Category: English

After finally dropping down to 98 pounds, I took a photo of the scale and posted it on my Snapchat Story to celebrate. The very next day, a student’s mother showed up at my school to file a complaint. “She knows damn well I’ve been struggling with postpartum weight gain! Posting a triggering photo like that is a direct attack on me! She’s just trying to show off and seduce my husband!” She tried to force me to my knees to apologize in front of everyone, and she even wanted to slash my face, claiming she was saving other marriages from a homewrecker. But what she didn’t know was that I am the sole heiress to a multi-billion-dollar empire. Working at this private preschool was just my way of experiencing the real world. 1 “Brenda, it’s just a photo of a scale. Aren’t you overthinking this a little?” In the hallway of the preschool, Principal Mrs. Gable, who had rushed over, was trying to diffuse the situation as politely as possible. “I am not overthinking this!” Brenda’s face was flushed with rage. “Why else would she post something like that if not to thirst-trap the dads? I’m a woman, I know exactly what kind of cheap games she’s playing!” I didn’t want to make a scene, so I suppressed my anger and explained, “I was just tracking my personal fitness journey. It wasn’t directed at anyone.” “If it made you feel uncomfortable, I can just block you from seeing my updates in the future.” Before the words could fully leave my mouth, a heavy slap stung my cheek. The sheer force of it made my ears ring. I stumbled back several steps, barely keeping my balance. “How dare you talk back to me!” Brenda wasn’t buying any of it. “Block me? You just want to hide your stories from me so you can keep targeting the husbands, right?” “I’ve seen girls like you a million times. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll get on your knees, beg for my forgiveness, and pack your bags. If you do that, I might let this slide.” “Otherwise, I will destroy you!” A few bystanders and parents nearby were starting to feel uncomfortable. “It’s just a picture of a scale. She didn’t even show her face. Who could she possibly be seducing? Aren’t you being a bit too sensitive?” one mom muttered. “What do you know?” Brenda glared at her, her voice dripping with contempt. “You have zero sense of crisis. Your husbands will be stolen right out from under your noses by foxes like her!” Then, she looked at the crowd like they were fools. “And what about you dads? Why are you so quick to defend her? Did you already sleep with her behind our backs?” “Brenda, stop projecting your insecurities on everyone else!” My blood was boiling, and I couldn’t hold back my anger anymore. “What? Did I strike a nerve?” Brenda sneered. She turned back to Mrs. Gable, her tone turning into an outright threat. “We pay thousands of dollars in tuition every year to send our kids here. We don’t pay you to hire sluts who corrupt our children and seduce their fathers!” “Fire her today! Otherwise, I’m reporting this school to the board and the state licensing department!” Mrs. Gable looked extremely stressed. “But Brenda, these are just wild accusations…” “Actually… they might not just be accusations.” Just then, my co-teacher, Chloe Bennet, stepped forward. She put on a conflicted, hesitant look. “Hailey does post a lot of provocative photos on her Snapchat… and she customizes the settings so only the dads can see them.” “She even tells the kids in class to go home and tell their dads that they want Hailey to be their new mommy…” The crowd erupted into whispers. I stared at Chloe in sheer disbelief. “Chloe! What kind of garbage is coming out of your mouth?!” “I’m not lying…” Chloe looked at me with a guilt-tripping expression. “I just can’t bear to watch these poor families be lied to anymore.” My hands shook with pure rage. “Making up rumors is a crime! Do you have any proof?!” Chloe and I had been co-teaching for over a year. I had always treated her like a sister. I often did her share of the work and always covered for her when she made mistakes. I never expected her to drive a knife into my back like this. 2 “I don’t have physical proof…” Chloe looked down, her voice trembling as if she were the victim. “You always delete those Snapchat stories after a few hours. I only found out because I accidentally saw your phone the other day…” “And since you’re the lead teacher, you control the classroom cameras. Every time you spoke to the kids, you made sure the cameras were turned off.” She shrunk back, acting terrified of me. “But whatever… just pretend I didn’t say anything.” Her act of “fear” only made the crowd believe her more. “Oh my god, really? She looks so innocent. I can’t believe she’s actually like that!” “Well, Chloe has worked with her for a long year. She wouldn’t make something like this up.” “Disgusting.” The parents’ gazes turned cold and judgmental. “See? I told you my instincts are never wrong!” Brenda looked like a victorious general. The look in her eyes turned wild and sadistic. “Leaving a girl like this around is a hazard to society!” “If you ask me, just getting her fired is too easy on her!” She looked around, spotted the security guard’s office, and dashed inside. A few seconds later, she walked out holding a sharp box cutter. “She needs to be taught a lesson. Let’s start by ruining that pretty face of hers so she can never use it to ruin another family!” I didn’t think she would actually go that crazy. My instincts kicked in, and I turned around to run. But before I could take two steps, someone tripped me. I fell hard onto the floor. I looked back and saw Chloe standing right there, a flash of malicious joy in her eyes. Still, she played her part, crying out hypocritically, “Brenda, please don’t do this! Don’t be impulsive!” “Even though Hailey did send some private, sexy photos to your husband… it’s not worth ruining her face over. Just let it go.” It sounded like a plea, but it was actually gasoline on fire. Brenda’s eyes turned red with rage. She lunged forward, pinning me to the floor. She raised the box cutter high, aiming straight for my cheek. She weighed over two hundred pounds. Pinned under her, I could barely breathe, let alone break free. The crowd of parents just watched. Some even pulled out their phones, whispering that she was doing public service. The cold blade grazed my cheek, leaving a thin, stinging line of blood. I closed my eyes in absolute despair. Just then, a sharp male voice cut through the noise. “What the hell is going on here?” Everyone turned to look. It was my boyfriend, Logan Carter. At that moment, I was incredibly relieved. I had left my lesson plans at home this morning and texted him to bring them over. Taking advantage of Brenda’s distraction, I wriggled out from under her, stood up, and ran behind Logan. “They’re insane! They’re making up lies and she has a knife! Call the police, Logan!” Before Logan could process what was happening, Chloe rushed over. “Don’t call the police! Brenda didn’t mean to do it, she’s just emotional!” “But honestly, Hailey brought this on herself. She shouldn’t have messed with Brenda’s husband…” Logan’s face immediately darkened. He spun around and grabbed my arm. “Is she telling the truth?” “Of course not!” I defended myself. But Chloe cut me off. “Of course it’s true! Why else would Brenda be this furious?” “She’s usually such a sweet, active parent in our school. She must have been pushed to her limit.” Logan’s face turned from pale to green. He violently shook my hand off his arm and stepped back with disgust. “No wonder… Every time I wanted to go out on a date, you said you were too busy with work.” “Turns out you were busy hooking up with the students’ dads!” “I did not!” I clenched my fists, my heart aching. “I’m your girlfriend! You’d rather believe a random coworker than me?” “I only believe the facts!” Logan sneered. Suddenly, he grabbed my shoulders and shoved me right back in front of Brenda. “You brought this on yourself. Seducing a married man and hurting a mother… you deserve whatever punishment she gives you.” 3 Brenda smiled triumphantly and raised the box cutter once more. But right before she slashed down, she paused. “Actually, I’m a generous person…” “If you apologize the way I want you to, I might just let you walk away.” “What do you want?” A dreadful feeling washed over me. “Strip naked, get on your knees, crawl around, and scream ‘I am a homewrecker’ ten times. Do that, and we’re even.” My eyes widened in pure disgust. “Go to hell!” “Then don’t blame me!” Brenda sneered, and the blade dragged across my right cheek, slicing a deep, agonizing line. The pain was blinding. Tears poured down my face. My body shook uncontrollably. Seeing her raise the blade for another cut, I had to buy time. “Wait! Wait! I’ll do it! I’ll apologize!” Brenda stopped, her face twisting into a sick grin. She took out her phone and started recording. “Go on then.” I forced down the humiliation. “Tell Logan to let go of me first.” Logan hesitantly released his grip on my shoulders, warning me, “Don’t try anything stupid…” The moment his grip loosened, I spun around and shoved him with all my might into Brenda. As they both stumbled and crashed to the floor, I bolted into the nearest empty classroom, slammed the door shut, and locked it. I pulled out my phone with trembling hands and dialed 91

Just as the operator picked up, the mob reached the door, throwing their bodies against it. “Hailey! Get the hell out here!” “Hailey, you promised you’d apologize! Don’t back out now! Just come out!” Chloe’s voice echoed. I pressed my back against the door and yelled back. “I’ve called the police! They’re on their way! You’d better stop!” My warning only enraged Brenda. She threw her entire weight against the wooden door. She was massive, and the preschool doors were cheap. Within two minutes, the lock gave way, and the door flew open. I was knocked to the floor as she burst in. Brenda’s eyes were completely vacant of reason. She mounted me, pinning my arms down, and began slapping me across the face with terrifying force. “You bitch! You think you can play games with me?!” My ears rang, and my face felt like it was on fire. The blood from my cheek smeared across her hands and got rubbed all over my face with every blow. I didn’t even need a mirror to know my face was a bloody mess. When she finally grew tired of hitting me, she panted heavily and began tearing at my shirt. “If you won’t strip yourself, I’ll do it for you!” I thrashed under her, but my shirt ripped open. Through the doorway, several parents were holding up their phones, recording the entire thing. My consciousness was slipping, and tears of utter helplessness rolled down my temples. Just then, the distant wail of police sirens echoed from the street. 4 “Who called 911?” I heard an officer’s voice outside the main entrance. Then, Logan’s voice replied, “Oh, nobody! No one called. It must have been a prank call.” “Yes, officer, everything is perfectly fine here. Just a false alarm,” Chloe chimed in, her voice sweet and helpful. The two of them lied through their teeth. And of all the parents and coworkers standing outside, not a single person spoke up to tell the police I was trapped in here. The officers seemed skeptical, but they sounded like they were preparing to leave. Panic seized me. I don’t know where the strength came from, but I reached up, grabbed Brenda’s arm, and sank my teeth into her flesh as hard as I could! “Ahhhhh!” She screamed in agony. The taste of warm copper filled my mouth, but I bit down harder, refusing to let go. “You bitch! Let go of me!” Brenda went wild, using her free fist to repeatedly hammer my head. But I held on. The commotion finally drew the officers’ attention. I heard heavy footsteps approaching the classroom. Chloe and Logan were still trying to block them. “Really, it’s nothing! Just a kid who fell and is crying!” “Yes, we’ve got it under control. Don’t waste your valuable time, officers.” Hearing them right outside the door, I finally let go of Brenda’s arm. With the last bit of energy in my lungs, I screamed, “Help! In here!”

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1 I shoved Ruby to grab my toy, and Mother hurled an adoption certificate at me. Seeing the girl who looked so much like me, I let go of my bear. From then on, I surrendered anything Ruby wanted. When she wondered what being top felt like, I tutored her nightly and deliberately turned in blank tests. Teachers and classmates sneered, convinced I’d cheated. Brother Mason disowned me publicly. Only Noah stayed, my sole comfort. On college results day, I clutched my 1600 SAT score and Columbia acceptance, eager to share our Ivy League future. Instead, I found Noah comforting Ruby after her failed finals. “I’ll follow you to community college,” he told her. Ruby hesitated, worried about me. Noah ruffled her hair. “You were adopted. Sadie had her real family. You need looking after.” Mason joined in. “Sadie has a real family. You only have us.” I bit my lip until I tasted blood, swallowing sobs. I’d endured years of injustice to compensate for her adoption, only to find all their love belonged to her. That night, I deleted Columbia from my portal and chose Stanford, thousands of miles away. If they’d discarded me, I’d chase my own stars. … I didn’t snap out of my daze until Noah walked right up to me. “When did you get here? Why are you crying?” His voice was just as gentle as it had always been. If I hadn’t noticed his pinky finger still tangled in a strand of Ruby’s newly dyed pink hair, I would have thought my eyes were playing tricks on me earlier. I wiped the wetness from my cheeks and threw together a quick lie. “It’s nothing. The wind blew some dirt into my eyes.” Noah gave me a knowing, almost pitying look. “You bombed your exams and you’re too embarrassed to admit it.” “Right?” Before I could even formulate a response, his voice spiked with excitement. “But it’s totally fine. I changed my enrollment.” “We can still stay together!” I stared at the screen of his phone. It displayed his stellar test scores right next to the acceptance portal for Crestview Community College. My eyes widened in pure disbelief. Up until this very second, I thought he had just been saying things to make Ruby feel better. I never imagined he would actually throw away his spot at a top tier university for a local community college. He had been dreaming of the Ivy League since we were in elementary school. Was throwing away his entire future just to babysit Ruby really worth it? Seeing my stunned silence, Noah waved a hand in front of my face. “Speechless? Are you crying because you’re so touched?” “I told you a long time ago. Even if the whole world abandons you, I will never leave your side!” Looking into his bright, earnest eyes, I was suddenly pulled back to a summer ten years ago. An eight year old boy had walked me home. He sat at my kitchen table for hours, meticulously taping together the shredded pieces of my homework that Ruby had “accidentally” ripped up. With his eyes red from exhaustion, he had used that exact same tone to say those exact same words to me. Hearing what used to be the most beautiful promise in the world now just made me feel violently sick. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing down the bitter lump in my throat. “I’m not feeling great. I’m going home.” “Go rest. Text me when you get back.” He reached out to cup my cheek, a gesture he had done a thousand times before. I turned my head, letting his hand hit empty air. Noah’s hand froze halfway. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but his phone buzzed. Ruby’s sickly sweet, whining voice drifted through the speaker. “Noah! Don’t forget you promised to take me back to school shopping this afternoon!” The corners of Noah’s mouth instantly turned up. His voice softened into pure honey. “I know, I know. When have I ever broken a promise to you?” By the time he put his phone away and looked up, I was already gone. Hidden in the shadows of an alleyway, I buried my face in my knees and let the tears fall freely. The boy I thought would never betray me had finally discarded me too. In my world, there was no one left but me. When I unlocked the front door of my house, my parents and Mason were taking turns trying to make Ruby laugh. The three of them looked so incredibly patient and dedicated. You would think they were trying to soothe a fragile toddler, not an eighteen year old adult. The moment Mason saw me walk in, a malicious glint flashed in his eyes. Before I could even process what was happening, a bucket of freezing water laced with chili powder was dumped directly over my head. I gasped, choking violently. The dual shock of the ice and the burning spice sent me into a coughing fit. Tears and mucus streamed down my face as my eyes caught fire. Ruby burst into hysterical laughter, pointing at my pathetic, dripping figure. “Thank God, she’s finally smiling!” My parents immediately relaxed. They looked like they were about to cry tears of joy just because Ruby was amused. This exact scenario had played out countless times over the years. If I scored a few points higher than her on a math test, or if a classmate complimented my outfit, or even if I just walked a little faster than her on the way home, it would trigger a massive emotional breakdown for Ruby. The second she shed a single tear, my parents would lose their minds and take their anger out on whoever was nearby. Originally, Mason used to get caught in the crossfire just like me. Because we shared the same misery, my brother and I used to be incredibly close. We survived the madness together. That was until one specific night when our parents were punishing both of us. Out of nowhere, Ruby spoke up to defend him. “Don’t yell at Mason. He bought me a candy bar yesterday.” My parents stopped mid rant. They immediately turned all their fury entirely onto me. That night, I laid in bed covered in bruises. Mason stood outside my bedroom door apologizing for hours, but I didn’t say a word. I didn’t blame him for saving his own skin. But that candy bar she mentioned. I had saved my allowance for weeks to buy it, and I had specifically given it to him. After that night, Mason crossed over to Ruby’s side. They shared candy, and they shared the hobby of bullying me. Then, I met Noah. Under his constant protection and comfort, the wounds from my brother’s betrayal slowly scabbed over. My dark, suffocating life finally had a sliver of light. But in the end, all that light was redirected to shine exclusively on Ruby. She stole my life, and then she stole every single person who ever cared about me. Right now, Ruby’s eyes were dancing with smug satisfaction, but she put on a mask of exaggerated innocence. “Oh no, Sadie, you’re coughing so hard you’re bleeding! And your clothes are soaked.” “Here, use a towel!” I stared at her. I didn’t take the towel. I lunged forward, grabbed a fistful of her freshly dyed hair, and violently shoved her face directly into the remaining chili water pooled in the bottom of the bucket on the floor. She thrashed wildly, screaming and sobbing. “Mom! Dad! Mason, get her off me!” I watched her panic. Her gorgeous pink hair was a matted mess, her pristine white dress soaked in dirty, spicy water. A twisted, thrilling sense of revenge bloomed in my chest. I threw my head back and started laughing. Mason rushed forward, shoving me backward with brutal force. My dad’s face was purple with rage. He raised his hand and slapped me across the cheek so hard the room spun. The impact snapped my head to the side. The heavy, metallic taste of blood flooded my mouth. I clutched my stinging cheek, and my laughter only grew louder. My mom pulled a sobbing Ruby into her arms, glaring at me with absolute, unfiltered hatred. “Sadie, if you act like a psycho one more time, I will send you away for good!” The first time I heard her say those words, I was four years old. I had been aggressively trying to take back a teddy bear my grandmother had given me from Ruby’s hands. The second my mom threatened to send me away, I went limp and let go of the toy. In that moment, my tiny brain pictured the stray dogs shivering in the rain, the homeless men sleeping in the dirt under the highway overpass. For weeks afterward, I woke up screaming from nightmares. I used to run to my parents’ bedroom, crying and begging. “I promise I’ll never fight with my sister again, please just don’t send me away!” I had been so utterly consumed by the terror of abandonment that I completely missed the fleeting looks of triumph and relief passing between my parents. But today was different. I slowly stood up straight and looked my mother dead in the eyes. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the adoption certificate. I tossed it onto the coffee table right in front of them. My voice was ice cold, dripping with venom. “Go ahead. Kick your biological daughter out.” “That way I won’t get in the way of you loving someone else’s kid.” The living room plunged into a suffocating, dead silence. “What… what kind of nonsense are you talking about?” My mom, usually so loud and overbearing, suddenly sounded like a cornered mouse. The guilt was practically radiating off her. I didn’t blink. I kept my eyes locked on hers. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.” On my way home, I had stared at that certificate for hours. I finally noticed the discrepancies. The name on the paper had been visibly tampered with. The dates didn’t line up at all. According to the date of adoption, I would have been four and a half years old. But the little girl in the photo was three at the most. And then I looked closely at the picture. At a quick glance, her features looked like mine. But zooming in, the girl in the photo had monolid eyes. I have double eyelids. My mom, my dad, and Mason all have double eyelids. Every single piece of evidence pointed to one undeniable fact. Ruby was the adopted child, not me. Feeling the weight of my stare, my mom finally cracked. She let out a cold, defensive scoff. “So what if we lied to you?” “If you weren’t such a selfish, aggressive brat, we wouldn’t have had to use that tactic to control you!” She pulled Ruby tighter against her chest, looking at me like I was garbage. “And even with that hanging over your head, you still bully her relentlessly.” “I have no idea how I gave birth to such a vicious, toxic monster!” She looked deeply, genuinely pained, as if being my mother was the greatest tragedy of her life. My dad and Mason pointed their fingers at me, their faces twisted in anger. “Apologize to Ruby right now, or you are dead to us!” Watching the three of them form a united front against me drove the final nail into my heart. I was their actual flesh and blood. But in their minds, there was only room for Ruby. There wasn’t a single square inch of space left for me. The absolute last shred of hope I held for this family evaporated into thin air. “You don’t need to kick me out. I’m leaving.” I walked to my room, dragged my dusty suitcase out from under the bed, and tossed my few meager belongings inside. I zipped it shut and walked out the front door without looking back. Behind me, the sound of their cursing carried through the humid summer air. “This is completely out of control! Does she actually think she can survive out there?” “I knew she was rotten to the core! We never should have kept her.” Then, their voices shifted, melting into sweet reassurance. “It’s okay, we still have our perfect little angel Ruby. God blessed us in the end.” In the past, hearing those words would have sent me spiraling into a guilt trip, crawling back to beg for forgiveness. Now, I felt nothing but a euphoric, weightless sense of relief. I was finally escaping hell. Since they loved Ruby so much, they could keep her. I was out. I dragged my suitcase to the boba shop where I worked part time and set up a makeshift bed in the supply closet. Even though it was literally a closet filled with syrup bottles, it was my own private space. Years ago, just because Ruby casually mentioned she wanted a dedicated music room, my bedroom was gutted and I was permanently moved to the enclosed sunporch. I lived out there for fourteen years. I baked in the summer, froze in the winter, and had absolutely zero privacy. On my second day living at the shop, a familiar figure walked through the glass doors. Noah stood there holding a bouquet of sunflowers, my absolute favorite. He looked wrecked. “I shouldn’t have kept it a secret from you.” “I am so sorry. I messed up.” I didn’t reach for the flowers. I just stared at him and asked one question. “When exactly did your feelings for her change?” I remembered the very first time Ruby showed her true, vicious colors. Noah had been so furious he almost screamed at her. He had looked at me and said, “Sadie, even if you aren’t really their blood, you are worth ten thousand times more than she will ever be.” The girl he once thought was a manipulative brat was now the center of his entire universe. Noah seemed to know exactly what moment I was thinking of. “Do you remember that massive hurricane at the start of eighth grade?” Of course I remembered. It was the worst flooding our city had seen in a century. The night before the storm hit, I had taken heavy cold medicine and passed out. When I woke up, there was two feet of water in my bedroom. My entire family was gone. They had evacuated without waking me. Panicking, I grabbed my phone and dialed my emergency contact. Noah. Thank God the cell towers were still working. But the phone rang and rang and rang. He never picked up. In utter despair, clutching the small potted cactus he had given me for my birthday, I climbed out my window and scrambled onto the roof. After I was finally rescued by a patrol boat, Noah found me. He told me he dropped his phone in the water and got lost trying to navigate the flooded streets to reach my house. I believed him. I even felt relieved he hadn’t made it. If the rescue boat had been one minute later, the current would have swept me away. I preferred him being safe over him risking his life for me. But right now, standing in the boba shop, he finally told the truth. “Ruby lost her favorite stuffed animal during the evacuation. She was having a total panic attack, crying uncontrollably.” “I couldn’t stand seeing her so devastated. So I decided to help her find the doll before I came to get you.” Noah raised his hand as if taking an oath, his eyes wide and innocent. “I never meant to abandon you. I swear.” A sickening wave of bitterness washed over me. When it was life or death, Ruby’s plush toy took priority over my actual life. He did keep his promise to protect someone. He just changed the person. I asked my second question. “Why?” Why did he know the truth about the adoption but choose to keep me in the dark? Why did he give all his sympathy to the girl who stole my life, leaving me with nothing? Noah hesitated for a second before answering. “Because you’re strong.” “Ruby is different. She acts tough, but inside she is incredibly fragile and sensitive.” “Compared to you, she needs me so much more.” The words felt like a knife twisting in my ribs. Compared to Ruby, who had mastered the art of playing the victim, I was absolutely tougher. But I was only tough because I learned early on that if I fell, no one was going to catch me. I thought he was the one person I could lean on. Instead, he pushed me off the ledge. I tilted my head back, swallowing the pain. “Leave.” “Let’s just pretend we never met.” Noah was clearly shocked by how cold and unyielding I was being. He planted his feet in the doorway, refusing to move. “Sadie, are you seriously going to be this heartless?” I grabbed the bouquet of sunflowers and tossed them straight into the trash can. “You let go of me first. Not the other way around.” Without hesitating, I pulled the heavy metal security gate down, slamming it shut between us. Through the metal slats, Noah’s frustrated, angry voice echoed on the pavement. “Sadie, with an attitude this toxic, no one is ever going to love you!” That’s fine. I will love myself. I whispered the words in my head. For the next few weeks, I worked double shifts. Right before the semester started, I finally saved up enough to cover my first semester’s tuition. It was my ticket out of this miserable swamp. Three days before orientation, I bought a plane ticket to California. Sitting in the terminal, my phone buzzed. A text from Noah. [Sadie, stop throwing a tantrum. I know you enrolled at Crestview too.] [When classes start, we can still be best friends. We can look out for Ruby together!] Immediately after, texts from my parents and Mason came through. [We are hosting a huge graduation dinner for Ruby at the Ritz tomorrow. You need to show up.] [We know you have terrible character and your grades are garbage, but we’ve accepted it. After all, we share the same blood.] I stared at the messages for two seconds. Then, I hit delete. I blocked every single one of their numbers. I grabbed my carry-on and walked toward the boarding gate without a single glance backward. The pathetic, desperate girl who begged for crumbs of love died in that house. I didn’t need anyone’s pity ever again. From now on, I was flying high, and I was never looking back.

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The boutique guesthouse right across from our campus just launched a couple’s promotion. If a couple stays there for three days and participates in their social media promotional photoshoot, they can win a luxury trip to Miami. I was so excited. I immediately shared the Instagram post with my boyfriend, Ethan, telling him how much I wanted to go to Miami. To “surprise” me, Ethan kept me in the dark. Instead of asking me, he signed up for the couple’s event with my best friend, Ashley. The two of them lived and ate together in that guesthouse for three days, successfully winning the vacation package to Miami. I stood there, clutching a promotional poster that showed the two of them passionately kissing, and confronted him. But Ethan just threw the two plane tickets right in my face. “Who do you think I did all this for?!” Today was my 21st birthday. I didn’t get a birthday dinner with my boyfriend. Instead, I saw my boyfriend, Ethan, and my best friend, Ashley, walking out of the guesthouse together. At first, my brain couldn’t process it. But when my eyes fell on the giant poster standing at the entrance, I froze. On the poster, Ethan and Ashley were holding each other tightly, looking like a deeply in love couple. In the bottom right corner, there was a cheesy slogan: [A love so deep, we’ll spend a lifetime sharing it.] Furious, I ripped down a flyer and went straight to Ethan. Before I could even open my mouth to demand an explanation, his phone rang. It was Ashley. The moment Ethan hung up, he turned to me and barked orders: “Chloe, Ashley has terrible period cramps. She’s in so much pain. Go run to the pharmacy and get some Advil right now. I’m going to go check on her first.” As he spoke, he frantically started searching his backpack for a heating pad. Seeing that I wasn’t moving, Ethan’s brows furrowed in annoyance. “Chloe, hurry up! Ashley is literally crying from the pain.” It was only then that he finally noticed the poster clutched in my trembling hands. His face instantly went pale. I unfolded the poster and pointed directly at the two of them kissing. “When did you and Ashley start sleeping together?” Hearing this, Ethan practically jumped in defensive rage. “Chloe! I can’t believe you would say something so disgusting!” He snatched two plane tickets from his pocket and threw them right at my face. “Who do you think I did all this for?! Didn’t you say you wanted this Miami trip?” “What do you mean, ‘sleeping together’? We are completely innocent! The photographer used a camera angle to make it look like we were kissing.” “Ashley is in so much pain right now. As her roommate, all you care about is throwing a childish tantrum! How can you be so selfish?!” He practically screamed that last sentence. I stood there, stunned into silence. He had never raised his voice at me like this. Clearly, he was the one who did something wrong, yet he was turning it around to make me the bad guy. After yelling at me, he turned on his heel and ran toward the pharmacy to buy medicine for Ashley.

I walked aimlessly through the campus, completely numb. Memories of Ethan and me kept flashing through my mind. We were high school sweethearts. We met on the school debate team. We used to prep for tournaments together and travel for competitions. Sometimes, practice would run late, and we’d miss the last bus. Since Ethan lived “near” me, he’d always offer to drive me home. Later, I found out from a mutual friend that Ethan’s house was in the exact opposite direction of mine. He wasn’t on the way at all. He drove thirty minutes out of his way just to get me home safely, then drove forty-five minutes back to his own place. I never called him out on it. Instead, I kept letting him drive me home. Whenever he bought Starbucks, he always brought an extra iced latte for me. When we went to a haunted house, he’d grab my hand tightly, looking even more nervous than I was. We had this beautiful, unspoken tension between us, neither of us brave enough to break the spell. Until the night after our high school graduation party. I had a bit too much to drink and tripped on the stairs. Ethan panicked. He rushed over, crying as he pulled me into his arms, and drove me straight to the ER. At the hospital, he asked the doctor three times to make sure I only had a minor scratch before he finally calmed down. Ethan knelt in front of my chair. At that moment, I saw the entire universe in his teary eyes. “Chloe, be my girlfriend. Let me take care of you forever.” I nodded eagerly, my heart bursting with joy. When our college admission results came out, my SAT scores were much higher than his. I turned down an admission offer from Boston University just so I could stay in our hometown and attend the local state college with Ethan. I thought our love was rock-solid. But I had been blind to the warning signs. Our relationship probably started rotting the moment Ashley entered the picture.

Ashley was my college roommate. She was sweet, gorgeous, and had a very bubbly, outgoing personality. Whenever Ethan bought things for me but couldn’t get into the female-only wing of the dorms, Ashley would happily volunteer to bring them up to me. I don’t even know when it started, but whenever Ethan bought me treats, he started buying an extra portion for Ashley. He’d tell her, “Thanks for taking care of my girl.” I didn’t think much of it. Ashley really did help me out a lot in daily life. Then, Ethan added her on Snapchat. Ethan told me that Ashley was an orphan and had no family support, so we should show her more care and warmth. I knew about this, and at first, Ethan didn’t hide it. He’d casually show me their Snapchat conversations. But gradually, he showed me less and less. Sometimes, when Ashley snapped him, he would turn his phone away from me. Once, Ashley and I both cut our hands during a gardening workshop. When Ethan found out, he rushed over and immediately took Ashley to the campus clinic. I had to walk there by myself. The moment I stepped into the clinic, Ethan glared at me, his voice laced with anger. “Ashley is hurt! Why did you get here so late? Didn’t I tell you to look after her? How could you let this happen?” I had never seen Ethan so angry at me. I took two steps back, completely shocked. It wasn’t until the nurse came over to bandage me that he realized my cut was much deeper and bleeding far worse than Ashley’s tiny scratch. In the end, he apologized, acted cute, and I let it go. In reality, I should have realized it long ago. Something was already broken between us. I was no longer his priority.

Since I was no longer his number one, why should I keep holding on to him? I turned around coldly and walked back to my dorm. When I opened the door, I saw Ashley sitting comfortably on her bed, happily eating a tub of Ben & Jerry’s. She didn’t look like she was in pain at all. My gaze shifted to the unopened box of Advil on her desk. So, she wasn’t even having cramps. Sensing my gaze, Ashley looked up. A smug, victorious smile spread across her face, and she let out a soft chuckle. “Honestly, Chloe, you are so dense. It took you this long to figure it out?” “Ethan and I are in love. You should do yourself a favor and back off.” “You saw it yourself. Ethan only cares about me now. We literally lived in the same room for three days. Except for actually sleeping together, we’ve done everything intimate couples do.” “You should have seen him. He was too guilty to touch me, but he was so turned on his face was bright red. I couldn’t bear to see him suffer like that, so I used my hand to help him out.” Deep down, I had already suspected their relationship wasn’t clean. But hearing Ashley say these disgusting things so casually felt like a rusted blade twisting in my chest. I forced back the tears threatening to spill. Just then, my phone buzzed. It was Ethan. “Chloe, come downstairs. I’m waiting outside your dorm.”

I don’t even know what I was feeling as I walked down the stairs. When I got outside, I saw Ethan wearing a ridiculous giant teddy bear costume, acting goofy. He was holding a bouquet of roses and two cute little plushies. Just like every other time we fought, he jogged toward me playfully. He spoke in a funny, high-pitched voice: “Ethan was bad. Ethan made Chloe mad. Let’s kick Ethan’s butt!” He threw one of the plushies on the ground and started stomping on it to make me laugh. Looking at him, my tears finally broke through. I didn’t even know what I was crying for. Maybe for the dead relationship we once had, or maybe for my own pathetic stupidity. In the past, whenever Ethan acted cute and apologized, my heart would instantly melt, and I’d forgive him. But not this time. His heart belonged to someone else now. He didn’t deserve my forgiveness. Suddenly, Ashley appeared out of nowhere. She pulled me up and gently wiped my tears. “Chloe, Ethan really went through a lot to get this Miami trip for you.” “The promotional poster required a kiss, but we put a piece of plastic wrap between our lips! It was just a camera angle.” “Even though we stayed in the same room for three days, every time Ethan felt tempted, he took a freezing cold shower to calm down. We absolutely did nothing to betray you.” Listening to Ashley’s pathetic excuses, which only served to confirm their emotional affair, my anger flared. I violently pushed her hand away. “Ethan! I sent you that post because I wanted to go with you! Who the hell told you to take another woman?!” Ethan rushed forward, catching Ashley as she stumbled back from my push. “Why?! I did it to surprise you!” Ethan yelled back, holding Ashley protectively. Seeing Ashley crying in Ethan’s arms made my blood boil. “For me? Cut the crap, Ethan. You did it for your own selfish desires. Don’t use me as an excuse.” “And what was that about taking cold showers because you were tempted? Did Ashley make you lose your mind that much?” “She literally just told me everything. Except for the actual sex, you two did everything!” Ethan’s face flashed with panic. He turned to ask Ashley, but before he could speak, Ashley’s eyes rolled back, and she fainted right into his arms. Ethan had no choice. He scooped her up and ran toward the campus health center in a panic. I watched their retreating figures, wiped my tears, and turned away without looking back.

I walked slowly to the campus sports arena, where the final spring Career Fair was being held. This was the last major recruiting event of the semester. I told myself I had to grab this chance. Thankfully, I had been preparing my resume and portfolio for months. The interviews went incredibly well. However, the final offers wouldn’t be announced for a few days. As I walked out of the arena, I ran into Professor Davis, my academic advisor. Seeing me, he looked shocked. “Chloe? You’re here for the career fair…?” My grades had always been top of the class. Last month, Professor Davis had offered to personally refer me to a Fortune 500 company in New York. But back then, my head was so full of Ethan that I didn’t want to leave him for a big city. So, I turned down the offer. Now, standing here, I felt incredibly embarrassed. I could only offer a sheepish smile. “Professor Davis, I thought about it. I’m still young. I should go to a big city, challenge myself, and get some real experience.” Professor Davis could tell I was hiding some pain, but he didn’t pry. He just patted my shoulder gently. “Young people should see the world. Whether it’s a job or a man, never tie yourself to just one option.” I nodded quickly, agreeing with every word. Taking advantage of the moment, I asked him for a three-day leave of absence. Since I was a senior and my credits were almost complete, he approved it instantly. Leaving the career fair, I didn’t go back to the dorm. Instead, I used my savings to book a flight to Miami. I needed a getaway. Ethan’s grades had always been mediocre. He had no ambition.

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1 On my way home from work, I FaceTimed Hector as usual. Before even a minute had passed, he muttered, “Actually, I need to jump in the shower. I’ll call you back.” I could only sit on the sofa, clutching my phone, and wait. It took him four hours to return the call. When the screen lit up, his face was bright with a wide, easy smile, more animated than I had seen him in months. “My assistant messed up again today,” he said, laughing. “She actually got the numbers on the slide deck completely wrong.” “Katie, if only she had half your brains.” A moment later, he chuckled again. “Then again, not every woman can be a powerhouse like you. I guess she is just built to be cute.” In that instant, the words I wanted to say died in my throat. We had been long-distance for three years. In the beginning, he would call me the second he stepped out of the shower. He would eagerly ask what I ate for dinner, if my commute was smooth, or what color flowers I bought for the kitchen table. When did all that warmth and energy start going to someone else? When did his responses to me dwindle down to a dismissive shrug and a sigh? Watching him smile at something off-screen, a heavy, quiet exhaustion settled deep in my chest. I realized then that when you finally reach the point of total disappointment, you do not even have the strength to be sad. … The call ended. I watched the clock on my phone tick away. One minute. Ten minutes. Sixty-seven minutes. Hector never called back. A tight knot formed in my throat. It was always like this lately. He would say whatever he wanted to say, and then he would hang up. His voice only carried excitement when the conversation revolved around Sienna. “Sienna got lost in the office building again today, wandered around for thirty minutes.” “She literally spilled coffee all over the contracts. She is so clumsy it is almost funny.” I had tried to steer the conversation away, mentioning that I missed the Southern barbecue back home in Savannah. He had blurted out without thinking, “Sienna can’t do greasy food like that. She is always begging for cupcakes.” Then, realizing his slip, he quickly added, “Next time you visit Boston, I’ll take you out for some.” Suddenly, my screen flashed with a social media notification. Hector had posted photos from an office get-together. The last two slides were photos of just him and Sienna. They stood together under a canopy of fairy lights, their posture relaxed and intimately familiar. I stared at the image for a long time. I typed out: Are you two spending a lot of time together lately? Then I deleted it. I scrolled through our chat history. Starting from last year, our conversations had been reduced to a dry stream of single-word replies: Yes. Okay. Got it. It had not always been this way. He used to text me photos of every stray cat he walked past on the street. But once, when I texted him about how my manager had unfairly chewed me out, he had simply replied: Don’t you have your own work to focus on? I suppose that was the exact moment the scales began to tip. I took a deep breath and typed: Hector, my manager gave me some time off. I booked a flight to Boston tomorrow to come see you. Exciting, right? I waited until my phone battery dropped to three percent. At 1:17 AM, his reply finally came, written in a tone that felt entirely foreign: Katie, why didn’t you tell me sooner about something this big? Why do you always make these spontaneous decisions? Is my life supposed to be completely tied to yours? My eyes blurred, the glowing words smearing into a hazy mess on the screen. Fine, whatever. I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Whatever. He used to say those words so often now. When we tried to plan a holiday, when I asked him to call me daily, even when we FaceTimed, everything ended with a dismissive whatever. The next morning, I got up early and put on the dress he had praised the previous summer. At the airport, I sent him a flurry of updates: Going through security. Takeoff in thirty minutes. I’ll send you my location when I land. None of them received a reply. When the plane landed in Boston, I dragged my suitcase through the gate, fully prepared to wait. The last time he promised to pick me up, he made me wait in the terminal for an hour because Sienna had made a mistake on a proposal. But this time, I spotted him immediately. He was standing near the exit, holding two iced lattes. I began to wave, but my smile froze before it could fully form. Sienna stepped out from behind him, casually wrapping her arm through his. Hector looked at me, his brow furrowing. “What took you so long? Sienna hates the heat, she almost got heatstroke waiting out here.” Sienna laughed softly, nudging him. “Your girl hasn’t been to Boston in forever, Hector, don’t be so mean to her.” Yet, she did not let go of his arm. When we got to his car, an unfamiliar sweet perfume drifted from the interior. The seat covers had been replaced with bright pink ones. In the console, there was a small vanity mirror, a tube of lip gloss, and a few hair ties. A plush toy hung from the rearview mirror. Sienna naturally claimed the passenger seat. Hector unwrapped a straw and slid it into one of the lattes, handing it to her. She took a sip, turning to him. “The client today was so ridiculous. He actually asked me to turn the PDF back into a slide deck. Like, so annoying.” “So what did you do?” he asked, a soft chuckle in his voice. “I just sent him the PDF. If he doesn’t know how to convert it, that is on him.” Hector laughed, his eyes crinkling in a way I had not seen in years. He talked so much during that forty-minute drive, sharing more stories than he had during our entire week of phone calls. I turned my face toward the window. The towering glass buildings of Boston blurred together, the bright light making my eyes sting. When the car stopped at his apartment building, I followed them upstairs. But the moment Hector pushed the door open, I froze on the threshold. The apartment was unrecognizable. The sleek, minimalist space he used to insist on keeping spotless was now overflowing with pink. Pink rugs, fuzzy throw pillows, and sheets of face masks and half-eaten snacks cluttered the coffee table. A lace bralette hung carelessly over the back of the sofa, and the balcony flower stands were packed with small succulents. Once, I had tried to place a single green ivy plant on his windowsill, and he had complained for days that it got in the way. Now, everything was different. Sienna kicked off her shoes, giving me a shy, apologetic smile. “Oh, Katie, please don’t be mad. I’ve been looking for an apartment but haven’t found the right place yet, so Hector let me crash here for a bit. You aren’t angry, are you?” Hector’s voice softened defensively. “Sienna had no other options. She is young, just starting out, and it is hard to survive alone in a city like this. You went through the exact same phase, so you should understand. She is quiet and doesn’t bother me. We actually get along really well.” I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it, his expression hardening into disappointment. “Katie, when did you become so cold? You used to cry over stray dogs on the street and insist on bringing them home. Sienna is a human being, and you are seriously holding a grudge against her?” I stood there, feeling stripped bare under his gaze. When we first started dating, if a girl tried to flirt with him, he would reject her flatly, eager to show the world he was taken. Now, he stood by another woman’s side, demanding to know why I lacked compassion. Sienna purred softly, “Well, it is natural for his girl to feel a little uneasy, Hector. Let’s go watch TV and let her process things on her own.” She turned and headed toward the living room, grabbing a bag of potato chips and calling Hector over as if she owned the place. I watched them from the hallway. A reality show played on the screen, and Sienna laughed, leaning her shoulder into his. He reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a gesture so fluid and natural he did not even seem to realize he was doing it. I walked into the bedroom, shutting the door to drown out the noise. I sat on the edge of the bed for what felt like hours. When the television finally turned off, I could hear Sienna padding down the hall. “Hector, where is the hair dryer?” “Second drawer on the left under the bathroom sink.” “Got it, thanks! Goodnight!” “Goodnight, sleep well.” Moments later, the bedroom door opened. Hector stepped in, pausing when he saw me still sitting there in the dim light. “Why aren’t you asleep? You’ve been traveling all day, get some rest.” “How much longer is she staying here?” I asked. “I have a friend who owns a studio apartment in the city, and it is a ten-minute walk from your office. The rent is cheap. I can call him and arrange for her to move…” “Katie.” Hector turned around, his tone shifting. “I am not an object you can manage.” He spoke slowly, every word heavy with irritation. “Stop trying to control everything in my life. Sienna is my colleague. Am I supposed to throw her out on the street just to please you? Why are you being so heartless?” I pulled my hands back into my lap. “Fine. I won’t mention her again.” I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. “I got promoted recently. My manager gave me the transfer paperwork, so I can request a permanent move to the Boston branch. If the process goes smoothly, it won’t take long…” He cut me off before I could finish. “Why would you move to Boston out of nowhere?” Perhaps seeing the look on my face, his voice softened slightly. “Katie, we are adults now, not kids.” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “Can’t we just focus on our own careers for now? I’ll make my way back to Savannah eventually.” Eventually. He had said that when he landed his first big project, when he got promoted, and when the fiscal year ended. From spring to autumn, from winter to summer, his “eventually” was a horizon that kept drifting further away. “What about our wedding?” I heard myself ask, my voice barely a whisper. “Shouldn’t we start setting a date?” This time, the frustration in his voice was undeniable. “Katie, I can’t reason with you. Are you really that desperate to get married? I told you I will marry you eventually, so what is the rush?” He looked at me as if I were a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. “I really don’t understand you sometimes. Just think about it.” The bedroom fell silent. I sat on the edge of the mattress until the sky began to turn pale. Suddenly, the bedroom door was swung open. I winced at the sudden intrusion. Sienna stood in the doorway, sorting through my suitcase and tossing my clothes onto the bed one by one, grumbling under her breath. “Katie, your clothes are so plain. I need to take some nice photos today, and your style is just… so mature.” I sat up, cold anger rising in my chest. “Sienna, did anyone teach you to knock?” She spun around, her expression instantly morphing from arrogance to tearful innocence. “Hector told me you brought some dresses, so I just thought… why are you being so mean to me?” Right on cue, Hector’s tired voice echoed from the hallway. “Katie, can you please stop being so hostile? She didn’t mean any harm.” For the first time in three years, I did not turn away from his gaze. Hector let out a heavy sigh. “Alright, she is just a kid. Why are you taking everything so seriously?” His tone softened into a placating murmur. “You finally have a vacation. Let’s not ruin it. How about I take you to Disney today?” My mind flashed back to my last birthday, when I had told him over FaceTime how much I wanted to visit the theme park. He had snapped at me then: Aren’t you a bit old for that? It’s childish. Yet here he was, offering to take me. I swallowed the bitter lump in my throat, forcing myself to find an excuse for him. Let it go, I told myself. You didn’t travel all this way just to argue. I gave a quiet nod. He smiled, looking immensely relieved. Disney was packed with tourists. Hector went to purchase the tickets, and Sienna stood right beside him, pointing excitedly at a stuffed toy display. “Look, Hector, it’s so cute!” Hector glanced at it, murmuring something that made her laugh. From the moment we passed the ticket gates, she kept her hand firmly wrapped around his arm. She wanted photos everywhere—in front of the castle, on the carousel, and by every colorful balloon stand. She treated him like her personal photographer, and he complied without a single complaint. I remembered asking him to take a photo of me with a character mascot once. He had held the phone with an irritated sigh, snapped two quick pictures, and both turned out completely blurry. Now, he was crouching down to find the perfect angle for Sienna, leaning close to her afterward so they could review the shots together, their heads nearly touching. Even under the warm sun, a cold chill settled deep in my bones. After they rode a couple of roller coasters, I sat on a bench to wait. Nearby, a young couple was laughing, sharing a single ice cream cone. I felt a sudden, sharp pang of envy. By the time they finished, the sky had grown overcast. Sienna tugged at Hector’s sleeve, insisting they go to the haunted house next. Hector didn’t hesitate. “Sure, the line looks to be about thirty minutes.” I stood up, but my vision suddenly went black for a second, and I had to steady myself against the bench. “Hector, I want to go back to the apartment.” His patience snapped instantly. “Katie, what is your problem today?” “Nothing, I just—” “We have been walking on eggshells around you all morning,” he said, his voice rising. “Do you really have to ruin everyone’s day?” I stared at him, my mouth dry. I wanted to tell him that I had thrown up twice since we arrived, that my legs were trembling from exhaustion. But the words remained locked in my throat. Sienna looked at me, her eyes filled with a cold, mocking disdain. “Honestly, Katie, enough. You’ve been giving me dirty looks this entire trip, and I’ve kept my mouth shut. Hector and I had other plans today, but we canceled them because you showed up. What more do you want?” Then, her face shifted back into a sweet, innocent smile. “Whatever, Hector, let’s not let it ruin our day. She is always such a buzzkill anyway. I don’t know how you put up with her.” She glanced back at me. “Hey, why don’t we go look at wedding dresses instead? Didn’t you say you wanted to try some on when you were on FaceTime the other day? Since we are already out, we might as well go look.” I stood frozen in the crowd. So she had been right there, listening, during our private calls. I felt a sudden, hysterical urge to laugh. But perhaps this was for the best. I was going to call off the wedding anyway. “Fine,” I said quietly. “Let’s do that.” The moment we walked into the bridal boutique, the receptionist’s face lit up upon seeing Sienna. “Oh, Miss Sienna! Back with your boyfriend to try on more dresses? That mermaid gown looked absolutely stunning on you last week. We actually just received some new arrivals…” The receptionist’s voice trailed off as her eyes landed on me. “And this is…?” Sienna smiled brightly. “Oh, this is Hector’s fiancée. We are just accompanying her today.” Hector remained silent. He had already been here with her. I recalled showing him a few wedding dress styles on my phone last month, asking for his opinion. He had kept his eyes glued to his work laptop, muttering, “Whatever you like is fine.” When I asked when we could go try some on, he had said we would find time later. His “later” was reserved for someone else. Sienna nudged my arm. “What are you staring at, Katie? Today is all about you. I can’t wait to toast to you and Hector.” She turned to the stylist. “Could you bring out some simple options for her? Just something basic.” The stylist glanced at me, then casually pulled a plain, unadorned gown from the rack. “This standard style is quite popular. Why don’t you try it on?” Sienna shoved the heavy fabric into my arms and pushed me toward the fitting room. The dress was a poor fit. The fabric pinched in the wrong places, the waistline was much too high, and the cut was completely unflattering. When I stepped out of the curtain, someone in the shop let out a muffled snicker. “She looks like a stuffed sack…” “Honestly, kind of.” “Is that really his fiancée? You’ve got to be kidding.” “She doesn’t hold a candle to Sienna.” I looked over at Sienna. Her lips were curved into a small, smug smile, enjoying my humiliation. Just then, a manager stepped out from the back office. Spotting Hector and Sienna, he hurried over with an eager grin. “Oh, Hector! I was just wondering when you and Sienna would come back. Since the lighting is perfect today, why don’t we do a mock proposal? We need some promotional material for our social media. If you two stand right in front of that floral wall…” A few onlookers in the shop began to cheer. “Do it! Do it!” Sienna looked at Hector, a playful, teasing glint in her eyes. “Hector, since everyone is asking, why don’t you? It’s just for fun anyway.” Hector stood before her, a handsome smile spreading across his face. Swept up in the atmosphere, he dropped to one knee. Sienna laughed, extending her hand toward him. The boutique erupted into applause and cheers as camera shutters clicked. I turned back into the fitting room, pulled the curtain shut, and changed back into my own clothes. By the time I stepped out, the excitement had died down. Hector saw me, his brow furrowing instantly. “Katie, can you not…” “Hector,” I interrupted, my voice flat. “Let’s break up.” A heavy silence fell over the room. His expression shifted rapidly from confusion to sheer outrage. “Katie, you are completely out of line!” he hissed, grabbing my arm. “Do you think a relationship is some game? Do you need the entire world to revolve around you to be happy?” I looked at him, searching his eyes for any trace of the boy who used to call me at three in the morning just to say he missed me. Now, his eyes were filled with everything but me. “Whatever,” I said softly, pulling my arm back. “I’m leaving.” I walked over to the front desk. “Hi, I’d like to cancel the wedding reservation for September twentieth.” The receptionist blinked, startled. “And the name on the booking?” “Katie. September twentieth, at the Savannah Grand Hall.” She typed quickly on her keyboard, her eyes widening. “Are you sure? The deposit has already been paid, and it is non-refundable…” “I’m sure.” I pushed open the glass doors and walked out into the cool evening air. By the time I got back to his apartment, the sun had set. I packed my belongings into my suitcase as quickly as I could, booked a ticket, and boarded the late-night flight back to Savannah. Later that night, Hector and Sienna returned to the apartment. A sudden, strange emptiness in the living room caught his attention. He walked into the bedroom, realizing all of Katie’s things were gone. Did she really leave? His thumb hovered over her name on his screen, but before he could type a message, an incoming call flashed across his screen. “Hello, Mr. Hector. We received a cancellation notice from Katie today regarding the wedding booking for September twentieth. Are we officially calling off the event?”

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The day before our sixth wedding anniversary, I saw a notification pop up on Ethan’s phone. It was a delivery confirmation for a luxury diamond necklace. I pretended I didn’t see it. That night, I dressed up and met Ethan for our anniversary dinner. But when the time came for gifts, he pulled out a small velvet box containing a pair of cheap, tiny cubic zirconia stud earrings. I stared at the earrings in shock. Before I could even ask, he checked his watch, stood up, and said he had to catch a flight for an urgent business trip. Later, sitting alone in our empty house, I opened Instagram. The first post on my feed was from my younger sister, Lily. “The one who truly loves you always knows exactly what you want! ❤️” “Celebrating our first international trip together! ✈️” In the photo, she was wearing the exact luxury diamond necklace from the notification. And the man she was passionately kissing was my “traveling” husband. I calmly turned off my phone. Thinking back on everything I had sacrificed for him over the past six years, I suddenly felt incredibly pathetic.

It was late at night a week later when Ethan finally came home, dragging his suitcase behind him. I was curled up on the couch, just finishing a movie. I glanced at him, sat up, slipped on my slippers, and headed toward the bedroom. As I brushed past him, he grabbed my arm. He stared at me with a complicated expression. “Chloe, are you just going to bed like that?” I looked back at him, confused. “What else should I do?” “It’s late. Why wouldn’t I go to sleep?” Did you expect me to stay up and ask about your romantic getaway, like you did with my sister? He looked taken spirit back. He probably expected me to behave like I used to—hurrying to take his luggage, cooking him a warm late-night meal, and asking him if his business trip was exhausting. Looking back at my past self, I realized how desperately foolish I had been. I gave him a flat look, pulled my arm away, and walked straight into the bedroom. A few minutes later, a warm, damp body slid into the bed behind me. His hand found its way to my waist. I scooted closer to the edge of the bed. “Don’t. I’m really tired today.” He got the hint and pulled his hand back. Then, he muttered impatiently, “You stay at home all day. How tired could you possibly be?” Oh, right. I’m sure I’m not as exhausted as you. After all, you have to manage a multi-million dollar company and find time to take my sister on secret overseas vacations behind my back. Sensing my coldness, Ethan rolled over with a frustrated sigh. I stared at his back in the dim light. He felt so close, yet his heart was miles away. I realized I had never truly held a place in his heart. I used to think that if I ever caught Ethan cheating, I would scream, cry, and fall apart. But seeing that photo of them kissing had only left me with a strange, hollow calmness. When I first saw that delivery text, I had foolishly fantasized that Ethan was finally fulfilling his promise. I remembered the day we got married. His startup was bleeding cash back then, desperately needing every penny. We couldn’t afford a real wedding. We just had a quick courthouse ceremony, wearing simple white shirts and cheap corsages, and hosted a small dinner for our parents. After everyone left, he held my hands in our cramped, rented apartment and promised me solemnly. “Chloe, one day, I will buy you the finest things this world has to offer.” When I saw the text about the necklace, I had excitedly waited for him to clasp it around my neck. I had even booked a table at the city’s finest restaurant just to celebrate. But he had rushed into the private dining room, devoured his steak without once looking up at me, and thrown a cheap red velvet box into my lap. “Happy anniversary,” he had said dismissively. Then he stood up. “There’s an issue with the European branch. I have to fly out tonight.” And just like that, he walked out. When I searched the house later, I didn’t find the necklace. Instead, I found the receipt in his study drawer. I touched the cheap earrings in my ears and laughed at myself. “So, these were just the free gift that came with the necklace.” I looked up at our wedding photo hanging in the living room, feeling a sudden sting in my eyes. The dull ache in my chest kept me wide awake. I opened Instagram to distract myself, only to see a new update from my sister, who had just landed. The location was marked at the airport’s VIP lounge. “The one who truly loves you always knows exactly what you want! ❤️” “Celebrating our first international trip together! ✈️” In the photo, she was wearing the diamond necklace. The man she was kissing in the background was my husband. My chest tightened as if a giant hand were squeezing my heart. I gasped for air, hating myself for still feeling the pain. I should have seen this coming. I should have known the moment Lily came back to the country. Lily was a world-renowned violinist. On the day she returned, the airport was swarming with reporters. Ethan had been caught in the background of a news broadcast, sitting in his car. It immediately became a trending topic on Twitter. Even though the image was blurry, I recognized his sharp profile and high nose bridge instantly. There were only five white-interior Rolls-Royce Phantoms in the entire city, and one belonged to my husband. I couldn’t have mistaken it. My husband had chosen the rightful owner of that necklace long ago.

My phone vibrated against the nightstand. It was a message from Valerie, my former college mentor who was now running a jewelry studio in Paris. [Chloe, all three of the jewelry designs you sent me won international design awards! Are you seriously still not considering moving abroad?] [I really want you in Paris as my partner. If you keep hiding behind your husband, your talent is going to be completely wasted!] I looked at the sleeping back of the man next to me and typed a firm reply. [Valerie, once I wrap things up here, I’m booking a flight to Paris.] [Don’t worry. I’ve made up my mind.] If this were the old me, I would have said no. … Ethan was raised solely by his single mother. Six months after we married, his mother was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. I quit my job as an assistant jewelry designer to take care of her full-time. After she passed away, Ethan’s company finally took off. He insisted that I didn’t need to work anymore and should focus on being a full-time housewife. During my free time, I would sketch jewelry designs and send them to Valerie to earn some extra money. My designs kept getting rave reviews from her high-end clients. Valerie had been begging me to join her as a business partner. And seeing my name on the international award list made my heart leap. Just like Lily loved her violin, designing jewelry was my life’s passion. Becoming a famous jewelry designer had been my dream since childhood. But back then, I couldn’t bear to leave Ethan and our young son. Ethan had no other family left, and I didn’t want to abandon him. I could never forget the Christmas Eve when Ethan was only eight years old. He was kneeling alone at his father’s funeral service. It was freezing. His small, stiff body stood straight, fighting back tears as he bowed politely to the guests like a mini-adult. While other houses were filled with laughter and holiday music, his home was filled only with his mother’s weeping. I was building a snowman down the street when I saw him watching me through the window. His little face was so solemn, so heavy with grief. I remembered my parents talking about his family that morning, and my heart had ached for him. “Poor kid. His dad died in a car crash. How is his mother going to raise him alone?” my mother had sighed. I had walked over and knocked on his window. “Ethan! Can you help me build this snowman? I’m really bad at it.” I handed him my little plastic shovel. He stared at the half-formed pile of snow, then slowly took the shovel from my hands. When I wrapped my red woolen scarf around the snowman’s neck, his tense, sad face finally broke into a smile. Later, I brought over a warm pot roast my mom had made, calling it a “thank-you gift” for helping me. He looked at his crying mother in the other room, patted his empty stomach, and accepted it. I stayed by his side through all his darkest years. We only separated when he became the high school valedictorian and went to an Ivy League university in another state, while I attended a college closer to home. But Lily, with her violin talent, was admitted to the same university as Ethan on a music scholarship. Every holiday, Ethan would be the one driving Lily home. The bright, sunny smile on his face was something I hadn’t seen in years. Even though we were the same age, he started calling me “older sister” just because Lily did. His phone background was a candid photo of Lily. I knew he loved her desperately, just as desperately as I loved him. But then, Lily decided to move to Europe to pursue her career, and the smile vanished from Ethan’s face. One winter night, I saw him standing under the streetlamp outside our house. Snow had piled up on his shoulders. I tried to walk past him quietly, but he called out my name. “Chloe, Merry Christmas.” “Yeah, you too.” I stood there, unsure of what to say. He pulled a small jewelry box from his coat pocket. “For you.” “Thank you.” As silence fell between us again, I turned to walk inside. But he suddenly asked, his voice dead serious, “Chloe, will you be my girlfriend?” I froze, my heart pounding wildly against my ribs. My face flushed hot. I panicked, ran inside, and threw myself onto my bed. When I opened the jewelry box, my heart sank. It was a beautiful platinum necklace. But under the light, the engraved initials “L” were painfully obvious. L for Lily. A bucket of cold water couldn’t have chilled me more. I clutched the necklace, ran back downstairs, and threw my arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. “Yes, Ethan! I’ll be your girlfriend!” “But from now on, you can only have me in your heart. Promise me?” He stared at me. “I promise.” I forced back my tears and buried my face in his chest. I knew he didn’t love me. He was just using me as a bandage to forget Lily. He knew I had a crush on him, and he knew I could never say no to him. He did it on purpose. And I willingly let myself be used. Five years later, we got married. On our wedding night, he drank too much. He pinned me to the bed, his eyes red as he hugged me tightly. “I missed you so much…” I whispered sweet nothings to soothe him while undressing him. But then his phone lit up on the nightstand with a text: [Ethan, I miss you. — Lily] I turned off the phone and pretended nothing happened. I became the perfect, supportive housewife, the graceful Mrs. Sterling. A year later, on Ethan’s birthday. He was incredibly passionate that night, almost out of control in bed. He held me tight, refusing to let go for hours. Pantingly, I asked him, “What’s gotten into you tonight?” He didn’t answer. He just kissed my forehead gently, but his movements grew even more intense. I was so exhausted that I slept until noon the next day. When I woke up and opened Instagram, I saw Lily’s name trending. She had just announced she had a new boyfriend. Once again, I chose to play the fool, quietly taking care of Ethan’s life. But in the end, I was still the one being discarded. I stared out the window into the pitch-black night, feeling my heart shatter into a million pieces. Across the ocean, Valerie sent another message: [Wow, how did you suddenly decide to leave your husband? Did you guys have a fight?] After a long silence, she wrote: [But honestly, congratulations on finally waking up! A woman should live for herself! Chloe, Paris is waiting for you!]

The next morning, I was sketching on the balcony when Ethan walked out of the bedroom. He looked at the empty dining table and frowned. “No breakfast?” “I already ate.” “What about mine?” I looked up at him. “Is that my problem?” “You…” He took a deep breath, walking over to me. “Why aren’t you wearing the earrings I got you?” “They’re not my style.” Sensing my cold tone, he tried to soften his voice. “Do you want me to put them on for you?” “No need. They don’t suit me.” Losing his patience, he snapped, “Chloe, don’t you think you’re overreacting?” “I told you a hundred times, that was just a game!” “There were so many business clients at that party. I couldn’t just embarrass Lily!” “Intertwining our arms for a drink was just to keep the mood light.” “She’s a young girl trying to build her music career here. Without my support, she’s going to have a hard time!” Ah, he was talking about that. The day after Lily returned to the country, Ethan had vanished. He didn’t pick up my calls. Worried, I called his personal assistant and finally tracked him down to a high-end private lounge. The moment I pushed the door open, I saw him and Lily standing in the center of a cheering crowd, their arms locked together as they took an intimate “lover’s toast” drink. I had walked up and slapped him across the face. Ethan, looking at my tear-streaked face, had only muttered, “I had too much to drink.” Lily had looked at me with puppy-dog eyes, hiding behind Ethan. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. It’s my fault. Please don’t be mad at Ethan.” I wanted to laugh. You were the one drinking intimately with my husband! What right did you have to look victimized? The people around them tried to defend him. “Mrs. Sterling, don’t misunderstand! It was just a party game because they lost. Don’t take it seriously!” When I remained silent, Ethan snapped irritably, “There’s nothing to explain!” I had cried all the way home. When Ethan finally came back, he saw my swollen eyes and sighed. He pulled me into his arms. “Lily and I are strictly platonic. She’s just a friend.” But when I remained cold, he lost his temper and smashed a glass on the floor. “Chloe, drop it!” “Lily is better than you in every single way. If I wanted to be with her, you wouldn’t even be sitting in the seat of Mrs. Sterling right now!” “Stop making a mountain out of a molehill!” That fight had triggered a cold war between us. Until I saw that necklace receipt, which I had foolishly hoped was for me. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I looked at Ethan now and said calmly, “I’m not mad. You’re overthinking.” Then, I picked up my stylus and went back to my design. He froze, standing behind me for a long time. “Are you really not mad?” he asked suspiciously. “Why would I be?” “Unless… you have something else you’re hiding from me?” I asked, turning to look at him. A flash of guilt crossed Ethan’s face. He stiffened. “I have nothing to feel guilty about! Stop being paranoid!” He glared at me. “I won’t be coming home tonight.” “Okay,” I replied. “That’s it?” “Otherwise? Is there anything else?” I looked at him, completely unbothered. His face turned incredibly dark. “Fine, Chloe. You’re unbelievable!” He slammed the front door shut as he left. I stared at the closed door, bewildered. I wasn’t even mad at him anymore. Why was he the one throwing a tantrum?

Ethan didn’t stay out all night like he threatened. Instead, he came back the next afternoon, bringing our son, Leo, back from his summer camp. And walking right beside them was a slender, elegant figure. Lily gave me a dazzling smile. “Chloe! Long time no see!” She was holding my son in her arms, while Ethan carried her bags behind them. They looked far more like a happy family of three than I ever did standing in that living room. Lily walked in and made herself comfortable on my favorite spot on the couch, glancing at the jewelry design website on my laptop. “Chloe, you haven’t changed at all after all these years. Still playing with your little drawings.” “I really admire your patience.” Leo, who hadn’t even changed out of his camp clothes, eagerly snuggled into Lily’s arms. He looked up at her with adoring eyes. “Aunt Lily, there’s nothing to admire about Mommy!” “Mommy just stays at home doing nothing all day. She’s as lazy as a couch potato!” Five-year-old Leo also played the violin, and after hearing Lily perform once, he had become her biggest fan.

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My best friend and I both got pregnant by accident at the exact same time. She was carrying her movie star ex-boyfriend’s baby, while I was pregnant with a high-society billionaire tycoon’s child. Since neither of those men seemed to want the kids, my best friend had a brilliant idea. “How about we keep the babies and ditch the dads?” “Deal!” I said. “Wherever you go, I go!” So, we packed our bags, fled the country with our baby bumps, and kicked off our dream life living together. Until three years later, when my best friend’s toddler went viral because he looked like a carbon copy of the famous actor. The camera accidentally caught my daughter and me in the background, too. That very night, a squad of men in black suits completely surrounded my lounge. I pulled out my phone to dial emergency services, but before I could touch the screen, someone bound my wrists behind my back with a leather belt. A powerful hand clamped around my waist, pulling me close as a ruthless voice rasped into my ear: “Go on, call them! Guess how many times I’ll break you before the cops even show up?” 1 Fresh off a messy breakup, my best friend Piper dragged me to a high-end lounge to drown her sorrows. She was just about to run her fingers over a boy toy’s sculpted abs when a towering figure materialized at the entrance. It was Harrison, the silver-screen heartthrob. Tucking his cap low, Harrison stormed over, his face dark as thunder. He glared at the young model who bore a striking resemblance to himself. “Who the hell is he, Piper? You using some cheap knockoff as my substitute?” Piper glanced up, a cold, mocking smirk playing on her lips as she stood up. “Why not? You replaced me with Serena. What makes you think I can’t find someone to replace you?” “Besides, your family’s precious heirloom bracelet is sitting on another woman’s wrist right now.” Harrison choked on his own breath, his face turning pale. “I told you, I didn’t give her that bracelet.” “Great,” Piper shot back, her voice sharp as glass. “Then go get it back!” Silence stretched between them like a suffocating blanket, cutting through the thumping bass of the club. Harrison stood frozen for a long moment before letting out a defeated sigh. “I’m sorry. I can’t do that.” Even though she had seen it coming, the mask on Piper’s face fractured. Her eyes rimmed with red, she grabbed her bag and gave me a quick nod. Then, she turned on her high heels and strode out of the lounge without looking back. Harrison gave me a tight nod before rushing after her. Knowing how easily he usually talked her round, panic surged through me. I yelled after her, “Piper! Don’t you dare go soft on him! This is a dealbreaker!” “Dump him for good this time!” I screamed until my throat was bone dry. Suddenly, a hand with long, elegant fingers reached out from behind, holding a slice of chilled watermelon. I stared at the hand, my mind wandering. Man, these young models really knew how to pamper a girl. I turned around with a bright smile. “Hey handsome, what’s your name?” The words died in my throat. My smile froze, and I turned entirely to stone. The handsome model sitting beside me had vanished. In his place stood Fred Pierce. He had razor-sharp facial features, a sculpted jawline, and an gaze so cold it felt like ice running down my spine. Terrified, I took a step back, but his firm grip caught my wrist instantly. Fred looked down at me, a dangerous, mocking smile curling his lips. “You like younger guys?” “Fine. Let’s go home. I’ve got plenty to show you.” 2 That night, Fred pinned me against the floor-to-ceiling glass window, showing no mercy until the crack of dawn. Outside, the glittering city skyline stretched endlessly, a playground for the impossibly rich. Without Fred, I wouldn’t even have the right to set foot in a penthouse like this. Of course, I wasn’t his girlfriend. At best, I was just his caged songbird. During my first year trying to break into the entertainment industry, a shady director tried to force himself on me. Despite my polite rejections at the dinner table, the guy kept pushing, his hand sliding toward the hem of my dress. That was when Fred stepped in. A single, quiet word from him was all it took to crush the director and pull me out of the fire. He was an untouchable billionaire tycoon, and I was just a nobody struggling at the bottom of the ladder. His pursuit wasn’t flashy. There were no grand, public declarations or overwhelming romantic gestures, but he quietly cleared every obstacle in my path. Paired with a face that could easily outshine any Hollywood A-lister, it was impossible not to fall for him. Still, I knew where I stood. A gilded bird was never the same as a real girlfriend. Deep down, I knew we were a dead end. Leaving was only a matter of time. “Distracted again?” Perhaps to punish my wandering thoughts, Fred’s thrusts grew heavier behind me. “What are you thinking about? Still daydreaming about those younger guys?” A sharp gasp escaped my lips. I reached back, my nails digging into his muscular arm as I bit my lip and shook my head furiously. My response failed to satisfy him. He flipped me around to face him, his eyes dark with possessiveness. “Even if you weren’t, you’re taking all of it tonight.” It felt like an eternity before the storm finally settled. Fred carried me to the master bathtub, wrapping his arms around me from behind as the hot water washed over us. As my senses slowly returned, I couldn’t help asking, “I heard your older sister, Victoria, is back in the country?” “Yeah.” Fred had been close to Victoria since childhood, and she held immense sway in the Pierce family. More importantly, rumor had it that Victoria hadn’t returned alone. She had brought a woman with her, the woman meant for an arranged marriage with the Pierce family. My chest tightened as I tested the waters. “Can I meet her?” Fred’s closed eyes snapped open. His piercing gaze searched my face, but his voice remained flat and distant. “There’s no need.” Just as I thought. A secret lover wasn’t worthy of meeting his family. I masked the pang of disappointment in my chest and forced a small smile. “Okay.” That afternoon, Piper, who had promised to call me, remained silent. It wasn’t until noon the next day that a text finally popped up on my phone. [Don’t worry. We didn’t get back together.] 3 I thought life would just drag on like this. Until a month later, when both Piper and I realized our periods were late. We went to the clinic together. The moment the ultrasound results came out, we stared at the words “Pregnancy Confirmed” on the paper, dropping into an absolute silence. Piper snatched my report, looking at me with pure frustration. “We agreed you’d just grab some industry resources and break it off! How could you not use protection?” “I did use it!” I argued defensively. Then, remembering how wild that night by the window had been, my voice dropped to a whisper. “It… might have broken.” Piper rolled her eyes, completely speechless. Now it was my turn to grab her report. I raised my voice. “You’re scolding me? What about you! You don’t even have a boyfriend! Who’s the wild daddy here?” Piper’s eyelashes fluttered nervously. She avoided my eyes, muttering under her breath, “Harrison’s.” “Whose?” I scowled, doubting my own ears. She squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and shouted right into my ear, “My ex! Har-ri-son!” My ears buzzed from the noise. I rubbed my ears and grumbled, “Fine, Harrison it is. Why are you screaming!” Piper was already broke up with him, and Harrison had his untouchable childhood crush, Serena. As for me? I was just a hidden mistress kept in the shadows, and Fred’s high-society fiancée had just arrived in town. We exchanged a look and let out a synchronized sigh. Neither of those men would ever welcome these babies. After a long pause, Piper grabbed my hand, hesitation in her eyes. “What if… we keep the kids and trash the dads?” I thought about it for a second. “Deal. Fred has been pretty generous over the years. Plus, with the money I saved from acting, we can easily buy a nice villa abroad.” “We’ll get a dog, a cat, two moms, and two babies in one big house.” Isn’t that the ultimate retirement dream for two best friends? 4 We moved fast. Even though Harrison kept bothering Piper, they were already broke up and living apart, so she could pack up and leave whenever she wanted. My situation was much trickier. I kept looking for the right moment to end things with Fred, but the opportunity never came. Until one night, Fred came home completely wasted. The moment the front door swung open, the smile froze on my face. Fred was leaning heavily on a stunning woman. I recognized her instantly from the news photos taken the day Victoria returned. It was Fred’s arranged fiancée, Samantha. “Hi there. You must be Sienna, right? Fred had a bit too much to drink, so I brought him back.” She looked at me with a warm, gentle smile. Unlike what I had imagined, Samantha seemed to know everything about my relationship with Fred. I managed a tight, polite smile and took Fred from her, helping him onto the couch. Samantha didn’t leave immediately. She looked around the spacious living room, smiling softly. “Could I trouble you for a glass of water?” I walked over to the kitchen island without a word. Behind me, her voice drifted over casually. “I heard you’ve been taking good care of Fred while I was away. Thank you.” “I’ve watched your movies, by the way. It’s really not easy for a woman to make it in the industry without a backing. Victoria and I actually admire you a lot.” “She mentioned wanting to invite you to the Pierce family dinner sometime soon. Did Fred tell you?” My hand holding the pitcher froze mid-air. I turned around and met Samantha’s gaze calmly. In her eyes, there was no mockery for my hidden status, nor was there any arrogant display of her wealthy background. There was only the quiet confidence of a true future mistress of the house. It was a kind of security I could never feel, no matter how long I stayed by Fred’s side. In that instant, the heavy boulder that had been weighing on my heart finally crashed down. I knew it was time to leave. That night, after Fred fell into a deep sleep, I packed up my belongings. Expecting this day to come eventually, I hadn’t kept much at his place. I left behind all the expensive gifts Fred had bought me, taking only a hand-woven red wristband. We had gotten a pair from a quiet chapel in Florence years ago, a prayer for safety and peace. I had spent so much time wondering how to say a proper, dignified goodbye. But maybe a face-to-face scene wasn’t necessary after all. On the gray silk sheets, Fred’s sharp features were as striking as the day I first met him. He always thought he was the one who pursued me. He never knew that I had fallen for him at first sight, too. A wave of bitterness and sorrow washed over me. I pulled out my phone and sent him one final text message. [I’m leaving. Our paths diverge here. May we never meet again.] Before stepping out the door, I blocked his number. Goodbye, Fred. I hope we both find peace in the lives ahead… 5 This was our third year living in Australia. Both Piper and I had given birth to healthy, adorable babies. Piper had a baby boy named Toby, and I had a baby girl named Penny. When the kids turned three, Piper started posting mommy vlogs online, though she always kept her own face off-camera. As for me, I opened a cozy little lounge near the beach. Life was sweet and relaxed. We had plenty of money, total freedom, and my bar even hired a few handsome young bartenders. Everything was perfect until one day, a comment suddenly blew up under Piper’s latest video. [Is it just me, or does little Toby look insanely like the movie star Harrison?] Harrison had once posted his childhood photos on social media years ago. The moment that comment dropped, curious netizens pulled up the old photos for comparison. The resemblance wasn’t just vague, it was practically a copy-paste job! Toby instantly went viral overnight! Countless users began tagging Harrison’s official account in the comments. Some asked Piper: [Who’s the baby daddy?] Piper couldn’t resist a snarky reply: [No dad. Asexual reproduction.] When netizens started questioning if she was a mistress hiding a bastard child, she fired back sarcastically: [If you guys knew who his father was, you’d realize I’m the one who got cursed here.] The very next second, a verified account named Harrison commented directly under her post. [Are you sure about that, Piper?] The username was Harrison, the avatar was Harrison, and most importantly, he called her out by her real name. Calling it a coincidence or a super fan seemed completely absurd now. Scared out of her mind, Piper deleted all her replies instantly and locked her account so only friends could comment. That night, she rushed to my lounge in a full-blown panic, terrified that Harrison would hunt her down and take Toby away. I tried to calm her down, pointing out that Australia was huge. Even if Harrison saw the videos, there was no way he could find our exact address from a few short clips. Seeing her still sick with worry, I promised to take her out for a day trip the following morning. 6 The next day, while we were walking the kids near a popular scenic spot, a street interviewer suddenly blocked our path. Given Toby’s sudden internet fame, we instantly declined the interview and tried to leave with the kids. But we couldn’t stop the video from being uploaded online later. In the clip, Toby’s face was crystal clear, and the camera caught both Penny and me in the frame as well. The internet went wild instantly. [Holy crap, from a passerby’s angle, the kid looks even more like Harrison!] [Is this Harrison’s secret kid? Honestly, nothing surprises me with celebrity scandals anymore.] [Wait, the little girl in the frame is gorgeous too! Did her mom use to act? She looks so familiar!] Seeing the online storm spiraling out of control, I sat down with Piper to brainstorm. “Maybe we should move to a different city. Business at the lounge has been slow anyway, I’ve been thinking of selling it.” Piper nodded repeatedly. “Sounds good! Wherever you go, I go.” Piper deleted her account entirely, while I posted a notice to sell the lounge. That very afternoon, someone reached out wanting to buy the place and asked to meet me that evening. I waited at the lounge past closing time, but the buyer never showed up. An eerie gut feeling crept up my spine as the night grew quiet. Suddenly, a heavy thud echoed from the entrance. The next second, the heavy wooden doors were kicked open with a deafening bang. Dozens of muscular guards in black suits rushed inside, completely surrounding the lounge. A cold chill shot up from the soles of my feet, almost paralyzing me. I forced my voice to stay firm. “Who are you looking for?” Silence. Nobody answered. My nerves snapped. I turned and bolted out through the back door. The moment I swung the back door open, I slammed right into a solid, towering chest. A familiar, cool scent of cedarwood enveloped my senses. Stumbling back a few steps, I frantically pulled out my phone to dial emergency services. But before the call could connect, a sharp pain shot through my wrist. My phone crashed onto the pavement, its screen flickering faintly in the dark. My arms were yanked behind my back, bound tight with a heavy leather belt. A powerful hand gripped my waist, pulling me backward into a hard, warm chest. A deep, familiar voice drifted into my ear, sending shivers down my spine. “Sienna… had a good few years?” It was a casual greeting, but I could hear the deadly chill lurking underneath. My spine turned to ice. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing my breathing to steady. “Fred, we broke up. This is Australia. Don’t do anything stupid.” “Broke up?” A dark, icy chuckle rasped against my ear. “Did I ever agree to that?” “And so what if I do something stupid?” Even after years apart, I still remembered how ruthless Fred could be. I closed my eyes, making one last desperate attempt to fight back. “I already called the cops!” Right on cue, the phone on the ground connected, and the dispatcher’s voice echoed faintly through the speaker. Fred leaned down, picked up the phone, and held it right against my ear. A low, arrogant laugh vibrated in his chest. “Go on, give him the address, sweetheart.” “Guess how many times I’ll break you before the cops even show up?”

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1 The corporate dinner was winding down, and only two empty seats remained. One was tucked away in a dimly lit corner. The other was right next to Declan, my secret boyfriend of three years. I took a step forward, but before I could close the distance, Declan called out my best friend’s name. “Sophie, grab this seat.” A collective, knowing “Ooooh” rippled through the table. My phone buzzed immediately. The department group chat was losing its mind. [They look so freaking gorgeous together! Total power couple energy.] [Has the CEO ever actually asked someone to sit next to him? NEVER.] [I’m calling it right now, he is totally into Sophie! I don’t care what anyone says, my ship is sailing!] For the rest of the night, Declan didn’t spare me a single glance. He was too busy keeping up his strict policy of keeping us a secret. When a clumsy waiter spilled scalding hot soup on my hand, Declan didn’t even notice. He was leaning over, casually shielding Sophie’s wine glass from a stray elbow. Staring at my blistering skin, a quiet realization washed over me. I didn’t want to do this anymore. I was utterly exhausted by this life in the shadows. … Running cold water over my burn in the restroom, I checked my phone. Sophie had texted me half an hour ago. [Harper babe, don’t overthink what they’re saying in the chat. You know how people love to gossip. Just ignore them!] I dried my hands with a paper towel and typed back a simple response. [I know.] A minute later, a text from Declan popped up. [Just keeping things strictly professional tonight. Don’t read into it.] My chest tightened as I stared at those words on the screen. A heavy, suffocating knot formed in my throat. Three years at this agency. I couldn’t even count how many team-building retreats, holiday parties, and board meetings we had attended together. But the person sitting next to Declan was always a department head. Or Sophie. Or literally any other employee. Never me. Even on the rare occasions we ended up standing next to each other, he would subtly swap places with someone else. All in the name of keeping up appearances. He would look right past me, deaf to my words, blind to my presence. His intentional distance set the tone for the entire office, turning me into a permanent outcast among my peers. I locked my screen. I didn’t reply. When I returned to the private dining room, the laughter and clinking glasses were deafening. It was as if my absence hadn’t registered at all. Only the sharp, throbbing pain of the blister on my hand served as a reminder of the decision I had just made. As the dinner finally wrapped up, a few coworkers playfully nudged Sophie toward Declan. “Boss, there’s a massive storm warning tonight and Uber is totally surging. It’s not safe for a girl to head home alone. Mind giving Sophie a lift?” Declan didn’t say no. “Sure. Anyone else heading toward Southport?” He asked the question to the room, but his dark eyes were locked directly on me. My breath hitched. Three years ago, I had been followed by a stranger while walking home from the subway. Ever since that night, the thought of navigating dark streets alone left me paralyzed with panic. Declan knew this. It was the reason he started driving me home every single night. I opened my mouth. “I’m heading…” “I can take the others heading south!” Jason from Marketing cut me off, stepping physically in front of me. He grinned at Declan. “You just focus on getting Sophie home safe, boss.” Declan stared at me in silence for a few agonizing seconds before breaking eye contact. He offered Jason a crisp nod. “Appreciate it.” Then he turned on his heel and walked out. When Jason finally asked for my address, his face fell in exaggerated annoyance. “Harper, why didn’t you speak up and say you lived in Southport? It’s past 1 AM. Dropping you off is totally going to take me out of my way. Honestly, you should just get a Lyft.” “It might take a while, but you’ll get one eventually.” I didn’t argue. I just opened my app in silence. Estimated wait time: 53 minutes. The group chat was buzzing again with people announcing they had made it home safely. Then, someone stirred the pot. [Did anyone else notice a certain someone trying so hard to glue herself to Declan’s side tonight? Can’t she read the room? He clearly can’t stand her.] [Right?! If he hadn’t explicitly called Sophie over, Harper totally would have tried to sit there!] [And when he asked if anyone else needed a ride, it was so obvious he just wanted to be alone with Sophie. He was just being polite. Guess the office stalker actually thought she had a chance.] Sophie finally chimed in, playing the peacemaker. [Guys, stop being mean. Declan is just looking out for me because I’m relatively new.] That only fueled the fire. [Please. When that other new girl dropped all her files during a dressing down from her manager, Declan walked right past her without blinking.] [The fact that he never shuts these rumors down says everything. We all know what’s up!] Staring at the screen, I felt nothing but a hollow, freezing numbness. Sophie had applied to this agency because she heard I was being ostracized. She promised she was coming here to have my back. Now, she was the darling of the office. Her only support for me amounted to half-hearted texts telling me not to overthink things, insisting they didn’t mean any harm. When the rumors about Sophie and Declan first started circulating, I brought it up to him. He just told me to focus on my career and stop letting irrelevant office drama distract me. Irrelevant. I guess your feelings are only irrelevant to the people who don’t actually care about you. The biting wind whipped against my face, stinging my cheeks. I opened my company portal, drafted my letter of resignation, and hit submit. If I was done with him, there was no reason to keep torturing myself in that toxic building. It was nearly 2 AM by the time a driver finally accepted my ride. When I unlocked the front door, Declan stood up from the living room sofa. “Why didn’t you just say you were heading my way? I could have easily driven you back.” He sounded so casual, so completely oblivious. I wanted to scream. I wanted to ask if he was entirely blind to the way his employees actively talked over me just to set him up with another woman. I wanted to ask why he couldn’t just use his own voice to offer me a ride. But the words turned to ash in my mouth. I swallowed them down. “I forgot,” I said quietly. As I stepped into the light, I froze. He was wearing the silk pajamas I had bought for us months ago. Declan had flat-out refused to wear them. He hated the idea of matching couple’s outfits, claiming it was risky in case a coworker ever dropped by unannounced. A tiny, pathetic spark of hope fluttered in my chest. “I thought you hated matching sets,” I murmured. Declan opened his mouth to reply, but the bathroom door clicked open. Sophie stepped out, toweling her hair. She was wearing the matching women’s set. “I made him put it on!” she said, her face lighting up with a bright, innocent smile. “The his-and-hers bundle was on sale online, but I couldn’t tell if the men’s size would fit. So I asked Declan to model it for me.” The expression on my face shattered. That pathetic little spark in my chest was snuffed out, replaced by a cold, hollow vacuum. For a split second, I actually thought he had seen my resignation email. I thought he put the pajamas on to win me back, to finally stop hiding us. But it was just for Sophie. She walked up to him, sizing up the fit. “Yeah, the men’s top would definitely swallow me whole. Never mind, I guess I won’t order them. I don’t even have a boyfriend, so it’s not like anyone else could wear it.” She sounded so disappointed. Declan stepped in without missing a beat. “Just take this set with you.” Sophie’s eyes widened in delight. “Are you serious?” Declan’s face was completely relaxed. A faint, easy smile played on his lips. “Yeah. Harper never wears hers anyway. They’re just taking up space in the closet.” I stood there staring at the hardwood floor, my hands balling into tight fists, my nails digging into my palms until the pain grounded me. Then, I let go. He was right. They were taking up space. What was the point of wearing half of a couple’s set? So they sat in the dark, gathering dust. I used to hold onto the fantasy that one day, he would finally tell the world about us. That one day, we could wear them together, laughing over Sunday morning coffee. Instead, I got to watch him give our matching clothes to another woman. “Take them,” I heard my own voice say. It sounded foreign, entirely devoid of emotion. “I have no use for them.” Sophie practically did a happy dance. “Harper, you are an absolute angel!” “Oh, by the way,” she added, batting her eyelashes. “This storm is supposed to last for a few days, and I’m terrified of the thunder in my awful apartment. Can I crash here for a bit? I promise I won’t stay long!” I slipped off my shoes and walked toward the guest room. “Do whatever you want.” I was leaving anyway. She could move in permanently for all I cared. Later that night, the bedroom was pitch black. Declan’s voice suddenly cut through the heavy silence. “Why are you being so quiet today?” “Usually, if I try to throw away any of your random couple stuff, you pitch a fit.” I squeezed my eyes shut. My entire body went rigid. When we first started dating, I was completely head-over-heels. I bought matching everything. Coffee mugs, memory foam slippers, umbrellas, engraved fountain pens for the office. I wanted our lives intertwined in every possible way. The very next morning, Declan took his matching pen to work and gave it away as a random prize during a team meeting. Someone in the office noticed it was identical to the one I used. By noon, I was secretly branded as the “delulu groupie” who copied everything the CEO bought. I became the office punchline overnight. What broke my heart wasn’t that he disliked the items. It was that instead of just communicating with me, he chose the most publicly humiliating way to get rid of them. After that, his paranoia about being discovered went into overdrive. He wouldn’t even step into the same elevator with me. I had been so hurt, giving him the silent treatment for days. To make it up to me, Declan unlocked the heavy oak door of his private wine cellar. He pointed to an entire wall of dusty, pristine bottles. He told me every single bottle there was a vintage from the year I was born. Priceless. Irreplaceable. And he promised they would only be uncorked on our wedding day. For years, I clung to that memory. I convinced myself that Declan’s love was just quiet, buried under layers of corporate stoicism. I thought he simply didn’t know how to express his feelings. But watching him tonight, watching him eagerly shield Sophie from a spilled drink, watching him casually play dress-up to make her smile… I finally understood. When a man loves you, he doesn’t need to say a word. You can see it in his eyes, in his every action. And when a man forces himself to play a part, the disguise is just as obvious. My voice was flat, perfectly steady. “I told you. I have no use for them.” “If they’re useless, I don’t care who gets them.” Declan didn’t reply. The silence stretched on until morning. The next day at the office, the breakroom was buzzing. A crowd of women had Sophie cornered by the espresso machine. “Sophie, that selfie you posted last night was definitely not taken in your dingy bathroom! Oh my god, did you stay at his place?” “You totally slept at the boss’s penthouse!” “Wait, those pajamas you were wearing in the pic… I swear I’ve seen them in a couple’s catalog. Holy crap, you guys are moving fast!” “I freaking told you he was into her! Remember when he personally walked her around on her first day? It was giving major ‘don’t mess with my girl’ energy.” “And a few days ago, when you got dizzy from low blood sugar? The very next day, HR magically announced a new catered afternoon snack budget!” My hand froze on the breakroom door handle. That afternoon, I had been skipping lunch to help Sophie fix a massive spreadsheet error she made. By 3 PM, I was seeing stars. I completely blacked out and collapsed right there in the breakroom. Declan had been walking by. Instead of catching me, he stepped right over my legs to grab Sophie, who had merely stumbled backward in shock. The sheer panic in his eyes hadn’t been faked. When I confronted him that night, shaking with anger, his excuse was ready. “You have me. Sophie doesn’t have anyone looking out for her. If she busted her lip on company property, it would be a massive liability for me.” “I was only looking out for her because she’s your best friend. Really, Harper? You’re jealous of your own best friend?” I let go of the door handle and walked away. I couldn’t stomach the sound of their giggling anymore. Halfway down the hall, Jason from HR came sprinting out of the elevator, completely out of breath. “Listen up, people! I come bearing the juiciest gossip of the century!” “I think the boss is getting married!” “I literally just walked past his office and heard him on the phone ordering a custom diamond ring!” The squeals echoing around Sophie reached a fever pitch. “Sophie! You sneaky genius, you’re getting a ring!” Jason cleared his throat dramatically. “Wait, there’s more! News item number two!” “He just approved an emergency promotion. Word on the street is it’s someone from your team.” The crowd lost their collective minds. “Who else could it possibly be!” “I’m calling you Mrs. Boss from now on, I swear to God!” Sophie flushed a deep, pretty pink. “Stop it, guys, we don’t know for sure. Harper has been here way longer than me.” I didn’t stick around to hear the rest of their baseless theories. Diane, the HR Manager, had received my resignation email and called me into her glass-walled office. “Harper, you’re one of our strongest players. Your analytics, your project management, everything is top tier. Why the sudden exit?” I kept my gaze fixed on my lap. “Diane, that promotion he just approved… was it mine?” She went perfectly still. The silence was deafening. “I’ve been grinding here for three years. People who started the exact same day as me are senior directors now. I’m the only one still rotting at the bottom.” Every single year, HR submitted my name for a promotion. Every single year, Declan found some microscopic, ridiculous excuse to kill it. Diane frowned, leaning across her desk. “Harper, did you do something to offend him? Honestly, maybe you should just go apologize.” A bitter, fractured smile crossed my face. I hadn’t offended him. I had just made the catastrophic mistake of loving him in secret. Diane sighed, reading the finality in my eyes. “Entry-level resignations don’t strictly require executive sign-off. If you’re absolutely sure about this, I’ll process the paperwork right now.” An hour later, Declan called an emergency all-hands meeting. His face was a mask of cold fury. “The analytics report submitted by Team Two yesterday was a disaster. The client found three catastrophic data errors before the presentation even started.” His dark eyes snapped up, landing dead center on me. “Harper, that’s your team, isn’t it?” “If you can’t handle the responsibilities of an acting team lead, I’ll find someone who can. You’re docked a month’s pay, and Sophie will be taking over your position immediately.” A smug murmur ran through the room. A few coworkers shot Sophie triumphant, knowing looks. I didn’t look at them. I just stared blindly at the projection screen on the wall. Sophie and I had pulled an all-nighter fixing that exact spreadsheet. And Declan knew for a fact that the specific dataset in question belonged exclusively to Sophie. My fingernails dug crescent moons into my palms. The last remaining shred of warmth I held for him vanished, leaving nothing but ice. She makes the mistake. I take the bullet. And he uses my corpse as a stepping stone to promote her. A quiet, self-deprecating laugh escaped my lips. It was almost poetic. Declan caught the smile. His brow furrowed in irritation, but he didn’t say anything until the room cleared out. He ordered me to stay behind. Once the door clicked shut, he leaned against the mahogany table. “I know Sophie was the one who initially mishandled the data. But when a subordinate fails, it reflects a failure in leadership. You were supposed to be reviewing her work.” “Do you have a problem with the demotion?” My expression was carved from stone. I gave him my best customer-service voice. “None at all. I trust your judgment completely, sir.” The crease between his brows deepened. He looked like he wanted to argue, but finding no resistance, he just waved a hand dismissively, signaling me to leave. The moment I stepped out of the conference room, Sophie practically ambushed me. She was holding a tray of iced matcha lattes. “Harper! I saved this one just for you.” I gently pushed her hand away. “No thanks.” Her bottom lip instantly jutted out in a picture-perfect pout. “Are you… are you mad at me about the promotion? Harper, it was the CEO’s call. I didn’t ask for this. I have absolutely no control over his executive decisions.” My face remained blank. “I’m not mad. Executive decisions have nothing to do with entry-level employees.” My tone was clipped, strictly professional. But to Sophie, it must have sounded like a declaration of war. Her eyes instantly welled up with glossy tears. “How can you say you’re not mad?” “You won’t even drink the latte I bought you! You hate me!” The vultures descended immediately. The surrounding cubicles emptied out as our coworkers rushed to her defense. “What is your problem, Harper? Are you seriously that jealous?” “She bought drinks for the entire floor to celebrate, and she specifically made sure to save you one! Stop being such an ungrateful bitch.” “Ignore her, Sophie. She’s just pissed because she’s totally incompetent. There’s a reason the boss has refused to promote her for three straight years!” “Honestly, she’s still holding onto that creepy stalker phase from years ago. Declan probably despises her, and she’s just been clinging to this job like a parasite.” The vicious, hateful words rained down on me, suffocating and relentless. I took a slow, deep breath, forcing my heart rate down. “I declined the drink because I have a severe allergy to matcha.” “And for the record, I haven’t said a single negative word about your promotion. Have I?” Sophie froze. The latte trembled in her hand, spilling slightly over the plastic lid. A single tear rolled down her cheek. “Oh my god, Harper, I’m so sorry. I… I totally forgot you were allergic.” Seeing her cry was the final straw for the office mob. A senior designer stepped up, glaring at me with pure venom. “Who the hell do you think you are, talking to her with that kind of attitude? So you have an allergy, big deal. You couldn’t just say ‘no thank you’ like a normal human being?” “We all know exactly why you’re being a psycho. You’re insanely jealous that the boss actually cares about Sophie, and you’re losing your mind because he’s about to propose to her.” Three years. Three years of hiding in stairwells, of pretending not to know the man I slept next to every night, of swallowing every insult, every slight, every joke at my expense. The dam broke. Without thinking, I reached into my pocket, pulled out the plain silver band, and shoved it onto my left ring finger, holding my hand up for the entire floor to see. “Declan is my boyfriend! Why the hell would I be jealous of her?” Dead silence dropped over the bullpen. For five agonizing seconds, no one breathed. Then, someone snorted. A hysterical ripple of laughter tore through the room. “Holy shit, she has completely lost her mind! She actually thinks she’s dating the CEO?” “Someone call HR, this has to cross the line into actual harassment. Did you seriously go buy yourself a fake ring?” Furious, my blood boiling, I spun around to storm into Declan’s office to drag him out by his tie. But I didn’t have to. The heavy glass door swung open, and Declan stepped out, his face like thunder. I marched right up to him, staring dead into his eyes. “Tell them, Declan. Tell them right now.” “What exactly is our relationship?” He stared at me, his jaw clenching. The silence stretched tight as a wire. Behind me, the whispers started up again. “Wait… he isn’t shutting her down. Oh my god, is she telling the truth?” “Then what the hell has been going on with him and Sophie?” Hearing the panic in their voices, seeing the potential PR disaster unfolding before his eyes, Declan’s gaze hardened into obsidian. His voice rang out, freezing the air in the room. “Our relationship?” “We are strictly professional. You are my subordinate. Nothing more.” “Harper, spreading malicious rumors about executive staff and publicly disrespecting your team lead is a severe violation of company policy. You are suspended for seven days without pay.” I stared at the man I had loved for three years. Looking at the sheer, unyielding ice in his eyes, my heart simply stopped beating for him. The love died right there on the carpet. I let out a soft, broken laugh. I reached over, gripped the silver band on my finger, and yanked it off. It hit the floor with a hollow clink. “We are totally, permanently done.” Declan’s fingers twitched at his sides. He took a half-step forward, but violently checked himself, rooting his feet to the ground. My words only fueled the office’s disgust. “The man literally just denied knowing her, and she’s trying to frame it like a breakup?” Someone mimicked my voice in a cruel, high-pitched whine. “We are permanently done. God, the cringe is lethal.” “If he was dating anyone, it would look exactly like how he treats Sophie. Look at him, he stepped in the second Harper started bullying her.” “Harper, seek professional help. Go obsess over someone in your own league.” The bullpen erupted into cruel, mocking laughter. I didn’t say another word. I didn’t look at a single one of them. I just walked back to my desk, pulled a cardboard box from underneath, and methodically packed my things. Seven days was far too short of a suspension, Declan. Because you are never seeing me again. From the glass balcony on the second floor, Declan watched me walk out the front doors of the building. He pulled out his phone. He typed out an apology text, deleted it. Typed another, deleted it again. By the time the office cleared out at 5 PM, he still hadn’t hit send. When he unlocked the door to his penthouse and found it completely empty, a cold prickle of unease finally hit him. He frowned, opening my contact to send a quick, authoritative message demanding to know where I was. A bright red exclamation mark popped up. Message failed. You have been blocked by this user. When Sophie found out, she put on her best impression of a victimized saint. “Do you think Harper is actually mad about what happened today? I mean, she was being completely irrational.” “And now that the rumor about you buying an engagement ring is out… why does she have to be so aggressive and ruin everyone’s mood?” Declan frowned, rubbing his temples. He remembered the dead, hollow look in my eyes when I walked out of the office. A wave of genuine panic flared in his chest, but he forced it down, masking it with his usual arrogance. “She’s just throwing a tantrum over the demotion. Whatever. When her suspension is up, I’ll just promote her to keep her quiet.” But seven days came and went. The deadline passed, and my desk remained empty. Losing his patience, Declan marched down to the HR department and demanded Diane call me. Diane stared at him, bewildered. “Promote her? Boss, she’s gone.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “536944”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When I was eight years old, my mother lost her life protecting me. My father hated me to the bone. He shipped me off to my uncle’s house, where I stayed for ten miserable years. He only brought me back because his adopted daughter said she felt “lonely.” But the very first thing he said to me when I walked through the door was: “You murderer. You killed your mother. How do you even have the nerve to still be alive?” To fulfill his wishes, I died in a car crash on the exact day I received my college acceptance letter. A bystander grabbed my phone from the asphalt and frantically dialed his number, only to be met with his raging voice: “If you want to die, Chloe, go die somewhere far away! Don’t do it here and eyesore your mother!” … I was floating in mid-air, watching a crowd of people gather around my lifeless body. For a moment, I couldn’t really process what was happening. Until someone picked up my phone—its screen shattered into a spiderweb of cracks—and dialed my dad’s number. “Hello? Is this the father of the phone’s owner? Your daughter has been in a terrible car accident, she’s at—” Before the man could even finish, my father’s furious voice cut him off: “A car accident? Is she dead yet?” “Chloe, if you want to die, go die somewhere far away! Don’t do it here and eyesore your mother’s memory!” “You made Daisy fall and break her leg, and now you’re faking a car crash to get sympathy? How can you be so shameless!” After that harsh, venomous roar, a faint, sweet voice drifted through the line: “What’s wrong, Daddy?” My father, who had sounded like a raging beast a second ago, instantly softened his tone to pure warmth: “Nothing, sweetie. Just a scam call…” The call disconnected with a mechanical beep. The stranger who tried to help stood there, stunned by the hostility. He muttered to himself: “Is that guy seriously her real dad?” He tried to redial, but the screen showed he had already been blocked. With a sigh, he decided to try the only other contact saved in my phone book. He tapped on it. “Hello? Is this Chloe’s high school advisor? She’s been in a car crash…” I had long grown used to my father’s hatred. His cruel words didn’t even cause a ripple in my heart anymore. When I was eight, my mom took me on a road trip. Our car was caught in a sudden, violent flash flood. She threw her entire body over mine, shielding me from the worst of the impact and the rushing debris. But she never made it off the operating table. My father and mother had been deeply in love for years. He couldn’t accept that his beloved wife was gone forever. So, he abandoned me at Uncle Jack’s house. He told me: “Every time I look at your face, I see your mother covered in blood, taking her last breath. You are a curse!” During my ten years at Uncle Jack’s, my father never sent a single letter or made a single call. I only heard through the grapevine that he had adopted a girl who had lost her parents in a natural disaster. Uncle Jack told me she was sickly, constantly needing shots and medication. My father had spent almost all his savings to cure her. The two of them lived together, relying only on each other. The kind stranger tapped my phone screen a few more times, but the device finally died. My phone didn’t have a passcode. Seeing strangers easily access my private life made me feel a surge of helpless anxiety, but there was nothing I could do. Fortunately, the ambulance arrived, and the man stopped messing with my phone. The paramedics in white scrubs lifted my broken body into the ambulance, rushing toward the hospital with sirens blaring. They hooked me up to all kinds of tubes. The advanced machines did their job, beep-beeping to report my vital signs. But it was useless. My soul was already floating outside. What medical miracle could possibly drag me back now? “The patient has absolutely no will to survive…” The doctor muttered under his breath. He watched as my shallow breathing slowly stopped. The monitor emitted a sharp, continuous flatline shriek. With a heavy sigh, he pulled the white sheet over my face. His eyes held a deep sadness for a young life cut short. Outside the operating room, the hallway was completely empty. The doctor frowned deeply. “Where is the family? It’s been hours. Why aren’t they here yet?” ### 2 Of course, my father was busy celebrating Daisy’s eighteenth birthday. After bringing her back from the disaster zone, he gave her a new name. Daisy. Bright, blooming, and full of hope. He placed all his hopes on her, completely throwing me—the useless, dirty weed in the gutter—to the back of his mind. “Happy birthday, Daisy! I wish you health and happiness forever!” My father lovingly presented a strawberry chocolate cake to her. On top of the frosting was a cute little piped bear. He rubbed his hands together nervously. “This is the first time I’ve ever baked a cake, sweetie. I don’t have much experience. If you don’t like it, just tell me…” Before he could finish, Daisy had already snapped a picture for Instagram and cut a huge slice. “Wow, Daddy, you’re amazing! It tastes so good, I can’t believe it’s your first time!” She smiled warmly, though there was a lingering paleness in her face from her chronic illness. My father turned around secretly, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. I floated in the air like a ghost, a thief peeking at someone else’s happiness through the crack of the door. My own eighteenth birthday was spent at Uncle Jack’s house. It was a weekend. His family of three was planning a trip to an amusement park. “You’ve been studying hard all week, Chloe. You should stay home and get some rest!” Aunt Sarah smiled warmly as she listened to my cousin Leo’s excited cheers. But the moment she turned to me, her face grew cold. “There’s no room in the car. Just stay home and watch the house.” They left early in the morning. The stove was cold; they hadn’t left a single bite of food for me. The fridge was packed, but I didn’t dare touch anything. If Aunt Sarah noticed even a slice of cheese missing, she would mock and scold me for days. Uncle Jack was caught in the middle. Occasionally, he would secretly slip me a ten-dollar bill so I could buy a cheap burger to tide me over. Living under someone else’s roof, I didn’t want to cause any trouble. I waited, starving, until late at night when they finally returned. Leo had a blast and was loudly bragging about his day. He walked over to the end of the attic hallway—where my makeshift bed was set up behind a cheap room divider—and tossed a half-crushed cake box onto my blanket. “Brought this back for you. Don’t go telling people we starve you!” In the dead of night, in the pitch black, I carefully opened that cardboard box. It was a strawberry chocolate cake. A huge, messy bite mark was clearly visible on the side. The chocolate frosting had melted in the summer heat. I dipped my fingertip into it and put it in my mouth. It was so sweet it made me want to cry. But I still ate every single crumb, because I didn’t know when my next real meal would be. Later, because Daisy casually mentioned she felt “lonely,” my father finally brought me back to his house. But he absolutely loathed my posture—how I always kept my head down, looking timid and terrified. “You murderer. You killed your mother. How do you even have the nerve to still be alive?” I knew then that this place would never be my home either. So, I tried my best to be invisible and obedient. I never left my room unless absolutely necessary. I did the laundry, cooked, swept the floors, and washed the dishes. I did everything perfectly. But that strawberry chocolate cake with the bite mark was forever burned into my memory. I craved it. One day, my father came home from work with a pastry box. He spoke to me with a rare, gentle tone: “Here. The cake you wanted.” My hands shook as I opened it. Could dreams really come true? Was I allowed to be this happy? The cake looked messy, not like something bought from a professional bakery. I took a bite. It tasted slightly burnt. But since he had gone out of his way to get it for me after a long day of work, I ate it happily. “It’s delicious. Thank you, Dad!” Suddenly, he burst into a cruel, mocking laughter. “That’s just the garbage Daisy made when she was practicing baking! I thought you hated your sister? Yet you gobbled up her ruined cake like a dog.” “You really are an idiot. So easy to fool!” My fork clattered to the floor. I knelt down to pick it up. Tears dripped from my chin onto the hardwood. It took me a long time to stand back up. “Oh. I see.” So, he hadn’t bought it for me after work. I had been tricked again. I was so incredibly easy to fool. Now, floating in the air, watching them laugh and sing the birthday song, I suddenly realized something. I had never actually wanted that strawberry chocolate cake. I just wanted what came with it. I wanted to have someone by my side on my birthday. I wanted the song, the blessings, the love. All I ever got was a melted, half-eaten leftover. My younger self had envied other kids’ big cakes. But what I really envied was how effortlessly they were loved. I wanted the cake because, to me, it was proof of being loved. But now I saw the truth. Leo didn’t have a cake because he was loved; he had a cake *because* he was loved. I had gotten the cause and effect all wrong. I was just too stupid. Too easy to fool. ### 3 Daisy blew out her candles, ate her cake, and then looked around the room. “Daddy, where’s Chloe? I want her to celebrate with me.” The familiar look of disgust immediately crept back onto my father’s face. “She’s just jealous of your birthday. She actually got someone to call me and claim she was in a car accident, hoping I’d leave you to go find her.” “She is so petty and selfish. Even on your eighteenth birthday, she has to cause drama. What a parasite!” But Daisy kept her sweet, angelic facade. She gently patted his arm to calm him down. “Dad, you should call her back and check. Chloe isn’t that kind of person.” My father glared at her, and for a second, I thought he might snap at her too. But Daisy just smiled sweetly and said: “Besides, I really want to see her college acceptance letter. You know how weak my body is, Dad… I’ll probably never get to go to college in this lifetime…” “Fine, fine. I’ll call her. I’ll call her right now!” My father waved his hand dismissively, giving in. Daisy smirked. She knew exactly which buttons to push to make him do what she wanted. *Ring… Ring…* The phone rang until it went to voicemail. Impatient irritation flared on my father’s face. But seeing Daisy’s hopeful eyes, he lowered his pride and dialed my number a second time. In this moment, I actually felt a wave of relief that I was dead. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to handle the agonizing pain of finally getting my college acceptance letter, only to have it snatched away. Ever since I returned to this house, the person I feared most wasn’t my father, but this stepsister I had never met before. Her weak body was her ultimate weapon. With an innocent, angelic face, she could effortlessly trigger my father’s explosive rage against me. “Chloe, I don’t want to steal Daddy’s love from you. I just admire you guys so much… I only need a tiny, tiny piece of his heart…” She would tear up, pinching her fingers together to show a tiny gap. And every single time she did that, my father would blow a fuse. “Who do you think you are, trying to steal things from Daisy?” “You jinx! If Daisy hadn’t begged me to bring you back, I would have happily let you rot in the streets!” “How dare you resent her? You should be kneeling at her feet in gratitude!” What followed would always be my father’s heavy slaps, or being locked in my room without food for days. The worst incident was when Daisy stood at the top of the stairs, smiling down at me. “Chloe, I really envy you.” “Even though you killed your mother and Dad hates you so much, he still plans to leave Elena’s old house to you in his will.” “Why do you get all the luck? Why does everyone look out for you, while the people who loved me are already rotting in the dirt?” “I’m sorry, Chloe. But I don’t want you to have a single thing.” With a sweet smile still on her face, Daisy threw herself backward down the stairs just as my father’s panicked footsteps echoed in the hallway. “Daddy… it hurts so much… am I going to die?” I remembered watching her cry in his arms, still managing to shoot me a triumphant, mocking smirk over his shoulder. When I lived with Uncle Jack, Aunt Sarah was cold, but she never laid a hand on me. She certainly never used such insane, self-harming tactics to ruin my life. After that day, my father’s abuse grew ten times worse. *Just get into college,* I used to tell myself. *Once I leave this house, I’ll be free.* But looking at things now, she never had any intention of letting me keep my college acceptance letter. If I hadn’t died in that crash today, what would have happened to me? Would I have had to stand by and watch her steal the fruits of my years of hard work, suffering in silence? Or would I have fought back? But did I ever really have the power to fight back? ### 4 The consecutive unanswered calls finally pushed my father over the edge. He was about to start cursing at his phone when the local news broadcast on the TV caught his eye. “We are reporting live from a horrific car accident downtown. A drunk driver has caused a fatal collision…” “The victim is a local high school senior who had just received her college acceptance letter. It is a heartbreaking tragedy…” “We urge all citizens, please, do not drink and drive…” My father’s eyes locked onto the screen. I followed his gaze. The mangled, bloody body on the asphalt was pixelated, but the cheap silver bracelet on the wrist was glaringly obvious. His face turned deathly pale. As if trying to convince himself, he kept whispering: “No… that’s impossible…” “It’s a coincidence. It has to be a coincidence!” He desperately clung to this excuse, like a drowning man clutching a piece of straw. “Daddy, what’s wrong?” Daisy’s confused voice came from behind him. “Nothing!” He forced a stiff smile. “I can’t get ahold of Chloe. Let’s not wait for her.” “Oh, okay…” Daisy pouted, looking slightly annoyed. For the first time in his life, my father didn’t notice her mood. He silently powered down his phone, as if he were running away from a ghost. I was confused. I was dead. Shouldn’t this be a dream come true for him? Why did he look like he was about to vomit from terror? Suddenly, a violent pounding erupted at the front door. My father stiffened. He stood there, frozen, refusing to move. The knocking grew louder and more frantic, turning into heavy thuds that shook the doorframe. Only then did he drag his feet over and open it. When he saw my high school advisor, Ms. Jenkins, standing on the porch, he visibly let out a sigh of relief. His tone instantly turned sharp and dismissive: “What is it? Chloe already graduated. Did she cause some trouble at school again?” “I’m busy celebrating my daughter’s transition into adulthood. I don’t have time to clean up Chloe’s messes.” Ms. Jenkins was a young woman, and his words made her shake with sheer rage. Tears welled in her eyes as she trembled. She slammed the hospital’s body identification form directly onto his chest. “Chloe is dead! And you’re here throwing a party? Are you even a human being?!” My father stiffened his neck, ignoring the paper that fluttered from his chest to the floor. “What nonsense are you talking about? Evil weeds don’t die that easily. How could she be dead?” “For the sake of the inheritance, she pushed her sister down the stairs and broke her leg. Now she’s faking her own death? Unbelievable. Has anyone told her that this trick only works once? Doing it again is just disgusting.” “Oh, I get it. She hired you to put on this show, didn’t she? To ruin Daisy’s birthday, she’ll really stop at nothing. Is this what your school teaches kids these days?” Ms. Jenkins had clearly never encountered such a shameless monster. Her finger shook as she pointed at him. “You…” “If that’s all, I’m closing the door. I don’t have time for her cheap theater.” Just as the door was about to slam shut, another voice cut through the air: “Is this the residence of Richard?” Two uniformed police officers stepped forward, blocking the door. “Yes. Can I help you?” They pulled out their badges. “Your daughter, Chloe, was involved in a fatal car accident today. She was pronounced dead at the hospital after emergency resuscitation failed. We are here to notify the family to identify the body.” My father let out a cynical chuckle. “Wow, Chloe really went all out. How much is she paying you guys to play along? I’ll double it. Now get the hell off my property!” The female officer’s expression immediately hardened. “Sir, watch your mouth.” She shoved her badge right in front of his face. “Look closely. We are real police officers.” “We are here to officially notify Chloe’s next of kin of her death. This is not a joke, and we were not hired by anyone!” This time, he couldn’t deny it. The badges, the uniforms, the police cruiser parked on the curb—they were all real. It finally sank in. Chloe didn’t have the money or the power to hire real police officers for a prank. Which meant… there was only one truth. My father’s face drained of all color, turning a sickly gray. He still muttered like a lunatic: “No… that can’t be… she’s lying to me…”

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1 For two months after adding Tommy to my credit account, strange charges appeared. Tess posted a $1,200 perfume: “Sis and future bro got me this!” Sarah shared a $2,000 sushi dinner: “Thanks Lindsey and Dr. Tommy!” That night, Tommy brought home cold eel rice, apologizing for swiping wrong. Over two months, $15,000 vanished. Then a $300 charge hit. Before I texted, three messages flashed: Mom: “I spent it. Don’t fight Tommy.” Tess: “School fees. I’ll repay.” Sarah: “Tight on cash. Tommy covered meds.” I’d said nothing. Heart sinking, I cabbed to the boutique. Serena stood at the register, sheepish: “Pregnancy brain! Forgot to log out of Lindsey’s account.” My family shrugged: “Family doesn’t grudge over dollars.” I rubbed my worn jacket’s hem. My hard-saved credit line was drained by everyone but me. … I walked inside. Tommy saw me first. His face went rigid, and he instinctively stepped in front of Serena, blocking half her body from my view. “Lindsey, Serena is pregnant. Control your temper.” My mother hurried over, speaking in a gentle, placating tone. “Lindsey, leave your sharp tongue at the door today. She’s expecting, you can’t be cruel to her.” Sarah and Tess grabbed me from left and right, holding my arms as if they were afraid I would attack her. Sarah, leaning heavily into her authority as a doctor, spoke with absolute conviction. “Serena is carrying Tommy’s child. You two haven’t had any luck in seven years. You wouldn’t want Tommy’s bloodline to end with you, would you?” I looked past Tommy’s shoulder. Serena hadn’t said a word or lifted a finger, yet she had turned everyone I loved against me in an instant. “Why?” My voice was dry and raspy as I turned to my mother. Five years ago, Serena took out illegal loans and put my brother Lucas’s name on the contract. Lucas was driven to jump from the roof of his building, leaving me with nearly a hundred thousand dollars in debt. I hadn’t slept a full night since. “Serena killed Lucas, Mom. You used to hate her. How can you stand next to her?” Serena clutched my mother’s sleeve, her face draining of color. My mother patted her hand reassuringly before turning to give me a pained, reproachful look. “Serena was only nineteen back then. What did she know about loan sharks? Your brother coaxed her into signing those documents. At the end of the day, it was Lucas’s fault.” She sighed. “You’ve been so wrapped up in your job that you never care for this family. Serena is the one who steps up and handles things around the house.” I stared at her in total disbelief. “Mom! I carry three thousand dollars in debt payments every single month because of her! Just because she scheduled a doctor’s appointment for you and picked up your prescriptions, you completely forgive her?” Tommy cut in, his patience wearing thin. “That’s enough, Lindsey. I know working to pay off that debt is exhausting. But she only spent a few hundred dollars today. Do you really have to make a scene over every single penny?” He pulled out his phone to process a transfer. “I’ll send the money back to you right now. She has a checkup this afternoon, so let’s talk about this later.” I grabbed his wrist tightly. “We talk about it right here! Right now!” I stared into his eyes. “Tommy, how long have you two been sleeping together behind my back?” Tommy’s brow twitched, a flash of embarrassment crossing his face. Sarah couldn’t stand it any longer. She pulled up Serena’s digital medical file and shoved the screen in my face. The medical record was crystal clear. Five years ago, after watching my brother jump, Serena began seeing Tommy for psychological trauma. For five long years, while I worked myself to the bone to pay off her debt, Serena had moved from his private therapy room straight into his bed. Yet Tommy had gotten engaged to me just last month, introducing me to all our relatives. Even yesterday, he had rested his palm against my stomach, smiling as he whispered that we should have a baby soon so I could finally leave Lucas’s shadow behind. “Lindsey, Serena tried to end her life back then. Tommy and I dragged her back from the edge,” Sarah argued, full of self-righteous pity. “She’s fragile. You can’t hold one past mistake against her forever.” I looked at Serena’s pale, innocent face and let out a bitter laugh. “Five years of my life ruined by debt. I’m not letting this go. I’ve already called the police.” Serena burst into tears on the spot. “Lindsey, I really didn’t mean to use your card! I just forgot to switch accounts when I paid with Tommy’s phone!” The veins on Tommy’s forehead thrummed with rage. “Lindsey! I already sent you the money! I’m apologizing on her behalf, isn’t that enough?” He grabbed a maternity dress off the nearest rack and slammed it onto the counter. “If you feel so deprived, I can buy you gifts too! Perfume, dinners, dresses, whatever you want!” I looked at him with a hollow smile. Once, he had carefully slipped a pair of polished heels onto my feet before my big interview, wishing me a path straight to the top. Now, he was tossing an ill-fitting maternity dress at me just to shut me up. I met the glare of every person standing in that store, refusing to budge an inch. When the officers arrived, I gave a detailed account of how Serena had repeatedly used my financial accounts without authorization. Just as the officer began writing up the incident report, Sarah stepped forward. “Officer, Tommy is Serena’s fiancé, and he has already reimbursed the funds,” Sarah said smoothly. “I strongly urge you to look into Lindsey’s credit profile. She owes nearly a hundred thousand dollars to private lenders. She’s desperate and opportunistic. She only called you to extort money from Serena.” I stared at Sarah, barely recognizing the hostility in her eyes. In college, when I was so poor I had to split a single pack of instant noodles into two meals, she bought my cafeteria tickets for an entire month. The girl who used to hug me and say, “It’s okay, you have me,” was gone. She avoided my gaze, reaching out to touch my hand. “Lindsey, I’m sorry. If I didn’t say that, they would have taken Serena away. She’s pregnant, and as a doctor, I couldn’t just stand by.” Serena bit her lower lip until it turned white. “Lindsey, you can hate me all you want, but please don’t take it out on Dr. Sarah or your mother!” Tess immediately shielded Serena, glaring at me with pure resentment. “Lindsey! Everyone feels suffocated around you because you count every single cent!” Tommy looked at me with cold disgust. “Serena never demanded a formal title. She even agreed to let you have the main wedding first while she took your hand-me-down dress and bouquet later. If anyone is suffering here, it’s her, not you.” He took Serena’s hand and walked her out of the shop. Inside my chest, nothing remained except a scorched wasteland. My brother’s life and five years of my youth had all become a tragic joke to the people standing in front of me. Sarah tugged gently on my arm, using the old gesture we shared whenever we reconciled after an argument. “Lindsey, you still have us.” “Sarah,” I said softly, stepping back. “We are no longer friends.” I hurried out of the store, choking back the sob rising in my throat. They weren’t worth my tears. I pulled out my phone, canceled the shared account completely, and dialed the number for the loan agency. I requested an immediate reassessment of my family’s joint assets. From this moment on, the debt would be split evenly. No one was getting out of this storm unscathed. When I got home, I gathered every single thing Tommy owned and dragged it out to the trash dumpster. The landlord stood by the doorway, offering an awkward, apologetic smile. “Lindsey, Mr. Tommy paid out the rest of the year’s rent plus a contract penalty. He asked that you move out immediately.” I was thrown out into the night, my bags piled up along the curb. Tommy drove up a short while later. He stepped out of the car, his thumb lightly brushing across my tear-stained cheek as he let out a heavy sigh. “You unlinked the card, Lindsey. Serena couldn’t pay at the coffee shop today, and people called her a thief in public.” He looked down at me. “Now that you’re getting cold looks from strangers, maybe you’ll understand what she goes through every day. I hate seeing her hurt, but I hate seeing you cry too. Why do you keep forcing me to choose?” I turned my face away from his touch. “You’re dreaming if you think you get to keep both, Tommy.” He drew his hand back, rubbing his fingertips together. “I kept my relationship with Serena a secret because I knew you’d make things miserable for her. Can’t you just leave her alone? She hasn’t had an easy life.” “In your dreams!” I snapped. The remaining tenderness in his eyes vanished, replaced by an icy glare. “You really want to push me into a corner?” After a quiet standoff, he scoffed, tapped something into his phone, and got back into his car. He drove off without another word. A moment later, my phone chimed with a bank notification. My entire checking account balance had been wiped out to zero. My mind went completely blank, followed instantly by a sharp, agonizing headache. “Tommy!” I dialed his number frantically. “Lindsey,” his voice came through the speaker, soft and composed, yet ruthless. “If you don’t want me dropping details about your family’s debts to your employer, stay away from Serena.” The threat landed like a heavy blow to my spine. His gentle tone made the pain hit twice as hard. “Give it back, Tommy! Tomorrow is my loan deadline!” I crouched on the side of the road, sending frantic voice notes over and over again. Then my mother called. “Lindsey, stop bothering Tommy. He transferred your money to me, and I gave it to Serena. She lost her baby while she was suffering with your brother years ago. This money is her recovery fund. Our family owes her that much.” Tess chimed in over the line, shouting, “Lindsey, if you call the police again, you’ll be putting Mom behind bars! Just drop it!” My mother spoke again, her voice full of weary instruction. “Lindsey, money can always be earned back. If you don’t have a place to stay, just come back home.” I ran my fingers over the long scar on my wrist, the souvenir from when debt collectors forced me into oncoming traffic, snapping the skin open before it was stitched back together. “No,” I said quietly. “I don’t have a home anymore.” I immediately called Janice, a former colleague now working at a top brokerage firm in London. “Janice, you offered to recruit me for the London office a while back. I’m taking the offer. Process my onboarding as fast as humanly possible.” Then, I forwarded Serena’s private phone number directly to the head of the loan collection agency. The next morning, Tommy caught me right outside my bank branch. Without a word of explanation, he dragged me straight to the private lending firm’s office. The moment Serena saw him, she broke down in tears. “Tommy, I really don’t have the money to pay them back.” She cast a timid glance in my direction. “Lindsey, it’s all my fault. I’ll go sell my blood or my kidneys to pay them, okay? Just don’t be mad.” Tommy shoved me hard against the marble reception counter. My wrist slammed against the sharp edge with a dull thud. He flinched for a fraction of a second, but Serena’s dramatic sob instantly drew his attention away. He turned to the loan manager, his voice cold. “The person who owes you money is Lindsey. I cleared Serena’s debt four years ago.” The loan manager flipped through his thick ledger, letting out a greasy laugh as he looked at me. “That’s correct. Dr. Tommy paid off Serena’s ten-thousand-dollar share four years ago. But you still have seventy thousand remaining on your account, Lindsey. Signed in black ink. No getting out of it.” This debt, built on Serena’s lies, had crushed every aspect of my adult life. My mother was too old to work it off. Tess was still in school. For five years, I worked as a bank auditor by day and taught evening accounting classes by night. I had been terrified of borrowing a single dollar from Tommy, worried it would taint our relationship. Yet he had quietly cleared Serena’s debts during their second year together. “Tommy,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Four years ago, when we were crammed into that freezing basement apartment, you told me you couldn’t help me because you had lent all your savings to a friend in need.” I took a step closer to him. “I believed you! I worried you wouldn’t have enough to eat, so I worked until I collapsed just to support your medical practice! And all this time, that friend was her?” A flicker of sorrow crossed Tommy’s eyes. “Lindsey, Serena isn’t strong like you. She carries deep trauma and can’t hold a normal job. You work in banking. You have opportunities. You’ll clear the debt eventually.” I lunged forward, grabbing Serena by the wrist as I glared at the manager. “She took my money! Neither she nor I are leaving this room until this is settled!” The loan manager offered Tommy an uncomfortable smile. “Dr. Tommy, you have a residential property under your name worth well over eighty thousand. Why don’t you just cover Lindsey’s remaining balance?” “Absolutely not!” Tommy snapped instantly. “That house is reserved for Serena and our child.” I grabbed a glass of water off the desk and threw it right into his face. “Tommy! I used my employee discount at the bank to secure the mortgage for that house! That was supposed to be our home!” Tommy wiped the water from his skin, looking down at me with cold, pathetic pity. “The deed is already registered under Serena’s name. I only let you stay there because I felt sorry for you.” He adjusted his damp collar and turned to the manager. “Can I take her now?” The manager made a polite gesture toward the door. The heavy glass doors slid shut in front of me. Tommy placed a protective arm around Serena’s waist as they stepped into the elevator, leaving me behind without a second glance. Ten hours later, my mother and sister arrived to sign my release paperwork. My mother didn’t offer a single word of concern. Only harsh judgment. “Lindsey, you went way too far this time. Serena was so shaken up by your scene that she ended up in the emergency room last night.” Tess glared at me angrily. “Lindsey, why did you add my name to the list of liable guarantors? You have the capacity to work, why drag me down with you?” My mother’s face hardened. “You just can’t stand seeing Serena happy, can you? Before coming here, Serena, Tommy, and I talked it over. When the baby is born, it will take our family name. I’m transferring our old apartment over to Serena.” She looked at me coldly. “The car and my old jewelry will go to Tess. You’re on your own from now on.” She took Tess by the arm and walked away without looking back. I didn’t chase after them. Instead, I went straight to the hospital administration office and submitted a formal complaint regarding Tommy and Serena’s improper doctor-patient relationship. An hour later, I was on the hospital rooftop. Sarah was holding Serena tightly around the waist, pleading with her. “Serena, please don’t do this!” “Tommy is only under temporary suspension! Every doctor in the department can testify that he only stayed close to Lindsey to manage her severe mental instability!” Catching sight of me, Sarah raised her voice, screaming across the roof, “Lindsey, do you really have to drive her to her death? Her depression relapsed entirely because of you!” Serena was perched precariously on the edge of the railing, weeping hysterically. “I’m sorry, Lindsey! I seduced Tommy, I led Lucas on! I deserve to die! Just please, take back the report against Tommy!” I watched them quietly from a distance. I remembered the moment right before my brother jumped five years ago. Serena had stood near the ledge and told him: “Lucas, if you’re going to jump, do it already. Don’t drag me and my baby down with you.” When I reached the roof back then, that single sentence had wiped out the very last spark of hope in my brother’s eyes. And later, standing over his body, Serena had told the debt collectors: “I had a miscarriage yesterday. I have nothing to do with this man.” Now, watching her dramatic performance on the railing, my expression remained completely cold. “Jump then,” I said softly. “Go down to hell and keep my brother company.” Suddenly, someone yanked my arm back with violent force. A sharp slap cracked across my cheek. My mother stood there, her eyes swollen and red, glaring at me with raw hatred. “Lindsey! She’s sick! She’s paid for her mistakes over these past five years, what more do you want from her?” The burning sting on my face shattered the last tiny piece of longing I held for my mother’s love. Tess rushed over, grabbing Serena’s hand. “Serena, Tommy’s suspension was lifted! He’s on his way up right now!” Serena sobbed, shaking her head. “Lindsey will never let me live in peace. As long as I’m with Tommy, she’ll keep trying to destroy us!” My mother dragged me toward the edge of the roof, forcing my head down as her voice rang out colder than the wind. “Apologize to Serena right now! Promise you’ll leave Tommy alone so she can have this baby in peace!” I shoved her hands off me, opening my mouth to laugh at her ridiculous demands. Before I could speak, Serena’s body suddenly slipped backward off the ledge. She crashed hard onto the lower concrete ledge below. Seconds later, a dark pool of red began spreading beneath her legs. Tommy burst onto the rooftop just in time to see it. He cast a murderous glance in my direction before scooping Serena into his arms and sprinting toward the stairs. I stumbled back to the bank in a daze. The branch manager slammed a thick stack of disciplinary papers directly into my face. “Lindsey! As an internal auditor, you engaged in predatory loans and illegal gambling activities?” The credit account I had opened for Tommy had been turned into evidence against me. The accusation was that I used financial perks to bribe medical personnel while attempting to harm Serena out of personal malice. They had gone to incredible lengths just to avenge Serena. I was fired on the spot. When the loan collectors learned I had lost my job, their tactics turned ruthless. They held up their phones, showing me messages from Tommy and my family. “Your family made it very clear, Lindsey. They won’t pay a single cent toward your debt.” To force my hand, they dragged me to the rooftop of a high-rise downtown in the middle of the day. They stripped my jacket off and launched a drone to broadcast the scene live online. “Look at this top-tier university graduate! Got herself into debt, lost her job, and can’t pay it back! Let me see if her rooftop dancing earns enough tips to clear her balance!” They gave me a one-month deadline. If I couldn’t pay, they threatened to harvest my organs piece by piece. Just as I reached absolute rock bottom, an email notification popped up on my phone. Janice was crying on the other end of the line. “Lindsey, get on a plane to London right now. Money isn’t an issue. Our executive saw the livestream online, he’s taking care of the legal team to shut those collectors down.” I left everything behind and ran straight into the pouring summer rain. That very night, I boarded a flight bound for London. At Tommy and Serena’s formal wedding reception. The groom, dressed in a tailored suit, suddenly felt a sharp, hollow ache in his chest, as if a vital piece of his life had been ripped away forever. He held Serena’s hand, whispering softly to comfort her. “Honey, Lindsey was with me for seven years. She’s out there somewhere hiding from debt collectors, I just can’t stop worrying about her.” My mother sat at the head table, staring at a plate of braised pork, my favorite dish. A sudden wave of unease washed over her, and she pulled out her phone to check the date. “Today is the final day of her one-month deadline,” she murmured. “We played along with the collectors for so long just to teach her a lesson. Let’s go pay off the balance today and bring her back home.” Tommy dialed my old number multiple times, but every attempt led straight to an automated message stating the line was disconnected. Growing increasingly anxious, he called the loan manager directly. When he heard the answer from the other side of the line, his face turned completely white.

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At the concert. The boy who bullied me for years was standing on stage, confessing his love to the girl of his dreams. “I was immature back then,” his voice echoed through the stadium speakers, thick with regret. “I only picked on you because I was desperate to get your attention.” “How are you doing these days? Wherever you are, this song is for you.” Everyone in the crowd was desperately whispering, trying to guess who the lucky girl could be. While I stood frozen in place. Because the girl described in those beautiful, longing lyrics… Was me. 1 I had just stepped out of my therapist’s office when the video popped up on my feed. It was Robert Shaw, the golden boy of the music industry, the prodigy everyone was obsessed with. He was looking straight into the camera, pouring his heart out to some unnamed high school sweetheart during his sold out arena tour. The crowd was deafening, screaming his name. On the massive screen, his face was blown up, showing every detail of that bright, effortlessly charming smile of his. He was reminiscing about a girl from his past. “After graduation, she just vanished,” Robert said, his voice laced with a bittersweet rasp that drove the fans wild. “I spent the entire night of graduation parked outside her building, waiting to tell her how I felt. But she never came down.” “This next song is for her. My first love. My only one.” The melancholic intro of the acoustic guitar swelled, and he began to sing. The lyrics painted a vivid portrait of a quiet, agonizing crush. Every line bled with the raw longing of a boy who had been too afraid to confess his love, yet so obvious about it. When the final chord faded, the stadium erupted in a frenzy of tears and screams. I stared at my phone screen, my chest tightening so hard I could barely breathe. The lyrics were beautifully written, capturing the fragile, heart wrenching fluttering of a secret romance. It detailed every stolen glance, every skipped heartbeat. But the girl Robert was singing about was me. The only problem was, Robert had never loved me. He was the monster who had spent three years tormenting me. “Lenore,” the nurse called out, pulling me back to reality. “You forgot your bag.” I forced my lips into a polite curve and took it from her. “Thank you.” She noticed the sudden paleness of my face. “Are you alright, dear? Remember what the doctor said. Try to avoid highly stressful situations. Take some walks, clear your head. And don’t forget to take your prescription.” “I will,” I whispered. When I got back to my tiny apartment, I opened up my socials. My fingers felt stiff, almost foreign to me, as I tapped the search bar. With trembling hands, I typed in Robert Shaw. Instantly, millions of results flooded my screen. Headlines screamed about his genius songwriting, calling him a once in a generation talent. Only a few rare, buried comments had anything bad to say about him. Robert Shaw. Enrolled at the prestigious Royal College of Music at eighteen. Released his debut album at nineteen. Now, at twenty two, he was selling out stadiums. I stayed up all night, scrolling through everything. I jumped from app to app, reading articles, fan theories, and forum threads. By the time the sky turned a pale, dusty gray, my eyes were swollen and burning. I found the original video of his concert confession. I tapped the comment section and typed three words. This sounds terrible. Then, I shut off my phone and pulled the covers over my head. When I finally woke up, the sun had already set, leaving my room in cold, heavy shadows. A dull ache pulsed behind my temples. It had been a fitful sleep, plagued by memories I had spent years trying to bury. I had dreamed of Westfield High. I dreamed of Robert. Back then, I was a ghost. I kept my head down, barely spoke, and blended into the dull beige walls of the classrooms. Until the second semester of junior year, when Robert transferred in. He was tall, strikingly handsome, and carried an effortless, cool guy attitude that had every girl in our year whispering and giggling the moment he walked through the door. The teacher assigned him the seat right behind mine. I was a wall of silence, but Robert was a storm of noise. He could talk to anyone about anything. On his first day, he asked to borrow my notes, praised my neat handwriting, and tried to strike up a conversation. I had never met anyone so relentlessly talkative. It made me incredibly uncomfortable. Even when I ignored him completely, he would just keep talking to himself, never seeming to tire of his own voice. But then, things shifted. Like many teenage boys seeking a reaction, Robert discovered how easy it was to get under my skin. It started with little things. He would hide my homework folders. Or, when he saw me zoning out during class, he would whisper that the teacher had called on me to go erase the blackboard. And because I was anxious, I would walk up and wipe the board clean, only to realize the teacher had just spent twenty minutes writing notes we still needed. The punishment was always the same: standing at the back of the classroom for the rest of the period. Whenever I glanced at Robert, he would just flash me a bright, mocking grin. I grew to despise him. I stopped acknowledging his existence. I went to the guidance counselor to beg for a desk reassignment, but she just brushed me off. “Robert has excellent grades, Lenore. Sitting near him might actually help bring your own scores up. Let us keep things as they are.” So, I was stuck. When Robert found out I had tried to move away from him, his smile turned sharp. “So, you don’t want to sit next to me?” he had asked. “No,” I replied coldly. After that, the petty teasing turned into a relentless, suffocating campaign. I dragged myself out of bed, went to the bathroom, and splashed cold water on my face. When I finally unlocked my phone, my screen was a barrage of notifications. Hundreds of hate comments and mocking messages. Are you kidding me? Some absolute nobody actually thinks Robert’s music is bad? Sure, sweetie. We get it, you are desperate for attention. Get lost, you pathetic loser! Keep your trash opinions to yourself. The replies under my comment were brutal, but the direct messages were even worse, filled with raw, venomous cruelty. I stared at the screen, and a cold, empty laugh escaped my throat. My therapist had warned me to avoid triggers. But seeing the boy who had ruined my life being praised as a romantic hero for loving me? There was no trigger worse than this. It felt like a switch flipped in my mind. A manic surge of energy washed over me. I went back to his page and left five more scathing reviews. Still not satisfied, I took screenshots of the vile messages his fans had sent me and posted them directly under his latest promotional post. Of course, a single hater’s voice was easily drowned out by the hundreds of thousands of adoring comments. Everyone was obsessing over who his mystery girl could be. She must be so gorgeous and talented. Imagine being loved by Robert Shaw. She must be the happiest girl in the world. I stared at those words. No. It was not a fairy tale. Being the target of Robert’s obsession was the darkest, most exhausting period of my life. If I could, I would drag him off that glittering stage. I wanted him in the dirt. If I had to drown in my own ruin, I would make sure he drowned right alongside me. The frenzy about Robert’s secret muse stayed pinned to the top of the trending charts for three solid days. It was everywhere. I could not even walk down the street without overhearing teenage girls talking about it. “I would give anything to know what she looks like,” one girl sighed to her friend as they walked home from school. “She has to be incredible. Robert is so sweet, so he would only fall for someone amazing. She must be really special to keep him hooked after all these years.” I watched them pass, my mind blank. Was he really that beloved? What gave him the right to be happy? Soon enough, someone claiming to be an old classmate joined the fray. At first, Robert’s fans attacked them, calling them a clout chaser. But then, the user uploaded our high school graduation photo. My eyes locked onto Robert immediately. He was in the center, smiling bright and handsome, still carrying a hint of boyish charm. He had not changed much, only grown more defined, more mature. Then, my eyes drifted to the third row, second from the right. There I was. My face was pale, my expression hollow and somber. I looked like a ghost haunting a celebration, completely out of place among the smiling faces of our peers. The comment section flooded with compliments. And then, someone zoomed in on me and left a comment: Wait, who is this girl? She looks so beautiful, like an indie movie actress. Within hours, that comment shot to the very top of the thread. And it got tens of thousands of likes. Because Robert’s official, verified account had liked it. The fandom went into a frenzy. They cross checked the account a thousand times to make sure it was not a glitch. It was him. People began speculating wildly. Was I the mystery muse? Some fans tagged him directly, begging for a confirmation, but he did not reply. I felt sick to my stomach just watching it. Then, my dusty old high school group chat suddenly sprang to life. Robert’s old high school buddies were tagging him frantically. Bro, what is going on? Is this about Lenore? After half an hour, Robert finally replied. Don’t start rumors. That single, vague word brought everyone out of hiding. The chat erupted with praise, calling him a legend, and someone floated the idea of a high school reunion. I shut my phone off, unable to look at it for another second. My sleep became progressively worse over the next few days. The nightmares returned, relentless and suffocating. Robert was the monster lurking in every shadow of my mind. I found myself back at the clinic. My therapist looked at my chart, her brow furrowing with deep concern. “Lenore, have you been facing any new stressors lately?” I let out a dry, bitter laugh. “Yes.” “I am trapped.” The nightmares woke me up in cold sweats, leaving me staring at the ceiling until dawn. It felt like I was caught in a labyrinth of his making. Everywhere I turned, his voice echoed, dissecting me, mocking me. I pressed my hands over my ears, but the noise would not stop. When I got home, I took photos of my new prescriptions. Then, I pulled out all my old medical files, dating back years. Every single diagnosis of severe anxiety and clinical depression. I scanned them, organized them, and saved them into a secure digital folder. Fate has a cruel sense of humor. I did not expect to run into him so soon. It was around eight in the evening. I had just finished delivering a bouquet to a client on the other side of town when my old scooter decided to die on the side of a busy road. Horns blared as cars sped past. It was just me, stranded in the cold dusk with a piece of useless metal. When it rains, it pours. I pulled off my helmet, letting the biting evening wind mess up my hair. As I reached into my pocket for my phone, a sleek, low profile black sedan pulled over beside me. The tinted window rolled down. “Lenore?” The voice was quiet, hesitant, as if speaking to a spirit that might dissolve into the mist. I turned. My heart seized in my chest. Fear. Pure, instinctual terror. That was my body’s immediate reaction to seeing his face. Robert stared at me, his eyes wide. “It really is you.” He made a move to open his door, but a hand reached out from the passenger seat to stop him. “Robert, don’t. Someone might recognize you.” “It’s fine,” he muttered. He pulled a black face mask over his nose and stepped out of the car anyway, standing tall under the flickering streetlights. I took an involuntary step back. “Let me give you a ride,” he said. Robert was tall. Six foot two, according to his online profile. But he had always towered over me. For a split second, the streetlights faded, and I was back in high school. I saw Robert holding my test paper high above his head, laughing as I jumped, unable to reach it. I had to drag a heavy wooden stool across the room just to claw it back. “Just a little higher, Lenore. You have almost got it,” he had mocked. The classroom had erupted in cruel, snickering laughter. I remembered the burning humiliation, the way my face had scorched red as I silently took my paper and crawled back to my desk. “It is rush hour,” Robert’s voice brought me back. “You won’t be able to call a ride out here.” I stared at him for a long, quiet moment. Then, I forced a sweet, delicate smile. “Thanks. That would be really helpful.” We sat in the back seat of the spacious sedan. Even with the room, his long legs meant his knee occasionally brushed against mine. Every time it happened, he flinched and pulled back, as if afraid he was burning me. My hands were shaking under my coat. To break the suffocating silence, Robert spoke up. “It is… been a long time.” I kept my eyes glued to my lap, pressing my hands together to stop the trembling. “Yeah. It has.” He turned his head to look at me. “Where did you end up going for college, Lenore?” “I didn’t go.” Thanks to him and the wreckage of my mental health, my senior year had been a haze of panic attacks and nausea. My grades plummeted, and my college plans vanished into thin air. Robert went quiet. He quickly shifted the subject. “I am a singer now. Have you… heard any of my stuff?” I let out a soft, breathy chuckle. “I saw the clips.” “Really?” His voice cracked slightly, a sudden burst of boyish excitement breaking through his carefully cultivated pop star persona. “Then, what did you… I mean, did you…” He was stammering, suddenly looking like an anxious teenager. “It is nice,” I said softly. The old Robert had treated me like a toy for his own amusement. Now, he was trembling in front of me. If his fans saw him like this, they would not believe it. He spent the rest of the drive talking about his career, his tours, his hectic life. I did not care. I did not want to hear it. But I sat there, playing the part of a polite, attentive listener. As the car pulled up near my neighborhood, Robert turned to me, his expression earnest. “Where did you go after graduation, Lenore? You just disappeared.” I offered a faint, distant smile. “My family moved.” He swallowed hard, his eyes searching mine. “Are you… seeing anyone right now?”

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