Category: English

While organizing the walk-in closet, I realized something strange. My husband, Harrison’s, designer suits were gone. I found them all packed neatly into a suitcase hidden in the storage room. Tucked inside was a one-way ticket to Europe for this weekend, along with documents for liquidating his assets and disappearing under a new identity. That night, Harrison carried a life-sized cardboard cutout of himself into our bedroom, wearing a strange, unreadable expression. “Honey, if I ever disappear one day, don’t come looking for me.” “If you miss me, just look at this standee.” I smiled and agreed. “Okay.” I watched him secretly pack his bags and plan his escape route with his young, bright-eyed assistant. Then, I turned around and bought a plane ticket for myself—departing exactly one day before him. 1 Harrison stayed in the storage room until past midnight before finally creeping into the bedroom, covered in dust. Seeing me lying in bed, he shifted the cardboard cutout aside and climbed in, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Chloe, are you in a bad mood today?” In the past, I would have clung to him, pestering him to cuddle or complaining that he was up too late. But now, I couldn’t summon the energy to care. “No,” I replied flatly, trying to turn away. He pulled me back, stuffing a custom pillow printed with his face into my arms. A flash of guilt crossed his eyes as he kissed my forehead. “Babe, if I’m not by your side in the future, just hug this when you sleep.” The synthetic fabric scratched against my skin. It smelled like cheap plastic. I moved it to the nightstand, keeping my expression blank. “Okay.” My voice choked up, and my heart gave a painful squeeze. The man I had shared my life with for ten years was plotting to abandon me. He was willing to give up his status as a CEO just to run away with his assistant, Lily. And he was doing it all just to get away from me. I didn’t dream that night. I was woken up by the sound of crashing dishes in the kitchen. The sky was barely gray. Harrison cherished his sleep. Usually, I was the one up at this hour, happily making him coffee and eggs. Today, he was wearing an apron, humming a tune, frying eggs. On the table sat a perfectly wrapped gourmet sandwich and a travel mug of oat milk latte. A wave of bitterness hit me, and my vision blurred. He was always like this—warm, healing, perfect in the small moments. If I hadn’t seen those documents… “Chloe, why are you up so early?” Harrison smiled gently, his eyes full of what looked like love. I composed myself and sat down. I reached for the latte. Slap. He swatted my hand away. Harrison frowned, grabbing the travel mug. He poured the good latte into a pink Stanley cup and wrapped the sandwich in foil. “That’s for Lily.” “Don’t overthink it. I lost a bet at work. My punishment is bringing breakfast for a colleague for a week.” Perhaps sensing the shift in my mood, he quickly poured me a cup of the dregs—mostly coffee grounds—and slid a plate of burnt scrambled eggs toward me. “Eat this. I made it especially for you.” I lowered my eyes and let out a self-deprecating laugh. Harrison’s face darkened. He looked at me, confused. “It’s just breakfast, Chloe. Is it that serious?” “Why the attitude this early in the morning? Don’t you know today is the company gala? I’m going to be busy all day.” Ignoring his gaze, I said calmly, “Sorry.” The air grew heavy. Harrison grabbed the pink cup and headed for the door. Then, he doubled back, hugging me from behind. His voice was coaxing. “I don’t blame you. Wait for me tonight. I’ll take you to the riverfront to watch the fireworks.” I knew what he was doing. He was paving the way for his disappearance this weekend. Alleviating his guilt. Watching the door slam shut, I pulled out my phone. I booked a flight to Portugal. Departing one day before him. Since you want freedom so badly, I’ll give it all back to you. 2 The flight confirmation popped up on my screen. As I stared at it, Harrison called. “Chloe, a handyman is coming over to fix the plumbing and the hallway lights. Make sure you’re dressed and leave the door unlocked for him.” “If you’re scared, FaceTime me.” The lights and the sink had been broken for a month. I had asked him ten times to fix them or call someone. He always used work as an excuse. When I suggested hiring a pro, he’d snap at me for wasting money or being incapable. Now, suddenly, he was handling it. It was part of his exit strategy. He was checking off boxes to ease his conscience before he vanished. I leaned against the kitchen island, zoning out. I thought back to when Harrison and I first started dating. We met in college, on the debate team. I remembered the topic clearly: Is Freedom more important than Love? I argued passionately for Love, claiming it conquered all. He was the opposition. He argued that Freedom was the ultimate human need. We met, we debated, we fell in love. He used to carry me on his shoulders at concerts. He rode the carousel with me even though he hated it. He kissed me at the top of the Ferris wheel, promising we’d be together forever. Everyone said we were a power couple. Soulmates. Until yesterday, I believed it too. But our love had eroded over a decade of mundane reality. My affection became “clinginess” in his eyes. My desire to be close became “suffocating.” I recently found a photo in his cloud storage. It was a picture of my back while I was cooking. The caption read: Suffocation. My thoughts were interrupted by the handyman knocking. I patted my stiff cheeks and smiled at the worker. “Thanks for coming out. I’ll pay you for your time, but you don’t need to fix the lights or the water.” This house has been broken for so long. There’s no point in fixing it now. 3 When I woke up the next morning, Harrison was sitting with his back to me, knitting. Since last month, he’d been obsessed with yarn textures and YouTube tutorials. Whenever he had free time, he was knitting. I thought he was making a scarf for me. I even posted a sweet photo of his back on Instagram. He made me delete it immediately. His face had turned stormy. “I’m just killing time and practicing. If you want a scarf, I’ll buy you cashmere from Burberry.” That was when I realized he was using bright pink yarn. Lily’s favorite color. Hearing me stir, Harrison turned around. A flicker of apology crossed his face. “Babe, I got home late last night and you were asleep. I didn’t want to wake you. I went to see the fireworks for you. Here’s a video.” I’m a light sleeper. I knew he never came into the bedroom last night. But I didn’t want to fight. I just glanced at his phone screen. The fireworks were beautiful. The background was filled with embracing couples. Through the noise of the explosions, a familiar, flirtatious voice was captured on the recording: “Boss, will we always be this happy?” “Of course.” Harrison realized his mistake. He panicked, locked the phone, and tossed it onto the table. “Just random people standing nearby,” he explained nervously. “Don’t misunderstand.” “Okay.” Seeing my lack of reaction, he leaned in to kiss me. Before I could even close my eyes, he pulled a surgical mask out of his pocket and put it on. He pressed a masked kiss to my forehead and pulled away instantly. He laughed awkwardly. “I think I’m coming down with something. Don’t want to get you sick.” I swallowed the sharp pain in my throat and smiled indifferently. “It’s fine.” When we first started dating, he couldn’t keep his hands off me. He used to say, “I could kiss you for a lifetime and it wouldn’t be enough.” “What about when I’m old and have dentures?” I’d ask. “Especially then.” I guess I’ll never see that day. The house felt emptier. The suitcase he’d hidden was moved to the trunk of his car. Even his toiletries were gone from the bathroom. Seeing me staring at the empty vanity, Harrison looked guilty. “Chloe, don’t overthink it. I just took some stuff to the office since I’m pulling so many all-nighters.” “Please don’t be suspicious.” In the past, he would never explain himself over something so small. His panic was a dead giveaway. But I didn’t scream. I didn’t ask him why he was running away with Lily. I didn’t beg him not to abandon me. I just looked him in the eye and whispered: “You work too hard. It must be exhausting.” Harrison bit his lip, his eyes darting away. “It’s not hard. I’m building a better life for us.” He moved to hug me, but the doorbell rang. It was Lily. She was wearing a cute, short dress and holding an English dictionary. She looked past me, staring straight at Harrison. “Boss, I’m stuck on some vocabulary, and I forgot the phrases you taught me.” “Can you tutor me right now? Chloe won’t mind, right?” Her eyes danced with the arrogance of a winner. I quietly pulled my hand out of Harrison’s grip. “Make yourself at home.” Harrison looked at my profile. I was too calm. A strange uneasiness flashed in his eyes. He stared at me, looking for a crack. I glanced at him, emotionless, and smiled. “You guys study. I have things to do.” He reached for my arm, but Lily grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the study. She locked the door audibly. I was the only extraneous person in my own home. I went back to packing. I picked up a pair of porcelain dolls from the shelf. He gave them to me on our first anniversary. “Chloe, we’re going to be happy forever.” From the study, I heard Harrison calling my name. I dropped the dolls into the trash can. Listening to the porcelain shatter, I smiled bitterly. There is no forever. 4 I opened the study door. Harrison was holding up a duvet cover. Lily was giggling from underneath it. Harrison’s face was flushed. He smiled and gestured for me to grab the other end. “She says she wants to play ‘parachute’ like she did in gym class as a kid. Just grab the corners and lift.” Even though I expected the worst, the sheer absurdity gave me a headache. Harrison didn’t look at me. He assumed I would obey. I felt like I was made of ice. I shook my head. “No.” The giggling stopped. Four eyes locked onto me. “Sister, I just missed my childhood… I didn’t mean to…” Lily’s eyes filled with tears instantly. “I’m sorry. I know you don’t like me. I asked for too much.” Before I could speak, Harrison stepped between us, blocking my exit. His voice was low and angry. “I just asked you to lift a blanket. Do you have to have an attitude about everything?” I didn’t speak. I just looked at him. “Apologize!” His voice rose, thick with annoyance. “Do you have to make everything so suffocating? If I leave one day and never come back, you’ll be the one crying!” Harrison frowned, scanning my face. He was looking for jealousy, for sadness. But he found nothing. He sensed control slipping through his fingers. I turned around and walked out, closing the door gently behind me. The moment the latch clicked, the room erupted in laughter and playful shrieks again. I felt like a rat in the sewer, peeking up at their sunshine. Watching them plan their great escape from me. Tears finally wet my cheeks. 5 When I woke up the next day, Harrison was walking in the front door. He stiffened when he saw me, pulling at the women’s cardigan he was wearing. “I spilled wine on my shirt at a team dinner. Lily lent me her jacket.” “Don’t overthink it. Strictly professional relationship.” Professional relationships don’t involve eloping. I nodded and didn’t ask. In the past, when women’s items appeared, I didn’t think much of it. But as it happened more often, I realized his “overtime” was just time with Lily. Whenever I cried and demanded answers, he would sigh. “Why are you so sensitive?” A bitter smile touched my lips. His flight was tomorrow. My flight was in twelve hours. “Chloe, tomorrow is our anniversary. Let’s celebrate tonight. I booked that Italian place you like.” He folded the pink cardigan with reverence while watching me. His eyes held a strange mix of reluctance and nostalgia. I didn’t ask why. I couldn’t even bring myself to refuse. I nodded. Since I was leaving, we might as well use this last meal to end ten years of entanglement. I sat quietly in the passenger seat. Harrison kept glancing over at me. “Chloe, you’re acting weird lately.” “Did you… find something?” His face paled, tension radiating off him. I shook my head. “No. Just cramps. I’m tired.” He relaxed, but then looked annoyed. “You used to hate me being around Lily. Now you don’t care? You don’t have to be so distant with me.” I stared at his profile, memorizing every micro-expression. “Harrison, if you really want to leave, you don’t have to go to such lengths…” “What are you talking about?!” He cut me off, panicked. “Stop watching soap operas. We’re stable. Why would I leave you?” My heart felt like it was being wrung out like a wet towel. I couldn’t tell if he genuinely cared about my feelings, or if he was just terrified I’d ruin his escape plan. That was Harrison. When I was jealous, I was suffocating. When I didn’t care, he was unhappy. The silence was heavy. Suddenly, he handed me a bag from the back seat. It was the pink knitting project. “Finish this for me. I’ve been too busy.” I froze, staring at the needles. I was zoning out when the light turned green. Lily called his phone. Harrison slammed on the brakes in a panic. My body jerked forward. The knitting needle in my hand flew up and stabbed the corner of my eye. White hot pain blinded me. He hung up the phone and finally looked at me. He looked guilty, but his eyes were darting to the road. “Chloe, get out. Lily is in trouble. I have to go to her.” I covered my eye, agony pulsing through my head. “My eye… it hurts…” I whispered. “Take me to the ER… please.” He didn’t look at me. His voice dropped. “Can you stop being dramatic for once? Get out. Now.” “Get out!” Before he could finish, I opened the door and stepped onto the curb. I swallowed the sob in my throat. “Harrison, let’s get a divorce.” He didn’t hear me. He floored the gas, leaving me in a cloud of exhaust. I went to a clinic to bandage my eye. Then, I went straight to the airport. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, the man preparing to sign away his identity suddenly hesitated. He pulled out his phone and called me.

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I was on a business trip, stuck on the eleventh floor of a bland hotel in Phoenix, when the call came through late—well past midnight my time. It was Patricia, my mother-in-law. “Landon, your father is terminally ill. The doctor said the only chance is immediate surgery followed by a course of aggressive, specialty medication.” I listened, numb, as she detailed the estimated cost: everything combined would run into the millions. I spent the rest of the night setting up a mortgage on the Aspen condo and the lake house. By dawn, I’d drained all my savings, accumulating nearly four million dollars. My plan was to go straight to the hospital the next morning. But first, I checked the accounts. The entirety of the funds I had painstakingly gathered was gone. Wired out in a single transaction. “Blake told me his new venture was short on seed money—a crucial, one-time investment. Naturally, I wired it to him.” I fought to keep the rage from my voice. “Do you even know what that money was for? It was for your father’s treatment, Maddie. He has Stage IV cancer!” My wife, Madeline, scoffed over the phone. “Landon Cole, stop making up melodramatic B-movie plots. My father is perfectly healthy. Don’t you dare curse him for cash.” 1 I sat on the sofa, staring at the dead screen, the silence in the hotel room heavy with disbelief. First thing in the morning, I called Howard, Archway Tech’s CFO. “Howard, do me a favor. Check the project accounts.” I kept my voice neutral, professional. “Has Blake Harrington submitted any formal request for project development funding recently?” The reply was quick. “No, Mr. Cole. Nothing for R&D. Though Ms. Price did approve a three-hundred-thousand-dollar allocation for a ‘team-building retreat’ last week. That’s already cleared.” Three hundred thousand for team building? I thought back to the background noise from last night’s call—the house-music thrum and the drunken, knowing laughter. My heart began to sink, a heavy stone dragging through cold water. I called Maddie again. It rang several times before she answered. This time, the background was soft, almost placid—a distant, classical piano piece, a stark contrast to the party chaos of a few hours ago. “What is it now?” Her tone was laced with faint impatience. I took a breath, trying to be as clinical as possible. “The four million. You need to pull it back today. The company has no new R&D project, and your father…” “Landon, are you seriously doing this again?” Madeline’s voice sharpened, rising several octaves. “Blake explained it perfectly. It’s a highly confidential, preparatory investment for a completely new direction. Of course, it’s not going to be on a publicly filed ledger.” She accused me: “Are you so petty you can’t stand to see someone else succeed?” I managed a bitter smile. What I felt wasn’t bitterness, but pity. “The financials have no record. Ask him now. Have him produce the project prospectus, even a rough draft. If he can show me that, I’ll drop it.” “How dare you interrogate him? Who are you to audit him?” Maddie’s voice was now a full-blown scream. “My father gave you the seed money to get Archway off the ground. Now, Blake is helping me protect my legacy! You’re always out of town. Have you cared about the company in years?” “The money is mine to move. I take responsibility!” Her claim of responsibility was the punchline of this dark joke. Yes, Richard had helped me start the company years ago. That’s why I was willing to mortgage everything to save him. Yet, the life-saving funds were handed by his own daughter to an outsider. “You can come to the hospital yourself. I’ll text you the address…” Maddie cut me off with a dismissive, cynical laugh. “Please. I know my father’s health better than you do. Blake told me we’d see the preliminary feedback in a few days. Then you’ll see who the liar is.” She hung up again. I lowered the phone, staring at her contact photo. For the first time, I looked at the face of my wife and felt a profound sense of alienation. I went to the hospital and stood next to Patricia, giving them the brutal details. Richard, pale and drawn in the bed, simply sighed, shaking his head. Patricia, however, was incandescent with fury. “That spoiled, thankless brat! We raised her so well, and she won’t even check on her dying father. She gave his emergency funds to a stranger? No. I have to call her and set her straight!” I had hoped the truth would come from them. Patricia dialed. As soon as Maddie picked up, she launched into a complaint. “Mom, I’m in the middle of something. Can we talk after I’m done?” Patricia, silenced, had the phone hung up on her ear without saying a word. 2 Patricia stared at the phone, stunned. The sheer audacity was unbelievable. She immediately hit redial. This time, it rang for a long, agonizing minute before Maddie finally answered. “Mom, I told you I’m busy! I have a major, major meeting! Why are you two calling relentlessly? What can’t wait?” Maddie’s voice was brittle with annoyance. Patricia could no longer contain her fury. “Wait? Does it have to wait until your father is dead before you stop and talk to us properly?!” The line went silent for a few seconds. Then Maddie’s voice returned, ice cold. “What is that supposed to mean? Did Landon come to you?” “Yes, Landon is right here,” Patricia said, her voice trembling as she looked at her husband’s sickly face. “He told us everything, Maddie. Your father…” “Mom.” Maddie cut her off directly. “Are you going to tell me next that Dad is gravely ill in the hospital, desperate for a massive sum of money that I just happened to wire to Blake?” Her pace was slow, deliberate, each word dripping with irony and disbelief. Patricia, who had harbored some sliver of doubt about my account, finally realized the depth of her daughter’s cynicism. Her heart began to freeze. “What are you talking about? It’s the truth! Your father is truly sick!” Maddie was entirely unconvinced. “I thought Landon was just being cheap, making up stories to claw the money back. I never imagined you two would conspire with him to pull off this elaborate, ridiculous lie for four million dollars.” “Mom, when did you become so gullible?” I stood there, watching Patricia’s face flood with helpless shame and frustration. “That money is the critical start-up capital for Blake’s new initiative. He’s a professional, and I’ve seen all his plans and projections,” Maddie continued, her voice gaining confidence. “If this project hits, the company’s valuation will multiply. Dad gets an executive physical every year. He’s fine! Stop trying to manipulate me with this fake illness, it won’t work!” Cough, cough… cough, cough, cough… Richard, silent until now, suddenly coughed violently. A dark, rusty splatter appeared against the white hospital sheet. He looked at his wife’s phone, his eyes filled with absolute despair. “Richard!” Patricia scrambled forward. “Nurse! Get a doctor!” The blood spreading across the white linen terrified Patricia, who was on the verge of collapsing. It was my first clear, terrifying understanding of the disease’s severity. The doctors confirmed he was already in an advanced stage. Survival required immediate, high-risk surgery and expensive, long-term imported medication. The cost was prohibitive for anyone without vast resources. Maddie, still on the phone, heard the sudden chaos. She hesitated, about to ask, when Blake Harrington’s voice cut in. “Maddie, Marcus is here. We’re about to close this deal.” She paused for a beat—a beat where the life of her father hung in the balance—and then chose Blake. Richard’s condition was critical, aggravated by the emotional shock. It took over an hour of intervention to stabilize him. He was immediately moved to the ICU. The fees would now climb even higher. Patricia stood outside the ICU door, frantic. She tried calling Maddie repeatedly, but the phone went straight to voicemail. To save Richard, I made a final decision. “I’ll sell Archway Tech. I can probably liquidate it for twenty million. That should cover the surgery and the long-term medication.” The marriage had become a travesty, but the man lying in the ICU was a good man. I was an orphan; since marrying Maddie, Richard and Patricia had treated me like their own son. Patricia looked at me, her eyes wet. “But Landon… that’s your life’s work. Your company. Are you… are you really willing to do that?” “It’s better than watching him fade out when I could have done something,” I told her. “Companies can be rebuilt. A life can’t.” 3 I returned home and immediately started compiling all the corporate materials. As I worked, the absurdity of the situation struck me. Archway Tech started with a single check for a million from Richard. I clawed and fought for every project, every expansion, building it into the successful, mid-size entity it was today. Now, to save the life of its first investor, I had to sell it. The next day, I contacted a few investment brokers. The process was smoother than expected; the company was clean, its profits consistent. I quickly settled on a cash offer of eighteen million dollars. The price was lower than I’d hoped, but the immediate liquidity was the priority. I rushed back to the hospital. “I found a buyer, Mom. We sign the agreement tomorrow. It’ll take a few days for the funds to transfer, but the money is coming.” I tried to sound calm and reassuring. Patricia looked at the tightly sealed ICU door, then at me. Tears streamed down her face. “Landon… I’m so sorry. You worked so hard for that company…” I cut her off. “Mom, it’s fine. I can open another company. We can’t get Dad back if he’s gone. We save him first, no matter what.” She squeezed my hand, a silent, grateful nod. The following afternoon, I was at a midtown law office, ready to sign the intent-to-sell agreement. The buyer’s representation and the lawyers were there. I had a trusted friend reviewing the paperwork. Everything was proceeding smoothly—documents were in order, terms were agreed upon. Just as the pen was poised above the signature line, the buyer’s lawyer, Mr. Davies, answered his phone. His face shifted, growing strained and slightly pale. He walked away from the table, speaking in low, urgent tones with the buyer. The buyer immediately frowned. My friend nudged me. “Landon, what’s going on?” Mr. Davies walked back to the table, holding a faxed document. “Mr. Cole, I apologize, but we may have to pause this process.” He looked uncomfortable. “I just received a call, and this fax. According to the Delaware corporate registry, the full equity of Archway Tech Solutions was transferred three days ago.” My mind went completely blank. “That’s impossible. I am the sole shareholder and CEO. An equity transfer cannot happen without my signature and notarized proof.” The lawyer turned his phone screen toward me. “Our information shows a complete change of record. The reason for the transfer is listed as a ‘Gift.’ The Giver is Madeline Price.” I stared at the screen, my eyes locked on the name. Madeline Price. In the space for the Statutory Agent and Sole Shareholder, my name had been replaced with Blake Harrington. The conference room door burst open. Madeline walked in, high heels clicking sharply on the marble floor. She was dressed impeccably, a cold, scornful look fixed on her face. “Well, this is a cozy little gathering.” She smiled faintly, walking up to the table. “I was wondering where all the important files went. Were you planning to sell my company behind my back, Landon?” I wasn’t angry yet, just staring at her with profound disappointment. “Do you understand what you are doing? This was your father’s life-saving money!” Madeline’s voice turned sharp. “Landon Cole, I truly underestimated you. Not only do you use my parents to spin some pathetic tale for cash, but now you try to steal the company completely? I’m lucky Blake had the foresight to see your panic. I signed Archway over to him to hold in trust. I trust him to protect my legacy much more than I trust a man trying to strip my family bare!” Blake Harrington was standing right behind her, a smug look of victory in his eyes. He stepped forward, offering a dramatic sigh. “Landon, I’m only going to say this once. You and Maddie are husband and wife. You should talk through your problems. To design such a ridiculous scheme, just to ensure Maddie is forced out with nothing—your heartlessness is truly remarkable.” My sudden contempt for this woman was a physical ache. “Heartless? Scheme?” I repeated the words, my voice dangerously low. I lunged forward, grabbing Madeline’s wrist and pulling her toward the exit. “What are you doing?!” “Let go of me, you thug!” I ignored her screams. “You don’t believe me, do you?” I dragged her past the bewildered lawyers. “Then we’re going to the ICU right now. We’re going to look your father in the eye! We’re going to see if your four million dollars and your supposed legacy are worth more than your own father’s life!” 4 Blake Harrington rushed forward, pushing hard into my shoulder. I blocked him with my free arm, speaking slowly, deliberately. “Stay out of this, Blake. This is between my wife and me. Get lost.” The office security team burst into the room and struggled to separate us. As I was pulled away, Blake intentionally swung his leg. I tripped over his foot, and my lower back slammed hard against the sharp corner of the mahogany conference table. A wave of black rushed behind my eyes, and I couldn’t move. Madeline, finally free, grabbed a heavy glass paperweight from the table and threw it. It hit me squarely on the forehead, sending a geyser of hot blood streaming down my face. She immediately spun around, rushing to Blake, her voice soft and frantic. “Blake, are you okay? Does it hurt? Did he injure you anywhere?” Her anxious, tender tone was unlike anything she had ever used when I was sick. Blake shook his head, looking down at me. “I’m fine, Maddie, but Mr. Cole…” He trailed off with faux concern. Madeline finally looked at me, and her concern immediately turned to sheer fury. “Landon Cole, have you completely lost it? Assaulting people in a professional environment? Look at yourself! You look like a street thug! You’re going to jail! Apologize to Blake right now!” I wiped the blood from my brow, clearing my vision. I managed to pull my lips into a self-deprecating smile. Was there any deeper punchline to my entire marriage than this moment? “Apologize? To him?” I looked up at Blake, who was giving me a triumphant, pitying smirk. “Yes! Now! Immediately!” Madeline insisted, completely convinced of her righteousness. I ignored her. I bent down, ignoring the throbbing pain in my back, and collected the scattered documents from the floor. “Mr. Davies,” I said to the buyer’s attorney, my voice flat. “Please handle the paperwork from here.” I limped out the door, staggering slightly. “You’re not going anywhere until you apologize! Landon, stop!” I didn’t stop or look back. Apologize? What was there left to explain? My father-in-law was still in the ICU, needing money. The company was gone. I had to find another way. I took a deep breath, pushing the rage and pain into a cold, hard corner of my mind. I called a few old friends—people who owed me big favors. I didn’t give details, only the amount and the urgency. By evening, I’d pieced together over $1.2 million. It was enough for the immediate surgery. I rushed to the hospital. My phone rang. It was Patricia. I answered instantly. “Mom, I’ve got some money. I’m almost there.” “It’s too late…” Patricia’s voice was terrifyingly calm. “Your father… he’s gone.” “What? Mom, tell me what happened! The doctors said he was stable this morning!” Patricia’s composure finally fractured, giving way to a desperate, wrenching sob. “He pulled his own tubes… the monitor alarm went off… but by the time they got to him… he was… gone…” I was paralyzed. I never imagined Richard would take his own life. The next few days were a blur of handling the arrangements. I asked Patricia if we should call Madeline. She shook her head, her face cold and distant. “I have no daughter. I don’t want her anywhere near this.”

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Back when the boys in our exclusive enclave were still running around in diapers, I, the only girl, was inside, quietly studying. In the blink of an eye, we all inherited our family businesses. They still got together to shoot the shit and screw around. I, however, was already running an empire. My entire life, I was the moon everyone orbited around. Until my fiancé brought a girl home. Suddenly, all the men in our circle were tripping over themselves to praise her and put me down. The girl, spoiled rotten, had the audacity to scream at me. “You idiots! Have you really been pampering this two-faced tomboy for all these years?” The moment I heard that, I slapped her across the face. My fiancé jumped in to protect her, so I grabbed a wine bottle and smashed it over his head. Then I looked down at the adulterous pair huddled together and sneered, “Who the hell do you think you are, barking at me?” 1 The day of the big get-together, I heard a woman’s voice just as I was pushing open the door to the private room. Her tone was shrill and arrogant. “I’m telling you, Victoria Langdon is a total fake. She pretends to be one of the guys, but she’s the biggest snake of all!” “I’m a woman. I know how other women think!” “You guys are just too naive. You actually treat that manipulative bitch like she’s some kind of treasure!” “Preston, you can’t let her fool you!” The waiter who led me here knew who I was. Hearing this, he shot me a terrified look. A smirk played on my lips as I shoved the door open. The room was filled with the usual crowd, including my childhood friend and fiancé, Preston Rhodes. And the girl who had been speaking was the newcomer to our circle, Cassie Leigh. The second he saw me, Preston’s face went pale. He stood up with a guilty grin. “Tori, what are you doing here?” I shoved him aside and slapped Cassie clean across the face. Cassie shrieked, clutching her cheek as her head snapped to the side. The next second, I grabbed a bottle from the table and brought it down squarely on Preston’s head. Expensive liquor and shards of glass exploded everywhere. The paid hostesses screamed and dove into the arms of the other young masters, a picture of delicate, calculated fear. Cassie was the first to recover. Still holding her face, she pointed a finger at me and screeched, “Victoria Langdon, you hit me? Do you have any idea who my father is?” I maintained my polite, society-girl smile and slapped her again. I work out. A lot. Those two slaps were enough to knock her freshly done nose completely crooked. Seeing her pathetic state, my smile widened. “I don’t give a damn who your father is.” “Even if your dad was the goddamn President, if you insult me to my face, you’re the first one I’m going to hit.” With that, I kicked her in the stomach, sending her sprawling onto the sofa. Having dealt with the little bitch, I turned to the cause of all this: my fiancé, the eldest son of the Rhodes family, Preston. He was glaring at me, his face contorted with rage. “Victoria, don’t you go too far! We’re just friends! Do you have to be such a vicious bitch about everything?” I let out a cold laugh and swung my designer bag off the table, smashing it into his face. Then, I jabbed a finger at his nose. “Your so-called ‘friend’ is insulting your fiancée right in front of you, and not only do you say nothing, you practically applaud her?” “If you don’t respect me and don’t want this merger, fine. Go renounce your inheritance. Let your younger brother take over. The Langdons will be thrilled to form an alliance with him, and I promise I’ll never bother you again!” “But no, you can’t give up the Rhodes fortune, yet you still want to run around chasing ‘true love.’ Dream on!” I smashed the bag into his face again. The metal letters of the logo left two distinct impressions on his cheek: “D.B.” With a flick of my hair, I shot a meaningful glance at the other heirs lounging on the sofa. “The Feds are cracking down lately. Be careful you don’t end up in their crosshairs. We all grew up together, so I’m just giving you a friendly warning. Don’t be the one who sticks their neck out.” I wiped a smear of wine and blood off my bag and turned to leave. At the door, I casually snapped a picture of the scion of the Davies family. In the photo, his arms were wrapped around a girl whose dress was slipping off her shoulder, his face and collarbone smeared with bright red lipstick. Only then did I pull the door open and slam it shut behind me. 2 I was raised in the Enclave, the gilded cage of our city’s elite. I was the only girl in a sea of wild boys who were universally despised by their parents. While they were getting into fistfights and failing exams, I, the quiet, clever, top-of-my-class girl, became the neighborhood’s golden child. Even though those boys got an earful from their fathers every time they were punished—”Why can’t you be more like Victoria?”—they never held it against me. Instead, they treated me like a queen. After all, I was the only one who did my homework every day. They had to copy mine. And when the jocks from the private school next door got too rowdy, they needed me, their strategist, to plan their brawls. Otherwise, they’d lose. We fought side-by-side from age eight to eighteen. After that, we scattered—some to college, some abroad. As the economy boomed, so did our family businesses. My old playmates put on suits and became polished, respectable members of society. But among ourselves, things were supposed to be different. Until Cassie Leigh showed up. A top student from the National Arts Institute’s painting department. More importantly, she needed things from them, so she flattered them endlessly. They soaked it up like frogs in warm water, completely at ease. In contrast, I, the heiress with a fortune and background equal to their own, was gradually pushed to the side. I couldn’t have cared less. She was a plaything, a fleeting distraction. Once they were bored, they’d toss her aside. But now? Now Cassie Leigh dared to use me as conversational fodder to get closer to them? She dared to make me the punchline? Then she couldn’t blame me for getting physical. There are no secrets in the Enclave. The news that I had publicly assaulted Preston reached the Rhodes family by the next morning. Mrs. Rhodes arrived at my door with gifts, ready to apologize. Her younger son, Spencer, still in high school, stood behind her in his prep school uniform, holding several boxes of expensive tea, looking quiet and obedient. Mrs. Rhodes took my hand, her face full of remorse. “My dear, you’ve been wronged. You must come over for dinner tonight. I won’t be able to live with myself otherwise.” She held my hand tightly, and after a quick word with my mother, she whisked me away to the Rhodes’ house. A full spread was already on the table. Spencer got a pair of slippers for me from the cabinet and watched as I changed into them. I handed him my bag, and he put it away for me. Watching his long, pale fingers, I spoke suddenly. “Spencer, how old are you this year?” He flinched, surprised. “I’m nineteen.” I nodded and walked into the dining room. Over the years, the Rhodes Corporation had grown, and like us, they had bought a villa in the city’s most exclusive district. But everyone still preferred to live in the Enclave. It felt more like home. At the table, Mrs. Rhodes held my hand, her voice thick with apology. “It’s my fault. I didn’t raise my son right, letting him stand by while some outsider insulted you! My dear, I promise I will make this right!” I just smiled and shook my head. “Aunt Carol, I think Preston really likes Miss Leigh. Maybe we should just call it off. You can’t force these things.” Hearing this, Mrs. Rhodes panicked. The Langdon and Rhodes corporations were in the middle of a massive joint venture. How could they let some girl from nowhere ruin everything? Her voice rose. “That Cassie Leigh? What is she? Does she really think she’s worthy of being a Rhodes daughter-in-law? In her dreams! I knew she was trouble the second I saw her, all flirty and fake!” Just as she finished, the front door slammed open. It was Preston and Cassie. They were carrying piles of gift boxes, and Cassie had swapped her usual halter tops and hot pants for a demure white “wifey” dress. She must have heard Mrs. Rhodes’ shouting, because her eyes were red. She dropped the gifts and ran out of the house, sobbing. Preston started to go after her, but his mother’s furious voice stopped him cold. “If you take one step out that door, you will never be welcome in this house again!” Preston froze. After a long moment, he slowly turned to me, his eyes filled with a deep, unyielding hatred. I sighed and looked at Mrs. Rhodes. “You see, Aunt Carol? It’s not that I don’t want to marry your son. There’s just nothing left between us. The way he looks at me… it’s like he wishes I were dead.” I met Preston’s gaze. He probably didn’t understand the meaning behind my look. He was still glaring at me like I was the evil queen from a fairy tale. I just chuckled. “Instead of forcing this, why don’t we both take a step back? Our families’ business partnership continues, and he and I go our separate ways.” I smiled at Mrs. Rhodes. “And you will still be my godmother. From now on, I’m still your daughter.” I left it at that, stood up, grabbed my coat from the sofa, and walked to the entryway. Preston watched me, his expression a complicated mess. As if I’d just remembered something, I turned back to him. “As for you, Preston, I have something for you.” The next second, I slapped him across the face. Looking at his handsome, pathetic face, I sneered. “That was for breaking your promise and cheating on me.” I slapped him again. “And that was for letting Cassie Leigh humiliate me in front of our entire circle. From now on, I wish you and Cassie a lifetime of happiness. We are done.” With that, I grabbed my bag and walked out without a backward glance. 3 Whether Preston and I were married or not, our families’ business ties were unbreakable. On the day of his wedding, I arrived as expected. I was on my brother’s arm, wearing an understated black cocktail dress—elegant, but not attention-grabbing. My best friend was surprised to see me. “I can’t believe you actually came.” I picked up a glass of champagne, my smile calm and collected. “Langdon and Rhodes are business partners. I’m the future head of the Langdon Corporation. Why wouldn’t I be here? Besides, I’m Aunt Carol’s goddaughter. It’s my duty to be here to celebrate.” My friend nodded, then gestured toward a woman with frizzy hair across the room. “See her? That’s Cassie Leigh’s mother. You know why the Rhodes family let Cassie marry in so easily? Because she got pregnant. Her mother showed up and threatened to go to the press if they didn’t marry her daughter. With the Feds breathing down everyone’s necks lately, the Rhodes family can’t afford a scandal.” I looked over at the triumphant Mrs. Leigh, a smile playing on my lips. “Well, she’s quite the character herself. Pulled out all the stops to get her daughter into this family.” My friend nodded, about to say more, when a Rhodes family servant approached and asked me to go backstage to offer my good wishes to the bride. I agreed cheerfully. As Aunt Carol’s goddaughter, it was only proper. The servant led me to a small, out-of-the-way dressing room. Seeing Cassie inside, I raised an eyebrow and smiled. “I never thought you’d want to see me, your husband’s ‘ex-fiancée,’ on your big day.” The servant quietly closed the door, leaving us alone. Cassie laughed, lifting the skirt of her wedding gown. “I called you here to gloat. You looked down on me, didn’t you? Well, look at me now. I’m the eldest daughter-in-law of the Rhodes family. Preston’s wife!” She looked up at me, her eyes full of defiance. “You call yourself the queen of the Enclave, Victoria, but when it came down to it, not a single person stood up for you! All your ‘good friends’ stayed silent when I called you a manipulative bitch! Even your fiancé… I just had to crook my finger and he came running. You think you’re so special, but to them, you’re just a joke! I’m the one Preston worships!” She puffed out her chest, convinced she was the victor. I met her gaze in silence, then suddenly smiled. “If that’s what you want to believe, then I have nothing more to say.” I turned to leave, but Cassie grabbed my arm. “You’re not going anywhere!” I flung her hand off. She stumbled, tripped on the hem of her own dress, and fell to the floor with a shriek. As she screamed, a pool of blood began to seep through the white fabric of her gown. The dressing room door was thrown open. It was Cassie’s parents. Behind them were the Rhodes family, alerted by the commotion. Seeing her parents, Cassie burst into tears. “Mom! Victoria pushed me! Get me to a hospital!” The wedding descended into chaos. Servants scattered, spreading the story: the Langdon heiress, bitter about not marrying Preston, had attacked Cassie in her dressing room. Cassie, pregnant with the Rhodes heir, had been punched in the stomach and was probably having a miscarriage. The rumors, a mix of truth and lies, spread like wildfire.

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Alexander Sterling, the “Crown Prince” of the elite Sterling family, fell in love with a disabled, pregnant woman. He was determined to dump me, the “Princess” of the Vanderbilt family. I was committed to our family alliance, so I paid for the woman’s leg surgery and her delivery. But she developed postpartum depression and jumped off a building with the baby. Years later, Alexander controlled all the resources in New York and the Hamptons. He acquired my family’s company, swallowed our assets, and sent my family to prison. “This is the price for ruining my love! Now we’re even!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the past. Alexander was publicly proposing to the 38-year-old disabled, pregnant woman. I walked over to the corner, where the ostracized “New Money” billionaire from Texas sat in a mink coat with a thick gold chain around his neck. I sat on his lap, hooked my finger around his necklace, and commanded: “Kiss me! Hard!” 1 In the VIP room, Alexander held a diamond ring, proposing to the woman in the wheelchair. Our friends looked shocked. And a little awkwardly at me. After all, I was Alexander’s fiancée. Proposing to someone else right in front of me was a slap in the face. Someone tried to smooth things over: “Alex, stop joking. Vivian is right here.” “Have your fun, but don’t take it too far. She’s 38 and pregnant with her ex-husband’s kid!” “Apologize to Vivian. She won’t hold it against you.” In our circle, there are unspoken rules. Alexander could play around with other women, but the position of Mrs. Sterling would never go to someone outside our class. Everyone knew that strong alliances ensured maximum family benefit. But Alexander didn’t understand this. He was stubbornly in love with Susan White. A 38-year-old woman with paralyzed legs, but a beautiful face and a “strong will.” Facing the advice of others, Alexander looked disdainful. “I’m not joking. I love Susan, and no one can stop me.” “Vivian, I told you long ago I don’t love you.” “Don’t force me. I won’t change my mind.” He looked at me coldly. Three sentences to make me back off. I was dazed for a moment, not responding. Susan pushed him away, looking righteous: “I won’t be a homewrecker. Alex, stop it. Apologize to Miss Vanderbilt.” Facing Alexander’s intense pursuit, Susan had always maintained a refusal. She said she knew her place. And she knew about the engagement between Alexander and me. She hated homewreckers. So, Alexander staged this scene to clear her name. Breaking the engagement in front of me, giving Susan a promise. “Vivian, our engagement is off. Understood? Don’t stop me from marrying Susan.” Everyone looked at me. Some even offered kindness: “Vivian, don’t mind Alex, he’s just acting out.” “Don’t worry, no one can cancel your engagement.” “Ignore him, let’s go somewhere else…” The relationships between major families are intricate. Everyone present had some connection. No one wanted to see contracts and collaborations canceled because of a conflict between Alexander and me. Someone tried to pull me away. My eyes cleared, and I shook off my friend’s hand. I stood up slowly and faced Alexander. “Fine. I agree. The engagement is off. From now on, the Vanderbilt family has nothing to do with you, Alexander Sterling.” As soon as I spoke, everyone froze. Alexander breathed a sigh of relief. He added, “This choice is best for both of us. Marriage is the grave of love. Being with you would only lead to misery.” Yes, he was right. Being with him was destined for misery. But being with Susan was just walking into another grave. How could a massive dynasty be controlled by a self-righteous poor person like Susan? Someone with so little will that she couldn’t even handle being taken care of in my past life. In the power struggles of the wealthy, she would only be eaten alive. I glanced at Susan, who looked secretly delighted. She immediately straightened her face and said, “Miss Vanderbilt, I didn’t steal your lover.” I nodded: “Of course. Trash like Alexander belongs in the dumpster! Only you deserve him.” Susan’s face turned pale. Alexander frowned: “Vivian, why hate just because you can’t have me?” I sneered: “I love you? Love your fickleness or your blindness? Hilarious. You think you’re worth my love, Alexander?” With that, I walked toward the corner where the Texas billionaire, who had been silent and ostracized by the New York and Hamptons elite, was sitting. He looked up at me, his deep eyes narrowing slightly. Under the shifting lights, the thick gold chain around his neck almost blinded me. I extended my long legs and straddled him. I hooked his chin. “Jax, kiss me. Hard!” His eyes flashed with surprise. Everyone around us held their breath, staring at us. Jax looked confused: “You crazy or somethin’?” A thick Texas accent instantly filled the room. The elites frowned. But I found this familiar voice incredibly safe and warm. In my past life, this man spent his entire fortune fighting Alexander to the death for me. Even though I hadn’t spoken two words to him. Yet I became the person he loved most. I smiled, tears welling up, and pressed him: “Marry me. Yes or no?” He pursed his thin lips, his handsome face unreadable. Then, he captured my lips. A tearing force pulled at my mouth. My waist was firmly gripped by his large hands. Under the friction, Jax’s gold chains clanked loudly. He didn’t let go until I tasted blood. When he released me, he licked the corner of my mouth, looking like a husky wanting more. “Wait for me to bring the dowry to your house.” He glanced at the ring on Alexander’s hand and tutted, “That piece of junk ain’t worth a dime. I’ll get you something better.” With that, he started to walk out. But after two steps, he turned back, pecked me on the cheek, and pointed a finger at me, warning: “No backin’ out!” “Even if you change your mind, I’m gonna snatch you up and marry you anyway!” “You started it!” 2 Jax’s dowry was transported from Texas to New York by a dozen helicopters. The New York and Hamptons circles usually didn’t play with the Texas oil money crowd. So no one in my circle had ever married into that group. I was the first. Breaking the barrier between Old Money and New Money. And witnessing such an extravagant scene. Gold bars were carried into the house box by box. Cash was hauled in by the sack. Deeds and luxury car keys were presented on trays to my grandfather. Jax finally took off his million-dollar mink coat, unable to stand the indoor heat, revealing a sharp, custom-made suit. As soon as he entered, he dropped to both knees in front of my grandfather, shouting: “Grandpa Vanderbilt! Your grandson-in-law is here to ask for your granddaughter’s hand! Please say yes and give me the chance to love and protect her for the rest of my life!” Thud! Thud! Thud! Three loud kowtows! Jax didn’t hold back. I stood dazed beside my grandfather, feeling lost. My grandfather stared dumbfounded at everything, his hands trembling. I soothed him: “Grandpa, small scene. Stay calm!” Grandpa gritted his teeth. He had many reservations. But he couldn’t ignore the grievances I suffered with Alexander. And he couldn’t ignore Jax’s impeccable etiquette—in his own way. In the entire circle, Jax was the first to offer such a massive dowry. And the first to kowtow so enthusiastically. After a long while, Grandpa finally convinced himself. “A bit rough around the edges, but if you can accept him, I can’t say anything!” “Marry him. Once you’re married, live well. Don’t make a mess of things.” That night, while counting the dowry, Grandpa quietly handed my ID documents to Jax. Early the next morning, before dawn. Before I even woke up. Jax rushed into my room, scooped me out of bed, and stuffed me into a stretch limo. “Let’s go! City Hall! Getting hitched.” I was groggy and confused, nestled in Jax’s arms. Before I could figure out what was happening. I heard two gulps. Then, my lips were covered, and my body felt like it was being kneaded into water. I pushed him, but I had no strength. When he let go, I was finally awake. He looked restrained, eyes red, shouting: “Wifey! I’m so happy!” Angry, I slapped his face: “What are you doing! We aren’t married yet!” His handsome face froze. Just when I thought he would explode. He held my hand like a treasure. His voice trembled. “Wifey, does your hand hurt?” “Physics says forces are equal and opposite. Your tender little hand must hurt.” “Next time you wanna hit me, just say the word. I can hit myself!” I paused. Then I saw him raise his hand and slap himself hard. “Wifey, I was wrong.” “But I was scared you’d fly away. Couldn’t help it.” “With the certificate, everything I do is legal! Forgive me this once.” “When we get back, I’ll kneel on a washboard, on broken glass, let you whip me! I won’t make a sound.” 3 When we got the marriage certificate. Jax cried. Tears streamed down his face. “Wifey, you suffered.” “I know, if Alexander wasn’t blind, this incredible luck wouldn’t have fallen on me!” “Wifey, don’t worry. With me, you won’t suffer a bit.” “Whatever the Prince of New York can give you, the Prince of Texas will give you more.” So. This competitive, flashy Texas man, upon learning the date of Alexander and Susan’s engagement party. Without hesitation, set our engagement party on the same day. Alexander booked the penthouse of the Queens Hotel for Susan. Jax booked every floor of the Queens Hotel except the penthouse for me. Alexander picked eighteen luxury cars for the procession. Jax waved his hand and transported every car owned by his Texas buddies to New York—a total of 108 limited-edition supercars. Alexander custom-ordered a unique diamond ring for Susan. Jax united the entire Texas mining industry to find me the largest pink diamond available, bigger than a pigeon egg. People said Jax was just trying to buy me face. Alexander laughed when he heard. “A nouveau riche. Besides spending money, what class does he have? Engagement parties are for family and friends. What he’s doing is tacky. Vivian chose him out of spite; she’ll regret it.” Jax was uncharacteristically calm hearing this. He just focused on arranging the party. On the day of the engagement. Alexander’s eighteen luxury cars trailed behind the Texas fleet, looking pathetic next to the decorated supercars. Alexander’s drivers wanted to pass. But their cars couldn’t compete with world-class supercars. Same brand, but a ten-million-dollar car has a bloodline advantage over a one-million-dollar car. Besides, the hired drivers didn’t dare mess with the 108 Texas billionaires driving their own cars. They didn’t care about scratches. They only cared about supporting their brother Jax. The two groups went to their respective venues. Halfway through our ceremony. A torrential downpour started outside. I was surprised. Then I saw Alexander pushing Susan, her makeup ruined by the rain, down from the rooftop. The bride and groom looked incredibly pathetic compared to Jax and me. The few guests at Alexander’s party lowered their heads in front of the gathered tycoons from Texas and New York. I realized then that not a single member of the Sterling family attended Alexander’s party. “Rooftop romance is nice, but your party is so shabby even God couldn’t watch.” “Imperfect weddings are memorable, just like some people love imperfect partners.” “Yeah, some people like disabilities, and becoming a stepdad to an older woman’s kid.” Mockery from the New York and Texas crowds. Susan’s face turned red, refusing to look up. Alexander protected her, glaring at me: “Shut your mouths. You money-grubbing people wouldn’t understand true love.” Yes, we didn’t understand true love. We valued interests above all. We valued family alliances. So when Alexander chose Susan over me, the elite circles stopped caring about him. The Sterling family had many heirs. Without the Vanderbilt support, Alexander was nothing. The fact that the Sterlings didn’t show up said it all. The Texas circle hadn’t mixed with New York before because New York didn’t know their real power. My engagement to Jax showed them. Power respects power. So, the friends who used to hang out with Alexander switched sides. To distance themselves from him. And to curry favor with the Texas royals. Giving me face meant giving Jax face. Giving Jax face meant giving Texas face. My marriage to Jax was just the opening shot of Texas integrating into the New York elite. 4 Alexander’s party ended hastily. The princes and princesses of New York and Texas partied with us until late. The next day, I heard Alexander was kicked out of the Sterling family. He was stripped of his CEO title. He had no voice in the family anymore. Friends said: “Without Vivian, Alexander is just like Susan—crippled.” “He wanted true love? Let’s see how long it lasts without money.” “Taking care of a disabled fiancée and someone else’s kid… he must be blind to leave Vivian.” I worried Jax’s temper would flair hearing this. But he said: “Why would I be mad?” “I am your rebound!” “I understand Alexander’s love-brain because I have it too.” “Seriously, wifey, if you were crippled and pregnant with another man’s kid, as long as you were willing, I’d still marry you!” He pulled me onto his lap. Nuzzling and biting. Between breaths, I asked when he fell for me. He said: “From the first time I saw you.” The Texas circle had their own industries and connections. They were new money, overflowing with cash. After being cold-shouldered by New York, he kept hanging around just to see me. He planned to confess for years. But I was engaged. He was looked down upon, and didn’t want to deepen my dislike. “Alexander is blind. How can a self-righteous disabled pregnant woman compare to my Princess Vivian?” “Is her waist as thin as yours?” “Are her lips as soft as yours?” His words were direct and passionate. Praising my beauty, kindness, and intelligence, his eyes exploring, hoping, demanding. Like a hungry husky. “Wifey, I can’t hold back. Really can’t.” “You don’t know, when you sat on my lap that day, I almost lost it.” “I went back and looked for your photos everywhere. I didn’t sleep all night.” His chin rested on my collarbone. Pitiful. I clenched my hands, cheeks burning. Maintaining my reserve, I placed my hand on his neck, tracing circles. I swallowed: “Well, this is my office, you can’t…” His voice turned soft. Dropping the accent. Using a vocal fry. “Please? My little princess!” “Princess, Princess Vivian, I want it here.” Heart pounding. His restlessness broke my will. I reached to unbutton his collar… He ripped his shirt open. Buttons flew into the air one by one. Some hit my face, stinging slightly.

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“I accidentally stumbled into a kink community chat, and they booted me out on Day Three. They figured out I was totally out of my depth—just a stressed-out fraud who’d shown up looking for some primal release and a target for her corporate rage. I went to my best friend, Jessie, to vent. Jessie stared at me, aghast. “You used a hot glue gun instead of a low-temp wax candle! Of course they found out!” I was defensive. “The guy I met that first night didn’t make a sound!” “Maybe he just had a high pain tolerance. Was he hot?” she asked, intrigued. I shook my head. “Couldn’t tell, it was dark…” Just as I was talking, Jessie’s older brother walked out of the bathroom, shirtless. Six feet tall, eight-pack abs, god-tier genetics. My eyes locked onto him. I mumbled, distracted, “His build is actually a lot like the guy I met.” The next second, Logan Knox turned around, and I saw the distinct red marks, still visible and raw, covering his sculpted back. Me: “?” Jessie: “?!” 1 Logan hadn’t seen me yet, and he casually strolled through the living room. Jessie and I were frozen on the couch, our eyes tracing his every movement. It wasn’t until Logan grabbed a T-shirt from the chair and pulled it over his head, shielding his back, that we snapped back to reality. “Logan…” Jessie mumbled, her voice strained. Logan paused, pulling the hem of his shirt up to wipe his neck, and turned to look at us. The six-pack vanished. I silently cursed Jessie for being too slow with her warning. Logan didn’t look embarrassed at all, though his slightly pink ears suggested otherwise. He picked up a jacket nearby. “We have company? Jessie, why didn’t you tell me?” Jessie spoke mechanically, “I notified you the minute you came out of the bathroom.” Logan ignored her, shrugging into his jacket. “I have an appointment. You two carry on.” His movements were quick. A moment later, he was gone, the front door clicking shut. I thought for a moment, then leaned in. “Did you see that?” Jessie looked shell-shocked. “I saw it.” After a few seconds of silence, she suddenly burst out laughing. “Pfft, stop! What are you thinking?! It couldn’t possibly be my brother! Logan is the most straight-laced guy you’ll ever meet, there’s no way he’d be involved in… that!” “Hahahahahaha, Harper, you’re hilarious. Linking him to the kink scene…” I didn’t argue. I just watched her. She laughed until she was doubled over. Finally, she collapsed into my lap, and the laughter turned into a choked-up sound. “Oh my god, seriously, think hard. Are you absolutely sure it was him?” 2 I couldn’t blame Jessie for her breakdown. The kink community can get intense, and for some, boundaries like gender don’t exist. Logan, however, was her brother. We’d been neighbors since childhood, Logan was two years older than us, and the quintessential “Golden Boy”—every parent’s blueprint for success. I always thought he was a little boring, so whenever I went to Jessie’s house, I’d just offer a casual greeting and move on. My opinion changed during my freshman year of high school. I was in ninth grade, he was a senior. My old desktop had died, and on a Friday after school, I snuck into a dingy gaming lounge near school to print out some research. I paid for my time and found the designated computer. I looked up, and I was staring straight into Logan Knox’s eyes. He was wearing headphones, looking at me curiously. After a moment, he spoke my name. “Harper?” I couldn’t believe the straight-A student, Logan Knox, was here. Jessie had told me he stayed at school for study hall every Friday. I realized I’d stumbled onto his secret, and my heart hammered in my chest. He simply returned to his screen, continuing his game as if I wasn’t there. Then, he slid an unopened can of soda over to me. “It’s on me.” I nervously took a sip, and heard him chuckle. Logan looked at me, a playful smile on his face. “You just bought my silence, Harper. You have to keep my secret, too.” The soda caught in my throat. I looked at him, startled. He was about to say something else when a commotion erupted outside the lounge. Someone yelled a warning: “The Principal is doing a sweep! Especially for seniors!” The teachers were fast, their footsteps getting closer, and the students inside had nowhere to hide. My anxiety spiked. I looked over at Logan, but the chair across from me was empty. I spun around. He was standing beside me. A teacher recognized him and walked over immediately. “Logan Knox? What are you doing here?” Logan looked perfectly innocent. “My sister—Harper—needed to look up some research, and I was worried about her being alone, so I came to keep her company.” Two pairs of adult eyes swiveled to me. I blinked, greeting the teacher politely. Then I turned to Logan and said, with all the conviction I could muster, “Just a little longer, Brother. I’m almost done.” The teacher glanced at my computer screen, which was indeed showing a research paper, and relaxed. Before leaving, he gave us a stern warning. “Get home soon. Be safe.” After the teacher left, Logan patted my head. “Quick thinking.” The clean, fresh scent of his soap hit me, and my heart was beating so fast I couldn’t form a sentence. Logan didn’t seem to notice. He bought me a pile of snacks, walked me home after I finished my work, and said, “Harper, this is our little secret.” Playing a video game on a Friday night was just his way of blowing off steam, and it never impacted his grades. I decided to keep quiet, pretending I’d never seen him there. That tiny incident showed me a glimpse of a different Logan Knox. So, at this moment, I was marginally calmer than Jessie. But she was still pressing me. “Think, think! Did he have a mole, a birthmark, any distinguishing feature?!” When I thought about that night, my face immediately went hot. “Uh… I was focused on the whipping…” 3 It wasn’t my fault. I genuinely stumbled into that world. That day, my scumbag boss had just made my life hell, and I was completely miserable. Then, I saw a random post in a group chat asking for a meet-up. The person’s avatar looked suspiciously like my boss’s profile picture. I was only looking for a stress release, and the person in the chat said I could hit them as hard as I wanted. I had a moment of pure madness and agreed. Sitting in the hotel room afterward, I was already regretting it. I was a boring, vegetarian girl with no experience in anything remotely like this. While the guy was showering, I grabbed my bag, intending to make a run for it. I hadn’t reached the door when he emerged. Maybe it’s a standard thing in the scene, but he was wearing a leather gag that covered most of his face. I didn’t see his expression, but I definitely saw his eight-pack abs. I nearly froze right there. The man tilted his head toward the door. My heart slammed against my ribs. Click. With a flash of pure panic, I hit the lights. I immediately regretted not wearing a mask. Look at him, so professional! The man paused, unfazed. He toweled off, then walked toward me. When he stopped in front of me, I could feel the lingering steam from his shower. “You like it dark?” His voice was a low rasp, his breath warm against my ear. I was so terrified I couldn’t speak. I was about to push him away and bolt when something was pressed into my hand. It was long, slick, and flexible. A whip. … Thinking back on what happened next, I feel terribly guilty. Once the whip was in my hand, I lost my mind. I was merciless. I saw my horrible boss standing there, and I did not hold back. Afterward, I noticed the bed frame was shaking. It might have been him, in pain. I was horrified and quickly asked, “Are you okay? I… I’m not experienced…” My fingers brushed his back, and his body tensed. The next second, my wrist was grabbed, and I heard him chuckle. “You have a hell of an arm.” The voice was slightly shaky. My mind went blank. “It doesn’t hurt?” “It feels amazing.” Ah. I had found a masochist. 4 And now, I was being told that this masochist might be my best friend’s brother… Hahahahaha. That was even weirder. Jessie was still urging me to remember. I tried to sound comforting. “It’s probably not Logan. He’s so buttoned-up, and his job is so official, he wouldn’t be into this stuff.” Jessie nodded. “You’re right.” “But how do you explain the red marks on his back?” I racked my brain. “Maybe… maybe he fell asleep studying and whipped himself to stay awake. You know, self-punishment?” Jessie just stared at me. Okay, even I knew that sounded ridiculous. I was about to change my story when she suddenly looked hopeful. “You know, that actually makes sense!” “My brother’s department does have a major qualification exam coming up…” “Phew! It can’t be Logan. Hahahaha, we were worried over nothing.” I offered a weak laugh and nodded along. … I left Jessie’s place and walked into the elevator, my legs nearly giving out. I grabbed the railing to steady myself, my mind replaying that night. The more I thought about it, the more I was eighty percent sure the man I met was Logan Knox. The voice, the body… it all matched! I stumbled out of the building, reaching for my phone to call a ride when a black SUV pulled up in front of me. The window lowered, revealing Logan’s perfect face. He looked surprised. “Harper? Leaving already?” I couldn’t meet his eyes, just offering a quick, disjointed nod. He smiled. “Heading home? I have a window of time, I can drop you off.” I immediately tried to refuse. “No, no, I’ll just call a cab.” “Cabs don’t stop easily here…” Just then, a car behind him honked impatiently. Logan checked his rearview mirror. “Hop in, you’ll cause a traffic jam.” The honking was grating. Rushed and flustered, I opened the passenger door and slid inside. Even after buckling my seatbelt, I still clung to a thread of hope. Logan wasn’t acting strangely at all. Maybe I had been wrong… “Excuse me, could you hand me a tissue?” I glanced around. “Where are they?” Logan replied, “In the canvas bag by your feet.” I didn’t think twice, reaching down to grab the bag. The bag wasn’t transparent and felt bulky. My hand rummaged inside for a few seconds before freezing. I had touched something long, slick, and flexible. My neck stiffened. I slowly looked down. Oh. It was a whip. Hahahahahahaha. I needed to get out of this car.”

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At a welcome-back dinner, my girlfriend’s guy best friend, Cody, tossed the cilantro he didn’t want into her bowl for the fifth time. I was about to flip the table when a series of comments materialized in the air before me. [The MC is so petty. The second male lead just doesn’t like cilantro. What’s the big deal if he gives it to his bestie?] [The FL really just sees him as a friend. It’s the MC who’s being dramatic and insecure.] [It’s fine. Later, when the MC gives himself an ulcer from all the stress, the clueless FL will start groveling to win him back. That’s the good part.] I paused. Then, I picked up a piece of mushroom and placed it in the bowl of my girlfriend’s other best friend, Sloane. The comment feed went even crazier. [Oh no, he has no idea the second female lead has been brainwashing herself that stealing someone else’s man for love isn’t shameful at all.] 1 The day Cody arrived at Northwood University for his freshman year, my girlfriend, Sophia, insisted on throwing a “best friends” get-together to introduce him to her circle. At the dinner table, for the fifth time, right in front of me, Cody meticulously picked the cilantro out of his bowl and dropped it into Sophia’s. “Man, it’s so much better eating at your place,” he sighed. “Your mom never uses cilantro, saves me the trouble.” Sophia just laughed and playfully chided him. “You’ve been the pickiest eater I know since we were kids.” “Hey, you’re one to talk,” he retorted. “Our mom told me to keep an eye on you, make sure you stop staying up all night and actually eat your vegetables.” Their easy banter created a bubble around them, an impenetrable atmosphere that no one else could enter. Especially me. A nerve in my temple started to throb. Wasn’t this the classic manipulative nice-guy routine? Just as I was about to lose my temper, my vision blurred, and that dense wall of text appeared again. [Seriously, this MC’s jealous personality is so unlikable. The guy just doesn’t like cilantro. What’s wrong with giving it to his best friend?] [The MC is just insecure. He can’t stand their decade-long friendship, so he’s always misinterpreting things and starting fights.] [Don’t worry, it gets good later. He’ll get so worked up he leaves, and then the clueless FL will have to chase him down. Only then will he finally believe she loves him.] So, that’s me. The petty, jealous main character. It’s my fault for misreading these totally innocent, not-at-all-manipulative actions? In the middle of their playful bickering, Cody reached his hand directly into the pocket of Sophia’s jacket. “Let’s see if you’ve been a good girl and kept tissues on hand for me like I told you to.” He pulled out a single hair tie. With a look of disgust, he tossed it aside. My breath caught in my throat. But a new wave of comments made me second-guess myself again. [See? The MC is about to misunderstand again. If you ask me, the only reason the main couple got together in the first place is thanks to the second male lead.] Sophia and I met in high school. I was playing basketball, drenched in sweat. She walked right up to me, stopped me, and nervously pulled a pack of tissues from her pocket to hand to me. It was only then that I realized how soaked my shirt was. Seeing me stare at the packet, she explained, “My best friend always makes me carry them.” At the time, I just thought it was a cute, thoughtful habit girls had. It wasn’t until today that I realized the loud, drama-binging, supposedly tomboyish “best friend” she always talked about was a guy. And that the pack of tissues that brought us together… was Cody’s idea. [Our guy Cody is basically Cupid. He sets up a bunch of other couples later, too.] [So the MC really needs to chill with the jealousy.] A sick feeling, like I’d swallowed a fly, settled in my stomach. Apparently, the acceptable boundaries for friendships between men and women had expanded to the size of the Pacific Ocean. Noticing my dark expression, Cody pulled his hand back, feigning an apology. “Hey, man, don’t mind us. We’ve always been like this. It’s just our dynamic.” Sophia glanced at me, then tried to smooth things over. “He knows how close we are. He’s not going to get bent out of shape over a piece of cilantro, are you?” A cold laugh escaped my lips. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s no big deal. This is totally normal, isn’t it?” Just casually sharing food and draping arms around each other in front of me. Just dropping ambiguous, flirty comments. If the comment feed said it was normal and I was the one with the problem, then who was I to argue? I wasn’t about to waste my breath explaining the concept of boundaries or emotional affairs to them. But I’ve always had a rebellious streak. If this was their definition of normal, then it was normal for me, too. I leaned over, picked up a piece of mushroom with my chopsticks, and placed it in the bowl of the girl sitting next to me, Sloane, who had been quietly scrolling on her phone. 2 The entire table froze. Sophia stared at the mushroom in Sloane’s bowl, her smile vanishing. “What are you doing, giving it to her?” I shot back a cold smile of my own. “What’s the matter? I’m just giving some food to a friend. Isn’t that totally normal?” I turned to Sloane, who had been practically invisible for the whole dinner. I’d only made the move after noticing her plate was empty. But when she looked up at me, a flicker of unease went through me. I couldn’t read her expression, but I could read the exploding comment feed. [NOOO, what is the MC doing, provoking her?!] [YES! Team Sloane, we have a chance!] [I object! Everyone knows she only got close to the FL to steal her boyfriend! This scheming witch better not ruin the main couple’s relationship.] [That’s why she’s always telling herself it’s not shameful to be a homewrecker for love.] Wait, what? Sloane and I had barely spoken more than a few words to each other. I just knew she was usually around whenever Sophia and I went out. She seemed like a good friend to her. I couldn’t imagine a word like “homewrecker” ever being associated with her. Cody put on a show of sudden realization. “Oh, I see. My bad, bro. You are upset. You’re just doing this to make Sophia jealous.” He nudged Sophia. “Go on, you’d better go appease your little boyfriend. And if you play a few rounds of games with me tonight, I’ll forgive you for ditching your best friend for a guy.” Before I could say a word, Sloane, who had been silent all night, let out a soft, sharp laugh. “He gave me a mushroom. What’s the big deal? You’re all being a little oversensitive.” That one light, airy sentence wiped the smiles off their faces. Sophia stood up. “It’s only normal between best friends. Since when were you two so close?” Sloane, who had already finished her meal, slowly picked up the mushroom and ate it. “We’re all friends here,” she said coolly. “No need to draw lines.” I could see Sophia was about two seconds away from flipping the table herself. But I had to admit, it felt incredibly satisfying. Turns out, the knife only hurts when it’s sticking in your own back. 3 The rest of the meal was painfully awkward. On the way back to the dorms, Cody pressed up against Sophia, his arm casually slung around her shoulder. “Same rules as always,” he said. “One-v-one match. You lose, you come to my dorm and make my bed.” Sophia glanced back at me. I knew she was still fuming about what happened at dinner. Usually, whenever we argued, she’d go completely silent. She wouldn’t do anything or go anywhere until I caved and told her I wasn’t mad anymore. Anyone else would have called her whipped, always putting me before anything else. But this time, I was too tired to argue. Her definition of friendship was clearly on another planet from mine. And like the comments said, I had no right to question it. So I just shrugged. “Go if you want to.” Sophia hesitated for a second. “You said it, not me.” Cody cheered. “Awesome! Thanks for the help, Soph!” His singsong voice grated on my nerves. Just then, Sloane, walking beside me, spoke up. “Ryan, are you free tonight? We’re short-staffed for the welcome week concert. Could you lend a hand?” I was confused. Weren’t all the volunteer spots filled weeks ago? Still, I nodded. “Yeah, I’m free.” Sloane let out a soft laugh, her voice suddenly taking on a playful, exaggerated drawl. “Well then, thanks for the help, senior~” I just stared at her. 4 Northwood’s welcome week concert was always a huge event. Some couples would even get on stage to sing a duet and show off. I remembered just a week ago, Sophia had been hugging me, excitedly telling me she was going to perform my favorite song, complete with a slideshow of our pictures she’d made herself. But now… I’d already gotten word that she’d changed her song. As I looked toward the stage, I saw Cody adjusting her bowtie. “You’re hopeless,” he teased. “You can’t even tie a bowtie. You expect me to fix it for you on your wedding day, too?” Sophia shot back with a grin, “You haven’t even found some poor soul to put up with you yet, and you’re already worried about me? Call me your queen and maybe I’ll put in a good word for you on stage.” Cody immediately twisted her ear, scolding her playfully. I had no desire to intervene. I just leaned against a wall in the shadows, my arms crossed. In the dim light, something about Cody’s faux-angry profile seemed strangely familiar. After a moment of thought, I opened Sophia’s social media and started scrolling. Among her few posts, I quickly found the portrait sketches she used to draw. The style evolved from amateurish and clumsy to, just two months ago during summer break, skilled enough that the subject was instantly recognizable. My hand holding the phone started to tremble. The comments flickered back into view. [I can’t. She’s not even drawing the second male lead anymore, is she? The MC is the one with the mole under his left eye!] [The old drawings were definitely of the SML, but after she got with the MC, all her drawings have been of him.] [Yeah, exactly. She just drew the SML for so long that his features kind of bled into her style.] [Can the MC please stop being so paranoid? It’s giving me a damn ulcer!] Was that true? The comments were so certain, they almost made me doubt what I was seeing with my own eyes. On stage, Sophia finished her song. She was beautiful, with a fantastic voice, and under the spotlight, she shone like a star, basking in the applause from the new students. Holding the microphone, she suddenly pulled out a QR code. “I’m helping my bestie find a poor soul to date! Anyone with a good temper, apply within!” A freshman in the crowd shouted, “Can I get your contact info instead?” Sophia paused. I expected her to say, “I already have a boyfriend.” But she didn’t. She sighed dramatically. “Sorry, but a certain someone already bribed me with a KFC dinner. If I steal his thunder, I might not get my chicken.” The crowd roared with laughter. And my heart turned to ice.

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I was the heiress of the Qin family, which had just gone bankrupt. To save the company, my father married me off to the newly rising tech mogul, Lucas Cole. Nobody knew that Lucas was the ex-boyfriend I had abandoned. On our wedding night, he looked at me coldly: “Don’t think I still like you. Marrying you is just an expedient measure. We’ll divorce once the acquisition is complete.” Suddenly, a row of bullet comments floated before my eyes. [The villain’s only tough part is his mouth.] [Supporting female lead, don’t believe him. I testify, he looks at your photos every night and craves your body.] [Villain on the surface: Don’t think I like you. Inner thoughts: Boohoo, why isn’t wifey coaxing me yet?] [Supporting female lead, you’re confused. Believe it or not, with one ‘Hubby’, the villain will instantly become a loyal dog and lick you clean.] Looking at Lucas preparing to leave, I tentatively called out: “Hubby?” The man’s figure froze abruptly. His deep eyes stared straight at me, as if he would swallow me alive the next second. 1 “What did you just call me?” Lucas’s voice was a bit hoarse. Although still cold, it no longer had the aura of keeping people thousands of miles away. Knowing the trick from the bullet comments worked, I immediately softened my tone: “Can you not leave? It’s thundering outside, I’m scared.” I wasn’t lying. Since my grandmother passed away, I’ve been terrified of thunder, and Lucas knew it. He stared at me like that for a long time. Just when I thought he would leave directly, Lucas took pajamas from the closet and went to the bathroom. Didn’t he shower before? Since when did Lucas become such a clean freak? The bullet comments were restless now: [Silly baby, the villain isn’t being a clean freak, it’s hehehe…] [With one ‘Hubby’ from the supporting female lead, the villain’s body must be burning up. If he doesn’t go into the bathroom, he’ll lose face.] [No choice, the villain hasn’t touched a woman for so many years. Relying on photos of the clothes left by the supporting female lead every day, it’s understandable he couldn’t hold back for a moment.] [Ah, the villain is like this, yet still whispering the supporting female lead’s name in the bathroom. These two are too pure love.] [Upstairs, do you have any misunderstanding about pure love?] The bullet comments stunned me one after another. Is this a comment section or a no-man’s land? Why do the black words look dirtier the more I read? My face flushed. I endured for a long time before resisting the urge to eavesdrop at the bathroom door. I changed into pajamas and lay on the bed first. An hour later, Lucas came out of the bathroom. Wearing only pajama pants, no shirt. I had to admit, I haven’t seen a man with a better figure than Lucas to this day. Simply the ceiling of lean muscles, full of sexual tension. Crystal water droplets slid down the man’s firm pectoral muscles and abdominal muscles, finally slowly disappearing into the sexy Apollo’s belt. Making me swallow uncontrollably. 2 “Seen enough?” The man’s voice betrayed no emotion. I immediately looked away: “Who’s looking at you?” Bullet comments: [If she doesn’t look at you, you’re unhappy again.] [As soon as the supporting female lead looks away, the villain’s eyebrows are furrowed into a frown.] [Supporting female lead, don’t be afraid. We can not only look but also touch. Believe it or not, if you touch him, the villain will have to go to the bathroom again?] Naturally, I didn’t dare to touch. I knew how strong Lucas was. Endless strength all over his body. I was afraid that before I even touched him, he would break my hand in the next second. The bullet comments were all a bunch of people who enjoyed watching the drama. The man beside me seemed to hesitate for a while, took another quilt from the closet, and lay down. A two-meter bed, forcibly slept into two separate territories by us. [Refusing to share a quilt with wifey now. Wait until wifey dies, you’ll be crying looking at photos every night.] [Cherish the days you can still see the supporting female lead. She is the most beautiful person in the whole book, and soon you won’t be able to see her.] Yes, from the bullet comments just now, I knew I would die soon. This world seemed to be a “chasing wife crematorium” angst novel. Lucas was the villain, and I was the villain’s early-deceased white moonlight. The male lead was Lucas’s half-brother, Liam Cole. Lucas’s mother committed suicide due to depression because of Liam’s mother’s interference. From then on, Lucas lived a poor life with his grandparents. This led to his constant hostility towards Liam. Although it was only the beginning of the story, the two companies already had signs of hostility. The real trigger was my death. The day after my wedding, I went abroad for business and met Liam’s friends. To vent anger for Liam, they hired a few foreigners to teach me a lesson. Unexpectedly, those foreigners coveted my beauty, insulted me, and threw my body into the sea. Just like that, Lucas went completely mad, reaching a point of endless enmity with Liam. But how could the villain defeat the protagonist? In the end, Lucas died in the sea where I had my accident. Seeing this, I immediately took out my phone and cancelled tomorrow morning’s flight ticket. And told my assistant to change tomorrow’s cooperation to an online meeting. If the other party disagreed, cancel the cooperation directly. Making money is not as important as saving my life. Bullet comments: [?? The supporting female lead isn’t going abroad? Great! Such a beautiful supporting female lead, I feel heartache thinking of her dying so miserably.] [This is a rare villain in romance novels who won’t fall in love with the heroine. The villain was so miserable since childhood, please author give him a good ending.] [No matter how miserable, it doesn’t change the fact that he hurt the male and female leads. Why are people still whitewashing the villain? Do you have any morals?] [Fine, fine, upstairs is noble. Then I wish you can still love the brother who took everything from you after encountering everything the villain did.] [Honestly, if I encountered what the villain did, my resentment could feed ten evil sword fairies.] 3 I was engrossed in reading the bullet comments when movement came from the man beside me turning over, along with unbearable low groans. Lucas had old injuries on his body, smashed by heavy objects on the construction site before. It would hurt whenever it rained. Thinking of the bullet comments saying he stayed a widower for me for decades, and later died in the sea with my ashes. I couldn’t help my eyes getting hot. My hand tentatively reached into the man’s quilt and slowly climbed onto his shoulder. I felt Lucas’s body stiffen, but he didn’t stop me. Until my hand touched his pectoral muscles, Lucas’s breath stopped, suddenly grabbing my hand, his voice hoarse: “What are you doing?” I pursed my lips: “Where is the medicated oil? I’ll rub it for you?” The man’s grip on my hand tightened, his Adam’s apple rolling violently. I knew what Lucas was thinking. Before we broke up, I often massaged him, but every time I massaged, it got out of hand. The more I thought, the hotter my body became. I hurriedly withdrew my hand and turned my back to him. “Forget it if you don’t want to. Sleep.” [Ahhh, supporting female lead why did you retreat? Just persist a bit longer, the string of reason in the male supporting character would break.] [Don’t worry, since the supporting female lead isn’t going abroad, this string will break sooner or later. Unfocused pupils are the fate of the supporting female lead.] The bullet comments were really unsightly. I simply closed my eyes and covered my head with the quilt not to look. Maybe because the wedding was too tiring, I fell asleep unknowingly. 4 The next day, I was suffocated awake. When I opened my eyes, my head was buried in the man’s full pectoral muscles. Lucas held me in his arms. Big hands tightly circled my waist. When did I crawl into Lucas’s quilt? Struggling a few times, Lucas seemed to sense it and hugged me tighter dissatisfiedly. Head buried in his pectoral muscles again. Enduring again and again, I couldn’t bear it anymore. I struggled out of Lucas’s arms with difficulty and finally breathed a sigh of relief. How can this man’s muscles be so hard? Hard as iron all over, almost suffocated me to death. I went to the bathroom to wash up and found clear bite marks on my neck in the mirror. [Supporting female lead, no need to doubt, it was the villain who bit.] [Ahhh, who understands my mood watching the villain bite the supporting female lead last night? This behavior of the villain really looks like a dog marking its exclusive property.] [Didn’t expect the villain carefully scooped his wife into his arms yesterday and secretly kissed her several times. I just want to laugh.] Fingers stroking the bite marks left by Lucas, I couldn’t help chuckling. [??? No, why is the supporting female lead laughing too? Does she also enjoy being bitten by the villain?] [Good, good, good. The villain being perverted isn’t enough, now even the supporting female lead is this perverted. Shipping you guys is my destiny.] I ignored what the bullet comments said and happily went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Didn’t have time to observe yesterday. Now looking, Lucas’s home was terribly cold and hard. Only black, white, and gray colors in the whole house. Because he didn’t like others touching his things, there wasn’t even a servant. The things in the refrigerator were pitifully few. I took out a piece of luncheon meat and couldn’t help murmuring. “Really don’t know how he lived these years.” “What are you doing?”

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My sexual orientation was accidentally exposed, and I heard my roommate, a jock named Blake, call me disgusting. Because of his words, my other roommates started to subtly isolate me. Being someone who believes in an eye for an eye, I pretended to be a cute girl and started an online relationship with him. When the time was right, I sent him a photo of my abs, and before he could react, I blocked and deleted him. But that night, he climbed into my bed, pressed down on me, his voice urgent: “Wifey, let me touch.” Me: “…” 1 Blake is a jock, a high jumper on the national team. Recently, he sprained his ankle and has been resting in the dorm. Coincidentally, during this time, I pretended to be a cute girl and took advantage of his boredom, finally establishing a relationship with him online. [Baby, I’m going to dance practice now. See you tonight, mwah!] [Love you.jpg] After sending this message, I carried my takeout into the dorm. As soon as I walked in, I saw Blake holding his phone and sending a voice message: “Okay, wifey, see you tonight.” His voice was deep and pleasant, carrying a tenderness he usually lacked. But the moment he let go of the phone screen… Buzz. The phone in my hand vibrated at the exact same time. Me: “…” Mistake. I hadn’t switched back to my main account yet. The guy opposite me looked over, his sharp eyes sweeping across the room, looking a bit fierce. Luckily, he’s handsome, so the fierceness just looked cool. Blake is six-foot-five, tall with long legs, and has an imposing presence. I’m five-ten-and-three-quarters—rounded up, six feet—but with a slender build. Standing next to him, the contrast is stark. His gaze suddenly fell on my hand. Startled, I quickly picked up my phone, pretending a friend had messaged me, and even replied with a voice message: “Okay, I’ll find you after class this afternoon.” In reality, I sent it to my main account. I sat down at my desk, not greeting him. Our relationship was terrible. But this guy had no self-awareness: “Logan, get me a glass of water, thanks!” Actually, he could move, but seeing me ignore him, he deliberately ordered me around. Truly malicious. But succumbing to his tyranny, I spinelessly stood up. I got him a glass of water. Damn my soft heart and cowardly guts. He took the cup, staring straight at me: “Got a date this afternoon?” “Yeah.” I sat back down, replied coldly, and stopped talking. Blake’s gaze lingered on me strangely, making me very uncomfortable. I really wanted to slam the table and shout: Looking at me when you have a wifey? Scumbag! Speaking of which, I’ve been chatting with him online for over two months and only recently made it official. After lunch, I took a nap. He didn’t make any noise, which was nice of him. After class in the afternoon, I received a message from Blake. [Wifey, what are you doing?] [Have you eaten? I’ll order food for you.] He even sent a red packet, which I didn’t click. The corners of my mouth curled up as I found a spot on the lawn to sit. Princess Shen: [Just got out of class?] [Haven’t eaten yet. Want to see hubby’s abs.] So, two minutes later, a photo of honey-colored, well-defined abs was sent over. Under the sun, I shook my head slightly, feeling smug. Hmph! When Blake finds out later that the photos he sent were received by a guy, he’ll probably vomit blood from anger, right? But he quickly sent another message: [I want yours too.] Actually, a lot of the time, he speaks in commands. At first, I was unhappy, thinking he was pretentious, but later I realized that’s just his personality. So with some guidance, he now knows how to call me “wifey.” I had sent him leg photos before to flirt, and now he wanted photos of me in a pretty dress. But Blake has been in the dorm recently, so it’s hard for me to take photos. [Tomorrow, baby. I don’t have a new dress yet, sob sob~] Blake: [I’ll buy one for you.] [Same address as before?] I deliberately sent him the address of another university. It’s actually not far, but we haven’t mentioned meeting up yet. Blake isn’t in deep enough yet. I need to work harder. Before, when he and the other two roommates said I liked men and was disgusting… I’m petty. I remember it. 2 Returning to the dorm at night, the other two roommates were gone, out for a competition. In this dorm, I’m the only one with a different major. Blake’s cast-covered leg was resting on a small stool beside him. So long. I sincerely lamented. “Back?” He looked at me with fierce eyes, tone flat. I took off my T-shirt in front of him, deliberately revealing my upper body. The more he hates men, the more I want to disgust him. “Yeah.” I threw the T-shirt on the chair, grabbed clean clothes, and prepared to shower. When I passed behind him, I don’t know if it was an illusion, but he seemed to glance at me sideways. But I didn’t care, went into the bathroom to shower, and came out wearing pajamas and sports shorts, humming a song while washing the clothes I took off. What I didn’t know was that Blake leaned back, looking up towards me on the balcony. His gaze fell on my legs. The exposed calves were straight and slender. Further up, the knees were flushed red. As I hung the clothes and turned around, Blake had already withdrawn his gaze almost imperceptibly. His features are deep and three-dimensional, eyes exquisite and sharp. He’s a certified hottie, just looks very cold and hard to mess with. I pouted. Just wait until you cry. After getting into bed and pulling the curtains, I started bombing him with messages. [Hubby, miss you so much. Want to sleep on your abs tonight!] [Oops, typo. Sleep on hubby’s abs photo!] [Licking the screen tonight, slurp slurp—] He video called directly. It was on mute, so I hung up. [Sob sob sob, roommates are in the dorm, can’t answer the call baby~] Blake: [The package will arrive tomorrow.] Meaning he wants to see leg photos. I hummed quietly, seriously suspecting Blake has a leg fetish. No, he’s just a perv. But there are quite a few people who like this guy, both men and women. If I weren’t bold enough, I might not have hooked him. But it proves that even handsome men can’t resist temptation. Heh! Men. After thinking about it, I turned on the desk lamp, took out a slip dress I had worn before from the storage basket on the bedside table, and put it on my legs. I reached out a hand and grabbed the fabric of the dress hard. In the camera, my fingers were slender and bony, grabbing the fabric at the thigh position hard, then releasing. A short three-second video, sent with a filter. [What to do? My hand is out of control, want to grab hubby’s ab~s~] “F***!” I heard a low growl from Blake’s bed. I was overjoyed inside. Laughing, I collapsed on the bed. Trying to control the noise, my legs wrapped in the slip dress flopped in the air like a fish out of water. The next day, I received the package. I went to the other university to pick it up, sweating all over, so I simply booked an hourly room. Opening the package… wow. This dress is actually quite nice. It’s a creamy white princess dress, length to the thigh. A bit glossy but not exaggerated, good texture. Will I really become a little princess wearing it? I was amused by my own thoughts. But I have to say, the size was a close call. Almost couldn’t zip it up. Looking at it this way, my waist looked even thinner. Thinner? I felt like I could barely breathe. Just then, there was a knock on the door. I hurried over to open it. It was my friend, Sarah. Seeing me dressed like this… She said “Holy crap” several times: “You you you…” “Cut the crap, come take some photos of me.” She brought a wig and put it on me. Her hands were itching to work, and after begging, I agreed to let her do simple makeup on me. Finally, we took photos of my back, profile, and figure. After slight editing, a beautiful girl with waist-length hair appeared. Even looking closely, my mom wouldn’t recognize me. Sarah drooled: “Wuwuwu, Logan, you’re so beautiful.” I waved my hand: “Average, average. You’re beautiful too. Come here, let me take some photos of you.” So Sarah also got some beautiful photos. 3 Changing clothes in the bathroom, I finally took a few deep breaths. Almost suffocated. Coming out, Sarah was looking at the dress box. Without checking, I wouldn’t have known, but a search startled me: “Damn, your hubby is rich? This dress is over two thousand dollars.” “What?” I was shocked. “For this thing?” I instantly felt the dress was average. I originally planned to sell it online, but now I worried about disputes when we break up later. So I packed it back into the box and put it in the courier box. Didn’t remove the tag. When we fall out later, I’ll mail it back to him to avoid exposing my true identity during a dispute. Just after editing the photos, I sent a few to Blake. He was probably busy, so he didn’t see them immediately. When Sarah and I left the hotel and were buying skewers at the food court, my phone vibrated. I took it out and saw he replied. Sarah leaned over to look and read: “Wifey is so beautiful… Eww~ I can’t imagine how those words came out of Blake’s handsome face. Logan, make him send a voice message.” Me: “…” Hmphed, satisfying her. So I raised my phone and secretly messaged him: [Want to hear hubby’s voice. So sexy, can loop it three hundred times every time~] My flirting skills are natural. I have to sigh, it’s only normal that Blake was taken down by me, hehehe. He quickly replied with a voice message: “Wifey looks very good.” Although only four words and a bit cold, Blake’s voice was magnetic and mellow, sounding even better than the voice actors Sarah secretly listens to at night. Stars in her eyes, but her focus was: “Omg, he called you wifey. So smooth, sweeter than eating two hundred pounds of durian.” Hearing that, I seemed to smell a strong stench. Oh, it’s the stinky tofu next door. Putting away the phone, I shouted: “Boss, one portion.” Planning to take it back to stink up Blake. Then Sarah, who wanted to lose weight, ate it all on the way. We were high school classmates and neighbors. She’s the one who goes to this university. After eating skewers and stinky tofu, we parted ways. Speaking of which, Blake is really famous. Even students from the neighboring university know his name. Many people came to our school to watch basketball because of Blake. Also because of this, Blake’s bros were heartbroken that he sprained his ankle, losing them many chances to be surrounded by beauties. Back in the dorm, unsurprisingly, Blake was there. Isn’t his home in the city? Why not go home to recover, staying here being an eyesore? Annoying! I only dared to complain in my heart. Look, he sent a message asking me to bring food. Didn’t I obediently take the long way to bring back his favorite meal? I put the takeout on his desk: “Here, ninety-five.” Blake’s gaze swept over my hand imperceptibly, picking up his phone: “Thanks, sent.” I clicked open, it was a hundred. He always rounds up when asking me to buy things. I mentioned it once, but he kept doing it, so I let him be. I can’t round down for him and say the meal was ninety, right? Then I’d lose money! 4 Back at my seat, he saw the courier box on my chair and asked, “What did you buy?” I said without blushing or skipping a beat, “Shoes.” Blake frowned slightly, gaze falling on the courier box again. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly threw the box under the desk. It’s just a regular cardboard box, right? Although good quality, there’s no logo on it! Or very small, just a pattern. Unless looking closely, you wouldn’t see it. And Blake bought it online, right? He shouldn’t know this box contained the dress he bought. I calmed down, sighing involuntarily. This is what happens when you do bad things; whenever Blake does anything slightly, I feel guilty. After this is over, I definitely won’t do bad things again. Actually, I regretted it too, but I couldn’t pull out then. Thinking back to that time returning to the dorm, the door wasn’t fully closed, and voices came from inside: “Holy crap, he… he actually likes men? Damn, hope he doesn’t look at me.” I rolled my eyes. You guys don’t even look in the mirror. I care about looks. Then I heard another roommate say: “Not really, heard Logan has someone he likes.” At this moment, that voice I always thought was particularly nice came coldly from inside: “So disgusting.” Crack… Something shattered. Oh, it was my filter of Blake shattering all over the ground. I wanted to push the door open fiercely, but in the end, I cowardly went downstairs and sat on the grass nearby, sad for ten minutes. I thought even if our relationship wasn’t great, we could still talk a bit. Didn’t expect him to be this kind of person. From that day on, my other two roommates subconsciously dodged me but sucked up to Blake. I felt all this was caused by Blake. Finally, filled with resentment, I decided to disgust him. Now, there’s no turning back. Not only did I not reflect on whether my actions were excessive, but I felt I was losing out. Platonic love is all about emotional value. I was heartbroken, feeling I gave a bit too much. Picked up the phone, opened the alt account, and messaged him: [Hubby, want to see your 🍆 pic.] After sending, I suddenly sobered up and quickly retracted it. Ahhh, ridiculous. My face turned red instantly. Hurriedly placed the phone face down on the desk. Carefully glancing next door, I saw the handsome guy staring at his phone screen, brows slightly furrowed, expression subtle. Didn’t know if he saw my message. But he didn’t reply. Probably didn’t see it. Small probability he saw it and chose to ignore. I’m used to it, even painfully thinking, taking revenge while being a simp is a losing business I won’t do again.

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A ten-year-old girl vanished into the suburban night, the only thing left on her bed a single, bloody pair of underwear. Nine years later, as I was reading a bedtime story to my own daughter, I had a sudden, ice-cold realization: The “Tooth Fairy” the missing girl had talked about was no fairy tale at all. In that moment, I finally understood the blood-chilling motive hidden behind the innocence of a simple childhood story. My hand shook as I dialed the number for the lead detective from all those years ago. “Captain Stone,” I whispered, my voice ragged. “We were wrong. Dead wrong, for nine years.” 1 In 2016, I was working as a security guard at the gates of a high-end complex called Maplewood Estates. That winter, a ten-year-old girl named Sadie Jenkins vanished from her own bedroom. The scene was gruesome. Twisted sheets, spattered blood, and that single pair of bloody underwear balled up near the footboard. The police turned the entire complex upside down, but they didn’t find a single viable lead. Years passed. I got married, had a kid. My daughter was right in the middle of her wobbly-tooth phase. That night, my wife was tucking her in, telling her the story of the Tooth Fairy. When I heard those two words, I shot straight up in bed, drenched in a cold sweat. My voice trembling, I asked my wife, “The Tooth Fairy you’re talking about—she takes the tooth and leaves a coin?” “Yeah, honey. That’s the story everybody tells.” I stayed awake until dawn. As soon as the sky began to lighten, I found the number I hadn’t had the guts to delete in nine years and sent a text to Captain David Stone, the detective in charge of the case: “The whole direction of the investigation. It was completely wrong.” 2 The popular American version of the Tooth Fairy—tucking a lost tooth under the pillow in exchange for money—had only really become widely known in our area over the last decade or so. It came from one of two places: Either the version passed down from parents and teachers who had traveled, or the one popularized around 2015 by imported children’s media. You would never think that the tiny, almost imperceptible difference between the two versions could send a living, breathing person straight to her death. 3 “Officer! Please! Help! My daughter is gone! Someone is trying to kill her!” Brenda Wells’s shriek is a sound that still rips me awake sometimes. It was November 24th, 2016. Sadie Jenkins went missing that morning. It was around 7:40 a.m. I was just finishing my shift handover with the night guy, Old Man Leo, and was settling down in the guard booth with my thermos and a bag of glazed donuts. The fog was thick outside. People were rushing off to work and school, a normal, manic weekday morning. Then the sirens. Loud, close, and stopping right at the main gate. I ran out and saw the squad cars pull up to Unit 8, Building B. Nothing spikes a security guard’s adrenaline faster. As I raised the gate arm and pointed them toward the unit, my gut clenched. Clang. I knew that unit. That’s where Sadie lived. I was usually hiding in the booth, working through a box of glazed donuts and grinding on some mobile battle game. This group of kids would barrel in after school, sniffing out the sugar, and wipe out my snack stash in three minutes flat. I knew those little brats well. Sadie was different from the others. She was a natural-born leader, quick-witted, and she always took charge. Every time she cleared me out of donuts, she’d stuff my pockets with cheap candy or a pack of stale gum from her own stash. That morning, when I heard Brenda’s tortured scream, my chopsticks clattered to the floor. Damn it. Something happened to that kid. 4 Sadie’s unit was on the first floor. When I got there, a crowd of rubbernecking neighbors was already gathered at the entrance. I saw it right away: a huge, jagged hole cut into the iron security bars on the bedroom window. It looked black and menacing. Everyone was whispering that it was Sadie’s room. Humans are easily swayed by the obvious. Terrifying theories exploded in the crowd: breaking and entering, sexual assault, a random abduction. Even though neighborhood security wasn’t as tight back in 2016 as it is now, no one could believe that someone would brazenly cut through iron bars in the middle of the night just to go after a ten-year-old girl. Captain Stone, the lead detective, had a face like granite. He was grilling Sadie’s mother, Brenda Wells. “Brenda Wells, is that right? You called 911 at 7:15?” “Yes! I got up to make breakfast around seven, passed Sadie’s room, and saw the bed was empty and the window was jimmied! I pulled back the sheets and… there was blood! And that pair of underwear… I flew into a panic. I searched the whole apartment, and then I called the police!” “You didn’t hear anything all night?” “Nothing! I’m a heavy sleeper! Slept right through till morning.” I didn’t see the father, so I interjected, “Where’s the girl’s dad?” Brenda scrubbed tears from her face. “Rick—he’s a construction worker. He was on an overnight shift. His phone’s off.” I remembered Sadie mentioning that her dad was in construction and was rarely home. The police went back inside to examine the room. I lingered by the door, trying to peer in. When Captain Stone emerged, his brow was furrowed so tight it looked like a knot. He took a long drag on his cigarette. I offered him a light. “Captain, what’s the read?” Stone blew out a plume of smoke and lowered his voice. “Rookie, I’ve worked B&E cases my whole career, and nine times out of ten, it’s about cash.” “This apartment is a two-bedroom. The girl’s window is small, tucked away—a spot a thief would choose. I started thinking, maybe the thief got in, ran into the kid, and got the wrong idea…” “But the scene is all wrong. The sheets are twisted, there’s blood splatter on the walls and bed, and that underwear—it looks like a passion crime.” “But think about it: the mother next door didn’t hear a thing? The neighbors heard nothing? The girl didn’t even scream for help?” “The biggest piece missing is the body. If it was a passion killing, why take the body? Why the effort? I have a terrible feeling about this one.” 5 A terrible feeling. Stone’s words sent a chill down my spine. Why Sadie? Why her? Stone bent down and pulled a few comic books from under the bed, dusting them off. Looking at those books, a memory flashed in my mind, from the first time I really met Sadie, two months earlier. “Security Uncle! Come outside now!” I was dozing that afternoon when I heard a clear voice shouting for me. I stepped out and saw a tall, fair-skinned little girl in a sundress, standing guard over a chubby little boy who was sitting on the ground sobbing. She pointed at two older boys across the way and said fiercely, “Sir, they stole his stuff and they hit him!” The two older boys weren’t scared; they shoved the girl. “Mind your own business!” My temper flared. I crossed the distance in one stride and pulled the two older boys apart. “You little punks. Try that again.” They were only tough when they outnumbered someone. Seeing I was serious, they yelled, “You’ll pay for that!” and ran off. “Yeah, I’ll be waiting in the booth! Don’t be a coward!” I shouted after them. The girl, Sadie, was all business. She knelt down, picked up the scattered comic books, handed them to the little boy, and wiped his tears. “Stop crying. If they bother you again, you use my name. I’ve got your back.” That was my first impression of Sadie Jenkins—righteous, kind, and she burned bright like a tiny sun. I ushered them into the guard booth and gave them some napkins. “Uncle, I knew you’d help!” “How did you know?” Sadie stared at the mobile game on my screen, her eyes shining. “I watch you play a lot. The other guards yell at the delivery guys, but you’re always polite and let them come inside for a drink. You’re a good man.” “Hey, we’re all just trying to make a living.” “Exactly! My teacher says we have to help each other! But I notice… adults like to bully kids, and big kids bully little kids. I hate that.” I was surprised. This girl, who seemed so loud and bold, was actually quite insightful. “You want to watch me play, just come on in. Don’t wait outside.” “Really? Thank you! Can I… play a round?” she asked, smiling cheekily. “…Finish your homework first.” “Yes! This is the best!” She slapped the little boy on the shoulder. “We have a place to hang out after school now!” The little boy, Matty, shyly handed me his books. “If you get bored, Sir, you can borrow these.” That was the first time my guard booth had ever been so full of life. “Wow, your moves are amazing, Uncle! I want to play that character next!” Those two kids were my little rays of sunshine. Before leaving, Sadie didn’t forget her own parting advice: “Uncle, it’s getting cold. Zip up your coat and don’t catch a cold.” How could such a wonderful child… 6 The evidence collection lasted over half an hour. Stone and his team searched the room repeatedly. I waited anxiously, but all Stone could do was shake his head and sigh. I was getting frustrated. “Captain, what is it?” Before Stone could answer, Sadie’s father, Rick Jenkins, arrived. The man was wearing a hard hat, his face covered in concrete dust and sweat. He burst through the door and went straight for Brenda, ignoring the police. “Where is our daughter? Huh?” Once he figured out what had happened, Rick shoved Brenda hard in the shoulder, his eyes bloodshot. “Someone jimmied the window, our daughter is hurt—maybe dead—and you were sleeping like a dead pig?!” His jaw was clenched tight, his fists cracking. If the police hadn’t been standing right there, I think he would have beaten Brenda on the spot. Seeing the volatile situation, Stone pulled me aside. “How long have you worked here?” “Two months.” “Know this family?” “I know the kid. The adults, not so much.” “I notice the complex doesn’t have security cameras outside the gate?” “Just the one at the main entrance, facing the street.” “Alright, I need a favor. We need to question the parents and talk to the neighbors. You know the area. Help us find our way around.” “No problem. Whatever it takes to find her.” “You asked me what was wrong with the scene. I’ll be straight with you.” Stone lit a cigarette, his eyes sharp. “This scene is all wrong. Ten-year-old kid, the room’s a wreck—she obviously fought back. The security bars were cut, blood everywhere… We can rule out runaway or self-abduction.” “So an outsider came in.” “Yes. But for all the apparent violence, something is missing. No screams, no sounds of a major struggle. If the kid was knocked out or killed right away, the room wouldn’t be this messy, and the blood volume is wrong.” “Since she wasn’t killed here, she was taken. How do you move a struggling human being out of a house in the dead of night without alerting anyone? How do you even clean up some of the mess?” “This tells me one thing: the killer had a way to keep her quiet.” “It might even be… someone she knew.” Stone paused, exhaling the words slowly. “I have two theories. First, a familiar person. Second, the parents are hiding something.” 7 The time snaps forward to 2025. This case was a thorn in my side for nine long years. After I heard the full, real version of the “Tooth Fairy” story that night, I smoked an entire pack of cigarettes on my balcony. The truth had been right in front of us the entire time, just missing that final puzzle piece. Could that final piece bring back a girl who’d been gone for almost a decade? At six in the morning, I scrolled through my contacts and finally hit the number: Captain Stone. 8 Back in 2016. We quickly found that this family was hiding something strange. Sadie Jenkins, ten years old, attended Harborview Elementary, six miles from home. The father, Rick Jenkins, forty-two, a dependable blue-collar worker constantly rotating between construction sites. The mother, Brenda Wells, thirty-four, ran a small food stand in the evening market, leaving in the afternoon and closing up around ten. A typical blue-collar, double-shift household, working nonstop. I was puzzled. Simple folks, no money, no social influence—why would anyone target their kid? The neighbors described Rick as a straight shooter, a little hot-tempered, loud at home, but honest. Brenda and Sadie, however, had impeccable reputations. Everyone said Brenda was sweet, a hard worker who managed everything. Sadie was a big-hearted kid who helped Brenda at the stand and was always cheerful. But behind that facade, we started hearing murmurs. Several neighbors whispered privately that Brenda Wells wasn’t Sadie’s birth mother. 9 “Is the sister who was afraid of being lonely… really not coming back?” The next day after Sadie’s disappearance. I’d spent all of yesterday running myself ragged with Captain Stone. My throat was raw, but we were no closer to an answer. The precinct took the case seriously, sending in more personnel today. I was holed up in the guard booth, feeling sick. I’d only known those kids for two months, but they were the only light in my boring life. I remembered what Sadie had told me. She said the first thing she did after school was find her group. If someone wasn’t there, she’d shout until they came out. “No one gets left behind! People who don’t have friends are the most pathetic people, Uncle. You too!” That’s how seriously she used to lecture me. It was Saturday. Usually, the entrance to the complex would be a zoo. I looked out the window, and for a moment, I thought I saw the group of kids laughing. But when I focused, I saw only Matty, the chubby little boy Sadie had protected, sitting alone on a bench. I walked over. Matty looked up, his eyes swollen like peaches. “Uncle, Sadie’s gone. No one wants to come out. Will she really never be found?” “Don’t talk like that. The police are looking, she’ll be back soon.” “She won’t.” Matty shook his head, a certainty in his voice that chilled me. “Why do you say that?” “Sadie told us. She was most afraid of being alone. If she didn’t come out to find us, it means she wasn’t in this world anymore.” “…” It was a child’s silly talk, but it twisted my heart. Did she already know, deep down, that her ordinary life could be cut short at any moment?

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On the eve of my wedding, I was dragged into the woods by two thugs and tormented for three hours. When my brother found me, I was disfigured, four teeth knocked out, covered in blood. My dad rushed over after finishing a business deal, pounding the wall and swearing revenge for me. Before entering the operating room, my brother, in his white coat, promised he would do everything to help me recover my looks and heal my body. But as I lay in the emergency room, I heard my brother whisper to my dad: “Dad, wasn’t it too much letting those animals bully Chloe like that?” My dad was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice: “I didn’t expect them to be so heavy-handed! But this is good too. With Chloe ruined like this, there’s no way she can marry Liam Scott anymore. Bella can marry him rightfully now.” “We did this for Chloe’s own good. With her arrogant and domineering personality, if she really married into the Scott family, who knows what trouble she would cause.” … Since that’s the case, I don’t want them anymore. 1 My brother’s assistant checked my injuries and hurried out. “Dr. Chen, the patient has multiple injuries, should we operate immediately?” “Okay, we…” Just as my brother was speaking, my dad interrupted him. “No rush. Wait until Bella and Liam’s wedding is over before you operate.” “Chloe only suffered external injuries, she’ll heal quickly. If we do the surgery early and she runs to interrupt their wedding, what then?” The assistant beside him was shocked. “This kind of surgery can’t be delayed. We have to consider if the patient has any unexpected complications…” My brother echoed: “Right! We must operate on Chloe as soon as possible. I won’t allow anything to happen to her!” With a crisp slap, my dad hit him hard across the face. “Fool! We’re halfway done, how can we retreat now? Chloe is already like this. Our task now is to ensure 100% that Bella can marry Liam!” “Do as I say! Give Chloe the best medicine to lessen her pain, and delay the surgery until tomorrow night!” Listening to the conversation between my dad and brother, my heart went cold. When my parents divorced, my dad refused to let my mom take me no matter what. I thought he couldn’t bear to part with me, that he loved me. Who would have thought he would hurt me like this for an adopted daughter? And my brother, who fought others for me when we were young, and always thought of me first when he had good things growing up. Now he could let thugs bully me and even deliberately delay my surgery! How did they become like this?! The next second, the two walked into the emergency room. I closed my eyes, continuing to feign unconsciousness, but my fists clenched uncontrollably. My dad quickly noticed my abnormality. He held my fist and asked with concern: “Chloe, are you awake? How do you feel now?” He then pretended to order my brother: “Ethan, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and check your sister’s injuries, give her the best painkillers!” My brother immediately leaned in, checking my condition with heartache, stopping the bleeding and bandaging me. Their words and actions were full of concern for me. However, knowing the truth, I only felt chilled and nauseous. Those two thugs forcibly pulled out my teeth, and my mouth was still bleeding. I endured the pain, looking at my brother and asking: “I feel pain in my lower abdomen. Brother, when is the surgery?” My dad answered first: “Chloe, your brother is missing a medicine here. He has arranged for someone to transport it here urgently. The surgery might have to wait until tomorrow night!” “But don’t worry, your brother will stay here with you and won’t let anything happen to you!” I was disappointed to the extreme with them. I looked at my brother and couldn’t help asking: “Brother, is that true? I feel like I’m dying, but the surgery can’t be done?” My brother’s eyes flickered, clearly guilty. However, the next moment, he replied calmly: “Dad said so, how can it be fake? Chloe, don’t be afraid, I will do my best to ensure you are safe and sound.” 2 As my brother spoke, he cut open my pants with scissors to check the painful area on my abdomen. He trembled: “What happened to you? Why are you hurt like this here?” I tensed my weak body in pain, meeting their incredulous gazes, and answered softly: “I’m a woman with no strength. Falling into the hands of those two animals, could I have had it easy?” “They treated me like a toy, wishing to tear me apart…” My dad looked away unbearably. My brother hugged me tightly, trembling all over. “Chloe, don’t say anymore. I will definitely cure you! And your face, I will do my best to restore it to its original state!” My dad declared there that he would spend a fortune to find those two animals and tear them to pieces. My brother kept his word and really didn’t operate on me, only stopping the bleeding and giving painkillers. Groggily, I heard my brother asking my dad. “Dad, Chloe has been bullied like this. Are we really going to post her experience online?” “And spread rumors that she was loose herself, deliberately seducing those two thugs into the woods…” “When people online see this, who knows how they will curse her…” My dad said firmly: “We must do this! That kid Liam loves Chloe to death. It’s not enough that she was bullied by them; we have to ruin her reputation too!” “Only in this way will the Scott family completely reject Chloe!” “At worst, after the wedding is over, we’ll delete those things and hire a PR team to clarify and clear Chloe’s name!” I was going crazy. Clearly, I was night running when those two thugs suddenly appeared and forcibly dragged me into the woods. As my family, how could they slander me like this?! A few minutes later, my phone started vibrating, buzzing again and again. It was my best friend sharing a TikTok video. [Chloe, look at this TikTok video. Why does it mention you by name?!!] Opening it, it was a video of me hooking up with those two thugs and following them into the woods. This was obviously the masterpiece of my dad and brother. As the person who experienced this, I naturally knew this video was fake. However, the comment section was full of sarcasm and insults towards me. [Isn’t this the Chen family’s daughter? Is she this loose?!] [Heard she’s having a wedding with the Scott family’s son tomorrow. This is having fun outside before getting married!!] [Damn, how can there be such a disgusting woman? If I married this kind of b*tch, I’d break her legs!!] [Liam Scott definitely won’t want her anymore seeing her like this, right?!] [Her family must be furious, hahahaha!!] … Looking at this content, I trembled with anger. The pain on my body exploded instantly, unstoppable even by the best painkillers. At this time, my brother came over, took away my phone, and hugged me with heartache. “Chloe, I believe you. You are not like this.” My dad glanced at my phone and threw it hard on the ground. “How can they say this about my daughter? I’ll call right now and have someone delete this video!” He walked away making a call. My brother comforted me gently: “Chloe, don’t worry. In ten minutes, Dad can make this video disappear.” I didn’t speak, just faintly admiring the acting skills of these two. How can they be so thick-skinned? They clearly created the rumors about me, yet they act like good people in front of me one by one. A few minutes later, my dad walked back and said to me: “Chloe, I’ve had the video deleted. Dad will always be your support. I won’t allow anyone to hurt you!” My brother echoed: “I will always protect you too.” However, that video had been shared tens of thousands of times and had long reached the Scott family. What would Liam think of me? At this moment, I clearly realized that it was completely impossible between him and me. Perhaps, in tomorrow’s wedding, Bella Chen really will get her wish and become his bride. My heart hurts so much! My brother worried about my physical condition and asked his assistant to arrange a more comprehensive examination for me. After the examination, the assistant looked at me with pity, pulled my brother aside, and stuffed a report into his hand. “Dr. Chen, your sister’s organs are damaged. She must be operated on as soon as possible, otherwise she will completely lose her fertility, and various bodily functions will be seriously affected!” 3 My brother flipped through the report carefully, his face getting darker and darker. He warned the assistant not to talk nonsense and turned to find my dad. His thoughts were exactly the same as the assistant’s. I must have surgery now. If not, I might not only be unable to have children but also very likely lose the ability to take care of myself! In the hallway outside, my dad trembled: “How could this be? How could those two animals do this to my daughter!” My brother was anxious. “The urgent task now is to operate on Chloe immediately!” Even through the wall, I could feel how anxious they were now. At this moment, I thought they would operate on me immediately. However, I was soon disappointed to the extreme. My dad said coldly: “No! If we operate on her now, what about Bella’s wedding?” “It’s good she can’t have children. This way Liam will completely give up. He will love Bella wholeheartedly!” “As for losing the ability to take care of herself… As the best doctor in our city, can’t you even cure your own sister?” “Hmph, even if she really loses the ability to take care of herself, it’s fine. As her dad, I will support her for a lifetime and never let her starve or freeze!” At this time, I no longer had any expectations of them. Enduring the pain, I picked up the phone my dad threw on the ground and dialed a number I knew by heart. “I miss you. Can you come find me?” “Also, I want to ask you to do some things for me…” Just after the call, my dad and brother walked in. Under my dad’s gaze, my brother fed me medicine and water. I didn’t resist, obediently complying. Just after taking the medicine, a strong drowsiness hit me. It seems they gave me sleeping pills. I’m hurt like this, are they still afraid I’ll stop Bella’s good thing? When I opened my eyes again, it was already the next evening. By this time, the wedding where Bella replaced me should have ended, right? Before I was fully awake, my brother stepped forward excitedly. “Chloe! The medicine missing for the surgery will arrive in ten minutes. I can operate on you immediately! Just wait a little longer!” Joy couldn’t be hidden on my dad’s face, but I knew it wasn’t because I was about to have surgery, but because his adopted daughter finally married the man she liked. I looked at them indifferently and said lightly: “I’m not doing this surgery.” My dad got anxious immediately. “How can that be? We held on until now, finally can operate, how can you give up?” “Chloe, do you want to become a cripple who can’t have children?” My brother grabbed my hand tightly, anxiously saying: “I forbid you to give up!” “Chloe, you have to believe me. I can definitely cure you. And your face, I will restore it to how it was!” “Give me a chance to make up for it, okay?” Just then, my dad’s secretary walked in quickly and whispered to him: “Mr. Chen, Bella has arrived.” My dad looked happy. His tone changed, saying to me: “Consider the surgery carefully. Bella is here to see you now, don’t embarrass her!” A guilty look flashed across my brother’s face, but in the end, he said nothing. I knew what happened even if they didn’t say. Bella was an intern in my dad’s company. Somehow, she won my dad’s favor. That weekend, my dad brought her home and announced he recognized her as his adopted daughter. Since then, my dad treated her as well as his biological daughter, wishing to hold her in the palm of his hand. Until this time, for Bella to marry Liam whom she fell in love with at first sight, he didn’t hesitate to hire two thugs to drag me into the woods and bully me. Liam hasn’t come to see me for so long. It seems he also gave up on me and married Bella. I’m just curious why Bella isn’t enjoying her wedding night but ran over here at this time? Unexpectedly, she actually came wearing my wedding dress. 4 Seeing her, my dad and brother showed no dissatisfaction. Seeing me on the hospital bed, the joy on her face couldn’t be hidden. She feigned concern for me: “Chloe, how did you become like this? The thing about you and those two thugs isn’t true, is it? You were consensual, how could they treat you like this?” My brother frowned. Bella immediately apologized to me: “Sorry, sorry! I shouldn’t mention this to make you sad, I accidentally forgot!” I didn’t want to watch her act here. I endured the pain and disgust and asked her: “Bella Chen, why are you wearing my wedding dress?” Bella’s eyes reddened instantly, looking like she was about to cry. My dad’s face changed, glaring at me fiercely, shouting: “What else could it be? Chloe Chen, you were indiscreet before marriage, messing around with two men. Naturally, the Scott family won’t want you anymore!” “If it weren’t for Bella wronging herself and sacrificing herself to marry Liam, who knows how ugly this matter would have become!” My brother scolded me coldly: “Chloe, don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re sick! Bella helped you this time, you shouldn’t question her!” Their righteous appearance made it seem like that video wasn’t forged by them. I laughed in anger, but laughing hurt my mouth. “Don’t blame Chloe, she must be very sad now. If she wants to blame someone, blame me!” Saying this, she walked up to me, looking at me mockingly, and said proudly in a volume only I could hear: “The once arrogant Chen family daughter has now become an ugly monster.” “Heard you can’t even have children, so pitiful!” “And I, replaced you to marry Liam. He will love me wholeheartedly in the future.” “Guess who did all this?” “It was the thugs your dad hired, your brother deliberately delaying your surgery…” “In their hearts, I am their family, and you are not even as good as roadside trash…” I glared at her, opening my mouth to curse her. I only said “You”, and she suddenly fell back hard. She fell to the ground, saying pitifully: “Chloe, I know you hate me for marrying Liam and taking away Dad and Brother’s love for you!” “If you really aren’t willing, I’ll return Liam to you, return Dad and Brother to you. I can also atone with death, no need for you to push me…” Before I could react, my dad rushed up and slapped my bandaged face. “Chloe! You’re hurt like this and still bullying Bella. How can you be so vicious?!” “Bella wronged herself to marry Liam to clean up your mess. If you have any dissatisfaction, come at me!” My brother also kicked my hospital bed hard. His kick was so powerful that I rolled off directly. He ignored it, helping Bella up and hugging her tightly. He said to me coldly: “Chloe Chen, if you dare touch Bella again, I won’t recognize you as my sister.” Even though I had decided to cut ties with them, my heart was still terribly cold. I watched helplessly as they left holding Bella. My dad took Bella for a checkup, afraid she was hurt in the slightest. He also had someone bring her the most delicious midnight snack. Only then did he remember me. He said to my brother: “Go ask Chloe what she wants to eat. We were so harsh to her just now, she must be angry.” A few minutes later, my brother stumbled back with a piece of cloth written in blood. “Dad, Chloe doesn’t want us anymore. She wants to sever ties with us!”

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