next day, as expected, I didn’t see anyone. That tiny bit of hope in my heart instantly plummeted to the core. He had always been rebellious. I had never seen Arthur be so obedient. I lowered my eyes, feeling a bit disappointed. “What are you dawdling for? Eat.” Just as I was slowly walking to the kitchen door, he pushed the door open, his bony, handsome hands steadily holding a bowl of noodles. I couldn’t help but show some joy. “Why did you…” Before I could finish, he reached out and pressed me down into a seat at the dining table. “How much do you hate me, Chloe?” His tone was very bad, as if he was suppressing anger. I turned to look at him. “I don’t.” How could I possibly hate him. He fiercely messed up my hair and placed the bowl of noodles in front of me with a thud. The sound wasn’t loud, but the action was scary. He did it on purpose. “Do you know how expensive my hands are? Cooking for you every day and you’re still complaining.” He was acting fierce. I softened my voice, feeling wronged: “I wasn’t complaining…” “If you weren’t complaining, why did you say that last night?” They had finally gotten a little bit closer, and she was knocking him back to square one again. Arthur was not one to admit defeat. When playing games, making a comeback against the wind was what excited him the most. The same went for her. He had always preferred to finish things quickly. But with her, he was slow and cautious, terrified that if he showed even a little bit, she would run away. “You’re tired from streaming, and you have to get up to cook for me instead of catching up on sleep.” “It’s exhausting, Arthur.” Besides a bit of pique last night, I really did feel it was hard on him, and there was no need for him to get up so early just to cook for me. Hearing this, he let out a scoff, leaned down, and pinched my cheek fiercely. “I want to.” He was always like this, looking fierce but actually not using any force at all. I covered my face and dodged, pursing my lips with a bit of distaste. “Learning bad habits instead of good ones.” My brother had loved pinching my cheeks since we were kids, making me cry several times but never tiring of it. He got better as we grew up, but occasionally he would still pinch my cheeks to tease me. He had always just watched the two of us siblings mess around from the side. I didn’t expect him to pick this up too. Arthur smiled and went upstairs. “See you at noon, Chloe.” I hummed an acknowledgment and buried my head in the noodles. I also hid the corners of my lips that were curving up. I liked him even more.

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I recorded a show until the middle of the night, and when I got home, I found my dog was stolen. I immediately checked the security footage. I saw the “Crown Prince” of the Capitol City elite circle sneaking into my house late at night, slipping a leash on my dog, and running off. When you’re so mad you’re speechless, you really do just laugh. Later, while filming a reality show, the Prince had someone bring the dog over, saying it was there to keep its mom company. My arch-nemesis, Chloe, snatched the leash first. She even claimed she was Chips’ mom and that she and the Prince were madly in love. I called Arthur right then and there: “When did Chips get a new mom?” 1 The night my dog was stolen, I pulled Arthur’s number out of my blocked list and FaceTimed him. Expecting me to contact him, he had kept his phone close by. He picked up instantly when the call came through, then haughtily turned his head away from the camera: “Hmph! Didn’t we say whoever crawls back first is a dog? What are you calling me for!” I looked at Chips, who was lying next to him eating treats: “Would I have contacted you if you hadn’t come to my house to steal my dog? “Do you know what breaking and entering and theft of personal property means?” Arthur is the beloved grandson of the Vance family matriarch, pampered since childhood, reckless and arrogant. He leaned back on the sofa, petting Chips’ head in a good mood: “I brought my son home, what law did I break?” I reminded him: “I’m the one who bought Chips!” Arthur smirked, his thin lips curving: “But I’m the one who hand-fed him since he was two months old. If you want to see Chips, come home.” I was exhausted after a full day of filming and couldn’t be bothered to argue: “I’ll give you a million dollars, Chips is mine!” Hearing this, Arthur shot up from the sofa like a Husky whose tail had been stepped on, instantly bristling: “Chloe, you really are something else!” He angrily hung up the video call. A few minutes later, Arthur deliberately posted a photo of himself and Chips on Twitter, with the caption: [Secretly stole my son away from his girlfriend.] I scoffed: “Childish!” 2 Early the next morning, before I was even fully awake, my manager dragged me out to film a reality show. Last night, not long after Arthur hung up, he shamelessly called back again. The excuse was that Chips missed his mom. Sleepily leaning against my seat, I habitually opened the trending topics to take a look. I didn’t expect the top three trending searches to all be about Arthur. #PrinceAndChloeSecretlyOfficial!# #ChloeRespondsConfirmingRelationship# #ChloeRegretsBullyingThePrincess# I laughed when I saw the last hashtag. Who came up with this title? Aren’t they embarrassed? Princess? Then I must be the Queen! Ever since Chloe debuted, every time she trended, she had to drag me down to elevate herself, branding me with the reputation of stealing her resources. Following the netizens’ comments, I clicked on Chloe’s Twitter. Her latest tweet was a selfie from last night, wearing a sexy nightgown: [Boohoo, my doggie was taken away by his daddy, I’m so lonely all by myself.] The timestamp was half an hour later than Arthur’s tweet. Chloe even @’ed him. The trending topic exploded that night, with many verified accounts retweeting it. Some netizens even edited completely unrelated videos of the two of them together. [Holy crap, my two favorite people are actually together!] [Three months ago, paparazzi caught them skiing together in Aspen. The Prince denied he went with Chloe back then, but now he’s eating his words, haha.] [The Prince is so humble in front of our precious Chloe, reduced to stealing the doggie in the middle of the night just to see him, haha.] Me: “??” Did Arthur steal Chloe’s dog last night too? But didn’t she say in an interview before that she was afraid of dogs and would never keep one in her life? 3 I glanced at the comment section. A netizen asked her: [Are you and the Prince really together?] Chloe didn’t reply. A few minutes later, she liked several highly popular comments blessing her and the Prince with a long and happy life together. This directly solidified the rumors of her being with Arthur. [Our precious Chloe has made it so obvious and you’re still asking. The commenter above must be a hater sent by Chloe’s camp.] [Just asking makes me a hater? If they’re really together, what’s there to hide? I think it’s fake and she’s just clout-chasing!] [Chloe definitely has her reasons for not admitting it directly. Stop being so passive-aggressive.] [When it’s okay to go public, our precious Chloe will definitely be the first to say it on Twitter. Haters, get lost!] The netizen, angered by the attacks, ran over to Arthur’s comment section and asked: [Mr. Vance, is Chloe really your girlfriend?] Arthur quickly replied: [Who said that! Who said that! I don’t even know her!] Chloe’s fans were unhappy: [If our precious Chloe knew you said that, she would be very sad.] Arthur immediately clapped back: [Why should I care if she’s sad or not? Besides, I’m eating vegetarian lately, don’t bring your ‘precious meat’ around me!] These comments were quickly upvoted to the top. Netizens immediately threw the screenshots into Chloe’s comment section: [Stop clout-chasing. The Prince said he doesn’t even know Chloe. She really knows how to flatter herself.] The next second, she was besieged by Chloe’s fans: [We already said it’s not convenient to go public right now! The Prince obviously has to deny it!] [Didn’t a certain pop star deny it at first a few days ago, and then after going public, they livestream their PDA all day long?] My manager also saw the trending topics. She looked grim: “You and Chloe debuted at the same time, and you both have the ‘independent young star’ persona. Your two fanbases have always been at odds, tearing each other apart. “Now that she’s hooked up with Mr. Vance, I’m afraid she’s going to crush you from now on.” I felt my brain was about to fry. Chloe really dared to do anything for clout. To actually impersonate Arthur’s girlfriend. Seeing me zone out, my manager comforted me: “Don’t worry too much. In the future, I’ll try to arrange your schedule to avoid Chloe. Today is the last episode of the show. Keep your distance from her and don’t get into conflicts.” 4 The RV parked at the filming location. As soon as I stepped out, cameras were pointed at me, recording. [Chloe’s dark circles are so heavy. She must have lost sleep all night after seeing Chloe and the Prince go public last night, haha.] [The expression on her face is so sour. She’s probably dying of jealousy.] [Did Chloe’s fans forget to brush their teeth this morning? Why do their mouths stink so much!] [If Chloe dares to steal resources from Chloe again, the Prince will blacklist her in a heartbeat.] [From now on, the Prince will personally hand-deliver resources to our precious Chloe.] I arrived at the filming villa. The other guests were all clustered around Chloe, sucking up to her. This show was called Fall in Love with Me. There were four female and four male guests, and it was a live broadcast. Everyone had to live together for three days and two nights. As soon as the show started, the director pointed the camera at Chloe and asked if her and the Prince’s post last night was a public announcement. “Um, about that…” Chloe said coyly, “Everyone will know when the time comes~” The director didn’t want to let this wave of traffic go and continued asking: “Then can Chloe tell us what happened last night? Was the Prince showing off his love by posting late at night?” Chloe feigned anger and stamped her foot: “He insisted on bringing the doggie to keep me company while filming. I disagreed, so he childishly sneaked the doggie away while I was working.” I watched Chloe’s immersive performance, looking at her in shock. How could she weave such an elaborate tale without blushing or skipping a beat? I couldn’t help but ask: “In an interview before, you said you were bitten by a dog when you were a kid and would never keep a dog for the rest of your life.” 5 Chloe looked down, smiled, and turned to the camera: “I originally thought I’d never keep a dog again in this lifetime, but he gave me an overwhelming sense of security and made me accept doggies again.” [Our precious Chloe smiles so sweetly. If this couple isn’t real, I’ll never believe in love again.] [How jealous is Chloe of our precious Chloe? She even remembers exactly what she said in an interview. So disgusting.] [Can the Prince please blacklist Chloe already!!] The director watched the viewer count in the livestream skyrocket. He rejoiced inwardly; the ratings for this episode were secured. He was just preparing to dig deeper into how Chloe and the Prince met. An assistant jogged over and whispered a few words in his ear. The director nodded, his eyes turning into slits as he smiled at Chloe: “Chloe, the Prince sent you a gift. He said it’s here to keep mom company while filming.” Someone among the guests exclaimed: “Could it be that the Prince sent the doggie over?” 6 As soon as these words were spoken, someone immediately chimed in: “Chloe is so lucky! The Prince dotes on you so much~” Chloe was slightly taken aback, gently pinched her fingertips, and lowered her head: “Oh my, stop it you guys. I’ll go out and take a look first.” The director suggested everyone go together. As everyone came out of the villa, we saw a staff member holding an Alaskan Malamute on a leash. A message from Arthur popped up on my phone: [Wife, the old man called me in for an emergency meeting. Can you take care of Chips? I’ll pick him up tonight.] My eyelid twitched, and I replied: [I’m livestreaming a show right now. Why did you bring Chips here? [I know what you’re up to. Take him back immediately!] Arthur sent me a picture: [I’m at the company.] I locked my phone screen and took a deep breath. How could he get to the company in just a few minutes? Chloe looked left and right: “Is it just the doggie?” “Mr. Vance said he had something urgent at the company and had to leave first. He asked me to hand the dog over to its mom.” With that, the staff member handed the leash to Chloe. The Alaskan’s coat was shiny and thick, blowing in the gentle breeze. The guests couldn’t resist reaching out to pet him. “Chloe, what’s the name of the doggie you and the Prince are raising?” The person speaking was Liam, an artist recently signed by Vance Media, known for his “pretty boy” persona. Chloe’s ears suddenly turned red: “This… how can I say it.” 7 Seeing this, everyone started teasing: “Whoa, Chloe is embarrassed! Now I’m really curious what the name is.” “Hehe, I bet the name is definitely related to Chloe.” With everyone chiming in, Chloe cleared her throat amidst the teasing and said: “Alright, I’ll tell you guys. He insisted on naming the doggie Meatball, because he loves to eat meat.” Liam looked envious: “Force-fed another mouthful of PDA. I can’t film this show anymore.” [The Prince loves our precious Chloe so much! Even naming a dog revolves around her.] [Force-fed PDA the whole time, please spare us single dogs. I’m so jealous.] [This Alaskan Malamute looks so beautiful. It’s obvious Chloe takes great care of it daily.] The corners of my mouth twitched in speechless annoyance. Did Chips agree to change his name? Sharp-eyed netizens caught my expression and immediately launched an attack. [What’s with Chloe’s expression? She’s probably dying of jealousy.] [Jealous of what? Is it wrong to be speechless when Chloe says something disgusting?] [Chloe is definitely thinking about how to steal the Prince away from Chloe.] [This time she can only dream. The Prince only likes Chloe. No random nobody can just snatch him away.] Chloe beamed with joy upon hearing Liam’s words. She led the Alaskan towards the villa. But the dog sat there, unmoving. Looking around, as if searching for something. [Mommy-chan, where are you~ Watashi smells you.] Chloe smiled somewhat awkwardly at the camera: “Meatball, let’s go.” The Alaskan haughtily turned his head away. This scene was inexplicably similar to Arthur. Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but smile. Hearing my voice, Chips tried to break free from the leash in Chloe’s hand. [Ahhhh, as expected of the doggie raised by Chloe and the Prince. That head-turn is too cute, I’m going to die from the cuteness!] [Can Chloe’s fans stop forcing the compliments? The doggie hasn’t even given Chloe a single glance.] [Hahaha, I’m dying of laughter. Chloe’s fans, come out and see. Why isn’t the Prince’s dog familiar with your Chloe?] [What nonsense are you haters spouting! If the doggie isn’t familiar with our precious Chloe, could he be familiar with Chloe? Our precious Chloe is the Prince’s official girlfriend.] [Yo yo yo, hilarious. Has the Prince officially announced it? Calling her the official girlfriend already, be careful it doesn’t turn into a joke in the end.] [Honestly, it looks like the Alaskan wants to go to Chloe.] [I spit on that! If Meatball likes that bitch Chloe, I’ll eat shit doing a handstand!] I sneered at that comment and waved at Chips: “Chips, come here.” As soon as the words fell, everyone’s gaze instantly fixed on me. When Chips saw me, his tail wagged like a helicopter rotor. He wanted to run to me, but was restrained by the leash. He whined anxiously, his front paws constantly scratching the ground. 8 Chloe tightened the leash with an ugly expression: “Chloe, what did you do to Meatball?” Seeing Chips uncomfortable, I took a large stride over. [Hahaha, dying of laughter. Calling him Chips, do you see him wanting to go over?] [Anyone who isn’t blind can see he wants to go to Chloe. That commenter above, I suggest you stop watching the show and go see an eye doctor.] [Chloe is so disgusting. Scheming against a dog just for traffic.] [Who’s scheming? Chloe hasn’t even touched the doggie.] [If Chloe didn’t do it, then why does Meatball want to go to her?] [You should ask your idol that! Why is the dog she raised unfamiliar with her, but wants to cuddle with my Chloe~] [Chloe’s fans are triggered. The dog doesn’t even bother giving Chloe a single glance.] Feeling somewhat humiliated, Chloe loudly scolded the dog: “Meatball, if you don’t behave, Mommy won’t buy you treats anymore.” With that, she yanked the leash again. The Alaskan ignored her completely and barked excitedly at me. The smile on Chloe’s face faltered. She grabbed the leash with both hands and kept pulling, forcing the dog to go with her. Chips’ neck was being choked tightly, but she acted as if she couldn’t see it. I snatched the leash from Chloe’s hands and said coldly: “He doesn’t know you. No matter how much you pull, he won’t go with you.” Chloe looked as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. She reached out, speaking passive-aggressively: “Chloe, I know you like to steal my things, but please give the doggie back to me. If Meatball misbehaves, I will naturally teach him a lesson. Are you sure you want to steal my dog in front of millions of viewers?” I sneered: “Did you really raise him?” Chloe’s face wasn’t looking good, and she spoke angrily: “What else? Are you trying to say you raised this dog?” The atmosphere on the set became tense. 9 Chips couldn’t sense it. He wagged his tail happily, jumping around me. I reached out and patted his head, meeting Chloe’s glare that looked like she wanted to eat me alive, and said clearly: “Listen carefully, this Alaskan Malamute’s name is Chips. NOT. MEATBALL!” [Hahaha, I’m dying. Is this Chloe sleepwalking? The things coming out of her mouth are crazy.] [I bet her next sentence will be that she’s the doggie’s mom, and the Prince’s girlfriend.] [To be fair, the doggie seems to be more familiar with Chloe. He doesn’t seem to recognize Chloe at all.] [And the doggie had absolutely no reaction to the name Meatball, but started wagging his tail when he heard Chips.] [Chloe must have used some trick. The tweet Chloe posted last night directly @’ed the Prince. Would anyone but the official girlfriend dare to do that?] [The commenter above makes sense too. I’ll stay quiet for now and see what happens.] [No way, no way!! Chloe’s expression just now was so scary. Does she have a vendetta against this dog?] [I saw Chloe choking the Alaskan desperately…] [I saw it too.] [I seriously doubt Chloe is the dog’s owner at all.] 10 Almost immediately after I finished speaking, Chloe pointed at me and loudly accused: “What Chips? His name is Meatball! “You usually steal my roles, steal my endorsements, and steal my screen time on variety shows. I let all that slide. But now you even want to steal the dog I raised. “After the last episode aired, Arthur wanted to blacklist you, and I was the one who put in a good word for you. Now it seems you’re not worthy of sympathy at all!” The director signaled for the cameras to focus on Chloe and me. He had a premonition that this show was definitely going to be the biggest hit of the past few years. Chloe publicly admitting to being the Prince’s girlfriend. Two top young stars going head-to-head. Chloe about to be blacklisted by the Prince. Any of these topics was enough to stir up massive engagement. Seeing the hype had peaked, the director forced a smile to smooth things over: “Actually, Alaskans all look pretty similar. Why doesn’t Chloe take a closer look? I often mistake other people’s dogs for my own too.” He used his eyes to remind me that this was a live broadcast. I scoffed: “Look at Chips right now. Do I look like I mistook him?” The director looked down. Chips was sitting by my feet, so happy his eyes were squeezed into slits. He learned this fawning look from Arthur’s Husky. The director: “…” [Chloe is such a bitch. Can’t she see the director is deliberately giving her a way out? She’s actually refusing to take it. So speechless.] [If you’re speechless, go learn sign language. Didn’t you see the doggie sticking to Chloe?] [Holy crap! Chloe finally admitted her relationship with the Prince. Wishing you and the Prince a long and happy life together.] [Our precious Chloe, don’t cry, don’t cry. I will always support you.] [Feeling sorry for our precious Chloe. Who knows how Chloe bullied her before, making her break down and yell while filming.] [Everyone, hurry to Mr. Vance’s Twitter comments and tell him to come quickly and stand up for our precious Chloe. Our precious Chloe looks like she’s about to break.] Chloe suddenly reached over to grab the leash. She ended up yanking the collar right off Chips’ neck. Sensing danger, Chips immediately took a defensive stance and let out a warning growl at Chloe. Chloe’s eyes reddened in disbelief.

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