Category: English

At my eighteenth birthday party, surrounded by glitter and fake smiles, my fiancée—whose family was nearing bankruptcy—sent a gift. Urged by my best friend Leo, I opened it. Inside, instead of a watch or cufflinks, lay a rotting apple with one bite missing, alongside a stack of hell bank notes. The room fell silent, until Leo muttered, loud enough for all to hear, “I know she’s struggling, but…isn’t this basically a death curse?” Blind with rage, I called my fiancée, ended our engagement without letting her speak, and cut all business ties with her family. Five years later, I stumbled upon a video Leo had posted, showing him and his wife with newborn twins. The caption pierced my heart: “I swapped the gift she sent my best friend just to be with her. Now she’s given me these beautiful babies. Who says the nice guy finishes last!” Stunned, I forgot I was hiking—and fell. When I opened my eyes, I was back at my eighteenth birthday party. Leo’s voice rang in my ear: “Ben, your fiancée’s gift is here. Come on, open it!” (1) Candlelight flickered across my stunned face as everyone sang a heartfelt “Happy Birthday to you~.” But all I could hear was a deafening roar in my head, the phantom sensation of falling still clinging to me. Just then, Leo Vance gave the gift box in his hands a little shake, a dark glint in his eyes. “Ben? What are you spacing out for?” “The Thorne family is about to go bankrupt and they still sent you a gift? They’re clearly trying to suck up to you. I heard they even mortgaged their family estate to cover company losses…” He hefted the box. “Tsk, tsk. It’s so light. Don’t tell me she sent you one of those cheap thirty-nine-ninety-nine snack boxes from Amazon to fool you.” His words made my hand, the one holding the plastic cake knife, tighten into a fist. In my past life, this was the exact moment the Thorne family’s financial crisis hit its peak, pushing them to the edge of ruin. Rumors that our families would call off the engagement were spreading like wildfire through our circle. And my “best friend,” Leo, had been in my ear for weeks, poisoning my mind. He’d spin tales of seeing Isabelle Thorne leaving a bar, drunk, with some potential male investor. He’d whisper that our engagement was just a business arrangement, and now that her family was failing, all she had left was a pretty face. He told me I should just break up with her. That’s why, at a milestone as important as my eighteenth birthday, I let him coax me into opening that gift in front of everyone. The memory of the rotten apple and hell notes flooded back. “Come on, Ben, open it!” Leo urged, shoving the box closer when I didn’t move. The excitement was practically radiating off him. My brow furrowed. I couldn’t just refuse him in a setting like this; it would reflect badly on both the Cole and Thorne families. A cold sweat broke out on my back. I had no choice but to play along, my hands moving slowly toward the ribbon on the box. But just then, I “lost my footing.” I lurched forward uncontrollably, straight into the three-tiered cake. In an instant, frosting and sponge flew everywhere, plastering Leo from head to toe. The gift box went flying, and I crashed to the floor, my wrist twisting beneath me on the hard marble. A sharp pain made me gasp. The room, moments before filled with easy laughter, erupted into chaos. Leo struggled to his feet amidst the sticky, sweet wreckage, wiping a hand across his forehead. “Ah!” he shrieked, all thoughts of the gift forgotten as he stared at his fingers. “I’m—I’m bleeding!” I put on a mask of concern and rushed to his side. “Leo, are you okay? I’m so sorry, I swear I didn’t do it on purpose…” But he was a mess—covered in cream, his hair matted, a trickle of blood seeping from his temple. He glared at me, his eyes filled with raw hatred. “Ben… you did that on purpose! You wanted to humiliate me in front of all these people!” I let my own eyes well up, my voice trembling with disbelief. “Leo, how can you say that? It’s my birthday. I fell too! My wrist might be broken… Is your head okay? I’ll take you to the hospital right now.” Most of the guests tonight were from high society. Their gazes, now fixed on Leo, became critical and assessing. His face cycled through shades of red and white. “…No, it’s fine,” he stammered, forcing a smile that was more like a grimace. “Ben, I—I was just talking nonsense, don’t mind me. It just hurts a lot. I’ll head to the hospital.” He scrambled to his feet and practically fled the scene. Watching him go, a cold sneer finally touched my lips. His acting was so clumsy. How had I been so blind to it in my past life? I really was a fool. (2) I still drove him to the hospital. While he was getting stitched up, I replayed the events of my past life again. After I broke off the engagement with Isabelle, I became the laughingstock of the entire city. The scandal was the final blow for the Thorne family; they officially declared bankruptcy. Mr. Thorne’s relationship with my parents shattered completely, and the fallout even caused our company’s stock to plummet. Later, when Isabelle clawed her way back into the upper echelons of society, our family became the butt of the joke all over again. The whispers were relentless: the Cole corporation was finished. During that time, several of our key partners pulled their contracts, citing the rumors as their reason. I had suspected back then that Isabelle was orchestrating some kind of revenge. After all, wasn’t that gift box a curse? That’s why learning the truth—that it was all Leo’s scheme—had sent me into such a rage. I’d been so distracted on that hike, so lost in my anger, that I’d fallen from the cliff. I clenched my fists. This time, I would not repeat my mistakes. And I would absolutely not let Leo succeed. Steeling myself, I pretended nothing had changed and drove Leo back to his apartment building. He was just an ordinary guy from a rundown complex on the east side. He should never have even crossed paths with people like us. But we were in the same class in high school, and during a school trip, I got hopelessly lost. He was the one who found me, and we huddled together for warmth all night waiting for rescue. Out of gratitude, I made him my best friend. And through me… he met Isabelle Thorne. The thought of it was a fresh wave of betrayal. In my last life, I treated him better than anyone. I gave him half of every luxury skincare product I bought. I brought him into my social circle. I even arranged better jobs for his parents. And he repaid my kindness with poison. Not only did he swap the gift to humiliate me, but he also schemed and plotted until he had fathered twins with my fiancée. I bit my lip, tasting blood. Just then, as if remembering something, he ran back and grabbed my arm. “Ben, I’m so sorry. I ruined your birthday, and you still had to take me to the hospital…” His voice was thick with guilt, but then his tone shifted. “By the way, you still haven’t opened Isabelle’s gift, have you?” “How about this? The day after tomorrow is the launch event for the new game from Thorne Industries. Let’s go together! You can open it there and give her a big surprise. Let everyone see what she got for you.” “Aren’t your parents looking for a way to prove that the Cole and Thorne families are still solid?” A humorless smile touched my lips. He still hadn’t given up on getting me to open that box. “Leo,” I said, my voice laced with feigned confusion, “why are you so obsessed with the gift Isabelle gave me?” “Besides, it’s just a gift. What’s the difference if I open it at home later? Why wait for the launch event?” “It’s not the same at all!” he insisted, his voice cracking with urgency. “An eighteenth birthday gift is a huge deal! She’s your fiancée, Ben. Just listen to me. That gift will be something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.” Remember for the rest of my life? The image of that stack of hell notes flashed in my mind. Yeah, that was pretty unforgettable. “Alright, then,” I said, pulling my arm away. My voice was flat, emotionless. Satisfied, he turned and disappeared into the stairwell. The moment he was gone, the last trace of warmth vanished from my eyes. Leo, since you’re so determined to make me relive that humiliation… Then don’t blame me for preparing a ‘return gift’ of my own. (3) That night, I called my dad, ready to tell him everything about Leo. But he cut me off, telling me that Isabelle had called. She wanted to come see me tomorrow to make up for my ruined birthday. The next day, I waited at home until eight, but she never showed. A knot of unease tightened in my stomach. Isabelle was compulsively punctual. Worried something had happened, I grabbed my car keys and drove to her apartment building. As I pulled up, two familiar figures emerged from the main gate. It was Isabelle… and Leo. Isabelle was a head shorter than him. He suddenly leaned in and pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. And Isabelle, though she froze for a second, didn’t push him away. The two of them, looking so intimate, coming out of her apartment building together. My fists clenched, my whole body trembling with rage. So they had been hooking up all along. It wasn’t just Leo’s one-sided obsession. I was the only one who had been kept in the dark. I thought back to my past life. Isabelle and I had been engaged since we were children. It was a business arrangement, but I’d known since I was a boy that I was going to marry her. When I first started to understand romance, she was the one who would laugh and playfully tap my nose, telling me to focus on my studies. She was the one who tore up love letters other girls gave me, the one who sat me down at my desk every night and patiently explained calculus, telling me she was “cleansing my brain.” And now, she was sneaking around with my best friend behind my back. A cold, bitter laugh escaped me. To think, in my last life, I felt guilty for years, believing that my childish decision to break the engagement had bankrupted her family. Isabelle Thorne. Leo Vance. What did you two take me for? I spun the car around and drove straight home. I hadn’t even had a sip of water when a text from Isabelle lit up my phone. [Ben, something blew up at the office today, that’s why I couldn’t make it to dinner. I’ll take you on an overseas trip to make it up to you, I promise.] [Did you like the gift I sent you yesterday?] I had to admire her ability to lie without batting an eye. Kissing Leo one minute, then texting me about being stuck at work the next. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, they would have played me for a fool until there was nothing left. I ignored the message, my eyes falling on the gift box sitting in the corner. So, what had Isabelle originally sent me? An idea struck me. I pulled up Leo’s account on a resale app. I’d discovered it by accident a while back when I realized he was selling the rare figurines I’d given him. He had no idea what they were worth, so he always listed them for dirt cheap. And there it was. Last night, he’d posted two new items: a single sapphire cufflink, and a limited-edition figurine I’d been wanting for ages. There was no way he could have afforded either of those things. But this only made me frown deeper. If Isabelle had truly moved on, why would she buy me such an expensive gift when her family was so desperate for cash? (4) Two days later, the launch event for Thorne Industries’ new game, Path of the Wanderer, went ahead as scheduled. I still hadn’t found any more proof of their betrayal. Today, nearly every media outlet in the city was present. Even the usually reserved Isabelle was there, dressed in a impeccably tailored suit, standing poised beside her parents. As I walked into the venue, my gaze landed on her. At twenty, she was two years older than me, and undeniably a perfect match in terms of family background, ability, and looks. It was no wonder Leo was willing to grovel at my feet for a chance to get close to her. I made my way to the side of the stage, intentionally leaving the gift box behind. The media’s instincts are sharp. My arrival sent a ripple of whispers through the crowd, and cameras started panning in my direction. [Is that Ben Cole? I thought the two families were calling off the engagement. What’s he doing here?] [He probably couldn’t break it off privately. He’s going to humiliate the Thorne family in front of everyone.] [If that’s true, the Cole family is ruthless. I heard the Thornes bet everything on this game. If they can’t secure funding today, they’re really done for…] [Since when does emotion matter more than money in high society?] On stage, the game demo ended to a round of applause. Isabelle’s parents nudged her forward. Her eyes swept over the audience, meeting mine for a brief, unreadable moment before she began her presentation with practiced calm. I stood in the shadows, watching the clean line of her profile. “…with its rich content, this game offers one of the most innovative online experiences available today…” When she finished, she bowed. As a fresh wave of applause broke out, she walked straight towards me. In an instant, every camera lens swiveled to follow her, and the world erupted in a sea of flashing lights. I knew what they were hoping to capture. A juicy, front-page headline: a high-society engagement imploding in public. “What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice low as she stopped in front of me. Her expression was as gentle as ever. “Is it because… I missed your birthday party?” I looked up, a slow smile spreading across my face. “It’s your first time hosting a product launch. How could I not come? Mom and Dad also asked me to convey their congratulations and support to Thorne Industries on their behalf.” I took a credit card from my jacket and held it up for the cameras. “The Cole Corporation is very optimistic about the future of Path of the Wanderer. We are prepared to offer an initial investment of ten million dollars. All we ask in return is—” Before I could finish, a wave of murmurs, a mixture of surprise and disappointment, washed over the room. [He’s not here to break the engagement?] [The Thorne family is in this state, and the Coles are still willing to throw money at them? Are they really that sentimental?] [So much for the drama…] Public opinion was a fickle thing. I kept the smile plastered on my face, about to state my terms. But just then, Leo burst in, breathless, clutching a gift box. “Ben! You’re always so forgetful! Didn’t you say you wanted to open your gift in front of everyone today? I went all the way back to get it for you!” He raised his voice, turning to the press. “For those of you who don’t know, this is the eighteenth birthday gift Miss Thorne gave to our Ben! He treasures it so much, he hasn’t even brought himself to open it yet. He said that no matter what state the Thorne family is in, he trusts in Miss Thorne’s heart.” After his little speech, he shot a glance at Isabelle. Isabelle’s brow furrowed in confusion. The reporters immediately went into a frenzy, their lenses zeroing in on the box. [He talks a big game, but he hasn’t even unwrapped it?] [I bet the investment is a sham. The Cole family is just using this launch event to build a benevolent public image.] [Besides, what kind of gift could the Thorne family possibly afford right now? Of course he wouldn’t want to open it.] I let out a soft chuckle. “Leo, I suppose I should thank you for going all the way home to get this for me?” Leo, clearly not expecting this reaction, stumbled back a step. Isabelle instinctively reached out to steady him, their posture intimate. And in front of all these people, she didn’t seem to have any intention of letting go. A faint blush colored his ears. “Ben, I’m just looking out for you! This is a great chance to show everyone how much Isabelle cares for you, what an amazing eighteenth birthday gift she prepared.” I fought down the rage boiling in my gut, my eyes locked on him and Isabelle. I remembered how, in my last life, after I’d called off the engagement, she had no idea what had happened. She called me relentlessly, even waited outside my house, demanding to know why. I once thought that meant she had feelings for me. But looking at them now… A scornful smile twisted my lips. “Fine. As you wish!” I placed the gift box on a table facing the cameras. This time, there was no hesitation. I tore off the ribbon and flipped open the lid… “No, impossible! How could it be that!”

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My wife, Hannah Mackinnon, was the most celebrated genius artist of our time. She also had a profound emotional disorder. Once, when I accidentally fell down the stairs, I called out to her for help. She simply asked, “Why are you always bothering me?” Then, she elegantly stepped over my body in her high heels and walked away. In that moment, I understood. A heart made of ice can’t be thawed. So I stopped trying. The ninety-ninth time she asked for a divorce, I said, “I agree.” Hannah froze. “What did you say?” I slid the signed divorce agreement across the table to her. She stared at the papers, then looked up at me, her lips parted as if to say something she couldn’t quite form. “You’re giving up our daughter, too?” I nodded. Yes. I was giving it all up. … In the divorce agreement, I relinquished full custody of our daughter. My only condition was that my mother could continue receiving treatment at the hospital owned by the Mackinnon family. They had the world’s leading medical team for bone cancer. It was my mother’s only chance at survival. After we left the registrar’s office, Hannah’s expression was as cool and distant as ever. “What will you do now?” I knew it was just polite formality. She had never truly cared about me. “Travel,” I said, a vague, noncommittal answer. She didn’t ask any more questions. Leo, her assistant, put his arm around her shoulder and smiled at me. “Thank you for doing the right thing, for letting Hannah go.” I instinctively glanced at Hannah. With Leo so close, she looked relaxed, natural. None of the tense discomfort she always showed around me. Suddenly, Hannah spoke. “Traveling costs a lot of money. I can transfer you some.” Her tone was flat, indifferent, as if we were strangers making a transaction. I was leaving this marriage with practically nothing. We had a prenup: all income earned during the marriage remained separate property. We split all our household expenses down the middle. There were no financial disputes. But our daughter had health problems and was a high-needs child. I had quit my job years ago to be her full-time caregiver. If it weren’t for the freelance writing gigs I took on the side, I would have starved. Leo cut in with a teasing tone. “Hannah, I’m sure Kieran has his own savings. Besides, he’s a grown man. He wouldn’t feel right taking your money, would he?” He patted her shoulder affectionately. “And your exhibition is coming up. You need the capital for that.” Hannah nodded thoughtfully, her eyes full of approval for Leo. “You’re right.” Pleased, Leo grinned at me. “Kieran, don’t go hiking anywhere too remote by yourself. A lot of solo travelers have gotten into trouble these past few years.” Hannah frowned, her reply clipped. “What kind of trouble could he possibly get into?” I took a deep breath. See? That’s how little she cared. Hannah’s emotional disorder was severe. To put it bluntly, she was incapable of love. When her grandfather died, she stood at his funeral without a single tear, like a detached observer. Everyone called her a monster. I was afraid the words would hurt her, so I covered her ears and whispered, “Don’t listen to them. You haven’t done anything wrong. I know you’re sad, you just don’t show it like they do.” But she looked at me with serious eyes and said, “Why should I be sad? Everyone dies, don’t they?” I was stunned. At eight years old, I couldn’t understand her. As she grew older, her condition worsened. She began self-harming, expressing a deep-seated weariness with the world. Hannah Mackinnon loved no one, not even herself. But for some reason, I was the exception. My presence seemed to calm her. To save her, the Mackinnon family made me a deal: marry Hannah, and they would pay for my mother’s cancer treatment. Hannah herself looked at me with pleading eyes, like a wounded animal. “Don’t go, Kieran Wallace. You have to stay with me.” I had no choice. We did have a brief period of happiness. In those fleeting days, we had our daughter, Nina. Nina was born with a congenital heart defect and needed constant care. Hannah could barely take care of herself; I couldn’t expect her to care for a sick child. My life became entirely focused on our daughter. Slowly, Hannah and I drifted apart. She became a world-famous artist with a massive online following. When her fans found out her husband was a stay-at-home dad, they were merciless. [Hannah Mackinnon’s husband is just a useless pretty boy. He has a degree from a top university? What a waste.] [How can a genius artist be married to some nobody who doesn’t even work?] [I heard their families are old friends, an arranged marriage. So tragic.] I asked Hannah for help, begged her to explain the situation to her fans. My voice was worthless, but they would listen to her. She just stared at me with a strange, baffled expression. “You’re being weird. Why do you care what strangers think? Besides, they’re not wrong. You are a stay-at-home dad.” I don’t remember what I said back. I just remember the feeling of being completely lost, of the world crumbling around me. How could I blame her? Everyone told me the same thing: Hannah is sick. She can’t love. As her husband, you have to be patient. I repeated that mantra to myself countless times. Our daughter was fragile. A slight breeze could give her a fever. I’d stay up all night by her bedside. And Hannah, her mother, would be locked away in her studio, lost in her work, never once appearing. When I confronted her, asking why she didn’t care about our child, she looked up from her canvas and said, “What’s the point of me going? I’m not a doctor.” Days of exhaustion and emotional torment finally took their toll. My vision went black, and I fell down the stairs. Blood pooled behind my head. Before I lost consciousness, I called out her name. She stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at me with utter indifference. “Why are you always bothering me?” Then, with cold composure, she stepped over the spreading pool of my blood and walked away. In that moment, for the first time, I truly understood what people meant when they called her a monster. She didn’t care if I lived or died. But she was different with her assistant, Leo. With him, Hannah seemed… normal. Like a wooden puppet that had suddenly grown flesh and blood, that had warmth. At a press conference, she once said, “Leo makes my barren soul sprout flesh and blood. Because of him, I can feel the warmth of the sun and the sweetness of a flower’s scent.” That night, I confronted her like a madman. “Hannah, do you have any idea what you’re doing? This is cheating!” “You shouldn’t use a word like ‘cheating’ to define my relationship with Leo,” she replied, not even looking up from her painting. Her studio was filled with sketches of him. Leo laughing, Leo thinking, Leo frowning… every stroke was filled with an intensity and devotion she had never shown me. As I turned to leave, heartbroken, she called out, “Kieran, you were only ever a visitor in my life. Leo is my soul, my muse.” The fight went out of me, replaced by an all-consuming exhaustion. I finally understood. It wasn’t that Hannah was incapable of loving everyone. It was just that I wasn’t the one she was willing to try for. I thought my life couldn’t get any more hopeless. Then my own daughter started calling Leo “Daddy.” Just like her mother, Nina fawned over him. “Daddy Leo, you’re so handsome.” “I wish you were my real daddy.” “I don’t want a loser for a dad. All the kids at school make fun of me.” Even my mother-in-law tried to reason with me. “My Hannah is the greatest artist alive. You should be honored to be her husband. So what if she doesn’t love you? Love doesn’t put food on the table.” … The memories faded. I turned to leave the registrar’s office. “Goodbye, you two.” If I was lucky, I’d never see Hannah Mackinnon again. But a hand clamped around my wrist. Hannah stared at me, her eyes filled with a helpless confusion. “But… why?” “Let go,” I said, my voice cold. Leo shot me a look, then gently tried to soothe Hannah. “Hannah, let him go, okay?” She didn’t seem to hear him, her brow furrowed. When she spoke again, her words were as artless and clumsy as ever. “Is it because of the time you fell? But… you were fine, weren’t you?” A bitter laugh escaped me. The only reason I was standing here was pure luck. I wrenched my hand away. “Get lost,” I snarled. She had never been treated this way by me. She looked lost, uncertain. Leo stepped in, taking her hand. “Kieran, calm down. Hannah doesn’t mean any harm. She just doesn’t know how to express herself. Stop pressuring her. She isn’t your property.” Hannah nodded, agreeing with him completely. I laughed out loud. It was all so pointless. “Goodbye, Hannah.” I waved and walked away without looking back. I felt her stiffen behind me, her fingers trembling—a telltale sign of her anxiety. Leo, oblivious, just squeezed her hand. “Come on, my great artist.” Hannah turned her head, looking at him blankly. She tried to soothe the strange unease in her chest, but the hollow feeling of loss remained. If she were to describe it in the language she knew best, it felt as if a masterpiece she had poured her soul into had been suddenly and irrevocably destroyed. Her heart had skipped a beat. When news of our divorce got out, people came out of the woodwork. My perpetually arrogant ex-mother-in-law, Mrs. Mackinnon, showed up at my apartment with my daughter. I was packing my last suitcase. Mrs. Mackinnon stopped me, a condescending smile on her face. “Oh, dear, you don’t have to move out. You haven’t worked in years. How will you survive out there? Besides, you’ve done our family a service. If you starve to death, people will say the Mackinnon family is ungrateful.” Nina glared at me. “You’re just jealous that we like Daddy Leo more than you,” she muttered. Mrs. Mackinnon pretended to scold her, then turned back to me. “I know you’ve been wronged, son. But you know Hannah. She just doesn’t understand social graces. But she truly likes you best.” Her tone was so familiar, so intimate, as if the years of contempt had never happened. I gave a cold laugh. “Mrs. Mackinnon, weren’t you the one who wanted us to get divorced?” Her smile faltered. After a dry cough, she said, “Now, why would you say that? Your mother and I are such good friends. Of course I was happy to have you as a son-in-law.” She sounded so sincere. All I felt was disgust. I’d never forget her voice outside the ICU after my fall, cold and sharp. “It would be better if he died. The Mackinnon family has no use for a failure like him.” She often told people in private, “Kieran Wallace is completely unworthy of my daughter. He’s a waste of space.” I knew she was here for a reason, and it wasn’t a good one. “Hannah is at a critical point in her career,” she said, her tone hardening. “News of a divorce right now would look bad. So, for the time being, you cannot make this public. Can you do that?” Before I could answer, Nina pushed me. “Just agree already! Daddy Leo was right, you’re selfish! You only ever think about yourself.” Her words were like a thousand needles piercing my heart. I stared at her. My daughter. She used to cling to my leg, telling me over and over, “Daddy is the best. I love Daddy the most.” But she had Hannah’s blood in her veins. And just like Hannah, the moment Leo appeared, she cast me aside without a second thought. “Nina!” I said, my voice sharp. She jutted out her chin, defiant. Just then, the door opened. Hannah and Leo walked in together.

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I died when I was five. Ten years later, on Children’s Day, I was granted a reward: a chance to return to the living world, still in my five-year-old body. The condition was simple. If either my mother or my older brother recognized me within three days, I could stay. As soon as I arrived, my brother—now so much older and serious—took me to the hospital for a check-up. He kept calling me “little sister” and brought me home. But he didn’t let me see Mom. And the King of Hell didn’t say I could stay yet. That night, I snuck into his room to give him an origami cloud badge—something I used to fold for him—to praise him for recognizing me so quickly. But then I heard him on the phone, his voice gentle and coaxing. “I’ll make up for Children’s Day tomorrow, okay? Don’t be mad.” “Don’t be scared, Cloud. I found a matching bone marrow donor for you. Just wait for the surgery.” “She’s locked up. She can’t run away.” My heart felt like it was being pricked by a thousand needles. My brother is so stupid. If he doesn’t recognize me soon, the King of Hell will come to take me back the day after tomorrow. 1 Tears streamed down my face. I didn’t understand. When did my brother get another “Little Cloud”? My sobbing grew louder, and soon enough, my brother found me. “Who’s there?” His voice was sharp, commanding. I shouldn’t have been scared, but as he stepped out of the study, backlit by the lamp, I was terrified and slumped to the floor. “You heard everything?” He looked down at me coldly. “Since you heard, you better behave. Donate the marrow obediently. I’ve already lost one Cloud; I can’t lose another.” He squatted beside me, studying my face intently, as if looking for someone else through me. My fear made him look away, a flash of guilt crossing his face. When he turned back, I saw tears in the corners of his eyes. “Are you worried about that sick Cloud?” I asked softly. He didn’t answer. I reached out a small hand, just like I used to, and patted his head. “Don’t be sad, big brother. I’m willing to save your other Cloud.” He slapped my hand away, leaving a red mark on my skin. “Stop the act. Whoever made you look like my five-year-old sister… what are you trying to scam me out of this time? You’re all in on it!” 2 He stood up and dragged me roughly back to my room. “Go! From today on, you are not allowed to leave this room!” His grip was strong, his hand so big it wrapped around my wrist with room to spare. He wasn’t the boy who used to get cornered by bullies for lunch money, waiting for “Cloud the Hero” to save him. He grew up. He could protect himself now. That was good. My world was small. It only had room for my brother, my mom, and my dad who had become a star in the sky. But my brother had another Cloud now. He didn’t need me anymore. That night, I dreamed of monsters stealing my mom and brother, and swallowing the star that was my dad. When I woke up crying, there was a commotion downstairs. Through the crack in the door, I saw my brother giving a pale little girl a piggyback ride, running around the living room. That used to be my exclusive throne. But his eyes were full of joy. Maybe I shouldn’t have come back to disturb them. At lunch, the pale girl snuck into my room. I don’t know where she got the key. Seeing me, she froze. “You… you really look like his sister. I saw her in photos.” She looked even paler now, scared and awkward. “Of course. Who are you? Did Mom have another baby?” I asked curiously. She looked so frail, like she hadn’t eaten well. “I’m Rainie. I’m not your mom’s baby. I have the best parents in the world.” “Didn’t you go to be a star in the sky? Will Julian still want me now that you’re back?” She looked like she was about to cry. 3 “Oh, no. I didn’t become a star. I was a bad kid. My death made Mom and Julian sad, so I couldn’t be a star. Only good people become stars.” I changed the subject, trying to sound cheerful. “I came back to give you my bone marrow so you can get better. Then Julian will be happy forever.” She relaxed and sat on the rug with me to play with dolls. We became friends that afternoon. I told her many stories about Julian and Mom. Just in case they never recognized me, at least they’d have another Cloud to keep them company. She told me about her leukemia. It hurt a lot. She was always sick. Her parents cried in the bathroom so she wouldn’t see. Her biggest wish was to go to an amusement park. Just as I was about to pat her fuzzy head to comfort her, the floor shook violently. “Earthquake! Run!” “Cloud! Where is Cloud?” Julian was the only one running towards danger. He found us in my room and froze. Then he grabbed Rainie. “I’m here. I’ll protect you!” My outstretched hand hung in the air, empty. So “Cloud” wasn’t me anymore. It was okay. I had experience with earthquakes. I scrambled to follow them, but they were too fast. I tripped over a doll and when I looked up, they were gone. I hugged the wall and started down the stairs carefully. But the shaking was too violent. Halfway down, the stairs collapsed. 4 I fell hard onto the floor below. Through the dust, I saw Julian’s back. He was shielding Rainie, dodging falling lights and vases. I reached out with my chubby hand, grasping at the air as if I could catch him. But there was nothing. My leg throbbed with pain. I couldn’t move. I crawled towards a corner with all my might. Mom and Julian hadn’t recognized me yet. I couldn’t die. Not again. When I woke up, I was in a hospital. My right leg was in a huge white cast. I was alone. Perfect for sneaking out. I hopped around, searching for them. Finally, I found them in a luxury suite that smelled of fruit and soup instead of disinfectant. Julian was feeding Rainie soup with a spoon. Even from the door, I could smell it—sour radish and duck soup. His specialty. He must have made it himself. I hadn’t tasted it in ten years. “One more sip, and I’ll take you for a walk,” Julian coaxed. Rainie’s parents stood nearby, nodding. “Yes, honey, drink a bit more. Thank Julian.” “It smells so good, baby, drink some more.” Watching them pamper her, my leg hurt even more. Tears welled up in my eyes. I was jealous Rainie was alive. Jealous she had loving parents. Jealous my dearest brother worried about her more than me.

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I got drunk and texted my ex-boyfriend. [Unblock me! Right now!] He started typing… [How many burner numbers do you have…] A moment later, a WeChat notification popped up. VIP Contact (Do Not Answer): [Drunk again?] The alcohol gave me courage. I hesitated for only a few seconds. Just as I hit send, an arm reached around my shoulder. A glass clinked against mine. My eyes traveled up a muscular arm to a handsome face. The stranger leaned in, whispering in my ear. His messy hair tickled my cheek. I completely missed the incoming messages… VIP Contact (Do Not Answer): [Am I your favorite drinking game? You only want me when you’re wasted?] VIP Contact (Do Not Answer): [I was your boyfriend, not your call boy.] … VIP Contact (Do Not Answer): [The usual spot? I’m coming to get you.] … VIP Contact (Do Not Answer): [?] VIP Contact (Do Not Answer): [Answer me!] VIP Contact (Do Not Answer): [Sarah, if you dare kiss some random guy, don’t ever text me again!] VIP Contact (Do Not Answer): [Stay right there! I’m almost there!] 1 I was squatting in a dark corner outside the bar. Fifteen minutes ago, I texted my cousin to come pick me up. I was dozing off. “You are literally the bane of my existence.” I looked up. My cousin, Leo, stared down at me with pure exasperation. I grinned stupidly at him. He rolled his eyes so hard I thought they’d get stuck, then bent down and poked my forehead. “Why didn’t you harass your ex this time?” I swatted his hand away, remembering my failed attempt to flirt with Liam. I pouted. “He ignored me!” Leo extended a hand to help me up. His grin was evil. “So, is it finally over for real this time?” I wanted to curse him out, but then I saw a blurry figure standing behind him. I used Leo to pull myself up, then shoved him aside. Leo stumbled. “Are you trying to kill me, Sarah?” I moved toward the figure. I looked left, right, and then reached out to touch his face. I completely ignored Liam’s dark expression. Liam grabbed my wandering hand. Behind me, Leo laughed. “Well, well, look who it is.” I covered Liam’s mouth with my hand. “Shh.” I tried to drag Liam away, but my legs were jelly. He caught me by the waist before I could faceplant. “Where are we going? My place?” Leo asked. “No,” I snapped, annoyed by his voice. “Go home.” I turned to Liam. “Piggyback. Now.” Liam frowned. He looked at me, then at Leo, then back at me. Resigned, he crouched down in front of me. We walked away from the bar street. I buried my face in Liam’s neck. “Why didn’t you text me back?” He turned his head slightly. I couldn’t see his face. His voice was muffled. “I did. You were probably too busy kissing some guy.” I struggled to reach my phone in my pocket. “Stop moving!” he ordered. I pouted and tightened my arms around his neck. “If I was kissing a guy, I wouldn’t be looking for you.” Liam turned his head fully. Our noses touched. He scoffed. His warm breath brushed my cheek. “That guy was pretty generous with his wallet.” Who? Leo? Yeah, he has a sharp tongue, but he’s always spoiled me. “Yeah, he’s always been generous.” Liam laughed bitterly. “Sarah, you really have no heart.” 2 Messy room. Tangled limbs. I pushed a heavy arm off me. I opened my eyes to see Liam sleeping. Without thinking, I traced the line of his brow. He twitched, then instinctively snuggled closer into my embrace. I froze. Then, I carefully slid out of bed. My hand had just touched the doorknob when— “Leaving without a word again?” I didn’t feel embarrassed at being caught. I turned and leaned against the door, watching him. Liam propped himself up on one arm. The sheet fell, revealing his chest. My eyes darkened. “Do you want me to tuck you in?” “We aren’t in that kind of relationship anymore.” He stared at me intensely. I didn’t look away. I smiled. His hair was a mess. His voice was lazy, morning-rough. “So what are we?” I raised an eyebrow. I didn’t want to answer. I turned the handle to escape. Liam was across the room in a second. He slammed the door shut with one hand, trapping me. He caged me in his arms. “Even a call boy gets paid. I get nothing?” His voice vibrated above my head. I thought for a moment, then stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. The touch lasted a second. Liam’s cool hand wrapped around my neck. He kissed me, stealing my breath. His desperate gasps filled the small space. “Sarah, this is toxic. No couple breaks up and keeps sleeping together like this.” His eyes were pleading. I smirked. “I think it’s working out fine. If you think it’s toxic, don’t unblock me next time.” Liam watched helplessly as I pried his fingers off one by one. I said each word clearly. “I used to think you were the only one for me, too.” He stood frozen. I left without looking back. Leo was waiting by the car, arms crossed. He took my bag as I walked to the passenger side. “Why torture yourself?” I looked at him over the hood of the car. I laughed coldly. “I can’t handle his mother. Marrying into that family would be hell.” Leo frowned but said nothing. My hand paused on the door handle. I met Liam’s gaze across the parking lot. 3 I never thought I’d be living in a cliché romance novel. The elegant woman in front of me told me… My boyfriend, the one working part-time jobs, was the heir to the massive Pei Corporation. She didn’t say much else. But her eyes said everything. Liam came home from work and collapsed into my arms. “So tired.” I stroked his hair. “Liam, are you hiding something from me?” I felt him stiffen. “Yes. I haven’t told you about my family.” I bit my lip, tracing the shell of his ear. “I don’t think secrets are inherently bad in a relationship. I allow you your secrets.” Liam looked up. Seeing I wasn’t angry, he relaxed. “I’m sorry. I hate that life. That’s why I never brought it up.” Seeing him so careful broke my heart. But the image of his mother’s condescending face flashed in my mind. I looked away, forcing a smile. “I never thought the Prince and Cinderella story was for me. And there are some decisions I don’t want to make after your mother throws a check in my face.” Liam’s voice trembled. “You’re breaking up with me?” I nodded. He grabbed my hand tightly. “No. Don’t break up with me.” Tears fell from his eyes without warning. “It’s my fault…” I shook my head, interrupting him. “It’s not your fault.” I wiped his tears. We looked at each other in silence. “You know what? The way your mother looked at me… it was humiliating.” “I’ll explain to her.” I buried my face in his chest. His heart was beating so fast. The pain in my own chest tried to sway my decision. Liam wrapped his arms around my waist, holding on for dear life. “Explain what? That I’m not a gold digger? For a second, I wished I was. Then I could happily take the check and leave.” He kissed the top of my head. “Don’t say that. This is all because of me.” “But my upbringing, my life, and… my love for you, won’t let me do that.” I felt him shaking. I pulled away. He tried to grab my hand, but missed. I cupped his face, forcing him to look at me. “Liam, I’m not leaving because you hid things from me. It’s the gap between us. I don’t have the courage to face your family with you. I don’t want to compromise myself. I don’t want a marriage full of war. I love you, but I don’t want to lose myself.” Our breakup was dignified. I remember the last time I saw him. His mother came with a fleet of cars to take him away. I stood in the crowd. Surrounded by whispers of awe and hidden mockery aimed at me. 4 The termination letter slammed onto the desk. My boss, Mr. Wang, pushed up his glasses. “They said our aesthetic is outdated. Doesn’t fit their ‘high-end’ positioning.” The Pei Corporation logo hurt my eyes. I pushed the file back, smiling carelessly. “Got it. Good thing I’m working on that streetwear project anyway.” The computer clock read 17:45. Mojito Bar: Buy one get one free Long Island Iced Teas after 8 PM. Three drinks down. Leo’s trench coat settled over my shoulders, smelling of the night air. He glanced at the bar. “Drinking this fast? You want a hole in your stomach?” I downed the rest of my glass. “You know how Liam handled guys who bullied me in school? He cornered them in the equipment room and beat them with a badminton racket for thirty minutes.” I swirled the ice in my empty glass. Leo snatched the glass away. He wiped a drop of alcohol from my lip with a wet wipe, rough as always. “So his mom beats your company, and you hide here abusing yourself?” Leo pointed to a booth nearby. “See that guy in the silver suit? Every time I pick you up, he’s there. Guess who pays him to watch you?” I pulled Leo’s coat off and threw it on the chair. “Let him watch.” My phone lit up on the bar. The lock screen was Liam’s new profile picture. Our three-legged orange cat. I laughed silently. I dragged his number into the block list. The red ‘Blocked’ notification popped up. “Who are you actually punishing?” Leo asked. Just as the fourth drink arrived, a commotion started at the next table. A guy with bleached hair walked up to me. “Miss, can I buy you a drink?” Before I could speak, Leo put his arm around me. “She’s taken.” The guy didn’t leave. He set his drink down on the bar. “Just making friends. No harm, right?” A familiar voice cut through the noise from the shadows. “Yes, harm.” Liam appeared out of nowhere. His black shirt was unbuttoned at the top, sweat on his forehead. He shoved the guy aside and stood in front of me. He radiated danger. “She’s my girlfriend.” The guy looked Liam up and down and sneered. “Girlfriend? Looks like she has more than one protector tonight.”

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1 My grandfather’s last wish was to see me marry Bruce. We’d been together eight years, so I never doubted it was just a matter of time. But he hesitated, asking to wait another month. The next day, his coworker Serena posted their marriage certificate online, writing, “Even one month with you completely is enough.” When I went to confront him, I overheard him telling a friend, “Just because her grandfather saved me, I promised to look after her forever. One sentence bound my whole life. But to have one month with the one I truly love… I’d have no regrets.” His friend warned, “Won’t Rosy find out and leave you?” Bruce replied, “She trusts me completely. She won’t suspect a thing.” Later, when he called to meet at the courthouse, he only received the wedding gift I’d sent him. The card read: “Bruce, I wish you and Serena a lifetime of happiness.” … “What can she even do besides guilt-trip me? Using her grandfather to make me spend time with her every single day… I’m honestly sick of it.” Outside the door, Bruce’s words were like nails, pinning me to the spot. Bruce and I grew up together. We were friends for eighteen years before he asked me out in college, and we’d been together for the eight years since. I couldn’t believe it was all a lie. My knuckles turned white as I gripped the doorknob, the world spinning around me. The vibration of my phone finally broke through the static in my head. “Miss Collins? Your grandfather is in critical condition. Please come to the hospital immediately.” By the time I rushed to the hospital, they were already wheeling him out of the emergency room. Seeing his strong, familiar face, my heart settled, but the doctor’s next words shattered my world. “He doesn’t have much time. You should say your goodbyes.” My legs felt like cotton as I pushed open the door to his room. He was smiling at me. “Rosy, you’re here. Where’s Bruce? Didn’t he come with you?” He looked so much better, but I knew it was just a final surge of energy before the end. “Grandpa, he’s busy with work. I’ll call him right now.” I dialed his number over and over, more than a dozen times, and with each unanswered call, the light in my grandfather’s eyes dimmed a little more. Finally, he picked up. Before I could speak, Bruce’s voice, thick with irritation, cut through the line. “Rosy, didn’t I tell you I was busy? Why do you keep calling?” My voice trembled, a choked sob caught in my throat. “Bruce, Grandpa’s dying. Can you please…” He didn’t let me finish. “Rosy, are you done with your little drama? How dare you lie about something like this? I’m swamped today. We’ll talk tomorrow.” Just before the line went dead, I heard Serena’s voice in the background, cooing his name. Honey. My grandfather saw the look on my face. Just like when I was a child, he reached out and patted my head with his rough, calloused hand. “Rosy, my greatest wish in this life is to see you happy. No matter what happens, Grandpa will always be with you.” I sat by his side, just as I had when I was a little girl, until the heart monitor let out a long, piercing shriek. No sound would come from my throat. My vision blurred, tears flooding my eyes like a broken dam. “Miss Collins, my condolences.” I sat numbly outside the hospital morgue, wanting to call Bruce one last time, to let him see Grandpa off. But when I tried, I discovered he had blocked my number. I tried every other way I could think of to reach him, but it was no use. At that same moment, Serena posted an update. A photo of her strolling on a beach, Bruce holding her hand, his smile soft and gentle. The caption: He drops everything to take me to the beach when I’m feeling down. I opened my phone and bought a plane ticket for three days from now. If you two are so deeply in love, there’s no reason for me to be a third wheel. Bruce, this is goodbye. 2 “You can pick it up tomorrow, Miss Collins.” I handed over my grandfather’s ashes to the specialist at the memorial company. I was having them compressed into a diamond, something I could wear and keep with me always. When I got home, a sudden yapping from inside startled me. “Oh, sorry about that. My puppy’s a little shy around strangers.” Serena emerged from the guest room, wrapped in my silk robe. Bruce must have seen the look on my face, because he rushed over and took my hand. “We worked so late last night, I just let her crash in the guest room.” I thought of her social media post and let out a bitter laugh. “Right. You two must have been very busy.” My jab hit its mark. Bruce’s voice rose. “Rosy, what’s that supposed to mean?” I yanked my hand away and headed for the stairs. Just before I closed my bedroom door, I heard him comforting Serena in a low voice. “She’s been emotional lately. Just ignore her.” The room was filled with my grandfather’s things. I took a deep breath, and the tears I’d been holding back began to fall. As I was packing his belongings, the door opened. Serena stood there, a mocking smile on her face. “Rosy, Bruce doesn’t love you anymore.” “Then have him tell me that himself. I won’t cling to him.” The smug look on her face faltered. “Just you wait!” I didn’t want to waste another second on her. As I opened my mouth to tell her to get out, a foul smell hit me. Her little dog had jumped onto the bed and was pissing on my grandfather’s memorial portrait. I snatched the dog off the bed and frantically tried to wipe the photo clean with a tissue. “Ahh! My baby!” Serena shrieked, scooping the dog into her arms. “Rosy, how dare you hurt my baby!” Her face twisted in fury. She kicked over the bag of my grandfather’s clothes I’d packed and stomped on them with her heel. Rage, white-hot and blinding, consumed me. My hand flew, the sharp crack of a slap echoing in the room. I grabbed her by the collar, my face inches from hers. “Serena, you touch my grandfather’s things again, and I swear you’ll regret it.” Suddenly, an arm seized mine. I was thrown to the floor, my head cracking against the corner of the nightstand with a sickening thud. “Rosy, what the hell is wrong with you?” Bruce stood over me, protectively shielding Serena. She turned her face to show him the red mark, her expression a mask of wounded innocence. “I just wanted to help, but…” she whimpered. “If Rosy doesn’t like me, I shouldn’t be here, getting in her way.” Bruce’s face was dark with anger. “Rosy, what is your problem? Serena was just trying to be nice.” I held up the urine-soaked portrait. “You tell me. Is letting her dog piss on my grandfather’s picture being nice? Or is stomping all over his clothes being nice?” He flinched, his eyes darting away. “It’s just a photo. I’ll have her print you a new one. That’s no reason to hit her.” I stared at the man before me, my heart stuttering to a stop. Even if he didn’t love me, Grandpa had treated him like his own grandson for years, had even saved his life. And now he was letting this woman desecrate his memory. 3 “Get out.” Tears streamed down my face. Serena started to say something, but Bruce pulled her away. I finished packing my grandfather’s things. When Bruce saw me dragging a suitcase to the door, he blocked my path. “You’re running away from home over something this small?” he scoffed. “It’s just a picture. I’ll go with you to print another one later.” I shoved his hand off my arm. “These are my grandfather’s clothes. I’m going to see him off.” “I’ll print the photo myself. You’re busy.” My coldness seemed to unnerve him. A flicker of anxiety crossed his face. “How is Grandpa doing? Wait, I’ll go with you to see him.” Just then, a cry of pain came from the kitchen. “Bruce! I cut my hand! It hurts!” He pushed past me and rushed to Serena’s side, tenderly wrapping her finger in a paper towel. “Serena’s bleeding. I have to take her to the hospital. You wait here for me, and we’ll go see Grandpa together when I get back.” I met his gaze and gave a slight nod. He seemed relieved as he hurried Serena out the door. I knew he wouldn’t be back. As was tradition, I took a car back to our hometown and burned my grandfather’s belongings by the river. As the last embers died out, my phone rang. It was Bruce. “Rosy, a last-minute meeting came up at work. Tell Grandpa I said hi, and I’ll go with you to see him tomorrow.” After hanging up, I saw him again on my social media feed. Serena’s post: I get a tiny cut on my finger, and he insists on taking care of me 24/7. The next morning, Bruce called. Perhaps because I hadn’t bothered him at all yesterday, his voice held a trace of nervousness. “Rosy, let’s go see Grandpa together today.” I was at the memorial company, accepting the diamond bracelet they handed me. The grandfather who had shielded me from every storm was now just this tiny, perfect stone. “Okay,” I said. “There’s something I need to tell you, too.” I felt he deserved to know that Grandpa was gone. When I got home, Serena saw the bracelet on my wrist and immediately flaunted a new watch on hers. It was an expensive, jewel-encrusted piece. A triumphant smirk played on her lips. “My hand was hurting so much yesterday, Bruce bought this to cheer me up.” I ignored her. “Where’s Bruce?” My lack of reaction clearly surprised her. Her eyes turned venomous. In a flash, she lunged forward, grabbed my bracelet, and ripped it from my wrist, flinging it toward the swimming pool outside. The force of it left a raw, red line on my skin, and beads of blood started to well up. But I didn’t care. I sprinted to the edge of the pool and dove in without a second thought. In that same instant, Serena’s expensive watch clattered into the water beside me, followed by the sound of her theatrical sobbing. I broke the surface to see her kneeling on the ground, and Bruce pointing at me, his face contorted with rage. “Rosy, when did you become so petty!” he yelled. “Serena earned a bonus, so I bought her a watch as a reward! And you fake falling into the pool just to frame her?” “Get that watch out of the water right now,” he snarled. “Or you can stay in there and freeze.” 4 I tried to pull myself out of the pool, but Bruce shoved me back in. He stood on the edge, his eyes like ice, as I shivered uncontrollably in the cold water. “She threw the watch in herself,” I said through chattering teeth. “Check the security cameras if you don’t believe me.” Bruce laughed, a cruel, mocking sound. “Rosy, I saw you jump in with my own two eyes. That’s a fact.” I held up the diamond bracelet, my voice breaking with every word. “Grandpa is dead. This bracelet is made from his ashes. She threw it in the water. Of course I jumped in after it.” Serena clutched his arm, her face a mask of sorrow. “But Bruce, didn’t your assistant, Mr. Lin, say her grandfather was fine at the hospital?” Bruce’s expression grew even darker. “Rosy! That’s your own grandfather! How could you curse him like that just to win an argument?” “Get the watch. And then you will apologize to Serena.” I felt frozen to the bone. I dredged the watch from the bottom of the pool and dragged my exhausted body onto the concrete. “Apologize.” Bruce gave me no time to breathe, yanking me to my feet and shoving me in front of Serena. She clung to his arm. “Bruce, honey, her grandfather is dying, after all. I don’t want to make things harder for her. As an apology, how about she lets me hold onto that diamond bracelet for a few days? Just so she doesn’t lose it again.” I clutched the bracelet so tightly the broken links cut into my palm. “I told you! This is made from my grandfather’s ashes! I am not giving it to her!” “I came back today to tell you that Grandpa is already gone! Call the hospital if you don’t believe me!” My words only seemed to make him angrier; he clearly thought I was just being stubborn. A couple of bodyguards stepped forward and forced me to the ground. He ignored the blood trickling from my hand and pried my fingers open, wrenching the bracelet from my grasp. He presented the blood-streaked bracelet to Serena. For a fleeting moment, as he glanced at the blood dripping from my fingertips, the concern in his eyes looked real. “There. Serena has forgiven you. Now go get your hand bandaged.” Pinned to the ground, I reached out desperately for the bracelet. The prolonged time in the cold water, combined with a sleepless night, finally took its toll. The world tilted, and the last thing I saw was Bruce’s panicked face before everything went black. I woke up the next morning in a sterile hospital room. It was empty, save for a glass of cold water on the nightstand, the only proof that someone had been there. A text from Bruce was on my phone. An address. “Come here if you want the bracelet back.” I forced myself out of bed, checked out of the hospital, and took a cab to the location. It was a park by the sea. In the distance, I could see what looked like a wedding ceremony. As I got closer, I recognized some of Bruce’s friends among the guests. When they saw me, their faces registered shock, then a flustered panic at being caught. And there, at the center of it all, was Bruce, arm-in-arm with Serena, accepting the congratulations of their guests. When Bruce saw me, the panic on his face was unmistakable. “What… what are you doing here?”

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In my past life, my sister threw me to human traffickers, who broke one of my legs so I could beg for money. Ten years later, when the trafficking ring was busted, my parents took me home in a wheelchair. My sister looked at me with disgust: “You’re already crippled. Being a foil to me is your blessing!” In the end, I died tragically in an “accidental” car crash. When I opened my eyes again, my sister was dragging me towards the traffickers. I pretended to have a seizure, disgusting the traffickers, and watched as my sister was taken away as a substitute. In this life, it’s your turn to enjoy this blessing alone! 1 “Mia, are you playing me? This girl is skinny as a rail. How am I supposed to sell her?” A sharp voice with an accent exploded in my ear. I struggled to lift my eyelids, looking at the mean-faced middle-aged woman in front of me. A huge sense of panic swept over me. Ten-year-old Mia was dragging my hand hard, her eyes darting around. In my past life, it was also at the amusement park. Mia made an excuse to send our parents away and dragged me to find the traffickers herself. Working together, they easily tricked me into the car. My miserable life started from this moment. “Auntie Cui, my sister is a picky eater, that’s why she’s a bit thin. But I heard—your line of work doesn’t have such high requirements, right? My sister has good genes; you won’t lose out.” The trafficker patted her clothes impatiently, about to agree. I pinched myself hard, tears bursting out instantly: “Sister, I feel so sick… where’s my medicine?” I pressed my chest hard, trying to make my breathing rapid, my hands grasping randomly at the pocket on Mia’s waist. Seeing this, the trafficker abruptly let go of my hand and cursed at Mia: “Damn girl, what are you plotting? I was wondering why her face looked so bad. Turns out she’s a sick child! If I buy her back and she dies on me, your family gets off scot-free!” Mia panicked and explained: “Impossible, she’s never had this problem growing up—” I knelt heavily at her feet, snot and tears running down as I tugged at Mia’s pocket. “Sister, Sister, I was wrong… I know you want to be a star. I’ll never peek at you playing the piano or steal your clothes again. Please give me the medicine…” I gasped violently, my face flushed hot. Out of the corner of my eye, the trafficker’s attention was completely diverted, a pair of eyes half-hidden by fat staring greedily at Mia. And Mia was busy resisting my force, knowing nothing about it. “Chloe, are you crazy—let go!” The trafficker took a big step forward, ripped open Mia’s pocket, and pulled out a small bottle of medicine. The label was severely worn, looking like it had been taken for years. She slapped Mia hard across the face. “You little bitch dare to play me! Dreaming of taking advantage of me!” Then the trafficker threw the medicine bottle at me, grabbed Mia by the collar, and walked quickly towards the van behind. “That’s my dad’s medicine! Not hers! She’s lying—Chloe! Chloe! Say something, Chloe!!” Mia screamed heart-wrenchingly calling me. I turned a deaf ear, focusing on unscrewing the bottle cap and stuffing a pill into my mouth in front of them. How could a child’s strength compare to a strong trafficker? Mia was almost lifted and stuffed into the back seat, and then the van sped away. I calmly got up from the ground, patted the dust off my pants. Spat the medicine in my mouth into the trash can next to me. 2 When Mom and Dad ran over holding a cotton candy each, I was sitting blankly on the stone pier, clutching the medicine bottle tightly. Seeing them, I pouted and ran into Mom’s arms, crying out of breath. They were obviously startled by my sudden closeness. When we were little, every time I acted coquettishly with Mom and Dad, Mia would go back to the room and pull my hair, warning me not to snatch her things, or she would teach me a lesson. Over time, I dared not get close to Mom and Dad anymore, and the relationship became more and more distant. Mom hesitated to wipe the tears off my face, her voice gentler than ever: “Chloe don’t cry, tell Mom, what happened? Where’s your sister?” I opened my palm, sobbing: “Sister asked me to buy candy for her, said she would wait for me here, but when I came back, I only saw the medicine bottle on the ground…” Mom and Dad saw the bubble gum and medicine bottle in my palm and believed it without a doubt. Mom held me while urging Dad to call the police. This candy was a “meeting gift” given by the trafficker when she saw me just now. How does it not count as the truth? 3 Walking out of the police station, Mom and Dad seemed to age ten years in an instant. Mom held my hand tightly, as if afraid I would also be snatched by traffickers. Dad rubbed his eyes fiercely: “Don’t know where Mia is now? That damn trafficker! My Mia…” Oh, worried about where she is? I know. I bit my finger. At this time, Mia should have been sent to an abandoned factory in the suburbs, where there were many other abducted children waiting to be sold for the first time. In my past life, my small face was sallow, looking malnourished at a glance, with little meat on my body. Several “customers” shook their heads at me. Later, within a few short months, I changed hands several times and was finally sold to a beggar organization. There, little girls like me were the easiest to get sympathy and charity. So my leg was broken alive. Raised for only a week, the wound just formed a thin scab, and I was thrown onto the street to beg. At that time, I was not yet 9 years old. Where were my parents then? Did they grieve and worry about my safety like this? I slowly held Mom’s hand back, and her tears fell even harder. After the organization was busted, the police notified my parents to take me back. From the police station, Dad pushed my wheelchair, and Mom held my hand by the side like this. Their expressions were so calm, only asking a couple of routine questions about my health. And when they saw Mia at home, their unchanging expressions cracked a little. Dad let go of my wheelchair, and Mom rushed forward to take Mia’s hand and warm it in her palms. “Mia, your health is bad, it’s not a big deal, it’s so cold outside, why did you come out?” Watching the heartwarming scene in front of me, I gripped the wheelchair tightly, clearly seeing the smug smile on Mia’s lips. Even after so many years, I still couldn’t get a bit of Mom and Dad’s attention from her. Palms and backs of hands are both flesh, but how can the thin flesh on the back compare to the palm? 4 Three months passed in a blink of an eye. Mia’s missing person notices were posted everywhere and even appeared in a special section of the newspaper. Dad went to the police station to inquire every week, but came back dejected every time. With my company, Mom’s grief gradually lessened, no longer sitting in Mia’s room crying every day. When Mom’s childhood friend called to arrange a meeting between the two families, they even went out shopping excitedly in the car. Watching Mom and Dad busy in the living room, I turned to Mia’s photo and pursed my lips in a smile. See, even if the lost daughter is you, they were just sad for a few more days. They will slowly forget you. As soon as the childhood friend’s family entered the door, Mom pulled them to sit on the sofa affectionately, waving at me with a smile: “Chloe, come and say hello to your Uncle Shane’s family.” I put on a polite smile and went up to say hello. Looking at that familiar face, my nails almost dug into my palm. In my past life, the first time I saw Leo Shane was on the day I came home. He walked slowly down the stairs, his gaze falling on my wheelchair, revealing a look of disgust. At that time, he was already engaged to Mia. Mia was seriously ill. Knowing our kidneys matched, Leo coerced and bribed me to exchange kidneys with her. The day after I refused, a car suddenly rushed onto the sidewalk. I couldn’t dodge in time and was knocked flying. Those scenes swept over like a tide. Leo blinked at me, showing a friendly smile: “This must be Uncle Tao’s Chloe sister, hello.” I also smiled brightly: “Hello, Brother Leo.” Without Mia’s overt and covert squeezing out, and having solved a worry, my face became visibly round and fair, more and more like a child’s charming naivety. I had practiced in front of the mirror countless times. Smiling like this is the most pleasing and harmless.

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I awakened the Green Serpent bloodline of my family. Upon reaching adulthood, I must choose my gender once again. In my past life, to be with my boyfriend, I resolutely chose to remain a girl. I supported him and raised our children, accompanying him from a small business owner to the richest man in the capital. I raised our son and daughter to attend top universities. But on my fiftieth birthday, after eating the cake my husband made himself, I vomited black blood. My children watched from the side, with no intention of calling an ambulance. “Mom, just go peacefully. Auntie Jasmine will take care of us and Dad.” “Yeah, being your child is really embarrassing.” They relied on me for everything they had, yet they pushed me into the abyss without hesitation. When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in the ancestral hall. The patriarch handed me the yellow paper for choosing my gender. “Yingying, make your decision.” 1 I took the yellow paper from the patriarch’s hand and wrote down my name stroke by stroke. Once the last stroke fell, this decision could never be changed. The patriarch looked at me in surprise. “Have you really thought this through? You want to be a man from now on?” “What about your boyfriend? Can he accept you changing your gender?” As he said this, Ethan was standing outside the door, looking at me eagerly. He was an outsider, couldn’t enter the ancestral hall, and couldn’t hear what we were saying. I devoutly lit the yellow paper and smiled at the patriarch. “Grandpa, I’ve thought it through. Before I completely change my gender, please keep it a secret for me.” “Alright, it’s your own business, you decide.” “The ceremony ends in a week. Your new ID will be sent over then.” A week. I silently repeated these two words. In a week, I would have a brand new life, beautiful as a dream. Before that, I must deal with Ethan. After walking out of the ancestral hall, the man immediately grabbed my hand. “Yingying, you’ve sacrificed so much for me. I won’t let you regret it.” “Are you willing to form a bond with me?” I was stunned for a moment. Ethan never mentioned this in my past life. Is he also reborn? I asked tentatively. “Forming a bond isn’t just marriage. Once the contract is effective, we can never be separated in this life.” “Will you really love me forever and never fall in love with anyone else?” “Of course.” The man looked at me affectionately, but I easily saw the familiar ruthlessness and ambition in his eyes. Exactly the same as when he poisoned me with his own hands in my past life. “Yingying, the thought of you possibly leaving me makes me feel like dying.” “I beg you, promise me, okay?” My stomach cramped. As if the poison crossed time and was tearing my internal organs apart again. I suppressed all the bitterness and smiled brightly at Ethan. “Okay, I promise you.” “I don’t want to be separated from you either. Let’s form the bond now.” I cut a lock of his hair, entwined it with a lock of mine, and asked Grandpa Patriarch to burn it in the ancestral hall. “I, Ethan, tie the knot with you today as husband and wife, loving each other without suspicion.” The patriarch hesitated: “Yingying, but aren’t you…?” Thinking of my instructions, he looked at us with complex eyes, and finally just sighed deeply. 2 I watched the hair turn to ash in the brazier. Finally, I revealed a sincere smile. That night, Ethan discussed the wedding details with my parents. He had lost his gentle and refined appearance from the day, sitting at the head of the table, asking without looking up. “Auntie, when will you transfer the house and car to my name?” My mother’s face darkened. “What do you mean?” “Let me be straight. My family has no money. Your family might have to cover the wedding expenses.” “If you care about money, we don’t have to have a wedding. I don’t mind.” “But after marriage, Qing Ying is my wife. Her house and car will be mine sooner or later. Isn’t it the same whether transferred early or late?” Saying this, he put a chicken leg in my bowl and asked me triumphantly. “Right, Yingying?” My parents’ gazes also focused on me. They knew this matter still depended on my opinion. “Yingying, you heard him. You haven’t even married yet, and he already wants to seize our family property.” “If you marry him, how will you live? Even if you continue being a girl, Mom and Dad can find you a good husband. Just nod, and we’ll kick him out right now.” My dad silently picked up a stick. Ethan hurriedly shouted. “We’ve already formed a bond! You can’t go back on it! If Qing Ying doesn’t become my wife, she can only die!” My parents were struck by lightning. Seeing my silence, they scolded me for being so muddled, so angry their heart conditions were about to flare up. I held my mother’s shoulders to comfort her. They haven’t seen Ethan’s true viciousness and shamelessness yet. God let me live again to make me realize what the abyss truly is. I turned to Ethan. “My family’s assets, except for this house my parents live in, are all under my name.” “There are a total of sixteen villas, two courtyard houses, seventy shops, thirty-four cars, and six hundred million in savings.” “If you want, I’ll transfer them all to you. This one stays for my parents’ retirement. Do you agree?” Ethan’s eyes burned with greed. In the past life, he became the richest man solely relying on my support. He knew I had money, but didn’t know I had this much money. He agreed immediately. “Deal.” “But your parents have to write a will now. After they die, this house can only be under my name.” I wasn’t surprised by his greed. I did everything he said. When the last deposit was transferred to Ethan. A snake scale appeared on his left arm. “What is this?” “The token of the bond. When three snake scales appear, the contract will be completely effective.” “Why wasn’t it there before?” He muttered in confusion, then quickly shut his mouth. Seeing me penniless yet still looking at him calmly. Ethan turned his head somewhat guiltily. “You don’t have to be unhappy. Isn’t my money your money? I won’t treat you badly. Only when money is in the man’s hands can the family stand.” In the past life, I initiated the bond. When he swore to treat me well, it was much more sincere than now. But what did he do in the end? A glass of poisoned wine sent me to the West. 3 With money, Ethan first bought himself his favorite heavy motorcycle. Then he swiped the card crazily, buying a pile of jewelry, designer clothes, and skincare products that only women like. Consumption records flowed to my phone like water. What he gave me was a gold-plated bracelet for 9.9 on Pinduoduo. I accepted it with a smile. Not a single word of complaint. Four days before the ceremony was complete, Ethan suddenly dragged me out of the room in the middle of the night. Wearing only pajamas, I was dragged to the hospital by him. “My sister was in a car accident. You have the same blood type as her. You must donate blood to her.” Entering the emergency room. I knew, his so-called sister was Jasmine. Auntie Jasmine in my son’s mouth. The woman Ethan and the children truly loved. The man grabbed the nurse about to enter the operating room. “Draw her blood. Save Jasmine no matter what.” The nurse drew 400ml from my arm. Ethan frowned fiercely. “Wasn’t it supposed to be 1000ml? Why stop?” The nurse looked at him troubledly. “More than 400ml is dangerous. 1000ml will cause this lady to go into shock. Besides, the patient inside isn’t seriously injured, and the blood we ordered is on the way.” “I don’t care. Her blood is good, draw hers.” “She’s my wife. Don’t I know her body? It’s just 1000ml of blood, what’s wrong with drawing it?” Onlookers whispered. “This man is really not a thing, treating his wife as a blood bag?” “Exactly, blood is blood, is there high and low grade? I think he just wants to kill his wife.” “Sister, don’t agree. It’s not worth hurting yourself for others.” I smiled and extended my arm to the nurse. “Draw it.” “Ethan asked me for it, I must give it to him.” The nurse looked at me in astonishment, as if saying I was crazy. The people who were fighting for me just now also turned their heads and cursed me for having no brain, saying good words can’t persuade a ghost determined to die. I was unmoved. Watching the blood flow out of my body. How did Ethan know my blood was good? In the past life, he entered ICU with pneumonia, doctors said he wouldn’t live. It was me who let my own blood to make medicine for him. That’s how he survived. So in this life, even if the hospital didn’t lack blood, even if Jasmine just lost some blood and wasn’t in danger. He still insisted on draining all my blood to save his white moonlight. I lost consciousness drowsily, waking up with Ethan by my bed. I lifted his sleeve and saw the second snake scale on his left hand. Ethan saw that snake scale, eyes full of complexity, comforting me softly. “Yingying, I didn’t expect you to love me so much. It’s my fault this time, I’m sorry.” “The doctor said you lost too much blood, miscarried, and couldn’t keep your uterus. You can never have children again.” I smiled. “Is that so? Let it go then, I don’t care.” “You’re not angry?!” Seeing my indifference, Ethan’s eyes were filled with anger. “That was our child! Why aren’t you sad it died?! Why didn’t you tell me earlier you were pregnant!” Would he have given up drawing my blood if I told him earlier? 4 And what’s worth cherishing about Ethan’s children? I raised them painstakingly, giving them the most luxurious life and the best educational resources. The son was smart but rebellious. The daughter was dull and obedient, but low IQ. Sending such two people to top universities, did it rely on their own efforts and talents? Everything relied on my ancestral bloodline and my support. But did these two ingrates have any gratitude towards me? Watching their mother struggle on the floor. Ten fingers scratching blood from the pain. They were still happily discussing where to take Jasmine for a trip. Thinking of this, I held Ethan’s hand. “Ethan, it’s already happened, what can we do?” “Fortunately, sister is saved. She is safe and sound. If you want children in the future, we can just adopt hers.” “Is… is that so?” Ethan was shocked by my reasonableness. He seemed unable to figure out how I could sacrifice myself to this extent. But my proposal did no harm to him. So the man pulled me into his arms. “Yingying, how lucky am I to have a wife like you.” “We will adopt Jasmine’s children in the future. If you teach them well, they will definitely be successful.” “When the time comes, let the children be filial to you. If they dare not listen, I will definitely teach them a lesson.” He spoke sweeter than a song. But in his imagination, the one being taught a lesson would definitely be me.

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1 In the third year after my brain tumor diagnosis, my attending physician was my wife. An hour before my surgery, Dr. Claire Sterling suddenly pulled my anesthesiologist and lead surgeon. Her first love, Julian, who suffered from depression, was having an appendicitis attack and was threatening to kill himself. “Julian is psychologically fragile, his surgery has to be flawless. What’s the big deal if you just accommodate him?” “You’re a man. Can’t you handle a little pain?” She wheeled my ventilator to her ex-lover’s room, leaving me to sweat through waves of agony in the hallway. Watching her fuss over him, her back turned to me, my heart finally died. I tugged on the corner of her coat. “Just sign this one last thing, and I’ll never bother you again.” Without a single glance, she scribbled her signature across the document with a flourish. She even smiled, teasing me for finally learning not to be jealous of her patients. She promised she’d be back to sit with me through my chemo as soon as Julian’s stitches were out. As she turned and walked into the OR to be with him, I ripped the IV needle from my hand. She had no idea. What she had just signed was a Do Not Resuscitate order. … The draft in the hallway cut through my gown, slicing at my skin like a thousand tiny knives. I leaned against the cold wall, the tumor in my head pressing on my optic nerve, my vision pulsing with darkness. It was a grade IV glioblastoma. The “king of brain cancers.” Today was supposed to be my best chance, a surgical window I had waited three agonizing months for. Claire was one of the country’s top neurosurgeons. She was also my wife. She had once held my hands, her gaze resolute, and vowed, “Ethan, trust me with your life. I will snatch you back from the jaws of death.” But ten minutes ago, a single phone call from Julian had made her feed every one of those vows to the dogs. Julian said his stomach hurt. He suspected appendicitis. He said the pain was so bad he wanted to jump off the roof. Without a second thought, Claire postponed my surgery. “Ethan, your tumor has been growing for three years. A little more time won’t make a difference.” “Julian is different. He has severe depression. What if the pain becomes too much and he does something stupid?” She ordered the nurses to wheel my equipment away, her voice sharp with impatience as she lectured me. I looked at her anxious profile and felt like I was seeing a stranger. In five years of marriage, I had never seen her so flustered. Not even on the day I was diagnosed. Back then, she had just looked at the scans calmly, analyzing the surgical options. I finally understood. She wasn’t cold by nature. I just wasn’t the one she was warm for. The moment the IV needle came out, blood arced through the air, splattering on the linoleum floor. I ignored the sting, my hand clenching the signed DNR form. The paper was crumpled and damp in my fist. The signature, “Dr. Claire Sterling,” was strong and confident, a bitter, mocking parody of her promise. A young nurse passing by gasped and rushed over, fumbling to apply pressure to the wound. “Mr. Hayes, what are you doing? Dr. Sterling just went to…” The nurse trailed off, her eyes filled with pity. Everyone in the hospital knew. They all knew about Claire’s unforgettable first love, the one that got away. And they all knew that I, her husband, wasn’t even a backup plan in her heart. I waved her off, indicating I was fine. “Don’t tell her,” I rasped, my throat feeling like it was full of sand. The nurse’s eyes welled up, but she nodded. Bracing myself against the wall, I shuffled back to my room, one step at a time. With every move, the pain in my head intensified, like a power drill boring into my temples. I collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling tiles. Memories flooded back. I remembered three years ago, right after the diagnosis. Claire had held me and cried all night, swearing she would sell everything we owned to cure me. She truly loved me then, didn’t she? Or at least, she thought she did. Until Julian came back to the country. The man who had once abandoned her for his career needed only to crook his finger, and she would drop her armor and run back to him. I closed my eyes, a single cold tear tracing a path down my temple. Claire, this was the last chance I’m giving you. And the last one I’m giving myself. Since you chose to save him… I will let you. And I will finally let myself go. The pain woke me. The pressure inside my skull was immense, bringing on waves of nausea so violent I felt like I was trying to turn my stomach inside out. But I hadn’t eaten in two days. All that came up was bitter, yellow-green bile. The room was empty, the only sound the monotonous beep of the heart monitor. No Claire. No water. Not even a nurse’s aide. When Claire pulled my medical team, she’d reassigned my private caregiver as well. She’d said Julian was shy around strangers and needed someone familiar. Fighting through the agony, I reached for the bottle of painkillers on the nightstand. My hand trembled uncontrollably. The bottle slipped, clattered to the floor, and rolled under the bed. I stared at it in despair, a perfect metaphor for my own life, teetering on the edge. Just then, the door creaked open. Thinking it was a nurse, I forced my head up. But it was Claire. She was still in her white coat, her face etched with fatigue, but her eyes were bright. It was a light I only ever saw when she looked at Julian. She was carrying a thermos. Seeing the pathetic state I was in, her brow furrowed, a flicker of disgust in her eyes. “How did you manage this? You’re a grown man, can’t you even hold onto a pill bottle?” She walked over but didn’t bother to pick it up for me. Instead, she slammed the thermos down on the table. “Julian’s surgery was a success. My mother made him some chicken soup. He couldn’t finish it, so I brought you the rest.” I looked at the thermos, and my stomach churned. Julian’s leftovers. Just like her love. Always secondhand, always cold. “I’m not hungry.” I turned my head away, unable to look at her. Claire’s expression hardened. “Ethan, how long are you going to keep this up?” “I already told you, Julian’s situation is special. Can’t you be a little more understanding?” “I’ve already rescheduled your surgery. It’s for next Wednesday.” Next Wednesday. A cold, mirthless laugh echoed in my mind. I knew my own body. I’d be lucky to last the weekend. Besides, she hadn’t even looked at my latest scans. If I’d had the surgery today, I might have had a thirty percent chance of survival. But now, having missed the optimal window, not even a miracle could save me. “Claire,” I said her name, my voice so calm it surprised even me. “If I died, would you be sad?” She stared at me for a second, then scoffed as if I’d told a joke. “Are you serious, Ethan?” “So I postponed your surgery for a few days, and now you’re threatening me with death? You never used to be like this. Why are you being so dramatic?” As she spoke, she opened the thermos. The aroma of chicken soup filled the room, making me feel even sicker. “Hurry up and drink this. Don’t waste my mother’s effort.” She poured a bowl and held it to my lips. The movement was rough, careless, with no regard for whether the soup was too hot. I didn’t open my mouth. Her patience snapped. She slammed the bowl back on the table. Hot soup sloshed over the side, scalding the back of my hand. “Ethan! Don’t push your luck!” she yelled. Just then, her phone rang. It was the special ringtone she had set for Julian. The anger on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of pure, gentle affection. “Hey, Julian? What’s wrong? Does your incision hurt?” “Okay, don’t be scared. I’ll be right there.” She hung up, and without another glance at me, she turned and walked out. At the door, she paused and threw one last cold remark over her shoulder. “If you don’t want to drink it, then starve.” “When you’ve sorted yourself out, you can come find me.” The door slammed shut with a deafening bang. The world was silent again. I looked at the pill bottle on the floor and started to laugh. And as I laughed, the tears began to fall. Claire, this is probably the last time we’ll see each other. The next day, I felt surprisingly light. The doctors have a term for it: a final surge of energy before the end. I knew my time was short. I forced myself up and started packing. There wasn’t much. After three years in and out of the hospital, my possessions had dwindled to almost nothing. A few changes of clothes, a couple of books, and a picture frame. In the frame was our wedding photo. In the picture, her smile was forced, her eyes looking just past the camera. I didn’t understand it then. I thought she was just nervous. Now I know. Julian was at our wedding. She was looking at him. I took the frame, pulled out the photo, and tore it into tiny pieces. I threw them in the trash. Then, I called my lawyer. “Mr. Davis, that will we drew up. You can execute it now.” There was a long silence on the other end of the line, followed by a sigh. “Mr. Hayes, are you certain? Donating everything?” “Yes. Everything.” I owned three properties and had several million in savings. It was all pre-marital. Claire always thought I was just a simple programmer. The truth was, I was a silent partner in that publicly-traded company. She never asked about my work, and I never bothered to tell her. I used to think that when my time came, I would leave it all to her, so she would never have to worry about money. Now, it seemed unnecessary. She had Julian. She had her brilliant career as a neurosurgeon. She didn’t need my money. My money would be better off helping poor people who couldn’t afford medical care. After hanging up, I felt a sense of release, as if a massive weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Claire came by that afternoon. She seemed to be in a good mood, carrying a fancy gift bag. She paused when she saw me packing. “What are you doing? Getting discharged?” There was a hint of surprise in her voice, but mostly indifference. “Changing rooms,” I lied. “Oh.” She didn’t press the issue. She handed me the gift bag. “This is from Julian. He wanted to thank you for giving him your surgery slot.” “It’s a watch. A Patek Philippe. It’s quite expensive.” I took the bag and glanced inside. It was a Patek, but it was one of the most old-fashioned men’s models. And there was a distinct crease in the leather strap. It was used. Something Julian had worn, or perhaps, no longer wanted. Seeing my silence, Claire assumed I was still angry. She came over and, in a rare gesture of affection, put her arm around my shoulders. “Come on, honey, don’t be mad. Julian meant well.” “Besides, I’ve already spoken to the hospital director. I’m performing your surgery myself next Wednesday. I promise, you’ll come out of it completely fine.” She smelled faintly of antiseptic, mixed with the scent of the cologne Julian always wore. It was suffocating. I gently pushed her away and placed the watch on the table. “Thank you,” I said, looking into her eyes and managing my first real smile in days. “I love it.” Claire was clearly taken aback by my compliance. She stared for a moment, then a satisfied smile spread across her face. “That’s more like it. I knew you were the most reasonable man I know.” “Oh, by the way, it’s Julian’s birthday tonight. We’ve booked a private room at a restaurant to celebrate. Do you want to come? It’ll be fun.” Take me to her first love’s birthday party? To celebrate him stealing my only chance at life? Claire, you really know how to twist the knife. I shook my head. “No, I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll rest.” Claire didn’t insist. In fact, she looked relieved. “Okay, you get some rest then. I’ll have an aide bring you some soup.” “I’ll bring you back a piece of cake after dinner.” She hummed a little tune as she touched up her makeup in the mirror, applying a shade of fiery red lipstick I had never seen on her before. Just before she left, she seemed to remember something and glanced back at me. “Ethan, after the surgery, let’s go on a trip. To Iceland. The place you always wanted to see.” I looked at her, my eyes calm and empty. “Okay.” She smiled and left. The crisp click-clack of her heels echoed down the hall, growing fainter and fainter until it disappeared completely. I turned my gaze to the window. The sky was darkening. Heavy clouds were rolling in. A storm was coming. Claire. There would be no surgery. There would be no Iceland. Only death. Eleven o’clock at night. The rain was coming down in sheets. Thunder rattled the windowpanes. Lying in bed, it felt like the tumor inside my skull was about to explode. The pain sent my body into convulsions, my fingernails digging deep into the mattress. I knew this was it. The final moments. The tumor had ruptured. Intracranial hemorrhage. Brain herniation. Each term a step on the stairway to hell. I gasped for air, but it felt like my lungs couldn’t draw in a single molecule of oxygen. My vision blurred, the world fracturing into double images. With the last of my strength, I pressed the call button. No one came. The sound of the bell echoed down the empty hallway like a ghostly wail. Then I remembered. The nurse on duty, a kind young woman named Olivia, had been called away by Claire. Julian had apparently drunk too much at his party and needed someone to bring him a sobriety tonic. This entire floor was a dead zone. I rolled out of bed, trying to crawl toward the door to get help. My body hit the floor with a heavy thud. The impact sent a fresh wave of agony through me, and I almost blacked out. I bit my tongue, using the sharp pain to stay conscious. I didn’t want to die here. Not like this. Not so pathetically. I dragged myself toward the door, inch by agonizing inch. Every movement drained all my energy. Blood trickled from my nose and ears, leaving a long, dark smear on the polished floor. Finally, I reached the door. I slapped at it with my blood-soaked hand. “Help… me…” My voice was so weak I could barely hear it myself. Just as I thought I would die in this storm-tossed night, the door opened. It was a medical intern making his rounds. When he saw me, covered in blood, his face went white with terror. “Mr. Hayes! Mr. Hayes, what happened?!” He fumbled to help me up, yelling for his colleagues. In seconds, a team of doctors and nurses rushed in, lifting me onto a gurney. “Pupils dilated! Respiratory failure! Quick! Get him to the ER!” “Notify the family! Notify his wife!” “Where’s his physician? Where’s Dr. Sterling? Someone call Dr. Sterling!” In the chaos, I heard someone shouting Claire’s name. The intern, Leo, pulled out his phone with trembling hands and dialed her number. It rang for a long time before she picked up. The sound of loud music and men’s laughter blared from the other end. “Hello? Who is this?” Claire’s voice was slurred with alcohol and laced with annoyance. “Dr. Sterling! It’s Leo from the ER!” “It’s Mr. Hayes… He’s… he’s in critical condition!” “The tumor’s ruptured, he’s herniating! He needs emergency surgery, now!” “Please, you have to come back! We’re losing him!” Leo’s voice was cracking, sweat beading on his forehead. There was a two-second pause on the other end. Then came Claire’s voice, as cold and sharp as ice. “Herniating?” “Heh. Leo, you’re a neurosurgery resident. You know what brain herniation looks like. He was fine this afternoon, packing his things. How could he suddenly be herniating?” “Is he acting again? Tell him to stop the charade.” “It’s Julian’s birthday. Does he have to cause trouble for me right now?” Leo lost it. He screamed into the phone. “Dr. Sterling! It’s not an act! It’s real!” “Mr. Hayes is unconscious! He’s bleeding from his ears and nose! We can’t even get a blood pressure reading!” “Please, come back! I’m begging you!” From the other end, I could hear Julian’s voice. “Claire, who is it? What a buzzkill.” Followed by Claire’s gentle, soothing tone. “It’s nothing. Just an unreasonable patient.” Then, she spoke her last words to me, through the phone. “Tell Ethan that’s enough.” “I don’t have time for his games tonight.” “If he wants to die so badly, then let him.” Beep… beep… beep… The line went dead. Lying on the gurney, I watched the fluorescent lights streak past overhead. A tear escaped the corner of my eye, mingling with the blood. The wave on the heart monitor finally flatlined. The world went dark. The red light above the emergency room door was blinding, but inside, it was silent. There was no whine of a defibrillator, no rhythmic thud of chest compressions. The doctors had seen the paper clutched in my hand. The Do Not Resuscitate order. It had not only Claire’s signature but also my own bloody thumbprint, pressed there just moments ago. “The patient… refuses resuscitation,” the intern, Leo, choked out, tears streaming down his face as he looked at the blood-soaked document. “But… but he’s so young…” The senior ER doctor sighed and pulled down his mask. “Respect the patient’s wishes.” “In his condition, even if we brought him back, he’d be in a vegetative state. Let him go with dignity.” They stopped what they were doing, standing silently around the operating table. And so I lay there, still. My consciousness began to fade, my soul feeling as if it were drifting out of my body. I saw Claire. She was still in that luxurious private room. Julian was cutting a cake, dabbing the first piece of frosting on her nose. She was laughing, her eyes full of adoration. Everyone was cheering, chanting, “Kiss, kiss, kiss!” Blushing, Claire leaned in and planted a kiss on Julian’s cheek. “Happy birthday, Julian. Thank you for coming back to me.” What a heartwarming scene. If you could ignore the fact that at this very moment, her husband was lying on a cold steel table, growing colder by the second. Suddenly, Claire’s phone rang again. It was the hospital.

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I’m a rookie paparazzo. To get my big break, I spent six months staking out Hollywood’s golden boy, Caleb Hayes. But I didn’t catch him. Instead, I caught his rumored secret son. The kid went to elementary school; I trailed him. The kid tripped; I picked him up. The kid wanted cotton candy; I paid for it. Later, another pap snapped a photo and the internet decided I was the baby mama. I went viral instantly. I panicked and tweeted: [I am NOT!] I didn’t expect Caleb Hayes himself to reply to my tweet: [Yes, you are.] That night, the internet broke. 1 I haven’t been in the paparazzi game for long. But as the saying goes, go big or go home. I was tired of scraping by, so I decided to aim for the stars. Specifically, Caleb Hayes. I sat in my beat-up, second-hand Honda Civic, scrolling through Caleb’s profile on my phone. Caleb Hayes. Twenty-eight. Ivy League grad. Returned to LA a few years ago and instantly conquered Hollywood with his god-tier looks and Oscar-worthy acting. Zero scandals. Squeaky clean. But the rumor mill whispered that he had a secret child. A man that perfect with no skeletons in his closet? I didn’t buy it. So, I parked myself outside his luxury apartment complex in Beverly Hills for months. I saw nothing. Not even his shadow. My savings were dwindling fast. Just as I was aggressively chewing on a stale bagel, my eyes widened. Someone was coming out of the gate! Could it be Caleb? I ducked down, peering over the dashboard. A young man walked out, holding the hand of a small boy. The kid looked about seven or eight, messy dark hair. I couldn’t see his face clearly from this distance, but my heart started racing. Is that the rumored son? 2 Terrified of being spotted, I slouched in my seat like a gremlin. The young man—definitely not Caleb—was holding something and complaining to the kid. “Little Leo, if you don’t eat this, you’re gonna starve at school.” Leo ignored him completely, head down, marching forward. They were walking right toward my car. As they got closer, I saw Leo’s face. He was pouting, but he was undeniably cute. Like a cherub in a designer jacket. “Seriously, kid, you’re impossible! Even Caleb isn’t this high maintenance,” the man grumbled, scooping Leo up into his arms. “Let’s go. Uncle Mitch is driving you.” Hearing the name “Caleb,” my internal radar went crazy. I watched them hop into an SUV. I didn’t think twice. I started my engine and followed them. This was a major breakthrough. If I found the son, the father—and the scandal—wouldn’t be far behind. I tailed them to a prestigious private elementary school and watched the little guy walk in. I figured the mom might pick him up later. That would be the money shot. I waited all day. From morning light until the bell rang in the afternoon. A flood of kids in uniforms poured out. Parents in Teslas and Range Rovers crowded the entrance. I wasn’t a parent, but I was just as anxious. Then I saw him. Leo stood by the gate with his oversized backpack, his dark eyes scanning the crowd. When he didn’t see anyone familiar, his shoulders slumped. He looked so lonely. He tried to squeeze through the crowd. But a frantic mom, rushing to get to her own kid, didn’t see him. She bumped right into him. Leo stumbled and fell onto the pavement. My breath hitched. Wait. Why is he on the ground? The parents were pushing and shoving. I was terrified he’d get trampled. Abandoning my cover, I threw my car door open and sprinted over. I grabbed his arm and pulled him up. “Hey, you okay?” Leo, who had been sitting on the asphalt, looked up at me. He blinked, dusted off his knees, and asked in a quiet voice, “Who are you?” His voice was soft and ridiculously adorable. I brushed some dirt off his jacket. “Uh, I’m a fan of your dad.” Fans follow Caleb. Paparazzi follow Caleb. Same difference, right? Just to make sure I didn’t look like a kidnapper, I added, “Kiddo, go wait by your teacher. Don’t leave with anyone unless you know them, okay?” Then I ran back to my car, heart pounding. Stupid, Riley. Stupid. I totally blew my cover. When “Uncle Mitch” comes back, he’ll know something is up and chase me off. 3 I stared at the sky through my sunroof, feeling tragic. But my conscience wouldn’t let me leave until I saw the uncle pick Leo up safely. I expected a cease-and-desist letter from Caleb’s agency that night. Rumor had it Caleb Hayes had a short fuse with privacy invaders. One pap who crossed the line was basically blacklisted from the industry. But surprisingly, I slept like a baby and woke up to zero threats. Maybe Caleb was too deep in character for his new movie to notice. I dodged a bullet. I went back to the apartment complex, cautious but bold. I watched Leo go to school and come back every day. A few times, I swear the kid looked right at my car. Uncle Mitch, however, seemed oblivious. Until one morning. I was yawning, opening a bag of donut holes I bought for breakfast, ready to start my shift. Leo walked out of the complex alone. No Uncle Mitch. No Caleb. I blinked. They aren’t letting a seven-year-old walk to school in LA, are they? Just as I thought that, there was a tap on my window. I jumped. I rolled it down to see a cute, frantic face. The sun hit his eyes, making them look lighter. He looked up at me through long lashes. “Pretty sister, can you drive me to school? My uncle overslept and he won’t wake up. He’s like a log.” My jaw dropped. “Huh?” I’m a paparazzo. And you want a ride? 4 I pinched myself. This had to be a hallucination caused by lack of caffeine. “Kid, do you know how crazy that sounds?” But Leo just stared at me with big, pleading eyes. “If we don’t go now, I’ll get detention.” He tilted his head. He looked innocent, harmless, and dangerously cute. I looked at the kid, then at my phone. I got an idea. I hit record on my camera. “Okay, buddy, repeat after me: ‘I am voluntarily asking Riley for a ride to school.’” I haven’t committed any crimes, and I’d like to keep it that way. Kidnapping charges are not on my bucket list. Leo looked confused for a second, then nodded solemnly. “I am asking Sister Riley to take me to school.” Good enough. I put the phone away, got out, and buckled him into the back seat. I knew the route to the private school by heart now. At a red light, I glanced at my bag of donut holes. Then I saw Leo in the rearview mirror. He was staring at the donuts like they were gold. “Hey…” I hesitated. “Did you eat breakfast?” Leo slumped. “No.” My heart cracked a little. I handed the bag back to him. “Want some?” His eyes lit up. He took the bag with both hands. His ears turned a little pink. “You bought these for me? You’re way better than Uncle Mitch. His cooking tastes like burnt rubber.” I barely heard his rambling. I was too busy mourning my breakfast. The car soon smelled like sugar and glaze. My stomach growled. Ten minutes later, we pulled up to the school. “Here we are.” I watched him hop out. He took a few steps, then turned around. I checked the back seat. Did he forget his backpack? No. He walked back to my window. “Sister, will you pick me up this afternoon?” Me: “…” Absolutely… not! But looking at his hopeful face, my brain malfunctioned. “Uh… sure?” Why can’t I say no to a kid who calls me ‘Sister’ instead of ‘Auntie’? Leo beamed. “Promise?” “Yeah, promise.” He ran inside. I put my hands on the steering wheel, ready to make a U-turn to get actual food, when it hit me. I’m a stalker with a camera. I haven’t gotten a single scandalous photo of Caleb, but I’m babysitting his kid? Damn you, Caleb Hayes. You owe me gas money.

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I married the poor student my family sponsored. On our wedding night, after he took my virginity, he got up and left without any hesitation. He shook off my hand trying to keep him, his eyes full of disdain. “I’ve already touched you as you wished, what more do you want? Being so cheap, do you need me to find another man to serve you?” The next moment, he actually swung a knife and chopped off the finger that had touched me. Dragging his mutilated hand, he went to find the girl, also a poor student, whom he kept as a mistress outside, begging for her pity. “Mia, I didn’t bring the dirty hand back. I’m clean. Please let me accompany you.” Later, I also kept a poor student. But he held my hand with red eyes, refusing to let go. “Sarah, please don’t abandon me.” But why did he think I would want a dirty cripple? 1 When I got out of Leo’s bed, my legs were weak. Picking up the clothes on the floor, I was about to leave when someone grabbed my wrist. Leo looked pitiful, like a puppy about to be abandoned. “Sister, can you divorce and let me marry you?” “Okay.” He had prepared a bellyful of words to persuade me, but in the end, he opened his mouth and froze for a moment, then hugged me into his arms. “Sister said this…” Perhaps afraid I would go back on my word, he childishly wanted to pinky swear with me. “Three days later, I will send the betrothal gift to sister. We will hold the wedding in a month. You don’t need to worry about anything, I’ll prepare…” Coming out of Leo’s place, I drove home after all. I thought Lucas wouldn’t be there, but I ran into him. This was the first time we met since the fallout that day. He was wearing a loose bathrobe, and the exposed skin was covered with post-coital red marks. Seeing me for a moment, the disgust in his eyes couldn’t be suppressed. He held a freshly brewed coffee in his hand, the mutilated finger wrapped in gauze, looking very dazzling. He glanced at me casually, his tone full of sarcasm. “What, went back to snitch?” “Before marriage, you knew I didn’t want to marry you, but you insisted on marrying me. Now it’s like this, what are you still making a fuss about?” He spoke carelessly, took a breath, and spoke again with a generous look. “However, Mia is generous and doesn’t mind living under the same roof with you. In the future, you will be responsible for taking care of me and her life. As long as you don’t cause trouble anymore, I reluctantly won’t kick you out, nor divorce you.” I was amused by these words. This house is mine; even a chopstick was bought by me. That person entered my house, slept with my husband, and asked me to serve them, this adulterous couple. It’s amazing he could say it. Does he really think I can’t live without him? I glanced coldly at the face that once made me dream, and replied coldly. “No need to be reluctant, we divorce now.” I handed him the divorce agreement I printed when I came back. A crack appeared on Lucas’s originally cold face. He frowned instantly and said angrily. “Sarah, threatening me with such despicable tricks, do you think I will compromise?” “I won’t abandon Mia!” He thought I was playing hard to get. But after he left me on the wedding night and chopped off the finger that touched me… I really wanted a divorce. Looking at his appearance of wishing to fight me desperately for Mia, I suddenly wanted to find an answer. “Then why didn’t you say before marriage that you must have that Mia?” “You said I insisted on marrying you, but clearly you proposed marriage to my dad. Who is making trouble?” 2 When my dad brought him back back then, it was true that he intended to make him a live-in son-in-law, but he didn’t deliberately matchmake me and him. It was his repeated approaches that made me secretly fall for him. Although he never clarified the relationship between us, he still did everything couples should do with me. Only missing the last step. I thought we were in love, until he came back from a business trip a year ago, everything became different. He started to be cold and indifferent to me, even resisting contact with me. I thought he had a change of heart, but in a flash, he asked my dad for marriage with me again. From trying on wedding dresses to buying wedding rings, he was absent with the excuse of being busy. I asked him if he encountered any trouble. He fobbed me off with the excuse that the company was too busy. I was worried about him and even begged my dad not to put so much pressure on him. Even secretly bought a seven-figure watch to give him to make him happy. Thought everything was a beautiful beginning. Until the night of the wedding, he acted uncharacteristically, chopped off the finger that touched me, and said those words to me. “I married you only because of gratitude. Don’t hope for anything else.” “This counts as touching you. Take care of yourself.” He shook off my hand and left home without any nostalgia. I followed him secretly without knowing why, and saw in front of a dilapidated residential area, he used his bloody hand to carefully embrace the poor student we sponsored. He pressed against her neck, speaking heartfelt love words to her affectionately. “I married her just to give you a better life. When I grasp real power, I will divorce her and marry you.” He even raised the hand with the severed middle finger, claiming credit from the person opposite. “Look, Mia, I didn’t bring the dirty hand back. I’m clean. Please let me accompany you.” At that moment, the sky collapsed and the earth cracked, only the sound of the world collapsing filled my eardrums. So marrying me was just to let this woman live a good life? I really didn’t know whether to be happy for his true feelings or sad for myself. “Sarah, you…” He stepped forward angrily and grabbed my arm. The pain brought my thoughts back. Mia came down from upstairs at this time. 3 She was wearing my silk pajamas and walked quickly to me. Started crying before opening her mouth. “Sister, please don’t be angry with Lucas. It’s all my fault. I love him too much. I swear I won’t destroy the relationship between you. Please don’t drive me away, okay?” She raised her hands, holding a red string in her palm, like offering a treasure. “I knew sister would be unhappy, so I used all my savings to buy this for sister to apologize.” I looked at the nine-dollar-ninety red string in her hand, and the corner of my mouth pulled out a sneer. Seeing this, Lucas scolded me with a black face. “Sarah, to what extent do you want to bully Mia?” “Mia is so good to you, yet you give her attitude?” He protectively held Mia in his arms distressedly, but looked at me as if wishing to kill me. But what did I do wrong? When I first met Mia, I wasn’t prepared. Casually gave her a bracelet I just bought, but was despised. “Sister, I know I don’t deserve your good things, but sister can’t humiliate me like this, deliberately buying cheap gifts for me.” That bracelet was a special model of a big brand, without any logo. I knew she misunderstood, kindly explained, but was said to be mocking her for not seeing the world. Because of this, Lucas complained about me for a few days. Now she takes a broken red string and wants me to forget that she destroyed my marriage… Who is bullying whom? Too lazy to look at the two, I turned to leave. But the person behind me was relentless. Mia grabbed the corner of my clothes, and the next moment she knelt down in front of me with a thud. “Sister, all mistakes are my fault. If you look down on me, I accept it. Just beg you not to be angry with Lucas.” She looked at me like she had been bullied, but I saw the bracelet on her wrist. That was the dowry my mom left me, and also her relic. Anger filled all my nerves. I can ignore her wearing my pajamas and sleeping with my man, but I can’t ignore her taking my mom’s things. I grabbed her wrist, trying to take the bracelet off. Result next moment, I was pushed to the ground. Lucas reached out and pulled the person up from the ground to protect her behind him, turned his head and scolded me. “Sarah, you are simply bullying people too much…” “That’s my stuff!” I roared. Lucas’s gaze paused on Mia’s wrist for a moment, then frowned and argued. “You have so many jewelry, it’s a waste not to wear them. Mia just borrowed it to wear, what’s the fuss?” “Mia has lived a hard life since childhood, family poor, not even a decent piece of jewelry. What’s wrong with lending her to wear? Besides, it’s not like she won’t return it to you. Why are you so stingy?” But he should know what that bracelet represents to me? Meeting my red eyes, he seemed a little guilty and looked away. “Big deal, I’ll let you attend the birthday party in three days. Are you satisfied now?” He looked like he was giving me alms, expecting my gratitude. Mia stood up to object. “No!” Perhaps realizing her loss of composure, she cleared her throat and explained softly. “It’s my fault for wearing sister’s things privately. I won’t do it again. Lucas, you don’t need to wrong yourself for me. Birthday is such an important thing, it can’t be used as an exchange condition.” She turned to look at me again, begging in a low voice. “Sister, I know I don’t deserve to wear good things. I’ll just return the bracelet to you…” She seemed to be acting out of spite, taking the bracelet off her hand. Next moment, she threw it directly at me. 4 The bracelet fell to the ground with a sound, instantly shattering into pieces. Fragments cut my exposed calf. But I didn’t feel any pain at all, only the fragments on the ground in my eyes. The moment the bracelet shattered, it seemed to sever the last bond between me and my mom. Still remember before the sickbed, my mom put the bracelet in my hand, instructing reluctantly. “In the future, this bracelet will be mom’s protection for you. Rest assured, as long as the bracelet is there, mom is always there.” But now this bracelet is broken. Heart bleeding, hands holding the bracelet were trembling. I couldn’t believe this was true, stubbornly trying to gather them together again. But broken is broken, how can it be reunited. I looked up at the people above with red eyes. Lucas hurriedly protected the person tightly behind him, saying nonchalantly. “She didn’t mean it. It’s just a broken bracelet, I’ll compensate you.” I retorted with a hoarse voice and a sneer. “This bracelet is eight million. Do you think you can afford it?” Lucas’s eyes darkened immediately. He felt I was insulting him for being poor. For so many years, I carefully maintained his pitiful self-esteem. Even if he ate from our family and wore from our family, I still told him that he deserved all this. Maybe hearing too many lies, he really developed a sense of superiority. I held those fragments and slowly stood up from the ground. Mia seemed scared, body trembling, but still walked out from behind Lucas. She knelt down to me again, kowtowing hard. “Sister, I was wrong. I didn’t expect you wouldn’t catch it. I really didn’t mean it.” “Please don’t have a rift with Lucas. He hasn’t had an easy life in your family for so many years. If there is any fault, it’s all mine.” Even at this moment, she didn’t forget to provoke the relationship between me and Lucas. She postured to kowtow again, but was pulled up from the ground by Lucas. He glared at me, determined to cut me into pieces. “You did so much, just to drive Mia away and get me, right?” “I fulfill your wish, I’ll go to you tonight. Are you satisfied now?” I looked at Lucas coldly, asking disdainfully. “Why do you think you are more important than eight million?” “Lucas, let’s divorce.” Lucas’s pitiful self-esteem was touched again, raising his hand to grab me. “When will you stop making trouble? Are you only happy if Mia is sad?” “Stop messing around, okay? I’m really tired.” He looked helpless, as if exhausted by my torture. “Calm down first. I’ll come to find you tonight.” Turned around and left with Mia. The moment the door closed, all grievances and anger poured out. Don’t know how long I cried squatting on the ground, the doorbell rang outside. When I opened the door, I saw several men in black carrying boxes in their hands, bowing to me respectfully. “Miss Sarah, this is our young master’s betrothal gift. Ten boxes of gold and silver jewelry, five boxes of antique calligraphy and paintings, twenty boxes of haute couture clothes and bags, and one billion cash gift. Please check.” I looked at these people in surprise, asking puzzledly. “Your young master is…” “Leo, young master of the Zhou family.”

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