Category: English

The day my grandfather was dying, I begged my wife, Paige, to stay. She abandoned me for a frantic call from her childhood best friend: “He just got dumped. He needs me.” I buried Grandpa alone and cut her off completely. A month later, I came home to find that friend, Grant Donovan, sprawled on my couch, wearing my wedding ring. He pointed at Grandpa’s antique pocket watch, the last thing he’d touched. “This thing looks morbid,” Grant whined. Paige snatched the watch and tossed it into the junk drawer. “Don’t upset Grant,” she snapped. I silently retrieved the watch, pulled out the prestigious acceptance letter I’d sealed years ago, and filed for divorce. Paige found the papers and exploded. “What about your grandfather? How could you leave him?” I looked at her, my voice dead. “Grandpa died the day you chose to comfort your ex.” 1 Grandpa had been in the ICU for three days. My hand shook as I dialed Paige’s number, the busy signal sounding like a siren in my ears. Finally, she picked up. The background noise was a chaotic murmur. “Paige,” my voice cracked, “you have to get to the hospital. Grandpa… the doctor says it’s bad. Really bad.” She paused, and her next words were slightly breathless. “I’m on my way. Hold on, Thea.” The line went dead. I slid down the cold wall, burying my face in my hands. He was still in there. My only family left in the world. Paige arrived quickly, her silk sundress faintly wrinkled. She grabbed my shoulders. “It’s okay. I’m here.” There was a faint, but unmistakably male, scent of cedar and smoke—a cologne I didn’t recognize—clinging to her. But I couldn’t focus. I clutched her arm like she was the last buoy in a rising tide. “The doctors said… it’s going to be in the next day or two…” My throat closed, and the rest became a choked sob. She patted my back, but the movement felt mechanical, awkward. We had sat on the corridor bench for less than ten minutes when her phone vibrated in her designer clutch. She glanced at the screen, her brow immediately furrowing in a deep knot of anxiety. She shot up and walked a few steps away to answer. I heard her voice, low and laced with a frantic edge I’d never heard directed at me. “Grant? What? Where are you right now?… Don’t do anything stupid! I’m coming!” She hung up, then rushed back to me, her face a mask of undisguised panic and impatience. “Thea, I have to go! Grant’s in trouble!” My heart plummeted. I gripped her hand, my fingernails digging into her flesh. “No! Please, don’t leave! Grandpa could go any minute… he just called your name a minute ago…” Tears streamed down my face, entirely uncontrollable. She forcefully pried my hand open. The sheer strength of it made my wrist sting. “I’m sorry!” Her words tumbled out. “Grant’s girlfriend just dumped him. He’s completely shattered. He’s been drinking, and he’s threatening to jump off the parking garage roof! I can’t let him do that. He’s a life, Thea!” There was no guilt in her eyes, just the hot, frustrated annoyance of someone whose plans have been derailed. “And what about my grandfather?” My voice was trembling and thin. “Isn’t his life a life?” She pressed her lips into a hard line, avoiding my gaze. Then, she spun on her heel and sprinted toward the elevators. Her heels struck the polished floor, the sound fast and heavy. She didn’t look back. The ICU doors hissed open. A nurse leaned out, her expression grim. “Mrs. Morgan, he’s asking for you. Hurry.” I stumbled inside. Grandpa’s eyes struggled open, his hazy gaze moving with painful slowness. His lips barely moved. I threw myself beside the bed, straining to hear the faint, cracked whisper. “Paige… she…” “She’s coming! Grandpa, just hold on!” I cried, pointlessly clutching his brittle, cold hand. It stiffened in my palm, growing colder, harder. The monitor’s high-pitched alarm shrieked, slicing through the sterile air. Doctors and nurses swarmed in. The sound and motion became muted, like watching a chaotic scene through thick glass. I stood frozen, watching their futile attempts at chest compression and paddles. After an eternity, one of the doctors stood up, pulled down his mask, and shook his head at me. Time shattered and fell in on itself. Grandpa was gone. The last person on earth who loved me without condition had just slipped away. Paige never came back. I don’t remember signing the paperwork or walking out of the hospital. The late autumn wind felt like sandpaper on my face. Walking aimlessly, I pulled out my phone. The screen light stung my eyes. My fingers moved with their own detached will, opening Grant Donovan’s social media profile. His newest post was from half an hour ago. The picture was a familiar female back, carefully supporting a man’s arm—a gesture of tenderness etched into her bone structure. The caption: [Thank you for being here. No matter how hard the future is, I’m not afraid anymore.] The location tag read: An expensive private therapy center downtown. The timestamp was exactly the moment Paige had abandoned me. I clicked the comment box and typed, one word after another: Maybe I should just vacate my position for you entirely, then? I hit send, then powered the phone off. 2 I returned to the small, familiar craftsman house Grandpa and I had shared for twenty years. The faint aroma of his preferred tea still lingered in the air. I set up a small, temporary memorial in the living room myself. Grandpa’s face, smiling gently in the small black-and-white photo, was now surrounded by candles. I knelt on the cold tiles, numbly praying and silently repeating the words I wanted to say to him. When I turned my phone back on, a barrage of missed calls and texts flooded the screen—most were from Paige. The newest one was a few minutes old: Are you done being dramatic? Turn your phone on! How’s Grandpa? I glanced at it and shoved the phone back into my pocket. The only sounds were the quiet crackle of burning paper and the hollow thud of my own heart. I stayed by Grandpa’s photo for three days. Paige didn’t appear. A new text arrived late on the fourth afternoon. Come home when you’ve cooled off. Stop making a scene. I know you’re worried about Grandpa. Once I get Grant settled, I’ll find a minute to take you to see him. I stared at the screen, a strange, hysterical sense of absurdity bubbling up. She thought I was throwing a tantrum? She thought Grandpa was waiting? She thought I was still waiting for her in that house, hoping for a crumb of her pity? My finger tapped the cold glass. I replied with only a few words: I’m at Grandpa’s house. I won’t be coming back for now. Then, I powered down again. I began sorting through Grandpa’s things. Every item spoke volumes, each one a crushing weight on my chest. Paige called a few times during this process. I answered once. Her voice was flat and carried a tone of suffocating condescension. “Thea, still pouting? Grant is in a really bad place right now; he can’t be left alone. As soon as he’s slightly stable, I promise I’ll take you to the hospital to see Grandpa, okay?” I looked at the worn, half-century-old teapot in my hand—a small chip near the spout. I said quietly, “Don’t bother.” She seemed to choke on her words. A few days later, I told her I was coming back to the main house to pick up some seasonal clothes. Her reaction was unexpectedly explosive: “No! Grant’s staying here right now! He doesn’t want to see you, and I don’t want you coming back here to upset him.” The next moment, my phone buzzed with an incoming transaction. A substantial amount of money. Her accompanying text: Here’s some money. Get something nice for Grandpa. Be sensible. I looked at the cold numbers, then at Grandpa’s gentle, smiling face in the photo. I accepted the transfer. It was the least she owed him. As for that house, I wouldn’t step foot in it again until I was ready to leave for good. 3 A month passed. I needed a crucial notarized document that was kept in the main house. I opened the front door, and a rich wave of that strange cedar cologne immediately washed over me, drowning out the house’s familiar scents. In the living room, Grant Donovan was draped across the sofa. The gray cashmere throw blanket I had personally chosen for our wedding was tossed casually over his legs. He was sipping from my preferred black ceramic mug. He simply raised his eyes when he saw me, a smug, half-smile playing on his lips. He made no move to get up. Paige emerged from the study, freezing when she saw me. A flicker of panic crossed her eyes, instantly replaced by a look of combined fatigue and forced annoyance. “What are you doing here?” Her tone was harsh. “I told you not to come back right now.” I ignored her and headed straight for the study. The document was tucked neatly inside the desk drawer. As I reached for it, the silver chain of the watch I wore around my neck slipped from beneath my collar. It was the only personal item Grandpa had left me, an old, plain silver pocket watch. Grant’s gaze landed on the watch and snapped tight, as if he’d been scalded. “Paige…” His voice instantly took on a whiny, vulnerable quality, and he pointed a finger at me. “That watch… it’s so old. It looks like bad luck… I… I feel kind of weird…” He pressed a hand to his chest, his brow furrowed, seemingly in real distress. Paige exploded into action. She rushed to me, her face a storm of naked tension over Grant’s discomfort. “Did you hear him?” Her voice was low and commanding. “Grant is emotionally fragile right now. He can’t handle seeing things like that. Take it off. Don’t upset him.” I instinctively covered the watch with my hand. My fingertips were ice cold. “It was my grandpa’s,” I said, my voice flat, devoid of emotion. My refusal seemed to ignite her rage. She reached out violently, grabbed the chain, and gave it a hard yank. The silver links tore, searing a line of sharp pain across the back of my neck. The small watch, carrying the last flicker of Grandpa’s warmth, was violently snatched into her hand. She didn’t even look at it. She pulled open the bottom drawer of the entertainment center—the one crammed with miscellaneous junk—and threw the watch inside like garbage, where it mixed with old batteries, broken remotes, and forgotten charging cables. With a final, sharp thud, she slammed the drawer shut, kicking up a small cloud of dust. That muted thud was a wrecking ball, smashing the last splinter of sentimentality I held in my heart. Grandpa’s final memory was, in her eyes, less important than a single furrow in Grant Donovan’s brow. 4 The study door clicked shut behind me, muffling Grant’s low, triumphant murmur in the living room. I leaned my back against the cold wood paneling and slowly slid to the floor.

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Five years after I lost my hearing, my world suddenly flooded back with sound. I was about to call for my wife, to tell her about the miracle, when I overheard her conversation with her assistant. “Mrs. Caldwell, they’ve harvested almost every organ they can from Mr. Ashworth. Are you really going to replace his heart with an artificial one now?” “This is the seventh operation. First, Grant Kingston killed Mr. Ashworth’s parents, and you planned that crash to cover the truth—to leave him a quadriplegic, a useless dependent.” “He is no threat to you or Grant now. Why won’t you even leave him his last, natural heart?” Sabrina’s voice was unnervingly calm. “I only ever approached Nolan because his tissue matched Grant’s perfectly. And he was a brilliant forensic investigator—I couldn’t risk him finding the truth. It would have ruined Grant for life.” “Once Nolan’s heart is transplanted into Grant, I can finally take the children and return to their real father.” “As for Nolan… I’ll care for him forever. I suppose that’s my compensation to him.” I collapsed onto the floor, my chest tearing open with a pain far greater than any surgery. The one who had orchestrated the brutal death of my entire family was the woman I had loved and trusted for twelve years. She had stayed by my side all this time, not for love, but to use my life, organ by organ, to save her true love! Sabrina. If this is what you truly wanted, then I will grant your wish. But not the way you think. 1 “I had to terminate three of Nolan’s children before I could finally carry Grant’s twins to term. I will never allow anything to happen to my children’s biological father.” “Once this heart transplant is complete, tell the surgeon to permanently cripple his hands, too. Grant can’t sleep at night, knowing those hands once touched me.” “Crippling him will put Grant’s mind at ease.” Cameron, Sabrina’s long-time assistant, spoke with a tremble in his voice. “Mrs. Caldwell, those hands are the only thing Mr. Ashworth can move. Your wedding to Mr. Kingston is scheduled, and you have his children… is it necessary to go to such an extreme? To destroy him so completely?” “If, by some remote chance, Mr. Ashworth ever learned the truth, I’m terrified of the consequences.” Sabrina frowned slightly. “What consequences could a living corpse, who relies on a machine to beat his heart, possibly bring me?” “Nolan is depressed and shuts everyone out but me, which is perfect—I can keep him hidden. Besides, what truth could a deaf man possibly hear?” “We’ll revisit all this after I’ve secured my future with Grant and the children.” Cameron’s face registered a flash of resentment, but he was resigned. He instructed the men to lift me onto the gurney. Tears pooled in the corners of my eyes. Through the door, I heard the doctor pleading. “Mrs. Caldwell, in Mr. Ashworth’s current state, this operation is tantamount to murder…” Sabrina’s voice cut through the air, cold and definitive. “Do as I say. I will take full responsibility for him, crippled or otherwise. If he dies, I’ll arrange a beautiful funeral. Now, start the procedure.” The doctor sighed, accepting his grim assignment as the gurney rolled into the operating room. Even a stranger showed more compassion than the woman who had shared my bed for a decade. The anesthesia hit me instantly, blurring my vision. But the pain in my soul only sharpened. I heard Sabrina’s assistant lower his voice and give his final report. “Mrs. Caldwell, the driver who took the fall for Mr. Kingston pleaded guilty in court. He insists he accidentally killed Mr. Ashworth’s parents.” “This must remain confidential. Nolan is physically and mentally shattered after so many operations. He cannot handle any more stress.” “Grant has been suffering from anxiety attacks since the drunk-driving incident. Once the surgery is a success, we can finally hold the wedding. There can be no mistakes this time.” “Understood.” The drugs paralyzed my body, but my hearing remained intact. Sabrina and her team were right outside the door, but I felt a gaping, cold wound in my chest. Grant Kingston was the one who had murdered my parents and mutilated their bodies! And Sabrina, my wife and a sharp lawyer, had broken the law by finding a scapegoat to protect her lover. Afraid I would uncover the truth, she then personally orchestrated the car crash that turned me into a useless dependent! She had even mercilessly aborted our three children, and then lied, claiming the twins were ours. I had clung to those two boys as my only reason to live. The depth of my pity was horrifying. “Tell the surgeon to be gentle. Nolan has already endured seven operations. I’m afraid he can’t take much more.” Sabrina covered her eyes, a look of manufactured guilt crossing her face. “It’s been so many times now. It still hurts my heart to see him wheeled into the operating room.” Cameron, who had been silent, finally couldn’t hold back. “Mrs. Caldwell, Mr. Ashworth worked night and day to put you through law school. Now, he’s the only one left of the Ashworth family. Even if you have no loyalty, shouldn’t you consider your future?” Sabrina glared at him. “Why are you suddenly taking his side today?” “What is so wrong with his life now? He doesn’t have to struggle; I provide him with everything. Even if everyone else is gone, he still has me, doesn’t he?” “For Grant and the children to have a complete family, isn’t it Nolan’s duty to make this sacrifice?” Her words twisted the knife deep in my sternum. The shattering pain of my hand bones being broken forced a gasp out of me. But the physical agony was nothing compared to the desolation in my heart. Twelve years of love—a catastrophic, bloody joke. Sabrina, your lies have damned us both. 2 When I woke again, I was tethered to a dozen tubes and wires. Seeing my eyes open, Sabrina quickly wiped away her tears, forcing a gentle, grief-stricken smile that looked painfully sincere. “Nolan, you scared me to death. I was so afraid you wouldn’t wake up this time.” “The doctor says your hearing is miraculously back, but your paralysis is permanent. Don’t worry, you are my beloved husband, and I will take care of you.” I turned my head away, unwilling to meet her gaze. A searing, needle-sharp pain shot through my chest, causing the artificial heart to emit a piercing, urgent alarm. “Nolan, don’t move. You struggled unconsciously during the surgery, and it caused permanent nerve damage in your hands. I authorized the amputation.” “But it’s okay. Even if you have to lie in bed forever, we still have our healthy twin boys, darling.” She motioned for the twins to come over, but the sight of them, knowing my three children were brutally erased, made my blood run cold. I wanted to kill them all. Seeing the cold sweat beading on my brow, Sabrina’s voice was full of manufactured concern. “Nolan, are you angry with me? Please don’t upset yourself. It hurts me to see you like this.” When I remained silent, she dropped to her knees beside the bed. Her wounded expression suggested she loved me desperately. For twelve years, I had drowned in this meticulously crafted illusion. Now, the veil had been ripped away. I silently waved my hand, finally managing a weak, choked phrase. “Stop it.” Sabrina cautiously took my hand. “Nolan, do you know? They replaced your heart with the newest model.” “The doctor said this artificial heart can support you for at least twenty years. Now I can finally rest easy. You’ll be by my side forever.” She continued to sing the praises of the machine heart, deliberately twisting the knife in my psyche. I stared blankly at the ceiling. Grant merely suffered from anxiety attacks, and she ordered my healthy, beating heart to be cut out. Again and again, she used my healthy organs to save the man who had murdered my family. She reduced a living man to a living corpse, and she was still lying. “Enough!” Sabrina, seeing my rage, gently wiped the sweat from my forehead, her movements as careful as if I were fragile, priceless art. “Nolan, if you don’t want to hear it, I won’t say it. Just calm down, okay?” To any observer, the scene would evoke a gasp of admiration: Attorney Caldwell truly is devoted to her husband. But they didn’t know the blade concealed beneath that tenderness. They didn’t know the deadly poison in every loving word. She had woven a twelve-year-long nightmare for me. Now, the dream had to end. Since I was still alive, I would personally settle the accounts, every last one of them. 3 A few days later, I told Sabrina I wanted to go home to visit my parents’ memorial. She couldn’t refuse, so she brought me back. All the way there, Sabrina talked about how the day after tomorrow was our twelfth wedding anniversary, and how she had prepared a big surprise for me. I looked at her, expressionless. If this was a fake marriage, what was the point of celebrating an anniversary? Even her pretense of love was physically sickening. Once we were home, Sabrina quickly found an excuse to leave the room. My parents’ black-and-white photos gazed down at me, their eyes gentle. I could only lie here every day, head bowed before those two urns, regretting my impotence, unable to seek vengeance or justice for them. I had prayed countless times for their peace and happiness in the next life. But when I overheard the maids’ conversation, the blood froze in my veins. “Oh, Mr. Ashworth is here again. Mrs. Caldwell ordered us to keep absolutely silent, but my conscience is killing me.” The maid’s voice dropped to a whisper, tinged with a deep sigh. “I know. Those urns—they don’t hold the remains of the old Mr. and Mrs. Ashworth!” “Before their funeral, Grant had the real ashes mixed into dog food and fed to the strays in the alley!” My fingers, gripping the wooden frame of the altar, trembled violently. “Poor Mr. Ashworth, kneeling here for twelve years, talking to an urn full of concrete dust…” For twelve years, I had bowed and wept before my enemy’s careless insult—cement dust! My parents, whom I begged for peace, had been utterly erased, their remains tossed to feral dogs by the killer! My vision blurred with rage, and I passed out. When I next opened my eyes, Sabrina and Grant were shamelessly having sex on the sofa in the living room. Sabrina’s voice was a soft, gasping moan. “Grant, is this a good idea in front of Nolan? Besides, we’re getting married in two days, can’t you wait?” Grant’s movements became more aggressive, his low, husky laugh dripping with malice. “Wait? I’m doing it right in front of this waste! It’s the ultimate rush! You always told me he was impotent, anyway.” “All these years, every time the waste wanted to touch you, you turned off the lights! You wanted to sneak me in, didn’t you?” “He still has no idea he never slept with you. He was sleeping with those escorts you hired, right?” Every word was a poison-tipped needle, plunging into my already ruined heart. I used the tiny, almost imperceptible movement I had left in my fingers to fish out my hidden phone. I sent a single text to the familiar number: [Get me out.] Almost the moment the message sent, the screen lit up faintly with a reply: [You’re finally awake. Wait for me. Tomorrow.] Sabrina, Grant. I will have blood for blood. 4 After sending the text, I immediately feigned unconsciousness. The next morning, Sabrina came to push my wheelchair, ready to celebrate our anniversary. Looking at her beaming face and the hickeys she had tried to conceal beneath a high collar, I felt an intense wave of nausea. Grant stepped forward, volunteering to take my wheelchair. Sabrina gave him a tender smile and walked ahead to the car. Grant immediately leaned down and shoved his phone toward me in a deliberate act of provocation. The screen lit up, showing a gruesome scene. It was the complete, uncensored video of my parents’ brutal murder and dismemberment! Their piercing screams shredded my eardrums; every cut felt like it was slicing through my own heart! Grant laughed cruelly, pressing his mouth close to my ear. “I killed them on purpose. Who told you to always be better than me? I wanted your woman, and I wanted your parents dead!” “And I was never sick. The anxiety attacks were fake. But your woman never asked questions, she just offered up your heart.” “I had your healthy heart preserved as a specimen. Oh, and your parents’ heads? I cut those off too. They’re right next to it. Want a tour?” My eyes were burning with pure, unadulterated hatred! I used every ounce of my meager strength to slam the wheelchair into Grant! He tumbled to the ground. Sabrina and her parents rushed over when they heard the commotion. Her parents immediately cradled Grant, then turned to yell at me. “You machine-dependent waste! How dare you lay a hand on Grant?!” “Exactly! Look at yourself! How do you compare to Grant?” “Our daughter is a successful lawyer! You’re nothing but dead weight! If you had any decency, you’d disappear yourself!” I shook with fury. Without me, their daughter would never have afforded law school, and they would never have escaped their impoverished life in the country. Yet now, they spat venom at me. Grant clutched his arm, feigning unbearable pain. Sabrina looked at me, her eyes arctic cold. “Nolan, are you done with this tantrum? Honestly, your parents deserved to die! You were hit by that car because you brought it on yourself!” I clutched my chest, coughing up a mouthful of blood. My parents deserved to die? I brought the crash on myself? I pointed a trembling finger at Sabrina, my voice raw and choked. “Who planned the murder of my parents? Where are our children? Sabrina, you know everything!” A flash of genuine panic crossed her eyes. “How would I know! Stop trying to change the subject!” She waved her hand dismissively, ordering the staff. “Throw him onto the back forty. Drag him back only when he has calmed down and is ready to apologize.” I gave her a long, cold stare. She was momentarily startled by the intensity of my look, then tried to coo. “You know I only love you, but you’re being unreasonable. Go calm down, and I’ll come get you. We can go have a private anniversary celebration later.” With that, she turned to walk away. I let out a silent, bitter laugh. The person coming to get me was already waiting, just across the street. I looked past her, toward what was once the Ashworth estate. It was now fully decorated, the scene set for her wedding to Grant. Her “surprise” was just a ploy to clear me out of the house, making room for their ceremony. It didn’t matter. Just as Sabrina and Grant raised their glasses for the toast, Cameron rushed in, interrupting the ceremony. “It’s terrible, Mrs. Caldwell! Mr. Ashworth knows the truth—he took his bags and left the country, alone!”

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I was walking off the heavy guilt of another microwave meal when I stumbled upon the heir to a Manhattan dynasty on his knee, flashing a Centurion Card at the heroine of our little drama. Suddenly, a flurry of text scrolled across the sky like dense pop-up comments: [The Heroine has been Reborn! In her previous life, she accepted the sicko heir’s confession, only to be imprisoned like a gilded bird—living a life of luxury but zero freedom.] [In this new life, she’s decided to reject the heir’s offer and run into the arms of the poor-but-free school sweetheart hero instead!] [Wow, with no possessive villain standing in their way, this book is going to be a pure, sweet romance, right?] [What good is all the heir’s money if the heroine won’t even look his way?] I stared, stunned, at the celestial commentary. The next second, I heard the heroine’s cool, aloof voice. “Hmph. I would never accept your proposal.” “You will never understand the value of freedom. A man as pathologically possessive as you? No woman could ever love you.” I fought my way to the front of the small crowd, raising my hands high in a dramatic, opportunistic claim. “I can love you! I don’t mind the lack of freedom!” The heir, his eyes rimmed with red, looked over at me. “I have severe separation anxiety. If you’re with me, you’ll have to check in constantly. I’ll need cameras installed in the bedroom and the living room—” I cut him off, feigning shock. “Why not the bathroom? Are you telling me your love for me is… reserved?” 1 The comments section went ballistic. [Wait, who is this woman who just popped out of nowhere?] [Just some disposable cannon fodder who died poor in the original plot. Weird, she didn’t have a scene here before. She must smell the money and is trying to snag a payout.] [Just wait until she’s actually with the sicko heir. She’ll find out just how terrifying his possessiveness is.] The comments scrolled so furiously, my eyes started to sting. They confirmed I wasn’t hallucinating from cheap instant ramen. The stream revealed: The world I inhabited was a “Captive Romance” novel. Gia Bellwether, the girl being proposed to, was the heroine, the object of forced affection. In her first life, after accepting the sicko villain’s proposal, she had endured a humiliating cycle of buying things she didn’t need and living without autonomy. This endless, suffocating existence led her, in the third year of her captivity, to run away to find the one true love she had kept secret. Jett had found her. On the way back, Gia, in a desperate struggle for the steering wheel, crashed their car into an oncoming truck. Both died instantly. Reborn, Gia flat-out refused the villain’s love and ran to the poor school sweetheart, Sam Miller—the official hero. This was meant to be their sweet, pure, second-chance love story. Her moment of rebirth was this very proposal scene. Gia gave me a dismissive, head-to-toe once-over, letting out a soft, contemptuous sneer. When her eyes landed on Sam, however, her face melted into a saccharine smile. She darted into his arms like a butterfly finally freed. “Sam, fate gave me this second chance to get away from that life of confinement and finally love you.” Their four arms were locked in a tight, syrupy embrace. The intensity of their emotion was almost repulsive. Jett, the possessive villain, stood alone, staring at them with a dark, brooding expression. His fingers clenched and unclenched at his side. The Centurion Card in his hand curved sharply, then was successfully shoved into my arms. “Since Gia doesn’t care for this card, then… take it.” I clutched it with both hands, excited. “Possessiveness? That’s just another way of saying he loves me. I happen to adore possessiveness.” Gia’s peripheral vision snagged on the black card. Her head went higher, her chin more aristocratic. I heard her sneer: “Pathetic display. Always flaunting that blood money to humiliate people. I’d love to see how far this gold digger lasts in that cage without her precious ‘freedom.’” 2 On the drive back to my cheap off-campus apartment, Jett Coleman’s expression was a study in shadow. “Thank you for getting me out of that situation. Consider the black card a gift.” His voice was low and troubled. “Even though Gia rejected me because of my possessiveness, she is the only person I have ever loved.” He sounded exactly like the tragic second male lead in every melodramatic novel—the one whose heart belongs only to the heroine. The stream of comments was scrolling thick and fast: [LOL. Does this cannon fodder really think she has the heir’s attention? She’s just a tool to make the heroine jealous.] [Exactly. Jett has been obsessed with Gia since he first saw her. That’s why the proposal was such an insane public spectacle.] [In the original plot, his possessiveness over the heroine was off the charts. He couldn’t go a minute without seeing her.] [Waiting for the cannon fodder to be discarded and return to her predetermined fate of dying poor.] That last one startled me. I could see my own tragic future unfold: graduating, renting a cramped basement apartment, miserable commutes for a pitiful salary, subsisting on instant ramen, and wearing cheap, synthetic fabrics—my last shred of dignity. I shuddered and looked up at Jett’s sharp brow, his clean, powerful jawline. His eyes were dark, swirling with the ink-black storm of Gia’s rejection. He was still lost in the image of the hero and heroine embracing. I couldn’t let this money tree escape. Mustering all my courage, I reached out to take his hand. Snap! An electric spark jumped between us. A sudden, crackling flash of manufactured intimacy. Jett recoiled instantly, like he’d touched a live wire. He was utterly shocked, the dangerous aura surrounding him dissolving into bewilderment. He stared at me, then at his hand, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “What was that? I… I felt a static charge.” I flung myself into his arms, burying my head into his expensive, custom-made shirt. “Yes! Because I am your soulmate! Your destiny!” I declared dramatically. “Love at first sight is cheap. Love that grows over time is enduring. Just spend a little time with me, and you’ll see how amazing I am.” Jett actually looked down at me nestled in his arms. After a moment of genuine hesitation, he wrapped his arms tightly around me. He muttered softly, “Could… could you really be the one?” We stayed locked in the embrace for a long time. In a place Jett couldn’t see, I subtly tugged down the hem of my synthetic, fast-fashion dress—just to make sure the static cling didn’t strike again. 3 The next day was my university graduation. Students were everywhere, hauling boxes and suitcases, ready to leave. I spotted Gia Bellwether in the same dorm complex. It was her last day, too. She looked every bit the beautiful, aloof campus queen. When her eyes met mine, her expression turned instantly contemptuous. “Hmph. A gold digger. Sees a pile of cash and scrambles right to the top of it.” Behind us, a group of girls gasped. “Look, everyone! A Rolls-Royce! Who is that here to pick up?” At the same time, the comments began to scroll again. [Wow, that Rolls-Royce Ghost is gorgeous! Has to be over half a million, minimum. The Elite Heir is here for our heroine!] [Aww, but she won’t get in his car this time. No matter how much he begs, she won’t give him the time of day.] [Heroine, go start that sweet romance with the hero already! I can’t wait!] Gia held her neck perfectly straight, like an elegant swan. She walked down the steps under the envious gaze of every girl there. Her tone was sharp and unwelcoming as she addressed Jett Coleman. “I have told you many times, I will not accept your confession. Can you please stop stalking me?” 4 The sounds of admiration from the other students continued to swell. Gia seemed to bask in the spotlight. She slowly descended the last step. But Jett’s voice was calm. “I’m sorry, Gia. I’m here to pick up my girlfriend. Not you.” He paused, then added: “That electric shock feeling I felt last night was a bolt of fate. The person I love is Lana.” Gia’s face instantly drained of color. The humiliation and shame made her bite her lower lip until it was white. Jett bypassed her completely, waving at me. “Lana, my driver will take your bags.” Then, his face slightly darkened. “Lana, why were you talking to someone just now? Even if it was a girl, I’ll get jealous—” Gia’s expression relaxed slightly, a scornful smile crossing her lips. She looked completely familiar with this behavior, waiting for me to break under his overbearing possessiveness. Instead, I glanced at my wrist and frowned, cutting Jett off. “We agreed on 10:30 AM. Why are you one minute late?” He froze. “I… I got held up by traffic.” “I don’t believe you. A whole minute! You could have done a lot in sixty seconds. Were you looking for another woman?” “No! Lana, you have to believe me. One minute is barely enough time to look for a woman!” “Then were you looking for another man?” The chatroom exploded in shock: [What is happening? This cannon fodder is more possessive than the Elite Heir!] [Hah, just wait until she’s actually confined like a golden canary and has to check in for everything she does. She’ll regret this.] [@SecretSleuth, look, your favorite dual-male plotline is bleeding into the forced-love narrative! Come witness!] I shot a cold, confident look at the comments. Jett Coleman was that rich. If I wasn’t strict, what if someone else snagged him? In the end, Jett had to pull up his dashcam footage to finally satisfy my suspicion. Gia stood on the sidelines, seething. In her past life, it was always Jett who strictly monitored everyone she contacted. She never had to question his social circle. Her memory was broken by a clear shout: “Gia! I’m here to help you with your bags!” Gia smiled again, turning toward Sam Miller, the school sweetheart who had secretly adored her for years. The smile vanished instantly. Sam had pulled up on a beat-up electric scooter. 5 Gia stared at the miserable vehicle in disbelief. In her past life, she had been chauffeured everywhere. An army of staff ensured she never had to lift a finger. Now, she had to pack her own bags, and she’d already chipped two nails. Even the comments couldn’t handle it. [Why is Sam so poor? How is he supposed to carry all that luggage on a scooter?] [I came for a sweet romance, not a tiny rental apartment novel! He rented a place off campus—is the heroine going to live in a basement apartment with him?] [He was a successful entrepreneur in the first life! He’ll succeed in this one, too. Don’t worry.] Gia seemed to latch onto that last thought. She forced down her displeasure and reluctantly climbed onto the back of the scooter. They set off for their tiny apartment outside of campus. The Rolls-Royce Ghost blew past the electric scooter, spewing exhaust in the hero and heroine’s faces. I clearly saw the resentment and regret in Gia’s eyes. The gilded cage villa she had desperately tried to escape in the first life was now my home in this life. 6 Sitting on a sofa that cost more than my entire extended family, Jett leaned forward, trapping me between his arms. His shoulders were broad, his waist narrow, and his jawline was sharply defined. His expression was the familiar, slightly dangerous one from our first meeting. He smiled, that slightly wicked, mesmerizing smile. After several of those “electric shock” moments, he was now convinced I was the one. His low voice rumbled in my ear. “Baby, you are the first woman to embrace my possessiveness. But you have to understand, I grew up with zero sense of security.” “This entire estate is riddled with cameras so I can see you at all times.” “You can swipe my card whenever you want, but you must have a security detail with you when you leave—” “Enough,” I interrupted impatiently. What was he rambling on about? I was the one dating this ridiculously rich man! I was the one who had no security! I wanted to keep Jett locked to my hip 24 hours a day. I reached up, grabbed his jaw, and lightly patted his cheek to relax his muscles—to make him look less like a brooding anime villain. Then, I pulled out a handwritten A4 paper from my pocket. I shook it open, cleared my throat, and began to read aloud: “From this moment on, you must check in with me wherever you go.” “You must be back in the villa by 10 PM sharp every night. If you’re late, you must send me your live location, and I will track you until you return.” “Also, we need to install a camera in the bathroom. This ensures I have a seamless, 24/7, 360-degree view of you.” “Don’t look so shocked. We’re dating. What do you have that I haven’t seen?” “When you are at the office, you must report your activities every hour. What you did, what you ate, who you met. Everything.” “Jett, you have to understand. I love money… and if I don’t hear from you for an hour, I’ll worry so much I can’t eat or sleep…” Jett Coleman’s wicked smile froze solid. His pupils slowly dilated. The ‘sicko villain’ aura evaporated instantly. He leaned back, sinking into the sofa cushions. He lit a cigarette, the smoke curling lazily from his fingers. After a long, drawn-out silence, he finally made a decision. “Lana… maybe… maybe you should go get a job.”

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Seventh year of marriage, I was diagnosed with Leukemia, urgently needing a bone marrow transplant. Luckily, my son Ethan was a match. But one week before the surgery, my husband Dr. Julian Hayes said to me full of apology, “Ethan’s physical exam didn’t pass.” He comforted me, “Don’t worry, I will definitely find a new donor as soon as possible.” At the hospital’s commendation ceremony, Julian’s name was prominently on the list. The leadership praised his selfless dedication. “Dr. Hayes gave the bone marrow originally intended for his wife to Miss Zoe.” I thought the Director misspoke, Julian always treated patients equally. Until I saw the person saved was Zoe, his ex-wife who abandoned him back then. I lost my voice questioning, “Why?” Husband’s face was incomparably calm, “Sloane, you are my wife, if I directly gave the marrow to you wouldn’t everyone in the hospital scold me for abusing power? You have to avoid suspicion.” Then I looked at my son who donated the marrow, thinking he didn’t know. Ethan said with a cold face, “It was me who agreed to donate to Auntie Zoe, Mom can you not be possessive of my things!” In that instant, my whole person froze. A heart that can’t be warmed, I don’t want it anymore. … Chapter 1 These few months Julian was anxious about my illness to the point of getting mouth ulcers, worrying until several white hairs appeared. My five-year-old son Ethan called me everyday asking when I would come home. To not let father and son worry, I didn’t tell them I was diagnosed with high-risk Leukemia. Now watching them taking turns emphasizing how critical Zoe’s condition was, I finally realized it wasn’t that the physical exam failed. Just that in their hearts, I wasn’t that important. Now under the gaze of everyone, Zoe presented a Plaque to him and Ethan. She glanced at me lightly, “Julian, Ethan, thank you.” Intimate photo together, looked more like a family of three. Thunderous applause sounded like a slap hard on my face. Mist rose with pain, my vision blurred. I maneuvered the wheelchair to leave, unwilling to see those people’s pitying eyes. Someone chased out hurriedly behind, I recognized Julian’s footsteps. Still holding illusion, thinking he was worried about my body so urgent. But he forcefully held down the wheelchair, face showing hidden impatience. “Sloane, what are you making a scene for?” “Zoe is still in recovery period and has to prop up her body to send me the plaque, can’t you endure a few more minutes for me?” Fact is next month the hospital will conduct Chief of Surgery evaluation, Julian values this commendation very much. My graceful appearance, can both highlight his medical ethics, and show the beautiful atmosphere of family harmony. I looked up at him, only felt this man who used to be full of merits was very strange. Nails dug deep into palm, pain coming barely made me calm. “My body is hot and uncomfortable, want to go out for air.” Husband sighed, seemingly helpless. “I am the most authoritative expert in this field, these are all normal conditions.” “Don’t throw a temper, we agreed to accept the interview together.” Expert? I seemed to hear a huge joke. These few days my bones hurt until my whole person trembled, that was the signal of bad cells spreading. But he didn’t notice a bit. If not for me asking the nurse to forcefully give me painkillers, I probably wouldn’t even have the strength to get up. A few strands of hair slowly scattered in my palm, illness getting more and more serious. I clenched tightly, haven’t looked in the mirror for a long time, must be ugly and embarrassed right now. Also no strength to argue with him, “No, it’s time for medicine today.” Touching my exhaustion, Julian’s eyes flashed with intolerance, “Wait until I am evaluated as Chief next month, I can apply for the newly developed Experimental Drug.” “Sloane, wait for me a bit longer.” Still have to apply, means still have to continue waiting. Remembering yesterday another attending doctor Dr. Liu urged me to tell the truth to Julian quickly. She said if not doing bone marrow transplant, maybe I can’t even last till the third phase of chemotherapy. A wave of sadness surged in my heart, couldn’t help asking, “What if you don’t get evaluated as Chief?” He stunned, eyes rarely showing some confusion. Then firmly said, “Rest assured, then I will definitely cure you too.” In an instant, I understood the husband in front of me never imagined the worst consequence. Zoe gained new life, so let me go towards the ending of certain death. I chuckled, but couldn’t stop tears flowing, finally recognized reality. He kept saying to avoid suspicion, even if there is experimental drug would he really use it on me? “I really hope right now I am not your wife.” At least wouldn’t even have the chance to survive given away. Julian tsked, expression showing dissatisfaction, “I am a doctor, saving lives is my duty!” “As my wife, can you not be so selfish? Can’t even compare to a kid like Ethan!” “Moreover Zoe is just an ordinary patient, you don’t need to hold on to this matter.” My grievance he turned a blind eye to, what I got was only rebuttal. Watching his leaving back, I dialed Dr. Chase Meridian’s number. “Doesn’t your new drug lack a test subject? I can do it.” He said he could come pick me up in three days. Rather than waiting for others’ ethereal promises, better rely on myself. Chapter 2 Nurse seeing me delayed so long, almost crazy with anxiety. “Miss Sloane, if you didn’t come back we were going to check surveillance to find you.” I shook head wanted to say I was fine, her hand touched my scorching body temperature and immediately realized something was wrong. After a burst of panic in the ward, my temperature slowly dropped. Opening eyes saw Zoe looking at me with face full of apology. “Luckily Miss Sloane is fine, otherwise I would be uneasy for a lifetime.” Blamingly looked at Julian behind her, “Didn’t I tell you long ago? No need to accompany me every night, Miss Sloane is your wife.” Painkiller effect already passed, my whole body bone seams revealed biting pain. Weak to point can’t even say a sentence. Compared to her rosy face, I with disheveled hair looked like a female ghost. Julian has main job to busy, daytime coming to stare at me taking medicine is already good. At night besides duty, still have to go home take care of Ethan. So I never complained. But now what I heard was he accompanied Zoe every night. Turns out he didn’t even have half a sentence of truth to me. Didn’t get my response. Zoe bit lip, somewhat embarrassed, “Is Miss Sloane still blaming me for snatching your bone marrow? All my fault, caused your family of three disharmony.” Son Ethan stepped forward hugging her arm, “Auntie didn’t snatch, this is all my willingness to give you.” He looked at me, with dissatisfied emotion, “Mom bad, Mom has no manners!” When I gave birth to him encountered difficult labor, doctor said child high probability couldn’t be saved. Almost me fighting with life to give birth to him safely. When Ethan was three, said would forever be number one best with Mom. Now every sentence he said was obvious betrayal. An indescribable soreness, rolled from bottom of my heart, surged to throat, not up not down, but like fish bone in throat. I turned head trying to cover my embarrassment. Then Ethan actually forcefully pushed me, pulling the IV drip. “Mom no manners, quickly apologize to Auntie!” That instant, needle on hand gushed blood. Julian immediately stepped forward help me handle, coldly scolded him, “Ethan Hayes! Your mom is still sick!” Son haven’t seen his dad so strict for a long time, instantly scared hiding behind Zoe. She hurriedly comforted, “Julian, he is still a child, understand what?” “Miss Sloane you have large heart don’t blame Ethan.” This words out, Ethan had more good feelings for her, tightly hugging her arm. Little nurse received emergency bell and rushed over, cold voice, “Patient emotion can’t be too excited, you all please go out first!” I looked at Julian, painful to silent tears. Zoe gently coughed twice, his attention transferred. “Zoe your body hasn’t recovered, hurry back rest, don’t be infected by germs.” Casually perfunctory to me, “I will let Ethan come in and apologize to you later.” Nurse couldn’t bear, low voice revealed, “Miss Sloane, originally according to qualification should be you ranked front.” “But donor insisted on saving others first.” “You better confess your real physical condition to Dr. Hayes ASAP, I heard his promotion to Chief is set in stone.” Means he can apply for treatment experimental drug. I silent a moment, “I will explain clearly to him.” Then son walked in, tears still hanging on corner of eyes. Looked like was scolded. “Ethan, why even you not willing to save Mom?” I can’t understand, he is a piece of meat fell from my body. Why even closest person not willing save me. He calmly looked at me, making me crying and bleeding look more like a madwoman. “Dad said Auntie Zoe has no family, if we don’t save her, no one saves her.” “Later I am going to be a doctor like Dad, want to be fair and just!” “Mom, you have to understand us!” “Understand” these two words like deeply stabbed into my heart. Zoe alone but has father and son protecting, and I forever excluded by their so-called fairness and justice. I half propped up body, “So you and Dad go accompany that auntie everyday?” Five-year-old kid no defense, answer whatever asked. “Yes.” A crisp answer completely shattered all my hesitation. That instant, like something completely lost from my body. Turns out Julian’s white hair was born for worrying about Zoe’s illness, nothing to do with me. And Ethan asking me when return home, actually was because he donated bone marrow to Zoe and hospitalized, afraid I know. Just short few months treatment in hospital, my husband and child established closer connection with others. I smiled, like relieved, “I will tell your dad, you already apologized.” Ethan somewhat overwhelmed, those scolding he expected didn’t appear. Next second, my throat surged a stream of fishy sweet. Coughed hands all blood, stained on snow white quilt. I subconsciously wanted to comfort child, let him not afraid. But his first reaction was running away, avoiding me like dirty thing. Chapter 3 Julian who didn’t need night duty insisted on staying night to accompany me. Room silent, look at each other speechless. Husband however eyes full of guilt, actively mentioned Chief evaluation thing had result. “Sloane you rest assured, I already went to apply for experimental drug.” “Sorry, all my fault.” Because today a scene, dull as Julian finally discovered fact I kept coughing blood. He neglected too long, except occasionally staring at me taking medicine treatment. Naturally didn’t detect my current body function dropped seriously. Several days passed in a row, no good news came from Julian. Bone pain tortured me sleepless whole night whole night, even painkillers didn’t work. Hair loss became more serious. Every morning could see strands of hair scattered on pillow. Also my life bit by bit consumed out. Next day when Julian came for rounds, I actively mentioned, “That experimental drug, did you apply it?” When people pain up head not sober, will leave last trace of extravagance. Husband however avoided my expectant eyes, “Not, not yet.” I clenched quilt on body, “Oh, like this ah?” But Chase told me, he already approved Julian’s application. Now Julian said no, I just took it as hasn’t delivered to his hand. Like changing topic, he asked me. “Why didn’t you call son these few days?” Before I called son everyday, afraid nanny at home didn’t take care well. Even before chemotherapy, when I was dizzy still wanted to hear child’s voice to feel safe. But seen his appearance actively defending Zoe, even if heart has spare strength I don’t want to maintain relationship between two. “Too tired, don’t want call.” “Then I pick up Ethan to see you after rounds later okay?” I looked up at him, “Is he in kindergarten?” “Mm.” After he left, I looked at window dazing. Little nurse said could push me out for a walk. Near VIP ward there is a big terrace, “Miss Sloane, flowers over there bloom very beautiful.” Door not closed tight, I originally didn’t want spy others privacy. But voice inside really familiar, “Julian, that experimental drug used on me, then what about Miss Sloane?” Julian no longer used that set of “avoid suspicion” theory, “You are patient, used is also should be.” Turns out Zoe appeared rejection reaction, experimental drug directly used on her. Last time commendation out, already not few people praised Julian character noble. Through door crack, saw son blowing needle spot for her, “I blow blow, then won’t pain.” Ethan usually playful, every time back from kindergarten body always has some bumps. I coaxed him disinfect apply medicine, “Blow blow, then not pain.” Exactly same action, I didn’t know should be gratified or bitter laugh. Looking up at these few letters of VIP, turns out Zoe who lived not good could afford high-end ward. And few months ago Julian personally said to me, as family member need avoid suspicion, can’t let other patients think doctors can do special. So originally booked high-end ward by me was cancelled, even arranged to most corner position. I let little nurse go busy first, “I want stay alone a while.” Not a while, father and son pushed door walked out. Head on saw me, Julian guilty wanted open mouth explain. I smiled, “I almost dying.” Turns out truth said out also quite easy. He frowned, thought I was throwing temper, “Sloane, you no need curse yourself for this bit experimental drug.” “I am doctor, with me here you won’t have trouble.” “As my wife, where is your trust?” I trusted so many times, but let myself lose completely mess. Being his wife need avoid suspicion need understand, but if not? “Then we divorce, I am just an ordinary patient.” “Is it then you can give experimental drug to me?” Julian angry red eyes, “In front of child face, what nonsense you talking?” “Yesterday Zoe body appeared strong rejection reaction, me as doctor watch her go die?” “Sloane, when did you become so mean?” Just want an answer that’s all, I became that mean person. He couldn’t watch Zoe die, but willing to give up me. Zoe supported long IV drip stand, somewhat stumble walked out knelt in front of me. “Miss Sloane is my fault, nothing to do with Dr. Hayes.” “I shouldn’t rob bone marrow belong to you, I return it to you right now.” She face pale, pounced on Julian’s leg, “You do surgery for me again okay? Take bone marrow out again.” Husband helped person up, look at me like looking an insensible child. “Originally her body recovery not good, you still aggressive come provoke her unhappy.” “I only have one portion experimental drug, Sloane can you not difficult me?” He actually said is difficult. Clearly Chase gave two portions experimental drug. Unwillingness, sadness surged to mouth but swallowed down difficultly squeezed few words. “Then me? What about me?” Ethan tightly grabbed his dad’s hand, “I don’t want donate bone marrow again, so painful.” I know, let a kid donate bone marrow, originally is a very painful thing. Actually I want a clear attitude that’s all, but father and son weighed pros and cons result all is abandon me. Julian sighed, “I didn’t say not care you, wait I settle Zoe well then treat your illness.” Again let me wait, but I tired. No anger emotion, also can’t lift courage continue fight for myself. Countless empty checks, Julian you finally exhausted my trust and love. “Whatever you want.” I calmly turned wheelchair direction back to my ward. Chapter 4 Many messages sent by Chase, he advised me to consider clearly. “Sloane, I applied for new flight route, will pick you up tonight.” He said being new drug test subject is like lab rat, calling stop is non-existent thing. But if there is a trace hope to live, I all want firmly grab. I replied one sentence, “I won’t regret.” “Contrary, I still want thank you.” Suddenly overhead IV drip bottle was changed down, is Julian. Irritability in words obvious, “Who you chatting with?” “Doctor.” He looked at my plain smile, heart flashed strange emotion. Surprised I actually didn’t throw temper because of experimental drug thing. Just want open mouth, but heard nurse calling him. “Dr. Hayes, patient in 617 VIP ward appeared adverse reaction.” Julian immediately put down medical record in hand, lift foot just want walk out. Until today I then knew this 617 is ward Zoe lived, before many times he as long as alone with me would be called away by 617. I opened mouth called stop him, “You wait.” Julian thought I want delay his steps again, face ugly, “I am going to save people, can you not play small temper——” I handed out a Ethan’s school enrollment consent form, “You sign this is fine.” “Could it be Ethan’s enrollment you also don’t care?” St. Jude’s, is best school in city. This is also last thing I can do for child. He stunned, inner anxiety covered past caution. Look didn’t look content inside, immediately signed name. Then watched me act as if nothing happened lie back bed scroll phone, didn’t even look him once. No longer ask attitude let Julian faintly uneasy. Turned instant but determined I was betting anger, past as long as he and child soft submit show weakness, I would forgive them. He thought first settle Zoe well then go back find me also not late, anyway I won’t run. Footsteps gradually disappear, I then took that document on table, pulled out divorce agreement hidden inside. At night, Chase pushed me onto private jet. “Sloane, you have no turning back road.” I smiled, who could think finally actually is mortal enemy fought from small to big come save me. “I also not willing turn back.” … Zoe side just made fuss about nothing that’s all, just fever caused by recovery period. Julian pinched brow center, “You already not three times two times noise, I tomorrow will let Dr. Xu come take over.” To her, already is benevolence extreme. Thinking just now Sloane that medical record didn’t have time deep investigate abnormal data, his heart tight. Those cell indicators all not right. Zoe’s sobbing stopped, “Julian, I just somewhat afraid, so want you come accompany me.” “I don’t want change attending doctor.” Julian heart thinking that didn’t finish reading medical record, didn’t even have time say usual comfort. Back to Sloane’s ward, machine equipment inside being moved out. “What happen?” Look around all sides, didn’t see Sloane figure. Nurse astonished, “Dr. Hayes, patient already handled discharge.” “You don’t know?”

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Fifth year of dating, my boyfriend Julian Vance, who promised to spend Thanksgiving with me, looked apologetic. “Audrey, I have to fly to London to sign a contract, can’t accompany you.” I understood Julian’s busy work, turned around but saw posts on his Finsta (Fake Instagram). [First time visiting father-in-law for Thanksgiving, what should I bring?] [My wifey is tiny and cute, if I bring wrong stuff, she will jump up and hit me.] [I also secretly bought a diamond ring, propose at dinner.] My heart felt sweet, thought he wanted to give me a surprise. But ignored my 5’6″ height, which can’t be counted as tiny anyway. Until Thanksgiving dinner night, my stepsister brought her boyfriend home. I was dumbfounded, because the man in front of me who dared not look me in the eye was exactly my boyfriend. Chapter 1 Stepdad’s house is in the Hamptons villa area, luxuriously decorated, but never had my room. Every time back, I sleep on the folding bed in the maid’s room. Just entered door, I heard Serena’s delicate laughter, “Mom, Julian brought many gifts, come look!” Entered my eyes was familiar slender figure, and the camel coat I bought. My heart beat suddenly accelerated, a burst of pain. Julian’s smile froze when seeing me, pupils constricted. Serena unaware, sweetly leaned on him, “Julian, this is my stepsister Audrey Lin.” “She has weird temper, you don’t need to bother her.” Stepdad’s voice full of pride, “Serena is lucky, found a boyfriend handsome and capable.” “Unlike someone, dating five years, can’t even bring a man back.” This was obviously targeting me. But they didn’t know, the man I wanted to bring home is right in front of them. I stood at foyer, neither enter nor retreat. Serena affectionately held my hand, eyes however full of provocation, “Sister back? Heard your boyfriend can’t come again this year.” “Pity, I still wanted to see.” Mom also looked at me with disgust, “Audrey, not I say you, you are 28, should consider reality.” “I see he just doesn’t like you, no feminine charm at all.” Every time I come back, have to accept a round of trial. I lowered head covering mist in eyes, no longer spoke. Said going abroad for business trip, man who would give me future, at this moment standing beside my stepsister. As her boyfriend identity, meeting my family. I expressionlessly opened mouth, “Hello, Mr. Vance.” Julian’s face whiter a few shades, but dared not look at me. When he passed by me, I smelled the familiar woody cologne. Was the birthday gift I gave him last year. Serena showed off those gifts like showing off trophies, “Julian is so thoughtful, knew Dad loves drinking, specially asked people buy Macallan 25.” “Mom, this is La Mer set and mink coat for you.” “Auntie, your scarf, cousin’s PS5…” Saying, she picked up an exquisite jewelry box, opened in front of everyone. A diamond ring sparkled under light. Serena coquettishly pushed Julian, “I said why you mysterious, turns out prepared propose to me tonight.” Stepdad laughed loud: “Double happiness, Serena found a good home!” Amidst congratulations, I watched their family happy and harmonious like an outsider. I paralyzed on sofa, brain chaos. A chill rushed through whole body, heart cramped with pain. I took out phone, started scrolling Julian’s Finsta. Recent half year posted twenty something posts, all about wifey. [Wifey wanted cake from Uptown, I drove an hour to buy back, she ate like a cute hamster, worth it.] [Accompanied wifey shopping all day, feet about to break, but she looked so beautiful trying clothes.] [Wifey sick, anxious me took leave take care her, cooked porridge she disliked hard to drink, but still obediently drank.] Scrolling one by one, my fingers colder and colder, breathing became difficult. This is not me. Wifey in Julian’s mouth, is my stepsister. When I sick, he only told me drink more hot water on phone. He never accompanied me shopping, said how improper for a big man. Turns out these five years, I was just a joke. Stepdad’s sister, Auntie suddenly spoke, “Audrey, you also don’t be sad.” “Fate this thing can’t force, Serena casually found such good boyfriend, but your standard don’t be too high, almost there is fine.” Cousin took words, “You pick again really leftover, I know a divorced one, although bring a kid, but condition not bad.” They seven mouths eight tongues caring my life event, every word like needle pricking my heart. And Julian, from beginning to end intimately whispering with Serena, didn’t look at me once. I turned fled to kitchen, “I go help serve dishes.” Moment closing kitchen door, my tears finally burst out. My life most beautiful five years, whole heart loved a person, planned future with him. For him, I rejected chance working in Europe, stayed in New York. He wanted sign project, I stayed up late doing proposal; He couldn’t negotiate partner, I fought drinking till stomach bleeding to help him sign. Serena’s voice sounded behind, “Hiding here do what, wouldn’t be feel ashamed right.” I hurriedly wiped tears, turned back expression calm. Serena leaned on door frame, sizing up my red swollen eyes, suddenly laughed, “Sister, your boyfriend wouldn’t be doing Romance Scam right?” “I am worried you being cheated, after all some people specially cheat you this kind older leftover woman, play few years then dump.” Facing her malicious humiliation, I however unable refute. I dead bit lip, until tasted blood taste, “Don’t need your reminder.” I before also didn’t have long memory, really thought she was for my good. Until night before SATs she brought me a cup hot milk. I vomited and diarrhea next day, from prospective Valedictorian became repeater failed exam. Face sweet heart ruthless, saying is Serena. Kitchen door pushed open, Julian stood at door, face ugly said: “Serena, Auntie called you set tableware.” Serena answered, passing Julian stood on tiptoe kissed him, “Hubby perform really good today.” Her sweet and playful look, however made me nauseous want vomit. Wait Serena left, Julian then walked into kitchen closed door. “Audrey, listen me explain.” “Me and Serena already more than half year, I originally wanted tell you breakup earlier, but I afraid you seek life seek death…” I slapped on his face, “Julian Vance, you really make me disgusting.” He deeply looked me once, helplessly warned: “After tonight I will give you compensation, but now you don’t make trouble.” Living room came burst laughter, Thanksgiving dinner started. I deep breath, carried dish walked out. Table already full people, my seat at most edge, next to dog house. Stepdad raised wine glass, “Little Vance, heard your company recently took a big project?” Julian calmly talked with fervor, “Uncle, is cooperation with Lin Group, next year expect bring $200 Million revenue.” Relatives one after another amazed, “Lin Group? That is big corporation!” Stepdad brother drank mouthful wine, “Girl most important is marry well, Serena at once found golden tortoise son-in-law.” Auntie suddenly looked at me, “Audrey, you breakup early, that thrice divorced one I introduced you, although 45, but has three houses!” I sighed, “I don’t need.” Auntie unhappy, “Ungrateful thing, not biological sure enough can’t raise familiar!” Serena leaned head on Julian shoulder, mocked: “Julian, does your company have security or cleaning suitable for sister, person honest is fine.” Julian awkwardly smiled, “I keep an eye.” Atmosphere somewhat stiff. Cousin suddenly pointed me shouted: “I remembered, I saw Sister Audrey in Night Club last time, she wore so exposing, accompanying an old man drink!” Full seat uproar, all relatives eyes contemptuously shot at me. “Real fake?” “Thousand true ten thousand sure, that old man hand all on her leg!” Mom face ugly, unhappy said: “Audrey Lin, what exactly going on?” Stepdad cold snort, “I long said, she same as her gambling biological dad, not walk right path.” I wanted defend, but found simply no one believe me. Cousin more said more energetic, “I even took photo, wait I find…” He just flipping phone, Serena suddenly exclaimed: “I remembered, Julian also said saw sister in club.” “Julian, is it?” Julian holding wine glass knuckles white, Adam’s apple rolled few times, actually slowly nodded. “Yes, I saw.” Auntie sharp voice said: “What job need go club accompany drink, you an outsider don’t lose our old Sullivan family face.” Chapter 2 Cousin proudly showed phone photo, on screen indeed had a woman side face very like me. She wearing black slip dress, sitting beside a bald middle-aged man, but can’t see face clear. “Look, I just said didn’t look wrong,” Mom fierce stood up, lips angry straight trembling, “Audrey Lin, you explain clearly to me!” I wanted loud tell them that not me, but throat like blocked, only could emit broken whimper. Serena hurry got up comfort, “Maybe sister really has some difficulties, now life pressure big, girl want take shortcut also understandable.” Stepdad a slap fanned on my face, “My face all lost by you, you want money can’t open mouth, must go that kind place sell smile!” I pain trembling, mouth corner seeped blood, “That not me, I simply don’t know person in photo!” Cousin held phone to my face, “This hair this figure, not you who else can be, don’t tell me you have a twin sister.” Relatives whispered discussion up: [Really can’t judge person by appearance, usually looking quite decent.] [28 still not married, anxious dig gold bei.] [Back then she failed exam first year, second year actually got into Ivy League, maybe committed self to grading teacher!] Every sentence like knife, slow slicing my dignity. I turned to Julian, “You said you saw me, is when?” He held wine glass hand tight tight, “End of October…” “End of October I was on business trip, why you want lie!” Hearing my question, Serena pout complain, “Julian just tell truth, you fierce him for what, self did disgusting thing still not let people say?” I eye rims red, “I didn’t do wrong thing, is them framing me,” Stepdad sternly interrupted, “Big festival, quarrel what quarrel, if you don’t want stay in this home, roll now!” Mom angry straight pat my arm, “Audrey Lin, you quick apologize to Dad.” I stubbornly looked up, “I no wrong, should apologize is him,” Julian voice dry said: “You don’t make trouble out of nothing.” I coldly looked at him, “Julian Vance, we together five years, exactly who is making trouble?” Serena fierce wide eyes: “Sister what you saying, Julian how possible like you.” I sneered, “We together since university.” “Graduation year I originally want go abroad, was him begged me stay, said we will marry, want give me a future.” “These five years he said want start up business, I helped pull sponsorship; he said want buy house, I took out all savings.” “Result he actually became your boyfriend!” Information volume too big, everyone stunned. Mom unbelievable looking me, “Audrey, is what you said true?” Serena dead grabbed his arm, nails almost pinched into flesh, “Julian, what she said not true right!” Julian forehead sweat fine beads, embarrassed avoided her gaze. Auntie yin yang weird air said: “Turns out is two women fight one husband ah.” “Audrey, not auntie say you, people all chose your sister, you don’t dead pester hard beat, how ugly ah.” Cousin echoed: “Brother Julian condition so good, choose Sister Serena not very normal, she young pretty, family condition also good.” “Sister Audrey you almost thirty, dad not pain mom not love, take what compare?” I interrupted his words, “Is Serena robbed my boyfriend!” Stepdad rage said: “Yourself not chaste, go club accompany drink, Little Vance choose Serena is wise!” Mom pulled me once, small voice beg, “Audrey, don’t say, big festival.” I threw off her hand, accumulated years grievance exploded at this moment, “Why not let me say, small to big your eyes only Serena.” “She buy brand name is should, I buy new clothes is waste; now she robbed my boyfriend, still my fault!” Serena suddenly calm down, “Who robbed who boyfriend still not sure ne.” “You said Julian is your boyfriend, have any evidence? Did he publicize you on social platform?” I stunned. Yes, where I come evidence. Julian never post our photo in Instagram, said he doesn’t like show affection. His friends I never saw, let alone public show affection. I originally thought he used to low key. Now understand, he from beginning didn’t plan give me title. Serena showed a victor smile, “No right, I know you jealous me, but fabricate this kind lie also too pathetic.” She turned hold Julian, “Julian, say yourself, what relationship you and sister before?” Julian silent few seconds, long sighed, “Audrey, we just university classmates, after graduation contact not much.” “I don’t know why you have such misunderstanding, but who I love always only Serena.” He once used this thin lips kissed me countless times, said countless love words to me. At this moment using most calm tone, wiped out our five years feeling. Beat me into erotomania patient admiring him. I sniffed nose, “Dare you look my eyes say again?” He avoided my sight, lowered head said to Serena, “Serena, sorry, let you suffer grievance.” Serena snuggled in his arms, look me eyes flashed proud, “Sister, now what else you have to say?” Relatives started help voice: “Audrey, listen Auntie one advice, hurry go check, is it brain have problem.” “Want not go hospital register a psychiatry department!” Humiliation ridicule voice enter my ear. I like a clown stripped clothes public display, dumbfounded in place. Mom walked up, blame said: “Mom know you jealous Serena, but also can’t ruin people reputation like this ah.” “Quick apologize to everyone, say you are talking nonsense.” Even my biological mom not believe me. I stumbled back, “I am crazy, I am escort girl, you guys satisfied?” Serena fake concerned step forward support me, but whisper in my ear: “You count what thing, play rotten broken shoes also worthy fight with me?” I force pushed her away, Julian angry grabbed wine glass fierce smashed at me. “Audrey Lin, what attitude you have!” My forehead a burst severe pain hit, fresh blood instant gush out. Chapter 3 “These five years, I for so-called love paid everything.” “He while said love me, while talk marriage with my sister!” “Also my dear sister, you clearly knew my relationship with him, still intentional approach him snatch away, now still want step me a foot!” Finally, I looked at full table relatives, “Also you guys, small to big I do what all wrong, just because I am drag oil bottle (burden from previous marriage), not biological?” Mom cried out sound, “Audrey, how can you say such heartless words!” I disappointed looking her, “Mom, since you married into Sullivan family, eyes still have me this daughter?” “My birthday you not remember, I sick time you accompany Serena father daughter vacation, now I pointed nose scold by everyone, you only let me apologize.” Mom stunned, face pale. Stepdad angry whole body tremble, “Beast, you really reverse sky, roll out for me!” I straightened spine, “I will go.” “But before go, I want tell you guys one thing.” “Lin Group Chairman, is my father.” Living room quiet a moment. Immediately laughter exploded pot. Serena laughed back forth lean, “Sister, you wouldn’t smashed silly right? Your that gambler biological dad if is Lin Group Chairman, then I am richest man daughter!” Stepdad sneer, “Big festival say what crazy words, your that biological dad owed a butt debt, ten years ago don’t know die where went.” Auntie shake head, “This child really sick not light.” Julian frown, eyes carrying a trace pity, “Audrey, I know you stimulated, but also can’t for anger Serena, random say anything.” “I didn’t nonsense.” I calmly took out phone, dialed a number, “Uncle Wang, I at City North Villa Area Sullivan home, trouble you come pick me a bit.” Hung up phone, I looked Julian, “Didn’t you just signed Lin Group project? Should know Lin Chairman special assistant surname Wang right?” Julian face slight change, “How you know?” I faintly looked him once, “Because that project, is I look at you are my boyfriend sake, special approved to you.” “Pity, you now not anymore.” Serena sharp voice said: “Pretend what pretend ah! Julian, don’t believe her, she just jealous crazy!” Noise between, outside door came car engine sound. Not one, is several. Cousin ran to window, sucked cold air, “Three Bentleys! Nearby who has such big pomp.” Everyone looked towards cousin finger direction. Only see three black Bentleys neatly stopped at Sullivan villa door, a middle-aged man wearing custom suit, temperament steady got off car. Behind him followed two bodyguards. Julian face instant pale, “Assistant Wang.” He saw Assistant Wang at signing ceremony. This Assistant Wang is Lin Chairman right left hand, even his company boss have to respect three points. Assistant Wang straight walked to door, pressed doorbell. Stepdad flustered go open door, “May I ask you find who?” Assistant Wang look not look him, gaze fell on me, slightly bow, “Miss, Chairman let me pick you home.” Whole living room dead like silence. I took out phone, log in company internal system, “Julian Vance, you said you end of October saw me in club,” “End of October I attended exhibition in Guangzhou, have ticket hotel record as proof.” Julian changed face, guilty said: “Then maybe I saw wrong.” I sneer, call out communication company background record, “Julian Vance, you said we just university classmates, after graduation contact not much.” “Then please explain, why past five years, we average daily call exceed one hour? Why every month my bank card has a record of your mortgage deduction?” I turned screen to everyone. Serena fierce look Julian, “What she said is true?” Julian panicked, “Serena, you listen me explain.” I interrupted him, “Explain what? Explain how you while spending my money, while pursue my sister? Explain how you told her I accompany drink in club, ruin my reputation?” I walked to cousin front, “Also you, woman on photo wrist has tattoo, do I have?” I rolled up sleeve, reveal white arm. Cousin stammering, “Maybe I also saw wrong.” I approach a step, “Saw wrong?” “You so certain is me, now say saw wrong? Who let you say so? Serena? Or Julian?” Cousin panic back retreat, “I didn’t!” Auntie stand up protect her precious son, “Audrey Lin, you crazy! Scare child do what?” I turned look her, “Auntie, didn’t you want introduce me that 45 years old three houses divorced man?” “Coincidentally, I saw his file in company last week, divorced three times, has domestic violence history, ex-wife still in hospital. You sincerely for my good, or want get introduction fee?” Auntie face burst red burst white, “You nonsense!” I look Julian and Serena, “Nonsense or not not important.” “Important is, you pair golden boy jade girl, one cheat money cheat feeling, one know mistress be mistress, really heaven made pair.” Serena angry whole body tremble, “Audrey Lin, you shut up!” I laughed, “Did all did, still afraid people say?” Julian finally exploded, “Enough! Audrey Lin, even if we before had what, that also past thing! Now I love is Serena, want marry also Serena! You dead heart ba!” I suddenly felt incomparable absurd, “Julian Vance, you think I still will sad for you?” I took out a velvet box from bag, threw to his front. “This is birthday gift you gave me last year, said saved three months salary bought. I yesterday knew, is Wish.com nine ninety nine free shipping fake.” “But it’s okay, real fake I also don’t care anymore. Together with you this person, return you together.” Passing Julian side, I stopped steps, use only we two can hear voice say: “Right, forgot tell you, next year Lin Group all cooperation projects, I will personally audit.” His pupils suddenly constrict. “Especially those, rely on women drink till stomach bleeding signed orders.” I walked out door, Assistant Wang immediately hand handkerchief and ice bag, “Miss, you injured, want go hospital?” “No need, direct home.” I sat in car, head didn’t turn. I through rearview mirror saw Julian chased out, but dead blocked by bodyguard at door. Serena pulling his arm saying something, he fierce throw off her, expression is panic I never saw before. How funny. Five years deep affection not as shocking as an identity.

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Nobody thought Julian Thorne and I made sense together. He was the campus god—sculpted features, brilliant mind, full scholarship. I was just Harper Vance—plain, average, and cursed with a stutter. But Julian gave me the kind of respect and love I’d only ever read about in books. So, I treasured him. I worshipped the ground he walked on. That was, until I walked into a café and saw my father sliding a black Amex card across the table to him. “Thank you for taking care of her these past two years. Harper has become much more confident. This bonus is what we agreed upon.” Julian took the card without hesitation. He smiled, a cold, calculated smile I’d never seen before. “I’m raising my rates this year, Mr. Vance. You know how it is—she’s demanding more and more of my emotional labor these days.” In that moment, I realized that “love” could indeed be a performance art. I didn’t storm in. I didn’t scream. I continued to date him, pretending nothing had changed. In fact, I “loved” him even harder than before. Because before I left for grad school in London, I wanted to see if I could play the game too. I wanted to see if I could become the hunter. 1 In the dimly lit corner of the café, I froze. I had ghosted into a booth partially hidden by a decorative partition, purely by instinct. I shouldn’t have been there, but seeing my father and my boyfriend sitting together was too bizarre to ignore. “Thank you for taking care of her these past two years. Harper has become much more confident. This bonus is what we agreed upon.” I stared blankly at them. My mind was a hurricane of confusion. Thoughts swirled like autumn leaves in a gale, impossible to catch. My father’s voice continued. “She’s been insecure since she was a little girl. I didn’t have any other choice but to find you.” Julian smiled, his fingers deftly sliding the black card into his palm. He rubbed the surface of the card thoughtfully. “I’ve always been curious, sir. Why me?” Dad hesitated, then sighed. “I saw a photo of you giving the freshman orientation speech on her lock screen. I looked into you—you were brilliant, popular, dazzling. She liked you.” “I didn’t want to see Harper trapped in her shell forever. So, I came up with this… arrangement. I hired you to date her. I wanted her to feel a pure love, one untethered by family obligation or pity.” Julian lowered his lashes, masking his eyes. Dad watched him carefully, then asked tentatively, “Julian… after two years, what do you actually think of her?” Julian laughed. But the laughter didn’t reach his eyes. It sent a chill down my spine. “Mr. Vance, let’s be real. What exists between Harper and me is a transaction maintained by currency. Since it’s business, let’s not complicate it with sentiment, shall we?” Dad’s face fell. “I see. I overstepped.” “By the way.” Julian tapped the card on the mahogany table. Click. “I’m raising my fee this year. You know how it is. She’s getting clingy. She eats up a lot of my private time and demands a lot of emotional value.” … I sat there, paralyzed. Julian’s voice slithered into my ears like a viper. I watched his elegant fingers playing with the bank card—fingers that had warmed my hands just last night. Now, they were putting a price tag on my heart. They were negotiating the cost of loving me like they were buying a used car. The café buzz faded into white noise. All I felt was a piercing, suffocating humiliation. I wanted to run, but my legs were lead. Every ounce of strength drained from my body, leaving behind a hollow shell. Our relationship had always been a mismatch. He was the golden boy of Whitmore University. I was the rich girl with the stutter. I barely spoke in public. I was terrified of judgment. When Julian first approached me, I was terrified. But he encouraged me. He was patient. When he confessed his love, I thought I was dreaming. I often wondered: Why? Why would a god look at a mortal like me? Why did he rarely kiss me, rarely touch me beyond holding hands? Now I had my answer. 2 Sitting opposite my father, Julian was a stranger. His expression was indifferent, detached. He had two faces. I couldn’t help but think of yesterday. It was ironic. Yesterday was Julian’s birthday. I had spent nights learning to bake. I wasted pounds of flour and sugar, failing over and over until I got it right. I stood in the freezing wind outside his dorm for two hours, holding the perfect cake, until he finally rushed back from his “tutoring gig.” Under the streetlights, he ran to me. He stopped, breathless. “It’s freezing. Why didn’t you wait inside?” He rubbed my cold hands, glancing at the box. “What’s this?” I flushed. “It… It’s a c-cake. I m-made it.” He looked genuinely surprised. “You made this? By yourself?” The frosting had melted slightly, but the strawberry heart was still bright red. “Yeah.” My palms were sweating despite the cold. Julian cupped my frozen face in his warm hands, looking at me like I was the most precious thing in the world. “Thank you.” I felt my face burn. My stutter flared up. “Julian, H-Happy… B-Birthday.” He smiled. Not mocking, just gentle. “It’s okay. Take your time, Harper. Say it again?” I hesitated. “I want to hear it,” he whispered. “Can you say it for me?” His gaze was intense. He seemed to glow. I took a breath and forced the words out, one by one. “Julian. Happy. Birthday. I hope… you are always… happy.” He looked down at me, his long lashes casting shadows over his eyes. Then he pulled me into a hug. His heart was racing. “Thank you,” he rasped, wiping a tear from my cheek. “Why are you crying?” I hadn’t realized I was. He kissed the tear away. But when he leaned in toward my lips, he tilted his head at the last second, kissing my cheek instead. He’d done it a thousand times. I thought it was respect. Now I knew. A hunter doesn’t kiss the prey. He never loved me. He was just a method actor. And God, he deserved an Oscar. 3 I clenched my jaw, trying to hold back the scream building in my chest. My knuckles turned white as I gripped the hem of my coat. Dad and Julian left the café separately. I sat there until a waitress touched my shoulder. “Miss? Are you okay?” I realized my face was wet. “I’m fine.” I wiped the tears away and walked out. When I got home, Dad was wearing an apron, cooking. To the world, he was a shark. At home, he was just a dad. Mom died when I was little, and he never remarried. He loved me. He bullied the school board when I was teased. He bought me extravagant gifts. He tried to understand my generation. And he hired someone to love me because he wanted me to be confident. He was wrong. But I couldn’t hate him. “Harper, you’re home!” Dad turned, spatula in hand. “I made your favorite—sweet and sour ribs.” I sat at the table, staring at the feast. My eyes burned. “Dad.” He sat down. “What’s wrong, honey?” “That offer… to send me to grad school in London. Is it still on the table?” Dad froze. He looked at me in disbelief. “I thought you refused to go?” I smiled at him. It was a broken, jagged smile. “Dad. I saw you this afternoon. At the café.” 4 We talked until midnight. Dad took off his glasses, looking suddenly old and defeated. “I’m sorry, Harper. I just wanted you to be happy.” “But Dad, fake love expires. It can’t withstand reality. I don’t need that kind of charity.” He was silent for a long time, then he hugged me. “Okay. You’re going to London. What about Julian?” “I’ll handle him.” … Julian lied to me, but my father had paved the road for him. I planned to break up with him cleanly. But then I walked past a lecture hall and saw him with a girl. She looked young, maybe sixteen. She looked exactly like him. “Jade, why are you here?” “Bro, are you still dating that rich girl?” the girl demanded. Julian leaned against a desk, looking out the window. I couldn’t see his face, but I heard the sneer. “Yeah. Her dad pays well.” Jade eyed him suspiciously. “You didn’t actually fall for her, did you?” “Are you kidding?” Julian turned, his face twisted in annoyance. “Good,” Jade huffed. “The Vance family’s construction company built that site where Dad died. If it wasn’t for the settlement money, we’d have starved, but it wasn’t enough! I hate rich people like them.” Julian was silent. Jade sat on the desk. “You said you were going to make her fall in love with you and then dump her brutally. How’s that going?” Julian laughed. It was a dark, mocking sound. “She’s already obsessed with me. She sits with me while I study, brings me coffee… she even baked me a lopsided cake for my birthday.” Jade burst out laughing. “A billionaire’s daughter begging for your attention? Bro, you’re a legend! What’s the use of money if she’s pathetic?” Julian picked up a piece of chalk and crushed it against the desk. Snap. “She’s just an annoying little stutterer that nobody wants.” 5 I don’t remember walking out of that building. The sunlight hit my face, but I felt cold. The conversation played on a loop in my head. I thought Julian just didn’t love me. I was wrong. He loathed me. He was planning to destroy me. He wanted to watch me fall apart. The sadness evaporated, replaced by a cold, hard rage. I wanted revenge. I wanted to treat him exactly the way he treated me. … I took a day to compose myself. When I saw Julian again, I was the same shy, adoring girlfriend. He handed me a thermos. “You didn’t text all day. Are you sick?” I smiled. “J-Just tired. I’m b-better now.” He felt my forehead. I swatted his hand playfully. “Don’t you trust me?” He laughed. “My bad.” I tugged his sleeve. “No class this afternoon. Let’s go shopping?” “Sure.” The mall was crowded. We were heading for a boba shop when a man blocked our path. He glared at Julian. “It is you! You’re the little gigolo messing with my wife!” Julian shielded me. “Excuse me?” “Don’t play dumb! You tutor my son, but I saw the ring cam footage! You and my wife, all over each other at the door!” The man lunged for Julian’s collar. I shoved the man back. “Stop! My boyfriend w-would never!” The man stumbled, enraged. He swung his hand without looking. Smack. He slapped me. Hard. My chin throbbed instantly. Julian froze. He pulled me behind him, staring at the red mark on my face. His eyes were filled with panic and guilt. I watched him closely. God, he should really be in Hollywood. Julian clenched his fist, ready to fight. Passersby started yelling, threatening to call the cops. The man panicked and ran off into the crowd. Julian wanted to chase him. I grabbed his wrist. “Julian, it hurts.”

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A few days before the wedding, the planner scheduled a rehearsal for me and my fiancé. The moment he picked me up in his arms, his sister suddenly burst into tears. “Ethan! That is so disgusting! Why are you groping her in front of everyone?! Does she not have legs? Can’t she walk by herself?” My fiancé immediately put me down to comfort her. Then, he demanded I walk to the wedding car myself. Tradition says the bride’s feet shouldn’t touch the ground until she reaches the altar. My parents tried to argue, but my fiancé of three years threatened to postpone the wedding. “Bella doesn’t like it. If you insist on these archaic traditions, then we’re postponing the wedding!” 1 Both families stared at Bella in shock. The groom carrying the bride—isn’t that standard? “Is she crippled?! Does she not have legs? Can’t she walk?!” Bella screamed, her face twisted in rage. Whispers ripple through the crowd. “On the wedding day, it’s tradition for the bride not to touch the ground,” my mom explained with a strained smile. “Bella, when you get married, it’ll be the same for you!” “I don’t care! I won’t let my brother carry her! If she wants to get married, she can walk! Or I’ll never talk to Ethan again!” Bella stomped her foot. I looked at Ethan in disbelief. His worried gaze, however, was fixed entirely on Bella. Suddenly, his arms loosened, and he dropped me. I stumbled, my expensive Jimmy Choos slamming onto the wet pavement without warning. Mud instantly splattered the hem of my white dress. Just like my mood. “Oh no!” My mom rushed forward to lift my skirt. “Why did you drop her? Thank god it’s just the rehearsal. You can’t do this on the big day!” While everyone gathered around to ask if I twisted my ankle, Ethan was busy hugging Bella, whispering soothingly, “It’s okay, baby. I won’t carry her. She can walk, okay?” “Hmph,” Bella pouted. “Promise you’ll never carry her again!” Never carry me again? Should we just become bros instead? “Okay, okay, I promise. Whatever you say.” My fiancé agreed to her insane demand without hesitation. Bella looked over Ethan’s shoulder, smirking at me with triumph. Ethan once told me he had a “cute” little sister. I didn’t know this was his definition of cute. “Forget it. It’s just a rehearsal. Bella is young, don’t hold it against her,” my future in-laws said, trying to smooth things over. I exchanged a look with my parents, swallowed my anger, and continued the rehearsal. Next, when the officiant said, “You may kiss the bride,” Ethan glanced at Bella’s glaring face. “Let’s skip this part,” he said. Watching him cater to her every whim, the last shred of hope in my heart shattered. The rehearsal ended. We were ushered to the bridal suite. But Bella had beaten us there. She was currently barefoot, rolling around on my new marital bed. My future mother-in-law rushed to pull her off. “What are you doing?” Bella was dragged off, but she immediately bounced back onto the bed, leaving dirty footprints on the pristine red sheets. “What’s wrong? Can’t I lie on my brother’s bed?! I’m just testing the mattress for them!” The room went silent. Even a child knows the marital bed is for the newlyweds. Bella is twenty-two. I turned to Ethan, expecting an explanation. Instead, he smiled dotingly. “Bella is right. My home is your home. Everything I have is yours! Your sister-in-law will spoil you just like I do. She won’t be mad. Right, Harper?” 2 That last sentence was directed at me. It was laughable. I had promised to be a good sister-in-law, but I didn’t sign up for a sister-in-law with zero boundaries. I didn’t answer. I walked over and pulled back the duvet. The bed, which should have been decorated with rose petals, was littered with peanut shells. Worse, right down the middle of the king-sized bed, there was a row of potted cacti dividing it in half. The guests started whispering. “Cacti on the bed? Is this some new trend?” “How are they supposed to sleep? It’s literally a barrier between them. The groom’s family is insane.” “Ethan, care to explain?” I asked. “This…” Ethan looked awkward. “Don’t blame my brother!” Bella stood on the bed, looking down at me. “He promised he wouldn’t touch you! To stop you from throwing yourself at him in the middle of the night, I prepared this. If you aren’t afraid of needles, go ahead and cross the line!” Rage boiled in my chest. I laughed, but it was cold. “Ethan, is this what you want?” “No… Harper, listen, I’ll move the cacti…” I ignored him and walked to the guest room. As expected, the room we planned for a future nursery was filled with Bella’s stuff. Pink curtains, pink sheets, and a framed photo of her and Ethan hugging on the nightstand. “Harper, it’s just a small thing. Do you have to be so dramatic?” Ethan followed me, nagging. “And this?” I pointed at the room. “What does this mean?” By now, the guests had followed us. “You got a problem?” Bella’s voice was dripping with attitude. “I told my brother ages ago: wherever he goes, I go. His house must have a room for me. So I moved in. Right, brother?” Ethan looked guilty. He had never mentioned this to me. But he defended her instantly. “Yes, Harper. I promised Bella. The room was empty anyway, so why can’t she stay? Harper, you’re the older sister now, don’t be so petty!” He gained confidence as he spoke, ending with a tone of accusation. Unforgettable. Truly. I nodded coldly and turned to the wedding videographer. “Please make sure you record all of this.” The cameraman nodded, panning the room. “Mommy, what’s this?” A child’s voice broke the tension. Everyone looked. A six-year-old boy walked out of the ensuite bathroom holding a red thong. The adults blushed. My aunt whispered, “Harper, is that yours?” My face went pale. We hadn’t moved in yet. It definitely wasn’t mine. Could it be…? I looked at Ethan. “Hey!” Bella shrieked, snatching it back. “Why are you touching my stuff?” She realized everyone was staring and pouted. “What are you looking at? Haven’t you seen underwear before? I just changed. I was going to ask my brother to wash it for me.” She looked at me, a sweet, triumphant smile on her lips. “Whenever my brother is home, he washes my underwear. He won’t change just because he got a wife, right, Brother?” 3 “Yeah, nothing will change,” Ethan promised naturally. “Leave it there. I’ll wash it later.” I stood there, frozen. A twenty-five-year-old man hand-washing his twenty-two-year-old sister’s thongs… and it’s a regular thing? Bella looked at me like she had won the lottery. “I’ve seen everything now. A sister-in-law changing her thong in the groom’s suite and asking him to wash it on his wedding day? Shameless!” someone muttered. “Yeah, since when does the sister live with the newlyweds?” my relatives chimed in, unable to hold back. “This is too much! She won’t let him carry the bride, won’t let them kiss, puts cacti in the bed, and moves in? Do you have no shame?” Someone shouted, “She doesn’t want them to consummate the marriage because she wants to do it herself!” Hearing the insults, Bella threw herself into Ethan’s arms and wailed. “Brother! You said you’d be good to me even after you got married! Are you just going to let them bully me?” Ethan hugged her tight, glaring at me. “Harper Vance! Are your relatives always this trashy?” I laughed and pointed at the balcony. “My relatives are being polite. Anyone else would have thrown you two off the roof by now!” “Harper!” Ethan’s voice was a warning. “We’ve been together for three years. We made it this far. Are you really going to treat my sister like this?” Three years. We worked hard, supported each other, built a life. For the sake of those three years, I decided to try one last time. “Ethan,” I said calmly. “I’m a normal girl. I want a normal wedding. I want my privacy. So, please ask your sister to move out.” “If you can accept that, I’m willing to try. If you can’t…” I bit my lip, eyes stinging. I couldn’t say the words. “Enough,” Ethan interrupted. “Bella is my sister. If she doesn’t like me carrying you, or kissing you, we won’t do it. Why do you have to fixate on these little things? How does her living here hurt you?” “If you love me, accept my family! If you can’t, then the wedding is off! Postponed until you figure it out and apologize to Bella!” I nodded, watching them cling to each other. Tears finally fell. I thought today was the start of our life. Turns out, it’s the end. “She isn’t in my way. I’m in yours. I’m out.” I turned and walked away. “Harper is right! Why get married? Just live with your sister!” My family followed me out. Ethan shouted behind us, “What did you say?! Don’t you dare talk about her like that!” Ethan’s mom tried to stop me, but my cousins pushed her aside and escorted me out. My parents were furious, wanting to go back and fight, but I shook my head. Let’s leave the last shred of dignity for the past three years. I went home and immediately sent a cancellation notice to all my guests. Unfortunately, a clean break was just wishful thinking. Ethan and I worked at the same company, different departments. Monday morning, I ran into him in the lobby. Bella was hanging off his arm, saying goodbye like they were lovers in a war movie. She rolled her eyes at me. I ignored her and walked to the elevator. Ethan chased after me. “Harper, have you realized your mistake? I love you, but I only have one sister. I have to prioritize her feelings. The wedding is in two days. If you apologize now, it’s not too late!” “She’s studying for the civil service exam and needs an iPad. Buy her the new iPad Pro. I’ll put in a good word for you.” 4 I laughed at his audacity. “Ethan, don’t you think your sister’s feelings for you are… weird?” I asked. “Weird how?!” Ethan frowned. “Dirty minds see dirt! We grew up together. An only child like you wouldn’t understand our bond!” I shook my head and walked away. Thirty minutes later, the police called. “Is this Harper Vance? You are suspected of a hit-and-run. Please come to [Street Name] immediately.” I was stunned. It turned out my car—my only car, a brand new BMW my parents bought me as a dowry—had hit someone. It was supposed to be parked at the bridal home. Obviously, the gruesome twosome was involved. Rage, hot and blinding, filled me. I rushed to the scene. My beautiful white BMW, worth $80,000, was totaled in the middle of the road. In front of it, a black sedan was flipped over. A man and a woman were lying on the ground, covered in blood, waiting for the ambulance. The crowd saw me and swarmed. “Think you can do whatever you want because you’re rich?!” “Hit and run! You’re going to jail!” “Were you driving?” the officer asked sternly. “It was her! I saw a woman!” a witness yelled. “But wasn’t she wearing white with blonde hair?” someone asked. “Wigs exist! She probably changed clothes!” I realized instantly. Blonde hair. White dress. That was Bella’s outfit this morning. Ethan had given her my car. Just as I was about to speak, Ethan rushed over and grabbed me. He looked at the cop. “It was her! I’m so sorry. My girlfriend caused this mess. I’ll make sure she takes responsibility!” “Wow, good boyfriend,” the crowd murmured. “Better than she deserves.” I was fuming. “No…” Ethan pulled me aside before I could finish. “Harper, just admit it was you, okay?! Bella doesn’t have a license!” “If they find out it was her, her life is over! She can’t take the civil service exam with a record! Do you want to ruin her?!” “Just take the blame! It’s just a fine and a few days in jail. Trust me, if you do this, Bella will forgive you for the wedding rehearsal! I promise we’ll get married as soon as you’re out!” He raised his voice for the crowd. “Harper, just confess! Apologize to the victims! If you show remorse, maybe they’ll go easy on you!” The crowd nodded approvingly. People started filming. Being framed in front of a hundred people made my anger peak. But strangely, the extreme rage made me calm. I pressed ‘Record’ on my phone in my pocket.

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The day before the Elite Icon model search, I was locked inside my own burning apartment. When the firefighters finally pulled me out, my skin was a ruin of blisters and char. My face, once my fortune, was unrecognizable. Outside the operating room, my mother was wailing, a sound that tore through the sterile hallway. She kept blaming herself, sobbing about how she’d accidentally locked the deadbolt. Roman, my fiancé, had mobilized every top dermatologist in the city. He swore to the heavens he would restore me to perfection. But as I lay on the gurney, drifting in a haze of agony just outside the OR doors, I heard my mother’s voice. It wasn’t hysterical anymore. It was trembling, hesitant. “Roman… even if we wanted to help Tess win the competition… wasn’t setting the fire and locking Norah inside… wasn’t that too much? Look at her.” Roman’s voice was cold, a low rumble of disdain. “If Norah weren’t so vain, so selfish, I wouldn’t have had to resort to this. She knows Tess suffers from severe depression, yet she prances around the house, flaunting her body, triggering her sister every single day. Norah lost some skin. Tess was losing her will to live. It’s what she owes her sister.” He paused, his tone shifting to a terrifying, possessive calm. “Don’t worry. I’ll still marry Norah. With the title of Mrs. Roman Ward, no one will dare whisper a word about her scars, even if she looks like a monster. I’m giving her a life of luxury. She should be grateful.” Destroying my health, my career, my face—this was his definition of good? I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth would shatter. The cold of the hospital air warred with the phantom heat searing my flesh. The man I had loved for a decade. The mother who used to brush my hair and call me her angel. I didn’t want either of them. Not anymore. … “Cancel the surgery. Tell the specialists to wait in the hall.” The trauma surgeon, already gloved up, looked at Roman in disbelief. “Mr. Ward, the burn coverage is critical. Her trachea has severe smoke damage. If we don’t operate immediately, she could lose her voice permanently. Her face… her skin… it will be irreversible.” My mother flinched. “Roman, she’s hurt so badly. She definitely can’t compete tomorrow. Maybe we should just let them operate…” “Let it rot,” Roman said, his voice devoid of emotion. “If we fix her now, her ego will bounce back. She’ll find a way to sabotage Tess even from a hospital bed. She needs to be broken—physically and mentally—so she stops trying to overshadow Tess. I’m doing this to humble her. It’s for her own good.” He picked up a wet cotton swab and gently dabbed my cracked, bleeding lips. It was a lover’s touch, terrifying in its tenderness. But his words were a blade. “I promised Tess that this championship is hers. I won’t let anyone, not even you, stand in her way.” My mother sighed, a sound of resignation, and turned to the doctor. “Just give her pain management. Clean the wounds, but… gently. Don’t let her hurt too much.” No one noticed my body trembling under the thin sheet. It felt like a shard of glass had been driven straight through my heart. The suffocation was worse than the smoke. The fire wasn’t an accident. It was a meticulously designed execution, orchestrated by the man I’d planned to marry, all to clear the runway for Tess, my adopted sister. And my mother—my soft-hearted mother—was an accomplice. They stood in the doorway, ignoring my silent screams, relieved that my light had finally been extinguished. Pain spiked in my chest. My throat convulsed, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood. My mother gasped, reaching out instinctively, but her hands hovered in the air. There was nowhere on my body left to touch that wasn’t raw flesh. “Norah, baby, Mom is here,” she wept, her eyes red. “Does it hurt? Don’t be scared. I’ll never leave you.” Roman turned on the hospital staff, performing the role of the distraught fiancé perfectly. “Where the hell is the dermatologist? If anything happens to my wife, I’ll bury this hospital in lawsuits.” The doctor, who had clearly been paid off, stammered his rehearsed line. “Mr. Ward, we’re trying. There was a pile-up on the bridge. The specialist is stuck in traffic. He won’t be here until tomorrow.” Roman kicked the surgeon in the shin. “Get out.” He turned back to me, crouching down until we were eye-level. His face was a mask of tragic guilt. “Baby, I’m so sorry. I got here too late. I let you suffer. But listen to me—I don’t care what it costs. I will fix your face. I will get you back on the runway.” I stared at him, numb to the bone. “Will I… really recover?” “You will. I promise.” His earnestness made me feel like a fool. To remove a stumbling block for Tess, this man—who had held my hand from high school prom to our engagement party—had woven a web of lies to send me to hell. And my mother, who had once chosen me over everything, had decided that the “fragile” adopted daughter mattered more. I wanted to scream. I wanted to ask why. But the words died in the ashes of my heart. Nurses approached with antiseptic solution. “Miss Linley, since the specialist isn’t here, we have to disinfect the wounds manually. This is going to burn.” Burn wasn’t the word. As the liquid hit me, it felt like I was back in the apartment, the flames licking my bones. I thrashed, blood and pus staining the pristine sheets. My mother covered her mouth, sobbing into her hands. Roman gripped the bed rail, his knuckles white, eyes tearing up as if he felt every ounce of my pain. Their concern was Oscar-worthy. But I knew the truth. The love was fake. Only the pain was real. I woke up two days later. Roman and my mother were arguing in the corridor. “Roman, her condition is critical. We’ve delayed treatment for forty-eight hours. Are you seriously going to give her that experimental psych med?” “The doctors said the side effects aren’t fully tested. It causes seizures. Loss of bladder control.” Silence stretched for a few seconds before Roman’s voice cut through, decisive and cold. “Those side effects are exactly what I need. Tonight is Tess’s victory gala. Every major designer and editor will be there. Norah already looks like a monster; a little more humiliation won’t hurt. She needs to lose her dignity completely. Only when she’s truly humiliated will she stop trying to compete with Tess. After tomorrow, I’ll announce our wedding. That’s compensation enough.” He paused, lowering his voice. “Mom, tell the specialists to wait at the villa. As soon as the gala ends, we treat Norah.” My mother murmured her agreement. I stared at the ceiling tiles, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes, stinging the raw burns on my cheeks. The physical pain was blinding, but it was nothing compared to the hollow in my chest. They knew. They knew I was born sickly, that I had clawed my way into the modeling world with blood and sweat. It was my identity. My soul. And with a few casual sentences, they had decided to crush it. If I had known this was the price of their love, I would have stayed in the fire. The door pushed open. Roman walked in, his expression softening into that practiced tenderness. He held out two pills. “Norah, honey. I asked the doctor. This is a new painkiller. No side effects. It’ll help you sleep.” I looked at the bright red capsules. They looked like drops of blood. “Roman,” I rasped, my voice like grinding gravel. “It’s too bitter. I don’t want it.” He hesitated for a fraction of a second, then smiled, squeezing my hand on a patch of unburned skin. “Watching you suffer is killing me. Do you want to break my heart? Please, take it for me.” He didn’t wait for an answer. He pressed the pills against my lips, forcing them past my teeth. “Good girl. Let me help you.” The bitterness dissolved on my tongue, choking me. Almost immediately, the room began to spin. Roman gripped my wrist. “Norah, tonight is Tess’s celebration. Her biggest wish is for you to be there. If you don’t go, the press will say you’re jealous, that you can’t handle your sister’s success…” “I’ll go,” I whispered. “Get my clothes.” I knew there was no choice. Roman had scripted this entire evening. My mother walked in just in time to hear my surrender. Her face lit up. “Oh, my good girl. I knew you’d do the right thing.” “After Tess’s party, I’ll plan the wedding myself. It will be perfect.” I pulled my hand away from them. My heart was a stone in a frozen lake. The limousine pulled up to the estate. The moment I was helped out of the car, a wall of flashing lights blinded me. I reached for my mother’s hand in panic, but I grabbed only empty air. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her guiding Tess away, shielding her, not sparing me a single glance. I kept my head down, clutching the brim of my hat, my body hidden in oversized clothes. “Miss Linley! Is it true you set fire to your own apartment because you were afraid your sister would beat you?” “Is it true you’re disfigured? Do you have no shame showing up here?” “Norah! Did you ruin your face because your sugar daddies weren’t satisfied?” As the questions rained down, a reporter lunged forward and knocked the hat off my head. The crowd gasped. A collective intake of breath that sucked the air out of the night. My face—a map of raw, red meat and charred skin—was exposed to 4K lenses. “Oh my god. That’s disgusting.” “I’m gonna be sick. She looks like a horror movie.” My heart hammered against my ribs. Black spots danced in my vision. They didn’t stop. Dozens of phones were raised, livestreaming my nightmare to the world. “Here she is, folks. The fallen angel, Norah Linley. Vicious, jealous, and now, getting exactly what she deserves. Let’s see the karma up close.” Someone shoved me. I hit the pavement hard. The loose clothes tore. My arms, my thighs, my stomach—wrapped in gauze and oozing fluids—were laid bare. A guttural, animalistic sound tore from my throat. Then, the shaking started. My limbs jerked violently, beyond my control. I was convulsing, my back arching off the concrete. The reporter who had pushed me looked ecstatic. “She’s having a seizure! Keep rolling! Zoom in on her face!” I could feel my eyes rolling back, foam gathering at the corners of my mouth. I was fully conscious, trapped in a body that was betraying me. I was a circus freak. A monster for their amusement. Then, the final blow. I felt a rush of warmth spread through my lower body. The sharp, acrid smell of urine cut through the night air. The shame was so absolute, so crushing, that I prayed for a heart attack. I wanted to die right there on the asphalt. Cameras flashed relentlessly at my stained clothes. I lay there like a broken doll, twitching in a puddle of my own waste. “What are you doing! Put the cameras down!” Roman roared, charging through the crowd. He grabbed a photographer’s camera and smashed it onto the ground. “Get the hell out of here!” My mother rushed over with a coat, covering my trembling body, tears streaming down her face. “Security! Where is security? Why are these vultures here? You’re all fired!” Tess stood slightly behind them, covering her mouth in theatrical shock. “Oh my god, you guys are too much! How could you do this to my sister? You are not allowed to publish those photos of her wetting herself!” It was so transparent. So disgusting. If they wanted the trophy, if they wanted to give Tess every ounce of love in the world, I would have stepped aside. Why did they have to destroy me like this? My consciousness was fading. I felt Roman kneeling beside me, gripping my hand so tight it hurt. “Norah, baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t protect you. I promise, from now on, no one will ever hurt you again. We’ll get married right away, okay?” I wanted to say no. But the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, and I vomited red all over his pristine tuxedo. Roman’s pupils constricted. His face went chalk white. As the darkness took me, I heard him and my mother screaming for a doctor. “She was already in critical condition. The delay… plus the overdose of neuro-stimulants… her organs are failing. Survival rate is thirty percent.” Roman’s voice cracked. “Fix her! If my wife dies, you all die with her!” A tear hit the back of my hand. “Norah, we promised forever. You can’t leave me.” My mother was begging the doctors. “Please, save my daughter. Take my life instead. Just save her.” I closed my eyes, sinking into the void. Let me go, I thought. Just let me die. I didn’t die. I woke up back in my room at the villa. voices drifted in from the hallway. “Mom, are you really going to transfer all of Dad’s inheritance to me? Won’t Norah be upset?” My mother’s voice was warm, indulgent. “She doesn’t get to be upset. She’s marrying Roman; she’ll never need money. Tess, when your father died and I got leukemia… you were the one who gave me blood. You gave me your bone marrow. I swore then that you are the only daughter who matters.” “Besides, the money isn’t enough. I know you’ve always loved Roman. I’ve already spoken to him. With Norah’s… condition… she can’t carry a child. On their wedding night, you’ll take her place. You’ll give Roman his first heir.” Tess giggled, a shy, sickly sweet sound. “I’ll do whatever you say, Mommy.” The door opened. My mother froze when she saw my eyes were open. A flicker of guilt crossed her face, but she smoothed it over quickly. “Norah… since you heard, I won’t lie. The Ward family needs an heir. But don’t worry, your position as Mrs. Ward is secure…” “I agree,” I said. My voice was a flat line. “I’m in no shape for a wedding. Let Tess stand in for me.” My mother beamed. “Oh, Norah. You’ve finally grown up. You’re being so sensible.” Tess walked in, glancing at my bandaged, ruined skin with open disgust. “Don’t worry, big sister. I’ll take very good care of Roman for you.” I turned my head to the wall. I couldn’t bear to look at them. I just hoped that one day, when my mother learned the truth about who actually gave her that bone marrow, she wouldn’t choke on her regret. The wedding was held at the villa. It was Tess’s idea. She wanted me to hear the music, to know exactly what she was stealing. But I underestimated her. She wasn’t just a thief. She was a predator. She pushed open my bedroom door. She looked radiant in a custom couture gown, but her smile was a rictus of hate. “That fire should have finished the job, Norah. You’re like a cockroach.” I was too tired to fight. “You won. You have everything. What else do you want?” She laughed. “I want you dead, obviously. Only when you’re gone can I be the real Mrs. Ward.” She pulled a silver lighter from her clutch and flicked it open. She touched the flame to the heavy velvet curtains. Fire. The blood drained from my face. My PTSD kicked in, paralyzing me. I tried to drag my broken body off the bed to stop her, but she slammed her heel into my ribs, kicking me back against the headboard. Then she ran to the door and started screaming. Roman burst in seconds later. He didn’t look at me. He wrapped his arms around Tess. “Tess! What happened? Are you hurt?” My mother was right behind him. “Get her to the hospital! The baby!” There was no baby, but the panic was real. No one looked at me. No one saw the blood running down my forehead where Tess had kicked me. Tess buried her face in Roman’s chest, sobbing. “I just wanted to cheer Norah up… but she said… she said if she’s ruined, I should be too! She said she’d burn my face off! I was so scared…” Roman turned to me, his eyes blazing with hatred. “Are you insane? Tess came here out of kindness, and this is how you repay her? Look at yourself. You’re a monster, inside and out.” My mother shook her head, her expression one of utter revulsion. “I knew you were jealous, but this? You tried to burn your sister? You don’t deserve to be my daughter. Getting burned was exactly what you deserved.” They lifted Tess up and turned to leave. At the door, Roman glanced back at the fire climbing the curtains. He let out a cold laugh. “You like playing with fire so much? Enjoy it. Lock the door. No one opens it.” “No!” I screamed, forcing the sound through my damaged throat. “It wasn’t me! Roman, please!” The door slammed. The lock clicked. My mother hesitated in the hallway. “Roman… locking her in… is that safe?” “She started the fire; she obviously has an exit plan. She probably has an extinguisher hidden under the bed. She’s just manipulating us again.” Roman carried Tess to the car, speeding toward the hospital. It wasn’t until Tess was checked over and declared completely unharmed that he remembered me. He sighed, annoyed, and pulled out his phone. A news alert flashed on the screen: BREAKING: MASSIVE INFERNO AT WARD ESTATE. He frowned. Before he could dial, his phone rang. It was the house manager. “Let her out,” Roman snapped. “I’m sending the car around. We’re going on the honeymoon. Tell her I booked Paris.” The manager’s voice was trembling, barely human. “Sir… the fire… it was too fast. We couldn’t get to the door. The East Wing… it’s gone. Mrs. Ward… she…”

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I have a superpower. After killing someone, I can inherit their memories from the last three years. Before my SATs, I killed my genius boyfriend and got into my dream university. 1 When did I first discover this? When I was nine, my parents divorced. I was given to my mom. I loved my mom, but actually, I loved my dad more. I often secretly visited my dad to play with him. But one day, when I went to see him, I caught him kissing a woman. My parents avoided me when I was little; it was my first time seeing a man and a woman kissing. The woman’s lips were so red, red like she wanted to eat someone. I felt very angry. Even at a young age, I understood that Dad had done something wrong, which was why they divorced. Dad was a bad person. I angrily ran into Dad’s car and threw a lot of marbles inside. I wanted them to hurt Dad’s butt, wanted the woman to fall. But the marbles got stuck under the brake pedal, causing brake failure. The woman went into a coma, and Dad died on the spot. The police checked the surveillance and found that I put the marbles in the car. But a nine-year-old child didn’t understand anything and had no criminal liability. Plus, losing my father, I cried my heart out, completely broken. No one blamed me; everyone thought I was pitiful. But while crying, a lot of memories flooded into my mind. I saw the woman’s face in the memories. So Dad had done bad things that early. I saw Mom and Dad arguing, saw Dad secretly taking money from home. I saw the woman and Dad entangled, saw them disgustingly intertwined. I vomited. Mom and the police thought I was crying too hard and my body couldn’t take it. Only I knew, I felt disgusted. At such a young age, I saw two entangled beasts. 2 Unexpectedly, my sadness dissipated quickly. What lingered was disgust. At the same time, I realized my uniqueness. Little me dared not speak, grown-up me didn’t want to speak. As I slowly grew up, I realized what this ability meant. In middle school, I was in the same class as the neighbor’s girl, Zoey. We were very close. We went to school and back together, inseparable even to the bathroom. Teachers jokingly called us Siamese twins. Zoey didn’t have a great personality, but she was very pretty, much prettier than me. I sometimes heard people say, this is the princess and her little follower. I didn’t care much, but Zoey was always very proud. I think this is one of the reasons she had such a good relationship with me. People are always most unwilling to be outshone by those close to them. Zoey liked the feeling of suppressing me, which in a way also showed that she truly treated me as a close person. I was very good to Zoey, so good that she couldn’t leave me. Zoey’s grades were always better than mine, except for English. So I always wrote Zoey’s English homework for her, neatly. For small quizzes, as the English class representative, I helped the teacher grade papers in the office. At these times, I would secretly change a few answers for Zoey and add some points. Until this matter was discovered by the teacher. The English teacher didn’t blame me for changing grades but blamed Zoey instead. The English teacher always disliked the pretty and dressy Zoey, plus her English grades were indeed poor, so the teacher disliked her even more. “All day long, your mind isn’t on studying, but on these crooked ways!” “A girl like you won’t have a future.” Zoey’s eyes turned red instantly. She pushed the desk with a bang and ran out of the classroom. The English teacher snorted disdainfully at first, but seeing Zoey didn’t return for a long time, she got scared something might happen. She lectured for a while, then impatiently asked me to go check on Zoey. I knew where Zoey was. She was in the utility room next to the pantry on the third floor. Every time Zoey encountered something unhappy, she would hide there. I gently opened the door of the utility room, squeezed in, and shrank next to Zoey. Zoey didn’t look at me, and I didn’t look at Zoey. I understood her; she didn’t want me to see her in such a state. After sitting for a while, Zoey spoke. “I don’t like Mrs. Crabtree.” Mrs. Crabtree was our English teacher’s name. “I don’t like Mrs. Crabtree either.” I said, sharing her hatred. Hearing my childish words, she couldn’t help but smile. “Let’s go back.” “Okay.” Zoey and my relationship got better and better. 3 But sometimes I had to admit that learning is a matter of talent. I tried hard, but I really had no talent for studying. Zoey and I stayed together every day, spending almost the same amount of time studying. But Zoey’s grades were getting better and better, steadily rising in all subjects, even English was about to surpass me. Sometimes she would actively offer to tutor me, but I couldn’t understand at all. Mom would often compare me with Zoey. I didn’t want to disappoint Mom. I only had Mom. Seeing my grades not ideal, I was a little anxious. A vague, dark thought also appeared in my brain. What if I killed Zoey? If I killed Zoey, then I would have Zoey’s memories of middle school for these three years. There are many things you shouldn’t think about. Once a thought appears in your brain, it lingers. I had an idea. Just last year, the school installed new air conditioners with very good cooling effects. Many seniors cursed jokingly that the school installed AC as soon as they graduated. Zoey was short and always sat in the first or second row. And I sat in the fifth or sixth row. Summer was approaching, and the school also turned on the AC one after another. I often shouted that it was so hot, then walked to Zoey’s desk during breaks. While talking to Zoey, I would very naturally set the AC to 60 degrees Fahrenheit with high wind. When the class bell rang, I would leave. Sometimes Zoey remembered to adjust it back, sometimes not. So Zoey often blew cold wind for a whole class. A few days ago, I went shopping with Zoey. I said Mom asked me to stock up on some cold medicine and asked if she needed any. “Why buy cold medicine in the summer?” “My mom said I blow AC at home and in the classroom, and sweat outside. The temperature difference indoors is large, easy to catch a cold. She told me to buy some medicine just in case.” Zoey hesitated, thought it made sense, and bought the same medicine as me. Seeing Zoey blowing her nose and saying she had a headache. I knew my chance had come. After school, Zoey and I walked home together as usual. “Let’s go sit on the lawn by the riverbank for a while.” I suggested. 4 We often went there to relax and chat on the way home from school. This wasn’t strange. I pulled Zoey forward, specifically choosing a place captured by the nearby convenience store’s surveillance. I asked Zoey to open her backpack. Zoey opened it and saw two bottles of alcohol inside, looking like high-proof ones. She took the alcohol out of her bag. “Ta-da! My surprise for you!” “We’re about to become high schoolers. Don’t you want to try?” I turned sideways, covering my mouth with my hair. I understood Zoey. She was a girl with a bit of rebellion in her bones. Zoey’s parents were always strict with her. She just didn’t have the chance for deviant things, but she always yearned for them. Zoey held the alcohol and handed one bottle to me. I turned around, making a look of sudden regret and fear. I waved my hand. “Maybe forget it? Zoey, will your parents be angry?” Hearing this, Zoey got even more excited. “It’s okay, just try it!” I made a hesitant expression until Zoey forcefully handed one bottle to me. We talked a lot. We talked about recent exams, about the future, about the annoying English teacher, and about the evening sunset. She apologized to me. She said sometimes she couldn’t help but treat me as a little follower. She said I was her best friend, forever. I said yes. Seeing the time was about right, I patted Zoey’s shoulder and said we should go home. I didn’t drink much alcohol. Several times bringing it to my mouth were actually just light sips. Zoey looked a bit drunk, stumbling when standing up. I asked beforehand. Zoey’s mom had to work overtime recently, and her dad had the night shift. Zoey was alone at home. I looked at Zoey. “Zoey, bye-bye.” “See you tomorrow.” “By the way.” I smiled at her. “You have a bit of a cold today. Remember to take cold medicine when you go back.” Zoey nodded with a smile too. Under the sunset glow, her eyes seemed to hold gentle flames. I calmly returned home, had dinner with Mom, finished homework as usual. Then fell asleep peacefully. The next morning, I had a splitting headache. I found more memories in my brain. I knew I succeeded.

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I used to be a poor, proud girl who only wanted Julian Thorne’s love. But after he blacklisted me from the industry, I learned my lesson. I became obedient, accepting the resources he threw my way. I just didn’t love him anymore. Later, he got into a car accident and was hospitalized. I was at Fashion Week in Paris, and when I returned, I went straight to set to film. When he recovered and was discharged, he pinned me against the doorframe, eyes red. “I was in a car accident…” I looked at him, puzzled, and said nothing. He gritted his teeth, his eyes full of undisguised grievance. “You didn’t come to see me… not even once.” 1 I always knew Julian Thorne and I were worlds apart. I used to think I didn’t want the resources he offered. I thought we were just a normal couple. He was my boyfriend, and I was his girlfriend. I liked him, and he liked me. But later, he was the one who personally tore my fantasy to shreds. On the tenth day of being blacklisted by Julian, my agent, Lisa, knocked on my door again, looking disappointed. When I opened the door, her angry face softened into shock at my haggard appearance. She closed her eyes, sighed, and walked in. “Scarlett, can’t you see it yet? You and Julian Thorne are not from the same world. Who is he? He’s the CEO of Thorne Enterprises. Who are you? You’re a star with no background.” She sat heavily on the sofa, trying to talk some sense into me. I listened expressionlessly while pouring her water. “What love? Is there any love between you two? If there was, how could he blacklist you with a single order? Look at yourself. Look at how pathetic you look now.” She pulled a mirror out of her bag and forced me to look at my disheveled reflection. “Is it uglier than that day?” My voice was hoarse, every word squeezed out of my throat. I looked at my reflection without emotion. She knew I was talking about the day of the Best Actress awards. In the video that was mocked all over social media, I was smiling as the host announced the winner. Back then, I was confident I would win. But in the end, it wasn’t me. The camera clearly caught my unsightly expression. Projected on the big screen, even though I reacted quickly and forced a stiff smile while clapping, I couldn’t avoid being called a sore loser. Hearing this, Lisa sighed again and continued, “I told you long ago that you two aren’t suitable. I told you to seize the time, use his resources and connections while you’re young, and climb higher. That’s what’s useful.” “You’re just love-brained. You won’t listen to anything. You’re pissing me off…” Because I had been drinking a lot these past few days, my brain felt sluggish. I don’t know if it was because of that, but I didn’t feel any pain in my heart. Julian and I got together in high school. In that elite school filled with the smell of money, it was hard for someone with grades but no background. But Julian held up the sky for me. That evening, he sat next to me, absentmindedly playing with my hair while I looked down and wrote. He suddenly leaned in, looking at me with burning eyes and a bright smile. “Hey, straight-A student, wanna date?” The bright, clear eyes of the teenager overlapped with the man who looked down at me with cold eyes in the garden years later. “Scarlett Brooks, don’t regret this.” The “don’t regret this” he referred to was when I accidentally heard him say behind a door that he and I had no future, and I cried and broke up with him. I used my ridiculous pride to maintain the so-called equal love between us. He often smiled and said I just needed to tell him what resources I wanted; I didn’t need to work so hard to fight for them. I liked to hug him, burying my face in his solid chest, poking him unhappily. “I don’t want that. I want to fight for it with my own efforts. That way, people won’t think I’m with you for impure motives.” Every time, he would helplessly pat my head. Now, I smiled, tears hitting the floor. To hell with love. … That night, I went to the “home” we used to share. I wore a black lace slip dress and sat calmly on the bed. Many decorations in the room were cute and colorful. A few plushies lay quietly on the sofa, just as they were when I left. Every inch here had traces of our love. There was surveillance in the living room, and my fingerprint hadn’t been deleted. He knew I would come back to find him. Just like he said to me back then, Scarlett Brooks, you will regret this. Yes, I regretted it. I regretted being so stupid back then, wanting some pure love. Before long, the sound of a car driving in came from downstairs. When I came back to my senses, the bedroom door had been opened. Julian stood at the door in a black haute couture suit, looking at me silently. My eyelashes trembled, and Lisa’s words echoed in my ears. “People in their circle will only marry someone of equal status in the end. Stop fantasizing about your so-called love. What is love? Can you eat it or spend it? He never thought about marrying you from the beginning. Silly girl, wake up.” I bit my lip, stepped on the floor barefoot, and walked towards him. I stopped in front of him. Reaching out to unbutton his suit jacket, he didn’t speak or stop me, just looked down at me. In the past, when we had a conflict, I would wait for him to come back, hug his waist and shake him. “Don’t be mad, don’t be mad.” He was a head taller than me. I stood on tiptoes and struggled to take off his jacket. Then I unbuttoned his shirt one by one. Inside revealed the firm chest muscles and abs of an adult male. I looked up at him, meeting eyes filled with desire. Then I lightly touched his bare chest with my lips. I wanted to reach out and undo his belt. The man’s breath hitched, and I felt weightless. He picked me up, placed me gently on the bed, and pressed down. He lowered his head and kissed my forehead, his voice hoarse. “Do you know you were wrong?” Hearing this, I lowered my eyes to hide the emotions, pursed my lips, and softly said “Mm.” I don’t know if my obedient appearance pleased him, but he grabbed my hand and placed it on the belt at his waist. Touching the cold metal, he nibbled my earlobe, his Adam’s apple rolling. “Undo it.” 2 When everything returned to calm, listening to the man’s even breathing beside me. I stared at the dark ceiling with open eyes, reached out to remove the man’s arm around me. Finally, I closed my eyes heavily. … The first project I got after my comeback was an S+ level historical drama. I sat in the RV, looking at the script in my hand. I thought: What was I being so high and mighty about before? Before, I was unwilling to please Julian, or rather, unwilling to please him for resources. Even when I first debuted and had no resources, running as an extra between various crews, I never thought of asking. I fantasized that if a drama exploded in the future and I leaped to become an A-list star, would his family change their opinion of me? I just forgot, wealthy families would only see me as an actress. No matter the status, just an actress. Really poor, fake high and mighty. The first snow in New York fell exceptionally early this year. I sat under the shed holding a hand warmer, reading the script. Suddenly, Lisa exclaimed, “Scarlett, look over there.” I looked over. Julian, wearing a black coat, was walking towards me step by step through the snow. Seeing him, I hid the coldness in my eyes, put on a surprised look, and then got up and ran over. He smiled and opened his arms to hug me full. I looked up and asked him softly, “Didn’t you say you’d be back tomorrow?” He brushed the snow off my head, then lowered his head to kiss the corner of my mouth. “A surprise for you.” I just smiled and said nothing. After a while, he said to me, “I’ll pick you up tonight to hang out.” Hearing this, I came out of his arms and said, “But I usually have to film until early morning, and with the recent snow scene, every crew is…” Before I could finish, he reached out and pinched my face. “I’ve already spoken to the director.” For a moment, my mouth was open, but I couldn’t say anything. Finally, I smiled and nodded. “I’ll listen to you.” In the evening, we went to a private room. The people inside were familiar faces. I had seen them in high school. They were Julian’s childhood friends. Before, I always wanted to gain their approval and tried my best to please them. Now, I sat quietly next to Julian. Too lazy to care about the various looks they exchanged. After a while, the protagonist of this gathering arrived. A woman walked in wearing a red trailing haute couture gown. It was Vanessa Cole. She was also the future mistress of the Thorne family in their mouths. She later went abroad for college. She just glanced at me lightly and sat next to Julian. A man teased her, “How come you got prettier after a trip abroad?” As soon as he said this, everyone started talking. Vanessa smiled and responded, “Oh, stop teasing me.” Then she turned her head and asked Julian coquettishly, “Is what they said true, Julian?” I looked down and drank my soda, not looking at Julian’s expression, only hearing a soft “Mm” at the end. After the dishes were served, I continued to eat with my head down. They talked about their childhood. I didn’t know them back then. Before, I would always feel sad because I couldn’t join the conversation and didn’t understand their tacit understanding. Not anymore. I don’t know who said, “Julian used to say Vanessa could only marry him back then.” Then, the private room fell dead silent. In the entertainment industry for so many years, I often emptied myself and deliberately didn’t listen to what I didn’t want to hear. Over time, it became a habit. When I felt the quiet atmosphere in the private room, I looked up in confusion. But I bumped into Julian’s dark eyes. Being with him for so many years, I could easily guess his emotions from his subtle expressions. He was unhappy right now. I didn’t know why he was unhappy. Then I heard Vanessa’s voice. “Oh, what nonsense are you talking about? Didn’t you see Julian’s girlfriend is still here?” I had a polite smile on my face, looked at Vanessa who had no apology on her face, felt nothing in my heart, mostly indifferent. I haven’t been Julian’s girlfriend for a long time. I’m a canary. A relationship between a canary and a sugar daddy that doesn’t require emotional investment. After returning to the villa that night, Julian drank some wine and smelled faintly of alcohol. This night, he was exceptionally rough, his upturned peach blossom eyes full of anger. I didn’t know what he was angry about. At first, I could still lift my waist to cater to him, but later it turned into crying and begging him to stop. 3 In the days that followed, I sent Julian a few WeChat messages, but he ignored me. I was too lazy to send more. I focused on filming. Due to the distance, I stayed in a hotel. One day, I was squatting on the ground making a snowman when Lisa ran over regardless of her image in a long down jacket, holding her phone. She handed it to me. The number one trending topic was: A Match Made in Heaven for the Wealthy. She clicked in, and the first thing visible was a picture of a woman holding a man’s arm. The background was magnificent; they must be attending some banquet. Vanessa’s beauty was bright and atmospheric. In the picture, she wore a gold dress, outlining her good figure, hair up, eyes gentle as water. Julian wore a black suit, tall and slender, with a seemingly nonexistent smile on his lips. I smiled and said, “They are indeed a good match.” I withdrew my gaze. If there wasn’t an extra me, it would probably be a beautiful story. However, whether there was an extra me or not, they would eventually be together. Just like in novels, the vicious female supporting character will always leave the stage, and the male and female leads will always end up together. Netizens are always particularly enthusiastic about wealthy families. Someone posted a very blurry photo, saying it was Julian and Vanessa. That day, I had just finished filming a night scene and got in the car. My agent held her phone all the way, frowning, staring at the phone as if trying to bore a hole in it. I leaned back slightly and closed my eyes. She suddenly reached out, pointed at the blurry photo on the phone, and asked me, “Is this you?” Hearing this, I opened my eyes leisurely and glanced at it casually. Seeing it clearly, I paused. This magnified, blurry picture should be under the light rail in Seattle. Back then, I went to Seattle to film, and he went there because of problems with cooperation abroad, staying for three months. Seattle was hot. The evening breeze by the river carried heat. I wore a loose tank top, blowing a small fan, and wanted to call him during the break. Afraid of disturbing his work, I took pictures of the river scenery for him and told him it was really beautiful and fun here. I sat on a small stool, looking down at the script, and drank a mouthful of ice-cold milk tea. Suddenly a shadow fell on the paper. I looked up in confusion. Julian, wearing a black T-shirt, looked down at me with a smile, the evening breeze blowing his slightly curly hair. Just then, the light rail whizzed by. I jumped up excitedly and hugged him. “You’re back.” “Didn’t you say it would take some time?” He held my waist with one hand, touched his forehead to mine, eyes smiling. “Isn’t this because someone said they wanted to use magic to bring me to your side?” “Magic appeared.” “Oh my.” My ears turned a bit red at his words, but not seeing him for so long, I really missed him. I bit my lip, unable to hide the joy in my eyes, signaling him to lower his head. He chuckled and obediently lowered his head. I smiled and asked him, “Did you miss me?” He smiled and nodded. “Mm.” Hearing this, my eyes curved into a smile, and I turned my head to kiss the corner of his lips. The picture froze here. It should be a netizen casually taking a picture of the light rail, and we standing under the light rail got into the frame. “Mm.” I responded and turned to look out the window. Outside, traffic flowed, neon lights rose, reflecting on the car window, overwhelming. From seventeen to twenty-six, I really thought we would make it to the end, get married, and have a child. But while I was thinking about our future, Julian had already thought it through and come up with the answer. Marrying me wasn’t worth it. 4 Julian and Vanessa were trending again today. The trending topic was: Thorne CEO drops 3 million just to make beauty smile. Just then, I had wrapped up filming and returned to the villa. I took a shower and lay in bed to sleep. When I woke up, it was completely dark outside. Julian had come back at some point and fallen asleep holding me. He slept lightly. I slowly turned over. Then, the arm around my waist tightened, his chest pressed against me, voice raspy. “Awake?” “Mm.” I responded softly, turned over, then opened my eyes with a smile, rubbing my head against his neck. “Julian, Director Zhang is filming a drama recently. I want to be the female lead.” His dark eyes stared at me, thoughts unknown. “Okay? Hmm?” I hugged his lean waist, looking at him expectantly with big eyes. Suddenly, he turned over and pinned me under him, looking at me with a half-smile. I thought for a moment, reached out to hook his neck, stared at his lips, and was about to kiss him. He got up abruptly, picked up the jacket beside him with a cold face, and walked out. I sat up in confusion, watching his sudden change, ran out of bed barefoot, and hugged him from behind. Muffled, I said, “What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly so angry?” Silence filled the huge room. My head rested on his back, a bit baffled. Did he get angry at Vanessa and come to vent on me? “Don’t you have anything to ask me?” “Huh?” He turned around and asked me an even more inexplicable question, staring at me intently. “Do you still love me?” “Mm, how could I not love you?” I lied without blinking, smiling to please my sugar daddy. But he didn’t seem very happy, just hugging me tightly, listening to the sound of his heart rising and falling. Then I heard him whisper, “Is that so?” I had a few days off. Julian didn’t give me a definite answer to what I asked last time. I sat on the sofa frowning, looking upstairs. Didn’t he say he would give me whatever resources I wanted except love? He wouldn’t even give me the female lead in a drama, let alone anything else. If he gets engaged to Vanessa in the future, I really won’t get anything. My eyes rolled. I suddenly remembered the picture my agent showed me last time. Whether that blurry figure was Vanessa or not, netizens didn’t know, but would those who knew Vanessa not know? “Sis, go do something for me.” I took out my phone and said with a smile to my agent opposite. I said, “Don’t worry, nothing will happen.” In this circle, I have seen many couples who were envied from the beginning. They never stingy about expressing love in front of the camera and in private, but in the end, they drifted apart in the fame and fortune field. This lesson of growing up, I think I’m going to graduate. When Mrs. Thorne blocked me in the dressing room, I had expected it. Compared to the panicked looks of my agent and the little assistant, I smiled and waved for them to go out. The exquisitely dressed wealthy lady looked me over coldly and let the bodyguards beside her go out. “Scarlett Brooks?” She called my name disdainfully and sat on the sofa. “Good tricks, even I was fooled.” I smiled. “Auntie, I don’t understand what you mean.” “Heh.” She sneered, throwing a picture on the table with a snap. “The woman in this is you, right? And you were the one who tried every means to let me see the photo, weren’t you?” Then, her index finger wearing an emerald ring tapped on the table. “Since you came to me, state your conditions.” Mrs. Thorne stared at me sharply. “Conditions for leaving my son.” I knew when to stop, opened my mouth slightly, and said softly, “I want resources that can make me an A-list superstar. All of them.” As soon as this was said, the dressing room fell silent for a time. She looked at me with a smile, her eyes cold. “Believe it or not, I can make Scarlett Brooks disappear from the entertainment industry tomorrow.” “I believe it, but Julian won’t. He likes me.” I hooked my red lips and smiled. “Auntie, we’ve been together since we were seventeen. No matter what, he won’t ignore me.” Hearing this, Mrs. Thorne’s face obviously darkened a bit. After a while, she said to me coldly, “I can promise you, but you must also do one thing for me.” I answered crisply, “Okay.” “You haven’t asked what I want you to do?” I tilted my head. “Doesn’t Madam want Julian and Vanessa to be together?” She was stunned for a moment hearing me speak without hesitation, then smiled and said, “Talking to smart people is easy.” She picked up her bag elegantly. “I’ll be waiting for Miss Brooks’ good news. After all, the plane for Fashion Week the day after tomorrow won’t wait.” I hooked the corners of my mouth. “Goodbye, Madam.” Compared to a woman who only wants love, a woman who wants money and benefits will make this wealthy lady more assured.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “390738”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel