Category: English

My wedding was just around the corner, yet I received an engagement invitation from my arch-nemesis. She had publicly posted on her social media: “Sera, you’ve hated me for so many years. Now that we’ve both found our own happiness, I hope we can finally put the past behind us at my party.” I politely declined. There was absolutely no way in hell I was ever reconciling with her. The people in our social circle immediately began trash-talking me on Snapchat while coddling her. “What do you expect? Is Seraphina Vance ever capable of being a decent human being? Did you forget how she tried to steal your boyfriend back in college? Honestly, it’s better if she doesn’t show up!” “Exactly! Anyone who associates with a snake like Sera is just waiting to have their man stolen.” Instead of getting angry, my nemesis even apologized to everyone on my behalf. “Sera, sweetie, both my fiancé and I really wanted your blessing. We just want to move past the drama.” With that, she handed me a physical invitation. The moment I opened it, my mind went completely blank. The groom’s name printed on the card… wasn’t that my freeloading fiancé? “Fine! Since you want me there so badly, I promise I won’t disappoint you!” 1 Looking at the smug, triumphant smirk on Chloe Sterling’s face, I turned and walked away without saying a word. But only I knew that the elegant invitation card in my hand was already crumpled to pieces under my grip. I drove home in a fury. When I walked through the door, I saw Ethan Hayes busy assembling our gold-embossed wedding invitations at the dining table. Hearing the door, he looked up. A warm, sweet smile immediately spread across his face. “You’re back, babe! Hungry? What do you want to eat? I’ll whip something up for you right now.” He was already standing up to head to the kitchen. My gaze drifted down, landing on the table cluttered with wedding favors. Our wedding was in three weeks. Honestly, we could have easily hired a coordinator to handle all of this. But Ethan had insisted. He said it was *our* wedding, and that doing everything ourselves made it meaningful. Yet, this exact man—who acted as if I was his entire world—was named as the groom on my arch-nemesis Chloe’s engagement invitation. Could there really be such a ridiculous coincidence in this world? I didn’t buy it for a second. Thinking of the invitation in my bag, I decided to test him. “Ethan, Chloe invited me to her engagement party. It’s the day after tomorrow. If you’re free, why don’t you come with me?” The very next second after the words left my mouth. His reaction was incredibly defensive. “I can’t. I’m busy.” Realizing his tone was too sharp under my suspicious gaze, he quickly tried to smooth it over. “I mean… Chloe has always targeted you. She definitely has a hidden agenda!” “Plus, I have a business trip that day, so I won’t be there to protect you. I really think you shouldn’t go.” He kept rambling, adding excuse after excuse. But if my memory served me right, this was the first time Ethan had ever directly opposed me. Usually, he was a total yes-man, always putting me and my wishes before everything else. The obvious truth stared me in the face, making my chest feel incredibly heavy, like a physical weight was crushing my lungs. After a long pause, I cut him off and quietly replied, “Okay.” The moment I said it, I distinctly saw Ethan let out a massive sigh of relief. On the day of the party, however, I showed up at the luxury hotel right on time, invitation in hand. Chloe was standing at the entrance of the grand ballroom, wearing a custom crimson designer gown. With her flawless, radiant makeup and a sweet smile, she welcomed every guest. She looked like the happiest woman in the entire world. It was just an engagement party, but I heard that almost the entire elite social circle of the city had showed up. Before I even got close, I could hear the loud, flattering voices of her friends. “Chloe, this engagement is so sudden! You’re going to break so many hearts today.” “I know, right? You’ve been so mysterious about the groom. Is he super handsome?” “Are you kidding? If he wasn’t gorgeous, our Chloe wouldn’t even look at him!” Surrounded by the crowd, Chloe blushed cutely. “You’ll see him soon.” Then, she turned her head and met my eyes. Her smile widened instantly. “Sera! You actually came. I thought you’d ignore my invite.” She looked genuinely thrilled to see me. But I knew exactly what kind of disgusting malice was hidden beneath that sweet, innocent mask. I had absolutely no interest in playing “best friends” with her. She didn’t seem to mind my coldness, still gracefully gesturing for me to head inside. However, the flock of mean girls surrounding her weren’t about to let me off. They immediately stepped forward and blocked my path. “Seraphina Vance! I’m warning you. Chloe was nice enough to invite you because she’s a saint, but don’t you dare ruin this for her.” “If you try to cause any drama today, we will make sure you regret it.” Hearing this, Chloe immediately feigned a worried look and stopped them. “Guys, don’t say that. Sera wouldn’t do that.” “Chloe! Have you forgotten how she tried to steal your boyfriend in college? She has a history of being a homewrecker. Who knows what she’s planning today?” “Exactly. Look at her, dressed up like she’s trying to seduce—” The girl suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Sensing something off, I followed her gaze and realized she was staring intently at my wrist. Then, she asked in a loud, shocked voice, “Wait, why is that bracelet on your wrist?” I frowned, not immediately catching her drift. I snapped back, “It’s on my wrist because it’s mine. Why else?” Chloe stepped closer to me, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. “You… you’re lying. That bracelet belongs to my fiancé!” 2 The guests nearby began to gather around us, their curious eyes pinning me down. Whispers broke out in the crowd. “What’s going on over there?” Seeing the audience grow, Chloe’s friends raised their voices even louder. They sneered and pointed at me. “Seraphina Vance, you are truly disgusting. Do you have a pathological need to steal other people’s things and men?” “Actually, let me correct myself. Do you just have an obsession with stealing everything that belongs to Chloe?” They stared at me like they were interrogating a criminal. Standing in the center of the drama, Chloe’s eyes welled up with tears, looking like the ultimate victim. At first, I thought she threw this engagement party just to humiliate me by showing off that she had stolen my fiancé. But now I realized it was much worse. Chloe wanted to completely ruin my reputation and destroy my life. My eyes darkened as I watched her look at me with a deeply hurt expression. “Why, Sera? Why did I sincerely invite you to celebrate my happiness, only for you to do something like this?” “I don’t know how you managed to steal that bracelet, but if you hand it back right now, I promise I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.” The moment she finished, one of her loyal minions immediately barked, “Why should we let her off? If you ask me, we should call the police and have her arrested!” “Such a beautiful day, completely ruined by her presence. How pathetic!” I glanced at the two girls shouting the loudest. They were Chloe’s ultimate bootlickers. Everyone in the room was looking at me with absolute disgust. Thanks to Chloe’s years of rumors and manipulation, I had always been completely isolated in this social circle. This wasn’t my first time experiencing this kind of setup. I vividly remembered the first time she pulled this. We were in elementary school. Chloe accused me of stealing her favorite necklace. Back then, I was too young to do anything but cry and clumsily try to explain myself. But nobody, not even the teachers, believed a single word I said. As we grew older, her schemes got smarter. She plagiarized my essay, then turned around and told everyone I was the one who copied her. On the day I was scheduled to give a major presentation, she went into the system and deleted my entire slides deck. I couldn’t beat her at her dirty games, so I tried my best to just avoid her. But she was like a piece of cheap gum stuck to my shoe—no matter what I did, I couldn’t shake her off. Eventually, I gave up trying to fit in and stopped attending these social events altogether. Since she couldn’t frame me in person anymore, she started spreading rumors behind my back, painting me as a spoiled, arrogant, and tyrannical rich girl. I didn’t even notice when it happened, but suddenly, everyone started comparing me to her. They put her on a pedestal while dragging my name through the mud. The last major incident was the infamous “homewrecker” rumor from college. The absolute truth was that her boyfriend at the time had randomly blocked me in the hallway, confessing his love to me out of nowhere while saying a bunch of creepy things. I didn’t say a single word. I just rolled my eyes and walked away. Yet, the very next morning, photos of us standing in the hallway were plastered all over the campus forums. With Chloe fueling the fire, everyone began calling me a slut and slut-shaming me online. I didn’t bother to explain. First, because I couldn’t care less about what those idiots thought. Second, because I knew they wouldn’t believe me anyway. Though, after I slapped a few of those trolls with defamation lawsuits, everyone shut up pretty quickly. Coming back to reality, I heard someone snap at me. “Sera Vance, are you staying silent because you’re guilty?” I let out a cold, mocking laugh, looking straight at Chloe. “Since you guys are so confident that I stole this bracelet, go ahead. Call the cops.” Hearing this, the girl next to Chloe immediately unlocked her phone to dial 91

But just as she was about to press call, Chloe suddenly slapped the phone out of her hand, sending it clattering to the floor. 3 Chloe didn’t explain her actions to her friend. She just turned to me, looking incredibly distressed. “Sera, if the police actually arrest you, your reputation will be completely ruined.” “If you love this bracelet so much, I can just ask my fiancé to give it to you as a gift… but please, you can’t keep living your life stealing from others.” She spoke with such gentle concern, as if she actually cared about my future. I was so angry I almost laughed out loud. Reputation? Did I even have one left in this room? “You keep claiming this bracelet belongs to your fiancé. Do you have any actual proof?” I stared at her, curious to see how she’d lie her way out of this one. Without skipping a beat, she sobbed, “My fiancé wears this bracelet every single day. Since today is our engagement, I asked him to take it off so we could clean it. And suddenly, it magically appears on your wrist today of all days? Do you honestly think anyone believes that’s a coincidence?” “The truth is right here. I don’t even care about getting it back anymore, I just don’t want to see you ruin your life over your jealousy.” Looking at her playing the righteous, magnanimous saint, I chuckled softly. “Fine. Let’s wait until your fiancé gets here, and we can ask him ourselves how this bracelet ended up on my wrist.” This bracelet was indeed a gift from Ethan. But what Chloe didn’t know was that these were custom-made puzzle-lock couple’s bracelets. He had commissioned them specifically. The unique thing about these bracelets was that once they were locked onto your wrist, they couldn’t be taken off normally. The only way to unlock them was to bring both bracelets together, touching them for about ten seconds, and the magnetic lock would automatically release. And if I remembered correctly, when Ethan left the house this morning, his bracelet was still firmly locked on his wrist. Under my steady gaze, a flicker of panic flashed across Chloe’s eyes. So, despite her big talk, she wasn’t entirely confident either. I saw her mouth open, trying to say something to salvage the situation. But before she could speak, her angry minions lost their patience. One of them stepped forward and yelled: “Why are we wasting our breath on her? She’s just being stubborn. Let’s just rip it off her wrist!” “It’s not hers, period! Since her parents clearly didn’t teach her any manners, we’ll do it for them today!” With that shout, a few of the girls physically surrounded me. I was trapped and outnumbered. Within seconds, they grabbed my arms, pinning me down while trying to violently yank the bracelet off my wrist. But the bracelet was custom-sized to fit my wrist perfectly. Without the unique unlocking method, it was physically impossible to pull off. In no time, my skin was scraped raw and turning a painful, angry red. But they didn’t care about hurting me. They only cared about tearing the jewelry off. “Why is this stupid thing so tight? You bitch, what kind of trick did you use to lock this on?” “Just cooperate and you’ll suffer less!” Suddenly, a sharp pop echoed, followed by a searing flash of pain in my wrist. The intense pain brought tears to my eyes, and I began to struggle violently, trying to push them off me. With both of my hands pinned, I had no choice but to kick out blindly, trying to force them to let go. My foot connected with one of the girls in front of me. In response, they cursed loudly and shoved me hard onto the floor. My hair fell wildly over my face. My knees and elbows scraped against the hard floor, tearing the skin. I looked like an absolute mess. But nobody was looking at my injuries. Instead, everyone’s attention was drawn to my handbag, which had fallen and burst open when I was shoved down. The contents of my bag were scattered across the floor. Among the clutter, a few elegant, gold-embossed cards were glaringly obvious. “What is this?” “Why… why does this wedding invitation have your name and my fiancé’s name on it?!” Chloe rushed over and picked up one of the cards, her voice trembling with shock. 4 Those were the wedding invitations for my upcoming wedding with Ethan. I had kept a few in my bag to mail out later. Now, Chloe held them up for everyone to see. Her dramatic gasp drew the entire room closer. Everyone crowded around us. The girl standing next to Chloe snatched one of the cards and read the contents out loud so even the people in the back could hear. A terrible, sinking feeling settled deep in my stomach. But in my current state, I couldn’t physically fight them to get the cards back. I could only sit on the floor, forced to listen to her mockingly read the words while the crowd’s judging, disgusted stares rained down on me like daggers. “And here she was pretending she didn’t care about Chloe’s man! She literally printed fake wedding invitations! Sera Vance, are you seriously going to deny that you’re trying to steal Chloe’s fiancé now?” “Writing someone else’s fiancé’s name on your own wedding invitation… how desperate and sick do you have to be?” “If someone did this to my man, I’d throw up for three days straight.” “Sera, are you genuinely delusional? Do you seriously hallucinate that everything Chloe has belongs to you? Do you have no shame?” My standing in this circle was non-existent. Which was exactly why I had never planned on inviting any of these people to my wedding in the first place. Ethan had agreed, saying that our wedding should be about our happiness, not about showy rituals. We only wanted people who genuinely loved and supported us to be there. I never imagined that this beautiful sentiment would be twisted into proof of my “obsession” and “delusion.” They even started whispering that the engagement photos inside were probably photoshopped. They only believed what their warped minds wanted to believe. They only believed Chloe. Anything I said would just be white noise to them. To them, I was the ultimate villain. As the crowd’s insults grew louder, Chloe suddenly raised her hand. “Enough!” She wiped away a fake tear, looking incredibly brave as she looked down at me. “No matter what your sick goal is, Sera, you won’t break us apart. I trust my fiancé.” “He’ll be here any minute. Once he arrives, the truth will come to light.” Hearing Chloe’s absolute confidence. I didn’t need to be a genius to realize that she and Ethan had already hooked up behind my back. Simply put, Ethan was going to take her side. I was too exhausted to analyze how or why he betrayed me. The throbbing pain in my sprained wrist was getting unbearable. I was genuinely worried that if I didn’t go to the hospital soon, I’d end up with permanent nerve damage. I reached for my phone on the floor, intending to call the police. But before my finger could even touch the screen, a bucket of ice water was violently splashed all over me. My phone screen was instantly covered in water, making the touch screen completely unresponsive. I gasped from the freezing shock and looked up. One of Chloe’s close friends was standing over me, dropping an empty ice bucket onto the floor. She sneered down at me, suddenly pulling a small Swiss army knife out of her purse. “Are you awake now, Sera Vance?” “Since you’re awake, I think it’s time someone taught you a lesson on how to behave.” “Aside from your pretty face, you’re inferior to Chloe in every single way. You’re nothing but a cheap whore who uses her looks to seduce other women’s men.” She took a slow step toward me, playing with the small blade. “I’d be doing the world a favor by ruining that pretty little face of yours today!” Chloe was insane, and her friends were completely unhinged. No girl would ever be indifferent to having her face mutilated. I tried to scramble backward to escape, but my sprained wrist gave out, and I couldn’t get up. Chloe stood in the background, whining, “Guys, please don’t do this,” while simultaneously listing all my “crimes” to egg them on, ending with a hypocritical, “Aren’t we being too harsh on her?” She had absolutely no intention of stopping them. This was exactly the bloody show she wanted to see. Seeing the girl raise the knife, aiming it right at my face, I forced myself to sound cold and steady. “If you touch me, I promise you will spend the rest of your life in prison!” “Oh, please! Who are you trying to scare? I’d love to see how you’re going to make me regret this!” “Did you honestly think anyone in this room is going to help you?” But just as her words echoed through the room, the loud, aggressive roar of multiple luxury sports car engines sounded outside the venue. Everyone froze and turned toward the glass entrance. A fleet of black luxury sedans pulled up, and a tall, incredibly handsome man in a tailored suit stepped out, his face carved of pure ice. “What the hell is going on here?”

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On the day I gave birth, I watched with my own eyes as my nanny swapped my newborn baby with her own. I pretended not to notice. For eighteen years, the nanny’s son lived under my roof, eating the finest food, wearing the best clothes, and enjoying every luxury my wealth could buy. He eventually graduated at the top of his class and secured a full-ride scholarship to an Ivy League university. Meanwhile, I stood by and watched the nanny micro-manage my “son’s” life, constantly beating, verbally abusing, and humiliating him. On the day of his graduation party, the nanny burst into the ballroom, holding a DNA test report to crash the celebration. “Toby is my biological son!” she screamed. “It’s time we swap them back!” I curled my lips into a smile. “Sure.” “Mrs. Vance, I bought the cake Toby wanted, and your favorite desserts too. I’ve put them in the fridge.” Brenda, the nanny, had a flattering smile plastered across her face. Whenever she looked at Toby, her eyes practically overflowed with deep, maternal affection. Ever since I brought the baby home from the hospital, she had poured her heart and soul into him. It was as if she wanted to give him the entire world. If Toby wanted something, she would make sure he got it instantly. Whether it was gourmet food or expensive toys. Even Richard was starting to worry that Toby would end up spoiled and entitled. But I knew the truth. Brenda just wanted her own son to live the best possible life and enjoy every luxury. I didn’t expose her. I just nodded and watched her put the cake in the fridge. Behind her stood a small, scrawny boy dressed in patched-up, oversized clothes. He had a thin, hollow face and sunken eyes. He looked much smaller and weaker than other kids his age. This was my “son.” Brenda had legally named him Lucas, but she only ever called him “Trash.” As Lucas walked into the kitchen, Brenda slapped him hard across the face. “Where are your manners? Didn’t I teach you to greet people when you walk in?” Just then, Toby ran down the stairs. Before he could even speak, Brenda rushed over to him, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Toby, sweetie, do you want some cake?” “Thanks, Brenda. Can you plate it for me, please?” He flashed a bright, sunny smile that could melt anyone’s heart. Brenda’s face lit up with joy. She immediately grabbed the cake, plated it, and even set the fork down perfectly for him. Once she was done, she turned back to her trembling biological son standing in the corner. She kicked him hard in the shin. “Why are you standing there looking like a kicked puppy? Get back to your room! Just looking at you ruins my day!” Lucas fell to the floor, his head hitting the hardwood with a dull thud. Tears welled up in his eyes. But he didn’t cry. He scrambled back up immediately, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. Even Toby looked startled by the violence. But Lucas just stood in front of Toby, bowing slightly. “I’m sorry, Toby. I’m sorry, Mom.” Clearly, he was used to this treatment. He knew exactly what to do to quiet Brenda’s rage. I was used to it too. After all, Brenda lived with us. In the beginning, she only beat Lucas behind closed doors. But once she did it in front of me and realized I didn’t care, she stopped hiding it. She would find any excuse to hit him right in front of my face. Even for something as trivial as not saying hello. And Lucas had learned to apologize instantly. 0

My husband, Richard, walked in just in time to see Lucas apologizing, a fresh bruise swelling on his forehead. Richard’s face darkened instantly. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Even if he is your kid, you shouldn’t be beating him like that in front of Toby!” Was he worried about Lucas? Of course not. He was worried about Toby. He was terrified Toby would be corrupted by seeing such violence. “Yes, of course, Mr. Vance. I’m sorry. The brat just has no manners, so I had to teach him a lesson. Toby is so polite and cultured. This trash isn’t worthy to even breathe the same air as him.” Brenda smiled obsequiously, then glared venomously at Lucas. The boy shrank back two steps, his face turning pale. He huddled in the corner like a frightened bird, not daring to make a sound. Brenda rolled her eyes at him, then turned back to Toby with a beaming smile. “Toby, tomorrow is your first day of preschool, right? Should I pack some homemade cookies and snacks for you to take?” Toby nodded, offering a sweet, innocent smile. “Thanks, Brenda.” To him, this was just the nanny being nice. He didn’t think anything of it. Hearing this, Lucas cautiously reached out and tugged at Brenda’s apron, his voice trembling with hope. “Mom… I want to go to preschool too…” It hit me then. Lucas and Toby were born on the same day. They should have been starting school together. Even if it was just preschool. But standing next to Toby, Lucas looked a full head shorter. If someone told me he was only two years old instead of four, I would have believed them. “Preschool? Who do you think you are? You think you’re royalty? Kids where I come from play in the dirt, they don’t go to fancy prep-schools! You’ve got cheap blood but rich desires!” With that, Brenda began kicking and punching Lucas again. Lucas couldn’t hold it in anymore. He burst into loud, agonizing wails that echoed through the entire house. Richard rushed over to stop her, and Toby tried to block her too. I was the only one who sat there, coldly watching the circus unfold. Worried she might scare Toby, Brenda grabbed Lucas by his leg and dragged him down the hallway into the nanny’s quarters. The next morning, Toby put on his little backpack, and Brenda escorted him to the car. Richard noticed the lack of a shadow behind Brenda today. “Where’s your boy? Are you really not sending him to preschool?” “Mr. Vance, I appreciate the thought, but Lucas is a country boy. He doesn’t belong in a city school. I’ll send him back to the country to study when he’s older. You know my ex-husband was an absolute monster. He beat me constantly. Every time I look at Lucas, I just see that beast’s face…” Brenda’s eyes welled with tears as she spoke. Richard didn’t want to hear it. We had hired Brenda because she was a hard worker. When we found out she was pregnant, we didn’t fire her because we knew her husband was a piece of trash. The man drank, gambled, and smoked. And when he got drunk, he beat his wife. If Brenda didn’t make money, he would have beaten her to death. … After Richard and Toby drove off, Brenda and I walked back into the living room. As soon as we stepped inside, we saw Lucas kneeling on the floor, scrubbing the tiles. His tiny body was hunched over. His hands were too small to even wring the rag dry. Yet, he carefully and meticulously wiped down every single inch of the floor. If you looked closely, you could see sweat pouring down his face, and his leg was visibly twitching. 0

It must have been from the beating yesterday. I turned on my heel and walked away without hesitation, pretending I saw nothing. By the afternoon, when Toby was brought home, Brenda was the first to rush to the door to fuss over him. Toby answered her patiently, but the scrape on his cheek was hard to ignore. “Toby, sweetie, your face…” Brenda panicked, her voice laced with genuine terror. “I just tripped and fell.” Toby didn’t care. He knew that when you fall, you just get back up. It was no big deal. But Brenda was hysterical. “How did you fall? Are you hurt anywhere else?” She turned to me, her voice accusing. “Mrs. Vance, Toby is your child! How can you be so calm? Don’t you care about him at all?” I raised an eyebrow. “Kids fall and get scraped up all the time. He’s not made of glass. Your own son gets hurt every single day, and I don’t see you losing your mind over it.” Brenda snapped. “How can you compare Lucas to Toby? What is he even—” Realizing what she was about to say, Brenda cut herself off, her voice turning timid. “Mrs. Vance, I’m sorry. Please don’t mind what I just said. I’m just so worried about Toby. What if some bully picked on him at preschool? He’s been raised so delicately. Lucas is built tough; he can’t be compared to Toby.” Just then, Richard walked in and frowned. “If you gave Lucas even a fraction of the care you give Toby, he wouldn’t look like a walking skeleton. Where is he anyway?” “The boy was tired. He’s fast asleep in his room. Should I go wake him up?” Richard shook his head. “No, let him sleep.” Brenda grumbled, “He’s just spoiled. Sleeping at this hour… he needs a good beating.” Before she could say more, Toby tugged on my hand. “Mom, I’m hungry.” Brenda immediately chimed in, “I’ll go set the table right away!” She had prepared dinner hours ago, anticipating Toby would be hungry after school. I didn’t mind. I let her play the doting mother. It was almost as if by jumping in, she could pretend Toby had been calling out to her. After dinner, Brenda happily tucked Toby into bed. The next morning, Lucas was still nowhere to be seen. I finally told Brenda to go check on him. It turned out the boy had been burning with a high fever all night. By the time the doctor arrived, the fever had been running for too long. The doctor warned us that the prolonged high fever had caused permanent brain damage. He would suffer from involuntary tremors and spasms for the rest of his life. Brenda looked at Lucas with nothing but disgust. I stood beside her, my face completely expressionless. Why did I suddenly ask about Lucas? Because I wanted this game to become much more interesting, of course. How could he leave the stage so early? After that, Brenda continued to dote on Toby while her abuse of Lucas grew more frequent and severe. Because of his neurological damage, Lucas often lost control of his bladder. This accidents only earned him more brutal beatings from Brenda. I watched Brenda look at Toby with eyes full of deep, obsessive love, and I couldn’t help but smile. Keep spoiling him, Brenda. I can’t wait to see the end of this show. 0

Over the next fourteen years, Brenda dutifully took care of Toby’s every need. She wanted to do absolutely everything for him. Meanwhile, my “son” Lucas was sent away to a run-down farm in the Midwest just a few days after his fever broke. I heard his life there was miserable. Whenever Richard occasionally brought him up, Brenda would wave her hand in disgust. “Lucas isn’t cut out for school anyway. Unlike Toby, he’s only good for farm work.” And then she would launch into complaints about her abusive ex-husband and how hard her life was. Eventually, Richard stopped asking. The next time we saw Lucas was at Toby’s high school graduation party. Toby had graduated at the top of his class, got accepted into Harvard, and was awarded a massive scholarship. I had thrown a lavish, high-profile celebration at a luxury hotel to celebrate his achievement. But Brenda, who had taken a few days off, chose this exact day to show up. Behind her stood a trembling teenage boy. He was sun-baked, emaciated, and cringed at every sound. Brenda walked up to me and handed me a printed DNA report. “Mrs. Vance, I took Lucas to the clinic recently. I noticed his blood type didn’t make sense, so I did a DNA test. It turns out… he isn’t my son.” “The hospital made a mistake eighteen years ago. Lucas is your biological son. Toby is mine.” “No wonder I always loved Toby so much! It was the call of the blood.” “Now that we know the truth, we should swap them back, don’t you think?” Brenda rubbed her hands together anxiously, but her eyes locked onto Toby with a look of intense, greedy affection. Her eyes brimmed with tears, playing the part of a long-suffering, emotional mother perfectly. The news was like a bomb dropping on the banquet hall. The guests instantly erupted into whispers. “How could a hospital make a mistake like that? Is there more to this story?” “This is hilarious. The Vances raised her son to be a Harvard scholar with a full ride, and now she comes to claim him? Talk about hitting the jackpot!” “Exactly! Toby is so well-bred, smart, and a talented pianist. That’s all thanks to Eleanor’s parenting.” … On one hand, you had an Ivy League-bound scholar, a decorated pianist with a bright future. On the other hand, you had an uneducated, illiterate kid from a farm who trembled constantly and had to wear adult diapers. Anyone with a brain knew who to choose. “Sure. Let’s swap them back,” I said, a slight smile playing on my lips. The room fell into stunned silence. Even Brenda stared at me in disbelief. She never expected me to agree so easily. Richard immediately rushed to my side. “Eleanor! Do you even hear yourself?” “You’re going to hand Toby over to her based on some random piece of paper she brought in?” “What if this is fake? She hasn’t even done a test with Toby yet!” Toby looked at me, his eyes wide with hurt. “Mom… I’m your son!” “No, you’re not. I watched you get swapped in the nursery. Toby and I share no biological connection.” I shook my head, pulling out my own copy of a DNA report. Richard’s face turned incredibly pale. He shook his head violently, refusing to accept it. “But you always said Toby was your entire world! You almost died giving birth to him! You begged the doctors to save him over you!” “How could you just stand there and watch your own baby get swapped?” “You’re just angry, right? You’re saying this to hurt me, aren’t you?” He looked at me with begging eyes, desperate for the answer he wanted to hear. Under the weight of everyone’s stares, I shook my head firmly. “No. I saw the swap happen with my own eyes.” The moment the words left my mouth, a loud slap echoed through the room. Richard’s face twisted with rage, a face that slowly merged with the one in my memories. Instead of getting angry, I laughed. “What? Are you panicked now?” “Are you insane? You watched your own son get swapped and said nothing?” “What kind of mother does that? She’s laughing! She must be a psychopath!” Even Lucas looked at me. He ran over and grabbed my arms. “Why? Why did you do this to me? If you didn’t love me, why did you give birth to me?” He shook my shoulders frantically, but I shoved him away with cold disgust. “Get away from me. You make me sick.” He fell hard onto the floor. I took a deep breath, my smile growing wider. Finally. The day I had been waiting for had arrived.

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On the day of my wife’s first love’s wedding, she went completely mad. She stormed the altar with a knife, stabbing him dozens of times until he was dead, and then she slit her own throat. Standing in the crowd, watching the bloodbath, I was frozen in shock. That was the moment I realized the woman I had loved for five years had never actually loved me. Her heart belonged to someone else. So when I woke up back in time, reliving this life, she didn’t hesitate. She threw me away like trash to chase after him. I thought we would never cross paths again. I was wrong. Six years later, our paths crossed again at the Grand Plaza Mall. She was now parading around as the wife of the mall’s General Manager, Derek Vance. He was doing a walk-through inspection with her by his side. The moment she spotted me, her lip curled in disgust. “Stalking me now, Ethan? Let me make this clear: I’m married. You and I are ancient history. Get over it.” I didn’t even bother to reply. I turned around and headed toward the baby section to grab some diapers for my daughter. But she chased me down, snatched the pack of diapers from my hands, slammed them onto the floor, and stomped on them with her high heels. “You’re married with a kid? You used to swear you’d never marry anyone but me! You liar!” 0

I never expected to run into Chloe at the Grand Plaza Mall. She was clinging to Derek’s arm as he did a routine inspection of the luxury boutiques. The sales associates were practically tripping over themselves to serve her. “Mrs. Vance, this is our latest arrival. It’s a limited edition. If you like it, I can offer you a twenty percent discount.” “Just make sure you reserve the best spot for our brand next season,” Chloe said, playing the part of the powerful manager’s wife. “Of course! And the diamond necklace you asked about last time? I saved it just for you.” Derek glanced at the jewelry case and nodded. “Take it. It’ll look perfect on you at our engagement party next week.” “Engagement party? I see you and Mr. Vance together all the time. I thought you guys were already married!” one of the salesgirls asked innocently. Chloe’s smile froze. Realizing her blunder, the salesgirl quickly backpedaled. “Oh, I just meant you look so perfect together, like a happily married couple!” Hearing them kiss her feet, I couldn’t help but let out a soft, mocking chuckle. In our past life, Chloe had gone completely insane when she saw Derek marrying someone else. She had crashed his wedding, slaughtered him, and killed herself to join him in death. I never understood it. If she loved him that much, why did they ever split up in our first life? But after we were reborn, she didn’t hesitate to dump me instantly to chase her happily-ever-after. Yet, here we were, six years later, and they still weren’t married. They were only just getting engaged now. “Derek has been so focused on his career these past few years,” Chloe said, gazing up at him with dripping adoration. “He asked me to marry him so many times, but his career is on the rise. I didn’t want my own happiness to get in the way of his future.” Wow. She sure knew how to play the supportive partner for him. Back when she was with me, she did nothing but look down on me, constantly complaining that I was a broke loser. It turned out she wasn’t incapable of empathy. She just didn’t love me. I lowered my eyes, completely ignoring her, and turned toward the baby store to buy some supplies. “Ethan? What are you doing here?” Chloe’s sharp voice cut through the air behind me. I stopped and turned. Chloe was standing right there, glaring at me. The salesgirl looked at us, confused. “Is this gentleman a friend of yours, Chloe? If he’s shopping here, we can give him a discount too.” Chloe smirked, her eyes dripping with disdain. “A friend? Please. He’s just a dirt-broke ex of mine. Back then, he couldn’t even afford a hundred-dollar necklace. There’s no way he can buy anything in this mall.” “An ex?” The salesgirl glanced nervously at Derek. Derek didn’t seem to care; instead, he pulled Chloe tightly against his waist, looking down his nose at me like a conquering king. “Did you even check the price tags before walking in here? Don’t make a fool of yourself when you realize you can’t afford a single thing,” Derek sneered. “Whether I can afford it or not has absolutely nothing to do with you,” I said coldly. Chloe’s face instantly twisted in anger. “If you’re that desperate, maybe I can throw a little charity your way. Or wait… did you hear about my engagement and stalk me here on purpose?” Chloe mocked. Hearing this, Derek stepped forward, standing right beside Chloe and sizing me up with a condescending glare. “Ethan, Chloe told me all about how you used to harass her. I thought she was just being nice, but you really are a creep.” “You didn’t appreciate her when she was yours. Now that she’s marrying me, you’re drowning in regret?” Derek’s face flushed with anger, glaring at me like he wanted to pick a fight. Only because Chloe held his hand did he restrain himself from throwing a punch. “Ethan, I made it crystal clear when we broke up. There is absolutely no chance for us. Why can’t you just let me go?” “I know you’re broke, and seeing me doing so well makes you bitter, but this is just sad.” Derek scoffed. “A man with no real skills trying to leech off his ex-girlfriend. Absolutely pathetic.” “Just look at what you’re wearing. Not a single designer label.” I looked down at my custom suit. It was a bespoke Italian piece, hand-tailored and literally one of a kind. A low-level mall manager like Derek obviously didn’t have the class to recognize true luxury. Seeing my silence, he smugly pulled out his wallet, grabbed a few bills, and slapped them against my chest, letting them flutter to the floor. “This should cover your groceries for a month. Now get lost and stop bothering us.” The hundred-dollar bills scattered on the floor. Chloe smirked. “What? Still not enough?” She glanced down at her own empty designer clutch. “Well, people don’t really carry cash these days. How about I transfer it to you? How does ten grand sound?” “That’s probably more than you can save in two years of hard labor.” I remained silent. Chloe pulled out her phone, opened Snapchat, and tried to send the cash transfer. But the second she hit send, a bright red exclamation mark popped up on her screen. 0

“Ethan!” Chloe suddenly shoved her phone screen in front of my face and shrieked, startling the shoppers around us. “You actually blocked me?!” I found her outrage ridiculous. Isn’t blocking your ex standard procedure after a breakup to avoid drama? Besides, I had a family and a child now. My wife, Audrey, was already a bit insecure due to her past trauma; keeping an ex on my Snapchat was just asking for trouble. “Why wouldn’t I block you? We broke up years ago. We have nothing to say to each other.” Chloe’s smug face instantly turned incredibly dark. “Nothing to say?” she spat, her teeth gritted. I nodded calmly. “It’s been six years, Chloe. Keep your money. I don’t need a single dime from you.” My refusal made her look even more monstrous. “Ethan, who do you think you’re fooling? Act like a big shot all you want, but I know exactly how broke you are.” “Do you even know who my fiancé is? He’s the General Manager of this entire mall, and this place is owned by Summit Enterprises! Don’t embarrass yourself.” Derek grinned proudly, puffing out his chest. “Chloe, why bother talking to this loser? A peasant like him has probably never even heard of Summit Enterprises.” “He’s destined to rot at the bottom of the food chain forever.” I stared at the smug Derek. He seemed to have completely forgotten how he secured this GM position in the first place. Derek used to be a low-level cubicle drone at Summit. He had zero talent but loved to brag that he was the company’s rising star, claiming they’d go bankrupt without him. Chloe’s parents were respected college professors—dignified, rational people. They saw right through his lies and absolutely despised him. But Derek’s cheap, sweet-talking charm worked like magic on a naive girl like her. She refused to leave him, and it took her parents threatening to end their own lives to force her to break up with him. During that dark period, Chloe was like a hollow shell. I was the one who stayed up night after night, taking care of her and piecing her back together. Naturally, we ended up dating. But while we were together, my business proposals would mysteriously vanish from my laptop. Meanwhile, Derek’s career at Summit suddenly took off like a rocket. I brought this up to Chloe multiple times, but she always brushed it off as a coincidence. Once she agreed to marry me, I finally let it go. I thought she would change after marriage. But the moment she heard Derek was marrying another woman, she lost all sanity. She slaughtered him and died for him. Her love for him was bordering on psychotic, unmatched by anyone. So, after being reborn, the first thing she did was dump me. She used her memories of my past proposals from our previous life to help Derek climb the corporate ladder. The moment she asked for a breakup, I agreed without a single second of hesitation. Because I knew I couldn’t stop her, and frankly, I didn’t want to. I just didn’t expect our paths to cross like this. “I’m sorry, but how I live my life is none of your concern. Now, please move. I have shopping to do.” Derek stepped in front of me, blocking my path. “What’s the matter? Exposed, so now you want to run?” “Stalking Chloe just so she’ll take pity on you and throw you a bone, huh?” The salesgirls nearby began whispering, shooting me disgusted looks. “What a shameless ex-boyfriend. He’s still harassing her after all this time.” “It’s sickening. He probably saw how rich she got and crawled back to leech off her!” Derek smirked, enjoying the peanut gallery. “Tell you what. Since you’re Chloe’s ex, if you promise never to bother us again, I can pull some strings and get you a job here at the mall.” “Oh my god, Mr. Vance is too kind! He’s actually offering her pathetic ex a job!” “What a gentleman. Unlike this shameless loser!” Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a Snapchat message from my wife: *’Babe, didn’t I ask you to grab some diapers from our mall? What’s taking so long?’* 0

Before I could even reply, Chloe snatched my phone and slammed it onto the hard marble floor. *Crash.* “Ethan! Are you even listening to us?” “Derek is offering you a job! You should be begging on your knees in gratitude! People would kill for this opportunity!” I looked down at my shattered phone on the floor. “I don’t need a job, and I don’t need his charity. But you are going to pay for my phone.” She let out a scoff. “Look at you, crying over a cheap phone. How much could it possibly cost?” “Are you unemployed and too proud to accept our help?” “Don’t worry, we’d only put you on dishwashing or janitorial duty anyway. You don’t need to feel guilty.” She was completely convinced I was asking for money because I was broke. What she didn’t know was that I owned this entire mall. When my wife, Audrey, first took over as the CEO of Summit Enterprises, the greedy board of directors tried to overthrow her. I took over this failing mall, completely turned it around, and secured her position. Since then, she had left the mall’s operations entirely in my hands. “I’m asking you to pay because you broke it. That’s just basic accountability. It has nothing to do with my financial status,” I said, too tired to explain. Even if I told her I owned this entire mall, she’d just think I was lying. In her eyes, I would always be inferior to her precious Derek. “As if a wealthy person would cry over a stupid phone,” she sneered. “Is that so?” Before she could even blink, I stepped forward, reached into Chloe’s pocket, snatched her phone, and slammed it onto the marble floor. *Smash.* It shattered with a loud, satisfying crunch. The salesgirls and shoppers gasped in horror. “Since you’re so rich, you shouldn’t care about a stupid phone, right?” I asked, echoing her words. Chloe’s face turned red, then green with rage. “Ethan! Are you doing this on purpose? Is my phone the same as your cheap piece of trash?” “I just got this! It’s the latest iPhone and cost over fifteen hundred dollars!” “Well, fifteen hundred dollars is pocket change to you. Surely, Chloe, you won’t hold a grudge over something so small?” Chloe looked around at the onlookers. To save face in front of the salesgirls, she gritted her teeth and forced a stiff smile. “Of course not. I’m not like you, crying over pennies.” “Perfect. Since you don’t mind, I do. I’m just a broke guy, remember? You still owe me for my phone.” Chloe’s fake smile shattered instantly. “Ethan, I have never seen anyone so shameless and greedy!” “You smashed my phone and still expect me to pay you? In your dreams!” “You said you didn’t care about the money. I never said I didn’t.” “You…!” She was completely speechless, her chest heaving with rage. “Fine! It’s just a phone. I’ll pay you. But since my phone is broken, I’ll transfer it to you once I get a new one!” she spat. I nodded. “Great. My number hasn’t changed. Remember to send it.” I bent down, picked up my broken phone, and turned to leave. But behind me, Chloe burst into a smug laugh. “I knew it! You broke my phone just so you could have a valid excuse to get my Snapchat again.” “If you wanted my contact info, you could have just asked. Why play these childish games?” “And keeping your number the same all these years… were you waiting for me to come back to you?” Derek’s face went extremely dark. He stepped forward and yelled, “Ethan! I’m telling you, you and Chloe are over! Don’t even dream about it!” “If you try to ruin our lives, I’ll make sure you regret it!” “Do I need your mercy? Let me repeat myself: Chloe and I broke up. We have no relationship now, and we never will.” “Everything she’s saying is just her own delusional fantasy. Running into you today was a pure accident.” “Don’t worry, the moment I get the money, I’ll block her again. I won’t pose any threat to your precious marriage.” I paused, looking Derek dead in the eye with a smirk. “Are you warning me because you’re afraid she’ll fall back in love with me?” “Are you insecure because you know you’re inferior to me?” “Bullshit!” Derek roared, his face contorting. “Inferior to you? Then why did Chloe choose me over you in the end?” He looked like he was about to swing at me. Chloe noticed his anger and quickly hugged his arm. “Derek, don’t let him get to you. He’s just trying to provoke you. A worthless man like him isn’t even worth your pinky finger.” “I chose you, and I will always choose you.” “No one can ever replace you in my heart.” Hearing this, Derek’s chest puffed up again, and his expression softened. I didn’t even bother to roll my eyes. I walked past them and straight into the baby store next door. But Chloe wasn’t done. She followed me right in, looking absolutely furious. While I was carefully picking out diapers and baby formula, she marched over, ripped the package out of my hand, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it. “Ethan! You refuse a good job from us, but here you are buying diapers? What, are you working as a male nanny now?” “How pathetic. Look what you’ve reduced yourself to.” “I’m warning you, if you ever dare to speak to Derek like that again, I’ll make you pay!” “Weren’t you the one who started this ridiculous conversation?” I asked, unimpressed. Before she could scream back, a store clerk interrupted us. “Mr. Carter, your wife sent me to ask when you’ll be done. She wants to know if you’ve got everything.” Chloe froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “What… what did you just call him?” “Mr. Carter?” 0

“Why did you call him Mr. Carter? Does a loser like him even deserve that title?” Chloe pointed at my face, her voice rising in anger. “Look at him! He’s just a nobody who needs my charity to even get a job!” The clerk looked at me, thoroughly confused. I met Chloe’s gaze. She let out a dry laugh, crossing her arms as she leaned against a display shelf. “Ethan, did you hire this actor to play a part?” “You knew I’d be here today, so you staged this whole drama just to show off? To prove you’re doing great without me?” “You want me to regret leaving you, don’t you?” “This trick is so outdated. It’s pathetic.” I looked at her smug face. “You think way too highly of yourself.” I ignored her and went back to picking diapers. Audrey was waiting at home, and she’d worry if I took too long. “Ethan! Are you seriously ignoring me?” “What is with that stupid, silent treatment!” “Diapers! Why are you so obsessed with these stupid diapers!” Chloe lost her temper and tried to push past, but the clerk stepped in, blocking her path. “Ma’am, please stop causing a scene. If you continue, I’ll have security escort you out.” “Also, Mr. Carter is not a nanny. He is buying diapers for his own daughter.” Chloe glared at the clerk, her eyes wild with fury. “Get out of my way!” “I said, move!” The clerk stood firm. Chloe raised her hand and— *Slap!* A harsh slap landed right on the clerk’s cheek, the sound echoing through the store. I immediately stepped in, pulling the clerk behind me. “Chloe! Have you lost your mind?!” “Me? Lost my mind?” she pointed at the clerk. “He’s the one who was disrespectful first!” “Doesn’t he know the customer is king? Look at his attitude! Does he even know who my fiancé is?” “My fiancé is the General Manager of this mall! He wants to kick me out? I’ll make sure he gets fired today!” I turned and patted the clerk’s shoulder. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this.” “Go back to the back office. I’ll handle this.” The clerk nodded, holding his bruised cheek. “Mrs. Carter said your daughter is waiting. Please hurry home, Mr. Carter.” “I will. I’ll be right out.” As the clerk walked away, Chloe suddenly blinked, as if waking from a trance. “Wait… what did he just say?” “For your own daughter?” “Ethan, when did you get married?!” I nodded calmly. “Yes, I’m married.” “I told you that already, but you refused to believe me. You just love to twist everything to make it about yourself, Chloe. You’re incredibly delusional.” “Delusional? If you got married, why didn’t you tell me? Why?!” “Why should I? Are we close? Do we even have a reason to speak?” Chloe stared at me, her voice trembling. “When… when did you get married?” I met Audrey by accident. It was about a year after Chloe and I broke up. To escape the heartbreak and clear my mind, I volunteered to do community work in a remote, off-grid mountain community. On my very first day, I crossed paths with Audrey. She had been kidnapped by a trafficking ring and held captive there, terrified. She begged me to help her escape. I did some digging, realized how dangerous and corrupt the local off-grid group was, and secretly contacted the FBI and local authorities. We successfully raided the compound and rescued her along with several other victims. After her rescue, Audrey suffered from severe trauma. I stayed by her side at the hospital, helping her through her recovery and therapy. Over time, we fell in love. We got married a year later. It was only on our wedding day that I discovered her true identity: she was the sole heiress of Summit Enterprises. I thought her powerful family would reject a nobody like me. Instead, they were incredibly grateful for saving her life. They welcomed me with open arms and eventually handed the mall’s operations over to us. Though the greedy board of directors gave us a hard time at first, we faced them together and won. True love is forged in fire. My bond with Audrey grew stronger every single day. She made me realize my own worth. Real love doesn’t require you to beg or lose your dignity. “Chloe, it doesn’t matter when,” I said coldly. “I never wronged you. I only married after we were completely over.” I grabbed the bag of diapers and turned to leave, but Chloe blocked the exit. “How could you do this to me? You swore you’d only love me in this lifetime! How could you marry someone else?” “You even had a kid with some random woman! Ethan, how could you betray me like this?!” Before I could even open my mouth, a cold, elegant voice rang out from behind her. “Really? He swore all that to you? How come I never heard about it?” Chloe and I both turned. Standing there was Audrey, looking stunning and incredibly composed. She walked up to me, naturally wrapping her arm around mine, and raised an eyebrow. “Is what she’s saying true, Ethan?” “Not a single word,” I replied instantly, looking down at my beautiful wife. Chloe’s face twisted in fury. “You’re lying! In our past life, you—” She screamed, but suddenly realized she was about to expose her regression and slapped her hand over her mouth. “Either way, you can’t do this to me!” she shrieked, resorting to a childish tantrum. I let out a cold laugh. “Chloe, don’t you think you’re being ridiculous? You’re about to get married, yet you’re trying to control my life?” “I have a wife and a daughter now. I suggest you stay out of my way, and we stay out of each other’s lives forever!”

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Coming home late at night, I stared at the highly explicit, scandalous photos on my phone. My chest felt incredibly tight. The woman posing in those photos was my fiancée, Chloe Henderson. She looked ecstatic, stretching her limbs in various seductive poses. Her face carried an expression of pure ecstasy—one I had never seen during our five years together. Around her neck, she was still wearing the diamond engagement necklace I had bought her. I clenched my fists, barely resisting the urge to smash my phone against the wall. How could she do this to me? The sender of the photos was Julian Vance. He was a washed-up, self-proclaimed artist who had just returned from Europe. He was also Chloe’s first love—her “one that got away.” Years ago, he abandoned her to pursue his career abroad, and they had a massive blowout, promising never to see each other again. I genuinely believed that chapter of her life was closed. I thought I was her future. But the moment Julian returned, everything shattered. ###

Even though Chloe and I had been dating for five years, she had always been incredibly conservative around me. She wouldn’t even wear a spaghetti strap top in front of me. Yet here she was, completely naked, captured by Julian’s camera. Even in the dim lighting, it was obvious she wasn’t being forced. She looked entirely willing. I sat in silence on the sofa, scrolling through every single photo. The bitterness in my heart slowly numbed, leaving behind nothing but a cold, hollow void. Right after, a text from Julian popped up. “So sorry, man. I desperately needed a model for my new exhibition, and Chloe was sweet enough to help me out. I hope she didn’t keep you waiting at City Hall?” He knew damn well that Chloe had gone to his studio early in the morning and hadn’t returned since. He was doing this on purpose. He wanted to mock me. I didn’t reply. Instead, I opened Instagram and saw that Chloe had just posted an update. It was a photo taken in Julian’s studio, but different from the ones he sent me. In this one, she was wearing a fluffy bathrobe, her hair damp. Her caption read: “You will always be my muse.” In the bottom-left corner of the photo, a messy pile of men’s and women’s clothes lay on the bed. The sheets were heavily wrinkled. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what had just happened. Our mutual friends, clueless about the truth, thought she was just showing off our relationship. They flooded the comment section with congratulations. Some of my buddies even texted me directly. “Wait, weren’t you guys supposed to sign your marriage license at City Hall today? Celebrating in a hotel already?” “When’s the wedding date, man? Don’t forget to send us the invites!” I didn’t reply to any of them. I stared at her post, and it felt like a slap in the face. I had waited at City Hall from sunrise to sunset. My excitement had slowly decayed into complete despair. At first, I was terrified she had gotten into a car accident. I frantically called her friends, asking if they had seen her. Now I realized how pathetic I was. She didn’t want to “take things slow.” I just wasn’t the “muse” she had been waiting for. ###

Chloe finally walked through the front door the next morning. She was holding a takeout container of clam chowder. “I stood in a long line just to get this for you,” she said, trying to sound sweet. “I know yesterday was my fault, but I had a really good reason. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?” I glanced at the lukewarm, greasy chowder. There was barely any seafood in it—just some watery broth and a few limp potatoes. Without saying a word, I drained my glass of warm milk. But no warm liquid could thaw the ice around my heart. Just minutes before she arrived, Julian had sent me another photo. It was Chloe standing in his kitchen, smiling as she cooked a fresh, gourmet pot of seafood chowder from scratch. We had been together for five years, and I never even knew Chloe could cook. When we first met, she told me she was completely useless in the kitchen because her parents had pampered her. So, for five years, I treated her like a spoiled princess and did all the cooking. Yet, my princess had gone to cook a gourmet meal for another man. And her “apology” to me was just Julian’s leftovers. Seeing my indifferent expression, Chloe’s smile faded. She stepped in front of me, blocking my path. “I didn’t mean to stand you up yesterday! My phone died. I texted you as soon as I could!” Her “text” was literally three words: “Let’s wait.” Every call I made after that went straight to voicemail. What was the point of explaining now? I slowly stood up, looking at her with cold eyes. “So, your way of ‘helping out’ was stripping naked to be Julian’s model?” “You were the one who set the date for us to get married. And you were the one who broke the promise. Do you even have a shred of respect for me?” My words triggered her. She slammed her phone onto the table in frustration. “I already told you! Marriage is a huge step. Can’t I have some time to think it over? I just wanted to postpone signing the papers. It’s not like I’m never marrying you!” She rolled her eyes, sat down aggressively, and knocked over our matching couple mugs. *Smash!* I looked at the shattered red and blue ceramic pieces on the floor. Suddenly, I remembered last Valentine’s Day. Chloe had stood under a giant screen at the mall, holding a bunch of red roses, and proposed to me. She said her only birthday wish was for us to get married. She was the one who made the promise, and she was the one who shattered it. Maybe our relationship had been too smooth. I had never noticed how distant we had become. Lately, she was always checking her phone during our dates. She would stare at her screen late at night, giggling like a teenager. Whenever I asked, she would just shrug and say it was nothing. And I, like an idiot, kept living in a fantasy world, believing we would naturally get married, buy a house, and grow old together. Since she didn’t care anymore, why should I cling to this pathetic relationship? ###

Sensing the heavy tension, Chloe stepped closer and wrapped her arms around my neck, using her usual whiny tone. “Ethan, babe, I know you love me. Yesterday was totally my fault. I didn’t realize how important it was to you, and I made you wait. But look, I bought you chowder to make it up to you! Stop being mad, okay?” I brushed her hands off my neck. I couldn’t even look at the takeout box on the table. “Where did this chowder really come from, Chloe? You know the truth.” Just because she put it in a restaurant bag didn’t mean it was takeout. Our relationship was just like that bag—wrapped in a sweet package, but completely rotten on the inside. My words struck a nerve. Chloe’s face turned incredibly cold. “Ethan Carter, are you done throwing your tantrum? I apologized, and I explained. What else do you want from me?” “I’m still young! I don’t want to bind myself to a marriage so early. Is that a crime?” I let out a bitter laugh. Looking at her self-righteous face, I felt deeply exhausted. Sure. Why not? A suffocating silence filled the living room. I just stared at her familiar yet unrecognizable face. Before I could speak, her phone rang. Even though she quickly turned away, I caught the caller ID flashing on her screen. “Hubby ❤️” That used to be my exclusive contact name on her phone. And now, I was standing right in front of her. It wasn’t hard to guess who was calling. Chloe picked up, and Julian’s voice echoed through the speaker. “Chloe, I accidentally broke the ceramic figurine you gave me. My wrist is bleeding pretty badly…” “Oh my god, are you okay? I’m coming over right now. Wait for me!” She hung up and immediately rushed to grab her coat. Even a fool could see through this. I stepped forward and grabbed her arm. “Don’t go, Chloe.” But she didn’t even pause to look at me as she shoved her feet into her heels. “You heard him, Ethan! Julian is hurt. He’s an artist—his hands are his livelihood! Nothing can happen to them. I’m just going to check on him, and then I’ll be right back.” Something snapped inside me. The last thread of my patience broke. Five years of love couldn’t compete with a single lie from Julian. I watched her coldly pull her arm out of my grip and pick up her purse. I said quietly, “If you walk out that door, don’t bother coming back.” “What?” She spun around, looking genuinely confused. I met her gaze. “I said, if you go to Julian today, we are done. Let’s break up.” “Ethan! How long are you going to keep acting like a child? How can you be so incredibly petty? You can’t just throw the word ‘breakup’ around every time you’re annoyed! I have an emergency right now. We’ll talk when I get back tonight!” The door slammed, and her shadow disappeared into the elevator. I calmly locked the door and sat back down on the sofa. Let it be. I had invested so much time, energy, and money into this relationship. I had treated her like a queen, carrying all the burdens alone. And in the end, my queen stripped bare for another man’s camera. I had given her so many chances. But I finally had to admit—she was no longer the girl I fell in love with. ###

That night, I drove straight to a local lounge. My best friend, Marcus, had set up a table to celebrate my “last night of freedom” before marriage. When I told him we broke up, he was stunned. He slung an arm around my shoulder and waved his hand dismissively. “There are plenty of fish in the sea, man! Why cry over one dead flower? Don’t worry, I’ll introduce you to some gorgeous girls tonight.” I waved him off. I wasn’t in the mindset to start anything new. But Marcus didn’t listen. He dragged two beautiful girls over to our table anyway. Everyone was getting a bit tipsy, and the atmosphere was heating up, but I kept my distance. As I watched the crowd swaying on the dance floor, my eyes locked onto a familiar figure. It was Chloe. And Julian was standing right behind her, his hands wrapped tightly around her waist as they ground against each other. His wrists were perfectly fine. There wasn’t a single scratch on him. It was such a pathetic, obvious lie, yet Chloe had thrown away our five-year relationship just to run to him. I calmly looked away and poured myself another drink. Just then, a slender, pale hand rested on top of mine. “Drinking alone is boring. Let me join you.” I looked up. The dim, flashing lights of the lounge blurred her features, but she looked incredibly familiar. Seeing my confusion, she tilted her head, clinked her glass against mine, and smirked. “Don’t tell me you forgot who I am?” I blinked, staring at her face. The woman sat down right next to me, her eyes drifting toward Chloe on the dance floor. It finally clicked. Since college, Chloe had an arch-nemesis. They competed over everything—looks, family background, grades, jobs. The woman sitting next to me was her rival, Stella Winters. My first instinct was to pull away, but then I remembered Chloe and I were over. Stella was just an acquaintance I ran into at a bar. There was no reason to be dramatic. We ended up chatting, and before I knew it, we had finished a bottle of whiskey between us. Marcus walked back from the dance floor, giving us a knowing look. “That’s what I’m talking about! Who cares about an ex when there are better options right here? Enjoy your night, bro!” Fearing he would say something even more embarrassing, I kicked him in the shin. Marcus laughed and ran back to the dance floor with his girlfriend. Feeling the alcohol hitting my brain, I shook my head and stood up, ready to call an Uber. But before I could take two steps, Stella caught up and supported my arm. “I was just about to leave too. Want to share a ride?” It would have been rude to say no, so we walked out of the lounge together. Once we got into the back of the car, Stella accidentally tripped on her dress and fell right into my lap. I reflexively caught her. The warmth of her breath tickled my neck, and I suddenly realized how incredibly intimate our position was. I went to push her up gently, but she grabbed my hand. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were wild and mesmerizing. She didn’t say a word, but her gaze spoke volumes. In the dark backseat, she slowly leaned in and pressed her cool lips against mine. She kissed me gently, whispering against my lips, “Chloe doesn’t deserve you. Stop wasting your love on her.” I didn’t pull away. I cupped the back of her head, and just as I was about to deepen the kiss, someone tapped loudly on the car window. I looked over and saw Chloe standing outside, looking utterly confused. “Is this Ethan’s car? Ethan, are you in there?” She leaned in, trying to peer through the tinted glass. I froze for a second, but Stella just smirked. She reached over and rolled down the window.

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I never thought my fiancé was actually twins. Until that day, when Chloe, the adopted daughter, framed me for theft, and I was completely blacklisted by high society. My father just stood by and watched. Desperate for help, I went to find my fiancé—only to find two identical men, Ethan and Evan, in the attic. “Ethan, how much longer do we have to play along with Elena? If it weren’t for Chloe, I’d throw up every time I get close to her.” Ethan sneered, replying, “Come on, didn’t you put on quite a show last night? Her lips were practically swollen.” “Soon. Once Elena is completely driven out, Chloe will be the only heiress of the Sinclair family.” I collapsed to the floor, paralyzed. I couldn’t believe the family and love I had begged for were nothing but a sick lie. With trembling hands, I dialed that number. The man’s deep, teasing voice came from the other end. “Elena, running away isn’t always a good thing. Come back to me, and I’ll help you with anything.” I let out a bitter laugh and accepted. “Give me five more days, and I will sell myself to you completely.”

The voice on the other end fell silent for a moment. When Liam spoke again, the teasing tone was gone, replaced by a rare seriousness. “Sell? Elena, don’t degrade yourself.” “I’ve been waiting for you to come back to me for three years. Not for a transaction.” I chuckled bitterly, not believing him. *Ding-dong.* The doorbell rang, and I hung up the phone. It was Evan standing outside. I knew it was him because of the dark hickey on his neck—one I had left there myself. “Elena, are you still upset?” He walked in with a smile, reaching out to ruffle my hair like he always did. I coldly turned my head away, dodging his touch. “You know I’m innocent. When Chloe framed me for theft, why did you take her side?” The smile on Evan’s face froze, replaced by a helpless look. “Elena, you’re older than Chloe. Shouldn’t you let her have her way?” “Don’t worry about what the rest of the social circle says. Even if the whole world turns against you, I’ll always stand by your side.” Looking into his hypocritical, deeply affectionate eyes, my stomach churned. He was so disgusting. “Really? Then, thank you.” Seeing my reaction, Evan thought he had successfully calmed me down with his sweet words. He took advantage of the moment and continued: “Elena, there’s a gala tonight hosted by Chloe. Why don’t you come with me to support her?” I looked up at him, my eyes filled with sarcasm. “What, is the ‘thief’ show not over yet? Do you need me to go there just to be humiliated by her again?” “I’m tired. I’m not going.” Evan stepped behind me, softening his voice. “Elena, I know you’ve been wronged. But hiding at home won’t solve anything. Just do it for me, okay?” I remained silent. Evan pulled a sleek, elegant envelope from his suit pocket and waved it in front of me. “An invitation to Simon Joshua’s private studio.” “Elena, I remember you said you love his designs.” I looked up, my eyes locked onto it. “Accompany me to the gala, and I’ll arrange a meeting. Otherwise, I don’t think a master like Joshua would want to meet someone wrapped in a theft scandal and doesn’t know ‘the rules’.” It was a blatant threat. I let out a self-deprecating laugh. And I agreed. “Fine.” Evan smiled with satisfaction, planting a kiss on my forehead as if rewarding a pet. “Good girl. That’s the Elena I know.” “By the way, remember to wear the red dress I bought you. You look beautiful in it.” Watching his retreating back, I suddenly called out. “Wait!” Evan stopped at the door and turned around, looking confused. I stared into his eyes, forcing one last smile. “Do you love me?” “If you weren’t ‘Ethan,’ if we didn’t have this arranged marriage between our families, would you still love me?” Evan froze. It was as if he hadn’t expected such a “foolish” question. He lowered his head, avoiding my gaze. “Don’t ask silly questions. I’ll pick you up at eight.” He shut the door in a hurry, almost running away. I stood in the center of the room, unable to move for a long time. The last spark of light in my heart finally went out. “I see,” I whispered to the empty room. This time, I truly understood. My phone buzzed. It was a SnapChat message from Liam. [I agree to your plan.]

At exactly eight o’clock, the Vance family’s car pulled up. When I opened the door and got in, I realized the person picking me up was actually Ethan. Actually, the twins were easy to tell apart if you paid close attention. Ethan was serious and methodical. He was usually the one dealing with me during official business. Evan, on the other hand, was social and charming; he was the one I spent private time with. Normally, Ethan hated galas, so Evan should have been the one attending. I didn’t know why they had switched today. Ethan’s gaze swept over my dress, and he frowned. “Why aren’t you wearing the red one?” I did it on purpose. I knew Chloe’s dress would look highly similar to that red one. They always played this game where I “accidentally” wore the same style so Chloe could “effortlessly” outshine me. I was done playing along. I leaned closer, ignoring his question. Instead, I placed my finger gently on his neck. “Ethan, I just left a mark here yesterday. How did it fade so fast?” Ethan’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently. He jerked his head away to avoid my touch, his voice tight. “I probably put some ointment on it. Let’s not talk about that. We need to go.” Suddenly, I grabbed his tie, forcing him to lean down. Under his shocked gaze, I leaned in and kissed his neck hard. I left a fresh, crimson mark right there. The sound of the wet kiss was incredibly loud in the quiet car. “You—” Ethan’s entire body went rigid. I was so close to him that I could hear his heart hammering wildly in his chest. *Clack.* From the passenger seat, behind the privacy partition, came the sound of something breaking. After a long pause, the driver, Arthur, spoke up. “Apologies, Master Ethan. My cup slipped.” What a terrible lie. I figured the person sitting in the passenger seat was Evan. Ethan’s voice was incredibly raspy. “It’s fine. Let’s go.” I let go of his tie and sat back. I didn’t care. It didn’t matter who was in the front seat. I just wanted to disgust Chloe. When the car door opened at the venue, I took Ethan’s arm. I could feel his muscles tensing. His ears were still red from that kiss. He was surprisingly pure-hearted compared to his brother. As soon as we walked in, I saw Chloe surrounded by a crowd, basking in their flattery. She initially cast a casual glance at me, not planning to cause trouble right away. But when the bright chandelier lights hit Ethan’s neck, revealing that fresh hickey, her smile instantly froze. She immediately marched over with her friends, blocking my way. “Elena, you’re a thief. How dare you show your face at my gala?” “Ethan, why do you bring just anyone here?” The girls around her giggled, and the crowd turned to look at me with mocking or amused stares. Ethan’s Adam’s apple moved, but he didn’t say a word to defend me. As expected, he chose to be a silent bystander. I let go of his arm and stepped forward. “Chloe, don’t make baseless accusations. Where is your proof?” “Proof? Everyone saw it! My diamond necklace was found in your bag!” I laughed mockingly. “Right. So if I slip something into your bag tomorrow and pull it out, does that make you a thief too? If you’re so sure, call the police. Chloe, you’ve never been soft-hearted with me. Why haven’t you called them? What are you afraid of?” My aggressive tone infuriated her. In a fit of rage, she threw her red wine right at me, then smashed her glass at my feet. “Keep talking, Elena! Dad said it himself.” “If I beat you in the fashion design competition, you will be thrown out of the Sinclair family like trash!” Chloe walked away with her head held high. Wine dripped from my hair, and my bare ankle was bleeding from a glass shard. The crowd whispered, but I ignored them and walked to a dark corner of the hall. Ethan stood behind me, hesitantly holding out a towel. I didn’t take it. Instead, I asked calmly, “Is this enough?” Ethan looked at me blankly. “What?” “Playing along so Chloe can trample on my dignity. Is this enough for your little show?” Ethan didn’t expect me to be so blunt. His eyes drifted down, flinching at my bleeding ankle. “I…” Seeing him hesitate, I felt exhausted. I didn’t want to talk anymore. “If it’s enough, remember your promise.” “The invitation to Joshua’s studio.” “Ethan, I told you I loved his work because I loved you. Not so you could use it to threaten me.” With that, I limped toward the exit. Ethan took a step forward, calling out, “Elena!” But I didn’t look back, and I didn’t stop.

I didn’t go straight home. Actually, the taxi pulled over at a corner. Liam opened the door. Seeing the driver’s respectful attitude, I knew he was Liam’s man. Liam didn’t say a word. He just knelt in the car, his strong frame squeezed near my feet. He opened a first-aid kit and gently disinfected and bandaged my ankle. His movements were incredibly tender, almost reverent. It was completely different from the controlling, possessive touches of the twins. “Don’t worry, I won’t judge your choices anymore.” “But I will make them pay for this.” I looked at him in surprise. Years ago, Liam used to control everything, even what I ate. Over the last three years, he had changed a lot. He didn’t stay long. After bandaging me, he got out of the car. The driver safely delivered me back to my apartment. When I pushed the door open, the living room light was on. Evan was sitting on the sofa, a first-aid kit open at his feet. It looked like he had been waiting for a long time. I stopped at the entryway, my voice cold. “How did you get in?” He smirked. “Your passcode is my birthday. It wasn’t hard to guess.” I didn’t reply. I changed my shoes and walked straight to the bathroom. “It’s late. You should leave.” Evan seemed displeased by my lifeless attitude. He stood up and approached me. “Elena, I came all this way with medicine to bandage your wound.” “Why are you so cold to me?” He leaned in close, almost kissing me. I frowned and dodged. Displeasure flashed in his eyes, and he grabbed my wrist. Jealousy and anger mixed in his voice as he demanded, “You kissed me in the car.” “Why are you dodging me now?” I knew he was talking about me kissing Ethan. It was hilarious. He didn’t even love me, yet he was acting like this. Since he was angry, I decided to make him even more miserable. I mocked him playfully, “Because…” “The cold, stern look you had in the car was much hotter than this desperate face.” Evan was instantly provoked. He pressed me against the wall, trapping me with his body. “Hot?” “Maybe I should stay tonight. Let’s see which version of me you find hotter.” I pushed him away, my eyes filled with pure disgust. “I’m covered in the wine Chloe threw at me. Doesn’t that disgust you?” As expected, the moment Chloe’s name was mentioned, any romantic tension evaporated. I heard his heavy, suppressed breathing. Then came a loud *slam* of the door. Evan was gone. As I stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, my phone buzzed with a notification from the competition committee: [The submission deadline is tonight at 11:59 PM. Please upload your final work on time.] I opened my laptop and typed on the keyboard. [Confirm Submission.] The screen displayed: “Submission Successful.” I leaned back in my chair and let out a long sigh. My mind relaxed, but as I looked around my study, something felt slightly off. I couldn’t find any obvious traces of intrusion, so I assumed I was just paranoid from exhaustion. I turned off the lights and went to sleep. At that exact moment, in the Vance mansion. Two laptop screens lit up simultaneously. Evan, leaning against his sports car smoking a cigarette, checked his buzzing phone. An email notification popped up: [Design Competition Submission — Elena]. He stared at the sender’s name, hesitating to open it. In his study, Ethan was looking at his work files, but he hadn’t turned a page in hours. The email notification finally snapped him out of his daze. He was hesitating too. He wondered if he should forward it to Chloe as planned. Both Evan and Ethan knew that if I lost this competition, I would lose everything. Chloe would naturally become the sole heiress. This was the plan all along. They shouldn’t be hesitating now.

The award ceremony took place three days later. Chloe and I sat in the front row as finalists. Robert and Ethan sat in the VIP section as sponsors. The bronze and silver awards were announced one by one. With each name, Chloe grew more excited. She was extremely confident. When the silver list was finished and neither of our names had been called, the tension in the room reached its peak. This meant the grand prize—the Gold Award—would be between her and me. For us and the entire high-society circle, this was more than just a competition. Robert had already made it clear to the public: “Real or fake daughter? I only care about the strong.” “Whoever ranks higher in this competition will be the sole heir of the Sinclair family and marry into the Vance family. The other one will have nothing to do with us.” The spotlight danced between us. Finally, it locked onto me. “The Gold Award winner of this year’s Design Competition is—Elena!” Applause erupted like a tidal wave. I stood up. I could feel Chloe’s body go completely rigid beside me. I walked onto the stage and took the heavy trophy from the presenter. Robert stood up, a proud smile on his face as he congratulated me. But then, a disbelief-filled whisper came from below the stage. “Impossible… This is impossible…” Chloe’s face was white as a sheet. She abruptly stood up, staring at Ethan in the VIP section, her eyes filled with shock and betrayal. Ethan’s reaction was complicated. He seemed to have expected part of this, but another part clearly caught him off guard. Robert ignored her outburst. He ordered the security guards to keep an eye on Chloe so she wouldn’t cause trouble. Then, he took the microphone and addressed the media. “Since Elena won the Gold Award, I officially announce that she is now the sole heir to our family empire!” He paused and nodded toward Ethan in the VIP section. “And we have a double celebration tonight.” “Taking this opportunity, I officially announce the betrothal of my daughter, Elena, to the heir of the Vance family, Ethan!” But before Robert could finish, I stepped forward and gently covered his microphone. *Screech—* A harsh feedback noise rang through the speakers. The applause stopped instantly. The entire hall went dead silent, everyone looking at me in confusion. I met Robert’s shocked gaze and spoke into the microphone. “Father, you’ve got the wrong person.” I paused, my voice echoing clearly in every corner of the room. “He isn’t Ethan.” The air seemed to freeze. I stared at the man whose pupils dilated in shock, and said slowly, “Evan, are you still not done playing pretend?”

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My roommate loved wearing a masquerade mask and doing provocative live streams from our dorm room. She intentionally wore my clothes and even copied my exact style. At first, I didn’t think much of it. Until one day, I was dragged into the street, stripped naked, and screamed at in public for being a homewrecker. Right after that, a man she had scammed out of his entire life savings lunged at me and stabbed me eleven times. As I lay dying, he spat through gritted teeth. “You took every penny I had, and I didn’t even get to see your real face. You deserve to die.” In that agonizing moment, I finally realized Haley had used me as her scapegoat. But when I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day she asked to borrow my clothes. “Summer, can I borrow your dress? I don’t have anything cute to wear for my stream tonight.” After a blinding flash of crimson, my vision cleared. I was standing right inside my college dorm room. In that instant, I realized I had been reborn. “Summer! Did you hear me? Let me borrow your dress! I’ll give it back as soon as I’m done streaming!” In my past life, Haley constantly wore my clothes to do provocative dance streams. When she first started, she claimed she just wanted to earn some extra money for tuition and rent. She didn’t have any nice clothes, so she begged me for mine. Feeling sorry for her struggling financial situation, I gladly agreed every single time. Little did I know, this was just her way of shifting the risk onto me. And I, like an idiot, became her ultimate sacrificial lamb. Seeing my lack of response, Haley snapped. “Summer! Are you deaf?” All my built-up rage exploded at that moment. “Get lost!” Haley flinched, clearly shocked by my harsh tone. “Summer, why are you being so mean?” Our other roommate, Chloe, immediately jumped to her defense. “Seriously, if you don’t want to lend it, just say so. No need to be a bitch about it!” Haley squeezed out some tears, looking incredibly victimized. “Summer, I know I’m poor and can’t afford nice dresses like yours.” “I only asked because I wanted to look pretty, get more viewers, and make some money to send back to my family.” “If you don’t want to help, you could have just said no. You didn’t have to scream at me.” I stood up, staring her dead in the eye. “You want to borrow my dress? Fine. Take off that mask and show your actual face on camera.” “You wear my clothes, hide your face, and yet you leaked our university name and journalism major to your viewers.” “Your username is literally my name, Summer. What exactly are you trying to imply to your followers?” “You made us promise not to tell anyone you stream, but now everyone on campus is whispering behind my back, thinking I’m the one posting thirst traps!” “Have you defended me even once? You get all the cash gifts, and I get all the slut-shaming!” “And can you wear my clothes properly for once? You always pull down the straps and unbutton the chest! What, is it physically painful for you not to show cleavage?” I glared at the fake beauty mark on her chest. “To make everyone believe you’re me, you even drew a fake beauty mark on your chest, exactly where mine is.” “Haley, do you really think you can hide behind that mask forever?” My sudden outburst left Haley speechless. She burst into actual tears. Chloe frowned, crossing her arms. “Summer, back off. Haley is just trying to make a living. Cut her some slack.” “Her struggles aren’t my fault, but the rumors ruining my life are definitely hers. And Chloe, do you know what kind of people die first in horror movies?” “Who?” “People like you! The ones who always try to play the savior.” “Why!” Fuming, Chloe dragged Haley away. “Who does she think she is? Just because her family has a little money!” I didn’t bother arguing. Chloe was close to Haley and had always helped her cover up the streaming. Haley and I had very similar body types. If she wore a mask and my clothes, anyone who didn’t know us well would easily mistake her for me. In my past life, she exploited this. She wore my clothes and acted incredibly flirtatious on camera. She called her viewers “babe” and promised she would go on a date with whoever sent her the biggest gifts. She even took her chats with them off the app. I didn’t know the details of what they talked about. But during that time, she started spending money like crazy and constantly received luxury designer gifts. I figured she was taking massive amounts of cash from these guys, promising them a real relationship and meet-ups. Then, one day, she suddenly handed me her designer bag and told me to go to a specific location, claiming she had set up a birthday surprise for me.

Since my birthday was right around the corner, I stupidly believed her. I took the bag and headed over without a second thought. But as soon as I arrived, a group of people ambushed me. Leading them was a wealthy, high-society woman, Amber Vance. She screamed at the top of her lungs. “You little slut. Sleeping with a married man at your age. Didn’t your parents raise you right?” Before I could react, her thugs pinned me down and started tearing at my clothes. I shrieked in panic. “I’m not a homewrecker! You have the wrong person!” Amber ripped the designer bag out of my hands. “My husband bought this exact bag! Don’t play dumb with me!” In an instant, the cold truth hit me. Haley had set me up. “This bag belongs to my roommate! She’s the one who sent me here! She’s a streamer, her username is Summer!” Amber let out a mocking laugh. “Wow, you’re a good liar. Strip her! Let’s see how tough she is when she’s naked!” “I’m really not Summer! She framed me!” No matter how hard I cried, no one believed me. “This is illegal! I’ll call the cops!” Amber clapped her hands, addressing the gathering crowd. “Everyone, look at this shameless homewrecker! She seduced my husband, begged him to divorce me, and even made him buy her a luxury condo!” “She’s a college student, but she spends her nights doing suggestive streams to lure in married men. Absolutely disgusting!” Completely helpless, I pleaded with the bystanders. “Please help me! I’m innocent! I’m not the girl she’s looking for, that’s my roommate!” My shirt was ripped open, exposing the beauty mark on my chest. When Amber saw the mark, her eyes flared with pure rage. “You lying bitch! Let’s see you deny it now!” She pulled up one of Haley’s streaming videos on her phone. “Look at this, everyone! She might be wearing a mask, but that beauty mark is identical!” She paraded the screen in front of the crowd. “See? It’s her, right? I didn’t get the wrong girl!” Because Haley had copied my hair, wore my clothes, and even drawn on my exact beauty mark, the evidence was damning. They stripped me completely. They yanked my hair, slapped me, and spat on me. Passersby whipped out their phones, filming my humiliation while whispering insults. In that moment, I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. After they finished humiliating me, they left. I hurriedly put on my torn clothes, but before I could take a few steps, a man blocked my path. “You’re Summer. I finally get to see your face.” “I…” Before I could utter another word, a sharp blade plunged deep into my abdomen. “I spent every single cent of my hard-earned money gifting you! You promised to go out with me but stood me up! I even sold my house just to keep sending you gifts!” “You promised to be my girlfriend! Why did you lie to me?!” The man roared in agony, stabbing me repeatedly. Just before my vision faded to black, I heard him snarl. “You scammed me out of my life savings, and I didn’t even get to see your face! You deserve to burn in hell!” With my final breath, I choked out. “I’m… not… Summer…” This time, I will rip off Haley’s fake mask and make sure she pays for everything. That very afternoon, I went to a clinic to have my beauty mark permanently removed. Then, I headed to a salon and dyed my hair a fiery, vibrant red. When I returned to the dorm, Haley saw my new red hair and immediately lost her mind. “Summer! Why didn’t you tell me you were dyeing your hair?!”

I looked in the mirror, admiring my gorgeous, voluminous red waves. It was absolutely stunning. “Why should I have to tell you?” “Because we’re best friends! You’re supposed to tell me so we can match!” “I hate looking like twins with people. Especially with you.” Haley stomped her foot in frustration. “Summer, you’re targeting me on purpose!” I mimicked her exact pose and stomped back. “Haley, you’re guilt-tripping me on purpose!” Haley was about to burst with anger. Her scheduled stream was starting soon, so there was no way she had time to go dye her hair to match mine. “Next time you change your hair, you have to let me know in advance!” I rolled my eyes at her. “Says who?” Haley couldn’t find a comeback. Fuming, she stomped off. A few minutes later, she grabbed her ring light and tripod and went out to the balcony to start her stream. I logged into a burner account on TikTok to watch her. To my surprise, Haley had used a live filter to turn her hair red. On screen, she was sporting virtual fiery red waves, her face covered by a vintage silver masquerade mask. She swayed her hips provocatively, cooing in a sweet, sultry voice, “Hey boys, if you like what you see, send me a sports car gift! The top donor tonight gets access to my private Snapchat!” The male viewers in the chat were completely mesmerized. Flattering comments flooded the screen. “Oh my god, Summer looks even hotter with red hair!” “Damn, what a body. I’d love to get a taste of that.” “So sexy, especially that beauty mark on her chest. Drives me crazy!” Haley danced even harder, teasing, “Boys, the app just launched some new gifts. I really want to see how pretty the special effects look.” With her encouragement, the viewers started showering her with virtual gifts. Expensive, colorful animations flashed across her screen one after another. Haley was practically glowing with excitement, reading out the usernames of her top gifters and thanking them sweetly. I knew that somewhere in that chat, the man who stabbed me in my past life and Amber’s cheating husband were watching. I was usually a bit introverted, but to clear my name and distance myself from Haley, I had to put myself out there. So, I sent a request from my burner account to join her live stream. Haley declined it, so I kept spamming the request. “Ugh, someone keeps spamming join requests. Hang on, boys, let me block them real quick.” Someone in the chat commented. “Just accept it! Do a PK battle, and I’ll send you a TikTok Universe gift!” The mention of a high-value Universe gift instantly made Haley’s eyes light up with greed. “Well, since Lucas wants to see it, I guess I can accept the request.” That “Lucas” was actually my friend. I had texted him to post that comment. Haley clicked accept. But the moment my bare, unmasked face appeared on the split-screen, she completely lost her composure. “What are you doing?!” she hissed. The chat erupted. “Wait, do you guys know each other?” “By the look on her face, absolutely.” I waved to the camera. “Hey everyone! Hi, ‘Summer’!” Furious, Haley abruptly ended her stream, stormed back into the room, and snatched my phone to end mine too. “Summer, what the hell is your problem? Who told you to join my live? Why did you show your face?!” “If you didn’t want to stream with me, you could have just said no. You clicked accept. I didn’t hold a knife to your throat. Besides, why do you care if I show my face? What are you so afraid of?” “You don’t understand anything! You’re ruining everything for me!” I sneered. “Just by showing my face, I’m ruining your life? Wow, you must have a very fragile life then.” Behind her silver mask, I couldn’t see Haley’s face. But I knew she was absolutely seething with rage.

Haley’s face darkened. “Fine. If you want to stream, you can. But you are never to request to join my stream again, and you can’t stream at the same time as me!” “Deal,” I replied smoothly. I agreed easily because my next move was going to be even bigger. Relieved by my quick agreement, Haley went back to the balcony to restart her stream. While she was dancing provocatively, I put on my headphones and walked right into the background of her frame. Her comment section blew up instantly. “Summer, who is that hot girl behind you?” “Isn’t that the girl from the PK battle earlier?!” “Damn, your roommate is gorgeous! And you two have almost the exact same body shape. If your roommate is this pretty, you must be a total ten under that mask!” Haley was in the middle of a dance move when she noticed the comments. She whirled around and saw me standing there. Her face turned completely pale with anger. She cut the feed immediately. “Summer!” she screamed. I pulled off my headphones and blinked innocently. “Oh, sorry, Haley. I didn’t mean to crash your stream. I was blasting my music and didn’t hear your dance track. You shut off your stream earlier, so I assumed you were done for the night.” Haley’s face turned a deep, angry shade of purple. She glared at me, looking like she wanted to strangle me on the spot. “Look, Haley. This is a shared college dorm. We don’t mind you using the balcony to stream, but you can’t completely ban us from going out there. I didn’t mean to walk into your shot, and I already apologized. Why are you so dramatic? You do your dance, and I do my thing. It’s not that deep.” With that, I turned around and walked back inside, leaving Haley to scream in frustration on the balcony. The next day after class, I saw a man standing near the campus gates. Every single hair on my body stood on end. It was him, the man who stabbed me eleven times and murdered me in my past life. He had actually tracked her down to our university! Thank god I had made that appearance on Haley’s stream yesterday, or I’d be in serious danger right now. The man grabbed a passing student. “Hey, do you know a girl named Summer?” “Summer? The masked TikTok streamer?” “Yes, her!” “Oh, we all used to think she was Summer Pierce, but yesterday the real Summer appeared on her stream. So she’s probably one of Summer’s friends or roommates.” “Who is Summer Pierce? Can you help me get in touch with her?” Just as the student turned around, he spotted me. “Hey, there she is! Summer!” I walked straight up to them. “Can I help you?” The student pointed at me. “Yeah, that’s her.” The man lunged forward eagerly. “Do you know Summer, the streamer?” “Who are you to her?” I asked calmly. “I’m her boyfriend. I can’t reach her on Snapchat anymore. Can you please tell her to come out and meet me?” “Sure. I’ll let her know when I get back to the dorm. If she refuses to come down, though, there’s nothing I can do.” The man fidgeted nervously. “Can I… get your number, just in case?” “Sorry, but I don’t give my number to my friends’ boyfriends. Don’t worry, I’ll pass the message along. Whether she wants to see you is up to her.” “Alright. Thank you so much.” He seemed pretty polite during this exchange. Who would have guessed that this seemingly ordinary, mild-mannered man would become a cold-blooded killer in the streets? When I got back to the dorm, Haley was lounging on her bed, eating snacks and watching a show. “Your boyfriend is waiting for you at the campus gates,” I said. “He said he can’t get ahold of you and wants you to go down.” Haley froze. “What’s his name?”

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On my eighteenth birthday, I declined my acceptance letter to Yale University. I chose to get a job to help my family pay off their crushing debts. I was so excited to tell my mom that I had just landed a $5,000-a-month job. But then, while riding the subway, a breaking news notification popped up on my TikTok feed. I saw my dad. He was no longer the struggling, blue-collar worker with a bad back. He was wearing a bespoke suit, standing in front of a swarm of reporters as the billionaire chairman of Vance Enterprises. And his first words to the cameras were: “I officially announce that Luna Vance has failed the Vance Succession Trial. The empire will now be inherited by Chloe Vance.” I walked back to our apartment in a complete daze. In my bag, the Yale acceptance letter, the one I had torn up in tears and carefully taped back together, now felt like a branding iron against my skin. My mother, who had spent years looking exhausted and disheveled, was already dressed in a designer silk gown. She looked at me with chilling indifference. “Luna, you failed the trial.” “You’ve deeply disappointed us.” At that exact moment, the truth hit me. The poverty I had endured my entire life was a lie. And the family love I had cherished for eighteen years was nothing but a cruel, calculated game. 1 I tried to speak, but my throat felt like it was blocked by concrete. Not a single sound came out. The apartment had completely changed. The peeling, moldy wallpaper from yesterday was gone. Today, the walls were covered in a seamless, high-end gray fabric that felt incredibly soft to the touch. Our squeaky old thrift-store couch had been replaced by a sleek, Italian leather sofa. The air no longer smelled of dampness, but of expensive leather and luxury room spray. Everything felt like a silent, brutal mockery of the last eighteen years of my life. “Mom, what are you talking about?” I finally found my voice, though it shook violently. “What trial? What succession? Aren’t we $200,000 in debt? Where is Dad?” “Your father is Arthur Vance, the CEO of Vance Enterprises,” Victoria interrupted. This was the woman I had called “Mom” for eighteen years. She sat elegantly on the expensive leather sofa, her posture perfect. There was not a single trace of the warm, loving mother she had pretended to be. “We mapped out the perfect path for you. But what did you do? You threw away an Ivy League education to work some dead-end job. It’s shortsighted, Luna. You lack the big picture. You refused to follow the family’s master plan.” Blood rushed to my ears. My entire body started shaking. “I gave up college because Dad’s back was ruined! I didn’t want him working his fingers to the bone anymore! I got that job to pay off our debts!” I thought she would show some emotion. I thought she would feel a shred of guilt. But she didn’t. She merely set down her crystal glass. The sharp clink of the glass against the marble table made my heart flinch. “You see? You’re obsessed with self-sacrificial drama,” she said. Her voice was ice-cold, dripping with disappointment. “The heir to Vance Enterprises needs ruthless execution and long-term vision. You, Luna, not only quit halfway, but you also think like a peasant.” It felt like a thousand needles were stabbing into my chest. For eighteen years, I had saved every penny. In the summer, I wouldn’t even buy a dollar bottle of water. In the winter, I wore thrifted coats with holes in them. I even collected plastic bottles and cardboard to recycle for extra cents, just to help my family… I thought we were in this together. I thought we were poor but happy. But it was all a joke. I was the only one playing the part. I was just a lab rat under a microscope. “Mom…” I fought back my tears. I wanted to step closer to her, but her cold aura kept me frozen in place. “Don’t call me that. I am deeply disappointed in you.” Victoria took a slow sip of her red wine, then uttered a name I had never heard before. “Chloe did much better than you. She is the qualified heir.” Chloe Vance. The name from the trending TikTok news. The girl who was taking my place. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms. The sharp pain was the only thing keeping me upright. “So… the last eighteen years of mother-daughter love… that was all fake too?” I whispered my last question. My voice was so quiet, carrying a pathetic plea I didn’t even want to admit. Victoria finally looked up and met my eyes. “Luna, you have to understand. I am your mother, but I was also the chief evaluator of this trial. I have to remain objective.” My entire world shattered. I thought, at the very least, there was some real maternal love there. But even our bond was just my own pathetic delusion. 2 I stood there, silent. I didn’t accept their methods. I didn’t accept this ridiculous, fabricated life. Below the window, a powerful engine roared. A sleek, black Maybach pulled up next to the rusty dumpsters of our rundown apartment building, looking completely out of place. The door opened, and Arthur Vance stepped out. My nominal father. His tailored suit was immaculate, looking exactly as he did on TV. Then, a girl stepped out from the passenger side. She was about my age, wearing a stunning white designer dress. She looked incredibly elegant. This was Chloe. “Mom! I missed you so much!” Chloe ran past me, lifting her skirt slightly, and threw herself into Victoria’s arms like a pampered kitten. “Oh, my sweet girl. Let me look at you.” Their warm, intimate embrace made me feel like an unwelcome stranger in my own home. In that moment, my heart completely died. The loving mother I thought I had for eighteen years felt like a ghost. Chloe stepped back from Victoria and looked toward the door, as if she had just noticed me standing there. “Oh, Dad, is this my sister?” Arthur finally tore his gaze away from his perfect daughter and looked at me. To him, I had been nothing but invisible air until now. His voice, when speaking to Chloe, was incredibly warm, a tone he had never used with me. “Yes, Chloe. This is Luna. The one who failed the trial.” Chloe looked at me. Her eyes were a mix of pity and absolute superiority, like she was looking at a stubborn, ignorant child. “Luna, don’t hate me. Honestly, I feel bad for you. Giving up college to do manual labor… that was so foolish. Knowledge and connections are the real wealth. Selling your body’s labor for a tiny paycheck at your age is incredibly shortsighted. It’s a pity you never understood that.” Every word she said was wrapped in “good intentions,” yet every syllable was a sharp blade designed to cut me open. Everything I had done was for our survival, for our future. But to her, I was just an ignorant, shortsighted failure who didn’t know any better. “I don’t need your lecture!” I snapped. Arthur frowned, clearly displeased by my outburst. “That’s enough,” Arthur said. His face was filled with cold disappointment, his tone laced with anger. “Everything you do is driven by low-level emotions, not absolute logic. You are a failure, Luna. We expected more from you.” “A failure.” I repeated the words. My entire life had been nothing but a test to choose an heir. “Yes. We had high hopes for you. We spent eighteen years living in this dump just to mold you, and this is the garbage results you hand us? I suggest you stop throwing a tantrum. At the end of the day, you are still a Vance.” His words carried a veiled threat, but also a twisted sense of pride that I should be grateful to carry his last name. I held out my hands and spread them open in front of them. My hands were rough, covered in thick calluses from years of cooking, cleaning, and lifting heavy boxes. Then I looked at Chloe’s hands, soft, perfectly manicured, with elegant gel nails that caught the light. For the first time, I felt the sheer, sickening absurdity of it all. “So, because of this, you’re writing off my entire existence?” “We aren’t writing you off. We are evaluating you,” Arthur corrected coldly, devoid of any human warmth. “According to the rules of the trial, you, Luna Vance, as the failing subject, are stripped of all inheritance rights to Vance Enterprises.” He paused, as if handing down a generous gift. “Of course, we won’t abandon you completely. We will pay for you to go to a decent state college and start over. Consider this our final mercy.” Mercy. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. A bitter laugh escaped my lips, mixed with tears. Seeing me like this, Chloe took a half-step back and grabbed Arthur’s arm, looking at me like I was a lunatic. “Dad, let’s not waste our time. I don’t want to look at her. She’s clearly lost her mind.” Arthur just patted her head. When he looked at me, his eyes were dead and empty. At that moment, I let go of my last illusion. I wiped my tears and smiled. 3 My smile caught them off guard. They probably expected me to scream, cry, beg on my knees, or throw a tantrum. They never expected me to just stand there and smile quietly. “I’m not going to that college,” I said, looking straight at Arthur. “And I don’t want your mercy. I’ll stay here and live my own life.” Arthur looked at me like I was an insect telling a joke. “On your own? Luna, what can you do besides trivial house chores? The debit card I gave you has already been frozen by my assistant.” Right on cue, my phone buzzed with a text message from Chase Bank. Your account has been frozen. Your current available balance is $0.00. Every single penny in that account was money I had earned working night shifts. “Is this another punishment for my rebellion?” I laughed coldly. “No. This is to help you face reality,” Arthur said. He snapped his fingers. A large moving truck pulled up downstairs, and a team of men in black uniforms marched up the stairs. They walked into the apartment without a word, completely ignoring me, and began packing up everything in the home I had lived in for eighteen years. My secondhand textbooks were thrown into a massive recycling bin. The little crafts I made out of soda cans were crushed instantly. The tiny succulent on the windowsill, the one I had nurtured for three years, was ripped out of its pot and tossed into a black trash bag. “What are you doing?!” I tried to push past them to stop them. But a guard blocked me, his voice icy. “Miss Vance, all items in this residence are technically property of Vance Enterprises. The company has the right to reclaim and dispose of them.” My entire existence, every trace of my life, was just “company assets.” Then I saw the picture frame in the corner. It was our only family photo. I lunged forward and hugged it tightly. “You can’t take this!” One of the movers tried to pry it from my hands. During the struggle, the frame slipped, hitting the floor with a loud shatter. The glass broke into pieces. Chloe walked over elegantly, bending down to pick up the photo. She looked at it for a second, then let out a soft chuckle. “Oh, it’s just a cheap photo. Luna, you didn’t actually think keeping this would change anything, did you?” Right in front of my face, Chloe tore the photo in half. At that exact moment, all the fight left my body. Even the memory of the “father” who used to smile warmly at me was ripped away. While I was standing there, completely numb, my phone rang. It was my only best friend, Harper. “Luna, you know everything now?” Her voice sounded incredibly tense. “Luna, don’t be stupid. Just do what your parents say. They’re doing this for your own good. Stop being so stubborn. You can’t beat them.” Before I could even respond, she hung up. In a flash, it all clicked. My best friend, my confidante, was just another observer paid to watch me. I put my phone away. I felt like the entire world had turned its back on me. Victoria walked over and slid a thick envelope into my hands. “There’s $5,000 in cash here. Think of it as your severance pay. Spend it wisely.” She spoke as if she were letting go of a maid who had worked for her for too long. “Also, just so you know, this entire block has been bought out by Vance Enterprises. The demolition crew starts tomorrow morning. This dump no longer has any reason to exist.” She turned and walked out, never looking back. I was completely, utterly cast out of my family. Eighteen years of my life, erased in a single afternoon. 4 I stood in front of the building that was scheduled to be demolished the next day. I couldn’t move. The envelope containing the $5,000 “severance” was crumpled in my hand. Arthur, Victoria, and Chloe were walking toward their waiting Maybach. A sudden surge of adrenaline washed over me. I ran forward and blocked the car door. “Arthur Vance!” It was the first time I had ever called him by his name. “I want to ask you one last question. Over the past eighteen years, did you ever feel a single shred of real affection for me?” I stared into his eyes, desperately searching for any trace of humanity. I pointed to my right calf, where a ugly, jagged scar was hidden under my jeans. I never wore shorts because of it. “Ten years ago, I was eight. I ran into the street to save a stray dog from getting hit by a car, and my leg was crushed. I remember it so clearly. You carried me through the hospital hallways, screaming for a doctor. You held me and said, ‘Luna is Daddy’s brave girl.’ I was in so much pain I was about to pass out, but hearing you say that made it all worth it.” My tears finally spilled over, and my voice cracked. “Was that pain… was that love… was that all fake too?!” That was the warmest memory of my childhood. It was the moment I learned what “responsibility” meant. It was the foundation of who I was. If even that was a lie, then I truly had nothing left. Arthur remained silent. The air inside the car seemed to freeze. For a second, I thought I had actually touched his heart. But then, he turned to his assistant and spoke in a monotone voice. “Give her the file.” The assistant opened his leather briefcase and handed me a document. The title printed on the cover destroyed my very last hope: Empathy & Responsibility Cultivation Protocol. Arthur’s voice was disturbingly calm as he explained. “You’re right. That accident was meticulously planned. The driver, the stray dog, even the bystander who screamed at you to save it, they were all professional actors hired by my team.” I flipped through the pages, my hands shaking so badly I could barely hold them. The permanent scar on my leg was recorded in the file as: Unintended physical trauma due to subject’s subpar physical agility during test. The papers slipped through my fingers and scattered all over the dirty pavement. Arthur rolled down his tinted window, looking down at me with absolute arrogance. “Luna, you need to understand. Every ounce of pain we put you through was designed to make you stronger. You simply failed to grasp our vision and chose to rebel instead.” “We are telling you the truth now so you realize you aren’t completely useless. Every good quality you think you have, your resilience, your empathy, they were all programmed by us.” With that, the car sped away, leaving me behind. I was left entirely alone in front of the crumbling building as the sun began to set. I slowly sank down onto the curb. My trembling fingers traced the ugly scar on my calf, over and over again. My entire world had collapsed into ashes. But in those ashes, I knew I had to find a way to be reborn.

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My childhood sweetheart, Julian, coaxed me into letting him take intimate photos of me. He promised they were for his eyes only. I was scared, but I was also glad that I finally had him. Until Summer, a scholarship student, and I were competing for first place in the university’s Annual Vocal Showcase. Julian looked at me indifferently. “Sera, let her win. You wouldn’t want those photos of yours circulating around campus, would you?” I froze on the spot, nodding like a fool. Seven days later, Summer won the championship as she wished. Julian deleted all the photos. A huge weight lifted off my chest, and I boarded a plane out of the country. All these years of loving him, I’ll just consider them wasted on someone like him. Julian spoke very casually. His words were short and sharp. “Agree to this, and I’ll delete all of them.” It was the peak of summer, and the heat was suffocating. Yet, I felt like I had been plunged into an ice cellar. It felt like a hard blow to the head. I opened my mouth, my voice trembling. “But you promised me…” Julian cut me off. “Yes, I promised they were for my eyes only.” His gaze locked onto mine, his voice dropping. “And I will keep my word.” “As long as you give up the first-place spot to Summer.” I stubbornly tried to argue, though my voice kept cracking. “The vocal showcase… it’s supposed to be based on actual talent.” “I… I won’t step down.” Julian seemed to have expected this. He pulled my chair closer, trapping me in his arms. Then, he pulled out his phone. He grabbed my hand and forced my finger to unlock his private photo vault. Extremely intimate, high-exposure pictures instantly filled the screen. Julian let out a soft laugh. “Sera, you really have a gorgeous body.” His lips brushed against my ear. “I like this one the best. Your skin is flushed, and you’re looking right at the camera with your mouth slightly open.” “You look so beautifully ruined…” My fingertips shook, and my voice broke into a sob. “Don’t look at it.” Julian paused and turned off the screen. His warm fingers gently wiped away the tears from the corner of my eye. “Good girl. Don’t be scared. Do we have a deal?” My fingers subconsciously clenched together, my mind completely blank. “Okay.” A satisfied smile spread across Julian’s face as he stood up. He gently smoothed down my messy hair and cooed softly, “There’s a fraternity party tonight, so I won’t be going home with you.” “I’ll have my driver take you back.” The air conditioning in the vocal practice room was blasting. I wrapped my coat tightly around myself and curled up on the chair. It was so cold. So cold. I covered my mouth, letting out muffled, suppressed sobs. Julian was the person I trusted most in the world. When I was seven, my parents brought me from our small hometown to the city and moved into a massive villa. But I couldn’t fit in. I was sunburned, scrawny, and small. I was always bullied. All I knew how to do was hide and cry. I thought that as long as I didn’t fight back, they would eventually leave me alone. Until one day, a group of boys tried to pull down my pants. I screamed through my tears, “No… get away from me!” But they didn’t stop. They only got meaner. That was when Julian showed up. He held a rock in his hand and chased them off. Then, he reached his hand out to me. “Hey, stutterer. I’m taking you home.” But my legs were too weak to stand. Julian frowned, looking highly annoyed. Yet, he still bent down and turned his back to me. “Get on.” After a moment of hesitation, I climbed onto his back. He carried me, walking slowly but steadily all the way home. After that, I became Julian’s shadow, timidly following him everywhere. I followed him for eleven years. It wasn’t until our freshman year of college that I finally gathered the courage to confess my feelings. Maybe Julian’s heart had softened. He looked at me with a charming smile and nodded. So, when Julian first suggested taking those photos. I suppressed my fear and whispered, “Will… will anyone else see them?” Julian held up the camera, his voice incredibly tender. “Never. They’re just for my private collection.” I hesitated for a moment, then pulled down the straps of my nightgown. I posed for him, one shot after another. But now, that intimate, passionate memory had turned into a sharp dagger aimed straight at my chest. I had trusted Julian so much. I finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and wailed out loud. I didn’t know how much time had passed, but my eyes had run completely dry. A Snapchat notification popped up from Julian. He was as attentive as always, typing: “You cried today, so your throat is going to be sore.” “Make sure to drink some warm honey water when you get home.” I gripped my phone, heading home in a complete daze. On the way, I almost got hit by a semi-truck. My whole body went numb as I shook violently while typing in my apartment passcode. The living room was pitch black. I didn’t turn on the lights. I just sat on the couch with my knees pulled up to my chest. The clock ticked away, round after round. My phone buzzed again with a text. I clicked it mechanically. It was from my best friend, Chloe. Her tone was dead serious. “Sera, tell me the truth.” “Did Julian… did he take nude photos of you?”

Shame and suffocating panic washed over me all at once. I frantically locked my phone screen. But I had already agreed to his terms… The screen lit up again. It was a video from Chloe. With trembling hands, I tapped play. Inside a dimly lit VIP lounge at a club. Julian was holding a cigarette, his voice lazy and careless. “Don’t worry. The first-place trophy for the vocal showcase is definitely yours.” Summer, the scholarship student, was sitting right next to him. They were sitting incredibly close, their shoulders brushing. Summer forced a small smile. “Stop teasing me. Sera is beautiful and rich. I could never beat her.” Julian stared at her, dazed for a long moment. It was as if he was completely intoxicated by her presence. After a while, he spoke softly. “She won’t dare to compete with you.” Summer grabbed his hand, blinking her big eyes. “Why?” Julian fell silent. Summer didn’t press him. She just reached out to grab a wine glass from the table. Under the flashing, moody lights. Julian sighed and grabbed her wrist. “It’s that time of the month for you. Be good. No drinking.” Summer blinked, staring straight into his eyes. In that instant, Julian’s defenses crumbled completely. He pinched Summer’s cheek, smiling helplessly. “I have her nude photos in my hands. Is that enough?” The video cut off. It felt like a massive hole had been ripped into my chest. And Julian had personally poured burning sulfur right into it. It burned so badly. Chloe’s voice messages kept coming. “Sera, did you and Julian get into a fight?” “How could he say something like that?!” “And who is that girl next to him?” “Sera… did he really take those photos of you?” My throat felt like it had been sealed shut with wet concrete. I wanted to tell Chloe not to worry. But when I opened my mouth, no sound came out. So, I could only type back: “No, he was just joking.” “Are you still at your shift? Get home safe.” My head was pounding. I collapsed onto the couch. Summer… Summer… I closed my eyes, letting the tears stream down my face. At the beginning of the school year, Summer was the freshman representative. She had her hair tied up in a neat ponytail, speaking confidently on the stage. She was powerful, elegant, and radiant. At the time, I had heatstroke. I was leaning weakly against Julian’s chest in the audience. He was fanning me, laughing softly. “Look at her. She’s bursting with energy.” “And look at you, like a sick little kitten.” “How are you going to survive without me?” My head was spinning, and I looked at Summer for a second before turning to him. “Julian, I want a popsicle.” Julian tapped my forehead playfully. “No way. Do you want another stomachache?” I mumbled an okay and buried my face into his neck. I completely forgot about Summer. But as it turned out, Summer was also a music major. She was outgoing, warm, and passionate. It seemed like she had endless energy. She got along with everyone in class. Whenever Julian came to pick me up after class, he would tease me, “I wish you had half her energy.” At first, I didn’t think much of it. But later, Julian started bringing her up more and more. The honey water he specially prepared for me. He would always bring an extra bottle for her. I got angry and confronted him. “Why are you being so nice to her?” Julian crossed his long legs, rubbing the space between his eyebrows. “Sera, it’s hard for a scholarship student to study music.” “She has a tough life, she just pretends to be happy.” “It’s just honey water.” But gradually, it wasn’t just honey water anymore. It became desserts, snacks, afternoon tea… My arguments with Julian grew more frequent. He kept saying Summer was pitiful. He kept telling me to make allowances for her. Until today. For her sake, Julian had thrown everything away. My dignity, my privacy. It had all become his bargaining chips to please Summer. I stared at the single lonely star outside the window. I couldn’t understand what I had done wrong. Why did Julian stop wanting me… I bit down hard on my wrist, the salty taste of tears filling my mouth. Until the metallic taste of blood broke through. I exhausted pressed my mouth shut. It hurt. It hurt so much. I didn’t want to go through this ever again. Julian was right about one thing. I was a coward. Whenever things got tough, all I wanted to do was pull back into my shell. But I didn’t want to hurt anymore. I opened my phone and booked a one-way flight out of the country for seven days from now.

I lay in bed with a sharp, throbbing pain in my temples. But I couldn’t sleep. I pulled out my phone, typing the same search queries over and over again. “What to do if your boyfriend takes intimate photos of you?” “Will a boyfriend actually leak your photos?” “My boyfriend took intimate photos and shared them.” … As I read through the stories of girls who had gone through the same thing, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I pulled the blanket tighter around myself, my fingers stiffly clicking on another link: How to save yourself when intimate photos are leaked. The guides were all well-written. Tell your family. Tell your friends. Seek help… It all sounded so effortless. It looked so simple. I ran the scenarios over and over in my head. But none of those would work against Julian. He wasn’t afraid of anything. And he had the power to make anything disappear. Tears soaked my pillow. Until I couldn’t hold on anymore and finally blacked out. My sleep was restless. In my hazy state, I thought I heard the clicking of a camera shutter. I snapped awake, gripping the blanket tight. The room was dark. Only the red blinking light of a camera was visible. Julian was standing in the shadows. A smirk played on his lips, his eyes slightly bloodshot from alcohol. “Beautiful.” I jumped out of bed, reaching out to grab the camera. But Julian easily wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against him. The heavy scent of his cologne mixed with tobacco rushed into my nose. I started coughing uncontrollably. Julian tightened his grip, his voice deep. “Don’t move.” “I missed you.” My nerves felt like a tight violin string. And someone was violently plucking at it. I grabbed his sleeve, my voice hoarse. “Delete… delete it.” Julian forced me to sit on his lap. “What’s wrong with your voice?” “Did you not drink the honey water last night?” “The driver said he didn’t pick you up. Are you still throwing a tantrum?” My stomach churned, and a wave of nausea hit me. I clenched my fists in silence. I struggled to get off his lap. Julian let out a sigh, sounding incredibly helpless. “I saw your phone.” My chaotic thoughts suddenly cleared up. My entire body began to shake. My plane ticket… Julian patted my back soothingly. “Your little friend told you what I said, didn’t she?” “I did bring Summer to the party last night.” “It was her birthday and she had no one to celebrate with. It was just a casual thing.” “Sera, don’t overthink it.” All the strength drained from my body, and my voice was barely a whisper. “Julian, the photo you just took… delete it, please?” “I don’t like it. I don’t want you taking them.” Julian froze. His voice turned icy cold, dripping with annoyance. “Are you still acting up?” “I knew I shouldn’t have told you.” “How many times do I have to say it? I just feel bad for Summer.” “Sera, I’m not going to tolerate your attitude every single time.” Julian’s lips kept moving. His accusations came throwing at me one after another. Like heavy blows landing on my chest. Leaving me no room to breathe. I shoved him away and ran straight to the bathroom. A sour taste rose in my throat. I bent over the toilet in pain. But because I hadn’t eaten all day. I could only throw up bitter stomach acid. Behind me, hurried footsteps approached. Julian picked me up in his arms. His lips were pressed into a thin line, panic written all over his face. “Have you not been eating again?” “I’m taking you to the hospital.” I clutched his collar, sobbing, “No, I’m not going.” “Julian, please, just delete the photos.” He looked down, staring at my swollen, red eyes. A flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes. But in the next second. Julian’s phone on the desk started buzzing. He glanced at the screen, and his face instantly cleared of any emotion. He placed me back on the bed and shoved the camera into my hands. “I’ll call the family doctor to come over.” “Get some rest.” “You can delete whatever is on the camera.” “As for the intimate photos…” Julian paused, tucking the blanket around me. “I’ll delete them for you in seven days, after the showcase is over.” He stood up and answered the phone. His voice instantly became incredibly gentle. “What’s wrong?” “Stay right there. Don’t move. I’m coming to get you.” The bedroom door slammed shut. Faintly, I thought I heard Summer crying on the other end of the line.

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After being murdered by my husband and my best friend, my soul stood in line at the Registry of the Dead. “Rebirth and reincarnation. Which family do you choose?” The Grim Reaper flipped through his ledger, asking me with complete indifference. I looked up and pointed to the mirror of soul judgment, which showed the wretched couple. They were hugging each other, celebrating that they had finally gotten rid of me. I smiled. “Their family. I want to be the sweet fruit of their love.” The Grim Reaper froze for a moment, warning me, “Such heavy resentment. Be careful, it might ruin your luck in your next life.” “It’s fine,” I waved my hand carelessly. “In this life, I’m going back to be their little ‘blessing.’” The next second, I was enveloped in warm amniotic fluid, followed by a dizzying sensation of pressure. Accompanied by a loud, piercing cry. I, Vivian Sterling, was born into this world as Evelyn Carter, the daughter of my worst enemies. “Congratulations, Mr. Carter! It’s a healthy baby girl. Listen to those strong lungs!” The nurse wiped me clean and carefully carried me over to the woman in the hospital bed. Melanie Vance. My former best friend. Right now, her face was pale, but she practically glowed with a fake, saintly motherly light as she reached out her arms toward me. “My sweet baby, let Mommy hold you.” Her voice was so sweet it could make your teeth ache. Mommy? Are you even worthy of that word? The exact millisecond her fingertips brushed against my baby skin. Without any warning, I unleashed the most agonizing, hysterical scream of my life! “Waaahhh—!!!” My shriek was so sharp it shattered the warm, peaceful atmosphere of the delivery room. The nurses and the doctor all jumped in startle. Melanie was so terrified that her hands shook, almost dropping me on the floor. “What’s wrong? She was perfectly fine just a second ago.” The nurse quickly snatched me back. The moment I was out of Melanie’s arms, my crying instantly quieted down into soft whimpers. “Newborns just feel insecure sometimes,” the doctor explained casually, not thinking much of it. But Melanie’s face had already turned slightly pale. Once we returned to the Carter estate. As long as Melanie came within three steps of me, my internal alarm would go off. The moment she tried to hold me, I would instantly transform from a sweet, doll-like baby into a thrashing hedgehog. My tiny limbs flailed wildly, my sharp baby nails clawing mercilessly at any exposed skin on her face, neck, and arms. “Ouch!” Melanie gasped in pain. She looked down and saw three bright red scratches bleeding on her smooth arm. Taking advantage of the moment, I began to cry even louder, looking as if I were the one who had suffered some horrible abuse. “What is going on here!” Marcus Carter rushed in at the sound of the noise, only to witness this exact scene. Melanie had blood on her arm, while her daughter in her arms was screaming her lungs out, looking like she was being tortured. “I… I don’t know, she just suddenly started…” Melanie’s face was white. Marcus impatiently grabbed me from her arms. The moment I hit his chest, my crying stopped instantly. I let out two pathetic, innocent little hiccups. I buried my flush little face against his warm chest, found a comfortable spot, and fell fast asleep. The contrast between this angelic, quiet baby and the monster of a second ago was night and day. Marcus looked at the angel in his arms, then at the bloody scratches on his wife’s arm. His brows furrowed into a deep frown. From that day on, this became the daily routine in the Carter household. If Melanie held me, I scratched her and cried like the world was ending. If Marcus, Grandpa Arthur, Grandma Eleanor, or even the nanny held me, I was as sweet and quiet as a porcelain doll. Before I was even a month old, Melanie’s arms were covered in a patchwork of new and old scars. She had to wear thick layers of concealer just to hide the claw marks on her face. And the rumor that “the Carter family’s little heiress was born to hate her mother” began to spread quietly among the high society. That night, Melanie’s lip was scratched open by me once again. She finally snapped. “What do you want from me?!” She slammed the bedroom door, staring at me in my crib, screaming in a low, distorted, demonic voice. “Are you a devil?! Why do you only do this to me?!” I opened my large, clear, innocent eyes, staring at her in complete silence. Yes. I am the demon who came back to drag you to hell. Seeing that I wasn’t crying or making a sound, Melanie’s sanity crawled back slightly. She took a deep breath, trying to comfort herself: “You’re just a baby who doesn’t know anything… You don’t understand…” Her hand trembled as she reached toward me again, as if trying to prove something to herself. Right then, the door swung open. Marcus walked in carrying a warm glass of milk. What he saw was his wife’s twisted, angry face, and her hand reaching toward their daughter in a threatening gesture. “Melanie! What are you doing!” He bolted forward, shielding me tightly in his arms. The look he gave her was freezing cold, filled with utter disappointment. “I didn’t do anything! I just wanted to hold her!” Melanie pleaded in despair. Marcus held me close, gently patting my back. Then, without even looking at Melanie, he said coldly: “If you hate her so much, stay the hell away from her.” “From now on, Maria will take care of her.”

Ever since her maternal rights were practically stripped away, Melanie’s status in the household plummeted. She went from being the lady of the manor to an invisible, unwanted ghost who just happened to be a mother on paper. Marcus grew colder to her by the day, while Grandpa and Grandma ignored her existence entirely. Only during high-society family gatherings—where they needed to put on a show for the media—was she allowed to hold me, pretending we were a loving mother and daughter. Under everyone’s pampered love, I grew to be two years old. I began to speak some simple, broken words. Every single word was calculated with absolute precision. On Arthur’s 70th birthday gala, the Carter mansion was packed with elite guests and media. I wore a custom-made red designer dress, looking like a perfect little angel. Grandpa held me proudly in his arms, soaking in everyone’s compliments. Melanie stood to the side in an expensive gown, her heavy makeup masking her pale face, forcing a stiff smile. I knew what she was waiting for. She was waiting for a chance to display her motherly love in public to salvage her reputation. Sure enough, when it was time to cut the cake, she picked up a small plate with a slice of vanilla cake. She walked toward me with elegant, graceful steps, her voice dripping with sweetness: “Evelyn, my sweet baby. Come to Mommy, let Mommy feed you some cake.” She had betted on the fact that I wouldn’t dare make a scene in front of so many distinguished guests. Too bad for her, she guessed wrong. I had waited for this day for far too long. I immediately squirmed out of Grandpa’s arms, sliding down to the floor. I backed away frantically, looking at her as if she were a pile of toxic waste. My little face was filled with pure terror and resistance. “No… No…” I whimpered in a shaky baby voice. Melanie’s smile froze. The surrounding relatives and guests all turned their eyes over, eager for some drama. “Evelyn, be good. Mommy won’t hurt you…” She panicked, taking another step forward, trying to grab my hand. Now! I snapped my hand up, using every ounce of my toddler strength to point directly at her face—which was now slightly distorted with fear. Then, I channeled all the hatred and murderous rage from my past life, condensing it into the most vicious curse. Through the mouth of a two-year-old child, word by word, I screamed at the top of my lungs: “Bad—woman!” “Killer… Killer!” The entire ballroom fell into a dead, horrified silence. Everyone stared at me, then at Melanie, whose face had turned as white as a sheet. “Killer?” “What did she just say? Did I hear that right?” “Oh my god, is this child… possessed?” Whispers rushed through the crowd like a tidal wave. Grandpa and Grandma were the first to react. Grandma snatched me into her arms, frantically rubbing my back to comfort me. “Don’t be scared, Evelyn. Did you have a nightmare yesterday? Don’t say such silly things!” Meanwhile, all the color drained from Marcus’s face. Melanie completely lost her mind. “I didn’t! It wasn’t me!” she shrieked, pointing a shaking finger at me, her voice wild and hysterical. “It’s her! This little brat is lying! She’s not normal! She’s a demon!” A mother, calling her own two-year-old daughter a “brat” and a “demon” in front of the city’s entire high society. “Shut the hell up!” Marcus stormed over and slapped her hard across the face. “Are you insane?! How dare you say that to a two-year-old!” I buried my face in Grandpa’s shoulder. Watching the two murderers turn on each other brought a thrilling rush of pure ecstasy to my soul.

The disaster at the birthday gala was the final straw that broke Melanie. “Madwoman,” “bitter wife,” “the mother cursed by her own daughter.” These labels stuck to her like hot tar. She couldn’t even hold her head up in the Carter house anymore. Marcus avoided her like she was the plague. He seemed to actually believe the rumor that I was some vengeful spirit. Every day after work, he locked himself in his study. He’d rather stare at the wall than look at his “true love.” Completely isolated, Melanie’s mental state deteriorated rapidly. She didn’t dare approach me anymore, but every time she looked at me, her eyes were filled with venomous hatred. She started playing passive-aggressive mind games with me. She would purposely knock over my milk, make loud, jarring noises while I was sleeping, and even pinch my arms hard when no one was looking. I endured all of it in silence. Because I knew she was just throwing a desperate tantrum. And I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to send her straight to hell. That opportunity came in the form of a crystal music box hidden deep inside her jewelry vanity. It was the anniversary gift Marcus had given her right after she found out she was pregnant with me. I quietly slipped into her bedroom. I dragged a vanity stool over, climbed up onto the dressing table, and pulled out the sparkling crystal music box. Without a second of hesitation, I raised it high above my head and slammed it down onto the marble floor! *Smash!* With a loud shatter, the music box exploded into a million sharp glass shards. But that wasn’t enough. I closed my eyes, letting the memories of my brutal death in my past life flood my mind. Then, I picked up the sharpest piece of glass and sliced it hard across my own pale arm. “Ugh…” A sharp, burning pain flared up, and bright red blood instantly gushed out. The sheer pain made me dizzy, but I stood firm. I dripped a few drops of blood onto the dress of my favorite teddy bear, then held it tightly, running out of the room with my body covered in “evidence.” “Grandpa! Grandma!” My tearful, terrified screams echoed through the hallways, bringing everyone running in panic. They saw me standing there, my clothes messed up, my body shaking violently, clutching a blood-stained teddy bear. On my other arm, a deep, nasty gash was pouring blood. “Oh my god! Evelyn!” Grandma let out a horrified shriek, sprinting toward me first. I dove straight into Grandma’s arms, sobbing so hard I could barely breathe. Using my carefully practiced, broken vocabulary, I wove the perfect lie: “Mommy… bad…” “Mommy… don’t like… Evelyn…” I held up the blood-stained teddy bear, crying until I almost fainted: “Broke… broke toy… Toy is broken…” Finally, I held out my bleeding arm, whimpering softly: “Ow… hurts… bleeding…” Every single word felt like a physical blow to everyone’s heart. Melanie stood frozen at the doorway. She stared at the gash on my arm, then at her own empty hands. Her mind went completely blank. “No… it wasn’t me… I didn’t do it…” Her defense sounded pathetic and hollow in the face of all the blood. “You absolute monster!” Grandpa’s body shook with pure rage. He pointed a finger at her, his eyes practically spitting fire. “How dare you lay your filthy hands on Evelyn! The Carter family has no place for a sick, twisted woman like you!” Marcus was also completely terrified by the bloody scene. He looked at me, then at the frantic, screaming Melanie. The very last shred of affection he had for his wife was instantly replaced by terror and disgust. As they rushed me to the hospital, I rested my head on Grandpa’s shoulder. Over the shoulders of the panicked crowd, I looked back at Melanie, whose face was now dead and hollow. I silently mouthed two words to her. “Go. Die.” She understood. She stared at me, and finally let out a blood-curdling, non-human shriek of pure terror.

The wound on my arm required five stitches. I became the most precious, delicate treasure of the Carter family. Everywhere I went, people treated me like glass. Grandpa hired two private bodyguards to watch over me twenty-four hours a day. Their only job was to make sure Melanie never came within ten feet of me. Melanie, on the other hand, was placed under house arrest in her bedroom. I heard she went completely mad, smashing everything in her room, screaming that I was a demon, and that I had cut myself. But of course, nobody believed her. Who would believe the frantic ramblings of a child-abuser? But I knew this wasn’t enough. House arrest was just the beginning. I wanted her gone from this house, and from my life, permanently. One afternoon, I dismissed my bodyguards, telling them I wanted to play hide-and-seek by myself. Then, I quietly walked over to her bedroom door. It wasn’t locked. She was sitting on the carpet, staring at the shattered remains of the crystal music box, muttering to herself like a lunatic. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The moment she saw me, she flinched like a startled rabbit, scrambling back into the corner of the wall, her eyes filled with absolute terror. “What… what do you want?” I walked up to her, squatted down, and spoke in a cold, steady voice that did not belong to a child at all: “I’m here… to take back what’s mine.” Melanie’s pupils dilated instantly! I looked at her, slowly letting a familiar, chilling smile spread across my face—the exact smile of Vivian Sterling. “You stole my husband, you took my life… Now, I’m taking everything back, piece by piece.” “Aaahhh—!!!” The last thread of Melanie’s sanity snapped. She finally knew. She knew with absolute certainty that I wasn’t just a child. I was the vengeful ghost of Vivian Sterling, back from the grave! “Demon! I’ll kill you, you filthy demon!” She shrieked, lunging at me with savage, primal murderous intent. She grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the hallway, right toward the long, steep marble staircase of the second floor. I didn’t fight back. In fact, I helped her. I was calculating the time down to the exact second. I knew that in ten seconds, Grandpa would walk out of his study to head downstairs for his daily afternoon tea. “Die! You little monster!” Melanie was completely gone. She dragged me to the very edge of the stairs and raised her hand high to strike me! Now! I heard the faint click of the study door opening. The exact second Melanie’s hand swung toward me, I let out the loudest, most terrified scream of my life: “Mommy! Don’t push me—!!!” Then, I threw myself out of her grip. Without a shred of hesitation, I threw myself down the cold, hard marble stairs! The world spun violently! The agonizing pain of my bones smashing against the marble steps almost made me black out instantly. *Thud!* My body hit the first-floor floor like a broken ragdoll. My left arm was twisted at a horrific, unnatural angle. The pain hit me like a tsunami, but I forced myself to open my eyes. I looked up. Grandpa was standing at the top of the stairs, his face completely pale, his entire body shaking as he stared at this horrific scene. He saw Melanie’s hand still raised in the air. He heard my desperate cry of “Don’t push me.” And he saw me fall down the stairs. I looked into his eyes—which were filled with shock, fury, and immense pain. I reached out my uninjured right hand, trembling, pointing at the frozen woman at the top of the stairs. Tears and cold sweat mixed on my face. My voice was barely a whisper. “Grandpa… save me…” “Mommy… she… she wants to kill me…” The moment the words left my mouth, my head slumped to the side, and I “fainted.” Before losing consciousness, I heard Grandpa unleash a roar of pure, unadulterated rage that didn’t even sound human.

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The first day I was forced into the escort ring, Chase Vance claimed me. The ruthless mafia boss, despite his terrifying fury, knelt before me. Looking up at my face, he growled, “Who dared make you cry? I’ll kill them!” I pointed at the pile of envelopes on the table. They were filled with explicit photos of him in bed with another girl. His eyes went cold. His men instantly stepped forward and swept them away. Chase leaned in, kissing my tear-stained lashes. “They’re photoshopped. Don’t dirty your eyes looking at them.” “When I find out who did this, I’ll blow their brains out!” The next day, I brought the girl from the photos right to him. I tossed a gun at his feet. “Shoot her.” He frowned, stepping in front of her to shield her. “She’s pregnant, Scarlett. Can we at least wait until the baby is born?” Vivian Blake stood timidly beside Chase, looking like a frightened rabbit. “Scarlett, I swear I didn’t send those photos to you. Please don’t misunderstand,” she whimpered. I didn’t even look at her. I just toyed with the handgun in my grip. “Chase, is there a single promise you’ve made that actually means anything?” “If you can’t pull the trigger, I don’t mind doing it for you.” The moment the words left my mouth, I flicked my wrist. The cold, black barrel pointed straight at Vivian’s forehead. Vivian gasped, tears streaming down her face as her body began to shake uncontrollably. Chase’s handsome brow furrowed. He smoothly stepped back, shielding Vivian behind him. “Scarlett, I told you. She’s pregnant.” “Don’t worry, no one can ever replace you. Once she gives birth, I’ll handle her myself.” Saying this, Chase’s voice softened. “Scarlett, trust me just this once, okay?” His voice was low and seductive, dripping with persuasion. Having loved me for five years, Chase knew exactly how to make me melt. Every time I got angry, that soft, questioning “okay?” was enough to make my defenses crumble completely. I looked up at them, catching Vivian staring at me with red, teary eyes from behind Chase. Chase’s protective stance made my heart sink further into the abyss. I let my wrist drop, slipping the gun away. “I won’t shoot. But I have one condition.” “Let me go, Chase.” When I said the first sentence, Chase visibly relaxed. But the second those last words left my lips, his brow furrowed again. “Scarlett, I’ve told you. You belong to me.” “In this life, and the next.” Vivian tugged gently on Chase’s sleeve, her voice trembling, making her look incredibly pathetic. “Scarlett, I swear I never wanted to come between you and Chase.” “I promise, as soon as the baby is born, I’ll leave. I won’t get in your way.” Chase let out a soft sigh. “Alright, Scarlett. This was my mistake. It won’t happen again.” “Get some rest. Once I get her settled, I’ll come right back to be with you.” Before I could answer, Chase walked out, leading Vivian away. The dozen bodyguards behind Chase followed him in a rush, leaving the massive living room suddenly cold and empty. I pulled my shawl tighter around my shoulders, walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, and stared blankly at the moon. My moon was now shining its light on someone else. Since that was the case, it was time for me to seek the sun.

Chase didn’t come home that night. The day I threw those photos in his face, he had ordered his men to confiscate all of them. But what he didn’t know was that Vivian had already sent me digital copies on Snapchat. This little girl was far from the innocent creature Chase thought she was. All night, while Chase was away, I sat in front of my computer screen, staring at those photos. Even at the height of passion, Chase’s eyes in the pictures were filled with tender adoration. He looked like he was terrified of hurting the fragile girl beneath him. In the five years we had been together, I had never once seen that kind of tenderness on his face. In bed, Chase was always primal, wild, and possessive, as if he wanted to crush my bones. But the man on the screen, despite sharing Chase’s features, possessed a gentleness that was terrifyingly foreign to me. Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a message. It was a picture of a necklace. The pendant was a bullet casing. “I only mentioned how unique it looked, and Chase gave it to me. He said it was just a cheap trinket, and I could have it if I liked it.” I froze. Just then, the front door opened. Chase was finally home. Before he could walk over, I quickly closed the files on my computer. Chase walked up behind me, leaning down to press a kiss to my cheek. “Why are you still awake? Were you waiting for me?” I locked my phone screen, my eyes dropping to his collarbone. Sure enough, his neck was bare. The necklace he never took off was gone. I subtly pulled back, creating some space between us. “Where’s your necklace? Why aren’t you wearing it?” Chase didn’t show a hint of guilt. He casually loosened his collar. “The chain broke. I sent it out to get replaced.” I fell silent, offering no reply. The bullet on that necklace was the very one that had almost pierced my heart five years ago. Back then, Chase wasn’t as powerful as he was now, but he was rising fast in the underworld, making him a target for many. During one ambush, the enemy sent their top assassin to end Chase’s life once and for all. The second both sides raised their guns, my chest tightened. Without thinking, I threw myself in front of Chase and took the bullet for him. In the end, Chase’s bullet found the mark right between the assassin’s eyes. But the assassin’s bullet had stopped a mere half-inch from my heart. When I woke up in the hospital, I saw Chase cry for the first time. “Scarlett, I swear to God, I will never betray you.” “Anyone who wants to hurt you will have to step over my dead body first.” He had the bullet extracted from my chest made into a necklace, wearing it close to his heart. For five years, he had never taken it off, not even to shower. I looked up at him, a cold thought taking root in my mind. “Chase, let’s get married.” Chase froze, clearly caught off guard. In our five years together, I had never once brought up marriage. He quickly recovered, patting my head with a chuckle. “Stop teasing. I’m going to take a shower.” With that, he turned and walked into the bathroom. It was only a test. And though he didn’t give me a direct answer, his avoidance was the loudest answer of all. Over the next few days, Chase stayed home most of the time. We both tacitly avoided mentioning her name. By the fourth day, I was restless. Taking advantage of Chase being out, I headed to the shooting range. I hadn’t held a gun in days, and my grip felt a bit rusty. I had barely fired a few rounds when a voice sounded right beside me. “You certainly have a lot of free time, Scarlett. Practicing at the range at a time like this?” “I heard you used to be the princess of the Black Wolves. How did you end up begging a man to keep you? It’s honestly pathetic.” I lowered my arm and turned to look at Vivian. Her face was smug, completely devoid of the timid innocence she had shown before. Her acting skills really were top-notch. I took off my safety goggles, studying the woman before me, and let out a cold laugh. “You heard him the other day. He’s the one refusing to let me leave.” “Who’s the desperate one here? Can’t you tell, Vivian?”

Vivian flinched for a second, then gritted her teeth, spitting out every word. “Once I give birth to his child, what makes you think you can still compete with me?” “The great mafia princess of the Black Wolves, reduced to a caged pet. Your dead father probably can’t even rest in peace…” I cut her off with a vicious slap across the face. The force sent Vivian stumbling back. When she looked up, her eyes burned with pure malice. Before she could utter a word, a furious roar shattered the air. “Scarlett! What the hell are you doing?!” The instant she heard that voice, Vivian’s expression morphed back into helpless fragility. “I’m sorry, Scarlett. I just wanted to explain. I didn’t want you and Chase to fight because of me.” “I’ve been an orphan my whole life. Chase only took pity on me. We’re really not what you think.” Chase stared darkly at Vivian’s red, swollen cheek. “Scarlett, she’s pregnant! How could you lay a hand on her?!” My answer was simply raising my gun. *BANG!* The bullet grazed Vivian’s arm with perfect precision. Instantly, blood began to gush from the wound. I lowered my arm, looking at the two of them with cold, dead eyes. “You saved her from my bullet last time. This is for that.” “Chase, put a leash on your dog. Next time, the bullet goes right between her eyes.” Chase scooped Vivian up into his arms, his eyes bloodshot with suppressed rage as he glared at me. After a long silence, he gritted out, “This was Vivian’s fault today. She shouldn’t have bothered you.” “Now you two are even.” Without another look, Chase turned and carried Vivian toward the exit. I didn’t know if he did it on purpose. As he stormed past, his shoulder slammed hard against mine. Caught completely off guard, the force knocked me off my feet. I crashed to the ground, my lower back slamming violently against the sharp edge of the shooting bench. A blinding, white-hot pain flared up from my spine, consuming my entire body. I could barely breathe. From behind me, a bodyguard gasped in horror. “Miss Sterling! You’re bleeding!” I looked down numbly. Crimson blood was spreading rapidly across the floor. The world blurred into a terrifying shade of red. My body gave out, and darkness swallowed me whole. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. The nurse replacing my IV immediately called for the doctor. The doctor looked at me with deep sympathy. “You were seven weeks pregnant. Your body was already weak, and the impact from the fall… we couldn’t save the baby.” The doctor let out a soft sigh. “A lot of pregnant women were admitted today. There’s another pregnant patient right next door who was rushed in with injuries.” “Fortunately, her baby is perfectly fine.” “You young girls really need to take better care of yourselves.” The doctor mumbled a few more words before stepping out of the room. My hands shook as I gently touched my flat stomach. It felt like my heart had stopped beating. I had a baby inside me, and I hadn’t even known. Tears quietly slipped from the corners of my eyes, soaking into my hair. Under the heavy fog of the pain medication, I drifted back into a restless sleep. In the middle of the night, the sharp buzz of my phone woke me up. “Why don’t you come take a look at the room next door?” I pulled back the sheets and got out of bed. The atmosphere in the adjacent room was thick with lust. The woman’s moans were sickeningly sweet. “Ah, Chase… I’m still pregnant. What if you hurt the baby?” “And we’re in the hospital. What if someone hears us?” The man’s voice was deep, raspy, and thick with desire. “I’ll be gentle, baby. I’d never hurt our little one.” “I locked the door. No one’s going to hear.” As their heavy breathing reached a fever pitch, Vivian, pinned beneath Chase, shifted her gaze. Her eyes locked with mine through the narrow glass pane of the door. At that moment, everything became crystal clear. I lowered my eyes, turned around, and slumped onto a plastic chair in the hallway. The hallway was deserted in the dead of night. I sat there like a ghost, listening to the sounds of their betrayal as if punishing myself. I don’t know how much time passed before a nurse’s gentle voice broke the silence. “Miss Sterling, why are you crying so hard?” “Are you in pain?”

It was only then that I realized tears were streaming down my face. I was shaking so violently that even my fingertips trembled. I wiped my tears away aggressively and looked up at the nurse. “I’m fine. I’m going back to my room now.” Once the nurse walked away, I stood up. But I didn’t go back to my bed. Instead, I walked straight out of the hospital doors. Chase didn’t come home until three days later. Seeing me dressed in thin clothes, he naturally draped his jacket over my shoulders. “How is the staff taking care of you? Why are you dressed so lightly?” I didn’t answer him. I just stared straight into his eyes. “Where’s Vivian? Discharged?” Chase let out a heavy sigh, looking at me with weary resignation. “Scarlett, she’s young. Just let it go.” “I’ve warned her. She will never bother you again. Forgive her this once, okay?” Hearing that familiar “okay?” My heart didn’t even flutter. In fact, I wanted to laugh. I took a long drag of my cigarette, letting the smoke slowly billow from my lips. The haze filled the air, blurring Chase’s handsome face. “Chase, did you know? We had a baby.” A flash of pure ecstasy surged in his eyes. The next second, I crushed the glowing cherry of my cigarette into the ash tray. “But it died. Three days ago. You killed it when you shoved me.” Chase froze. His lips parted, but not a single sound came out. We had been together for five years. A man as sharp as him understood exactly what I meant. After a long, agonizing silence, Chase covered his face, his voice cracking. “It’s my fault. It’s all my fault.” He lunged forward, wrapping his arms tightly around me. “We’ll fix this, Scarlett. I swear to you, nothing like this will ever happen again. I swear.” I pushed his chest, coldness radiating from my voice. “Don’t bother, Chase. Just let me go.” The temperature in the living room plummeted instantly. The suffocating silence was shattered by his phone ringing. The room was so quiet that even without speakerphone, I could hear every word. “Chase, I know I shouldn’t call…” “But my stomach hurts so much. I’m so scared. Can you come be with me, please?” He didn’t even hang up before he was already on his feet. At the front door, Chase paused. “I told you, Scarlett. You are mine.” “In this life, and the next.” Without looking back, he slammed the door and left. Chase didn’t return for a week. But I couldn’t step a single foot out of the estate either. He had stationed maids, a private doctor, and dozens of guards around the clock. He made sure I was pampered with the best of everything, while stripping me of every ounce of freedom. There was no way out. On a mundane afternoon, an email and a text message popped up on my phone. “Check your inbox. There are things in there you definitely don’t know about.” “Oh, Scarlett. I almost feel sorry for you.” The sender was Vivian. Five years ago, my father was assassinated, and the Black Wolves vanished overnight. As the gang’s princess, I was kidnapped by our rivals and sold into the city’s seediest escort ring. Chase was the one who tracked me down and brought me home. Today, he was the undisputed king of the underworld. Though I lived in luxury, I had zero leverage to fight him. After reading through every file Vivian sent, I sat on the balcony, watching the guards patrol the yard. After a long pause, I dialed a black-market black-ops agency. “I’ll pay you twenty million dollars. Stage a fake death for me.” “Make it happen as fast as possible.”

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