Category: English

Everyone knew Ethan Hunt was my perfect, doting boyfriend. But on our anniversary, he suddenly announced his relationship with his ex-girlfriend on Instagram. When I asked him why, he smiled casually. “Because her waist… is smaller than yours.” 1 My boyfriend has a new girlfriend. One minute before he went “Facebook Official” with her, he sent me a breakup text. Before I could even process it, I saw his new post: “Three years, and my love for you has only grown.” The photo was of him and a girl. She was looking away from the camera, showing only her profile; he was looking at her, lips slightly pressed together. That was his nervous tic. The first comment below was his own, cringy and dramatic: “Welcome home. You can dock here anytime.” Ethan’s post blew up, but he didn’t reply to anyone. My chest felt tight, a wave of nausea rolling over me. I took a deep breath and dialed his number. I always thought I wasn’t that invested in this relationship. But… When I dialed, my hands were shaking uncontrollably. It rang once and was immediately hung up. Soon, a text from Ethan came through, his tone cold as if he were a stranger: “Not convenient. Text me if it’s important.” I typed a long paragraph, deleted it all, and finally sent one sentence: “We can break up, but say it to my face.” Silence for a long time. Then, like he was granting a favor, he sent one word: “Fine.” We agreed on a time and place. I felt dazed. In this relationship, Ethan was always the pursuer. He chased me aggressively, his confession so loud the whole campus knew. When I said no, he stood under my dorm all night in the freezing winter, smoking a pack of cigarettes. Anyone’s heart would melt a little at that. Once, I casually mentioned missing my mom’s cooking. He took a Greyhound bus overnight to my hometown to buy the specific dish, even though it was cold by the time he brought it back. When someone posted nasty rumors about me online, he tracked them down and made them apologize. Bit by bit, I was moved. We got together. People called him my “simp.” I never thought our end would be so casual. 2 The coffee shop near the back gate of the university. I sat by the window. The coffee on the table went from hot to cold before Ethan finally arrived. He looked strange today. Usually, he loved the preppy, clean-cut look—light-colored casual suits, short black hair, always looking like the boy next door. But today… He was dressed in all black—black hoodie, black cargo pants—and his hair was dyed. Even more shocking, the guy who hated pain had gotten his left ear pierced and was wearing a small silver hoop. I froze. We hadn’t seen each other for two days, and he was a different person. Seeing my shock, he smiled. “She likes it.” Three simple words, and I knew how thoroughly I had lost this past year. Ethan was very self-centered. During our relationship, he treated me well but rarely listened to me. Once, I asked him to change his hairstyle. He just smiled, ruffled my hair, and said, “Chloe, I don’t like it.” And that was that. I stared at him for a long time, then cut to the chase: “Give me a reason.” My reflection in the glass looked cold and indifferent. In reality, I was using every ounce of strength to hold back my emotions. I thought Ethan would make excuses or feel guilty. But no. He leaned back in his chair, smiling lazily. “Because her waist… is smaller than yours.” I froze. Across the table, he smirked. “Anything else? If not, I’m heading back. She’ll be unhappy if I’m out too long.” The moment his words fell, I raised my hand and threw the coffee in his face. In that instant, I had only one thought: What a pity the coffee was cold. 3 Ethan left. After I splashed him, he only paused for two seconds, then calmly wiped his face and dropped two words: “I’m leaving.” But after a few steps, he turned back. “Chloe, I treated you well this past year, right? Let’s just say we parted on good terms. No need to say hi if we see each other.” He didn’t give me time to react and walked away. I sat in silence for a few seconds, then stood up, grabbed the warm coffee from the guy at the next table, apologized, and chased after him. Then, I poured it over Ethan’s head. The coffee was warm, not scalding, but it made him look pathetic. Ethan just stopped. He stood straight, didn’t even turn around. I stared at his soaked clothes. “Ethan, now we’re even.” I walked back with the empty cup. I returned the cup and bought two fresh coffees for the couple whose drink I stole. The girl didn’t blame me; instead, she gave me a thumbs up. “Girl, you’re a badass.” I smiled but said nothing. Actually, I’ve always been a dull person—introverted, sensitive, silent, and boring. I have decent looks, so guys chased me, but they were always the type casting a wide net. If I rejected them, they’d be whispering sweet nothings to someone else a minute later. So, I never expected to be loved so fiercely. But a year ago, Ethan appeared. His loud affection, his grand pursuit, his thoughtful care—it was easy to fall into his gentle trap. In our year together, I never wronged him. I was learning how to love someone, learning how to be good to him. But just as I learned, he turned around to be someone else’s harbor. I walked out and headed toward campus. I said it was over, but I still felt lost. So lost that I bumped into someone right at the gate. Just as I was about to fall, someone grabbed my waist, then let go as if burned. Thud. I hit the ground hard. The person rushed to help me up. “Chloe… are you okay?” The voice sounded familiar. I looked up. It was Lucas, a senior and Ethan’s classmate. “I’m fine.” I wanted to thank him, but remembering the hard fall, I kept quiet. He frowned. “Ethan’s post?” I laughed. “He announced his ex from three years ago.” Hearing his name, I couldn’t help but add, “I, the current girlfriend, got the breakup text one minute before his post. Funny, right?” Lucas didn’t speak. He turned and walked away. I paused, then scolded myself for oversharing. He was just an acquaintance; why burden him with my mess? He probably found it annoying. I looked away and went back to the dorm. On the way, I became even quieter, avoiding eye contact with anyone I knew, walking faster. I was afraid someone would ask, “Chloe, when did you break up? I saw you eating together a few days ago. How does he have a new girlfriend already?” I didn’t know how to answer. Being publicly dumped was humiliating. I hurried back to the dorm, changed, and climbed into bed, wrapping myself in the duvet. I wanted to cry, but mostly, I wanted to vent. I wished I could drag Ethan over and beat him up. I regretted not throwing two cups of coffee earlier. Soon, my phone rang. It was my roommate, Sasha. “Chloe, where are you?” I pulled the covers down, answering weakly, “Dorm. Why?” “Ethan got beat up!” I sat up instantly. The anger clogging my chest dissipated a little. After a pause, I asked, “Who did he offend?” Sasha seemed to be at the scene; it was noisy. A few seconds later, I heard her answer: “It was Lucas.” “Omg, I’m dead. He was so hot!” 4 Lucas? Why him… Sasha’s voice was fuzzy over the bad connection, and the call cut off. I sat on my bed in a daze, remembering Lucas turning and walking away at the gate. I thought he was annoyed, but he went to fight for me? While I debated going to see, the door opened and Sasha burst in. She was humming a tune, clearly in a good mood. Before I could ask, she pulled me off the bed and spilled everything. Lucas beat up Ethan. To be precise, they had a brawl. Both got hurt; neither won easily. Sasha grabbed my hands. “Chloe, you have no idea. The way Lucas asked him ‘Who do you think you are, cheating like that?’ and then punched him… it was explosive!” My heart skipped a beat. Gripping my shirt tightly, I acted calm and asked softly, “What about Ethan?” Mentioning Ethan, Sasha paused. She looked at me, hesitating. “He fought back, and…” “He said he knew Lucas has had a crush on you for a long time.” 5 I froze for a long time, then laughed. “Impossible. Lucas and I barely talk.” Sasha didn’t believe it. “If you aren’t close, why would he fight Ethan for you?” “Justice, maybe?” I chuckled lightly. “He’s done it before.” Sasha pursed her lips but didn’t argue. Lucas was like the perfect academic god in a drama—upright, excellent, and kind. He had even been commended by the school for bravery. Actually, I wanted to text Lucas to say thanks. We had been friends on social media for a year but rarely spoke—just a “like” relationship. I hesitated for a long time, not knowing what to say. In the end, I let it go. … Afternoon. Following my habit, I went to the cafeteria alone for dinner. Unexpectedly— I ran into Ethan and his ex-girlfriend. I was a quiet person, usually looking down or straight ahead when walking, rarely looking around. So, it wasn’t until I sat in my usual corner with my tray that I noticed Ethan and a girl sitting diagonally across from me. From my angle, I could see her profile perfectly. Identical to the photo in Ethan’s post. They were eating. Ethan had ordered a bowl of spicy hot pot, bright red with chili oil—something he never ate. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but he looked up and smiled at her. In reality, Ethan never ate spicy food. He had a bad stomach; spicy food gave him cramps. I stared, my fingers unconsciously scratching the metal tray. Then… Ethan suddenly looked over. Caught off guard, I locked eyes with him. Honestly, I was a bit nervous and guiltily wanted to look away. But someone beat me to it. Our eyes met for a split second, then Ethan casually turned his head and put a piece of meat in his girlfriend’s bowl. I stared for a few seconds, then laughed softly. It’s true that the one left behind has the hardest time moving on. He was the cheater, so why was I the one feeling guilty and nervous? Just as I was about to look away, the girl stood up, seemingly to buy water. I saw her full face. In that moment, my mind went blank, displaying only one word: Substitute. Yes, the classic trope. The guy can’t forget his first love, so he finds a girl who looks like her. And I looked 70-80% like his first love. 6 In that moment, I understood. The “waist smaller than yours” crap was all lies. Actually, he didn’t need a breakup reason. He got with me because of my face, which resembled his white moonlight. How ridiculous. I forced myself to look down and eat. But mechanically stuffing rice into my mouth, even my favorite braised pork tasted like ash. The rice felt dry and stuck in my throat. I patted my chest, debating whether to go buy water, when a bottle appeared in my vision. Poland Spring. I looked up to see a smiling face. “Alone? Mind if I join you?” It was Lucas. I smiled and waved my hand to say I didn’t mind, but the rice was stuck, choking me. Lucas was always observant. He immediately unscrewed the cap and handed me the water. I didn’t stand on ceremony, taking huge gulps. The blockage cleared, but I choked on the water. As I coughed violently, Lucas patted my back. “Slow down.” His tone was gentle. It took a while to recover. I took the tissue Lucas offered, wiped my mouth, looked up, and accidentally saw Ethan. He was looking at me, his eyes dark and unreadable.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390741”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I was born with Congenital Insensitivity to Pain (CIP). My adopted little brother, Kian, has a severe form of Osteogenesis Imperfecta—the ‘brittle bone’ disease. So, to keep him safe, my sister, Hannah, always used me to set boundaries and enforce rules for Kian. I did protest, but Hannah always pleaded with me, a look of deep, exhausted helplessness on her face: “Nick, Kian is our adopted brother, and punishing him directly will only bring judgment and gossip down on us.” “Plus, he’s so fragile, so much weaker than you! You can’t feel pain anyway, so just think of it as acting, and please, just go along with it.” When Kian ran off in a crowded shopping mall, Hannah broke one of my legs right in front of him. When he played with scissors, she chopped off five of my fingers, then had doctors reattach them one by one. Later, Kian got involved with a delinquent girl and ran away from home. After Hannah dragged him back, she sliced open several deep cuts on my body and shoved me into the indoor pool where she kept her sharks. Three sharks circled me. I screamed for her help, but she only focused on reprimanding Kian: “Mistakes have consequences. You run away one more time, and I’ll throw him back in.” Kian crumpled in terror, his knees hitting the cold marble floor and leaving a patch of dark bruising. Hannah immediately rushed to cradle him, her face full of anguish, and then turned to leave. I sobbed, begging her to pull me out first, but she never looked back. She had forgotten that Congenital Insensitivity to Pain isn’t the same thing as immortality. You can still die from blood loss.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390760”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I was caught by the paparazzi knocking on the hotel door of Hollywood’s biggest heartthrob, Caleb Vance, in the middle of the night. He slammed the door in my face. The next morning, the internet exploded. The current “It Girl” of pop culture, Serena Hart, posted a vague tweet implying she was dating Caleb and urged men to “protect themselves from desperate women.” Her fans went wild, spamming my comments with hate, calling me a “clout chaser” and a “pick-me girl.” Later that day, Serena hinted on a live show that she was the “Entertainment Industry Princess”—the secret daughter of the CEO of Global Media, the biggest entertainment conglomerate in the country. The only problem? My brother is Caleb Vance, the heir to Global Media. If she’s the “Princess” and I’m the secret daughter… and she’s dating my brother… Does that mean she’s dating her own brother? Or did my dad have a secret family I don’t know about? Honestly, the logic is hard to follow. 1 I knocked on the door at night. The scandal broke in the morning. I was shaken awake by my agent, Peach. “What the hell were you thinking? Knocking on Caleb Vance’s door at 2 AM?!” Peach was pacing, her phone buzzing non-stop. “Serena Hart just jumped into the mix. Between Caleb’s fans and Serena’s rabid stans, we are dead.” I closed my eyes, waiting for the lecture to continue. Silence. I rolled over. Peach was already sending out her resume on LinkedIn. I poked her arm. “Hey, I’m still here.” Peach stared at me with dead eyes. “Physically, yes. Career-wise, you’re already in the grave.” I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. #SofiaStoneCaughtCreeping #CalebVanceRejectsSofia #SerenaHartDefendsHerMan #ProtectCaleb I clicked on a video. The footage was grainy but clear enough. Me, looking suspicious in a hoodie, knocking on Caleb’s hotel door. He opened it, we talked, and then he shoved me out. The angle made it look like I tried to grab his hand and he recoiled in disgust. Then he slammed the door, nearly breaking my nose. I stood there arguing with the door for a minute before storming off to my room… which was right next door. The comments were brutal. “LMAO look at her try to force her way in. Desperate much?” “Protect Caleb at all costs! Get that creep away from him!” “I heard she’s knocked on every producer’s door in Hollywood. Gross.” “She definitely slept her way to her last role. Disgusting.” Then I checked #SerenaHartDefendsHerMan. Serena is my nemesis. We debuted at the same time, and we always end up auditioning for the same roles. I always win because, frankly, she can’t act. But she’s a master of spin. Every time she loses, she posts sad selfies implying I stole the role or used “connections.” Now, she posted a photo of a durian and a washboard. @SerenaHart: “Asking for a friend: which one hurts more to kneel on? PS: Men need to stay safe out there. Some girls see every man as a ladder. Unlike me… I only want to cuddle with the girls. Gross men, stay away! 💅” Her fans ate it up. “OMG is she making Caleb kneel for letting Sofia in? Couple goals!” “Confirming the relationship without confirming it! I love them!” Serena liked a comment that said: “Caleb belongs to Serena! Sofia is just a homewrecker.” Then she replied: “Oops! Fat fingers! Didn’t mean to like that! 🤭” The hate train picked up speed. “Sofia Stone is a serial mistress.” “Ban her from the industry.” “I bet her whole family is trash. Probably raised by criminals.” The person commenting that had a profile picture of… my brother. Caleb. I wondered how she’d feel knowing she just called her idol a “criminal raised by trash.” 2 I logged into my Twitter and posted a clarification. @SofiaStone: “Everyone relax. Caleb Vance is my brother.” Result? Zero people believed me. Someone DM’d Serena asking about it. She posted a screenshot of her reply: “Brother? I’ve never heard Caleb mention a sister. But I have heard Sofia calls a lot of industry guys ‘Daddy’ and ‘Brother.’ Maybe it’s just her… thing? No judgment though! 🤷‍♀️” Great. Now I’m not just a stalker, I’m a sugar baby with a kink. The comments under my post were foul. “If Caleb is your brother, I’m your father.” “Have some shame.” “Call me Grandpa then.” I was equal parts furious and amused. 3 Just then, my agent got a call. A reality show Serena and I were both booked for, “Celebrity Lives: Unfiltered”, was moving up its schedule. And instead of pre-taped, it was going live. They wanted to capitalize on the drama. To hype it up, the producers teased a special guest: “The Secret Princess of the Entertainment Industry.” No one knew who it was. I suspected my dad was behind this. Global Media—my family’s company—runs half of Hollywood. My dad gave Caleb and me a challenge: spend three years in the industry incognito. Whoever is more successful stays in showbiz. The loser has to come home and inherit the multi-billion dollar family business. I knocked on Caleb’s door last night to beg him to take the CEO job because I’m losing. He slammed the door in my face because he wants to act, not sit in board meetings. 4 The livestream started. We could see the live comments on a monitor. “I heard the Global Media heiress is on this show!” “Knowing her means knowing everyone who matters in Hollywood.” When the host introduced the cast, the audience realized Serena and I were the only young female guests. “It can’t be Sofia. She’s a stalker.” “It has to be Serena! OMG!” A theory started spreading in the chat: “Didn’t the Vance family lose a daughter years ago? Maybe Serena is the long-lost heiress!” “It makes sense! Serena said she came from humble beginnings… maybe she didn’t know!” Serena saw the comments. Her eyes lit up. “Serena, just admit it!” Serena giggled at the camera. “Guys, stop guessing! Some things are better left a mystery. I want to make it on my own, not because of my family.” The chat went wild. “Confirmed! It’s her!” “No wonder she has that expensive aura.” “She and Caleb are literally the Prince and Princess of Hollywood. Perfect match!” I almost laughed out loud. I turned to Serena. “Are you really the Vance family heiress?” Serena winked. “I can’t say. My family prefers privacy. But I want to prove myself first.” She was practically screaming “YES” without saying the word. If she’s the Vance heiress… and Caleb is the Vance heir… and she claims they’re dating… Is she admitting to incest on live TV? But the fans didn’t know Caleb’s background either. One fan caught me smirking. “Look at Sofia smiling. She’s probably plotting how to suck up to Serena now.” “If I were her, I’d be kneeling for forgiveness.” 5 The show began. The first challenge: “The Friendship Test.” Host: “Call a friend and borrow money for today’s activity budget. You have one shot.” “Serena is totally calling Caleb!” “I can’t wait to see who answers Sofia’s call. Probably some old sugar daddy.” Serena dialed. It rang for a minute before connecting. “Hello?” A deep, magnetic voice answered. Caleb. Serena blushed. “It’s me.” “…Who? I don’t have your number saved. I’m on set, make it quick.” The chat paused. “Wait, he doesn’t have her number?” “It’s just a couple’s game! Playing hard to get!” Serena panicked but recovered. “It’s Serena. Can I borrow some money?” The fans went crazy again. “He’s gonna send her a million dollars, watch.” “Caleb spoils his girl!” Serena smiled sweetly. “Not a lot. Just a little bit.” Caleb: “Fine.” He hung up. Ping. A notification sound from Serena’s phone. [Venmo: You received $200.00 from Caleb Vance] Serena’s smile froze. The chat went dead silent. Then the mockery shifted to me. “At least she got money! Let’s see who Sofia calls.” “Bet she calls a married man.” Serena regained her composure. “Who are you calling, Sofia? That older gentleman I saw you with last week? Just clarifying—he looked old enough to be your dad, so I’m sure it’s just a… mentorship.” The chat exploded with slut-shaming comments. I stared at her. “Where did you see this? What time? What did he look like? Any distinguishing features?” Serena stammered. “Uh… tall… maybe I saw wrong.” “You were pretty sure a second ago,” I pressed. The fans defended her. “Stop bullying her! She said she might be wrong!” Host: “Sofia, who are you calling?” 6 “Caleb Vance,” I said. Serena covered her mouth, feigning concern. “If he doesn’t pick up, don’t be sad. He’s probably still mad about last night…” The phone rang once. “What do you want?” Caleb’s voice was completely different—relaxed, annoyed, familiar. “Send me money.” “Are you sick? You have more money than I do.” I rolled my eyes. “Just send it!” “Wait…” Click. The chat was confused. “Why does he sound so different with Sofia?” “They sound… close?” Serena’s face was stiff. “Maybe he’s just being polite. Or maybe he’s messing with you.” She tried to be magnanimous. “If he doesn’t send it, I can split my $200 with you.” Ping. My phone announced loudly: [Bank Transfer Received: Ten Million Dollars.] The studio went silent. I patted Serena’s shoulder. “Thanks, but keep your $200. Caleb sent me 10 mill. I think I’m good.” Then, my phone rang. It was Caleb. “Is 10 million enough? I can send more if you need it.” I put it on speaker. “It’s fine.” “Okay, going back to filming. Call if you need cash.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390776”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My engineer husband recently designed a new game. The entire interface has no levels, no payments, just a chat box with a female NPC. [Baby, you were so wild in bed today, I almost couldn’t handle it~] [Me or your wife, who do you love more?] [Baby, coming to play with me today?] Suspicious, I clicked open the chat box with the female NPC. Didn’t expect the next second she popped up a message. [Baby, how long do we have to hide in this game way?] Chapter 1 I looked at this simple game called “Virtual Lover”. Turns out my husband Justin worked overtime for three months just for this “top masterpiece”. I loved him for ten years, watched him become a game designer, from nameless to famous now. I thought I knew everything about him. Until now. I clicked that only dialog box, the female NPC’s message jumped out impatiently. [Baby, how long do we have to hide in this game way?] [Yesterday you said you would divorce that old woman today, why haven’t you acted yet?] [Didn’t you say, you had enough of her dead fish look long ago?] I pinched my fingers hard, sent a message to that NPC. [Baby, wait a bit longer.] Almost instantly, the other side replied. [So annoying! Justin, can you do it or not?] [Who was the one begging me, saying as long as I nod, you would divorce her immediately?] [Now I waited for you for three months, you are still dragging!] [Today 5 PM, meet at Union Square.] [If you can’t bring out the divorce agreement, I’ll tell your wife about us, and you embezzling company’s 20 million to invest in ‘Project Starlight’!] I looked at the threat on the screen, cold all over. “Project Starlight” was the project I strongly advised him to give up, bound to lose. He not only didn’t listen, but also embezzled public funds behind my back. I took a deep breath, dialed Justin’s phone. Phone rang for a long time before being picked up, background noise chaotic, accompanied by a charming female voice. “What’s wrong wifey? I’m in a meeting.” His voice was gentle as always, but revealed a trace of impatience. I gripped the phone, a cold sneer on my lips couldn’t be suppressed. “Nothing, I came to see the progress of the new game you designed, called ‘Virtual Lover’ right?” “Looks like it’s done pretty well.” The other end of the phone instantly quieted down, that female voice even silent as a cicada in winter. A few seconds later, Justin’s panicked voice came. “That’s a test demo I made for a friend, offline long ago.” “Are you too tired from overtime baby? Don’t think nonsense.” “Miss me? I’ll go back to accompany you well tonight.” He started changing the topic lightly, tone was consistent doting. “Oh? Is it?” “I thought, that ‘dead fish look old woman’ mentioned inside was me.” His breath hitched. Immediately came his lowered voice command on the other end, like saying to person beside “You go out first!” He explained to me with incomparably gentle voice. “Wifey, that’s all misunderstanding!” “That’s programmers writing test scripts, AI randomly generated dialogue!” “How I treated you these years, aren’t you clear?” “Wifey, believe me, I’m coming home right now, we clear things up face to face!” “No need.” I said lightly, “I’ll wait for you at Union Square at 5 PM.” I hung up directly. Yes, just because he treated me too well these years. I would always firmly believe we would love each other forever. I screenshotted all chat records of the game, one by one. Less than half an hour, Justin rushed in. Forehead full of cold sweat, came to grab my hand entering door, dodged sideways by me. “Sarah, listen to me, things aren’t what you think!” Face written full of anxiety and panic, eyes besides nervousness, also a trace of impatience. “That’s just a test!” “Other programmers fed some cheating corpus to that female NPC, that’s why she said such things!” “I love you, Sarah, how could I betray you!” He hugged me hard, chin against my shoulder. “It’s my fault, I didn’t watch subordinates well, let this kind of thing dirty your eyes.” “Sarah, don’t be angry, okay? I swear, never again!” His handsome face full of self-blame, as if I pursue further, I’m an unreasonable lunatic. I looked deeply into his eyes, finally sighed lightly helplessly, nodded. “I knew Sarah loves me most!” He breathed a sigh of relief, bending down to take off shoes. From his open suit collar, I saw a clear hickey with teeth marks under his collarbone. That kind of bright lipstick shade. I never used. Chapter 2 Justin thought he had coaxed me well. Whole afternoon, he stayed by my side inseparable. Peeling fruits for me, telling jokes, even digging out our college photo album, recalling past one by one. “Sarah, remember this one? We tutoring under cherry blossom tree at school, you said I looked handsome coding, said I was future game god.” “And this one, first time I won design award, prize money only five thousand, all bought you your favorite cake.” He immersed in his own performance, deep affection in words almost drowning people. And I, just cooperated quietly, tears poured back into heart. My heart was ice cold, but face had to squeeze out a smile. He tried every way to make me forgive him completely. So he can find a way to go to the 5 PM date. Seeing almost five, Justin getting more impatient, frequency of checking watch higher. I understandingly pretended tired. “Justin, I’m a bit tired, want to sleep a while.” He immediately nervous. “Wifey still uncomfortable? Shall I accompany you a bit more?” I shook head, ignored him. He hesitated, finally picked up jacket. “Then you rest well, I go back to company, what to eat for dinner? I bring back for you.” He leaned over, printed a cold kiss on my forehead, then left quietly. Moment door closed, I opened eyes immediately, no trace of sleepiness in eyes. I changed into most inconspicuous clothes, wore hat and mask, arrived at Union Square twenty minutes earlier than him. People coming and going around square fountain, I found a hidden cafe corner. View can see every movement by fountain without obstruction. 4:55, Justin’s figure appeared at square edge. He seemed somewhat anxious, constantly checking watch, pacing back and forth by fountain. 5:00 sharp, a young girl wearing white dress, long hair fluttering appeared in my vision. She looked just early twenties, pure and weak, face carrying grievance and uneasiness. I’ve seen her, when I went to Justin’s company to deliver food, she was the new intern in their department. Justin introduced smilingly then. “This is Rachel, a very spirited little girl.” Thinking now, that smile was full of deep meaning. Rachel saw Justin, eye rims red immediately. She trotted over, but stopped two steps away from him, look of suffering huge grievance. “Justin brother…” Justin immediately stepped forward, wanted to hold her hand, but dodged by her. Rachel with crying tone. “Did your wife discover something again?” “No! Rachel believe me, I already handled that stupid woman!” Justin explained urgently. My hand holding coffee cup shook violently, hot liquid spilled on back of hand, but I felt no pain. Turns out in his heart, me who loved him ten years, is just a “stupid woman”. “Then divorce agreement?” Rachel relentless. “You said you would give me today! When exactly can you divorce her?” “Soon, soon baby, give me a little more time!” Justin lowered posture, coaxing softly. “How long do I have to wait?!” Rachel voice became sharp. “Child in my belly can’t wait!” “One more month will show! I don’t want my child born as a bastard with no dad!” My brain buzzed, like hit hard by heavy hammer. Hand under table pinched own thigh hard, using pain to maintain last trace of sobriety. Justin obviously also stunned by this news. He froze on spot, reacted after long time. “Rachel… you said is true? You pregnant?” He grabbed Rachel’s shoulder, excited incoherent. “Great! I finally going to be a dad!” He hugged Rachel tightly into arms. “Don’t worry! Rachel, I swear! I propose divorce to her next week! No! Tomorrow! I showdown with her tomorrow!” “Her old face, I got tired of looking at it these years, should have let her get out long ago!” “After divorce, I marry you immediately!” “I want to make you the happiest ‘Mrs. Ji’ in the world!” Separated by glass window, I looked coldly at the couple hugging tightly by the fountain. They bathed in golden sunset, like a pair of lovers breaking through worldly obstacles, planning their beautiful future. And I, am the obstacle in their future that must be cleared, the “old woman” who can’t give birth. I took out phone, recorded all this, clearly. Chapter 3 Following days, Justin was considerate to me to the extreme. He didn’t mention that game anymore, as if that thing never happened. He came home on time every day, cooked for me personally. Even suddenly researched various tonic recipes. “Sarah, we should also have a child.” He hugged me from behind, warm breath sprayed on my ear. “Look, we have everything, just missing a child to be perfect.” I leaned in his arms, heart cold to bone marrow. I looked at my pale face in mirror, asked him. “Justin, do you like children very much?” “Of course!” “Didn’t we agree, have two after marriage, a son a daughter, make a ‘good’ word.” His acting was perfect, no flaw. If I didn’t hear his conversation with Rachel personally, I probably would really soften. I closed eyes, suppressed all hatred and nausea, nodded obediently. “Okay, then we try hard.” He got the answer he wanted, satisfied kissed my side face. And handed over a bowl of tonic soup. I excused feeling unwell, pushed him away. A trace of impatience flashed in his eyes, pretended aggrieved. “I stewed for three hours, if you don’t drink I can only give to colleagues.” “I’m too tired, no appetite today.” He didn’t force anymore, just instructed me rest well. Really carried thermos bucket to company. Thinking of him stewing soup for Rachel in my name, and acting pitiful in front of me. I disgusted enough to vomit overnight meal. Confirmed he went far, I quietly opened his computer. His computer no password, this is proof of “trust” between us once. But he forgot, when chasing me back then, taught me many methods to make hidden files. At that time he held his everything with a sincere heart to me. I also remembered all. Soon, in a hidden folder, I found all materials of “Project Starlight”. In beautifully packaged investment plan, project prospect described extravagantly. Claimed to be next era’s wind outlet, 100% return rate, profit hundreds times of other similar projects. But as long as knowing some industry rules and financial models, can see inside full of loopholes and unrealizable empty checks. This is a thorough Ponzi Scheme. Justin ran company so many years, even if not understanding finance well, should see loopholes in this project. But he like possessed, insisted investing this project. He was confused by this low-level trick, even didn’t hesitate embezzling 20 million public funds to gamble. I copied all contracts, transfer records, and chat records between him and project leader. Done all this, I received call from best friend Natalie. She is a lawyer specializing in divorce disputes, didn’t agree me being with Justin back then. So after I dated Justin, contact with her became less, Justin didn’t know her either. Now I have no way out, just tried asking her. She immediately expressed providing all help, let me rest assured. Also swore to make Justin this scum leave with nothing. “Sarah, all materials found I packed sent to you.” “Heard he prepares action this weekend… are you okay?” I looked at chat records between him and Rachel. Justin: [I only wanted Sarah’s money from beginning, she forced me marry her.] Rachel: “Then you married so long why still no child… who can’t?” Justin: “Must be she messed around when young, now can’t birth, lack virtue.” Justin: “Do I have problem, aren’t you clear?” I looked at chat records one by one, tears flowed till numb. “I’m fine.” Hung up phone, I was cold all over, mind surprisingly calm. Weekend, is Justin’s game company annual meeting and awards ceremony. As company’s Lead Game Developer, he relying on a hit game this year, without suspense became focus of whole venue. He held my hand tightly, in front of all colleagues and leaders, playing loving couple. “Wifey, after tonight, our life will turn a new page.” He whispered in my ear, eyes flashing a light I couldn’t understand. I smiled, didn’t speak. Yes, new page. Just, it’s prologue of your hell. Chapter 4 Banquet halfway, arrived most exciting award segment. Justin without accident won “Annual Best Game Designer” award. He stood under spotlight, holding golden trophy, face uncontrollable pride and arrogance. Cheers and applause in venue endless. He enjoyed this moment of attention, then, he took microphone, gaze swept venue, finally, fixed on me. “I first want thank company, thank my team, more want thank my most loved person——” All cameras and gazes in venue, instantly focused on me. “Ms. Rachel.” Camera turned to Rachel covering mouth in surprise. Whole venue uproar! Justin stared at me, wanting find a trace of shock and disappointment on my face. “Today, I also want to announce a difficult decision here.” His eyes, finally moved away from my face, became strange and decisive. “I, Justin, will divorce Ms. Sarah by agreement.” Guests whispered, couldn’t believe ears. “What? Divorce?” “Joking? Announce divorce at awards ceremony? Is Justin crazy?” “Aren’t they famous model couple in circle? What’s going on?” Main table’s biggest shareholder Mr. Sterling, face sank instantly, he knocked table, shouted low. “Justin! What nonsense! Come down quick!” Justin like didn’t hear. “I’m not making nonsense.” “To Sarah, I already benevolent and righteous to end.” “These years, I always wholehearted to her.” “But she only perfunctory to me.” “We married so many years, she didn’t even give me a child!” “I can only live hard relying on past memories.” “Until I met a girl who truly understands loving me, willing to put family first.” “And, she is already pregnant with my child, I must be responsible for her, give her a title.” He took deep breath, turned, towards some direction off stage, extended hand. “Rachel, come up.” In dead silence, Rachel wearing white gauze dress, looking pitiful, face hanging happy and shy tears. She walked onto attention stage step by step, hugged into arms by Justin, declaring sovereignty. Justin lowered head, lovingly kissed away teardrop at corner of her eye, comforted softly. “Sorry, baby, let you suffer grievance.” Then, he looked up, looking at me with a high-above, victor posture. “Sarah, for sake of our ten years couple affection.” “You leave decently now, we can still keep last face.” “I will give you a compensation, enough for you to live peacefully rest of life.” “But if you insist making uncontrollable mess, finally losing face, only be yourself.” He calculated everything clearly. In such occasion, using such cruel way, nail me on “infertile”, “boring”, “occupying position” shame pillar. He wants let everyone know, is me, Sarah, unworthy of him, delayed him. And him, just an innocent victim pursuing true love, longing for family. I looked at that pair of hypocritical dog couple on stage, looking at sympathy, disdain, watching show gazes from crowd off stage. I smiled, took another microphone from host. All cameras and gazes focused on me again. Justin face sank, eyes full of warning. “Sarah, what else you want do? Still think not ugly enough?!” Rachel hid in his arms, trembling all over, used a tone kind and innocent like white flower said. “Sister Sarah, I know you feel bad inside… but feelings really can’t be forced.” “Since not love anymore, beg you let go fulfill us!” “You unwilling give brother Justin a child, still not allow me give?” She acted sincere, pity me see, as if I say one more word, is vicious original wife bullying kind mistress. I looked at her, smiled, voice not loud, but through speaker clearly spread whole venue. “Miss Rachel, don’t rush call sister.” “From legal level, I, Sarah, now still Justin’s legal wife.” “No matter how high-sounding you say, you are always a mistress hooking up with Justin!” “And child in your belly, can only be an illegitimate child cannot see light.” Rachel face instantly faded all blood color, crumbling. Justin eyes窜起 a burst of rage fire, he stepped forward, trying snatch my microphone. I stepped back, dodged him. “Justin, you just said, I am not a qualified wife? Said I can’t give family and child you want?” “Yes!” Justin gritted back teeth said, “Which man doesn’t hope home have hot meal eat! Doesn’t want own bloodline!” “You can’t give me, naturally others can give! What else you unconvinced!” “Well said.” I nodded, then turned, looked at that huge LED screen behind him. There, originally scrolling his winning game trailer. I pressed remote in pocket.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390449”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The company’s $8 million deal was screwed up. For the first time, Chloe lost her temper with me, belittling me to nothing in front of everyone. Returning home at night, she put on a business-like attitude. “At work, there is no affection between us. Screwed up means screwed up, it’s your fault.” On my phone, her junior Jayden just sent me an apology text. [Brother Justin, it’s all my fault for messing up this deal. Senior sister bought me a cupcake to comfort me, it’s quite delicious. Let me order one for you too.] Next morning, Chloe skillfully threw the breakfast I made into the trash can. “Told you how many times, I don’t eat breakfast.” At work, my colleague Zach suddenly leaned over gossiping slyly. “Our newbie is really a fearless calf, dared to talk to President Chloe just now, and even bought her soy milk and baozi. Guess what? President Chloe not only ate it, but also commented it was delicious.” So boring. Forget it. That person on the phone was still digging the wall relentlessly. “If really not working, I can be a spare tire too, consider me please.” I pursed my lips. [No need, you are promoted to full-time.] Chapter 1 One second ago, I submitted my resignation to HR. The next second, I was called into Chloe’s office. The moment I walked in, a cup of coffee splashed directly on me. The volume of water, enhanced by force, was like a slap, hitting my face heavily. A bit stinging pain. Aside, the man sitting on the leather sofa stared wide-eyed, unspeakably aggrieved. “Senior sister, don’t blame Brother Justin, it’s my fault. Messing up that deal was partly my responsibility. The one who should leave isn’t Brother Justin, it’s me.” Chloe’s voice was thick with anger. She rarely showed emotions like this. Again because of Jayden. “Are you dissatisfied with my criticism yesterday, so you deliberately ran to HR to make a scene of resignation, putting pressure on Jayden?” “As his superior, messing up the deal was originally your responsibility. How do you have the nerve to push all the blame on him?!” “Do you know how people in the company see him now? They all say you couldn’t stand him, a troublesome intern, and were forced to resign. You go out and clarify with everyone now!” I thought she was reluctant to let go of me, her boyfriend of seven years. Didn’t expect she was afraid that after I left, people in the company would look down on and make things difficult for Jayden. Jayden took out a tissue to blow his nose, casually throwing the snot-stained paper ball to the other end of the sofa. Chloe frowned almost imperceptibly. Three seconds later, she walked over, picked up the tissue and threw it into the trash can. I froze for a moment, heart shrinking slightly, dense pain spreading. In the second year of dating Chloe, we watched Hachi: A Dog’s Tale at home. I was a bit emotional, eyes red, took a tissue to wipe. She pushed me away with disgust. “Sorry, I’m a germaphobe, trouble you clean yourself up.” She turned to the bathroom, scrubbing herself up and down more than three times. As if she just touched some plague. I couldn’t help sneering aloud. Turns out this germaphobia depends on the person. I looked deeply at Chloe. “I resigned because I don’t want to do it anymore, not because of anything else.” Chloe didn’t believe. “Then why resign today of all days? Isn’t it because of the deal messed up yesterday?” “Justin, don’t use those petty tricks on Jayden, otherwise don’t blame me for not caring about old feelings.” I sighed, losing the desire to argue with her like before. Facing Chloe, all my emotions were like a leaking pot with a hole. Water comes in, goes out quickly. She was also present at that messed up contract. Originally talked to the end, the other party had already agreed to our cooperation. Jayden suddenly rushed in, insisting on toasting the other party’s CEO. The CEO was already showing displeasure then. But he seemed blind. A newbie intern just entered the door, actually forcing the CEO to drink. I don’t know how he dared. The CEO got angry. I pressed him down, apologizing to the CEO with a smile. I asked him to punish himself with three cups, but he suddenly shouted louder than anyone. “Brother Justin, although I’m just an intern, you can’t bully people with power, right?” At that time Chloe’s face was ugly as if wanting to kill someone. I thought it was because of this deal that should have been secured but failed. Didn’t expect it was because I made Jayden apologize and punish himself with three cups. I’m really tired. “I’m really not making a scene, Chloe, let’s break up.” Finished, ignoring her gloomy face, I packed my things and left the company. Back home, I started packing my luggage again. Breaking up is troublesome like this. Too many things, packing takes a lot of time. Suddenly, my hand paused, digging out a shirt not belonging to me in the drawer. The shirt was densely covered with hickeys. Could tell the parties involved were very urgent and passionate at that time. I threw the shirt into the trash can, took a photo and sent it to Chloe. On the phone, Chloe was sending me explanatory messages. I didn’t reply, dialed another number. “Didn’t you say you want to take the position?” Chapter 2 On the other end of the phone, Gwen screamed in excitement. She offered to come help me move luggage, I refused. If she bumped into Chloe then, I was afraid she would conflict with Chloe. Better to avoid trouble. I still have a house in the West Side. Once the bonus for this month comes down, the mortgage for that house can be fully paid off. Finally can have a home of my own. Thinking of this, mood warmed up a lot. Doorbell rang. I thought the mover arrived. Opened the door, it was Chloe. I was surprised for a moment, suspecting my own illusion. Last year my appendicitis flared up, fainting from pain at home. Called her, wanting her to come back and send me to the hospital. Her attitude was cold. “I’m working, Justin. You are a normal adult, can’t even dial a simple 911 call?” But last week, Jayden accidentally spilled warm water on his hand in the company, shouted pain once, and she hugged him in public, drove him to the hospital personally. She never leaves early, unless it’s Jayden, who can break her principles. Didn’t expect today I could be lucky enough to make her break a rule once. She glanced at my already packed luggage, voice revealing a trace of imperceptible panic. “What are you doing?! Making a scene? Deliberately saying break up to force me to bow?” “Didn’t I send you a message explaining? That was left by Jayden accidentally in our house. That day he was caught in the rain, I let him come up to drink a cup of ginger tea. His shirt happened to be torn, so he changed a set of clothes in our house before leaving.” I narrowed my eyes, recalling following her words. That was the week before last when I was on a business trip. I went abroad to discuss business, encountered a rainstorm upon returning, wanted Chloe to drive to pick me up. She said she was working overtime at the company, no time, let me take a taxi back myself. When I got home, seeing the unfinished ginger tea on the coffee table, I thought she specially prepared it for me. Turns out I picked up someone else’s leftovers. Maybe thinking of this matter, Chloe looked unnatural. “Don’t think too much.” I shook my head, face calm. “I didn’t think too much, it’s not important anymore.” Chloe looked strange, staring at me for a long while. Half a day later, her voice somewhat hoarse, asked tentatively. “Why aren’t you angry anymore?” So she knew I was angry before. But she didn’t care either. Instead reprimanded me every time, saying I was petty, dirty heart seeing everything dirty. I just wanted to say, about me moving out. Chloe’s phone rang. Jayden was noisy on the other end, saying he was bullied. Chloe glared at me angrily, sneered. “So waiting for me here, Justin, good tactics.” Before I understood what happened, Chloe pulled my wrist hard, dragged me into the car. Inside the car, there was the smell of men’s cologne. Similar to the smell on Jayden. Hanging in the car was a Jellycat doll, same as Jayden’s WeChat avatar. After working in Chloe’s company, I never sat in her car again. She said she was afraid of gossip from people in the company, so our relationship was not made public. The territory I couldn’t step into anymore, turns out occupied by someone long ago. No more that sour swelling pain in heart, only the thought of “as expected”. Just arrived at the company, Chloe pulled me off the car rudely. My ankle twisted, I fell to the ground. She seemed not to see, sneered. “Pretending what?” She winked at the bodyguard. Bodyguard grabbed my back collar with one hand, dragging me into the company like dragging trash. Chapter 3 Dragged me all the way to my previous workstation. Wrists and knees had long been rubbed with bloody marks. I lay on the ground like a stray dog. Chloe protected Jayden in her arms, warning in a deep voice. “I don’t care who instructed you to bully an intern, but it’s not Justin’s turn to call the shots in this company.” “If you want to stay, show your attitude.” Zach’s face was pale, daring not move aside. On the way here, Zach already texted me. After I left, Jayden worked under him. A lazy and slippery intern, what can he do? Asked him to order a meal for a client and he got it wrong. Zach just said a few words to Jayden, didn’t expect Jayden called Chloe directly to complain. Jayden buried his head in Chloe’s shoulder, the two intimate as if no one else was there. “Senior sister, I don’t know what I did… I just saw that client was a bit fat, ordered a diet meal for him, Zach just scolded me harshly…” Chloe stood on tiptoes, rubbed his head, saying she would seek justice for him. She scanned everyone coldly. “I know Justin has good relationships with you. Seeing him resign, you want to vent for him. But this time it was his own work error, no face to stay in the company, nothing to do with Jayden.” “I say it again, if you want to stay, show your attitude, otherwise all get out.” Everyone’s face turned white, understanding Chloe’s implication. Harry, whom I brought up personally, walked to me. He closed his eyes tight, whispered sorry, raised his hand and slapped my face. Chloe stood there indifferently, only said one sentence. “Where are the others?” The rest stepped forward one after another, scrambling to slap my face one after another. Those I helped, those who helped me… Blood dripped down the corner of my mouth. My head was dizzy and swollen, eardrums buzzing, consciousness started to blur a bit. Jayden laughed out loud. “Senior sister, look at him, so pitiful, like a big pig head.” Chloe’s eyes were like ice, words even more merciless. “People with such deep schemes, only knowing intrigue, are not worthy of staying in our company at all.” “His resignation application is rejected, fired directly. This Year-End Bonus is also withdrawn, moved to Jayden.” I widened my eyes in disbelief. Anger spread like a spider web, layer by layer, binding my whole heart. “Chloe! That’s what I deserve! On what grounds?” Company convention, amount decided by projects won by each person. From discussing business, to drafting proposals, finalizing, arguing with clients, I did it all alone. To get one more percent, I drank until early morning to go home. This year-end bonus, was money for me to pay off the mortgage… Parents divorced when I was young, no one wanted me, kicking me around like a ball. Thrown to uncle’s house, aunt hated me, often threatened me, if I didn’t listen would kick me out. So that when I grew up, I was very afraid of having nowhere to go. After being with Chloe, I stuck to her desperately, afraid she would kick me out. No matter where she went, I had to master her dynamics. Fiery love also has a day of being extinguished. I started to pin hope on money, using money to buy a house of my own. So if I break up with Chloe later, kicked out, I won’t have no place to live. I made money like crazy, finally scraped together the down payment. These years saving penny by penny, paying loans, pressure huge, losing hair day and night, turning gray early. Chloe saw all these. She clearly knew how much I valued this bonus. But now, her tone sarcastic. “Just because this company is mine, just because you bullied Jayden, you should compensate him!” All my words were blocked in my throat. Huge nausea surged in my stomach, impacting my entire esophagus. More than three hundred thousand year-end bonus, she gave it to an intern who did nothing casually. I gritted my teeth, enduring dizziness, thrown out of the company by security called by Chloe. Just out of the company, Chloe sent a text message. [Today’s matter was originally your fault.] Maybe seeing I didn’t reply, she sent another one. [Alright, I might have gone a bit too far, but that’s also because you didn’t give Jayden any face. After all he is my junior, you letting people bully him like this, I inevitably got a bit angry.] [I’m going on a business trip to France tomorrow, just right the new product you want is on sale there, I buy it to apologize to you okay?] She didn’t know yet, one minute ago, Jayden showed off on social media. “Because I want to see the Eiffel Tower, someone used public office for private gain, saying take me on business trip together~ Good to be a puppy~” I blocked these two people into the blacklist casually. Chapter 4 One week later. Chloe ended the business trip, holding new cufflinks in hand, feeling a bit guilty. She originally planned to go for only three days, didn’t expect Jayden kept dragging her to shop this and that. For a time, she forgot to message Justin. Coming back today is also to give Justin a surprise. Thinking of Justin waiting at home, Chloe felt warm inside, steps home also a bit impatient. Pushing open the house door, Chloe called Justin’s name twice. No answer. Those suitcases Justin packed last time were also gone. Things about Justin in the room were also gone. Chloe’s breath hitched, face pale, an unbelievable thought popped up. Huge panic surged towards her like a tide. “Won’t be…” She knew how much Justin cared about her. These years, Justin proposed to marry her more than once. A man actively proposing marriage means he determined you for this life. So Chloe always regarded Justin as something in the bag, never worried he would leave. As long as she says marriage one day, Justin can drop everything at hand and go to City Hall together without hesitation. Besides here, where else can Justin go? Justin cut ties with his parents long ago, only occasionally contacted uncle’s side, but he knew his aunt didn’t like seeing him, so impossible to go to his uncle’s. That small house he scraped down payment to buy? Chloe’s eyes lit up for a moment, hurried to take cufflinks, drove towards West Side. But arrived at West Side, she stopped. Where is the house Justin bought? She didn’t know. A trace of annoyance in her eyes. Chloe didn’t expect Justin would really move to that small house, so never cared about the location of that house. Justin asked for her opinion when buying the house before, she just glanced, said don’t know. So that she has nowhere to get the location information of that house now. Chloe only discovered when driving just now, Justin blocked her on WeChat. She didn’t know when she was blocked. This week, she didn’t message him. Was it because he was jealous so blocked her? Chloe couldn’t figure it out. She took out her phone, called Justin. Who knew, an AI female voice on the other end completely panicked her. She never dreamed that Justin actually blocked all her contact methods. Chloe suddenly recalled Justin’s appearance when proposing break up in the office that day, so calm. She realized, Justin was serious this time. Chloe only felt a hemp rope slowly winding around her heart, making her suffocate. She covered her chest, squatted on the ground, gasping for breath. “Justin…” Just as she wanted to ask someone to inquire about Justin’s house location, the phone rang. Gwen’s triumphant voice came into her ears. “Chloe, I’m getting engaged, my husband just accepted me.” “There is an Engagement Party tonight, come attend.” Chloe’s brain throbbed with pain. She heard the show-off in Gwen’s words, but she was in no mood for any engagement party. “I have something, can’t…” Unexpectedly the other side seemed to guess something, shouted. “You must be present, do you want to find someone? You come, I help you find.” Chloe ignored the intuitive discomfort in her heart, agreed to Gwen’s invitation. She and Gwen were not very familiar, just college classmates. Didn’t know why Gwen insisted she attend some engagement party today, but she knew Gwen is the youngest daughter of the Gu family, having many resources, asking her to find a person should be easy. At night, Chloe originally wanted to go alone. But Jayden heard from somewhere she was going to the engagement party, insisted on following to see the world. Thinking about it, Chloe agreed. I amusedly watched Gwen changing five or six dresses in front of me like a peacock spreading tail. “Which one looks good?” I thought: “All look good.” “Why insist on Chloe coming?” Gwen panicked a bit, hurried over to hold my hand. “You heard all?” “Angry? I was just too happy…” I shook my head, smilingly hugged her, walked out together. Just went out, a gaze locked firmly on me. I looked following the gaze, only saw Chloe trembling, blood on face faded completely, under the light, like a water ghost fished out of water.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390465”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Starting the second year of our marriage, Kendall and I had an arrangement: we would spend the holidays with our respective families. This year, my dad was supposedly vacationing in South Beach. I kept it a secret from Kendall, flying two thousand miles on Christmas Eve, ready to give her the surprise of a lifetime. I had barely stepped out of the cab when a text from Kendall popped up: “Honey, dinner is so dull without you here. Missing my guy.” Warmth flooded my chest. I took a deep breath of the freezing air and excitedly knocked on the door of the small house in Rosewood, Tennessee. The moment Kendall saw me, the color drained from her face, leaving her ghost-pale. She instantly tried to slam the door shut. “Kai! W-what are you doing here?!” I put my hand up to stop the door. From inside, her mother’s voice called out: “Honey, who’s at the door?” Kendall shoved against the door, her voice a thin, panicked whisper: “Mom, it’s nothing! Just a colleague dropping off a last-minute office gift basket!” “Sweetheart, which colleague is it?” A familiar male voice cut in. “It’s freezing out there! Don’t leave them standing in the snow, let them in.” … 1 It was Blake Harrison. Kendall’s assistant. And he was wearing the apron—the one I’d bought for her mother. The sub-zero December wind was nothing compared to the ice forming in my chest. Nothing. “Colleague?” I stared at Kendall, my voice dangerously low. “I’m what kind of colleague to you?” A sheen of sweat broke out on Kendall’s forehead. She pressed her face close to mine, her voice a desperate plea: “Kai, I’ll explain everything later. My mom’s heart… she can’t handle a shock. Please, I’m begging you, just—don’t make a scene.” Don’t make a scene? A sick joke. I traveled across the country to surprise my wife, to spend the holiday with my in-laws, and she was begging me not to make a scene? The word tasted like ash. Before I could reply, the door was pulled open from the inside. Blake, still wearing the apron and holding a spatula like some kind of domestic prince, smiled. His face froze for a fraction of a second when he saw me, but the warmth returned instantly. “Well, look who it is! Kai, man! What a surprise!” “Why are you two still blocking the door?” Mrs. Wells called from the living room. “Come in, it’s blowing a blizzard out there!” Kendall gave me a frantic, tearful look, mouthing the words: Please. I’ll explain. I swallowed the metallic taste of betrayal, nodded once, and stepped into the house, into the warmth and the noise, carrying the heavy bag of gifts I’d brought. 2 The living room was cozy. The TV was running a holiday special, and the coffee table was covered in nuts and holiday treats. Mr. Wells was on the sofa, peeling an orange. He looked up. “Well, now, Kendall, your colleague is a sharp-looking young man. Come in, come in, don’t be shy.” Mrs. Wells smiled, taking the gifts from my hand. “Out delivering presents on a holiday? That’s dedication. Thank you, dear.” Neither of them, warm and smiling, recognized the man who was actually their son-in-law. Our wedding five years ago was quiet, without a proper reception. I’d only come here once, that first year. After that, Kendall insisted we spend the holidays separately. The Wells didn’t use social media, and our contact was limited to brief, pleasant phone calls. I opened my mouth to speak. Kendall cut me off immediately: “Mom, this is Kai. He just happened to be passing through Rosewood. He can only stay a minute, he’s got to catch a train.” “Kai?” Mrs. Wells repeated the name, her brow furrowing, as if it sounded vaguely familiar. Blake smoothly intercepted the moment. “Mrs. Wells, Kai’s a mover-and-shaker. He’s probably on a business trip, had to stop by.” Blake laughed, setting a plate of sliced apples in front of me. “Kai, man, try these. Kendall and I picked them out at the market a few days ago. Super sweet.” I remembered a phone call from a few days ago, when Kendall had sighed, “Honey, I wish you were here to peel an apple for me. Nobody does it like you do.” “Blake, stop fussing, come sit down.” Mrs. Wells affectionately waved him over, her tone intimate. “You’re too good to us, son. Working so hard and still finding time to bring us all these nice things. You haven’t rested since you got here.” Mr. Wells handed the peeled orange to Blake. “Blake, show me how to use that foot spa you bought me again later.” My head snapped up. The foot spa. I remembered researching it for weeks, comparing every high-end model because of Mr. Wells’s bad circulation. It cost a fortune—over three thousand dollars—and I told Kendall specifically to show them how to use it. How did it become Blake’s? The cherries and the gourmet nuts on the table were things I’d shipped weeks ago. The massage chair in the corner? That was my Black Friday splurge. My love, my care, my every thoughtful gesture—all rebranded. All signed by Blake Harrison. 3 The snow fell heavier, making travel impossible. I wasn’t going anywhere. “So, where are you staying, Kai?” Mrs. Wells asked. Kendall reflexively glanced toward the master bedroom. Mr. Wells filled the silence. “The den has a fold-out couch, Martha. It’s a little messy, but with a thick blanket, he’ll be fine for one night.” “Oh, that’s terrible,” Mrs. Wells said, looking pained. “Blake, maybe you can double up with him?” “Mom, I’m not really comfortable sharing a bed with a stranger.” Blake turned to me, his smile fixed. “Sorry, Kai, you’re stuck with the couch.” “Fine,” I heard myself say, the word tasting like sand. The lumpy, fold-out couch in the cluttered den was rock-hard. The threadbare quilt smelled of dust and attic. We had promised to alternate holidays. The second year, Kendall claimed her mother was sick. The third, she said I’d be too cold in the South and that my own dad needed me. Last year, the same excuse. This was the fifth year. The years of “you’re too busy” and “you’ll be cold” weren’t about consideration. They were about keeping the stage clear for him. Blake wasn’t a temporary stunt; he was the understudy who took the starring role. My phone vibrated. A text from my dad: Son, did you make it? Did Kendall love the surprise? Give the Wells my love. Staring at my father’s earnest, trusting words, the dam broke. I pressed my face into the musty quilt and finally let the tears come. Later that night, I went out for a glass of water. The master bedroom door was ajar. The sheets, the ones I’d splurged on from a luxury linen store in NYC, the ones Kendall said were “too nice” for her parents—they were draped over their bed. Blake was holding a tablet, their heads bent close together, sharing a laugh so easy, so intimate, it felt like a punch to the stomach. They looked like a couple planning their future. I barely made it to the bathroom, collapsing onto my knees. I dry-heaved over the porcelain bowl, trying to vomit up the sickening image, the years of lies. I needed out. I couldn’t look at them for one more second. 4 Perhaps it was the cold, or the raw, white-hot fire of my fury, but I had developed a fever. In my hazy dreams, I was back five years ago. Kendall was broke and starting her company. I’d hold her frozen feet in my lap in our tiny, unheated apartment in New York. “Kai,” she’d promised, “when we make it big, we’ll buy a place with heated floors. We’ll never be cold again.” The scene shifted. She was kneeling in the snow, a tiny diamond chip ring in her hand. “Kai, let’s build a home. You’ll never have to feel like an outsider again.” She had loved me, hadn’t she? So where had this woman come from? “Water… water…” I mumbled, waking up. A cool washcloth was on my forehead. In the dim light of the headlamp, Kendall was leaning over me, her face etched with worry. “Kai? You’re awake? Oh God, you’re burning up.” Her voice was soft, laced with genuine fear. Seeing her distressed face, I almost believed we were back in our apartment, safe and real. “Kendall…” I whispered, the exhaustion making my voice shake. Tears streamed down my temples. “I need to go home.” “I know, I know. Just as soon as your fever breaks, we’ll go home.” She gently patted my back. The fleeting moment of tenderness almost drowned me in the illusion of our past. But the events of the night snapped me back. “Why did your parents think Blake was their son-in-law?” I demanded. “Kai, you have every right to be angry,” she said, her voice dropping. “But I swear, there’s nothing going on with Blake.” “My parents have been pressuring me for years to bring you home for the holidays. You know how small Rosewood is—the gossip, the shame. I told you I just needed a stand-in, a temporary fiancé, to shut them up.” “I didn’t want to come back?!” I was shaking with fury. “I booked a ticket for today! You told me this place was ‘too remote’ and ‘too cold’ for a ‘city guy’ like me!” “Yes, yes, you’re right, it’s all my fault.” Kendall quickly conceded. “Blake’s a committed bachelor—this was strictly business, a performance for the family. We’re totally platonic. We have never done anything that would betray our vows.” “An act that requires you to sleep in the same room? An act where he claims credit for my damn Christmas gifts?” “We didn’t sleep together! We slept separately! I swear! And the gifts… that was a misunderstanding. I didn’t want them to get the wrong impression of you, so I just let them think he bought them…” “After the New Year, I’ll tell them the truth.” Kendall knelt on the floor beside the couch, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Can you just hold it together for a couple more days? Just until after the New Year? For my mother’s sake—you know her heart.” Her eyes were wide, pleading. She knew. She knew I grew up in a single-parent home and envied the warmth of a full family. She knew I couldn’t stand to see an elderly person suffer, and I couldn’t resist the phrase “for the sake of the family.” 5 A sudden, sharp gasp came from the doorway. “What in God’s name are you doing?!” Mrs. Wells was standing there, her face a mask of rage. “Mom, I—” Kendall scrambled away from me. Mrs. Wells rushed in, pointing a trembling finger at me. “You respectable-looking scoundrel! Sneaking in here in the middle of the night to prey on my married daughter?” The scream made my eardrums ring. “I am not—” “Not what? I saw you! Groping my daughter, practically kissing! Are you shameless?” “I knew no decent man would show up here on a holiday night! Blake is sleeping just down the hall! You think you can just march in here and steal someone’s fiancé right under our roof?” Mr. Wells, now wearing his robe, rushed in, his face grim. “Kendall! What is the meaning of this? Are you drunk or just plain stupid? You’re throwing away a good man like Blake for this… this nobody?” I looked at Kendall, waiting. I waited for her to speak the truth. I waited for the five words that would save me: He is my husband. But the words never came. She looked at the floor, accepting the slander. “Dad, Mom, it’s my fault. I just came in to bring him some water… he has a fever.” “Fever? That gives you license to seduce a woman who’s practically engaged?” Her mother was hysterical. I closed my eyes, exhausted by the absurdity. “Get out,” I croaked. “What did you say?” Mrs. Wells kept railing. “I said, Get the hell out!” I roared the words, grabbing the rock-hard pillow and hurling it violently at Kendall. She ducked away, pushing her furious parents out of the room. The door slammed shut. Through the wood, I heard the old woman’s voice, raw with fury: “The nerve of that man! Tomorrow, he leaves! Don’t let him stain our floors a minute longer!” 6 New Year’s Day. The living room was packed with extended family. The moment I stepped out of the den, dozens of eyes, full of malicious curiosity, tracked my every step. “Is that the shameless guy?” “He’s not bad-looking, I’ll give him that. No wonder he tries to steal other people’s girls.” “Blake’s better. So much classier. If it were me, I’d have thrown that guy out last night.” I walked through the gauntlet, my face a cold, blank mask, heading for the front door. “Oh, leaving already? Not going to keep flirting?” Kendall’s judgmental Aunt Beth hissed. I stopped and fixed her with a cold stare. At that moment, a sharply dressed man walked in, carrying several gift bags. It was Kendall’s older brother, Grant Wells. “Kai?” he blurted out. A tiny, desperate spark of hope flared in my chest. Grant knows the truth. But Grant caught sight of Blake, who was efficiently serving coffee, and his eyes shifted away from mine. He forced an awkward smile. “Oh… I guess you’re Kendall’s colleague?” I managed a self-deprecating laugh, said nothing, and walked out the door. Back in my New York apartment, the silence was deafening. The wedding photo on the wall—Kendall’s radiant, sincere smile. Our matching coffee mugs on the counter. Every corner of the apartment, a haunted relic of a shared life. My phone was buzzing continuously. A cascade of texts from Kendall. “Honey, did you make it back okay?” “I’m so sorry. I truly am. I was just being weak.” “Please don’t be mad. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” I turned the phone off. For the next two days, I was a ghost, unable to eat, floating through the apartment in a haze of confusion and hurt. It wasn’t until I found myself in the hospital, picking up a set of pre-holiday test results for Kendall, that I stopped cold. She was six weeks pregnant. The world stopped. God, are you playing some kind of sick joke? Was this my child? If it was… Just as I decided to walk away from this poisoned marriage, fate handed me this tiny, unexpected life. I remembered the silly, tender times—me listening to her flat stomach, promising a daughter who would be as beautiful as she was. What if she really was just shallow, just vain? What if the whole thing with Blake was truly a platonic ‘act’ for the sake of her parents’ pride? For the child’s sake, could I bury the truth and try again? 7 Kendall was home when I returned. She rushed to me, throwing her arms around me. “Kai! Where were you? I’ve been frantic! I thought I’d lost you!” Her voice trembled with what felt like genuine fear. Breathing in her familiar scent, the last of my resolve crumbled. “Kendall, if you’re lying to me again, it’s over. Truly over.” She nodded frantically. “I swear! I’ll never pull a stunt like that again! Never!” For the child, I was willing to risk one last act of faith. That Friday, a week after I got back, was Valentine’s Day. It was also the anniversary of our first date. Before she left for work, Kendall gave me a deep, lingering kiss. “Honey, wait for me tonight. I have a surprise for you.” I smiled and said I would. After a week of her attentiveness and my own desperate self-counseling, I decided to erase the past. I prepared her favorite dishes and tucked the ultrasound printout—our secret, our future—into a small velvet box, ready to deliver the life-changing news. I waited from day to night. Expectation soured into a cold dread. The food sat uneaten. I called her. Voicemail. I texted. No reply. She’s in a meeting, her phone died, I told myself, clutching the desperate hope. At eleven o’clock, I checked social media. It was Blake. A carousel of photos, set in a chic, upscale restaurant. Blake, his parents, and right next to him, Kendall, radiant and laughing. The caption was a knife: First dinner with the wife’s folks this year! #futuremrsH #soinlove The sound was a roar in my ears. Logic dissolved into a raw, white-hot fire. I grabbed my keys, coat forgotten, and bolted for the elevator. I was going to find her. I was going to ask this woman I’d loved for eight years if her heart was made of stone. I was going to ask her why she was destroying us. The elevator doors opened. The steel reflected a pathetic stranger: hair a mess, eyes bloodshot, wearing one sneaker and one slipper. A discarded caricature of a man. Was this Kai Ashton? The sharp, confident man I used to be? Reduced to this—a weeping, betrayed husband chasing a liar? Is she worth it? The elevator stopped at the ground floor. The doors opened. The cold night air rushed in. I looked at my reflection. I wiped the tears from my face. I stood up straight. Then, I reached out and pressed the ‘Close Door’ button. 8 The velvet box with the ultrasound. I dropped it, along with the hopes it represented, into the stainless steel bin. This child, my child, deserved a father who wasn’t a fool. It was gone. I packed my bags that night. Even if that baby were mine, I didn’t want it anymore.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390481”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My best friend Zoe was addicted to gambling. When she called, giddy, saying she was taking me to Vegas, I didn’t think much of it. “I just hit a huge jackpot!” she chirped. “I’m putting you up at The Elysian Palace, on me!” But when the plane landed, she didn’t lead me to a luxury suite. Instead, she took me to a private room deep in the casino. “The truth is,” she whispered, trembling, “I owe fifty million. If I can’t pay, they’ll send me to a black site in Eastern Europe…” Her eyes were wild. “But the owner… he’s looking for a woman with a crescent moon birthmark. Find her, and the debt’s wiped clean!” She grabbed my arm. “You’ve got one, right on your stomach. I’ve seen it when we changed! I’m so sorry, Aria. I just… I don’t want to die.” Four men slammed me onto the sofa. As my head spun, I saw a child’s drawing on the wall. It was a crayon picture I’d drawn for my dad before I was taken. He’d treasured it, promising to keep it forever. A strange energy surged through me, and a cold smile touched my lips. Zoe, oh Zoe. You really did make the right bet this time. Too bad you’re not the one who’s going to win. 1 By the time I realized something was truly wrong, it was too late to run. “Fifty million, Aria! I could never pay that back in ten lifetimes!” Zoe sobbed. “But it’s like fate intervened! The heavens gave you that birthmark so you could save me!” Ice filled my lungs. Fear squeezed my throat until I forgot how to breathe. “Zoe… you sold me?” “We’ve known each other for over a decade. You’re my best friend, and you sold me for fifty million dollars?” My accusation made her stumble back, shaking her head frantically. “Don’t look at me like that… The owner of this casino is richer than God, and his only weakness is women with that specific birthmark. He’ll forgive any debt for one…” She tried to force a smile. “He has this… particular taste, and you happen to match it perfectly. I brought you here for your own good, too! What if he falls for you? You’d be set for life!” The image of some lecherous old man flashed in my mind, and a shiver ran down my spine. I shoved her aside and made a break for the door. “If you want to be his prize, go for it! I’m leaving!” But before my fingers could even brush the doorknob, a heavy thud slammed into the back of my head. “You’re forcing my hand, Aria!” Zoe’s voice was sharp with panic. My vision exploded into stars. I staggered, my legs giving out from under me, and collapsed to the floor. She loomed over me and snatched the small, pink bead from my pocket. “Don’t think I’m stupid,” she hissed. “I know you didn’t come on this trip for a vacation. You came here to find your real parents.” “Well, you’re here now. Help me clear this debt, and I’ll help you find them. But if you try to run… you’ll never see them again in this life.” A searing pain radiated from the back of my skull. I tried to move my lips, to say something, but despair washed over me. I was five when I was kidnapped. The traffickers had changed my clothes and shaved my head to make me unrecognizable. They threw away everything I had, but I’d managed to hide this single bead under my tongue—the one carved with my nickname. For sixteen years, the memories of my home and my life before the age of five had faded into a blur. That bead was the only tangible link I had left to my parents. Without it, all hope was gone. “Good girl,” Zoe said, sounding relieved. Just then, the door to the room swung open. Several menacing men strode in. “You’re Zoe? We hear you brought something to settle your account.” Zoe scrambled to her feet, pointing a trembling finger at me. “Nash! The boss wants a woman with a crescent moon birthmark, right? This is my best friend, Aria. She has one right on her stomach!” She wrung her hands. “I brought her, just like you said. So, my fifty million…” The man she called Nash didn’t even glance at her. He pulled out a chair and sat down, his presence dominating the room. “What’s the hurry? Let’s see the merchandise first.” His men were on me in an instant, dragging me up and pinning me to the sofa. They ripped off my jacket in a blur of motion. One of them reached for the hem of my t-shirt, and I kicked out with all my strength, connecting with his shin. “Get off me! Don’t touch me!” “You little bitch!” he spat, and his hand cracked across my face once, then twice. My head spun, stars bursting behind my eyes. Before I could even cry out, a deafening gunshot echoed through the room. The man clutching my shirt screamed, a new hole bleeding in his calf as he crumpled to the ground. Nash stood over him, a pistol in his hand, his expression unreadable. “Touching the goods before verification? You got a death wish?” He gestured dismissively. “Get him out of here. Don’t stain the boss’s rug.” The other men, their faces pale, quickly dragged their groaning colleague away. I was free, but my body was frozen, paralyzed by shock. They had a gun. If I fought back again, the next bullet would be for me. In the corner, Zoe was terrified, but a new, determined glint appeared in her eyes. “Nash, she really has it! A crescent moon birthmark, right on her stomach. It’s exactly the kind the boss wants!” Nash shot her a cold look, and she immediately flinched, lowering her head. “You lot, get it done. Stop wasting my time.” Four more men moved toward me. I scrambled backward on the sofa, trying to put distance between us, when my gaze fell again on the child’s drawing hanging on the wall. It depicted a family of three flying a kite. Right above the head of the little girl with the ponytail, a name was written—a name I could never forget. “Sunshine.” I had drawn that picture right before I was taken. My mother had adored it, and my father had laughed, promising to frame it and keep it forever. It was him! My dad! All these years, he had been looking for me, too! An overwhelming wave of emotion crashed over me, and I pushed myself up. “Is your boss’s name—” “Too many questions. You’re probably another fake with a bright idea.” Nash cut me off, his voice dripping with impatience. He raised his gun, the cold metal aimed squarely at my forehead. “You, shut up.” He nodded to his men. “You, get her shirt off. Verify it.” 2 A cold dread washed over me, prickling my scalp. He’d shot one of his own men without a second thought. What would he do to me? Zoe, trembling in the corner, whispered urgently, “Aria, just do what they say! Once they see it, I can leave. If you keep fighting, you’ll get us both killed!” Even now, she was only thinking of herself. My eyes darted back to the drawing on the wall. I decided to play along, for now. If they verified the mark, maybe Dad would come. Maybe this nightmare would end, and we could finally be reunited. Biting my lip, I endured the humiliation as they lifted my shirt. There, just below my navel, the crescent moon birthmark was clear as day. “Nash, I think… I think this one’s real!” one of the men exclaimed. Nash strode over. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the mark. He muttered under his breath, “It’s… it really is just like the one the boss drew.” Zoe knew she was in the clear. A sycophantic smile spread across her face. “Nash, sir, since you’ve verified it, that fifty million I owe…” Nash’s eyes were still locked on my birthmark. He waved a dismissive hand. “Cleared. Now get lost.” “Yes, yes! Thank you! I’m gone!” Zoe nodded eagerly and turned to bolt. But the bead was still on her! I scrambled off the sofa, lunging for her. “Zoe, you can’t leave—” “Don’t let her get away!” Nash commanded. Before I could reach Zoe, one of the henchmen closest to me drove his boot into my stomach. The force of the kick sent me flying backward, and my head cracked against the corner of the coffee table. Nash exploded. “Are you trying to get yourself killed? How many times have I said, don’t harm them before confirmation!” The spot where Zoe had hit me was already throbbing, and now, a warm liquid was trickling down my neck. I reached up a trembling hand and brought it back, covered in blood. My vision began to blur at the edges. My consciousness was slipping away, my limbs refusing to obey my commands. I can’t pass out… not yet… I haven’t seen Dad… “Boss, she’s bleeding!” someone shouted in alarm. Nash’s brow furrowed. “You two, get a doctor! You two, go get the boss. Tell him this one looks real, he needs to see it for himself.” He looked at the remaining men. “The rest of you, be careful. If she turns out to be the one he’s looking for and you pissed her off, she’ll have your heads.” His men scattered, nearly running into Zoe, who was frozen by the door. She was completely stunned. After a long moment, she asked in a trembling voice, “Nash… I thought the boss was just looking for a new mistress. Why is one woman so important?” Nash shot her a withering glare. “Use your head. Why else would he offer to wipe out a debt this massive? But it’s not a debt just anyone can clear.” His voice dropped, laced with menace. “Others have brought women with crescent moon birthmarks before. They tattooed one on, guessing at the location. The boss… dealt with them.” Zoe shuddered. “You got lucky,” Nash continued. “This girl’s mark is in the exact right spot. Perfect. Now just wait. If she really is the one, not only will your fifty million be forgotten, but your best friend here will make sure you live a life of luxury.” Zoe’s eyes darted back and forth. Her expression shifted. A terrible feeling washed over me. I fought through the haze, forcing my mouth to form words. “I… I am the one…” “Nash, I’m so sorry!” Zoe suddenly cried out, rushing back into the room. She dug her sharp nails into my thigh, her voice a desperate shriek. “The birthmark… it’s a fake!” “I can’t lie to the boss! I’ll pay back the fifty million myself! I’m not using her to clear my debt!” 3 Nash’s face contorted with fury. “Zoe, you’re playing with your life!” “No! She forced me to come here!” The gun swung toward her, and Zoe dropped to her knees in a heap. “She found out about the birthmark’s location from somewhere, went to a tattoo parlor, and then forced me to bring her! She said she wanted to climb into the boss’s bed and live a life of luxury! It’s true! She threatened to kill my parents if I didn’t do it!” Zoe’s face was a mess of tears and pleas as she begged for her life. From the floor, I gasped for breath, shaking my head weakly. “No… I’m…” “Stop lying, Aria!” Zoe sobbed. “You can’t fool them forever! When the boss finds out your birthmark is a fake, you’ll die a much more painful death!” Nash stood over me, his sharp gaze fixed on the exposed birthmark, trying to discern the truth. But he clearly didn’t know the whole story—that his boss wasn’t looking for a lover, but a lost daughter. If he would just look at my face, he might see the resemblance… Suddenly, a voice called from outside. “Nash, that crew from last time is causing trouble on the main floor again!” Nash holstered his pistol and started for the door. “You two, guard the entrance. Don’t let either of them leave. I’ll be right back.” The heavy door clicked shut, leaving just the two of us. Zoe’s voice dropped to a venomous whisper. “I can’t believe how obsessed he is. The right birthmark, and you get to be the queen of this place.” I struggled to stay conscious, my body sliding further down the leg of the table. The bleeding from my head wouldn’t stop. I knew I didn’t have much time. “What… what are you doing?” I managed to ask. A crazed look flashed in her eyes, her chest heaving with frantic breaths. “I was wrong. I thought he just wanted a fling, someone to warm his bed… But no. I can’t let you become his woman. You’d never let me live it down… just like I would never forgive you.” I gasped, my breath catching in my throat. “We’re best friends. If you let me go now, I’ll forget this ever happened.” “Impossible! You must hate my guts!” “No, really… Think about it. Without me, how will you pay back that fifty million? They’ll sell you, Zoe. It’ll be worse than death.” She paused, her eyes darting around as she considered it. Seeing a flicker of hope, I pressed on. “Let me go. I swear I won’t say a word. I’ll take care of you, we’ll be rich together. That fifty million… I’ll pay it for you.” Her expression softened for a moment. She licked her dry lips. I allowed myself a small, internal sigh of relief. But it was premature. Her fists clenched. “No. You’re too stubborn. You’ve spent over a decade searching for your parents without giving up. You’d never let this go. I can find another way to get fifty million, but I can’t leave you alive.” Before I could react, she produced a small, sharp blade and drove it right into my birthmark. A scream tore from my throat, but she clamped a hand over my mouth, muffling the sound. She traced the outline of the crescent moon with the blade, then pulled out a small vial of clear liquid and forced it down my throat. A bitter taste flooded my mouth. This was bad. “Don’t worry,” she whispered manically in my ear. “This anesthetic will kick in in about twenty minutes. You’ll pass out. Whatever happens next, you won’t feel a thing.” She tossed the empty vial and the blade under the table. “I’m sorry, sis. If only one of us can walk out of here alive, it’s going to be me.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390498”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Everyone said with pity that I was an unwanted child. Parents divorced since I was small, Dad didn’t want me, Mom remarried, and the only Grandma who took care of me also passed away. The year Grandma died, she left me $20.50 and an old house. I walked out of the Appalachian Mountains relying on neighbors’ charity meals, and completed my studies relying on financial aid. During internship, I relied on my own efforts to get a decent job, became permanent directly upon graduation, and survived until now. This year end, I finally paid off all debts, saved the first sum of money in my life. The sound of New Year’s fireworks rang, a new year arrived. My terrible life should end, beautiful life I am coming! Chapter 1 The day Grandma was buried, everyone thought Mom would take me away. After all, I was only thirteen, in this world, besides her, I had no relatives. I thought so too, so I packed my schoolbag, standing at the door waiting for her. But she carried her suitcase, went straight onto the Greyhound bus. Until the bus disappeared at the end of the mountain road, she didn’t look back at me once. It seemed Mom didn’t mention a word about my arrangement from coming back to leaving. I went back into the house, subconsciously shouted. “Grandma, I feel a bit sad.” Dead silence in the house. I then suddenly realized, Grandma was buried in the ground. From now on in this house, only me left. Fear surged up like tide. What should I do? I sat on the threshold all night. When dawn broke, I carried my schoolbag to school. The Teach For America volunteer said, reading is the only way out of the mountains. Mom doesn’t take me, I walk myself. Classmates looked at me with strange eyes. “Why are you still here?” “You wouldn’t really be an unwanted child right?” I didn’t want to hear those pity words, even less want to see their mocking faces. I straightened my back, lied loudly. “Mom said transferring schools would affect grades, let me finish middle school in town then pick me up.” This reason was decent, blocked their mouths. Life has to go on. I can cook on the stove myself, fetch water to water vegetables in the garden. Relying on the remaining rice at the bottom of Grandma’s jar, and sweet potatoes in the field, I survived day after day. Until that night, sound of smashing bowls came from next door. Neighbor sister Sarah was crying, her dad was cursing. Turns out dispute arose for a hundred dollars book fee. I hid at the wall root listening, heart chilling waves after waves. In two years I will go to high school. High school is in county town, not free education, need pay tuition. If can’t take out money, will I also have no books to read? Then what should I do? Neighbor sister gave me the answer. Next day before dawn, she left. She carried that backpack washed white. Before it held textbooks, today it held change of clothes. She was going to the south to work in factory, to earn money for family, earn money for brother’s future. I watched her back disappear in morning mist, heart uncomfortable like pricked by needles. I can’t be like her. I want to study. But where does money come from? The hundred something dollars Grandma left, seemed can’t last long. Only Mom can give me money. I remembered during Christmas, brother hugged stepfather acting spoiled. “Dad Mom, I got 100 on test, I want remote control car.” Mom smiled eyes curved, bought him most expensive toy next day. If I also get 100? If I rank first in whole school? Will Mom see my worthiness, give me a little tuition fee? Even if just for face in front of relatives. I seemed to grab a life-saving straw. This semester, I studied like crazy. Class during day, brush questions under candle light at night, pinch my own thigh when sleepy. Final exam, I really took first in whole school. Villagers were all stunned. “Wild girl no one cares, can still test first?” “Farming and studying, really smoke from ancestral grave.” Neighbor aunt cracked sunflower seeds teasing me: “Take the certificate to show your mom, maybe buy you a set of new clothes for New Year.” I looked down at myself. This is black cotton coat Grandma wore before death. Cuffs worn out, revealing black yellow cotton wadding. Couldn’t help recalling, last time Mom bought me clothes, was seven years ago, when brother wasn’t born, would bring me a set of big red coat for New Year. Pity, now too small to wear. These years, I always picked cousins’ old clothes to wear. This year Grandma left, relatives cut off contact, no one sent old clothes anymore. I could only wrap in Grandma’s clothes to pass winter. Year end approached. People working outside returned one after another. Neighbor sister also came back, dressed very beautifully. I guarded under the big locust tree at village entrance every day. On Christmas Eve, snow fell heavily. My hands and feet lost sensation from cold, eyelashes froze with ice. Finally, that familiar and strange figure appeared. She held that brother dressed fittingly, walking towards me deep one foot shallow one foot. Chapter 2 “Why not awake yet?” I opened eyes fiercely, biting cold wind poured into neck. No Mom in front, no brother, no new clothes either. Only neighbor sister Sarah’s anxious face. Turns out was a dream. I squatted too long at village entrance, blew cold wind, got fever. What saw just now, just hallucination after burning confused. Sarah sighed, stuffed few white pills into my hand. “Eat it, for fever. Don’t you alone, die on roadside no one knows.” I swallowed bitter pills, looking at distant mountain range. “Sister, is outside world good?” Sarah eyes lit up an instant, then quickly dimmed. “Good looking for rich people, outside lights red wine green, very beautiful.” “But for us ordinary people, just like that. Assembly line, two shifts, but better than digging food in soil.” She looked at me, suddenly asked: “Mia, don’t study. Come factory with me, factory needs people, cover eat cover live.” I clenched hem of clothes tight, shook head. “I want to study.” Sarah laughed, “What about your tuition? Can’t study without money.” I lowered head, I don’t want go factory, which sister in village went factory, didn’t marry have kids after two years? Neighbor sister same. The man brought back this time, will engage after New Year. Girl once married, trapped for life. I unwilling. I unwilling be like them, changing from one cage to another. Sarah seeing me not speak, sighed, turned back home. Christmas Eve, firecrackers sound in village shook sky. I guarded empty house, waited till sky completely dark, Mom still didn’t come back. Last grain of rice at home also eaten up. Stomach hungry hurt like fire burning. Smell of stewed meat floated from next door in air, that smell like hook hooking my soul. I pushed door, swayed walked out. In alley, a big yellow dog lying on ground gnawing bone. Bone still had meat connected to tendon. I stared at that bone, throat tight, saliva uncontrollably flowed. Reason told me that’s dog food. But instinct drove me, while no one around, fiercely pounced over, snatched that bone from dog mouth. “Mia? What are you doing!” Neighbor came out with swill, just bumped into this scene. I froze on spot, hand still grabbing that bone stained with saliva. Face burning hot, I flustered threw bone back on ground, wished to find a crack in ground to drill in. Neighbor stunned half day, sighed. Turned back room, brought a bowl of heaped white rice, covered with a big piece of braised pork oily fat. “Eat.” I ignored dignity, took bowl wolfed down. Finished eating, neighbor led me to Mr. Henderson’s (Village Head) house. “This child lived alone for almost half year right? I looked today, her family rice jar empty, how to live later? You think of a way.” Mr. Henderson looked me up and down, finally said: “I call her mom pick up.” My heart tightened, couldn’t help standing straight. Wonder what Mom reaction receiving call? Chapter 3 Mr. Henderson dialed the number, but next second, heard speaker sound: “Sorry, the number you dialed is not in service…” I couldn’t help stay blank. Mom changed number. She cut off the last thread of connection with here. Completely didn’t want me anymore. Mr. Henderson put down phone, face showed difficulty. “Mia, village subsidy quota is limited.” “Those lonely old people are harder than you, will really starve to death without subsidy.” “Although you live here, you are outsider (different surname), this money… hard to give.” Room fell into dead silence. Finally Mr. Henderson’s wife spoke: “How about this, as long as this kid willing, come to my house add a bowl every meal later, then go to each family beg a mouthful of food.” “Dozens of households in village, can’t really let person starve to death.” I plopped kneeling on ground, heavily kowtowed. “Thank you Auntie, I willing.” As long as can live, can study, begging I also accept. Following days, I held bowl, walked through every stove in village. Also learned to read faces, when others unwilling give, I just ate plain rice. Second year’s New Year, I already learned not to expect anymore. Days passed day by day in books and begging. Day high school entrance exam results released, I held Acceptance Letter, hand trembling. Best Magnet High School in county. But I couldn’t smile. Tuition plus accommodation, more than two thousand a year. For me living on hundred-family meals, this is an astronomical figure. I sat on threshold, staring at that letter dazed. Give up? I unwilling. Just when I had no way out, Mom came back. Chapter 4 Mom put down luggage, looked me up and down. “Unknowingly, grew so big.” Even if built high wall in heart, hearing this sentence, instantly collapsed. Tears couldn’t stop falling down. I rushed over hugged her waist, as if want to cry out grievances of these two years. “Mom, I missed you so much.” She stiffened a bit, didn’t push me away, didn’t hug me either. Cried enough, I wiped dry tears. Trembling hand took out that warmed Acceptance Letter from bosom. “Mom, I tested into Magnet High School.” “Can you lend me some tuition? Later I work, definitely pay you back double.” Mom took letter looked once, face changed slightly. “Girl read what book? Read too much heart wild, finally still have to marry.” I cold all over, looked at her in disbelief. She lit a cigarette, took a puff. “Coming back this time, I want to sell your Grandma’s old house. Your brother needs school district house for school, still lack a down payment.” “Family expenses big, since you grew up, should also share some.” “Pack up, go with me. My factory boss just lacks people, seeing I’m there, agreed leave a spot for you.” Turns out not coming to pick me study. Is coming to sell house for brother, then sell me into factory as coolie. I collapsed shouting: “I don’t want! I want to study!” Mom frowned dead tight, slapped on table. “Not go factory? You want go heaven? Where family has idle money for you to waste?” I froze on spot, at a loss. At this time, yard gate pushed open. Mrs. Henderson strode in, pointed at my mom’s nose started scolding. “Linda, do you still want face?” “This child grew up in village like wild dog, you didn’t care one day. How come now feel can earn money, remembered you have daughter?” Mom snorted coldly, flicked ash. “Aren’t village girls all came over like this?” Mrs. Henderson sneered. “Other family girls didn’t eat my family’s rice!” “Others go out work, send some money home a year more or less. You? Old lady died, you not even a shadow.” “Just waiting child grow up herself, so be money tree for you?” Mrs. Henderson protected in front of me. “Want take away also can. Pay meal money for these two years. I don’t ask much, give two thousand.” Mom extinguished cigarette, brows locked tight. “I no money now.” Mrs. Henderson pointed at door. “No money then roll!” Neighbors watching fun around also gathered up, pointing and talking all at once. Mom face turned pig liver color. She fiercely glared at me, picked up luggage, left dejectedly. Watching her distant back, I cried out loud again. Mrs. Henderson squatted down, patted my back. “Mia, don’t blame Auntie driving your mom away.” I shook head, wiped face. “Not blame. She didn’t want me first.” That moment, I completely accepted fact I am unwanted child. Mrs. Henderson sighed, looking at letter in my hand, face full of worry. “But Mia, Auntie also can’t help your tuition.” “Our village rely on sky eating, whole year just six thousand harvest. Your uncle soft hearted, most subsidized to harder families.” I stopped crying, heart a piece of blank. Yes, what about tuition? Two thousand plus, can crush an adult, more crush thirteen year old me. Just then, neighbor walked out. She leaned on door frame, deep voice said: “I have a way, just see if you willing cooperate.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390515”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My mother was a breathtaking beauty who could topple kingdoms, yet she ended her life in a sanitarium. Before she died, she repeated one sentence: “Scarlett, remember, hide your face well. Never let a man fall in love with you because of your face.” That year I was eight, half-understanding. But I listened to her. From then on, heavy bangs and deliberately applied dull foundation became my norm. In the eyes of others, I was an out-and-out ugly woman. And today, is my 100th blind date. Chapter 1 “Miss Scarlett, is there some misunderstanding?” The man opposite pinched his nose, looking at me with disgust. “I admit my family is pushing hard, but not to the point of being desperate, right? Look at you, hair greasy enough to fry vegetables, glasses thick as beer bottle bottoms, and this complexion… Miss Scarlett, do you have liver disease?” “And you are an orphan, no proper job, just relying on writing some novels online no one reads to scrape a living. While I, graduated from Ivy League, iron rice bowl in state enterprise, have house and loan. The gap between us is wider than the Grand Canyon.” Sparse customers in the cafe cast their gazes in unison, with undisguised ridicule and meaning of watching a show. Ten years, from when I started disguising myself at sixteen to today at twenty-six, I’ve heard such words if not a thousand times, then eight hundred. “So?” I asked calmly, long accustomed to this scene. Seeing me so calm, the man seemed a bit annoyed, voice suddenly rose: “So, if you want to marry me, don’t dream about a big wedding, you have to bring a car worth over 20k as dowry, do all housework after marriage, and immediately prepare to have a son. After all, what value do you have besides having children?” I took a deep breath and smiled: “Sir, you look like a human, why don’t you act like one?” “Stop!” He slammed the table, voice raised an octave, “Want to leave? Treating me like a monkey? Wasted my whole afternoon, want to just let it go?” He picked up the iced Americano on the table, eyes full of vicious pleasure, “I’ll teach you today what self-knowledge means!” Cold liquid mixed with ice cubes poured over my head and face. Coffee dripped down my hair, lenses blurred, embarrassed to the extreme. Snickering around pierced my ears like needles. I trembled all over. Just when my brain went blank, not knowing how to react, a hand with distinct knuckles handed over a tissue. I looked up blankly. Against the light, I couldn’t see his face clear, only felt it was a very tall figure, with a reassuring oppressiveness. “Need help?” His voice deep and pleasant. Before I answered, he already turned to the man who splashed coffee on me, eyes indifferent but with unquestionable majesty: “Apologize to her.” “Who are you? Meddling in other’s business!” Mr. Wang shouted fierce in appearance but weak inside. The man didn’t speak again, just took out his phone, dialed a number, concisely said a few words: “West Side Wang’s Real Estate, let them disappear from New York tomorrow.” Mr. Wang’s face instantly turned from red to pale, he seemed finally recognized who the man in front was, bean-sized sweat beads rolled down from forehead, legs soft, almost knelt down. “Mr… Mr. Sterling… I, I have eyes but didn’t recognize Mt. Tai! I didn’t know this lady is your friend…” He stammered explaining, then turned to me, bowing desperately, “Sorry! Miss Scarlett! Sorry! It’s my dog mouth can’t spit ivory! You are magnanimous, don’t lower yourself to my level!” I haven’t recovered from this dramatic change, that man called “Mr. Sterling” already took off his suit jacket, draped over my wet body. “I am Lucas Sterling.” He introduced himself, gaze falling on my face, in those deep eyes, there was no trace of dislike, only calm scrutiny. I awkwardly took off glasses to wipe, whispered: “Thank you.” “Miss Scarlett, right?” He asked. I nodded. “Interested in getting married?” I suddenly looked up, thinking I hallucinated. Cafe quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Lucas Sterling, this name thunders in New York business circle, helm of Sterling Group, top tycoon countless socialites flock to. Such a person, wants to marry me? An “ugly woman” just publicly humiliated? “Why?” I asked dryly. He looked at me, eyes calm like a deep pool: “I need a wife, a quiet, dutiful wife who doesn’t cause trouble. I think you are very suitable.” I looked at his calm waveless eyes, thought, maybe, there really are men in this world who don’t look at faces. I nodded as if possessed: “Okay.” Chapter 2 My marriage with Lucas Sterling had no grand wedding, no blessings from friends and family. We didn’t even notify my family. I only told my dad I got married, let him not arrange blind dates for me anymore. He was relieved, didn’t even ask who the other party was. Life after marriage was incredibly calm. Lucas was a perfect husband. He gave me a Black Card with no limit, let me spend at will. He remembered I don’t eat cilantro, it never appeared on the menu at home again. When I curled up on sofa with period cramps, he would clumsily make me a bowl of Hot Chocolate, although taste hard to describe, that intention warmed me hot. He found I like writing, specially renovated a study for me, with most advanced equipment and a whole wall of books, all works of writers I like. When I stayed up all night writing novels, he would silently drape a blanket over me, then put down a cup of warm milk. He never interfered with my career, even when I became slightly famous for my novels and established my own studio, he let his assistant handle all complicated legal and tax issues for me. He never disliked my appearance, once I was unhappy home because of ridicule, he clumsily comforted me: “In my heart, you are the most beautiful.” Gradually, I fell in this tenderness. I felt I was the luckiest woman in the world. I married a man who doesn’t love me, but got respect and considerateness more reliable than love. I started to be greedy, I wanted more. I started learning to be a real wife. I learned to make soup for him, match ties for him, massage his temples when he was tired. He never refused, nor showed extra joy, just eyes would become very deep, then touch my head, say: “Thank you for hard work.” Until that car accident happened, I completely believed I was special. That day was our third wedding anniversary. I went to company to pick him up, but car was hit by an out-of-control truck on way home. Car severely deformed, he was stuck in driver seat, forehead bleeding, but tightly holding my hand: “Scarlett, don’t fear, I am here!” When rescuers arrived, car front started smoking, signs of fire. Lucas disregarded his leg stuck, desperately said to rescuers: “Save my wife first, she has claustrophobia, can’t stay in ambulance.” No one knew my problem, not even my dad. It was once I took elevator with him, elevator malfunctioned, I trembled with fear in darkness, held tightly in his arms comforted for half an hour. I thought he forgot. He remembered. After being rescued, he disregarded his injuries, insisted accompanying me until confirming I was safe and sound, then pushed into operating room. Doctor said, to protect me, he had second-degree burns on back. Outside ward, I cried choking. At that moment, I firmly believed this man loved me. Even if not intense love, must have love. Otherwise, who would willing risk life for an irrelevant person? This dream, I dreamed for full three years. Until at the end of hospital corridor, I heard conversation between him and his mother. That day, I sent soup to him, walked to ward door, heard quarreling inside. “Lucas, when will you stop messing around? For that woman, you don’t even want life? Look at that thing you married, ugly and can’t be shown in public, our Sterling family face all lost by you!” It was Mrs. Sterling’s sharp mean voice. My hand holding thermos froze in mid-air. Then, I heard Lucas’s voice, calm, but with a trace of tired cruelty. “Mom, I said long ago, marrying Scarlett is to disgust you guys. As long as you don’t agree Bella entering door one day, Scarlett is my Mrs. Sterling one day. More you hate her, more I want put her in that position.” “So what if Bella’s dad is a murderer? I love her person! Isn’t Scarlett just a shield, what are you angry about?” “As for this car accident… just an accident. But also good, let her be dead set on me, later even Bella comes back, she can also be dutiful, won’t give me trouble.” Boom—— Something exploded in my brain. Shield. To disgust you. Let her be dead set on me… Thermos in hand “Clang” fell on ground, boiling chicken soup spilled all over. Ward door opened. Lucas saw me, a trace of astonishment flashed in eyes, but soon recovered calm. Mrs. Sterling behind him, mouth corner hooked a smile. I looked at Lucas, the man I loved for three years, asked word by word: “Is what he said true?” He was silent. And his silence was the loudest answer. I smiled, tears flowed down uncompetitively. Turns out, I am not lucky, I am just… pathetic. Chapter 3 Heart death, often just a moment thing. I didn’t cry, didn’t make scene, calmly went home, then found best private detective in New York. I want to know, who that woman called “Bella” is. Three days later, a detailed file placed in front of me. Bella, an ordinary rural girl, Lucas’s first love girlfriend. University two loved vigorously, but when discussing marriage, because Bella’s father was murderer, mother was dancer in night club, met fierce opposition from Sterling family. To force family compromise, Lucas planned this “absurd” marriage with me. He deliberately chose “ugly” me, to humiliate and confront his family. In file, there was a photo of Bella. Long hair to waist, eyebrows gentle, wearing white dress, smiling peaceful and quiet. Indeed cloud and mud difference with me living in gutter. I burned file, then sent message to Lucas. [Let’s divorce.] He called back soon, voice carrying unquestionable command: “Scarlett, don’t make trouble.” “I am not making trouble.” My voice calm like dead water, “Lucas Sterling, you are free, can go marry your First Love.” Phone other end was long silence. “I don’t agree.” Long time, he coldly spit three words. “Why?” I smiled, “Is shield not useful anymore? Or, your play hasn’t acted enough?” “Scarlett!” He called me by full name, with suppressed anger, “I said, don’t make trouble. Wait I discharge, we talk well.” Talk? What else good to talk? I hung up, blocked all his contact ways. Next day, I drafted divorce agreement, went to hospital. Haven’t arrived his ward, met Bella in corridor. She makeup exquisite, carrying Hermès bag, seeing me, a trace contempt flashed in her eyes, then actively walked over. “You are Scarlett right?” She looked me up and down, “I am Bella, Lucas’s friend.” Friend? I lazy act with her, bypassed her want to go. “Stop.” She blocked in front of me, face still hanging gentle smile: “Miss Scarlett, do you know? Bird occupying magpie nest won’t have good end. That position, originally was mine.” “Is it?” I looked at her, “Then watch well, now, I don’t want it.” I slapped divorce agreement into her arms, “Trouble you, pass to him for me. Tell him, from now on, we owe nothing.” Bella’s face instantly became ugly. I lazy look her one more glance, turned and left. Chapter 4 Divorce not overnight thing, Lucas disagreed, I could only go legal procedure. I moved out of that home carrying my three years dream, checked into a hotel. During period, Lucas found me few times. He blocked at hotel door, face gloomy, grabbing my wrist. “Scarlett, what exactly you want?” “Divorce.” I looked at him calmly. “I said I don’t agree!” He almost gritted teeth, “You want leave me so much?” “Lucas, don’t you think asking this sentence is ridiculous?” I threw off his hand, “From beginning to end, which day did you hope I stay by your side?” He was asked speechless by me. Tug of war lasted half month. Until Mrs. Sterling’s birthday banquet. I didn’t want attend, but Mrs. Sterling personally called, tone unkind, inside outside words all threats, if I don’t go, she let my studio can’t survive in New York. I went. I still that “ugly” dress up, out of place. Lucas stood in center of crowd, surrounded by stars. And beside him, stood smiling beautiful Bella. Talented man beautiful woman, match made in heaven. Bella wore a pure white evening dress, sat before piano in center of banquet, played a piece Lucas liked most. Piece ended, applause like thunder. She stood up, shyly looked at Lucas, said: “This piece, is first piece Lucas taught me. Today is his mother’s birthday, I offer Buddha with borrowed flowers, wish Auntie Sterling happy birthday, also wish me and Lucas… can be lovers finally become family.” Everyone’s eyes focused on me, with sympathy, ridicule and schadenfreude. Mrs. Sterling smiled satisfied. Lucas frowned, but said nothing. I picked up a glass red wine, step by step, walked to them. Under everyone’s astonished gaze, I poured that glass wine from top of Bella’s head, slowly down. “Miss Bella,” I looked at her embarrassed appearance, smiled, “I also heard story of dove occupying magpie nest. But in story, magpie drives away dove, not some cat or dog. You, also worthy?” Banquet hall dead silent. Bella screamed, tears falling down, pitifully hid behind Lucas, “Lucas, I… I didn’t mean it… I just love you too much…” Lucas face iron green, he looked at me, eyes cold as ice, “Scarlett, apologize!” “I not wrong, why apologize?” I looked straight into his eyes, “CEO Sterling, your First Love publicly provoked your legal wife, you turned blind eye. Now I fight back, you come blame me? Don’t you think double standard too severe?” “You!” He was blocked speechless by me. “Crazy woman! You are simply crazy!” Mrs. Sterling trembled with anger, pointing at my nose scolded, “Security! Drive this shameless woman out for me!” I didn’t wait security move, turned myself, head high chest out walked out of this disgusting place. That night, New York rained pouring rain. I walked alone on street, letting rain wash my face, couldn’t distinguish rain or tears. Three years marriage, a joke.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390531”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I have average talent, tone-deaf, but joined a music group because they were short of people. After joining, I found out it was full of masters. Beautiful Yara maxed out on violin, viola, and cello. Runaway pianist Finn can play scores backwards fluently. Musical family flute senior Blue never forgets a tune. And me, know nothing, palms full of sweat. They threw me a tuning fork and Maracas, let me shake casually. As long as the sound is small, not disturbing them is fine. Not long after, our small group exploded in popularity. Awards, commercial performances, too many to count. I happily shook my maracas, carefully enjoying their halo. Until one day, a genius music girl graduated from Juilliard, pointed at me saying she wants to replace me. She said I have no rhythm, all wrong beats, she can add highlights to this group, should let her come. Finally, my hanging heart completely died. Chapter 1 Performance ended, audience all stood up, applause thunderous. Another high-level performance! I put away my hands sour from shaking maracas, grinned. So good, another performance fee in hand! Seems saving money to buy a house is hopeful! My heart beautiful. Sure enough, following the right team will be smoother and smoother! Put away maracas, I walked to the front of the stage as usual, curtain call with brothers and sisters in the group. A girl in the front row of audience was particularly dazzling. She was in her early twenties, similar to me. She wore a pink satin evening gown, standing among a group of dark-clothed audience, particularly obvious. Her eyes burning, looking at the stage. When she swept to me, I suddenly shivered. During the performance just now, I had a feeling of being stared at all the time, whole body uncomfortable. After curtain call, some audience stayed at the scene. Since a live stream before, the improvisational talents of several big shots in the group were seen, we became huge fire on internet. After every performance, audience stayed to take photos with us. That gown little girl, holding a piece of paper in hand, look nervous, kept waiting. But she wore a gown inconvenient to move, was squeezed behind by crowd, unable to step forward. Leo is our orchestra conductor, the oldest in the group. He has a three-year-old precious daughter, most can’t stand seeing others bully young girls. He didn’t say a word, took out a pen, walked to her. “Girl, I sign for you first, later I call others over.” Saying, Leo took the paper in her hand, swish swish wrote his name. Then called everyone over. Cellist Yara, Pianist Finn, Flutist Blue successively withdrew from crowd taking photos, signed names on that paper. That girl’s eyes full of surprise, but looking at their dragon flying phoenix dancing names on paper, seemed somewhat hesitant to speak. When I went over, she clutched that paper very tight in hand, seemed not very willing let me sign. My curiosity suddenly came up, forcefully pulled that paper over, found back of that paper actually had words. Title two words very obvious. “Resume?” I asked in surprise. Leo heard sound came over, somewhat embarrassed scratched head: “Ah, sorry girl, I thought you came for autograph. Do you still use this resume? I go to print shop at door print another one for you.” Own resume treated as white paper for autograph by others, should anyone would be little dissatisfied. But that girl didn’t. “No need, it’s fine!” She quickly returned a sweet smile. “This was originally intended to show you guys!” “Show us?” Everyone confused. “Resume? Isn’t it used to find job? I haven’t touched that dirty thing for a long time.” Cellist Yara faintly said a sentence. Yara once went to a big company as HR assistant during college, organizing various personnel materials till midnight every day. She said she annoyed seeing paper materials, her scores are all electronic, never print out. “I feel, using a piece of paper to summarize a person’s life, this matter is very sad.” Speaker is Flutist Blue. Blue born in flute family, flute sound melodious, he however always has a melancholic temperament of mourning spring and autumn, we all call him Blue. He said, eye rims somewhat red, don’t know what emotion will trigger next. Pianist Finn, hurry interrupted him: “But I think quite interesting, I never signed on a resume, let me see.” Finn took resume, wanted see what was written. But back everyone’s thick black signatures, long penetrated writing side, couldn’t see clearly what was written. Finn simply looked at everyone’s signatures, he suddenly narcissistic said: “My signature really good looking, my this dot if a little bit higher would be perfect!” “Hey, kid, you secretly practiced signature recently?” “This last stroke has progress ah!” Saying, Finn and Blue started playing around. Blue heard his signature praised, mouth corner involuntarily raised, swept away gloom just now. But this seemed to stray further and further, seemed no one cared about that girl’s purpose anymore. I saw her face somewhat awkward, weakly asked a sentence. “Classmate, you bring resume, want do what?” See finally someone asked to her heart, her face moved. But what she said next, shattered me. She pointed at me and said: “I want to join everyone, replace her!” Chapter 2 Everyone shocked, only heard her confidently introduce: “Hello brothers and sisters, I am Bella, a student graduated from Juilliard this year.” Her tone sincere, like accepting an important interview. “I was exceptionally admitted in sophomore year of high school, resume is full of my past domestic and foreign award experiences.” “I always wanted to find high level musicians to form a group. I saw your videos online, very appreciative. Everyone in your group is super excellent,” “Except her!” She suddenly changed tone, pointed at me. That indignant look scared me a shiver. That uncomfortable feeling on stage just now appeared again. Turns out, just now was her staring at me all time. Bella continued saying: “I observed her for a long time, her rhythm is chaotic, all wrong beats.” “Whole night performance, her maracas never completely kept up with an eight-beat.” “You all perform seriously, only she alone always fishing in troubled waters!” Bella spoke more and more indignant, as if I ruined the sacred and beautiful orchestra in her mind, next second would swallow me. These words made me dumbfounded, head involuntarily shrank back. I couldn’t refute her. Because, she said all right. I indeed don’t understand beats. Besides this, I am also tone-deaf, limbs uncoordinated. I shrank head, hid behind. Afraid she observe me again, derive any new conclusion. Bella saw my reaction, momentum more vigorous. “Brothers and sisters, you are now a very potential and popular orchestra, shouldn’t have such person exist!” “For the future of this group, should replace her early!” Finn frowned. “Tina has no rhythm, is this a big problem?” Hearing this sentence, Bella’s eyes widened. She dared not believe what she heard. This is a symphony orchestra, no rhythm, isn’t it a big problem? Finn continued saying: “We knew this long ago, didn’t we perform all along?” Yara, Blue and Leo all nodded. Indeed, they all knew. My maracas were even picked by them for me. When I just joined the group, knew nothing about instruments. Orchestra leader said, it’s okay, others are versatile, I can learn from them. I first went to find Yara. Yara is cellist in group, her violin, viola, cello, double bass all level ten maxed out, string instruments like toys in her palm. She gave me a three-quarter violin, said my hands small, practice small one first. Result my fingers too rough, every note couldn’t press in place, either more half grid, or less half grid, finally directly broke the string. Yara somewhat heartached touched her violin, let me find Finn. Finn started practicing piano at three, practiced thousands of piano pieces, can play scores backwards fluently. Piano every key is fixed, should be no off-key problem. If I learned piano, can also do four-hand duet with Finn, increase orchestra highlight. Finn excitedly taught me piano knowledge, I practiced forgetting sleep and food. But I found my limbs not quite coordinated. I can only move one hand. If right hand played, left hand can’t play. If left hand played, right hand don’t know how to press. Finally, pedal stepped deformed by me, white keys ground into black keys by me, I also couldn’t complete a piece. “You probably are a piano succubus.” Finn helplessly shook head. “How about, you try flute?” Hearing I go learn flute, Blue actually not melancholic anymore. His eyes lit up light. Turns out he born in flute family, dad mom grandpa grandma aunt uncle all practice flute, he also can’t escape fate of playing flute. If I can learn his flute, then he can have excuse learn other instruments, not be flutist. I holding flute, heart happy. Flute indeed easy to start. It keys fixed, size just right, and only need right hand press, left hand hold still is fine. But playing flute needs long breath. I afraid my breath not enough, disappoint Blue. So, I practice holding breath. Before playing, I specially held a big breath. I blew hard. Result flute directly flew out of hand, straight flew towards Blue’s forehead. Only heard “Bang” sound, Blue fell. When he got up, forehead added a striking big bump. He pain covered face crying. “My dad always said listen to old man words, otherwise no good end. I didn’t expect, my end of not playing flute, actually would be like this…” After that he said nothing dare teach me anymore. Just silently practiced flute aside, melancholic temperament seemed stronger. I inner heart apologetic. Finally, hope placed on conductor Leo. Chapter 3 Leo is our group Big Brother, oldest age, most senior qualification. Leo delicate gentle, because daughter likes grab his hair sleep, he kept long hair. He very devoted when conducting, long hair flinging back forth very eye-catching. Meanwhile, he is also a person very like challenge secularity. He liked various extreme sports when young, often have various new ideas about orchestra performance. When he knew this group has three geniuses, very excited. And when he learned me in orchestra know nothing, even more excited extremely. He in industry decades, never met such unique orchestra combination, more aroused his challenge desire. He dug from orchestra dusty warehouse for long time, dug out a tuning fork and maracas, threw to me. “These two you definitely can!” I took over. Tuning fork cold, knock then ring. Maracas heavy, shake then have sandy sound. I heart wild joy, indeed these two instruments good, don’t need use brain much, still Leo knows pick! I weighed left right, chose maracas. Just… “Tina rhythm still wrong, will you be affected?” Leo asked other three musicians opinion. Yara: “I have rhythm in heart.” Finn: “I recite scores backward.” Blue: “Don’t ask me, in sorrow, no opinion.” Leo smiled look me: “That fine, Tina you pay attention then, maracas sound smaller, don’t disturb them is fine.” I joyfully nodded. From then, I finally possessed my exclusive instrument——a maraca. After that every performance, orchestra only bring three mics, give violin, piano and flute each one, my maraca didn’t want. Like this, even I shake desperately, won’t emit very big sound. And they are a group of music masters, completely not affected by me. Like this, I peace mind be a member of orchestra, go on stage perform, sit enjoy their halo. When Bella hit the nail on the head pointed out my problem, everyone reaction cold. Obviously, she didn’t expect would be like this. She not reconciled. “Brothers and sisters, you are all so powerful, clearly deserve better musicians.” “My rhythm sense and pitch are both good, all A during study. I not only can shake maracas, I also can play dozen instruments, if I can stand in her position, I definitely can bring more highlights to group in future.” “Oh, indeed very powerful.” Yara pushed glasses, faintly said. Then she changed tone. “But what relation with me?” “My hair appointment time up, leave first.” Finished, her face no expression, carried packed cello case left. Yara always is a cool Sassy Sister, she said she never care about things within 2 hours and 3 kilometers. Yara famous saying: “Car lights only need 50 meters can drive whole journey, worry so many some none things for what.” Bella face awkward, she quickly adjusted her mood. Then looked at Blue. “Flutist brother, I also can play Guzheng and Bamboo Flute, if I enter orchestra, we can play ancient style music together.” Blue still looking at direction Yara left, eyes dazed: “Every performance end, is a parting. This is too sad.” He turned back, covered face. Bella at a loss, turned to Finn again. Finn just now performed very enthusiastic to audience. He looks extroverted personality, best to talk, maybe hope on him. Finn sincerely looked at Bella: “Little girl, you so powerful, you can form orchestra yourself ah, why must replace Tina?” Bella sighed. “I also want find others form orchestra, but geniuses like you can be met not sought.” “I see someone empty occupying position, heart more unwilling.” “I saw news say, you going to participate an international orchestra award. That award will score every musician, then take average. If she is there, only will drag your hind leg!” “I really can’t bear you buried. I myself not bad, if I replace her, I definitely can help you get big award!” “Pianist brother, can you give me this chance?” Finn face difficult. He lowered head pressed alarm, pretended answer phone went out. Now only Leo hasn’t spoken. Leo is our Big Brother, many things in group he decide. Like me shaking maracas initially also his idea. If can get Leo consent, Bella high probability can wish fulfilled. She expectantly looked at Leo. Only heard Leo said: “Little girl, you still too young.” “You replace any of us okay, just she no.” Bella about to collapse. “Why is this?” “You clearly know she knows nothing, why still protect her?” Leo paused, thoughtful said: “If she gone, then our group also gone.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390548”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel