Category: English

1 After seven years of marriage, Henry Davies was finally recognized by the powerful Davies family—as their illegitimate heir. There was just one condition: to secure his inheritance, he had to father an heir with his late brother’s widow, Elara Sterling. Henry swore he’d never forget Elara’s past humiliations. Once I’ve made her suffer enough, he told me, I’ll cast her out of the estate. But lately, he came home later each night, growing distant from me and our daughter. Then, six months later, he announced his remarriage—without telling me first. Our little girl, Lily, pointed at the news photo. Why is Daddy holding Aunt Elara’s waist? I hugged her tight, forcing a smile. Because Daddy has a new home now. We have to leave. Will Daddy come with us? she asked No, sweetheart. He… likes someone else here. Lily’s eyes brimmed with hope. Can’t we give him one more chance? He promised to take me to preschool tomorrow. Okay, I whispered, blinking back tears. One last chance. That night, I stared at the photo again. Henry and Elara gazed at each other, their affection undeniable. The man who’d vowed forever to me had, in the end, chosen another. I opened a ticketing app, looking at the earliest flight back to Riverton. It was seven days from now. Coincidentally, that was also the day of Henry and Elara Sterling’s wedding. Without hesitation, I bought two tickets home, then went into the bathroom to wash up. When I emerged, I ran directly into Henry, who had just returned home. The heavy scent of roses immediately hit me, and I couldn’t help but frown. Even after six months, I still hadn’t gotten used to the smell that clung to him every time he came back from Elara Sterling’s place. Henry’s arm, initially reaching to embrace me, paused, then instead he pinched my cheek. “Still upset?” I stepped back, looking at the lingering tenderness in his eyes. “Can you please stop going to Elara Sterling’s place?” I pleaded, my voice barely a whisper. “I don’t like sharing you with other women, and I certainly don’t want her carrying your child.” In the past six months, I had expressed my unwillingness countless times. But he always did as he pleased. Henry didn’t get angry; he just sighed, exasperated. “Chloe, don’t be childish. You know, only if Elara Sterling bears the firstborn son of the Davies family can I officially take over the legacy.” “Then let’s get a divorce,” I managed, fighting back my tears. Henry paused, then asked, bewildered, “You agreed to the condition of representing both family lines back then. What are you making a fuss about now?” Henry was right. I had agreed to his inheriting both lines. But six months ago, the agreement was clearly to use in-vitro fertilization for Elara Sterling to conceive. Initially, Henry had strictly adhered to the rules, treating Elara, who had once humiliated him, with cold indifference. But as time went on, his visits to Elara became more frequent. From once a month, to twice a week, and now, almost every day. I had lost count of how many nights I had waited, how many times I had slept alone. Seeing my silence, Henry sighed, a weary sound. “You know, the Davies family was never happy about me marrying you. Now, I finally have a chance to be fully acknowledged by my birth family. How can you ask me to choose otherwise?” He paused, then softened his voice. “Besides, Elara truly needs a child to avoid being disinherited by the Davies family. We are both forced into this. You’re the kindest, Chloe. Even if you don’t like it, you just have to endure this for a while.” Henry perfunctorily stroked my cheek, then turned and went into the bathroom to wash up. I stood there, and in a haze, remembered my first encounter with Henry. It was a night of heavy rain. He was bruised and battered, thrown out by the Davies family’s bodyguards. Elara Sterling, holding an umbrella, looked down at the dying Henry on the ground, her face filled with disdain. “Does an outsider’s mongrel truly think it can claim kinship with the Davies?” She stepped on Henry’s hand, grinding it until blood appeared before she finally relented. I was so startled by the brutal sight that I dropped the groceries I was carrying. 2 Elara Sterling smirked at me. “Isn’t this the Davies family’s little maid? An illegitimate child like him should be paired with a pauper like you.” After she said that, she had the half-dead Henry taken to a hotel. And I, having been drugged, was sent to the bed with him. That night, I dared not touch Henry. I stayed in the hotel, soaking in ice water all night. When I was finally somewhat sober, I still had to care for Henry, who was unconscious and ill. Elara hadn’t expected me to resist the drug’s effects. Enraged, she made me kneel on the ground. I begged Elara to let me go. After all, I was just a maid; I had no desire to get involved in their aristocratic struggles. But she simply drew the tip of a knife across my face, laughing and saying I deserved it. She called me an orphan, born with a low-class life. Elara locked Henry and me in the Davies family’s cellar, humiliating us like dogs. In the freezing winter, Elara only allowed us a thin blanket. I couldn’t bear the cold and trembled as I clung to Henry. I asked him, “Do you hate them?” Henry merely looked at the snow outside, saying flatly, “I will get my revenge someday.” This pervasive humiliation only stopped when Elara Sterling married into the Davies family. That day, the Davies manor was adorned with festive decorations. The entire city celebrated the powerful alliance of this marriage. Henry and I, however, were completely driven out of the Davies mansion. But Henry didn’t leave. He stood by the fence, staring at the exquisitely dressed Elara Sterling, his expression unreadable. I thought he resented Elara for the torment of his youth. But as I was adopted by the Hayes family, I gradually discerned Henry’s true intentions. He didn’t hate Elara’s humiliation at all; he coveted his elder brother’s wife! What he truly hated was his illegitimate status, which prevented him from legitimately marrying Elara Sterling. I forced a bitter smile, shaking off my thoughts. Now that I had seen through the man beside me, it was time to leave him for good. The sound of water in the bathroom abruptly stopped. Henry emerged, holding his phone, his face filled with concern. “Don’t be afraid, I’m coming right away.” He didn’t even have time to rinse the foam from his hair. He grabbed his car keys and rushed out. It wasn’t until he was about to leave that he noticed I was still standing in the same spot. “Apologies, Elara’s dog suddenly went mad and bit her.” He paused, his gaze softening. “I have to go see her myself; she lives alone, and besides me, she has no one to rely on.” He added, “As for the divorce, don’t mention it again. If you talk about it too much, I’ll grow tired of it.” I nodded, saying, “Alright.” Just as he was about to leave, I couldn’t help but ask one last question. “Lily’s preschool starts tomorrow. The teachers want both parents to attend. You’ll go, won’t you?” Henry chuckled softly. “I promised Lily. Of course, I’ll go.” As the door closed, silence filled the room. But he had also promised me many things, and he hadn’t fulfilled a single one. I pulled out a tissue and knelt, wiping away the water Henry had dripped from the bathroom. I was a clean freak. I would no longer tolerate a man who soiled my life. But what about Lily? She was still so young. She still held a strange affection and expectation for her father. Thinking of my promise to my daughter before she fell asleep, I couldn’t sleep at all. I decided to scroll through social media instead. The latest post was from Elara Sterling. She wrote that someone would always be willing to tolerate all her little quirks. The post was accompanied by a picture of a man’s transfer record for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Seeing this, I suddenly felt a pang. Henry would transfer millions to Elara Sterling without hesitation. But in our seven years of marriage, the gifts I received were few and far between. After all, during that time, he was busy with his startup. I was busy taking care of him and our child, completely uninterested in these so-called gifts. Now, looking back, how could I have ever thought that life would be the same with anyone? Henry didn’t remember my birthday, never attended Lily’s parent-teacher conferences. Even our wedding anniversary was just met with promises to take me to see the world “when we had money.” But after returning to the Davies family, he remembered Elara Sterling’s birthday, would rent out an amusement park for her at her whim, and stay up late with her to watch the stars. All his affection, he gave without reservation to Elara Sterling. For me, he only had an impatient “Don’t be childish.” My heart suddenly felt heavy. I looked at the unfamiliar, cold villa. 3 It was nowhere near as comforting as our cramped sixty-square-meter rental apartment had been. Life had been hard then, but at least we had a home. After Lily was born, we had absolutely no money left. We couldn’t even pay for heating or electricity. I had to mix Lily’s formula with cold water. Henry handed me a steaming hot sweet potato, his eyes red-rimmed. “It’s all my fault. I wasn’t careful, and now Lily is suffering.” He squeezed my hand. “Don’t worry. Once I have money, I’ll get a vasectomy.” He was afraid I’d think him poor, afraid I’d leave him, so he made promises with bated breath. I cried that I was cold, and he would take my hands and press them to his heart. How could the man who stood by me in my darkest hours change so completely in the blink of an eye? I had just finished packing my and Lily’s luggage when my phone rang. It was a voice message from Elara Sterling. Fearing I would wake Lily, I walked to the stairwell before answering. “If you marry me, what about Chloe Hayes? You know, I’m no mistress!” Her voice was as arrogant as ever. The other end of the line fell silent for a long time. Then I heard Henry’s soft chuckle. “When I married Chloe, I chose to have the wedding abroad and got a fake certificate. The only person I ever truly wanted to marry was you.” The call ended, and my heart turned completely cold. The marriage certificate was fake. His words of love were also fake. But perhaps this was for the best. I wouldn’t have to personally seek Henry out for a divorce agreement. As for the marriage certificate I had intended to take with me, I found it in my suitcase and placed it on the bedside table. What didn’t belong to me, I wouldn’t take a single thing. Henry didn’t return until the next day. He didn’t even send a text to update me. I took Lily to her parent-teacher conference alone. During the games, it was always fathers carrying their children, rushing forward. Only I was the mother. There was a clear physical disparity between men and women, and I came in last. After the games ended, Lily didn’t care about winning or losing. She simply tenderly wiped the sweat from my forehead. As we walked home, she couldn’t help but ask, “Where’s Daddy? Didn’t he promise me he’d take me to preschool today?” “He probably forgot.” Lily said nothing more, but the disappointment in her eyes deepened. I looked at the darkening sky and quickened my pace. When I returned home, Henry was sitting on the sofa, his face clouded with displeasure. “Why didn’t you reply to my messages? Father wants to see Lily. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.” Before I could say anything, Henry picked up Lily and headed for the car. Lily hadn’t seen him in so long, and her gaze towards Henry was timid. Moreover, Henry looked utterly furious at that moment. Even though Lily missed him, she couldn’t help but cry out in fear. As I rushed to comfort her, the car had already arrived at the old Davies family estate. Mr. Davies Sr. merely glanced at Lily, then handed her back to me. But for Elara Sterling, he offered endless affectionate inquiries. As it was nearly dinnertime, Elara Sterling asked me to speak with her by the stairwell. Fearing she might try something, I moved our conversation to the hallway. “You should have understood Henry’s meaning from last night’s call, shouldn’t you?” Her voice was laced with a chilling sweetness. “I certainly don’t want you and that burdensome child flaunting yourselves in front of me every day. After all, you know my methods. Children are very fragile; they can die from a mere oversight.” She looked at me with disdain, her voice menacing. I desperately wanted to tell her that I was no longer the servant she could order around. The Sterling family, no matter how powerful, couldn’t control everything. But now, I had a greater weakness. Lily was my only family in the world. I could live without Henry, but I couldn’t live without Lily. “I will leave,” I said, my voice steady. “I won’t appear before you again.” Elara Sterling smiled, saying I was as sensible as ever, then walked away in her high heels. After composing myself and returning to the living room, I saw Elara Sterling talking to Lily. Elara Sterling smiled, pinching Lily’s cheek. “Lily is the older sister. When your little brother is born, you must protect him well!” She feigned an air of gentle domesticity. But Lily suddenly pushed her away with both hands. Elara Sterling immediately fell to the floor, clutching her stomach and crying out in pain.

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I had harbored a secret, aching love for my stepsister, Aria Valentine, for ten long years. Before finally putting an end to this twisted, impossible obsession, I begged her to spend one last Valentine’s Day with me. The night we checked into the hotel, her childhood sweetheart, Leo Wilder, saw his family’s empire crumble. He knelt for a day and a night at the Valentine family’s doorstep, begging for help. The next morning, news broke that Leo, hounded by creditors, had jumped to his death. She didn’t utter a single word. She quietly handled his funeral. She quietly agreed to marry me. The wedding hall erupted in flames, everything consumed by the inferno. She fought, with every fiber of her being, to save my life. In her dying breath, she tore our wedding photo to shreds. “Meeting you… it was the most repulsive thing I’ve ever done in this life.” It was then, in that horrific moment, that I finally understood. She hated me. Branded with the curse of a man who doomed those he loved, I was beaten and kicked by her relatives at the funeral. Mr. and Mrs. Valentine, who had always loved me like their own, now looked at me with chilling indifference. “If it weren’t for you, Aria wouldn’t have died. Your existence, Ethan, was always a burden to her!” Lost and adrift, I stumbled through the streets, only to be struck by a passing truck, flung from the bridge, and killed instantly. When I opened my eyes again, I was back. One week before the wedding. This time, I would let her go. … The bridal salon was hushed, opulent. Aria Valentine sat regally on the sofa, clad in a custom-designed wedding gown. There wasn’t a flicker of impending bridal joy in her eyes, only a cold, chilling disdain. “Ethan Miller, are you satisfied now? I truly can’t believe it. The Valentines kindly adopted you, and yet you harbor this delusional fantasy of marrying me? Do you actually think a wedding will make me love you? Dream on!” I lowered my head, glancing at the time on my phone. It was exactly one week before the wedding. The Wilder family hadn’t collapsed yet. Leo hadn’t been driven to suicide by creditors. Everything was still salvageable. The memories of my past life, a torrent of regrets and suffering, flooded my mind. I swallowed down the bitter ache of injustice, forcing a smile. “I know,” I said, my voice soft. “You love someone else. This time, I’ll help you.” A flicker of surprise crossed her face, as if she’d just heard the most absurd joke. A harsh, derisive scoff escaped her lips. “You’ll help me? Help me with what? The invitations have already been sent out. What’s the point of saying all this now?” Her voice sharpened, laced with accusation. “I always thought of you as my brother, treated you with endless care, even let you in on company matters. But you? Two-faced, manipulative… you sicken me! If you hadn’t poisoned my parents’ minds against Leo, why would they have such a huge bias against him? Now you’ve gotten your way. Why pretend to be so magnanimous?” With that, she turned and strode out of the salon. I lowered my head, my hand lingering for a moment on the fabric of the groom’s tuxedo. Then, I gave the attendant Leo Wilder’s measurements. Next, I contacted the wedding planner, instructing them to change the groom’s name on all wedding documents to Leo Wilder. My phone wallpaper was still a photo of Aria and me from ten years ago. Back then, my parents had died, and my schooling was abruptly cut short. Her arrival… she became my salvation. The Valentines and my parents had been close family friends, their bond deep and enduring. At Aria’s urging, I was adopted into the Valentine family. To protect me from bullies at school, she kept me by her side every single day. Classmates would tease that I was her little shadow. She would just smile, a fond, indulgent curve of her lips. When I was cornered by bullies, it was Aria who stepped forward. She fought those street thugs until their faces were bloody and bruised. I stood by, terrified, my eyes wide and vacant. She pulled me close, covering my ears with her hands. “It’s okay, Ethan. From now on, Aria will protect her brother.” She never broke her word. She always protected me fiercely. After we joined the company, every event, every gala, I was always her only male escort. Everyone whispered that Aria Valentine was poised and distant, aloof and proud, but when it came to me, her ‘brother,’ she doted on me immensely. The rumors of romance spread, swirling until even I began to believe them. My secret diary, filled with my unspoken adoration, was discovered by Mr. and Mrs. Valentine. They began to actively push Aria and me together, hoping for a match. But it wasn’t until the fire at the wedding that I truly knew. Her heart belonged to someone else. And my very existence, to her, was nothing but a burden. Having completed all the arrangements, I changed into my own clothes. Forcing a brave smile, I stepped out. The suit was sized. All that was left were the wedding rings. “Aria,” I called out, feigning indifference, “I’m going to pick out wedding rings. Will you come with me?” She knew Leo Wilder’s tastes best. Aria was busy texting on her phone, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips. At my words, she looked up, her gaze chilling. “Tried on the suit, and now you want to buy wedding rings? Ethan Miller, do you really want to marry me that badly?” Her voice was laced with impatience. “I’m busy. Something happened with Leo’s family. I need to go see him.” I swallowed the bitter taste of my own sorrow, opening the car door for her. “Alright, you go. I’ll tell your parents you have company business. Just don’t let it slip.” A flicker of suspicion crossed Aria’s face. She cast a sharp glance at me. “Did you take the wrong medicine today? Usually, you’d glare whenever Leo’s name came up. I guess you’re finally getting married, so you think he’s no longer a threat?” A wry, sad smile touched my lips. Before I could speak, Aria flung the words over her shoulder and left, not even looking back. I walked the streets for a long time in the cold wind. The moment I arrived home, Mr. and Mrs. Valentine saw the expression on my face and understood. They quickly rushed to comfort me. “Don’t overthink it, Ethan. Aria is just childish. It’ll be fine after you two get married.” Mrs. Valentine said, her voice gentle. “Look, she says she doesn’t want to bother with you, but she personally sent over several wedding ring designs. Pick one you like. Don’t worry about the cost, we’ll pay for it.” Mr. Valentine added, his voice firm. “We’ll make sure your wedding is spectacular.” They believed Aria was simply putting on a tough front. But only I knew that everything she did was merely to maintain appearances. Without that fire, our marriage would have been one of polite distance, a life of convenience. Everything would be fine, except for love. I picked the most expensive ring from the selection. When the news reached Aria, she immediately called. “What, are you dropping the act? You certainly picked the most expensive ring. Let me make myself clear: after we’re married, you can spend the Valentine family’s money however you like, but don’t even think about interfering in my affairs!” I tilted my head back, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. “Okay. I promise.” The call ended. The chauffeur sent Mr. Valentine a location from his Maybach. Mr. Valentine looked at it and instantly blew up. “That brat! She went to see Leo Wilder again?” “Don’t worry, Ethan, your aunt and I will handle this!” Mrs. Valentine assured me, her voice trembling. “When she gets back, I’ll break her legs!” Before Aria returned home, the company lawyer already sent a message: she had breached ten contracts to save the Wilder family’s company. Her favoritism was painfully clear. Mr. Valentine’s face was livid, and he smashed the teacup on the table. Mrs. Valentine looked utterly defeated, but still tried to compose herself and comfort me. Seeing them constantly looking out for me, my eyes welled up. After my parents died, they had loved me as if I were their own son. Knowing my feelings, they had tirelessly tried to bring Aria and me together. But alas, love was never a multiple-choice question. And it couldn’t be cultivated. I knelt before Mrs. Valentine, holding her arm, shaking it gently, feigning a childish plea. “Auntie, I don’t want to get married anymore.” My voice was soft, laced with a plea of my own. “You’ve always been so kind to me, ever since I was little. This is my only wish.” I continued, my voice steady. “I know Aria loves Leo Wilder. Even if we marry, she’d be forcing herself. I don’t want to force her.” I then added, “I’ve already applied to study abroad. This time, please let me make my own decision.” Mrs. Valentine’s eyes welled with tears. She hugged me close, her heart aching. “Is that brat angry with you again? When she gets back, we’ll talk to her together. Marriage isn’t child’s play. She’s good to you, we see it. She’s just temporarily blinded by Leo Wilder; she’ll come to her senses.” Mr. Valentine sighed, nodding. “Indeed. The Wilder family company has too many illegal dealings. Bankruptcy is only a matter of time. Aria might not see it now, but she’ll realize it eventually. You’re our child. We watched you grow up. You’ve never left home. How can we possibly be at ease with you suddenly going abroad?” They thought I was just acting out of spite. They kept insisting they would stand by me and make things right. In my previous life, I listened to them, but the result was a brutal, heartbreaking fall. I couldn’t even preserve the last vestiges of family affection. I led them both to Aria’s bedroom. Pointing to the pile of clutter by the door, I said softly, “These are the gifts I’ve given her over the past ten years. She’s always kept them tucked away in a corner.” My voice tightened. “But the cheap trinkets Leo Wilder bought from a street vendor? Those she keeps by her bedside, cherishing them like treasures.” I met their gaze, a bitter smile on my face. “I’m not a child anymore. Whether there’s love or not, I know best.” “Thank you for taking care of me all these years. Even abroad, I’ll remember your kindness. But kindness shouldn’t be forced. She loves Leo Wilder. I’m willing to help her.” Mrs. Valentine wept, shaking her head, her heart aching. Mr. Valentine still wanted to persuade me, but I quickly interjected, “What if, after marrying me, Aria would be miserable for the rest of her life? This is our only chance to choose. I don’t want to ruin her life.” I looked at them both, my voice firm. “Uncle, Auntie, I know you care for me, but the bond of siblings… perhaps it lasts longer than a marriage.” I met their gaze, hoping they would understand. “I’ve let go. I see her only as my sister now. Please, just grant me this.” Seeing my stubborn resolve, they finally gave up trying to persuade me. Mrs. Valentine slipped a black card into my hand, repeatedly urging me to take good care of myself abroad. Tears streamed down my face as I nodded. “Auntie, please don’t tell Aria about this yet. Let’s give her a surprise at the wedding.” Back in my room, I tucked the bank card into my cabinet. I packed away all the things Aria had given me over the past ten years into a box. I carried it downstairs, intending to set it all ablaze, to burn it clean. The moment the flames flickered to life, Leo Wilder suddenly appeared before me. With a swift kick of his leather shoe, he sent the box tumbling. Glass photo frames shattered with a sickening crash. Before I could react, he casually picked up a shard and savagely slashed his own wrist. A shriek tore through the air. Aria Valentine rushed to my side, her hand flying, connecting with a sharp slap across my face. “What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?!” she demanded, her voice laced with fury. “Leo came here today to discuss business. What are you doing acting like this?” I stood frozen, stunned by the blow. Leo, seizing the moment, collapsed into Aria’s arms, sobbing dramatically. “I’m so sorry, Aria. I just thought, since you two are getting married soon, I’d come by to offer my blessings. Who knew Ethan would suddenly attack…” He sniffled. “I know he hates me. Maybe I shouldn’t come to the Valentine home anymore… I don’t want to cause you trouble.” Aria’s face hardened. She turned her icy gaze to me, her eyes blazing with fury. “What, getting married and you can’t keep up the act anymore? Sowing discord in front of my parents wasn’t enough, now you’re attacking people? Ethan Miller, ten years of knowing you, and I never saw you for who you truly are!” Her voice dropped, low and dangerous. “Just one question: Is the Wilder family’s bankruptcy your doing?”

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1 I am Ageless, bound to Isabella Stuart by a cosmic debt—fulfill her hundred wishes to go home. Her first wish? To be her man. For three years, I stayed nameless, guiding her through womanhood, sharing intimate nights. Every wish after was just for me to smile more. Then, under sky lanterns, she made her 96th wish: “Never be apart.” Days later, she erased me from Blackwood Manor. As I stood in the snow, she told her friends: “Don’t let Alistair know I ever loved another. I’ve loved him since childhood—if he hadn’t left as a royal ward, I’d never have needed a stand-in.” Her gaze hardened. “Now the emperor’s dead, Alistair returns. I’ll marry him, no regrets.” “But Raphael?” Lady Beatrice asked, draping her shawl over me. “After three years, you’ll just cast him out?” Isabella scoffed. “The true master returns; the stand-in disappears. Take him if you pity him.” Everyone knew Beatrice only befriended Isabella for me. Once, a glance from Beatrice drew Isabella’s wrath: “Stay away from him.” Now? She didn’t care. I was just a stand-in. The other ladies fell silent. Lady Beatrice turned to me, extending a hand. “Raphael, would you come with me?” Her gaze was filled with deep affection, and beside her, Isabella couldn’t resist a sneer. “Shall we make a wager?” she challenged. “I bet Raphael Clermont is so utterly devoted to me that he wouldn’t dream of leaving.” The woman’s eyes glittered with mockery, all warmth gone. I swallowed the acidic sorrow in my throat, returning the shawl. Understanding my unspoken meaning, Lady Beatrice lowered her gaze and departed, not forgetting to murmur, “My apologies for the presumption.” As the heavy snow fell, Isabella smiled. “I knew it, you can’t leave me.” Then, her tone sharp, “But Raphael Clermont, I’m quite tired of you now. Just disappear, and stay gone.” With that, she moved to board her carriage, her heart already with the beloved returning to the capital. But I had already caught her sleeve, looking up to ask, “Just days ago, you wished for me to stay with you forever.” I tightened my grip. “Now you tell me to leave. Does this count as your ninety-seventh wish?” Hearing this, Isabella spun around, her eyes glacial. “I’m bored with this! How could I possibly play along with your hundred-wish ‘debt repayment’ game?” Finishing her words, she yanked her sleeve from my grasp, her mouth twisted with undisguised disdain. “Besides, you just said it’s the ninety-seventh. If it’s not a full hundred, won’t you still come bothering me?” She scoffed. “I don’t have time for such an absurd game.” I stubbornly seized her sleeve again, my gaze utterly earnest. “This isn’t a game.” No one knew I was an Ageless. Originally, I was meant to mature within my clan for a century before venturing into the world. But an avalanche separated me from my kin. At sixteen, still uninitiated, I blindly clawed my way out of the deep snow. Days without food left me collapsing from hunger the moment I saw the first sliver of light. In my daze, I ate the bread roll Isabella offered me. Thus, I incurred a cosmic debt to her. Elder Clermont always warned that the Ageless reach full maturity at a hundred years, and before that, they must not entangle themselves with the outside world. Otherwise, I wouldn’t find my way back to the clan. In that very instant, my connection to my kin was severed. Only by fulfilling Isabella Stuart’s hundred wishes could I find the path back to my clan. So, I asked her, “Can you make one hundred wishes? I need to repay a debt.” That day, she gazed sadly at my face and made her first wish: “I want you to be my man.” I didn’t understand, yet to resolve the debt, I sought advice from her lady-in-waiting, staying by her side without title, guiding her from innocence. After she became a true woman, she lay with me nightly, showering me with countless affections. And for the next three years, every one of her wishes was for me to smile at her. Everyone said: she was madly in love with me. Later, she had a city filled with fireworks, wishing for us never to be apart. I agreed, but I knew that wish wasn’t truly from her heart. I didn’t understand human love, but I knew she had never loved me. 2 And so it was. Just a few days later, she erased every trace of my presence from Blackwood Manor, determined to cast me out. Now, meeting her gaze, my voice was steady. “If you agree, then this will be the ninety-seventh wish.” My grip tightened. “Grant me three more, and I will vanish from your sight forever.” Isabella’s eyes flickered with impatience, as if my stubbornness surprised her. “Then I grant you this ninety-seventh wish. Can you release me now?” she pressed. “Alistair is waiting for me.” Her two sentences, spoken with such different warmth. Her friends beside her sighed in sympathy, believing I would break down in tears. They had witnessed my unwavering devotion to Isabella, assuming I was utterly lost to her love. But I simply released her sleeve, not forgetting to smooth the wrinkled fabric. “I accept this wish,” I told her. “Go to your beloved. I’ll wait here at the manor gates for you to return and grant the last three wishes.” Seeing my uplifted smile and foolish words, they shook their heads in resignation. But Isabella seemed truly rushed; she boarded her carriage and didn’t spare a single glance back. As the carriage rolled away, a metallic tang of blood bloomed in my mouth. Just three days prior, Isabella had wished for us to be eternally together. Now, she wished for me to be gone forever. The conflicting wishes tore at me, and a searing pain erupted in my chest, a brutal backlash. Isabella, born to privilege, rarely made a wish lightly. I had stayed by her side for three years, yet I still needed four more wishes fulfilled. To complete another one now should have brought me joy. But when I curved my lips again, the smile felt bitter. The guards at the gate, seeing my daze, approached with caution. “Master Raphael, you’ve been away for three years. Your family must miss you dearly. Please, go home.” He paused. “You two belong to different worlds.” He wanted me to give up, to stop waiting. Down the street, a woman held a child’s hand, her face alight with laughter. Snowflakes settled on my lashes, and I shook my head, my voice choked with a raw ache. “I can’t leave.” I reiterated. “I have to wait for Isabella.” If I didn’t complete the last three wishes, I couldn’t find my way home. Unable to sway me, the guard returned to his post, resuming his watch over the manor. I huddled in the corner, clutching my thin garments, when Lady Beatrice returned. She attempted once more to drape her luxurious shawl over me, but I gently refused. Her attendant muttered something about my ingratitude. Lady Beatrice’s expression was earnest. “Master Raphael, Isabella is not worthy. You can trust me.” She gestured. “My mother, the Duchess, has commanded me to journey to the Emerald Coast. I will leave this shawl with you; wrap it around yourself if you get cold.” She reached into her purse. “Should you need any assistance, take this shawl to Montague Hall. I’ve made all the necessary arrangements.” With that, she turned and left. I remained in my crouched position, never once touching the thick, warm shawl. I was freezing, but I longed to go home. I couldn’t bear to owe anyone anything more. After she left, I stood vigil at the manor gates until nightfall. Many of the windows in the grand houses had already dimmed their lights. But Isabella still did not return. The page who had accompanied her rushed back to retrieve a purse of coins, not forgetting to mock me. “Some people ought to know their place.” He sneered. “Our mistress will be staying with Prince Alistair at an inn for the next few days; she won’t be returning at all.” He paused, his nose tilted arrogantly. “Oh, and the mistress wanted me to take this money to buy Prince Alistair a city full of fireworks and sky lanterns.” He added, “And river lanterns, too, by the way.” He chuckled. “See clearly now who holds more importance.” With that, he turned to leave. I looked up, and indeed, fireworks burst across the sky, countless sky lanterns rising gracefully among them. I stood, my head momentarily light, recalling Isabella’s magnified smile: ‘Raphael, I’ve arranged for a city full of fireworks for you; come quickly and see!’ I had followed her then. But snapping back to the present, I saw only Isabella on the bridge, leaning against a man, releasing river lanterns into the water. Her gaze was soft and entwined, holding nothing but tenderness, as if no one else existed. Perhaps my stare was too intense, for Isabella looked over. Our eyes met, and the warmth in hers vanished. After a whispered word to the man beside her, she stepped towards me. When her wrist was seized in a crushing grip, her eyes were cold as ice. “Didn’t I tell you to disappear and stay gone? Who gave you permission to be here?” A sharp pain flared as she shoved me away. She feared Alistair might see me and wanted to issue another warning, but someone else had already slipped an arm through hers, eyes brimming with tears. “Isabella, you don’t have to treat Master Raphael like this. When I arrived in the capital, I made inquiries.” Alistair’s voice was filled with a performative sorrow. “I’m told you kept Raphael by your side for three years because he bore a striking resemblance to me, using him as a mere substitute.” He sighed. “And I know you put off marriage for three years since your coming of age, never looking at another man.” His eyes were full of pity and reluctance. “I don’t blame you for finding a stand-in, but Master Raphael is truly blameless.” He paused, then continued, “I know Master Raphael is proud and unwilling to accept help from others; he hasn’t accepted a single coin from you in three years.” 3 “Isabella and I forgot to write our wishes on the river lanterns we just released. Master Raphael, you’re an excellent swimmer; perhaps you could retrieve them for us? We’d offer ten silver pieces as compensation, enough for a warm cloak, how does that sound?” His eyes were full of an innocent plea, as if he genuinely wished to help me. Yet, to offer aid to a rival, and still feign such poignant distress that his eyes welled up. Isabella immediately wiped away his tears, sighing with a helpless, doting air. “Alistair is so kind-hearted.” But if he were truly kind-hearted, why would he ask me to plunge into the lake when my face was pale with cold? It was the heart of winter, and the lake water was icy. I didn’t want to. But as I turned to leave, Isabella clutched my hand, her voice chilling. “Didn’t you say you wished to repay a debt?” She tightened her grip. “Then my ninety-eighth wish is for you to accept Alistair’s request and retrieve those river lanterns.” Leaning closer, she whispered, her voice laced with warning, “If you don’t go down, you’ll never complete the remaining three wishes.” She was convinced my ‘debt repayment’ was merely a ploy to cling to her, and she wielded that belief with chilling certainty. She didn’t want Alistair to suffer, yet I still remembered the day a year ago when I’d wanted to make her happy, diving into the scorching summer lake to pick lotus pods, only for her to scold me: “I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Hearing the word ‘wish,’ Alistair’s eyes subtly shifted. “So Master Raphael really is doing this out of a sense of obligation?” he mused. “I heard Isabella’s many wishes were simply for Master Raphael to smile. Isabella truly holds such deep affection for Master Raphael.” He joked, yet tears still welled in his eyes. Isabella quickly released my hand, cooing softly with a mix of helplessness and indulgence. “If he didn’t smile so much like you, I wouldn’t have made such wishes.” She cast a doting glance at Alistair. “Alistair, you know, in my heart, there has only ever been you.” Her words caused Alistair’s face to flush. I stood my ground, showing little reaction. I had known for a long time that Isabella was seeing someone else through me. But the sudden shift in three years of unwavering favor left me feeling a subtle discomfort. The next instant, without hesitation, I plunged into the lake, enduring the bone-chilling cold to retrieve the river lanterns. Now, only two wishes remained. Once ashore, I took the coin purse from Alistair’s belt and counted out ten silver pieces. “Your ninety-eighth wish is fulfilled,” I stated. With that, I spared them no further glance, heading directly to a healer for medicine. The bitter liquid burned my throat, and I lay in the inn, drifting in and out of a feverish haze for a full day. I had planned to seek out Isabella as soon as I felt better to complete the last two wishes, but it was Blackwood Manor’s servants who found me first. “The mistress says her ninety-ninth wish is for you to perform a dance at the Scarlet Rose Salon.” Prince Alistair, entangled with Isabella, had taken her to the salon for a night of revelry. By ill luck, he had offended an eccentric master of the shadowy guilds. Royal authority didn’t hold as much sway as these hidden powers, and for the master to forget the slight, Alistair himself would have to don the attire of a male entertainer and perform a dance. Isabella couldn’t risk exposing Alistair’s true identity, nor could she bear to see him humiliated. “So, she wishes for me to take his place, is that it?” For a man to be forced into such a humiliating dance—what degradation! A wave of desolation washed over me, and even the page, knowing how dishonorable this was, looked somewhat ashamed. Yet, I agreed. Once this wish was done, I would only need one more, and then I could go home… Inside the Scarlet Rose Salon, I changed into the required attire. Ignoring the lewd whispers and taunts from the crowd, I performed the dance. When I stepped off the stage, Isabella showed a rare flicker of remorse. “I won’t cast you out again after this,” she said. “Since you love me so much, I’ll arrange a place for you to stay, you can be my personal guard.” She offered a shallow smile. “I promised Alistair that he alone would be my husband for life.” Her words dripped with condescension, as if she were making a grand concession. But I merely pushed her away, my voice flat. “No, thank you.” It was the first time I had ever refused her. Isabella’s face darkened. “Think carefully. If you refuse, I won’t give you another chance.” She clearly expected me to regret it, but my steps didn’t falter. All I ever wanted was to go home. … Isabella’s ninety-seventh wish was for me to stay far away, yet these past few days, in order to complete the remaining wishes, I had been close to her. Now, the backlash struck again, with renewed vengeance. I curled up in the inn, drinking the bitter medicine, not forgetting to send her a daily letter: One wish remains. But Isabella seemed oblivious, her entire focus on securing a new identity for Alistair and setting the stage for their marriage. Days passed, and I finally couldn’t bear it any longer, wanting to ask her directly, but Isabella consistently evaded me. I knew she was subtly forcing me to agree to become her personal guard. And so, a stalemate had settled between us. Until half a month later, when a delegation from the neighboring kingdom arrived in the capital, and she sought me out herself. “Alistair’s faked death has been exposed, and the Emperor is furious.” Her voice was low. “Now the foreign envoys have come to demand Alistair’s return.” She met my eyes. “And my final wish is for you to take Prince Alistair’s punishment in his stead, and then depart with the envoys.” 4 A long silence stretched after her words, but I made no move. Observing my indifferent gaze, a knot tightened in Isabella’s chest. A flicker of reluctant compassion crossed her brow. But the delicate hand, trembling slightly, that slipped into her arm, seemed to solidify her resolve, chasing away the flicker of compassion. “Isabella, I know this is unfair to you,” Alistair murmured, his voice soft and laced with feigned sorrow. “But I have suffered so much already. If you truly love me, you’ll extend that love to all I hold dear.” He met my gaze, feigning innocence, as if truly desperate for my aid. “You resemble Prince Alistair. They won’t suspect a thing. Just cooperate with the punishment. Once you’re outside the city, I’ll arrange for your rescue.” As if afraid I wouldn’t agree, Alistair immediately sank to his knees, eyes brimming with tears, grabbing my hand. “Master Raphael, I beg of you, please?” he pleaded. “I am a prince, yet I was held captive, humiliated, against my will. I want to live the rest of my life for myself.” His voice dropped to a confiding whisper. “I don’t wish for Isabella to have any man besides me, but your sincerity pains me.” He looked up, his tears seeming genuine. “Once this is over, I swear I will stand by you, sharing Isabella’s affections.” He spoke of concession, yet his eyes held a chilling undercurrent of malice and calculation. My wrist throbbed with a sharp ache. I raised my hand and flung his away. Meeting Isabella’s reproachful gaze, I offered a faint, bitter smile. “This wish, I accept.” With that, I turned and strode out of the inn. Before I could even ask how to enter the palace, a carriage, already waiting, came into view. I glanced back. Isabella stood shielding Alistair, her voice flat as she called out, “Prince Alistair.” Meeting Alistair’s triumphant gaze, I understood: Isabella, for his sake, had never truly allowed me to refuse. But it didn’t matter. This was the final wish. After this, our obligation would be severed, our ties broken forever. And I, too, would soon be home. Our eyes met, hers swirling with a storm of emotions. But I simply withdrew my gaze, lifted my foot, and boarded the carriage. With each beat of the horses’ hooves, the distance between us stretched further and further. … In the grand hall, I knelt below the dais, listening quietly to the envoys from Eldoria condemning Prince Alistair. My expression was utterly placid. The Emperor, his eyes blazing with fury, snatched a scroll from his side and hurled it at me. A sharp pain exploded across my forehead, but I made no sound. The Emperor raised a hand and ordered, “Take Prince Alistair to the Black Citadel Dungeons. Twenty lashes with the cat o’ nine tails each day, for three days, followed by a public parade of humiliation.” He paused, then addressed the envoys. “Will this suffice, honored guests?” His words seemed to appease their anger. Yet, Prince Alistair, before his departure, had been the Emperor’s most favored son. Had it not been for a devastating defeat, he would never have been sent as a royal ward. Even after three years, it was impossible not to recognize him. The Emperor knew everything, yet pretended ignorance, leaving no room for doubt or leniency. But I did not speak. He had every right to protect his son. It was just a transaction. What was there to be angry about? I allowed the guards to lead me away, never glancing back at the fleeting flicker of guilt in the Emperor’s eyes. That very night, the twenty lashes fell upon me. The Ageless, though immune to death and decay, felt pain with an intensity several times greater than mortals. The bone-deep agony blurred my vision. For three consecutive days, the gaoler Isabella had bribed would secretly bring me a pot of healing balm. He said: Isabella was afraid I was hurting, and specially sent it. Isabella’s devotion was truly boundless, beyond compare. I didn’t argue, nor did I touch the balm. Isabella’s devotion was indeed profound, but the object of that devotion was not me. As the winter sun began its slow ascent, I was confined to an iron cage, paraded through the streets amidst whispers and pointing fingers. Rotten vegetables splattered against my open wounds, and the pain forced my eyes open. Ahead, Alistair stood, a look of wicked glee on his face. Beside him, Isabella watched me, her lips trembling imperceptibly. She mouthed: wait for me. But the debt was repaid. Why should I wait for her? As the prisoner’s cart rolled past the city gates, the cosmic debt dissolved completely. Ten miles outside the city, Isabella, with her retinue, came to intercept the prisoner’s cart.

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My sister-in-law, Lydia, was diagnosed with a rare triple womb, sending our entire family into a frenzy of joyous celebration. My mother, delighted beyond words, exclaimed, “Three wombs? Perfect! She can deliver three strapping grandsons for me in one go!” I urged Lydia to seek a second opinion from a specialist at a major hospital. The specialist’s diagnosis was chilling: severe fetal deformities. A termination was imperative to save her life. But after Lydia recovered, she was unable to conceive again. She and my mother blamed me. “What triple womb? I say it’s just your own barren jealousy, because you can’t bear children, and you envied my miraculous triple blessing.” “The Vance family legacy is severed by your hand! How dare you still draw breath?!” My mother and Lydia, in a sickening alliance, smothered me with pillows until I stopped breathing. Then, my eyes snapped open. I was back. Back to the very day I suggested Lydia seek a second opinion at the hospital… 1. “SLAP!” The moment my eyes opened, a stinging slap sent stars dancing across my vision. My mother, her face a mask of fury, jabbed a finger at me. “Clara Vance, you wretched girl! You insisted your sister-in-law’s triple womb would lead to deformities, urging her to visit some ominous clinic for a check-up! I say you’re utterly superfluous—a pointless waste of breath!” “When I carried your brother and you, I never once saw a physician, and you both turned out perfectly healthy!” she ranted. “I swear your intentions are malicious! You want the clinic’s ill fortune to curse away my precious grandsons…” My cheek burned, but as I listened to Mother’s soul-crushing accusations, the truth slammed into me: I had been reborn. Back to the very day I suggested Lydia get a second opinion. My entire past life’s tragedy had begun on this exact day. I would not repeat that nightmare. Swallowing the inferno of rage in my chest, I covered my stinging face, forcing a placating smile. “Mother, if you don’t want to go, then we won’t. Why get so upset? You’ll only harm yourself. I merely made a suggestion; whether to go or not is entirely your decision.” Lydia, hovering nearby, fanned the flames. “Now you’re worried about upsetting Mother? I say it’s just your own infertility, your burning envy that I’m carrying triplets. You, my dear sister-in-law, are nothing but a black-hearted wretch.” As expected, Mother’s dwindling anger flared anew. Her hand shot up, ready to strike me again. I knew Lydia’s nature. Unless I showed her some ‘blood’ today, this would never end. I feigned protest, truly surrendering. “Lydia, how can you say such a thing about me? Alright, then. To prove I’m not a black-hearted sister-in-law, I’ll transfer two thousand credits to you for the nephews’ nutritional expenses.” The words barely left my lips before I swiftly transferred two thousand credits to Lydia via my comm-device. Compared to my life, two thousand credits were a paltry sum. Lydia instantly accepted, her face blooming into a wide grin. “Oh, look at me, chattering nonsense! Our dear sister-in-law is certainly not black-hearted. You care for your nephews the most! From now on, their food, drink, and everything else will depend entirely on you.” Mother lowered her arm, nodding vigorously. “You’re about to be an aunt! You’ll need to spend generously on your nephews.” My sole desire was to put this behind me. Without another word, I just nodded and smiled, finding an excuse to leave. Stepping out the door, I overheard Lydia calling my brother, Marcus. She was excitedly planning a seafood lunch, mentioning rare Comb-Claw Crabs and Obsidian Dragon-Lobsters, and craving Black Ink Broth. Marcus asked if she’d won the lottery. She replied, “No, I just fleeced your soft-hearted sister.” Marcus roared with laughter on the other end, praising her cleverness and efficiency, and not forgetting to add two bowls of Sea Cucumber Porridge to the order. Truly, my wonderful brother and sister-in-law! In my previous life, even after that slap, I had insisted on taking Lydia to the hospital for a check-up. I promised that if Mother agreed, I would cover all of Lydia’s pregnancy expenses. That’s what finally made Mother relent and Lydia’s heart waver. At the hospital, the specialist’s diagnosis was a rare triple womb. “This is a severe uterine malformation. You cannot sustain a pregnancy to term. Even if you conceive, you won’t be able to deliver, and it will endanger your life. You must undergo surgery immediately to save yourself.” Lydia was terrified, trembling. “Then… can it be done today?” The specialist, intrigued by such a rare case, made an exception and scheduled the termination for her. But who knew? When she recovered and returned home, she shifted all the blame onto me. “Mother, it was all Clara! She can’t conceive herself, and she was jealous I was carrying three, so she dragged me into that operating room! How could I, a pregnant woman, fight her?” “Oh, my poor sons, boo hoo hoo… The doctor said this termination has damaged my womb, and I may never conceive again.” Mother, hearing this, went utterly insane. Her eyes blazing, she lunged at me, grabbing a pillow and pressing it over my mouth. “A triple womb, so many would kill for! You insisted it would lead to deformities! I say you’re the deformity! I’ll smother you to death, you abomination!” “The Vance family legacy is severed by your hand! How dare you still draw breath?!” Lydia also helped press down the pillow. “What uterine malformation? It’s just your own barren jealousy, because you can’t bear children, and you envied my miraculous triple blessing.” Together, the mother and daughter-in-law smothered me until I drew my last breath. This time, I wouldn’t meddle in my birth family’s affairs. I would watch with cold detachment. Let’s see if Lydia’s triple womb can truly produce the heirs the Vance family so desperately craves. 2. That evening, just as I was about to go to bed, Mother’s call came through. The moment I answered, her voice lashed out, raining curses upon me. “You wretched girl! What are your true intentions? You transfer money to your sister-in-law, letting her gorge herself on luxuries, and now she has a stomachache! Tomorrow, you’ll buy her some bird’s nest and shark fin to nourish her!” I couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. Bird’s nest and shark fin cure all ailments? In plain terms, it was just another excuse to bleed me dry. My husband, Liam, drying his hair, chimed in. “Darling, why don’t I arrange for some bird’s nest and shark fin tomorrow? You can deliver it to your sister-in-law.” Looking at my considerate, understanding husband, I felt a pang of tears. In my previous life, after my death, Liam never remarried. He even often sent aid to my birth family, giving over half of his salary to Mother. But she still complained it wasn’t enough. Ultimately, to seize our home, she had Liam killed. Remembering Liam’s fate in my previous life, I shook my head. “No need. I’ll buy it myself.” The next day, I barely stepped through the door, gift box in hand, when Mother’s feather duster swished towards me. “You cursed wretch! A pregnant woman like your sister-in-law, going to a hospital, a place of death and ill-omen?! Have you no fear? Are you trying to destroy the Vance family legacy?!” I blocked Mother’s duster with the bird’s nest box. “Mother, look closely! This is bird’s nest. If you break it, Lydia won’t be able to get her nourishment.” From the bedroom, where she was secretly watching the commotion, Lydia heard this and immediately began to wail loudly. “Ow, ow, my stomach hurts so much! My three sons must not be getting enough nutrients; they must be craving bird’s nest!” Mother, hearing this, immediately dropped the duster, snatched the bird’s nest, and rushed to the kitchen. “Lydia, bear with it! Mother will stew the bird’s nest for you right away. My three precious grandsons must not suffer!” I handed the shark fin gift box to Lydia. Her complexion was rosy, her spirits high, not a single sign of illness on her face. Marcus emerged from the bedroom, yawning. He glanced at me, frowning in displeasure. “Clara, did you forget to buy me tea this time?” I feigned a placating smile. “I was so preoccupied with Lydia! Next time, I’ll buy you two extra boxes as an apology!” After all, today’s bird’s nest and shark fin were bought from a bargain bin online store for a paltry sum. In the future, Marcus’s tea could also be purchased from a cheap online store. It shouldn’t cost much. Lydia suddenly clutched her stomach. “Husband, it hurts so much.” Marcus quickly asked, “Why does it hurt again?” Lydia, with a straight face, replied, “Probably not enough nutrients. The boys want some premium crab.” I reminded her, “Lydia, pregnant women should limit their intake of rich, high-fat foods.” Lydia ignored me, simply clutching her stomach and wailing about the pain. Marcus quickly said, “Eat what you want! No restrictions!” He then told me to go buy the crabs. Lydia, clutching her stomach, told me to buy a lot, at least ten pounds. Mother, in the kitchen, pretended to be deaf. Compared to my tragic end in the previous life, their petty schemes were child’s play to me. Since they were so eager to dig their own graves, I would gladly lend them a shovel. As I stepped out the door, Lydia’s triumphant voice floated from behind me. “Husband, aren’t I clever? Yesterday, the premium crab was too expensive for you, but today, your sister can buy it for us. What a brilliant wife you are! Ten pounds should last us two days.” 3. After successfully fleecing me twice, Lydia became even more brazen. Every few days, she’d complain of weakness or pain. Mother doted on her, as if she were a goddess, indulging her every whim. Anything Lydia herself was too stingy to buy, she’d have Mother call me for. Marcus even occasionally sent me videos of Lydia’s bulging belly, bragging about his “sons” who were destined to inherit a fortune. In the videos, Lydia’s stomach was enormous, like a balloon inflated to its maximum. But based on her gestation, she should only have been four months along! I couldn’t resist reminding Marcus. “Lydia’s belly is alarmingly large. Perhaps she should see a specialist?” Marcus immediately exploded. “Clara Vance, what are your true intentions? With three sons inside, how could her belly not be big? I say it’s just your own inability to conceive, and your jealousy of Lydia’s triple blessing!” Mother, stamping her foot, chimed in. “A big belly means my grandsons are growing well! If you dare mention sending your sister-in-law to a clinic again, to bring ill fortune, I’ll rip your tongue out!” Lydia, enjoying her current life of endless indulgence, also told me to mind my own business. Even the Grim Reaper can’t stop someone determined to hasten their own demise. I stopped advising them. When Lydia was five months pregnant, Mother called me in the middle of the night, weeping, claiming Lydia was threatening to jump from a window and begging me to rush back and help talk her down. I drove home to find Lydia standing by the window, a roasted drumstick in one hand, a can of soda in the other, eating and drinking. Seeing me push open the door, she tossed her food, feigned a jump, and wailed theatrically, “I can’t bear this life any longer. I might as well die…” One look at her, and I knew she was up to her old tricks, plotting against me again. But what disturbed me more was her belly. What kind of monstrosity was she carrying?! Her stomach was grotesquely distended, forming three balloon-like lobes, her skin stretched thin and almost translucent. It wobbled from side to side with her movements, like a child’s sloshing toy, and I could hear liquid gurgling within. Seeing me silently staring at Lydia’s belly, Mother delivered a sharp slap to the back of my head. “Don’t pretend to be deaf and dumb! Hurry and talk some sense into your sister-in-law!” I tore my gaze away and asked directly, “What do you want this time?” Marcus rubbed his nose, a sheepish grin on his face. “It’s nothing major, really. Just wanted to discuss the matter of your three nephews’ properties.” “My three nephews’ properties?” I feigned confusion. Mother cut Marcus off, earnestly advising me. “Your sister-in-law is carrying triplets, and they’re all boys! Don’t they each deserve their own house? Your father’s and mine, plus your brother’s and Lydia’s, and then yours—that makes exactly three! When do you have time to transfer your property into Lydia’s name, so she can rest easy during her pregnancy?” “In the future, your nephews will remember your kindness and take care of you in your old age!” “Sister, Lydia is carrying the future of the Vance lineage in her belly. There can be no mistakes! You mustn’t falter now, or you’ll be a sinner against our family!” Lydia pointed to her belly, utterly confident in her leverage. “Clara Vance, if you don’t agree, I’ll jump right now, and you’ll watch!” I almost laughed with rage. In both this life and the last, they coveted my home. Remembering how, in my previous life, they had murdered my husband for it, I knew that if I refused today, they might plot something sinister against Liam and me. “I have no objection to transferring the house to Lydia. After all, I don’t plan on having children, so it will all go to my nephews anyway.” Mother and the others beamed, praising my understanding and sensibility. I sneered inwardly, my face betraying nothing. “It’s just that the house is shared marital property. I’ll need to discuss it with Liam. Rest assured, I’ll work on him. The house will definitely go to my nephews.” My words were perfectly reasonable, even Marcus nodded in agreement. “Right, right. You do a good job convincing your brother-in-law. We need to keep our wealth in the family.” Lydia, slightly displeased I hadn’t immediately agreed, continued to demand more. “Clara, when your three nephews are born, you mustn’t be stingy.” “You’ll need to give each of your nephews a gift of at least sixty-six thousand credits, won’t you?” I almost rolled my eyes. But I readily agreed. “Fine!” As long as you can actually deliver them.

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On my way to St. Alaric’s Abbey for thanksgiving prayers, we were ambushed by brigands. Seraphina, my husband’s childhood companion, shoved me from the carriage. I fell, gravely injured, and the life stirring within my womb began to ebb away, a crimson stain spreading. My husband, Alaric, arrived with his knights. He swept the blood-streaked Seraphina into his arms, then cast a look of utter contempt at me, sprawled in the dirt. “Isabelle, did you orchestrate this whole ordeal to harm Seraphina? You knew her heart is frail, easily startled. You venomous shrew!” He galloped away, cradling his precious Seraphina, leaving me to bleed out on the muddy path outside the city walls. When I next opened my eyes, the faint shouts of the brigands echoed outside the carriage. Seraphina’s hand, cold and decisive, shoved me from the carriage once more. 1. I instinctively curled, shielding my belly, as I tumbled into the roadside thicket, striving to minimize the impact on my body. Seraphina, eyeing the approaching brigands, shrieked melodramatically, “Duchess! Run, quick!” The brigands’ eyes gleamed. “The Duchess is this way!” They lunged towards me. I raised my arm, firing a volley of poisoned darts from the concealed wrist-mounted crossbow hidden in my sleeve. Several of the attackers crumpled, silenced. This road was frequented by noble ladies making their pilgrimage. It baffled me how these brigands dared to waylay travelers here. I kept my wrist-crossbow aimed, counting the seconds. It was almost time. In my previous life, shortly after my death, the person who would pass this way was Princess Rosalind, the King’s own sister, returning from the Arcadian Vale. Sure enough, a lavish carriage rounded the bend. The brigands waved their arms. “Forget this hag! There’s another carriage! Charge!” Chaos erupted. I peered at the carriage and saw a face revealed as the curtain fluttered open. My heart soared – it was indeed Princess Rosalind. The instant the brigands surged forward, swords raised, I lunged, throwing myself between the Princess and the incoming blade. The cold steel bit into my back, a searing pain, but I had shielded her. My throat burned, a sweet, metallic taste filling my mouth. The thunder of hooves roared in my ears, followed by Princess Rosalind’s indignant cry: “Audacious scoundrels! I am Princess Rosalind! How dare you lay a hand upon me?” I only lost consciousness for a few fleeting breaths before snapping back to awareness. Seraphina was rushing towards me. “Sister Isabelle, are you alright? You terrified Seraphina!” The gash on my back was bleeding freely, and Seraphina’s rough embrace knocked against it, intensifying the flow. Princess Rosalind steadied me. “Are you well? Thank you for saving me.” The clash of steel echoed, signaling the arrival of knights. I knew, without a doubt, it was Alaric. Indeed, Seraphina spotted Alaric riding towards us from afar and stumbled towards him. “Brother Alaric, help me!” Clutching my abdomen, I whispered, “My belly… it pains me so, Princess. Please, save my child.” Princess Rosalind’s expression tightened. “You are with child? And you still risked your life to save me? Rest assured, I will save you. Your life-saving deed will be repaid.” “It was my own recklessness, running ahead and leaving my guards behind. Else, we wouldn’t be in such peril. Do not fear; they will catch up soon. My retinue includes a skilled healer.” With that, she tore a strip from her gown and bound my wound, but the fabric quickly soaked through with blood. In the distance, Seraphina melted into Alaric’s embrace. “Brother Alaric, thank the Heavens you came. Otherwise, Seraphina would never have seen you again.” 2. That towering, formidable figure in the distance was my husband, Duke Alaric Blackwood. He swept the stumbling Seraphina into his arms, his gaze filled with tender concern for the bloodstains on her face. Then, he strode towards me, where I leaned, pale and weak, against a tree. His eyes burned with undisguised revulsion. “Isabelle, did you painstakingly bring Seraphina up this mountain to the Abbey just to harm her? You knew her heart is frail, easily startled. You venomous shrew!” The last vestige of color drained from my face. “My Lord, Seraphina insisted on accompanying me to the Abbey today. I had no idea we would encounter brigands.” “Besides, Seraphina is unharmed. My Lord, the Blackwood healing draught… please, just a single dose! I beg you.” My voice was barely a whisper, my breath growing shallow. Alaric sneered. “The Blackwood healing draughts are for the knights on the battlefield, not for a frivolous woman like you to squander. Do you know a single vial is worth a hundred gold pieces? Are you feigning such distress just to waste it? Do you realize one draught can save a life on the battlefield, not be wasted by you?” Princess Rosalind lifted her chin, her eyes blazing with indignation. “Are you Duke Alaric Blackwood? This is your wife, gravely wounded from saving a life. Do you truly quibble over the cost of a potion? Is your heart made of stone?” Alaric regarded her with disdain. “And who might you be? What business is it of yours, matters between my wife and I? Isabelle, you truly have a talent for theatrics, putting on such a grand performance by the roadside and even recruiting an accomplice.” Princess Rosalind rose to her full height. “How much is your potion worth? I shall purchase it myself.” Alaric’s cold gaze swept over me, then back to the Princess. “You’ll purchase it? What grand words. Are you and Isabelle friends? Then you must be cut from the same cloth, all deceit and lies. Our family’s draughts, we’d sooner feed to cats and dogs than give to her. Disabuse yourselves of that notion.” I clutched my belly, cold sweat prickling my skin as I looked at him. “My Lord, even if you refuse to save me, please save the child in my womb. He is your own flesh and blood.” I had been pregnant, but hadn’t had the chance to tell him yet. I’d planned to wait until his return from the borders after his rotation. I never imagined such a calamity. Alaric’s face shifted at my words. “What child?” He was about to demand an explanation when Seraphina, with a dramatic gasp, collapsed into his arms, clutching her chest. “Brother Alaric, my heart… it aches so! Am I… am I dying?” “When the brigands came, Sister Isabelle was so frightened, she pushed me from the carriage! I think I hit something; I’m in pain all over.” Seraphina spun her fabrications, twisting the truth. I glared at her, my eyes burning with fury. “When did I ever push you? It was you who shoved me from the carriage, leaving me covered in wounds!” Seraphina dabbed at her eyes, looking only at Alaric. “Sister Isabelle, how can you twist the truth so? Brother Alaric, Sister Isabelle didn’t mean to. Don’t blame her. Perhaps she simply dislikes me staying at the Manor and, in a moment of distress, pushed me.” “But, Sister Isabelle, do you know this is a cliff? I could have fallen into the abyss, my body lost forever! If you dislike me, you could have simply told me. I would have left you alone. Why would you try to take my life?” Alaric glared at me. “Isabelle, how could you be so vicious? Taking such a cruel hand against Seraphina when I was not present, you madwoman!” I shook my head. “You believe her. No matter what I say, you will no longer believe me. More words are useless.” I felt the blood from my back flowing faster. I gripped Princess Rosalind’s hand. “Princess, could you take me to the nearest healer in Valoria? I fear my child will be lost if we delay any longer.” Princess Rosalind nodded. “Yes, I will take you to Valoria immediately.” She began to help me onto her carriage. 3. “Hold!” Alaric stepped in front of us, blocking our way. Suppressing his rage, he pointed his knight’s sword at me. “I know you’ve always disliked Seraphina, but I never imagined you’d be cruel enough to try and end her life. You will kneel here, now, and apologize to her. If she forgives you, you may enter Valoria. If she does not, you will remain kneeling until she does.” I stared at him, incredulous. “You don’t believe me? For Seraphina’s word alone, you would abandon your own child?” Seraphina, frail and delicate, leaned against Alaric. “Sister Isabelle, if you apologize, I will forgive you. But why would you rather lie than admit your mistake? And why would you use a pregnancy to deceive Brother Alaric? Is it merely a coincidence that you are suddenly with child?” “The healers said you struggled to conceive. How could you suddenly be pregnant? If you don’t wish to apologize, simply say so. There’s no need to lie to Brother Alaric; he detests deceit above all else.” Alaric’s face contorted with disgust as he looked at me. “After years of marriage, you’ve never conceived. Yet now, suddenly, you claim to be with child. Do you expect me to believe that? You will apologize to Seraphina, immediately.” Why I struggled to conceive, others might not know, but Alaric knew perfectly well. In the second year of our marriage, I conceived. Yet, due to his arrogance, he suffered a humiliating defeat in battle and then dared to contradict the King, incurring royal displeasure. For his sake, I knelt in the biting snow before the Queen, pleading for clemency. I remained there for a day and a night. I lost the child, and my body was left weakened. The healers said I might never fully recover, and that future pregnancies would be difficult. My health was shattered because of him, yet he, the ungrateful wretch, dared to utter such words. I felt a gush of warmth from my lower abdomen. The color drained from my face, leaving it as stark and white as parchment. Alaric’s personal knight whispered to him, “My Lord, the Duchess truly appears gravely wounded. Something seems amiss. Perhaps we should allow her to see a healer first.” Alaric scoffed. “Has she not feigned illness enough times before? Such tricks, she’s well-practiced. Rest assured, she won’t die.” My heart turned to ash. Even his own men could see I was dying, yet his heart remained as cold as iron. The knights behind him grumbled. “She’s constantly jealous of Lady Seraphina. How can she possibly fulfill the duties of a Duchess? If it were anyone else, she’d have been cast out long ago.” “Indeed! Lady Seraphina is so gentle, so kind to the Duke. Not like the Duchess, always putting on airs.” “Failure to produce an heir is a grave offense. The Duchess has been married for years and hasn’t borne a single child. The Duke should have brought Lady Seraphina into the Manor years ago!” Seraphina’s lips curved into a triumphant smile, her eyes filled with defiant challenge as she looked at me. My head swam, growing dizzier by the moment. Princess Rosalind exerted all her strength to help me stand. My blood stained the tree trunk, yet Alaric, blinded by rage, drew his sword and cleaved the carriage wheel. “I told you, Isabelle. If you do not kneel here today and apologize to Seraphina, I will not permit you to leave.” Princess Rosalind was furious. “Audacious fool! Do you know who I am? Do you dare lay a hand on me?” Alaric lifted his chin defiantly. “I care not who you are. Today, whoever protects this venomous witch stands against me, the Duke of Blackwood.” Princess Rosalind’s face flushed with royal indignation. She produced a meticulously carved crest pendant. “I am Princess Rosalind. Duke Alaric Blackwood, I command you, now, to immediately escort us to Valoria to seek medical aid. There shall be no delay.” Seraphina let out a delicate giggle, covering her mouth with her hand. She darted forward and snatched the crest pendant. “You are a Princess? A Princess who traveled to Valoria with only two guards? And was almost killed by brigands? Truly, if you’re going to lie for Sister Isabelle, at least invent a believable story. This crest… did you perhaps buy it for a few shillings from a street vendor in Valoria?” 4. With that, she flung the crest pendant to the ground and stomped on it viciously several times. Then, clutching her chest again, she whimpered, “Brother Alaric, my heart hurts so badly! Please, take me to a healer. I can barely breathe.” She collapsed weakly into his arms. Alaric scooped her up and mounted his steed. Turning, he commanded his knights, “Isabelle, if anything happens to Seraphina, I swear you will pay with your life. Destroy their carriage. If they wish to reach Valoria, they may walk.” With that, he galloped off, Seraphina clutched in his arms. Alaric’s knights looked at me, torn. “Forgive us, Duchess.” They severed the horses’ reins, drove the steeds away, and then smashed the carriage to splinters before riding off in pursuit of Alaric. My body grew colder and colder. The snow began to fall, heavier now. Barely clinging to life, I whispered, “Princess, you must go. Follow this path; it leads directly to Valoria. Do not mind me; you cannot carry me. If I die, Princess, remember this: do not let me be buried at Blackwood Manor. Even in death, I wish for an annulment from Alaric.” Tears streamed down Princess Rosalind’s face. “Hold on, just a little longer! My knights will be here any moment!” I felt a profound chill, a deep, pervasive cold, until my vision blurred, and I knew nothing more. When I awoke, I was lying in a warm chamber. Princess Rosalind stood over me, her face flushed with fury. “What? All the Royal Physicians have been summoned to Blackwood Manor? Not a single one allowed to leave? Does the Duke of Blackwood command such authority? To summon all the King’s healers for a woman who doesn’t even have a title?” “Fine, fine. Today, my eyes have truly been opened.” “Guards! Follow me! We’ll march to Blackwood Manor. I will personally go there to summon the Royal Physicians. I want to see how he dares to refuse me access to them.” At Blackwood Manor, Seraphina lay in Alaric’s arms, rubbing her chest. “My Lord, perhaps you should go and see Sister Isabelle. I fear for her. I truly am alright; my heart ailment is an old complaint. It hurts, but it won’t kill me. You needn’t worry about me.” “She is, after all, your lawful wife. I am nameless, nothing. Do not concern yourself with me anymore. I do not wish for people to speak ill of you.” Alaric held her tighter. “Nonsense. I have summoned all the Royal Physicians on duty. They will surely heal you.” “With me here, who would dare speak ill?” Just then, Princess Rosalind’s cries reached the Manor gates. “Smash the gates open!” She stormed into the Manor. Alaric, startled by the commotion, stared at her. “Who are you, daring to trespass into Blackwood Manor?” Seraphina looked at the Princess, then gripped Alaric tightly. “Brother Alaric, she’s so fierce. Did Sister Isabelle send her to cause trouble?” Alaric stood up. “Guards! Remove this madwoman! If she resists, beat her out!” “Yes, My Lord!” The Manor guards surrounded them. The Princess’s knights drew their swords. “Bold! Do you not kneel before a Princess?” The Royal Physicians, seeing Princess Rosalind, immediately panicked. They dropped to their knees, bowing deeply. “Your Royal Highness, Princess Rosalind, we salute you.” Alaric and Seraphina were stunned. “Princess Rosalind?” Princess Rosalind looked at him. “Duke of Blackwood, what a grand display of power. Summoning all the Royal Physicians to your Manor, while your own Duchess could not procure a single one to save her life.” “I haven’t returned to Valoria in years, and I find that a Duke now wields such authority, even disrespecting a Princess. I shall go to the King, my brother, and have a thorough discussion with him.” Alaric’s face turned ashen. Just then, one of the Princess’s personal attendants rushed in. “Your Royal Highness, a grave situation! The Duchess of Blackwood is bleeding profusely. The child cannot be saved, and her injuries are severe. Her life hangs by a thread!” The Princess’s face paled. She called to the Royal Physicians. “Quickly, save her! The Duke’s reckoning can wait for another day.” Princess Rosalind rushed back to her Pavilion, Alaric trailing closely behind. Upon entering, he heard the Princess’s elderly governess shaking her head, carrying a basin of bloody water. “The Duchess’s child could not be saved. It was a male child.” Alaric recoiled, staring at the governess in disbelief. “What child? What nonsense are you speaking?” A maid shrieked from within. “Healers! Help! The Duchess is bleeding out! She’s dying!”

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After spending eighty-eight million, eight hundred and eighty-eight thousand dollars in betrothal payments, I turned myself in for marriage fraud. But then, my housekeeper’s daughter panicked. On May 5th, Sterling Holdings and Blackwood Enterprises were set to unite through a commercial marriage. Yet, I, the supposed bride, was locked in a dark room. By the time I finally found a way to reach the wedding venue, the housekeeper’s daughter had already used my identity to conclude the ceremony. I stormed onto the stage, declaring I was the true Sterling heiress, only to be met with skepticism from every employee of Sterling Holdings. All because Clara Hayes, the housekeeper’s daughter, had been parading around the company as me for half a year. Clara shoved me to the ground. “What are you, the housekeeper’s daughter, doing here, making a scene?” Before I could produce any proof, Clara’s hired security guards dragged me out and threw me onto the street. A car sped by, and I died on the spot. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day before the wedding. … “I’m getting married tomorrow, everyone! Please come, no need for gifts, just come and celebrate with us!” My heart lurched as I saw Clara Hayes’s message in the company chat. I couldn’t believe it—I had reborn to the day before Clara used my identity to marry into a powerful family. “So the rumors about Sterling Holdings and Blackwood Enterprises uniting are true!” “We’re so lucky to witness a high-society wedding! The young Miss and the Blackwood CEO must be a perfect match!” The company chat buzzed with congratulations. Perhaps realizing I had only just joined the group yesterday, Clara quickly added, “It’s not a commercial alliance at all. It’s just my childhood friend, who’s like a brother.” But Clara’s clarification only made the chat explode further. “I’m obsessed! High-society romance is even sweeter than we imagined!” My palm, tightly gripping my phone, began to sweat. I was about to ask directly in the chat who she was marrying tomorrow when a knock sounded at my door. Clara walked in, a look of apology on her face. “Elara, I’m getting married tomorrow too, so I’m so sorry I can’t attend your wedding.” She looked around the opulent master suite. “May I get ready here, at this villa, for my wedding tomorrow?” In my previous life, Clara had said the exact same words. Clara had lived with her mother at my family’s estate since childhood; she had no home of her own. We grew up together, and I truly considered her my younger sister. I not only let her wear my clothes, but I also personally arranged for her to join Sterling Holdings. So, when she said she was getting married on the same day as me, I didn’t suspect a thing. Instead, I looked at her with envy, wishing her well, hoping she was marrying for love. I not only agreed to let her depart from my family’s villa but also found a golden hairpin from the dowry my mother had prepared for me, giving it to her as a wedding gift! But I never imagined Clara’s greed. Her so-called wedding was a calculated deception: taking advantage of my older brother, the CEO, being away on a business trip, she impersonated me and married directly into the Blackwood family. Because I wasn’t thrilled about the arranged marriage, the Sterling-Blackwood wedding was kept low-key. I hadn’t invited any relatives, which gave Clara the perfect loophole. When I rushed to the wedding venue, they had already completed the ceremony. I desperately tried to prove I was the true Sterling heiress, but to my shock, every employee of Sterling Holdings recognized only Clara. Clara looked at me with feigned sorrow, her voice trembling with accusation. “Elara, even though you’re the housekeeper’s daughter, I’ve always treated you like my sister. Why are you trying to ruin my wedding? What has Sterling Holdings ever done to deserve this from you?!” The security guards dragged me out and tossed me onto the street. I managed to grab my phone, intending to call my brother, but a speeding car struck me down instantly. My fingers dug into my palm, my knuckles white, as I met Clara’s gaze. “Of course not,” I said, my voice cutting. Clara seemed taken aback by my refusal, her face darkening instantly. “Elara, did you see the message in the chat and misunderstand something? I already explained, I’m marrying my childhood friend, who’s like a brother.” “Misunderstand? She’s just jealous of your beauty, afraid you’ll steal her thunder!” The housekeeper, Clara’s mother, shot me a disdainful glance. She then began to lecture me, pretending to be a wise elder. “Elara, a double blessing is a good thing. Don’t be so petty. Both of you will be wearing veils anyway, so Clara won’t outshine you much.” I feigned surprise. “You’re right!” I exclaimed. “If we’re both wearing veils and leaving from the same house, what if they pick up the wrong bride?” I added, my voice dripping with false concern, “It’s absolutely impossible for you to get married from my house now! You two should go find a hotel and decorate it. You probably still have time.” Clara panicked. “Elara, we grew up together! Are you really going to ruin my wedding?” The other servants chimed in. “Clara always let you have your way since you were little. Their mother and daughter have worked for the Sterling family for twenty years, taking care of you. How can you be so heartless?” “Exactly! This is such a big day for her. If you’re not going to help, at least don’t cause trouble! Do you have no conscience?” “I think she’s just scared Clara will marry better than her!” One of them even finished by directly comforting Clara. “Why do we need to consult her anyway? Soon, Mr. and Mrs. Sterling will arrange a beautiful wedding chamber for you, a hundred times grander than hers!” Clara sniffled, her voice choked with manufactured emotion. I scoffed internally, my gaze sweeping coldly over the servants. I used to be too kind, letting them forget who the true mistress of this house was. I grabbed a cup and threw it to the floor. Immediately, the servants’ eyes narrowed, their gazes wary. “Why did you throw that cup? Do you know how hard it is to clean up?” “She has no sympathy! Not even a single hair of Clara’s is worth less than her. If it weren’t for her family background, no man would ever want her.” I walked over and slapped the one who had spoken. “So you do know my family background. And you do know this is the Sterling estate?” My voice was dangerously low. “Let me tell you, your wages come from my brother. If you don’t want to work, then get out now!” But to my utter shock, they didn’t cower. Instead, they laughed. “Playing the high-and-mighty Miss every day, still think you’ve got any real power?” “We’re not leaving. What are you going to do about it?!” “We’re going to give Clara a grand send-off!” “Is there anyone in this entire villa who listens to you? You’re just barking orders!” “Once Clara’s married, we’ll all go work for her. Leaving you alone in this villa, terrified by ghosts every single night, you wretched thing!” No wonder they were so bold. They had already decided to ditch the Sterling family and cling to Clara’s new influence! It made sense. In my previous life, if not for their cooperation, Clara wouldn’t have successfully impersonated me and married into Blackwood Enterprises. I gritted my teeth, holding back a storm of emotions. Clara’s mother glared at me. “What are you looking at? You were given a chance, and you threw it away. Get ready to be despised by the Blackwood family!” “Mom, stop talking to her. The wedding tomorrow is more important.” Clara turned to me, her face feigning regret. “Elara, I didn’t want it to come to this, but you were so petty today. It’s truly disheartening.” “Clara, ignore this useless creature. I’ll go decorate your wedding chamber now.” A group of them surrounded Clara and walked further into the villa. Clara looked back, a triumphant glint in her eyes. I clenched my fists. Even if I called my brother now, it would be too late. His most trusted associates were with him overseas. The company’s employees had probably already pledged their loyalty to Clara. My phone vibrated, an alert for a deposit of eighty-eight million, eight hundred and eighty-eight thousand dollars. This was the betrothal payment from Blackwood Enterprises. An idea immediately sparked in my mind. I turned and headed to the mall. First, I purchased a property, then I bought a car. After ensuring I had spent every last penny of the eighty-eight million, eight hundred and eighty-eight thousand dollars, I turned myself in at the police station. The officer looked at me, utterly bewildered. “Say that again. What are you here for?” “I committed marriage fraud. I’m here to confess.” The officer’s brow furrowed. “If you don’t want to marry them, can’t you just discuss calling off the engagement?” But I continued, “The wedding is tomorrow. I’ve already spent the entire betrothal payment, but I don’t want to get married.” “How much was the payment? Negotiate with them. Return the money.” “Eighty-eight million, eight hundred and eighty-eight thousand.” The police officer fell silent. This wasn’t just a high betrothal payment; it was an astronomical sum. The police insisted I negotiate with the groom’s family. I’d heard that Julian Blackwood, my intended fiancé, wasn’t known for his patience. Trembling, I took the phone from the officer. Surprisingly, the person on the other end didn’t sound angry. But it made sense. It was a commercial alliance, and we hadn’t even met. Plus, the wedding hadn’t been widely publicized, so the impact on Blackwood Enterprises wouldn’t be significant. “Are you certain you don’t wish to marry me?” the man’s voice came through the receiver. I responded softly, “Yes.” “Then let’s call off the engagement.” Through police mediation, I was required to return the eighty-eight million, eight hundred and eighty-eight thousand dollar betrothal payment to Blackwood Enterprises’ account by noon tomorrow. Otherwise, Blackwood Enterprises would press charges. I nodded, secretly elated. But that night, instead of trying to raise the money, I spent the entire night at a club. The next day, when I returned home, the entire villa was buzzing with joyous activity. The courtyard teemed with people. Not only had all the employees from Sterling Holdings arrived, but so had all of Clara’s and my former classmates. They surrounded Clara, praising her. “Clara has really blossomed. Our class, only Clara has truly made something of herself.” “Yes, we’ll all be relying on Clara for our livelihoods from now on.” The employees also chimed in. “They say CEO Blackwood is aloof and uninterested in women, but our young CEO Clara still managed to get him wrapped around her finger!” “From now on, we really need to stick close to CEO Clara.” Hearing this, I let out a cold laugh. You’re not marrying into Blackwood Enterprises, Clara. Eighty-eight million, eight hundred and eighty-eight thousand dollars in betrothal payments are waiting for you to return! They were still lavishing praises when someone suddenly spotted me at the entrance. “Elara Sterling, what’s with those dark circles under your eyes? Where were you carousing last night?” “It’s Clara’s wedding day today. Even if you are their housekeeper’s daughter, you shouldn’t look so disheveled.” My gaze landed on Clara. To my surprise, she met my eyes directly and said, “Elara Sterling, you haven’t actually started believing you’re the Sterling heiress, have you?” Her voice rose, laced with contempt. “On my wedding day, are you going to wander around like a stray dog, ruining the ceremony? Can you bear the consequences?!” “What do you mean, ‘I think I’m the Sterling heiress’? This is my home.” The moment the words left my lips, they all burst into laughter. Clara’s little hangers-on from school, in particular, scoffed at me. “Elara Sterling, have you no shame? Your mother is a housekeeper here; that’s why you get to live in the villa. Clara, in her kindness, always prepared a share of everything good for you. And now you’re acting like you belong here.” He laughed. “We’ve all known Clara for years. Who doesn’t know she’s CEO Sterling’s only sister?” The Sterling Holdings employees also said they had never seen me at the company. Clara’s lackey wore a knowing smirk. “Clara arranged for many classmates to work at Sterling Holdings. So, this stray dog didn’t get a position, and that’s why she’s barking here.” “You might bark well, but Clara only managed to get you a job with a three-thousand-dollar monthly salary.” The moment I said that, the enraged woman slapped me across the face. My cheek instantly reddened and swelled. I gritted my teeth and glared at Clara’s lackey. “I’m warning you. I’m getting married today.” My voice was tight with suppressed fury. “If you dare lay a hand on me, Blackwood Enterprises will make sure you suffer!” “Still dreaming, are we? Drank too much last night and didn’t wake up?” “Need a cold shower to sober you up?” They started to approach with a basin of cold water. I tried to dodge, but two people grabbed my arms. The cold water poured over my head, its icy chill making my body tremble. Before I could even react, another slap landed on my face. Clara stepped forward, pinching my chin. “Sober now?” Her eyes narrowed. “If not, maybe we can try some props. A knife, a whip, hot tongs… which do you prefer?” Her small lackey already handed her a fruit knife. Clara tapped my face with the fruit knife. “Elara, we grew up together. I wanted to let you off, but you insisted on causing trouble on my wedding day.” Her voice hardened. “The Blackwood family is marrying me, not a useless wretch like you!” Clara’s little lackey kicked my knee. My legs buckled, and I fell directly to the ground. Clara put her foot on my face. “Elara Sterling, you’re just my dog. Now, kowtow to me a hundred times and apologize, and maybe I’ll forgive you.” Blood trickled from my lips as I sneered at her. “Dream on. Clara Hayes, as long as I don’t give my consent, the Blackwood family’s procession will never arrive today!”

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Hollywood heartthrob Jack Holloway rocked by secret marriage and love child scandal. I dialed my daughter: “You had a baby? Without telling me?” Kelly, on the other end, was sobbing, barely able to breathe: “Mom! I want a divorce!” 1 By the time I arrived at Kelly’s house, the place was already a disaster zone. The nanny had silently locked herself in her room, clearly unwilling to be caught in the crossfire. No one was cleaning up the mess. Jack Holloway sat on the sofa, his face utterly devoid of emotion, watching my daughter hurl objects. Kelly, her voice raw, was practically tearing the place apart. “Nine years, Jack! From your days as a struggling bit player, I was there, unwavering, supporting your every move, bankrolling your struggling years, ensuring you could chase that impossible dream.” “My mother absolutely forbade our relationship. I battled her for three agonizing years until she finally relented. I pushed boundaries she never thought I would, going to extreme lengths to make her see that you were the one. Only then, finally defeated, did she agree to open her coffers and propel your career.” “All these years – TV shows, movies, singles… What did you ever want to try that our family didn’t help you with? How do you think you became an Oscar-winning actor, Jack? Do you honestly have no idea?” “Nine years of my life, my sacrifice, and this is how you repay me?!” After her furious outburst, Kelly could no longer stand. She leaned against the wall, collapsing into gut-wrenching sobs. Jack ran a hand over his face. “Kelly, please, let me explain. It was just that one time, I was drunk, and it was a mistake with her! But she wouldn’t terminate the pregnancy, what was I supposed to do?” I stepped through the shattered entrance in my high heels, tossed my designer bag onto the nearest table, and fixed him with an icy glare. “Alright, spill it. What happened?” Kelly rushed into my arms, tears streaming. I patted her back, ushering her to her room. “Go rest, darling. I’ll handle Jack.” Jack looked utterly repentant in my presence. “Eleanor, I’m so sorry…” Turns out, over a year ago, the very night Jack received his Oscar, his entire team celebrated through the night. Kelly was abroad at the time, deep into her PhD studies, and hadn’t been back to see him for ages. The alcohol, coupled with a long period of loneliness, led him to a regrettable one-night stand with his agent, Ava Miller. Later, terrified of exposure, he gave Ava a substantial sum of money and told her to leave the agency. But to his shock, she turned out to be pregnant. She then secretly gave birth to the child, and a few months later, reappeared with the baby, claiming they were helpless, a single mother and child with nowhere to turn. Out of concern for the infant, Jack kept their existence under wraps for months, quietly supporting them. Finally, a few days ago, the child developed a severe fever from a viral rash that wouldn’t break. Last night, the fever escalated into a febrile seizure, requiring an emergency trip to the hospital. Jack, worried sick, snuck in to check on the baby. And that, of course, was when the paparazzi snapped their photos, blowing the whole story wide open. The particular gossip kingpin who broke the story hadn’t even bothered to negotiate. Jack had publicly scorned him on camera once, and his fans had mobbed the guy online. I listened calmly to the entire sordid account, then nodded. “Fine. I’ll have my assistant draft the divorce papers immediately. You and Kelly are done.” To my surprise, Jack immediately dropped to his knees. “No, Eleanor! Please, I don’t want to divorce Kelly! I truly love her!” 2 An A-list actor, an untouchable idol admired by millions… And this is what he’s reduced to. I’d always known the entertainment industry was a cesspool. That’s why, from the moment Kelly met Jack, I scrutinized him for five years before I even allowed them to get a marriage license. Yet, I remained wary, insisting they keep their marriage private. My biggest fear was a day like this, where my daughter would become a public spectacle. My daughter was born into privilege, coddled and adored for thirty years, sailing through life without a single major setback. But precisely because of this, that hothouse flower had blossomed into a hopelessly romantic fool. One could say Jack Holloway was the only real ‘disruption’ in her perfectly curated life. And now? The ‘secret marriage’ is exposed, but the ‘wife’ they’re all clamoring about isn’t my Kelly. Kelly, listening from her room, couldn’t contain herself. She burst out, eyes still red-rimmed, “Mom…” “I told you long ago, you two aren’t suited.” I forced myself to maintain a patient tone with my daughter. “You always scoffed at my business connections, claiming the trust-fund babies I introduced were shallow and insufferable. See now? The entertainment industry is nothing but a playground for capital. How high do you truly believe their moral compass extends?” Kelly bit her lip, glaring at me, her eyes filled with resentment. Jack scrambled to defend himself. “No, Eleanor, this was truly just an accident. My feelings for Kelly have never wavered.” “It’s just… the baby is innocent, after all. That’s why I’ve been so conflicted…” I waved my hand, cutting him off. “Spare me the details. I’m a woman who only cares about results.” Just then, the doorbell chimed. This was an upscale gated community; not just anyone could get in. I turned to Jack, my gaze sharp. He frowned, attempting to ignore the persistent chime. But my foolish daughter, bless her heart, couldn’t contain herself. She stomped to the door and flung it open. Standing outside was a woman with an innocent face, cradling a baby who looked about six months old. My eyes swept over her, and she immediately dropped to her knees on the doorstep. These people, it seemed, had knees made of rubber; they could kneel without a second thought. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Hayes! This was all my doing! I seduced Mr. Holloway that night, and I decided to have the baby on my own, and later, it was me who used the child to threaten him! None of this is Mr. Holloway’s fault!” She cried as she spoke, a picture of tearful vulnerability, enough to melt anyone’s heart. No wonder Jack couldn’t control himself. But… I smiled. “Child, don’t rush. Give me a few days, and I promise, I’ll ensure the baby’s father returns to your side.” Jack immediately looked distressed, trying to speak but stopping himself. To my astonishment, Ava gently placed the baby on the doormat, crying as she declared, “Every mistake is mine, all mine! The baby is innocent! Please, I beg you, raise him yourselves! I swear I’ll never bother you again!” With that, Ava turned and ran, her desperate figure vanishing down the driveway in a blink. 3 A six-month-old baby, barely able to sit up, and she truly dared to just leave him with strangers. I raised an eyebrow, turning back to my own daughter. Kelly, in her thirty years, had never experienced anything like this. She was stunned, watching the baby flail on the doormat, wailing pitifully. I knew her impeccable upbringing wouldn’t permit her to simply abandon a crying infant on the doorstep. Jack, of course, knew this too. He quickly stepped inside, called out the nanny, and instructed her to bring the baby in before he cried himself sick. My headstrong daughter, incredibly, just stood there watching. “Still standing there, Kelly?” I gave her a pointed look. “Mom, I… this…” She stomped her foot in exasperation. Jack seemed about to break the awkward silence, but I cut him off. “Since someone has already brought their love child into your home, aren’t you going to pack your things and come with me?” At that, my foolish daughter finally snapped out of it. She fumed, “I don’t even know if these things in the house have been touched by that… person! I’m a clean freak, I can’t stand it! I don’t need to pack anything. Mom, let’s go!” I nodded. Not bad. At least she had some backbone left. Though once we were home, she reverted to tearful despair. By the next morning, however, her tears had transformed into a raging inferno. Early that day, as I was having breakfast downstairs, a disheveled but frantic Kelly rushed down from upstairs. “Mom! Look at this!” Kelly slapped her tablet onto the table. I glanced at it. It was a new exposé from Mark Jenkins, the gossip kingpin. The report claimed to have unmasked Oscar-winning Jack Holloway’s secret wife: Kelly Hayes, the young heiress of Hayes Group, a brilliant, well-educated socialite who had studied abroad. If I hadn’t taken her from that house yesterday, she would surely be surrounded by a barrage of cameras and reporters right now. At that point, even if the child wasn’t hers, it would be. She’d be damned if she could ever clear her name. People always preferred to believe the initial reports, to cling to their first impressions. If everyone already believed the child belonged to Kelly and Jack, any clarification from Kelly would only make it worse. By then, a love child could easily be whitewashed into a legitimate heir. I sipped my coffee, a faint smile playing on my lips. “Jack’s former agent, Ava. Her tactics are quite something.” I met Kelly’s bewildered gaze. “They’re not just trying to walk all over you, Kelly. They’re trying to force you to swallow their mess.” 4 That same day, the Hayes Group’s official account released a statement. Three simple words: “No children.” Less than half an hour later, comments soared past a hundred thousand. “Fewer words, bigger scandal!” “Please, don’t fall for it. You believe what the paparazzi say? Our ‘Jack’ probably doesn’t even know who this ‘heiress’ is. Maybe she’s just trying to hype up her family company.” “Are you in junior high? Do you know what Hayes Group is? One of the nation’s leading corporations! Your ‘Jack’ isn’t even fit to carry Ms. Hayes’s shoes.” I paid no mind to these trivial squabbles. Right now, Jack stood before me, his agent’s boss practically groveling. “Mrs. Hayes, you see how this has blown up. It’s really unnecessary! After all, Jack and Kelly have been together for so many years…” “Get to the point,” I interjected, glancing at my watch, a flicker of impatience in my eyes. My North American regional general manager was due for a negotiation soon, and having them loitering in my office was unseemly. Jack knew my temperament well. If I got truly annoyed, I wouldn’t hesitate to have them physically escorted out. So, he stepped forward, his expression solemn. “Eleanor, I know I messed up. I’ve already spoken with Ava. I’ll send her and the baby abroad, and they’ll never be allowed to return. We can say the child is a relative’s, and Mark Jenkins’ report was a fabrication…” “You can tell that to your fans, they’ll believe anything. But what about the Hayes family’s reputation?” This boy truly thought our social circles were filled with brainless schoolchildren. Ultimately, I had them ushered out. When I got home, Kelly told me Jack had also contacted her today, promising a litany of concessions. I asked her, “What do you want to do?” “Mom,” Kelly covered her eyes, her voice muffled with despair. “I just don’t know what to do…” Nine years of a relationship, her first love at that – it wasn’t easy to let go, especially for someone so hopelessly romantic. Ultimately, I gave Jack two options. First, retire from acting, move into the Hayes estate, and accept that all future decisions would be made by the Hayes family. Second, divorce, and walk away with nothing. Kelly initially thought I was being too harsh, but I immediately replayed the surveillance video of Ava placing the baby on our doorstep three times. After that, Kelly tacitly accepted my decision. However, the very next day, Jack directly posted his marriage certificate with Kelly online, accompanied by a lengthy, ambiguous, and emotional caption. He effectively cut off all of Kelly’s escape routes. By doing so, he, the principal party, had publicly “confirmed” that the child was indeed his and Kelly’s, attempting to create a false image of a happy family of three. What a preemptive strike. He had guts. I never thought he possessed such cunning or audacity. Kelly hadn’t expected Jack to do something like that either. She stopped moping at home and rushed to my office, her face a mask of disbelief. “How could he do this?!”

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1 A new saying spreads across the Arcane Realms: “In good times, trust the First Blade. In hard times, the Second Star. In despair, only the Junior Disciple can save you.” Thanks to Grandmaster Elara’s new apprentice Rosalyn, our Celestial Apex Order now has all three legendary roles: Kaelen (First Blade): The righteous leader Lyra (Second Star): The silent warrior Rosalyn (Junior Disciple): The charming actress But I’m Fiora, the forgotten Third Disciple. While others shine – like handsome Alaric (Fourth) and sharp-tongued Theron (Fifth) – I tend my vegetables and chickens, invisible to all. When Grandmaster entered seclusion a century ago, she declared: “The Order’s future rests on them!” Yet I remain a ghost in these halls. I once overheard some Inner Circle Adepts offering new initiates advice: “The First Blade upholds rigid decorum. The Second Star’s combat lessons are brutal. The Fourth Disciple is handsome and harbors no grudges. Don’t cross the Fifth Disciple; he has royal backing. And the new Junior Disciple is innocently charming.” The initiates, fresh from the Outer Circle after years of grueling effort, wore expressions of utter bewilderment. “The Third Disciple? Is that a brother or sister? Which glorious battle claimed their life?” The Inner Circle Adept hesitated, his confidence wavering. “Uh… the Third Disciple should be alive.” “And what about warnings concerning the Third Disciple?” “I… I can’t recall. Hey, you, Senior Adept! Do you remember anything about the Third Disciple?” Listening to them discuss me, I calmly responded, “I don’t remember.” I didn’t even bother to watch their flustered expressions, simply returned to digging for earthworms. Today’s gossip from the Celestial Apex Order: “Junior Disciple cried after delivering a potion for the Second Star. Poor dear.” “The First Blade reprimanded the Second Star for being cold-hearted, now they’re in a cold war. Scary, scary.” “The Fourth Disciple encountered an old foe, chose to let bygones be bygones. Admirable, admirable.” “The Fifth Disciple gave nicknames to various Elders and is now wanted for insubordination. Curious, curious.” “That pair of white rabbits in the back garden had a litter of black kits, sparking rumors of infidelity. Such a pity.” “…” Even the rabbits get more mentions than me. The Third Disciple is so low-key, it’s as if I don’t even exist. I drifted against the flow of students leaving their blade lessons, admiring the overflowing basin of earthworms. All that hard work hadn’t gone to waste. But when I pushed open my courtyard gate, I found all the main characters from today’s gossip already there. Kaelen, the First Blade, a man of imposing bearing, stood with his hands clasped behind his back, lecturing: “How could you say the Elder of Lore looks like an eggplant, the Elder of Runes like a potato, and the Elder of Discipline like a bell pepper?” Theron, the Fifth Disciple, slouched lazily in my favorite sun-drenched rocking chair. “One purple, one yellow, one green,” he drawled. “Makes for a perfect stir-fry of three garden delights.” Beside him, Alaric, the Fourth Disciple, a youth of peerless beauty, lifted a sleeve, a faint, ethereal smile gracing his features. “Worms! First Blade, I’m so scared!” Rosalyn, the Junior Disciple, a delicate and charming girl, flung herself onto Kaelen. I could clearly see Lyra, the Second Star, her sword hand free, her fingertips white with suppressed tension. This Junior Disciple was Grandmaster Elara’s latest apprentice, taken on three years ago when she unexpectedly emerged from seclusion for half an hour, only to descend the mountain and return with Rosalyn. “Innocently charming” was the general consensus among the male apprentices. “A manipulative charmer” was the common opinion among the female apprentices. As for what I thought… This was the first time I’d ever laid eyes on her. Was this truly the savior in times of despair? Grandmaster Elara’s second departure into seclusion made the initiation ritual a hurried affair. I hadn’t made it back from the village below in time, and no one had even noticed my absence. All of Grandmaster Elara’s chosen scions were supposedly present. As for the other four, it had been a hundred years since I last saw them, hadn’t it? Kaelen, the First Blade, continued to soothe Rosalyn’s feigned sobs. It was a long while before he finally noticed me, squatting on the ground, dividing earthworms, utterly lacking in presence. He looked at me. “Uh…” I nodded in understanding. “No need to say my name.” Kaelen’s handsome face flushed with embarrassment. “Third Disciple, the Mystic Realm has opened.” I snatched my little chick, nearly bald from Theron’s excessive petting, from his hand. “I’m not going.” 2 Theron, the Fifth Disciple, stared at his empty palm, his neck stiff. “This fat chick is ugly anyway. Who cares about looking at it?” Kaelen, the First Blade, spoke with firm conviction: “All Inner Circle Disciples from every Order are required to participate in the Mystic Realm.” I calmly continued dividing the earthworms. “No one will notice my absence.” “Third Disciple, how can you be so devoid of loyalty to the Order? And to claim no one will notice is simply absurd…” I listened to his passionate lecture, then murmured drily, “First Blade, I’m right behind you.” In the end, I went. The Mystic Realm, it turned out, required the presence of every Order’s Inner Circle Disciple to activate. Unless a Soul-Fire was extinguished – a literal death – the portal wouldn’t open if even one was missing. My condition for going? They had to gather a full bucket of live earthworms. My chicks needed their rations, after all. Kaelen reluctantly agreed. The sheer quantity of live worms needed meant even Rosalyn, the Junior Disciple, was dragged along to help. After an entire day. Rosalyn returned clinging to Kaelen’s arm, her face streaked with snot and tears, completely devoid of her usual delicate image. Lyra, the Second Star, narrowed her cold eyes, a rare hint of satisfaction in them. With the tip of her blade, she nudged the wooden bucket forward. A few worms wriggled onto the ground. Her tone, usually detached, held a surprising note of camaraderie as she spoke to me: “Third Disciple, is this enough?” Rosalyn’s face went white. “First Blade, does the Second Star dislike me? I’m so scared~” Kaelen frowned in displeasure, scolding Lyra: “Must you always be so difficult with the Junior Disciple?” Lyra flinched visibly at his words, then turned and strode away. I’d heard this same charade had been playing out for five years, always the same tired script. I didn’t bother to watch, simply picked up the bucket and headed towards the chicken coop. There, I saw Alaric, the Fourth Disciple, bending over a pile of plump, fluffy chicks, sighing. “Third Disciple, you really are… unique.” Most people raise magical beasts or spirit familiars. Half my courtyard is for vegetables, the other half for chickens… Could he recognize me without hearing my voice? I asked curiously, “Fourth Disciple, has your… condition improved?” Alaric’s smile stiffened. He turned and drifted away with his usual elegant stride. Guess not… Even Kaelen, the First Blade, didn’t know that Alaric was face-blind. The reason he constantly flashed that dazzling, almost blinding smile at everyone he met was simply because he couldn’t tell anyone apart. We were to depart in three days. I busied myself with my courtyard, watering, fertilizing, and pulling weeds. On the journey. Unlike the others, who were arrayed in their finest ceremonial robes, I had simply changed into a disciple’s tunic that wasn’t covered in mud. Theron, the Fifth Disciple, ever the caustic wit, sneered. “You’d grow two extra biscuits by your side if you slept at the foot of the mountain. Don’t tell anyone you’re my Senior Disciple out there, alright?” Kaelen uttered a low reprimand, but it couldn’t stop Theron’s sharp tongue. “You’re carrying a mere Satchel of Holding? That’s so shabby! Aren’t you using a larger Dimensional Pouch for the Mystic Realm?” My voice was earnest. “I don’t have a Dimensional Pouch.” Theron nearly bit his tongue. The Inner Circle Adepts around him looked at him with clear disapproval. Kaelen, feeling a surge of responsibility, offered me a high-grade Rune-Carved Pendant, a charm of storing. Rosalyn, unaware of the conversation, rushed to Kaelen, her eyes brimming with feigned tears. “I can’t believe the Second Star cares so little. It pains me to see First Blade’s kindness wasted like this.” Everyone looked up at Lyra, who had just arrived, holding a Rune-Carved Pendant identical to the one Kaelen had offered me. Then they glanced at the somewhat awkward Kaelen. Kaelen, it turned out, had given one storage pendant to Lyra and one to me. Rosalyn, the Junior Disciple, clearly wanted one too. I held it out to her, offering it. She scrutinized me from head to toe. “Third Disciple… you should keep it for yourself.” Even though the pendants were identical, even a manipulative charmer like Rosalyn felt too awkward to outright snatch mine. Compared to them, I was just… too obviously poor. They didn’t understand, and I didn’t understand them. Why would you wear new clothes to an adventurous, dangerous expedition? I held out the pendant, offering it to each of them. Seeing their collective shakes of the head, I calmly put it away. When I returned and sold it at the Shadow Market, it should fetch a decent sum, shouldn’t it? 3 The new generation of paragons from the three Orders and four Guilds had gathered outside the Mystic Realm. The Celestial Apex Order’s six Inner Circle Disciples and fourteen Outer Circle Adepts stood in formation. Kaelen, the First Blade, stood at the front of the line, his presence refined and composed as he calmly reminded everyone of the dangers. Lyra, the Second Star, stood at the very end, an aura of cold detachment around her. Though young, she had already achieved the Grand Magus stage, and her renowned blade, ‘Frostbane,’ hummed faintly, as if eager to be drawn. Alaric, the Fourth Disciple, in robes of moonlight white, exuded an air of elegant grace, his eyes, dark as deep pools, shimmering with a gentle smile that met every probing gaze. Theron, the Fifth Disciple, leaned casually, his body askew, his sharp tongue freely assessing the combat prowess of the other Orders. And Rosalyn, the Junior Disciple, with her lively, playful demeanor, drew curious murmurs from many. As for me, my appearance was ordinary, my abilities unremarkable. Even my clothes were plain, allowing me to fade seamlessly into the crowd. I was perfectly content with this; I was merely here to make up the numbers. “The Umbral Vault… opens!” We would be gone for a month in the outside world, but within the Umbral Vault, we had three months to seek out opportunities and grow stronger. Kaelen, the First Blade, skillfully led the way, guiding everyone smoothly forward. Wherever he stepped, a silent pressure descended, awe-inspiring and formidable. The twelve Outer Circle Adepts could form a variety of Blade Formations, in groups of six, four, or three, to engage foes. Lyra, the Second Star, her Blade-Song roaring like a crimson rainbow, served as the disciples’ unwavering shield, ensuring their safety during the arduous trials. Her combat prowess was truly maxed out! My confidence in the Order’s future soared! Midway, we encountered our sworn enemies, a contingent from the Starfall Covenant. Kaelen, ever mindful of his standing, wished to avoid a verbal spat. Lyra, the Second Star, seemed to be calculating the odds of simply cutting them down. But then Theron, the Fifth Disciple, with his incessant sharp tongue, and Rosalyn, the Junior Disciple, with her sly, honeyed words, delivered such passive-aggressive barbs that the Starfall mages turned green, then purple, then a mottled grey before retreating in disarray. Their verbal artillery was truly unparalleled! My confidence in the Order’s future increased tenfold! The air grew progressively hotter, and Rosalyn, the Junior Disciple, began to wilt, her chatter ceasing. Seeing this, I pulled a waterskin filled with the Celestial Apex Order’s Aether-Spring water from my Dimensional Pouch and offered it to her. The Order’s future couldn’t afford any mishaps. She drank it all in one gulp, and her pale complexion improved slightly. Seeing her reaction, I pulled out another waterskin. She drank that one too, and a faint blush returned to her cheeks. I heard the sound of swallowing. I turned to see the Inner Circle Adepts looking at me with envious eyes. The disciples had prepared for a near-certain death within the Mystic Realm, but they had forgotten the most basic necessity: water. Of course, there was water in the Realm, but one sip could kill three people without a problem. And while you could sustain yourself on aether and not eat, no one said you didn’t need to drink. I held my Dimensional Pouch in one hand, digging inside, pulling out waterskin after waterskin: one for you, one for her, one for him… It was the first time the disciples truly looked at me, and they all spoke in unison: “Thank you, Third Disciple!” I looked at Lyra, the Second Star – even the ‘God of Hardship’ shouldn’t die of thirst – and handed her two waterskins specifically. Lyra seemed at a loss for words. “How much water did you bring?” I looked at the number of waterskins in everyone’s hands, then silently reattached my Dimensional Pouch to my waist. “You might want to ration it. I… I think I’m out now.” Theron, the Fifth Disciple, suddenly realized he’d been tricked. “How can a mere Satchel of Holding have so much space? You must have an Arcane Relic, you were deliberately misleading everyone!” Before I could speak, Kaelen, the First Blade, came to my defense. “It’s common knowledge that the Umbral Vault has extremely hot zones. The Third Disciple is meticulous. To empty a Satchel of Holding solely for water isn’t misleading; it’s foresight.” Everyone nodded in agreement, expressing their thanks. I looked at their appreciative gazes and offered a small smile. We soon arrived at a dense forest. I stood beside them, listening to the disciples’ unbridled discussions. “The Third Disciple is so poor… but what a kind soul.” “When we get back, let’s pool our resources and buy her an Arcane Relic.” I glanced at the “mountain” of Dimensional Pouches stacked inside my own Satchel of Holding, the one labeled “Aether-Spring” sitting right at the front. Wasn’t it just easier to organize things this way? Besides… Aether-Spring water was a shared resource of the Celestial Apex Order; it didn’t cost anything. 4 Beasts roared, blades flashed in a chaotic dance. Four of us were protected for various reasons: Alaric, the Fourth Disciple, was an Alchemist. Theron, the Fifth Disciple, wasn’t suited for direct, brutal combat. Rosalyn, the Junior Disciple, lacked experience. And I… well, I was simply forgotten by everyone. This life of fighting five battles a day, three of them deadly serious, was utterly intolerable. I spotted a gnarled, leaning tree about three hundred paces ahead, planning to slip away and lie low there. I’d just reappear when the trials ended and leave with them… Two hours later, a thick-trunked black python crashed to the ground with a thunderous thud. The disciples supported each other, exhausted but victorious. Rosalyn, the Junior Disciple, scurried over to them, offering concerned words. The male disciples: “The Junior Disciple is so kind! She’s even crying out of sympathy.” The female disciples: “No, she just took a tonic from the Fourth Disciple.” Alaric, the Fourth Disciple, despite having his credit stolen, didn’t show the slightest displeasure. His smile even widened. Everyone praised him for his beauty, kindness, gentleness, and generosity. But I had just seen him pacing in distress, clutching a pouch of potent tonics. To him, every injured person on the ground looked the same. It would have been all too easy to administer the wrong one! Then Rosalyn snatched the tonic, her voice syrupy sweet. “The Fourth Disciple has been frightened. Let me take care of everyone, okay~?” I mused on her cunning. A century, and no one had noticed he was face-blind. Theron, the Fifth Disciple, specialized in heavy mauls, a singular fighting style. Against a beast like the giant python, with its impenetrable defenses, he could only hang back. Now, he grumbled, taking out his hammer to vent his frustration, pummeling the frenzied, man-eating black python until it was nothing but a bloody pulp. At the front, Lyra, the Second Star, wiped black blood from her blade. Kaelen, the First Blade, shakily rose to his feet, counting heads. “This area is dangerous. We must leave quickly.” I seized the opportunity, slipping behind the gnarled tree and hiding. I watched them, a weary procession, pushing onward. With a grunt, I began to climb the leaning trunk, ready to rest, when I saw a scattered group lying ahead. Why were the future pillars of the Order sleeping on the ground? The Celestial Apex Order contingent, all nineteen of them, had been poisoned. I saw the white mist swirling above their heads. I tore a strip from the hem of my old tunic and tied it over my nose and mouth. This was the benefit of old clothes; no heartache over tearing them. The Umbral Vault was indeed a place where death lurked around every corner, not just a rumor. If a beast appeared now, there would be no survivors. I trusted Kaelen; they must have known there was danger. They just didn’t know a single breath of that mist could bring them down. It took me over half an hour to drag my Senior and Junior Disciples out of the mist-shrouded area. I was panting, completely exhausted. Thankfully, all those years of dragging fertilizer had given me some useful experience. I leaned over them, checking for breath. They were all alive, but even slapping their faces wouldn’t rouse them. This was a job for Alaric, the Fourth Disciple. He definitely had antidotes on him. I knelt, gripping his slender wrist, straining with all my might to pull off his storage bracelet. “Third Disciple, what are you looking for?” I gasped in surprise. “You’re awake?” Alaric’s eyes, usually sparkling, held a resentful glint. “I was in pain, so I woke up.” He flexed his wrist, then rummaged through his bracelet for the antidote. Perhaps my gaze was too eager, for he offered an explanation. “I often test potions on myself. I’m immune to most poisons.” At his words, I patted his shoulder, ready to slip away. With you here, I can comfortably lie down. But his eyes, usually so welcoming, were now filled with scrutiny. “Third Disciple, why did you stray from the group just now? Are you up to something… unsavory?” My hand instinctively clenched, a cold dread creeping up my spine at his words. Alaric continued rummaging through his vials and jars. “Third Disciple must be wondering how I knew.” He was right. It was impossible. For a hundred years, we’d attended lessons together, often crossed paths. Back then, Alaric treated me no differently from anyone else. “Why?”

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At a wedding, I accidentally caught the bride’s bouquet. Right there, in front of everyone, Fred, my fiancé, publicly lambasted me, accusing me of being manipulative and trying to force him into marriage. Then, he chased after his tearfully distraught assistant, Chloe, who had run off. I tried to follow, to explain, but he drove off, dragging me for over ten yards before I managed to break free. It was a stranger who rushed me to the hospital for emergency treatment. After a near-death experience, I finally called my mother. “Mom, that arranged marriage you mentioned? I agree to it.” 1 After a week in the hospital, I took a taxi home alone. Standing before the familiar front door, I fumbled with my keys, but they wouldn’t turn the lock. There was no choice but to call Fred. The moment the call connected, Chloe’s sugary, high-pitched voice purred through the phone: “Fred’s in the shower. Olivia, is that you back?” Before I could reply, the door opened from the inside. The moment Chloe saw me, she bounced towards me like a startled fawn. “Olivia, I’m so clumsy! I lost the key, and Fred said he was worried a bad person might find it, so he changed the lock. You don’t have the new key yet, do you, Olivia? I’ll give you one later.” My eyes took in Chloe, wearing Fred’s oversized black shirt. And Fred, clad only in a bath towel. A misty haze clung to both of them, radiating an unsettling intimacy. I simply nodded, then dragged my luggage inside. Seeing my silence, my lack of protest, Fred dropped the towel he was using to dry his hair and explained, “Chloe’s pipes burst at her place, so she’s staying with us for a few days. Don’t misunderstand.” In the past, seeing a scene like this would have left me deeply unsettled. But now, I just felt bone-weary. The wound on my back hadn’t fully healed, a faint, taut ache reminding me of it. Looking at Fred’s face, all I could see was that day: his frantic search for Chloe, completely oblivious to me, trailing behind his car, bleeding onto the asphalt. In that moment, my love for him had completely dissipated, along with my fading consciousness. “I didn’t misunderstand.” I walked straight towards the bedroom, not looking back, dragging my suitcase behind me. “She’s just a young girl, with no family nearby. It’s not easy for her. I just wanted to lend a hand.” I met his gaze, silently. He had probably forgotten that I had been separated from my parents since childhood. That kind of hardship… no one understood it better than I did. “I said, I didn’t misunderstand.” Seeing him block my path, I had to stop and reiterate. “Olivia, you’ve been giving us dirty looks since you walked in. Can you just listen to me for a moment?” He tugged at my suitcase, chattering on. My patience snapped. I released the handle, frowning as I said coldly, “I told you, I really didn’t misunderstand!” The suitcase crashed to the floor with a dull thud. Ignoring Fred’s stunned expression, I walked around him and pushed open the bedroom door. Following the light filtering in from the living room, my eyes immediately landed on the black lace lingerie scattered across the bed. Only then did Chloe rush in from behind us, like a panicked deer. She scurried over, snatching the lingerie into her hands, her innocent wide eyes brimming with tears. “Olivia, this is my laundry, I put it here to dry. Please don’t overthink it.” I scanned the messy bedroom. “Hm,” I hummed, then turned and walked into the guest room without another glance. 2 By the time I finished showering, my mother happened to call. “Olivia, I’m glad you finally saw sense. Your father and I are getting old, and you’re our only daughter. All these years, you wouldn’t come and be with us because of that Fred boy, and you don’t know how much your father and I missed you. If he treated you well, it would be one thing, but it’s been ten years, and he’s still just dragging you along, clearly not truly sincere.” “Since you’ve finally decided to come back to us, how about we set the wedding date for ten days from now?” At my mother’s words, my hand, which had been drying my hair, paused. In the past, when my mother gave such advice, I would always firmly contradict her, telling her that Fred loved me. But this time, only silence remained. “Let’s push the wedding date to half a month from now. I want to celebrate Aunt Carol’s birthday before I leave. For everything else, you can decide.” I had just hung up the phone. The sound of the door closing echoed from the hallway. Fred strode over to me, carrying a takeout bag of “spicy seafood boil” he’d picked up on the way. He placed the bag on the table, then frowned, leaning in to try and see my phone. “What wedding date? I’ve told you many times, we’re still young. I don’t want to get married so early.” I pressed the phone screen dark, looking at his overly defensive posture. “It’s just a cousin on my father’s side. She’s inviting me to her wedding.” Hearing this, Fred dropped his guard. He opened the food containers on the table. When he mentioned Chloe, his eyes unconsciously softened into a smile. “I’ve settled Chloe in a hotel. The girl saw you weren’t happy, so she specifically bought this for me to bring back to apologize. She usually doesn’t even buy this for herself. Try some.” Looking at the shrimp and clams swimming in red oil, I didn’t pick up my chopsticks. Fred’s eyes flashed with displeasure. “Olivia Reed, that’s enough. Dragging this out won’t do anyone any good.” I smiled. “Ten years together, and you don’t even know I’m allergic to seafood?” With that, I turned and went back to my room. Fred followed me, his lips parted as if to speak, then closed again. The old Fred would remember my period dates, remember my headaches on rainy days, remember every significant anniversary for us. And he would remember, the first time he discovered my seafood allergy, how he’d held my hand, crying silently all night at my hospital bedside, consumed by guilt. Now, it wasn’t that he’d forgotten; it was just that Chloe liked seafood, and she happened to occupy his heart. He simply got confused. I didn’t look at him, raising my hand to arrange the ointment the doctor prescribed, one by one, on the nightstand. When he saw the scars on my back, his guilt intensified. He picked up the ointment from the table, about to apply it to my back. I was about to refuse when his phone rang at the perfect moment. It was so close, I clearly heard Chloe’s panicked sobs. “Fred, dearest, someone keeps knocking on the door! Is this hotel a shady place? I’m so scared! I heard some criminal gangs target girls living alone like me. Can you come and stay with me?” Hearing this, Fred clenched his phone tightly. “Don’t be afraid. Turn on all the lights in the room, and block the door with chairs or anything. Don’t open it, no matter what. I’m coming for you right now.” After hanging up, he explained to me, earnestly and seriously, “Olivia, Chloe might be in danger right now. I have to go out. I swear, I really just see Chloe as a sister. Don’t make a fuss about her anymore.” Without waiting for my answer, he hurried to the door. The ointment bottle was swept off the table by his coat, spilling most of its contents. I looked at the closed door and curved my lips. Every time he and Chloe crossed a line before, I couldn’t help but feel jealous and angry. And every time, he would call me petty and unreasonable. But Fred, rest assured, from now on, I will never argue with you again. 3 From that day on, Fred never came back. Chloe’s social media, however, updated frequently. Each post, subtly or overtly, boasted about how much Fred doted on her. I quietly added her to my blacklist. Then, on the wall calendar, I crossed off one date after another. Thirteen days left. I started busy preparing my resignation letter. My team leader, seeing the words “Getting Married” boldly written as my reason for leaving, chuckled and teased me about expecting an invitation to my wedding with Fred. She even suggested that marriage didn’t necessitate quitting my job. Not until I told her I wasn’t marrying Fred. She sighed regretfully, then stopped prying into my personal life. These days had been consumed by handing over my work. Once the handover was mostly complete, I suddenly found myself with free time, staring blankly at the calendar, which now showed “five days left.” I patted my cheeks, then began to pack my belongings. Fred and I had known each other for so long. This house was filled with our photos. I carefully tore out my half of all our joint pictures. Then, from the deepest corner of my closet, I pulled out a small wooden box. Inside was a camera, holding gigabytes of videos and photos we’d taken over the years. Besides the camera, there were also a thousand paper cranes he had folded for me in high school. The evening gown I wore for my college performance. Hundreds of love letters he had written… Looking at these things, my heart still felt heavy, a dull ache. After all, the Fred of old had truly cared for me. He hadn’t wanted to miss a single moment of my life. Sometimes, I would tease him, asking if he didn’t feel like he was wasting time remembering so much. He would just smile and playfully tap my nose, saying, “Of course not. I want to record it all, so when we’re old, we can sit in rocking chairs and look through them together.” After flipping through them for a while, I took all these items to the yard. Without hesitation, I set fire to the past, burning everything to ashes. 4 Time flew by. Fred never returned. These past few days, I had been constantly cleaning the house. I didn’t stop until I was sure not a single trace of my presence remained in the home. I looked at the calendar, a large “3” circled prominently. I began to select a birthday gift for Aunt Carol. Ultimately, I chose a jade peace buckle pendant. I hoped that in my absence, Aunt Carol would remain healthy and safe. Once all the arrangements were made, it was Aunt Carol’s birthday, the day before the wedding. In the interim, Fred had sent me a message explaining that he had an unexpected business trip, but I hadn’t replied. Later, he called again, questioning why I had sent insulting text messages to Chloe. He demanded I apologize to Chloe, saying that if I just admitted my mistake, Chloe, being pure and kind, wouldn’t hold a grudge. I found it ridiculous. After all these years, he actually believed I was capable of such a vulgar act. I simply hung up. His text messages bombarded me immediately: [Olivia Reed, you’re something else!] A few minutes later, another message arrived: [Olivia, I really don’t understand. Why have you become like this?!] … Aunt Carol was my mother’s best friend and Fred’s aunt. When my parents went to another city for business, they entrusted me to Aunt Carol. Later, Fred’s family moved in next door to Aunt Carol’s. Fred and I were in the same class, walked to and from school together every day, and slowly became close. After college, he confessed his feelings, and we naturally started dating. After we started working, he said he was worried it wouldn’t be safe for me to rent a place alone. He specially bought a house near my company and asked me to move in with him. Everything between us seemed to happen so naturally. The eighteen-year-old Olivia Reed probably never would have imagined this day with Fred, even if you killed her. Pushing down the chaotic thoughts that suddenly surfaced, I carried the cake and my carefully chosen gift, and knocked on Aunt Carol’s door. The moment she saw me, Aunt Carol warmly pulled me inside. After I confessed about the arranged marriage, she was utterly shocked. “But you and Fred, you two…” Yes, everyone who knew us thought we were a couple. This was why I wanted to leave quietly. I didn’t want to hear their constant sighs of regret. “We’re not right for each other,” I explained, offering no further details. But Aunt Carol took my hand, her eyes filled with pain. “Olivia, I know you have a good heart. There are things you can’t easily say, but I know in my heart. I heard about what happened at the wedding and with Chloe. You’re a good child, and Fred has wronged you. I had planned to make him apologize to you, right in front of you, and give him a good talking to, but since you’ve already made up your mind, then that scoundrel Fred is simply out of luck. You’re going to your parents to enjoy your life. It’s just… it breaks my heart to let you go.” “But you and Fred have been together for so many years. Does he know about this?” All these years, without my parents by my side, I had developed a tolerant and patient nature. Lying in the hospital bed, unable to find a single friend or relative to stay with me, I hadn’t cried. When Fred blamed me, when I saw him and Chloe together, I hadn’t cried. When I decided to give up on Fred, I hadn’t cried either. Yet now, tears uncontrollably welled up, as if all the grievances and sorrow of these past days had finally found an outlet. “I’ll tell him later,” I said, slowly lowering my head, letting the tears fall, one by one, onto the back of my hand. As for Fred… he never intended to marry me anyway. Telling him or not wouldn’t make much difference. Aunt Carol hugged me again and again, her eyes filled with sorrow. “How could this happen? Fred is so foolish, he used to love you so much.” I didn’t want to continue the conversation. After comforting Aunt Carol for a moment, I prepared to leave. But as I opened the door, I came face to face with Fred and Chloe. Chloe was clinging to his arm, her small face still flushed with excitement, and she planted a loud kiss on Fred’s cheek— “Fred, dearest, this trip made me so, so happy! You’re just too, too good to me!!!” Seeing me, Chloe awkwardly shrunk her neck, hiding behind Fred. “Olivia, you’re here too. Don’t misunderstand… I was just so happy.” Hearing Chloe’s words, Fred shielded her, his eyes wary as he looked at me. “She’s young and doesn’t know any better. Don’t hold it against her.” I curled my lips in a self-deprecating smile. The old Olivia Reed, seeing this, would surely have cried all night, wouldn’t she? Thank goodness, thank goodness, I truly didn’t love him anymore. “Hm, no offense taken.” Unwilling to get entangled with them, I mumbled a perfunctory reply, then turned sideways, trying to leave. But Fred deliberately blocked the exit. He frowned, scrutinizing me, as if searching for something on my face. But all he saw was my serene profile. There wasn’t a single hint of jealousy or sadness. This was simply too strange! His doubt intensified. He felt as if something was slipping from his control. The unease made him involuntarily clench my wrist. I couldn’t break free, and I didn’t want to cause a scene at Aunt Carol’s birthday, so I let him pull me inside. Aunt Carol’s eyes were still red. Seeing Fred and Chloe, she didn’t give them a kind look. “It’s a family birthday. What kind of behavior is this, bringing an outsider?” Chloe stiffened, her pitiful gaze falling on Fred. Fred finally released me, walking over to place their gifts together. “Aunt Carol, Chloe is my assistant. How can she be considered an outsider?” After saying that, he cast a cold glance at me. I knew he was angry about me blacklisting Chloe and about my supposed insulting messages to her. I pretended not to see, lowering my head and picking at my food. During the meal, he kept peeling shrimp for Chloe, his sharp gaze occasionally flicking my way. It was always like this… ever since Chloe appeared. Whenever I upset him, he would deliberately do things that made me sad and humiliated. And every time, I would become jealous, break down, apologize to him, begging him not to be angry. A wave of bitterness spread from my heart. My fingertips trembled, and my chopsticks accidentally fell to the floor. Aunt Carol glared fiercely at Fred, then handed me a new pair of chopsticks. Fred, across from me, had a glint of perverse satisfaction in his eyes. I ignored his gaze fixed on my face. Composing myself, I put a piece of plum-glazed ribs into my mouth. Two drama queens, let them act as much as they want. Aunt Carol’s cooking, though, would be hard to find once I left. Seeing this, Fred snorted, his actions growing even more outrageous. Not until Fred gently wiped Chloe’s mouth, their noses almost touching, did Aunt Carol finally lose her temper and slam her chopsticks down.

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I was secretly married to the movie star for five years. His life was a whirlwind of rumored affairs, yet he never once acknowledged me as his wife. On a variety show, when the others asked if I had ever been in a relationship, even he joined in, smiling. “Professor Thorne, I have plenty of reliable men in my circle. Should I introduce you to one?” In my past life, on this very day, I couldn’t contain my anger and flashed my wedding ring. The rising starlet, Celia White, ran out in tears. On the surface, Damien Sterling said nothing, but afterward, he grew colder and colder towards me. When I was rushed to the operating room, hemorrhaging during my pregnancy, he was at a Michelin-star restaurant, celebrating Celia’s birthday. When I begged him for help after being assaulted by thugs Celia had hired, he just watched, his expression detached. It was only then that I understood. In his heart, I was nothing more than a decoration, something to be kept hidden in the shadows. Reborn into this life, I simply smiled. “I have. He’s not in the industry. We’re getting married at the end of the month.” 1 A chorus of gasps rippled through the room. No one had expected me to announce my relationship on a live show. Damien’s face darkened, the cup in his hand deforming under his grip. He started to speak, but Celia, sitting beside him with a radiant smile, beat him to it, her eyes wide. “Wow, Professor Thorne, you’re so secretive! If you hadn’t lost at Truth or Dare, were you planning on hiding this from us forever?” It was a live variety show, and Celia’s words instantly sent a tidal wave through the online chat. 【Sucks to be Joanna Thorne’s fans! Your idol just ditched you for a relationship!】 【Hehe, at least our Celia is focused on her career! So driven! Men, please step aside!】 【??? Why would we feel ditched? Joanna is an actress. She conquers us with her talent. She’s already won every major award. What’s wrong with her being in a relationship? Unlike a certain someone who still hasn’t made a name for herself!】 【Besides, our Joanna has said for years that she’d find someone when the time was right.】 I smiled faintly. “Secretive or not, at least I’m the main event.” In my past life, I had always believed Celia didn’t know about my relationship with Damien, that she was just another victim of his deception. It wasn’t until I was on my deathbed, and she came to flaunt Damien’s affection for her, that I learned she had known from the very beginning. Celia’s expression flickered, but the other guests didn’t notice. They crowded around me, their curiosity piqued. “Joanna, who is he? Do you have a picture for us?” “He’s not in the industry, but to be worthy of our Joanna, I’m so curious!” I smiled. “He’s a bit camera-shy. I’ll introduce you when I get the chance.” The moment the words left my mouth, a derisive snort cut through the air. Celia raised an eyebrow, her eyes glinting with a challenge. “Professor Thorne, don’t tell me he doesn’t actually exist, and you just made him up. After all, you’re not getting any younger. It would be pretty embarrassing if you didn’t have someone special in your life. Don’t you think so, Mr. Sterling?” Celia batted her eyelashes at Damien, sticking out her tongue playfully. I clenched my fists. The next second, I heard Damien’s clipped, cooperative “Mm.” Celia’s smile grew wider. I mocked myself internally. Just a moment ago, I had still been holding onto a sliver of hope. The other guests tried to smooth things over. “Joanna, don’t be upset. Celia is just joking!” “This is Professor Thorne’s private life. We shouldn’t be prying.” I was about to speak when a man’s voice came from the doorway. “Excuse me, is Joanna here? I’ve come to pick her up.” 2 All heads turned. A young man stood in the doorway, one hand casually tucked into his pocket. His black hair was styled in soft curls that swept across his forehead, his brow as sharp as a chiseled ridge, his face fair and strikingly handsome. When our eyes met, I was taken aback for a moment. He smiled at me. “Joanna, work’s over.” The live chat exploded. 【HOLY CRAP, WHO IS THIS GUY?! HE’S SO HOT! Is this Joanna Thorne’s non-celebrity boyfriend?!】 【Damn, I thought Joanna was lying! But her boyfriend is actually here to pick her up!】 I stood up from my chair and gave a small wave to the others. “I’ll be going then.” From the moment I stood up, I could feel a pair of eyes fixed on me. I didn’t look back. Just as I was about to walk out the door, Damien’s cold voice stopped me. “Joanna Thorne!” I paused and turned to him. “Yes, Mr. Sterling?” His face darkened, his eyes pooling with displeasure. Celia’s lips curved into a smile. “It’s my birthday party tonight. Damien is celebrating with me. Are you coming, Professor Thorne?” I glanced at Damien. He said nothing. “No.” I turned away and walked out. “Happy birthday. I have other plans.” 3 The intense gaze on my back didn’t vanish until I had settled into the backseat of the car. I turned to the man beside me and thanked him. “Thank you, Julian.” Julian Ford replied, “Don’t mention it, Professor. I was watching the live stream and just happened to be passing by.” I smiled faintly, not pressing further. He didn’t ask any more questions either, just said, “Where are you headed? I’ll give you a ride.” I gave him my home address. We arrived quickly. Before I got out, Julian took out his phone and gave it a little shake. “Professor, can I get your number?” I hesitated for a moment. He chuckled softly. “Who knows, maybe one day I’ll need your help with something.” Hearing this, I nodded and took out my phone. “Okay.” After exchanging numbers, Julian drove off. I turned and went inside. This house, the one Damien and I had bought before we got married, wasn’t huge, but it was filled with our memories. Back when we had breaks from work, we used to curl up in this house, playing games and binging TV shows. I hadn’t moved after we got married. But now, Damien rarely came home. The moment I stepped inside, my manager’s call came through. “Joanna, check the trending topics! Now!” 4 【Damien Sterling x Celia White, Official Relationship Announcement!】 【What a perfect match!】 I had thought that in this new life, my heart would be as still as water. But the few short lines on the screen still stung my eyes. 【Damien Sterling V: Let me introduce you all to my girlfriend. My one and only. @CeliaWhite】 【Celia White: Here’s to a long future together, always by Mr. Sterling’s side~】 I had been with Damien for five years, married for five years. I had waited ten years for an official announcement. And now, Damien had given it to someone else so easily. My manager, Kate’s, voice continued. “There are rumors online that Celia White is the other woman! This is Damien’s way of defending her! How could he? But Celia is the other woman, isn’t she? You and him have been married for years, and he never…” “Kate.” I cut her off, my voice soft. “When will the visa be ready?” Kate went silent. “You’ve really decided to quit and go abroad?” I nodded. Ten years ago, I had given up my dream for Damien Sterling. Now, I wouldn’t let him ruin my life a second time. 5 Damien and I were childhood sweethearts. We grew up together. My parents died when I was young, and I was a shy, introverted child living under someone else’s roof, constantly bullied by the other kids. Damien would always stand in front of me, protecting me, fighting my battles. Until we were fifteen. His parents’ business went bankrupt, and they took their own lives, leaving him alone with a mountain of debt. He was devastated, on the verge of suicide several times. I was the one who held him, who comforted him. We were each other’s light in the darkness, depending on one another to survive. When we were eighteen, I received an offer from a prestigious university abroad, the school of my dreams. That day, Damien said nothing. He just held my hand, his eyes red, and stood with me all night. After that night, I rejected the acceptance letter and, instead, accepted an offer from a talent scout, entering the entertainment industry. I was going to pay off Damien’s debt. He was still young, with a long road ahead of him. He couldn’t be dragged down by this. But the entertainment industry wasn’t an easy place. I auditioned and acted day and night, taking on any job I could get. I drank at dinner parties until I vomited blood. Finally, in my fifth year, after a hit show, I managed to clear the Sterling family’s debt. People close to me asked if it was worth it. At the time, watching Damien cook for me every day, staying by my side, I felt it was all worth it. But now… A notification on my phone pulled me from my thoughts. It was a call from Damien. I thought for a moment and answered. His voice was cold. “Quite the actress, aren’t you? Hiring other men to put on a show? Trying to make me jealous? You miscalculated. I know how much you love me. I wasn’t provoked at all.” I held the phone, saying nothing. A familiar female voice came through the line. “Damien, come cut the cake with me!” Damien answered, “Coming.” Then, to me, he said, “You know Celia and I have a new show coming out. Once it’s aired, I’ll break up with her. Don’t overthink it. Be good and wait for me at home tonight. I’ll bring you your favorite dish.” 6 My mind drifted back. Damien had entered the entertainment industry after being spotted by a director while visiting me on set. I had immediately refused on his behalf. Damien’s dream was to be a research scientist. If he started acting, his dream would be over. But I never expected Damien to go see the director privately. Afterward, he had held me, his eyes red. “Joanna, I don’t want you to live a hard life with me. I want to make a lot of money, to make your life better and better.” From then on, Damien gave up his dream for me and focused on his career in entertainment. As we both got busier, we saw each other less and less. The first time a rumor about him surfaced, he took a five-hour flight to be by my side, holding me and apologizing, telling me it was a misunderstanding and he would handle it. He told me not to worry. When I suggested we go public with our marriage, he said it would affect his career and hurt his fans, that it wasn’t the right time. But he promised me that I would be his only wife, the only one by his side. In the end, I thought of his career and let it go. Until later… The appearance of Celia White. She was at a banquet, about to be taken advantage of, when she ran, fell into the water, and was rescued by Damien. She seemed like a delicate white flower, pure and innocent, lying soaked in Damien’s arms. That night, they were all over the trending topics, with gossip accounts running wild. That time, Damien didn’t say a single word.

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