Category: English

“The first name on the layoff list was mine.” Helen from HR slid the paper across the desk toward me. Her nail tapped the surface. “Lydia, just sign it. We’re giving you N+1 months’ pay. It’s more than fair.” I glanced down. Employee ID 0217, Lydia. Position: Highly replaceable. The project was worth over a million dollars. I had written all 470,000 lines of code myself. “Okay.” I picked up the pen and signed my name. Helen blinked, probably surprised by how easily I agreed. “Well… about the handover. Please get it done as soon as possible.” “Okay.” I stood up and smiled. What she didn’t know was this: all the code was on my machine. The variable names were in abbreviated Spanish. The comments were lines from obscure poetry. 1. When I joined the company three years ago, there were only two people on this project team. Me and Mark. Back then, Mark wasn’t the team lead. Our desks were next to each other. He handled the front-end, and I handled the back-end. The project was called the “CloudStow Warehouse System,” a major contract for the company. The client was the largest logistics firm in the region, and the deal was worth just over a million dollars. “Lydia, how’s your Java?” That was the first thing Mark ever asked me. “It’s alright.” “How alright is ‘alright’?” I thought for a moment. “I’ve probably written around two hundred thousand lines.” Mark’s eyes lit up. “Great. You take the core modules.” “And you?” “I’ll handle the product meetings, nail down the requirements.” At the time, it seemed perfect. He wasn’t great at coding, and I wasn’t great at dealing with people. We complemented each other. It was only later I understood that “complementing each other” was just another way of saying: you do the work, he takes the credit. In the first month, I wrote thirty thousand lines of code. Mark wrote a PowerPoint deck. The first slide read: CloudStow System Technical Architecture Report — Mark. I asked him, “Shouldn’t my name be on there too?” Mark said, “You’re so good at coding, the execs will definitely remember you. The PowerPoint is just a formality.” I believed him. The second month, the CTO came to check on our progress. Mark stood in front of the projector, speaking with animated enthusiasm. He threw around terms like “architecture decoupling,” “high-availability design,” and “microservices decomposition.” He said the words more smoothly than I ever could. When he finished, the CTO nodded. “Good work, Mark.” Then he turned to him. “Do you need more people on the technical side?” Mark said, “No need. I can handle it.” I was sitting right there. The CTO didn’t even glance in my direction. At the time, I thought, It’s fine. I’m a tech person. I don’t need the spotlight. As long as the code is good, that’s what matters. Looking back, I was so naive. The third month, the team expanded. Two new graduates joined us. HR told me, “Lydia, you’re our best developer. Could you mentor the new hires?” I said sure. Their names were Sam and Rick. Fresh out of college, they still had that spark in their eyes. Sam asked me, “Lydia, are you the lead on this project? The code is beautiful.” I smiled. “Not the lead. It’s a team effort.” “But I checked the Git history. You made 80% of the commits.” Mark happened to be walking by and overheard. He clapped Sam on the shoulder. “A lot of commits doesn’t mean a lot of contribution, understand? Writing code is the basic work. The hard part is the architectural design and project management.” Sam looked at him, then back at me, and didn’t say another word. The fourth month, the project went live. During the client acceptance meeting, Mark wore a suit and stood at the head of the conference room, confidently addressing a room full of people. I was in my plaid shirt, sitting in the back row, debugging the system. The client asked, “What happens if we see a huge spike in concurrent users?” Mark replied, “Don’t worry, we’ve implemented a comprehensive load-balancing design.” The client asked again, “What’s the data backup strategy?” Mark said, “Incremental backups with off-site disaster recovery.” Every single term he used was something I had written in the technical documentation. The night we got sign-off, the department went out for dinner. Our director raised his glass. “For this project, Mark’s contribution was indispensable.” Mark lifted his glass, all humility. “It was mainly good teamwork. I just did a bit of coordination.” No one mentioned my name. I drank a lot that night. On the way home, my roommate asked, “Why so much to drink? Did you get a promotion?” “No.” “A raise?” “No.” “Then what are you celebrating?” I stood under a streetlight, looking at my own shadow. “I don’t know.” The fifth month, the company went through a reorganization. Mark was promoted to team lead. The reason given was his “outstanding performance and management potential demonstrated on the CloudStow project.” He got his own office, a better desk, and an extra five hundred dollars a month in a management stipend. I was still in the same corner, at a desk not much bigger than an intern’s. HR sat me down for my annual review. “Lydia, your salary increase this year is 3%.” I asked, “What about Mark?” HR paused. “I’m… not at liberty to disclose that.” I later heard from Sam that Mark got a 12% raise. I wrote 80% of the code and got a 3% raise. He wrote 100% of the PowerPoints and got a 12% raise. Seemed fair. The sixth month, another new grad, Chris, joined. HR told me, “Lydia, you’re on.” So I mentored him. The first day, I showed him how to set up his development environment. The second day, I taught him how to read the codebase. The third day, he asked me, “Lydia, how much do you make?” I said, “Why do you ask?” “My offer was for $95k. I’m just curious what I can expect to make after three years.” I went quiet for a moment. I made $92k. A fresh graduate was making more than me. That night, for the first time, I couldn’t sleep. At three in the morning, staring at the ceiling, I asked myself: What am I even doing this for? I was the best programmer. I wrote the most code. I mentored the most people. But when it came to promotions, I was overlooked. For raises, I was forgotten. They didn’t even invite me to the team-building events. I remembered the team outing last week. Sam posted pictures on Instagram. A dozen people from the department at a barbecue joint in the countryside. Mark had his arm around a new intern, smiling broadly. I asked Mark about it. “Why wasn’t I invited to the team thing?” Mark said, “Weren’t you fixing that bug? I figured you were busy, so I didn’t want to bother you.” “Just let me know next time.” “Sure, sure. Next time, definitely.” Next time was always next time. 2. The seventh month was the annual performance review. Everyone had to write a year-end summary and present it to the entire department for ten minutes. I wrote an 8-slide deck. CloudStow Warehouse System core module development. 470,000 lines of code. 127 version iterations. 120,000 average daily orders processed. Mark wrote a 35-slide deck. The title was: From 0 to 1: How I Led a Team to Deliver a Million-Dollar Project. He stood on the stage, his delivery full of passion and emotion. “When this project first started, there were only two of us. Me and Lydia.” He said my name. I was a little surprised. “Lydia was responsible for the foundational code implementation, while I was responsible for the overall technical architecture and project management.” Foundational code implementation. He called 470,000 lines of code “foundational code implementation.” He continued, “We faced many challenges, but under my coordination, the team overcame every hurdle, one by one.” He said “my coordination” five times. He said “team collaboration” three times. He never mentioned my name again. The CTO listened, then nodded. “Mark, your management skills have improved significantly.” Then it was my turn. I stood on stage and got through my 8 slides in four minutes. The CTO asked, “Lydia, how are the coding standards?” I said, “Every function is commented, and all naming conventions follow camel case.” The CTO asked again, “What about unit test coverage?” I said, “82%.” The CTO nodded and said nothing more. When the final performance ratings came out, Mark got an ‘A’. I got a ‘B+’. “Lydia, your annual bonus multiplier is 1.2,” HR said. “And Mark’s?” HR didn’t answer. I found out later that Mark’s multiplier was 2.5. My bonus was $18,000. His was $50,000. Same project, same department, same year. He got $32,000 more than I did. That night, I sat alone at my desk until 11 PM. Sam messaged me. “Lydia, why are you still here?” I replied, “Fixing a bug.” “What bug?” “A bug in my head.” Sam sent back a question mark. I didn’t reply. The eighth month, the system had a major crash. At two in the morning, the client called. Thirty thousand orders had vanished from the database. My phone blew up. Mark called me: “Lydia, figure out what’s wrong!” The client called me: “Lydia, can the data be recovered?” The CTO called me: “This is a production incident! It has to be solved tonight!” I crawled out of bed and opened my laptop. I went through the logs line by line, checked the code block by block. At 3:30 AM, I found the cause. It was a configuration file Mark had changed last week. He’d entered the wrong parameter for the database connection pool. I took a screenshot, ready to post it in the group chat. Then I hesitated and deleted it. I spent the next two hours writing a data recovery script, pulling all thirty thousand orders from the backup database. At 5:30 AM, the data was fully restored. I messaged Mark: “It’s fixed.” He replied instantly: “Great! Thanks for your hard work.” Then he sent a message to the group chat: “Good morning, leadership. The incident from last night has been resolved. After investigation, it was a configuration conflict caused by a temporary server expansion. Lydia and I have completed the data recovery work together. We will optimize our deployment process to prevent similar issues in the future.” “Lydia and I together.” I had worked alone for three and a half hours. He had slept through the night. He called that “together.” The next day, the CTO praised him in the main company chat: “Regarding last night’s incident, Mark’s handling was decisive and minimized the losses.” Mark replied: “It was all thanks to great teamwork.” No one asked who was the person writing code at three in the morning. I sat at my desk, reading the messages, and suddenly felt so tired. Not physically tired. It was the kind of exhaustion that leaves a hollow space in your chest. Sam quietly asked me, “Lydia, why didn’t you tell them you did it all by yourself?” I said, “What good would that do?” “At least… management would know.” “And then what?” Sam fell silent. 3. The ninth month, a new project manager joined the company. Her name was Sarah. She was in her mid-thirties and had previously worked at a major tech firm. On her first day, she came over to talk to me. “You’re Lydia, right? I heard you wrote the CloudStow system.” I said, “Not just me. It was a team effort.” “I looked at the Git history. 80% of it is you.” I was taken aback. She smiled. “I judge people by their work, not their PowerPoints.” In that moment, I felt like I was going to cry. Three years. For the first time, someone actually saw me. But Sarah was just a project manager. She had no say in the engineering department. The tenth month, Phase Two of the CloudStow project was kicking off. The client added another $200,000 to the budget for a new intelligent scheduling system. In the planning meeting, Mark beat his chest. “My team can do this. Give me three months.” The CTO asked, “Who’s handling the technical design?” Mark said, “I’ll oversee it, and Lydia will be responsible for the specific implementation.” There it was again. He oversees, I implement. He presents, I work overtime. I said nothing. Back at my desk, I started writing the technical design document. Two weeks later, it was done. 42 pages. Mark glanced at it. “Looks good. I’ll just add some management perspective and then run it by the CTO.” His “management perspective” was changing “Lydia will be responsible for development” to “The technical team will be responsible for development.” And adding his name to the cover. I didn’t say a word. The eleventh month, Phase Two development was in full swing. That month, I worked 120 hours of overtime. An average of four extra hours every single day. My longest stretch was 38 consecutive hours. I slept on a cot at the office. And how many hours did Mark work? Eight. All of them were spent taking clients out to dinner. At the end of the month, the CTO came to check on our progress. Mark opened the Jira board. “Sir, as you can see, all tasks are proceeding according to plan.” The CTO asked, “Who wrote the algorithm for the intelligent scheduling?” Mark said, “I designed the framework, and the team implemented it together.” I sat nearby, typing on my keyboard, not saying a single word. The CTO glanced at me. “Lydia, how’s the coding coming along?” I said, “The core module is 80% complete.” “And the quality?” “Unit test coverage is at 85%. No production bugs so far.” The CTO nodded, saying nothing more. Then he looked back at Mark. “Mark, I’m recommending you for this year’s Employee of the Year award.” Mark smiled humbly. “Thank you, sir. It’s really all thanks to the team’s hard work.” That night, I sat alone at a convenience store downstairs until one in the morning. I bought a can of beer but never opened it. 4. The twelfth month, the year-end layoff list was released. Two spots from the engineering department. HR called me in for a talk. “Lydia, the company isn’t doing well right now, as you know.” “Are you saying you’re laying me off?” “It’s not a layoff, it’s a workforce optimization. We’re giving you N+1 months’ pay. It’s more than fair.” I looked at her face and suddenly wanted to laugh. “Why me?” “Lydia, it’s a tough economic climate. The company has no choice.” “I’m asking, why me.” HR hesitated. “Your position has been deemed… highly replaceable.” Highly replaceable. 470,000 lines of code. A million-dollar project. I was the only person in the entire company who could maintain it. “Highly replaceable.” “Who said that?” HR didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. I knew who it was. I went to find Mark. He was in his office, staring at his computer. I knocked. “Mark.” He looked up. His face held an expression I couldn’t quite place. “Lydia. You heard?” “I want to know why it was me.” Mark sighed, putting on a show of reluctance. “Lydia, I didn’t make the list. It came from upper management.” “Who submitted the recommendation list?” He was silent for a second. “It was a departmental discussion.” “And the result of this discussion was to lay off the person who wrote 80% of the code?” Mark’s tone shifted. “Lydia, don’t try to take all the credit. The code is a team product, not your personal achievement.” I stared into his eyes. “Then what about the team lead position? The 12% raise? The ‘A’ performance rating? Was that the team’s, or was it just yours?” He didn’t speak. “Three years, Mark. I was the one working overtime. I was the one fixing the bugs. I was the one writing the code. But the credit was yours, the bonus was yours, and the promotion was yours.” “And now, the layoff is mine.” Mark leaned back in his chair, his voice turning cold. “Lydia, I know you feel it’s unfair. But have you ever considered why you ended up in this position?” “Go on.” “Because you don’t know how to sell yourself.” He looked at me, enunciating every word. “What good is writing great code if management never sees it? Did you really think you could get promoted just by keeping your head down and working? You’re too naive.” “In this industry, there are tons of people who can do the work. The hard part? It’s making people see your value.” He stood up and patted my shoulder. “Lydia, I’m telling you this for your own good. You have the skills, but your communication, your presentation abilities… they need work.” I pushed his hand away. “Are you finished, Mark?” “Yes.” “Then let me tell you something.” I looked him straight in the eye, my voice perfectly calm. “The core code of the CloudStow system has no useful documentation.”

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The cold medicine Kellan gave me was burning a hole in my gut. Victoria, the eldest, a Chief of Surgery known as “The Top Scalpel of Manhattan,” declared I needed an immediate stomach pump. Aaliyah, my childhood sweetheart and fiancée, was screaming, her voice raw. “I just want my husband back!” My three sisters’ eyes were raw with unshed tears. “It’s okay, Dev. Sleep it off. We have the best doctors and the best meds right here.” In that moment of searing, agonizing pain, I was overwhelmingly grateful that the people who loved me were all around me. Then, as I waited for the anesthesia to kick in, I heard their voices just outside the door. Victoria’s tone carried a chilling, almost excited edge. “Devon is perfectly healthy, and his blood type and age are an exact match. This is a rare opportunity. We’ll just perform the heart transplant for Kellan while we’re at it.” Sasha, the CEO, agreed immediately. “I’ll make sure all the evidence is destroyed. Devon won’t ever know.” Elise, the pharmaceutical professor, chimed in, her voice clinical. “I’ll go back to the lab and formulate a highly potent suppressant. It will ensure Devon doesn’t suffer when we replace the faulty heart.” A long moment of silence passed before Aaliyah’s voice, thick with relief, cut through the quiet. “Kellan genuinely needs a strong heart to achieve his music dreams, and as for Devon… we can just shower him with compensation later… I’ll sign the surgical consent form now.” I felt as if my entire body had been plunged into an icy bath. My chest constricted, a phantom pain that felt as if someone had already gutted me and brutally ripped the organ out. At that moment, a familiar yet strangely detached electronic voice cut in: [ALERT! Monitoring a threat to the Host’s life force!] [Final confirmation: Are you truly willing to forfeit all rewards and remain in this world?] I laughed, a silent, internal sob. This time, their counterfeit love couldn’t hold me here anymore. … I tried to thrash and roll off the bed, but the nurse expertly shoved the intubation tube down my throat and nose as a massive dose of anesthetic flooded my system. Before my consciousness completely fractured into darkness, I saw him being wheeled in: Kellan, the cherished adopted younger brother who had poisoned me—my heart failure was meant to be his salvation. Victoria, scalpel in hand, gave the nurses a chilling instruction. “Forget about Devon for now. Prep his heart for Kellan’s transplant.” I felt the knife’s edge bite through layers of tissue, and in my last fragment of wakefulness, I heard Tori’s murmur. “Just hold on, Kellan. When you wake up, you’ll finally be able to shine on stage.” When I regained lucidity, my first thought was to confirm with the System. [If my physical body dies, I return to my original world, my heart condition cured, and I get a hundred million dollars, right?] [Confirmed.] The bitter irony of it was hilarious. I had agreed to cross over and “save” these four women fifteen years ago because I couldn’t afford to treat my own congenital heart disease. And now, the four women I spent fifteen years saving were trading my heart out for a sick one. I didn’t hesitate. I ripped the oxygen tube from my face. Breathing instantly became a desperate, agonizing struggle. My throat tightened as if it were being choked, and no amount of air would reach my lungs. My face went purple; I was seconds from suffocation. Yet, a faint, peaceful smile touched my lips. Death was a blessing. I wouldn’t have to live another day facing their exquisite lie of love. The heart monitor screamed a frantic, piercing alarm. My three sisters and Aaliyah burst through the door with a team of nurses. “Devon!” they screamed. Tori immediately performed CPR, saving my life. Once the oxygen mask was back in place, her eyes were bloodshot as she roared. “Are you insane? Why would you pull out your oxygen tube?” Aaliyah knelt by the bed, tears streaming down her face as she slapped herself repeatedly. “Blame me, Devon. It was my fault. I asked Kellan to bring you the medicine that day.” “I thought it was just for your cold. I didn’t realize you were severely allergic and that the toxins attacked your heart directly.” “But don’t worry, darling. Tori is the best doctor in the country. She’ll fix you.” She crawled toward me on her knees, desperately gripping my hand. “I’ve already had the consulting doctor punished—she’s been blacklisted from the industry. Don’t blame Kellan, and don’t do this to yourself. You have so many people who love you!” Seeing my silence, Sasha spoke, her voice strained. “She’s right, Dev. I’ve already contacted every hospital overseas. We’ll find a suitable donor heart for you, fast.” Elise gently patted my arm. “I’m heading back to the lab now. I’ll develop a customized treatment plan that will have you breathing easy and back to normal soon.” I felt a profound, chilling cold. How utterly pathetic. They thought a few flimsy lies would erase the fact that Kellan poisoned me, that they planned to steal my heart, and that they had already begun the surgical process. A mocking smile stretched across my lips as I looked at the four women surrounding my bed. “Where is Kellan? I want to ask him myself.” Tori’s brows furrowed. “You’re still going to blame Kellan? He had a massive heart episode from the guilt, and we barely saved him by rushing to find an emergency donor.” Elise, who had doted on me the most since I was a child, rushed to intervene. “Sweetheart, stop this now. Focus on getting well. Tori saved Kellan; she’ll fix you too.” I let out a soft, dry laugh. “How convenient. Surgery at the same time, my heart fails, and Kellan just happened to find a donor?” The room fell into a heavy, dead silence. “Devon…” Tori began, her face unreadable. I was too exhausted for their lies. I forced another small smile. “Just kidding. Go check on Kellan. I’m happy he’s better, too.” My sisters froze, wanting to argue, but I simply pulled the blanket over my head. When I uncovered my face, the sisters were gone, but Aaliyah remained, her eyes filled with guilt. I smiled blandly. “Go check on him for me, please. Tell me how my little brother is doing when you get back.” She finally turned and left, her steps quick and decisive. Finally alone, I slowly exhaled. My hand trembled as I unlocked my phone. Before the surgery, I had used the single wish the System owed me to retrieve two video clips. I watched the clips, my gaze fixed on the screen, compulsively replaying the moment they conspired to replace my heart. I watched Tori’s cold, professional removal of my heart and its careful placement into Kellan. The blood in my veins ran ice cold. I felt a sudden, fierce gratitude that I hadn’t died just yet. Because leaving them this easily would be too kind. During my hospitalization, they ensured one of them was with me every day, but they’d always rush off. I assumed they were truly busy. One day, needing the restroom, I found myself unattended. I unhooked my IV stand and slowly shuffled toward the bathroom. Passing a room, I glanced through the window and saw Aaliyah, who had rushed off to a crucial board meeting, carefully feeding a gourmet potsticker to Kellan. My three “swamped” sisters were also there, watching him with indulgent smiles. Tori’s voice, though firm, was loving. “Kellan, you can’t pig out just because you’re recovering. Those potstickers are too rich.” Kellan playfully tugged on her pristine lab coat and whined sweetly. “I can’t help it! Sasha’s cooking is the best.” He then complained. “It’s annoying having all of you hovering around me every day. I can’t even sneak any extra treats.” I dug my nails into my palm, forcing a self-deprecating smile. I had been eating bland, takeout congee for days. Kellan was getting gourmet meals, personally cooked by Sasha, surrounded by all of them. I turned stiffly to return to my room, only to overhear a hushed conversation between two nurses outside the station. “I heard the Maxwells’ actual son is the one I’m taking care of. Doctor Maxwell is ruthless—she specifically told me to keep him on a strict regimen of nutrient injections. She’s keeping him healthy to use as a walking blood bank, in case Master Kellan has a severe rejection reaction and needs a full-body blood exchange.” I froze mid-step. The incisions on my chest and abdomen felt like they were tearing open again. The pain was paralyzing. How did it come to this? I remember a time when a simple scrape would send Tori into a panic. She had gone to medical school specifically to ensure she could take better care of me. Sasha and Elise were no different. When I first arrived, my health was frail, and I was constantly sick. When I was near death once, they had walked up the steps of the city’s grandest cathedral on their knees, praying for my health and offering massive charitable donations for good karma. After I recovered, Sasha, who had been an aimless socialite, plunged into the business world, desperately building a fortune to pay for my treatments. Elise abandoned her art studies and switched to pharmacology, aiming to formulate a better, less bitter medication for me. To accrue more good fortune, they even rescued Aaliyah Stone, a brilliant but penniless orphan caught in a blizzard, and brought her into our lives. The entire city knew that Devon Maxwell was born under a lucky star, having three sisters who worshipped the ground he walked on and Aaliyah, the tech prodigy, who was his devoted fiancée. As an orphan, I had desperately clung to this overwhelming, intoxicating affection. After completing the System’s mission to “save” them, I refused the reward, choosing to stay with my sisters and Aaliyah. But then Kellan arrived. The day they brought him home, my three sisters hugged me and swore. “Devon, he just looks so much like Dad, and he has the same heart defect. We can’t just ignore him.” “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’re adopting him to bring you good karma. You’re still our one and only center of the universe.” I believed them. I genuinely wanted to embrace him. To show my goodwill, I gave him my room. I always reminded the sisters to bring him a gift when they traveled. Feeling bad that his heart condition kept him from doing much, I even brought him along on most of Aaliyah’s and my dates. Gradually, Kellan cemented his place in the family. He’d proactively charm the sisters for favors and gifts. He’d playfully bicker with Aaliyah. But slowly, subtly, their attitude toward me began to shift. If Kellan stumbled near me, Tori would immediately snap, “Did you hurt Kellan?” Sasha, on the rare occasion she cooked, made only Kellan’s favorite spicy Sichuan dishes. Elise’s research priority shifted to creating a miracle cure for Kellan’s heart. Even Aaliyah, during an argument, snapped. “Why can’t you be more like your brother and just ask me for what you want?” And finally… they conspired to steal my heart for him. The emotional swell of pain returned, and it felt like my heart was being scooped out all over again. I wanted to escape the house of horrors, but moving too fast, I slipped. The surgical wounds on my chest and stomach tore open. In the blinding agony, I curled into a ball. My mind fractured, and I let out a desperate, instinctive whimper. “Sister…” Just before I blacked out, I saw my sisters and Aaliyah rushing toward me. Tori reached me first, hoisting me up, her voice sharp with anger. “Devon Maxwell! Did you see us with Kellan and decide to hurt yourself again just to get attention?!” I was discharged and placed under strict watch by a home nurse, forbidden from leaving or doing anything to harm myself. I was confined to a wheelchair, too weak to move, and dependent on help even for the bathroom. Meanwhile, Kellan was running and jumping with abandon. Aaliyah held her phone, taking a video of him. My sisters watched him, their faces glowing with proud, affectionate smiles. Bored and heavy-hearted, I tried to wheel myself away. “Ouch!” Thump. Kellan fell. “Kellan!” The four women rushed to him, helping him up immediately. He pointed a finger at a small metal lock that had fallen from my wheelchair onto the floor, his voice thick with tears. “Brother, I know you blame me for the medicine, and I know you’re jealous that my heart is fixed while yours is still failing, but…” He burst into sobs. “But I’m finally able to move around! How could you throw something down to trip me on purpose?” Tori quickly examined Kellan’s leg, gently rubbing his slightly scraped skin. Sasha’s face turned an ugly shade of gray, a vein throbbing in her forehead. “Devon Maxwell! What have we taught you? How could you become so malicious?” The others glared at me, their faces a mix of confusion and pure rage. My fractured heart felt like it had been stabbed twice more. I whispered. “I… I didn’t! That piece fell off the wheel yesterday…” “Don’t you dare try to lie your way out of this! We’ve indulged you too much!” Sasha’s fury was overwhelming. She raised her hand to strike me. Just as her hand flew toward my face, Aaliyah stepped in to block it. “Sasha, Devon has been through so much trauma lately. We need to give him time.” Elise pulled Sasha back gently. “Let it go. Kellan, didn’t you want to try that new French bistro? Let’s take you out to celebrate your recovery.” Her eyes turned cold as she looked at me. “As for you, go reflect on your behavior!” Aaliyah tried to stay, but Kellan rushed up and grabbed her hand right in front of me, shaking it pleadingly. “Aaliyah, please come with me! You promised to take me out to dinner if I was brave enough for the surgery!” Aaliyah’s face tightened. “I need to stay with your brother… he…” I stared at their hands, subtly intertwined, and spoke, my voice hoarse. “Since your brother wants you to go, then go.” Aaliyah patted my head gently. “I’ll be back soon, darling. Be good at home. I’ll bring you your favorite lobster bisque.” But I woke up at 3 AM. The side of the bed was empty. Aaliyah had not returned all night. The mansion was dark, except for the dim light spilling from Kellan’s room. His door was slightly ajar. As I wheeled closer, I heard a man’s and a woman’s voice. Aaliyah’s voice was low and breathless. “Easy, baby. Not so fast. You’re still recovering…” Kellan’s voice, thick with emotion, cut in. “My heart is fixed now. When are you finally going to divorce him? I met you first! You were always mine!” Aaliyah’s soft, velvety murmur followed. “You’re my true love, baby. But… Devon saved my life. I can’t abandon him, and besides, Tori needs his blood in case you have a rejection reaction.” I felt a bucket of ice water poured over my head, the chill sinking to my bones. My hand shook as I clutched my phone, leaning my head back against the cold wall, my eyes closed. The entire night, I listened to them—the laughter, the breathless entanglement, the declarations of twisted love. The next morning, my three sisters were about to leave for work and saw me leaning against Kellan’s door. “Devon, why are you out here?” I beckoned them closer, then burst into Kellan’s room. As the three sisters gasped in astonishment, I tore the duvet from the bed and took several rapid-fire photos of the two people naked and entangled beneath it. Aaliyah screamed, scrambling to cover Kellan, her face a mask of terror. “Devon Maxwell! What in God’s name are you doing!” I clutched my chest, gasping for air, and hissed. “What am I doing? What do you call lying naked in bed with my brother, my wife?” Aaliyah’s face changed. “Last night… there was a storm. Kellan was scared and asked me to stay.” Kellan’s face was deathly white. He wrapped the duvet around himself and knelt on the floor, grabbing my sleeve. “Brother, I’m so sorry. I was just… too terrified last night, so I reached out to Aaliyah.” Tori immediately pulled him up. “Aaliyah must have been drinking last night and walked into the wrong room by mistake.” Sasha instantly backed her up. “It’s normal. When Kellan was little and afraid, I used to sleep in his room, too.” I slowly turned to Elise. She laughed nervously. “They’re right, Dev. Kellan would never do this.” Why were they so blindly biased toward Kellan? I was shaking with helpless rage. I raised my phone. “I have the audio of your glorious night right here. Shall I play it for my sisters?” Kellan stared at the phone in horror, then suddenly turned pale, gasping for breath. “Sister… I can’t breathe.” “You are not going to fake it!” SMACK! Tori’s palm connected hard with my face, sending me sprawling to the floor. I covered my stinging cheek, looking up at Tori in disbelief. “Why are you looking at me like that? If you hadn’t agitated him, Kellan wouldn’t have collapsed!” She rushed Kellan to the family emergency room. “Hurry! Bring Devon in, too! We need his blood to save Kellan now!” Sasha and Elise dragged me into the sterile room. Panic washed over me. I thrashed and shivered uncontrollably, kicking my legs and trying to crawl backward. “Please, no… don’t…” Aaliyah held the large-gauge syringe, her expression unsettled. “Kellan is like this because you provoked him. Isn’t it the least you can do to give him some blood?” Sasha and Elise held me down tightly. Looking into their resolute, cold eyes, I realized the struggle was pointless. I closed my eyes in resignation and slowly extended my arm. My voice was quiet. “Take it. Draw every last drop from my body. Save your precious Kellan.” Elise quickly averted her gaze, covering my eyes. Her voice was weak. “Be a good boy, Devon. Just a little blood. It won’t hurt.” An hour later, Tori stabilized Kellan. The four women sighed in collective relief. Tori removed her mask, her voice cutting and cold. “Alright, Devon Maxwell. Now we can properly address the matter of you intentionally causing Kellan to collapse.” She turned to face me—and all four of them stopped dead. I was curled up on the adjacent gurney, unmoving. A surgical scalpel was plunged deep into my chest. The gushing blood had soaked the sheets and stained the clean tile floor crimson.

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I, a Trust Fund Baby, developed only one hobby after marriage: playing Mahjong. Who knew I would lose three Manhattan Condos in half a year. This day, I was indecisive between the One Wan (10,000) and Eight Wan (80,000) tiles, when suddenly a tender voice came from my belly. “Mommy! Quick! Only playing One Wan can break the game! Otherwise, we are really done for!” I was stunned for a moment, immediately followed by a string of weird floating comments flashing across my eyes. [Don’t listen! Play Eight Wan! One Wan is a death cannon tile, the opponent has a full flush and is waiting for One Wan single wait!] [Play it and you lose a top-spec Porsche Panamera! Your monthly allowance isn’t enough to cover it!] [If you lose again this time, your dad definitely won’t give you allowance anymore!] I was completely confused, who should I believe? Chapter 1 I stroked my slightly protruding belly, gaze wandering between One Wan and Eight Wan. “Mommy! Play One Wan quickly! This is the only chance!” The tender voice came from my belly again, with unquestionable firmness. I looked down, saw the left side of my belly bulge slightly, as if the baby inside was waving anxiously. But immediately after, the floating comments appeared before my eyes again. [Don’t believe! Play Eight Wan! If you lose again, your dad won’t give you allowance!] I bit my lip lightly, falling into a dilemma. Yes. My dad said, lose again, and he will confiscate my monthly 8-figure allowance. “Mommy don’t be afraid,” baby’s voice sounded again, “As long as we win this round, Grandpa will definitely look at you with new eyes!” “Baby, are you sure?” I lowered my voice asking. Left belly bulged again. I remembered my mom’s words. When my mom was pregnant with me, my dad’s luck reached its peak, sweeping Las Vegas casinos, earning the name “God of Gamblers”. Maybe, my Chan family bloodline is really destined from the fetus stage. Thinking of this, I made up my mind. Daughter of the dignified Poker King Mr. Chan, how can I not win against these few ordinary women?! I took a deep breath, gently pushed out the tile. “One Wan!” Seeing me drop the tile, opponent Sister-in-law Brenda’s eyes lit up. She stared at that One Wan, fingers constantly rubbing the tiles in hand, but delayed action. At this time, strange floating comments emerged again. [Done, completely done! Chloe actually really played One Wan!] Hearing this, my brows frowned deeper. Did I really play wrong? But next second, Brenda picked up a new tile. Didn’t even look, directly played it out. “Eight Wan.” “Mahjong (Hu)!” I was overjoyed, pushed down the tiles. “Full flush plus All Pungs! Big win, 9 fan!” Brenda’s face turned iron green, Sister-in-law Tiffany (husband’s sister) bit her lip tight, and that accompanying friend Vicky looked at me deeply. Just then, baby in belly came giggling laughter. “Mommy, I didn’t say wrong right? Keep Eight Wan, play One Wan, we won.” I stroked my belly with satisfaction, secretly delighted. Sure enough, our old Chan family children, carry luck from the womb. Floating comments surged like tide again. [Impossible! Opponent clearly waiting for One Wan! Why not win but play Eight Wan?] [Fraud! Absolutely fraud!] [Chloe! Wake up, this game is wrong!] I automatically ignored these annoying texts, gathered the chips into my arms. At night I brought home the hard-won trophies, but saw my usually late-returning husband in the living room. “Congratulations, luck so good today.” I froze. Married for half a year, Jason never came home before 10 PM. More importantly, he never actively asked about my mahjong games. Just then, floating comments appeared again. [Because he is monitoring you!] [Chloe, your husband doesn’t love you at all, he married you just for the Chan family money!] My heart tightened. He doesn’t love me? Baby in belly immediately retorted, “Mommy, Daddy loves you! To marry you, he knelt in snow for three days and nights, almost froze off his legs! Did you forget all these?” I didn’t forget. That winter was especially cold, snow very thick, one step down, up to knees. Jason knelt at my door, snow covering his shoulders. Father stood in front of the second-floor window, watching this scene, said coldly, “Let him kneel, see how much sincerity this poor boy has!” Three days later, Jason was sent to the hospital, legs almost amputated. I cried begging father, finally exchanged for a marriage. “I heard you won a lot today, if Dad knows, he must be very happy.” I instantly alert, “You have contact with my dad?” After I married Jason, my dad except giving me living expenses monthly, didn’t say an extra word. Floating comments crazily scrolling now. [He is lying! Chloe, don’t believe him!] But baby in belly comforted me. “Mommy, Daddy is worried about you. You can’t be suspicious, it’s not good for baby me either.” I nodded, “I’m tired, going upstairs to rest first.” Chapter 2 Next week, I turned on winning streak mode. “Thirteen Orphans!” “Kong on Kong!” “Wait! I directly Heaven Mahjong!” Every time, baby would give precise reminders when I hesitated, while floating comments constantly warned me game was rigged. But I chose to believe the bloodline in belly. Until this day, after I slaughtered all sides again, Brenda pushed tiles directly, face full of unhappiness. “Not playing not playing, always losing, so boring!” Card table instantly quiet. I slowly leaned back on chair, stroking won chips. In short 7 days, not only won back three condos, but also added two downtown shops. Speaking of which, playing mahjong was initially insisted by them dragging me along. When I just married husband, besides shopping, had no other hobbies. It was Brenda and Tiffany lobbying me, saying mahjong is much more interesting than shopping. After that, they two plus one of Tiffany’s besties Vicky formed a group, playing mahjong daily. Didn’t expect, first month down, I actually lost all 8-figure allowance my dad gave. Among them Brenda won the most. Big brother who was originally driving Uber, directly changed to a Porsche 911. Thinking of this, my tone instantly cold down. “If sister-in-law feels boring then stop playing, but today’s lost 2 million needs to be transferred to me.” Words out, Brenda’s face changed instantly, tone softened. “Chloe, look, aren’t we all relatives, besides, I didn’t bring so much money out.” I sneered in heart. Usually when I lost tens, they all stared at me to go home get money. Finally turn for them to lose once, changed like a person. “Sister-in-law, this month, you won no less than ten million from me, plus a detached villa! Just 2 million can’t take out?” Perhaps realized my face not good, hurried explain. “Ai, Chloe, I don’t mean that. I mean, you wait for me, I gather a bit.” I completely cold face. “No need, didn’t Big Brother just buy a Porsche? I see it parked at door, you give me car keys is fine.” Words out, Brenda instantly unhappy. “That’s your Big Brother’s car, why give you?” I laughed angrily on spot. “Because you lost money no pay ah, can’t default right?” She instantly annoyed, eyes looked at Tiffany opposite. “Little sister, shouldn’t you say something? You also lost eight hundred thousand.” Little sister just about to speak, interrupted by me. “That new Patek Philippe watch on her hand leave behind is fine, barely offset eight hundred thousand.” Hearing this, Little Sister instantly screamed out. “What? I won’t give! This is what my brother queued long time abroad to buy for me!” I sneered hooking lips. “Your brother’s money was also given by me!” Back then my dad bitter mouth kind heart, advised me find a matching family. Although Jason motivated, but family background thin. Besides elderly weak parents, there are lazy brother sister-in-law and a sister already graduated college several years still biting old. Just then, baby in belly suddenly whispered persuasion. “Mommy, they are Daddy’s family after all, don’t make it too stiff.” My brows twisted. This is first time baby spoke for outsiders. Floating comments seized opportunity crazy output. [See! Even child in your belly helping them speak! Have you still not found problem?] I sank eyes, didn’t speak. “Alright,” Brenda suddenly sat down again, “One last game, one game decides winner, you win, we return principal plus interest, you lose, today’s money write off at one stroke!” Hearing this, baby in belly cheered again, “Mommy, agree her, we definitely can win!” Floating comments wailed: [Done! They definitely going to cheat!] [Chloe! Don’t agree ah, this is simply a trap!] I stroked abdomen, trying hard to feel bloodline power from inside. “Fine! Deal cards.” Chapter 3 Game starts. This time, baby unusually quiet. “Baby?” I called in heart, but belly no reaction. Cards passed three rounds, my hand shape gradually clear, Mixed Suit, single wait Seven Wan. And on table, already two Seven Wan out. “Mommy, play Three Bamboo.” Baby’s voice sounded again. At this moment floating comments scrolling crazy. [Play Seven Wan! Waiting on Three Six Bamboo!] “No, play Three Bamboo, wait for Seven Wan!” [Chloe! Don’t trust baby, it’s harming you!] “Mommy, play Three Bamboo, trust me.” Baby’s voice carried a trace of pleading. I closed eyes, father’s words sounded in ear. “At gambling table, least trustworthy is own intuition. Because your intuition, often is what others want you to have.” “Three Bamboo.” I pushed card slowly. Air instantly solidified. Brenda eyes lit up, slapped table hard. “Hu le! Fourteen Fan!” She excitedly pushed cards down. “Full flush Bamboo, Seven Pairs, just waiting for a Three Bamboo.” My brain blank. Fourteen Fan. According to our agreed double rule, I not only have to return today’s winning chips, but also pay extra 4 million. “According to our agreement just now, it’s ‘all debts written off’, right?” I nodded stiffly. “Then not just today,” she smiled looking at me, “It’s all debts this week.” I stood up fiercely, “What did you say?!” “I said, three condos in Manhattan, shops in downtown, and all cash, jewelry, antiques you lost to us before…” Brenda counting fingers. “All written off. Of course, this 4 million you owe us finally, we also show mercy, don’t want it.” “You crazy!” My voice trembling, “That’s dowry my parents gave me!” “Willing to gamble willing to lose, you wouldn’t not know even this rule right?” Brenda’s smile expanding constantly. My face iron green, just at this time, phone rang. I tremblingly picked up, father’s cold voice came from that end: “Chloe, I say one last time, if you touch cards again, never enter Chan family door again.” Phone hanging up busy tone echoed in ear. At night, Jason rarely brought a bouquet home. I frowned, subconsciously avoided flower scent. “Wifey, don’t be angry, Father-in-law Mother-in-law definitely in fit of anger, father daughter no overnight feud.” Floating comments: [Wow, Chloe’s husband indeed scheming!] I looked up at him, “How do you know what my parents said on phone?” He froze an instant, expression changed suddenly. “Because Father-in-law called me just now, told me.” Floating comments: [Then check his phone right now!] I reached out, “Then show me your phone.” Husband instantly cold face. “What? You think I lying to you? Then call your dad ask.” Hearing this, I immediately shook head, felt I thought too much, actually suspecting husband. Seeing I not speak, husband expression also softened a lot. “Wifey, all own family, if you really unhappy, tomorrow I let them return winning gambling capital to you.” I shook head, “That no need.” Hearing this, he sighed relief, but next second heard me speak. “Hubby, can you give me another 20 million.” Floating comments all felt I crazy. [Is Chloe crazy ah? Clear they setting up trap, still sending money?] [Yeah, didn’t her parents say just now, if she gamble again, cut ties completely!] [That means, she not only loses monthly 8-figure allowance, billion inheritance also no chance?] Husband eyes flashed a trace obscure look, “You… still want gamble?” I nodded, eyes firm, “And, you have to accompany me!” Chapter 4 Game officially starts, Brenda first pushed a paper agreement to me. “Rules very simple.” “This is list of all our gambling capital, plus all assets under your name. One game decides winner, winner takes all.” I scanned list. Jason’s old house, 10% shares of Chan Group, my parents’ overseas real estate… list shockingly long. Floating comments crazy warning: [Run! Run now! They definitely calculated cheating] Baby in belly unusually excited: “Mommy, sign! We can win! Win and all this is ours!” I lifted pen, signed my name at end of agreement. Game starts. This time, baby voice clear and firm, every step giving precise guidance. Floating comments constantly revealing opponent’s card path, pointing out potential traps. “Mommy, play One Wan, can win max fan.” Floating comments warning: [Opponent doing Thirteen Orphans, single wait One Wan, play Four Bamboo, switch wait Bamboo!] Two voices fighting in my brain, and I must make choice in seconds. Seeing me delay playing, Brenda half joke half serious said. “In case you lose, this equity transfer agreement and asset mortgage documents signed just now all effective.” “But just in case only, Second Sister-in-law don’t be nervous.” Little Sister easing atmosphere aside. Even Vicky who always only play not speak rarely spoke. “You guys don’t scare Second Sister-in-law like this, just saying ugly words front, in case we lose, same pay money.” In case… In case (Wan Yi – Ten Thousand One)… This is their code! Just to make me play One Wan (Yi Wan), so they can triple win on one cannon! “Chloe, your turn play.” Brenda urged again, cards in her hand left one. I looked at Jason, he nodded slightly to me, eyes full of encouragement. Finally, I pulled out One Wan. “I play… One Wan.” Hearing this, three people coincidentally showed delighted expressions. Brenda immediately pushed cards down, “One Wan ah, I exactly win 1 Wan.” Remaining card in her hand indeed One Wan. Atmosphere instantly subtle. Floating comments emerged again. [Said cannot play One Wan ah.] [Now good, lit cannon.] But at this time baby voice disappeared again. Jason face sinking, brows tight. “Forget it Chloe, money for this hand, I pay for you.” Hearing this, Little Sister also pushed cards down. [I also won, Brother, this money you pay too?] Mixed suit, 456 Dot, two 9 Wan, one 2 Wan one 3 Wan, indeed win 1 Wan. My breath stagnated, face solemn. Floating comments also felt incredible. [This is lit two houses ah? Done, this time lose more than previous month.] But next second, Little Sister’s bestie Vicky suddenly spoke. “Sorry, Second Sister-in-law, I also win 1 Wan.” She pushed cards down. Three Red Dragon, three White Dragon, one 1 Wan, single wait 1 Wan. Floating comments stuttering. [This, this is one cannon three sounds?] But unexpectedly me who already in必输 (must lose) laughed shaking head. “Did I lose?” Hearing this, Jason face instantly changed. “I said all, don’t gamble, you don’t listen! Now good, one cannon three sounds, you still ask did you lose?!” I noncommittal, continued asking. “Jason, are you sure I really lost?”

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The day I nearly lost him, my husband, Callum Harding, was twenty-five years old. He was thrown from a high-rise building by kidnappers while trying to protect me. When he finally opened his eyes, the deep, adoring affection I knew was gone. In its place was a chilling indifference, edged with outright disgust. He said he was the Callum Harding of ten years later, thirty-five years old. The man who, three years into our marriage, would cheat on me with his childhood crush. He said the two of us had long grown sick of each other, trapped for a decade only by the child we’d had. He said he and Violet Summerfield had a child of their own. And the first demand he made, the moment his thirty-five-year-old self returned to his younger body, was that I terminate the twins growing inside me and divorce him. 1 The next morning, Callum discharged himself from the hospital and brought Violet home. My in-laws rushed me back to the house, where I found him holding Violet’s hand, addressing his parents. “Violet and I grew up together. She’s the only one who truly understands me, the one I’m meant to spend my life with. I have to marry her,” he stated. “As for Talia, I’m deeply sorry. I will provide her with whatever financial compensation she needs after the divorce.” My mother- and father-in-law were pale with shock and fury, muttering about the shame he was bringing to the family name. The son who had always been so dutiful was now utterly consumed by another woman. I stared at him, my heart constricting with a sharp, bitter pain. “Callum, were you serious about what you said last night?” He’d been in a coma for nearly a month. When he woke, he was a stranger, claiming to be his future self. I’d dismissed it as delirium, the residual effect of the trauma. But now, he was as resolute as ever. The look he gave me was identical to the one from the night before: devoid of warmth, filled only with cold finality. “Talia, how many times do I have to say it? I didn’t lose my memory. I remember everything. And I truly don’t love you anymore.” His look of revulsion made my spirit ache. “But we only got married three months ago. You told me you only loved me…” Callum frowned. Before he could speak, Violet sank to her knees in front of me and my in-laws. “Talia, I know your family is better than mine, and that you’re a better match for Callum. That’s why I never tried to compete with you before,” she pleaded, tears welling up. “But now he loves me too. Please, just let us be together.” I remembered the brutal details Callum had shared last night. He said that three years in the future, he encountered Violet during a high-profile anti-trafficking task force operation. He learned that after college, her lack of wealth and connections made her a target. She was assaulted and exploited by wealthy men, which led her to the dark side of the nightlife industry. His pity and subsequent care for her blossomed into love. But by then, I had already given birth to his child. The families on both sides, traditional and stubborn, refused to accept our divorce. And so, he said, we’d stayed entangled for ten miserable years. The whole thing ended when Violet, in despair, took her own life and their child’s, jumping from an eighteenth-floor balcony. He was back now to stop all of it before it started. I could pity Violet’s past, but I couldn’t bring myself to like her. Callum, his eyes full of tenderness, helped her up. He then turned to his parents, making his final, terrifying declaration. “Dad, Mom, if you don’t agree to this, I will resign from the force immediately. And then I’ll do something worse.” He used his life as a threat. They had no choice but to concede. Callum immediately walked out, taking Violet with him to her family home, presumably to propose. Once they were gone, my in-laws unleashed all their stored fury on me. They demanded to know why their son was a different person, why my husband’s heart had changed just three months into our marriage. I couldn’t answer. How could I tell them the truth? That the Callum who had walked with me from college to the wedding aisle was gone. That the man in his body was a ghost from the future, his thirty-five-year-old soul. And the thirty-five-year-old Callum, simply, did not love me. I stumbled out of the house. The early winter chill hit my face, yet everything still felt impossibly unreal. How could Callum not love me? At eighteen, we were in the same university. After a painting competition, he found me, his ears bright red, and asked for my number. I remember my own cheeks flushing as I looked at his handsome profile. He told me then, quoting his favorite poet, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” At twenty, we were a couple. We traveled to dozens of cities, and in every single one, he proposed to me. He said he would keep proposing until I was a hundred, or until I finally said yes. At twenty-four, I was hypothermic and near death on a remote mountain trail. He covered me with every piece of his own clothing. When the rescue team found us, he had barely a breath left, yet he was still holding me tight. Finally, I agreed to marry him. He was so happy he spun me around until I was dizzy, then flew to the States the next day to meet my parents. At the altar, he made a vow to love only me, for all our lives. Even as we fell from that building, he shielded me, his last words to me: “Talia, if there’s a next life, we’ll be together then, too.” I walked away without a scratch. He suffered multiple fractures. I swore I would spend the rest of my life repaying that fierce, deep love. But now, Callum was telling me he didn’t love me anymore. I wiped a tear from my cheek and started walking toward Violet’s house. I refused to believe that the Callum who loved me so completely could ever be unfaithful. I had to make the thirty-five-year-old ghost go back to his own timeline. 2 As I reached the yard, I heard the sounds coming from the house—intimate, unmistakable. “…Callum, easy now.” The door was ajar. I pushed it open. Callum had Violet pressed against him, one hand cupping her breast while the other was tangled in the back of her hair, aggressively deepening a kiss. My pupils shrank. “Callum, what are you doing?” I couldn’t reconcile this raw, uncontrolled display of desire with the reserved, self-possessed man I’d married. Was this man truly the Callum Harding I had known and loved for seven years? Hearing my voice, Callum instantly pulled back, his desire replaced by cold fury. “What I do is none of your business. Get out.” I swallowed the sudden surge of nausea and forced myself to meet his familiar but icy eyes. “This is my husband’s body. And we are still married!” Callum let out a bitter laugh. “I am your husband, aren’t I?” I shook my head stubbornly. “You are not him. Give him back.” He finally released Violet, murmuring a soft apology in her ear, then grabbed my arm with a shocking, brutal strength and dragged me toward the door. I had never imagined the man who cherished me, who treated me like spun glass, would ever touch me with such violence. Even the thirty-five-year-old him shouldn’t be capable of this. Once we were outside, I rushed to speak before him. “Tell me, what will it take for you to go back to your own body?” “If you’re worried about Violet, I can give her a substantial sum of money and relocate her overseas. I can ensure she never faces the kind of degradation you said she did…” Callum was unmoved. “I came back to marry her. I will have a life with Violet.” A life with Violet. He’d used that exact phrase in our wedding vows three months ago. The intended recipient was me. I struggled to breathe through the sudden, crushing pain. Then, I thought of the silver locket he’d given me just before the wedding—a bespoke blessing he’d sought from a spiritual retreat. “You’re not Callum,” I insisted. “The real Callum went to St. Jude’s Heights Chapel and made a solemn vow. He swore that in this life, and the next, he would only love me, and always be with me!” “Please,” I begged. “Just bring my husband back. I will agree to any demand, anything you ask.” A flicker of something—maybe conscience, maybe remorse—crossed Callum’s face. But the next moment, his voice was even crueler. “Talia, I absolutely hate this crying, desperate look on your face.” “You think if the twenty-five-year-old me comes back, he’ll love you forever, just as he promised? The things I told you are true. In three years, I will slowly fall in love with Violet.” “I am your future husband. You’re just getting advance notice of the ending of this marriage.” “Cutting our losses now is the best thing for both of us.” His words silenced me. I knew, with chilling clarity, that if he truly was the future Callum, my clinging desperation was pointless. But a deeper, more stubborn part of me wanted to believe he was an imposter, a cruel soul who had stolen the body of the man I loved. I took a shaky breath. “If you can convince the twenty-five-year-old Callum to come back and tell me himself that he doesn’t love me, I will walk away willingly. Otherwise, forget it.” Callum held my gaze for a long, cold moment, then forced a mocking smile. “Wishful thinking.” He pulled a folded document from his jacket pocket and shoved the divorce papers into my hand. “Be smart and sign it yourself. If you don’t, I don’t mind dragging this out with a messy divorce trial.” 3 That night, Callum did not come home. I tossed and turned for hours before drifting into a vague sleep. In the dreamlike haze, I suddenly remembered the conversation we’d had at the Chapel. We went to the isolated St. Jude’s Heights Chapel, known for its rigorous spiritual practices. Callum asked the old spiritualist, Father Thomas, for a special marriage blessing—a bespoke, hand-engraved silver locket meant to ensure eternal union. Father Thomas shook his head. “Your union, though blessed, is fated for a sharp, swift end. You should not seek this.” I wasn’t a believer, but Callum was fiercely insistent. Finally, the old man relented. He said that if Callum’s sincerity was absolute, he must walk the Three Thousand Steps of the Ascendant Path—a grueling three-day climb—three steps forward, one kneeling bow—and only then would he reconsider. I couldn’t bear the thought and begged him to forget it. I didn’t need a ritual to prove a love I saw in his eyes every morning. But the next night, Callum appeared at my door, exhausted, bruised, but his eyes shining like a thousand stars. He held up the newly-engraved locket. “Wife! I did it!” I had only smiled, calling him my beautiful idiot. I woke up and lay still for a long time. Then, I knew what I had to do. I drove straight to St. Jude’s. I needed to ask the spiritualist if he had foreseen this and if there was a way to fix it. The old man, Father Thomas, looked at me gently. “What’s so bad about cutting a doomed connection early?” I was about to protest when he directed my gaze to a far corner of the sanctuary. I saw them. Callum, my husband, was with Violet, his arm around her shoulders as they stood side-by-side, offering a prayer. I forced the rage and the suffocating chest pain down. I was here for a reason. Father Thomas took one look at my ashen face, sighed, and handed me a small piece of parchment, not the silver locket. “Take this. Tape it to your headboard and sleep. Tomorrow, you will have your answer.” I did as he instructed. That night, I fell into a very long, very vivid dream. I dreamed that at seven months pregnant, I was getting a check-up. On the way home, Callum got an emergency call for a raid and had to leave me to drive alone. I was in a car accident. The stress caused premature labor. I gave birth to twins, but one was too weak and didn’t survive. Callum held our tiny, dead son, his eyes bloodshot, and demanded to know why I hadn’t been more careful. I was consumed by my own grief, but his words hung between us like a poisoned cloud. The event became a permanent, festering wound in our marriage. Later, our surviving daughter was diagnosed with severe autism at age three. Callum’s assignments and covert work became more demanding. He was home less and less. I became unrecognizable. I secretly checked his phone. I dropped by his precinct during what he claimed were all-night shifts. I found myself whispering to our daughter, “Daddy doesn’t want us anymore.” Almost every time he came home, we had a horrible fight. “If you hadn’t insisted on carrying her to term after the accident, we wouldn’t be living this miserable life!” In the dream, Callum slammed the door behind him. 4 A month later, I found a movie ticket stub in the pocket of his washed uniform shirt. It was for a couple’s section. I stared at the stub, my eyes burning. He had told me he was working a marathon interrogation that night. Similar incidents became routine. The faint scent of a different perfume on his collar. A smudge of lipstick he hadn’t noticed. The unlabeled, frequently called number in his contacts. I watched, horrified, as our marriage spiraled beyond repair. Violet had a son—bright, healthy, and charming. On our daughter’s fifth birthday, Callum promised to take her to the amusement park. But he broke the promise to rush Violet’s boy to the emergency room. Our daughter sobbed, asking, “Mommy, does Daddy hate us?” We hated each other, yet we stayed married, bound by the child and the complexity of our lives. The final frame of the dream: Violet, holding her son, standing on the edge of a skyscraper roof. She smiled down at a frantically approaching Callum. “Callum, in the next life, I hope I find you sooner.” Then, she jumped. Callum turned to me, his eyes sharp as broken glass. “Talia. Are you satisfied now?” I jolted awake, drenched in a cold sweat. I placed a hand on my still-flat belly, my mind reeling. Before seeing the future, I had believed our love was strong enough to withstand anything. But having witnessed the step-by-step decay of our marriage… I closed my eyes and reached for the documents. I signed the divorce agreement. As requested, I went to the clinic and scheduled the termination procedure.

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Everyone in Julian Sterling’s company knows the CEO has a wife from a business marriage. They never gave her a good face; even the cleaning lady could gossip about her. She lived like a coward guarding the house, never actively provoking Julian’s displeasure. Until the Michelin restaurant on their fifth anniversary, his assistant Lily sat down gracefully. Took out an ultrasound report from her bag. “Ms. Celia, I’ll be direct. I’m over three months pregnant, it’s Julian’s.” “Mr. Sterling is soft-hearted towards his first wife and can’t bear to mention divorce.” “I came today to beg you to be kind. Don’t cling to a man who doesn’t love you at all.” “Please give my child a complete home.” My fingertips trembled slightly, the ultrasound report twisting and distorting before my eyes. Julian is just like this, using the crystallization of his love with another woman to prove he will never love me. At the same time, the phone on the table rang with a unique notification tone. It was Julian’s cancellation text. “Emergency meeting at the company, I’ll make up the anniversary to you later.” This is the third anniversary he missed. At this moment, I didn’t want to fight for anything anymore. Even though in the bag beside me, there was also an ultrasound report of seven weeks pregnancy… Chapter 1 After returning home, I cooked a bowl of soothing soup. Just as I was about to drink it, Julian came back. His suit jacket draped over his arm, two buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, looking a bit disheveled. He walked over on his own, picked up the soup by my hand and drank it all. “Don’t cook these things in the future, tastes terrible.” I frowned, “That wasn’t for you.” Before, whenever he came home late, I would cook a bowl of soothing soup and put it by the bed, telling him to drink it before sleeping. He paused, put down the bowl heavily. “Late at night, what temper are you throwing? Just because I didn’t accompany you for the anniversary?” “Company has a lot of things, I’m annoyed enough after a busy day, can’t you be considerate staying at home all day?” He took out a jewelry box from his bag and threw it casually on the table. “New style from your favorite jewelry store. Last year you blamed me for not preparing a gift, this year I didn’t forget.” The jewelry box rolled twice on the table before stopping, like a pitiful charity to me. He didn’t wait for me to speak, turned and went to the bathroom. I sat blankly on the sofa for a while, Julian’s phone on the dining table lit up twice. Ghost-driven, I already held the phone in my hand. I entered our wedding anniversary, but it showed password error. Since marriage, his password hadn’t changed, always our anniversary. Now it changed. Even knowing the reason, my heart couldn’t stop aching. I have a good memory, thought of Lily’s birthday on the ultrasound report today. Entered it, phone unlocked. I clicked on their chat history, Lily just sent a message. [Brother Julian, thanks for taking Donut to the vet, she’s much better now.] [You are so careful with our kitten, you will definitely be a good daddy to our baby (kisses)] Followed by a photo, a cute Ragdoll cat nestled in the arms of Lily who was dressed scantily. I felt a bit nauseous, cold all over. I begged Julian countless times, hoping to raise a cat of my own at home. But he always refused on the grounds of hating cat hair, saying he had intermittent cat hair allergies. Turns out this intermittence refers to being allergic only to cats raised by me. Julian would reply seriously to every message from Lily. From work problems, where he would formulate a comprehensive work plan for her, telling her how to solve it step by step. To life problems, caring if she ate lunch on time, if she brought an umbrella when raining. I laughed at myself, laughing until tears came out. I always thought Julian was busy, too busy to reply to his wife’s messages. Thought Julian was naturally cold, disliking long greetings and care. Turns out he knows everything, understands everything, just these loves and cares are never for me. I scrolled through their messages quickly like masochism. I soon found the origin of that cat, a sick cat abandoned by someone they picked up during a business trip a year ago. Julian praised Lily in the message. [Lily, when you decided to save the kitten without hesitation, you really looked like a kind little angel.] From this day on, their chat gradually became ambiguous and deteriorated, until crossing the line. My heart pounded, veins popping on the back of my hand holding the phone. Water sound in the bathroom gradually stopped, came Julian’s familiar call. “Celia, get my pajamas.” Chapter 2 I put the phone back, sat on the sofa again. “Get it yourself, I’m busy.” Julian came out wrapped in a towel, extremely impatient, cold air all over. I turned a deaf ear, turned on the TV to watch a variety show. After a long time, he changed clothes, hugged me from behind. I stiffened all over. “Celia, the company is busy with IPO recently, you know.” “Next year’s anniversary, I will definitely accompany you properly, okay?” Julian didn’t notice my abnormality at all, his deliberately softened voice wanted to turn the page lightly like before. Then, I would still be that considerate wife in everything, he would still be that busy and taciturn husband. Just like countless times in the past. My marriage is like soaking in a pool of stagnant water, guarding a stone that won’t respond, grateful for this little warmth. If Lily didn’t come to me today, if I didn’t see his other side. Maybe such days, I would live on for a long time. But now, I don’t want to. “Julian, let’s talk.” Just as I finished speaking, Julian’s phone which had been silent for not long rang again. He hurried to answer the phone. Surroundings too quiet, Lily’s anxious crying on the other end came clearly into my ears. “Brother Julian, my stomach hurts suddenly, I don’t know what’s going on, woo woo woo I’m so afraid something happens to the baby…” “Don’t be afraid, I’m coming right away.” Julian panicked immediately, he put on his coat in a panic and rushed out. At the door he remembered me at home, left a sentence. “Celia, something happened to a company employee, we’ll talk when I get back.” I sat on the sofa, feeling cold hands and feet. The soothing soup was finished by him, I probably can’t sleep well tonight. Until dawn, I barely fell asleep. Not long after, I was woken up by a huge banging on the door. Next second, a big hand choked my neck. I opened my eyes in panic, met Julian’s bloodshot eyes. “Celia, you went to find Lily? Who gave you the guts to find her!” “Do you know, she is in poor health, can’t stand stimulation, come at me if you have anything, what kind of ability is bullying her!” I felt the big hand on my neck tightening constantly, strangling me to suffocation. Until my face flushed red, Julian let go. “Cough cough cough… I didn’t go…” I subconsciously wanted to defend, but was interrupted angrily by Julian. “You didn’t? Still pretending, those dirty means you used to marry me into the Sterling family back then, don’t think I know nothing!” “If you dare use these means on Lily, I will make you pay!” I shook all over, looking at him in disbelief. Those things back then, he clearly knew the truth… Turns out he never truly believed me. “I say it again, I never went to find her, she came to find me herself!” Julian sneered. “You think I would believe you? Lily is different from you, she is simple and kind, never thought of fighting for any title with you.” “Even afraid you would be hurt if you knew, living in guilt every day.” “How could she take the initiative to find you.” What a “living in guilt every day,” a person who knowingly becomes a mistress dares to talk about guilt. Every message Lily sent to Julian can be called seduction. I laughed out loud with tears. Laughing at Julian’s blindness, also laughing at my five years of wrong payment. “Unreasonable, reflect on yourself properly, go apologize to Lily with me in two days.” “Otherwise, I don’t mind changing the person sitting in Mrs. Sterling’s position.” Julian glanced at his phone, rushed out again. I stroked the choke marks on my neck, heart cooled inch by inch. This Mrs. Sterling position, I don’t want it. I dialed the lawyer’s number. “Please help me draft a divorce agreement, ASAP.” Chapter 3 I just got up and tidied myself, the doorbell rang. Opened the door, before I could see the visitor clearly, a stick fell straight down, I fainted instantly. I woke up, found myself in a familiar basement. In front of me was my father’s hideous face. “Celia, you got bold? I warned you not to make President Sterling angry, why don’t you listen?” “You’ve been a little bitch since childhood, I raised you so big, now you can’t even hold onto a man, what use are you!” Father scolded while raising a whip to lash me. The water-soaked long whip beat me until skin tore and flesh split, blood dripping. “Ah! I didn’t! Let me go!” “Julian won’t let you go if he knows!” I screamed in pain, begging for mercy. “Hahaha, you think without your good husband’s authorization, I dare to go to the Sterling house to grab people?” I stiffened all over. After marrying Julian, I completely escaped the cage of the Shi family, I once thought he was my savior. But didn’t expect, for a woman, he would send me back here. Whipping continued, my thoughts drifted away. Before fainting again, I heard Julian’s voice. “Celia has a scorpion’s heart, teach her a lesson, just keep her alive for me.” Unknown how long passed, I woke up in the hospital. Julian sat by the bed, face full of anxiety. “Sorry Celia, I didn’t expect your dad would be so heavy-handed.” I gently withdrew my hand, didn’t reply. He forcefully held my hand again, looking at my pale face with some distress. “This time you were wrong first, you shouldn’t have touched Lily, I was dizzy with anger so…” I sneered, just about to speak. Lily suddenly rushed in at the door, crying and about to kneel. “Sister Celia, it’s all my fault, I shouldn’t have fallen for President Sterling, destroying your relationship, sorry! Really sorry!” “I don’t blame you for finding me, I shouldn’t have existed, I will schedule surgery tomorrow to remove the baby, return President Sterling to you.” “I just love President Sterling too much, feelings are uncontrollable…” Julian stood up immediately, threw away my hand, hugged Lily distressedly. “Lily, this isn’t your fault, give birth to the little treasure well, no one will make it difficult for you.” I looked at Lily’s clumsy performance, feeling only disgusting. Next second, Julian pulled me up, dragged me out of bed to stand in front of Lily. “Celia, apologize to Lily.” I looked at the man beside me in disbelief. “I apologize to her? I was beaten skin open flesh split not enough? Why should I apologize to a mistress!” My knee was kicked hard, I knelt on the ground instantly. “I give you one last chance, you must apologize.” I gritted my teeth, “What if I don’t.” Julian sneered, pinched my chin threatening: “I remember your early dead mom is buried in the back mountain, dead without even a tombstone, how about I move her grave?” My pupils shook. “You dare touch my mom, I won’t let you go!” “Whether I touch her or not depends on you.” I lowered my head to Lily in humiliation, palms pinched bleeding. “Sorry, I apologize to you, I shouldn’t make it difficult for you…” Lily covered her mouth, triumph flashed in her eyes. “Sister Celia, I don’t blame you. President Sterling is always afraid I’ll be wronged, making it hard for you, I should be the one apologizing, cough cough.” She coughed violently after speaking, causing Julian anxiety. “What happened? Asthma again? I’ll take you to the doctor.” He picked up Lily horizontally, passed me and left with big strides. I was covered in whip wounds, maintained the kneeling posture for a long time unable to get up. Long time later, I dragged my numb legs climbing onto the bed with difficulty. Tears dripped into palms, heart also bleeding with whip wounds. Chapter 4 I stayed in the hospital for three days, Julian only came to the ward again on the last day. I learned from Lily’s Moments (social media) that he guarded her every step these days. Didn’t even have time to see me once. “Celia, you haven’t been pregnant for five years, I will raise the child in Lily’s belly for you.” I paused, subconsciously touched my belly. “I don’t have the habit of raising other people’s children yet.” He walked over wanting to hug me, I turned my head to avoid. “You suffered grievance in this matter, I will compensate you.” I took out the divorce agreement prepared long ago, tapped the signature place. “In that case, sign this compensation agreement.” Just as he was about to turn over to look carefully, Lily’s call interrupted his movement. “Julian, the baby in the belly is making trouble again.” “I’m coming right away.” He signed quickly, rushing to leave again. “I’ll have the driver send you back later.” I breathed a sigh of relief, sent the divorce agreement to the lawyer. “Ms. Celia, the divorce certificate will be mailed to you by express then.” I went home to pack things with peace of mind. But when I opened the drawer storing bracelets, a cat’s corpse fell out. “Ah!” I was scared out of my wits, fell to the ground. At this time, the sound of the door opening downstairs rang, I panicked wanting to call for help. Julian pulled open the bedroom door, followed by a terrified Lily. “Donut!” “Celia! Why did you kill my cat! It’s just a small animal!” I was stunned on the spot, finally reacted. “It’s you…” Julian’s eyes split, raised his hand and slapped me hard several times. He still felt not relieved, kicked me hard several times. “Celia! What a vicious heart! Even a cat you want to harm, is the next step harming the child in Lily’s belly!” “Not me, I didn’t…” I defended subconsciously, severe pain came from the kicked belly. “My chi…” I was soon in too much pain to speak. In Julian’s eyes, it was guilty acquiescence. “Someone, drag the Madam to the basement!” I opened my eyes in horror, the Sterling family’s basement is a place specially for handling enemies, things below are more terrifying than the Shi family’s. Fear deep in the bone marrow since childhood almost swallowed me. I kept kneeling and begging for mercy, “Sorry, I was wrong, don’t lock me in the basement! I beg you!” I was almost dragged into the basement, blood flowing from under me along the way. Countless torture tools whipped my body, my fingers were forcibly clamped broken. The second day locked in the basement, Lily appeared at the door. Face full of triumph, tone contemptuous. “The little bastard in your belly should be gone, I knew you were pregnant long ago, do you like the gift specially sent to you?” I used my remaining strength to spit at her fiercely. Lily stood up in disgust. “Since you are not afraid of death, then stay well, I wait to collect your corpse.” She took out a box, threw it into the basement. Dozens of rats scrambled out, quickly surrounding me. “Ah!” When I was desperate, the basement was opened again. A tall figure picked me up, familiar embrace made me feel at ease. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you away.” … “Mr. Sterling, Madam has been locked in for three days, want to let her out?” Julian lowered his head drinking a sip of hot tea. “What does the doctor attending her say?” Assistant paused a second, somewhat embarrassed. “Mr. Sterling, didn’t you send that doctor to check Ms. Lu’s fetus later?” Julian’s hand shook, tea cup fell to the ground, shattered. He got up quickly, ran straight to the basement.

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Tonight is New Year’s Eve, and also my anniversary with my boyfriend. At 6:05 PM, I picked up my bag, ready to clock out, but was blocked by my boss. “Leaving so early? Who allowed you to leave?” He leaned against the door frame, tone sarcastic. “Didn’t you see I haven’t left yet? You are the most unruly person in the entire company.” I pointed to the time on my phone: “Company policy says work ends at 6:00. It’s 6:05 now.” “Leaving on time is perfectly justified.” The boss’s face sank: “In this company, I am the law.” “Who are you to talk rules with me?” “I say you haven’t finished, you sit back down obediently.” I froze for a few seconds, then took out my phone and sent a text to my boyfriend. “My boss won’t let me leave. Cancel that project we talked about.” Chapter 1 “What kind of attitude is this! I’m talking to you, and you’re playing with your phone?” “Do you have any respect for me as your boss!” Boss Sterling saw me taking out my phone to text, his face darkening instantly. I put away my phone, tone flat: “Since I can’t leave on time, I have to tell my boyfriend. Is there a problem?” “Is there a problem? Huge problem!” Sterling looked me up and down, eyes full of contempt. “I wondered why your efficiency has been so low lately. Turns out your mind is all on romance!” “A girl thinking about dating all day, what future can you have?” Heh, my future doesn’t depend on you, and you can’t afford it either. Sure enough, jobs found by submitting resumes myself are unreliable. I should have listened to Preston and taken a leisurely job at his company. Drinking tea and reading newspapers every day would be better than watching people’s faces here. Besides, I have always been diligent. Projects delivered on time, overtime not rare. How is my efficiency low? Simply nonsense. Counting it up, this is the twelfth time this month the boss picked on me. At first, I really thought it was my problem and reflected daily. Turns out, he just purely wants to find someone to scold, to show off his authority as a boss. Now, I won’t spoil him. I retorted directly. “Mr. Sterling, dating is my private matter and hasn’t affected my work.” “I completed all my duties on time.” Colleague Linda next to me whispered in support, “Yes, Mr. Sterling, Sarah has always been serious and responsible, never made mistakes.” Sterling exploded on the spot. “Who do you think you are? Are you the boss or am I? Do you have a say when I criticize employees?” “Don’t think I don’t know, you two drink bubble tea and order takeout together every day, practically wearing the same pair of pants. Forming a clique, huh?” “If she makes a mistake and gets her salary deducted, should I deduct yours too?” Linda’s eyes reddened with grievance, but she dared not talk back to Sterling. Sterling scolded enough, then turned back to me. “What do you mean completed? Who are you fooling?” “Where is the Annual Gala plan I asked you to do last week?” “We agreed the first draft must be submitted before New Year’s Eve.” “Work not done, and you have the nerve to leave? Where is your shame?” Colleagues around were peeking to watch the drama. The boss wouldn’t let me go, so they dared not leave either, afraid the boss would scold them too. I was too lazy to argue, too lazy to turn on the computer that was already shut down. I took out my phone and opened Slack. Clicked on the chat with the boss. “Boss, the Annual Gala plan was sent to you via Slack file two days ago, Monday at 4:15 PM.” “At 4:23 PM, you replied with an ‘OK’ emoji.” “I haven’t received any further feedback from you.” “I assumed you had confirmed receipt.” The screen displayed it clearly. The boss’s face became even gloomier. “What confirmed receipt!” “Replying OK means I know, not that I finished reading and confirming!” Sterling spat as he spoke, getting more excited. “Also, if I didn’t give you feedback, why didn’t you remind me?” “Ah? Can’t you be more proactive in doing things?” “Where is your sense of responsibility for project follow-up? Sending a plan to me and considering it done?” “Is this your work attitude?” I’ve heard this pot-dumping rhetoric until my ears calloused. Forgetful himself, blames employees for not reminding. Missed seeing it himself, blames employees for not writing clearly. Working here for a few months, after being picked on a few times, I already had a response plan. I zoomed in on the chat history. “Mr. Sterling, look carefully at the chat history.” “When I sent the file to you, the note was very clear.” I read out the chat record. “Mr. Sterling, the first draft of the Annual Gala plan has been sent. Please confirm the plan ASAP.” “I booked a 30-minute meeting with you on Jan 4th at 10 AM to go over the final plan. Does that work?” Sterling panicked, slapping the table loudly. “You sent so many words, who has time to read them one by one!” “As HR, don’t you know my work habits? Important things must be said in person!” “Sending a Slack message counts as notification? You are slacking off!” Heh, here we go again. He is the boss, he is always right. I sneered in my heart, but my face remained calm. “Mr. Sterling, you forgot. The rule you personally set at the company meeting last month.” “You said, to clarify responsibilities, all communication and work reports must leave a trail on Slack to avoid disputes later.” “I was just strictly following your rules.” Sterling’s face turned completely black. “Good! Good sharp-tongued Sarah!” “Dare to talk back to me.” “Said so much, just want to leave work, right?” “I tell you, no way!” “This company is named Sterling, I am the boss.” He gritted his teeth and stared at me. “I officially notify you now, you are not allowed to leave!” “Meeting right now! Discuss the Annual Gala plan!” He scanned the office viciously. “And Linda, Zack… your entire department, no one leaves. Everyone comes to the meeting.” As soon as this was said, people in the office were stunned. Zack, who was named, tentatively spoke: “Mr. Sterling, I… my girlfriend is waiting for me downstairs for dinner, we agreed…” “Girlfriend?” Sterling sneered, “Can a girlfriend pay your salary? Can she pay your insurance? Can’t distinguish priorities!” He flung his hand fiercely, pointing at me again. “Blame your good colleague Sarah.” “It’s her smart-ass backtalk that dragged you all into overtime.” “Today, I’ll teach you a good lesson, so you don’t forget who holds the cards!” Several resentful looks immediately cast on me. Everyone still counted this debt on my head. I was about to say something, but Linda immediately held my arm. “Sarah, stop talking, forget it.” “The boss is angry. The more you resist, the more energized he gets. He really can make us stay all night!” “My child is alone at home, I…” “Just treat it as me begging you, endure it, okay?” “Let’s go, let’s go to the meeting.” But glancing at Linda’s pleading face, The fire in my heart faded a bit. This shitty job, this stupid boss, staying one more second is dirty. But in the few months I’ve been here, Linda really treated me like a sister and taught me a lot. I can’t let her be embarrassed because of me. Fine, give her face. I nodded at Linda and swallowed all the words back. Linda turned to squeeze out a smile at Sterling, bowing and scraping: “Boss, we’ll go to the conference room right away, right away.” “Sarah is young and ignorant, don’t hold it against her.” Sterling snorted, looking triumphant. “Go! To the conference room! Today I’ll teach you a lesson personally!” I rolled a huge eye in my heart. Laugh, laugh hard. Don’t know how long you can laugh. My text message has been sent. When Preston sees it, he’ll cry. This project was only possible because Preston’s grandfather agreed to cooperate with him seeing I work here. Otherwise, with Sterling’s small volume, he wouldn’t touch The Preston Group even in a hundred years. Chapter 2 In the conference room, Sterling sat at the head, starting his lecture. “Today, keeping everyone here is not to punish you, but to educate you!” “What is Wolf Culture? What is team spirit? Some of you just lack this spirit!” As he spoke, he glanced at me with the corner of his eye, the meaning self-evident. I lowered my eyelids, staring at the conference table, feeling annoyed. New Year’s Eve, anniversary… all ruined. What is Preston doing now? Is he waiting for my call? Just thinking, the phone on the table buzzed suddenly. The screen lit up, displaying: Preston. I quickly pressed the hang-up button, then put the phone in my pocket. But those two short vibrations were still exceptionally abrupt. Sterling’s long speech stopped abruptly. He scanned every face in the conference room and roared loudly. “Who?” “Whose phone was ringing just now?” Everyone’s eyes focused on me immediately. Zack sitting next to me even pointed his finger at me. “Boss, it’s Sarah’s phone.” I looked up, looking straight at Sterling. “It’s me.” “You again! Sarah!” Sterling slapped the table and stood up directly. “Good! You are really good!” “I’m here talking my heart out about the team, about the future, and you are flirting with your little boyfriend down there!” “Playing with your phone in a meeting, do you have any discipline in your eyes! Do you have me as a boss!” I frowned, explaining calmly, “I didn’t play with my phone, just a call, I already hung up.” “Hung up?” Sterling was furious, “You think you’re right?” “I see you are unrepentant!” “If I don’t show you some severity, you won’t know how many eyes Lord Ma has!” He pointed at me viciously. “I officially notify you now, according to company regulations, handling personal affairs during a meeting,” “Seriously affecting meeting order, fined $3,000! Deducted from your next month’s salary!” I twitched the corner of my mouth. “Mr. Sterling, I memorized the employee handbook when I joined. There is no rule saying answering a call in a meeting gets fined.” “Handbook?” Sterling sneered, tone disdainful, “What I say is the rule!” “I have the final say in this company!” He looked unhappy, frowning at everyone, “Everyone say, am I right to fine her?” “Is it people like her with no sense of collective honor who drag down our entire department’s progress?” Linda spoke carefully, “Mr. Sterling, please calm down.” “Sarah is still young, just graduated, doesn’t know better. This is the first time, how about… give her a chance?” “Her probation salary isn’t high, $3,000 isn’t a small amount…” Sterling glared, “She’s young? She doesn’t know better? She knew too well when she talked back to me?” “Linda I tell you, don’t mix mud here!” “It’s because of softies like you that she is so lawless!” Linda sat back awkwardly, daring not say another word. Zack was best at reading expressions. He spoke righteously, “No rules, no standards. I support Mr. Sterling’s decision.” “Sarah, it is indeed your fault this time.” Other colleagues immediately echoed, “Yeah, Sarah, just admit the fine quickly so we can finish the meeting and leave!” “We could have left at six, what time is it now? It’s all your fault!” “Who do you think you are? Talking back to the boss?” “Apologize to the boss quickly, stop being stubborn!” Looking at their expressions accusing me all at once, I suddenly found it very funny. These are my good colleagues. I usually treat them with snacks often. Once trouble hits, they push me out immediately. I straightened my back, “I won’t admit fines that shouldn’t be fined.” Sterling’s face collapsed, preparing to curse. My phone vibrated again. Sterling exploded immediately, “Sarah, is there no end? I order you, hand over the phone immediately.” I snorted coldly: “Impossible.” “The phone is my personal property. You have no right to confiscate it.” “Seems you still don’t understand the boss is the biggest in the company.” Sterling glanced at Zack coldly. Zack understood immediately, calling a few other male colleagues to surround me. Linda’s face turned pale, “Mr. Sterling, what are you doing! Talk nicely!” “Shut up!” Sterling pushed her away, “None of your business!” “One more word, and you resign and get out too!” Linda stumbled, pushed into the file cabinet by the wall. Other colleagues all lowered their heads, pretending to see nothing. My heart went cold. Indeed, just colleagues. Next second, several hands clamped my shoulders. “Let go!” I struggled, but the strength difference between men and women kept me pinned to the chair, unable to move. “Sarah, don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!” “Hand over the phone, it’s good for everyone!” I clutched the phone tightly, fingertips white. “Mr. Sterling, this is robbery, it’s illegal!” “Illegal?” Sterling raised his hand and slapped me. Left cheek burned with pain, heavy metallic taste in my mouth. “Go ask around, in Manhattan, who dares to touch me, Sebastian Sterling.” “Our Sterling family is protected by the Preston family.” “The richest Preston family, understand? Bitch.” Heh, he hit the future matriarch of the Preston family, and wants the Preston family to protect him? Simply dreaming! I smiled mockingly, “You will regret this!” “I never regret what I do!” Sterling lost patience, stepping forward personally to pry my fingers. His nails were long, digging hard into the back of my hand. My eyes reddened with pain. In the last second before the phone was snatched, I used all my strength, finger swiping the answer button. Sterling let out a sneer. “Heh, so what if you answered.” “Let your boyfriend hear how pathetic you are now!” Sterling pressed the speaker button, tone rampant, “Hello? Looking for Sarah?” The voice on the other end turned cold, “Who are you?” “Who am I?” Sterling laughed loudly, “I am her boss!” “I tell you, stop waiting. Your girlfriend Sarah talked back to her superior. I’m punishing her to stay in the company for overtime and deep reflection!” “Tonight, she goes nowhere!” Silence on the other end. Sterling became more smug, “Heard that? A grown man knowing only to circle around women, useless!” “I tell you, stop calling and disturbing our company meeting, or I’ll make you suffer consequences you can’t bear.” “Oh? Really?” An icy voice interrupted Sterling’s clamor. But this voice did not come from the phone. Instead, it came from the corridor nearby. Everyone’s eyes widened, looking at the conference room door. Only to see a tall and slender figure striding over. “I’d really like to see how you make me suffer consequences I can’t bear.” “Who the hell are you?” Sterling spat low, “Who let you in?” “Our company is holding an important meeting. Idlers get out!” The man glanced at Sterling lightly. “I’m here to pick up Sarah.” After he finished, his gaze fell on me. The colleagues grabbing me immediately let go. I threw myself into Preston’s arms immediately. “Preston, you finally came.” He looked at the red mark on my face and the bloody scratches on my hand, frowning with heartache. “Who did this.” Red-eyed, I pointed at Sterling, and Zack and the others. “Don’t worry, I will make them pay.” Preston patted my back gently, “Let’s go, I’ll take you to the hospital to treat the wounds first.” Saying that, he held my hand, turning to leave. Sterling laughed arrogantly. “Kid, you are Sarah’s boyfriend, right?” “I tell you, you can’t take her today!” “Sarah is my employee. When she can leave work depends on me!” “Now, immediately, get out! Don’t hinder our company’s internal discipline rectification!” Preston’s tone was three degrees colder than before. “I say it again, I’m taking her.” “Are you f*cking deaf!” Sterling rolled his eyes impatiently, “Who do you think you are? Dare to talk to me like this?” “Do you know who I am? The boss of Sterling Capital!” “Ask around this territory, who doesn’t give me some face.” Colleagues aside started whispering. “Done for, this young man is in trouble.” “Yeah, heard the Sterling family has good relations with major powers in the city.” “Especially the richest Preston family. I heard the boss’s driver say Sterling’s father even ate with Old Mr. Preston!” “Mr. Sterling has a bad temper, but his connections are really something.” “This young man is still too young, thinking he can walk sideways with a big mouth. Impulse is the devil.” Sterling became more smug, looking at Preston with disdain. “Heard that, brat? Didn’t ask who you are messing with before entering?” “Tell you, today you kicked an iron plate.” Iron plate? Just their Sterling family? A second-rate family at best. Being able to attend the Preston family dinner was only because I work at their company, And the Old Master wanted to give them a chance. Really think he’s somebody. I looked at Preston mischievously. “Preston, what to do? Their background is so hard, I’m a bit scared.” Preston spoke lightly, “Scared of what, if the sky falls, I’ll hold it.” Sterling revealed a mouthful of yellow teeth. “Kid, what do you hold it with? Relying on this face?” “You look handsome, but I must warn you,” “Society is not your home, not a place you can pretend just because you dress like a human!!” “No strength, no background, you are a fart!” He turned around sharply, pointing viciously at me. “Blame your brainless girlfriend for offending people she shouldn’t offend.” “Today your New Year’s Eve will be spent in my f*cking office!” He turned, raising his eyebrows triumphantly at everyone in the office. “See that? This is the result of not working hard!” “Not only do you have to work overtime, but your boyfriend also has to wait outside like a dog!” Zack immediately echoed fawningly, “Mr. Sterling is right! Work is heaven. Heaven is big, earth is big, but work is the biggest!” I gently pushed Preston away and looked at Sterling. “Mr. Sterling, I quit.” As soon as these words came out, Linda’s face turned pale, winking at me desperately. Sterling laughed holding his belly. “Quit? Sarah, is your brain really kicked by a donkey?” He stopped laughing, tapping at me with his finger, “Sure, hand in the resignation letter. According to labor law, 30 days notice.” “In these 30 days, you, Sarah, are still an employee of my Sterling Capital!” “If I tell you to work overtime, you work! If I tell you to work, you work!” “Want to leave? Fine, 30 days later, get out!” “But tonight, don’t even think about stepping out of this door!” Sterling really won’t cry until he sees the coffin, still so arrogant. I frowned, “Mr. Sterling, I’m just notifying you, I quit. I won’t listen to your orders anymore.” “As for deducting salary, deduct whatever you want, doesn’t matter.” “Tonight, I am leaving.” Sterling sneered, “You think the company is a place you come and go as you please?” “Zack, call security.” Preston spoke lightly. “I remember, The Preston Group recently has a $30 billion new energy project, planning deep cooperation with you.” Hearing “The Preston Group” and “$30 billion,” Sterling straightened his back even more. “Count yourself knowledgeable, kid!” “That’s right! That project is led by our Sterling family!” “The Preston family, understand? Our Sterling family is protected by the Prestons!” He thought Preston was scared, tone even more insufferable. Preston pulled a cold smile. “Oh, really?” “That’s just right.” He took out his phone, dialing his assistant directly. “Assistant Lee, notify down. All cooperation intentions between The Preston Group and Sterling Capital are terminated.” “Also, I want Sterling Capital to disappear from the city before dawn.”

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The anesthesia faded, replaced by a sharp, knifing pain in my abdomen. I was bleeding heavily, nurses rushing around me, but my husband Arthur was gone. My newborn daughter gave a faint cry. Arthur’s assistant rushed in, panicked. “Mrs. Ashford, Mr. Ashford sent me to get the young miss. Miss Reed is feeling down, and he thought the baby could cheer her up for a few days.” My voice broke as I grabbed his arm. “Does he know I’m hemorrhaging? That she was premature, in an incubator?” “He knows. He said you’re strong—an heiress. You’ll pull through. Miss Reed’s stream is struggling, and she’s fragile.” I asked if they’d bring my daughter back. His silent pity was answer enough. A final tear fell as I closed my eyes. My child was gone. The door opened. Jessica, my once-best friend, stood there, makeup perfect but eyes red. “Anna, you were always a fool. Next time, don’t fight me for him.” I opened my eyes. It was my engagement day again. This time, I wouldn’t fight. 1 The phantom agony of the C-section was so vivid that a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. My last conversation with Jessica from my past life echoed in my mind. As I lay dying, she had come to my bedside, her voice trembling. “Was it worth it, for Arthur? You’ll die, and he’ll be glad for it. But your child will grow up without a mother…” I coughed up blood, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “Jess, I’m so sorry. If I hadn’t fought you for him back then…” “Don’t,” she cut me off. “I never truly blamed you. I just hate that we let a man destroy our friendship.” As my consciousness faded, I heard Arthur’s voice from the hallway, dripping with a tenderness he never showed me. “Sophie, my love, don’t be sad. I brought the baby. Look how precious she is.” Sophie’s voice was cloyingly sweet. “Arthur, you’re so good to me. Won’t Anna be upset?” “What does she have to be upset about?” Arthur chuckled, a sound devoid of warmth. “She was just a fixture, a piece of the family merger. You’re the one I want to spend my life with.” “Now that she’s dead, it’s perfect. The child is yours to raise, and no one can ever keep us apart again.” Only in that final moment did I understand. The man I had loved with my entire being never had a place for me in his heart. I blinked, and the harsh sunlight of my own bedroom assaulted my eyes. I was lying in my own bed. My phone screen was lit up with a message from Jessica: “Anna, the Ashfords just called. They want you at the estate to discuss the engagement. With Arthur.” I shot upright. There was no scar, no wound on my abdomen. The date on my phone was exactly one year before my daughter’s birth. I had been reborn. I snatched the phone and immediately called Jessica. “Jess, I’ll see you at the estate this afternoon. We need to talk.” Her voice had a hopeful lilt. “You’ve finally seen the light? I told you Arthur was no good for you…” “We’ll talk in person.” I ended the call, a cold, burning hatred swirling in my chest. This time, I would not be Arthur Ashford’s stepping stone. And I would never let my child suffer the same fate. That afternoon, the grand living room of the Ashford estate was filled with the powerful heads of our families. The Ashford patriarch sat at the head of the room. Arthur, dressed in an impeccable suit, kept glancing at his phone, obviously texting Sophie. “Anna. Jessica,” the old man began, his voice raspy with age. “You are both fine young women. Whomever the Ashfords join with, it will be an excellent match. Arthur, the choice is yours. Who will it be?” In my past life, I had stepped forward, eagerly offering myself up. Jessica’s eyes had filled with tears, and our friendship shattered that very day. I hesitated, wondering if I should tell her the truth. But then I saw it in her eyes—a flicker of hope, a desperate desire. I knew she hadn’t given up on Arthur. She wanted to gamble on him one last time. Before I could speak, Jessica stood up. “Grandfather, I’d like to try!” Arthur looked up, startled. He clearly hadn’t expected her to be so bold. My heart tightened, but I remained silent. If this was her choice, the only thing I could do was be there to catch her when she finally crashed and burned. The patriarch nodded slowly. “Very well. Since Jessica is willing, then it is settled. The wedding has been in the works for six months. It will take place in three days.” “Wait,” I said suddenly. All eyes turned to me. “Grandfather, I agree to Jessica’s engagement, but on one condition.” 2 The old man stared at me. “Speak.” “Until the wedding, Arthur is not to have any contact with Sophie Reed.” I fixed my gaze on Arthur. “After all, Jessica is his fiancée now. He owes her that basic respect.” Arthur’s face darkened instantly. “Anna, Sophie and I are just friends. Don’t overstep.” “Besides,” he added coolly, “this is between me and Jessica. You have no place interfering.” Jessica, always proud, let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Friends? Arthur, can you honestly say she’s just a friend?” She took a breath, her chin held high. “But it doesn’t matter. I trust you’ll know where your priorities lie. Here’s to the rest of our lives.” She still wouldn’t give up. Looking at her was like looking at a reflection of my past self. A wave of sorrow washed over me. Just then, Arthur’s phone began vibrating frantically. His assistant burst into the room. “Mr. Ashford! It’s terrible! Miss Reed has been in an accident!” Arthur shot to his feet. “What happened?” The assistant’s face was ashen. “She was on her way to the estate when a truck rear-ended her car. She’s being rushed to the hospital now!” “What?” Arthur’s pupils contracted. He spun around and sprinted for the door. “Send me the address!” He didn’t even make it to the threshold before the patriarch’s roar stopped him in his tracks. “Stop right there! We are not finished discussing your wedding. What could possibly be more important than an Ashford marriage? Arthur, it seems you have forgotten your place!” Arthur turned back without hesitation, his knees hitting the marble floor with a sickening thud. “Grandfather, Sophie isn’t some outsider. She’s… she’s carrying my child!” “She’s pregnant. I have to go to her.” The word “friends” now hung in the air, a bitter, mocking lie. The color drained from Jessica’s face. She swayed, and I rushed to steady her. “Jess,” I whispered. “You heard him.” The old man slammed his fist on the table, his face purple with rage. “You insolent boy! This is madness!” But he was talking to an empty room. Arthur was already gone. When we arrived at the hospital, Sophie was lying in bed, a bandage wrapped around her forehead, tears streaming down her face like a tragic heroine. The moment she saw Arthur, she threw herself into his arms. “Arthur, my love, I was so scared! I thought the baby and I were going to die! I can’t believe I’m seeing you again…” “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here now. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Arthur held her tight, his eyes overflowing with a raw, protective love he had never once shown me. Then he turned, his gaze falling upon Jessica and me, and his expression turned to ice. “Which one of you did this!” Jessica stared at him, stunned. “What are you talking about?” Sobbing, Sophie pointed a trembling finger at Jessica. “Who else could it be? Before I left, I sent you a message. I told you I was pregnant with Arthur’s child and I wanted to talk. You refused, and you threatened me! You said you wouldn’t let me get away with it!” She held up her phone. On the screen was a message sent to Jessica: “I’m carrying Arthur’s child. We’re truly in love. Please, Miss Lynn, I’m begging you to let us be together…” Jessica’s reply was three simple words: “In your dreams.” I had known Jessica for years. That was the response of a proud woman who had been provoked, nothing more. If she had truly wanted to harm Sophie, she would never have wasted time with a text message. But Arthur wasn’t interested in logic. Jessica’s voice rose, desperate and cracking. “I didn’t send anyone to hit you! I was angry that you taunted me, but why would I ever hurt you or your child? I didn’t even know where you were!” “If it wasn’t you, then who was it?” Arthur’s voice was a low, vicious snarl. “Jessica, I never knew you were so vile. To marry into my family, you’d even resort to murder?” “I didn’t!” Tears streamed down Jessica’s face. “Arthur, please, just believe me this once. We’ve known each other for so long. Don’t you know the kind of person I am?” “I thought I did! That was my mistake!” Arthur roared. “You think I don’t know how jealous you’ve always been of Sophie? Now that she’s carrying my child, you’re desperate to clear the way before the wedding, so you decided to eliminate the ‘problem’!” “Jessica, you disgust me.” A bitter, self-mocking laugh escaped her lips. “I disgust you? Arthur, I have loved you for ten years. For you, I fought with my parents, I gave up my scholarship to study abroad, I even turned my back on my best friend. And all I get in return is that I disgust you?” “Yes!” The word was a weapon, sharp and immediate. “Compared to Sophie, you don’t even deserve to carry her shoes. Sophie is gentle and kind and never asks for anything. And you? Your mind is a labyrinth of schemes! If it weren’t for the Lynn family name, I would never have given you a second glance!” “Let me be perfectly clear. Even if we get married, I will never see you as my wife! You are just the public face of this merger. The woman I recognize, the only one in my heart, will always be Sophie.” His words were daggers, each one plunging deeper into Jessica’s heart. Her face turned a deathly gray, and her body trembled uncontrollably. The light in her eyes extinguished, flicker by painful flicker. 3 I held Jessica, my own body trembling with a rage that was both fresh and ancient. “Arthur, you have no proof. How can you accuse her like this? You believe every word Sophie says, but you won’t listen to a single thing from Jessica?” Arthur sneered. “Proof? Sophie’s word is all the proof I need. She would never lie to me. But you, Anna… you and Jessica are two of a kind. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re plotting.” “One of you drugs me, the other fakes a kidnapping. All this drama just to climb into my bed. You two really are best friends, aren’t you? Even your pathetic methods are the same.” The weight of my past life’s misery crashed down on me. I lifted my chin, my voice raw with fury. “I must have been blind to ever love a man like you, someone who can’t tell right from wrong! Arthur Ashford, mark my words. From this day forward, you and I are done.” Sophie, nestled in Arthur’s arms, glanced at us, a flicker of triumph in her eyes. Jessica grabbed my hand, her voice chillingly calm. “It doesn’t matter. Let him think what he wants.” “Anna, let’s go.” Once we were out of the room, Jessica could no longer hold it in. She collapsed against the hallway wall, sobbing uncontrollably. I rubbed her back, my own heart aching with the echoes of my past life’s pain. Her words were choked and broken. “I’m such an idiot. I knew he didn’t love me, but I just had to throw myself at him. And now… now I’m just some cheap, pathetic woman he thinks he can sleep with and discard.” “It’s not your fault,” I whispered. “He’s the one who’s blind.” I took a deep breath. “After all this, do you still want to marry him?” She shook her head, her body limp with defeat. “Anna, now I understand why you… in your last life… I regret it. I don’t want to marry him.” “But I have no way out. If I call off the wedding, my family offends the entire Ashford dynasty. It’s a gamble I can’t afford to take…” I looked down, an idea taking root in my mind. “I have a plan,” I said softly. “Let’s get you home first.” When we got back to her house, Jessica’s parents met us with grim faces. “Jessica, the Ashfords just called,” her father said, his voice heavy. “They said if we don’t issue a public apology, they’re pulling all their investments from Lynn Industries.” “The Ashfords hold all the power. One word from them and we’ll be ruined in this city. I told you not to chase after that boy, but you wouldn’t listen! Now our entire family has to pay for your mistake!” her mother cried, her eyes red and swollen. “What did you do?” Jessica froze, her face a mask of disbelief. “Make me apologize? I didn’t do anything wrong. Why should I apologize? If he’s not happy, he can just call off the wedding!” As the words left her mouth, her face went pale. Our eyes met. She understood. Sophie was, on the surface, just an influencer who had clawed her way up from nothing. To high society, she was a nobody, unsuitable for the role of an Ashford wife. No matter how much Arthur despised Jessica, he needed the Lynn family name. He would never let her go. “But we can’t afford to offend them!” her mother pleaded. “Lynn Industries is completely dependent on their investments. If they pull out, we’re finished! You need to call them and apologize right now. It doesn’t matter if it was your fault or not. We have to save the company!” My own parents arrived then, their expressions just as dark. “Anna, the Ashfords pressured us, too. They said if you keep helping Jessica, our family’s projects are finished.” Looking at our desperate parents, Jessica and I exchanged a look of shared defeat. We could sacrifice our own pride, but we couldn’t destroy our families. In the end, we were the ones who had fallen for Arthur. It was our mistake, and we had to be the ones to pay for it. Jessica wiped away her tears, her voice suddenly firm. “I’m not calling off the engagement.” She paused, then added, “But I’m not marrying him, either.” Our parents stared at us, utterly confused. I knew exactly what she meant. “That’s right,” I said. “We can just swap the bride.”

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My brother is the tragic second male lead in a novel. Right now, heartbroken over the heroine, he’s about to kill himself. I don’t try to talk him out of it. Instead, I lie down on a hotel bed and create a few fake hickeys on my neck. Then, I set up my phone to take a photo from a “boyfriend’s” point of view. Using the persona of some bleach-blond punk, I anonymously send the picture to my brother. “Ur sister is so hot. Decided im gonna marry her. I know im just some punk but ill make her happy. Can u just like, back off?” Then, a follow-up: “Also, shes so fine, my bae 4 life. Ill protect her forever. We gonna be makin out every day.” My brother, with the barrel of a gun pressed to his temple, sees the two messages. His vision goes black. He grits his teeth. With his left hand, he crushes his phone. With his right, he crumples the gun’s steel barrel. Suicide attempt: postponed. There’s a punk out there trying to mess with his sister. And he’s going to kill him. 1 I was an orphan, living on the streets. When I was six years old, a group of men grabbed me, took me to a sprawling mansion, and threw me at the feet of a young man named Sebastian Knight, an heir to one of the city’s most powerful families. That’s when I heard the voices—one was Sebastian’s, the other was something else entirely. The voice was cold and mechanical. “Sebastian Knight, she is the malicious supporting character. She will bring pain to the female lead. You must kill her now to protect the heroine.” I froze. I’m a what? A malicious… character? What does that even mean? Are they… going to kill me? Sebastian let out a lazy sigh and swiveled in his leather chair. A gun was in his hand. Our eyes met. He blinked, then let out a short, incredulous laugh. He pointed at me. “You can’t be serious,” he said to the empty air. “You’re telling me this six-year-old is the villain? What’s she gonna do, attack the heroine with a Barbie water pistol?” The System explained, “She is young now, but when she grows up, she will cause the heroine immense suffering.” They were talking so much. I was so hungry my head was spinning. I couldn’t focus on anything else. I tugged on the hem of Sebastian’s expensive trousers and looked up at him. “Brother,” I whispered, “I want to eat.” The System gasped. “As expected of the beautiful and cunning villainess! Such a powerful move! Truly terrifying! Sebastian, cover your eyes! Don’t let her cuteness sway you! Kill her!” Sebastian paused. “Tch, but she called me brother.” The System’s voice was grave. “Think of the heroine you love. Would you want to see her hurt?” At the mention of the heroine, Sebastian’s expression hardened. He raised the gun. But then, his gaze fell on my skinny, frail arms. He hesitated. “No rush,” he told the System. “Even prisoners on death row get a last meal. We can kill her after she’s eaten.” After I ate, I got sleepy. “Brother, I want to sleep.” The System sighed. “While it’s true she is rather cute, and pitifully small and thin… still! Sebastian, we cannot afford to be soft. Even if she calls us brother, we must not falter!” That set Sebastian off. “Hey, what’s this ‘we’? She only called me brother! Don’t you go getting a big head, you useless System!” They argued for a while. By the time they were done, I had curled up on the rug and fallen fast asleep. The System sighed again. “Let’s get back to business. Kill her quickly.” Sebastian looked down at my sleeping form. “No rush,” he said. “We’ll kill her after she wakes up. It’s bad manners to ambush someone in their sleep.” The System considered this. “True. And when she wakes up, she might even call us brother again… Er, I mean, it will be easier to kill her when she’s awake.” 2 Three months passed. Every single day, Sebastian and the System would plan my demise. And every single day, they’d decide, “No rush, no rush.” Finally, Sebastian declared that my education couldn’t be neglected. The System agreed that this was a valid point. And so, together, they gave me a new name, Aria, and enrolled me in the finest elementary school. From that day on, Sebastian stopped revolving his world around the heroine. Because now, he had to revolve it around my teachers. “Excuse me, teacher, why are two hairs missing from my Aria’s left eyebrow today? If anything happens to her, I will have this entire school razed to the ground!” “Teacher, in this class photo, why isn’t my Aria standing front and center?! For God’s sake, she’s clearly the most beautiful child here! Do you think I donate millions to this school every year for nothing?” The overbearing CEO in him was beginning to bloom. And the little devil in me was, too. The principal started calling Sebastian directly. “Mr. Knight, hello, yes. The thing is, today in class, Aria was caught hiding all the boys’ gym shorts. They’re quite upset.” Sebastian’s reply was deadpan. “Boys don’t need gym shorts. Tell them to stand still and let Aria have her fun.” The principal was speechless. Of course, when I got into too much trouble, Sebastian would try to discipline me. Like the time my teacher called him. “Mr. Knight, I saw Aria reading a book in class that wasn’t part of the curriculum. At first, I thought it was The Call of the Wild and was so pleased she was an admirer of classic literature. But then I looked closer… and it was The Call of the Wild Thing.” Sebastian was about to punish me, but that’s when the System would inevitably sigh in his head. “You know, she’s never had parents. She’s only ever had you.” “Go on, Sebastian. Yell at her. Look at her, just standing there, watching you. She’s not pitiful at all. Not one bit.” That was my cue. I’d look up at Sebastian, take his large hand in both of my small ones, and blink my big, innocent eyes. And just like that, his resolve would crumble. The 500-word apology essay he’d assigned me would become 300 words, then 100. Finally, he told me to just write five words. He was probably expecting “Brother, I am so sorry.” But when he opened the note, it read: “☆I love you, brother☆”. He and the System both gasped in unison. Tears welled up in their eyes, and they couldn’t bring themselves to say another harsh word to me. Heh. This young villainess has a few tricks up her sleeve. 3 I had, however, seen Sebastian truly angry once. He was on a date with the heroine, Seraphina Vale. It was supposed to be an important one. According to the plot, this was the date where he would fall completely in love with her. But just as he arrived, he got a call from my principal. “Mr. Knight, it’s a disaster! We had a school cooking activity today, and Aria’s green beans weren’t cooked all the way through! The entire class of thirty students is being rushed to the hospital! Your Aria… she’s turned into the school’s own Typhoid Mary!” Sebastian had to abandon his date with Seraphina to clean up my mess. I remember it so clearly. It was the first time he ever lost his temper in front of me. He stormed into the principal’s office and roared, “Idiots! They knew Aria was cooking! Why didn’t they think to take an antidote beforehand? Have they considered the psychological trauma this will inflict on my Aria? What if she’s too scared to eat now? She’s already so thin! And you people have the audacity to frighten her further!” The principal, drenched in a cold sweat, nodded furiously. “You’re absolutely right, Mr. Knight! These children today have no foresight! How could they not take an antidote? I’ll have a word with them! I do hope Miss Aria wasn’t too frightened. Please, don’t be angry…” Still, Sebastian was worried that the Great Green Bean Incident would make the other kids avoid me. So, he sent each of the thirty hospitalized students a little get-well gift: a deed to a condo in downtown Manhattan and the keys to a brand-new Rolls-Royce. Every single one of them woke up to find a property title and a car key on their bedside table. They were ecstatic. They asked each other if they had died and gone to heaven. In the end, not a single student held a grudge against me. In fact, many of them started begging me to be their personal chef and cook them some more undercooked green beans. Ever since I got my brother, life had been pretty great. I thought this as I dodged three classmates who were chasing me with empty bowls. 4 Time flew by. The year I turned sixteen, Sebastian was twenty-seven. One day, I was sitting in class when shimmering text started floating above the ceiling, visible only to me. [Such a shame. Is the devoted second male lead, Sebastian Knight, really about to be written out of the story?] [Yeah, the heroine just got engaged to the male lead. She invited Sebastian to the wedding and even rubbed it in his face, comparing him to her poor-but-proud fiancé. She told him, “Sebastian, your Rolex will never shine as brightly as the ambition in his eyes! I’m marrying him, and I hope I have your blessing.” Sebastian was literally shaking.] [The funny thing is, the poor guy’s ambition is to get rich enough to buy a Rolex. I don’t know what she’s on about.] [Never mind that, in twenty minutes, Sebastian is going to shoot himself. Ugh, he’s my favorite character. It’s so sad. After he dies, his business rivals will ruin his family, and his sister Aria will go from a princess to a pauper. So tragic.] My brother is going to kill himself?! I shot up from my desk and bolted out of the school. I couldn’t let him die. I had to find him! But where would he be? I tried calling, but he wasn’t picking up. The call didn’t go to voicemail; it was being rejected. In a flash of inspiration, I knew what I had to do. I would never make it to him in time, wherever he was. Time for some… unorthodox methods. I ran into a costume shop, bought a cheap, bleach-blond wig, and checked into a shady motel next door. I stuffed a towel inside the wig to give it the shape of a head and laid it on the bed. Then I lay down, pinched my neck to create a few angry-looking hickeys, and tore open the collar of my school uniform. I positioned the fake blond head on my chest, closed my eyes, and set my phone’s camera on a timer. Just like that, I had a scandalous-looking, post-coital selfie, taken from a lover’s perspective. In the photo, a girl with a tired expression sleeps, a glaring hickey on her neck. Her white uniform shirt is undone, and a man with shocking blond hair rests his head on her chest. I sent the photo to my brother from an anonymous number. “Ur sister is so hot. Decided im gonna marry her. I know im just some punk but ill make her happy. Can u just like, back off?” And the follow-up: “Also, shes so fine, my bae 4 life. Ill protect her forever. We gonna be makin out every day.” Less than a second later, a reply came through. “You bastard. Who are you?” “Touch her again, and I will kill you.” The text on the ceiling scrolled frantically. [Wait? Why isn’t the second male lead dying?] [I don’t know, he just started screaming something about a ‘bleach-blond punk’ and ‘I’ll kill you’ and then ran out.] I let out a long, shuddering breath and collapsed onto the bed. The knot of terror in my chest finally loosened, just a little. 5 I knew the show wasn’t over yet. I skipped my afternoon classes. That evening, I deliberately came home wearing high heels and a miniskirt. The massive foyer was dark, which was strange. I reached out and flicked on the lights. And there he was. Sebastian, sitting on the central sofa, with the entire household staff standing in two silent rows behind him. He sat on his throne-like chair, broad shoulders pressed against the red velvet, dark hair falling over his forehead. His narrow eyes were cold, his face an emotionless mask. I jumped. “Sebastian? What are you doing home so early?” He didn’t answer. His cold, dark eyes were locked on me, studying me for a long moment. It was late autumn, and I had a coat over my skirt, along with a thick, gray men’s scarf wrapped around my neck, conveniently hiding the hickeys. His voice was calm, almost unnervingly so. “You skipped class this afternoon. Where did you go?” “Um, I… I was out with friends.” “Friends?” His tone was glacial. “Can’t you find any friends who don’t have bleached-blond hair?” I looked down, hiding the guilt on my face, feeling like a student caught cheating by a teacher. Sebastian stood up. The staff immediately understood and filed out of the room, leaving the two of us alone in the cavernous mansion. He walked toward me, step by step, until he stood right in front of me, casting me completely in his shadow. I only came up to his collarbone, and the pressure was so intense I instinctively took a step back. His voice came from above me. “Take off the scarf.” It was strange. I hadn’t actually done anything wrong, so why did I feel so guilty? I forced a sweet smile and looked up at him. “Brother… wait, have you been busy lately? I missed you. Are you tired? Did you miss me?” He looked down at me, his voice cutting like glass. “Either you take it off, or I will.” Fine. There was no getting out of this. I lowered my head. “I’ll do it.” I moved as slowly as I possibly could, but eventually, the scarf came off. It had barely hit the floor before Sebastian kicked it away. In the next second, his cold fingers pressed down hard on the most prominent hickey. The touch made me shiver, but he didn’t pull away. He stared down at me. “What is this?” I said nothing. Sebastian’s jaw was clenched so tight I thought it might crack. “Aria, you’re sixteen, for fuck’s sake! How far did you go with him?” My face burned. I turned away. “It’s none of your business.” He straightened up, looking down at me from his full height, his voice dropping to absolute zero. “I’m going to ask you one last time. Are you going to tell me, or not?” I stared up at him, stunned. From the day he took me in, Sebastian had done nothing but spoil and protect me. I had caused every kind of trouble imaginable, but he had never, ever looked at me like this. His expression was terrifying. It made my blood run cold. If only the System were here. It might have been able to reason with him. But it was off on a mission in another world. I knew I had to keep the act going. Sebastian needed something to live for, something to be angry about. My body started to tremble. Then, I threw myself onto the floor and burst into tears. “I won’t tell you! Why do you keep grilling me like this? You can do anything for Seraphina because you love her! Well, I love my boyfriend, and I can do anything for him too! All I did was love him, what’s so wrong with that? Why are you interrogating me like a criminal? Get away from me!” After that passionate, unhinged, love-crazed monologue, the room fell silent. Sebastian’s expression didn’t change much, but his eyes lost their focus for a moment, as if something had just clicked into place in his mind. He froze, looking down at me, and muttered in disbelief, “Did you… learn this from me?” He stared at the weeping girl on the floor, and it seemed to become hard for him to breathe. Of course a child would grow up to be like the person who raised them. Her current love-crazed state was entirely his fault. He had given everything for Seraphina, so she had learned to do the same. She, too, would give everything for the one she loved, without a thought for the consequences. Even her own body.

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Since the Miscarriage, I started to become sensible. Never urged Julian to come home again, Didn’t mind him accompanying my best friend on vacation. Didn’t mind him being the father of my best friend’s son. Even now, I stepped on a few used Condoms in his car, Also face unchanged, casually threw into trash bag. Who knew Julian fiercely stepped on brakes, voice like a snapped string, “Me and Scarlett were intimate in the car… you just have this reaction?” I nodded, tone calm, “Hard to control feelings, I understand.” I finally became the sensible wife Julian wanted. Just he didn’t know, Those years I was most insensible, Really loved him. … Chapter 1 “Serena, you changed.” Julian’s voice somewhat trembling, “Before you wouldn’t be so indifferent.” I looked at street view flying past window, faintly responded, “That time insensible.” “Serena, I don’t need you so sensible, you can quarrel with me like before.” I pulled corner of mouth, gaze fell on my slightly curved pinky finger. That was last time I slapped Scarlett, pushed to ground by him, stepped broken by one foot. Seeing me silent, Julian unprecedentedly guaranteed to me, “Serena, after Christmas, I will cut clean with Scarlett, we start over.” One year ago if I heard such words, would definitely moved to tears. But now, I only feel ridiculous. Car drove all the way to Vance family old mansion, just entered door, I saw Scarlett wearing apron arranging plates, completely a hostess posture. Julian instantly panicked, “I didn’t know she would be here…” “Is I invited Scarlett to help.” Mother-in-law slanted eye at me, tone with thorns, “Christmas Eve, don’t be insensible make joke again.” This scene, exactly same as last year. That time Scarlett also like this entered house, left hand holding mother-in-law, right hand holding Julian. At reunion dinner table, I poured red wine in hand on her head. In Scarlett’s crying sound, Julian unhesitatingly splashed a basin of hot soup on my face. I subconsciously stroked faint scar on forehead corner, suddenly smiled, “Then hard work Scarlett.” Someone willing act virtuous, I happy to be free. Just turned want grab handful melon seeds, Julian but a grab me, voice suppressed disbelief, “Serena, you just let outsider spend Christmas with us?” I nodded smile, returned Julian’s words from last year exactly. “Scarlett alone taking child not easy, Big Christmas, can’t let them spend lonely.” “She is my best friend, I no opinion.” Speaking, Scarlett’s son suddenly rushed over, head hit on my lower abdomen. “Bad woman! Not allowed you rob my mom’s position!” Scarlett busy covered his mouth, “Kid watched too much cartoons, you don’t mind.” But in her eyes, no half apology. I quietly stood, abdomen remained dull pain. In this world already nothing can make me mind, Except that child I forever no chance born. Me and Julian were a pair envied by everyone in college, He remembered my every class time, when cold my thermos always warm. I knew he did experiment no time eat, pass cafeteria always brought his favorite ribs. We talked literature, also talked macroeconomics, were lovers, more soulmates. Graduation year Vance family bankrupt by opponent sniper, Father Vance overnight white hair, forced jump building by creditors. Julian forced drop out, took over astronomical debt. When I found him, he curled in corner of rental room, wrist knife cut hideous, blood flowed a ground. Father gone, mother sick, debt like mountain crushed him, he got severe depression. I approached him, he raised knife roar let me roll. Moment blade sank into my shoulder, he but suddenly sober, hugging me loud cry. Death all not afraid, still afraid living ma? I hid from family quit school, accompanied him carry together. Seven years, I pieced broken him back bit by bit. We set up stall, delivered food, took odd jobs, in countless early mornings check accounts together. Night paid off last debt, he used glass ring polished half year propose to me. Ring circle rough, but is most precious thing I wore. At wedding, he wept in front of everyone, “Serena, this life I absolutely not fail you.” After marriage, we loving sweet, only regret is no child. These years hard work overdrew our bodies, pregnancy for us abnormal difficult. Injections, egg retrieval, failure, try again… every time out from hospital, lower abdomen all heavy with cold pain. This time Scarlett brought child find me, We knew since childhood, her father rotten gambler, mother ran with someone when she very small. Parents pitied her, brought her home take care, we ate together lived together, until college separated. I smilingly stuffed a big red packet to child, blame her, “When married, also not tell me, let me prepare Dowry for you.” Her eyes dodged, suddenly said, “Remember junior year, I went find you? That time you guys rented a house.” I apologetic nod, “Those few days wronged you alone wait me in rental room, lab too busy, I also didn’t take you good stroll.” “One night, you didn’t come back,” She interrupted my words, voice very light, “He treated me as you.” She pushed child to my front, “This is Julian’s son.” I stood in place, tinnitus covered all sounds. Julian first reaction after knowing at home, was fiercely gave Scarlett a slap, then smoked on balcony whole night. Next day, he red eyes hugged me, “Serena, that night I drunk know nothing, I absolutely not recognize this child.” Day Paternity Test result out, mother-in-law hugged Leo laughed close not mouth. Julian but only cold face, “Except Serena’s child, others don’t think enter Vance family tree.” Scarlett cried sad, she said these years alone bring child not easy, if not desperate also absolutely impossible come find us. Julian impatient threw her a Check, let her forever disappear. Scarlett picked up check left, life seemed restored original. Julian still accompany me go hospital, considerate to me, hold my hand when injection, wipe tears when fail. I gradually put down heart knot, after all in this matter, Julian not know, and Scarlett also didn’t entangle too much. Three months later, IVF finally success. Just when I held prenatal check report, excited call Julian, across flowing road, I saw him. He one hand hold jumping Leo, other hand tight hug Scarlett waist. He lowered head, gentle kiss on Scarlett lip. I stood in place, paper in hand clenched deep wrinkles, finger calling phone trembling. I try hard keep voice calm, “Julian, where are you?” Voice on phone reveal hurried, “I meeting in company, go back accompany you later.” “Check result how? Success ma?” Success, but I rather not. See me silent, Julian thought failed again, comfort me, “It’s okay Serena, big deal we DINK, I won’t blame you.” Road opposite, Julian while call me, while rub Leo head, Scarlett smiling snuggle in his arms. Like extreme happy family of three. A tear smashed on back of hand, I pain to speak not out words, watch helplessly them disappear in my vision. Trance back home, finance sent report clearly missing $100 Million. Under question, other side stammer inform, “President Vance for new come Secretary Scarlett bid Sky Lantern bought sixty million gem ring, also bought villa car.” I in study, stare finance report sit till late night. Until door lock sound, Julian push door come in, bring a body cool air. “Why still not sleep?” He want hug me from behind, by me trace not leave dodged. “Angry?” He smiling hand a bunch rose, “Meeting dragged too late, sorry.” But he forgot remove thorns on rose, also forgot I don’t like rose, rose is Scarlett favorite flower. I turn computer screen to him. His smile stiff on face, but pretend calm, “Company recent new invest a project, need flow capital.” “What project need bid Sky Lantern, buy sixty million ring?” Julian Adam’s apple rolled once, “Do business, always need open some relations…” “Villa and car, all for open relations? I just know Scarlett relation so big.” “You all knew.” Room fall into dead silence. Half晌 (A while) later, Julian sighed, “Scarlett alone bring Leo live in rental room, she no work, living environment bad.” “Leo always my son, I can’t watch him suffer, I all for child.” I face cold indifferent, “So you use company money raise them?” Julian face sink, “Company is my Vance family asset, is I single hand make up, I have right decide how use!” I look him, suddenly feel incomparable stranger. “Julian Vance, you still remember company register day, register capital who paid?” He stunned. “Is I sold all inheritance jewelry, plus I worked three jobs saved money.” “Company first order, is I accompany client stomach bleeding exchange come.” “Most difficult time, is I mortgage grandpa left house then passed.” “Now you say, company is you single hand make up?” Julian face changed again change, finally turn into a kind irritable anger, “Yes, you paid, but I also gave you Mrs. Vance position, this still not enough?” “And Scarlett forever can’t get this title, I compensate her what wrong.” “Besides, yourself can’t pregnant child, could it be want my Vance family end heir?” Bruise left by ovulation injection still faintly pain, I laughed out tears. Sperm deformity rate greater than 98%, is main reason I always can’t pregnant. I took off that glass ring he hand polished, smashed pieces on ground. I sue Scarlett, want her spit out what ate in, Buy trending online expose her, let her ruin reputation. Scarlett didn’t live few days good life, then beaten back original shape, company also can’t stay. She use knife against throat, kneel on ground beg me, “Serena, I won’t rob your Mrs. Vance position, beg you let go us mother son.” She voice tear down, at Julian appear moment, wipe neck. Strength not heavy, look but very scary. Julian rush over fierce gave me a slap, pick up her just run hospital. Come back, he full eyes tired, “Serena, divorce ba, not for Scarlett, for Leo.” “You forced them no road to walk, I can only give them a title.” I coldly throw out prenatal check slip, State law, woman pregnancy period, husband cannot divorce. Based on what, I fight all strength born child born just no dad, and mistress illegitimate child but can step on my skeleton enjoy life. Julian look B-ultrasound image, face float a trace joy, no longer mention divorce. He seem change back that considerate husband. Until Scarlett son pushed down from third floor by someone, Leo wake up first thing, is in front police identify me, “Is Auntie Serena, push me down stairs.” “She said, I die, Dad just only belong her.” Company third floor monitor by human destroy, Only suspect person only me. Police investigate me, finally because evidence insufficient, give up prosecution. I used connection, ask best lawyer help me investigate truth. But Julian but decided is me, Day I out police station, he force choke my neck, eyes ice cold. “How you bear hand to child! You not worthy be human!” I pain to breath not up, hard easy then break free. That day start, Julian start whole night not home, say want redeem for me. I touch Scarlett once, he just twist break my wrist. I on net say a sentence truth, he just hold press conference reverse black white, accuse I am that third party. Public opinion reverse, netizens verbal attack pen punish me, scold my shameless. Parents help me explain, by netizens human flesh search, suffer poison beat. Scarlett a live stream after, parents brake line cut by someone, had car accident. In hospital pay money then find, my all accounts frozen by Julian. Find him time, he right with Scarlett entangle on bed, heat not disperse. “Leo want a sister.” He tone normal like saying weather. I whole body cold, only repeat, “My parents in hospital, need money.” “Apologize.” He button shirt button, eye also not lift, “Admit mistake to Scarlett, admit is you pushed Leo, money immediately arrive account.” “Julian Vance, that is person you called three years Mom Dad!” “Mom Dad?” He light laugh, “They give Scarlett eat left rice, as servant order time, but didn’t treat self as elder.” “If not they treat Scarlett harsh, Scarlett as to walk no road come find us ma.” These all Scarlett live stream rumor, Julian believed. I think of mother for Julian boil bowl bowl soup, father when he start business secretly stuff him bankbook. Also think childhood family poor, mother put new made cotton clothes wear on Scarlett body, and I wear Scarlett old clothes. Just when I bite teeth bow head to them, hospital notify bad news. Heaven spin earth turn, Scarlett block at door, “Haven’t apologize want go? Don’t want life saving money le?” I use all strength slap her a slap. Julian replace Scarlett return this slap, fierce push me. Lower abdomen hit cabinet corner, severe pain accompany warm wetness instant spread. Julian look full ground fresh blood, suddenly white face, crazy like pick up me rush hospital. Child not keep. Surgery light off time, Julian kneel bed side slap self face. I stare pale ceiling, there nothing have, like piece suddenly empty in my heart. At funeral I pain almost faint, but flow not a drop tear. Julian accompany me a long time, didn’t meet with Scarlett. He try like before chat with me, but I only quiet sit, not say a word. Later he stimulate me, deliberate loving with Scarlett, I also only feel numb. I seem no longer love Julian. Lawyer at this time gave me a investigation report. I flip material to end, fingertip ice cold, truth compare I thought more shocking. Back then Vance family bankrupt eve, biggest that loophole fund flow, end account holder is Scarlett father. Material inside also sandwich a paternity test report. Julian phone ring pull me from memory, He press speaker, Telephone inside voice clear explode in silent room, “Mr. Vance, third floor monitor repair success, Leo fall building complete process, filmed.”

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When Locke Foster ditched me again to chase Delphine across the Atlantic, I looked up at the endless stream of jets taking off and landing, and for the first time, I felt utterly, completely bored. This was supposed to be the best time of my life, yet I’d spent so many years stuck in his low-budget romantic drama. I tightened my grip on the plane ticket in my hand and boarded. Ten hours later, I landed. My phone buzzed with Locke’s text: “Ellie, listen, I’m so sorry. Can’t make Milan. Delphine and I worked things out. I’ll make it up to you when I get back.” He always did this, so casually, so openly treating me like his backup plan, always sure that I’d be there waiting. Later, when he inevitably came crawling back, disappointed and expecting me to pick him up at arrivals, he’d try to call, but my number would be blocked. He’d lift his head, and instead, he’d see me sprinting into the arms of a man in a pilot’s uniform, rising onto my toes to press a light kiss to his jaw. 1 Locke kept looking back at me as he approached the security checkpoint. He looked conflicted, wanting to say something, but not sure how to phrase the latest excuse. Finally, his friend, Brody, got fed up and shoved me hard toward Locke. “Come on, Locke, man up. Just break the news to your little spare tire.” Locke caught me, his lips pressed into a thin line. He knew he was in the wrong, and his voice was low, almost pleading. “Ellie, we’ll go to Milan next time, I promise. This time…” I tugged at the corner of my mouth, trying to flash the same easy smile I always used, the one that meant it’s okay, I understand. But the sound was stuck in my throat. Brody yanked me away and slapped Locke on the back. “Don’t sweat it, man. I’ll make sure the Consolation Prize gets home.” Locke started to speak to me again, but his phone rang. I watched him answer, his voice instantly shifting to a soft, cajoling tone. “Delphine, I told you I’ll be there in a few hours…” He walked through the security arch without a second thought, his back as straight and final as all the other times he’d abandoned me for Delphine. Brody scratched his head and grabbed my suitcase. “Alright, Little Spare, I’ll take you home.” I pressed my hand onto the handle of my luggage, shaking my head at his irritated expression. “I need a minute alone.” Brody smirked. “Don’t tell me you’re still thinking of chasing after him to France, are you? You haven’t figured out your role yet? Compared to Delphine, you’re on a totally different plane to him. You’re the ground floor.” When he couldn’t convince me, Brody left in a huff. I dragged my suitcase to the glass wall of the terminal and sat down, staring blankly as planes lifted and landed. I tried to pick out the flight that was supposed to have carried Locke and me to Milan today. This wasn’t the first time Locke had prioritized Delphine. It wasn’t the first time he’d broken our promise. But it was the first time I felt this heavy, soul-deep fatigue washing over me, pooling from my core to my fingertips. Suddenly, I was just so bored. 2 My hands were shaking as I boarded the flight, but the feeling was a strange mix of faint excitement and wild calm. Few people knew that I suffered from such severe acrophobia that the very idea of flying crippled me. Locke had known this about me since childhood. That’s why, after every family trip, he’d describe the breathtaking spectacle of the sky and the foreign landscapes in vivid detail. When he learned I dreamed of Milan, he’d gently run his hand over my hair and promise, “Ellie, I’ll take you. I promise we’ll see it together someday.” I believed him. From the time I was ten until I was eighteen. Then he threw himself into his turbulent, on-again, off-again relationship with Delphine. I silently played the understanding friend, distancing myself whenever they were together. But every time they split, Locke would inevitably come back to me, buy tickets, and say, “Let’s go, Ellie. I’ll finally take you to Milan.” I had a literal shoebox full of those wasted, expired tickets. I managed a self-deprecating smile. It took me until this moment to realize he’d been using that ticket as a dangling carrot, a cheap insurance policy, for years. 3 The plane started to taxi and pick up speed. My hands clenched the armrests, my body rigid against the seat back. The sense of lost gravity made my heart race, and cold sweat broke out on my forehead and back. Suddenly, the plane shuddered violently. I gasped, instinctively grasping the hand that was nearest to the armrest, shutting my eyes tight and trying to breathe. After what felt like an eternity, the hand I was white-knuckle gripping gently shifted its fingers. “Ma’am, are you okay?” I snapped my eyes open and turned my head. A handsome, smiling face was inches from mine. He held up our hands, which were still tightly clasped, and gave them a little shake. “Just a bit of expected air turbulence. It’s over now.” I realized I’d been squeezing his hand so hard it was pale, and I quickly let go, mumbling an embarrassed apology. He laughed softly, flexing his hand, and turned sideways to face me, instantly familiar. “Small girl, big grip. You’re afraid of flying, but you decided to come alone?” I stared at my still-trembling hands, remembering the name ‘Locke’ that had almost screamed itself from my mouth during the shake. A bitter ache rose from my fingers to my chest. I forced a tight smile. “I have to get over it. Being dependent on someone to conquer your fears is too heartbreaking.” He gave a slight, understanding nod and opened the window shade next to him. “Well, your bravery rewarded you with luck. Look, the sky is rarely this beautiful.” I blinked my stinging eyes and looked past him, out the window. The twilight was a brilliant, violent display of color, a bouquet of deep reds and hot oranges, blooming across the vast expanse of the sky. The sheer beauty of it shocked me, and tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t stop the silent, ugly sobs. What had I been doing all these years? What had I been waiting for? I had let someone convince me that my prime was secondary, that I didn’t deserve this kind of glorious, terrifying beauty. A jacket was gently placed over my head, shielding my moment of raw vulnerability. I finally felt it: I was free to let Locke go, completely and utterly. 4 When we deplaned, I learned the man was Miles Kennedy, a pilot who usually flew this route but was currently taking some time off. I nervously glanced at the jacket in his hand. “Captain Kennedy, thank you for the jacket.” Miles shrugged it off with a casual smile. Then, after a moment’s thought, he turned back to me. “As an apology for startling you, would you join me for lunch?” When I hesitated, he put on a look of mock distress. “There’s this one place I’ve wanted to try for ages, but eating alone seems so depressing. I keep missing it.” I’m still not sure how it happened. I had just resolved to enjoy a solo trip, yet the next thing I knew, I was sitting across from him in a chic Italian restaurant. Miles scanned the menu and asked if I had any dietary restrictions. I sadly shook my head. But all the sadness melted away when the beautifully plated food arrived. I took a few photos and, for the first time in ages, posted to social media: “The place I always dreamed of. Finally made it.” I wasn’t ready for the explosion. Brody, Locke’s obnoxious wingman, was the first to screenshot the post and tag both me and Locke in their group chat. “Locke, man, your Little Spare got smart? She’s playing mind games now, using reverse psychology.” “Wait, Little Spare, whose hand is in the fifth picture? That’s a dude’s hand, right?” Replies poured in: “She probably just found it online. Not even in the States. Bad lie, Ellie.” “Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. The Consolation Prize finally snapped. Been a doormat for too long.” Locke himself finally chimed in, tagging me: “Ellie, this is getting ridiculous.” “I messed up. I’ll bring you a gift when I get back.” I smiled thinly, calmly exited the group chat, and muted it entirely. Back in the chat, Brody’s jaw must have dropped: “The Little Spare went nuclear! She left the group!” Someone else posted: “Guys, this looks legit. I think that’s L’Osteria in Milan. And her backpack charm is visible.” Brody: “Photoshopped. She’s desperate. She’ll do anything.” Locke tagged Brody: “Did you take Ellie home like I told you to?” Brody: “…Yeah, man.” Locke: “Let her throw her fit. She’ll get over it. I’ll make it up to her when I’m back.” Brody: “What if it’s real, though?” Locke, stopped at the security gate in the Paris airport, took a deep breath and typed: “It can’t be. She has an issue. She can’t fly to Milan.” But as he sent the message, Locke felt a profound, chilling sense of anxiety, and the hand hovering over his screen trembled.

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