Category: English

1 After I was diagnosed with a severe bleeding disorder, I became our family’s “glass princess.” The doctors said I wouldn’t live past five. So my parents put me first in everything, even spending their life savings on my treatments. On my fifth birthday, for the first time in a long time, there was laughter in our house. Only my little sister, Poppy, asked with innocent confusion, “Willow, are you going to die tomorrow?” That was the first time Dad ever hit her. And Mom knelt beside her, praying to God, begging for just a few more years for me. But on the day of Poppy’s first day of kindergarten, all I said was that my chest hurt a little. Suddenly, my mother broke down, her hand cracking across my face. “Why are you so cruel? Do you have to ruin everything for your sister?” “Our entire world revolves around you! Can’t we have one single day to take your sister to school?” “If you want to die, then just die! Stop torturing us!” She hurled my pill bottles at me, grabbed Poppy’s hand, and slammed the door behind them. I didn’t say anything. I just stared at the cut on my arm, at the blood that wouldn’t stop, as my body grew colder and colder. … When the glass shattered, I’d instinctively raised my arm to shield my face. I stared at the gash for a couple of seconds before I remembered the doctor’s words: “Sweetheart, you can never, ever get a cut. If you do, the bleeding might not stop.” I rushed to find a Band-Aid and pressed it on. It was soaked through in less than thirty seconds. I turned to get a bandage, but blood was already dripping onto the floor. Mom loves a clean house. I couldn’t make another mess for her. I frantically used my sleeve to wipe it up, but the blood just smeared across the tiles, blooming like a terrible flower. I grabbed the nearest towel and wrapped it tightly around my arm. A chill began to set in, starting in my fingertips and seeping deep into my bones. I went into the bathroom and filled the tub with hot water. Lying back in the warmth, I finally felt a little bit of relief. The blood was still flowing, staining the water a pale red. I suddenly missed my parents so much. I used my smartwatch to call my dad. It rang and rang. No answer. I tried my mom. It was loud on her end. Music, the laughter of children. A world of celebration that felt a million miles away from mine. “What is it? Hurry up, it’s almost Poppy’s turn to perform.” “Mom, I don’t feel so good. I’m bleeding…” Her voice, sharp with impatience, cut through the phone. “You don’t feel well again?” “Is it that you’re never well unless the entire world is revolving around you?” “Willow, you’re eight years old. You’re a big girl. Can’t you be a little more considerate for once?” The next second, the line went dead, the dial tone echoing in the empty bathroom. I watched the water slowly deepen to crimson and felt a sudden urge to cry. Mom was right. I was always causing trouble for everyone. My sickness was trouble, my sadness was trouble, and now my bleeding was trouble. Mom’s knitted cardigan was draped over the side of the tub. I gently pulled it over my face, inhaling her familiar jasmine scent. It was like when I was little, and she’d sat by my bed just like this when I had a fever. The water was growing cold. The bleeding seemed to be slowing down. It must be almost all gone. As my head started to feel fuzzy, I wondered, if all my blood runs out, will I finally be okay? Mom and Dad wouldn’t have to worry about their sick daughter anymore. My sister wouldn’t have to give up everything for me. And I wouldn’t have to pretend to be strong anymore, wouldn’t have to bite down on my own hand to keep from crying out in pain in the middle of the night. I curled up in the tub, feeling as safe as I must have in my mother’s womb before I was born. 2 When I opened my eyes again, I was looking down at my own small, pale body floating in the tub. So, I was dead. I heard the front door open, followed by my sister’s cheerful voice. “Willow, I’m home!” I rushed out to see them. Mom and Dad were back, holding Poppy’s hands. Dad was carrying a strawberry cake. He stopped short when he saw the mess in the living room. “What happened here?” Mom’s brow furrowed. “She threw a tantrum this morning. She lied about being sick because she was mad I was taking Poppy to school.” Dad’s face darkened. “She’s getting more and more inconsiderate.” I tried to explain, waving my hands frantically in front of them. “No, that’s not it! Willow wasn’t trying to make you mad!” But my hands passed right through my father’s shoulder. They didn’t notice a thing. Poppy pulled her hand free from Mom’s and ran to my bedroom door. She knocked softly. “Willow, come out and have some cake.” Silence. She looked up at them. “Is Willow asleep?” I floated over and hugged her. “Thank you, Poppy.” Mom’s voice was hard. “She’s not asleep. She’s ignoring us on purpose. Leave her. We’ll eat first.” Dad set the cake on the dining table. Poppy stared at it, her voice small. “But I want to wait for Willow…” Dad opened the box, exchanging a look with Mom. “If only Willow were half as thoughtful as her sister, our lives would be so much easier.” He stuck five candles in the cake and lit them. Poppy was lifted onto a chair, and as her parents watched, she blew them out. Today was also her fifth birthday. Mom asked gently, “Did you make a wish, Poppy?” Poppy’s eyes sparkled. “I did. I wished that Willow…” Dad smiled and stroked her hair. “Shh. If you say it out loud, it won’t come true.” I watched from the side, a silent observer. On my birthdays, the house always smelled of medicine. The number of candles on the cake felt more like a countdown. But Poppy’s birthday finally looked like a real birthday. When it was time to cut the cake, Poppy insisted on the biggest piece. “This one is for Willow!” She carried the plate to my bedroom door and knocked again. “Willow, come have some strawberry cake with me!” Still no response. The smile on Poppy’s face slowly faded. She carried the plate back to the table. “Willow won’t answer me,” she said quietly. Suddenly, Dad reached out and snatched the plate from her hands. He threw the whole thing, the perfectly frosted slice of strawberry cake, into the trash can. He slammed his hand on the table. “Fine, then she can have nothing! Nobody is to call for her again. A few missed meals will teach her a lesson.” Poppy was so startled, her eyes instantly filled with tears. Mom pulled her into her arms, glaring at Dad. “Why are you yelling at her?” Then she spoke softly to Poppy. “It’s okay, sweetie. We’ll eat first. When your sister realizes she was wrong, she’ll come out on her own.” I knelt by the trash can, looking at the discarded cake. The strawberry on top was still so fresh, now nestled among used tissues. What a waste. Strawberry was my favorite. Poppy ate her own small slice, her eyes darting toward my door every few seconds. My parents ate in a heavy silence. There were supposed to be four of us at the table. Now, one chair was empty. I sat down in it and whispered to my sister, “Happy birthday.” 3 That evening, Mom gave Poppy a bath. I stood in front of the shower curtain, my heart twisting into a knot, terrified she would pull it back and see me in the tub. Through the steam, Mom lathered soap on Poppy’s back. Poppy looked up, her wet hair stuck to her forehead. “Mommy, why hasn’t Willow come out yet?” Mom’s hands paused for a moment. “She’s probably sleeping.” “But I miss her,” Poppy said in a small voice. “I haven’t seen her all day.” Mom turned off the water, wrapped Poppy in a big towel, and hugged her close. “Poppy, do you ever get mad at Mommy and Daddy?” “Mad about what?” Mom held her a little tighter. “That we’re always focused on Willow. That we give her the best of everything. That sometimes… we don’t have enough time for you.” Poppy wrapped her small, damp arms around her mother’s neck. “No, of course not. Because Willow is sick.” Her voice was serious. “My teacher said today that sick people need the most care. Me and Mommy and Daddy have to love her together.” My mother’s shoulders trembled slightly. She buried her face in Poppy’s towel and didn’t speak for a long time. “You’re such a good girl, Poppy.” Her voice was muffled. “The truth is, your sister has had a very hard life.” I pressed myself against the cold tiles as my mother continued. “She was born very weak. The doctors said she might not grow up.” Mom sniffled. “So we were always scared she was in pain, scared she was sad. We just wanted to give her everything we could.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “But sometimes… Mommy gets tired, too. Sometimes I wish she were healthier. I wish I had more time to spend with you.” Poppy listened, not quite understanding, and patted her mother’s back with her small hand. I crouched in the corner, transparent tears streaming down my face. I’m sorry, Mom. I was the one who wasn’t considerate. If I had never existed, how much better your lives would have been with just Poppy. But they couldn’t hear me. After the bath, Mom tucked Poppy into bed. Then, she walked to my bedroom door and stood there for a long time. Finally, she raised her hand and knocked softly. “Willow? Are you asleep?” I floated in front of her, wanting to reach out and touch her, but my fingertips passed through empty air. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you today, Willow. I was wrong. It was Poppy’s first day of school, and I was just so nervous. I didn’t mean to be harsh.” She paused, as if waiting for a reply that would never come. She sighed. “I left some cake for you in the living room. It’s your favorite, strawberry. Make sure you eat it.” She waited another few seconds before returning to her room and closing the door. I went to the living room. On the table was a small plate with a slice of cake. The strawberry on top was a little crooked. Late into the night, I watched my own small body in the tub. The water was cold now, my face as white as paper. My mother never opened the shower curtain. She didn’t know that I would never eat the cake she left for me. And that I would never hear her apology.

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After a car accident, my husband, Ethan, suffered temporary amnesia. He insisted I was the one driving the car that hit him, accusing me of attempted murder for his inheritance. Both our families knew the truth: the real culprit was his adopted sister, Chloe. Yet, they all silently permitted Ethan’s insane revenge. They pulled strings to have me extradited and locked up in a notorious overseas prison. While I was tortured and living in hell, he liquidated my company—the one I built from scratch—just to pay off the legal fees to clear his beloved childhood sweetheart’s name. In the end, Chloe walked free, while I died in a foreign land without a proper burial. When the embassy notified him to identify my body, he sneered: “Is she done yet? Does she think fabricating a silicone corpse will fool me?” “That murderous witch… even if her body washed up in a sewer, I wouldn’t spare it a glance!” Later, when he discovered I was truly dead, he went mad with joy. He held my bleached bones, laughing until he cried. 1 My body was repatriated to the States. My husband, Ethan Vance, was notified to identify the remains. Walking into the morgue, the stench of death hit him. He hesitated. His handsome face twisted in disgust as he cursed, “Does she think dying to ‘atone’ will make me forgive a murderer? Keep dreaming!” In the end, he had to be dragged in by Chloe, his adopted sister. My spirit floated behind them. I watched Ethan playfully bite Chloe’s neck, then lick the spot tenderly as if afraid he’d hurt her, chuckling low in his throat. My heart felt like it was being crushed. Ethan was flirting with his mistress in front of my corpse. The embassy official couldn’t stand it and cleared his throat. Ethan let go of Chloe, spat on the floor in disgust, and finally lifted the white sheet covering me. Just one look. My breath would have stopped if I were alive. There was no other way to put it—my death had been ugly. “Emily, you think you’re so smart, don’t you? Creating a rotting silicone doll to fool everyone?” “You must be hiding somewhere right now, laughing at the Vance family’s shame and at me, the victim you almost killed. You make me sick!” “You might fool everyone else, but you can’t fool me, Ethan Vance!” “I wish you were actually dead! Dead and buried so deep your soul couldn’t even crawl back to American soil!” No! I’m not lying to you! I tried to rush toward Ethan, to scream the truth. But my transparent body passed right through him. He turned and hugged Chloe, kissing her neck. “It’s better if she fakes her death. Now we can finally be together openly.” Chloe was carried in by Ethan and carried out by him. All the way to the administration desk, he touched her face and neck, kissing her repeatedly as if claiming compensation for his ‘suffering.’ At the desk, they collected the forensic report and DNA test results. A thick stack of data. If he had flipped even two pages, he would have known the body wasn’t a fake. But Ethan swept the file into a trash bag without looking. Chloe snuggled into his chest, sighing wistfully. “Three years ago, I was almost dragged to prison because of Emily. If you hadn’t worked so hard for me, my reputation would have been ruined. I owe you so much.” Ethan shook his head. “No, it wasn’t that hard. Just spent a little money… sold a few companies. Emily’s companies. It was no loss to the Vance estate.” The company I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into for three years… gone overnight? Sold by my husband to save another woman. The dead shouldn’t feel pain. But why did it hurt so much? Even breathing felt like swallowing glass. Whatever. I built that company to pay for his medical bills anyway. I guess it served its purpose… Ethan gritted his teeth. “It’s what Emily owed me. Selling her companies was letting her off easy!” Chloe looked back toward the morgue. “One last look? Once you sign the release form, Emily’s body will be cremated. Are you sure you don’t want to see her?” “Even if she made a huge mistake, she was your wife. She was good to you once.” “We’re both women. I can understand her.” Ethan spat again, his face full of loathing. “Chloe, you are too kind. How can you speak for someone who hurt us both?” “She tried to kill me to inherit my money! She staged that car accident!” “You were the one who saved me, risking jail time for reckless driving!” “Her name doesn’t even deserve to be spoken!” The heavy metal doors of the morgue began to close. The official reminded him to sign the papers. Ethan raised the pen, then suddenly stopped. His face darkened, and he turned to leave. “I don’t want any connection to that woman!” “Fake death or real death, the line for ‘Husband’…” “Will not have Ethan Vance’s name on it!” The official, confused, chased after him. “Mr. Vance, you are legally married. Mrs. Vance has passed away; it is the husband’s duty to claim the remains.” Ethan paused. He sneered. “I don’t have such an embarrassing wife! Let her rot there. Let the rats eat her. Suits me fine!” He slammed the door of his Maserati, revved the engine, and sped off. On the way, Chloe’s phone rang frantically. He answered it, then shook his head. “Don’t mention her. That woman just makes me nauseous!” “Every time I think about that dark road, how she ignored my begging and tried to run me over… I want to kill her myself!” My spirit trembled uncontrollably. Seeing the intense hatred in Ethan’s eyes, hearing him rewrite history… It was bitter. Ethan was my husband, but he was convinced I was a murderer. But I wasn’t! Shortly after our wedding, we were in Europe. Carjackers attacked us. Ethan was dragged onto the road. The gang laughed, planning to run over his hands, then his legs. When I found him, he was delirious, his hands mangled. The doctor said his hands were shattered. Even if they healed, he would never do fine motor work again. I was devastated. I wished I could trade my life for his hands! When Ethan woke up, he went berserk, screaming that I should die to atone for my sins. He had replaced the carjackers with me in his memory. I closed my eyes. As he wished, I was sent to a hellhole prison in a third-world country by him and his family. It was filled with the worst criminals. Murderers were at the bottom of the food chain. For three years, I suffered inhumane torture. The night before my release, I was finally set free. By death. I died in excruciating pain. My body didn’t even look human anymore. … Chloe chased him all the way to the villa. When Ethan got out of the car, she threw herself into his arms, kissing him deeply. “It’s okay. It’s all over…” They held each other in the pouring rain. I remembered my last moments. I had used my one phone call to dial him. “Please… please pick up! I’m dying. This is my last chance, the very last time…” If he had just picked up. Even if he cursed me. Even if he called me disgusting trash. I might have found the will to survive. But no one answered. I died in despair. I died the day before I was supposed to be free. I became a wandering ghost. Lost overseas, unable to return home… 2 My ghost followed Ethan home. I watched him live with Chloe as if they were a married couple. Feeding each other breakfast, tangling together at night. Once, Chloe brought a drunk Ethan home. I was jealous and glared at them. Ethan slapped me. “Chloe and I are just friends!” “Only people with dirty minds see dirt everywhere!” But— Do friends sleep in each other’s arms? Do friends kiss like that? Under the warm living room lights, Ethan folded the dress Chloe would wear tomorrow. Just like a devoted wife. That used to be my job. Before every event, I picked his suits, matched his ties. Ethan used to scoff at it. “Only country bumpkins like you know these servant tricks! Some ‘heiress’ you are. Just a glorified maid!” But now he was doing ‘servant work’ for Chloe. That’s the difference between loving and not loving. Chloe held his hand, kissing his fingers. Ethan closed his eyes, humming in satisfaction. “Chloe, tomorrow I’ll go with you to the Vance family estate!” “You are the true daughter of the Vance family!” “No one can hurt you. I support you taking back everything that belongs to you!” Listening to Ethan, Chloe had an expression I couldn’t read. I suddenly remembered. For twenty years, the pampered princess of the Vance family was Chloe. The day I, the biological daughter raised in the countryside, was brought back… My parents looked at my cheap clothes with disappointment. They couldn’t believe I was theirs. That day, Chloe dragged her suitcase out, looking pitiful. “Even though we aren’t blood-related, I’ve always considered myself a Vance.” “I wish Mom and Dad happiness forever!” We were switched at birth. The poor family I grew up in was actually Chloe’s biological family. That was where she belonged. But when my parents looked at me with that hesitant hope… I blurted out, “If you miss her, let her stay! Another daughter to be filial, I’m happy with that!” I meant it then. But I regretted it quickly. Chloe became a ghost haunting my life with Ethan. No matter the event, if Chloe appeared, Ethan’s eyes were glued to her. Standing next to him, I—the real heiress—looked like a joke. Ethan opened his eyes, love overflowing. “The one who grew up with me was always you!” “The one I was supposed to marry was you!” “If she hadn’t come back, we would be married with kids by now!” “She ruined my life!” “It’s not too late. No matter what, I will divorce Emily and be with you!” They gazed at each other deeply. The air grew hot. Soon, panting sounds filled the room. Watching them entangled on the sofa… I closed my eyes in self-mockery. I always knew Ethan didn’t love me. His engagement was to the “Vance daughter.” It just so happened that I was brought back then. I was the real daughter. The engagement fell to me. Ethan was proud, aristocratic. How could a country girl hope for his love? I never dared to hope. I naively thought if I was good enough, loyal enough… maybe he would like me a little. I was wrong. After the “accident,” Ethan’s parents knelt before me. “Please! Ethan is so proud. He can’t handle the truth. If he knows what really happened, he’ll kill himself! His mind is broken, he doesn’t remember who the attackers were!” “Just admit it was you. If he thinks you hurt him, he can handle it… he can survive!” Selfishness is human nature. If I confessed, my life was over. I refused. But when I returned to the Vance home, my father locked himself in his study. My mother swallowed sleeping pills in front of me. In the hospital, my mother told me the truth. The attack on the road… it was linked to Chloe. Chloe had shady dealings with the gang, provoking the attack. My mother wept. “I raised Chloe. She’s closer to me than blood! If she goes to jail, I’d rather die!” Under pressure from both families, I “confessed.” In the end, I died to “atone.” I tried to comfort myself. I died, so the truth is buried forever. Ethan will never know. He will never be in pain. But my heart still felt like it was being carved out. After the accident, Ethan developed a strange psychological condition. The doctor called it self-gaslighting. Subconsciously, he turned me into the villain. My parents allowed it. His parents allowed it. I did nothing wrong. But sacrificing me saved everyone else. In court, Ethan hired a dream team of lawyers to prosecute me for attempted murder. But the judge wasn’t an idiot. Lack of evidence led to dismissal. So, the families used their connections. They had me sent to a hellhole prison abroad. Rats, malaria, violence. My parents sent me off personally. “Just endure it,” Mom said, touching my face. “Three years max. We’ll bring you back. You’ll still be a rich heiress.” “I suffered plenty when I was young,” Dad added. “A little hardship builds character.” The prison gates closed. I saw Chloe walking away with them, boarding a private jet. She looked back. Arrogance. Contempt. Mockery. She had everyone’s love. And I was thrown into the dark to be eaten alive. It was a good ending. Everyone wanted me to be the sacrifice. 3 These days, I followed Ethan. I watched him live in our marital home with another woman. Every decoration, even the candle stand in the corner, was chosen by me. Chloe walked out of the bathroom and kicked the candle stand over. “What happened?” Ethan asked. “Oh, this is Emily’s stuff, right? Kinda tacky. Sorry, I kicked it.” Ethan glanced at the broken ceramic. “Emily was like that. Always wasting time on useless, flashy garbage to make herself feel special.” “She only ever moved herself. She never thought about what I needed.” I clutched my chest. Only moved myself? Ethan forgot his severe allergic rhinitis. Every spring, he could barely breathe. I spent months finding an old herbal remedy and had it made into a balm. Every night, I burned it in that candle stand to fumigate the room. Once, he had a high fever from allergies. I lit the candle. He thrashed around in delirium, cursing me. Afraid he’d knock it over and burn himself, I held the hot ceramic against my own arm all night. My arm blistered and scarred. A wife should care for her husband. I never bragged about it. But hearing him dismiss it… it hurt. Ethan kicked the pieces into the trash. He pulled Chloe close. “Emily is trash. Her stuff is trash.” “That bitch doesn’t even have the courage to face me! She made a fake corpse to hide!” “She knows my parents hate her. Her status depends on our marriage!” “If I dump her, she loses everything!” “But… does she think hiding will save her?” “Naive! I’ll find her even if she’s in a rat hole, and I will divorce her!” I smiled bitterly. In his eyes, I was a leech. A coward. An obstacle. Chloe’s eyes flashed. “Ethan… have your people found anything?” “Is it possible… Emily is actually dead?” “Impossible!” Ethan shouted. “If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have suffered! Death is too easy for her!” “That body in the morgue was a cheap trick. She’s hiding somewhere laughing at me!” “I wish she did die in some foreign ditch! It’s disgusting that they called me to ID her!” He kissed Chloe aggressively. “Chloe, comfort me. I feel sick just thinking about her!” “Hahaha!” Chloe laughed and ‘comforted’ him. They rolled onto the bed. I covered my chest. It felt like being sliced by a thousand knives. I couldn’t cry anymore. But why was the pain still there? 4 Ethan’s men found nothing. My body was still in the morgue. The police and judges called him repeatedly. But Ethan only believed his own delusion. My parents visited. They didn’t know I was dead. They thought I would come crawling back to Ethan after prison. After all, I loved him so much I “took the blame” for him. But Chloe served them tea, reminiscing about her childhood with them. My parents were swayed. They decided having only Chloe as a daughter wasn’t so bad. “Kids grow up, they have their own ideas,” Dad said. “Emily got wild overseas. Let her party for a few more years. She’ll come back when she’s broke.” I was stunned. I was tortured for three years. But in their mouths, I was “partying with foreigners.” Mom nodded. “We’re old. Chloe is enough. She’s filial and traditional.” They left. They never asked about me again. Ethan got more erratic. During the day, his search yielded nothing. At night, he drained Chloe dry in bed. He even posted a bounty on social media for my location. After one session, Chloe lay in his arms. “Ethan… maybe she’s not hiding on purpose. Maybe she’s in trouble?” “Maybe she owes money?” “Impossible!” Ethan pushed her away. “If she needed money, she’d come back! The Vance family has money!” “She loves me too much to hide!” “She’s just scared I’ll divorce her!” “If she doesn’t show up, I’ll destroy everything she cares about!” “Doesn’t she have foster parents in the countryside? I’ll drag them here, lock them up, starve them! See if she regrets it then!” Chloe looked at him. “Ethan, did you fall for her? Do you have feelings for Emily?” Undeniably, a spark of hope—and fear—rose in me. “No way!” Ethan denied it instantly. “I just can’t divorce her if she doesn’t show up! I need to cut ties with that trash!” Chloe cupped his face. “Ethan, you’re acting strange. If you love her, tell me. I’ll leave.” “Who the hell loves her?! Who would love a hillbilly like her?!” 5 Ethan screamed, then composed himself. He kissed Chloe’s forehead. “I’ll prove it to you.” I found out how he planned to prove it that night. My foster parents were kidnapped. They were thrown on the floor, heads covered in black bags. “S… Sir…” My foster mom was a simple woman. She trembled before Ethan. “Who’s your sir?!” Ethan threw a teacup. It smashed against her head. My foster dad threw himself over her to protect her. Ethan looked at my dad’s rough, blackened fingernails with disgust. “Your unfilial daughter Emily is hiding because she doesn’t want a divorce.” “I’m putting it out there. The sins of the child are the sins of the father! Until she shows up, you don’t leave!” My dad raised his head. “Emily is a good girl! She worked in the fields since she was little to help us! Don’t talk about her like that!” Ethan stood up. “Emily is a murderer! She tried to kill me! I spent a fortune to send her to prison to reform!” “Three years later, she should be kneeling for forgiveness! But she’s hiding like a rat!” “No! You’re lying! My daughter isn’t like that!” My dad, honest to a fault his whole life, lunged at Ethan. Ethan was startled. But the bodyguards were faster. They pinned my dad to the floor. Chloe arrived then. “Beat the trash,” Ethan ordered. “Break every bone.” Chloe looked shocked. “They’re old…” “They raised Emily. They’re garbage too! Killing them is a public service!” NO! DON’T HURT THEM!! Rage and regret exploded in me. I rushed to stop them, but passed through. I watched them break my dad’s legs. White bone pierced through skin. My mom screamed until she vomited blood and passed out. Ethan watched without emotion. He ordered his assistant to record it. My anger consumed me. How could I ever have hoped for love from this monster? Suddenly, footsteps rushed in. “Mr. Vance! Trouble!” The villa doors burst open. Police with guns swarmed in. “Ethan Vance! Neighbors reported illegal detention and assault! You’re under arrest!” My parents were rescued. My dad was sent to the ICU. My mom woke up, grabbing a policeman’s hand. “My daughter Emily! Please… please bring my daughter back!” My parents didn’t know I was in prison. The Vance family lied to them, saying I was missing. For three years, they lived in despair. The policeman looked at her with pity. “Ma’am… your daughter, Emily… she’s dead.” Ethan’s face went white. “What bullshit are you spouting?!”

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Everyone in Manhattan high society knows that Adrian Sterling, the billionaire CEO, has a “little princess” he spoils rotten. She’s his adopted daughter. Sheltered, bratty, and utterly entitled. Even at our wedding. She showed up in a white dress that looked suspiciously like a bridal gown. Standing there, she made me, the actual bride, look like a joke. I played the part of the gracious wife until my family and I dismantled Adrian’s empire piece by piece. When he was ruined, that little princess finally knelt before me, begging for forgiveness. I just laughed coldly. “Didn’t you want to be Adrian’s bride so badly?” “I hope you two enjoy your happily ever after—in prison.” 1 As I walked down the aisle in my custom Vera Wang gown, my eyes drifted up. There she was. Standing on the mezzanine balcony. A girl in a white dress that was basically a wedding gown, minus the veil. Her eyes were filled with tears as she stared down at my fiancé, Adrian Sterling. And Adrian? He was looking right back up at her. It made me, the woman walking toward him, look like a total clown. My father, walking me down the aisle, clenched his fist in anger. I squeezed his arm, silently telling him to calm down. The whispers from the guests were loud enough to hear: “Who is that girl? Wearing white to a wedding? Tacky much?” “Shh! That’s Adrian’s ward. He’s raised her since she was a baby. They’re… close.” “Everyone knows she’s obsessed with him. But Old Lady Sterling hates her guts. That’s why she forced Adrian to marry the Sinclair heiress.” Finally, under the withered glare of Adrian’s mother, Old Mrs. Sterling, Adrian reluctantly tore his eyes away. The girl on the balcony was dragged away by staff. Forced to change before being allowed near Adrian again. I smiled perfectly, the picture of a dignified socialite. I took my place beside Adrian. I let him slide the diamond ring onto my finger. I said my vows in front of the priest, all while staring him in the eye. I could see the girl in the front row, her eyes getting redder by the second. Adrian looked like he was at a funeral. I watched coldly, a smirk hiding behind my veil. Heartbroken for her, are you? Good. Let me make it worse. Just before the girl could storm off in tears, I grabbed her hand. I beamed at her with the warmth of a loving stepmother. “You must be Seraphina. From today on, I’m your new mom.” The crowd froze. Then, they erupted into laughter. I kept my smile plastered on, looking at her “lovingly.” “They say a daughter is a father’s lover from a past life. Looking at you two, I’d say that’s spot on!” The girl looked like she’d been stripped naked in public. Her darkest, most shameful secret had just been laid bare. She turned beet red and ran out of the hall, humiliated. Adrian tried to go after her. But I gripped his arm with a strength he didn’t expect. I smiled, my voice low and dangerous. “Honey, for the sake of the Sterling-Sinclair merger, I suggest you stay right here and finish the toasts.” Adrian glared at me. His eyes burned with rage. But he swallowed it. He forced a smile and walked with me to greet the guests. 2 The wedding was perfect. It signaled that the alliance between the Sterling and Sinclair empires was stronger than ever. After the wedding, Adrian was busy dealing with my family’s overseas expansion. He didn’t have time to mediate between his new wife and his little princess. So, I had to handle it myself. When my car pulled up to Adrian’s private estate in the Hamptons, I saw my luggage scattered across the lawn. Seraphina stood on the porch. Chin high. Acting like she owned the place. I grew up a Sinclair. I wasn’t exactly known for my patience. My personal bodyguard cracked his knuckles, ready to teach her a lesson. I stopped him. I walked over and picked up a diamond necklace lying in the dirt. Straightening up, I looked at Seraphina with a mocking smile. “Do you have any idea how much this costs?” She tossed her hair. “Only poor people care about price tags. I don’t want your trash!” “I have a drawer full of jewelry Adrian bought me! Want me to toss you a few scraps?” I didn’t say a word. I just nodded at my bodyguard. He stepped forward and slapped her across the face. Hard. Seraphina clutched her cheek, staring at me in shock. “Who do you think you are?!” she shrieked. My bodyguard sneered. “Watch your mouth when you speak to Mrs. Sterling.” On my signal, he pinned her arms behind her back and forced her to kneel at my feet. I lifted her chin with one hand, examining her delicate, pampered face. Then I slapped her. Twice. Smack! Smack! The sound echoed across the manicured lawn. Neighbors were starting to peek out from their hedges. I laughed. I’m a Sinclair. We hold grudges. You make me unhappy, I make your life hell. I stepped on her hand with my stiletto heel, grinding it into her manicured fingers. “Seraphina, I know Adrian raised you for eighteen years.” “But let me be clear. Know your place.” “There is only one Mrs. Sterling. If you have the skills to make him marry you, go ahead. If not, shut up and stay out of my way.” “Keep your little fantasies to yourself. Or I’ll beat you until you learn.” She opened her mouth to scream insults. I slapped her again. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She finally shut up. Suddenly, a young man vaulted over the hedge from the neighboring estate. He grabbed my raised hand. “Victoria! That’s enough! She’s just a kid!” I looked at him. Tyler Vance. The neighbor’s son. Without missing a beat, I slapped him too. He stumbled back, clutching his face in disbelief. I sneered. “Tyler, stay out of this.” “Seraphina is eighteen. She’s an adult. If you want to play house with her, fine.” “But I am the mistress of this house. Disciplining an unruly daughter is family business. It’s none of yours.” Tyler’s face turned red with anger. I silenced him with one sentence. “My family just acquired 30% of Vance Industries. We’re your biggest shareholder.” “If you don’t want to explain to your daddy why his stock tanked, get lost.” He froze. Then he turned and walked away without a word. I signaled my bodyguard. He grabbed Seraphina by the hair and dragged her into the house like a sack of trash. 3 There was no blood relation between Adrian and Seraphina. But he truly treated her like a treasure. Her bedroom was right next to his. According to the maids, she had “nightmares,” so being close made it easier for Adrian to comfort her. I laughed out loud when I heard that. The staff, knowing my reputation, shrank away. “So,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I guess I’m the third wheel in this house?” “Am I interrupting their little roleplay?” The butler understood immediately. He ordered the staff to move Seraphina’s things to the guest room on the first floor. I watched her belongings being carried downstairs, my expression cold. I didn’t care what Adrian and Seraphina did in the past. But if she thought she could disrespect me in my own house, she was wrong. With the Sinclair merger on the line, no one dared to cross me. Hearing his precious princess was being bullied, Adrian came home that night. At dinner, I wore a pale green qipao-style dress, looking every bit the elegant wife. I ladled soup into his bowl with a smile. Adrian looked at me, sneered, and swept the bowl off the table. Scalding soup splashed onto my hand. The skin turned red instantly. Seraphina, sitting opposite us, hid a smirk behind a mask of pity. Adrian laughed coldly. “Now you know how it feels?” “Did you think about Seraphina’s pain when you hit her this morning?” “Victoria, did I give you too much freedom?” Seraphina stood up, playing the peacemaker. “Uncle Adrian, it’s my fault. Please don’t fight.” I slowly stood up. The elegant wife mask dropped. I looked Adrian dead in the eye. Then I slapped him across the face with everything I had. “Adrian Sterling, right back at you.” “Did I give YOU too much freedom to speak to me like that?” The imprint of my hand bloomed on his face. My diamond ring had cut his cheek. Seraphina screamed. She rushed to him, touching his face with trembling fingers. “Uncle Adrian! Are you okay?” I watched them clinging to each other. Then I picked up a porcelain plate and smashed it on the floor. Shards flew everywhere. One piece nicked Seraphina’s eyelid. She shrieked and covered her eye. Adrian lunged at me, but my bodyguard stepped in, blocking him like a wall. I picked up a sharp shard of porcelain. And walked toward Seraphina. 4 “Victoria! Don’t you dare!” Adrian roared, struggling against my bodyguard. I ignored him. I nodded to my bodyguard. He grabbed Seraphina’s wrist with an iron grip. I took the shard and slashed it across her cheek. Twice. Her flawless face was now a ruin. Seraphina screamed and scrambled backward. I stood there, arms crossed. I picked up my wine glass and raised it to Adrian in a mock toast. Looking at his twisted, furious face, I smiled. “Adrian, if you had the guts, you shouldn’t have married me.” “You needed the Sinclairs. You brought me into this house. That means I make the rules.” “Who is Seraphina to give me attitude?” I smoothed my dress and stood up gracefully. “Consider this the price for her disrespect.” “Next time, I won’t stop at a scratch. I’ll make her blind or deaf.” I nodded politely at him and walked out with my entourage. While we were arguing, my maid had already called Old Mrs. Sterling. She reported that Seraphina had disrespected me and that Adrian was siding with her against the Sinclair heiress. The merger was in its early stages. Mrs. Sterling was terrified I would blow it up. She sent a car immediately. By the time I finished threatening Adrian, the Sterling limousine was waiting. I left without looking back. That night, Mrs. Sterling spent hours comforting me. She wanted to storm over and discipline Seraphina herself. But I played the “magnanimous wife.” I told her Seraphina was just a child and not to worry. Mrs. Sterling was moved by my “generosity.” She gave me a set of vintage emeralds on the spot.

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My husband’s adopted sister never shopped online. She would always ask me to buy things for her, but every time she transferred money, it was always exactly $20. She was the daughter of my father-in-law’s fallen comrade, and the whole family pitied her for being an orphan. So whether it was skincare that cost hundreds or a phone and handbag that cost thousands, I would cover the difference myself, only accepting the $20 she sent. Until one day, my husband, Nicholas, tested me, his tone casual but pointed. “When Tessa asks you to buy things for her, you buy them at the market price, right?” “She’s so naive. You never send her a receipt. She wouldn’t even know if you were pocketing the difference.” And Tessa just smiled helplessly, making no move to explain. My in-laws shot me suspicious glances. A chill went down my spine, but I didn’t say anything. So when she asked me to buy New Year’s gifts for the whole family—a shopping list that totaled nearly two thousand dollars—I accepted her usual payment and then bought a pile of trinkets from the dollar store. 1. At the lavish New Year’s Eve dinner, everyone stared at the pile of nail clippers, keychains, and stainless steel tumblers, completely bewildered. I smiled brightly. “These are the New Year’s gifts Tessa picked out for everyone. Please, take your pick!” Tessa’s smile was strained. “Ashley, this isn’t the time for jokes. These aren’t the gifts I wanted to give.” Her voice began to tremble, and she looked at my husband, Nicholas, and my in-laws with wounded eyes. “Tessa uses her bonus every year to buy everyone lovely gifts. She’s never bought junk like this,” my mother-in-law said, putting down her chopsticks. “Ashley, you must have made a mistake.” A relative chimed in, “Yes, Tessa has always been such a grateful girl. The gifts in previous years were nothing like this…” I knew they wanted to say “junk,” too. And they were right. In past years, Tessa’s gifts had included imported candies, gourmet snacks, expensive perfumes, and fine liquors. This year, the nicest item was a plain, graying stainless steel tumbler. It wasn’t even in the same league. “No mistake,” I said, my voice firm. “This is it.” Tessa shot up from her chair. “Ashley, why are you doing this to me? Did I do something to upset you?” There it was again. Whenever something happened, she always twisted it to be about her upsetting me, painting me as the cruel bully of the family. I was about to show them the transfer record when Nicholas, who had been scowling beside Tessa, slammed his hand on the table. “Ashley, I’ve had enough of you! Tessa clearly transferred you two thousand dollars to buy gifts. What is this garbage?” “This stuff isn’t even worth twenty bucks! I’ve let it slide when you’ve pocketed the difference from Tessa’s other purchases, but deliberately humiliating her like this in front of everyone? You’ve gone too far!” At his words, the expressions of the relatives around the table shifted. My mother-in-law pointed a finger at me. “Ashley, I thought you were a kind and generous person for helping Tessa all this time. How could you do something so despicable?” My father-in-law cleared his throat, his eyes filled with contempt. “Does the Pierce family not provide for you? Are you so desperate for money that you’d cheat a war orphan?” I ignored their accusations and looked directly at Tessa, my expression innocent. “Tessa transferred me twenty dollars to buy gifts for all of you. This is what I could get.” “Ashley, how can you lie like that? I sent you two thousand! It was my entire annual bonus!” Tessa cried, her eyes darting nervously to Nicholas. He immediately backed her up. “It was two thousand. I knew about her bonus, and I knew she asked you to buy the gifts. Stop making things up.” His declaration was so forceful that everyone believed him. “Tessa is the daughter of a hero. She would never be so deceitful. But Ashley is a businesswoman. Profit is in her blood. I just never thought she’d stoop to this…” I raised my hand, cutting off Nicholas’s uncle, and placed my phone on the table. “See for yourselves how much she sent me.” 2. Tessa froze, her first instinct to snatch the phone. But Nicholas’s younger cousin was faster. He looked at the screen and burst out laughing, then passed the phone around for everyone to see. Nicholas was the last to look. The righteous indignation on everyone’s faces vanished. “Tessa, you really did only send Ashley twenty dollars.” A muscle twitched in Tessa’s cheek. She forced a laugh. “Oh, did I? I didn’t even realize.” She slid up next to me, linking her arm through mine. “I’m so sorry, Ashley. I’m used to being frugal, so I’m not in the habit of making large transfers. I must have made a mistake. Please don’t be mad. I’ll send you the two thousand right now!” She pulled out her phone, a sly smile on her face. I was about to refuse, but Nicholas pulled her away, making her put her phone down. “Why should you pay her? Ashley, Tessa only made one mistake. You could have just covered the difference. But instead, you chose to embarrass her in front of the whole family. What are your intentions?” “How much have you skimmed off her over the years? It’s got to be more than two thousand by now, right?” he accused. Tessa murmured from the side, “It’s okay, Nick. We’re family. It doesn’t matter.” I laughed coldly, watching their little performance. What was this? Were they really going to brand me a thief who cheated a war orphan, with no proof at all? My gaze fell on Tessa. She shrank behind Nicholas, her guilt obvious. He, of course, thought she was frightened by my stare. “You know how hard Tessa’s life has been,” he snapped. “She wasn’t born with a silver spoon like you. She only started to have a decent life when she came to live with us, and even then, she’s always been so careful not to be a burden.” “We all promised to treat her like our own daughter. But you? Her monthly salary is barely anything, and you still have the nerve to cheat her? Do you have a conscience? Are you that desperate for money?” His words grew uglier. The looks from the others grew colder. Tessa pretended to intervene. “Nick, please don’t fight with Ashley because of me. I’ll be fine.” She dabbed at her eyes, darting glances at me. I had to laugh. This was exactly what she wanted. Nicholas and I fighting over her, then she would play the victim, and he would spend the night comforting her, sometimes staying away for days. This little drama had played out countless times over the years. Before, I tried not to think too much of it. I respected her father’s sacrifice. I wanted to believe in the integrity of a hero’s daughter. Every time Nicholas accused me of being unfair to her, I would wonder if I was being intolerant, and so I would bite my tongue. But now, I was done being silent. I looked at the circle of relatives who saw me as a petty, greedy merchant. “Since you’re so sure I’ve been cheating her, let’s settle the accounts.” 3. The moment I said that, Tessa’s panic was palpable. She quickly tried to smooth things over. “Settle what? It’s New Year’s Eve. Let’s not make a scene over something so small.” “Ashley,” she said, moving closer and whispering in my ear, “making a big deal out of this won’t be good for anyone. It’s just about money. My godparents will never say I’m in the wrong. And you don’t want to burn bridges with my brother, do you?” A sarcastic smile touched my lips. This was the innocent, sweet girl Nicholas and my in-laws adored. When they weren’t looking, she didn’t even bother with the act. “Tessa, you don’t have to speak up for her,” my father-in-law said, his face grim. “If Nicholas hadn’t said something, I would have never known how much you’ve been suffering by her side all these years.” “Settle the accounts? Does she dare? I’ve always said a merchant’s daughter was not fit to be a Pierce. You can’t wash away the stench of money. She’s just like her greedy father.” The contempt in his voice when he mentioned my father made my blood boil. My father was an honest businessman who had donated millions over the years. My father-in-law himself had taken no small amount from him under the guise of charity. And now we were the greedy ones? I clenched my jaw and slammed my phone on the table. “I have a clear conscience. Tessa, today, in front of all our relatives, we are going to settle this. If I have taken a single cent more than I was owed, I will pay you back tenfold!” “You…” Tessa blinked at me frantically from behind everyone’s backs. I ignored her. Sweat beaded on her forehead. She twisted the hem of her dress. Nicholas put a protective arm around her, an intimate gesture that stung my eyes. “Ashley, you don’t need to threaten Tessa. Every transfer, every payment leaves a record. If you want to settle this, fine.” His support only made Tessa more flustered. Then, my mother-in-law sighed. “It’s New Year’s Eve. This is no way to behave.” Her words seemed to give Tessa an idea. She composed herself. “Godmother is right. Ashley, there’s no need for all this. A little extra money here and there doesn’t matter. In a little while, I’ll transfer you a few thousand, as a thank you for all your help over the years. Today is about family and celebration. Let’s not ruin it.” Before I could speak, her strategic retreat had already provoked Nicholas. “Tessa, you can’t be so naive. Even if you let it go, a person like her won’t appreciate it. She’s taking advantage of your good nature. She should be the one paying you back!” He then turned to me, his voice commanding. “It’s true we shouldn’t make a scene. So let’s do this. Let’s say you’ve skimmed twenty thousand over the years. Transfer that to Tessa now, and we’ll call it even.” His proposal met with enthusiastic agreement from the relatives. “That seems fair. Ashley, just give her the twenty thousand. Tessa won’t quibble over the exact amount, and you can all still be a happy family.” “Yes, otherwise this will get out, and it will be so embarrassing. A sister-in-law cheating her husband’s younger sister… disgraceful.” 4. They had convicted and sentenced me without a trial. Before I could say a word, Nicholas was holding out Tessa’s phone, her payment QR code displayed on the screen. I stared at my husband, feeling as if I was seeing him for the first time. He was holding Tessa’s hand, shielding her behind him. Shouldn’t that have been me? “What are you waiting for? Scan the code and pay!” Nicholas’s voice rose. Seeing my silence, a triumphant smirk appeared on Tessa’s face. She raised an eyebrow at me in challenge. I took out my phone. Just as everyone thought I was about to pay, I snatched Tessa’s phone from Nicholas’s hand. “The proof is right here! You haven’t even looked at it, and you’re already accusing me. How can I accept that? Now that I have both phones, I’m going to show everyone the transfer records…” I backed away, starting to navigate the two phones. Tessa, realizing what was happening, was horrified. Before anyone could react, she lunged at me. “Don’t! Ashley, I’m trying to save you some face! Why are you being so relentless?” She grabbed at me, her eyes red with fury. She was surprisingly strong, and in the struggle, both phones went flying. I panicked, letting go of her to try and catch them, but I heard her scream as she threw herself onto the table laden with dishes. The sound of shattering porcelain filled the room. She fell to the floor, clutching her hand, which was bleeding from a small cut. Tears streamed down her face. “Ashley, I’ve always thought of you as my own sister. I don’t care about the money. But do you really hate me this much?” The two phones lay smashed on the floor. Before I could speak, a sharp slap cracked across my face. The room fell silent. My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning. “Ashley, have you lost your mind? How dare you lay a hand on Tessa?” “She was trying to protect you, and you attack her? All for a little money? You’ve disappointed me more than I can say.” Nicholas rushed to Tessa’s side, cradling her in his arms. He saw the tiny cut on her hand and was ready to call an ambulance. My in-laws just shook their heads, muttering about what a disgrace this all was. Nicholas’s eyes were bloodshot, his gaze filled with venom. “Ashley, I always thought you were a good wife, that you were kind to Tessa. I never realized it was all an act. We’ve sheltered Tessa, tried to protect her from any more pain, but you… you bully her. It’s true what they say, you can’t trust an outsider.” “You talk about settling accounts, but then you smash the phones. You hurt Tessa. Are you satisfied now?” I was now the villain of the story. They pointed and whispered, shaking their heads in disapproval. Tessa sobbed into Nicholas’s chest. I saw her let out a huge sigh of relief. She thought she had won. The phones were broken, the proof was gone, and she had turned my entire family against me. I touched my still-numb cheek. A desolate emptiness filled me. I bent down and picked up the shattered pieces of the phones. I took a deep breath, and then, to everyone’s astonishment, I sat back down. I called out towards the door. “Mr. Davies, you can come in now.” The door opened, and a man in a sharp suit walked in, placing a file on the table. Tessa just glanced at it, and her face went white.

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On my birthday, my parents gave the princess dress meant for me to my adopted sister. When I cried and threw a tantrum, begging for another, my parents got into a car crash. My brother, Liam, broke down and slapped me across the face. “You’re a curse! Your selfishness killed them!” He immediately shipped me off to a disciplinary boot camp to “fix my attitude.” Eight years later, on New Year’s Eve, I was working as a clown at an amusement park to make ends meet. And there I saw him. My brother. And with him, my parents, who were supposed to have been dead for a decade. Liam gestured magnanimously to the park manager. “Two hundred grand. I want it all spent on fireworks for my sister’s eighteenth birthday.” Scarlett snuggled into their arms, beaming. Suddenly, my mother’s brow furrowed. “I wonder how Mia is doing. Her birthday is coming up soon…” Liam scoffed. “She gets what she deserves! Crying over a single dress, trying to take it from Scarlett.” “We can just tell her the truth in ten days.” The fireworks exploded, a shower of light so bright it brought tears to my eyes. So, my parents weren’t dead after all. And the blood money I’d slaved to earn, my penance, was being turned to smoke and ash to delight Scarlett. But it was too late for me. I was already dying. There was no going back. … The boom of the fireworks still echoed in my ears. But the image seared into my mind was the adoring smile on my parents’ faces as they hugged Scarlett. “Mia! You’re on!” Someone jabbed me sharply in the arm. “Snap out of it! The young Mr. Sterling booked the whole park for his sister’s birthday. We can’t screw this up!” I was shoved onto the stage. My old leg injury gave out without warning, and the juggling balls in my hands scattered across the floor. The manager stormed over, his face purple with rage. “Mia! What the hell are you doing?” His shout drew the attention of the family below the stage. I ducked my head in panic, instinctively raising a hand to hide my face, but a powerful grip clamped down on my wrist. It was Liam. He had rushed the stage, his eyes bloodshot. “Mia?” “You got out? Why didn’t you come home?” Then he froze. “What happened to your face? Those burns…” My fingertips were numb with pain, but my gaze shot past him to the crowd. I saw my parents. The moment they heard my name, they spun around, melting into the throng of people, desperate to disappear. They couldn’t even bear to look at me. A dull blade twisted in my heart, and for a half-second, I forgot how to breathe. “Sister? Is that you?” Scarlett appeared at Liam’s side, her eyes instantly welling with tears. “After all these years… you still don’t like me, do you? Is that why you came to ruin my special birthday performance?” At her words, Liam’s expression turned to ice. He let go of my wrist, flinging my hand away as if it were something filthy. “Some things never change, do they?” “Do you really have to compete with Scarlett for everything? You even had to come and ruin her birthday?” I wanted to explain. That my leg had been broken at the boot camp. That’s why I couldn’t stand properly. But before I could form the words, Liam let out a bitter laugh. “You’re a clown, right? Then perform. Clean up the mess you made.” He turned to the manager. “She performs alone. Until my sister is satisfied.” The manager wiped sweat from his brow. “Mia, your little puppy act is always a crowd-pleaser. Get down on all fours, now!” “If you don’t perform today, you’re not getting a single penny!” A day’s wage. Fifty bucks. That was half a month’s worth of food. It was enough to buy a box of painkillers. Without hesitation, I slowly lowered myself to the stage. The crowd erupted in jeers and whistles. “Crawl, you little clown dog! Crawl!” “Let’s hear you bark!” I dragged myself forward one step. My left leg was useless, making my posture twisted and pathetic. A memory pierced through the haze of pain. A night just like this, before Scarlett came into our lives. Liam was on his hands and knees on the living room floor, grinning back at me. “Come on, Mia, giddy-up! Big brother will give you a ride!” I had giggled and climbed onto his back. “Hold on tight! The princess is ready for takeoff!” Mom and Dad watched from the sofa, their eyes full of love as they watched us play. But now, in my peripheral vision, I saw them again. They were huddled in the crowd. Mom frowned and turned her face away. Dad put a protective arm in front of her, and they both shrank back, terrified I might spot them. Seeing me humiliated didn’t break their hearts. It just embarrassed them. A sharp, drilling pain shot up my leg, and I shuddered. “Wait!” A voice cut through the noise. “You can’t humiliate a girl like this, no matter what. And I think there’s something wrong with her leg…” Liam frowned, his gaze falling to my trembling leg. But Scarlett stepped in front of him. “Oh, my sister has always been good at playing the victim, getting everyone to feel sorry for her…” Of course, he believed her. He glared at the man who had spoken up. “Humiliate her? Do you have any idea what kind of person she is?” “She’s a spoiled, selfish brat who killed her own parents! When Scarlett lost her parents and came to live with us, she tormented her relentlessly, without a shred of compassion.” His words were daggers in my heart. The truth was, I had never tormented her. It was Scarlett who would snatch the hairclips Mom gave me, only to break them. She would demand the music box Liam bought for me, then smash it to pieces. When I cried and begged her to apologize, they all said I was overreacting. I cried. I screamed. I tried to explain. But no one ever believed me. The louder I got, the more frantic my tears, the more they saw a spoiled child throwing a meaningless tantrum. Mom would just shake her head in disappointment. “Mia, why are you becoming so difficult?” Liam would snap, “Can’t you just give your sister a break? Her life is so much harder than yours! She doesn’t have parents!” Then came my eighth birthday. The princess dress they had promised me was on Scarlett. I finally broke. I sobbed and demanded they buy me a new one. And for that, for my one and only act of defiance, my punishment was ten years of believing my parents were dead. The crowd went silent for a moment, then exploded. “So that’s the story! She killed her parents and she’s still walking around?” “People like that should spend their whole lives atoning!” Every word was a white-hot poker twisting in my gut. Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice. “No, that’s not true! Mia is a good person!” “Don’t you bully Mia!” It was Noah, barreling through the crowd and shoving Liam aside. He threw his arms out, shielding me. Liam stumbled back, his eyes landing on Noah’s, which had the distinct, unfocused look of someone with a developmental disability. “Mia,” he said, his voice like frost, laced with disgust. “You’re hanging out with idiots like this now?” Noah turned to me, his big hands clumsily wiping the tears from my cheeks. “Don’t cry, Mia.” He was so gentle. My vision blurred. It was just like ten years ago. After Liam signed the papers and walked away, they threw me through an iron gate. The people inside descended on me, kicking and punching. I curled into a ball in the corner, head in my arms, crying for my brother over and over. They just laughed. “Your brother doesn’t want you anymore!” Then came a sickening crack as my left leg broke. Later, someone started a fire in the storage closet while I was locked inside. The flames licked at my skin, searing it. It was Noah who dragged me out. From that day on, he was the one who protected me, not Liam. I remember my hands shaking as I dialed Liam’s number again and again. “Liam, help me.” “They’re going to burn me alive…” His voice on the other end was cold, detached. “You’re at a boot camp. You should learn to behave. I’m out shopping with Scarlett, don’t call again.” Terrified of making him hate me even more, I never bothered him again. When I finally got out, with a crippled leg and a ruined face, the only job I could get was playing a clown. Half of the money I earned, I wired to Liam as penance for my sins. The other half I saved for Noah. Then, three months ago, I started coughing up blood. A deep, aching pain settled into my bones. It was bone cancer. Terminal. Back then, my only thought was, My atonement… it isn’t finished yet. But now, it seemed it didn’t matter anymore. … “Mia, I’m talking to you!” Liam’s voice snapped me back to reality. Scarlett covered her mouth with a delicate hand. “Sister, you’re… you’re still in contact with people from the boot camp? Isn’t that dangerous?” Liam took a deep breath and turned to the onlookers. His voice was glacial. “From this day forward, anyone who hires Mia Sterling will be making an enemy of my family.” He looked back at me. “You can stay out here and keep suffering to atone for what you did to Mom and Dad!” With that, he wrapped an arm around Scarlett’s shoulders and walked away. His back was so familiar, yet so alien. That same back used to bend down so I could climb on, carrying me home step by step when I was tired from playing. After Scarlett arrived, he never carried me again. Then I saw them. My parents, who had been hiding in the shadows, rushed forward to embrace Scarlett. Through the crowd, I watched my mother gently stroke her hair while my father handed her a beautifully wrapped gift box. The four of them, a perfect family, walked toward the brilliant fireworks display. Not one of them looked back.

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My entire family was on a luxury yacht trip. Just because my adopted sister was curious about sea monkeys, Dad took all the crew members down into the water with her. Soon after, pirates targeted our yacht. The situation was critical. I called Dad on the satellite phone over and over, but no one answered. To protect me, Mom was violated by the pirates. To buy me time to escape, my brother was chopped up and fed to the fish. But it was all in vain. In desperation, I detonated the fuel drums, intending to take the pirates down with me. Hearing the explosion, Dad rushed back and saved me just in time. But my adopted sister, due to surfacing too quickly, suffered decompression sickness and died coughing up blood. Before she died, she looked at me with reluctance. “I always knew I was an outsider, I just didn’t expect… my sister to hate me this much…” Dad silently buried her at sea. When we got home, he didn’t blame me. He even groomed me to be the heir to the company. But on the anniversary of her death, he tied me to a giant rock and sank me into the ocean. “I heard that sacrificing your own flesh and blood to the Sea Witch can give Cici a good reincarnation in her next life!” “If you hadn’t played tricks back then, she wouldn’t have died! You owe her this!” As a sacrifice, I died with my eyes wide open, full of resentment. When I opened my eyes again, the pirate ship was right in front of us. Chapter 1 Seeing that escape was impossible, this time, I didn’t call Dad on the satellite phone. Instead, I reported the yacht’s coordinates directly to the Coast Guard. But the Coast Guard would take time to arrive. I had to ensure my brother and mom’s safety before then. The utility room was hidden. With luck, maybe we could hold out until the Coast Guard arrived. Thinking of this, I grabbed my brother and mom, trying to pull them inside. But my brother looked reluctant and shook off my hand. “Harper, are you crazy? Why hide in a utility room when there’s such a nice view?” Mom was also confused. “Yeah, the weather is so nice today. Isn’t it better to sunbathe outside?” Looking at my brother’s nonchalant attitude, I wanted to smack him. But in my past life, this same carefree brother was chopped up and fed to the fish by pirates just to buy me time to escape. Thinking of that, I gritted my teeth and explained to him. “If we don’t hide, we’ll all die at the hands of pirates!” At this moment, my brother also saw the pirate ship not far away. His face changed, but then he relaxed again. “It’s just a few guys, what are you afraid of? We have a dozen crew members on board, they aren’t pushovers.” I sighed. “They all went down with Dad and Cici to find sea monkeys. Not a single one is left.” Hearing this, my brother’s face changed slightly. Before I could urge him, he pulled me and Mom quickly down into the cabin. After hiding in the utility room, I piled all the heavy objects against the door, but I was still worried. I wanted to call the Coast Guard again, but found that Mom was already calling Dad. She dialed several times, but no one answered. I advised helplessly, “Mom, stop calling. Dad is underwater with Cici looking for sea monkeys. If he gets distracted, he’ll definitely blame you.” Mom said firmly, “Harper, how can you say that about your father? He didn’t answer because it’s inconvenient underwater.” “If he knows we are trapped, he will definitely come back to save us!” In my past life, Mom also trusted Dad unconditionally like this, but ended up being brutally violated. Seeing her persevering to dial the number again, I was so angry I grabbed the phone and shouted. “If you want to die, keep calling! See if Dad picks up!” Mom was stunned, feeling wronged. But the next second, the call connected. She looked pleasantly surprised, quickly took the phone back, and whispered. “Honey, come back and save us! Pirates are on the yacht. We’re hiding in the utility room, we can’t hold out much longer!” Mom’s voice trembled with fear. She had already heard the pirates boarding. They were searching room by room for supplies, and would be here soon. But on the other end, Dad was angry. “Today is Cici’s birthday. I promised to show her sea monkeys. We haven’t been out long, and you’re calling like it’s a life-or-death situation. Is this how a mother acts?” “You’re so old, yet you only know how to be jealous of Harper. I usually spoil you two too much!” Before he finished, Mom interrupted him. “Richard, I’m really not lying to you! There really are pirates on the yacht. They are searching the ship now. If they catch us, the three of us are done for!” My brother also leaned over to explain. “Dad, Mom really isn’t lying. Come back quickly, or it will be too late!” Dad’s roar came from the receiver. “Luke, as the heir to the company, you’re fooling around with your mother and sister? I’m so disappointed in you!” “Tell Harper, if she doesn’t want to be a sacrifice to the Sea Witch again in this life, stop inciting you and your mother. Otherwise, I won’t forgive her!” My brother didn’t understand what Dad was saying, but a storm rose in my heart. Did Dad… come back too? Then why did he refuse to come back and save us? Full of questions and grievances, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I grabbed the satellite phone, wanting to ask clearly. In his eyes, are the three of us less important than his adopted daughter Cici? But before I could speak, the call was hung up. When I called back, it was a busy tone. Just then, bang, someone kicked the utility room door. “Why is this room locked? Is someone inside?” Another person giggled. “Locked or not, watch this!” Immediately after, another loud bang, and the utility room door cracked open. A leering eye immediately pressed against the crack, smiling wickedly. “What did I say? Not only people, but two women.” “I’ve been drifting at sea for months, haven’t touched a woman in ages. Gonna have some fun this time!” The other person kicked him. “I found them first. I get first dip, you wait in line!” Then came a burst of lewd laughter. Mom turned pale with fright, and I was terrified. My brother grabbed a wooden stick, shielding me and Mom behind him. “If you dare come in, I’ll kill you!” But I knew very well that my brother, just recovering from a serious illness, was no match for those two pirates. Just as my brain was spinning, trying to find a way out. Mom suddenly blocked the crack in the door with clutter, took the jade bracelet off her wrist with a resolute expression, and put it on my hand, choking back sobs. “I planned to give this to you when you get married. I’m giving it to you now.” “Harper, listen to me. We don’t know when the Coast Guard will arrive. We can’t sit and wait for death. The window in this room can open, and there’s a small lifeboat hanging outside. You escape quickly!” “And Luke too! From now on, you have to protect your sister for Mom!” Saying that, she squatted down, signaling me to stand on her shoulders to climb out the window. I hugged her. “Mom, I’m not leaving!” My brother’s eyes were red too. “I’m not leaving either. I’m a man, how can I let a woman protect me? If anyone goes, it’s you two!” Just then, the door shook, looking like it was about to break open. Mom stomped her foot in anger. “Mom can’t swim, escaping is useless!” “If I remember correctly, your uncle’s stationed island is nearby! As long as you find him, Mom can be saved. Don’t dawdle!” Saying that, she poked the window glass out with a stick, then squatted down, buried her head between my legs, stood up forcefully, and pushed me out the window. Immediately after, my brother was also thrown out by Mom. The next second, I heard the sound of the utility room door breaking open. Mixed with Mom’s heart-wrenching roar. “You bastards, dare touch me and I’ll chop off your hands!” I was terrified and wanted to go back to save Mom, but immediately, I was pulled onto the raft by my brother and pushed away. “Harper, go find Uncle for help! I’m going back to save Mom!” Looking at my brother’s resolute back, I wiped away tears and rowed hard towards the island where my uncle was stationed. Chapter 2 I don’t know how long passed. My tears dried up, my arms hurt so much I couldn’t lift them, but I kept rowing mechanically. Until a small island appeared in my field of vision. Uncle was the base commander, with dozens of soldiers under him. If they arrived in time, they could definitely save my brother and Mom. After landing, I ran desperately towards Uncle’s residence. Maybe I was too anxious, I fell a few times and twisted my ankle, but I dared not stop for a moment. Because I knew, the sooner I saw Uncle, the greater the chance of Mom and Luke surviving. Seeing Uncle on patrol, I threw myself at him, hugging him, my voice trembling. “Uncle, please save Mom and Luke. We took a yacht out to sea and met pirates! It’ll be too late if we don’t hurry!” Saying that, I tried to pull him by the arm. But Uncle kept a straight face and shook me off directly. “Harper, I don’t want to lecture you, but just because your dad took Cici diving to see sea monkeys, do you have to act out this much drama?” “To make your dad leave Cici behind and prove you’re important, you really stop at nothing, even fabricating pirates as an excuse. I’ve been stationed in these waters for so long, how could I not know if there were pirates? Nothing but lies!” I was stunned, frozen in place. “Uncle, we really met pirates, I didn’t lie to you!” “Please, save Mom and Luke!” Thinking of Mom and Luke dying tragically in my past life, I felt like I was falling into an ice cave. But Uncle’s face showed no emotion. “If your dad hadn’t called in advance saying you made up the pirate excuse to fight for fatherly love with Cici, I really would have been fooled by you!” “Cici is so well-behaved, can’t you yield to her sometimes? She’s not like you, having everything.” I was speechless for a moment. “What do I have to say for you to believe me? I really didn’t lie, it’s Richard lying to you!” Uncle sneered. “Your dad lying to me? What good does it do him?” “Unlike you, always naughty since childhood, unlike Cici…” I was completely enraged, pointing at Uncle and roaring. “Mason, who exactly is your niece?” “Even if you look down on me, my mom is your biological sister, waiting for you to save her. What did she do wrong?” After saying that, I knelt down again, banging my head on the ground. “As long as you save them, I’ll do whatever you say!” But Uncle looked at me, still unmoved. Just then, the bracelet on my wrist was revealed. Uncle grabbed my arm, questioning loudly. “Why did your mom give you her bracelet early?” I gave a miserable smile, suddenly remembering a year-end dinner when I was young. Mom said she would pass the bracelet to me when I got married. At the time, I naively asked her why she couldn’t give it to me now. Mom hugged me and laughed, saying if she ever encountered life-threatening danger, she would give it to me early. Hearing this, Uncle’s face darkened directly, telling Mom not to talk nonsense, it was bad luck. Grandma and Grandpa passed away early. Uncle was practically raised by Mom, so their relationship was exceptionally good. At this moment, seeing the bracelet, Uncle’s icy face finally softened a bit. I choked out, “Mom asked me to bring the bracelet for help. She said as long as you see it, you will definitely understand her situation!” “The school’s quota for the Antarctic expedition this year, didn’t you always want me to give it to Cici? As long as you are willing to save Mom and Luke, I agree!” After saying that, I kowtowed heavily to Uncle again. Actually, when I was little, Uncle and Dad spoiled me a lot. But ever since Cici entered the house, that favor became less and less. My princess room, toys, and clothes were all given to Cici. Later, because of my excellent grades, the school gave me the only quota for the Antarctic expedition. But that night, Dad and Uncle came to me, asking me to give the opportunity to Cici. At that time, I even suspected I wasn’t biological. Otherwise, why did they side with that adopted daughter in everything? Until later, I learned a secret. It turned out that Cici was the daughter of Dad and Uncle’s “white moonlight” (first love/unrequited love). So, they made up for their regrets with the white moonlight on Cici. Seeing me offer the Antarctic expedition quota as an exchange, Uncle was suddenly stunned. Because he knew very well how important this quota was to me. Sure enough, he hesitated slightly, asking doubtfully. “You really aren’t lying?” I sniffled, tone firm. “If I’m lying, may I be hit by a car as soon as I go out!” At this time, Uncle’s sidekick couldn’t stand it anymore. “Boss, this little girl doesn’t look like she’s lying. If she has this acting skill, she could win an Oscar.” “How about we go check it out? It’s not far anyway, treat it as a patrol.” But Uncle still hesitated. I steeled my heart, took off the bracelet, and stuffed it into Uncle’s hand. “Didn’t Cici like this bracelet before? As long as you are willing to save Mom and Luke, I’m willing to give it to Cici!” If Mom is gone, what use is this bracelet to me? Sure enough, after getting the bracelet, Uncle immediately dispelled his doubts and agreed to go check with me. Before leaving, he warned me again. “I’ll trust you this once. If I find out you’re lying, I won’t forgive you!” I nodded desperately, following him and a dozen soldiers, driving three speedboats towards the coordinates I reported. As long as I could save Luke and Mom, I was willing even if it meant death. Chapter 3 But fifteen minutes later, after the speedboats rushed to the location, they found nothing. I was burning with anxiety. Before escaping into the utility room, I set an electronic lock on the yacht. Without the password, it couldn’t be driven away. Where did the yacht go? Where did the pirates go? Immediately after, we searched the nearby waters for a while, still finding nothing. Just then, Uncle suddenly received a call. After hanging up, his face was terrifyingly gloomy. Pointing at me, he scolded. “I knew you were lying. Your dad just called and said there were no pirates at all! Everything was directed and acted by you three!” “Now, your dad has already taken your mom and brother back on the yacht! Nothing happened!” “Harper, you went to such lengths, even fabricating the danger of your relatives to act, aren’t you afraid karma will hit you one day?” “I’m so disappointed in you! Cici is more like a daughter of the family!” My head exploded with a boom. “I didn’t lie, I really didn’t lie…” But before I could explain, Uncle kicked me off the speedboat, saying coldly. “Since you love acting so much, then soak in the seawater and reflect on yourself!” With that, he was about to drive the speedboat away. Just then, I saw something floating on the sea not far away. Swimming over to look, I was struck by lightning. It was actually my brother’s severed arm! The little alligator tattoo on the wrist was done by me. I couldn’t mistake it! I swam over quickly, ignoring my fear, hugging the severed arm, confirming again and again. Finally, although I didn’t want to admit it, I was almost certain this was my brother’s arm. At this moment, I couldn’t control myself and screamed, tears mixed with seawater flowing down my face. In my freshman year, I suddenly became obsessed with tattoos and wanted to practice on my brother’s arm. Luke refused. Finally, unable to beat my persistence, he only instructed me to tattoo something cool. Seeing the cute little alligator I tattooed on his wrist, he laughed and cried. “What is this thing? It doesn’t match my tough guy image.” “Besides, where do alligators have green eyes? Isn’t this a joke?” I explained patiently. “Alligators are so cool, just like you.” “Besides, the alligator’s eyes see the river water, and the river reflects the color of trees and grass, so of course they are green.” “I guarantee, this tattoo is unique in the world, no duplicates.” Hearing me say he was cool and unique, Luke was immediately happy, saying seeing the tattoo would be like seeing him. Even if his appearance changed, the tattoo wouldn’t. Unexpectedly, it became a prophecy. Uncle was about to leave, but was attracted by my scream. Seeing the severed arm in my arms, he immediately frowned and ordered other soldiers to search nearby. Sure enough, not long after, someone found a jacket nearby. And that jacket was bought by Uncle for Mom this summer. Uncle’s brows furrowed even tighter. He hesitated, then asked. “You really didn’t lie? My sister and your brother really met pirates?” I laughed and cried. “How many times do I have to say it for you to believe?” “This arm is my brother’s! I tattooed this myself, I absolutely wouldn’t mistake it!” “I don’t expect you to save them anymore, because they might already be dead.” But what I didn’t understand was, I clearly called the Coast Guard and reported the coordinates. Even if Uncle didn’t come, they should have been able to save Mom and Luke. But now, not only were Mom and Luke missing, even the yacht and pirates were gone. If not for Luke’s arm and Mom’s jacket, I would almost think I was just dreaming. But the arm reminded me constantly, this was not a dream. Hearing this, Uncle dialed Dad’s number again. This time, he put it on speaker. As soon as the call connected, Dad’s impatient voice came through. “What now? Didn’t I tell you? There are no pirates. Your sister and nephew have returned home. What else do you want to ask?” Uncle hesitated for a while, then asked back. “Richard, you weren’t with them, how do you know they returned?” Dad choked. “I just know. Ah, stop asking, I have other things to do. Hanging up.” With that, before Uncle could speak, Dad hung up. But this time, Uncle didn’t seem to believe him. Instead, he called for more reinforcements. He even planned to use drones to search the entire sea area. But the area was too large. Night was falling; there wasn’t enough time. At this moment, I suddenly remembered my spare phone was still in the cabin. Maybe it could be tracked. Sure enough, Uncle immediately located the yacht based on my phone. Following the yacht’s location, we immediately drove the speedboats there. On the way, Uncle’s soldier thoughtfully took off his jacket for me to keep warm. Uncle’s eyes also held some guilt. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly, not knowing whether to resent him. I knew he had a sister complex. In his eyes, no one was more important than my mom. I remembered a girlfriend he had before, who was dumped by Uncle just because she gave my mom attitude. Even I was arguably less important to him than my mom. So, him not believing me and refusing to help earlier wasn’t intentional. He was misled. Right now, he was probably more annoyed than I was.

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I am an assassin. My target this time is the genius hacker known as “Keyboard.” The mission dragged on with zero leads, so I went to a bar to drown my sorrows. One thing led to another, and I accidentally slept with a repressed, buttoned-up nerd. I planned to ghost him immediately, but Ethan Clarke stuck to me like gum on a shoe. I tracked the IP address all the way to Keyboard’s hideout. The man I’d been sleeping next to every night was sitting in front of the computer, his expression calm behind his black-rimmed glasses: “So, the person you want to kill… is me?” Chapter 1 I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. Looking at the young man sleeping stiffly beside me, I felt a bolt of lightning hit my brain. He… he looked way too young! No wonder he was so clumsy last night… it was his first time. I shivered, trembling as I reached for his folded coat to check his wallet. The moment I saw the ID, I let out a long breath. Ethan Clarke. Nineteen. Thank God he’s legal. He must have Asian genes; no wonder he doesn’t crack. I have a colleague in the Organization like that—you can never tell her age. Speak of the devil, my comms device suddenly vibrated. I grabbed my scattered clothes while putting in my earpiece and walking out. Vesper’s calm voice came through the line: “Lilith, Alta Finance’s trading system was breached by Keyboard again. We tracked the intruder’s IP.” “It’s the Main Computer Science Building at Leyton Tech.” I groaned. “Can you guys be faster next time? Do you know how long I’ve been stuck here?” “This is the result of five people working non-stop,” Vesper said flatly. She continued, “The attack was routed through an internal research account… We suspect Keyboard is highly likely a professor at Leyton Tech.” “Got it. I’ll figure it out.” I sighed, unable to stop myself from complaining. “You don’t know how unlucky I was last night. These Ivy League types… you really can’t judge a book by its cover…” Chapter 2 My name is Lilith. I’m a member of the international assassin organization “X.” Unlike my colleague who uses the codename “Vesper,” I only have the name Lilith. Abandoned at birth, the Organization raised me and molded me into a qualified killer. Not long ago, I took a contract worth five million dollars. The target: A hacker named Keyboard. Keyboard is infamous on the dark web. He single-handedly breached the intranet of Trans-Pacific Bank, leaking the secret accounts of dozens of politicians. Rumor has it that incident implicated diplomats from three countries, causing the Finance Minister of a certain island nation to “resign due to illness” and vanish. This time, the high bounty was posted because the client claimed Keyboard hacked Alta Finance’s main server. The client alleged Keyboard altered accounts and walked away with tens of millions. I’ve been on the East Coast for a whole week trying to find him! I even took a side job and zeroed a drug smuggler just to pass the time. But days passed, and intel on Keyboard? Jack squat. The Organization was useless, and the client was playing dead. Last night, my mood hit rock bottom. I walked into a dive bar to drink. Who knew I’d end up in bed with some random nerd? The kid looked like a straight-A student, but once the clothes came off… let’s just say he was built. The terrifying part? He was a virgin. All equipment, no technique. Thinking about last night still gives me shivers. The last time I was this exhausted, I spent three nights fighting mercenaries in the Amazon. Thinking of Ethan’s sleeping face before I left, I felt even more annoyed. Once Keyboard is dead, I am never coming back to the East Coast! Chapter 3 Wearing a white sundress, I walked into the computer lab at Leyton Tech, trying my best to blend in as a normal college student. In my backpack, alongside a textbook, was my trusty P226. On the podium stood a spirited old man, Professor Breen. He was the Vice Dean of Computer Science and the Organization’s prime suspect. I planned to observe him closely, but the lecture sounded like alien language to me. As I listened, my head started to droop… “You there—yes, you in the white dress. Explain the applicability of Dijkstra’s algorithm in graphs with negative weights.” I jolted upright to see Breen frowning at me. Dijk… what? I couldn’t even spell that. Panic rising, I frantically tapped the thigh of the guy sitting next to me under the table. Suddenly, my hand was grabbed. I turned my head and realized the person holding my hand was… him! The kid with the terrible technique! Damn it, he’s a student at Leyton Tech? He quickly scribbled something on a notepad and slid it in front of me. I stammered as I read it: “Uh… Dijkstra is not applicable for graphs containing negative weight edges…” “Fine. Stop reading.” Breen rolled his eyes, deciding to let me off. The old man raised an eyebrow at Ethan. “Ethan, is this your girlfriend? Unexpected. I thought you were—” “Yes.” “No!” We spoke at the same time. Whispers broke out across the classroom. Breen shrugged, addressing the class. “Let me teach you a pickup line. You can tell your future partner: My love for you is like Dijkstra in graph theory—globally optimal…” Chapter 4 After class, I tried to bolt, but Ethan grabbed my wrist. I had a hundred ways to drop him, but I’d probably be arrested for assaulting a student. I forced a smile. “Sorry, classmate, I don’t know you. Can I help you?” Ethan frowned slightly. “Why did you leave without saying goodbye? Lilith.” Damn it. Alcohol really is the enemy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ethan pushed up his glasses, his tone still perfectly monotonous. “That night on Kendall Street, you suddenly hugged me—” “Enough!” I raised my voice, incredulous. “Do you expect me to take responsibility for you?” “Did studying rot your brain? Ask anyone here. It was a one-night stand. Who acts like this?” A girl with freckles next to us poked me. She whispered, “Ethan is a PhD candidate under Professor Breen and the TA for this class… do you want to fail?” I took a deep breath and clenched my fists. The dark-haired man in front of me rolled up the sleeves of his cardigan and naturally helped me pack my brand-new textbook. Ethan looked at me quietly. “Lilith, let’s talk in private.”

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The day Vivian forced the divorce papers on me, I was bound to the Deathwish System. The system’s command echoed in my head: “Slap her across the face and tell her to get lost.” I trembled. Vivian was ruthless. If I dared to stand in the way of her reunion with her long-lost love, she would tear me to pieces. But the system’s threat was chillingly clear: “If you don’t start courting death, you’re going to die. Now.” I had no choice. My hand flew out, and I slapped her. Terrified, I turned and ran from the house the moment my palm made contact. Then the system gave me my next task: smash the window of a police car parked on the street. I was starting to think the system just wanted me dead. But after I shattered the squad car’s side mirror, I finally understood. The life the system wanted me to destroy wasn’t my own. It was theirs. 1 I stared at the squad car, my mind reeling. “No way. That’s a crime!” The voice in my head was cold as ice. “Court death, or you die.” I wouldn’t have believed it. But half an hour ago, that voice had appeared out of nowhere. It told me I was the male lead in a tragedy, a story written to end with my death. Once Vivian’s first love, Adrian Levy, returned to the country, I would be thrown out. After a series of brutal, heart-wrenching events—being tormented, used as a blood bag, and having my kidney stolen—I was destined to be beaten to death by a group of thugs and left to die in an alley. A shiver went down my spine. Adrian had returned last month. And this month, Vivian had started staying out late. Her gaze would drift when she looked at me. I found a man’s cologne in her pocket, one I didn’t wear. She’d step away to take her calls. I knew our hollow marriage was finally over. Today, she handed me the divorce papers. “Adrian won’t see me,” she’d said, her voice flat. “He says we need to keep our distance now that I’m married.” “You know his health is fragile. He can’t be left alone.” “Just sign the papers, Ethan.” I glanced at the agreement. There was no mention of assets. Nothing for me. My savings had been spent years ago, helping Vivian rebuild her empire after her family went bankrupt. For the past few years, she’d been ashamed of me, forbidding me from working. If she kicked me out, I wouldn’t have enough money for dinner. I wanted to reason with her, but the system had ordered me to slap her instead. Everyone knew Vivian Levy, the self-made tycoon, was a shark who played for keeps. Slapping her was a genuine death wish. Now, the system was pushing me again. “Smash it! Now!” Terrified that its prophecy would come true, I grabbed a loose brick from the pavement and brought it down hard on the side mirror. With a loud crack, the mirror shattered and fell to the ground. The car alarm blared, and three officers rushed out from around the corner. I immediately raised my hands, ready to surrender. The lead officer gestured, and I was taken to the precinct. In the interrogation room, an officer held up my blood test results. “No alcohol, stable mental state. So why’d you smash a squad car?” “You do realize that’s a crime, right?” I repeated the lines the system fed me. “I know. I did it on purpose. I know exactly what I’m doing.” A young female officer looked at me, completely baffled. “What’s wrong with you? Get dumped?” I told her the truth. “No. Getting a divorce.” The officer cleared her throat. “Full restitution for the damages, a one-thousand-dollar fine, and ten days in a holding cell.” “You should call your family. And don’t do this again.” I dutifully handed over my bank cards, but every single one was declined. Vivian was already teaching me a lesson. The officers told me to call my family. I dialed Vivian’s number ten times. No answer. On the eleventh try, I found I’d been blocked. The female officer used the precinct’s landline. The moment she said my name, she was cut off. Vivian’s voice, which had once been so gentle, was now cold enough to freeze water. “Ethan? Call me back when he’s dead.” The officers exchanged uneasy glances. The female officer looked at my file again, at the two words printed there: Orphan. Her expression soured. “Just take him to the holding cell.” The ten days weren’t as bad as I’d expected. I was busy with daily routines and educational sessions, which left little time to think about Vivian. When I got my phone back, it was flooded with missed calls from Vivian and her assistant. I called her back. “Where are you?” she demanded, her voice sharp. “The file I left in my office drawer. Where did you hide it?!” 2 I didn’t understand. I paused, confused. Vivian’s voice grew harsher. “I’m giving you half an hour. If that file isn’t back on my desk, I’m calling the police.” “Ethan, do not test my patience.” I was completely lost. I looked at the female officer standing beside me. She had heard everything and gestured for my phone. Taking it, she spoke in a serious tone. “Ms. Levy, your husband was just released from police custody. He still has a fine to pay.” “If you want to file a report, you can come directly to the precinct.” To my surprise, Vivian let out a cold laugh. “Ethan, I’m not in the mood for your games.” The next second, she hung up. I had no idea what was going on, but the police told me to wait at the station while they called Vivian to come and pay the fine. Half an hour later, Vivian stormed in. Her face was dark, and she was grilling one of the officers. “Are you telling me he was really in a holding cell for the past ten days? He didn’t go anywhere?” The officer snapped back, “Believe what you want. Just pay the fine.” On the way to her office, I pieced together the story from Vivian’s conversation with her assistant. Yesterday, a crucial bid proposal had vanished from her desk drawer. It was for the company’s most important project of the year, a highly confidential document, and Vivian had the only final copy. The bid was due tomorrow. I was confused. “Something that important didn’t have a backup?” The assistant answered in a small voice, “Mr. Levy accidentally spilled water on Ms. Levy’s laptop. The hard drive was completely fried.” Vivian’s voice was a low warning. “Adrian already feels terrible about it. He’s sensitive. You are not to mention this in front of him.” The entire office was in a state of emergency, everyone scrambling. The only person who wasn’t was Adrian, who was sitting in Vivian’s chair, lazily browsing the web. When he saw me, a smile spread across his face and he strode over. “Vivian, you found Ethan! Does that mean you found the file, too?” He took Vivian’s hand, his fingers playfully intertwining with hers. “I told you Ethan was just angry and took the file to get back at you. You don’t need to worry about the bid.” Vivian’s expression was strange. She said nothing. Adrian’s smile faltered. His eyes shifted to me. “Ethan, you didn’t… lose the file, did you?” When I didn’t answer, he frowned slightly. “Ethan, I heard Vivian asked for a divorce. I know what she did was wrong, and you must be upset.” “But you shouldn’t have taken a company document. That’s everyone’s hard work.” He changed his tone. “Just give the file back. I’ve already talked to Vivian. She won’t press charges.” Vivian forced out a few words. “He didn’t take it.” Adrian froze. “What? How is that possible…” Just then, the system’s voice boomed in my head. “Slap him. Hard. Now!” How could I dare to touch the man Vivian cherished? But looking at the scene before me, I understood. The system had made me smash the police car to give me an airtight alibi. It wasn’t trying to hurt me. With that realization, I swung with all my might. My palm connected with Adrian’s face with a sickening crack. “You fake!” I spat, reciting the lines the system had prepared. “Who the hell are you to stick your nose in my family’s business? If you’re so concerned, why don’t you try keeping your eyes off another man’s wife for a change!” “You knew I couldn’t have the file, so you fanned the flames on purpose. I bet you’re the one who took it!” The air went still. Adrian clutched his cheek, his face a mask of disbelief. “You…” I slapped him again, a backhand this time. “‘You’ what?! Don’t talk to me. I don’t speak to home-wrecking scum. It’s disgusting!” “Ethan, are you insane?!” Vivian finally reacted, grabbing my wrist. Following the system’s command, I snatched the water glass from her desk and threw its contents in her face. The scalding water drenched her. Vivian froze. 3 She stared at me, her eyes filled with a look of utter unfamiliarity, as if I were a complete stranger. “What have you become? If I had known you were this unreasonable, back then…” I cut her off. “If I had known you were no better than a public toilet, I never would have saved you!” Years ago, Vivian’s family went bankrupt. Her father jumped from a skyscraper, and her mother followed him in death. Creditors broke her leg and threw her into the sea. I was a fisherman back then. I found her and brought her home. I thought that with just the two of us, we could at least find warmth in each other. But Adrian’s return had turned our eight-year marriage into a joke. The system’s prophecies and interventions had thrown my life into chaos. Looking at the drenched, stunned Vivian, for the first time, I regretted that day. Suddenly, Adrian cried out. He stumbled, catching himself on the desk. “Vivian, I feel dizzy.” Without even wiping the water from her face, Vivian turned and rushed to his side, helping him to the sofa. She didn’t spare me a single glance. I turned to leave, but she stopped me. “Adrian fainted because of you. Don’t you move!” She buzzed for her private doctor. After hearing Vivian’s instructions, the doctor wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. “Ms. Levy, while you and Mr. Levy are both Type A, anemia doesn’t necessarily require a blood transfusion.” “And even if it did, we could…” “That’s too much trouble,” Vivian’s voice was glacial. “Ethan dared to lay a hand on him, so he can take responsibility.” “Just draw his blood.” The system urged me on. “Don’t just stand there. Time to make a scene!” I dug my nails into my palm, then threw open the office door. “Urgently seeking Type A blood!” I shouted into the bustling office. “Ten thousand dollars for a pint!” I turned back to face Vivian’s shocked expression. “What, you’re not willing to part with a little cash for him?” From down the hall, employees started to gather. “Ms. Levy, sir, I’m Type A! I even have my donor card. Is it really ten thousand dollars for a pint?” I smiled. “Our CEO is in a hurry to save Mr. Levy. The more, the merrier.” With that, I pushed through the crowd and went straight home. Under the system’s guidance, I spent the rest of the day drafting a new divorce agreement. It was two in the morning when Vivian finally came home, smelling of a cologne I’d always hated. She had already forgotten. She picked up the agreement I’d drafted and let out a series of cold, mocking laughs. “Ethan, asking me to leave with nothing? Have you lost your mind?” She tossed a document at me—a voluntary organ donation form. “No more games. Either you sign this, or I’ll have someone sign it for you.” I opened it. Just as I expected. She wanted my kidney. Vivian scribbled on the divorce agreement. “Adrian is having health problems. Help him. Think of it as helping me.” “As a thank you, I’ll give you a million dollars.” She stared at me coldly. “Don’t be greedy. Don’t make me think you had ulterior motives when you saved me all those years ago.” Perhaps she was too confident. After that, she went into the master bedroom to sleep. A cold wind blew in from the window, and a chill ran down my spine. Following the system’s command, I opened the laptop in the study. Vivian’s social media password was easy to guess: the date Adrian left the country. She had once tattooed that string of numbers on her ankle. I took a picture of the organ donation agreement and posted it online. The caption read: High price for a matching kidney, $1 million. Serious inquiries only. Below it, I posted Vivian’s phone number.

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I cut my wrist to feed Dominic Keller my blood, keeping him alive while we were trapped in the blizzard. My own sacrifice cost me the feeling in my legs, frostbite stealing my mobility and leaving me a vegetable for five years. The exact moment my consciousness flickered back to life, the first sound I heard was his voice—a clear, even cadence—speaking to a doctor. “Mr. Keller, your wife is stable and shows promising signs of awakening. Are you absolutely certain about proceeding with euthanasia?” Dominic’s voice was too calm, too rational. “Money is no object, but I’ve invested five years of my life into this. I’m tapped out. She’s not living like this. It’s better to just let her go.” A searing, dizzying acidity flooded my heart. Five years had changed everything. The man who had once wept, begging me not to die, had finally been taken by the relentless, erosive march of time. … The sound of footsteps stopped beside the bed, and I lifted my head to see Dominic for the first time in five years. He wasn’t as frantic or elated as I had imagined. His gaze held a strange, complicated opacity. He opened his mouth, but the only thing that came out was a quiet, almost perfunctory question. “Is there anything you need? Anywhere you feel pain? I’ll call the doctor.” My throat was desert dry, but no sound would come out. I could only offer a slow, almost imperceptible shake of my head. The atmosphere in the sterile room was suffocatingly quiet. It shattered when the door flew open and a bright, quick voice chirped, “Dom, you promised we’d head out to get my birthday sapphire!” The young woman who burst in froze immediately, our eyes locking. Her smile—so wide, so radiant—collapsed entirely. Hesitantly, she looked toward Dominic. Dominic shifted, an awkward flush creeping up his neck. He avoided her gaze and offered a quick, strained explanation to me. “Jen, this is my assistant, Skylar Reed.” Skylar obviously resented the clinical title, but she merely blinked, her eyes clouding with tears, and said nothing. I lowered my gaze, a dull ache throbbing in my chest. The girl, Skylar, was the ghost of my twenty-five-year-old self. Young, vibrant, with that distinctive smile that crinkled her nose and exposed the youthful prominence of her canine teeth. It was the look Dominic had always claimed to love the most. He seemed desperate to escape the tense bubble we were in. He took Skylar’s elbow and ushered her out. Moments later, the medical team swept in for my full physical assessment. The diagnosis was a formal confirmation of what I already knew: I was awake, but the damage to my legs was permanent. I would likely never stand unaided again. It wasn’t a shock. I hadn’t expected to live through the blizzard in the first place. For the next few days, Dominic came with clockwork regularity. He was skilled and meticulous: he massaged my withered legs, he peeled fruit for me with practiced ease. But he was quiet. When I tried to engage him, he would only listen patiently, offering no real response, no argument, just silence. He operated on a strict schedule, leaving precisely the moment the sun began to dip below the horizon. Every time I reached out to stop him, he would offer the same dismissive excuse. “I have work to handle, Jen. I’ll see you tomorrow.” The hospital door closed yet again. I stared blankly at the fading afternoon light, and the muffled chatter of the nurses in the hall drifted in, every cruel word audible. “Did you hear? The vegetable who’s been comatose for five years finally woke up.” “Can you believe it? And her husband was about to pull the plug, right?” My fingers, resting on the blanket, curled into a fist. I hadn’t had the chance to understand the last five years of Dominic’s life. He had stonewalled every question. “You don’t know the half of it. Her husband is loaded. He’s poured tens of millions into experimental treatments and imported meds just to keep her going.” The envy in the voice was palpable, before the tone soured. “But he has a new girl now. That’s why he wanted to sign the DNR.” The moment they mentioned the “new girl,” Skylar’s bright, hurt face flashed in my mind. The knowledge wasn’t new, but the blunt cruelty of it was. How could twenty years—a lifetime—with Dominic be dismissed so easily? It was the day I was discharged. As Dominic helped me into the car, I looked up at his chiseled profile and asked a question I knew was pointless. “Could you let your assistant go?” His hand, which was bracing my elbow, paused. He didn’t answer, instead deflecting as he always did. “The weather’s beautiful today. I thought we could stop by the waterfront for a bit of sun before heading home?” I tightened my grip on his wrist, holding him in place. “Dominic. What are you afraid of? You told me she was just your assistant.” The smile he’d been forcing evaporated completely. He pulled his wrist back sharply, creating a distance between us that was wider than the car seat. He took a deep, ragged breath. “Jenny, I didn’t beg you to save me five years ago.” The words were a gunshot. “I’ve done my duty, Jen. More than. I’ve wasted money, I’ve wasted my youth. If I had known… if I had known it would turn out like this, we should have just died together on that mountain!” My breath hitched. He saw the blank devastation in my eyes and suddenly deflated. “No, Skylar is not my assistant. We’ve been together for three years.” Dominic’s voice was hard and hollow. “It’s her birthday today. I need to be with her.” He threw the last words out and all but fled, a clear, wide distance between us, his escape executed with the panic of a trapped animal. I sat in the back of the car, silent and numb, watching the city blur outside the window. His words were a relentless loop in my mind. The driver dropped me off at the house. I pushed myself on the wheelchair toward the entrance. Five years had blurred my memory, but the emptiness of the house was immediate. It was not warm. It looked abandoned. Dust covered the furniture like a thin shroud. In the yard, the swing set Dominic had built for me was just two rotten posts holding up a splintered plank. It was all gone. The framed wedding photos had been taken down from the wall. I wheeled through the cavernous, empty living room. My bedroom only contained a bed draped in a protective plastic sheet. Seeing the evidence of his total abandonment, I closed my eyes and sighed. The haze behind my eyelids gathered into tears. We had been together for two decades. We met young, married young, and had spent years grinding it out in a cramped Lower East Side walk-up, working tirelessly until we finally made it in Manhattan. We used our first real money to buy this house—this impossible, beautiful place right on Long Island Sound, where Dominic said he could open the window and see the ocean every morning. I thought we had everything. For our honeymoon, I asked to see the sunrise from the peak of a remote mountain. He took me to the Wyoming backcountry. The weather turned on us, and we were caught in an unprecedented blizzard as we descended, scrambling into a shallow, desperate cave. He stripped the coat off his own back and wrapped me in it, trying to transfer what little warmth he had. We were trapped for seven days, without food or water. The relentless snow felt like a suffocating weight. “Jen, I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect you.” Dominic had clung to the guilt. But I never blamed him. To keep him from slipping away, I used my knife to slit my palm, guiding the thick, vital blood to his lips. My legs were already dead, numb. Every time I felt myself drifting, Dominic would pinch my wrist, shouting. “Jenny, you have to hold on! We promised forever. If you die, I won’t live either.” When the search and rescue team finally reached us, I was gone. As I lost consciousness, Dominic was sobbing like a child. He was pleading with me not to leave him. “Whatever it takes, I’ll make sure you live. Even if it costs me my life.” “Don’t go too far ahead. Wait for me.” “When you wake up, I’ll still be your husband.” I wiped a slow tear from the corner of my eye, opening and closing my hand. When I had grabbed his wrist to stop him from leaving the hospital, I had felt the subtle, instantaneous tension of his withdrawal. I knew about his cleanliness obsession, but he had never once flinched from touching me before. Dominic had forgotten his promises. But he was right. He had done his duty for five years. I pulled out my phone and checked my accounts. The money I had set aside from before the coma was untouched. It would be enough to leave. I would give them their future. Dominic returned only after dark. He was carrying several large shopping bags filled with groceries and household essentials. When he saw me still in the desolate living room, he set the bags on the counter and knelt awkwardly in front of my wheelchair. His voice was softer, less strained. “Jen, don’t take what I said earlier to heart. I was just…” “I was just exhausted. For five years, I watched you lie there, motionless, and I felt so powerless. I often wondered why I was allowed to live.” He was explaining, carefully, cautiously. “After the accident, I couldn’t bear to be here. I haven’t lived here since. But don’t worry, I’ve hired a team of private aides. They’ll take care of everything now.” If I had heard this even a week ago, I might have been moved. But I knew the truth now: he had found someone better, someone easier. He stood up and glanced at the flight information glowing on my phone screen. He offered a light, almost forced smile. “Once your legs get a little stronger, we can travel. Anywhere you want. I’ll go with you.” I pursed my lips and simply nodded. Dominic glanced at his watch. “I have to go now.” “Skylar has a temper. If she thinks I’m here… hands-on… she’ll get upset.” His tone was hesitant, laced with a testing uncertainty, as if he expected me to throw a scene. I let out a silent sigh. “I know. I’ll take care of myself.” A flash of genuine surprise crossed his face. I shifted my gaze, unable to bear the sight of his shock at my sudden compliance. Before he could say anything else, his phone rang sharply. Skylar’s complaining voice was audible even before he answered. He spoke to her patiently, his tone gentle, utterly lacking the frustration he showed me. I sat in the wheelchair, watching my husband console his mistress. In this house, the house we built, I felt like the intruder, the inconvenience. I looked at Dominic, almost avariciously, searching for a glimmer of the man who had loved me. There was none. As he visibly prepared to bolt, I asked the question again, my voice flat. “When will we file for divorce? When will you give your little girlfriend her official title?” His forced smile snapped. He frowned. “Don’t start with this, Jen. I have to go. I’ll call you.” The door slammed shut again, the sound echoing through the empty house. As promised, Dominic had arranged my life perfectly. The private aides were fastidious, helping me transition from bed to chair, assisting with bathing to prevent falls. He was the only thing missing. When I eventually asked for his new contact information, he was immediately defensive, irritable. “Jenny, I have a career. I can’t be glued to you twenty-four-seven.” “You have the aides. Ask them.” “I’m not giving you my new cell number. You’ll probably spend the whole month’s retainer just on talking to me.” After hearing variations of this a hundred times, I learned my lesson. For a full month, I never once contacted him. I thought this was how my life would be—a quiet, supported end. Then, Dominic suddenly remembered me. He brought Skylar to the house. Skylar was dressed impeccably, a new, glittering ring on her finger that perfectly matched the one on Dominic’s. They were standing before me, fingers interlaced. Skylar smiled brightly as she greeted me. “Jen, my friend is a rehabilitation specialist. He’s seen loads of cases like yours. With intense physical therapy, there’s a real chance you could walk again.” Dominic looked at me, his mouth curved in an approving smile. “Skylar’s friend is notoriously hard to book, Jen. You should really thank her.” Watching their nauseating, performative intimacy, a bitter taste filled my mouth. Doctors had given up; this “friend” was clearly an invention. Before I could decline, Skylar stepped forward and pressed down on my immobile legs. She leaned close, dropping her voice to a vicious, barely audible whisper. “Jenny Walsh, you’re dead weight. Do you really not know how to leave gracefully?” “Dom was listening to me. He was going to put you to sleep. Why not just go back to sleep and die in peace? It’s less suffering.” Her fingertips dug hard into my damaged thigh. The shock of the sharp, targeted pain was so jarring that I reflexively pushed her away. To Dominic, however, it looked like I had intentionally attacked her. His face darkened instantly. He caught Skylar, helped her up, and, without asking what happened, began to lecture me. “Jenny, a little gratitude is required! I know you’re frustrated, but Skylar is only trying to help.” He took a sharp breath, his tone turning to pure, withering sarcasm. “They say disability changes people, makes them bitter. I never believed it, but you’re proving them right. You genuinely disappoint me.” After his explosive outburst, Dominic fired the aides. He glanced back at me before he left. “Since you think you’re so capable, you can manage for yourself now.” “Don’t come crawling to Skylar for help.” Without assistance, I couldn’t do anything. Getting into the wheelchair meant struggling and pulling myself up. Showering was terrifying, always a hair’s breadth from a fall. Three days later, I slipped in the bathroom, fell, and broke my arm. Dominic only rushed to the hospital when the surgeon required a spouse to sign the consent form. He saw my ashen face. Something in the sight of my injury must have triggered a wave of guilt, and he started to apologize, his words tripping over themselves. “I was just so angry last time. I’m sorry, honey. So sorry.” “It’s fine.” I cut him off, stopping his weak justifications dead in his throat. Dominic looked confused, perhaps expecting the usual fight, the hysterical scene, the demand for explanations. He assumed my silence meant I would eventually fight, that I would always demand the terms of our marriage. “You’ve thought it through?” he asked, wary. I nodded, the words coming out calmly, naturally. “You’ve done enough for me over the years. You’re right. I can’t hold your freedom hostage just because I saved your life.” I had finally seen the full picture. Twenty years of love had been obliterated by five years of my absence. But Dominic didn’t look relieved. His face cycled through shock and fear. He mumbled, “Jenny, please. Don’t do this.” For the next few days in the hospital, Dominic stayed, a constant shadow. He took over the role of a personal aide, meticulous and attentive. He even tried to chat, weaving stories about a future we could have. “When you’re stronger, we’ll go to Finland to see the Northern Lights.” “And Iceland. The hot springs are incredible.” I looked calmly at his profile. I had already seen those places. I had seen them on his social media feeds—with Skylar. The landscape photos, the shared meals, the staged selfies in front of their new house by the other coastline. Suddenly, I was just tired of the charade. As he sunk deeper into his fabricated future, I cut him short. “Christmas is almost here. Can you meet me at Rockefeller Plaza that day? I have something to tell you.” Dominic agreed immediately. On Christmas Day, I arrived at Rockefeller Plaza at the agreed-upon time. After twenty years together, it was time for a clean, definitive farewell. The plaza was packed, but I saw him instantly. And I saw Skylar standing right beside him. “You promised you would divorce her. We’ve been waiting for three years.” Skylar was having a full meltdown, clinging to his arm. “Jenny is dead weight now. How much longer are you going to let her cling to you?” She grabbed his hand. “Divorce her, Dom. And make her our witness. I’ve already set the wedding date: January fifteenth.” January fifteenth. The exact date, five years ago, that we were trapped in the blizzard. Dominic didn’t agree, but he didn’t push her away, either. He hesitated. That was all I needed. The stone in my heart finally dropped with a quiet, relieving thud. I looked down at my phone—the boarding pass was already open. I pushed the wheelchair forward, away from them, and did not look back.

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After I broke up with him, he cried to his best friend every day. “I dreamed about her again last night.” His best friend was annoyed: “Only dead people visit in dreams.” Jayden sobbed: “Then she must have died for our love.” The response was cold: “Only vengeful ghosts haunt people.” Jayden: “But we made eye contact in the dream.” The friend was exasperated: “Pigs look up before they’re slaughtered.” Later, his best friend met me and froze on the spot. After a while, his ears turned red, and he gritted his teeth. “Didn’t you say she was ugly and bad, a cheater who likes pretty boys?” Jayden giggled: “I was afraid you’d steal her.” His best friend sneered: “Jayden, I’ve had a crush on her for six years.” “You despised her for liking pretty boys, so beat it.” “I’m somewhat attractive; I’ll court her first!” 01 I broke up with Jayden. This trust fund baby truly didn’t know the hardships of life. I borrowed some money from him for my sister’s medical bills, and he just gave me bullshit, saying: “Women should be independent. You can definitely earn enough money yourself!” “Besides, going Dutch is popular in dating now. It’s good enough that I don’t make you split the bills when we eat out.” “I have $50,000, but I don’t want to give it to you. I don’t want our pure love tainted by the smell of money.” “Furthermore, I believe you’re definitely not a gold digger, baby.” Believe my ass. I am a gold digger. A gambling dad, a sick mom, a disabled sister, and miserable me. If I didn’t find a way to get some money, I really couldn’t survive. But speaking of which, I wasn’t really digging for gold. I’d been this rich kid’s on-call nanny for almost six months. At first, he agreed to $2,000 a month. The result was he paid the first month, and then just gave me bullshit about how talking about money hurts feelings. Psycho. Jayden cried pathetically, reaching out to pull me: “Baby, don’t go, I don’t want to break up with you.” I held out my hand for money: “Then lend me $50,000.” Jayden: “That won’t work.” I rolled my eyes, shook him off, and left directly. Wasting my time. With this time, I could have polished shoes for Young Master Luke, brought breakfast for Miss Song, and earned a cool thousand. My sister was still lying in the hospital bed waiting for my money to get a prosthetic limb. 02 I brought brunch for my roommate, the rich girl Sarah Song, and hesitated to ask for a loan. After listening to the reason, Sarah gave it readily. “No rush to pay it back, treating your sister is important.” “We are classmates, I’ll take the IOU, no need for interest, I don’t lack this bit.” I was extremely grateful and took the money to the hospital. Just after paying the fees, I was called by a familiar male voice. Jayden was heartbroken: “Where did your money come from?” “We just broke up, and you are with another man for money?” His brain circuit was abnormal, sensitive and fragile. I didn’t bother to argue with him and said bluntly: “We have already broken up, leave me alone.” He raised his hand to wipe his tears and turned away stubbornly: “You will definitely regret it.” “Only I truly love you, those who give you money are fake.” I looked at the $50,000 displayed on the mobile banking app and couldn’t help but sneer. The stinking rich kid was declaring his love manifesto here again. Fake or not, wouldn’t I know? The saying “where the money is, the love is,” I understood from a young age. When I was little, I remember clearly how my dad got drunk and held all the family’s savings with both hands to give to his mistress. Jayden didn’t even want to lend me money, let alone spend it on me. Now, he even ran to the hospital to step on me. How much does he really like me? 03 Sarah teased me: “Heard you broke up with Jayden?” “You don’t know, he cries to his buddy every day now.” “Yesterday he got dead drunk outside, and the chat records on his phone were photographed and posted.” “I’ll forward them to you, it’s hilarious.” Her family and the Jay family didn’t get along. The more miserable Jayden was, the happier she felt. My phone screen broke yesterday, only half of it was lit. Sarah glanced at it and frowned: “It’s broken like this, and you’re still using it?” Then, she remembered my family situation and sighed. Got out of bed and rummaged through her suitcase. “Here, my old phone that I used before, take it.” I was flattered: “How can I accept this?” She changed phones quickly. Although it was old, it was 90% new. The brand was good, an iPhone worth eight or nine thousand. Sarah didn’t care: “Just consider it my good deed for the day.” “Okay, okay, don’t be touched, quickly look at the chat records and laugh with me.” “By the way, his buddy seems to be from the same high school as you.” “His name is William Wen, do you remember him?” 04 I seem to remember a little bit, but not much. I only knew that he was another existence like a trust fund baby in the capital circle. Sarah said: “William Wen’s grandmother was in poor health, so he went to your small county town to study in order to spend more time with the old lady.” “He’s handsome and has good grades, and is currently studying abroad.” There seemed to be such a person deep in my memory. But it was too far away. People like him, proud sons of heaven, never had any contact with small figures like me. I lowered my head and looked at the chat records. The afternoon before yesterday at 3:00 PM Jayden: “Bro, I still can’t forget her.” “Even though she is so bad to me, greedy for money and lustful, I still can’t forget her, it’s so painful.” William: “Oh.” Last night at ten o’clock Jayden: “Bro…” William: “Get lost.” Jayden: “Boohoo, I got drunk and dreamed of her again.” “Do you think she might also be unable to forget me and is visiting me in dreams?” William: “Only dead people visit in dreams.” Jayden: “Then she must have died for our love.” William: “Can you not be so confident?” “Even if she died for love, could she find you? Is she a vengeful ghost haunting you?” Jayden: “But we made eye contact in the dream, she just looked reluctant to part with me.” William: “…” “Pigs look up before they’re slaughtered. She probably hates you to the bone when she looks at you.” Jayden: “It’s okay if she hates me, it’s better than forgetting each other in the world.” “Bro, what time does your plane land? Can you come drink with me?” William: “Not going.” Jayden: “Please.” “I’ll call you Dad for a month.” William: “Disgusting.” Jayden: “?” 05 Sarah urged me to scroll down. “There’s more, there’s more.” I scrolled to the bottom, the last picture was full of the word “please”. Four o’clock in the morning. Jayden: “I still want to get back together with her.” William: “She was a pig in her past life, I wasted a whole night persuading you.” Jayden: “Bro, help me think of a way to pursue her.” “Really begging you, this time I won’t put on airs, even if she asks me to be a simp, a backup, I’ll accept it.” “I really can’t leave her.” William: “Get lost.” Jayden: “Bro, come beg her with me.” “We’ll kneel downstairs at her dorm for three days and three nights, she will definitely be moved, and will definitely be willing to get back together with me.” “I want her to see my determination.” William: “?” “Are you typing in English? How come I can’t understand?” Jayden: “Please bro, help me beg her together boohoo.” William: “Wait, I’m contacting a mental hospital for you right now.” 06 I hissed, feeling a bit tricky. It was just a normal breakup. Now that Jayden has made such a fuss, everyone in his circle knows about it. How can I make money in the future? This guy really has no morals. A qualified ex should be like dead. What is the point of making it known to everyone? The phone ding-donged, a new message popped up. Jayden requested to add you as a friend. In the verification message, it was his request. “Baby, can you meet me tonight?” “I’ll wait for you downstairs at your dorm.” “I also brought my bro…” A new friend request was sent again, the verification message filled in was: “Ah… the message above is ambiguous, I didn’t mean to threaten you.” “I brought my bro because I wanted him to help me translate.” “I have low EQ, and I always make you angry when I speak, “My bro has high EQ, you will definitely like to hear what he translates for me.” 07 I didn’t want to go to the appointment. I was also afraid that Jayden would really kneel downstairs at the dorm. After much hesitation, I still dawdled downstairs. The cold wind whistled, and some light snow floated. From a distance, I saw two people standing under the street lamp. One’s knees were bent downwards, as if about to kneel. While kneeling, he was also pulling the other one: “Please bro, just kneel with me.” “If she comes out and sees the two of us kneeling together, she will definitely soften her heart, and once she softens her heart, she will definitely be willing to get back together with me.” The other person’s face was dark, and he lifted his foot to kick him away: “I think there is something wrong with your brain.” “Never seen anyone as cheap as you, rushing to be a simp.” I stopped. What if it’s awkward to go out now? As if sensing my gaze, the person standing lifted his eyes and looked towards me. His lips were slightly pursed, his brows and eyes were cold, and the glance he looked over seemed to carry the chill of frost and snow. Cold into people’s hearts. After seeing my face clearly, he frowned, took two steps forward, and then paused on the spot. Jayden sensed his movement, raised his head, and looked over along with him. Then, he was ecstatic. “Baby, I knew you would come out!” “Are you reluctant to part with me, distressed for me?” “It’s okay, I’m not cold, my knees don’t hurt either, it hasn’t even been a minute since I knelt.” I was annoyed with him in my heart, and was about to speak. A male voice got ahead of me, containing anger: “Didn’t you say she was fat and ugly, and greedy for money and lustful?” Me: “?”

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