Category: English

1 Marcus died three days before our wedding. As the youngest criminal profiler on the force, he was shot dead in the line of duty. When he died, his hand was still tightly clutching a custom Band-Aid. It was sealed in an evidence bag as a crucial piece of physical evidence. Yet back at home, I had a box full of identical Band-Aids, each inscribed with a different handwritten note. Paige, high heels hurt so much. Stop wearing them, okay? I made another thousand Band-Aids for you today. They can stay with you for a long, long time, just like me. Paige, who do you love more, me or those heels? Unfortunately, I never got the chance to tell him my answer. He was already gone. I went through the motions of daily life as if nothing had happened. I set his plate at dinner, bought his winter coats during seasonal sales, and regularly visited his parents. In the third year after his death, my best friend, Brianna, offered to drive his parents to the hospital for their annual checkup. As she stepped out of the car, I noticed a Band-Aid stuck to her ankle. I didn’t think much of it at first, assuming it was just a coincidence. Until my eyes caught the handwriting on it. … My hand trembled as I picked up the discarded strip. The words were unmistakably clear. Marcus’s Forever Love, Brianna. I rubbed my eyes, thinking grief was finally making me hallucinate. “Paige, what are you looking at?” Brianna walked over. I instinctively clenched my fist, squeezing out my usual soft smile. “Just checking a work email.” She sighed, gently ushering me back into my car. “I know how busy you are. Go on, I’ll drive his parents home.” I flashed her a grateful look, nodded, and started the engine. Half an hour later, I quietly followed her back to Marcus’s parents’ house. Someone opened the door from the inside. The hallway light illuminated the side of his face, the bridge of his nose, and the faint scar near his eyebrow. It was the scar he got years ago when he saved my life. It was Marcus. He wasn’t dead. Three years later, he had even gained a little weight. My fingernails dug deep into my palms. My entire body shook violently. He casually wrapped his arm around Brianna’s waist, his voice as tender as ever. “Exhausted?” “Not really,” Brianna shook her head, her tone heavy with exhaustion. “I just don’t know how much longer we can keep this from Paige.” A wave of suffocating absurdity washed over me. They were the ones deceiving me, yet she claimed to be exhausted. Marcus’s parents sat on the sofa, letting out heavy sighs. “Back then, Marcus was critically injured and deeply in love with you… yet you happened to be Paige’s best friend. There was no other choice but to fake his death so he could marry you. Do you think she’ll ever forgive us?” Marcus had faked his death to marry Brianna. His parents knew the truth all along, watching me mourn him day and night like an absolute fool. Brianna knew my bank account passwords and was listed as my emergency contact on surgery forms, yet she had stolen my fiance, moved into his bed, and orchestrated a three-year betrayal. And after all this, they expected my forgiveness? Tears spilled silently down my cheeks, burning cold against my skin. Marcus’s jaw tightened. He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he gently helped Brianna sit down, waiting a long moment before speaking. “I’ll lay all the cards on the table with her soon. Brianna’s belly is getting impossible to hide.” I felt as though I had been flash-frozen in a blizzard. I watched him stroke Brianna’s slightly swollen stomach, a radiant, satisfied smile touching his lips. Memories flashed across my mind. Paige, how many babies are you going to give me? Should we aim for a whole soccer team? Back then, I had blushed, chasing him around the room with a couch cushion. The laughter in my memory collided violently with the scene before my eyes. The man remained the same, but the woman in his arms had changed. “Let’s wait a little longer. I don’t want Paige to be hurt,” Brianna whimpered, burying her face into Marcus’s chest, her shoulders trembling. He leaned down, resting his chin on her hair, his breath trailing a soft sigh. “The fault lies with me, not you. I tried to marry her, but I failed…” Inside the house, his parents offered low, comforting murmurs. Outside the wall, I stood frozen in the relentless snow. Snowflakes dusted my hair, settling into my heart like ice. My vision blurred. My phone screen glowed in my numb hand. I dialed Brianna’s number. “Brianna… I think I just saw Marcus.” Brianna had always kept a secret lover in the shadows. Whenever she got drunk, she would ramble about the love letters he wrote her, boasting that he had given her a kidney, that he was willing to abandon his career, his dreams, and his morals for her. I used to ask her, “Why keep him a secret then?” Brianna would take a heavy swing of liquor, laughing through her tears. “Because he has a girlfriend he stayed with out of obligation. She took a bullet for him, begging him never to leave her. He tried to tell her the truth multiple times, but I stopped him. Call me a saint if you want, but I just can’t stand seeing someone heartbroken.” Back then, listening to her story filled me with righteous anger. I had thought Brianna was far too soft-hearted, foolishly sacrificing her own happiness for a stranger. When I introduced Marcus to her, I specifically emphasized that Brianna had a gentle, fragile soul, asking him to take good care of her. He had nodded with a bright smile. I never imagined that behind my back, he would take her straight into his bed. I was eighteen when I met Marcus. I had good grades and decent looks, but my life was ruined by a predatory stepbrother. I had complained to my mother countless times. Instead of protecting me, she blamed me for wearing dresses and applying lip balm. One night, he crept into my room again. I smashed a glass vase over his head and fled to a late-night diner down the street. Marcus was sitting at a booth across from me. Glancing at my thin nightgown, he pulled off his jacket and tossed it over my shoulders. “Go back inside. It’s not safe out here.” I whispered, “Home is even worse.” We talked for hours. Before leaving, he gave me his phone number and booked a hotel room for me. After that, we grabbed meals together regularly. When my stepbrother tried to force his way into my life again, Marcus stood firmly in front of me. Everyone urged me to endure it. My mother wept, threatening to disown me if I made a public scene. Only Marcus stepped up, kicking my stepbrother square in the chest and breaking two of his ribs. Afterward, he hired a lawyer and sent my stepbrother to prison. When my family threw me out onto the street, Marcus covered my college tuition and living expenses for four solid years. Later, when a gunman aimed a pistol at Marcus during a raid, I threw myself in front of him without a second thought. When I opened my eyes in the ICU, his eyes were bloodshot as he yelled at me furiously. “Are you insane? You could have died!” I didn’t argue. I simply pulled his hand to my lips and kissed his palm. That was how our story began. He treated me wonderfully, so well that everyone at the police precinct knew I was his bride-to-be. He brought me home and told me to call his parents Mom and Dad. Knowing I hated the cold, he would wrap my icy feet against his warm chest even when the heater was blaring. Knowing I lacked security, he placed only my name on the title of our apartment and transferred his entire paycheck directly to my account. So when he “died,” I never considered finding anyone else. I continued caring for his parents as my own. Yet today, I discovered it was all a grand illusion. He stood inside that living room, hugging my best friend in front of his parents, gently rubbing the swell of their unborn child. While I was branded as the manipulative girlfriend who trapped him using a debt of gratitude. The blood in my veins turned to liquid ice. Flashbacks smashed into my mind: him kneeling to propose, him laughing while holding Brianna, his body covered by a white sheet, and his words, I tried to marry her, but I failed. My hand shook uncontrollably against the phone. I hated myself for being so weak, yet I desperately needed to hear his excuse. Brianna glanced instinctively toward Marcus as she held her phone. “Paige, are you just exhausted? Should I take you to see a therapist?” I forced down the tremor in my throat, asking softly, “Did he fake his death because he fell in love with someone else? Did he lie to the department, abandon his career, his principles, and his future just for her?” Brianna’s face turned deathly pale. She exchanged a panicked glance with Marcus, squeezing out a dry, hollow laugh. “Why would you think that? What… what did you hear?” My throat felt as dry as sandpaper. I couldn’t bring myself to ask the ultimate question: Why did you two betray me? “Are they getting married soon? Do they already have a baby on the way? Did his parents know all along, which is why they never let me join them on his memorial days?” With every question I asked, their faces drained of color, as if they had seen a ghost. Marcus’s father couldn’t restrain himself any longer, snatching the phone and asking nervously, “Paige, did you hear something?” I held the phone, letting out a low, hollow laugh. “Dad… look behind you.” With that single sentence, everyone in the room whipped their heads around. Three years later, my eyes met Marcus’s, resurrected from the dead. By the time my senses returned, I was already sitting on their sofa, a mug of warm tea forced into my hands by Marcus. His parents had retreated into their bedroom. Only the three of us remained in the living room. Marcus stared at me, his expression swirling with complex emotions. “You know everything?” I gave a faint nod. Suddenly, Brianna dropped to her knees right beside my feet with a loud thud. No matter how hard Marcus tried to pull her up, she refused to budge, staring at me with tear-filled eyes. “Paige, take all your anger out on me! Don’t blame Marcus, he had no choice…” Seeing that she wouldn’t stand, Marcus knelt right alongside her, shielding her with his body. “Faking my death was my idea. It has nothing to do with her! Throw your anger at me, don’t hurt her!” “Marcus, don’t say that!” “Brianna, listen to me!” The two of them knelt on the floor, fiercely protecting each other. One implied he was forced into this by circumstance, while the other warned me that Brianna was completely innocent. And I, the actual victim in this nightmare, was framed as the villain breaking up their happy family. A quiet laugh escaped my lips. “Get up. You’re pregnant, after all.” At those words, Marcus let out a visible sigh of relief, quickly helping Brianna to her feet. He even reached over to gently rub her knees. Brianna said nothing, giving him a playful, subtle glare before turning to look at me. There was an unmistakable flicker of triumph deep within her eyes. I turned my face away. “When did it start?” Marcus’s hand froze. He avoided my gaze, his voice muffled. “The night of your twenty-fourth birthday.” I closed my eyes. A sharp, stabbing pain pierced my chest. I had been with Marcus for five years, and they had been carrying on behind my back for three. That night, we were supposed to celebrate together. He claimed he was called into an urgent operation, while Brianna said she had to work overtime. On my way home, I got into a terrible car accident. While I was being rushed into the operating room, I dialed his phone, but it was switched off. There was no urgent operation, nor any overtime. While I was clinging to life on an operating table, they were wrapped in each other’s arms in some hidden room. Afterward, they acted completely normal, one playing the loyal best friend, the other kneeling down to propose and promising me a lifetime. A sudden surge of nausea rose from my stomach. I set the tea mug down and slowly stood up. Brianna panicked, rushing over to grab my wrist, her voice breaking into sobs. “Paige, if the fake death gets out, his entire reputation will be destroyed…” Before I could process her words, she threw herself backward, clutching her stomach as she collapsed onto the carpet. “You can hit me or scream at me, but you can’t report Marcus!” Seeing her on the floor, Marcus’s eyes turned red with fury. He shoved me aside violently, scooping Brianna into his arms, asking frantically if she was hurt. Then he turned to me, his handsome features twisted in anger. “Paige, I owe you a debt, but she and our baby don’t owe you anything!” “If you try to harm them again, don’t blame me for getting ruthless!” I rubbed my sore hip, trying to catch my balance, when Marcus’s parents burst out of the bedroom. His mother pointed a finger directly at my face, shouting shrilly, “Paige, true love is never a crime!” “Blame yourself for failing to hold his heart! Marcus never loved you, he would rather fake his death than marry you!” She grabbed my arms, shoving and dragging me toward the front door. A neighbor passing by asked what was happening. His mother spat toward my feet. “She’s a shameless mistress trying to cling to my son! I already have a grandchild on the way, yet she still won’t give up!” When they needed annual checkups or hospital visits, they called me their sweet daughter-in-law. Now that their ugly secret was exposed, I was branded a shameless mistress. As a drop of saliva slid down my cheek, Marcus stood at the doorway, backlit by the hallway light, his expression unreadable. His voice carried a chilling detachment. “Go home first. I’ll come find you later.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Home? He had personally destroyed our home. Where was I supposed to go? I stumbled back to the apartment we shared. Staring at the polished wedding portraits on the wall and the framed photo of the three of us smiling on the coffee table, a wave of revulsion overwhelmed me. I grabbed a heavy glass ashtray and smashed everything in sight like a madwoman. I don’t know how long passed before silence reclaimed the apartment. I knelt on the floor among jagged shards of broken glass, unable to stand up. Yet I still wanted a final answer. Marcus never showed up that night. Instead, a text message arrived from Brianna at midnight. Paige, the baby is ninety days old now. In a few months, he’ll be calling you Auntie. Can’t we just let the past stay in the past? You saw it yourself, I am the one he truly loves. No matter how much you scream or cling to him, he will never want you back. When she failed her graduate school entrance exam years ago, I spent months staying up late to tutor her. When she wanted to open a boutique but lacked capital, I gave her my savings account card along with the PIN. Even the down payment for her current apartment came from my hard-earned money. She spent my money, lived in an apartment I helped buy, and deceived me for over a thousand days. Yet she had the nerve to tell me that Marcus loved her, warning me not to cling to him. I stared at the screen until the letters blurred into an illegible smear. Then I typed a two-word reply: No way. She didn’t text back, and I didn’t reach out again. Early the next morning, I listed the apartment with a real estate agent, cleaned myself up, and went to work. The moment I stepped into the office, whispered rumors rippled through the room. “So much for being a devoted fiancee! Turns out she’s a homewrecker trying to steal her best friend’s husband!” “Brianna’s in-laws came with a whole crowd to protest outside our building! How can anyone be so shameless?” My phone rang loudly. It was the HR Director. “Paige, someone filed a formal complaint accusing you of destroying a family. They’ve put up a massive banner at the main entrance…” Before she could finish, I understood the unspoken mandate. “I understand. I’ll submit my resignation immediately.” She let out a soft sigh and hung up. Ever since Marcus “died,” I had treated the company as my home, working my way up from a junior analyst to department director. Yet now, based on a vicious rumor, they forced me out without asking a single question. Before I even reached the main gates, someone grabbed me viciously by the hair. Brianna stood there, her face swollen from an earlier slap, leaning in close to my ear. “I’m sorry, Paige, but only if you’re completely ruined will he stop thinking about you.” “Whatever I owe you in this life, I’ll repay in the next!” With those words, she dropped to her knees, grabbing the hem of my coat, sobbing hysterically for the gathered crowd. “Paige, I treated you like a sister! How could you seduce my husband behind my back?” “I know you lost your fiance and you’re in pain, but you can’t keep clinging to my husband like this! I’m giving birth in a few months…” The gazes of the onlookers sliced into me like jagged blades. I violently yanked my coat from her grip. In the next second, a harsh slap struck my face, sending my head snapping to the side. The taste of copper filled my mouth. Marcus stepped forward, holding a trembling Brianna with one arm while pointing an angry finger at my face. “Didn’t I warn you never to bully her again?” I wiped the blood from the corner of my lip, letting out a rasping, bitter laugh. “What right do you have to lecture me?” “You were the ones who lied to me and betrayed me first…” “Enough!” He glared at me coldly, his eyes brimming with harsh mockery. “Deceived you? Betrayed you? Do you want to know the truth?” “Your entire existence was nothing more than a stand-in! Your only real value was bringing Brianna into my life!” My mind went completely blank, as if a bomb had detonated in my skull. Yet Marcus kept driving the knife deeper. “If you hadn’t taken a bullet for me, I would never have accepted you in the first place!” “I loved someone else before, and I love Brianna now. I never loved you, not for a single second!” His words were lethal, meant to destroy me entirely. Yet his own eyes turned bloodshot first. Brianna put on a show of pulling his sleeve, whimpering softly, “Don’t say that, she only did it because she loved you so much…” “So she threw herself at me, mourned for me like a widow, cared for my parents, and lived in my house surrounded by my clothes like an obsession! How pathetic!” His words stabbed deep into my chest, causing my whole body to tremble violently, yet I couldn’t utter a single defense. “If you talk to her like that, won’t she report you to the police?” Brianna whispered anxiously. “She won’t.” Marcus turned his head, staring deeply into my eyes, all the remaining light in his gaze snuffing out. He gave a confident shake of his head. “She’s hopelessly in love with me. She would never ruin my reputation.” “Don’t forget, I’m a criminal profiler.” He forced a harsh laugh, taking Brianna’s arm and turning to walk away. Mockery, curses, and harsh laughter crashed over me like a tidal wave. Hot coffee, water, and sticky liquids were poured over my head. Outside the gates, Marcus’s mother held up a massive banner, shouting demands to destroy the homewrecker. A security guard waved a nightstick in my face, barking threats. “Get out of here! A pathetic mistress like you has no business dirtying our building!” Blood mixed with liquid dripped from my forehead, splashing onto my shoes. I squatted down, gathered my cardboard box of belongings, and stumbled toward the exit. In my head, I silently counted. One. Two. Three. When I reached five, Marcus and Brianna were suddenly surrounded right outside the main gates. Leading the squad was my former colleague, Detective Burke. He raised his badge, his voice ringingly authoritative. “Marcus Mercer, you are under arrest for faking your death to defraud the state of benefits and insurance payouts. Walk with us!”

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Logan brought a woman back from his trip abroad. “Annie, this is Danica. She’s a world-renowned racing driver. For the sake of our upcoming supercar launch, I have to marry her.” I looked at the woman, entirely unfazed. “Sure. Then let’s break up.” Without shed tears or drama, I packed my things and left the company. My best friend looked at me with a knowing smirk. “So, you’re finally done playing house with him?” I put my arm around her shoulder. “You’re one to talk, Tess. Someone literally stole your identity, and you’re just standing there, cool as a cucumber?” She rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, Annie. You’re no better. The absolute genius of supercar design, and you’re just walking away?” 1 At the welcome party I threw for Logan, my friends nudged my shoulder, teasing me. “Look at you, Annie, setting up such a cozy dinner. Are you finally going to pop the question?” I laughed, keeping it light. “Hey, if he’s down, why not?” My casual attitude had everyone joking about how madly in love I was. They thought it was sweet that I was willing to take the initiative for something so massive. Amidst the laughter, Logan took my hand. My heart did a violent flutter. This is it, I thought. He must have caught my drift. I was so excited my hands were practically shaking. I had not even prepared a proper speech. But his very next words froze the smile right on my face. “Annie, I found an absolute gem during my trip. Danica, the legendary racing driver. I brought her back with me. She fell for me at first sight, and with our new model hitting the market soon, marrying her will take the company to a whole new level.” His eyes shone with a cold, ambitious fire. “You’ve been by my side for three years, Annie. You know more than anyone how much Apex Group means to me. Now that I’m on the verge of making it big, you’ll help me, right?” I glanced at the strange girl standing just behind him, then slowly pulled my hand from his grip. “You’re saying… she is Danica?” Logan nodded without a second thought. “Of course. The one and only. A certified racing prodigy.” “And how exactly am I supposed to help?” A terrible weight settled in my chest. He reached out, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear. His voice was dripping with calculated warmth. “We’ll put our engagement on hold, and I’ll marry her first. Don’t worry. If you stay sweet and play along, I’ll find a way to make her accept you. I’ll make sure to spend at least one night a week with you.” “And then what?” My chest felt so tight I could barely breathe. “And then, well, you know how demanding her racing career is. She isn’t suited for pregnancy. You have plenty of free time, so you won’t need to come to the office anymore. You can focus on bearing my children, and the three of us will raise them together.” The woman behind him stepped forward, slipping her arm through Logan’s. “Hi, Annie. You can call me Rachel. I’m only back to support Logan with my professional expertise. Don’t worry, we’re not the same. I’m a career-oriented woman.” I ignored her outstretched hand, keeping my eyes locked on Logan. “Are you absolutely sure you want to marry this ‘Danica’?” Logan frowned, his tone sharpening. “Annie, drop the attitude. Rachel is trying to be nice to you. You shouldn’t just ignore her like this.” He pulled Rachel into his arms, murmuring sweet comfort. “Don’t let it get to you, sweetie. She’s just spoiled. She doesn’t understand the bigger picture. I’ll handle her.” “Fine, Logan,” I said, setting my glass down with a heavy thud. “Go ahead and marry her. We’re done.” I turned to leave, but Rachel grabbed my wrist. “Don’t go yet, Annie! The main event is just starting!” She held me in place as the night sky suddenly erupted in a brilliant display of fireworks. On the massive LED screen across the terrace, scrolling letters appeared: Will you marry me, Rachel? Logan stepped into the spotlight at the center of the terrace. Bathed in the glowing beams, he smiled warmly, holding a massive bouquet of red roses. He pulled a velvet ring box from his jacket, sinking onto one knee in front of Rachel. “Sweetheart, will you do me the honor of marrying me?” A heavy, awkward silence fell over the crowd. But Rachel quickly took the roses and the ring, and the venue erupted into a mix of gasps and cheers. “Oh my god, the CEO is proposing to a total stranger? What about Annie?” Logan raised a hand to silence the murmuring crowd. “Starting today, the position of Chief Designer at Apex Group will be filled by my fiancée, Rachel. Our former assistant designer, Annie, will be parting ways with the company.” “Sir, you can’t do that!” the senior designer protested. “Annie has incredible talent. She understands aerodynamics; she knows cars inside and out.” Logan cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand. “You are no longer the chief designer, so watch your tone. Rachel is the famous Danica. She is more than qualified for the title. I don’t want to hear another negative word about her in this office.” Rachel shot me a smug, triumphant look. My colleagues looked at me with pity. I raised my glass, drained it in one gulp, and tipped it toward the happy couple. “I’ll hand in my resignation tomorrow. Happy engagement, Logan. May your business reach new heights.” A satisfied smile finally touched Logan’s lips. “Good girl,” he murmured. Rachel’s eyes flashed with a hint of jealousy. She marched over and grabbed my hand. “Annie, I heard you’re quite the pianist. Why don’t you play something to accompany Logan? He wants to sing for me.” “You know how to play ‘Marry Me’, right?” Logan chimed in with a chuckle. “Of course she does. She’s played it for me plenty of times.” He glared at me when I didn’t move. “Well? What are you waiting for? Get over to the piano.” Even though I had already checked out of this relationship, a sharp ache bloomed in my chest. He had always known about my feelings, but he had chosen to play dumb. “Sorry, I don’t feel like playing,” I said, my voice thick and dry. “Annie, I gave you a way out, and you’re going to act like this? Why are you being so difficult? You have absolutely no sense of the bigger picture. You’re incredibly selfish.” Logan’s face twisted in disgust. Rachel tried to play peacemaker, but as she stepped in to calm him down, the glass of champagne in her hand tilted perfectly, splashing the sticky, stinging liquid right into my face. “Oh! I’m so sorry, Annie! It was a total accident. If you don’t want to play, you don’t have to. There’s no need to fight with Logan. We’re in public; it looks bad.” I stood there, drenched, the stinging alcohol dripping from my eyelashes into my eyes. I felt like a stray dog caught in a downpour. “You look absolutely pathetic, Annie. You’re embarrassing me,” Logan said, stepping back with Rachel in his arms. “Go home and think about what you’ve done. Make sure to pack up your things and clear out of the master bedroom for Rachel. You can sleep in the room next to the housekeeper.” I turned and walked away, my heart entirely numb. Three years. I had wasted three years loving a man like this. “Wait,” Logan called out. An uncomfortable flicker passed through his eyes as he added, “Rachel is on her period. Go buy her some supplies. And when you get home, brew some warm ginger tea so it’s ready when we get back.” In his arms, Rachel blushed, pressing her lips to his jaw. “You’re so sweet to me, Logan.” “Why are you still standing there? Do you need an invitation? Learn to make yourself useful,” Logan snapped, his voice full of disdain. I kept silent, walking out of the venue with unsteady steps. Just as I cleared the lobby, a hand draped over my shoulder. “So, what’s the plan?” I looked up to see my best friend, Tess. Taking a deep breath, I shook my head. “Three years down the drain for a dog. What else is there to do?” Tess let out a loud laugh. “If you’re calling him a dog, then I can sleep easy. Tomorrow, we go in and quit together. I’ve had enough of that joke of a company anyway.” “Deal.” Three years ago, Tess had returned from abroad with me, putting all her effort into Logan’s company. She had worked tirelessly to develop their first high-performance supercar, only for this to happen right before the launch. Tess drove me back to the villa. “Pack your bags. I’ll help you move tomorrow once we’re officially out.” “Thanks.” I went upstairs and began sorting through my life. By the time Logan and Rachel returned, the master bedroom was stripped bare. Not a single trace of my presence remained. Rachel smiled smugly. “Thanks for the hard work, Annie. It seems you really are built for domestic chores. Unlike me; I’ll be focused on helping Logan conquer the business world.” Logan kissed her temple. “You’re going to be my secret weapon, honey.” He spared me a brief, approving nod. “This is more like it. You’ve been with me for three years; you know me best. With Rachel handling my career and you managing the home, Apex is going to be unstoppable. Just don’t throw any more tantrums like tonight. Breaking up? Where would you even go without me? Be realistic.” I didn’t want to waste another breath on him and turned to walk away. Rachel nudged Logan, whispering, “Oh, my stomach hurts again…” Logan panicked, lifting her in his arms and carrying her to the sofa. He swept all my neatly packed boxes off the cushions, sending them crashing to the floor. “Get this garbage out of here. Throw it all away.” “Sure.” I calmly picked up the boxes, which contained every single gift he had ever given me, and carried them straight to the outdoor trash bin. “Where’s the ginger tea I asked for? Bring it here,” Logan demanded, rubbing Rachel’s stomach. The housekeeper, sensing the tension, quickly appeared with a freshly brewed bowl of ginger tea. “Give it to her,” Logan ordered the housekeeper. But then his eyes caught the trash bin outside, realizing I had just thrown away every memento of our relationship. His face darkened. “Actually, Annie, you give it to her.” The housekeeper awkwardly passed the hot bowl to me. “Rachel and I are officially engaged today,” Logan said coldly. “Consider this your way of showing respect. From now on, your job is to keep this house running smoothly for both of us.” I stared at him, completely disgusted. I let go of the bowl. It shattered against the hardwood floor. Hot liquid splashed everywhere, and a sharp, stinging pain sliced across my ankle as a ceramic shard cut deep. “Annie! That is enough!” Logan’s commanding voice echoed behind me. “Get back here and apologize to Rachel right now!”

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Because of a throwaway joke, I stayed with Gideon for five years. Five years of silence, obedience, and playing the dutiful companion. I thought he felt at least a spark of affection for me. Just a tiny spark. Yet when his scandal with a pop star blew up the tabloids and news of his imminent engagement sent shockwaves through the financial world, I was the last soul to know. I asked him if he had ever loved me. Gideon’s laugh was ice-cold. “Love between us? Don’t you think that’s a bit too extravagant?” “I have to get married eventually, and that person was never going to be you.” “Stop making a scene. Can’t you just stay in your lane?” 1 SHOCKING! Pop Star’s Secret Lover Revealed—Is This Wall Street’s Most Eligible Bachelor? I sat on the crowded subway train, clutching a folder Gideon had left at home. The entertainment gossip on my phone screen burned into my eyes. Morning rush hour was brutal, everyone crammed shoulder to shoulder, surviving on trashy celebrity drama just to kickstart their day. “Look at this! She claimed to be single last week, and now she’s caught with a guy?” “He’s gorgeous, though.” “Rich too. Typical starlet trying to marry into money.” I stared at the familiar silhouette in the photos, my thumb trembling as I refreshed the page. A new statement popped up immediately. RUMOR CLEARED! Pop Star Clarifies Scandal: Just Friends. “Already debunked? How boring!” A dry, lifeless laugh escaped my throat. Gideon’s PR team was certainly getting faster at handling his messes. Stepping out of the subway station, I walked toward the towering glass skyscraper. The receptionist knew me, so I glided straight up to the penthouse executive suite without a word. I knocked on Gideon’s office door and walked in before waiting for a reply. The scene inside caught me off guard. Two people were sitting on the couch that used to sit empty. A faint yip echoed as I opened the door. An older man in a bespoke suit sat with an imposing air, a CEO from a partner firm, no doubt. Next to him was a stunning young woman, impeccably styled, her poise effortless. Gideon blinked in surprise, reacting instantly. “What are you doing here?” I froze, lifting the leather folder in my hands. “I brought the files you left behind.” “And who is this?” the beautiful woman asked, tilting her head. “My assistant,” Gideon said without a second thought. Assistant. I chewed on the word silently, my lips parting, but no sound came out. Seeing me stand there like a statue, Gideon reached over and took the folder. “That’s all. You can go back now.” I nodded mechanically and turned to leave, but her voice called out behind me. “Excuse me, could you bring me a cup of coffee?” She turned toward Gideon, her voice dripping with sweet affection. “I still can’t get used to black tea.” Gideon gave her a gentle, indulgent smile. “True. Tea isn’t for everyone.” He didn’t stop her, which meant he approved. A few minutes later, I returned carrying a fresh cup of coffee. Kneeling down, I set the mug smoothly onto the coffee table in front of her. “Here you go, ma’am.” I lowered my head and stepped back, only to be startled by a small dog suddenly lunging at me. I nearly lost my balance and tumbled to the floor. “Are you alright?” the woman asked politely, though she didn’t budge an inch from her seat. Gideon glanced over, frowning. “Why are you always so clumsy?” Scrambling back up in humiliation, I bowed my head. “I’m sorry.” “Just leave,” he commanded softly. “Wait,” the woman called out again, though her next words were directed at Gideon. “We’re heading to the gala later, and there’s no one to watch Milo. Can your assistant take him back to the hotel for me?” “Of course,” Gideon replied with easy charm. I took the leash from her manicured hand and led the whimpering little dog out of the office. 2 Coming to his office unannounced and crashing his meeting meant Gideon was furious. I gripped the steering wheel, my mind spiraling as I drove. A sudden, sharp bark from the backseat made me jump, skin crawling with goosebumps. I hated dogs, big or small, they terrified me. Cold sweat soaked my palms. I pressed on the gas, trying to reach the hotel as fast as possible without looking in the rearview mirror. But the little dog was bursting with energy, almost as if it sensed my fear and chose to prey on it. When I stepped out to open the back door, I didn’t move fast enough. It lunged and clamped its teeth into my hand. Sharp pain flared, and blood welled up immediately. The hotel manager rushing over gasped. “Ma’am, are you okay?” I pressed a napkin over the gash, taking a shaky breath. “I’m fine. Take him inside, please. I’ll handle this.” All the anxiety that had been building inside me vanished the moment the teeth broke my skin. The worst had happened. I drove myself to urgent care to get a tetanus and rabies shot. The bite on the back of my hand was deep, so the nurse escorted me into a small curtained bay to flush the wound with antiseptic. Traffic and the hotel stop had eaten up time, and now it was past lunch. The clinic was quiet. Cold liquid rushed through the tubing, washing out the wound over and over. Trapped in the chair, I could only scroll through my phone with my good hand. At exactly one o’clock, a push notification from the company’s official page flashed across my screen. GRAND ANNOUNCEMENT: Gideon Mercer, CEO of Mercer Enterprises, Announces Engagement to Heiress Gwen Crawford. The woman I had seen in his office was now wearing an exquisite evening gown, her arm looped intimately through Gideon’s. They held champagne flutes, smiling radiantly for the camera. Gideon looked immaculate in his tailored tuxedo, his power and confidence amplified by the stunning socialite at his side. So that rapid scandal denial this morning wasn’t for his reputation. It was to save face for Gwen. Panicking, I tried to stand up, but my knee knocked into the metal medical cart beside me. Tray, gauze, and silver instruments crashed onto the floor with a deafening rattle. The nurse rushed in, reassuring me as she knelt down to pick up the mess. A sudden wave of heat surged into my eyes, and a tear splashed directly onto the stainless-steel tray. Then a second. A third. Giving up, I buried my face into my knees and sobbed uncontrollably. “Hey, it’s really okay, sweetie, don’t cry…” The nurse panicked, patting my shoulder gently. That evening, Gideon came back. He had been entertaining guests all day and looked drained, heavy with the scent of whiskey. I handed him a warm, damp towel for his face. He didn’t take it, instead, he caught my hand. “What happened to this?” I pulled back slightly, but his grip tightened. He stared at the bandage on my hand, his brow furrowed. “Talk to me.” “I nicked myself while chopping vegetables for dinner.” Gideon finally let go. “How could you be so careless?” He wiped his face with the towel. As I turned to take it back to the bathroom, he wrapped his arms around me from behind. “Did you miss me?” He leaned his weight against my back, resting his chin on my shoulder. His warm, alcohol-laced breath brushed against my neck. I tilted my head away, evading the question. “You’re drunk. Let me help you to bed.” Gideon wouldn’t have it. Picking me up in his arms, he carried me straight into the bedroom. Fueled by liquor, his touch was rougher, bolder than usual. I stared up at his flushed face, but my thoughts drifted miles away. I wondered what he was like when he looked at Gwen. “What are you thinking about?” Gideon noticed my distraction and pinched my chin, forcing me to look at him. 3 “About you,” I answered softly. “What about me?” He leaned down, aiming for my lips. “About your engagement party today.” The moment the words left my mouth, the room went ice-cold. Gideon froze instantly. All the intimate warmth evaporated into thin air. Losing all interest, he let go of me and sat on the edge of the mattress, his expression turning dark. “You’re marrying Miss Crawford, aren’t you? Not as a market stunt, not to secure a deal. You’re actually making her your wife.” A heavy silence hung in the room before Gideon spoke. “I have to get married eventually.” “Then what am I? What were these five years supposed to mean?” My voice cracked with emotion. “What does that have to do with us? Marriage doesn’t change anything between us. You can still stay with me.” “Stay with you how? As your mistress?” Tears spilled over again. “Gideon, after all these years, don’t tell me you couldn’t tell. I love you. I’ve loved you for so long.” “What about you? Have you ever loved me even once?” Irritation flickered across Gideon’s face. “Don’t you think talking about love between us is a bit too extravagant? In the beginning, you were just…” He cut himself off, and silence reclaimed the room. But I knew exactly what he was going to say. “In the beginning, I was just a pet you bought, right? Someone you paid to sleep with. Isn’t that what you wanted to say?” The old, rotting scar was ripped open, bleeding fresh pain into both of us. I slid off the bed, kneeling on the floor to look up at him. “But I’ve truly loved you all these years.” I reached out, trying to take his hand. “Do you really not care about me at all?” Gideon pulled his hand back, his voice flat and detached. “Vivian, stop throwing a tantrum. Know your place. Can’t you just be sensible?” He rubbed his temples in frustration. “I’m stressed enough as it is. Stop making trouble for me!” My hand, rejected, hovered awkwardly in the air. Gideon turned his back to me and lay down, refusing to acknowledge my tears any longer. I don’t know how long I sat there. Finally, I wiped my face, pushed against my stiff knees, and stood up. Gideon remained motionless, facing the wall. He might have been asleep, or perhaps he simply refused to look at me. I softly pulled the bedroom door shut and walked out. Without intimacy, I had no right to be in that room. Leaning against the doorframe, I stared into the pitch-black living room, suddenly realizing I had nowhere left to go. Gideon was getting married. Which meant I could no longer exist in his world. The five-year fantasy had finally been shattered by his own hands. The love I had believed in was nothing more than a transaction, paid in full. 4 The truth was, being with Gideon had always been a leap above my station. When I first met him, I was a broke college student forced to take a leave of absence during my freshman year to pay off my family’s debts. The loan sharks were relentless. I had nothing but a pretty face, so I ended up working at a high-end lounge, promoting expensive champagne. In a place fueled by pure greed and lust, humanity didn’t exist. Being grabbed by the neck and forced to drink was a daily occurrence. When a bottle of expensive champagne was poured over my head, drenching my collar, I closed my eyes as usual, silently calculating how much commission I would earn from that single bottle. That was when Gideon walked into the VIP lounge. He put a stop to the cruelty, cupped my chin, and forced me to look up at him. He studied my face for a long time before asking a simple question: “Do you want to come with me?” I said yes. Because he had endless wealth. He wiped away my astronomical debt with a flick of his wrist. The terrifying debt collectors who used to corner me suddenly bowed and scraped in front of him, even addressing me politely as “Miss Vivian” for the very first time. He took care of my alcoholic father and my gambling brother too. I didn’t know what methods he used, but from that day on, neither of them ever crossed my path again. I was like a desperate weed clinging onto a towering oak tree, grasping Gideon for dear life. I had nothing to offer him in return except my body. I satisfied his every desire, in every way possible. And Gideon enjoyed it. For five years, I was his most constant companion. He re-enrolled me in college, pulling me out of dark basements into the bright sunlight of campus life. He spent considerable effort shaping me. He hired etiquette coaches, took me to elite galas, and introduced me to influential figures. I worked endlessly to learn, making sure I could walk beside him smoothly, my arm tucked in his at every grand event. In his words, I had to be someone he could show off. Yet Gideon was intensely possessive. He forbade me from getting close to any other man. He refused to let me attend social gatherings without his permission. Once, simply because a male classmate asked me for directions on campus and I talked to him for a few extra seconds, Gideon flew into a rage. His anger was terrifying. With a cold face, he threw me onto the bed, pinned me down, and bit my shoulder hard. “Why were you talking to him?” Breathless under his weight, I had to soothe his wrath while he dominated me. He knew everything that happened in my life and refused to listen to my explanations. I endured these punishments often. Though scared at first, I eventually tasted a twisted sweetness in it. He cared. He was jealous. Didn’t that mean he loved me? When did my love for him truly begin? I couldn’t pin it down. Perhaps it grew during those endless, quiet nights, or perhaps the seed was planted the very first moment he raised my chin in that dark nightclub. Over five years, that seed had grown into a massive tree, only to be yanked out by the roots tonight. 5 The next morning, Gideon left early. No breakfast, no farewell, not even a single glance in my direction. He was icing me out. This was my punishment for overstepping my bounds. Gideon ignored me for two whole days. Then, on the third night, he sent me a short text telling me to meet him at an upscale bar downtown. I pushed open the door to the dimly lit VIP lounge. Gideon was sunk deep into the leather sofa, a scantily clad woman leaning against his side. “Hey, Gideon! Your little pet is here!” “Better make it up to her, man, she looks pissed!” Gideon’s friends surged forward with glasses of tequila, laughingly blocking my path. They swore they wouldn’t let me reach Gideon unless I drank with them. Old memories hit me like a tidal wave. Suddenly, I was back in that chaotic lounge five years ago, surrounded by greasy men forcing drinks down my throat. Gideon watched with dark eyes, staying completely silent. He was granting them permission. I was forced to match them drink for drink, downing shot after shot until everyone had their fill. Only then did they mercifully part the way. I stumbled and fell onto the floor in front of Gideon. With a wave of his hand, the woman beside him quietly slipped away. Gideon reached out, gripping my chin just like he did the night we met, and asked softly, “Have you figured it out yet?” I was practically kneeling at his feet, burning alcohol surging up my stomach. Nauseous and dizzy, I was forced to look up at him as he waited for my surrender. “I was wrong, Gideon. It won’t happen again.” I was dazed and sick from the alcohol, but Gideon was thoroughly pleased. My submission put him in such a good mood that his temper remained bright the entire next day. Shortly after he left for the office, his assistant delivered a gift to the apartment. Proof that my performance last night satisfied him. If only the gift hadn’t been the wrong one. It was a luxurious velvet box containing a breathtaking diamond necklace, accompanied by a bouquet of deep red roses, so red they burned my eyes. Gideon had recently hired a new assistant who clearly didn’t understand the dynamics between us. I guessed he had mixed up my gift with the one meant for Gwen. Because Gideon never gave me red roses. Roses symbolized love. And a secret relationship like ours didn’t qualify as love. In all five years, he had always substituted roses with tulips or lilies, carefully avoiding any flower that might grant me foolish hope. I picked up the necklace. It was exquisite, shimmering like a river of stars. Sadly, it wasn’t meant for me. When Gideon returned that night, I showed him the box, having set the roses aside. “Ah, my assistant must have swapped them,” he said, taking the box and placing it on the nightstand. “What do you want instead? I’ll get it for you tomorrow.” “It’s fine, Gideon. It’s just a gift.” Gideon seemed pleased by my compliance. Switching off the lights, he pulled me into his arms. “You seem a bit distant lately,” his voice murmured against my ear. “Is it because I haven’t been performing well?” “I’m sorry, Gideon. Tell me what you like, and I’ll learn.”

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The day my appendicitis flared up, I was in agonizing pain. The doctors said I needed immediate surgery, but they required next-of-kin authorization on the insurance paperwork, and I was in too much pain to think. I called my husband, Ethan, dozens of times, but every single call went unanswered. It wasn’t until my best friend, Sarah, rushed over from thirty miles away that I was finally wheeled into the operating room. When the anesthesia wore off, I lay in the hospital bed, pale and drained. My phone buzzed. An Instagram notification popped up with a video from Melody. In the video, Ethan’s eyes were flushed with excitement as he cheered loudly for Melody, who was shining on stage. He was even holding a pink light-up wand with her name on it. No wonder I couldn’t reach him. While I was writhing in pain on a hospital bed, fighting for my life, he was busy playing the devoted fanboy at his first love’s comeback concert. Whenever Melody needed him, Ethan would drop me in a heartbeat. I looked up at the ceiling and let out a bitter, relieved laugh. This marriage was truly over. I dialed my brother, Sebastian. “I’m coming home. I’ll take over the family empire.”

The moment I hung up, the hospital door was pushed open. Ethan, still wearing that ridiculous pink bunny headband from the video, rushed in. He was holding Melody’s hand, looking frantic as he knelt by my bed. “Chloe, why didn’t you tell me you were having surgery?” I didn’t tell him? I had sent him over a hundred messages. He just didn’t care enough to look. Seeing my silence, a flash of guilt crossed his face. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have been so busy. Does the incision still hurt?” Busy? He had all the time in the world for Melody, but not a single second for me. I looked at him with cold sarcasm. “Your first love’s comeback concert is obviously way more important than my life. I don’t blame you.” Ethan froze, panic flickering in his eyes. Before he could explain, Melody interjected in her sweet, high-pitched voice. “Chloe, please don’t get the wrong idea. Ethan was just helping me out. I was so nervous about my show.” “If it bothers you, I won’t ask him for help ever again.” Her faux generosity made me look like the petty, jealous wife. I sneered. “Did I ask you?” Melody’s sweet smile stiffened. Her eyes welled up with tears instantly, looking like a kicked puppy. “I know you’re mad at me for taking up Ethan’s time. Fine, I’ll stop seeing him altogether.” “Ethan, I’m clearly not welcome here. I should just go back to Europe.” With that, she turned and ran out. Ethan’s eyes went red. He quickly grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “With me here, nobody dares to make you feel unwelcome.” He whipped his head back to face me, his brow furrowed in anger. “What is wrong with you? I just went to a concert! Why are you throwing a tantrum over nothing?” The stitches in my abdomen throbbed, sending a jolt of pain through my nerves. I couldn’t hold back my pain and anger anymore. I screamed at him. “Ethan, don’t you dare yell at me!” I had never raised my voice like that in our entire marriage. Ethan, who was gently wiping a tear from Melody’s face, paused. He looked like he wanted to say something. But a second later, Melody’s soft, fragile voice pulled his attention right back. “Ethan, Chloe is just emotional right now. Don’t fight with her because of me.” “Actually, some fans wanted us to take a couple of backstage photos. Let’s do that first and come back to see Chloe later, okay?” Ethan glanced at me instinctively, then grabbed her hand and walked out without looking back. The empty ward was silent, save for the dripping sound of my IV. This wasn’t the first time Ethan had abandoned me for Melody. Whether it was something as big as her having a mild fever, or something as trivial as her cat running out of food or her faucet leaking… Ethan would always choose her without a second thought. Just two nights ago, I had a severe allergic reaction to mangoes and ran a dangerously high fever. Meanwhile, Ethan was sitting in a movie theater with Melody, watching a romance film. I once asked Ethan to go bungee jumping with me, but he refused, claiming he was terrified of heights. “Chloe, you should go with your friends. My vertigo is too bad for that kind of stuff.” Yet, I saw countless photos on Melody’s Instagram of Ethan bungee jumping with her. They were pressed tightly against each other, and Ethan had the most genuine, blissful smile on his face. It turned out he wasn’t afraid of heights. He was just only willing to conquer his fears for her, not me. When Ethan and I first got together, he was the one who chased me. He knew I loved Ed Sheeran, so he practiced guitar for days and nights just to play for me. He knew I was allergic to pollen, so he hand-crafted 999 paper roses for my birthday. For him, I defied my family and moved to New York all by myself. I truly believed Ethan loved me with all his heart, just like everyone said. Until one day, I found a locked notebook in his study. I remembered the silver necklace Ethan always wore, the one with a scratched-up pendant of numbers that he never took off. Using those numbers as the code, I opened the notebook. Inside were hundreds of photos, and every single one was of Melody. Crying, laughing, sleeping, eating. He had documented every moment of her life. As it turned out, the pendant he never took off was their couple’s necklace from college. No wonder he was so reluctant when I wanted to buy matching wedding bands. “What’s the point of wearing those? We’re already married.” That was the moment I realized… It was Melody who loved Ed Sheeran. It was Melody who was allergic to pollen. Even the love Ethan showered me with was just a cheap imitation. He only loved me because I shared some similarities with Melody. He married me simply because Melody had moved abroad, and he felt it didn’t matter who he ended up with. I didn’t throw a fit back then. We had been married for eight years. I believed even the coldest stone could be melted. I was confident I could make him love me. But today, as I lay dying in a hospital bed, Ethan’s heart was entirely with Melody. He took me for granted because he believed I would never leave him. That was why he was so shameless. Thinking about this, my heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles. I knew it was time to step off the stage. I called my brother, Sebastian. “Sebastian, I want the Miller Group bankrupt within three days.” Ethan, I don’t think I ever told you. My father is the most ruthless billionaire tycoon in New York.

I didn’t wait for my incision to fully heal before discharging myself from the hospital. Ethan felt guilty, so he texted saying he would come pick me up. But I waited at the hospital entrance for two hours, and he never showed up. The freezing wind was biting, and then, a Snapchat video from Melody popped up on my screen. Ethan was holding her in a bridal carry, looking down at the crying woman in his arms. “Ethan, I told you not to touch my hair! It’s all your fault. If you hadn’t suddenly messed with my hair, I wouldn’t have tripped!” Ethan laughed, looking at her with a tenderness I had never seen before. “Okay, okay, you’re always right. I promise I won’t let you get hurt ever again, deal?” The woman snuggled deeper into his chest, giggling happily. “That’s more like it…” The wife who had shared Ethan’s bed for eight years had just undergone surgery, her wound still fresh, waiting for him in the cold. Yet, he was sweating with anxiety over Melody’s pathetic, staged fall. Looking at the video, no matter how cold the winter wind was, it couldn’t compare to the iciness in my heart. The rain started mixing with snow. I got drenched on my way home. The cold rain soaked through my clothes, and my incision began to bleed, but my body was too numb to feel the pain. When I reached the front door, the warm air from inside carried the sound of a man and a woman laughing through the gap. On the living room sofa, Ethan was gently massaging Melody’s ankle. There wasn’t a trace of impatience on his face. I recalled the morning I burned my hand with hot oil while frying eggs for him. I had shown him the burn, wanting a little comfort. But he had just frowned, his eyes filled with annoyance. “Chloe, don’t complain to me about such a tiny scratch, okay? I’m busy with work. Try to be a little more understanding.” I pushed the door open. Ethan looked up and saw me. I was soaking wet, shivering, with blood seeping through my clothes, a complete mess. A flash of worry crossed his eyes. He let go of Melody’s foot and rushed over to grab my cold hands. “What happened to you? Didn’t we agree you’d wait for me at the hospital? I was going to pick you up as soon as I finished here.” His voice carried a hint of panic. I looked at his familiar yet completely stranger face. My heart felt absolutely nothing. On the sofa, Melody was smugly enjoying my pathetic state. I slapped Ethan’s hand away as he reached out to dry my hair. “Ethan, let’s get a divorce.” “The divorce papers will be delivered tomorrow. Just sign them.” Ethan froze, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. “Divorce? Chloe, stop joking. Marriage isn’t something you can just throw away because you’re throwing a tantrum!” He paused, convinced I was just trying to get back at him. “Alright, stop it. I know I messed up by not picking you up.” “But I don’t have superpowers. I couldn’t just leave Melody on the street when she was hurt, could I?” I laughed, looking him dead in the eye, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “So, for her, you left your wife, who just had major surgery, waiting in a freezing storm for two hours.” My firm stance and repeated mention of divorce finally sent a wave of panic through Ethan. He tried to grab my hand again. But Melody limped over, crying as if I were the bully here. She made me look like an unreasonable, jealous monster. “Chloe, please don’t be mad at Ethan. He was just being nice.” “If you hate me that much, you can hit me or yell at me. I won’t fight back.” She sounded so sincere, as if she wasn’t the one who had sent me the provocative Snapchat video just hours ago. I smiled at her. “Sure. Since you asked for it.” I raised my hand to slap her. But a crushing grip clamped down on my wrist, squeezing so hard I felt my bones might break. “Chloe, stop being so unreasonable! I’ve told you a thousand times, there is nothing going on between Melody and me!” “Do you have to ruin everything for us? She’s already hurt, and you still want to hit her!” Ethan’s face was twisted in anger, his cold glare stabbing into me. It was colder than the winter storm outside. A thousand times? From the moment I was hospitalized until now, I had sent him over a hundred texts, and he had only offered that one cheap explanation over the phone. He was too stingy to type a single extra word to me. Yet on his Instagram, he had personally typed a thousand-word post to promote Melody’s new single. He seemed to completely forget that I was the one who was injured, ignoring the blood slowly soaking through my shirt. Right now, Ethan’s mind and soul belonged entirely to Melody. I bit my lip so hard I tasted copper. With tear-filled eyes, I raised my other hand and slapped Ethan hard across the face. “Ethan, we are over!” Seeing my tear-streaked face and bloodshot eyes, Ethan seemed to realize he had overreacted. But he was still convinced I was just acting out. He cast a tense look at Melody, then, without hesitation, picked her up and carried her back to the sofa. “Be good. Chloe and I have some things to sort out.” Then, he turned to me with a guilty look and dragged me upstairs by the wrist. He looked like he wanted to appease me, but his words cut deeper than any knife. “Baby, please just cooperate. You know Melody’s parents fought constantly when she was a kid. Let’s not scream in front of her.” He dragged me into our bedroom without giving me a choice. My tears finally fell. Even when he was trying to comfort me, his every thought was about Melody. He shoved me into the bedroom, making sure the soundproof door was shut tight. I wiped my tears, looked at him with absolute finality, and exposed everything.

“I’ve already read the notebook in your study.” “Can you stop being so hypocritical? It makes me sick.” Ethan’s face turned instantly pale. He clearly hadn’t expected me to crack the lock. He reached out to grab me, flustered. “Chloe, listen to me. That was from years ago when Melody and I were dating. Don’t misunderstand.” “You know we broke up. We’re just friends now. I can’t just ignore her when she needs help.” I let out a bitter laugh, my tears and anger finally exploding. “So, you keep a beautifully wrapped notebook of a ‘just friend’ for eight years?” He had even put a custom leather cover on the notebook, and every single photo of Melody was carefully laminated. He was so afraid they would get damaged. Meanwhile, the wedding anniversary gifts I bought him every year were thrown carelessly into some dusty corner of the house. “You say she’s just a friend. Fine. Throw that notebook into the fireplace right now.” At those words, Ethan’s face darkened, and his remaining patience evaporated. “Enough, Chloe! Be reasonable! Everyone has things from their past they keep. It’s just a notebook, it doesn’t mean anything!” “Can you stop making a scene over nothing?” Making a scene over nothing? When Melody asked him to wear that ridiculous pink bunny headband, something he despised, he complied with nothing but indulgent smiles. But when it came to me, all I wanted was an explanation. An explanation from my husband, and it was labeled as “making a scene”? I didn’t understand, and honestly, I didn’t want to understand anymore. I let out a long sigh, feeling utterly exhausted. I stopped arguing, turned away from him, and started packing my clothes into a suitcase. Realizing what I was doing, Ethan panicked and rushed forward. “Okay, Chloe, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I lost my temper.” “Stop packing. Melody is still downstairs. What will she think if she hears us?” In his heart, everything I did was just a tantrum. But Melody’s manipulation was considered graceful and refined. I slammed his hands away. My cold, hard attitude made him freeze. “Don’t touch me!” Before Ethan could say anything else, Melody appeared at the doorway, limping and leaning against the frame. Her eyes were red, looking incredibly pitiful. “Ethan… my mom is pressuring me to get married again. She wants me to bring a boyfriend home today.” “Otherwise, she’s going to force me to marry that creepy old businessman who’s ten years older than me.” She looked so fragile, a perfect damsel in distress. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” Ethan lost any desire to comfort me. He pushed me aside. I lost my balance and fell hard against the ceramic vase on the balcony. Ethan’s mind was so consumed by Melody that he didn’t even realize how hard he had shoved me. He scooped Melody up in his arms and rushed downstairs, throwing a final warning over his shoulder. “Chloe, stop throwing tantrums. My patience has its limits. Don’t push me.” His patience with Melody was infinite. But with me, every single word I said was a test of his limits. I pushed myself up from the floor, my eyes burning red. I sprinted down the stairs, caught up to him, and slapped the divorce papers right onto his face. “You’re not leaving this house until you sign this!” I grabbed his arm with all the strength I had left. My eyes were filled with pure, unyielding resolve. Ethan froze, unable to move forward. Melody began to cry even louder. Her weeping finally pushed me over the edge, releasing all the rage I had suppressed for years. I glared at her, bypassed Ethan, and slapped her across the face with everything I had. “Are you done acting yet? You and I both know damn well nobody is forcing you to marry anyone!” “Ah! Ethan!” Melody shrieked and hid behind Ethan’s back. “What did I do to make Chloe hate me this much?” She cried hysterically. Suddenly, a massive force struck my cheek. The impact sent me crashing to the floor. My hands landed right on the decorative cactus by the door, the needles burying themselves deep into my palms. “Have you lost your mind? You’re pure evil! Melody is being forced into a marriage, and you have the audacity to hurt her!” “You absolute monster!” He pointed a finger at my face, screaming at the top of his lungs. But then, he saw the trail of blood trickling down the corner of my mouth. His voice died down. His eyes flickered with a brief moment of hesitation, but his voice remained harsh. “This is a lesson for you. Keep your hands to yourself and stop bullying Melody.” The front door slammed shut. The stinging pain in my palms reminded me of the brutal truth: Ethan, the man I had dated for three years and been married to for eight, had just laid his hands on me. The last spark of hope in my heart died. I looked at my phone. A Snapchat message from Sebastian was on the screen. “Everything is ready. Just say the word, and the Miller Group is gone.” I let out a soft laugh. “Do it. Destroy him. And Sebastian, do me one more favor. Send some reporters over.” … On his way to the office, the image of Chloe’s final, despairing look kept flashing in Ethan’s mind. His chest tightened with an uneasy, suffocating feeling. Thinking about the slap he had impulsively given her, he pulled at his collar, feeling incredibly frustrated. He pulled out his phone and texted her. “Chloe, I bought your favorite strawberry cake. I’m sorry about earlier. Let’s talk when I get home.” The moment he sent the message, a red exclamation mark appeared. His mind went completely blank. Chloe had blocked him. Before he could process the panic rising in his chest, Melody grabbed his arm anxiously. “Ethan, why are there so many employees gathered outside the office?” Then, his assistant’s phone call came through, sounding like a death toll. “Mr. Miller, we have a massive crisis.”

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1 On my wedding day, just as we were about to exchange rings, my older brother burst through the church doors. He was carrying my pale, shivering adopted sister in his arms. He shouted that she was having a severe PTSD panic attack and demanded that my fiancé, Dr. Larry Stanton—a renowned clinical psychologist—perform an immediate psychiatric intervention. Just as I opened my mouth to stop him, a string of glowing, semi-transparent text floated across my vision. [The adopted sister’s PTSD was cured ages ago. She made a bet with her friends that she could ruin this wedding. The prize is a limited-edition Chanel bag.] [Larry isn’t doing ‘psychiatric interventions.’ Every time he ‘treats’ her, they’re just hooking up in his office.] [Warning! If Harper tries to stop them, Chloe will pretend to be triggered, run out of the church, and stage a fake car accident. The entire family will blame Harper, gang up on her, and have her locked in a psychiatric ward where she gets abused to death!] Everyone swarmed around the adopted sister. Not a single person looked at the bride standing at the altar. I silently swallowed the words of protest I was about to say. The icy chill in my eyes grew darker. If they wanted to chase a thrill on my wedding day, I would make sure they got the thrill of a lifetime. … Larry immediately dropped my wedding band and carefully took Chloe into his arms. I only frowned slightly, but my brother, Mason, shoved me hard in the shoulder. I crashed backward into a massive champagne tower. Glass shattered everywhere, and freezing alcohol soaked my wedding gown, making me look utterly pathetic. “Are you done throwing a tantrum, Harper?!” Mason yelled. “If you hadn’t come back and tried to steal everything from Chloe, her condition wouldn’t have relapsed!” “As far as I’m concerned, Chloe is my only sister! If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you!” My mother clicked her heels across the marble floor, rushing forward to look at Chloe with overwhelming concern. When she turned back to me, her face was twisted in anger. “Chloe’s trauma is highly unstable! The doctors explicitly said she cannot be triggered! You just have to push her over the edge, don’t you? Are you trying to kill her?!” My father looked at me with deep disgust. “You ungrateful brat. Do you not understand the value of human life?” “A wedding is just a formality! Were you really going to stand there and watch Chloe suffer? You have no heart!” I stood barefoot in a pile of broken glass, my blood running cold. I hadn’t said a single word, yet my entire family had already lined up to accuse me of being an unreasonable monster. The last shred of familial affection I had for these people evaporated completely. [The real daughter has it so bad. Not a single person in her biological family actually loves her.] [Here’s some heavy tea: Mason knew Chloe wasn’t his biological sister for years. He’s been secretly in love with her. No wonder he’s so insanely biased.] [The real daughter was kidnapped by human traffickers eighteen years ago because she was trying to save Mason’s life. She suffered for eighteen years, and this is how they treat her. It’s sickening.] [Honestly, her mother is blind. Chloe isn’t some poor orphan they adopted. She’s the bastard child of her husband and his childhood sweetheart.] My heart skipped a beat. The overwhelming sense of betrayal and injustice was instantly crushed by cold realization. If these floating comments were telling the truth, then this was going to be an incredible show. Chloe buried her face in Larry’s chest. A flash of triumph crossed her eyes before she wiped away her non-existent tears. “Harper… I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have come.” “I know you hate me for taking your place. But I can’t control my illness. Maybe I should just pack my bags and leave the family.” Larry immediately tightened his grip on her, his voice dripping with heartbreak. “Don’t be ridiculous, Chloe. You’re just sick. You can’t control your emotions. No one is blaming you.” He turned to me, his eyes filled with absolute coldness and revulsion. “Harper, you know exactly why Chloe is like this.” When I was five years old, Mason took me to the park. We were targeted by human traffickers. I bit a trafficker’s leg with everything I had, giving Mason the chance to run away. But I was dragged into a van and sold into a deeply impoverished mountain village. For eighteen years, I endured inhuman torture. I was forced to farm fields, feed pigs, starve, freeze, and survive on the scraps of others. Three years ago, the police finally found me and brought me back to my wealthy family. The very night I arrived, Chloe slit her wrists and was rushed to the hospital. She cried to my parents, saying she had stolen my life, that she was too ashamed to face me, and that it would be better if she just died. From that day on, the narrative was set. I was the vicious, petty, jealous biological daughter who couldn’t tolerate the innocent adopted girl. They never asked me what I suffered during those eighteen years. They only cared if Chloe felt slighted. Even today, on my wedding day, the most important day of my life, the moment Chloe clutched her chest and whimpered, they threw me out like trash. “Harper, I know you’ve been looking forward to this wedding,” Larry said, using his clinical, authoritative tone. “But Chloe’s condition is critical. Her psychological state is extremely volatile. I am the only one who can stabilize her. A wedding can be postponed. A life cannot.” “Be mature. Let me treat her.” I looked at the hundreds of wealthy guests filling the pews, suppressing the churning emotions in my chest. “There are thousands of psychologists in this city. Your own mentor is taking patients down the street.” “Why does it have to be you?” “If you’re the only man who can save her, then she can have the groom.” The entire cathedral fell dead silent. My mother was the first to react. “Harper! What the hell is wrong with you?!” “Larry is Chloe’s dedicated therapist! He’s been treating her for three years! He knows her triggers better than anyone!” “No one else can calm her down! His treatment is the most effective!” She grabbed my arm, her nails digging painfully into my skin. “With all these guests watching, are you trying to ruin Chloe’s reputation?! What is wrong with you?!” Before I could even respond, Mason exploded. He had been secretly obsessed with Chloe for years. He couldn’t stand the idea of her being romantically linked to another man, especially Larry. To him, my words were an insult to his pure, innocent goddess. Mason’s eyes burned with jealousy and rage. “Chloe is pure and innocent! She never asks for anything! Why do you constantly attack her?!” “You’re so rotten inside. You deserved to be kidnapped for eighteen years! It’s karma for being such a vicious person!” Deserved it. In my brother’s eyes, the fact that I sacrificed myself to save him, enduring eighteen years of hell, wasn’t something to be guilty about. It was my own fault. [Mason is a certified psychopath. Erasing a life-saving debt just to simp for a fake sister. Disgusting!] [Run, Harper! This whole family is toxic trash!] My chest tightened. I didn’t want to breathe the same air as these people for one more second. Chloe covered her face, her shoulders shaking violently as she sobbed. “Harper… please, stop saying these awful things.” “Ever since you came back, I’ve been trying to give you your life back.” “The family wealth, Mom and Dad’s love… I wanted you to have it all! I never wanted to fight you for anything!” She looked up, fragile and utterly shattered. “The only reason I stayed… the only reason I forced myself to keep living… was because I didn’t want Mom and Dad to be heartbroken.” “Larry and I are completely professional! We have never done anything inappropriate!” “Harper, what did I ever do to you? Why are you trying to destroy my life?” In just a few sentences, Chloe painted herself as a selfless, dutiful, suffering angel. And I became the relentless, jealous villain. My father, who had spoiled Chloe since she was a toddler, stepped forward and kicked over the life-sized wedding portrait of Larry and me. “Harper! If I knew you were going to come back and torture Chloe every single day, I would never have spent a dime trying to find you! I should have let you rot in those mountains!” The guests gasped in shock. They began whispering, looking at me with strange, mocking expressions. Larry tightened his hold on Chloe. He glared at me, his voice freezing cold. “Harper. Apologize to Chloe right now.” “Apologize for your disgusting accusations, and do it in front of everyone.” My heart had turned to stone. “I spoke the truth. Why should I apologize?” Larry’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “If you don’t apologize, I will have to reconsider this marriage.” “The Stanton family will not accept a bride who is malicious and actively tries to destroy innocent women.” Mason leaned in close, whispering directly into my ear. “Harper, don’t push your luck.” “Think very carefully about the old woman with dementia living in the nursing home.” “If you don’t bow your head and apologize right now, I will call the facility and have them throw her onto the street.” I froze. During my eighteen years in hell, an elderly, half-blind woman in that mountain village had taken me in. She starved herself to feed me. She protected me from the worst of the abuse. She was my only light in the dark. When I was rescued, I brought her with me. She was now suffering from severe dementia, and my family paid for her high-end care facility. I could endure their bias. I could endure their betrayal. But I would never let them hurt my grandmother. I dug my fingernails into my palms until they bled. The last shred of my pride was ground into the dirt. “I’m sorry. I misunderstood the situation.” Those words drained every ounce of strength I had left. Seeing me surrender, a flash of pure victory crossed Chloe’s eyes. She immediately put on her mask of absolute forgiveness, reaching out to touch my arm. “It’s okay, Harper… I don’t blame you…” Before she even made contact, she let out a sharp cry and collapsed onto the marble floor. Her eyes went wide, tears spilling perfectly down her cheeks. “Harper… I really want us to be a family. Why do you hate me so much?” Larry violently shoved me backward. I lost my balance and fell hard. My palms slammed into the shattered glass of the champagne glasses. Blood instantly pooled on the white marble, staining the hem of my wedding dress crimson. But no one looked at me. My mother, my father, and my brother all rushed toward Chloe, frantic with worry. “Chloe, are you okay?! Did you hit your head?!” “Don’t cry, sweetheart! Harper is just an ungrateful brat!” “Breathe, Chloe, please breathe!” My mother was so furious she spun around, raised her hand, and swung at my face. I caught her wrist with my bleeding hand. I looked up at her, a dark, mocking smile curling on my lips. “I didn’t touch her. Why don’t you ever believe me?” “But you know what? You don’t have to put on a show anymore. The wedding is off.” “And I am done with this family.” “Is this apology sincere enough for you?” I was exhausted. My heart was completely dead. I would take my grandmother back to a quiet town and protect the only person who ever truly loved me. My parents’ faces changed drastically. They stared at me in shock. They were so used to me begging for scraps of affection, so used to me swallowing my pride, they never expected me to sever the tie. Larry looked down at my blood-soaked hands, a flicker of hesitation and panic crossing his eyes. Sensing the shift in the room, Chloe suddenly ripped herself away from the family. She clutched her chest, sobbing hysterically, and sprinted toward the spiral staircase leading to the cathedral’s bell tower. “I’m the problem! I’ve always been the problem!” “If Harper wants me gone so badly, then I’ll just die!” The guests were thrown into total chaos. A massive crowd chased her up the stairs. “Harper is a monster! A girl is about to jump, and she’s crying about a wedding?!” “Exactly! Just let the doctor treat her!” “Poor Chloe. Her identity is already so fragile, and now she’s being driven to suicide.” The glowing text in my vision went absolutely wild. [Classic manipulation tactic. Chloe has pulled this stunt eight hundred times in the last three years, and they fall for it every time!] [Chloe literally bet her sorority sisters that she could steal Harper’s groom at the altar. The prize is a limited-edition Chanel bag you can’t even get on the waitlist for.] [She’s faking a suicide attempt for a handbag. That’s next-level psycho!] I stood at the bottom of the stairs, staring coldly at the woman acting out her dramatic scene on the balcony. I felt nothing. Larry was pale with terror. He shouted up at Chloe standing near the ledge. His voice was filled with a frantic, desperate love I had never received. “Chloe! Don’t do this! Come down, and I will start your intervention right now!” “Just step away from the edge! I’ll do whatever you want!” Mason spun around and slapped me across the face so hard my ears rang. “Are you happy now?! If she dies, I swear to God I will kill you!” My mother grabbed my arm, sobbing hysterically. “Harper, please! Just let Larry treat her! I’m begging you!” “If Chloe dies, I’ll die too!” The absolute terror in her eyes was entirely for Chloe. I stared at her, feeling ice in my veins. I couldn’t help but wonder how she would react when she found out the truth. My father was pacing in a panic. “Larry, go! Go calm her down!” “You’re a professional! It will only take you a few minutes to stabilize her!” The floating text flooded my vision again. [A few minutes? Keep dreaming. With Larry’s stamina, this is going to take at least two hours.] [Psychiatric treatment, my ass. They’re literally using this as an excuse to go hook up in a hotel room.] [This family’s double standards are making my blood boil.] Larry finally managed to pull Chloe away from the edge, wrapping her tightly in his arms. Without a second of hesitation, he scooped her up and carried her toward the penthouse suite of the luxury hotel attached to the cathedral. “Psychological interventions are extremely delicate! They cannot be interrupted!” “Until we come out, absolutely no one is allowed inside!” Mason nodded vigorously, ordering the family’s private security to guard the penthouse door. The hundreds of guests settled back into their seats, eating appetizers, waiting for the “treatment” to finish. The media reporters pointed their cameras directly at me. Videos were already flooding social media. #Bride Abandoned at Altar as Groom Treats Adopted Sister’s Mental Breakdown!# #Real vs. Fake Heiress: Who Actually Won?# Seeing me standing silently in my bloody dress, my mother suddenly remembered her shallow maternal duties. “If you had just been mature about this from the start, none of this would have happened.” “Chloe is highly sensitive. We spoiled her for eighteen years. She can’t handle rejection.” “You just got back. You’re stubborn and rude. You should have accommodated her.” “When she comes down, I want you to apologize to her nicely. Comfort her.” “We are a family. Keeping the peace is more important than your petty feelings.” I looked at the woman who birthed me. The tiny shred of pity I had for her vanished. “Mother, if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, I hope you remember to ‘keep the peace.’” Mason glared at me, disgusted by my tone. “Of course she will! That’s how this family operates! Chloe’s well-being comes before anything else.” My father nodded in agreement. “I raised Chloe for eighteen years. That bond is deep. Even if you share my blood, you have no right to bully her.” “Stop looking so miserable. You’re embarrassing the family.” I remained completely silent. The glowing comments were losing their minds. [Why isn’t Harper screaming? Is she plotting something?!] [Waiting for the plot twist! Slap these freaks in the face!] I excused myself to use the restroom. The moment I was out of sight, I pulled out my phone and dialed 911. If they wanted a thrill, I was going to pour gasoline on the fire. I returned to the banquet hall. Ten minutes passed. Half an hour passed. The clock kept ticking, but there was dead silence from the penthouse. The guests were getting restless. My mother kept checking her luxury watch, looking nervously toward the private elevator. “Why hasn’t he brought her down yet?” My father’s jaw was tight. “Larry is a top-tier doctor. It shouldn’t take this long.” [LMAO, the lights in the penthouse just went off. Are they doing something rated R?] [I peeked through a window earlier. Larry’s got serious stamina.] [Two hours minimum. I stand by that.] Just as the text flew past my eyes, the heavy double doors of the banquet hall burst open. A dozen uniformed police officers marched in, their body cameras flashing red. “We received a tip regarding illegal activities taking place in the penthouse suite of this hotel!” “We are conducting a mandatory sweep of the premises! Step aside!” The reporters’ eyes lit up. Cameras clicked furiously. Mason panicked. He tried to call Larry, but it went straight to voicemail. His phone was off. My mother rushed forward, putting on her best socialite smile. “Officers, there must be a misunderstanding!” “My daughter is having a medical emergency upstairs. There is nothing illegal happening.” My father quickly backed her up. “Yes, she’s undergoing an emergency psychiatric intervention. If you interrupt, it could cause severe trauma. Please, give them space.” The lead officer looked at them coldly. “No medical procedure supersedes the law.” “If you attempt to block a police investigation, you will be arrested for obstruction of justice.” My parents and brother froze, their faces turning pale. [Hahaha! The female lead is a genius! Using the cops to kick the door down is legendary!] [The climax is here! Prepare for the ultimate walk of shame!] I covered my mouth with my hands, faking an expression of absolute terror. “Oh my god…” “They’ve been locked in there for over an hour. Their phones are off. Do you think a criminal broke in and took them hostage?!” With one sentence, I weaponized their own paranoia against them. “She’s right!” a guest shouted. “Why else would both their phones be off?!” My father started sweating profusely. “Get the master keycard! Now! Open that door!” Mason sprinted to the hotel manager. The moment the keycard clicked against the penthouse door, the police stormed inside. Right behind them were dozens of reporters, their massive lenses and cellphones livestreaming the event to millions. The next second, the scene inside the suite was broadcast to the world. On a massive, custom California king bed, the sheets were violently tangled. The bed frame was creaking loudly. The visual was beyond explicit. Larry and Chloe were in the middle of an intense, sweaty hookup.

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On the day his mistress pushed me down the stairs and caused my miscarriage, I received a FaceTime call. It was from Ethan Vance. But he was calling from three years ago. He looked at me through the screen, his eyes bright with excitement. “Chloe. How are you? Are we married now?” “Do we have kids?” I didn’t say a word. I clicked play on an audio message I had just received. Ethan’s heavy panting filled the quiet room, mixed with another woman’s soft, breathless moans. The young Ethan on the screen froze. “I’m not doing well at all,” I said, my voice dead and flat. “The Carter family went bankrupt. My parents jumped from the penthouse of our Manhattan building.” “And I just lost our baby because of another woman.” “While you sent me a recording of you with her.” “Ethan, I’m going to divorce the future you.” The sound of a man’s heavy breathing echoed from my phone. It was a voice I knew all too well. And the Ethan from three years ago, on the other end of the screen, knew it even better. It was his own voice. From the future. “Ethan…” Then, the woman’s soft moan chimed in. The young man on the screen couldn’t take it anymore. He covered his ears, the blue veins on his forehead bulging in anger. “No. That’s impossible. I love you so much, Chloe. How could I ever do something like that in the future?” He stumbled to his feet. He walked over to his bedroom door, but he consciously softened his footsteps, trying not to make a sound. He gently cracked the door open. Inside, the three-years-younger version of me was fast asleep. He looked at me sleeping on the bed, his gaze so tender it could melt ice. Afraid to wake me from my dream, he whispered to the camera. “Look, Chloe. We love each other so much.” “Affairs? Miscarriage? None of that makes sense.” “You’re just making this up to scare me, right?” I looked at his desperate expression and let out a self-deprecating laugh. “I wish it were a lie.” “But just today, Sienna Brooks pushed me down the stairs.” “And the future you? He’s by her side right now.” “He even sent me this recording.” Ethan and I got married two years ago. I had prayed for this baby for so long. But today, it was gone. My husband had helped the killer to her feet while I lay on the floor, bleeding out. He had merely ordered his assistant to call an ambulance for me. Then, he carried Sienna in his arms and rushed to the hospital. The young Ethan’s eyes widened, tears slowly rolling down his cheeks. “But Chloe… I’m already planning my proposal to you.” “If I’m destined to treat you like this in the future…” “Should I even ask you to marry me?” I leaned against the cold hospital bed, staring at him. I didn’t know the answer either. Or rather, if the me from three years ago knew what today would look like… Would I still choose to marry him? The doorknob rattled from the outside. I panicked and hung up the call. The door opened, and the present-day Ethan walked in. He sat down opposite me. He looked at me, his eyes devoid of any warmth. “Sienna wanted to apologize to you.” “But she sprained her ankle, so she couldn’t walk over.” “She didn’t mean to do it today.” “She wants you to not be mad at her.” I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t even have the strength for that. “You were standing right downstairs today, Ethan. You saw it, didn’t you?” I stared into his eyes, desperately begging for a sliver of truth. “You saw her push me.” “And now she says she didn’t mean to?” “Are you not only lying to yourself, but trying to lie to me too?” “That was your baby too!” I placed my hands over my lower belly. The slight bump was completely gone now. Our baby had vanished from my world forever. Ethan took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. “Stop making a scene, Chloe.” “She said it was an accident.” “I believe her.” “Besides, she hurt her ankle too.” “There’s no way she would risk her own safety just to hurt you, right?” My face froze. Tears blurred my vision. I couldn’t believe my ears. In his mind, Sienna’s sprained ankle was comparable to the loss of our child. I looked at the man before me, and suddenly, I had my answer. If the me from three years ago knew today would come… I would never, ever marry Ethan Vance.

He stood up, as if he had run out of his very last drop of patience. “I’m leaving. Get some rest.” “No one is watching Sienna upstairs. I’m not comfortable leaving her alone.” “I’m going to go take care of her.” He paused at the door. Then, he turned back to look at me. “Don’t be too sad.” “We can have other babies.” “Crying all the time isn’t good for your recovery.” With that, he left without a single backward glance. I stared at the empty, sterile hospital room and sank weakly into the bed. I was alone in this room too. But the only person he cared about, the only person he couldn’t leave alone, was Sienna. Two weeks later, I was discharged. During those two weeks, Ethan never came to see me. Even though Sienna and I were in the exact same hospital, he couldn’t spare a single minute for me. He only ordered his housekeeper to send over some soup twice a day. I didn’t even look at it. I dumped it all down the drain. Last night, Ethan sent me a text saying he would pick me up today. I waited until 5 PM, only to receive another message: “Working late. Go home by yourself.” I put my phone down and put on my coat. I should have stopped expecting anything from him a long time ago. When I unlocked the front door of our penthouse, the lights inside were blindingly bright. He and Sienna were in the living room, wrapped tightly in each other’s arms. Sienna was wearing one of his oversized white shirts, leaving her legs completely bare. He was holding her up, one arm wrapped around her waist. Her arms were looped around his neck. Their bodies were pressed so close there was no space between them. The sound of the door opening drew their attention. When Ethan saw me, he instinctively let go of her. Without his support, Sienna swayed and almost fell. Panic flashed across Ethan’s face, and he immediately grabbed her back into his arms. Then, he turned to me, offering a hasty explanation. “Sienna’s ankle still hasn’t fully healed. I was just helping her practice walking.” I didn’t say a word. I just walked past them. He hesitated for a second before adding, “My late meeting got canceled. I forgot to text you.” “Sorry.” Sienna stood on one leg, letting the hem of the shirt ride up provocatively. She looked at me with a pitiful, teary expression. “Chloe, are you okay now?” “I swear, what happened that day was a total accident.” “And I got hurt too. Thank God Ethan has been taking care of me 24/7.” Ethan helped her sit on the sofa and gently rubbed her back. “I already told her,” he whispered to Sienna. “Don’t worry. No one is blaming you.” Then, he turned his cold gaze back to me. “You’re back just in time.” “Sienna’s dress got dirty, so I let her borrow my shirt.” “Her dress is soaking in the sink. Go wash it for her.” I looked up, meeting his perfectly entitled expression. “Ethan, I literally just got discharged today.” “My body is still recovering. I can’t touch freezing water right now.” “Do you not know that?” Ethan’s brows furrowed in annoyance. “Sienna’s ankle is hurt, she can’t do it.” “And that dress is delicate silk. The washing machine will ruin it.” “Why are you being so dramatic? It’s just one dress.” I sat on the opposite armchair, motionless. “I won’t wash it.” “I am your legal wife, Ethan. Not your hired maid.” Ethan sneered, his voice dropping to a cold whisper. “A maid?” “Don’t flatter yourself, Chloe.” “The Carter family is bankrupt. You eat my food, spend my money, and live in my house.” “You used to be a big deal in New York high society, but if I throw you out of this house, it won’t look pretty.” “Be smart. It’s just a dress.” I walked into the bathroom and plunged my hands into the basin. The ice-cold water rushed over my fingers, and a sharp, biting pain shot through my joints. I bit my lower lip, rubbing the silk fabric gently. My tears dripped into the water, making tiny splashing sounds. After hanging the dress to dry, I went back to my bedroom. My hands were bright red and completely numb from the cold. Ethan was right. When you live under someone else’s roof, you have to bow your head. But I refused to live a life worse than a maid’s any longer. I sat at my desk and hesitated for a long time. Eventually, I pulled up a contact number hidden deep in my notes. It was the last card my parents had left me before they died. “Hello? Is this the butler of the London townhouse?” “I’m planning to move in. How long will it take to get the place ready?”

Ethan didn’t come home again until a week later. The moment he walked through the door, he handed me a garment bag with a designer evening gown. “It’s my dad’s birthday tonight. Come home with me.” I took it and turned to walk into my room. In his eyes, this was probably the only value I had left, acting as his perfect trophy wife for family events. It didn’t matter. It would all be over soon anyway. I followed Ethan back to the Vance family mansion. His father, Jason, was sitting on the sofa watching TV. His mother, Mandy, was busy in the kitchen. When she saw me walk in, she barely spared me a glance. She didn’t say a word. But the moment Sienna stepped out of the kitchen, everything changed. Mandy warmly took the platter from Sienna’s hands, her voice dripping with affection. “Oh, Sienna, sweetheart, don’t do all this heavy lifting.” “We don’t want you getting tired.” Jason stood up as well. “That’s right. Ethan is here now.” “Go sit down and talk to him.” I stood in the middle of the living room, feeling like an absolute stranger. Dinner was served at a small table near the kitchen corridor. The four of them sat face to face. I had to pull up a stray chair and squeeze in at the very edge, my plate barely fitting on the table. Mandy glanced at me, then deliberately asked, “Sienna, how are your parents doing?” Sienna smiled brightly. “They’re doing great, thank you for asking.” “They miss you guys so much.” Mandy nodded and scooped some steak onto Sienna’s and Ethan’s plates. “I wanted Ethan to marry you years ago.” “But this boy just wouldn’t listen.” “They say marriage should be between equals.” “Look at us now. Some families go bankrupt, lose all their status, and have nothing left.” “What a disaster.” I kept my head down, poking at the food on my plate. Since the Carter family went bankrupt, I had heard enough of these insults. I was used to it. Ethan paused, then cut a piece of steak and placed it on my plate. “Just eat,” he said. I was surprised and looked up at him. Mandy raised her voice. “What? Am I not allowed to tell the truth?” “If you hadn’t lost your mind back then, we wouldn’t be in this mess.” Ethan remained silent. Mandy’s gaze then drifted to my left wrist. I was wearing a vintage diamond bracelet that she had gifted me when we got married. “Chloe, that bracelet is a Vance family heirloom.” “I don’t mean anything by this, but…” “I’m just worried that your parents might have left behind some unpaid debts.” “If you end up selling that bracelet to pay off creditors, I wouldn’t be able to face Ethan’s grandmother in the afterlife.” I looked up. Everyone’s eyes were locked on me. The bracelet on my wrist suddenly felt like a ton of bricks. When Ethan and I married, my family hadn’t gone bankrupt. I was still the coveted heiress of New York. His parents hadn’t liked me, but they hadn’t openly opposed the marriage either. Now that the Carters were ruined, they immediately showed their true colors. I grabbed the clasp and yanked the bracelet off. The rough edges scratched my skin, leaving a stinging red mark. I placed it gently on the table. Mandy snatched it up immediately and handed it straight to Sienna. “Sienna, this suits you perfectly.” “Take it as a little gift from me.” I stood up, my chair scraping loudly against the hardwood floor. “Enjoy your dinner. I’m leaving.” As I reached the grand front door, I heard Ethan’s footsteps chasing after me. I hadn’t expected him to defend me in front of his parents earlier. And I certainly hadn’t expected him to run after me. I stood in the driveway, wiping my tears in a rush. When I turned around, he stopped in front of me. But instead of comfort, his first words were an accusation. “Chloe, do you have to make a scene and embarrass everyone?” I froze, my hand hovering in mid-air. It felt as if a lump was lodged in my throat, choking out any words I wanted to say.

“I told you, today is my dad’s birthday,” Ethan snapped. “Who are you throwing a tantrum for?” I stared at him in disbelief. “Did you not hear her?” “Your mother insulted me and my dead parents with every single word.” “You said this was a family dinner, yet Sienna is here.” “Your mother demanded her bracelet back just to give it to her.” “Does your family have no shame at all anymore?” Ethan looked at me, his eyes completely cold. “Chloe, do you have any idea how much of a mess your parents left behind?” “Everywhere I go, people laugh at me.” “They say I married into a ruined family.” “And you still have the nerve to throw a fit?” I let out a long breath, forcing my tears back. “Fine.” “I embarrassed your family.” “I’m an eyesore to your parents. I’ll leave.” “They like Sienna anyway.” “Perfect. The four of you can enjoy your family dinner.” With that, I turned around and walked into the night. Ethan didn’t come home that night. Whether he slept at the mansion or went to Sienna’s, I didn’t care anymore. My flight to London was in two days. Over the next forty-eight hours, I finalized all my travel arrangements. I packed my remaining belongings. I signed the divorce papers. Only the space next to my name, reserved for Ethan’s signature, remained blank. On the day of my departure, I received another FaceTime call from the Ethan of three years ago. He had dark circles under his eyes, and he looked completely exhausted. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. I looked at him and smiled. “Ethan, I’m leaving.” “I’ve decided to divorce the future you.” He offered a weak smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Chloe… I’ve also decided to propose to the you of three years ago.” “I realized I can’t stop myself from loving you.” “I’m sorry. You might think I’m selfish.” “But no matter what the future holds, I want to try.” I nodded. “Okay. Then I wish us both luck.” “I hope you find your love.” “And I hope I find my freedom.” His eyes drifted to the table on my side of the screen. The bold letters “DIVORCE AGREEMENT” seemed to burn his eyes. A tear slipped down his cheek without warning. “Chloe, can I ask for one last favor?” “Give the future me one more chance.” “Put those papers in front of him.” “What if… what if he regrets it?” “What if he doesn’t want to lose you?” I checked my watch. I still had enough time before my flight. I picked up the papers, grabbed my suitcase, and walked out. “I promise you.” I hadn’t stepped foot in Ethan’s corporate headquarters in almost two years. The receptionist’s face turned pale when she saw me, and she rushed over in a panic. “Mrs. Vance! Do you have an appointment with Mr. Vance?” “Please wait in the lobby. Let me check if he’s free first, okay?” I shook my head. “I don’t mean to make your job difficult.” “But I’m in a hurry.” I pushed open the heavy oak doors of his penthouse office. Ethan was sitting in his executive chair. Sienna was sitting on his lap, wrapped securely in his arms. He saw me, but he didn’t move. A smirk played on his lips. “What are you doing here?” Then, his eyes caught the suitcase by my side. His smirk widened. “What’s this?” “Stalking me to my office now?” “Good to know you finally realized your mistake.” “I’ll come home tonight.” “Don’t do this again. There are too many people in the building. It looks bad.” I walked up to his desk and slid the divorce papers over. My signature was already neatly signed on the left. “I came to drop this off. Ethan, let’s get a divorce.” The smirk on his face completely vanished.

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1 On the day of our tenth wedding anniversary, the young woman my husband had been sponsoring through college knelt before me. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched a newborn baby to her chest, begging me to adopt him. In my past life, I looked at the poor child, remembered my husband’s lack of an heir, and agreed to take the boy in. I poured my heart and soul into that child. I raised him as my own flesh and blood, grooming him until he was ready to take over the CEO position of my family’s empire. The very day after he assumed control of the company, he locked me in a windowless basement. I watched helplessly as they drained my stock portfolios, liquidated my trust funds, and moved into my cliffside estates. I watched Isabella flaunt her love with my husband, Sebastian, right in front of my face. I watched them attend elite galas wearing the jewels my grandfather left me. And me? I was chained to a concrete pillar. I was fed rotting scraps that a stray dog would refuse. I became their personal entertainment, a punching bag for their twisted amusement. In the end, driven to absolute despair, I threw myself headfirst against the concrete pillar. Blood poured over my eyes, yet Isabella merely stood there, smiling down at me with pure disgust. … “Genevieve, what was the point of being so brilliant?” she sneered. “You spent your whole life building a kingdom, just to hand me the keys.” “Be a little smarter in your next life. Stop being such a pathetic stepping stone. Honestly, watching you be this stupid almost makes me feel bad.” My husband, the man I had loved for a decade, stood beside her like a god looking down at an insect. His eyes were devoid of any warmth. “Genevieve, if you didn’t have a massive fortune, do you really think I would have let my son call you mother for twenty years? Do you think I would have let Isabella suffer being separated from her baby? You owed us. And debts are paid with blood.” I blinked. The cold, damp basement was gone. Sebastian was sitting at the edge of our king-sized bed, gently massaging my calves with a loving smile. “Genevieve, we’ve been married for ten years now. If we don’t have a child soon, all the wealth we’ve built will have nowhere to go. Why don’t we adopt?” I swallowed the phantom pain of my skull cracking against concrete. Slowly, a faint, icy smile touched my lips. “Alright. Pinnacle Holdings does need an heir.” In this life, I would no longer travel the world seeking elite fertility specialists. I would no longer secretly brew herbal remedies to cure his defects. I wanted to see exactly how this man, who was clinically and permanently sterile, managed to produce a biological son. Sebastian froze. He clearly hadn’t expected me to agree so easily. “You mean it? You are actually willing to raise someone else’s child?” I looked at him, my eyes sharp with mockery. “I said the company needs an heir. That doesn’t mean I’m going to take in some random bastard off the street. I am not handing my family’s legacy over to someone with inferior genetics.” Sebastian’s face darkened. He shot up from the bed, glaring at me. But after a long moment, he softened his tone and started his rehearsed pitch. “Genevieve, I’m thinking about our future. When we get old, we need someone to rely on. We need someone to care for us. Do you really want outsiders tearing apart the empire we built?” “Just think about it. A kid would bring so much life into this house. You can’t just focus on making money all the time…” I fought the urge to rip his eyes out. I stared at him, letting out a dry, bitter laugh. “Is that so? At least if outsiders tear my company apart, I’ll know who killed me. If I adopt a little wolf pup, I might just end up dead in a basement without a clue how it happened.” He still thought he could play me exactly like he did in my past life. He wanted me to slave away for his empire. He was out of his mind. In this life, his little bastard would never see the light of day. These pieces of trash belonged in hell. Sebastian stood entirely still, looking at me in shock. “Genevieve, what are you talking about? If we raise a child as our own, why would he ever turn on us?” “Because genetics matter,” I said coldly. “If the biological parents are ruthless, shameless parasites, what kind of genes do you think the kid inherits? Pinnacle Holdings is my life’s work. It holds all the assets of the Sinclair estate. I am not handing it over to a stranger.” I suppressed the boiling rage in my chest and stared him down. Impatience and panic flickered across his face. “You can’t be this selfish! You know how much my mother and Uncle Richard have been pressuring me!” “And the board of directors! Every single one of those old vultures is staring at the CEO chair! Do you have any idea how much pressure I’m under because we don’t have an heir?!” “If you can’t handle the pressure of the boardroom, resign from the CEO position.” Sebastian’s face turned red with anger. “I put up with you because I love you! Can’t you think about me for once?!” I had no desire to waste another breath on this animal. I stood up, walked into the master bathroom, and slammed the door shut. I slid down the cold marble door, clutching my chest, gasping for air. I was back. I was really back. There was no rotting food. There were no heavy iron chains. My arms were smooth and flawless, free from the festering wounds and infected scars. My hair wasn’t gray. I wasn’t a walking corpse. After a long time, I steadied my breathing and pulled myself up. I took out my phone and dialed a private number. “Detective Cross. I need you to lock onto a target. I want every single detail of her life on my desk.” “Understood, Ms. Sinclair. We will have eyes on her 24/7. Not a single detail will slip through.” The next morning, Sebastian kissed my cheek as gently as he always did, acting as if the argument never happened. He smiled, blowing on my hot coffee to cool it down, chatting casually about the upcoming merger of our family assets. It was as if yesterday was just a minor hiccup, one he had graciously forgiven because he respected my boundaries. I didn’t bother arguing with him about the child. I had an empire to secure, client accounts to reclaim, and his absolute destruction to plan. He was going to be thrown out of Pinnacle Holdings. Seeing me working late every night, Sebastian would wrap his arms around my shoulders, playing the doting husband. “Take it easy, sweetheart. I can handle the heavy lifting at the office. Just focus on your health. Don’t push yourself.” I would just smile coldly, secretly saving the photos and videos Detective Cross sent me into an encrypted cloud drive. They were quite the tragic lovers. Sneaking off to different cities just to sleep together. Meeting up in cheap motels twice a month. Sebastian having to invent elaborate lies about business trips just to see her. In the videos, they were inseparable. Isabella clung to him like a leech. It was hilarious to think I used to drown in his sweet words, truly believing I had married the perfect man. Soon, it was the night of our tenth anniversary. Half of the elite families in Newport were gathered at our cliffside estate. Champagne flowed. Designer gowns swept across the marble floors. I wore a custom haute couture gown, linking my arm through Sebastian’s as we mingled. The compliments rolled in endlessly. “You two are the ultimate power couple. A match made in heaven.” “With your families united, nobody on the East Coast can touch you. Make sure you leave some of the market for the rest of us, Genevieve!” I smiled gracefully, watching Sebastian force a polite laugh while his eyes kept darting toward the grand double doors of the ballroom. One second. Two seconds. Three. The moment his phone buzzed in his pocket, the heavy mahogany doors burst open. A frail, slender figure rushed into the grand hall, clutching a bundle of blankets. Isabella dropped to her knees right in front of me. “Genevieve, I didn’t know where else to go!” “The baby’s father abandoned me. I’m just a broke college student. I have no family. I can’t keep this little boy alive!” She gently stroked the baby’s cheek, looking up at me with red, swollen eyes. “You and Sebastian have been paying my tuition for years. You are my saviors. I have nothing to give you in return. But if you are willing to adopt this child, I will spend the rest of my life praying for your happiness.” She leaned forward and actually pressed her forehead to the marble floor, sobbing loudly. In my past life, seeing her look so pathetic, combined with Sebastian’s aggressive persuasion, I melted. I agreed to take the child right then and there. Now, the entire ballroom went dead silent. The socialites began whispering. Everyone knew I was barren. A free child seemed like a perfect solution. I took three steps back, widening my eyes in pure, dramatic horror. Then, I stepped forward and slapped Isabella across the face with everything I had. “Isabella! Are you out of your mind?! You got pregnant in your junior year?!” “I treated you like a little sister! I paid for your education so you could make something of yourself! And you come here with a bastard child?! You disgust me!” I forced tears into my eyes, my voice trembling with perfectly acted heartbreak. I pointed a shaking finger at her. “You swore to me you were studying! You swore you wanted to make me proud! Is this how you study? On your back in some frat house?!” Isabella’s face drained of all color. She froze, entirely caught off guard. For the five years I funded her education, I had never raised my voice at her. I protected her pride, comforted her, and encouraged her. My kindness and soft heart had nurtured a venomous snake. And since she was a snake, I was going to crush her head. I turned to Sebastian, looking utterly devastated and furious. “Look at this! We spent a fortune trying to give her a future, and she throws it away to birth an illegitimate child! How could we ever adopt a baby with genetics like this?!” The wealthy guests around us immediately turned their noses up in disgust. “Absolutely shameless. She barely has pennies to her name, and she’s out getting knocked up. Now she wants Genevieve to foot the bill for her mistakes? Disgusting.” “Crashing their tenth anniversary to dump a baby on them? Is she trying to ruin the party on purpose? What a piece of trash.” “She knows Genevieve has a soft heart, so she’s trying to extort her.” Isabella’s face burned scarlet. She looked up at Sebastian, tears pooling in her eyes. Sebastian’s face twitched. He pulled his hand back, trying desperately to run damage control. “Genevieve, the baby is innocent. What’s done is done. Isabella is young, she made a stupid mistake.” He gently pushed my shoulders, guiding me closer to the infant. His voice trembled with fake emotion. “Just look at him. He’s so alert. Look at those big eyes.” “We’ve been wanting a child for so long. The moment we start talking about adoption, Isabella brings us a baby. It’s fate, Genevieve. Let’s take him. Consider it an act of charity.” I looked down at the infant wrapped in the expensive blanket. A wave of pure nausea washed over me. In my past life, this boy grabbed me by the hair and shoved my face into a bowl of rotting dog food. To please his biological mother, he whipped me until my back was shredded. He didn’t care that I loved him. He didn’t care that I raised him for twenty years. I let out a sharp laugh and slapped Sebastian’s hands off my waist. “Alert? Every baby looks around. The ones that don’t are dead.” “I am not adopting him, Sebastian. I will not raise the spawn of a cheap, easy woman.” With those two sentences, Isabella turned to stone. The tears literally stopped falling from her eyes. Sebastian’s gentle, patient smile completely shattered. He never expected this. I had always been soft. I always gave him what he wanted. They had rehearsed this play flawlessly, yet I was burning the script. After a brief moment of shock, Isabella let out a wail, shifting her performance into overdrive. “Genevieve! I wasn’t sleeping around! I was forced! I was assaulted! I was too terrified to tell you!” She hugged the baby tighter, sobbing violently. “I wanted to get rid of it! But the doctors told me my uterine lining was too thin. If I had an abortion, I would bleed to death! I had no choice!” She cried beautifully, playing the fragile victim to absolute perfection. Her tears were cheaper than tap water. In my past life, this was the exact lie that broke my heart. Right on cue, my mother-in-law, Eleanor, broke through the crowd. She snatched the baby from Isabella, cooing and rocking him. “Oh, my poor sweet boy! Look at him!” She turned to me, her face twisting into an ugly scowl. “Genevieve, why are you being so vicious?! Your own stomach is useless! Who else can you blame? Isabella is offering you a son on a silver platter, and you’re acting like a tyrant!” “What’s wrong with adopting him? It’s good karma! Maybe if you do a good deed, God will finally bless you with your own child! Don’t ruin your own blessings!” Sebastian’s uncle, Richard, stepped out of the crowd, his face stern. “A person needs a charitable heart, Genevieve. Your family line is dying out. You need to look in the mirror.” “How much money does a baby really cost? Just take him in. Why push the girl to the edge? She’s always been a polite girl. Maybe she really was forced.” The crowd’s attention shifted back to Isabella, who was shivering in a cheap cotton dress, looking utterly defeated. Taking Eleanor’s lead, Sebastian’s relatives swarmed me, launching their rehearsed guilt trip. “Exactly. The poor girl is desperate. Save a life, Genevieve.” “I’m just being honest with you, Genevieve. If you’re too cruel, you won’t hold onto your wealth. A baby brings joy to a quiet house.” The entire family ganged up on me, weaponizing morality to force my hand. No one asked what I actually wanted. Sebastian stood silently in the crowd, watching me buckle under the immense pressure. He was so confident I would break. He was absolutely certain I would cave and accept the child. Eleanor patted the baby’s back, glaring at me, waiting for my surrender. When I didn’t speak, she raised her voice for the whole room to hear. “I am making the decision! Sebastian will adopt this boy! I don’t care who objects!” She looked at me sideways, challenging me to fight back. The guests immediately began congratulating Eleanor, praising the baby’s cute face. Sebastian rushed over to help Isabella off the floor. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second, flashing with absolute victory. I calmly picked up a glass of sparkling water, listening to the exact same dialogue I had heard a lifetime ago. I took a slow sip, burying the murderous rage burning in my chest. In this life, if they wanted to hand me their bastard son, they were going to pay in blood. I stepped forward slowly. I reached out, gently running a finger over the baby’s soft cheek, and gave them the brightest, warmest smile I could muster. “You’re right, Eleanor. Uncle Richard is right. If everyone believes this is an act of charity…” “Then I will adopt him.” The ballroom went dead quiet. Isabella’s head snapped up. The wild, greedy joy in her eyes was impossible to hide. Sebastian’s tense shoulders dropped. He clenched his fists, trying to mask his overwhelming excitement. Eleanor beamed with triumph, acting like a conquering general. “You finally used your brain, Genevieve! Since you can’t have one, raising someone else’s is the exact same thing!” I nodded slowly, my voice perfectly calm. “But since the Sinclair and Vanguard families are adopting an heir, we cannot do this in secret.” “I want to choose an auspicious date. We will host a massive naming ceremony. We will invite the press, the politicians, and every business partner on the East Coast. On that day, I will officially name him the sole heir to Pinnacle Holdings.” The room erupted in applause. The guests praised my generosity. The atmosphere was electric. Eleanor excitedly yelled for the estate manager, ordering him to prep the nursery, demanding the best nannies money could buy. The estate dissolved into a joyful frenzy. No one noticed the pitch-black, sinister smile curling on my lips. I set the date for June 8th. The exact date I had signed my company over to Oliver in my previous life. On this day, I would let the world witness their “crowning achievement.” The city was in an uproar. Sebastian had rented twenty-eight helicopters to drop rose petals over the estate. Banners of congratulations covered the luxury hotel we rented. Every rival, every partner, every relative, and every friend was in attendance. Everyone praised Eleanor’s kind heart for taking in the orphan. They praised my good fortune for finally securing an heir. The grand ballroom was deafening with flattery. Eleanor wore a dark red silk gown, carrying her precious grandson through the crowd, showing him off to the billionaires. “Look at him! My eldest grandson. Isn’t he handsome? He looks exactly like Sebastian did as a baby!” The guests eagerly fed her ego. “Absolutely! He has a strong brow and perfect ears. So much like his father. He’s going to lead the Vanguard Group to glory!” “You are so blessed, Eleanor! This boy is going to make your family untouchable!” Sebastian boldly walked Isabella through the crowd, introducing her to the elite, basking in their praise. They thought they had completely broken me. They didn’t even try to hide their affection anymore. Isabella had been professionally styled. Her makeup was flawless. She wore an elegant evening gown, and around her neck sat a hundred-thousand-dollar Cartier diamond necklace. She looked like a young billionaire’s wife. The pathetic, shivering victim from a few days ago was completely gone. The guests praised her luck, telling her she was blessed to have met such saviors. She just lowered her eyes, looking shyly at Sebastian. “Sebastian is a saint. I only kept the child to repay his kindness. Now, his family legacy is secure.” The crowd fawned over her gratitude, conveniently ignoring the fact that she had gotten knocked up by a random man in college. I sat quietly at the head table, sipping my wine, watching the Titanic head straight for the iceberg. Soon, the master of ceremonies took the microphone, his voice echoing through the speakers. “Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome the matriarch, Ms. Genevieve Sinclair, to the stage to officially welcome the new heir to the dynasty!” Thunderous applause shook the room. I smoothed my elegant dress, walked calmly up the steps, and took the microphone. “Since my husband and I have agreed to take in Isabella’s child, we will treat him as our own flesh and blood. And naturally, the legal paperwork must be flawless.” I raised a thick leather binder containing the adoption papers and the corporate equity transfers. “Upon the finalization of this adoption, I am transferring thirty percent of my voting shares in Pinnacle Holdings directly to this child. He will be the undisputed heir to my empire.” The applause was deafening. Isabella’s eyes were practically glowing with greed. Sebastian’s face flushed deep red with excitement, his hands trembling at his sides. I let out a soft chuckle. I paused, letting the silence build, before shifting my tone. “However, an heir to a multi-billion dollar empire cannot have any legal liabilities. To prevent any future extortion or custody battles, I would like Isabella to come to the stage and sign a total termination of parental rights.” Isabella hesitated for a fraction of a second. But as her eyes locked onto the equity transfer documents, she lifted her chin and walked elegantly onto the stage. There was no trace of fear in her. She knew she had won. A piece of paper meant nothing. Once her son controlled my wealth, he would easily welcome his biological mother back into the fold. She stood in the center of the stage, bowing slightly to the crowd, looking incredibly dignified. “I want to thank Sebastian for his years of support. And Genevieve is so generous. I know she will treat my boy as her own and raise him to be a brilliant leader.” With a swift, practiced motion, she signed her name on the dotted line. I smiled. She just couldn’t resist manipulating the crowd one last time. After her touching speech concluded, I stepped up to the microphone again. My voice was eerily calm. “Since we are legally separating the child from his original family, the biological father must also sign away his rights.” “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the biological father to the stage.” The words hit the room like a bomb. The entire ballroom gasped, turning their heads toward the massive double doors. “Wait, didn’t she say she was assaulted? Why would the rapist be here?!” Isabella’s body turned to stone. The elegant smile on her face shattered into a million pieces. A thin, exhausted-looking young man in a cheap suit was walking slowly down the center aisle. Isabella let out a blood-curdling scream of pure terror. “Noah?! Who the hell let you in here?! Get out!” I stepped closer to her, leaning in until my lips brushed her ear, my voice dripping with venom. “I brought him here, Isabella. He’s the father, isn’t he? We need his signature.”

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I made a living as a divorce facilitator, helping people fast-track their paperwork. Today, I landed a massive client. Fifty thousand dollars. The divorce had to be finalized within three days. But I never expected that the client would be Cole, my boyfriend, who was currently sharing a moldy basement apartment with me. “I played a bit too hard before. Accidentally registered a marriage with another girl. I’m marrying my girlfriend next week, and I can’t let her find out.” Right after, he sent another message: “Honestly, I wanted to play around for another two years. But Julian is coming back to the States. He used to date my girlfriend, and I don’t trust him.” “You know how it is. You get it, right?” I stared at the screen and laughed. Oh, I was taking this job. “Bro, you online?” Today’s client was incredibly impatient. Before I could even reply, he spammed my Snapchat with over a dozen messages. I took a sip of my coffee and quickly typed back. “I’m here.” I drank too fast. The hot liquid burned my tongue. I took a sip of ice water to numb the pain. “I can book you a court date for two weeks from now. Guaranteed done.” He replied instantly. “I need it finalized in three days. Can you pull strings?” “Money is not an issue.” I did have connections to expedite emergency filings, but I usually saved those slots for women desperately trying to escape abusive marriages. Looking at this guy’s recent Instagram stories, he didn’t seem desperate. Last night, he was casually partying at a Michelin-starred restaurant. This was not a man suffering in a toxic marriage. Seeing my silence, he grew anxious. “No way. You can’t do it?” “They said you’re the best fixer in the city. Damn it!” After three minutes of silence, he seemed to realize something. If I couldn’t get it done, no one in New York could. Throwing money at a problem always worked best. And he knew I was desperate for cash. “Flat rate. Fifty thousand dollars. Can you get it done?” “If yes, I’ll PayPal you a ten-thousand-dollar deposit right now.” My hands shook. It took me thirty seconds to type a single word. “Yes.” The moment the notification popped up on PayPal, my eyes welled with tears. With this extra cash, I could finally afford a decent apartment downtown. Cole wouldn’t have to live in that damp basement anymore. Lately, the mold had been terrible. His allergies were acting up so badly that his back was covered in scratch marks. I quickly texted my real estate agent. “Sarah, that apartment we looked at last week? Keep it for me.” I transferred a five-thousand-dollar deposit, and my heart finally settled. If I weren’t so busy dealing with clients, I would have called Cole immediately to share the good news. Our hard times were finally over. I decided to wrap this up quickly. “Please send over the names and personal info. I need them for the filing.” The next second, the smile froze on my face. The message on my screen read: “Cole Brooks.” My broke boyfriend of two years.

I switched to my personal Snapchat account. Two hours ago, my pinned contact had sent me an update. “The gig is starting soon. Just letting you know.” He sent a group photo. “It’s just the band guys. All dudes. You can relax now.” “Once the Boston gig is over in three days, I’ll get paid and come straight back to marry you.” “Wait for me.” I searched “marry” in our chat history. The results spanned pages. “You look like my future wife. Want to get married?” “I wish I could wake up and be of legal age already, so I could marry you.” “I turned legal today.” “I want to get married so bad. I want to marry Iris.” “…” The most recent mention was just last month. Was someone playing a sick joke on me? But who would spend fifty thousand dollars just for a prank? I switched back to my business account. “I need the wife’s information too.” He replied with an OK emoji. “Hold on, let me ask her.” A moment later, he sent two voice notes. Amidst the loud background noise of a club, a sweet, playful female voice drifted out. “The name is Chloe.” “By the way, Cole, after the divorce, do I still get your bedtime service? The kind where you carry me to bed?” Then, a familiar male voice cut in. “Why do you always blab everything? I’ll deal with you later. Let go.” The voice notes were quickly recalled. I sat frozen for a long time. I bit down on the blister on my tongue, completely numb to the pain. Chloe. I remembered that name. Every time Cole’s indie band finished a gig, she would send him a bouquet of red roses. “I can’t shake her off. She’s so annoying.” That was how Cole described her to me. “Cole, after the divorce, do I still get your bedtime service? The kind where you carry me to bed?” And that was Cole in her world. When did it start? Suppressing the rising nausea in my throat, I started baiting him. “You guys sound pretty ‘intimate.’ Why even divorce?” “Once I book the court date, you aren’t going to back out, right?” The ‘typing’ indicator bubbled for two minutes. But his reply was simple. “No.” I replied: “I’ve had clients change their minds and ask for refunds. It wastes my time. Especially for a big order like this…” “I run a small business. I need some reassurance.” Thinking he would never cross paths with this random fixer in real life, Cole stopped holding back. “Just book it. I’m in a rush!” “I got drunk and married this girl for fun. Damn it! I didn’t know getting a fast dissolution in New York was this hard.” “I’m marrying my girlfriend next week. I can’t let her find out.” “Honestly, I wanted to play around for another two years. But Julian is coming back to the States. He used to date my girlfriend, and I don’t trust him.” “We’re both men. You get it, right?”

Julian. The name instantly locked in my mind. No wonder I always saw glimpses of Julian in Cole. They were brothers. Before we broke up, Julian had proposed to me too. A diamond ring under one carat, which had cost him his entire salary during his internship. He ate nothing but cheap bread for a month. Yet every night, he still had the energy to listen to me complain about the toxic people at my office. “That girl, Linda, wears the same Lululemon leggings for a week, yet she had the nerve to call my outfit trash in front of everyone!” “And Rebecca is such a snake. She makes me translate her documents and runs straight to the boss the one time I say no.” “Damn it, I spent weeks on that pitch, and Kevin just signs his name and takes all the credit!” As I ranted, I crouched on the floor, overwhelmed. Tears streamed down my face. “Iris, if New York makes you this miserable, let’s just go back to my hometown.” “We won’t make crazy money, but we won’t have to deal with this drama. We can live a quiet, simple life.” Julian had suggested moving back to his hometown more than once, but I had always brushed it off. Only that one time, blinded by frustration, I lost my ability to think. I buried my face in his chest and gave a muffled, “Okay.” His hometown was remote, only accessible by long-distance buses. At the crowded station, most people were young couples with children. One baby strapped to the chest, another toddler in hand. They pushed battered suitcases that looked ready to fall apart, clutching cheap plastic bags. Except for the kids, that was exactly how I looked when I first arrived in New York. I looked down at my 20-inch carry-on, stuffed to the brim just to maintain a shred of dignity. Suddenly, a wave of panic hit me. A dead-end job, endless family drama, getting married, having kids, turning into a haggard housewife gossip. The future in that small town was crystal clear. I refused to live that life. I would rather die in New York. So, I ran. I thought Julian had long since settled down with some local girl in his hometown, married with kids. I never expected that three years later, he would appear on the cover of a major financial magazine as the sole heir to the Brooks Group. If we met again, what would I feel? Guilt? Remorse? Humility? Thinking about it, none of the above. Actually, I felt Julian should thank me. If I hadn’t broken up with him, how would he, a guy who grew up with a single mother, have been motivated to reclaim his place in the Brooks family? The man on the magazine cover looked effortlessly elite. The watch on his wrist could buy an entire building. His cold eyes seemed to mock my past choices. The Amtrak train to Boston slowly began to move. Feeling annoyed, I stuffed the magazine into the seatback pocket. Drowsiness washed over me, but my mind was a mess. Sitting by the aisle, I had to stay alert in case someone needed to get by. Half an hour later, the other shoe finally dropped. “Excuse me, I have the window seat.” I opened my eyes and saw the person I least wanted to see.

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1 My wife was a severe germaphobe. To even hold her hand, I had to endure a full surgical scrub. I would stand at the sink, brushing my palms and the backs of my hands until the skin was raw and glowing red, all just to earn sixty seconds of physical contact. If I wanted a kiss, I had to brush my teeth ten times before my lips could even brush against hers. Sharing a bed was an entirely different ordeal. I had to soak myself in medical-grade disinfectant, completely sanitizing my body, before I was allowed to pull back the covers. We had been married for three years, and I respected every single one of her paranoid boundaries. That was, until her company hosted a corporate retreat at a beach house in the Hamptons. Standing a few yards away, I watched my wife’s young assistant rubbing tanning oil onto her skin. His bare, unwashed hands, still gritty with beach sand, slid smoothly over her exposed back, trailing all the way down to her ankles. That was the exact moment it hit me. Her obsessive cleanliness was only directed at me. I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed a secure number. “Pull the plug on all of April’s corporate projects. Shut them down immediately.” If she was so deeply disgusted by me, I could easily find a wife who wasn’t. After all, as the sole heir to Horizon Enterprises, the line of women waiting to marry me stretched from Manhattan to Paris. … April had brought her entire staff to the Hamptons to celebrate landing a ten-million-dollar PR contract. I had just walked two miles under the blazing sun to fetch her a fresh artisan smoothie. The moment I stepped onto the private beach, I saw her lying on her stomach on a luxury towel. Her assistant, Edward, was hovering over her, dutifully massaging the expensive lotion into her skin. April was wearing a striking bikini. Edward’s hands moved with practiced ease, sliding down the curve of her spine, intimate and entirely unapologetic. They looked like lovers without a care in the world. In three years of marriage, I hadn’t even been allowed to touch her shoulder without a hazmat-level cleansing routine. I had scrubbed my hands until they bled just to hold hers for a few fleeting minutes. Even intimacy required a written schedule a month in advance. Yet here she was, letting Edward’s sandy, filthy hands wander all over her half-naked body. My expression darkened as I closed the distance between us. “I wasn’t aware an assistant’s job description included greasing up his boss’s private parts.” April glanced up. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, but she didn’t bother to sit up. “Adam, don’t be dramatic. The sun is brutal today, and I couldn’t reach my own back. I just asked him for a quick favor.” Edward’s hand lingered on April’s pale waist. He looked up at me, a smug, mocking glint in his eyes. “Come on, man. You’re just a stay-at-home husband. Everything you enjoy right now is paid for by April. You knew we were coming to the beach, and you didn’t even prep her skincare routine. That’s pretty lazy on your part.” He gave her shoulder a final, affectionate squeeze. “I just didn’t want her perfect skin getting ruined. Someone had to step up.” With the last drop of lotion applied, April looked at me with the cold authority of a CEO addressing a janitor. “Edward worked hard. Give him that iced drink you bought so he can cool off.” Edward smirked and reached out to take the cup from my hand. My face went completely numb. Without a second thought, I raised my arm and dumped the freezing, crimson fruit smoothie directly over Edward’s head. “If you want a drink, buy it yourself. Or do you just have a fetish for taking things that belong to other men?” A sharp crack echoed across the sand. April had leaped up and slapped me across the face with everything she had. “Are you out of your damn mind, Adam?” Edward wiped the sticky red pulp from his eyes, playing the perfect victim as he gently grabbed April’s wrist. “April, it’s fine. I was just trying to help you out. I didn’t know your husband was so insecure.” He let out a pathetic sigh. “I guess men who stay locked in the house all day just lose their grip on reality. He doesn’t even realize who puts the food on his table.” I stared at the pathetic mess of a man, my voice dropping to a low, dangerous octave. “Since when does a glorified paper-pusher get a vote in my marriage?” Edward’s face flushed with ugly anger, looking like he had just swallowed a fly. April immediately stepped in front of him, shielding him like a wounded puppy while glaring at me with pure venom. “Apologize to him right now, Adam.” Hearing those words froze the last ounce of warmth I had for this woman. “And if I don’t?” Her expression turned entirely ruthless. “Then don’t blame me for forgetting we were ever married.” Without another word, she grabbed Edward’s arm and turned toward the massive beach house. “Let’s go inside, Edward. I’ll take you to the boutique down the road and buy you a new suit. I can’t have you catching a cold.” I stood alone on the beach, watching my wife walk away with another man. I took out my phone and made another call. “Halt every single operation tied to April’s agency. And find out exactly who signed that ten-million-dollar contract with her.” April claimed Edward was the genius who landed that massive account. I wanted to see exactly who at my company had the guts to sign off on a ten-million-dollar deal with an entry-level assistant without my direct approval. I sat by the ocean for a while, letting the cold saltwater breeze clear my head, before finally walking back to the villa. The moment I pushed open the heavy oak door, something shattered against the frame above me. A torrent of warm, rotting, fermented fruit juice rained down on my head. The sickeningly sweet smell of garbage filled my lungs. April’s icy voice drifted from the sunken living room. “You like pouring drinks on people, Adam? I figured I’d let you have a taste of your own medicine.” The room erupted in laughter. Dozens of her employees were lounging on the designer furniture, looking at me like I was the punchline to a pathetic joke. “A total freeloader living off our boss, and he actually has the nerve to lay a hand on Edward?” “Right? Everyone knows Edward is the absolute lifeline of this agency right now. Pissing him off is practically career suicide. Well, not that Adam has a career.” April sat crossed-legged on a white leather sofa, sipping champagne, her eyes devoid of any emotion. “This is the price of your stubbornness, Adam.” Edward strutted over to me, holding a plastic water bottle. The smug superiority radiating off him was nauseating. “Man, that spoiled juice smells absolutely vile. You’re stinking up the whole house. Let me help you wash that off.” He uncapped the bottle and squeezed the liquid directly over my hair. A sharp, pungent, deeply acidic stench hit my nose instantly. Hot liquid dripped down my forehead, stinging my eyes. A wave of pure, unfiltered rage exploded in my chest. It wasn’t water. It was piss. I lunged forward, grabbing Edward by the collar of his expensive polo shirt, nearly lifting him off the ground. My voice was a lethal whisper. “Do you have any idea what happens to people who cross me?” Edward barked a laugh, entirely unfazed. “You’re a useless househusband living off April’s credit cards. What are you gonna do? Burn my toast?” I didn’t waste breath on a reply. I drove my fist square into his jaw. The crunch of bone echoed through the room as Edward crumpled to the hardwood floor, spitting blood. April screamed and rushed forward, throwing herself between us. “Adam! He was trying to help you clean up, and you assault him again? How can you be this psychotic?” I wiped the vile liquid from my jaw, staring at her with a bitter smirk. “You’re really going to risk everything to protect him?” April met my gaze, her eyes blazing with absolute certainty. “He is my core team member. He’s the hero who brought in a ten-million-dollar deal. Of course I’m going to protect him!” The corners of my mouth twitched. “Is that so? What if I fire him right now? As Vice President of this agency.” When April first wanted to start her business, I didn’t just write the checks. I pulled strings across the entire East Coast, calling in heavy favors, and personally taught her how to run a boardroom. Once the agency gained a fraction of success, she manipulated me into stepping down, claiming she needed a stable presence at home. I hadn’t cared. I built the company to give her a sandbox to play in. I rarely went to the office anymore. But I still held forty percent of the voting shares. Firing a jumped-up assistant was a matter of a single email. The moment the words left my mouth, the room erupted into howling laughter. “Did this guy watch too many soap operas? He actually thinks he’s some ruthless CEO. He needs to check into a psych ward!” “A glorified maid threatening to fire our top earner. Is his brain melting?” Edward clutched his bruised jaw and looked up at April with teary, pathetic eyes. “April, if he hates me this much, I should just resign. I don’t want to ruin your marriage over a job.” April immediately grabbed his hand, her face twisting with protective fury. “No one dictates what happens in my company except me.” She turned to her HR director, who was standing by the bar. “Effective tomorrow morning, strip Adam of his VP title. Edward will be taking over the position.” My fingernails dug into my palms. I stared at the woman I had married, feeling like I was looking at a total stranger. “You’re publicly humiliating your husband and handing over my executive seat to an assistant?” April sneered. “Your name is just ink on a piece of paper. Edward actually brings value to this company. You bring nothing.” I let out a dry, hollow laugh. “I can’t wait to see exactly how much value this parasite brings you.” The idiot couldn’t even format a basic spreadsheet without holding someone’s hand. I turned on my heel, ready to walk out. The heavy front door slammed shut. The deadbolt clicked. April’s voice echoed behind me, cold and authoritative. “You’re not leaving this house until you get on your knees and apologize to Edward.” I slowly turned back to face her. “And if I refuse?” She crossed her arms. “Then we do this the hard way.” At her signal, three of the male employees lunged at me. They pinned my arms behind my back, using their sheer weight to force me down. One of them drove a heavy boot into the back of my knee. Bone cracked against the floor as I was forced to kneel. I ground my teeth together, the taste of copper flooding my mouth. “Are you absolutely sure you want to cross this line for him, April? Have you thought about what happens tomorrow?” She hesitated for a fraction of a second. Before she could speak, Edward stepped up, leaning heavily against her arm. “April, I just got promoted. If he disrespects me like this in front of the whole team and gets away with it, how am I supposed to lead them tomorrow?” That was all it took to harden her resolve. She looked down at me like I was trash on the sidewalk. “Apologize right now, Adam. And sign over your forty percent equity to Edward. If you do that, I’ll pretend today never happened.” The sheer audacity of her demand actually made me laugh. “Is your brain filled with concrete? You want me to gift millions of dollars in shares to a glorified secretary?” Seeing my absolute refusal, April’s face tightened. Edward smiled, wiping the blood from his chin. “Since Adam isn’t in a talking mood, why don’t we play a little game?” He snapped his fingers. The men dragged me across the living room and threw open the sliding glass doors leading to the massive backyard pool. The moment I saw the water, my blood ran cold. The pool was boiling. Dozens of illegally imported red-bellied piranhas were swarming wildly beneath the surface, snapping their razor-sharp teeth. I tensed, fighting against the men holding me. “What the hell is wrong with you people?” Edward crouched in front of me, a sickening grin on his face. “Just a little team-building exercise, man. Let’s see who swims faster, you or the fish.” April, completely ignoring her supposed germaphobia, linked her arm through Edward’s. “It’s not too late to apologize, Adam.” Murderous intent flooded my veins. My hands curled into fists so tight my knuckles turned white. “It’s not too late for you either, April. If I go into that water, I guarantee your precious agency won’t exist by sunrise.” Edward threw his head back and laughed. “Still pretending to be a billionaire? Drop him.” April didn’t even blink. “Throw him in. Pull him out when he learns some respect.” A heavy kick to my spine sent me plunging into the chlorinated water. The moment I broke the surface, the water churned. The fish swarmed like a plague of locusts. Sharp, tearing agony ripped through my calf. Then my thigh. The crystal blue water turned a horrific, cloudy crimson in seconds. I kicked violently, swimming toward the concrete edge with everything I had. My fingers clawed onto the slick tiles. Before I could pull myself up, Edward loomed over me, holding a high-voltage stun gun. “Where do you think you’re going?” He jammed the electrodes into the wet concrete right next to my hand. Blue electricity arched across the water. A massive shockwave tore through my nervous system, locking my muscles in blinding agony. I choked on the bloody water, nearly blacking out. Edward admired the blooming red cloud in the pool, thoroughly entertained. “Beg for mercy, or become fish food. Your choice.” He turned to the crowd of employees watching from the patio. “Let’s make this interesting. Taking bets on how long the deadbeat lasts!” The finance director eagerly raised his hand. “A thousand bucks says he gives up in ten minutes!” “Five hundred on five minutes!” Amid the sick cheering, a cold voice cut through the noise. “I’ll put down a hundred grand. He won’t last ten.” April pulled a sleek checkbook from her designer bag, scribbled on it, and handed it to Edward. “Consider this a little bonus for your promotion.” The crowd gasped in awe, eating up the display of wealth. “The boss really knows how to treat her executives!” “Adam’s getting kicked to the curb soon anyway. Edward is the future of this place.” As they cheered, my strength was rapidly fading. The blood loss and the electrical shocks were taking their toll. The swarm of teeth closed in again. Just as my vision started to darken, a frantic shout echoed from the front of the house. “Boss! We have a massive problem! The executives from Horizon Enterprises are here!” April frowned. The marketing manager came sprinting onto the patio, panting heavily. “The VP of Horizon just called! They are ten minutes away from this exact villa!” April froze. Edward puffed out his chest, looking incredibly pleased with himself. “See? I told you. They know we’re here for a retreat, and they want to celebrate with us. They’re probably bringing paperwork to double the account size!” The employees immediately showered him in praise. “Edward is a god! Horizon Enterprises never does house calls!” April glanced back at the pool. Seeing the horrific amount of blood in the water, a fleeting shadow of panic crossed her face. Edward noticed and played the perfect gentleman. “We can’t let the VIPs see this mess. It’s bad for corporate image. Pull him out.” The men grabbed my arms and hauled me out of the blood-soaked water, throwing me onto the cold concrete. I lay there gasping, my clothes shredded, blood pooling beneath me. Edward walked over, holding a shot glass filled with a murky amber liquid. “Here’s the deal, Adam. You drink this, and we call it even. You can walk out the back gate.” I stared up at him, my eyes dead and hollow. “We are far beyond calling it even, Edward.” April’s face hardened with impatience. “Adam, don’t push your luck. He’s offering you an out. Take it before I let them throw you back in.” I looked at my bleeding legs. I needed out of this house to make the phone call that would ruin their lives. I didn’t have the energy to fight twenty people. “If I drink that, you unlock the gate?” Edward smiled. “You have my word.” I snatched the glass from his hand and threw it back. The liquid tasted metallic and burned like battery acid going down my throat. Within seconds, my blood felt like it was boiling. My vision warped. A heavy, paralyzing numbness crept up my limbs, as if thousands of microscopic insects were chewing through my nerves. “What… what did you give me?” My tongue felt heavy. My knees buckled, and I collapsed onto the concrete, entirely unable to control my own body. The patio erupted in sadistic laughter. “Edward, you absolute legend. A custom muscle relaxant laced with compliance juice. He’s totally locked in his own head, but he’ll do whatever we tell him!” I gritted my teeth, fighting the terrifying paralysis. “You’re… dead men…” Edward chuckled, stepping forward and kicking me hard in the ribs. “Maybe. But right now, you’re the dead man.” “Bark for me, Adam. Bark like a good little dog.” The chemical fog was eating my brain. My body betrayed me, slumping forward onto all fours despite my screaming mind. I bit the inside of my cheek until it bled, using the sharp pain to tether myself to reality. Blood dripped from my mouth onto the stone. I couldn’t move a single muscle on my own. I looked up at April, desperately hoping to find a shred of humanity left in the woman I had loved. She just looked at her diamond-studded watch. “Keep it clean, guys. Horizon is almost here. I don’t want them seeing any blood. Though… he is my husband, so don’t completely break him.” Her permission was all they needed. The crowd descended on me like vultures. “Strip your shirt off! Let’s see how pathetic the boss’s husband really looks!” “Crawl over here and lick my shoes, you absolute loser! Let’s see what a billionaire househusband tastes like!” Just as a hand grabbed my torn collar, an explosive crash rattled the entire patio. The heavy iron gates of the backyard were violently kicked open. Dozens of men in sharp black suits swarmed into the yard, completely surrounding the pool. April turned her head, and the moment she saw the man leading the pack, her pupils dilated in absolute terror.

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My niece, Lily, brought home a document she had picked up at her school’s charity flea market. “Look, Sienna. Look what I bought at school today.” I teased her, laughing, “Whose kid is so clueless that they sold their parents’ property deed? Their parents are going to lose their minds when they find out.” I smiled and opened the folder. But my smile froze. The address on the deed was identical to the house I had bought a year ago in preparation for my wedding. 101 Bayview Drive. But the owner’s name written on it was Nadia. My palms began to sweat. I unlocked my phone and sent a Snapchat message to my fiancé, Ashton. “Who is Nadia?” The screen showed “typing…” for a long time. “Just a single mom from my company.” “A colleague, that’s all.” Giving the house I bought to his “colleague.” Just a colleague? Since this colleague was apparently so important, maybe it was time for me, the fiancée, to step aside. “Oh.” He replied with just one word. Then he sent nothing else. I took a picture of the deed and saved it to my phone. But I didn’t confront him. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to. It was just that there was no point anymore. If he could casually give away a whole house to another woman, his heart was already gone. A few minutes later, Lily’s teacher posted in the class Snapchat group. She asked if anyone had seen a missing property deed and shared the contact information of the parent who lost it. I looked at the profile picture of the parent, a family portrait of three. I sent her a friend request. She accepted almost instantly. “Hi! Did your child happen to take a folder with a property deed to school? Let me know when is convenient for you, and I can come pick it up. I’m so sorry for the trouble. Kids really don’t know any better.” She was extremely polite. I didn’t reply right away. Instead, I tapped on her profile picture. The man in that happy family portrait of three was indeed my fiancé, Ashton. I had scheduled our wedding photoshoot three times, and he had flaked every single time. He was always “too busy at work” or “forced to do overtime.” Our wedding day was just around the corner, and we hadn’t even taken a single engagement photo. Yet, he had plenty of time to play family with someone else. I scrolled through her feed. The header photo on her profile was the exact same family portrait. Her latest post was from two days ago. “Leo had his school field day today. Huge thanks to a certain someone for taking a day off just to be there for him.” Attached was a photo. Ashton was lifting a little boy high in the air, his face glowing with a brilliant smile I hadn’t seen in months. That was the exact day I had asked him to try on wedding suits, and he told me he was too busy and told me to just go by myself. The post before that was from three days ago. “It’s my birthday today! I finally feel pampered and loved.” The photo showed a mango crepe cake. There was a handwritten card next to it. “Don’t just love our boy; remember to love yourself too. Happy birthday. I’m always here.” There was no signature. But I would recognize that handwriting anywhere. How ironic. That was the exact day Ashton brought home a small cake to apologize to me after we had a huge fight. Even my apology gift was just leftover scraps from another woman’s birthday. My eyes stung with tears. But I didn’t stop scrolling. I kept going until a photo from two weeks ago caught my eye. It was a random weekend. In the middle of the night, I had woken up with sharp, agonizing stomach cramps. I had called Ashton repeatedly, but nobody answered. In the end, I had to call an ambulance alone, endure a lonely ride to the hospital, and undergo emergency appendicitis surgery by myself. He hadn’t replied to a single text all night. He only sent a casual message the next morning. “Got too drunk last night and crashed at a hotel. Is something up?” But in this photo, the hospital wall clock clearly read 3:00 AM. Ashton was sitting by a hospital bed, gently holding a little boy who was hooked up to an IV. A hot tear dripped onto my screen. I sniffled, wiped the screen, and kept scrolling. I scrolled for a long time. An hour passed, and I had only made it through the last six months of her life. In every single post, they looked like a deeply devoted, loving family. And I was just a thief, lurking in the shadows, spying on their happiness. “Are you there?” Nadia messaged me again on Snapchat. “Yes, I am. Do you live at Bayview Drive now? I can drop the deed off to you sometime soon,” I replied. She replied instantly. “Yes, we do! That would be amazing. Thank you so much!” My heart sank. She had already moved in. Yet Ashton had told me the renovations weren’t finished. Every time I wanted to go take a look, he would say he wanted to keep it a surprise for when it was completely done. Once, he even snapped at me. “Sienna, do you think I’m trying to steal your house? Do you really trust me that little? If that’s how you feel, maybe we shouldn’t even get married!” I had apologized profusely and even bought him a pair of limited-edition Nike sneakers to make it up to him. But in reality, another family was already living in my house. “Your family must be doing really well. I could never dream of living in such an upscale neighborhood,” I messaged her. That neighborhood was the most exclusive area in the city. It had the best amenities and was zoned for the top-rated elementary school. “Oh, it was actually my partner’s idea to buy it! He surprised me with it, and honestly, I was shocked too.” Her happiness practically radiated off the screen. My lips curled into a bitter smile. “When are you free tomorrow? I’ll bring it over.” “We both have weekends off, so we’ll be home all day. Just shoot me a text before you come over!” They had weekends off. But Ashton had told me he had to work every Saturday. Where that extra day went was now painfully clear. “Sounds good.” I really wanted to see what my house looked like now.

The next morning, I dropped Lily off at my sister Claire’s house first. Then, I parked my car near the entrance of Bayview Drive and texted Ashton. “Where are you?” He took forever to reply. “At the office. Didn’t I tell you I have to work Saturdays?” His impatient tone practically screamed through the text. I looked up and saw Ashton walking out of the building. He was holding Leo in one arm and holding Nadia’s hand with the other. I let out a silent, bitter laugh. I typed a message to Nadia. “Hi, I’ll be there in about half an hour.” “Great, see you soon!” she replied. Thirty minutes later, I watched Nadia get out of the driver’s seat of a sleek Volvo. Seeing that familiar car, I couldn’t help but sneer. Six months ago, when I was away on a business trip, Ashton texted me saying he got into a massive pileup on the highway and the car was totaled. At the time, I was just relieved he was okay. It never crossed my mind how he could have survived a “totaled” car accident with only a tiny scratch. And within three days, he claimed he had sold the scrap metal. It turned out he didn’t sell it. He gave it to her. I took a deep breath, waited ten minutes, and walked up to the apartment. “Thank you so much for making the trip. Come in, have a glass of water!” Nadia welcomed me warmly. It was probably just polite small talk, but I walked right in. While Nadia was pouring water in the kitchen, I looked around the living room. It was decorated exactly like the mood boards I had spent hundreds of hours putting together. The cream-white sofa. The geometric black-and-white rug. The spacious balcony with a small swing and pots of colorful flowers. “Have a seat,” Nadia said, handing me the water. My hands shook slightly as I took the glass. “Your place looks amazing. Which interior design firm did you use? Could you recommend them to me?” I asked, pretending to be casual. Nadia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh, I actually don’t know. My partner handled all of that. I can ask him for their business card later and send it to you.” I barely heard her. My eyes were locked onto the small four-leaf clover stud earrings she was wearing. Noticing my gaze, she touched her earlobe, looking a bit shy. “They look a bit old, don’t they? My partner gave them to me. He said they bring good luck.” A sharp, dull ache squeezed my chest. It didn’t make me cry, but it made it hard to breathe. Those were the very first birthday gifts Ashton had ever given me. I remember how gently he had put them on my ears, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Sienna, a four-leaf clover represents luck. I’m giving you all the luck in my life.” I had lost them a year ago and felt incredibly guilty about it. I forced myself to speak. “Your husband treats you so well.” Hearing this, her expression shifted slightly, looking a bit uncomfortable. “Actually, we aren’t married yet.” I pretended to be surprised. “Oh? But isn’t your kid already in elementary school?” She took a sip of water, trying to compose herself before speaking. “Leo is from my previous marriage. I was young and foolish back then.” She reached into a drawer, pulled out a thick photo album, and handed it to me. “But we’re getting married very soon! Here, look at our wedding photos.” I took the album. My fingertips were ice-cold. There, on the cover, was the groom in a sleek white tuxedo. It was Ashton. And the bridal boutique… it was the exact one I had chosen. The one he had stood me up three times for. I blinked hard, forcing the tears back, and flipped through the pages. “We actually just took these last month,” Nadia murmured happily. “He picked out the bridal shop himself. I didn’t have to worry about a thing.” Of course he didn’t have to worry. After all, I was the one who spent an entire week researching and planning every detail of that booking. The gorgeous, dramatic white ballgown with the long train, the dream dress I had fallen in love with, was now draped over another woman. I had shared that exact dress with Ashton. The message was still pinned in our Snapchat chat history. “Ashton! Look at this dress, it’s so beautiful! I absolutely have to wear this when I marry you!” His reply, sent hours later, was a simple: “Whatever you want.” I took a quiet breath. “Have you set a date? When is the wedding?” “In two weeks.” Ha. The day before my own scheduled wedding. Ashton, you really are a piece of work. “Can I come?” I asked. 3 Nadia looked taken aback. “I’m getting married soon too, and I’m super nervous. I’d love to watch a ceremony beforehand to get a feel for how it goes,” I lied smoothly. “And about the deed…” “Don’t worry, my niece just brought it home by accident.” Nadia smiled in relief. “Of course! You’re more than welcome to come.” I smiled back. “I’ll make sure to bring you a very special wedding gift.” She made some more polite small talk, but I didn’t stay long. I excused myself and left. As soon as I got home, I downloaded all of Nadia’s social media posts onto a USB drive. Then, I sat alone in the dark, staring into space. Ashton and I had been together for five years. He always told me that his twenty-something years of being single were just a prelude to meeting me. And for a long time, I believed him. After all, he remembered every single thing I liked. No matter how late or how far, a single phone call would bring him to my side. Whenever I traveled alone for work, he would stay on FaceTime with me until I fell asleep. I thought I could finally let my guard down and rely on someone. But it was all a lie. That evening, Ashton came home carrying a bouquet of blue baby’s breath. “Sienna, I got your favorite baby’s breath! Don’t be mad at me anymore, okay? I booked a bridal appointment for us tomorrow.” It had been months since he last bought me flowers. But even though they were baby’s breath, they reeked of a distinct lavender perfume. How pathetic. I took them and tossed them onto the table. “Ashton, do you really want to get married?” A flicker of guilt flashed in his eyes, but he quickly pulled me into his arms, slipping a necklace around my neck. “Did you hear some stupid rumors or something? Hmm?” “I only love you. No one else even comes close.” I inhaled the faint lavender scent on his collar, and my throat tightened. Just as I was about to speak, his phone buzzed. The caller ID was a red heart emoji. Ashton immediately pulled away to answer it. The price tag on the necklace, which he hadn’t bothered to remove, scraped against my skin. I winced in pain. “What? Don’t open the door! I’m coming right now!” he panicked into the phone. “Put me on speakerphone so whoever is at the door can hear my voice!” He rushed out the door without casting a single glance back at me. I wanted to laugh. But as I looked down at the necklace on the floor and noticed the “Free Gift with Purchase” sticker on the back of the tag, tears began to stream down my face. Five whole years. It felt as though a dull knife was carving slowly into my chest. There was no blood, but the pain was agonizing. I had truly believed I could spend the rest of my life with this man. Ashton didn’t come home that night. And I didn’t bother to ask where he was. The next morning, my phone rang. It was him. I expected him to cancel our wedding dress appointment. Instead, his voice was filled with angry accusations. “Sienna! I just saw your contact info on Nadia’s Snapchat. Why did you add her? I told you, she’s just a colleague! Can you stop being so insecure and dramatic and leave her alone?” I replied coldly, “Did you actually read our chat history?” He paused for a second. “No. But Nadia has had a hard life. If you have a problem, come to me. Don’t go harassing her.” He was defending her so openly. In the background, I heard Nadia’s voice. “Who is it, babe?” “Nobody, just a telemarketer.” The call went dead. The dial tone echoed in my ear, leaving me completely cold inside. A minute later, Ashton sent a text. “Don’t overthink it. I just feel bad for her because she’s had it rough.” “Something came up at the office, so I have to go on a business trip for a week.” “Go try on the wedding dresses by yourself.” “Okay,” I replied. I immediately called the bridal shop and cancelled my deposit. Then, I texted my parents and Claire, telling them the wedding was off. When they frantically asked why, I only told them that I would explain everything soon. But Ashton, don’t worry. I will definitely show up to your wedding on time. 4 For the next week, Ashton stayed true to his word and didn’t show up. Yet, he still texted me every day, acting like the perfect, caring fiancé. On a rainy day, he texted to remind me to bring an umbrella. But when I opened Instagram, I saw a picture Nadia had posted of Ashton carrying her into his car in the pouring rain. I didn’t say a word. I just saved the screenshot. A week later, Ashton returned home right on schedule, even bringing me local treats from his “trip.” His laundry smelled heavily of lavender laundry detergent. I pretended not to notice. I threw the treats into the trash and kept acting normal. Until the day of their wedding. I didn’t wear makeup or a fancy dress. I dressed casually and sat quietly in a dim corner of the reception hall. From the lighting to the coordinator to the entrance music, every single detail of this wedding was something I had planned. Ashton stood on the altar in a custom-tailored designer suit I had paid for, staring toward the entrance with immense adoration. The heavy double doors swung open. Nadia walked down the aisle in a strapless, diamond-encrusted ballgown with a massive train. It was breathtaking. It was the exact dress I had ordered a month ago. I had spent three sleepless nights adjusting the placement of those diamonds. It fit her perfectly now, meaning she had already altered it to her size. But when my eyes fell on her veil, the blood in my veins turned to ice. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms to keep from screaming. That was my grandmother’s veil. The one she had hand-sewn for me on her deathbed. It featured two tiny hand-embroidered figures, representing my grandmother and me. Before my grandmother passed, Ashton had knelt by her bedside, placed that veil on my head, and sworn to heaven that he would love me and only me for the rest of his life. And now, he had put it on another woman. How could he? How dared he do this to me! I squeezed my hands into tight fists as a single tear escaped my eye. Leo walked behind Nadia, holding her long train as they made their way up the altar. Under the glowing lights, they looked like the perfect, beautiful family. The ceremony began. It was time to exchange rings. “This is a custom-designed ring that a man can only purchase once in his lifetime,” the officiant announced. “The engraving of their initials inside symbolizes a love that is truly one of a kind.” The giant projector screen displayed a close-up of the ring, clearly engraved with “N & A”. I slipped off the simple ring on my own finger, squeezing it tightly in my palm until it bruised. Then came the vows. Ashton took the microphone, his eyes shining with tears. “Nadia, after all this time, it’s still you.” “I was young and stupid, and I lost you. I let you suffer so much in this world. But now that fate has brought you back to me, I promise to cherish you forever.” His voice cracked with emotion, and his eyes welled up. The guests around me began to whisper. “Ashton is such a great guy. I heard he even paid to build a house for Nadia’s family back in her hometown.” “Yeah, and Nadia’s ex-husband used to abuse her. Ashton was always there to protect her. One time he almost got seriously hurt defending her.” “They’ve been through so much. I’m so glad they finally got their happy ending.” Sitting in the dark corner, I felt like the villain in a movie, the one trying to steal someone else’s happily ever after. Yet, inside my purse, I still had a stack of wedding invitations with Ashton’s name and mine on them. The lights in the hall dimmed. On stage, Ashton lifted Nadia’s veil and leaned in for a soft, passionate kiss. My hand slowly moved to my chest. To my surprise, it didn’t hurt anymore. Instead, my heart was racing with a cold, thrilling adrenaline. I pulled the microphone I had prepared out of my purse and stood up. “Now, everyone, let’s take a look at the love story of the groom and his other fiancée.”

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