Category: English

In the fifth year of my relationship with Julian, we had another explosive argument. He grabbed his keys and stormed out the door, choosing the silent treatment once again. I sat quietly on the sofa. After holding it in for a while, I started scrolling through TikTok, giggling at the videos. At 2 AM, I was woken up by a phone call. Julian’s voice on the other end was cold enough to freeze water: “I’ve been outside until now, and you haven’t called me once?” Only then did I awkwardly remember he was still wandering around in the freezing snow. I said, embarrassed, “Uh, how about… you just don’t come back, and we call it quits?” 1 After I said that, the other end of the line fell into a brief silence. Then, with a click, the call disconnected. I was so sleepy I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I rolled over and comfortably fell back asleep in my warm bed. When I woke up the next day, I heard rustling noises in the living room. I went out and saw Julian packing his bags. He acted as if he didn’t see me, just keeping his head down and shoving everything into his suitcase. I stood there frowning, watching him for a while, terrified he might accidentally pack my things. When he finally finished packing and zipped up the suitcase, he said flatly: “You should calm down for a bit. Let’s not contact each other for a while.” That sentence sounded familiar. It seemed like this happened last year too. We had a huge fight, and he grabbed his keys to leave. I broke down, pulling on him: “Why are you doing this again? Why do you always leave me alone? Can’t we just talk things out face-to-face? Why are you always running away?!” He really didn’t leave that time. He turned around and locked himself in the bedroom. But when my emotions had slightly calmed down, I saw him come out carrying a suitcase. His voice was detached and calm, completely unlike my hysteria. “Take a few days to calm down. We’ll talk later.” For over half a month after that, he really didn’t contact me. All the messages I sent and the calls I made sank like stones in the ocean, receiving no response. I was completely overwhelmed back then, crying so much every day I couldn’t sleep. In the end, I actually swallowed my pride and sent a message begging for forgiveness. Once it happens once, it happens again. Julian realized the silent treatment worked exceptionally well. I would get over it without him needing to coax me, so he started engaging in frequent cold wars with me. From my initial desperate craving for a response, I gradually learned to digest it all on my own. The process in between… only I know how I endured it. Right now, he was standing in front of me with his suitcase, just like last year. His expression was flat, seemingly devoid of any emotion, and he even generously advised me: “Don’t overthink things. Eat well, work hard. It’s not like you have nothing else to do besides clinging to me.” I rubbed my sleep-filled eyes and agreed casually: “Mhm. Be careful on the road.” Julian’s originally detached expression stiffened slightly. He clearly hadn’t expected me to not offer a single word asking him to stay. I took two steps toward the bathroom, remembered something, and turned back to remind him: “You packed your summer clothes too, right? If you can carry them, take them all today so you don’t have to make another trip.” His face looked awful. Without a word, he slammed the door and left. My heart instantly relaxed. It was great. All of this was finally over. 2 Today is Saturday. In the past, I would always pester Julian to spend the weekend with me. Later, Julian found the perfect strategy to deal with me. As soon as we argued, he would pack his bags and leave. And he would be gone for at least half a month. I was forced to get used to spending holiday after holiday alone. From initially sending paragraph after paragraph of hysterical text messages, to gradually becoming numb and detached, and finally returning to my single self—happily spending my days off with friends. That entire process took just one year. I cooked myself a steaming bowl of pork and century egg congee. After eating, I curled up on the sofa, petting my cat and watching a horror movie. The weather outside was gloomy, with a cold winter rain drizzling down. I had the heater on, enjoying a cozy, solitary moment. After the movie ended, I made a hot drink and casually scrolled through Instagram. I didn’t expect the very first post to be from Julian. 【On a business trip with Ms. Hayes.】 The attached photo was a selfie of him and Elena at the airport, their arms around each other’s shoulders. Elena was his college classmate and business partner. They had a very close relationship. Every time Julian and I had a cold war, the two of them would go on a long business trip alone together. The first time I found out, I agonized over it for a long time. I didn’t know if they were just colleagues, or if there was really something going on. Until the second cold war, and the third… Julian invariably dragged Elena along on out-of-town business trips, leaving me alone at home. I started frantically messaging and calling Julian, demanding to know what he was playing at, why he went on a business trip every time we fought, and why he brought Elena every single time. He usually brought his assistant on business trips, so why, when he traveled with Elena, did he not even bring an assistant? Three days later, Julian finally replied with a few detached words: 【Think whatever you want.】 Then he went radio silent again, not replying with a single word. I knew right then there was no point in continuing the relationship. Wiping my tears, with trembling hands, I typed a few words: 【Then let’s break up.】 I then turned off my phone, forbidding myself from acting crazy or making a fool of myself, and threw myself into work to distract myself. A few minutes later, my phone buzzed. I couldn’t even last three minutes before picking it up to check. It was messages from work group chats. It was ad notifications from various apps. It was a text from the bank wishing me a happy birthday. It wasn’t until 9 PM that a message with Julian’s name finally popped up. Two short, cold words. 【Suit yourself.】 I completely broke down, burying myself in my bed and sobbing loudly. While crying, I sent messages accusing him of never loving me, detailing every disappointment and instance of neglect I had felt from him, trying to awaken a shred of guilt in him, trying to make him realize he failed in this relationship. But everything sank like a stone in the ocean, as usual. It was as if there was no one on the other end. Or rather, he couldn’t even be bothered to read a single sentence. Scrolling through his Instagram, I saw a photo of him and Elena having dinner with clients. The atmosphere was joyful, and everyone was smiling happily. It was like a bucket of cold water poured over my head. I clearly saw myself as a clown, jumping around desperately but only making a fool of myself. My rationality clearly told me he was not a good man. I finally stopped sending messages. But my life became a blur. I tried hard to act like everyone else, but everything became mechanical and numb. Only when I dragged my exhausted body home and looked at the empty apartment could I not help but squat down and cry. I knew there was a high probability he was a piece of trash. But I missed him terribly. I knew I was incompetent and fragile, but pretending to be normal had exhausted all my strength. In the dark of the night, I allowed myself to agonizingly miss him. I didn’t know when the end would come. It wasn’t until thirty-six days later that he finally contacted me again. 【Have you calmed down?】 【Are we still breaking up?】 I stared numbly at that message. A message that arrived far too late could no longer spark my anticipation or excitement. I slowly typed two words: 【Whatever.】 He sent a voice memo. “I got you a birthday present. I’m heading back now.” His voice was light and carried a smile. There seemed to be another woman’s laughter beside him. That laugh was very distinct; it was Elena’s voice. Even through the phone screen, I could imagine the two of them getting off the plane, travel-worn but in high spirits. Unlike me. I was like a filthy, trapped beast locked in a cage. All my agonizing internal struggles hadn’t affected Julian in the slightest. Everything I felt in this relationship seemed to be just my own paranoid, self-directed drama. While Julian was magnanimous and stable; he tolerated me. 3 My thoughts returned to the Instagram post in front of me. There were already several comments underneath. A: 【A match made in heaven, Mr. Julian.】 B: 【Nonsense, our Elena clearly has both brains and beauty!】 Julian: 【Good eye.】 C: 【A one-month business trip? Leaving the sister-in-law alone at home again, is that okay? #doge】 Julian: 【We’re all adults, does she need me to accompany her all day long?】 C: 【True, you can’t spoil women too much.】 Amidst all the random comments, a glaring one suddenly appeared. Chloe: 【No need to accompany the girlfriend, but the female partner must accompany you on business trips~】 The “~” was dripping with sarcasm. This was the girlfriend of another male partner at Julian’s firm, Mark. I heard they were originally planning to get married this year, but it’s already the end of the year and there’s still no news. Her boyfriend, Mark, went on solo business trips with Elena just as often as Julian did. I heard that last time Chloe’s mother was hospitalized and she was incredibly busy at the hospital alone, Elena posted a cheek-to-cheek selfie with Mark under the Eiffel Tower. They said it was a business trip, but anyone who didn’t know better would think they were on their honeymoon. Chloe had a huge fight with Mark over this. Although they made up, their relationship wasn’t the same as before, and they haven’t mentioned marriage since. After her comment, the originally lively post seemed to be put on pause. There were no new comments for a while. Just as I was about to scroll away, a new comment popped up. Elena: 【Little girl, don’t be so dramatic. What’s more important, business or your petty romantic squabbles?】 Elena: 【If you want to marry a rich guy and reap the rewards without doing any work, then just obediently be a trophy wife. Don’t ruin your own chances.】 Chloe replied quickly. 【Compared to someone who can’t even take an assistant on a business trip and insists a male partner accompany her every time, I’m much more independent in my work. Who’s the trophy wife here?】 After a ten-minute pause, Elena finally replied with a few words. 【You don’t know what you’re talking about.】 Ever since Chloe found out Mark was always going on solo business trips with Elena, they hadn’t gotten along. They would argue anywhere they could. I was used to it. I closed Instagram. Just as I was about to start making dinner, my landlord called: “Hey Sarah, your lease is up next month. You’re renewing, right?” I looked around the apartment. A spacious, brightly lit penthouse. Outside the window was the most bustling night view of the city. Back then, Julian constantly asked me to move into his place. But I always worried that living in someone else’s house came with the risk of being kicked out, so I stubbornly insisted on living alone. He was very clingy back then, showing up at my door the next day with his suitcase, looking pitiful. I had just started working and didn’t have much money. I was living tightly in a 300-square-foot apartment, far from the city center. I knew Julian was used to the good life, and I always felt it was unfair to make him live in such a small place with me. So, as soon as I became a full-time employee and got a raise, I bit the bullet and moved here. It ate up almost half my monthly salary. “No,” I told the landlord. “I plan to move to the East Side.” It was closer to where I worked. I wouldn’t have to leave the house at 6 AM every day to catch the subway. The landlord was a bit surprised: “What’s wrong? Didn’t you say before that this place was convenient because it was close to your boyfriend’s company?” “Yeah,” I replied softly, kicking my slippers while looking down. I smiled. “We broke up.” The landlord sighed heavily. After comforting me for a bit, she kindly recommended a moving company before hanging up. 4 My company was planning a livestream event at a mall recently. I took the new junior colleagues to the mall to handle the coordination. The junior colleagues were two recently graduated male college students, bursting with energy and enthusiasm, which even brought some life back to us seasoned corporate veterans. After we finished coordinating that day, the two of them insisted on dragging me out for barbecue, saying we needed to relax after working so hard for so many days. At a street-side barbecue stall, under the dim yellow lights, I took a picture of the table piled high with food. The two college boys tilted their heads into the frame, smiling cleanly and brightly. I snapped the photo and posted it on Instagram with a smile: 【Coordination complete! Tomorrow I can finally enjoy the weekend!】 When I got home, it was past midnight. A message from Julian unexpectedly popped up on my phone. He sent a picture of himself having dinner with clients, seemingly reporting his whereabouts to me: 【I’ll be back in another week.】 【I brought you a gift.】 I pretended not to see it, sanitized my phone, plugged it in to charge, and placed it on my nightstand. In the past, when he first started giving me the silent treatment, I panicked and frantically sent him messages, begging for even the slightest response. Later, I forced myself to try getting used to the single life after every time he left. Gradually, I stopped messaging him. He, in turn, softened his cold war strategy and became less indifferent. From sending me a message once a month, to calling me every half month, to a week, to three days. What a blessing. Whoever wants this kind of blessing can have it. After showering and getting into bed, I saw Julian had sent a few more messages. 【What did you do today?】 【Was work tiring?】 【Are you asleep?】 I muted his notifications. I didn’t delete him, I didn’t block him, and I didn’t respond. I learned that perfectly from him. 5 There were still over twenty days left until my lease expired. I started packing my things early. Packing a little bit every day actually made it quite easy. When Julian’s mother came over, she saw my apartment filled with cardboard boxes of various sizes. When I opened the door, I thought it was food delivery, so I had my guard down and she barged right in. She was carrying a thermal lunchbox, her pointed leather shoes kicking the cardboard boxes I had stacked in the hallway. Her voice was as affectionately overbearing as ever. “Sweetie, Julian is out of town on a business trip right now. What’s the matter with you two that you can’t just let go? He’s so distracted at work now, so he asked me to come check on you.” As she spoke, she walked straight into the apartment, sat down on the sofa, crossed her legs, and acted like she owned the place: “Julian even specifically asked me to bring you food. I told him he’s being ridiculous. You’re twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, not a three or four-year-old child. Do I really need to watch you eat?” I took a deep breath, turned around, and was just about to speak when she suddenly looked around the room and frowned: “I hear Julian praise you every day for being so clean, but look at yourself. How can a girl make her house look like this?” “Even though our Julian has some money and won’t be unable to afford a maid or nanny in the future, you can’t be this sloppy, right?” My face darkened. Julian was a local of this city. The exclusivity of this city’s locals is well-known. Julian’s mother was a very typical local older woman. She always assumed that girls from out of town all had ulterior motives towards her son, wanting to use marriage to steal his property and residency status. “Auntie, Julian and I have already broken up,” I said, trying to keep my voice as calm as possible. She acted as if she didn’t hear me, even letting out a light scoff. But she quickly put on a smiling face again, looking up at me: “You just have too much of a temper. I always tell our Julian, he might not be able to handle the temper of an out-of-town girl, but he just won’t listen. Young people, they don’t know pain until they hit a brick wall themselves.” Seeing my face getting uglier, she laughed: “Don’t overthink it, I’m not talking about you. Come, come, come, eat your food first.” She opened the thermal lunchbox, laid out the dishes one by one on the table, then took pictures from every angle and sent them to Julian. “I have to report back to him, tell him I delivered your food.” “Auntie isn’t trying to lecture you, but you’re not a child anymore. There needs to be a limit to your tantrums. Julian is a businessman. If you keep affecting his mood like this, isn’t that affecting his career? What good does that do you?” “You should also settle down. You two are getting married next year. It’s best if you have a baby before the end of the year. That job of yours doesn’t make much money anyway; you should quit sooner rather than later.” I laughed out of sheer annoyance: “Auntie, didn’t you hear me? Julian and I have broken up. I’m not marrying him.” She curled her lip: “Alright, alright, I don’t want to hear you talk like this. You’ve just watched too many TikToks and rotted your brain. Thinking about remaining single and childless all day, talking about female independence. All this talk about independence, but aren’t you still spending my son’s money?” This wasn’t the first time she had said this. But every time she said it, Julian never contradicted her, nor did he ever say a word in my defense. He would only calmly advise me afterward: “My mom is getting old, her thinking is just like that. Don’t take it to heart.” Thinking about it now, perhaps he fundamentally agreed with those words. He was just using his mother’s mouth to let her play the villain, subtly keeping me in line. I repacked the lunchbox she had laid out on the table, shoved it back into her hands, and directly pushed her out the door. Julian’s mother looked shocked, cursing as she went: “What is wrong with you, little girl?! How can you treat an elder like this?! With behavior like yours, you still want to marry my son…” SLAM! With the door violently shut, the apartment finally returned to peace.

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A big concert was being held at the local arena. I asked my husband to save two VIP tickets for me. He readily agreed, but later handed me two nosebleed seats. I asked him, “No VIP tickets this time?” Without even looking up, he replied, “I gave them to a friend. She’s pregnant and needs special care.” Curious, I asked, “Which friend of yours is pregnant? Why haven’t I heard of her?” My husband immediately got defensive: “Chloe, are you seriously jealous of a pregnant woman?” 1 If my coworker hadn’t asked me about the tickets, I wouldn’t have even known a concert was coming to our town. My husband, Arthur, owns a liquor store. Whenever the liquor brand he sells sponsors a concert, the company always gives its distributors some tickets for networking and building relationships. A big event like this is rare in our small, overlooked town, so everyone was excited. Thinking of our nanny, who not only helps me take care of our newborn but also cooks for my older daughter in elementary school and my mom with a broken collarbone, I felt she deserved a treat. I figured, if others are getting tickets, my nanny must have them too! And they have to be the good ones! In previous years, when coworkers asked me for tickets, I’d just tally up the number and send it to Arthur. This year, I specifically emphasized that he must save two VIP tickets for me, even if we had to pay for them. So when Arthur said he gave the tickets to someone else, I immediately knew something was off. I wouldn’t say I was angry, but I definitely felt uncomfortable. Concerts are loud, crowded, and chaotic. Would a pregnant woman really be comfortable there? If she’s really worried about her health, she just shouldn’t go. Why does she need VIP seats? Besides, I often told Arthur how hard the nanny works. Leaving our second child in her care means we should show her some appreciation. I racked my brain. Arthur usually just shuffles between his mom’s house and his store. Plus, at our age, very few people are having a second child, let alone a third. I hadn’t heard of any of his friends planning for one. I thought he was joking and asked teasingly: “All your friends just want to drink and party. Which one of them is pregnant? How come I didn’t know?” Arthur, who was looking down at his phone, suddenly snapped his head up, glaring at me: “Chloe, what’s your problem? Are you seriously jealous of a pregnant woman?” I was just asking a question; his extreme reaction was suspicious. Anyone with eyes could see this wasn’t normal… “I’m just curious. Whose pregnant wife needs your special care? Where’s her husband? Also, the nanny takes such good care of our baby, shouldn’t we save two tickets for her?” “Furthermore, I told you about this in advance, and you agreed. Now you’ve gone back on your word. Did you even ask me before giving them to someone else?” Arthur’s eyes darted away slightly, but he still spoke with self-righteousness: “It’s just a multi-artist concert with a bunch of D-list singers. What does it matter where you sit? With Mrs. Lee’s age, can she even understand what she’s watching?” I didn’t back down: “Yeah, it’s just a multi-artist concert, what does it matter where you sit? So why can the pregnant woman go, but the nanny can’t? Arthur, I never realized you were so good at playing favorites!” Arthur was so choked up by my words he looked ready to burst: “Chloe, you! You’re being completely unreasonable!” 2 The tickets for the multi-artist concert, originally priced at two or three thousand dollars, were completely ignored by regular buyers and mostly ended up in the hands of scalpers. I got lucky and happened to see a post on Reddit from someone selling their tickets. I bought two VIP tickets for $299. When I handed the tickets to Mrs. Lee, she was thrilled and accepted them happily: “My daughter was just saying she wanted to go to the concert a couple of days ago. Now we have tickets! Thank you, Ms. Chloe!” Not wanting to waste the nosebleed tickets, I took my daughter, Lily, to the concert. Nosebleed seats are truly nosebleed seats—almost the farthest point from the stage in the whole arena. Usually, sitting high up means you can at least make do and see the stage. Unfortunately, our seats were right in the first row of the nosebleed section. A railing covered in banners directly blocked the view of everyone in the first row. I secretly rejoiced. Thank goodness I didn’t give these tickets to Mrs. Lee; they were too embarrassing to hand over! People in the row in front of us kept walking back and forth. Lily got annoyed and restless. While I was trying to calm her down, Mrs. Lee sent a message: “Ms. Chloe, my daughter just told me she got floor tickets. Hurry and take Lily to sit in the VIP seats!” Hating to waste them, I took Lily on another “long trek,” and we finally sat in the VIP section. Almost the instant we sat down, a familiar figure, with his arm around a woman wearing a low-cut coat, walked into my line of sight. Arthur held the woman tightly, carefully guiding her through the chaotic crowd. Occasionally, a child who couldn’t sit still ran up and down the aisle and accidentally bumped into the woman. Arthur immediately flared up: “Where are your parents? The concert is about to start and you’re still running around here! Didn’t your teacher teach you to follow the rules?” The child was so startled they turned their head and almost cried. The woman wrapped in the coat frowned and shook Arthur’s hand. It was too noisy; I couldn’t hear what she said. I only saw Arthur look at her belly affectionately, pull a small packet of tissues from his pocket, spread them on the seat, and smile as he helped her sit down. The scene was so glaring that my vision quickly blurred as tears welled up. The husband who used “being busy at the store” as an excuse every day to comfortably leave both kids for me to take care of was now accompanying another woman to a concert. I can’t describe the feeling in my heart; I just hoped Lily wouldn’t see it. But of course, what I feared most happened. Lily innocently pointed ahead and yelled in my ear: “Hey! Mommy, look! Isn’t that Daddy? Why does he have his arm around that auntie’s waist?!” Lily’s pure voice struck me like thunder. For a moment, I didn’t know how to answer. If a first-grader knows boundaries between men and women, how could Arthur not know? “Daddy’s so shameless! Teacher said boys and girls should keep their distance. Daddy already has Mommy, but he’s holding someone else’s hand!” The lights flashed. Lily held my hand, her eyes bright: “Mommy, why don’t you divorce Daddy? If Daddy doesn’t love you, Lily will love you!” My forcibly maintained defenses completely collapsed. I pulled Lily into my arms, unable to stop shaking. 3 Actually, Arthur’s changes didn’t start just a couple of days ago. I work in the city center. When I was pregnant with our second child, I commuted back and forth alone on the bus every day. Even in my third trimester, Arthur never once offered to drive me to work. To spend more time with the baby after birth, I gritted my teeth and pushed through, working until the very last moment before taking maternity leave. During my final checkup before giving birth, the baby’s heart rate was consistently too high. I was panicked and anxious, so I called Arthur. I had hoped to get some comfort from the baby’s father, but he dismissively said: “Doctors just like to scare people. You’re so healthy, how could anything be wrong with the baby?” I asked him to drive over and stay with me that night. He let out a heavy sigh: “Chloe, I’m very busy. You can’t demand both my money and my time.” So from that point on, no matter how big or small the matter, I stopped going to him. I had intended to take Lily home first, but her small face was filled with anger, threatening to take revenge right then and there. I touched her little cheek. Since my daughter supported me so much, what did I have to worry about? Halfway through the concert, many VIP seats were still empty. I took Lily and quietly moved to the seats directly behind Arthur and that woman. Arthur was running around, looking exactly like a fawning lapdog. The woman pulled her coat tighter, and Arthur immediately asked: “What’s wrong? Are you cold? I told you to wear more when we left, but you wouldn’t listen. Now you know it’s cold, huh? Good thing I brought a blanket for you!” There was a hint of mild reproach in his tone, sounding just like a married couple flirting. As he spoke, Arthur pulled a bag from under his seat, took out a blanket, and draped it over her. The woman didn’t say anything. Arthur then pulled out a thermos from under the seat, opened it, took a sip himself, and then held it to her lips: “The temperature is just right. It’s cold, hurry and drink a few more sips!” The woman leaned her head back and drank from his hand. Under the stage’s blue lights, the thermos in Arthur’s hand was clearly visible to me. Isn’t that my thermos??? It even has the StellaLou sticker Lily put on it for me. I was wondering why I couldn’t find my thermos when I left the house. Turns out this bastard took it for someone else to use. How disgusting! The woman took one sip and stopped: “I don’t want hot water. I want a Sprite!” “You’re a grown adult, why are you acting like a child!” Arthur scolded her verbally, but his body was already standing up, ready to go: “Since you passed your prenatal checkup today, I’ll buy you a Sprite as a reward!” Arthur returned shortly. Again, he took a sip himself first before holding the spot he drank from to the woman’s lips. He affectionately rubbed her head: “How’s that? Feel better after drinking this?” A pair of small hands gently patted Arthur’s shoulder: “Daddy, I don’t feel good either. Can you buy me a Sprite too?” The hand Arthur was holding the Sprite with trembled. “Ah—” Accompanied by a piercing scream, the Sprite spilled all over the woman’s coat, and many ice cubes slid down her low neckline. “Cold! So cold! I’m freezing to death!” The woman jumped up on the spot from the freezing ice, stomping her feet. Now, I finally saw her face clearly. Mia, the owner of the clothing store next to Arthur’s shop. I remember, she has a husband… 4 Arthur didn’t even keep his eyes on his daughter for a second before his attention was drawn away by the other woman. The VIP section already had fewer people, and with the loud commotion, many people’s eyes were drawn to us. Arthur spun around anxiously. In front of everyone, he actually reached his hand straight down Mia’s collar, then knelt on the ground, lifted her skirt, and shook it. A few ice cubes fell from under Mia’s skirt onto the floor. Arthur was full of concern: “How is it? Are there any more?” Saying that, he pulled Mia’s collar open, ready to reach in again. Mia blushed and shoved Arthur away: “Are you crazy?!” She wrapped her coat tightly around herself, naturally took the thermos, and chugged some hot water. Arthur was at a loss after being scolded. He finally realized that my daughter and I were still sitting in the row behind him. “You… Why aren’t you at home taking care of the baby? What are you doing here? “And you brought Lily too. The concert is so chaotic, what if she gets lost?” I slapped him across the face: “If I didn’t come, how would I have run into you two adulterers? No matter how chaotic the concert is, can it be as chaotic as your relationship?” The audience around us, who were originally holding up their phones to film the stage, turned their cameras towards us. Mia’s face flushed red with embarrassment as she shouted back: “What nonsense are you talking about? Arthur and I are completely innocent. We’re just ordinary friends! Nobody ever said it’s illegal to go to a concert with a friend! Besides, I have a husband too!” Arthur looked at Mia with disbelief, muttering: “Ordinary friends…” I raised an eyebrow and demanded: “Ordinary friends? What kind of ordinary friends dote on each other and reach into a woman’s collar in public without her objecting?” “You… Arthur was just anxious in the moment and didn’t think straight!” “Didn’t think straight? Even my six-year-old daughter knows boundaries. Your subconscious reaction as ‘ordinary friends’ is to grope each other? Since when can ordinary friends do that?” “You… I can’t be bothered to argue with a shrew like you!” Mia was in the wrong and couldn’t win an argument against me. She trembled with anger, her chest heaving, and gritted her teeth as she enunciated every word to Arthur: “Arthur, control your wife. From today on, we have nothing to do with each other!” With that, she bumped past Arthur, trying to get to the aisle. Arthur’s outstretched hand hung in mid-air: “Mia, slow down, be careful of your baby!” The more I looked at his desperate, fawning behavior, the more disgusted I felt. “Wait! Don’t leave just yet!” I yelled. Mia turned around, her eyes full of defiance: “What else do you want?” I pointed at the cup in her hand: “That thermos is mine. It even has my daughter’s sticker on it. Give it back to me!” Mia looked at the cup in her hand, then looked at Arthur in disbelief. Then, she glared at me resentfully and threw the thermos at me. The cup was quite heavy. Seeing it flying straight at my face, I instinctively ducked. The cup smashed directly into Arthur’s forehead. Mia tried to turn around but accidentally stepped on the ice cubes that had fallen on the floor earlier. With an “Ah—”, she fell from the row she was standing in onto the seats in the row in front, landing flat on her face. Arthur grabbed his forehead and scrambled down to her in two steps, nervously hugging Mia. “Mia? Mia? How are you? Are you okay?” Mia clutched her stomach, her face twisted in pain: “My stomach… my stomach hurts so much…” The scene turned into a chaotic mess. The police providing security for the event arrived. Arthur sat on the floor holding Mia, yelling to call 911, as if the child Mia was carrying was his. When he saw the police, it was as if he’d seen his saviors. He eagerly pointed his finger at me: “Officers, it’s her! She made Mia fall. Arrest her quickly!” I stared dead at the man in front of me, my heart turning to ice. 5 At the hospital, Mia had just come out of the emergency room and was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. Back at the arena, I first called Mrs. Lee to come and take Lily away before following them to the hospital. Arthur sat by the bed, looking entirely like a family member. He nervously touched Mia’s head one moment, then used a cotton swab dipped in water to wet her lips the next. Two police officers, a man and a woman, entered. The female officer looked around: “What exactly happened? Who wants to explain?” “It’s her! Officers, it’s all because of her that Mia fell!” Arthur stood up agitatedly once again to falsely accuse me. The female officer turned to look at me: “Is it what he says? What is your relationship?” I laughed self-deprecatingly: “This man is my legal husband, and the woman lying in bed is his mistress.” Hearing this, Mia, who had been pretending to be asleep, immediately bolted upright from the bed: “Who’s a mistress? Don’t you slander me!” Arthur also defended her: “How can you just make things up? Is that how you slander people? Mia would never be a mistress!” I completely ignored them, treating them like two barking dogs, and played the video I recorded on my phone: “Officers, please take a look. When it happened, I was far away from Mia. She threw the thermos to attack me, threw it too hard, lost her balance, and fell. If she could make herself fall like that, imagine how much it would hurt if that thermos had hit me!” The female officer looked shocked, clearly not understanding this mess of a situation either. The male officer pulled out his phone: “We checked the security footage of the area. It shows the two women were indeed at a distance and had no direct physical contact, so there is no suspicion of intentional assault.” Arthur was relentless: “If she hadn’t shown up, would Mia have fallen? You must hold her responsible!” That left me speechless. So, I shouldn’t have been at the arena at all? My own husband wanted to stick a false charge on me for an outsider. Seeing him being so unreasonable, the police also wanted to close the case quickly. But Arthur refused to let it go, grabbing onto them, insisting on putting me in jail. I cleared my throat: “How about this! Since the law can’t handle this, let’s look at it from a moral standpoint. Since many people in the audience and I took videos, why don’t I post them online and let the internet judge? It’ll also give your customers a good look at what kind of people you really are!” Mia immediately panicked, half-propping herself up and digging her nails into Arthur’s arm: “Arthur, do you want to ruin me? If that video gets posted online, how will I ever have the face to live?” Oh, so she knows what she did was wrong. With Arthur, her loyal lapdog, charging ahead to take the bullets for her, she could naturally accept all this with peace of mind. People like her never give up until they hit a dead end. Arthur grabbed her hand affectionately: “Mia, it’s okay, let her post it! We have nothing to hide!” If I were Mia, I definitely would have rolled my eyes on the spot. But she had different tactics. She cried beautifully, looking fragile and pitiful: “Arthur, do you want to see me die?” With Mia threatening her life, Arthur finally backed down. The two police officers looked relieved and left the hospital room feeling much lighter. Arthur had just lowered Mia’s bed when a bald man covered in tattoos walked in. Seeing him, Mia jumped out of bed barefoot and threw herself at him: “Hubby, boohoo, we almost lost our baby!” Arthur was anxious: “Mia, your shoes…” The bald man displayed immense husbandly strength, lifting Mia princess-style on the spot and tucking her back into bed: “Wifey, what happened? What’s going on? Is our baby okay?” He looked at me, then at Arthur: “And who are these two?” Mia averted her gaze: “This is the owner of the liquor store next door and his wife. Thanks to them, I got to the hospital in time.” The bald man patted Arthur’s arm and exchanged some pleasantries, then turned his attention to caring for his wife. I left the hospital room first. Seeing he was no longer needed, Arthur awkwardly followed suit.

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I had a dream. In it, the year I turned twenty, I became the “fake” daughter. I was kicked out of the Vance family with nothing but the clothes on my back. The real daughter quickly took my place, effortlessly winning everyone’s affection. I became the designated foil—the trainwreck. No matter what I tried, I failed. Meanwhile, she just got brighter and brighter. Eventually, I hit rock bottom. I became the mistress of a balding, old rich guy just to survive. I didn’t know he was abusive. He eventually started passing me around to other men to seal his business deals. Then I caught something disgusting. The old man refused to pay for treatment. I withered away in pain and rot. While I was dying, the real daughter married the man I had worshipped from afar—the ultimate titan of industry, Silas Thorne. Hearing that news was the last thing I did before I took my final breath. My life ended like a piece of rough, scribbled-out scrap paper. It was so ludicrous I woke up laughing. Wiping tears from the corners of my eyes, I reached out and took a stack of documents handed to me. “I’ll sign. I’m cutting all ties with the Vance family.” Chapter 1 “I’ll sign.” Saying those words felt like a physical weight lifting off me. Like I had just broken free from some invisible, suffocating shackle. “Harper, I am so disappointed in you. If you keep making this difficult, I’m just going to despise you more…” Mrs. Vance’s cold, elegant voice cut off abruptly. “What did you say?” I looked at that beautiful face, one that had once looked at me with unconditional adoration, and swallowed the bitter lump in my throat. I swallowed the word “Mom” right along with it. I didn’t repeat myself. I just picked up the pen, found the signature lines in the thick stack of paperwork, and wrote my name, stroke by stroke: Harper. Just as they wanted, I no longer carried the Vance name. “Here.” I handed the stacked documents back to her. By then, her cold expression had been replaced by stark astonishment. She looked like she couldn’t believe it had gone this smoothly. She had actually brought bodyguards just in case I refused. “Do you even know what these are?” I said softly, “Mostly transfers of stock options and property deeds, and a total severance of my relationship with the Vances.” Grace Vance opened her mouth, then paused. “Since you aren’t biologically mine, we have to correct this. We need to put everything back on the right track. I hope you can understand.” I looked at the bodyguards standing behind her and suddenly felt drained. “I understand.” Whether I understood or not was irrelevant. Even if I hadn’t agreed, someone would have forced my hand eventually. I really thought I had just had a ridiculous, vivid nightmare. Until my twentieth birthday, when a girl who looked exactly like Grace Vance showed up at our front door, claiming she was the real Vance daughter. Everything that happened after that matched the dream point for point. Compared to the real heiress, I—who had been raised on purely curated resources—had nothing to offer but a pretty face. The real heiress, having returned from the slums, was sharp, beautiful, resilient, and capable. She was accepted immediately. When she pointed a finger at me, her eyes filled with an endless, burning resentment, she had sobbed, “I want her gone.” “Every time I look at her, I remember that she stole twenty years of my life. I just…” She broke down before she could finish. Eleazar and Grace Vance were so full of guilt and pity for her that they agreed on the spot. Even my younger brother, whom I had practically raised, stood by her side. “Don’t cry. You’re my only real sister now.” They looked at me like I was a thief. “Harper, you need to leave.” The me in the dream couldn’t believe that the family I had lived with for twenty years, who had supposedly loved me so much, could discard me just like that. I had cried hysterically, but no one cared. To stay in the house, I deliberately took a freezing cold bath, hoping to get sick so they couldn’t kick me out. A common cold was cured too quickly, so I tried a hunger strike next. None of it earned me a single ounce of mercy. It only made them more determined to cut ties. The real daughter had kicked open my bedroom door, jealousy flashing in her eyes for a second before she satisfied herself looking at my things. “Harper, you should be grateful you got to steal twenty years of my luxury. Now, Mom and Dad aren’t just kicking you out; they’re taking back everything they ever gave you. It’s time you learned what life is like at the bottom.” “No, Mom and Dad wouldn’t do that to me,” I had denied, unable to accept it. I had been pampered and arrogant for twenty years. Forcing me into poverty was worse than killing me. The Vance family was a massive empire; what was one more daughter to them? I was beautiful. Many wealthy men liked me. I could at least be useful for a strategic marriage alliance. Yes, that’s what I thought. I needed to go tell them I was still useful. “Stop right there.” The real daughter grabbed me. “Don’t flatter yourself. You fawned over Silas Thorne for years, and he never even gave you a second glance, did he?” “I, on the other hand, have only been back a few days, and Silas has already asked me to dinner.” Looking at me, she sneered, “A fake is always a fake.” In the dream, hearing that Silas treated her differently made me snap. I raised my hand and slapped her across the face. She immediately grabbed my hair, and we got into a vicious hair-pulling fight, tumbling right down the grand staircase together. When I woke up, I knew those weren’t just dreams. It was a life I had already lived. Chapter 2 Grace Vance took the documents back, still looking a bit dazed. “Mrs. Vance, may I leave now?” Her head snapped up, staring at me. “What did you just call me?” I lowered my head, avoiding her eyes, and gave her a slight bow. “Thank you for taking care of me all these years, Grace.” Her voice trembled, a mix of anger and disappointment. “My daughter was right. Blood tells. You really are an ungrateful brat.” I raised my head, wanting to argue. Aren’t you the ones discarding me? But then I saw something that wasn’t in the dream. Grace’s eyes were red. There was none of the disgust or utter resoluteness that had heartbroken me every time I remembered the dream. Instead, I saw a familiar warmth and reluctance to let go. What was going on? I cooperate perfectly, and now she feels sad? I didn’t let myself get sucked back in by her sudden sentimentality. As long as the “real” daughter was in the Vance family, there would never be a place for me. “I’m sorry,” I said softly. Grace stood up, shaking off her momentary loss of composure, returning to her usual elegant, icy demeanor. “Go. Pack your things. You can take your essentials.” Different again. In the dream, on the day I was kicked out, they hadn’t let me take anything but the clothes on my back. I wasn’t going to be proud and stupid. “Thank you.” I packed a few favorite outfits, a bag I used daily, and my toiletries. It filled one large suitcase. When I struggled to drag the suitcase downstairs, the real daughter, Bridget, insisted on inspecting it. She wanted to make sure I hadn’t stolen anything I shouldn’t have. In her eyes, I was a thief. I stole her life, and now I was stealing the Vance wealth. When she saw the suitcase contained nothing but simple daily items, Grace finally frowned and snapped, “Enough!” It was the first time Bridget had been scolded since her return. Her eyes went red, and she bit her lip, letting silent tears flow. “This family has been too good to her already.” Grace sighed, ultimately siding with her biological child. She turned to me, offering a final warning. “Harper, since you’ve signed the severance agreement, we are strangers if we meet again. You are absolutely forbidden from using the Vance name or reputation out there.” Even knowing Grace was cutting me off, hearing it said like that made my heart feel like it was being stuck by needles. “Understood.” I was right not to take any jewelry or valuables. Once I was a good distance away from the Vance estate, I couldn’t pretend to be strong anymore. I let go of the suitcase handle and squatted down on the sidewalk. Actually, when I fell down the stairs with Bridget in the dream, I had broken a rib. Every word I had spoken to Grace just now had been through absolute agony. I knew that even if I showed pain, they would have just thought I was faking it—another tactic to manipulate my way back into the Vance house. I wasn’t going to be that greedy, pathetic clown from the dream again. This time, I was leaving with my dignity intact. And I was going to survive. Chapter 3 Trembling, I pulled out my phone. My instinct was to call my close friends. No. Stop. My hand shook, and the phone slid out of my grasp, clattering onto the concrete. I remembered segments from the dream. After being kicked out by the Vances. I swallowed my pride and begged my former friends to let me crash with them for a few days. Every single one refused. They even blocked my number. When I was truly backed into a corner, I ran into someone who used to constantly hit on me. I thought I had found a savior. Instead, he dragged me into a VIP booth at a club and humiliated me for his friends. “Harper Vance, didn’t you used to love making people bark like dogs for your amusement? Why don’t you get down on your knees and bark three times right now, and maybe we’ll help you.” “Oh, wait, make her finish this whole bottle of tequila first, then make her bark.” A crony, whose name I couldn’t even recall, had looked at me with disgusting lust. “Our little princess is homeless. How tragic. Why don’t you come live with me? I’ll give you $500 a week. How about it?” Those vile words felt like they were being whispered in my ear right now. I covered my ears, shaking my head violently. That night in the dream, they had forced so much alcohol down my throat. Someone took the chance to get revenge and violently squeezed my injured rib, causing internal bleeding that put me in the hospital. It had hurt so much. Just breathing was agony. The physical pain, mixed with the utter terror of abandonment, finally made me break down. I sobbed on the sidewalk, unable to control myself. Was I still doomed to the same ending? It wasn’t my fault I was switched at birth. Why do I have to bear all this suffering? Bridget was so accomplished; it was obvious my biological mother hadn’t abused her. Why did she hate me so violently? She got to go back to being the wealthy socialite, while I was hit with the triple blow of being homeless, having an unknown father, and a deceased mother. I sat on the ground for a long time until the horizon swallowed the last sliver of sunlight and night fell. If I didn’t find a place soon, I’d be sleeping on the streets tonight. Where was I supposed to go? I picked up my phone and checked my digital wallet. I only had a few hundred bucks, mostly from digital red envelopes. Every credit card under my name was frozen. If I had only known sooner… I shook my head. Knowing wouldn’t have changed anything. My brain, which hadn’t used even ten percent of its capacity in twenty years, started spinning rapidly. There’s a massive wholesale produce market on the south side of town. Every day, they throw away tons of veggies that are slightly damaged or just don’t look good enough for retail. I could go forage there. It’s free. Rice doesn’t cost that much. Then I just need to find a part-time job. My eyes lit up. Everything would be okay. Right now, the most important thing was finding a place to stay. My face fell again. That was the hardest part. I didn’t dare contact a single old friend. Who was left that could help me? Suddenly, a name popped into my head. Julian Reed. The toyboy I was sponsoring. Because Silas Thorne had rejected me, I had gone out and “sponsored” a struggling college student who happened to have a side profile very similar to Silas’s. It was a classic rebound trope. I had paid $200,000 for a one-year contract, up-front. There were still six months left on that contract. My breathing turned shallow and fast. I found the name in my contacts and dialed. The first time, he didn’t pick up. I dialed a second time. “What is it?” Julian’s icy voice came through the receiver. I shivered. Recalling how I used to treat him, I knew I deserved this tone. To force him to be my rebound, I had destroyed the tech startup lab he had founded with his classmates. I wasn’t kind to Julian either. Every time Silas ignored me, I took my rage out on him. I was terrified. If he knew I had been kicked out, would he come back and take his revenge on me now? Chapter 4 I was having serious second thoughts. Considering my history with him, would he just retaliate? While I was panicking silently, Julian’s voice got even colder. “Speak.” “Say something, or I’m hanging up.” “Don’t!” I said quickly. “I’m coming over tonight.” After saying that, I waited nervously for his response. Julian was a rebellious “partner,” to put it mildly. He refused me all the time. Usually, if it wasn’t urgent, I let it go. But if I was in a rage and he refused me, I used to have plenty of leverage and dirty methods to force him over. I used to be arrogant and stubborn myself; I had liked his unbroken spirit. Because the prouder he was, the more satisfying it felt to crush him into the dirt. My god, I really was a psycho. I really deserved to die, I thought miserably. But I couldn’t worry about that now. He was the only life raft I could reach. There was a long silence on the other end. He didn’t refuse, and he didn’t hang up. Just as I was about to lose hope, Julian spoke. He said, “Fine.” I bit the bullet and called a Uber to take me to the University District. It cost over $50. My heart hurt even more than my ribs. Originally, to make visiting Julian convenient, I had rented a high-end apartment near the university campus with excellent privacy. I had signed a one-year lease. I never imagined this place would become my last refuge. I knew Julian hated that apartment. Unless I demanded it, he almost never went there. I could live here alone. But right now, standing in front of the door, I wanted to die of regret. Why hadn’t I taken the spare key from the main house? If I had, I could have just moved in silently and hidden out until the lease expired. Now, I had to wait for my rebellious rebound. I was terrified of what would happen next. I didn’t know when he would show up, so I sat on my suitcase, resting my head against the doorframe to soothe my exhaustion and pain. I don’t know how long passed. “Why aren’t you inside?” The voice was sharp, coated in frost. I opened my eyes and saw Julian’s towering silhouette, his sharply defined features illuminated by the hallway light. He was looking down at me. It felt like a lifetime since I had seen him. I almost cried with relief. Being careful not to pull on my injury, I didn’t stand up. I just whispered, “You’re here.” Julian, long time no see! Julian froze. He had never seen me quiet and compliant before. When he saw the suitcase, his brow furrowed tightly. “You?” I looked up at him. “Can we go inside first? I’m cold.” Julian unlocked the door. I swayed on my feet as I made my way to the sofa, collapsing onto it and gasping for air. Safe. At that perfectly wrong moment, my stomach let out a thunderous growl. I couldn’t help it. I hadn’t eaten, and I was starving. I shot an embarrassed look at Julian. If I asked him for food… Before my brain could even process the thought, my mouth was already speaking: “Julian, I’m hungry.” Julian’s face looked even worse now. “Chloe Harrington, what kind of sick game are you playing this time?” Chapter 5 I lowered my eyes, tired. “No games. Just… things have changed.” I corrected him softly. “And it’s just Chloe now. Just call me Chloe.” Julian’s whole body stiffened. The look he gave me was indescribable. I turned my face away. I realized my voice had been too soft just now, almost sounding like I was acting cute or flirting. But that wasn’t my intention. Speaking with too much force just hurt too much. After a long silence, Julian said, “I have instant ramen. You want some?” I nodded frantically. “Yes, please.” Twenty minutes later, I had downed the last of the broth. I was mentally preparing how to bring up terminating our contract with Julian. Ideally, I wanted to ask for $100,000 back. Before today, $100,000 was just pocket change for a few outfits or a bag. But now, that $100,000 was my life. I kept sneaking glances at Julian. He was dressed entirely in black today—a black button-down shirt. I wasn’t sure what the fabric was, but it had a nice sheen and drape. His thick hair was parted slightly, the ends slightly curled. He had that mixture of aloofness and youthful vigor. Honestly, looking like that, the $200,000 had been worth it. How should I phrase this? I smack my lips, immediately regretting the gesture. As the saying goes: Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. I was so consumed by my internal debate that I completely missed the fact that the man was watching all my little movements. A flash of disgust crossed his eyes. “Alright, let’s get this over with. How do you want to play today?” “Huh?” My eyes went wide. “Let’s make this quick!” Julian started walking toward me, unbuttoning his shirt as he came. Before I realized what was happening, I caught a faint scent of lemon, and Julian had already unbuttoned his entire shirt, exposing his chest. He got down on one knee right at my feet, lowering his head, presenting his profile to me. From my perspective, that profile was almost an exact carbon copy of Silas Thorne. It was the angle I used to love. He was heart-wrenchingly practiced at this. “Mistress, punish me…” You couldn’t see the humiliation in his eyes from this angle. I was terrified. “No! Get away!” Julian let out a cold snort. “Not that one today?” With that, he stood up and started undoing his belt. The click of the buckle sounded like a switch, flooding me with horrible memories. I looked at him in stark terror, quickly scrambling back into the corner of the sofa until I couldn’t go back any further. I curled up tightly, unable to stop my whole body from shaking. “Don’t come near me! Please, don’t come near me…” In the dream, someone else had done this exact thing, pulling his belt off while walking toward me. He used that belt to tie me up, to beat me. I couldn’t run, I couldn’t hide… “Let me go, let me go…” I mumbled unconsciously. “Chloe Harrington.” “Chloe.” He called my name twice, but I was so submerged in terror that I didn’t hear him clearly. Julian finally realized something was very wrong. “Chloe.” That nice lemon scent drifted back into my nose, and I snapped out of it. I looked up and saw Julian’s cold, intense eyes right in front of me. “Don’t come near me… don’t touch me…” I was hyperventilating, and the heavy, ragged breathing was pulling on my broken rib. Pain. It let me know this was real, not a dream. Julian sat down on the coffee table opposite me, furrowing his brows, keeping me company in the silence.

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Everyone around me thought I should be with Liam. My friends said: “He’s liked you for so many years, everyone can see it. Oh come on, don’t be so picky.” My parents said: “You two grew up together, we know him inside and out. Anyway, he’s the only son-in-law we’ll ever acknowledge!” Even when strangers posted my picture on the university confession page trying to find me, countless enthusiastic people would step up to tell them: “She has a boyfriend! He’s liked her for years, they’re getting married right after graduation!” “If those two don’t make it, I’ll never believe in true love again!” But… I felt absolutely nothing for him. At our wedding, looking at everyone’s smiling faces, I only felt profound alienation. He held my hand, his eyes red, swearing: “Wife, I promise to love you for the rest of my life!” But in the third year of our marriage, he cheated. 1 While slacking off at work, I scrolled past an anonymous post made by my husband. 【I’m a scumbag, go ahead and curse me.】 【In the eyes of outsiders, my wife and I are childhood sweethearts, perfectly matched, approved by both sets of parents, and blessed by our friends. In reality, it rotted away a long time ago.】 【We’ve been married for three years, and I realized the person I truly love is still my ex-girlfriend. Not ending up with her is the biggest regret of my life.】 The internet exploded. 【What did your wife do wrong? If you’re so madly in love with your ex, why did you marry your wife in the first place?】 【Seems devoted, actually a hypocrite.】 Liam was still deeply reminiscing. 【We had a three-month ‘end of the world’ romance.】 【Every day we were together, we lived it as if it were our last.】 【We played video games together, experimented with cooking together, and went crazy under the open sky. She is my soulmate, my brother-in-arms, my lover, the other half of my life.】 【We agreed that after those three months, she would go abroad to study, and I would continue with my life.】 【When we broke up, we promised to hike the Appalachian Trail together. We got lost in the rocky terrain, suffered from hypothermia, and had no cell service. At that moment, we both felt that even dying together there wouldn’t be so bad.】 【When we finally made it down, we both cried. I knew neither of us was willing to let go.】 The comments below were already a bloodbath of curses. 【Stupid scumbag, bless your daddy!】 【Why didn’t you two mutts freeze to death up there?】 Liam replied: 【She returned to the States today. She messaged me saying she still can’t forget me and wants to be together. I’m going to pursue my own happiness.】 【Everyone, wish me luck.】 The netizens lost their minds. 【Algorithm, do your thing! Push this post to the wife!】 【The scumbag’s IP is in Florida, the algorithm pushed it to me in New York. Back! Back! Push it back!】 … There really is no limit to how disgusting people can be in this world. I frowned as I read it. It was exactly time to clock out. A girl in my office, Mia, asked me: “Nora, want to leave together? My boyfriend is driving over to pick me up, we can give you a ride.” Another colleague, Sarah, interrupted her with a laugh. “Why are you worrying about her? Nora’s husband dotes on her so much, he’s definitely coming to pick her up soon.” Mia suddenly realized. “How could I forget? Nora’s husband is the model husband.” They didn’t wait for my answer, chatting and laughing as they left. “Wait…” I sighed and looked down at my phone. On the screen, the WeChat message I sent Liam two hours ago was still hanging empty in the chat box. “Hubby, it’s raining today. Can you come pick me up?” No reply. He was always like this. He never checked his phone while working. People around me always advised me: Liam is such a good man, he doesn’t smoke or drink, what more are you looking for? The rain outside grew heavier. I dashed into the subway braving the downpour, soaking wet. The people around me moved away with a look of disgust, annoyed that I was dripping water on them. I apologized repeatedly. Just then, my phone pinged. The post I was reading earlier had updated. 【Picked her up.】 It was a picture of two tightly clasped hands. I immediately noticed a familiar scar at the base of the man’s thumb, exactly the same as Liam’s. I froze, instinctively calling Liam, but he declined the call. “Busy.” The more I looked, the more familiar it seemed. Looking at the anonymous avatar again, it was a stylized version of the crest of a top-3 university in the country. Liam had only gotten in because of lowered requirements for ROTC students, and his alma mater was always his biggest point of pride. Same IP, same watch, same university, same sudden “business.” Are there really that many coincidences in this world? I felt cold all over. The AC in the subway was freezing, so cold that every bone in my body wanted to curl up. Holding onto the last shred of possibility, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and sent him a message. “Hubby, my stomach really hurts. Can you come pick me up?” This time, Liam replied very quickly. “The company suddenly sent me on a three-day business trip. Be sensible and manage on your own.” I suddenly lost all desire to communicate with him. A while later, my phone rang. It was my best friend, Chloe. “I heard from Liam that you’re not feeling well. What’s wrong?” “My stomach hurts.” “Get off at the next stop, I’m driving over to pick you up right now.” Chloe was fast. Before long, I was sitting in the passenger seat of her new car. The warmth of the heated seats perfectly soothed my physical discomfort. I was just about to tell her about the post I saw today and my suspicions, when I heard Chloe sigh with emotion. “This is why I say Liam really loves you. Look, he’s out of town on a business trip, but the moment he heard you weren’t feeling well, he called me immediately, going out of his way to have me take care of you.” “What kind of good karma did you accumulate to meet a good husband like Liam!” The words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat. The familiar suffocating feeling surged up again. It had always been like this. From my classmates and friends, to my colleagues after I started working, Liam was the perfect boyfriend in everyone’s eyes. My friends would say: “Liam is so good to you, stop causing trouble!” “I think you two are a perfect match.” Liam’s friends would say: “He’s liked you for so many years.” “We helped him along the way, finally waiting for the day he confessed. Did you really feel nothing?” The most suffocating were probably my parents. “You two have known each other since you were kids, we know his roots. Anyway, we only acknowledge him as our son-in-law!” Everyone around me said Liam was great, a perfect, good husband. What kind of good karma did I have to find such a good man? But… is that really true? 2 After getting home, I felt chills running down my spine. I probably caught a cold. I casually picked up my tablet nearby, only to see 99+ unread messages in a group chat. Clicking into it, I found it was a group created by Liam. It was mostly filled with my friends, but I had never seen this group before. He was asking urgently in the chat: “Emergency! If any of you are free, could you please go pick up Nora? I’m on a business trip and can’t make it back. I’ll treat you to dinner when I return.” Below, my friends erupted in praise. “When it comes to loving his wife, Liam is the man!” “I’m impressed, I’m truly impressed. After all these years, ten dogs would have died from choking on your PDA.” At this moment, Chloe had also arrived home and reported in the group. “Reporting to Liam, I have safely delivered Nora home.” Liam quickly replied with a “fist and palm salute” emoji. “Thanks for being a true friend, Chloe. I’ll treat you to dinner when I get back.” Looking at the group’s creation date, it was actually six years ago. My chest felt incredibly tight. No wonder back then, no matter what I wanted, Liam always seemed to know immediately and deliver it. We always “happened” to bump into each other at various gatherings, and our friends always “happened” to cheer us on at the exact right moments. My chest felt blocked, yet I couldn’t say anything. Say he shouldn’t have added my friends? Say he shouldn’t have gone through the trouble of finding out what I liked? … None of that felt right to say. After getting together with him, this feeling always stuck in my throat, yet I could never articulate it. I casually picked up the tablet, opened Spotify on it, planning to play some music to change my mood. I accidentally clicked into his following list and found he only had one mutual follower. Curious, I clicked on it, only to find he and this person had been mutually following each other for 1,835 days. A string in my heart began to pull taut. The person was Liam’s senior from college, Elena. It seemed she went abroad after graduation, and they hadn’t contacted each other for a few years. But half a year ago, they started talking again. They said good morning and good night to each other every day, and their “recently listened together” history was densely packed. Liam never liked replying to my messages while at work, saying it affected his productivity. But he and Elena chatted from morning till night. Complaining about stupid colleagues who only knew how to pass the buck, complaining about incompetent bosses who only knew how to kiss up to leadership. They had so much to talk about. He would even be reluctant to say goodbye when going into a meeting. “I have to go to a meeting, need to hand in my phone. I’ll contact you as soon as I’m out!” … Just yesterday’s chat log. Elena: “I’m returning to the States tomorrow. We haven’t seen each other in three years, I’m suddenly a bit scared.” Liam: “Scared of what?” Elena: “Scared I’m not as pretty as I used to be. What if you don’t like me anymore?” Liam: “You are always the most beautiful in my heart.” Elena: “Everyone knows how much you dote on your wife, I heard about it even across the ocean. Model husband. emoji covering mouth laughing” Liam: “I’m only with her because she’s suitable.” A moment later, he sent another message. “If you hadn’t insisted on going abroad back then…” Elena: “Well, I’m coming back now, aren’t I? Have you thought about how you’re going to welcome me?” Liam: “Tomorrow, I’ll bring your favorite Gloriosa lilies to pick you up.” “Wait for me.” I instinctively opened that post. Sure enough, it was updated again. They were eating at a notoriously hard-to-book Michelin-starred restaurant in the city. In the corner of the photo was the silhouette of flame-like Gloriosa lilies. I suddenly remembered that last month was our wedding anniversary, and I had gone to great lengths to book that restaurant. I heard that restaurant was incredibly photogenic. I borrowed a Polaroid camera, bought lots of film, and spent two hours doing my makeup beforehand, planning to take beautiful photos. But Liam, complaining it was a waste of money, frowned and told me to cancel it. “We’re already married, why waste money on this?” “We still need to have kids, pay for their education, buy a house in a good school district, and provide for our parents’ retirement. Which of those doesn’t require money? How can you still be as immature as when you were single?” It felt like someone had poured a bucket of cold water over me. But… I was using my own salary, wasn’t I? I dejectedly prepared to cancel it, but Liam suddenly remembered something. “Give me your phone.” I was a bit confused, but I handed him my phone anyway. “I have a friend who’s planning to propose. You can push this reservation back a month, right?” I nodded, not thinking deeply about how he knew that Michelin reservation could be postponed. Then I watched helplessly as he changed the date to today. “Little Liu is going to propose to his girlfriend, let’s not let it go to waste,” he said, smiling playfully as he reached out and hugged me. “I’ll tell him later, he’ll definitely thank you, sis.” “I’ll cook you a meal you like tonight. Why waste money going out?” “Watch your husband show off his skills!” Later that day, I was washing dishes and cleaning a greasy kitchen until midnight. When I complained to my friends later, they actually thought it was my fault. “I don’t think Liam is wrong, he’s thinking about your future.” “That meal is so expensive. Now that you’re married, you’re a unit, of course you have to consider his thoughts. Didn’t he end up cooking for you anyway?” “Don’t be ungrateful. Finding a good husband like Liam is good karma from your past life!” But before I got married, I could go out and have a nice meal with friends for holidays. How come after getting married, I suddenly didn’t deserve anything? I looked at that photo, laughing so hard tears streamed down my face. So changing the date was all for today. She deserves the best. While I only deserve greasy dishes. 3 Unable to swallow this anger, I hailed a cab and went straight to that Michelin-starred restaurant. But when I arrived, the table was already empty, with only waiters clearing the dishes. I stared blankly at that table, feeling as if I had thrown a punch with all my might, only to hit thin air. Perhaps because I looked so lost, the manager came over and asked politely: “Miss, do you need any assistance?” I shook my head, turned around, and went home exhausted. The dizziness I had been forcefully suppressing surged up. When I pushed open the door, I felt my whole body go weak. But I didn’t expect someone to be home. Liam was back? Hearing the sound of the door opening, he turned to look at me, his face full of displeasure. “Where did you go this late?” I stood blankly at the door, wondering if I was dreaming. Shouldn’t he be out on a date with Elena? “What are you spacing out for?” Liam frowned and walked over, but when he saw my face clearly, he froze for a second. The next moment, his hand was on my forehead. “Why is your face so red? Do you have a fever?” My brain was a bit slow to process. “Weren’t you on a business trip?” Liam answered nonchalantly, “The other side canceled at the last minute.” I tried to lift my foot to change my shoes, but my legs suddenly gave out, and I stumbled, almost falling. Liam was quick to catch me. Then, I felt my body lift—he actually scooped me up into a princess carry? “You’re too tired tonight, go rest in bed first. I’ll find you some medicine.” No, he’s acting too unusual tonight. He hadn’t treated me like this in a long time since we got married. My mind was a mess. Did I really misunderstand him? It wasn’t until the unfamiliar scent of body wash on him hit my nose that I regained a shred of clarity. Immediately after, I saw a bright red lipstick mark on the back collar of his shirt. Like a triumphant declaration of war. “Your shirt…” I suddenly spoke. I felt Liam’s body, pressed tightly against mine, noticeably stiffen. “What’s wrong with my shirt?” “There’s a lipstick mark.” I stared intently at his face, wanting to see what excuse he could come up with this time. Liam froze for a second, then laughed. “I got rear-ended on the way to the airport. The company sent a seven-seater, and a female colleague in the back wasn’t wearing her seatbelt and crashed into me.” He answered very naturally, the excuse perfectly flawless. I was certain that even if I went to his company to ask, this incident would absolutely be verified. Liam never told lies that could be exposed. He was always meticulous. He became a department head just three years after graduation. He covered all his bases with everyone, otherwise he wouldn’t have made everyone around me unable to say a single bad thing about him. But when he directed this meticulousness at me, the “bad” person automatically became me. 4 I went home holding onto my last shred of hope. “Liam cheated.” My dad’s first reaction wasn’t to speak up for me, but to scold me. “What crazy fit are you throwing now? What exactly are you dissatisfied with regarding Liam? You’ve been married for three years, why are you still so immature!” My mom was also frowning beside him. “You can’t just say things like that. It’s always better to stick with your first spouse. Besides, Liam is so good to you. He usually does the cooking at home, what more are you dissatisfied with?” “Let me tell you, you need to read less of that nonsense online. They say the divorce rate for your generation is over fifty percent! Everyone is an only child, everyone is selfish, and no one is willing to compromise. Even teeth can bite the tongue sometimes. Who else but Liam would tolerate you so much?” But his so-called tolerance doesn’t make me happy! Before I could even say another word, I was drowned in a tidal wave of accusations from my parents. I took a deep breath. It had always been like this since I was a child. My dad would always say that parents are never wrong, that parents are the most hateful yet most lovable people. While constantly making decisions “for my own good”—insisting I return to them after graduation to do a job I didn’t like, insisting I marry someone they thought was good, insisting I do the right thing at the right time. But, following the script to marry and have kids, living a predictable life until you die with your kids crying by your bed—is that really the “right” thing? I could never hold back my tears in front of my parents. My voice choked up. “I saw a red lipstick mark on Liam’s white shirt.” “He took the Michelin restaurant reservation I made for our wedding anniversary and used it to have dinner with his senior, and lied to me saying he gave it to a colleague to propose.” “I wanted to go out for a meal, but he said eating out was a waste of money and would only cook at home.” The more I spoke, the more disorganized it became. This was my old problem. I could never hit the main point, only list things flatly, hoping the listener would realize along with me what was wrong. Before I could finish, my dad slammed his hand heavily on the table. “When are you going to fix this habit of wasting money?! Liam is being frugal for your future, and you come back crying and demanding a divorce!” “You say he cheated, based on a single lipstick mark? What if someone accidentally brushed against him?” “So he treated someone to a meal, is that some fundamental mistake?” “Are you throwing a tantrum and not giving him a chance to explain again?” “I’m putting this out there right now: I will never acknowledge any other son-in-law besides Liam! If you dare divorce him, get the hell out of this house!” I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed my bag and stormed out. But I had barely reached the ground floor when my phone rang. It was my mom. Her voice was distorted with panic. “Nora, come back quickly!!! Your dad had a heart attack because you made him so mad!!! Hurry up and call 911!!!” In that moment, I felt cold from head to toe. I practically turned around like a madwoman and took the elevator up. I saw my dad clutching his chest, unable to breathe, slumped on the floor, while my mom supported him, completely at a loss for what to do. “Quick, find his medicine!!!” 5 I sat with my mom outside the operating room. The red “In Surgery” light was cold and indifferent. My mom turned to look at me. My dad was always the one making the decisions at home, and she was used to not having to worry about anything. Now, she was completely lost. “Did you call Liam?” I had just followed the nurses running up and down, registering and paying fees, and I realized I hadn’t thought of calling Liam the entire time. Even though he was the most considerate, perfect husband in everyone’s eyes, when I needed help the most, I instinctively avoided him. “Call him, tell him to come.” “There’s no need, I can handle this myself.” I instinctively refused. My mom reached up and rubbed her face. “Nora, did your dad and I raise you to be too independent?” “You can do everything yourself. Liam is a man too. By doing this, you make him feel completely unneeded. Since he can’t find that feeling with you, he’ll naturally look for it elsewhere.” She looked at me seriously. This was indeed the rule she had lived by with my dad all these years. That sense of powerlessness surged up again. But Mom, people are different. Many of the unwritten rules from their generation are useless now. In their era, they said men work outside and women manage the home. The man earned the money, the woman was a full-time mother, and together they supported the family. It’s not like now, where both men and women have jobs, but the man goes home, kicks his feet up like a king, and says that since ancient times men work outside and women manage the home, so grown men shouldn’t do chores. Just because Liam was willing to do a little housework, he was praised to the high heavens. But I don’t care about that bowl of noodles he makes. I clearly have the means to go out and eat a $30 crab roe noodle soup. I don’t need a carelessly thrown-together fried egg and chili noodle soup, only to be left to wash the dishes and clean up a messy kitchen by myself afterward. I often doubted who was the real child of my parents—me or Liam? Why did they always defend him unconditionally? But my dad was still in the operating room, and I didn’t want to argue with my mom at a time like this. I called Liam and briefly explained the situation. “I’ll be right there.” Seeing I had hung up, my mom was very satisfied. “Your uncle even had an illegitimate child back then, but aren’t he and your aunt still living a good life now?” “Listen to your mom. A second marriage is never the same. No matter what, it’s impossible to find someone as considerate as your first husband. You’ll have a very hard time finding anyone better than Liam later on.” “Do you have any substantial proof of his infidelity? No, right?” “If you two really get divorced, you won’t get a single penny! You’ve been married to him for three years. Are you just going to hand him over to some cheap woman outside?” “Furthermore, if I were you, I would forgive him. Now that you have dirt on him, you can control him even better.” I felt cold all over listening to her. I had never imagined my mom thought this way.

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When Arthur Sterling pushed off getting married yet again, I decided to move back to my village. Before leaving, we had a “breakup hookup.” At the height of our passion, his voice was hoarse. “You don’t need to use a breakup to force me. I told you, when the time is right, I will marry you.” Later, I hopped on a little motorized rickshaw back to my village and completely vanished. But he went crazy looking for me. My phone was bombarded with text messages. 【Don’t let me find you, or I’ll kill you.】 【Send me your location. Let’s talk this out calmly.】 【Baby, I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please don’t leave me…】 1 My mom started pressuring me to get married again. I sat in front of Arthur Sterling’s desk and asked him. “When exactly are you going to marry me?” He lifted his eyelids and glared at me. “It’s working hours right now. Let’s not discuss personal matters.” “Redo this proposal. It’s too cliché, no originality.” I suspected he was subtly insulting me. Suppressing my emotions, I walked out of the office. My colleagues crowded around. “Did the Grim Reaper chew you out?” I kept my head down and said nothing, silently confirming it. I’ve been with Arthur for three years, and we’ve kept it an absolute secret. By day, he’s the aloof, ruthless Grim Reaper. By night, he’s an insatiable, devoted wolf dog. Besides me, no one has ever seen this contrast. He treats me very well. He gives me whatever I want, except for marriage. But my mom says that if a man loves you, he should marry you. Not drag things out like this. My mom also mentioned that a lot of high-quality young men are returning to the countryside to support agricultural development. So, I decided to move back to my village. The big city is too cold and ruthless. It’s better to be comforted by the simple, earthy vibe of the countryside. That night, I went back to Arthur’s massive villa. As soon as I walked in, he pinned me against the door. Kissing me urgently. I tilted my head back and responded. Between breaths, I said it again. “If we’re not getting married, let’s just break up.” Arthur’s eyes were hazy with lust. He crushed my words with his actions. At the height of our passion. His voice was intoxicating: “You don’t need to use a breakup to force me. I told you, when the time is right, I will marry you.” “And you don’t need to constantly test me. My patience is limited.” His body arched into mine. I took that as his tacit agreement to break up. I bought a ticket back to my village for a month later. Before going home, I needed to sell all the luxury goods and real estate Arthur had given me. Combined with my salary from the past few years, my secret stash was very impressive. I’d have enough to build a nice house in the village, raise some pigs, chickens, and cows. It was enough for me to live comfortably for the rest of my life. When I submitted my resignation letter. Arthur still thought I was throwing a tantrum. He called me into his office. His face was dark as he pulled down the blinds. “Chloe, it’s one thing to act up usually, but now you dare threaten me with resignation?” “Are you going to throw away years of hard work for a man?” Who else but me knew that the “man” he was talking about was himself. I sat politely in front of him. “Mr. Sterling, it’s working hours right now. Let’s not mix in personal feelings.” “I have other career plans. I hope you will approve my resignation, Mr. Sterling.” A long silence followed. Arthur let out a soft scoff. “Chloe, I have to remind you. A woman needs her career. Worrying about personal gains and losses will only push your partner further away. With your current abilities, working at Sterling Corp is your absolute ceiling.” He was right. With my educational background, I wouldn’t even be able to get an interview at other major companies. If it weren’t for Arthur, I wouldn’t have a place at Sterling Corp. But for a woman like me, who isn’t incredibly career-driven. What did that matter? I was planning to go back to the village anyway. The deception and scheming of the big city had exhausted me. I repeated myself. “I hope you will approve my resignation, Mr. Sterling.” Arthur’s aura turned dark and hostile, and he finally dropped one sentence. “You’d better not regret this.” He probably didn’t know. I never do things I’ll regret. 2 With Arthur’s authorization. The handover period was shortened from a month to a week. I had plenty of time to pack my things. While Arthur was at work. I called an appraiser and sold all my jewelry. After a mid-eight-figure sum hit my account. I felt my future looking brighter by the second. I asked my mom to start lining up blind dates for me in advance. I wanted my schedule packed as soon as I got home. So I wouldn’t even have time to experience any so-called “withdrawal.” After I quit, Arthur started coming home later and later. Once, I even found an opened box of ultra-thin condoms in his suit pocket. I didn’t expose him; I just quietly put it away for him. He was more concerned about his personal health than I was. I wasn’t worried about catching any diseases. But he seemed unhappy. The usually calm and collected Arthur would throw fits for no reason. Complaining that I was brushing him off. Complaining that I was too cold towards him. I could only coax him. I catered to his every whim, wanting to leave a good impression before I went back to the village. I stopped mentioning breaking up and stopped getting jealous over nothing. Until one time, he got drunk and pinned me to the bed. He asked me softly. “Chloe, do you not love me anymore?” My heart trembled. Love? I loved him quite a bit. But I only had a few years of my youth. I couldn’t afford to waste them. He made it sound like I was the bad guy. I raised my hand and stroked his brow. “Then why won’t you marry me?” Arthur’s voice was hoarse. “I never said I wouldn’t marry you, it’s just right now…” I kissed him, cutting him off. I didn’t want to hear the word “just.” Once that word comes out. The result no longer matters. Reluctant probing only turns you into a joke. In the villa, I had a lot of stuff. So much that my traces were in every corner. But in the end, I only packed a small suitcase. I figured, once I was gone. Arthur would definitely have the housekeeper thoroughly throw away all my things. Whether it was people or things, he was always cold-blooded and ruthless. A week before heading back to the village. I attended my best friend’s wedding. Seeing her in her wedding dress, I was so moved I cried like a baby. When she handed her bouquet directly to me. The first person that popped into my head was Arthur. But he didn’t want to marry me. Probably because I was from a rural background and we weren’t a good match socially. I heard people like them all had to enter arranged marriages. The wedding banquet ended. Arthur, in a rare move, came to pick me up. Opening the car door, he immediately spotted the bouquet in my hand. I quickly explained. “I don’t mean anything by this, don’t misunderstand.” “It’s just a simple blessing; my best friend shoved it into my hands.” The light in Arthur’s eyes dimmed. The drive was silent. I accidentally spotted a lipstick on the floorboard. It wasn’t mine. I picked it up and put it in the center console. Screech— Arthur slammed on the brakes, his voice a low growl. “Chloe! Is that yours? You’re not even asking anymore?” I was a bit stunned by his yelling. I was being so understanding. What was he throwing a tantrum about? My tone held a hint of displeasure, but I went along with his words and asked. “Then whose is it?” Arthur gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white. “My mom’s.” “Oh, your mom’s.” “You…” The engine restarted. Arthur’s face was incredibly dark. As soon as we got home, he locked himself in his study. I was confused. I sent a message to my mom. 【Mom, the blind date has to have a good temper.】 After sending it, I added another sentence. 【And he needs to have abs.】 He didn’t come back to the bedroom that night. I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Feeling an empty void in my heart. 3 I met Arthur right after I graduated. At the time, I was going to Sterling Corp for an interview, and he pressed the elevator button for me. My strong Southern accent left a deep impression on him. Because of that, Sterling Corp made an exception and hired me. Everyone said Arthur was a living Grim Reaper who shouldn’t be messed with. But I was bolder than the sky and completely mesmerized by his looks. After a business dinner, I voluntarily got into his car. And confessed my feelings to him. Arthur was stunned for a good while. Then he told me. “Office romances are strictly forbidden. You’ll be fired.” I didn’t care. “Just don’t let anyone know. You’re the boss, no one dares fire you.” And so, we got together. One bold move traded for a few years of living like a wealthy socialite. Thanks to Arthur. My work abilities skyrocketed over the past few years. And I gained a lot of worldly experience. He was a major benefactor in my life. But not “the one.” Seeing my peers in the village already having kids. My mom started pressuring me too. I tentatively asked Arthur about it. He always said the time wasn’t right. I didn’t know when his “right time” would ever come. But people around me were settling down one by one. And I started having thoughts of marriage too. After being rejected time and time again when I wanted an official title. He got annoyed, and I got tired. While aimlessly scrolling through short videos. I saw videos of idyllic, pastoral life and suddenly yearned for it. The seed of returning to the village was planted right then. 4 The day before I was scheduled to leave. I personally cooked a table full of food. Hoping to give him a proper goodbye. I texted Arthur in advance, asking him to come home early. My message went unanswered. My calls went to voicemail. I waited until 9 PM. He still hadn’t come home. I took a cab to his company. My colleagues said Arthur had left in the afternoon. I felt displeased. Seriously, after I quit. I didn’t even know his whereabouts anymore. I waited all night. The food on the table went cold. I felt miserable. I didn’t expect that his “stay safe” yesterday morning would be his last words to me. A wave of sourness washed over my heart. I grabbed my small suitcase. Took one last look at the villa. And got into the car heading to the airport. Before boarding. I was still hoping Arthur would reply to my message. But he didn’t. I scrolled through short videos to distract myself. And stumbled upon a video posted locally. No one’s face was shown in the video. But I recognized those hands perfectly. I bought the plain platinum ring on his ring finger. The creator of the video was a woman. So Arthur didn’t come home because he was eating French food with another woman. Thinking about how I spent the whole afternoon cooking sweet and sour pork, braised eggplant, and stew for him yesterday… My heart ached. Clutching my chest, tears fell silently. Before boarding. I messaged my mom. 【Mom, I’ll be home tomorrow. Can you set up a blind date for tomorrow night?】 After sending it, I turned off my phone, swapped in a new SIM card. And blocked all of Arthur’s contact information while I was at it. The plane took off and landed. After getting off the plane, I had to take a coach bus to the county town. Then transfer from the county town to a motorized rickshaw to get to my village. I was drowsy the whole trip. My mind was full of Arthur. Deeply affectionate, coldly distant, intoxicatingly passionate. I couldn’t shake him off no matter how hard I tried. Arriving at the village entrance. Smelling the earthy scent hitting my face, mixed with a bit of chicken manure. It was a familiar smell. My heart slowly settled down. Every time I come home, it feels like my soul is being cleansed. The villagers are simple. There’s no scheming or backstabbing. And families don’t have so many rigid rules. My mom was right. A large group of high-quality young men had indeed flooded into the village to support agriculture. Youthful, energetic, sunny, and thoughtful. With plenty of time on my hands. I drafted blueprints, planning to build a two-story house. I bought a dog, chickens, cows, and sheep. My days were fulfilling. But when night fell. I would think of Arthur. Thinking of him made my heart ache. Like something was physically squeezing it. I also met a few blind dates. Wasn’t satisfied with any of them. Once you’ve had top-tier, ordinary just doesn’t cut it anymore. The only one who was somewhat decent turned out to like men. And so, three months passed. Under my day-and-night supervision, the two-story house was built. It was also at this time. An unknown number called. I swiped to answer. And spoke politely. “Hello.” As soon as I spoke, a roar nearly shattered my eardrum. “Chloe! It really is you!” Scared, I hung up immediately. He called again. I hung up again. And blocked the number. The other side used a different number and called again. I just turned off my phone entirely. I hadn’t heard Arthur’s voice in so long. My heart was pounding out of my chest. Damn it. Why did he have to mess with me right when I was living my best life? I thought about it over and over. I didn’t seem to owe him anything. I had informed him when we broke up. I wanted a farewell dinner, but he was the one who didn’t come home. I had nothing to feel guilty about. I turned my phone back on. A flood of text messages popped up. 【Chloe, don’t let me find you, or I’ll kill you.】 【You fucking leave without a word. Couldn’t you just talk to me?】 【Turning off your phone, huh! I’ll dig three feet underground to drag you out!】 【……】 There were too many messages. It was hard for me to imagine what state the usually cold and aloof Arthur was in to type such manic messages. When I was with him. Besides seeing him lose his temper at work, he was actually very good to me in private. I involuntarily shivered. Winter wasn’t even here yet, but I felt a chill in the air.

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When my husband’s intern “slipped” for the sixth time and canceled the remarriage application I submitted, Arthur finally showed a hint of displeasure. I, on the other hand, pulled open the door with a calm face: “The little girl is throwing a tantrum. Coax her well tonight.” He suddenly reached out, blocking the doorframe, and stared dead at me: “I thought you cared most about your status?” “Why aren’t you angry?” I was momentarily speechless. The last time we divorced, he had signed the papers with a mocking smile: “Whether a man cheats or not only depends on whether the woman can find out.” So when we reconciled this time, I turned a blind eye to the lace stuffed in his lab coat. Even when the little girl caused a scene at our door because he hadn’t fulfilled his KPI of sleeping with her 12 times a month, I calmly explained for him. “Don’t misunderstand, we’ve been sleeping in separate rooms for a long time.” Arthur smiled and sighed, saying I had finally learned to be obedient. But he didn’t know that all this was only because the night before our reconciliation, old Mrs. Vance came to me holding an old iron box. Back when Arthur went to the front lines seven times, he left behind seven farewell letters. Every word and sentence was entirely about me and our daughter. The old lady, with red eyes, begged me to remarry him and give him seven chances. So these past few days, I became the perfect wife. But when I finally burned the last farewell letter, why was he unhappy again? … “There’s nothing to be angry about.” As my words fell, Arthur’s hand gripping the doorframe stiffened slightly. The air froze for two seconds. “She and I are just colleagues now, don’t overthink it.” I walked towards the kitchen, and his footsteps followed. “She was just too careless…” I washed the vegetables with my head down, giving a perfunctory “Mhm.” I had believed that sentence too many times. Until my daughter’s fifth birthday, Mia came to our door with a smile. She casually stabbed that bright red, two-lined pregnancy test straight into my daughter’s buttercream cake. The stares of all the guests pierced the dignity I had forced myself to maintain like needles. I lunged forward to grab Mia’s hair, but my wrist was violently grabbed and pushed away by Arthur. “She wanted to grab a candle and carelessly grabbed the wrong thing, that’s all.” I was cut by flying shards from a champagne glass and sent to the hospital. Her pregnancy was a joke. But my second child was truly gone. The knife blade slipped across my fingertip, and beads of blood fell. Arthur immediately grabbed my hand, his brows furrowed: “Why are you so careless?” I pulled my hand back: “It’s nothing.” His Adam’s apple bobbed, but before the words came out, his phone rang abruptly. It was a couple’s profile picture, a matching set with Arthur’s. Mia spoke with a crying tone: “Dr. Vance, I’m sorry. I was careless again and messed up Mrs. Vance’s remarriage application…” “I’m going to apologize to her right now…” Arthur caught a glimpse of my slightly furrowed brow, and his tone actually softened a bit: “No need.” He paused, “I’ll make the appointment for the remarriage myself.” His hand reached over my shoulder and took the knife from my hand. “Let’s go pick up our daughter together.” “I made a reservation at a restaurant. Let’s celebrate Joy’s birthday together.” I nodded without speaking. But halfway there, a shrill alarm sounded from his phone. “Alert from the ‘What’s Wrong’ APP.” “Family member’s vital signs are abnormal!” I panicked and looked at the quiet watch on my wrist. After confirming Joy’s vital signs were normal. Seeing the anxiety flashing in his eyes, I instantly understood. I thoughtfully spoke up for him: “You go. Save Mia from wasting her efforts…” “Chloe! Mia is not like you!” He jerked his head up. “You even lied to your own mother. How do you have the face to accuse others of being liars?!” My fingertips went cold. Yes, I had lied to my mom three times. When we were building our life from scratch, I gave Arthur my three years of savings but told my mom it was the bride price he gave. At our wedding, I bought fake gold jewelry and lied to my mom that it was real. After Joy was diagnosed with a severe allergic constitution, I stayed up all night, typing out lines of code to create the “What’s Wrong” APP, binding it to Joy’s health data. But when Joy went into anaphylactic shock, I rushed to the hospital alone with my child in my arms. Only to see Mia walking arm-in-arm with Arthur at a medical gala. Faced with my mother’s questioning, I enunciated every word: “The APP malfunctioned, he didn’t receive the alert.” But I knew better than anyone that the core system I wrote couldn’t possibly be wrong. He had unlinked our daughter from his app a long time ago. Sensing my silence, Arthur took a deep breath and softened his tone. “Mia stopped breathing… I’m a doctor, I have to go.” He closed the car door, looking through the glass: “You pick up Joy first. I’ll definitely be there tonight.” I lowered my eyes and nodded. Just then, a message from my daughter popped up: “Mommy, when will the school transfer paperwork be ready?” I tore up the second-to-last farewell letter in my hand and sent a photo to old Mrs. Vance. “Today the other kids said again… I’m a kid without a dad.” I replied softly. “Baby, very soon.” 【Chapter 2】 Even though the moment Arthur left, I had already changed his reservation from a table for three to a table for two. But watching Joy look toward the restaurant entrance again and again, only to lower her head silently, a dull ache still rose in my chest. The very moment Joy blew out her birthday candles, the wristband on my arm suddenly flashed a piercing red light. My mom’s vital signs were dropping rapidly. I mechanically grabbed my daughter and rushed out the door, dialing Arthur’s phone over and over. Busy signal. Hung up. Busy signal. Finally, on the last attempt, it connected. My voice was dry: “My mom, she…” From the other end of the line came a cacophony of laughter and chatter. Mia’s voice was laced with a smile: “Mrs. Vance? We were just making a bet on whether Dr. Vance would come if I held my breath for a minute.” Her voice paused, the smile deepening: “And, we bet on whether you would… call one after another.” A wave of ambiguous, jeering laughter came from the background. Arthur’s voice was lazy: “What, miss me?” I gripped the phone tightly, my knuckles turning white, and pulled Joy into the car: “Go to my mom’s hospital room. Now.” He interrupted impatiently: “You want to upgrade your mom to a private room again? Getting an eight-person room was already a favor to me. I told you I need to avoid suspicion.” “Besides, you used to stay in a sixteen-person ward yourself. What are you being so delicate about now?” The phone was abruptly hung up. Numbly gripping the steering wheel, the scenery outside the window flew backward. Back when I had brain surgery, I was so poor I could only stay in a sixteen-person room. He wrapped himself in a thin blanket and slept on the floor beside my bed. When I couldn’t sleep from the pain at night, he just held my hand in the dim light, tears falling drop by drop onto the back of my hand as he said: “Chloe, I will never let you suffer like this again.” Now, he had become the best doctor. But he gave all the suffering back to me, multiplied. By the time I rushed to the hospital, my mother had already been covered with a white sheet. I lifted it, trembling, as the doctor approached: “The patient bit off the oxygen tube herself. Our resuscitation efforts failed. My condolences.” I finally found my voice: “How is that possible?!” Joy, crying, went to pull her grandmother’s hand, but accidentally touched the play button on the tablet beside the bed. The screen shook, the lighting dim. Mia’s voice was delicate and melodious. “Dr. Vance, I know… this is our last time.” “I don’t want a status. I just want to have your child.” I violently pressed pause, forcing a smile for Joy. “Mommy will ask your kindergarten teacher to come pick you up. Joy, go play with the other kids first, okay?” The moment the door closed, I took a deep breath and hit play. The man behind the camera was silent, save for heavy breathing. Mia continued: “Chloe’s second child… because I was careless and prescribed abortion pills instead of the pregnancy-preserving injection, resulted in her never being able to have children again.” The hand holding the tablet began to shake. So the diagnosis of an accidental miscarriage Arthur gave me back then was also fake. Mia’s fingers traced across the man’s chest. “Auntie still doesn’t know that the student she sponsored for ten years is me. Your family has been so kind to me.” “I’ll have a child for her to repay you, okay?” In the dead silence. I heard Arthur utter, hoarse but clear: “…Okay.” 【Chapter 3】 Outside the door, the doctor and colleague from just now sighed. “Actually, the best treatment for her mom would be to go abroad, but Dr. Vance has always insisted on conservative treatment.” “And he strictly forbade disclosing it to the family…” Hearing this, I could no longer hold back and rushed to the restroom, dry heaving. Washing down the drain, along with my tears. Was the last bit of rotten affection between Arthur and me. I was about to leave when I ran head-on into someone at the corner of the corridor. Seeing me, a flash of joy crossed Arthur’s eyes, immediately replaced by impatience. “Must you follow me everywhere I go?” “If you want to remarry me so badly, then be good and stop talking about breaking up!” I looked up. My eyes were dead. Arthur seemed pierced by my gaze, his chest rising and falling slightly. He reached out, ruffled my hair, and softened his tone a bit: “After the commendation ceremony in a bit, I’ll give you a surprise.” I brushed his hand away, my mind consumed by a single thought. Hurry up and handle my mother’s funeral arrangements. However, as I dragged myself to process the death certificate. Passing by the conference hall, the gazes of everyone around instantly zeroed in on me. “Is this Mrs. Vance? Why does she look like that…” “I heard she keeps Dr. Vance on a very tight leash. No wonder Dr. Vance would rather sleep in the on-call room than go home.” “Dr. Sullivan is still better. Young, beautiful, and in the same profession…” I walked right through those stares, looking straight at Mia on the other side. Wearing a haute couture gown, standing next to Arthur, the gem necklace around her neck refracted a blinding light. That was the style I looked at over and over again when I got married, but ultimately couldn’t bring myself to buy. I stopped in front of her, raised my hand, and slapped her with all my might! The sharp sound of the slap plunged the entire hall into dead silence. “My mom sponsored your education, hoping you’d become a decent human being,” Staring at the Outstanding Young Doctor trophy in her hand, I enunciated every word. “Not to turn you into an ungrateful, backstabbing snake.” Mia covered her face, tears instantly welling up in her eyes: “Chloe, I was afraid you’d misunderstand, so I’ve already submitted my resignation.” “Dr. Vance is just here to present the award to me, you misunderstood…” Arthur grabbed my wrist, his eyes icy. “I didn’t approve your resignation.” “Chloe! Look at yourself, what’s the difference between you and a madwoman right now!” He shoved me hard. I fell to the ground, my palms scraped raw and stinging. Mia gasped, crouching down to help me up, using the opportunity to lean in and whisper: “Chloe, I forgot to tell you.” “Your daughter… she probably won’t make it to your mother’s funeral.” My pupils contracted sharply, and I snapped my gaze to my wrist. On the APP, the curve representing her breathing rate was plummeting, flatlining! “Joy?!” I panicked, shoving through the crowd of onlookers and running out of the hospital. But by the time I followed the GPS to find Joy, the kindergarten teacher was kneeling by the edge of the pool, incoherently repeating the address to emergency services. Joy’s body was curled up on the tiled floor, her lips cyanotic. I bit my tongue hard, forcing myself to calm down. With trembling hands, I dialed Arthur’s number. “Joy’s in trouble! Acute anaphylactic shock, she needs surgery immediately!” The other end of the line was silent for a moment, then the tone grew stiff: “Are you done causing a scene?” “Mia’s award ceremony needs me on stage for a speech. Stop using the child as an excuse, it’s pathetic.” The call disconnected. A passerby nearby leaned in, sighing softly: “Such a small child, what happened?” “If her dad knew, his heart would break.” The time outside the operating room stretched infinitely. When the doctor said there was only a one-in-three chance of a cure. My vision went black. Just then, a voice came from behind: “I can increase the success rate of her surgery.” 【Chapter 4】 I jerked my head up. Mia stood before me, the corners of her mouth curving up into a smile. Despite the alarm bells ringing in my head, seeing the other doctors nod, I had no choice but to believe her. I struggled to find my voice, dry and hoarse: “What do you want?” Mia just looked at me, smiling. I understood. My knees gave way, and I dropped straight down to kneel before her. My forehead rested on the cold floor, the words squeezed out through gritted teeth: “The title of Mrs. Vance is yours.” “I don’t want Arthur’s love anymore either.” “Please, save her.” I don’t know how much time passed before a young nurse in scrubs ran over in a panic. “I… I just secretly glanced at the medication they took in. Something seems wrong with it.” My brain buzzed with a “ding”. Almost at the exact moment I slammed into the door, the “In Surgery” light went out. The doors opened, and Mia was the first to walk out: “I’m sorry, your daughter… resuscitation failed.” I stumbled and threw myself onto the operating table. Joy lay there quietly, covered by a white sheet, revealing only a small, bloodless face. I whipped around and, with every ounce of strength I had, slapped Mia viciously across the face! Instead of getting angry, Mia laughed: “Chloe, Dr. Vance always says I’m careless, but this time I calculated very carefully.” “The success rate of one injection of the allergen test agent is 33.33%, so.” She held up three fingers and waved them in front of my eyes, her smile sweet: “I gave her three injections. That’s a 99.99% success rate.” “If you have to blame someone, blame your daughter’s rotten luck for hitting that 0.01% failure rate.” She leaned in close, lowering her voice. “Good things come in pairs. Holding two funerals together, maybe you can get a discount.” With that, she gave a cold laugh and walked towards the exit. My fingertips were white. I used all my strength to grab her hair and smash her against the hard wall next to us! The next second, a massive force kicked me hard in the side! I was kicked backward, crashing heavily into the bench in the corridor. Arthur pulled her behind him protectively: “What, didn’t you say you learned to be obedient? Couldn’t even keep up the act for this short amount of time?” “Back to being the jealous shrew you used to be?” I forced myself up: “Your little mistress killed your daughter!” “Why shouldn’t I hit her!” Arthur froze for a second, then gave a cold laugh. “Liar.” He opened a video and held the screen in front of my face. “Joy was just sending me a dancing video, wishing me a successful award ceremony.” “You’d even curse your own daughter to death just to fight for favor?!” “I know you’re blaming me for missing her birthday. By her next birthday, I will definitely make it up to her.” I watched their retreating figures, suddenly remembering the teacher telling me Joy recorded a video to be scheduled to send to her dad as a surprise. My laughter grew louder and louder, shedding tears of blood. Arthur took a few steps, then turned back. “Your mentor’s wife is emotionally unstable. Take her home first. Give her a sedative, let her get a good sleep and calm down.” He paused, his gaze falling on me: “When you’ve truly learned to be obedient, then we can talk about remarrying.” … That night, the celebratory reception lasted until late. His phone was quiet. No calls from Chloe, no voice messages from Joy. Arthur ultimately sent the surprise he prepared to Chloe. “I made the appointment. Tomorrow at 9 AM, meet me at the Civil Affairs Bureau.” No reply. The next second, his assistant sent a message. “Dr. Vance, just received news… Someone jumped off the Riverside Bridge.” “It’s suspected to be a doctor’s family member…” Arthur stared at those lines of text, his breathing stopping. “The personal items salvaged by the rescue team include a suicide note from her husband…”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394606”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I knew Liam was going to confess his love to the new transfer student. Everyone was waiting for me to break down and make a huge scene. But I simply didn’t show up. At that moment, I was sitting on a bed wearing his roommate’s hoodie, Blinking innocently and asking: “I got your bed wet, what should we do?” Ethan looked away and tossed me a towel. “Go dry your hair first. I’ll change the sheets before you lie down again.” … Liam was planning to confess his love to the beautiful new transfer student. He had given everyone a heads-up beforehand, asking them to keep it a secret from me. But little did he know, those gossips couldn’t hold it in and had already leaked the news to me. The whole school knew how I felt about Liam; I practically wanted to marry him on the spot. This time, Liam had truly fallen for the transfer student. Everyone was waiting to see how I would hysterically crash the event. This kind of emotional drama always attracted the most attention. They all expected me to lose control and turn the scene into a chaotic mess. However, even after Liam successfully finished his confession, I never appeared. The dense crowd of onlookers gradually lost interest. Even Liam’s face didn’t show much joy. With his arm around his newly-won girlfriend, he pulled out his phone to check. The screen was empty, devoid of any calls or messages. Liam frowned slightly. Then he called out to the crowd: “Drinks are on me tonight! Everyone here is invited!” The gathered students immediately cheered in excitement. Only then did I slowly step out from the shadows of the bushes where I had been hiding. Someone sharp-eyed immediately shouted: “Chloe! Chloe is here!” “I knew it, how could Chloe possibly stay away?” Liam jerked his head up. The moment he saw me, the corner of his mouth ticked up almost imperceptibly. I ignored the people waiting to watch a joke and walked straight toward Liam. “Chloe.” Liam pulled his new girlfriend closer. He looked at me, his tone flat: “You can’t force feelings.” “We’ve known each other for so many years. I don’t want to say anything too harsh and ruin our past friendship.” “From now on, I’ll still treat you like a little sister.” “If you need help, you can still come to me.” With that, he lowered his voice: “There are so many people watching. Don’t throw a tantrum, just go back.” “Liam.” I interrupted him, taking a slow step forward. He frowned again: “Chloe, be reasonable.” I smiled faintly and handed him the bracelet I had just taken off my wrist. “I just came to give this back to you.” Seeing the bracelet, Liam’s face instantly darkened: “Chloe, what kind of trick are you playing now?” “Take the bracelet back, and from now on, I won’t bother you anymore.” Liam stared at me, his voice growing icy: “I don’t care about this little bit of money.” “If you don’t want it, just throw it away.” As soon as he finished speaking, I turned and tossed the bracelet into a nearby trash can. “You should throw away all the things I gave you before, too.” With those words, I left without looking back. Liam stood frozen in place until my figure completely disappeared. His expression remained incredibly ugly. A friend beside him quickly tried to smooth things over: “Hey, Chloe’s just trying to save face, putting up a front.” “Just wait and see, Liam. She’ll regret it tonight.” “Who knows, maybe right after we leave, she’ll come crying back to dig through the trash.” Hearing this, Liam sneered: “Let her make a fool of herself.” “If it weren’t for our families’ connections, who would want to deal with her.” “Alright, alright, don’t be mad. Tonight is for celebrating, don’t let her ruin the mood.” Liam glanced at his beautiful new girlfriend beside him. And completely pushed Chloe’s annoying face out of his mind. Anyway, by tomorrow, Chloe would be back to her usual self. Waiting for him downstairs at his dorm, pestering him to go to class together. He had seen this routine far too many times over the years. By the time I reached the riverbank, it was pouring rain. I stood in the rain holding an umbrella, recalling the dreams that had been repeating over the past few days. In my dreams, because of Liam confessing to Mia. I cried and made a scene. To force him to break up, I jumped into the river right here that very night. But what was the result? I nearly lost my life. Liam stayed with me at the hospital for only five minutes before leaving resolutely. The Hastings family, who had adopted me, felt my suicidal behavior was too embarrassing. And because of Liam’s cold attitude, they decided I was no longer useful to them. They forced me to drop out of school and sent me back to my biological parents, who were involved in every vice imaginable: drinking, gambling, and worse. In the end, my life spiraled downward, and I died in a strange place. After my death, the person who collected my broken remains was surprisingly the one I had always kept at a distance out of fear. Meanwhile, Liam, immersed in the sweetness of his new marriage, never appeared from beginning to end. These past few days, the events from my dreams have come true one by one. If it weren’t for those dreams, right now I would probably be frantically calling Liam’s phone. Then, threatening suicide, preparing to jump. I am so grateful for this dream, which felt like a rebirth. Allowing me to rewrite my destined tragic fate step by step. On the third attempt dialing that number, he finally answered. I gripped the phone tightly, pressing it gently to my ear. The name Ethan hovered on my lips for a long time before I slowly spoke it. The torrential rain drowned out all the noise of the world. Only Ethan’s voice, tinged with a bit of laziness, sounded deep and low: “Chloe?” “Ethan, it’s raining really hard.” “I’m stuck by the river and can’t get back. Can you come pick me up?” There was silence on the other end for a few seconds. I gripped the umbrella handle nervously, my palms sweaty. In my dream, when Ethan collected my remains, he seemed to have cried. His tears fell drop by drop onto my decaying body and stark white bones. I could feel that burning heat even in the dream. Later, he carried a small vial of my ashes with him for the rest of his life. And lived a lonely life. I couldn’t help but shed tears, my voice choking with emotion. “Why are you crying.” Ethan’s voice suddenly came through. Still that same cold tone, even carrying a hint of impatience. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t come get you.” “Then when can you get here?” “Wait there. Twenty minutes.” “Okay, then I’ll wait for you, Ethan.” He didn’t say anything more and hung up. Fifteen minutes later, I gave my umbrella to a mother and son taking shelter from the rain. So when Ethan arrived, I was already soaked to the bone. When he got out of the car, his thin lips were tightly pursed, his face as cold as a layer of frost. I pushed aside my wet bangs, looked up at him, and smiled brightly: “Ethan, you’re so punctual.” “Chloe, you might as well just die of stupidity.” With a cold face, he grabbed my arm and stuffed me into the car. Then he threw a soft blanket at me. “Dry yourself off. Don’t get my car dirty.” He glanced at me through the rearview mirror, then neatly turned the car around. “Okay.” I obediently wrapped myself in the blanket. And couldn’t resist sneaking peeks at him while he focused on driving. When he was expressionless, he always seemed aloof and unapproachable. There were quite a few girls in school who liked him, but none dared to confess. He and Liam were roommates. I used to go to Liam’s dorm often, and every time I did, Ethan seemed very annoyed with me. Just like now. Even though he came to pick me up, his attitude was still icy. When he shoved me into the car just now, his grip was incredibly strong. My wrist was still throbbing, marked by a red ring. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t see that he had secretly liked me all along. I slowly lowered my head, my eyelashes fluttering slightly. The events from the dream hadn’t missed a beat. But now, so many things were different from before. Would Ethan… still care about me? If he didn’t actually like me, and I was clinging to him like this, was I making things difficult for him again? “Going back to your dorm?” Ethan suddenly turned his head and glanced at me. My heart gave a thump. My brain short-circuited, and I blurted out: “No, let’s go to your place.” He gripped the steering wheel, letting out a light chuckle: “Liam isn’t coming back tonight.” “I know.” I clutched the edge of the blanket, my fingers twisting it until my knuckles turned white. “I’m not going there to see him.” The car braked abruptly, pulling over to the side of the road. He turned and stared at me, his eyes as cold as ice, sending a chill down my spine. “Chloe, don’t use me as a prop for your little games.” “I didn’t mean it like that…” He didn’t speak, just stared at me for a few seconds before pulling out his phone. “I’ll call you a car, you go back yourself.” “Ethan…” I bit my lower lip, my hands acting faster than my brain. With a whoosh, I snatched his phone away. “Chloe.” He looked at me, his face showing neither anger nor disgust. Just a very deep look, like a pool of dark water, swirling with emotions I couldn’t decipher. My nose suddenly stung, and my eyes grew hot. “Ethan, I don’t want to go back to the dorm… they always laugh at me.” “And home… I don’t dare go back there either.” “Can I… just stay at your place for one night…” I hid the phone behind my back, my voice growing softer and softer. “Of course, if you really find me annoying and don’t want to see me… then never mind.” As the last word fell, tears slid down my cheeks. One after another, so quietly that not even the sound of breathing could be heard. Ethan didn’t say another word. But he restarted the engine and stepped on the gas. The car drove all the way back to campus, finally parking steadily under his dorm building. I followed him into the building. He opened his closet, pulled out a clean hoodie, and handed it to me: “Bathroom’s over there.” He was tall; the hoodie dragged down to my knees when I put it on, like a dress. After showering, I just slipped on the hoodie and walked out bare-legged. Ethan glanced at me and immediately looked away. I walked past Liam’s bed and sat on the edge of Ethan’s bed. My wet hair was still dripping, and soon dark patches seeped into the bedsheets. I smelled completely of the shampoo and body wash Ethan used. In the small room, the scents slowly mingled. Like an invisible, warm breath quietly slipping into the air. Ethan pulled out a pack of cigarettes and cleared his throat: “I’m going outside for a smoke.” He went to the balcony. I curiously observed his bed— Light pink sheets and quilt, neatly arranged. A laptop and a few books on the desk, spotless. Just as I was leaning in to look at the small trinkets on the desk, My phone suddenly vibrated with a buzz. Two words danced on the screen: Liam. I didn’t answer. He immediately called again, over and over, endlessly. I simply muted it and shoved the phone into my bag. “Ethan!” I called out toward the balcony. He immediately turned, put out his cigarette, and walked back in: “What’s wrong?” I was sitting on his bed and had to look up to see him. He met my gaze for two seconds, then quickly looked away. But I caught a glimpse of his ears quietly turning red. “I got your bedsheets wet… where are you going to sleep tonight?” He looked at me, then looked down at the water stains on the sheets. His Adam’s apple bobbed. He turned, grabbed a towel, and handed it to me: “You dry your hair first. I’ll change the sheets before you lie down again.” With that, he went to the cabinet to find fresh sheets. I gripped the towel, thinking of how red his ears had been just now, and couldn’t help but curve the corners of my mouth. By the time I came out after drying my hair, he had already changed the sheets. “You should sleep.” “What about you?” He pulled out his chair and sat down, not looking up: “I’ll play some games for a bit.” “Oh.” I flopped listlessly onto his bed. Just as he pulled out his headphones, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, looked up at me, and then answered the call. “Liam, what’s up?” My heart gave a sharp tug, and I didn’t even dare to breathe. “Yeah, I’m in the dorm.” “Who saw Chloe come to our building?” He looked at me again, his lips parting slightly, just about to speak— I suddenly stood up, straddled his lap, and wrapped my arms around his neck. Just as he was about to push me away, I leaned close to his ear and whispered: “Ethan, just say I’m not here.” My fingertips touched the skin on the back of his neck; it was terrifyingly hot. I clearly saw the veins on the side of his neck bulge, his Adam’s apple sliding up and down violently. The sound of his heartbeat pounded against my chest through our clothes. I looked up at him, and he looked down at me. His eyes slowly changed, growing dark and heated. “No, I’ve been here the whole time.” “She didn’t come here. Yeah, ask someone else.” With that, he hung up the phone directly. Tossing the phone aside, one hand slipped past the fabric of the hoodie and firmly grasped my waist. With a forceful press, he pulled me securely into his embrace. My entire body went numb, a boom sounding in my ears. My first instinct was to run. But Ethan held me tighter, his voice incredibly hoarse: “Chloe.” He called my name, his voice low and deep, like sandpaper scraping against my eardrums. I froze completely in his arms. The hand on my waist was scorching hot like a branding iron, transmitting continuous heat through the thin fabric of the hoodie. I could feel the rise and fall of his chest, and that heartbeat thumping like a drum. Thump, thump, making my heart race. “Chloe, do you know what you’re doing?” I couldn’t tell the emotion in his voice; it was just very heavy, pressing down on me so I could barely breathe. I looked up, crashing into his unfathomable eyes. Too many emotions I couldn’t understand were churning in them, looking as if they wanted to suck me in. I didn’t make a sound, just stubbornly looked back at him. “Playing me?” The grip on my waist tightened, almost crushing me. It hurt. But I didn’t pull away. “No.” I finally found my voice, a little shaky. “Ethan, I’m not playing you.” He let out a scoff, a laugh full of mockery. “Then what are you doing? Liam doesn’t want you, so you find a random stand-in?” “Liam’s roommate, close at hand, very convenient, right?” His words were like knives, stabbing into my heart one by one. In my dream, he was like this too. He always felt that I approached him for Liam’s sake. So he always suppressed his feelings, not daring to show the slightest bit. My nose stung, and tears almost fell again. “That’s not it.” My arms around his neck tightened, and I buried my face in the crook of his neck, my voice muffled. “I’m tired, Ethan.” “Chasing after someone who doesn’t love me is really tiring.” “I don’t want to live that kind of life anymore.” His body noticeably stiffened. The grip on my waist also loosened a bit. I could smell the faint scent of tobacco on him, mixed with the same body wash fragrance as mine. A very strange combination, yet it made me feel inexplicably at peace. “And then?” he asked. “And then, I want to switch to someone else.” I looked up, meeting his gaze directly, speaking every word with utmost sincerity. “Ethan, I want to switch to you. Can I?” The air was frighteningly quiet. I could even hear the rustling of the wind blowing through the leaves outside the window. He didn’t speak, just stared at me. That look was too complex—there was scrutiny, doubt, and a trace of something I didn’t dare confirm… anticipation. I was so nervous my palms were sweating, my heart about to jump out of my throat. If he refused… If he pushed me away… I didn’t know if I’d have the courage to try again. Just when I couldn’t hold on much longer, he suddenly lowered his head. Something warm pressed against my lips. My mind went blank, completely stunned. His kiss wasn’t gentle at all. With a somewhat punishing force, he bit at my lips. I let out a pained “Mm” and tried to pull back. He used the momentum to deepen the kiss, his other hand cupping the back of my head, not letting me retreat. The tip of his tongue pried open my teeth, aggressive and undeniable, conquering my defenses. I was dizzy from his kiss, my whole body going soft. I could only cling to his shoulders to barely maintain my balance. I don’t know how long it took before he finally let me go. I gasped for air, my lips numb and aching. His forehead rested against mine, his breathing also a bit unsteady. “Chloe, have you thought this through?” “Yes.” I nodded, my voice terribly hoarse. “No regrets?” “No regrets.” He stared at me steadily for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled. That was the first time I saw him smile. Not a cold smile, nor a mocking one. A genuine, heartfelt smile. Though faint, warmth colored the corners of his eyes and brows. “Okay.” He only said one word. But it was like a grand fireworks display going off in my heart. I couldn’t help but smile too, reaching out to touch his flushed earlobe. “Your ear is so hot.” His body paused. He grabbed my hand, his eyes growing deep again. “Don’t move.” I obediently said “Oh,” not daring to act up again. He lifted me off his lap and stood up. “You sleep in the bed.” “What about you?” I followed behind him like a little tail. He pulled a blanket from his closet and tossed it onto Liam’s empty bed. “I’ll sleep here.” “Oh.” I climbed into his bed and ducked under the covers. The blanket was full of his pleasant scent, making me feel very secure. He lay on the bed opposite, turning on his side to look at me. Only a dim desk lamp was on in the dorm, the lighting very low. We just looked at each other quietly from a short distance away. “Ethan.” “Hmm?” “When… when did you start liking me?” He was silent for a while. “Don’t remember.” “Liar.” “Go to sleep.” He rolled over, his back to me. I pouted and lay down too. Although he didn’t say it, I knew it must have been a long time. So long that even he had forgotten when his heart first fluttered. Just as I was groggily falling asleep, my phone buzzed again. I picked it up to look; it was a WeChat message from Liam. [Chloe, what the hell are you throwing a tantrum about?] [Is this fun?] [Call me back immediately.] Looking at those few lines, I only found it ridiculous. Before, any casual sentence from him could tug at all my emotions. Now, only annoyance remained. I was just about to block him when Ethan suddenly sat up on the opposite bed. He walked over to my bed and held out his hand to me. “Give me your phone.” I froze for a moment, then obediently handed him the phone. He took the phone, his fingers swiping across the screen a few times. Then, right in front of me, he blocked and deleted Liam’s WeChat, phone number, and all other contact information. After doing all this, he handed the phone back to me. “From now on, don’t cry over him again.” Looking at him, a soft spot in my heart melted. “Okay.” He ruffled my hair, turned, and went back to his own bed. “Go to sleep, we have classes tomorrow.” “Goodnight, Ethan.” “Goodnight.” That night, I slept exceptionally peacefully. No nightmares, no waking up with a start. The next morning, I was woken up by a commotion. “Ethan! Open the door! I know you’re in there!” It was Liam’s voice. Liam’s exasperated yelling came from outside the door, each shout louder than the last. I instinctively grabbed the blanket tightly, my heart pounding. Ethan had already sat up, his face expressionless, but his brows were furrowed, clearly annoyed by the noise. He casually grabbed a T-shirt from his chair, pulled it on, and got out of bed. “Don’t open the door…” I whispered, a little panicked. With Liam’s temper, if he saw me here, who knows what kind of scene he’d make. Ethan looked back at me, his eyes calm, and that sense of security inexplicably calmed me down. He didn’t speak, just walked straight over and pulled the door open. As soon as the door opened, Liam rushed in like a gust of wind. “Ethan, let me tell you, Chloe she…” His words came to an abrupt halt when he clearly saw the situation in the dorm. When he saw me huddled under Ethan’s covers, with only my head showing, he completely froze. The air seemed to solidify. A few seconds later, Liam’s face turned from white to pale blue, then from pale blue to black, as colorful as a painter’s palette. He pointed at me, his fingers trembling, unable to speak for a long time. Finally, he whipped around to face Ethan, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists. “Ethan, what the fuck is the meaning of this?” Ethan leaned against the doorframe, his expression impassive. “Exactly what you see.” Liam’s eyes instantly turned red, like an enraged bull. “You don’t mess with a friend’s girl. Don’t you know the rules? She’s mine!” “She’s not.” Ethan’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear. “Hasn’t been since yesterday.” “You!” Liam was furious to the point of incoherence. He shoved Ethan aside and rushed to the bed in a few strides. “Chloe! Get the hell out here! To spite me, you’d really do anything!” He reached out to grab my arm. Before his hand could touch me, it was intercepted by another, stronger hand. Ethan gripped his wrist, the force so strong that Liam’s face contorted. “Liam, don’t touch her.” Ethan’s voice was freezing cold. I threw off the covers and got out of bed. I was still wearing Ethan’s oversized hoodie. The sleeves were so long they covered my hands, and the hem just barely covered my thighs. I walked over to Ethan and stood shoulder to shoulder with him. “Liam, are you misunderstanding something?” I looked at him calmly. “We have nothing to do with each other anymore.” “Nothing to do with each other?” Liam looked like he had heard a huge joke. “Chloe, don’t play this game with me! You think finding a random guy will make me jealous? Does degrading yourself feel good?” His words were ugly, every syllable laced with poison. In the past, I would probably have broken down crying. But now, my heart was completely peaceful, I even wanted to laugh a little. “I was pretty stupid before.” I looked at him, enunciating each word clearly, “But I’m not blind.” “You…” Liam’s face flushed a deep purplish-red. “Who I’m with is my own business.” I pulled at the overly long sleeves, hiding my hands. “It has nothing to do with you anymore.” “Chloe!” Liam threw off Ethan’s hand and roared, “Do you have to do this? Our relationship of so many years, you’re just cutting it off like that?” “Your relationship was given to someone else in front of the whole school yesterday.” Ethan took a step forward, blocking me behind him. He was half a head taller than Liam, looking down at him with cold eyes. “Now, get out.” “Ethan, you’ve got some nerve.” Liam pointed at him, then pointed at me, laughing in anger. “You two just wait.” He dropped this harsh threat and slammed the door as he left. The massive sound of the door closing echoed in the dorm, making my ears ring.

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In my past life, Liam’s first love died taking a knife for me. He hated me to the core, so he locked me up, beginning years of day-and-night torment. Until my twenty-second birthday, physically and mentally exhausted, I finally couldn’t hold on anymore. I chose to slit my wrists and commit suicide. Right before I died, I saw Liam’s bloodshot eyes. He warned me, “In your next life, don’t fall for me, and don’t come between me and Chloe.” As he wished. When I woke up again, I was sitting in my senior year classroom. The noise of a basketball game drifted in from the field outside. Liam pushed the door open and casually threw his school jacket into my lap: “Hold this for me. Chloe is coming to watch the game later.” For the first time, I didn’t eagerly run up to him, full of joy. Liam didn’t know yet. In this life, I would automatically stay far, far away from him. 1 The school jacket landed softly on my desk. I instinctively moved my wrists. There was no bone-deep pain. These wrists… in my past life, Liam had tied them to the headboard with a tie for seven whole days. Just because on the anniversary of Chloe’s death, I still refused to admit I was wrong. What mistake was I supposed to admit? Chloe was my older sister, the true biological daughter of the family. As soon as she was found and brought home, she gained the love of everyone in the family. I admit, I was jealous of her once. And for a very long time, I resented her. I resented that the moment she appeared, she stole my mom and dad. Stole my “Brother Liam.” But she was so thin and small. When she was first brought back, her face was pale. She would only gently call me, “Mia.” My heart suddenly softened. I thought, maybe having an older sister… wouldn’t be so bad. Mom and Dad told me that my sister was in poor health. I needed to yield to her in everything. So, she wanted my room. I yielded. She wanted my dolls, I yielded. She liked the pretty dresses I picked out, I yielded them all. But when I entered middle school, I realized my sister also liked Liam. This time, I refused to yield. That was my favorite Brother Liam; we grew up together. I couldn’t yield. But I never expected that the only time I ever fought Chloe for something… Just that once. The cost would be a human life. And four years of absolute darkness for me. … Chloe taking the knife for me happened very suddenly. She fell into a pool of blood. Her last words were: “Mia… I’m giving Liam back to you. Don’t blame me anymore, okay?” At that moment, Liam rushed over and saw this exact scene. Chloe took a knife for me. She hemorrhaged heavily. And because she had a blood clotting disorder, before the ambulance even arrived, She died on the spot. And her ambiguous last words made Liam hate me with a venomous passion. That day, my Brother Liam asked me with a chillingly calm face: “Mia, why wasn’t it you who died?” Only this time did I learn. It turned out that afternoon, Chloe had arranged to confess her feelings to Liam. But unfortunately, she ran into a gang of thugs having a turf war. In the chaos, she pushed me away. 2 It was strange. Everyone was very strange. After learning that Chloe died taking a knife for me, I became the target of everyone’s condemnation. The home I had lived in for over a decade was completely destroyed. Dad aged overnight, his hair turning white. He told me, “You shouldn’t even be alive.” Mom beat me, kicking and punching, screaming in a breakdown: “You are a jinx! You killed my Chloe! Give me my Chloe back!” They stopped letting me go to school. They locked me in the ancestral shrine all day, every day. But… Why not blame the murderer? Why blame me? Wasn’t I a victim too? Is the one who survives automatically the one in the wrong? I didn’t know. I only knew that, just as they said… I owed Chloe for the rest of my life. I owed her a life. … I stayed in the dark, sunless ancestral shrine for a long time. Until my eighteenth birthday. Liam convinced my parents. And finally, they let me out. Seeing the sunlight after so long, my legs gave out. I could barely stand. Liam, without saying a word, carried me on his back. Step by step, we walked to Columbia University. Columbia was the university I wanted to apply to. It was also the one Chloe had wanted to attend. In the season when the bauhinia flowers were blooming, Liam’s voice was very, very soft. “Mia, did you know? This was once Chloe’s dream too. But she can never achieve it now.” I didn’t reply. I just silently cried on his back. That day was my eighteenth birthday. And it was the last time Liam ever showed me any tenderness. After that, I was unenrolled from school. Locked in the attic at home. Mom and Dad went abroad, completely washing their hands of me. Liam no longer had any scruples. At first, I still begged for mercy. “Please let me go, Brother Liam.” But the attic was too dark. Not a sliver of sunlight. I was trapped inside, losing track of time. Losing track of the seasons. Gradually, I started losing my mind. On another anniversary of Chloe’s death, when Liam ordered me to kneel… We erupted into a violent argument. “I won’t kneel!” “I hate her! I hate her! I hate all of you!” “I never asked her to save me!” “Kill me then, Liam! Just kill me!” I was probably a bit crazy by then. Liam kicked me hard in the knee. He didn’t like it when I was disobedient. As punishment for talking back, he dislocated my wrists again. Tying me to the headboard in a humiliating posture. Liam’s tone was cruel. “Don’t blame me, Mia. This is what you owe Chloe.” “Don’t feel wronged. At least you’re still alive.” Oh. So my being alive… Is a mistake. Then I didn’t want to live anymore. On the night of my twenty-second birthday, I couldn’t hold on anymore. Blood soaked the bedsheets. I chose to slit my wrists and commit suicide. Fulfilling their constant refrain: giving my life back to Chloe. 3 Liam’s handsome brow furrowed. He waved his hand in front of my eyes. “Mia?” I snapped back to reality. The boy standing before me had clear eyes. Not the dark malice and hatred from my past life. But I jumped up instantly. Moving far, far away from him. “Um… I have something to do. I won’t go watch the basketball game.” “You guys go ahead.” I was afraid of Liam. Truly afraid. Whenever I got near him, I trembled. The person opposite me was slightly taken aback. Seeming unaccustomed to me rejecting him for the first time. After all, in all our interactions, when had I not been the one eagerly chasing after him? He thought for a long time before speaking: “Mia, are you mad? Because I brought a gift for Chloe a couple of days ago, but didn’t bring one for you?” Mad? I smiled bitterly. What right did I have to be mad? In my past life, although Liam never said he liked me, nor did he say he liked Chloe… He constantly hovered around Chloe. Yet I was blind and couldn’t see it clearly. I even harbored delusional hopes. Fighting with Chloe. No wonder I died so miserably. The school bell rang right on cue. If I remembered correctly, this was a P.E. class. Classes 1 and 2 had a basketball game. Chloe was in the other class and was already standing at the door. Liam ultimately didn’t say anything more. He gave me a look. Turned, and ran toward Chloe waiting at the classroom door. Watching their retreating figures, walking shoulder-to-shoulder. I let out a long breath of relief. However, the reborn me hadn’t even had time to properly enjoy the sunshine. Right before school ended, my mom called me to the hospital. The reason was, Chloe was having an episode. She needed a blood transfusion. Just like in my past life, whenever she needed it. I was still her personal blood bank at all times. Actually, at the very beginning, Mom and Dad said Chloe had a rare disease. She needed frequent blood transfusions. And when my blood type happened to match… I was actually very glad. Because I had lots and lots of blood. I could save my sister. I knew very early on that Mom and Dad loved my sister more. After all, she was their biological daughter. That was understandable. I only thought, if I could just treat my sister a little better, and a little better… Mom and Dad would be happy. And when they were happy, they would love me again. But Chloe was too greedy. She always cried, always needed my blood. The increasingly frequent occurrences left me overwhelmed. Especially when Liam was around, it was even more obvious. Just like right now. I took a cab and rushed over. Before being pushed into the hospital room, Liam hurriedly shoved a gift box into my hands. 4 A long, suffocating silence. Chloe wasn’t far from me. She also saw the gift box. With a pale face, she smiled at me. “Mia, Arthur really is very attentive to you.” “You didn’t come to the basketball game this afternoon. He stopped halfway through, said he had something to do, and just walked away.” “I only found out later that he went to buy a gift for you.” “He was afraid you were upset.” I raised an eyebrow. So this was the reason Chloe was having another “episode” today. Thinking back to my past life, it was the same. Every time Liam treated me even slightly well… Chloe would inevitably feel unwell and get hospitalized. I took a rough look at the gift box. A very expensive, co-branded watch. A limited edition, debuting in New York. No wonder Liam thought I was mad. This was something I had wanted for a long time. I asked Liam to help me snag one. But then Chloe wanted it too. Seeing her poor health, Liam gave it to her instead. I shook my head. Laughing at my own stupidity. Everything reminded me that Liam already had someone he favored this early on. Why was I so stubbornly blind? Drawing blood made me dizzy. Probably seeing that my face truly looked bad, Chloe instantly put on a look of extreme guilt. “I’m sorry, Mia. It’s all because your sister is too useless.” “I always need you to donate blood.” “If it weren’t for me, you definitely would be…” Before she could finish. Right in front of her, without hesitation, I threw the gift box into the trash can. I curled my lips. “It’s just the two of us here. There’s really no need for you to put on an act.” Chloe froze for a moment. As if she didn’t expect me to be so blunt. I was truly tired and didn’t want to play pretend. I pulled out the IV needle and approached her step by step. Looking down at her from above. “You weren’t having an episode this afternoon at all.” “You were just in a bad mood because you saw Liam give me something.” “You wanted to torture me.” “This trick never fails, does it?”

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After graduating from college, my fiancé suddenly said he wanted to stay and work at the university. I instantly guessed it: Liam had fallen for his academic advisor. So, I had a frank and open conversation with him. Either call off the engagement, or get his advisor transferred elsewhere. He disappeared for an entire night. When he showed up the next day, with dark circles under his eyes, he only said one thing: “The engagement proceeds as planned.” On the day of our engagement party, right at the moment Liam was about to slip the ring onto my finger… Someone suddenly pushed open the banquet hall doors, holding a baby. “Liam, do you really not want me and the baby anymore?” He instinctively curled his fingers inward. I violently grabbed his wrist, warning him in a low voice. “If you dare leave right now, this isn’t over.” He stared at the ring. Just as he was about to put it on me… The baby in the woman’s arms started wailing loudly, as if sensing something. He muttered an apology and left without looking back. … “Chloe, you decide what you want to do about this.” “Whatever happens, your family will always support you.” Saying this, my mom shot a death glare at Liam’s parents. “You really can’t judge a book by its cover. Human hearts are truly unpredictable. I was wondering why Liam practically disappeared for half a year. Turns out he was off having a baby with another woman!” “So this is the Hayes family’s upbringing. If I had a son like that, I’d beat him to death.” I froze for a moment. Liam’s dream was to become a superstar singer. So, the moment he told me he wanted to stay and work at the university… I knew he had fallen in love with his advisor. My best friend laughed at me for being too sensitive. “Staying at the university is perfectly normal, right? The job is stable, plus he gets summer and winter breaks.” I sneered internally. That was because our classmates didn’t know Liam’s and my family backgrounds. Liam’s coming-of-age gift was a ten percent dividend share in his family’s corporation. With his resources, he could do whatever he wanted. The only thing he wouldn’t do was become a nine-to-five university counselor. Our differing plans for the future were the only point of contention between Liam and me. I had to inherit my family’s business, so after graduation, I had to go abroad for further studies. He, on the other hand, had no real ambitions; he just wanted to treat life like a game. This wasn’t a big deal originally. Since he didn’t want to study abroad, I wasn’t going to force him. I still remember the day I decided to study abroad. He hugged me and gently coaxed me. “I don’t want to live a life where I can see the end from the very beginning. What if I actually become a pop star? Then you’ll be a celebrity’s wife.” “I’ll fly overseas to see you. Wouldn’t that be more of a surprise?” I was convinced. So, I went abroad. He stayed behind for his so-called “freedom and ideals.” Our families suggested we get engaged first. But I single-handedly resisted the pressure from both sides. My thought process was simple back then. Let him go achieve his dreams. Don’t let marriage become a burden. But I never expected his “freedom” would extend to having a baby with another woman. I thought he didn’t have time to visit me abroad because of his performances. It turned out it was because he was busy taking care of a pregnant Elena. Actually, it’s not like there weren’t any clues. I just chose to intentionally ignore them. But this is perfect. The truth is out, and we finally don’t have to second-guess each other anymore. My best friend looked at me with immense sympathy. “Girl, the next one will be better.” Her expression made me laugh. But the next second, tears slid down my eyelashes and smashed onto the back of my hand. I tilted my head back and covered my eyes with the back of my hand. A deep sigh echoed in my ear. My parents saw the guests out. In the massive banquet hall, fewer than ten people remained. Only then did Liam’s parents come over and grab my hands. “Chloe, you’re a good girl. What happened today is entirely Liam’s fault.” “It’s also our fault for not disciplining our son properly.” “To think he’d do something like this with his college professor… Don’t worry, Auntie will handle them—” I cut Liam’s mother off. “Auntie, there’s no need.” “That is, after all, your biological grandchild. This is your family’s business; it’s not appropriate for the Davis family to interfere.” “It’s been a chaotic day, so I won’t walk you out.” My obvious gesture of showing them the door made the Hayes parents’ faces look extremely ugly. But they couldn’t utter a single word of protest. Before leaving, Liam’s father asked, refusing to give up: “Chloe, I’ll give you thirty percent of our shares in exchange for you giving the child legitimacy.” “From now on, you can just treat the child as adopted. Our two families can join forces to suppress this scandal…” I smiled. “Uncle Hayes, why should the Davis family sacrifice its reputation for your family’s scandal?” His face changed, filled with the embarrassment of being completely exposed. Seeing my resolute attitude, the two of them had no choice but to leave in disgrace. I never expected the next time I saw them… Would be at our college reunion. Liam and Elena stood openly in the middle of the private room. Accepting the flattery and congratulations of our classmates. “I can’t believe Liam is the second young master of the Hayes family! You hid it so well. You were just experiencing normal life, but the professor dragged you back down to earth?” “Professor, you really should have told us! You already have a kid, but you didn’t even invite us for a wedding drink.” Elena smiled gently and nodded. “You all know Liam’s identity is special. Drink whatever you want tonight; it’s our treat.” Chapter 2 Everyone cheered. Liam stood next to Elena the whole time without saying a word. But his right hand constantly rested on the baby, gently patting it. His face was filled with the soft glow of a new father. I clenched my fists, a relentless coldness seeping into my heart. Them so brazenly accepting congratulations was no different from slapping me in the face. For a moment, I found the scene before me incredibly comical. The man who almost became my fiancé yesterday. Was today receiving our classmates’ blessings with another woman and their child. My best friend, standing beside me, was even angrier than I was. So, she grabbed a glass of wine and walked over. Her tone was pure mockery. “I wonder when Professor Elena and Liam got married and had a kid?” She bit down hard on the words “married and had a kid.” Elena’s face changed, and everyone else’s gaze fixed on my best friend. She then dropped a bombshell. “Did you know Liam has always been engaged? Tell me, as a teacher, does it feel good to knowingly be the ‘other woman’?” Like thunder exploding in everyone’s ears. Everyone stared at Elena. The people who had just been congratulating her silently took a step back. Openly grouping together to whisper and gossip. Liam suddenly stepped in front of Elena, blocking those probing gazes. “Since you don’t know the truth, I advise you to keep your mouth shut and avoid causing trouble for yourself.” My best friend wasn’t intimidated by Liam’s warning in the slightest. Liam shot a vicious glare in my direction. Then he spoke. “Since it’s rare for everyone to gather, we might as well be transparent. I do have an engagement with Chloe Davis, but that was arranged by our elders. It doesn’t represent my personal wishes.” “As an independent person, I believe I have the right to pursue love.” “Unlike some people. The feudal era is over, yet they’re still playing the arranged marriage game. I will absolutely never let anyone bury my life in a forced marriage.” Liam slightly tilted his chin up. Exuding an arrogance built on wealth. A few of the female classmates looked ready to applaud and cheer for him. I didn’t expect that to divert attention, he would throw me to the wolves. He thought I was still that accommodating, yielding fiancée. I let out a cold laugh. And took a step forward. “Listening to you, it seems you completely reject the engagement. Why didn’t you refuse it earlier?” “Do I need to list out all the benefits the Hayes family extracted from the Davis family because of this engagement? That kid of yours is pretty big; it wasn’t born in a day, was it? Before the engagement party yesterday, you had countless opportunities to come clean, but you didn’t.” “Stop acting so noble and pure, Liam. You make me sick.” Liam stayed silent, his face looking awful. Elena, however, got anxious. “Chloe, things aren’t what you think. Liam wanted to tell you a long time ago, but you were preparing to go abroad. He was afraid it would affect your performance, so he planned to wait until you got back.” “But he was afraid you would blame him. He wasn’t completely without feelings for you back then.” “Keeping it from you was for your own good.” Hearing such high-sounding, hypocritical words coming from her mouth… Made me feel even more that these two were meant for each other. Equally nauseating. My best friend couldn’t hold back and unleashed her venomous tongue again. “Oh, so according to Professor Elena, Chloe should get on her knees and thank you two cheating scumbags?” “Shut up!” Liam was angry. “Elena and I did absolutely nothing while I was a student!” My best friend sneered. “So what? You can never change the fact that you were her student for the rest of your life!” Liam instinctively looked at me, opening his mouth as if trying to explain something. But ultimately, he could only grab Elena and leave. Chapter 3 Actually, Elena was originally my academic advisor. Later, during our sophomore year, Liam said he wanted to major in the same subject as me and transferred into our class. Then I noticed he frequently went to Elena’s office. Realizing something was off, I asked him about it once. He smiled and wrapped his arms around my waist. “My little jealous pot! I transferred to your class just so we could spend more time together.” “I have to catch up on the classes I missed, right? I can’t believe you doubt me!” I frowned. “Liam, I’m a woman too. The way Elena looks at you isn’t exactly innocent.” “You’re too possessive. Just because we’re together, does that mean no one else can even look at me?” “Chloe, your way of thinking is very dangerous.” At the time, I couldn’t tell if it was just my possessiveness acting up or something else. I didn’t dwell on it. But looking back now, Elena probably had her eyes on him from the very beginning. It was just that her position prevented her from making the first move. To be able to seduce Liam into risking having a child with her while he was engaged… that takes some skill. That very night, I packed up everything related to Liam. I thought about the expensive gifts for a moment. I packed them up and arranged for someone to return them to him the next day. But I didn’t expect that after receiving the items, Liam’s father would show up at my door again. “Chloe, look at these things. Liam really put a lot of thought into them back then.” “Which one of these doesn’t prove his feelings? It’s normal for young people to have a moment of confusion.” “Isn’t it normal to date a few people before getting married nowadays? For the sake of our families’ relationship, please reconsider? What Uncle said yesterday still stands. What do you think?” I pulled my lips into a mock smile. “Uncle Hayes, why don’t you ask Auntie? If you had a child with someone else before you got married, would she still have married you?” “Dating before marriage is normal now. But from the day our engagement was set, I haven’t had contact with any other guys, because in my eyes, I don’t want to hurt two people at the same time.” I didn’t expect Mr. Hayes to actually bring Liam along too. As soon as I finished speaking, he strode in from behind the door. “But you never asked me what happened back then! You never asked me why I had to do it!” “Chloe Davis, if I say I had my reasons, would you believe me?” “By taking this ‘cut the Gordian knot’ attitude now, aren’t you just hurting me in a different way?” I listened to everything he had to say. Maintaining my composure. “Liam, this is the last shred of dignity I’m giving you, and myself.” Liam completely broke down. Screaming without any regard for his image. “But I don’t want dignity! I want a wife who loves me deeply!” “I want to marry a living, breathing person, not a high-society heir who acts like a precision machine!” My heart suddenly clenched. So that was it. True, romance wasn’t the entirety of my life, but I had already given him everything I possibly could. I didn’t speak for a long time, the air seemingly frozen. Everyone thought I was indifferent. Only my mom saw my trembling back. She rushed down from the second floor and slapped Liam hard across the face. “How did the Hayes family raise such a heartless thing like you!” Liam instinctively shoved my mom. “I’ve never been hit by anyone my entire life. What gives you the right?!” “Let alone the fact that I’m not your Davis family’s son-in-law today—even if I were, try touching me again!” I stepped forward to support my mom, looking at Liam in shock. My mom’s raised hand was still trembling. But Liam was like a snapped bowstring. His voice hoarse. “If you hadn’t bound Chloe with all your rules, turning her into this rigid, inflexible person, how could we have missed our chance?” “This is all your fault!” Chapter 4 “Shut up!” “Liam, you have no right to point fingers at my mother.” “Get out of my house.” After Liam left, exhaustion seeped into every corner of my body. My mom hadn’t yet recovered from the shock. She just looked at me blankly. She wanted to say something, but ultimately kept her head down and went upstairs. I didn’t know how to comfort her. After Liam showed his hand, his affection for Elena and their child became increasingly undisguised. Not only did he register the child under the Hayes family name. He also got Elena a much more prestigious job. On her birthday, he even booked the hardest-to-get restaurant in the city and posted a photo of the two of them. Making sure everyone in our circle knew. Some friends who were close to me sent screenshots of his social media posts. 【Chloe, are you just going to let this go? You can tolerate this?】 I didn’t reply. I just silently clicked on the post. I noticed many people commenting underneath. Filled with mockery and sarcasm. 【Liam, you’re the man. Can’t believe you actually bagged your own professor.】 【If you didn’t want to marry Chloe, you should have said so earlier! You just wasted her time. Chloe is my ultimate crush.】 【A woman like this is just for playing around with. You actually brought her to the main table? Aren’t you embarrassed?】 Just as I was scrolling through the comments. A pinned comment suddenly appeared. 【Background doesn’t dictate ability. And Elena is my lover. Disrespecting her means disrespecting me.】 Then, those mocking comments disappeared. My gaze grew even colder. Liam was establishing dominance for Elena. And publicly slapping me in the face. What I never expected was that this wasn’t even the worst thing Liam would do. Because she was triggered by Liam last time, my mom hadn’t slept well for days. Today, she couldn’t even get out of bed. Terrified, I immediately contacted the hospital. And the best hospital for treating this kind of illness was owned by the Hayes family. Fighting back my trembling, I called Liam. I wanted him to arrange a doctor. But he hung up on me three times in a row. With no other choice, I had to take my mom to the emergency room first. But we couldn’t even get in. A young nurse looked at me nervously, apologizing profusely. “Ms. Davis, we really don’t have any beds available. The doctors are all busy. If you delay this any longer, I’m afraid it’ll be dangerous.” Of course I knew that, but right now, I had no better options. I could only try to negotiate with the nurse again. “I have—” I was about to say I had shares in the Hayes family hospital. But before I could get the words out, Liam loudly interrupted me. “No matter who comes today, the hospital’s rules cannot be bypassed.” “Chloe, didn’t you cut ties with the Hayes family a long time ago? Does it matter who you are anymore?” “I can let bygones be bygones and arrange a room and a doctor, but she must apologize!” Liam pointed at my mother in my arms. His eyes filled with resentment. Because of that slap last time, he held a grudge against the person who had cared for him for over a decade. My heart turned completely to ice. A stroke is no minor issue. I didn’t dare delay. I could only take a step back. “Liam, I’ll apologize to you, okay? For the sake of how my mom treated you all these years—” “No. She hit me and humiliated Elena. The fact that I’m not making her kneel is already me showing mercy.” Liam blocked the hallway, ignoring the stares of the people around us. Insisting my mom apologize. More and more people gathered to watch the drama. Just as everyone thought my mom would apologize. The sound of an ambulance suddenly rang out outside. Five or six doctors wearing uniforms from the best private hospital in North City bowed to me. And efficiently arranged everything. Before getting into the ambulance, I looked at Liam, who was frozen in place. I made a phone call right in front of his face. “Pull all cooperative projects with the Hayes Group.” “Within a month, I don’t want to see a single Hayes-affiliated company still turning a profit.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “394624”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 When my boyfriend, whose year-end bonus was a measly $4,000, found out I had bought a $12,000 mink coat for the holidays, he went completely ballistic. “Chloe, are you insane?” “Is this coat plated in gold or encrusted with diamonds? It costs three times my bonus!” He grabbed me and aggressively tried to drag me toward the door. “While the tags are still on, hurry up and come with me to the mall to return it. We can use the refund money to buy holiday gifts for my family.” “My mom’s back is acting up; I want to buy her a massage chair. You aren’t even married into the family yet. If you don’t bleed a little now to show your sincerity, how can you expect my mom to dote on you later?” “And my sister, she might be talking marriage after she graduates next year. As her sister-in-law, shouldn’t you pitch in for her dowry?” Listening to his self-righteous calculations, I impatiently shook off his hand and seriously scanned the already emptied-out rental apartment. After winning the $10 million grand prize, I threw away all my old stuff. It seems the only thing left to toss was this incredibly low-class boyfriend. … Seeing me stand still, Arthur got anxious. “Don’t think you can stall by staying silent. What I say goes.” As he spoke, he reached out, trying to yank the mink coat right off my back. I took a large step backward and smacked his hand away hard. “Why should I return it?” “Do I need to submit an application to you to spend my own money on a holiday outfit?” “What kind of attitude is that!” Arthur clutched his stinging hand, spit flying from his mouth. “We are going to get married. There is no ‘your money’ or ‘my money’, it’s our money!” “Since it’s our money, and you’re spending it wrong, why shouldn’t I say something?” “Tell me, what kind of woman is as extravagant as you, spending twelve thousand on a single piece of clothing?!” The more he spoke, the angrier he got, his finger nearly poking my nose. “Do you have any idea what that twelve thousand could do?” “My mom is complaining about back pain; five thousand could buy a very nice massage chair. Another five thousand could buy a gold necklace for my sister, and the remaining two thousand could be used for holiday groceries!” “And you actually used it to buy clothes. You are truly a spendthrift!” Hearing the word “spendthrift,” I couldn’t hold back anymore and slapped him across the face. Over the past three years, he and his family had thrown that word around countless times. I wasn’t allowed to eat premium jumbo cherries. If I did, I was a “gluttonous spendthrift” in his mother’s mouth. Yet she’d turn around and demand I buy her imported Musang King durians costing hundreds of dollars each, under the guise of “nourishing her body.” I wasn’t allowed to drink a $9.90 coffee from Luckin. If I did, I was a “vain spendthrift” in his sister’s mouth. Yet she would use the Starbucks gift card I gave her to post pictures of her “elegant afternoon tea” on social media every day. I wasn’t allowed to take a cab when it rained; I had to squeeze onto the bus or subway. He said a good relationship means sharing hardships, otherwise, I was an ignorant spendthrift! Yet he’d turn around and demand I withdraw my housing provident fund to pay the down payment on his car. Not to mention Disney, a place I had always wanted to go. Every year on my birthday, when I brought it up, Arthur would criticize me for being too old to play with children’s things, not knowing how to live practically, and being a spendthrift! In this first love of mine, I always believed that giving was the only way to show true feelings, constantly wronging myself. I thought my sacrifices would be seen, that sincerity would be met with sincerity. But what was the result? His family’s life kept getting better and better. Meanwhile, I, who had been consistently promoted and gotten raises over the past three years, earning $20,000 a month—a high earner among my peers—was wearing cheap clearance clothes from discount sites and eating at street stalls. Last month, my dad got sick and desperately needed money. I suddenly discovered that my savings were a mere $5,000! When I asked Arthur for money, he claimed he had put it in a fixed-term deposit and absolutely refused to give me any. In the end, I had to borrow from my best friend. Holding the $30,000 I borrowed, I cried like an idiot in the hospital corridor. After three years of dating, what did I get! I got absolutely nothing. And he still had the nerve to call me a spendthrift! It was utterly ridiculous! Arthur was stunned by the slap. It took him a good while to recover. When he did, he saw that I had already taken a pair of scissors and snipped the tag off the mink coat. As the tag hit the floor. Arthur, ignoring the handprint on his face, shrieked with a contorted expression. “Chloe, are you fucking crazy? Who told you to cut the tag? You can’t return it now!” “How am I supposed to buy gifts for my mom and sister now!” I ignored his ugly demeanor, my tone calm. “If I can’t return it, I can’t return it!” “Besides, I never intended to!” 2 He was completely bewildered by my attitude, slightly dumbfounded. For three years of dating, he had always held the upper hand in our relationship. Ever since he saved me from some thugs, the suspension bridge effect made me think I was desperately in love with him. Before, to save two dollars on bus fare, I would walk three stops with him under the scorching sun. To protect his fragile ego, I scrambled to pay the bill at gatherings with friends, only to eat instant noodles for a week afterward. Even when I first started working and barely had any money myself, if he wanted an iPhone, I would get it for him, even if it meant a 24-month payment plan. It seemed that whenever he frowned, I would reflect on what I had done wrong. He probably thought I was still that soft touch who would obediently fork over money as long as he coaxed me a little or threw a tantrum. But I wasn’t anymore. I didn’t love him anymore. I didn’t even bother looking at him. Instead, I admired myself in the mirror wearing the mink coat, humming a tune. Looking completely disinterested in engaging with him. Arthur couldn’t stand it! He slammed his hand hard on the coffee table. “Chloe, I am very unhappy right now. I don’t like this version of you!” “You used to be sensible, you used to know how to live practically. How did you become so vain and materialistic?” “Acting like this will only make me hate you!” Seeing I didn’t respond, he took a deep breath, pointed at the mink coat I was wearing, and spoke as if he were bestowing a favor. “Since you cut the tag and can’t return it, we’ll let this slide. I won’t hold it against you. But you have to make up for this loss.” “You definitely still have a lot of your year-end bonus left, right?” “Hurry up and transfer twenty thousand to me; I need to go buy the massage chair first. I’ve already talked a big game to my mom. If I don’t produce the goods for the New Year, we’ll both lose face!” “Lose both our faces?” I covered my mouth and burst out laughing. “We aren’t even married; we’re just boyfriend and girlfriend. Your mom is your mom, not mine. Why should I honor her? Besides, have I bought few things for your mom and sister over the past three years?” “Have you ever bought anything for my parents, even once?” Arthur guiltily avoided my gaze. I still refused to let him off, sneering: “Furthermore, you didn’t work hard yourself and only got a $4,000 bonus. You can’t even afford a $5,000 massage chair. What the hell does that have to do with me!” Arthur’s ego was bruised, his face turning the color of pig liver. “Chloe, what do you mean? Are you saying I’m poor, a loser, and not good enough for you?” He thought I would deny it, but unexpectedly, I nodded. “Yes, a man who needs his girlfriend to pay for gifts for his own family is really nothing special.” “These past three years, you truly haven’t been good enough for me.” Arthur went crazy, gasping for air. “Apologize, Chloe, apologize immediately!” “Otherwise, I’ll break up with you right now!” “Break up?” Hearing me murmur these two words, Arthur straightened his back. He thought I couldn’t bear to let him go, waiting for me to compromise like before. After all, he had used this excuse flawlessly over the years. When I refused to buy his sister an iPad, he threatened to break up, and I compromised. When I refused to transfer an $8,888 birthday red envelope to his mom, he threatened to break up, and I apologized and agreed. But this time, I didn’t want to compromise. With $8 million hitting my bank account after winning the prize, my wallet was full, and I felt confident and smart. I thought, being so young and so rich, What kind of man couldn’t I find? I carefully examined Arthur. For the first time, I judged him without the filter of being his girlfriend. 28 years old, no house, and the car was bought with my money. Currently working as a low-level sales rep at a real estate company. Because of all the business dinners, his belly was bigger than a 5-month pregnant woman’s. And because he didn’t maintain a healthy lifestyle, his face was severely bloated. He wasn’t tall, about 5’8″. So average, so greasy. Tsk tsk. How did I ever fall for him? I can’t even remember! Thinking of the photos of college boys my best friend sent me—all 6’1″, sweet-talking, with abs. I despised Arthur even more. He was just like the trash I had cleared out of the apartment before. Needed to be thrown out immediately. 3 Seeing me staring at him, Arthur felt confident and stood even straighter. Little did he know, this made his belly stick out even more, looking hideous. I really couldn’t bear to look anymore, feeling it was an eyesore, and slightly averted my gaze. Arthur thought I was softening, that I was compromising. Just as he was about to reveal a victorious smile, he heard me say. “Okay, let’s break up.” Afraid he would regret it, I had already walked to the door and pulled it open. “Since we’re breaking up, hurry up and leave.” Arthur was dumbfounded. Thinking he was hallucinating, he asked uncertainly again. “You really want to break up with me?” I repeated it very firmly. “Yes, break up.” He became exasperated, “Fine, fine, fine, break up then!” “But Chloe, don’t regret this. Don’t come begging me to take you back like before!” He made a show of leaving, but actually slowed his pace, waiting for me to ask him to stay. When my plea didn’t come, he stopped and started insulting me. “You’re a thirty-year-old woman. Do you think any other man will want you if you leave me?” “Stop dreaming, Chloe. A woman’s prime is shorter than a man’s. You’re worthless at your age!” “As for me, a man at thirty is in his golden years. Without you, a whole bunch of women will be throwing themselves at me.” He coughed lightly, as if giving me a final ultimatum. “I’ll give you one last chance. Either give me twenty thousand and we’ll forget this ever happened, or don’t ever expect to see me again.” Looking at his punchable face, any thought of an amicable breakup vanished. Since we’re breaking up, he needs to spit out all the money I spent on him over the past three years. I wasn’t going to let him off easy! “You’re right!” Hearing this, Arthur thought I was going to get the money and reached out his hand with a smirk. “A woman’s youth is indeed valuable!” “So, as a grown man, you can’t take advantage of me. You have to pay back everything I spent on you!” To his shock, I threw a stack of printed A4 billing statements into his hands. “These are all the expenses I covered for you and your family over the past three years. It totals $405,000. I’ll wave the five thousand; just pay me back $400,000.” “And don’t even think about not paying. I will hire a lawyer, and you won’t escape a single cent.” Before he could react, I yanked him out the door. Before closing it, I deliberately reminded him. “I’m only giving you one week for this money. Otherwise, don’t blame me for getting nasty.” The door slammed shut. Outside, Arthur snapped out of his daze and exploded, pounding on the door. “Chloe, what the fuck do you mean! What right do you have to ask me for money!” “Doesn’t it cost money to hire a gigolo? You took up three years of my life. Isn’t my youth worth anything? Haven’t you heard that men are boys until they die?” “Let me tell you, don’t even dream about me paying this back!” The neighbors, unable to stand the noise, opened their doors and cursed at him. Arthur, tough on the outside but weak on the inside, slinked away. Looking through the peephole and confirming he had really left, I quickly called a moving company. Last week, after cashing in the $10 million prize, I immediately spent a $2 million down payment on a fully furnished luxury penthouse in a high-end complex in the city. Over the past few days, I had bought all the basic soft furnishings, so it was ready for immediate move-in. Now, there were only a few things left in my rental apartment. I would move them all over today. In a few days, I would be able to celebrate the New Year with my parents in a 2,500-square-foot penthouse. 4 Three days later, lying on the $30,000 genuine leather sofa in my new home, my mom was feeding me giant strawberries that cost $40 a pound. I was incredibly comfortable when a call from the contact saved as “Arthur’s Mom” came in. My mom asked if I was going to answer it. I decisively rejected it, my tone filled with disgust. “Mom, your daughter has over five million in cash in her pocket now. I’m a millionaire. Arthur is nowhere near good enough for me.” “Since we started dating, his mother has always treated me with contempt. Why should I offer my face for her to slap?” My mom flicked my nose. “You, oh you. You’ve finally woken up.” “Your dad and I told you Arthur was no good, but you insisted he saved you, that his character was good, and that we were prejudiced.” My dad chimed in, mimicking my righteous tone from back then. “Mom, Dad, I just love Arthur.” “Even though he has no money now, I believe he’ll give me a home for my sake!” Hearing these words, I got goosebumps all over. I really must have had water on the brain! “Dad, stop it.” I transferred $10,000 to my dad. “This is hush money. Didn’t you have your eye on a fishing rod recently? Hurry up, buy it, and go fishing.” My dad swiftly collected the money, laughing heartily. Meanwhile, after discovering her number was blocked, Arthur’s mother panicked and called Arthur. “Son, that wretched girl Chloe, she hasn’t really broken up with you, has she? She’s not even answering my calls!” “Girls these days aren’t easy to fool. It’s rare to find one like Chloe who is obedient, frugal, and willing to spend money on our family. Don’t let her run away.” Arthur’s sister, Mia, quickly leaned in to speak. “Yeah, bro. Last month you promised me you’d make Chloe buy me gold jewelry. The New Year is almost here, and many of my roommates have been showing off their gold jewelry. You can’t let me lose face.” Arthur’s expression was grim, but his tone remained confident. “No rush. Give her the cold shoulder for a few days, let her sweat a bit, and set some rules for her while we’re at it.” “When she regrets it, it won’t just be twenty thousand; it’ll be forty thousand!” Arthur’s mother and Mia started fantasizing. “Right, she has to pay us forty thousand.” “When we get the money, bro, I want a ten-thousand-dollar bracelet.” Arthur’s mother chimed in. “Son, Mom wants a massage chair and a gold necklace.” Arthur agreed to everything. After hanging up, he took the initiative to message me for the first time since our fight. [Chloe, my patience has a limit!] He expected an apology, but only saw a red exclamation mark. I had deleted him! He tried calling me, but I had blocked his number! He started to panic. Could I really want to break up? I knew nothing about this. I was picking out clothes for our family to wear tomorrow. We were picking up the $800,000 Porsche tomorrow, so we definitely had to dress well. Early the next morning, we headed straight to the Porsche dealership. My cousin, the store manager, was waiting at the door early to receive us. Arthur, on the other hand, went back to my rented apartment. When he learned from a neighbor that I had moved out, he was dumbfounded. “Bro, do you know where she moved to?” The neighbor shook his head and added. “Didn’t you two break up? Since you’ve broken up, let it end peacefully. Don’t pester her, it’s undignified.” Arthur was stubborn. “I’m not trying to pester her. I can easily live without her.” The neighbor sneered and closed the door. Just as Arthur was feeling utterly lost, Mia sent him a photo. It was a picture of me hugging my cousin intimately in front of the Porsche. “Bro, I know why Chloe wanted to break up with you!” “She hooked up with a sugar daddy, and he even bought her a Porsche!” “Bro, she must have been messing around with this guy and cheating on you for a long time!” Arthur was furious, yelling uncontrollably. “Fuck, actually cheating on me. I won’t let her get away with this!” He zoomed in and out on the photo a few times, then angrily hailed a taxi. “Driver, to the Southridge Porsche dealership!” After taking photos, the salesperson drove the car outside the store. My cousin, grateful for my parents’ past care, politely insisted on walking our family of three out, saying he wanted to see us off. I enthusiastically waved goodbye to my cousin, and he patted my head. After saying goodbye, just as I was opening the car door to get in, a familiar furious voice exploded from a distance. “Chloe, you shameless bitch! We just broke up, and you’ve already hooked up with a sugar daddy, haven’t you!” Arthur, looking like an angry groundhog, pointed at us and yelled furiously. His voice was so loud it instantly drew the attention of everyone around. In a flash, all eyes were on our family. My cousin, who had served in the military when he was younger and doted on me the most, Immediately stepped in front of me, staring coldly at Arthur. “Watch your mouth!” Arthur was intimidated by his aura and shuddered. But noticing the stares from others and not wanting to lose face, he roared stubbornly. “What’s wrong with my mouth!” He pointed at me. “She just broke up with me yesterday, still living in a rental apartment. Today she’s picking up a Porsche. Doesn’t that prove something?” “Prove what?” My cousin demanded. Arthur felt he was being provoked and became furious. “What else could it mean!” “You adulterous couple. You were messing around behind my back, putting a green hat on me. You are the scum of the modern era!” As he spoke, he caught a glimpse of the gleaming Porsche, and the jealousy and anger in his eyes deepened. To vent his feelings of inadequacy, he turned his crosshairs on me. “Chloe, you really make me sick. Selling yourself for a car!” “Three years of our relationship, and it can’t compare to a car, can’t compare to the money this adulterer gives you. You truly disappoint me.” He pulled a $66 blind box toy from his pocket. “To think I was going to try and get you back today. I specifically went to your favorite blind box store to buy the one you wanted most. I didn’t expect this is how you’d repay me!” Perhaps his acting was too good, because the people around were already pointing and whispering about me. Some people who couldn’t stand it actually spoke up for Arthur. “Young lady, you shouldn’t be so mercenary. He was with you for three years; doing this is too uncool.” “Yeah, money can be earned again, but true feelings are rare. Be careful you don’t regret it when you’re older.” “Exactly. A man’s money isn’t that easy to get. If he’s just playing with you, he can just take the car back!” There was also an influencer at the scene who had just picked up her car. Sensing this would get views, she immediately started live-streaming us. My mom couldn’t bear it anymore and wanted to retort, but I beat her to it. I crossed my arms and looked at Arthur. “Do you have evidence that I cheated?” I looked around at the crowd again. “Is the cost of spreading rumors this low now? Just by yelling that I’m cheating and playing the part of a deeply devoted lover, he can nail me to the pillar of shame?” As they met my gaze one by one, they suddenly realized that from start to finish, it was all just Arthur talking; there was absolutely no evidence! “Yeah, young man, you can’t just make things up without evidence.” “Right, didn’t you say she cheated? Hurry up and show us the evidence. Otherwise, this is spreading rumors, and you’ll be legally responsible!” Arthur seemed to have anticipated my question. He confidently held up his phone. The photo was exactly the one of me hugging my cousin. “Chloe, you’re hugging him right here in the store. What else is there to deny?” Seeing the photo, the crowd’s expressions changed again. But I burst out laughing. I even opened my arms in front of everyone and deliberately said to my cousin. “Cousin, I didn’t get enough of a hug just now. Let’s hug again.” My cousin instantly understood my intention. After hugging me, he specially ruffled my hair, saying dotingly: “Alright, whatever you want.” Arthur jumped up and down in anger. “Look at this! This adulterous couple isn’t hiding it anymore. They’re actually being affectionate right in front of me. So shameless.” The people around also cursed us, including those on the influencer’s live-stream chat. [Despicable. Scumbag and bitch. So shameless.] [Exactly. Feeling sorry for the guy for three seconds. Why can’t good men be matched with good women?] [I can tell from a glance that this woman has a bad face. Looks like a slut.] I wasn’t angry at all. Instead, I blinked and asked the crowd. “Can cousins hug?” The crowd was confused. But someone still answered. “Of course.” I spread my hands innocently. “Well, there you go.” “He’s my cousin. Why can’t we hug?” “And,” I held up my phone, swiping through photos. “My cousin hugged everyone in our family, not just me.” “But you.” I glared coldly at Arthur. “You only showed the photo of me and my cousin. What’s your intention!” Arthur was momentarily stunned but didn’t believe it. “Just because you say he’s a cousin doesn’t make it true. What if he’s a ‘sugar daddy’ brother? Don’t try to brush me off with this.” Our two families took a big family portrait every year we had time. I directly pulled out the photos from over the years. Seeing us together in a photo at 5 or 6 years old. Now the onlookers believed it. “You know, their facial features do look quite similar.” “Indeed, the more you look, the more they look alike.” The bystanders started looking at Arthur with disapproval. “Young man, you’re in the wrong here.” “Yeah, how can you spread rumors wildly without figuring out their relationship first.” “Exactly, you have to apologize for this.” “Right, hurry up and apologize.” As more and more people condemned him, Arthur’s face turned red, and he said stiffly: “Sorry, Chloe, I misunderstood you.” He quickly took out the blind box again. “Please accept my apology gift and let’s get back together.” “I really don’t want to separate from you; I love you very much.” His confession made our whole family physically sick. My dad, who had been holding back for a long time, was the first to step forward. “Don’t mention love. Our Chloe can’t bear your love.” My mom took over. “Dating you for three years, our Chloe lost a layer of skin, her money drained by your family. You latched onto her like leeches. Don’t even think about pulling the same trick again.” Arthur didn’t expect the boomerang to hit him, and the crowd actually started attacking him. Looking at the scrutinizing gazes around him, terrified that I would spill everything, he quickly said he wanted to talk to me alone. Onlookers generally encourage reconciliation, so they suggested we settle our issues ourselves. Arthur thought I would agree quickly to save his face. But I shook my head. “We have no feelings to discuss privately.” “Instead of wasting time cornering me, you’d be better off gathering the money you owe me…” “Chloe, enough!” Terrified I would reveal the $400,000 issue, Arthur raised his voice to stop me, the threat in his eyes becoming increasingly obvious. This scene was captured by the influencer. The netizens were frightened. [Wow, this guy’s eyes are terrifying. It looks like he wants to kill someone.] [Exactly, just like an abusive man. Living with someone like that must be terrifying.] [Am I the only one curious about what can’t be said?] I ignored his threat, enunciating every word: “Don’t interrupt me!” “Did you think that would shut me up?” I looked at the crowd, pointing at Arthur. “Dating for three years, this man gaslit me, making me spend $400,000 on him and his family.” Seeing I was about to blurt it out again, Arthur panicked. He clenched his fist and aimed it at my face. My cousin caught his fist and encouraged me to keep talking. I nodded, raising my voice again and pointing at Arthur. “The man in front of you is poor and stingy. In three years of dating, he played the victim and made me spend $400,000 on him.” “Meanwhile, he spent less than $10,000 on me in three years. I spent my own money, and he still gaslit me!” With that, I played the recording of Arthur demanding I return the mink coat and use the money to buy things for his family. “What kind of woman is as extravagant as you, spending twelve thousand on a single piece of clothing?!” “Do you have any idea what that twelve thousand could do?” “My mom is complaining about back pain; five thousand could buy a very nice massage chair. Another five thousand could buy a gold necklace for my sister, and the remaining two thousand could be used for holiday groceries!” “And you actually used it to buy clothes. You are truly a spendthrift!” As the recording ended, the crowd’s gaze on Arthur shifted from neutral to contemptuous and disdainful. “Disgusting. A grown man not working hard to earn his own money, but staring at the money in a woman’s hands!” “I have to say, this girl is too kind. Faced with such trash, she didn’t even beat him up, just broke up with him directly.” “Exactly, letting him live off her for three years, he got off way too easy.” Someone demanded Arthur return the $400,000 he spent right now. “Right, hurry up and return it, or we’ll report you to your company!” “Exactly, pay up, or we’ll make you trend online!” Seeing the angry crowd about to lose control, Arthur was scared. After scanning the Porsche, he suddenly got an idea and abruptly raised his voice, pointing at me. “Chloe, you say I lived off you, but how much better are you?” “Since this man is just your cousin, the person who bought you the Porsche must be someone else.” “Are you still trying to hide it?” He spoke with absolute certainty, looking as if he had personally seen me being kept by a sugar daddy. He clearly forgot the punishment for speaking carelessly just a moment ago. Hearing his same old rhetoric, many people in the crowd couldn’t sit still. I don’t know who picked up a small pebble and threw it at him first, but more and more people joined in. “This guy has a filthy mouth, hit him!” “Yeah, if we don’t teach him a lesson, he won’t know how to speak in the future.” Arthur yelled in pain, covering his face and exasperatedly trying to run away. Seeing him like this, I covered my mouth and snickered. When he was slandering me, why didn’t he think about the consequences? But it was too late now. As soon as he started throwing mud at me, I had already called the police. And now, two police officers were standing right behind Arthur. Sure enough, when Arthur turned to run, he was dumbfounded to see the police. In the few seconds he was stunned, the police stepped in front of him and showed their badges. “You are suspected of slander, defamation, and picking quarrels and provoking trouble. Please come with us to assist with the investigation.” Arthur frantically shook his head in denial. “No, I didn’t. I didn’t mean to. This is all a misunderstanding.” He turned to look at me, his eyes full of pleading. “Chloe, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have misunderstood you, nor should I have treated you poorly. Please, give me one more chance.” “I swear I’ll turn over a new leaf this time and will never treat you poorly again.” I raised my middle finger and shook it left and right. “No, your character has no guarantee with me. I don’t believe you!” He hastily added: “What about the money? Then I’ll return the four hundred thousand, is that okay!” “Even if I have to borrow it, I’ll give it to you immediately!” Getting him to return the money was the best outcome. Without hesitation, I pulled up my QR code for receiving money and held it in front of him. “Transfer it. Not a cent less of what you owe me!” “If I’m in a good mood, I might just forgive you!” Arthur, acting like he was grabbing a lifeline, desperately scanned the code and transferred the money. First transaction: $50,000 from Chase hit the account. Second transaction: $100,000 from Citibank hit the account. Third transaction: $50,000 from Bank of America hit the account. In 10 minutes, he coughed up all the money in his left and right cards. But it was still short by $200,000! “What are you standing there for? Didn’t you say you’d borrow to pay it back? If you don’t have enough, ask your mom, ask your sister!” Ultimately, after much pleading and pestering, he squeezed the final $200,000 he owed from his mother. As the $400,000 arrived, I no longer wanted to waste time with Arthur. After making him write a letter of guarantee in front of the police, promising not to pester me again, our family of three got into the Porsche and left. In the rearview mirror, Arthur stared at my car, his fists clenched tight.

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