Category: English

I shelled out a million bucks for a rare Platinum Arowana, only for my wife to give it to her intern to feed to stray cats. He even flaunted it on social media: [So grateful for the beautiful and kind Evelyn! Our little Buddy is now a cat who’s eaten a dragon fish~] In the video my friend sent, my wife, Evelyn Hayes, was leaning into the intern, Dylan Miller, both of them cooing over a grubby stray cat, smiling so sweetly. Meanwhile, my prized fish, which was meant to be a gift, lay on the grass, scales ripped off, bloody and unable to move. I immediately called Evelyn. But I tried twenty-something times, and not a single call went through. An hour later, I posted my own update, complete with a video. [Nothing beats a stew made from carefully pampered exotic pets—the dogs just love it!] In the video, all of Evelyn’s expensive exotic pets had been tossed into a large pot, made into a rich stew, and shared among a pack of stray dogs outside the building. 1 Just as I was instructing the household staff to take the contents of the pot out to the nearby strays, Evelyn, who had been missing for hours, stormed back. The rapid clatter of the keypad buttons showed just how agitated she was. “Alex Thorne! Have you lost your mind?!” “Do you have any idea how much effort I put into getting those exotic pets? How precious they are? And you actually ate them all?!” I scoffed, retorting, “Who’s truly lost their mind here?” “Didn’t you casually give away the dragon fish I paid over a million for?” “How is it okay for you to feed cats, but not for me to feed dogs?” “I thought this was your new quirk, you know, buying million-dollar pets just to eat them. So I helped you stew all the exotic pets in the house. Good timing, you’re back just as the stew’s fresh and hot. Want a bowl?” Evelyn choked on her words, a breath catching in her throat. It took a while for the flush to recede from her face. “Isn’t it only natural for cats to eat fish?” “Besides, Dylan just landed a huge order for the company right after getting promoted from intern. I was just rewarding him.” “And once I gave him the fish, how he dealt with it was his business. No one else has a say.” At that, I let out a low chuckle. “Reward?” “Chloe Davis has been working with you since the day you joined the company. She’s done all the grunt work, never a single complaint.” “Funny, I’ve never seen you reward her with anything so extravagant.” I paused, my gaze turning cold. “Or is it that you’re just happy to be generous with my money, giving away things I paid for?” Evelyn was rendered speechless by my retort, but Dylan, who had been lingering behind her, piped up. “It’s just a fish, isn’t it? I’ll pay you back.” “Pay me back?” I craned my neck, sizing him up. “That was a Platinum Arowana worth over two million. Even its shed scales fetch a couple of thousand dollars each.” “Can you even afford it?” Hearing the price, Dylan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “No way! A small fish is worth over two million?!” Seeing his skepticism, I pulled out the payment receipt. He instantly quieted, looking pleadingly at Evelyn. “Evelyn…?” Evelyn was silent for a moment, then patted his hand reassuringly. “You don’t have to pay. I told you it was your reward; you earned it by securing that big deal.” “The company will cover the cost.” Hearing Evelyn constantly claim Dylan had secured a big deal, I grew curious. A two-million-dollar gift, just like that? How massive could this deal be? But I hadn’t heard of Hayes Corporation getting any major new business recently. The next second, Dylan unwittingly enlightened me. “Right, Evelyn, Mr. Thorne even stamped the approval. My bonus is well-deserved…” In an instant, it clicked. So, Evelyn had pulled strings and used my company’s corporate seal without authorization, all to help him gain a foothold in the company. This project hadn’t even passed through my hands, and she’d already given it my seal of approval. “Evelyn Hayes, what project did Thorne Enterprises and Hayes Corporation collaborate on? How is it that I, the CEO, know nothing about it?” “Where did he sign this ‘deal’? On your bed?” Evelyn’s voice suddenly rose. “Alex Thorne! What are you talking about? I’m your wife!” “Dylan secured that project based on his own merit. He couldn’t reach you, so I just stamped it for you. The proposal was genuinely excellent, a win-win collaboration. Would I ever do anything to harm you?” I laughed as if I’d heard the most ridiculous joke. “You still remember you’re my wife?” “I’m a CEO too, and I’m busy, but I don’t spend entire nights away from home like you do.” “And you say you’re ‘working overtime at the office.’ I think you’re more likely ‘playing around’ at the office!” Probably unable to argue back, Evelyn’s face flushed crimson. “You’re absolutely impossible to reason with!” With that, she grabbed Dylan and stormed out of the house. My intense, confrontational demeanor instantly deflated. In elite family marriages, it’s common for couples to appear united but be estranged, with plenty of discreet affairs happening on the side. But I thought Evelyn and I were different. Although we were childhood friends, the Thorne family’s standing far surpassed the Hayes family’s. At the time, countless women were vying to be my fiancée, but I chose her alone. Because she was the only one who didn’t care if I was outstanding, but rather worried if my path to success was arduous. I once believed she loved me too. To get my parents to accept her, I even leveraged my own resources and connections to help the Hayes family rise. At seventeen, I thought true love was invincible, capable of overcoming all odds. But after marriage, as the Hayes family leveraged their connection to the Thornes, skyrocketing to become a top-tier elite family, The Evelyn who was always so gentle and thoughtful with me changed. Perhaps reaching a certain height, she felt she no longer needed the Thorne family’s help. She stopped pretending. She began subtly and unintentionally to distance herself from me, even overtly cheating on me. But no matter. Evelyn Hayes, I’ll make you realize the price of ‘playing around’! 2 Half an hour later, I had the divorce papers sent to her. If Evelyn were a smart woman, she’d understand my stance. The implied message: she could give her lover anything she wanted, just don’t involve me. This was the last shred of dignity I was offering this marriage. But when the papers came back to me, they were nothing but shredded confetti. I knew she was protesting. “Mr. Thorne, Ms. Hayes also asked me to relay a message.” “…” My assistant hesitated, unable to bring himself to speak the words. I knew what he wanted to say; after all, I had taught Evelyn that tactic myself. “Did she say ‘what’s done is done, the deal’s sealed, and if I want to terminate the contract, I’ll have to pay a breach penalty’?” The assistant nodded, his face grim, and added, “And Ms. Hayes said that since you appreciate Ms. Davis so much, Ms. Davis should just come work directly under you at Thorne Enterprises. Hayes Corporation is too small for her talents.” “When I left, I saw that Ms. Davis’s old desk had already been taken by Dylan Miller.” I let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Well done. Truly excellent. She’s certainly the talent I spent five years cultivating.” “Signing contracts behind my back, then swiftly firing the very person I handpicked for her… She’s truly surpassed the master.” Who would have thought I, Alex Thorne, would bring this trouble upon myself? But when I poured everything into teaching her, I certainly never taught her to repay kindness with enmity. The next moment, my gaze turned terrifyingly cold. “Tell the legal department to prepare a lawsuit against Evelyn Hayes for the unauthorized use of Thorne Enterprises’ corporate seal.” “Also, notify the others. They can move.” “Before sunset today, I want to see Hayes Corporation’s stock plummet.” For the next half-hour, I watched my computer screen, observing Hayes Corporation’s stock continually dipping into the red. Seven years of support, twenty-five years of shared life, all to be repaid by her letting some unknown kid publicly humiliate me. As the sun began to set, I finally received Evelyn’s call. I didn’t rush to answer. Call after call, twenty in total, before I unhurriedly picked up. “Alex Thorne, you’re behind the stock, aren’t you?” “Are you crazy? For a fish, you’re abandoning Thorne Enterprises too, aren’t you?” “Hayes Corporation and Thorne Enterprises rise and fall together! What good will this do you?!” I chuckled lightly. “Mind your tone, Ms. Hayes.” “Hayes Corporation is currently teetering on the edge of a cliff. What do you suppose would happen if I gave it another gentle push?” Silence on the other end. After a long pause, Evelyn asked, almost through gritted teeth, “What do you want, then? My dear husband.” Seeing that she had finally recognized her position and softened her tone, I cleared my throat and stated my demands. “Pay three times the project’s breach penalty, as per the contract, and then ban Dylan Miller from the company and blackball him from the entire industry. Do that, and I’ll have them stop.” “Evelyn! I don’t want to leave the company! I just got my promotion!” “You’re the CEO of Hayes Corporation, he’s just your husband! How can he just dismiss me with a single word?!” Dylan grew anxious, no longer caring if I could hear him, loudly and urgently voicing his discontent. Facing his whining, Evelyn seemed to move the phone away slightly. I vaguely heard words like “don’t be silly” and “it’s just a temporary measure.” A temporary measure, is it? Perhaps Evelyn had forgotten how she clawed her way to her current position. Without me, what could she have accomplished? Five minutes passed, and my patience was wearing thin. “Evelyn, there’s only half an hour left until sunset. You’re running out of time.” Evelyn’s voice trembled slightly. “Alex, do you really have to be so ruthless?” Seeing my silence, she understood my meaning. Her voice filled with intense resentment, yet utterly helpless, she said,

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“Are you an animal… always in heat?” Inside the girls’ dorm room, Lily’s cheeks were flushed, her lip bitten, as she writhed gently in my arms, releasing a series of hurried, delicate gasps. “You’re already this hot, still pretending, huh?” I smugly pulled out my finger, then slid it into her mouth, playfully teasing her small tongue. My name is Jake, and I’m a freshman in college. Freshman orientation had just ended a few days ago, and after being cooped up for half a month, I couldn’t wait to sneak into my girlfriend’s dorm. With her and her roommates covering for me, I successfully evaded the dorm supervisor, Ms. Jenkins’ inspection, and managed to stay overnight. After lights out, one hand pulled off my boxers while the other moved down Lily’s body. She pressed down on my invading hand, blushing as she whispered, “If you keep that up, I’ll scream.” “It’s fine, they’re used to it by now.” This wasn’t my first time spending the night in the girls’ dorm. I knew exactly what to do. I got up, pressed her head down towards my pelvis, blocking her mouth with my body. “St-stop… Mmmph…” Without her protests, I lifted Lily’s nightgown, and with a swift tug, ripped off her panties. Just then, I saw Chloe, sleeping on the opposite bed, stir. Was she peeking? I subtly glanced over and clearly saw Chloe’s chest heaving, her mouth slightly ajar, cheeks flushed, eyes hazy as she stared at my lower body, her small hand moving gently inside her sleep shorts. Our eyes met, and I was startled at first, then felt a rush of excitement. Chloe seemed so innocent, but it turned out she had a wild side. Watching Lily and me while pleasuring herself. I didn’t care if Lily noticed Chloe peeking. I grabbed Lily’s legs and spread them, then pounced on her like a wild stallion, my movements unyielding. “Ah… I can’t… Please, spare me…” She cried out until her voice turned to a tearful plea, her body limp, a melting puddle on the bed. The next day, as dawn barely broke, I was dragged out of bed by Ms. Jenkins. By the time I’d been reprimanded and left Dean Thompson’s office, lunch was already over. My bladder was about to burst; I hadn’t peed almost all day. I rushed towards the administration building’s restrooms. But when I reached the men’s room door, I found a sign on the floor with six large words: “Under Maintenance, Please Excuse.” I glanced back at the empty hallway. No choice, I had to use the women’s restroom. But I never imagined that after I finished peeing, before I even had my pants up, a petite girl with her head down pushed open a stall door. I stared in disbelief at the girl before me. It was Chloe. She was probably as stunned as I was, staring blankly at my lower body, frozen for a good ten seconds. Tap, tap, tap. Then, hurried footsteps echoed from outside. Without thinking, I grabbed Chloe and pulled her inside the stall. Immediately after, the adjacent stall door opened. The rustle of clothes, followed by the sound of urine hitting the bowl. The sound wasn’t loud, but in the empty restroom, it was piercingly clear. Chloe squirmed uncomfortably in my arms. I looked down at the delicate little thing, inhaling the faint scent of her hair. One hand slid down her lower back, cupping her incredibly elastic little butt. Probably from all her dance training, Chloe’s derrière wasn’t particularly fleshy, but the sensation was exquisite. Especially when her waist subtly twisted, her legs slightly swayed, the mound under my palm seemed to come alive, moving on its own, firming without me squeezing, shifting slightly, an endless delight. “Mmmph…” Chloe seemed to have little experience. A few casual touches from me sent a whimper from her, her breathing noticeably quickened, her body trembling slightly, completely melting in my arms. If I hadn’t been holding her, she would have collapsed to the floor. Could a girl really be this sensitive? Taking advantage of her inability to resist, I pulled hard with both hands, dragging her pants and underwear down to her knees, then pressed her, rear end exposed, against the stall wall. “N-no… I can’t…” Chloe struggled, using her hands to cover her butt, preventing me from getting my way, while whimpering softly, “I… I’m a virgin, I can’t be deflowered in a place like this…” “Then you’ll use your mouth instead.” Chloe quickly covered her small mouth with her hands. Knock! Knock! Just then, a knocking sound came from the adjacent stall, followed by a girl’s voice, “Chloe, what’s wrong?” It was Ashley, another one of Lily’s dormmates. “N-nothing…” “Why does your voice sound weird? Are you sick?” “Mmmph… Saw… saw a roach…” The toilet flushed next door. Ashley walked out of her stall to wash her hands. “Well, hurry up. I’ll wait for you outside.” Once Ashley left the women’s restroom, Chloe struggled out of my arms, trembling, “I… I can let you take my virginity… but not in a place like this…” With that, she forcefully broke free, pulled up her pants, and exited the stall, looking back at me every few steps. I slowly composed myself, and when the coast was clear, I slipped out too. That night, I waited alone outside the girls’ dorm. My only goal was to release some pent-up energy. But before Lily arrived, her three other dormmates showed up. “Hey, didn’t get enough yesterday? Planning to crash in our dorm again tonight?” “I heard you’re, like, eight inches? Even bigger than some guys… is it true?” It was Ashley who spoke. She was about 5’7″, loved wearing crop tops and tight jeans—the kind of figure that could drive a guy wild. Remembering the “powerful” sound of her peeing in the restroom earlier, my heart stirred. “Of course it’s true. Be careful, I might climb into the wrong bed tonight and ‘accidentally’ take you.” Ashley and another girl burst into laughter, giggling uncontrollably. Only Chloe, deep in thought, blushed scarlet. I looked up at Chloe, thinking that if Lily didn’t show, pulling Chloe to a hotel wouldn’t be a bad idea. Ashley waved a hand in front of my face. “You two have something going on, huh? Giving each other ‘the eye’?” At her words, Chloe’s face turned from a summer tomato red to an autumn eggplant purple. There was definitely something there! But then Ashley added, “Let me tell you, don’t do anything to betray your girlfriend while she’s sick.” “She’s sick?” I blurted out. Ashley countered, “You didn’t know?” “No, I didn’t. I’ll climb through your window to see her after lights out.” A sudden worry seized me, and I forgot about Chloe for a moment. Unlike yesterday, I usually snuck into the girls’ dorm first, hid on Lily’s bed, and waited for the room checks to finish before doing anything. But after being caught this morning, the girls’ dorm was bound to be on high alert. Evading a room check now would be nearly impossible. So, to stay overnight again, there was only one way: climbing through the window. After the room checks were done, I scaled the anti-theft grate on the dorm building. “Quick, open the window!” Lily complained as she helped me open it. “Are you insane? This is the third floor!” “For you, I’d climb thirty floors!” A chorus of groans filled the dorm. Ashley and another girl called me cheesy. “How’s your sickness?” Lily was almost in tears from emotion. “It’s just a common cold.” Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door. Turns out a girl on the second floor hadn’t gone to sleep yet, thought someone was breaking in, and alerted the dorm supervisor. The girls panicked. I was about to hide on Lily’s bed when she pulled me down. “You have a record. Hiding on my bed makes it too easy to find you. Go hide on the bed opposite.” So, I climbed onto Chloe’s bed. Ms. Jenkins stopped in front of Lily’s bed, peering inside by the moonlight. I lay on Chloe’s bed, hardly daring to breathe. But next to me was a girl wearing only underwear, practically spooning me. How could I resist? I quietly put my hand on Chloe’s butt, gently kneading. Her body trembled, but she didn’t make a sound. This made me even bolder. My other hand pushed aside her underwear fabric. “Are you sure no one came into your dorm?” Ms. Jenkins asked. “No one!” “Why isn’t the window closed?” “It was stuffy, so we opened it for some air.” The situation below was tense, but my mind was entirely on the girl in my arms. I gently lifted her right leg, pressing myself against her side. “Mmm…” Chloe let out a soft moan. Ms. Jenkins immediately looked over suspiciously. “What was that?” “Ouch!” Lily was quick to react. Seeing the situation, she immediately crouched on the floor, moaning in pain, “Oh, no, my stomach hurts so bad…wuwu~~~” The girls on the two nearby beds jumped down. “She’s sick, quickly, help her to the campus clinic!” “Why didn’t you say so earlier? Let’s go!” Amidst Ms. Jenkins’ urging, the group hurried out of the dorm. The room returned to quiet darkness. My heart blossomed with glee. I flipped over and pinned Chloe face down on the bed. Then I gripped her slender waist and lifted, her little butt curving high, and with one swift pull, her underwear was gone… “Mmm-hmm… I knew it… something was going on between you and Chloe… Ah…” The girl beneath me arched her hips to meet my thrusts, then twisted her head, revealing a face flushed like a sunset, her eyes full of both reproach and shyness. Even her moans became unbearably sweet, incredibly alluring. “You… you actually… really are eight inches…” I froze, dumbfounded. “Ashley? Is that you?” “What? Disappointed… or… scared… Didn’t you say you were going to take me… Ah…”

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The employee with the worst sales figures at our company had to do a walk of shame wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “Ultimate Loser.” This time, the bottom spot belonged to my wife’s old flame, but she swapped my sales champion numbers with his. Everyone stared, jaws dropped, when they saw I was the one branded the loser. Her golden boy, Spencer, just smirked, tossing the shirt at me. “A bet’s a bet. You’re not gonna chicken out, are ya?” My wife, Chloe, secretly texted me: “Do me a favor, Liam. Spencer’s sensitive; a stunt like this could mess him up psychologically. You’re different. You’re the sales king, thick-skinned. This is nothing for you. If you do this, I’ll finally agree to have a baby with you.” I didn’t respond. She got impatient, stood up, and slammed her hand on the table. “This rule was set a long time ago! Either wear it or expect your pay and bonus to be docked. Your money or your pride, your choice.” A grin spread across my face as I tossed my employee ID on the table. “Sorry, I choose to quit. I’m done with you, and I’m done with this company.” 1 The moment I said it, the entire room went into shock. Everyone knew I’d been the sales champion for five years straight. I’d brought in almost all the company’s business. Me leaving was like cutting off the company’s lifeblood; the whole place would probably collapse. An employee immediately spoke up for me: “Ms. Lin, Liam’s been our top seller for so many years. It’s just one slip-up. Does he really need to be punished like this?” My wife, Chloe Lin, kept a stern face, her fingers flying across her phone, texting me. But I just placed my phone face down on the table, not even glancing at it. An older colleague I was close to got anxious, giving me a look that screamed, “Just apologize, man!” “Liam, if you two want to fight, do it at home. Don’t bring your drama to work.” But he didn’t get it. This time, I was dead serious. I’d helped Chloe build this company from the ground up. I’d hustled for every single client. But I barely saw any of the money, and after seven years of work, closing countless major deals, I was still just a junior manager. Every time a promotion came up, she’d talk about retaining talent and then give the supervisor position to someone else. “Honey, we’re married. What’s mine is yours. It’s just a title; we don’t need that.” I believed her. I watched her go through ten supervisors in five years, none of them me. This was our seventh year of marriage. On our anniversary, she got drunk and excitedly promised: “Honey, if you’re the sales champion one more time, the supervisor position is yours.” I worked like a man possessed, fueled by adrenaline, and secured first place by a landslide. I thought it was a sure thing this time. But then her old flame, Spencer Thorne, was suddenly parachuted in, taking the position that should have been mine. I confronted her. She explained: “Spencer has a Ph.D. from overseas. I paid a fortune to recruit him. He’s better suited to manage the company than you are.” She urged me to prioritize the company’s interests. Seeing Spencer’s fancy degree, I gritted my teeth and swallowed it. But what happened? A quarter later, Spencer, the whiz kid she had such high hopes for, was at the bottom of the performance chart, doing worse than a newbie who’d only been there for half a month. This time, I’d planned to use his failure as an opportunity to reclaim the supervisor role. I never imagined Chloe would abuse her power to swap our numbers just to protect Spencer, even trying to force me into this humiliating public display. This was just too much! The atmosphere in the conference room was incredibly awkward. No one dared to speak. Chloe, seeing I wasn’t replying to her messages, was getting anxious and was about to say something. Spencer, mimicking me, took off his ID badge and, feigning distress, said: “Forget it, I’ll be the one to leave. It’s all my fault for insisting on following the rules and upsetting everyone.” “Liam was the former sales champ, and he’s Ms. Lin’s husband. I really should have shown him more respect.” “It’s all my mistake. I’ll apologize to him right now.” With that, he raised his hand and slapped himself across the face. The crisp sound of the slap echoed, stunning everyone. My phone wouldn’t stop vibrating. Watching Chloe fuss over Spencer, comforting him, I curiously opened my phone. A small group chat was buzzing with activity. “There goes Spencer, the drama king, with his little act again. I really don’t get why Ms. Lin made him a supervisor. No talent, but so arrogant.” “Last time, Ms. Lin snatched my deal and gave it to him. He was so high and mighty, not only did he piss off the client, but he also blew the deal.” “And Ms. Lin didn’t even blame him! She called me in and chewed me out for half an hour, saying my clients were low-class and if I brought in any more like them, I’d be fired.” Suddenly, a cough was heard, and the chat went silent. Clearly, someone realized I was in the group and clammed up. I raised an eyebrow. Chloe had previously asked me to introduce my clients to Spencer, which I’d refused. I hadn’t realized she’d actually stoop to pressuring employees to hand over their clients to help Spencer boost his numbers. This was her “highly educated talent”? This was her idea of fairness and justice? Her bias was so blatant, yet she still talked to me about what was best for the company, for our family. As I saw it, she was only doing what was best for her love life! Chloe, still unaware of this, spent a good while whispering sweet nothings to calm Spencer down. Then she turned to me, her voice sharp: “Who hasn’t been the ‘Ultimate Loser’ at some point?” “You weren’t born a sales champion either. Back in the day, you were fine doing frog jumps on the street wearing the ‘Ultimate Loser’ shirt. What’s wrong now?” “I think you’ve gotten a big head now that you’re older.” She criticized me mercilessly in front of our colleagues, assuming I’d cave like before, out of respect for our marriage and to save her face. Little did she know, I had a temper too. She was the one who broke faith first; she couldn’t blame me for not playing along. I smirked and threw down the printouts of the real data I’d prepared. They clearly showed my performance miles ahead in first place, while Spencer was the one at the bottom. I said calmly: “If I had lost, I’d own up to it. But I will not take the fall for someone else.” “Everyone, take a good look. Who’s the real ‘Ultimate Loser’ here?” 2 Sheets of paper fluttered through the air. Everyone present saw the contents and their mouths fell open in shock. They hadn’t expected Chloe’s favoritism towards Spencer to go this far. Many shot me sympathetic glances. Realizing the truth was out, Chloe’s face changed. She slammed the papers onto her secretary’s face, fuming: “Are you blind? I asked you to print some data, and you managed to screw it up this badly?” “Pack your things and get out now!” The secretary was stunned. “Ms. Lin, it wasn’t me, I didn’t…” She started crying, but before she could even explain, HR dragged her out to be fired. But everyone knew Chloe was just putting on a show, scapegoating the secretary. Seeing Chloe about to dismiss the meeting, I held up the “Ultimate Loser” T-shirt. “Hang on, the shirt hasn’t been worn yet. Where’s everyone going?” Spencer’s face was ashen; he looked like he was about to bite his lip until it bled. But I wasn’t about to let him off the hook. “What’s wrong? Now that it’s your turn, Supervisor Spencer isn’t so keen on following procedure?” The downtrodden employees’ eyes lit up, and they chimed in: “Come on, Spencer, it’s just a T-shirt. No big deal.” “Yeah, we’ve all worn it. You need to set an example, Supervisor Thorne.” Seeing Spencer cornered, Chloe’s face fell, her concern obvious. She slammed her phone down on the table. She seemed to be yelling at the employees, but her words were clearly meant for me: “Have you made your calls? Done your client follow-ups? All you do all day is engage in this infighting. If you have this much energy, why not go close a few more deals?” “Meeting adjourned!” She really was protective of Spencer. Back when Spencer’s cronies were ganging up on me, she said internal competition was a good thing. Now that Spencer was the one being cornered, she sang a different tune. Seven years of marriage, ending up like this. It was utterly pointless. All eyes were on me. I led the way out of the conference room but didn’t go back to my desk. Instead, I walked straight out of the company. Chloe saw this and, ignoring the strange looks from everyone, rushed after me. When we were alone, she grabbed my arm, her tone softening. “I’m sorry, honey. I was wrong.” “You know, Spencer is a supervisor I personally promoted. If he seems incompetent, the employees will question my judgment, won’t they?” “I was afraid they’d badmouth me, so I just had a moment of foolishness. Can you give me another chance?” It was always like this. In public, she played the strict boss; in private, she was the gentle wife, cooing and apologizing, making me give in time and time again. But after this, I would never believe her lies again. “Don’t say any more. I…” I started to speak, intending to refuse, but was cut off by a ringing phone. She answered it, then hurriedly thrust a card into my hand. “Honey, here’s your debit card back. I won’t control your finances anymore.” “Take some time off to rest. Don’t worry, I’ve got things covered at the company.” She rushed back into the company building. I didn’t get a chance to tell her that this time, I was really leaving and wouldn’t be giving her another chance. I drafted my resignation letter, and just as I was about to send it, a client called. His father was sick, and he was out of town and couldn’t get back. I immediately drove to his house, took his father to the hospital, got him water, and ran errands. Chloe thought a fancy degree was all it took to close deals. She didn’t understand that we were in a service industry. Clients could take their projects anywhere. What they valued most was the personal connection, the emotional labor. I had deep, life-long bonds with my clients. These were connections no one else could poach. I stayed at the hospital until the client’s family arrived, then left. After a busy day, I randomly stopped at a mall, planning to grab a bite. And there I saw Chloe and Spencer, arm in arm, shopping. Spencer’s friends were teasing him. “Spencer, you landed a rich and beautiful girlfriend! Why’d you wait so long to introduce us?” Chloe shyly lowered her head. “Work’s been so busy. My treat today, to make it up to everyone. Don’t hold back, eat up!” As she finished speaking and was about to lead them into a restaurant, her eyes suddenly met mine. She flinched and instantly let go of Spencer’s arm. 3 “So sorry, something came up. Let’s do this another time.” Chloe quickly apologized and had Spencer send his friends away. Once everyone was gone, she followed me into the restaurant and sat down opposite me, explaining: “Honey, don’t misunderstand. I was thinking about how you were wronged today, so I wanted to buy you some new clothes to make up for it.” “I was worried I’d pick something you wouldn’t like, so I asked Spencer to help me choose.” Saying this, she handed me the bag she was holding. “Didn’t you say your clothes were too low quality? See, I bought you something nice.” I opened it and looked at the tag. Over $1,500. Expensive, indeed. But it wasn’t my size. A men’s small. Only someone with Spencer’s lanky build could fit into it. This was clearly bought for Spencer. She buys me $9.99 T-shirts but shells out over a grand for Spencer. What a great wife. I couldn’t be bothered with her and called the waiter to order. Chloe interjected, “Let me handle small things like this.” She rattled off a list of dishes, all my favorites. Then she came behind me, massaging my shoulders, gently pouring me wine. She even blew on a piece of freshly cooked pork belly to cool it before placing it in my bowl. The waiter serving us remarked, “Your wife is so thoughtful.” But I just found it laughable. It was only when I closed a big deal, or when she needed something from me, that I received this kind of meticulous care. I used to find this public-private contrast of hers rather charming, quite interesting. But thinking about it now, she was just incredibly utilitarian. Perhaps she never loved me at all. She was with me only for what I could provide. I opened my mouth, “Chloe, we…” The word “divorce” was still on my lips when she stuffed a piece of cantaloupe into my mouth. “This melon is so sweet, you have to try it.” Spencer, waiting on the side, was getting antsy. He kept making faces at Chloe. “Chloe, isn’t there something you forgot to say?” Chloe paused, her tone softening even more. “Honey, you’ve been so tired lately. It’s time for you to take a break. While you’re resting, let Spencer handle your clients.” “Don’t worry, the commission will still be yours. You won’t lose out.” I put down my chopsticks. Sure enough, when someone’s too nice for no reason, they’re usually up to no good. I knew it. Every bit of kindness she showed me came with strings attached. Seeing my expression darken, Chloe meekly peeled an orange for me, coaxing, “As a senior employee, you should also give the newcomers a chance to learn and grow, right?” I sneered, “Sure.” Chloe was overjoyed, thinking I’d agreed. I spread my hands. “Once I resign, all my clients will be his anyway.” With that, I immediately typed up my resignation announcement and posted it on my professional networking site. Less than ten seconds after I posted it, my phone started buzzing like crazy. 4 “Are you insane? I haven’t approved your resignation! How could you just post it online?” Chloe was instantly furious. Before she could even scold me, her own phone exploded with notifications. She scrambled to reply to each one: “So sorry, just a little spat between husband and wife. Don’t mind us.” “Resign? No way. He might leave the company, but he wouldn’t leave his family, would he?” “He’s just throwing a bit of a tantrum. I’ll talk him around.” I didn’t give her any face. I turned and walked out. Chloe wanted to chase after me but was stopped by the waiter to pay the bill. By the time she got outside, I was long gone. Chloe completely panicked. She called me 99 times. I didn’t answer. Then came a flood of apology texts. “Honey, I was just spitballing. You could have just said no.” “Please, please reply. Don’t give me the silent treatment, okay?” I hung up on her call again. But then, I unexpectedly received a message from Spencer. Curious, I opened it. It was a log of his chats with Chloe. Chloe, who with me couldn’t go three sentences without talking about work, was chatting with him daily about food, drinks, and everyday life. Just as I finished reading, Spencer sent more: photos of them on vacation together, and expensive gifts Chloe had bought him. “Liam, you didn’t know, did you? Chloe and I never really broke up.” “She even paid for my studies abroad.” “Speaking of which, I should thank you for working so hard. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” No wonder Chloe was always “traveling for business” to the US in previous years. Turns out she was going on dates with Spencer. I checked the balance on the debit card she’d “returned” to me. Only a few hundred bucks left. I then checked the transaction history. It was full of large transfers and charges from romantic restaurants. Clearly, she’d been using my money to support Spencer, and then had the gall to use his education to put me down. I didn’t respond to Spencer’s provocations. Instead, I forwarded the records to my lawyer. Then I replied to my clients, one by one: “Yes, I’ve resigned. And I’m planning to get a divorce.” A woman like that? Good riddance. After replying, a major client tipped me off: “Is Spencer Thorne from your company? Liam, old buddy, you’ve really fallen on hard times if even a greenhorn like him dares to try and poach your clients.” To help Spencer, Chloe actually dared to use my client list, to steal my deals. She’d truly shed her last shred of dignity. Since that was the case, I decided to play along and see who would be the real winner in the end. The moment I had the client pretend to agree to her advances, Chloe’s calls and messages trying to win me back stopped. The next day, Chloe messaged me directly, telling me to come to the company to process my resignation. I didn’t say much, just hailed a cab and went. In the office area, Chloe was popping champagne. “A major client is renewing their contract today! This is all thanks to Spencer. Therefore, I’ve decided to promote Spencer to Director, effective immediately.” Chloe led the applause. But most people just looked at me, heads down, and the applause was sparse and reluctant. Seeing me arrive, Chloe raised an eyebrow, her demeanor changing. She looked down at me condescendingly. “Liam, let me tell you, without this company, you’re nothing.” “You see now, anything you can do, Spencer can do too.” “I advise you to just swallow your pride, apologize, admit you were wrong. If I’m feeling generous, I might even let you come back.” Spencer jumped in to smooth things over, laughing. “Liam is your husband, after all, and he’s worked diligently for so many years. It really isn’t fair that he’s been stuck as a junior manager.” “How about we give him a supervisor position? He can work under me. I’ll be sure to mentor him.” Chloe smiled and clapped, praising Spencer’s generosity, then threw a contract in front of me with a 90/10 split. “From now on, for any deal you close, he gets ninety percent, you get ten.” “Sign it, and the supervisor position is yours. If you don’t agree, then you can just resign.” Two documents lay before me. She thought I would compromise. Instead, I picked up the resignation form and signed it. “Please expedite the processing, make it urgent.” Chloe’s face turned utterly ugly. She was about to yell at me when the major client arrived. She glared at me. “Liam, when all your clients have been poached by Spencer, we’ll see what leverage you have left to be so arrogant with me.” She and Spencer went forward, all smiles, to shake hands. “Mr. Peterson, you’re here to renew your contract, right? This way, please.” The major client walked over to me and smiled. “Actually, I’m here to terminate our contract.” “Oh, and by the way, 56 other clients have authorized me to terminate their contracts as well.”

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1 “What wedding? Who are you marrying?” “Didn’t I just tell you? I won’t even think about marriage until the company’s stable.” Brooke appeared behind me so silently I didn’t even notice. Her brow was subtly furrowed, and a flush still lingered on her cheeks. “So that’s what you meant by that French phrase?” I asked, my voice flat. “What else? I told you to learn French, but you just wouldn’t listen. If you hate these business dinners so much, just go home. Otherwise, everyone else can’t really let loose.” Brooke’s eyes were slightly glazed, but her voice held an undeniable force, brooking no argument. “Yeah, Alex, if you can’t even handle a single drink, you might as well retreat from the battlefield now,” Kyle chimed in. “As for Brooke, I’ll make sure she gets home in one piece. Don’t worry about her.” Kyle, I realized, had already slung an arm around Brooke’s shoulders. He eyed me, a smirk playing on his lips, his gaze brimming with open challenge. Brooke even chimed in, “Kyle’s right. Your stomach practically stages a rebellion if it even smells alcohol. Just head home, don’t spoil the fun for everyone else.” Listening to the laughter ringing through the private room, I couldn’t help but let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. Among the socialites Grandfather had lined up for an arranged marriage, I’d casually picked one. At three A.M., the city was utterly silent. I waited at home until well past three. Only then did I hear movement outside the door. Opening the door, I was met with Kyle, and a flushed, almost radiant, Brooke. “Oh, Alex, you’re still up? Well, since you are, could you do me a favor and clean up my sister for me?” He dangled a set of keys, a victor’s smirk on his face, and turned to leave. Only then did I realize: Brooke had given him a key to our home too! Staring at Brooke, reeking of alcohol, my stomach churned with fury, but I had no choice but to get her settled first. As I laid her on the bed, my gaze snagged on a crimson mark on her chest. The faint, lingering mark made my brows instantly knit together. I had a sickening premonition of what it was. But just as my fingertips brushed her collar, a hand suddenly gripped mine. “Husband…” When I opened my eyes, Brooke was pressed against me. Her eyes were glazed, and her voice, thick with desire, whispered my name. But before I could even reply, I heard her next words. “Kyle, don’t leave me.” Brooke’s voice was laced with a sob, and she slumped heavily against me. The scent of men’s cologne, clinging to her hair, assaulted my nostrils. It was Kyle’s signature scent: Dior Sauvage. My stomach churned violently. I stumbled to the trash can, gagging dryly. But as I straightened up, I saw the crimson mark clearly. My mind buzzed with a deafening roar. In a self-destructive frenzy, I lifted her and plunged her into the bathtub, frantically trying to wash her clean. But the sticky white residue on her underwear screamed the truth. She was utterly tainted, and no amount of washing could make her clean again! Only then did I understand what Kyle had meant by “could you do me a favor and clean up” before he left. That night, I didn’t sleep a wink. When Brooke finally stirred awake, the floor around me was littered with cigarette butts. “Alex, are you insane? I was just celebrating with Kyle and the others! You actually stripped me naked and left me to soak in the tub all night! If you wanted to kill me, you could have just said so!” Her face was contorted with fury, a dark scowl fixed as she stood in the bathroom doorway. The crimson mark on her chest seared my eyes once more. Brooke followed my gaze, her eyes finally landing on the hickey. The fierce glare in her eyes instantly morphed into a flicker of guilt. “What are you staring at? It’s just a mosquito bite.” She stammered an explanation, haphazardly grabbing a bath towel to cover herself. But the truth, now laid bare, couldn’t be hidden. After taking a deep breath, I uttered the words, “It’s over. Let’s break up.” Brooke’s movements froze. She stared at me, dumbfounded. “What did you say? Just because of this little mark, you’re breaking up with me? Have I been too good to you lately? Is that why you’ve gotten so arrogant? Don’t forget, I’m the one who’s been supporting you!” Brooke’s accusations tumbled out, one after another. I simply laughed. Yes, she signed my paychecks. Even the underwear I was wearing was bought with her card. But she seemed to forget: she owed her success today to me, to every single drink I’d downed, to the point of ruining my stomach, to secure her deals! For six years with Brooke, I’d sacrificed a substantial family fortune back home. Ignoring my family’s disapproval, I’d moved across the globe with her to build a business. During our toughest times, we lived in a cramped studio apartment, surviving on stale instant meals. Every night, we’d fall asleep to the sound of our neighbor’s snoring. Even then, our relationship remained as loving as ever. Now that we’d finally achieved success, she was utterly captivated by the allure of late-night indulgence! Why had Kyle, who’d been out of the picture for years, suddenly resurfaced? What was his agenda? Everyone knew, but Brooke was lost in a delusional fantasy. The clothes strewn across the floor were a chaotic mess, mirroring the turmoil in my heart. At this point, it no longer mattered who was right or wrong. I stubbed out my cigarette, then brushed past her. I pulled out my suitcase and began packing my clothes. That single action ignited Brooke’s temper. She ripped the clothes I’d just packed, one by one, out of the suitcase and threw them to the floor. “What do you think you’re doing?! I haven’t agreed! You can’t just break up with me!” She shrieked, her voice raw, looking utterly unhinged, like a banshee. She smashed our matching mugs on the floor, and a shard sliced through my pants leg. I ignored it, merely offering a bitter laugh in return. “You’ve already got someone new. Why are you still clinging to an old flame like me? Do I need to pull out evidence of your romantic rendezvous before you’ll let go? Wouldn’t it be better if we ended things civilly? With some dignity?!” Brooke was red-faced with rage, until I pointed to the floor. Only then did she notice the pink underwear in the corner, a patch of dried white fluid still clinging to it. Brooke’s head snapped towards me, her face utterly drained of color. “Alex, it’s not what you think…” Her mouth hung open, her mind racing to find an explanation. But a ringing phone shattered her desperate thoughts. She glanced at the caller ID, her brow furrowing deeply. After hanging up, she became visibly agitated. “Kyle was in a car accident on his way home. I have to go bail him out now. As for what happened today, I’ll explain when I get back!” With that, Brooke haphazardly threw on a jacket and stormed out the door, abandoning our fight mid-sentence. Watching her hasty retreat, in that moment, I felt like nothing more than a clown. The phone in the living room suddenly rang. It was Grandfather, calling long-distance. “Alex, the arranged marriage is set for five days from now. I’ll handle everything; you just need to show up! And the private jet to pick you up arrives tomorrow morning. If you dare to play games with me again, Alex, I’ll find a new heir for the Hayes empire!” Grandfather’s voice was firm and unwavering. As soon as he hung up, a flight confirmation text came through. I sighed heavily, looking at the time. Originally, I’d planned to leave tonight, but since Grandfather had his own arrangements, I’d follow his lead. It also gave me time to thoroughly clear out the apartment, completely severing all ties with Brooke. That night, Brooke never returned. Only after clearing out all my belongings did I realize my thigh had a deep gash. It must have happened when Brooke was throwing her fit earlier. To prevent infection, I hastily stopped the bleeding, intending to go to the hospital for proper disinfection and bandaging. But when I got to the garage, I found Brooke had taken the car. All that was left in the garage was Brooke’s newly purchased, ice-berry colored Ferrari. I figured I’d temporarily use her car to get to the hospital. To my dismay, the moment I opened the car door, a foul, nauseating stench assaulted me, so strong it nearly choked me! The interior was a chaotic mess, splattered everywhere with an unidentified white fluid! The framed photo that used to hang on the rearview mirror was smashed, casually tossed in a corner. Only then did I understand why Brooke hadn’t taken her own car. I picked up the photo from the floor. In the picture, Brooke stood in front of the Ferrari, one hand resting on the hood, the other wrapped around my waist. Her red lips were parted in a brilliant, beaming smile. We’d taken this when we picked up the car. I remembered her exclaiming then, “I have it all—success and love! I, Brooke, am the happiest woman in the world!” The past replayed. Her excited voice still faintly echoed in my ears. But as the echoes faded, everything had changed irrevocably. On the photo, my face had been ripped off, and my body was marked with a huge ‘X’. I knew this was Kyle’s way of taunting me. But none of that mattered. I was leaving the country tomorrow anyway. From then on, they could be as ‘deeply in love’ as they wanted! The most urgent thing now was to get to the hospital. Seeing the wrecked car, I hesitated to get in. But taxis were impossible to find in the suburbs at 4 AM, and the gauze on my thigh was already starting to bleed through. Left with no choice, I hastily cleared the driver’s seat. Enduring the disgusting smell, I drove all the way. By the time I reached the hospital, dawn was just breaking. I dragged my blood-stained leg, painstakingly climbing the steps, only to run head-on into Brooke, who was helping Kyle out. “What are you doing here?” I asked. Before I could reply, Kyle cowered slightly behind Brooke. He spoke first, quickly. “Alex, you’re not here to catch us, are you? Brooke and I really didn’t do anything. She just saw I was in an accident, so she came to take care of me.” Kyle raised his arm, extending it towards me. His smooth arm had not a single speck of blood, just a few minor scratches at most. “That’s your so-called accident? What, did you crash into a toy car?” I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm, enduring the throbbing pain in my leg. Kyle, however, acted as if he’d been grievously wronged, tugging on Brooke’s sleeve, his eyes welling with tears. “Brooke, I haven’t even said anything, and look at Alex… he’s being so mean.” Her precious darling’s brow furrowed, and Brooke instantly melted with concern. She quickly explained the origin of my injury to Kyle, telling him to stop talking. “Oh, I see… But how could just a mug leave such a large gash?” Kyle gave me a sly, knowing smile. “Maybe Alex just wants you to feel sorry for him, Brooke, deliberately worsening his injury? It’s a classic sympathy play!” At his words, everyone in the medical room turned to stare at me. But Kyle continued. “Brooke, think about it: how could a mere ceramic shard cause such a huge gash? And it just happened to be the hospital you brought me to? Isn’t that just too convenient? He clearly wanted you to find him! And he even drove that pink Ferrari specifically…” His words seemed to make everything click for Brooke. Her brow furrowed, and the last vestiges of guilt vanished from her eyes. “You’d actually stoop to such manipulation just to gain my favor?! And to think I just apologized, begging for your forgiveness. Alex, you’ve truly disappointed me! From today onward, I’m cutting off all your cards. You can stay home and reflect until you finally understand!” With that, she stood up from her chair, pulling Kyle with her towards the door. Before leaving, Kyle even flipped me off. Seeing this, the onlookers all cast judgmental glances my way. “Times have really changed. Even men are this manipulative now…” They murmured among themselves, but I didn’t care in the slightest. Grandfather’s driver, sent to pick me up for the airport, had arrived. When I exited the hospital, the driver was waiting at the entrance. He stepped out of the car and walked respectfully towards me. Just as he reached for my luggage, he realized I had nothing behind me. “Mr. Hayes, no luggage?” “None, and I don’t need any.” Perhaps sensing my mood, he said nothing more. The moment I stepped onto the private jet, a familiar scent enveloped me. This was the jet Grandfather had gifted me on my tenth birthday. Even the interior decor was exactly as I’d left it. Noticing my leg injury, the flight attendant thoughtfully covered me with a blanket. Just before the jet took off, my phone suddenly rang. It was Brooke. “Alex, what is the meaning of this?! And why did you clear out all your stuff?! What, are you running away from home now?! I already told you, there’s nothing going on with Kyle and me! Stop making a scene, you’re exhausting me…” Outside, clouds drifted lazily, but my weariness remained. After a long pause, I replied, my voice hoarse, “I’m tired too. So, let’s break up. You and Kyle can have a wonderful life. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other.” With that, I hung up, and didn’t wake until the plane touched down ten hours later. Back home, Grandfather was already waiting at the door, leaning on his cane. The moment he saw me, he delivered a resounding slap across my face. “So, you finally decided to come back! You abandoned an old man like me in the States for three years, all for a woman, completely disregarding me!” The slap was loud, but I felt no pain on my face. I knew Grandfather had held back. After so many years away, he, an old man, was surely seething inside. I bent my knees, dropping to the floor, and bowed deeply, touching my forehead to the ground. “Grandfather, I was wrong. From now on, your grandson will stay by your side, never straying again.” At that bow, Grandfather’s eyes suddenly reddened. He gestured to Mr. Sterling to help me up. “You’re hurt?” He squinted, noticing my unsteady movement as I stood. Seeing my obedient nod, his anger instantly dissipated. With a sweeping gesture, he immediately called for a wheelchair and pressed me into it. “You’re a grown man, but still so reckless! You’re staying in this wheelchair until your leg heals!” Grandfather’s voice was stern, but my nose stung, on the verge of tears. I knew he was worried about me. Mr. Sterling wheeled me back into the house. Three years I’d been gone. My room remained untouched, just as I’d left it. “Master Alex, you don’t know how heartbroken the Patriarch has been these past years without you,” Mr. Sterling continued, his voice thick with emotion. “The year you first left, the Patriarch was so furious he wanted to throw out everything of yours in the house. But after we gathered your things, he made us put everything back exactly where it was. Though he never said it aloud, we all knew he just couldn’t bear to let them go. Later, when you still didn’t return for so long, the Patriarch came here almost every night, just to sit.” Mr. Sterling wiped away a tear. And my own tears, held back for so long, finally broke free. “How has Grandfather’s health been these past few years?” “The Patriarch’s health… it’s been the same, but…” He pressed his lips together, remaining silent for a long moment. I immediately sensed something was wrong. “I’m back now. What can’t you say?” After careful consideration, Mr. Sterling spoke. “Business has been tough these past few years. And those old rivals, it’s said they’ve made a resurgence in the last six months. The Patriarch hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep because of this for a long time.” Only then did it click for me. Grandfather first mentioned the arranged marriage six months ago! “So…” “Yes, Master Alex. You delayed for six months, and the Patriarch simply endured for six months…” Hearing that, a fresh wave of guilt washed over me. I slapped myself, hard, several times. “Master Alex, don’t do that…” Mr. Sterling rushed forward to stop me, gripping my hand, pleading. “Mr. Sterling, don’t stop me. I deserve this! Grandfather raised me single-handedly, yet after I finished my education, I left him, a man in his sixties, to fight alone. I’m utterly despicable!” Thinking this, I wanted to slap myself again, but Grandfather, who had just pushed open the door, stopped me. “Since you’ve been so disobedient, you’ll come with me tomorrow to meet your fiancée! Don’t you dare disappoint me again this time.” Grandfather stood in the doorway, leaning on his cane. His snow-white hair was neatly combed behind his ears. This time, I meekly lowered my head and obeyed. After seeing Grandfather back to his room, I realized my phone was still off. Upon turning it on, a flood of messages deluged me. Texts, missed calls, messenger app notifications… Brooke had apparently tried every single app she could to reach me. The most recent message was from three minutes ago. She’d drafted a lengthy rant, condemning my sudden disappearance. But at that moment, I had no desire to read it. I opened every app, blocking her account one by one. Just as I deleted her last account, a call squeezed its way onto my screen. It was Brooke. After a long hesitation, I answered. The longer you linger in a relationship, the messier it gets. It was better to use this opportunity to sever ties completely. The moment the call connected, Brooke’s distraught voice crackled through the receiver. “Alex! Why did you block all my accounts?! Do you have any idea how frantic I’ve been?! I borrowed everyone’s phone just to reach you!” I remained silent. Brooke took a shaky breath, trying to compose herself. “I know you’re angry about Kyle, but I’ve already told him it’s over, we’re done. Please, come back. I know I messed up. Don’t leave me. I swear, if you come back, we’ll get married!” She pleaded desperately, crying like a helpless little girl. Her usual assertive demeanor vanished, revealing a vulnerable, ‘little woman’ side. But it was too late. My love for her had completely eroded. Now, all I wanted was to ease Grandfather’s burdens, even if it meant sacrificing my own lifelong happiness. “Brooke, I’ve already accepted the arranged marriage my family set up for me. Please, don’t bother me again.” My voice was level, but Brooke shattered. “You’re lying! You said you’d only ever marry me! You said you’d only get married to me! You can’t just go back on your word!” She shrieked, like an unreasonable child. I sighed deeply. “Yes, I did say I’d only marry you. But didn’t you already give me your answer at that celebration party?” Brooke froze, recalling her own words, and instantly stammered. “You… you know French now?” I managed a bitter, twisted smile. “The first time you looked down on me for not understanding French, I went and learned it. You just never bothered to notice the change.” Brooke was instantly speechless. She’d minored in French during her studies in the States. So when I accompanied her to meet her classmates, they all conversed in French. As an economics major, I felt completely out of place among them. That was also the first time Brooke had ever made me feel inadequate. To fit into her social circle, I began teaching myself French. But after that, Brooke never took me to meet her friends again. She said it was for my own good. Because of the language barrier, she was worried I’d feel too awkward as an outsider. I tried to explain, even spoke to her directly in French in front of her. But with a single dismissive comment – ‘just showing off’ – she negated all my efforts. Brooke clearly remembered all that had transpired before. “I really was thinking of you back then. I was worried you’d feel isolated, so I just…” She stammered incoherently, trying to defend herself, but I cut her off with a single sentence. “Enough, Brooke. Just stop. I know you didn’t want me to meet your classmates because of Kyle.” Brooke fell silent once more. I knew about Kyle’s existence from the very beginning. Kyle was Brooke’s classmate from college back home, and he’d also come to the States to study the same major as her. Before she met me, they’d had a passionate, tumultuous romance. Anyone could have found that out with a little digging. Plus, Brooke was terrible at hiding her affection. Even when Kyle simply stood before her, her adoration would spill from her eyes. That’s why, every time I met Kyle, every time we clashed, she’d predictably chosen him every single time. With her deepest secret exposed by me, Brooke finally spoke the truth. “Yes, I like Kyle, but anyone with eyes can see he’s only after my money. So I never considered marrying him. I only ever wanted to marry you. We’ve been together for so many years. You can’t just walk away.” “But that’s no excuse for cheating.” My voice grew colder, tearing away her last shred of pretense. “And you only wanted to marry me because I could make you money, and my family background was the pinnacle you could reach after weighing all your options. But Brooke, love isn’t something you weigh pros and cons against. From now on, I will be the absolute best you’ll ever find, and you will be the absolute lowest standard I’ve ever had in a relationship.” Brooke didn’t reply, but I heard a pounding on her end of the line. It was Kyle. “Brooke, open the door! Don’t ignore me! Alex may not want you, but I still do! You don’t have to be heartbroken over that two-timing jerk! He’s already planning to marry someone else!” The moment I heard Kyle’s voice, my anger flared anew. I hung up, then took out my SIM card and snapped it in two. After all, from this moment on, I wanted no ties to the people or things of my past.

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1 Over the Memorial Day weekend, my out-of-state roommate came home with me to visit. To my utter disbelief, that very night she plied my brother with drinks until he was unconscious, then spent the night with him in his room. Afterward, she ruthlessly caused my sister-in-law to miscarry from the shock and stress. Then, she spread rumors everywhere, claiming she was pregnant with my brother’s child and threatening to take her own life, wailing that she couldn’t face the world. As rumors swirled through the university, threatening to engulf me, my brother, pressured beyond measure, married her out of necessity. From the moment she moved in, Chloe began to stir up endless trouble. She used the baby as leverage, forcing my parents to transfer the house deed into her name. After countless agonizing battles, my already frail parents were literally sick with rage, ending up in the hospital. My brother, caught in the middle and buckling under immense stress, accidentally broke his leg and lost his job. Our family, plagued by illness and injury, was utterly miserable. Then, I was reborn. Back to the day before that fateful holiday. Chloe’s feigned distress echoed in my ear: “Ugh, Lily, it’s such a drag. Everyone else is going home for the holiday, and I’m stuck in the dorm all by myself.” The moment I heard Chloe’s voice, the realization hit me: I was back. In my previous life, during that Memorial Day weekend, Chloe was the only one in our dorm who couldn’t go home, being from out of state. My parents, always so warm and hospitable, had heard Chloe complain more than once during our video calls, expressing envy for our family’s atmosphere. She’d hinted multiple times that she wanted to come home with me to meet my parents, and I understood her underlying intentions. But usually, my studies were demanding, leaving me with scarce free time. When the Memorial Day weekend finally arrived, Chloe complained again in front of me. I didn’t think much of it and invited her to our place. Little did I know, that single decision would almost tear my family apart. My family photo was my social media background. Chloe saw the gold bracelet on my sister-in-law’s wrist, her face alight with envy. I casually mentioned it was a gift from my brother, failing to notice Chloe muttering, “Your brother is so good to your sister-in-law. If only…” The casual tidbits she gleaned from me were enough to ignite her greed. I didn’t know when exactly Chloe had set her sights on my family, plotting to replace my sister-in-law and marry my brother. I, meanwhile, was completely oblivious to her true intentions. I only saw Chloe as my best friend. The holiday arrived. Seeing her pitiful, alone in the dorm, I impulsively invited her home. I had, quite literally, invited a wolf into our fold. My parents, thrilled to hear I was bringing a good friend home, gave Chloe the warmest welcome. Mom pulled out all the stops in the kitchen, and Dad uncorked a cherished bottle of fine wine. No one noticed Chloe subtly plying my brother with drinks until he was unconscious, then slipping into his room. The next morning, she confronted Sarah, who had just returned from visiting her family. Chloe was a torrent of snot and tears, loudly wailing that my brother had taken advantage of her, demanding retribution. Overwhelmed by the shock and emotional turmoil, Sarah suffered a miscarriage. Less than a week later, rumors had swept through the university, with Chloe shockingly implicating me as an accomplice. The way my classmates looked at me changed completely. For my sake, my parents, with heavy hearts, compelled my brother to divorce Sarah and marry Chloe. Less than six months after their wedding, my parents were hospitalized one after another. My brother broke his leg and lost his job. And I, far away at university, endured the constant barrage of accusations. When I learned of the tragedies at home, I suffered a complete mental breakdown. I was consumed by self-blame, convinced Chloe was right. It was all my fault for bringing her home. None of this would have happened otherwise. In a spiral of regret and despair, I became a coward. I jumped from the rooftop. Instead, I woke up the day before the holiday. And at this moment, none of it had happened yet. Chloe, seeing my silence, grabbed my hand and whined playfully, “Oh, Lily, please just let me stay with you this holiday. I’ll be so lonely in the dorm all by myself!” I forced myself to stay calm, not daring to reveal any sign of my true emotions. But inside, a burning hatred flared. Heaven had given me a second chance. It had to be to settle the score with this manipulative witch! But it wasn’t time to show my hand yet. I had no evidence. For now, all I could do was avoid her. So, facing Chloe’s plea, I flatly refused. I quickly came up with an excuse: “I’m not going home this holiday. I picked up a part-time job; I want to earn some spending money.” Rejected, Chloe looked at me with suspicion. “Really? Your family is so well-off, and you need a part-time job?” My family did live in a comfortable house in a neighboring city. I wanted to placate Chloe for now and settle accounts later. So I continued to spin my story: “I just want to save up to buy a gift for my future niece or nephew, you know, my brother’s baby.” This wasn’t entirely false. Sarah and I were close, and I often shared photos of gifts she gave me on my social media. It was only natural that I’d care about her. After I offered this reason, Chloe didn’t push the issue. Having dealt with Chloe, I collapsed onto my bed, utterly exhausted. My phone suddenly pinged with a notification: ‘Ticket successfully booked!’ I remembered then that in my previous life, I had secretly bought Chloe a train ticket as a surprise. Luckily, it wasn’t too late to cancel. I quickly refunded the extra ticket. The next morning, Chloe wasn’t in the dorm. I found it a bit odd, but didn’t dwell on it. I grabbed my luggage and headed for the train. Our hometown was in a neighboring city, a two-hour train ride away. The journey was uneventful, and the knot of anxiety in my chest slowly began to loosen. As long as I didn’t bring Chloe home, as long as I kept my distance, the tragedy of my past life wouldn’t repeat. Two hours later, I finally arrived home. Mom waved to me from the doorway. My eyes widened in a smile. I was about to hurry over when another figure moved faster than me. Chloe, carrying a backpack, rushed forward and grabbed my mother’s hand, a wide smile on her face. “Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, I’ve heard so much about your famous hospitality from Lily. I’m so sorry to intrude this holiday, please bear with me!” Chloe, with her smooth charm, quickly struck up a conversation with my parents. I, meanwhile, stood frozen, my blood running cold. I never would have imagined Chloe showing up at my house. She had followed me! But then, the reason dawned on me: the canceled train ticket from yesterday. The text message had the train time and location. Chloe only needed to buy a ticket, even a standing one, to follow me home. While I was still reeling, Dad had already welcomed Chloe into the house. Mom, seeing me rooted to the spot, took my luggage with a chuckle. “Sweetie, don’t you recognize Mom and Dad?” Hearing her familiar voice, my nose stung. I longed to throw myself into her arms, to cry and explain everything. I wanted to tell her, desperately, that Chloe was trouble, to kick her out. But what happened in my previous life was so bizarre. My parents, always so warm and trusting, would likely dismiss my accusations as preposterous. Returning this time, I hadn’t yet fully formulated a plan to deal with Chloe. But now that she had come looking for trouble, I figured it was as good a time as any to settle the score. I frowned in thought for a long moment, and a plan quietly began to form in my mind. Just like my previous life. Chloe continuously plied my brother with drinks. I watched as Daniel started to lose his bearings from the alcohol. Without missing a beat, I joined in, raising my glass to Gary Morgan. “Mr. Morgan, I’d like to toast you too!” Gary, a colleague of Daniel’s, was a frequent guest at our house. A divorced single father, he was a rough-around-the-edges kind of guy, utterly useless in the kitchen, and always seemed to show up around mealtime, invariably leaving with leftovers. My brother, too good-natured for his own good, never knew how to say no. Gary, especially when he’d had a few too many, would get a leering look in his eye and, in front of my parents, more than once suggest he wanted to marry me. My parents detested him, only tolerating his presence for Daniel’s sake. The plan was unfolding as expected: Gary, too, got drunk and stayed the night. Mom was bustling around, grumbling good-naturedly as she tidied up. Chloe’s eyes gleamed the moment she saw Daniel completely out cold. She stepped forward, eagerly offering, “Mrs. Hayes, let me help you!” As if I’d let her. I quickly squeezed past her. “Oh, no, Chloe, you’re a guest! We couldn’t ask you to help. If you really want to be helpful, you can clear the dishes. My brother’s all taken care of with Mom and me.” Feigning not to notice Chloe’s crestfallen expression, I ushered Mom to take the two drunk men upstairs. Keeping an eye on the footsteps behind me, I subtly steered Daniel into the guest bedroom, making sure to avoid his actual room. Mom, not paying attention, followed me into the room and then looked confused. “Your brother’s room is next door, sweetie. Have you been away so long you forgot?” No, I hadn’t forgotten. I’d just correctly guessed Chloe would be relentless and follow me. But I didn’t tell Mom the truth. “Mom, you can’t just take Daniel straight to his bedroom without him showering. Sarah will never tolerate the smell when she comes back. I’m just being considerate. You can help him clean up later and then move him to his own room.” With my explanation, Mom slapped her forehead. “You’re right, you’re right. Sarah’s had a tough pregnancy. She’s finally feeling better; we can’t let Daniel mess things up.” By the time we carried Gary upstairs, Chloe had already cleared the dinner table and wasn’t paying attention to us, a relaxed smile on her face. Even though I’d already laid a trap for Chloe, I still felt it wasn’t foolproof. I was terrified of any unforeseen complications. Before bed, I slipped upstairs and locked my brother’s bedroom door from the outside, finally breathing a sigh of relief. If Chloe didn’t have such twisted intentions, then everything I had done would, of course, be for naught. 2 In my previous life, Chloe slept in the guest room next to my brother’s. This time, Gary was staying there. So, I had to let her share my room. After showering and spending a little time on my phone, Chloe began urging me to sleep. But I wasn’t about to let her have her way. “If you wanted to go to bed early, you should’ve stayed at school. Why did you insist on coming home with me?” Already in the wrong, Chloe didn’t dare press me further after my blunt words. It was nearly 1 AM by the time I finally agreed to turn off the lights. I don’t know how much time passed, but then Chloe rustled close to me, softly calling my name. When I didn’t respond, she tiptoed out of bed. I heard the soft click of the door, then silence. My heart rate quickened. If she insisted on coming, then she should be prepared to get burned. I squeezed the outline of the key in my pocket, reassuring myself. I told myself, this time, I was ready. The tragedy of my previous life would not happen again. It absolutely would not. I forced myself to listen, but roughly an hour later, Chloe still hadn’t returned. I finally drifted off to sleep. Perhaps it was because I’d stayed up so late, but I slept deeply. A short, sharp scream jolted me awake. Startled, I quickly threw on some clothes and rushed out. The living room was thick with tension. Chloe sat hunched on the corner sofa, clutching her disheveled collar, her eyes slightly red. Mom’s face was ashen as she tried to soothe Sarah and Chloe, trembling herself. Seeing me, Sarah looked at me as if I were her savior. I quickly went to her, helping her sit down. “Sarah, are you okay?” Before I could comfort Sarah, Chloe demanded in a tearful voice, “Lily, something so terrible happened to me, and you’re not even comforting me?” “Do you know what your brother did to me?!” I didn’t need to ask to know what happened. But Sarah and Mom didn’t. Hearing Chloe’s words, tears streamed down Sarah’s face like broken pearls. Sarah finally burst into sobs. “Lily, your brother, he… how can we live like this?!” Mom, too, wiped her tears, completely flustered. Chloe, seemingly deeply wronged, gritted her teeth and threatened to call the police. Mom, beside herself, quickly tried to stop her. “Sweetie, let’s talk this out, please, let’s talk this out!” “Can we discuss this calmly, please? Auntie is begging you!” Mom pleaded desperately, but Chloe’s goal clearly wasn’t to de-escalate. She too screamed, crying, “How can I live like this! How can I live after something like this happened!” The two wrestled, and I watched Chloe’s theatrical performance, disgusted. I was about to reveal the truth when Sarah, next to me, let out a painful groan. “My stomach.” Thankfully, I had been constantly monitoring Sarah’s condition. In my previous life, Mom and I were both so distraught by Chloe’s pitiful display that we lost all sense of composure. No one anticipated Sarah would return home so early from visiting her family, hearing the devastating news and having her pregnancy affected. In the chaos, no one paid attention to Sarah, leading to the miscarriage. I quickly dialed 911, interrupting Mom and Chloe. “Mom, Daniel isn’t even downstairs yet. Hearing things is one thing, but we need to at least ask the person involved!” I soothed Sarah, then looked at Chloe with a cold expression. Chloe’s eyes widened. “Lily, you don’t believe me?” I scoffed. “Believe you? We were in the same room last night. My brother was drunk. Am I supposed to believe a drunk man somehow got into my room and carried you upstairs?” At my words, Mom finally snapped back to reality. “You’re right, you’re right. We need to ask Daniel. Daniel would never do something so reckless. Sarah, trust Mom, I’ll get to the bottom of this!” Under Mom’s and my reassurances, Sarah finally steadied herself, nodding tearfully. The paramedics arrived quickly. Dad, rubbing his sleepy eyes, was startled awake. Before he could even grasp the situation, I shoved him into the ambulance. “Dad, I’ll explain later. Just help me watch Sarah for now.” By the time he recovered, only half an hour had passed. Chloe was already impatient. “You don’t believe me, then let’s go upstairs and confront your brother!” Mom, seeing Chloe’s certainty, was starting to waver, her resolve softening. Noticing this, I pulled Mom upstairs. “Mom, you have to trust Daniel.” A large, noisy group marched upstairs. Thankfully, the two drunk men were sleeping soundly. Once we reached the second floor, Chloe lunged ahead, trying to bypass us and open the guest room door. But Mom stopped abruptly at my brother’s actual bedroom door, taking a deep breath, hesitant to open it. I asked Chloe gravely, “Last night, there were two occupied rooms upstairs. Are you sure it was my brother who attacked you?” Seeing us stop at the guest room door, Chloe looked stunned, frozen in place. But she gritted her teeth and insisted, “Yes.” 3 She shoved Mom aside, twisting the doorknob. But the door didn’t budge, blocked by the lock. Chloe’s face paled slightly, but she still wanted to solidify my brother’s guilt. “Your brother is such a coward! He violated me, then got scared of taking responsibility and locked the door!” She said, pounding on the door. Soon, there was a stir inside. My brother’s lazy voice asked who it was, and he rustled around, trying to open the door. Of course, he couldn’t. Our locks were one-way: if locked from the outside with a key, they couldn’t be opened from the inside. I’d secured it. “You rotten kid, open this door right now!” Mom was frantic, wishing she could drag my brother out and get the truth. I, however, remained calm, looking at Chloe and asking again, “Are you sure my brother attacked you?” The hallway fell silent. Only my brother was still fumbling with the lock. Mom’s face flickered with hope. Chloe’s lips were pressed together, silent. “Chloe, you might not know this, but our locks here only work one way. My brother has a habit of sleepwalking, and to avoid scaring guests, I locked his door from the outside last night.” As I spoke, I pulled out a key from my pocket, tossing it up and down. This time, Chloe finally understood. “You did this on purpose! Last night, I clearly saw…” She was about to say she saw my brother in the room next door. “Saw what? It was dark. You must have been mistaken,” I interrupted Chloe. “Do you still insist it was my brother who attacked you?” Under my relentless questioning, Chloe’s face alternated between green and white. “No, I… I must have seen wrong.” There was no need for further words. Mom finally let out a sigh of relief, muttering under her breath that she was glad it wasn’t true, otherwise she would have broken my brother’s legs. Mom didn’t know I had orchestrated everything. Even if Chloe hadn’t confessed, I had the evidence. Thinking this, I subtly glanced at the security camera in the corner. Since she confessed, I didn’t release the footage. Still, the fact that Chloe had been assaulted in our house was true, and Mom couldn’t just brush it aside. She spoke kindly to Chloe, trying to find a solution. “Sweetie, since it was Gary who attacked you, Auntie will definitely get you justice. I’ll ask him to discuss compensation later.” She added, “Gary, even though he’s divorced with a kid, he’s a decent, hardworking man. If you’re willing, you can get married after you graduate. If not, Auntie will make sure he compensates you.” Mom tactfully avoided delving into why Chloe had inexplicably ended up upstairs and assaulted. After all, she was a young woman, and rumors wouldn’t be good. Chloe glared at me, but could only nod in agreement. Gary genuinely wanted to marry Chloe, but the negotiations went nowhere. Since Chloe was unwilling, he gritted his teeth and paid her $30,000 in compensation. After such a convoluted farce, everyone was mentally and physically exhausted. Chloe kept apologizing to Mom, pleading to stay at our house until the end of the holiday. Before I could speak, Mom flatly refused. “Sweetie, I’m really sorry, but we have to go to the hospital soon, so we probably won’t be able to host you these next few days. Here, Auntie will reimburse you for your train ticket.” Flatly rejected, Chloe, despite her reluctance, had no choice but to agree. Clutching the $30,000 and the train ticket, she returned to school. After she left, we could finally breathe a sigh of relief. It was then that I had the chance to tell Mom that I hadn’t invited Chloe home at all. She had secretly followed me. In all her years, even Mom had never encountered someone like that. She couldn’t help but sigh with relief. “Thank goodness nothing serious happened.” Yes, thank goodness we didn’t repeat the same tragedy. I too felt a wave of relief, and seized the opportunity to ask Mom to help me change dorm rooms. I had a feeling that if I stayed in the same dorm as Chloe, there would be more trouble. But I never imagined that when I returned to school after the break, rumors would already be rampant across campus. Before I could even pack my things to move dorms, I was blindsided by the sudden news. What followed was a notice from the university: a mandatory leave of absence.

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1 The day the internship results were announced, I scrolled past a post: “How devastating can a ghost of the past truly be?” The top-voted answer, recently published, read: “Let me tell you my story. He had a crush on me in high school. The other day, I ran into him while job hunting.” “Even if my qualifications weren’t the best, he’d make sure I was the one in a million chosen.” Accompanying the text was their high school graduation photo – the girl in a white dress, her slender back exuding quiet innocence; the boy looking earnestly at her, his clean profile strikingly familiar. Just then, my phone vibrated with the notification: internship rejected. A sudden, chilling realization hit me: she was Liam Hollister’s ‘ghost of the past,’ and what was being crushed, was my future. I could accept a disastrous love life, but my career, my freedom, my entire life, could not suffer the slightest setback. The comments beneath the post instantly ignited a firestorm of discussion: “Seriously? Paving the way for your own kids is one thing, but for a past crush?” “Spill more tea, Miss Ghost-of-the-Past, otherwise the internet detectives will find you!” “Old enough to pull strings like this, so probably already married, right? Is the OP using the ‘ghost of the past’ excuse to be a mistress?” “Another cockroach basking in the sunlight! Do you roaches even differentiate between ‘ghost of the past’ and ‘scarlet letter’ types?” The OP, far from flustered, replied with a hint of smugness: “I know you’re all unrefined and unappealing, struggling to even make ends meet in real life, so you can only lash out online.” “I’m just lucky. Divorced with a kid, and still treated like a princess. It’s perfectly fine if it infuriates you! He’s even celebrating with me after work.” This was the latest reply, two minutes ago. I tapped my phone. Liam Hollister was still my pinned contact. Two hours earlier, he’d told me he was attending a high school reunion dinner tonight, and, as always, sent me his location: “Reach out anytime if you need me.” For five years, he had always proactively reported his schedule: overtime, dinners, sudden business trips… Even a single, brief message was enough to put my mind at ease. That’s why I had never considered seeing how he acted in front of others. But today, I suddenly wanted to see for myself. Outside, the wind howled, whipping up snow, and the road bled with the angry red glow of taillights. The restaurant was near my lab, easy to find. Perhaps due to the weather, few people were dining. I quickly located their private room. Inside, the conversation was lively: “Among all of us, Mark’s made the most of himself. That whole Chloe Harlan situation, it wasn’t minor, was it? Yet, you handled it so effortlessly…” “You used to say she was just a bookworm, and look at her now! I hear Liam’s quite respected at work.” Liam’s tone was detached, as if discussing the weather: “It was nothing, just a favor. I’m hosting tonight, so help yourselves to anything.” More flattery ensued. “Chloe, you’re set for life now. To put it bluntly, with Liam backing you, even if you don’t go to work, no one would dare say anything.” The girl, called Chloe, scoffed. “You make it sound like I’m entirely dependent on Liam. I’ve researched this position thoroughly. I was fully confident in my ability to handle it before I even submitted my resume.” “Fully confident? This is one of Riverbend City’s top two labs! In previous years, they only accepted Riverbend University PhDs. What’s your degree…” “Chloe fully met the admission requirements this time.” Liam raised his voice slightly, easily coming to Chloe’s defense. His college roommate – the only person there I vaguely knew – spoke up: “Liam, aren’t you worried about your girlfriend finding out about this?” Liam’s voice suddenly darkened. “What’s there to fuss about? Just helping an old classmate. And we’re getting married soon. Even if she doesn’t work, I can still feed her.” Everyone echoed his sentiments, making it hard to discern their sincerity: “Honestly, her marrying you is a blessing from her ancestors.” “If it were me, I’d spoil my man rotten, not cause trouble.” “Chloe, did you misjudge him back then? If you’d just said yes to Liam, you’d be living the good life right now!” A well-known secret was thrown out, and the private room fell silent. Chloe’s voice, tinged with a feigned grievance, mumbled: “With someone to take care of you, what’s there to fuss about? I truly envy her now. If I didn’t have Daisy, who would be willing to go out and work like a dog?” Someone asked Liam, “I hear your girlfriend isn’t from around here, and your parents agreed to it?” Liam clearly didn’t want to continue the topic, merely grunting, “…Mm.” Chloe was about to say more, but Liam cut her off: “There aren’t that many ‘what ifs’ in this world… Right now, I’m her only support in this city. And she’s from a single-parent family. Girls from such families… you wouldn’t understand.” I pulled my winter coat tighter around me. The hallway was stiflingly warm, thick with heat, yet a shiver traced its way down my spine. In that single moment, I felt like saying nothing. My heart hollowed out, emotion a raw knot in my throat, impossible to swallow, impossible to purge. It made me sick. So this was Liam Hollister in front of others. He would casually make my private life a joke, degrading me into something utterly worthless. 2 I walked aimlessly down the street, my face stinging. I knew it wasn’t my fault, but I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. Every fleeting moment of the past five years played out in my mind. Liam was five years older than me. In my first year of grad school, he returned as an outstanding alumnus to give a lecture. Learning he was working at the lab I dreamed of, I quickly scanned the QR code on the screen. Initially, I just wanted to learn more about the latest recruitment news. But whether by chance or fate, we always seemed to run into each other in public places. Sometimes at a professor’s lecture, sometimes at an academic symposium… Gradually, our interactions became more frequent. He was as composed and rational as the rumors said. His exceptional looks were merely his least remarkable quality. When I was crying hysterically in the lab over complex data, he happened to be returning from a school event and decided, on a whim, to visit the lab building furthest from campus. When my roommate and I got into an argument with the next table at a restaurant, he and his friends happened to be in the adjacent place, and he effortlessly helped us out. When I was alone at the hospital for a check-up, holding an ambiguous report, afraid to approach the doctor, he appeared, silhouetted against the light at the end of the hallway… On Christmas Eve, he asked me out for dinner and, with remarkable naturalness, confessed his feelings. I felt like I’d been struck by a lucky charm, standing there stunned. He took a small step back, creating a distance that felt safe. “It’s okay if you say no. Your wishes are what matter most.” “Just tell me when you’re ready for a relationship, and I’ll be right there, closest to you, not going anywhere.” I quickly shook my head, felt something was wrong, then just as quickly nodded. … After we got together, even pulling all-nighters in the lab felt fun. There was always a stream of texts from him on my phone. [Iris Hayes, I ordered you seafood congee. Remember to eat it while it’s hot.] [Iris Hayes, you’re hopeless! The data in your paper is clearly missing a decimal point!] [Iris Hayes, don’t overwork yourself. It breaks my heart.] He would kiss me carefully, and every time we parted, he’d whisper “I love you” into my ear. He was no longer as reserved as when we first met. He’d even get jealous if I looked at an opposing player for too long during a basketball game he was playing in. He made me discover a better version of myself during my most stagnant and hopeless moments. But all these seemingly beautiful memories were now tainted with the bitter hue of doubt. My phone suddenly vibrated. It was Sarah, my senior research fellow. She was also involved in the lab’s recruitment. “Iris, did you… did you and Liam have a fight?” I lowered my gaze, trying to sound calm. “No, why?” Sarah clearly paused, then stammered, “Our university usually has a 100% acceptance rate every year; it’s practically an unwritten rule. This year, the other two got in, but only you…” “But the girl who was accepted, while she technically met the qualifications, her resume and interview were clearly not as good as yours…” Only me. Only I was rejected. But I had been preparing to get into the Riverbend University Lab since high school. With a civilian’s hellish dedication, I had emerged victorious from that arduous battle, completing my bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate at Riverbend University. My dream was within reach today. Yet, Liam had brazenly taken my decade-long efforts and offered them as a bridal gown for his ‘ghost of the past.’ 3 Back home, I sank into the sofa, scrolling through Chloe Harlan’s profile. She loved answering questions. And she loved adding “Hollister’s invite” before her replies. [How are you doing now that you’re married?] [Hollister’s invite.] [My original family background is excellent, upper-middle class or above, I suppose. For the first thirty years of my life, I rejected many boys, including some very, very outstanding ones. My ex-husband and I met abroad. It was his second marriage, my first. His conditions were far better than mine. His family was very pleased with me, finding me pure and innocent, so I was willing to take a leave of absence from school to have his child. I’m doing quite well after the divorce too. One marriage, but it clarified two people. My ex-husband harbored a princess in his heart, and I also have a knight loyal to me. Neither of us lost.] A knight loyal to her… I tugged at the corner of my mouth, scrolling further down. [If you could turn back time, what year would you go back to?] [Hollister’s invite.] [Probably the year he confessed to me in high school. If I had another chance, I would definitely say yes. I was abroad for five years and have been back for almost two months. That day, he returned from a business trip, and we ran into each other at the airport. He helped me find a place to live and a school for my child. Even when I was hospitalized, he took care of me while also picking up and dropping off my child. After I was discharged last month, I said I wanted to visit a temple, and he didn’t hesitate to accompany me to South Peak. It was raining that day, and the mountain path was difficult, but I felt incredibly safe.] Countless details flashed in my mind like a rapid slideshow, each one fitting perfectly. I clutched my chest, a sharp, precise pain seeping from between my ribs. Last month, it only rained for one day. That day, I was driving my professor’s car to pick up materials when I was rear-ended. The driver was aggressive, slamming his hand against my car window the moment he got out. I quickly called Liam, but all I got was a busy signal. When the traffic police arrived, the rain was coming down even harder; my umbrella offered no protection. I stood shivering by the roadside, my teeth chattering. Finally, Liam answered. He kept his voice low, telling me he was busy and would call me back later. At the time, I thought I heard a faint, distant bell chiming, believing it to be a hallucination. While I stood in the rain, terrified and alone, he was kneeling devoutly before a Buddha, praying only for his ‘ghost of the past’ to be healthy and safe. The latest Q&A: [Do you believe in broken mirrors mending?] [Hollister’s invite.] [Working on it… He’s currently choosing to stay with his current girlfriend out of a sense of responsibility. So I don’t see myself as a mistress. A man’s love fluctuates between two women, and the one who came later is the mistress. But I was clearly the first, and I can feel his love is all for me. Just finished dinner. He called a ride-share to take me home. The car still smelled of my favorite jasmine scent. He’d had too much to drink and suddenly looked at me, saying A can only be A, and B can be anyone. I’m pretending not to understand, because I know I am A. I’m planning to buy two bottles of wine and talk to him all night, truly, just talk. Our high school classmates all know that his current girlfriend is lazy and relies on him completely. Compared to a woman like that, I’m certainly right to be confident, aren’t I? Who knows, maybe after talking, he’ll give up his sense of responsibility and choose true love.] Perhaps due to the “ghost of the past” effect, this post had an unusual number of comments. [I want to call the police so bad. There’s a powerless feeling of not being able to reach through the screen.] [Who is B?! Save B! Save my sanity!!] [This is giving ‘backdoor’ sister confidence! Find that B! I need to tell them loudly!] [And the poor soul whose spot she took! Notify them too!] [Did she specialize in digging up graves in her past life? In this life, she’s digging up people’s jobs AND their partners?] [If I see another post like this, my stocks and gold will surge.] …How unfortunate. The “poor soul” was me. “B” was also me. I realized with chilling clarity. It wasn’t that Liam had suddenly stopped loving me. It was that Liam had never loved me at all. Because his heart belonged to a lost love from his youth. And I had always been competing with a phantom.

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1 After we married, my wife took my paycheck, claiming it was to save for a house. On my phone, she activated a “Family Link” allowance. She called it my spending money, insisting she covered all household expenses. But the $1,500 monthly limit barely covered my living and commuting costs. By month-end, I often found myself struggling to afford a meal. Every single purchase triggered her interrogation: “What did you buy now? You’re over your limit today. Don’t come crying to me when you’re broke by month-end.” “You took a cab to work today? Do you really think you’re a millionaire?” I once believed Victoria’s obsessive saving was for our future. Then, I got a promotion and a raise. To celebrate, I treated my colleagues to bubble tea. She logged into the delivery app and requested a full refund, no return. The furious merchant, to vent his rage, threw the prepared drinks in my face, then publicly cursed and hit me. As I cried and paid for the damage, I found my Family Link allowance completely shut off. Moments later, my wife’s junior assistant posted a picture on social media, cradling a luxury handbag, with the caption: [One moment in the cart, the next in my arms! My boss-lady spoils me rotten!] It was at that exact moment I understood: where the money went, that’s where the love truly lay. Flushed with the news of my promotion and raise, I excitedly treated my colleagues to bubble tea. I’d barely finished paying with my Family Link allowance, still on the app, when a voice call from my wife popped up. The next second, Victoria’s icy voice cut through: “$307 for bubble tea? Aaron Caldwell, have you lost your mind? Refund it, now!” Her voice, sharp and cold, echoed from the receiver, filling the office. My colleagues, who’d just placed their orders, shifted uncomfortably, their gazes turning to me. My face burned crimson. I stammered, trying to explain. “No, babe, it’s not like that. I got a raise, and my colleagues helped me out a lot, so I just wanted to treat everyone…” She scoffed, a venomous sound. “Three hundred bucks for bubble tea today, what, a thousand for dinner tomorrow? Do you have any idea how much you make? Keep splurging like this, are we ever buying a house? Paying rent? How are you going to last the next two weeks? You’re just an employee, don’t you dare act like a big shot! Refund it, now!” Her impatient words hammered at my skull, dazing me. The joy I’d felt, eager to share, was instantly doused, leaving me cold to the bone. The office fell silent. I sat hunched at my desk, unable to lift my head, avoiding the pity in my colleagues’ eyes. My own eyes burned, dry and stinging. I couldn’t tell if it was disappointment or sheer helplessness. I could only plead, my voice raw: “It’s already paid for, please, just this once? The merchant already started making them; I can’t refund it. I only ordered the cheapest lemonades. Please, don’t make a scene in front of my colleagues, okay?” Her mocking chuckle filtered through the phone. “You can’t refund it? I’ll do it for you.” Then she hung up. An unsettling dread swelled in my chest, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm. I was still awkwardly trying to explain to my colleagues when a man with a dark scowl suddenly barged through the office entrance. He carried a dozen or so prepared bubble teas, his gaze zeroing in on me with deadly precision. 2 I pushed myself up, taking a hesitant step towards him. The next second, scalding bubble tea, laced with furious curses, splattered all over me. “Only a partial refund, huh? You’re threatening me? You work in a fancy office building but you can’t even pay for your own damn bubble tea? If you can afford it, drink it. If not, go to hell!” Cup after cup, the hot, sticky liquid drenched me, stinging my face and skin. My colleagues made a move to intervene, but the merchant’s next words nailed them to their spots: “You scam me out of perfectly good bubble tea? This isn’t over!” The sheer, burning humiliation made me tremble. I fumbled for my phone, my voice shaking as I tried to call for help. “I’m calling the police! This is defamation…” As I tapped open the delivery app, I saw a notification: my account had been logged in from another location. I logged back in, only to find Victoria’s chat history with the merchant, ending with her last message: “If you don’t refund, I’ll report you to the consumer protection agency! Why can’t I refund bubble tea I haven’t even drunk? Try shutting down your business if you dare!” The order page blared “Partial Refund Successful.” The merchant let out a cold, chilling laugh. He landed a brutal punch square on my face, roaring, “Call the cops! I’ve got nothing to lose, buddy! Even if my shop closes today, I’ll make you pay!” The blow sent me sprawling to the floor, my mouth instantly filling with the coppery taste of blood, my ears ringing violently. All eyes in the office were on me. A deathly silence stretched, then whispers erupted. “Freeloading on bubble tea? That’s so embarrassing…” “I swear, I knew Aaron was cheap, but I never thought a grown man could have such terrible character!” “Someone like that deserves a promotion and a raise? What a joke! He’s a total embarrassment to the company!” The swirling accusations made me feel naked, every contemptuous word piercing me. I swallowed the blood in my mouth, my face pale, and apologized to the merchant. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know about the partial refund. I’ll transfer you the money for the bubble tea.” “I’m truly sorry.” The merchant gave me a cold once-over, then pulled out his payment QR code. My face was tight with shame as I scanned it. But after several attempts at inputting my password, the screen kept flashing “Insufficient Balance.” Just then, a message from Victoria popped up. “Did the bubble tea taste good? (smile smile)” My Family Link allowance showed zero. I stood frozen, staring at the “payment failed” screen, my heart sinking into a freezing abyss. “What? No money to pay? Damn it, if you can’t pay, just die!” “Used to freeloading, are you? Think I’m running a charity?” Amidst the merchant’s impatient curses, I numbly opened a loan app, borrowed four hundred dollars, and transferred it to him. He received the money, spat on me, and then stalked off, muttering insults. Looking at the ninety dollars left in my balance, I suddenly felt utterly pointless. I don’t know how I walked back to my desk. My mind was blank, countless gazes burning into me. Each one stung like a needle. Victoria sent another message: “Happy about your promotion? Still celebrating?” For the first time, I didn’t reply. I just sat there, my expression empty. My suit shirt was soaked through with bubble tea, clinging to my skin, cold and sticky. 3 The feeling was nauseating, disgusting. After an eternity, I pushed myself up and stumbled to the restroom, desperate to wash the sticky, milky residue from my skin. My phone buzzed in my hand. It was Noah, Victoria’s junior assistant, who had just posted on social media. The photo showed him lounging casually in a brand-new sports car, a luxury watch glinting on his wrist, a triumphant grin on his face. “One second at the dealership, the next it’s mine. Mwah! My boss-lady spoils me rotten!” The photo was cleverly taken, subtly revealing a flash of lingerie in the backseat… the very lingerie I’d helped Victoria pick out that morning. I stood frozen, my gaze locked on that photograph. My breath caught in my throat, a panicked flutter in my chest. My hand trembled, my finger accidentally brushing the screen, “liking” Noah’s post. Before I could even react, Victoria’s call came through, her voice heavy with accusation: “Aaron Caldwell, are you never going to stop? Is it really that interesting to constantly invade my privacy? You want to see so badly? Fine! Come over now, I’ll give you an eyeful!” I stood, ashen-faced, in the corner. A thousand tiny ants of pain gnawed at my heart, suffocating me. Soon, the coppery taste of blood filled my mouth again. The sheer absurdity and unbelievable nature of it all left me numb, my head throbbing with a dull ache. Five years of marriage, in this moment, felt like a cruel, elaborate joke. My throat burned. I swallowed the blood, my voice hoarse. “Victoria, what am I to you, really?” The person on the other end paused, her breathing rasping into the receiver. After a long silence, she, uncharacteristically, offered an explanation: “I just refunded a couple of bubble teas. Do you really need to be so dramatic, like your life is ending? Fine, I’ve restored your allowance. Just stop bothering me with these petty issues!” Petty issues? So, in Victoria’s eyes, my humiliation and ridicule by colleagues was a petty issue. Being assaulted and doused with bubble tea by a furious merchant was also a petty issue. Was only Noah’s well-being considered important? Hearing her dismissive placation, I squeezed my eyes shut, suppressing every emotion. Then I asked her: “Victoria, I was so humiliated at work today. I want to resign and find a new job. Is that okay?” Victoria’s voice instantly shot up, her tone laced with unbearable irritation as she accused me: “Are you threatening me? Is it because I didn’t let you spend money however you pleased? Aaron Caldwell, have I spoiled you too much? Can’t you think about our future?” I blinked, my dry, aching eyes burning. The irony was suffocating. How could she so righteously accuse me of squandering money, yet without a flicker of hesitation, spend hundreds of thousands on a luxury car for Noah? Was it because I never fought, never demanded, simply devoted myself to her for five years? The glowing screen of my phone, displaying that pathetic $1,500 Family Link allowance, felt like a series of stinging slaps across my face. Mocking. Absurd. I had been working overtime for a solid week, so utterly exhausted that my vision blurred, as if I might collapse at any second. Pain pulsed in my chest. I asked her: “Did you ever truly consider our future? Victoria, in your eyes, am I truly that stupid?” Perhaps the despair in my voice was too obvious, or perhaps my choked sob reached her ears. Victoria paused, took a breath, and, suppressing her impatience, spoke to me: 4 “What nonsense are you talking about? I’m just worried about money, darling. Don’t overthink it. How about I take you out for dinner when I get back from overtime, okay?” “Alright, I’m hanging up. You reflect on what happened today.” I remained silent on my end of the call. Victoria coughed, then cooed softly. “Honey, if you feel tired, just hold on for a few more years, then you won’t have to work. I’ll take care of you after that, okay? Be good.” She hung up abruptly. Just before the call disconnected, Noah’s mocking laugh filtered through: “What are you going to support him with? That fifteen-hundred-dollar monthly allowance? Even a dog costs more than he does!” His voice dripped with scorn. “I’m dying laughing! Is Aaron that idiot, weeping tears of gratitude right now? Sister, isn’t this what you call playing good cop, bad cop? You’ve got him so obedient and docile!” His grating laughter slammed into my heart, a dull, aching thud. I squatted on the floor, my throat tight with pain. The agony made me curl into a tight ball, my hands pressed hard against my chest, the only way to alleviate the bone-deep torment. I had never imagined that the person who swore to love me forever, to stay by my side always, would unleash such a calculated, deadly blow. This blade, she had plunged it with precision and cruelty, leaving me barely an inch of breathing room. It was only at this moment that I finally understood where Noah’s naked aggression and animosity towards me had truly stemmed from. I wanted to cry, but my eyes were bone-dry, not a single tear left to shed. I sat there all night, numb and aching. Victoria didn’t contact me. She simply didn’t care if I stayed out all night. She never once bothered to ask about my overtime or work dinners. Before, I thought it was trust. Now, I understood: it was indifference. On my phone, a picture message from Noah: a provocative bedroom shot. He’d captioned it: “The person you stayed up all night thinking about? I was with her all night long.” He added another jab: “Aaron Caldwell, are you getting old? Not performing anymore?” If this had been before today, seeing these photos, I might have lost my mind. I would have stormed to Victoria’s office, screaming and fighting. But now, as I pulled at the corners of my lips, my heart was eerily calm, not a ripple. No. I don’t want Victoria anymore. This marriage, which had consumed me and left me broken, I don’t want it either. First thing in the morning, I called in sick to work and went to the bank to report my payroll card lost and request a new one. Even though there wasn’t a single cent left in it, I clutched the card tightly in my palm until a thin film of sweat formed. From this day forward, I would never again hand my destiny so easily to anyone. After printing out the divorce papers, I took a cab to Victoria’s office. Bad luck would have it, I ran into Noah just as I arrived. Victoria must have told him about yesterday’s events, because the moment he saw me, he walked over, feigning apology. “Aaron, I’m so sorry about yesterday. I was just messing around on my sister’s phone and accidentally refunded your bubble tea.” He tilted his head, a smirk playing on his lips. “I heard you two argued? Seriously, you’re a grown man, fighting with her over a few bucks? You should have just appeased her.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “But don’t worry, I really comforted her yesterday. I’ll convince her to come home.” Noah gave me a triumphant grin, his eyes openly mocking. It was at this moment I finally realized: my feelings for Victoria had long been eroded by her relentless, daily emotional manipulation. The provocation from the man in front of me didn’t even stir a flicker of anger within me. All I wanted was to quickly dissolve this misguided marriage. 5 I looked at Noah and smiled. “Victoria and I are still legally married. Spouses argue; it’s perfectly normal. Why would outsiders need to mediate?” I paused, letting my words sink in. “As for you, so young, yet content to be a homewrecker… that must be hard on your conscience, isn’t it?” My voice sharpened. “Do you truly believe Victoria will support you for life? Stop dreaming. Boys like you, she just plays with.” Noah’s face cycled through shades of dark fury. He glared at me, the dark circles under his eyes stubbornly visible even through heavy concealer. He seemed to have an idea, suddenly leaning in, reaching to grab my arm. His voice dropped to a whisper, audible only to us. “Aaron Caldwell, you don’t know, do you? Victoria… she’s pregnant.” He paused, then added, “It’s mine.” I froze. Victoria’s recent unusual behavior suddenly clicked into place. A wave of nausea surged in my stomach, and I couldn’t stop myself from dry-heaving. I instinctively tried to pull away from Noah’s grasp, but in my haste, my arm swung out and accidentally hit his face. Noah’s eyes instantly welled with tears. He snatched up his bag and swung it at me like a madman, shrieking, “Aaron Caldwell, I already apologized! Why are you still hitting me? The unloved one is the homewrecker, you’re the third wheel in this love story! I’m not!” He used all his strength, the blow sending a ringing shockwave through my head. I hadn’t been prepared. He struck me, breaking my skin, and warm blood trickled down my cheek, splattering onto the floor. Watching Noah’s hysterical outburst, I trembled with fury, my hand already raised to strike back. But before I could touch him, someone grabbed my wrist from behind. Victoria suddenly appeared, forcefully stopping my movement, her voice a cold warning: “Aaron Caldwell, try hitting him, I dare you!” Just then, Noah lunged, slamming his fist hard into my stomach. I crashed to the ground, my back hitting a desk, the pain draining the color from my face. Victoria’s gaze swept over me. Seeing the blood on my face, she hesitated, then frowned, turning to Noah. “You hit him?” Noah glared back defiantly, his eyes burning with resentment. “Victoria, he insulted me first, calling me a leech, and then he hit me. When I dodged, my bag accidentally hit him. I didn’t mean to, but if you’re upset, I’m willing to apologize to Aaron!” As he spoke, he made to kneel. At Noah’s willingness to swallow his pride for her, Victoria’s heart softened. She pulled him back behind her, pursed her lips, and softened her voice towards me. “Noah is young and impulsive; he didn’t mean it. What’s the point of coming to the office and making a scene first thing in the morning?” She looked at me, her gaze hardening. “Aaron Caldwell, when did you become so unreasonable?” I lay sprawled on the floor, and then, slowly, a bitter laugh escaped me. I pushed myself up, struggling to my feet. Meeting Victoria’s gaze, I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face. SMACK! The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the office, drawing gasps and turning many heads. A clear red imprint quickly bloomed on Victoria’s cheek. Her face cold, her eyes glacial, she glared at me, gritting her teeth as she hissed, “Feel better now? Had your little tantrum? Can you stop acting like a lunatic and embarrassing yourself at the office?!” I pulled at the corner of my lips, meeting her gaze without flinching. Then I threw the divorce papers directly at her face. “Even now, you still think I’m just having a tantrum with you?” My voice was clear, unwavering. “No, Victoria. I’m divorcing you.”

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1 On the day of my sister’s College Boards, I successfully framed her for cheating. She became a notorious cheat, her exam scores invalidated, even sentenced to three years in prison. When the truth came out, everyone believed it was me, her sickly younger sister, jealous that my sister could go to college. They thought I’d stopped at nothing to frame her, destroying our family’s only hope. Even Skylar, my sister, saw me as her sworn enemy. But no one knew I did it to save her. … “I didn’t cheat! Please, just let me finish the exam!” My sister, Skylar Greene, had been reported for cheating on her College Boards. When she stubbornly insisted on continuing the test, security personnel dragged her out of the examination hall. Her eyes rimmed with angry red, she dropped to her knees on the ground, bowing low to the two proctors. “Please, let me go back to the exam room! I’m only one big math problem away!” The proctors weren’t swayed. They sternly rebuked her. “You little liar, not even a blush on your face! The supervisor found a cheat sheet in your pocket. What more do you have to say?” “Exactly! Caught red-handed and still trying to play innocent, trying to fool us? Pulling such a dirty trick at your age, you’ll probably turn out to be nothing good when you grow up!” Skylar defiantly lifted her head, still vehemently denying it. “No, that cheat sheet isn’t mine! I’m being framed!” A proctor grabbed her arm, his voice firm. “Enough talk. If you don’t cooperate, we’ll call the police and charge you with disturbing the peace of the exam!” “Go home and reflect on your actions! Don’t disrupt the other students!” At the mention of “police,” Skylar finally gave up struggling. I watched it all unfold from behind the barbed wire fence of the exam center, a cold observer, silently deleting the anonymous report call from my phone. Ten minutes earlier, I had anonymously reported my sister for cheating on her College Boards. As expected, her exam scores were canceled, and she was expelled from the hall. Of course, I knew Skylar was innocent. Because that cheat sheet, found in her pocket, was one I had written, mimicking her handwriting, then slipped in when she wasn’t looking. The bell signaling the end of the exam rang, and Skylar was pushed out of the school gate by the surging crowd. She looked utterly lost, staggering towards me. I pretended to know nothing, pushing my wheelchair towards her with a cheerful smile, ready to embrace her. “Hey, Sis, how’d that subject go?” The moment she heard my voice, tears welled up in her eyes. “Piper, it’s all my fault. I didn’t check my clothes properly beforehand. The supervisor found a paper in my pocket, and they ruled it cheating and canceled my score.” I struggled to lift my arm, patting her back in comfort. “It’s okay, Sis. So what if we don’t take the exam? We can just stay with Mom and Dad in our small mountain town our whole lives. Rearing sheep, tending the fields… wouldn’t that be free?” “No, I have to keep going!” Skylar shook her head with fierce determination, her voice choked. “Even if my math score is canceled, there are still two exams tomorrow. If I perform normally, I still have a chance to get into a top-tier university!” She wiped her tears and pushed my wheelchair back to the hotel. “Piper, when I make something of myself, I’ll bring you and Mom and Dad to the city. I’ll definitely cure your illness!” She spoke with bubbling excitement, completely unaware of the growing darkness on my face. Skylar, I tried to warn you. You insisted on continuing the College Boards. In that case, don’t blame me for what comes next. 2 The next day, two police cruisers sat parked outside the exam center. “Officer, I genuinely don’t know anything about this phone! You have to find out the truth, or my whole life is over!” My sister, now in police custody, was sobbing uncontrollably. Parents waiting at the entrance for their own children whispered amongst themselves. “Which misguided kid is this? Doesn’t she know that cheating on the College Boards is against the law?” A sharp-eyed parent recognized Skylar, gasping. “Oh my God, isn’t that Skylar Greene, the top scorer in the statewide practice exams?” The parents erupted in a clamor at the mention of Skylar’s name. “That’s odd. Skylar Greene is a star student from the city’s magnet high school. Her teachers praise her as Ivy League material. Her grades are so good, why would she cheat on the College Boards? Isn’t she just ruining her own future?” “I heard she brought a cheat sheet yesterday, and today they found a phone on her. She seemed like an honest kid, but she’s got some nerve!” “Maybe her good grades in the past were all from cheating too! She just got lucky and slid by, but when it came to the College Boards, her true colors showed!” Under the condemning stares and whispers, Skylar’s face burned crimson. She wished the earth would swallow her whole. “You’re Skylar Greene’s sister, Piper Greene, right?” The officer directed the question at me, sitting in my wheelchair. I feigned confusion. “What happened to my sister?” “Skylar Greene was caught using an unauthorized communication device to cheat on her College Boards. Are you aware of this?” Hearing this, I acted even more shocked. “What? Sis, you brought a phone to cheat?” Skylar’s face instantly went ashen, her voice trembling. “Piper… you saw me bring my phone to the exam? I distinctly remember putting it under the hotel pillow!” I nodded, speaking slowly and deliberately. “Yes, you were in such a hurry when you left. After packing your pencil case, you just tucked your phone into your pocket without thinking.” “I didn’t know you couldn’t bring a phone to the College Boards, so I didn’t remind you, I even thought you wanted to call Mom and Dad right away after the exam was over.” I finished, my face still innocently asking, “Officer, will my sister be okay?” The officer gravely informed me, “She has already violated the law. If the circumstances are severe, she could be facing jail time.” “What? Jail time?” I pretended to be frightened, but secretly, I couldn’t wait for my sister to be imprisoned. Skylar clutched my hand, her eyes filled with frantic anxiety. “Piper, think hard. Are you sure you didn’t remember it wrong? Now, only you can prove my innocence!” Silence hung in the air. Then, I spoke with feigned reluctance. “Sis, I know you desperately wanted to get out of our small town, hoping that one day you could bring Mom and Dad and me to live in the city.” “I also know that only by leaving this town can my illness be cured, and our family can escape poverty and stop being bullied by the villagers.” “But you, of all people, shouldn’t have gambled your future away, using such a dirty trick as cheating to take the College Boards. Is that fair to Mom and Dad? Is it fair to the teachers and friends who helped you?” Skylar trembled all over, her voice distorted with desperation. “I didn’t cheat! You know I wouldn’t do something like that! We grew up together, you should know me better than anyone!” I, who had orchestrated her downfall, knew precisely how wronged she felt at that moment. Yet, I shook my head, sighing, my gaze filled with feigned disappointment. “Yes, Sis, I really didn’t expect you to be this kind of person.” Skylar looked as if she’d been struck. She released my hand, her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the ground. “Why… why is this happening?” 3 Soon, a swarm of media reporters arrived to interview my sister. “From a celebrated prodigy, you’ve fallen to a publicly condemned cheat. How do you feel about this?” “As a repeated example of cheating on the College Boards, do you have any regrets?” “Do you feel you were always a ‘whiz kid’ persona created through cheating? Will you have another chance to take the College Boards in the future? Do you plan to cheat again next time?” Skylar, still in handcuffs, hung her head in shame before a battery of cameras. “I…” For dramatic effect, they even brought her homeroom teacher to the scene. “Skylar Greene, I had such high hopes for you. How could you do something so foolish?” He looked at my silent sister, speaking with deep anguish. “Have you forgotten studying until two in the morning, hiding in the bathroom to read in the middle of the night?” “Have you forgotten the hardship of having a high fever and refusing to go home, taking an IV drip with one hand while solving problems with the other?” “Have you forgotten the foot-high stacks of scratch paper, and the dozens of empty pen casings you accumulated?” Skylar finally looked up, tears glistening in her eyes. “Teacher, I haven’t forgotten. I wouldn’t dare forget…” Yes, I had witnessed my sister’s dedication to the College Boards for years. Precisely because of that, I had to frame her for cheating. “I built an illustrious career, guiding countless students into top-tier schools. I thought you, too, had a boundless future. But look now, you’ve become the first student under my wing caught cheating!” The teacher grew more agitated, delivering his harsh words before storming off. “From now on, don’t say you were my student. I’d be a disgrace!” The camera zoomed in on Skylar, capturing the light in her eyes slowly dimming. Even Mom and Dad were brought from our rural home to the interview site. “Skylar, tell Mom and Dad the truth. Did you really cheat on the College Boards?” “Yes, if there’s some misunderstanding, explain it to everyone. We can always try again next year!” Skylar’s eyes were lifeless. She spoke weakly. “If I say I didn’t cheat, will you believe me? Will the police believe me? Will everyone watching on TV believe me?” Before a national audience, I declared with conviction, “Mom and Dad, the supervisor found the paper in Sis’s pocket, and I did see her bring her phone into the exam hall.” Mom and Dad completely broke down, wailing hysterically. “You ungrateful brat, who taught you to cheat and lie? Don’t you know our family’s situation? Are you trying to drive your mother and me to our graves?” “It’s over. Our family is completely ruined now!” Yes, our family was indeed ruined. My mom suffered from heart disease, my dad had a lame leg, and I had been diagnosed with ALS. My sister was the only able-bodied person in our family. In other words, Skylar was our family’s only hope of escaping hardship. Even so, I had to destroy my sister’s college dream, to stop her from reaching a better future. Skylar offered a bleak smile, shaking her head resignedly. “I knew it. No one believes me anymore. No one…” She was being escorted into the police car. I bid her a reluctant farewell. “Sis, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of myself and Mom and Dad while we wait for you to come home.” Skylar merely gave me a fleeting glance, saying nothing more. Watching the police car drive away, a heavy weight finally lifted from my chest. I had finally achieved my goal: I had sent my sister, who had such a promising future, to prison.

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My boyfriend’s suspense novel was adapted into a scripted murder mystery game. During our class reunion, as we were playing it, he suddenly pointed at me and declared, “You’re the murderer.” But he wasn’t talking about the game—he was referring to a real murder case from our school years. A case that had already been closed, with the culprit long behind bars. “You,” he said, “are the real killer.” I scoffed. “Got any proof?” 1 “Jane Davies, you’re the killer!” Asher Reed, my boyfriend, pointed a perfectly straight finger directly at my face, his gaze unusually sharp. This was supposed to be the final line of the murder mystery game, but he had swapped the killer’s name for mine: “Jane Davies.” My heart gave a heavy thump. Asher had been acting strangely since this morning. His usual simple style of dress was replaced by a very formal suit, his hair slicked back with gel. He even wore black contact lenses, making his pupils look unnaturally dark and artificial. Now, those two dark abysses stared straight at me, intensifying the eerie feeling. A fine sweat broke out on my palms. For a long moment, someone finally broke the silence. “Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Who knew a writer could act so well?” “A power couple showing off in style!” “Definitely giving his girlfriend a run for her money!” Amidst the playful teasing, the lively atmosphere of the gathering was finally restored. … Today marked our third anniversary, and also the release date of the murder mystery game adapted from his novel, Blackwood Lake. A double celebration, Asher suggested we invite a few close college friends to experience it together. I was thrilled. As a theater actress, I had a natural advantage in these kinds of games. Plus, he’d invited our old campus leadership crew: Chloe Lee, the academic rep; Mike Evans, the sports rep; and Spencer Hill, our arts council head and drama club president. Caleb Scott, our former class president, somehow got wind of the party and insisted on joining. There was a vacant role in the game, so everyone agreed. Asher chose a secluded villa as our venue, bringing several large bags of snacks, imported fruits, even a fruit knife, and a full selection of beer and liquor. Everyone joked, “We’re just showing up empty-handed, we feel bad! We’ll split the bill later, Asher!” As the car wound through several turns and arrived at the villa, the previously relaxed and vibrant atmosphere suddenly chilled. The villa before us was traditional Chinese in style, with white walls and grey tiles nestled in the mountains. A pair of large red lanterns hung on the black lacquered front gate. Upon entering, everyone forced strained smiles. The rooms inside were filled with intricately carved Ming and Qing style furniture, which felt utterly outdated and possessed an eerie, almost ‘gothic’ vibe. Spencer tried to lighten the mood. “Asher, you truly are a wordsmith. So traditional, huh?” Asher explained, “In the novel, when the girl died, she was wearing a red dress. Doesn’t this setting, when she’s submerged in the water, match the environment perfectly?” Chloe’s face was filled with disdain. “What kind of comparison is that? That’s even scarier…” Spencer chuckled awkwardly, slinging an arm around Mike’s shoulder. “We have a cop here, plenty of masculine energy. Don’t be scared.” Caleb stood silently to the side, his eyes darting around like a mouse, observing everyone. After dusk, the murder mystery game officially began. The red wood and red gauze of the traditional villa, stripped of sunlight, emanated an indescribable strangeness and chill under the dim lighting. The Blackwood Lake Murders was Asher’s fictionalized account, based on a sensational case from our college days. The night the girl died was as dark and devoid of light as tonight. Yet, the killer set in the script was the “roommate” who harbored a grudge against the victim. And now, he stood at the head of the table, pointing directly at me, accusing me of being the killer. 2 “I have proof.” Asher’s loud declaration brought the entire room to a sudden hush. Chloe looked at me, her expression bewildered, muttering, “Seriously… this is just a game… why are you being so intense?” The others, however, remained silent. I felt several gazes turn to me, laced with suspicion. My fingertips trembled slightly, and I unconsciously clenched my hands. Fortunately, I was a professional actress, adept at controlling my expressions, so I managed to maintain a facade of calm. Spencer explained to Chloe, “In our business, this is called an Easter egg.” At this point, my classmates, dressed in modern attire but perched on traditional Chinese grand chairs, shifted uncomfortably. Everyone stared at Asher, who now looked like a young master from a scholarly family giving a lecture. With a slight curl of his lips, he pressed a button on a remote beside him. Suddenly, from the center of the intricately carved round table before us, a lift slowly ascended. On it sat a dark red lacquered storage box, glowing faintly under the dim, ornate lanterns. Asher spoke softly to me, “I have a special gift for you.” He even gave a deliberate, knowing smile. I turned to look at the box, my unease deepening. I glanced back at Asher; an uncontrollable excitement gleamed in his dark eyes, almost bursting forth. He placed his hand on the box’s brass lock, twisting it with a soft “click” as it opened. He lifted the latch, setting the lock aside, and slowly opened the box. When the contents fully revealed themselves, everyone gathered around recoiled. My heart sank, my scalp prickled, and my body swayed slightly. I had to brace myself against the table to keep from falling. Chloe suddenly shrieked in terror, and the others recoiled sharply, their grand chairs scraping loudly and gratingly across the floor. “What is that?!” Inside lay a tattered red dress, crumpled and stained. Its hem was frayed, covered in dried, greenish algae and mud, some strands of algae stretched into fine threads. A dirty, waterlogged dress. This was Asher’s “special” gift to me. Asher looked around triumphantly, finally fixing his gaze on me. “Jane, does this look familiar? This is the evidence.” 3 Every eye in the room was fixed on me. If I showed even a flicker of fear now, it would confirm their suspicions. I took a deep breath, yanked the dirty dress from the box, and flung it angrily at Asher’s face. “Asher Reed, is playing these spooky games fun?” But the man merely shrugged off the red dress and smirked. Mike, out of professional habit, pulled out a tissue, picked up a corner of the dress, and held it up. After examining it, he concluded, “This is Scarlett Hayes’s dress.” Scarlett Hayes—the victim of the Blackwood Lake case from years ago, and the victim in Asher’s novel. Everyone gasped, holding their breath, then recoiled as if I carried a plague. “How could her dress be here?!” Asher finally spoke. “Don’t be nervous. It’s just a replica. Scarlett Hayes’s dress was taken by the police ages ago.” Then, he took a step towards me, his eyes challenging. “Jane, do you dare tell everyone the truth of what happened that night?” I glared at Asher, my chest constricted, my breath catching. “The truth?” I looked at Asher’s twisted grin and the others’ bewildered gazes. I savagely dug my nails into my palm. The pain instantly brought tears to my eyes. Looking up again, my gaze, full of unshed tears, met Asher’s. “The truth?” “Asher, do you really want me to speak the truth?” Asher had a pair of captivating, expressive eyes that made everything he looked at seem gentle and tender. It was those very eyes that had once captivated me. Now, the room’s windows were tightly shut, and the candlelight seemed much brighter. I stood before everyone, looking at him, feeling as if he were a complete stranger. If you’re heartless, don’t blame me for being unjust. “You cheated on me with Scarlett Hayes, giving both her and me identical dresses. Such a sordid affair, you didn’t have to go to such lengths to make me tell it. Why don’t you just tell them yourself? Isn’t it the same?” Asher lowered his head slightly, then slowly raised it again. “Yes, I did cheat back then.” I scoffed. My classmates around us were all on edge. Chloe Lee’s couple figurine, a gift she’d given me, glinted with an irritating glare. Asher’s face flickered in the candlelight as he continued, “But you were the other woman.” I froze. I never knew he had actually been with Scarlett. Now, to be publicly accused by him of being the ‘other woman’… What about our three years together? Our shared memories felt like a tattered rag, torn to shreds by his own hands. Asher continued, “You deliberately seduced me away from her because of something that happened eighteen years ago.” Everyone held their breath. 4 Eighteen years ago, I was in middle school. I was the hope of our small town, my academic performance good enough for me to get into the city’s top high school. But that summer, a devastating piece of news, like a massive hailstorm, suddenly descended and shattered our small home. I never imagined that those unbearable past events would be exposed in such a setting. And I never thought my own lover would be the one to reveal it, digging a knife deeper into my ugly wound. Asher seemed to be enjoying it all. His voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement. Eighteen years ago, my father died. When the police came to notify us, they carried his ashes. They didn’t even let us see his body. They said my father had accidentally drowned while trying to save a girl from a neighboring village who had fallen into the water. The moment I heard the word “death,” my blood froze. It was as if I was the one who had drowned. The muddy water of the rice fields filled my nostrils, ear canals, and eyes. My five senses faded, my family disintegrated. Did my father die like that? I couldn’t see, couldn’t hear. My mother stood nearby, muttering blankly, “Saved someone… died? Who did he save? Where is that person?” The police simply said, “They’re not obligated to come. We’ve investigated thoroughly; it was purely an accident. Our condolences.” Then, they turned and left, as if fleeing. Not a single word of comfort. They ignored my mother’s questions and cries from behind them. Only my mother and I were left, collapsing to the ground, sobbing in each other’s arms. Later, rumors from the neighboring village began to trickle in. The girl my father saved was the eldest daughter of the village chief of Hayes Hollow—Scarlett Hayes. The core of the rumor was that my father was trying to molest her, not save her. … Asher paused his story there, and everyone present looked stunned. Under his biased narration, everyone believed my father had actually molested Scarlett. My expression was flat, my gaze cold as I stared at him, remaining silent for a long moment. Suddenly, I grabbed a half-empty bottle of red wine from the table and hurled it at Asher’s head. He dodged, and the bottle shattered with a “thud” on the brick floor, leaving a messy puddle. Asher, instead of getting angry, laughed. He clapped his hands, and bloodshot veins spiderwebbed around his black pupils. “Yes, just like that. You were just as furious when Scarlett Hayes found out about you.” During freshman year, Scarlett and I both got into the same university. She had always been the center of attention, adored by everyone since childhood, and she still had many admirers in college. I barely managed to suppress my hatred for her, forcing myself to look ahead, but her provocations ignited everything. Not long after we started, I got a slap across the face right outside my dorm room. Scarlett left me with a haughty glare and a simple, cutting remark—”Bitch!” Chloe Lee remembered that incident vividly. But even a goddess has to bow her head sometimes. When Asher Reed, as cold and aloof as a snow-capped peak, appeared, Scarlett’s proud head gracefully lowered in shyness. 5 A person’s hatred, if left unvented, will sooner or later consume them. Asher interlaced his fingers, sighing, “I was just the pawn you used to vent your hatred, wasn’t I, Jane?” I looked at him, the awkwardness of our first meeting suddenly reappearing. He had been the one to cautiously approach me first, yet now he was gossiping about our past to everyone like a malicious busybody. He said he didn’t know why we would coincidentally meet at the deserted Blackwood Lake. After all, with the tales of “Blackwood Lake God, sacrificing living souls” spreading, almost no one at school ever went there. Yet, he loved to go there, and so did Jane, who hated Scarlett Hayes. Whose intentions were sinister was clear at a glance. “Going to the lake was just to seduce you? That conclusion is a bit too self-absorbed, don’t you think?” I retorted. “Of course not. You had more important things to do.” Mike rubbed his chin, looking at us with a hint of amusement. “What? What?” Chloe asked curiously. From Spencer’s side, there was a rustle of pages turning. “Probably because of this.” He then placed Asher’s novel in the center. “Just played the game, already forgot the plot?” Caleb said, his voice a low, chilling whisper, “Holy smokes, this stuff can actually connect to real life?” Everyone leaned in, eyes glued to the page. —Blackwood Lake, page 177, Chapter 34: The Stand-in. “The Stand-in?” Chloe read the words, her voice rising in pitch. “Still haven’t remembered? The killer, dressed in the same clothes as the victim, is pushed into the water by someone else, feigning to be the victim to clear their own name.” “Could it be… that the stand-in was Jane?” “No way, the lake is so deep. Wouldn’t she drown if she jumped in?” Asher spoke unhurriedly, “Perhaps we would all drown if we jumped in, but Jane certainly wouldn’t.” “Because she’s an expert swimmer and diver.” Chloe frowned, looking from me to Asher in disbelief. “No way… we lived together for four years…” Asher gestured towards the door. “Don’t believe it? There’s a hot spring right outside. Just dunk her head in for a few minutes, and you’ll know.” I glared at Asher. So, that was the real purpose of booking the hot springs. At that moment, Mike, who had been observing silently, asked, “Jane, where were you on the night of the 23rd?” 6 Finally, Asher’s goal was achieved. Mike was a police officer. Now, in front of our old classmates, he was interrogating me like a hardened criminal. How ridiculous life could be. Asher, the man I had spent three years with, was now so meticulously trying to destroy me. Well, then, he shouldn’t blame me for abandoning all sentiment and shared history. I shed all traces of my nervousness and let a calm, collected expression settle on my face. Now, it was my turn to turn the tables. I clapped my hands, laughing wildly. “Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!” I toyed with my phone, then spoke softly. “But before I answer that question, I have a question of my own.” Mike’s expression remained stern. “What?” I placed my hands on the table, fingers interlocked, looking at Asher with an unsettling calm. “Why today?” “Why this particular place?”

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My mother was hardwired to defy. She lived to contradict, to twist every instruction into its opposite. Before my final high school exams, I’d pleaded with her, countless times, not to touch my things. She’d nodded, then turned right around and stitched a cheat sheet into the lining of my jacket. The result? I was caught, accused of cheating, and expelled on the spot. My academic record, ruined. I brought the sealed envelope of my ruined future home, begging her again, please, don’t touch it. I stepped away for a moment, and by the time I was back, she’d torn open the seal, pen in hand, “editing” its contents. I confronted her, my voice raw with fury, but my dad just smiled, calling it her “good intentions,” telling me to be more understanding. The rage, the sheer helplessness, drove me to a nervous breakdown. My doctor prescribed quiet rest. But my mother, scoffing at my “fragility,” invited a gaggle of her male friends over, turning our living room into a raucous party, claiming “exercise is the only path to health.” It was there, amidst the drunken laughter and blaring music, that their leering advances and constant harassment left me feeling utterly violated, plunging me into a severe depression. I picked up a filleting knife, desperate to reclaim my dignity, but my dad and brother blocked my path. “They’re your mom’s friends,” my brother scoffed, “you only lost your innocence.” In the ensuing struggle, the knife found its way into my heart. But then, I opened my eyes again. I swore, with every fiber of my being, that my mother’s “good intentions” would, this time, bring ruin upon them all. 01 The moment my fingers closed around that folded stack of notes hidden in my jacket lining, a jolt of electrifying certainty shot through me. My entire body trembled. I was back. I was sure of it. I had been reborn. In my last life, my mother had insisted on packing my things. “Just focus on studying, sweetie,” she’d chirped, “Mom will take care of everything else.” I’d specifically told her not to touch anything for the exams. But she’d gone and sewn that cheat sheet into my coat. During the test, it had slipped out. I was caught, branded a cheater, expelled, and became the entire school’s laughingstock. Broken and reeling, I’d limped home. I’d warned her, begged her, not to touch my academic records. But the second I stepped into the bathroom, she’d torn open the sealed envelope, pen in hand, “correcting” the contents. “I told you not to touch it!” I’d shrieked, my voice cracking. “Are you deaf?! Do you hate me so much you won’t be happy until I’m dead?!” She’d looked up, her face a picture of pure innocence. “Mom didn’t know anything, darling. I just wanted to help.” Before I could say another word, my brother, Leo, had kicked me to the floor. “Your grades were always trash anyway, you wouldn’t have passed even without cheating. And you have the nerve to blame Mom? You ungrateful wretch!” Leo was allergic to dairy, but my mom, ignoring doctor’s orders, had bought him a cream cake. It had almost put him into organ failure. She’d, of course, blamed me for buying it. From that day on, Leo had hated me, constantly spitting venom, wishing me a terrible death. My dad had chimed in too. “Your mom meant well, Lily. Girls don’t need much schooling anyway. Just get married soon.” I couldn’t comprehend twelve years of grinding hard work, gone. The sheer anger had choked me, and I’d passed out. The doctor had diagnosed a nervous breakdown, prescribing complete rest. But my mom had dismissed it as me being “delicate,” then invited her male friends over for a party. “More exercise equals more health!” she’d declared. It was there, amidst the drunken revelry, that their leering advances and constant harassment left me feeling utterly violated. My condition worsened, spiraling into deep depression. I’d picked up a filleting knife, desperate for justice, for a shred of dignity. But my dad had shielded them, wrestling with me. In the chaos, the knife had plunged into my heart. Even as I lay dying, I’d heard Leo’s words: “She only lost her dignity, but they’re Mom’s friends!” “She just had bad luck. She didn’t appreciate Mom’s hard work. She deserved to die!” In that moment, I’d been consumed by regret. I should have let my mother unleash her brand of “good intentions” on them. I shouldn’t have stopped her. This time, I’d toss the cheat sheet. I’d act oblivious. And when her “good intentions” boomeranged back, hitting them square in the face, they’d only have their own bad luck to blame. 02 It wasn’t until the third day, after I’d finished the final exam, that I truly allowed myself to breathe. Walking out of the testing center, everything felt like a dream—a nightmare, thankfully, from which I had now woken. This time, everything was different. This time, I had a chance. My mom was a born contrarian. Tell her to go east, and she’d stubbornly march west. It wasn’t that she couldn’t understand words; she simply thrived on doing the exact opposite. Everyone in our family had always indulged her. I knew what I had to do: get into a college far, far away. As far from this house as possible. I’d already discarded the cheat sheet. There shouldn’t be any more screw-ups, right? Of course, against all expectations, there was a screw-up. The day college exam results were released, I went to school to fill out my applications. Before I left, my mom suddenly asked, “Results are out? Do you need Mom’s help with your applications?” I eyed her warily. “Don’t you dare pull any more stunts, or I swear, I’m done with you!” She plastered on a syrupy sweet smile. “No, no, darling, how could Mom? Mom just wants to help my Riley ease her worries.” “No worries to ease,” I said, ignoring her, and headed straight for school. I didn’t know then that she’d turned around and called our relatives. “Your Aunt Carol’s husband, Frank, can you help Riley fill out her applications? I’ll text you her Social Security number.” “Just apply for a vocational school. A woman’s virtue is her lack of talent, and a good trade is fine.” The moment I finished submitting my applications at school, my uncle called. “What did you apply for, Riley? Way too risky! Good thing your mom had me re-submit everything.” “Don’t worry, Riley, just wait for your acceptance letters!” An alarm blared in my mind. I checked, and sure enough—my uncle hadn’t just changed my applications; he’d changed my login password too. My whole body trembled. I’d warned her, explicitly, not to interfere. Why couldn’t she just leave me alone? Why was she so determined to ruin everything? 03 When I demanded the password from Uncle Frank, he just waved me off. “They’re all top-notch technical schools, don’t you worry. Your mom looked at them too, she wouldn’t let you get screwed over.” Don’t worry? How could I possibly relax? I knew these relatives. Every single one of them was a master of messing things up. It was because of him that my cousin Sarah, who could have gone to a proper university, ended up stuck at the worst trade school, just to be with his son. The moment I saw my new applications, my hands shook with rage. My original choices, all prestigious universities, had been replaced with applications to places like “Big Rig Technical Institute.” Thankfully, it wasn’t too late. I swallowed my fury, rushing home to confront my mom. “How could you let them mess with my college applications like that?!” “Didn’t I tell you, repeatedly, not to cause any more trouble? Will you only be happy when I’m off to college?!” She lowered her gaze, trembling as she wiped away imaginary tears, putting on her patented aggrieved act. “Your Uncle Frank and Aunt Carol, they’re not outsiders. Mom was just worried you didn’t have enough experience, so I thought they could guide you.” “When has Mom ever harmed you? Mom just didn’t want you to be jealous of others with good trade skills.” I wanted to scream, to tear my hair out. Those relatives barely finished elementary school. What “experience” did they have? Why would a good university degree not be enough? Was I some kind of masochist who wanted a lesser education? But my mom, as always, argued back, sticking to her twisted logic. Everyone else’s warnings were just hot air to her. I didn’t want to waste any more breath, so I just issued a cold warning. “From now on, don’t ask about my business, don’t interfere! It’s not your place.” “You just cause trouble. Can’t you understand plain English?!” Before I could finish, Leo rushed over and kicked me to the ground. “How dare you! How do you talk to Mom like that?!” “What do you mean Mom can’t understand English? She’s just looking out for you! With your lousy grades, what good is any application? You’ll end up at a community college anyway.” My dad chimed in, echoing him: “Exactly, Riley! Did a dog eat your conscience? Your mom cares about you so much, how can you be so ungrateful?!” I hit the hallway floor hard, a searing pain shooting through me, cold sweat beading on my forehead. No one moved to help me up. They just stood there, towering over me, judging me from their moral high ground. It took me a long moment to recover, watching their mouths move in a united front of condemnation. It was almost comical. My mom was a contrarian, someone who twisted every instruction into its opposite, but she wasn’t just doing it to me. Before, I used to clean up her messes. Now, I wouldn’t. I wanted to see how they would handle the fallout. The most important thing now was to placate them. I swallowed my anger, forcing myself to apologize. “I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t recognize your good intentions. You were definitely doing what’s best for me.” “You’ve lived longer than I have, Mom. You know best.” My mom graciously forgave me. Our family was a picture of harmonious happiness. Everyone was satisfied. I just hoped they’d stay stuck with my contrarian mom, forever. 04 After sorting out my applications, I started streaming from my room – which doubled as my study – to earn money. I knew my mom wouldn’t give me a dime for tuition or living expenses. To avoid interruptions, I locked my door. But my mom wasn’t having it. She started banging on the door, a frantic, insistent rhythm. “Riley, want some fruit?” “No!” I shouted back. “I’m allergic!” She acted like she hadn’t heard me, continuing to pound. “You’re so lucky! Your brother left some mango from breakfast, hurry and eat it.” Ha! “Left some”? She probably meant a few stringy mango pits. Did she really think I wouldn’t know? I yelled through the door, “I won’t eat it! I’m allergic to mangoes! Are you trying to kill me?!” She whined back, “Mom barely got any of this mango, it’s all for Riley…” There was no reasoning with her. She just kept chattering outside my door, as if nothing was wrong. My dad, annoyed by her incessant noise, stomped over and kicked my door open. He stood there, glaring into my room. “Riley Evans! Are you going to die if you open this door? Your mom’s just trying to show she cares. Will it kill you to come out and eat a bite? Who are you hiding from?” Her caring for me? She’d be lucky if she didn’t kill me. The more I told my mom not to do something, the more energized she became. It was like some twisted obedience test for her. I scoffed, then opened the door. “Can you just leave me alone? I’m live-streaming. If I don’t make money, are you going to pay for my college?” “Me pay? I don’t have any money. My money is for your brother, don’t even think about it!” My dad scratched his head in frustration. “Your dad knows you’re stressed, but your mom went to all the trouble to get you fruit. And this is how you treat her? Your attitude is terrible.” “She ‘got it for me’? Don’t you dare try to guilt-trip me.” My mom, with a saccharine voice, shoved a plate of messy mango pits towards my mouth. “Riley, hurry and eat. This mango is so sweet. Mom saved it just for you, for your nutrition.” The smell of mango filled my nostrils. It felt like my great-grandmother was beckoning me from beyond the grave. “Thanks, Mom! I love mangoes.” I forced a smile, taking the plate from her. The moment the door was shut, I dumped the entire plate, mango and all, into the trash without a second thought. I wasn’t going to suffer in silence anymore. And I wouldn’t argue with her again before leaving home. Most importantly, I had to play along, to let her twisted sense of satisfaction swell. “Ugh… she’s got wings now, can’t control her!” My mom continued to grumble outside the door because I hadn’t eaten the mango in front of her. When I didn’t come out to apologize, her face instantly darkened. She grabbed the clothes drying rack from the sofa and started banging it against my door with all her might. “Riley, open the door! It’s a good day, I’m going to air out your comforter!” I pretended not to hear her, figuring she’d stop after a while. But she didn’t. She just hit the door even harder. My patience snapped. I roared, “You bang that door one more time! See if I don’t come out there and kill you!” Silence. Complete, utter silence. It always took me losing my temper for her to stop. She was truly infuriating. 05 My mom acted as if she’d suffered the greatest injustice, squatting in the living room, her eyes welling with tears. Leo, my brother, saw her and his heart ached for her. He kicked my door open, yelling, “What are you trying to prove? Spending all day doing nothing, messing around with shady stuff.” “Mom’s still worried about you, waiting on you, and this is your attitude? If you keep this up, you can just get out!” I gave a mocking smile. No need for him to kick me out. I’d be gone once college started, never to return. In my last life, after my incident, I’d been extra cautious with my mom, protecting Leo from her schemes, ensuring he passed his exams and became a civil servant. This time, I wouldn’t intervene. I owed him nothing. How would he ever know true pain if the whip never cracked on his own back? When my acceptance letter finally came, I needed to mail my official transcript to the university. To be safe, I mailed it myself that very day. My live stream ended late, so when I groggily woke up the next morning, I saw my mom tiptoeing into my room, carefully taking a document envelope from my desk. I watched her perform her little charade, then turned over and went back to sleep. I didn’t get up until noon to ask her. “Mom, where did you put the envelope from my desk?” She gave me a fawning smile. “Mom was worried those school officials would mess up your details, so I opened it and checked it for you. You won’t blame Mom, will you?” I flared up, my voice scorching. “You can’t open official documents like that! It invalidates them! How am I supposed to mail it? How am I supposed to go to college?!” “Didn’t I tell you not to touch my things?! Are you deaf?!” She looked hurt, her voice a pathetic whine. “Mom didn’t know any of that. You didn’t tell me. Mom was just worried about you, how was I supposed to know it was so important?” She was still defending herself. “I saw it just sitting on your desk, I thought it was just a package.” And then, tears began to stream down her face. She raised her hand, as if to slap herself. “It’s all Mom’s fault, it’s all Mom’s mistake. Riley, please don’t be angry.” This was her usual trick. It’s how she’d brainwashed the other two idiots in this family. 06 Sure enough, her trick worked. The moment her hand went up, my dad’s foot connected with my side, sending me sprawling to the floor. “What’s all this racket about? It’s just a stupid envelope, what’s there to fight about?” My dad had been on a losing streak with his night fishing for days, boiling with frustration, and I was the perfect outlet for his pent-up anger. “So, one stupid envelope means you can’t go to college? Sounds like you’re just not cut out for it.” “Good thing, too. I wasn’t planning on paying for your college anyway. In a couple of years, we’ll find someone for you to marry, and that’ll help your brother with his wedding expenses.” I struggled to my feet, my gaze cold as I swept over him. Even though I’d expected it, a chill still ran through me, and unbidden tears welled in my eyes. “Riley, don’t blame your dad. It’s all Mom’s fault, every single bit of it.” My mom stood beside him, wailing and crying, but her eyes held a glimmer of victorious satisfaction. My dad shot me a disgusted look, then pulled my mom protectively behind him. “Bah! You ungrateful wretch, you dare talk back to your mom? Even a dog I raise knows how to wag its tail.” With that, he snatched the envelope from the table, tore it in half, and threw the pieces at my head. The scattered papers fell to the floor. My dad spat a few thick globs of phlegm onto them. I gripped the table, watching his performance, waiting for him to finish. “Go on, spit some more,” I said, my voice dangerously calm. “I got it wrong. I mailed my transcript yesterday. That one… that looks like yours, Dad. Your new job might be in trouble now.” “You absolutely can’t hold this against Mom, okay? It’s just a stupid envelope.”

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