Category: English

My best friend and I transmigrated into a romance novel together. She became the unloved, simping wife of the scheming Second Male Lead. I became the stand-in lover for the psycho Villain. On the surface, we acted heartbroken and unrequited. Behind the scenes, we swiped their black cards and lived like queens. We lived this life of luxury for three years, until the real heroine—the “One That Got Away”—returned. Knowing that both the Second Lead and the Villain would go mad for her, my best friend knocked on my door late one night with a small bag. “I saved enough money. How about you?” Me: “Almost. But I can spend yours.” So, we planned the perfect fake deaths. Three years later, my best friend had the misfortune of running into her ex-husband at a nightclub. I panicked: “I’ll cover you! Run!” I turned around and slammed right into a solid chest. The psycho Villain calmly removed his tie and slowly bound my wrists. “You worry about running yourself first.” Chapter 1 When Liam Sterling suddenly came home, Chloe was in the middle of showing off her new pink diamond ring. Seeing Liam’s signature Maybach pull into the driveway, Chloe shoved me. “Quick, quick! Hide!” Feeling like an adulterer caught in the act, I scrambled into the walk-in closet. Just as I hid, Liam pushed the door open. Chloe, who had been happily flaunting her wealth seconds ago, now had red-rimmed eyes and a look of utter despair. Hearing the door, she gave a tragic smile. “So, you know how to come home.” Liam strode over to her. He looked down at her coldly. “Lily is missing.” “Chloe, I told you. Lily is just a student I’m sponsoring.” “If you have a problem with the Sterling family, take it out on me. Don’t target innocent people.” Chloe understood. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “You think I kidnapped her?” Liam closed his eyes. “She disappeared right after calling you. I have no choice but to suspect you.” His phone rang. He answered, glanced at Chloe, and said, “Okay, I’m coming.” He turned to leave. Chloe lost control, rushing forward to grab his hand. “Liam, I swear I didn’t do it.” Liam’s eyes were like ice. “I will investigate. Until the results are in, I won’t see you again.” Tears fell instantly from Chloe’s eyes. “Can you leave tomorrow?” Her eyes were red, her tone begging. “Today is our wedding anniversary. Can’t you stay just one night?” Liam was silent for two seconds, but eventually pulled his hand away. “I’m sorry. The police have a lead on Lily. I have to go.” The door slammed shut. Chloe screamed brokenly, “Liam Sterling! Come back!” We stayed silent for two seconds, listening to his footsteps fade away. “Oh my god, finally.” Chloe wiped her tears and let me out of the closet. I applauded. “That was Oscar-worthy, sis.” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Cut the crap. The situation is bad. We need a plan.” “The heroine is back, and she’s starting her drama. My guy is already abusing me emotionally, yours won’t be far behind.” I asked, “You mean…” “We have to run,” Chloe said firmly. “If we don’t run now, we’ll have the money but no life to spend it.” Chapter 2 Chloe and I are both transmigrators. She married the scheming Second Male Lead, Liam Sterling, through a political alliance. For three years, he treated her like air. I was the stand-in for the psycho Villain, Adrian Locke. He kept me in a Manhattan penthouse for three years because I looked like his first love. We had no complaints about our roles. The Sterling family was old money and politics—untouchable. Adrian Locke controlled the underworld and legitimate businesses—a mad dog everyone feared. Their common trait? They were rich. Filthy rich. For three years, we acted heartbroken while secretly spending their money like water. But the game had changed. The heroine, Lily White, was back. According to the plot, Chloe’s husband Liam is Lily’s loyal knight. My boyfriend Adrian is even worse. Lily is his obsession. He would kill gods and buddhas for her. “If we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late,” Chloe said. “Lily isn’t simple. She staged this disappearance to frame me.” “Liam is just cold, but what about Adrian? That psycho is capable of anything.” I shivered. True. Once, Adrian took me to a poker game. A guy looked at my chest for too long, and Adrian had his legs broken and threw him into the Hudson River. I was just a stand-in, and he was that possessive. If he thought I hurt his precious Lily, I’d be dead ten times over. We had to go. Hurting my feelings is fine. Hurting my physical safety is absolutely not. Chloe looked at me. “Did you save enough?” I shook my head. “No. But I know you did. I’m planning to spend yours.” Chloe: “…” Luckily, she was my best friend. She was ready to be my sugar mama. We discussed escape plans. Only one was viable. Faking our deaths. We knew too many secrets about the Sterling and Locke families. If we didn’t “die,” they would never stop looking for us. “Who goes first?” I asked. “Me first, you later,” she said. “Why not me first?” I argued. “I want to get it over with.” Everyone knows the second person has to clean up the mess for the first. Chloe said, “Rock, paper, scissors.” She won. “Best two out of three.” She won again. I grumbled, “Fine, you die first!” Chapter 3 Chloe went off happily to prepare for her death. I went home to pack. I kept my most valuable items in the basement safe. But as soon as I entered the basement, someone covered my eyes. Adrian tied his tie around my eyes and whispered in my ear: “Where did you go?” He smelled faintly of blood and gunpowder. Probably just handled some “business.” Even after three years, I was instinctively afraid of him. My voice trembled. “I went to buy you a gift.” I opened my hand. A silver rose brooch lay there. It wasn’t expensive, but Adrian seemed happy. He picked me up and placed me on the Steinway piano. “What do you want to hear today?” I said obediently, “I like whatever you play.” Ten years ago, Adrian’s father hated his illegitimate son so much he threw him into an illegal asylum. Adrian was abused daily. He wanted to die. Until he found a rose garden in the asylum with an old piano. He played there every day, and a girl outside the wall would listen. That girl was Lily. … After I came to Adrian, he planted a garden of roses for me. He made me wear white dresses and listen to him play. Today, his music was erratic. Halfway through, he stopped violently, grabbed my calf, and pulled me into his arms. I slammed onto the keys; the discordant sound drowned out my gasp. Adrian kissed me. It was aggressive, possessive, chaotic. He said, “Next time, you don’t leave without my permission.” “Mm…” I answered obediently, but Adrian didn’t seem reassured. He tore my dress and crushed me into his embrace. … I have to admit, I was luckier than Chloe. Chloe only got the money. I got… other benefits. … But I couldn’t let Adrian know. When he held me, sweating, and kissed my cheek, I suddenly started crying. Adrian kissed away my tears, his voice low. “Why are you crying?” I asked, “Do you love me?” Adrian’s face went cold. For three years, he gave me everything I wanted. But we never talked about status or love. I was a stand-in. A stand-in needs to be beautiful and, most importantly, sensible. Asking a sugar daddy for his heart is very insensible. Adrian was silent. Silence was the answer. But I pushed. “Adrian, am I the woman you love most?” Adrian stood up and got dressed. Watching him head for the door, I cried, “Where are you going?” Adrian stopped. He turned back, his expression cold, as if the man who just made love to me wasn’t him. “Maya, you crossed the line.” Chapter 4 A canary has no right to question its master. I had performed well for three years. But today, I acted like I wouldn’t give up. I called him dozens of times after he left. He rejected every call. I breathed a sigh of relief. Great. Adrian was punishing me. That meant for at least three days, he wouldn’t answer my calls or come to the penthouse. My escape safety margin just increased significantly. I packed my valuables and moved them to a safe location. Late that night, Chloe came to find me. “Are you ready?” “Ready.” Chloe checked everything one last time. “Okay.” She nodded with satisfaction. “Time to die.” Chapter 5: Liam’s Perspective A lot happened that day. First, Liam’s men found an unconscious Lily in an abandoned warehouse in Brooklyn. Lily was clutching a pearl. Liam’s pupils shrank when he saw it. He recognized that pearl. On their wedding anniversary a year ago, to save face for both families, he bought Chloe a custom vintage gown covered in intricate embroidery and pearls. The pearl in Lily’s hand was from that dress. “Boss, could Mrs. Sterling really have…” his assistant whispered. Everyone knew it was a political marriage, but Chloe loved Liam obsessively. Jealousy is terrifying. Seeing Liam treat her coldly but Lily warmly, could she have snapped? Liam closed his eyes. “Hospital first.” On the way, Lily woke up. Seeing Liam, tears soaked her white dress. “Liam,” she said. “Thank you for everything, but we shouldn’t see each other anymore.” Liam asked gently, “Don’t be afraid. Did you see the kidnapper’s face?” Lily paused, then shook her head. “No, I can’t say.” She bit her lip, eyes misty. “Liam, everyone says you run New York, but I know you have difficulties too.” “I know her family helps your business… so please don’t fight with Chloe because of me.” Liam’s hand tightened silently. It was Chloe. It really was her. He had held onto a sliver of hope, but now it was gone. Lily watched his expression. She sobbed softly. “Liam, please don’t blame Chloe. She only did it because she loves you too much…” Just then, the phone rang. Liam could barely suppress his anger. “Hello.”

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Simon Graham had one rule when it came to his affairs: the women had to be docile. Any mistress who dared to approach his wife would be dealt with by the next day. But they still came, one after another, drawn to the flame. Because I, his wife, was known to be a complete pushover. To marry Simon, I had signed a prenuptial agreement. In the event of a divorce, I would leave with nothing. Later, to have our child, I agreed to send him to live at the family estate, seeing him only once a month. I had no power, no connections, no friends of my own. My skills were limited to beauty treatments and flower arranging. Until Simon’s latest mistress came to show off. “Mr. Graham is so rough,” she purred, rubbing her knee. “He had me on my knees all night. They’re still swollen.” I smiled, set down my shears, and led her toward the storage room. And when her back was turned, I shoved her inside. “You’ve worked so hard,” I said, my voice soft. “You should rest for a couple of days. Don’t see anyone.” 1 When Simon was young, he studied under a great artisan and had a mentor he looked up to like an older brother. During his most difficult times, this mentor helped him immensely. So, when the man passed away, Simon was the first one there. A week later, he returned with an orphan girl—his mentor’s daughter. She called him Uncle Simon. He raised her for two years. On her eighteenth birthday, she had too much to drink and confessed her feelings. “Uncle Simon,” she slurred, “I’m in love with you.” Simon’s face hardened. He forced her head under the faucet. “Are you sober now?” he demanded. He told me later, “If I had known she harbored those kinds of feelings for me, I never would have taken her in.” I smiled and nodded. “Of course, I believe you.” But he was afraid I’d dwell on it. The very next day, he sent the girl, Camilla, abroad. He promised she would never come back. Everyone said Simon was heartless. What they didn’t know was that as soon as her plane was in the air, he was on the phone with a friend overseas. “Take care of her. Make sure she doesn’t suffer, that she doesn’t get hurt. Tell her to be good, and I’ll visit when I have time.” His friend was confused. “If you can’t bear to part with her, why send her away?” Simon took a long drag from his cigarette, his voice low and gravelly. “I can’t risk it. I’m afraid Evelyn will snap and hurt her.” The friend didn’t buy it. “No way. The truth is, you can’t bear to part with Evelyn. You two have too much history.” A sarcastic smile touched Simon’s lips, but he said nothing more. To the world, Evelyn was the most obedient, submissive wife imaginable. Only Simon knew how terrifying she could be. 2 So he sent the girl he cherished most to the other side of the world. And to distract me, he began his string of affairs. For two years, he flew abroad countless times to see her. He spoiled her, coddled her, and in doing so, made her bolder. She even started to provoke me. Today is my birthday. She sent me a text: [Happy birthday, Aunt Evelyn.] [But I’m not feeling well. I miss my uncle. I want him to come and be with me.] [Who do you think he’ll choose? You, or me?] Today is my birthday. Simon told me he had a business trip overseas. “I’ll make it up to you when I get back,” he promised. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll bring it home.” Simon had a new assistant. She was a fiery, flamboyant woman who moved with a sharp, confident energy. She clicked across the marble floor in her high heels and let herself in with a key code, not even bothering to knock. Her eyes swept over me, a dismissive sneer on her face. “Mrs. Graham. I’m here to pack Mr. Graham’s luggage.” She didn’t wait for a reply, striding past me. But then she stopped, a sly look in her eyes. “Mrs. Graham, could you do me a favor and run upstairs?” she asked. “I need the third and fifth suits from the middle wardrobe. As for underwear, the new ones I bought are in the second drawer. I’m sure you can find them.” She smiled sweetly, bending over to rub her knee. “I wouldn’t want to trouble you,” she said, her voice dripping with false sincerity. “But Mr. Graham is so rough. He had me on my knees all night. They’re still swollen.” I listened quietly, a freshly cut rose in my hand. With a single, sharp snip, I severed the stem. The cut was clean, but it ruined the flower’s beauty. I sighed with mock regret and tossed it into the trash. I set down the shears and gave her a soft, fragile smile. “Simon said he needed to bring a contract with him. I’m not sure which one it is. Could you come help me find it?” My reaction made her frown, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. I lowered my head. “Never mind. You probably wouldn’t know. I’ll just call him.” “How could I not know? I handle all of Mr. Graham’s affairs,” she declared, her chin held high. “Show me where it is.” “Of course.” I led her down the hall, around a corner, and down a flight of stairs to the basement level. “Where are we? What is this place? Why would a contract be down here?” “This is the darkroom, for developing film. Simon brought the contract in here a couple of days ago. It’s on that table over there. Go see.” She walked in without a second thought. “Where’s the light…” Before she could finish, I stared coldly at her back and slammed the heavy door shut. “What are you doing? Evelyn, what are you doing? Let me out!” My voice was flat, devoid of emotion. “You’ve worked so hard. You should rest for a couple of days. Don’t see anyone.” Camilla’s texts were still on my phone screen. I picked it up and replied: [Simon can’t make it. Be careful what you wish for. You might just get it.] I blocked her number and deleted the conversation. Then I dialed Simon. “Hello, Evie…” “Your assistant. I’ve locked her up.” The line went dead silent. After five long seconds, Simon’s voice exploded in a furious roar. “What did you do to her? Evelyn, what did you do?” I idly toyed with a fruit knife. “Don’t worry, she can still scream. Do you want to listen? Oh, wait, there’s no signal down there. You won’t be able to hear a thing.” I continued in a conversational tone. “Let me repeat what she said. She said you won’t let me get away with this. She said when you find out, you’ll kill me.” Something in that sentence triggered him. He growled my name. “Evelyn.” A delighted laugh escaped my lips. “Actually, I’ve been wanting to ask you something. Simon, if I were to kill her, would you call the police on me, or would you help me bury the body?” “Evelyn… Evie, I’m sorry!” His voice trembled, but he forced himself to speak slowly, calmly. “I’m on my way back now. Just wait for me. Don’t do anything foolish. Evie, it’s all my fault. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay home and celebrate your birthday with you. I’ll even make you longevity noodles…” “You haven’t answered my question, Simon. Answer me. Are you the informant, or the accomplice?” My voice was a soft, gentle whisper. His breathing, once heavy and ragged, slowly evened out. He took a deep breath, and his voice was a low murmur, almost a prayer. “I’m your accomplice.” 3 Simon was back in less than half an hour, moving faster than I’d ever seen him. He burst through the door, breathless, and without a single glance at me, charged straight for the darkroom. The moment the door opened, the woman stumbled out, sobbing, and tried to throw herself into his arms. Simon sidestepped her without hesitation, letting her fall to the floor. “Mr. Graham, she—” “Shut up!” His eyes were vicious, his jaw clenched. “You will swallow what happened today and never speak of it again. If you breathe a single word of this to anyone, I will destroy you.” The woman stared at him in disbelief. “What are you talking about? She locked me in there for no reason! I don’t care, I’m calling the police! I’m having her arrested—” She made a crazed dash for the exit, but Simon grabbed her, his face a grim mask. I clicked my tongue, crossing my arms and leaning against the wall. “Maybe we should just kill her. I’ll do it, you dig the hole. We can bury her in the backyard. That tree by the fence could use some fertilizer; it’s barely grown this year.” I said it casually, as if discussing the weather. Simon remained silent. Finally, the woman seemed to realize something. She began to tremble, a whimper escaping her throat, the terror in her eyes impossible to hide. Simon took a deep breath, his gaze turning to ice. “I’ll give you a sum of money to disappear. You should know that even if you go to the police, you have no evidence.” He escorted her out. The woman who had arrived like a proud peacock left with unsteady steps, completely broken. I smiled, returned to my seat, and continued my flower arranging. 4 Simon came back quickly, a warm, forced smile plastered on his face. “Are you hungry? What would you like to eat?” “Should I bring Noah home? We could all go out together.” “It’s been so long since the three of us have done something as a family.” … “If you don’t want to go out, I can go grocery shopping and cook at home.” “I’ll just check the kitchen to see what we have.” He turned to leave. “Your phone is ringing,” I said coolly. “It’s been ringing for a while. Aren’t you going to answer it?” Simon froze. “It’s just work. It can wait. Today is all about you.” “It’s ringing again. You should probably get it.” “It’s not…” “Mine’s ringing too, let me just see…” Before I could reach for my phone, Simon lunged forward and snatched it out of my hand. I stared at him, my face a blank canvas. “What are you grabbing?” “What are you afraid of?” “What are you panicking about?” Simon’s face was a tight, rigid mask. His entire body was tense. “You know.” It wasn’t a question. I placed the last flower in the vase and pushed it to the center of the dining table. “Know what?” “That you sent Camilla abroad to protect her?” “That every business trip was just an excuse to see her?” “That when she stripped naked and threw herself at you, you didn’t touch her because you couldn’t bear to?” I pulled his phone from his pocket. It rang again. I answered it. A girl’s helpless sobs came through the speaker. “Uncle, I think someone’s in the house! What should I do? I’m so scared!” Simon’s breath hitched. “Camilla…” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion, with raw fear and concern. But I didn’t give him a chance to say more. I ended the call. Simon stared at me, his eyes burning. He looked as if he’d made a decision. He turned and started for the door. “If something really did happen to her,” I said, my voice calm, “you’re too far away to do anything in time.” “But I can give you an opportunity.” “Draw up a divorce agreement that satisfies me, and I’ll sign it.” 5 Simon’s mother was the daughter of a powerful, wealthy family. She ran away with a poor boy, only to be betrayed by him. Heartbroken, she abandoned Simon and returned to her family alone. She died years later from an illness. Only then did her father, Simon’s grandfather, find him and bring him into the fold. By then, Simon and I were seventeen. We had depended on each other for years. The day he was welcomed into his new life, he took nothing with him but me. And I? I had left everything behind without a second thought to follow him. That is the story of Simon and me, the one everyone knows. But the stories everyone knows are always polished, sanitized versions of the truth. Beneath the beautiful facade lies a wall of rot and decay. When Simon’s mother first ran away with his father, they must have been deeply in love. But how long does love last? A year? Two? The pressures of reality quickly eroded their happiness. The man had to provide, and he couldn’t give her the emotional fulfillment she craved. So she sought it elsewhere. In our small town, my father was a professor at the local college. He was gentle, romantic, and well-read. He and Simon’s mother clicked instantly. First, a meeting of souls, then a meeting of bodies. I was the first to discover them. I was six years old and didn’t understand much, but I knew what I saw was terrifying, disgusting. They were tangled together like two devouring monsters. Later, my mother found out. Then Simon’s father found out. One night, he was supposed to be on a long-haul trucking route, but he came back unexpectedly. He caught them in the act. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a carving knife. One slice, two, three… My father was stabbed twenty-seven times—in the face, the head, the back. He died on our doorstep, leaving a bloody handprint on the door he no longer had the strength to knock on. He was dead. Simon’s father was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Simon’s mother ran away, abandoning him, abandoning everything. That year, the snow was heavy. Simon, now an orphan, collapsed in a snowdrift. My mother stood at the window, watching him for a long time. Finally, she went out and carried him inside. She decided to adopt him. Everyone was against it. My grandparents threw us out of their house. They would not have a murderer’s son under their roof. My mother said nothing. She just took my hand and Simon’s and walked away without looking back. From age six to sixteen, for ten years, that woman supported us by selling street food from a tricycle cart. Until Simon’s grandfather found us. Then, she killed herself. She jumped from a building. No one knew why. Some said she was paving the way for me, that only by dying could she ensure the wealthy family would take me along with Simon. Some said the burden of raising two children had finally crushed her. Others said she never recovered from her husband’s affair and violent death. But whatever the reason, that year was a cataclysm for both Simon and me. A year of utter devastation. 6 Once everything was out in the open with Simon, he no longer had any reason to pretend. He left for his trip overseas immediately. I composed myself and went to the family estate to pick up Noah. The old patriarch, Simon’s grandfather, had agreed to let Noah stay with me today. My son was ecstatic, chattering away on the phone, telling me to hurry. As I waited outside for Noah to come out, Dominic, Simon’s older brother, arrived. “Brother,” I greeted him. He nodded. “Waiting for Noah?” “Yes.” “You can wait inside. Grandfather won’t give you any trouble.” I smiled and shook my head. “It’s fine.” One must know their place, understand the boundaries. Over the years, perhaps because of my quiet compliance, or because I never caused any trouble, the family’s attitude towards me had softened. Especially the patriarch. He no longer strictly controlled the time I spent with Noah. Sometimes, when I brought Noah back, he would even say, “Stay for dinner if you have time.” I never did, but it was a signal. A signal that I was slowly being accepted. After saying goodbye to Dominic, I took Noah to an amusement park. We had a blast, ate everything he wanted, and only went home when he was completely tuckered out. “Mommy’s going away for a month or two,” I told him that night. “I’ll be back before the New Year.” “Are you going for fun or for work?” he asked, his serious tone making me smile. I tweaked his nose. “A bit of both. I’m going to a retreat in the mountains. They have a ceramics studio. How about I make you a little kitten?” Noah nodded, then asked, “What are ceramics?” I showed him a video. His eyes lit up. “Can you take me next time?” “Of course.” I patted his back gently, and he soon fell asleep. No tears, no tantrums, no need for lengthy explanations. He had been raised so well. Even though his mother was not fully accepted by the family, no one had ever taught him to look down on me, to distance himself from me. Noah had his life. His parents had theirs. His great-grandfather had his. It was all just a normal part of life, like eating and sleeping. Why question it? Why feel sad about it? I never thought a child could be the anchor for my emotional well-being. But he was. In a thousand small ways, he taught me that not everything is worth tearing your heart out over.

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The bachelorette party for my best friend was in full swing. We were playing ‘Never Have I Ever,’ and the shots were pouring. I lifted the last finger I had left, ready to deliver a killer truth. “Never have I ever dated Beltway Royalty.” Someone across the table, a friend of the groom, scoffed playfully. “Oh, everyone in Capitol City claims to have dated some ‘Prince.’ Which one did you bag?” “The Palisades. A Caldwell.” The patio instantly fell silent. Brock, the groom, finally leaned back in his chair, a strange look in his eyes. “So, you were the girl who actually dumped Holden Caldwell?” 1 My vision was starting to blur. I fought to keep my eyes focused on Brock. “How do you—how do you know his name? Are you two, like, acquainted?” Brock snapped back to the moment, fiddling with his phone, his expression returning to normal. “Not acquainted. But in that part of D.C., there’s only one family named Caldwell that matters.” “Yeah, that one.” Sierra, my best friend, leaned in, her eyes wide with gossip. “’Royalty’ means serious money, right?” “Serious,” I confirmed, gesturing vaguely. “His family estate had a private lake on the property. Like, a full-sized, you-can-dock-a-boat lake.” “Holy hell! In The Palisades? That’s more than rich, that’s legacy! Was he good to you?” “He was. Incredibly good. I wouldn’t have finished college without him.” “And, okay, was he hot?” The image of a face, sculpted and precise like a museum piece, flashed through my mind. I nodded. “Put him next to any A-list actor and he’d still win.” That’s the trouble with meeting someone breathtakingly perfect too young. It raises your emotional threshold so high, everything else feels like a compromise. Sierra sighed dramatically. “Rich, gorgeous, and good to you—why on earth did you dump him?” I paused, staring at the condensation on my glass. “It… wasn’t really dumping. You know how those families are. They don’t exactly welcome a girl without the right pedigree into the inner circle.” Brock seemed intrigued. He tossed his phone onto the table and nodded toward the rest of the group. Everyone else here, except Sierra and me from Bay City, were his D.C. friends. They caught his meaning immediately. With knowing glances, they filed out to the downstairs card room. It was just the three of us on the rooftop patio. Brock poured me another drink. “Spill it. Did his mother try to buy you off?” I shook my head. Not quite. A woman in Eleanor Caldwell’s position wouldn’t bother with clumsy tactics. She simply forced me to face reality. It was right before graduation. Holden had planned a trip for us and asked where I wanted to go. I’d seen videos of Iceland’s volcanoes and glaciers on my feed and was excitedly showing him when I heard him on the phone. His tone was tight, edged with a barely contained frustration. “I’ve been too busy lately, I can’t make it back.” … “She’s busy, too. Internships, final papers—she has a lot on her plate.” … “If this is all you’re going to talk about, don’t call me again.” He hung up and turned, catching my eye. The panic he tried to mask by quickly lowering his gaze didn’t escape me. I asked tentatively, “Was that your family?” “Yeah.” “Should you go back and check on them?” “No need.” He saw my phone screen and instantly changed the subject. “So, have you decided where you want to go?” We had just settled on Iceland when a car pulled up next to me on my walk home from my internship. The tinted window slid down, revealing a face of bright, cold elegance. “Miss King, hello. I’m Holden’s mother.” I quickly clocked the license plate—the kind of tag that screamed power, not just wealth. Mrs. Caldwell smiled. “Don’t look so nervous. I just wanted to take you to a quick dinner. I mentioned it to Holden, but he insisted you were too busy, so I decided to invite you myself.” I stayed rooted to the spot, reaching for my phone to call Holden. “Holden is tied up with business right now. Best not to bother him with a trivial matter like this.” With a subtle nod, two large men rushed out. One took my phone, the other ‘escorted’ me into the car. I had no choice but to go. The Caldwell estate was in The Palisades. Through the intricate lattice window, I could see their private lake. I realized then that his family was far wealthier and more entrenched than I had ever imagined. Another woman was sitting in the parlor. Mrs. Caldwell’s lips curved into a cordial smile as she introduced us. “Miss Reed, this is Alexandra Reed, Holden’s fiancée.” My heart plummeted. I stared at the woman, whose quiet confidence and reserved elegance mirrored Holden’s own aristocratic bearing. When did this happen? How had I missed every sign? Noticing my ashen face, Mrs. Caldwell’s smile deepened. “Did Holden not tell you? It was settled ages ago.” “Well, of course, he wouldn’t tell you. There’s no need to share that kind of detail with an outsider.” She left me standing there and swept over to greet Miss Reed. “This is the girl Holden’s been keeping on the side? She’s certainly pretty enough.” Mrs. Caldwell conceded, as if giving praise. “The girl has ambition, I’ll give her that. She’s slated to be her class valedictorian. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have caught Holden’s eye.” Miss Reed gave me a cool, dismissive glance. “I heard her family is from the Appalachian South? How did they meet? Is her background… clear?” “Rest assured, Holden doesn’t mess around. There’s a backstory involved; that’s why I’ve let it go on this long.” “Holden’s father, before he passed, was on a fly-fishing trip and fell, breaking his leg. This girl, she ran down the mountain to call for help. He gave her his card and told her to call if she ever needed anything. She never did, until she was finally old enough to be trapped by her family, who were trying to force her into a marriage for the dowry.” “She called the number out of desperation, and Holden picked up. Lucky girl. He started sponsoring her after that. Then she came to D.C. for college, they finally met face-to-face, and the rest is… this.” Miss Reed managed a thin smile. “Such a deep history with Holden. It makes me feel like the interloper.” Mrs. Caldwell chuckled softly. “Girls from that background, they’re always a little grasping. But you, Alexandra, you have grace and appropriate reserve. Holden knows that, too. Why else would he keep her hidden, never daring to introduce her publicly?” “I can’t control the past. But since the engagement is now being finalized, how does Holden plan to dispose of her?” Mrs. Caldwell remained calm and composed. “Holden has been supporting her for years. If she’s a girl who understands gratitude, she’ll know what to do. If not, I am here. This is a small matter I can handle myself. I won’t need to trouble Holden.” Every word was delivered clearly, plunging like ice picks into my chest. A sudden, dizzying wave of nausea hit me. So that was the source of Holden’s panic. He was getting married, and he didn’t know how to tell me. The line of bodyguards behind me felt like a concrete wall, preventing any chance of a dignified, or even panicked, escape. Miss Reed’s face softened slightly. “With you handling it, Mother Caldwell, I feel much better. Oh, by the way, I picked up a few bottles of Pingus in Spain last month. I thought you might want to try one.” The deal was done. Mrs. Caldwell smiled and signaled the butler to serve the meal. “Tonight’s main course is fish. River trout, prepared by a chef flown in from New York….” They continued their polite small talk. I managed to hold my composure, stood up, and excused myself. Mrs. Caldwell gave me a cold, level look. “Since Miss King doesn’t care for our company, I won’t insist.” This time, the bodyguards didn’t stop me. I went back to the apartment and started packing. I had to figure out my next move. Holden had bought this condo when I started my internship to make my commute easier. Now, with the breakup, I had no reason to stay. Housing wouldn’t be a problem. I was graduating in two months, and I could apply for company housing early. Iceland was out. I told myself it was too cold anyway, and there was nothing to see. I had kept a meticulous log of every dollar Holden had given me. I planned to organize the records and pay back whatever I could immediately. The rest, I would save up and send in installments. Surely, given our history, he wouldn’t be so heartless as to demand immediate payment the second we broke up. What else? I started a list of everything I needed to separate from Holden. The list grew longer and longer. My composure finally shattered when my eyes fell on the ring on my finger. He had given me that ring, promising we would marry right after graduation. I sank to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. My fingers were shaking so badly I tried several times but couldn’t pull the ring off. The electronic lock beeped. The front door was wrenched open. Holden’s chest was heaving, his knuckles white. Seeing me still there, he took a deep breath, quietly closed the door, and walked in. He began taking the clothes I had stuffed into the suitcase and hanging them back in the closet. I took them down. He put them back up. After a few repeats, I exploded. I roughly shoved the clothes back into the bag. “Holden Caldwell, we’re done.” He was silent for a long moment, then spoke. “I don’t love Alexandra Reed, and I never agreed to marry her.” “That was their decision, not mine.” I ignored him, continuing to pack. He leaned in, his hand pressing down on mine. “Adora. I love you.” I froze, finally meeting his gaze. His eyes were bloodshot. I also saw the wine stains on his chest. His face was flushed, and there was a faint, angry red mark—a handprint—on his cheek. In that moment, my concern for him eclipsed my own pain. I reached up, touching his face, forcing a bright, broken smile. “Holden, I’m fine. I was the one who benefited most from these years. You… you should just listen to your family. Marry Miss Reed…” He pulled me roughly into his arms, crushing my waist. “I won’t do it. No one can force me.” His voice caught, his throat working several times. “Adora King, we are not breaking up. I can handle this. Trust me.” The embrace felt like an anchor. Holding Holden, I suddenly felt less consumed by self-doubt. The situation wasn’t yet beyond saving. Mrs. Caldwell hadn’t managed to convince Holden, so she came after me instead. I thought for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.” “We’ll stick to the plan. We’ll go to Iceland soon.” “Okay.” But faster than the trip to Iceland came his transfer notice. When I rushed home after getting the news, Holden had already packed his things. Two familiar bodyguards stood behind him. My eyes instantly welled up. “Why would you be transferred out of Capitol City? Is this because of me?” He set down his bag and held me, murmuring reassurances. “Don’t cry. It’s a normal organization shuffle. I’ll be back in two years.” I hiccupped, my voice ragged. “Where… where are they sending you?” He lowered his head, silently speaking the name of a town. I’d never heard of it. I pulled out my phone and searched. A remote, desolate little town, thousands of miles from D.C. Wickham County, Wyoming. Surrounded by mountains. To get to the town from the county seat, you had to transfer three times. I instantly understood. This was his mother’s warning shot. I trembled and pushed him away, tears streaming down my face. “Go back to The Palisades now. Go back and tell her you agree to her arrangement. It’s just a political marriage! You can…” “Adora!” Holden cut me off with a sharp voice. “I don’t care about the career hit. Are you going to abandon me over it?” In the two years we’d been together, he had never spoken to me with such severity. I knew he was genuinely angry. I’d hesitated when Holden first confessed to me. Our relationship was already unequal; I owed him too much, and mixing love into it felt wrong. But he was a stubborn man. He only asked if I loved him. He was the gentleman who saved me from my dire circumstances. How could I not love him? He sighed in relief back then. “I love you, and you love me. There’s no better reason to be together.” I’d slowly come to believe that as long as two people were in love, nothing else mattered. Until I met Alexandra Reed. The easy confidence and security that only generations of wealth and privilege can breed. It was something I could never possess. Crying, I whispered, “I’m sorry. But I truly don’t want to be the thing that destroys your future.” He took a deep breath, softening his tone. “You aren’t destroying anything. I’ve wanted to break free of my mother for years. This is my best chance. I have to go. Will you wait for me?” I couldn’t speak. “Will you wait for me?” He lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes, demanding an answer. “…Yes.” His eyes red, he pulled me against him and kissed my forehead. “Infrastructure is bad out there. Cell service is spotty. If you miss me, write me a letter.” “Okay.” “Be a good girl and wait for me here. Just two years.” 2 That was the last time we saw each other. A month after Holden left, I received his letter. He wrote that he was doing well. It was remote, but the people were kind, and the scenery was beautiful. He occasionally went to the villagers’ homes to teach the kids to read. Adora, work hard, live well, and don’t think about anything else. In two years, I’ll come back and marry you. Mrs. Caldwell found me again. Her expression was laden with veiled meaning. “Don’t think you’ve won.” “Today, he’s willing to sacrifice his career for you. But look again in three or five years.” “When others with less talent and less pedigree are climbing higher than him, he’ll blame you. He’ll resent you for not being decisive enough to leave, for holding him back.” “You think love can conquer all? You’re wrong. Eventually, you will only look at each other with contempt.” I couldn’t find a single argument to refute her. It was almost summer, but a chilling cold crept up my spine and spread through my entire body. I managed to drag myself home. An unexpected person was waiting by the door. Alexandra Reed tossed several photos onto the passenger seat and asked, “Want to see Holden Caldwell? I’ll take you.” D.C. to Wickham County, thousands of miles. Hours on a plane. After we landed, Miss Reed’s driver took us the rest of the way in a four-wheel-drive SUV, deep into the mountains. The car stopped after a long drive. Alexandra pointed to a cluster of people by a shallow creek below. “There. Holden’s down there.” I remembered the first time I saw Holden. Broad shoulders, lean waist, standing outside our university gate in a perfectly tailored suit, pristine down to the crease in his trousers. A man so striking he was impossible to ignore even in a crowd. Now, I pressed against the window, straining to recognize him. He was sunburned. He was wrestling a hog with a few local farmers. He was clearly inexperienced and had been knocked around a few times. His trousers were muddy, his shirt wrinkled and dirty. He looked exactly like the man in the photos Alexandra had shown me: dusty and disheveled. For the first time, I thought he looked pathetic. My nose burned, and tears silently ran down my face. How could he let himself look so beaten down? Alexandra sounded genuinely wistful. “Holden was the most promising of his generation among the Capitol City legacy families. My father even said Holden would likely surpass his mother’s accomplishments.” “Eleanor Caldwell didn’t get where she is by being soft-hearted. She will not compromise just because Holden is struggling.” “I’m telling you plainly: if he keeps acting like this, Mrs. Caldwell will abandon him completely.” She rolled down the window and lit a cigarette. “Honestly, Adora, I didn’t want to come between you two. But I’ve enjoyed my family’s privileges for too long to flip the table when they need me for a strategic marriage.” “Holden just doesn’t understand that. He flipped the table completely. But what’s the result?” “He was so successful in D.C. Everyone vying to be in his orbit. Now he’s stuck here, chasing pigs today, looking for lost dogs tomorrow. Do you really want to watch him do this?” “I don’t love him, so I don’t understand. Is love truly more important than a man’s future? If you think so, you can go down and find him now. A man abandoned by Eleanor Caldwell is not a man my family needs for an alliance.” I held onto the window frame, my fingers trembling uncontrollably. In the distance, Holden and the villagers finally subdued the hog. The farmers trussed it up and carried it away. Holden remained behind, bent over, hands on his knees. He looked like a bamboo stalk that had been pressed too hard. After regaining his breath, he slowly started to follow them. A few steps later, Holden suddenly lifted his head and looked directly in our direction. The hill was heavily treed. He didn’t see the car. He turned and continued walking. The sun was setting. I pulled back from the window and said quietly, “Miss Reed, let’s go back.” “Are you sure?” “…Thank you for bringing me.” Alexandra didn’t say another word, signaling the driver to move. She had the answer she came for. In the rearview mirror, Holden’s figure grew smaller and smaller. The mountain air pouring through the window was chilling. The car rounded a bend. The remote village disappeared completely. I closed my eyes, the cold air seeping into my temples. I returned to D.C., and it took me two days to pack my entire life. Before leaving, I cleaned the condo until it was immaculate, as if I had never lived there. As the train pulled away toward Bay City, I thought the breakup letter must be arriving soon. Everything related to Holden Caldwell ended that summer. For the next six years, I heard or saw nothing of him. I worked, I started a company, I focused on surviving. I rarely had spare time. I occasionally dreamt of him. I’d wake up and just stare blankly. The longing was a long, endless rainy season. I couldn’t seem to dry out the part of my heart that belonged to Holden. For years, I regretted it. If only we had said a proper goodbye. The patio lapsed into a strained silence. I wiped my tears away and repeatedly apologized. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t be a downer on your wedding weekend.” Brock stared at me for a moment. He picked up the bottle and poured me another drink. “This is a truth night, Adora. Drink whatever you want. I’ve got the liquor covered.” Sierra glared at him. “Tomorrow is the wedding. If she gets wasted, where am I going to find a maid of honor? There’s no time!” “Relax, honey. I’ll handle everything, okay? Adora, seriously, though… do you still love him? Do you still want to be with him?” I tilted my head, thinking hard, and nodded. “I do.” Then I shook my head. “But we can’t be together.” He was probably married with kids by now. Even if he wasn’t, the problems that existed six years ago were still there. Six years wasn’t enough time for me to forget reality. The evening breeze slipped through the patio door. It was humid, warm, and gentle, like a lover’s caress—a characteristic D.C. spring night. The warm air combined with the alcohol was intoxicating. I quickly became dizzy. In my haze, I heard someone on the phone. The voice was distant and loud, filled with bizarre excitement. “I’m giving you a chance, get your ass back from The Triangle!” “I swear it’s her! The real one!” “If I’m lying, you can call me Dad!”

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The seventh time Maya stood me up at City Hall, I decided to cut her out of my life for good. If she was at a party, I wasn’t. When she was invited to perform at our university reunion, I left before she took the stage. When my company decided to partner with hers, I quit on the spot. Even on New Year’s Eve, when she came to my parents’ house, I made an excuse about visiting friends and walked out the door. I blocked her number, unfriended her on everything, and went completely scorched earth. No contact from me, no access to me. A clean break. For the better part of the last thirty years, my life had revolved around loving her, taking care of her, obsessing over her. It wasn’t until she left me waiting for our marriage license for the seventh time that I finally woke up. I didn’t want this life anymore. Being alone was better than spending my nights in an empty house, waiting for someone who would never truly be there. … I sat at the marriage bureau in City Hall, waiting for Maya, until the last employee started packing up to leave. At first, when I called, she just said she was busy and told me to wait. Two hours later, her phone went straight to voicemail. A constant, busy tone. The marriage application in my hand was crumpled into a tight, wrinkled ball. “Sir,” a clerk said gently, seeing me still sitting there, “we’re closing now. Did you still need to file for a license?” I snapped back to the present and shook my head. “Thank you, but no. Not anymore.” As I walked out, I overheard a few of the clerks whispering as they passed. “I think I’ve seen that guy a few times. Always comes in alone to get married.” “Now that you mention it, I remember him too. Always waiting for someone who never shows up, right?” My face was a mask of indifference, but inside, my heart felt like it had been shredded. I couldn’t look up, my shame a physical weight. I just walked faster. This was the seventh time. The seventh time I had come to City Hall to marry Maya. Just as I stepped outside to hail a cab, she appeared. She was jogging toward me, slightly out of breath, a practiced look of apology on her face. “Leo, I am so, so sorry. Something came up at work last minute. I’m not too late, am I?” I let out a silent, bitter laugh. The last time, it was work. The time before that, it was also work. It was always work. She couldn’t even be bothered to come up with a new excuse. I just shook my head. “You’re too late. They just locked up.” Maya’s expression shifted to one of indignation. She glanced at her watch and then gestured angrily toward the building. “Can you believe these people? They have to leave the second the clock strikes five. Can’t even wait one extra minute.” She stepped forward and took my hand, placing it on her chest, which was rising and falling dramatically. “The traffic was a nightmare. I had to run the last few blocks. Look, I’m exhausted.” I stared at her, a lump forming in my throat. I wasn’t an idiot. I knew whether she had been running or not. Biting my lip, I asked her the question I’d never dared to ask before. “If you really ran all this way, why isn’t there a single drop of sweat on you?” Her forehead was perfectly clear. Not just dry, but completely untouched by any hint of exertion. The moment the words left my mouth, her face changed. Her brows knitted together, her eyes flashing with anger. Her voice rose. “What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying I’m lying? That I’m intentionally avoiding marrying you?” She pulled her hand back. “I ran all this way, and this is what I get? Disbelief? Leo, I never knew you could be so cruel!” She was a master at turning the tables. But her hysterical rage just screamed guilt. I rubbed my temples, suddenly tired of the fight, tired of her. “Maya, you and I both know the truth.” I turned to leave. Her voice, cold and sharp, cut through the air behind me. “Fine. Be that way. But don’t you dare come crying back to me. Don’t you dare crawl back and beg me to marry you again!” She laughed, a harsh, grating sound. “Let’s just see how long you last this time!” I didn’t turn back. I just kept walking, my lip bleeding from how hard I was biting it. A moment later, my phone buzzed with a text. [Leo, did you strike out again? What a shame. Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll be back for an eighth try soon!] I read the message three times. Even I wasn’t dense enough to miss the taunt. I’d suspected the reason for Maya’s no-shows, but seeing the text from Julian still felt like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless. Maya and I were childhood sweethearts. From the time we were kids, I had sworn I would marry her. Our parents had laughed and encouraged it. She had always treated me with a unique closeness. That is, until college, when she brought another guy home for the first time. Julian. Seeing them together, the way they interacted, I realized with a dawning horror that what Maya felt for me might not be love. I panicked. The day we graduated, I half-jokingly suggested we go get married. Our parents were thrilled, but Maya turned me down flat. Over the next eight years, I must have asked her dozens of times. She only agreed on seven occasions. And every single one of them ended like this. And every single time, without fail, a taunting message from Julian would arrive moments later. My phone buzzed again. Assuming it was him, I was about to decline the call when I saw the name. It was my best friend, Chloe. She was inviting me to a party tonight. The first words out of my mouth were, “Is Maya going to be there?” “Don’t worry, Leo. I know how things are. I already told her about it, and she said she’s coming!” “Then count me out. If she’s there, I’m not. Maybe next time.” Chloe went silent on the other end of the line, completely stunned. Everyone knew. For years, I was the one who chased after Maya. I was the one who showed up at her graduation with a ridiculous bouquet, who agonized over finding her the perfect job, who cleaned her apartment and cooked her meals like a devoted lapdog. Once, at a friend’s birthday, someone joked that Maya must have saved a country in a past life to deserve me. Maya just scoffed. “He’s like a stray dog that won’t go away. It’s annoying. Who cares?” Back then, I didn’t. I thought I could change her. Now, I did. After hanging up, I sent a group text to all my close friends. [From now on, if Maya’s going to be at a get-together, please don’t invite me.] With that done, I finally hailed a cab home. I showered and then began gathering everything in my apartment that belonged to Maya. I packed it all into a suitcase and called a courier to have it delivered to her place. Just as the courier arrived, Chloe showed up, having heard the news. She saw the packed suitcase and her eyes widened. “Leo, you’re not leaving, are you?” I laughed and opened the suitcase for her. “What are you talking about? This is all Maya’s stuff. I’m sending it back.” Chloe stared for a moment, then watched the courier leave. She turned back to me, her expression one of disbelief. “But Leo, you were supposed to get married today. What happened…?” She trailed off, the realization dawning on her. She knew about all the other times. Her eyes narrowed. “Did she stand you up again? That text you sent… it has to be Julian behind this, doesn’t it? Come on, we’re going to go find her and get this sorted out, right now!” I tried to refuse, but she dragged me out of the apartment and all the way to the bar where the party was being held. We were just outside the private room when we heard Maya’s voice, loud and clear. “Oh, stop it, you guys. How many times has Leo thrown a fit and sworn he’s done? He always comes back. He can’t live without me.” She laughed. “He’s just sulking right now. Give him a day or two, and he’ll be back at my feet like always.” I bit the inside of my cheek, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. All these years, I had poured my heart and soul into caring for her, and this is what she thought of me. Worthless. Chloe saw the tears welling in my eyes and squeezed my shoulder. She was about to shove the door open, but I stopped her. At this point, I didn’t even want to see Maya’s face. I pulled Chloe away. As we rounded the corner, the door to the room opened, and Maya and Julian stepped out. Julian spoke first. “Maya, you’ve had too much to drink. You shouldn’t say things like that. What if little Leo hears you? You’ll break his heart.” “Isn’t his broken heart exactly what you want?” Maya slurred, leaning against him. “Making me agree to marry him, then making me stand him up at the last second. Julian, you’re so wicked!” The words hit me, and the tears I’d been holding back finally fell. So that’s what I was. A clown. A pawn in their twisted game. No wonder she’d never seemed happy or excited any of the times she’d agreed to marry me. I was just too blinded by my own joy to notice the contempt in her eyes. Julian wrapped an arm around her, playfully tapping her on the chest. “What do you mean, I’m wicked? This whole thing was your idea in the first place!” “Well, I was just trying to make you happy! It was the only thing I could think of!” They were laughing now, and then, right there in the hallway, they started kissing. I felt like my soul had left my body. I numbly pulled Chloe out of the bar and into the cool night air. The wind felt like it was freezing my heart solid. “Leo, you’re just too good,” Chloe seethed. “That’s why those two monsters think they can play with you like this!” She was still fuming, but I just managed a weak smile. When I opened my mouth to speak, the taste of blood was overwhelming. “It’s over. From now on, Maya and I have nothing to do with each other.” After finally convincing Chloe to go home, I went back to my apartment. On the way, the courier called. He was at the designated address, but the recipient wasn’t answering her phone. I’d forgotten—Maya never answered calls from unknown numbers. I told him to wait, hung up, and dialed her number myself. I could hear the loud music of a bar in the background, but her smug tone was unmistakable. “Well, well, look who came crawling back. Where’s all that courage you had when you stormed off and left me on the street earlier?” The old me would have apologized profusely, groveled, said anything to make her happy. The new me just said, flatly, “I had your things sent to your apartment. They’re at your door. You should probably go get them.” Her voice became even more triumphant. “Oh, Leo, what did you buy me this time? Trying to get back in my good graces?” She laughed. “Weren’t you the one who sent that dramatic text to all our friends? The one who wouldn’t even be in the same room as me? And now here you are, already trying to suck up.” I didn’t say another word. I just hung up. As the call disconnected, I thought I heard her ask what I’d sent her, saying she’d have to see if she liked it before she decided whether or not to forgive me. I just shook my head and smiled. After all those years of being her doormat, she really did think I had no dignity left. That was fine. She would learn. After that night, I had no more contact with Maya. Her number, her social media—all of it deleted. When friends invited me out, I always asked beforehand if she would be there. Eventually, they got the message and would only invite one of us at a time. Soon, it was the day before our university’s anniversary celebration. Chloe had already called to make plans. As a distinguished alumnus, I had received a formal invitation. I hadn’t expected Maya to be there too. But it made sense. She was always a top student, and her company had provided a lot of support to the university after graduation. Of course they’d invite her. When Chloe and I arrived, the campus was packed. I glanced at the program and saw her name immediately. She was the seventh performance. After the sixth act, I made an excuse and left. As I was walking out of the auditorium, I thought I heard someone call my name, but I didn’t look back. A moment later, I got a text from my old college advisor. [Leo, why did you leave in such a hurry? I called out to you a few times. Your girlfriend’s performance is next, aren’t you staying to watch?] [Thank you, Professor, but I had to leave for an emergency. And I’m single. I don’t have a girlfriend!] I sent the text and shook my head. I had been so obsessed in college that even my advisor knew our story. What I didn’t know was that my advisor was standing right next to Maya when he sent that text. And that she saw my reply. In the dim light of the auditorium, her expression was unreadable. After leaving campus, I headed to my office. I’d been in such a rush to leave the reunion that I’d forgotten my bag. When I got there, I saw a new project proposal sitting on my desk. The name of the partner company on the proposal was Maya’s. I immediately called my boss, confirmed the partnership, and then resigned. “Boss, I need to resign for personal reasons.” “Leo, this is so sudden! I was about to put you in charge of this new project.” “Thank you, sir, but I can’t. I don’t get along with that company.” After the call, I typed up my resignation letter. If the company was going to work with Maya, the best way to avoid her was to leave. I left the letter on my desk and walked out. When I got back to my apartment building, I noticed the light in the hallway was on. My floor only has two apartments, and the one next to mine was vacant. The light was almost never on. As I got closer, I saw her. Maya was standing in the stairwell, smoking. The floor around her was littered with cigarette butts. She must have been waiting for a long time. Luckily, I was quiet. She didn’t see me. I immediately turned and hit the elevator button. Just as the doors were closing, she must have heard the sound and stepped out of the stairwell. I could faintly hear her yelling. “Leo, is that you? I know you’re back! You’re in that elevator, aren’t you!” As the elevator descended, to buy myself some time, I pressed the button for every single floor on my way down and then hopped out, letting it ascend on its own slow journey. It was a jerk move, but it worked. With Maya camping outside my apartment, I went to a nearby hotel for the night. I had just checked in and was heading up the stairs when she burst through the front door. She was panting, sweat dripping from her forehead, her face flushed from exertion. “Did someone just check in?” she demanded of the front desk clerk. “Was it a man named Leo?” “Answer me! You have to tell me!”

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My fiancé always targets the poor boy I sponsor. Pushed back, the boy stumbled, his eyes full of fear and innocence. “Sister, it’s my fault for being clumsy and making your boyfriend angry again.” Suddenly, floating comments appeared before my eyes. [Listen to him lie. Just now he provoked your boyfriend: ‘Can an old man pushing thirty even satisfy my sister?’] [Who are you? Just a toy she plays with when she’s drunk.] [You can tolerate that without hitting me? Are you even a man?] My pupils quaked in disbelief. Who knew that one day, the poor student would actually climb into my bed? He stood before my fiancé, his face full of provocation and satisfaction. “You didn’t have the ability to keep her. Can you blame me?” Chapter 1 As soon as I got out of the car, I saw Liam push Noah, causing him to stumble. A vein throbbed in my temple. I rushed over to help Noah up. “Liam! Why are you always picking on him?!” Noah held me pitifully, his dark eyes misty and shrinking back. “Sister, it’s my fault. I made Liam angry again.” The floating comments spamming my vision were chaotic. [Wow, this kid is a master manipulator. If I wasn’t there, I would’ve been fooled.] [This face-changing skill belongs in the Sichuan Opera.] A VIP comment even popped up a video window. Five minutes ago, Noah had his chin raised, spitting words soft yet venomous. [Who are you? Just a toy she greets when she’s bored and sleeps with when she’s tired.] [You’re thirty. An old man, half in the grave. How can you compete with me?] [You can tolerate that without hitting me? Liam, are you even a man?] No wonder Liam wanted to hit him. I loosened my grip on Noah, but he immediately rubbed against me. Liam’s face was purple with rage, his lips trembling. It took him a long time to speak. “Chloe, he’s twenty-two, not twelve! He’s not a child! You have no idea what he just said to me!” Noah tugged at my sleeve, his eyes full of panic and innocence. “Sis, I really don’t know what I said wrong. Even if I offended Liam, he’s an adult. Couldn’t he reason with me? He just started hitting me!” “Sis, when you have time, you should advise him to see a doctor. An older man being this irritable isn’t good.” I shook off his hand and scolded him to shut up. Noah stood aside reluctantly. Liam had high self-esteem and cared about his image. He definitely couldn’t repeat Noah’s words. I took his hand and looked at him sincerely. “Sorry. If he really said something, don’t take it to heart. I’ll discipline him properly when we get back.” Liam gradually calmed down. “Chloe, he’s an adult who can be held criminally responsible. You can’t let him live with you forever.” Noah truly panicked now. “Liam, what right do you have to dictate my life!” I turned back and glared at him. The comments celebrated. [The little tea bitch messed up! Talked smack and got his base stolen hahahaha!] [Let’s see how he pretends now.] [It’s over. Your sister doesn’t want you anymore!] Back then, Noah came to New York alone for college. He said he was afraid of not getting along with roommates, so he borrowed a room at my place. Later, I got busy with work, so I let him stay wherever. Thinking back, it was indeed my negligence. I nodded to Liam. As I prepared to leave, he tugged at my hem. Liam’s ears turned red as he whispered: “Chloe, I haven’t had my birthday yet this year. I’m only twenty-nine.” Noah snorted coldly. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Chapter 2 I drove Noah home. He kept his head down, quietly playing with his fingers. Just like when he was twelve and met me for the first time—obedient, like a beautiful, hollow doll. My heart ached suddenly. But the comments made me restless. Noah’s arrogant and vicious expression kept flashing in my mind. I thought I had done my best for him, granting his every wish. But when did Noah secretly grow into that person where I couldn’t see? Arriving at the destination, I stopped the car. In the dead silence. Noah spoke first. “Sister, don’t be troubled. I’ll move out.” I choked up for a moment. He lowered his head, tugging at his shirt. Though his words were decisive, the tremor at the end betrayed the boy’s feelings. I almost said forget it. The comments jumped out again. [Okay, okay, playing the pity card, right? Knowing sister is soft-hearted and can’t stand this retreat-to-advance tactic.] [If you really make him move out, he won’t be happy.] [Ignore him! He’s faking it!] The words asking him to stay swirled on my lips before I swallowed them back. “Okay. You can stay in the dorm tonight. Move your things slowly later.” Noah looked up sharply, his face full of confusion and hurt. That night, I tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, recalling the past. Noah’s mother was deaf-mute, and his father carried cement at construction sites. Though poor, they scraped by. Until an acquaintance introduced them to a pyramid scheme. The couple went all in. Luckily, the police raided the den, saving their lives, but all their money was gone. Noah was nine then. Locked alone at home for two weeks, drinking tap water when thirsty, gnawing on cucumbers when hungry. Later, Noah’s dad got addicted to gambling. The family owed a mountain of debt and was beaten half to death at their door. Later still, one hanged himself, the other jumped into the river. Relatives avoided him like the plague. Noah was sent to an orphanage. I sponsored him from age twelve to eighteen. Noah had high pride; after starting college, he refused to take a penny from me. He was smart, getting into the top university in New York, winning scholarships every year, and wanting to give me all the money. And he was so well-behaved, shyly calling me Sister. I tossed and turned, suspicious of the sudden comments. Should I trust inexplicable floating text over the brother I raised for ten years? Just then, my phone rang abruptly. “Are you Noah’s sister? I’m his roommate. Someone locked him in the equipment room, and his claustrophobia is acting up!” My head exploded with a boom. Chapter 3 When I saw Noah, he was curled up in a corner like a baring-teeth beast, refusing to let anyone near. I had to call him softly. “Noah, I’m here.” His face was pale, his unfocused pupils slightly focusing only when he saw me: “Chloe, you really came to save me.” His breathing was rapid. He couldn’t wait to pounce on me, hugging me, sticky cold sweat staining my neck. Guilt instantly filled my heart. The comments jumped out immediately. [Wow! Has claustrophobia but dares to lock himself in a dark room. What if sister had her phone on Do Not Disturb?] [Acting. Just did a hundred push-ups and soaked himself in cold water.] [Omg, truly a mad dog who can’t leave his sister for a second.] They were lying. Noah is my most obedient brother, not a mad dog. It was 4 or 5 AM when we got home. I settled him down and wrapped myself in the quilt to sleep. When I woke up the next day, toothbrush in mouth, I saw two people sitting in the living room through my blurry eyes. My boyfriend, and the brother I promised my boyfriend I would send away. I calmly locked myself back in the bathroom. Damn, I’m dead. But the comments actively fanned the flames, broadcasting the situation outside with video clips. Liam and Noah were staring each other down. Liam spoke first. “Chloe and I started with free love, not an arranged marriage.” “We are serious about this relationship, and our feelings are stable. So I hope you stop clinging to her.” Noah propped his chin on his hand and smiled. “Liam, look up at this house.” Liam was confused. “What’s your point?” Noah sneered. “Chloe dislikes cold tones, so the curtains are pale pink. She likes wood floors but fears maintenance, so the living room is tiled, wood only in the bedrooms. She loves flowers, so I filled the balcony with azaleas and hydrangeas.” “I bought the furniture. I renovated the house. I bought her bed, the sheets, the pillows, even the body wash and shampoo in the bathroom!” “Chloe can date anyone, but she only comes back to live with me.” “Liam, you’re not her first boyfriend, and you won’t be the last.” “So, what are you posturing about in front of me?” Liam pressed his thin lips tight, suppressing his anger. I slapped my forehead in frustration. When Noah was in high school in New York, I let him live in this apartment. But he said he couldn’t accept it for free. So I had to stay over occasionally to check his homework and assert ownership. Later, when he started college, I got busy. Noah said he wanted to repay me, so he took over cooking lunch and dinner, delivering them in thermal boxes. I thought the delivery was too much trouble for him, so I just came back to eat after work. He said it was troublesome to go elsewhere to sleep after dark, so I just stayed. And stayed until now. What “living together”?! It wasn’t like that at the start! Noah wasn’t done. He looked at Liam provocatively. “Oh right, do you know her phone password? Since you respect each other so much, you must respect privacy, right?” “But I know it.” “Want to hit me again? Don’t hold back. She’ll feel sorry for me.” Liam was calm this time. “Don’t you know? Chloe and I are engaged.” “So we aren’t just boyfriend and girlfriend. I’m her fiancé.” “And after we marry, she won’t live in this house anymore.” Chapter 4 The comments gloated. [Shocking! Roles reversed! The main wife becomes the mistress!] [Hahahaha Noah is truly broken now. This kid is grinding his teeth to dust while forcing a smile.] [Main wife Liam is almost thirty but still charming, mistress Noah is full of style and pitiable. I say take them both!] Seeing the comments getting more ridiculous, I couldn’t hide anymore. Noah’s words terrified me; I didn’t want to think deeper. I chased them out as soon as I emerged. “Don’t you two have serious things to do? Stop hanging around here.” Noah stared straight at me, his black eyes full of panic and helplessness, like a desperate gambler on a cliff’s edge. “Chloe, are you engaged?” Burned by his gaze, I looked away. “No manners. Call me Sister. This is between us; don’t worry about it blindly.” Noah pushed the door open and left. Liam sat on the sofa without a word. I had to coax the one in front of me first. Liam and I started after a drunken night. Though not a fairytale beginning, Liam was considerate, had a model’s body, was great in bed, and our thinking matched perfectly. Dating him was a natural progression. I leaned on his shoulder. “Is Young Master Sterling angry?” Liam had long eyes and long lashes. They fluttered beautifully when he was emotional. Liam sighed. “Chloe, do you really not understand?” “When we were on a business trip, Noah deliberately walked in the rain to find you, used a high fever to cling to you all night, and constantly provoked me and declared sovereignty in front of me.” “These things have long exceeded the feelings a brother should have. Chloe, do you really not understand at all?”

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I always thought Liam hated my guts. That’s why, when I was dragged into a dead-end alley by a gang of thugs, I didn’t even call him for help. I was sent to the hospital covered in bruises and blood. The doctor asked me sympathetically if I had any last words for my family. “Tell Liam Sterling I’m dying, and I won’t bother him anymore.” Three years into our marriage, Liam had asked for a divorce 99 times. He even drugged me and sent me to another man’s bed just to get rid of me. My death would finally set him free. But I never expected what happened next. At my funeral, Liam, eyes bloodshot, decapitated those thugs to bury with me. His hands stained with blood, he threw away his cancer diagnosis with trembling fingers. Then, he swallowed a whole bottle of sleeping pills and lay quietly in my coffin. “Cece, I’m coming with you.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Liam asked for a divorce for the 99th time. He looked down, tossing the divorce papers at me. “My new girl is pregnant. She’s demanding a title. Don’t be a dog in the manger. Just sign it.” I tore the papers to shreds without hesitation. Red-eyed, I hugged him tight. “Bullshit! You didn’t tell me you were sick. Do you think dying alone in silence makes you cool?” … Liam was stunned, looking up at me. A flicker of light appeared in his beautiful eyes, then quickly faded. He lit a cigarette, sitting lazily on the sofa, sneering. “Cece, you’ve been watching too many soap operas, haven’t you?” His smile was indifferent as he deliberately blew a smoke ring into my face. “I got bored of you a long time ago.” “Our relationship is dead. Let’s part on good terms and make room for my new love.” The strong smell of smoke assaulted my nose. It made me want to cough. I had to admit, Liam knew me well. He knew I hated the smell of smoke, so he deliberately used it to provoke me when asking for a divorce. I printed out the digital copy of his cancer diagnosis. Red-eyed, I threw it at him. “Then tell me, what is this?” His gaze slowly fell on the paper, his expression blank, devoid of emotion. After a long while, he scoffed. He tore it into pieces. “Where did you forge this fake medical report? Late-stage cancer? Cece, if you don’t want a divorce, just say so. Why curse me?” He threw his hand up, and the paper scraps fell like snow. Liam was done. “If you tore up the divorce agreement, there are more. When you figure it out, print one and sign it yourself.” “My girl is waiting for our date. I don’t have time for you.” With a lazy expression, he got up to leave. I hesitated for two seconds, then chased after him. “Liam Sterling, don’t think you can get rid of me.” “You want a divorce? I won’t sign. Let’s see what you can do about it.” I started playing the rogue. Liam paused, leaving two cold words: “Suit yourself.” So, I started my shameless stalking mode. When Liam went to a company meeting, I waited at the office entrance. When he drove to date his new love, I took a taxi to tail him. “Driver, can you go faster? Follow that car in front.” The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Miss, that young couple looks so in love. Why are you stalking them?” I gritted my teeth. “That man is my husband.” The driver immediately looked sympathetic, straightened up, and patted his chest. “Don’t worry. I guarantee we won’t lose them.” They stopped at the entrance of a shopping mall. 2 Liam got out first, went around, and opened the passenger door. A young girl threw herself into his arms. Talking and laughing, they walked into the mall arm in arm. I bit my lip. Even knowing he was acting, my heart still stung. I remembered in my past life, Liam provoked me like this too. To rush me into agreeing to the divorce. He even brought the girl to our marital bed, stripped naked, and cuddled with her to show off their love to me. That was when my heart completely died. I signed the divorce papers, ready to move out and find a place, but I was dragged into a dead-end alley by a group of thugs. They humiliated me, treating me roughly like a toy. Severe pain shot through me as they tore out half my hair. My teeth felt like they were knocked out because they smashed my head with a brick from the roadside. Dizzy and dazed, I remembered the year our love was purest. Liam held me gently and set his number as the emergency contact on my phone. “Cece, if you’re in danger, call me first. I’ll always be there.” I struggled to find Liam’s number, but hesitated the moment I was about to dial. I remembered his disgusted look. Maybe he was flirting with his new love and didn’t want to be disturbed by me. Later, even when I was bruised all over, sent to the hospital, and critically ill, I still didn’t contact Liam. It became our eternal farewell. Now, across an intersection, Liam had his arm around the girl’s waist, chuckling in her ear, saying something. He glanced in my direction occasionally. I steeled my heart, got out of the car, and rushed toward them. Sensing my blatant stare, Liam and the girl paused, looking back at me strangely. “Babe, didn’t you say you’d divorce that old hag at home soon? Why is she chasing us again?” Liam’s gaze slowly fell on me, frowning, but he said nothing. He seemed to be waiting for an explanation from me. I smiled and shrugged. “Don’t mind me. Carry on.” I remembered Liam’s new love. Her name was Ivy. She looked innocent and cute, completely different from a shrew like me. Since six months ago, when Liam started frequently asking for a divorce, he was with Ivy every time he stayed out all night. Seeing me sticking to them like a band-aid. Ivy felt uncomfortable, frequently looking back at me. She hugged Liam’s arm and whined. “Babe, is your wife crazy?” “Why does she keep following us? Is she sick?” Liam finally couldn’t take it anymore, turning back to stare at me coldly. “Cece, you’re scaring my girl.” He shielded her behind him, afraid I would hurt her. But six years ago. He shielded me just like this, regardless of everything. He watched the stars with me, went to the desert with me, and saved the last sip of water for me when we were dying of thirst. Even when I was entangled with my ex-boyfriend and betrayed him many times. He still loved me. In my past life, I couldn’t understand. Could such a devoted person suddenly change his heart? So I went crazy, aiming my jealous gaze at that young, beautiful girl, Ivy. Jealousy makes people mad. It blinded me to Liam’s intentions. But now I knew the whole story. I crossed my arms, admiring Liam’s acting, and suddenly laughed. “Liam, your acting is still a bit lacking. Trying to fool me is actually kind of hard.” 3 Liam withdrew his gaze, saying nothing. He lowered his head and kissed Ivy on the lips. The girl blushed instantly, looking up at him shyly, her eyes full of joy. I froze in place, my face pale. Liam looked at me with a calculating gaze, naturally putting his arm around the girl’s waist. “Do you still think I’m acting now?” He even pulled up a hotel reservation on his phone and shoved it in my face. “Look clearly. I really fell in love with someone else. I changed.” “Cece, stop thinking I’m putting on a show for you. It makes you look narcissistic.” Seeing my silence, Liam invited me with a half-smile. “We’re getting a room tonight. If you’re interested, want to come watch?” Red-eyed with anger, I ran away on the spot. Seeing me storm into a taxi and disappear completely from the street. Liam withdrew his gaze, expressionlessly letting go of Ivy. “I’ll have the driver take you back.” Ivy’s rosy face turned pale instantly. She bit her lip hard, timidly tugging at Liam’s cuff. “Didn’t you promise to go shopping with me? And tonight we were going to…” Seeing Liam’s cold face, the girl’s voice grew smaller and smaller. “Miss Ivy, she’s gone. No need to act anymore.” “I’ll settle today’s fee as planned. Go shopping by yourself.” Hiding around the corner, I saw this scene and smirked. Liam didn’t know I was this smart. I pretended to get into the taxi, went a bit down the road, and had the driver turn back. I wanted to see with my own eyes how they would wrap this up. I thought they were really going to get a room, film a video, or even livestream it for me. Turns out Liam only had these few tricks. When Liam turned to leave, his face was a bit pale. His hand clutched his abdomen, making my face change drastically. No wonder he looked like he was holding on just now. Was the illness acting up? However, Ivy knew none of this. Still immersed in sadness, she turned alone to walk into the mall. “Ivy.” I called out to her. “Why is it you again?” The girl looked back in surprise. “How do you know my name?” I held my head high, smiling as I handed her the documents from the private investigator. “I know everything. Liam is sick, late-stage cancer. He didn’t want to drag me down, so he hired you to act and force me into a divorce.” Guilt surfaced on Ivy’s face. She stammered, “You’re lying! Liam and I are real. Otherwise, how would I be pregnant with his child?” She placed her hand gently on her swollen belly. There was clearly a little life in there. My smile deepened. “That child is your boyfriend’s, right? Definitely not Liam’s.” “Because he has never touched you.” The girl’s face turned as pale as paper. “How… how do you know all this?” In my past life, that girl came to find me, crying and saying Liam coughed up blood, asking me to go see him. She said the person Liam loved had always been me. Immersed in the anger and jealousy of betrayal, I thought she was taunting me. My gaze fell on her belly, my tone sharp. “If he really liked me, how could he get you pregnant?” “He hates my guts, right?” “I’ll agree to divorce him. You two dogs deserve each other.” Later I learned, that was the worst time Liam coughed up blood. He dyed the whole bathtub red. 4 He was sent to the hospital by his assistant. The assistant cried his eyes out, saying he wanted to call me. But he was stopped by Liam’s weak hand. “Don’t… don’t disturb her.” “She should forget me and have a new life.” In my past life, I didn’t know until after I died that Liam never betrayed me. He hid his love very, very deep. Even forcing me to divorce him before his death, he was doing everything he could to pave the way for my future. He was so good. How could I fail him? I took out a bank card and handed it to Ivy. “If I’m not wrong, you took this job because you needed money.” “Ivy, whatever Liam pays you, I’ll give you double. Only one condition—” “Next time Liam calls you, refuse him.” No one hates money. Ivy hesitated, took the bank card, and agreed. As I was leaving, she called out to me. “Cece, Liam really loves you. You’re very lucky.” “I also think, even if he only has a few months left, you should be together properly, spending every precious minute and second.” I smiled at her and turned to leave. Having handled all this, I took a taxi home, wanting to clarify things with Liam. I wasn’t afraid of him being a burden at all. I loved him. Even if only one day of life remained, I wanted to be with him. But I searched every room in the villa and didn’t see Liam. I called his assistant, who said he didn’t know either. Liam didn’t let the driver follow him and went out alone. Panicked and scared, afraid he had an accident alone outside, I searched for him like a madwoman. I searched all his favorite places, but no one was there. Until I went to the place we first met. Liam was indeed there. He was leaning alone under the big locust tree by the river, staring blankly, smoking. His eyes were pale, occasionally showing pain, his other hand pressing hard against his abdomen. I knew, he must be hurting again. “Let’s go. To the hospital.” Holding back sobs, I reached out to pull him. Liam didn’t expect me to be there and froze for a moment. Just for a second, then he sneered and threw off my hand. “Cece, aren’t you annoying?” “I told you, I hate you the most. Can you stop being so thick-skinned, always hanging around me?” I watched his mouth open and close. I didn’t hear a word. I only saw his lips were so pale they had no color at all. I lost control of my emotions and hugged him again. “Liam, didn’t you say? In sickness and in health, you want to be with me.” “Why, why are you pushing me away?”

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The trial was live-streamed. Just as the verdict for the mob boss was about to be read, he spoke up. He said he’d trade an address for his life, to get the death penalty off the table. “Back when I was just starting out, I witnessed a murder.” “The victim was one of yours.” “Skye Miller. Badge number 071923. Word is… her file was reopened three times.” “If I can give her a proper burial, wouldn’t that count as a major contribution?” The live chat exploded with outrage. “He’s lying, just trying to escape execution.” “If an officer went missing, they’d tear the city apart. No way she’d just vanish.” The judge turned to the police representative, asking if they needed a recess to investigate. Sam rose slowly to his feet. “No need.” “Skye Miller isn’t dead. She’s a fugitive I’ve been hunting for seven years.” 1 To make them believe, the mob boss recounted the entire gruesome murder right there in the courtroom. He described how his associates had knocked her out and taken turns raping her. How they had ripped out her fingernails and teeth, trying to make her give up police informants. And how, piece by piece, they had shattered every bone in her body. “She screamed like hell, but she wouldn’t say a damn thing. Not until someone called her phone.” “She heard the voice on the other end, and then… she just went quiet.” “We tried everything after that. Slicing her with knives, smashing her kneecaps, pouring hot oil on her skin and scraping it off with a wire brush… not a sound. She didn’t make a single sound.” “That’s when we knew it was useless. We weren’t getting anything out of her.” “Out of pity, I asked the boss to make it quick. Later, I handled the body myself.” As he spoke, his voice chillingly calm, the chat fell silent. Countless people listening felt a suffocating tightness in their chests. Only Sam stood rigid, his eyes burning with fury. “Keep acting. Put on your show.” “You people, feel pity for a cop? Don’t make me laugh.” The mob boss asked for a cigarette. “Killing her and pitying her are two different things,” he said, taking a long drag. “Even I thought I was a monster back then. And I have to admit, I respected her grit.” “But what can you do? It was the life.” “I’ve killed so many people over the years—rats who sold me out, rivals horning in on my business, deadbeats who wouldn’t pay… I don’t regret any of them. But her? She’s the only one that weighs on me.” A wave of raw respect for the police swept through the public, and people everywhere began digging online, trying to unearth any clue from the old case. But Sam just sneered. He shot to his feet, his voice ringing with conviction. “I don’t believe a single word you’ve said.” The mob boss just shook his head, a look of weary resignation on his face. “The time, the details, the people involved—I’ve told you everything I can. I’ve got no reason to lie.” “Face it… I’m the only one who knows where she’s buried.” “It’s your call. Trade a life sentence for her peace, or let her rot.” Sam’s superiors ordered a recess, pulling him back for an immediate debrief. The public demanded a full-scale investigation. But Sam fought it tooth and nail. He stormed into his captain’s office, slamming his hands on the desk. The captain roared back, ordering him to personally lead the excavation at the site the dealer had named. The squad car’s engine screamed as he floored the gas pedal. Watching the barely contained rage on his face, I felt a wave of helplessness wash over me. He really believes it, doesn’t he? That I fell from grace all those years ago. That I betrayed my ideals, my father’s badge number, all for a bag of dirty money. That I betrayed him. And now, I was a ghost haunting the new life he was just starting with Rose. As he shifted gears, his wrist was exposed. He was still wearing the faded cord bracelet I gave him years ago. But everything else in the car—the little trinkets, the air freshener—had been replaced with cute strawberry charms. Even the air was thick with a sickly sweet strawberry scent. It was clear Rose had completely woven herself into every corner of his new life. He didn’t know. The “old me” he’d cast aside had been left to rot in the cold, damp earth. For seven years. 2 Seven years, and he looked almost the same. A strong, righteous jawline; a lean, powerful frame. He just spoke less now, burying his emotions deeper. The silent red and blue lights flashed across the mountain road before the car stopped in a desolate field of withered grass. It was the dead of winter, the ground frozen solid. The first shovel strike just left a white scratch on the hard earth. He took command of the scene. “Use torches to soften the ground. The wind’s strong, so widen the downwind perimeter by another twenty feet.” Rose emerged from a group of volunteers, unscrewing a thermos. “Drink some hot water. Your voice is getting hoarse from all the shouting.” Sam took a sip, his voice softening. “What are you doing here?” “It’s crowded and chaotic. You should head home.” Rose rested her head against his shoulder, her voice filled with worry. “I saw the trial.” “Do you think… it could be real?” Sam let out a contemptuous snort but didn’t answer. He just stroked her long hair, his fingers gliding from the crown of her head to the very tips, curling a strand around his finger. Just like he used to do to soothe me. Back then, both our fathers were detectives. They worked together, went on missions together, and in the end, died in the line of duty together. At the wake, I curled up in his arms, clinging to him as my only anchor. He held me tight, his hand stroking my hair, over and over, from root to tip, curling a strand around his finger. We were inseparable after that. We went to the police academy together, inheriting our fathers’ badge numbers. We weren’t just partners with a shared purpose; we were lovers, fused together. Before our wedding, my mom had said with tears in her eyes, “You rascal, you’ve stolen my daughter.” Sam wrapped his arms around me possessively. “Not at all. You’ve just gained a son.” “Don’t you worry, ma’am. I swear I’ll never let Skye suffer a single day of hardship.” And he kept his promise. When I wanted to dig into a cold case, he’d stay up for nights on end organizing files for me. When I faced a gunman on a call, he threw himself in front of me without a second thought. I couldn’t handle spicy food, so this man who loved heat never touched a single chili pepper for years after we were married. We thought nothing in the world was stronger than the bond between partners and lovers. Who could have known? Our relationship would be torn apart by a prostitute we rescued from a drug den. I studied Rose’s enchanting face. It was hard to believe that in just a few years, she had transformed from a girl covered in the grime of the streets into this alluring, sophisticated woman. I guess a woman’s tears are the ultimate weakness of a man with a steel heart. After we rescued Rose, she started calling Sam in the middle of the night. Crying about how she couldn’t find a decent job, how everyone judged her for her past as an addict and a sex worker. Sam’s heart melted in her tears. Pity and sympathy bloomed in him like weeds in spring, impossible to control. He brought her into our home, giving her his entire paycheck under the guise of a “cleaning fee.” I was left to cover all our household expenses, and money became incredibly tight. I tried to fire her several times, but he always insisted. “Skye, Rose is fragile. She’s been through hell. We have to help her.” But over Sam’s shoulder, I could see her eyes, fixed on me, gleaming with defiance. I lost it. I grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out the door. She clutched her scalp, her tear-filled eyes speaking volumes without a word. And Sam—the man who had sworn to protect me with his life, my lover, my partner—raised his hand to me without hesitation. The slap sent me reeling to the floor. He cradled Rose’s face, his thumb gently wiping away the tears at the corner of her eyes. “Don’t cry. I told you, no one will ever hurt you again.” Then he looked down at me, his voice cold. “When are you going to get rid of that temper?” “Rose is a victim, too. Does this behavior honor the badge you wear?” But in this twisted triangle of betrayal, wasn’t it the two of them who were tormenting me? A thousand words caught in my throat. In the end, I just silently packed my bags and moved into the precinct dorms. Aside from work, we never spoke another word. I knew, deep down, that nothing physical had ever happened between him and Rose. I just couldn’t stand it. He was giving the tenderness that was once mine to another woman, while I was left to pay the bills. We were at a stalemate for a long time. Every day I would think, Maybe I’ll make up with him tomorrow. But the next day, the words would die on my lips, choked by the bitterness of it all. Unfortunately, tragedy arrived faster than tomorrow. I never got the chance to see him come back to me. Instead, I made a shocking discovery. Rose had a hidden connection to the very crime syndicate we’d been investigating for years. 3 A powerful suction tore me from my memories. The crowd erupted. “They’ve found something!” “Careful, give them a hand!” Sam stood stunned, the word escaping his lips before he could stop it. “Impossible!” “You just wanted to see me sweat, to make me look like a fool, didn’t you? There can’t really be any bones…” he muttered, as if to himself. Rose bit her lip, her expression fraught with worry. “Sam… you don’t think… Skye could have killed someone, do you?” “She always had such a volatile temper. If someone pushed her too far…” Sam’s jaw tightened, his muscles coiling. He pushed his way through the crowd. “I’m going to take a look.” I hovered over the shattered remains of my own skeleton. The wind whistled through the gaps in the bones, and I couldn’t help but laugh a bitter, silent laugh. This was the true meaning of “chilled to the bone.” He brushed the dirt from a fractured piece. Even through his gloves, I could feel the warmth of his fingertips. My soul trembled. Suddenly, I didn’t want him to see me like this. If I had a choice, I would want him to remember me as I was. Headstrong, impulsive, but so full of life. But now, all I could do was gaze up at the man I once loved, desperate for the lingering warmth of his touch. The medical examiner collected the bones, and the crowd slowly dispersed. Sam remained alone in the field. As the first light of dawn painted the sky, he suddenly pulled out his phone and started dialing like a madman. Ring… Ring… “The number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please check the number and try again.” The wind on the open plain was freezing, turning the tip of his nose red. A choked sob was ripped away by the gale. “Skye, this isn’t real…” “This is just a sick joke, right?” A pair of arms wrapped around his neck, a woman’s warm breath against his ear. Rose’s voice trembled. “Sam.” “Is she… still in your heart?” Sam’s body flinched violently. A heavy, turbulent silence hung between them. He placed his hand over hers, which rested on her stomach, and let out a long, weary sigh. “That’s all in the past.” “All I have now is you and the baby.” Rose’s arms tightened around him as she began to weep softly. “Sam, I’m so scared you’ll leave me.” “I’ve given you everything. Please… don’t let me down.” Seven years had worn away my anger. Now, I could watch her performance with a calm detachment. This woman was born with two faces. With Sam, she was always the pitiful victim. With me, her eyes were filled with venom and defiance. Sometimes, I truly wondered what I had ever done to her. Why did she hate me so much? It wasn’t until I was dying that I finally understood. She had every reason. Her father, a career criminal, had been killed in a shootout with my father and Sam’s father after resisting arrest. Without his protection, she quickly became a “plaything” passed around by the gang. “Do you know what I hate most about you?” she had sneered, crouching in front of me. Her voice was a low hiss. “We both lost our fathers. So why was your life so damn easy?” “Your classmates and neighbors treated you with even more kindness. The men in your life didn’t try to slip their hands into your underwear.” “I’m smarter than you, prettier than you, and I understand people better than you. So why, after all of that, does Sam still love you more?!” It dawned on me then. Love and hate—both can destroy you. Rose had intended to avenge her father’s death on both me and Sam. But somewhere along the way, she fell in love with him. And that only made her hate me more. 4 The morning sun stretched their shadows long across the ground. Watching their overlapping figures, a morbid curiosity sparked within me. What would Sam do if he knew who Rose really was? Would he continue to pity her, to cherish her? Or would he be disgusted? I couldn’t guess the answer. Fate is a cruel playwright, one that delights in twisting the human heart. It arranged for a detective to be killed by the daughter of the criminal he had taken down. Then it arranged for that detective’s son, completely unaware, to marry that same criminal’s daughter. Sometimes I think, if only Rose had been an adult when her father died. Her records wouldn’t have been sealed. We wouldn’t have mistaken the new head of the syndicate for an innocent victim. And I wouldn’t have died in such a horrific way. Every single one of my bones bears the scars of what they did to me. Back then, I had screamed, struggled, begged, and demanded to know why. But they just laughed as they broke my limbs and pulled my teeth out one by one, relentlessly demanding the names of our undercover officers and informants. Finally, they pumped me full of adrenaline—three shots. They wanted me fully conscious as they sliced open my abdomen and tossed my organs to the dogs. But there was a moment, a single chance, when I could have lived. Before they gutted me, Rose appeared, flanked by several menacing-looking Burmese men. “You’re good,” she said. “You almost brought down my entire operation.” “I was going to kill you outright. But Jago convinced me not to waste a valuable asset.” “If you can get the police to close the case, take the fall for everything, you can live out your days peacefully in prison.” I managed a weak, bloody smirk. “In your dreams.” Her smile turned ugly. “Refuse, and you disappear.” “In a few years, Sam will forget all about you anyway.” I closed my eyes in silence. But then Rose spoke again, her voice like a serpent’s hiss. “It’s the anniversary of your father’s death today, isn’t it?” “Every other year, Sam would have gone with you to the cemetery.” I tensed. “What are you planning?” “Nothing much. Just happened to ‘lose’ some evidence of a dirty cop taking bribes, and the money trail happens to lead straight to you.” Her voice was raspy, poisonous. “I know he won’t believe it. But he’ll use it as an excuse to make up with you.” “Women… we’re petty creatures. If I can’t have him, I’d rather destroy him.” Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, my phone began to ring, a death knell. It was Sam. Rose gestured with her chin. “Answer it. Have her lure him here.” I took the call. Sam asked where I was. He said there were some things he needed to clear up in person. He wanted to apologize and pick me up to go to the cemetery. But his apology had come too late. Even if I survived, I would be a cripple for the rest of my life. So I said nothing. Jago grew impatient. He grabbed a blowtorch and aimed it at my thigh. The smell of burning flesh filled the air. I clenched my teeth, refusing to make a sound. Sam. He was my closest partner, my beloved husband. He had given me the happiest days of my life. If I had one last wish at the end of my life, I would give anything to ensure his safety. But Sam must have sensed something was wrong. His voice grew sharp with urgency. “Skye, are you in trouble? Can you not talk? Hold on, I’m coming to find you!” I shook my head frantically, using the last ounce of my strength to shout into the phone. “Don’t!” “Don’t come looking for me! We’re over, you hear me?” “Go live your life with your little saint. I’m… I’m done with you!” I hung up and managed a final, heartbreaking smile. “You win, Rose.” Go to him. Comfort him. From now on, he’s yours. That night, they slept together. And from there, it was a natural progression. They became the perfect couple and even conceived a child together. And me? I died on the coldest day of winter. Buried beneath a barren field for seven years. Until today. The medical examiner held the DNA test results, his eyes filled with sorrow. “Captain, the victim is confirmed. It’s Skye Miller.” “Badge number 071923… case file sealed once more.”

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My parents died in an accident. My relatives fought over their inheritance while simultaneously treating me like a burden. Only my Uncle Xander, who wasn’t related by blood, extended a hand when I had nowhere else to go. He asked if I wanted to go with him. He raised me well. Everyone said I was the rose he cherished most. And on the night of my twentieth birthday, he personally plucked the rose he had nurtured for years. The next day, as I endured the soreness all over my body, shy yet happy, I went to find him on the balcony. Instead, I heard him talking casually on the phone. “Marry her? Don’t be ridiculous. An uncle marrying his niece? I can’t afford to lose face like that.” “Sleeping with her? That was just to prevent the rose I raised myself from being plucked by some other wild man first.” Chapter 1 It was still that familiar, magnetic, yet nonchalant voice. It was high summer. The wind blowing onto my face from the balcony carried heat, yet my whole body felt like it had fallen into an icy cellar. Chilled to the bone. Steady footsteps approached. In a trance, the man’s smiling, handsome face appeared before me. The Creator had favored him, carving his features with care. Deep-set eyes, sparkling peach-blossom eyes that gave the illusion of deep affection when he looked at you. When I spoke, I realized my throat was incredibly dry. “Last night…” I stammered, my heart trembling at what I had just heard. His lazy eyes looked me over. “We were both drunk last night. Let’s just pretend nothing happened.” He paused, then added cruelly. “Besides, no one wants to marry the elder who raised them. People with such thoughts only disgust me. What do you think… Nora?” His tone last night was so passionate, even his fingertips were burning. But today, he spoke the most heartless words. Drunk? He could have used any other excuse, but he chose “drunk.” A man who could drink half a bottle of liquor without batting an eye claimed he got drunk on a glass of red wine? Just half a year ago, on New Year’s Eve. He promised to spend it with me. But he was held up by elders at the dinner table. Glass after glass went down. The hands on the antique grandfather clock were ticking towards twelve. Just then, Uncle Xander’s deep, slightly drunken voice called me: “Nora.” He stood up, staggering, almost falling. I rushed to support him. He smelled of alcohol mixed with the crisp scent of pine. With a sleepy look, he pleaded with the elders: “Really can’t drink anymore. If I keep going, I’ll sleep on the floor tonight.” The elders laughed and let me help him leave. I helped the unsteady Xander upstairs, wondering how I had so much strength to support a grown man. Until my shoulder felt light. Caught off guard, I turned my head and met a pair of smiling, clear eyes. Nothing like the drunkenness he showed downstairs. I was stunned. “Weren’t you drunk…” “That little alcohol? Ten times that wouldn’t knock me down.” “Then why did you pretend?” “If I didn’t pretend, would you want to spend New Year’s Eve alone?” He reached out and gently rubbed my head. So he knew. He knew that because I was an orphan, I was isolated by the younger generation of the Xu family. He noticed my loneliness. I looked up at his handsome profile. My heartbeat slowed down for no reason. His large palm took my hand. “It’s almost twelve. I’ll take you to see something.” He took me to the roof. The wind whipped around us, but I didn’t feel cold. He covered my eyes. Everything went dark. He counted down behind me: “Ten, nine, eight… three, two, one.” When he let go, the darkness was replaced by brilliant fireworks. Amidst the explosions of light, I heard the best blessing of the year. “Nora, Happy New Year! Happy every year!” He asked if the fireworks were beautiful. “Beautiful!” I shouted. But actually, I didn’t see the fireworks. Because there was something better than fireworks that captivated all my attention. What I didn’t know then was that fireworks are fleeting. And so are human hearts. Chapter 2 So, he wasn’t even willing to come up with a good lie. Caught off guard, my tears fell. I lowered my head, not wanting him to see my pathetic state. He reached out and gently tidied my messy hair, just as he always did. He still seemed to be the Uncle Xander who wanted the best for me. “I advise you not to say anything.” “After all, for men, this kind of thing is just a romantic affair.” “But for you…” His voice dropped lower. “Others will only think you’re shameless. An ungrateful girl who seduced her uncle and climbed into his bed.” “Remember to take the pill. Unwanted children shouldn’t be born into this world, right?” My heart felt like it had been pierced by ten thousand needles. I wanted to scream at him. He said people who liked their guardians were disgusting. But last night, he was clearly sober. He tormented the girl he raised all night long. Did he not find himself disgusting? But in the end, my lips closed weakly. Saying anything now seemed meaningless. Chapter 3 I silently moved back to the school dormitory. Xander didn’t contact me. The next time we met was at the monthly family gathering. Everyone was there, except him. Grandfather Xu let us start eating. But then, Xander arrived late, holding hands with a gentle-looking woman. I was surprised. “This is…?” “This is my girlfriend, Chloe Zhang. Dad, you can call her Chloe.” My hand holding the chopsticks froze. “Nora… Nora…” I didn’t even hear Grandfather Xu ask me to greet her. When I snapped back to reality, Grandfather Xu smiled. “Greet Chloe. You should call her…” Before Grandfather could finish, Xander spoke up, his voice deep and pleasant. “Just call her Aunt Chloe.” The whole family looked at him in surprise. Xander looked unfazed. “Why are you looking at me? I’m at that age, and Chloe is very nice. She’s suitable for marriage.” Grandfather Xu smiled, eyes narrowing. “I told you to get a girlfriend last week. You work fast! Nora, quickly call her Aunt Chloe.” I told myself not to have hope. But thinking that he was intimate with me just last month, and today he was holding another woman’s hand talking about marriage… My heart felt bitter. I squeezed out a difficult smile. “Aunt Chloe.” The words felt like razor blades in my throat. Chloe smiled gently. “Nora, right? I knew about you before. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you just like your uncle does.” Between Xander and me, no matter who was right or wrong, it shouldn’t involve an innocent woman. So I sincerely said, “Thank you, Aunt Chloe.” I don’t know why, but my sincere “Aunt Chloe” made Xander’s face turn black. His eyes narrowed slightly. Later, at the table, he suddenly said to me in a helpless tone: “Still angry with Uncle? I apologize, okay? Move back home. I’m worried about you living in the dorms.” Grandfather Xu glared at him. “Did you bully her? Tell Grandpa!” But then Grandpa added, “But your uncle is right. We’re worried. Dorm life is hard.” “My roommates are nice,” I said softly. I couldn’t read Xander. He said I disgusted him. Fine, I stayed away. Now he insisted I move back? Chloe also spoke up. “Nora, move back. Your uncle cares about you. Sometimes he stares at dishes you like when we eat. He even buys durian cakes for me, knowing I hate them, just because you like them.” She smiled shyly. “If you don’t move back, people will think I drove you out.” Grandfather Xu made the final decision. “It’s settled. Nora, move back.” I had no room to refuse. Chapter 4 That evening, I went home with Xander. Unexpectedly, Chloe came too. She went upstairs with us, and I realized… they were already living together. As soon as I entered, I hid in my room. My cat, Angel, immediately clung to me, meowing complaints about my absence. I squatted down and smoothed its fur. It was a stray I saved years ago. Xander didn’t like cats, but he let me keep it. He even fed it when I was at school. Soon, the kitten purred. But just then. The sounds from the master bedroom next door made my body stiffen. Crisp kissing sounds. Faint gasps. “Nora… mm… will she hear?” “We’re adults. So what if she hears? Don’t you want to?” What he did to me last month, he was now doing to another woman, just a wall away. I felt covered in something dirty and sticky. I ran to the bathroom and threw up until I choked on bile. The noise next door got louder. Angel circled me uneasily. Suddenly, the noise stopped. Then, a knock on my door. I knew I shouldn’t, but I fantasized that maybe Uncle just couldn’t accept my feelings. Maybe Chloe was just an act. Maybe nothing happened. Holding this pathetic hope, I opened the door. Xander stood there in a loose white shirt, buttons undone, revealing his collarbone. A collarbone marked with red scratches. His eyes were clear. My heart went cold. “What is it?” I struggled to speak. “Can you run an errand?” “What?” Xander looked at me, his gaze indifferent. “Go buy two boxes of condoms.” I looked at him in disbelief. Asking the girl who loved him, the girl he slept with, to buy condoms for him and his girlfriend? My heart felt like it was being shredded. “What if I say no?” He sneered. “Are you that anxious to hold a little nephew or niece?” Humiliation washed over me. Just then, Chloe’s shy voice floated from the bedroom. “Nora, please… I don’t want children yet.” I forced out a word. “Okay.” I took the elevator down. It was raining. I rushed into the rain. I couldn’t delay their “urgent need.” I bought the boxes, face burning at the checkout. Walking back, I heard the clerks gossiping. “Who makes a girl buy that stuff? So tasteless.” Raindrops hit my face. He asked me to buy protection for another girl, but told me to take pills that hurt my body. The difference between love and not love was obvious. I stumbled and fell hard on the stairs. My palms scraped raw, my leg throbbing. I limped home. The fingerprint lock wouldn’t open. It beeped an error. The door opened from the inside. Xander stood there. He glanced at my wet hair and frowned. I tried to hand him the boxes, but the corner touched my wound. “Hiss.” Xander looked at my bleeding palm. His brows locked tight. Just when I thought he might care, he clicked his tongue. “How did you get the package so dirty?” He snatched the boxes. I felt ridiculous for expecting care. He took the boxes to his room. I limped to mine. I listened numbly to the rising sounds next door. Angel nestled in my arms, comforting me. That night, I had a fractured dream. On one side, Xander and Chloe entangled. On the other, the day Xander first reached out his hand to me.

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Right before the SATs, my “best friend” spiked my drink, causing me to miss my chance at the Ivy League. She deliberately posted in the group chat: “Didn’t everyone say Annie was a shoe-in for Yale? How did she bomb so hard?” I became the laughing stock of the entire school. My parents, who valued sons over daughters, refused to let me repeat the year. They sold me off to an old bachelor in a rural village, chaining me up like an animal to bear him children. While escaping that hellhole, I accidentally fell off a cliff. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day before the SATs. This time, holding the video of her drugging me, I smiled and asked my roommate: “What did you just put in my cup?” 1 “Annie, I’m going to get some water. Want me to fill yours too?” When Wendy approached me, I had my bedside lamp on, grinding through past SAT questions. Hearing the exact same words she said in my past life, I couldn’t help but sneer internally. If not for my rebirth, I never would have imagined that Wendy, whom I considered my best friend, was actually a demon. “Sure, thanks, Wendy-bear.” I mimicked my usual way of interacting with her, my tone so affectionate it gave me goosebumps. Wendy took my water bottle from my hand and walked away happily. She didn’t notice that I had put down my pen, picked up my phone, started recording, and quietly followed her. We lived on the second floor. Since it wasn’t peak time, there weren’t many people in the water room. Wendy scanned left and right, then pulled a small paper packet from her pocket and dumped all the powder into my bottle. I recorded her actions clearly with my phone, then dashed forward and patted her shoulder. “Wendy, what did you just put in my cup?” 2 Wendy’s hand trembled, almost dropping the bottle. “N-nothing, Annie, you saw wrong, right?” I shook my head. “How could I see wrong? I was thinking the SATs are tomorrow, and we might not see each other much after graduation.” “Just now you offered to get me water, so I thought I’d record a sweet memory.” “While you were getting water, I was outside, secretly filming you.” “Here, look, I got it crystal clear!” I held up my phone to Wendy. On the screen, her action of pouring the powder was undeniable. The few people in the water room turned their gazes toward us. I struck while the iron was hot, pressing on: “So Wendy, what exactly did you pour? Is it nutritional supplements?” Wendy didn’t dare tell the truth, so she bit the bullet. “Yes, supplements.” “You study so hard, I was afraid your body couldn’t take it.” An outspoken classmate nearby scoffed: “Why so sneaky if it’s just supplements? You wouldn’t say when asked; people might think you’re poisoning her!” I smiled and explained for Wendy: “Oh, Wendy and I are best friends, she definitely wouldn’t harm me.” “But Wendy, I appreciate the thought, but you should drink these supplements yourself.” As I spoke, I took Wendy’s bottle, poured the drugged water from my bottle into hers, and then refilled mine with fresh water. After doing all this, I grabbed Wendy’s hand and shoved her bottle into it. “Lights out soon, let’s go sleep. We have the exam tomorrow.” Wendy looked down at her bottle, her face turning green. 3 Our boarding school cuts power and lights at 10:30 PM. Not long after lights out, my other roommates fell asleep. I lay in bed, closing my eyes. But I wasn’t asleep. I felt that someone as petty as Wendy wouldn’t give up on harming me just because she failed once. Wendy and I were both on the top bunks, and our beds were connected. I didn’t dare sleep too deeply. Sure enough, a while later, I heard Wendy calling my name in a very, very small voice. “Annie, Annie!” She was testing if I was asleep. I adjusted my breathing, slowing it down as much as possible, pretending to be deep in slumber. I kept my eyes shut tight and heard rustling sounds from the head of my bed. Someone lifted my bed curtain and picked up the phone I kept by my pillow. Moments later, my phone was put back. I guessed Wendy had changed my alarm time. 4 I always sleep with earplugs. Wendy knew this habit. During the final sprint for the SATs, everyone installed bed curtains to study late without disturbing others. If she turned off my alarm and I overslept, chances are no one would notice. I thought she was just gambling on me not waking up, but she clearly wasn’t satisfied. She tiptoed down the ladder. The faint sound of water pouring echoed in the dorm. I guessed instantly what she was doing. She must have poured that drugged water back into my cup. Wendy really went to great lengths to ruin me. So many tactics, just because she was afraid I’d perform normally tomorrow. I was angry, but I continued to feign sleep, pretending to know nothing. Only after Wendy climbed back into bed did I open my eyes and reset the alarm she had turned off. As for the cup… It was simply evidence delivered to my doorstep. 5 The next day, everyone got up early. It was the SATs, after all. Everyone was nervous. After washing up, everyone started checking their exam materials. Those who finished checking sat on their beds with flashcards, trying to cram a few more points. Until it was almost time to leave, I still hadn’t appeared. Wendy stopped a roommate who wanted to check my curtain, swearing that I must have left early. That roommate thought Wendy and I were close, so she didn’t suspect anything and went back to packing. When I returned from the cafeteria with a pile of steaming breakfast, Wendy still had a smug smile on her face, thinking her plot had succeeded. Seeing me walk in, her smile froze. “Guys, I bought breakfast! Grab it and eat on the bus. I saw the bus waiting downstairs.” Everyone thanked me, except Wendy, who looked incredulous: “Annie, why are you up so early?” The roommate she stopped earlier looked at her suspiciously: “Wendy, didn’t you just tell me Annie definitely left early?” Wendy’s words contradicted themselves. The other roommates sensed something was off. She could only explain stiffly: “I… I knew Annie was up early, I just didn’t expect her to be early enough to buy breakfast for everyone.” This explanation barely passed. Unfortunately, I wasn’t going to let her off the hook. “Yeah, I woke up super early today. Maybe I was nervous.” “But good thing I did, because after I woke up, I found my alarm was turned off for some reason.” “It’s the SATs today. If I was late, I’d be done for.” “Wendy, you didn’t turn off my alarm, did you?” 6 The roommates looked at Wendy with strange expressions. Connecting these two coincidences… it didn’t sound like a coincidence anymore. Wendy wanted to explain, but I interrupted again: “Alright, let’s not dwell on it. Let’s go down quickly.” She had no choice but to follow us downstairs with a dark face. The bus was indeed parked downstairs. One bus fit exactly one class. Several people were already seated. Among them was Caleb, Wendy’s crush. He was looking over his notes, sunlight hitting his profile, making him look like a perfect sculpture. Caleb wasn’t just handsome; he was consistently in the top ten academically and played piano at the talent show. He was the school’s golden boy. Many girls liked him, but he had suddenly confessed to me a while ago. I rejected Caleb, saying I was only focused on studying. I didn’t hide this from Wendy. Wendy told me she didn’t care. But her subsequent actions showed she cared… fatally. In my past life, I avoided Caleb to spare her feelings. Now, I didn’t care. Even if I did nothing, Wendy would only hate me more. So why not make her miserable? I sat right next to Caleb. 7 Wendy’s face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot. She angrily sat in the row behind Caleb and me. She could hear what we said and see what we did. But I didn’t intend to chat with Caleb. I took out my review materials and didn’t look up until the bus arrived at the test center. Before getting off, Caleb whispered, “Good luck on the test.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Wendy’s face darken even more. After the day’s exams ended. On the bus back to school, Wendy, afraid I’d sit with Caleb again, dragged me to the very back corner. As soon as we sat down, she seemed to forget what she had done earlier and questioned me. “Annie, why did you sit with Caleb this morning?” “Didn’t you tell me you hated him?” We weren’t far from Caleb, and she didn’t lower her voice. She clearly wanted Caleb to hear us. Even if I refuted her, I’d fall into a trap of self-defense. 8 I sighed, looking helpless. “You’re my best friend. You like Caleb, so of course I had to say I hated him to support you.” Wendy’s eyes widened. She couldn’t believe I just blurted that out. “I didn’t…” “Okay, okay, I know you’re shy. Let’s just say I hate him then.” “I really can’t with you. Just sitting with him makes you this jealous.” Using magic to defeat magic instantly disarmed Wendy. Her face flushed red. She couldn’t argue, but she looked expectantly at Caleb nearby. Although it wasn’t how she wanted it, my words indirectly confessed for her. What would Caleb’s reaction be? Oh, Caleb’s gentle face was now filled with disgust for Wendy. After all, he had just been rejected by me and was probably pondering the reason. This move did exploit his feelings for me a bit. But I had no choice. In my past life, I was a good person, and look where that got me. In this life, I definitely wouldn’t be a naive doormat waiting to be slaughtered. 9 The bus stopped at the dorm. Wendy ran into the building crying. Because Caleb rejected her directly. He said, “Thanks for the admiration, but I don’t like you.” If his face hadn’t shown annoyance and dislike, Wendy might not have broken down so hard. But he showed it clearly. A girl’s heart shattered. But my mood was excellent. It was just public embarrassment. Compared to losing my future and my life in my past life, this was merely an appetizer. My real revenge was just beginning. When I leisurely returned to the dorm, Wendy was still buried in her blankets, crying over her dead love. High school is a time of hormonal turbulence. Most of my roommates understood the pain of unrequited love. Seeing her cry so miserably, they couldn’t help but sympathize. The roommates couldn’t quite understand why I said those things in front of Caleb. They forgot that initially, it was Wendy who bitchily claimed I hated Caleb, prompting my counterattack. Human nature is like that; whoever looks weaker gets more sympathy. But what use was their sympathy to me? Even receiving a few disapproving glances, I didn’t care. My expressionless face contrasted sharply with Wendy’s tear-streaked one. The dorm monitor couldn’t help but speak up: “Annie, you went a bit too far. Wendy just told us she was only joking…” “Then couldn’t I say I was just joking too?” “A joke requires both parties to find it funny, right?” The monitor fell silent for a moment, then spoke indignantly: “But you were a bit excessive. You guys are supposed to be best friends. Why stab her in the back?” “Although this morning seemed a bit off, it could have been a misunderstanding. You have no proof Wendy turned off your alarm, right?”

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I slammed my two-week notice onto the conference table, right as my fiancé was idly twirling a wadded ball of black stockings between his fingers. He glanced dismissively at the word “Resignation” on the paper, a familiar, easy smirk curving his lips. “Sutton Reid, what new drama are we stirring up now?” My knuckles were white against the copy of the Due Diligence report I clutched behind my back, but my voice was unnervingly steady. “I’m waiving all claims to company shares and any accrued bonuses. My official departure paperwork has already been submitted to HR.” The twirling motion of his fingers paused for a beat, the dismissiveness in his eyes replaced by mild shock, then a swift turn to biting sarcasm. “Babe, I told you weeks ago, we’re holding off on releasing that report because we need the Prescott Group’s leverage to finalize this transition. Do you really have to be so difficult about every little thing?” “Just until things stabilize, then I’ll make our relationship public, hmm?” He reached out to cup my cheek, a gesture he’d used countless times to soothe the “irrational” me. But I turned my head, dodging his touch. All I wanted now was to be completely, irrevocably done with him, and with this entire enterprise built on calculation and deceit. 1. Blake Harrison let his hand drop, the black stockings still dangling from his index finger. His tone was laced with an almost charitable arrogance. “Sutton, stop acting like a child. Without me, where would you have gotten access to those core resources? How would you have led three hundred-million-dollar deals in three years?” He rose and walked toward me, looking down. “If you walk out now, you’re gutting your own career.” I looked up at him, my eyes empty of any emotion. “My career has never been a gift from anyone.” “Those project proposals? I spent countless all-nighters rewriting them. Those client resources? I flew across the country to lock them in. Even the core technology this company is built on? I led the team that cracked the code.” “Blake, what makes you think I can’t survive without you?” He froze. He hadn’t expected this. The Sutton he knew was always compliant, always agreeing to his version of the future. For five years, I had compromised again and again for the sake of his so-called ‘shared future.’ He said the startup phase required low visibility, so I was content to be the woman behind the man, pushing all the credit to him at celebration dinners, despite being the project’s main architect. He said he had to play the game with the Prescott heiress, Sarah, so I ignored the scent of a cheap, unfamiliar perfume on his jacket, and the telltale ping of flirtatious texts on his phone. I believed that once the company was stable, he would fulfill his promise: give me a public role, a clean slate, and an honest love. It wasn’t until last week, when I found the DD Report—the one he’d buried for three months—stuffed in the back of his private office drawer, along with intimate photos of him and Sarah Prescott, and their vulgar chat logs, that I finally woke up. The Due Diligence report clearly stated that Prescott Enterprises’ funding was already a dead end. The so-called ‘leverage’ was nothing but Blake’s scheme to exploit Sarah’s feelings, using her investment to plug the gaping holes in his own company’s finances. His promise to me was a lie from the very beginning. “The client only recognizes you, Sutton. The projects aren’t finalized. If you dare walk away, I’ll personally make sure you never work in this industry again.” Blake’s face darkened, a flicker of something truly ugly crossing his eyes. He was adept at using this kind of threat; he knew my professional reputation meant everything to me. “Oh, really?” I pulled out my phone and tapped the play button on a call recording I’d prepared long ago. Blake’s voice, smug and confident, filled the air. “Sarah is a complete fool, she thinks a few pieces of jewelry and some sweet talk are enough to reel her in. Once I get her investment, I’ll cut her loose. As for Sutton, she’s just a tool, a knife in my hand. Once it’s served its purpose, you throw it away…” Before the clip even finished, Blake lunged for my phone, his face absolutely ashen. I was ready. I sidestepped him easily and slipped the phone back into my bag. I sneered, throwing the copy of the DD Report onto the table in front of him. “Did you think I wouldn’t keep leverage of my own?” “The evidence of you falsifying revenue data and defrauding investors? I have all of it. If I choose to expose you, forget me not being able to find another job—you and your company will be facing hard time.” The office was dead silent. Blake’s hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white. He stared at me, his eyes promising violence. “Sutton Reid, are you threatening me?” “It’s not a threat. It’s a notification.” I bent down, retrieved my notice, and gently patted the dust from it. “I’ve already accepted an offer from Vantage Capital. I start next week as Vice President of Projects. As for your mess with the Prescotts, you clean it up yourself.” Vantage Capital—the gold standard of investment firms, and the very partner Blake had been desperately trying and failing to secure for years. He never imagined I would be headhunted by them. 2. Just then, Blake’s phone chimed. It was Sarah Prescott. He checked the screen, his expression growing even more toxic, but he answered it anyway. “Zeyan, when are you coming over? My father has approved the investment, he’s just waiting for you to sign the contracts…” Sarah’s overly sweet, hopeful voice filtered from the phone. I didn’t wait to hear their saccharine exchange. I turned and walked out of the office. The afternoon sun streamed through the glass windows of the hallway, warm and bright on my skin. My phone vibrated. It was a text from Gavin Wells, the CEO of Vantage Capital. “Sutton, welcome aboard. Your talent and integrity are more valuable than any resource.” I smiled faintly, tapping out a reply. “Looking forward to it.” Back at the empty apartment, I collapsed onto the sofa, the tension I’d held for months finally bleeding away. This apartment—Blake had bought it, putting the deed in my name as a “guarantee.” Now, staring at the high-end finishes, all I felt was bitter irony. Five years of my youth, five years of complete devotion, all for a perfectly executed con. I walked to the balcony, watching the traffic ebb and flow far below. My mind drifted back five years. Blake was a hungry, broke kid then, pitching a half-baked business plan out of a university incubator. I had just received my acceptance letter to Columbia for my Master’s, but his plea—*“Sutton, stay and help me. We’ll build our future together”—*made me abandon the chance without a second thought. I remember us crammed into a tiny, ten-by-ten studio. In winter, when the heater broke, he’d tuck my hands into his jacket to warm them. In summer, without air conditioning, he’d stay up all night fanning me. Once, when the company hit a funding crisis, he came back defeated, held me, and cried, apologizing for putting me through hardship. “Sutton, once the company is stable, I’ll marry you. I’ll buy you the biggest house, the best car. I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world.” His eyes had been so earnest. I gave him everything. To cut costs, I took on tutoring gigs after my full-time work. To land our first major client, I practically lived in their lobby for a week until they finally relented. To solve the core technical challenge, the team and I pulled an all-nighter for a month straight, often passing out at our desks. Blake did succeed, fueled by my proposals and the clients I secured. The company grew from a cramped workshop into a minor industry player. But as the company grew, he changed. He started attending endless networking events, coming home later and later, smelling of increasingly unfamiliar perfumes. When I asked, he always waved it off: “It’s just business, Sutton. I have to play the part.” I chose to believe him. Until the first time I found a stick of lipstick that wasn’t mine in his suit pocket. It was a shocking, seductive red, a color I would never wear. I held it up to him. He paused, then casually dismissed it. “Must have brushed against a client’s purse.” I looked at his open, seemingly candid expression, and swallowed the accusation that was burning in my throat. Trust him. Support his career. But once a crack appears in trust, the foundation never returns to its original integrity. The incidents grew more frequent. His phone was suddenly password-protected. His schedule became opaque. His attitude toward me grew distant and perfunctory. I hadn’t quite given up. But a month after leaving him, I discovered I was three weeks pregnant. 3. I was holding the sonogram report, walking toward the office to tell Blake, when I saw him kissing a stranger outside the building. I recognized the woman instantly: Sarah Prescott, the heiress to the Prescott Group. It felt like a physical blow. I stood frozen as the prenatal report fluttered from my trembling hand to the ground. Blake saw me. His face went instantly pale. He pushed Sarah away and rushed over, trying to physically pull me away. “Sutton, let me explain. It’s not what you think…” “Then what is it?” I bent down, picked up the paper, and thrust it at him, my voice cracking. “Blake, we’re having a baby. Is this how you treat me? Is this how you treat our child?” He looked at the report, his eyes a confusing mix of shock, guilt, but mostly impatience. “Sutton, this isn’t the time for this. Sarah and I are only business partners. I’m doing this for the company, for our future.” “For our future?” I laughed, the sound brittle as tears streamed down my face. “Does your future include me? Does it include this baby? Or just your company and your bottom line?” We had a devastating fight that day. He called me unreasonable. He said I didn’t understand the sacrifices he had to make. And from that moment, I quietly began building my own escape route. I contacted my former professors and meticulously mapped out a new career path. I gathered every shred of evidence of Blake’s illegal operations, ensuring I had leverage. I even consulted a lawyer, Ms. Anya Sharma, about property and cohabitation rights. The child, that tiny life, ultimately did not make it. The doctor said the prolonged stress and anxiety had caused poor fetal development. A natural miscarriage. On the day of the procedure, Blake was at a black-tie event with Sarah Prescott. I called him. He cut me off quickly: “I’m busy, Sutton. Whatever it is, talk later.” Then he hung up. Lying on that cold operating table, feeling the quiet, irreversible loss of that small life, my heart was shredded. In that sterile silence, I knew. There was absolutely no turning back with Blake. 4. I loaded the last box of my belongings into my car. I gave the apartment, once filled with all my love and hope, one final look, locked the door, and descended the stairs. Sitting in the driver’s seat, I pulled out my phone and opened a hidden, encrypted folder. Inside lay years of evidence: Blake’s misappropriation of company funds, the theft of my design patents, even the plan he devised with Sarah to ultimately strip-mine Prescott Enterprises. Every contract copy, every secretly recorded call, every dubious wire transfer—all meticulously organized. My finger hovered over the send button for three seconds, before I pressed it, sending these career-ending files, word-for-word, to the legal counsel for Blue Ridge Tech, Prescott’s largest competitor. The ‘Sent Successfully’ notification popped up. I managed a thin, cold smile. I started the car, floored the gas pedal, and drove away from the place I once believed was my sanctuary, without a single glance in the rearview mirror. Meanwhile, at The Fairmont Grand in Midtown, the ballroom was awash in the glow of crystal chandeliers, roses, and champagne. Elegant guests mingled, their conversation a soft, sophisticated buzz. Blake Harrison stood center stage, his custom black tuxedo fitting his frame perfectly. He had carefully wiped away his usual flippancy, replacing it with an air of refined, gentle charm. He held Sarah Prescott’s hand, his finger idly caressing the massive diamond on her ring finger, a picture of tender affection. The officiant, microphone in hand, was booming out the praises of the engaged couple: Blake Harrison, the up-and-coming business star about to become the son-in-law of Prescott Enterprises, and Sarah, the cherished family heiress. Sarah looked up at Blake, her eyes shining with the starry-eyed belief of a woman deeply in love. Her voice was a low whisper, edged with barely concealed eagerness. “Zeyan, after the ceremony, is Dad going to transfer that capital injection to your account?” Blake lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her forehead, but his grip on her hand subtly tightened. His voice was brimming with total confidence. “Of course, darling. Once I have that money, Sutton’s pathetic little percentage of company shares will be worthless. And her so-called patents…” He chuckled, a dark, fleeting shadow crossing his eyes. “I made sure to set a trap in that partnership agreement five years ago. Even if she tries to sue, she won’t stand a chance.” Sarah instantly lit up, cuddling into his side, her voice syrupy sweet. “I knew you were the smartest. Once we’re married, you’ll be the Prescott heir. Then we’ll see what that woman, Sutton, can do to compete with me.” “Compete?” Blake’s scoff was pure contempt. “She was nothing but a knife for me to use. Once you’re done with a tool, you discard it. That apartment of hers must be cleared out by now. She’s probably hiding in some corner, crying into her pillow.” Just as a wave of agreeing laughter swept through the guests, who raised their glasses to toast the ‘perfect couple,’ no one noticed the group of figures in official uniforms swiftly entering the ballroom. Their leather shoes hit the polished marble floor with a synchronized, heavy thud, an oddly ominous sound that cut through the celebratory noise. Blake was raising his champagne glass to accept the crowd’s acclaim when a strong hand clamped down on his wrist. The grip was so forceful that he instinctively winced. He turned impatiently, but the moment he saw the figures, the smile froze on his face. The color drained from his cheeks…

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