Category: English

I transmigrated into a book, becoming a gorgeous but insignificant background character. My husband is the CEO’s Special Assistant, a character unworthy of even a name in this melodramatic CEO romance novel. At this very moment, I’m making a scene about divorcing him. The reason? He knows the male lead’s likes and dislikes like the back of his hand but doesn’t even know I’m allergic to cooling oil! 1 I carefully sorted through the plot in my mind. This is an old-school CEO romance novel. The male and female leads will go through a series of melodramatic plots involving physical and emotional abuse, organ harvesting, running away while pregnant, and finally achieve a Happy Ending. And the original owner’s husband’s job includes but is not limited to— Investigating the female lead’s background for the male lead; Selecting gifts for the female lead on behalf of the male lead; Recounting the male lead’s tragic childhood to the female lead; And conducting DNA paternity tests for the male lead and his son. Such tool characters share a common name—CEO’s Special Assistant. And I am the special assistant’s arranged fiancée, with whom he shares no emotional foundation. 2 “Mr. Zhang… Assistant.” I called out to stop the man who was currently signing the divorce agreement. He is rich and handsome, busy with work and rarely home, with simple family relations and no mother-in-law issues. Moreover, he is on the front line of all the gossip! The decision to divorce was really made too hastily. “Mr. Zhang… Assistant, do you really want to divorce me?” I covered my face with both hands, lowered my head, and asked in a choked voice. Dead silence. I spread my fingers and peeked at him through the gaps, meeting his staring gaze directly. He sighed lightly: “You proposed the divorce. I’m just respecting your wishes.” I was choked speechless for a moment. He said softly again: “You’ve been sarcastically calling me ‘Assistant’ all day. I thought you had some opinion about my job.” Uh… I awkwardly flipped through the divorce agreement, glimpsed his name, and quickly looked up. “Ethan… Zhang.” Honestly, I thought his name was just Assistant Zhang. He didn’t react, so I had to continue maintaining my spoiled persona. “I just wish you would pay a little more attention to me. You know what ties your boss loves to wear, what brand of necklaces his wife likes, but you don’t know I’m allergic to cooling oil!” “As a husband, you should at least know what I like and dislike. When is my birthday? When is our wedding anniversary?” “You know your boss’s wife better than you know me!” Still silence. Did I overact? “I don’t really want a divorce.” I muttered softly with my head down. Feeling the person in front of me stand up, I looked up at him. “Like I said, I respect your wishes.” After speaking, he tore up the divorce agreement in his hand, picked up his briefcase, and walked towards the entrance. “Then what are you doing? Separating from me?” I didn’t expect him to be so easy to talk to; stupid words popped out without thinking. He paused, and I felt I could see obvious helplessness and some unspeakable embarrassment in his figure. “… The boss’s wife is missing. The boss asked me to investigate her whereabouts.” Ah… running away while pregnant… the plot progresses unexpectedly fast. 3 After Ethan Zhang left, I had nothing to do, so I walked around the house. A large flat in the city center; obviously, his boss is quite generous. The kitchen is fully equipped, and the fruits, vegetables, and ingredients in the refrigerator are categorized. The balcony is full of green plants, and there are different kinds of flower arrangements on the dining table and bar counter, obviously carefully tended by the owner. It seems the original owner was someone who knew how to live. But I don’t know anything! In terms of cooking, I only know how to boil frozen food. In terms of plants, I can’t even keep succulents alive! Not wanting to be caught as an alien, I quickly searched online for “dishes suitable for beginners.” Tomato scrambled eggs and hot and sour shredded potatoes are not bad. The first two dishes I made could only be described as cooked. Fortunately, with experience, I quickly got the hang of it. Not wanting to wash dishes after eating, I lay on the sofa watching a drama, thinking I would clean up the mess after finishing this episode. The plot was too dull, not as exciting as the grudges and entanglements between the CEO and his little wife, so I fell asleep quickly. When I woke up, it was completely dark, and I was covered with a blanket. I looked around; the study door was closed, with only a sliver of light coming through the crack. I went over and knocked on the door. “Come in.” Opening the door, Ethan Zhang was lowering his head to take off his glasses and put them on the table. “Hungry?” He asked as he walked towards me. I shook my head. He walked up to me, held my shoulders with both hands, turned me around, and pushed me out of the study. “I saw you sleeping and was afraid cooking would wake you up.” He said while rolling up his sleeves. “Is Coke chicken wings and garlic lettuce okay for today?” I followed him to the kitchen, only to find that my “crime scene” had been cleaned up by him. He noticed my gaze and smiled: “Why did you suddenly think of cooking? I tasted it; it was pretty good.” Watching his skilled movements of tying the apron and lighting the stove, even a fool would realize that the original owner wasn’t the one who usually cooked. I smiled embarrassedly: “Just… on a whim.” He stopped talking. Watching his busy figure, I spoke again: “Do you need my help?” Actually, I was just being polite, but he looked back at me in surprise, then stepped aside to make room on the counter. “Wash the lettuce.” I stepped forward obediently, my movements slightly clumsy. His hands didn’t stop, but there was an obvious smile in his voice: “You seem like a different person today. You never did these things before.” Alarm bells rang in my head. “I reflected on myself. Marriage is a matter for two people. I can’t just ask you to change for me; I should also do something.” After speaking, I looked up to observe his reaction and met his gaze again. That gaze was heavy, containing things I couldn’t understand, only making me feel uneasy. “Isn’t that right?” I didn’t even dare to speak loudly, asking softly. He lowered his head and continued to handle the chicken wings, his hands moving noticeably faster. “Yes. You’re right.” 4 Still not wanting to wash dishes, I fled into the bedroom early after dinner. I observed in the afternoon that the original owner and Ethan Zhang slept in separate bedrooms. So when I came out of the bathroom and saw him cleaning the closet, I was almost speechless. “What are you doing?” “You said you wanted to manage our marriage well. I thought we didn’t need to sleep in separate rooms anymore.” He closed the closet door and looked back at me. His dark eyes held a look I was familiar with. I didn’t understand before, but at this moment, I suddenly understood. I swallowed nervously. He walked over and patted my head: “Or did I misunderstand?” Honestly speaking, with my years of drama-watching experience, Ethan Zhang’s configuration is completely fit to play the CEO himself. I nodded: “Yes, everything you said is correct.” In a trance, I seemed to understand why Ethan Zhang could tolerate the original owner for so long. Because I have a setting that is very much not a background character—a stunning beauty. So Ethan Zhang is actually a big pervert?! 5 In the middle of the night, Ethan Zhang was called out by a phone call and didn’t return until dawn. I was sleeping groggily but still smelled the alcohol on him. “You went drinking?” I was subconsciously irritable. He moved away from me: “The boss’s wife left, and the boss is drowning his sorrows in alcohol.” I frowned: “Does he have no friends?” He smiled awkwardly and didn’t answer my question: “I’m going to take a shower.” Breakfast was pork potstickers, pumpkin milk paste, and a boiled egg. At the table, he asked me how my job search was going. With the original owner’s education, naturally, I hit walls everywhere. I proposed preparing for graduate school exams, and after his surprise, he expressed support. “You must have had good grades when you were in school, right? Do you have any exam preparation experience to pass on to me?” With the major mismatch and the fact that he had been working for years, I just said it casually and didn’t expect him to really say anything useful. Unexpectedly, he pushed up his glasses: “I was recommended for admission (without exams).” …Okay then.

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I transmigrated into the role of a green tea (manipulative) female side character who cross-dresses as a boy just to get close to the male lead. Now, not only do I have to maintain this character, but I also have to “conquer” the heroine, who is also cross-dressing as a boy. So, I’m forced to play both sides. The day my secret was exposed, I trembled in fear. The male lead rubbed my lips fiercely: “You like playing these thrilling games, huh?” “Hmm?” 1 “Come out!” “Explain what was under your butt just now!” As soon as I transmigrated, I heard myself interrogating someone behind a bathroom stall door. My tone wasn’t exactly friendly. I immediately covered my mouth. Shit! Why is my mouth running on auto-pilot? While I was panicking, a mechanical voice suddenly sounded in my mind: “Congratulations, you have been selected to transmigrate into a book. I am your System.” According to the System, the original owner of this body is named Faye Jensen. She is a manipulative “green tea” side character who is obsessed with the male lead, Xavier Thorne, and goes so far as to dress as a boy to get close to him. And the person I currently have blocked in the stall is the heroine of this book, Chloe Stone. In the original novel, after discovering Chloe’s true identity today, I started targeting her relentlessly. Terrified she would get involved with Xavier. Little did I know, these actions actually accelerated the romantic development between the male and female leads, and sped up my own demise. Ending in a miserable tragedy. I rubbed my chin for a moment: “So my mission is to successfully conquer the male lead?” Standard transmigration trope, I get it, I get it. The System paused: “You only guessed half right.” Half? Which half? Before I could ask, the System volunteered: “Your mission is to maintain your character persona while, still cross-dressing as a boy, successfully conquering the heroine.” ? Maintaining the persona is understandable, but conquering the heroine? What the hell? I was silent for a moment: “System, be honest, is your last name ‘Absurd’?” “Also, I’m not gay.” Sensing my displeasure, the System was considerate and immediately offered a second option: “Then you can die. I’ll find someone else.” Uh, wait. Is it that casual?! I choked and tried to save myself: “Actually, I’ve long discovered I’m suited to be a lesbian.” “In the past, my moral compass was too high, so I only dared to be gay in secret, trembling with fear that others would find out. But after meeting you, being gay has become a lifestyle, a threshold for making friends, a philosophy of life. Being a lesbian is underrated; it’s not just an action, but a mood in mind, a state of being. If someone isn’t gay, I feel sorry for them.” This time it was the System’s turn to choke: “It’s not that serious. You just need her affection level for you to reach 100%. You don’t have to… actually become a lesbian.” I was a little disappointed. What the hell, I just convinced myself. 2 After understanding the situation, I turned my gaze to the present. Chloe still hadn’t come out. After thinking for a moment, I ran to the classroom, grabbed my backpack, and passed a sanitary pad from a hidden pocket through the gap in the stall door. Luckily, the original owner had a habit of carrying pads. I softened my voice: “Um, do you need this?” Chloe didn’t make a sound, so I kept holding it. After a long time, Chloe moved and whispered a very quiet “Thank you.” A voice rang in my mind: Affection +5. The corner of my lips curled up, and I started explaining my behavior just now. “Don’t be scared. I was just a little shocked, so I overreacted. Sorry about that.” “Don’t worry, I won’t breathe a word of this to anyone.” “I’m leaving now, bye.” As my footsteps faded away, the mechanical voice continued: Affection +10. Hehe, the heroine is kinda cute. 3 It was currently break time, and the classroom was a chaotic mess. Some people who saw my actions earlier started gossiping as soon as I returned. I rubbed my eyes, pretending I just woke up: “Nothing, I just thought school was over.” Everyone burst into laughter, and I took the opportunity to return to my seat. I ran too fast earlier and didn’t get a chance to look at my “male lead” desk mate. It’s hard to say if the original owner was smart or stupid. Smart because she cross-dressed to get close to Xavier Thorne. Stupid because by cross-dressing, she became the only “girl” around Xavier who was treated like a bro. I sighed. Hard to judge. Xavier beside me probably heard my sigh. His face, which had been buried on the desk, turned. His bangs were fragmented and messy. He half-opened his eyes, squinting against the sunlight from the window: “Why the sigh?” Even in such a terrible posture, it was hard to hide the boy’s handsomeness. I paused. It took a moment to realize that this should be the time when “I” and Xavier had the best relationship. That’s why he had the leisure to care about me. I shook my head, indicating it was nothing. Just then, Chloe entered from the front door. Across half the classroom, I spotted her instantly. The girl was truly beautiful, with red lips and white teeth, a pair of clear tea-colored eyes. Her short hair added a touch of handsomeness. My eyes lit up. Worthy of being the heroine. Chloe sensed my gaze and turned her head. Her cheeks flushed, looking like she wanted to say something but stopped. As if worried about what happened earlier. I smiled at her and made an “OK” gesture. That pad became our unspoken secret. “Since when do you know him?” Xavier beside me straightened up at some point, following my gaze to look at Chloe. His expression was intriguing. My alarm bells went off immediately. In terms of charm, I can’t compare to Xavier. If Xavier starts interacting with Chloe now, he might steal my baby heroine away in no time. Then wouldn’t my mission be doomed? My life is over. Thinking of this, I spoke immediately: “Xavier bro, help me see how to do this problem?” No matter what, I can’t let him look at Chloe anymore. Staring at that face for too long, I’m afraid he’ll fall in love. Too dangerous. 4 Xavier paused, then shifted his gaze to me. “Asking me?” Right, asking him? Xavier is an out-and-out slacker in the book. I was speechless for a moment, trying to smooth things over: “Who told you to have a scholar’s face, bro? You look like you know everything.” Hearing this, Xavier couldn’t hold back and chuckled. “According to you, if I don’t solve this problem, I’m letting my face down?” I nodded, but then quickly shook my head. Not really. You just be handsome. Someone else will handle the studying. I glanced inconspicuously at Chloe. Yup, the only brain in the whole book. But for some reason, Xavier’s expression inexplicably turned cold. He reached out and pressed my head toward the problem. With just a glance, he wrote down the answer. ? Wait, he just solved it? This is an extra credit problem. I flipped to the answer key at the back to compare. Identical. I looked at Xavier. He returned to his lazy posture but looked a bit smugger. He raised an eyebrow at me, as if saying: “Well?” I couldn’t believe it. After holding it in for a long time, I said: “…Did you peek at the answer?” Otherwise, it’s impossible! So I successfully saw Xavier’s face turn dark. He sneered and messed up my hair: “Faye, you’re really something.” I screamed. But this really isn’t my fault! This is called OOC (Out Of Character), you know!

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1 The night before our wedding, Jayce took me to an immersive mystery game. It was there, hidden in the shadows of a hallway, that I overheard him talking to his friends. “Jayce, man, are you really going to drug Sienna tonight? I hear those guys you hired are animals. What if they break her?” Jayce’s voice was heavy with a sigh. “I don’t have a choice. Cathy’s been raising hell. I have to give her something.” The others erupted in a chorus of lewd jeers. “Dude, why hire strangers? A job like this, we’d be happy to handle for you.” “Yeah, for real. You’re not gonna share a goddess like Sienna? Let your boys have a taste.” “Exactly! We’re your friends, we’d know how to handle her. Enough to give Cathy her satisfaction, but… heh heh heh.” I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I just smiled, accepted the scandalous costume Jayce had picked for me, and deliberately drank the tainted wine he offered. The next day, the wedding didn’t just make headlines. It blew them up. … I had only stepped away to use the restroom. On my way back, I heard my own name. “Jayce, man, are you seriously going to drug Sienna? I heard the players you found are rough. No restraint. The wedding is in two days, aren’t you worried they’ll actually hurt her?” A short silence, then Jayce’s weary voice drifted through the door. “So what if they do? I’m still marrying her.” “Cathy’s been a mess, crying nonstop, her eyes are all swollen. You guys know how she gets. She thinks Sienna coming back stole everything from her. She won’t calm down until she gets some payback.” “I promised I wouldn’t touch Sienna. This is how I make it up to Cathy, how I give her peace of mind.” The cold wall was the only thing keeping me from collapsing. Peace of mind? He was going to use my body, my dignity, to give Cathy peace of mind? “True,” someone mused, his voice dropping lower. “If that country girl Sienna hadn’t shown up out of nowhere, you and Cathy would be the ones getting married. You two grew up together… I bet you’ve already done everything, right?” “But seriously, Jayce, why bring in outsiders? This is the kind of fun we could have. Keep it in the family, you know?” The suggestion was met with a wave of rowdy laughter. “He’s right! Sienna’s body, that face… she’s a masterpiece. If you’re willing to let her be played with, you should let your friends be the first to sample the goods.” “Yeah, man! We’re your crew. We’d know the limits. We’ll make sure the video is satisfying enough for Cathy, but we won’t cause any real trouble. Heh heh heh.” The filthy words slithered through the crack in the door, coiling in my ears. Two years ago, he was the one who claimed it was love at first sight, that everything was finally falling into place. I bit my lip so hard the metallic taste of blood flooded my mouth. Just then, a phone rang. Cathy’s sickly-sweet voice dripped through the speaker. “Jayce, darling, I’m almost there! You promised you’d play Sienna’s little video at the wedding, okay? You can’t go back on your word.” Jayce’s tone was dripping with indulgence. “Don’t worry, princess. Have I ever broken a promise to you? Just wait for the show.” Someone whistled. “Whoa, so this whole crazy idea was yours, Cathy? Playing this hard… damn, girl. That’s next level.” Cathy’s voice on the phone was smug. “Hmph. Of course. You try to steal my man, you pay the price. I want her to know that even if she marries into the Harrison family, she’ll never be able to hold her head high again.” The call ended, followed by a burst of unrestrained, mocking laughter. “Seriously though, Jayce? You’re really not going to touch her after the wedding? What a waste of a perfect body.” Jayce paused. “Of course not. She’s dirty.” So that was it. The loving gazes, the gentle promises—all of it was just poison wrapped in a sugar-sweet shell. But why? It was Cathy who had stolen my life, who had basked in the love of my parents for twenty years. And now she acted as if I were the thief, willing to destroy me in the most vile, despicable way imaginable. Fine. If that’s how they wanted to play, then let them choke on their own poison. I shoved down the storm raging inside me, smoothed my expression into one of serene innocence, and pushed the door open. The room fell silent. Jayce walked over to me. “Sienna, darling. This is for your character. You’ll look stunning in it.” He handed me the so-called costume. It was as sheer as a whisper. The neckline plunged nearly to my navel, and the skirt was so short it barely covered the tops of my thighs. My lips curved into a brilliant smile. “Of course. If you picked it, I’m sure it’s perfect.” When I pulled back the dressing room curtain and stepped out, the air in the room seemed to freeze. Several pairs of sticky, greedy eyes latched onto my body. “Holy hell, Jayce… you’re a generous man!” “Cathy, your sister… she’s unreal. Like she was born to play this part.” “Damn, Jayce. You’re one lucky bastard. Got all of us feeling… heh heh.” The smile on Jayce’s face faltered for a second, his eyes flashing with a complex mix of shock, annoyance, and even… a possessive glint. He closed the distance between us in a few quick strides, pulling me against him as if to shield me from their leering gazes. “Alright, that’s enough. Settle down. She’s shy, don’t scare her.” Before, I would have mistaken that for protectiveness. Now I knew it was nothing more than a charade, the primal instinct of a male protecting his territory. “Ooooh, listen to him! Getting all defensive!” someone crowed, sparking another round of laughter. Jayce shot them a warning glare that finally shut them up. Just then, Cathy approached, a glass of red wine in her hand, her face a perfect mask of concern. “Sienna, you grew up in the country, right? You probably haven’t played an immersive game like this before. You might be nervous. Why don’t you have some wine to help you get into character? I picked this vintage myself.” She raised the glass. “Think of it as an early wedding gift from your little sister. Here’s to you and Jayce, and a hundred years of happiness.” A celebration? Celebrating what? My ruin? She tilted her chin up slightly, a flicker of contempt and superiority in her eyes that she didn’t quite manage to hide. Twenty years of living my life had made her believe she was entitled to it. The marriage pact had been between the Scotts and the Harrisons for a generation; my return had thrown a wrench in her plans to marry Jayce. I remembered how, after our families announced that I would be the one to marry him, she had taken me aside, her voice full of false sincerity. “Jayce is a wonderful man, Sienna. You’ll be so happy with him.” “I’ll be your maid of honor! We’ll make sure you have the most beautiful wedding ever.” “And if he ever mistreats you, you just tell me. I’ll always have your back.” It was all an act. A carefully constructed lie designed to set me up for the most devastating blow. When I didn’t take the glass, the hand Jayce had on my waist tightened. “Cathy went to a lot of trouble for this. Don’t be rude. Be a good girl and drink it.” His voice was soft, but it held the hard edge of a command. I slowly lifted my eyes to meet Cathy’s—so innocent on the surface, so venomous underneath—and smiled, a smile brighter and sharper than hers. “Thank you, Cathy. You’re too kind.” Without a moment’s hesitation, I drained the glass. “The taste… is unforgettable.” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, then turned the empty glass upside down, showing it to her with a little flourish. Cathy seemed stunned by my compliance, the triumphant joy in her eyes practically overflowing. “I’m so glad you like it, sister. Well, I should go get ready myself.” She turned and walked away, her steps light and eager. I swayed, staggering backward as if my body was no longer my own. The men in the room watched me, their stares growing more brazen, like wolves circling a lamb ready for slaughter. Jayce’s voice cut through the haze, laced with the perfect amount of concern. “Sienna? Are you okay? Maybe I should take you to a room to lie down.” I clutched my chest, opened my mouth to speak, but instead, I choked, and a splatter of dark blood hit the floor. Jayce’s arm around me went rigid. “What the hell?” The leers on the other men’s faces froze. “What’s happening? Why is she spitting up blood?” “She’s so pale… this doesn’t look like she’s faking.” “Jayce, man… maybe this isn’t a game anymore. We should get her to a hospital.” By then, I was foaming at the mouth, my body convulsing on the floor. A staff member walked in with props and screamed. “Something’s wrong! Somebody call 911! Manager, we need help!” The last thing I saw before darkness consumed me was Jayce, his face a mask of panic, scooping me into his arms and running. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled my nose, and I knew I was in the hospital. “Her vital signs have stabilized. It was an acute reaction to a neurotoxin. You got her here just in time for a stomach pump, so she should be fine. We’ll keep her for 24-hour observation, and then she can be discharged.” Jayce’s voice, tight with confusion, cut through the quiet. “A neurotoxin? Are you sure? What kind?” My heart clenched instinctively. “We’re not sure yet, but it acts fast, causing rapid nerve damage. It’s a good thing you brought her in when you did.” After the doctor left, the men started talking in hushed, anxious tones. “Jayce, I thought it was just a sedative. How did it turn into poison?” “Yeah, this was supposed to be a prank. We can’t have a death on our hands.” “Cathy gave her the wine, right? Maybe she swapped the drug without telling you? That’s… that’s insane.” “Enough! Shut up!” Jayce snapped, his voice raw. “Cathy would never do something like that. She can be a brat, but she’s kind. She wouldn’t even hurt a fly.” He took a deep, shaky breath. “I prepared that drink for Sienna myself. It was just a simple sleeping pill. How could it turn into poison?!” I never imagined he would take the fall to protect Cathy. As if trying to convince himself, he continued, his words tumbling out faster and faster. “Maybe… maybe Sienna has some underlying health condition. Or she ate something earlier that reacted with it. It has to be a coincidence.” The faster he spoke, the more it seemed like he could bury the truth under a mountain of denial. “Cathy is innocent. She just wanted to teach Sienna a lesson, to make her understand who the real daughter of the Scott family is. To stop her from dreaming about things that belong to Cathy. She would never use poison.” Wouldn’t hurt a fly? The same girl who concocted a plan to have me drugged and assaulted on video was, in his eyes, a pure, innocent angel. The truth was, the wine had only contained a sedative. The real poison was a powder I’d coated on my hand, which I transferred to my lips when I wiped my mouth. I had gambled, certain that Jayce and his pack of hyenas wouldn’t dare let things escalate to murder, especially with staff around. It was a risky move, and it hadn’t yielded the result I wanted. Jayce’s selfish, twisted logic left his friends speechless. After a few awkward glances, they quietly filed out of the room. He walked to my bedside, looming over me for a long moment before letting out a heavy sigh. The exhaustion and the lingering effects of the drugs pulled me back under. When I opened my eyes again, the room was empty. I was just about to get up to use the restroom when I heard voices coming from inside it. It was Cathy. “Jayce, what are you waiting for? She’s lying right there. The wedding is in less than 24 hours. This is our last chance.” “Can’t you see it? This whole poisoning thing was an act. She staged it to make you feel sorry for her, to keep you here by her side.” “I’ve already called the guys. They’re on their way. They can come in, make the video, and ruin her face while they’re at it. I want her left so broken she’ll be rotting in the gutter!” A cold dread washed over me, chilling me to the bone. Cathy was so unhinged she was going to attack me in the hospital. This time, she wanted me disfigured. After a tense silence, Jayce’s low voice finally answered. “Cathy, calm down.” “This is a hospital, not some private room at a game lounge. There are nurses in the hallway, security cameras everywhere. What if someone walks in? What if she wakes up and calls the police?” “I don’t care!” Cathy’s voice rose, cracking with hysteria. “I want her gone! I want her ruined!” “Why did she have to come back? Why did she have to steal my parents, and you?!” “Jayce, you’re feeling sorry for her, aren’t you? You see her lying there all pathetic, and you’re getting soft. You’re falling in love with her, aren’t you?!” “That’s ridiculous!” Jayce cut her off, his tone sharp and absolute. “How could I ever fall for a woman who grew up in the sticks?” He took a deep breath, his voice shifting to one of gentle persuasion. “Cathy, listen to me. I’m worried about you. You can’t risk getting caught over someone so worthless.” “I have a better idea. It’s completely safe, just as devastating, and it will leave her with no way to defend herself.” Every nerve in my body went taut. I had a terrible feeling about what was coming next. Jayce lowered his voice even further. “We can hire someone, dress them in her clothes. We’ll shoot from the right angles, get all the footage we need.” “As for the face… we can blur it just enough. But the body type, the clothes, even the birthmark on her back—we can fake all of it perfectly.” “We’ll play that video at the wedding. Her reputation will be destroyed. She’ll never set foot in our world again. And you, Cathy, will remain the one and only pristine daughter of the Scott family.” Cathy hesitated. “But… that’s letting her off too easy. I want her to really suffer, to really be…” “Cathy!” Jayce interrupted her again, a rare note of command in his voice. “Trust me. This is the smartest way. I don’t want you taking any risks. Think about your family. Think about our future.” That last phrase, “our future,” was like a tranquilizer dart, hitting the one thing Cathy cared about most. She finally relented. “Okay, Jayce. I’ll do whatever you say.” Then came the sounds of rustling clothes and soft, eager gasps. I closed my eyes just as they were stepping out of the bathroom. A short while later, my parents, alerted by Cathy, rushed into the room. “Sienna, my darling, what happened? You scared your mother to death,” my mother said, her voice trembling. “Yes, Cathy told us you were in the hospital. The wedding is tomorrow! What’s going on?” my father added. I answered weakly, my voice a hoarse whisper. “I don’t know… I just felt so sick after Cathy gave me that glass of wine…” Cathy stood frozen, her eyes red, fumbling for an explanation. “Sienna… I didn’t…” “Sienna!” Jayce cut in, grabbing my hand. “The doctor said you must have eaten something that had a bad reaction with the alcohol. It had nothing to do with the wine.” My mother patted my other hand. “It must have just been a coincidence, dear. Your sister is always telling us how wonderful you are. She would never do anything to hurt you.” My father’s eyes held a glint of disdain. “We raised Cathy. We know her. She is a sweet, considerate girl. Don’t you bring your backwoods drama and jealousy in here.” His words struck me like a physical blow, reminding me of the day I first returned home. They had wept then, telling me how much they owed me, how they would spend the rest of their lives making it up to me. They gave me the largest bedroom, presented me with twenty years’ worth of birthday presents. I had believed them. I had wanted, so desperately, to build a real relationship with Cathy. But every single time something came between us, they chose her. I knew now that they always would. And I no longer needed them to choose me. Catching the triumphant look in Cathy’s eyes, I pulled my hand away. “I’m a little tired.” After they left, deep in the night, the door to my room creaked open. Two figures in orderly uniforms slipped inside. Before I could react, a cloth was clamped over my mouth and nose, the acrid smell flooding my senses. “Hurry up, Miss Scott is waiting!” At the mention of her name, I stopped fighting. Soon, I was in the back of a van, being driven to a derelict warehouse. Cathy was there, flanked by three men whose leering eyes crawled over my unconscious form. She looked down at me, her voice dripping with contempt. “Sienna. How can I ever feel at peace if you don’t experience true suffering?” She turned to the men. “She’s all yours. Just dump her back at the hotel entrance by noon tomorrow.” “And make sure you get some good, clear shots. I want the whole world to see what kind of trash the real Scott family daughter is!” As Cathy’s laughter echoed out of the warehouse, the three men descended on me like starving wolves. Just as one of them, a man with greasy yellow hair, reached for the collar of my shirt, my eyes snapped open. He saw that I was awake, saw my lips moving without a sound. Thinking I was too terrified to speak, his grin widened. “Well, look who’s up. I was worried you’d be a dead fish. This is much more fun.” “Heh heh, little beauty. Your big brothers are going to take good care of you today. The louder you scream, the better.” “What are you two idiots waiting for? If you’re not gonna go first, then watch me. I can’t wait any longer.” The moment his hand touched my chest, his eyes went wide with terror. “Agh! What is that?!” His bloodcurdling scream made the other two drop their cigarettes. They stared, frozen in place, as a dozen glistening centipedes swarmed up the first man’s arm, their bites sending him writhing and screaming on the filthy floor. As the silent syllables continued to fall from my lips, the warehouse filled with a rustling, skittering sound. From every dark corner, a tide of venomous creatures poured forth—spiders, scorpions, and insects of every nightmarish shape and size. “Bugs! So many bugs!” “Run! These things are poisonous!” The other two turned to flee, but their path was blocked by two enormous vipers, their heads raised, ready to strike. The three men shrieked in terror, frantically swatting at the creatures crawling all over them, their skin instantly erupting in swollen, red welts as they cried for their mothers. I rose slowly from the floor. “Enjoy your new toys,” I said, my voice finally audible. “Just don’t kill them.” I whispered the ancient words of my people, and the swarm surged with renewed purpose. Without a backward glance at the three men rolling in agony on the ground, I walked out of the crumbling warehouse. A discreet black car was waiting outside. I slipped into the back seat. “Atasha,” the driver said in greeting. “Take me home. Back to the Mistwood.”

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That night, during the corporate retreat, my husband tossed my dignity onto the high-stakes table like a spare chip. Caleb had been meticulously folding, making disastrous calls, and practically handing the pot to the twenty-two-year-old marketing intern, Tiffany. He let her win again and again, nine hands in a row, a flawless winning streak that had the whole room cheering her on. I frowned, ready to interject, but Caleb’s hand clamped down, dismissively, on my wrist. “Don’t sweat it, honey. It’s just a game,” he said, his smile tight, his eyes fixed on Tiffany. “Let the kid enjoy her moment.” When Tiffany’s greedy gaze landed on the vintage, inherited diamond bangle on my wrist, I instinctively pulled back, trying to protect the last thread of my composure. But before I could speak, Caleb had already agreed to the new stakes for her. “Fine,” he announced to the room, his eyes shining with cold excitement. “We’ll bet the bracelet.” Laughter erupted around the table, a booming sound that only amplified the sickening chill settling in my chest. It was then, in the suffocating silence of my inner world, that my abdomen gave a sudden, soft thrum. A gentle, nascent voice, a strange echo I’d only heard since I became pregnant, resonated in my core. “Mom. Bet it.” The voice was strangely calm. “I’m your Fortune Charm, the Ace Baby. We can’t lose.” I lifted my gaze, meeting Tiffany’s challenging stare, and slowly, deliberately, I unclasped the diamond bangle. 1 The silence that followed was total. Everyone at the table and those gathered around froze, watching my hands. “Is she really going through with it?” someone muttered. “I remember that bracelet. Caleb gave it to Bella for their tenth anniversary.” “Well, the CEO agreed to the stakes. Can’t back out now.” “This is getting heated. Pass the scotch, there’s going to be a show.” I placed the bangle softly on the green felt. It was indeed my tenth-anniversary gift from Caleb. Back then, under the soft lighting of a high-end steakhouse, he’d looked at me with an earnest devotion I hadn’t questioned, and said, “This is forever, Bella. Just like us.” And now? He was betting our ‘forever’ on a hand of high-stakes poker. Tiffany’s eyes were wide, bright with unbridled avarice, glued to the glittering diamonds. “It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “Bet it. Are you game, Bella?” I looked to Caleb one last time, waiting for him to step in, to show a sliver of respect. He merely offered a dismissive laugh. “It’s a retreat, Tiffany. We’re having fun. Besides, you won’t necessarily lose, honey.” Marcus, our CFO, quickly jumped in to back him up. “Exactly, Ms. Bella. Your luck isn’t that bad.” My cheeks were burning, as if he’d slapped me. Everyone in the private room was watching, whispering. The boss’s wife being pushed to this extreme was certainly a rarity. Then, the gentle reassurance from my core returned. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ve got this.” My heart settled again. Since I’d become pregnant, there had been a strange, almost mystical shift in our luck. The company had landed two massive deals. I’d bought a lottery scratch-off on a whim and won a decent chunk of cash. Caleb had joked then, “This kid’s a little godsend.” Now, the godsend was speaking. I’d be a fool not to listen. I took a slow, deep breath, and nodded. “Fine. I’m in.” Caleb raised a brow, a flicker of something—satisfaction, maybe—in his eyes. Tiffany’s face lit up, and she eagerly sat back down. “The next hand takes the pot!” The cards were shuffled, cut, and dealt. The four of us at the main table were myself, Caleb, Tiffany, and Marcus. My hands trembled slightly. Not from fear of losing the diamond bangle, but from pure, raw rage at Caleb’s complicity and Tiffany’s audacity. Beneath the anger, a terrible question started to beat: Were there more secrets between them? Secrets that had already shattered my bottom line… The hand began. I played cautiously, but my cards were trash. It was Caleb’s turn to act. He casually ran his thumb over the edge of his chips, a subtle glance flicking toward Tiffany. “Fold.” “Call and raise!” Tiffany announced, pushing a mountain of chips forward. She won the hand. Caleb had folded right into her path, allowing her to take a clean, massive pot. He’d seen her weak bluff and had deliberately withdrawn to give her the win. “Sorry, Ms. Bella,” Tiffany giggled, pushing her stack of chips toward the center. She extended a manicured hand. “The bangle is mine, all-in pot rules.” Caleb chuckled, pulling out his own wallet to cover the agreed-upon equivalent in cash and chips for the loss. “Tiffany, your luck is incredible. You’re unstoppable.” Tiffany slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, admiring the sparkle under the recessed lighting. “It really is gorgeous.” Caleb gave her a look that was entirely too soft, too fond. “It suits you perfectly.” A sharp, visceral pain pierced me. On a normal night, a reward to an eager employee would be one thing. But this was our anniversary gift. And he was openly, shamelessly, favoring her. “Don’t be sad, Mom.” The fetal voice cut through the sting. “Keep betting. What we lose now, we’ll win back later.” 2 Tiffany’s face was flush with triumph, her eyes meeting mine in a blatant challenge. “Another hand, Bella?” she asked, using my first name like a deliberate insult. Marcus, the CFO, chimed in, stirring the pot. “Don’t stop now! I’ve lost a ton of cash; I need a chance to redeem myself…” Caleb remained silent, watching me. He was waiting for my reaction. I smiled, my voice unnervingly level. “Sure. That was just a warm-up.” I straightened up in my seat, placing my hands flat on the felt. “Let’s keep going.” Tiffany looked briefly confused, then her face broke into a wider, more eager smile. “Great. What are the stakes this time?” Her eyes scanned me from my expensive blazer to my Louboutin heels, finally settling on the solitaire diamond pendant at my neck—Caleb’s gift to me for my last birthday. She pointed, her finger like a dart. “That. The necklace.” I managed a slight curl of my lip, then reached up and unclipped the clasp. The diamond pendant was far more substantial than the bracelet—easily three times the value. Tiffany’s eyes were huge, and a little gasp escaped her. The whispers in the room instantly grew louder. “That’s too much, isn’t it? She’s clearly just trying to strong-arm the boss’s wife.” “I know. This has to be intentional. You think the rumors are true? Her and Caleb…” The rest of the sentence trailed off, but the meaning hung heavy in the smoke-filled air. Caleb turned his head slightly, giving the gossiping crowd a silent, warning glare. The room fell into an awkward hush. My hands, hidden below the table, clenched into white-knuckled fists. So, it was true. While I was home, pregnant, protecting myself and the baby, Caleb had found comfort—and a partner in crime—in his eager intern. Seeing my composure, Caleb coughed lightly. “Maybe we should wrap it up, Bella? Just play for the house money.” “No!” Tiffany and I snapped in perfect, chilling unison. Caleb looked surprised, turning his complex gaze on me. “You really want to bet it?” I met his eyes with a cold confidence I didn’t entirely feel. “What, are you worried I’ll lose, or that she will?” He held my stare for a long moment, his expression unreadable, then gave a curt nod. “Have it your way.” I began to deal the cards again. This hand, I was hyper-aware. I listened to the shifting air, the scrape of chips, and the minute changes in their body language. After I had a strong set, I held back from announcing my hand, instead watching Caleb and Marcus. I noticed it immediately: every time I reached for a card, Caleb’s fingers would tap a certain way on his water glass. Tiffany would read the signal, adjusting her chips or her expression. Marcus was in on it, too, folding or raising the precise amount to push the pot and shape the betting for Tiffany. Three people, collaborating. The only one left out of the loop was me. “Mom, the girl behind you isn’t right.” The soft voice of the baby suddenly warned. I subtly tilted my head, catching the reflection in the window behind me. Mia, Tiffany’s friend and a junior admin, was standing slightly to my left, leaning in, her eyes fixed on my cards. There it was. An extra set of eyes. No wonder Tiffany had been able to avoid my strong hands and pull off those huge winning bluffs. “Mia, darling, would you be a dear and grab everyone a fresh round of lattes?” I called out suddenly, my voice deceptively warm. Mia jumped, startled. I gave her a gentle, focused look. “You look tired, sweetie. Take a break.” Mia’s face flushed scarlet. She glanced desperately at Tiffany, then stammered an apology and hurried to the corner to get the order. The game resumed. Without her eyes, Tiffany looked slightly unsettled, her gaze flickering constantly between Caleb and Marcus. The hand dragged on. We were down to the final draw. Caleb reached for his card, touched it, and hesitated a moment too long. He pushed it back into his stack. “Call.” “All in!” Tiffany shouted, slamming her chips down. I called her bluff, but she was telling the truth. She revealed her hand—a perfectly played Straight Flush. “Oh, too bad, Bella,” Tiffany said, her smile blinding. “It looks like I win again.” She snatched the solitaire pendant, clipped it around her neck, and immediately pulled out her phone for a selfie. Marcus burst out in forced laughter. “The boss’s wife is having a rough night! Maybe pregnancy is draining your luck.” Another manager, an oily man named Todd, leaned in. “We used to say Ms. Bella’s pregnancy was boosting the company. Looks like the Fortune Charm is with someone else now. Ms. Tiffany must be the new lucky star.” Caleb stared at me, a complicated mix of arrogance and relief in his eyes. “A bet is a bet, Bella,” he said, his voice flat. “You have to honor it.” I kept my expression blank, swallowing the burning indignation. “Don’t panic, Mom.” The fetal voice was back, steady as a heartbeat. “They’re trying to bait you, to push you to lose control, to go for the ultimate stakes.” “Trust me. I’m ready.” 3 The atmosphere in the private room had shifted from a fun retreat to a predatory circus. I had lost twice. My most valuable personal jewelry was gone. The colleagues had stopped pretending to play and were crowding around, watching the spectacle. Tiffany, wearing my diamonds and my bangle, was the smug center of attention. “Want to play another hand, Bella?” she taunted, running a finger over the stone on the pendant. “Though, I’m not sure you have anything left to bet.” I considered the remaining stakes. My designer handbag? My car keys? She wouldn’t be interested. I was right. Tiffany spoke, her voice laced with heavy expectation. “How about… we bet something really interesting.” She turned to Caleb, their eyes locking in a silent, conspiratorial moment. “Let’s bet company stock.” The room went dead silent. Everyone understood. This was no longer a game. Our company, AxelTech, was named after a combination of our initials—Caleb’s and mine. Caleb held 40%, I held 35%, and the remaining 25% belonged to our investor, Mr. Vance. My heart gave a heavy, cold thump. I finally understood the full scope of their plot. Tiffany didn’t want the jewelry. Caleb wanted to use her hand to dilute my ownership. I spoke, my voice sharp and cold. “Your salary is barely four thousand a month, Tiffany. Where is your capital to bet against 15% of AxelTech?” Tiffany grinned, turning back to Caleb. “Can I borrow it from you, Caleb?” Caleb paused for a calculated second, then laughed, loud and artificial. “Sure. We’re just playing, darling. Lighten up.” Playing with company shares? I stared at Caleb. How long had he been planning this entire charade? It didn’t matter now. If he wanted to play, I would show him what a real game looked like. “If we’re betting shares, we’ll do this officially. Call Attorney Reyes and have him draft the agreement,” I instructed Marcus. Marcus flinched. “Ms. Bella, are you serious?” “Call him,” I repeated, my voice leaving no room for argument. Caleb’s brows furrowed, and a line of irritation appeared between his eyes. “Bella, are you going to make this difficult?” “Didn’t you start this game?” I challenged, meeting his gaze. There were too many people here, too many witnesses. If I lost, he would take my shares without a second thought. But if he lost, without a contract, he would simply walk away. I knew him too well. Caleb’s face darkened. He stared at me for five solid seconds, a cold appraisal. “Fine,” he conceded. “Have it your way.” Attorney Reyes arrived half an hour later. “Attorney Reyes, I need a legal agreement. The stakes are 15% of my shares in AxelTech.” Fifteen percent. It was a significant slice. If Caleb acquired it, added to his 40%, he would control a whopping 55%, turning the company into a dictatorship. Tiffany’s eyes gleamed with reckless excitement. “My capital will be the bracelet, the necklace… and a $1 million loan from Caleb?” She looked at him for confirmation. “I can sign a promissory note, right?” Caleb nodded, his smile returning, a sickening, proprietary look. “Done. I’ll guarantee the loan. If you lose, I cover it.” The collective wow from the surrounding colleagues was audible. The favoritism was blatant. Caleb, however, simply crossed his arms, waiting for the deal to be struck. The agreement was drafted. I signed, Tiffany signed, and Caleb signed as the guarantor. A legally binding contract, in black and white. Before the cards were dealt, I touched my swollen belly. “Baby, this is all on you now.” The fetal voice was strong, steady, and certain. “Mom, relax. I’m thinking three steps ahead.” The final high-stakes hand began. This time, the silence was agonizing. Tiffany was sweating. Caleb was chain-smoking. I, oddly, was calm. I reached for my last card, the one I needed. I glanced at Tiffany, her face tight with desperation. She reached, and her face brightened. “I’m in!” she crowed. “I hit the full house!” The room erupted. Marcus was the first to cheer. “Congratulations, Ms. Tiffany! You’re a co-owner of AxelTech!” Tiffany was radiant with arrogance. She leaned back, glancing at me. “Thanks for the shares, Bella.” Caleb laughed, clapping her on the shoulder. “Incredible luck, Tiffany. Everyone, say hello to your new partner, Ms. Thorne.” The congratulations swirled around her. But I barely heard them. I lost again. The bangle, the necklace, the shares. My hands and feet felt frozen, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm. What was left to lose? “Mom. Don’t panic.” The voice was sharper this time, a sudden jolt of electricity. “I let them win. They needed to think they had the advantage. They needed to be pushed over the edge.” “Now. Bet everything you have left. The whole pot. We crush them now.” 4 The game was paused. Tiffany was basked in the congratulations of the crowd. Caleb was on a phone call, a smug, satisfied expression on his face. Marcus came over, feigning concern. “Ms. Bella, maybe call it a night? You’ve had a bad run.” I didn’t look at him. “Keep going.” My voice cut through the noise, and the room went quiet again. Tiffany turned, confused. “You want to play again? I don’t think you have anything left that can cover the stakes, Bella.” She rattled the agreement in her hand. I sat back down and surveyed the entire room. “ALL IN,” I announced. “I’ll bet my remaining 20% of AxelTech shares.” “I’ll bet my personal trust fund.” “And I’ll bet half of our marital assets.” A collective gasp swept through the room. She’s lost it. Caleb slammed his phone down and strode over. “Bella, enough!” he hissed, his eyes narrowed with genuine fury. He wasn’t mad that I’d lost—he was mad that I was ruining his neat, contained plan. I glanced at him, then back at Tiffany. “You wanted to play big, Tiffany. I’m playing to the end.” Tiffany’s eyes were filled with a wild mix of caution and insatiable greed. “I… I don’t have the capital for that.” “You can borrow it,” I said, finishing her thought for her. “From your CEO.” Caleb squinted at me, calculating. “Are you certain, Bella? If you lose this, you have no financial footing left.” He knew exactly how much was in that personal trust. “I am certain,” I stated, cutting the air with the finality of the words. Marcus rushed forward to intervene. “Ms. Bella, please! Don’t let the adrenaline control you!” “It’s just a game!” a chorus of other managers pleaded. Just a game. The perfect cover for all their malice. Tiffany looked at Caleb, playing the innocent damsel. “Caleb, can I borrow that much?” Caleb was silent for a few heavy seconds, then his lips stretched into a cruel, patronizing smile. “Yes.” He placed a hand on my shoulder, his voice softening, attempting a familiar intimacy. “Don’t worry, darling. If you lose, I’ll take care of you. You can take an early maternity leave, quit worrying about the company, and just focus on the baby.” The words were gentle, but the knife was already twisting. His goal was laid bare: to push me out of the company so he and Tiffany could take complete control. I scoffed, my eyes focusing on Attorney Reyes. “Please call a third-party notary. Redraft the agreement, to be signed now.” I looked at Caleb and Tiffany. “And this final hand will be Heads-Up. Just the two of us. No partners.” Caleb and Tiffany exchanged a panicked look. Without Marcus’s help, the risk was enormous. I gave a cold laugh. “What’s the matter? Are you scared, Tiffany, without Caleb and Marcus to help you with the signals?” Tiffany’s face went crimson. “I’m not scared! I just won a full house on my own!” I smiled, tossing the pen toward the freshly printed agreement. Caleb was furious but had no choice but to sign as the guarantor. Attorney Reyes and the notary set up a camera, ensuring the entire process was documented and legally sound. Everyone else was pushed back five meters. The table was cleared. Tiffany sat across from me, her composure completely gone. “Let’s begin.” I shuffled and dealt the cards. This final hand was slow, deliberate. Tiffany was twitchy, looking frequently over my shoulder. I played blind. I didn’t set my cards in a traditional rack, laying them flat on the table, face up. I forced Tiffany to guess my hand. Her eyes kept darting to the far distance where Caleb stood. Caleb was making subtle hand gestures, but he was hesitant—it was too high-stakes, and he couldn’t see my cards to be certain of his advice. I drew the last card I needed. My heart leaped, but I didn’t move. I looked up at Tiffany, giving her a slow, predatory smile. “Tiffany, do you know why Caleb has been helping you all night?” She froze, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and fear. “It’s not because you’re young or pretty,” I whispered. “It’s because he thinks you’re stupid.” Her face drained of color. “You’re talking nonsense! Just play the card!” I gave a gentle tug at the corner of my lips. “We’ll know soon enough.” Tap. I revealed the card in my hand. It was the Ace of Spades.

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My sister-in-law’s eyesight isn’t very good. Before they got married, I was walking down the street side-by-side with my brother. She mistook me for a mistress and punched me straight in the face. My eyeball ruptured, leaving me blind in one eye. Yet, my future sister-in-law, Tiffany, just stuck out her tongue and laughed, “My eyesight is bad; I made a mistake. I’m about to marry your brother, so we’ll be family soon. You shouldn’t hold a grudge against me.” My mom and brother also told me to let it go, saying I shouldn’t ruin my brother’s lifelong happiness. After the wedding, I was taking a shower at home when Tiffany rushed into the bathroom with a kettle of boiling water and poured it over me. I suffered severe burns all over my body, but Tiffany cried and threw herself into my brother’s arms, sobbing, “I just love you too much. I can’t stand any woman being near you.” My brother was touched by her words and didn’t blame her. My entire family dumped me in the hospital to rot, and I eventually died from a massive infection. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the moment before I went out with my brother. 1 “Tiffany’s birthday is coming up. I need to get her a gift. Sis, come with me to pick one out.” Brandon shoved my shoulder, jolting me awake. The phantom pain of scalding water burning my skin hadn’t faded yet. I immediately rolled up my sleeve, only to find my arm smooth and unscarred. “What are you doing? Let’s go,” Brandon urged, his voice raising a notch when I didn’t respond. I ignored him and checked the date on my phone. Finally, I was sure. I had been reborn. “I can’t. My stomach has been killing me these past few days. I can’t go out,” I said, clutching my abdomen and frowning. “You always have so many issues. I’m a woman too; I know you’re just faking it. Get up and go shopping with your brother!” My mom heard the commotion and walked over, yanking my arm forcefully. Caught off guard, I fell to the floor. The pain I was faking suddenly became real. But now wasn’t the time to argue. I couldn’t go out. I had to save my eyes. “Mom, why don’t you go with Brandon? You have better taste than I do. If Tiffany knows you picked the gift, she’ll be even happier.” Mom rolled her eyes. “I’m busy. I don’t have time.” I knew exactly what was happening. Brandon wanted me to go so I would pay for the gift. Mom knew it too, which was why she didn’t want to go. I immediately took out my phone and transferred a sum of money to him. “I’ll pay for it. Since the season is changing, buy yourself some new clothes too.” Seeing the money, Mom’s expression softened instantly. Seeing that the bill was covered, Brandon didn’t care who went with him anymore. “Fine. Mom, go change your clothes. Let’s head out.” Mom turned to go to her bedroom, and I followed her. “Mom, wear this one. It looks good and makes you look younger and vibrant.” I pulled a bright-colored outfit from the closet and handed it to her. She put it on without a second thought. Watching the two of them leave, I let out a long sigh of relief. But soon, I followed them out. Brandon and Mom went to the mall. Brandon already knew what he wanted to buy, so they headed straight for the luxury counters on the first floor. I watched from a distance but didn’t approach. Soon, a familiar figure appeared. Brandon’s girlfriend, Tiffany, was walking arm-in-arm with her best friend toward the counters. Her friend spotted Brandon first. “Tiff, isn’t that your boyfriend over there?” Tiffany squinted and looked. She saw Brandon walking arm-in-arm with a woman, talking and laughing, looking very happy. Because the woman had her hair down, Tiffany couldn’t see her face clearly. But it didn’t matter if she could see the face. Confirming it was a woman was enough. “Great. He lied to me saying he was picking out a gift for me, but he’s actually messing around with some homewrecker. Watch me teach her a lesson!” Tiffany rolled up her sleeves and charged forward, shouting at their backs, “Brandon!” Mom and Brandon turned their heads at the sound. The next second, a fist smashed right into my mom’s eye socket. “Ah!” Mom screamed, clutching her eye and stumbling back a few steps. “You’re really desperate, aren’t you? Even going for someone this old? If you want to break up, just say it!” Brandon was terrified. When he snapped out of it, he immediately went to support Mom. Seeing this, Tiffany got even angrier. “I’ll beat you to death, you old fox! Shameless old hag!” “Are you crazy?! That’s my mom!” Brandon shouted. Tiffany’s hand froze in mid-air. “W-what?” Mom covered her eye, wailing in pain. “My eye hurts so much! I can’t see! Son, my eye!” “Auntie, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. I thought you were…” Tiffany reached out to help Mom, but after being punched, Mom wasn’t about to be nice. She ignored Tiffany and grabbed onto Brandon, screaming, “Take me to the hospital! Son, Mom can’t see!” They immediately hailed a taxi to the hospital, ignoring Tiffany the entire time. Knowing she was in the wrong and not wanting to break up yet, Tiffany followed them. Watching this farce from the shadows, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. 2 In my previous life, after Tiffany blinded me, I demanded police involvement. But Tiffany self-righteously claimed, “My eyesight is bad. Who told you two to walk so close? Even if you’re siblings, you should have boundaries.” “You only lost one eye. Are you going to ruin your brother’s happiness forever? As a sister, you’re too vicious.” I was so angry I almost vomited blood. I took out my phone to call the police, but Mom snatched it away and slapped me across the face. “You troublemaker! You’re just blind in one eye, not both! Will you only be satisfied if your brother is unhappy?!” Because I became disabled, the promotion that belonged to me was gone. The leadership moved me to a dead-end position serving tea and water. Then came the boiling water incident. After I was scalded, Tiffany laughed maniacally. “Fox, burn to death! Burn to death!” When the steam cleared and she realized it was me, she feigned shock. “Why is it you, sis? Why are you showering in the middle of the day? Are you trying to seduce my husband?” I was in agony all over. Ignoring my nakedness, I rushed out and called 911. I needed skin grafts. But Brandon and Mom stole my savings and told the doctors, “We’re giving up treatment. Just let her pass away.” Before I died from infection, Tiffany stood over my hospital bed, looking down at me. “In your next life, stay away from other people’s husbands. Otherwise, you won’t even know how you died.” I died in excruciating pain. At my funeral, that adulterous couple still smeared my name, claiming I seduced my own brother and that my death was karma. I lived in pain and died without peace. Thankfully, the heavens opened their eyes and gave me another chance. This time, I won’t let a single one of these villains go. 3 Brandon contacted me on the way, telling me to come to the hospital. When I arrived, the doctor was examining Mom. Tiffany looked me up and down when she saw me. “You are?” In this life, I deliberately kept my distance from them, so she hadn’t met me yet. I smiled. “You must be Tiffany. I’m Brandon’s sister. You two are really a perfect match.” Hearing this, Tiffany didn’t say anything else. Her punch in the mall had used all her strength. She had intended to beat the “mistress” to death. Mom’s eyeball had ruptured on impact, and blood was continuously flowing from the corner of her eye. The doctor sighed. “We must perform surgery immediately to remove the eyeball.” Hearing this news, Mom gasped, rolled her good eye back, and nearly fainted. I quickly stepped forward to support her. “My poor mother! Who did this to you? How will you live with only one eye?!” Hearing my wailing, Mom immediately remembered she hadn’t settled the score with Tiffany yet. She stood up, grabbed Tiffany by the hair, and slapped her repeatedly with her free hand. “Bitch! Give me back my eye! Give me back my eye!” Tiffany was a bully who only picked on the weak. She was good at sneak attacks but was no match for my mom in a real fight. Beaten without the ability to fight back, she could only scream for Brandon to save her. Brandon didn’t know who to help, so he could only separate them. “Son, break up with this little slut immediately! This kind of woman absolutely cannot enter our family!” Tiffany, eyes filled with tears from the beating, clung to Brandon’s arm. “Hubby, I know I was wrong. I just lost my reason because I love you too much.” Then she looked at Mom. “Auntie, I’ve decided to devote myself to you. I’ll marry into your family as an apology. I’ll be your daughter-in-law, take care of you, and be your eyes.” Hearing this, a satisfied smile appeared on Brandon’s face. He was clearly happy with this outcome. However, Mom was not. She cursed at Tiffany, “Our family doesn’t dare to take a shrew like you! Get out! I don’t want to see you!” She didn’t forget to threaten Brandon, “If you stay with this woman, don’t call me your mother!” Seeing the stalemate, I quickly stepped in to smooth things over and led the two of them out of the ward. I sighed. “Mom is furious right now; she won’t listen to anything. You two wait outside for a bit. I’ll talk to her.” Tiffany, having just been beaten, had no patience for my mom and sat down heavily on a bench. Brandon immediately followed her. After they left, I returned to the ward. Tiffany had to marry into our family. The suffering I endured in my past life, this family needed to taste it too. I sat next to Mom and spoke earnestly, “Mom, calm down. Don’t ruin your health. The damage is done. Let’s think about the future.” Mom, still angry, looked at me. “What do you mean?” A while later, I called the two outside back in. “I agree to let you marry my son,” Mom said to Tiffany. 4 Tiffany’s face lit up, but before she could speak, Mom stopped her. “But I have conditions.” “First, you blinded one of my eyes. You have to pay for the surgery and hospitalization.” “Second, regarding the expensive wedding gifts and financial demands, I think we can skip that. If it weren’t for the fact that you’re Brandon’s girlfriend, I would have called the police. With my injury, if I pressed charges, you’d go to prison.” Tiffany was unhappy about skipping the financial gifts, but Mom immediately threatened to call the police. I quickly advised Tiffany, “Tiff, once you marry in, we’re family. Talking about money hurts relationships. Besides, you and Brandon aren’t married yet. If Mom really calls the police and arrests you, what will you do? This isn’t a domestic dispute; it’s a crime! It would ruin your future children’s chances for government jobs.” Not paying the engagement money benefited Brandon, so he immediately joined us in persuading Tiffany. She couldn’t out-talk three mouths and finally agreed. Hearing that their daughter had blinded her future mother-in-law, Tiffany’s parents didn’t dare say anything either. Because Mom needed surgery, there was no wedding ceremony. They just got the marriage certificate, and the matter was settled. Mom’s eyeball was removed, leaving a dark, hollow socket. I bought her an eyepatch so she wouldn’t scare people. Tiffany moved into our house. Mom was busy finding trouble for her every day and completely ignored me. Perhaps because they were newlyweds, Brandon and Tiffany’s relationship was still quite good. But Tiffany wouldn’t stop causing drama. One day, Tiffany wanted to visit her parents and asked Brandon to drive her. When she got in the car, she found the passenger seat had been moved forward. This time, she was slightly more rational. She didn’t make a scene immediately but kept it in mind. When she came back, she pretended to ask me casually, “Sis, did you sit in Brandon’s passenger seat a few days ago and adjust the seat?” I looked blank. “Adjust the seat? No, I didn’t.” Tiffany was silent for a moment. “Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me.” “Yeah, I’m taller than you. If I adjusted it, I’d move it back, not forward.” After I said this, Tiffany’s hand clenched into a fist. She was already short. If the seat was moved forward, it meant the person was shorter than her. It could only be a woman. In Tiffany’s eyes, this was undoubtedly a provocation. This “mistress” was very arrogant. But it didn’t matter. She had ways to deal with her. Seeing the cruel smile on her face, I knew what she was planning. I silently stepped back into my room to avoid being caught in the crossfire. That evening, Brandon, who usually arrived home at 6:30, was late. Mom called him, but he didn’t answer. Tiffany smiled. “Mom, don’t wait for him. Let’s eat first. He probably won’t be back for a while.” Hearing this, Mom snorted coldly. “Eat, eat, you only know how to eat. My son works so hard outside and can’t even get a hot meal when he comes home.” Tiffany was clearly in a good mood and didn’t argue with Mom. A while later, the door opened. Brandon came back looking like he had lost his soul, his eyes dull, his forehead dripping with sweat. He looked up and scanned the three of us. Then he gritted his teeth and spoke, “Which one of you put superglue on my car seat?”

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I’ve been with this company for eight years, and my salary has been stuck at $3,000. Everyone says I can’t leave and that I’m a simp for my boss, Jennifer Jiang. Today is the 99th time I’ve asked for a raise. Jennifer gave me the same old line: “The company’s performance isn’t great right now. Wait a little longer.” The next day, however, I saw the company publicly recruiting interns online with a salary of $30,000—ten times mine! And on the intern’s first day, Jennifer put him at my desk. Only then did I realize I had been replaced! I turned around and jumped ship to a rival company as a director. Whoever wants to stay in this crappy company can stay! 1 “Ms. Jiang, I’m requesting a raise!” “Who allowed you to come in? Did you get my permission? Don’t think just because you’re an old timer you can do whatever you want! I can fire you anytime!” I softened my tone and repeated myself. This was the 99th time I had asked Jennifer for a raise. “The market is down, and the company isn’t doing well. You dare make demands at a time like this? You should be grateful I haven’t cut your pay. Why don’t you look outside? Where else can you find a boss like me?” “My salary has been $3,000 forever…” I felt ashamed even saying it out loud. “Aren’t you satisfied? So many people are fighting to get into this company, and I haven’t let them in. I kept you off the layoff list every time because you’re a veteran employee. Who do you think you are? Do you think the company can’t function without you?” Jennifer was aggressive, poking my forehead with her finger. I was dizzy from the pain but suppressed my emotions. “Ms. Jiang, I’ve always been grateful to the company and you, but I have to live too. I’m having a hard time right now.” “Chen, sometimes you have to look for the reason within yourself. It’s been so many years, why hasn’t your salary gone up? Is it because you haven’t worked hard enough?” Jennifer’s quote of a “famous saying” made me sneer. I’ve been with this company for eight years, witnessing its growth from zero to one. Even if I’m not a founding member, I’m at least a veteran. How many times have I worked overnight on proposals, even to the point of gastric bleeding? Because of this, I have a certain attachment to the company, and many clients only trust me. And for Jennifer, I also had special feelings. Now her “not working hard enough” chilled my heart. As I was leaving, a sentence floated from behind: “Starting next month, I’ll add $50 to your salary!” $50? Is she dismissing a beggar? Passing the break room, whispers came from inside: “I say Charlie Chen is a coward! Being scolded like that by Ms. Jiang and he doesn’t dare make a peep.” “He just can’t leave the company. I say he’s a dog, Ms. Jiang’s lapdog. comes when called, leaves when waved away!” “How could Ms. Jiang possibly be interested in him? He should take a look in the mirror. A toad wanting to eat swan meat, hahaha…” Indeed, in Jennifer’s eyes, old employees are dogs! I clenched my fists and walked quietly back to my desk. In the early morning, I received a call from Jennifer in my sleep. “I want to see the Starjoy proposal tomorrow!” “Ms. Jiang, the deadline for that proposal is next Monday, and now it’s…” “If you can’t do it, get lost! My company doesn’t keep idle people!” “Ms. Jiang, I can’t help it.” “Chen, do you know how hard it was for me to start this company alone? How much effort I put into it? You should be considerate of me!” Jennifer spoke with a hint of drunkenness. I softened and compromised again. “Ms. Jiang, don’t drink. It’s bad for your health.” Jennifer turned hostile faster than flipping a page. “Charlie Chen, who do you think you are? Bossing me around now! Are you worthy of saying that? Let me tell you, I kept you in the company because I thought highly of you. Believe it or not, I can hire ten or eight people like you tomorrow!” Whether I believed it or not, the next day I saw the company publicly recruiting interns online, with a salary of $30,000, ten times mine! I rushed into Jennifer’s office again. “Ms. Jiang, I need an explanation for the company’s recruitment post.” Jennifer crossed her arms, sneered, her eyes full of disdain. 2 “Since when does the company need to explain its decisions to an ordinary employee? Do you really think the company is yours? What kind of thing are you? Look at yourself!” “Why is the intern position salary $30,000, while I’ve worked for eight years and it’s always been $3,000?” My voice trembled uncontrollably. “What do you know? Salary isn’t matched by length of work. For a company to develop, it must bring in new blood, and conforming to market rules requires higher labor costs. Every company is the same.” Jennifer’s tone softened a bit. “So the costs are deducted from us old employees?” Jennifer slammed the table and stood up, overbearing: “Charlie Chen, don’t be ungrateful! I said, plenty of people are waiting to get in. Do it if you can, get out if you can’t!” “Ms. Jiang, I want a raise. I can’t live like this anymore.” unwilling to give up, I still held illusions about Jennifer. “Didn’t I say I’d add $50 starting next month? Be grateful and don’t push your luck! Only staring at money all day, can you do your job well? Look at what you’ve done? It’s garbage! Take it back and redo it!” Jennifer threw the file forward. I couldn’t dodge in time, and it hit me squarely in the face. I felt a burning pain. I knew she was deliberately finding fault. The proposal for cooperation with Starjoy Group had long been finalized; I just added a few details last night. I pushed open the door, and everyone’s eyes were on me. Jennifer’s assistant, Linda, walked over with a look of superiority: “Ms. Jiang just notified me to rearrange your workstation.” “Where is my new workstation?” Linda smiled insincerely, pointing towards the restroom door. That wasn’t a workstation; it was clearly a temporary table and chair added. “This is the new intern, Julian Zhang. Ms. Jiang wants you to train him first and hand over your work to him later!” Linda’s matter-of-fact face disgusted me. So, I was replaced! “I don’t agree!” I gritted my teeth. “If you don’t obey management, I’ll have Ms. Jiang fire you immediately. Anyway, no one wants you out there. Let’s see what you’ll do then!” Linda was abusing her power. She hadn’t been in the company long, but she always looked down on all old employees, thinking they were wasting company resources. “Hey you, organize all client information for me.” Julian sat at my desk immediately, bossing me around. “Hey! You’re Mr. Xu, right? From now on, I’ll be your contact for your company. Charlie Chen is out of it!” This idiot was eager to prove himself, shouting at clients, not even distinguishing if they were male or female. Just wait to be scolded, moron! I laughed secretly. Sure enough, Jennifer, who received a dozen complaint calls in a row, stormed over angrily. “Do you have a brain? Making such mistakes? I think you’re an idiot! Won’t stop until you ruin the company!” I was stunned for a moment. 3 Jennifer was pointing at me? The person she scolded was me! Everyone looked like they were watching a good show, and Julian smiled smugly. “Ms. Jiang, Julian made the calls.” “Couldn’t you stop him? What does he know as an intern? Didn’t I tell you to train him well? You ungrateful wretch! The company raised you for so many years, is this how you repay the company?” I was too angry to speak, almost crushing my molars. “Ms. Jiang, Charlie told me to do it.” Julian glanced at me maliciously. “Charlie Chen made a major work error, deduct 50% of this month’s salary! Julian performed excellently, converted to full-time immediately and promoted to Marketing Director.” This is simply turning black into white! “Thank you, Ms. Jiang. I will serve the company well in the future.” “See that? If some old salted fish in the company don’t correct their attitude, not working hard all day but only thinking about raises, I’ll let them go immediately!” Jennifer glared at me fiercely, pointing fingers. Days later, Mr. Wang, the head of Starjoy Group, came to discuss cooperation matters and specified to Jennifer that he wanted to deal with me. “Ms. Jiang, what kind of bird is that Charlie Chen! He has no ability at all. Let me receive Mr. Wang.” Julian volunteered and walked into the reception room arrogantly, only to return dejectedly. “Ms. Jiang wants you to receive Mr. Wang!” “Director, that’s your job. I’m just a errand boy now.” I didn’t even look at Julian. “Do you need Ms. Jiang to invite you personally before you go? Who do you think you are? Not going is dereliction of duty. Do you still want to stay in the company?” I ignored him. “Chen, Mr. Wang is waiting for you, hurry over!” Jennifer appeared behind me. “Ms. Jiang, such an important matter should of course be handled by the Director. I’m afraid I can’t do it well.” “I told you to go, so go! Do you really not want to work anymore? Taking yourself too seriously!” Seeing I didn’t speak, Jennifer got a bit anxious: “If the cooperation with Starjoy falls through, the company will be greatly affected, maybe even go bankrupt.” “That’s your business.” “Chen, can you be considerate of me? It’s not easy for a woman like me. So many people rely on the company for food. I can’t watch it collapse. Since you are an old employee, of course you don’t want this to happen, right?” Looking at Jennifer, my heart softened again. The negotiation with Mr. Wang went smoothly. Mr. Wang was very satisfied with my proposal, agreed to the quote on the spot, and agreed to sign the contract three days later. As soon as Mr. Wang was sent off, Jennifer changed her face immediately. “Is there something wrong with your brain? Just now Mr. Wang said sign in three days, why didn’t you say today?” “Ms. Jiang, I am an ordinary employee with a salary of only 3,000. I have no right to make any decisions.” Julian looked fawning, whispering in Jennifer’s ear: “Ms. Jiang, now only the contract signing is left. I can go then. He’s useless now.” “I think you did it on purpose! I know what’s in your heart. You just don’t want the company to do well, you heartless ingrate!” Jennifer glared at me coldly. Burning the bridge after crossing it, discarding after use! 4 “If I didn’t want the company to do well, I wouldn’t have gone to talk to Mr. Wang just now.” “Really amazing! You think the company can’t function without you, right? Hmph! Don’t flatter yourself! Outside the company, you are nothing!” “I never thought that!” “Don’t think I don’t know what’s on your mind, Charlie Chen. Let me tell you, I will never be interested in you in this life! With your poor look, you’re not even fit to carry my shoes!” Jennifer’s eyes showed obvious disgust. “Do you mean it?” My eyes reddened, asking unwillingly. “In my eyes, you are worse than a dog! I only feel disgusted! The man I want must be rich and powerful. Look at yourself! Even if all the men in the world died, I wouldn’t look at you!” At this moment, my heart for Jennifer died completely, and the affection in my heart disappeared. My face was ashen: “Okay, then I resign.” “As if I’m afraid of you resigning! Let me tell you, if you dare step out of this company door, don’t ever come back!” Jennifer’s face was livid, pointing to the door. “Okay!” I pulled out a sneer. At the peak of anger, I became calm instead. “I warn you, don’t come back kneeling and begging me then. I will never give you any chance!” Jennifer was certain I wouldn’t leave. “Ms. Jiang, he’s threatening you with resignation! He’s been shameless in the company for so many years, how could he leave?” I stared dead at Julian’s villainous successful look. “Who would want such a person outside? Maybe he can’t find a job then and can only sweep streets or guard gates. Isn’t that a watchdog! Hahaha…” Julian laughed more and more rampantly. That night, I called Mr. Fang, the boss of Sunhigh Group. “Mr. Fang, I agree to be the planning director at your company.” “Chen, great. Young people should venture out more, and I value your character and ability. Come over, salary starts at 50,000.” I could hear the unconcealable excitement in Mr. Fang’s tone. “Thank you, Mr. Fang!” At this moment, I felt incredibly relaxed. Early the next morning, my phone kept ringing. It turned out to be a group privately formed by former colleagues, without Jennifer. “Heard Charlie Chen failed to woo Ms. Jiang and got scolded badly. Deserved it! With his loser look!” “Exactly! Dared to go against Julian. He’s Ms. Jiang’s relative. Charlie Chen is a big idiot! Staying in the company for so many years, being nothing!” “Threatening Ms. Jiang with resignation, reckless! But if he really can’t find a job outside, I can point him a way, be a gigolo, sleep with old rich women, hahaha…” I sneered. I used a alt account when joining the group; they thought I wasn’t in it. Suddenly Sarah Shen sent a message: “Charlie Chen is a good person and capable. Don’t say that about him! It’s Ms. Jiang who has eye problems and doesn’t know how to appreciate!” Soon she was attacked by the group. I wasn’t familiar with Sarah Shen. She had always been quiet in the company. Two days later, the company exploded. When signing the contract with Starjoy Group, Julian suddenly demanded a price increase, angering Mr. Wang to flip the table and leave on the spot. Indeed something this idiot Julian would do. He committed a taboo in the industry. I want to see how Jennifer cleans up this mess for him. “Ms. Jiang, Ms. Jiang, good news. Mr. Wang finally agreed to talk to us again, but there is a condition.” “What condition?” Jennifer’s eyes lit up instantly. She was now overwhelmed, having been shut out several times trying to see Mr. Wang.

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1 At the company’s annual gala, my wife, the CEO, suddenly called. She asked me what I was doing. “Washing your underwear, of course,” I answered, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “What’s up? I have to put these in the dryer when I’m done, and then I need to give the baby his bath.” A wave of laughter and applause erupted from her end of the line. The call ended abruptly. She didn’t come home until late, reeking of a nauseating mix of alcohol and perfume. I got up to make her some soup to sober her up. She grabbed my hand, her eyes bloodshot. “Robert, where’s your spine? Your pride?” I just smiled faintly. The proud Robert was dead. In this new life, all I wanted was for the people I loved to live. … Lisa turned me to face her, hysterical. “Say something!” she shrieked. “Tell me, where did you put my Robert? Give him back to me!” I smiled. “People change, don’t they?” Besides, she was the one who changed first. The anger and frustration in her eyes slowly faded into a weary sadness. “Can we just stop torturing each other?” My own eyes were calm. “What’s so bad about the way things are now?” Her shoulders slumped, and she took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. You should go back to bed.” Back in my room, I heard the sound of shattering glass. A little while later, she came in and sat on the edge of the bed. After a long silence, she spoke. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.” “I’ve really broken it off with Kevin. And there won’t be any other men.” “What will it take for you to forgive me?” I didn’t want to fight with her. I stayed silent, gently patting our restless baby. Sleep, my love. Daddy will never leave you again. In my past life, when Lisa was two months pregnant, I discovered she was cheating on me. To be more precise, from the moment she started pursuing me, through our courtship, our marriage, and her pregnancy—a total of seven years—she had been sleeping with her childhood friend, Kevin. I wanted a divorce. She refused, no matter what I said. She told me over and over that she loved me, that the baby was mine. She kept me locked in the house in the name of love. When I tried to kill myself, she tied me to the bed. When I went on a hunger strike, she threatened me with my father’s safety. This went on until she gave birth. The moment our baby’s soft little hand closed around my finger, I felt like I had come back to life. He was my son. I watched him constantly, smiling when he smiled. Lisa was happy too. She had successfully used our son to keep me. But three months later, I had a complete mental breakdown and nearly threw our son from the third-floor balcony. Lisa snatched him from me and slapped me, her hands trembling with fear. “You’re insane!” She had me committed to a psychiatric hospital for a year. When she came to pick me up, she asked if I missed our son. Hearing his little voice call out “Daddy,” my heart clenched. I nodded. When we got home, Kevin was there, holding our son. “Lisa! I was just passing by and wanted to see the baby. I think he’s having an allergic reaction to something he ate.” Our son was struggling to breathe, his face already turning purple. At the hospital, the doctor said we were too late. I was plunged back into a deeper hell. “Murderer!” I lunged at Kevin, but Lisa threw herself in front of him. “Robert, calm down. I’m heartbroken too, but this was an accident. Kevin would never hurt our son on purpose.” She trusted him. “It wasn’t on purpose,” so he was absolved of all blame. My suspicions were just the ravings of a madman. After all, I had almost become my son’s killer once. I had no right to condemn anyone else. I found the lecture hall where Kevin taught and scrawled on the blackboard in red paint—KEVIN, A LIFE FOR A LIFE! I emptied the entire can of paint on him. Lisa dragged me to the hospital, her face grim. “Your father is having brain surgery in three days. Do you want him to die too?” 2 My father had a malignant brain tumor. They hadn’t dared to tell me. I stopped causing trouble. But my father died on the operating table. “Robert…” Lisa shook me awake, frowning as she wiped the cold sweat from my forehead. It took me a moment to come to. I stared at the date on my phone, slowly pulling myself out of the nightmare. I had been back for a year. On this day, Lisa had excitedly told me that our son had kicked for the first time. I placed my hand on her stomach. “Hey, baby, it’s Daddy. Give a little kick. Tell Mommy we both love her very much.” “Robert, can you forgive me? Just this once?” “Let it go,” I said. Love, forgiveness… it was all meaningless. All I wanted was for my son and my father to be safe and healthy. The next day, Lisa went with me to visit my dad. We took him for a full check-up. The tumor was still small, the surgical risk much lower. The operation was a success, and his recovery was smooth. A huge weight was lifted from my heart. It was a greater relief, a more profound joy, than my own second chance at life. I started cooking for Lisa every day, going on walks with her, getting some sun. We went shopping for baby clothes and decorated the nursery. I could even laugh and joke with her. I didn’t refuse her hugs or goodnight kisses. Lisa was happy, but there was always a faint shadow of worry in her eyes. Until our wedding anniversary. She wanted to be intimate. I pushed her away. “If you have needs, you can go to Kevin, or someone else,” I said calmly. “I don’t mind. Just be careful not to hurt the baby.” She looked as if she’d been doused with cold water, her eyes wide with disbelief. “What did you say?” “Robert, you still hate me, don’t you? You haven’t really forgiven me.” I shook my head and sat up, straightening my clothes. “I’ve just figured things out. You were right. Sex and love can be separate. I believe that you love me. I was just being too sensitive before.” I had accepted her explanation, but now she was the one who was angry. “Do you really think that?” I looked her in the eye and nodded. She slammed the door and didn’t come back all night. The next morning, she returned with a bouquet of flowers and an apology. “I’m sorry, honey. I was too emotional last night. It’s okay. We can take it slow. As long as you’re willing to give me a chance, I’d be happy with a platonic relationship for the rest of our lives.” She showed me her chat history. “I went to see Jane. She has security cameras. I can ask her to send you the footage if you want.” I smiled and nodded. “I believe you. You don’t have to explain.” The look in her eyes was more disappointed than if I had accused her. “Okay. Let’s have breakfast together.” “I didn’t sleep well last night. Will you take a nap with me later?” And so the days passed. Until one night, she found me in the walk-in closet, ironing a shirt. She flew into a rage, cutting the shirt to pieces. “What do you want from me?” she demanded, her eyes red. That’s when I realized the shirt wasn’t my size. Kevin must have left it here, and the housekeeper had probably put it with my things. “I’m begging you, Robert. Stop punishing me like this. This act you’re putting on—the perfect, long-suffering husband—does it make you happy?” I tried to explain that I just couldn’t sleep and was looking for something to do. “Fine. Fine…” She was so angry she was speechless. She tore off her own pajamas and threw them at me. “Then keep ironing! Since you have so much free time, you can do all the housework from now on. And all the laundry has to be done by hand.” I did as she said. And yes, there was a small part of me that took pleasure in seeing her lose control. In our worst fights, she would say that a social climber like me should be grateful for marrying her and changing my station in life. That a person can’t have everything. But when it came to herself, she conveniently forgot her own logic. She wanted my forgiveness, my understanding, and my unconditional love, as if nothing had ever happened. 3 Today, our son had to get his vaccinations. He cried pitifully. I comforted him, yawning twice. Lisa, full of guilt, took the baby from me. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me yesterday…” I quickly took the blame. “I didn’t realize you were in the middle of a game. I’m sorry I embarrassed you.” She was about to say something when her phone rang. After a moment’s hesitation, she answered it in front of me, a show of transparency. It was Kevin. He’d been in a car accident. In my past life, she had been on a business trip for a week around this time. I took our son from her. “You should go. You’re the only family he has in this country. I was just thinking of going to see my dad anyway.” Her expression was a mixture of relief and disappointment. She hesitated, then turned and left. The driver hurried in. “Sir, shall we go?” Just then, my phone rang. My heart started to race. “Hello, this is the emergency room at Capital University Hospital. Are you a relative of Mr. Robert Thorne Sr.?” “Yes,” I answered, my voice trembling. My stomach twisted into a knot. When I got to the hospital, I saw Lisa. Kevin was sitting on a bench nearby. “Robert, don’t panic…” It turned out Kevin was the one who had caused the accident. The person he had hit was my father. The world around me seemed to blur. All I could hear was a ringing in my ears. “Robert, look at me…” My dazed state frightened Lisa. She grabbed my arms. “Don’t worry. Dad will be fine. The roads are slippery because of the snow. Kevin didn’t mean to do it. He’s very shaken up.” My eyes burned, and a metallic taste rose in my throat. “Didn’t mean to…” I let out a cold, sharp laugh. There it was again. Kevin walked over, his face full of apology. “Robert, I’m so sorry. I didn’t even recognize your dad. I was making a right turn, and he suddenly ran out to pick up his mask. I couldn’t brake in time.” Looking at him, I saw my son’s pained face, and I couldn’t breathe. The hatred boiling inside me was uncontrollable. I slapped him across the face. Lisa gave me a reproachful look, her eyes full of concern for Kevin. “I’ll have the driver take you home. I’ll deal with the police. Don’t blame him. He’s just as upset.” Kevin smiled magnanimously. “I know. I’m not mad. You don’t have to worry about me. Just stay with him.” I stumbled back, leaning against the wall for support, taking deep breaths. I couldn’t fall apart. My dad was still in surgery. “Family of Robert Thorne Sr…” Hearing the nurse call his name, my heart leaped into my throat. “I’m very sorry. The patient died from a cerebral hemorrhage. Time of death…” My vision went black, and I couldn’t stand. I doubled over, retching. I heard my phone ringing, but I couldn’t get my hand into my pocket. Lisa answered it for me. Her face went white. The nanny had been in a car accident on the way home with our son. I scrambled to my feet and ran, but my legs gave out from under me. The world went dark, and I passed out. As I drifted in and out of consciousness, I had only one thought. If my dad hadn’t had the surgery, would he have survived the accident, just like in my past life? I was a murderer too. If anything happened to my son, my guilt would be unforgivable. 4 My son lay in the ICU, his tiny body hooked up to a tangle of tubes. Cold tears streamed down my face. I clenched my jaw, making a silent vow. If my son died, this time I would take them all down with me. Lisa held my hand, offering hollow comfort. “Honey, the baby will be fine.” I squeezed her hand, staring at her. “Lisa, I want Kevin in jail!” She guiltily averted her gaze. “Let’s go back to your room first. You need to finish your IV. We can talk about this later.” My heart went cold. I closed my eyes. They had known each other since birth. They were closer than family. They told each other everything. They were intimate friends in every sense of the word. What was our flimsy love compared to that? What was I, her convenient husband? And what was my father, a man with no blood ties to him? The sedative kicked in, and I fell asleep. When I woke up, Kevin was sitting on the sofa, casually peeling an orange. “Robert…” he said, standing up and walking over to my bed. “I’m really sorry. I never thought it would come to this.” His apology was as perfunctory as if he’d made a mistake on a work document and had to appease his boss. The moment he heard the doorknob turn, he dropped to his knees. “A life for a life. I will atone for my sin.” Lisa rushed in and helped him up. “He had surgery on his knee,” she said to me, her tone accusatory. “Lisa, I’m a man. I take responsibility for my actions. I made a mistake, and I should be punished. Don’t break Robert’s heart anymore.” A sarcastic smile touched my lips. Lisa squeezed his arm, a silent gesture of reassurance. “You’ve already apologized. It’s okay. You can go home now.” We were alone. “I just went to see the baby.” “Robert, Dad is gone. But Kevin…” “Lisa, I’m pressing charges.” Her eyes instantly turned cold. “Robert, you can’t.” It was a statement of fact, and a thinly veiled threat. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I let out a bitter laugh. “A divorce, then? Can I get a divorce?” She frowned. The word had become a taboo in our endless arguments. “Those are two different things.” I laughed harder, but tears streamed down my face. I felt suffocated, terrified, helpless. “Lisa, let’s get a divorce. I get our son, and you give me twenty million. Unless you lock me up for the rest of my life and cut off my arms and legs, I will kill you both.” Her eyes widened in shock, but she only sighed, her tone placating. “You’re too emotional right now. When you and the baby are both out of the hospital and you’ve calmed down, we can discuss whatever you want.” I took a deep breath. “Come closer. Close your eyes.” She was confused, but she did as I said. I pulled the IV needle from the back of my hand and, with all the strength I could muster, plunged it into her eye. She staggered back, clutching her eye, her face contorted in agony, her lips white. Her other eye was wide with disbelief, anger, and hurt. “You really hate me that much?” I looked at her calmly. “Do you really love me that much? You’re the one who imprisoned me with your so-called love, who made me lose my family, who pushed me to this point.” The next second, I broke down, shaking, convulsing, vomiting. A flicker of pity and pain seemed to cross her face. She agreed. Dealing with my father’s funeral, the divorce, moving, my medication, waiting for our son to be discharged… The next two months were an agony of suspense, terrified she would go back on her word. Finally, the day came when I could take my son home. I made sure to dress neatly. But when I got to the hospital, the nurse looked at me in surprise. “Mrs. Astley already picked up the baby.” My blood ran cold. It felt like my throat was closing up. I turned and ran, only to collide with a woman. “Robert, don’t be afraid. I’ll help you.”

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A stranger, a pregnant woman with hypoglycemia, wanted the candy in my hand. In a moment of softness, I gave her all the mango explosion gummies I had. After eating them, she suffered a severe allergic reaction all over her body. She went into shock and miscarried. Her husband blamed it all on me and hacked me to death in a frenzy. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day the pregnant woman asked me for candy. 01 “Miss, could you spare a couple of pieces of candy?” Mark hurried over to me, looking anxious. Afraid I would refuse, he grabbed my arm tightly, his face full of pleading. “My wife has low blood sugar, and I can’t find anything to boost her energy right now.” Unlike in my previous life, I didn’t lose my ability to think upon hearing his request and dump all my candy on him. I composed myself and gently pushed his hand away. “Since your wife is pregnant, I can’t just give her anything.” In my past life, a moment of soft-heartedness cost me my life. This time, I wouldn’t be so foolish. Hearing my words, he frowned in displeasure. “How can you be so cold-blooded? As a pregnant woman yourself, you should know how terrible hypoglycemia feels for a pregnant woman.” I started to regret coming to the park alone for a walk with my big belly. In my previous life, he was capable of hacking me to death; I should have known he was a brainless and violent man. I tried to soften my tone, not daring to provoke him. “Sir, as a fellow pregnant woman, of course I understand her. But these candies are made with real fruit juice. If your wife eats them and has an allergic reaction, I can’t bear that responsibility.” He paused for a few seconds, seemingly finding my logic sound, and turned to leave. Moments later, the woman’s irritable and unreasonable voice rang out from over there. “I want to eat her candy! Who makes candy with real fruit juice these days?” “I think she just doesn’t want to give it. If I don’t get that candy today, I don’t want to live!” I almost vomited blood from anger. Was she trying to blackmail me? Before the man could run back and speak, I hurriedly stood up, wanting to flee the scene. They really were a match made in heaven. The man blocked my path, his skin thicker than a city wall. “Miss, just give me two pieces.” “Pregnant women have strange cravings. Never mind the hypoglycemia; even without it, if she wants something, she has to have it.” “If she doesn’t eat it, she’ll cry all night. Please.” I had no intention of arguing with him. Although the internet often says pregnant women must eat whatever they crave. I thought that was mostly just talk. I didn’t expect the internet to bleed into reality, meeting a real-life version of a CEO’s pampered little wife. I tried to bypass him to escape. He got anxious, grabbing my arm and begging incessantly. “I beg you, even just one piece is fine.” “Please help me, I don’t want to disappoint my wife.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the woman, who was just barking orders with full strength, now leaning against the park bench pretending to be weak. My head throbbed. “I said, I won’t give it.” “With the time you spent arguing with me, you could have gone to the supermarket and bought some for her.” His face darkened, and he flung my hand away angrily. “Asking for just one piece of candy, look at how stingy you are.” “Bad luck.” I had explained the risks to him, yet he remained obstinate. Didn’t he know his wife had allergies?! “I’ll say it one last time, I won’t give it.” “I’m pregnant too. In broad daylight, try touching me again?!” He huffed coldly, glared at me, and turned to comfort his little wife. Afraid of collateral damage, I found a bench far away from them to sit and wait for my husband to pick me up. The look Mark gave me at the end scared me a little. I was afraid of accidents. I could only sit in a crowded place, daring not to be alone. The uncles and aunties exercising nearby were making snide remarks while working out. Completely disregarding whether I could hear them. “Oh my, lived this long and never seen someone so stingy.” “Exactly. If you don’t want to give, just say so. Making up excuses about allergies, hilarious.” I found it hilarious too. Truly, it’s easy to judge when it’s not your problem. In my previous life, after Chloe ate the candy, she started breaking out in rashes. Mark grabbed my arm relentlessly. Forcing me to give my phone number and home address. I looked pleadingly at the surrounding uncles and aunties. But they stood far away, scolding me for deserving it. Scolding me for being careless enough to give strangers food. Truly gossipy and hypocritical. I rolled my eyes and said loudly and sarcastically. “Oh my, I am stingy.” “If you aren’t stingy, why don’t you buy some candy and send it over to her?” 02 Mark had no choice but to run off alone to buy candy. Chloe had severe allergies. I wanted to see if they would stab themselves if they ate the candy and caused the reaction themselves. Bursting with curiosity, I sat at a distance that was neither too far nor too close to eavesdrop. Chloe took a call, thinking no one was around, and didn’t lower her voice. “He’s not falling for it.” “How should I know what’s going on!” “If I don’t abort this child soon, I’ll be exposed.” “Don’t look at how well he treats me; when he gets angry, he turns into a different person.” Whoa! Shocking secret. Turns out, the child isn’t Mark’s. So in my previous life, I was just a scapegoat? No wonder she insisted on eating my candy even knowing she was allergic. Thinking of this, my chest tightened. Scumbag man and woman. Having an affair and getting pregnant unexpectedly, implicating an innocent person like me. How is this different from a scam?! Before long, Mark returned. Sweating profusely, he humbly begged for Chloe’s forgiveness. “Sorry, wifey, I couldn’t find that brand. Just make do with this for now, and I’ll look in other supermarkets later.” Chloe slapped the candy out of Mark’s hand. “What can you do right? I’m not eating!” With that, she stomped angrily towards the park exit. Mark smiled apologetically, not angry at all, but protecting her spinelessly. I looked at the glowing green hat atop his head (a metaphor for being cuckolded) and chose to keep my mouth shut. These two were too weird; I didn’t want to invite trouble. My husband drove to pick me up. Just as I sat in the car ready to share this bizarre gossip, I didn’t expect him to stop the car at the park exit and roll down the window. He called out to Chloe and Mark standing by the road. “Are you heading back to Bliss Gardens too?” Chloe nodded excitedly. “Hop in, we’re heading home too. We can give you a ride.” I felt a heart attack coming on and glared at my husband in depression. My husband is great in every way, except he’s a boundary-less pushover. Chloe didn’t hesitate, excitedly pulling Mark into the car. “Thanks, bro.” Mark patted my husband’s shoulder with an honest face. “But how did you know we live in Bliss Gardens?” My husband smiled gently: “I’ve seen you in the complex many times. Quite fateful.” I’m a bit face-blind; I had no idea we lived in the same complex. Although I avoided the risk this time. I still felt uncomfortable. Subconsciously wanting to stay away from them, lest I get splattered with blood when things go south. Chloe blushed shyly and thanked my husband. Then she opened her mouth to mock me sarcastically: “Didn’t expect a generous man like brother Luke to marry such a stingy wife.” “Just now I had low blood sugar and asked her for a candy, but she wouldn’t give it.” After speaking, she gave me a reproachful look. My husband was surprised upon hearing this, then touched my head dotingly and explained: “I know the candy you’re talking about; it’s my wife’s favorite.” “Usually she won’t even give me any.” Chloe was a bit unhappy; she leaned heavily back into the seat. “Is that so.” “Quite a strange temper.” I rolled my eyes internally. Trying to calm my mood. The green-hatted man kept smiling at his little wife, completely unaware of how rude his wife’s words were. Finally, when getting off the car, Chloe took out her phone with a shy face. “Brother Luke, let’s exchange contacts.” “You’re such a good person; let’s hang out more in the future.” My heart tightened. I pressed down on my husband’s hand holding the phone: “Sorry, it’s inconvenient.” Chloe scoffed and ignored me. Still using a baby voice, she said to my husband: “Brother Luke, we’re neighbors. Your wife is a bit too stingy.” “Watching you so closely, does she not trust you?” My husband smiled and pulled my hand away: “How could that be? My wife is usually very understanding.” Mark sat next to them like a corpse, watching his wife flirt with another man right in front of him. No wonder he got cheated on. Simply ridiculous!! 03 Back home, I had a big fight with Luke. “What do you mean? She was being sarcastic right to my face, and you just listened without standing up for me.” Luke hugged me with a grin. “Good wifey, she asked, so I couldn’t just reject her and make her lose face, right?” “Besides, it’s just adding a contact. Her husband didn’t say anything; you’re just too sensitive.” What did I hear? I’m sensitive? I always thought he was just a pushover. I didn’t expect him to be such a clueless fool. I pushed him away angrily. “Get lost, you clueless idiot.” I hid in the room, crying sadly. Because my husband was a pushover, I argued with him countless times. But besides this, he had always been good to me. I kept comforting myself internally. Chloe is a pregnant woman; no matter how flirtatious she is, Luke shouldn’t fall for it, right? Days of worry made my stomach uncomfortable. I canceled the check-up scheduled for two days later and moved it to today. When I arrived, there was someone inside. I stood at the clinic door waiting boredly. The doctor’s voice came from inside. “I told you last time, her body can’t handle a medical abortion; she needs surgery.” “You always say there are difficulties, but no difficulty is more important than health.” “You’ve come for consultation so many times, and I’ve said it many times. If you decide, I’ll schedule the surgery. It’ll be impossible when the pregnancy progresses further.” My gossip soul ignited, and I stretched my neck to hear clearly. A man’s voice came from inside. “We understand. It’s mainly because we don’t have the conditions right now. We’ll think about it.” Why does this voice sound so familiar? Not sure, let me listen again. But the man didn’t speak again. The sound of a chair dragging came from inside. My heart tightened, and I ghost-like hid around the corner. A moment later, the people inside came out. I saw my husband and Chloe walking out of the clinic arm in arm, smiling. 04 My heart trembled. The huge shock made me unable to stand steady. I took a few deep breaths, leaning tightly against the wall to avoid falling. My nose stung. Turns out they had hooked up long ago. Was their behavior in the car that day all an act for me? And the candy-begging in the park. Turns out they started plotting early on, wanting to frame me. But why would they do this? I was confused. I tried to move to the nearby chair several times, but my legs were too weak to move. Finally, a passing kind nurse helped me to the chair. I wiped the tears that had long burst the dam. Vowing to find out the truth.

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My husband, Dr. Adrian Pierce, insisted on bringing his childhood sweetheart—a mere intern—into the OR as an assistant surgeon during a critical heart transplant. All I did was reprimand her for wearing rhinestone-encrusted acrylic nails in a sterile environment. Adrian abandoned the patient, chest cavity wide open, and stormed out of the operating room to comfort her. I begged him to come back and finish the surgery. He snapped at me: “Bella is upset right now. Can you not start drama with me at a time like this? Pause the surgery. Nothing is more important than Bella’s feelings.” The patient was left exposed on the table for forty minutes and died in agony. Later, we found out the patient was the beloved Mayor of our city. Adrian and his “little sister” Bella pinned the medical malpractice on me: “If you hadn’t gone crazy in the OR and chased us out, the Mayor wouldn’t have bled to death! This is all your fault!” I couldn’t prove my innocence. I was sentenced to life in prison, where I suffered until I died. Meanwhile, my husband and Bella walked down the aisle. When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back to the day the Mayor was lying on our operating table. 1 “Maya, Adrian is the attending surgeon. He said I could keep my nails. What right do you, a lowly resident, have to lecture me?” Hearing the familiar, arrogant voice, I snapped my eyes open. Standing before me was Bella, looking down her nose at me with a smirk. I scanned the room. We were mid-heart transplant. Everyone was scrubbed in, covered head to toe in sterile gear. Everyone except Bella. Not only were her long acrylics studded with rhinestones, but she wasn’t even wearing a mask. That’s when I knew. I had been reborn. I was back to the day the Mayor died in our hospital. In my past life, Adrian insisted on having Bella assist. She was clumsy, handed him the wrong scalpels, broke sterile field protocol repeatedly, and almost dropped a rhinestone into the patient’s open chest. I scolded her about the nails. She took it as a personal attack and stormed off. Adrian abandoned the patient to chase after her. “Bella is upset right now. Can you not start drama with me at a time like this? Pause the surgery. Nothing is more important than Bella’s feelings.” The patient died. They blamed me. “If you hadn’t gone crazy in the OR and chased us out, the Mayor wouldn’t have bled to death! This is all your fault!” I died in prison. They got married and became the youngest Chief of Surgery and Vice Chief in the hospital’s history. I snapped back to reality just as Adrian frowned and scolded me. “Maya, this is an operating table, not a place for your jealousy. I approved her nails. Apologize to Bella.” Looking at Bella’s triumphant face, I swallowed my rage. “Why should I? Hospital policy forbids artificial nails in the OR. I did nothing wrong.” Seeing I wouldn’t budge, Bella’s face darkened. “Maya, admit it, you’re just targeting me. Fine, I’ll leave.” She tossed a scalpel onto the tray carelessly. It bounced and nearly sliced the patient’s aorta. Panic and anger surged through me. I grabbed the scalpel just as Adrian moved to chase Bella. I lowered my voice, urgent and cold. “Adrian, the patient’s chest is open. We need to proceed with the transplant immediately or he will die.” “You are a doctor. Are you going to watch him die?” Adrian looked at the door where Bella vanished, then at the patient. He gritted his teeth and picked up the scalpel. Just as I let out a breath of relief, Adrian’s phone rang. It was Bella. 2 Adrian put it on speaker. Bella’s angry voice filled the sterile room. “If you don’t come comfort me right now, I’m never talking to you again.” Adrian’s voice turned gentle. “Bella, honey, let me finish this surgery and I’ll come straight to you.” Bella huffed. “If you aren’t here in five minutes, I’m going to the clinic to get rid of this baby. You won’t be a father anymore.” Pregnant. The bitterness filled my mouth. In my past life, I thought they only got together after I went to prison. Turns out, they were already expecting. Before I could process the shock, Adrian dropped his instruments and bolted for the door. I grabbed his arm. “Adrian, you can’t leave. The patient can’t wait.” He glared at me with pure fury. “Didn’t you hear her? She’s going to abort my child! If I don’t go now, it’ll be too late!” I frowned. “What about the patient?” “I’ll be back as soon as I can. A few minutes won’t kill him.” I stared at him in disbelief. A heart transplant is a race against time. Every minute counts. Last time, the patient died because of this exact delay. I tightened my grip. I wouldn’t let him go. “Maya, let go! Are you trying to kill my child?” I started to deny it, but he shoved me hard. I stumbled and crashed back-first onto the metal instrument table. A groan escaped my lips. Adrian didn’t even look back. He sprinted out the door. The rest of the surgical team rushed to help me up. “Dr. Lin, are you okay? Dr. Pierce is out of line. Defending her is one thing, but getting physical?” “I knew something was going on between them. I didn’t think they’d be so blatant about a pregnancy.” I waved them off. “Not the time. I need to get him back.” The patient’s life was more important than Adrian’s betrayal. I wouldn’t let the tragedy repeat itself. I ran into the hallway, but I was immediately surrounded by the patient’s family. “Doctor, how is he? Is the surgery a success?” I recognized them instantly. The Mayor’s family. His elderly mother knelt before me, sobbing. “Doctor, please, save my son. I’m begging you.” His wife, seven months pregnant, also tried to kneel. “Doctor, please. Everyone says this is the best hospital. Please save my husband.” I pulled them up, looking them in the eye. “I promise you, I will do everything I can.” Adrian was gone. I returned to the OR. The team looked behind me expectantly. “Dr. Lin, where’s Dr. Pierce?” I shook my head. “I couldn’t catch him.” The anesthesiologist panicked. “The patient is under general anesthesia, chest cracked open. If we don’t operate now, he’ll die of shock or infection.” “Only Dr. Pierce is qualified for this procedure in the whole city. It’s too late to call in someone else.” I took a deep breath. “I’ll do it. Adrian and I were classmates. I know everything he knows.” The team rejected the idea immediately. “Maya, you’re a resident. Hospital protocol forbids you from leading a transplant.” “Just call Dr. Pierce again. Get him back here.” I swallowed the truth—that he wouldn’t come back—and dialed his number on speaker for everyone to hear. 3 “Where are you? Come back, we’re waiting for you.” Adrian’s voice crackled with rage. “Bella is crying her eyes out. Can you stop making a scene right now?” “Pause the surgery. I’ll do it once I’ve calmed Bella down.” Click. The room went dead silent. The anesthesiologist cursed. “By the time he comes back, the patient will be a corpse.” “Call him again. If this patient dies, we all go down.” I dialed again. “The patient is critical. You need to return.” “Heart transplants are high risk,” Adrian snapped. “If he dies, it’s just his bad luck.” I was stunned by his callousness. “If the patient dies and the family sues, can you handle the fallout?” Adrian scoffed. “He’s a nobody. No money, no power. If they sue, we’ll just say they’re extortionists.” “Stop calling me. Bella wants strawberries. I’m buying strawberries.” He hung up. Fury ignited in the room. “He abandoned a patient with an open chest to buy strawberries? He’s unfit to be a doctor!” “BP is dropping fast!” the anesthesiologist shouted. “If we don’t act now, we lose him!” I stepped up to the table. “I’m doing it.” They hesitated. “Who else?” I challenged. “Are you going to watch him die?” “It’s against protocol,” the anesthesiologist said, sweating. “If you do this, you take full responsibility.” “I will take full responsibility,” I said calmly. “We have no time. Assist me.” They exchanged looks, then nodded. I picked up the scalpel. I removed the failing heart. I implanted the donor organ. I sutured the vessels. My eyes were glued to the flat line on the monitor. Seconds ticked by. Agonizingly slow. Then, a blip. A steady rhythm. “We have a heartbeat!” the nurse cried. “Success!” I didn’t speak. I focused on closing the chest. When the last stitch was in, my legs gave out. I slumped to the floor, my scrub top soaked in cold sweat. An hour later, the patient woke up. And that was when everyone finally learned: He was the Mayor. 4 In the recovery room, I checked the Mayor’s vitals. Everything looked perfect. I let out a breath I felt like I’d been holding for hours. The Mayor smiled weakly. “I heard you performed the surgery. Thank you.” “But I recall Dr. Pierce was supposed to be my surgeon. Where is he? Did something happen?” Before I could answer, Adrian called. The Mayor glanced at the phone. “Answer it here.” I put it on speaker. “Where are you? Come to Bella’s apartment right now.” “I’m doing post-op checks. The transplant was successful.” Silence for a few seconds. “You did it? I’m surprised that guy’s tough enough to survive being left open for forty minutes.” “Pity. I thought we could use the body for research.” I saw the Mayor’s face turn purple with rage. “Adrian, watch your mouth. We are doctors. Our duty is to save lives.” “Why save these peasants?” Adrian sneered. “No power, no influence. Just a waste of resources.” “Their only use is for us to practice on, to refine our skills.” I gasped. The Mayor’s expression was terrifying. Adrian continued, oblivious. “You upset Bella earlier. She’s stressed. I’m giving you thirty minutes to get here and apologize.” “Also, she wants your home cooking. Buy groceries on the way.” He was treating his wife—a surgeon—like a maid. “I need to monitor the patient. He’s still critical.” “Is his life more important than Bella skipping a meal?” Adrian yelled. “The surgery is done. If he dies now, it’s fate.” “Don’t make me ask twice. Get your ass over here!” He hung up. I felt a chill in my bones. I never knew Adrian was this monstrous. To him, a “commoner’s” life was worthless. The Mayor was trembling with anger. “He abandoned me for his mistress… and he calls himself a doctor? He is a disgrace to the profession!” He started coughing violently. I rushed to soothe him. “Mayor, please, you just had a transplant. You cannot get agitated.” He took a deep breath. “You’re right. He’s not worth my health.” “But if Dr. Pierce thinks he’s a god who can decide who lives or dies, I will show him what happens when he loses that power.” He looked at his chief of staff. “Pass the order. Revoke Adrian Pierce’s medical license immediately. Ban him from practicing medicine for life.”

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The killer who took my life was finally arrested seven years after I died. He’d clawed his way up from street-level thug to a crime boss, and he looked utterly unbothered during the televised trial as the judge read the verdict. As the court officer finished reciting the list of victims, his voice, already rough, sliced through the courtroom silence. “You missed one,” he drawled. “The very first one I ever killed, when I was just starting out. The one who died the worst.” “Amend the charges,” he proposed, meeting the stunned silence with chilling confidence. “And I’ll tell you who’s missing.” The room plunged into an eerie stillness, broken only by the judge’s stone-cold rejection. “Your crimes are monstrous. You don’t get to negotiate.” The crime boss merely shrugged, his eyes fixing on the female detective captain standing front and center. “Badge Number 071923, Rhys Alcott. Detective Jenkins, do you know that name? Don’t you want to know where he’s buried?” Avery Jenkins stood tall beneath the weight of every gaze in the room. Her voice was steady, each word a crisp assertion. “The person you’re referring to did exist.” “But Rhys Alcott is not dead. He’s not a detective now, either. He has been a fugitive, missing for seven years.” 1 To lend credibility to his outrageous claim, the crime boss confessed the entire process of the torture, live on the feed. How his crew had first knocked him unconscious. How they’d pulled out my fingernails and my teeth, trying to force me to reveal our police informants. And how they’d methodically shattered every bone in my body. “He screamed like hell, but he wouldn’t give up a damn thing. Not until a call came through.” “He heard the voice, and then, he just stopped screaming.” “We tried every trick in the book. Slow cuts with a razor, smashing his knees, pouring hot oil on his skin and then scrubbing it with a wire brush… He wouldn’t make a sound after that.” “That’s when we knew. It was useless. We weren’t getting anything out of him.” “Out of a perverse sense of mercy, I asked the big boss to finish it fast, and later, I handled the disposal myself.” As his flat, detached narration unfolded, the online comments slowed to a stop. A nation held its breath, choked by the horror. Only Avery Jenkins stood ramrod straight, her eyes blazing with fury. “Keep playing your role.” “You people? Show pity for a cop? Get out.” The crime boss asked for a cigarette. “Killing him and pitying him are two different things, Detective.” “At the time, I even hated myself for what I was doing. I genuinely respected the guy.” “But what can I say? I wasn’t the one calling the shots.” “I’ve killed so many people over the years—those who betrayed me, rivals in the game, people who owed me money… I’ve never regretted any of it. He’s the only one I feel bad about.” The public’s instinctive reverence for law enforcement spurred spontaneous efforts to find any clue. But Avery merely gave a cold, dismissive laugh. She stood abruptly, her voice ringing out like a final gavel. “I don’t believe a single word you’ve said.” The crime boss sighed, shaking his head. “The time, the process, the people involved—I’ve told you everything I can. There’s no point in lying to you now.” “Besides… I’m the only one who knows where he’s buried.” “It’s up to you. Decide if putting him to rest is worth a reduced sentence.” My superiors demanded a recess, ordering the prisoner be pulled back for renewed questioning. The public clamored for a full police investigation. Avery, however, stood firmly opposed. She stormed into the precinct chief’s office, slamming her hand on the desk. The chief, equally furious, issued a stern command: she was to personally head the team excavating the site the dealer had confessed to. The engine of the patrol car roared, a heavy, desperate sound. The accelerator was mashed to the floor. Watching the rage barely suppressed on her face, my spirit was consumed by a familiar, crushing sense of helplessness. She probably still believed I had willingly disgraced myself all those years ago. That I’d betrayed my ideals for dirty money, betrayed the legacy of my father’s badge. And, most painfully, betrayed her. And now, I was back to ruin the new life she’d just started with Damon. When she shifted gears, her wrist exposed the worn-out cinnabar bracelet on the gearshift—the one I’d given her years ago. But all her other dashboard decorations and trinkets had been replaced with miniature succulent charms. Even the car air freshener was a cloyingly sweet Coconut Lime Verbena scent. It was clear that Damon had thoroughly integrated himself into every corner of her new life. What she didn’t know was that I, the ‘old man,’ had been abandoned in the damp, cold earth. Suffering for seven years. 2 Seven years later, she seemed unchanged. Her features were sharp and cool, her body tall and lean, her expression detached and striking. Only, she spoke less, and her emotions were buried deeper. The silent flash of red and blue lights cut through the mountain road, pulling up to a patch of desolate, brittle winter scrub. In the dead of winter, the ground was frozen solid. A shovel struck the dirt, leaving nothing but a white scrape on the frozen surface. She took command of the scene. “Start softening the soil with the heaters. The wind’s picking up—widen the downwind isolation zone by five meters.” Damon emerged from the group of volunteers, offering her a thermos. “Drink some hot water, your voice is getting hoarse.” Avery took a sip, asking softly, “Why did you come here?” “It’s crowded and chaotic. You should head home soon.” Damon’s voice was laced with concern. “I watched the trial.” “Do you really think… it could be true?” Avery let out a low, scornful scoff, but offered no reply. Back then, both our fathers were detectives. They worked together, went on missions together, and ultimately died in the line of duty together. At their wake, we leaned against each other, our only support in the world. From that moment on, we were inseparable. We went to the police academy together, inheriting our fathers’ badge numbers. We were partners in purpose, and lovers utterly consumed by each other. Before we married, my mother, smiling through tears, hugged us both close. “I’m gaining a daughter,” Avery had said. She never broke that promise. If I wanted to chase an old case, she’d stay up for days organizing the files. When I was cornered by an armed suspect on patrol, she’d throw herself in front of me without a second thought. I couldn’t handle spicy food, and she—who loved chilies—didn’t touch a single pepper for the entire duration of our marriage. We both thought then that there was no bond stronger in the world than that of a partner and a soulmate. Who could have predicted that our relationship would shatter over a lost soul we pulled out of a drug den? I studied Damon’s handsome face. It was hard to believe that in just a few years. He’d transformed from a man reeking of addiction and fear into a polished, brooding man. Perhaps a man’s cultivated fragility is the ultimate undoing for a woman’s heart. After Damon was ‘rescued,’ he started calling Avery in the middle of the night. Crying that he couldn’t find a good job, crying about the stigma of his past drug use. Avery’s heart dissolved in those tears. Her pity and her need to save him bloomed like an unstoppable weed. She brought him into our home, giving him her entire paycheck—calling it ‘housekeeping fees.’ All the real expenses of our lives fell to me. We were barely getting by. Several times, I tried to fire Damon, but she insisted. “Rhys, Damon is so vulnerable. He’s been through so much. We have to help him.” Yet, over Avery’s shoulder, I distinctly saw the cold defiance in his eyes, aimed squarely at me. I lost it. I grabbed his hair and dragged him out the front door. He held his stinging scalp, his eyes utterly silent. And Avery, the woman who had sworn her life to mine, my partner, my soulmate. She didn’t hesitate. She raised her hand and slapped me across the face. She then cupped Damon’s face, her thumb gently wiping away the tears at his eyes. “Don’t cry, I promised you. No one will hurt you again.” She lowered her head, her voice harsh and cold when she spoke to me. “When are you going to stop with this arrogant temper of yours?” “Damon is a victim, too. How can you wear that badge and treat him like this?” But in this relationship, the one that had been betrayed. Weren’t she and Damon conspiring to emotionally ‘assault’ me? A thousand desperate words clogged my throat in that single moment. In the end, I simply packed my bags in silence and moved into the police academy dorms. Apart from official work correspondence, I didn’t speak another word to her. I actually knew that she and Damon had never been physically intimate. I was just so angry. She was giving the gentleness and indulgence that used to be exclusively mine to another man. While leaving me to pay for the boring, expensive realities of our life together. We kept this awful stalemate going for months. Every day, I thought, maybe tomorrow, I’ll apologize, and we’ll go back to normal. But the next day, the words would die on my lips, choked by my pride and my sense of being wronged. Tragedy, as always, arrived faster than reconciliation. I never got to see her turn back. Instead, I stumbled upon a devastating truth. Damon had secret, undeniable ties to the ruthless criminal syndicate we had been chasing for years. 3 A sudden, jarring sound of suction dragged me out of the memory. The crowd erupted in a clamor. “We found something!” “Careful, lend a hand!” Avery recoiled, blurting out, “No, impossible!” “He wanted to make a statement, to see me look foolish and desperate. There can’t actually be bones…” Her voice was low, a whisper of self-deception. Damon’s voice was filled with false worry. “Avery, do you think… Rhys might have killed someone?” “He always had a quick temper. If pushed, he could do anything…” Avery instantly clamped her mouth shut, her jaw tight. She shoved her way into the crowd. “I’ll take a look.” My spirit hovered above the scattered, residual fragments of my bones. The cold wind pierced the fragments, and I gave a bitter, soundless chuckle. This was the true definition of ‘cold to the bone.’ She brushed the dirt off a broken piece of bone. Even through the thick gloves, I could feel the faint warmth of her fingertips. My soul trembled. Suddenly, I desperately didn’t want her to see me like this. If I could have any memory of myself left for her, I wished it would be of the strong, stubborn, vibrant man she had loved. But now, I could only look up in silent worship at the woman who was once my life. I greedily drank in that single, fleeting trace of warmth from her touch. The medical examiner collected the remains, and the crowd slowly dispersed. Avery stayed behind, alone. Until the first weak rays of dawn touched the horizon, she suddenly pulled out her phone and began frantically dialing a number. “Du—Du—” “The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and try again.” The wind in the desolate field was harsh, turning her nose red. A few muffled sobs were shredded by the cold. “Rhys, this isn’t real…” “It’s a prank, isn’t it?” A pair of arms wrapped around her neck, the man’s breath hot against her ear. Damon’s voice was shaky. “Avery.” “Are you still… holding onto him?” Avery’s body jerked violently. A heart-stopping silence. She let out a slow, tired breath. “It’s over.” “I only have you now.” Damon’s arms tightened. “Avery, I’m so afraid you’ll leave me—” “I gave you everything. Please, don’t let me down.” Seven years of being a ghost had tempered my temper. I could now appreciate his performance with perfect calm. This man was born with two faces. Towards Avery, he was forever the damaged, silent victim; towards me, his eyes were full of venom and provocation. Sometimes, I genuinely wondered what deep, ancient feud lay between us. Why did he hate me so much? It wasn’t until my last moments that I finally understood. There was a feud. His father had died years ago, shot by my father and Avery’s father during an armed standoff. Stripped of protection, he quickly became a tool for the local syndicate—a ‘sacrifice.’ “You know what I hate about you the most?” He crouched in front of me, his voice sinister. “We both lost our fathers. Why do you get to live so easily?” “Why does Avery still love you more?!” The realization hit me with the force of a hammer. Love and hatred—both equally destructive. Damon had originally intended to avenge his father by destroying both me and Avery. But he fell in love with Avery instead. And that only made him hate me more. 4 The morning sun stretched their shadows long, intertwined. Watching their overlaid figures, I felt a flicker of curiosity. If Avery knew Damon’s true identity, how would she react? Would she continue to pity and cherish him, or would she be repulsed? I couldn’t guess the answer. Fate is a playwright obsessed with cruelty. It arranged for the police officer who killed a criminal to die at the hands of that criminal’s son. And it arranged for the police officer’s daughter, unknowingly, to marry the man who orchestrated the murder of her soulmate. Sometimes, I wish Damon had been an adult when his father died. His file wouldn’t have been sealed. And we wouldn’t have mistaken the son who took over his father’s criminal enterprise for an innocent addict seeking salvation. Then, perhaps, I wouldn’t have died so horribly. Every single one of my bones bore scars, both deep and shallow. In that place, I had screamed, fought, begged, and questioned. But they only laughed, breaking my limbs and pulling out my teeth one by one. They kept demanding the location of the police mole and our informants. In the end, they injected me with three shots of adrenaline. So I could be wide awake to watch them slice open my abdomen and throw my organs into a dog bowl. But I had actually been given one chance to live. Before they completely hollowed out my body, Damon, flanked by several grim-faced men, came to me. “You’re good. You almost took down my entire operation.” “I was going to kill you, but Khai convinced me you could be useful.” “All you have to do is confess to corruption, take the fall, let the police close the case, and you can live out the rest of your life comfortably in prison.” I managed a grimace. “In your dreams.” His smile instantly turned ugly. “Refuse, and you disappear.” “A few years from now, Avery will forget all about you anyway.” I closed my eyes in silence. Damon suddenly spoke again. “It’s the anniversary of your father’s death today, isn’t it?” “Every year, Avery goes with you to the cemetery to pay respects.” I became instantly alert. “What are you planning?” “Nothing. I just happened to drop a little paper trail suggesting you were bribing dirty cops. The money flow coincidentally points straight to you.” Damon’s voice was a hiss, like a viper striking. “I know she won’t believe it. But she’ll use it as an excuse to reach out and try to reconcile.” “Men are petty, Rhys. What I can’t have, I’d rather destroy.” The words were barely out of his mouth when Avery’s call came through, insistent and frantic. Damon nodded. “Answer it. Tell her to bring the cops here.” I took the call. Avery asked where I was, wanting to confirm some things in person. She also wanted to apologize, and then take me to the cemetery. But her apology had come too late. Even if I survived, I would be a husk of a man for the rest of my life. So I said nothing. Khai grew impatient and raised a blowtorch to my thigh. The smell of searing flesh filled the air. I forced myself not to make a sound. Avery. She was my closest partner, and my dearest lover. She gave me the happiest time of my life. If I had one wish left at the end of my life, I would give everything to ensure her safety. However, Avery seemed to sense something. Her tone instantly became fraught with tension. “Rhys, are you in danger? Can you not talk? Hold on, I’m coming to find you right now!” I shook my head violently, pouring the last of my strength into a desperate shout into the receiver. “Don’t—” “Don’t come looking for me! We’re done, do you understand?” “Go live your life with your charity case! I’m… I’m sick of you!” I hung up, a bleak smile twisting my mouth. “Damon, you win.” Go back and comfort her. She’s yours now. After that day, they slept together. They fell into a natural rhythm and became a model couple, even having a child together. And I died on the coldest day of winter. Buried under the wilderness for seven years. Until today, when the medical examiner held the DNA results, his eyes filled with sorrow. “Detective Jenkins, the deceased is confirmed to be Rhys Alcott.” “Badge Number 071923… is sealed again.”

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