Category: English

When I was a trust fund baby, I kept Silas as my plaything. I forced him into submission every day, finding new ways to humiliate him. If he refused, I threatened to cut off his grandmother’s hospital funding. Later, my family went bankrupt. Unable to bear the cold shoulders of fair-weather friends, I left town without a word. Years later, I became a line cook. In the private dining room of a five-star hotel, I ran into the now-infamous CEO, Silas Vance. That night, mimicking my old demeanor, Silas threatened me with my job and tapped my cheek with a black card. “Come on. Start kissing from here and go down.” “Don’t stop until I’m satisfied.” 01 “Caleb, get over here.” The manager appeared in the kitchen, calling my name. I put down the ladle, wiped the sweat from my forehead, and walked toward the door. “Manager Sutton, what’s wrong?” Sutton looked me up and down. “The ravioli for the Golden Suite tonight… you made it?” I paused for a second, then nodded. “Did it not suit the guest’s taste?” In an instant, my heart jumped to my throat. Before the shift started, Sutton had warned us repeatedly that the guests in the Golden Suite tonight were VIPs. One of them had a notoriously difficult palate. Not only difficult, but peculiar. No matter where he ate, no matter how high-end the restaurant, he always ordered a bowl of handmade ravioli. If he liked it, the bonus was substantial. If he didn’t, jobs were on the line. Because of this, when Sutton ordered the ravioli to be made, the entire kitchen staff went silent. No one wanted to put a target on their back. At that moment, I—the one everyone least expected—stepped up. The reason was simple. I needed to pay next quarter’s rent. And there was my sister’s kidney dialysis fees. Five hundred dollars a session, twelve times a month. That amount was a fortune to the current me. So, while everyone else held back, I bit the bullet and volunteered. Worst case scenario, it couldn’t get much worse than my current life. But I wasn’t going in blind. I had been a picky eater since childhood. Before the bankruptcy, I turned my nose up at delicacies from land and sea. Only the ravioli made by that person had ever captivated me. So much so that when I found out my dad went bankrupt, my first thought was to find him. To ask him to teach me how to make them. I had no choice. He had spoiled my palate. I was afraid that in the future, I’d be so pathetic I couldn’t even eat a decent meal. Over the years, I had perfected that recipe. But seeing Sutton’s furrowed brow, I broke out in a cold sweat. Was there someone in this world pickier than I used to be? A few colleagues who despised me started sneering from the sidelines. “See that? That’s what happens when you overestimate yourself. The pros didn’t dare take the job, but this halfway-decent cook wanted the spotlight. Hah, served him right.” “I’ve hated his high-and-mighty act for ages. Good riddance.” “Yeah, look at him, skinny as a rail, looks like a girl. I’m surprised he can even lift a wok! Hahahaha…” Amidst the laughter, my anxiety spiked. “Enough. Shut it,” Sutton coughed lightly and looked at me. “Caleb, Mr. Vance asked for you by name.” 02 I looked up at Sutton, stunned. “Why does he want to see me?” “To fire you in person, obviously!” “Hilarious. A hillbilly trying to show off culinary skills to a billionaire. You really dropped a rock on your own foot this time.” The colleague laughed with schadenfreude. Sutton didn’t deny it, only saying, “Follow me.” “You’ll know when you get there.” On the way to the Golden Suite, Sutton only said one thing. He said Mr. Vance’s expression after eating the ravioli wasn’t good, and I should pray for myself. That sentence kept me on edge the whole way. Until I followed Sutton into the private room. The moment the door opened, I saw Silas Vance sitting at the head of the table. It was sudden. I hadn’t seen him in seven years. Silas was flanked by two young men. One wore a white dress shirt, unbuttoned down to his chest. The other wore a sheer knit top, his silhouette visible underneath. The boy in the white shirt was lighting a cigarette for Silas. He bent slightly, the silk ribbon around his neck swaying gently in front of Silas’s eyes. The one in the sheer top was kneeling by Silas’s feet, holding a wine glass with his mouth. His voice was muffled and suggestive. “Mr. Vance, this is for you.” This scene wasn’t unfamiliar to me. Back when my father was the richest man in the city, this was my daily life. Except back then, the one lighting my cigarettes and kneeling before me was Silas. The Silas who was cold and aloof in public, but fulfilled all my twisted quirks in private. But now, everything had changed. I was grateful I was wearing a mask. Combined with the tall chef’s hat, two-thirds of my face was hidden. Only my eyes were exposed. These eyes no longer held the playful arrogance of the past. Only exhaustion and weariness remained. So when Silas looked up at me, I wasn’t overly nervous. Seven years had passed. He surely wouldn’t recognize me. Or rather, he had likely erased me from his memory. Sutton stood in front of me, bowing respectfully to Silas. “Mr. Vance, this is the chef who made the ravioli, Caleb.” Oh, right. After leaving New York, I changed my name. First and last. Silas looked past Sutton, his gaze landing on me across the dining table. His eyes were indifferent, revealing no emotion. But his voice suppressed a strange undertone. “Where is Chef Caleb from?” Silas took the lighter from the shirt-boy’s hand, tapping it rhythmically against the table. Click. Click. I watched his movement. That was a habit of mine. I used to do that when I was annoyed or nervous. How should I put it? Since entering the room, I felt Silas was acting like someone. Like the old me. I answered him in a local Philadelphia accent. “Born and raised in Philly.” “Oh? Has Chef Caleb ever been to New York?” Silas stared at me with probing eyes. The old Silas was a puppet I manipulated at will. I never thought there would come a day when I would feel panic before someone I once controlled. I tried to keep my voice calm. “Never.” 03 Thud. The sound of the lighter hitting the table stopped abruptly. Silas stood up. With a single glance, the two men beside him retreated. He stood there, staring fixedly at me across the table. That razor-sharp gaze seemed to want to slice through my mask and lay me bare. My hands clenched unconsciously. Just as Silas was about to speak again, Sutton stepped in to smooth things over. “Mr. Vance, Caleb really is a local.” “Since we’ve known him, he’s been working at the hotel. He hasn’t been to New York.” “Is the ravioli not to your taste? How about this, I’ll have a chef from New York make an authentic bowl for you, does that work?” Others in the room started chiming in. “Look at Mr. Vance’s aura, you’ve scared the little chef.” “It’s just a bowl of pasta, have someone make another one.” “Manager Sutton, take him away. If he can’t even make ravioli, don’t let him stay and ruin your reputation.” Sutton looked at me with pity. He sighed. “Go.” I turned to leave the room, following Sutton. Regret filled my heart. I shouldn’t have gambled on this. I walked dejectedly, frantically thinking of how to beg Sutton for a second chance. Suddenly, Silas’s deep voice rang out from behind. “Cole.” My body froze violently. Cole. That was my name before. 04 I was fired anyway. Sutton said his hands were tied. The current Silas sat at the top of the food chain. Offending him was suicide. I didn’t want to make things hard for Sutton. After taking this month’s salary, I left through the hotel’s back door. Behind the hotel was a long, dark alley. To prevent guests from smelling the grease and smoke on us, the owner mandated all staff leave through the back. But I didn’t expect Silas to find such a desolate alley. I had just stepped out, barely taking two steps, when someone called out. “Chef Caleb.” Silas’s voice was raspy. Accompanying his voice was the crisp sound of a lighter flicking on. In the dim alley, a flame flickered. When I turned, the fire lit up. Silas leaned against the wall, a cigarette between his lips. The rising smoke obscured his eyes. I couldn’t see his expression clearly. But I knew he was looking at me. I turned my back to him, reaching into my pocket for a fresh mask. Spending years dodging debt collectors, I always carried a mask to avoid being recognized by old acquaintances. My hand in my pocket was suddenly pinned down. A warm palm slid into my pocket, caressing down from the back of my hand until his fingers interlaced with mine. Just like that, my hand, still in my pocket, was tightly clasped by Silas from behind. Locked in his palm. In the past, I was the one pinning Silas to the bed. Silas never resisted. Today, for the first time, I clearly realized how strong Silas actually was. If he wanted to resist, I wouldn’t stand a chance. Just like now, he yanked my hand out without a shred of gentleness. A forceful spin. I couldn’t even stand steady, stumbling back a few steps. Just as I was about to hit the wall, Silas reached out and caught my waist. He pinned me against the brick, his hand gripping my jaw like a vice, forcing my head up. “Chef Caleb seems quite indifferent about this job.” Silas spat out the cigarette, his tone playful. “But I heard your manager say you needed this job desperately?” I knew Silas had recognized me. Perhaps he wanted revenge. After all, I used money to humiliate him back then. I used his grandmother to threaten him. I forced a perfectly straight man into something else, making him serve me night after night. In the dark, neither of us could see the other’s expression clearly. I looked up, resigning myself to fate. “Yes, this job is very important to me.” “If possible, please, Mr. Vance, raise your hand high and let me go.” If I could turn back time, I would slap the old Cole across the face. Friends used to warn me to build up good karma, not to play with fire. Because no one knows what the future holds. What if the tables turned? What did I say back then? I was pinning Silas down, biting him, laughing with arrogant nonchalance. “Let them turn. I don’t believe they can turn enough to kill me.” Prophetic words. Who would have thought the young Master Cole, who spent money like water, would now be desperate for a line cook job? Begging the man he once toyed with in a low voice. Silas lowered his head slightly, his hot breath against my ear. “Is Chef Caleb begging me?” I nodded. “Yes, begging you. Please don’t let the owner fire me.” A low chuckle sounded in my ear. The hand gripping my jaw loosened slightly, sliding down my neck, landing on my throat. Then tightened abruptly. I was instantly choked, breathless. The instinct to survive made me grab Silas’s hand, hitting it hard. But Silas wouldn’t let go. Just as I felt I was about to pass out, Silas suddenly released me. I slid down the wall as he let go. Sitting on the ground, clutching my neck, gasping for air. The man’s low, raspy voice came from above. “Cole, if you’re going to beg, look like you’re begging.” “Do you need me to help you remember how you made me beg you back then?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “389509”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In the sixth year of our marriage, Holden Sterling finally realized he didn’t love me. I let out a long sigh of relief. Great! My mission as the “female supporting character” is finally over. Holden handed me a black card with an eight-figure limit as alimony. Our son pouted: “I want to go with Auntie Bella too.” I let out another long sigh of relief. Great! Don’t have to raise the kid either. The System in my head also sighed with relief: [Host, you can go conquer the next target now!] 1. As his cold words fell. My eyes filled with tears: “Holden, we’ve been together for so many years, we even have a child, how can you…” I sobbed uncontrollably. The man lowered his eyes. After a while, he extended a finger and wiped the tear from the corner of my eye. Then, a bank card was placed in my palm. “Alimony,” Holden said indifferently. I covered my face with one hand, crying bitterly, while the other hand reached out to take the card. He turned to leave. Through teary eyes, I looked at his tall figure and suddenly spoke up: “Holden, we got the marriage license, we had the child. Now you say you’ve always loved Bella. What were you doing before?” I shouldn’t have said this. Because as a supporting character, my mission to make the male lead realize his true love was already complete. No need to add more drama for myself. But… Emotions inevitably stray outside the mission sometimes. Holden stopped. He turned his head slightly, his amber eyes scanning me calmly. I froze. Over the years, he had looked at me like this countless times. But afterward, he would pull me into his arms, his cool lips landing on my cheek. He would whisper: “Quinn, call me Hubby.” So I thought, there was at least some affection. Even love born of habit counts as affection, right? But looking at it now, with every glance, he was more certain. He didn’t love me. He didn’t love me at all. My hand dropped weakly. Holden didn’t speak again and walked away. 2. After a faint sense of loss, came a long sigh of relief. Like waiting for a verdict, the result finally arrived. My mission is finally f*cking over! I hummed a little tune while walking hand in hand with Leo at the mall. But the little boy, usually clingy to me, looked listless. Even when I took him to buy his favorite toys, his face was long. Only then did I realize something was wrong. I squatted down and asked him: “What’s wrong, Leo?” He sniffled: “Dad divorced you and went to find Auntie Bella.” I understood immediately. I pinched his cheek, “Don’t worry, no matter what, he’s your dad.” Leo looked down, tugging at the corner of my shirt. After a long while, he whispered: “I want to go find Auntie Bella too.” Hearing this, I froze. He took a deep breath, looked up, and stared straight at me with amber eyes identical to Holden’s: “Mom, Dad likes playing with Auntie Bella, and I like playing with Auntie Bella too. Can you let me go?” I looked at Leo in silence. The little boy didn’t seem to understand what his words meant. I asked: “Is Bella willing to take you?” Dimples appeared on his cheeks, “Of course Auntie Bella is willing. She said I’m the best kid in the world.” I didn’t know how to react for a moment. After a long time, I said slowly: “Then, she will be your mom. Are you willing?” Leo paused for a moment. Then he nodded: “It’s okay, Mom. Even after Auntie Bella becomes my mom, I will still come to see you with Dad.” I laughed self-deprecatingly: “Your dad won’t come.” Leo wrinkled his nose, then shook his head: “Mom, you just have to be good, like Auntie Bella. Dad will definitely be willing to bring me to see you. Then we can be together.” “Okay,” I said. He didn’t seem to expect me to agree so readily. He blinked a few times, then carefully put the jade pendant I just bought him into his pocket: “Yay! I’ll save this for Auntie Bella. It’s so pretty, she’ll definitely like it!” I looked calmly at the smile on his face. The System quickly spoke up in my head, comforting me: [Host, don’t be sad…] I said lightly: [It’s nothing. He’s Holden’s son. It’s not surprising they have the same tastes.] Besides, when I was pregnant with Leo, I had the System remove all sensations. I ate and drank as usual, experiencing no pain or adverse reactions. So for me, Leo is more like the mission target’s son than my own. Since things ended with Holden, keeping Leo around didn’t make sense. Since he wanted to leave, I didn’t need to stop him strongly. After sorting out my complicated thoughts, I let out another long sigh of relief. Don’t have to raise the kid! The System also sighed with relief: [Host, you can go conquer the next target now!] 3. While the Sterling father and son were figuring out how to please Bella. I was figuring out how to get the attention of my new target. Every family has its own difficulties. I sat at the bar, chatting absently with the handsome bartender. My peripheral vision kept glancing at the corner. The man was not far away, sipping his drink leisurely. I was unsure, whispering to the System: [He’s Holden’s best friend. What if I pretend to be drunk and throw myself at him, and he calls Holden?] Thinking of this, I got a headache again. If I knew this guy was the next target, I wouldn’t have gone against him before. Who told him to always badmouth my relationship with Holden? Every time Holden took me to their gatherings, Archer would casually bring up Bella. Making Holden zone out and me embarrassed. I sighed in my heart. Downed a few more drinks, then stood up, swaying towards the target. The target had his long legs crossed, slender fingers swirling the wine glass. Suddenly, the music exploded, and the crowd swayed, blocking my view instantly. I pushed through the crowd. Only to see the man sitting opposite him. The elegant and noble Holden. And the smiling Bella. In a daze. The target was gone. Someone tapped my shoulder. … The bartender handed me a set of keys: “Miss Yu, you dropped this.” I took it embarrassedly, “Sorry for the trouble.” He smiled and nodded, turning back to the bar. As he left. The tall man standing lazily in front of me, one hand in his pocket, revealed himself. Casting a shadow over my head. Archer lowered his eyes: “Looking for me?” “What?” “You’ve been peeking at me for a long time.” I stiffened for a second. The System hurriedly spoke: [Host, conquer, conquer him!] I silently complained in my heart. The persona I used to conquer Holden was a nineteen-year-old innocent, devoted little flower. Seven years later, what persona should I use for Archer? Just as I was about to speak. “Archer? What are you doing standing there?” Holden’s calm voice sounded, his steady footsteps getting closer. My face changed, and I immediately hid in the crowd nearby. I can’t let Holden see me! Now that I’m conquering Archer, the less Holden exists, the better. Just then, a force pulled me over. My forehead slammed hard into a man’s chest, a faint woody scent enveloping me instantly. “Who is this?” Holden saw me from his angle, frowning slightly. “A stray kitten,” Archer said lightly. “Don’t play around,” Holden’s voice was cold. Archer was nonchalant, “Mmhmm.” It seems Holden thought I was Archer’s fling. He usually hated me going to bars the most, thinking they were messy places. Once, when I celebrated a friend’s birthday at a bar, Holden gave me the cold shoulder for half a month. I had to try everything to coax him back. Archer spoke lazily: “Not going back yet? Aren’t you afraid Bella will get hit on?” Holden didn’t speak. I felt a gaze land on me. I couldn’t help but press closer to Archer, his fingertips hooking my hair. “Bella’s sister is here too,” Holden said indifferently. I paused. Almost instantly understood the implication. When I was with Holden, I often heard that Bella’s cousin liked Archer. However, there were few girls Archer was interested in, and he didn’t seem to care. Now it seems Holden and Bella want to help that girl chase Archer. That won’t do! This is my target! As Holden finished speaking, I quickly grabbed the corner of Archer’s shirt. Because of this action, both Archer and Holden looked over. The former raised an eyebrow lazily, “The kitten is clingy, won’t let go.” Holden had no intention of watching further. He turned to leave: “Suit yourself.” Archer called out to him: “Stop playing, isn’t your son waiting for you at home?” Holden stopped. “He’s only a few years old, you can leave him alone?” Archer sneered. “Quinn will pick him up,” Holden said calmly without turning back. “He probably said something to upset Quinn. In a few days, when she cools down, she’ll naturally pick him up.” “Oh? Why?” Archer asked with interest. Holden: “She has no one but Leo these past few years.” I hid silently in Archer’s arms. I understood the implication. Logically, after divorcing Holden, I would naturally hold onto Leo, otherwise I would have no one. With Leo, I could keep asking Holden for alimony and maintain contact. Only with the child could I keep my connection to Holden. 4. But… The System chattered in my brain: [Host, as long as you get Archer’s favorability to 50, then leave resolutely! Leave him for the female lead’s sister to comfort and heal. Then you can get the mission success reward: a healthy body for life and thirty million dollars.] Right, I accepted the mission to cure my illness. And my mission is to be a boring and uncharismatic woman. Through years of entanglement, make the male lead realize his feelings and be with the female lead. Then make the male lead’s bro realize his feelings and be with the female lead’s sister, completing the pairing. I’m just a ruthless tool for completing tasks! No time to play family dramas or tragic romances with them. I asked internally: [What’s Archer’s favorability towards me now?] System: [Currently not displayed, we’ll know when it changes.] I nodded indifferently. I could guess even without knowing, probably zero. Luckily favorability can’t be negative. Hearing Holden’s words, Archer laughed noncommittally. Just then. A gentle female voice sounded: “Holden, Archer, what are you chatting about…” She paused, obviously noticing me in Archer’s arms. Bella hesitated: “This is?” Archer leaned down slightly, whispering in my ear: “Miss, would you like to introduce yourself?” He asked politely, seemingly understanding. But only I knew, he was being bad! I shook my head frantically. Archer shrugged: “She’s shy.” Buried in his arms, I nodded in anger and shame. Bella was silent for a moment, then suddenly said: “Looking at the back, she looks a lot like Holden’s ex-wife.” Her words fell. The silence between the few people contrasted sharply with the noisy bar. Holden looked back coldly: “What?” Archer’s palm covered my lower back, raising an eyebrow, “Serious?” His lazy and playful look made Bella unsure. Her lips moved, just as she was about to smooth things over, Holden said lightly: “She wouldn’t come to a place like this.” “True,” Bella smiled and agreed, “Holden’s ex-wife is the good wife and mother type, of course she wouldn’t come to a bar.” “Please,” a clear voice rang out, “What era is this? What’s wrong with coming to a bar?” A girl walked over with her arms crossed, holding Bella’s arm, “Sis, that woman only stays at home and doesn’t go out. Good wife and mother my ass… didn’t see brother-in-law or that brat liking her much.” Bella pinched her cheek, saying helplessly: “How can you say that?” But there was no blame in her tone. They didn’t know that I once went to a bar for a friend’s birthday, and Holden gave me the cold shoulder. I stayed silent, catching a glimpse of Holden turning to leave. Bella froze for a moment, then followed. Before leaving, she dragged away her sister, Chloe, who kept glancing at Archer. The girl pouted, seeming to glare at me at the end? I shook my head secretly. It seems completing the mission is a heavy responsibility and a long way to go! Everyone was gone, I lowered my head and stepped back a few paces. I was prepared for Archer’s ridicule. After all, he had said many times that once Bella came back, there would be no place for me beside Holden. And I fought him hard back then. Now facts proved he was right. But Archer didn’t speak. His long fingers wrapped around my waist, leading me out of the noisy bar. The street at night was cool. Seeing me looking at him blankly, Archer raised an eyebrow and slightly loosened his hand on my waist. I immediately stumbled two steps. “Drunk like this, can you walk by yourself?” He slowly wrapped his arm around me again. …True. To create the plot of hitting on him while drunk, I did drink a lot just now. Archer dialed a number, “I’ll call a driver to take you home.” I froze, then grabbed his phone. Meeting his inquiring gaze, I stammered: “The house is empty, I heard there are thieves nearby…” System speechless: [Host, this excuse to stay over is too stupid.] I rolled my eyes internally: [He won’t agree anyway, okay? I just want to show my frailty appropriately. Staying over is not urgent at all—] “Then stay at my place?” Archer spoke. I looked up in surprise. The man lowered his eyes with interest, meeting my gaze. Me: “Oh, oh, okay, sure.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “389525”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

After I turned thirty-five, my body fell apart. My skin grew sallow, and fine lines bloomed at the corners of my eyes. Once, in the middle of it all, Damian’s hand squeezed the soft flesh of my stomach. “You know,” he said suddenly, “looking closely, you’re pretty average. How did I ever fall for you?” 1 I never thought my career as a caged bird would end at thirty-five. At that moment, my head was tilted back, my eyes fixed on the ornate carvings of the ceiling—the work of some foreign master, I’d heard. Very expensive. I always stared at it whenever Damian came to see me. In the beginning, he would grab my hair, forcing my gaze to meet his. He had beautiful, jewel-like eyes and the lazy grace of an exotic cat. But his grip was strong, and the roots of my hair would burn with pain. The scene might have looked passionate, but my pillow was always littered with strands of hair, tinged with blood. Damian’s voice would echo in my ear, a demonic whisper. “Anna, why can’t you just look at me?” Over time, our relationship… stabilized. At least we no longer fought like animals before ending up in bed. He stopped demanding my constant attention. He even unlocked the chains from my wrists. But by then, I had stopped trying to run. 2 My breath came in ragged gasps. I couldn’t keep up with him anymore. My hazy gaze drifted down from the ceiling and landed on Damian’s body, a testament to raw power. He’d been to a tanning salon; his bronzed skin was undeniably sexy. It was infuriating how a man over thirty could still flash such a roguish, bad-boy grin. It wasn’t just me; girls half my age would have fallen for it, hook, line, and sinker. In contrast, my thighs were just loose, flabby flesh. My silk nightgown had a tear in it, but I couldn’t be bothered to change. Damian threw on a robe and sank into the armchair across the room. His features were lost in shadow, but his sharp, chiseled profile made him look like a marble statue. I pretended I hadn’t heard his question. “I’ll start a diet tomorrow.” He chuckled. “Sweetheart, that’s not what I mean.” He tapped the ash from his cigarette, his voice laced with a careless cruelty. “What I mean is, you were never that special. It was my love for you that put a filter on everything.” He made an exploding gesture with his hands. “And now, the filter’s shattered.” He walked out without a backward glance, his final words a mix of disgust and relief. “Anna, you’re free.” It took me a long time to process that sentence. My first reaction wasn’t the ecstatic joy of newfound freedom, but a deep, burning rage. The man who had sworn he loved me most, who had morbidly talked about mixing our ashes together after death, was now dumping me. The anger gave way to a wave of sorrow, and then, a vast, terrifying emptiness. Damian had broken me. For ten years, I’d been waited on hand and foot. No social life, no friends. I’d forgotten how to use a smartphone. The TV in my room was locked to foreign channels and would shut off automatically after eight. My world was confined to this villa and the half-mountain behind it—the private Blackwood estate. I was, in every sense, Damian’s property. And now, I had nowhere to go. 3 I had sensed Damian was changing for a while. In the beginning, he was suffocatingly clingy, always calling me his “Anna,” his moon, his everything. I went from agonizing pain to a slow, reluctant anticipation of his visits. Eventually, when he called my name, I started to respond. He would wrap me in a soft blanket, his touch gentle as he treated the raw wounds on my wrists. His fingertips would be stained with my blood, and he’d look down at me, his eyes overflowing with a twisted sort of tenderness. “Anna, does it hurt?” he would murmur, his eyelashes trembling like a butterfly’s wings. “You can hit me, but you must never, ever hurt yourself.” He was so gentle. So convincing. But then, his visits dwindled to once a month. Then once every three months. Then every six. Until finally, he threw me out. After ten years as a prized canary, I was unemployed. 4 I didn’t have many things. All my clothes had been bought by Damian. He loved dressing me up, like a doll. One day it would be an elaborate, ruffled Lolita dress, the next a simple, pure-white sundress. I wore whatever he gave me. When he stopped buying me clothes, I simply lived in my nightgowns. Before leaving, I looked in the mirror one last time. The woman in the reflection was puffy, her skin oily, her hair a tangled, unkempt mess. No wonder Damian didn’t want me anymore. But then… what version of me did he ever want? 5 I left the villa with a single suitcase. Inside were my ID, my passport, and a few old business suits. “Where should I go?” I asked the butler. He sighed, a hint of pity in his eyes. “Go home, miss.” The sunlight felt gentle, but it stung my eyes. As I walked down the street in my disheveled state, people stared. The shopping mall I remembered was now a desolate, empty shell. The city’s bustling heart was now a forest of skyscrapers, none of them familiar. Even the roads had been widened to four lanes. A desperate urge washed over me. I wanted to go back to the villa, to beg Damian to let me stay. I’d be good. I promised I wouldn’t cause any more trouble. A passerby must have thought I was having a breakdown, because they called the police. The officer used my ID to contact my next of kin. A voice I knew instantly came through the phone. “Mark!” I cried out without thinking. On the other end, there was a clatter, the sound of something shattering, followed by an urgent, breathless voice. “Anna? Is that you? Don’t move. Stay right where you are. I’m coming to get you.” Mark. My boyfriend. Of that, I was certain. I blinked, and tears blurred my vision. When he finally arrived, he was a watery smudge in front of me. He knelt down, his hands trembling as he took mine. “Where have you been all these years? We all thought you died on that research trip.” Mark was sobbing. I lifted my head, my own voice shaking as I asked, “My parents… where are they? Why didn’t they come?” His grip on my hand tightened. His voice was heavy. “Let’s go home.” 6 This was Mark’s home. It wasn’t mine. A child’s walker was parked in the hallway, and as we approached the door, I could already hear the clamor from inside. The piercing shouts of children, and a woman’s firm voice. “No! I told you, you can have a snack after you finish your homework!” The children’s whining pleas overlapped. “Please, Mom? Just one!” Mark’s eyes were full of apology. He wouldn’t look at me. I felt a pang of awkwardness and turned away, staring at a pile of things in the corner. His apartment was on the top floor, the only one on that landing, and the small alcove outside served as a storage space. It was filled with family clutter: a walker, a soccer ball, a kite, a child’s electronic keyboard. Every item was a testament to a happy, bustling family life. A sour taste rose from my heart to the back of my throat, stinging my eyes. We were supposed to get married right after graduation. Mark handed me a pair of shoe covers while fumbling for his keys. “You can stay with us for now.” The moment the door opened, a pair of twins rushed out and clung to his legs. “Daddy, Daddy! Where did you go? Mommy’s waiting for you for dinner!” A woman appeared, her expression impatient. “Mark, you get a call and just leave without a word? Do you even see me as your wife?” Her tirade stopped short the moment she saw me. “Anna?” she whispered. I recognized her. She was a younger student from our department. Lily. Lily’s expression froze. She stepped aside, ordered the children back to their seats, and assumed the role of hostess. She found a pair of slippers for me. “Mark, really,” she chided gently, “you can’t have Anna wear shoe covers.” She took my hand, guiding me inside. “Dinner’s ready. The Coke chicken wings are still hot.” The atmosphere at the dinner table was thick with unspoken things. Lily didn’t ask where I’d been. She just said, “Anna, please, stay as long as you need. Don’t worry about me.” I paused with a piece of chicken halfway to my mouth. Lily must have noticed how much weight I’d gained. I used to be so strict with my diet, rarely touching carbs. I’d even peel the skin off chicken wings. At university gatherings, Mark would do it for me, and I’d bask in his affection, and in the envious glances of others. Lily had been one of them. She’d always admired Mark, but he’d never looked her way. Not until I went to the Amazon for a specimen collection trip. There was a terrorist attack in the region, and that same year, I vanished without a trace. Mark finally spoke. “Lily was the one who stayed by my side, who helped me through the darkest time. The police couldn’t find you. Everyone told me to move on. So… Lily and I got married.” I stared at him, the chicken in my mouth turning bitter. I knew. Ten years is an eternity. No one waits forever. Everyone moves forward. It felt like I was the only one trapped in the past. “Where were you all this time?” Mark asked. I couldn’t tell him. Damian had terrified me into silence. During my captivity, I once managed to rig an antenna and make a brief call to Mark. It was just a few beeps, but it was enough for him to trace the signal to the villa. Damian found out immediately. He bound my hands and shoved me into his car. I saw Mark on the street, handing out missing person flyers. He had no idea that the woman he was desperately searching for was sitting inside the black Range Rover passing him by. Damian pried my eyes open, forcing me to watch. “This is a warning,” he sneered. A motorcycle sped past, deliberately swerving and slamming into Mark. He crumpled to the ground, lying motionless in a pool of his own blood amid the scattered flyers. I screamed, desperate to get help, but Damian held me fast. The tinted window reflected only my own horrified face. I learned my lesson after that. I never tried to contact Mark again. I knew if I ever revealed that Damian was holding me captive, he had a thousand ways to silence me forever. So I just shook my head. “I don’t know.” “It’s okay,” Mark said softly. “You can tell me when you’re ready.” I couldn’t meet his eyes. He was no longer mine. I mechanically chewed my rice, each grain tasteless. Suddenly, Lily burst into tears. I looked at her, bewildered. Fat, hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she apologized over and over. “Anna, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have taken advantage… I shouldn’t have stolen Mark from you! I’ll give him back, just please, forgive me!” She gripped my hand so tightly it hurt. My mind was a chaotic mess; I didn’t know what to say. “Anna, I’m so, so sorry!” Her tears scalded the scars on my wrist. The marks were so obvious, yet no one had seen them. I remembered when Mark and I were together, I’d gotten a tiny scrape on my finger while we were making a sculpture. It was barely red, but he’d fretted over it, rushing to find ointment. Now, his eyes only saw Lily. I knew, with a painful clarity, that the past was gone. “It’s not your fault. Mark and I just weren’t meant to be.” Lily looked up, about to say more, but Mark pulled her away. Their hushed argument quickly escalated into a full-blown fight. The children, terrified, started wailing. The storm ended with Lily slamming the door and storming out. Mark ran after her, but not before telling me to stay put. I knelt on the floor, picking up scattered toys. The twins ran over and shoved me hard. “You ugly woman, get out of our house! Mommy and Daddy only fight when you’re here!” “Yeah, go away! We don’t want you!” I lost my balance and tumbled to the floor. Their tiny fists rained down on me, each blow a dull, heavy ache. Seeing I wasn’t leaving, they started crying at the top of their lungs, as if terrified I’d stay forever. “Get out! Leave my house!” “I want my Mommy and Daddy! I don’t want them to fight!” Watching them, so hysterical and helpless, I saw a reflection of myself. A flood of long-buried memories returned. The truth was, my relationship with Damian was never good. I was never captivated by him. I was just… out of options. When he first imprisoned me, I had fought back. I had screamed at him, just like these children were screaming now. He’d slapped me so hard my eardrum rang, and I had scrambled backward in terror. He’d pulled me into his arms, my body trembling uncontrollably, as he whispered apologies again and again. My resistance only made him more extreme. The constant friction of iron chains on my wrists and ankles left them a mass of scarred, calloused tissue, a cycle of wounds healing over wounds. He tried to brainwash me, telling me that if I just learned to love him, the pain would stop. But you can’t love a monster in a bespoke suit. To me, Damian was just a student from my department. He had been diligent and serious, and despite his wealthy background, he was humble. I’d respected him for that. I’d taken him on as my mentee, we’d collected samples in the mountains together. I had even complimented his beautiful eyes once. When our research made a breakthrough, we were interviewed by the media. Under the glare of the spotlights, Damian’s gaze on me was full of adoration. “Congratulations, Anna,” he had said. “You’re going to be at the very top of the scientific community.” Then his head dropped, a shadow of sadness crossing his face. “Will you still remember me then?” I ruffled his thick, soft hair. “Of course. We promised we’d work together to solve organ transplant rejection, didn’t we?” Back then, I could never have imagined that one day I would end up like this. He resented that the moon in the sky wouldn’t shine for him alone. So he dragged it down into the mud. And then, it was no longer the moon he wanted. He gave me pills. Medication that stabilized my mood but dulled my mind. Over time, my cognition blurred, and my memories fractured. Just as he wanted, I became obedient. 7 Ten years changes everything. No one waits in the same place forever. I didn’t blame Mark, and I had no intention of destroying his family. We just… missed our chance. “Almost.” It’s such a cruel word. I wished this was all a nightmare. That I’d wake up and my parents would be sitting by my bed, asking me what was wrong. That Mark would still be twenty-six, his promising career not derailed by a car crash. That I would still be my professor’s star student, charging toward my goals. But when I opened my eyes, I was still surrounded by crying children. The food on the table was cold. The world felt cold, suffocating. I struggled to my feet, wiped my tears, and left. Though my memories were fragmented, a small mercy surfaced: I remembered where my home was. I stumbled through the streets, clinging to the hope that once I got home, everything would be okay. But when I arrived, there was no warm welcome waiting. I knocked for what felt like an eternity, but no one answered. A thick layer of dust coated the doormat. The motion-activated light in the hallway flickered on and off as I continued to pound on the cold, metal door. “Mom, open the door! I’m home!” “Dad, it’s me! I don’t have my key, can you let me in?” I even pulled out my phone, pretending to send messages, as hot tears splattered onto the back of my hand. “Mom, are you out shopping? Please come back soon, I can’t get in.” “Dad, did you go fishing? I forgot my key, you need to come home and open the door.” The loud banging finally disturbed the neighbors. A woman opened her door and snapped at me. “Can you keep it down? The old couple who lived there passed away last year.” She took in my appearance, her tone hardening as if I were some crazy person off the street. “Who are you? If you don’t leave now, I’m calling the police!” Finally, a sob tore from my throat. “I’m their daughter!” Almost. Just a little closer… and I would have been home.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “389541”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My twin sister, Scarlett, and I were identical. Mom always claimed she had to be fair, so she bought two of everything, perfectly matched. But that New Year’s Eve, when we were given our sparkler wands, mine felt damp and soft. It wouldn’t catch a flame. I secretly swapped it for two of Scarlett’s. The moment it lit, the shower of sparks illuminated my eyes, wide with sheer joy. It also lit up Mom’s face, which was instantly ugly with anger. “Who told you to steal from your sister? I gave you your own—isn’t that enough? You have to be so greedy? You love fireworks so much? Go then—” She shoved me roughly out the back door, forcing my small body toward the field where the large, professional-grade firework mortar was waiting. The firework exploded with a muffled BOOM. When the shrapnel and sparking trails of fire rained down on my stunned body, I suddenly remembered all the years of her so-called “fairness.” The matching apples: Scarlett’s was always crisp and sweet; mine always had a rotten, yellowing core. The identical outfits: mine were always called fake by my classmates, falling apart after a month. A searing pain consumed my body, and I closed my eyes. Mom. I’m dying now. You won’t have to buy two of everything anymore. 1. The instant the fuse was lit, the large firework tube—improperly positioned—tipped and angled toward me. The massive impact of the explosion knocked me flat onto the frozen dirt. At the same moment, the rocket burst open against the inky black sky. A torrent of brilliant, streaking light poured down, reflecting in my eyes. It was like a bigger, more beautiful version of the sparkler I had stolen from Scarlett. The one Mom had snatched away after only a few seconds of light. Scarlett’s eyes were red rimmed, accusing me of taking what was hers. I stood there, clutching my own waterlogged, soggy sparkler. Years of unspoken injury and confusion boiled over. I finally looked up and asked the question that had plagued me for years: “Mom, you said they were exactly the same. So why wouldn’t mine light? Why did Scarlett’s work and mine didn’t? If they’re the same, why couldn’t I swap them?” My answer was the stinging slap of her hand. A flash of exposed shame and embarrassment crossed her face before she erupted. “How can a child be so greedy? I’ve been perfectly fair, but you have bad luck, and now you blame me and your sister?” She glanced at Scarlett’s tear-filled eyes, and her rage intensified. A cold smirk twisted her lips. “You love fireworks so much? Then go light that big one. Don’t come back until it’s finished.” Was I really that greedy? I pondered the question. The brilliant fireworks illuminated a twisted, blackened body on the ground. That body was mine. I was dead. My soul drifted lazily back toward the house. On the second-floor balcony, Scarlett clapped her hands, laughing. “Mommy, Mommy, look!” Scarlett and I grew up in the suburbs, rarely seeing such a spectacular, unobstructed display of fireworks. “Alright, sweetie, time for bed now. It’s getting late. I’ll go warm up your milk.” Mom smiled at Scarlett with a loving, indulgent expression and turned toward the kitchen. She habitually reached for two mugs. Into one, she poured the expensive, organic whole milk. Into the other, she poured the cheapest carton of milk from the back of the fridge, labeled with the “expires soon” sticker. Mom wrinkled her nose, as if the cheap, chalky smell offended her. “Scarlett, come here.” I watched as Mom urged Scarlett to drink the milk quickly. I’m dead now. Mom, you don’t need to prepare two of anything anymore. “Aubrey? Where’s Aubrey?” Nana Ruth, upstairs in the bedroom, called my name. Lately, her health had been failing, and sometimes she couldn’t get out of bed. When we arrived at the cabin for the holiday, Nana had given me a holiday card—it was thicker than Scarlett’s. Mom had immediately frowned and challenged her. “Mother, what is the meaning of this? I give the girls identical cards with identical cash. You’re playing favorites, aren’t you?” The old woman scoffed, gently stroking my hair. “Yes, I gave Aubrey a little extra. What’s the difference? Is it fair if I give them both ten bills, but yours are all ones and hers are all hundreds?” Nana Ruth gave me a big, enveloping hug. Unlike Mom, who always recoiled with a frown whenever I opened my arms toward her. “No, Aubrey. Mommy’s hugs have to be double. One for you, one for your sister. If Scarlett isn’t here, giving one only to you would be unfair.” I didn’t understand then. Why was there no mention of “fairness” when Scarlett demanded kisses and hugs from Mom whenever she felt like it? “Where is Aubrey? Didn’t she say she wanted to see the fireworks? Why isn’t she here?” Nana worried, sitting upright in bed. “She went back to her room a long time ago. Mom, you don’t need to worry about her. She’s too clever for that.” Mom let out a cold laugh, her brow furrowed with deep distaste. “Just moments ago, she was stealing Scarlett’s sparkler. I’ve been so fair to her, and she still isn’t satisfied? She really is just like her father—ungrateful, worthless trash.” 2. A look of pain crossed Nana Ruth’s eyes. She clutched her chest, her voice hoarse. “You can’t just blame the child for everything simply because she happens to look like him.” Floating in the air, my soul felt a missed beat. I remembered the times Mom would take us out. An older woman might look at us, dressed in matching princess dresses, and smile. “You certainly balance the scales, you do. You’ve raised two beautiful girls.” “The younger one favors you. So, the older one must favor her father.” Mom’s smile would vanish instantly. The look she’d turn on me was pure poison. Later, because of a poor grade, Mom was called into the principal’s office. The teacher had looked at Mom and curled her lips into a strange, knowing smirk. “I guessed she was your daughter right away. She has her father’s face, line for line. And her grades are just as hopeless, I see. But she certainly has a beautiful face, doesn’t she? No wonder you dropped out to run off with that man. Beauty is a curse, after all.” Her mocking gaze lingered on Mom. Mom forced a smile, a vein throbbing in her forehead. She dragged me roughly out of the school. A slap made my ears ring. “I’ve always treated you and your sister equally. What have I ever denied you? And this is the report card you bring me?” She squeezed my shoulder, her nails digging into my flesh. I bit my lip, afraid to speak. Compared to my clever, outgoing, and verbally charming sister, I had nothing to offer but my looks. I was always timid and awkward in everything I did. “She has his dirty blood in her veins. No wonder I can’t raise her right.” Mom spat the words out coldly that day. Even as a young child, I sensed something deeply wrong about the “father” figure. I gradually realized that Mom’s constant, subtle targeting and disgust were not my imagination. “Elaine, your father and I tried to stop you back then. You said you chose it. You chose to leave school to work, you chose to have those two children.” I stared at Mom, bewildered. She stood there, fists clenched, her face ashen. It was just like when we first returned to the country cabin, and Mom brought boxes of gifts. The women at the village entrance rolled their eyes, their laughter laced with bitterness. “Old Elaine thinks she’s so successful. Got her body taken and her money stolen, and she’s still strutting around like a queen.” Mom’s forced composure broke, and her shoulders slumped. She fled from their mocking eyes in humiliation. “I know you regret it. You hate him, but the children are innocent.” Nana Ruth coughed violently, her eyes filled with profound sadness. “If you don’t want Aubrey, let her stay with me. There’s no need to torture the child.” “What do you mean, I don’t want her!” Mom couldn’t contain her emotions anymore, her eyes bulging. She shrieked, “Did Scarlett have anything she didn’t? What does she have to complain about? Now she’s resorted to stealing from her sister. I’ve noticed before—when I share things out, her eyes are always glued to Scarlett’s. She is so greedy!” Mom seized upon this, railing against me without mercy. “She is an ungrateful leech, just like her father, disgusting.” “She is still just a child!” Nana Ruth pounded her fist on the nightstand. “Don’t think I don’t know. You buy Scarlett designer clothes for hundreds of dollars, and Aubrey the cheapest junk. Her winter jacket had a huge hole that she taped up with clear packing tape! I tried to fix it for her, but when I took it apart, the filling was nothing but rotting, stinking scraps of feather.” Nana Ruth’s voice choked, as if the memory was too painful. I was stunned. So the clothes weren’t always broken because I was careless or didn’t appreciate them. The itchy, foul-smelling jacket wasn’t because I was unclean. I had secretly touched Scarlett’s puffer coat. It was light and soft, like a cloud. Items that looked identical on the outside were truly different. It wasn’t my imagination. It wasn’t bad luck. And it definitely wasn’t Mom’s mistake. 3. Mom refused to speak to Nana Ruth anymore and simply turned to leave. She walked downstairs and locked the front door, acting as if she finally remembered I was still outside. She called out impatiently toward the yard: “Aubrey, get back inside right now!” Scarlett peered over the railing curiously, pouting. “Is Aubrey mad? We let her light the firework, and it was a giant one.” “Let her sulk. Tell her not to bother coming back.” Mom scoffed, locking the door with a sharp click. “There’s a doghouse in the yard. She’s too clever to actually hurt herself. She won’t die outside. Come on, Scarlett, let’s go up to bed. Don’t worry about her.” She led Scarlett upstairs to their room. My soul quietly floated and settled beside Mom. She was reading a picture book to Scarlett. The warm glow of the bedside lamp bathed her face, making her eyes look soft and gentle. I felt a sense of unfairness. Why did Scarlett get to lie against Mom’s chest and listen to stories? While I was tucked into a tiny, unheated utility closet, sleeping on a cramped cot made of metal scaffolding? In the winter, I had to hug my doll and curl into a tight ball just to stay warm enough to sleep. Now I understood. Mom simply didn’t like me. The “fairness” was a performance for me and for others. When it came to Scarlett, she had her own standard, and Scarlett had privileges. Yet, I still pressed against Mom’s back. Clinging to her warmth with an almost desperate greed. Mom’s bed was so soft. Mom smelled so nice… I was a soul now, transparent and non-corporeal. So why were tears still streaming from my eyes? The next morning, Mom prepared breakfast and called Scarlett to the table. “Where is Aubrey? Isn’t she up yet?” Nana Ruth forced herself out of bed, her tone urgent. “Mother, why aren’t you resting? What are you doing out of bed?” Mom seemed to remember my existence just then. She paused, her eyes clouding with that familiar impatience. “Where could she be? Hiding in a corner to cause a scene. She thinks she can steal and still be in the right. It seems I’ve been too kind to her.” Nana Ruth’s body shook. “Early in the morning, where could Aubrey have gone… She’s not in her room. The bed I made up for her is still untouched.” Nana Ruth murmured, then suddenly noticed a flicker of nervousness in Mom’s expression. She tapped her cane sharply, her face grim. “Elaine, tell me the truth. Where is the child? Did she… did she come home last night?” Nana Ruth asked the last part carefully. Mom shied away from her gaze, answering dismissively. “How should I know? She’s in elementary school. She’s not a toddler.” 4. Nana Ruth was choked with anger. Her breathing became shallow, and she clutched her chest, wheezing violently. Before Mom could offer a casual apology to placate her, Scarlett’s wail cut through the air. “No! This doll isn’t mine!” Scarlett rummaged through her suitcase. She held up a cheap, off-brand bunny doll and cried. “Look how crooked its face is and how messy its fur is! It’s a knock-off. Aubrey must have switched it with mine!” Teary-eyed, she pleaded with Mom. The doll she held was grubby, with a crooked face and a seam that was coming undone. Scarlett tossed it onto the floor in disgust. I desperately waved my hands, wanting to say no, that Scarlett must have packed the wrong one by mistake. But Mom kicked the doll aside and quickly knelt to wipe away Scarlett’s tears. See? They could easily tell the difference between my things and Scarlett’s. That doll was the one Scarlett had demanded when we went to Disney World. It cost almost fifty dollars. Mom paid for it without blinking. It wasn’t until she saw me clutching the hem of her jacket that Mom smiled, a strange, knowing smile, and said: “I’m so sorry, Aubrey, Mommy didn’t bring enough money today. Can I buy you one just like it online in a few days?” My eyes had instantly sparkled with delight. I chirped, “Yes, please!” For many years, I was a fool, happily content with Mom’s alleged “fairness.” “See, Mom? Aubrey is just like her father—disgusting. Was I wrong to say she’s a thief?” Mom seethed, seeing the other smudged dolls in the suitcase. Her face darkened. “How did these get dirty? Was Aubrey responsible for that too?” Scarlett hesitated for a second, then quickly nodded. The truth was, Scarlett had dirtied the dolls herself. It wasn’t the first time she’d falsely accused me. Whenever she made a mistake, she’d shout that I was the one who did it. Mom never cared about my explanations. She only saw Scarlett’s tears. “Worthless brat. She’s just jealous of Scarlett. I’ve been so good to her, and she’s still ungrateful? Why did I have to have an extra child? Why did I have to birth this scourge?” Mom’s words were sharp and hateful. Nana Ruth’s eyes widened, her chest heaving. She looked utterly devastated that such vile words could come from a mother’s mouth. “Fine, fine. You don’t want Aubrey, but I do.” Nana Ruth grabbed her cane and, trembling, headed for the front door. Mom frowned, trying to stop her, but Scarlett wailed again, tripping Mom up. “There, there. Mommy will buy you a few more, okay? Since your sister isn’t here, you can have as many as you want.” Mom gently soothed Scarlett. I couldn’t bear to watch this tender scene anymore. I followed Nana Ruth out into the yard. The wind was strong outside, causing Nana Ruth’s frail body to sway. “Aubrey, my sweet Aubrey—” She called out my name, her voice hoarse, but only the barking of the yard dog responded. She stood in the yard, lost and confused, tears welling in her ancient eyes. “Mom, stop looking! Let her sulk. If she doesn’t want to come back, she can die out there—” Mom’s angry voice drifted from inside the house. Several times before, Scarlett had locked me in a storage room, and Mom always assumed I was just being dramatic. “She must have done something bad and is afraid to come out.” Mom always presumed the worst about me. But now, Nana Ruth was heartbroken for me: “How much pain must this child be in…” She ignored Mom’s protests and insisted on walking outside the yard alone. There was a thin layer of frost on the ground, and Nana Ruth stumbled with every step, yet she refused to slow down. “Aubrey, Aubrey, where are you? Come to your Nana, quick—” She called tirelessly, her voice catching with sobs. “Don’t be afraid, child. Nana will protect you.” I drifted in the air, frantic and helpless. I watched, paralyzed, as Nana Ruth walked toward the empty field where I had set off the firework. Suddenly, she let out a piercing scream and collapsed onto the ground. Right in front of her was my unrecognizable corpse.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “389557”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When Hank was diagnosed with ALS, our family empire fell. I left college, shouldering his life and crushing debt. For five years, I bled for him. Beaten by debt collectors, I bought no painkillers. Collapsing between five jobs, I took no breaks. Every cent kept Hank alive. Tonight, serving drinks at a lounge, I saw him—not in a wheelchair at home, but laughing in a tailored suit. “Hank,” a friend said, swirling his drink, “you’ve played sick for five years. Stella’s worked herself raw for your ‘treatment.’ Isn’t that enough?” Hank scoffed. “Almost. If she hadn’t made Ivy cry with one selfish remark, I wouldn’t have faked bankruptcy and this illness to teach her.” He sipped his whiskey, looking perfectly healthy. “Ivy’s been abroad and is finally ready to forgive. I’ll stage a recovery, and Stella can return as our princess—her atonement.” “But ALS is terminal,” his friend objected. “Will she believe a recovery?” Hank laughed. “That naive girl believes every word I say. She’ll learn Ivy, as our adopted sister, needed kindness. I did this for her own good. I’ll make it up to her later.” I lowered my head, tears falling silently. But Hank, there is no “later” for us. Your illness was a lie. Mine is real. 1 A phantom wind sliced through the corridor, chilling me to the bone. I stood frozen, a puppet with its strings cut, enduring the slow, agonizing collapse of the world I had built for the last five years. It was a death by a thousand cuts, each slice carving away the faith that had been my only anchor. Hank’s friend, Ryan, sighed. “I gotta say, man, you’re ruthless. That’s your own sister. The genius from Westwood University. She threw it all away for you without a second thought. She’s barely in her twenties and she looks like she’s aged a decade. A few days ago, she was short three hundred bucks for your medicine. She even came to me for it.” Hank’s face instantly darkened. “Did you give it to her?” Ryan shook his head, looking weary. “You gave us all a direct order. You think I’d dare?” He paused, then added, “The poor kid knelt on my doorstep for a whole afternoon. She passed out from low blood sugar, but I couldn’t even take her to a hospital. When she came to, she just… picked herself up and walked away.” What Ryan didn’t say was that I had been truly desperate that day. I had offered him the only thing I had left to sell. I would have done anything for that money. Hank had been without his imported medication for a week, and I was terrified he would get worse. But Ryan had looked at me like he’d seen a ghost and practically threw me out of his house. Now I knew why. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help me. He wasn’t allowed to. Hank let out a cold snort. “All of you, listen up. Until I bring Ivy home, nobody helps Stella. I don’t care if she’s kneeling, begging, or dying at your feet—you ignore her. Ivy is sensitive, she has depression. I’ve spent five years carefully managing her recovery while she traveled. If Stella’s punishment is cut short by even a single day, Ivy might get upset and have a relapse. And if any of you make my precious baby sister unhappy, I’ll make your entire family miserable.” The men exchanged uneasy glances, the absurdity of the situation hanging heavy in the air. Someone awkwardly cleared their throat. “Hank, aren’t you afraid that if Stella finds out the truth, she’ll… leave you?” At that, Hank burst out laughing. “Are you kidding me? We’re family. This is just a little spat, a domestic issue. Stella would die for me. You could put a knife to her throat and she wouldn’t leave my side. This is just a small lesson. Ivy, on the other hand, is different. She already feels like an outsider because she isn’t related to us by blood. It’s my duty to treat her better.” He fixed them all with a hard stare. “But remember this. What was said in this room tonight, stays in this room. If a single word gets back to Stella, our friendship is over.” I leaned against the wall, my limbs numb. So my five years of hell… they were nothing more than a joke. My life, my freedom, even my health… all of it was meaningless, easily discarded the moment Ivy shed a single tear. I wanted to laugh, but the only thing that came out was a stream of unstoppable tears. A phone rang inside the room, and footsteps headed for the door. I tried to scramble away but turned right into the path of the approaching manager. A tray of vintage champagne, worth tens of thousands, crashed to the floor. The manager’s face turned thunderous. With a vicious slap, she sent me sprawling to the ground. Just then, the door opened. Hank strode out, his eyes sweeping past us without a second glance as he opened his arms to a woman who fluttered toward him like a butterfly. It was Ivy. “Why did you come back on your own?” he cooed, wrapping her in a protective embrace. “I told you I’d come pick you up. Are you tired? I’ve arranged for a full spa team at home. They’ll take care of you.” Ivy giggled, her voice sickly sweet. “I missed you, Hank! I wanted to surprise you!” I was still on my knees less than a yard away from them, wearing a cheap mask, too terrified to move or speak. The dazzling diamonds on Ivy’s heels blinded me, each brilliant stone a sharp stab in my heart. A single one of those gems could have paid for a year of Hank’s “medicine.” The manager stammered, interrupting their reunion. “Mr. Vance, my deepest apologies. Your champagne… this clumsy idiot ruined it.” 2 A pair of polished black leather shoes stopped right in front of me. The manager, recognizing his status, was desperate to appease him. “Mr. Vance, I’m so sorry this idiot disturbed your reunion with your sister. She can’t even hold a tray steady. I’ll have someone bring you a new selection right away.” She grabbed my arm, her fingers digging into my flesh with a sharp, twisting motion. The pain was nothing compared to the agony of a broken rib from a debt collector’s boot, but I flinched anyway, my insides coiling into a tight knot of shame. Hank frowned, his voice sharp with impatience. “That’s enough.” The manager pointed a trembling finger at me. “Since you’re the one who broke them, you’ll pick up every last shard of glass from this hallway with your bare hands. If my sister steps on a single piece, you’ll swallow one.” The hallway was carpeted with a thick, plush runner that muffled all sound. The tiny, sharp fragments of glass were embedded deep within the fibers, nearly invisible. I got onto my hands and knees and began to feel my way through the carpet, my palms pressing down, searching for the sharp edges. Ivy watched me for a moment, her eyes narrowed, before turning to Hank and pouting. “Hank, I’m tired.” “My little princess,” he murmured. “Let’s get you out of here. It’s too dangerous.” The black leather shoe stepped onto the back of my hand, pressed down, and ground into my skin before moving on, its owner completely oblivious. I remained on my knees, staring at the tiny shard of glass now embedded in my palm. The tears finally stopped, replaced by a raw, broken laugh. The manager recoiled, her eyes wide with alarm. “What’s wrong with you? Your nose is bleeding!” I staggered to my feet, wiping the blood away with the back of my sleeve. “I guess… I’m just about to die.” Without a backward glance at her shocked face, I walked away, leaving a trail of blood drops on the expensive carpet. When I got back to our tiny apartment and pushed the door open, a crash echoed from the kitchen. Hank was on the floor, struggling to pull himself up from his overturned wheelchair. He saw me standing in the doorway, and his eyes reddened with shame, like a child caught doing something wrong. “Stella… I just wanted to make you something to eat…” His voice was thick and slurred. “I’m so useless, just a worthless cripple!” His words were garbled, saliva mixing with tears as they streamed down his face. He looked every bit the part of a helpless, broken man who had been paralyzed for years. A distant memory flickered in my mind. Before the ‘diagnosis,’ Hank had been a severe germaphobe. He was a man who washed his hands twenty times a day, who couldn’t tolerate a single speck of dust on his clothes. Yet, for Ivy, he had endured this filthy, undignified existence for five whole years. Five years. I had been trapped in the web of his masterful, deceitful performance, a clown in his private circus. In that moment, I wanted to rip open his chest and see what lay inside. Was it flesh and blood, or cold, hard stone? Seeing my silence, Hank’s head drooped. “Stella… are you starting to hate me?” he whispered. “You should. I’m just a burden. I can’t keep dragging you down like this. Just go. Leave me here. Let me just… rot.” He sat there amidst the mess on the floor, stubbornly gripping the armrest of his wheelchair, veins popping on his arms as he tried and failed to get up. I walked over in silence, righted the wheelchair, and helped him into it. Then I went to the bathroom, wrung out a washcloth, and came back to clean his face and hands. I had performed this routine for five years. The motions were so familiar they felt etched into my very bones. He grabbed my wrist, his eyes falling on the cut in my palm. “What happened? Who hurt you?” I stared into his eyes, at the flicker of concern that seemed so genuine it made my heart ache. A bitter taste rose in my throat. “I did. I was hurt by someone who looks a lot like you.” I held his gaze, my voice steady. “It was at the Starlight Lounge.” 3 I watched the muscles in Hank’s jaw tighten. A small, sad smile touched my lips. “But I know it wasn’t you. My brother would never lie to me. Right?” My stare made him squirm. He looked away, his voice strained. “Of course not. You’re my only family, Stella. I would never, ever lie to you.” I swallowed the suffocating grief in my throat, turning away before he could see the tears welling in my eyes. I pushed his wheelchair out of the kitchen. When I finished cooking and came out, the living room was empty. I walked to his bedroom door and heard his hushed voice on the phone. “Be good now. I’ve planned the biggest birthday party for you. I’ll be there tomorrow to celebrate with you personally.” Ivy’s voice on the other end was laced with mock concern. “But tomorrow is Stella’s birthday too. If you don’t spend it with her, won’t she be upset?” “You silly girl,” he murmured. “You’re my only precious sister. Your happiness is all that matters. Stella hasn’t celebrated her birthday in five years; she’s used to it. One more year won’t make a difference.” Ivy’s squeal of delight was sharp enough to cut through the door. “I knew you loved me best, Hank!” I stood there for a long time before quietly taking off my apron and walking out of the apartment. When Hank emerged from his room, I was gone. On the table was a bowl of soft-boiled noodles, easy for him to swallow, and one of his imported pills. He knew I had a night shift to get to. But the image of my wounded hand, my unnaturally pale face, and my painfully thin frame as I cooked for him flashed in his mind. A sudden panic seized him as he realized he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen me smile, couldn’t recall the bright, vibrant girl I used to be. Something sharp and cold pierced his chest. A disquieting mix of unease and guilt began to creep in, silent and suffocating. He snatched his phone and quickly dialed a number. The next day, I took Hank for a check-up. His doctor was practically buzzing with excitement. “Ms. Vance, we’ve just received incredible news! A private research facility in Switzerland has developed a new experimental drug for ALS. The clinical trials have been extremely successful, and they’re only accepting two more participants. I’ve managed to secure a spot for your brother.” In contrast to his enthusiasm, I was calm. “What are the chances of a full recovery?” “Eighty percent.” Playing his part perfectly, Hank began to weep with joy. “Stella, I can get better! I can really get better! I’ll be able to stay with you forever!” I forced a smile. “If only one of us could live, Hank, I would always, always want it to be you.” He froze, taken aback by my solemn tone. The act seemed to fall away for a second. He frowned, his words sharp and clear. “Don’t say such foolish things. We’re both going to be fine. When I get better, I’ll rebuild the Vance Group, and you’ll be our family’s princess again.” But that’s a crown I no longer want. And a brother… I’m willing to give to Ivy. The doctor ushered me out of his office, claiming the preparatory tests would take a long time. In the past, I would have believed him, using every precious minute to rush off to one of my part-time jobs while Hank was being ‘treated.’ Now, I knew it was just an excuse to get me out of the way. I stood in the empty corner of the hallway and watched as Hank, no longer needing his wheelchair, changed into a fresh set of clothes and strode confidently into the elevator. Down below, a luxury car was already waiting for him. I numbly turned away and walked into a different doctor’s office down the hall. “Ms. Vance, the tumor is too large for surgery now. If you had come in even two weeks ago, there might have been a chance.” The doctor sighed, his expression grim. “You have a few days, at most. It’s time to say goodbye to your family.” I was silent for a long moment before giving a small nod. “After I die, please have me cremated. Deliver my ashes to the Vance estate and give them to the CEO of the Vance Group, Hank Vance.” I left the little money I had on his desk and walked out of the hospital. My phone buzzed with a text message. “Come to the villa. You should see this.” It was from Ivy. I took a taxi to the city’s most exclusive gated community. After five years, the home I thought had been sold off long ago was now ablaze with lights and life. A lavish party was in full swing, guests dripping with wealth, a world away from the lonely figure standing outside the ornate iron gates. Ivy, wearing a sparkling tiara and a custom-made gown, stood beside a six-tier cake, her arm linked possessively through Hank’s. She was surrounded by a mountain of presents. She closed her eyes and made a wish. “I wish I could be my brother’s only sister, and be his little princess forever.” Hank reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. The moment he opened it, the blood in my veins turned to ice. 4 It was the family crest pendant. When we were born, our parents had a master artisan craft two identical ones. They were blessed for a full year, inscribed with our names, and placed around our necks. They were our parents’ hopes and blessings, a symbol of the Vance legacy. After they died, it was the only thing I had left of them. Even in my most desperate moments, I had never considered selling it. Now, I saw that Hank had replaced my name with Ivy’s. In front of everyone, he solemnly fastened the chain around her neck. “My little princess,” he said, his voice full of warmth. “Congratulations. Your wish has come true.” I don’t know how I managed to walk away. My phone started vibrating relentlessly. A string of messages from Ivy. “I recognized you at the lounge the other day, you know.” “Did you get a good look tonight?” “The pendant is mine now. Hank is mine, too. You’re like a pathetic stray dog that nobody wants.” “You’re such a failure. Why don’t you just die, big sister? Tee-hee.” When I didn’t respond, a final message appeared. “Oh, and by the way, I had Hank send you a little birthday present. I hope you enjoy it.” I wandered the streets like a ghost for hours, finally making my way back to the cramped apartment in a daze. Only then did I discover what Ivy’s “birthday present” was. The door was wide open. The room was ransacked. And Hank was on the floor, pinned down by several large men. He was thrashing like a cornered animal, a sight so horribly familiar it made my whole body tremble. The ghost of pain from my once-broken ribs flared up again. “Well, well, look who it is,” the lead thug sneered, picking his teeth. “When are you paying this month’s debt?” My face was pale. “What are you talking about? I paid everything off.” He spat on the floor. “I say you still owe, so you still owe. Don’t wanna pay? I wonder how many hits with this pipe your brother’s brittle bones can take.” He tapped the iron pipe against Hank’s back for emphasis. “Stella, it’s my fault!” Hank cried out, his voice choked with fake despair. “Don’t worry about me! Just run! I’m just a cripple! If they kill me, they kill me! I don’t want to be a burden on you anymore!” The exact same words I had heard a hundred times over the past five years. I looked at the men, then at my brother on the floor—disheveled and pathetic, yet his eyes were sharp and clear. And I finally understood. It was laughable that I hadn’t seen it before. In all the times they had come for their money, they had never once laid a hand on him. But me? To protect my deceitful brother, I’d had my ribs broken, my leg fractured. I was covered in scars. Swallowing the painful lump in my throat, I asked in a raw voice, “What do you want?” The leader looked me up and down, a cruel grin spreading across his face. “You know, I really don’t like your stubborn attitude. So here’s the deal. We’ve got about a dozen guys here. You crawl through each of our legs and bark like a dog three times, and we’ll call it even for today. Just a bit of fun.” “NO!” Hank roared. “Stella, don’t you dare do it!” A hollow, lifeless laugh escaped my lips. The last flicker of warmth in my heart died out. “If this is what you want,” I whispered, my words meant for only one person, “then consider us even.” Though I was speaking to the thug, Hank flinched as if I’d struck him. He looked panicked, opening his mouth to say something, but then he remembered his promise to Ivy. This was the last time. The final punishment. After this, he would restore my identity as the Vance heiress. He would never let me suffer again. He clung to that thought, confident that he had a lifetime to make it up to me. He looked away, pulling out his phone to secretly take a picture of my humiliation to send to Ivy.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “389183”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My ex-boyfriend, Carter Sterling, pretended to be poor for three years while we were together. When he found out my mom urgently needed money for surgery, he even faked losing his job so I would have to support him. I finally couldn’t play along anymore. I dumped him and married the billionaire who was pursuing me. Today, I went to a client’s wedding, only to find the groom was Carter Sterling. I overheard his groomsmen teasing him— “Remember when Carter insisted on playing the ‘true love’ game? Still got dumped.” “What a pity. Faking unemployment was actually the final test. If she had just held on a little longer, she would be the bride today.” “If that gold digger knew she dumped the heir to the Sterling Group, she’d probably be green with regret, haha.” Actually, I knew everything. Chapter 1 Seeing Carter Sterling again was at my client’s wedding. He was the groom. Dressed in an expensive bespoke suit, hair meticulously styled, he looked noble and arrogant—nothing like the destitute man from back then. I didn’t plan on saying hello. Our breakup wasn’t exactly amicable. I dumped him. At the time, he knelt on the ground, crying and begging me to stay, but I didn’t look back once. Finally, he uttered cruel words: “Maya Zhao, don’t you regret walking out that door. Even if you crawl back later, I won’t even look at you!” I left without hesitation. I had lived with him in that cramped rental apartment for three years. I had enough. Running into him at his wedding was awkward. I turned to leave, but heard the groomsmen surrounding Carter, teasing him— “Remember when Carter insisted on playing the ‘true love’ game? Still got dumped.” “What a pity. Faking unemployment was actually the final test. If she had just held on a little longer, she would be the bride today.” “If that gold digger knew she dumped the heir to the Sterling Group, she’d probably be green with regret, haha.” Amidst his friends’ laughter, Carter sneered contemptuously. “Even if she regrets it, it’s too late.” I knew the “gold digger” they were talking about was me. So, they really thought I broke up with him because he was poor. Actually, I had known the truth for a long time. Chapter 2 Over a year into dating Carter Sterling. I was working part-time at a five-star hotel when I saw him walk in wearing a designer suit, inspecting the place. The manager called him “Mr. Sterling.” That was when I learned the hotel was his family’s property. The Sterling family was considered old money in New York. My poor, destitute first love turned out to be a wealthy heir! For me, it was like a drama turning into reality. I didn’t have the aloof pride of a drama heroine; instead, I felt like I hit the jackpot. Because I was certain Carter truly loved me. He would comfort me when I was sad and take care of me patiently when I was sick. Rich or poor, he was the best boyfriend. Since he liked playing the “poor man” game, I decided to play along. Until later, when my mom fell ill and urgently needed money for surgery, and he still happily played poor to test me. I finally got tired. I dumped him and married the billionaire who was pursuing me. Sorry to disappoint Carter and his bros, but I don’t regret it one bit! Suddenly, the bride walked over, grabbed my hand, and pulled me in front of Carter. Excitedly, she introduced me: “Carter, look! This is Miss Maya Zhao, one of the owners of the Azure Gallery I told you about. “I told you we look alike, but you didn’t believe me.” The man looked up. After a brief moment of distraction, he looked at me coldly. “Indeed very similar. But not as beautiful or young as my wife.” Chapter 3 The bride, Lily Moore, was my client. Half a month ago, she came to my gallery looking to buy some art for her new home. When we saw each other clearly, we were both stunned. We looked at least 60-70% alike. We hit it off immediately. Lily visited the gallery four or five times, bought eight paintings, and generously swiped her black card for five million dollars. Before leaving, she gave me the address of an estate and warmly invited me to her wedding. These days, she often mentioned her fiancé casually. Young, talented, a rich second generation, handsome, and generous to her. Just preparing the wedding cost over ten million. When talking about this, Lily’s face was full of happiness, lamenting how lucky she was. She was just a fresh college grad from an ordinary family, yet she managed to snag such a catch. She was indeed luckier than me. I met Carter right after college. Unfortunately, he kept pretending to be poor with me. Not only did he not spend money on me, he spent mine. I waited three years, and he had no intention of marrying me. Considering Lily was a big client and I wanted to expand my network, I accepted the invitation. But I really didn’t expect the groom to be Carter. Chapter 4 The man sized me up as if looking at a stranger he had never met. The bride coquettishly scolded him: “Don’t talk nonsense, she’s my friend.” Carter took the bride’s hand from mine. “Watch your bracelet. It’s the one I gave you, worth over two million. Careful that some vain people don’t eye it.” I knew he was deliberately taking a jab at me. Two million. So, Carter could be generous enough to buy such an expensive gift for a girlfriend. I touched my own wrist. There was a bracelet there too. Carter gave it to me. Two hundred bucks. It was when we were poorest. He said he earned it by wearing a mascot costume. In the 90-degree summer heat, he came back soaked in sweat. I didn’t know then he had just come back from the gym. I was both heartbroken and moved. I stayed up late drawing designs and used my freelance money to buy him a five-hundred-dollar watch for his birthday. Looking at his wrist now, that watch had long been replaced by a Patek Philippe. This was his true self. Fact: Feeling sorry for a man brings a lifetime of bad luck. I chuckled lightly. “Miss Moore is truly blessed. Your husband is so generous. Unlike my ex-boyfriend—no parents, lived off me, ate my food, and even the bracelet he bought was only two hundred bucks.” Carter’s face darkened. Lily defended me indignantly: “He sounds like a scumbag. Good thing you broke up.” Carter cleared his throat. “Maybe some people only deserve two-hundred-dollar bracelets. Unlike my Lily, who needs to be pampered. Any amount is worth it.” So, in his heart, I wasn’t worthy. Looking at the hypocritical Carter, I couldn’t help but laugh. “You two are so in love, it’s enviable. I wish you a happy wedding and a lifetime together.” I made an excuse to leave. But Carter got anxious. “Miss Zhao is leaving so soon? Is this wedding not luxurious enough for your eyes?” I heard the sarcasm in his tone. Curling my lips, I replied with one word—”Yes.” My wedding with my husband, Lucas Thorne, was held on a private island he just bought. We only invited close friends and family. Low-key, not overly extravagant, but it was my favorite. I didn’t care for the wedding Carter prepared for another woman. Chapter 5 I refused the bride’s attempts to make me stay and insisted on leaving. Behind me, the bride’s complaining voice arose. “Carter, what’s wrong with you today? You’re talking so weirdly. “She came specially to congratulate us. You’re being so rude.” Even though she was naive, she sensed something wrong in the man’s tone. Someone in the groomsmen group suddenly mentioned: “Maya Zhao, that name sounds familiar. Isn’t that…” “Shut up.” Carter interrupted him angrily. I walked out of the estate and waited for the driver to bring the car around. A gust of wind blew sand into my eyes, and I rubbed them. With the sound of hurried footsteps approaching, a hand reached out and grabbed my arm tightly. I turned back and met Carter’s cold face. “Don’t misunderstand. Lily insisted I come out to apologize to you. “Don’t you have anything to ask me?” I shook my head. “No.” Carter scoffed, looking at my teary eyes, and sneered: “Maya Zhao, stop being stubborn. “You’re leaving so fast because you don’t want me to see you looking pathetic, right? “Back then you dumped me because I was poor. Now seeing I’m rich, you must regret it.” Regret? Yes. I regret not breaking up sooner and accepting Lucas’s pursuit. That way, I could have bowed to poverty sooner, let my mom have the surgery, and she wouldn’t be left with sequelae, confined to a wheelchair now.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “389199”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Everyone mocked me. They said Liam would dump me, the “stand-in,” the moment she came back. But his “One That Got Away”—his legendary first love—dragged me to get a DNA test instead. “You guys look too much alike. I don’t believe there’s no blood relation.” That day, I discovered I was the long-lost heiress to a billion-dollar empire. Chapter 1 Liam’s “One That Got Away,” Chloe, returned to the States. Instead of a dramatic showdown, she dragged me to the hospital for a DNA test. While waiting for the results, I sat on a bench in the hallway. To my left was Liam, the CEO who was technically my “Sugar Daddy.” To my right was Chloe, the legendary Dream Girl. I was sandwiched between them, sitting stiff as a board. I didn’t dare move. Absolutely frozen. I felt like a ten-thousand-watt lightbulb, completely superfluous. I tried to get up to find another seat, but Liam and Chloe simultaneously pressed me back down by my shoulders. Liam: “Sit. Don’t wander off.” Chloe: “Sit. Wait for the results.” I sat back down timidly, squeezed between them like the filling in a very awkward Oreo. The doctor pushed open the door, holding a report. Doctor: “Ms. Chloe, the results are in.” Chloe stood up immediately. “Well? Is there a relation?” Doctor: “Yes. She is your biological younger sister who went missing years ago.” !!! I was so shocked I instinctively pinched Liam’s thigh. Liam glanced at me but said nothing. Chloe let out a long breath. “Biological sister. Good.” I wanted to say something but stopped. Chloe sighed. “The pressure of inheriting a billion-dollar empire alone was too much. Finally, someone to share the burden.” She gently stuffed a Black Card into my hand. “This card is yours now. I transferred fifty million dollars for pocket money. Spend it however you like.” In that instant, I forgot the word “no.” So, it was true when my foster mom said she picked me out of a dumpster! I took the card with trembling hands, moved to tears. “Thank you, sister.” After all these years, my billionaire sister finally found me! Chapter 2 I shamelessly asked my sister: “Sis, can I use this money to keep a man?” Liam frowned slightly. Chloe answered: “You can keep ten men if you want.” My eyes lit up. I said fawningly, “Sis, I’ll take you to a host club! I’ll order ten male models for you!” Chloe’s eyes lit up too. “Male models? Sounds good. Little sister, you understand me. I’ll order twenty for you!” My eyes were glowing like a starving wolf who hadn’t seen meat in eighty years. Liam rubbed his temples. He grabbed my collar. “Lucy, don’t forget the contract.” Oh right. I signed a three-year “Sugar Baby” contract with Liam. It said during the contract period, I couldn’t have intimate relationships with other men. There was still one week left on the contract. I looked down at the fifty million in the card, then looked up with newfound confidence. “Sorry, I’m breaching the contract.” Liam said, “Fine. The penalty is one hundred million.” I wilted instantly. “Sorry, I was wrong.” Chloe frowned slightly. She asked me, “What contract?” I stammered. Chloe narrowed her eyes. She pulled me behind her and questioned Liam. “Mr. Liam, rumors in the circle say you’re keeping my sister as a mistress?” Liam answered, “I am not keeping her.” He frowned. “Who told you that?” Chloe sneered. “Everyone says so.” She asked, “Then what is this contract you just mentioned?” I whispered, “Sugar Baby contract.” Liam answered, “Dating contract.” Me: “?!!” Liam: “……?” Chapter 3 I was shocked!! Liam paused too. After processing, his face darkened. “Sugar Baby contract? Who told you that?” I looked at him with question marks all over my face. “Didn’t you pay me for three years?” Liam rubbed his temples again. “No… I wasn’t keeping you. That was a dating contract.” Chloe frowned. “Who signs a contract to date?” Liam: “I thought signing a contract showed how seriously I took the relationship.” I hesitated. “Your ‘seriousness’ involves wiring me fifty grand a month and then sleeping with me?” Liam: “……” Liam’s expression was complicated. He looked like he wanted to explain but didn’t know how. Chloe looked at Liam with scrutiny. “Mr. Liam, soliciting prostitution is illegal. Technically, that contract is void. If you insist, I’ll have to call the police.” Liam sighed. “It wasn’t solicitation. The fifty grand was for dating expenses.” He said, “…I thought sexual activity during dating was normal, so I didn’t overthink it.” “I apologize. I wasn’t thoughtful enough and caused a misunderstanding. I’m sorry. Such things should wait until marriage.” The hospital hallway wasn’t the place for this. Chloe clicked her heels and said to me, “You decide.” I whispered, “Um, since it’s a dating contract, can I take a week off?” The contract ended in a week. If I took leave now, I could segue seamlessly into clubbing with male models the moment it expired. Liam pursed his lips. “You may.” After Liam agreed, I left the hospital with Chloe and got into her luxury car to go see my foster mom. Driving, Chloe said, “I think… Liam isn’t trustworthy. He’s not a good guy. Don’t contact him anymore.” Who believes a “Dating Contract”? Not even a dog would believe that! I felt a bit guilty. “Actually, I think he’s a good person.” Chloe raised an eyebrow. “How so?” Me: “When my mom was sick and we had no money, he paid the medical bills. Without him, my mom wouldn’t have made it.” Chloe: “So he kept you…” I touched my nose, embarrassed. “Because he paid the bills, I didn’t refuse when he wanted to keep me.” I believe in repaying debts of gratitude. Chloe thought for a moment. “When the contract ends, I’ll give you money to keep him back.” I thought for a moment too. “Sis, is there a possibility… he likes you?” Liam’s Dream Girl was my sister, and I was just the stand-in. Me keeping him felt like some weird cuckold fetish. Chloe slammed on the brakes. My forehead hit the dashboard. Ouch. Chloe looked horrified. “Impossible! Absolutely impossible! You’re mistaken.” Me: “He really likes you.” She hesitated. “I hooked up with his uncle and almost became his aunt. He shouldn’t… be that kinky, right?” My pupils quaked. I trembled, “Sis… you…” Chloe evaluated calmly, “If he really has feelings for me, he’s a pervert.” I hesitated. “Maybe he is a pervert?” Chloe gasped. “Stay away from perverts!” The car started moving again. Chloe thought for a long time, then said spookily: “Actually, I think… maybe that contract really was a dating contract…” I said spookily back: “Impossible, sis. Absolutely impossible!” Silence fell in the car. We looked at each other, speechless. Chloe hesitated. “But still, maybe… he has you in his heart?” Me: “Maybe his heart split in two. One half loves you, the other half loves me.” Chloe: “Hiss!” Chapter 4 We arrived at my apartment. Chloe met my foster mom, politely called her “Mom,” and explained the DNA test. Chloe: “My grandma was superstitious and preferred boys. She thought twins were bad luck, so she stole my sister at birth and threw her away.” “I didn’t know she existed until Grandma was hospitalized six months ago and confessed in a delirious state.” She acknowledged my foster mom as her godmother. “You are Lucy’s mother, so you are my mother too. I will take care of you with Lucy.” My mom looked at Chloe’s face, identical to mine, and accepted this goddaughter. After handling that, Chloe took me to the main estate to meet my biological parents. Chloe comforted me: “Don’t be nervous. Mom and Dad are great.” My billionaire parents were exactly as Chloe said—great and very enthusiastic. Billionaire Dad: “I’m transferring 20% of the company shares to you. That new commercial plot downtown is yours too!” Billionaire Mom: “My precious daughter suffered so much. Mom is transferring eighty million to your card right now!” When they learned about Liam from the secretary’s report, Billionaire Dad was furious. “Him? He dares to keep you?!” “I’m arranging ten blind dates for you immediately. Dump him!” Billionaire Dad was a man of his word. The next day, I was forced to sit at a large round table in a cafe with ten handsome, tall, wealthy men.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “389215”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 I was the orphanage’s most notorious glutton. I could pack away five bowls of rice in one sitting and had the strength of an ox. Nobody wanted to be my friend. Only Sophia would talk to me. One day, a wealthy couple came to the orphanage, planning to adopt Sophia. That’s when I suddenly saw the comments scrolling across my vision: [The female lead is finally getting adopted! Soon she’ll start her angsty romance with her adoptive brother, the male lead!] [On the surface, the male lead acts like he doesn’t care about her and lets her get bullied until she has no self-esteem, but later on, he patiently helps her heal. It’s so sweet!] [Plus, the male lead has an eating disorder, and our baby FL is the one who cures him! They’re a match made in heaven!] After reading that, I nudged Sophia aside. “Sir, ma’am, I’m a really good eater. Please adopt me instead.” After all, I was strong. If this kid acted up, I had plenty of ways to handle him. — I was the toughest kid at the orphanage. My reputation was built on three things: eating five bowls of rice per meal, having the strength of an ox that I used to wreck the place, and being so weird that no one would be my friend. Sophia was the exception. She was six when she arrived—quiet, sweet, and never fought with anyone over anything. She was the only one who would occasionally come over and say a few words to me. Unfortunately, today she was being adopted. It was her turn, and word was the family was incredibly wealthy. Just as she was about to follow the matron out the door, I grabbed her hand. “You can’t go!” Sophia jumped, looking at me with wide, confused eyes. The matron thought I was just sad to see her go and tried to soothe me. “Lynn, Sophia is going to a better place. She might even come back to visit someday. Can you let her go now?” It wasn’t a better place. I was eight, and I could read just fine. I understood exactly what those comments meant. They said Sophia would be bullied and her spirit would be crushed. I spoke slowly. “Ma’am, let me go instead. This orphanage is so poor. If you don’t send me away soon, you’ll go broke trying to feed me.” The matron fell into an awkward silence. While all the staff secretly wanted me gone, fairness dictated they couldn’t just give the opportunity to me. So, she ended up taking both of us out to meet the couple. The couple looked just as rich as the comments described. Not only that, but standing behind them was a handsome, though incredibly smug-looking, little boy. [Ahhh, the first meeting between the ML and FL! The male lead actually saw her through the crack in the door earlier and is just pretending not to care, but his ears are totally red!] [Wait, I thought the FL was the one getting adopted. Who’s this random extra?] [Is she going to steal the spot from our baby FL? If she does, how is the angsty romance supposed to happen?!] The comments were in an uproar. Sophia looked at the people in front of her and offered a polite greeting. “Hello, sir and ma’am. Hello, big brother.” “Who’s your brother?!” Caleb Thorne’s face immediately soured. His perfect little features were twisted with disdain. His shout made Sophia’s eyes well up. She clutched her sleeves, about to shrink back, when I pushed my way in front of her, blocking her completely. “Hello, sir and ma’am. Hello, little bro.” “You! Who are you calling little bro?!” Caleb thought I was deliberately trying to embarrass him and instantly fumed. I gave him an innocent look. “I’m eight years old. Am I older than you? Ma’am, does that make me the big sister?” People have a fatal flaw: they judge by appearances. No one looking at my soft, sweet face would ever guess I was a notorious glutton with a mean streak. The wealthy woman’s hand came to rest gently on my head. “Caleb is only seven. So yes, that does make you the big sister.” She wanted a daughter primarily as a companion for her son. An older sister who could look out for him seemed much more suitable than a younger one who needed looking after. Seeing me already chatting with his mother, Caleb started to panic. “Mom! I want to go home! Now!” “Be good, Caleb. We’ll go home as soon as Mommy finishes the paperwork.” Hearing this only made him throw a bigger fit. Remembering the comments, I deliberately provoked him. “You don’t want me? Is it because you want Sophia? You like her, don’t you?” For a boy his age, there was nothing more horrifying than being accused of liking a girl. He puffed up like an angry cat whose tail had been stepped on. “Who said I like her? I can’t stand the sight of her!” My smile became even more sincere. “Ma’am, please take me with you. Since my little brother doesn’t like her, you have to choose me. Besides, he looks so skinny. I love to eat, and I can definitely help him get his appetite back!” My words seemed to amuse the man, who had been silent until now. He bent down, patted my head, and took my hand. The comments instantly exploded, and a chorus of curses rained down on me. 2 The adoption paperwork was processed quickly. When I went back to pack my things, Sophia was watching me with a crestfallen expression. [I hate this extra so much, can she just die?! Look how sad our baby FL is!] [Now that the FL hasn’t been adopted, how will she ever develop a relationship with the ML?!] “Lynn, will… will you come back and visit me?” Sophia asked timidly. I pulled her close and whispered conspiratorially, handing her a small whistle. “Under the fifteenth bar of the playground fence, I left something for you. If you hear me whistle for you at night, whistle back.” “Huh?” She stared at the whistle, completely baffled. But the director was already there to get me. In the car, Caleb’s face was darker than the bottom of a pot. If you looked closely, you could see tear tracks on his cheeks. I ignored him, clambered into the seat beside him, taking up a huge amount of space, and immediately started laying on the charm. “Sir, ma’am, this car is so comfortable! It’s the nicest car I’ve ever been in!” “What a sweet child,” the woman said, her eyes filled with a mix of pity and affection. “Look at these little arms, you’re so thin. When we get home, I’ll have the cook make you something delicious, okay?” I let her squeeze my arm, my eyes darting toward Caleb. His face was beet red. He was unhappy! And for the first time, his parents weren’t comforting him! The little prince felt his world crumbling. He bit his lip, overwhelmed with a sense of injustice. The moment we arrived home, he slammed the car door open and bolted out of the car. I ambled after him and, as I stepped through the front door, casually ordered, “Hey, little bro. Find me some slippers.” “You’re telling me to find you slippers?” Caleb’s eyes widened. He was a pampered young master. Forget fetching things for others; he’d never even put on his own shoes before he was five! And now he was supposed to wait on someone? “Get out! This is my house!” he seethed, suddenly shoving me. “Caleb!” “Stop it!” Two panicked voices, one male and one female, cried out at the same time. “Lynn, are you okay?” I had been standing right at the top of the stairs. Though his father caught me just in time, he was still shaken. Caleb stood frozen, his hands clenched into fists, his eyes red. “I don’t want a sister! I don’t want her in my house!” “Caleb Thorne!” His father’s voice was low and firm, and Caleb immediately flinched. “Apologize!” The command was absolute. Caleb pressed his lips together so tightly they turned white. The comments were filled with sympathy. [The ML is a young master! He can’t wait on people. I bet this Lynn girl did it on purpose!] [She’s just trying to provoke our baby ML. Ugh, she’s so manipulative. I hate her.] I snuggled into his mother’s arms and said sweetly, “It’s my fault. I just asked my little brother to find me some slippers. At the orphanage, the first kid inside always helps the next one. I didn’t know he’d get so mad.” My reasonableness only highlighted Caleb’s spoiled behavior. His father’s tone grew colder. “Do I need to repeat myself? Apologize.” Caleb bit his lip so hard it looked like it might bleed. Tears welled in his eyes, but he stubbornly held them back. “Sorry!” As if he had suffered the greatest humiliation of his life, he couldn’t hold it in any longer. He turned and ran into the house. “That child…” his mother murmured, a hint of worry in her voice. But her main focus was on getting me settled. With a sigh, she let it go. Caleb really was too spoiled. He was like this at home, and he had no friends at school either—always a loner. Hopefully, things would change. They led me through the house, one on each side, and my bell-like laughter echoed through the villa. “Ma’am, this garden is huge! And there’s a swing!” “Wow, sir, are these your goldfish?” They held my hands as if we were a real family of three. Caleb watched from his bedroom window, practically seething with rage. A moment later, I knocked on his door. “Little bro, time for dinner.” 3 Caleb wanted nothing to do with me. The words “I hate you” were practically written on his face. But I didn’t care. Instead, I leaned over the dinner table and whispered devilishly again. “Pour me some juice.” His father had left halfway through dinner for a work call, and his mother was on the phone, leaving just the two of us at the table. He snorted. “Why should I?” “Alright, let’s play a game. If I win, you have to call me ‘big sister’ from now on. If I lose, I’ll go back to the orphanage tomorrow. How about it?” Caleb’s eyes lit up instantly. The comments cheered. [Lynn is digging her own grave! Our ML is a certified genius. Even at seven, he’s way smarter than a normal kid!] [He won a math Olympiad at such a young age, so cool! Hmph, I can’t wait to see Lynn crawl back to the orphanage tomorrow!] Caleb puffed out his small chest, full of confidence. “Fine. What’s the contest?” “Why don’t you choose?” He was proud. My offer immediately triggered his rebellious streak. “You choose! I don’t want you saying I bullied you just to kick you out!” “Then I won’t be polite!” That was exactly what I was waiting for! I pointed a mischievous finger at the dishes on the table. “We’ll see who can finish a plate of food first. Since I suggested the game, you can have the first pick.” Caleb’s face grew serious. He quickly snatched the plate with the least amount of food on it. It was a plate of broccoli. Normally he barely touched the stuff, but the other dishes had too much. The meat would require chewing. He was smart, alright, choosing the one he could finish the fastest. “Your turn!” he declared, certain of his victory. He had carefully surveyed the remaining plates. All of them were piled high, especially the braised pork belly… I reached out and decisively pulled the braised pork belly toward me. “Start!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “389231”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When I was six years old, my parents had my little brother. Crouched in a corner, I saw him get swapped with another baby with my own eyes. I silently switched them back and told no one. Eighteen years later, a boy in ragged clothes and faded jeans ran up to my parents, crying his heart out. “Mom, Dad, you’ve been loving the wrong person! I’m your real son!” 1 When I returned home after closing a hundred-million-dollar deal, the atmosphere was weird. My parents sat silently on the couch. I instinctively looked for my brother, Liam. He wasn’t there. Probably still at school. Upon seeing me, my parents’ grim expressions relaxed a little. “Asher, you’re finally home! Something huge has happened.” Mom hugged me, eyes red. My heart skipped a beat. “What is it?” Dad hesitated before speaking. “Asher, Liam… might not be my son.” I looked at Mom in shock. “What nonsense! Liam isn’t my son either!” Mom looked furious. I narrowed my eyes. “Alright, who’s the idiot spreading rumors that Liam isn’t your kid?” My parents started explaining what happened while I was out closing the deal. It was simple. Just after I left, a boy in shabby, washed-out clothes ran up to my parents. He cried as if his heart was breaking. “Mom, Dad, you’ve been loving the wrong person! That Liam is a fake! His biological father switched us at birth!” Because of this, my parents had been distressed all day. I understood. “So, you believed him? You guys are so gullible. Here, transfer me a hundred million first, let me see just how easy you are to fool.” My parents glared at me and started explaining why they believed him. “You don’t know, he knew Liam’s birth date perfectly, even the attending doctor’s name. He knew everything in detail.” My expression didn’t change. “So what? Lots of people knew that back then.” “And!” Mom paused, then continued, “Remember your grandma’s family heirloom jade bracelet? He has it.” “When Liam was born, your grandma was still alive. She adored him and insisted on tucking that bracelet into his swaddling clothes, saying it was for his future wife.” Dad nodded. “Right. But later, when your grandma remembered the bracelet, she couldn’t find it anywhere. She searched until the day she died and never found it. She regretted it so much.” Their words reminded me of something. When Liam was born, I was six. The nanny took me to the hospital and pointed at Liam, saying this was the new brother Mom and Dad gave me. I liked him a lot and stared at him for a long time. Dad had to go back to the office for something urgent, and Mom fell asleep from exhaustion. The nanny took a call and left in a hurry. I was sleepy too and dozed off in the corner behind the curtain. When I woke up, I saw a man sneaking in. He placed the baby in his arms into my brother’s crib and took my brother away. I rushed out and saw the man enter a room at the end of the hall. I didn’t leave. I waited until the man and a haggard woman in a hospital gown went to a corner to talk. Avoiding their line of sight, I snuck in from their blind spot and switched the babies back. I never told anyone. It happened so long ago that I sometimes thought it was a dream. It felt unreal. I gathered my thoughts. So now, someone has shown up with the jade bracelet Grandma gave Liam to claim his parents? Leaving aside whether the dream was real or not. If it was real, Liam is my brother, the brother I protected with my own hands. If it wasn’t, even better. That means my brother was never switched. I snapped back to reality and looked at my parents. “So, how did you settle him?” Mom pursed her lips, looking a bit guilty. “Remember that villa not far from our house?” “Excuse me?” I couldn’t believe my ears. “You not only gave him a house but one near us? Are you guys okay?” 2 Mom bit her lip. “He’s had a hard life all these years!” I scoffed. “What? Planning to acknowledge him already? Did you do a DNA test?” Silence. “If the test comes back positive…” Dad stopped mid-sentence, his voice choking up. I understood. They were afraid. Afraid it was all true. Afraid their biological son had suffered for eighteen years, and afraid Liam really wasn’t their son. “You must do a DNA test!” I said firmly. “Find time to meet him, collect whatever samples you need, and do it yourselves.” “As for Liam…” I paused. “Keep it from him for now.” Otherwise, he’d be heartbroken. My parents agreed. Whether Liam was their biological son or not, eighteen years of love couldn’t be faked. With a plan in place, my parents were still anxious. “Asher, if, just if, this is true, what about Liam…” I looked up at them seriously. “Then call the police, confess whatever needs confessing. As for the two victims, you figure out the other one. Liam stays with me. I’ll take care of him. Besides, he just turned eighteen. He doesn’t need you anyway.” My parents mumbled something but didn’t speak. Just when I thought we’d get results soon, something happened at Liam’s school. Liam got into a fight. I was surprised. In my memory, Liam was gentle and never got angry with anyone. When I rushed to the school, Liam’s fists were still clenched, his eyes red with rage. My heart skipped a beat, terrified he was hurt. “Liam, are you okay? Are you hurt?” I checked him two or three times, confirming he was fine before relaxing. Liam started complaining the moment he saw me. “Bro, your fiancée, Chloe, that shameless woman is hooking up with another guy!” Chloe Jiang, daughter of the Jiang family. My fiancée by arranged marriage. We didn’t have deep feelings for each other. I agreed to the arrangement only because my first impression of her was decent. Hearing this, I looked at Chloe, whose nose was bruised. “What happened?” Standing next to Chloe was a boy about Liam’s age, wearing clothes washed white with age. They stood close, clearly more than just friends. “Asher, your brother is crazy! Hitting a woman? Is he even a man?” Chloe was furious. “And Matt and I are just friends! Why is he freaking out?” Liam’s fist clenched again, ready to swing. “Stop pretending! I saw you sneak a kiss! Shameless!” I quickly grabbed Liam and looked at the boy next to Chloe. “This is…” His clothes didn’t look like they came from high society, nor did his mannerisms suggest a wealthy upbringing. I had never seen him at any banquet either. Must be a commoner. So how did the Jiang family princess know him? A flash of guilt crossed Chloe’s face. “He… he’s just a friend. We go to the same school, met by coincidence.” Before I could speak, Liam exploded. “Keep pretending! Your lips were practically on his face! I didn’t know the Jiang family had such upbringing. I’m going to ask Uncle and Auntie Jiang about this!” Liam never let me be wronged. He didn’t know our engagement was purely business; he thought I really liked Chloe. Now Liam was all thorns, wanting to prick Chloe to death. The teacher arrived and started discussing a solution. Before I could voice my opinion, Chloe spoke coldly. “If you want to resolve this, fine. Liam hit me, he must apologize!” 3 My gaze fell on Chloe. She seemed exceptionally bold today. “Don’t you know why Liam hit you? You want him to apologize? Where’s your shame?” Chloe’s face turned green then white. Before she could speak, the boy beside her spoke up. “Brother, you misunderstood. Chloe and I are really just friends.” The moment he opened his mouth, the smell of “green tea” (manipulative innocence) overflowed. “Are you shameless? Clucking like a hen? Are you laying an egg? A grown man acting like a green tea bitch!” Chloe frowned and suddenly jumped out, furious. “Asher, enough! Matt is your biological brother! Do you have to humiliate him like this? Let me tell you the truth! The brother you’re protecting so carefully is the fake!” I narrowed my eyes, confirming my suspicions. Before I spoke, Liam exploded again. “Are you psychos? Who the hell isn’t my brother’s brother? Do you have no shame? Haven’t had a brother in eight hundred lifetimes so you come to steal mine?” I didn’t speak, seemingly defaulting to Liam’s words. The next second, Matt’s eyes turned red. Coupled with his decent looks, it was quite striking. Giving off the vibe of someone who suffered a massive grievance. I frowned. Then I heard Chloe’s furious voice again. “Liam, let me tell you the truth. You aren’t a child of the Lin family. You were switched by your biological father! Matt is the real Lin family son!” Matt. That was indeed the name of the boy my parents mentioned. Strange. When did Matt get involved with Chloe? And how much of Chloe’s hand was in this mess? While I was thinking, the murmurs around us pulled me back. Headache. I planned to suppress the news. Now not only did Liam know, but the whole world was about to know. This couldn’t be kept secret anymore. Liam didn’t believe it at first, until Chloe pointed the spear at me. “He’s so capable, he definitely knows. Ask him if you don’t believe me.” Liam looked at me. “Bro, is what she said… true?” I didn’t know what to say to Liam in that moment. Seeing I didn’t answer immediately, Liam understood. His face went pale. I understood. Anyone would panic in this situation. But I would never abandon my brother. 4 The world went silent for a moment, a silence that made Matt uncomfortable. “Brother, Chloe and I really are just friends. We got close because she helped me meet Mom and Dad, giving me a chance to reclaim my identity.” I didn’t speak, just pondered. I wondered how a poor kid like Matt got into my parents’ high-end villa community. Turns out it was Chloe’s doing. Matt didn’t stare at me constantly, but his gaze drifted to Liam now and then. I clearly caught the jealousy in his eyes. I didn’t call him out, just warned him. “Mom and Dad said they’re doing a DNA test tomorrow. They should have told you. Be there on time.” “As for your identity, don’t say anything to me until the results are out. And don’t call me brother.” I pulled Liam behind me and looked at Chloe. “Miss Jiang, I hope one day I can meddle in the Jiang family’s business too.” Implying she was meddling. Chloe exploded instantly, furious. “I was kind enough to help the Lin family, afraid you’d be scammed by a fake, and you’re ungrateful? You don’t know what’s good for you!” “And Matt! Matt is your real brother, yet you only care about a fake. Ridiculous!” Impatience showed in my eyes. “That’s none of your business either!” I didn’t want to tangle with them anymore. I dragged Liam home.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “389248”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I finally had a day off and was trying to sleep in, but my phone was blowing up with spam calls. “You finally picked up… it wasn’t easy finding you…” My morning grumpiness took over. I grabbed the phone and yelled: “Find your mother, you scammer!” “Don’t let me catch you, or I swear I’ll kill you!” A minute later, my doorbell rang. From outside, the same voice I heard on the phone echoed through the door. “Open the door. It wasn’t easy finding you…” 1 I didn’t dare breathe. I tiptoed to the peephole. But when I pressed my eye against it, I saw no one in the hallway. Did I hear it wrong? Just as I was thinking that, the doorbell rang again. Ding-dong, ding-dong—ding-ding-ding-dong!!!! The ringing got faster and faster, but I still couldn’t see a soul. Was he hiding in the blind spot? I was about to call the police when my phone rang at the worst possible moment. It was that scam number again. My head throbbed. I blocked it immediately. But less than a second later, a new, unfamiliar number called. The structure was similar to the last one, just the last digit was different. I blocked it again. Then another new number. Block. Another new number… Like the doorbell, it rang almost without pause. I couldn’t take it anymore. I picked up. Before I could start cursing, a man’s arrogant laughter came from the other end: “Heh heh heh… didn’t you say you wanted me dead? Why aren’t you opening the door now that I’m here?” I froze, slowly turning my head toward the door. The doorbell rang even faster, urging me, and the man’s voice on the phone came through the door simultaneously: “Open up… weren’t you going to kill me? Come on, open the door…” 2 I called the police. But there were no cameras in the hallway. Checking the surveillance at the complex entrance and the elevator yielded nothing. Later, they examined my smart lock and suspected the system had been hacked. “You mean, there was no one at my door just now? It was just that guy making sounds through the hacked system?” “But how did he know where I live?” The older officer frowned, fiddling with the lock. “Since these scammers can get your number, finding your personal info isn’t hard.” “Then arrest him!” The officer stared at me for a moment, then shook his head ruthlessly. “Sorry, the other party hasn’t taken any substantial action yet. We can’t file a case.” I was on the verge of tears. “He already knows where I live and hacked my security system! That’s not substantial action?!” “Does he have to break in and kill me for it to count?” Seeing the awkward atmosphere, the younger officer tried to comfort me. “Don’t worry, our colleagues will keep a close watch on your place for the next few days to ensure your safety.” “Don’t be too nervous. The scammer might not even be local. He probably just wanted to scare you because you cursed him out.” I stayed silent. I knew police procedures, and I wanted to be a good citizen. But what just happened was terrifying. What if it happens again? As a single woman living alone in a strange city, I was genuinely scared. What if the scammer is local? What if I provoked him and he breaks in for revenge? Seeing my concern, the older officer handed me a card. “Ms. Parker, call me anytime if anything happens. I’ll come immediately.” I looked down. The card read “Detective Lee,” with a phone number below. Better than nothing. I sighed and took the card. As Detective Lee was leaving, I asked uneasily, “What if he harasses me through the doorbell system again?” “Record it and call me,” Lee said simply. Suddenly, the younger officer who had already stepped out gasped, tugging at Lee’s sleeve. “Sir, come look at this!” Lee stepped out. As soon as his eyes hit the wall outside my apartment, his face went rigid. “What is it?” I chased after them. My photos were plastered all over the wall. Me leaving the complex, me squeezing into the subway, me entering my office… All taken from various angles, secretly! Some photos had an unknown red liquid on the corners. I hid behind Lee. “W-what is this?!” Lee didn’t speak. He just closed the security door. A nauseating smell of blood hit us. On the door covered in photos, a giant word was written in crimson— DIE! 3 The blood was still slowly dripping down the strokes of the word. “He hasn’t gone far!” Lee shouted as he ran downstairs. “Call for backup!” An hour later, a group of officers was photographing and examining my door. They concluded the blood was animal blood. But that wasn’t comforting because Lee hadn’t caught the guy who posted the photos. The culprit was cautious, wearing a helmet. Even within camera range, his face was obscured. Fortunately, this incident was severe enough for the police to open a case. Lee was frustrated. “There were no photos when we arrived. In less than half an hour, and I didn’t hear a thing!” Back at the station, he emphasized repeatedly: “I’ll have tech support try to trace the virtual number.” “Until then, lock your doors and windows. Contact me immediately if anything feels off.” “Remember, do not act on your own!” After they left, I felt dazed. Just a couple of angry sentences from morning grumpiness led to such severe consequences? If I hadn’t cursed at the scammer, if I had just politely declined… would none of this have happened? Living alone with few friends here, I always lived by the principle of keeping the peace. Usually, I’d swallow any grievance. Why did I have to snap this one time? Lost in thought, I arrived at my door. The police had removed the photos, leaving only the slightly coagulated word “DIE.” I wiped away tears circling in my eyes, went inside, and filled a basin with water. When I came back out, the building security guard, Old Wang, was already scrubbing the blood off my door with cleaning supplies. Seeing me, his eyes were full of concern. “Miss Parker, scared you bad, didn’t it?” The police presence was huge; the whole complex knew about my situation. “Management sent me to see if I could help.” Old Wang was always the most helpful guy in the property management team. “Thanks, Mr. Wang. I’ll do it myself. Sorry for the trouble.” But Old Wang insisted on helping. In the tug-of-war, he dropped his rag. His hand grabbed mine without hesitation. Startled, I pulled away quickly. “Sorry, Miss. See? Concern makes for chaos.” Though he said that, his eyes stared hotly at the hand that had touched mine, completely forgetting the rag on the floor. Suddenly, the elevator dinged. My ex-boyfriend, Chris, and my boss, Mr. Zhao, walked out simultaneously. “Riley, heard you were harassed. Are you okay?” “Riley, the company heard what happened. Are you hurt?” 4 Both were surprised by their simultaneous greeting. They looked at each other, then asked me in unison: “Who is he?” After a brief introduction, I noticed Old Wang’s face darken. Without a word, he picked up the rag and continued scrubbing the blood. Chris’s concerned gaze turned cold when he saw Mr. Zhao. “Riley, when did your company hire new people? Why didn’t I know?” Mr. Zhao smiled, but his eyes were humorless. “It’s normal. Since you’re the ex-boyfriend, Riley doesn’t need to report everything to you.” Mr. Zhao emphasized “ex-boyfriend.” Chris’s face looked like he had eaten a thousand maggots. My head hurt. I didn’t have energy to host. So I issued an eviction order. “I’m fine, just didn’t sleep well. Don’t worry.” Saying that, I snatched the rag from Old Wang, rinsed it in the basin, turning the clear water blood-red. Mr. Zhao noticed a spot of blood on my hand. He took out a tissue and gently wiped it for me, his voice soft. “It’s unsafe for you to live alone. I happen to need a roommate. Move in with me.” The air seemed to freeze. Old Wang and Chris stared intently at my hand being held. Mr. Zhao put the bloody tissue in his pocket. Chris grabbed him, voice cold: “Why are you keeping Riley’s blood? Do you have some fetish?” “Security guard, right? Call the cops, arrest this pervert!” I was shocked by Mr. Zhao’s action too, staring at him blankly. Mr. Zhao replied calmly: “There’s no trash can here. I’m keeping the used tissue to throw away downstairs. Is there a problem?” Chris was speechless. Old Wang took over as if to diffuse the tension. “Give me the trash. I take out the trash for this whole floor.” Just then, my phone rang. It was Detective Lee. “Hello, Detective Lee. Any results?” To avoid unnecessary worry from Chris and the others, I went inside to take the call. On the other end, Lee’s voice was urgent. “Riley, tech support just told me they traced the location of that virtual scam number!” I perked up immediately. “Where is that guy?” Lee didn’t answer directly. “Is it convenient for you to talk?” I was confused. “Yes, why?” Lee said: “According to the trace, that guy is less than 10 meters away from you!” Shocked, I turned around instantly, involuntarily stepping back two steps. Those three men were standing at the door. Three pairs of pitch-black eyes stared at me like slimy snakes wrapped around my body.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “389264”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel