Category: English

My twin brother and I look exactly alike, but our parents have only ever loved him. Even after I got early admission to Harvard with a full ride, my mother got down on her knees and begged me to take the SATs for my brother, Dylan, who was failing all his classes. I told them it was a federal crime, but my father kicked me so hard he broke my ribs, watching me gasp for air on the floor. “If you won’t take the test for him, you might as well die.” In sheer despair, I agreed. But once I got into the exam room, I wrote “DUMBASS” in giant letters on every single page of the test. I completely destroyed Dylan’s dream of getting into an Ivy League school. In fact, he wouldn’t even be allowed to retake the test… “You selfish brat! You got your golden ticket to Harvard, but you’re going to let Dylan’s future rot? You know his grades are terrible! What kind of brother are you?” My mother’s face was twisted in rage as she screamed at me, as if I had committed some unspeakable crime. But all I did was refuse to commit exam fraud by taking the SATs under Dylan’s name. It was illegal. If we got caught, my Harvard admission would be revoked, and I could even face prison time. But my mother wouldn’t listen to a word. After she finished screaming, she dropped to her knees with a heavy thud. She sobbed, begging, “Ethan, please. I’m begging you. Just take the test for him! Have you forgotten what you did to him? You pushed him down the stairs when you were kids! If you hadn’t pushed him, he’d be a hundred times smarter than you. He wouldn’t be struggling to get into college! You ruined his life, and now you won’t even help him with this? How can you be so heartless?” I hadn’t forgotten. How could I ever forget? When we were kids, Dylan wanted the last piece of cake in my hand. He tripped and fell down the stairs trying to snatch it. But when he woke up, he told our parents that I pushed him. From that day on, I was branded as the evil twin. No matter how much I explained, they never believed me. Dylan got double the cake, double the toys, and all the love because of his “injury.” In the years that followed, he framed me over and over again. My life became a living hell, and my parents treated me like I was invisible. Even now, my mother’s heart only beat for Dylan. She wanted me to take all the risks, face prison, and throw my life away just for him! But I was her son, too! Richard, my father, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke. “I’m not asking for a perfect score. Just get a decent score so Dylan can get into Columbia or NYU. You are twins. I raised you to support each other. Are you really going to be this selfish when your brother needs you?” Because of my refusal, my father’s face was dark. He looked like a wild animal ready to tear me apart if I said no again. His cold glare made me shiver, and my heart bled. Before I could speak, Dylan, who had been staring at his phone like a ghost, finally looked up. He smirked at me with pure disdain. “Look at this coward, scared of his own shadow. Just shut up and go, Ethan. We have the exact same face. No one at the testing center will ever know.” My mother quickly chimed in, “Exactly! You two look identical. Even we can barely tell you apart sometimes, let alone a bunch of exam proctors.” I felt a wave of absolute despair. How could they say they couldn’t tell us apart? We looked the same, yes, but since we were kids, they always managed to identify Dylan perfectly whenever there was a toy to buy or delicious food to give. All their love went to him. And now, they wanted me to ruin my life for him. What about me? What would happen to me if we got caught? In their eyes, was Dylan’s life meant to be bright and glorious, while mine was meant to rot in the mud? I wanted to fight back. I wanted to run away. But looking at the deep wrinkles on my parents’ faces, I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and forced myself to speak. “Exam fraud is a federal crime. If they find out, I will go to prison. How about this? Starting today, I will tutor Dylan every single day. We still have time before the test—” Before I could finish, Dylan’s fist slammed into my face. The rest of my words were cut short, drowned in the metallic taste of blood pooling in my mouth. Dylan glared at me, his eyes filled with fury. “You think you’re so smart, don’t you? Trying to rub your high grades in my face? If I could study, would I need you to take the damn test for me? I’m letting you do this because I’m throwing you a bone. Don’t be ungrateful!” With that, Dylan threw me to the floor and turned to scream at our parents. “Look at the perfect son you raised! So selfish! He gets to go to Harvard while I don’t even get into college! I already made a bet with the guys. If I don’t get into a top school, they’re going to break my hands! You’re trying to ruin me! I’ll just go die! Is that what you want? Are you happy now?!”

Dylan kicked the coffee table over with a loud crash. The boiling hot soup on the table splashed all over me, burning my skin. My vision went blurry from the sharp pain. My mother, who had been kneeling on the floor just a moment ago, scrambled up to grab Dylan’s hands, crying tears of pity. “My poor baby! Your hands are so beautiful. What would you do without them?” Then she whipped her head around to glare at me, her eyes filled with pure malice. “Look at what you’ve done to your brother! How did I ever give birth to a monster like you?” She acted as if I was the one who made the bet, as if I was the one threatening to chop Dylan’s hands off. Faced with Dylan, she was a loving mother. Faced with me, she was a vengeful enemy. It was as if I wasn’t her son, but her mortal foe. My father finally threw off his fake mask of civility. He walked over and slapped me hard across the face. “I told you this ungrateful little shit wouldn’t help. You wanted to negotiate with him, Eleanor? I say we just beat him until he learns to obey.” The slap made my ears ring loudly. I couldn’t hear anything for a long time. When the ringing finally faded, I heard my father’s voice. “If you don’t agree to take the test for Dylan today, I will beat you to death, you ungrateful bastard.” My father raised his hand to strike me again, but my mother stopped him. For a split second, a tiny spark of warmth rose in my battered heart. But then, my mother said, “Don’t hit his face, Richard. We never hit Dylan’s face. People at the testing center will get suspicious.” Ah. They were just worried about getting caught. Of course. Since we were kids, whenever I was beaten until I bled, Dylan was coddled like a fragile glass doll. If he even scraped his knee, they would rush him to the ER. “Are you going to do it or not, you piece of shit?” Dylan snapped, losing his patience. Looking at my “family” standing over me like a pack of wolves, I suddenly let out a bitter laugh. So this was the family I had been craving love from. Seeing me laugh, my father lost his temper completely. He lunged forward and kicked me squarely in the chest. A sharp, sickening crack echoed in my ears. A wave of agonizing pain exploded from my chest, radiating to every nerve in my body. Darkness crept into the edges of my vision, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood as I collapsed onto the floor. Looking up at them standing over me like demons, feeling the cold touch of impending death, I finally gave in. I didn’t want to die… So, I had to agree. Once I agreed to take the SATs, Dylan suggested that I should start “living his life” to get used to the identity. As soon as my broken ribs healed enough for me to move, I was forced to go to Dylan’s school pretending to be him. The moment I walked through the school gates, a guy with a messy, loose outfit slung his arm over my shoulder. “Yo, Dylan! You’re finally back.” I glanced at him but didn’t say a word. He kept talking, “You promised to buy the boys drinks to celebrate your upcoming graduation and your new sports car. You’ve been MIA for days, man. We’ve been waiting!” I didn’t want to talk to these people, but his words caught my attention. “What new sports car?” “Come on, Dylan! You said your parents promised you a new Mustang once you graduate high school. Don’t tell me you’re backing out now!” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a sleazy whisper. “Besides, didn’t your mom sign that exclusive contract for your brother with that tech firm? Your family must be loaded right now! How about lending some cash to your boy?” A tech firm contract… An alarm went off in my head. I suddenly remembered a shady, third-rate tech startup that had offered me a “technical advisor” position a few weeks ago. I had researched them. The company was notorious in the industry for wage theft, extreme exploitation, and senior executives who sexually harassed interns. The contract was a predatory 20-year binding agreement. They only recruited top-tier students from elite schools to use them as cheap labor and positive PR before tossing them aside. Signing it meant throwing away your entire life. I had rejected them outright. I never imagined my mother would forge my signature and sign it behind my back. She was selling my future! A suffocating weight pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. The guy beside me kept rambling, “Man, your mom is awesome! Selling your brother’s future just to buy you a sports car!” Yes. My parents were so good to Dylan. They forced me to commit a federal crime for him, signed away my life to a toxic company, and used the signing bonus to buy him a luxury car. What about me? My parents had never given me a single penny of allowance. I was so poor I couldn’t even afford lunch at school. When I got sick, I had to endure it alone. I almost died of a high fever in my dorm room once. But whenever I asked them for money, they would scream at me, calling me a financial burden, telling me to drop out of school and work in a factory. We were born from the same parents, so why was there such a brutal difference? What did I do wrong? Looking at my stolen future, a wave of helplessness washed over me. I couldn’t even take another step. I just wanted to collapse on the pavement and scream.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that Dylan was incredibly popular at school. He spent money like water, constantly buying drinks and fast food for his classmates and teachers, so everyone loved him. Meanwhile, because I always wore old, ragged clothes and couldn’t afford to pay for class activities, I was constantly bullied and isolated. Only my desk mate, Daisy, was kind to me. She never looked down on me. My chest still throbbed with pain, making it hard to speak, but I forced myself to stay at school until the final bell. I knew if I went home early, my parents would only find something else to scream at me for. Back when I was studying for my own exams, they never cared. But now that I was taking the test for Dylan, they watched me like hawks, terrified I would ruin his chance. Even when I was recovering from my broken ribs, they piled SAT prep books on my bed, forcing me to study. When I finally walked through the front door, they were already eating dinner. Sitting at my spot was a paper plate and a plastic fork, with a pile of cold, leftover rice. I couldn’t remember when it started, but I was always forced to use paper plates and plastic forks, treated worse than a stray dog. Meanwhile, Dylan always ate from the finest china, and when he was angry, he would throw those heavy plates right at my head. And today was no exception. The moment I walked in, Dylan muttered, “Ugh, my appetite is ruined,” and slammed his plate onto the table. The beautiful ceramic plate shattered into pieces. My mother gasped. “Oh, my sweet boy!” Then she turned to me, screaming, “Grab your garbage plate and get upstairs! Stop ruining our dinner!” Then she turned back to Dylan, her voice dripping with honey. “Dylan, honey, you need your nutrition. Have some more lobster.” Looking at this family that I would never be a part of, the urge to run away flared up again. I sighed inwardly, picked up my paper plate, and turned to head upstairs. Suddenly, Dylan’s tone changed. He let out a nasty, mocking laugh. “Hey, come here. I want to show you something.” He pulled out his phone and played a video. Seeing the intimate, blurred figures on the screen, my heart stopped. A cold, suffocating terror gripped my throat. Dylan chuckled, “That little fat girl is actually pretty fun in bed, though she kept crying and calling out your name. Annoying as hell.” He burst into a loud, mocking laugh. “By the way, dear brother, that stupid girl is Daisy, right? She actually thought I was you. She kept crying, ‘Ethan, please stop…’ It was fucking hilarious!” Daisy… The only person in the world who was kind to me, the only person who gave me warmth! And she was defiled by this monster, Dylan! If she found out it wasn’t me, if she knew there was a video… she would be completely destroyed! How was I supposed to face her now? My blood ran cold, and my heart felt like it was about to explode. Looking at the face that looked exactly like mine, I threw a heavy punch right into his laughing mouth. In that moment, I genuinely wanted to kill him. I agreed to take his test. I gave him my future. I gave him everything. But why did he have to touch Daisy?! He took my parents’ love, he took my toys, he took my entire life, and now he had destroyed the only beautiful thing I had left. I went feral, pinning Dylan to the floor and slamming my fists into his face. But watching his bloody, crying face didn’t bring me any peace. I only felt a deep, agonizing ache in my chest, and tears finally spilled over. The chaos ended when my mother slammed a heavy wooden rolling pin against the back of my head, knocking me out cold. In the days that followed, they locked me in my room, forcing me to study until the day of the SATs. During those dark days, something inside me broke, and then rebuilt itself into something cold and sharp. Originally, I just wanted to get it over with, let Dylan have his Ivy League spot, and leave this family forever. But now, I wanted to destroy him. I wanted him to regret ever touching Daisy. I wanted to burn his entire world to the ground. If he wouldn’t let me live, I wouldn’t let him win. On the day of the exam, my parents escorted me to the testing center like prison guards. Before I got out of the car, they warned me, “You better get a score high enough for Columbia, or we’ll skin you alive.” I nodded obediently. But once I sat down in the quiet exam room, surrounded by nervous, hopeful students, I calmly wrote Dylan’s name on the bubble sheet. Then, on the essay section and every single page of the test booklet, I wrote “DUMBASS” and “LOSER” in giant, bold letters. I wrote down every disgusting, vile insult my parents and Dylan had ever thrown at me. You want to go to Columbia? Go work at a drive-thru, you piece of trash. I let out a quiet smirk, unable to wait to see the look on their faces when the results came out.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “444669”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

The yacht was going down. A massive whirlpool spun in the dark ocean, and water was rapidly filling the cabins. My wife, Chloe, was already on the rescue boat with her childhood sweetheart, Julian. She tossed me a single lifebuoy. Looking back at me with impatience, she yelled, “Ethan, you’re a strong swimmer, but Julian has a phobia of water! If he doesn’t take the lifeboat, he’ll die!” With that, Chloe abandoned me. I could only watch as the rescue boat carrying them sped away into the night. But she forgot one thing. Ten years ago, the person who nearly drowned and developed a crippling fear of water to save her life… was me. As the freezing, pitch-black ocean swallowed me whole, I felt myself slipping into the deep. I died. When I regained consciousness, I was floating above the ocean as a ghost. Looking down at the calm, silent water, a deep, instinctual terror gripped my soul. The memories of my death came rushing back like a nightmare. The sinking yacht, the panicked screams, and the cold, disgusted look in my wife’s eyes. When the whirlpool first hit, the vessel shook violently. My first instinct had been to shield Chloe in my arms. The impact threw me against a heavy wooden table, bruising my spine. My vision blurred, and my chest throbbed with excruciating pain. But Chloe didn’t even spare me a glance. She pushed me away in a panic and stumbled through the chaos toward Julian. I watched her gently help Julian up, checking him for scratches with an tenderness she had never shown me. A dull, aching pain bloomed in my chest. Then, someone yelled, “The hull is breached! It’s sinking! Get to the lifeboats!” Terrified, Chloe grabbed Julian’s hand and ran. I stared at their retreating figures, a bitter taste in my mouth. It was always like this. Whenever Julian was around, Chloe became completely blind to my existence. Yet, I was her legal husband. As the water rose to my waist, I forced myself to stand, desperately fighting the pain in my back to escape. Luckily, a coast guard member spotted me and dragged me out to the deck. But before I could even feel relief, Chloe’s voice pierced through the wind, freezing me in place. “What do you mean there are only two spots left on this lifeboat?” The rescue officer nodded grimly. Chloe noticed me coming out. Her brows furrowed, torn between her choices. Julian, his face pale and weak, spoke up. “Chloe, you and Ethan should go. He’s your husband. I… I’ll be fine.” Chloe’s expression changed instantly. “No way! You saved my life once, Julian. I will never abandon you!” She turned to me, biting her lip, and said decisively, “Ethan, you know how to swim. I’ll leave the lifebuoy for you.” With that, she turned around and helped Julian onto the rescue boat. I stared at her, unable to believe my ears. Swallowing the immense grief rising in my throat, I begged, “Chloe, please. Don’t leave me here. You know I—” Chloe looked back, cutting me off with pure irritation. “If you don’t stay, who will? You saw it yourself—there are only two seats left. Do you expect me to stay behind?” “No, that’s not what I mean…” “Then what is your problem? You’re a great swimmer. You have the lifebuoy. You’ll be perfectly fine!” Her eyes flashed with annoyance, as if I were a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. “But Julian is different. He has a severe phobia of water. If he doesn’t get on this boat, he will die!” Her tone grew harsher. “I tolerate your petty jealousy on normal days, Ethan, but this is a matter of life and death! Can you stop being so incredibly selfish?” I froze, feeling as though she had plunged a dagger straight into my heart. But if I stayed here, I would die too. Yes, I used to swim. But she forgot that ten years ago, after I nearly lost my life saving her from drowning, I became terrified of the water. I hadn’t stepped into a pool since, let alone the ocean. It was me who had the phobia, not Julian. Julian smirked triumphantly behind her back, though his voice remained meek. “I’m terrified of the water, and Chloe knows that. I’m sorry to trouble you, Ethan. Don’t worry, Chloe and I are just friends now. We will send help for you as soon as we land.” “Why are you even explaining things to him, Julian? Ignore him. A toxic mind only sees toxicity,” Chloe snapped. And just like that, I was left behind, watching them disappear into the fog. Seconds later, the yacht went under. Cold, salty water rushed into my nose and throat. Recalling my final moments, a sharp pain radiated through my spectral body. So, even souls can feel heartbreak.

A sudden wave of dizziness hit me, and my spirit was pulled violently through the air. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in our house. Staring at the familiar living room, my eyes stung, but as a ghost, I had no tears to shed. I heard a noise coming from the master bedroom. Joy sparked in my chest—Chloe was home! She was a notorious workaholic, always staying late at the office or traveling for business. She was rarely home during the day, and even when I was bedridden with fever, she wouldn’t come back. I didn’t know how long I had been dead, and I thought I’d never see her again. I rushed toward the bedroom, instinctively reaching for the doorknob, but my hand passed straight through it. Right. I was dead. I floated through the door, but the sight inside froze me in my tracks. The warmth in my chest vanished, replaced by an icy chill. Why was Julian in our house? Why was he lying in our bed? Rage consumed me. I lunged forward, trying to drag him off the mattress. “Get out! Get the hell out of my house!” But my hands sliced through his body, and I fell helplessly to the floor. I had to watch as Julian leaned weakly against the headboard while Chloe blew on a spoon of hot soup, carefully feeding him. “My old symptoms are acting up again. I hate making you come home to cook for me every day, Chloe. You’re working so hard,” Julian murmured. Chloe smiled gently, shaking her head. “You don’t have any family in this city, Julian. It’s only right that I take care of you. Don’t thank me.” I sat on the floor, completely numb. But I was alone here too. When we got married, Chloe’s old-money family disapproved of me, so I packed my bags and moved across the country to her city, starting from scratch to build a life for us. I worked myself to the bone just to give her the lifestyle she deserved. Yet, every time I fell ill, Chloe would only complain about how inconvenient it was. If she was in a good mood, she’d toss a bottle of pills at me. If she was annoyed, she wouldn’t even ask. Watching her tend to Julian with such devotion, my heart suffered a slow, dull ache. So, she did know how to care for someone. She just never wanted to care for me. After finishing the soup, Julian asked with feigned concern, “It’s been a week now. Still no word from Ethan?” Chloe’s face darkened, and she slammed the bowl onto the nightstand. “Don’t bring him up. Just thinking about him ruins my day. He’s a grown man, yet he’s so incredibly petty! He’s probably hiding somewhere, refusing to call just to make me feel guilty.” “Could something have happened to him? The ocean can be so unpredictable,” Julian said, his eyes gleaming with hidden satisfaction. “What could happen to him? He’s a strong swimmer, he had a lifebuoy, and we already reported his location to the rescue teams. He’s fine,” Chloe replied, though she sounded slightly agitated. Chloe wasn’t done venting. “Ethan is getting completely out of hand! Whether he’s alive or not, he should have at least sent a message. He’s definitely throwing a tantrum because I left him behind. I don’t get it. How can a grown man be this spiteful?” I let out a hollow laugh. I was dead. How was I supposed to text her? Through a Ouija board? “If Ethan were even half as considerate as you, Julian, my life wouldn’t be this exhausting,” she sighed. There it was again. In her eyes, Julian was a saint, and everything I did was a crime. Because of her job, Chloe spent long hours in front of a computer, which gave her chronic back and eye strain. Worried about her health, I bought her the best massage chairs and wellness supplements, constantly reminding her to use them. My reward? Angry outbursts. *”Can you stop nagging me, Ethan? Don’t you have your own life? Stop suffocating me, I’m not your prisoner!”* Yet, Julian only had to offer a few cheap, empty words of comfort, and she would beam with joy. “Don’t say that, Chloe. He only acts that way because he loves you so much. Since his whereabouts are still unknown, maybe you should call the search and rescue team again?” Julian suggested. “There’s no point,” Chloe dismissed coldly. “If he’s dead, it’s his own damn fault.”

Listening to Chloe’s heartless words, I realized something shocking—my heart didn’t hurt as much anymore. After all, what could I expect from a woman who didn’t care about her missing husband, yet treated her ex-boyfriend’s mild cold like a medical emergency? My only regret was realizing her true nature so late. I didn’t want to watch them play house anymore, but the moment I saw Chloe, I felt an invisible chain binding me to her. I couldn’t move more than a few yards away from her. I felt like an absolute clown. I was miserable while alive, and now I was forced to watch my wife and her lover as a ghost. Frustrated, I turned my gaze to the empty wall in the hallway. Our wedding photo used to hang there. A bitter feeling washed over me. After all these years together, did Chloe really have no feelings for me at all? Suddenly, a phone vibrated. Julian had fallen asleep. Chloe quietly stepped out of the bedroom, eagerly grabbing her phone. But when she saw the caller ID, her excited expression instantly collapsed. It was Marcus, my one and only best friend in this city. “What do you want?” Chloe’s tone was incredibly sharp. Marcus’s voice came through, cold and dark. “Chloe. Where the hell are you?” Chloe rolled her eyes. “None of your business. State your purpose, I’m busy.” A heavy silence fell over the line before Marcus exploded. “Busy with what?! Busy playing nurse to that pathetic loser, Julian?! Do you have any idea what happened to Ethan—” “Don’t shout at me, Marcus!” Chloe barked back. “Watch your mouth, or go to hell!” Marcus took a deep, shaky breath. “Let me ask you something. Have you even checked the rescue updates for Ethan recently?” “No. He’s a grown man. Can’t he find his own way home? He survived the crash and didn’t even bother to text me. His ego is getting way too big,” Chloe scoffed. “He can’t text you, Chloe! He will never text you again! Because he is dead! Ethan is dead! You are his wife, how can you be this fucking heartless?!” Marcus roared into the phone. Chloe let out a condescending laugh. “Oh, please. Does Ethan know his best friend is making up fake deaths for him now?” Marcus gasped, utterly bewildered. “You don’t believe me?” “Why should I? Use your brain, Marcus. Ethan can swim, and he had a lifebuoy. Staying afloat until help arrived would be a piece of cake for him. Besides, he’s too stubborn to die.” Marcus was practically hyperventilating with rage. “He *used* to swim, Chloe! That was ten years ago! Ever since he almost drowned saving your worthless life, he developed a severe phobia of water! He hasn’t touched water since!” “Chloe, you are a monster. Ethan was your husband. He loved you more than life itself, and you left him to die alone in the dark!” Chloe froze. “What rubbish are you talking about? Julian was the one who saved me back then.” “Bullshit! Julian didn’t show up at the hospital until hours later! If you had waited for him to save you, you’d be a skeleton by now! Think back to that day, Chloe! Who actually dragged you out of the water?!” “That’s impossible… I clearly remember…” Chloe’s voice trailed off. The annoyance on her face cracked, revealing a sliver of panic. Marcus let out a humorless laugh. “What’s the matter, princess? Memory coming back?” Ignoring his mockery, a sudden dread crept into Chloe’s eyes. Her voice trembled. “You… what did you say happened to Ethan just now?” “He’s dead, Chloe! He’s dead!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “444670”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

I come back from a phone call, and my boyfriend is speaking French to my best friend again. I step up beside him. Try to catch a word. Before I can open my mouth, Landon raises a hand without turning around. “Don’t interrupt. Sienna and I are discussing something important.” “If you need something, just wait.” The fight drains out of me. Sienna is trilingual—French, English, German. She loves pulling people into “language practice” sessions. Landon is worse. English, French, German, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Italian—he’s fluent in all of them. When the two of them get going, they never run out of things to say. They just never say it in the one language I understand. I used to fight it. I used to say, “Hey, can you guys switch to English? I’m right here.” Two days in, nothing changed. Now I watch them walk ahead, so wrapped up in each other they don’t even notice I’ve stopped moving. Something in me just—goes quiet. I don’t follow them. Instead, I find an outdoor café outside the Disneyland park and sit down by myself. I don’t like coffee. Never have. The bitterness reminds me of everything I tried to leave behind—cold mornings, empty cupboards, a childhood where nothing came easy. But Landon and Sienna love it. They grew up rich—boarding schools, private jets, summers in Europe. The kind of people who debate single-origin beans like it matters. So when I’m with them, I sit and listen. I listen to them talk about the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the trip they took when they were eight. The Northern Lights in Iceland when they were ten. The family vacation in Santorini just last month. I dump sugar and cream into my cup until the coffee barely tastes like coffee anymore. Good thing they’re not here. They’d laugh at me again. So childish. So unsophisticated. So basic. My phone buzzes. Landon. [Where are you?] Before I can reply, a second text pops up. [Sienna and I have been to Disneyland literally hundreds of times. We’re way past over it.] [I gave up my day off to bring you here. Can you not wander off? I’m already annoyed and now I have to come find you.] I stare at the screen for a long time. He’s forgotten. This isn’t even our first time here together. Last time, he said the exact same thing—I’ve been a million times, I’m only here for you. And how did that turn out? I’d waited in line for over an hour to get a Lotso plush. Nothing fancy—just a classic Lotso. I was so excited I almost cried. But Sienna spotted a limited-edition Duffy bear, and Landon swapped mine out without even asking. “Sienna’s picky. She never likes anything—this is the first time she’s actually wanted something.” He didn’t even look at me. “We’ll come back for yours next time.” The only reason they agreed to come again was because of that “next time” he promised. I should be used to it by now. Sienna is his childhood best friend. She’s also my college roommate. My so-called closest girl friend. She’s the one who set us up. So—birthdays, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, even a couples’ movie night—there’s always a seat saved for her. I’m not supposed to mind. Not even a little. Because if I do, it means I’m betraying our “golden trio.” I take a breath. Type back: Go ahead without me. Something came up. Heading home. I leave the coffee on the table. Two sips. That’s all I managed. No matter how much sugar and cream I add, it never quite tastes right.

I get home and collapse on the bed. Fall asleep without meaning to. I don’t know how long I’m out before the bedroom door opens. The mattress dips. Landon leans over me, wraps his arms around my waist, presses a kiss to my forehead. “So this is what you meant by ‘something came up’?” he murmurs. “You’re busy being asleep?” I open my eyes. Push him off. Sit up, stiff, staring at nothing. Silence. After a while, he sighs and pulls me back into his arms. “I’m sorry, baby.” “I know I got caught up talking to Sienna today. I ignored you. My tone was shit. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” He tilts my chin up. “You haven’t eaten, right? Let me cook. I’ll make it up to you—the candlelight dinner I owe you. How about that?” The candlelight dinner he owes me. Right. Last time, he promised me a private dinner—just the two of us. I spent the whole afternoon cooking. Comfort food. Pot roast, cornbread, peach cobbler. Everything from scratch. Then Sienna showed up uninvited. And had an allergic reaction. Landon lost it on me. “Maren, you didn’t know Sienna’s allergic to fennel?” “What kind of friend are you?” I stood there, eyes burning, throat tight. “I didn’t know. Neither of you ever told me.” He scoffed. “Bullshit. Sienna and I literally talked about it on the Aspen trip. You were sitting right there. Don’t tell me you didn’t hear.” The words died in my throat. And then something between a laugh and a sob almost escaped. “Yeah,” I said. “I heard. But you were speaking French. And I don’t speak French.” Landon stared at me for a second. Then, without missing a beat: “So? You don’t understand—and that’s our fault?” Right. Whose fault is it? Mine, for growing up poor. For not learning languages. For not even recognizing the European cities they namedrop like grocery stores. While they were skiing in the Swiss Alps, I was hauling firewood up a hill and got bitten by a copperhead so bad my foot swelled to twice its size. While they were watching the Northern Lights in Iceland, I was up before dawn, walking a dirt road in the dark to catch the school bus—because if I missed it, there wasn’t another one. My world—they’ll never get it. Their world—I can’t even follow the conversation. When two worlds collide, one always has to shrink. And it was always mine. Landon leads me to the couch, sits me down, and heads for the kitchen. The doorbell rings. Sienna breezes in, arms full of grocery bags. “Landon, you ass! You said you were cooking dinner for me tonight!” “I bought everything!” She holds up the bags like trophies. “Lobster, abalone, and scallops—my favorite!” I look at the bags. Lobster. Abalone. Scallops. I almost laugh. So the dinner was for Sienna. And they both forgot—I’m allergic to shellfish. A table full of food. I don’t touch a single bite. Landon notices me sitting there, knife untouched, and his jaw tightens. “What’s your problem?” “Sienna went out of her way to buy all this. I’ve been in the kitchen for an hour. You’re not eating? Are you seriously throwing a tantrum right now?” Sienna claps a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God, Maren—I totally forgot. You’re allergic to shellfish. I’m so sorry.” Dead silence. For a long time, no one speaks. Then Landon clears his throat, stiff, and changes the subject. “My parents have some time next week. They want to meet with you.” “We should lock down the wedding plans.” Sienna’s eyes light up. She clasps her hands together. “Oh! The restaurant—Landon actually asked me to book it. I picked this amazing place, and there’s a movie theater right next door. After dinner with your parents, we could all go see a—” I take a breath. “No need.” I cut her off. “I’m busy next week. Work trip.” I raise my head. Two sets of startled eyes stare back at me. And for the first time in a long time, half the weight just lifts. “The wedding can wait.”

Watch👉 https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/20260720nGhoRwhMCk 🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “Novelix” app 🔍 search for “ni923073”, and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix

Because Selena Gray,the female student sponsored by Don Matteo Moretti,wanted to see a porcupine,Matteo had someone fire seven hundred crossbow bolts at our son,turning him into a living target. I was forced to stare at the surveillance feed,watching black fletching pierce Nico’s throat,watching every plea spill out of him with blood. I screamed in despair,”Even if you don’t love me.But Nico is your blood.He is the Moretti heir.How can you be this cruel?” Matteo sneered.”Who told him to score a perfect seven hundred on the heir assessment and show off in front of Selena?Selena wanted to see a porcupine.These seven hundred bolts are his lesson.” He slapped me across the face.”She cried all night.So I want you to feel pain too.” Looking at Nico,barely alive on the monitor,he loosened the ropes holding me down and told me the address of the training island. Before he left,he bent close and whispered viciously,”The speedboat’s out of fuel.Run fast.Maybe you’ll still get to see a living porcupine.” … When I found Nico,blood was seeping from his neck.A thick black bolt had gone through his left eye and pinned him deep into the dirt. His eighteen-year-old body was covered in seven hundred crossbow bolts.Blood kept flowing out of him. I dropped to my knees,but I did not even dare to lift him.”Nico!” “It’s all Mom’s fault…” His remaining right eye opened with great effort,just a slit,and he still tried to smile at me. “Mom,don’t cry…You’re here.Nico isn’t scared.” My shaking hand touched his face.”Don’t be scared.Mom is taking you to the hospital right now.” I gathered him up as carefully as I could and rushed toward the dock.But just as I was about to board,the guards stopped me. “Moretti private boat.No outsiders.” I hurried to explain. “I’m the Donna of the Moretti family.The one in my arms is Moretti family heir,Nico.I came here on this same boat today.You’ve seen me.” “You’ve got some nerve,pretending to be our Donna.I saw the Don and his Donna today,and they looked very much in love.Do you have any idea what happens to people who pull a stunt like this?” The guard scoffed.”And the heir passed his assessment.He went to Europe to celebrate.Why would he be in a place like this?” Looking at Nico’s weakening face,I hurriedly tore off my necklace and showed him the family photo inside the pendant. “I really am the Donna of the Moretti family.” When the guard saw the photo,his face filled with anger. “Where did this crazy woman come from?How dare you fake a photo with the Don and the heir?You want to die?” The crowd closed in around me at once. With trembling hands,I opened the pinned contact in my encrypted messenger and started a video call. The screen lit up.Matteo leaned bare-chested against the headboard,a fresh lipstick mark stamped on his collarbone,his face filled with pleasure. Beside him,Selena was completely naked,moving up and down on top of him.With a taunting smile,she said,”Mrs.Moretti,calling at a time like this?Did you want to join us and enjoy yourself too?” Matteo let out a mocking laugh and gave Selena’s breast a squeeze.”Her?During sex,she’s like a puppet.No matter how rough it gets,she never makes a sound.Letting her join would only make me sick.” At that,Selena kissed the corner of his mouth smugly.”Then I suppose I’ll have to comfort the Don properly.” “Matteo!” I clenched my teeth and forced down the nausea.”Nico is in critical condition.Let us on the boat now,or he’ll die.” Matteo frowned impatiently.”Are you done yet?Those bolts had their heads removed.They were only glued to him.Did you really have to pour blood all over Nico just to lie to me?” “I’m not lying!”I turned the camera toward Nico.”Look for yourself.The bolt heads went through his body.I’m begging you,all right?As long as Nico can be saved,I’ll sign the divorce papers.I’ll give up the Donna’s position.” Matteo froze for a moment,his gaze falling on Nico’s face. But just as he seemed to waver,Selena suddenly began to cry. “Don,you said this boat was only for me.If she gets on,I’ll feel uncomfortable.” “Besides,Nico is the Moretti family’s genius heir.Making a few fake bolts look like they went through him would be easy for him,wouldn’t it?” The moment she finished,Matteo’s expression changed.He glared at me in disgust. “You two make me sick.Nico Moretti,I’m warning you.If you keep acting with your mother,don’t blame me when I strike you off the succession list.” At those words,Nico’s breathing suddenly quickened,and tears fell hard from his eye. My heart ached,and I wanted to explain,but Matteo only let out a cold laugh. “Still pretending?Fine.I’ll see how far you take this.You want to board the boat,do you?Selena’s boat doesn’t allow other women on it.You know what to do.” He smiled contemptuously,and that smile stabbed through my heart like a needle. Once,he had loved me and Nico. But ever since this sponsored student gave him a taste of something new,he has changed. I stared at Matteo in disbelief.”Nico is your son!For that woman,you won’t even care about your own blood?” Matteo looked at me coldly.”If you don’t dare keep acting,kneel and apologize to Selena.Then stay on the island and accept family punishment.In three days,I’ll send someone to pick you up.” At that,I gave a bitter smile. The boat in front of me was the last one leaving the training island today. It was also Nico’s last chance to live. Looking at Nico’s deathly pale face and his faint breath,every last bit of self-esteem inside me was crushed. Then,under Matteo’s gaze,I yanked the folding knife from my keychain. The blade cut across my face without hesitation.The instant the pain hit,warm blood welled out. I stared hard at the screen.”Now,can I get on the boat?”

Matteo leaned closer to the camera in shock.”Elena,are you insane?” The next second,Selena immediately hugged him,her voice trembling. “Don,is she threatening me?I’m so scared.” Matteo seemed to jerk the camera back as if burned.His eyes went cold,and he ordered the guards, “I want to see how long they can keep acting.Let them on.” Then he turned and comforted Selena in a low voice.”If the boat is dirty,we won’t keep it.I have someone order you a new one from Italy.” Pain stabbed through my heart,but I had no time to care.I carried Nico onto the boat. After we reached shore,the family ambulance I had called took Nico and me straight to the Moretti family hospital,and he was rushed into surgery that night. While I waited for Nico to come out,one of the nurses forced me to have my wound treated.I had just finished when the doctor came out of the operating room. I rushed forward.”Doctor,how is Nico?” “The heir has suffered severe blood loss,but the family blood bank still has reserves.Donna,you and the nurse need to get the Rh-null blood bags immediately.” I nodded and ran with the nurse. But just as we were about to get the blood,several bodyguards rushed in.Without a word,they pinned me to the floor and covered my mouth. Before I could react,a familiar figure walked over and took the blood bags in front of me. I struggled to lift my head and saw Matteo barking at the nurse. “Send all Rh-null blood to the VIP ward on the third floor right now.If anything happens to Selena,every one of you is out of the Moretti medical system.” Matteo did not notice me on the floor at all.He walked away quickly. The nurses’whispers cut into my ears.”It’s just a scrape on her leg.Does she really need all the life-saving blood?” I fought free of the bodyguards and caught up to Matteo on the third floor,grabbing his arm. “Matteo!Nico has lost too much blood.He needs Rh-null.” When he saw it was me,disgust creased his brow. “Elena,I just care a little more for the student I sponsor,and you get jealous.But now you’re lying that the heir is dying?What next,will you bring me a corpse and force me to admit I was wrong?” “And if you hadn’t faked that bloody scene just to get on the boat,Selena wouldn’t have been so upset that she fell down the stairs and hurt her leg.” “All the blood here is being kept for Selena.If you dare touch it,I will make you regret it.” He pried my hand off and turned to leave,but those blood bags were Nico’s hope of survival. I dropped to my knees and clung to Matteo’s leg.”Please.I only need two bags of Rh-null.” Just then,Selena appeared. “If the Donna wants blood…it’s not impossible.” She leaned against the ward door,smiling with amusement,looking nothing like a patient who needed a transfusion. Matteo kicked me aside and hurried to support her.”She just wants attention.You don’t need to pay her any mind.” Selena coyly tapped Matteo’s chest,then lifted an eyebrow. “I just want to see how far the Donna will go for this little performance.” After she said that,her gaze on me turned dark and unreadable. “Don,I want you inside me.” “But my leg is hurt,and I can’t move very well.Can the Donna stay and help?” “If she could do me a favour,perhaps I could do her one in return.” In an instant,I understood what she meant. I stood up and clenched my fists,ready to hit her,but Matteo stepped in front of me.”What,Elena?Done acting now?” “I’m not acting!” I cried hoarsely,”Matteo,Nico has already been taken into surgery.” “You are the Don of the Moretti family.One word from you,and you can find out exactly what happened to Nico.If you don’t believe me,I’ll take you to see him right now.” I grabbed his hand to lead him away,but Matteo shoved me off. Then he slapped me hard across the face.”Enough.” “If you can’t keep acting,kneel and apologize.Otherwise,do as Selena said.” He took Selena inside.Soon,low gasps and the dull thud of the bed frame hitting the wall came from the ward. Just then,the nurse rushed over anxiously.”The other blood banks won’t make it in time.Donna,please think of something.The heir won’t last much longer.” In that instant,all the anger drained out of me. I walked into the ward. Clenching my teeth,I went to the bedside.Under Selena’s smug gaze,I held her waist,pressed down her weakened legs,and helped her match Matteo’s movements. By the time they finally finished and came out,everyone was looking at me with pity. I ignored every strange look and took the blood bags to save Nico. The moment I reached the stairs,Matteo rushed out. It was as if my obedience had suddenly stung his pride.His eyes were full of embarrassed rage. “For the sake of acting,you can even do something like that?” Before the words had fully left his mouth,he kicked me down the stairs. I tumbled all the way down.Bones cracked again and again,and blood spilled across the floor. Matteo looked down at me coldly. “Useless thing.”

After saying that,he walked up to me and,while my vision was going black,snatched the blood bags from my hands. Then he tore off the seal and slammed the blood bag onto the floor. “For a performance,you’d even sell the Donna’s dignity.Elena,how was I ever blind enough to marry a woman like you?” “Get out.” Enduring the pain,I picked up the blood bags. Selena gave a soft laugh.”Don,look.Doesn’t she look like a dying dog?” I seemed not to hear their mockery.With my hand pressed tightly over the puncture in the bag,I tried to stand and leave,but my body had gone numb. In the end,I crawled out of the ward,leaving streaks of blood behind me,and pushed the remaining blood bags into the family doctor’s hands. “Please.You have to save Nico.” After a long time,the operating room light went out.The doctor looked exhausted,but relieved. “The heir has been brought back.He’s very weak.Tonight is critical.” “Don’t worry,Donna.We will do everything we can.” I caught sight of the medical waste bin inside the operating room.It was piled high with crossbow bolts,blood-soaked cotton swabs,and syringes.My heart felt as if it had been carved open. But at least he was alive. I wept with joy,thanked them again and again,and stayed beside Nico after he was transferred to the ward. His face was pale.His breathing was weak,but steady. The taut string inside me loosened slightly.I went with the doctor to have my injuries treated. When I wheeled myself back to the ward alone,I saw Selena standing by Nico’s bed with a group of people. I stared at Selena nervously,trying to get closer,but the bodyguards stopped me. “Selena?What are you doing?” Selena turned to look at me,an innocent smile on her face. “I got close to the Don for the Moretti family’s power.He even got me pregnant with Moretti blood,but because of this little bastard,he still hasn’t kicked you out of the Donna’s position.” “I wanted to put on a little show so the Don wouldn’t suspect me when this bastard died.But who knew he would actually be saved?” The news of Selena’s pregnancy did not stir anything in me.I begged hoarsely. “When Nico is discharged,I’ll divorce him immediately.I’ll take Nico and leave.We’ll never disturb you again.” Selena said nothing.She simply took out a glass bottle,opened the cap,and shook it lightly. A single drop fell onto the bed.With a hiss,acrid white smoke rose,and the bedding was instantly corroded. It was the industrial corrosive used in dockside warehouses to destroy evidence. My eyes nearly split with rage.I lunged forward,and the wheelchair was violently overturned. I crashed to the floor and crawled toward the bed with both hands and feet. “No!Selena!Let him go.He just survived.I’ll take him away right now.” Selena made a gesture,and the bodyguards’fists and feet rained down on me. Her gentle voice drifted over.”But it’s all right.Now…he’ll just rot into a lump no one can recognize.” Through the shifting shadows of legs,I watched with my own eyes as Selena tipped the bottle in her hand.The liquid poured over Nico’s cheek,neck,and chest. Nico let out one hoarse scream,then fell silent. In moments,only a ruined,rotting shell remained on the bed,so mangled it no longer looked human. Flesh had collapsed,and acrid smoke curled upward.

Watch👉 https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/202607200pMuLIMzKn 🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “Novelix” app 🔍 search for “ni012867”, and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix

After my online relationship finally became real,I happened to see a post on our school’s anonymous confession wall. “If you could go back six months,what would you change?” Some people in the comments said they would retake the SAT. Some said they would break up with their ex sooner. Some said they would stop their parents from getting divorced. Only one comment was pushed all the way to the top. “I’d ask for her contact myself.” “Then my friend wouldn’t have given me the wrong account,and I wouldn’t have spent half a year talking to another girl.” “Now we’ve already met in person.I guess I can only keep going with the mistake.” I was about to scroll past. Then I realized the avatar,the ID,even the profile bio,were exactly the same as my boyfriend Ethan Hale’s. The boyfriend I had just met in person. Everything suddenly made sense. I finally understood why,after we met in person,he was still gentle with me but clearly distant,nowhere near as sweet as he had been online. And why,when he saw me in person for the first time,he had frozen so obviously for a second. Because,the affection he had given me had been meant for someone else all along. … The next afternoon,I met Ethan at the school cafe. He was sitting by the window,still wearing his deep-blue team jacket.Ethan Hale was one of the most popular boys at Westbridge Prep,the son of a board member,and the football captain. And I was just an ordinary scholarship student. If it had not been for that online relationship that began with a mistake,he and I probably never would have crossed paths at all. “You’re here?” When Ethan saw me,he pushed the hot chocolate in front of him toward me. “Less sugar,no whipped cream,extra cinnamon.You didn’t eat much dinner yesterday.Is your stomach still bothering you?” He had always been thoughtful. Even before we met in person,he had never missed a holiday gift or a birthday surprise. He knew I worked at the cafe after school and often forgot dinner,so he would order a sandwich ahead of time for me.Yesterday,when we had pasta together for the first time,he had naturally picked the mushrooms out for me. Mia had once said with envy that I must have been blessed by the goddess of love. But now I knew. None of that kindness had really been meant for me. Ethan waved a hand in front of my face and smiled. “What’s wrong?Now that we’ve met,you’re suddenly afraid to look at me?You’ll have plenty of time to stare later.Drink something first before your stomach starts hurting again.” Under the table,my hand clenched tight. In the end,I pushed my phone toward him. On the screen was that answer from the anonymous wall. The smile slowly faded from Ethan’s face. “Six months ago,did Noah give you the wrong account?” Ethan was silent for a while. People moved in and out of the cafe.Someone nearby was talking about a weekend party,and someone else was rushing through a college application essay.Only at our table was the atmosphere somber. After a long time,he finally said,”At first,I really did think you were Ava.” I had already guessed it. But hearing him say it out loud still made me feel humiliated. Ava Whitmore. Student council vice president,cheer captain,daughter of a board member,and the girl everyone at Westbridge Prep thought was the perfect match for Ethan. Six months ago,at the fall dance,she had been standing right beside me. She had been wearing a silver slip dress,beautiful in a cool,untouchable way. I had been wearing a white server’s shirt for my part-time shift,carrying a tray as I walked through them. That day,Noah said a friend of his wanted to know me. Later,Ethan followed me on Instagram. He said he remembered the way I had stood under the lights.He said I looked pretty when I smiled.He said the first time he saw me,he thought I was different from everyone else. So he had mistaken me for someone else from the very beginning. I put the note I had prepared in front of him.Ava’s Instagram was written on it. “This is her contact.You don’t have to keep settling for me just because your friend gave you the wrong account.” “If she’s the person you wanted to know,you can go know her now.” Ethan frowned. “Lily,I never said I was settling.” I looked at him. “I don’t want to be the idiot pretending she doesn’t know anything.” His expression turned a little ugly. “That answer was just something I wrote casually.I didn’t think you’d see it.” “So if I hadn’t seen it,were you planning to keep pretending nothing happened and keep dating me?” Ethan said nothing. His silence gave me my answer. For the past six months,I had really thought I had something good. During the six months we dated online,every planned video call fell apart because something always came up.That was why he didn’t realize I wasn’t the girl he wanted until we finally met in person. But he would order food for me before my late shifts,stay on the phone while I revised my college application essays,and remember which days I had exams and which nights I worked until closing. I had thought all of that was love. Now I realized maybe he had only kept going because he found out he had the wrong person and did not know how to end it. “Don’t worry.” I picked up my bag and stood. “I won’t tell anyone we talked for six months,and I won’t let Ava know you mistook me for her at first.” “When we see each other at school,we’ll just be regular classmates.” Ethan looked up at me,his expression complicated. “You really don’t have to do this.” “I do.” I cut him off. I did not want to be the mistake in anyone’s story. And I did not want this to be dug up later and twisted into me stealing Ava’s boyfriend. Ethan was silent for a long time before he said quietly,”As compensation,I can promise you one thing,as long as it’s something I can do.” He looked serious. As if he would not feel at ease unless I agreed. I did not want anything from him.But I did not want to keep arguing with him either,so I nodded. Only then did he seem to let out a breath. “Drink something first.This hot chocolate’s gone cold.I’ll buy you another one.” I glanced at the hot chocolate on the table. Then I picked up my bag and turned to leave. “No thanks.I have class this afternoon.”

When I got back to class that afternoon,Mia could tell something was wrong with one look. She dragged her chair closer and asked in a low voice,”Weren’t you meeting your online boyfriend?” “Why do you look like that?” For my meeting with Ethan yesterday,I had changed into a dress and even swapped my evening shift at the cafe with someone else. In the end,it had only been a wrong-person mess. I spread my textbook open and pretended to look for a pen. “It’s nothing.We met offline and realized it wasn’t a fit.” Mia frowned. “Was he ugly?” “No.” “Then his personality sucked?” I paused. “Something like that.” She was about to keep asking when someone in the front row suddenly shouted excitedly. “Check the anonymous wall!Ethan and Ava got photographed!” The classroom instantly came alive. I lowered my head,but I still could not stop myself from opening my phone. In the photo,Ethan stood by the parking lot with a cup of coffee in his hand,and Ava stood in front of him,smiling as she took it. The comments were full of people screaming over them. “Finally together?” “The perfect Westbridge couple.” “I knew they would end up together.No one else is good enough.” I stared at the last comment and suddenly found it funny.They were right.Someone like Ethan should have chosen Ava. Not me. Before school ended,Ava came over to my desk. She was wearing a white knit top today,her hair loosely tied back,looking pretty and harmless. “Lily,right?” I nodded. “Ethan said you helped us.”She put a gift bag on my desk.”Just a little thank-you.” I glanced at the logo on the bag.It was a brand I usually did not even dare to look at for too long when I passed by. “No,it’s okay.” “Take it.”Ava smiled.”If you hadn’t given him my account,we might never have had the chance to get to know each other.” She did not speak loudly,but everyone around us heard. Some people looked over with envy. Someone whispered that Ava was so generous,giving a gift just because I had passed along an account. I pushed the gift bag back.”Really,I don’t need it.” Ava’s smile faded a little. “Do you not like me?” As soon as she said that,the people nearby went quiet. I could only take the bag back. “Thank you.” Only then did Ava smile with satisfaction.”Good.By the way,are you close with Ethan?” My heart tightened. “No.I just know Noah.That day,he asked me for your account,so I helped pass it to Ethan.” Ava stared at me for a while,as if she was trying to decide whether I was telling the truth.At last,she smiled. “So that’s what happened.” As soon as she left,Mia leaned in. “Since when do you know Noah Brooks?” “The fall dance.I was working there.”I stuffed the gift bag into my backpack.”We only said a few words.We’re not close.” Mia clicked her tongue. “Your luck is insane.Your own online relationship failed,and you still somehow set up Ethan and Ava.” I pulled at the corner of my mouth. “If I were really lucky,my online relationship wouldn’t have failed.”

The next day after school,it suddenly started raining outside. I had not brought an umbrella,so I could only stand at the entrance of the academic building and wait for the rain to let up. That was when Ava came over,naturally linking her arm through mine. “It’s pouring.How are you getting home?Ethan’s coming to pick me up.We’ll drop you off.” I was just about to refuse when a black SUV stopped at the steps. The window rolled down,and Ethan looked at me.”Get in.This rain isn’t stopping anytime soon.” With both of them saying it,refusing again would only make me look deliberate. But when I was about to get in,Ethan suddenly opened the front passenger door for me. “Don’t you get carsick in the back?” My hand froze on the rear door handle,and Ava looked at me too. The truth was,I did not get carsick.I had once thrown up on the school bus because I had been exhausted from work and had not eaten breakfast. Later,when Ethan asked about it,I casually said I had felt sick in the car.I had not expected him to remember it for so long. I smiled.”You remembered wrong.I don’t get carsick.” Ethan paused,then quickly corrected himself. “I was asking Ava.” Ava’s expression eased a little. She got into the passenger seat,and I sat in the back,looking out the window the whole way. Rain slid down the glass,and Ava looked at me through the rearview mirror several times. “Lily,didn’t you have an online boyfriend before too?” My fingers tightened. Mia really could not keep anything to herself. “Yeah.” “You broke up?” “We met in person.It wasn’t right.” Ava gave a soft laugh.”That’s how online relationships are,I guess.Behind a screen,anyone can pretend to be devoted.” I did not answer,and Ethan did not say anything either. When the car stopped near my house,I almost immediately opened the door. “Thanks.I’ll go now.” That night,after I showered,a message from an unfamiliar number popped up on my phone. It was Ethan. “Stay away from Ava at school from now on.She’s smart.She’ll notice things she shouldn’t.” I stared at the line,and my chest suddenly felt blocked. Just a few days ago,he had still been my boyfriend.Now,after seeing me in person,he could only remind me not to make his girlfriend suspicious. I replied:”To keep her from misunderstanding,we shouldn’t contact each other anymore.” After sending it,I blocked that number too. When I went to school the next day,my eyes were a little swollen.Mia handed me a bottle of ice water. “You didn’t actually cry all night over that internet guy,did you?” “No.”I unscrewed the cap.”I just didn’t sleep well.” She was about to say something else when Ava happened to walk by.I did not know how much she heard.I only saw her steps pause for a second. After the last morning class,my advisor asked me to bring some documents to the reception room.She said a board member’s son was there to discuss sponsorship for the spring charity dance. I walked in with the files in my arms,and as soon as I opened the door,I saw Noah Brooks sitting inside. When he looked up and saw me,his eyes lit up. “Lily?We meet again.”

The last time I had seen Noah was at the fall dance. That day,he had worn a black suit and smiled like he owned the room,standing by the drink station as he asked for my contact. He said a friend of his wanted to know me,and I thought that friend was Ethan. Thinking about it now,everything had started with that sentence. Noah stood from his chair and held out his hand. “I told you we were meant to run into each other.” The teacher beside us looked at me,then at him. “You two know each other?” “We’ve met once.”I set the documents on the table.”We’re not close.” Noah looked wounded. “That’s cold.” I ignored him. Once the teacher stepped out to answer a call,Noah immediately leaned closer. “I heard about you and Ethan.” My heart sank. “What did you hear?” “He said I gave him the wrong account that day,so he mistook you for someone else.”Noah frowned.”But I never gave him the wrong account.” I froze. “What do you mean?” Noah looked at me. “At the fall dance,the person I wanted to know was you.” “I saved your account on my phone so I could add you later.Then I went to the bathroom for a few minutes,and he took my phone and added you himself.” For a moment,I could not speak. The more Noah talked,the angrier he got. “By the time I found out,the two of you were already together.I asked him what the hell happened,and he said he thought you were Ava.Like I’d believe that.” So Noah had not given him the wrong account.Ethan had been lying from the start. He had taken my account,then later pushed the entire mistake onto one sentence:his friend had given him the wrong account. I was about to speak when a voice suddenly came from the door. “Noah.” Ethan stood there,his face cold.”What are you doing here?” Noah leaned back in his chair,smiling in that obnoxious way of his. “Talking sponsorship.Catching up with Lily.Is that a problem?” Ethan looked at me,his voice clearly holding back anger. “Since when are you two so close?” Before I could answer,Noah cut in first. “Earlier than you think.Closer than you want.” Ethan’s face darkened. “Lily,stay away from him.” That sentence was directed at me. I suddenly almost wanted to laugh. “What right do you have to tell me what to do?” Ethan stopped. “I’m only warning you.Noah doesn’t take relationships seriously.” The smile on Noah’s face faded too. “And you do?You’re so serious you have a girlfriend and still run around telling another girl who she can talk to.” The air froze. Footsteps sounded outside the door,and Ava walked over with a folder in her arms,just in time to see the three of us standing together. Her gaze landed on Noah first,then shifted to me. “Lily,I didn’t realize you and Noah were this close.” I explained,”We’ve only met a few times.I’m just here to deliver documents today.” Noah grinned.”I’m still working on it.Maybe someday I’ll be her boyfriend.” Ethan shot him a cold look.”Nobody asked about later.” Ava’s smile became a little strained.She linked her arm through Ethan’s. “Let’s go.” Ethan made a sound of agreement.Before leaving,he looked at me again. There was something complicated in his eyes that made me uncomfortable. I lowered my head and sorted the documents,pretending not to see it.

Watch👉 https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/20260720ZOQPUV3Mn2 🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “Novelix” app 🔍 search for “ni449359”, and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix

Kellan’s wolf howls — and it’s not for me. I’m standing under the full moon, and the future Alpha’s eyes are blazing gold. But he’s not looking at me. His whole body is being pulled toward the other end of the Ceremony grounds, toward Meadow — the Omega, the quiet girl who always sits at the edge of the pack. His wolf howls again. Raw. Guttural. Like something cracked open inside his chest. The Moon Goddess has spoken. Kellan and Meadow. True mates. I watch my brother Ronan sprint after him, shoulder-checking wolves out of his path. Flynn is right behind, clearing the way. Not toward me. Toward her. Kellan and I have been together eight years. Eight years of him telling me he’d mark me soon — not yet, not now, the timing isn’t right. I never pushed. Then a few weeks ago, he had Ronan sign me up for the Mating Ceremony behind my back. By the time I found out, it was too late to pull my name. “Just a formality,” he said. “If the Goddess pairs us, I’ll mark you that same night. It’s best blessing, isn’t?” I believed him. But lately something had been off. The way Kellan’s eyes lingered on her a beat too long at pack gatherings. The way he tensed when she stood too close. I noticed. I always noticed. I just told myself it didn’t mean anything. Now the Goddess didn’t pair us. She paired him with her. My scent is still drifting through the crowd. Unmatched. Unclaimed. I feel exposed — stripped bare on a stage no one’s watching anymore. Then I feel it. A pull. Not warm. Not safe. Something raw and jagged, like a hook dragging through my ribs. A howl rises from the far edge of the grounds — low, broken, starving. Gold eyes lock onto mine. Garrick Thane. The rogue who wandered onto our territory three moons ago. No pack. No rank. Three previous mates — all dead. His wolf is responding to my scent. I feel the bond trying to latch on — my wolf stirs, restless, confused. She wants to answer. My body wants to step forward. I don’t move. The Ceremony grounds go dead silent. Then the whispers start. “A Gamma’s daughter — Moon-paired with a rogue?” “Well… at least it matches.” The crowd parts as Kellan walks away with Meadow, Ronan and Flynn flanking them. Nobody looks back. The crowd is thinning out. Kellan, Meadow, Ronan, Flynn — they’ve already disappeared around the Elder’s tent. I follow, not sure what I’m going to say. Not sure what there is to say. Then I hear their voices. Kellan’s voice. Ronan’s. Flynn’s. Low. Careful. Pleased. “I knew it.” Kellan exhales like he’s been holding his breath for months. “I’ve been sensing her for weeks — every time Meadow walked past, my wolf went insane. I just needed the Ceremony to make it official.” Ronan keeps his voice down. “So that’s why you had me sign Briar up.” “If the Goddess confirms it in front of the whole pack, nobody can say I chose this. It’s not me leaving Briar — it’s the Goddess’s will.” Kellan pauses. “Who’s going to argue with that?” “What about my sister?” Kellan’s voice doesn’t waver. “She’s a Gamma’s daughter. No wolf is lining up for her. As long as she thinks nothing’s changed between us, she’ll stay.” “Worst case — she rejects the rogue. She’ll feel some pain. After that, she’s got no Moon-given mate. Nowhere to go. She’ll have no choice but to stay by my side.” Flynn laughs softly. “Just sweet-talk her a little. She’ll get over it. She always does.” I stand in the dark, and a bitter laugh scrapes out of me. So the Ceremony wasn’t a formality. It was a trap. He needed the Moon Goddess to hand him an excuse — and she did. Fine. If this is what the Goddess gives me, I’ll take it.

The walk home is short. When I push through the door, the smell of stew hits me first. Ronan gets to me before I’ve taken two steps inside. Voice low. “So? What are you going to do?” Dad and Mom both look up from the table. I hang my coat on the hook by the door. “Nothing.” Dad slams his mug down. “Eight years with the future Alpha, and you couldn’t even hold onto him at the Ceremony? How do you let something like this happen?” I don’t answer. I learned a long time ago — all he does is point fingers. He never stands up for me. Never once took my side. Maybe because Meadow is the daughter of his old flame. Anything involving that family, he bends over backward. Every single time. This time, none of it is my fault. Mom opens her mouth. All she does is push a bowl of stew closer to me. She’s never had a spine. Whatever Dad and Ronan say goes. I smile — thin and knowing. I stopped expecting her to speak up for me a long time ago. As long as she’s safe. That’s enough. Who I end up with doesn’t matter anymore. I’ve barely sat down when there’s a knock at the door. Ronan opens it. Kellan and Flynn walk in side by side. Meadow is right behind them. She steps inside and her whole face lights up when she sees my father. “I came to join dinner — is that okay?” Dad beams. “Of course. Sit down, sit down.” He pulls out a chair for her himself. By pack law, Kellan and Meadow are Moon-blessed. As for me — I didn’t accept Garrick’s claim. I didn’t reject it either. To everyone at this table, that’s not worth discussing. Meadow sits next to Kellan. He sets a cut of venison on her plate, then seems to remember I exist and drops something onto mine. “Briar. Eat.” I look down. Root vegetables. Overcooked, the way I’ve hated since I was a pup. He found his true mate tonight and he’s so happy he can’t even remember what I don’t eat? Ronan starts cracking jokes. “Did you see that rogue at the Ceremony? Garrick Thane actually showed up. What she-wolf would ever accept him?” Flynn jumps in. “No pack, no rank. Been on our territory less than three moons. And every mate he’s ever had? Dead.” Dad takes a slow sip from his mug. “The Goddess chose Kellan and Meadow. You can’t fight the Goddess’s will.” “Meadow and her mother have had it hard enough. Nobody is going to force them to reject a Moon-given bond.” He glances at Kellan. “The Moon Blessing would be held in two days. After that, things will settle. Briar will figure it out.” Mom’s eyes go red. She stares down at her plate. I’m about to tell her not to worry when Kellan takes my hand. His voice is patient. Almost rehearsed. “Briar, nobody wanted this. I didn’t expect my wolf to respond to Meadow.” “But nothing changes between us, okay? You’re still mine.” I take a sip of stew. “Okay.” He blinks. I never give in this fast. Before, I’d push back — make him coax me, reassure me, say it again. But he blinks once, and his hand slips out of mine. Quick. Relieved. Like setting down something heavy he’d been dreading. “Meadow, you alright?” Her cheeks flush. “My mom made me join the Ceremony. I didn’t have a choice either. I’m just glad it was you — at least you’re someone I know.” “I’ll go along with whatever you all decide.” They start planning. The bonding ceremony. The feast. The pack howl. Like this was always the plan. I finish eating in silence and set down my bowl. “You all keep talking. I’m done.” The chair scrapes the floor. The table goes quiet for a beat. As I walk away, I hear Meadow whisper, “Is she upset?” Kellan, calm and sure: “Don’t overthink it. Briar’s not the sensitive type. Probably just tired.” I slow for half a step. Tired. So that’s what it means now. It explains away everything — every last thing I’ve swallowed. And everyone at that table sleeps just fine.

I walk out into the yard. The moon is high but the light feels cold. “Briar.” Kellan comes after me. He still carries Meadow’s scent on his skin — soft, sweet, clinging. “You barely ate. Are you mad?” “Yes.” He lets out a short laugh. “Don’t be like that. The Goddess pairs it — nobody could’ve predicted what happened.” “I told you — nothing changes between us. You’re still—” “Kellan.” I cut him off. He stops. I look him in the eyes. “I told you from the start. I didn’t want to join the Mating Ceremony.” It’s ancient. Sacred. The Goddess reveals your true mate through scent. For thousands of years, the pack has honored this. I respect it. But I didn’t want to join — I already had a mate. Apparently I was the only one who thought that mattered. He stiffens. “It already happened. What’s the point of bringing this up now?” “Exactly. Nothing I say matters. Because you never listen.” That look — the one I’ve seen for eight years — slides across his face. Annoyed, but holding it in. He knows he’s in the wrong. He just doesn’t think being wrong means he has to bend. “Briar, what’s the point of dragging this out? It was the Goddess’s will, not mine. If you’re really that upset, I’ll talk to Meadow. We’ll smooth things over—” “Smooth things over?” I stare at him. “You heard my dad at dinner. Meadow can’t reject the bond. You want to put an Omega and her mother through that kind of pain? How are you going to smooth that over?” He pinches his temple. “Briar, be reasonable—” “Reasonable?” A laugh scrapes out of me. “I try to reason with my dad — he says I’m talking back. I try with my mom — she tells me not to make a fuss. I try with my brothers — they calls me petty. I thought it’d be different with you, Kellan. But you’re telling me to be reasonable too?” His mouth opens. “I’m not—” “You’re not listening. You just assume I’ll give in. Every time.” The way Dad assumes I’ll shut up. The way Mom assumes I’ll swallow it. The way Ronan assumes I’ll let it go. “Briar…” His voice goes soft. He reaches for me. I step back. Turn into the dark. His footsteps follow — two steps, then stop. Someone calls his name. Meadow’s voice, probably. Soft and worried. Or someone inside, wanting to talk about the ceremony. He doesn’t come after me. Three years ago, when he asked me to be his chosen mate, his eyes were full of light. Warm and sure and mine. I can’t even tell where that light went now. When I circle back to the yard, they’re gathered around the bonfire. Meadow pokes at the flames with a long stick, her face lit by the glow. “Kellan, do you think Briar minds us being out here…?” Ronan waves it off. “Forget about her. The more you tiptoe, the worse it gets. Just ignore her.” Flynn grins. “Kellan’s wolf answered your scent. If that’s not the Goddess’s will, what is?” Meadow’s cheeks burn. “Don’t say that — she’ll hear…” Kellan smiles but doesn’t correct a word. “I’m going to make sure it’s done right. You deserve that.” A Moon Blessing. A feast. A pack howl. Everything a she-wolf dreams of. Everything that was supposed to be mine. Meadow ducks her head. “But my mating cloak… there’s no time to have one made.” Ronan laughs. “Kellan already handled it. Briar’s cloak has been resized to fit you.” Meadow looks up. “Really? But what about Briar?” “She won’t need it.” Kellan’s voice is easy. He tucks a strand of hair behind Meadow’s ear. Firelight spills across his shoulders. I go still behind the old oak. That cloak. I had it commissioned from the old she-wolf who crafts the finest pelts. Kellan offered to take my measurements himself. It came back a little too tight. I thought it was an honest mistake. Now I know whose body he was measuring for. Meadow’s voice drops. “But nobody in this pack has been rejected by the Goddess in thirty years. She must be hurting so much…” Kellan looks at her — soft and sure, like she’s already his. “She worries about everyone when she almost got claimed by a stranger.” He tucks the hair tighter behind her ear. “Briar does what her family tells her. She’s got no Moon-given mate now, nowhere else to go. She’ll stay.” “Did she fight me earlier? She didn’t. She’s more scared of losing me than anything.” Meadow mumbles. “I just feel bad for her…” “Don’t.” He watches the fire. “She’s only giving up a title. She’ll still be by my side. That’s more than most Omegas get.” The night wind carries his voice and his laughter to where I stand. A chill crawls down my spine. Slow. One vertebra at a time. I shut everything down. And I walk straight in.

Everyone in the yard sees me at the same time. The voices cut in half. Kellan is standing by the bonfire, hands in his pockets. Meadow runs toward me and grabs my sleeve. “Briar! You’re back! I was just about to come find you—” I lift my hand to pull free. She stumbles backward with a gasp and drops to the ground. “Meadow!” Kellan crosses the yard in three strides. He shoves past me so hard I stagger back, my foot catches on the pile of burned-out logs from the bonfire, and I go down. My palm lands flat on the embers. The pain is instant — white-hot, searing through skin. My whole body curls inward. Ronan and Flynn rush over. All three of them crouch around Meadow like she’s made of glass, lifting her up, brushing dirt off her clothes. Nobody looks at me. Kellan turns. His eyes land on me, and all I see is anger. “What is wrong with you?” “Meadow was worried about you — worried you were out there alone. And the first thing you do when you come back is shove her?” The pain pulses up my arm in waves. Moonlight catches the blisters already swelling across my palm. He notices my hand. His voice drops half a degree. “…You okay?” I don’t look at him. I push myself off the ground on my own. A laugh scrapes out of me. “Worried about me? So worried she’s out here celebrating around a bonfire?” Kellan stiffens. “What are you talking about? A bonfire after the Ceremony is pack tradition.” Sure. Tradition. But what does any of it have to do with me? “Move.” My voice is quiet. His jaw tightens. “You shoved her and you’re walking away without even an apology?” I lift my head and look him straight in the eyes. My palm throbs with every heartbeat. “Apology?” I say. “Ask her. Did I touch her?” He doesn’t turn around. But behind him, Meadow sniffles — soft, barely there. That one sound swallows everything he was about to say. “Briar. For both our sakes — apologize. Now.” “If this is really for both our sakes,” I look at him, “then come with me. Right now.” “Reject the mate bond. Leave the pack. Forget the Ceremony, the Goddess blessing — all of it. Walk away with me. Do you dare?” His lips move. I wait for him to speak. Wait for him to step toward me. He hesitates. His head turns — just slightly — and I see what he sees. Meadow standing behind him, chin tilted up, watching him with those wide eyes. “Briar…” His voice sinks low. “Don’t push me like this. We don’t have to figure everything out tonight. Meadow, she’s—” “Forget it.” I cut him off and brush the ash from my clothes. “I was joking.” I already knew the answer. Why wait for him to say it out loud? I turn to leave. Behind me, Meadow’s voice wavers. “Her hand is burned — I’ll get the med kit—” Kellan catches her arm. His voice is a low rumble, thunder buried under skin. “Don’t. She shoved you first. She’s putting on a show. Don’t give her the satisfaction.” I push open the bedroom door and walk in. The footsteps outside fade. I sit on the edge of the bed and look at my hand. The burn sits right in the softest part of my palm. It hurts. It hurts so much that everything else has gone numb.

Watch👉 https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/20260720FmBcv3H9XJ 🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “Novelix” app 🔍 search for “ni612159”, and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix

The day Nina got her acceptance letter from City Werewolf Academy, Mom and Dad threw her a party — and made me work as a waitress. Mom shoved a tray loaded with drinks into my hands. “You couldn’t even get into Community Werewolf Academy. Sitting at the family table would only make people laugh. Might as well make yourself useful with the guests.” My brother Ethan frowned. “Getting in wasn’t easy for Nina. Nothing can go wrong today. If any Pack members ask about your scores, it’ll ruin the whole mood.” My boyfriend Caleb spoke flatly. “Ava. Today’s Nina’s big day. Don’t screw it up.” I clutched my backpack tighter. The strap dug into my shoulder until it hurt. When I was twelve, I placed first at the Silver Creek Pack training camp. Nina took it hard and slit her wrists that same night. The whole family decided I’d done it on purpose. To show off. After that, I learned to hide what I could do — filling in wrong answers on tests, deliberately finishing last in training. Six years. I turned myself into the well-known good-for-nothing of the Pack. Only the Final Trial gave me one chance to actually try. Right now they were gathered around Nina, their faces lit up like she was made of sunlight. And the words in my throat — I got into the Royal Elite Werewolf Academy — I swallowed them back down. If they found me an eyesore, then there was no point mentioning that I had to report in three days. … Seeing I hadn’t moved, Ethan tossed a stained, mildew-smelling uniform at me. “Your grades are trash. You can at least manage waitress work, can’t you?” I looked up. In the center of the hall, gold balloons spelled out the words that made my eyes ache: CONGRATULATIONS NINA — CITY WEREWOLF ACADEMY Ethan had put them up himself that morning. I wanted to ask him: if it had been me who got in, would any of this exist? Before I could speak, Mom’s voice hit me again. “Ava. If anyone asks later, do not tell them you couldn’t even get into Community Werewolf Academy.” She was afraid I’d embarrass her. But she seemed to have forgotten. Back when Nina first came to us, she’d seen my perfect test papers and my Trial certificates, and she’d sobbed into Mom’s arms: “Ava’s so amazing. I don’t deserve to be part of this family.” She slit her wrists that same night. Mom was the first to turn on me. “You knew Nina had just lost her parents. Why would you provoke her? Did you have to show off?” She tore up my certificates. Right in front of Nina. It hurt. But I understood, too. Nina’s parents had once saved her and Dad. For the sake of this family, I hid my claws and became what they saw — lazy, useless. I dug my fingernails into my palm and said softly, “Okay.” Dad nodded, satisfied. “Bad grades — well, we’re your parents, we’ll figure something out. Spend a little more, get you into a decent Community Werewolf Academy.” Something struck me hard in the chest. Nina’s grades had always been shaky, so before the exams they’d already lined up a private academy as her fallback. Back then they’d said: “Community Werewolf Academy is nothing to be proud of. Even at her worst, Nina has to go somewhere good.” “That’s not necessary. I’ve already —” I tried to say. I already got in. “Auntie, before people start showing up — let’s take a photo with Nina!” Caleb’s voice sailed right over mine. “Ava. Come take the picture.” He ordered it, pushing the camera into my hand. Mom and Dad flanked Nina; Ethan and Caleb stood behind her. A perfect composition. No spot for me. I swallowed and pressed the shutter, mechanical as a machine. When I handed the camera back, I asked Caleb quietly, “Could we take one, too?” Royal Elite Werewolf Academy is a closed campus. Several states away. I wanted a picture of him to take with me. Caleb paused, then let out a small, mocking laugh. “Aren’t your parents sending you to that Community Werewolf Academy nearby? We’ll see each other all the time — why bother?” But Nina was going to City Academy. He’d happily pose with her, shot after shot. For me, even one photo was too much trouble. Whatever hope I still had left in my chest went cold. My eyes fell to my backpack. Inside was the acceptance packet from Royal Elite Werewolf Academy. I’d wanted him to be the first to know. Now I was grateful I’d said nothing at all.

When the party ended, Mom threw a rag at me and told me to clean, then piled all the cash and checks the Pack members had brought straight in front of Nina. “Starter funds. If it’s not enough, tell your dad and me.” Dad, smiling, added a card of his own to the pile. Nina hugged Mom, all sugar. “Mom, Dad — you’re the best. I’m so lucky to be your daughter.” She glanced my way. “Ava’s going to school soon too. Should I split it with her, half and half?” Mom patted her indulgently. “You earned that yourself. Why would you give it to her?” Only then did she turn to me, sighing. “Ava, don’t be jealous. You’ve been a disgrace these past few years. With your Final Trial score, throwing you a party would only get us laughed at.” “Once we’ve arranged Community Werewolf Academy for you, you’ll work while you study. Feed yourself. Stop expecting the family to carry you.” Casual tone. Casual disdain. It cut anyway. The pressure in my chest went tighter. I was tired. Tired of hiding, tired of playing the fool. At sixteen, I’d wanted to test them. During the training camp evaluations, I used only half my strength — just enough to place one rank above Nina. Nina came home and cried for a whole day. “I’m so stupid. I stayed up all night training and barely scraped into the top twenty. Ava does it once and she’s better than me.” Mom and Dad spent hours soothing her. In the end, Mom looked at me with tired disappointment. “Ava. We want you to do better. But you can’t cheat just to steal attention.” In that moment, all I felt was exhaustion. Do well — they said I was hurting Nina. Do badly — they called me useless. Try to test the waters — they called it cheating. There was no right answer. Ethan hauled out an entire set of gifts for Nina: brand-new laptop, tablet, phone. Nina squealed and threw her arms around him. “Ethan! You got me all this? I love you so much!” I looked at the pile, and something in my blood went slowly cold. The night before, Ethan had given me a “gift” too — his three-month-old laptop. “Still practically new. Something too fancy would just be wasted on you. Make do for a few years.” That was always how it went. The best for Nina. Whatever’s left over for me. He seemed to have forgotten I was the one who was actually his sister. I turned to leave for my room. Nina followed. “Ava, everyone gave me presents. Where’s yours?” I hated Nina. And now, since I was about to leave, I didn’t feel like swallowing it anymore. I said flatly, “I don’t have one.” Nina blinked, then smiled again. “I know you can’t afford anything expensive. Just give me any little thing. It’s fine.” She walked in as she spoke, her eyes locking onto the rocket model on my desk. “Dad made that for me. You can’t have it.” I reached out to stop her, but she was faster. The model was already in her hand. My heart shot straight up into my throat.

“Ava, I want this one. If I keep it in my dorm, I’ll think of you.” “No! Put it down!” My voice shot up before I could stop it. That model had been my tenth-birthday present, made by Dad, back before Nina came. That day I’d told him, “I’m going to get into the best werewolf academy. I’m going to learn how to build rockets.” After that, Mom and Dad’s hearts belonged entirely to Nina. Through all those years of hiding what I was capable of, that model was what kept my aviation dream alive. And I had done it. I’d gotten into Royal Elite Werewolf Academy — Aviation Defense track. The commotion pulled everyone in. The second Dad saw Nina’s red-rimmed eyes, the accusation came out on reflex. “Ava, are you picking on Nina again? A cheap little model — do you really have to be that petty?” So he’d known Nina wanted it. My fists tightened. “It’s not a model. It’s my dream.” Ethan laughed. “With your grades? You’re lucky any academy will take you. And you’re dreaming about aviation?” Caleb laughed too. “Ava, Aviation Defense isn’t something you can touch. If you like it that much, I’ll buy you a few models to play with.” I ignored them and looked only at Dad. “When I was little, I told you my dream. You said you were behind me.” Dad hesitated, then his face soured with impatience. “So what if you have a dream? Royal Elite Werewolf Academy only takes the top of the top. You think dreaming gets you in?” The air froze for two seconds. So it wasn’t just favoritism. They were mocking my dream, too. I turned to Nina, my voice unnaturally calm. “You’re right. I was being petty. If you want it, take it.” As long as it made her happy, I should give way. I should have known that a long time ago. Once they were all gone, I locked my door from the inside. Booked a flight for the day after tomorrow. Slid the acceptance packet into a folder. The next morning, after breakfast, Caleb came over. He was carrying two bags. The pretty one, he handed to Nina. “Your gift. I forgot to bring it yesterday.” Nina tore it open, thrilled. A diamond necklace. “It’s beautiful! Caleb, put it on me!” Caleb tossed the other bag at me without looking, then walked over behind Nina, smiling as he fastened the clasp at her nape. That smile stung my eyes. I opened my mouth. Closed it. Said nothing. That necklace. It was the one I’d picked out. Caleb had been in a good mood that day. He’d said, “When you get into a werewolf academy, I’ll buy it for you. You’re my girlfriend, aren’t you?” The day the Final Trial scores came out, I wanted to tell him I’d done well. But everyone was cheering for Nina. No one asked me. Even Caleb had quietly accepted that I couldn’t even make it into Community Werewolf Academy. And now — the thing he’d promised me, he’d given to her. Necklace secured, Caleb finally turned to look at me. “Ava, this is study material for you. Your foundation’s weak. Don’t waste yourself once you’re at Community Academy. Work hard — maybe you can transfer to the city.” I stared at him for a long time. My throat ached with the pressure of everything sitting in it. In the end, all I said was: “Caleb. As of today, we’re done.” Caleb froze. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I didn’t answer. I threw the bag on the table and walked out. Behind me, Ethan’s irritated voice carried through the hall. “She loses it over the tiniest thing. She’s got nothing on Nina. Let her go. Don’t chase her.” My feet paused a moment. Then I stepped through the front door. I wandered outside all day. No one called. Around dusk, one text from Mom: Get home. Now. Nothing else. Not a word more. I wiped the corner of my eye, and suddenly I laughed. What was I still hoping for, exactly? When I got home to pack, I pushed open the door — and my room looked like it had been ransacked. The folder on the desk. The one with my acceptance packet. It was gone. My brain whited out. The next second, Nina appeared in the doorway, looking pleased with herself, like she was waiting for a thank-you.

Watch👉 https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/20260720cF3qLALaOP 🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “Novelix” app 🔍 search for “ni026123”, and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix

At a college alumni dinner,someone brought up happy marriages and suggested we all place our phones in the center of the table. Whoever got the first call from her husband to pick her up would be the happiest woman there that night. Everyone assumed it would be me. Instead,the first phone to light up belonged to Selena,Nora’s younger sister. She reached for it with a smile,and I saw the number on the screen. It was exactly the same as my husband Ethan’s. I was sitting beside her,close enough to hear Ethan’s voice through the phone. “Why aren’t you at the apartment?” Selena smiled sweetly. “I was bored at home,so I came to Nora’s alumni dinner with her.It’s almost over.” “You’re pregnant.Don’t tire yourself out.I’m coming to get you now.” My fingers went cold. Soon,everyone else’s phones began ringing one after another. Mine stayed dark. Selena seemed to be kindly helping me out. “Nora told me Chloe’s husband is an investment banking executive.He must still be busy.” I looked up at her. “He’s already on his way.You’ll see him soon.” ……… “When Chloe’s husband gets here,you’ll see how much he adores her.” The one who said that was Mia,my college roommate. Over the years,she had watched Ethan and me go from dating to marriage. Ethan was transparent about his salary,reported his schedule,and treated both me and my parents with care. In seven years of marriage,he had never even raised his voice at me. And yet this was the man who had built another home outside our marriage. I forced down my emotions and deliberately turned the conversation back to Selena. “The first man to call must be the one who loves his wife most.” Everyone’s eyes fell on Selena. She wore a Chanel suit,a Patek Philippe on her wrist,and an Hermès Birkin by her hand. Every inch of her looked carefully maintained by money. Someone asked,”Selena,what does your husband do?” She smiled. “He works on Wall Street.The pay is decent.His family’s old house was bought out by a developer a couple of years ago,so he has a little cushion.” My chest sank. Ethan’s family did have an old townhouse. Two years ago,his parents moved in with us and said they would not be going back to the old neighborhood,so they sold the house. I kept my tone casual. “How much did it sell for?My relatives are negotiating a buyout too.I wanted a reference.” “A little over 1.3 million dollars.Not that much.” Nora immediately joined in. “You have no idea how lucky Selena is.Her husband gave her all the money from the sale.” “Her mother-in-law Margaret adores her too.The first time they met,she gave Selena the emerald pendant necklace that’s been passed down in the family.”

Nora nudged Selena. “Take it out.Let everyone see it.” Selena took an emerald pendant necklace from her bag. The center stone was clear and vivid,ringed with small diamonds. Under the table,my hands clenched. I had seen that necklace when I married Ethan. Ethan’s relatives had laughed and said it was the piece the Walker family passed down to the new Mrs.Walker.One day,it would be mine. Last Thanksgiving,his aunt had brought it up on purpose. “Chloe has been married into this family for seven years.Are you still not giving her that necklace?” Margaret’s face had stiffened. Ethan smoothed it over for her. “There’s no rush.Chloe understands.She said it can be passed down later.” I had never said that. For seven years,Margaret and I had no open conflict. When she was hospitalized,I took time off to care for her.When she moved into my home,I never complained. But she was always distant with me,and she was just as cold toward my son,Noah. So she was not slow to warm up. She had simply accepted another woman as Ethan’s wife long ago. I pretended to gossip. “How long have you been married?Margaret treats you so well.” “One year.”Selena lowered her head and smiled.”Ethan’s parents are wonderful to me.” Someone asked how she and her husband had met. Nora rushed to answer. “Selena used to be a consultant at a wellness center.She’s honest and knows how to charm older people.Margaret really liked her.” Selena added,”I met Ethan because I knew Margaret first.If she hadn’t brought us together,Ethan and I wouldn’t have gotten together so quickly.” My nails dug into my palm. The woman I had called Mom for seven years had built another family for my husband with her own hands. Nora was still gushing. “Margaret is so generous.She gives Selena her pension and investment dividends to spend.” I finally understood. After Ethan and I got married,Margaret asked us for three thousand dollars a month for living expenses,saying she and father-in-law William had no steady income. Ethan and I both earned well,so we had paid it for seven years. It turned out they were not broke. They were using my money to subsidize another woman.

Nora kept going. “That’s not all.Ethan’s parents have already prepared the down payment for a house in a good school district and an education trust for the baby.” Everyone around the table looked envious. I kept my voice low. “Ethan’s parents must have a lot saved.” Selena shook her head. “It’s mostly Ethan.Every month he gives them half his salary and says it’s for the baby’s education trust.” My throat tightened. Starting from the first month after our wedding,Ethan had also split his salary in half. Half went to me,and half went to Margaret. He said that money was for Noah’s education fund. I had never doubted him. After all,Noah was her grandson too. Only now did I realize that money had gone into the account for the child in Selena’s belly. Just then,my phone rang. Nora led the teasing. “Chloe’s husband is calling!” But the screen showed:My Sweet Boy. I answered.Noah’s hurt voice came through. “Mom,Dad lied to me again.He promised he’d take me to Disneyland tomorrow,but Grandma just said he has another business trip.” He sniffed. It felt as if my heart had been crushed. This past year,Ethan had barely spent time with our son. He said he was busy,said he was traveling,said the market was bad and we had to save money. The Orlando Disney trip became a local amusement park,and in the end,even that local amusement park was canceled. He had missed our wedding anniversary too. I had kept making excuses for him. Only tonight did I learn that he did have time,He had simply given it to someone else. I comforted my son softly. “Noah,be good.Mommy will make Dad give you an answer.” After I hung up,someone tried to smooth things over. “Chloe,Your husband’s busy because the company values him.” I smiled. “Yes.I’m used to it.”

Watch👉 https://cps-front.novelix.live/app-api/ext/new/20260720ex0R3l93jw 🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “Novelix” app 🔍 search for “ni555621”, and watch the full series ✨! #Novelix

Three of us were having dinner. Hudson took the menu and looked at Fiona first. “Your stomach has been sensitive lately. Should we order something light?” Fiona pouted, whining that she wanted something spicy. He chuckled. “Fine, but only mild spicy.” I sat across from them, remaining silent. I had been battling a severe stomach ulcer for three months. Last week, I sent him my follow-up report. He only replied with a single word: [Okay.] The waitress turned to me. “And for you, sweetie?” “Anything is fine,” I said. Soon, the table was filled with spicy dishes. Hudson picked up his fork and knife, carefully flaking off a piece of grilled fish, and placed it into Fiona’s plate. “Careful, it’s hot.” I held my glass of lukewarm water, staring at his profile. Three years ago, he used to treat me with the exact same tenderness. I used to think those sweet habits belonged to me. I didn’t know habits could pack up and move to someone else. He looked up and glanced at me. “Why aren’t you eating?” “Not hungry.” He frowned. “Your attitude has been getting weirder and weirder lately.” I didn’t reply. It wasn’t a weird attitude. It was just that I had stopped telling him what I wanted to eat a long time ago. Speaking up was pointless anyway, so I eventually chose silence.

“Ouch! That hurts!” Fiona suddenly covered her mouth, her brows furrowed in pain. Hudson stood up so fast his chair screeched back half a foot. “How could you be so careless?” “The bones in this fish are too tiny. I didn’t see them,” Fiona said, her eyes welling up with tears. “Open your mouth. Let me see where it’s stuck.” Hudson leaned over the table. “It’s on your tongue. Not too deep. I can get it out for you.” They were so close. Hudson turned on his phone flashlight to inspect her mouth. Sitting across from them, the pungent smell of chili from the dishes invaded my nose. My stomach acid churned violently. I pressed my hand firmly against my abdomen. No one spared me a single glance. I unlocked my phone. Our chat from last week was still sitting there quietly. [The test results are out. The doctor said it doesn’t look good. Please take a look when you have a minute.] [Okay.] Below that, there was nothing else. “Better now? The bone is out,” Hudson said, sitting back down. “Want to swallow some bread? Or drink some lemon juice? I’ll be more careful cleaning the fish for you next time.” “I don’t want any more fish. I’m scared,” Fiona complained softly. “Then eat something else. This fried chicken has no bones.” He picked up his fork and put a chicken drumstick into her plate. “Thank you, Hudson. You’re the best.” Fiona smiled sweetly. She then turned to me, a hint of triumph in her eyes. “Angie, are you really not going to eat anything?” “Not hungry.” I took a small sip of my warm water. “Is the food here not to your liking?” “If I had known, I would have insisted we go to that Mexican place you like.” “It’s fine.” Hudson suddenly slammed his fork down, his face darkening. “Angie, who are you pulling that face for?” I looked up at him. “I’m not pulling a face.” “Fiona is just trying to be nice. What’s with the attitude?” “My stomach hurts.” “If it hurts, go buy some meds. Don’t ruin the mood for everyone else here.” I looked at him, finding it almost funny. Three years. He completely forgot that I got this chronic stomach ulcer from staying up late with him for months to help him finish his startup project. “I need to use the restroom,” I said, standing up. “Make it quick. I’m ready to pay the bill,” Hudson said without looking up. I walked into the restroom, gripped the sink, and dry-heaved twice. Nothing came up but burning stomach acid. I splashed cold water on my face and stared at my pale reflection in the mirror. My phone buzzed. It was a message from my doctor. [Miss Angie, your new biopsy report is ready. I strongly suggest you come to the clinic as soon as possible.] I dried my hands and walked back to the dining area. Hudson had already paid. He was gently draping a camel coat over Fiona’s shoulders. “It’s chilly tonight. Don’t catch a cold.” Fiona snuggled into the coat. “Hudson’s coat is so warm.” Hudson turned and saw me, his brow furrowing slightly. “Let’s go. What are you standing there for?” Outside the restaurant, the freezing winter wind hit my face. I shivered. While Hudson went to the parking lot to get the car, Fiona stood next to me. “Angie, don’t be mad at Hudson.” “He just has a short temper, but he’s a really good guy.” “Before my dad passed away, he made Hudson promise to look after me. Hudson keeps his word. He’s a man of honor.” “Moving from my hometown to LA three years ago hasn’t been easy. I don’t know what I would’ve done without him.” She stared at the direction Hudson went. “I’m not mad,” I replied. “Good. I was worried you’d misunderstand our relationship.” “I won’t.” The car pulled up. Hudson rolled down the window. “Get in.” Fiona opened the passenger door and slid inside naturally. I opened the back door and sat in the shadows of the backseat. The car was playing the soft indie music Fiona liked. “I’ll drop Fiona off first,” Hudson said as he started the engine. “Thanks, Hudson. Sorry to trouble you.” “No trouble. It’s on the way.” It wasn’t on the way. Fiona lived on the east side of the city. I lived on the west. But I said nothing. When we arrived at Fiona’s apartment building, Hudson parked the car. “I’ll walk you up.” “No need! I can walk myself.” “It’s late. It’s not safe.” They both got out of the car. I sat in the dark vehicle, watching them walk side-by-side into the building entrance. It took ten minutes for Hudson to return. “Why didn’t you turn up the heater?” He glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “I’m not cold.” He didn’t push further and started driving. “Tomorrow is the weekend. Any plans?” he asked casually. “No.” “Perfect. Come help me move Fiona’s stuff tomorrow.” “She’s a girl, she has too many boxes to carry by herself.” I stared out the window. “Okay.” I gripped my phone, opened my chat with Hudson, and typed: [The doctor wants me to go to the hospital. My biopsy results are out.] My thumb hovered over the send button for a long time. After a moment, I deleted the message, letter by letter. Forget it. He would only reply with an “Okay.”

“It’s intestinal metaplasia. It’s a precancerous lesion,” Dr. Evans said, looking at me with a serious expression. “It doesn’t mean it will definitely turn into cancer, but we must treat it seriously.” “No spicy or irritating food. Eat regular meals. Regular check-ups. Surgery might be needed if things worsen.” “What if I leave it untreated?” I asked. “You’re still young, Angie. Don’t gamble with your life.” Dr. Evans handed me the report. I took it. Stepping out of the clinic, the afternoon sun felt blindingly hot. I dialed Hudson’s number. It rang eight times before he finally picked up. “What’s up?” Hudson’s voice sounded clearly annoyed. In the background, Fiona was giggling. “Hudson, should we put this cabinet here?” “I went to the hospital today…” I started. “Are you okay? Oh, right.” Hudson cut me off. “I told you yesterday, Fiona needs help moving today. Since you’re free, come over and help her pack.” I fell silent. “Hello? Lost your tongue again?” “Okay.” “Great. Ten tomorrow morning. I’ll text you the address.” The line went dead. I looked at the call duration: twenty-four seconds. He didn’t ask why I went to the hospital. He didn’t even ask if I was okay. The next day, I went to Fiona’s new apartment. Hudson was using a screwdriver to assemble a wardrobe for Fiona. Fiona, wearing an apron, poked her head out of the kitchen. “Angie! You’re here!” “Could you help me wash those new plates and bowls? I just bought them.” I walked over and rolled up my sleeves. The tap water was ice-cold, stinging my skin. “Hudson, you have to cook the very first meal in my new home, okay?” Fiona leaned against the kitchen doorframe. “Sure. What do you want?” Hudson asked without looking up. “Spicy roast chicken!” Hudson put down his screwdriver and turned to look at me. “Angie, be a sweetheart and run to the grocery store to grab some ingredients.” The plate in my hand slipped, clattering against the edge of the sink with a dull thud. Cooking a housewarming dinner for another woman, and sending me to do the grocery run. “Okay,” I said. During our three years together, I had become too accustomed to saying “okay.” As I walked out of the apartment, a dull pain began to bloom in my stomach. On my way back from the grocery store, the pain intensified. I had to squat down by a flowerbed on the street, cold sweat drenching my back. I waited there for ten minutes before I could barely stand up again. An hour later, Hudson served the steaming, aromatic roast chicken. The spicy scent filled the air, triggering a sharp sting in my stomach. He carved a large piece of chicken and placed it in Fiona’s bowl. “Try this. I made sure to put less chili for you.” He remembered to put less spice for Fiona. But at our dinners, he had never once remembered my condition. I stood up and grabbed my purse. “I’m going home. My stomach feels a bit off.” Hudson looked up at me briefly, then went back to serving Fiona. “Drink some warm water when you get back.” “Angie, are you sure you don’t want to stay? It tastes amazing!” Fiona asked with a fake pout. “No, thank you.” That night, the stomach pain was so bad I couldn’t even lie flat. I curled up on the sofa. My phone screen lit up. Hudson had posted on his Instagram. In the photo, he and Fiona were holding wine glasses, smiling brightly. The caption read: [New home, new beginnings. ] The comment section was bustling. [Is she your girlfriend?] [She’s gorgeous!] Hudson didn’t reply to any of them, nor did he deny it. I searched through all my drawers but couldn’t find my stomach meds. I opened my chat with Hudson. [My stomach hurts really badly.] I stared at the screen for ten seconds, then deleted it. The next morning, I received an official email from my company. The headquarters in Finland was looking for an exchange financial analyst for a joint research project. The contract was for three years. In the attachment, the contact person’s name was Albert Davis. I stared at that email for a long time. Three years. Far enough, long enough. My phone vibrated. It was Hudson. “What is wrong with you?” “I told you, I wasn’t feeling well.” “You always complain about that minor stomach issue. Aren’t you tired of it?” “Fiona thought she made you feel unwelcome. She felt guilty all night.” “She felt guilty? For what?” “Why are you always so cold-blooded, Angie?” “Me? Cold-blooded?” I asked back. “Whatever. I don’t have time to argue with you,” Hudson said, his voice dripping with frustration. “I won’t be coming home tonight. Fiona still has some things that need setting up.” “Up to you.” I hung up. A voice message from Albert popped up on my WhatsApp. “Angie, have you thought about the offer?” I opened the email reply box and typed: [I accept the offer.]

“Let’s go watch a movie this weekend,” Hudson said as he changed his shoes at the door. “I don’t feel like it.” I didn’t look up from my laptop, continuing to organize my transition files. “Fiona gave me two tickets. She said it’s a great movie.” “You two go.” “She has her own ticket. The three of us are going together.” Hudson walked over and closed my laptop shut. “Stop locking yourself in the house all day. No wonder you have such a bad attitude lately.” I stared at him. “Okay.” It wasn’t until we reached the theater that I realized it was a horror movie. Fiona held a tub of popcorn, looking completely innocent. “Angie, aren’t you scared? I have the worst courage.” “No.” The lights dimmed. Within the first ten minutes, Fiona let out a sharp shriek. She threw herself toward Hudson, grabbing his arm tightly and burying her face in his shoulder. Hudson didn’t push her away. Instead, he gently patted her back. “It’s okay. It’s just CGI,” his voice was incredibly gentle. I sat on his other side, separated by the armrest where his jacket lay. When the movie ended, Fiona turned to me. “Angie, were you really not scared at all?” “No.” Hudson cut in. “She’s tough. She never needs anyone to worry about her.” Right. Because even if I did, it wouldn’t be his turn to worry. The cold wind outside the theater made my stomach cramp again. “Let’s grab a late-night snack,” Hudson suggested. As we passed a Mexican restaurant, I stopped. I had asked Hudson to take me here three times. Every time, he said “next time.” I didn’t say anything and kept walking. “That one!” Fiona pointed at a seafood bistro ahead. “I’ve been dying to try that place!” Without hesitation, Hudson steered us inside. Once we were seated, the table was loaded with spicy seafood. In front of me sat a glass of warm water. Fiona bit into a spicy crab leg and suddenly spoke up. “Angie, are you on a diet?” “I noticed you barely touched your food during our last few dinners.” Before I could answer, she giggled. “But I guess it’s good. Girls look better in clothes when they’re skinny.” Hudson didn’t object. He actually agreed. “She’s always been like this. Eats like a bird.” It wasn’t because I ate like a bird. It was because I couldn’t eat a single dish you ordered. The strong scent of spices hit my nose, worsening the spasms in my stomach. I clenched my hands on my lap. I suddenly realized something with painful clarity. He hadn’t forgotten that I couldn’t eat spicy food. He simply didn’t care enough to know. When we got home, I rushed to the bathroom and threw up. There were traces of blood in the toilet bowl. My phone rang. “Home?” Hudson’s voice came through. “Yes.” “Get some sleep.” The call ended. Call duration: eight seconds. The next day, we had a Zoom meeting. Albert briefly introduced the project on the screen. At the end, he added, “Angie, if you have any concerns about moving to Finland, let me know anytime.” “No concerns at all.” After closing the Zoom call, several voice messages popped up on my WhatsApp. They were from Fiona. “Angie, I want to tell you something, but please don’t get mad at me.” “When Hudson drove me home yesterday, he said you’ve been so cold lately.” “He felt really hurt.” “Maybe you should show him a little more affection?” I looked at the screen and suddenly laughed. He felt hurt. Okay. I opened my work email and clicked [Confirm Transfer]. That evening, Hudson came home. I was packing my documents in the study. “Next weekend, I’m taking you and Fiona to a hot spring resort upstate to relax,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “I’m not going.” “What is it this time?” He frowned. I took the medical reports, doctors’ instructions, and biopsy results from the drawer, stacked them neatly, and placed them on the corner of the desk. “If you have time, read these.” He glanced at them but didn’t pick them up. “Yeah, I’ll look at them later. First, about next weekend…” “I’m tired, Hudson.” I stood up, walked into the bedroom, and locked the door behind me. “Are you throwing another tantrum?!” His angry, muffled voice came from the hallway. I ignored him.

“Table for two, this way please,” the waitress smiled warmly. “Three,” Hudson corrected. The waitress looked behind them, her eyes finally landing on me. She apologized awkwardly. It was Fiona’s birthday dinner, and Hudson had booked a high-end Japanese restaurant. Fiona held Hudson’s arm as they walked in. I walked behind them with my head down, looking like an unwanted shadow. After sitting down, Hudson handed the menu to Fiona. “Order whatever you like.” Fiona pointed at the menu. “The premium sashimi platter, Wagyu sukiyaki, and eel rice.” Hudson finally looked at me. “What do you want?” “A bowl of simple green tea rice.” Hudson frowned. “That’s it?” “Yes.” I didn’t elaborate. Halfway through the dinner, Hudson put down his utensils and pulled a velvet box from his pocket. “Happy birthday, Fiona.” Fiona gasped, covering her mouth. “Oh my god! It’s beautiful!” It was a diamond necklace. I watched the scene quietly. A month ago, it was my birthday. Hudson forgot. I didn’t remind him. He only remembered three days later. He Venmoed me some money with the note [Belated birthday gift]. I didn’t accept the money, and he never asked about it again. Fiona touched the necklace, smiling at me. “Angie, you’re so lucky. Hudson is always so thoughtful. I’m so touched.” I raised my teacup. “Happy birthday.” My phone buzzed. It was an email from Albert. [Your visa has been approved. Departure in three weeks.] I read the email and locked my screen. Looking up, I saw Hudson gently wiping a smudge of sauce from the corner of Fiona’s mouth with a napkin. In this relationship, I was like a piece of luggage forgotten in a corner. The owner walked past it every day, never looking at it, but always assuming it would be there forever. I set down my cup. My voice was calm. “Hudson.” He looked at me. I met his eyes. He used to look at me with the exact same eyes three years ago, filled with warmth. But now, that warmth had moved out. “Let’s break up.” The air froze for two seconds. Fiona’s fork clattered loudly onto her plate. Hudson’s expression shifted from confusion to offended rage. “What did you say?” “Let’s break up,” I repeated. He let out a cold laugh. “Are you seriously picking today of all days to start a fight?” “I’m not fighting.” I stood up and grabbed my coat. “I’m moving to Finland next month. It’s a three-year transfer.” “We are done.” Hudson stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. “Angie, have you lost your mind? Throwing away three years of our relationship just like that?” “Three years?” I looked back at him, my voice barely a whisper. “In these three years, count how many times you’ve replied to me with just ‘Okay’. Go check our chat history.” I turned toward the door. Hudson’s voice roared behind me. “Angie, stop right there!” “Angie!” Fiona grabbed Hudson’s arm, her eyes red. “Hudson, don’t yell at her. Maybe she’s just emotional right now…” I pushed open the restaurant door, and the winter wind rushed over me. My phone buzzed. A text from Hudson: [Come back. We need to talk.] I didn’t reply. I hailed a cab and gave the driver the hospital’s address. “Going to the ER, kiddo?” the driver asked. “Yeah.” My stomach was screaming in pain again. But my heart felt absolutely nothing.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “444246”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Three years ago, my husband, Julian Rodriguez, allegedly died in a car crash to save me. My own mother, Betty, immediately sued me on behalf of his family. Wishing for death, I didn’t even hire a lawyer. I signed the plea deal and walked straight into prison. For three long years, I tried to end my life more times than I could count in that cold cell. But today, the day of my release, I stood on the street and saw a giant billboard broadcasting Julian’s “wedding of the century” to my younger sister, Hailey. My life was completely ruined, and as I would soon find out, my daughter had been diagnosed with an incurable illness. I rushed to the wedding venue, only to be dragged out like a crazy person. My mother, Betty, hurried out behind me, glaring at me. She warned me not to ruin Hailey’s big day. “To be honest with you, Sophia, Julian didn’t die.” “We faked the car crash. Hailey was already pregnant with his baby back then.” “We had no choice. We couldn’t let Hailey be labeled a homewrecker and have people gossip about her.” “Now that you’re out, just forget the past and move on.” “Move on?” I stared at Betty. I couldn’t reconcile this cold woman with the mother who had held me three years ago, sobbing and claiming she wished she could go to prison in my place. “My life is ruined. Everything I had is gone. And you’re telling me to just forget it?” I pulled up my sleeves, revealing the countless ugly scars on my wrists from my suicide attempts in prison. I wanted to scream, to ask them why they did this to me. But Betty just slapped me across the face. “Have you not thrown enough tantrums? Did three years in prison not beat that stubbornness out of you?” “Why can’t you just let Hailey have this?” “You’re already miserable. Do you have to ruin Hailey’s happiness too?”

I had nothing to say to Betty. My chest throbbed with a suffocating, piercing pain. I wiped my tears and struggled to get past her. The wedding was magnificent—far grander than the one Julian had given me. The guests were dressed in glamorous gowns and tuxedos. Hailey’s wedding dress shimmered brilliantly under the spotlight. Standing right beside them was a little boy, about three years old. Guided by the officiant, he was carrying the wedding rings. “And now, would the groom and bride please exchange rings, the symbol of their eternal love.” Thunderous applause erupted in the hall. “Stop!” I screamed. The entire room went dead silent. All eyes turned to me. Before I could take another step, security guards rushed in and dragged me away. Betty smiled warmly, turning to the crowd. “I am so sorry, everyone. This is just a homeless woman from the street.” “The security team made a mistake and let her slip in. I’ll have her removed immediately.” Disgusted whispers broke out. “Ugh, a homeless person? No wonder it smells so bad in here.” “Today is Julian and Hailey’s wedding of the century. Some people really have no shame, trying to crash an event like this.” “Exactly. I bet she just wanted free food.” With sneers and mocking glares raining down on me, I was carried out. Julian’s eyes brushed over me for a fraction of a second before he looked away, completely indifferent. Inside, they slid the rings of eternal love onto each other’s fingers. Outside, I was thrown onto the cold, hard pavement. My mother’s emerald-green heels appeared in my field of vision. She frowned deeply. “Sophia, how many times do I have to tell you? Today is Hailey’s wedding. Did you really have to come here to ruin it?” “What about you guys? You lied to me for three years! You let me rot in prison for a lie! Doesn’t your conscience hurt?!” I screamed, my voice raw. Betty’s frown tightened. “We had no choice, Sophia. Why can’t you understand that?” “Go home right now. If you don’t, you will never see Lily again.” Lily… Lily was the baby girl I gave birth to three years ago, right before I went to prison. My parents had promised they would take good care of her. “Where is Lily? What did you do to her?” At my question, a flicker of guilt crossed my mother’s face. She looked away, refusing to answer. Panic seized my chest. I didn’t care about anything else anymore. I scrambled up and ran toward our family home. The passcode to the front door hadn’t changed. I pushed it open. A maid was cleaning the living room. When she saw me, she gasped in horror. “Miss Sophia? How… why are you here? Weren’t you…” “Where is Lily?!” I rushed forward and grabbed her shoulders. Terrified, the maid stammered, but her eyes kept darting toward the basement door. I sprinted down and kicked the door open. In the darkest corner of the damp basement, a tiny figure was curled into a ball. Hearing the door slam, her little body shook violently. “Don’t hit me! I’ll be good, Aunt Hailey! Please don’t hit me!” “Lily, it’s me… it’s Mommy.” Tears flooded my eyes. I rushed over and pulled her into my arms. She was so thin, her bones sticking out painfully. I wasn’t here for three years. How on earth did they treat my baby girl?! “M-Mommy?” The little girl peeked out from under her arms, her eyes wide and timid. Once she realized it was really me, she threw herself into my chest, sobbing. “Mommy, you’re back! I have a mommy now!”

“Who told you to open this door? Today is Mr. Rodriguez and Miss Miller’s wedding!” “What if Lily runs out and ruins Miss Hailey’s mood?!” Before I could even hold my daughter tighter, a sharp, angry voice echoed from the stairs. “Mrs. Brown, I didn’t open it. It was…” “Then who did?!” Lily instinctively shrank back into my arms, trembling. I held her close and walked out of the basement, coming face-to-face with the nanny. She gasped, stepping back. “Sophia? What are you doing here?” “Julian and I aren’t divorced yet. By law, you should still call me Mrs. Rodriguez.” “And who gave you permission to lock my daughter in a dark basement?!” The nanny stammered, “It… it wasn’t me! It was Miss Hailey’s orders!” I looked down at Lily. Her skeletal little hand was gripping my shirt tightly. She was wearing filthy, ragged clothes that looked like they hadn’t been washed in weeks. “I’m taking Lily to get a bath. Where is her room?” I carried Lily and tried to walk upstairs. But the nanny blocked my way. “Mrs. Rodriguez, there is no room for Lily here.” “No room for Lily?” “Yes. Miss Hailey said Lily is disobedient, so she has to live in the basement.” “What?!” I couldn’t believe my ears. Lily had been living in that dark, cold basement for years. Looking at her tiny, frail body, I gently pulled up her shirt. My heart shattered. Her skin was covered in bruises, old scars, and fresh welts. “Does it hurt, sweetie?” The moment my fingers lightly touched her skin, Lily winced and tears rolled down her cheeks. My own tears fell freely. Before I could say anything, the front door opened. Julian and Hailey were back. Seeing me, they both froze. “Sophia? You’re out of prison?” Hailey put on a fake, sweet smile and tried to step forward. I pushed her away and stared straight at Julian. “Didn’t you die in that car crash?” “Why are you standing here, perfectly fine? Don’t you owe me an explanation?” “Julian.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but I couldn’t stop shaking. At the sight of Hailey, Lily hid behind my back, trembling in terror. “Sophia, let me explain. I had no choice back then…” “No choice?” I looked at the little boy standing next to him, and then at Hailey. What a beautiful excuse. My three years in prison, and my daughter’s three years of torture, just so their little family of three could live happily ever after. “Ew, you smell like trash! Get out of my house!” “You’re not allowed here! And take this little beggar girl with you!” Suddenly, Hailey’s son, Henry, rushed forward and shoved me hard. Caught off guard, I fell to the floor. “Mommy!” Lily cried, trying to help me up. “Henry, stop that!” Hailey scolded the boy half-heartedly, but she didn’t actually do anything to stop him. The boy whined, “These two beggars are making our floor dirty! Kick them out, Mommy!” He threw himself onto the floor, throwing a tantrum. Julian looked at me with an uncomfortable expression. “Sophia, why don’t you take Lily and leave for now? I’ll explain everything to you later.” “Daddy…” Lily timidly reached out her tiny hand, trying to grab the edge of his pants. The next second, Henry rushed over and shoved her away. “Go away, you little beggar! Don’t touch my daddy!” Lily fell backward, her head striking the sharp corner of the cabinet. Blood instantly began to pour from her forehead. “It hurts… Daddy, my head hurts…” Lily cried, reaching out to Julian again, but he coldly stepped back, letting her hand fall. “Mrs. Brown, kick them out.” Six years of marriage, and my daughter and I meant absolutely nothing to him. How pathetic. “This way, please,” Mrs. Brown said, rolling her eyes. I picked up Lily and walked out of the house, step by step. Behind me, their disgusted voices followed. “What a parasite. She smells so bad.” “Exactly. She spent three years in prison. Did she really think Mr. Rodriguez would still want her?”

I took Lily straight to the hospital to get her head bandaged. As we were about to leave, the doctor stopped me. He said Lily looked extremely pale and weak, and recommended a full check-up. Biting my lip, I spent almost all the money I had left on the tests. The results came back quickly. “It’s leukemia.” “What?” The burger I had just bought for Lily slipped from my hand and hit the floor. I couldn’t believe it. The doctor told me to stay strong. With aggressive treatment, she might have six months to a year. My tears flowed uncontrollably. “Mommy, what’s wrong?” Looking into Lily’s innocent eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth. Her tiny face was completely pale. Because of the constant abuse, her body was covered in layers of scars. Every time I looked at her, my heart broke. “Don’t cry, Mommy. I don’t hurt.” Lily held my hand, trying to comfort me. “Okay, Mommy won’t cry.” I took a deep breath, stuffing a piece of food into my mouth to choke back my sobs. Leaving the hospital, I took Lily back to Julian’s house. “Sophia, I can explain what happened back then.” “Hailey was pregnant with my child, and I had no other choice, so…” “Julian, Lily has leukemia.” I threw the diagnosis sheet onto the table. He frowned immediately. “Sophia, I know I wronged you in the past.” “But you don’t have to make up a terminal illness just to get back at me.” “I’m not…” “Hailey takes her and Henry for a check-up every three months. How could she suddenly be sick?” Every three months? I let out a bitter laugh. I pulled Lily forward. “Look at her! She’s skin and bones! Do you honestly think this is what a healthy child looks like?” “I don’t care about the past anymore. I need money to treat Lily. You…” Before I could finish, his face darkened. “So all of this—using our daughter’s health as an excuse—was just to beg for money?” “Sophia, we haven’t seen each other in three years. How did you become so shameless?” Anger and frustration suffocated me. I couldn’t believe he actually thought of me this way. Before I could speak, Hailey chimed in. “Sophia, I know you hate me, but you shouldn’t use a child’s health to play mind games.” “All these years, I’ve treated Lily like my own daughter.” “I’ve even been nicer to her than to Henry. If you don’t believe me, ask her yourself.” Hailey pulled Lily over. “Lily, tell the truth. Your mommy is lying, right? Haven’t I been good to you all these years?” Lily looked at me, then at Hailey’s threatening eyes, and finally nodded. “Yes…” “Sophia, you’re using our child to extort money. What else do you have to say?” “I…” I stared at Lily, completely shocked. Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed from the doorway. “You just got out of prison, and you’re already here extorting Hailey and Julian?! I’ll teach you a lesson!” Betty rushed in and slapped me hard across the face. The force of the blow knocked me to the floor. Betty grabbed my ear and dragged me toward the door. “Get back home and reflect on what you’ve done!” I looked back at Lily. She was shrinking behind Hailey, too terrified to speak. She didn’t move an inch until I was thrown into the car. Betty pinched my ear hard. “How many times do I have to tell you? Leave Hailey and Julian alone!” “Your marriage ended the moment you went to prison three years ago! Can’t you get that through your thick skull?!” I tried to tell Betty that Lily was abused and had leukemia. But Betty wouldn’t listen to a single word. “Sophia, you’re just jealous of Hailey.” “She has always been smarter and prettier than you. She did better in school, and now she’s married to Julian.” “Are you trying to ruin her life on purpose?” “Let me warn you, you better behave. Don’t forget, Julian still has legal custody of Lily.” Tears blurred my vision. Memories of my childhood flashed before my eyes. Hailey and I were only a year apart. Ever since we were kids, Betty always told me I had to let Hailey have whatever she wanted. I didn’t understand it back then. Until the first grade, when I got a perfect score on an exam, leaving Hailey far behind. Hailey cried, and Betty slapped me for the first time. She said, “Sophia, you have to let Hailey win. Let her have first place.” After that, I never dared to do too well on exams. Even when a boy I liked didn’t like Hailey, Hailey would go home and cry, and I would get punished. Eventually, I lost not just the right to excel, but even the right to dress up nicely. And in Betty’s eyes, all of this meant I had always been inferior to Hailey.

For the next few days, Betty kept me under house arrest. Finally, she and Hailey went out shopping, giving me a chance to slip away and find Lily. When I snuck into the house, I saw my tiny daughter kneeling on the floor, scrubbing it with a rag. I rushed over and pulled her up. “What are you doing?!” “Hailey said I made the floor dirty. She said if I don’t clean it, I can’t leave.” “Mommy, you should go.” Unlike her excitement from a few days ago, Lily was cold and pushed me away. I froze, then pulled her small body into a tight hug. “Did Hailey threaten you? Don’t be scared, baby. Tell Mommy, I’ll protect you.” Finally, Lily broke down in my arms, sobbing uncontrollably. She cried and told me that whenever Julian wasn’t home, Hailey and Henry would abuse her together. Even the maids called her the daughter of a criminal bitch. She had to beg and please Hailey just to get scraps of food and be allowed to sleep in a real bed. Otherwise, Hailey would lock her in the dark basement. She was so young, yet so helpless and broken. My heart bled for her. I wanted to take Lily right then, but the maids blocked the door. Helpless, I had to leave alone first. The moment I got out, I uploaded the evidence of Julian and Hailey’s child abuse to YouTube. In less than a day, the video went viral. They were dragged to the top of the trending charts. Hashtags like #Child Abuse#, #Unfit Parents#, and #Monsters# became overnight sensations. Although the posts were quickly taken down by Julian’s PR team, the damage was done. Reporters swarmed them. Unable to handle the public backlash, they held a live press conference. At the press conference, tiny Lily sat in the middle, flanked by Julian and Hailey. “Please don’t believe the rumors,” Julian said into the microphone. “Sophia fabricated everything to steal custody of our daughter.” “Lily is my own flesh and blood. I would never abuse her.” Hailey wiped a fake tear. “Yes, Lily is my sister Sophia’s daughter, which makes her my daughter too.” “Sophia was sent to prison three years ago. As soon as she got out, she demanded money from us. When we refused, she used Lily to smear our names.” Lily sat between them, silent and trembling. Instantly, the public turned on me. “And here I thought the parents were monsters. Turns out the real demon is the biological mother!” “Some people will say anything for money.” “Mr. Rodriguez and Miss Miller have always had a great reputation.” “But this Sophia woman was just released from prison. She clearly has issues.” “What a piece of trash, exploiting her own kid!” Hailey looked at me through the cameras, throwing me a victorious smirk. She spoke into the microphone with fake pity. “Please don’t blame Sophia. She went through a lot in prison, so it’s natural she has some resentment. I hope everyone can show her some grace.” With that, she grabbed Lily’s hand to leave. I watched Lily walk away, trapped in a crowd of angry reporters, unable to reach her. Just as I was about to sink into despair, Lily suddenly snatched her hand away from Hailey and ran back toward the microphones. “My mommy didn’t lie! Hailey is the liar!” she screamed, pointing at Hailey. The entire room gasped.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “444247”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster