Category: English

My husband never comes home, but he wires me $50,000 every month for “pocket money.” No kids, no annoying in-laws to serve—my life is freaking awesome! My best friend and I had a date with some male models. Just as we were about to leave, the housekeeper ran to me in a panic. “Bad news, Madam! Mr. Sterling is bringing the mistress home!” I beamed. “Clean up, make sure everything is perfect.” The housekeeper was shocked. “Madam, she’s a homewrecker!” I immediately corrected her, sternly adjusting her bad attitude: “What homewrecker? That’s the Mistress.” Housekeeper: ? Ethan Sterling: ? 1 In this day and age, husbands like Ethan Sterling who just give money and never come home are rare. As long as the fifty grand hits my account on time, I don’t miss him one bit. Why would I? Are the twenty-something male models not handsome enough? Not fragrant enough? Or is their stamina lacking? They are way too exciting, okay?! “Mrs. Higgins, I’m heading out first. Make sure the mistress is comfortable.” Mrs. Higgins froze: “Madam, where are you going?” To make room for them, of course. I can’t be a third wheel at home. I grabbed my new Chanel bag, turned, and left, not forgetting to wave goodbye. It’s not that I don’t want to serve them. Mainly, I’m afraid of being an eyesore to the VIPs. It is absolutely not because my best friend, Chloe, already booked ten male models that I’m skipping out on welcoming the mistress. I peeked at the housekeeper behind me and trotted quickly to the van parked at the door. My sweethearts, I’m coming! Pushing open the door to see two top-tier models, my mood was through the roof. Chloe pushed a model towards me, a bit confused. “Serena, didn’t you say your husband is coming home today? You still dare to come out and play?” I said while stroking the abs of the guy in front of me. “Go? Why not go? He brought the mistress back. It would be rude of me to hang around in front of them, right?” Oh my, feels so good. Besides, how can a husband be as fun as these boys? The car started, and the clear voice of the boy beside me drifted into my ears. “Sister really knows how to live. The wine has breathed, want a glass?” I happily scratched the boy’s chin, took the red wine from his hand, and drank it all. “Young mouths are sweeter, unlike old men who are hard all over except their mouths.” Several glasses down. I drank too fast. The wind blowing in from the window was cool and refreshing. It blew me dizzy, lying on the boy’s lap. Everything was perfect, like being on cloud nine. Just as I was immersed in it, a sudden phone ring pulled me back to reality. I pouted, what a buzzkill, but still pressed answer. A familiar male voice came from the phone. “Serena Vance, where are you right now?” Because I just drank, I was still dizzy and didn’t check the caller ID. I answered arrogantly, not recognizing who it was for a moment. “Who is this? Sister is having fun.” Silence on the other end. Just as I was about to curse “psycho” and hang up. I heard three words squeezed out through gritted teeth. “Your husband.” Crap, it’s Ethan Sterling! The word “husband” was like a bucket of ice water poured on me, sobering me up completely. I laughed awkwardly: “Hubby, why aren’t you asleep so late?” I glanced at the time and clicked my tongue. Is the mistress bad in bed, or is Ethan bad? It’s only 11 PM, and they’re done? “Where did you go?” I was just about to make up an excuse. Then I heard a female voice from the phone, delicate and weak, sounding pitiful. “Mr. Sterling, can we start now?” “Okay, coming right away.” Ethan seemed to cover the mouthpiece, his voice coming through faintly. Like there was a secret he didn’t want me to hear. But I didn’t want to hear it at all. Even if I’m open-minded, I’m not open enough to listen to my husband moaning with another woman. “So you haven’t started yet. Don’t worry, hubby, I’ll stay at a hotel tonight, won’t disturb you.” Without waiting for a reply, I hung up directly. Chloe turned to look at me. “What, your husband checking on you?” I put down the phone, pinched the model’s lean waist, and spoke lightly. “No, just told me not to go home and disturb them. Forget it, let’s keep playing.” The next day, I deliberately waited until the afternoon to go back. Afraid of going back too early, before they woke up, and ruining their good time. As soon as I entered, I felt a chill in the house. I wanted to call Mrs. Higgins. Looking up, I found my husband, Ethan, sitting on the sofa. His face was gloomy, eyes cold enough to freeze people. “You know to come back?” 2 I suddenly had a bad premonition. Done for. The mistress didn’t satisfy him. He’s taking it out on the wife! Although rolling my eyes internally, I had to keep up appearances. I walked to my husband with a standard eight-tooth smile and sat down obediently. “What’s wrong, hubby?” Ethan’s hand on his leg tapped rhythmically, looking at me lazily. “What, don’t want me here?” I quickly leaned over, hugging his arm coquettishly with a delicate laugh. “How could that be? I wish hubby could come back often to keep me company. I’m very lonely at home by myself.” You can come home, but please don’t come home suddenly! I thought resentfully, but kept smiling on the surface. “Hubby must have worked hard last night. I’ll have Mrs. Higgins make you some soup tonight to replenish.” I massaged his shoulders and arms like a sycophant, taking the chance to check for hickeys under his shirt. None is fine, if there are, pretend not to see. He gives enough allowance anyway. One must be content and always maintain the mindset of “America’s Best Wife.” “Pack up, come with me to the old mansion for dinner today.” I slapped my forehead. I played so hard last night that I forgot today is the day to visit Grandma Sterling. Grandma treats me very well. She was the one who picked me out of many candidates. Otherwise, I would just be an ordinary person, unable to have this carefree life. Although there’s no affection between Ethan and me, I always treat Grandma Sterling as my own. After changing, I saw Ethan leaning against the door frame. His long, bony hands played with a white box. He looked up at me. “Give me your hand.” I was confused but complied. I can’t let my sugar daddy stay angry. Suddenly, I felt something cold on my wrist. Looking down, an exquisitely crafted bracelet was on my wrist. Looks expensive. “Gift from a business partner. Don’t overthink it.” Before I could react, he left the walk-in closet. I chased after him, sweet words pouring out. “Oh, hubby is so good to me, I love you to death.” Ethan didn’t even glance at me. “Be normal.” I rubbed the bracelet, pondering his motive. Is this man feeling guilty for keeping a mistress outside? So he’s compensating me with jewelry? If so, find a few more outside. I don’t mind my closet being filled with expensive jewelry at all. Thinking of this, I beamed. Ethan turned impatiently, seeing me not getting in the car, urged: “Coming or not?” I quickly got in and sat next to him. Silent all the way, but the low pressure around Ethan from the morning was gone. The old mansion is close to where we live. When the car stopped, I opened the door myself. Just about to get off, Ethan grabbed me. “Behave yourself tonight. Grandma is old, can’t handle your antics.” He reminded me for a reason. Last time, I brought Grandma a romance novel. Result: The butler caught Grandma reading under the covers in the middle of the night. The old lady, with presbyopia, held a phone for light in one hand and the book far away in the other. Squinting, reading with difficulty. “Hubby, how can you think of me like that? I’ve always been well-behaved.” I made a shy gesture. Ethan turned his head away, as if I was unsightly. “Let’s hope so.” I rolled my eyes. Only the mistress is good, only the mistress is pleasing to the eye. I turned and ran towards the villa. “Grandma, I’m here.” “Oh, Serena is finally here. You haven’t come to chat with this old lady for a long time.” I hugged Grandma’s arm, acting spoiled. “I’m here now.” Grandma couldn’t wait to pull me to the sofa. “Quick, continue telling me the story about the domineering CEO falling for the mute wife.” Ethan followed us grumpily, glaring at me occasionally. “Grandma, those are nutritious-less things. Read less.” Grandma was unhappy, turning to look at Ethan seriously. “What, at my age, you want Grandma to go to college?” I hid behind Grandma, righteous. These are my bedtime readings. I read them every night. How can he say that? Ethan saw me sticking my tongue out at him from behind Grandma, his expression constipated. I quit while ahead, taking out the prepared novel from my bag. “Grandma, this time I brought another one, called The CEO’s Ruthless Love.” 3 The next second, Ethan hauled me out. “Serena Vance, if you show Grandma these things again, I’ll show you what ‘Ruthless Love’ means!” He emphasized the word “Ruthless.” Grandma’s worried voice came from inside: “Serena, is Ethan bullying you?” Ethan glanced back, gritting his teeth at me. “If you dare talk nonsense, half your allowance is gone.” I cowarded instantly. Who understands? This is my Achilles’ heel. I cleared my throat and shouted back with a smile. “How could that be, Grandma? Hubby treats me the best.” Ethan put me down, glared at me threateningly again, and went inside. During dinner, Grandma kept glancing at Ethan and me. “Grandma, you looking at me like that makes me shy to eat. What do you want to say?” Grandma put down her bowl and chopsticks, sighed, and finally spoke after a while. “I was thinking about Mrs. Shen’s granddaughter next door.” “So cute, always calling me Grandma Lin. Her mouth is so sweet, and she feels so soft…” Ethan and I realized the old lady wants a great-grandchild. I tugged at Ethan, asking what to do. He put down his bowl and held my hand. “Serena is still young. Having children early is bad for her body. In a few years, Serena said she wants to have twins to keep you company.” I looked at him in shock, mouthing to Ethan: “When did I say I wanted twins?” Ethan glared, applying force to my hand, hurting me. “Who told you not to come home yesterday?” I tried to control my twisted expression and pulled my hand back. Thought that was over, didn’t expect it to be waiting for me here. This man is so petty. I gave him and the mistress space, and he’s unhappy. Grandma was grinning from ear to ear. “Good, good. Grandma will try to live a few more years, waiting for our Serena to have twins to keep this old lady company.” On the way back, I ignored Ethan completely. Arriving at the door, I tried to get out, but found the door locked. I turned angrily to Ethan: “Open the door!” Ethan looked at me calmly, no emotion in his deep eyes. “What are you mad about?” In a fit of anger, I blurted out my thoughts. “You told Grandma I wanted twins. Whether we divorce or not is uncertain, and you talk about kids? If you like twins, go find your mistress to have them!” “Serena Vance!” Ethan suppressed his anger, pinning me against the seat. The pressure dropped to freezing point. I cowarded immediately, daring not to speak. “Unless I say divorce, you can never run away in this lifetime.” Click, the door unlocked. Ethan got out and slammed the door. I bit my lip hard, holding back tears. This dog man dared to yell at me! I got out and went inside. Bang, I slammed the bedroom door, not even looking at Ethan. Lying in bed at night thinking about him cutting my allowance. I tossed and turned, then sat up abruptly. “No, is he sick?!” 4 Suddenly, a notification sound. “Zelle received $50,000.” Okay, I’m the one who’s sick. Seeing the zeros in the balance, I lay back down peacefully. Ethan sent a message: I was too fierce today. Business trip tomorrow, one week. My bad mood was cured instantly. Shopping in the morning, ordering male models at night. Life is good. But facts prove one shouldn’t be too arrogant. Because I played too hard this week. I got a fever. “Serena, come out and party. New handsome guys just arrived.” My voice was hoarse, sounding like a duck. “Can’t play. I’m almost cooked.” “Then I’ll send a handsome guy to take care of you?” Clearly, Chloe gets me. But she doesn’t get my husband. “Don’t. I’m just sick, not ready to die.” Although I play wild, I don’t have the guts to bring men home. Chloe hung up sometime, and I slept groggily for who knows how long. Until someone touched my forehead. “Why so hot?” I thought Chloe ignored my advice and sent a guy, so I didn’t open my eyes. Afraid he’d be too handsome to send away. “Handsome, although you’re hot, today really isn’t a good opportunity to make money. If you don’t leave, it won’t be just me dying.” “Wait till I’m better, then I’ll find you, be good.” I pushed him while talking. “Serena Vance, you’re keeping men behind my back?” The chilly voice was too familiar. I sat up in shock. “Hubby?!” My face was red as a monkey’s butt from the fever. He sighed and asked coldly, “Did you take medicine?” I nodded obediently, feeling the fever freeze away. “Rest first. Explain when you’re better.” Good. Death sentence commuted to probation. Opening my eyes the next morning, I saw Ethan coming out of my bathroom. Water not yet dried flowed down his chest to his abs. Have to say, Ethan’s body is better than the bar models’. Plus that handsome face, killing thousands of girls. “Wipe your nosebleed.” I quickly wiped my nose, found nothing. Realized belatedly I was played. “Hubby, why are you here?” I twiddled my fingers, asking guiltily. Don’t panic, play dumb first, maybe he forgot. He walked over, hands propped by my pillow, trapping me on the bed. Close enough to smell his body wash. His hair wasn’t dry, water dripping onto my collarbone, cold. He gently wiped the drop away. This damn man, making my brain dirty early in the morning. “What, didn’t you shout yesterday about finding handsome guys when you’re well? I have to see what kind my little wife likes.” I pondered his words. Why does it sound sour?

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I received $20 million from a property buyout. My roommate blackmailed me for $2 million, threatening to tell my dad. Out of desperation, I agreed. She kept her word and didn’t tell my dad—because the moment she got the money, she told my mom instead! My mom tore our family apart over that money. I endured her tantrums and guilt trips until the very end. But the last time, she faked a terminal illness to lure me home. They locked me in and starved me. Then my dad walked toward me with a knife. Begging didn’t work. I finally gave up my bank password. But the knife still came down on me… I was reborn on the day I received the buyout check. I told my roommate my dad stole the money. And she lost her mind. 1 After hanging up the phone, I saw my roommate, Zoey, looking at me suspiciously. “Lily, who were you talking to? I heard something about a buyout and compensation?” Looking at her, memories of my past life flooded back. In college, I hustled like crazy and bought a small 800-square-foot apartment in Brooklyn right after graduation. I didn’t live there long before moving out to rent a place with Zoey, a college friend, closer to my new job. But as luck would have it, that small apartment was in a redevelopment zone. The buyout offer was a staggering $20 million. Zoey found out and threatened to tell my dad unless I gave her a million dollars. Back then, I was terrified of my dad, so I actually agreed. She kept her promise and didn’t tell him. Instead, she told my mom, gloating: “Who asked you to be so stupid? A brainless idiot.” From that day on, my mom harassed me relentlessly for the money. I withstood the pressure and even applied for a job transfer to escape. But then my mom suddenly fell “gravely ill.” I couldn’t ignore it. I took leave to visit her, only to find out she was faking it. And I… I never walked out of that house again. To get the money, my own father held a knife to my throat. I begged for my life. In despair, I gave him the bank password. I saw a glimmer of hope for survival, but then Zoey called and said I would definitely call the police if I escaped. She suggested they finish the job. So, my dad did. The knife he used to carve Thanksgiving turkeys… Ended up in my chest. After I died, Zoey married my brother, becoming the daughter-in-law my parents always wanted. The buyout money I worked so hard for became my brother’s glorious wedding fund. In this life, I don’t need a handout. I’m starting my revenge plan right now! 2 Hearing Zoey’s question, I retorted: “I don’t even own a house, where would I get buyout money?” Thankfully, I had kept my college property purchase a complete secret this time. But Zoey stared at me and said: “Lily, you’re lying.” “Last time you were out, I went through your drawers. I saw the deed. It’s for that condo on 4th Avenue. You’re still hiding it from me?” I broke out in a cold sweat. I thought if I kept it secret this time, I could avoid her blackmail. I didn’t expect her to have known all along. In my past life, when Zoey confronted me about the buyout, I told her everything defenselessly. Hearing my answer, she smiled and said: “That’s great, hehe…” That night, I treated her to a luxury dinner and bought her jewelry. But in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the restaurant, she threatened me for a million dollars, or she’d tell my dad. She even blamed me for not telling her about buying the house. But the truth was, back in college when we were close, I analyzed the real estate market with her. I told her that area in Brooklyn was going to skyrocket and likely be rezoned by the city. I urged her to borrow money if she had to, just to buy a place there. She agreed and planned to borrow $50k from me. But when I asked for an IOU, she flipped out. She sarcastically said: “What’s our relationship? You need an IOU for this little bit of money?” Maybe I should have seen her true colors then. Zoey spoke again: “Lily, doesn’t your phone record calls automatically?” “Why don’t we listen to what that person just said to you?” As she spoke, she lunged to snatch my phone. I shoved her away with all my strength and yelled: “Who do you think you are? Listening to other people’s private calls?” She fell to the floor, her face darkening. She glared at me, then turned and stormed off. 3 Although we had a falling out, my revenge plan needed a main character. A few days later, I dragged her to a bodega, claiming I wanted to apologize. I promised her any winnings from the scratch-offs I bought would be hers. I bought a thousand dollars’ worth of tickets and asked the clerk to help us scratch. While scratching, Zoey suddenly asked to see my apartment. “You bought that place ages ago, and I’ve never even seen it.” I paused, then vaguely replied: “I already rented it out. It’s not convenient.” Are you kidding? It’s been demolished. What are you going to see? Rebar and concrete? A flash of jealousy crossed Zoey’s eyes. “So you’re a young landlady now, Lily?” “Must be nice, hehe…” Every time I achieved something, seeing her like this used to make me think she was genuinely happy for me. Now I know, she was insanely jealous. Like a viper in the grass, waiting for the moment to strike. Just like in my past life. Suddenly, the clerk yelled, “Ah!” “Winner! You won!” “$500!” Wow, I spent a grand to win five hundred. I grabbed the ticket and stuffed it into Zoey’s hand. “Whatever we win today is yours. Consider it a token of my apology.” “Zoey, please don’t be mad at me anymore.” She chuckled on the surface, but I bet she was cursing me internally. She said: “If only it were five million.” I said: “Sigh, where would we find luck like that?” After dropping Zoey off at home, I went to a payphone and called my mom. “Hey Mom, big news! My roommate Zoey won five million dollars in the lottery!” … “If you don’t believe me, ask her! But don’t mention the amount. It’s a huge sum, she wants to keep it secret!” … 4 The next day, I went to the bank and deposited $15 million into a high-yield savings account. I kept $5 million liquid. Then I invited an old guy friend I hadn’t seen in ages to lunch. While we were eating, Zoey sent me a screenshot with a question mark: [?] It was a text from my mom asking Zoey if she won the lottery. I laughed internally and replied: “Didn’t you win? But you know my mom, she loves to borrow money. Even ten bucks she’ll ask for. So whatever you do, don’t tell her you only won $500.” Information asymmetry is a powerful weapon. Zoey replied with an [OK] emoji. I secretly took a photo of my handsome friend and sent it to her: “Having lunch with my bro.” Zoey immediately asked for the address. Fifteen minutes later, Zoey, dressed to the nines, pushed open the door and exclaimed: “Lily! Fancy meeting you here. What a coincidence.” She turned her gaze to my friend. “And this is?” I stood up to introduce them. “This is Julian, a friend who just got back from studying in the States. His family owns the Julian Group. A proper rich second generation.” Then I said to Julian: “This is my roommate, Zoey. We live together.” Julian raised an eyebrow: “In that dump you rent for $1500 a month?” Zoey immediately pinched me and giggled at Julian: “We just moved to New York, funds are tight, so we found a small place to transition.” She paused, then added: “But my family owns property in Manhattan.” I knew she was lying, but I didn’t bust her. I invited her to sit and eat. During the meal, Zoey flirted heavily with Julian. They chatted enthusiastically and exchanged contacts. When I dropped a chopstick and bent down to pick it up, I saw Zoey’s leg rubbing against– Oh my eyes! After lunch, Julian offered to take Zoey for a spin in his Porsche Panamera. Playing hard to get, Zoey actually refused. After Julian left, Zoey suddenly grabbed my wrist, staring into my eyes. My brow twitched. Zoey whispered: “Lily, did you see the news? The city rezoned 4th Avenue. How is it so coincidental that your apartment is included?” “The news said compensation is over $1,000 per square foot. The $20 million should be in your account already, right?” 5 Crap! I didn’t expect Zoey to find out so fast! Thinking of how she blackmailed me in my past life, and then had my dad kill me even after getting the money, terror seized me. Was I going to repeat the same mistakes in this life? No! No! The game is already half played. I can’t stop now. I must move forward and make them all pay! Sheer willpower forced tears to my eyes instantly. I cried and threw myself into Zoey’s arms. “My… my dad stole my buyout money!” Zoey gasped: “He could steal that? How are you so useless?” I sobbed: “My dad threatened to beat me to death if I didn’t give it to him. I had no choice, I transferred it, woo woo woo…” “I’ve been trying to figure out how to get it back…” Zoey stared into space, muttering to herself. “Right, get it back…” While she was distracted, I grabbed her hand and cried: “Zoey, why don’t you marry my brother?” “My dad said the money is for my brother to buy a house and get a wife. The bride price is at least five million!” “Five million!” Zoey exclaimed. Clearly, she was very tempted. Greed flashed in her eyes. But then her phone lit up. It was Julian. Julian sent her a picture of his garage, filled with dozens of luxury cars, asking which color she liked. Damn it! Ruining my plan! I cursed internally. Zoey immediately pushed me away and said: “Lily, there’s no way I’m marrying into your family.” She picked up her phone to reply to Julian. She always knew my family’s financial situation. Poor and rural, she looked down on us. To be honest, if it wasn’t for the buyout money in my past life, Zoey would never have married my brother. I rolled my eyes and said to Zoey: “My brother asked for your WeChat a while ago. I’ll just reject him then.” Zoey paused her typing and said: “Just give it to him.” I beamed and immediately sent Zoey’s contact to my brother, Mike. “Your sister Zoey likes you, but she’s shy. Brother, you have to be proactive.” I attached some of Zoey’s racier photos from her “Friends Only” circle. Then I told Mike: “Aren’t you on summer break? Come visit your sister for a few days. Sister Zoey is here too.” “But listen, you are not allowed to ask her about winning five million. Don’t slip up.” … Then Julian messaged me. “Thanks for introducing the hottie, Lily. Let me know if you need any favors next time. (Grin)” Knowing Zoey wasn’t exactly a saint either, but worried my bro might get hurt, I planned to gently warn him. But Julian sent: “I’ll just have some fun with her, dump her when I’m bored.” Hmm… This is why I never introduced Julian to Zoey before. I knew he was a player and worried she’d get hurt. The protection I thought I was giving, Zoey didn’t care about. She hated me for hiding such a good resource. Now I just want to see how she juggles these two men when my brother arrives, just like in my past life. I definitely won’t let her win. 6 Two days later, my brother Mike arrived with bags of luggage, moving in. Since we lacked a spare room, he had to sleep on the living room sofa. Surprisingly, Zoey didn’t object. The night he arrived, Mike stepped onto my bed with his shoes on. “Sis, I’m out of money. Give me five grand.” I battled with my brother: “I don’t have money, but my roommate does. She won five million.” “Brother, if you make her your wife, that five million will definitely come with her as a dowry.” Mike’s eyes lit up. “Alright, Sis. Watch me.” For the next few days, Mike launched a frantic offensive on Zoey. Bringing her breakfast, accompanying her to work, texting her constantly. But with a top-tier rich kid like Julian in the picture, Zoey didn’t even look at Mike. She just kept him on the hook, lukewarm. From Julian’s Instagram, things were heating up. Angus steaks at luxury restaurants, night views from presidential suites… Every time she went out with Julian, Zoey came back decked out in new designer gear. This made Mike believe even more that she got rich from the lottery. Mike lusted after Zoey more and more. Unable to conquer her, he took it out on me. “You said she likes me! I feel like that b*tch is just playing me, dammit!” I comforted my brother: “Oh brother, you haven’t spent any real dough. How can you land a rich beauty like her?” Mike cursed: “So what do I do? Dad won’t give me money. Should I go sell myself?” I sneered internally, but mysteriously whispered: “You can get an online loan.” “Just log into a site, upload your ID, and tens of thousands will hit your card instantly.” My brother hesitated: “Will that work?” I said: “Think about it. Once you land her, that five million is yours! What’s a measly loan of a few tens of thousands?” “You gotta spend money to make money!” Mike thought about it and agreed. He asked me for several loan apps and lenders’ contacts and left happily. In the following days, Mike was suddenly rich. Flowers and gifts flowed to Zoey non-stop. I whispered to Zoey: “My parents heard my brother likes you and are very satisfied with you as a daughter-in-law.” “They sent my brother a huge sum of money, telling him he must win you over.” Zoey was stunned, covered her mouth in mock surprise, and comfortably accepted the new iPhone Pro Max. That night when Zoey came home, Mike had set up a candlelight dinner. With my encouragement, he confessed and timely presented a Hermès Birkin bag worth over ten grand. Zoey blushed. That night, Mike finally entered her room. And didn’t come out. As Julian’s good buddy, I immediately told him about Zoey’s antics with my brother behind his back. Finally, I asked him to pretend he didn’t know and keep stringing Zoey along for a while. Julian: [?] I said: [I want to prank her.] Julian didn’t ask much, just sent an OK hand gesture. Putting down the phone, I was moved to tears. In my past life, I drifted apart from Julian, but when I escaped and asked him for help, he flew back from the UK immediately. Sadly, when my family found out I called for help, they acted ruthlessly. I was gone. Julian tried desperately to investigate, but Zoey covered everything up perfectly. Later, he got together with Zoey, played her almost to death, then dumped her. He really was a brother who would go to hell and back for me, and send her to hell for me. My true bro!

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On the eve of the Ridgeline High reunion, two bombshells dropped in the alumni group chat. First, Delilah Chad, the legendary high school queen, was back in town. Second, Lachlan Cole, the once-reckless golden boy, was invited to cut the ribbon for the new science wing. They were the high school couple everyone was obsessed with—the ones who went from a whirlwind romance to a devastating split, and were now, after eight years, finally set for a collision. The messages flew fast, tearing into the complicated history between them. Then someone posted: “Are they both still single?” I glanced at Lachlan, who was asleep beside me, and a strange hollow feeling settled in my chest. 1 “Delilah’s been single on social media forever, but Lachlan… does anyone know?” “He ghosted the group right after they broke up. We only ever see him in the business news now.” “Seriously, the guy hasn’t had a single headline about a fling in years, and he works nonstop. He has to be single.” “Right? When you have a love that intense so young, you don’t settle for less.” “Speaking of, why did they even break up back then?” “Young and stubborn. She wanted to leave the country; he was too proud to beg her to stay.” “Agh! This is literally the definition of a second-chance romance! I am obsessed.” They grew more and more excited, but I stayed quiet. I was too busy wrestling with a question: Was I Lachlan Cole’s settling? After a moment, I turned off the lamp, ready to sleep. Lachlan’s phone screen lit up in the dark. “Lach, I’m back.” No contact name. But only Delilah had ever called him Lach. He was deep in sleep, his arm draped across my stomach, just as it always was. Through the silk of my nightgown, the wedding band on my finger felt especially cold tonight. The discomfort sent a weird panic through me. My first, subconscious impulse was to delete the text. I knew his pass code: 299299. It was the anniversary of their first kiss, repeated. I stared at the lock screen for two full minutes before placing the phone back down. I did nothing. It felt beneath me to snoop. Besides, Lachlan would never indulge me the way he used to indulge Delilah. In high school, I’d watched Delilah sulk because some freshman had been aggressively pursuing him. He just laughed and handed his phone over, a smile playing on his lips. “Jealous, are we? I already blocked her, so give me a break, your majesty. If you’re still worried, check the chat logs, delete any girl you want.” That memory kept me awake. When I finally drifted off, I woke back up at seven. 2 He was a creature of habit, always up early for a workout. But not today. He lay there, staring at his phone for a long time, clearly responding to messages. He finally got up at eight. “Lachlan,” I called out to him. “Are you going to the reunion?” We never had much to talk about. The irony wasn’t lost on me that I’d only found out he was going from the group chat last night. Lachlan turned back, hesitating for a second. “Yes. Are you?” I shook my head. High school wasn’t exactly a trove of happy memories for me. Everyone else would go to reminisce, visit old teachers, and catch up with best friends. All I could recall was a long, three-year stretch of deep-seated humiliation. Lachlan didn’t say anything else. He probably didn’t want me to go with him anyway. In the group chat, the red ‘100+’ notification glowed aggressively. The image of the wild, wealthy boy and the approachable, gentle beauty always made for good gossip. Then, Delilah, the infamous lurker, finally spoke: “Just woke up—see you all next week, friends.” Different profile pictures instantly responded: “The queen is here! Can’t wait to see you!” “Wait, does that mean you saw everything we were talking about last night? I thought you’d muted the group.” “Ugh, I feel like a fan-fic writer caught by the subject of her story…” Delilah replied with a playful cat-waving emoji. “It’s okay, I actually thought it was… pretty entertaining.” The meaning behind her words felt vaguely unsettling, but no one pressed her. They went back to the main topic: “Seriously though, is Lachlan really going to show? I see him jet-setting all over the world in the news. Why would he bother with a little ribbon-cutting?” “No one would guess that the Lachlan who used to skip class to set off fireworks for Delilah and get into fights with kids from the next town is this serious businessman now.” “Can anyone reach out to him? Is the rumor even true?” Just as everyone was wondering if Lachlan would actually attend, Delilah replied: “Don’t worry. He just texted me. He said he’ll be there.” 3 “Sylvia.” Lachlan was standing by the bedroom door, putting on his watch. “You need to get moving. You’ll be late.” It was 8:30 a.m. I pushed away from the phone, flying out of bed. I was due to play Go with Grandpa Henry at nine. I prided myself on my punctuality. I was never late. Except for that one time in high school. It was a Monday. There was a huge pile-up, and traffic was gridlocked. I jumped off the bus and sprinted to the school gate, heart pounding. I had less than a minute. Lachlan was walking unhurriedly, taking a bite out of a breakfast burrito. He was one step from the gate when he suddenly stopped. He crouched down and began to slowly tie his perfectly good shoelace. It was a deliberate delay, like he was waiting. He could have made it, but he stayed outside with me. It wasn’t until I saw Delilah jogging up to the gate that I understood. He was waiting for her. Now, standing in the hallway, I turned back. Lachlan was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping his coffee and reading a newspaper. I suddenly wanted to ask him to drive me. “Lachlan, I’m running late. Are you busy?” “I have a meeting this afternoon,” he said, looking up from the paper. “I can have my driver take you.” I froze. “Oh. Okay. Thank you.” The word “thank you” was a high-frequency fixture in our life. Hanging up each other’s laundry, pouring two cups of coffee—everything warranted a polite thank you. We had achieved true, perfect courtesy—the courtesy of strangers sharing a home. Thanks to the driver, I wasn’t late. Grandpa Henry was waiting for me, smiling, in the garden pavilion of his assisted living facility. We met at a public Go corner in the park. The old man was a sore loser—he’d take back moves, and he was the most irritating backseat player. Eventually, no one wanted to play with him. Coincidentally, as a young woman, no one wanted to play with me either. So we became unlikely friends. I didn’t know he was Lachlan’s grandfather then. In our casual chats, I only heard he had a rebellious, good-for-nothing grandson. That was until Lachlan showed up to pick him up one day. “Rory,” Grandpa Henry waved his hand in front of my face. “What is it? You’re off today.” I looked down at the board, completely losing the game. I forced a smile. “You got me, Grandpa. I concede.” He noticed my distraction. “Did you and Lachlan argue?” I shook my head. We didn’t even disagree, much less argue. “Lachlan is a bit emotionally clueless when it comes to relationships,” he said. “I’ll talk to him about it.” “Clueless” was a funny word to describe Lachlan Cole. In high school, he was the object of countless crushes. Wealthy, handsome—every move he made was peak “swoon.” More than that, he was a hopeless romantic. For Christmas Eve, he gave the entire school apples just so he could secretly give one to the modest Delilah. On New Year’s Eve, he skipped evening study to set off fireworks for her outside her classroom window. I received an apple. I watched the fireworks. All thanks to Delilah. My thoughts were a mess. At some point, the reason for my abnormal behavior since last night suddenly became clear— I was afraid. 4 I have always been a patient person, a person who waits. I’d wait for the half-price zone at the grocery store at 8:30 p.m., even if it meant fighting for the last items. I’d wait for the delayed bus until nightfall before realizing I had to walk home. I waited for one wave of adoptive parents after another at the orphanage, until I was too old and no one wanted me. It was a habit. And I was, instinctively, preparing to wait again. Wait for Lachlan to rekindle things with his first love. Wait passively for the inevitable divorce. All my previous waiting had been numb and dull. This time, I was terrified. A person has to be brave at least once. So, for the first time, I went to Lachlan’s company. On the way, I rehearsed the words I wanted to say a hundred times. “Do you still love Delilah?” “Are you planning to get a divorce?” But I was stopped at the main desk. The receptionist gave me a polite smile. “I apologize, but visitors require at least a week’s notice for an appointment.” I wasn’t sure if Lachlan wanted the staff to know he was married, so I didn’t disclose my identity. I called Lachlan. The first ringtone had just begun when I heard the familiar sound coming from the elevator bank. Lachlan was walking in front of a group of people. He glanced at his phone, a confused look on his face, as if deciding whether to answer. I instinctively hung up. He didn’t seem to care. He slowed his pace deliberately, turning back every now and then to say something to the person behind him. It wasn’t until he walked three yards past me that I saw Delilah, who had been shielded from view. Time had been kind to her face. She had the perfect, pure first-love look. She was identical to the photo on Lachlan’s private social media account from eight years ago. She caught up, walking beside him. Her voice held a note of joy. “Wow, you still haven’t changed your ringtone after all these years? It’s still my favorite classical piece.” Seventeen-year-old Lachlan was a rebel, listening to nothing but hip-hop, reggae, and hard rock. But Delilah was different; she loved pure instrumental music. Lachlan’s taste in music had changed because of her. Perhaps that’s the kind of mark love leaves on Lachlan Cole. The habit had remained to this day. After they were out of sight, the receptionist spoke to me. “Ma’am, as you can see, Mr. Cole has an engagement. If you need anything, you can schedule an appointment with the Executive Office.” I forced a smile. “Thank you. It won’t be necessary.” I was so tired, and my eyes felt scratchy and dry. I thought, I just need to go home and sleep it off. But the group chat kept chiming. “OMG, guess who I just ran into at Le Petit Salon? Lachlan Cole and Delilah Chad!” “No way, are they back together? My high school drama just got its happily-ever-after!” “@Delilah, spill the tea! Is it true?” Delilah replied with a photo. A floor-to-ceiling window, a fancy French place, and a man. His face wasn’t visible, but the prominent veins on his forearm were instantly recognizable. She added a comment: “This restaurant is amazing. Highly recommend, guys.” It wasn’t a direct answer, but everyone understood. I zoomed in on the photo, then zoomed in again. Lachlan’s hands were beautiful, long-fingered and well-defined. I always caught myself staring at them when he adjusted his glasses, turned a page, or signed a document. So it wasn’t hard for me to notice— The wedding ring was gone. 5 Lachlan came home early. Instead of coming straight to the bedroom, he went out onto the balcony for a smoke. He’d quit smoking the moment we got married. But reuniting with Delilah seemed to have thrown him off his game again. After showering, he held me from behind. We never had this kind of pure physical contact unless we were in bed. He whispered, “Do we need to talk about…” Talk about what? The divorce? My breath hitched, and my body involuntarily stiffened. “Never mind,” he diverted. “Why did you call me today?” Our phone numbers were mostly for show. We usually texted, never called. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t have the energy to talk about it. “Did you butt-dial me? Makes sense. You hung up so fast.” He quickly found an explanation. Tonight, he kissed me thoroughly, with unusual gentleness. I actually preferred it when he was wild and untamed. In those moments, I could catch a glimpse of the seventeen-year-old boy he once was. They say you become a child when you love someone. I’d seen him mischievously ruffle his sweetheart’s hair, his laughter unbridled and bright. I’d seen him get into bloody fights defending her honor. With me, he was always cool and quiet, never exposing a true feeling. Because I had seen how he loved someone else, I knew, with absolute certainty, that Lachlan Cole didn’t love me. I didn’t know what to do. I had no friends or family to turn to, except for Grandpa Henry. I spent the entire afternoon staring silently at the unsolvable Go game in front of me. The Tenets of Go state: Do not be greedy for victory; when in danger, be prepared to sacrifice. I wondered if the same logic applied to marriage. I asked Grandpa Henry for help. “Grandpa, I can’t figure this out. What should I do?” He smiled, then swept the entire board clean. “Then knock it over.” Yes. Then let it go. Autumn was approaching. I didn’t bother changing my wardrobe. My body wash was running out, but I didn’t stock up on a replacement. I had already packed my books into cardboard boxes. Lachlan looked at the half-empty shelf, confused. “Where are your books?” “I finished them. Planning to donate them to the orphanage,” I lied. I was just preparing, making sure I wouldn’t have to scramble when I left. I had rehearsed the words for divorce hundreds of times. That night, he was working in his study. I stood outside, took three deep breaths, and finally turned the doorknob. Lachlan was sitting at his desk, rubbing his forehead with one hand while holding his phone to his ear with the other. He looked tired, and his voice was softer than usual. “Delilah, the issues on my end can be handled at any time. It’s been too long, and I don’t want to wait anymore…” I didn’t have the courage to hear the rest. I quietly stepped back and gently closed the door. I felt ridiculous. Lachlan was more eager than me, and more composed. For me, divorce was a momentous decision that required careful psychological preparation and the right time. For him, it meant nothing. He was probably just waiting for Delilah to say yes, and the next second, he’d notify me of the divorce and have me “handled.” I had taken this unspoken, transactional marriage far too seriously. That night, I asked for the divorce anyway. I chose the most abrupt moment, using the most casual tone. As Lachlan leaned in to passionately kiss my ear, I turned my head away, my expression calm. “Lachlan Cole, let’s get a divorce.”

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My mother always drilled one idea into me: you have to maintain a fiercely high sense of deservingness. When I was in school, some wannabe copycat roommate intentionally bought the same jacket as me, then had the nerve to ask if it made her look fat. I just shook my head. “Wouldn’t know, darling. My body is divine.” Later, after I started working, a male colleague was pursuing me. I casually mentioned I was taken. He looked at me with genuine anguish, asking if I might consider him if I ever broke up with my boyfriend. I gave him a chilly smile. “Clearly, you don’t love me enough. Otherwise, you’d be petitioning for the mistress position right now.” Because of my ridiculously high self-worth, they all secretly called me an entitled bitch behind my back, saying I didn’t know my place or who I thought I was. Until the day my blind date heard about my “flaw” and immediately insisted on taking me home for the New Year’s holiday to meet his parents. “My mother is obsessed with self-sacrifice. She’s constantly saying she doesn’t deserve anything good. I’m being driven crazy by it.” “If you can cure her of that toxic habit, I’ll give you anything you ask for.” The request was certainly novel. I patted my chest. “Don’t worry. You’ve got yourself a deal.” 1 Garrett Stone sat across from me in the café, his expression laced with worry. “My apologies, Ms. Hawthorne. This coffee shop was a last-minute choice; it’s a bit basic. Hope you can overlook it.” I glanced around the slightly generic, stripped-down space. “It is a bit basic. Good thing you recognize it.” Other dates would have immediately scowled and demanded we split the check. Instead, Garrett’s eyes seemed to light up, as if genuinely relieved. “Ms. Hawthorne, I won’t waste your time. I heard everything from the matchmaker. You perfectly fit my requirements, and I was hoping you’d be willing to spend New Year’s with me, meeting my family.” The speed was unsettling. I rejected him without thinking. Garrett’s face fell for a moment, then he let out a bitter laugh. “I’ll be honest with you. While I run a company that brings in eight figures a year, my mother is tormenting me. I genuinely need someone like you to shock her out of it.” That caught my interest. I leaned forward and listened as he laid out the problem. Garrett’s father died when he was young. Growing up in a small town, his mother, Martha, and he were easily bullied as a single-parent family. This forced her into a habit of extreme frugality—pinching every penny until it screamed. But while that was necessary when they were poor, it had become a perverse affliction now that Garrett was a major success, running his own firm. Garrett took her on a European trip, and she refused to spend a dime. Instead, she brought two dozen stale dinner rolls from the States and subsisted on them, washed down with plain hot water. He bought her expensive bird’s nest and ginseng to boost her health. She hoarded it, refusing to eat it because she “didn’t deserve it,” until it went moldy. Then, she decided to cook the spoiled stuff for Garrett, sending him to the hospital with acute gastroenteritis for two weeks. Exhausted and at his wit’s end, Garrett asked her why. She’d just look tearful and say, “These wonderful things are for you. I’m just an old woman. I don’t deserve to eat such luxury.” It was unbelievable. A successful CEO with a mother who lived like a pauper. And every time Garrett tried to correct her, the rest of the family—the extended relatives—would instantly accuse him of being an ungrateful, unfilial son. “That’s why I need you. You’re the only person who can help. Ms. Hawthorne, please. If you can break her of this awful habit, I’ll give you a million dollars. No, five million. How about five million?” I wasn’t doing it just for the money. The sheer challenge was exhilarating. “I’ll help you. But if your mother has a stroke or a heart attack, I claim no liability.” Garrett nodded grimly. “I’d rather her have a heart attack than die of food poisoning from eating a sprouted potato or a moldy apple.” 2 Words mean nothing without paper. After we signed the legal agreement, Garrett immediately took me to a high-end department store and bought me several luxurious outfits, all on his card. The day before New Year’s Eve, Garrett and I drove to his house. The first thing he did after becoming a big shot was buy his mother a mansion outside the city. We stood on the threshold. Garrett took a deep breath and looked at me. “Prepare yourself, Ms. Hawthorne.” He pushed the door open. Instead of the opulent, clean interior I expected, the vast foyer was crammed with stacks of cardboard boxes and plastic water bottles. A faint, cloying stench permeated the air. My smile froze. A grand mansion, used as a recycling depot. The old woman certainly had peculiar hobbies. “Now you know how terrifying my mother is,” Garrett whispered, his voice low. “Garrett’s home!” His mother, Martha Stone, emerged from the interior. She was dressed simply in worn-out sweats and had a free supermarket apron tied around her waist. She looked less like the lady of the house and more like the cleaning lady. “Mom. Meet my girlfriend, Bella.” We’d decided to drop the initial ‘Jewel’ name and just stick with my first name. I offered a polite, practiced smile. “Hello, Martha. This is a little gift for you.” “Oh, you shouldn’t have, dear. Why spend money? An old woman like me doesn’t need anything. Come in, come in.” Martha led me inside, apologizing as she went. “I’m so sorry about the mess. Please don’t mind it.” This huge, expensive villa, completely wasted on garbage. I couldn’t tolerate it. I immediately took her bait. “It is messy, yes. Honestly, I thought I’d wandered into a transfer station.” I looked back at Garrett, my expression hardening. “This doesn’t exactly feel welcoming, Garrett. Are you sending me a message by having your house full of garbage? I swear, I’ll call my father right now!” (Garrett and I had agreed that my current identity would be the daughter of a key business partner, a high-stakes heiress—that would give me the necessary leverage). Garrett immediately played along, turning to his mother. “Mom! What is this? I told you to stop hoarding junk in the house!” “It’s not junk! This all sells! It’s valuable. You young people just don’t understand thrift,” Martha grumbled, genuinely upset. “Call someone now and get this cleaned up. I will not spend the New Year holiday in a trash heap.” I pulled out my phone to contact a cleaning service. “No, wait! You can’t throw it away! That’s all money!” Martha rushed forward to stop me. Garrett held her back. “Mom, this is the daughter of Mr. Hawthorne. Don’t upset her. Her dad could ruin me with one call. We’d lose the villa, and you’d be back to scavenging for the rest of your life!” A cleaning crew quickly arrived, bringing a huge truck. A team of people worked from daylight until dark, finally clearing out every piece of refuse. Martha stood by, watching the empty, echoing space, as if the very life was being drained out of her soul. I turned my gaze to Martha and twisted the knife. I said deliberately, “Auntie, this time I’ll forgive it. But don’t ever hoard trash again. Once I move in, this house will stay immaculate. I don’t tolerate dirt.” “This is an outrage. The daughter-in-law is already riding roughshod over the mother-in-law,” Martha muttered, glaring at me. I pretended not to hear her. This is just the appetizer, old woman. 3 Soon, it was time for dinner. Garrett quietly reminded me to only touch the stir-fried greens—nothing else. I sat down. At first glance, the New Year’s feast looked decent: meat, vegetables, even seafood. But a closer look revealed the horror show. In the center of the table was a platter with what looked like a King Crab. It was visibly blackened, the meat mushy and loose—clearly spoiled. Several other dishes were unrecognizable, stewed into a murky sludge. It was impossible to tell if they were days or weeks old. The fish, a holiday centerpiece, was reduced to a bare skeleton. All the meat was gone. Why it was even on the table was a mystery. Perhaps realizing I was not to be messed with, Martha spun the lazy Susan, putting the spoiled meat dishes in front of me. “This King Crab has been saved just for today. You eat it, dear. I’ll just have some of the leftovers.” “Mom! Those pig trotters are from Christmas Eve! You haven’t thrown them out? They must be rotten!” Garrett tried to take the bowl, but she snatched it back. “I kept them in the back of the fridge. They’re fine! You eat the fresh food. I’ll eat these.” The only fresh dish on the table was the sautéed greens. Everything else was ancient. I rolled my eyes. I grabbed Garrett’s phone and instantly placed a massive catering order—an $8,888 New Year’s feast—to be delivered immediately. Then I stood up, took the King Crab platter, and marched straight to the trash can. “Auntie, if you have a problem with me, just say so. Don’t try to poison me with a crab that probably died years ago. Your son is a wealthy man. You think it’s okay for his girlfriend to eat this garbage on her first visit? People will tear his reputation to shreds!” The moment I opened fire, Garrett backed me up. “She’s right, Mom! Are you even my mother? Are you deliberately trying to sabotage my relationship? I’m thirty years old. I finally found someone, and you want me to die alone just to save a few bucks?” Martha looked like she was about to weep, staring at the King Crab in the bin. She reached in, trying to retrieve it. “It’s good! It’s fine! I’ve been keeping it safe in the freezer for years! It’s still edible!” If I was merely pretending to be angry before, I was genuinely furious now. Zombie meat. She was deliberately trying to kill someone. I exploded. “You tried to feed me a dead crab that’s been sitting around for years? What is wrong with you? Garrett, I swear, I’m breaking up with you right now!” “Mom! Hurry up and dump all these leftovers! Look how upset Bella is! What will her father think of me?” Garrett began scooping the food into the bin. I quickly helped him. To ensure she couldn’t retrieve the leftovers, I made sure to spit on every single dish we tossed. That settled it. Even she wouldn’t touch it now. Soon, the delivery arrived. A table groaning with fresh, hot, luxurious food. Martha sighed. “Fine. You two eat. I’ll just have a few crackers. I’m an old woman, practically on my deathbed. Why should I eat such rich food?” I didn’t bother arguing. I just said, “Suit yourself. But anything we don’t finish tonight, I’m throwing out immediately.” “What?! You’d throw out such expensive food?” Martha’s eyes widened in horror. “That’s how I do things at home. I don’t eat leftovers. It’s unhealthy. Once I marry in, this whole house’s habits change to match mine.” Garrett looked at me with a sickeningly doting expression. “Okay, sweetheart. Whatever you say. Your word is law.” At the mention of the coming waste, Martha quickly abandoned the crackers. She grabbed her chopsticks and loaded her plate, stuffing her face, terrified the food would be claimed by the trash can. “Auntie, have some of this lobster. Otherwise, I’m tossing it.” I spun the platter in front of her. “And this red date and chicken soup. It’s too much for just us two.” Used to eating ancient leftovers, the sudden shock of a lavish, freshly cooked meal hit Martha hard. She ate heartily, a flicker of genuine pleasure returning to her face. 4 That night, Garrett gave me a thumbs-up. “Ms. Hawthorne, you are incredible. You handled my mother perfectly. That’s the first genuinely happy New Year’s dinner we’ve had.” “Get some rest. We have to go visit my father’s grave tomorrow morning.” Garrett was a devoted son. His father was originally buried back in the village, but once Garrett made money, he bought a prime plot in a city cemetery and had him moved. The next morning, we woke up before dawn. I was confused about the early start. Martha explained, “It’s a long walk, miles of mountain road. We have to start early.” I looked out at the garage, which housed seven or eight luxury cars. She intended to walk to the cemetery to save money. “Auntie, my shoes have lambskin soles. They’ll be ruined if they get wet. I am absolutely not walking. We’re driving.” Garrett instantly agreed. “She’s right, Mom. Bella’s a delicate flower. She’s always driven everywhere. Just ride with us.” Martha shook her head stubbornly. “Absolutely not. Gas is expensive! I used to walk daily in the village. I’m used to it.” “You young people lack discipline. You ride everywhere; your bodies are atrophying.” I wasn’t going to argue. If she wanted to walk, fine. “Alright, Auntie. You can walk if you like. Garrett and I will drive ahead and wait for you at the entrance.” Before getting into the car, Garrett tried one last time. “Mom, are you really not getting in? The gas price is the same no matter how many people are in the car. Please, just ride with us.” The old woman waved us off, refusing to budge. Garrett was hesitant, but at my insistence, he closed the door and drove away. The car soon arrived at the cemetery gate. Garrett turned off the engine, and we waited for his mother to walk up. But we waited, and waited, and she never appeared. At first, I thought she was just slow. But by nearly noon, there was still no sign of her. Garrett called her phone seven or eight times. No answer. “She probably didn’t charge it, to save electricity. She leaves it at home,” Garrett said, frustrated. He tried again. After a few rings, someone finally picked up. “Are you a relative of this number’s owner? She fell on the mountain trail and was brought to our hospital. You need to come quickly.” We immediately forgot the visit and sped off to the hospital. “It’s my fault, it’s all my fault. If I had walked with her, she wouldn’t have fallen,” Garrett lamented, distraught in the passenger seat. “Forget it. Let her be frugal. I only have one mother. She raised me alone; it wasn’t easy.” The moment Martha was hurt, Garrett was instantly overcome with guilt and softness. This must have been the cycle: he tries to correct her, she hurts herself, he feels guilty and gives up, she repeats the habit. “Ms. Hawthorne, maybe we should end the arrangement. Now that my mother is like this, I just can’t bring myself to be harsh with her.” 5 I had taken the wheel, not wanting an agitated Garrett driving. I stayed silent for a moment before replying. “You need to calm down. This isn’t your fault. Even if you were there today, preventing this fall, she’d be in the emergency room next week from eating sprouted potatoes from the pantry.” “Unless you monitor her twenty-four hours a day, this will happen again and again. Also, I don’t mind canceling the contract, but you still owe me the money.” Garrett took a deep swig from a water bottle and finally cooled down. “You’re right. We can’t cancel. Let’s just see her first.” We soon arrived. The nurse told us Martha fell halfway up the mountain. Luckily, a kind passerby found her and brought her in. The checkup revealed a broken tibia. She needed surgery. “The family needs to pay the fees right away. Your mother will be going into surgery soon,” the nurse urged. Garrett instinctively reached for his phone, but I stopped him. “Oh, son, I’m useless. I fall on flat ground. Don’t worry about the surgery. I’ll just rest at home.” “No way, Mom. You need the surgery to heal quickly. Just relax and don’t worry about anything.” I pulled Garrett aside. “Have you always paid for her accidents?” “She only has me. Who else? You have no idea. She’s in the ER every few months from food poisoning or a cut hand from scavenging. I’m practically a VIP here.” The problem was clear. Martha had it easy. No matter how dangerous or toxic her habit was, her son always bailed her out, with no real personal consequence. Of course, she continued. If only he were my son. I took Garrett’s phone and turned to Martha. “Auntie, where is your bank card? Give it to me. I’ll pay. Your son and I are getting married. His money is for my jewelry and my handbags. He transfers you plenty every month, so it’s time you put it to use.” Martha looked at me warily. “How much will the surgery cost?” “I don’t know. I just know that if you had ridden with us this morning, it would have cost you nothing.” Reluctantly, she handed over her card. Garrett and I immediately went to the payment window. He transferred her a substantial allowance every month. She never spent it, so the card should have had tens of thousands of dollars. After we paid the fees, we checked the balance: there was fifty-three dollars and twenty cents left. Garrett, a businessman, was unnerved by the number. He immediately took the card to the bank across the street to check the transaction history. Meanwhile, I returned to the room and, with the nurse’s help, moved Martha from the crowded, common room into the most luxurious private suite. “I was fine in there. The single room is expensive, isn’t it? It must cost a fortune.” “It’s tolerable. We were actually going to move you to a private clinic. Your son is a major CEO, Auntie. If you stay in a common room, where does that leave his reputation? If you won’t think about yourself, at least think of your son.” Though Martha was pathologically self-sacrificing, she truly loved her son. Hearing this, she immediately quieted down. “Well, alright. I suppose this is nice enough.”

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I’ve been married to Harrison Thorne for ten years. In that decade, I’ve met every single one of his “distractions.” Whenever he got bored and wanted to move on, I was his favorite excuse for breaking up with a girl: “If you marry me, you’ll end up just like her. Eventually, we’ll become so familiar that there isn’t a single spark of mystery left.” On our tenth anniversary, I was handing tissues to the college senior he just dumped, while he was at the movies with his newest fling. By the time the tissue pack was empty, I realized I was looking at a ghost of my younger self. So, I asked Harrison for a divorce. He looked unusually baffled. “Aren’t you going to wait a bit longer? Who knows, I might actually settle down eventually.” I gave him a faint smile, offered no answer, and booked a one-way ticket across the Atlantic. Since I can’t wait for you to look back, I’m moving on without you. 1 Marrying a playboy requires a specific kind of spiritual endurance. As the stack of tissues in my hand grew thinner, those words played on a loop in my head. The girl sitting across from me was named Mia. She was a senior in college. She had been crying for two hours straight. Including the “honeymoon phase” of her fling with Harrison, they had barely been together for a month. Honestly, it wasn’t worth ruining her mascara over. I opened my mouth to offer some comfort, but she suddenly looked at me with bloodshot eyes. “He said I reminded him of you. Looking at you now… I see it.” I froze. None of Harrison’s previous girls had ever said that to me. Mia sniffed, wiping the corner of her eye. Her tone shifted from grief to sharp irony. “I don’t need your pity. You’re much more pathetic than I am.” And wasn’t she right? Everyone in the city knew Harrison Thorne had married a “saint.” A saint who had been cheated on more times than anyone could count, yet still spent her afternoons consoling his exes. I called every girl he dated after our wedding an “ex.” It was easier than calling them what they were. I had long since traded my pride for peace. My phone buzzed on the table. A text from Harrison. [Harrison: You done yet? The movie’s about to start.] I placed the phone face down and looked back at Mia’s reddened eyes. “Tell me what kind of settlement you want. I’ll make sure he gives it to you.” I had said these words so many times I sounded like an HR manager handling a layoff. She let out a harsh breath and stood up abruptly. “I don’t want anything from him.” I sighed. “Take something. Cash, a car, a condo. You need something solid to hold onto.” Her gaze turned icy. She reached for her cup and slowly poured her cold coffee over my head. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered. “And I’m keeping it.” I stared at her, paralyzed. The words of comfort died in my throat. A bitter smile twitched at the corner of my lips. Harrison, you promised me many things. In the end, you didn’t keep a single one. 2 I sat in the passenger seat, dripping wet. Harrison was on the phone. He didn’t even try to hide it; I could tell it was the new girl. My hand tightened around the seatbelt, my fingernails digging into my palms until they throbbed. The person on the other end said something that made him chuckle, the fine lines crinkling at the corners of his eyes. “Alright, alright. I’ll come see you tonight.” He hung up, started the engine, and glanced toward me. His hand tightened on the steering wheel, his expression darkening instantly. “She did that?” I was already using a napkin to dry my hair, one slow stroke at a time. When I didn’t answer, he reached over and snatched the napkin from me. “Stay still.” I instinctively tried to pull away, but he grabbed me and pulled me toward him with a cold command. He dried my hair with surprising care, though his brow was furrowed and his face was grim. “You just sat there and let her pour coffee on you?” “Lydia, where’s the fire you used to have? Where’s the girl who used to snap back at me?” Used to… Since meeting Mia, a sense of weightlessness had been expanding in my chest. I pulled away from his arms, my face expressionless. “I can’t exactly lose my temper at a pregnant woman, can I?” He looked sheepish for a fraction of a second but remained stubborn, continuing to dry my hair. We didn’t speak for the rest of the drive. He drove; I stared out the window. I could see him in my peripheral vision, glancing at me every few minutes as if searching for something. But the ripples in my heart had long since stilled. Disappointment had traveled a thousand miles past despair. All that was left was numbness. I couldn’t focus on the movie. Harrison spent most of the time looking down at his phone, replying to messages. The “tradition” of our anniversary date collapsed into ruins before the credits even rolled. The irony was that afterward, I still had to sit by his side and watch him perform. The party was for close friends and family; the Thorne family invitations had been sent out weeks ago. Amidst the clinking of crystal and forced laughter, Harrison peeled shrimp for me. He piled them high on my plate, but I sat staring at his wrist as he rolled up his sleeves. Whose hair tie was wrapped around his wrist? A wave of nausea rolled over me, killing any appetite I had left. A man who peels shrimp for you doesn’t necessarily love you. A man who never forgets an anniversary after ten years doesn’t necessarily love you. A man who never takes off his wedding ring, even in the shower, doesn’t necessarily love you. I should thank Harrison. He taught me all of that. 3 Childhood sweethearts. Neighbors. A “perfect match” on paper. But those descriptions were meant for Harrison and my sister, Clara. Even before I understood what love was, I knew our families intended for them to marry. I had seen Clara’s cheeks flush pink whenever they went on dates. I had seen the notoriously arrogant Harrison Thorne turn quiet and gentle whenever he was with her. Why else would I have quietly hidden away the vintage records I spent months collecting for him when I was a teenager? In that trio, I was only Clara’s shadow. When their love was at its peak, there was no room for me to stand. Everything changed when Clara turned twenty. My poised, elegant sister ran away on the eve of her engagement party, only to die in a tragic plane crash. When her journals were found, the “perfect” facade of the Sterling family shattered. The shyness had been an act. Clara had been used as a bargaining chip by our parents to save their failing business empire. The only time she ever chose herself, it cost her her life. I carried the weight of my family’s survival on my shoulders. I was rushed into an engagement, then a wedding. To save the Thorne family’s reputation. To save the Sterling family from bankruptcy. In that whirlwind, I didn’t have time to process if I was more heartbroken or more relieved. Even as a substitute, I was marrying the man I had loved since I was a girl. But when we exchanged rings, I was the only one whose heart raced. During the “kiss the bride” moment, Harrison’s lips barely brushed mine. He whispered a sentence that would haunt us for a decade. “If you didn’t want this, why go through with it?” Back then, we agreed: we would each take what we needed from this arrangement. But ten years of marriage was too long. He did everything for me with perfection, yet he still didn’t love me. 4 The dinner ended after midnight. I couldn’t tell if I was buzzed or if my head just hurt. I climbed into the car and drifted into a heavy, feverish sleep. I vaguely heard Harrison on speakerphone, flirting with his new girl. The sweet talk was winding and elaborate. He never got tired of saying it; I was just tired of hearing it. During a lull, I felt a hand press against my forehead. The car braked hard. He let out a muffled curse. “Damn it, you’re burning up. Why didn’t you say anything?” The call was cut short. He seemed frantic as he draped his jacket over me. I thought I heard him whisper my nickname, CeeCee. I was probably just hallucinating from the fever. I let out a bitter laugh. He always called me by my full name, Lydia. As if omitting a single syllable would let me fantasize that I was the sister he actually wanted to marry. A person is more vulnerable when they are sick—but also more honest. A deep weariness took hold. Weariness of him, and of a love that never gave anything back. The car started moving again. The speed and the swaying made it hard to tell how fast we were going. He seemed to be on the phone constantly. Almost there, Doctor… she’ll be fine. Or maybe it was just a dream. Until the car stopped again. I forced my eyes open and saw him unbuckle his seatbelt and leap out of the car. He ran toward a slender figure standing at the hospital entrance. He pulled Mia into a tight embrace. The fragments of words I’d heard earlier finally made sense. “Wait for me. Don’t do anything reckless. I’m here. Everything will be okay.” Every word was for her. Even from a distance, I could hear her sobbing. I heard his voice, low and comforting. “I would never let you do anything to hurt yourself.” “It’s okay. We won’t break up. We’ll figure out what to do about the baby.” The memory I had buried deep in my heart was ripped open by the pain. Six months after our wedding, I had been pregnant too. 5 Back then, I was walking on eggshells at the Thorne estate while trying to manage the Sterling family’s affairs. Before I even realized what was happening, the pregnancy had ended. I’ll never forget the sound of Harrison’s voice outside the hospital room. Cold. Detached. “Maybe it’s for the best. It wasn’t supposed to happen anyway.” After that day, we reached a silent understanding. He could continue being a playboy. As long as the Sterling family stayed afloat. He could date whoever he wanted, as long as… as long as he didn’t “cause a scene” or a permanent complication. Now, he was the one who broke the deal. The Sterling family was an empty shell now, both my parents having passed away. And him? I didn’t want to force him anymore. I leaned my head against the car window, my breath hot against the glass. I watched him finish comforting Mia and walk back to me. He opened the door, draped my arm around his neck, and carried me toward the ER. Over his shoulder, I saw Mia sniffle and stare at me with pure contempt. As he passed her, she tried to grab his sleeve. She missed. He kept walking, his strides long and confident. His face, which no sculptor could ever improve upon, was set in a grim line. He always gave me the illusion that no matter how far he strayed, he would eventually come back. This time, I shook my head and woke up. “Harrison, I want a divorce.” His steps faltered, but he didn’t look at me. “What?” “A divorce. Please.” His expression shifted through a complex range—from anger to confusion, finally settling on a mocking laugh. “Why not wait a little longer? Maybe in a few years…” He glanced at me, his smile teasing. “I’ll finally be ready to settle down.” I laughed too, though my eyes felt hot. The fever was definitely getting worse. “What can I say? I’m bored of you. Maybe we should just be friends.” In an instant, Harrison’s face froze. His jaw tightened so hard the muscles jumped. “Not enough mystery for you anymore?” My vision was blurred by tears, but I kept smiling. “We should never have gotten married. We should have stayed exactly what you said we were back then.” “Lydia Sterling? I’d rather be her brother than her husband!”

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After dating for seven years, Harrison and I were getting married. I was excitedly decorating the wedding venue, but unexpectedly clashed with someone over the location. The meticulously prepared venue was occupied by someone else. I complained to Harrison with dissatisfaction, but was ruthlessly interrupted by him. “Are you annoying? It’s just a venue, if this one doesn’t work, just change to another one.” I looked at Harrison in astonishment, puzzled by his sudden attitude. He didn’t contact me actively anymore, and my initiative was met with sentences of being busy. Until ten days before the wedding, I went to his office to find him. His voice came from the room: “Vivian, I promise, on the wedding day all guests will be at this venue, there will only be one bride over there.” “I haven’t changed the address on the invitation.” I froze on the spot in shock. Turns out it wasn’t a clash of venues, but a clash of grooms. Chapter 1 I went home soullessly. Didn’t know how many pedestrians I bumped into absentmindedly along the way. “Are you crazy? Watch where you’re going!” “Is she an idiot? Bad luck!” “Blind? Donate your eyes if you don’t need them!” Hearing this, I stiffened and smiled self-deprecatingly: “Yes, I am blind…” A trace of astonishment flashed in that person’s eyes, passing by me without a word. Probably misunderstood. But I didn’t want to explain. Heavy rain poured down, instantly soaking my body. But I felt nothing, cold water drops sliding down my face. Midnight, sure enough, I had a fever. In a daze, I received a phone call: “Lena, can you come to the Oriole Club to bring me some hangover meds? I’m confused by these guys pouring alcohol.” I froze, subconsciously got up to find hangover meds. When recovered, I hurriedly stopped my movement: “Sorry, I have a fever, can’t go.” The other side seemed astonished, jeering sounds came from beside: “Brother Harrison you lost, looks like you have to buy hangover meds for me yourself.” The coquettish voice was somewhat familiar. It was Vivian. I sneered lightly, the other side hung up the phone in a hurry. Midnight. Harrison came home smelling of alcohol. Dragged me up from sound sleep: “Are you sick? I was poured alcohol by brothers and you still made excuses dragging not to bring me meds.” “Do you still have me as your boyfriend in your heart?!” The smell of alcohol made my brain somewhat sober. I held my forehead, trying to steady myself: “I said, I have a fever.” Under this solemn emphasis, Harrison finally looked at me seriously. The flushed cheeks were enough to explain the problem. He was silent for a moment, whispered: “Sorry, I’ll sleep in the study.” I sneered, fell back on the bed. Now I couldn’t sleep either. Flirting sounds came from the next room. A bit noisy. Sleepless all night. Harrison walked out of the study with Vivian, refreshed. Seeing me, Harrison’s smile froze. Subconsciously widened the distance between him and Vivian: “Morning.” “Yesterday the drinking party ended too late, Vivian didn’t bring keys, so I brought her home first.” I nodded, moved aside walking towards the door. Harrison grabbed my wrist, I looked at him puzzled. He stuttered: “Where are you going? Shouldn’t we go see wedding dresses today?” I was stunned, turned and laughed: “Why don’t you two go see, I have business at the company.” Harrison seemed relieved, smile a bit more genuine: “Alright then, Vivian’s taste has always been good, definitely will satisfy us.” I agreed naturally. Notified the groom’s side relatives about changing venue, then notified my side relatives that the wedding was cancelled. Then I turned off my phone, I didn’t want to explain one by one. Turned to apply for a passport. The qualification for overseas study was obtained long ago. But as newlyweds, I didn’t want to be separated from Harrison for too long, so put it aside temporarily. Now the wedding couldn’t go on, I absolutely couldn’t give up this study qualification. But the moment I came out, I saw Harrison and Vivian walking out of the City Hall next door. Smiles overflowing on both faces. Until the moment we looked at each other, everyone froze. “Why are you here?” Not wanting Harrison to ask, I spoke first. Harrison paused, eyes subconsciously dodging. Chapter 2 Vivian extended her hand, climbing onto Harrison’s elbow. She was triumphant: “Brother Harrison accompanied me to do something.” I glanced at her lightly: “Congrats.” Harrison wanted to chase up to explain something, reached out but grabbed air. “Lena!” I didn’t stop, accelerated my pace. Evening. Harrison brought Vivian back again. I looked at the two calmly: “Want me to give up the master bedroom for you? Study probably can’t fit you right?” One sentence seemed to poke Harrison’s sore spot. His face became ugly: “Lena! Do you have to speak so sharply?” “How did you become like this?” “Like a shrew!” I found it a bit funny. Seemed I said nothing, did nothing. The hat of a shrew was already buckled on my head. I pointed at my head and smiled: “Wearing too many hats, I don’t know which hat I should wear most.” Harrison was uncomfortable for a moment. Soon slapped my face. “Giving you face? Don’t forget, this is my house! Eating mine drinking mine living mine! Still speaking sharply to me?” “Get out! You get out!” He pushed me towards outside. Didn’t give me a chance to take my phone. My face changed, when recovered I was already locked outside the door. “Harrison! Give me my phone!” I banged the door crazily. But this door never opened again. Autumn still carried chill, I rubbed my arms, goosebumps rising. Although this is the place I stayed since childhood, at this moment I am homeless. Penniless plus homeless, I could only choose to walk to the company. When arrived at the company, I was exhausted and paralyzed. Lying on the table fell asleep. Until next morning. With the help of company colleagues I bought a new phone, then dialed Harrison’s number. Phone wasn’t answered by him. Vivian’s voice came from receiver: “Brother Harrison, unknown number.” Harrison seemed impatient: “Unknown just hang up.” Vivian didn’t hang up after all. She probably guessed it was me. “Brother Harrison want to go apologize to Sister Lena?” “After all a girl, wants face…” Pretending innocent little white flower. This is my evaluation of her. I chuckled lightly, very clumsy trick. But Harrison’s words still successfully stunned me. “Care about her for what? Anyway in this city she has no other place to go.” “Didn’t even get phone in hand.” “Won’t last long before bowing to me.” The other side hung up. I blankly didn’t recover. So. He knew… I smiled bitterly. The heart thought wouldn’t fluctuate anymore actually still felt a trace of pain at this moment. I decisively dialed the phone again. “Why you still calling? Didn’t you hear just now?” Vivian’s impatient voice came over. “How cheap you are, sticking to Brother Harrison like a plaster, don’t you really know yourself?” I didn’t care about Vivian’s various attacks. Smiled faintly: “Let’s meet, have something to give you.” Vivian was suspicious. Hesitated for a moment, she still agreed. “Meet at South City Cafe.” I hung up, departed decisively. Time arrived, Vivian didn’t come to South City Cafe as promised. Chapter 3 “Lena! You want to bully Vivian again?!” “I said I have nothing with Vivian, how can you still trouble her?” Harrison’s impatient voice rang. Followed by a fierce slap. My cheek burned with pain. Smiled mockingly, looking at Harrison only felt extremely strange. “Hitting people indiscriminately, is this your family’s upbringing?” Harrison’s face became unusually ugly. He pursed lips, seemingly didn’t know how to refute. But since the one coming wasn’t Vivian, the thing in my hand didn’t need to be given out. “If I really wanted to trouble her, would I call you?” “Could I guess she would answer your phone? Really funny.” I pressed step by step, approaching Harrison. His face became uglier, retreating repeatedly. I felt bored, turned to leave. Harrison didn’t find me again, but the wedding was getting closer. With only one day left, he showed mercy and sent over a necklace. No packaging, no box. Only a bare necklace that lost its luster. “Isn’t this your favorite necklace? I bought it back for you.” I suddenly felt a bit funny. Looked up at Harrison solemnly: “If you think giving me a second-hand necklace that should belong to me but snatched by Vivian would make me cherish it, then you underestimate me too much.” Harrison felt guilty. Face red terribly. Propping up body gritted teeth: “How can you be so unreasonable?” “Your favorite thing is in hand, I am also by your side, what else not satisfied?” “After tomorrow, we two are husband and wife.” I looked at him with a half-smile, had nothing good to say. “I know.” Plain sentence, turned and left. “Where do you live these days? ID also at home, you wouldn’t…” He spoke suddenly, hand subconsciously pulled me. For an instant, I felt embarrassed. Anger rose from heart. Threw off Harrison. Eyes carried indescribable pain: “Harrison! Since you knew I had nowhere to go why kick me out?!” “Did you really…” His eyes dodged, guilty at this moment. Turned head away: “I thought you couldn’t last half a day before showing weakness to me.” At this moment, I was tired. “Forget it.” I didn’t want to pay attention to him anymore, strode forward. But downstairs of company, an uninvited guest was waiting for me long ago. “Lena.” I turned subconsciously, saw Vivian. “You received the necklace right? This counts as a little compensation from me and Brother Harrison to you, didn’t you like it most?” My gaze turned to Vivian, saw on her neck, wearing exactly the Heart of the Ocean worth over 100 million at recent auction. Sensing my gaze, Vivian raised head proudly, hand sliding over necklace. “Brother Harrison said you like that necklace, so exchange with Heart of the Ocean.” That tone, somewhat funny. “Just trash, keep it yourself.” Vivian exploded instantly. Incompetent rage. I didn’t pay attention. Next day I embarked on journey abroad. Ignoring those crazy phone calls from mad dogs—Vivian, Harrison. Before boarding, a huge force threw me heavily on the ground. “You abandoned wedding just to go abroad?!” Chapter 4 Vivian wearing wedding dress had tears in eyes, a pitiful look. As for Harrison, furious at this moment. I glanced at the two’s attire, inexplicably somewhat embarrassed. Body stained with lot of baffling dirt, like splashed by something. “Tsk, isn’t this wedding what you dreamed of?” “What? Without me, wedding can’t go on?” Vivian seemed to think of something, pressed on me crazily. “Do you know you ruined me?!” “If not for you, I would be happiest bride today!” Severe pain came from neck. Suffocation came head-on. Harrison aside looked at me with complex face, no intention to help at all. Moment. Finally security discovered my predicament now. “You… what are you doing?” “Continue we call police!” Several security guards rushed over, pulled Vivian off me. I breathed sigh of relief instantly. Thanked security brothers, turned and rushed to ticket gate. Boarded at fastest speed. Moment turning on phone, best friend Lindsay’s call came. “Lena you weren’t at scene today, don’t know how awkward it was.” “All guests were fooled, no one at wedding scene.” “Uncle Harrison angry badly, called Harrison over.” “Result matter of changing bride exposed on spot, Harrison and Vivian got beaten up good.” I couldn’t help laughing hearing this. This situation was guessed. Uncle Harrison loves face most, changing bride on spot to please mistress, can’t tolerate at all. I laughed: “I saw their embarrassment, Vivian even wanted kill me, but stopped by security.” Lindsay shocked. Her repeated concern warmed my heart. “But pity, I didn’t come to this city specially to see joke, just wanted see you.” I fell silent. For a moment felt a bit bad. “Sorry.” Lindsay seemed to smile, then spoke: “Relax, I only hope you happy, when settled, I visit you.” Hanging up phone, lost feeling of coming to foreign land rose spontaneously. But without those annoying existences. Days passed peacefully. Half year later. Long time no see old friends messaged me one by one greeting. Such weird situation surprised me a bit. But I asked carefully, couldn’t hear any news. Heavy rain pouring outside window, making my heart restless too. Bang bang bang bang— Violent knocking made me shiver. I walked carefully towards door, voice trembling: “Who is it?” Through peephole, didn’t see anyone. Instantly, hair stood up. Various guesses rose in heart. “Open door! I want go home!” A familiar voice made my soul fly. It’s Harrison! “Here isn’t your home, get out!” I roughened voice, said fiercely. I tried best changing voice, didn’t use mother tongue. Person outside still happy. “Lena, it’s you right?” “I know it’s you! This is your voice!” “I came find you, we stay together forever okay?” Harrison’s voice carried joy.

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New Year’s Eve. I was pushing my beat-up delivery scooter through a blizzard when my phone vibrated. “Rory.” Just two syllables, cutting through the static and the roar of the wind, landing like a thunderbolt on my skull. But I’d signed the non-disclosure agreement. I’d taken the money and vanished a decade ago. I couldn’t fathom why my younger brother, the one who’d taken my college spot and my name, was contacting me now. “I’m outside the complex where you’re delivering.” “Mom and Dad are dying. They want to see you one last time.” Outside the complex? … I slammed on the brakes. My tire skidded, carving a black scar into the snow-covered asphalt. A stretch Cadillac idled by the security gate. A window rolled halfway down, revealing a face I knew too well—handsome, chiseled, and perfectly maintained. Staring at that face—a mirror image of my own, yet a world away in fortune—my frozen hands tightened on the scooter’s handlebar. They’d bled me dry to pave his golden path. What else could they possibly want? I exhaled a cloud of white steam, ignored the car, and twisted the throttle, speeding past the massive luxury vehicle. I didn’t even glance in the rearview mirror. Behind me, a car door opened and closed with a heavy thud. Jasper hadn’t chased me. Of course not. How could a man in a fifty-thousand-dollar bespoke suit, wearing pristine Italian leather shoes, sully himself with this kind of sludge and snow? Ten minutes later, I parked the scooter outside the dilapidated building slated for demolition. My hands were numb, practically welded to the grips. I wrestled the thermal bag free. My phone buzzed again—an unknown number. I didn’t need to check the caller ID. I hung up instantly. Then came the barrage of texts: “Rory Miller, how much longer are you going to play the martyr?” “Dad has end-stage renal failure. He needs a kidney, immediately.” “If you have an ounce of conscience left, stop pretending you’re dead.” At the words “renal failure,” I wanted to laugh. I truly, bitterly wanted to laugh. Ten years ago, they’d used the same tactic. They’d claimed Grandpa Robert had a massive brain tumor and needed the money—the supposed “blood money” from selling my future. And the result? I shoved the phone into my pocket, rubbing the back of my hands. The chapped skin on my knuckles, cracked open by the cold, wept fresh blood. I climbed the six flights of stairs. Before reaching the landing, I heard a racking cough from inside. I pushed the door open. A wave of damp, mildewed air slapped me in the face. The one-room apartment, maybe three hundred square feet, was cluttered with stacks of salvaged cardboard boxes. “Honey, you’re back?” Hannah heard the noise and walked toward me, leaning on the wall. An old injury left her with a pronounced limp. She held out a steaming cup of plain hot water. “Come, warm your hands.” I looked at her faded cotton dress and the leg that had never fully healed after the accident. The ice in my chest thawed just a little. “Daddy!” Our son, Caleb, scooted out from behind her, clutching a handful of plastic blocks. A smear of red paint covered his cheek. He grinned, showing off his tiny white teeth. “Look, Daddy! I built a huge house! We’re going to live here!” It was a lopsided construction of primary-colored blocks, with a little courtyard. My nose stung. I squatted down, ready to pull him into a hug, when the door was brutally pounded. BANG. BANG. BANG. The force was immense, the rhythm urgent, and it reeked of entitled arrogance. No neighbor in this broken-down building would ever knock like that. Hannah’s face paled. She looked instinctively at the door. “Who is it?” She barely cracked it open before a foot in a black leather shoe violently kicked it inward. Hannah, unsteady on her injured leg, stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding the small gas heater. Two black-suited bodyguards strode in, followed by a blast of expensive cologne. Jasper Miller stepped into my “pigsty,” pinching his nose with a look of disgust. He surveyed the mold-speckled wallpaper, his eyes finally settling on Hannah and me. The condescending pity in his gaze was a physical sting. “Brother, you’re actually living here?” He kicked aside a stack of newspaper. “Come home with me. Save Dad’s life. I’ll give you half a million.” Half a million dollars for my kidney. Just like ten years ago: three million dollars to buy out my entire life. The air in the room seemed to solidify. Caleb, terrified, buried his face in my shirt, whimpering softly. Despite her limp, Hannah positioned herself between us, a protective lioness. “Get out!” She snatched up the small pair of embroidery scissors she used for mending clothes. One of the bodyguards took a step forward, raising a hand to shove her. “Don’t touch her!” I screamed the words. My hand closed around the utility knife I kept on the table for cutting open cardboard boxes. I leveled the razor-sharp tip at Jasper’s handsome face. “Tell your men to back off, or I won’t guarantee this face will ever play a violin on stage again.” Jasper flinched, instinctively shielding his face, and took two steps back. “Rory, are you insane?!” “I’m here to help you!” His eyes were wide with incomprehension. “Look at that cripple you married, and look at this little brat you fathered.” “Don’t you want a better life?” I gave a cold laugh. “Help me?” “In what capacity? The one who stole my name, Jasper Miller, or the one who stole my life, ‘Rory’?” Hearing that, Jasper’s face went white. It was his only stain, the wound he feared most being exposed. He gritted his teeth, pulled a checkbook from his limited-edition briefcase, and tossed the flimsy paper to the floor. It landed on the cold, cracked cement. “Mom and Dad worked hard to raise you, even if the methods were a little intense back then. But you took the money.” “You squandered three million, ended up like this, and you blame who? Not me. I was diligent. I was successful. I deserved that spot.” He grew more self-righteous with every word, as if I was the one who had taken a fortune to live a life of decadence, and he was the diligent, struggling genius. I felt a surge of pure absurdity. Rage detonated in my chest, burning through my insides. But I couldn’t lose control. For Caleb, I couldn’t risk getting arrested. I took a deep breath, bent down, and picked up the check. A smug smirk played on Jasper’s lips. “That’s right—” SSSKKKKK— The sound of tearing paper. I shredded the half-million-dollar check right in front of him. I tossed the pieces high, letting the paper snowflakes drift down onto his expensive cashmere coat. Then, I grabbed the mug of lukewarm, bitter tea from the table—old, dark tea leaves still floating at the bottom. “WHOOSH—” The brown liquid streamed down his meticulously styled hair, ran across his perfect face, and dripped onto the pristine white cashmere. Jasper’s shriek nearly lifted the ceiling. “AAHH!! Rory Miller! You dare to splash me?!” The bodyguards moved. I pointed at the old, dusty security camera mounted in the corner. “This room is wired. It’s synced to the cloud.” “Touch me, and I release the story of how you bought a college spot and impersonated a student ten years ago. I’ll send it to every media outlet.” “We all go down together.” Jasper froze. He was a celebrated concert violinist, a public figure. He had everything to lose. “Fine. Very well.” Jasper wiped the tea from his face. His makeup was smudged; he looked like a pathetic clown. “Rory, you will regret this.” He scrambled away with his bodyguards. I heard the frantic tap-tap-tap of their dress shoes echoing down the stairwell. Only when the sound was completely gone did the tension leave me. I was shaking, and the utility knife clattered to the floor. Hannah came over, asked nothing, and simply wrapped me in her arms. Her embrace smelled faintly of cheap laundry detergent, but it was the safest place in the world. “It’s okay, Rory. It’s okay.” But was it, really? At three in the morning, Hannah’s phone rang. It was the owner of the garment factory where she worked. “Hannah, we have a clear complaint. Someone says you deliberately ruined a shipment of high-end silk.” “Don’t bother coming in tomorrow. Prepare the compensation payment.” I listened to the dial tone, my hands gripping the sheets. The retaliation was swift. Hannah hung up. In the dark, she didn’t say a word. She just walked to the window, staring out at the distant city lights, as if counting down our remaining time. The next morning, Hannah put on her faded work uniform, pretending everything was fine. “I’m heading out. I’ll bring home some caramel apples tonight.” Her smile was gentle, but the fine lines around her eyes were etched with exhaustion. I knew she wasn’t going to work. She was going to beg for her job back or try to find day labor somewhere else. With her leg, good jobs were impossible. After she left, I dropped Caleb off at his daycare and boarded the bus bound for downtown. I needed to end this. Outside the window, the scenery flew by. As we passed the famous Eastwood School of Music, a sharp, familiar pain seized my chest. Ten years ago, I looked out a window like this. Back then, I clutched a gold-embossed acceptance letter. I was the state violin champion, the so-called “prodigy.” My future was limitless. Until that night. My parents suddenly knelt before me. That single, desperate act broke something deep inside me. “Rory, sweetie, Grandpa Robert is dying from the tumor. We need a million dollars for the surgery.” “We don’t have it! Even selling the house won’t cover it!” “But someone is offering the money… if you… if you just give up your acceptance.” Give it up? It wasn’t just giving up a college spot. It was erasing me from existence. It was letting Jasper take my name, my life, and my university seat. I refused. I was human. I had dreams. But then my father pulled out a small bottle of antifreeze. He stood by Grandpa Robert’s hospital bed, threatening to force the poison down the old man’s throat. “If we can’t afford treatment, then we’ll all just die!” My mother, Susan, was sobbing, her face streaked with blood from hitting the floor. “Rory, he’s your brother! He’s delicate. He can’t do hard labor! If you don’t help him, his life is ruined!” “You have your health. You can survive without a degree!” What utterly ridiculous logic. To save Grandpa, and for the sake of the family, I signed. I signed the legal document severing our relationship. I signed the non-disclosure agreement. That same night, my ID was confiscated, and I was put on a bus bound for a factory in the South. I pressed my face to the window, watching Jasper, wearing my favorite white button-down shirt, standing under a streetlamp, smiling. He took everything. The memory was a rusty saw, scraping back and forth in my skull, the pain almost suffocating. The bus pulled up to the City General Hospital. I stepped off, inhaling deeply. The cold air rushed into my lungs, making me cough violently. I followed the information Jasper had given me, finding the VIP suite. Through the glass window, I saw my vampire parents. Robert was lying in bed, sallow, hooked up to an IV. Susan was peeling an apple for him. Jasper sat on a nearby sofa, polishing his expensive Stradivarius violin. The scene was sickeningly cozy. I pushed the door open. BANG! It hit the wall, the noise echoing through the sterile room. The three of them looked over at once. When Robert saw me, his clouded eyes didn’t show surprise, but calculation—like a hungry wolf sighting prey. “Rory? You came?” Susan dropped the apple, instantly putting on her ‘doting mother’ mask, and rushed toward me. “My son! Your father is fading, he just wanted to see you one last time.” She tried to take my hand. I sidestepped, avoiding her touch. Her hand hung in the air, a moment of awkwardness, which she quickly covered by dabbing her eyes. “Still mad at Mom and Dad, sweetie? But we gave you the three million, didn’t we?” I stood in the center of the room, looking coldly at the trio of actors. “Was it your doing? Hannah losing her job?” I didn’t bother with small talk. “Get her reinstated. Pay her damages. Otherwise, we have nothing to discuss.” Jasper rose. He was wearing a different suit today—Armani—still impeccably tailored. “As long as you agree to the matching procedure and donate a kidney to Dad.” “Forget the job; I’ll give you a million dollars.” “A million. That’s enough for a bottom feeder like you to live on for the rest of your life.” His tone was dismissive, as if he were shooing a beggar. I fixed my gaze on his eyes and walked toward him, step by slow step. “You thought I spent all those years living well, squandering that so-called blood money?” Jasper frowned, playing innocent. “Weren’t you? “Mom and Dad gave you three million. You said you wanted to travel the world, that studying was too much work. I reluctantly agreed to step in.” “You must have blown through the money by now, right?” “Why else would you be delivering food?” I paused, then a massive wave of pure, cold absurdity washed over me. I started to laugh. I couldn’t stop. I doubled over, tears streaming down my face. “Ha ha ha ha ha…” “Three million? Travel the world?” I snapped the laughter off. I grabbed Jasper’s wrist in a death grip. It was a musician’s hand: pale, slender, without a single callus. Then, I shoved my own hand right up to his face. “Open your damn eyes and look!” “Does this look like a hand that traveled the world?!” My hands were covered in rough calluses, the knuckles thick and misshapen, the skin red and weeping from frostbite. They were the hands that had tightened screws for ten years, delivered food for three, scrubbed dishes in winter, and hauled cement in summer! Jasper recoiled in panic, trying to pull away. “Get off me! You’re… you’re filthy!” “Filthy?” I held fast. “It gets worse.” I turned to the father, Robert, feigning illness in the bed, and the mother, Susan, looking utterly guilty. “Jasper, ask your wonderful parents.” “Where did the three million dollars really go?”

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A week before Christmas, I was fired. In the biting December wind, I ran to my best friend’s house, my vision blurred by hot tears. “Stella, my boss stole my concept and made me the scapegoat! I swear, I hope he gets stuck in holiday gridlock with explosive diarrhea!” Through my tears, I reached out and grabbed what I thought was my best friend’s waist. It felt remarkably solid, hard, and a bit broader than usual. I looked up, blinking through my tears. “Did you grow taller?” Stella’s voice floated from across the room. “You’re hugging the wrong person, Hazel. That’s my brother.” 1 You really couldn’t blame me. What kind of grown man wears a fluffy, neon pink cartoon pajama set? After wiping my eyes and shoving my glasses back onto my face, the image came into sharp focus. Sitting on the sofa was a man with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and endlessly long legs. He possessed a cold, aloof face that looked like it belonged on a high fashion billboard. Somehow, he made that ridiculous pink fleece look like haute couture. I forced a strained smile. “Rowan, when did you get back from London?” Rowan tilted his head slightly, his gaze dark. “Just now.” No wonder he looked exhausted. Jet lag. Clearly, my timing was terrible. I stood up to leave, but Stella grabbed my arm. “Look at the blizzard outside. You can’t even get an Uber. Where are you going to go?” Without waiting for an answer, she tossed a fluffy neon green pajama set at me. “Here, matching family outfits. I bought one for you too. You’re sleeping in my bed tonight.” I stared at the neon green monstrosity in my hands. It was the exact same style as Rowan’s. Except his was “Macho Pink” and mine was “True Love Green.” I hesitated. Putting this on felt like a permanent vow of celibacy. Before I could react, the pajamas were snatched from my hands. Rowan stood up. At six foot three, his presence cast a heavy shadow over me. Right in front of my eyes, he stripped off his pink pajama top, revealing a chiseled torso with an absolutely sinful eight pack. Before I could properly appreciate the view, he swiftly pulled on the green top. “You wear the pink one.” He shoved his discarded pink top into my hands. It was still warm from his body heat, carrying his signature scent of crisp cedarwood and winter air. The heat radiating from the fabric flushed my cheeks instantly. Rowan was already heading up the stairs. He threw a final sentence over his shoulder. “I need to catch up on sleep. Try not to demolish the house, you two.” I buried half my face into the pink fleece, whispering to Stella. “Is your brother into me?” Stella rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. “I told you to make a move years ago and you said it wasn’t appropriate. Well, now it’s too late.” 2 Rowan had returned to the States for a blind date. An arranged marriage setup. The prospective bride was Victoria, the only daughter of the biggest venture capital firm partnering with Rowan’s family. Ivy League educated, brilliant, and drop dead gorgeous. She was immaculate from her manicured toes to the crown of her head. The rumor was that the parents had set it up. If they clicked, an engagement would be announced before the New Year. Equal status, powerful families. A perfect alliance. The thought of this absolute god of a man becoming someone else’s husband made my chest tighten until I couldn’t breathe. The pain of being framed and fired was nothing compared to this. Stella showed no mercy, delivering the final blow. “You coward. I told you to confess, but you kept making excuses. Look at you now. Your dream guy is getting married, and the bride isn’t you.” I mumbled something pathetic, thinking to myself: With my background, even if I had the guts to confess, would he ever look my way? I was just being realistic. A wet, handsome head poked out over the second floor railing. “Stella, come find me some clothes.” “Busy!” Stella shouted without looking up from her phone. “Ask Hazel to do it!” Silence from above. I panicked and started to decline. Stella yelled up the stairs, “Hazel won’t help you either. Just stay naked!” A long pause followed. Then, Rowan’s voice drifted down. “Hazel.” His low, magnetic voice had a hook in it, coiling around my eardrums. “Please.” 3 I was a regular at the house, but I had never stepped foot into Rowan’s bedroom. Fortunately, the layout was familiar. I opened his walk in closet. It was filled with rows of identical loungewear, differentiated only by subtle shades and fabric textures. Before I entered, Rowan had ducked into the master bathroom. I called out, “Rowan, what color do you want?” “Anything.” I grabbed a white set. The bathroom door cracked open, and I passed the clothes through the sliver of space. A moment later. “I don’t like this one.” Fine. I grabbed a black set. As I pulled it off the shelf, the hem of a shirt caught on a delicately wrapped box. The box tumbled to the plush carpet, popping open. A corner of an envelope peeked out. The envelope looked incredibly familiar. I gently pulled it out and felt like I had been struck by lightning. It was the love letter I had written to Rowan back in high school. “What are you looking at?” Rowan had stepped out of the bathroom and was leaning against the doorframe, watching me. Startled, my hands moved faster than my brain. I shoved the envelope up my sleeve. “Nothing,” I stammered, gripping the box like it was an active explosive. “Rowan, what’s in this box?” “Old things. I don’t remember.” A wave of relief washed over me. Thank God he didn’t remember. He walked past me, plucking the black clothes from my frozen hands. He was wearing nothing but a low slung white towel around his hips. Droplets of water dripped from his damp hair, sliding down his chest and disappearing beneath the edge of the towel. “Are you planning to stay and watch me change?” Rowan’s fingers moved to the knot of the towel. I dropped the box and bolted from the room. 4 Rowan was Seattle’s newest, most successful tech mogul. The golden boy. As for me, to put it nicely, I was from a single parent household. To put it bluntly, I was a wild kid nobody wanted. Rowan was the bright moon in the sky. I was the stray cat in the alley. My love for him felt like an insult to his status. But I didn’t always have this kind of self awareness. Back in high school, when I became friends with Stella through an academic decathlon, everyone whispered that I was a social climber, latching onto a rich girl to change my destiny. Young and arrogant, I wore my courage like armor. The gossip didn’t affect me. Stella and I walked to school together, studied together, and complained about the cafeteria food together. In our senior year, we won the national science championship together. Stella said to me, “Thanks to the genius for carrying me.” I replied, “Thanks to the heiress for buying my lunch.” Standing on that podium, I crushed every insulting word ever thrown at me beneath my worn out sneakers. That was also the day I met Rowan for the first time. 5 We used our prize money to throw ourselves a tiny celebration. We ate street tacos and drank cheap soda. At two in the morning, Stella and I were sitting on the curb in our school uniforms, looking like two abandoned garden gnomes. Rowan’s sleek black car pulled up right in front of us. Long legs, tailored dark suit, the wind catching his hair under the warm glow of the streetlights. He bent down, looking at Stella and me the way someone looks at two stray puppies. I hiccuped. I hadn’t had a drop of alcohol, but I felt completely intoxicated. “Stella, this guy is gorgeous. I want to kiss him.” Stella looked up, let out a piercing shriek, grabbed my arm, and dragged me down the street. I didn’t understand. “Why are we running? I haven’t even gotten his number yet!” Stella gasped, “Are you trying to die? That’s my brother!” The result was the two of us cornered in a dark alley by Rowan. He grabbed us each by the scruff of the neck and threw us into the back of his car. We got a brutal lecture for staying out all night. I don’t remember a single word he said. My entire brain was chanting: God, he’s so hot. I really want to kiss him. By then, he was a junior at Stanford, already launching his first startup, a rising star in the business world. With his brilliant mind, stunning looks, and elite background, he naturally attracted a legion of admirers. I whispered to Stella, “Can I try to pursue your brother?” Stella was adamant. “Yes! Go get him! Seduce him!” Fearless, I actually wrote a love letter and secretly slipped it into his jacket pocket. Silence. I refused to give up. I wrote a second one. Before I could deliver it, my backpack was snatched by Brooke, the school bully, on my way home. Laughing, she pulled out the medication I had just bought for my grandmother. Three hundred dollars a box. Insurance didn’t cover it. I had used all my prize money to buy six boxes. A six month supply. It was my grandmother’s lifeline. Brooke put her boot on the box. One hard press, and the capsules would be crushed. “Look at you, dreaming of dating Rowan. Do you really think you deserve him?” She held the other five boxes hostage. “Want them back?” Yes. “Eat the love letter, and I’ll give them to you.” Youthful pride is both fierce and fragile. But a high school crush meant absolutely nothing compared to my grandmother’s life. I ripped the envelope open, shoved the paper into my mouth, and chewed. Along with the paper, I swallowed my affection, my courage, and my dignity. I turned around and saw Rowan standing at the end of the alley. He was bathed in sunlight, glowing as always. I stood in the shadows, utterly pathetic. I never spoke of my feelings again. I wasn’t worthy. 6 Rowan disappeared early the next morning. So, as an unemployed freeloader, I comfortably buried myself under the duvet in Stella’s guest room, staring at the ceiling and sighing. Stella swatted my arm. “Stop sighing. I’m going to go rip your ex-boss a new one.” No need. Anyone who develops software leaves behind a few hidden bugs just to survive. Near noon, my phone finally rang. Gavin, my former boss, sounded like his pants were on fire. “Hazel, I’m downstairs at your apartment. I’m picking you up for work.” I scoffed. “Gavin, did you forget you fired me? You’re the lead developer on this project now. Stay away from me.” Gavin’s voice grew more frantic, bordering on begging. “Hazel, Queen Hazel, I messed up. We have a final review with Deep Blue Capital today. If you don’t help me present the backend, I’m finished!” “Thirty thousand dollars. Deposit it now.” Gavin ground his teeth. “Deal.” Hanging up, Stella looked at me with pure disdain. “And you were cursing him with diarrhea? You’re the ruthless one here. But… do you know who owns Deep Blue Capital?” I didn’t. But I found out very quickly. In the Deep Blue conference room, I took a seat behind Gavin. I looked up and met Rowan’s freezing cold eyes. My heart did a backflip. Hiding behind Gavin, I did a quick Google search on my phone. Deep Blue Capital. CEO: Rowan Pierce. I didn’t know what was wrong with him today, but he stared at me the entire time, looking like he wanted to burn holes through my skull. I sat on pins and needles, presenting the project while desperately trying to recall if I had done anything to offend him last night. I didn’t think so. “Ms. Davis, I understand you recently lost your job. What is your relationship with Mr. Gavin?” After the presentation, Rowan’s first question silenced the entire room. I thought about it. The most likely scenario was that he knew I had cursed out my boss last night, and now I was here presenting with him. To a client like Deep Blue, that screamed instability. Thinking of the thirty thousand dollars I hadn’t even warmed in my pocket yet, I took a deep breath and explained. “Gavin is my boyfriend. Yesterday, we just had a lover’s quarrel about personal matters. It has nothing to do with the project. You can trust our stability, Mr. Pierce.” Taking my cue, Gavin nodded frantically. “Yes, exactly! Just a minor spat between a couple. I apologize for any confusion it caused.” To sell the lie, Gavin reached over and grabbed my hand, playing the role of the reconciled lover. Rowan said absolutely nothing. He stood up coldly and walked out of the conference room. The rest of the executives were stunned. They exchanged glances: Do we sign this contract or not?

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Husband saved childhood sweetheart’s son who was farther from shore and safer in flood, Watched helplessly as our son cried Dad Mom being washed away. Flood receded. I held son’s body painful, crazy questioned husband. Husband didn’t feel he wrong. “I am SAR Team Leader, should avoid suspicion! If I save our son, everyone learn from me, won’t it mess up?” “You should have sympathy, after all we can still have children, Sarah’s is a posthumous child, if child gone how she live?” Everyone praised husband great righteousness, Sarah’s son also knelt before me childish voice said want be filial to me for son. I confused recognized Sarah’s son as Godson, transferred love for son to him. Until I dying when running out of oil. Sarah just strange tone confessed apologized to me. “Thank you for dedication to my son, not wasted I risked danger threw two children into flood back then!” I collapsed endless, want pull Sarah die together. But kicked fly by son loved thirty years. “Godfather and my mom are a pair! You snatched my mom’s lover, I occupy your son’s life this very reasonable!” “Also this matter Godfather knew after event, he not angry what you angry?” I understood everything but can do nothing, only can tearfully die. Restart once, Husband still chose save Sarah’s son. But this time I didn’t cry, they cried… Chapter 1 “Someone come quick, there child fell water.” “Captain Gavin, fell water seems your son and your neighbor Sarah’s son!” Hearing this voice, I immediately put down work bandaging wounded, followed few survivor grandmas aunts stumbled ran to riverside, indeed saw son Leo and Sarah’s son Sam struggling in river. Situation same as last life. Leo closer to shore, but hands only pulling few not solid water plants, whole face scared pale, mouth shouting Dad Mom save life. Sam was farther from shore, but at this moment he blocked by a big tree, still holding a protruding rock, although farther, but one look know safer. As folk SAR team leader husband Gavin immediately ran out from room, seeing this situation also scared not light, I took advantage of him tying rope to body rushed before him. “Gavin, you must save Leo! I only have Leo this one child, you can’t ignore him!” Gavin looked at everyone, somewhat impatient said. “Our child is child, could it be other’s child not child?” “I now not only Leo’s dad, not only your husband, I am SAR team leader everyone elected, I can’t only care small family, ignore everyone.” I angry not light, but didn’t like last life excited speak thoughtlessly, let crowd dislike, but calm and careful explained. “I know you fair just also avoid suspicion.” “Flood came after you only care protect everyone’s property, our family didn’t snatch a cent out.” “But this time different, Leo’s situation more dangerous, closer to shore also, and Leo can’t swim you know, Sarah’s child can swim ah.” Onlookers grateful Gavin selflessness, also can see Leo and Sam who more dangerous who safer, so one by one helped me speak. Chapter 2 Gavin after all is SAR team leader, naturally also can see who should save more, so he didn’t refute, but looked at Sarah somewhat difficultly. Sarah just knelt down looked at Gavin, silently tears. “Sam no father since small, he always treat you as biological father, no matter what decision you make, Sam won’t angry.” Speaking here, Sarah actually showed a smile. “Also, maybe Sam die can see own biological father, that time I go with him, family can reunite also.” Gavin didn’t speak again, confirmed rope tied good then directly jumped into river water. Although I always screaming save Leo first, but Gavin just treated not hear, beside Leo even didn’t stay a second, straight swam towards Sam direction, soon held safe Sam in arms. This scene I not unfamiliar, more not unexpected, because this situation I truly experienced once, in nightmare experienced thousands times. Last life was like this. When flood about to recede, Leo and Sam don’t know how fell into river. That time riverside full some wounded and some women children can’t swim, only Gavin one person can go down river save people, but he just like today, chose save Sam. That time I wasn’t so calm, but crazy like didn’t allow Gavin go shore, angry and anxious forced him go bring Leo together. But no matter how I crazy, Leo still cried washed away by water drowned. And because my crazy block, caused Gavin and Sam both choked water different degrees, hospitalized, also because this, I from a reasonable mom, became unreasonable madwoman in everyone mouth. So this time I didn’t block, just whole body weak knelt on ground. Chapter 3 Without my blocking. Gavin successfully saved Sam ashore, I had no time argue with Gavin, but knelt walked to him. “Gavin, Leo still has chance, beg you, you save him.” But Gavin just stood up, held tight by Sarah. “Gavin, you can’t go, you didn’t sleep all night yesterday, just went down water, already no any strength, you if go down again, will have danger.” “Also, Leo already sunk, even you go down, will also return without success, you are SAR team leader, we all need you, sacrifice in front of disaster is common, if you go down have accident, we group women children what do.” Because had my just calm words, so crowd didn’t like last life stand Sarah side, but one by one spontaneous pulled up rope. [Captain Gavin, Leo not far from shore, still have chance.] [We die won’t let go.] Gavin didn’t listen Sarah, stood up want go water, but just walked to shore, Sarah started screaming again. “Sam no breath.” Speaking also funny, Sam’s hair even still dry, where come drowning? But Gavin believed, his foot originally already want go water, heard this words shrunk back again. Sarah voice more miserable. “Gavin, you don’t go, beg you, you save Sam, Leo in water already no hope, could it be you want Sam on shore also follow buried?” He looked at Leo farther and farther, finally turned back holding Sam want go. I completely disappointed him, picked up rope on ground then rushed towards river, but didn’t walk two steps, chopped dizzy by Gavin palm, before falling into darkness, I only vaguely heard his impatient voice. “When already, still here add chaos!” Chapter 4 Open eyes again, Sarah sitting by my bed. See I open eyes, Sarah pretending relieved look said. “Sister you finally woke up, you already slept one day one night, you here lazy sleep comfortable, but busy died us everyone.” “You can rest assured, Leo already found, although already dead, but after all left whole corpse!” I struggled get up: “I want go see Leo!” Sarah pressed me, she could see my expression calm, so more strange tone said. “Sister, you no need go!” “Experts from state said, after flood easiest happen plague, because those drowned pigs and cows corpses easy have bacteria, best way is bury soon as possible, of course, human corpse also same.” “But everyone reluctant ah, I helped Gavin gave an idea, let him lead by example, first bury Leo corpse with those dead livestock together, everyone that time won’t have opinion, so you better not go, go again want cause trouble.” I sneered few times in heart. But lazy say more to Sarah, directly fierce gave her few slaps, rushed to place buried everyone corpses last life. I came count timely, those livestock corpses just put into pit, if late one step, Leo also want be thrown down. See I come, Gavin somewhat guilty, he stopped me not let me see Leo corpse, but sighed. “Leo already gone, you now sad also useless.” “I know you angry, feel I should save Leo first, but we still young, can still have children, if Sam gone, Sarah really can’t live.” My inner heart sneered again and again. After all already reborn once, how can I not see Gavin is intentionally provoking me, intentionally let everyone feel I unreasonable, good find reason and excuse for his behavior? Chapter 5 Like last life. Everyone opened mouth persuade me, kept saying Captain Gavin already tried best, let me accept reality, don’t blame him such. Haven’t wait me open mouth. Sarah covering red swollen face crying ran apologize to Gavin. “Gavin brother, sorry, I didn’t stop Sister, but you don’t blame Sister, Sister just lost child heart uncomfortable only.” “Also…” Sarah intentionally put hand down. “Wound on face actually is me careless, no relation with Sister.” This action naturally made Gavin almost angry death. “Annie, you exactly when can change your unreasonable temper?” “Lost Leo could it be I not sad? So many people lost relatives, which one like you crazy?” “Say到底, if not yourself lazy not watched Leo good, how Leo possible fall water? You if have heart, you should know yourself wrong how outrageous, not like this inexplicable anger others!” Sarah cried more powerful. Kept apologizing to me, pulled Sam kneeling in front of me again. “Sister, I really don’t know how compensate you, I wish use my own life exchange Leo alive.” “Only thing I can do, is let Sam认 (adopt/recognize) you as Godmother, later Sam is my son, also you and Gavin brother son, he will replace Leo, live well.” Although this words said very humble. But Sarah expression very provocative. “If back then died was Sam, I definitely also won’t blame Leo, only will give everything originally belong Sam all to Leo.” “As long as you agree, this matter fixed, later we are a family.”

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A week before New Year’s Eve, I noticed my boyfriend seemed like a different person. Not only did his lifestyle change, but he became more mature and steady. Even his hobbies changed, preferring meditation and green juices over extreme sports. Regarding intimacy, he became disciplined and courteous, never greedy. I thought he grew up, finally willing to settle down and build a small family with me, ignoring those Insta-models outside. As a result, when I came home early to celebrate his birthday, I overheard him on the phone. “Bro, hold Chloe steady for a while longer, I’ll come back later, thanks for your hard work.” Boyfriend spoke: “Okay, by the way, what brand of protection do you usually use? Chloe seems allergic.” Hearing this, my breathing quickened. Turns out those changes weren’t illusions. Without me knowing, my boyfriend’s twin brother quietly took his place. Chapter 1 Xavier on the phone stuttered, “Bro, why you asking this? I usually don’t use any with her, anyway she takes birth control.” Sebastian spoke: “Just asking.” “Did she nag you? Women are like this, always insatiable. Just pretend not hearing, cold her for few days she will be obedient.” Although Xavier firmly believed Sebastian wouldn’t be interested in me, he was still a bit uneasy. “Bro, how about you move out, less contact with her, communicate online, who let Bella insist I accompany her to travel, we are still on the road.” Sebastian said in low voice: “Got it.” I stood in dark, held breath. Turns out Xavier went to accompany Bella to travel. At this moment I only felt funny. They said any ambiguity and romance between them, was true brotherhood. Yet preferred let twin brother replace him stay alone with girlfriend, also didn’t forget secret duo trip with Bella. Such truth made my brain blank, I subconsciously wanted leave here, but accidentally touched robot vacuum on ground. Next second, lights on. Sebastian noticed me immediately. My heart almost jumped to throat. Difficultly looked at Sebastian, carefully observed, he indeed different from Xavier. Sebastian eyes deep, hard to fathom what he thinking. Xavier eyes contained smile, all the time calculating how to lie deceive me. Just I thought he about to show cards, he said: “Is this cake bought for me?” I lifted cake, written Xavier’s name on it. Not wait me speak, he already took cake: “Thanks I like it very much, I almost forgot today is my birthday.” Sebastian and Xavier are twins, today indeed is his birthday too. I subconsciously said: “Happy birthday.” Sebastian hugged stiff me, dropped a kiss on my lips. I took deep breath, don’t know when they switched, but during this time I and him indeed did everything. My heart pounding, hastily took out gift from pocket. “For you.” Is a tie, I bought for eighteen thousand. Color bright, Xavier’s favorite color, but Sebastian may not like. But he expressionless opened, grabbed my wrist, tied it up. His big hand put on my lower back, constantly wandering, desire in eyes deepened. “…” No, not claim like meditation? Next second, I was carried into room by him, dense kisses fell on my body. My hands gently tied by tie, pressed over head. I wanted struggle, but blocked back by his words. “I took birth control, won’t let you allergic in future.” Chapter 2 When did I discover Xavier not right. Just because he suddenly wore protection when sleeping with me. This put in past impossible. Originally just doubt, but more not right was, always harmonious us, inexplicably painful after finished. Because this, I made a fuss with him. Unexpectedly next day suddenly red and swollen. I determined he did some strange move, angry directly rushed into his office question. Until later, I knew was myself allergic to protection. After that, Xavier didn’t touch me for a continuous week, considerate to me, personally applied medicine for me. Always noble young master personally cooked for me. Heaven knows, I saw him cooking for me, how horrified I was. After all together with Xavier these years, he never cooked, let alone soup! I thought then, this was sign of prodigal son return, didn’t expect, even boyfriend is non-original. After allergy healed, Sebastian changed another material protection. I allergic again, but symptoms lighter. Seeing red swelling on my body, his face emotion very bad, I thought he would lose temper, result heard him say: “Sorry, I will pay attention next time.” I silent. In daily life abused by spoiled young master, I never heard apology. “No… no problem…” Sebastian distressed hugged me, kissed with me, I was kissed face hot, waist soft. Same time thought in heart, Xavier kiss skill how became so good. Actually not became how good, just gentle. Xavier used to only bite me. Especially my collarbone, painful to death. Day after day, his every behavior inexplicably more attractive to me than before. Day off, he no longer ran to clubbing with sisters, instead held me in arms teaching me painting. He bit my ear, little by little teach me how to draw. Voice苏麻 (tingling), let my heart pounding. No! Continue like this, I really gonna fall in love with him. Play love with Xavier, no good ending, after money after face enough. However other side insisted I sink, I work, he massage shoulder for me. I entertainment, he hold accompany me. Even in bed, he also never forced me, even finish, will seriously help me clean, no matter how late. I flattered, hurriedly analyzed with sisters. Finally draw conclusion. “He loves you, he wants marry you!” Hearing this, honestly I was happy. But carefully think, possible? A playboy spiritual cheating every three days, really will settle down? Now seems, won’t, not only won’t, even sold his own girlfriend. Person considerate to me, always is Sebastian. Xavier’s twin brother. My heart bitter. But since this is his own choice, why don’t I enjoy it? Chapter 3 Next day, I woke up from Sebastian’s arms, whole body naked, skin close to him, under palm is his perfect chest muscle. I didn’t hold back swallowed saliva. Sebastian closed eyes, rubbed on my face, voice slightly hoarse: “Awake ah, hungry or not.” Voice just fell, my stomach growled. Sebastian heard, corner of mouth hung smile, he got up wrapped me with quilt, directly princess carry me up, my hands hugged his neck, “Baby, will you always like me?” Man lie without blinking eyes. Sebastian naturally said: “Of course will.” Saying, he brushed teeth dressed clothes for me, breakfast he already sent someone buy good, very rich. I sat on chair, staring at him: “Xavier, I found you changed recently.” Sebastian fingertips stiff, spoke with some pause. “Where changed? Changed more like by you?” Sebastian learned Xavier’s witty words, eyes flowing looking at me. Clearly same face, feeling given to me very different. “You used to not so gentle.” Sebastian long eyelashes trembled lightly, forcefully kissed my wrist. “Baby, I just want your experience better.” Man can’t provoke, more can’t let him compare with another man. I just put down chopsticks, he hugged me into room. If not detected his hand stretched into my clothes, his serious appearance, only make people think he is doing serious business. Sebastian fully exerted force asked me: “Now good, or before good.” I closed eyes, eyebrows slightly wrinkled: “Now good now good.” Sebastian forcefully pinched my waist, forehead sweat drops fell down. Wait everything end, I lay on bed playing after-event phone. And Sebastian went bathroom took shower. Coincidentally his phone vibrated, popped up Xavier message. [Bro, how you and Chloe now? Did she suspect you.] [Bro, I will try to come back early, I brought gift for you.] Below attached photo. Xavier and Bella’s two hands pasted together, palms upward, same time holding a crystal rose, glowing pink. [Bro, this crystal good looking right, you like I bring a flower back for you.] Xavier hand and Sebastian nothing different, even palm lines same. I hooked smile,恶趣味 (bad taste) typed a line words. [Who are you ah, my boyfriend is taking shower.] Other side paused for long time. Next second, bathroom door wide open, Sebastian lower body wrapped towel, he saw I reading his phone, flustered walked over. I naturally said: “Someone keeps calling you Bro, who is he ah.” Sebastian suppressed complex emotion in eyes: “Is neighbor younger brother.” I held back smile, if Xavier knows he became neighbor younger brother in Sebastian mouth, wonder what reaction. “He said he wants give you gift hey, that crystal really pretty.” Sebastian hugged me, kissed my side face: “Hubby buy for you.” And I seized opportunity put bug in his pocket. This was used to collect Xavier cheating evidence before. Discover once, fifty million compensation. Sebastian phone held in hand rang constantly, messages non-stop. I guess Xavier gonna anxious. Few seconds he directly called Sebastian. Sebastian naturally said: “I go answer call, you rest a while.” I looked at his back, smile in eyes slowly disappeared. Chapter 4 “Bro, what you and Chloe doing? How she use your phone send message to me.” In hallway, Sebastian listened to this probing tone, unhurriedly: “My clothes dirty, incidentally took a shower.” Xavier sighed relief: “Like this? Just right I want end travel early, come back tomorrow.” Sebastian didn’t utter sound. Xavier suddenly a bit anxious, “Bro, I played enough, outside I knew Chloe’s good, will you agree let me marry her?” Xavier voice more said more empty, inside probe undisguised. “Will, as long as you willing.” Xavier completely sighed relief, what kind woman Sebastian never seen, how possible fancy woman his own brother slept. He actually suspect his own Bro? Xavier exchanged few more pleasantries, found excuse hung up. After Sebastian returned, I found opportunity took bug away. Face full ignorance asking: “Xavier, what happened? How you look preoccupied?” Sebastian cupped my face, low voice asked: “Chloe, will you always accompany me?” “Of course ah.” Sebastian still very stubbornly asked: “Then you like current me, or previous me.” Even this question, three hours ago, he just asked. I lips tip slightly pursed, “Both like.” How can I give Sebastian accurate answer. If Sebastian doesn’t want play, me and Xavier can still together. But if he still wants play, pressure only on Sebastian. Sure enough, hearing this answer Sebastian, expression became trance. He subconsciously hugged me, like hugging thing about to lose. Reluctant under, two people again sticky kissed together. He pulled down zipper of my lower back dress, again pressed up. However next second, doorbell rang. Just brewed atmosphere gone. This house was given by Xavier to me, irrelevant people won’t come here. Only one possibility, Xavier returned. However此刻 (this moment) room full of paper balls flying, obviously not suitable receive guests. He advanced again. I looked up at Sebastian, his throat rolling: “I go open door.” Sooner or later face this matter. After open door, Xavier’s hiking suit not yet changed. After he saw roses all over floor, smile on face disappeared. I looked at him, said: “Big Brother, you have any matter?” I know Xavier has twin brother. Xavier squeezed out smile, chest cavity full of anger, Chloe actually didn’t recognize him. Bottom of heart exactly has him or not ah! “I come find him, a bit matter.” Xavier stared dead at Sebastian, “Come out chat.” Xavier fists placed at side about to clench tight. I hooked smile, still adding fuel to fire, I hugged Sebastian arm, kissed his side face once. “Hubby, you come back early, I wait for you at home.” Almost one second, Sebastian directly pushed me away. Xavier fist smashed on his face. I pretended surprised, screamed. “What you doing? Don’t hit my boyfriend!”

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