Category: English

My sister, Phoebe, was always frail, but viciously defiant. To guide her—to shock her into compliance without laying a hand on her—my mother, Elaine, turned me into her living, breathing Control Group. Phoebe snuck out, chasing trouble in cheap clubs and coming home smelling of stale smoke and bad decisions. So, my mother sent me out. Dressed in a skirt barely wider than a belt, walking home at 3 AM through the worst stretch of the city. When Phoebe saw me the next morning—my clothes ripped, a map of cheap, purple bruises marking my neck—she was so terrified, she stopped seeing those low-life punks for good. Phoebe got pregnant and still drank like it was spring break. So, in my eighth month of pregnancy—my pregnancy—Mom forced me to drink. Not just a glass, but bottle after bottle of cheap beer. Phoebe watched me hemorrhage. She watched me lose my son. My son, Micah. The sight, the absolute visceral terror of it, kept her sober for the rest of her term. She delivered a perfect, healthy baby boy. Beside the hospital bed, Mom squeezed Phoebe’s hand. “If you’d kept drinking, you would have ended up just like your sister, Jade. Lost the baby. Maybe lost your chance to have any more.” Phoebe looked at me, her eyes wet with gratitude. “Thank you, Jade. You saved me from myself.” “You’re welcome.” I wrapped my arm around Mom’s throat. A single needle, deep into her neck. “This is your final lesson, little sister. See what happens when you spend twenty-seven years turning a daughter into a monster.” 1 A bead of blood splattered across Phoebe’s cheek. Her scream ripped through the sterile air. I dragged Mom backward, away from the delivery bed, backing slowly toward the door. She slumped to the floor, her body still weak from giving birth, and there was no way she could catch me. By the time her crying brought the rest of the family and the nurses running, I was long gone. While everyone scrambled, a live stream was tearing through every social media platform. On the screen, a chilling, metallic sound filled the air: the blade of a heavy hunting knife being pulled across a whetstone. Behind me, Mom, Elaine Tanner, was zip-tied to a heavy armchair, her eyes wide with terror. [? Isn’t that Elaine Tanner, the woman who just went missing? Why is she here? And tied up by her eldest daughter!] [OMG, is this a live murder?] “Jade!” In a second window, Phoebe had started her own broadcast. “Jade, what are you doing! Stop it right now!” I admired the razor-sharp edge of the blade, then gave the camera a cold, flat look. “Sister! I’m begging you!” She dropped to her knees with a desperate, sickening thud. Her post-delivery body looked impossibly fragile. “Mom raised us for twenty years! She’s done so much! If you have a problem, take it out on me! I’ll take her place! Please, just let her go!” The comment section exploded. [Are you insane? That’s your mother! What kind of hate is this?!] [A live-streamed patricide! This is sickening! She needs to be arrested! This woman clearly has violent genes!] The police warning popped up on my screen. [We are currently tracking your location. Surrender now, and you can still save the situation.] I smiled. “Welcome to the chase.” [!!! Too arrogant! Lock her up and throw away the key!] [Just shoot her on sight. She’s too dangerous.] I didn’t speak. I simply turned toward my mother. She trembled. “Jade. Please, surrender. I’ll write a letter of leniency for you.” [Poor dear, the unconditional love of a mother.] [It’s true, even after all this, a mother would still forgive her daughter.] [Jade is a monster!] I chuckled. “No need.” The blade dragged across the floor, sparking as it scraped the cement. I approached my mother. [!! Stop! Don’t touch your mother!] [Police! Where are you! Stop her!] “Sister!” Phoebe’s voice was a ragged shriek. I pressed the knife against Mom’s throat. She shook uncontrollably. “Jade, are you really going to kill your mother?” I looked down at her. “Tell me. Where is Micah?” Mom froze. 2 Not just Mom. Everyone watching the live stream paused. Phoebe’s tears finally overflowed. “Jade, he died! We all grieved for him!” “No!” I whirled around, my eyes burning. The knife in my hand trembled. I ground my teeth. “He’s not dead! I know he’s not dead!” “Jade! I know you’re hurting because of the miscarriage, we all are! But you have to move on!” My father, whom I had not seen in months, roared through the stream. I just smiled. I looked at my mother. “Mom, you know if my baby was truly miscarried, don’t you?” Her eyes darted away. I looked back at the camera. “Ladies and gentlemen! I did not start this stream to commit murder. I started it to find my child—the son my mother hid from me!” [What is she talking about?] [She had a miscarriage, but she thinks the baby is alive?] I stared hard at the lens. “What you might not know is that my ‘miscarriage’ was no accident. It was the direct result of my sister’s drinking while pregnant, and my mother—to make her realize the danger—forcing me to drink bottle after bottle of beer in my eighth month!” [What? Is that… an actual sentence?] [I can understand the words, but not when they’re put together like that.] [The mother forced the older daughter to miscarry just to teach the younger one a lesson about drinking while pregnant?] [If that is true, I would go absolutely insane!] I smiled at my mother. “Right, Mom? Tell them the truth.” “Lies!” Mom raged. “You were reckless! You wouldn’t listen to anyone! Why would I force you to miscarry? He was my grandchild too!” [Hmm… I think the mother makes sense. A mother’s love is complex, but no one would do that to a grandchild.] [I have two daughters too. Even if I favor one sometimes, they are still my children.] [She must have had a breakdown after the miscarriage, a delusion that her mother forced her to drink and hid the baby.] [Definitely. No sane person would live-stream a murder attempt.] I knelt in front of Mom. “I know exactly why you did it, Mom. I’ve been Phoebe’s Control Group for over twenty years. And my Micah? He was going to live on to be your perfect grandson’s next control group, wasn’t he?” “You’re talking nonsense!” Mom shrieked. But I saw it. Her breathing was uneven. The panic of being exposed. I placed my hand on her knee. “Mom, why did you do this to me? Am I not your daughter, too?” “You’re crazy!” She twisted her head away, unable to meet my eyes. I gave a bitter laugh. I stood up, my expression turning icy. “I know the police are tracing this. Don’t worry, you won’t find me. But I promise you this: As soon as you bring me my son, Micah, I will walk out and surrender. If you fail to…” I pointed the machete at Mom. “Every ten minutes, I take a piece of her.” [A torture-murder?] [She’s completely deranged!] I ignored the furious scrolling of the comments and Phoebe’s desperate, heart-wrenching sobs. I hit the timer. The police were stalled. They had no choice but to follow my instructions. A unit was sent to question the family about Micah. Without exception, they all maintained the same story: “He was stillborn.” My father, wiping away performative tears, claimed, “If Jade hadn’t been so reckless with alcohol, Micah wouldn’t have died in utero! Now that she’s lost him, she blames her mother!” I scoffed. I just watched the timer. “Ten minutes is up.” I stood. Phoebe rushed toward her camera. “Sister! Don’t do anything crazy! You’re just talking, right? That’s Mom! We’ll find Micah together when you get out, okay?” I stood behind Mom. I grabbed her ear. A sharp, downward strike. Mom’s scream was pure, animal agony. I held the severed ear up to the webcam. In Phoebe’s horrified gaze, I let it drop. The small, wet slap as it hit the desktop. Phoebe’s eyes rolled back; she collapsed into the arms of her husband, Dr. Adam Fitch. Adam, furious, stepped in front of the camera and slapped a stack of papers onto the table. “Jade, wake up!” There, stark and irrefutable… was Micah’s death certificate. 3 I stared at the report for a long time, unable to speak. Adam was breathing heavily. “It’s signed, sealed, and stamped by the hospital! What more proof do you need?” The comments went ballistic. [Confirmed. Jade is officially crazy!] [Witnesses and evidence are all here. She really must be psychotic, hallucinating the baby was hidden.] [Poor Mom, this is a nightmare she never deserved.] “Jade!” Adam glared at me through the lens, a hint of desperation in his eyes. I picked up the printed death certificate and flipped through it. Then, I turned and reset the timer. “Jade!” Adam shrieked at the camera like a maniac, as if trying to reach through the screen to strangle me. I simply sat back, composed, watching the countdown. “You’re insane! Absolutely insane!” Adam paced, then pointed directly at the camera. “What is it going to take for you to believe us? Micah’s ashes are already buried! If you don’t trust a death certificate, what do you trust?” “I don’t distrust the death certificate.” I looked coldly at the screen. “I distrust the death certificate you provided.” He froze. I stood up, leaning my hands on the table. “Dr. Fitch, if anyone else had signed this, it would be one thing. But it has your signature.” His face went pale. I smiled sardonically. “All those years Mom was using me as Phoebe’s control group, you never once objected. In fact, you probably encouraged her, telling her all the bad habits you wanted Phoebe to drop, so Mom could experiment on me instead, giving your wife a ‘painless’ lesson!” Adam deliberately looked away. I leaned closer to the camera, my smile widening. “You just wanted your son to learn his life lessons the easy way, didn’t you? Well, I’m telling you, Dr. Fitch, that will never happen. My son will never be the control group for yours!” “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Adam’s breathing was fast and shallow. I chuckled and sat back in the chair. “You don’t? Fine. You certified him as stillborn. Are you willing to bring in the obstetrician and the entire delivery team who were on duty that night, to confront me?” “I—” Adam choked. He couldn’t get a word out. The comments immediately shifted. [Wait, something’s wrong. Is the death certificate fake?] [If it’s real, why can’t he answer? Did the baby live?] [They wouldn’t really use someone else’s child as a control group, would they? That’s pure evil!] The police officers who were questioning Phoebe and Adam saw the change in their faces. “Sir, we need your full cooperation.” “No! Wait, don’t listen to her! I didn’t fake anything, it’s all real!” Adam was panicking. The police were composed. “We will contact your colleagues for verification, including everyone on the delivery team that night. Rest assured, we won’t wrongly accuse you.” “Wh-What?” Adam’s face went white. Phoebe rushed to his side. “Don’t bother, Officers! My sister is lying! You should be finding her location, not suspecting innocent people here!” [This is suspicious. Why are they so desperate?] [The attitude shift is too sudden. They are definitely hiding something.] [Could Jade’s baby really have been hidden by them?] The viewers could see it, and the police saw it instantly. With the timer showing less than a minute remaining, the officer’s face hardened. “Mr. Fitch, this is a matter of life and death. If you are concealing the child’s condition, you can still gain leniency by confessing now. And Mrs. Tanner can be spared further harm.” “I… I…” Adam was buckling. “The baby died!” The door was pushed open. A man walked in, calm and assured, and faced the officers. “Officers, please don’t believe any of Jade’s accusations.” I stood up. “Neil!” He looked at me. “Jade, stop this farce.” 4 I knew this wouldn’t be easy. But I never thought the person to stop me would be my own husband. “What are you doing here?” My fists were clenched tight. His expression was cold and aloof. “Stopping you from making an even bigger mistake.” “Micah isn’t dead!” “He is dead!” In three years of marriage, this was the first time he had ever yelled at me. The comments were a mess of question marks. [What is happening now?] [Her own husband is confirming the baby is dead?] [But Jade seemed genuine, didn’t she? Is Neil Everett taking his sister-in-law’s side? That’s his son!] “No, everyone, Jade is lying.” Neil Everett turned to the camera with a heavy sigh. “My wife is suffering from postpartum psychosis.” I froze. The comments were still confused. “After we lost the baby, she developed severe postpartum depression, which eventually led to this. She can’t accept that Micah is gone, and has even fabricated this delusion that she was Phoebe’s control group. As her husband, I understand and feel tremendous sympathy for her.” He looked at me, his eyes softening with the gentle concern that had won me over years ago. “Jade, please, stop this. We can have another baby.” “I’m not making a farce!” My eyes stung. “You know Micah is alive! You know better than anyone! Why are you lying to protect them?” “Micah is dead!” He tossed a folder onto the table in front of the camera. The title was clear and chilling: [AUTOPSY REPORT] 5 The report was detailed and complete. Every step had a photograph. Though my baby had been rushed away the moment he was born, I had caught a brief, half-conscious glimpse of him. The baby’s face in the autopsy photos—it was my Micah. Acute intrauterine asphyxia. He was born blue, without any life signs… Looking at his tiny, suffocated face as he took his first and final breath, my legs gave out. I sank to the floor, clutching the report to my chest, my tears blurring the text. “How could this be… I heard him cry… I know I did…” Neil sighed softly. “You must have heard the woman next door, sweetie…” “Ah!!” A guttural cry tore from my throat. I pressed the autopsy report to my chest and cried, letting out all the grief and pain that had been trapped inside me. At the same time, Phoebe rushed to Neil, collapsing against him, as if to kneel. Neil caught her instantly. “Thank you, Neil. You’ve always helped me, since college. Now you’re married to my sister, and you’re still looking out for me. I can never repay this kindness. Please, let me thank you on my knees.” “Stop it!” Neil gripped her arms tightly. His throat bobbed as he looked into her tear-filled eyes. “We’re family. This is what I’m supposed to do.” Phoebe sniffled and returned to Adam’s side. Neil’s eyes followed her, lingering for a moment, before he regained his cool composure and looked at the camera. “Jade, stop this. It’s not too late.” I stumbled to my feet. Mom looked at me with deep concern. “Jade.” My expression was blank. “Jade, Mom has been a little biased, I admit, but I would never harm my own grandchild!” I watched her tears fall. She wouldn’t, would she? No matter how much she favored Phoebe, she wouldn’t conspire to kill her own grandchild… I walked toward her, my hands shaking as I reached for the zip-ties on her wrist. “Jade, I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” I kept untying the knot. Just as it was about to come undone, a small detail flashed in my mind. “No!” I pulled the knot tight again. “Jade?!” Mom’s eyes widened. The ten-minute timer went off. I pointed the machete directly at her. “The autopsy report is fake!”

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I waited like a fool for my husband all day, waiting for him to come home and spend Valentine’s Day with me. But it wasn’t until 1 AM the next day that he finally appeared before me, covered in travel dust. He pulled me into his arms, a hint of deliberate guilt in his voice: “Baby, that’s the bad thing about budget flights, taking off too late. But… I saved over a thousand dollars.” “Didn’t you always nag me to save some diaper fund money for the baby?” My eyelashes trembled slightly. I suppressed the indescribable grievance in my heart and teased him pretending to be relaxed. “Our Julian, the second-generation heir of the Sterling family, the young master who believes in hedonism, when have you ever been persuaded by me? Just a business trip, and you seem like a different person.” His body stiffened for a split second, almost imperceptibly. Then, he frivolously scraped the tip of my nose, masking everything with a smile. “Isn’t it all influenced by my little financial manager? Money that shouldn’t be spent, not a cent can be wasted.” Chapter 1 He remembered something, turned around and opened his suitcase, “Sweetie, I brought you a Valentine’s gift.” Saying that, he handed me a bag. Inside was a pink floral dress. I held it up. “It’s pretty, just…” It was too different from the style of gifts he used to give me. Not designer bags, perfumes, or other jewelry. But a dress without even a tag. Julian rubbed my head, tone somewhat proud, “Bought it at the Miami Night Market, two for sixty-five.” “Great cut, nice fabric, super cost-effective.” His eyes shone as he looked at me, begging for praise. I leaned in, cupping his face and examining it seriously. “Confess, who picked it for you!” I didn’t believe he became so thrifty overnight, and could even pick out a nice dress from a street stall with sharp eyes. He quickly pecked my cheek, tone helpless. “It was Mia, she insisted on showing me the prices on the street outside her university.” “Finally know how college students live on eight hundred a month.” Mia, his biological sister attending college in Miami. I breathed a sigh of relief. Asked casually: “Your family only gives Mia eight hundred a month?” He froze, hugged me, “How is that possible. It’s her roommate who has a poor family background.” Then he rested his chin gently on my shoulder, somewhat tiredly said: “So tired.” “This month on business trip in Miami, missed you especially.” “Is the baby good? Didn’t make you uncomfortable again, right?” I touched my belly, tone softening, “The little guy tosses and turns all day.” Seeing this, he said fiercely to my belly, “Make Mommy trouble again, and I’ll spank you when you’re born!” I couldn’t help laughing, “Alright, hurry up shower and sleep.” Paused, then mumbled, “Julian, you owe me a Valentine’s Day tomorrow.” “Yes ma’am!” The sound of water started in the bathroom. I put my mind at ease, the depression of missing Valentine’s Day swept away. His phone was casually placed on the table. Ghost-driven, I picked it up. Wallpaper still our photo, password still my birthday. No anomalies in WeChat chats. He was even really chatting with Mia about money-saving tips, reading like he was eager to try. I smiled speechlessly, annoyed at myself for being so bored. He couldn’t possibly cheat, and I was checking his phone seriously like others. Exiting to the desktop, just about to turn off the screen, a red app in the corner caught my attention. He even downloaded Temu. Clicked in, no purchase records. Just as I was about to exit, a message popped up at the top. [You have successfully assisted Daisy! The system gifts you a new user free order qualification…] Chapter 2 Daisy… I silently recited this name. So Julian downloaded Temu just to help her get a deal. I unconsciously gripped the phone tightly. Remembered when we first started dating, I invited him too. He refused without thinking. “If you want money, I’ll just transfer it to you.” The sound of water in the bathroom didn’t stop. Budget flight tickets, floral dress, and this Daisy. Julian, is there really no problem? My throat tightened, heart pounding. Walked to the balcony, dialed Mia’s number. The girl’s cheerful voice sounded. “Sister-in-law, why aren’t you sleeping so late, what’s up?” I said gently: “Mia, I want your roommate’s contact info. Heard from your brother her family is poor, considering sponsoring her.” “Oh, Daisy Xu. I’ll send you her WeChat.” “Her family values boys over girls, gave birth to four daughters before having a son.” “She’s the third, living the hardest, but quite inspirational, living happily on eight hundred a month.” “My brother keeps nagging me to learn from her, ears are calloused…” I instructed her not to tell anyone first. She agreed. I didn’t hear clearly what she said later, just staring at the pretty girl’s avatar on the screen in a daze. If I remember correctly, the remark Julian gave her was “Teacher Daisy.” A vague yet extremely ambiguous title. My fingertips turned white. Clicked friend request, using my identity as a famous writer. “Scarlett?” Julian stood not far behind me at some point. I turned off the screen, turned to hold his hand, chuckled lightly: “Came out for some air, let’s go back to sleep.” Late at night, lying in bed tossing and turning. While he was asleep, I got out of bed, quietly pushing open the bedroom door. The light of the phone screen hit my face. Quickly found Daisy’s social account. A girl who loves sharing life, username just Daisy. Scrolled down, saw the first post related to Julian. Title: [Roommate dating a punk, let me entertain her CEO brother QAQ] She took him to the night market, ate cheap food he never ate. From disdain to acceptance, from cold face to smiling. [CEO really smells good (changed his mind)!] [With me, he can learn many money-saving tips, feel like I can charge tuition…] A pure black avatar commented under the post. [Please guide me more, Teacher Daisy.] Girl went crazy. [Damn, cover blown!] [Teacher Daisy reluctantly takes you on a budget tour of Miami hahaha.] Last Friday was her birthday, Julian pushed work to accompany her to the amusement park. Roller coasters, pendulum rides, drop towers. He, who is afraid of heights, played them all, face pale, retching desperately. Daisy posted: [Super moved, specially brave Mr. Shen!] And that day I was alone in the hospital for prenatal checkup. The baby either sat straight up unable to be photographed, or arm blocked the face. Tossed for a whole afternoon, anxious and uneasy. Pretended to be relaxed texting Julian to complain, he never replied. Maybe due to pregnancy hormones, I panicked for no reason, rarely contacted his assistant. Reply was, “Mr. Sterling is busy with a meeting, might not have seen Madam’s message.” “Next checkup I can help contact the Old Madam to accompany.” I put my mind at rest: “No need, just a bit worried about him.” And his mother always looked down on me, no need to ask for a snub. Latest post, Daisy wore that pink floral dress, spent Valentine’s Day with him. Parting, she said [Don’t like immorality, hate female competition even more, I want you to choose me unswervingly.] Julian commented after getting off the plane. [You are strong, brave, kind. Beauty is the least worth mentioning merit.] [Regret is we met too late.] [If there is a next life, I choose you.] 5 AM, sky gradually turning white. I sat quietly on the living room sofa, booked a hospital abortion. Julian, no need for next life. You can choose her now. Chapter 3 8 AM, he woke up. Looked for me immediately, relieved seeing me “Scarlett, why up so early.” “Baby not behaving again?” He squatted in front of me, worry looking genuine. Touched my belly with heartache, “Wifey, really hard on you.” “I dreamed of our first child last night.” “Sigh, let’s not mention this, this one will definitely go smoothly.” “I won’t leave again, this time I will accompany you until birth.” “Make you the happiest Mrs. Sterling!” His tone was very sincere. If I hadn’t seen those posts, I’m afraid I would have believed these words. Moved his hand away from my belly, forced a smile, “Go to work quickly.” “Earn more diaper fund for this naughty one.” He frowned, face full of disapproval, “Said I’ll make up a Valentine’s Day for you.” “Even if the sky falls today, I will accompany you.” He rubbed my head comfortingly, “Don’t worry, all arranged. No one will disturb us.” “Sweetie, go change clothes.” “I prepared many surprises this time.” He was in high spirits. I frowned, clutching the phone, thinking maybe I should change the appointment time. Changed clothes and came out, disappointment flashed in his eyes. “Why not wear that dress?” I smiled: “Haven’t washed it, you became so unparticular after a business trip.” Panic flashed in his eyes, then he smiled and shook his head, “Pregnancy brain for three years, looks like I’m the silly one.” Then diligently brought shoes to me, “Princess please lift foot.” Prepared everything needed for going out in detail. Phone rang suddenly before leaving. He looked, expression unchanged. “Sweetie, I’ll take a call.” “You sit and rest a while.” I opened my phone, found the abortion appointment interface. Finger paused, no movement. Cold silence in the air for three minutes. He came out from the soundproof balcony, silent for a long while. Expression a bit guilty, voice extremely low. “Company has some problems, I have to go there quickly.” “Scarlett, make up Valentine’s Day tomorrow okay?” “Or I let the assistant accompany you to play first?” Tone almost pleading. Although I comforted myself long ago, he probably doesn’t love anymore. Or loves more than one. Heart still sank inevitably. He lowered his head daring not look into my eyes. “I swear, just this once.” I said gently: “Okay, you go.” He sighed with relief instantly, “Thank you for your understanding.” Self-lamented: “Really married a good wife.” Hurriedly planted a kiss on my forehead, turned and left. Completely didn’t notice my obviously red eyes. Julian, actually I saw. The one calling you was Teacher Daisy. Chapter 4 I asked my lawyer best friend Chloe to help draft a divorce agreement. Took a taxi to the hospital myself, didn’t tell anyone. Afraid of softening if persuaded. After all, I looked forward to the baby’s arrival more than anyone. Doctor looked solemnly at the preoperative checkup sheet in hand. “Ms. Su, fetus is eleven weeks.” “Given your current physical condition, having an abortion might mean unable to conceive in the future.” “Please sign here if confirmed.” My raised hand was trembling. First child with Julian, aborted under his mother’s coercion. Five years, I still clearly remember how painful the painless abortion was. Also remember him hugging me tightly after surgery, red-eyed promising to love me forever. Just finished signing, phone ding-dong, Daisy accepted the friend request. Her Moments updated ten minutes ago, [Just couldn’t help saying miss you.] Picture shows two hands fingers interlocked. Laughable is Julian still wearing the ring I gave. But flew to Miami leaving me behind just because she missed him. When they kissed under the Canton Tower, I was lying on the operating table. When they walked by the river, I was pushed out of the operating room. Chloe rushed over, face paler than mine. “Scarlett, you are too stubborn. Insisted on marrying him back then.” “Now coming alone…” She paused, stopped talking. I curved my lips gently, “Alright.” “How is the divorce agreement preparation?” She sniffled, “Electronic version sent to your email.” “Julian he… cheated?” I nodded imperceptibly. Her eyes filled with tears, “Heartache for you.” “If I knew this, I wouldn’t have advised my brother to let go back then.” “I’ll call him back now!” I frowned, urgent: “Chloe!” “Not calling, not calling, don’t get excited.” She put down the phone. “What to do next?” I had no expression, said softly: “You know, my temper is stubborn.” “They are finished.” I told Daisy I learned about her family difficulties, asked if she needed sponsorship. Girl thought she met a benefactor, lines full of admiration. [Sister, I loved reading your books most in high school!] [If possible, really hope to get this sponsorship quota!] I hooked my lips, [If convenient come to New York to meet.] Midnight. Julian messaged me, [Sweetie I just got off work, you not home?] [Don’t know why heart always panicked, really want to see you immediately.] [Playing at Chloe’s? I pick you up.] I said: [No need, staying at her place these days.] [Came often when you were away, used to it.] Silence on the other end for a long time. [Sorry, Scarlett.] [I promise won’t happen again.] Again? We have no again. A week later, I wore a waist-cinching long dress attending the press conference. When Julian arrived, gaze fell on my flat belly first, frowning. “Why thinner?” “Baby teasing you again?” “Tsk, really have to spank hard then.” I smiled, “Julian, let me introduce the little girl I want to sponsor.” Turned back holding the girl waiting aside, “Come, Daisy, this is your brother-in-law.” Julian froze on the spot, gaze shifted from her somewhat panicked. Girl spoke first, “Hello brother-in-law.” He nodded indiscriminately, forced a smile. Conference started. I announced the marriage with Julian, and told the reason for this sponsorship. Finally pointed to the screen. “Daisy is a good child, these are some awards she won during school.” However, once the video played, the audience exploded. Julian ran onto the stage with a pale face, supporting my trembling body. “Scarlett, listen to my explanation.” “Don’t believe these, must be someone wanting to harm our baby!”

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My older sister, Penny, has brittle bone disease. Our home was a fortress of safety rails and padded corners. I was never allowed toys, running, or jumping, lest I distract or endanger Penny. This lasted until my eighth birthday. As I carried the cake to her, Mom’s sharp voice cut in: “Stand up straight, let me see!” She measured our heights — I was now taller than Penny. I felt a rush of pride. Maybe I could finally help more, protect her better. But when I turned, I saw devastation on Mom’s face. “What are you showing off for? If your sister wasn’t sick, she’d be taller than you by now!” Panicked, I stammered an explanation. The cake slipped from my hands and splattered on the floor. Trying to help, Penny lost her balance and fell. Mom shoved me aside and rushed to her. “Why do you have to upset her? Can’t you let her have one good day?” “Why couldn’t it have been you who got sick? Why aren’t you the one dying?” My hand tightened around the medical report in my pocket. Okay, Mom. … I’d been carrying that report with me for a week. Last week, when I went with Mom for Penny’s check-up, the doctor had stopped me, suggesting I get a quick exam as well. Mom was busy at the pharmacy window, picking up Penny’s prescriptions. Without even turning around, she’d said, “There’s nothing wrong with her. She’s as healthy as a horse.” When the results came back, I held the paper in my sweaty palm. I couldn’t read all the words, but I recognized the two that mattered: “brittle bone disease.” They were the exact same words written on my sister’s chart. The doctor told me I needed to wear braces, take medication, and come in for regular check-ups. He said a lot of things, but I only remember one question: “Your bones are already showing subtle signs of the condition. Does it hurt?” Yes. It hurt. A sharp, splitting pain whenever I turned over in my sleep, when I got out of bed in the morning, when I walked down the stairs. But I shook my head and forced a smile. “No, it doesn’t hurt.” I carefully folded the report and tucked it deep into my pocket. That evening, I worked up the courage to tell her, but I overheard Mom on the balcony, her voice a low, desperate plea. “Brenda, you know how sick my daughter is… can you please ask the foreman for another month’s advance on my paycheck? My daughter can’t wait.” The words died in my throat. I looked down at the corner of the report peeking out of my pocket and pushed it deeper inside. It was okay. My teacher always said, “first come, first served.” Penny got sick first, so she should be treated first. I could wait. I tiptoed into Penny’s room and quietly took a set of her old, worn-out braces. I clumsily strapped them on under my clothes. This way, I wouldn’t get hurt. I could definitely hold on until Penny was better. But the next day, as Mom was helping me with my jacket, her fingers brushed against the unnatural hardness on my arm. She ripped open my sleeve. When she saw the braces, her face turned to stone. “What is this? You’re stealing from your sister now? These things are for saving her life!” “Do you have any idea how expensive these are? You’re perfectly healthy. Are you wearing this to curse yourself, or are you cursing your sister?” I flinched, my eyes pleading with her. “No, Mom, I…” Mom cut me off. She raised her hand, held it there for a second, then let it fall, her shoulders trembling. “So young, and already so cruel.” “You see your sister suffering, and it makes you happy? You have to copy her just to spite me?” I took off the braces, folded them neatly, and placed them back by Penny’s bed, closing her door with a heavy heart. “I’m sorry, Mom.” It’s okay. I’ll just be extra careful, and then I won’t get hurt. As long as I’m careful enough, I can live for a long, long time. It wasn’t until Mom screamed those words at me—”Why don’t you just die?!”—that I finally understood. I was sick, but I couldn’t take Penny’s place. A single bottle of medicine cost so much money. Mom’s money was all for Penny. There wasn’t enough to share with me. But what if I died? Then Mom’s burden would be lighter. All the money, and all the love, could go to Penny, whole and complete. Mom was right. This was the best, most correct thing I could do. After Mom finished massaging Penny’s legs and giving her medicine, she carried her back to bed. Penny whispered, “Mom, don’t be mad at Annie. She didn’t do anything wrong. I was just clumsy.” Mom didn’t answer, just waved a tired hand. I hid behind the door, listening, my fingers gently rubbing the ribs where Mom had shoved me. When Mom came out, she froze for a second when she saw me. Her eyes were still red, her voice hoarse. “I’m leaving for work now. You watch your sister. Don’t cause any more trouble.” I nodded, rubbing my cheek against the hand she offered. Mom’s hands were always on Penny. For once, her touch lingered on me. Her palm was so warm, and her sleeve smelled faintly of soap. I had yearned for this for so, so long. She paused, gave my cheek a gentle squeeze, and then she was gone. The door clicked shut. I knelt by Penny’s door, listening until I was sure she was asleep, then I started to clean. I looked at the smashed cake on the floor and licked a bit of frosting from my fingertip. It was sweet. Such a waste. I scrubbed the stain from the floor, mopped until it shone, and folded the clean laundry into neat piles. Every time I bent over, a sharp pain shot through my spine. I bit my lip and told myself it was okay. It’s okay. This is the last time I’ll have to help Mom. I looked around the tidy apartment, nodding with satisfaction. I dragged a chair over to the wall cabinet and took down the family first-aid box. My teacher said you should never take medicine without a grown-up, or you could die. I was glad I had paid attention in class. I knew exactly how to die. I rummaged through the box. This was Mom’s sleeping medicine. I had to leave that for her. Can’t take it. This was Dad’s pain medicine. Can’t take that either. This was Penny’s medicine. It was very, very expensive. I put it carefully back in the very corner. I kept searching, and finally, I had a small pile of colorful, rarely used pills. I cupped them in my palm. They looked like a tiny, rainbow-colored mountain. I slid the chair to the refrigerator and took out the strawberry milk Mom had given me as a reward last week. I hadn’t been able to bring myself to drink it. But the medicine would be bitter. If I couldn’t swallow it all and didn’t die, I would just cause Mom more trouble. I hesitated, then poured half of it into a glass. I put the cap back on the other half and placed it back in the fridge for Penny when she woke up. I carefully locked the front door. I knelt by my bed and, from under the mattress, pulled out the award certificates I’d never been allowed to display. I smoothed them out, one by one, and then placed them back under the mattress with my medical report. Finally, I climbed onto my little bed. From under my pillow, I took out my savings: three twenty-dollar bills, seven tens, one five, and five dimes. Some of it was saved from my lunch money, some from selling scrap I’d collected, and some from doing homework for classmates. I wrote on a slip of paper: “For a new wheelchair cushion for Penny. She says her current one hurts.” I placed the money and the note in the very center of the table, where Mom would see it the moment she walked in. There. Everything was taken care of. Now I could die in peace. I swallowed the pills with the half-glass of strawberry milk. It was fragrant and sweet, and it covered the bitter taste of the medicine. Strawberry milk was so delicious. Penny would definitely like it. I lay down, pulled the covers up to my chin, and folded my hands over my stomach. On TV, people who died peacefully always looked like this. When Mom came home and saw the clean house and the money I’d left, she would feel a little bit of relief, right? Dad wouldn’t have to work three jobs at once anymore, and Mom wouldn’t have to beg for advances on her paycheck. And Penny… Penny could have all the love. My breathing got lighter. My body felt like it was sinking and floating at the same time. I squeezed my eyes shut, afraid to open them. The pain in my ribs was fading, replaced by a spreading numbness. What a strange feeling. Suddenly, I missed Mom so much. And Dad. Last month, when Dad left for his long-haul job, he promised he’d bring me strawberry chocolate when he came back. It’s a shame I’ll never get to taste it. When I opened my eyes again, I was looking down at myself, lying on the bed. So this is what it’s like to die. It doesn’t hurt. It just feels… light.

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The elite circle of Washington, D.C. is full of strange people. As the reigning queen of interviews, people always asked me why I never sat down with the business tycoon, Sebastian Croft. After all, he was the scion of a powerful D.C. family, the uncrowned king who’d left the political world to conquer the private sector. My boss, David, flipped through my interview proposals, shaking his head in disappointment. The usual sneer crept onto his face. “Isn’t Sebastian Croft your man? Five years. Over two thousand days in his bed, and you can’t even land one interview? Did he finally dump you?” He gestured across the office. “That new intern has only been here a week, and she’s already got a titan to come in and save her segment. And you…” His voice trailed off, his eyes fixed on something behind me. I followed his gaze, and the smile on my face slowly froze. The man who hadn’t answered my calls, my supposedly missing boyfriend, was right there. But the hand intertwined with his belonged to the intern. I picked up my glass of water, my steps measured as I walked toward them. With a flick of my wrist, I flung the icy contents in their faces. “Sebastian,” I said, my voice dangerously calm, “you’re so handsome. How did you go so blind?” … David gasped. He tried to pull me back. But it was too late. Nina looked up, saw it was me, and her eyes immediately welled with tears. “Cassie,” she whimpered, “what did I ever do to you? Why would you throw water on me?” David shot me a look of pure exasperation. “Sebastian was never that into you to begin with! Now you’ve publicly humiliated him? This is it. You’re really getting dumped this time!” I ignored him, my eyes locked on the man striding towards me. I wondered what flimsy excuse he would spin this time. By the time Sebastian reached me, he had already dabbed the water from his forehead with a handkerchief, his usual air of cool, aristocratic indifference perfectly restored. His brow furrowed as he stared down at me. “Cassia. I expect this will be the last time.” He didn’t even bother with an excuse. A bitter acid churned in my stomach. I grabbed his sleeve, my voice tight. “You’re wrapped around the charity case I’ve been sponsoring for years. Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” Perhaps it was the redness rimming my eyes that finally got to him. Sebastian, who had been silent until now, gave Nina a slight nod before pulling me aside, his voice a low hiss. “I’m just pretending to be her boyfriend to help her land this interview.” Pretending? For five years, Sebastian had been a master of secrecy. He never appeared in public with me. If we happened to be at the same event, we had to act like strangers. Aside from our innermost circle, no one knew we were a couple. And now he was volunteering to be Nina’s fake boyfriend? A crushing weight settled on my chest. I looked at him, my gaze unwavering, my voice hoarse. “Then what about me?” Sebastian paused for a fraction of a second, then his expression softened. He gently traced a line on my palm, his tone shifting into the familiar, seductive cadence he used to coax me. “Cassie, how about we do our interview next time, okay?” “No. I want this one.” From the side, Nina chimed in, her voice trembling with manufactured fear. “Mr. Croft, maybe we should let Cassie go first. It’s okay… I can wait.” She said it was okay, but her eyes were already red-rimmed and brimming with tears. Sebastian’s face hardened. He slowly pried my fingers from his sleeve and took a step back. His voice was cold. “Be good, Cassia. Don’t make a scene.” He ignored the tears gathering in my eyes and turned to lead Nina toward the studio. But Nina wasn’t about to let an opportunity like this slip by. She broke free from his grasp and stepped closer to me, her voice a venomous whisper only I could hear. “I’m sorry, Cassie. I know I shouldn’t be stealing your boyfriend, but Mr. Croft insisted on helping me when he heard I needed this interview to get a permanent position…” “I tried to refuse, really. But he said he wasn’t busy these days and had plenty of time for me.” My nail snapped, digging painfully into the flesh of my thumb. I couldn’t count how many times I had begged him for an interview over the years. His answer was always the same: I’m busy. I had even told him this particular interview would secure me the director position. He’d agreed over the phone. But now, he’d stood me up, broken his promise, all for her. I could feel the mocking stares and contemptuous glares of my colleagues without even looking up. Seeing my silence, Nina leaned in even closer, her whisper turning sharp. “You’re old news, Cassie. He wouldn’t even bother looking at you anymore, not even if you spread your legs for him.” I turned my head and stared right at her. A derisive smile touched my lips. “Is that so?” “You’re just begging for a lesson, aren’t you? Fine. I’ll give you one.” I raised my hand and brought it down, hard, across her smug face. SMACK! Amidst her shriek, Sebastian’s expression transformed into pure fury. He rushed forward and shoved me, hard. His eyes were like chips of ice. “Cassia, what the hell is wrong with you? Just because you’re her sponsor doesn’t give you the right to bully and hit her!” I stumbled backward before I could even reply. The sharp corner of a desk jabbed into my stomach, a brutal, stabbing pain that stole my breath. I couldn’t tell what hurt more, my body or my heart. My rivals in the office, smelling blood in the water, immediately jumped in. “That’s not right, Cassia. We all know you bully the junior staff because you’re a senior reporter, but this is too much.” “Now that she has a powerful backer, you think you can still get away with it? You got what you deserved. You should get on your knees and apologize for being a petty, jealous bitch…” Nina, catching her cue, immediately started crying. “I wouldn’t dare ask her to…” Sebastian pulled her into his arms, his gaze on me turning glacial. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” I sucked in a shaky breath, forcing back the burning in my nose as I looked at him. “You’re really going to protect her? Like this?” He saw the moisture in my eyes and hesitated for a moment. But then he glanced at Nina’s tear-streaked face. That flicker of pity vanished. “Apologize to Nina, and we’ll forget you hit her. Otherwise…” “Otherwise, what?” Sebastian tilted his head, lighting a cigarette. After a long drag, he finally looked at me, smoke curling from his lips. “I’ll make sure her name is on the door to your office.” Nina’s eyes lit up, though she quickly tried to mask it with a look of demurral. A firestorm of rage erupted inside me. I clenched my fists, my knuckles white, staring at the cold, handsome man before me. “Sebastian, you can’t do this! You’re the one who stood me up, who humiliated me in front of everyone, and now you’re blaming me?” He narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint in them. “Nina may have benefited from your charity for a few years, but that doesn’t mean she deserves to be abused by you. You’re her sponsor and her senior colleague. You, of all people, shouldn’t be hitting her.” “I’m giving you a chance to apologize. Don’t make me say it again.” I thought I was hallucinating. But the pain in my chest was terrifyingly real. Every word he spoke dripped with concern for Nina, as if she were the woman he loved. Humiliation and fury surged through me like a tidal wave. I took a step forward, feigning an apology. Then my hand shot out again, swinging towards the other side of Nina’s face. Now both her cheeks were swollen, perfectly symmetrical. “Cassia!” Sebastian’s roar echoed through the office as he lunged forward, his fingers clamping around my wrist like a vice. Just then, the executive producer arrived. “What is the meaning of this? Arguing like this right in front of Mr. Croft!” His tone immediately shifted to one of fawning deference as he bowed and scraped. “Mr. Croft, perhaps you’d be more comfortable in my office?” Nina seized the opportunity, sobbing as she tattled. “Director! Cassia couldn’t get an interview with Mr. Croft, so she took it out on me! I could handle her hitting me, but then she started insulting him… she even threw hot water at him!” “I don’t want to cause trouble, but I feel so bad for Mr. Croft… He’s such a good person, he doesn’t deserve to be publicly attacked like this!” Her wail drew a crowd. Colleagues gathered around, their eyes dripping with scorn. “Is Cassia insane? How dare she insult Mr. Croft? Everyone knows he’s the station’s biggest benefactor!” “Some top interviewer. Throws a tantrum when she can’t compete. With that kind of attitude, I bet she slept her way through all her past interviews. No wonder her boyfriend won’t go public.” “Who’d want to admit they’re with someone who’s been passed around so much? Ugh, step away, the air feels dirty!” Their curses were like needles, piercing my skin. Sebastian just shot me a fleeting glance before positioning himself in front of Nina. His protective stance was all the confirmation they needed. I bit the inside of my cheek, the taste of blood doing nothing to stop the tremors wracking my body. Nina, seeing my state, put on a show of magnanimity. “Thank you, everyone. It’s just a small misunderstanding between me and Cassie, it’s nothing… I’ll apologize to her later, and we can put it all behind us.” Her words earned nods of approval from both the producer and Sebastian. The producer glared at me, his eyes full of menace. “Cassia, as a senior employee, you should learn from her! Look at her grace. You’re not only unprofessional, you’re a conniving snake!” If I didn’t clear this up now, my reputation would be destroyed. The man didn’t matter, but I refused to let him destroy the career I loved. Taking a deep breath, I looked straight at him. “Sebastian. Tell them. What are we?” During our last date, I had whispered in his ear, “If you don’t make us public soon, I’m just going to go home and get married.” He had been on top of me at the time, and a low chuckle rumbled in his chest. “Alright, alright. You’re that desperate to marry me? We’ll go public after this interview.” I actually believed him. I had even secretly noted his ring size, already preparing to buy our wedding bands. Looking back, David was right. I was desperate. Pathetic. My stubborn refusal to cry seemed to sting Sebastian. He sighed, his voice dropping to a low murmur. “Just listen to me, Cassie. Apologize, and I’ll propose to you tonight.” A dagger twisted in my heart. I stared at him, numb. I had imagined his proposal a thousand different ways, but never, not once, did I imagine it would be a bargaining chip used because of another woman. A woman I had personally sponsored. Sebastian’s words left everyone stunned. David finally stepped forward, raising his hand as if taking an oath. “I can vouch for it! Sebastian is Cassia’s boyfriend. They’ve been in a secret relationship for over five years. They were supposed to go public after this interview.” The crowd exchanged confused glances, unsure who to believe. Nina just sobbed harder. “It’s okay, whatever Cassie says, is true! I’m fine with anything!” This only made Sebastian’s heart ache for her more. He dabbed at her tears, handing her his handkerchief. The tide of opinion turned against me again. Someone shouted, “You say they’re a couple? Where’s the proof?” The woman held up her phone, showing Nina’s social media profile to the assembled colleagues. “This is from last year, when Mr. Croft took her to see the snow in the Swiss Alps. He flew her there on his private jet. I was there, I saw it myself.” “And here they are, sailing on the Mediterranean… and deep-sea diving…” Photo after photo, trip after trip, all evidence of Sebastian taking her on lavish vacations. So this was what he meant by busy. Busy cheating on me. Busy taking my sponsored student on romantic getaways. Finally, the woman grabbed Nina’s wrist, pulling up her sleeve to reveal a diamond ring on her finger. She grinned triumphantly. “And just a few nights ago, I personally witnessed Mr. Croft get down on one knee and propose. It wasn’t just me, other colleagues from the live broadcast were there too.” Several others behind her nodded in agreement. The woman’s gaze returned to me, her smile dripping with sarcasm. “Cassia. You claim he’s your boyfriend? Do you have any photos of you two being so in love? Do you have a proposal? Do you have any proof at all?” My face was a frozen mask. My throat felt like it was filled with cement. I couldn’t utter a single word. Sebastian looked at me, his eyes pleading, mouthing the words I’ll explain at home. David’s face was flushed with anger. He tried to grab my phone to show them my social media accounts. But no matter how much he scrolled, how much he searched, my profiles were barren. Nothing. “Cassia, where’s the evidence of your dates? Your photos together? Why isn’t there a single one?” Yes. I wanted to ask the same thing. Over the years, Sebastian and I had tried every position imaginable, used every brand of condom on the market. But in the end, we didn’t have a single ring, not one photo together. Even the ones I took secretly were always deleted by him later. He said his family was sensitive, that it wasn’t the right time to go public. So I was understanding. But it was never about his family. He was never too busy. He just didn’t want to go public. He didn’t care about me. David’s gaze fell on my message history with Sebastian, and he froze. It was a wall of text, all from me. Sebastian’s replies were few and far between, curt and distant. Ok. Fine. Later. The last message I’d sent was: “I bought a new toy, want to try it with me tonight…?” Nina, feigning innocence, read the entire message out loud. A roar of laughter erupted. It was as if they had found their smoking gun. They swarmed me, jabbing their fingers in my face, hissing curses. “Shameless whore.” “This is proof she seduces her interview subjects!” Someone grabbed a fistful of my hair and slammed my head against the wall. Someone else picked up a potted plant from a desk and smashed it over my head. Nails dug into my arms, trying to tear strips of flesh from my body. They were a pack of wild animals, their faces twisted with rage, unleashing all their pent-up resentment on me. One word from Sebastian would have stopped it all. But all it took was one look at Nina’s tear-streaked face, and the foot he had lifted to step forward fell back into place. All he could offer me was a pair of guilty eyes. I curled into a ball, gritting my teeth against the waves of pain. Then, through the mob, I saw a familiar, stooped figure. My grandmother. My heart seized. I had wanted her to see Sebastian today, to see the man I loved, during the interview. Instead, she was seeing me at my absolute lowest. My grandmother was fiercely protective. She couldn’t stand to see anyone bully me. She raised her cane and charged into the fray, trying to shield me. But the mob was in a frenzy. Someone snatched her cane and brought it down on her frail body, again and again. After a few blows, my silver-haired grandmother crumpled and fell backward. “STOP!” I scrambled forward, catching her just before she hit the floor. Blood seeped from a gash on her forehead, her body trembling uncontrollably. I whipped my head around and screamed at Sebastian, “What are you staring at? Call an ambulance!” Sebastian, jolted out of his stupor, fumbled for his phone. But Nina slapped it out of his hand. She tugged on his sleeve, her voice a pitiful whine. “Old people are always pulling scams like this. She’s probably just faking it to get sympathy!” “If you call a doctor, she’ll never let it go. Not only will our interview be canceled, but you might not even be able to leave this building…” Hearing this, the flicker of concern in Sebastian’s eyes died out. The panic on the faces of my colleagues melted away, replaced by annoyance. Someone even lifted their foot and brought it down, grinding their heel into my grandmother’s face. “Damn old grifter! The granddaughter sells her body, no surprise the whole family is trash!” I went feral, launching myself at the person, scratching and biting. “Get off her!” But my reward was a series of stinging slaps across my face. David, unable to watch any longer, tried to make a call. His phone was snatched away, thrown to the ground, and stomped into a thousand pieces. They beat him, too, leaving him half-conscious on the floor. I tried to crawl to him. But a foot slammed down on my back, pinning me to the ground. I lifted my bloodied face, my eyes meeting each of theirs in turn. “She needs a doctor. Let her go, now.” “If you don’t, I will make every single one of you pay.” Nina walked over and loomed above me, her expression one of condescending pity. “Oh, Cassie. You look so lovely right now…” “I’ve been taking your money for ten years, but I’ve never seen you looking so… spectacular.” I gasped for air, staring at her coldly. My lips moved, but no sound came out. She answered my unasked question with a sweet, cruel smile. “You became the top host at this station because of Mr. Croft. If you could do it, why can’t I?” She held up her phone and wiggled it. “From this moment on, your reputation is ruined. You’ve gone from the queen of interviews to a common whore who trades her body for favors. Are you satisfied with how I’ve repaid your generosity?” Her voice was a whisper. Sebastian couldn’t hear. Perhaps our pathetic state finally broke through his indifference. He turned, his dark eyes finally focusing on me. “Stop being stubborn. Apologize to Nina, and I’ll get you both out of here.” Nina could barely contain her triumphant smirk. I lay on the floor, staring at him blankly. My heart felt like it had been ripped in two. I glanced at my grandmother. My pride was no longer a luxury I could afford. I crawled on my hands and knees until I reached Nina’s feet. I pulled myself up, onto my knees. Facing the woman looming over me, I gritted my teeth and lowered my head.

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I am the male lead’s Late Wife who died early. Fifteenth year after death, the System resurrected me, asked me to save that child on the rooftop. “He is your biological flesh and blood, if you don’t care about him, he really has nothing.” But I have been bad-tempered and spoiled since childhood, only others serving me. So I stepped on high heels walked over, grabbed his collar: “Don’t seek life and death here, cowardly just like your dad.” “Where is he? Don’t know I came back still not come pick me up?” … Chapter 1 The teenager quietly looked at me, expression seemed to have a moment of blankness, but soon recovered, became a piece of ripple-less water surface again. He slightly tilted his head, don’t know thinking what. I impatiently tsked a sound, ordered him: “Call Julian Vance.” He passed a good while then fished out phone, pressed a number. Phone ring rang half minute, finally issued no answer prompt sound. I narrowed eyes: “Julian actually dare not answer phone? Guts big ah!” Caleb seemed already used to it, just about to put phone away. I directly took over, connected called three four more. Phone finally connected, but was a crisp female voice: “Sorry, Mr. Vance is working, please do not disturb.” Finished just hung up, didn’t give me a chance. I just wanted smash phone, suddenly remembered this is not my thing. Raised hand forcefully put down, I grinded teeth hatefully said. “Good ah this guy, wait for me!” Caleb pulled my sleeve, seeing me puzzled look over, his glass-like eyes lightly looked at me, then said two words. “Go back.” On way back, I and System confirmed again: “This mute bottle really is my son?” I told Caleb taxi sit uncomfortable, he ‘mn’ a sound. I said dislike driver breathing sound, rhythm too messy listen upset, he ‘mn’ a sound. I said clothes on him too ugly, lower my grade, he still ‘mn’ a sound. Later I angry cursed, asked Julian that bastard exactly rolled where when. He finally lifted eyes look me, eyelash slight tremble, voice very light said two words. “Business trip.” I almost angered to death. A stick can’t hit out a fart, speak a word like want his life. How look also not like my son’s character. When he was two years old could noisy Julian whole night sleepless, clearly same temper as me, where like this mute gourd in front. [Host, please slightly understand him. This child suffers from severe psychological illness, language communication barrier is just one manifestation.] I pursed lips, looking at Caleb thin figure, dim eyes, angered heart pain. In fifteen years I absent, Julian this bastard exactly how raised child! Back home, I first went my room turned a circle. Very good, still same layout as fifteen years ago, my things one didn’t miss. Just in shoe cabinet at door, added a pair of light green lady slippers. I scanned one eye, found is shoes match my style, so didn’t think much. Wait I finished checking a circle then found, Caleb this kid don’t know run where. His room door was locked. I frowned, directly took key opened door. Room pitch black, neither light on, curtain also pulled tight, not see a bit light. Living room light follow door move shine in, only see a lonely figure alone sit before window. I tap tap tap walked over, slap a sound turned on light, crossed arms sat in front of Caleb. Caleb blankly sat there, eyes staring one direction blink not blink, don’t know looking what. Eyes obscure no light. I stared at him, spit out three words. “I hungry.” Caleb seemed finally detect my existence, hear my words, he lowered head took out phone ordered a DoorDash. “I don’t eat DoorDash!” “Julian everyday just let you solve three meals like this?” Caleb put phone down, lowered head, again ignored people. I irritable grabbed a handful hair, turned walk out, couldn’t help complain to System. “Such a broken situation, might as well let me dead.” Behind me, Caleb lifted eyes look over, eyelash slight tremble. Chapter 2 I called System out, asked clear Caleb’s encounter these fifteen years. System told me, after I passed away, Julian became more depressed day by day. He sometimes even couldn’t care about his own work, let alone take care of Caleb well. Julian once drunk, slept two days dark sky dark earth. During this time Caleb didn’t eat a bite of food, hungry cried faint passed, sent to hospital then urgent rescue back. After this matter, Julian threw Caleb to Nanny, himself threw into work. Nanny saw Julian not care this child, attitude to Caleb also very bad, often not cook for him, also occasionally beat scold. Until once Caleb fast hunger strike faint, Julian rushed back then found this matter. That time Caleb already sick very severe, even school couldn’t go. Julian fired Nanny, suffering find no one take care child, assistant Bella beside then volunteer took down this task. “Bella?” I remembered that phone call to Julian was picked up by a woman, looks like is her. [Caleb hates her very much, also because her and your husband broke out very serious conflict.] [Three years ago, Julian for balance work and family prepared marry with Bella. Caleb however not agree, took knife against own wrist force Julian swear won’t marry Bella in door, otherwise he suicide.] I disbelief: “Julian actually want marry others?” [Host rest assured, he finally didn’t marry Bella, two people till now still are boss and subordinate relation.] [But Bella from then on to Caleb quite have micro words, attitude to him also not as before.] I frowned: “She did what?” [Have Nanny precedent, she dare not do too flamboyant. Just everyday tell Caleb, your mom won’t come back again. You want be sensible point, don’t let your dad difficult. Julian need is a wife can stand beside him become his right arm left arm, not a dead white moonlight.] I coldly smiled: “Good ah, good a right arm left arm.” [Host, you next plan how do?] “Julian brain water in, I help him beat out not fine?” I playful smile, “Also that Bella, use this means deal my son, wait get fixed ba.” But I also didn’t expect, actually so fast confronted Bella. Next morning, I still sleeping in room, caught off guard by a burst crackle crackle sound wake up. I pulled quilt cover face, just want continue sleep. Then heard dispute outside room. A female voice carrying blame meaning said: “Caleb, how can you casually bring stranger home? Still a unknown origin woman?” “I know you always can’t stand I stay beside Mr. Vance, but you also can’t use such way to counterattack him. You put Mr. Vance where, again treat yourself as what?” But no matter what Bella said, Caleb all one attitude. Not allow enter. Bella raised voice point: “Caleb, you so disobedient, really too let people disappointed.” “You could it be hope I tell Mr. Vance, you brought a indecent woman home, still let her sleep in your mom’s room?” Don’t know Caleb said what, Bella tone a turn, become incomparable strict: “Since like this, then I can only let Mr. Vance personal come discipline you.” I played with nails, heard here laughed a sound, opened door. Caleb saw me come out, slightly frown: “Woke, you?” “It’s okay, almost should wake.” Bella sized me up: “You look indeed pretty, no wonder can seduce Caleb like this.” “But, as long as I stay beside Mr. Vance one day, won’t allow you this kind person enter Vance family door. Caleb character simple, not much contact outside world, you exactly see this point manipulate him…” Slap! Crisp sound fall. Bella covered bright red finger mark on face, dare not believe looking me: “You actually dare hit me?” I smiled. “Hit is you ah.” Bella deep breath a mouth, to phone that end said: “Mr. Vance, you all heard ba. Caleb this time thing do really too excessive, indulge this woman lawless in your home…” “Wait a minute.” Julian voice transmit from phone, carrying few points hard detect excitement and uncontrollable joy. “Open video, I want see her face.” Bella slightly stunned, but still follow Julian said open video, lift camera aim me. “Get out.” Chapter 3 Voice carrying slight cold intention rang. Caleb blocked in front of me, use hand cover camera, not let Julian see my face. In situation everyone haven’t time react, he pulled me into room, backhand locked room door. Bella outside patting door panel, accuse him: “Caleb, you now how so rebellious? For a woman go against your father, you like this will let him very disappointed…” Caleb tone indifferent, very calm: “Concern you what matter.” Bella outside soft grind hard soak, no matter how say no use, even complain to Julian, Caleb also treat as not heard. She at door spent near one hour, finally can’t stay self left. In room, I stare Caleb, thoughtful: “Why you don’t want let Julian see me?” Caleb behavior really abnormal, not like kid throwing temper performance. This child looks not sociable, but mind delicate sensitive, he do this must have his reason. Caleb slightly lift head, look me. He suddenly reach hand, grabbed my wrist, voice inside actually faintly have a trace tremble: “Don’t, leave.” My heart mouth hot, gently embraced Caleb’s back, one stroke one stroke stroke his head top. Voice gentle: “Don’t fear, I won’t go.” Caleb buried head, in my arms stayed few seconds then retreat few steps, take out phone show me a document. I more look brow frown more tight: “Julian exactly thinking what? He really agreed?” Document inside is Julian recent years sponsored performance most excellent ten students, according description inside, he will in these ten people choose one adopt as stepson. I angry want immediately call scold him a meal: “He brain water in ba more live brain capacity more shrink, stupid thing.” Caleb pulled my hand. “Is Uncle, arranged.” “Don’t, believe him.” I stunned a bit, Caleb’s Uncle is my cousin Lucas, since small grow up with me. Me and his relationship count as not bad, back then I insist want marry Julian, Grandpa not agree, still he helped me persuade. I calm down, look Caleb: “You still know what?” He shook head. “It’s okay, these things I will solve.” I made a call to secretary beside Grandpa, simple state clear situation, let him help me check Lucas, and Julian current movement. “Okay, I immediately send people investigate, three hours later give you result.” “Wait, still one thing.” “…Miss, Old Master know you came back?” “I haven’t told Grandpa, first not rush tell him.” “Right, Grandpa body still good?” “Old Master body tough, just miss you very much, always chanting.” I blink eyes, throat some tight. “I also miss Grandpa very much.” Chapter 4 Secretary told me, Julian just flew back from abroad, once out airport went company attend meeting, announce that heir he chose. I let Caleb stay home well, changed house password, then drive direct go airport block Julian. I absent these years, he actually just take care Caleb like this, really done beautiful. I according secretary give material follow a car, just about overtake stop, but suddenly found direction not right. This not road go company. I reduced speed, far follow behind, want know he exactly want go do what. Result this car just straight drove to suburb. I follow behind, observe car move trajectory become crooked seven twist eight, finally a sudden brake wipe guardrail stop. Car door open, inside two people twist fight together fell out. Julian obvious not match opponent, grabbed up press on car window suffered a fierce punch, beat him whole person bow body squat down. That driver press Julian on ground, picked a stone aim Julian head, just want smash down. I stop aside get off, step high heels da da da few steps rush over, holding wrench found from trunk fierce towards driver head knock down. Driver grab Julian hand loose, crooked twist turn my side, haven’t wait him turn over I again supplement a kick, direct kick person to ground. Julian whole body embarrassed, clothes dirty, bangs also messy stick on eyelid. He panting, squinting eyes look me, get up action suddenly pause. He maintain that posture, fix fix look me, mumble self talk, as if speak dream words: “Aria? Is it you?” “I, I long time not see you, I thought you never willing see me…” Confirmed. This person brain still not clear.

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“Mom, the daughter you hid for 20 years is here to ask for the house.” I stood by the hospital bed, looking at my haggard mother. Her eyes dodged me, lips moved a few times. “Ethan, that is your sister…” Sister? I served her for 8 years. Changing Bedpans, quit my job, didn’t marry, no life. 8 years. She hid a daughter for 20 years, didn’t let me know a single phone call. Now, that “sister” is here. To split the Inheritance. … Chapter 1 When that woman stood at the door, I thought she had the wrong room. “Excuse me, is Linda Miller staying here?” I stunned a bit: “Who are you looking for?” “Linda Miller.” She said again, “I am her daughter.” I didn’t understand. “What did you say?” “Linda Miller’s daughter, Ruby.” She said calmly, “I came to see my mom.” Linda Miller is my mother’s name. I am Linda Miller’s only child. “You have the wrong room.” I said. She smiled, took out her phone from her bag, flipped to a photo. It was my mother. Mother when young, about forty years old, standing beside a little girl, seven or eight years old look. Mother’s hand, rested on that girl’s shoulder. Under the photo was a line of handwritten words. “Ruby 8th Birthday, Mom loves you forever.” My hand started shaking uncontrollably. “Who exactly are you?” She put away the phone, looked up at me: “Bro, my name is Ruby. My dad is Robert. 20 years ago, my mom was with my dad.” Bro. She called me Bro. I held the door frame, only felt the world spinning. “Impossible.” I said, “My mom impossible…” “Enough.” Mother’s voice came from the ward, “Ethan, let her in.” I turned back. Mother leaned on the bed, no surprise on her face. No surprise at all. She knew. She long knew this person would come. “Mom…” “Let her in.” Mother repeated, voice hoarse, “I have words to say to you guys.” That afternoon, I knew a secret hidden for 20 years. Mother had an affair when I was 10. The other party was Robert, her colleague at the time. They were together for three years. Had a daughter. Ruby. “I don’t know how to tell you.” Mother didn’t look at me, eyes staring out the window, “It’s been too long.” Too long? I am 32 this year. This matter hidden for 20 years. Does my dad know? “Your dad knows.” Mother seemed to guess my mind, “Later, I cut contact with that man. Your dad forgave me.” Forgave? I felt chest blocked by a giant stone, couldn’t breathe. “Then her?” I pointed at Ruby standing aside, “You cut contact, how is she still here?” “I cut with her dad.” Mother said, “But she is my daughter, I can’t ignore.” Can’t ignore. “These 20 years, you always caring for her?” Mother didn’t speak. Ruby answered for her: “Every month, Mom would send living expenses to my dad. My college tuition, was also Mom paid.” Every month. Living expenses. Tuition. I remembered something. Senior year of high school, I wanted to sign up for a Coding Bootcamp, one summer $2,000. Mother said too expensive, no need. I worked part-time myself, saved for three summers, then saved enough for exchange program fees. And she, every month sending living expenses to another man. Paying tuition for another child. “How much?” I asked. “What?” “How much did you give them every month?” Mother didn’t speak. Ruby said: “Two thousand.” Every month two thousand. 20 years. I calculated. $480,000. Plus college tuition, tens of thousands a year, four years at least $50,000. Added up, over $500,000. My $2,000 bootcamp, too expensive. She spent $500,000 on a secret daughter in 20 years, not expensive. “Mom.” I heard my own voice, dry and trembling, “These years, why didn’t you tell me?” “Tell you for what?” Mother finally looked at me, a trace of impatience in her eyes, “What use saying it out? Let you hate me?” Let me hate her. I clenched my fists. “I don’t hate you.” I said, “I just want to know, in your heart, what am I.” Mother didn’t answer. Ruby spoke: “Bro, let the past pass. Mom is not well now, let’s not make her worry.” Her tone calm, even carrying a few points of concern. As if she is the real child of this family. As if I am the extra person. “Why did you come?” I asked her. “See Mom.” She said, “Also meet Bro.” “And then?” She paused. “Mom said, want to settle the Inheritance matter.” Inheritance. Turns out came to split inheritance. Chapter 2 Mother’s illness was found four years ago. Late stage Breast Cancer. Doctor said, at most one year. I quit my job, focused on taking care of her at home. One year became two years, two years became three years. Now is the fourth year. In between Mother hospitalized six times, big small surgeries did three times, chemotherapy did more than ten courses. Every time, was me accompanying. Registration, queuing, paying fees, picking up medicine, delivering food, wiping body, changing bedpans. 3 AM, she shouted pain, I climbed up to massage her. 6 AM, she wanted porridge, I had to get up at 5 to cook. Four years. 1460 days. I haven’t slept a complete sleep. My dad is old, health also not good, can’t help much. Relatives symbolically came to see few times, sent some fruits, said few “hard work”, then disappeared. All things, are me alone carrying. I am 32 this year. Age should marry, I have no partner. Age should work, I have no income. Age should enjoy, I gnaw bread in hospital corridor. I am not without resentment. But she is my mother. I thought, I am her only child. I thought, everything I did, she would remember. Now I know, she remembers, is another person. A daughter she hid for 20 years. “Mom.” That night, I sat by the bed, “These four years, who was taking care of you?” Mother closed eyes, didn’t speak. “Is me.” I answered myself, “From you found illness start, is me quit job, is me changing bedpans, is me accompanying you surgery, is me whole night whole night not sleep.” “I know.” She said. “Then her?” I pointed at door, “These four years, where was she?” Mother opened eyes, looked at me. “She didn’t know I was sick.” “You didn’t tell her?” “No.” “Why?” “She is still young, has her own life.” Mother said, “I don’t want to delay her.” Don’t want to delay her. Me? I am also young, I also have my own career. When I quit, what did you say? You said: “You are my son, taking care of me is should be.” Should be. “Then me?” I asked, “Have you thought about delaying me?” Mother didn’t speak. “I am 32.” I continued, “My classmates all married, some kids in elementary school. Me? I have no partner, no savings, no job. These four years, I have nothing.” “You will have.” Mother said, “When I go, you are free.” When she goes. I am free. I suddenly laughed out. “Mom, do you know what you are saying?” She didn’t speak. “You said when you go, I am free.” I stood up, “Then what are these four years? These four years I paid, what count in your eyes?” “I remember.” Mother said. “You remember?” I pointed outside door, “You remember me, or remember her?” Mother looked at me, there was something in her eyes. Not guilt. Is annoyance. “Ethan, can you not make noise?” Make noise. I took care of her four years, no complaint. She hid a secret daughter for 20 years, I ask a sentence, is “making noise”. “Good.” I took a deep breath, “I don’t make noise. You tell me, that Ruby came for what?” “She came to see me.” “She came for inheritance.” I said, “Right or not?” Mother didn’t speak. “Right or not?” “…She is my daughter.” Mother finally opened mouth, “My things, leave to her, have what problem?” Her things. Leave to her daughter. Have what problem. I stood there, felt whole body ice cold. “Mom, then me?” “You are son.” Mother said, “Son later want to bear own small family, these things leave to daughter, is to let her have a guarantee later.” Chapter 3 That night, I returned home, saw Ruby standing in living room. She was looking around, looking at sofa, TV, family photo on wall. “Bro.” She turned around, smiled a bit, “This house quite big.” 1200 square feet. This is Mother’s only real estate. Back then bought spent $400k. Now this location, at least worth $1.5 Million. “What are you looking at?” I asked. “Nothing, just casual looking.” Her tone natural, “This house Mom bought right?” “Yes.” “Who’s name on House Deed?” I stunned a bit. “Written my mom’s name.” “Oh.” She nodded, “That’s good.” That’s good? What meaning? “Bro, I tell you truth.” Ruby sat down on sofa, crossed legs, “Mom’s meaning is, after she goes, this house belongs to me.” I felt someone stabbed a knife in my heart. “What?” “Mom said, house give me.” She repeated, “Also those her 401k, savings, add up about $700k, also give me.” $700k. Plus house $1.5 Million. Total over $2 Million. My mother’s entire life savings. All give her. “You are joking?” I said. “No.” Ruby took out a paper from bag, “This is Mom’s Will, notarized by lawyer. You can look.” I took that paper. Will. Written clearly on it. “I, Linda Miller, voluntarily leave all assets under my name, including one real estate, savings and investments, to daughter Ruby.” Daughter Ruby. Not son Ethan Miller. I flipped the will, saw Mother’s signature, and red fingerprint. Date was three months ago. Three months ago, I was still in hospital accompanying her chemotherapy. She while letting me serve, while secretly wrote will, gave everything to secret daughter. “Bro, don’t be angry.” Ruby said, “Mom said, you taking care of her these years, very hard. She left a little money for you, $10,000, count as thanking you.” $10,000. I took care of her four years, quit job, lost partner, delayed life. She gave me $10,000. Another secret daughter never took care of her, get $2 Million. “Bro?” Ruby looked at me, “Are you okay?” I laughed. “I am okay.” I returned the will to her. “You want house, right?” “Mom’s meaning is…” “I ask you.” I interrupted her, “You want house, right?” She paused: “Right.” “Good.” I stood up, “I move out tomorrow.” Ruby stunned. “Bro, don’t be like this, I didn’t mean that…” “You mean exactly that.” I looked at her, “You come here, is for this house. Right?” She didn’t speak. “I ask you.” I said, “These 20 years, how many times you saw my mom?” “…Not many.” “How many?” “Five six times ba.” “Me?” I said, “I lived with her 32 years. I served her four years. You five six times, I 1460 days.” Ruby opened mouth, didn’t say words. “But she gave everything to you.” I said, “Do you know why?” “…Why?” “Because you are daughter she born with cheating man.” I laughed, “In her eyes, daughter needs be pained more, son should carry himself. I took care four years, not as good as your one sentence ‘Mom’.” I didn’t finish. I couldn’t say down. “Bro, Mom her generation…” “Don’t call me Bro.” I said, “I have no sister.” Chapter 4 I went to find Mother. “Mom, that will you wrote?” Mother leaned on bed head, looking at me. “Yes.” “Why?” “I said.” Her tone calm, “She is my daughter.” “Am I not your son?” “You are.” She said, “But son wants to stand tall, can’t always think about family assets. Daughter different, need assets to depend on.” “Stand tall?” I asked, “Then what about these four years? I served you four years, count what?” “I know you worked hard.” Mother said, “I left $10,000 for you.” “$10,000.” I repeated. “Not enough?” “Mom, your meaning is, my four years, worth $10,000?” Mother frowned: “Ethan, how you become like this? Open mouth close mouth is money.” I became like this. Open mouth close mouth is money. “Mom, not me open mouth close mouth is money.” I said, “Is you open mouth close mouth is your that daughter.” “She is my daughter, I can’t ignore her.” “Then me?” “You are also my son.” Mother said, “I raised you 32 years, eat wear use, which item less yours?” Raised me 32 years. “Mom, I went out work at 18.” I said, “My college tuition, I loaned myself. After I work, every month still send money home. You raised me how many years?” Mother didn’t speak. “Do you know how much you send that man every month? $2,000.” I said, “When I was senior high, want enroll a bootcamp, $2,000, you said too expensive.” “That is two different things.” “Where is two different things?” “He alone bringing her, not easy.” Mother said, “You different, you have Dad.” I have Dad. So I deserve it. “Mom, do you really feel you not wrong?” Mother looked at me, eyes carrying a trace of sorrow. “Ethan, I am old. I don’t have many days. I just want to arrange after matters well.” After matters. “Your after matters, is give everything to that secret daughter?” “Don’t say her like that.” Mother said, “She is your sister.” Sister. “I have no sister.” “Ethan!” “I said, I have no sister.” I looked at her, “I also have no mother.” Mother’s face changed. “What did you say?” “From today.” I stood up, “We are clear.” “Ethan Miller!” “Don’t you want give house to her?” I said, “I move out tomorrow. Don’t you want give money to her? $10,000 I also don’t want. From today, you dead or alive, no relation with me.” Mother’s face flushed red. “You… you dare! You dare ignore me!” “Have you ignored me?” I turned, walked out. “Ethan Miller! You stand there for me!” “You go find your daughter.” I didn’t look back, “This life, don’t meet again.”

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Three days after my C-section, my husband—the man who had just sealed his eternal bond with his newest obsession on a private island—finally showed his face. He was cooing at the baby, a strange, pinched smile on his face, when he casually dropped the first bombshell. “The little guy’s tougher than we thought, isn’t he? That bleeding scare you had in the third month didn’t faze him at all.” He leaned closer, his voice low and devoid of warmth. “Actually, that wasn’t a miscarriage threat from eating the wrong thing. It was an infection. I was with her, didn’t clean up, and then came to you. That’s how you got it.” He paused, a flicker of pride in his eyes. “My poor little Tatum was just worried you were going to monopolize me. She came up with the idea to slow you down. Can’t blame the girl.” I met his gaze, my eyes wide with incredulity and sickness. He shrugged, then flicked two hundred thousand dollars into my account as a casual “sorry.” “Don’t stress yourself out while you’re healing, Evie. A First Lady has to be gracious. The baby’s healthy, and no one is actually going to threaten your position.” Watching his back as he walked away, I didn’t scream, didn’t rail, didn’t shatter the way I had the last few times. Instead, I looked at the grand total in my account—a cool $5.2 million. I had the last payment. The final price to buy back my freedom. From now on, I wouldn’t have to keep a vigil over a man who had stopped loving me—if he ever had. 1. Harrison “Harry” Price chuckled, a tight, controlled sound, and pushed his phone toward me. The screen displayed a quick, unforgiving photo of my face from moments ago: the raw, stunned horror when I realized he was the reason I was fighting a postnatal infection. My eyes were puffy, my skin sallow; the horizontal shot magnified every bit of misery. I instinctively reached for the phone to delete the image. He smoothly pulled it away. “A shame to waste such a perfect shot. I told her I’d capture your face when you heard the news.” “Tatum’s been sulking because you had my son. She hasn’t let me touch her in three days. I had to use you to coax her back.” His cynical indifference was a slow, deliberate carving knife, shaving away my dignity until nothing but bone was left. He discussed his infidelity with the same airy tone one might use to debate the dinner menu. The man who, on our wedding day, had vowed eternal fidelity had, long ago, betrayed every single word. Ding-dong. His special notification tone for her rang. It was a voice note. Tatum’s voice was too loud, too bright. “Oh my God, Evie looks terrible! Childbirth really does make you ugly. I am never having a baby!” She switched to a purring demand. “You have to use protection with me, Harry! I won’t turn into a drab, yellow-faced wife!” Harry’s eyes crinkled in amusement. Gone was the performative indignation he’d shown years ago when she’d first called me too ordinary for him. “Of course not, sweetheart. The Price legacy requires a legitimate heir, but my pretty plaything is just here to keep me happy.” He laughed. “Are you feeling better now? Let’s review that position we tried last week. Go wash up and put on that sheer bodysuit. I’ll be there soon.” The voice note ended with a whoosh. He snapped the phone shut, his face glowing with a smug, satisfied hunger. He noticed my glistening eyes, gave my cheek a patronizing squeeze. “It is a bit slack, isn’t it? Relax, Evie. It’s not the first time you’ve heard me flirting with her. Why the distress? She’s just a diversion. The novelty will wear off, and I’ll find the next one. You have the child. Your position is unshakeable. Get some perspective.” He slid his hands into his pockets and strolled out, his steps light and easy. He called her a diversion, but in the last two years, his need for “novelty” had known no end. And the “unshakeable position” was a title anyone could challenge. Ten minutes later, my phone pinged with a debit notification from a pharmacy. The purchase: three boxes of Durex Ultra-Thin, Strawberry Flavor condoms. Immediately after, a text message from him arrived. [The emergency stash is running low. You’ve been paying for more lately. Top it up.] Looking at the deliberately provocative message, I felt none of the raw, searing rage that had driven me to crash their rendezvous spots the first time I saw a charge for birth control. I simply opened the delivery app, found the address I knew was Tatum’s, and ordered five more boxes. Thirty minutes later, the final two hundred thousand dollars of the ‘compensation’ hit my account. The total was exactly $5.2 million. I calmly screenshotted the transfer history and sent it to his mother, Victoria Price, who was handling some private business overseas. [The payment is complete. Let’s finalize the divorce agreement quickly.] 2. The first ‘compensation’ transfer from Harry had come when I stumbled upon his lewd texts with his secretary. We fought, I shouted, I hysterically begged him to stop, and in the chaos, he shoved me. I fell and had a miscarriage. That night, he signed over ownership of every liquid asset he could, kneeling before me, pleading for one last chance. I didn’t take the assets. I gave him a different condition. “From now on, every time you violate my trust, you owe me two hundred thousand dollars. When the total hits five point two million, I walk away for good.” He thought it was a desperate, angry joke. I never told him the real reason for the exact number. Long before he begged me not to divorce him, his mother, Victoria, had. Harry had paid off my bankrupt gambler father’s millions in debt to marry me. Victoria told me I could only divorce when that debt—plus a significant sum for “pain and suffering”—was repaid. I knew she wasn’t truly demanding the money. She was trying to use me to tether her son, who had inherited his father’s fickle blood. When I first found out I was pregnant again, I wanted to terminate the pregnancy. But Harry came home, playing the devoted husband, treating me with the tenderness he hadn’t shown since we were dating, claiming he finally wanted a real family. It lasted until the fifth month—the safe point of no return for an abortion. Then, his old habits returned with a vengeance. After sending the text, I received the draft of the electronic divorce settlement. I let out the breath I’d been holding for months. The day I was discharged to the specialized postpartum care center, Harry came to pick us up. The nurse was in the back with Max and a mountain of baby gear. I took the passenger seat—a place I hadn’t sat in years. The seat was reclined wide. When I reached for the adjustment knob, my hand snagged on a scrap of ruined, black pearl-lace lingerie. “That girl is wild, Evie. She wants to try every corner of the house. And the car.” He smirked, looking for the familiar flush of hysteria in my eyes. I simply took my hand away, leaving the pathetic garment exactly where it was. He was momentarily stunned, then let out a dismissive snort. “Impressive control. You’ve become much more generous. It’s a good thing you sent those five extra boxes yesterday, or her clinging would’ve been unbearable. If you’d been this understanding sooner, we might already be planning for a second baby.” I didn’t reply, resting my head back, feigning sleep. A few minutes later, that distinctive notification tone rang again. A knot tightened in my stomach—the familiar prelude to disaster. Sure enough, he slammed on the brakes, pulling off onto a deserted shortcut that cut through a construction zone. “You two wait here. Tatum has a terrible toothache. I’m dropping her off at the dentist. I’ll be back for you shortly.” He unlocked the doors, practically throwing my oversized diaper bag out, and yanked me out of the car. With a screech, the car sped away. The nurse looked at me, confusion mixing with outrage. I ignored the deep ache in my C-section scar and pointed to a black SUV rounding the corner behind us. “We’re taking that one. It’s my mother-in-law’s car.” The nurse looked at me, then the fast-approaching luxury vehicle. I simply smiled. A year ago, I had believed his empty promise to wait and had stood abandoned in the freezing cold until I became hypothermic. He’d only returned to scold me for calling the police and interrupting his quality time with Tatum. Since then, I never traveled with him without a backup plan. Being left behind was simply a known quantity now. That night, Harry returned to the spot, breathless and frantic, having found us gone. “Why didn’t you call me once you got a ride? I drove all the way back here to look for you!” “I sent you a text. You didn’t see it.” His eyes flashed with anger. “Then why didn’t you call? I thought something terrible had happened!” I paused for a beat, then gave a slow, smooth reply. “You told me never to call you when you were with Tatum.” 3. The last time, when the baby was misdiagnosed with Down syndrome, I was so terrified I could barely stand. I called him, only for Tatum to take the phone and switch to video. She was wearing a tight nurse uniform, giggling hysterically. “Evie, Harry said if the baby’s sick, you treat it. If you can’t, you abort it. Calling him won’t help.” “We’re role-playing right now. We don’t have time for your check-in calls. He said he might record something for you to use as a lullaby later.” She hung up, and Harry quickly followed with a text. [From now on, only text me. If I don’t respond, I’m with someone else. Don’t interrupt.] He froze, processing my words, then his lips curved into a satisfied half-smile. “Finally listening to reason. Good, that earns you a star. Though that time, I genuinely didn’t know it was about the baby, or I wouldn’t have let her talk like that.” He pulled two necklaces from his pocket. One was a heavy, pure gold locket for Max. Max cried the moment Harry’s hand touched him, as if repulsed. Harry flinched, then handed me the other, a cheap, diamond-chip necklace. “Here. I saw this at the auction yesterday when I was with Tatum. Thought it might suit you.” It was from the auction, but I’d seen it on Tatum’s Instagram feed: a throw-in, a free gift that came with a $2-million pink diamond, practically worthless. He went to put it around my neck. I flinched back, shrinking away from his touch. His brows furrowed, his eyes darkening with immediate displeasure. “What is this? I compliment you, and now you’re playing hard to get?” A bitter, cold wave of self-mockery washed over me. He still thought I was so easily placated by these pathetic gestures. “You misunderstand, Harry. I’m highly allergic to this particular material.” His face stiffened. He seemed to have forgotten the millions he’d spent years ago to have a custom, hypoallergenic wedding band made for me. In the past, when I still desperately hoped for his affection, I would have accepted anything he gave me, even if it caused a rash or discomfort. Anything for a flicker of his approval. I had run myself ragged chasing that last gasp of our relationship. And for what? This. After that day, he found the perfect excuse not to visit. I was relieved, using the quiet time to focus on my recovery, physical therapy, and Max. His social media, however, was a constant feed: today, Ferris wheels with Tatum; tomorrow, filming a low-budget commercial; mornings spent cooking her breakfast; afternoons hitting viral restaurants; and, occasionally, rich and chaotic nightlife posts at 3 AM. Everyone in his company was buzzing, calling her the longest-lasting mistress, speculating on when he’d finally toss out the “old wife.” From the fifth month of my pregnancy until the day I gave birth, I brought up divorce countless times. But Harry refused. He didn’t want to give up the illusion of a picture-perfect family. If he had agreed earlier, I might have even accepted being “kicked out.” The day before I was due to sign the final divorce papers, we hosted Max’s first-month celebration. Harry arrived, dramatically, with Tatum on his arm. He even led her to the seat beside him—the seat of the Lady of the House. He held the baby, cooing at him. Tatum leaned in close. “Hello, little man. I’m your stepmommy.” The silence in the room was deafening. Every guest’s face froze. Before anyone could speak, Harry smiled, looking only at me. “I forgot to mention, Evie. Tatum brought a gift for Max. She’s going to be his godmother.” Tatum slid a heavy gold bracelet onto Max’s wrist, her eyes full of venomous triumph as she looked at me. “I’ll help you take care of the baby, Evie. We’ll do it together.” Ignoring the heat of my mother-in-law’s hand trying to clamp down on mine, I smiled faintly and calmly took Max from Harry’s arms. “How thoughtful. A spiritual advisor recently told me Max’s astrological sign was too strong; he needed a God-Parent to absorb the bad karma and prevent disaster.” I looked pointedly at Tatum. “You are truly a saint, Tatum, to solve this problem for me. I accept the gift. Thank you for taking on Max’s bad luck.” Their faces instantly crumpled. Tatum’s eyes filled with tears. “It’s okay, Evie. Anything for Harry’s child. Taking on his bad luck is nothing—I would die for him.” She sniffled, looking piteously at Harry. “Maybe I should just leave now. I’m too tainted. I don’t want to spread my misfortune to everyone else.” She picked up her purse and began to leave. Harry glared at me, ready to follow her. Victoria grabbed his sleeve, her eyes sharp. “It is your son’s celebration. You will not chase a tramp out the door in front of all these people! Are you trying to shame our family forever?” Harry hesitated, about to retort. I spoke first, smiling at Victoria. “Let him go, Mom. Max is the only star tonight.” Victoria sighed, releasing her hold. “Get out! And if you ever bring that trash here again, don’t bother coming back yourself!” Harry searched my face, looking for the familiar desperation and cruelty that always reassured him. But I gave him nothing. I simply turned away, raising my glass of iced tea to toast the guests. The party wasn’t a triumph of etiquette, but at least Max was too young to remember it. And I was fine. Tomorrow, I would have the divorce papers. Victoria took us back to the family estate for our final night there. Max fell asleep on the sofa, and Victoria went to fetch a handmade blanket for him. 4. Suddenly, the massive front door slammed open. Harry stormed in, cradling a sobbing Tatum in his arms. “Evelyn! I underestimated you! Where is the bracelet? Give it back! You won’t believe it—Tatum came down with a mysterious fever this afternoon, and then she was in a car accident on the way to the hospital.” He was breathless, enraged. “I thought it was a coincidence until I ran into a traveling missionary who knew exactly what happened! You put a curse, a hex, on that bracelet to bring her bad luck! How can you be so maliciously wicked?” This from the man who called me superstitious when I prayed for days after my bleeding scare. I laughed, a short, cold sound. “And you believed that? It was a casual dig. You think I’ve been out of the house, three days post-surgery, finding a missionary to put a jinx on a piece of jewelry? Which chapel, Harry? Ask your missionary.” He stammered, unable to answer. Tatum, however, was already taking action. She pulled a prayer amulet from her bag and walked toward Max. “It’s okay, Evie. Maybe I just have a weak constitution. But this is a blessed amulet from the chapel. I want to trade it for that gold bracelet.” I stepped in front of Max. “I won’t take your amulet. I’ll return the bracelet tomorrow. Max is sleeping. I need you to leave now.” Harry glared, his eyes bloodshot. “Why can’t you give it to me now? What are you going to do with it?” Before I could speak, Harry grabbed the sleeping baby. “What are you doing? Don’t touch him!” Tatum seized Max’s arm, forcibly yanking the bracelet off. “Evie, I’m doing this for you. No matter how much you hate me, you can’t use a child to do evil! If you continue this way, the bad karma will come back on him! We have to take it off now!” Max cried out in pain and shock. My heart lurched. I lunged forward, hitting Tatum with a searing slap across the face that sent her tumbling. “Stop lying! I told you, I did nothing! Don’t you dare touch my son!” Tatum looked up at Harry, her face wet with manufactured tears. The next second, Harry’s eyes were blazing red. He shoved me violently, sending me staggering backward, and carelessly dropped Max back onto the sofa. He rushed to Tatum, helping her up with agonizing care. “We’re trying to save you and the baby from sin! Look at you, Evie! You’re insane!” The unhealed C-section scar collided with the sharp corner of the coffee table. A white-hot, ripping pain exploded through me. But the cold dread that settled over me was worse: he had zero concern for his own flesh and blood. Victoria, rushing in at the sound of the cries, helped me up. She scooped up a screaming Max. She spun around and slapped Harry across the face. “You animal! A tiger doesn’t eat its cubs, but you’re worse than your own father! You abuse your son for a tramp!” “You will regret this! Get out! Get out of my house! Don’t ruin our last night together!” “It was her fault…” Harry’s frantic eyes suddenly went still. He looked from his mother to me. “What do you mean, last night?” But before he could finish, Tatum collapsed into a dramatic faint on the floor. He instantly lost focus, scooping her up in his arms. As he reached the door, he glanced back at me. A flash of pure, unadulterated panic crossed his face. “I’m coming back tomorrow for the bracelet! Don’t try anything!” Victoria slammed the door shut, tears streaming down her face. The next morning, the household manager quietly returned with the freshly stamped, final divorce certificate. I didn’t wake Victoria. I placed the certificate beneath the gold bracelet, nestled it all inside the velvet box he’d used to present my expensive, custom wedding ring. I left the box conspicuously on the living room table. Looking down at Max in his bassinet, I spoke with a lightness I hadn’t felt in years. “Time for a new life, little one.” He suddenly grinned, his eyes crinkling into happy crescents. In the sound of his innocent, unknowing laughter, we boarded the plane that would take us to a new world.

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While video chatting with my boyfriend, his roommates started teasing him, clamoring to see me. I was smiling demurely when suddenly the phone was snatched away. A magnetic voice laced with laughter rang out: “Don’t be stingy, let the bros see what our sister-in-law looks like.” The next second, I was face to face with my ex-boyfriend, with whom I had an extremely messy breakup. The smile on his face gradually disappeared. After a long while, the corner of his mouth twitched: “Fuck.” 1 The moment that person bent down, the silver chain with a star pendant hanging from his collarbone brushed past the camera. And my breath stopped the second I clearly saw his brows and eyes. Sweat rolled down Caleb Vance’s sharp jawline into the open collar of his jersey. He stared at the screen, stunned for two seconds, pupils dilating violently! “…Fuck.” The next second, the phone was thrown somewhere unknown. The screen went black for a moment before being hurriedly picked up. Ethan Wells held the phone, dissatisfied: “What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?!” Caleb paused for a moment, then scoffed: “You have terrible taste.” Ethan, usually so gentle, rarely lost his temper, but now he said coldly: “My girlfriend is wonderful, don’t talk nonsense.” “Yeah, sister-in-law is so pretty. I think she’s even prettier than the beauty queen of the foreign language department. Caleb, what’s wrong with your eyes?” “If I could date someone like this, I’d be willing to eat instant noodles for three years!” “Get lost, I’d be willing to eat them for ten years—” His roommates started making noise, and Caleb didn’t speak again. Ethan picked up the phone: “Sorry Stella, he might have lost a basketball game today and is in a bad mood.” A gritted-teeth voice came from over there: “I won, won by 20 points!” Ethan didn’t change his expression: “Then he’s just brain-dead. Stella, I’ll pick you up for dinner tonight.” … After hanging up the video call, I lay back quietly on the bed. The midsummer sunlight was a bit dazzling, so I covered my eyes with my arm. It seems like I haven’t seen Caleb for three years. I didn’t expect him to still be wearing the star necklace I gave him. Such a cheap thing. I still remember the price tag was only $19.99, and the couple’s set was 50% off, so it was only ten bucks. Mine was thrown away somewhere by me long ago. He didn’t seem to have changed much, yet seemed to have changed a lot. Clearly still that face, but after maturing, his edge seemed sharper. Like a gem cut with angles, the unruly nature between his brows couldn’t be suppressed. I suddenly remembered three years ago, before we took the college entrance exam (SATs). Caleb was also wearing a jersey like this, standing downstairs at my place, begging me with red eyes. “From now on, I’ll listen to whatever you say. If you don’t like me contacting her, I’ll never interact with her again. “We agreed to go to the same university—” His voice became hoarse, a glint flashing in his eyes in the night: “As long as we don’t break up, I’ll agree to anything you say, okay?” He looked so pitiful, almost about to kneel and beg me. But I just looked at him expressionlessly for a while and whispered: “Caleb Vance, I changed my college application. “I’m not going to Tech U anymore.” 2 My romance with Caleb began with childhood sweethearts losing to a destined encounter, and ended with the destined encounter losing to childhood sweethearts. In my sophomore year of high school, I transferred and immediately became first in the grade. At that time, teachers liked to seat a good student with a poor student to help them improve, so I was arranged to sit next to Caleb. But Caleb had absolutely no interest in studying; instead, he was very interested in me. Either pulling my hair or taking my pen and holding it high, then looking down with a wicked smile. “Stella Cheng, you’re so short.” He passed me notes in class. I opened one to see a stick figure of me. Just as I wanted to scold him for being bored, the teacher saw the note, displayed it publicly, and then made us both stand outside as punishment. I was a standard good student back then and had never suffered such grievance. I pushed Caleb with red eyes. “Caleb Vance, are you sick!” He knew he was in the wrong and didn’t speak. After a while, he folded that note with the stick figure into a star and quietly stuffed it into my hand. I looked at that star and couldn’t help but smile through my tears. My relationship with Caleb gradually improved. I would force him to listen to my explanations until he understood, check his homework, and forbid him from copying answers. He would also wait downstairs every day to go to school and back home with me, and we would browse the accessory shop at the gate together. Ghost led me to buy two star chains and give him one. … Caleb was a popular figure in school—handsome, rich family, good at basketball. Who knows how many girls liked him. One of them blocked me and asked if I liked Caleb. Teenage pride and inexplicable annoyance made me subconsciously speak: “I won’t like someone whose grades are worse than mine.” The girl looked behind me. I turned around abruptly, only to find Caleb behind me. I don’t know how long he had been listening. He walked past me expressionlessly. After that, Caleb never actively sought me out again. He no longer talked to me in class, nor asked me to go to school together. We sat at the same desk, not saying an extra word every day. I wanted to explain to him, but he never gave me a chance. Until a year later, Caleb tied with me for first place with astonishing progress. That night he stopped me and said seriously: “Stella Cheng, my grades are no worse than yours now. Can you like me now?” To this day, the memories of that time are very blurry. I only remember the jacaranda flowers blooming like a sea in the school that day. When the petals were blown up by the wind, the boy’s eyes were brighter than a star explosion. The light crossed the vast universe of light years and fell straight into my heart. In that moment, I heard my own voice. “Okay.” We got together just like that. Young love was uncontrollable like a prairie fire. We stuck together every day. Caleb introduced me to all his brothers and even tattooed my name on his body. I said I wanted to test into Tech U, and he said he wanted to go to the same university as me. His mom was overjoyed at his sudden motivation. Fortunately, my grades didn’t drop either, so parents and teachers simply turned a blind eye. We became the only openly dating couple in the school. At that time, I really thought we would go on forever. Until I discovered there was always a girl more important than me in his heart. 3 Caleb had a childhood friend who grew up with him, named Gigi. Gigi’s father was a driver for Caleb’s father in the early years. In a car accident where the car fell into the sea, he risked his death to save Caleb’s dad but didn’t have the strength to get ashore himself and passed away just like that. Caleb’s dad was a very kind person. He immediately waved his hand and took in Gigi and her mother, saying he would treat Gigi as his own daughter and support them for life. Gigi and Caleb were inseparable since childhood. Even when we were dating, she didn’t restrain herself and followed us to and from school. Caleb and I fought a lot over this. Finally, Gigi stopped following us, but within two days, she suddenly appeared in front of me again, leaning on Caleb. “Sorry Stella, I know you don’t want to walk with me, but I sprained my ankle, and Caleb insisted on walking me home.” Caleb’s eyes were all on her, frowning and scolding her: “You didn’t tell me your foot was hurt. If I didn’t come to find you, did you plan to hop home on one foot?! Get on!” I still remember that day, Caleb carried Gigi on his back walking in front of me the whole time. Gigi lay on his back talking about funny things from their childhood, and I couldn’t interject a word. She acted coquettishly: “Caleb, my foot hurts so much!” I had never heard Caleb’s voice so gentle: “Foot hurts so much, what should we do?” “I want to eat the cake from the shop on the corner, the most expensive kind!” “Okay, I’ll take you home first and then go buy it for you.” “Caleb, can I walk with you in the future? When I walk alone, hooligans outside the school always stare at me, I’m so scared.” Caleb frowned: “Why didn’t you say so earlier? “I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning. In the future, if I’m not with you, you’re not allowed to walk alone.” Gigi laughed and looked back at me. “Okay.” … The setting sun stretched their shadows so long, inseparable. I fell further and further behind alone, but Caleb never looked back at me once. It wasn’t until he dropped Gigi home that he turned to me and said: “I have to go buy cake for Gigi, so I won’t walk you home today. “Stella, go home by yourself.” I looked at him for a long time, turned around, and left. 4 After that time, Caleb and I were in a cold war for a whole week. Caleb didn’t think he was wrong at first: “I always treat Gigi as a sister. How could I pretend not to see when her foot was injured?” I was expressionless: “Her foot was injured, she could call her mom to pick her up, she could call your family’s driver to pick her up. Why did she have to wait for you there?! “You treat her as a sister, does she treat you as a brother?! Dare you say you don’t know she likes you?!” Caleb’s eyes dodged, finally sighed and hugged me. “Stella, I really only like you. In the future, I will make it clear to her and keep a distance from her, okay?” I closed my eyes: “Okay.” After that, Caleb really went to find Gigi. Don’t know what he said to her, I only know Gigi cried out of the classroom and never looked for Caleb again. I thought this matter was resolved. Unexpectedly, one day Caleb suddenly frowned and found me, hesitatingly said: “Gigi said a guy from another school keeps pestering her. She rejected him several times but he still pesters her. Today he found a few of Gigi’s friends to hang out. She asked me to pretend to be her boyfriend to persuade that guy to back off.” Looking at my expression, he added: “Just one night, just let that guy retreat knowing the difficulty.” “Didn’t we agree before? Today sprained ankle needs you to carry home, tomorrow pestered needs you to pretend to be boyfriend, what about the day after tomorrow?!” Caleb’s temper wasn’t good, but when with me he always patiently coaxed me: “If it weren’t for saving my dad back then, Gigi’s dad wouldn’t have died, and she would have a father to protect her now. I really can’t ignore her. Just this once, if you’re worried, come with me, okay?” Words came to this, I knew arguing with Caleb further wouldn’t have any result, could only agree. “Only one day, I’ll go with you guys.” Caleb smiled, cupped my face and kissed me. “Wifey is really so understanding, love you the most!” 5 That night was my first time going to a bar. Sure enough, a very strong and tall boy was surrounding Gigi. Not ugly, just looked slippery, constantly trying to put his arm on her. Caleb stepped forward, pushed him away, pulled Gigi into his arms, and looked at the boy with pressed brows. “Keep your hands to yourself, she’s my girlfriend.” Caleb learned kickboxing since elementary school. When he had a cold face, his aura directly suppressed the boy into silence. Others quickly smoothed things over: “Want to play Truth or Dare? Zach is treating tonight, everyone order drinks, don’t be polite!” Zach was the boy pestering Gigi. Heard his family was involved in gangs, stores on this street had to pay protection money to his dad. He was a classmate of Gigi’s friend’s boyfriend, from a vocational high school. Started chasing Gigi after meeting her at a dinner with friends. Gigi rejected him many times but he didn’t give up. This gathering of a circle of friends for dinner was also to confirm if Gigi really had a boyfriend as she said. Caleb scoffed lightly, threw a Centurion Black Card on the table. “No need, I’ll pay for all expenses tonight.” Everyone’s eyes were attracted by that black card. A girl’s eyes lit up: “Is this the legendary black card? Gigi, you’re really not authentic, having such a handsome and rich boyfriend and not telling us!” Gigi smiled and leaned on Caleb. My fingers clenched slightly. Caleb looked at me subconsciously. I turned my head away not to meet his eyes. Zach’s face turned dark. His bro’s girlfriend might be afraid he and Caleb would fight, so she raised a wine bottle: “Let’s play Truth or Dare, whoever the bottle points to is it!” After a few rounds, everyone chose Truth, and no one asked any very outrageous questions. Just as I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking tonight would pass like this, the bottle suddenly stopped in front of Gigi. She smiled and tucked her bangs behind her ear: “I choose Dare.” My heart sank fiercely, a bad premonition floated up. Sure enough, the next second the girl beside her excitedly said: “Then choose a boy present to kiss, a French kiss!” Gigi blushed, gaze falling on Caleb. Caleb’s expression stiffened slightly, subconsciously frowning. “Then I choose—” Amidst Zach’s increasingly ugly face, Gigi pointed at Caleb without hesitation. Caleb kept a straight face. “Change the dare.” The girl raised an eyebrow: “Aren’t you boyfriend and girlfriend? What’s there to be embarrassed about? Kiss, kiss!” Everyone started chanting. Zach’s eyes became suspicious: “Are you really Gigi’s boyfriend?” Gigi raised a smile: “Of course.” Her beautiful eyes carried a trace of pleading, climbing onto Caleb’s forearm, red lips slightly parted: “Caleb…” My heart slowly turned cold. Caleb stiffly let Gigi approach him. Just a second before their lips touched, I stood up abruptly! His face turned slightly sideways, and Gigi’s kiss landed on the corner of his mouth. He reached out in panic to pull me, but was violently thrown off by me! Ignoring the surprised expressions of everyone present, I walked out the door quickly.

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Seven years ago, Lucas Reed and I broke up because we were from different worlds. Seven years later, I’m a corporate executive earning a million a year. And Lucas, bankrupt, has become a delivery guy. Looking at the still handsome man in front of me, I casually handed him a bank card. “Five thousand a month. I’ll be your sugar mommy.” Lucas accepted the card with utter humiliation. The day after he moved into my place, I accidentally heard him on the phone: “I’m busy, don’t bother me with small projects worth five hundred million.” 1 I never thought my reunion with Lucas would be so dramatic. “Hello ma’am, your delivery.” Lucas held the bag with one hand, slowly putting away his impatient expression. He narrowed his eyes and looked me up and down several times before asking in disbelief: “Sophia?” I looked up at Lucas in a daze. Haven’t seen him for seven years, he’s still so handsome. The yellow delivery uniform worn on his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs looked like luxury haute couture. Earlier this year, I heard classmates chatting occasionally, saying Lucas’s family seemed to have gone bankrupt. I didn’t take it to heart at the time. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. No matter what happened to the Reed family, they were much better off than us ordinary people, not my place to sympathize. But I never expected Lucas to be reduced to delivering food. Graduated from a prestigious school, looking like a supermodel, what job couldn’t he find? Why deliver food? Lucas, how have you been these years? Are you married? Do you have kids? A thousand words turned into one sentence on my lips: “You’re late.” Lucas was stunned, then chuckled, his eyes curved like crescents. “Sophia, haven’t seen you for years, you’re still so funny.” I just looked at him silently. I understand, I understand everything. The favored son of heaven fell to the mortal world, and was bumped into by his ex-girlfriend at his most down-and-out moment. Besides using jokes to alleviate embarrassment, he could do nothing. 2 “You have an order that is late, please deliver it as soon as possible.” The phone Lucas placed on his chest vibrated non-stop, interrupting my thoughts. He frowned, took out his phone, and chose to turn it off without hesitation. I was stunned by his willful operation. “I heard a late order deducts 20 bucks, you must be losing a lot of money.” “Can you afford to raise a wife and kids?” Lucas put the phone in his pocket nonchalantly. “One person full, the whole family not hungry.” Oh, so he is still single. My gaze slowly moved down from Lucas’s face, finally settling on his lower abdomen. Haven’t seen him for years, are his abs still as shaped as before? Last month I went to see a Chinese doctor for irregular periods, and the doctor suggested I find a boyfriend. He said it was endocrine disorders due to being single for too long. If I really didn’t have a boyfriend, looking at handsome guys more would also work. Handsome guy, isn’t he here? “Sophia, you’re drooling.” I flusteredly raised my sleeve to wipe the corner of my mouth, only to find Lucas was tricking me. He looked at my awkward and embarrassed appearance, chest vibrating, laughing until tears came out. “Sophia, you’re so cute.” Cute? Cute my ass! I turned angry from embarrassment, suddenly remembering our unpleasant breakup experience. 3 Lucas and I were college classmates. He was low-key and didn’t deliberately show off his wealth. And I didn’t know his family background was amazing until graduation. At that time, Lucas invited me to his house as a guest. I used my internship salary saved for several months to carefully prepare gifts. Lucas’s mom threw them to the nanny casually, saying these defective products wouldn’t even be eaten by their nanny, asking the nanny to give them to poor relatives in the countryside. Lucas’s sister even took out a photo, telling me their family planned to arrange a marriage with this girl. In another two months, the beautiful girl in the photo would become Lucas’s fiancée. “Oh, don’t worry, my brother is very generous.” “Before breaking up, he will definitely give you a breakup fee.” I was still very young then. Except for fragile pride and self-esteem, I had nothing. When Lucas chased out from the bathroom, I had already run far away and blocked all his contact information. After the breakup, I spent a dark time. My best friend couldn’t bear to see me washing my face with tears every day and went to question Lucas. But Lucas’s attitude was extremely cold, saying something like he misjudged me. I gave up completely and threw all my energy into work. Men will change their hearts, work won’t. All the time and energy you put in will be rewarded. Just like now. I remembered the humiliation his family once inflicted on me, and blood rushed up. That’s called anger rising from the heart, evil growing to the gall. I turned back into the room, and under Lucas’s surprised gaze, took out a bank card from my bag and handed it to him, with a slow and arrogant attitude. “Lucas, working hard delivering food, you can’t make much money a month, right?” “Why not follow me, I’ll give you a salary of 5,000 a month, how about it?” 4 Lucas didn’t speak, just stared at my slender and fair fingers. Just when my arm was getting sore, he suddenly lowered his head and responded softly, almost inaudibly. “Okay.” Looking at his sad and heartbroken appearance, fragile enough to shatter, I felt I was about to shatter too. 5,000! That’s 5,000 dollars a month! I just wanted to humiliate him, why did he agree? Shouldn’t he slap away my bank card, drop a sentence “Don’t bully the middle-aged poor” and then turn around and leave? Heaven knows what I paid for this million-dollar annual salary! Although my annual salary is a million, that’s pre-tax. After deducting various taxes and social security, I only get about 60,000 a month in hand. My hand holding the bank card was trembling slightly. Lucas tried to pull the card from my hand, failing three times. “Sophia, you don’t actually have money, do you?” Lucas looked teasingly, the corners of his thin and shaped lips turned up, pulling a mocking smile lightly. I really wanted to admit I was posturing. But my self-esteem didn’t allow it. So I let go, tossing my head arrogantly. “Work hard, serve me well, salary doubles.” Lucas left with my card with an extremely complicated expression. He didn’t take the card, but my heart. I decided, no matter how well he does, I will nitpick. A month later, fire him on the grounds of poor service. This way I only lose 5,000 dollars, okay okay, not too much. 5 “Where is he?” “Where is the person?!” Bestie Chloe rushed into my house with messy hair, wearing cartoon pajamas, mask not yet peeled off her face. I put down my phone and rolled my eyes at her. “You’re fast enough.” Just finished talking to her about Lucas, less than five minutes, she arrived. Her apartment complex isn’t close to mine, takes more than ten minutes to drive, at least half an hour if there’s traffic. “Cut the crap, where’s Lucas?!” “Left of course, won’t come until tomorrow night.” Chloe bounded in front of me like a rabbit, winking ambiguously at me. “Thought about how to humiliate him yet?” “Whip, candle, and handcuffs?” “Two sets of butler outfits?” Butler outfits? What butler outfits, the kind of sexy apron revealing eight-pack abs, or… Thinking of Lucas wearing an apron with that ascetic and cold face, I felt heat all over my body. Especially in the lower abdomen, besides heat, there was a familiar soreness. I pressed Chloe’s face and pushed her away, running quickly to the toilet. After a long time, a muffled groan came from the toilet. “Chloe, I got my period.” “Seems like there’s no pads at home, go buy some for me.” Chloe poked half a head from the door, looking amazed. “My god!” “If I remember correctly, you haven’t had a period for two months, right?” “Period that Chinese medicine couldn’t bring down, came after seeing Lucas once?” “Exciting!” I casually picked up the tissue beside me and threw it at her face. “Get out!” 6 The next morning I was woken up by the doorbell. With messy hair, I stared dumbfounded at the row of huge suitcases at the door. Lucas raised an eyebrow, revealing a brilliant smile at me. “Good morning, sugar mommy.” I grabbed his wrist, staring incredulously at the watch that looked very expensive. “It’s only six in the morning, bro!” “This watch is fake, high-end imitation,” Our voices sounded at the same time. Lucas withdrew his wrist, calmly took off the watch and stuffed it into his bag. “Didn’t you say perform well and salary doubles?” “Of course I have to be diligent.” Damn it! Actually having this kind of thought! Lucas pushed the suitcase and walked very naturally into my bedroom. Seeing he was about to hang clothes in my closet, I hurried to stop him. “What are you doing?” Lucas blinked innocently. “Didn’t you say serve you?” “How to serve you without living together?” The last few words, he leaned into my ear to say, deliberately using a vocal fry. “You, you you.” My face flushed red, feeling Lucas really fell. To make money, actually wanted to seduce me. Seems his life hasn’t been easy these years. The flower of the high mountains fell from the altar, finally knowing the value of money. “Your room is over there, I’m used to sleeping alone.” Lucas pushed the luggage and strode away, his back revealing a bit of disappointment. Disappointment? Must be me overthinking.

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It was three a.m. I’d just managed to settle the baby, my entire body aching, when I picked up my phone and scrolled past a post on a daddy-forum: [URGENT! Girlfriend is pushing hard. How to divorce my wife while she’s still breastfeeding?] A few jokers had commented below: [Tough luck, buddy. The law protects the ‘lactating liabilities’ until the milk dries up. You’d need her to file first.] The phrase lactating liabilities made my stomach clench with cold, physiological revulsion. I was about to close the app when I saw an unusually detailed reply. [Pro-tip: Take your paternity leave and go on a two-week trip with your parents. Wait for her to hit rock bottom from solo-parenting exhaustion. When you file, everyone will just assume she’s suffering from postpartum psychosis.] An ice-cold shiver crawled up my spine. Just hours ago, my husband, Adam, had finalized the tickets for a trip next week—a “paternity leave” vacation to The Caribbean to attend his sister’s ‘graduation.’ I turned my head to look at Adam, who was deeply asleep next to me, and in that instant, I made a decision. Later, I would recall this moment. Much later, when he was begging me on his knees. 1 Adam dropped the trip bombshell during dinner. The incision from my C-section was throbbing, a dull ache beneath the mesh maternity underwear. “Can’t we wait until I’ve finished the first six weeks?” I asked quietly. His face instantly clouded over. “Claire! How can you be so selfish! My parents have been looking forward to Madison’s ceremony for years!” I wanted to laugh. His sister, Madison, a twenty-something with no ambition, had used their parents’ retirement savings to get a vanity degree abroad. The one-year course had been creatively stretched into three. I took a deep breath, trying to be reasonable. “I just had major abdominal surgery. I was counting on you to take your paternity leave and help me.” “Then have your mother come help,” he waved a dismissive hand. “You’re an only child; it’s the least she can do.” My heart sank. My parents had bankrolled so much for our little family. They’d even put down the deposit for a swanky postpartum retreat for me, which Adam’s mom, Sharon, had insisted we cancel. She’d promised she could “handle the baby care,” and they took the cash instead. Now, they’d banked the money and still expected my mother to step in. The issue caused tension that night. When our daughter, Zoe, cried, Adam pretended to be asleep, pulling the covers over his head. When Zoe’s wails continued, Sharon, sleeping in the guest room, didn’t bother knocking before storming into our bedroom. “Claire! What are you doing?” I scrambled to pull the blanket higher over my chest. “Mom, I’m nursing Zoe. Could you knock next time, please?” Sharon glared at the baby in my arms and scoffed. “A girl, and you treat her like the Duchess of Cambridge! Just quiet her down, don’t wake my son! This household relies on his income, you know!” I scoffed internally. Adam made about eighty thousand a year, but half of it went straight to his sister’s upkeep. The rest was sunk into his car payment and eating out. I hadn’t seen a single cent go into the joint account. Whenever I dared ask him to buy diapers or formula, he’d lecture me about being financially irresponsible and frivolous. The sad irony? My own seventy-thousand salary covered the mortgage (which my parents gifted us the downpayment for), the utilities, and the $300 monthly allowance for his mom. Suppressing a surge of anger, I forced a question: “Mom, could you maybe pitch in and mix a bottle of formula for me?” Sharon instantly exploded. “Formula? What are you, made of money? Why aren’t you just breastfeeding? It’s free!” I inhaled slowly. “I’m not producing enough. Zoe is still hungry.” Sharon wrinkled her nose in distaste. “Fine. But I have to go pack for the trip.” As soon as she left, I reached for Adam’s phone on the nightstand. The passcode was still our wedding anniversary. I checked his main social media and messaging apps, finding nothing immediately incriminating. But the original poster mentioned his girlfriend was “pushing hard.” Maybe it wasn’t Adam? I changed tactics and searched for anything related to Madison. Madison’s Instagram was wide open: endless photos of parties, shopping sprees, and exotic trips. I scrolled through them one by one. Finally, three months back, in a set of photos from a beach vacation, I saw the flicker of something wrong. It was a casual shot of Madison and another girl, arms around each other, laughing at the camera. My eyes snagged on the other girl’s wrist. She was wearing a watch—the limited-edition automatic I’d saved up for a year to buy Adam for his birthday. He’d practically cried when I gave it to him. “Honey! I’m the luckiest man in the world!” Now, that watch was on a stranger’s arm. I zoomed in, carefully studying the girl’s face. She was beautiful, with the bright, carefree radiance of someone who had never had to worry about a thing. I saved the photo. 2 The next morning, Adam grimaced and rolled over at the sound of Zoe’s cries. “Claire, feed her.” In the past, I would have instantly pushed through the pain of my episiotomy stitches and felt a wave of guilt for disturbing his rest. But today, I just lay there, my expression calm. “My stitches are too sore, I can’t move. Go warm up the pumped milk in the fridge. The bottle sterilizer has a clean one.” Adam froze. He hadn’t expected me to delegate a task so directly. He paused for a few seconds before reluctantly dragging himself out of bed. “Why are your stitches suddenly bothering you? You were fine yesterday.” “Postpartum recovery is a roller coaster, darling,” I lowered my eyes, masking the cold steel in my gaze. “Thank you for helping, honey.” That last sentence seemed to appease him, easing the resentment in his movements. He fumbled clumsily through warming and feeding the milk. I watched him from the bed. Sunlight streamed through a gap in the blackout curtains, illuminating the dust motes in the air. Everything looked normal. But I knew: something had irrevocably shattered. After the feeding, Adam went back to scrolling on his phone. Holding a now quiet Zoe, I began my careful probing. “Is the Caribbean trip all sorted? Have Mom and Dad finished packing? Do you want me to look over their lists?” Adam didn’t look up, his thumb flying across the screen. “It’s all handled. Don’t worry about it, just focus on your recovery.” A faint smile played on his lips, and it was excruciatingly irritating. “What’s the exact address for Maddie’s ceremony? I’ll send her a care package—some nice treats from home. I bet she’s homesick,” I continued, my voice gentle. Adam’s scrolling finger paused for a fraction of a second. His tone, however, remained casual. “Don’t bother. She can buy anything she needs there. Besides, we’re taking her tons of stuff.” “Oh, really? Like what? I’m looking for ideas for later.” He sounded impatient now, finally looking up at me, a slight furrow in his brow. “Just some clothes, snacks, toiletries. Why the sudden interest in Maddie today?” I laughed inwardly. I used to genuinely treat his sister like my own. I never questioned the money transfers or the extravagant gifts. Now, I realized my foolishness. That money hadn’t been just for her. “No reason. We’re family. A little concern is appropriate.” I smiled, dropping the subject. Over the next few days, I became abnormally compliant and considerate, offering no further objections to the trip. The night before they left, Adam spent a very long time in the bathroom. The water rushed, drowning out any other sound. I stood outside the door with Zoe, seeing only his vague, shifting shape through the frosted glass. Hah. He was probably reporting the itinerary to the “girlfriend who’s pushing hard.” A dull ache settled in my chest, but mostly, I felt numb. I silently walked away and pulled the property deed and the pre-nuptial agreement from the back of the bedroom dresser. This apartment was bought outright by my parents with their life savings; it was my separate pre-marital property. Adam’s family had symbolically contributed some money toward renovation costs, but my name was the only one on the title. I traced the raised lettering on the cover. A plan, clean and sharp, crystallized in my mind. 3 The day they left, Adam dragged two enormous suitcases. His parents were dressed to the nines, their faces beaming with the undisguised euphoria of escaping childcare. “Okay, honey, we’re off. Take good care of yourself and the baby.” Adam gave me a perfunctory hug at the door. I resisted the urge to push him away instantly. Sharon also offered a hand-squeeze, an act of false comfort. “Claire, you’ve been a star. We’ll be back as soon as Madison’s ceremony is over.” I smiled and nodded. “Maddie’s graduation is a huge deal. I can handle things here. You all deserve a good vacation.” Adam looked at me, a flicker of something complicated in his eyes, quickly replaced by the relief of his impending freedom. He practically bolted out the door, not even bothering to glance back at the stroller where Zoe lay. You won’t blame me, Adam. I thought. I gave you one last chance to say goodbye to your daughter. As soon as the door clicked shut, I called the real estate agent downstairs. “Whoa, Claire,” the agent, Mike, sounded surprised. “Didn’t your husband already have my contact info? Why are you calling me?” I froze. My eyes narrowed instantly. “What do you mean? What did my husband contact you about?” “Adam called a few days ago to ask for a rush-sale quote on the condo. I told him to hold off, the market’s flat right now.” My heart turned to ice. Adam wasn’t just planning to leave me; he was already trying to liquidate my assets. “Yes, it is a rush sale,” I said, my voice steady. “Arrange a viewing as soon as possible.” Mike glanced at the baby in my arms. “Got it. I’ll send the paperwork to Adam’s WhatsApp later.” I cut him off. “No. Text it to me. He’s traveling internationally with his parents right now, so he won’t be checking his phone.” Mike raised an eyebrow in shock. “He’s traveling internationally? He left you alone right after giving birth?” I gave a dry, self-mocking smile. The thing that shocked an outsider was utterly normal to his family. After Mike left, I called my best friend, Jenna, who was a sharp family lawyer. “I have a case for you. A slam dunk: A divorce during the post-recovery period.” Jenna was immediately confident. “Absolutely. Who in their right mind picks a fight with a woman who’s just had a baby?” Seeing my silence, she sensed the gravity of the situation. “Wait—is it you?” I gave a wry chuckle. “Yep. Adam cheated. And planned my isolation.” Jenna gasped and immediately ordered me to stay put while she raced over. I was exhausted from solo-parenting when she arrived. Seeing her familiar, trustworthy face, I finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. Jenna simultaneously consoled me and cursed Adam’s entire lineage. “That pathetic loser! How dare he betray you! Did he forget the lengths he went to convince you to marry him?” Adam and I had been college sweethearts. I was the good student, from the affluent family, with a string of admirers. Adam was the most unremarkable of them all. But he was persistent and seemed so devoted. When I had the flu, he ran to a dozen pharmacies to find my specific medication. When I had appendicitis, he carried me to the hospital, running for over an hour. It was these small acts of devotion that ultimately won me over. Now, at my most vulnerable, he was plotting to discard me. I took a deep breath, pulling myself out of the crushing emotional tide. “Jenna, I need you to do two things for me.” 4 While I waited for Jenna’s investigation results, I was impossibly busy. On one hand, I was a single parent to a newborn—dealing with the agonizing pain of engorgement and fragmented sleep. On the other, I was a real estate shark—working closely with the agent, coordinating viewings, and negotiating with buyers. My price was significantly below market value, and the title was clean. I quickly secured multiple cash offers. Meanwhile, I began swiftly packing up Zoe’s things and mine. Laughably, everything Zoe and I owned fit into a single suitcase. When Zoe was born, I’d wanted to buy a simple changing table. Adam had called me high-maintenance. Sharon had chimed in, saying I had “princess airs but not the princess budget.” I was dumbfounded. I was an only child from an affluent family whose parents had bought us a million-dollar condo. How was that not a princess budget? As for Adam’s and his parents’ belongings, I called a professional moving company and had everything boxed, cataloged, and donated to Goodwill or hauled away as trash. Three days later, Jenna sent me an encrypted file. I opened it: clear flight manifests, hotel reservation records, credit card statements, and a series of photos. The flight destination was Bangkok, Thailand, with a connecting flight to Phuket. They had never set foot in the States. The hotel was a high-end resort in Phuket—a sea-view villa. The reservation was under Adam Adams and his parents and Madison. But on the check-in day, a fourth guest was added, with an extra charge. The consumption receipts showed couples’ spa treatments, romantic dinners, and even a chartered private snorkeling trip for two. The photos were slightly grainy but unmistakable. Adam, in a floral shirt, his arm around a girl’s waist, laughing as they shared a coconut. Another photo showed Sharon and Gary, Adam’s parents, sitting on beach chairs, smiling warmly at their son and the girl, who were playing on a jet ski nearby. They looked as close as a prospective daughter-in-law. Jenna’s summary: “Brooke Linton, 25, unemployed, friend of Madison’s from her overseas stint. Frequent contact with Adam for the past six months. Madison was the facilitator.” A violent wave of nausea hit me. I ran to the bathroom and retched until I was dizzy. It wasn’t morning sickness; it was pure, physiological disgust. Afterward, I splashed cold water on my face and looked at the woman in the mirror: pale, slightly swollen, dark circles under my eyes, clothing stained with breast milk. I wiped my face and went back to the living room. The best cash offer was accepted. The deed transfer was expedited. I signed all the paperwork. A week later, Adam and his parents returned, lugging huge shopping bags, their faces glowing from the vacation. They pushed open the door and found a strange couple standing in their living room. Adam was stunned. “Who are you? Why are you in my apartment?” The new owner held up the deed. “The previous owner sold the place to us.” Adam snatched the paper, saw the new name on the title, and his face instantly went white. Sharon shrieked. “This is impossible! This is our home!” Just then, the doorbell rang. “Delivery for Adam Adams.” Adam ripped open the envelope, pulling out a Divorce Petition. My phone instantly exploded with calls and messages from him: “Claire, where are you?” “What did you do with the apartment?” “I’m sorry, let me explain…” “Please, just give me one more chance…”

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