Category: English

I was the adopted daughter, but I fell in love with the biological son. At ten, Julian Sterling said he would marry me. At sixteen, Julian kissed me, telling me: “Blair is my only moon.” At eighteen, I gave myself to Julian, thinking our love was mutual. A night of passion. But when dawn broke, Julian suddenly despised me. “Get out. I don’t have a sister as cheap as you.” From then on, he never looked at me again. Later, the true daughter Serena Sterling returned. She hated me, effortlessly crushing everything I had. Father’s gaze, Julian’s love, and my dignity. Until she framed me for leaking classified military intelligence, causing Father’s mission to fail and his death in depression. Julian loathed me completely. He personally dragged me out of the funeral home, sweeping me out the door: “The Sterling family doesn’t have a daughter like you, and I don’t have a sister like you.” “In this life, don’t let me see you again!” Chapter 1 The third year after being kicked out of the Sterling family was also the first year I was kept by Jace. I saw Julian Sterling again. It was a charity gala hosted by the Sterlings. I knew I shouldn’t come, and I didn’t want to come. But this was Jace’s will. He was my patron, and I had no right to refuse. I lowered my eyes, my voice trembling: “Mr. Jagger, I don’t want to go over there…” Jace patted my face, not hard, but full of humiliation. “What’s wrong? Afraid to see Julian? Afraid he’ll see you like this now?” “Blair, you know. Wrongdoings always come with a price. I treat you well, why take birth control pills behind my back? Think I didn’t know?” My blood ran cold instantly. Then I laughed self-deprecatingly, actively wrapping my arms around his neck with a coquettish smile, a numbness of broken jars smashing. “Then you have to pay more.” “Give me fifty thousand, and I’ll accompany you to the gala.” My special medicine is running out. Fifty thousand is enough to buy three more bottles, to live three more months. Jace froze. His eyes went from astonishment to amusement, finally laughing low: “Fifty thousand?” “Blair, since when did you value yourself so low? I’ll give you a hundred thousand.” He leaned in, lips almost touching my ear. Malice poured out: “Remember to watch your eyes. I am your man.” “You, Blair, were thrown away by him long ago. Rotten, smelly, now picked back up by my money. Understood?” I lowered my eyelashes, answering meekly: “Understood, Mr. Jagger.” I followed Jace closely. He seemed dissatisfied, actively putting his arm around my waist, walking towards the center. Julian also saw our approach. Turning around, facing us directly. Jace extended his hand, greeting actively: “Mr. Sterling, long time no see. My father often mentions you, saying you are the one he admires most among the younger generation in the military.” Julian spoke politely. His voice was the same as in my memory, with a metallic coldness: “Your father flatters me. Mr. Jagger is the young hero, taking down the Hamptons project so easily.” Jace smiled. Didn’t let go of my waist, instead patting it, with a hint of showing off: “This is Blair, she’s been with me for a while.” “Blair, say hello.” Jace paused maliciously, waiting for my reaction. My throat was tight, every word like grinding on sandpaper: “Mr. Sterling.” Julian glanced at me coldly, as a response. Just then, Serena not far away let out a soft “Huh,” as if just discovering me. Walking towards me actively, smiling meanly: “Sister Blair? It really is you!” “Never thought I’d meet you here. You are now… with Mr. Jagger? That’s really fortunate. Although without a title, life must be much better than before.” “Sister must be more sensible, serve Mr. Jagger well. Don’t do shameless things like before.” I listened quietly, not even refuting. Serena hated me to the bone. If I said anything more, she would only humiliate me more severely. Just that my chest hurt badly, maybe the heart failure worsened again. Fortunately, with money, I can go buy more medicine later. Jace was initially interested in admiring my embarrassment, but seeing my face getting paler. Just as he frowned preparing to interrupt, Julian spoke first. “Serena!” “Mom has been waiting for us over there for a long time, let’s go.” Julian spoke. Serena, even if in high spirits, could only shut up resentfully. But still angry, she simply cursed before leaving: “Cheap!” Julian didn’t react, letting Serena finish cursing before taking her away. I remained silent. Quietly listening to the discussions from all directions caused by Serena’s insult. “Miss Sterling really hit the nail on the head. With such character, she only deserves to be a plaything.” “Heard Old Mr. Sterling died of anger because of her. Such an ingrate! Restless in the Sterling family back then, shamelessly climbing into Julian’s bed. Now latching onto the Jagger family… really growing skills.” “What skills? Great in bed I guess. That slutty vibe, men like it most.” … The buzzing in my ears grew louder, and the colic in my chest began to intensify. I couldn’t tell if it was because of Julian’s coldness or my illness. Vision began to shake, body falling backward uncontrollably. Luckily caught by Jace. His fierce voice swept across, surroundings instantly quieted down. He moved not gently, leaning close to mock: “What’s wrong?” “Seeing an old lover, pain unbearable now?” I knew Jace was getting angry again. Wanted to explain, but the severe pain from the heart strangled my throat, breathing becoming shallow and weak. Could only ask for help with gasping breath: “Medicine…” “My medicine…” Chapter 2 Jace finally noticed I was breaking out in cold sweat, unable to stand steady. Face changed instantly, picking me up princess style and walking out. In the center of the ballroom, Julian, nodding in conversation, looked back as if sensing something. Watching Jace carrying me away hurriedly. Serena followed his gaze: “Yo, what good means. Hooking Mr. Jagger even at the banquet, can’t wait already.” “Brother, say when she seduced you back then…” Crash! The crisp sound of glass exploding suddenly. Serena looked at the wine glass crushed in Julian’s hand, scared to say more. In the parking lot, Jace almost crashed open the car door, placed me in the passenger seat, and started rummaging for the medicine always in my bag. Poured out the last two pills, unscrewed water bottle to my lips. Medicine entered body. I recovered for a quarter of an hour, face gradually improving. Jace’s face became even uglier, asking anxiously: “What exactly is wrong with your stomach?” “Resting for a year, still not well. Tomorrow I’m taking you to the hospital for a full checkup!” I didn’t answer, eyes a bit unfocused. Following Jace initially was to survive, to find out the truth of that year. To tell Julian personally, I didn’t leak the secret. But today looking at Julian’s cold eyes, listening to Serena and others’ poisonous insults, nothing seems to matter anymore. Just felt a big hole in my chest. Wind blowing through, cold all over. Incurable. I looked up again, at Jace: “Jace, I don’t want to be with you anymore.” “Let me go.” Jace stared at me dead for a few seconds, suddenly sneered. Touching my face comfortingly: “Throwing a tantrum? I know, embarrassed you tonight.” “I promise you, won’t take you to such occasions if you don’t want to in future. If you want money, I’ll give you another five million, okay?” I dodged his hand, still insisting. “No.” “Jace, I don’t want to follow you anymore.” Jace didn’t speak again, just with a dark face, buckling my seatbelt and driving away. I thought he would take me home, but soon, I found the direction wrong. “Where to?” Jace snorted, voice hard. “Hospital.” “You are uncomfortable now, throwing a tantrum, I won’t argue with you. Wait till the doctor cures you, we talk about other things.” I chuckled lightly, hearing the concern in Jace’s words. “Jace, thank you.” I said it seriously. Perhaps the most sincere sentence in the three years with him. Jace raised his eyebrows proudly, smile not yet curled up. Only heard me slowly accepting fate: “But no need.” “I might… not live long.” The moment the voice fell, the sound of brake pads sounded suddenly. Jace’s throat rolled, very hoarse. “What did you say?” He grabbed me suddenly, eyes wide questioning: “What do you mean not live long?” “How come… it’s not stomach trouble, is it? You lied to me?” I looked into Jace’s eyes. Strange, saying it out felt a weird release. “Do you know… heart failure? The average survival period given by doctors is three years.” “This year, is the third year.” I lowered my eyes, seeing warm wetness falling on the back of my hand, a few drops at first, finally surging like a rainstorm. Not my tears. It was Jace crying. A crazy thought surged, I couldn’t help using Jace’s sympathy. This is my last chance. “Can you… help me find out the truth about the Sterling family secret leak back then?” “I don’t want to die wrongly accused.” “Jace, I beg you.” Chapter 3 Jace agreed to my request, the only condition was for me to cooperate with the treatment he arranged. This was simply a bargain for me. Only I didn’t expect Julian would want to see me actively. “Leave Jace, return to the Sterling family. Go back to Father’s spirit, kneel, kowtow, confess, explain clearly what you did back then.” “As long as you confess, repent sincerely, you are still the eldest daughter of the Sterling family.” I looked up, seeing Julian’s annoyed eyes. Word by word replying: “I didn’t do it.” “I did nothing wrong.” Julian repeated, voice suddenly rising. “Not you?” “Do you think the whole Sterling family is blind? Butler Lee, servants Aunt Zhou and Xiao Shuang, Serena, even Mother can testify! Only you frequented Father’s study during that time. What else do you want to argue!” “Are you going to tell me even Mother is framing you?” His roar was hoarse, making my vision black. I gripped the edge of the tablecloth tightly, fingertips white with force, barely supporting myself not to fall. Still insisting: “I did nothing wrong!” “I won’t go back, I will prove to you…” Julian’s face darkened completely. Speaking indiscriminately. “Enough! Refusing to be the eldest lady, insisting on being Jace’s shady mistress.” “Blair, why are you so cheap!” I froze. Looking up blankly at him. This face full of disdain and disgust overlapped infinitely with the man in my memory who held my face and kissed me. Only he was gentle then, he would tell me: “Blair is my only moon.” Later, nothing left. My eyes extinguished suddenly, the last faint love crushed by people. Murmuring: “Julian, at that time I thought you loved me.” Julian heard my words, laughing in extreme anger. “Blair, you don’t think I want to see you this time because I still can’t let you go?” “If not for Mother seeing you humiliated at the banquet last night, really pitying you. Willing to give you a way out, you think I want to see you?” I twitched my mouth corners lightly. Bitterness overflowed from the heart, murmuring: “Mother pities me?” “Is it pity, or… guilt?” I didn’t want to say more. Supporting the table edge to stand up slowly, walking towards the door. “Blair, if you dare leave today, I will never forgive you in this life!” Julian’s voice was trembling for some reason. But I didn’t look back, nor stopped, pushed the door and walked out. The Jagger family car was waiting for me. Just as I was about to get in, a crying voice sounded not far away: “Blair…” My movement stopped. It was Mother’s voice, containing tears, eyes red. “Blair, you’ve lost so much weight.” “You must have suffered a lot outside, come home with me.” I looked at her quietly. No resentment, no grievance, no expectation. As if genuinely confused: “Mother, why are you crying?” “Isn’t this what you wanted?” Finished, I bent into the car, Mother in the rearview mirror struck hard, crying to collapse. Driver drove me away, speaking respectfully: “Miss Blair, Mr. Jagger just got on the plane. He asked me to tell you, Mayo Clinic abroad is very good at treating heart failure, he has rushed there, will notify you immediately with good news.” “Any needs, tell me directly or contact Assistant Xu.” “Also, your matter is being investigated. Mr. Jagger asked you to rest assured, he guarantees to find out clearly for you.” I responded. Days Jace was gone, Mother’s contact entangled relentlessly. First texts, then calls, sending people to the villa these two days. Until this afternoon, she texted me: [Blair, Mother is sick, very serious, doctor said many scary words.] [Mother knows sorry to you, dare not ask forgiveness. Only beg… before I go, see you one last time. Come home once, okay? Treat it as Mom’s last wish.] I sat for a long time. Maybe still couldn’t cut off that little warmth, asked to drive to Sterling House. Butler Lee led me into the hall, dark, no lights. Subconsciously felt wrong, wanted to leave. But from the center of the second floor, a woman’s figure walked out slowly. Not the sick Mother. It was Serena. “Sister, you finally came.” “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time!” Chapter 4 This is probably a trap. I turned to run, but was pinned down by Serena’s men. “Serena, what do you want?” Serena tilted her head slightly, revealing an innocent and cruel smile. “Sister, don’t be nervous. I just invite you to… revisit the old place!” She signaled a direction. Those two bodyguards immediately dragged me towards Julian’s study. “I just want Brother to see clearly, how the thief who leaked secrets back then, still has a thief’s heart, how… unrepentant!” “Once failed, twice, thrice. Brother will eventually despise you completely, you fake!” Before her voice fell, a bodyguard roughly grabbed my right hand, forced my index finger straight, and pressed it hard on the fingerprint recognition area of the control panel! “No—!” Then pressed my palm on the keypad randomly. “Error, password verification failed!” Panel screen flashed red blindingly! “Alert! Abnormal authority access attempt detected!” “Location: Master Study Security Panel. Trigger: Blair (Authority Status: Frozen).” “Alert Level: High Risk!” Sharp beep exploded from inside the panel instantly, piercing eardrums! Meanwhile, red warning text scrolled clearly on the panel screen, displaying: [Real-time alert sent to bound terminal: Julian Sterling. Security Center responded.] Rapid footsteps sounded throughout the Sterling house. Bodyguard let go, I was thrown on the floor panting by inertia. Serena retreated a few steps quickly, putting on a panicked expression. Pointing at me and the still flashing screaming control panel, shrieked to Butler Lee who rushed in: “She, she suddenly broke in!” “I don’t know what she wants! She pounced on the panel, I couldn’t stop her! Then…” Just then, a familiar voice suppressing anger sounded: “What’s going on?” Julian arrived. Serena pounced over, grabbing Julian’s arm, sobbing: “Brother! You finally came!” “I’m so scared… She suddenly rushed in, I couldn’t stop. Blair killed Father not enough, now stealing secrets in your study, wants to kill you!” Serena’s tears fell on cue. Julian looked at the pale me, then at the beeping panel, finally at the crying Serena, face instantly becoming extremely ugly. Closed eyes, heart thoroughly broken. “Blair, you really opened my eyes!” “Not me! It’s Serena framing me! She grabbed my hand…” I defended urgently, but interrupted by Serena. She cried, extremely wronged: “Sister! Even now you want to frame me?” “I know you hate me, hate the Sterling family, but how can you use this way… Father’s spirit won’t rest in peace!” I screamed with last strength, tears finally bursting. “I didn’t!” “It was Serena’s men pressing my hand! She is framing me!” “Julian, can you believe me once?” Julian seemed to hear a huge joke, pointing at the iron-clad alert record, sneering: “Framing you? System doesn’t lie, your fingerprint doesn’t lie!” “She did it to make you hate me more! To completely destroy me!” I cried, huge injustice almost breaking me. Julian walked closer step by step, pinching my chin and slamming me to the ground viciously: “Do you think you have anything worth ‘destroying’ now? Blair, you destroyed yourself completely long ago!” “I won’t let you go again!” “Someone, take to the basement. Report to DoD for processing!” I was forcibly dragged away from the study, screaming with all might, voice shrill and desperate: “Julian, I am wronged—!” “I didn’t, really didn’t!” No one answered me. Just before being dragged to the basement entrance, my unfocused eyes saw a figure standing quietly at the corner. It was Mother. She stood there unknown how long, tears falling, lips trembling slightly. No sound. But I read the lip shape. Three words. [I am sorry.] I despaired completely. With her there, Julian won’t believe me. That text, surveillance, all doubts… will be wiped out silently. Basement iron door closed completely in front of eyes. Struggling and screaming exhausted my last strength, heart began colic due to intense emotional fluctuation and hypoxia. Looking at the darkness, I collapsed on the cold damp floor, almost no strength to breathe. I knew heart failure attacked again. Subconsciously reached for medicine, but pocket empty. Probably dropped somewhere during struggle. Wanted to cry, but laughed out loud suddenly, feeling relieved. Maybe… this is fate. Body started twitching uncontrollably, like fish out of water, bouncing, cramping futilely on the ground, sound of nails scratching floor sharp and distant. At the very end, I actually thought of Jace. Felt a bit sorry to him. He said he would cure me, find out truth, marry me when cured. Long time, chest pain and suffocation disappeared suddenly. Last thought dissipated like gossamer: Sorry, Jace. Worked so hard, wasted your effort. I might… not wait for you.

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“I was injured in combat and became sterile. So, whose child is in your belly?” At the military commendation ceremony, my officer husband publicly produced a medical report stamped with a red seal. Every word was an ice pick. The crowd was shocked, then looks of contempt pricked my face like needles. The husband who held my hand last night saying “You’ve suffered” was now shielding the sister of a fallen hero behind him. I finally understood. He wanted to be the hero of loyalty, marrying his comrade’s sister to care for her life. But constrained by his status, he could only make me, his wife, the sinner. “Luke Vance, remember what you said today. This child has nothing to do with you.” I tore up the military housing application in front of everyone and left the hall in the snowstorm. Seven years later, a boy with eyes just like his coldly pushed away the military’s cooperation invitation. When he demanded a paternity test with a green face, the boy said nonchalantly, freezing him instantly: “Uncle, your sterility report was confirmed by the organization. How could you father a genius like me?” Chapter 1 The conference room was so quiet you could hear the sycamore leaves falling outside. The subordinates who came with Colonel Luke Vance all lowered their heads, pretending to read files. Luke slammed the contract on the table, suddenly reaching out to grab Andy’s thin wrist, dragging him out without a word. Just then, a calloused hand firmly gripped Luke’s wrist. I used all my strength, nails digging deep into his skin. Luke looked up and met my eyes, cold as frost. The subordinates behind him also looked up. Time seemed to stop. I saw something crack in Luke’s eyes, then shock, then an absurd scrutiny. “M… Mary?” People behind him gasped. “Mary? The Colonel’s wife who cheated seven years ago?” “Didn’t she disappear at the train station? How…” I knew what they were shocked about. Seven years ago, when I left the military compound, I only had a train ticket. Later, news spread that a pregnant young woman disappeared at the station. Everyone thought it was me. Including Luke. “Mary? You’re alive? How do you have the face to come back?” I ignored him. Taking advantage of his momentary slack, I pulled Andy back to my side. A red circle already formed on Andy’s wrist. I squatted down, gently rubbing the mark. “Does it hurt?” Andy shook his head, eyes fixed on Luke. I straightened up. My tone should be calm, at least I couldn’t hear any waves. “Colonel Vance must be mistaken. I am Dr. L.F. Lee, Technical Director of Deep Blue Salvage.” “L.F. Lee?” A staff officer behind Luke repeated subconsciously. “Yes.” Before the words fell, the door was pushed open again. Scarlett burst in, sweat on her forehead, looking rushed. She glanced at Luke first, then her eyes swept over me, pupils shrinking slightly. “Sister Mary?” She stepped forward, trying to take my hand, but I dodged sideways. Her hand froze in the air, then she smiled again. “It really is you! Where have you been all these years? We were worried to death…” Her eyes turned red as she spoke, acting better than seven years ago. “You left without a word, we thought… thought you did something foolish. Later hearing about the station, Brother Luke couldn’t sleep for days. It’s good you’re back, as long as you’re alive…” Clever words. Every word reminding everyone. I was once an “unchaste” woman, a wife who “embarrassed” her husband, a burden who “disappeared.” Disgust deepened in Luke’s eyes. “Mary, I don’t care what you call yourself now. Take that child and leave.” I glanced at Luke and Scarlett sticking together, then looked at the secretary standing by the door, afraid to speak. “Joey, notify everyone.” My voice wasn’t loud, but clear enough for everyone. “Deep Blue is willing to cooperate with the military, but there is a condition. The representative must change. We start talking when the person changes.” “Mary!” Luke’s face turned iron, stepping forward aggressively, “Do you know where you are? How dare you act wild here?! Take this bastard—” “You are the ones who should leave.” I calmly cut off his insult, taking Andy’s hand, walking back to the desk step by step. The leather chair was wide and steady. I sat down calmly, looking up at his burning eyes. “Since seeking technical cooperation, the military should at least send—” I tilted my head slightly, mouth curling into a faint, cold arc, “Someone with clear eyes and basic manners. Don’t you think, Colonel Vance?” Joey was too scared to breathe, looking at Luke, then me, helpless. “See them out.” I said. Chapter 2 Andy stayed in the office waiting for me until I got off work. I led him out of the office. Just reaching the lobby, two figures stepped out from the side shadows. Luke stood there, epaulets removed, jacket on his arm. Scarlett followed him closely. They blocked the way between us and the door. Outside the glass door, the sky darkened, streetlights flickering on. “Mary, two choices. One, let the kid do a blood test with me. Before the result comes out, you go nowhere.” “Two, I don’t mind making you, your adulterer, and this bastard disappear for real this time.” Luke’s last sentence scraped the tenderest meat of my heart like ice mixed with gravel. Scarlett stood behind him, fingers twisting the strap of her worn green bag. Her voice was soft and light as a feather, but carried a chill that drilled into bones. “Sister Mary, even if you don’t think for yourself, think for the child.” She moved half a step forward, looking “pityingly” at Andy behind me. “This place isn’t big. For school, work, everything needs a background check. If his file says his mother has issues, bad conduct…” She paused deliberately, observing my face, voice lower but audible to us three, “The child’s life is ruined. He won’t be able to lift his head anywhere.” “Even if…” She lowered her eyes, showing appropriate difficulty and “kindness,” “Even if back then, Brother Luke’s injury… doctors said there might be a chance, but after so many years, who knows? Sister Mary, I know it’s hard raising a child alone, but you can’t gamble with his future. For the child’s good, just…” Slap—! A crisp, loud slap cut off her “persuasion.” I used all my strength, palm numb. Scarlett was knocked to the side, hair messy, sticking to her instantly swollen cheek. She covered her face, staring in disbelief, tears filling her eyes instantly, hanging on lashes, looking pitiful. Next second, a heavier force slapped my face with wind. My vision went black, ears buzzing, metallic taste of blood in my mouth. Face burning, I stumbled back, hitting the cold rough wall to stand steady. Dust fell on my shoulder. Luke blocked Scarlett like a wall. He shook his hand as if touching something unclean, looking at me with undisguised disgust and cold disappointment. “Mary!” His voice low but heavy, “You dare hit people after what you did? What did Scarlett say wrong? She’s doing this for who?!” Always like this. No matter when or where, no matter the truth, he always stood by Scarlett without hesitation. Seven years ago at the ceremony, in front of the clinic, and now. Even if Scarlett almost killed me and my unborn child, in his eyes, she was always the weak, innocent “sister of a hero” needing protection, and I was the scheming, unreasonable one. “Mom!” Andy rushed out like an enraged little leopard, small fists flying at Luke, “Bad man! Don’t hit Mom!” “Andy! Come back!” Ignoring the pain, I hugged him tight, shielding him with my body. The child trembled in my arms. I felt his rapid breathing and suppressed tears. Can’t let him fight. Absolutely not. He’s too small to be dragged into adults’ dirty wars. I looked up, over Luke’s shoulder protecting Scarlett, at his once familiar, now strange face. Dim corridor light cut cold lines on his face. “Colonel Vance.” My voice hoarse but clear, every word fished from ice water, “Whether you were injured or how bad, you know better than anyone. Why pretend to be confused and force this dirty water on me and my child?” His eyes flickered violently, jaw tighter, but didn’t refute immediately. I straightened up slowly, released Andy, and took his hand. His hand small and cold. I squeezed it, trying to pass some warmth. “Want a blood test?” I met his scrutinizing gaze, tone calm and strange to myself, “Fine. Tomorrow morning at nine, City First Hospital, lab entrance. Be there.” Finished, I didn’t look at his changing face, picked up Andy, turned, and walked out of this suffocating corridor step by step. Pushing the heavy door, cold winter wind hit my face like a sobering slap, dispersing the burning pain and nausea. I carried Andy to the old green Jeep by the wall. Settled him in the back, covered with a blanket, then sat in the driver’s seat. Didn’t start the car immediately. From the canvas bag, I took out the bulky satellite phone. “It’s me.” “If the stuff I wanted is ready, send it to me the fastest way.” Chapter 3 Five days later, Norfolk Workers’ Cultural Palace Auditorium. Red banner: [Military-Civilian Advanced Technology Exchange Conference]. Packed with representatives from the military, research institutes, and factories. Noisy, smell of tea and smoke. I sat by the aisle, Andy quietly looking at a ship catalog beside me. Just then, Luke sat next to me with Scarlett. He lowered his voice. “Mary, the report is out. If you don’t want this report leaked, cooperate with me on the salvage mission.” “And apologize to Scarlett. Or, you don’t want your child to have a mother with a bad background, right?” I closed the catalog, tone nonchalant. “I will cooperate with the mission, but not with you.” “As for apologizing… my way is another slap. Wonder if Miss Scarlett can take it?” Luke looked at me darkly. “Seems you don’t care about your son’s future?” I blinked, changed tactics. “I can agree to your conditions. Destroy the report after the meeting. My child and I will have nothing to do with you, Luke Vance.” Luke sneered mockingly. “Heh, now you know this report can’t see the light?” “Do those two things, and I’ll destroy it.” Meeting halfway, the host announced. “Next, speech by military representative, Colonel Luke Vance!” Amidst applause, Luke walked to the podium steadily. Adjusted the mic, scanned the audience, eyes fixed on me. “Comrades, today is a happy day, but I must speak of something heartbreaking.” His voice spread through speakers, silencing the hall. My heart sank. Luke took a yellow envelope from his briefcase, holding it high. “This is the paternity test regarding the child my ex-wife carried seven years ago.” “As a soldier, I shouldn’t discuss private matters here. But when personal issues affect military image and purity of cooperation, I must clarify!” “Today, I will prove my innocence in front of all comrades!” He moved to open the envelope. Just then, the projector at the back of the hall lit up… A beam cut through the dimness, hitting the screen. The noise stopped instantly. All eyes glued to the image. A familiar face appeared. Dr. Zhang, the military doctor who issued Luke’s disability report. Hair white, sitting on a simple bed, nervous, facing someone unseen. “I… I confess.” Dr. Zhang’s voice trembled through speakers. “Seven years ago, I changed Luke Vance’s medical report. His reproductive system wasn’t damaged. All indicators were normal. It was… Scarlett and Luke Vance who found me, gave me $5,000, to change it to ‘Permanent Reproductive Dysfunction’.” This exploded like a bomb in the hall. Chapter 4 Crowd boiled instantly. Whispers rose. Countless eyes turned to Luke and Scarlett. The video continued. “Scarlett said she’s a hero’s sister, no one to care for her, Colonel Luke is her only reliance.” Dr. Zhang buried his head lower, voice full of regret. “She said Luke’s wife Mary was too strong, not suitable. As long as Luke thought he was sterile, he would break with Mary. Then she could stay by his side legitimately. I was confused, took the money, did wrong. Harmed Comrade Mary, misled Colonel Luke. My conscience was uneasy all these years, finally I can tell the truth.” Video stopped. Beam died. Deathly silence in the hall, only heavy breathing. Just then, Andy stood up. Small figure, under everyone’s gaze, walked to the podium, holding a thick envelope. He handed it to the host, loud voice: “Uncle, please project these for everyone.” Host stunned, looked at Luke, then me, finally followed Andy’s request. First projected were bank transfer records. Clearly showing seven years ago, Scarlett transferred $5,000 to Dr. Zhang in three parts. “This is proof of Auntie Scarlett paying Dr. Zhang.” Andy pointed, speaking clearly. Then, several letters appeared. Scarlett wrote to her cousin in the countryside, detailing how she and Luke plotted against me. Every word piercing. Scarlett and Luke lost all color, paralyzed in chairs. Crowd erupted. Luke swayed. Staring at the evidence, fists clenched, nails digging into palms. Huge regret and anger drowned him. He turned to me, eyes full of pain and guilt. “Mary… I…” I didn’t look at him, gently pulling Andy back. Seven years of endurance and grievance finally found an exit. But I felt no pleasure, only bone-deep coldness. “Colonel Vance, can you look at the report in your hand now?” My voice calm without waves, like a cold dagger, piercing Luke’s last luck. Luke remembered the envelope. Hands shaking, opened it, took out the report. Seeing “DNA comparison confirms Luke Vance and Andy Lee are biological father and son, probability 99.99%”, he was struck by lightning, frozen. Report drifted to the floor. Eyes empty, muttering: “Biological son… Andy is my son… I actually…” Just then, accident happened. Back door kicked open. Men in black jackets, fierce faces, rushed in with iron bars and daggers. Leader scanned the hall, fixing on Scarlett, shouting. “Scarlett, took our money and want to run? Not so easy!” Scarlett screamed, hiding behind Luke. “Brother Luke, save me! They are loan sharks! I… I borrowed to clear connections, couldn’t pay back…” Thugs rushed up, swinging bars at Scarlett. Luke instinctively shielded her, fighting them. But unarmed against many with weapons, he was losing fast. Arm slashed deep, blood gushed. “Mom, careful!” Andy pulled my hand nervously. I shielded Andy, watching the chaos alertly. Crowd fled in panic. Host tried to call police, kicked down by a thug. In the rush, Andy and I were separated. A thug approached Andy. Closest was Luke protecting Scarlett. “Luke Vance! Save Andy!” Luke wanted to move, but stopped by Scarlett’s scream. Subconsciously, he still protected Scarlett. I pushed through the crowd, lunging at Andy, pushing him away. Critical moment, sirens wailed outside. Police rushed in, controlling the scene. Turns out, Andy predicted Scarlett might have backup or trouble. So he contacted police early. Thugs tried to run, subdued. Scarlett was taken away for fraud, bribery, and illegal loans. Crying and struggling, looking at Luke with hate, no longer soft. Luke held his bleeding arm, watching Scarlett taken away, eyes extremely complex. He won the report, but lost everything. Protected Scarlett, exchanged for wounds and endless regret. Police took statements. Medics bandaged Luke. He walked to us, eyes full of guilt and pleading. “Mary, Andy, I know I did many wrongs. I don’t ask for forgiveness, but I want to make up. Andy is my son, I want to see him grow up, do a father’s duty.” I looked at his wound, then Andy, heart unmoved. Silent Andy took out a small recorder, pressed play. Luke and Scarlett’s voices. “Vivian (Scarlett), don’t worry. As long as the report says the kid isn’t mine, I can ruin Mary. She and the bastard will never turn over.” “Brother Luke, what if Andy is yours?” “Even if he is, I won’t recognize him.” Recorded by Andy when following them. Small but remembered my words, keep evidence of harm. Hearing this, Luke turned pale, shaky. Looking at Andy in disbelief: “Andy, you…” “I thought you might have some conscience.” Andy’s voice disappointed. “Now I know, you don’t deserve to be my dad.” I looked at Luke’s desperate eyes, finally speaking. “Luke Vance, seven years ago, for ‘comradeship,’ you humiliated me publicly, put me and my unborn child in desperation.” “Snowy day, I left with a ticket, hiding in a fishing village, almost died in childbirth. Seven years, carrying cargo by day, studying salvage by night, holding up a home. Andy pointed at as a bastard without a dad. You’ll never know how much he suffered.” “You say make up. It’s not just words. You owe us a lifetime can’t repay.” My voice rose, “I tell you, I will never forgive you. Andy doesn’t need a father like you.” Finished, I took Andy’s hand to leave. “Mary, wait!” Luke shouted, despairing. “I know I was wrong! Really! I have nothing now, rank gone, reputation ruined, even fertility…” Before finishing, he coughed violently, blood at corner of mouth. Fighting thugs, his abdomen was hit hard, endured till now. Medics rushed to help. Doctor said gravely: “Severe abdominal impact, reproductive organs likely damaged. Needs immediate surgery.” Luke lay on the chair, watching us leave, eyes full of infinite regret and despair. Finally understood, his biggest mistake was losing Mary and Andy. All caused by himself.

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The day Willow Cheng was crowned Best Actress, I threw a lavish party to celebrate her victory. She poisoned the wine, ensuring we would die together. As the life drained from me, her eyes burned with a raw, blistering hatred. “Why did you have to adopt me? My real mother, my rich, high-society mother, she came for me that day.” “You vile woman. If it weren’t for you, we would have been reunited. I wouldn’t have had to struggle for so long.” “If I could go back twenty years,” she hissed, her voice a venomous whisper, “I would pray that you never came for me at all.” I died in a haze of confusion and righteous fury. When I opened my eyes again, I was twenty years in the past. This time, I decided to grant Willow’s wish. I would not adopt her. What she didn’t know, what she could never have known, was that her birth parents were already dead. … The searing pain in my stomach still felt terrifyingly real. But then, a familiar voice cut through the fog. “Ms. Hayes, you see? This is Willow. She’s the brightest child in the whole orphanage.” My eyes flew open. I wasn’t staring at the sterile white walls of a psychiatric ward. I was in the slightly damp, musty office of the orphanage. Standing across from me was the beaming director. And huddled in the corner was a small, seven-year-old girl. Clothes washed thin and pale, a smudge of dirt on her cheek. Willow. I had truly gone back twenty years. Back to the very day I had chosen to adopt her. Before the shock of rebirth could fully register, the small figure moved. This time, she didn’t timidly clutch at my clothes, her eyes filled with a desperate hope that I would take her home. Instead, she stared at me, her eyes churning with a venomous loathing that was horrifying in a child so young. It was as if she wasn’t looking at the woman who was about to change her life, but at a sworn enemy. “I’m not going with her!” Willow’s shriek was sharp and sudden. She scrambled backward until her back hit the peeling paint of the wall. She pointed a trembling finger at me, her voice shrill with rejection. “You evil woman! Get away from me! I’d rather die than be adopted by you!” “I want my real parents to come for me!” The director’s smile froze on her face. The hand she had extended to pat Willow’s head hung awkwardly in mid-air. “Willow! What on earth are you saying?” the director stammered, sweat beading on her forehead. She turned to me, flustered. “Ms. Hayes, please don’t mind her. She’s usually such a well-behaved child. Maybe… maybe she’s not feeling well today. She’s just talking nonsense.” “I’m not sick!” Willow snapped, her gaze like a poisoned dart. “I know exactly what I’m saying. I hate her! I don’t want to go with her!” I watched her, the way she looked at me as if I were a predator, and the last embers of warmth in my heart turned to ash. Her dying words from our previous life echoed in my mind: If I could go back twenty years, I would pray that you never came for me at all. So, she had been reborn too. Fine. If the feeling was mutual, it would save me the trouble of trying to rid myself of this ungrateful viper. I smoothed down my dress, my expression a cool mask of indifference as I watched the little drama unfold. “If the child is unwilling,” I said, my voice light, devoid of any attachment, “then let’s just forget it.” The director’s face fell. “Ms. Hayes, she’s a very talented girl. Please, reconsider…” “There’s no need,” I cut her off, my gaze sweeping one last time over the wary child. “You can’t force a thing to grow where it doesn’t want to. And I have no interest in raising a wolf that will one day bite the hand that feeds it.” At my words, Willow didn’t look disappointed. A wave of relief washed over her, and her face lit up with a triumphant, manic glee. Looking at her foolish expression, I couldn’t help but find it amusing. In our last life, in this very room, she had been a filthy, sobbing mess, clinging to my legs and begging me to take her away. “Please, auntie,” she’d cried, “take me with you. I’ll be good. I’ll repay you for the rest of my life.” I had pitied her, an orphan with no one in the world. I took her home and raised her as my own. I wasn’t rich, but I worked three jobs to send her to the best acting schools, to help her chase her dream of becoming a star. And what was my reward? Twenty years of devotion meant nothing to her. She believed I was the one who had kept her from her wealthy birth parents. The very first thing she did after achieving her dream was to murder us both. This time, I was morbidly curious to see how two piles of bones were going to come and take her home. After leaving the director’s office, I didn’t leave the orphanage right away. I slipped into the shadows at the end of the hallway, watching the entrance through a grimy window. Before long, a black sedan, not particularly expensive, pulled up to the gate. The driver revved the engine unnecessarily, as if desperate to be noticed. The door opened, and a woman stepped out. Her hair was a mess of permed curls, and she was dripping with cheap, flashy jewelry. She looked like she’d just won the lottery, but I recognized the woman beneath the gaudy exterior. Brenda, a woman from my old hometown. In the last life, Brenda had moved away shortly after I brought Willow home. I never imagined that a brief, fleeting encounter could have left such a deep, twisted impression on Willow’s mind for two decades. But one thing I knew for sure: there was no way Brenda was Willow’s birth mother. Willow, however, saw her as a savior. She scrambled down the steps, her face plastered with the same practiced, red-carpet smile she’d worn in her past life. She threw herself at Brenda. “Mom! I knew you’d come for me!” she wailed. “I’m your daughter, the one you left at this orphanage!” Brenda stumbled back, startled. She looked down at the grimy child clinging to her and her face twisted in disgust. She shoved Willow away, brushing at imaginary dust on her clothes. “What’s wrong with you, you little psycho? You’re filthy! Get away from me!” Willow fell to the ground, but she didn’t seem to feel the pain. She was panicking. This wasn’t how the grand family reunion was supposed to go. She grabbed onto Brenda’s leg, her voice cracking. “Mom, I’m not dirty! I’ll be good! If you take me with you, I’ll do anything! I can do laundry, I can cook! I’ll be so obedient!” “Please, don’t leave me here!” At the words “do anything,” Brenda paused. She looked down at Willow again, her eyes cold and assessing, like a farmer inspecting livestock. “You do look like a clever one,” she mused. “And I could use an extra pair of hands around the house.” Brenda sneered, nudging Willow with the toe of her shoe. “Fine. It’s your lucky day. Come on.” Willow was ecstatic. She nodded frantically and scrambled into the “luxury” car without so much as a goodbye to the director. Watching from the shadows, I almost laughed out loud. I didn’t know how Willow had gotten it into her head that Brenda was her mother. But I knew one thing for sure: this life was going to be very, very different for her. Once the car was gone, I turned and left. On my way home, I passed a bank. I took out the card I had prepared, the one that was supposed to pay for Willow’s private school tuition and acting classes. In the last life, I had scrimped and saved, sacrificing my own dreams to make hers come true. I had loved to sing. I had a good voice. But Willow always complained that my practicing disturbed her when she was trying to memorize her lines. For her, I had silenced my own voice. For twenty years. This time, without a moment’s hesitation, I walked into the best vocal training center in the city. I swiped the card, signed the forms, and looked at my own name on the receipt. I felt a lightness I hadn’t felt in years. This life, to hell with selfless devotion. I was going to live for myself. The days that followed were a blur of happy, fulfilling activity. I practiced my singing, took care of my skin, and simply enjoyed life. Then, one rainy night about two weeks later, a frantic, violent pounding on my door shattered the peace. I opened it to find Brenda standing there, soaked to the bone, her face a mask of fury. At her feet, tossed like a bag of garbage, was a small, crumpled figure. It was Willow. Her face was flushed, her breathing shallow. She was burning up, and her small body was covered in angry, purple bruises. Brenda saw me and scowled. She pointed at the child on the ground. “The director told me you wanted to adopt this worthless thing. Take her! She’s been running a fever for days. If she dies in my house, it’ll bring bad luck.” “The little brat keeps babbling about not wanting to die. So, if you want to play the saint, she’s all yours.” I didn’t even glance at Willow. I took a deliberate step back, my disgust evident. “Brenda, I did consider adopting her. But as she made perfectly clear, she would rather die than have me as her mother.” I crossed my arms, a small, mocking smile playing on my lips. “Besides, since she has accepted you as her mother, this is a family matter. Whether she lives or dies in your house is none of my concern.” Brenda was speechless, her face turning shades of red and white. She raised her foot to kick the child on the ground. “You hear that, you little bitch? Nobody wants you!” But then, Willow, delirious with fever, found a sudden burst of strength. She wrapped her arms around Brenda’s muddy leg. Her lips were cracked and dry, her voice a hoarse rasp, but there was a strange, feverish intensity in her words. “Mom… don’t leave me… don’t give me to that evil woman…” “I’ll be famous… I’m going to be an award-winning actress… I’ll make so much money for you… buy you a big house…” Even in this state, she was still clinging to her delusions of grandeur. Brenda was furious. She kicked Willow away. “Actress? You’re delirious! You’ve fried your brain!” “You’re nothing but a drain on my resources!” But for all her blustering, Brenda didn’t dare actually kill the child. We were still neighbors, for now. If something happened, the police would come knocking. Muttering curses under her breath, she grabbed Willow by the collar and dragged her out into the rain like a dead dog. “I’ll take you to some back-alley clinic and get you a drip. If you don’t get better after that, you can just rot for all I care!” The sound of Willow’s faint pleas and Brenda’s harsh curses faded into the night. I watched them go, my face a cold, blank slate. Then I closed the door and went back to my singing practice. Willow, it turned out, was a survivor. After three days of a raging fever, dumped in a shady, unlicensed clinic with a cocktail of unknown drugs pumped into her veins, she somehow pulled through. But fate, while sparing her life, had collected its due. The prolonged fever had damaged her throat and her nerves. She was left with a permanent lisp and slurred speech. Forget being an actress; she could barely hold a normal conversation. A few weeks later, Brenda, either on the run from debt collectors or having found a new get-rich-quick scheme, packed up and prepared to leave town. On the day they were leaving, Willow came to see me. She was wearing some tattered old clothes she must have found somewhere, but she held her head high, like a defeated but defiant rooster.

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After the engagement, my fiancée arranged for a child to be sent to me from overseas. The delivery came with an email, too: “Ben, I was so bored overseas, and oops, I made a baby with Noah Becker. Since you’ve been so eager to lick my boots for years, consider this your reward.” “I’m leaving the kid with you. You can get some practice in before I come home. Then you can be our live-in nanny.” I didn’t argue. I simply handed the child over to the housekeeper. Seven years later, all the foreign CEOs were recalled to the States for annual reports. Blair Harrington rolled up to the gates of the Caldwell estate in a black Maybach, an intimidating entourage in tow. She was blocking my way out. She pulled a cigarette from her mouth, tilted her head, and slid her sunglasses down her nose. “Miss me so bad you were waiting by the gate?” “Just so you know,” she continued, “Noah and I got married overseas for the kid’s passport. You two will be like brothers now. He gets what you get.” “The Caldwells and the Harrisons are family, Ben. You don’t care about a piece of paper, right?” She blew a stream of smoke straight into my face, and the acrid smoke made my eyes water. Wiping my tears, I backed away quickly. Jamie’s mother—my wife, Quinn Caldwell—is incredibly possessive. She had repeatedly warned me to maintain distance from all younger female relatives. If she saw her niece harassing her husband, the Caldwell estate would turn into a war zone. Blair watched me retreat, then burst into a condescending laugh. “Alright, drop the act. I know you’re practically crying with excitement,” she sneered. “I’m back. There’s no need for these silly games. As long as you keep me and Noah happy, the position of ‘little Mr. Harrison’ is still yours. Don’t worry, it’s not going anywhere.” The sheer arrogance of her statement almost made me laugh myself. I wiped away the last of the tears and offered a slow, cold rebuttal. “Blair Harrington, what makes you think I’m still obsessed with you?” She took another drag and then exhaled a plume of smoke, looking at me as if I were a particularly slow child. “We were engaged since we were twenty. You’ve been wearing the Caldwell tag for years, and you’ve raised my son for me. Who else are you going to go with, Ben? Who would even have you?” Hearing her, I was only grateful. Grateful that I had dumped this trash and moved on to a real marriage. The last time we parted at the airport, she was holding me, teary-eyed and swearing, “Wenjing, give me five months. I’ll make a name for myself and come back to marry you early.” Tragically, just eight months later, her and Noah’s baby was delivered. They had been sleeping together all along. Everyone in the city knew, and I was the last to find out. The thought still makes me want to slap her. I raised my hand. “Daddy!” Jamie suddenly popped up, arms outstretched, waiting for me to pick him up. His mother was busy in a board meeting today, so he had to stick with me. As I bent down, Jamie was violently yanked away. “Who are you calling Daddy?! I’m your father!” Noah Becker leaped out from behind Blair, face flushed with anger, and delivered two quick slaps to Jamie’s arm. My eyes twitched with rage. I spun around and shoved him. Before he even hit the ground, he was clinging to Blair’s sleeve, his eyes red and theatrical. “Blair, I just wanted the boy to call me Dad. If he refuses, fine. But why did Ben have to get physical?” His shout instantly drew Blair’s entire security detail. They surrounded Jamie and me. Blair stood back, watching with cold eyes. I pulled Jamie behind me and gritted out a question. “Are you blind? You’re circling me for a hired hand? Do you even know who I am?” “Enough!” Blair raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, crushed the cigarette under her heel, and pointed at me. “Ben Harrison, who gave you the guts to talk about Noah like that?” “He is my husband, the boy’s biological father. Not only are you blocking them from reuniting, but you’re insulting him in public?” I scoffed and shoved her hand away. “A servant wants to be my son’s father? Does he really think he’s worthy?” If I hadn’t been kind enough to let him stay at the Caldwell place years ago, he would have starved. The thanks I got was him crawling into my fiancée’s bed. Blair was even more enraged. She forcibly snatched Jamie from my arms and shoved him into Noah’s. The courtyard echoed with Jamie’s frantic cries: “You’re bad people! Go away!” Seeing Jamie’s face bright red with tears and distress felt like a physical tearing in my chest. Then, Noah suddenly dropped to his knees at my feet. He stroked the boy’s cheek and burst into tears. “Ben, even if you hate me, you can’t poison the child against me. Jamie is so small, and he keeps calling you ‘Daddy.’ How could you abuse him behind our backs?!” With that, he lifted the boy’s shirt, revealing patchy, red marks on his back. Blair’s eyes went wide. The look she gave me shifted completely. “Ben Harrison! I kindly gave you my son for practice, I trusted you—and you beat him with a whip?” “Did not getting me turn you into such a monster?” The boy’s back was covered in stripes that ran from top to bottom, terrifying in their shape. Blair couldn’t imagine the suffering her son had endured over the years. But she didn’t know. Those were cupping marks—a deep tissue massage done to relieve the fever. A few days ago, Jamie had a high fever of 104 degrees because he’d gotten cold. He has a sensitive constitution and can’t be given strong medication. The doctor recommended only physical therapy. Because of this fever, every nanny, housekeeper, and even the nutritional team who oversaw his care was given a formal warning by his mother and temporarily dismissed from the main house. If Quinn knew the humiliation and suffering Jamie and I were enduring today… a hundred Blairs wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her rage. Seeing my own security team start to close in from outside the gate, I gave up the pretense of negotiation. I pointed at the two sickening people. “Take them! And give them a lesson on Caldwell house rules!” Blair’s face turned bright red with fury. While wrestling with the bodyguards, she didn’t forget to yell at me. “Ben Harrison, you maniac! Keep this up, and I swear I’ll never take you back! I’ll have you thrown out of the Caldwell estate this minute!” I gave a cold laugh. “Try it.” These bodyguards were hand-picked by Jamie’s mother. With them here, Jamie and I wouldn’t be harmed. Realizing they were losing ground and that the bodyguards were wary of the child in his arms, Noah’s eyes darted around. He suddenly grabbed Jamie and threatened. “Stop right now! Or I’ll strangle him!” Jamie struggled desperately in his grasp. His breathing grew shallow, and his face started to turn blue. Even his cries were fading. I immediately pulled the pocket knife from my coat and plunged it toward Noah’s arm. Noah shrieked and instantly released his hold. I lunged forward, quickly trying to restore the air to Jamie’s lungs. “Jamie, Jamie?” “Don’t be afraid. Daddy’s here!” Seeing the child convulsing and gasping for breath, I quickly pulled out his asthma rescue inhaler. Just as I was about to administer it, I was violently seized by the wounded Noah. He went crazy, hitting and punching me. “You dog! It’s not enough that you abused my son, now you’re trying to murder him in public!” Blair’s face was deathly pale. She screamed, “Ben Harrison! Don’t you dare!” But it was too late. The medication was already in Jamie’s mouth. Almost immediately, the child’s convulsions and wheezing began to subside. The two of them shut up, stunned. But the child was over-stimulated and had passed out. He needed immediate IV fluids. I ordered my bodyguards to restrain Blair and Noah, slung Jamie onto my back, and ran. Blair’s frantic, furious shouts exploded behind me: “Ben Harrison, you’ve caused enough chaos! If you walk away now, you’ll never be my man again!” “No one’s begging you!” The woman let out a loud snicker. “You’re all talk! If I don’t want you, who would take a piece of rotten goods like you?” Ignoring the mad dog, I gave my command to my men. “To the main estate!” I calculated the time. Jamie’s mother should be leading the Caldwell family in the ancestral rites right now. As soon as the car stopped, I sent someone to notify her, then rushed the child into the on-site clinic. Jamie had woken up at some point. His small hand was tightly clutching my coat, and he was trying to comfort me. “I don’t hurt, Daddy. Don’t cry…” The more composed he was, the deeper the guilt and self-reproach cut into me. If I hadn’t brought him back to the Caldwell compound today, we would never have run into those two lunatics. “Mr. Harrison, please don’t worry. The young master… he’s under a lucky star!” The doctor, terrified by Jamie’s weak breathing, was stammering as he spoke. Just as Jamie was being placed in a medical hyperbaric chamber, the clinic door was kicked open again. Blair, supporting Noah, stormed in with her bodyguards. Seeing me, a look of triumphant realization flashed across her face. She looked at me with disdain. “Didn’t you say you weren’t begging for me? Yet you ran straight back to the main estate? How pathetic!” Noah leaned on her shoulder, his eyes full of venom. “Ben Harrison, you stole my child, stabbed me, and now you dare to cause trouble here at the main estate? Aren’t you afraid of offending the Head of the Caldwells?” “Everyone in the city knows that if you cross the Caldwell Matriarch, you won’t even know how you died!” After he spoke, Blair put him down, shooed the doctor out, and dragged me into a corner, her tone impatient. “Ben Harrison, I’ll spare you this one last time, purely out of charity for your past devotion to me. Now, get lost!” Seeing her bully me, Jamie picked up a nearby water pitcher and hurled it at her. Clang— Blair touched the blood on her forehead, her face dangerously dark. She lifted the child with one hand. “Are you looking for a death wish?! Attacking your own mother!” Seeing Jamie’s face turning purple again, I fought free, turned, and slapped her. “Let go of my son!” Noah’s expression changed. He snatched the sterile cotton from the table and tried to gag me. “Why are you screaming?! If you want to die, don’t take us with you! Disrupting the ancestral rites—ten of you wouldn’t be enough to pay for it!” His sudden surge of crazy strength knocked me to the floor. Caught off guard, my mouth was stuffed full of cotton. I couldn’t worry about anything else. I immediately started fighting with Noah. In the midst of the muffled grunts and shoves. Blair watched me with wide, bewildered eyes. “Ben Harrison, I only allowed you to look after my child because of the old family engagement—you were educated and presentable. But look at you now!” “You’re acting like a lunatic! The boy will go crazy if he stays with you. From today on, Noah and I will personally raise Jamie!” The moment the words left her mouth, she let out a sharp cry of pain. Jamie, seeing me being brutalized, was frantic. He mustered all his strength and sank his teeth deep into Blair’s wrist. He grew up by my side because of his asthma. He is closer to me than to his biological mother. When he was four, he would swing his tiny fists to chase away stray cats and stand in front of me, his voice piping up: “I’m here! Don’t you dare bully my Daddy!” Seeing Jamie shaking, yet still refusing to let go of her wrist, a raw, sharp pain tore through my heart. I finally delivered a last kick that sent Noah sprawling. Just as I was about to grab the child back, Blair grabbed my hair and kicked me away. “Ben Harrison! You’ve trained my son into a little beast who doesn’t recognize his own mother and father!” “Don’t hit my Daddy!” Seeing me thrown to the ground, my forehead bleeding, Jamie screamed desperately. He prepared to bite her again. Blair saw through him. She grabbed his jaw, looked toward Noah in the corner, and tightened her grip. “You little animal! Open your eyes and look! Your real father is right there!” “He is not my Daddy! You are bad people!” Jamie strained his neck, his mouth torn and bloody, still trying to bite and tear at her. Blair completely lost her patience. She slammed him onto the floor, the sharp heel of her shoe coming down hard on his chest. She laughed coldly. “This boy has been totally ruined by Ben Harrison. He doesn’t even recognize his own parents!” “Fine! Fine! I’ll teach you a lesson today on how to apologize to your mother and father!” She applied pressure to her heel, grinding and pressing into the child’s chest. Jamie’s muffled cries of agony echoed in the room. “Let go of him! You monster! You don’t deserve to touch my son!” I screamed hoarsely, scrambling desperately toward Jamie, my voice ragged with blood and tears. “He’s having an asthma attack! Can’t you see he’s fading?!” “If anything happens to him, Blair Harrington, your entire family will pay!” The woman laughed as if I’d told a joke. She turned her head, glanced at me, then at the bloody and pathetic Noah. A cold ferocity washed over her face. “Asthma? Can’t breathe?” “He doesn’t recognize me, so why should I care if he lives or dies? Even if I accidentally kill him today, it’s all your fault for raising him wrong!” With that, she grabbed Jamie’s hair and forced him to kneel. Poor Jamie could no longer even hold himself up on his knees. He couldn’t even cry out for help. I lunged toward Blair like a madman, wanting to tear her apart. She kicked me hard, knocking me back down, then shoved my head toward Noah. “It’s your fault the child is ruined! Now, kowtow three times to Noah and apologize!” I was held down, my head slammed violently against the floor. Blood ran down my face, mixing with my tears. I stared at her, stubborn and silent. My silence completely enraged Blair. She pulled a steak knife from the fruit basket, flashed it in front of my eyes, and smiled with dark meaning. “You stabbed Noah. By all rights, you should repay him! If you’re smart, just apologize and beg…” She leaned close to my face, her voice soft and tempting. “I’ll forget all the past incidents. Otherwise…” Before she could finish the sentence. I opened my mouth and spat a mouthful of bloody foam right into her face. Blair closed her eyes, then opened them again, her gaze completely overtaken by towering rage. She slowly wiped her face, violently yanked my hair, and condescendingly patted my cheek. “Don’t blame me for being cruel. I gave you a chance, and you threw it away!” She then looked down and kicked Jamie. “Watch, this is the first lesson Mother is teaching you!” “When a person is foolish, when they make mistakes, they have to pay the price!” Jamie was startled awake by the pain. His eyes snapped open and he saw the knife plunging toward my heart. His pupils constricted instantly. “Daddy!” I don’t know where he found the strength. He struggled free from Blair’s feet and darted, throwing himself in front of me. “No!” Thwack! Hot blood sprayed like scattered petals, covering my face. I stared blankly at Jamie. My vision was filled with crimson. Tears mixed with blood poured down my cheeks. My heart was completely shredded. Jamie trembled, his hand reaching slowly, haltingly, toward me. His voice was broken. “J-Jamie doesn’t hurt… Daddy, don’t cry…” The bloody little hand fell limply before it could touch my face. Blair’s eyes were bloodshot. She pulled out the knife and aimed for my heart again. “You really did it! You let my son die for you!” When the tip of the knife had pierced an inch into my chest. A sudden gunshot erupted behind us. “The Matriarch has arrived!”

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While waiting for the doctor, I scrolled through a local Reddit thread. [What’s the most thrilling thing you’ve ever done?] Among a sea of wholesome replies, a post bragging about being a mistress shot to the top. “Definitely training a woman-hater into my personal simp!” “There was this rich heiress who sponsored my college tuition but actually looked down on me. So after graduation, I joined her husband’s company and hooked him.” “The funniest part? Once, while we were hooking up, she came home early.” “I left through the back door and ‘forgot’ to close the gate. Her daughter ran out to chase a ball and got hit by a car. Dead.” “That stupid woman still thinks it was her fault. Karma.” Three minutes ago, her latest reply appeared. “Admit it, you guys are just jealous my man is rich, hot, and great in bed!” “That idiot wife is at therapy again.” “Her husband says her crying face annoys him. He’s celebrating my birthday right now.” Below was a photo of cutting a cake. I recognized the man’s cufflink instantly. It was my husband. The “idiot” who invited the wolf into her home… Was me. Chapter 1 Facing the angry questions from netizens, the OP posted a photo wearing a jade bracelet. “I don’t care about a marriage certificate. He only loves me.” That jade bracelet was the finale item Lucas Vance bought for $3 million at an auction recently. Media praised him as a devoted husband. Buying gifts for his wife even on business trips. I smiled bitterly. Since Lily died in that car accident, Lucas hated me. He dragged me to her small memorial shrine countless times, eyes red with rage: “Sarah, why didn’t you close the back gate?!” “You knew the road behind the fence is busy! You killed our daughter!” I bit my lip until it bled, silently accepting his blame. Because I hated myself too. Grief buried my memory. I couldn’t remember if I closed the gate or not. And the broken surveillance camera couldn’t tell the truth—because I forgot to call maintenance. Lucas made me kneel before Lily’s shrine to repent every day. But in this torture, I found a little relief. Later, I knelt all day, refusing food and water. My body collapsed. Soon, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. After Lily died, I wanted to join her. But facing death, I hesitated. Lucas cursed me to die with our daughter. But when I slashed my wrist in a breakdown, he pressed the wound tight, begging me to live. I knew his love, and understood his hate. So I hid the cancer. I didn’t want him to feel guilty for a dying woman. I used therapy as an excuse for my chemo appointments. I thought, if I survive, I’ll fix our marriage. If not, I’ll divorce him so he won’t have to suffer another loss. But my retreat didn’t win his heart back. Last week, our 8th anniversary. I still had hope. But the cancer pain hit. I hid in the bathroom, using the shower noise to mask my groans. When the pain passed, it was morning. The bed was cold. Since Lily died, Lucas never slept in our room. I never suspected cheating. I thought it was just grief. Now I realize how laughably confident I was. Tears fell uncontrollably. “Mrs. Vance? Are you okay?” The nurse asked worriedly. I wiped my tears. “Cancel all future chemo. Including today’s.” “But it’s late-stage. Without treatment, you might not last a month.” I smiled bitterly. “No more.” One month is enough. I waited in the living room until 3 AM for Lucas. I used to think he was working late to numb his pain. In reality, he was sleeping in another woman’s bed. Seeing me, Lucas frowned. “What are you doing here? Killing our daughter wasn’t enough? Trying to scare me to death now?” Words like daggers. I heard them too many times. Before, I felt guilty. But I didn’t kill Lily. Why should I pay for someone else’s sin? “I didn’t kill Lily…” Before I finished, Lucas choked me. “You have the nerve to mention her?” “If you closed the gate, she wouldn’t have been hit!” Suffocation hit me like a tide. I pushed him away and rasped: “Lucas, I found out! Lily’s death is related to Lyla!” His pupils shrank. He squeezed my neck harder. “What nonsense are you spouting? You think everyone is as evil as you?” Seeing him protect Lyla, the last spark of hope died. My stomach cramped violently. Cold sweat dripped. Just as I thought I would die, Lucas’s finger brushed my face. He pulled back like he was burned. “Sarah, don’t think dying is an escape!” “You will stay by my side and atone for life!” His phone buzzed on the coffee table. Lyla. He picked it up and walked away. I heard his gentle voice: “I hate her. Why would I touch her?” “Glad you like the bracelet. I’ll take you to Paris for New Year’s.” I blinked back tears. Soon, my phone rang. Lyla. “Sarah, did Lucas fight with you again?” “Don’t blame him. You did kill his daughter.” “Oops, sorry. Don’t take it to heart.” No guilt in her sweet apology. She changed the topic. She was pregnant. About a month after Lily died. I suffered in hell for 200 days. Lucas moved on in 30. “Sarah, what if he doesn’t like this baby?” I used to comfort her. Now I knew she was mocking me. Seeing my silence, she hung up. Then she posted an Instagram Story. Interlocked fingers. Caption: Someone promised to give me a home. Hope it comes soon. Lucas liked it instantly. Comment: Won’t be long. I sat until dawn. Then I revised the divorce papers. Assets: All to Lucas. Changed to All to Sarah. I hired private investigators. Lucas noticed my change. After another late night, he exploded. “Sarah, do you know?” I looked up. I thought he knew Lyla was the murderer. But he said coldly: “I warn you. Don’t target Lyla.” “I won’t let you hurt my second child!” “What about Lily?” I asked. He froze. Lyla called. “Lucas! Someone is following me!” “I’m scared! Save me!” Screams followed. Lucas dragged me to the car. He ran red lights, just like when I went into premature labor with Lily. Now, he was saving another woman. When we arrived, Lyla in pajamas rushed into his arms. “You’re finally here!” Lucas wiped her tears and turned to the handcuffed men. “Who sent you?” The leader looked at me, then looked away guiltily. Lucas kicked him. “Speak! Or you’re done in this city!” “It… it was your wife. She paid us to make Miss Lyla miscarry!” Lucas turned to me, eyes full of murder. “Sarah! I knew it!” He loomed over me. “Lily’s death didn’t teach you a lesson?” “How dare you hire thugs to scare a pregnant woman!” I endured the stomach pain. “I never wanted to hurt her baby.” Lucas grabbed my phone. He shoved a transfer record in my face. “Explain this!” “If I say I don’t know, will you believe me?” He smashed my phone. “Why should I believe you!” Lyla tugged his sleeve. “Forget it. Sarah didn’t mean it.” “I’m willing to let her raise the baby.” “But I’m afraid…” She stopped, biting her lip. Everyone knew what she meant. She was afraid I’d kill her baby like I “killed” mine. Lucas gripped my jaw. “Admit it!” “I won’t admit what I didn’t do.” He threw me to the ground. “Reflect in the basement!” “Don’t come out until you admit your mistake!” Chapter 2 I was thrown into the basement like trash. Untreated wounds festered. High fever. Delirium. Three days without food. Stomach cancer tortured my insides. I hallucinated Lily. In her blood-stained princess dress, crying for Mom outside the fence. I reached out, grasping only air. The door opened. Lyla walked in, glowing with pregnancy. “Look at you. Pathetic.” “You deserve this. Always showing off your happiness.” “As for your daughter… bad luck. She died to make room for my son.” Rage exploded. I slapped her pitiful face. Lucas rushed in. Lyla covered her face, weeping. “I just wanted to persuade her…” “She said my baby will die too…” Lucas glared at me. “Sarah, you are hopeless!” He ordered a whip. “Hit her as many times as she hit you!” Lyla grinned.

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It was my tenth year as the “Headline Queen” of GNN. On New Year’s Eve, my paparazzi snapped a bombshell about my husband. Harrison Sterling told me he was working late at the office. In reality, he was ringing in the New Year with another woman. In the photo, there was a red mark on the woman’s neck. It was clear how wild they played. Seeing my dark expression, the paparazzo whispered, “Nicole, do we still publish these?” I smiled indifferently. “The first scandal of the year. Why would I say no to money?” Besides, old trash doesn’t belong in the new year. Chapter 1 Just then, I received a text from Harrison. “Honey, Happy New Year. Tired from overtime. Going to sleep now.” I smirked. Physical labor all night is indeed tiring. I didn’t reply. I opened my laptop and started typing. The next morning, the headlines in Manhattan exploded. [The Crown Prince’s New Year Bang!] [Exclusive! Harrison Sterling Tames a Wild Mare on NYE!] Within thirty minutes, Harrison stormed into my office, ignoring security. “Nicole! Issue a clarification immediately!” I calmly handed him a document from my desk. “Sure. Sign this, and I’ll pull all the reports.” Harrison stared at me for two seconds. “Nicole, I’m not leaving you.” But the next moment, he sighed, feigning helplessness. “But she’s pregnant.” “I’m thirty this year. I want a child of my own.” He dropped his arrogance and softened his voice. “Honey, when the baby is born, we can raise it together, okay?” My eyes stung. I asked him: “Who is she?” He promised me that no matter how much he played around, he would never bring a child into this. My hand trembled as I touched my lower abdomen. There was a scar there, ugly as a centipede. Harrison knew that my inability to conceive was the greatest pain of my life. Suddenly, there was a commotion at the door. “Ma’am, you cannot enter the Director’s office without permission!” “I’m pregnant! Who dares to touch me?” She screamed, squeezing through the door and rushing in front of me. “Sister Nicole, my child is innocent! Please let us be!” It was Sienna. The nurse responsible for my care. So, the woman under my husband last night was her. I sneered at Harrison. “All these years, you flew around the world finding hundreds of doctors for me. You spent a billion dollars just to get me pregnant.” “In the end, you knocked up a little nurse!” I raised my hand and slapped him hard. “Harrison Sterling, you disgust me.” He opened his mouth to speak, but Sienna dropped to her knees with a thud. “Sister Nicole, I know you two have a deep bond.” “Please keep me! I’m willing to be the second wife. I’ll serve you and Harrison for the rest of my life!” What a move. Retreating to advance. I almost wanted to applaud her. Harrison rushed to help her up, kissing and comforting her, checking her knees. By now, the doorway was crowded with people watching the drama. Their looks of pity or schadenfreude burned me like fire. I smashed my mug on the floor. Shards flew everywhere. “Harrison, if you’re not signing, get out.” “Look at whose territory this is. Don’t make me call security!” Harrison recognized the mug. We bought it ten years ago when we got married. It symbolized a lifetime of happiness. His pupils shrank. He silently took Sienna’s hand and left. After everyone was gone. I held back the tears in my eyes. I picked up the internal line. “Send a banner to the hospital for me.” The photos the paparazzi took were blurry. But it didn’t matter. I would let all of New York know who the loose woman from last night was. My assistant sent me the live feed. Sienna opened the banner with a smile in front of everyone. Until she saw the words: [Thank you, Miss Sienna, for providing sexual services to my husband.] She screamed, frantically trying to roll the banner back up. But the patients and colleagues around her had already seen it. Sienna covered her face and cried amidst the pointing fingers. Harrison called me quickly. This was the first time he shouted at me for another woman. “You painted Sienna as an escort! She’s crying and wants to abort my child!” “Nicole, get over here and apologize to her!” I sneered and hung up. I went back to work. When I checked my phone again, 99+ notifications filled the screen. Chapter 2 An uncensored video was trending. In it, a greasy middle-aged man groped me, and I fawned over him. My worst nightmare was exposed to the world. Suffocation wrapped around me. It felt like being stripped naked and paraded on Fifth Avenue. Only he knew where my weak spot was. And how to hurt me the most. This was my first big undercover assignment. I infiltrated a VIP club to get intel. Harrison was the only one who encouraged me back then. Later, he bought back all the footage at a high price. Over the years, Harrison used his resources to lift me up. He told me firmly, “Nicole, I’m willing to let you stand on my shoulders to see the view you want.” But after we married, we could never go back. I was the “Headline Queen” for ten years. I reported thousands of scandals. Hundreds of them were about my husband. The Harrison who encouraged my career now only said, “I play around, but I love you the most.” “No matter how many women I have, they have to call you Sister.” I thought a child would make him settle down. But the woman outside was faster. Just then, Sienna posted a photo of her interlocking fingers with Harrison on Instagram. An official announcement. The ruthless “Crown Prince” of Manhattan looked at the camera with tender eyes. I followed the location tag to his private booth at the club. A drunk man suddenly spoke up. “Harrison, your plan was brilliant!” “Setting up Nicole ten years ago so she couldn’t have kids… now you can play around guilt-free!” Harrison swirled his wine, looking bored. “I was too young back then. Didn’t want to be tied down by a kid.” I froze. The last bit of warmth in my heart vanished. The gold heist that shocked the city ten years ago. I rushed to the scene but was stabbed in the uterus by a robber. That knife cut through my unborn child and churned my insides. So, it was Harrison’s setup… No wonder the robber got out on medical parole after a few months. The man sleeping next to me for ten years was the one who stabbed me the deepest. His friend looked at Sienna and asked: “Why do you want a kid now? Turning over a new leaf?” Harrison didn’t deny it. He smiled faintly. “Sienna is clean. Unlike all of them.” He kissed her hand like a rose. “I promise to be a good father and protect our baby.” Sienna blushed and buried her face in his chest. “Harrison… Hubby, people are watching!” But she couldn’t hide her smugness. His friend said enviously: “Young women are the best. Makes me want to date again.” I dug my nails into my palm. I suppressed the urge to rush in and smash everything. I recorded his friend’s words and sent them to his wife—the fiercest tiger in our circle. Then, I called a strange number. “I accept your offer.” Ten years later, I learned to hide my blade. I was no longer the reckless rookie reporter Nicole. Chapter 3 That night, I didn’t rush to leave. I didn’t play the obedient wife waiting for a man who wouldn’t come home. I found a booth in the lobby and sat down. I threw Harrison’s supplementary credit card on the table. I waved my hand. “Whoever makes me happy can swipe this card!” Several young men stood respectfully in front of me, calling me “Sister” sweetly. Just as one of them was about to touch my hand… Smack! His hand was slapped away violently. Harrison stood before me, face cold, radiating danger. He grabbed my arm, veins popping. “Nicole, what are you doing!” This time, I was the calm one. I said lightly, “I just wanted to know if cheating feels that good.” “Worth doing over and over again.” Harrison’s eyes turned red. “Tell me, where did he touch you?” I didn’t answer. I shook off his hand. “Harrison, you cheated last night. All of New York is my witness.” “I will hire the best lawyer and leave you with nothing.” Suddenly, he scoffed. He looked down at me like an ant. “Nicole, you can’t do it. And I won’t give you the chance.” That night, Harrison sent female bodyguards to escort me home. They forced me into the bathtub. Ignoring my screams, they scrubbed me with brushes over ten times before leaving. Harrison knew. Since that incident ten years ago, I revolted against anyone’s touch but his. Yet he humiliated me by any means necessary. Ten years of deep love turned out to be a massive joke. I hugged the toilet and vomited all night, sitting there until dawn. The second day of the New Year. I hosted the annual meeting at the TV station. A man suddenly burst in with documents. “Nicole threatened me to make fake AI photos of her husband! Or she’d fire me!” “I have a family to feed! I had to listen to her!” My brain exploded. More subordinates squeezed in. They shouted out evidence of my “crimes.” I couldn’t understand. How much money did it take to make loyal subordinates fabricate lies and betray me? My heart felt squeezed. I couldn’t breathe. The board decided to fire me and fine me millions. But the day wasn’t over. As soon as I stepped out of the station. Police officers rushed over, pinning me to the ground and handcuffing me. “Nicole, you are under arrest for defamation. Come with us.” Ridicule erupted behind me. “Some Headline Queen. Look at her now, like a chained dog!” “Faking news for money? Scum of the industry!” Chapter 4 Half an hour later, Sienna stood outside the bars. Holding Harrison’s hand, she smiled victoriously. Harrison said deeply, “Sienna is carrying my heir. You are sisters now. Take care of each other.” “If you kneel and apologize to her, I’ll clear your name. You can be the Headline Queen again.” Even after countless disappointments, I couldn’t believe my ears. To vent anger for Sienna, he destroyed my bright future. I really wanted to ask him. Where did the Harrison who praised my ambition as brighter than the Hudson River skyline go? I gritted my teeth and swallowed my emotions. “No need. I don’t want it.” Harrison’s face darkened instantly. The last trace of pity in his eyes vanished. Sienna grabbed my hand and yanked off my wedding ring. “No jewelry in detention. Sister Nicole, I’ll take this ring!” She scratched my skin, drawing blood. But it didn’t hurt as much as my heart. She whispered in my ear. “Nicole, I bribed some killers inside.” “Tell me… if your beautiful hands are ruined, will Harrison still want you?” I was thunderstruck. I tried to scratch her face. Harrison blocked my hand effortlessly. “Nicole, cool off in there for a few days. When you figure it out, I’ll let you out!” Not long after Harrison left, he was engulfed in a scandal. News about Sterling Motors’ cars spontaneously combusting, previously suppressed, resurfaced. Stocks plummeted. Trading was halted. Even the retired Old Man Sterling had to step in. Finally, the old man gave Harrison a path: “Go say hello to the newly appointed City Director of Communications.” Harrison went straight to City Hall. Staff in black uniforms led him to the office and closed the door respectfully. The leather chair slowly turned around. The person spoke. “Do you like my gift on my first day?”

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I have a habit: no matter who I’m talking to, I always say, “That’s great!” When my real, wealthy parents finally came for me, they carefully asked if I’d mind letting the fake heiress stay. I said, “That’s great! Raising someone else’s child for them—how selfless!” At the mansion, Felicity, the fake daughter, sidled up and sweetly offered me her room. I toured the bright, spacious space. “Fantastic!” I said, patting her shoulder. “And you’re so thoughtful, knowing your big sister suffered sixteen years and offering her the best room!” Felicity went pale. Seeing her upset, my new brother Ryan shoved me. “Don’t bully her.” I rubbed my shoulder. “Awesome. You’re so strong—you must eat well.” I lowered my voice. “Unlike me. I never knew where my next meal was coming from.” Ryan glared, calling me a manipulative witch. I kept on. “Wow, that’s great! So you know all about that, huh? Tell me, does your dear Felicity fit the description?” Felicity burst into tears and ran to our mother, sobbing that I was targeting her. I just frowned. What were they talking about? I was only praising them! … Mom gave me a troubled look. “Audrey, how could you say that to your sister?” I feigned confusion, scratching my head. “But Mom, you said you wanted us all to get along. I’ve been doing my best—I haven’t stopped complimenting everyone since I walked in the door.” “But Ryan,” I added, glancing at him, “he came right at me, showing off his muscles. He bruised my shoulder.” I slipped off my jacket. Underneath, the fresh mark from Ryan’s shove was visible, but so was a constellation of older, faded scars from years of abuse. My foster parents had always known I wasn’t their real daughter, and they’d never let me forget it. They pulled me out of school the moment they legally could and forced me to work. If I hadn’t run away and literally bumped into my biological parents, they probably would have sold me off. At the sight of the old scars, my mother gasped. Ryan just stared, completely at a loss. “I… I had no idea your life was so hard.” His eyes were wide and guileless, reminding me of a kitten I had once. I couldn’t help myself. I stood on my toes, patted his head, and said, “That’s great. So now you know, right?” He just stared, then nodded dumbly. A moment later, he was eagerly hauling my luggage into Felicity’s room. Felicity stomped her foot, grabbing his arm. “Ryan! Are you taking her side against me?” He scratched his head, looking flustered. “Felicity, she’s not an outsider. She’s Mom and Dad’s real daughter. Besides,” he added, “didn’t you just offer her the room?” Felicity clearly hadn’t expected this. She ran to Mom, her eyes welling with tears. “Mom, I want to be nice to my sister, I really do, but… this room… I have so many memories here…” Before Mom could say a word, I cut in. “Mom, if my sister doesn’t genuinely want me to have her room, that’s fine. I can stay somewhere else. As long as we’re all together as a family, it doesn’t matter where I sleep.” A wave of emotion washed over my mother’s face. She stroked my hair, calling me a good, sweet girl, then ordered Ryan to move my things back to the small guest room. As he dutifully wrestled with my suitcase, I clapped him on the shoulder. “You’re doing great, Ryan!” The praise seemed to energize him. He practically carried my luggage back to my new room. I glanced over my shoulder. Felicity stood frozen in place, guarding her prize. She looked like she’d won, but also, somehow, like she hadn’t. But guilt is a fleeting emotion, while sixteen years of affection is a bond not easily broken. All Felicity had to do was squeeze out a single tear, and Mom and Ryan would flock to her side. I heard Mom’s gentle voice from inside the room. “Felicity, darling, how could you think I’d ever neglect you just because Audrey is here?” Felicity whined, “I don’t care! You’re already taking her side!” “Sweetheart,” Mom said, her voice strained, “Audrey is my biological child, after all.” Felicity shot back, “Fine! If that’s how it is, maybe I should just go back to them!” Mom’s voice rose in alarm. “Absolutely not! Those people are dirt poor. Your sister was tormented for sixteen years. How could I ever let you suffer like that?” I smiled. A cold, bitter smile. So, Mom knew. She knew I had been tormented for sixteen years. I thought of all the beatings, of hiding under the table like a dog, waiting for them to toss me scraps. Meanwhile, Felicity had been showered with fine food, expensive clothes, and all the love in the world. That’s why she could throw tantrums and act out with such confidence. She had the security I never did. It would be a lie to say it didn’t hurt. But I couldn’t cry. I wasn’t Felicity. I leaned against the doorframe, listening until the very end. When Ryan opened the door and saw me, he looked mortified. “Audrey, what are you doing here?” I put on a bright smile. “Ryan, Felicity is amazing! She cries so loudly. You can tell she’s full of life!” Unlike me. The louder I cried, the harder my foster parents hit me. Before I could say the last part, a sharp sting exploded across my cheek. Felicity had slapped me. Her hand was trembling as she pointed at me. “Audrey Prescott, what is your problem? Stop being so passive-aggressive!” Mom gasped when she saw Felicity hit me. For a foolish second, I thought she might actually discipline her. She didn’t. She just took Felicity’s hand, cooing like she was calming a toddler. “There, there, Felicity. You’re not pretty when you’re angry. Come on, let’s go have dinner.” She shot me an apologetic glance before leading Felicity downstairs. I stood there, my hand pressed to my swelling cheek. Ryan sighed. “Audrey, Mom just managed to calm her down. If we say anything else to her, she might do something drastic.” He brought the first-aid kit and began dabbing ointment on my face. “We’ve spoiled her rotten,” he muttered. “She’s been throwing fits ever since she heard you were coming. Just… try to avoid her for a while, okay? For everyone’s sake.” I looked down, and a tear I couldn’t stop splashed onto his hand. “Why should I?” “This is my home.” “I already gave it up to her for sixteen years. Isn’t that enough?” Ryan swallowed hard. “Audrey, it’s not Felicity’s fault… and she’s been diagnosed with depression before. If we sent her back to that family, she wouldn’t survive it.” Not her fault? I laughed inwardly, a cold, sharp sound. But I quickly smoothed my expression into a smile. “You’re doing great, Ryan. My face doesn’t even hurt anymore.” At the Prescott house, Felicity had many privileges. One of them was choosing the menu. Coincidentally, ever since my arrival, every single dish she ordered was something I was allergic to. She knew I was deathly allergic to shellfish, so on my very first night, she requested a massive seafood feast. She even “thoughtfully” tried to shove a large shrimp into my mouth. I dodged, but it grazed my lips. My mouth immediately swelled up, and the world tilted sideways before I collapsed. Felicity looked down at me with feigned concern. “Oh, sister! I know it’s your first time eating real seafood, but you don’t have to be that dramatic.” Only then did it seem to dawn on my mother. “Oh, dear! I completely forgot Audrey can’t eat shellfish!” I ended up in the hospital. Even after that, the dining table was laden with seafood for the next two days. Felicity would call out sweetly, “Sister, come and eat!” I stood at the top of the stairs. “Is there lobster?” Felicity held one up with her chopsticks. “How about baby shrimp?” She picked one up. “Crab.” She found a crab leg. “Clams.” “Mussels.” She patiently displayed every single item I named. “So, sister, which one do you want?” I gave her a thumbs-up. “That’s great! I can’t eat any of these. Did you get that for next time?” Felicity was dumber than my cat. I told her I couldn’t eat it, and she still had the chef make it day after day. I knew she was doing it on purpose. But my father just glanced at me and said, “Felicity just wants to eat seafood, Audrey. It’s not about you.” I nodded eagerly. “You’re right, you’re right. Not about me at all.” I turned to him. “Dad, you’re in great shape! Eating so much seafood for so many days straight, and you’re not even worried about your uric acid levels spiking? You’re not afraid of getting gout?” The piece of fish on his chopsticks fell onto the table with a soft plop. He cleared his throat. “Felicity, dear, let’s have the chef make some other things. Some vegetables, some meat. Lay off the seafood for a bit.” Felicity threw down her chopsticks. “I want to eat seafood! That’s all I want to eat!” Immediately, everyone rushed to console her. I, meanwhile, stirred a few cents’ worth of fermented bean curd into my plain rice and ate with gusto. My father, rubbing his temples, turned and saw me happily shoveling rice into my mouth. He couldn’t help but ask, “Audrey, there’s nothing on the table you can eat. How can you look so happy?” Oh, so he knew. He knew there was nothing for me. He just couldn’t be bothered to intervene in his children’s squabbles. I put down my clean bowl. “Of course. The food I used to eat was spoiled. Just getting to eat fresh, white rice is a luxury for me.” “Mom, Dad, Ryan, Felicity, I’m full. You guys enjoy.” I ignored the guilty looks they shot my way, washed my bowl, and went upstairs. I heard later that my father revoked Felicity’s menu privileges. He told the chef to start making some of my favorite dishes. When Ryan told me, he expected me to be touched, maybe even cry with gratitude. I was mostly just confused. Wasn’t making food I could eat the bare minimum? But I played my part, putting on a naive smile. “That’s great! Does this mean I can finally have big chicken drumsticks and that delicious braised pork belly?” Ryan’s eyes grew misty. He patted my head. “Is that all you want? Chicken and pork? Anything else, just tell me and I’ll let the chef know.” “No need,” I said lightly. “You should make some seafood, too. It’s Felicity’s favorite.” The next day, a huge platter of seafood sat in front of Felicity. In front of me sat a plate of braised pork and a crispy chicken leg. I beamed. “This is perfect! Now my sister and I both get to eat what we like!” High society life means endless parties and galas. When I came downstairs in my custom-made gown, Felicity clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, sister! That dress looks ridiculous on you.” I nodded in agreement. “It’s amazing, right? Custom-made for my measurements, and it’s still this baggy.” Mom, looking irritated, summoned the tailor and demanded an explanation. The terrified woman confessed immediately. “It was Miss Felicity. She told me Miss Audrey would surely gain weight and that I should make it a few sizes larger.” Mom turned to Felicity. Felicity just pouted. “I was just trying to be thoughtful! How was I supposed to know she wouldn’t gain any weight? It’s like we’re starving her or something.” I nodded silently. That’s great. You hit the nail right on the head. Felicity only wanted to embarrass me; she hadn’t considered that as a Prescott, my appearance reflected on the family. But Mom couldn’t bring herself to scold her darling, so she just hassled the poor tailor to alter the dress on the spot. “Forget it, it’s fine,” I said, grabbing a wrap from the hall closet and draping it over my shoulders. “This way, you can’t even tell.” Mom and Dad were busy networking, and Ryan was quickly absorbed by his friends. Before he left, he entrusted me to Felicity. “Audrey, Felicity has lots of friends here. You should go meet them.” “That’s great, Ryan. You’re so considerate.” I smiled, my eyes crinkling at the corners. He completely missed the sarcasm. “Right? I’m a good brother.” Felicity took my hand and dragged me over to her clique. Then, they all started speaking rapid-fire English. They’d talk for a bit, then stop abruptly and stare at me, waiting for a reaction. I just maintained a polite, placid smile. After a few seconds of silence, Felicity let out a giggle. “Audrey, they’re asking for your name. Don’t tell me you can’t even understand that?” One of her friends wrinkled her nose. “Ugh, where did this country bumpkin come from? She can’t even speak English.” I just smiled and nodded. “That’s great. Your English really is excellent.” “My foster parents—Felicity’s biological parents—abused me, so I had to drop out of school years ago.” Her friends froze. “Wait, what? Is that true?” one of them finally asked. “Felicity, isn’t Mr. Prescott your father?” To protect Felicity’s feelings, my parents had never publicly announced the switch. They were even considering letting me stay on as the “adopted” daughter, while Felicity remained the true heiress. Before Felicity could answer, I did. “No. Felicity is the fake heiress. I’m the real one they switched me with.” Felicity’s face turned ugly. She ripped the wrap from my shoulders. “You’re lying, Audrey!” she shrieked. “I’m the real one! I’m their real daughter!” Every head in the room turned toward us. The ill-fitting dress hung off my skinny frame, making me look like a clown. I reached for my wrap, but Felicity grabbed a glass of red wine and threw it in my face. She smirked. “You like saying ‘that’s great,’ right? So tell me, how great was that?” She looked up, saw our parents rushing over, and viciously pinched her own arm, forcing out two fat tears. “Mom! Dad! Sister said I’m not your child… Why? I’ve always thought of you as my real parents.” Predictably, they immediately started comforting her. Then my father turned on me. “Audrey, didn’t we discuss this? You and Felicity are both our children. Why would you say such things?” I smiled. “That’s great. So, for Felicity’s sake, you’re going to tell the world I’m the adopted one?” Mom looked desperate. “The switch was an accident! It wasn’t Felicity’s fault. She’s innocent!” I let out a bitter laugh. “Mom, Dad, you could find out if it was an accident with one simple investigation. If Felicity is so innocent, how did she know about my seafood allergy and serve me a death platter on my first night?” Ryan jumped to her defense. “Audrey, it was just a coincidence! She wanted to give you the best…” I was suddenly so tired. All they had to do was look at her phone, check her bank transfers. It was all there. I looked straight at Felicity. “Mom and Dad have been trying to protect you, trying to keep you from finding out you were the fake heiress. They’ve been secretly searching for me for the past two years. But the truth is, you’ve known all along, haven’t you?” Her face went pale. “What are you talking about?” “Are you brave enough to let me see your phone?” I held out my hand. Naturally, she refused. But under the weight of everyone’s stares, she flushed with anger and shoved the phone at me. “Fine! Look all you want, Audrey!” But when I opened her messaging app, there was nothing incriminating. Wait. She had to have a second account. Just as I was about to switch, Felicity’s eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed. I was stunned. The words just fell out of my mouth. “Brilliant. The acting is just top-notch.” Suddenly, my head snapped to the side from the force of a blow. I looked up to see my father, his face purple with rage. “Yes, you’re right! We love Felicity!” he roared. “No matter what she’s done, our feelings for her will always be stronger than our feelings for you! Are you satisfied now?!”

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To secure investment for my sister, my husband took me to a private party hosted by a legendary female tycoon known for her twisted tastes and appetite for both men and women. Before entering, my husband gripped my wrist tightly, eyes dark: “Winter, Big Mama Sue has a weird temper, no matter what she does to you later, you must not resist, don’t drag down Wendy’s project.” I nodded with tears in my eyes, after all, he loves Wendy, married me only out of necessity, it’s normal he doesn’t care about me. Next second, that three-hundred-pound Big Mama Sue pushed open the door, beady eyes shining, pulled Julian Pierce into her arms. “In my parties, I haven’t seen such a sweet man?” Julian struggled hard, annoyed Big Mama Sue, she gave him two big slaps. I hurriedly persuaded: “Husband, no matter what she does to you later, you must not resist! Wendy’s project is important!” Chapter 1 I am Winter, Julian Pierce’s wife in name, also the “Doormat” of high society everyone laughs at. Julian loves Wendy, love that shakes heaven and earth. Even Wendy went abroad to study, he kept himself pure for her, turning a blind eye to me, his legal wife. This time Wendy returned to start a business, eyed a film project, short of $50 Million investment. Julian without a word, pulled me out to “sacrifice”. Location set in “The Strip”, Las Vegas’s most luxurious money pit. Investor we meeting is called Sue, nicknamed “Big Mama Sue”. Rumor says this old woman plays hard, especially likes torturing young pretty girls. In elevator, Julian was still brainwashing me. He straightened his non-existent wrinkles, that face kissed by God tight, revealing a scum indifference under gentleman appearance. “Winter, Wendy health not good, can’t take stimulation, this money very important to her.” “Although Big Mama Sue reputation not good, but you are Mrs. Pierce, she will give some face, at most let you drink few glasses, touched few times.” “You thick skin, endure it will pass.” Listen, is this human words? I lowered head, bangs covered mockery in my eyes, voice soft like a frightened bunny. “But Julian… heard last month a starlet came out from Big Mama Sue’s room, went straight to ICU…” Julian impatiently interrupted me, tone full of disgust. “That’s them not sensible! I warn you, later no matter what Big Mama Sue wants do to you, you must not resist, if you ruin investment, I only ask you!” “Don’t drag me down, even more don’t drag Wendy.” Ding. Elevator door opened. I looked up, eye rims red, obediently nodded: “I know, Julian. For you, for Wendy, I willing do anything.” Julian grunted satisfied, walked out elevator first. Looking at his tall back, my mouth corner hooked a imperceptible sneer. Idiot. Since you so generous, hope later you can also think so. Private room door pushed open, a strong smell of cigar mixed with cheap perfume came to face. Under dim light, a mountain of flesh sat in middle of leather sofa. Big Mama Sue wore a leopard print tight dress, neck hung big gold chain, fingers full of gem rings, live like a nouveau riche spirit. She hugged left and right, two handsome young boys tremblingly feeding her grapes. Seeing us enter, Big Mama Sue’s beady eyes narrowed, swept a circle on me, then—— Extremely disdainfully moved away. “Mr. Pierce, this is… sincerity you brought?” Big Mama Sue voice rough, like broken bellows pulling, hear people scalp numb. Julian hurriedly changed a fawning smile, pushed me forward不動聲色 (quietly). “Big Mama Sue, this is my wife Winter. Although she not sensible, but win in young obedient, if you fancy…” Words not finished, Big Mama Sue suddenly stood up fiercely. That instant, I felt floor shook three times. She pushed away two boys beside, stepped on sky high heels, walked with pace not recognizing six relatives, straight to… Julian. Julian still chattering promoting me: “Winter, not hurry toast Big Mama Sue?” I just about reach for wine glass. A fat greasy big hand, directly bypassed me, grabbed Julian’s wrist. “Ouch, this small hand, really smooth.” Julian whole body stiff, fake smile on face froze instantly. “Big… Big Mama Sue?” Big Mama Sue simply ignored him, that pair beady eyes dead staring Julian’s handsome face, saliva about to flow down. “Tsk tsk tsk, in my private room, when seen such fresh man?” “This waist, yo, look this ass, this small face…” Big Mama Sue while saying, while pinched hard on Julian’s waist. “Mr. Pierce, turns out best sincerity, is yourself!” I stood aside, almost couldn’t hold back laughter. Deserve! Let you want send wife away, this time good, sent yourself in right! Julian obviously didn’t predict this trend. He dignified Pierce family eldest son, when suffered this humiliation? Immediately face black, subconsciously wanted throw off Big Mama Sue’s hand. “Big Mama Sue, please respect self! I come talk business!” “Slap!” Crisp slap sound echoed in room. Big Mama Sue backhand a slap, directly beat Julian confused. “Give face not want face thing! Old lady touch you is look up you!” “Pretend what chaste man? Entered this door, is old lady’s person!” Big Mama Sue strength huge, Julian that pale face instantly emerged five bright red finger marks. Surrounding bodyguards immediately surrounded up, each fiendish, rubbing fists. Julian panicked. Although he rich second generation, but just a flower shelf, where seen this black white eat all battle array? He help looked at me, eyes full of horror and command: “Winter! Not hurry help me speak!” I blinked, immediately changed a “virtuous wife good mother” expression. I stepped forward, didn’t pull Julian, instead held Big Mama Sue other hand, face sincere. “Big Mama Sue, you don’t angry, my husband he just shy.” Finished, I turned look Julian, earnest words, word word weep blood. “Husband, just now in elevator how you taught me?” “You said, no matter what Big Mama Sue wants do, must not resist, don’t drag down project.” “How can you speak not count?” Julian widened eyes, unbelievable looked at me: “Winter! You crazy? I let you…” “Let me sacrifice for sister Wendy, right?” I interrupted him, eyes contain hot tears, a look of righteousness. “Now chance come! As long as you submit Big Mama Sue, sister Wendy’s 50 million has landing!” “Husband, later no matter what Big Mama Sue do to you, you don’t resist! Life important, project important!” “You think about Wendy, think suffering she suffered abroad, you bear heart let her disappoint?” I bit “Wendy” two words extremely heavy. This is legendary——use magic beat magic. Walk green tea road, let green tea no road walk. Julian angry whole body trembling, pointed me “You you you” half day, one sentence can’t say out. Big Mama Sue heard my words, actually showed appreciative eyes to me. “Ouch, still this little wife sensible.” She arm around Julian neck, that force like want strangle a chicken. “Heard not? Your wife let you submit me.” “Mr. Pierce, don’t struggle, spring night one moment worth thousand gold.” Big Mama Sue saying, dragged Julian walk towards suite inside private room. Julian desperate struggle, two legs kicking on ground, shoe dropped one. “Winter! Save me! Call police! Quick call police!” “I not talk! This project I don’t want!” I stood in place, motionless, even intimately helped him pick up that leather shoe, put on shoe rack aside. “Husband, this is your wrong.” “Being human want word have trust, how can you for own bit chastity, ignore sister Wendy dream?” “You rest assured go, I will guard you here.” “Fighting! You are the best!” I made a cheering gesture to him. “Bang!” Suite door heavy closed. Isolated Julian pig killing like scream. I long exhaled, walked to sofa sit, picked a grape stuffed mouth. Beside two boys looked each other, looking me eyes full of awe. One bold, leaned over poured me cup wine. “Sister, you… really cow.” I smiled, held wine glass sipped. “Basic operation, don’t 6.” Just then, phone in my bag vibrated. Took out look, screen jumping two words——”Wendy”. Yo, main owner came. I slow orderly connected phone, opened speaker. Phone other end came Wendy delicate voice, carrying few points probing and anxious. “Sister, did you and brother-in-law see Big Mama Sue?” “Talk how? That 50 million… Big Mama Sue agreed?” I glanced at closed suite door, inside faintly came belt whipping sound, and Julian voice changed begging. Battle situation fierce ah. I cleared throat, voice gentle can pinch water. “Wendy ah, you rest assured.” “Your brother-in-law for you, that is really fought life.” “He is conducting… deep, negative distance communication with Big Mama Sue.” “I see this 50 million, stable.” Wendy obviously didn’t understand my implication, voice revealed surprise. “Really? Brother-in-law so good! I knew brother-in-law loves me most!” “Sister, you also don’t jealous, brother-in-law doing this all for our future…” Listen, this tea smell, across screen can smoke people dead. I forced back smile, echoed: “Yes ah yes ah, I not jealous, I moved too late.” “After all, like your brother-in-law this, willing sacrifice body for sister-in-law man, world rare ah.” “You later must good repay him.” Best is lower half life pushing wheelchair take care him. Hung up phone, I mood very good. Just prepare eat two more grapes, private room door suddenly pushed open. A man wearing black trench coat, figure tall walked in. He wore gold wire glasses, temperament cold ascetic, hand holding a string of Rosary Beads. Behind followed a row black suit bodyguards, aura stronger than just Big Mama Sue hundred times. Originally watching show two boys, seeing this man, scared face white, plop kneel on ground. “Lo… Lord Lo!” Lord Lo? Lorenzo “Lo” Russo? That in High Society truly hand eye sky, eat people not spit bone living Hades? Grape in my hand scared dropped. Finished. Could it be Julian this grandson still has back hand? Chapter 2 I looked at grape dropped on floor, looked again that evil god at door. Brain buzzing. If Big Mama Sue is physical attack, then Lo is magic damage plus true damage. This man hand that string rosary beads, heard every time fiddle one, want one family bankrupt. In High Society spread a sentence: Rather provoke Hades, don’t provoke Lo Buddha. At this time, this Lo Buddha using that pair seemingly merciful, actually cold eyes, faintly swept whole venue. Finally, gaze landed on my… mouth corner stained grape juice. He brows slightly frowned, slender fingers turned rosary bead. “When did The Strip class so low? What cat dog can enter.” Voice not loud, but like splashed a ladle cold water in oil pot, whole venue dead silence. Those two boys already shook into sieve, kneeling on ground head dare not lift. I swallowed saliva, just thinking should find a crack drill in. After all exes meet, exceptionally red eye. Especially when I dumped him back then, reason made up specially rotten——I said he that aspect not good, can’t satisfy me. Just then, inside suite came Julian heart tearing lung splitting roar. “Winter! Where you dead! Quick let people come in save me!” “Ah! Sue Dong! Don’t! There cannot!” “Help ah——” Voice shrill, hearer sad, listener… want laugh. Lo brow tip slightly raised, eyes playfully looked at that closed door. “Looks like, Julian plays quite flower.” This time, door opened. Big Mama Sue disheveled hair rushed out, face carrying unsatisfied flush, originally wanted scold which blind disturb her elegance. Result looked up, saw Lo. That pancake face instantly pale, two hundred pounds flesh mountain actually flexibly came a slide kneel. “Lo… Lord Lo? Why you came?” Lo ignored her, strode long legs into private room, straight walked to me. He taller than me a head, extremely oppressive. I subconsciously shrank back, back waist pressed on sofa back. “Mrs. Pierce,” he bit heavy these two words, tone cool thin, “Good mood.” I dry laughed twice: “Lord Lo joking, I this is… helping others happy.” This time, Julian finally crawled out from suite. Really crawled out. Clothes ragged, face blue purple, neck has several bright red lip prints, live like cabbage arched by hundreds pigs. He once saw Lo, like saw savior, roll crawl rushed over hug Lo thigh. “Lord Lo! Lord Lo save me! I am Julian!” “This crazy woman want rape me! Also Winter this poison woman, she see death not save! Lord Lo you want decide for me!” Julian cried snot tears, completely lost usual high mountain flower look. Lo disgusted frown, a kick kicked him away. “Dirty.” Julian rolled two circles, hit tea table, pain teeth grin mouth. He unbelievable looked Lo, then looked me, seemed not understand why Lo so cold to him. “Lord Lo, our Pierce family had cooperation with you…” “Pierce family?” Lo took out handkerchief, slowly wiped pant leg touched by Julian just now, as if stained some virus, “Start tomorrow, no Pierce family.” Julian stunned: “W… what meaning?” Lo ignored him, but threw that wiped handkerchief casually on Julian face. Then, a warm big hand suddenly pinched my chin. He forced me look up, thumb roughly wiped my mouth corner, wiped away that bit grape juice. Action ambiguous and carrying few points ruthless. “Winter,” he leaned close my ear, voice deep low only we two can hear, “This is man you back then dead live want marry?” “For such a waste, abandon me?” “Your eye sight, really is… rotten thorough.” I guilty looked away, dare not look him. “That time young not sensible…” “Heh.” Lo sneered, let go me, “Now sensible?” He straightened body, high above looked Julian on ground, also swept glance beside trembling Big Mama Sue. “Sue Dong.” Big Mama Sue scared a shiver: “Here! Lord Lo you order!” “Since Julian wants secure investment so much, then let him perform well.” Lo tone faint, “Tonight if not serve Julian comfortable, tomorrow your company also no need open.” Big Mama Sue heard, instantly spirit came. Since is Lord Lo order, then she this is imperial decree commit crime ah! “Lord Lo rest assured! I definitely let Julian… want immortal want die!” Finished, Big Mama Sue smiled hideously walked to Julian, like dragging dead dog dragged his ankle. “No! No! Winter! Save me! Lord Lo! Beg you!” Julian despair screamed, hands dead scratching carpet, nails broke. I stood aside, cold eye bystander. Save you? Next life ba. Lo one hand buckled my wrist, no explanation pulled me walk out. “Show watched enough, time calculate our bill.” “I this is listening your words ah.” “Besides, I see Sue Dong quite satisfied with you, heard next day sent 50 million to company account.” “You should thank Sue Dong… thick love.” Mention “thick love” two words, Julian face instantly green. Butt seemed started faintly pain again. “You roll! Roll out! I want divorce with you!” “Wendy is one loves me most, only she heartaches me!” “Divorce?” I bit a banana, smilingly said, “Okay.” “But, Julian, did you forget, back then we married signed agreement.” “If is you propose divorce, you want leave with nothing.” Julian stunned. He obviously forgot this stubble. Back then for let my dead ghost dad agree this marriage, he indeed signed such unequal treaty. That time he felt I loved him love die live, absolutely won’t let him leave with nothing. Pity, water in his brain, now then shake out. “You… you threaten me?” Julian angry bad. “No ah, I just remind you.” I finished banana, threw skin into trash can, “Also, that 50 million investment, is signed in name of Pierce Group.” “Meaning, if divorce, this money… also couple joint property.” Wendy heard, anxious. “Sister! This money is brother-in-law pulled investment for me! How can you rob?” “This is my dream ah!” I looked her that greedy face, sneered. “Dream? Your dream is using man ass exchange money?” “Wendy, you this dream quite unique.” “Want me introduce few rich women for you? Or rich men? You also go sacrifice a bit?” “You!” Wendy angry whole body trembling, turned pounced into Julian arms, “Brother-in-law! Look sister she humiliate me!” Julian heartached bad, wanted reach hand hit me, result pulled wound, pain howl howl. “Winter! You wait for me!” “Wait I discharge, I definitely let you look good!” “Okay, I wait.” I clapped hands, turned leave ward. Walked to door, I suddenly stopped steps, turned back smiled. “Right, husband, forgot tell you.” “That night, I also recorded video.” “You if dare mess, I send this video online.” “Title I thought well: Pierce family eldest son sacrifice for love, two hundred pounds rich woman passion night.” “You say, will this on Trending?” Julian face instantly green turn black, black turn white. Wonderful extreme.

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At my 30th birthday gala, my husband called out from the kitchen. “Babe, come help me pass the soup.” Before I could get up, my cousin had already walked quickly over, reaching out from behind him to take the soup bowl. Seeing me stunned, she hurriedly explained: “I’m always ordered around by my mom at home, it’s become an instinctive reaction, don’t overthink it.” I showed no emotion, calmly completed the entire banquet. After sending off the guests, I calmly said to my husband who was clearing the dining table: “Let’s divorce.” Julian Hale slammed down the silverware with a “Clang”, glaring at me: “Seriously? Just because she helped me serve a bowl of soup?” … “Scarlett, married for five years, I couldn’t bear to let you touch a drop of oil smoke, putting you first in everything.” “Now just because of your cousin’s unintentional action, you actually want to divorce, destroy this home? Do you have a heart!” Julian questioned me with red eyes, as if I had done something unforgivable. I didn’t answer directly, but moved my gaze to the dining table, that plate of Boeuf Bourguignon with a little left. “Married for five years, every time we eat, you know I love this dish most, in the past it was always placed in front of me first.” “But this time, it was placed directly in front of Selena’s seat, who also likes this dish.” Julian’s breath hitched, tone urgent: “What does this matter? No one helped when serving, I was busy and messy, how could I care about these.” I shook my head, voice slightly hoarse: “Not just this dish. When seated, you also pulled the chair for Selena first.” “Her glass was empty, you opened a new drink, and it was lime flavor she likes but I hate.” “When taking photos, you stood between me and her, arm seemingly unintentionally touching her back.” “Julian Hale, subconscious partiality can’t be hidden. Whoever is in the heart, gaze and thoughts will flow to whom.” “In those moments you call ‘negligence’, those subtle inclinations are the most real.” “This is the key reason I want a divorce.” Julian’s face suddenly turned gloomy, staring at me like examining a stranger: “Scarlett, are you too idle? Few unintentional actions, can be woven into so much drama by you, why don’t you go write novels?” “Besides is that ‘someone else’? That’s your cousin, a relative who watched you grow up! You even jealous of this?” “If not considering your feelings, would I take extra care of her? In your mouth it became me having an affair with her? Are you reasonable!” He walked into the study, flipped out a photo album, slammed it in front of me. Inside one by one, all photos of me and Selena from childhood to adulthood, in teenage photos we heads touching, smiles brilliant. Last few pages, stopped at our wedding, Selena as maid of honor, standing by my side in a light purple long dress. During the ceremony, she looked at me and Julian kissing with tears in eyes, expression moved. Another one, she hugged me tightly on stage, holding the bridal bouquet I gave her, smile bright. I gazed at these photos, suddenly laughed softly, with self-mockery. “When kissing each other, her eyes were looking at you, so she wasn’t moved by my happiness, but crying for you.” “When hugging me, she was smiling at someone outside the frame, judging from the shooting angle, that person was you.” “Turns out five years ago, she already had thoughts about you, no wonder she stayed single these years.” “What about you? When did you start?” Julian stepped back half a step, face interwoven with disappointment and anger: “Scarlett, I thought you were just momentarily confused, didn’t expect you crazy enough to twist the past!” “It’s me spoiled you too much, spoiled you so suspicious, unreasonable!” “I give you one day to calm down. Tomorrow is my grandma’s 75th Birthday Gala, if you still understand respecting elders, don’t bring trouble to her!” He threw the rag heavily, slammed the door and left. I looked at the messy table, sat weakly into the chair. I met Julian in college. My family is wealthy, but never looked down on him, a poor student studying on loans, tried my best to help him in studies or life, even actively sponsored him to go to a top university abroad for a master’s degree. Julian has a sensitive mind, knows his situation well, cared for me meticulously after marriage, never let me suffer half a grievance. But even the most thorough person, when heart is messy, will reveal traces. I opened my phone, found Julian had unknown when stopped sharing location with me. I didn’t tell anyone, changed into low-key clothes, went straight to the Tea House operated by Selena. Because of low-key clothing, no one noticed after entering. Crossing the corridor, I walked straight to outside the “Cloud View” room she used to entertain friends. Before I could push the door, I heard Julian’s complaining voice: “I’m being made difficult by the one at home, you guys laughing happily, have any sympathy?” Room sat a group of people, looked up, most actually were friends who came to the banquet tonight! They were relaxed, chatting and laughing, no one spoke for me. Amidst bursts of laughter, I only felt bone-chilling cold. Center of the box, Selena played with a purple clay cup, side head smiling at Julian beside her: “Who let you be careless, actually called me ‘Babe’ at Scarlett’s birthday banquet?” “I didn’t react for a moment, smoothly helped you roll up sleeves.” “Thought she wouldn’t notice, didn’t expect still seen by her.” Putting down tea cup, she smilingly picked up a cup of sake, used still the limited edition vintage cup I gave her last year. Just about to drink, cup was naturally taken away by Julian reaching out: “About to be a mother, why still so willful? Said no alcohol during pregnancy!” Selena always stubborn, before her father forbid her drinking, she could pick up bottle to confront. But at this moment, facing Julian, she showed a docile smile I never saw: “Okay, listen to you, not drinking.” “After all you are my child’s father, of course you have the say.” She stroked her not yet showing lower abdomen, smilingly leaned on Julian’s shoulder. My whole body blood seemed to freeze instantly. Selena and Julian not only had an affair, actually even had a child! “Want me say, Scarlett is also stubborn, good life insist on being Child-free.” “Yeah, Brother Julian family only him one son, isn’t she intentionally making it difficult?” Listening to everyone’s discussion about me, cousin who always defended me in public actually sneered, echoed: “She was spoiled since childhood, doesn’t know how to think for others.” And my husband Julian, held Selena’s hand, deeply affectionate: “Selena, you willing to carry child for me, not only my lover, also benefactor of my Hale family.” “From now on, we live and die together, never separate.” My tears rolled down, almost unstable standing. Back then, my mother died of Amniotic fluid embolism when giving birth to me, didn’t even have time to hug me once. So I always had fear of childbirth, told Julian at beginning of relationship: I decided to be Child-free this life, if he cares, we can separate here. That time he hugged me tightly, whispered in my ear: “Having you is enough this life, child not important, my love for you won’t be half less.” I once deeply believed I met true love transcending secularity. Now, watching his deep affection with Selena, realized I was wrong ridiculously! Someone in box asked: “But, do you plan to hide from Scarlett forever?” “Have child already, better confess, divorced can also be together openly.” Everyone looked at them, Julian immediately shook head: “No. Selena has blood relation with her, cousins again, I can’t let her break with family because of me.” “Moreover, my career is deeply connected with Xia family, can’t completely fall out with Scarlett.” “So from being together, me and Selena agreed: Relationship absolutely can’t be exposed in front of her, divorce even more impossible.” Turns out he also clear, wealth and status today, all come from my family’s support and investment. Maintaining marriage, just for benefits. Amidst sighs, someone looked at Selena sympathetically: “Selena, you such a strong person, willing to let child never see light?” Selena chuckled, turned Julian’s face, dropped a kiss on his lips: “Marriage is just a paper, I don’t care.” “Besides, wife not as good as concubine, concubine not as good as stolen. Living like this under her nose for a lifetime, isn’t it more interesting?” If not heard with own ears, I absolutely wouldn’t believe this came from my biological cousin. Laughter continued in box, I fell into ice cave. Overnight, I went from self-proclaimed happiest woman, to a joke betrayed by both love and family. More sadly, I was actually the last person in circle of friends to know. Friends I thought close, always covering for them, watching me kept in dark, but no one reminded. Crying, I walked out of Tea House, dialed lawyer phone: “Prepare divorce agreement, I want Julian Hale leave with nothing.” “Also, help me do a few more things…” Chapter 2 Next day, is Hale Grandma’s 75th birthday. Hale family prepared for long time, early decorated festively in riverside apartment I bought, fresh flowers gifts everywhere, also hired string quartet live performance. But when I entered, saw Selena sitting by main table. Mother-in-law who always not very satisfied with me, now affectionately holding her hand, caring: “Selena ah, pregnant person needs nutrition, must eat well rest well.” “You too thin, I look heartache. Later I make soup for you every day, let Julian send to you!” Selena smiled obedient and sweet, seeing me enter, also no panic: “Scarlett, such important day, why you came so late? I waited you for a while.” If usual, I would think this is ordinary greeting. Now, I heard depreciation in her words, implying I don’t care about in-laws big event. Sure enough, Hale family members at table heard, face already bad became darker: “She is big miss, willing to come is good enough, what more to ask?” Mother-in-law sarcastically poked me a sentence, turned to smilingly push stewed bird’s nest to Selena: “Selena quick taste, Julian specially asked people send from Southeast Asia early morning today, most nourishing.” Selena greeted me sit beside her, I walked to sit opposite, across a whole long table calmly spoke: “Pregnant how many months? My mother-in-law saw it, I look like an outsider.” Selena expression slightly stiff, then curved lips: “Just found out not long, wanted tell you personally today, didn’t expect Auntie sharp-eyed, saw it first.” “Of course, pregnant person look different, we mothers all understand!” Mother-in-law while chiming in, while not forgetting sweep me a glance: “Scarlett you no experience, normal can’t see.” I ignored, just quietly looked at Selena: “Who is child’s father? When plan to hold wedding?” Hearing chill in my words, Selena smile faded a bit: “I don’t plan to marry. Child born always someone love, I don’t care about that paper.” I laughed lightly: “You being mother really open-minded. Others want give child a justifiable home, you willing let him born with an unclear identity.” “Unclear” two words I said especially clearly, voice just fell, whole room instantly quieted down. Selena face green white alternating, staring tight at me, couldn’t say a word. At this time, Julian who hadn’t shown up supported Grandma walking in. Once saw Selena at table, he immediately changed face: “Selena? Who let you come?” “I invited!” Mother-in-law suddenly stood up, pointed at me scolded: “Old lady hoped for great-grandson how many years? All blame this hen not laying eggs delayed!” “Now Selena pregnant with our Hale family flesh blood, still want hide? I insist let her come congratulate birthday gloriously!” This remark fit my mind, but also completely tore Julian’s last fig leaf. Julian anxious forehead sweating: “Mom! Don’t talk nonsense! Selena is just me and Scarlett’s cousin, her pregnancy what relation with me!” He desperately winked, mother-in-law threw him off: “What can’t admit? Unable to bear child is originally Scarlett’s problem, she still has face say my grandson origin improper?” “I hoped stars hoped moon finally hoped this child, no one think trample him!” Julian unable to defend, just about to explain, Selena suddenly stood up, looked straight at me: “Scarlett, you actually knew long ago right?” “Since so, I also not hide, I carry indeed Julian’s child.” “These years he good to you, I saw all in eyes. Both envied, and hated you not know cherish, even child unwilling bear for him.” “Good man you don’t want, plenty people want!” She held Julian’s hand in front of me, tone determined: “Julian, what she can give you, I can give same.” “I don’t want hide anymore, from today, I want be with you upright.” Julian eyes wandering, seemed hesitating. But soon, he forcefully held back Selena’s hand, like determined looked at me: “Since trouble to this step, Scarlett, let’s divorce.” “Your things you take away, but Hale Group is my years blood sweat, don’t think touch.” Looking at his righteous appearance, I almost laughed out. If not my support back then, he a graduate without foundation, based on what got startup fund, and based on what took down those key projects consecutively, climbed up wealth list in few years? But no matter, compared to tangling with him, I have more important things to do. Under everyone’s gaze, I took out phone, dialed number: “It’s me.” “Capital siege against Xu family and Hale family, can start now.” Chapter 3 Julian’s face became extremely colorful in that instant, from initial holding winning ticket, to uncertain doubt after hearing my phone content. He let go of Selena’s hand, walked quickly to me, lowered voice roared: “Scarlett, are you crazy? On this kind of day, is it fun to make such joke?” “You think I’m joking?” I looked at him calmly, smoothly picked up tea cup on table, gently sipped. That was top quality Da Hong Pao, but couldn’t cover bitterness rising in my heart, “Julian Hale, did you forget, who’s name is on property deed of this apartment you in now? That 30 million financing your company just negotiated last month, who holds the lead investor?” Julian’s breath stagnated, a trace of panic flashed in eyes. But he soon straightened back again, sneered: “That’s normal commercial investment, contract signed, you think based on your one sentence can withdraw capital? Scarlett, you too naive.” “Contract indeed signed, but contract has a ‘Key Man Clause’ and ‘Morality Clause’.” I put down tea cup, making a crisp sound. “Once company core management appears major moral flaw or involves legal dispute, investor has right to activate protection mechanism, withdraw capital and pursue breach responsibility. And you, Julian Hale, as CEO, during marriage existence having improper relationship with spouse close relative and causing pregnancy, this enough for your investors re-evaluate your integrity.” Voice just fell, Julian’s phone started crazy vibrating. He looked down, face instantly pale, that was call from his company finance director. He tremblingly connected, haven’t heard few sentences, whole person swayed, phone almost slipped. “How possible… how could be so fast…” He muttered to himself, looked up at me, eyes finally carried fear, “You prepared long ago?” I didn’t answer, just turned to look at Hale Grandma sitting in main seat, now already somewhat dumbfounded. Old lady although hoped grandson, but she understood importance of money more. She tremblingly pulled Julian’s sleeve: “Julian, what’s happening? What withdraw capital? Our family company has trouble?” Mother-in-law aside also panicked, she rushed over wanted grab my arm, dodged by me sideways. She screamed: “Scarlett! You vicious woman! You are ruining Julian! He is your husband!” “Soon won’t be.” I pulled out a stack of documents from bag, heavily slapped on dining table, “Divorce agreement, Julian Hale, sign. Based on evidence of your cheating during marriage, and our Prenup, shares and real estate under your name, will all belong to me as compensation. Simply put, you have to leave with nothing.” Selena finally couldn’t sit still. She stared dead at that agreement, face pale like a sheet of paper. She originally thought she won, won this man, won wealth behind him, even won so-called “status”. But now, she found she hugged actually a shell about to bankrupt. “Scarlett, you can’t do this.” Selena stood up, tone carried some begging, yet still maintained that weak appearance, “Julian just momentarily confused… child is innocent, do you want child born carrying debt?” I looked at her, only felt stomach churning. This is my good cousin, after depriving my family, still can righteously demand me continue support her greed. “Innocent?” I sneered, “Selena, when you decided to conceive this child to provoke me, you should have thought of price. Since you think ‘wife not as good as concubine, concubine not as good as stolen’ is more interesting, then you accompany him to live that ‘interesting’ hard life.” I stood up, looked around this room full of irony. Those Hale relatives who once fawned on me, now one by one shrank necks, afraid being involved in this storm. “Lawyer and moving company arrive in half hour. Julian Hale, except your personal clothes, everything here not allowed take away.” I walked to door, looked back at them last glance, “Oh right, Grandma Hale, bill for this birthday banquet I will send to Julian, after all, I am not Hale family member now, no reason fulfill filial piety for him anymore.” Walking out of riverside apartment, cold wind by river messed my hair. I took deep breath, coolness from lungs made me feel unprecedentedly awake. Phone kept popping messages, from those so-called “friends”. “Scarlett, are you okay? Just heard Julian company has trouble.” “Scarlett, actually we were also kept in dark before, don’t angry ah.” “Gather tonight? Everyone very worried about you.” Looking at these hypocritical greetings, I directly clicked group member list, blocked those people talking and laughing in Tea House one by one. These people circled me when I was glorious, watched my joke when I was humiliated, now sensed wind direction wrong, want come play peacemaker again. I drove to Selena’s Tea House. Since want settle, then must be thorough. Tea House door already pasted “Suspend Business” notice. I pushed door in, few clerks gathering whispering. Seeing me enter, they looked at each other, no one dared stop. I walked straight to Selena’s office, where stored her business accounts these years. Xu family these years always relied on Xia family support, this Tea House shop space, also low price lease I helped her get using connections back then. “Miss Xia, Sister Selena not here…” A clerk whispered. “I know she in hospital, or in Julian Hale arms.” I walked into office without looking back, dialed property manager phone, “Manager Wang, I am Scarlett. Tea House lease expired, I decided not renew, also not accept any form of sublease. Please clear field within three days according contract.” Hung up phone, I saw a group photo on desk. That was three years ago, me, Julian and Selena went skiing together. In photo, I laughed heartless, while Selena’s hand, seemingly unintentionally put on Julian’s ski suit pocket. Turns out, all betrayals have traces to follow. I prepared to leave, hurried footsteps came from outside door. Selena panted running in, she obviously just rushed from apartment side, hair somewhat messy, eye sockets red swollen. “Scarlett, must you do this?” She held door frame, big mouth panting, “You withdrew Julian capital, now seal my shop, you are forcing us to death road!” I stopped steps, looked at her coldly: “Road chosen by yourselves. Selena, things I gave you, naturally can also take back. Since you look down on these materials, then now without these, you should be happier, after all you possess ‘pure’ love.” “You clearly know I pregnant!” She screamed, voice echoed in empty tea room, “Doctor said my emotion unstable, risk of miscarriage! If child has accident, you are murderer!” I walked to her, gaze fell on her flat lower abdomen. That moment, my heart no trace of pity, only endless disgust. “Don’t use child as shield. If you really love this child, shouldn’t let him become your tool for climbing up and blackmail.” I leaned close to her ear, softly said, “Also, don’t think I don’t know what you thinking. I already told Uncle, if he dares sponsor you a cent, all business dealings between Xia family and Xu family, cut off immediately. Guess, between you and family interest, my that snobbish Uncle will choose who?” Selena body fiercely trembled, she looked at me desperately, like knowing me first time. “You… you became so scary.” “Is you guys taught me.” I pushed her away, walked straight out of Tea House. Behind came sound of porcelain breaking, probably she smashed those antique tea sets she was proud of. But this has nothing to do with me anymore. Back in car, lawyer sent message: Julian refused sign, he demands see you once. I looked at screen, self-mockingly smiled. See me? Probably want play emotional card, or want squeeze last bit residual value. I replied: Tell him, see in court. Chapter 4 Julian eventually didn’t hold till seeing in court. His company debt problem exploded faster than I imagined. Lost Xia family credit endorsement, suppliers came collect debt one after another, originally agreed partners not only withdrew intention, even started suing him breach of contract. Three days later, I returned to that riverside apartment. Moving company already packed my things almost done, room appeared empty and cold. Julian dejectedly sat on living room floor, surrounded by cigarette butts. He once most valued appearance, now stubble messy, suit wrinkled piled on body. “Scarlett, you finally willing see me.” He looked up, voice hoarse terrible. I stood at foyer, didn’t change shoes, didn’t approach. “Signed?” I asked. He laughed miserably, pointed at that divorce agreement on table already crumpled and flattened: “You really cruel ah. Five years couple, you don’t even leave me a way to live. My debt now exceeded fifty million, if not use shares offset, I have to go jail.” “That is also what you deserve.” I looked at him calmly, “Julian Hale, back then you startup no money, was me took out all lucky money, went beg my dad invest first sum for you. You said will treat me good lifetime, you said you don’t care child, only want grow old with me. These words, you said personally.” “I really loved you!” He suddenly stood up, emotionally waving arms, “But you too high above! In your Xia family eyes, I forever that poor boy rely your charity. Your dad look me eyes, forever carry scrutiny. I want a child what wrong? I want an heir flowing my blood, is this wrong?” “So you found Selena?” I interrupted him, “Because she can satisfy your humble self-esteem? Because she can pretend docile in front of you, make you feel like a savior?” “She understands me!” Julian roared low, “She knows what I want! She unlike you, forever so calm, so rational!” I only felt absurd. Turns out in betrayer eyes, all faults can be pushed to victim. Because I gave too much, so made him feel pressured; because I independent enough, so made him no sense of achievement. “Since she understands you so much, then you guys be together well.” I pointed door, “Now, please leave my house.” “Scarlett…” His tone softened, tried walk over grab my hand, “Can we really not go back? As long as you willing help me this time, I immediately let Selena go abort child, I break with her clean clean, we start over okay?” I stepped back, avoided his touch. “Julian Hale, you really make me sick.” Not only for myself, more for that child not born yet treated as chip by biological father. Selena thought she caught treasure, but didn’t know she fell in love with, is a coward completely no bottom line. Just then, doorbell rang. I opened door, outside stood pale face mother-in-law and gloomy face Selena. Mother-in-law once enter door knelt in front of me, crying snot and tears: “Scarlett ah, Mom beg you! You save Julian! Those creditors about dismantle home! Selena child not stable yet, can’t be scared ah!” Selena stood behind, although didn’t kneel, but that crumbling look, obviously also reached collapse edge. I looked at this family, only felt ironic to extreme. “Mrs. Hale, please respect self.” I coldly pushed away mother-in-law hand, “Also, don’t call me Scarlett again, also don’t claim be my mom. This house I already sold, new owner will come take house afternoon. If you don’t want taken by police, better move out now.” “You sold house?!” Julian screamed, “This is our home!” “This is my property, I sell if I want.” I took out a card from bag, threw on Julian, “This is my agent lawyer. About debt and divorce all details, go talk with him. Now, get out.” Julian and Selena moved into a dilapidated rental house. This I learned from mouths of those “mutual friends” haven’t been blocked yet. Those people seeing my firm attitude, started defect one after another, trying to gain my good will by reporting those two’s misery to me. “Scarlett, you didn’t see, Selena now where has half bit socialite look? Daily wearing cheap maternity dress go market pick cheap vegetable.” “Julian more miserable, heard went a small company apply job, result people heard his reputation, directly boomed him out.” “Xu family side also completely cut relation with Selena, her dad angry at home, said no this shameless daughter.” Listening these words, my heart didn’t have imagined that kind pleasure, only felt dull. Two weeks later, Selena actively asked meet me. Location set in a simple fast food shop. She sat by a greasy table, face gray defeat, originally exquisite nails long mottled unbearable, red marks left by washing clothes vaguely visible on back of hand. “You won.” She looked at me, voice revealed a dead silence. “I never thought compete with you.” I sat opposite her, didn’t even order water, “Find me what matter?” “I want a sum money.” She straight to point, eyes flashed a trace madness, “Julian owes usury, those people block us at door daily. My belly child almost four months, I can’t let him born in that environment.” I laughed out: “Selena, did you find wrong person? You are his mistress, carrying his seed, based on what ask me for money?” “Based on you surname Xia!” She suddenly excited, lowered voice roared, “Scarlett, you childhood have everything, best clothes, best school, best family background. Me? I can only pick your leftover! Even Julian, also because he knew you, I then became that unseen light one. You already destroyed his career, destroyed his reputation, must watch us die then willing?” “If you think this life is ‘death’, then when you calculated seduce him back then, should thought this ending.” I looked at her, eyes ice cold, “Your so-called ‘true love’, can’t even eat this bit bitter?” “True love?” She mockingly smiled, tears burst out, “Where has true love, I just unwilling. But I wrong… Julian that waste, without your halo, he is nothing. He drinks drunk daily scold me, said is me destroyed his future.” I silenced. This probably is most real human nature. When interest fig leaf torn, so-called deep affection just a farce torturing each other. “Money, I won’t give a cent.” I stood up, looked down at her, “But I can give you a suggestion. If you still want keep this child, leave Julian. He that kind person, sooner later will sell you and child to pay debt.” Selena stunned, she blankly looked at me, like poked deepest fear in heart. I walked out fast food shop, sunlight a bit dazzling. Phone rang, lawyer called. “Miss Xia, Julian signed divorce agreement. He only has one request, hope you can help him clear that usury.” “Tell him, dream.” I hung up phone, directly dragged number into blacklist. This farce, time draw period. Day divorce procedure finished, rained heavily. I holding that dark red divorce certificate walked out City Hall, Julian followed behind, hand tightly clutching his copy. He looked thinner, suit hanging empty, eyes hollow. “Scarlett.” He stopped me on steps, “Do you really… not give me a bit chance?” I stopped steps, didn’t look back: “Julian Hale, from you shouted that ‘Babe’ at my birthday banquet, we already died that night. Current me, just clearing trash.” “I regretted.” He suddenly choked, “If that day I didn’t let Selena come, if I wasn’t so greedy… we now should be planning go Switzerland ski.” “No if.” I opened umbrella, walked into rain curtain. Back company, I devoted whole heart into work. Xia family business needs re-organize, I also need fill life blank through busy. One month later, I received an unexpected news. Selena premature birth. Because Julian conflict with people during hiding debt, Selena fell down stairs in pulling. Child not kept, she herself also removed uterus due massive hemorrhage. When hearing this news, I was trimming a pot green plant in office. Scissors made crisp sound, a dead branch responded sound fall. I thought I would feel pleasure, but actually, I only felt sorrow. For a simply not worthy man, for that bit twisted vanity, she paid most painful price a woman can pay. And Julian, after knowing Selena can no longer bear child and child gone, actually didn’t even go hospital, directly rolled away Selena last bit savings, disappeared without trace. Some said saw him in border small casino, some said he owed gambling debt chopped hand. Those Hale family members once circled him, also scattered flee because his disappearance. Mother-in-law heard went back rural hometown, daily cursing on village entrance, said Xia family no conscience, said Selena bad luck star. I let secretary remit a sum money to hospital, enough pay Selena medical fee and follow-up conditioning fee. This not pity, but for completely end. “President Xia, Miss Xu woke up, she said want see you last time. She said, she has something give you.” Secretary whispered. I hesitated moment, still went hospital. Ward filled with pungent disinfectant smell. Selena lay on sickbed, whole person thin out of shape, eyes hollow looking ceiling. Seeing me enter, she struggled turn head, touched out an old notebook from under pillow. “This is… Julian’s diary.” She voice weak, like squeezed out from chest, “I found from his old school bag. You read… will understand.” I took notebook, casually flipped a page. That was five years ago, eve of our wedding. “Scarlett is a perfect wife candidate, she rich, power, simple easy cheat. As long as marry her, I can struggle less thirty years. As for child, I don’t want, just right she afraid birth child, this simply heaven help me. Wait I get Xia family resources, stand firm heel, then find an obedient one birth son. Anyway, she forever won’t suspect me.” I closed notebook, hand slightly trembling. Turns out, from beginning, this was a thorough scam. What child-free, what true love, all lies he made up to climb power. “Sorry.” Selena looked at me, corner eye flowed a line clear tear, “I thought I snatched your treasure, result… I snatched a demon. Scarlett, we both destroyed by him.” I looked at her, long time then spoke: “No, destroyed only you and him.”

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On the day of our high school graduation, Ethan, my childhood sweetheart, shoved a thick journal into my hands. From the day he first realized he liked me, one page a day. Nine hundred and ninety-nine pages in total. Filled with a boy’s pure, unadulterated love. Moved to tears, a drop fell onto the very last page. Ink swirled, revealing a new line of text. I thought it was a hidden message Ethan designed as a surprise. But when I read it, I froze. It said: “On our third wedding anniversary, I realized I no longer love Scarlett.” Chapter 1 While I stood there in shock, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Ethan. Ethan: Scarlett, did you finish the journal? Will you be my girlfriend? I looked at the journal again. Was this some sick prank? When I didn’t reply, Ethan ran straight to my house. “Scarlett! Why are you ignoring me?” I pointed directly at that line of text. “What does this mean?” Ethan squinted. When he saw the words, his flushed face turned pale instantly. “What the hell? I didn’t write that! What is this?” He grabbed the journal, holding it up to the light, checking every inch. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead. The handwriting matched his perfectly. “Scarlett, I swear I don’t know what’s going on. Who is pranking me?” As he spoke, new words began to appear under the first line. “If only the person I met and fell in love with first was Stella.” Seeing text appear out of thin air, Ethan fell onto the floor in terror. “Ghosts?! And who the hell is Stella?” Seeing that name, I snapped back to reality. I snatched the journal and shoved Ethan out the door. Slam. My heart pounded against my ribs. The person writing these words might be the Ethan from three years in the future. And Stella… is my half-sister. Everyone around me who meets her ends up loving her and hating me. That’s why, for three years of high school, I never told Ethan about Stella’s existence. I slid down the door, sitting on the floor. To escape Stella, I applied to a high school in Seattle, far from my hometown in Oregon. I lived alone in the small apartment my mom left me. Did she really ruin my marriage in the end? The journal continued to generate new content. “I first met Stella at our wedding. Scarlett always said she had a bad relationship with her family and refused to invite them. But on the wedding day, Stella showed up with Scarlett’s father and stepmother. She apologized to me, explaining the family situation and how Scarlett had rejected her since childhood. She told me not to blame Scarlett, saying she understood how Scarlett felt about having her dad ‘stolen’. She was such an understanding girl. Even while being hated, she tried to fix Scarlett’s relationship with her family. Scarlett was stiff throughout the wedding. My parents weren’t happy about it. I decided to talk to Scarlett that night, to tell her about Stella’s good intentions. But Scarlett started a huge fight. She smashed everything in our new house. I had never seen her lose control like that. She cried and pushed me out the door, screaming, ‘Even you fell for her! You hate me!’ I held her tight, explaining over and over that I just wanted her to reconcile with her family. I couldn’t possibly fall for my sister-in-law. Only then did she calm down. When Stella heard about the outcome, she looked devastated. She even cried. She said this was her last attempt. She wouldn’t disturb us anymore, lest Scarlett think she was trying to ruin the marriage too. I grabbed her arm. I told her that as Scarlett’s husband, I had a duty to help bridge the gap. I swear, at first, I just wanted to learn about Scarlett’s childhood from Stella. But after spending time with her, I realized Stella was perfect. She was sunny and gentle, completely different from the sensitive, self-consuming Scarlett. I never expected that when Scarlett found out I was contacting Stella, she would threaten suicide! I was exhausted. After calming Scarlett down, I secretly drove to see Stella. That night, I fell completely into Stella’s comfort. But it wasn’t entirely my fault. Scarlett pushed me away, bit by bit.” Reading this, I was sobbing uncontrollably. My heart felt like it was being squeezed and torn apart. Ethan was still banging on the door. I yanked it open and threw the journal in his face. “I was blind to waste my time on you! Take your journal and get out! Go be with Stella!” Chapter 2 I locked the door, pulled the curtains. I buried myself under the blanket and cried. This was insane. My phone vibrated like crazy. I sent Stella’s number to Ethan. Then I blocked them both. But Ethan climbed up to my window on the second floor! He banged on the glass, begging. “Scarlett, let me in! I’m going to fall!” I took a deep breath and opened the window. As soon as he climbed in, he grabbed my hands. “Scarlett, maybe the future me really wrote that. I’m sorry. I deserve to die!” He grabbed my hand and slapped his own face with it. I struggled, not wanting him to touch me. “Scarlett! The future me changed, but you forgot that the present me loves you for real!” Ethan’s tears fell on my hand. They were hot. “Stella is clearly a ‘Pick-me girl’! She’s acting innocent to steal everything from you and make you look crazy!” He pulled me into a tight hug. “I apologize on behalf of my future self. Scarlett, please give me another chance. I know you’ve liked me for three years too.” “I’ve already seen through Stella’s act. Maybe the future can change!” I stopped struggling, staring blankly at the journal lying open on the floor outside. When I came to this strange city alone, Ethan was the first person I met. He lived next door. Seeing me struggling with boxes, he came to help. Since that day, he was involved in everything. Changing lightbulbs, unclogging drains. Study plans, exam analysis. If I refused to go to his house for holidays, he’d bring Tupperware to mine and eat with me. Worried about my safety, he even set up a device. If it triggered, he’d know instantly. I was sensitive and anxious about relationships. Ethan never found me annoying. He listened patiently, comforting me bit by bit. I had long considered him irreplaceable family. A friend. And I had fantasized about being his lover more than once. Seeing I was calm, Ethan gripped my shoulders. “Scarlett, my parents wanted to send me abroad. I refused because I didn’t want to leave you.” “Why don’t you come with me? We can go abroad, far away from Stella. She’ll never have a chance to interfere.” Looking at his pleading eyes, I rubbed my throbbing temples. “I need some time alone…” “I’ll go talk to my parents right now! Scarlett, wait for me!” Ethan rushed home. The next day, he knocked on my door as promised. But he handed back the scarf I knitted for him. “Scarlett, I thought about it. We should break up.” Ethan looked down, avoiding my eyes. “Why? Yesterday you said you’d take me abroad.” Ethan looked in pain. His hand on the door trembled. A terrifying guess surfaced. I asked in disbelief: “Ethan, did the journal change?” He didn’t answer. He turned to run. I grabbed his shirt. “The future really changed, but you still betrayed me in the end, didn’t you?” Chapter 3 Ethan stopped. But he didn’t turn around. “Scarlett, I’m just a piece of trash.” His voice cracked. “I don’t deserve you.” Watching his shoulders shake with sobs, I dug my fingers into the scarf. “What happened? We chose to stay away from Stella, didn’t we?” Ethan just kept apologizing. “Scarlett, it’s better if you don’t know. I’m sorry. As long as I leave you, none of this will happen. You won’t get hurt.” A wave of anger rose in my chest. I stormed into Ethan’s house. I locked his bedroom door and found the journal under his bed. The content had changed completely. The time in the first sentence was cut short: “On our second wedding anniversary, I realized I no longer love Scarlett.” My hands shook as I read on. “…After high school, my parents wanted to send me abroad. I wanted to refuse, but somehow I said I wanted to take Scarlett with me. After finishing our studies abroad, Scarlett got pregnant. I proposed. My parents insisted the child be born in the US, so we returned. While waiting for the baby, I felt an inexplicable anxiety. Like we ran away to hide from someone. On the due date, we ran into Scarlett’s family at the hospital. She had a sister named Stella. I don’t know why, but the moment I saw Stella, I felt a strange repulsion. I even felt like she was the person I was hiding from. Scarlett laughed when she found out. She said I must love her too much, so I hated the sister who stole everything from her, just like she did. Scarlett’s mother died in childbirth. Scarlett wanted a natural birth to overcome her trauma. I decided to be in the delivery room. Stella insisted I switch Scarlett to a C-section. I refused and warned her to stay away. But after the birth, I regretted it. The baby’s head got stuck. The doctor used scissors to widen the opening. Blood everywhere. The baby and filth poured out of Scarlett. I fainted. I couldn’t eat for six months. Everything looked like blood. If Scarlett touched me, I wanted to vomit. Stella asked about Scarlett. Hearing my story, she cried in my arms. I felt something change. She knew Scarlett hated her, yet she cared so much. If I had listened to her, we could have avoided the tragedy. After that, Stella visited often with supplements for Scarlett. I’m a man. I had abstained since early pregnancy. I was at my limit. Stella looked like Scarlett, but gentler, happier. Soon, I fell. We broke the taboo. When Scarlett found out, her reaction was worse than I imagined. I promised to give her the child and assets, but she jumped off the building with the baby. The baby died. Scarlett was paralyzed from the waist down. My parents aged overnight. I knew I wronged her. I quit my job to care for her. But she cursed me and Stella every time she woke up. Afraid she would hurt Stella, I hired a nurse to replace me. I planned to take Stella abroad once Scarlett agreed to divorce. Fate is funny. Maybe my anxiety back then was just the fear of missing true love. Because from the start, I loved the wrong person.” … I shook so hard I could barely hold the journal. Ethan was crying outside the door. “Scarlett, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I become like that.” “Stay away from me. I don’t want to hurt you.” I yanked the door open. “Ethan.” “Future you wished twice that you had met Stella from the start.” “Why don’t I grant that wish? I’ll take you to meet Stella right now.” Chapter 4 Ethan froze. Snot and tears running down his face, he looked ridiculous. I couldn’t connect the boy in front of me with the monster in the journal. “Meet Stella now? No!” Ethan backed away, looking terrified. “Our actions now can affect the future, but they can’t stop you from falling for Stella.” I analyzed calmly. “Whether I hide you from her, or you avoid her, she appears.” “Let’s try being proactive. Let’s find her and see if the ending changes.” I closed the journal, calming myself. No matter what, the Ethan in front of me loved only me. “For the sake of our last three years, I don’t want to give up like this.” Hearing this, Ethan’s eyes became firm. He squeezed my hand. “Scarlett, thank you for giving me a chance.” We got on a train to my hometown that day. Ethan was anxious the whole way. “Scarlett, if I still hurt you, don’t do anything stupid. Leave me immediately.” “The Ethan who doesn’t love you isn’t me. Don’t forgive him. Don’t look back.” I stared into his eyes. Before I could speak, he jumped up. “The journal is burning! It changed again!” Ethan clutched his pocket and ran into the bathroom, locking the door. “Scarlett, I’m scared the ending is still bad. I don’t want you to see my disgusting future self again.” “Wait until I read it!” I paced anxiously outside. Less than a minute later, Ethan came out. His face was white. He couldn’t speak. “Did it not change? Did you still betray me?” I reached for his pocket. “What happened? What did it say?” Ethan’s pocket only contained confetti. His voice was hoarse with fear. “I took it out, and it shattered into pieces in my hand.” “Scarlett, I don’t want to get off the train. I don’t want to see Stella.” “Future me must have met her, fell in love, and tore up the journal immediately.” Ethan backed away from me. “First, it was three years. Then two years.” “Now, we haven’t even started dating, and the journal is destroyed.” “Scarlett, the future can’t be changed. Run. I don’t want to hurt you.” The train shook violently. When I steadied myself, Ethan grabbed my hand. He smiled at me. “Scarlett, we’re here. I’m actually nervous to meet your sister.” I stared at him. A strange memory flooded my mind. In this memory, after reading the journal, I didn’t say yes to Ethan. I was worried he didn’t truly love me. So I took him to my hometown to test him with Stella. We were walking toward the Third Future. There was no turning back.

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