Category: English

Fake daughter Tiffany Reed sneered, offering me a pastry: “Here, sis, try this. It’s specially for you.” I swallowed it without a second thought. That night, she was assaulted by the janitor, her reputation utterly shattered. My brother, Jesiah, wanted to get revenge for his precious Tiffany and tried to push me down the stairs. Instead, I grabbed him and jumped with him. He ended up with two broken legs, condemned to a wheelchair for life. Later, the fake heiress led her crew to bully me at school, brandishing a small knife at my arm. I just gave a chilling smirk and, with a swift move, slashed my own arm. “Elara, here, this pastry is specially for you. Go on, try it.” I just smiled, looking at Tiffany’s face, plastered with fake concern, and the plate of delicate yet ‘enhanced’ cupcakes she held. I was reborn. Back at the recognition party that sealed my tragic fate in my previous life. In my last life, it was this very pastry that led to my defilement, exposed to her mocking onlookers, my reputation ruined. That recognition party became my public trial, and I lived a miserable life with the Hayes, abused to death by her. “Elara, why aren’t you eating? Do you… hate me or something?” Seeing me just staring at the pastry, Tiffany’s eyes instantly welled up, her voice thick with a fake sob. Her pitiful act immediately drew the attention of several guests nearby. They whispered amongst themselves about how the recently acknowledged true heiress was obviously trashy. I reached out, took it, a small smile playing on my lips. “Tiffany, what are you talking about? How could I hate you?” Under her expectant gaze, I opened my mouth and swallowed. At the same time, I silently chanted in my mind: “System, activate damage transfer. Target: Tiffany Reed.” [Command confirmed. Damage transfer activated.] Seeing me eat it, Tiffany’s face immediately bloomed with a vicious, satisfied smile. She affectionately linked her arm through mine. “That’s more like it! We sisters must get along well from now on.” I nodded compliantly, silently calculating the time. Sure enough, a few minutes later, I feigned a sway, clutching my forehead. “Tiffany, I feel a little dizzy.” A flicker of wild glee crossed Tiffany’s eyes. She quickly steadied me, her voice laced with feigned concern. “Are you tired? The party’s too loud. Let me help you to a room upstairs to rest.” I leaned weakly against her, allowing her to guide me out of the ballroom. Just like in my previous life, following the exact same path. She led me to the pre-arranged guest room on the second floor.

Tiffany helped me towards the bed, her voice sickly sweet. “Elara, you lie down for a bit. I’ll get you some water.” But then, her words abruptly stopped. Because she realized that I, who should have been collapsing into her arms, was now standing perfectly straight, looking at her with an icy, piercing gaze. And she herself was suddenly hit with a wave of intense dizziness and a strange, burning heat. “You… how can you be…” She stumbled, then started uncontrollably tearing at the neckline of her elegant dress. I walked up to her, a faint smile playing on my lips. “Tiffany, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Her voice trembled, full of terror. “What… what did you do?” I leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I merely returned what you so thoughtfully prepared for me, Tiffany.” Tiffany tried to say more, but the drug had already clouded her mind. I watched her grotesque display with cold detachment, feeling only pure satisfaction. Footsteps approached from outside. Tiffany’s arranged guest had arrived. Without hesitation, I turned, closed the door, and locked it. Inside the room, only Tiffany, writhing under the drug’s effects, and the newly entered janitor remained. The show had only just begun. Midway through the party, Mrs. Hayes frowned, glancing around. She grabbed my wrist. “Have you seen Tiffany? She said she was going to get you a pastry, but she’s vanished in the blink of an eye.” Mr. Hayes also looked over, a hint of displeasure on his face. “With so many guests here tonight, why is she running off?” I blinked, showing just the right amount of worry. “Tiffany mentioned she wasn’t feeling well earlier, really dizzy. I think she went back to a room to rest.” Mrs. Hayes instantly tensed. “Not feeling well? Why didn’t she say anything sooner?” Mr. and Mrs. Hayes exchanged worried glances and headed straight for the second-floor rooms. Watching their hurried retreat, I mimicked Tiffany’s actions from my past life, raising my voice, my tone overflowing with concern. “Everyone, Tiffany isn’t feeling too well, and my parents are really worried. Should we all go up and check on her? The more people, the better to help out, right?” My words immediately piqued the guests’ interest. The true and fake heiress drama – and the real one is already unwell after just being recognized? Clearly, there’s a story brewing. “Yes, yes, let’s all go see!” “The Hayes sisters truly have a deep bond, don’t they?” A large group of people followed them upstairs in a bustling procession. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes were so focused on their precious adopted daughter that they paid no mind to the commotion behind them. Mr. Hayes didn’t even think twice; he just twisted the doorknob to the bedroom. 3. A heavy, cloying scent hit them first. Then, scattered clothes on the floor and two figures entangled on the bed came into view. Tiffany’s hair was disheveled, her face flushed crimson, as she lay intertwined with a man in a janitor’s uniform. Mrs. Hayes’s face went chalk-white. Mr. Hayes roared, “Tiffany, what in the world are you doing?!” Tiffany flinched, startled by his shout, and frantically pulled the covers around herself, while the surrounding guests’ phone cameras flashed incessantly. “Oh my god, it’s actually Tiffany Reed!” “She usually acts so refined. Who knew she was into this kind of wild stuff in private?” “And with a janitor! The Hayes family is going to be a complete joke!” Tiffany’s gaze pierced through the crowd, fixating on my face, her eyes burning with venom. Mr. Hayes trembled with rage, forcing himself to suppress it as he tried to disperse the crowd. “Stop filming! Everyone out! This is a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding!” Mrs. Hayes rushed forward, desperate to close the door, but was blocked by several guests who just wanted to gawk, tears streaming down her face in frustration. After finally managing to clear out the guests and close the door. Mr. Hayes yanked Tiffany off the bed and raised his hand to strike her. “Dad, it wasn’t me! It was Elara! She set me up!” Tiffany cried out, scrambling away, her clothes disheveled as she lunged towards my fiancé, Blake Harrison. Blake instinctively caught her, his brow furrowed deeply. Tiffany buried her face in his chest, sobbing, her face streaked with tears. “Blake, you have to believe me! It was Elara! She hates me for taking her place for so many years, for Mom and Dad loving me, for stealing her fiancé – who was supposed to be hers! That’s why she deliberately framed me, she drugged my drink!” Blake looked up at me, his eyes cold and accusing. “Elara, I know you hold a grudge, but using such vicious methods… that’s truly wicked.” Mrs. Hayes also looked at me, her eyes red-rimmed, her voice utterly drenched in disappointment. “Elara, we brought you home to make amends, to compensate you. How could you set up Tiffany like this? How can you be so malicious?” Hah. How familiar those words sounded. In my previous life, when I lay there, my clothes torn, enduring everyone’s contemptuous stares, they had said the exact same thing. They said I was indecent, that I’d seduced the janitor. They asked why, if I was truly innocent, I hadn’t proven it by dying during the assault. Now, with their precious adopted daughter, it’s suddenly *my* malicious heart? I looked at them and suddenly laughed, my voice cutting through the silence. “Tiffany, you say I framed you? I’ve been back with the Hayes family for less than three days. I haven’t even recognized all the staff yet. How could I possibly frame you?” I took a step towards Tiffany, my gaze locked onto her. “You say I drugged you? Where’s the drug? How was it administered? Where’s the proof?” Tiffany was speechless under my barrage of questions, only able to point at me frantically. “It was you! It had to be you! You’re just jealous of me!” “Jealous of you?” I stopped, pulling a tiny USB drive from a hidden pocket in my dress. “Fortunately, the house’s security cameras caught something… special.” Mr. Hayes’s eyes narrowed. “What is it?” I connected the USB drive to the smart TV in the living room. Soon, the screen displayed a clear image. It showed Tiffany, before the party began, sneaking into the kitchen and shaking a small packet of powder into that plate of pastries. Immediately after, there was a crystal-clear audio recording of her whispering in my ear as she helped me upstairs: “Let’s see how you’re going to compete with me for Mom, Dad, and Blake once you eat this and turn into a total mess.” When the video finished, a deathly silence filled the living room. Tiffany’s face was ashen. She shook her head frantically. “Fake! This is fake! She fabricated it!” I lowered my head, my shoulders subtly trembling. “So, Tiffany, you really don’t want me here. If this home can’t make room for me, then I suppose I’ll leave.” I turned, pretending to walk away. Mr. Hayes stopped me, then turned and delivered a stinging slap across Tiffany’s face. Tiffany clutched her cheek, her face a mask of disbelief. “Dad, you hit me… for this bitch?” “Shut up! You still don’t see what you did wrong?!” Mr. Hayes’s face was livid. He pulled out a black card and pressed it into my hand. “Elara, Tiffany was out of line. Take this card. Don’t talk about leaving again.” Mrs. Hayes quickly clasped my hand. “Tiffany was just momentarily confused, playing a prank on you. You’re fine, aren’t you? Let’s not make a big deal of it, girls.” I nodded obediently, tucking the card away. “Thank you, Dad. I’ll listen to both of you, Mom and Dad.” I looked at the cold black card in my hand, a cold laugh bubbling up inside me. “Fine?” “Not make a big deal of it?” In my last life, I paid with my life. I knew Mom and Dad still favored her. But it didn’t matter. The days were long.

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The Stone family, one of the wealthiest in the city, had three sons who grew up with me since childhood. Mr. Stone asked me to pick one of the three to be my husband. Matteus, the oldest, was the first to state his opinion. “I’d rather stay single for life than marry her.” Noah, the second brother, chimed in. “Then I’d rather die than marry her.” Caleb, the youngest, quipped with a sneer. “If my brothers, Matteus and Noah, wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole, why would I? I’m not some charity case for unwanted goods.” But I wasn’t trash. I was Avery Hayes, the daughter of a New York billionaire, staying with them temporarily, and they were definitely not who I was marrying. “Avery, I’m not marrying you. Get that idea out of your head, seriously.” Matteus, the oldest, glared at me with his usual icy expression. I knew he was saying this because of Chloe, the girl the Stone family adopted. I was clutching a secret, desperate to tell him, but before I could even open my mouth, Noah, the second brother, chimed in. “Don’t even *think* about marrying me. The thought of it makes me want to die. If you’re so desperate to get hitched, I’ll ask one of the security guards at our law firm to do you a favor.” Noah was always the most verbally abusive of the Stones, especially when it came to me. Caleb, the youngest, looked at me with pure disgust. “You better tell my dad you’re not interested in marrying any of us yourself, or I’ll make sure your reputation is in tatters.” Caleb hated me the most in the Stone family. He genuinely believed I’d stolen the affection that belonged to Chloe the moment I arrived. Chloe was the adopted daughter of the Stones, practically groomed to marry one of the sons once she graduated college. I’d been living with the Stone family since I was sixteen. At first, the three brothers were reasonably polite. But after just a month, everyone but Matteus started treating me like I was a plague. All because Chloe would constantly cry and whine to them, claiming I was trying to steal all three brothers for myself. The truth was, I’d been engaged to a wealthy New York family since I was a kid. My parents were going abroad for business and couldn’t take me with them, so my dad called up his best friend, Mr. Stone, to look after me. Only Mr. Stone knew my true identity. My dad was worried that if the Stones knew who I really was, they’d treat me like a princess and turn me into a spoiled brat. So he asked Mr. Stone to keep it under wraps. Seven years I’d lived there, and seven years I’d been despised by the Stone brothers. Thinking about it, a mischievous idea suddenly sparked in my mind. “Whether I marry one of you or not is up to Mr. Stone and my dad. I don’t get a say.” My dad never actually intended for me to marry into their family, but *I* had a crush on Matteus. Mr. Stone, seeing through my crush, never let on. He just figured he’d let me pick one myself. So, today, Mr. Stone decided it was time for me to make my choice. “How about you choose one of my three sons to be your husband? I’ll handle your father.” I was thrilled. My plan was to choose Matteus and then talk my dad into it. With how outstanding Matteus was, I figured my dad wouldn’t object. But as soon as the three brothers heard the news, they absolutely erupted. Seeing my refusal, the brothers all went beet red with fury. Suddenly, Martha, our housekeeper, came rushing in. “Young masters, you have to go help Miss Chloe! She’s threatening to hurt herself!” At that, their faces drained of color, and they sprinted toward Chloe’s room. Chloe, having lost too much blood, was rushed to the hospital. By the time I got to the hospital, Chloe was out of the woods. But the moment she saw me, she tried to struggle up, as if to kneel at my feet. “Avery, please don’t take Matteus and the others away from me! I’m just an adopted daughter of the Stones. If I can’t be *truly* one of them, how can I ever show my face in this family again?” The three Stone brothers rushed to help her up. Then Noah shot me a look of pure hatred. “Avery, listen up. If anything, *anything* happens to Chloe, I swear I’ll make you regret it for the rest of your life.” I almost laughed. “Her wanting to hurt herself has nothing to do with me.”

Caleb was so furious he shoved me, making me stumble. “You think you can just bully people because you’re *you*, huh? Let me tell you something, Chloe isn’t alone. She’ll always have us three brothers backing her up!” “My background simply doesn’t compare to Miss Avery’s. I’ll just leave the Stone family, then.” Chloe started crying again. Caleb glared daggers at me, then rushed to comfort Chloe. “Chloe, don’t you dare leave! If anyone’s going, it’s Avery. You’re our family, *you* belong here. Avery is nobody to us!” Watching the three Stone brothers being played like puppets by Chloe, I couldn’t help but sneer, “Looks like Chloe would have to be cloned three times just to go around for all of you, huh?” Caleb heard that and instantly stood up, ready to lunge at me. Matteus quickly held him back, then walked towards me, his face absolutely frozen. “Watch your mouth, Avery. I know what you’re trying to do. I’ll go beg Dad to let me marry you. I’ll sacrifice my freedom for their happiness, if that’s what it takes.” Seeing the sheer disgust and reluctance plastered all over Matteus’s face, it would be a lie to say my heart didn’t ache. For years, I’d chased after him, transforming from a clueless heiress into a dedicated researcher, eventually becoming his most trusted assistant at the institute. I never explicitly told him I liked him, but even a blind man could see how I felt about him. He was arguably the kindest of the three Stone brothers to me; he never let Chloe’s drama turn him against me. When he found out I wanted to apply to the same university, he’d diligently tutor me. And after I got into the research institute, he was always there to help. I genuinely thought he might have feelings for me too, but this time, his attitude shattered any lingering hope I had. The moment I left the hospital, my dad called. “Sweetheart, I heard from Matteus that you want to marry him? Matteus’s a good guy, but I just don’t think he’s the right fit for you. Think about it carefully.” I was fuming at Matteus’s audacity and quickly set the record straight. “Dad, don’t listen to a word he says! I’m not marrying him. You and Mom already arranged my engagement, remember? I’ve thought about it, and I realize now that a union with the Hayes family is the only way to truly strengthen our family.” Dad paused, then sounded relieved. “It seems you’ve truly grown up, sweetheart. Your mom and I will be back in the country in a few days. We’ll set up your wedding right away.” Hanging up, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Finally, I could move out of the Stone household. I’d wanted to since college, but Mr. Stone always refused, claiming it was for my safety. The moment I stepped back into the Stone residence, I overheard Mr. and Mrs. Stone having a heated argument. “Are you losing your mind? Even if Chloe is adopted, I treat her like my own flesh and blood! If anyone gets to choose, it should be Chloe first!” “And my sons are all brilliant! Any one of them is *more* than good enough for Avery. If there’s any choosing to be done, it’s *them* picking *her*!” Mrs. Stone’s attitude didn’t surprise me one bit. She’d never liked me, not since day one. Mr. Stone, however, was still trying his best to defend me. “What do *you* know? Avery isn’t bad at all. As long as Matteus agrees, I’ll arrange their wedding myself.” “And I’ve already picked out a match for Chloe. She and Noah are about the same age, and he’s made it clear he wouldn’t marry anyone else. They’re a perfect fit.”

Seeing they were about to keep arguing, I quickly pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Mr. Stone, Mrs. Stone, my parents will be back in the country soon. Let’s just hold off on discussing my marriage until they return.” I swallowed the lump of resentment in my throat, forcing myself to stay calm. Mr. Stone didn’t say anything further, just nodded. “Alright.” Mrs. Stone, however, gave me a sideways glance, crossed her arms, and settled back into her chair, a smirk already forming. “Surely your high-society parents couldn’t bear to marry you into a humble family like ours, could they, Miss Heiress? That would just be *perfect*.” I didn’t want to engage, so I simply offered a polite greeting and headed to my room. The day my parents were due back was fast approaching. I had my bags packed, ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Sweaty and exhausted, I was just about to hop in the shower when Matteus suddenly pounded on my door. “Avery, open up! I need to talk to you!” I hesitated for a moment, but eventually, I opened the door. The second it was ajar, Matteus grabbed my wrist and yanked me out. “What are you doing?! Where are you taking me?!” Matteus’s grip was surprisingly strong. The more I struggled, the more my wrist screamed in pain. But he said nothing, just shoved me into his car. As he started the engine, he finally spoke, his voice ice-cold. “You’ll see soon enough. It’s what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it?” I sat there, utterly bewildered, as he drove. Ten minutes later, we pulled up to our destination. Only then did I realize he’d brought me to a church. “Get out. We’re getting married. Your biggest wish was always to marry me, right? Well, this is all I can give you.” He opened my door, roughly pulled me out, and without giving me a chance to speak, dragged me inside. I couldn’t hold back the storm of emotions anymore. Tears streaming down my face, I screamed at him, “Matteus! I’m not doing this! I’m not marrying you! Let go of me!” “Stop pretending, Avery. I’ve always known how you felt about me. You just wanted to choose me this time, didn’t you? You’re using your identity to fight Chloe for a husband. Fine, I’ll give you what you want. But this is *all* you’ll get from me. Don’t expect anything more.” Realizing there was no reasoning with Matteus, I desperately looked around for help. “Help! Somebody, please!” Immediately, a kind couple rushed over and pulled Matteus off me. “What is wrong with you, mister? You can’t just force someone to marry you!” After being chastised by the well-meaning couple, Matteus glared at me, even more furious. “You’re the one who walked away, Avery. Don’t you dare regret this!” With that, he stalked off, leaving me standing there. After thanking the kind couple, I also decided to leave. As I walked out of the courthouse, I decided, then and there, that I needed to move out of the Stone house immediately. The next second, a sleek black sedan pulled up behind me. When I saw who stepped out, a chill ran down my spine. I tried to run, but before I could, a hand clamped over my mouth and nose, and I blacked out. When I woke up, I was in an unfamiliar room. Noah and Caleb were sitting by the bed. “Finally awake.” “What do you want?!” I scrambled off the bed, fear seizing me, and huddled into the corner. Noah snuffed out his cigarette, then looked at me with a sneer. “We brought you here to make one thing clear: stop fantasizing about marrying Matteus. We’ll never let him sacrifice his happiness for you.” “Caleb chuckled darkly. ‘Noah, why waste words? She’s so desperate to get married, isn’t she? Let’s give her a wedding alright. Today’s the day she gets hitched.’” Caleb’s sinister grin, coupled with his words, sent a fresh wave of terror through me. I never imagined they could be this cruel. But I had to keep a clear head, no matter what. “I promise I won’t marry Matteus. Just let me go!” “Oh, so you just decide you won’t marry him? Matteus already told your parents he’s going to! After today, how will you even *dare* show your face to him, let alone marry him?” The words were barely out of his mouth when a knock echoed on the door. My heart plummeted. I instinctively reached for my phone to call the police, only to find it wasn’t there. My stomach twisted as the door opened, revealing a creepy-looking man in a mask. It was Jerry. “She’s all yours. Be *gentle* now, won’t you?” Noah chuckled, clapped Jerry on the shoulder, then turned to leave, pushing the door open. I saw my chance, bolted past Jerry, pushing him hard, and tried to make a break for the door. But Jerry grabbed a handful of my hair, yanking me back, and dragged me towards the bed. “Sweetheart, once you’re with me, there’s no getting away.” Jerry smirked, tossing me onto the mattress. I watched, horrified, as the door clicked shut. Jerry loomed over me, pressing his weight down. “Get off me!” I thrashed and fought, but his grip was unyielding. I watched in utter despair as he tore at my clothes. “Just stop fighting. You might as well enjoy yourself. You rich folks always know how to have a good time, right?” Jerry leaned in, his foul breath hot on my face, trying to kiss me. Just then, my hand brushed against something on the bedside table – an ashtray. The moment Jerry reached for my underwear, I gripped the ashtray and swung it with all my might, smashing it into his head. “Argh! You f***ing bitch! You dare hit me?!” Jerry clutched his bleeding head, his eyes turning instantly venomous. In a flash, his hand was clamped around my throat, squeezing hard.

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On my twenty-third birthday, wine loosened my tongue, and I confessed to my guardian. He did not pull away from my kiss. But next morning, he sent me abroad with a cold command: “Erase that night.” Years later, I walked back into his world, a baby resting against my shoulder. He went rigid. “Yours?” he asked, voice barely steady. I nodded, a slow, deliberate smile spreading. “Yes. We just finished her checkup.” Sitting on the plane, I still felt dazed. I never thought that after five years abroad, I would have the chance to come back. After all, Damian had said that in this lifetime, I’d better never appear in front of him again. But it was also he who personally bought me a ticket back home, inviting me to attend his and Seraphina’s wedding anniversary celebration. After two layovers, I finally landed. Uma had been sleeping peacefully on the plane, but once we got off, she started crying. “Mommy, my feet hurt,” she whimpered softly. Hearing Uma’s quiet sobs, I quickly picked her up and walked towards the exit. At the arrival gate, I turned on my phone, ready to call a cab. Just then, my phone rang. Seeing the familiar number on the screen, I fell silent, unsure whether to answer or not. In the end, I didn’t pick up. But a second call came through almost immediately. I sighed and finally answered. Damian’s voice quickly came through. After years without talking, his voice hadn’t changed. “Are you out of the airport? I sent an assistant to pick you up,” Damian said in a businesslike manner, as if we were strangers. I laughed bitterly, “I can get a cab myself.” There was silence for a second; Damian probably didn’t expect me to say that. After all, back then, I had been well taken care of by him. During my years by his side, all my needs were met – I never had to worry about transportation. After a moment of silence, Damian spoke casually, “Let the assistant come anyway. I bought a gift for Seraphina on your behalf, it’s in the trunk. You can bring it directly when you come for dinner.” Damian was still so thoughtful, considering even the gift situation perfectly. Of course, when he spent millions on the venue and commissioned a limited edition diamond to create a unique wedding ring for Seraphina, it was clear how much he loved her. “Alright,” I said, rubbing my forehead and responding softly. Damian didn’t say anything more, but he didn’t hang up either. After a while, Damian finally spoke: “Elara, after five years abroad, I hope you’ve really reflected on things. If you do anything to Seraphina, I won’t let you off easy.” Hearing this, I was stunned. The noise around me seemed to fade away. Damian said he wouldn’t let me off easy. Before I could respond, Damian had already hung up. Actually, Damian could rest assured. I wouldn’t do anything to them. I just wanted to take good care of Uma and find a job. As I left the airport, I lowered my head. The proud 22-year-old me probably couldn’t have imagined that my life would end up in such a miserable state.

I was sent abroad by Damian on my 22nd birthday. That night, I got drunk for the first time in my life. When I was young, my parents died in a cruise ship accident and never returned. Damian naturally took over my care. My relationship with him had always been harmonious. Until I grew older and realized the feelings I had for him were no longer something a niece should have for her uncle. I liked him. But I also knew very clearly there was no future for us. So I kept my emotions locked deep in my heart. If I hadn’t gotten drunk that night, I probably could have kept pretending nothing was wrong. But I confessed. Everything I had hidden slipped out between slurred breaths. Damian heard it all. The usually gentlemanly and refined Damian wasn’t gentle anymore. He grabbed my arm, his voice shaking with anger. “How could you say something so disgusting? Don’t you know I’m your uncle! Blood relation or not—we are only family!” I wanted to explain it was the alcohol, that I would forget it all tomorrow. But at that moment, no explanation could fix anything. All I could do was bow my head and apologize again and again. Damian didn’t calm down. The next day, he resigned from the job I had lined up, and under the pretext of ‘studying abroad,’ sent me to a remote university overseas. He even hired bodyguards to monitor me, cutting off all contact with the outside world. At first, I didn’t understand why he treated me this way. Until a month later, news of Damian’s marriage went viral. Only then did I realize he had always loved someone else. I watched the wedding video repeatedly. When Damian looked at Seraphina, his gaze was gentle and full of love. He had never looked at me that way. From that moment on, I knew the years he kept me by his side were only out of responsibility and sympathy. His only love was Seraphina. “Miss John, please get in the car,” the assistant’s voice pulled me back to reality.

I nodded and got into the car with the sleeping Uma. When he saw Uma, the assistant’s face showed a hint of surprise: “Miss John, this is…?” I made a shushing gesture, afraid our conversation would disturb Uma’s sleep. After sitting in the back seat, I answered softly: “This is my daughter.” The assistant nodded and fell silent. When he drove to our destination, I was stunned. This hotel was where Damian and Seraphina got married. Five years of marriage, he held a wedding anniversary celebration every year, and personally selected gifts for Seraphina. I thought, Damian really cherished Seraphina. In previous years, he didn’t allow me to enter their world. Inviting me back this year was probably just to let me witness their happiness. I numbly got out of the car and saw Seraphina smiling as she walked towards me. Unlike my haggard appearance and simple clothes, Seraphina wore expensive jewelry and perfume, looking well-cared for by Damian. Seraphina’s smile suddenly froze. I knew she had seen Uma in my arms. Sure enough, when she came to my side, Seraphina’s expression was very surprised: “Elara, how did you secretly have a child abroad without telling me? I’ve been married to your uncle for so long, you still treat me like an outsider.” Before I could speak, Seraphina took Uma from my arms without asking. Uma woke up and immediately started crying, struggling not to let Seraphina hold her. I took Uma back from Seraphina and comforted her for a while. Actually, Seraphina knew about my past crush on Damian. Returning this time, I didn’t want to get too involved with Seraphina. But Seraphina still stubbornly wanted to hold Uma. When Seraphina and I arrived at the hotel’s private room, Uma was still crying and wanting me to hold her. Seraphina forced a smile and handed Uma back to me: “Your uncle knows having children isn’t easy. We haven’t thought about having kids these past few years. Seeing you’ve had a daughter, I got too excited.” There were already several people sitting in the room. I wasn’t used to socializing, so I chose a corner seat, and Seraphina sat down next to me. She enthusiastically linked arms with me, introducing me and Uma to the others. The looks others gave me were visibly teasing and probing. I couldn’t stand the strange atmosphere here and said I wanted to go to the restroom. When I came back after washing my face, I heard Seraphina’s voice. Someone asked Seraphina why she brought in an unlucky thing like me. “What unlucky thing, Elara is Damian’s sister. Although she went down the wrong path and tried to seduce Damian before, now that she’s had a child, she definitely won’t make mistakes again.” Hearing Seraphina say this, I just quietly stood at the door of the private room. Yes, in others’ eyes, I was just a madwoman who tried to seduce her uncle, a shameless slut. Uma tugged at my clothes uneasily, and I comforted her before entering the room. Some things have to be faced eventually. I don’t know how long passed, but suddenly everyone in the room stood up. “Mr. John is here!” “Hello, Mr. John!” A group of people crowded around him, while I didn’t move, just sitting in my seat. After a long time, I finally raised my head and looked at Damian. He seemed to have lost some weight. Damian wore a suit, with Seraphina leaning on him. When they looked at each other, their eyes were full of smiles. Damian was surrounded by people and didn’t notice me in the corner. All these years, he who should have been the center of attention still was, while the only one not doing well was me. Suddenly, Seraphina seemed to remember something and pushed Damian with a smile: “Damian, Elara is here too. You uncle and niece haven’t seen each other for so many years, catch up a bit. Elara even brought back a surprise!” Hearing the word “surprise”, Damian remained unmoved, first helping Seraphina sit down and ordering her a glass of milk before raising his eyes to look in my direction. Uma shrank into a ball, looking very wary. Damian obviously saw Uma too, his eyes widening suddenly. “Elara, what is this?” He was asking about Uma. I hadn’t told them about Uma, so when they saw me with her, their expressions were all the same – either surprised or looking like they were watching a show. Seraphina spoke for me: “Damian, this is Elara’s daughter. Isn’t she cute? She looks just like Elara and seems to be a few years old already.” Damian’s gaze fell on Uma, then on me, examining me for a while. Just when I thought Damian wouldn’t pay attention to me anymore, he asked hoarsely, pointing at Uma: “During these years abroad… you got married and had a child?” I raised my head, looking directly at Damian, and nodded. “I got married a while ago. Sorry I didn’t tell you.”

It was very quiet around, no one spoke. Damian stared at me, as if trying to judge whether my words were true or false. Seraphina seemed about to say something, but Damian had already come to stand in front of me: “Where’s your husband?” I pursed my lips: “He’s busy recently, so he didn’t come.” Whispers and snickers sounded around the room, though these guests seemed to restrain their laughter out of respect for Damian. Damian’s face was aJohn, but in the end he didn’t say anything, just sat down next to Seraphina. This meal, I ate without tasting anything. Everyone else was praising how well-matched Damian and Seraphina were, while I just wanted to take Uma to rest early. The rent here wasn’t too expensive, I could still afford it. I didn’t want to go abroad again. The meal ended quickly. I wanted to leave, but Damian stopped me, saying he had something to tell me. In the end, Damian and I stayed in the private room. Seraphina was there too. Damian looked at me coldly, his words as emotionless as his expression. “Elara, since we all have our own families now, I hope you won’t come to bother me in the future.” Seraphina covered the smile at the corner of her lips: “Damian, don’t say that to Elara. She’s a grown woman now, she knows what she shouldn’t do.” The couple sang in harmony, looking particularly in sync. And I was excluded from this synchronization. They never believed the promises I made. But I still nodded and bowed: “I won’t in the future.” They didn’t say anything, and I had already turned to leave with Uma in my arms. Damian called his assistant to send me off, but this time I refused. After returning to the rental apartment with Uma, she suddenly asked me quietly if the uncle and aunt today disliked her. They say children are perceptive and know everything. I shook my head: “They don’t dislike Uma.” They just dislike me. Uma looked like she had many questions she wanted to ask me, but in the end she didn’t, just hugged me and said, mom, you’ve worked hard. The tears I had held back all day seemed about to fall at this moment. But I couldn’t cry in front of Uma. So I tilted my head back, holding back the tears. After putting Uma to sleep, I suddenly received a text message. The sender was Seraphina. “Elara, if you have time, let’s talk.” I frowned and told her she could just text me directly. But Seraphina didn’t send any more messages. Just before bed, I received a call from Seraphina. “I’m downstairs at your place. I just want to ask you one thing.” “Do you have any thoughts of going abroad again recently? Damian and I actually both hope you’ll continue to stay abroad. And your husband is abroad too, right? It’s better for you to go abroad.” I was a bit confused at first, but after realizing, I found it a bit funny. The only thing that could make Seraphina contact me late at night was probably just this. They both hated me to this extent. They couldn’t even stand being in the same country as me. I glanced at Uma sleeping beside me. After going downstairs, I indeed saw Seraphina standing under a streetlight. Standing in front of her, I took a deep breath before looking directly into her eyes: “I don’t plan to go abroad.” Even if just for Uma’s sake, I won’t take her on such a tiring journey again. Seraphina laughed lightly. With no one else around, her gaze finally showed undisguised contempt. “Elara, I know you’re very short on money now. What if I could give you a sum of money, would you be willing to go abroad?”

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I arrived at my daughter Lily’s elementary school expecting a quiet Family Day—only to stop cold at the entrance. There stood my husband, Caleb. He wasn’t alone. He had a little boy resting easily on his hip… and his fingers were laced with Blaire’s, his “childhood friend.” The three of them looked like a perfect family. When Caleb spotted me and Lily, he froze—then slowly pulled his hand away, guilt flashing across his face. I smiled, lifted my chin, and said softly: “Relax, Caleb. I didn’t come to expose you—at least not today.” Blairequickly took her son from Caleb, looking a bit flustered. “Sierra, please don’t be upset. Caleb was just being nice. This kid has grown up without a dad, and today is his special day. Caleb was just helping him out.” I stared at her with a half-smile. “If that’s the case, now that Lily and I are here, shouldn’t you return Caleb to us? We’re the real family of three.” Blaire looked shocked, but her son wasn’t having it. “Dad, you promised to spend today with me and mom!” The five-year-old shot me a fierce glare. I raised an eyebrow. He’s already calling him dad? Before I could respond, Caleb stepped in front of the mom and son, adopting a protective stance. His tone was impatient. “Sierra, you’re a parent too. Shouldn’t you have some empathy? Blaire and I grew up together. I’m just spending one day with them! Do you really have to make a scene?” I laughed bitterly. Was Blaire’s situation my fault? Just then, other parents began arriving with their kids for Family Day. One of them came over to greet us. “Good morning, Leo’s mom and dad! You guys always come together. Not like my husband, who claims he’s too busy for our child.” Blaire awkwardly responded while panic flashed across Caleb’s face. I couldn’t help but confront him. “Caleb, is this what you call just one day?!” He got angry and embarrassed, grabbing my arm. “Sierra, there are a lot of people here. Don’t make a scene!” Then he lowered his voice, glancing at our daughter. “It won’t be good for Lily if this escalates, you know what I mean.” Lily, hearing her name, looked around confused. She didn’t understand what was happening. She just clung to my leg, her tiny hand now sweaty. Feeling her anxiety, I crouched down to pat her little ponytail, speaking softly. “Don’t worry about anything when mommy’s here.” I watched as Caleb walked away with Blaire and Leo. Soon, they were surrounded by a crowd. People were smiling and complimenting Caleb on his success, praising him for becoming a CEO at just over 30. He was full of himself, practically glowing with pride. Blaire looked up at him with admiration, clearly pleased to be seen with him. Leo, still in Caleb’s arms, turned back to me and made a mocking face. I couldn’t help but feel a cold laugh inside. Caleb was certainly getting cocky. Even though I had cut back on my time at the company due to pregnancy and childbirth, I still held 75% of Flying Group’s shares. I was the real boss. He was just riding my coattails, and out of consideration for our marriage, I gave him a manager title. I pulled out my phone and texted HR. “John, remove Caleb from the manager position. Announce it internally next Monday.” Then I messaged the legal team. “Luke, draft a divorce agreement between Caleb and me.” Oh Caleb, if you want to live off me, you better check if I allow it first.

Before long, the Family Day activities kicked off. Families took their seats at prepared tables. Lily looked at Caleb sitting in front of us and asked sadly. “Mommy, why isn’t daddy sitting with us?” I pinched her chubby cheek. She was too young for this drama. “Because mommy is a superhero. Daddy went to help other kids.” Just then, the elementary school teacher announced the first activity – building with blocks. She smiled and said, “The prize for first place is a LEGO spaceship.” Lily’s eyes lit up, and she pointed at the spaceship. “Mommy, I want it!” “Okay, let’s do our best!” As the sand timer ran low, Lily raised her hand and shouted excitedly. “Teacher, we’re done!” The teacher came over, ready to announce the winner when suddenly, a little boy from the front row dashed over. Leo. He knocked over the blocks we built and said arrogantly, “Now first place is mine!” Lily’s eyes filled with tears as she stared at the mess. Angry, she picked up a large block and threw it at Leo. Caleb rushed over, his first words being: “Lily, how could you hit someone?! Apologize to Leo right now.” Lily stood her ground. “No! He pushed over my blocks first! He’s the bad guy!” I firmly supported my daughter. “Caleb, anyone can see who started this. Leo should apologize to Lily!” Blaire joined in, tugging on Caleb’s arm. “Caleb, let’s just drop it. We shouldn’t hold this against the kids.” The elementary school teacher tried to smooth things over, but suddenly Lily burst into tears. “Daddy, why aren’t you protecting me? Why are you scolding me?” Her cry of “Daddy” stunned everyone. They glanced between me, Caleb, and Blaire. Caleb turned red, while Blaire looked like she wanted to say something but held back. At that moment, Leo put his hands on his hips and stood in front of Lily, snarling. “Who’s your daddy? Don’t call him that! This is my dad!” My daughter, frightened, started hiccupping. She cried out, her voice breaking. “Daddy, say something!” My heart ached. I glared fiercely at Caleb, my voice sharp. “Caleb, aren’t you going to explain? Are you just going to let us be misunderstood?” Caleb’s eyes widened. He picked up Leo. “What’s there to explain? Today, I’m Leo’s dad!” He even patted Leo’s head. Instantly, other parents began whispering and pointing at me and my daughter. “Why is that child calling someone dad out of nowhere?!” “I don’t think Lily’s family has ever attended Family Day before. This time only her mom came. Do you think she might be someone’s mistress?!” “I heard this Caleb is a big CEO, super rich. Maybe Lily’s mom is trying to seduce him and got caught by her own daughter.” While my daughter and I faced the gossip, Caleb stood by, comforting Leo. Blaire was off to the side, suppressing a smile as she glanced at me. I hugged my daughter, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and gently patted her back. I wanted to confront that scumbag and his mistress, but this wasn’t the right moment. I couldn’t let my daughter suffer more. Just then, someone trying to flatter Caleb said, “The young master looks just like Mr. Brown. They’re clearly father and son!” I looked up at Caleb. A flash of guilt crossed his face before he laughed it off, while Blaire looked absolutely thrilled. I had seen this mother and son before. How had I not noticed their resemblance? Meanwhile, Lily wouldn’t stop crying. I had to ask the teacher to take us to the rest area so I could calm my daughter down first. In the rest area, I comforted Lily until she gradually fell asleep. I needed to calm my daughter down first. In the lounge area, I comforted Lily until she finally fell asleep. Seeing her swollen eyelids from crying twisted my heart into knots. I quietly stepped out and moved to the hallway corner to call HR and Legal. “John, Luke, bring my marriage certificate and Caleb’s, plus the draft divorce agreement and the dismissal letter to Happy Baby elementary school right now. Hurry!” While I was going over details with them, I suddenly heard a scream. It was my daughter’s voice! My heart dropped instantly. At the end of the hallway, by the bathroom door, Lily was on the ground, sobbing. Leading the attack was Leo, his face twisted in anger: “This is for calling my dad your dad. I’m going to beat you up today!” With that, he kicked Lily in the stomach. Lily cried out in pain, trying to escape, but the boys behind him caught her. “Kids of mistresses deserve a beating!” “My mom said bastards like you should have never been born!” Lily waved her little hands in defense, crying so hard she could hardly breathe: “You’re lying! That’s my daddy! Daddy, Mommy, come save Lily!” “It hurts so much!” “Daddy, Mommy, where are you?!” Seeing this sent a roar through my mind. My blood boiled, and every vein felt ready to burst. When those boys noticed me, they exchanged glances, and seeing my fierce expression, they took off like scared animals. I scooped Lily into my arms, feeling her tremble. I quickly called for an ambulance. “Don’t be scared, sweetheart. Mommy’s here. Mommy’s here.” When the ambulance arrived, other parents watched, curious about what happened. I rushed toward the ambulance, holding my daughter tightly. As I passed, I saw Caleb smiling and playing with blocks alongside Leo, while Blaire wiped sweat from Caleb’s forehead. When he heard the chaos, he looked up, confused. As he started to come over and ask, “What’s going on? What happened to Lily?” Blaire grabbed his hand. “Caleb, you promised to spend the whole day with Leo today. He was so excited when I told him last night!” Caleb froze as I climbed into the ambulance with Lily. Lily was unconscious. The doctors quickly began examining her inside the ambulance. When a female doctor lifted Lily’s dress, her face twisted in shock: “How could anyone be so cruel to such a small child?!” I broke down in tears, panic overtaking me. My baby’s soft skin was marred with blue and purple bruises, including a fist-sized bruise on her side. Her body shook uncontrollably. The doctor’s voice turned urgent: “Quick, get her hooked up to the machines!” Two hours passed as we fought to save Lily. Those hours felt like an eternity. Regret and anger swirled inside me, growing stronger by the minute. My mother cried and scolded me: “How could you let this happen to your child? Look at what she’s been through!” Lily weakly opened her eyes in the hospital bed, IV drip attached. She looked at me, confused: “Mommy, why do they all say Lily is a child that Daddy doesn’t want?” “But Lily has a daddy!” “Why doesn’t Daddy protect Lily anymore?” I kissed her forehead gently and replied: “Mommy will protect Lily forever. You are Mommy’s most precious treasure.” “As for Daddy, we don’t want him anymore.” When I returned to the elementary school, the Family Day activities were wrapping up. Families were busy drawing pictures together. Caleb was coloring patiently, Leo snuggled against him, while Blaire looked pleased taking pictures of them. It was a perfect scene of family happiness. But why was my daughter lying in a hospital while the wrongdoers enjoyed their day?! I stormed over and without hesitation, slapped Blaire hard across the face. The force made her stagger back, hitting the corner of the table with a loud bang. Everyone froze in shock. Caleb shouted: “Sierra, what are you doing?!” He rushed to Blaire, concern in his eyes: “Blaire, are you okay?” Tears streamed down Blaire’s face as she shook her head, playing the victim: “Sierra, did you misunderstand? I’m sorry!” I laughed coldly: “A simple apology won’t cut it!” Just as I raised my hand to slap her again, Caleb stepped in to stop me. I redirected and slapped Caleb across the face instead, leaving a clear red mark. He paused for a second, then exploded in anger: “Sierra, have you lost it? You think I won’t fight back?!” At that moment, the elementary school teacher rushed over, trying to mediate, asking what was going on. I pointed at Leo, gritting my teeth: “This little brat took advantage of my absence and teamed up with others to beat my daughter!” As soon as I finished, Blaire piped up, panicked: “That’s impossible. Leo is a good boy! Caleb, you have to believe me!” I stepped closer: “Impossible? Then why do you think an ambulance just showed up?!” Once again, Caleb stood protectively in front of Blaire and Leo.

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On the night of our wedding anniversary, my husband left me alone in the hospital corridor while he rushed to comfort another woman. The moment I pulled out my own IV and walked into the rain, I knew there was no reason to stay. So I accepted an overseas offer, packed a single suitcase, and left without saying goodbye. And from that moment on, he began searching for someone who no longer existed—the version of me who still loved him. “Ms. Brown, our group welcomes your addition,” Sophia Garcia said joyfully after receiving my definite reply from across the ocean. “When do you plan to start?” I thought for a moment before answering, “I’ll be there in two weeks.” After hanging up, I noticed Caleb Johnson standing behind me with a frown. “Where are you going?” I glanced at him indifferently, “Abroad.” Caleb scoffed coldly, “Don’t be so dramatic, just because it was our fifth wedding anniversary yesterday and I took Blaire with me?” “Threatening to go abroad?” I didn’t explain further. He didn’t know I understood the French conversation between him and Blaire at the French restaurant, where he freely vented his dissatisfaction with me over the past five years, calling me an utterly stupid idiot. “Besides work, doing laundry and cooking, she and I have no common topics to discuss. When I talk about life’s joys, she just rambles about the company’s performance – she has no romance at all. Marrying her is no different than hiring a maid. I really regret marrying her back then.” Blaire laughed in agreement, jokingly asking, “If I hadn’t gone abroad back then, would you have chosen me instead, Caleb?” Caleb sincerely and firmly replied, “Definitely.” In the past, I would have made a scene. But this time, I was surprisingly calm. After finishing the last bite of steak with the waiter’s pitying gaze, I stood up to leave. “You two enjoy your chat. I’ll head home first.” Blaire pretended to stop me, “Sierra, Caleb and I were just discussing work. Don’t overthink it.” I ignored her and kept walking out, only to hear Caleb’s enraged voice, “Don’t mind her, she’s just neurotic!” The only person who caught up to me was the waiter from the restaurant. He looked at me, hesitating to speak, “Ma’am, I think there’s something I should tell you.” I smiled at him, “Thank you, but I understood everything.” I vaguely remember the kind waiter’s final pitying and mournful gaze towards me. It was quite tragic, so this marriage had to end.

After Caleb lectured me and saw I had little reaction, he lost steam and changed the subject. “Blaire plans to join our company. I’m going to have her replace your position. After all, she was a highly regarded studyabroad graduate, more capable than you. If you still want to work, you can be Blaire’s secretary and assist her. Otherwise, just be a full-time housewife at home.” He spoke while observing my expression. Originally planning to resign, I inwardly rejoiced at his words – a pillowcase was indeed offered while I pondered how to explain leaving. Without hesitation, I agreed, “Okay, I’ll resign and let her be the CEO.” Thinking I was speaking angrily in contradiction, Caleb casually reassured me, “Not letting you work is for your own good. How many women envy that lifestyle? I’ll take you on a trip soon to relax.” I shook my head to decline, “If you really cared, you’d accompany me to the orphanage to see the director this week.” Caleb agreed, “Okay, it’s been a while since I last saw the director too.” Caleb and I grew up in the same orphanage. Girls mature faster than boys, so whenever anyone bullied him, I would shield him. Back then, Caleb would blink his bright eyes at me and say, “When we grow up, I’ll protect you instead, Meimei. I’ll treat you well forever.” Unfortunately, forever is too long, and casual promises are too light – Caleb didn’t keep his word. In college, he changed. The dazzling city blinded him, and he fell for Blaire, the French department’s goddess. From the moment Caleb specifically chose French classes for her, I should have realized. But Blaire, with her eye-catching presence, didn’t take a liking to Caleb at first and instead went abroad with a rich heir. Until now, with Caleb’s success and fortune, my once brilliant rose has utterly wilted, highlighting Blaire’s noble beauty. 3 The next day, I went to the office to collect my things. Along the way, employees looked at me with various expressions. Some long-time close colleagues approached me quietly, “Sierra, the CEO brought this woman to your office early and had people move your things out right away. What’s going on?” I nodded to show I understood and patted her hand reassuringly. Entering the office, I saw my belongings had been cleared out, with my wedding photo with Caleb in the trash. Blaire gloated at me, “Sorry, Sierra. Caleb insisted I move in quickly, so people came to clean out first thing this morning.” She lowered her head, feigning surprise at the photo in the trash, “Oh, who carelessly tossed your wedding photo with Caleb?” She picked it up and handed it to me. I took it, removed the photo from the frame, and ripped it to shreds. “No need to pick up soiled things.” From behind came Caleb’s shocked cry, “Sierra, what are you doing? How could you tear up this photo!” He rushed over to gather the torn pieces, trying to reassemble it. But broken things can never fully return to their original state, just like the feelings between Caleb and me. I used to cherish that photo deeply. When we first married while Caleb’s business was just starting, we were poor after buying our wedding rings with no money left over. I told him, “We don’t have to take wedding photos. We can make it up later.” But Caleb said, “I don’t want you to feel shortchanged by marrying me.” To afford that set of portraits, he pulled all-nighters for ten days doing odd jobs. Thinking back, that photo set didn’t actually cost much, just over a thousand dollars – less than one of Caleb’s ties now. Yet it was that photo set that made me marry him regardless, despite knowing about his brief change of heart. But facts proved that once cracks appear, it’s best to let go early.

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Three months before our wedding, Kael suddenly announced online that he and my adopted sister Morwenna would be “living together for a while.” Photos showed her moving into his apartment, her suitcase neatly stacked beside his bed. The caption read: “Family should help each other.” Morwenna replied with a blushing emoji. My mom commented: “Good girl, take care of Kael for Echo. You two look like such a perfect pair.” I typed a single question mark. Kael immediately called. “Don’t overreact,” he snapped. “She needs a place to stay during her pregnancy. I’m just helping her. Once the baby’s born, I’ll come back to you.” Before I could speak, he added, annoyed, “Mom said we should get our marriage license after you give birth to a son anyway. So relax. We’ll have the wedding first. Morwenna staying with me is no big deal.” I gave a quiet “Mm.” Then I opened Instagram, deleted every trace of him, and posted: “I need a new groom. Who’s free?” Kael was the first to comment. [Echo Young, are you insane? You think this stunt will work on me? Stop embarrassing yourself—and stop making things difficult for Morwenna.] Morwenna chimed in immediately. [Sis, please don’t be upset. Kael is only helping my baby have a stable environment. After you and Kael get married, I can move out. My child can even call you mom.] My mom scolded me publicly. [Morwenna’s giving you a baby without you having to suffer through pregnancy. She’s doing you such a big favor—why can’t you appreciate her kindness?] Then came Kael’s friends. [Sister wives! You two can just take turns—Morwenna gets him Mon–Wed–Fri, you Tue–Thu–Sat!] Laughter filled the comments, all at my expense. I stared at the screen, tears hitting the phone one by one. They were the ones crossing the line. Yet somehow, I became the unreasonable one. Ridiculous. They didn’t deserve my tears. I wiped my face, opened the comments again— and one reply caught my eye. Griffin White: “Can I be your new groom?” Griffin and I grew up together. After college graduation, I stayed in the city while he chose to study abroad. We’d avoided each other since I started dating Kael in college. It had been years since we last spoke. As I pondered this, Griffin called me directly. “Echo, I’ve liked you for a long time.” “You know I’ve always hated your adopted sister, so I would never have anything to do with her. I don’t have a bunch of shady friends either. These past few years, I’ve been focused on my career and haven’t dated anyone.” As he spoke, I suddenly received a contract. When I opened it, I saw it was the transfer of rights to all his assets and shares. While I was still in shock, Griffin nervously said: “Echo, this is all the sincerity I have to offer. Will you give me a chance?” My nose stung with emotion. Suddenly, I remembered when we were kids. Our teacher rewarded us with two candies that Griffin loved. He was clearly craving them, but he didn’t eat a single one. He saved both for me. He had always given me his utmost sincerity. I choked up a bit as I said: “I will.” Love had always seemed so elusive. I tried to grasp it, only to end up hurt and scarred. I had thought… I had thought being alone would be fine. But my grandmother’s dying wish was to see me married, to know someone would take care of me after she was gone. Kael wasn’t worthy. But if the groom was Griffin, I think Grandma would be truly at ease. Griffin’s voice was full of joy. “Then I’ll wrap things up at work and come back to marry you within two weeks.” “Echo, you’ll wait for me and won’t change your mind, right?” His tone held a hint of pitiful pleading. It reminded me of when we were kids and I promised to be his bride when we grew up. I made a sound of agreement. Suddenly I felt the urge to cry. “Griffin, let’s pinky swear on it.” After hanging up, my mom pushed open my bedroom door. “Where’s that sapphire necklace your father left you before he died?” I remained silent, not answering. Mom frowned in displeasure. “What’s with that attitude? Your sister just thought it was pretty and wanted to borrow it for a few days. Hurry up and get it out, don’t be so stingy!” Morwenna hung on Mom’s arm, saying dejectedly: “It’s okay, Mom. Sis has never seen me as real family. If she doesn’t want to lend it, I won’t force her.” “She wouldn’t dare refuse! That necklace belonged to my husband, your father. I’m making the decision to give it to you today.” Mom hugged Morwenna and glared sternly at me. “If you don’t hand it over, don’t blame me for having people search your room.” I stared at her blankly, my smile more painful than crying. The once gentle and loving mother in my memories. Had ultimately transformed into this harsh, scolding face in reality. But I was about to leave this place forever anyway. I no longer had the heart to argue pointlessly with her. Silently, I took the sapphire necklace out of its velvet box and handed it to her. Mom smiled with satisfaction. “That’s more like it. Morwenna is your sister, so you as the older one should let her have the nice things.” After Mom left, Morwenna put on the necklace right in front of me. “Sis, don’t blame Mom for favoring me. To be honest, this necklace looks better on me anyway.” “Just like how Kael is more suitable as my boyfriend.” “What belongs to me, others can never have.” Seeing Morwenna’s smug expression, I didn’t say a word. People like her – the more you engage, the more they push it. I picked up my purse and walked past her down the stairs, ignoring her completely. “Ah! Sis, why did you push me…” Morwenna suddenly darted in front of me, pretending I had shoved her as she stumbled towards the stairs. I may despise her, but I instinctively reached out to grab her. After all, falling down over 20 steps was no joke. “Echo Young, you vicious woman!” Kael violently smacked away my hand that was steadying Morwenna’s arm. My hand slammed into the railing with a loud “THUD.” The pain instantly brought cold sweat to my brow. “Kael, thank goodness you came in time, or else I…” Morwenna hid in Kael’s arms, her face streaked with tears and fear. “It’s okay, don’t be scared. I’m here.” Kael stroked Morwenna’s head, comforting her softly. “I won’t let anyone bully you.” I looked at my own hand, already bruising and swollen from the impact. Then I looked at Morwenna, who had only gotten a little scare but was being held tight and fussed over by Kael. Suddenly it all felt so ironic. The boy who once showered me with love and promised to treat me well forever. The man who was supposed to marry me in just three months. How could he have changed his heart so suddenly? After soothing Morwenna, Kael glared at me darkly. “I know you’ve been unhappy about me marrying her and having a baby behind your back. You can take it out on me if you want, since I didn’t tell you beforehand.” “But you can’t hurt Morwenna. Her health is fragile, she’s pitiful enough as it is.” “All she wanted was a chance to be a mother. What’s wrong with that? Why should she bear the brunt of your anger?” He pointed at me angrily. “You have to apologize to Morwenna today!” I struggled to control my trembling body. Through gritted teeth I asked: “Then what did I do wrong?” “What exactly did I do wrong?” Kael stared at my reddened eyes, taken aback for a moment. “Never mind, Kael. Even though I almost fell to my death…” “I don’t blame Sis, and I don’t need her to apologize.” “You two are still getting married in the future. I don’t want you to fight because of me.” Morwenna cried pitifully. Kael sighed, looking at her with tender affection. “Morwenna, sometimes your kindness breaks my heart.” He turned to me with cold eyes. “At the end of the day, you’re just jealous of Morwenna. You can’t stand to see her doing better than you.” “I’ll let it slide this time since Morwenna spoke up for you. But if you dare hurt her again, I won’t go easy on you.” He picked Morwenna up in his arms. Before leaving, he looked at me with disappointment and said: “You don’t measure up to your sister at all.” Only I remained in the silent living room. I stared blankly at the withered leaves drifting outside the window. Finally unable to hold back, I crouched down and sobbed into my hands. One last time… This was the last time I would cry over Kael. That afternoon, Kael posted on Instagram. It was a 9-photo collage. The photos showed different corners of a house. The caption read: “Every room, every piece of furniture, every decoration here was carefully chosen by me. I just want to give my baby a warm and comfortable home.” Many people offered congratulations in the comments. “Congrats to Mr. Brown on becoming a father so soon!” “So you and Echo are having a shotgun wedding! Congratulations!” “The bride is so lucky to have such a good husband in Kael. So envious!” “I wouldn’t miss your wedding in three months for a billion-dollar deal.” Just as the comment section was buzzing with well-wishes, Morwenna suddenly chimed in: “Please don’t misunderstand, everyone. This isn’t Kael’s marital home, it’s my house.” The comments section instantly fell into awkward silence. I was the first to break it, posting: “Three’s a crowd. I’m out. Wishing you two happiness.” With that, I couldn’t be bothered to see what else they might say. I directly deleted Kael and Morwenna from my friends list. Within minutes, Kael called me. “Echo Young, have you had enough of this tantrum?” I calmly replied: “I’m not throwing a tantrum.” Kael fumed. “That comment you left on my Instagram was clearly trying to smear dirt on Morwenna.” “Do you have to paint her as the other woman to be satisfied?” “If you keep slandering her, we can just call off the wedding!” I listened to his cold, heartless accusations, my heart as still as dead water, unmoved. “Kael Brown, what makes you think I’d still want someone’s sloppy seconds?” I hung up the phone. Perhaps the words “sloppy seconds” stung him. He called me countless times after that. When the calls wouldn’t go through, he bombarded me with messages. I ignored them all. In ten days I would be marrying Griffin. These people would all become part of my past. I had hoped to spend the remaining days coexisting peacefully with them, but I never expected Morwenna to knock over my father’s urn. The ashes scattered on the floor. Not only did she show no remorse, she even let her pet cat urinate on them. Then she looked at me with glee. “Sis, look! The ashes can even be used as kitty litter for my cat!” In that moment, the grief and rage I had been suppressing exploded. I snatched up the baseball bat by the door and swung it viciously at Morwenna. She took one hit and ran away screaming, her face pale. “Echo Young! You’ve really gone too far! How dare you hit your sister!” Mom’s appearance made Morwenna feel like she’d found a savior. She hid behind Mom, trembling. Sobbing, she said: “Mom, I’m scared. Sis tried to kill me!” Mom shielded Morwenna like a mother hen protecting her chick. She berated me harshly: “I’ve let your bullying of your sister slide before, treating it as harmless squabbling. But this time you’ve gone too far.” She was my mother, yet she always stood against me, defending an adopted daughter with no blood relation to her. Nothing could be more heartbreaking than this. I stared at Mom through tear-filled eyes. “She knocked over Dad’s urn!” “That was Dad! My Dad! Why? Why!” Why did they have to destroy the last memento Dad left me, even though I had already been so tolerant? Why didn’t my own mother love me? Morwenna quickly knelt down to explain. “Mom, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry Mom… If Sis won’t forgive me, then I’d rather die!” Morwenna cried heartbrokenly. “Morwenna, don’t you dare-” SLAP! Before I could finish, Mom’s hand struck my face. “Enough!” “It’s just ashes! The person is already dead, are ashes more important than the living?” “If you bully Morwenna again, you can get out of this house.” That slap knocked away the last shred of attachment I had for her. This was for the best. I could leave without any lingering sentiments. I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth without sparing another glance at Mom, who stood there stunned. Then I turned and went upstairs. Since Mom thought I was an eyesore, and Morwenna had taken over my room, Rather than stay in this house that no longer had a place for me, I might as well move out. I packed a few clothes quickly. I didn’t take anything else – not the things Mom had given me, nor the expensive gifts from Kael. I didn’t even bring the photos I’d taken with them before. I burned them all. I wasn’t one to dwell on the past. Since I was leaving, I would leave cleanly. As I dragged my suitcase downstairs, Mom was applying medicine to Morwenna’s bruises. She glanced at me coldly. “Just because I scolded you a bit, you’re running away from home? How petty.” “Fine, go stay somewhere else. It’ll give this house some peace and quiet.” “Come back on your wedding day with Kael!” I said nothing, taking one last look at Mom. I wouldn’t tell her I had changed my groom. Nor would I tell her my wedding was in just ten days. Because she was no longer someone I could be close to. And I didn’t want her, or Morwenna and Kael, to show up and ruin my wedding. I called a car on my phone. While waiting, Kael pulled up in his car. “Echo Young, what are you doing with that suitcase?” “Moving out.” Kael frowned. “What for? I already gave that house to Morwenna. Don’t make trouble for her for no reason.” “I’m looking for a new place. Wait until I find one, then you can move.” I said nothing, walking past his car expressionlessly. Kael abruptly grabbed my arm. “Echo, do you have to make things so unpleasant between us? Can’t we be happy like before?” “You cheated on me with my adopted sister, yet you have the gall to hope we can be happy together? Where do you get the nerve?” “Why do you keep harping on about that? I’ve explained it to you countless times. Why are you still being so petty about it? Can’t you be more understanding like Morwenna?” Seeing him blame all the wrongdoing on me, criticizing and belittling me with such a self-righteous look on his face, I witnessed the epitome of shamelessness incarnate. “Since you find Morwenna so understanding, why don’t you just marry her then.” Kael didn’t believe a word I said. After all, everyone knew how much I loved him. They all thought I would never let him go. They certainly wouldn’t believe I would choose to leave when the wedding was so close. Including Kael himself. So he said dismissively: “Fine, you said it yourself. Don’t come crying back to me later when you regret it.” “Kael, you came to see me?” Morwenna’s voice interrupted our conversation as she came out. “Aunt said you had a scare earlier. What happened?” Morwenna pretended to be afraid, glancing at me before nestling into Kael’s arms. “Sis went crazy today, chasing after me with a baseball bat…” Kael’s brows furrowed. He was about to scold me when Morwenna tugged on his sleeve. “Kael, don’t yell at Sis. I don’t blame her anymore. It’s my fault, really. If Mom hadn’t adopted me, I wouldn’t be here bothering her.” “How could it be your fault? She’s the one who’s petty and can’t tolerate others. She’s the one in the wrong.” Kael put his hand on Morwenna’s shoulder in an intimate gesture. “Echo Young, I can overlook you hitting someone this time for Morwenna’s sake. But you must kneel down and apologize to her.” Their shameless act made me laugh in anger. “Apologize to her? Keep dreaming!” My ride had just arrived. I slammed the car door and left without a backward glance. Living in a hotel for the next few days, away from those toxic people and situations, I felt very at ease. But then Mom sent me a text message. “Echo, it’s my birthday today. Come home for a bit. I wasn’t going to let you come, but Morwenna begged me to invite you. Remember to thank her when you see her.” Of course I hadn’t forgotten her birthday. But I would no longer be like before, starting preparations a week in advance to organize the venue and gifts, determined to give her a pleasant birthday celebration. Of course, I wouldn’t be going back either. That place was no longer my home, and she was no longer my mother. Around noon, I was enjoying a nice meal. Probably because she hadn’t seen me show up, Mom impatiently sent another text: “Why aren’t you here yet? Even Kael has arrived. What kind of daughter are you, not showing up for your mother’s birthday?” “I’m not blaming you for not preparing a birthday party for me this year. Are you still upset about that slap?” “Can’t you learn to be kind and forgiving like Morwenna?” I read it with a cold laugh. What kind of birth mother would say such things? It was ruining my appetite. I promptly blocked her number. My phone had barely been quiet for a moment when Kael called. “Where are you? Stop being difficult and hurry over. Otherwise people will think your mom and Morwenna did something to make you skip your own mother’s birthday party.” I replied flatly: “We’ve broken up. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to go.” He caught my implied meaning and laughed. “Come on! That thing with your adopted sister was just a joke! How could you take it seriously? You’re the only one I like.” “Whether you like me or not doesn’t matter to me anymore.” “Echo Young, who do you think you are?” Kael snatched the phone from his friend and spoke coldly. “Break up if you want. You’ll be the one regretting it.” I listened expressionlessly, about to hang up. Suddenly his tone softened. “Echo, how can you be so heartless? Leaving just like that, breaking up just like that…” If this had happened before, I definitely would have softened when he spoke to me gently like this. No matter how badly he treated me, I would have easily forgiven him. But now, I was revoking that privilege. So I hung up the phone indifferently and deleted the contact information for all his friends. From now on, we would go our separate ways, never to meet again. Griffin, Sophie and I chatted for a while longer outside the bar. Sophie wanted to take a cab home by herself. She said she didn’t want to be a third wheel. But she had been drinking, and it was so late. How could I let her go alone? So we drove her home first. After she left, only Griffin and I remained in the car. The enclosed space and ambiguous atmosphere Made the temperature rise steadily. My head, already fuzzy from drinking, felt even dizzier. He inched closer to me bit by bit. I bit my lip shyly, not knowing what to do.

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When I died, I watched my husband kneel beside my hospital bed—not out of grief for me, but whispering another woman’s name. Only then did I understand: I was never the one he loved. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to my teenage years. This time, before I could say a word, he brushed past me with a cold glance and went straight to the girl he had always chosen. I let him go. I didn’t chase. From that moment on, our fates unraveled into two separate lines. Ten years later, we met again at a luxury charity auction in Ocean City. He arrived in a tailored suit, confidence radiating off him— and she stood by his side like a crown he had finally earned. When he saw me step into the hall by accident, he paused, then said quietly, almost impatiently: “Don’t cling to the past. Even if you wait another decade, I still won’t choose you.” I didn’t respond. I simply walked across the room and picked up my son, who was happily chewing on a macaron. The moment he saw the child’s face, his expression shattered. His hand shot out, gripping mine tremulously. “Why are you doing this?” he demanded, voice hoarse. “Didn’t you say you’d love me for a lifetime?”

I never imagined I would encounter Silas again in this lifetime. At the elite gathering in Ocean City, he stood among the crowd with Daphne, exuding charm and sophistication, showing no trace of his former youthful awkwardness. People around him were all smiles, speaking in flattering tones. “Young Master Silas is truly promising, securing a major project at such a young age!” “Is this your beloved? You both make such a striking couple.” Daphne gazed at Silas with deep affection and said softly. “We’re planning to get married by the end of the year. If you have the time, we’d love for you to join us.” There was another round of congratulations, and someone asked. “I heard you’ve been together for ten years. Why wait until now to get married?” This was something I was curious about too. In the previous life, Silas loved Daphne so much he was willing to die for her. After being given a second chance, he immediately broke up with me. I assumed they would marry right after graduation, but they haven’t even registered yet. Upon hearing this, Silas’s face momentarily stiffened, but he quickly masked it with a smile. “You need a career before family. I want to give Daphne the best life possible.” He looked at Daphne, his eyes filled with tenderness nearly overflowing. In the past, when we were together, I asked him many times when we could get married. It wasn’t until his family pressured him that Silas reluctantly agreed to be with me. It turns out, the difference between love and lack of it can be so obvious. I was about to turn and leave when I noticed a small figure and instinctively followed. “Oops!” Champagne spilled everywhere, and the waiter holding a tray looked at me with discontent. “Where did you come from? Are you blind?” His voice was loud, drawing attention from those around us. Seeing my face, Silas was stunned. “Serena, why are you here?” I lowered my head to apologize to the waiter and explained. “I’m here looking for someone.” Someone curiously asked Silas. “Do you know her, Young Master Silas?” Silas tightened his grip on his wine glass, his gaze darkening. “Yeah, just an ex-girlfriend.” Someone nearby blurted out, “You’ve been together for ten years; I thought you were each other’s first love.” The smile on Daphne’s face faded slightly as she held Silas’s hand and said nonchalantly. “We were young back then, separated for a bit during a fight. Who hasn’t taken a wrong turn in their youth?” Silas said nothing, his gaze brushing past me to the waiter. “Charge the damage to my account and let her go.” He stood there, expression calm, not sparing me an extra glance aside from the initial encounter. It seemed he was eager to draw a clear line between us in front of Daphne. The waiter quickly ushered me out. “Young Master Silas is being kind, cleaning up your mess, but there won’t be a next time.” He glanced disdainfully at my wrinkled pajamas. “This isn’t a place for you. Hurry up and leave.” I broke free from his grip and explained politely. “I’m here to find someone. Once I do, I’ll leave on my own.” The waiter sneered, rolling his eyes. “I’ve seen plenty like you trying to climb up. Do you even have the qualifications to be here? If you keep lingering, I’ll call security!” “Wait.” Silas’s voice came from behind him. He sighed as he looked at me, helplessly. “She’s here to find me. Let me talk to her.” Daphne, standing beside him, asserted her dominance by wrapping her arms around his shoulder. “Serena, Silas and I are about to get married. Anyone with a bit of self-respect wouldn’t come looking for an ex at this point.” Silas’s face darkened slightly, and he couldn’t help but advise me. “Stop holding onto the past. Even if you wait for me for another ten years, I won’t love you.” “When I was with you, it was a mistake. Now that I have the chance to correct it, I hope you can let go of the past soon.” Daphne looked me up and down, a mocking glint in her eyes. “I understand why you would seek out Silas. After all, he’s a renowned entrepreneur now, and there’s no shortage of people trying to cozy up to him.” Perhaps my wrinkled pajamas gave her confidence, Daphne added arrogantly. “You’re a prestigious university graduate, yet you’ve ended up like this? If I were you, I wouldn’t even show my face!” Silas frowned, pulling out his phone, his tone growing impatient. “If you feel like you were wronged by our breakup, I can compensate you now.” “Is five hundred thousand enough?” His fingers moved over the screen, then suddenly froze. “You deleted me from your contacts?”

I was puzzled, not understanding why he reacted so strongly. Isn’t it normal to delete an ex’s contact after a breakup? Besides, I have someone at home who’s particularly jealous. If he knew I still had my ex’s contact, he’d probably make a fuss. “Didn’t you say you hoped I wouldn’t come looking for you after our breakup?” Silas’s face turned cold, as if he wanted to say something but held back. I spoke calmly, adding. “I don’t need the breakup compensation.” After facing setback after setback, Silas’s face darkened further, and he spoke coldly. “What are you pretending for? If it weren’t for your current misfortune, I wouldn’t even bother talking to you.” Daphne quickly soothed him with a gentle voice. “Well, she is a prestigious university graduate. Given her current miserable state, let’s just consider helping her.” “Oh Daphne, you’re still so kind. Why bother with a woman like her? Look at her pathetic state, just get lost.” His tone was disdainful, as if forgetting that ten years ago, he was in a worse state than I was. In the previous life, Silas’s family didn’t agree with their son being with Daphne because she was a dubious woman who liked shortcuts. The first time I saw Silas in college, he had just picked Daphne up from a club, forced by his family to break up. During Silas’s most depressed times, I stayed by his side, helping him through. He loved photography, so I used the money I planned to start a business to buy him expensive equipment. Through freezing winters and scorching summers, I, with my frail frame, carried dozens of pounds of gear following him, just hoping to see him smile sincerely. Who would’ve thought it was Silas who confessed to me first? I knew about his past with Daphne and had seen him occasionally stare at their photos in a daze. So when Silas confessed, I seriously asked him. Have you truly moved on from Daphne? At that time, he held me tightly, his tone firm. “Actually, I never loved her. I just saw her as a good friend. It’s you I love, Serena; let’s be together.” We dated for seven years, even his friends were surprised. “He liked Daphne so much, I thought you two wouldn’t last.” But no one knew, Silas repeatedly refused to answer my prompts about marriage. “Serena, I’m against marriage. Can’t we just be like this forever?” Until later, when Silas’s parents pressured him about marriage, he agreed to marry. During our honeymoon, after hearing about Daphne’s car accident, he jumped off the cruise ship, leaving only a note. The moment I slipped into critical condition, he rushed into the hospital room— not because of me, but because he had just heard that she was gone. Standing at my bedside, he didn’t even look at my pale face. His trembling hand clutched the edge of my blanket as he whispered, “Daphne… Daphne… why did you leave me…” Not my name. Not once. His voice broke, overflowing with grief that had nothing to do with me. And as I lay there, fading in and out of consciousness, the last of my love for him quietly burned out, turning to ash in my chest. So, after being given a second chance, when Silas wanted to break up, I didn’t stop him. Because I knew, I couldn’t stop it. Watching them get back together, I deleted all of Silas’s contact information, thinking there’d be no chance to meet again in this life. But I didn’t expect to encounter them here. I wanted to leave, but Daphne wouldn’t let it go, insisting on humiliating me in front of everyone. “Do you even deserve to speak to me? Look at how you’re dressed, it’s embarrassing!” “Here’s the deal, I’ll introduce you to work as a waiter here. If you learn to serve people, you can earn a five-figure salary a month.” Someone trying to curry favor with her added with a grin. “This is a hotel in the prime location of Ocean City. Working here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you. You should thank Miss Daphne.” Surrounded by people, I couldn’t leave, so I replied helplessly. “Thank you, but I already have a job.” “As a photographer.” I wanted to leave, but Daphne was relentless, determined to humiliate me in front of everyone. “Do you think you’re even worthy of talking to me? Look at what you’re wearing—it’s such an embarrassment!” “Here’s an idea: I can get you a job here as a waiter. If you learn to serve people, you could earn a five-figure salary.” Someone nearby, eager to curry favor with her, chimed in with a smile. “This hotel is in a prime Ocean City location. Working here is a rare opportunity for you. You should thank Miss Daphne.” Surrounded and unable to move, I reluctantly replied, “Thank you, but I already have a job.” “Photography.” As soon as I mentioned photography, Silas glanced at me with a complex expression, his lips twitching slightly. He averted his gaze, his tone indifferent. “How much can you really earn from photography? Hobbies don’t pay the bills. Since we’re all acquaintances, I can set you up with a job.” I was taken aback, then realized he misunderstood me.

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“She’s selling herself.” My adoptive sister, Seraphina Hayes, publicly ripped open my clothes, revealing my body covered in hickeys. “I saw her with my own eyes, on her knees, serving men in a nightclub.” My adoptive brother, Julian Sterling, choked me, roaring, “You disgraceful slut!” Three days later, he personally escorted me into a correctional center. The moment the iron gate slammed shut, he pinched my chin and said, “Remember, even if you’re completely ruined, I’ll make you clean again.” A year later, Julian came to pick me up. With red-rimmed eyes, he opened his arms wide: “Cassie, come home with me.” I smiled and told him: “I’ve been doing great in there, I’ve learned so many rules!” Oh yes, especially the rules of “serving” men… Julian nodded with satisfaction, intending to pull me into his embrace. I took a step back. He immediately frowned: “Cassie, why are you avoiding me? Were you mistreated in there?” He forcefully pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. “It’s okay now, it’s all over. I will take you home right away.” His scent felt foreign and disgusted me. Then, he stroked my back to comfort me, but through the thin uniform, his hand brushed against a scar. His hand suddenly froze on my back, his voice filled with shock and uncertainty. “What is this?” My body stiffened at his touch. I recalled the image of several female instructors pressing me onto the cold concrete floor, savagely whipping my back with a spiked cane. Their curses still echoed in my ears, “That’s what you get for being disobedient. That’s what you get for talking back. That’s what you get for refusing to sing the repentance song.” The raw, bloody pain seemed to seep out from the depths of that scar once more. I pulled myself out of that dark memory, and in his arms, I suddenly let out a soft laugh. “Julian, this is a ‘medal’ the instructors left me. Pretty, isn’t it?” Julian’s body completely stiffened. I could feel the muscles in the back of his neck instantly tense. “Besides, the instructors’ bodies were much better than yours. Their abs were hard, not soft like yours, Julian.” “Do you have any idea what you’re saying?” He pushed me away abruptly, his eyes bloodshot, grabbing my shoulders and roaring. Faced with his roar, my shoulders involuntarily tensed. That was the conditioned reflex left from every time the bell rang before an electroshock at the correctional center. But after just a second, I immediately lifted my head and gave him a bright, yet eerie smile. That smile choked back all his ready anger, leaving only shock and disbelief in his eyes. He tried to use his old commanding tone to suppress me, to regain control. “What kind of nonsense are you spouting?” I blinked innocently, the smile fading from my face, my tone returning to its former obedience and meekness. “Wait for me, I’ll go pack my things first.” Finally, I carried a few worn-out clothes and got into the car with Julian. In the car, he began to warn me again: “When we get home, you need to be obedient, okay?” “Okay.” I agreed with my mouth, but in my heart, I thought, Axel always said, true rules are always made by oneself.

Back at the mansion, my adoptive sister, Seraphina, greeted me with feigned delight. She ran up to me intimately, linking her arm through mine, her eyes full of apparent concern. “Cassie, you’re finally back. I missed you so much.” Her act was flawless, as if she wasn’t the one who had cried to Julian about me “earning money by escorting men and ruining the family’s reputation.” She pulled out a gift box from behind her back and opened it in front of me. Inside was a black slip dress with barely any fabric and a bottle of champagne. She smiled, her voice sweet yet malicious: “Cassie, from now on, if you want to wear or drink something, just tell Julian directly. Please, don’t go to places like that to degrade yourself again.” Even more sickeningly, as she spoke, she actually reached out to unbutton the gray uniform I was wearing. She said with disgust, “Hurry and take off this filthy outfit, it looks dirty. Cassie, let me help you change into this new dress.” Her sharp nails deliberately grazed a shallow scar on my collarbone. Underneath that uniform, my body was covered in scars, some deep, some shallow. Just as Seraphina’s hand was about to touch the second button. I clamped down on her wrist, using a self-defense technique I’d learned in there, twisting it outwards. “Ah—.” Seraphina let out a piercing cry of pain, her face pale. She stared at me in shock, her eyes filled with the horror of “how dare you,” utterly unable to believe that the pushover she used to bully would possess such startling strength and reaction. I stepped back, flung her hand away, and created distance between us. It was then that Julian spoke, his voice carrying clear displeasure and favoritism. “Seraphina was only trying to help you, Cassie. Be good, go change your clothes now.” He paused, his gaze falling on my uniform, and added a sentence. “Don’t bring your dirt from outside into our home.” Those words, “your dirt,” pierced my heart. My mind immediately replayed the scene at the correctional center, where several female instructors held my head down, forcing me to scrub toilets full of filth and vomit with a toothbrush. They hosed down my body while laughing wildly. “Clean up. Wash all that depraved filth out of your bones.” That revealing slip dress, Julian’s cold words, instantly triggered my most humiliating memories. Flashes of being tied tightly to a chair because I refused to admit to those baseless “mistakes” crossed my mind. Icy electrodes clamped onto my temples, powerful currents coursing through my body, the agonizing pain making me almost bite through my molars, convulsing uncontrollably. And Julian’s assistant would appear at the visitation window every month. He would ask me the same question, expressionless: “Miss Sterling, have you admitted your wrongs? As soon as you do, Mr. Sterling will take you out immediately.” Just as I was punished with three days without food, my stomach cramping from hunger, cowering in a corner, almost fainting. A man in an instructor’s uniform, during his patrol, found a blind spot in the surveillance and tossed me a piece of bread from his pocket. His voice was cold, yet it was the only decent words I heard in that hell. “Eat it, don’t let anyone see.” “Cassie, why aren’t you happy? Don’t you like the dress I gave you?” Seeing my prolonged silence, Seraphina rubbed her reddened wrist and provocatively waved the dress at me, trying to irritate me. I didn’t break down or yell in anger as she expected. I simply, slowly, picked up that expensive bottle of champagne from beside the gift box she had offered. I forced a smile at her hypocritical face, then slowly raised it.

I didn’t splash the champagne on Seraphina. I bypassed her and walked over to Julian. Under Seraphina and Julian’s stunned gazes, I poured the champagne over his head. “Oh, Miss Cassie, what are you doing?” Mrs. Jenkins, the housekeeper, seeing this, was startled and rushed forward to stop me, her voice full of anxiety. “Cassie, don’t do this, talk it out with your brother…” Before she could finish, Julian, in a fit of rage, pushed her away. “Get out. You have no business speaking here,” he roared at Mrs. Jenkins. Mrs. Jenkins stumbled back a few steps, nearly falling to the ground. I stepped forward and steadied her firmly. “She watched us grow up. How dare you push her?” In my eyes, there was only coldness and detachment. The champagne dripped down his cheeks, wetting his shirt, making him look utterly disheveled. But I smiled and asked him, “Julian, do you like this smell too?” “It smells exactly like that rotten stench of ‘doing it for my own good’ you had a year ago when you sent me away.” Julian exploded in rage, grabbing my wrist. “Cassie. Are you out of your damn mind? Apologize to Seraphina now.” Seraphina also seized the opportunity, screaming and pouncing on me, raising her hand, ready to slap me. “Cassie, you lunatic! How dare you treat Julian like this?” I easily sidestepped her slap, grabbing her wrist in return. The force I used was so great that she cried out in pain. This was what Axel taught me. He said, when faced with any form of attack, your first reaction should be to subdue the opponent, not to cry and beg for mercy. Julian stared at me in shock, seemingly unable to believe I had such fighting skills. I flung Seraphina away, making her grimace in pain, then turned to him with a cold smirk. “Apologize? The first rule I learned in there was: anyone who makes my life hell, I’ll drag their name through the mud.” “Julian, isn’t that what you care about most?” After saying that, I didn’t spare them another glance and turned to walk toward the mansion’s front door. Julian came to his senses, roaring as he chased after me, grabbing my arm at the door. He furiously suppressed his anger. “Cassie, do you think you can survive walking out that door?” “I swear, with just one word, I can make sure you won’t even find a dishwashing job across the entire city.” His threat struck me as utterly laughable. My mind flashed back to the correctional center, fighting tooth and nail with two women much larger than me for half a piece of moldy bread, ending up with a bloodied head. A dishwashing job? That would be paradise to me. I forcefully shook off his hand, turned around, and facing his face distorted by rage, I deliberately ran my tongue suggestively over my chapped lips. “Family? Julian, the instructors also said that family doesn’t push you into hell with their own hands.” I winked at him, my smile both sweet and malicious. “He even said he’d be my family.” 4. The next morning, Julian surprisingly lowered his guard. He placed the latest model of a smartphone and a black card in front of me. His tone was still stiff, but carried a clumsy attempt to appease me: “Yesterday, I was too impulsive. Take these. Don’t ever let me lose track of you again.” He tried to use material possessions to erase the deep, bone-deep chasm he had carved with his own hands. Seeing me smile and obediently take the phone and black card, his expression relaxed slightly. He thought everything was water under the bridge. However, before the curve of his lips could fully form. The first thing I did after turning on the phone, right in front of him, was to type “Ironclad Boxing Club, West End” into the search bar. As the search results popped up, I silently memorized the address. Seraphina, in her pajamas, rushed downstairs crying, her hair disheveled, looking utterly pitiful. She threw herself beside Julian, pointing at me, her voice choked and full of grievance. “Julian. Cassie… she not only ruined the new dress I gave her with scissors, but she also stole the Patek Philippe watch I had in my drawer, the one I planned to give you for your birthday.” Julian’s recently softened face turned ashen again. Without a word, he stormed into my room. He frantically searched through my things, throwing all the clothes from the wardrobe onto the floor, making the bed a complete mess. When he found the watch under my pillow, he trembled with rage. He had seen that watch at an auction a few months ago and only casually mentioned he liked it. He looked at me with utter disappointment, the last warmth in his eyes completely extinguished. “Cassie, I thought you would at least change. I thought you were just misguided.” His voice was filled with anger. “Are you inherently so twisted? Do you enjoy being a thief?” “Enjoy stealing things from your own home?” I laughed. At that moment, the thread of kinship in my heart snapped completely. “Yes.” I looked at his face, flushed with anger, and nodded, still smiling. “Not only do I enjoy stealing things, but I also enjoy stealing people.” I watched his stunned expression, then pulled out an old burner phone from my pocket. I calmly pressed the play button. “Julian, want to see the evidence?” From the phone, Seraphina’s smug and malicious voice clearly played. It was late one night. She thought I was asleep and secretly called her friend to brag. “…Yeah, that idiot really got sent in… Julian doesn’t believe her at all, he only believes me…” “…I just want to ruin her reputation so she can never recover. Stealing things is nothing, next time I’ll put a man in her bed and record it. Let’s see how she can even face living in this world after that…” The recording finished. Seraphina’s face turned deathly pale, and she trembled all over. She pounced, hugging Julian’s legs, and began to frantically defend herself. “Julian. No, it’s not true. She forced me. Cassie forced me to say that.” She pointed at me, screaming hysterically: “She somehow got photos of your business gatherings, and she threatened me with those photos. She said if I didn’t record that message as she demanded, she would send all your photos to the media and ruin your reputation and the entire Sterling Group. Julian. I was just trying to protect you!” Hearing Seraphina’s convoluted explanation, Julian actually wavered. He looked at me, seemingly still hoping I could give him an explanation. I met his pathetic gaze, but my mind clearly flashed back to that afternoon a year ago. He sat in the chair, his cold, resolute profile as he personally signed his name on that “Consent Form for Behavioral Correction.” I smiled mockingly. That smile completely shattered the last trace of his unrealistic fantasy. Julian looked at the watch in his hand, then at Seraphina kneeling on the floor, and finally at me. His worldview, at that moment, utterly collapsed. I knelt on the marble floor before him. I bowed my head deeply to him. “Julian, the electroshocks, physical abuse, starvation, and humiliation of this past year – consider them my repayment for all the years the Sterling family raised me.” “From today on, our sibling bond is broken. From now on, we are strangers, dead to each other, with no further connection.” With that, I stood up from the floor and walked out the door without looking back.

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My father hired Ivy League twins to be assistants for me and my sister, Blair. The younger twin, Leo, was everything. He was brilliant and a star athlete. He fell for the perfect Blair on sight. And me? I was 220-pound Riley Sterling. I got Alex, the older twin, the one who had lost an arm in an accident. Alex, to his credit, was always kind. He never made me feel ashamed of my body. In the end, Blair got the family empire. I thought I got love. But I was wrong. When the building collapsed, Alex ran past me. He used his one arm to shield Blair. “I’m sorry, Riley. I have to save Blair.” It turned out Alex had always loved Blair. I was buried beneath the rubble. Then I opened my eyes. I was back. Back to the day it all began. I stood frozen, trapped in the familiar scene. Then Blair’s voice echoed from my past life. “Let Alex be my assistant. Riley’s so quiet. She needs someone more outgoing like Leo.” But Leo, the Harvard football star, wanted no part of it. He only had eyes for Blair, the cheer captain. She was repeating her lines from our past life, word for word. Back then, I believed she genuinely cared. Now I recognized her manipulation. In my past life, when the building crumbled, both men rushed towards Blair, leaving me buried in the rubble. Blair, pretending to be concerned, declared she wouldn’t leave without me, even as she willingly let them whisk her to safety. Leo had already gotten her to the doorway, but she feigned fainting. This prompted Alex to recklessly push himself out of his wheelchair, throwing caution to the wind. And just like that, I was crushed beneath the debris, dead. After that, Blair not only solidified her position as heir, but also had two handsome, capable men managing the company for her. This time, I didn’t refuse Blair. “Fine, then I choose Leo!” With that, I looped my arm through his before anyone could object, ignoring the way he stiffened at my touch. Blair’s smile wavered, a flicker of unease in her eyes. “Riley, are you sure?” “Absolutely!” I affirmed. Just then, my stepmom chimed in. “Blair, Alex is far more gentle and considerate. He’d suit you better.” I glanced at Alex, leaning on his cane. A cold smirk played on my lips. My stepmom would use any excuse to favor Blair. “Besides,” my stepmother added, “Blair is the cheer captain. She and Leo simply…match.” Just then, Alex rolled up his sleeve. Light glinted off the polished surface of his mechanical arm as he stared directly at her. “Mrs. Sterling, I’ve actually had the most advanced prosthetic arm installed. I’ve also joined the football team.” My attention had been so fixed on Leo that I’d completely overlooked Alex. Unlike my previous life, he now had a mechanical arm! He wasn’t slender anymore. His chest muscles now strained against his shirt fabric. It hit me then. Alex had been reborn too. In our last life, he never married Blair, so this time, he’d prepared. He got a mechanical arm and sculpted himself into a formidable athlete! I scoffed, a bitter curve to my lips. In my past life, I’d sacrificed everything to boost his self-esteem, refusing parties and spending my youth in his lab, working on research projects. I’d freely given him all my findings. All so he wouldn’t feel inferior to Leo. I even turned down proposals from many incredible men before marrying him. Yet, even after all that, even after he was reborn, he still chose Blair. My stepmom pressed Alex. “Are you truly willing to protect Blair for life?” Alex’s voice was firm. “I am.” A flicker of approval crossed my stepmother’s face. Blair, too, seemed moved by Alex’s quiet determination. Sure, Leo was the kind of athlete every girl dreamed of. But with that new arm, Alex looked undeniably compelling. My stepmom nodded. “Alright, then Leo will be Riley’s assistant.” But Leo quickly jumped in. “No! Riley and I would be a terrible match!”

My stepmom’s face hardened. There was no way she didn’t see through Leo’s intentions. But she remained silent, deep in thought. Leo pleaded with her. “Mrs. Sterling, I’d rather work as a regular employee at a branch office.” My stepmom looked down at him. “Are you really so unwilling to be Riley’s assistant?” “Yes.” Blair pressed him further. “Leo, why are you so disgusted by Riley?” Leo shot her a quick glance, his voice tinged with youthful frustration. “Blair, don’t you know why I’m doing this?!” Blair’s expression softened with feigned concern. “How can I let you go to a branch office?” I quietly watched the twin brothers openly declare their devotion to Blair, then spoke up. “Blair, why don’t you just have both of them as your assistants?” Blair looked at Leo with a hint of greed. From their looks, their physique, to their intelligence, both brothers were undeniably impressive. “This… I don’t know.” My stepmom turned to me. “You know they’re meant to support you two. Are you really not going to choose either?” “No, I’m not choosing.” My stepmom raised an eyebrow. “Don’t be impulsive. You might regret it.” “I won’t regret it.” My answer was so quick and definite that everyone in the room turned to stare at me, especially Alex. From the moment I spoke, his gaze hadn’t left me. His brows were tightly furrowed, as if trying to understand the drastic change in me. My stepmom asked, “Didn’t you say you wanted to travel to Iceland? Don’t you need Alex to help you with translations?” I slowly shook my head. “I’m not going on a trip. I’m going to the gym.” Last time, I believed my parents loved me, and Blair looked out for me. I thought the inheritance rightly belonged to the more capable Blair. So I devoted myself to our home, making Alex the center of my world. This time, I wouldn’t make that mistake. First, I designed a rigorous fitness plan for myself. In my past life, Alex always said I was beautiful to him, no matter my weight. But even after we married, we never truly shared intimacy. I thought he was just naturally reserved, but in reality, he secretly found me repulsive. After setting up my fitness plan, I called Grandpa Sterling. The true controlling shareholder of our family’s corporation was Grandpa. Though elderly, his business acumen far surpassed my parents’. My parents worried Blair and I lacked the ability to manage the company, which was why they selected these excellent assistants for us. In my past life, after Grandpa died, Blair seized control of our family business. Eventually, even my living expenses and Alex’s required Blair’s signature before the butler would release them. But back then, my insecurity made me believe it was only right for her to manage the family business. When I found Grandpa and expressed my desire to learn corporate management, he hugged me, tears in his eyes. “Riley, I always knew you were smart, but who knew… ” “Never mind, let’s forget the past. From now on, you’ll work hard with me.” “Yes, Grandpa.” Grandpa suggested I start as a manager, but I declined. I chose an entry-level position, starting from the ground up. Blair was busy preparing for a university talent show, with those handsome twin brothers constantly hovering around her. Meanwhile, I closed my first project. I was promoted from a regular employee to a team leader. Grandpa was overjoyed, praising me to everyone he met. One evening after work, Blair was waiting for me at the building entrance, blocking my way. “Working for the company behind my back, Riley?”she said, her voice sharp.”You told me you weren’t interested in inheriting the Sterling Group. When did you become so deceitful? But don’t even think about it. Our family would never allow a fat, clumsy woman to become the heir!” I hadn’t expected Blair to resort to body shaming.

I lowered my gaze, not wanting to engage with her. But she sidestepped, blocking my way again. “Riley, someone like you should just stay home and be pampered. Why bother going out and embarrassing our family?” I met her eyes. “Why I’m this heavy, have you forgotten?” She froze, staring at me in shock. When I was little, Grandpa adored me the most. He’d tell anyone who’d listen how smart and level-headed I was, always saying the Sterling Holdings would be mine one day. But one day, Blair claimed she heard a kitten crying in an old, abandoned well near the property line. She begged me to go with her to rescue it. While trying to save the kitten, I fell in. Blair promised to find help, but she never came. My leg was broken in the well, and I screamed for help, covered in crawling insects. It wasn’t until the next day that she finally returned with our parents to pull me out. Blair said she’d gotten lost, which was why she was so late. But the incident gave me severe PTSD. I woke up struggling to breathe every night. The trauma caused a hormone imbalance, and the medication made me gain weight. “I told you,” Blair stammered, her voice trembling, “I was lost that day! That’s why it took me so long to find you! I was scared too! How can you blame me for that?” Watching her grow pale, Alex frowned, his voice softening with concern. “Riley, what happened when we were kids was a long time ago. You can’t hold a grudge forever.” At that moment, Blair tightly grasped his hand, gently telling Alex, “It’s okay. What can I do? I’m Riley’s older sister. I won’t hold it against her.” Then, Blair feigned distress again and turned to me. “If you’re only trying to claim the inheritance because of what happened back then, I’ll just give it to you.” Just then, Dad returned. “What are you all talking about?” Blair, afraid I’d reveal the truth of that day, quickly interjected. “Riley’s still upset about falling into the well back then. Dad, I don’t want our family to have any discord. Why don’t we just let her- ” Before Blair could finish, Dad cut her off. “Riley, are you still blaming Blair, and even playing dirty tricks to seize power?” My face burned with fury. I was about to explain, but Alex jumped in to defend Blair. “It’s true that Riley started the trouble. She’s been holding a grudge about what happened all these years.” I stared at Alex. I’d known him for two lifetimes, he should have known me best. But to protect Blair, he would slander me. I always thought that even if Alex didn’t love me, he’d at least be grateful for everything I’d done for him in my past life. How utterly laughable, I sneered inwardly. Slam! I slapped Alex across the face. My palm stung, bright red. Alex stared at me, stunned. My father also barked. “Riley! How dare you become so unreasonable!” Then, he turned to two bodyguards. “Take her to the basement and lock her up. She’ll stay there until she learns some manners.” I trembled, looking at my father. Since that incident in my childhood, I dreaded enclosed spaces more than anything. But the bodyguards seized my shoulders, dragging me towards the basement. As I passed Blair, I clearly saw a triumphant smirk on her face. Alex, meanwhile, avoided my gaze. That night, Blair came, with Alex in tow. As soon as she entered, she switched off all the lights. My body reacted to the terror faster than my mind could comprehend. That childhood night’s experience had deeply scarred me. My voice trembled uncontrollably. “Turn on the lights.” “Heh, so big, and you’re still scared of the dark, huh?” “You were so tough just now, weren’t you?” I instinctively reached for the bedside lamp, but Alex was faster. He swept it to the floor and kicked it under the bed. Then he snatched my phone. That suffocating feeling instantly enveloped me. I struggled to open my mouth, but no sound came out. I knew I was having another attack. I frantically fumbled in my pocket for my medication. But the next second, Blair snatched the pill bottle away. “Want your meds? I’ll give them to you.” With that, she emptied the contents of the pill bottle onto the floor. I stumbled to the floor, instinctively fumbling around. But Blair stepped on my hand. “You want your medicine? Fine. Give me the project you just secured.” I struggled to breathe, unable to speak, so I just patted the foot she had on my hand. She shone her phone’s flashlight on my face. “You agree?” I nodded. Throughout this, Alex watched me, his brows tightly furrowed. Finally, when I agreed, he he left me with one parting shot. “You shouldn’t compete with her, Riley. These things inherently belong to her.” I never said word. I had built that project from the ground up. Every detail was mine. I wanted to see if Blair could actually handle this “easy win” that she stole from me.

Blair took over my project, and I moved out of the Sterling family mansion into my small apartment. I started actively seeing a therapist. Such things would never happen to me again. I was going to slowly wean myself off the medication and conquer all my fears. Meanwhile, the project Blair had stolen from me imploded a month later. After a vengeful rant about how Blair had ruined her life, project manager Ms. Miller kidnapped her and started a dark web live stream, threatening to kill them both. I scoffed. This was Blair’s own doing. She’d spent all her energy on her appearance, a big star at school, but she knew nothing about business. But I hadn’t expected Alex to show up at my apartment. “That project was yours. You were the main lead. Only you can save her.” Alex directly stated his purpose. Bodyguards, who had been hidden in the shadows, swarmed forward, and I was bundled into a car. My mind raced. Alex, sitting beside me, calmly said, “You were reborn too, weren’t you? Withdraw from the heir competition and go live in Europe. For the sake of our past life as husband and wife, I’ll ensure you a lifetime of wealth.” I let out a bitter laugh. “You owe me so much from our past life. Why should I agree to that?” Alex replied, “If you can rescue Blair today, I’ll be at your complete disposal from now on.” Soon, we arrived at the warehouse. I negotiated with Ms. Miller, promising that the company would compensate her for all her losses, reinstate her to her original position, and resume the project. When Ms. Miller demanded a hostage, Alex didn’t hesitate to push me forward. Before leaving, Alex said, “I swear, I’ll come back for you after I take Blair home safely.” I scoffed inwardly. I no longer trusted him. Yet, his cold resolve still stung. “Alex, does nothing I go through matter to you?” He avoided my gaze. “In this life, I’m not your husband. I’m Blair’s husband.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. He took two steps, then turned back to me. “I’ll definitely come back. If anything happens to you, I’ll just pay with my life.” I didn’t look at him. Ms. Miller locked me in an enclosed room. There were no windows; the only light source was the phone streaming live. She dragged my almost-broken body in front of the camera. “It’s been a day! Why hasn’t the company done anything?!” “Do you think anyone’s watching this live? If I inflict some pain on her, will they work faster?” With that, she faced the camera and started pulling out my fingernails. In the dim room, blood slowly seeped out. My screams went from loud to soft, until I couldn’t make a sound from the pain. Just then, a comment appeared in the live chat: “Hands $10k, legs $30k, other body parts negotiable. You just want money, right? No one’s going to ransom her. Might as well make some cash.” I stared at the screen name of that comment, a cold laugh bubbling in my heart! I sank into despair. In less than three days, I was already a broken mess. On the third day, while Ms. Miller stepped out to buy more tools to torture me, I tried to use the live-streaming phone to call 911, only to find it had no SIM card. I returned to the live stream. Pleading into the screen again and again. “Alex, I know you’re watching. Please, save me.” “For all the times I saved you in our past life, save me just once.” “You said you’d definitely come back.” “Alex… ” My voice grew hoarser. Finally, I saw Alex’s reply in the public chat. Alex: “He won’t kill you now. Blair takes over as CEO tomorrow. Just get through tomorrow, and I’ll come get you.” Takes over tomorrow… “My grandpa? Alex, what have you done to Grandpa?” Alex: “Grandpa’s old. He can retire now.” After that, no matter how much I called out to Alex, he never said another word. Just then, Ms. Miller returned. She kicked me in the head. “Damn it, trying to play smart with me.” A torrent of punches rained down on my body. The chat was filled with cheers, but Alex remained silent. The next second, Ms. Miller ended the live stream. I lay on the ground, thinking of Alex’s attitude. All my emotions morphed into pure hatred. Ms. Miller quickly helped me up. “Are you hurt?” “I’m fine. You played your part perfectly!” I patted Ms. Miller’s shoulder, a smile playing on my lips. All the camera angles had been set up in advance; they wouldn’t see through the deception. I pushed the door open and paused, casting one lingering look back at the building. I wondered if Alex recognized this place. It was the same building that killed me in my past life. Now, it was the stage I had chosen for this grand performance. “Stick to the plan, Ms. Miller,” I instructed calmly. “When this is over, take the first flight to Europe. Do not return.” The moment after I walked away, a deafening roar filled the air. The building collapsed. Alex must have thought I was buried in the rubble, just like last time.

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I always thought Ethan hated my guts. That’s why, when thugs dragged me into a dark alley and assaulted me, he was the last person I’d call for help. I ended up in the hospital, my body a map of pain. A doctor looked down, his voice thick with pity. “Any last words for your family?”. “Tell Ethan I’m dying. He’s finally free.” For three years of marriage, Ethan had demanded a divorce ninety-nine times. He once even drugged me and left me in another man’s bed, all just to be rid of me. Now, with me gone, he was finally free. But at my funeral, Ethan’s eyes burned crimson. He beheaded my killers, offering their heads at my coffin. His bloodstained hands trembled, crumpling the hidden cancer diagnosis. Then he swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills and lay beside me. “Aubrey, I’m coming with you.” My eyes snapped open. Time had rewound. Ethan stood before me, thrusting the divorce papers at me for the ninety-ninth time. “She’s pregnant. She needs me to do right by her. Don’t be a roadblock. Sign it.” I snatched the papers and tore them to shreds. I grabbed him, pulling him close, my voice breaking. “You’re sick! And you didn’t tell me? You think this is noble? Suffering alone? Waiting to die?”

Ethan looked up at me, startled. A flicker of light shone in his beautiful eyes, then died just as quickly. He lit a cigarette and leaned back lazily on the sofa, a cold smirk playing on his lips. “Aubrey, have you been watching too many cheesy dramas?” He gave a dismissive laugh, deliberately blowing a cloud of smoke in my face. “I’m completely over you. This marriage is broken. Let’s end it cleanly and make room for my new girlfriend.” The thick smoke stung my nostrils, threatening to make me cough. I had to admit, Ethan knew me all too well. He knew how much I hated the smell of smoke. Using it to provoke me while discussing our divorce was a deliberate, calculated move. I pulled out the printed copy of the cancer diagnosis. Tears welling in my eyes, I thrust it toward him. “Then explain this to me.” His gaze slowly fell on the paper. His face was emotionless, giving nothing away. After a long moment, he let out a derisive snort. Then he tore it to pieces. “A fake medical report? Late-stage cancer? Aubrey, if you don’t want a divorce, just say so. There’s no need to put a curse on me.” With a flick of his wrist, he sent the confetti of paper fluttering down around us like snow. Ethan was done. “If you tear up this agreement, I’ll just print another. When you come to your senses, you can sign it yourself.” “My girl is waiting for me for a date. I don’t have time for this.” With a final, languid look, he stood and walked away. I hesitated for only a second before chasing after him. “Ethan, don’t think you can get rid of me.” I called out. “You want a divorce? Well, I’m not signing anything. Let’s see what you do then!” I was being stubborn. Ethan paused, then shot me an icy glare. “Suit yourself.” So I went full-blown clinger. When he went to the office for meetings, I was waiting at the entrance. When he drove off to see his new girlfriend, I hailed a cab. “Driver, can you go faster? don’t lose that car.” The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Sweetheart, that young couple looks real happy together. Why are you following them?” I gritted my teeth. “That man is my husband.” The driver’s expression shifted instantly to one of sympathy. He straightened up and thumped his chest. “Don’t worry, I won’t lose them.” They pulled over in front of a shopping mall. Ethan got out first, then turned and opened the passenger door. A young girl launched herself into his arms. They laughed and chatted, linking arms as they walked into the mall. I bit my lip. Even though I knew it was all an act, a sharp, familiar pain shot through my heart. It was just like the provocations he’d used in our last life to pressure me into signing the divorce. He even brought the girl to our bed, stripped her naked, and held her close, flaunting their intimacy in front of me. It was that time that my heart truly died. I signed the divorce papers, packed my things, and planned to move out and find a new place, only to be dragged into a dark alley by a group of thugs. They abused me, treating me like a rough toy. Excruciating pain shot through me as they tore out a large chunk of my hair. My teeth felt like they’d been knocked out, as they grabbed a brick from the street and smashed it against my head. As my vision blurred, I remembered that purest year. Ethan had held me gently, setting his number as the emergency speed dial on my phone. “Aubrey, if you’re ever in danger, call me immediately. I’ll always be there.” I struggled to find Ethan’s number, but hesitated the moment I was about to dial. I remembered his disgusted look. He was probably flirting with his new girlfriend, not wanting to be disturbed by me. Later, even when I was battered and bruised, hospitalized, and clinging to life, I still didn’t contact Ethan. It became a final goodbye. Now, across the street, Ethan had his arm around the girl’s waist, whispering and chuckling in her ear. His gaze occasionally flickered in my direction. I steeled myself, getting out of the taxi and rushing towards them. Noticing my raw stare, Ethan and the girl paused, turning back to look at me strangely. “Honey, didn’t you say you’d divorce that old hag at home? Why is she chasing us again?” Ethan’s gaze slowly settled on me, his brows furrowed, but he said nothing. He seemed to be waiting for an explanation from me. I shrugged with a smile. “Don’t mind me. You two carry on.”

I remembered Ethan’s new girlfriend, her name was Chloe. She looked pure and sweet, completely unlike me, the “shrew.” Ever since Ethan started frequently mentioning divorce six months ago, he’d spent every night out with Chloe. Seeing me follow them like glue, Chloe seemed uneasy. She kept looking back at me, clinging to Ethan’s arm and whining. “Honey, is your wife crazy?” “Why is she still following us? Is there something wrong with her?” Ethan finally lost his patience, turning to glare coldly at me. “Aubrey, you’re scaring my girl.” He shielded her behind him, as if I might hurt her. But six years ago. He had protected me in the same way, without a second thought. He’d watched the stars with me, traveled to the desert with me, and even when close to dying of thirst, he saved the last sip of water for me. Even though I’d been entangled with my ex-boyfriend, betraying him many times. He still loved me. In my last life, I could never understand. Could such a devoted person suddenly change his heart? So, I went wild with jealousy, focusing all my envious hatred on that young, beautiful girl, Chloe. Jealousy can drive people mad. It blinded me to Ethan’s true intentions. But now that I knew the whole story, I crossed my arms, enjoying Ethan’s expression, and suddenly I laughed. “Ethan, your acting still needs some work. It’s really hard to fool me.” Ethan averted his gaze, saying nothing. He leaned down and kissed Chloe’s lips. The girl’s face immediately flushed. She shyly looked up at him, her eyes full of joy. I, however, stood frozen, my face pale. Ethan looked at me with a calculated stare, then casually put his arm around the girl’s waist. “Still think I’m acting?” He even pulled up hotel reservation details on his phone, shoving it in my face. “See clearly. I’ve really fallen for someone else. My heart has changed.” “Aubrey, stop thinking I’m just playing along with you, or you’ll seem incredibly narcissistic.” Seeing my silence, Ethan smiled faintly and invited me. “We’re checking into a room tonight. If you’re interested, maybe you’d like to watch?” I was so furious my eyes blurred. I turned and ran. After I furiously got into a taxi and disappeared from the street, Ethan finally withdrew his gaze, releasing Chloe with a blank expression. “I’ll have a driver take you back.” Chloe’s rosy face instantly turned white. She bit her lip hard, timidly tugging at Ethan’s sleeve. “But you promised to go shopping with me? And tonight we were going to…” Seeing Ethan’s cold expression, the girl’s voice trailed off. “Ms. Chloe, she’s gone. No need to keep up the act.” “I’ll settle today’s payment with you as planned. Go shopping on your own.” Hidden around the corner, I saw this scene and smirked. Ethan had no idea I was so clever. I pretended to get into a taxi, drove a short distance, then told the driver to turn back. I wanted to see with my own eyes how they’d wrap things up. I’d actually thought they were going to book a room, film a video, or even stream it for me. Turns out Ethan’s tricks were limited. As Ethan turned to leave, his face was a little pale. His hand was pressed to his stomach, making my expression suddenly change. No wonder he looked like he was forcing himself earlier. Was his condition flaring up? Chloe, unaware of any of this, was still caught up in her sadness, turning to walk back into the mall alone. “Chloe.” I called out to her. “It’s you again?” The girl turned back, surprised. “How do you know my name?” I stood tall and confident, handing her the investigation report from the private detective. “I know everything. Ethan is sick, late-stage cancer. He didn’t want to burden me, so he found you to act this out and force me to divorce him.” A look of guilt flashed across Chloe’s face. She stammered, “You’re lying! Ethan and I are real. Otherwise, how could I be pregnant with his baby?” She gently placed her hand on her slightly swollen belly. There was clearly a little life inside. But my smile grew wider. “That baby is your boyfriend’s, isn’t it? It’s not Ethan’s at all.” “Because he has never touched you.” The girl’s face instantly turned ashen. “All this… how did you know?”

In my last life, that girl came to me, crying, saying Ethan was spitting blood and that I should go see him. She said Ethan had always loved me. At the time, I was consumed by the anger and jealousy of betrayal. I thought she was taunting me. My gaze fell on her belly, and my tone was sharp. “If he really loved me, how could he get you pregnant?” “He hates me.” “I’ll agree to divorce him. You two ‘lovebirds’ can just be stuck together forever.” Later, I found out that was one of the worst times Ethan had bled, staining the entire bathtub red. His assistant rushed him to the hospital, tears streaming down his face, saying he wanted to call me. But Ethan weakly raised a hand to stop him. “Don’t… don’t bother her.” “She should forget me and have a new life.” It wasn’t until after my death in the last life that I realized Ethan had never betrayed me. He had hidden his love very, very deeply. Even before his death, by forcing me to divorce him, he was doing everything he could to pave the way for my future. How could I ever let down such a good man? I pulled out a bank card and handed it to Chloe. “If I’m not mistaken, you took this job because you needed money, right?” “Chloe, whatever Ethan paid you, I’ll give you double. Only one condition-” “Next time Ethan calls you, make sure you refuse him.” No one turns down money. Chloe took the bank card, hesitated for a moment, then agreed. As I was leaving, she called out to me. “Aubrey, Ethan really loves you. You’re very lucky.” “I think so too. Even if he only has a few months left, you two should be together, cherishing every precious moment.” I smiled at her, then turned and left. After sorting everything out, I took a taxi home, wanting to talk things through with Ethan. I wasn’t afraid of being a burden to him. I loved him. Even if he only had one day left to live, I wanted to be with him. But I searched every room in the villa and couldn’t find Ethan. I called his assistant, who also said he didn’t know; Ethan had gone out alone without a driver. I was frantic and scared, terrified that something might have happened to him alone outside. I searched everywhere he loved to go, but there was no sign of him. Finally, I went to the place where we first met. Ethan was there, just as I expected. He was leaning alone against an old oak tree by the river, his gaze distant, smoking a cigarette. His eyes were pale, and he occasionally winced in pain, clutching his stomach with his other hand. I knew he was hurting again. “Come on, to the hospital.” I forced back a sob, reaching out to pull him. Ethan was surprised to see me there and froze for a moment. But only for a second, then he coldly scoffed and shook off my hand. “Aubrey, aren’t you annoying?” “I told you, I hate you. Can’t you take a hint and stop constantly showing up around me?” I watched his mouth open and close. I didn’t hear anything he said. I only saw his lips, utterly devoid of color. My emotions overwhelmed me, and I stepped forward to hug him again. “Ethan, didn’t you say it? Through sickness and health, you’d be with me.” “Why, why are you pushing me away?” “You forgot how many times I betrayed you for other men, how you forgave me every time, cleaned up my messes, and continued to love me. Why are you changing your mind now?” “You went through so much trouble to win me over and marry me. Now that I’ve finally fallen in love with you, how dare you push me away?” Since my rebirth, It was the first time I’d lost control, practically screaming and crying all this out. Ethan froze. He stared at me blankly, a hint of panic in his eyes. He even started to reach out, as if to wipe my tears. “Aubrey, I’m sorry. I said some harsh things. Please don’t cry.” I didn’t give him another chance to push me away, seizing the opportunity to throw myself into his arms. “Ethan, believe it or not, if I divorce you, I’ll die.” “No way!” Ethan blurted out, without hesitation. His expression shifted. “Aubrey, don’t say that. Don’t curse yourself like that.” I let out a wet chuckle, wiping my tears and sniffles on his sleeve. But it wasn’t a curse. It was a memory. That was exactly what happened in my past life. Signing those papers was what sent me to my death. “I’m telling you the truth, Ethan.” “The moment the divorce is finalized, I will die.” “Maybe this is fate. Heaven has decided you’re only meant to be a widower, not a divorced man.”

Perhaps because I was so shameless, Ethan stopped mentioning divorce and no longer tried to push me away. He even uncharacteristically took me for ice cream and to watch a movie. We were like any normal couple again. Time felt like it had been rewound six months. During the second half of the movie, I fell asleep leaning on Ethan’s shoulder. In my sleep, I mumbled. “Ethan, please don’t send me away.” He silently watched me, his gaze gentle yet heavy, then leaned down and kissed my forehead. It got dark, and Ethan drove me home, silent the whole way. No matter how I tried to lighten the mood or start a conversation, he’d only respond with a faint “Mhm,” “Oh,” or “Got it.” That night, while Ethan was in the shower, I tiptoed into his bed. We had started sleeping separately six months ago. I’d been disgusted, thinking he was messing around outside and was “dirty.” He never bothered to explain. He’d sleep in the guest room or the study every night. But now, I was in his bed, wearing my nightgown. Ethan, fresh out of the shower, pulled back the covers and saw me. He was visibly stunned. “Aubrey, what’s gotten into you?” Seeing what I was wearing, he paused, took a step back, and looked away. “Get out.” I was a little disheartened. Tonight I’d specifically put on a revealing nightgown, Ethan’s favorite style. During the good times in our relationship, whenever I wore this nightgown. He’d instantly turn into a beast. Now he was like a different person, indifferent, and wouldn’t even look at me. “Ethan, do you really hate me that much?” “No.” “Then why can’t you look me in the eye?” I deliberately clung to him, even actively kissing him, teasing him. Ethan’s breathing grew ragged. He grabbed my hands. “Aubrey, I told you I lost interest in you a long time ago. Why humiliate yourself?” He looked me up and down with disdain. “I’m sick of this body; I don’t want to touch it even once.” I gritted my teeth, furious. This guy could be truly venomous when he wanted to. But I didn’t care. I wrapped my arms around his waist and kissed him hard. He still resisted, until I whispered something in his ear. “Ethan, if we actually divorce, this might be our last time.” “Our last time. Don’t you want to enjoy it properly?” “Who knows, after the divorce, we might be separated by life and death, never getting a chance to meet again.” I remembered my past life, how I died after signing the divorce papers. But Ethan was thinking he had late-stage stomach cancer and only a few days to live. A heavy and sorrowful atmosphere hung between us. Ethan indeed stopped resisting. His hand pressed against the back of my head, and he kissed me deeply. “Alright, then, one last time.” The next morning. My entire body felt like it had been torn apart. Ethan’s strength was so intense; who knew how long he’d been holding back? When I woke up, Ryan wasn’t in bed. I heard movement in the bathroom and walked over. In the pristine sink, there was a puddle of red blood. My body stiffened. “Ethan…” My face was pale. I wanted to go to him, but Ethan quickly turned on the faucet to rinse it away, giving a nonchalant smile. “What are you looking at? Just a nosebleed. You’re going to mock me for that?” My heart ached, but I didn’t expose him. I smiled and replied. “Probably just too much heat. I’ll make you some herbal tea to cool down later.” But there was no “later.” A few days later, Ethan slipped something into my juice and tried to send me to Ryan’s bed. What he didn’t know was that I’d already lived through this twice. I knew what was in that drink. I pretended to sip it, then rushed to the bathroom, shoved my fingers down my throat, and forced myself to vomit it all up. I was fully conscious when Ethan carried me into the hotel room. I clearly heard their conversation. “Ryan, take good care of her from now on.” Ethan’s voice was hoarse, more than I’d ever heard. “If you ever dare to hurt her again, I’ll haunt you even as a ghost.” I stood with my back to them, my body stiff, so heartbroken I could barely breathe. Ryan was my ex-boyfriend. In my last life, Ethan had forced Ryan to sign an agreement, stating that if he ever changed his mind and hurt me, he’d have to pay me ten million. I thought this time he finally understood my true feelings, but he still had this plan in mind. But I’m a person, not an object. Ethan, how dare you hand me over to someone else? Did you even ask me? Even Ryan, who usually argued with him, was too shocked to speak, pulling him back, unable to bear it. “Ethan, are you sure?” “Have you even asked Aubrey if this is what she wants?” “You’ve been married for three years, Aubrey isn’t as fragile as you think. Even if you tell her the truth, she can handle it.” “She’s not a heartless person; she wouldn’t leave you just because you have cancer…” “And more importantly, we’re ancient history. Aubrey loves you now!” Ethan looked down and smiled, his gaze gently resting on my unconscious form. “Of course, I know she loves me.” “But that’s exactly why I can’t let her grieve.” “I can endure any torment, I can walk through hell itself.” “But I can’t bear… to see her cry for me.” But Ethan, if you just looked at me, you’d see that I’m crying right now. Ethan took one last look at me, slipped a strawberry-flavored condom into Ryan’s hand, and turned away without a word. He never returned to the hotel that night. He sat in his car, lost in thought for a long time, then pulled a two-inch photo of me from his suit pocket. His thumb gently traced its surface. He smiled softly. “Aubrey, you used to love Ryan so much. You’ll fall in love with him again.” “Forget about me. Go live a happy life.” It was almost dark when he drove alone to the cross-river bridge and pulled over. No assistant or driver followed him. He only left one last message in his notes, his final letter to the world. “I don’t want to live in pain. For the rime I left, I want to be free.” With that resolve, he walked steadily toward the river. Just then, his phone rang frantically. Ethan silenced it, but it rang again almost immediately. He sighed in frustration, saw Ryan’s name, and answered, his voice tight. “Ryan?” A frantic, panicked voice answered. “Ethan, get over here! It’s Aubrey! She found out what you did, lost it, and then she got jumped by some thugs! They dragged her into an alley!”

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