Category: English

Five years after our breakup, my ex-boyfriend’s sister exposed me on a reality show. “My brother dated this girl once. A total gold digger.” “After they broke up, she sent him hundreds of texts begging to get back together.” “But, you know, I deleted all of them.” Netizens immediately pinned the “gold digger” label on me, a washed-up actress. To grab headlines, the paparazzi dug me out from a pile of “dead bodies” on set. I wiped a smudge of ash from my face and smiled at the camera: “We really weren’t close. Otherwise, would I be here playing a corpse?” The interview video blew up. Ethan Sterling flew back from overseas. That night, I saw him at my apartment door. “Not close? So for all those years, I was sleeping with a ghost?” 1 After the clip of Bella Sterling exposing me aired, it simmered overnight and hit the top trending spot. On screen, she smiled nonchalantly at the camera, dispensing justice and executing the gold digger. “Anyone with eyes could see she was after our family’s money. My brother actually thought she was innocent.” “You know, those girls who pretend to be innocent are actually the scariest. None of our friends in the circle liked her.” “But my brother was like he was under a spell. He almost turned against the family for her.” “My mom wanted to break them up forcefully back then. I advised her not to ruin her relationship with her son over a gold digger.” “Later, I had to infiltrate from the inside and use some tricks to make that woman reveal her true colors.” “I really saved my brother’s life. For families like ours, marriage must be a match of equal status so both families can be satisfied.” Bella entered the entertainment industry with the title of a wealthy heiress. Publicly, she was the daughter of Sterling Real Estate. Naturally, everyone assumed the “brother” she mentioned was the heir to Sterling Real Estate. But in reality, Sterling Real Estate was just a small asset of the Sterling family empire. But I digress. Playing a dead body means you can’t check your phone. I only heard about what Bella said on the show from the paparazzo next to me. Somehow, connecting the dots of the past, the public’s gaze turned to me, a has-been star. “Is it really not you?” The director yelled “Cut,” and the paparazzo and I crawled up from the ground. He was dedicated. To dig up news, he snuck in to play a corpse with me. I dusted off my gray robe and grinned: “Really not me. If I could climb up to such a high-status young master, would I need to be here playing a dead body?” He spat out a blade of grass. “Stop pretending. I’ve been watching you since you debuted. I could never get a shot of your ex-boyfriend back then. Now with this scoop, doesn’t it fit perfectly?” I ignored him, bending over to fish out a crumpled business card from my robe and jeans pocket. I stuffed it into his hand ingratiatingly: “Boss, remember to call me if you have work. Dead bodies, corpses, background filler—I can do it all. My professional ability is guaranteed.” This paparazzo had been betting on me since my debut. In my peak years, he bought a condo in LA just by making up dirt on me. All these years, as I faded into obscurity, only this guy still had hope, always expecting me to make a grand comeback like a queen reclaiming her throne. He snatched the card, cursing. “I’m convinced, Chloe. If you were a stock, I’d have lost my underwear betting on you all these years.” “Chloe, you were so glorious back then. How did you end up like this?” I sighed and rubbed my hands. “A hero doesn’t mention past bravery. Rain, just throw some work my way in the future, and I’ll be grateful.” I looked at his back, craning my neck to shout again: “Rain! I can play anything! Just give me a role!” The autumn wind was cold. I looked away and wrapped my robe tighter. If he hadn’t mentioned the past, I might have really forgotten. Glorious. I was very glorious once. 2 At eighteen, I was selected from an open casting call at the film academy. At nineteen, I exploded into stardom. The tabloids criticized me daily, but were somehow friendly. Vanity Fair was the most exaggerated, writing headlines praising me as the brightest star in the galaxy. I lived up to expectations, skyrocketing in popularity in a short time. In my brightest year, my face was on billboards from New York to LA. Bella always said I relied on her brother, aiming for their money. Others might not know, but Ethan knew best. I met him when I was nineteen. Back then, I had boundless prospects and was arrogant. He didn’t know how to pursue someone, only how to throw money: “Be with me, and I’ll invest in your movies.” I threw the money back in his face, chin high: “I need you to invest? Directors are lining up to give me scripts.” He smiled, not angry, and reached out to stop the people behind him who were pointing fingers at me. After that, he changed his approach, lowering his proud stance. He squeezed into buses with me to shoot in the mountains, huddled in rental apartments with me, cooked for me, made soup. I took it for granted, patting his shoulder, honored for him: “I’m a superstar! Others can’t even dream of cooking for me!” “In the future, when I win the Oscar and I’m famous worldwide, you’ll have face too. Tell me, in this sea of people, how did you pick a treasure like me?” Ethan ran his fingers through my long hair, unconditionally agreeing with all my nonsensical words. “That’s why I say I have good taste. I knew you’d make it since you were little.” Back then, I saw Ethan as no different from those other second-generation rich kids, except for a good-looking skin. He really liked me then. The patience cultivated from a privileged upbringing was all spent on me. I became famous early, young and aggressive, proud and arrogant, not knowing how to bow my head. No one restrained me, no one regulated me. I offended quite a few people along the way. At such a young age, I did whatever I wanted in that circle. Not because I was amazing, but because in those years, Ethan was always there to clean up the mess. In those years, if he dared to hand me a sword, I dared to unsheathe it. Female star marrying a tycoon—this pairing is never outdated in any era. At that time, I thought, I was somewhat of a star. If I married Ethan, I wouldn’t say how much face he gained, but at least he wouldn’t lose out. So I naively thought that between us, it was just a matter of my nodding. 3 But later, I saw the true difference between clouds and mud. Ethan’s mother didn’t like me. His friends looked down on me. With my strong self-esteem, I should have broken up with him. But I couldn’t bear it. Couldn’t bear to leave him, couldn’t bear not to love him. I lowered my head, I endured, unwilling to retreat. Bella broke in at this time. She was Ethan’s adopted sister. Her father was the Sterling family driver. When she was five, he died saving Ethan, so the Sterling family adopted her. Maybe it was gratitude, maybe it was childhood friendship. In short, Bella had a lot of say in that circle. The first time she saw me, she showed huge enthusiasm. “Brother, this is the sister-in-law you found for me? So pretty.” She took my arm, pointing at the circle of people, giving orders: “I’m telling you all, be polite to my sister-in-law. With me here, no one can bully her.” In my most confused moments, I treated her as an ally. Asking her about Ethan’s mother’s opinion of me, asking her how to please his mother. Bella comforted me: “Oh, don’t worry, Aunt Lan is just sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. You and my brother just hold on. One day, get pregnant first and tell her later. Give her a grandson, and she’ll be too happy to care.” “At worst, just wait it out. When my brother gets older, she’ll naturally compromise.” Of course, I wasn’t stupid enough to force a marriage with a child. But Bella’s words gave me some confidence at the time. I thought Ethan’s mother was like all mothers in the world, ultimately unable to win against her child. So when Bella told me Ethan’s mother wanted to see me, I believed her. I did the most appropriate makeup, wore the most appropriate clothes, nervous and uneasy. That was the first time I met Ethan’s mother face to face. At such a grand occasion where I clearly shouldn’t have appeared, I intruded rudely without permission. In that moment, I saw thick disgust in Ethan’s mother’s eyes. I looked at Bella, hoping she would say something. She smiled and said ambiguously: “Aunt Lan, don’t blame her. She just wanted to please you too much, so she inevitably lacked a sense of propriety.” My pupils shrank, my whole body cold as ice. The incident was too big. Ethan flew back overnight. The moment he saw me, his eyes were tired: “Chloe, I told you I was making plans, I was thinking of a way. Why were you in such a hurry? Do you know what occasion that was? How many important figures attended? You barged in like that, what do you expect my mom to think of you?” I knew he was fighting with his family, working hard for us. In many sleepless nights, we hugged tightly, hearing him whisper to hold on a little longer. So I knew I was wrong. My eyes were red: “I’m sorry, I was too anxious. It was Bella, she told me to go…” The long confrontation with his family had worn out his patience: “Why blame her? Even if she wanted to help you build a bridge with my mom, you’re an adult. Couldn’t you read the room?” He didn’t believe me, and also thought I was eager for quick success, desperate to climb the social ladder. 4 From then on, we began endless arguments and cold wars. Bella remained the same in front of people, pretending to consider everything for me, acting intimate with me. But behind my back, like everyone else, she despised me. Planning to separate from Ethan was because the messy relationship stagnated my career. On the eve of deciding to separate, Bella sent me a video. In the frame, Ethan sat on the living room sofa, familiar faces sitting around him. His mother’s tone was strict: “You and that girl, how long will this go on!” Ethan didn’t look up, tone lazy: “Just playing, what’s the rush.” Along with the video came a text message from Bella. “Sister-in-law, don’t misunderstand. My brother is just like this, unforgiving with his mouth. He always said he was just playing with those girlfriends before, but he gave money and resources generously. Dating him for a few days means not worrying about food and drink for lifetimes.” I didn’t take the video to question Ethan’s thoughts, but directly proposed a breakup. But Ethan only thought I was throwing a tantrum, dealing with me patiently. To disgust him, I said all sorts of cruel things. “Yeah, I found a better backer. If you can provide, others can provide for me too!” “You think your family is royalty? Let me tell you, I don’t care!” The argument exploded instantly, entangled and unrelenting. Many times, I thought. If Ethan had let go then, if I hadn’t had that extra bit of attachment then. Maybe I wouldn’t have walked into the trap set by Bella. I wouldn’t have been branded a mistress climbing into a director’s bed at my peak, with explicit photos flying everywhere. I wouldn’t have paid damages until I had nothing left, wouldn’t have ended up playing dead bodies now. Pity there aren’t so many “ifs.” Love tripped up the first half of my life, trapping me in prison.

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When the results of the second mock SATs were posted, I, the perennial valedictorian, had plummeted to the bottom of the class. Suddenly, glowing text floated before my eyes like a livestream chat: [The Female Lead is done for! Everyone around her has bound a ‘Swapper System’ to forcibly trade their trash for her treasures.] [Swapping grades is just the beginning…] The comments were all lamenting my tragic fate. Until the next day. The guy who stole my grades suddenly dropped dead. 01 [Congratulations. You have identified the first Swapper.] [Please identify all hidden Swappers around you before Graduation Day. Failure to do so will result in ‘The Erasure’—the loss of your limbs and senses until you are a living stump.] [Swappers Identified: 1] [Countdown to Graduation: 44 Days] The System’s cold robotic voice rang in my head. I clenched my fists under the desk. Beside me, my lab partner was still gossiping about the morning’s news in disbelief. “…They said he was walking down the hall and just dropped. Massive cardiac arrest. He was perfectly healthy at his physical last month.” Seeing me zoning out, Sarah lowered her voice. “It’s weird though, right? Caleb has been failing every class since freshman year, but he suddenly scores perfect marks on this mock exam. And the moment he gets the score… boom, dead. People are saying he messed with dark magic or something.” I forced a pale smile. “There’s no such thing as magic, Sarah. Let’s not gossip about the dead.” Sarah shrugged and went back to her phone. I looked down, hiding the storm in my eyes. Three days ago, I bound the [Hunter System]. The System told me that a group of people around me had bound “Swapper Systems.” They each had one chance to swap anything of mine for theirs—at no cost. Grades were just the start. Next, they would take my looks, my family, even my lifespan. I had to find them before graduation. Otherwise, I would be stripped of everything, eventually suffering “The Erasure”—a fate worse than death. Any Swapper I correctly identified would face immediate termination. Whatever they stole would return to me within two business days. It was a kill-or-be-killed game. At first, I was skeptical. Until the mock SAT scores came out. I, Harper Vance, was at the bottom. And Caleb, the class slacker, was number one. I didn’t hesitate. I opened the System interface mentally. [Identity Confirmed: Caleb. Stolen Attribute: Grades.] Not long after, I heard the news of his death. I confirmed two things. One: The System and the floating comments were real. Two: The Swappers didn’t know I had a Hunter System. If they did, Caleb wouldn’t have been so obvious. I was in the dark, but they were exposed. Advantage: Me. 02 Two days after Caleb died. The principal announced over the intercom: “Due to a server error, there was a mix-up in the grading system. Caleb’s score was incorrect. The true top scorer is, once again, Harper Vance.” The guidance counselor smiled at me later. “Harper, you’ve been top of the class all year. Keep this up, and you’re looking at Stanford or Harvard, easy.” I smiled back. The System was precise. It said “two business days,” and my grades returned right on time. A few days later. While washing my face in the morning, I noticed several angry cystic acne spots erupting on my skin. The familiar glowing text appeared. [Another Swapper made a move. This time, it’s the Female Lead’s beauty.] [This one is smart. She didn’t swap faces entirely. She’s siphoning it bit by bit.] [Since the Lead is the Prom Queen type and the Swapper is plain, a full swap would be too obvious.] [She probably thinks it’s just stress breakouts. She won’t catch on.] [And to think the Lead treats her so well. Snakes everywhere.] So that was it. Without the comments, I wouldn’t have noticed. The names in the comments were blurred out, but I extracted three clues: The Swapper is a plain-looking girl. The name has three syllables. She is close to me. Three names popped into my head immediately. My lab partner, Sarah. My roommate, Emily (I went to a boarding school). My neighbor back home, Chloe. After some observation, I locked onto Sarah. She was usually a bit chubby, but lately, she looked thinner, and her features seemed more refined. [Identity Confirmed: Sarah.] [Attribute Stolen: Partial Beauty.] Suddenly, a piercing alarm rang in my brain. [WARNING! WARNING!] [Host failed to identify the true Swapper!] [You have one chance remaining. Find the true thief within 3 days.] [Penalty for second failure: Beauty -50 permanently. IQ -100 permanently.] [Please take this seriously!] 03 I froze. This Swapper was cunning. Maybe Caleb’s death spooked them. They weren’t being blatant anymore. The hunt just got harder. Back in the dorm, I watched my roommate, Emily. Maybe it was psychological, but her skin looked glowing and porcelain-white today. Emily was humming, applying a sheet mask. “Em, what brand is that? Your skin looks amazing lately.” I tested the waters casually. “Really? Do I look paler?” Emily beamed. “It’s this drugstore brand. Super cheap. Want the link?” She sent me the Amazon link immediately, babbling about how she saw it on TikTok. I smiled and chatted along. I took out my phone and texted my neighbor, Chloe. “Hey girl, are you free this weekend? Want to go shopping?” Chloe replied instantly. “Nah, I’m staying in to study. Graduation is around the corner, too stressed to hang out.” The next day, I knocked on Chloe’s door with a box of cronuts. “I was in the neighborhood. Brought you treats.” I pushed past the door before she could block me. “Omg, love you!” Chloe took the box. I asked, “Chloe, are you on a diet? You look… gaunt.” “No way,” Chloe said naturally. “I’ve been stress-eating pizza every night at 2 AM. I probably lost weight from anxiety.” She stepped on the scale in the living room. “See? Weight hasn’t changed. Sad.” I chatted a bit longer and left. Back home, I summoned the System. [Identity Confirmed: Chloe.] [Attribute Stolen: Partial Beauty.] 04 Chloe hadn’t lost weight or gotten paler. She looked the same. But I remembered she had extremely oily skin. One slice of pizza usually meant a breakout the next morning. Today, her face was flawless. And my face was covered in the acne that should have been hers. [Congratulations. Second Swapper Identified.] [Swappers Identified: 2] [Countdown: 36 Days] Simultaneously, I heard screams from the neighbor’s house. “Chloe! Chloe, wake up!” “Call 911! She’s not breathing!” I stood still in my hallway. I knew the penalty was death. But Chloe… was it worth dying over some pimples? Sensing my hesitation, the System spoke coldly: [From the moment she chose to target you and steal your beauty… she stopped being your friend.] [Mercy to the enemy is cruelty to yourself. The price of failure is The Erasure.] I shook my head. [I’m not being soft. I just don’t understand. Is being pretty worth dying for?] Or maybe, to Chloe, I was never a friend. Just a target. The people around me felt like they were wearing masks. What was hiding underneath? Over the next week, I caught two more. One tried to swap my admission to Columbia University. Another tried to swap my popularity. I caught them fast. They were gone just as fast. The System was hyped. [Host, you’re crushing it! Just survive until graduation!] [I’m applying for a bonus. Every catch adds 10 points to your final GPA!] Things looked bright. The comments said I might change my tragic destiny. Until that day. I was walking on the sidewalk. A truck swerved, hopping the curb, barreling straight for me. When I woke up in the hospital, I heard the doctors whispering outside. “Amputation.” [WARNING! WARNING!] [Host’s Luck has dropped to Zero!] [Identify the Luck Thief within 24 hours!] [Failure penalty: Amputation of both legs.]

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I had my pets practically on a pedestal, pampered and impossibly sleek. My rich friend was obsessed with them, always joking, “Your little darlings are so gorgeous and well-behaved, why don’t you just sell them to me? Name your price!” I never took her seriously, but then the floating text appeared above her head: When is this cannon fodder going to die! If you can’t care for them, don’t keep them. Our male leads are starving on her cheap food, it’s heartbreaking! They wouldn’t even bother with her if they didn’t need her for their transformation! Soon, soon! The cannon fodder has a brain tumor and no money for treatment, she’s going to die any minute now. Once she’s gone, the three male leads can go home with the female lead and start their happily-ever-after! Heh, right before she dies, the cannon fodder will beg the female lead to take them. Little does she know, the male leads are intentionally letting her die, they’ve been waiting for this day… Looking at the three creatures—the ones currently purring and charming my friend—a cold rage settled in my stomach. “You know what? I will,” I heard myself say, the words tight and sharp. “Ten thousand a piece. Take your pick.” 1 The living room went silent. The smile froze on my friend Zara’s face. The calico cat, Apollo, the one who was the master of affection, stopped rubbing his cheek against her chin. The small, black snake, Styx, unwrapped from her neck and raised its head. Even Gizmo, the poky little hedgehog on the adjacent sofa, stopped grooming his paws. All their eyes were suddenly fixed on me. The bullet screen above my head erupted like a lake hit by a boulder: ??? What did I just hear? Ten thousand a piece? How dare this dead cannon fodder set such a price! HOLY CRAP! The wicked cannon fodder reveals her true colors. Just a second ago she was acting like a doting owner! She must be desperate for cash. Is she trying to swindle our sweet female lead? I knew it! She only kept pets to curry favor with Zara. What a manipulative btch!* Zara was the first to recover. She looked awkwardly from the pets in her arms to me. “Elena, what are you talking about? I was just kidding,” she said, her tone laced with embarrassment. “Aren’t they your absolute treasures? How could you sell them to me?” I kept a relaxed, almost weary smile on my face, pretending not to see the text attacking me. “They are my treasures, Zara, but reality is a factor now.” I sighed, managing to sound genuinely distressed. “You know I lost my job recently, and nothing solid has come up. Keeping these three—the imported food, the vet visits, the special habitats—it’s a huge, constant expense.” “To be honest, I can barely afford it anymore.” I met Zara’s eyes, making my gaze sincere. “They’d probably be happier with you, anyway! “Look, the fancy cat tree, the organic mice, Gizmo’s climate-controlled habitat—didn’t you buy most of that for them? “Instead of scraping by with me, they’ll actually have a good life if they go home with you!” Zara opened her mouth to speak, but I cut her off. “I’m really in a bind right now. “If you truly love them, and you’re willing to help me out, ten thousand each. Any one you want.” “Think of it as bailing me out. Please?” Zara fell silent. The bullet screen raged again: Psh! Talk about sounding fake! Isn’t this just emotional blackmail? Female lead, darling, don’t believe her! She’s exploiting your kindness! A bind? LOL! You have a fatal illness that money can’t fix anyway. Jinx! Male leads, bite her! This black-hearted woman doesn’t deserve to be your owner! Zara hesitated, finally biting her lip. “Okay… maybe I’ll just take one for now? I wouldn’t want you to be completely alone…” I was practically itching for her to take all three and save me the trouble. They were ungrateful vipers, and they needed to be gone. Sold. All of them. But I knew a sudden change in attitude would arouse suspicion. One step at a time. “Fine, whatever you think is best. Go ahead and choose.” “Take whichever one you’ve bonded with most.” 2 Zara knelt down, still holding Apollo the calico. She peered at the little black snake and the hedgehog that had scooted closer. Styx seemed to sense something was off. He raised his head higher, turning slightly toward Zara. His tongue flickered out quickly. Gizmo the hedgehog shifted his tiny paws, his black bead eyes fixed on her. That’s when Apollo, the cat in Zara’s arms, made his move. He let out a soft, sweet “Mrrrrow,” then rubbed his velvety head frantically against Zara’s chin. His tail stood straight up, the tip curved into a perfect question mark, and he began to knead her soft cashmere sweater. He looked utterly, desperately devoted. At the same time, his back legs, seemingly accidentally, gave two tiny, swift kicks. They landed precisely on the heads of the approaching black snake and the hedgehog, causing both to tumble backward. HAHAHAHA! Nice one, Kitty! That’s how you win the attention battle! All hail Cat King! We knew you loved our Zara the most! Poor Snakey and Gizmo, but sorry, I’m siding with the cat. Zara’s attention was instantly captured by the passionately affectionate, adorable fluffball in her embrace. No girl could resist a purring, cuddly cat, especially one as beautiful and cunning as Apollo. Watching Apollo’s performance, I felt a chilling emptiness inside. It was almost funny. When I first found him, he was skin and bones, filthy, and followed me for blocks just for a scrap of food. When I brought him home, he was exactly like this—doing everything to charm and please me. Rubbing my legs. Rolling over at my feet. Purring loudly. My heart softened, and even though I already had Styx and Gizmo, I thought, What’s one more? I brought him in. And what was the result? Once he was comfortable, he reverted to being cold and distant. If I tried to pet him, he’d impatiently pull away. Sometimes he’d even lash out, leaving me with a bloody scratch. He ignored every toy I bought. His day consisted of eating and napping in the sun on the windowsill. Only when Zara arrived did he transform back into the clingy, affectionate darling, begging her for imported tuna. I realized then that his loyalty had been skewed all along. No. He had no loyalty. All his actions were driven by a clear goal. Just as the bullet screen said: they were only “borrowing my life force for their transformation.” They were enduring me, waiting for me, the “cannon fodder,” to exit the stage. Zara gently squeezed Apollo’s tiny paw, her face alight with affection. “He’s just so attached… Fine, I’ll take Apollo. It seems he’s just as eager to come home with me.” She pulled out her phone and tapped a few times. My phone immediately chimed: “Ding—$10,000 deposited into your account.” “There you go, Elena. I transferred the money.” She scooped Apollo up and placed him inside a very luxurious, designer pet carrier. “So… I’ll take him home now? Don’t worry, I’ll take the very best care of him.” “I know you will.” I nodded, my voice perfectly level. “If you ever want to get him a companion, you know where to find me. I still have two here.” I gestured to Styx and Gizmo on the floor. Zara paused, but then smiled and replied, “That sounds good,” before carrying her new ‘favorite’ out the door. 3 The living room was quiet again, save for myself and the two remaining pets. I turned to face them, meeting two pairs of eyes. Styx the snake had raised almost half his body off the floor without me noticing. His cold, vertical pupils were locked onto me, his tongue rapidly flickering. It was a sign of a snake under duress. And Gizmo, the habitually slow hedgehog, had shed all his usual languor. His tiny claws gripped the rug, and every one of his quills was standing on end. They seemed incapable of understanding why their formerly meticulous, always-accommodating “servant” had suddenly become so ruthless. The bullet screen was loving the show: Hahaha! The remaining two are stunned! They got abandoned! That’s what you get for not being as good at groveling as the cat! But wait, isn’t this weird? The cannon fodder was absolutely devoted to these three. Why did she agree to sell them the second the female lead asked? She needs cash, duh. Look, even the biggest pet influencers love their animals, but that doesn’t conflict with using them to make money. “Alright, playtime is over.” I walked toward Styx, intending to put him back in his box. But the moment I reached out, I saw a black blur. I snatched my hand back, but not quickly enough. A snake tooth grazed my skin. I narrowed my eyes, a silence settling between us. In the past, if he bit me, I would act like all the pet owners I knew. I’d patiently, repeatedly, tell him, No, we don’t bite. That’s not right. But now, I had no patience left. I was annoyed. Deeply annoyed. I had neither the time nor the energy to play this game of blood-and-flesh devotion anymore. With lightning speed, I pinched Styx firmly behind his head, lifting him up. I tossed him directly into his ten-thousand-dollar, climate-controlled habitat. The lid slammed shut with a thunk. I secured the latch. He hit the climbing branch, clearly stunned. No, no, no! How dare you treat our Snakey so roughly? You horrible cannon fodder! I hope he bites you to death! It’s so strange. The cannon fodder has suddenly lost all her passion for the pets. Did she get possessed? Good. Let her hurry up and die from the tumor. Then the three male leads will transform and live a glorious life with sweet Zara. Hee hee hee, four limbs only, sounds hot. The hedgehog on the rug was completely frozen now. Seeing me reach for him, he immediately rolled into a tight, defensive ball. His quills stood like needles. Normally, this would make him impossible to handle. But now, I simply grabbed a thick bath towel and draped it over him. Through the towel, I accurately flipped him over, exposing his soft belly. Then I dropped him back into his hedgehog villa. I quickly secured the lid. The world was finally silent. The bullet screen had gone ballistic, filling the air with curses and death wishes directed at me. But I didn’t care. I pulled out my phone and booked a full-body checkup at the best hospital in the city. Three days later, the results were in. I sat in the oncologist’s office. He told me clearly: “Ms. Elena Vance, your test results are back. We found a tumor in your brain. The location is difficult, and the size is significant. Our preliminary diagnosis is mid-stage.” He paused, a note of relief in his voice. “The good news is we caught it in time. If you had waited any longer, it might have been irreversible.” “There’s still a chance for surgery, but it will be highly complex and risky. As for the cost, we estimate at least…” “Two hundred thousand dollars.”

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The night before my wedding, Owen’s “girl friend”—Anya—burnt down my house while I was gone. She’d been hosting a backyard barbecue, tossing the unextinguished charcoal embers haphazardly across the new wooden deck. The raging fire that erupted took the lives of the four bridesmaids sleeping upstairs. I drove like a maniac to get there, only to collide with the scene: firefighters carrying four charred bodies out on stretchers. I collapsed, sobbing, unable to tell which was my sister, Lily, and which were my best friends, Zara, Brooke, and Leah. But the one person who had managed to escape, Owen, was standing there, holding Anya close and whispering soft comforts. “It was an accident, Anya. It’s not your fault. I’ve got you. No one is going to touch you.” The hatred was so sharp it felt like a physical wound. I spat out a mouthful of blood, then spent every waking moment gathering evidence to take Anya to court. Yet, before the case even made it to the courthouse, Owen destroyed every piece of evidence. He was furious, his face a mask of righteous anger. “Those four people are never coming back, Sienna. Do you have to force Anya to kill herself, too?” With nowhere left to turn, I walked the streets in a haze of despair until Anya found me and ran me over. I was dead before I hit the ground. Then I opened my eyes. I was back. Back to the day before the wedding. I immediately invented an excuse to move my bridesmaids to a suite at The Langham hotel. But that very night, a fire blazed up again, and four women were dead. My heart plummeted. Who were they? And how had they ended up sleeping upstairs in my house? 1 After securing Lily and my three best friends at the hotel, I messaged Owen to cancel the wedding. I told him to grab his friends and any of his own brothers who might have been there and leave the property immediately. I thought I had been careful enough. I thought I had neutralized the threat. But by dawn, I was getting a call about the villa being engulfed in flames. “They’re going to get what they deserve,” a neighbor hissed from the crowd gathered outside the yellow tape. “They had time to run upstairs and save people, but they just…” “I heard they were supposed to get married tomorrow, and he was carrying another woman out naked. They took forever to call the fire department.” “Those two almost burnt down my house when they didn’t put out their coals. What gives them the right to hug each other like that?” Flames clawed at the sky. I pushed through the onlookers just as the firefighters carried out four charred bodies. A spine-chilling coldness crawled over me. It was the same as the last life—I’d been called away for an urgent work meeting, and when I returned, this was the devastation I found. But my four bridesmaids were safe at the hotel. So who were the victims this time? I looked toward Owen. He looked exactly as he had before. There was no hint of guilt for the lost lives, only deep concern for his “girl friend,” Anya. “This isn’t your fault, Anya. We have to blame Sienna…” He stopped mid-sentence as his eyes landed on me, and his expression instantly hardened. “Where have you been? Look at the mess you’ve caused. I told you during the renovation not to use wood decking in the courtyard. Now people are dead. Are you satisfied?” His self-righteous blame-shifting was the last straw. I rushed forward and slapped him across the face. The sound echoed sharply in the sudden silence. “I told you the wedding was off! I told you to leave! How dare you have a barbecue?” I screamed. “Who are those four people? How could you stand by and watch them burn alive? Are you even human?” A flicker of panic crossed Owen’s eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. “The wedding was tomorrow! You can’t just cancel it like that!” he countered. “Your bridesmaids must have slept too heavily, or what? How is that my fault?” “You should be thanking me and Anya that we were still here. If we hadn’t been, your sister and friends would have been burnt to ashes!” Hearing him, Anya, who had looked shaken moments before, instantly found her nerve. “Exactly. This fire was an accident, but the house is yours. Your bridesmaids were here for your wedding. You have to take responsibility for everything.” My whole body shook with fury. It was the same toxic playbook as before. Last time, my closest friends and sister died because of Anya’s recklessness. I was consumed by grief, but Owen’s first instinct was to protect Anya and pin all the blame on me. Then, when I found the evidence to prosecute her, he destroyed it and watched as she ran me down with her car. Even as my life was fading out, I remembered his final words: “Sienna, it’s my duty to look after Anya. I can’t let you ruin her.” My breath hitched painfully. I dug my nails into my palm, forcing myself back to the present. “I won’t waste any more time with you two. There are four bodies, and I’m calling the police.” They still didn’t know the victims weren’t the bridesmaids. But I had a sickening feeling the reason four people couldn’t escape the fire was the same as the last life. I had to find out their identities and the true cause of death. Smack! I’d barely pulled out my phone when Owen knocked it out of my hand. “Is this how you think you solve problems?” “Anya was only trying to help with our wedding. The fire was an accident. They were your family and friends, anyway—just write a big check and compensate them! What else is there to do?” I stared at him, unable to believe my ears. Even though I’d witnessed his cruelty in my previous life, hearing him defend Anya with such callous disregard still sent a shocking, splintering pain through my heart. “Owen, four vibrant lives are easily solved with money in your eyes?” I whispered, my voice thick with hatred. “You are rotten to the core.” My hysterical accusation finally made him flinch. A flicker of guilt crossed his face. “I… I didn’t mean it like that…” “What Owen said isn’t wrong, Sienna. Accidents are compensated with money, aren’t they? Why are you being so aggressive?” Anya jumped in, her voice edged with faux-concern. “Unless you know I’m up for a big promotion and you’re trying to tarnish my reputation?” Hearing Anya, the slight guilt on Owen’s face instantly morphed back into anger. He glared at me. “I didn’t realize you were so manipulative. People are dead. Pulling Anya into this won’t bring them back.” “The backyard security cameras aren’t connected yet. Just tell the police you’re responsible for everything. When the dust settles, I’ll still marry you.” It was the same, sickening pattern. A single word from Anya was enough for him to throw me under the bus. Once, we were supposed to watch the sunset on a mountain trail, but he left me alone because Anya called, saying she had a stomachache. I nearly got assaulted walking back by myself. Another time, I was kidnapped, and the ransom was due in two hours. But Anya was upset over a work error, so Owen took her to an auction to buy a ludicrously expensive piece of jewelry to cheer her up. He delayed paying the ransom, infuriating the kidnappers, who cut off my little finger. I had always forgiven him because he once nearly drowned saving me when I fell into the lake. I felt indebted to him. But I paid that debt with my life in the past. This time, I owed him nothing. “Well, your wedding is definitely off. Owen and I are leaving now. You deal with the rest.” Anya sneered, sparing a contemptuous glance at the four bodies lying on the ground, as if they were nothing more than stray cats. Grief and rage filled my chest. As she turned to walk away, I grabbed her arm and dragged her back toward the stretchers. “The fire started and they were burned alive upstairs, but there wasn’t a single sound. Can you honestly tell me you didn’t do anything to them?” I forced her head down, making her look at the horrifically charred remains. Innocent people lost their lives because of her reckless stunt, and she was going to walk away like it was none of her business? Anya gagged at the sight of the bodies, then began to scream. “They died because they were unlucky! If you hadn’t asked them to be your bridesmaids, they wouldn’t have died!” “It’s all your fault! Why are you pinning it on me?” Seeing her terrified tears, Owen yanked me away, then delivered a savage slap to my face. “Sienna, that’s enough! I felt sorry that you lost your sister and friends, but now I think you deserve everything you get.” The slap was hard and fast. I stumbled, collapsing to the ground, my ears ringing, blood already welling up at the corner of my mouth. “They’re dead! What good does making a scene do? Do you only feel happy when Anya is suffering?” He pulled Anya into his embrace, his face etched with pure disgust as he looked at me. His chest heaved, and his next words were even more inhuman. “They were troublemakers anyway. Maybe it was karma that they died.” “If you don’t stop this now, I will break up with you, and I will never marry you.” My cheek was throbbing, but even though I had already hardened my heart against him, the pain still felt like I was being slowly flayed alive. Why? Why did the man who once cherished me, who promised me forever, become so morally bankrupt the moment Anya arrived? I stood up, wiping the blood from my lip. “Owen, I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on earth. And you and Anya killed four people. Even if you stop me, do you really think no one else will call the police?” A flicker of fear crossed Owen’s face. He was about to speak when a stern voice interrupted him. “Police! Where are the victims? Who started the fire?” Owen and Anya instantly went pale, speechless with panic. The fire was out, and the neighbors had mostly dispersed. I quickly walked over to the officer. “Officer, I’m the homeowner. These two were grilling while I was gone and caused the fire that killed four people,” I said, my voice thick with sorrow. “I suspect the victims were drugged beforehand. Please, you have to investigate the truth.” In the previous life, harmful substances were found in my bridesmaids’ systems. I suspected the same was true now. The only difference was I didn’t know these victims, so I couldn’t yet contact their families to demand an autopsy. “Sienna! Don’t talk nonsense! They were your bridesmaids. If there was a drug, you’re the one who must have given it to them!” I knew Owen would try to frame me, but I couldn’t stop the shudder that ran through my body. “Owen, you are truly despicable. I regret every second I ever loved a man like you.” Owen flinched, staring at me in disbelief. I ignored his complicated expression and turned back to the police. “They died in my house, and the circumstances are suspicious. I need to know who they are and how they ended up sleeping on the second floor.” The officer checked the scene and, perhaps sensing that this was no ordinary accident, his expression became grave. “Don’t worry. We will take the bodies to the station and get to the bottom of this.” As persons of interest, the three of us were taken to the police station to give statements. By the time we finished, the sun was fully up. I pulled out my phone and messaged my assistant. 【Check my networked internal cameras, and get the neighbors’ surveillance footage. Find out exactly who was sleeping upstairs in my house.】 In the morgue, I stood looking at the four bodies, so badly burned their faces were unrecognizable. I felt only deep sorrow. Ignoring the stench of burnt flesh, I stepped closer to examine them. I was just noticing a familiar necklace on the smallest body when the morgue door swung open. Owen and Anya walked in side-by-side. They saw me, and a strange emotion I couldn’t decipher flickered in their eyes. “I have to admire you. Your own sister and three best friends died, and you’re still so calm, intent on pinning everything on Owen and me.” Anya sneered. “Too bad. We have a big gift for you today.” A deep sense of foreboding settled in my gut. The terror of the previous life—the ruined evidence, the car crash—enveloped me. I lost control and lunged at Anya. “Aren’t you afraid of retribution for deliberately causing these deaths?” “You are a snake. You deserve to die more than anyone…” I raised my hand to slap her, but before I could touch her, Owen landed a vicious blow across my face. “Sienna, you are the snake who deserves to die. Are you only happy when Anya is suffering?” I clutched my cheek, my heart stinging. In his eyes, even in my grief over losing loved ones, I was not allowed to seek justice from the killer—because the killer was Anya. Even though he saw Anya was the one baiting and provoking me, I was not allowed any self-defense. My throat felt clogged with sodden cotton. Even breathing hurt. “Anya’s death would be her just deserts,” I choked out. “Do you two even know that one of the victims might be—” “Enough!” Owen roared, cutting me off. He looked at me with cold dismissal. “Say your final goodbyes to your sisters now. Don’t say I didn’t give you time.” With that, he pulled Anya close and they walked out. As Anya passed me, she shot me a knowing, cruel smile. Less than four hours after leaving the morgue, I understood what they meant by their “big gift.” Before any investigation could be concluded, I was informed that the victims’ families had signed compensation agreements. They were dropping all charges and immediately requesting the bodies be cremated and buried. My chest tightened with choked-off fury. Owen would truly stop at nothing to protect Anya. I rushed to the funeral home. The four burnt bodies were lined up, moments away from being wheeled into the furnace. Owen stood there, cold and indifferent. Anya held his hand, a smug, contemptuous smirk playing on her lips. I burst forward to stop them. “Stop! Owen, do you have any humanity left? You haven’t even confirmed their identities! How can you cremate them?” Owen looked at me with undisguised irritation. “How? By showing the signed compensation waivers from your friends’ parents, that’s how. They asked me to handle the rest. Now stop causing a scene.” The moment he finished speaking, Anya presented three waivers to me, clearly bearing the names of my best friends’ parents. “Look closely. Stop behaving like a rabid dog chasing after me. As for your sister, Owen has signed the agreement representing the family.” My eyes went wide as I looked at Owen. “You threatened my friends’ parents, didn’t you? And we aren’t even married yet! Since when are you a member of my family, let alone my sister’s next of kin?!” Owen stiffened, then a flush of annoyance spread across his face. “Once this is over, I will marry you! Can you please stop this hysterics?” Our commotion drew the attention of the other people at the funeral home. Seeing the judgmental eyes on her, Anya immediately put on a distressed, tearful expression. She choked back sobs. “Sienna, you brought your four friends to the wedding house to have a wild party, and you accidentally set the fire and killed them. I know you’re having a mental breakdown from the guilt.” “But you already killed them! Can’t you even let them rest in peace now that they’re dead?” Hearing her version of events, the surrounding people immediately started whispering and glaring at me. “Having a party with escorts in the house and she’s getting married tomorrow? Disgusting!” “Playing around and killing people. This trash deserves the death penalty!” “My son jumped off a building after seeing his fiancée cheat! I’m going to kill this tramp!” A crazed woman lunged at me, clutching my hair and yanking hard. The sharp, searing pain instantly blanked my mind. “It’s you filthy sluts! You weren’t faithful, and you drove my living son to his death!” The woman rained blows down on me. I couldn’t dodge. I screamed through the pain. “Owen! If you have any conscience at all, explain this! Now!” Owen looked at my bleeding face, and a flash of pity crossed his eyes. He took a step forward, but Anya quickly pulled him back. He looked down at Anya’s distressed, worried face, then back at me, his eyes hardening with ruthlessness. “Sienna, you made your bed. Now lie in it. If you don’t leave, I’m calling a psychiatric unit to have you committed.” With that, he directed the staff to push the bodies toward the cremation furnace. Pinned to the floor by the deranged woman, I was close to blacking out from the agony. “Do you even know who you’re cremating?! If you don’t stop, you will regret this! Their families will never forgive you!” But Owen wouldn’t even look at me, focusing entirely on comforting Anya. Anya had killed people and was about to walk free. Seeing the bodies about to be swallowed by the flames, despair filled me. “Stop! Who the hell do you think you’re bullying?” “And which bastard forced my parents to sign a death waiver for me? I’m still alive!” My sister, Lily, and my three bridesmaids, Zara, Brooke, and Leah, suddenly burst through the crowd, shoving the screaming woman off me. Owen and Anya stared at the four very-much-alive women, their faces white with the terror of seeing ghosts. Just then, my phone rang. I looked at the video my assistant sent me, then back at Owen and Anya, my expression icy. “I know who the four dead people are,” I announced, syllable by chilling syllable. “They are Anya’s sister, Sasha, and her three friends.”

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When my childhood sweetheart arrived, I pushed my stepsister into the pool. She looked terrified, but inside, she was gloating. 【Finally, the second male lead sees how vicious the villainess truly is. Now he should protect me and break ties with her completely, right?】 The next second, my childhood sweetheart turned around vigilantly and started guarding the door for me. 01 Ethan Sterling saw me push Sarah into the water. His first reaction was to check if anyone else was around. His second reaction was to smash the surveillance camera overhead. His third reaction was to lock the door from the inside. It looked a lot like he was helping me destroy evidence. His movements were smooth and practiced, as if he had done similar things before. Sarah, who was fake-flailing in the water, froze for a moment, even forgetting to act. 【What does he mean by this?】 In her panic, Sarah started to sink. Finally unable to hold back, she cried out, her voice choking with tears, “Ethan…” Her face was pale from choking on water, coughing incessantly. I watched with a smile. Sarah must have dressed up deliberately today. Her white dress became almost transparent when wet, her black hair plastered to her skin, pale pink lips, and doe-like eyes. Even before she got out of the water, she looked pitiful enough to arouse sympathy. But I’m different. I’m the vicious villainess. I don’t pity her. Ethan turned a deaf ear, scanning the area around the pool. “Are you okay?” He walked to my side, his voice warming slightly. “You forgot your phone up there.” “I wasn’t the one who fell in, of course I’m fine,” I smiled at him, my eyes curving. “She suddenly called me down here, and I forgot to grab it.” Seeing Ethan approach, Sarah weakly extended a hand: “Ethan, save me…” In her heart, she was gritting her teeth. 【Why? The plot isn’t like this! Shouldn’t he jump in distressed and hold me? Is he not moved by me yet at this point?】 Ethan glanced at her. He didn’t like to talk much. At this moment, he just dropped a concise sentence: “Be careful yourself. Don’t rely on others.” Sarah: “…” She was furious inside: 【Is he blind? It was clearly the villainess who pushed me in on purpose!】 I almost laughed out loud. 02 After leaving the pool with Ethan, he took me to breakfast. This trip was a study tour organized by the Academy. The garden restaurant of this estate was beautifully decorated. Sunlight filtered through emerald vines, dappling like stars. A breeze brushed past, making the light dance like elves. After I sat down and started ordering, Ethan stood by the back of my chair and started using his phone. He seemed to be chatting with someone, his expression serious, long fingers tapping on the screen. Sunlight fell into his dark pupils, reflecting a shimmering wave of light. I couldn’t be bothered to look at his phone. I knew he was paying for the surveillance camera. He broke it, so of course he paid for it. Although the Sterling family had shares in this estate, Ethan wouldn’t let the pool staff bear the loss. He was inherently a man of principle, full of justice and empathy, cold on the outside but warm on the inside. A good person in the worldly sense. So I was a little curious: “Really not saving Sarah? Aren’t you afraid she’ll drown?” “She won’t die,” Ethan put away his phone. “If she would, you wouldn’t have left her there.” Actually, he was right. Sarah could swim; she wouldn’t drown. “I’m not that kind,” I said slowly. “I wish she were dead.” Ethan was silent for a few seconds. Suddenly, he squatted down in front of me, looking up at me. This was the posture he habitually used when he had something to discuss with me or wanted my opinion. We had been childhood sweethearts for eighteen years. When we were little, girls developed faster. He was shorter than me and always followed silently behind me, teased by our families as my little follower. But Ethan in adolescence shot up like bamboo after spring rain. I had to look up at him every time. I complained once that looking up was tiring. After that, he would always lower his head when talking to me. Or like now, deliberately maintain a position lower than mine. “Chloe,” he seemed to hesitate, his usually cold tone much gentler, “even if you really think so, can you please not act on it?” I was bored and replied casually: “Why? Not even if I don’t get caught?” “Doing anything leaves traces,” Ethan frowned slightly, lowering his eyes in thought. His overly handsome profile against the light had a coldness that felt inhuman. “If you really hate her that much…” I knew him too well. He generally didn’t let me do bad things, but if I really wanted to, he would do them for me. His principles were always thoroughly destroyed when it came to me. Me: “…” I realized he was already considering the possibility of disposing of Sarah himself, so I interrupted him. I pinched his cheeks with both hands, my tone serious: “Ethan Sterling, what are you saying? I was joking. I’m a law-abiding citizen, and so are you.” We were very close, breaths audible. I liked a kind of lemon mint candy. Ethan always carried some for me. We ate two together in the morning. So when I got close, I could smell a faint scent of candy. Ethan’s cold expression suddenly cracked, staring at me blankly. Then, I noticed a flush spreading from his neck directly to the back of his ears. He suddenly stepped back and stood up. I blinked. I couldn’t help thinking, how could such a good Ethan be the “second male lead” Sarah talked about? What author would write him as the second lead? Whoever it is has no taste and shouldn’t expect to make money writing novels in this lifetime. 03 My parents divorced early, and I had always lived with my mother. Sarah was the daughter brought by my dad’s new wife when he remarried last year. At first, I didn’t pay attention to her. After all, she had nothing to do with me. But the day Sarah transferred to my academy, Saint Ives, I gained the ability to read minds. Only effective on her. She seemed not to belong here, always saying weird things. Like she was reincarnated from birth. Like this is a huge novel world called The White Moonlight of the Noble Academy. She waited a long time for the plot to finally start. We are all characters in the novel. Sarah is the heroine. With her stubbornness, hard work, purity, and kindness, she will eventually become the goddess of the entire academy, with countless people falling at her feet. I am the vicious villainess, Ethan is the deeply affectionate second male lead, and the male lead is the scholarship student of our academy, Noah Reed. At first, I thought she was crazy. Later, I found out she actually knew some of my family’s secrets. Plus, I possessed something unscientific like mind-reading and couldn’t even tell anyone about the plot. This force majeure didn’t seem like something humans possessed, so I gradually believed her story. But I didn’t care. After all, the real world is certainly different from a novel. Sarah couldn’t possibly be omniscient and control everyone’s fate as she imagined. Her IQ wasn’t high, but she was very self-righteous. Pretending to be a little white flower, but her acting skills were terrible and couldn’t fool many people. But somehow, she seemed to really have something like a “heroine’s halo.” I tried various methods, but I couldn’t keep her away from my world. She would always appear in front of me, calling me “Sister Chloe” with an innocent face. Like a stubborn main storyline, every time it deviated a little, it would be corrected. However, other than making her transfer schools, I could do anything else. So I treated Sarah as an annoying piece of chewing gum. Honestly, no such person had ever appeared in my life before, so I looked at Sarah with a sense of novelty. Occasionally, out of curiosity, I would even cooperate with her to follow the plot. I wanted to test if some of the plot points she mentioned would develop as expected. But this indulgence stopped during this study tour, the second Ethan appeared in front of her with me. She stared at Ethan: 【The second male lead is so handsome… Can we fast forward to the night the villainess drugs me? I want to sleep with him.】 I got angry. So when she asked me to go to the deserted pool, I went. I pushed her in. Just as I wanted to push Sarah’s head into the water to let her change the water in her brain, Ethan came. I regretfully abandoned this action. Even if he just saw it, he would become my accomplice. Moreover, he would definitely stop me, and then maybe kill Sarah himself. Ethan was a clean person, never having done anything bad, without any stains. I wouldn’t allow him to go astray for me. 04 My good mood didn’t last long. Halfway through the meal, a familiar voice came from behind: “Sister Chloe…” I turned my head and saw Sarah, wrapped in a white bath towel, looking timid and pitiful. Beside her was a handsome boy whose clothes were washed white. He nodded to me, his smile polite and gentle, making people feel like a spring breeze: “President, Vice President.” —This was the male lead, Noah Reed, a scholarship student with excellent grades in the academy. This White Moonlight of the Noble Academy was an old-school novel. As the vicious villainess, I would naturally be madly obsessed with the male lead. In the original plot, I saved Noah from bullying. Because I liked him and helped him a lot, he always regarded me as his salvation. However, a villainess is a villainess. I wasn’t the kind and warm person he saw, just good at pretending. Later, I framed Sarah everywhere, becoming a stumbling block between Noah and Sarah, creating many misunderstandings for them. Until my true colors were exposed, the male and female leads finally got together. Sarah snatched this plot. She went to save Noah first, although she didn’t seem to save him. The male lead wasn’t bullied at all. She muttered about this in her heart for a long time. Knowing this, I didn’t care. I am the Student Council President of the academy. To maintain order, solving bullying is normal, no matter who it is. In the original plot, my saving Noah must have been accidental. I didn’t know him well. At most, we interacted regarding the quota for financial aid. I wasn’t interested in him, let alone obsessed. If he wanted to be with Sarah, that was his business, nothing to do with me. But I still greeted Noah with a smile: “Student Noah.” Ethan also nodded. We completely ignored Sarah. Her face changed slightly, and she was furious inside: 【Damn Chloe Vance, pushed me down, and is eating a big meal here herself!】 Sarah was just my dad’s stepdaughter and didn’t have much money. This restaurant was pricey; she probably couldn’t bear to eat here. “Thank you for saving me just now, Noah,” Sarah pulled her clothes tighter, her voice soft. “Sister Chloe and I seem to have a misunderstanding. Just now she…” At this point, she choked up a little, looking like she had suffered a huge grievance. 【I’ll expose her true colors in front of the male lead and the second male lead. Let’s see how she pretends to be the high-and-mighty president!】 【The second male lead must have been dissatisfied with her for a long time, just pretending to be obedient because of family ties… And the male lead, the heroine should have fallen in love with him by now, right?】 【The male lead likes me, he will definitely help me get revenge.】 She lowered her head slightly, looking like she was about to cry: “Sister, I really want to reconcile with you. If you don’t want to listen to me, will you listen to Noah?” Ethan’s movements paused slightly. He lowered his eyes and moved closer to me, the air pressure around him dropping. I didn’t notice this, just realizing that the smile on Noah’s lips, precise as if measured, had changed slightly. He calmly pulled his sleeve out of Sarah’s hand, his tone distant: “Student Sarah, you said the President was with you and wanted to see me, so I went to the pool.” Sarah stared at him blankly. Noah’s tone was smiling, but his words were merciless: “You went down for a swim and came up. I didn’t get in the water the whole time. Don’t say things like ‘saving you’ that cause misunderstandings. Besides, you and the President aren’t sisters. What misunderstanding could you have with the President?” Sarah was choked speechless, cursing Noah fiercely in her heart. 【Pretentious guy! A poor ghost deserves to be the male lead! I cared for him so much during this time, and his attitude hasn’t changed at all. Is he an NPC? Impossible, even a stone should have melted!】 Facts proved it didn’t melt. The NPC male lead Noah was unaware of what Sarah was thinking. He just took another step back, continuing to distance himself from her. Sarah’s face turned green. This time I really laughed out loud.

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On the night I was kicked out of my marriage with nothing, I wandered the streets alone. By chance, I saw a small ad taped to a lamppost: 【Looking for a stepmother for my child. No age or appearance requirements. Must be patient with children. Room and board included.】 The “room and board included” part caught my eye. That night, I dragged my suitcase to the address. And walked into the home of the richest man in the city. Later, my ex-husband asked me condescendingly: “Ava, do you realize your mistake now?” My four-year-old tyrant of a stepson roared: “What mistake?! My mom is the most right person in the world!!!” The billionaire put his arm around my shoulder: “My wife, even when she’s wrong, she’s right.” 1 I never expected the person posting flyers on lampposts to be the city’s richest man. I stood at the gate of the mansion. Beside me was a butler with a haughty demeanor. “Our employer is looking for a stepmother for his child, not a wife for himself. Remember that.” “Mr. Sterling is a catch. Don’t get any ideas.” I lowered my head slightly, eyes straight ahead. I sighed deeply. This job was perfect for me. Basically, they were hiring a high-end nanny for the kid, right? I just got divorced this morning. I had zero interest in remarrying right now. But taking care of a child and having a roof over my head meant I didn’t have to pay rent. For someone as broke as I was, this was a lifesaver. I nodded respectfully. “I understand. I absolutely won’t get any ideas.” The butler nodded and led me into the dining room. At a massive long table, a father and son were engaged in a tug-of-war. The brooding man held a bowl and spoon, looking unhappy. The melancholy boy bit his lip, refusing to open his mouth, not backing down. Time seemed to stand still. After a long while, the man sighed, defeated. He put down the bowl in frustration. His well-defined hand pinched the bridge of his nose. He lowered his voice: “Just one bite. A tiny bite, please?” The butler stepped forward: “Sir, another applicant is here. This one looks well-behaved.” The man turned slowly. He wore simple black trousers and a white shirt, the top button undone, hinting at his collarbone. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing pale, strong forearms. I had seen this face on financial news. Ethan Sterling. Too handsome to forget. I was secretly worried about being scammed earlier. Seeing his face now, I relaxed completely. A man of his status had no reason to scam a destitute divorcee like me. His deep gaze swept over me lightly. His voice was tinged with exhaustion. “What’s your name?” I guessed he had rushed home after a long day of work, not even changing clothes, just to feed his child. Only to suffer a heavy blow. Feeding his kid was probably harder than signing a billion-dollar deal. “Ava,” I said. He nodded imperceptibly and handed me the bowl: “You try.” After speaking, he moved to the sofa, crossing his arms to watch me with interest. This must be the interview. I had to perform well. If I could stay, at least I wouldn’t have to sleep under a bridge tonight. I took the bowl, put on what I thought was a kind smile, and walked toward the boy. But before I took two steps, the boy whoosh dove under the table. Only a pair of big, dark eyes like grapes peeked out. He shouted angrily at Ethan: “No! Make her leave! I don’t want her to feed me! They are all bad women!” It seemed before me, the boy had encountered unknown numbers of “stepmothers.” I had to do even better. I glanced around and saw Ultraman figures everywhere. An idea struck. I grabbed a few Ultramen and placed them near the boy under the table. I said with a smile: “Don’t worry, I’m not feeding you. I’m feeding Tiga and Seven. You don’t need to worry.” With that, I pretended to feed the figures: “Eat up. Only by being full can you save the world.” “Kids who don’t eat have skinny arms and legs. They can’t even protect themselves, how can they protect humanity?” “Oh, you want veggies? Right, right, spinach gives you strength.” The boy lay there pitifully, feeling forgotten. He smacked his lips a few times, but I pretended not to see. Until his nose turned red from anxiety and he was about to cry, I acted like I just discovered him: “Oh! Why is there a baby Ultraman here? Tiga, can I give your leftovers to him? He needs to eat to be strong like you.” Tiga (me): “Yes.” I smiled: “Okay, since Tiga said so, I’ll share a bit with you. But don’t eat too much, or you’ll surpass Tiga, and he’ll be sad.” The boy nodded furiously. Before my spoon reached him, he swallowed it in one bite. After several big mouthfuls, he looked at me accusingly: “Why didn’t you give me veggies? Are you afraid I’ll surpass Tiga? Bad woman!” I looked back at Ethan. His brows relaxed, and he gave me an appreciative smile. 2 That night, I moved into the villa. Three floors. I lived on the second floor with four-year-old Leo. Ethan lived on the third. The butler emphasized repeatedly: “Absolutely no going to the third floor. A woman tried to climb into Mr. Sterling’s bed before and was thrown out the window.” I nodded repeatedly, promising not to cross the line. Like father, like son. The billionaire’s son slept alone at four, saving me a lot of trouble. The next afternoon, when Ethan came home from work, I was feeding Leo at the villa entrance. Leo had a dog leash around his neck, sitting on the ground next to a Golden Retriever. One bite for the dog, one bite for Leo. They were eating happily. Ethan’s face went black instantly. “Ava, what are you treating my son as?!” His voice was fierce and cold, scaring me into a shiver. “Woof!” Leo spoke first. “Dad, Ava and I are role-playing. Look, I ate way more than Goldie! Woof! Woof woof!” Ethan frowned deeper, slowly looking at the butler. The butler looked conflicted, hesitating to speak: “Sir, although Ms. Ava’s method is… unique, it’s effective! Before, we chased him and he wouldn’t eat. But this afternoon, the Young Master ate two bowls of rice, swearing to beat Goldie.” Ethan looked speechless, thin lips pressed tight. He watched his son devouring rice, veggies, meat, and soup. He sighed: “Um, humans and dogs should use separate utensils.” I replied immediately: “Sir, rest assured. Your dog is very clean; he hasn’t touched the Young Master’s spoon.” Ethan paused, face darkening, and turned into the villa. Leo finished two and a half bowls of rice. His belly was round like a ball, burping with every stretch of his neck. I had to walk him and Goldie in the garden for half an hour before going upstairs. What I didn’t know was that Ethan stood at the second-floor window watching us. Seeing his son barking and racing the dog, laughing happily, the corners of his tight lips hooked up into a long-lost smile. The butler sighed: “This Ms. Ava is unconventional! The Young Master who didn’t eat, speak, or move has changed so much in one day. Sir, I think we found the right person.” When I went upstairs, Ethan was sitting on the sofa in the living area, long legs crossed, exuding elegance. I untied Leo’s leash, about to take him for a bath, when Ethan called me: “Ava, let’s talk.” “Oh, okay, Mr. Sterling.” I handed the child to the butler and sat obediently opposite Ethan. “You’re good with kids. Have you given birth?” “No. I helped take care of my ex-husband’s sister’s child for two years.” At the time, my ex-husband’s family thought I earned too little and ordered me to quit my job. After I quit, they thought I was lazy, so they fired his sister’s nanny and made me take care of the kid. Ethan nodded: “The file says you’re divorced?” “Yes.” “Reason?” “Class mismatch.” Ethan looked at me deeply: “You saw the ad yesterday. I want to find a mom for Leo. This child is insecure, only wants to stay home, refuses to go to preschool. I’m busy, so I want a patient woman to be his mother.” “I will sign a prenup with you and notarize assets.” I nodded: “I understand.” 3 Rich families are all like this. Although my last marriage was for love. Because of the class gap, I signed a prenup too. So when the love ran out and we divorced, I was left with nothing. Even the wedding ring was taken back. For a top billionaire like Ethan, marriage was even more serious. “Actually, I’m satisfied just having a place to stay. We don’t need a marriage certificate,” I said. Ethan insisted: “The certificate is for Leo. I want to find him a long-term mother, and marriage is the most solid contract.” I nodded obediently: “Then we’ll do as you say.” “Don’t worry, I’ll give you $15,000 monthly allowance for your expenses.” This was a concern of mine, having suffered before. “Mr. Sterling, if we divorce in the future, can I take the allowance with me?” “Naturally. That money is yours.” “Okay then.” “Regarding marital life, I have no needs for now. So, you still sleep on the second floor.” “Okay, me neither.” Just like that, on the third day after my divorce, I got married again. Like the first marriage, no wedding. At dinner, the butler added a few dishes. Ethan handed me a diamond ring. I waved my hand: “No need.” Ethan said: “For Leo.” “Oh, okay. Sorry for the expense.” That night, just as I lay down, Leo pushed open my door, standing there conflicted. “What’s wrong?” I asked. He twisted his fingers, speaking awkwardly: “Ava, can you read me a bedtime story?” “What?” I thought I heard wrong. Leo bit his lip: “I’ll ask my dad to pay you more. Of course, if you don’t want to, forget it.” “Come here.” I waved. I lifted the duvet, and the little boy crawled in naturally. That night, Leo fell asleep in my bed after the story. The next morning, Ethan was shocked to hear this, appreciation showing on his face again. “Ava, thank you. I’ll add another $5,000 to your monthly allowance.” “Mr. Sterling, that’s too much!” It really was too much. After all, I gave much more in my last marriage, but when we divorced, I was too poor to afford a motel. I watched my ex’s sister’s kid during the day, cooked for my ex at night, satisfied his needs, and cleaned the house at midnight. Because my mother-in-law said: “Although we can afford a nanny, it’s not right for Ava to be idle at home.” Even so, the divorce settlement claimed I “enjoyed life” for three years. “Mr. Sterling, you’re giving too much. I like Leo; he’s cold outside but warm inside, very kind. Reading to him is no trouble.” As I spoke, I felt a small, warm hand grab my right hand. I looked down. Leo was holding my hand, looking up at me. His face was stern, but his big grape-like eyes were watery. Didn’t expect him to be so easily moved. Ethan said: “The women who came before only cared about pleasing me and ignored Leo’s feelings. The raise is settled.” Unable to refuse, I thanked him. From that day on, Leo was inseparable from me. Ethan was busy, so often, it was just the two of us at home. Until that day, I needed to go to the hospital for a checkup and medication. The butler said Leo couldn’t leave the villa gate or he’d have a stress reaction. So I negotiated with him to wait for me at home. Unexpectedly, Leo grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go. He didn’t speak, just looked at me with melancholy, beautiful eyes. The butler sighed: “He’s afraid you’re leaving and won’t come back.” I patted his head: “I’m not leaving. Auntie will come back to read to you after seeing the doctor. Play by yourself for a bit, okay?” Before I could explain more, he climbed into the car first. The butler asked anxiously: “Young Master, are you going to the hospital with Auntie Ava too?” Leo nodded silently. The butler burst into tears: “Heaven has eyes! Protecting the Sterling family!” 4 The doctor said my depression had improved recently and encouraged me to keep relaxing. Before leaving, she prescribed a bunch of meds. Coming out of the clinic, Leo asked awkwardly: “Ava, are you sick?” “Yeah, Auntie didn’t eat well, so I got sick. Leo, don’t be like Auntie!” “Does it hurt?” His big eyes were full of worry. “If it hurts, I can give you candy.” He took a chocolate from his pocket and put it in my palm. “Dad told me if you eat candy, you forget the pain.” Looking at his innocent, concerned face, my tears fell without warning. In the three years at the Miller family, when I cried, they called me dramatic, saying a low-born girl didn’t deserve a young mistress’s life. When I said I had depression, my ex, Mark, said I was hypocritical, purposely annoying him. Even the nephew I cared for called me an ugly attention-seeker when we divorced. But this cold-faced child was willing to give his favorite candy to comfort me. I couldn’t help but hug Leo. Small and quiet, he curled in my arms, patting my back with his chubby hand. “Ava, I will eat well. When I grow up, I can protect you.” I smiled through tears: “Then grow up fast!” When we walked out of the hospital with red eyes, a low-profile Maybach was parked at the entrance. Ethan leaned against it. Tall, cold, and noble, he attracted many gazes. I walked over holding Leo’s hand. “Mr. Sterling, why are you here?” Ethan picked up his son. Seeing his calm demeanor, his eyes reddened, voice hoarse. “The butler said Leo went out with you. I was worried, so I came to see.” Leo lay in Ethan’s arms, holding my hand. “Dad, as long as I’m with Ava, you can be at ease.” Ethan looked at me deeply and nodded. “Dad understands.” That night, Ethan wanted to raise my allowance again. Scaring me into refusal. He asked: “Ava, you can make requests.” I hesitated and said: “Can you help me find a used car? Around $5,000, so it’s easier for me to go out.” Ethan said: “You can pick any car from my garage.” “The cheapest car in your garage is $300,000. I dare not drive it.” Ethan nodded: “Okay.” The next morning, a $5,000 Honda Fit was parked next to Ethan’s luxury cars. He also invited a world-renowned psychiatrist to the house. The diagnosis was the same. But the meds were switched to expensive imports I couldn’t afford before. Before leaving, the doctor told Ethan: “Mr. Sterling, your wife needs family companionship. Don’t pressure her.” Ethan nodded: “I remember.” The next day, I drove Leo out to play. He was insecure before, hysterical at small scares, so he hadn’t been to many places. Now, I wanted to show him the world. We went to the amusement park, then the wet market. The little bean followed me, carrying a lively fish, his handsome face tense. “Ava! I don’t want to carry it!” “But my hands are full. Help me, please?” I played the pity card. Leo gritted his teeth, holding the fish far away, looking disgusted, but said: “Fine! Just this once!” “Don’t buy fish next time!” I laughed secretly. Reaching the parking lot, I heard a familiar voice. “Ava?”

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I was about to sign the adoption papers for the sweet-faced girl when a blazing scarlet text overlay suddenly flashed across my vision. [NO! The main character, Lily, is sweet, but she’s a total love-struck idiot! She wastes the entire family fortune for the male lead later!] [Look at that gloomy little girl in the corner! That’s the future villainess, the Commercial Queen. She looks scary now, but give her a little love, and she’ll be the fiercest protector of the family!] [Yes, yes, yes! Don’t pick Lily! Pick the villainess! I want to see the villainess defy her fate this time!] My hand, clutching the pen, froze. I looked past the crowd and landed on the girl huddled in the corner, clutching her knees, her eyes sharp and guarded, like a young wolf. I put down the pen and smiled at the director of the children’s home. “I’ll take that child as well.” 1 The director, Ms. Hayes, was visibly startled by my decision. She followed my gaze and frowned. “Rowan… she’s a bit unusual. A few families adopted her before, but they brought her back within a couple of days. They said she would stay awake all night, just staring at them. Said it was unsettling. Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider Lily?” Lily was the sweet girl. Hearing her name, she blinked her big, innocent eyes up at me, undeniably endearing. But the overlay on my vision went ballistic. [Green Tea Alert! Lily is already putting on the poor-little-me act. In the original plot, she used this trick to get her adoptive mother to kick her own daughter out of the house!] [Rowan is just suffering from a massive lack of security! She was on watch, protecting her new home! Those fools just didn’t understand!] I had made my decision. So, this was a combined Fake Heiress meets Bad Boy CEO soap opera, was it? I walked up to Rowan and crouched down. She snapped her head up. Her eyes, stark black and white, were full of caution, like a small animal ready to bite. “I’m not going with you,” her voice was a low rasp, carrying a chilling indifference that didn’t belong on a child her age. I pulled a classic, red-wrapped Starburst from my jacket pocket, peeled back the paper, and held it out to her mouth. “Come home with me. From now on, if anyone gives you a hard time, I’ll help you beat their ass. Including that little drama queen next to us.” Rowan froze. She stared intensely at the candy, her throat moving slightly. Next to us, Lily’s eyes welled up instantly at being called a “drama queen.” The scarlet text went wild: [HOLY MOLY! This Mom is a boss! I love her!] [One sentence, two girls handled. This is the kind of mother a powerhouse female lead needs!] I laughed, gently pushing the Starburst into Rowan’s mouth. I also reached out and patted Lily’s head. “What’s with the tears? You’re coming with me, too. My house needs a couple of noisy kids to fill it up.” 02 The adoption went smoothly. My husband, George—a man of few words but absolute obedience—and I held a hand each, leading the two vastly different girls back to our home. We lived in a good-sized suburban house with a nice backyard. “Wow! It’s a huge house!” Lily twirled around the entryway in excitement, a happy little butterfly. Rowan, in contrast, stood silently at the door, gripping her worn backpack, her eyes warily taking in the surroundings. The text overlay popped up again: [Look at Rowan’s stress reaction. She must have endured so much. My heart is breaking.] [Lily’s adaptation skills are something else. But… she seems a little careless.] I crouched down to help them with their shoes. “This is your home now. There are two bedrooms upstairs with good light. You can pick one, or share?” “I want the pink one!” Lily declared immediately, without hesitation. Rowan pressed her lips together. “I don’t care. The storage room is fine.” I frowned, reaching out to gently flick Rowan’s forehead. “Don’t talk nonsense. No one sleeps in a storage room here. Since Lily picked pink, the blue one is yours. If you hate the color, we’ll call the contractors tomorrow and have it completely redone.” Rowan covered her forehead, looking at me with disbelief. It seemed no one had ever treated her with such “rudeness,” yet also with an odd, fierce affection. That night, I purposely left the hallway light on. When I got up for a drink of water later, I saw Rowan’s door slightly ajar. Through the crack, I saw the small figure was not sleeping on the soft bed. She was curled up on the floor, hugging her blanket, facing the doorway. In her hand, she held a sharpened pencil. A single, teary-eyed line floated into view: [Waaah, she’s protecting herself, and she’s protecting this new home.] I sighed. I pretended not to see, but as I walked past, I spoke loudly and deliberately: “George, did you double-check the window locks and the doors? Our security system is directly linked to the precinct. Not even a fly could get in here.” The small body in the room visibly relaxed. 03 Life quickly settled into a routine of controlled chaos. Lily was sweet, affectionate, and easily charmed the neighbors. Rowan, however, was a perpetual loner, her eyes shadowed. Neighbors privately called her “the odd girl.” Until a month later, on a Saturday afternoon. I was in the kitchen simmering a stew when a huge crash echoed from the living room. Then came Lily’s heart-wrenching sobs. I rushed out to see my favorite vintage Murano glass vase shattered on the floor. Lily sat amidst the fragments, crying hysterically, a small cut bleeding on her finger. Rowan stood nearby, expressionless, holding a shard of glass. “What happened?” I asked, my voice calm but firm. The text overlay instantly exploded: [It’s happening! The classic scene! In the original plot, the heroine broke the vase herself and blamed the anti-heroine, which led to the anti-heroine being grounded for three days, triggering her full villainess blackening!] [Mom, you have to investigate thoroughly! Don’t be fooled by Lily’s tears!] My heart sank. I looked at Lily. Lily choked out her words, pointing at Rowan: “It was… Rowan. She pushed me, and the vase fell… But I don’t blame her, Mom, please don’t scold her.” A perfectly executed emotional maneuver. I turned to Rowan. “Did you push her?” Rowan squeezed her hand holding the shard, drawing a bead of blood. She scoffed coldly. “If I said no, would you believe me?” The despair in her eyes suggested she already knew the answer. I walked over, firmly took Rowan’s hand, pried her fingers open, and tossed the shard away. I grabbed the first aid kit, put a bandage on Rowan’s palm first, and then one on Lily’s finger. Only after that did I speak, slowly and deliberately: “We have security cameras in the house. One is right next to the TV. It’s a 360-degree, no-blind-spot camera.” The air thickened instantly. Lily’s sobs cut off, her face turning pale. Rowan suddenly looked up, a flicker of disbelief in her eyes. In truth, the ‘camera’ was just a little ceramic ornament. But the bluff was enough. I looked at Lily, my tone serious. “I’ll give you one more chance. Tell me again, what happened?” Lily trembled, lowering her head. “It was me… I was trying to reach the candy jar on the shelf and I accidentally knocked it over… I was afraid you would be mad at me…” I sighed and gently touched Rowan’s head, feeling her entire body stiffen under my touch. “Rowan, why didn’t you defend yourself just now?” Rowan turned her face away, her voice muffled: “No one ever believes me anyway.” “I do.” I stated it definitively. “In this house, if you say you didn’t do it, I believe you. But if I find out anyone is lying, the consequences will be much worse than a broken vase.” That evening, for the first time, Rowan voluntarily sat on the living room sofa. She sat far away from me, but her eyes never left me. The text overlay erupted in cheers: [YES! Mom is mighty! Rowan’s emotional wall finally has a crack!] [Lily’s personality needs to be fixed, though. She’ll be a liability otherwise.] 04 To correct Lily’s habit of deflection and to help Rowan heal her inner wounds, I implemented a strict “Family Points System.” Chores, high grades, and honesty earned points. Lying and shifting blame incurred double deductions. Points could be redeemed for wishes. At first, Lily struggled, often trying to use her charm to sneak by. But I was immovable, even dragging George into an “Anti-Pity Party League.” Rowan, conversely, became a point-hoarding machine. She silently swept, did the dishes every night, and aced every test. Six months later, Rowan approached me with a hard-earned one hundred points. “I want to redeem a wish.” “Tell me.” She hesitated for a long time, then whispered, “I… I want to change the lock on my room to one that can be bolted from the inside.” A pang of sadness hit me. This child still carried so much fear. “Granted. And not just the lock. I’m also getting you a full, enormous, architectural LEGO castle. How does that sound?” Rowan’s eyes brightened. The corner of her mouth lifted in the smallest of smiles—her first since arriving. It was fleeting, but like ice melting in spring, it was breathtaking. As for Lily, after I deducted her points three times and she watched her favorite doll get locked away, she finally started to behave. She clumsily began helping Rowan clean up, often doing more harm than good, but at least she stopped pushing the blame. Once, I overheard the two girls whispering on the porch. Lily: “Rowan, I can’t figure out this problem. Can you help me? I’ll use the points transfer function and give you half of mine.” Rowan’s response was cold: “Who needs your points. Hand it over, you idiot. You still can’t figure this out?” Despite the insulting tone, the sound of her explaining the steps didn’t stop. Watching them, I felt an inexplicable urge to cry. Who said the wicked stepsister and the sweet sister couldn’t coexist peacefully? They looked pretty harmonious to me. 05 Time flew by like a shooting star. Nine years passed in a blink. Both girls were now in high school. Rowan grew into a cool, untouchable ice queen, the undisputed academic goddess of the school, though her personality remained guarded. Lily blossomed into a gorgeous, sweet-natured girl, the recognized campus beauty, constantly surrounded by fawning boys. That evening at dinner, the text overlay began to flash a frantic warning. [WARNING! WARNING! The male lead is about to show up!] [The scumbag who makes Lily a love-struck idiot and ultimately bankrupts the whole family—Jax Remington—is transferring here!] [Original plot: Jax first flirts with Rowan, finds her boring, then moves to Lily. The sisters turn against each other because of him. Rowan is pushed to villainy, and Lily runs off with him for love!] The hand holding my chopsticks shook, nearly dropping the braised beef onto the table. Jax Remington? The legendary Scion of the Remington Group? Walking testosterone? I took a deep breath, looking at my two daughters who were currently watching a celebrity gossip show together. I absolutely would not let this one bad apple spoil the two perfect batches of stew I had lovingly raised! I cleared my throat. “Ahem. I heard a new student is transferring to your school tomorrow?” Lily chewed on her chopstick. “Oh, yeah. I heard he’s super hot and a total trust fund baby! The whole school is losing it.” Rowan didn’t look up. “Boring. I’d rather spend that time on two more physics problems.” I nodded in approval, giving Rowan the largest piece of prime rib. “Rowan is right. Men only slow down your sword. Especially the ones who are rich and handsome. They are usually just spoiled dirtbags.” Lily pouted. “Mom, that’s such a generalization. What if it’s true love?” I scoffed. “True love? Can true love pay the bills? Can it help you get into college? Can it buy you a house?” Lily stuck out her tongue, not daring to argue. But I knew that teenage hormonal surge wasn’t something a few sentences could suppress. 06 To strictly monitor the situation, I decided to return to my old habits—volunteering at the school. Under the guise of the PTA Booster Club, I set up several “eyes and ears” around campus. The reports came in a few days later. Jax Remington was indeed a troublemaker. He immediately bought out the entire vending machine for the whole class, except for Rowan. His reason? Rowan’s look of utter disdain bothered him. On my way home that day, I hid in the car, watching the school entrance. I saw a boy in a ridiculously modified school uniform, a backpack slung over one shoulder, blocking Lily’s path. That signature smirk made my fists clench. The text overlay was screaming: [That’s the smirk! It’s cheesy, but it’s an absolute killer for a high school girl!] [Lily is blushing! Oh no, oh no, the plot is starting!] Jax leaned a hand on the wall, successfully pinning Lily. “Hey, sweetcheeks. Heard you’re the school beauty? How about being my girlfriend?” Lily was clearly overwhelmed, frightened like a trapped rabbit, her face the color of a ripe apple. “You… you need to move…” “What if I don’t?” Jax leaned in closer. Just as I was about to open the car door and charge out, a backpack came whistling through the air. “THWACK!” It landed with precise accuracy on the back of Jax’s head. Jax stumbled, clutching his head and swearing, “Who the hell wants to die?” Rowan stepped out from the shadows, her face cold. In her hand was a thick AP Calculus workbook. She walked up to Lily and firmly pulled her behind her back. “I’m her sister. You want to date her? Finish this textbook first. If your score is below 90% on the final test, you get lost.” Jax laughed, enraged. “Who are you? Why are you trying to manage my life?” Rowan’s eyes were arctic, looking at him like a piece of trash. “I’m your worst nightmare.” Silence descended upon the crowd. Even I was stunned. When did my quiet, study-focused, Ice Queen Rowan learn to drop mic-worthy insults? The text overlay was a sea of WTFs. [QUEEN! Take my knees!] [This is the right way to play this! I ship this: Icy sister x Clumsy sister!]

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I am a top-tier Ph.D. researcher at an Ivy League institution, and also the “white moonlight”—the unattainable obsession—of Sebastian Thorne, the billionaire heir to the Thorne empire. Six years ago, when Sebastian was depressed and destitute, estranged from his family, I used my psychology background to guide him out of the darkness. Since then, he fell in love with me uncontrollably. After reclaiming his status as the Prince of New York’s elite circle, he pursued me relentlessly. But my heart was only filled with academia. Frustrated by my rejections, Sebastian bought out my entire research project and signed our team to his conglomerate. He visited my lab daily, proposing marriage every other week. I never responded. Enraged, Sebastian began collecting women who looked like me. The latest substitute was an influencer who bore a passing resemblance to me. Thinking she was the future Mrs. Thorne, she defied Sebastian’s ban and broke into the private lab, where she found me alone. Her assistant fanned the flames: “I heard there’s a ‘science-bait’ girl pestering our Prince, trying to sleep her way to the top. We have to tear her apart!” The substitute used a riding crop to smash the lab and used fine needles to destroy my hands, peeling my fingernails off one by one in a bloody mess. She then presented them to Sebastian like a treasure. “Babe, there was a fake ‘science girl’ trying to copy me. I taught her a lesson for you!” Chapter 1 I had been held hostage by Sebastian Thorne for three years using my research project as leverage. He treated me like a fragile piece of porcelain. As long as I agreed to be his, he was willing to lay the entire wealth of the city at my feet. That included the most advanced academic resources in the world. I admit, I was tempted. But in the end, I refused. I simply didn’t love him. Six years ago, Sebastian suffered from severe depression due to family trauma. He was standing on the bridge, ready to jump, when I, busy with my master’s thesis and experiments, ran into him. I saved him. I used my knowledge to talk him down and guide him out of the shadows step by step. But after he recovered, his gratitude morphed into a terrifying obsession. The Thorne family lined up heiresses for him, but he wouldn’t even look at them. He tanked multi-million dollar deals just to make me smile. But I was distressed. On the 23rd time I rejected him, I reiterated my stance. “Sebastian, stop wasting your time on me. I don’t plan to marry. I want to dedicate my life to science.” A week later, Sebastian acquired the entire research institute my mentor and I worked for. He threatened me with the results of years of our hard work. “Elena, if you dare to leave the project or run away from me, I will make sure your mentor’s life work turns to dust.” I couldn’t gamble with my mentor’s legacy. We were on the verge of a breakthrough. I had to submit and sign a five-year contract with Thorne Industries. Today, the whole team was on vacation. I was the only one there, running some tests, when a commotion broke out in the hallway. “Tiffany, didn’t Mr. Thorne give a strict order? No one is allowed near this wing. Maybe there are state secrets… maybe we should go back…” “What are you afraid of? I’m Sebastian’s girlfriend! I saw him secretly ordering a diamond ring two days ago. Soon, I’ll be the mistress of the Thorne family. It’s just a tiny lab, why can’t I enter?” “Besides, don’t forget my influencer persona. I’m the ‘Science Beauty.’ How can I not tour the new lab Sebastian bought?” The arrogant female voice drowned out the timid advice of her companion. I frowned. The lab required absolute silence. This entitled woman barging in must be the new substitute Sebastian found, the influencer Tiffany Miller. I sighed. I once told Sebastian that I needed quiet and no interruptions. That one sentence twisted into his extreme possessiveness. Last month, a bird flew in by mistake. Sebastian saw it on the surveillance feed and had it… let’s just say, removed, in a very gruesome way. Thinking of that scene still made me shudder. I was just about to take off my lab coat and go out to kindly warn her, but the lab door was kicked open. Chapter 2 The woman, dressed to the nines in designer gear, looked shocked when she saw me, then flew into a rage. “Where did this plastic surgery monster come from? Why do you look so much like me?” The assistant behind her added fuel to the fire: “Tiffany, I heard there’s a wannabe ‘science girl’ pestering Mr. Thorne, trying to seduce him. The lab is empty today except for this schemer. She must be trying to copy your ‘Science Beauty’ persona. We have to destroy her!” Before I could react, a stinging slap landed on my face. Tiffany’s face was twisted with anger. “You slut! You could hook up anywhere, but you chose my husband’s lab! You really are calculating!” I realized then—she had misunderstood. I covered my cheek and looked at her calmly. I wanted to fight back, but I instinctively glanced at the surveillance camera overhead. “Forget it. I won’t hold this against you. This isn’t where you should be. Leave now.” Two weeks ago, a girl deliberately bumped into me. I thought it was nothing, but Sebastian saw it on the monitors. That same day, the girl lost the use of her hands. That was when I knew Sebastian’s methods were not just cruel; they were psychotic. This girl seemed ignorant. I didn’t want to cause a scene, so I advised her to leave. But Tiffany sneered at my words and became even more aggressive. “We’re both playing the game, stop pretending! I know you want to take advantage of the empty lab, dress up in a lab coat, and seduce Sebastian!” “Any woman with a brain knows the Prince of New York doesn’t like flashy girls; he likes cold, intellectual women in lab coats.” “I worked so hard to build my academic livestream persona to get where I am today. In a few days, I’ll be Mrs. Thorne. I won’t let you mess things up right under my nose!” Tiffany grabbed my hair and threw me heavily onto the floor. Then, she pulled a riding crop from her back—a prop for her photos—and whipped it viciously across my face. The crop had microscopic barbs. Every strike not only caused intense pain but left thin, bleeding scratches. “Don’t think that just because you got plastic surgery to look like me, you can catch Sebastian’s eye. Today, I’m going to ruin this face and tear these clothes off you. Let’s see if you dare pretend to be a scholar then!” Chapter 3 I couldn’t help but cry out in pain. Before the next lash could fall, I gritted my teeth and caught the barbed whip with my bare hand. My eyes were dark. “Before you hit me, did you check who I am?” The barbs dug into my palm. Tiffany yanked it back deliberately. A searing pain shot through my nerves as the skin on my right palm was shredded into a bloody mess. Tiffany looked arrogant, sneering with disdain. “I don’t care who you are. You’re just a poser, a ‘pick-me’ girl acting smart in a lab. You know Sebastian likes this type, so you rushed here to throw yourself at him!” My voice dropped. “I am a Ph.D., not whatever ‘science bait’ you’re talking about.” As soon as I spoke, Tiffany stepped on my face. The sharp point of her stiletto dug into my nasal bone. “You? A Ph.D.? With that face?” “Don’t think I don’t know. You read those online guides, crawled in through the maintenance hatch, and wanted to roleplay, didn’t you?” “Speaking of which, I should learn from you. My livestream style is outdated. Maybe I should do a ‘lab play’ session next time. Sebastian will be obsessed!” Dust from her sole fell into my eyes. I squeezed them shut. Since I saved Sebastian, he did develop a fetish. He liked watching me do experiments, expressionless, in my lab coat. I thought he would stop there, but he escalated, searching the city for substitutes who looked like me. Not just in looks, but in the way they carried themselves while holding a test tube. Tiffany had studied me for a long time to become the top influencer in the “academic beauty” niche, finally catching Sebastian’s eye. Now she mistook me for a competitor. Of course, she wouldn’t let me go. “Sebastian has been pursuing me…” I pointed weakly to the camera above. “If you don’t believe me… look up. Sebastian watches me through the monitor constantly. If you don’t leave now, you might never get the chance to…” Chapter 4 Tiffany laughed wildly, not believing a word. “You think I grew up scared?” “Forget this lab; this entire research center will be mine in the future!” Her assistant, Becky, chimed in. “Exactly! You schemer, look who’s standing in front of you! This is the future Mrs. Thorne!” “Out of all the influencers, the Prince chose our Tiffany. What does that prove? True love!” I wanted to roll my eyes, but my face hurt too much. Seeing Tiffany order her assistant to smash the lab to punish me, I panicked and struggled to get up. “No! Stop!” This lab held my mentor’s life work. I couldn’t watch this woman destroy it! I lunged forward like a madwoman, but Tiffany whipped me to the ground again. “See? Shameless! If Sebastian really knew you, what’s a smashed lab to him? You’re scared because you can’t pay for the damages!” “I’m going to teach you a lesson today! Becky, smash it!” Becky grabbed a heavy wrench and started destroying the equipment. I desperately protected my mentor’s research data behind me, refusing to let go no matter how they pulled. Tiffany got interested. She threw down the whip. “Becky, tie this poser up!” “I want to see what she’s protecting. Maybe it’s a secret guide to seducing men!” I was battered and outnumbered. I couldn’t fight them. Becky wrapped the barbed whip around me, tying me up and shoving me into the corner. Tiffany casually flipped through the file. “I thought it was treasure. Just boring numbers and words. Definitely a prop for your act.” Saying that, she tore the manuscript in half!

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My husband has Bipolar Disorder. Every time he beats me, he guilt-trips himself into wiring me five grand. I never fight back. I take the money in silence and cover the bruises with heavy foundation. My best friend calls me pathetic. She tells me to divorce him. I just count the balance in my offshore account, a cold smirk touching my lips. “Don’t rush,” I whisper to myself. “This pig isn’t fat enough for the slaughter yet.” Until one day, he punched me in the stomach, and I lost the baby. Or so he thought. Chapter 1 Ping. “Transfer received: Five thousand dollars.” The automated notification from my banking app echoed in the empty living room. It sounded sharp, almost mocking. I spit into the sink. The saliva was pink, tasting of iron and rust. Caleb sat on the opposite sofa, head in his hands, fingers digging into his scalp. His hair was a mess—he’d torn at it himself during the episode. “I’m sorry… Audrey, I’m so sorry… I couldn’t control it…” His voice cracked, trembling like a dead leaf in a storm. I didn’t speak. I just picked myself up from the floor. My knee had slammed against the marble coffee table. It was throbbing. Definitely going to bruise. I walked to the hallway mirror. My left cheek was swollen. Five distinct finger marks, turning a dark, angry purple. Caleb hadn’t held back this time. The “sick” version of him wanted me dead. I picked up the concealer stick and began layering it on. The liquid foundation felt cold against the burning skin. The temperature difference helped clear my head. Heavy footsteps approached from behind. Caleb wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in the crook of my neck. Hot tears dripped onto my collarbone, making me flinch. “Audrey, hit me back. Scream at me… I’m a monster…” “It’s okay.” I looked at my reflection in the mirror, pulling the corners of my mouth into a perfect, forgiving, saint-like smile. “I know you’re sick, Caleb. I don’t blame you.” Caleb wept harder, like a child who broke a vase. He pulled out his phone again. Ping. “Transfer received: Five thousand dollars.” Plus the previous one, that’s ten grand. One slap, ten thousand dollars. Worth it. I make four thousand a month at my day job, dealing with a micromanager boss and entitled clients. Here, I take a few minutes of pain, and I make nearly three months’ salary. The math always works out in my favor. Caleb comes from old money. His family owns half the real estate in the city. Money is just a number to him. To me, it’s my lifeline. Chapter 2 Caleb finally fell asleep. Violence is exhausting work, especially when you’re as hysterical as he is. I tucked him in, staring at his face. Even in sleep, he looked moody. When he wasn’t having an episode, Caleb was handsome. High cheekbones, straight nose, eyes that looked like they could drown in love. Who would guess there was a beast hiding under that skin? I closed the bedroom door and stepped out onto the balcony, lighting a cigarette. I don’t usually smoke. Only when the pain keeps me awake. My phone screen lit up. It was Harper. “You still alive?” I sent her a screenshot of my bank balance. Silence for a moment. Then, a long voice memo. “Audrey, are you insane? Do you have a death wish? Ten grand bought your dignity? Domestic violence only escalates. One day he’s going to go too far, and you won’t be able to spend that money in the grave.” Harper was harsh, but she was the only one who knew. I blew a smoke ring into the night air. I typed back: “Almost there.” “Almost what?” “The pig is almost fat enough.” Harper sent a string of ellipses. She probably thought I was beyond saving. I wasn’t crazy. I was lucid. clearer than anyone. I touched my stomach. Flat. Soft. Empty. But I needed it to be full. Caleb’s episodes were getting worse. First, it was breaking things. Then shoving. Now, punches. The frequency went from monthly to weekly. I knew the breaking point was coming. If I stayed much longer, I might actually die. But I couldn’t leave yet. Current Caleb was guilty, but not guilty enough. His guilt account hadn’t reached the balance I required. I didn’t just want his pocket money. I wanted everything. Or his life. Chapter 3 The preparations were complete. I bought the blood bag online—special effects grade. Realistic texture, even smelled metallic. As for the “fetus.” I acquired a medical specimen through some dark channels. Tiny, palm-sized, unformed tissue. Just looking at it made my skin crawl. I kept it in the back of the freezer, triple-wrapped in black opaque plastic. Every time I reached for the almond milk, I felt its cold energy staring at me. It was madness. I knew that. But to hunt a beast, the hunter must become a monster. Friday was Caleb’s birthday. Usually, he’d drink. Alcohol is forbidden for Bipolar Disorder, especially with his meds. But I bought him a bottle of Screaming Eagle anyway. It cost a chunk of my “bruise savings.” Investments require capital. 7:00 PM. Caleb came home. He looked happy, holding an orange Hermès bag. “Happy Birthday, babe,” he said. I paused. “It’s your birthday.” Caleb smiled, kissing my forehead. “I know. But I wanted to get you a gift. If you’re happy, I’m happy.” For a second, I faltered. Ignore the violence, and Caleb was the perfect husband. Rich, romantic, gentle. Too bad he was crazy. I opened the bag. A limited-edition Birkin. “Do you like it?” He looked at me with puppy dog eyes. “I love it.” I nodded. “Let’s eat. I made your favorite roast.” Candlelight flickered on the table. Caleb drank one glass. Two. Three. His eyes grew hazy, his cheeks flushed, his voice rising in volume. The “seasoning” I added to the wine was kicking in. It wasn’t just the alcohol. It was a neuro-stimulant designed to amplify aggression. Caleb had been taking Lithium prescribed by his doctor. I swapped them out. They were now identical-looking Vitamin B pills. The real heavy stuff was in the wine. “Audrey…” Caleb slammed his glass down. Red wine splattered on the white tablecloth like a gunshot wound. “Do you look down on me?” His eyes changed. That familiar, violent, murderous glaze returned. Showtime. Chapter 4 I feigned terror, shrinking back in my chair. “Honey, what’s wrong? Why would I look down on you?” “You do! You think I’m a lunatic! You think I’m useless without my trust fund!” Caleb stood up abruptly, knocking his chair over. He stalked around the table, closing in on me. I didn’t retreat. instead, I instinctively covered my stomach. That motion triggered him exactly as planned. “What’s in your stomach? Huh? Is it some bastard child?” I hadn’t predicted he’d go straight to infidelity, but paranoia works in my favor. “Caleb! Are you crazy? It’s your child! I’m three months pregnant!” I screamed, my voice piercing the air. “My child? Hah! I can’t have kids! I’m defective! I’m a psycho! Psychos don’t breed!” Caleb roared, animalistic and raw. He grabbed my hair and slammed me against the wall. Thud. It hurt. I took the fall, curling into a ball on the floor. “Don’t… please… not the baby…” My pleading only acted as a catalyst. “Die! Everyone just die!” Caleb raised his foot and stomped hard on my abdomen. Once. Twice. I felt a rib crack. I waited for the hardest impact. Now. I crushed the blood bag hidden under my dress. Warm, viscous liquid flooded out, soaking my skirt and pooling on the white tile. Crimson spread rapidly. It was visually shocking. I let out a final, gut-wrenching scream and pushed the thawed specimen out from under my skirt. It lay in the puddle of red. A small, dark, unrecognizable lump of flesh. The room went silent. Caleb froze. He was panting, eyes locked on the floor. On the red pool. On the thing in the middle of it. His pupils contracted to pinpoints. He looked like he’d been struck by lightning. I “fainted.” But before my eyes closed, I saw Caleb’s face crumble. Total horror. Not because he hit me. But because he realized—he had just become a killer.

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The year was our fifth, but for the last three, I’d been keeping a younger man. I no longer let Liam’s betrayals turn me inside out. Just like now. I spotted the shredded sheer stockings snagged on the passenger side floor mat. Liam glanced over, a lazy, indulgent smile playing on his lips. “Little thing likes to play rough, Eleanor. Don’t mind her.” This time, I didn’t scream. I didn’t smash things. I merely nodded, a gesture of quiet acceptance. His face clouded. He slammed on the brakes. 1 “Don’t come over tonight. Liam’s back.” The immediate reply was a crying-face emoji. A small, genuine smile almost escaped me. I looked up and met Liam’s intensely dark gaze, finally registering the suffocating silence in the car. I lowered the phone, my tone flat. “What is it?” “You look… different.” I felt a slight jolt. This wasn’t the first time his latest distraction, Maya, had decided to rub my nose in it. Last time, it was a lace thong tucked into the pocket of Liam’s tuxedo jacket. I had destroyed our bedroom then, screaming at Liam until I sounded like a feral animal. All I got in return was his cold, clipped voice: “Can you just act normal for once?” Now, I was finally doing what he asked—facing his infidelity with utter, profound calm. I gave a short, brittle laugh. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?” Liam’s expression hardened, a cynical edge entering his voice. “Maya might be young, but she’s certainly got some moves. Entertaining, you know.” He looked at me, his eyes challenging. “You should take notes, El. Stop being so goddamn boring.” He raised an eyebrow, a clear taunt. “Maybe then I’d stick around the apartment for more than a few days.” “Don’t bother,” I said, leaning my head against the cool window and closing my eyes. He hadn’t been home for a solid month. He’d taken Maya to the Maldives—a honeymoon of sorts—complete with highly-publicized, non-stop Instagram stories. It had made me the biggest joke in our social circle. Now, he stood in the doorway of our bedroom, his brow furrowed as he took in the changes. I’d replaced all the bedding, taken down the framed wedding photo from the nightstand, and purged any trace of his routine. The room was sterile. Uninhabited. “Where are my things?” “I tossed them.” Liam spun around. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He stared at me, then abruptly softened his voice, forcing a charming smile. “Honey, I know I went too far this time. You’re mad, right?” “Look, I’m home now, aren’t I?” “I even brought you a peace offering.” He placed a discreetly wrapped shopping bag on the coffee table and headed into the bathroom. He emerged moments later, toweling his damp hair, his voice laced with suspicion. “Why did you switch out my shower gel?” I paused, confused for a moment before remembering. Damon had changed it. The younger man had complained he didn’t like the heavy sandalwood scent Liam favored, replacing it with something crisp—Orange Blossom. That familiar, musky scent of Liam’s damp skin and the newly layered citrus crept closer. He wrapped his arms around me from behind, deliberately pressing his body against my neck. “God, I missed you, Eleanor…” My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic, panicked beat. The fading hickey Damon had left on my collarbone was still visible. If Liam looked down even an inch, he would see it. I twisted, shoving him away with all my strength. “I’m not Maya. Go find her if you’re horny.” Liam stumbled back a few steps before catching himself, his face now a mask of fury. His voice was squeezed out, raw with rage. “Are you ever going to drop this, Eleanor?” “It was just a honeymoon trip. Have I never taken you on a trip? Does it really warrant this meltdown?” I met his eyes, my voice chillingly calm. “It does. And Liam? I think you’re disgusting.” The veins pulsed in his fists hanging at his sides. He snatched his jacket from the sofa. “Fine. Be a martyr! Just don’t come crawling back when that little boy breaks your heart.” The front door slammed, the noise echoing through the apartment. I walked to the coffee table and looked at the bag. The fifth wedding anniversary. I’d forgotten until that moment. I opened the box. It was a handbag—the limited-edition piece I’d posted about on my social media a few days ago. One of only five in the world. I let out a weary chuckle. It must have been so inconvenient for him, having to shop for me while he was on his extended sex-cation. My phone chimed. It was a photo from Maya. She was half-dressed, Liam’s head resting carelessly on her breast. “Auntie, you had your chance. Why didn’t you use it?” “I specifically told Liam to go home and check on you.” 2 The phone’s sudden, sharp ring cut through the quiet of the night. I answered. Liam’s voice was slurred, thick with alcohol. “Eleanor… Eleanor, come get me…” I was about to hang up when a different, sober voice cut in. “Hello? Your husband is pretty drunk. Could you come pick him up? We’re closing soon.” Without a moment’s hesitation, I recited Maya’s phone number. “Call her. I’m tied up.” This wasn’t a new scene. Years ago, while I was running a high fever, I’d driven an hour in the dead of night to fetch him. But when I reached for him, he’d violently shoved me away, drunkenly insisting he only wanted Maya. “I don’t want you. I want Maya,” he’d slurred. “Just leave me alone.” I’d stumbled back, my hand striking the sharp metal corner of a table. The blood that dripped onto the floor was nothing compared to the agony in my heart. My thoughts returned to the present, and I examined the faint scar on the back of my hand. Thankfully, wounds could heal. And my heart was finally numb. It was much later, in that half-sleep where the mind never truly rests, that the familiar ringtone sounded again. This time, the voice was a completely new, irritated woman’s. “Are you this drunkard’s wife?” “He showed up on my porch banging on the door. You need to come get him, or I’m calling the cops.” “What?” She gave me an address. I put the phone down, sitting on the edge of the bed in a daze. Liam, wasted and confused, had stumbled all the way back to the crappy studio apartment we’d shared when we first graduated. I apologized profusely to the woman and quickly guided Liam away from her porch. He reeked of cheap bourbon and sweat, his mind clearly disconnected from reality. “Rory… did the audition wear you out today…?” The long-forgotten pet name gave me a brief, painful moment of disorientation. Liam was so drunk he thought we were back in our post-grad days. Back then, we were broke. We lived in that cramped, noisy apartment, dreaming up our impossible future. I worked late at the orchestra, and no matter how late his own shifts were, he always showed up to walk me home. He would hold me, his eyes red with fatigue, promising that one day he’d give me the life I deserved. My eyes suddenly stung. A tear rolled down my cheek. I quickly lowered my head to wipe it away, but Liam’s hand was faster. He lifted his hand and very gently brushed the tear away. Then he looked at me, a wounded puppy. “Wife, why don’t you get angry anymore? Why did you change the shower gel…?” “How can you not be mad at Maya…?” “You’ve changed…” I looked down at his face, finally able to speak to him without malice. “Because I’m tired, Liam.” He suddenly pulled his hand away and, fumbling inside his coat, pulled something out. In the faint glow of the streetlamp, I saw it: a plastic container holding a small, perfect slice of strawberry cake. My favorite. I thought he’d forgotten that long ago. And thinking of cake, I remembered the very first time I found out he was cheating. 3 Maya wasn’t his first. I discovered his very first affair on my birthday. I had prepared a candlelit dinner, even bought a ridiculous new dress, and waited for him to come home. I waited on the sofa from the early afternoon until late into the night. When he finally pushed the door open, the sight of the room startled him. He paused, then his eyes widened in sudden realization. He’d forgotten my birthday. Embarrassed, he tried to cover his mistake, hastily handing me the first thing he could grab—a mango mousse cake. He didn’t even remember that I was severely allergic to mangoes. In that instant, a woman’s intuition became razor-sharp certainty. I stood up abruptly, yanking open his shirt collar. A fresh, livid kiss mark stood out starkly against his clavicle. The world shattered. I broke everything I could reach. I cried until I choked, demanding to know why he’d done it. I hit him. A flurry of desperate slaps. What was Liam’s reaction then? He knelt. He begged me to forgive him. After that, I became a wreck—suspicious, volatile, checking his phone. He grew increasingly annoyed, increasingly absent. Then Maya arrived. The usual messy, agonizing argument followed, but this time, Liam didn’t concede. He rubbed his temples in frustration. “Eleanor, I’m telling you now—I’m not cutting things off with Maya. I love her.” “Just settle down and be the perfect Mrs. Vance. I promise she won’t threaten your position.” My heart felt like it was being ripped into two separate, raw halves. The pain was so great I couldn’t even cry. So I spoke, my voice a ragged whisper. “Liam, let’s get divorced.” Liam crushed the cigarette in his hand, his voice turning to ice. “No way.” “For us, there’s only death, not divorce. Don’t even think about it.” “Do you want your mother to die? Then you’ll sit down and shut up.” My mother was critically ill then. I was only a lowly pianist in the ensemble, nowhere near able to afford her medical bills. Liam was paying for the ICU. I learned in that moment that my mother’s life was his leverage. Every day that followed, I felt like I was dying. I watched him escort Maya to galas and industry events. They looked like the perfect couple; I felt like the mistress hidden in the shadows. I started swallowing anti-depressants and sleeping pills, barely sleeping a minute through the long nights. After I slit my wrist a second time, and Liam responded by slapping me across the face, I woke up. I thought: Why? I wasn’t the one who had wronged him. Why was I the one destroying myself? If Liam couldn’t give me happiness, I would find it somewhere else. That’s when I met Damon. He was younger, kinder, and infinitely more attentive than Liam. Most importantly, he listened. He hung on my every word. Just like Liam, I had a secret lover.

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