Category: English

New Year’s Eve. The night Damon was supposed to propose, he gave me a used, fake luxury handbag as a gift instead. Furious, I broke up with him and ran to my best friend, Naomi, to vent. I never expected that the moment I saw Naomi, I would suddenly hear her thoughts. “This bitch finally dumped him. A used, fake bag? Ha. I swapped the bags when they weren’t looking.” “You still don’t know, do you? The man you just broke up with is a secret billionaire, and he was planning to propose tonight.” “Why should a man that good belong to you? From now on, he’s mine.” Following Naomi’s chilling monologue, I checked the security footage. Sure enough, there she was, swapping the packages in a furtive, guilty motion. I instantly cut her out of my life, rushed back to Damon, resolved the misunderstanding, and we were married a month later. But the marriage was a lie. He wasn’t rich; he was drowning in debt. I spent every day dodging loan sharks and thugs until, cornered on a rooftop, I slipped and fell to my death. Then I opened my eyes. I was back on the day I first heard Naomi’s thoughts. 1 “Guys who are in love are so easy to trick. What woman wouldn’t love it if her proposal was broadcast on every digital billboard in the city?” “Just because I said Sienna ‘dislikes extravagance’ and that he should ‘give her time to think and the chance to hesitate’ before a grand spectacle, he actually decided to propose in secret.” “He even asked me what gift Sienna would like. Perfect. I’d been scammed on a fake bag the other day, so I made him buy me a real one as a replacement.” “Then I deleted the receipt. No proof, no witnesses. I’m a genius.” Hearing Naomi’s inner voice, Naomi’s voice, for the second time, I still broke out in a cold sweat. In my past life, I’d been so excited, getting dressed up to spend New Year’s Eve with my boyfriend. Then I saw the gift: a worn, second-hand purse. The tag didn’t even match the outer box. I questioned him angrily, but he insisted he bought it from a reputable boutique. When I demanded the receipt, he couldn’t produce it. He then had the audacity to suggest that Naomi had handled the package, hinting she might have been involved. He tried to drag me to a hotel, saying he had a ‘surprise’ waiting. I nearly laughed from sheer disbelief. He pulls this, and he still expects me to go to a hotel with him? I broke up with him on the spot and threw the bag at his chest. Naomi and I had grown up together. Over the years, we were closer than family. She’d even paid for my mother’s critical surgery when we were short. How dare he try to use a cheap, fake purse to sow discord between us? But I went home and heard her thoughts—the scheme was all her. I didn’t believe it at first, thinking it was a prank. But the security footage didn’t lie; I watched Naomi switch the bags myself. I went to the hotel he mentioned. He had reserved the Presidential Suite, complete with a lavish, meticulously arranged proposal setting. I even found text messages on his phone from Naomi, urging him to “simplify the proposal.” In a haze of disbelief and pain, I exposed Naomi’s deception, severed our friendship, and married Damon. But my husband was no billionaire. He was a gambler with overwhelming debts. He married me to make me help pay them off. The relentless pressure from the debt collectors eventually led me to jump. To my death. And I never knew why any of it happened. “Sienna, it’s a good thing you broke up with him.” “Honestly, I never dared to say it, but I always felt there was something…off about Damon.” Naomi squeezed my hand, offering comfort after I told her I’d ended things. I stared into her eyes, the tears welling up, but they were tears of confusion and love, not rage. 2 After I died in the previous life, I didn’t return immediately. I was a ghost, floating above the world. It was then I learned that while I was on the run from the debt collectors, Naomi had secretly been taking care of my parents. When the thugs found my parents’ apartment after my death, it was Naomi who rushed in, shielding them from the knives. When my parents collapsed from grief after my sudden death, she took them in and cared for them as if they were her own. A person like that couldn’t possibly turn on me for a man. I chose to ignore the bizarre voice in my head. I hugged Naomi tightly and nodded, conviction hardening my voice. “You’re right, Naomi. Something’s definitely wrong with him. Thank God I ended it fast.” I immediately pulled out my phone. Without even glancing at the stream of messages, I blocked Damon Wallace—my ex-fiancé—on every platform. The memory of hiding from loan sharks, having to sleep rough, and constantly fearing for my life was still vivid. This time, I wouldn’t be fooled. I wouldn’t hurt the person who truly loved me. But even after blocking him, Damon persisted. “Sienna, I’m so sorry. Last night was a total mistake.” “I accidentally grabbed the wrong box. Look, this is the bag I bought you.” “To make up for my monumental screw-up, I also bought you that necklace—the one you’ve always wanted. Please, forgive me?” Seeing that I wouldn’t respond, Damon grabbed my arm. He pleaded earnestly, and when I remained silent, he started showing up downstairs every day with a new gift, vowing to wait until I had a change of heart. I just sneered internally. I didn’t try to stop him. I knew his debts were about to catch up with him. Once the sharks showed up, he’d be too busy running to bother me. I had already found a new place and was preparing to move. This time, I would finally be free of him. But on the day I had planned my move—the very day I expected the debt collectors to swarm him—Damon showed up, right on time. “What are you even doing here?” I froze, seeing him holding a fresh bouquet, just like any other day. I remembered the date perfectly. In my previous life, this was the third day after our wedding, when we were supposed to go visit my parents. Instead, we were intercepted by thugs wielding knives, threatening to cut off our fingers if we didn’t pay. That’s when I learned the truth: he wasn’t a secret billionaire; he was a desperate gambler. But why was he standing here, unharmed, now? The next shock was even greater. When he heard me speak, Damon didn’t flash his usual pleading smile. He merely gave me a cold, dismissive look. “Don’t worry. My being here has nothing to do with you. I’m just here to help Naomi move.” Naomi? I followed his gaze and saw Damon hoisting a suitcase, helping Naomi carry her belongings. Naomi didn’t object. She simply handed him the bag as if it were her right. “Naomi, what are you doing?” I stared at her in shock, losing my grip on the box in my hands. Its contents scattered across the floor. My best friend, the one who had just been enthusiastically planning our new, shared future, suddenly turned cold. “Sienna, since you know, I won’t pretend anymore.” “Damon and I are together. And thank you for vacating the position. Honestly, I couldn’t have found a better man without your help.” Naomi’s words pierced my heart like a dagger. The terrifying inner voice from earlier rushed back. It had all been true. Naomi really had wanted to marry Damon. She couldn’t bear to see me happy. But then why, in the previous life, had she so selflessly cared for my parents? And why hadn’t the debt collectors shown up this time? 3 The explosion of unanswered questions nearly blew my mind apart. I stood there helplessly, watching Naomi finish loading her things into Damon’s car. “No, Naomi, you can’t marry him!” “You think he’s a billionaire, but he’s lying to you! He is not a good man—he’s a gambler. You marry him, and your life will be destroyed!” Seeing her about to leave, I grabbed her arm. I still didn’t understand what was happening, but she had genuinely cared for my parents in the past. Helping her avoid this nightmare would even the score. Perhaps Damon, seeing he couldn’t fool me, had managed to buy a few days’ reprieve from the loan sharks and was now moving on to my best friend, hoping her savings from her design studio could solve his immediate problems. “Sienna, what is your problem? I used to be so loyal to you, and you turn around and slander me like this?” Damon stepped between us, his face twisting in anger. “Why are you calling me a gambler? Because I gave you the wrong bag?” “Since we’re being honest, I can tell you that I gave you the wrong bag on purpose.” “I am Darian Wallace, the CEO and heir to the Wallace Group. That bag was a test—the Wallace family can’t marry a woman who is vain and materialistic.” “Unfortunately, you failed the test. But I liked you so much, Sienna, that I broke my own rules. I kept coming back, begging for your forgiveness.” “But then I met Naomi by accident. Gradually, I realized my initial perception of you was flawed. A woman like Naomi is my true love.” “Stop trying to find excuses to hold onto me. Your chance is gone.” Damon grabbed my arm and forcibly shoved me away. I merely chuckled. “Billionaire? How do you have the nerve? I bet the debt you owe is about to be exposed.” “You think because the real Darian Wallace keeps a low profile, you can use his identity to scam people?” “Well, you didn’t count on this: he has agreed to an exclusive interview with my network. I’m the reporter who’s covering it tomorrow.” “Then, we’ll see how I expose your true face.” A flicker of panic crossed Damon’s face. I smirked, triumphant. I’d fought tooth and nail for this interview slot ever since I came back, all for this moment. The next day, I arrived at the studio early. The producer had told me a few press photos from the interview would be released today. Once it was confirmed, Damon wouldn’t be able to bluff with that identity anymore. But I never could have imagined that when my interview subject finally walked in, I would be looking at Damon. “Sienna. Long time no see.” “Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Darian Wallace, CEO of the Wallace Group.” I was completely stunned. I had, of course, heard the CEO’s name. But in the previous life, Damon had never changed his name, not even on our marriage certificate. It had always been Damon Wallace. How could he actually be the billionaire? My network’s vetting process for an interview subject this high-profile would have been extremely rigorous. I’d also heard the Wallace Group never gave interviews; they only agreed to ours because a high-level executive at the station had a family connection to Darian. There was no way Damon could be an imposter in this scenario. My mind raced, spinning out of control. I forced myself to pull it together and stumbled through the interview. “Ms. Stone, you look a little frayed.” “What’s wrong? Are you losing sleep without me?” Damon noticed my poor state and mocked me after the interview ended. “Who are you, really?” I studied him with guarded suspicion. The life I’d led on the run—constantly threatened, always terrified—was still a fresh wound. I remembered one instance when we were hiding, penniless, forced to scavenge food from dumpsters. If he was truly a billionaire, why would we have lived like that? But if he wasn’t, what was this? “Who am I? I already told you. I am Darian Wallace, and my middle name is Damon. So I also go by Damon Wallace.” Seeing my caution, he simply smiled, answering with infuriating patience. I stared at his face, the face I had loved for three years. It was the same person, yet everything felt utterly, chillingly unfamiliar. “Honey, are you done with your interview? I’ve been waiting outside.” Before I could speak again, Naomi suddenly burst in. They had only been together for half a day, yet they already acted like a deeply intimate couple. She wrapped her arm around Damon’s, leaning into his embrace and pouting playfully. I raised my hand, wanting to intervene, but hesitated and lowered it. It truly seemed that everything was unfolding exactly as the inner voice had foretold. I had no clear grasp of the situation. What right did I have to stop them? I forced myself to maintain a professional composure, offering my interview subject a polite, strained smile of farewell. But suddenly, my gaze fixed on Naomi’s hand. A flash of insight—I thought I knew what was happening!

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When Caleb Miller got the approval to transfer back to the city, the two family quota spots were already assigned—— His fifteen-year-old sister, Tess, and the city girl, Molly White. The only one left out was me, his fiancée. Caleb had no parents; his sister was his only blood relative and couldn’t be left behind. Molly was his mentor’s daughter, frail and sickly, unable to survive the harsh life in this rural town. “Nora, I can’t leave Molly alone. My marriage to her is just on paper, it’s fake.” “You’re tough and hardworking, waiting a few more years won’t hurt.” “Once I get established, I’ll come back for you.” He said the exact same thing in my past life. Until I saw him buying birth control with Molly at the pharmacy. This time, I won’t wait. I packed my bags and boarded the train heading south. 1 When the news of Caleb’s transfer came, I was tidying up the yard. The Mayor ran in like a gust of wind, the wrinkles on his face blooming into a smile. He waved the document in his hand. “Nora, your hard days are finally over. Caleb’s name is on the transfer list to the city university!” I didn’t have much education, but I knew what that document meant. It was a transfer order from Western University. Caleb was one of the few college graduates in our era and a rare talent, so the university offered him a generous package. Not only a high monthly salary, but also two spots for family dependents to move with him. This was a privilege no one else had. The Mayor was still earnestly counting for me. “Caleb can bring two family members, just enough to take you and Tess away from this dusty town!” Tess was Caleb’s sister, fifteen this year, the age for high school, and couldn’t be delayed any longer. And I was his fiancée, the one who had supported him through these three difficult years in the countryside. Of course, I should go as family. Suddenly, a fit of coughing interrupted the Mayor’s happy ramblings. “Sister Nora, is the medicine ready? It’s been two hours, I can’t stand the coughing anymore.” “Molly White, why are you at Nora’s house again? Their life is hard enough, and you’re just adding to the burden. Don’t you have a place at the hostel? You never do your own work…” Molly walked out of the back room, obviously just waking up. At this time of day, she should have been working, but ever since she practically moved into my house, Caleb did all her work for her, while the washing and cooking fell to me. 2 Molly was the daughter of Caleb’s mentor. After the mentor passed away, Caleb brought her into our lives. Caleb had said, “Professor White was my benefactor. Molly is frail and sickly, she can’t handle hardship. You are my fiancée, so naturally, you should help me take care of her.” She stayed for three years. She got sick every few days, and I brewed her medicine every time. Everyone thought this was my responsibility. Including my future sister-in-law, Tess. “Nora is a country girl anyway, isn’t it right for her to do some work? Should we let Sister Molly ruin her hands?” Tess had always looked down on me. Although Molly was afraid of the Mayor, the Mayor couldn’t control Tess. Spoiled rotten by Caleb, she made no secret of her disdain for me. That’s why the Mayor said my suffering was finally over. Once in the city, I wouldn’t have to serve Molly anymore, and Tess would live in the school dorms, so I wouldn’t have to put up with her temper. Just then, Caleb came back from work. Sensing the tension, he asked, “What’s wrong?” “I know I’m a burden, and it’s normal for Sister Nora to be unhappy, but Brother Caleb walked ten miles overnight to the town to get this medicine for me. I don’t want to waste his kindness…” Molly was a year older than me, but she had that pure, innocent face. Every time she followed Tess in calling me “Sister,” I felt sick. Her teary-eyed look worked every single time. “Nora, how many times have I told you, Molly’s illness can’t be delayed! How can you be so cruel!” His fierce look made it seem like I was a villain hurting his beloved wife. But the moment Molly tugged at his sleeve, he softened immediately. “Still have a fever?” He touched her forehead tenderly. Molly pretended to be shy, glanced at me fearfully, and muttered, “Sister Nora will be angry…” Caleb’s face changed instantly, and he snorted coldly at me, “What right does she have to be angry? She’s the one who forgot the medicine!” In front of me, Caleb was always calm and stoic. Even when he proposed, he was indifferent, making me look like an excited fool jumping around. Back then, I felt ashamed, thinking that’s just how intellectuals were—calm and composed. I wanted to be like him. But I was wrong. His restraint was only for me. Love and lack of love are very obvious. In my past life, I didn’t understand. I thought I just wasn’t good enough. But now I see it clearly. He doesn’t love me, so his emotions aren’t affected by me. He loves Molly, so chaos ensues when she’s involved. So in this life, I won’t be swayed anymore. I have my own path to walk. 3 When I returned from the Mayor’s house, Caleb was holding the document with a serious face. Tess was annoyed from waiting, “Nora, where did you go? The medicine isn’t ready, and dinner isn’t cooked.” Tess never called me sister-in-law, always excluding me emotionally, yet taking my service for granted. “I ate at the Mayor’s house. If you’re hungry, cook for yourselves.” “You!” Tess and Molly had never done a day of housework in their lives, let alone Caleb, a man who thought the kitchen was beneath him. But this time, Caleb said nothing. “Alright, alright… Nora, I have something to discuss with you.” Hesitant and slow. I didn’t want to waste time with him. “You mean the quota for moving to the city.” Caleb was stunned, not expecting me to say it directly. He laughed dryly, “So you already know.” Tess, impatient with her brother’s stalling, jumped in. “It’s better if you know. There are only two family spots for the transfer, just enough for me and Sister Molly.” She glanced at Molly proudly, as if claiming credit for putting me in my place. Molly smiled helplessly, “You child, you can’t keep a secret.” Then, as if realizing she said something wrong, she nervously grabbed Caleb’s wrist. Caleb responded by patting her hand gently to comfort her. “Nora, I made this decision. It has nothing to do with Molly.” I didn’t speak, just looked at him quietly. Caleb frowned, wanting to say something, but Molly squeezed his wrist. He fell silent for a moment, then spoke. “Tess is fifteen, she needs to go to high school. There’s no high school here. If she doesn’t go to the city, her life will be ruined.” Caleb’s parents were dead, Tess was his only blood relative, so he had to take her. I nodded. Caleb looked at me and continued. “Molly… Professor White was my benefactor. If he hadn’t sponsored my education, I wouldn’t have this opportunity at West University. Molly is weak and can’t survive the hard life here, so I must take her back.” He emphasized the word “must” heavily. As if warning me that there was no room for compromise. I was tired and wanted to sleep. “Is there anything else?” “Nora, you…” “Of course there is! In two days, my brother is going to apply for a marriage license with Sister Molly!” Tess couldn’t wait to see my shocked, angry, and desperate expression. Unfortunately for her, I felt nothing but calm. “Okay. You guys should get some rest.” I turned to go into my room. Caleb panicked slightly. He shook off Molly’s hand and blocked my path. “Are you angry? I can’t leave Molly alone. My marriage to her is fake.” “It’s the only way. Molly isn’t like you; you grew up in the country, you’re tough and can handle hardship. Waiting a few more years won’t hurt you.” “Once I’m settled, I’ll come back for you.” “I’ll come back to visit you every month.” I nodded again, “Okay. When are you leaving?” 4 In my previous life, although I was in pain, I believed his lies. I watched them happily leave for the city, looking like a perfect family of three. But I waited for half a year, and Caleb never came back. Everyone in the village said I was a fool, that Caleb would never return. I went to the city, anxious to find answers. When I finally saw Caleb again, there was no surprise on his face, only ugliness. “Why are you here?” He didn’t see my shoes worn through from walking because I couldn’t afford a ticket, nor my cracked, pale lips. Only blame. At that moment, Molly and a school doctor walked out. Only then did I realize we were at the university clinic. “Professor Chen, your wife is in poor health, it’s best not to get pregnant right now. Take these contraceptives. Come back if you need more.” Molly’s face was flushed, her fist gently hitting Caleb’s chest. “It’s all your fault…” I realized then that their marriage wasn’t fake at all. It was just an excuse to get rid of me. “Nora, this isn’t the countryside. If people know I, a university professor, have an illiterate country wife, I’ll be a laughingstock. Molly is educated and smart; she’s suitable to be my wife.” He knew I was illiterate from the start. I remembered the first day he came to work in the fields, he fainted. I took him home and nursed him back to health. Since then, he came to my house whenever he was hungry. He devoured my simple food, saying he’d never get tired of it. Everything happened naturally, and we got engaged. He moved from the crowded hostel to my house, escaping the snoring and smells of other men. Caleb was satisfied then. He said from then on he had a wife, a full stomach, and good sleep. Later, when Tess had nowhere to go, he brought her here too. Like him, my parents were dead, but I had land and wouldn’t starve. Raising three people was hard, but I had no regrets, thinking this is what family does. But I never expected Caleb despised me all along. He was with me just for food, a babysitter for Tess, and a stepping stone to be with Molly. I fainted on the spot. When I woke up, I was alone in the hospital. I tried to find him again, but unfamiliar with the city traffic, I was hit by a car and died. Fortunately, I was reborn. This time, I won’t ruin my life for them.

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When my biological parents found me, I had just climbed out of a mine. At that time, I was covered in coal dust, dirty and wretched. I could see that my biological parents looked at me with great disgust. Especially my biological father said: “Hire another car for her, don’t let her dirty the family car.” My biological mother endured her disgust and cared: “Child, you have been wronged these years. When you go home and wash up, Mom will love you well.” Then, they escaped into the car. Coming with them was also the adopted son of my biological parents, named Julian. He looked at me, then at his black Maybach, and finally sighed and said: “Get in my car.” “There is a bathroom at the mine, I can take a shower and change clothes before getting in the car.” I replied listlessly and went to take a shower. When I changed my clothes, I got into Julian’s Maybach and went back to my biological parents’ home. 1 After returning to the Gu family home, I didn’t see my biological parents, but saw someone similar in age to me, named Mia Gu, the fake daughter of this family, the one who was switched at birth with me. Mia stepped forward with a smile on her face, held my hand and said: “I should call you sister, right? Don’t worry, I won’t play the real and fake daughter game. We will be sisters in the future, let’s get along well!” As she spoke, she stuffed a fruit knife into my hand and pulled me to stab her. First meeting, Mia put a fruit knife in my hand and pulled me to stab her. Is this the Gu family’s alternative welcome ceremony? I am lazy, but strong, and didn’t let her succeed. She pulled hard, couldn’t pull it, looked at me again, blinked her clear eyes. Then, she wanted to continue pulling. I pointed to the phone hanging on my chest and cherished words like gold: “Recording life.” Mia was scared and immediately let go of my hand. At this time, Julian, who had parked the car, came in. Seeing me holding a fruit knife and Mia looking terrified, his face also became strange. I was too lazy to explain and casually put the fruit knife in Mia’s hand. “Brother, you’re back?” “I asked Sister Zhou to prepare lotus seed porridge for you, I’ll go get it for you now.” Mia’s face was full of ingratiation. “Not hungry.” Julian shook his head, then looked at me and asked: “Chloe Su, are you hungry?” “Too lazy to eat.” I walked to the sofa and collapsed directly on it. From my backpack, I took out the snacks I carried with me and stuffed them into my mouth looking half-dead. This is my life state, sit if I can, lie down if I can sit. “Sleepy?” Julian asked with concern. “Okay.” I continued to eat, took out my tablet again, typed code on the tablet with my left hand, swiped my phone to watch videos with my right hand, and stuffed snacks from time to time. Julian and Mia looked at me like looking at a monster. Especially Mia had walked over and said seemingly kindly: “Sister, you have suffered these years and haven’t learned the rules of wealthy families. If others know you are like this, it will make the Gu family lose face, but don’t worry, I will teach you social etiquette.” “Too lazy to learn.” I yawned and kindly reminded by the way: “The mine is very busy, are you sure you don’t go home to help?” In my opinion, biological parents should be visited, otherwise I wouldn’t have returned to the Gu family. So I think she should also want to see her biological parents. But Mia’s mouth twitched, and her eyes instantly turned red: “Sister, if you don’t like me in the Gu family, I’ll leave.” 2 “Whatever.” I saw it. She said she wouldn’t play the real and fake daughter game, but she still wanted to fight. But fight for what? Property? Then I’m not interested. I really wanted to tell her that I’m not interested in money. But I knew she definitely wouldn’t believe it because normal people wouldn’t believe it. I was too lazy to explain. Julian walked over, sat next to me and said: “Mom and Dad said they are going abroad for a few days. They will compensate you well when they come back. Hope you don’t think too much.” “Oh.” I nodded, in a state where my soul could float out of my skull at any time. Julian was also a little helpless, then looked at Mia and asked: “Is the room ready?” “Still preparing, but I value my sister very much, so there are many things to prepare.” “Brother, how about letting sister stay in the guest room today?” Mia said somewhat awkwardly. Julian frowned, seemingly seeing through Mia’s little thoughts: “Chloe just came back, how can she stay in the guest room? She is family, not a guest!” “I know, brother. In this family, only I am an outsider…” Mia said and actually cried. I saw Julian rolling his eyes. I wanted to roll my eyes too, but was too lazy to roll. “I can live anywhere, as long as there is a window for ventilation.” I said casually. Julian breathed a sigh of relief, seeming to rejoice that I, the real daughter, was not difficult to deal with: “Then choose any room you want, except for Mom and Dad’s, and tomorrow I will arrange your room personally.” Mia said aggrievedly: “Brother, I can also arrange a room for sister.” Julian ignored her at all, but said to me: “I have to go to the company for a meeting in the afternoon. Whatever it is, we can talk about it when I come back at night.” “Oh.” I responded and continued to lie like a corpse on the sofa. Julian shook his head, seeming a little helpless about my laziness. He left quickly. It seems his position in the company is very important. After he left, Mia said to me: “Sister, let me take you to a good room, you will definitely be satisfied.” “Okay.” I got up reluctantly. If I could strip naked and lie like a corpse in the living room, I would stay in the living room. I really was too lazy to move at all. As for Mia being attentive, I knew this dog thing would definitely play tricks, but I didn’t care. Sure enough, she sent me to a room on the second floor. This room was very clean, with a faint scent of orchid, and everything was arranged very regularly. It could be seen that the owner of this room had mysophobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. And according to my current observation, the mysophobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder patient in this family should be Julian. Sure enough, I soon saw Julian’s photo on the desk. I looked at Mia helplessly, thinking you dog thing really think I’m stupid? Can’t tell this is Julian’s room? Mia acted as if she didn’t see it, smiled at me and said: “Sister, if you think this place is good, rest first.” “Okay.” I nodded. Although I knew she was pitting me, I was really too lazy to find another room. Really want to take a shower, then lie on the bed like a corpse. Mia couldn’t help laughing, then ran out immediately, afraid that I would change my mind. I went to take a shower, then lay like a corpse. After dark, I was woken up by Julian’s light cough. He was wearing a black haute couture suit, standing coldly in front of the bed, looking like he was waiting for my explanation. 3 Mia whispered beside him: “Brother, I can’t help it either. Sister insisted on staying in your room. I told her you have mysophobia, but sister just wouldn’t listen.” “Comfortable?” Julian held back for a long time and actually asked this word. And I thought he would be angry, after all, Mia provoked very hard. I rubbed my eyes and nodded seriously: “Comfortable, the incense helps sleep.” “Then you sleep here.” Julian looked at me surprisingly, seemingly not expecting that I knew incense helps sleep. Mia saw this and said aggrievedly: “Brother, you were unhappy when I entered your room before. Why can sister sleep in your room?” “Hungry?” Julian ignored her, but looked at me with a smile and asked. I nodded and added: “Don’t want to get out of bed.” “Okay, I’ll bring it up for you.” Julian nodded and turned away. Mia widened her eyes and gritted her teeth: “Why? He treats you so well just after you came back. He has mysophobia but allows you to sleep in his bed, even let you eat in his bed. Why?” I was too lazy to talk, took out my phone, and swiped videos. Mia felt like a clown, but didn’t leave, seemingly wanting to see how I eat in Julian’s bed. Not long after, Julian pushed a dining cart in. The dining cart had a small table board. After pulling it out, it could be used as a table. I just needed to sit up to eat. I sat up listlessly, rinsed my mouth first, then buried my head in eating. Julian went to the desk to handle company affairs with his computer, not looking at my side at all. Mia walked over and picked up the juice on the dining cart. I knew she wanted to harm me, most likely would splash the juice on the bed, and then accuse me of rudeness to Julian who had mysophobia. Although I didn’t know what Julian’s reaction would be, I was sure that if she played tricks, I would have to change rooms. I am lazy, I don’t want to move. So I picked up my phone and aimed it at her. Mia froze just as she was about to splash the juice, handed the juice to me with a smirk and said: “Sister, drink juice.” “Not drinking.” I looked at Julian’s side, he was also looking over. Accidental eye contact, I found his eyes were beautiful and deep as if they could gain insight into everything. “Mia Gu, you are about to take the college entrance exam, don’t you need to work on your homework?” Julian spoke. Mia’s mouth twitched, knowing he was driving her away, so she could only leave. After I finished eating, the nanny came in to clean up. Then I still typed code with my left hand and swiped my phone with my right. Unknowingly, I found that more than three hours had passed, and I was sleepy again. I planned to take a shower and then sleep. At this time, Julian also finished his work. He walked over, put a bottle of medicine on the bedside table and said: “Traditional Chinese medicine, for brain nourishment.” “Thank you, brother.” I looked at him suspiciously, wondering how he knew I needed brain nourishment? However, he had already left the room. I was too lazy to ask, took a shower, took the medicine, and fell asleep soon. In the next few days, I almost never left the room. Mia always wanted to find trouble, but had no chance. Julian handled official business in the room every day, but we hardly talked. Until this day, when I was still sleeping in bed, the quilt was suddenly pulled off. I woke up with a start and found that my biological parents were back. The one who pulled my quilt was my biological father. “How can you sleep here?” 4 Father Gu scolded angrily. “Sister, although brother is adopted, you should also pay attention to the impact!” “If people know that you, the real daughter of the Gu family, sleep in your brother’s room as soon as you come back, what will become of propriety?” “The face of the Gu family cannot be ruined like this!” Mia immediately added fuel to the fire. Mother Gu cried even more sorrowfully: “What a sin, how could my biological daughter be like this, I don’t want to live anymore.” Father Gu scolded: “You are at the age of studying, how come your brain is full of these improper thoughts, why don’t you get up?” I casually pulled the quilt back, covered myself again, and pressed on the phone again. Then, the lights in the room were turned off, and the projector was turned on. The projector played the surveillance of this room. From when Mia brought me in, until this moment. I was too lazy to speak, but didn’t want to be wronged. After Father Gu and Mother Gu glanced at Mia, their faces changed. But Father Gu said again: “Your sister brought you here because she wanted you to have a good environment, but you should also know to avoid suspicion!” Mother Gu sighed: “After all, grew up in the countryside, has no rules at all, and doesn’t understand consideration for others.” I figured it out, they didn’t care about right or wrong, just simply didn’t like me. But if they don’t like me, why did they beg to find me back? I was helpless but didn’t want to say more. Fortunately, Julian came back and relieved me. But when they left the room, I heard Father Gu say something unpleasant, roughly: “You have to be decent, you are going to marry for the Gu family in the future. If your reputation is ruined, it won’t be worth anything.” I saw Julian’s profile when he heard this, expressionless, as if he were already dead. Then, I was called down to eat again. At the dinner table, Father Gu and Mother Gu sandwiched Mia in the middle. They looked more like a family of three. Mia was also very likable and knew how to say things that made them happy. Father Gu and Mother Gu would look at me with disappointment, and then look at Mia with relief, as if comparing. Mia said suddenly again: “Sister, did you go to school in the countryside?” “Graduated.” I said漫不经心 (casually). Father Gu frowned: “You are the same age as Mia, she is only in the third year of high school, you graduated? What did you learn?” “Computer and welding.” I said truthfully. Father Gu slapped the table and said: “How can a child of my Gu family learn such unpresentable things like welding?” Mother Gu also quickly said: “Mia is now studying in the third year of high school in Su City No. 1 Middle School, and has hope of getting into Qinghua or Peking University. You go to muddle along for half a year too. Even if you can’t get into a good university, your father and I will donate a building so you can have a good school to muddle a diploma.” “But I have already graduated.” I wanted to tell them that I studied in the Junior Class of Harbin Institute of Technology, graduated long ago, and even started working. This time going home is visiting relatives, and I will go back to work soon. But my work unit has a very high confidentiality level, the kind that can’t even be mentioned. Plus I was lazy, I didn’t explain. Father Gu slapped the table again and scolded: “Still dare to talk back? I decided, you will go to report at No. 1 Middle School tomorrow!” Good guy, remolding me directly? And if I remember correctly, the year I graduated from Harbin Institute of Technology, I came to Su City No. 1 Middle School to guide work. I really want to see what expression the principal of No. 1 Middle School will have when he sees me going to study at his school.

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My wife called to say she had to work late on our anniversary, forcing me to cancel the carefully planned dinner reservation. I was about to leave when I heard a commotion—a guest causing trouble in one of the executive suites. I rushed up to the room, and the woman huddled behind the man, wrapped only in a hotel bath towel, was my wife, Scarlett Linwood. Caught red-handed, Scarlett still tried to spin a lie. “Honey, don’t jump to conclusions. The power went out at the office, and Finn and I had to rush over here to finish the pitch deck.” Before I could say a word, Finn Donovan, the new intern she’d been mentoring, stepped in front of her. “Oh, you must be Scarlett’s useless husband, right?” “What standing does a kept man have to speak? Don’t you know the only reason the Linwood Group avoided total collapse this quarter is because I brought in the Ashby Group investment?” “Get lost! You ruin this for me, and tomorrow I’ll have you bouncing checks at the unemployment office!” I gave a cold laugh, utterly unmoved. In Grand Harbor, no one dares tell Liam Ashford where he’ll be working tomorrow. 1 When I got Scarlett’s text saying she was “working late,” I had already been waiting in the hotel lobby for three hours. I’d booked the reservation for our anniversary a month ago, but once again, she stood me up. I sighed. Her company, the Linwood Group, was in a major growth phase, and I kept telling myself this was just part of the sacrifice. I was about to walk out when I heard the night manager frantically calling into his walkie-talkie. “Hurry! Guests are causing a scene in 1808! I hear it involves someone from the Linwood Group!” The Linwood Group? My feet froze. That was Scarlett’s company. I followed the manager into the elevator. The door to 1808 was wide open. A man in nothing but boxer briefs was yelling obscenities at a room service attendant. “You call this the best hotel in Grand Harbor? I paid eight hundred bucks for the Anniversary King Suite and there isn’t a complimentary condom? I’ll have your job!” My eyes drifted past him. The entire world snapped into slow motion. My wife, Scarlett, who was supposed to be working late, was plastered against the man’s back, clutching a towel, her cheeks flushed with an unnatural heat. “H-Honey?!” Seeing me, Scarlett’s face drained of all color. She fumbled, desperately pulling the towel tighter around herself. My gaze moved slowly from Scarlett’s panic-stricken face to the crumpled sheets, then to the clothes scattered on the floor. It felt like a sledgehammer had slammed into my chest, making every breath a painful, shallow gasp. “Is this what you meant by ‘working late’?” My voice was disturbingly calm. Scarlett’s lips trembled, her eyes darting everywhere but mine. “Liam, listen to me… The power went out at the office, and Finn and I absolutely had to come here to work on the presentation.” I instantly understood the man’s identity. The new intern, Finn Donovan, the one she’d been mentioning constantly lately. I couldn’t help but scoff. “Does your company policy require you to wear a bath towel when you’re ‘working late’?” Scarlett was about to try another excuse, but Finn stepped forward and casually slung his arm over her shoulder. “Scarlett, this is your loser husband, right? A kept man checking up on you? Why are you even scared of him?” Finn shot me a cocky middle finger. He was reveling in it. “Cut the crap, you leech. It’s not the first time your wife and I have been together. A little late for a dramatic confrontation, isn’t it?” My fists clenched instantly, knuckles white. Scarlett’s face went pale. She tugged Finn’s arm. “Stop talking!” Finn shook her off, his arrogance only mounting. He walked right up to me. “What? You don’t like that? A deadbeat who lives off his wife is going to make a scene?” He reached out and patted my cheek, a gesture loaded with pure contempt. “Do you know who saved the Linwood Group this quarter? Me! I pulled in the Ashby investment! Without me, the Linwoods would be bankrupt right now!” “And you—” He leaned in close, his smile vicious. “—you’re nothing but a pathetic pawn who doesn’t even know when his wife is getting plowed.” The last thread of my restraint snapped. My fist slammed into Finn’s face! He staggered back and collapsed onto the floor, blood instantly gushing from his nose. “Finn, are you okay!” Scarlett shrieked and scrambled to cradle him. Finn clutched his nose, staring up at me in disbelief. “You—a kept man—you actually hit me!” “Hit you?” I laughed, a cold, sharp sound. I grabbed a handful of his hair and smashed my fist into his face again. “I’m just getting started!” I kicked him hard in the stomach. He curled into a ball, his bravado replaced by wretched sobs. “Call the cops! I’m calling the cops! You’re going to jail!” Scarlett suddenly threw herself at me, grabbing my arm, her voice hysterical. “Liam, you have to apologize to Finn! Get down on your knees and apologize! Do it now!” I froze, slowly turning to look at the woman I had shared a bed with for five years. Her eyes were wide with pleading, but none of it was for me. When I didn’t move, Scarlett actually kicked me in the knee, trying to force me down. “Do you have any idea who he is! If you let him call the police, your life is over!” I laughed again, a different, more genuine laugh this time. I took out my phone. “Go ahead. Call them. Right now.” Scarlett stared at me, dumbfounded. Finn glowered, his face swollen. “You’ll regret this, Liam! Tomorrow, you’ll be flipping burgers at the unemployment office!” I looked down at the whimpering little pest. A cold smile curved my lips. In all of Grand Harbor, no one tells me where I’m going to be working tomorrow. … We were barely through the police station door when Finn, clutching his swollen nose, started pounding the desk, his voice haughty. “Officer, this man assaulted me without provocation! I demand a full medical check, jail time, and compensation!” He slapped a business card onto the table. “I’m a partner of the Ashby Group! You know what to do!” The officer looked at me with a frown. “Do you have anything to say?” I calmly adjusted my cufflink and pointed toward the ceiling. “He initiated the physical contact and the verbal abuse. The surveillance footage will be clear on that.” Finn’s face paled. He grabbed the hotel manager, who had come along, and hissed a threat. “You know who I am, right? Wipe the footage. Or your hotel is out of business tomorrow!” The manager nervously glanced at me. I gave him a subtle, almost imperceptible nod. He instantly understood. He feigned panic and agreed. “Donovan, sir, don’t worry! I’ll take care of it right away!” Ten minutes later, the officer played the full video. The monitor clearly showed Finn Donovan giving me the finger, repeatedly patting and striking my face, and spewing insults. “Mr. Donovan, the evidence shows you initiated the confrontation.” Finn’s face turned an ugly shade of green. He leaped up, hysterical. “The footage is fake! Do you know who I am? I’ll have all of you fired!” The officer’s voice was sharp. “Sit down! The evidence is clear. One more outburst and you’ll be charged with making a false report.” As I left the station, Finn’s eyes burned into me. “You wait, Liam!” I turned to walk away, but Scarlett blocked my path. I thought she might finally offer an explanation for the night’s absurdity. Instead, she rushed to Finn’s side, tenderly examining his wounds, and then turned on me with cold blame. “Liam, why did you hit him so hard! He’s just a kid!” I was too stunned to be angry. I laughed bitterly. “A kid? The kind of kid you take to a hotel suite and wear a towel for?” Scarlett stammered, then regained her composure, her voice ringing with self-righteousness. “Finn did this for the company! The Ashby investment depends entirely on him! What did you do? Aside from hitting people? I’m taking him to the hospital. You go home and reflect!” I grabbed her arm. My voice was ice. “Scarlett Linwood, we’re getting a divorce.” She flinched, then ripped her arm away, her voice spiraling into hysterics. “Divorce? Liam, are you serious? You lied to me too! You said you had a million-dollar salary, and you’re nothing but a glorified hotel clerk! I did this for the company! Can’t you be supportive for once?” I said nothing. I just turned and walked away. Behind me, her voice was raw with fury. “Liam, you will regret this!” Walking home, five years of memory flashed like a sped-up reel. Five years ago, Scarlett was the girl who stayed up late to make me coffee and hangover cures. On our wedding day, she promised me forever, blushing all the while. Now, she was ready to sleep with anyone for a quick buck. I pushed open the door. The air in our apartment was thick with familiarity. On the coffee table lay the anniversary gift I’d carefully wrapped. I knew I would never give it to her. That night, I lay on our king-size bed, staring at the ceiling until dawn. Scarlett never came home. When the sun finally rose, my mother-in-law’s shrill voice sliced through the silence of the phone call. “Liam! Do you have any decency? It’s your father-in-law’s 50th birthday party, and everyone is waiting for you! Where the hell are you? Get over here now!” She hung up. I took out the pre-printed divorce papers. I also received a text from my night manager. “Mr. Ashford, we found a woman’s expensive watch in 1808. Should I return it to Ms. Linwood?” I looked at our wedding photo on the wall and smiled. “No need. Along with everything else in that room…” “Burn it.” The Linwood estate was ablaze with light. My father-in-law, Robert Linwood’s, 50th birthday celebration was in full swing. The moment I stepped into the foyer, I heard Scarlett’s overly sweet voice. “Everyone, let me introduce you to Finn Donovan, the savior of the Linwood Group!” Finn was in a sharp suit. Even with the bruising on his face, he still carried himself with a smug arrogance. “And today, I’ve brought a very important guest!” The entrance doors opened, and a portly man in an expensive suit walked in. “Victor Ashby! Director of Acquisitions for the Ashby Group, and my direct mentor!” The room erupted in gasps. “Oh my god! It’s really the Ashby Group!” “Mr. Donovan is incredibly connected! He even managed to get an Ashby executive here!” My father-in-law, Robert, was shaking with excitement. He rushed over. “Mr. Ashby, what an honor! You grace us with your presence!” Victor Ashby nodded dismissively, his eyes scanning the room. “Finn told me there was a spectacle today, so I thought I’d drop by.” Finn immediately pointed at me, his voice carrying over the crowd. “Everyone, this is Scarlett’s gold-digging husband! Last night, he assaulted me, and now he has the audacity to crash the birthday party!” The guests started whispering, their eyes filled with scorn for me. Scarlett’s face shifted. She quickly moved to my side and hissed under her breath. “Who told you to come? Leave! Now, before you ruin everything!” I looked at her panicked expression and felt a cruel amusement. “What? Afraid I’ll spoil your fun?” I sneered and slammed the divorce papers onto the nearest table. “Don’t worry. I’m only here to finalize the divorce.” Scarlett’s face went white. She gripped my sleeve, trembling. “Honey, you’re doing this for real? I can explain what happened last night…” I pulled my arm away. “No need to explain, Scarlett. Don’t make me pity you any more than I already do.” Seeing his chance, Finn fanned the flames. “Oh, the deadbeat wants a divorce? Fine. But with Mr. Ashby here, it won’t be that simple!” Victor Ashby’s bloated figure shifted. He looked me up and down and gave a malicious smile. “You’ll kneel down. Right here, in front of everyone. You’ll knock your head on the floor three times, strip naked, and crawl out of here.” The room exploded with laughter. “Hahaha, that’s a brilliant idea, Mr. Ashby! What a show!” “The kept man deserves it!” “Go on! Don’t waste our time!” I scanned the room, looking at their ugly, greedy faces. Even my own in-laws, whom I had tried to respect, watched me with sheer disgust. “Don’t just stand there! Get on your knees as Mr. Ashby asked! If pleasing the Ashby Group is what it takes to save our company, then it’s your good fortune to help!” my mother-in-law yelled. Seeing I wasn’t moving, Finn assumed I was terrified and became even more aggressive. “Useless trash! Doesn’t even have the balls for this!” He gestured to the bouncers nearby. “He won’t do it himself, so let’s help him out. We can’t let Mr. Ashby’s trip be a waste!” A few large men moved toward me, ready to tear my clothes off. Just then, Scarlett’s executive assistant burst through the door, looking like she’d seen a ghost. “Mr. Linwood! Ms. Linwood! It’s a disaster!” The assistant was white-faced, clutching a stack of files. Her voice trembled. “The SEC just announced an investigation! They’re questioning our financials and freezing all our accounts! Every major partner is terminating their contracts immediately!” “What!” Scarlett shot up, her color draining entirely. “That’s impossible! Our books were fine—” She stopped midsentence, her gaze involuntarily flicking toward Finn. Finn seemed to realize something too. His face contorted, and he instantly jumped to clear himself. “It wasn’t me! The company accounts were always handled by Liam!” Every eye in the room swiveled to me. Scarlett froze, looking at me, wanting to speak, but finally saying nothing. My mother-in-law rushed forward, her sharp nails nearly scratching my face. “You snake! You’ve been working against us the whole time! We took you in all these years, and this is how you repay the Linwood family!” I watched them with cold derision. “You were afraid I’d ‘muscle in’ on your family business, so you never let me into the Linwood Group. Now that you’re in trouble, you remember me?” Scarlett grabbed my hand, tears welling up. “Honey, please. You have to find a way to save the Linwood Group.” I shook her hand off. “A way? Don’t you have your savior, Mr. Donovan, right here?” Finn’s face was shifting from green to white. Suddenly, he latched onto Victor Ashby’s arm like a drowning man. “Victor! Help the Linwoods! With the Ashby Group’s resources, this is nothing!” Victor Ashby frowned, sighing dramatically. “This is a tough one…” “Please, Mr. Ashby, we beg you! If you help, the Linwoods will do anything!” My high-minded father-in-law was pleading. Victor Ashby’s lecherous eyes raked over Scarlett. He lowered his voice. “I could help. If Ms. Linwood agrees to spend the next month as my exclusive companion, perhaps—” “We agree!” Robert Linwood didn’t hesitate for a second. My mother-in-law nodded vigorously. “Yes! Scarlett, for the company, you just have to endure this!” Scarlett looked like she’d been struck by lightning. She stared at her parents in disbelief, then turned her pleading eyes to Finn. To my surprise, Finn eagerly pushed her toward Victor. “Scarlett, it’s the only way! You’ve already slept with two men—what’s one more?” Victor Ashby grinned triumphantly and reached out for Scarlett. “Come on, Ms. Linwood. Let’s find a quiet room to discuss the details…” “CRASH!” I kicked over the nearby coffee table. The sound of shattering glass silenced everyone. “Victor Ashby, are you sure you want to touch my person?” I slowly rose to my full height, my eyes like sharp knives. Victor was visibly shaken by my intensity, stepping back half a pace, but quickly recovered and sneered. “What? The deadbeat trophy husband is playing the hero?” Just then, the front door of the villa was violently thrown open. A middle-aged man strode in, quickly scanning the room. The moment Victor saw him, his eyes widened with surprise and joy. “Brother! What are you doing here!” I raised my phone, interrupting Victor’s question. “Apologies, I’m the one who called him.”

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I was the leader of the all-female Raven Team, and we were pinned down, trapped in an encirclement during a high-risk humanitarian mission overseas. I urgently radioed the Operations Room, requesting immediate extraction. The order that came back—from the Commander, who also happened to be my ex-husband—was a punch to the gut: “Hold your position. Fight to the last man.” My voice was raw with desperation in the comms unit. “We’re being overrun! If we don’t pull back now, the whole team will be wiped out!” His reply was chillingly detached. “Didn’t you leave me standing alone at the altar three years ago, without so much as a backward glance, running off to that foreign hellhole?” “Now you get to find out if the grass you ran to was truly greener, or just a blood-soaked grave.” “Mark my words, Nova. Any retreat without my explicit order will be treated as treason.” I clenched my fists, a spasm of absolute despair, and directed my team to hold the line in a storm of gunfire. Every second felt like a year. It was an eternity before his voice returned. “I’ve seen enough. You are cleared for extraction.” A sudden, dizzying wave of relief washed over me, only to be immediately replaced by a plunge into a freezing black void as he delivered his next sentence: “Before you evacuate, Captain Reed, you will kneel before every civilian you rescued and publicly confess to your betrayal. One hundred loud, ringing kowtows. Not one less.” 1 “Ops, I require a confirmation of the last command!” The artillery was deafening, shrapnel screamed past my helmet. I was practically shouting into the microphone, my voice lost in the continuous roar of explosions. Behind me, the cries of the hundred-plus rescued civilians twisted around my heart like a garrote. Lexi, my second-in-command, a sharp young woman in her early twenties, pressed close, wiping blood and grime from her face. Her voice was a strained whisper of fear. “Captain, we’re down to the last belt for the heavy machine gun, less than thirty rounds per person for the rifles. We won’t survive the next wave…” It was then that the cold, clinical voice of Elias Barrett cut through the encrypted channel. “Command confirmed, Captain. Hold the position until the last man falls. This is the Commander’s final order.” Commander… The title felt like a bullet through my chest. Sitting in that secure, underground center thousands of miles away, in the highest seat of authority, was the man I had abandoned at the altar. Now, he watched us bleed out via satellite feed. There was no tremor of feeling in his voice. “Nova, what… what is he doing? Why?” Lexi’s face was ashen. “The hostages are secure. We should be getting the highest level of extraction support! Why is he leaving us to die…?” I didn’t answer. My gaze was locked on the horizon where the enemy vehicle lights were tearing open the night—a black tide pressing in. I gripped the comms, the stench of gunpowder and desperation in my hoarse voice. “Elias Barrett, I repeat. Civilians secured, we are nearly out of ammunition. Requesting immediate withdrawal!” Two seconds of dead silence, followed by a soft sigh—one that carried a faint, almost amused, note. “Request?” “Did you listen when I grabbed your sleeve and begged you to stay at our wedding five years ago? You walked away without looking back, Nova. Not even a single glance.” I slammed my fist into the scorched earth in front of me, the sharp pain in my knuckles barely registering beneath the boiling rage. This was not the time for settling old scores. The lives of my team, and the hundred-thirty-one terrified faces behind us, depended on my next move. “Elias, you need to be professional!” Every word was forced out through gritted teeth. “You are the Commander of this operation, not the man settling a personal vendetta! Do you not see the critical danger we’re in?!” “Professional?” His cold, quiet laugh resonated in the earpiece—a sound that made my marrow freeze. “I am perfectly professional, Captain Reed. I’m simply enjoying this foreign moon with you. See for yourself. What did this place, the one you sacrificed everything to run to, give you in return?” “If we don’t retreat, we’re all going to die!” My eyes were bloodshot. I screamed the words. “And so what if you do?” His voice was flat, cold as permafrost. “You threw away three years of our life together to come here. I imagine paying with your own life now… is something you’re perfectly willing to do.” The last thread of my control snapped. “Elias Barrett! You are a psycho!!” Tearing the radio from my ear, I smashed the handset into the mud. Lexi lunged forward, grabbing my arm, her voice tight with a suppressed sob. “Nova! Calm down! Please, Captain, calm down!” I took a deep, ragged breath, snatched the mud-caked radio, and resumed command. “All teams, report on ammo and casualty status.” “Team Alpha, contract to Bunker Two. Team Beta, set the last of the claymores on the southeast breach. Snipers, prioritize the enemy MGs and RPGs.” My team continued its desperate, disciplined resistance. But a support-less team trying to hold off an overwhelming assault was futile. Our ammunition was depleting fast. Every trigger pull was a grain of sand dropping faster in an hourglass. A medic’s choked voice broke into the internal channel. “Captain, the civilians… they’re breaking down. They’re asking if we’ve been abandoned. If we’re ever going to get out of here?” I glanced down at the two remaining magazines on my belt, my throat dry. I swallowed hard and replied hoarsely. “Tell them… we have not abandoned them. We will take them home. We just need to hold on a little longer.” Inhaling the mix of smoke and copper, I pressed the button for the encrypted comms channel again. This time, all fury was gone, replaced by a deep, weary submission—a sound I barely recognized. “Commander Barrett,” I used his rank. “I have never… begged anyone in my life.” “Please, consider this a plea. Do whatever you want to me. I’ll accept it. But let these one hundred-plus innocent lives survive.” The channel went dead silent, only the faint static hiss and the sound of his suppressed breathing. A ridiculous, fleeting thought crossed my mind—had I finally broken through? Had he hesitated? 2 Just as that fragile hope flickered to life, his voice returned. “Fine.” The word caused my heart to leap. Then, his tone shifted, the sound of a man relishing his madness. “You can withdraw your people. But before I give the official command, Captain Reed, you must go to all those you saved and kneel.” “You will confess, to their faces, how you betrayed and cheated on your husband.” “And then, you will perform one hundred kowtows. Every single one has to ring. I need to hear the impact.” “Do that, and I will be merciful and allow your extraction. What do you say?” “He’s murdering us! He’s using them to kill you!” Lexi screamed in rage beside me. “Nova! He never planned on letting us live! He’s forcing you to…” I raised a hand, stopping her. I understood perfectly. Elias knew me too well. He knew that honor and dignity were my last sacred boundaries. His goal was to utterly dismantle me, to reduce everything I fought for—in front of my team, the people I protected, and any possible recording—to dust. Five years ago, in front of all our loved ones, I had shattered his dignity and his dreams. Now, he intended to collect that debt a hundredfold, at the precipice of death. “Nova Reed, have you decided?” Elias’s voice cut in again. “Let me guess… how much ammo do you have left? Three minutes? Or will it be over in the next second?” The final wall of my sanity crumbled. I roared into the radio: “Elias Barrett! Do you know what you are doing?! This is murder! A court-martial is waiting for you!” The response was a brief, dismissive chuckle. “Yes. But only if someone manages to survive to testify against me.” A freezing clarity gripped my heart. I stood there, rooted, finally understanding his unspoken assurance. He was absolutely certain we wouldn’t walk out of this alive. “Nova, don’t listen! We can contact the High Command directly, bypass him!” Lexi pleaded. I shook my head slowly, an unbearable weariness settling over me. “It won’t work. This mission is classified. He’s the direct Commander. Our plea won’t get through unless a top-level override is issued.” “The only passable route for us to slow them down is here. If we retreat without air support, we become targets in the open desert.” “He calculated every move.” Lexi’s voice was a choked sob of despair. “So… there’s no other way? We just have to…” I pulled the last crumpled cigarette from my pocket and lit it with a shaky hand, the faint glow flickering in the cold night, much like the memory of that airport five years ago. I’d lit a similar cigarette then, too. With my gravely ill mother unconscious on a stretcher, I had turned from his tear-streaked face. “Nova, if you walk away now, I’ll never forgive you!” I thought the ashes of our three years together were the full price of that choice. I never imagined his five years of simmering hatred would be levied like this, staking the lives of a hundred strangers against me. “Captain! A civilian was hit in the arm by shrapnel, bleeding badly! We need to evacuate them immediately!” The medic’s tearful voice tore through the tense silence. It was the final straw. All calculation ceased. I took a deep drag on the cigarette, the last light in my eyes extinguished. “Lexi.” “Take over the command. Hold for three minutes. I’ll get us home.” Lexi grabbed my arm, her fingers digging through my armor plate. “Captain, no…” “That’s an order.” I shook her off, not looking back. Under the stunned, anguished, disbelieving stares of my team, I turned and walked, step by slow step, toward the terrified civilians huddled in the shadow of the bunker. 3 In the comms, Elias’s voice was suddenly there, trembling faintly with excitement. “Good.” “Start. Captain Reed. I’ve been looking forward to this.” I silently switched the radio to public broadcast volume. I knew what was coming. The civilians would be bewildered, then disgusted. My teammates would be shocked and humiliated. My name would be ruined, and the dignity I cherished would be annihilated by my own hands, in the full light of the war-torn landscape. But none of it mattered anymore. Any personal honor was dust compared to one hundred-thirty-one lives. I stood before the crowd, facing the bewildered, fear-filled, dependent faces. The noise and crying subsided. All eyes, confused, were fixed on me. “Fellow citizens,” my voice, amplified through the comms, was clear and steady. “I am the mission commander, Nova Reed.” After a brief pause, I spoke the words that would end my life as I knew it. “Five years ago, I betrayed my husband.” “At our wedding, in front of all our family and friends, I abandoned him, unilaterally breaking our vows and leaving.” “This was all my fault. I formally apologize for my actions.” The second the words were out, the silence broke into gasps and an audible wave of confusion and outrage. I didn’t look up. I didn’t look at a single face. I slowly, deliberately, bent my knees. Thud. The first kowtow. My forehead slammed against the hard, cold earth, the dull sound briefly louder than the distant cannon fire. Thud. The second. Dust mingled with the pain searing my brow bone. Thud. The third, the fourth, the fifth… My movements became faster, more mechanical, as if my body was no longer mine, but simply executing a brutal, cold program. The murmuring faded into silence. Perhaps they were too stunned by the desperate, self-destructive spectacle, or maybe they simply couldn’t grasp the meaning behind this madness. The only sounds were the distant artillery, the whine of incoming bullets, and the monotonous, sickening thudding of my head hitting the ground. Warm blood streamed from my forehead, blurring my vision and running into the corners of my eyes, tasting like rust. I didn’t stop. Thirty, forty, fifty… The world faded to muted color and sound, leaving only the bone-jarring impact that traveled through my skull, and the cold, numb heart in my chest. A century passed. Or maybe just a few moments. Finally, Elias’s voice returned to the comms. It was a voice of utter, languid satisfaction, with a strange, fleeting softness. “That’s enough.” “Considering your sincerity… I grant you permission to withdraw.” 4 A faint tapping of a keyboard could be heard through the channel. “Rendezvous will be in Sector E-7. Extraction route… take Route Three.” Route Three. The moment she heard the extraction order, Lexi was nearly in tears of relief. “We’re saved!” But I cut her off, my voice hoarse and cold. “Route Three is the emergency plan for ‘Catastrophic Failure’ or ‘Total Exposure.’” “That route is completely open ground, exposed for its entire length. Taking one hundred-plus slow-moving civilians down that route… is sending everyone to a firing squad in an open field.” I grabbed the comms, roaring with the last of my strength. “Elias Barrett! This isn’t an extraction route! This is a slaughter route! What is your purpose?!” “My purpose?” He chuckled, his tone light, as if discussing the weather. “The order and the route have been issued. Captain Reed, you are the legendary Raven Lead. Surely, getting a few people out of open ground is a basic skill? Whether you can bring them home… well, that’s your problem now.” He paused, then delivered the final, devastating line. “After all, you weren’t so concerned about the route when you left me alone five years ago.” Lexi was shaking with impotent fury. We faced two dead ends: bleed out on the position, or walk into the naked death trap of Route Three. “Captain, what… what do we do?” Lexi’s voice was strained to the breaking point. I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I reached into the deepest pocket of my gear and pulled out the small, black satellite terminal used for absolute emergencies. My fingers flew across the cold keys, typing in a sequence of scarlet-lit code: Confirm, Send. Lexi saw the code flash on the screen and her face went white, her voice shattering. “That… that’s Raven Protocol 3-1-3… the highest level, All-Hands-Lost Pre-Code…” “Yes.” My voice was unnaturally calm. I tossed the terminal onto the ground, spun around, and faced the terrified, bewildered civilians and my bloodied, yet still standing, teammates. I drew a deep breath, forcing my voice to cut through the roar of the artillery. “Fellow citizens! Hear me!” “The statement I was forced to make was false and coerced!” “My ex-husband, Commander Elias Barrett, has abused his authority, maliciously vetoed all standard extraction plans, cut off all our support, and forced us onto a lethal retreat route!” “I have just sent the Raven Team’s Final Annihilation Code to High Command. This is our last report before we are wiped out!” “I, Nova Reed, and my team, will use our bodies as your final shield, drawing all fire, to rip open a path to safety!” “If none of us survive, remember his name.” “Elias Barrett.” “He is responsible for the deaths of us all.” The final charge signal was sounded. “All hands!” “Prepare to charge! Open the path for our people!”

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When Ethan Sterling once again allowed others to call his sister-in-law “Mrs. Sterling” under the guise of business, I didn’t lose my mind. I didn’t scream. I didn’t make a scene. Instead, I raised my champagne glass, smiling obediently as I echoed the compliments from the guests. “Yes, they really are a perfect match.” Ethan jerked his head up, unable to hide the shock in his eyes. “What did you call her?” I looked at his pale face and smiled lightly. “Mrs. Sterling.” 01 Ethan’s shock lasted only a second before his expression returned to its usual indifference. “Leah, do you have to talk like that?” He frowned, his tone impatient. “New Year’s Eve is the day after tomorrow. Bella and I are flying to New York to meet clients.” “Stay home and behave. Don’t try to ruin things. We are just…” He paused, as if waiting for me to explode. But I just nodded. “Mm. I know. You’re always together for work.” He narrowed his eyes, studying my calm face, trying to find a crack. “She’s also going to be the face of the new brand,” he added tentatively. “You know…” I curled my lips into an understanding smile. “I know. Helping Bella build her career was Ryan’s dying wish.” “As his older brother, it’s your duty to fulfill it.” He froze again. He looked like he wanted to say something. “Leah, you…” I smiled calmly. “Don’t worry.” “I won’t disturb you anymore.” 02 Ethan seemed to want to say more, but he was cut off by Bella’s sweet, coquettish voice. “Ethan, come here! It’s time to cut the cake—” On stage, Bella acted every bit the hostess. She waved at him openly. Under the spotlight, her skin was white as snow, a rose blooming in full glory. The next second, a photo of the two of them, intimate and close, appeared on the giant screen. Cheers erupted from the crowd. “What a match!” “The boss’s wife is gorgeous!!” The company annual gala was being held like their wedding reception. The company had expanded fast. Few people knew that I was the real Mrs. Sterling. A few old employees cast sympathetic glances my way. Ethan didn’t move. He just glanced at me lazily. He was waiting. Waiting for me to lose control like before, to scream, to smash the cake into Bella’s smug face. But I simply took out the gold-wrapped gift box I had prepared for a long time. I handed it to him. “A late gift for the IPO. Congratulations, Mr. Sterling.” He was clearly stunned, then the corners of his mouth hooked up in his usual lazy smile. “The IPO was ages ago. You just remembered?” He took the box, his fingers brushing against my skin. “Finally learned to be sensible.” Beneath the glittering gold wrapping, a divorce agreement lay quietly inside. Thinking about it now… We started with a gift, and we ended with a gift. A fitting conclusion. “Leah,” his voice softened suddenly, the warm light giving him a gentle façade. “Come up with me.” Was he making a peace offering? No, it was charity. Giving me a little sweetness in public to keep me leashed. I shook my head. “No thanks.” After all, last time, when I self-righteously stood by his side, I was ruthlessly shoved away by an employee who didn’t know me. “This is Vice President Bella’s spot. Who are you to steal the center stage?” Back then, Ethan acted like he hadn’t heard, indifferently letting me be embarrassed. Then he affectionately pulled Bella to his side. The past was unbearable to look back on. I shut down the memory immediately. His eyes turned cold instantly. He stepped closer, his lowered voice audible only to us. “Playing the magnanimous wife? What’s this new game?” His breath hit my forehead. “Half a month ago, who was kneeling on the floor begging me not to leave? Leah, who are you performing for?” I looked up, meeting his eyes clearly. “I’m not pretending.” I said. The tsunami in my heart had long since subsided. After all the pain, madness, and unwillingness evaporated… I had no reason to stay. 03 He turned and walked onto the stage, face tight, the spotlight chasing him. That tall figure suddenly overlapped with old memories. I had almost forgotten that he was once the man who held the whole world out to me. One evening without warning, the doorbell rang. I opened the door, and a petite figure stumbled, letting out a soft cry as she fell right into Ethan’s arms as he was leaving. He caught her almost instinctively. I still remember her tear-streaked face as she spoke words so absurd I couldn’t believe them. “Ethan… Ryan is gone…” “The things he promised… he didn’t get to do…” “He said… you would do them for him. Is it true?” In her hand, she clutched a long list of Ryan’s so-called “dying wishes.” Kissing by the lake in Seattle, a wedding on a cliff… Asking my husband to romance his dead brother’s girlfriend? But this ridiculous request made Ethan silent. His silence was like ice, spreading inch by inch across my chest. “You aren’t… really going to date for your brother, are you?” I asked hoarsely, my voice trembling. He met my eyes, the coldness on his face vanishing instantly as he hugged me gently. “What are you thinking?” “If I chase a girl for Ryan, who’s going to love my wife?” My suspended heart settled back into place. But later… He flew to Tibet with Bella on our anniversary for a “pilgrimage hike.” On New Year’s Eve, he went diving with her in the tropics. When I finally realized it… The simple silver band on his ring finger had been replaced by a priceless diamond ring matching Bella’s. Facing my breakdown and questioning, he said lightly, “Respect the dead.” “It’s just a list. Ryan owed her. I have to pay it back.” He started taking her everywhere in the name of work. Vice President title, million-dollar salary, always together. In that moment, I understood. There were no dying wishes. It was just a man’s premeditated change of heart, and another woman’s guilt-free plunder. And I became the most pathetic joke in this game. 04 Arguments, interrogations, screaming. I tore the upbringing I had accumulated over twenty years into shreds. Late at night, I screamed at my phone screen, “The list says a wedding! Are you going to marry her too?!” He didn’t answer. He only left me with longer silences and later returns. My final breakdown happened at his funding celebration party. The champagne tower refracted blinding light. Bella held his arm, accepting compliments about what a beautiful couple they made. I stared at them dead on. “Mistress.” My voice wasn’t loud, but it silenced the room instantly. The look Ethan turned on me was so cold it froze my blood. A week later, I received a termination letter from the university and a notification that my platform account was permanently banned. The professional image I had built over ten years was destroyed overnight. I rushed into his office like a madwoman, smashing the papers onto his desk. “Clarify it! Ethan, go explain to them—” He leaned back in his chair slowly, his gaze sweeping over my tear-stained face. Like he was appraising a defective product. “Look at yourself,” he smirked. “Do you look like a crazy person?” “Aren’t you a psychologist?” He leaned forward, articulating every word. “With this behavior, how can you counsel anyone else?” “I told you long ago, Bella is with me for work.” He picked up the termination letter with a sneer and tossed it lightly back at my feet. “You insisted on making a scene. Leah, you deserve this bitterness.”

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I was ranked second in our class. After my boyfriend—the Valedictorian—dumped me, I studied like a maniac, desperate to dethrone him. But just as I overtook him, the school’s icy, untouchable heartthrob—formerly ranked third—suddenly shot up the charts and locked down the number one spot. I was stuck as the eternal Salutatorian. Number two. Again. Just as I was about to give up and rot in despair, I heard a voice. It was a sobbing, desperate internal monologue coming from the cold-hearted genius himself. “Why did she stop studying? Is this a sign? Is she telling me to back off? Am I being delusional for thinking I could be her main man?” “If she doesn’t break up with him, I’d be willing to be the side piece forever. Even if being the ‘other man’ makes my heart bleed every time I ace a test just to get her attention.” “Noah from AP Calc has been studying so hard lately. Is he after her? That little weasel. Why does he think he can compete with me? I hate everyone in this school equally. Everyone is trying to steal her from me.” “Why hasn’t she kissed me yet? Isn’t the prize for first place… the girl in second place?” 1 “Are you… crying?” I stopped in my tracks, tilting my head to look at Ezra who was sitting in the corner seat. Ezra lifted his face—pale, exquisitely gloomy, and radiating an “I hate the world” energy. His dark gaze scraped over my face like a cold blade. “What?” His voice was frigid, void of any emotion. It certainly didn’t sound like the desperate, sobbing mess I thought I heard. I shook my head and tapped my temple. Get a grip, Riley. I wanted to beat Ezra so bad I was starting to hallucinate. I turned back to my desk, missing the way Ezra’s gaze instantly turned heavy and ravenous the moment my back was turned. It was a double desk. Class was about to start, but the seat next to me was empty. Carter wasn’t back yet; he was still buried in a textbook over at Chloe’s desk, explaining questions from the SAT prep guide. My heart sank, heavy and uncomfortable. Since the breakup, Carter kept his distance during everything but essential class time, terrified that Chloe might get jealous. A moment later, our homeroom teacher walked in to announce the seating chart shuffle. The class erupted into groans. I clenched my fists, biting my lip in frustration. At prestigious prep schools like ours, rankings are everything. Every two months, after the mock finals, we pick seats based on GPA. Number one picks first. Number one gets to choose their desk partner. Two months ago, Carter broke up with me. Since then, I’ve been grinding, trying to steal the Valedictorian spot from him. Part of me—the pathetic part—wasn’t just doing it for pride. I wanted to be close to him again. We had been desk partners for three years. We only had a few months of high school left. Call me desperate, call me stupid, but I couldn’t let go. But I never calculated for Ezra. The guy was usually comfortable at rank three. Suddenly, he went god-mode. He aced every quiz, every essay, every lab, locking down the top spot with a near-perfect GPA. I chased him until I tasted blood in my throat, but I couldn’t catch him. I gave up. Technically, Ezra should pick first. But Ezra didn’t move. He sat there, eyes downcast, face a mask of indifference. He always sat in that shadowy corner. He never cared. The teacher motioned for me to pick. My finger twitched. Suddenly, Carter stood up, cutting me off. “Mr. Harrison, I’m choosing to sit with Chloe. Sorry for speaking out of turn, but I was afraid some people wouldn’t have the dignity to move on.” Carter lifted his heavy eyelids to look at me, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Riley, if I didn’t speak up, you were going to pick me, weren’t you?” “Why bother? It’s pathetic. Clinging like this just makes you annoying.” Snickers rippled through the classroom. My face went drained of color. I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. In my humiliation, I remembered the voice I heard earlier. Ezra’s inner voice. Broken, shattered, and weirdly resentful. “What’s the point of me picking a seat? She won’t even look at me. She refuses to acknowledge my legal status as her academic superior.” “She said it once… Number one and Number two are a match made in heaven. Why is she looking for some third-rate rebound?” “I don’t want to embarrass her. A true husband doesn’t take his anger out on his wife.” “Maybe I’m too greedy. Dreaming that she’d want to sit with me… she doesn’t know I love her. She’d just think I’m a psychopath.” I took a deep breath, steadied my shaking hands, and pointed a finger at the corner. “No. I choose Ezra.” The classroom fell into a weird silence. Everyone knew Ezra was antisocial. He came from old money—a family so powerful even the principal walked on eggshells around him. Ezra abruptly stood up. He grabbed his books with a cold, sharp movement and walked to the hallway. “Whatever.” His careless attitude made me question my sanity again. Maybe I did hallucinate the voice. Ezra couldn’t be that internal drama queen. But then I looked closer. Ezra was holding his textbook upside down. Five seconds later, he walked back in. His icy gaze raked over me from top to bottom. “Am I moving to you?” I noticed his knuckles were white from gripping his pants so hard he was about to rip the fabric. 2 Ezra and I became desk partners. Carter got his wish and sat with Chloe. Chloe’s smug look vanished the second she saw me sitting next to the school’s elusive prince. It was replaced by shock, then pure jealousy. I sat there, stunned and a little anxious. Wait. Did changing partners mean I was now involved in some weird drama with the school beauty too? I poked Ezra with my pen. Ezra’s obsidian eyes snapped toward me. His long, thick lashes trembled. I swear I saw a trace of sorrow in them, like a dog waiting too long for its owner. I was hit by how breathtakingly handsome he was. My heart skipped a beat. “Do you know Chloe?” I asked. Ezra’s eyes instantly went guarded. He shook his head, face blank. I sighed in relief. I didn’t want to fight over another guy. “Anything else?” Ezra asked, his voice polite but freezing cold. I shook my head and buried my face in a practice test. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ezra open the class roster. He squinted, sharply analyzing Chloe’s name and GPA statistics. Ezra’s voice—panic, confusion, frustration—filled my head again. “Why is she asking about her?” “Chloe is a girl. A girl who stole her ex-boyfriend. Why does Riley care?” “Chloe’s grades are trash. Her features are average. Her skin routine is lacking. Visually, she is zero threat to me.” “But Riley mentioned her. Is she hinting at something?” “I’m so stupid. I can’t read my wife’s mind at all. I’m a failure of a husband. Partners who can’t anticipate needs deserve to perish.” I listened to his internal monologue spiral into insanity. I was terrified he was going to do something drastic. I quickly put down my pen and patted his hand to calm him down. The moment my skin touched his, Ezra went rigid. His back snapped straight, and a stifled groan escaped his throat. His eyes lost focus. A sheen of sweat instantly broke out across his forehead. It felt like I hadn’t touched his hand, but a trigger on a bomb. I pulled back, startled. I didn’t know what to do, but looking at his flushed, damp face, I gulped. My gaze drifted lower. There was a suspicious shadow on his blue uniform trousers. I froze. Ezra sensed my shock. He tried to maintain composure, leveraging his height to stand up, forcing his voice to remain steady. “Excuse me. Bathroom.” But his retreat was frantic. He looked like he was shattering. I reached out to wipe a drop of sweat he’d left on my exam paper. It was still warm. 3 The moment Ezra left, Noah, the Academic Rep, pounced on my desk with a stack of papers. “Riley! Finally, I caught you alone.” Noah looked like he was about to cry tears of joy. I blinked, realizing that since the seat change, Ezra had been acting like a guard dog, fiercely patrolling his territory. Nobody dared approach. Noah raced against the clock to ask me questions. Just as I finished explaining the last calculus problem, Ezra appeared in the doorway. His gloomy eyes fixed silently on Noah. He had cleaned himself up. He looked elegant, composed again. His dark hair fell over his pale forehead. His collar was buttoned all the way up, hiding his collarbones. He looked like the picture of abstinence—a cold, distant moon. But his thoughts were feral. He was screaming internally, blinded by jealousy. “Noah definitely wants her. That scheming little rat. The moment I leave, he swoops in to seduce her.” “She’s teaching him math. I’m in hell. I’m in agony. Why does she give everyone a chance? I’m going to lose my mind.” “Everyone is trying so hard. I have so many rivals. I’m so mediocre compared to them.” “I have an ugly personality. I’m socially awkward. The only thing keeping my status is my GPA. No, even my GPA isn’t perfect. I didn’t get a 4.0 flat. I’m a failure. No wonder she’s looking for a side piece.” By the end, I could hear a suppressed sob in his mind. Noah felt Ezra’s death stare and practically sprinted back to his seat. Ezra slowly sat down. He stared silently at his stack of workbooks and started solving problems. As he worked, I heard the sound of broken sobbing in my head. 4 Ezra sat next to me every day, radiating despair. The forecast on his face was always ‘cloudy with a chance of doom.’ But he worked harder than ever, as if trying to defend his title as the “Main Boyfriend” (in his head). I didn’t understand why he linked being Valedictorian to being my husband, but seeing such a beautiful boy crying internally every day… Fine. I felt bad for him. I stopped slacking off. With finals approaching, I made Ezra my target. I chased his score. Every quiz, every test, our names were right next to each other. Eventually, the class got used to it. People started joking. “It used to be Carter at #1. Now it’s Ezra. It’s not like the Valedictorian changed, it’s like Riley changed boyfriends.” “Our eternal #2 only dates the guy at the top.” “Honestly, Carter has no taste. He downgraded to Chloe, and now he’s out of the top ten.” At this stage, scores were the only currency that mattered. Nobody cared that Ezra seemed deeply depressed; they just laughed at Carter. In the shadows, Carter’s face went dark. He stared at the ranking board, veins popping in his neck. The weather turned cold, and I caught a flu. I walked back to my desk coughing, only to find cold medicine and a thermos of hot water waiting for me. Ezra spoke concisely. “For you.” I smiled at him and downed the medicine. There was a little residue left in the cup. Ezra calmly took the cup and walked to the storage room to throw it out. I thought that was weird. The trash can by the back door was closer. I quietly followed him and cracked the storage room door open. Ezra was leaning against the wall. He held the cup with one hand, the other hidden behind some boxes. His head was bowed, staring at the lipstick stain on the rim. A trembling growl vibrated in his throat. His gaze was obsessive, greedy. He had unbuttoned two buttons of his shirt. He was breathing hard. He swallowed, then slowly extended his tongue to trace the rim where my lips had been. The moment his tongue touched the stain, his back muscles seized. His fingers tightened around the cup, the plastic crunching under the pressure. My eyes went wide. I gasped. Ezra snapped his head up. His eyes were red-rimmed and wild, staring at me like a dangerous wolf.

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My husband had initiated a delayed mail service with the post office right before his plane crash. So, for eight years after his death, I continued to receive handwritten letters he had penned long ago. In the first letter, he bequeathed his entire estate to my stepsister, Savannah. I went completely insane and smashed everything in our house. In the second letter, he asked Savannah to look after our daughter, unaware that I was being forced to kneel outside the hospital entrance, begging Savannah for Maisie’s medical funds. In the third letter, he mentioned arranging medical care for my mother, completely ignorant that Savannah had her committed to a state psychiatric hospital. It wasn’t until the day I received the ninety-ninth letter. I walked in on him and Savannah passionately kissing at her birthday party. Seeing me, my husband, Liam Harrington, did the unprecedented and actually deigned to offer an explanation. “Skylar, I just lost a game of Truth or Dare. I’ve only been faking my death for eight years, I never meant to deceive you.” I nodded, my voice flat. “Hmm, I understand. Please, continue.” Liam’s eyes flickered, clearly stunned by my composure. After all, the old me would go ballistic in front of a camera every time one of his letters arrived. Everyone called me a basket case, a disgrace to my billionaire husband’s legacy. But he didn’t know that I only had three days left to live. 1 A brief silence followed before the two caught on to the deeper strangeness of the situation. Liam looked up sharply, meeting my eyes, the raw desire in his gaze vanishing in a blink. He spoke, his expression complex. “It was just a lost bet, a penalty.” I didn’t know if he meant the forbidden kiss or the eight years of fake death. Either way, I was dying soon, and nothing mattered anymore. I nodded again, devoid of emotion. “Yes, I know. Go on.” The calm, collected mask Liam wore began to crack. “Skylar, do you have some kind of cuckold fetish? You want to stay and watch me kiss your sister?” Recalling the end-of-life agreement I’d signed that morning, I offered a soft rebuttal. “Sister? The woman who shares my father’s mistress’s blood? She’s a sister by technicality only. Does she deserve the title?” “As for fetishes, Liam, I certainly wouldn’t presume to compete with you.” Liam’s face visibly darkened. Truthfully, before I even pushed open the door to the private room, I’d heard their conversation. “Darling, it’s been eight years. Why don’t we just make this fake affair real?” Liam had looked down at the wedding ring on his finger, his tone full of confident arrogance. “Silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about? Forget eight years—Skylar would wait eighteen years for me.” I stood outside the door and smiled faintly. Eight years, eighteen years—I wouldn’t even survive eight more days. Turning away in a numb daze, I heard Liam chasing after me. “Skylar, have you and Maisie been well all these years?” He had no idea our daughter was in a persistent vegetative state after a brutal car accident that happened right after his “death.” And he didn’t know that I had spent the last eight years draining my own life force to keep her medical bills paid. I didn’t turn around. I gritted my teeth. “It’s none of your business.” Liam sighed, his voice laced with annoyance. “All these years, and you’re still so petty. I only lost a bet. Do you really need to give me such attitude?” “I’m back now. What is there left to be dramatic about? The make-up wedding I promised you is set for three days from now.” “Skylar, don’t be late.” My steps froze. When we first married, we were poor and never had a real wedding. After he got rich, every time Liam brought up planning one for me, Savannah would inevitably interrupt. I had pleaded, I had cried, but nothing had worked. Liam had sworn to me then that he would one day give me a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime wedding. Now that the promise was finally being fulfilled, I no longer wanted it. Because my final, scheduled euthanasia was also set for three days from now. 2 Just as I was about to leave, Savannah’s falsely sweet voice echoed behind me. “Skylar, you’re here for this month’s stipend, aren’t you? I already wired the funds. Make sure you check it.” I glanced at my phone. She had transferred two hundred and fifty dollars. Ever since Liam’s plane crash eight years ago, Savannah had controlled our family’s finances. When Maisie was critically injured, I was beside myself with grief and panic, and my first instinct was to beg Savannah for money. But after hearing my desperate plea, Savannah had slowly and deliberately wired me the two hundred and fifty dollars. She had looked at my tear-streaked face and laughed, her body shaking. “Skylar, if that’s not enough, should I send you another two-fifty?” “Oh, well, what can I do? Your husband’s will named me as the sole inheritor.” “How about this? You get down on your knees and admit your mother was the mistress, and I might consider giving you a couple more dollars.” I had snapped, grabbing a steak knife and holding it to her throat, demanding the money. But after she transferred the funds, she immediately called the police. Not only did I have to return the money I was “extorting,” I ended up spending several days in a cell. After I was released, I had no choice but to swallow my pride, beg for loans, and take on huge debt. It was still insufficient. So, I started streaming—performing painful acts and selling my grief to scrape money together. When I finally went to the doctor for a check-up, they handed me a cancer diagnosis. “Ms. Reid, luckily, we found it early. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.” My throat tightened. Because the money I had could only go to one of us: myself or my daughter. I chose Maisie without a second thought. “Oh, darling, it’s all my fault. Skylar has been completely destroying the Harrington family’s reputation all these years.” Savannah’s voice yanked me from the painful memory. A crowd had gathered around us. Someone threw a rotten egg at me and laughed. “Basket case! Are you live-streaming yourself eating fermented shark today, or are you doing your possession act?” “Ugh, I’m sick of that. I think the first time, when she showed up at the airline office and snapped at everyone like a stray dog, was funnier!” “Oh, and the second time, kneeling outside the hospital for alms—that was truly captivating!” As the crowd roared with laughter, Savannah pretended to rush over and comfort me, whispering into my ear. “Skylar, I still have backup copies of your pole-dancing video from that questionable club.” “But I feel like I haven’t seen enough. Can you perform again for your stream? Do it in front of Liam. Let him see just how desperate you are.” Then, she took out her phone and showed me a security video. In the clip, my mother, suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s, was huddled in a corner, crying hysterically over a pillow. “Wake up, baby! Please wake up! It’s my fault! I failed to protect you!” After a few broken sobs, my mother suddenly grabbed her hair and screamed hysterically. “Where am I? Who am I?” Tears sprang to my eyes without warning. I gritted my teeth. “Savannah, don’t push me. I will kill you.” Liam heard me and instantly moved, shielding Savannah behind him. “Skylar, what new tantrum is this? I’m home now. You need to—” Before he could finish, I glimpsed Savannah behind him, waving her phone at me. She mouthed the words: Strip. If you don’t, I’ll make your mother do it. In the security footage, a few male orderlies grabbed my mother’s hair and violently shoved her head into a basin of water. My breathing hitched. Forcing down the white-hot rage, I mechanically unbuttoned my coat in front of everyone. Then I began a stiff, unnatural dance for the camera. Liam’s look shifted instantly from disgust to utter shock. Countless phone lenses focused on me. Curious, greedy, and even pitying eyes scanned my body. As I reached the last layer of clothing, Liam finally lunged forward and delivered a brutal slap, his voice a furious snarl. “Skylar, you really are a lost cause! You’ll never change!” He threw his jacket at me in a crumpled heap, then turned and strode away. Just then, the hospital called. “Ms. Reid, you need to come and settle the bill immediately, or your daughter…” 3 I threw on my coat, rushing to the hospital like a maniac, only to find out that Maisie’s life-saving funds had just been withdrawn by Savannah. I drove straight to Liam’s company. As I reached his office door, Savannah blocked me. “Skylar, you’re so sneaky. Who knew you could transfer so much company public funds right under my nose!” I remembered the hospital, seeing Maisie’s breathing grow faint and shallow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I forced myself to explain, fighting my anger. “Give me the money back! It’s my daughter’s life support!” It was the money I had earned through eight years of humiliating, soul-crushing live streams. But then, the company’s CFO brought out a security video. The footage showed a woman who looked exactly like me secretly opening the company safe. She brazenly stuffed all the cash inside her bag. But that woman was not me! Savannah smiled a strange, cold smile. “Skylar, didn’t you always call my mother a mistress when we were kids?” “You were so vicious back then, forcing my mother and me to live on the streets for years!” “And now? For money, there’s nothing you won’t do!” I bit down hard, denying it. “This money is what I earned!” Savannah scoffed. “You? If you admit you sold your body for it, I’ll return it.” I glared at her, eventually giving up and hammering on the office door. “Liam! Get out here!” The door opened from the inside. Liam looked annoyed. “Why aren’t you with Maisie? Talk to Savannah. I’m in a meeting!” Ignoring the glaring red lipstick smear on his collar, I rushed forward and grabbed his arm. “Don’t leave! Savannah took Maisie’s medical funds. Maisie is…” Before I could finish, Liam yanked his arm free. “Skylar, why are you so obsessed with money? All you ever do is use our daughter to manipulate me!” The office door slammed shut. At the same time, the nurse sent me a video. “Ms. Reid, please come quickly. The child isn’t going to last much longer.” In the video, Maisie was already struggling to breathe and convulsing from lack of oxygen. Savannah clicked her tongue, a fake smile plastered on her face. “Aww, poor thing. Skylar, are you going to get down on your knees and beg me now?” I didn’t hesitate. I cast aside all my dignity and fell to my knees with a thud, steeling myself to plead. “Savannah, I was wrong before. Please, I’m begging you, have mercy and save my daughter.” Savannah looked triumphant, humming softly. “Finally admitting your mistakes? Hmm, I don’t think you sound sincere enough.” She extended one foot, her expression suggestive. “Oh, my shoes are dirty. If only someone could clean them for me.” I bit down so hard on the inside of my cheek I tasted blood. I rolled up my sleeve, ready to wipe her shoe clean. But Savannah leaned down and whispered, “My shoes are very expensive. Don’t get your filthy clothes on them. Lick them clean.” I trembled violently, my fists clenched, but eventually, I lowered my head. After I was done, I looked up, speaking each word distinctly. “Savannah. Can you please transfer the money to the hospital account now?” Savannah kicked me away, a look of utter contempt on her face. “Yes, yes, I know. You’re so annoying.” Just as she reached for her phone, it rang again. The nurse was crying when she spoke four devastating words to me. “The child is gone…” My body seized up. I ran to the hospital like a lunatic. By the time I arrived, Maisie’s tiny body was already covered by a sterile white sheet. The small life I had carried for nine months and fought so hard for had utterly stopped breathing. A deafening ringing filled my ears. I collapsed to the floor, weeping until my tears ran dry, then violently vomited a mouthful of blood before finally losing consciousness. When I woke up, I dialed Liam’s number. “Liam. Maisie is gone.” The man on the other end was silent for two seconds, then sighed. “Can you stop with the dramatics? Savannah gives you two hundred and fifty thousand dollars a month for support. Isn’t that enough?” Two hundred and fifty thousand? It appeared Liam was completely oblivious to the eight years of abuse Savannah had inflicted. Before I could speak, Savannah’s sickly sweet voice cooed into the phone. “Darling, can you come rub my back? Being pregnant is such a chore. I even need your help to shower.” My heart felt like it was being violently squeezed, the pain so intense I couldn’t breathe. The call ended abruptly. I don’t know how I managed to grit my teeth and arrange my daughter’s funeral. When she was cremated, I couldn’t even cry anymore. The attendant handed me the soft pink and blue urn I had personally chosen for Maisie, sighing a sympathetic “Take care of yourself.” I clutched the urn tightly and went home to pack my bags. As I dragged my suitcase out, Liam walked in the door. I didn’t look up, my voice flat and emotionless. “Liam. Maisie is dead. Let’s get a divorce.”

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1 Fresh out of college, I had an idea. “Let’s all rent a place together,” I suggested to my three roommates. The apartment I found was a steal—close to my new job, surprisingly cheap, and a world away from the cramped suburban box they were currently renting. It was a massive upgrade. For three months, everything was perfect. We were a happy little family. Then one day, I came home from work early and heard them talking in the living room. “I looked it up,” one of them said, her voice sharp with excitement. “Rent in this neighborhood is at least five grand a month. We’re paying two thousand for the whole place. What if we rent out the master bedroom for two grand? Then our three rooms would basically be free.” “Done,” another voice snapped. “Why does Anna get the master suite anyway? So what if she covers the utilities? How much can that possibly be?” “I’m so sick of her holier-than-thou attitude,” the third one chimed in with a spiteful laugh. “The thought of her, homeless and out on the street… I could die laughing!” I smiled to myself on the other side of the door. You want to see me on the street? Too bad for them. I’m the owner. … The voices inside continued, blissfully unaware. “Anyway, the lease is up in three days. We just tell her we’re not renewing with her.” “Haha, serves her right. Always bossing us around, acting like she owns the place.” “And that whole story about it being her ‘relative’s apartment,’ and that’s why it’s so cheap and we have to ‘take care of it’? Who buys that crap?” “I already contacted the landlord. He said we can have it for the next term, same price.” Just like that, my fate was decided. They seemed to have forgotten everything. How, fresh out of college, they were too broke to afford anything near the city. How they were crammed into a tiny place in the far-off suburbs, waking up at four in the morning for a grueling three-hour commute of buses and trains. It was me who couldn’t stand to see them suffer. It was me who lied, saying a relative had a cheap place available, and invited them to move in. The truth? This apartment was a graduation gift from my parents. A four-bedroom, two-bath prime piece of real estate right next to my office. A five-minute walk to work. I could have rented it out in a heartbeat. But my parents always taught me to be discreet about our wealth. So I never told them I was the owner. I charged them a token rent of five hundred dollars each and covered all the utilities and building fees myself. And this was my reward. My kindness, thrown back in my face like trash. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door open. The laughter in the room died instantly. The air went still. Lily was the first to recover, stretching her lips into a fake, bright smile. “Anna! You’re home early. Have you eaten? We made some pasta, come have some.” She pulled me into a chair at the dining table. After clearing her throat, she began her little performance. “So, Anna… the landlord called. He was asking if we’re planning to renew the lease.” I just slurped my pasta, saying nothing. She watched my face, trying to read my expression, before continuing. “We’ve decided not to.” My hand paused. I looked up, feigning confusion. “We found a cheaper place,” she said, her eyes darting away from mine. “You only wanted to room with us because you couldn’t afford the whole rent on your own, right? So now that we’re leaving, you’ll probably move out too, won’t you?” My voice was flat. “It’s fine. If you guys leave, I’ll just take over the whole lease. I finished a big project at work, so I’m getting a nice bonus.” Lily’s smile faltered. “But… it’s such a big place for one person. Isn’t that a waste? Listen to me, you should find a small studio. You’d save so much money.” If I hadn’t heard their little scheme with my own ears, I might have actually believed she was concerned about me. “I’m used to it here,” I said simply. “Too lazy to move.” “Anna!” Jenna, who had been silent until now, finally exploded. She slammed her fork down on the table. “I was trying to be nice, but you’re just not getting the hint!” “So let me spell it out for you. We don’t want to live with you anymore. We want you to move out on your own, so don’t force us to get ugly about it!” I stared at her, my expression cold. “I found this apartment. I signed the contract. Why should I be the one to leave just because you say so?” Ava, who had been quiet the whole time, finally spoke. “Anna, living with you… it’s been really difficult. If we keep this up, I’m afraid we won’t even be friends anymore.” Ava was supposed to be my best friend. Her background was tough. Her mom left right after she was born, and her father was a gambling addict who’d beat her when he was drunk. She fought tooth and nail to get into college, but her dad wanted to marry her off to some old creep for cash. I was the one who helped her escape in the middle of the night, who walked her through applying for student loans, who split my allowance with her for four years so she could get by. After graduation, I couldn’t bear the thought of her tiny frame being crushed on the subway every day. That’s why I suggested we live together. I even invited the other two, just so she wouldn’t feel like she was accepting my charity. Ava bit her lip, her eyes pleading. “You always wanted what was best for me. Just agree to move out this one time. We can still be best friends.” I looked at her, my face a blank mask. Then, I smiled. “Fine,” I said. “I’ll move.” Their faces lit up. They started babbling about how we’d still be great friends, even after I was gone. I didn’t want to hear another word. I turned and walked back to my room. The moment the door clicked shut, I pulled out my phone and dialed my property manager, Mr. Henderson. “The rent is going up to six thousand a month.” It didn’t take long for a knock to sound on my door. I opened it to find the three of them standing there, their faces contorted with rage. Jenna shoved me hard. “You called the landlord and told him to raise the rent, didn’t you!” My back hit the corner of a desk, and a sharp pain shot through me. Ava’s eyes were red. “How about this,” she said, her voice laced with a false sense of compromise. “You go talk to your ‘relative’ and get him to keep the rent at two thousand. And you give us the master bedroom. If you do that, we’ll still be willing to live with you.” I crossed my arms, looking at her coldly. “And where would I sleep?” “On the couch, obviously,” Lily answered, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “So I pay rent to sleep on the couch?” “Get it through your head,” Jenna sneered. “You’re the one begging to stay with us. You should be grateful we’re even offering you the couch.” Ava linked her arm through mine, her tone sickeningly sweet. “We’re best friends, Anna. Of course I’m looking out for you.” “I’ve already found you a new place. It’s fully furnished, you can move in right away. And the best part? It’s only thirty feet from the office. Perfect for a workaholic like you.” “Where?” She covered her mouth, stifling a giggle. “Rex’s doghouse.” “It’s right by the security guard’s booth at the office. How’s that for a short commute? And in the winter, Rex can keep your bed warm for free!” Jenna snickered. “Wow, Ava, and you call yourself her best friend? Sending her to a doghouse, that’s just cold! But hey…” Her eyes landed on me, a malicious grin spreading across her face. “Don’t forget to pay Ava a finder’s fee, Anna! A move-in ready place like that is hard to come by, hahaha!” Ava waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, it’s nothing. What are friends for?” I watched their little performance, my blood turning to ice. I didn’t say a word. Ava’s face suddenly turned serious. “Anna, living with you has been exhausting. You’re such a control freak. We can’t hang anything on the walls, we can’t decorate our own rooms, you even nag us if a single hair falls on the floor. We can’t take it anymore.” “You’ve practically given me depression. So, you should probably pay our rent for the next quarter. Consider it compensation for our emotional distress.” I almost laughed out loud. I didn’t want them putting things on the walls because the latex paint was a custom color; if it was damaged, it would be impossible to match perfectly. I didn’t want them “decorating” because their brilliant idea was to knock down a load-bearing wall to make their room bigger. And I complained about the hair because they never, ever cleaned the drain after showering. Their hair had clogged the pipes so badly it flooded the apartment below us, and I had to secretly pay a fortune to sort it out. In the six months they’d lived here, the money I’d spent fixing their messes and covering costs far exceeded the pittance they paid in rent. And now, they wanted me to pay them for emotional distress. Hilarious. “Either you move out, or I do and you can pay the full six thousand a month yourselves.” With that, I slammed the door in their faces. From the other side, I heard their furious shouts. “Anna, you’re pushing your luck!” “Don’t make us do something you’ll regret!” The next day, I didn’t get home from work until eleven at night. When I reached my front door, I froze. My belongings were piled in the hallway like a heap of garbage. I tried my key code again and again, but the door wouldn’t open. They had changed the lock. A hot wave of fury washed over me. I pulled out my phone and called my dad. “Dad, can you call a courier service? I need something delivered here, right now…” After hanging up, I started pounding on the door. The loud bangs echoed through the quiet hallway. It didn’t take long for doors to open. Neighbors, annoyed by the noise, poked their heads out, demanding to know what was going on. Someone even called security. As a crowd gathered, the door finally clicked open. Jenna stood there in her pajamas, a face mask on, frowning. “What the hell are you screaming about? I’m trying to get my beauty sleep.” I clenched my fists, forcing my voice to stay even. I pointed to the mountain of my things on the floor. “What gives you the right to throw my stuff out?” Ava appeared behind her, casting a timid glance in my direction. “Anna, we didn’t have a choice… Please, just give us a break…” She then shot a look at Lily. Lily immediately understood. She turned to the growing crowd of neighbors and the security guard, her voice loud and dramatic. “Uncles, aunts, everyone, please, be the judge! We all rent this apartment together, and she brings different men home every single night! The noises they make… the things they do… it’s so loud we can’t get any sleep.” She turned back to me, her eyes pleading. “We know you have a… special kind of job, that you have to work at night, and we don’t judge you for it. But we have to get up early for work! Please, we’re begging you, find somewhere else to live.” The moment the words left her mouth, the way the neighbors looked at me changed. Their curiosity turned to disgust, as if I were something filthy. Ava bowed deeply to the crowd, her face a mask of apology. “We’re so sorry to disturb you all. Her lease is up, and we already told her we wouldn’t be renewing with her. The landlord doesn’t want her here either. But she just refuses to leave. We had no other choice… We’re truly sorry for waking everyone.” Whispers rippled through the crowd. “She looks like such a nice girl, I can’t believe she does that…” “No wonder she comes home so late every night…” “How unlucky to live on the same floor as her!” A middle-aged woman pointed a finger at me, her voice shrill with anger. “Was it you who was blasting music and jumping around the other night? The bass was shaking my whole apartment! I didn’t get a wink of sleep!” I was out of town on a business trip all last week. I had only just gotten back yesterday. A flicker of guilt crossed Jenna’s face, but she quickly pointed at me. “Yes! That was her!” Another neighbor stepped forward. “And was it your long hair that clogged the drains and flooded my bathroom downstairs?” Ava, the one with the longest hair who never cleaned the drain, froze for a second before turning to me with a frown. “Anna, I’ve told you so many times to clean your hair out of the shower. Why don’t you ever listen?” “Was she the one who wanted to knock down a load-bearing wall? She nearly turned the whole building into a death trap!” Lily, who had dreamed of expanding her room by smashing through a wall, just nodded grimly. “That’s right, it was her! We tried to stop her, but she wouldn’t listen!” The neighbors’ anger was fully ignited. “She’s a menace! Get her out of our building!” “Security! Throw her out!” “Call the police! Get her arrested!” The security guard, seeing the mob mentality taking over, grabbed my arm and started to pull me away. I was furious, desperate. “I’m the owner of this apartment!” I yelled. “You have no right to throw me out!” Jenna let out a derisive snort. “If you’re the owner, then I’m the Queen of England!” Ava looked at me with pity. “Anna, I’ve already called the landlord. He’s on his way. If you leave now, you can still keep a little dignity. It’s going to be much worse when he gets here and kicks you out himself.” I was shaking with rage. “Fine! Get your ‘landlord’ here! I’d love to see how he plans on kicking me out of my own home!” “Who’s looking for me?” I turned to see a blond punk, radiating cheap arrogance, swaggering through the crowd. “I’m the landlord. You got a problem?” he asked, his eyes raking over me dismissively. “Where’s Mr. Henderson?” I demanded, frowning. My property had always been managed by him, and he was nothing but professional. “So you did your homework, huh? You even know my uncle’s name. Well, I’ll tell you. My uncle’s out of town. This place,” he jabbed a thumb at my apartment, “is my responsibility now.” He pointed a finger in my face. “I’ve heard all about you from these lovely ladies. I don’t rent my property to filthy, immoral people like you! If you know what’s good for you, you’ll grab your junk and get lost!” I stared him down. “Do you even know whose name is on the property deed? And you have the nerve to tell me to get lost?” “It’s my uncle’s place, so of course his name is on the deed! Whose else would it be? Yours?” the punk scoffed. Ava stepped forward. “Anna, just stop. The landlord is here. It’s over.” The punk ignored me, strutting into the apartment. He did a quick tour and came back out, his face twisted in a snarl. “Hey! Where’s that big Lego set that was on the TV stand? Did you steal it?” “That was a limited edition set! Worth twenty thousand dollars! You better hand it over right now!” That Lego set? My little niece loved it when she visited last week, so I gave it to her. “It was my property. Do I need your permission to give away my own things?” “Your property? That belongs to the landlord… my uncle!” the punk sputtered, practically hopping with fake rage. Lily immediately jumped in to support him. “We can vouch for that! That Lego set has been there since we moved in. How could it be yours? It obviously belongs to the landlord!” Ava frowned. “Anna, you should really try to get it back. Stealing is a crime. If the landlord calls the police, you’ll be in serious trouble.” I watched them, a symphony of lies, and felt a wave of disgusted disbelief. “Then call the police,” I said. My calm indifference was the final straw. “You bitch! Stealing and you’re still this arrogant!” His hand flew out, and a sharp sting exploded across my cheek. A loud smack echoed in the hallway. My ears rang, and I could taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. Ava stepped in, stopping the punk from hitting me again. “Let it go, let it go. It’s probably hard to get back something you’ve already given away. Anna, why don’t you just pay for it? Since the landlord says it’s worth twenty thousand, just give him the money. You… you make money easily, right? A little sum like that is nothing to you. Just pay him and this will all be over.” I had to laugh. The Lego set looked impressive, but it was a model kit I bought for three hundred dollars. It all clicked into place. The glances between them and this punk. This was a setup. They were in this together, trying to extort money from me. Seeing my lack of reaction, the punk shoved me again. “Hey! Did you hear me? Pay up! Or I’m calling the cops and having you thrown in jail for a few years!” “I told you, it was my property!” “Goddamn it, you just don’t learn!” he snarled, raising his hand to slap me again. He hit me so hard I stumbled and fell, my vision swimming with black spots. Jenna’s eyes darted around, then she pointed at my luggage. “She’s a thief! I better check my things, make sure she didn’t steal anything of mine!” She crouched down and started rummaging through my suitcase. She pulled out a gold necklace, a flash of envy in her eyes. She held it up for everyone to see. “Oh my god! My gold necklace! I’ve been looking for this for ages! I can’t believe it was in your suitcase!” “Ava, Lily! Come look! I bet she stole a ton of our stuff!” At her words, Lily’s eyes lit up, and she joined the plunder. Like vultures, they tore through my belongings, pulling out jewelry and brand-name makeup, claiming each item as their own and stuffing them into their pockets. The other neighbors, seeing this, started to get restless. Ava smiled sweetly at the crowd. “Uncles, aunts, maybe you should all have a look too. See if she’s taken anything of yours.” That was all it took. The crowd swarmed forward like a plague of locusts. CRASH! The trophy I won in a college competition was knocked to the floor and shattered. RIIIP! The sweater my mother had hand-knitted for me was torn apart. My down jacket was slashed open, and feathers filled the air like a bizarre snowstorm. I even saw a greasy-looking man pick up a pair of my underwear, take a deep, disturbing sniff, and shove it into his pocket. “Stop! All of you, stop!” I screamed and lunged forward, only to be shoved back to the ground. Ava stood over me, a look of pure, innocent malice on her face. “You know,” she said conversationally, “I wonder if she’s hiding the rest of the stolen goods on her person.” Every eye in the hallway swiveled to me. The blond punk licked his lips. “Strip her! Let’s see what she’s hiding under there!” “You touch me,” I snarled, “and I swear I will make you regret it for the rest of your life!” “Ooh, I’m so scared,” he mocked. “Let’s see what you’re gonna do.” He reached for the collar of my shirt. I fought back with everything I had, but Jenna and Lily pinned my arms and legs down. Ava raised her phone, capturing me at my most broken and helpless. She mouthed two words at me, a silent, vicious curse. You. Deserve. This. In that moment, a tidal wave of regret crashed over me. I had invited these wolves into my home.

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Three years after being taken back home, I jumped from a high-rise. My soul floated in the air, wanting to see how my parents and brother, who had always despised me, would weep bitterly and regret their actions. But my father only shook his head indifferently, looked at my body, and said one word: “Childish.” My mother pursed her lips, sighing in relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted. My brother blocked the fake heiress’s view, sparing her the sight of my gruesome death. However, the fake heiress was still scared to tears, prompting the whole family to hug and comfort her immediately. I stared for a long time, then let out a self-deprecating, relieved laugh. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the moment I was first brought home. 01 Realizing I had been reborn, I sat in silence for a long time. My parents in front of me, eyes red, were talking about how much they missed me over the years and their guilt towards me. They had missed me for ten years! In my previous life, I was moved to tears, threw myself into their arms, and naively thought I had a home. I had people who loved me! However, three years later, I was tearing at my own hair, crying and screaming, jumping off a building in front of them, trying to exchange my death for a shred of their love. But, no one had ever loved me. So, at this moment, I felt nothing, calm as a log. “Sweetie, are you still not used to this? It’s okay, Mom will take you to pick a room first. Choose any one you like!” Seeing my silence, my mom pulled my hand and walked towards the third floor. My dad followed with a smile, while calling my brother, Liam, urging him to come home quickly. Liam only replied with one word: “Busy.” My dad was displeased. My mom looked a bit embarrassed and explained to me: “Your brother is a busy man. Most of the group’s affairs are handed over to him. He can only come back on weekends.” In my previous life, I believed it. In this life, I didn’t care. Believing it was fine. On the third floor, every room was brightly decorated, full of warmth and girlish charm. “Aurora, choose. You can live in any room!” My dad said with a smile. My gaze locked onto the one closest to the stairs. Inside, on the bed, sat a fluffy panda. In my previous life, I was attracted at first glance. Mistakenly thinking my parents loved me very much, I chose that room directly. I liked that panda. However, my parents’ expressions changed slightly. They exchanged a look and quickly smiled: “Aurora, forgot to tell you, this is your sister Bella’s room. “Bella is very sensible. She specifically cleared her room and said you could choose it too. You should live in this most spacious one…” I blinked then, grateful: “Sister gave me her room? She’s so nice.” I still liked that panda, and that room. My parents exchanged looks again, hesitating to speak. But I, overjoyed, had already run in and hugged the panda without hesitation. Just then, Bella came back with her schoolbag. 02 Bella was the same age as me, 15. She was much more mature than me, not as naive and ignorant. Seeing me barge into her room, she pursed her lips and forced a dimpled smile: “Heard sister is back, I took leave to rush back. Sister likes this room? Then you stay here.” After speaking, she bit her lip and looked away. My parents took in all her changes. My mom rushed in to pull me: “Aurora, choose another room. This one is too big, I don’t think it’s good.” “Why isn’t it good?” I was confused. I also subtly sensed the change in atmosphere. But how could I understand what was wrong back then? My parents cried for me, loved me so much. Bella voluntarily cleared the room for me to choose. Clearly, I was their biological daughter. Was it wrong to choose a room I liked? So, I was full of questions. My mom’s expression changed again, hesitating. My dad became much more stern, also silent. Bella came over to help me make the bed: “Sister, you stay here. This home is yours, stay wherever you want.” 03 I stayed. In the village, I only dealt with pots, pans, and fields. Coming to the city, I still only knew how to deal with pots, pans, and fields. But in the city, there were no pots, pans, and fields. So, I didn’t understand what was wrong. I stayed in Bella’s room for only half a day before being dragged out by my brother Liam who rushed back. He was furious, dragging me, who was reading, to the door, scolding with hatred: “Do you have any manners? This is Bella’s room. You occupy the magpie’s nest, have you no shame!” I was stunned, not just because it was the first time meeting my brother. But because I couldn’t understand, how did I occupy the magpie’s nest? I was scared and called for Mom and Dad. My parents rushed up. Liam attacked first: “Mom, Dad, how did you arrange this? This is Bella’s room. Treating them differently like this, aren’t you chilling Bella’s heart?” “This…” My parents looked conflicted, not knowing what to say. I keenly caught the flash of anger in my mom’s eyes. That was the look directed at me. I froze. I was very familiar with this look. My dead adoptive father liked to look at me like this when he was alive. Mom was angry at me! It turned out, I was really the magpie. 04 The magpie stood carefully on the wire, enduring year after year. Finally, jumped off the high building. It was so stupid. In this life, I can’t be stupid anymore. In this life, I want to not fight, not grab, not cry, not make noise, and of course, not love them anymore. I smiled very faintly in my heart and pointed to the smallest room at the far end. “I want that one.” My parents were stunned, then showed relieved expressions, pretending to blame: “That’s the storage room. Why choose that? Pick again.” “I’m used to living in small rooms, feels safer.” My tone carried a hint of self-mockery. My parents sighed and agreed. They just agreed so smoothly to let their biological daughter, who returned after ten years of separation, live in the storage room. The fake heiress Bella came back at the right time. She ran upstairs, clearly surprised to see me entering the storage room. I glanced at her, calm. She thought I didn’t know. She deliberately put a panda in her room to lure me into choosing it. From the first day I came home, I fell into her carefully laid trap. She spent three years fighting with me for the family’s love and won completely. And I, used death to realize a truth. The best way to get love is to love yourself. 05 I moved into the storage room and closed the door. Bella brought the panda doll over: “Sister, giving you a doll, you must like it.” “I don’t like dolls, thanks.” I responded through the door, taking out the textbooks I brought from the countryside. At the moment of rebirth, I had a plan. I want to love myself. There are many ways to love oneself. For the current me, achieving success and being independent is the best way. “Does sister not like me? Also true, I’m the one occupying the magpie’s nest…” Bella said dejectedly outside the door. Seemingly talking to me, but actually for the parents to hear. The parents were still there. Sure enough, my mom quickly comforted her: “Your sister is probably just tired and needs rest. Don’t overthink it.” My dad also spoke: “Bella, don’t overthink. In this home, no one is occupying the magpie’s nest.” Actually, there is. It’s me.

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