Category: English

My boyfriend was taking me to his trust-fund crowd’s party for the very first time. The moment his female friend—one of the few girls in his inner circle—saw me, she rushed over, threw her arms around me, and practically yelled. “Oh my god, Babe! You are stunning! Seriously, look at her—so graceful and totally polished!” “No wonder Brody likes you! I might even develop a crush myself!” She then covered her mouth in mock surprise, leaning in conspiratorially. “Did you, like, go to one of those Socialite Coaching classes? I’m just too much of a mess—one of the guys—I could never learn all that stuff.” “I heard those places only teach gold diggers how to hook a whale. But wow, it clearly works! Did they really teach you how to snag Brody?” “Seriously, you’re so good! Must have cost a fortune, right?” The private lounge instantly erupted. Brody’s cronies started to whoop and cheer. “I knew she looked mass-produced! Brody, you gotta be careful, man, don’t get played!” “Yeah, these professional catches are getting better and better. Even we almost missed it.” Brody looked vaguely embarrassed but still defended Piper Connelly. “Tatum, Piper’s just blunt, man. She’s just a tomboy, no filter. It’s a joke, so don’t give me that sour face and ruin the vibe.” I didn’t get angry. Instead, I simply nodded. I had, in fact, been to that class. But my identity was far from what she assumed. Since she’d decided to air it out in public, she shouldn’t blame me for not holding back. 1 It was Saturday night, and Brody Graham was taking me to his usual crew’s gathering for the first time. The moment we pushed open the door to the velvet-draped private room, a woman in a tiny silk slip dress and hot pants surged forward. “Brody! You’re finally here! Three shots, right now!” She completely ignored me, hanging right off Brody’s neck. “Pip, cut it out. My girlfriend’s here,” Brody said, chuckling as he gently pushed her away. Piper Connelly finally looked at me, as if she were just noticing I existed, peering out from Brody’s shoulder. “Oh, there’s the girlfriend! My bad, Babe. Brody and I are like brothers, we have no boundaries. Don’t mind me.” She apologized with her mouth, but her body was still pressed against Brody’s arm, and her eyes held a distinct challenge. I smoothed the fabric of my dress, my expression neutral. “Since you know you have no boundaries, just try to keep it in check next time.” The air in the VIP room froze for a single beat. Piper’s practiced smile wavered, then she finally stepped away from Brody and circled me slowly. “Wow! Seriously, look at you! That posture, that subtle smile… you are so graceful and polished!” She clapped her hands dramatically, drawing the attention of the surrounding trust-funders. “No wonder Brody’s obsessed! That whole… vibe… ugh, I could never pull it off.” Piper covered her mouth, feigning innocence, and leaned closer. “Babe, did you, like, go to one of those high-end Socialite Coaching classes? I’m just one of the guys—a total mess—all that effort just looks exhausting.” I met her eyes coldly. “What exactly are you trying to say?” Piper let out a peal of artificial laughter. “Don’t get mad, I’m just curious! I heard those places specifically teach financially motivated women how to hook rich guys—they even give you a standard way to smile and hold a champagne flute.” “And wow, it clearly works! Did they really teach you how to snag Brody?” She turned to the others, raising her voice. “Guys, come look! This is what you call professional! Our new girl is good! Must’ve dropped major cash on the tuition, right?” Someone choked on their drink. Then, the mocking chorus began. “I knew she looked cookie-cutter. That chin—could cut glass.” “Brody, wake up, man. These pro gold diggers package themselves so well, they almost had us fooled too.” “Yeah, a total assembly line socialite. Spent her life savings to land a whale.” All their malicious gazes focused on me. Brody, clearly uncomfortable, tugged at Piper’s sleeve. “Alright, Pip, that’s enough.” “Why, Brody? I’m just vetting her for you!” Piper pulled her arm away, her face a picture of injured loyalty. “I’m afraid you’re getting played! Women who come out of those classes are all about strategy. Only someone like me, who genuinely treats you like a brother, would tell you the truth.” Brody glanced at the smirking faces around the room and lost his temper. “Tatum, don’t be so sensitive. Piper’s just blunt, man. She’s just a tomboy, no filter. It was a joke.” “A joke?” I gave a chilling laugh. “First time meeting me, and you’re spreading rumors that I’m a professional scammer. That’s your ‘no filter’?” Brody’s face darkened. “Are you done? Maybe I shouldn’t have brought you! Piper said she didn’t mean anything by it. Do you have to be so dramatic?” “Exactly, Babe.” Piper threw up her hands, looking innocent. “I’m just clumsy with words, I can’t hide a thing. If you don’t have anything to hide, why are you reacting so strongly? Did I hit a nerve?” As she spoke, she grabbed a bottle of red wine and two elegant glasses from the table. “Oh well, since I made you mad, I guess I’ll fine myself a drink.” She poured one glass full to the brim, but instead of drinking it, she held the other one out to me. “But seriously, since you’re a star student from the Finishing School, can you show me? How do you hold the glass to look truly high-class? Do I curl my pinky? Maybe a perfect forty-five-degree smile?” The room dissolved into another burst of laughter. “Show us! Come on, Babe, teach us!” “Let us see what tens of thousands of dollars in tuition gets you!” Brody stood aside, lighting a cigarette, making no move to stop her. He was watching me with a trace of suspicion, clearly second-guessing my identity. I ignored the glass. I just looked at Piper, my voice low and dangerous. “I suggest you stop now.” “Ooh, is the new girl looking down on me?” Piper taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Right. I’m just street trash. Not worthy of your high-end, professionally packaged goods.” She suddenly pulled out her phone and shoved the camera directly into my face. “Come on, come on! Since you won’t teach me, I’ll just film a quick clip and send it to the group chat. Let everyone decide!” “Smile, Babe! Don’t look so stiff! Give us that special look you used to hook Brody!” 2 Snap! I raised my hand and blocked the phone she was shoving into my face. It was a light push, but the phone clattered onto the thick rug with a dull thud. “Ah! My phone!” Piper shrieked, then spun on Brody. “Brody, look at her! It was just a joke, and she threw my phone! That was the anniversary gift you bought me!” Brody ground out his cigarette, his brow furrowed. “Tatum, that was excessive. It’s just a phone. Did you have to get physical?” “She was filming me without my permission and shoving the camera in my face. Should I not block it?” I countered flatly. “You still shouldn’t break things!” Brody snapped, impatience flooding his face. “Piper just likes to play around. You’re older—can’t you just let it go?” “Okay, okay, everyone cool down.” Chase, a guy with bleached-blond hair, jumped in, a smirk in his eyes. “Our girl’s got a temper. Did that finishing school teach self-defense too?” Piper rubbed her wrist, her eyes darting from me to Brody, then back. Suddenly, she switched to a sweet smile. “Okay, my bad too. As an apology, I’ll drink this glass as a toast to you.” She raised the wine glass to me, but her wrist tilted at a strange angle. “Oops, slippery floor!” Splash! The full glass of red wine was perfectly aimed, soaking the front of my white silk slip dress. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry!” Piper’s mouth apologized, but her eyes were full of triumphant glee. She reached out, pretending to dab at my wet chest, but pressing hard. “Oh no, Babe. Did you rent this dress? You’re going to have to pay a ton! Gotta call the Sugar Daddy for a reimbursement, quick!” The room exploded with harsh, mocking laughter. That was it. I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I violently slapped her hand away. “Get off me!” My shove wasn’t powerful, but Piper reacted as if she’d been hit by a wrecking ball. She flew backward, hitting the corner of the low coffee table with a thud before collapsing onto the floor. “Aah!! My stomach! It hurts!” She curled up, her face paper-white. “Babe… even if you were mad, you shouldn’t have pushed me…” “Piper!” Brody’s face changed instantly. He rushed over to help her up, then turned his bloodshot eyes on me. “Tatum! Are you insane? You know Piper has health issues! How dare you push her!” “I didn’t push her, she fell.” “I saw it with my own eyes, and you’re still lying!” Brody stood up and shoved me hard. I stumbled back, hitting the wall. A sharp pain shot up my spine. “Tatum, I can’t believe how twisted you are!” Brody pointed a finger at me. “If anything happens to Piper, I’m done with you!” “Brody… don’t blame her…” Piper weakly pulled his hand. “I just lost my footing… don’t fight with her because of me…” Brody held her tight, his expression full of protective tenderness, and looked at me as if I were the enemy. “See? Piper is still defending you! And you? Not even an apology? What kind of heartless piece of trash did that finishing school turn you into?” Nestled in his arms, Piper secretly gave me a small, victorious smile and raised the phone she still had clutched in her hand. “Babe, I accidentally recorded you pushing me just now.” She leaned in close, whispering so only I could hear. “A violent attacker being exposed online? Your perfect socialite persona is going to crash and burn. I wonder what man will still want you after this.” 3 “What are you going to do?” I stared at the phone in Piper’s hand, a cold certainty rising in my chest. Piper ignored me, her fingers flying across the screen—the interface of a video editing app. Less than two minutes later, several phones belonging to the guys in the room beeped simultaneously with a notification. “Holy hell! That title is spicy!” Chase yelled first. “Shocking! Trust-Fund Boyfriend Brings Home Socialite-School Girlfriend, Who Viciously Attacks His Childhood Friend When Exposed? Pip, your caption is genius!” “I got it too!” another girl squealed, holding up her phone. “It’s trending on the local feed! The comment section is already a war zone!” Piper leaned back in Brody’s arms, weakly waving her phone. “I didn’t want to do this, Babe. But I can’t just let you assault me, right? The internet needs to judge.” I pulled out my own phone. The video had already been shared thousands of times. It was clearly maliciously edited, showing only my cold glare, my hand swatting her away, and the shots of her dramatically screaming and clutching her stomach on the floor. Her splashing me with wine and her verbal abuse? Gone. Cleaned up. The accompanying text was vile: [Giving my big brother’s girlfriend a friendly warning—and this is what happens. These professionally trained gold diggers are terrifying. Avoid at all costs, family!] The comments were immediately disgusting: “She looks like a prostitute. That plastic surgery is dripping off her face.” “Assault? This manipulative bitch needs to be thrown off the planet!” “Find out who she is! Doxx her!” I shoved my screen in front of Brody. “Malicious editing, encouraging online harassment. That’s your ‘no filter’ friend?” Brody glanced at the screen full of venomous comments, his face turning an unhealthy shade of crimson. But he didn’t yell at Piper. He yelled at me. “Tatum! You have the nerve to complain?” Brody snatched my phone and threw it down. “If you hadn’t gotten physical first, would Piper have posted the video? Now look! The whole internet is attacking us—and I’m being doxxed! You’ve completely humiliated me!” “Apologize to Piper, right now! Film a video clarifying that you just had a breakdown, and stop dragging my name through the mud!” “I will not apologize,” I said, my gaze locked on Brody. “I am not the one in the wrong.” “You won’t apologize, huh?” Piper suddenly sat up in Brody’s lap, a malicious glint in her eyes. “Then don’t blame me for taking things to the next level.” She tapped the live-stream button on the social media app. “Good evening, everyone. I’m the person in that viral video…” Piper faced the camera, her eyes instantly filling with tears, her voice perfectly choked with sobs. “I’m still here in the VIP room. My stomach hurts so badly… and the woman who attacked me is still here. She won’t apologize and said I deserved it…” The live stream audience instantly soared from a few hundred to tens of thousands. The comments were a dense torrent of insults aimed at me. [Bitch! Still there?] [Show us her face! We want to see what this piece of trash looks like!] [Don’t worry, Pip! We have your back!] Piper abruptly swiveled the camera to face me. “It’s her.” In that moment, I felt as if I were naked, exposed to tens of thousands of strangers. The comments were flashing too fast to read, but the keywords were clear: Die, Slut, Get on your knees. The rich kids in the room excitedly gathered around, staring at me like a circus act. Chase even leaned into the camera to egg the audience on. “Guys, she was about to attack Brody too! She’s totally out of control!” “Tatum, I’m saying this one last time.” Brody stood just outside the camera’s frame, his voice firm. “You see the public outrage. If you get on your knees right now and apologize to Piper, admit you were jealous, this whole thing goes away. If not, don’t expect any more loyalty from me.” Piper held the phone, a winner’s smirk on her lips, and mouthed two words silently at me: Kneel down. I looked at the ring of sneering, monstrous faces, and suddenly, I felt a strange amusement. They thought this was my downfall. They didn’t know this was the stage I had been waiting for. I took a deep breath, faced the live camera, and instead of kneeling, I calmly adjusted the collar of my wine-stained dress. Then, I looked straight into Piper’s eyes and took a step toward her. “You want me to kneel?” I smiled—the first genuine smile I’d shown all night—directly into the lens. “Fine. Let these hundreds of thousands of viewers watch closely. Let’s see who is the one who truly deserves to be on their knees.” 4 “What are you doing? Are you going to hit me on a live stream?” Piper instinctively shrank back behind Brody, holding the phone higher. “Look, everyone! She’s acting out again! This violent psychopath is dangerous!” The comments exploded: [Call the cops! Arrest her!] [Too aggressive! Doxx her!] Brody lunged in front of me, grabbing my wrist fiercely. “Tatum! Don’t push your luck! If you don’t apologize now, we’re breaking up! And you won’t be walking out of this door alone!” “Break up?” I yanked my hand free. “Brody, you’re jumping the gun. In a minute, I think you’ll be begging me not to leave.” “Are you crazy?” Chase mocked from the side. “Brody beg you? Who do you think you are? The Finishing School’s valedictorian?” The room erupted into another wave of snickers. I ignored the clowns and walked straight up to Piper. “Is this your big play? Live stream, fake tears, and inciting harassment?” I gestured to her phone screen. The viewer count had just crossed 100,000. Piper thought I was terrified. She proudly puffed out her chest. “Scared? Then get on your knees! Just admit you were jealous, admit you’re a fraud, and I’ll tell the family to back off.” “Alright. Since we have such a large audience, let’s get everything straight.” I suddenly turned, facing the live camera. “Good evening, everyone.” My voice was clear and commanding, cutting through the noise in the room. “Regarding this ‘Socialite Coaching class’ that Ms. Connelly mentioned… I did, in fact, attend it.” At that admission, the live stream comments went wild: [She admitted it! Told you she was trash!] [Confirmed! No shame!] Piper was so excited she almost jumped out of Brody’s arms. “Hear that, everyone! She admitted it! These women who literally pay to learn how to manipulate men are a cancer on society!” “However…” I paused, then raised my voice, a sharp change in pitch. “I attended as the Chief Investigative Reporter for Channel 5 News, going undercover for a segment on financial fraud and exploitation.” The VIP room went instantly silent. The triumphant smile hadn’t even had time to leave Piper’s face before it froze in place. “R-re-reporter?” Chase stammered, finally breaking the heavy silence. I didn’t give them a moment to process. My gaze was a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting straight into Piper Connelly. “Piper Connelly, or perhaps I should use your alias from the Institute… ‘Sunny Day’?” Piper’s face went instantly white. She instinctively tried to shut off the live stream. But I was ready. I grabbed her wrist, forcing the phone’s camera to point at both of us. “What’s wrong? You don’t want the ‘family’ to see the real you?” I leaned in close, speaking slowly, deliberately. “If I recall correctly, you were the star pupil who got expelled for stealing a fake designer bag from your roommate—and had to take out thirty thousand in high-interest loans for your plastic surgery. That was you, wasn’t it?”

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When my sworn enemy caught me, his own brother was kneeling at my feet wearing a collar. “Chloe Vance, is this the guard dog you were talking about?” Liam Sterling frowned and called me disgusting, cutting off my hopes of marrying into the Sterling family. Later, in an arranged marriage, my mother asked me to choose between the Sterling brothers. I chose the younger brother without hesitation. But who knew the man who had looked at me with disdain would regret it. With red eyes, he handed the whip into my hand. “Isn’t it just being a dog… I can do it too!” 1 “Which lash is this?” “…Twenty-nine.” Ethan Sterling knelt before me, naked from the waist up, hands tied behind his back. His gaze was lowered, thick black eyelashes trembling slightly, casting small shadows on his face. Even though his body was covered in red marks, his expression remained calm and indifferent. I nodded gently and delivered the final lash. Instantly, another light red whip mark appeared on his heaving chest. Ethan tensed all over, closing his eyes and breathing rapidly a few times, seeming unable to bear it. Behind his ears was a patch of crimson, sweat beads rolled down his neck, sliding over his chest and abdomen, disappearing into his waistband. Further down, his pants were obviously stretched to the limit. I took in his entire performance. Using the whip to lift his chin, I forced him to meet my gaze. “Do you like it this much?” He pursed his lips and didn’t speak. His eyes were deep and obscure. Then I kicked him to the ground and stepped directly on his trembling lower abdomen. “Answer.” My smooth foot contrasted sharply with his wretched state. He turned his head and slowly closed his eyes. Lips trembling slightly, he said: “No… I don’t…” Normally, seeing him endure to the point of exploding would surely arouse my desire. But at this moment, hearing those familiar words, I suddenly lost interest. I didn’t want to play this chase game anymore, monotonous and boring. “Then let’s stop here.” “…What?” The haze in Ethan’s eyes dispersed. His red lips parted slightly, glowing with a moist luster. He didn’t quite understand what I meant. But staring at his lips, I suddenly forgot what to say. When I came back to my senses, I was already straddling his waist, hooking the collar on his neck to pull him towards me. Then let’s kiss one last time. Just as I was about to lower my head to kiss him, the password lock on the door suddenly beeped. 2 “Chloe Vance, you left your bag in my car…” When Liam pushed the door open, I was still maintaining the posture of sitting on Ethan. One hand pulling the collar, the other supporting myself on the ground. And Ethan looked even more pitiable, waiting to be plucked. Hands tied behind his back, half-仰ing (looking up/leaning back), sweaty bangs covering slightly red eye rims, looking miserable from being bullied at a glance. “Heh… busy, huh, hehe…” Liam laughed dryly a few times, his eyes suddenly fixed on the collar on Ethan’s neck. After a long while, both his eyes and the corners of his mouth sank. “Chloe Vance, is this the guard dog you were talking about?” He laughed out of anger. Gritting his teeth tightly, nodding non-stop, veins on his forehead jumping repeatedly. Although I felt awkward, my expression remained unchanged. Liam is a sworn enemy I grew up with but never got along with. Before meeting Ethan, entering and leaving each other’s houses was no different from walking on the street. Only later, he was strictly forbidden from entering my house. “I keep a dog at home that loves to bite, can’t let strangers in.” Looking now, where is there any shadow of a dog in the room. Silent confrontation with Liam, his gaze was definitely not friendly. Just as we were deadlocked, Ethan suddenly barked— “Woof.” Under my shocked and uncertain gaze, he turned his head aside with a red face. Beside him, Liam’s expression also froze. The air was quiet for a few seconds. Liam’s tone was obscure, “Chloe Vance, aren’t you going to explain?” 3 Before this, I never thought there would be a day when Ethan would bark like a dog. He had excellent looks, temperament, and academics, becoming the recognized campus beau as soon as he entered school. Inside and outside school, he always looked unapproachable. From the first time I saw him, I wanted to pluck this flower of the high ridge and dye it with worldly colors. But no matter how I treated him, his expression was always faint. At that time, he was always reading alone by the library window. Also that day, sunlight sprinkled on his side profile. Making me have the thought of approaching him. At first, he resisted my appearance very much, always frowning slightly and keeping some distance from me. Finally, I lost patience. Directly confining him between me and the bookshelf. “Student Chloe Vance… please have some self-respect!” He finally looked at me squarely, with a rare expression on his face. “One month, if I don’t make you say the words ‘I like you’, I won’t pester you anymore.” Finally, he accepted my bet with a red face. But no matter what means I used, he held back, preferring death to submission. Clearly, his body was more honest than his heart. Although his expression was enduring and resistant, his trembling eyelashes, burning breath, and misty eyes all responded passionately to my touch. At first, I enjoyed this dominant feeling very much. But as time went on, he still didn’t change, and I gradually got bored. This bone is really hard to gnaw. But this doesn’t mean he no longer attracts me. I couldn’t imagine. Such a proud and self-restrained person would one day lower his head and bark like a dog for me. Although he didn’t say those three words from beginning to end. But my desire for conquest was greatly satisfied at this moment. A different kind of pleasure surged in my heart. I cupped Ethan’s face and pecked it lightly. 4 Liam suddenly threw my bag heavily onto the ground. “Chloe, Vance—” I glanced at the person left out in the cold. After untying the rope behind Ethan’s back, I slowly stood up. “Explain what? Who allowed you to come in?” Seeing the thin rope, Liam’s face turned a few shades darker. “I can’t come?” “If I didn’t come, how would I know you keep such a dog at home?” “Chloe Vance, you are quite capable.” He took two steps forward with a sullen face. Ethan protected me in front, separating us. Unexpectedly, as soon as Liam saw the red marks on his body, he turned his head away quickly as if his eyes were stung. The words coming out of his mouth became increasingly unpleasant. “Disgusting or not, Chloe Vance, didn’t expect you to have this taste?” He made no secret of the disgust in his eyes. Taking a step back, he looked Ethan up and down. “Makes sense, you only deserve to be with this kind of goods.” “Loss your family still wants to marry into my family, stop dreaming, you will never marry into the Sterling family in this life!” Seeing him flustered and exasperated, I suddenly found it very interesting. Following his movements, I looked him up and down frivolously, raising my eyebrows with a smile. “Don’t get it wrong, Liam, it’s your family begging my family for marriage.” “Now that you know I have this taste, if you want to marry me, why don’t you hurry up and bark ‘Master’ twice for me to hear?” Liam’s face alternated between red and white. It took a while for him to straighten his tongue. “Crazy woman, you, you dream!” He slipped away as if escaping. Only Ethan and I were left in the room again. He stood in the center of the living room, hesitantly handing the whip to me. I didn’t take it. What I said just now wasn’t all angry words. Marriage is imminent, I really don’t have time to play with him anymore. “You go back.” I turned and entered the bedroom. The person who should have left stared at my back, not moving a step for a long time.

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Married to Julian Thorne for a year, we were still practically strangers, yet incredibly compatible in bed. My parents asked if we had plans for children. Julian replied, “We do. We’re letting nature take its course.” My eyelashes trembled, thinking of the box of ultra-thin condoms he just bought. He even opened two just last night. After washing up that evening. Julian unexpectedly helped me blow-dry my hair. I bit my lip. “Thanks, but I don’t want to do it tonight.” He froze. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.” But halfway through blow-drying, Julian suddenly asked: “Can I ask why you don’t want to?” 1 Julian and I met on a blind date. And it was a flash marriage. As for why it was so quick… According to my mother: “Sarah, you hit the jackpot with this guy.” “Julian Thorne, 28, 6’3″, rich, handsome, doesn’t smoke or drink. His own company is about to go public. What reason do you have not to go?” “It just so happens your mom reconnected with her best friend from high school who just returned from abroad…” My mom’s opinion wasn’t the main factor. The real reason I impulsively agreed to the flash marriage… Was that I fell for Julian at first sight. He was totally my type. Handsome features, broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs. Even a simple black shirt couldn’t hide his good looks. His aura was cold but alluring. Especially the second time we met. It suddenly started raining on a sunny day. Without hesitation, he took off his suit jacket to shield me from the rain. His thin shirt quickly got soaked, clinging to his body. I caught a glimpse of his tight abs at first glance. At least a six-pack, and his pectoral muscles were full and defined. I subconsciously licked my lips. That night, I dreamed of Julian… Anyway, with both parents pushing hard. Julian and I got our marriage license less than half a month after meeting. On the second day after getting the license, there was a huge misunderstanding. Julian came home from work in the evening and didn’t see me. He called me. “Sarah, did something happen tonight? Do you need me to pick you up?” Hearing his calm, deep voice from the other end. I was stunned for over ten seconds. Cheeks slightly hot, I said embarrassedly, “Sorry, Julian. I subconsciously went back to my parents’ house after work.” “It’s too late now. I’ll pack my things, come pick me up tomorrow.” I was a tiny bit embarrassed. Today happened to be Friday. I was so busy I brain-farted and forgot I married Julian. Luckily, Julian didn’t ask much, just gave a faint “Hmm.” “It’s okay, no need to apologize. I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Since it’s the weekend, we can move into our marital home together, is that okay?” Thinking about moving in together immediately. My breathing quickened nervously. But “guilt” made me nod repeatedly: “Yes, yes.” Julian: “Goodnight, see you tomorrow.” 2 The first night moving into the marital home with Julian. I was inexplicably nervous. I decided on the flash marriage because I really had a crush on him. But he… Before deciding to get the license, Julian told me very seriously: “Miss Miller, for some reasons, I don’t really know how to love someone, but I will fulfill the responsibilities of marriage, respect you, and respect this relationship.” My heart trembled slightly then. Thinking the “reasons” Julian mentioned might be related to him growing up away from his parents. So I didn’t ask further, showing respect. I thought. No feelings now, doesn’t mean there won’t be later. After all, feelings aren’t just developed by getting along, but also by doing things together. I took a deep breath and grabbed a bottle of red wine from the cabinet. Poured half a glass, downed it in one go, then returned to the room. When Julian came out of the bathroom after showering. My brain short-circuited, and I asked bluntly: “Julian, are we doing it tonight?” As soon as the words left my mouth. Realizing I was too direct. My face instantly turned bright red. I silently pulled the quilt up, covering half my face. Julian’s Adam’s apple bobbed suddenly. His voice was low and deep, “Sure, I have no problem.” He walked to the other side of the bed and sat down. Turning his head to look at me, he continued: “But we moved all day today. If you’re not tired and still in the mood, we can do it now. If you’re a bit tired, we can do it another day. It’s up to you.” I froze. Julian’s words were too formal. Not like discussing intimacy, more like discussing homework… My gaze involuntarily drifted to him. Falling on the open collar of his pajamas due to sitting sideways, his full pectoral muscles faintly visible. My breathing instantly deepened. Embarrassed to say “Although I’m tired, I crave your body.” I just stammered back. “Oh, oh, then let’s do it another day.” I lay flat instantly. Muffled out two words: “Goodnight.” 3 The first six months of marriage with Julian. He was busy with the company IPO, overtime and business trips were the norm. Often didn’t see him for more than half a month. Our first time was actually the third month of marriage. Heard the first time isn’t great, so I was a bit worried. But the result was, I almost ate too much. Before sleeping. Even though Julian had made an appointment with me in advance. He still asked me gentlemanly and politely: “Sarah, is now okay?” I certainly wouldn’t refuse food brought to my mouth. Blushing, I nodded reservedly. He turned off the main light, leaving only a night light on. Warm kisses landed on the side of my neck. Slowly moving down. Watching Julian get up and take a box from the nightstand, I swallowed nervously. Said to him softly. “Julian… be gentle.” His movement paused, leaning down to kiss my brow. Trying to distract me, he asked: “Did you drink red wine today?” I clutched the pillow tightly, heart beating too fast to speak. The man’s broad shoulders rose and fell, lines smooth, full of power. It was past midnight when it ended. Julian looked down at me, eyes dark. Voice extremely hoarse: “Are you okay? Can I get you a glass of warm water?” My ear tips were red. Cleared my throat and replied: “Pretty good… thanks.” One year into marriage with Julian. We were still not very “familiar.” Although he was overly formally polite to me. But he would actively report his daily schedule to me. Consciously kept distance from other women. Holidays or not, he would send flowers, gifts, and surprises. Not to mention transferring property and cars to my name. After Julian’s company stabilized. We went from two condoms a month to two a week, occasionally even five a week. And always inadvertently, I was swept away. Daily be like. Me: [Overtime today?] Julian: [Overtime, home at 9 PM, arrive in bedroom around 11 PM. Can we exercise today?] Me: [Yes, shower first.] Julian: [OK, expect to carry you to shower at midnight.] Next day. Julian: [Sarah, I’ll be home around 20:00 today. Will pass East Street, saw the shredded chicken noodles you bookmarked is there, want me to bring some?] Me: [Yes, thank you very much.] Julian: [Then as a thank you gift, is tonight okay?] Me: Huh? Five times last week? Although feelings for Julian escalated beyond my expectations. Isn’t this too fast?! 4 Just when I thought. Julian and I were in a “love after marriage” script, he quietly dealt me a blow. New Year’s Eve, Julian happened to be on a business trip. [Transferred 52000, Sarah, happy holidays.] I stared at the message, stunned. Didn’t expect him to send a red packet voluntarily. Surprised and warmed inside. Biting my lip, I called Julian for the first time voluntarily: [Hubby. Happy holidays~ (Kitten kiss)] Julian replied at noon: [Sarah, I’ll be home around 15:00. Tell the maid no need to prepare dinner, we’ll eat out.] [Do you have plans tomorrow?] Me: [OK. No plans, why?] Julian: [Let’s go skiing at Little Loop Mountain, celebrate the New Year.] Rare romance from a straight guy, of course I gladly accepted. But the next day. Not long after getting up, Julian took a call. After hanging up, he turned to me, tone apologetic: “Sorry Sarah, skiing needs to be postponed to tomorrow, is that okay?” He paused, explaining: “A friend just returned from abroad, a rare talent I’ve always wanted to invite to join the company. Originally agreed to chat after the Spring Festival, but her schedule changed, just called to meet me this afternoon to talk in detail.” I froze. I faintly heard a gentle female voice calling him on the other end: “Brother Julian…” Thought it was a private call. Turns out it’s business. I pushed the suitcase back into the cloakroom. Muffled reply. “It’s okay, no problem.” “Business is important.” Julian went out. Dinner alone at home, I simply ordered the super spicy century egg fried river snail rice noodles I hadn’t eaten for a long time. Spicy and smelly. Perfect for emptying my mind. After I finished eating, Julian’s message arrived. [Dinner just ended, preparing to drive home.] [Sarah, it’s still early, let’s go watch a movie later? The one you were interested in, ‘Hidden Murder’. I asked my assistant to secure the limited edition Pop Mart you liked, we can pick it up at the mall later.] I knew Julian was apologizing for standing me up today. The inexplicable stagnation in my heart was mostly digested. I agreed readily. However… After leaving the cinema, I was furious. Complaining about the movie to Julian from the car to home. “Is this a suspense film? Clearly a bloody violent revenge film, plot speechless, felt like reading a fake short story online.” Maybe too much output, I couldn’t open my eyes before ten. Washed up and went to bed, fell asleep immediately. Julian came out of the bathroom half-wrapped in a towel, seeing me asleep, stunned. Then. He took out his phone and gave “Hidden Murder” a 1-star review. [Movie content poor, affects marital relationship.]

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My stomach churned, the nausea a familiar coil, even as I watched the soft swell of Sutton’s belly, growing larger every day after our divorce. My parents—my adoptive parents, the Robert—and Nolan, the golden boy they actually loved, were frantic. They called incessantly, demanding I schedule a D&C. In the life before this one, my temper had been a blade I used on myself. Blindsided by Sutton’s affairs, I’d spat every cruel, cutting word I knew. I had forced her hand, screaming until she agreed to terminate the pregnancy. She’d left me then, her hate a cold, impenetrable fortress. It wasn’t long before Nolan slipped in to claim the space I’d abandoned, marrying her and taking control of the sprawling family empire. When the market turned and the Robert lost everything, I was already a pariah, a scorned ex-husband. I drifted, the lingering sickness from the stress and poverty hollowing out my body until I was nothing but a casualty, dying on a lonely street corner one frozen winter. Nolan and Sutton, meanwhile, were on a permanent European holiday, perfectly tailored and laughing, financed by the Vincent fortune. Everyone had called it karma. Said I was born for a life of suffering. Then I woke up. The first thing I did was call Sutton. This time, I was keeping the baby. And the money—that was mine, too. … “You’re divorced, Kai. Letting her parade around pregnant is a joke, a stain on our name. Listen to your mother, book the procedure.” Patty’s voice was sharp, a perfectly manicured nail digging into my skin. “That’s right, big brother. You barely fit in as it is, growing up where you did. Now people are saying you have no shame at all…” Nolan’s voice chimed in, a perfectly timed double-act designed to wear me down. They were desperate, wanting Sutton to be rushed into the operating room right now. Last time, their goading had worked. I’d walked into that hospital, rage clouding my judgment, and tossed away the only leverage I had left. Nolan had stepped right into my shoes, becoming the heir to the Vincent legacy, and later, he’d even forbidden my body from being buried in the Robert plot. A bitter, metallic taste rose in my throat, but I met Nolan’s feverish, impatient eyes and—I smiled. The front door slammed open a second later. Sutton barreled in, her eyes rimmed red, clearly assuming I’d called her to confirm the appointment for the procedure. “Are you keeping this baby or not?” she demanded, breathlessly. Before I could answer, Nolan cut in, perfectly positioned to play the grieving martyr. “Sutton, don’t blame Kai. He’s made up his mind. None of us can talk him out of it.” He gave me a quick, frantic side-eye, a subtle instruction, before turning to comfort the immediate stiffness in Sutton’s posture. “We’re keeping the baby.” I directly contradicted him. The tension drained from Sutton’s face, her shoulders relaxing instantly. She rushed forward and collapsed against me, her arms tightening around my waist. “Come home with me, Kai. Whatever we need to discuss, we’ll do it there.” In the rearview mirror, Nolan’s face was a mask of cold, distorted fury. I let out a quiet, internal snort. As I turned my attention back, something caught my eye on the passenger seat: a men’s watch. Not mine. Sutton’s brow furrowed slightly as she noticed my gaze, and she opened her mouth to speak, but I simply shifted my eyes away, staring straight ahead. A heavy silence followed, broken only when Sutton turned her scrutinizing gaze on my face. “You seem… different,” she observed, her voice heavy with insinuation. I just gave a noncommittal hum. “Is that a problem?” In my previous life, I was a coiled spring of insecurity. I would have torn the house down if Nolan so much as touched her hand. I’d yell, accuse, slap her, and force her to write endless letters of apology. She indulged me at first, calming me, but eventually, she’d had enough. She had stood in front of a room full of people and sliced me open with the truth: “You’re a foundling we took in. No father loves you, your mother treats you like a chore. What right do you have to be so arrogant in front of me?” I had been shattered, a pathetic clown, my heart ripped to shreds. She knew me too well—she knew exactly where to plunge the knife. Humiliation and rage had drowned me. I didn’t believe then that I needed her. I insisted on the divorce. But eighteen years growing up far from their gilded cage hadn’t prepared me for life among the elite. The Robert brought me back, but they never taught me how to stand on my own. The life that followed was exactly as she predicted: brutal. Sutton studied me silently, clearly trying to read my sudden detachment. Her phone buzzed. Patty’s anxious voice was audible even from the receiver. “Sutton, that wretched Nolan—he drove off like a lunatic. Can you please go find him?” Patty always defaulted to Sutton for anything regarding Nolan, never sparing a thought for me. Of course, they’d been the intended pair, childhood sweethearts until I was dragged back into the Robert’ affluence at eighteen. I stood awkwardly in the grand foyer, wearing clothes that were worn and too short. A circle of privileged kids snickered. My face burned, but I held my stance rigidly. That was the moment Sutton had cut through the crowd, silencing them with a look, and led me to a private room. After that, the chance encounters started. She taught me the rules of their world, bought me proper suits and ties. But I was so insecure then. I thought she pitied me, so I met her kindness with sarcasm and barbs. Yet, she never retaliated. Instead, she fiercely defended me when others called me a “hick” or a “stray dog.” When we announced our wedding, I knew Nolan hated me, but I also knew Patty resented me for snatching her favorite son’s ideal bride. “It’s fine. Go if you need to. Just be careful with the baby.” My voice was level, my reflection in the glass impassive. Sutton’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, her expression darkening. As if to spite me, she sped off the moment she dropped me at the house. I didn’t mind. I walked straight inside. The staff, used to my sudden reappearance, quietly took my coat. “Mr. Robert, your bath is drawn. Would you like to wash up?” I shook my head. “Not yet.” I wandered leisurely through the mansion, savoring the antique, curated mid-century modern furniture and elegant décor. Finally, I stood before the safe, staring at the countless jewels and stacks of crisp cash inside. After the divorce in my first life, Nolan had taken all of it. My brother marrying my wife—a scandalous affair—yet my mother only condemned me. “What’s the point in blaming others when you didn’t appreciate her? It’s all kept in the family anyway.” My father had just shrugged, remaining perpetually absent. I was their only biological child, yet I was less than nothing compared to Nolan. The family I craved had always been a ridiculous joke. Shaking off the memory, I went for a long, hot soak and then collapsed into bed. I slept beautifully. Snap. The sudden click of the overhead chandelier jolted me awake. I squinted, blurry-eyed, at the figure standing over me: Sutton’s face, dark and thunderous. “Is it morning already?” I mumbled, my voice rough with sleep. Sutton let out a bitter, near-hysterical laugh. “We were supposed to talk, Kai. I told you I wanted to talk. And you just… went to sleep?” Before I could reply, she rushed to explain, as if looking for a gold star. “I found Nolan outside the pub. I made sure he got home and then I rushed right back here.” I waited two seconds for the silence to pass, realizing she was waiting for my approval, my frantic thanks. I gave a slow, dry nod. “That’s… good.” “‘Good’?” Sutton repeated, her voice brittle. She gripped my wrist, forcing me to look at her. “Why did you come back, Kai? Was it for the baby? Or…” Her eyes turned instantly watery. “…Was it for me?” A sharp ache radiated from where her fingers dug into my skin. Neither. I wanted neither of you. I only wanted myself. Seeing her desperate need, I delivered the necessary lie. “Both. I’m going to be a father. I guess I finally decided to grow up.” As for her? She was just the delivery service. As long as the money kept flowing, she could do whatever she liked. Just like before, sleeping with me one night and rushing off to comfort Nolan the next. Sutton’s face went rigid, a flicker of profound loss crossing her features. “Kai Robert,” she whispered, “you feel strange. I can’t figure you out.” She glanced at my flat, bored expression, then checked her empty phone. A sudden, fierce burst of anger crossed her face. “Why do you have to be like this? So passive-aggressive, so… dead! I give you whatever you want. What more do you need from me?” I looked at her, genuinely perplexed. “I don’t want anything. You’re overthinking this.” Her face didn’t soften. She stared, then slammed the door on her way out. In the months that followed, I threw myself into learning finance. Sutton threw herself into work. We went nearly three months without a single conversation. I stopped being frugal, spending money without a second thought. I went to a fashion show with friends, and on a whim, I peeled off a wad of cash and handed it to a model. The model took my hand, kissing my palm with a playful, stinging intensity. For a fleeting second, I understood the appeal of infidelity. The sudden ring of my phone broke the spell. I answered it, hearing the muffled background noise. After a few beats, Nolan’s unsteady voice came through. “Bro, Sutton’s trashed. You need to come pick her up.” The model was guiding my hand toward her velvet-soft body. “Have the driver get her,” I replied, distracted. “No! You have to come. Promise me you will.” He hung up abruptly. I sighed, annoyed, but eventually drove to the Robert’ compound. When I pushed open the door, the sight that greeted me was not a surprise. Sutton was lying beneath him, their bodies twisted and slick. Her face was flushed, a look of satisfied release on her features. They were two serpents, entangled until death. Ah. That’s why he insisted I come. “Ah! Bro!” Nolan scrambled up, pulling on his clothes, his voice thick with fake apology. “I’m so sorry. We were drinking, and we just got carried away.” Sutton seemed to snap out of it. She pushed Nolan away wordlessly, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag. No explanation. Her eyes were flat, almost challenging. The scene yanked me back to the past. Since our wedding, Nolan had been a persistent ghost. My birthday, Valentine’s Day, even our anniversary—he always managed to find a way to wedge himself between us. When I broke down, Sutton would always lecture me: “Be the mature one, Kai. I owe him this. He’ll get over it eventually.” But Nolan never got over it. He called me a “leech” and a “country idiot” behind my back. He circulated old photos of me working as a waiter and handing out flyers. Then, at my own birthday party, he screened a secretly recorded video of my adoptive parents beating me. I became the laughingstock of the city. Yet, I had survived worse. What was this? To their stunned silence, I walked over, picked up Nolan’s crumpled jacket, and placed it over his trembling shoulders. “I don’t blame you,” I said gently, like the compassionate elder brother. Then I turned to Sutton, whose face had gone dark and miserable. I looked her dead in the eye. “I need a new sports car, Sutton. Can you wire me ten million dollars?” “You’re not going to ask why?” Her eyes were blazing red. I kept my gentle smile. “You have your reasons, sweetheart. I understand.” Sutton’s straight posture seemed to falter. Her eyelashes fluttered, and her smile was sickly. “Stop pretending, Kai! I wish you would hit me! Yell at me!” Her voice was getting too loud. I worried about the baby. I quickly urged her to calm down. Her mother had promised me a hundred million in cash and ten percent of the company stock if she delivered the baby safely. Nothing was more important than the child right now. Sutton’s expression changed instantly. She started to chase me as I walked toward the door. Nolan lunged, grabbing her from behind. “Sutton, don’t you see he doesn’t love you? Divorce him! I can be the father to your baby!” Sutton shoved him off, her finger pointing at him in pure rage. “You scumbag! If you hadn’t drugged me, I never would have confused you with Kai!” Nolan stumbled back, hitting the floor. A calculating shadow crossed his eyes, and he instantly launched into his act. “Sutton, your brother brought that drink! I don’t know why he would do something like that!” Sutton’s mind seemed to short-circuit. Her eyes, filled with accusation, landed on me. “Why would you do that, Kai?” Rage and disgust finally washed over me. “I didn’t do that!” “Bro, why would you lie? Do you really think I’d joke about something like this?” Nolan yelled, his voice laced with the deepest humiliation. He then grabbed a discarded fruit knife nearby and lifted it to his throat. “Nolan!” Sutton screamed, snatching the knife from his hand bare-handed. She put an arm around Nolan’s shaking shoulders, then turned her fury on me. “Get out!” I knew talking was pointless. I turned and walked out the door. I didn’t expect what happened the next morning. Nolan burst into the house with my adoptive parents, George and Patty Robert, right behind him. The staff backed away, afraid to intervene. My adoptive parents’ eyes lit up the moment they saw me. “Kai, you look good, you’ve put on a little weight,” Patty cooed, rushing forward to hug me. I froze, paralyzed from head to toe, like an animal playing dead. I hated them. They beat me, starved me, and when I was sixteen, they tried to sell me into a forced marriage with a man twice my age. I’d had to climb over a fence to save my life. They were here for one reason: destruction. The next second, Patty grabbed my arm. “Kai, you need to make Sutton get rid of that baby. Your brother needs her, and we’ll find you another girl. Listen to Mama, give Nolan what he deserves.” George chuckled, his eyes full of contempt. “You two don’t match anyway, Kai. You don’t belong here. Just come back to the village with us.” I snatched my arm away. This was their third attempt to sell me off. My breathing accelerated, a familiar panic tightening my chest. I pointed at the door. “Get out!” Patty planted her hands on her hips, her face twisting. “This is my daughter-in-law’s house! I don’t have to leave! You ruined your brother, what kind of person are you? You stole his place, you stole his woman, and now that they’ve slept together, you must give Sutton back to him!” She was shouting, posturing, believing I was still the beaten, cowering child she used to torment. I didn’t waste another word and called security. Patty spat on the floor and sat down. “I raised you! You owe me! I won’t move until you agree to come back with us!” Nolan had been watching the chaos with a cold, detached expression. Suddenly, he lunged, grabbing my arm and trying to drag me out. “You hick! You don’t deserve this house!” My parents quickly joined in, pulling and tearing at my clothes. The security detail grabbed my parents but hesitated, afraid to touch Nolan. Sharp fingernails dug into my skin, forcing a gasp of pain from me. I shook Nolan off violently and slammed my fist straight into his nose. “You hit me?!” Nolan clutched his bleeding face, his expression pure malice. I laughed, a humorless sound. “Get out. If you ever break into this house again, it won’t just be your nose.” I bent to pick up my phone, which had fallen to the floor. It was in that split second, out of the corner of my eye, that a flash of cold steel caught the light. I couldn’t dodge it. Pfffsch. A blade plunged into my back. “Ah!” The pain was agonizing. I collapsed onto the floor. As my scream echoed through the house, the front door was kicked open. Sutton saw me sitting on the floor, my hands instinctively clawing at my back, my face white with shock and pain. Her entire face went instantly bloodless.

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We were childhood friends, running a trucking business together. A net profit of over $350,000 a year. At the end-of-year split, he tossed me an envelope with $8,000 cash. “Buddy,” he said, “you don’t own the rig. This is for your trouble.” I looked at him and his wife, celebrating their new BMW and their new house, and I smiled as I took the money. What he didn’t know was that over the years, I hadn’t just memorized every route; I had gotten to know every single client. The day I rolled up in my own tractor-trailer and snatched his biggest contract right from under him, he completely lost his mind. 1 The late-year wind bit hard, kicking up dust that felt like sand against my face. Rick shoved a thick envelope into my hand and clapped me on the shoulder. “Mark, my man. It’s been a long year.” His voice was thick with booze and a condescending sort of charity. I squeezed the envelope. It wasn’t thin, but it wasn’t fat either. The bills inside were so crisp they felt sharp. “Rick… what’s this?” “$8,000. A little something for your trouble.” He grinned, showing off teeth stained yellow from years of smoking and drinking. “It was a good year. We cleared $350k, net. You don’t have a truck in the game, you’re just riding along, so that’s a damn good piece of change for you.” Three hundred and fifty thousand. Eight thousand. The two numbers exploded in my head, leaving a dull ringing in their wake. My heart plummeted, a lead weight in my chest. His wife, Brenda, clung to his arm, dangling the keys to a brand-new BMW. The blue and white logo seemed to burn into my eyes. “Mark, you just keep working hard for my Rick next year, and we’ll take care of you.” Her hand, with its fire-engine-red nails, fished a set of house keys from her purse. She tapped them against the floor plan of their new home. “This one’s 1,800 square feet. We close next week. You’ll have to come to the housewarming.” I watched the raw, unfiltered happiness and pride spilling off them. I felt like a ghost at their feast, a complete and utter joke. I forced the corners of my mouth into a smile that felt like cracking plaster. “Thanks, Rick. Thanks, Brenda.” I stuffed the $8,000 into my pocket. My hands were steady, but my fingernails were digging so deep into my palms I thought I might draw blood. The dinner was at the nicest steakhouse in town. The private room was stuffy with heat, and the food on the table was arranged like art. I had zero appetite. My mind drifted back to the endless days and nights on the road. The summers, when the cab was a steambox with no AC, and I had to chug lukewarm water and pinch my own thigh just to stay awake. The winters, when we were snowed in on some godforsaken mountain pass, gnawing on frozen sandwiches for two straight days. I once drove for three days straight to make a rush delivery, my eyes so bloodshot the whole world seemed to shimmer and shake. And where was Rick during all of that? He was at home, tucked into his warm bed, AC blasting, making the occasional phone call to manage me remotely. “Mark, keep an eye on that load. Can’t have any issues.” “Mark, schmooze the guys at the dock. Get them to move faster.” “Mark, the client needs a little something extra, you know what to do.” I was the one who had to “know what to do.” I was the one who had to “keep an eye on things.” I was the one changing tires in a blizzard and laying down planks in the mud. And he was the boss, reaping all the rewards. All because the title of that tractor-trailer had his name on it. “Here, Mark, have some lobster. You need to put some meat on your bones. You’re all skin and bones from the road,” Brenda said, dropping a piece into my bowl with the kind of pity you’d show a distant, poor relative. “Yeah, trucking’s a tough life,” Rick chimed in, taking a sip of his whiskey. “But that’s what being a man is about. You gotta have something to strive for.” His “something to strive for” was the BMW key fob in his hand and the new house keys in his wife’s. My “something to strive for” was the eight grand in my pocket. My “trouble money.” I kept my head down, pushing rice around my bowl, saying nothing. Every grain felt like sand scratching my throat. Humiliation and rage churned in my gut like molten iron. Four years. We’d been partners for four years. Every route, every client, every weigh station attendant with a bad attitude—I knew them all. I’d learned them through sweat and sleepless nights. I had an encrypted file on my phone. In it were the contact details for every single client. Their shipping schedules, their bottom-line prices, even what brand of cigars they liked or what kind of coffee they drank. Rick knew none of this. He just knew how to watch the numbers climb in his bank account each month. As the drinks flowed, the mood in the room got louder. Rick and his cronies started bragging about the year’s success, about his sharp eye for business, about how he knew how to manage people. I sat in the corner like a piece of furniture, listening quietly. But my mind was racing, calculating every ledger from the past four years. Nearly a million dollars in total profit. My cut, all told, was less than fifty thousand. This wasn’t a partnership. This was vampirism. I wasn’t his friend; I was his livestock. As the dinner wound down, I finally lifted my head and met Rick’s hazy, drunken gaze. “Rick… any chance I could get a bigger cut next year?” My voice was raspy, but clear. “My folks are getting older, their health isn’t great, and I’m trying to save up to get married.” The room fell silent. Every eye was on me. The smile on Rick’s face slowly faded. He put down his glass, his eyes narrowed with annoyance and suspicion. “Mark, what’s this all of a sudden?” He paused, his tone turning cold. “You gotta know your place, man. You didn’t put up any capital, you don’t own the truck. To be honest, you’re just a co-driver. I’m only giving you this much because I consider you a brother.” “Any other co-driver would be lucky to get twenty grand a year, tops.” “That eight grand is because we grew up together. That’s for old times’ sake.” His words were like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head. Old times’ sake? So my sleepless nights, my near-misses on icy roads, were worth an extra three thousand dollars of sentimentality to him. I looked at his face, so full of self-righteous justification, and I started to laugh. A quiet, humorless laugh. I didn’t argue. I didn’t explain. I just picked up my glass of cheap beer. “You’re right, Rick.” I tilted my head back and drained the bitter liquid in one go. “Thanks for the lesson.” The cold beer slid down my throat, a final toast to the funeral of our four-year brotherhood. My heart was no longer churning. It was a frozen, silent wasteland. From now on, I was driving my own road. 2 I didn’t go home for the holidays. I lied to my parents, told them I had to cover shifts at work. The truth was, I took that insulting eight grand, along with every penny I’d managed to scrape together over the years, and set a long-overdue plan into motion. Two days after Christmas, I showed up at Mr. Peterson’s front door with a couple of gift baskets. Peterson was the logistics manager for a major manufacturing plant—our biggest client. He was in his forties, a fair man who respected hard work and competence. He answered the door himself, a little surprised to see me. “Mark? What brings you here?” “Happy holidays, Mr. Peterson,” I said with a disarming smile. “Just brought you a little something from back home. Nothing fancy, just something for you and the Mrs. to enjoy.” Peterson invited me in. His house was tasteful and well-kept, with a quiet, scholarly air about it. I didn’t mention work. Not once. We just drank coffee and talked about the state of the shipping industry, about how the new interstate bypasses were affecting transit times and costs. Casually, I dropped in the route-optimization strategies I’d been developing in my head for the past two years. Which stretches of I-80 were always jammed during rush hour, which truck stops had the best and cheapest diners, even which weigh stations had the pickiest inspectors. Peterson listened with growing interest, a look of genuine appreciation in his eyes. “Mark, I had no idea you’d put this much thought into it.” “You spend enough time on the road, you learn to think about these things or you lose money,” I said. It was the simple truth. When I left, Peterson walked me to the door. “You’re a sharp kid, Mark. Keep it up.” He clapped me on the shoulder. That simple gesture felt heavier, more real, than any time Rick had ever called me “brother.” From Peterson’s house, I drove straight to my next target. For the entire holiday break, I was on the road, visiting people. The clients, the warehouse foremen, the shipping managers I’d shared a cigarette with while loading or helped out during a tough unload—I paid a visit to every single one. I didn’t bring expensive gifts, just those small, thoughtful baskets and a sincere greeting. I made sure they remembered me, Mark, not just “Rick’s co-driver.” When the holidays were over, Rick called, ordering me back to work. His tone was imperious, as if my taking a week off was a personal offense. “Mark, playtime’s over! I want the truck inspected and ready to roll by tomorrow!” “Got it, Rick,” I answered calmly. After hanging up, I looked at the “Key Clients” group in my phone’s contacts. Every name in that list was a beacon. I had the network. Now, I needed my own damn rig. I started haunting used truck lots and dealerships. A new Peterbilt tractor-trailer would run close to $180,000. Even a decent used one was pushing a hundred grand. I pooled all my money—including the humiliating $8,000—and came up with less than $25,000. It wasn’t even enough for a proper down payment. For days, anxiety was a physical presence, a hand squeezing my throat. I spent my days walking the lots and my nights in cheap motels, staring at the ceiling, running the numbers over and over. I couldn’t wait any longer. Every extra day I spent with Rick was another day he was sucking the life out of me. To make more cash, I started taking on side gigs. I found a dispatch office in a logistics park and convinced the woman running it to give me the short-haul, late-night loading jobs nobody else wanted. From 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., I moved between different warehouses. I hauled sacks of cement, rebar, crates of vegetables. Sweat soaked through my clothes, and when the cold night air hit me, the chill went straight to my bones. I gritted my teeth, hoisting one heavy load after another, driven by a single thought: faster, just a little faster. Every dollar was a brick in the foundation of my new life. Rick called a couple more times, asking why he couldn’t reach me during the day. I fed him some story about working overtime. He grumbled about me getting lazy and disrespectful, then left me alone. In his eyes, I was just a tool. You pick it up when you need it, you toss it aside when you don’t. He never cared what happened to the tool itself. His neglect was my opportunity. I kept driving for him during the day and loading boxes at night. I felt like a bowstring pulled to its absolute limit. Exhausted, but filled with a terrifying hope. My plan was taking shape, one agonizing step at a time. 3 The breakthrough came from a conversation with an old-timer at a truck stop. He told me some dealerships, desperate to meet their sales quotas, offered low-money-down financing deals. You could get into a rig for just 20% down, but the interest rates were killer. “It’s a gamble for guys like us,” the old driver said, blowing a cloud of smoke. “Guys with more grit than cash. If you win, you pay it off in a year. If you lose, they repo the truck and you’re left with nothing but debt.” It was the biggest gamble of my life. I didn’t hesitate for a second. I found the dealership he mentioned. A brand-new Peterbilt 389 was parked out front, gleaming and massive, like a beast of chrome and steel waiting to be unleashed. The salesman took one look at my worn clothes and the grime under my fingernails and practically ignored me. But when I pulled out my bank card and said I wanted that Peterbilt, on the low-down-payment plan, his eyes lit up. Everything after that was a blur of paperwork. Credit checks, contracts, loan applications. The moment I signed my name, my hand was shaking. This wasn’t just a sales contract; it was a bet on the rest of my life. Three days later, I came to pick it up. The second I settled into the brand-new driver’s seat and wrapped my hands around the cool, thick leather of the steering wheel, a profound sense of peace washed over me. Every screw, every inch of this machine, belonged to me. Mark. No more living under someone else’s thumb. No more taking orders. I turned the key, and the engine roared to life with a deep, powerful rumble. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. I felt like my future was right here, in my hands, on this wheel. I called my parents and told them I’d found a new job with better pay. I told them not to worry about me anymore. My mom started crying on the other end, telling me to take care of myself, not to work too hard. I fought back the lump in my throat and promised I would. I didn’t tell them about the six-figure debt I’d just taken on. I just wanted them to see me when I finally made it. Meanwhile, Rick was getting antsy about the first big job of the year. Usually, Mr. Peterson’s first shipment was already booked by now. But this year, there was only silence. Rick took Peterson out for expensive dinners, sent him gifts, but Peterson remained noncommittal, saying he was waiting for approval from the higher-ups. Rick was getting frustrated. He had no idea that the person Peterson was waiting for was me. I didn’t rush to make my move. I spent two weeks driving my new rig from one government office to another, getting all my permits in order. Business license, DOT number, operating authority. When the words “M-Line Trucking” were printed on the official certificate, I just stood there in the parking lot of the county clerk’s office, grinning like an idiot for a long, long time. My teeth were sharp. My claws were out. Now, all I had to do was wait for the right moment to strike.

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I was a scholarship student. On my first day at the elite academy, the school bully kicked my desk. “Take off those colored contacts and dye your hair back.” I closed my book and looked at him. “Congenital albinism. My hair color is natural, and so is my eye color.” He silently retracted his leg. Two days later, he was hugging a tree, sobbing: “I deserve to die!” During military training, the instructor tried to force me to participate. He grabbed the instructor by the collar furiously. “Don’t you know albinism patients can’t be exposed to the sun?” 1 On the first day of school, a smart robot helped me pack. “This time, you’ll offend three people: the School Hunk, the School Bully, and the Academic God.” “They are incredibly handsome, come with their own BGM and screams, and are the ones you can spot instantly in a crowd.” The robot, Sion, was nagging like an old mother. I lay on the bed, looking up at the silver ring on my middle finger, feeling a bit dazed. “Sion, can my illness really be cured?” I have congenital albinism, a lifelong condition with no cure. I had already given up hope. But half a month ago, my fingertip suddenly stung, and a silver ring appeared on my middle finger. A person suddenly appeared in my mind: handsome, sunny, white T-shirt, tall, his face full of vigor and vitality. He bounced around in my mind, excitement written all over his face. “Holy cow, transmutation is real?!” “Who am I? Where am I? Why is there nothing here?” He saw me curled up in a corner. “A kid? Silver hair, light red pupils… Holy cow, Cub!!” He rushed over with an excited face and hugged me, rubbing my head vigorously. My spiritual body trembled. He chattered endlessly. In half an hour, he said more than I had in my entire life. The word he shouted most was “Cub.” My fingers curled. I was an orphan, my parents died early. I hadn’t been a “cub” for a long time. He said his name was Sion, sent by God to save me, to give me a perfect Happy Ending. He touched my head and said he could help cure my albinism. The condition was to max out the affection points of three characters and safely survive the school period. He made me sign up for a famous elite academy. I applied just for fun, thinking I wouldn’t get in, but three days later, I received the invitation letter. I looked at the gold-stamped admission letter in surprise. The tuition was a million dollars. No scholarship. I looked at him. The smart robot in front of me had hands on his hips, laughing wildly. “Small case. Just a little micro-transaction of $1000. Half a month’s living expenses.” He flashed a V sign at me: “For Cub, it’s my duty.” 2 The rent was due, and with no money to renew, the landlord kicked us out. I spent 33 dollars to buy back the old robot Sion used to possess. Holding the simple robot with peeling paint, I walked on the street, feeling quite desolate. He jumped down from my arms, bashful yet heroic. “The sponsor absolutely cannot let Cub suffer!” Three minutes later, a bodyguard in a suit drove a black Cayenne and took us to a villa area. I stared dumbfounded at the magnificent palace-like house built with white jade bricks. This Sion really had something. I wanted to believe in miracles again. He looked at the luxurious villa with joy on his face too. “Good lord, 300 dollars to live in such a villa, even if only for three months, it’s worth it!” “Thinking of my poor background, I’ve never lived in such a good place.” “Cub, this is your home from now on, don’t be polite.” He jumped on the bed and started rolling on the latex mattress. The snow-white mattress was covered with peeling paint. Although he was a robot, I could feel he was happy. I looked at him and smiled genuinely for the first time. Happy people are happy in everything they do. Calling me Cub, actually, he was the Cub. 3 School finally started. Sion possessed the silver ring and quietly drilled out. “Cub, Papa probably can’t accompany you to school.” “Tell Papa if you need anything, I’ll try my best to satisfy Cub.” Papa? My mouth twitched, but I finally nodded. After all, he sent me to the elite school, prepared a villa for me, and gave me living expenses. He really looked like my dad… Sugar Daddy. I was silent. “Damn it! Why do I have an 8 AM class here? Why can’t I accompany Cub more?” “Played Bad Endings so many times, poured in so much effort, must get a Good Ending!” Sion reluctantly pawed my hand and left whimpering. “…” The silver ring made no more sound. 4 To save money, I transferred buses three times. When I arrived with my suitcase, the sun had set. A layer of afterglow fell on the white jade gold-stamped school gate. However, the guard crossed his arms, looked at me, and wouldn’t let me in. “Sorry, you’re ten minutes late. Locked. Come back tomorrow.” I pursed my lips. School rules didn’t allow a poor student like me to break them. I turned to leave. But I saw three luxury cars driving towards me. A black Cayenne, a Rolls-Royce, and a Maserati, exuding grace and luxury, but driving very dominantly and arrogantly. I frowned and made way. Raised my eyebrows, about to watch the luxury car owners eat humble pie. But I saw the closed gate open, and the three black luxury cars drove in, leaving me a view of their backs. I looked at the guard, pointing at the three cars: “Why can they enter?” The guard straightened his collar and glanced at me lightly. “They are the richest young masters. Can you, a poor student who came by bus, compare?” He sneered contemptuously, “Better clean your shoes first, they’re full of mud.” After speaking, he put on a smiling face again and ran excitedly to fawn over those young masters. I gripped my suitcase, suddenly thinking. Sion said I would offend three people. Could it be these three? The guard left, the gate was empty, no one guarding. I walked in directly with my suitcase. When crossing this door, I adjusted my glasses. Since they didn’t follow the rules themselves, I didn’t need to either. 5 I was assigned to the worst class, the Arts Class. My seat was in the last row. As soon as I sat down, two girls looked over, releasing ridicule: “Yo, trying to seduce Young Master Lu as soon as entering school? Just because you have some looks, you really think you can succeed?” “Even dyed hair. Did you know early on that Young Master Lu likes silver hair so you dyed it? Really doing whatever it takes for love.” “…” Not much damage, not very insulting. I could even interpret it as them praising me. I just glanced at them lightly and methodically laid out my stationery. The girl in the white dress looked unhappy, kicking my stool with her high boots. “Newcomer, talking to you, can’t hear?” I looked up: “Sorry, selective hearing loss.” “Hearing loss, hearing loss…” She huffed again, tone arrogant. “Count yourself lucky. Since it’s hearing loss, it’s not unforgivable.” “…” I didn’t look at her, silently opened the book, and started previewing. She lowered her head again: “What contacts are you wearing? Light pink, so beautiful.” “…” At this moment, I thought of a certain celebrity. I brewed a faint smile: “Sorry, born this way, didn’t wear contacts.” “Tsk, hypocritical.” She looked at me disdainfully, about to speak more. A scream suddenly came from the classroom: “Lucas Lu!!” The ridicule on Sarah’s face stopped abruptly, instantly love-struck, pink stars in her eyes, coquettishly looking towards the door: “Young Master Lu~” This voice with nine bends and eighteen turns gave me chills. Following her gaze, I saw a boy at the door. Similar to what Sion said, dressed in black, tall with long legs, wearing a black necklace, with a faint hostility between his brows. It was the only son of the Lu Group – Lucas Lu. I would offend him? I still have to max out his affection points? My fingers curled. Lucas first scanned the classroom. Everyone held their breath, silent. I was thinking about how to offend people and gain affection points at the same time. Suddenly, the desk was kicked twice. I looked up and met Lucas’s half-smiling face. “Newcomer? Dyed hair silver? Got guts.” His long fingers landed on my desk. “Before 3 PM today, I want to see your original hair color.” I closed the book and looked at him. “Sorry, congenital albinism. Hair color is natural, eye color is also natural.” People around laughed loudly, and he also hooked his lips contemptuously. “This is the third case of faking albinism this month.” “Newcomer, know that you can’t touch a tiger’s butt?” I couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to him. Who fakes illness for no reason? His fingertips still tapped on my desk, “Within three days, take off the contacts, dye the hair back.” Managing heaven and earth, still managing if people dye their hair? After dropping the harsh words, he left without even looking at me. My deskmate quietly poked his head over: “Young Master Lucas Lu, can’t be offended. You better take off those contacts quickly.” “Good-looking is good-looking, but he can’t accept it.” “As a fellow poor student, can only help you this far.” “…” I raised my eyebrows, looking teasing. “If he can dye his hair green, I might consider it.” My deskmate covered his face with a book and gave me a thumbs up: “Brave.”

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In my past life, my teacher successfully climbed the ladder by currying favor with me, becoming my stepmother. Who would have thought, after marrying my father and becoming pregnant, she conspired with outsiders to poison me and dump my body in the wilderness just to make the child in her belly the family heir. When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn. This time, I won’t let her step on me to rise again. I will make her life a living hell, where she begs for death but cannot die. 1 My mother died in childbirth, but my father had no intention of remarrying. It wasn’t because he was so loyal to my mother; theirs was a business marriage with no feelings involved, so there was no need for him to stay chaste for her. He simply felt that since he had an heir, a wife was dispensable. At my one-month celebration, my father announced in front of all the powerful and wealthy families in New York that I was the sole heir to the Gould family. My father spoiled me, almost to the point where if I wanted stars, he would throw in the moon; my grandmother treated me as her precious darling, pampering me as I grew up. But as a child, I still longed for maternal love. When I was five, the family hired a piano teacher named Linda Rose for me. She was gentle and considerate, caring for my well-being, making little me feel a motherly warmth. Who would have guessed, she wanted to gain favor with my father by pleasing me, aiming to become my father’s wife—Mrs. Gould. She drugged my father with an aphrodisiac and had a one-night stand with him. She thought my father would marry her because of this, but she miscalculated. My father was a playboy with many lovers outside. He had seen all kinds of women and all kinds of tricks. Linda’s clumsy method of climbing the ladder had long been seen through by my father, but he didn’t fuss about it, planning to give her a sum of money and dismiss her. Linda was naturally unwilling. She cried to me, saying she would leave me soon. Her meticulous companionship during this time made me depend on her more and more; I couldn’t live without her. I refused to let her go. She took the opportunity to beg me to go to my father, asking him to marry her so she could stay with me forever. My brain was not fully developed at the time, and I was bewitched by her, crying and clamoring for her to be my stepmother. My father was unwilling to marry her, but couldn’t stand my hunger strike. His heart softened, and he agreed. Linda became Mrs. Gould as she wished. But she only got the marriage certificate with my father and it wasn’t made public. She pretended well, caring for me for ten years as if it were one day. I truly treated her as my mother. Later, she got pregnant. To make the child in her belly the heir of the Gould family, she deliberately let me eat almonds by mistake. I went into shock due to a severe allergy. She conspired with outsiders to kidnap me, intending to dump my body in the wilderness. When she had people move me to the trunk, I regained consciousness briefly and clearly heard her conspiracy with the kidnappers. At this moment, I finally saw her true colors, but I was dying from severe allergies without treatment. Although I knew my father would avenge me, I was still very unwilling to die like this. Fortunately, heaven had mercy and gave me a chance to be reborn and kill my enemy with my own hands. Before dying, a white light flashed before my eyes and I fainted. A pleasant yet cold male voice came to my ears, very familiar. I tried to open my eyes and saw my father letting me nestle in his arms, playing with my chubby little hand, looking coldly at Linda who was kneeling on the ground, speaking casually: “I don’t know what potion you gave Smoke (Yan Yan), making her insist on you being her mother, but since my daughter asked, I will agree.” Linda looked embarrassed, trying to argue: “Mr. Gould, you must be joking. I sincerely like Miss Smoke, and I sincerely like you too. How can you say I gave Miss Smoke a potion?” My father looked impatient: “I don’t care if you are sincere. Since you want to be Mrs. Gould so much, I will fulfill your wish. But remember, your reliance in the Gould family will always be Smoke. You said you sincerely like Smoke, so in the future, you must do your best to please my daughter.” “Otherwise, I will make you fall from the clouds back into the dust.” Linda’s face turned slightly pale, and she answered in a low voice, “Yes.” I rubbed my eyes at the right time and called out softly: “Daddy.” Seeing me wake up, my father instantly withdrew his fierce expression, responding gently: “Daddy is here. Smoke is awake, are you hungry?” I nodded gently. My father patted my back lightly, stood up holding me, and was about to walk to the dining room. At this time, Linda got up, trying to follow closely and calling my name: “Is Smoke hungry? Do you want Teacher to feed you?” But she was stopped by the butler before taking a few steps. I ignored her, just buried my head and rubbed against my father dependently. My father stopped, looked back at the butler lightly. The butler immediately understood, waved to a few servants standing in the living room. They stepped forward, covered Linda’s mouth, and dragged her out. Linda was startled, struggling in panic to make the servants let her go. But to no avail. My family’s servants were trained, not only stronger than ordinary people but also skilled in restraining people. Soon, crisp slapping sounds and Linda’s screams came faintly. The butler warned her coldly: “Unruly thing, daring to act on your own in front of the master. Relying on shameless climbing into bed to become the Miss’s mother, yet daring to overstep. Today I will teach you the rules properly, make you remember this lesson.” “Continue hitting, harder!” Although my father agreed to let her into the Gould family to take care of me, she only occupied a nominal title, actually a more decent nanny. Moreover, Linda bewitched and plotted against me; my father would not let her off lightly. He inevitably had to teach Linda a lesson to establish authority for me. In my past life, Linda was also slapped by the butler to establish rules. It was precisely because she was deterred by my father’s ruthless means that she pretended well for ten years until she got pregnant. Thinking she had the confidence to rely on, she couldn’t wait to kill me. I sat on the high chair slowly drinking porridge. My father occasionally picked some dishes for me. I looked up and smiled sweetly at him: “Thank you, Daddy!” My father touched my little head happily. Linda, I’d like to see if you can still be a wealthy lady steadily without my mediation this time. The next day, I woke up in a luxurious princess bed. The room was pink everywhere, plush toys and Barbie dolls filled the cabinets. It wasn’t hard to see that I, the only daughter of the Gould family, was very favored. I stood in front of the mirror. The child in the mirror looked exquisite and lovely, only her eyes were deep and cold. Linda wanted to be a wealthy lady with everything going her way. I wanted her to look at the immense wealth in front of her but never be able to touch it, making her a shameful servant for life. Voices came from downstairs. “Where is the Miss?” It was Grandma, Grandma came. “The Miss is still sleeping upstairs, hasn’t got up yet,” the butler replied respectfully. “Then let her sleep a bit longer. Children always sleep a lot.” “Bring that shameless woman who climbed into bed here. I’d like to see what kind of extraordinary goods she is.” In front of Grandma, I was a perfectly obedient baby, a considerate little cotton-padded jacket. I would ask for her opinion in advance whatever I wanted to do. Except for this time, compared to other spoiled second generations in wealthy families, even if I was a bit arrogant, I appeared obedient and refined. Over time, everyone in the circle knew I was a good child. Anyone would praise the good family style and the child’s obedience. Servants from various families passed it on, so that outsiders talked about me with praise, saying why their daughters-in-law didn’t give birth to children as easy to raise as me. Grandma listened with a face full of joy, smiling from ear to ear. After my mother died in childbirth, she did intend for my father to remarry, but my father had a rebellious nature and didn’t listen. He only wanted an heir; gender didn’t matter. Moreover, his marriage with my mother was a business alliance. Before they got married, they had already signed an agreement that my mother would only give birth to one child, and regardless of gender, this child would be the sole heir of the Gould family. No matter how much my grandma wanted my father to remarry, she couldn’t help it if he disagreed. Besides, blatantly urging marriage would cause a rift between the Gould family and my maternal grandfather’s family. So, even though I was a girl, not a boy, my grandma, as a patriarch who favored boys over girls, might have dissatisfactions, but I was her biological granddaughter and won face for her. She found me pleasing to the eye no matter what. Since I was so favored, Linda suffered. She used dirty means to occupy the position of Mrs. Gould and plotted against a mentally immature five-year-old girl like me. My grandma would inevitably not recognize her in the wealthy circle but would torment her severely. In my past life, whenever Grandma wanted to torment Linda, I would always act spoiled to divert her attention, allowing Linda to escape safely many times. But this time, she was in for a treat. I quietly hid at the corner of the stairs observing. She was wearing a white dress, looking haggard, eyes red, cheeks swollen, looking very pitiful. Linda stood tremblingly, afraid to speak. Grandma, dressed nobly and decently, lowered her eyes slightly, blew gently on the tea in her hand, took a sip, then put the tea down gently, lifting her eyelids to look Linda up and down. “You are Linda Rose? A petty look, thinking of flying up the branch to become a phoenix, you should also weigh how much you weigh, whether you have the fate to enjoy it.” She stood up and walked close to Linda, pulled the white dress on Linda, glimpsed the Hermes label on it, showing ridicule and disdain: “Enjoying wearing designer clothes, right? Didn’t have the chance to wear them in the first half of your life, now you put them on easily as soon as you come, you must be uncontrollably proud in your heart.” Linda shook her head in terror denying it, keeping her head down. My grandma continued: “Smoke is a child of my Gould family. For your own rise, you dared to target her. Truly not knowing the height of the sky and the depth of the earth, very bold.” “I tell you, you definitely can’t enjoy this wealth, but you are destined to suffer this torment.” Grandma turned and sat back on the sofa, shouting: “Nanny Chen, come in.” A somewhat plump but very capable middle-aged woman walked in. She was an old servant by Grandma’s side. Grandma should want her to stay here to supervise Linda. In my past life, Grandma also let Nanny Chen stay, but I refused adamantly. However, Grandma said Linda could only stay if Nanny Chen stayed. “Linda, didn’t you say you like Smoke? Want to be my granddaughter’s mother? Then from now on, you are responsible for taking care of Smoke’s daily life. Nanny Chen will teach you well how to do it and supervise you. Don’t think of playing tricks on my granddaughter, being clever. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being rude.” With a pig-head face, Linda widened her eyes and asked in disbelief: “Isn’t there a nanny? Why do I have to take care of her personally? Moreover, I have already got the marriage certificate with Mr. Gould. I am his wife, how can I do such things?” The corner of Grandma’s mouth curled up in disdain: “Wife? You weren’t married in properly. What are you? A lowly thing thinking of being the master? From today on, the nanny at home will become you. If you are willing to serve my granddaughter well, then you can stay in this house. Otherwise, I will have someone throw you out. At worst, let my granddaughter cry for a few days.” Linda agreed timidly, daring not to express dissatisfaction anymore, holding her breath tight. My grandma picked up a mobile phone on the table. That flashy phone case was obviously Linda’s. Grandma opened a social platform on her phone, which was full of Linda intentionally or unintentionally showing off her wealthy life. Frowning, she questioned: “This is your phone, right? Our Gould family is not for you to show off. If you don’t know your place again, I don’t mind letting the butler teach you rules again, adding a few more scars to your beautiful face.” After speaking, the butler stepped forward raising his hand to slap her. Linda staggered back a few steps in fear, nodding repeatedly saying she dared not anymore. My grandma snorted coldly and turned to go upstairs to see me. I quickly ran back to the room, pretending not to be awake. After the people in the living room left, Linda dared to relax, exhaled a long breath, slumped on the ground, and sobbed softly. “Smoke.” Grandma walked in lightly and sat by my bed, patting the quilt gently and calling me softly. I popped my head out of the quilt, with two tufts of cowlick on my messy head, raising a smiling face obediently: “Grandma.” Then subconsciously reached out to the old woman in front of me. Grandma’s heart melted at my smile, hurriedly hugging me along with the quilt. “Oh my, my good granddaughter, our Gould family’s good granddaughter.” Then, she took off the large pearl necklace around her neck, playing with it in her hand to amuse me. I giggled cooperatively. “Nanny Liu cooked porridge for Smoke, and Smoke’s favorite shrimp dumplings. What does Smoke want to eat? Grandma will have them bring it up or Grandma carry Smoke down to eat?” “Smoke wants to eat here, want to eat a big bowl of shrimp dumplings.” I gestured with a smile. Grandma smiled with wrinkles, touching my head: “Okay, okay, our Smoke can eat as much as she wants.” I lifted the quilt to get out of bed to wash up. Soon a servant came in with a bowl of shrimp dumplings. Grandma fed me one by one. The shrimp dumplings were so delicious my eyes narrowed. In my past life, since Nanny Liu’s son and daughter-in-law took her away from the Gould family to enjoy happiness, I rarely ate shrimp dumplings because others couldn’t make Nanny Liu’s taste, even if Nanny Liu wrote down the recipe for the new nanny at home. Grandma saw me eating with relish and asked tentatively: “Smoke, do you like that Teacher Linda very much? Can you tell Grandma why you like her so much?” My chewing slowed down. After swallowing the shrimp dumpling in my mouth, I blinked my round apricot eyes and said softly: “Yes, I like her very much. Children in kindergarten all laugh at me for having no mother, while Teacher Linda makes me feel like I have a mother. She is beautiful and gentle. I want her to stay with me all the time.” The eyes of the well-maintained noble lady in front of me instantly turned red. Looking at the child’s bright eyes, the longing for a mother in her eyes was fully revealed, and her heart stung slightly. It was her fault. Smoke lost her mother since childhood. Her father managed such a big company and rarely had time to come back to see her. Among children with both parents, she was always like an anomaly. Clearly every time Smoke saw other children surrounded by parents, her eyes would overflow with strong envy, but she didn’t care, which allowed that cheap Linda to exploit the loophole. But to not let me find out, she held back tears and said with a smile: “It’s… Grandma’s fault, letting Smoke suffer so much grievance…” Before Grandma finished speaking, she broke down in tears, big tears falling into the bowl, her body trembling slowly, with some sobbing. I extended my warm little hand to cover her face, followed by the sound of gentle blowing. “Grandma don’t cry, Grandma don’t be sad.” “Smoke blows for Grandma.” “Hoo hoo…”

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It was my thirtieth birthday party, and my husband’s voice called out from the kitchen. “Babe, can you give me a hand with the soup?” Before I could even stand up, my cousin Stella was already gliding past me. She reached around him from behind, her hands taking the heavy tureen from his. Seeing my frozen expression, she quickly stammered an excuse. “Sorry, my mom’s always ordering me around at home. It’s just instinct. Don’t overthink it.” I didn’t let my emotions show. I smiled, I mingled, and I saw the last guest out, completing the performance of a perfect hostess. After the door closed, I turned to my husband, who was clearing the table. My voice was calm, almost serene. “Let’s get a divorce.” Sebastian dropped a handful of cutlery with a clatter. His eyes widened, fixed on me in disbelief. “Are you serious? All because she helped me with a bowl of soup?” … “Ophelia, we’ve been married for five years,” he began, his voice rising with indignation. “Five years, and I’ve never let you touch a greasy pan. I’ve put you first in everything.” “And now, because of one thoughtless gesture from your cousin, you want to get a divorce? You want to tear this family apart? Do you even have a heart?” His eyes were red-rimmed as he accused me, as if I had committed some unforgivable sin. I didn’t answer him directly. My gaze drifted to the dining table, to the platter of Beef Bourguignon with only a few choice pieces left. “Five years, Sebastian. You always knew this was my favorite dish. Every single meal we’ve had, you’ve made sure it was placed directly in front of me.” “But tonight,” I continued, my voice quiet but sharp, “it was placed in front of Stella’s seat. She loves it too, doesn’t she?” Sebastian’s breath hitched. “What’s the big deal? No one was helping serve, I was swamped. I can’t be expected to remember every little detail when I’m that busy.” I shook my head, a lump forming in my throat. “It wasn’t just the beef. When we sat down, you pulled out her chair first.” “When her glass was empty, you opened a new bottle of sparkling water—the lime-flavored kind she loves, the one you know I can’t stand.” “And in the group photo, you stood between us. Your arm was just barely brushing the small of her back.” My voice dropped to a whisper. “Subconscious favoritism can’t be hidden, Sebastian. The heart has a way of showing its true allegiance. And in those moments you call ‘careless,’ when your guard is down, that’s when your true feelings are the clearest.” “That’s why I want a divorce.” His face darkened, his expression shifting as if he were looking at a stranger. “Ophelia, you have way too much time on your hands. Twisting a few innocent actions into some grand conspiracy… you should be writing novels.” “And she’s not just ‘someone else’! That’s your cousin, Stella! She’s practically your sister, she watched you grow up! You’re going to be jealous of her?” “The only reason I pay her extra attention is out of respect for you! And you twist it into some sordid affair? Are you even listening to yourself? How unreasonable can you be!” He stormed into the study and returned a moment later, slamming a photo album down on the table in front of me. It was filled with pictures of Stella and me, from childhood to our teenage years, our heads pressed together, our smiles wide and genuine. The last few pages were from our wedding. Stella, my maid of honor, stood beside me in a flowing lavender gown. In one photo, captured during our vows, her eyes are glistening with tears as she watches Sebastian and me kiss. Her expression is one of deep emotion. In another, she’s hugging me tightly on the stage, clutching the bridal bouquet I’d just given her, her smile radiant. I stared at the photos, a bitter, self-mocking laugh escaping my lips. “When we kissed, her eyes were on you. She wasn’t moved by my happiness, Sebastian. She was crying for you.” “And when she hugged me, she was smiling at someone just out of frame. Judging by the angle, that person was you.” “So, it started five years ago. She’s had feelings for you all this time. No wonder she’s been single all these years.” I finally looked up at him. “And you? When did it start for you?” He took a half-step back, his face a mask of disappointment and fury. “Ophelia, I thought you were just upset. I didn’t realize you’d gone completely insane, rewriting our entire past!” “This is my fault. I’ve spoiled you, let you become this paranoid, irrational woman!” “I’m giving you twenty-four hours to cool off. Tomorrow is my grandmother’s birthday party. If you have any respect left for your elders, you won’t make a scene in front of her.” He threw a dish towel onto the counter with a loud smack and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him. I sank into a chair, staring at the chaotic aftermath of the party, feeling utterly drained. I met Sebastian in college. My family was wealthy, but I never looked down on him, the brilliant scholarship kid struggling to make ends meet. I helped him with his studies, his living expenses, and even funded his master’s degree at a top university abroad. He was sharp and keenly aware of his position. After we married, he treated me like a queen, shielding me from every hardship. But even the most careful person leaves tracks when their heart is in turmoil. I picked up my phone and saw that, at some point, he had disabled our location sharing. Without a word to anyone, I changed into a simple, discreet outfit and drove to the boutique tea lounge that Stella owned. Dressed as I was, no one paid me any mind when I entered. I walked down the long, quiet corridor, heading straight for the private room she reserved for her closest friends, the “Cloudview” suite. Before my hand even touched the door, I heard Sebastian’s voice, laced with complaint. “My wife is giving me hell at home, and you guys are just sitting here laughing? A little sympathy would be nice.” I peered through the gap. The room was full of people. My blood ran cold as I recognized most of them—they were our friends, the same ones who had been at my birthday party just hours ago. They were all lounging comfortably, laughing and joking. Not a single one of them was defending me. Amid the lighthearted laughter, a chill seeped into my bones. In the center of the room, Stella was gracefully toying with a porcelain teacup. She turned her head, a soft smile playing on her lips as she looked at Sebastian beside her. “Well, it’s your own fault for being so careless,” she teased. “Calling me ‘babe’ at Ophelia’s own birthday party.” “I was caught off guard, so I just went along with it, helping you with the soup.” “I really thought she wouldn’t notice. I guess she’s smarter than we gave her credit for.” She set down the teacup and picked up a small glass of sake—from the limited-edition vintage set I had given her last year. Just as she was about to take a sip, Sebastian’s hand shot out and gently took the glass from her. “You’re going to be a mother, and you’re still this reckless? I told you, no alcohol during the pregnancy.” Stella had always been stubborn. I’d seen her argue with her own father over a bottle of wine. But now, looking at Sebastian, her face softened into a gentle, submissive smile I had never seen before. “Okay,” she murmured. “I’ll listen to you. No more drinking.” “After all,” she said, her voice full of meaning, “you’re the father of my child. Of course, you get the final say.” She placed a hand on her still-flat stomach and leaned her head lovingly against his shoulder. The blood in my veins turned to ice. They weren’t just having an affair. They were having a baby. “If you ask me, Ophelia is just being stubborn. Insisting on being child-free,” one of the ‘friends’ commented. “I know, right? Sebastian is an only son. She’s putting him in such a difficult position,” another chimed in. And Stella, my own cousin who had always defended me in public, let out a small, derisive scoff. “She’s been spoiled her whole life. She never learned to think about anyone but herself.” Then my husband, my Sebastian, took Stella’s hand in his, his voice thick with emotion. “Stella, you’re willing to carry my child. You’re not just the woman I love; you’re a savior to my family.” “From this day forward, we’ll face everything together. We’ll never be parted.” Tears streamed down my face, my legs threatening to buckle beneath me. Years ago, my mother died from an amniotic fluid embolism while giving birth to me. She never even got to hold me. Because of that trauma, I’ve always been terrified of childbirth. When Sebastian and I first started dating, I told him plainly: I’ve decided to be child-free for life. If that’s a dealbreaker, we should end things now. He had held me so tightly then, whispering in my ear. “Having you is enough for a lifetime. Children don’t matter. My love for you will never, ever change.” I truly believed I had found a love that transcended convention. Now, watching him and Stella wrapped in their profound love, I saw just how tragically wrong I had been. Someone in the room asked, “So, are you two planning on hiding this from Ophelia forever?” “You have a baby on the way. Why not just tell her, get a divorce, and be together openly?” All eyes turned to them. Sebastian shook his head immediately. “No. Stella and she are family, they’re cousins. I can’t be the reason she’s ostracized by her own relatives.” “Besides,” he added, his voice lowering, “my career is deeply entangled with her family’s business. I can’t afford to burn that bridge completely.” “So, from the very beginning, Stella and I agreed: our relationship must remain a secret from her. And divorce is out of the question.” So he knew. He was fully aware that his wealth, his status, everything he had today, was built on the support and investments of my family. He was staying married to me for the money. Amid a wave of sympathetic murmurs, someone looked at Stella. “Stella, you’ve always been so proud. Are you really okay with your child living in the shadows forever?” Stella just smiled. She turned Sebastian’s face towards hers and planted a soft kiss on his lips. “A marriage is just a piece of paper. I don’t care about that.” She leaned in, her voice a conspiratorial whisper that carried through the room. “Besides, there’s a saying: a mistress is better than a wife, and a secret lover is better than a mistress. Living like this, right under her nose… isn’t it so much more thrilling?” If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed those words could come from my own cousin. The room filled with laughter, but I was trapped in a block of ice. Overnight, I had gone from thinking I was the happiest woman in the world to a laughingstock, betrayed by both my husband and my family. The most tragic part? I was the last one in our circle to know. My closest friends, the people I trusted, had been covering for them, watching me live in a fool’s paradise, and not a single one had bothered to warn me. Tears blurring my vision, I walked out of the tea lounge and dialed my lawyer. “Prepare the divorce papers. I want him left with nothing.” “And there are a few other things I need you to do…”

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My boyfriend lost a game of Truth or Dare. The penalty? He had to kiss another woman. Before our lips could even meet, his childhood best friend, Lindsey, shoved me aside and pressed her lips against his. “Stop acting out. It’s your future sister-in-law’s birthday,” Jason said, his voice dripping with affection as he pinched her cheek. The room went silent as everyone watched me sprawled on the sofa. Lindsey giggled, “Don’t be mad, Chloe. Jason’s never even seen me as a girl.” Jason turned to me, his tone dismissive: “It’s just a game. Don’t be such a sore loser.” Everyone expected me to scream, to throw a fit, to cry. Instead, I simply slid the engagement ring off my finger and tucked it onto his best friend’s hand. “Save me a seat at the wedding,” I said. 1 “Jason, you’re so sweet! What have you been eating?” Lindsey’s high-pitched voice echoed through the private lounge. Jason was looking at her with an indulgent smile, but as the room fell deathly quiet, he finally noticed me on the floor. He let go of Lindsey’s face and patted the back of her head. “Alright, that’s enough. It’s Chloe’s birthday.” Lindsey pouted. “Ugh… Chloe isn’t going to be a sore loser, is she? It was just a Dare~” The silence in the room was deafening. This wasn’t a harmless prank like a flick on the forehead. It was a kiss. People were literally shrinking into their seats, waiting for the explosion. They knew me. They knew I usually fought for every inch of his attention. But I just stood up, slowly twisted the engagement ring off my finger, and walked over to Lindsey. I gently slid it onto her ring finger. It fit perfectly. I smiled. “Save me a seat at the wedding.” The room gasped. Even Lindsey looked stunned. “Chloe, it’s just a game. Is this really necessary?” Jason’s voice was cold. “I know it is,” I chirped. “I’m just helping you guys have a better time.” Jason’s face darkened visibly. Lindsey pulled on his sleeve. “It’s okay, Jay. It’s my fault. I didn’t realize Chloe couldn’t handle a joke.” She pulled the ring off and tossed it at me. “Here. Don’t be mad. I didn’t mean anything by it.” The ring hit me square in the face before clattering onto the floor. I didn’t flinch. I just picked it up. “If you don’t want it, I guess it’s useless.” I tossed it into the trash can. “Chloe, are you insane?! That’s your engagement ring!” “Quick, get it out!” “Where did it go? There’s too much junk in here!” Our friends started frantically digging through the trash, but the bin was a mess of cocktail garnishes, discarded napkins, and half-eaten appetizers. The small band was gone. Lindsey panicked, grabbing Jason’s arm, her eyes welling up. “Jason, what’s happening? Why is she acting like this? Was I really that bad? But we’ve always been like this since we were kids…” Jason immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her. “Stop looking!” Everyone froze. He glared at me, his eyes sharp enough to cut. “If you can’t handle the game, why did you play? Now everyone’s miserable because of you. Are you happy now?” The irony felt like a physical weight in my chest. Lindsey kissed my fiancé, I stepped aside to let them be together, and somehow, I was the one ruining the night? In the past, I would have sobbed and screamed about how Lindsey was the problem. But now? I felt nothing. I grabbed my coat. “Then I’ll head out. Enjoy the rest of the night.” 2 As the door swung shut, I heard a hesitant voice inside: “Um… it is Chloe’s birthday. Maybe we shouldn’t let her leave like that?” Jason’s voice was sharp with annoyance. “Forget her. She needs to grow up and lose the attitude. Anyway, Lindsey just got her adjunct professor position. Lindsey, why don’t you blow out the candles?” The party roared back to life. The voices that were supposed to sing “Happy Birthday” were now shouting: “Congrats on the new job, Linds!” My face felt cold. I wiped my cheek. I didn’t even realize I was crying. But I wasn’t sad. My heart felt hollow, like a room that had finally been emptied of furniture. 3 Growing up in a faculty housing complex, I had always worshipped Jason. He was the golden boy, the genius. I was the quiet one, the girl who watched from the window as Jason and Lindsey chased each other around the yard. I studied until my eyes bled just to see my name next to his on the dean’s list. But I wasn’t bubbly like Lindsey. Between us, there was always a polite, icy distance. It wasn’t until college, when Lindsey went to a different state for a mid-tier school and got a boyfriend, that I finally gathered the courage to ask him out. Fate was kind. He said yes. From that moment on, every decision I made revolved around him. When he stayed at the university to teach, I turned down a prestigious fellowship abroad. My advisor begged me to go, citing alumni who were making six figures or leading major research labs. I just blushed and told her: “I just want a quiet life with him.” I gave him everything, and he never gave me a second thought. Standing in the biting wind, I exhaled a long breath and called my old advisor. “Professor? About that project in Ireland… is the spot still open?” There was a pause. “Chloe? You’ve changed your mind?” “Yes.” “Of course it’s open! I’ve been holding off on the other applicants hoping you’d call. When can you start?” I smiled. “Give me two weeks. I need to get my affairs in order here.” 4 I spent the next few hours diving into the project details. By the time I finished the call, it was nearly 2:00 AM. My head was pounding. I ran a bath and let the hot water soak the tension out of my bones. I drifted off to sleep in the tub, lulled by the steam. I woke up to the sound of the front door slamming. “Chloe?” It was Jason. His voice moved through the rooms, growing more agitated. When he finally shoved the bathroom door open, his eyes narrowed. “Chloe.” He looked annoyed. I didn’t know what he was mad about. Was he mad that I wasn’t waiting on the couch to start the usual fight about Lindsey? “You’re home,” I said, my voice steady. “Sorry, I fell asleep. Didn’t hear you.” I looked at him. “Could you step out, please?” My tone was polite but distant. He frowned, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He looked exhausted. “I stayed late because Lindsey was drunk. Her ex wouldn’t leave her alone. I couldn’t just leave a girl like that…” “I get it. Safety first.” He blinked. He wasn’t expecting that. I gave him a small, tight smile. “You… aren’t mad?” I actually laughed. “Why would I be mad? You’ve been best friends forever. Helping her home is the right thing to do. Especially since she lives alone.” For a second, Jason looked like he didn’t recognize me. He didn’t move, so I just stood up and grabbed a towel. We lived together; it wasn’t like he hadn’t seen me before, but I suddenly felt uncomfortable. I wrapped myself up and tried to walk past him. He grabbed my wrist. “Chloe, just say what you want to say.” “What am I supposed to say?” He hesitated. “You… usually have a lot to say.” I thought about it. In the past, every time Lindsey was involved, I was the one who wouldn’t let it go. I was the one who “lost it.” But I realized now—you only go crazy when you’re still in love. I felt nothing. I gently pried his hand off my wrist. “It’s late, Jason. I have lab work tomorrow. Let’s not do this.” His hand stayed frozen in mid-air. I yawned. “Don’t stay up too late. Goodnight.” I climbed into bed and closed my eyes. A moment later, I heard a thunderous BANG. Jason had slammed the door and left. I knew why. He had finally offered me a “truce,” and I hadn’t bothered to take it. 5 I slept perfectly. The next morning, I was ordering DoorDash when I saw a birthday cake on the table. Jason was sitting behind it. “Belated happy birthday, Chloe.” I paused, my finger hovering over the “Pay” button. “I know last night was bad. The ring is gone for good,” he said, his long fingers sliding his phone toward me. “That style didn’t really suit you anyway. Pick a new one. Lindsey is just a kid at heart; don’t take her seriously. To us, a kiss means something, but to her, she’s just carefree…” “Wait, you actually got me a custom cake? Thanks!” My sudden interruption cut him off. He stared at me, bewildered. “Chloe?” I leaned over to read the frosting: Happy 18th to my babe. “So sweet. I love it!” He frowned. “Chloe…” I started grabbing plates and forks. “What?” He looked down. “Never mind.” I took a bite. “This place has the best frosting in the city. They’re usually booked out. You really put effort into this.” He gave a non-committal grunt, looking lost in thought. “Chloe, about the ring—” “Here, have the biggest piece! You can’t let it go to waste.” I slid a massive slice in front of him. I took a small bite of my own. “Is this a new flavor? It’s good.” “Chloe.” His brow furrowed. “Look at the phone.” I glanced down. It was a website for Tiffany & Co. Specifically, their high-end engagement collection. My hand trembled for a fraction of a second. A week ago, this would have made my year. Now, I just focused on the cake. “No thanks. It’s just a brand name. Too much trouble.” “Chloe?” He looked at me like I was an alien. I smiled. “Really. I’m over that stuff. Don’t waste the money. The cake is plenty.” I put my empty plate down. “I have an early meeting. Make sure the dishes get in the dishwasher.” I went into the bedroom to change. SCREECH. The sound of his chair pulling back. Jason shoved his phone into his pocket. “Fine. I’ll get it for Lindsey. She actually appreciates this stuff.” He slammed the door. He didn’t touch the cake. I didn’t see him at the university for the next few days.

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My third year with Sebastian Vanderbilt, the Crown Prince of New York, was still strictly transactional. Dinner: $5,000. Date: $20,000. Overnight: $50,000. Then one day, I found out I was pregnant. After a few seconds of buffering, I looked at the aloof, aristocratic man across from me and asked bluntly: “Bro, do you have a hundred million dollars?” Chapter 1 Sebastian was stunned. He was wearing oversized hospital pajamas, but his sharp features showed no sign of illness. His eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong?” “Why ask that all of a sudden?” He smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes that didn’t match his sickly appearance. “Trying to earn a hundred million the hard way?” “Cough, cough.” I almost choked. “Of course not. I mean…” The phrase “If I give you a baby, will you give me a hundred million dollars?” was on the tip of my tongue, but his face darkened. “If it’s not that, don’t say it.” “We have nothing else to talk about.” His coldness sent a chill through my heart. Tsk. I forgot Sebastian was a militant “No Marriage, No Kids” guy. We had an agreement: No feelings, no love, just transactions. If he found out about the baby… He’d assume I trapped him for money. Forget a hundred million; he might sue me for everything I’ve earned so far. Forget it. I quietly crumpled the OB-GYN report in my hand and hid it behind my back. “Oh, never mind then.” Chapter 2 Sebastian didn’t press further. He had no emotional attachment to me. He called me over for one reason: to be his dinner buddy. And his bed buddy. But this month was tricky. He had already used up his $500,000 monthly limit by the 15th. So… The man pinned me to the hospital bed, his kisses trailing down my neck. Just as he was about to undo my button, I jolted. I scrambled three feet away. “You’re out of credit for the month!” “No more of that!” Sebastian looked annoyed. He stared at me, radiating “rich guy” energy. “I’ll pay extra!” “No!” Pay extra?! What if he jostles the baby loose! Usually, I’d jump at money, but this time I refused firmly. Sebastian looked at me suspiciously. My heart raced. I blurted out some nonsense: “I… I’m not feeling well this month.” “Plus, work is crazy. I can only provide companionship when you’re sick. No extras!” I turned to leave, terrified he’d spot the secret in my bag. He grabbed my wrist, his voice icy. “So I have to be sick to see you this month?” Sebastian worked out religiously. He was built like a tank. I nodded vigorously. “Yes! Sick visits only!” Chapter 3 Sebastian’s eyes darkened. He looked like he wanted to argue. Just then, a doctor walked in with a chart. “Mr. Vanderbilt, you just caught a cold from taking a cold shower. Nothing serious. You can be discharged.” Cold shower? In the middle of winter? Is he psycho? I looked at Sebastian like he was an idiot. Silently praying the baby gets his looks but definitely not his brains! “Okay, you’re discharged.” “No more meetings this month!” “See you next month, Mr. Vanderbilt!” See you next month my ass! I fled to my apartment. Packed a bag. Planned to find a place Sebastian couldn’t find to hide and raise the baby. My best friend, Chloe, was shocked. “You… you’re keeping it?” “Yeah!” I stuffed clothes into my suitcase without hesitation. “You know I’m an orphan. No family.” “I was planning to save enough for IVF anyway to make my own family.” “Now, family has arrived naturally!” Plus, with Sebastian’s genes, the kid would be gorgeous. I made up my mind and opened the airline app. Chloe hesitated. “The month isn’t over. What if Sebastian gets ‘sick’ again…” “Impossible,” I waved my hand. “He’s healthy as an ox. How could he get sick twice in a month…” My phone rang. It was Sebastian’s assistant. “Miss Lin, Mr. Vanderbilt has fallen ill again. Please come to the hospital.” As if fearing I wouldn’t come, he added: “This is included in the monthly package. Please hurry.” Chapter 4 Same hospital, same room. I ran there seven times in one week. Yes. Once a day. Fever today, flu tomorrow, rash the next day, sprained ankle after that… After a week of this, I looked at the battered man in the bed. For the first time, I questioned the physical competence of this business titan. “Bro, is your cerebellum okay? Are you uncoordinated?” How do you sprain your ankle three times leaving the hospital? And twist your arm? Sebastian looked at me coldly. “You doubting my ability?” “No,” I said honestly. I was doubting his IQ. Is stupidity hereditary? I stared at him suspiciously. Scanning him from head to toe, my eyes unconsciously stopped at a certain area— He suddenly pulled me hard. His scent overwhelmed me. Before I could react, Sebastian grabbed my chin and kissed me fiercely. “Mmph… mmph…” He was too rough. My morning sickness was bad lately. My stomach churned violently. I struggled to push him away. He held me tighter, crushing my lips while growling: “Can’t even touch you…” “Ugh!” Splash. I threw up. All over Sebastian’s pristine hospital pajamas. “Ava Lin! You hate me that much?!” “You threw up kissing me!”

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