Category: English

My name is Sarah Davis, and I grew up in Columbus, Ohio. If my dad hadn’t collapsed unexpectedly right around my twenty-eighth birthday, I probably would’ve stuck to the life plan he’d always envisioned for me: get married, have kids. But things didn’t turn out that way. Dad had liver cancer. The doctor hit me with the worst news possible – it was advanced, and the chemo costs alone would completely drain our comfortable, middle-class savings. Not to mention the suffering Dad would go through. The best shot was a liver transplant. I’m an only child. The second I heard “transplant,” I stepped up without a second thought. I’d give part of my liver to save my dad, the man who’d loved and spoiled me for over twenty years. Hell, I’d trade my life for his if it came down to it. But fate had a twisted sense of humor. My blood type is O. Dad’s is AB. They didn’t match. Which meant… I wasn’t his biological daughter. I couldn’t donate my liver to save him even if I wanted to. That news hit me like a ton of bricks. I just stood there, numb. The despair was so thick I felt like I was suffocating. I couldn’t save my dad. I couldn’t even try. I shoved down the wave of grief threatening to drown me, wiped the tears that sprang up automatically, and hardened my resolve: I had to save my dad. I absolutely had to. I stayed by his bedside, waiting for him to wake up. I remember that wait feeling like an eternity. Sitting there, watching him, my heart hammered against my ribs. I was terrified. Terrified he might never open his eyes again. He did wake up. And when he saw me, the familiar smile touched his eyes as he rasped, “Sarah-bear.” It felt impossible. How could this man, who looked at me with so much love, not be my real father? He’d always been so good to me! But I knew this wasn’t the time for my own breakdown. I had to hold it together. Before I could figure out what to say, he spoke first: “Sarah-bear, Dad knows what’s wrong with me. Let’s just go home.” I stared at him, shocked. “You knew? You knew what was wrong and you didn’t tell me? Why would you hide it? If you hadn’t hidden it, maybe we could have caught it earlier, treated it!” “Now… now I want to save you, and I can’t! I don’t even have the right to save you!” Liver cancer. Transplant needed. If I were his biological daughter, I could have done it. “Sarah Davis, what on earth are you talking about? Your father is sick like this, and you’re saying things to upset him?” My mom must have heard my raised voice from the hallway. She burst into the room. She thought I was fighting with Dad. She pointed a finger right at my face, ready to scold me. My mom was always good to me, too. I knew she just misunderstood. “No, Mom, I wasn’t…” I tried to deny it, but my eyes were already swimming with tears. How could I tell them? The truth about not being theirs? Countless times, they’d reminisced about how cute I was as a baby, how nervous and excited they were. My mind raced. Where did it all go wrong? But looking at my dad, so weak and frail, I couldn’t keep lying to him, not when he was so sick. Steeling myself, I choked out the truth. My words landed like a bomb. Mom couldn’t handle it; she just collapsed, fainting right into my arms. Dad, though, his face was a storm of complex emotions. My own heart felt like it was being shredded. I couldn’t stop myself. “Dad… you knew? You knew I wasn’t your biological daughter?” He hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded slowly. I saw the raw pain, the sorrow, the intense struggle in his dark eyes. “Dad, what happened? How?” I desperately needed the truth. I knew my unconscious mother would need it too when she woke up. In that instant, I truly understood those clichés in movies and books about someone aging ten years in a moment. That was my dad right then. The exhaustion on his face was profound. He let out a long, heavy sigh and, to my shock, tears welled up in his eyes. “Your mom… the delivery had complications. The baby didn’t get enough oxygen… it was stillborn. And Mom… she hemorrhaged badly during the delivery. Afterward, the doctors said… she couldn’t have any more children.” “I was terrified,” he continued, his voice thick with emotion. “Terrified of how she’d take the news when she woke up. I was trying to figure out how to tell her when… when I found you.” Dad told me about that day in the hospital, twenty-eight years ago. After learning about the stillbirth and Mom’s condition, he’d been devastated, pacing the hospital hallway, chain-smoking recklessly. I could picture it. He was always such a good man, a good father. He said my biological parents were having a massive fight down the hall. The bio-father had apparently cheated, and his mistress had just given birth in the same hospital. He was trying to see which woman would give him a son. My biological mother was enraged. She found out he’d cheated, and now she had a daughter he clearly didn’t want. According to Dad, she was a strong-willed woman. If this jerk didn’t want the baby and had betrayed her, why should she raise his child? She was apparently threatening to just abandon me, maybe worse – Dad said something about her screaming about throwing me out a sixth-floor window – when he stepped in. “If neither of you wants this child, give her to me,” he’d told them frantically. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her. I’ll raise her like she’s my own flesh and blood!” Dad admitted he was shocked by their willingness to give me up, but their desperation sparked a desperate hope in him. They didn’t want a baby. He desperately needed one – to shield Mom from the devastating truth. He took me, presented me to Mom when she woke up, and begged the doctors and nurses to keep the secret. If he hadn’t gotten sick, I never would have known. He would have carried that secret forever. I finally understood why Mom fainted. She couldn’t process it – the daughter she’d poured her heart into for twenty-eight years wasn’t hers. But mostly, my heart ached for her. What would happen when she woke up and learned the full truth – that her own baby had died at birth? How crushing would that be? And me? How could I even worry about anyone else? My whole life felt like a cruel joke. The parents who adored me weren’t my real parents. My biological father only wanted a boy. My biological mother didn’t want me either. I was just… extra. Unwanted from the start. 2 In that moment, I felt completely adrift, like a piece of debris floating on an endless ocean with nowhere to belong. “Sarah-bear,” Dad choked out, his voice cracking, “even though you’re not… biologically mine… all these years, I’ve always loved you like you were…” I knew he meant it. I wasn’t heartless or blind. I saw how they treated me my whole life, the sacrifices they made, the love they showered on me. But knowing that made the pain sharper. They didn’t adopt me in the usual sense. They transferred the love meant for their lost child onto me. Everything I had, even my name, Sarah Davis, felt like it belonged to someone else. I needed to breathe. I needed to think. I arranged for Mom to have the room next to Dad’s. But just as I gently helped lay her on the bed, her eyes fluttered open. The moment she remembered, her gaze changed. She looked at me like I was a complete stranger. With a sudden shove, she pushed me away and scrambled out of the room. Caught off guard, I stumbled backward and landed hard on the floor. I’ve fallen before, but this time, the pain felt deep, bone-jarring. Worry surged through me – Mom was distraught. Ignoring the throbbing pain, I scrambled up and chased after her. She’d gone straight to Dad’s room. She stood before him, shaking him by the shoulders, her voice raw and hysterical. “You were right outside the delivery room! Michael Davis, were you dead?! Where did my baby go? Tell me! Where is my baby?!” She kept shaking him, demanding answers. Dad didn’t respond, which only fueled her frenzy. She grabbed the water glass from the bedside table and raised it, about to smash it over his head. Without thinking, I lunged forward, positioning myself between them. The glass hit my head with a dull thud. My scalp tingled numbly, and spots danced before my eyes. “Linda!” Dad yelled, his voice sharp with anger and worry for me. “I’ll tell you what you want to know, but calm down! How could you do that to Sarah?” I could feel something warm trickling down my forehead. My vision swam with red. But Mom was beyond reason. She glared at Dad like he was the enemy. “So-called truth? What is it, Michael? Spit it out! You knew, didn’t you? You knew everything! Why? Why did I raise a child for twenty-eight years who has no blood connection to me? WHERE IS MY CHILD?” As a mother who carried a child for nine months, who felt that connection, I understood her agony. And I knew, firsthand, the effort and love she’d poured into raising me all these years. But now, finding out I wasn’t hers… the shock, the betrayal… of course, she couldn’t accept it. Hell, I could barely accept it. “The baby…” Dad finally whispered, his lips tight, the words coming out painfully slow. “…died.” Mom completely lost it. She slapped Dad hard across the face, twice. “What lies are you telling me, Michael Davis?! How could my baby be dead? Explain yourself, or I swear I won’t let this go!” Dad, his voice trembling, recounted the entire story again, every painful detail of that day twenty-eight years ago. I stood there, feeling completely invisible. When he finished, Mom just dissolved into heartbroken sobs. I instinctively reached out to comfort her, but the second my hand brushed her arm, she flinched away violently. Whether it was intentional or just raw grief, the rejection stabbed me right through the heart. I couldn’t blame her for crying, for grieving. But we’d lived together for twenty-eight years. Even without blood ties, wasn’t there some bond between us? Some affection built over decades of shared life? How could she treat me like this? It hurt, but I couldn’t hold it against them. I sank to my knees in front of them. “Mom, Dad,” I choked out, tears streaming down my face, “please, listen. From the moment I came into your lives, from my very first memories, you have been my real parents. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll never forget everything you’ve done for me.” This was my promise. Even if my liver wasn’t a match, I would find a donor. I would search high and low. I’d give everything I had, even my own life, if necessary. Mom was devastated, but slowly, agonizingly, she began to accept the reality. I practically lived at the hospital, juggling caring for Dad, managing his chemo treatments, and desperately searching for a compatible liver donor. The chemo was burning through money like wildfire. Our savings, my savings – all gone. We borrowed from every friend, every relative we could think of. Still, no suitable donor surfaced. Dad started talking about stopping treatment. Even Mom pulled me aside, her eyes filled with exhaustion. “We’ve been looking for so long, Sarah. We can’t find anyone. Your dad and I… we’re ready to let go.” Her voice broke. “Thank you, Sarah, for these twenty-eight years. You should go find your biological parents. You shouldn’t be saddled with all this debt.” Cancer treatment was a bottomless pit. Her words felt like tiny, sharp needles piercing my heart. “Mom, no!” I cried, grabbing her hands. “I want to do this! Forget the debt, I’d die for you guys! I can’t just stand by and watch Dad die! I can’t!” “But honey,” she said gently, “we’ve borrowed from everyone. Who else is left? Selling the house won’t even cover it all. Your dad and I have accepted it. Why are you still fighting so hard?” No. I couldn’t give up. That much I knew for sure. We couldn’t sell the house; it was the only home they had. We could mortgage it, take out loans, but not sell it. Where would Mom and Dad live? I looked into getting a loan from the bank, but without a steady job right now, the best I could get against the house was maybe a $30,000 line of credit. For Dad’s medical bills, that was barely a drop in the bucket. It wasn’t nearly enough. Just as they were about to give up completely, an idea sparked in my mind. If my biological parents abandoned me, then legally, they owed me. I could find them. I could sue them for child support for all these years. Twenty-eight years. Even just counting eighteen years of support, based on what Dad said about them, I might get a significant amount. If I found them, their abandonment was undeniable. My resolve hardened. I would sue them. I had to save Dad. I stopped my parents as they started gathering their things to leave the hospital. They looked weary. “We told you, Sarah, we’re not your real parents. You don’t have to keep doing this for us.” “You don’t get it!” I insisted, my voice fierce. “You are my parents! I can’t be a heartless person! I have to save Dad! I have to!” It was about principle. It was about conscience. They looked at me, helpless. So I played my last card. I threatened them with my own life. If they insisted on leaving the hospital, I’d jump from the fourth-floor window right then and there. They stared at me, stunned. I wasn’t bluffing. As the words left my mouth, I scrambled towards the window, swinging one leg over the sill. “Sarah! Get down from there! Now!” Mom and Dad yelled almost in unison. Twenty-eight years of love and shared life… you can’t just turn that off. They weren’t cruel people. My desperate gamble worked. Shocked and scared, they agreed to stay.

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During my brain surgery, that med student, Ethan, whom I’d funded for ten years, deliberately switched my anesthesia. I was awake the entire time, eyes wide with terror, but he told everyone it was an “awake craniotomy”. In my last call before the surgery, I desperately begged my fiancée for help, but she impatiently cut me off: “Liam, not everyone’s as obsessed with tumors as you are.” “Ethan is doing you a favor by operating on you despite everything. Just cooperate with him, okay? Don’t bother me!” The next second, the phone was snatched away. My scalp was sliced open, my skull drilled into, and I was dying in agony. With my last breath, I left a statement identifying Ethan’s crimes. But my fiancée vouched for Ethan: “Liam’s surgery had a low survival rate anyway. Ethan had nothing to do with his death.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the moment after the surgery began, the moment my anesthesia was swapped. … “Liam, did you really think that little bit of money you gave me would make you superior?” “So what if you’re a rich kid from Chicago? To Sarah, you’re just a loser trying too hard. I barely mentioned it, and she handed you over to me to be a lab rat.” The dark voice was deliberately lowered, whispering close to my ear. As the low-dose anesthesia washed over my mind, I jerked my eyes open. The stinging smell of disinfectant and the blinding white surgical lights overhead reminded me. I was reborn. Reborn on the day Ethan was performing my craniotomy. In my past life, he’d taken it upon himself to give me low-dose anesthesia, causing me to be conscious during the surgery, fully aware of the excruciating pain and terror of having my skull opened. “How about calling Sarah again and asking for confirmation?” Bringing me back to the present, Ethan was already dialing Sarah’s number. He raised an eyebrow at me mockingly, as if completely sure of himself, then tossed the phone to my side and turned to prepare the surgical tools. Just like before, Sarah’s tone was cold and impatient: “Ethan comes from a good family; he is a real catch, you know, do you think he would do something like that, ruin his medical career just to hurt you?” “Just cooperate with him and get the awake craniotomy done. If you live, he’ll get a promotion. It’s a win-win situation. Liam, can you stop being so unreasonable?” But she knew that awake craniotomies weren’t for everyone, especially for Ethan who just out of medical school. He’d even admitted to having shaky hands because he liked to drink too much. Maybe the low-dose anesthesia was taking effect; I started to lose sensation in my limbs. Sarah called my name; I couldn’t quite hear what else she said. Unlike my previous life, I didn’t hysterically beg her to come and save me. This time, I hung up the phone and tried to call my dad with shaking hands. My family had always disapproved of my relationship with Sarah. I had secretly poured resources into her career, turning her into a top doctor at the hospital, and they had finally stopped objecting. If they knew that Sarah and Ethan were using my life for practice, they would never let it go. “Dad…” But as soon as the call connected, the phone was snatched away. Ethan hung up on my dad right in front of me. “I knew you’d be trouble.” Ethan deliberately shook his hand in front of my face. His eyes, shielded by the face mask, were filled with hatred. The shadow moved from my side to above my head. The surgery light was blinding, making it difficult to see his movements. The thought of the dangers was worse than actually seeing them. The unbearable pain from my previous life was still fresh in my mind. The scalpel was cold and sharp against my scalp. My heart was pounding in my chest. I couldn’t move. Just as I thought I would repeat my previous life, the operating room door burst open. My friend, Owen, glanced at the heart monitor and pulled Ethan away: “Ethan, are you crazy? The anesthesia isn’t strong enough; he’s clearly awake. How can you just start the surgery?” Owen glared at the other people in the operating room: “Ethan’s messing around, and you’re all going along with it? If this gets out, you’re all in trouble!” Everyone looked at each other, hesitant. 2 Ethan laughed. “What’s going to get out? The hospital director approved this. Sarah called just now and said that Liam’s surgery is entirely in my hands.” “Don’t believe me? Do you want to call him and ask?” After receiving a sharp look from Ethan, the people in the operating room lowered their heads. In my previous life, Ethan, using my money, had always acted with impunity at the hospital. With Sarah backing him up, no one dared to cross him. Owen’s chest rose and fell with anger. “Get out of the way!” Ethan pushed him away, causing Owen to stumble and knock over a tray of scalpels, cutting his cheek. “Am I the head surgeon, or are you? Mess with me again, and I’ll have the director fire you!” Owen took a few steps back, quietly patted my hand, and turned to leave. I quickly grabbed the edge of his shirt. In my previous life, Owen had gone to Sarah after this incident. After my death, Sarah blamed everything on him, causing him to be discredited and commit suicide. In this life, I didn’t want to drag him down again. I struggled to speak: “Don’t find her, find the CEO of the Hughes Corporation…” Owen nodded and turned to leave. But Ethan grabbed him and punched him. “The surgery’s not over yet. Where are you going? You think you can go tell my dad on me? You wish!” “Ethan, let him go!” I was enraged but helpless. The low-dose anesthesia made it difficult to speak clearly. I could only stare at him: “That’s my dad… If you touch… touch me today, I’ll pay you back a hundred times over!” Ethan scoffed, ignoring my warning. “You say you’re the Hughes family’s youngest son? Ask everyone here, who’s going to believe that?” The others lowered their heads, pretending not to see. They were clearly agreeing with Ethan. My heart sank. Ethan leaned down and whispered in my ear: “Besides, even if you are the real deal, as long as you die here today, your dad will let me into the Hughes family, make me the real Hughes family son. “Then, the fake will become the real.” My eyes widened. I was filled with hatred, but my tongue was numb. I drooled, unable to say a word. Ethan smiled with satisfaction. As he was gloating, Owen suddenly shook off Ethan and ran towards the door. But the next moment, several men in black suits entered the room, grabbed Owen, and pushed him in front of Ethan. “Dr. Ethan, the director told us to make sure you can focus on the surgery. We’re here to make sure no one disturbs you today.” “Whether the surgery is successful or not, we won’t let anything bad for you get out.” Ethan raised an eyebrow at me mockingly. My heart sank to the bottom. This was the woman I had loved for seven years. I suddenly felt incredibly ironic. Anesthesia was injected, and soon Owen was lying on the ground, helpless. The men in black suits stood in a row at the operating room door. Ethan moved above me. The low-dose anesthesia made me weak, but I could clearly feel my scalp being sliced open. I trembled, imagining the bloody scene. My heart was beating violently, and my blood pressure was skyrocketing. But then the phone rang. A nurse rushed in, pale-faced. She handed the phone to Ethan: “Dr. Ethan, Ms. Hughes wants you to take this call.” 3 Ethan flinched, and the blade cut a long gash in my scalp. I saw a glimmer of hope and said in a trembling voice: “Big Sister…” But Ethan covered my mouth. His bloody hand pressed down on the respirator and the tubes in my nose and throat. The wound on my scalp was throbbing. I could only stare at Ethan. I couldn’t say a word, and even breathing became difficult. Ethan turned his head and said quietly into the phone: “Big Sister, the surgery hasn’t ended yet. Yeah, Dr. Wang is the head surgeon, and I’m just assisting. Everything’s going smoothly.” “Don’t worry, we’ll do our best. I’ll hang up now…” “He’s lying!” Owen gritted his teeth and shouted. Ethan’s face changed, and he nodded at the guards at the door. They immediately covered Owen’s mouth and injected him with anesthesia. I tried to struggle, to get my Big Sister’s attention, but it was in vain. Several nurses held down my hands, copying Ethan and covering my mouth. Ethan held the phone in one hand and the scalpel in the other, randomly cutting my scalp. “It’s nothing, Big Sister, don’t worry.” “Patients under anesthesia are often confused and say strange things. It’s normal.” Each cut made me sweat and tremble. Ethan’s last surgery had been a C-section where he had been talking on the phone, making a mistake and leaving a piece of gauze in the patient’s stomach. By the time it was discovered, the woman was already burning with fever and had died of sepsis. Sarah had spent a lot of money to suppress the story before it could spread. And now, Ethan was clearly trying to kill me. He hung up the phone. A nurse approached, lowering her voice and hesitating: “Dr. Ethan, the patient’s blood pressure is dangerously high. His heart rate is too fast. He’ll die of oxygen deprivation.” Ethan didn’t say anything, just glanced at her, and the nurse immediately backed away. My vision started to fade, and my head was spinning. I couldn’t tell if it was from the anesthesia or the lack of oxygen. I seemed to hear the sound of a drill. Buzzing, buzzing, the same sound as in my previous life. Why was this happening again, even after I had a second chance? I didn’t want to die. I stared at the light overhead, unable to breathe. But then I heard voices. Sarah pushed open the door, and I tensed. But she didn’t even look at me, just smiled and took Ethan’s arm: “How much longer until the surgery’s over? Ms. Hughes is waiting outside for you. After the surgery, let’s have dinner with her.” Her tone was gentle, completely different from her cold attitude towards me. Seeing her again, I felt nothing. Only the words “Big Sister” made me open my eyes. Ethan said something, and Sarah snuggled into his arms, causing the drill to slip. My scalp felt like it was being torn off. I bit my teeth and stared at the surgical instruments just a foot away. Move your fingers, just move. I tried to move my arm. Sarah rushed over and pressed me down, causing the drill to fall to the ground and knock into the surgical instruments. “Clang–” “Why is it so loud? Did something happen to my brother?” Big Sister’s voice came. The door opened a crack.

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My wife went to her high school reunion and didn’t come home that night. Her old flame, Connor, lost some drinking game, and the penalty was picking someone of the opposite sex for a slow dance right there on the spot. He walked straight up to my wife, Sarah. “Can I pick you?” Sarah didn’t say no. So, right there, in front of everyone, they were wrapped in each other’s arms, swaying slowly. Eyes locked, practically dripping sweetness. You could almost see the sparks. Everyone else was looking at me, trying hard not to snicker. I walked over to them, pulling out my phone. “Well, according to tradition, after the dance comes the honeymoon suite, right?” I announced, loud enough for everyone. “Which hotel do you guys prefer? I’ll book you a room!” Jaws dropped. Everyone stared at me. Sarah looked completely baffled, her eyes wide with confusion. “Better hurry, don’t want to miss the magic moment,” I said, waving my phone in front of them. “Time’s a-wasting!” Sarah’s face flushed bright red. She tried to pull away from Connor, but he actually tightened his arm around her waist, pulling her back slightly. Like he was daring me. “Liam, what the hell is wrong with you? Are you sick?” Sarah hissed, her eyebrows knitted together. Seeing a fight brewing, people nearby quickly jumped in. “Come on, Liam, don’t get bent out of shape. It was just a game.” “Yeah, man, just messing around. You’re not gonna take it seriously, right?” Connor flashed a smile as bright as the sun, but his eyes were pure challenge. I sat back down and pointed to a pretty woman across the room. “Come sit on my lap, let’s share a drink real close.” “Hey, screw you! You hitting on my wife?” the guy next to her roared. Connor scoffed. “See, Liam? Sarah and I were playing a game. You’re just being a creep.” I felt sick. Look at these hypocrites! “Enough!” Sarah couldn’t take it anymore. She glared at me like she wanted to eat me alive. “Liam, there was nothing going on! You always have to blow things out of proportion!” “So Connor and I shared a dance, big deal! We’re just friends!” “You come barging in, making a scene! You’re so damn petty! Why do you have to be such a small-minded, insecure man?!” Sarah pointed her finger right at me, yelling. I sighed inwardly. This was all too familiar. With Sarah, whatever she did was right. I couldn’t question anything, or I was the one in the wrong. Maybe our relationship was skewed from the start. Sarah was the girl I worshipped in high school. We reconnected by chance years later, right after she’d been dumped and was drunk off her ass. “Liam, my world’s gone dark,” she sobbed uncontrollably. “I’ll be your light from now on,” I’d said, holding her, my heart aching for her. “Liam, will you marry me?” Overjoyed and barely thinking straight, I agreed. We got the license. After we married, I treated her like a queen, my angel. A year later, she gave birth to our beautiful daughter, Lily. I became even more devoted, catering to her every whim. But she took my adoration as a license to do whatever she wanted. The slightest thing could set her off. She’d scream, yell, point her finger in my face. I wasn’t allowed to argue back. I had to apologize, beg for forgiveness. At home, I couldn’t even stand up to pee. Sarah claimed I’d splash the toilet seat, breeding germs and viruses. She might get some kind of infection, she said. “For my health, you have to sit down to pee!” When I sat there, I felt like a eunuch, like a woman – anything but a man. I didn’t dare stand. If she caught me, I’d face her volcanic wrath. “Liam, how many times do I have to tell you? Why are you still standing up to use the toilet?” “Do you have any sense of responsibility? Can’t you think about me for once?” “You’re unbelievable! Playing games with my health! You don’t love me at all!” The yelling would escalate to throwing things, sometimes even hitting me. I just took it, burying the humiliation deep inside. She was dominant in everything; I yielded in everything. I changed completely for her, inside and out. Old friends said I wasn’t the same person. Only I knew the bitterness I swallowed daily. Predictably, the reunion ended on a sour note. “Fine! Since you want it so bad, I’ll go get a room with Connor!” That was the last thing Sarah threw at me. Whether it was just spite or not, she walked out with Connor in front of everyone and got into his car. The others looked at me like I was pathetic, a piece of wilted lettuce. I just gave a cold laugh and left. What a joke of a reunion. More like a gathering of vultures – not a decent person among them. I drove home, got into bed. But just as I lay down, my phone rang. It was Sarah, sounding panicked. “Liam, oh my God, it’s bad! Connor and I got into a car accident…” Hearing this, I couldn’t help but smile grimly. What could I say? Karma, maybe. “Liam, you have to come, please come… I’m scared…” Sarah’s voice was choked with tears. My first instinct was to ignore it. But then I thought, she’s still my wife, Lily’s mother. She might be hurt. When I got to the scene, she was clinging to Connor’s arm, tears streaming down her face. She just had a few scrapes, nothing serious. But when I turned Connor over, I jumped. His face was covered in blood. Both eyelids were split open. He was badly hurt. Looks like his eyes slammed into the steering wheel. It was a bloody mess. Possible head trauma too. “Did you call 911?” “No, Liam, I… I called you, and then my phone died. His phone broke in the crash… Oh God, this is awful…” Sarah sobbed. What an idiot. First thought in a car crash isn’t 911, but calling me? I’m not a doctor. If I hadn’t come, Connor might have actually died. I quickly called for an ambulance. Even though I despised Connor, it was still a human life. Once the ambulance arrived, I was ready to leave. “Liam, where are you going?” Sarah ran over as I started my car. “Home. To sleep.” Sarah looked furious. “Connor’s been in a serious accident, and you’re thinking about sleeping?!” Huh? I was stunned. I called 911, saved Connor’s sorry ass. That was more than enough, wasn’t it? But Sarah wasn’t satisfied. She demanded, “You have to come to the hospital with me to take care of Connor. You’re stronger than me; I can’t handle him alone.” I just floored the gas pedal and left, leaving Sarah coughing in my exhaust fumes. Back home, I fell straight asleep. Without Sarah next to me, the king-sized bed felt incredibly spacious and comfortable. No worries about my snoring getting me kicked onto the floor. I slept like a log that night, deeply and peacefully. Meanwhile, Sarah spent the night at the hospital. The next day, I found out what happened. Sarah was fine. Connor’s situation was tricky. Luckily, no brain damage. He’d kept his miserable life. Unluckily, his eyes were severely damaged. Both corneas were destroyed. He was probably going blind. Sarah called me, crying her eyes out. I comforted her on the phone while secretly laughing inside. “You go ahead and cry for a bit. I need to take Lily to school.” I hung up and dropped Lily off. Sarah stayed at the hospital for three days straight. I honestly couldn’t understand. Was an old flame really that important? Important enough for a married woman with a child to abandon her home for three days? Thankfully, Lily wasn’t particularly attached to her. She hadn’t even asked where her mom was. On the fourth day, Sarah finally came home. Her eyes were red and swollen, like she’d just finished crying. As soon as she walked in, she was like a different person. She started cooking, then cleaning the house. I stared in disbelief. Had hell frozen over? In five years of marriage, I’d done all the housework. Sarah never lifted a finger. She usually just lounged around playing on her phone. She didn’t even work. Said she was too delicate, got tired easily, couldn’t handle a job. Which was fine, really. Sarah came from money. Her dad left her a huge inheritance before he passed, enough to last her lifetime. And I owned two successful restaurants myself. But her behavior today was completely out of character. “Sarah, what’s gotten into you?” I sat down across from her, curious and confused. Sarah looked at me, wringing her hands, her eyes filled with anxiety and nervousness. “Liam, could you… could you do something for me? A really big favor?” “What is it?” I braced myself. If she wanted a divorce, I was ready to drive her to the courthouse right then. “Liam, Connor’s eyes… they’re ruined. He can’t see anymore.” “Yeah, I know.” “Well…” Sarah fidgeted, stood up, sat back down, sighed heavily a few times before finally speaking. “Liam, could you… could you donate one of your corneas to Connor?” “What?” Her words hit me like a physical blow. I was stunned, speechless. “The accident caused severe trauma to his eyes. Both corneas are destroyed, beyond repair. He needs corneal transplants.” “But there’s a massive shortage of donors right now…” Sarah looked at me pleadingly, cautiously. My blood pressure shot through the roof. How could such a bizarre, twisted woman exist? Asking her own husband to gouge out his eye for her ex-boyfriend! “Sure. When I’m dead,” I said, my voice ice-cold, staring right at her. Sarah frowned instantly. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I couldn’t be bothered to answer. I got up to leave. She grabbed my arm. “Liam, I know it’s a terrible thing to ask, but I owe Connor. It’s my fault he got hurt.” “When he was driving… I… I kissed him. That’s what caused the crash.” “Connor’s suffering so much. If we don’t help him, my conscience will torture me for the rest of my life.” “Liam, please, do a good deed. Think of it as helping me atone. I’ve never asked you for anything like this before, but I’m truly begging you now…” I just stared at her silently, the amusement, contempt, and coldness in my eyes clearly stinging her. She suddenly shot to her feet, spitting out words that would be seared into my memory forever. “You have two corneas! What’s the big deal giving one to Connor?” “You’d only lose one cornea! But Connor… Connor is losing his entire future, his light!” I was shaking with rage. “Since you feel so bad for him, why don’t you give him your cornea?” “What? You want me to do it?” “Are you even a man? Asking a woman to do something like that?” “Do you even love me? You clearly don’t, or you’d never say such a thing!” Sarah became hysterical. I stormed into the kitchen, grabbed a steak knife, and threw it down in front of her. “Fine. I’ll give Connor a cornea. You cut it out.” She actually picked up the knife, looking at my eyes. An immense wave of despair washed over me. This is what happens when you’re a doormat. You give her everything, and in the end, she wants to carve out your eye. “Liam, I… I don’t know how. Let’s have a doctor do it.” Sarah put the knife down and pulled a document out of her purse. “This is a voluntary cornea donation consent form. Just sign it, and then we can go to the hospital for the surgery.” She even had the form ready. This clearly wasn’t some spur-of-the-moment idea. That was it. I finally snapped. I shoved her roughly, sending her sprawling onto the floor, and slapped her hard across the face. “Sarah, you goddamn bitch!”

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On our anniversary, the other woman sent me a picture. Her and my husband, Ethan, in bed together. Not long after, Ethan asked for a divorce. The reason? She was pregnant, and I hadn’t given him any kids. What he didn’t know was, he couldn’t have kids. He was infertile. 1 Honestly, the signs that Ethan was cheating were obvious. I just hadn’t wanted to see them. It started about six months ago. Ethan staying out late, coming home smelling like sickly sweet perfume. Lipstick marks deliberately left on the back of his neck, like a calling card. Whoever he was seeing wasn’t afraid of me finding out. She was practically declaring war. I felt him pulling away. He became dismissive, responding to my ups and downs with nothing more than a tired sigh. “Ethan, what’s going on with you?” I finally asked him one night. “We got through so much tough stuff together,” I pressed, my voice trembling, tears welling up without permission. “Why won’t you talk to me now when something’s bothering you?” For the first time in what felt like forever, Ethan really looked at me. His lips moved, but no sound came out. After a long pause, like he’d made some heavy decision, he pulled me into a tight hug. His hand rested near my neck, and he murmured against my skin. “I’m sorry, honey. Work’s just been insane. I’m just… tired.” He held me tighter. “Tomorrow’s our anniversary. Let me make it up to you, okay? Give me a chance to show you.” I sighed internally but squeezed his hand back. I still believed he’d just lost his way for a bit. That eventually, when he came to his senses, he’d come back home to me. For our anniversary, he booked a table at a rooftop restaurant. The wind cut right through me that night. I watched the clock hands creep past midnight. Fireworks exploded in the distance, brilliant and loud. Then my phone buzzed. A text from him: “Cheers to 5 years with my amazing Ava. Here’s to many more summers together.” My whole body started shaking. When I came back to myself, I realized I was crumpled on the floor, tears streaming down my face. My palm stung – I’d clenched my fist so hard my nails dug in, drawing blood. My phone lay screen-up on the ground nearby. The man who was supposedly looking forward to our next anniversary was currently wrapped in someone else’s arms, looking disgustingly cozy in the picture she’d sent. I knew it then. His future summers wouldn’t include me. 2 I knew the girl. Chloe. She’d started at Ethan’s company about a year ago, and ever since, he hadn’t stopped raving about her. The way his eyes lit up when he talked about her… I knew that look all too well. But I trusted him. We’d dated for two years, married for four. The initial spark had long since faded, worn down by the daily grind of bills and chores. I’d considered the possibility of the “seven-year itch,” but I always firmly believed that no matter what, he’d end up back with me. “She’s so great,” I teased him once, only half-joking. “Aren’t you even a little tempted?” Ethan got genuinely angry. He looked hurt, clamping down on his frustration, like he couldn’t believe I’d doubt our connection. “The company doesn’t need her that badly,” he said stiffly. “If you don’t like her, I’ll fire her. Simple as that.” Relief washed over me. I cupped his face, kissing him, trying to soothe his ego. “I was kidding! The company’s just getting stable, we need good people. You can’t just fire someone for no reason, what would everyone think?” Somehow, word still got out. The next time I dropped off lunch for Ethan, I felt eyes on me. People looked… weird. Before long, a young woman – Chloe – was kneeling in front of me in the hallway, hair disheveled, sobbing. “Ava, please, I swear I’m not trying to break you up! This is my first real job out of college, I need it! Please don’t make him fire me!” Ethan looked furious too. Rumors flew around the office. Morale dipped. Obviously, firing her was off the table now. Instead, I ended up trending online. Hashtags like #GoldDiggerWife #JealousOfCampusBeauty. Apparently, I was the manipulative wife trying to ruin the reputation of some “college It-girl” to keep my husband’s money. Ethan had to issue a public statement, blaming it on corporate sabotage from a rival company, just to quiet things down. But it was only surface calm. I knew people were whispering behind my back, telling Ethan he should divorce me. He shut down anyone who dared say it to his face. Leaning against him later, exhausted, he held me silently, stroking my hair. At that moment, my trust in him soared to an all-time high. But my gut told me this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. Chloe wouldn’t just give up. 3 When did things really spiral out of control? It was probably the night Ethan came home reeking of booze, collapsing onto the sofa the second he walked in. I couldn’t even remember how many times this had happened recently. He’d had stomach problems since college. Once the company started doing well, I nagged him constantly – avoid drinking whenever possible. He was groaning, clutching his stomach. I went to get his medication. When I came back, he was face down on a throw pillow. And there it was, bright red against his skin: a hickey. Something inside me snapped. I yanked him upright, my voice shaking uncontrollably. “Ethan. Who were you drinking with?” He waved me away, annoyed. “Business partners.” It felt like tiny needles were drilling into my heart. The sharp pain made my nose sting. I grabbed his wrist as he reached for the glass of water I’d brought. I never expected him to shove me. Caught off guard, I stumbled back, hitting my head hard on the corner of the coffee table. Pain exploded, and suddenly, there was blood everywhere. “What the hell is wrong with you? Can you just leave me alone!” he yelled. Then he saw me, kneeling on the floor, hand pressed to my bleeding forehead. The alcohol haze seemed to evaporate instantly. He scrambled for the first-aid kit, hands shaking. Blood dripped onto my hand, onto the wedding ring he’d placed there years ago. A wave of desolation washed over me. He couldn’t find anything to stop the bleeding and fumbled for his phone to call someone to take us to the ER. That’s when I saw his most recent texts. Pinned to the top. From her. Chloe. “Ethan, u home yet?” “Pretty cool drinking whatever u want w/o someone nagging, right? 😉 ” “My bday tomorrow! If u come, Chloe has a special little surprise for uuuu 😉” Ethan swiped the messages away frantically, turning his back to me while he called for a ride. I laughed, a hollow, broken sound. Tears mixed with the blood streaming down my face. Chloe. Ethan. So intimate. 4 When I came to – or maybe just focused after the stitches – Ethan was beside me, holding my hand. His face was stubbled, haggard. “Ava, I’m so sorry, I…” I cut him off, reaching for my phone and dialing a friend, a private investigator. “Hey, Mark? Need you to check someone out for me. Chloe. Chloe Jenkins.” (Let’s give her a last name). Ethan’s bloodshot eyes widened in shock. He went deathly pale, his lips trembling. He looked like a cornered animal. He gripped my hand tighter, so tight I flinched. He probably didn’t even realize his own strength. “Ethan, you’re hurting me.” Hearing my flat tone, the flicker of hope in his eyes died. He instantly loosened his grip, gently cradling my hand instead, rubbing it softly. “Honey, I messed up. I swear, it’ll never happen again. Please, just forgive me this once, okay? Please?” I’d rarely seen him this pathetic. When we were young, he was the confident, ambitious guy everyone looked up to. After we got married, he was the mature, gentle husband. This desperate man begging for forgiveness… the image flickered, overlaying the face I knew, then separating again. I realized, with a sickening clarity, that I was the only one who hadn’t changed. The man I knew, the man I loved, had been twisted by time into someone I barely recognized. I pushed my phone into his hand, leaning back against the pillows, suddenly exhausted. “Ethan,” I said, my voice weary. “I’m just curious about her. Could you have Mark check her out for me? Please?” His hand, holding my phone, wouldn’t stop shaking. Finally, after a long, searching look, he relayed the message to Mark over the phone. I’d actually done some digging on Chloe before. She wasn’t nearly as innocent as she pretended. Just a little prodding revealed she’d hooked up with quite a few powerful men. Using Ethan’s phone, I sent her a message, inviting her over to our house next week. “Seriously, Ethan?? You’re finally taking me home? Won’t Ava be pissed?” she texted back immediately. I didn’t reply. Ethan looked tortured, covering the phone screen with his hand as if he couldn’t bear it. He buried his face against my side, a silent plea. I just stroked his hair gently. Don’t worry, I thought grimly. The real fun hasn’t even started yet.

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“Maya.” My friend Chloe was still looking worriedly at me, perched precariously on two stacked kegs of beer, slurring my words. Tonight was the night I officially ended my one-sided crush. Day 365, exactly. Hard to believe, right? Yours truly actually fell for that sly fox for a whole year. Tonight, I’d even drunk myself stupid over him, losing count somewhere between my fingers and toes. “Chloe, your brother… he’s just a… major… player.” I swayed, raising the plastic cup in my hand, still cursing the man I’d silently adored for a solid year. Of course, in that moment, I had no idea. The very man I was cursing out a thousand times over was sitting at the table right behind us. “Mr. Cole, what’s so funny?” One of his employees, sitting with him, looked puzzled at Ethan Cole’s smiling face. The boss had been grinning like an idiot for the past five minutes. Maybe he’d had too much? “Just listening to someone I like tear me a new one.” Ethan picked up his pint glass as he spoke. “Do I really seem like a fox?” He put the glass back down, asking his employee with surprising seriousness. The sun was practically burning a hole through my blinds, but I was still sprawled out like a starfish on my bed. “Ugh… First day of work.” That’s right. Today was my official entry into the real world, and yesterday, I’d gotten blackout drunk and made a fool of myself over some jerk. “Just my luck.” I dragged myself out of bed, muttering another curse at the guy who clearly toyed with people’s emotions. I opened Instagram, checking if I’d missed any DMs from last night, and saw the 99+ notification bubble on my story views and feed. Whoa, did some major drama go down yesterday? Curiosity piqued, I tapped the notification and saw video after video being shared by practically everyone I knew. “Drunk Woman Climbs on Man, Tries to Rip His Clothes Off at Local Brewery.” In the video, some girl was absolutely wasted, practically straddling a guy, and then dramatically smashed his phone onto the hard concrete floor. “What the actual f—?” “This chick is…” Just as the next insult was forming on my lips, I heard a clear voice in the video say, “Ethan Cole.” … “Holy crap, is that… me?” I sucked in a breath, zooming in on every pixelated detail. My face in the video was mercifully blurred out, but Ethan’s shirt was clearly ripped open at the collar, buttons missing. Ding-dong. Just as I was processing the mortifying image of my drunken alter ego, my doorbell rang. “Who is it?” I shuffled over to the door. “Ethan Cole?” I opened the door, and there he stood – the star of last night’s public humiliation, courtesy of me. He was wearing a hoodie, but I could just make out a reddish-purple mark blooming on his neck. Probably… My doing. I swallowed hard. Oh God… I’m screwed. “The player’s here to collect his dues.” He grinned, looking way too pleased with himself. The next second, he pulled a phone out of his hoodie pocket – an iPhone 13 Pro Max with a screen so shattered, little shards of glass were practically flaking off. “My phone. You smashed it yesterday.” He deliberately waved the mangled wreck in my face. “I… I’ll pay you back!” I tried to sound defiant, but I knew I had zero leverage. It’s just, what, over a grand? Worst case, I’d have to swallow my pride and hit up my parents. “Oh really?” He raised an eyebrow, casually leaning one hand against the doorframe, hip cocked. “And the viral video? My reputation? How do you plan on compensating for those?” 2 “I…” My mouth just opened and closed. Ethan straightened up, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Character defamation, and assault without consent…” “Assault?! Give me a break! I didn’t do anything like that to you!” I cut him off before he could finish. “Didn’t you?” Ethan raised that damn eyebrow again. He looked like the cat that got the cream, absolutely reveling in this. “Maya Bishop, right?” I’d barely stepped into the lobby of my new office building when I ran smack into the HR Director who interviewed me a few weeks ago. “Yes, that’s me.” I managed a tight, awkward smile. I’d finally managed to get rid of Ethan, that smug fox, at my apartment, only to immediately run into this woman who radiated stern high school principal vibes. Ethan Cole is definitely bad luck for me, I thought grimly. “The CEO wants to see you in his office. I’ll take you up.” The woman adjusted her glasses, her tone clipped and slightly annoyed. “The CEO?” Little old me, fresh out of college, getting summoned by the CEO on day one? “Not the Marketing Department…?” I tried to keep my voice pleasant and polite. “Just go when you’re told. Stop asking so many questions.” She gave me a dismissive look, clearly unimpressed. “Okay then.” I swallowed my irritation. This battle-axe… if this wasn’t a professional setting, I’d be tempted to give her a piece of my mind. I followed her through a large open-plan office area. The unfriendly stares from nearby desks finally made me realize something was off. Oh God… did they see the video too?? My steps grew heavier, my anxiety spiking. No way. Am I going to get fired before I even log into my work computer? 3 “Ethan Cole?” The HR Director pushed open the door to the CEO’s office, and I blurted out his name like I’d seen a ghost. So much for making a professional first impression. Ethan was lounging in his chair, still wearing the same hoodie from this morning. He glanced up, sizing me up. “Lorraine, you can go.” He cleared his throat, waving dismissively at the HR Director beside me. The woman, apparently named Lorraine, shot me another dirty look before turning and stalking out of the office. Inside the company, Ethan’s looks apparently won him legions of female admirers. Honestly, who wouldn’t fall for a ridiculously good-looking guy like him? Of course, I never imagined this Ethan Cole, Chloe’s brother, was actually the honest-to-God CEO. “You have three meetings today. You’ll need to take notes on your laptop.” Ethan clicked his mouse, bringing up his schedule, acting as if our conversation this morning never happened. “Me?” I pointed at myself, then glanced back at the closed office door. “I’m just an intern… assigned as the CEO’s Executive Assistant?” “Mm-hmm. Problem?” Ethan looked up, arching an eyebrow. “Not happy about it?” The salary for an EA to the CEO was way higher than a regular assistant gig. Who wouldn’t bow down to the almighty dollar? Me, Maya Bishop… Of course, I was the first one bowing. “Happy! Very happy!” I nodded repeatedly, my smile feeling incredibly fake. Okay, maybe Ethan was capable of acting like a normal human being after all. “Ahem, shouldn’t I have an experienced assistant train me first?” Normally, even an intern assistant position would involve shadowing someone senior to learn the ropes. Especially for the CEO’s assistant. “Little Maya, having me train you shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Ethan rested his chin on his hand, his tone deliberately teasing. I was wrong. So, so wrong. How could I ever treat this calculating fox like a normal person? Fine. Deep breaths. Keep the peace. Besides, he was technically the “victim” of my drunken antics. And… my direct boss. “No problem, no problem at all!” I forced another bright smile and pulled my laptop out of my bag. “Right, since I’ll be personally training you for the next few days, your temporary workspace will be… over there in the corner.” He raised his eyebrows again, a knowing smirk playing on his unfairly handsome face. I followed his gaze to the spot he indicated. A simple, small wooden desk crammed next to a large potted plant. “Are you kidding me?” I pointed, barely managing to hold back the string of curses already queued up in my head. 4 “How is this kidding?” Ethan slowly took off his non-prescription glasses (definitely just for show), steepling his fingers under his chin. The next second, that damned fox! He tugged the collar of his hoodie down again! “Now this is kidding. Oh wait, no, it’s teasing.” The fox even craned his neck, practically daring me to get a good look at the angry, purplish hickey. “Ethan Cole!” I stomped my foot, wanting nothing more than to hurl my laptop straight at his face – the face that probably broke hearts daily. “Don’t think just because you’re letting the other stuff slide—!” I surged forward, ready to grab his non-existent tie, but just as I lunged… The office door opened. “Mr. Cole…” The man poking his head in was balding, looking a bit older than Ethan. His eyes widened as he took in the scene: me with one knee practically planted on Ethan’s stomach (from the lunge), my hand fisted in the collar of his hoodie. Yep, balding guy totally got the wrong idea. The spectacularly wrong idea… “Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Cole… I’ll come back later…” The man retreated faster than seemed physically possible, carefully shutting the door behind him. Oh, fantastic. I could already hear the office gossip: New assistant tries to sleep her way to the top on day one. This was going to be even juicier than the brewery video. “He’s gone. Feel free to continue.” Ethan just smirked, those sharp eyes of his crinkling at the corners with that foxy charm. “Continue what?! I was about to punch you!” I scrambled back, smoothing down my white button-down shirt. What a jinx. My first day, and already caught in two compromising situations. As I meticulously straightened the wrinkled hem of my shirt, Ethan stood up and smoothly cornered me against the wall. “Little Maya, there’ll be plenty of time for you to ‘punch’ me later. No need to rush.” He leaned in close, his dark eyes meeting mine, and for a second, it felt like sparks flew. “You… stop talking like that. It’s creepy.” I glared back, refusing to be flustered. Later that evening, the viral video that had taken over my feed was suddenly gone. Vanished without a trace. Figures. The internet’s attention span is short. I stared at my phone screen, finally breathing a sigh of relief. Okay, note to self: No more binge drinking. Ever. My face can’t handle another round of pixelated internet fame. I’d lived a relatively drama-free life until now, and somehow, this damn fox tripped me up completely. “Sly fox…” I muttered at my phone screen, then went into my photo gallery and deleted every picture I’d saved of him over the past year. This past year, I’d poured everything into liking him. Even people around us knew how I felt about the ‘fox.’ If it hadn’t been for that day I accidentally overheard he liked someone else, I wouldn’t have given up so quickly. Having someone he liked, yet still accepting gifts from other girls… seriously, what a player. The thought made me snort in disgust. Ping. Late at night, my phone chimed. “Who the heck is messaging me this late? So annoying.” I rubbed my eyes, reluctantly grabbing my phone. The screen flared brightly. A single red notification dot next to Ethan Cole’s contact.

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I was grabbing breakfast with my roommates. All because I ordered a bowl of savory tofu pudding, one of them went ballistic on me in front of everyone. She kept a snake in our dorm despite everyone’s objections, and even stole stuff. The others were willing to put up with it, but not me. No way! 1. At the start of the semester, to bond with my roommates, we did everything together. Today, when we all went for breakfast, I ordered a bowl of savory tofu pudding. It came out steaming, spicy broth mixed with soft tofu, and smelled amazing. I was about to dig in when one of my roommates, Brittany, suddenly shrieked, pointing at me, looking like she’d seen a ghost. “Yulie, what the heck are you eating?” I was a little confused. “Tofu pudding.” She looked horrified. “That gross stuff is tofu pudding? The only tofu pudding I’ve ever had is sweet.” Being told my food was disgusting killed my appetite, and I frowned. But I tried to be patient. “It’s a regional thing. Some people eat it sweet, some eat it savory. It’s not that weird. Even if you don’t like it, you should respect other people’s preferences.” Brittany just stared at me with a sour look on her face. She made no attempt to hide her disgust. The other roommates noticed the tension and tried to smooth things over. “Hey, we eat it savory back home, and nobody calls it gross.” “We usually have the sweet stuff here, but I think savory tofu pudding sounds good. Live and let live, right? What’s the big deal?” But Brittany did something no one expected. She stood up and started yelling at me, right there in the crowded cafeteria. “Tofu pudding is supposed to be sweet! You hick, take your savory garbage and get outta here!” 2. Truth was, this wasn’t the first time Brittany had done something totally off the wall. On move-in day, she gathered the four of us together and, all smiles, announced she wanted to keep a snake in the dorm. “Hey, I wanted to get your thoughts on something… Would it be okay if I kept a snake here?” One of our roommates, Sarah, was a typical Southern girl, super sweet and gentle. She immediately voiced her opinion. “I’m sorry, but I’m terrified of snakes.” I and the other roommate also voted no. People either loved or hated snakes. The ones who loved them couldn’t get enough, but the ones who hated them would freak out at the sight of one. It wasn’t that I was afraid of snakes, but the school clearly stated no pets allowed. It would be a huge hassle. Brittany insisted. “It’s no big deal, the snake’s super cute, non-venomous, and doesn’t bite. You’ll love it.” “I’ll keep it in a tank. I promise it won’t get out.” We still looked unconvinced. She muttered, “I can’t believe you’re all being so difficult.” Then, right in front of us, she pulled a snake out of her backpack. “Too bad, I already brought it. I’m keeping it.” Sarah burst into tears when she saw the snake’s flashy pattern and its tongue flicking at us. I frowned, annoyed by her “ask for forgiveness, not permission” attitude. This wasn’t a discussion, it was a heads-up. Brittany, holding the snake, declared, “It’s not just your dorm, you know? I have a right to have a pet.” It was a done deal. She swore up and down the snake wouldn’t get out of the tank, so we had to agree. Chapter 2: Under the Radar 3. After the tofu pudding incident, Brittany apologized to me privately. She grabbed my hand, all fake sweetness. “Yulie, I’m so sorry. I just say what’s on my mind, no filter. You’re not mad, right?” I accepted her apology for the sake of peace, but I wasn’t going to be as friendly as before. I started distancing myself from Brittany. I wasn’t about to get close to someone who could go off like that at any moment. One day, I got back to the dorm, and Brittany was on my chair, holding her snake, flipping through my photo albums on the bookshelf. She didn’t even offer to get up when she saw me. Instead, she started cackling. “Yulie, you were such an ugly kid! Total country bumpkin.” I rushed over, snatched the album away, and snapped, “Who said you could go through my stuff? Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?” Brittany shrugged. “Relax, it’s not like it’s valuable. What’s the harm in looking?” She clearly didn’t think she’d done anything wrong. Then, her eyes lit up, and she stared at the bag I was carrying. “Oh my god, Yulie, that bag looks so fake!” “That design just came out! It’s not even in stores yet.” I subtly moved the bag behind me. Brittany took that as a sign I was ashamed of getting called out. She grinned, playing along. “So, you’re into designer stuff, huh?” “But young people need to be realistic. Don’t go chasing after labels. Carrying a fake won’t turn you into a princess.” “If you like them, I have tons of real bags you can borrow. No need to carry knockoffs. People will laugh at you.” I politely declined. “No thanks. I don’t want to catch anything.” I saw a crack appear in Brittany’s perfect smile. The bag wasn’t actually mine. Luxury brands sent me the latest designs as soon as they came out. This bag was the cheapest one in my closet. My parents always said to be low-key. That’s why I picked it. Now someone was calling it a fake. I’d seen Brittany’s “real” bags. They were heavily discounted designer brands, used so much the leather was peeling. She wasn’t exactly clean. She sometimes tossed used tissues into her bags. I really did worry about catching something. I wasn’t trying to be snide. Brittany was the weirdest person in the dorm. When it was time to pay the water bill, she’d argue she barely used any water. When it was time to pay the electric bill, she’d calculate exactly how many hours she was in the dorm and only pay for those hours. When we went out for hot pot, she’d say she was on a diet and only eat greens, so she should only pay for the greens. Then, when we were done, she’d scarf down all the leftover meat, saying we couldn’t waste it. That was who she was, and now she was trying to act generous. Hilarious. Brittany’s face turned red. “Fine, be that way. I wouldn’t want you to get my bag dirty.” Chapter 3: Fake Rich 4. Brittany was a “beauty” influencer with a million followers. She streamed live every night from the dorm, sometimes doing crazy live chats with fans. The rest of us usually went to bed at a decent hour, but Ms. Brittany had to mess that up. Her streams were a nightmare. She’d suddenly scream when everyone was quiet or blast music and shout at her game in the middle of the night. My roommates were all on the verge of a breakdown. “Brittany, could you stream earlier? We need to sleep. We can’t with you being so loud.” Brittany always agreed. “Sure, no problem.” Then, the next night, she’d do it all over again, and apologize. “Sorry, but my fans can only watch me at night. I can’t let them down, you know?” Then she’d start on us. “If you can’t sleep, that’s your problem. Some people can sleep anywhere. I guess you guys are just princesses.” I had never met someone so shameless. I wanted to smack her. Why couldn’t she be quiet at night? Sarah stopped me. “Just ignore it, okay? Less drama.” I decided to check out Brittany’s stream to see what it was like. Her username was “LittleB_SoCute!” I barely recognized her. The person on screen was nothing like the girl in our dorm. Brittany had dark skin, her eyes were tiny, and she was short and skinny. But on screen, she was a big-eyed, fair-skinned, curvy babe! The magic of filters, I guess. The comments were going wild. [LittleB is so hot!] [What kind of guy could land LittleB?!] [So glad LittleB is at State U! Lucky us!] Then, one comment popped up. [I go to State U too! Never seen you around.] Other fans jumped in. [You can’t just see LittleB anytime!] [It’s a blessing to see her. Beauty is rare.] Brittany tossed her hair and smiled. “I’m a homebody. I only go out for class. Hope to see you around!” The comments exploded. [Hot and a homebody! I love it!] [LittleB is one of us!] 5. “Yulie, look!” Brittany spun around in front of me, showing off a fancy Hermès bag, grinning from ear to ear. She wanted me to ask about it. I glanced at it and said, “Nice.” Brittany was not happy I didn’t seem jealous. She cornered me and told me all about the bag. “It’s Hermès! You’ve probably never seen one before.” “Guess who gave it to me? My top donor! I can’t believe he splurged.” “He hasn’t even met me in person. He’s just obsessed with me.” Brittany giggled. I smiled, thinking my grandma wouldn’t even let the dog wear that to carry sausages. Brittany said generously, “I can let you borrow it when I’m done with it.” I declined. “No thanks. I have enough bags.” Brittany laughed. “Yulie, you’re not fooling anyone.” She looked down at me, all high and mighty. “You dress so plain. You could never afford something like this.” I said, “Yep.” 6. I saw Brittany had just updated her social media. The photo was her in a skimpy dress, posing for the camera. The picture was heavily edited, but… Was that my Prada bag? I thought back. I’d been doing an experiment with my professor that day. I hadn’t been back to the dorm all day. Brittany had snuck out my bag while I was gone! She hated fakes, right? What was she doing? [LittleB’s bag is so cute! Link, please!] Brittany replied, [Sorry, cutie. It’s Prada, but it hasn’t come out yet. You can’t buy it yet.] [Wow, getting it before release! What’s your deal?] Someone replied, [Brands send the latest stuff to their partners first. Get it?] Brittany sent a blushing emoji. Everyone knew. [You’re not just a pretty face! You’re rich!] [Marry me!] She’d built a “rich” persona online. I grinned. How could I let that happen?

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I’m the daughter of a mob boss, lost for years and finally found by my dad. All because I brought my boyfriend to the family dinner to introduce him. My stepmother and her daughter, Tiffany, immediately hated me. In my past life, Tiffany gouged out my eyes, cut out my tongue, and hired thugs to torture me to death. “I’m the only heiress in the Miller family. How dare you, you little tramp, try to steal my man? Just wait until he finds out you’ve been used by everyone. He won’t want you then!” My boyfriend knelt before my stepmom, begging her to plead for me, but she didn’t budge. “She’s not my daughter. As long as Tiffany is happy, she can die with some value.” To cover up Tiffany’s crime, my stepmom even ordered my boyfriend to be stabbed to death and dismembered. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the moment when Tiffany was about to gouge out my eyes. This time, I immediately called my dad. “Dad, don’t give those two a single dime starting today.” “Also, Tiffany isn’t your biological daughter. There’s no need for her to stay in the Miller family anymore.” I wanted to see how long this Miss Perfect could keep up her act. “Lily, I’m so sick of you hanging all over Jake! You’re always batting your eyelashes at him, trying to seduce him. How else would he even look at a skank like you? Today, I’m going to poke your eyes out so you can’t flirt with anyone anymore!” Hearing that familiar voice, I felt a chill on my eyelids. A sharp pain hit, and my muddled brain instantly cleared. Opening my eyes, I saw Tiffany grinning wickedly, holding a knife to my eyelid. She had already cut a line. I immediately realized I had been reborn. Reborn to the day Tiffany tied me up in the basement to gouge out my eyes and cut out my tongue. The Bluetooth earpiece hidden by my tangled hair carried the mocking voice of my stepmother. “Lily, Tiffany is my biological daughter. Do you think I’d help you? You should just hand Jake over to her. Then I might consider saying a good word for you. Tiffany is such a good girl. You must have made her angry.” The cold touch on my eyelids made my heart sink. I silently closed my mouth, not begging my stepmother for help. I remembered how, in my past life, I desperately tried to explain to her that Jake and I had known each other for a long time, and I never tried to steal Tiffany’s boyfriend. I begged her to let me go, sacrificing all my dignity. But my stepmother coldly refused. Tiffany noticed my unusual behavior. She smashed my hidden phone, cutting off my only hope of rescue. Remembering this, I immediately turned my head. The knife that was supposed to cut my eye missed and left a long gash on my left cheek. My actions triggered Tiffany. She slapped my uninjured face. “You dare to dodge! If I want to punish you, you’ll take it!” My right cheek went numb. Warm blood flowed from the gash on my left cheek. I must already be disfigured. Tiffany saw my blood-covered face and sneered before turning to leave. I knew she wasn’t letting me go. She was going to find someone to violate me. Once she was completely gone, I struggled with my tied hands, barely reaching the phone in my pocket. This time I needed to call my dad. I had just dialed when Tiffany walked back in and saw me. “Lily, what are you doing!” My heart raced. There was no time to hide. But the phone connected at that exact moment. Five burly men appeared behind Tiffany, grinning and walking towards me as they unbuckled their pants. The terrifying scene from my past life flashed through my mind. Just before Tiffany reached me and grabbed my phone, I shouted as loudly as I could, “Dad, help me!” “Ah!” Tiffany grabbed my phone, smashed it to pieces, and slapped me hard across the face. The unhealed wound throbbed, but I wasn’t as afraid this time. I knew my dad would come to save me. I was the only biological daughter of a mob boss, kidnapped as a child and found ten years later. My dad kept this a secret because he suspected someone close to him was involved in my disappearance. No one knew I was a Miller. If my dad knew I had been hurt like this, even if he had gone legit years ago, he would make the people who hurt me pay dearly. Tiffany’s slap was hard. I fell to the ground, unable to move. The next second, she stepped on my face with the sole of her shoe, grinding repeatedly, looking down at me. “Still trying to call for help? You won’t get the chance. Today, I’m going to let them ruin you. Let’s see if Jake still wants you!” With that, she winked at the five men. They leered as they took off their clothes and approached me. My dad wouldn’t arrive so quickly. It seemed I couldn’t escape being violated today. I closed my eyes in despair. But at that moment, the door was kicked open. Opening my eyes, I saw my boyfriend, Jake, who had been dismembered by my stepmother in my past life, rushing to save me. 2 “Lily!” He shouted anxiously, “Run, Lily, run!” Seeing him risk himself for me again, just like in my past life, my heart ached. I curled up in a ball, shaking my head at him through tears. “Jake, just go! Don’t worry about me!” I was covered in wounds, my hands were tied, and I couldn’t run far even if I tried. He had died a horrible death trying to save me in my previous life. I couldn’t let him be in danger again. Jake resisted for a few moments before the thugs knocked him down and started kicking and punching him. “Jake!” My heart broke. I shouted desperately, “Leave him alone! He’s innocent!” But it did no good. Tiffany kicked me in the stomach, making me almost throw up. “Lily, you’re really something. Jake is willing to fight so hard for you.” I was confused. Wasn’t she obsessed with Jake? Why was she unmoved by him being beaten? I endured the pain and looked at her. “Why are you doing this to Jake? Let us go now, or you won’t be able to handle the consequences!” Tiffany sneered and kicked me in the gut again. “Because he keeps rejecting me! If I can’t have him, then I’ll ruin him!” With that, she squatted down and grabbed my chin. “What consequences can you even bring me? I’m the only daughter of a mob boss! Even if I kill you today, the cops won’t dare to mess with me!” “Jake is suffering because of you! You deserve this!” The five men approached me again. One was already unbuckling his belt. Jake did everything he could to tackle one of the men. But the others ruthlessly pinned him to the ground, stomping on his ankle. “Ah!” Jake’s screams and the sound of bone cracking pierced my ears. We would both die here if this continued. Realizing this, I didn’t care anymore and revealed my identity. “Tiffany, you’re just a kid your mom brought into the Miller family through remarriage! I’m Guy Miller’s only daughter!” “Stop right now and let us go, or I can kick you and your mom out of the Miller family with one word. I’ll make you pay a thousand times over!” Tiffany paused. After understanding my words, she laughed even louder. “Lily, if you don’t want to die, you can beg me. Kneel down and beg me. There’s no need to make up such outrageous lies, right? Aren’t you a Cloud? I’ve never heard of my dad having a daughter with a different last name.” My heart sank. My dad was too secretive about my identity to protect me from danger. He didn’t even let me change my last name. Nobody knew his daughter had been found. My dad suspected someone close to him had been involved, so he replaced all the butlers and servants in the house. Even the pet dogs were replaced. Now, nobody, neither inside nor outside the family, knew that the former mob boss had found his daughter. I endured the pain and glared at Tiffany. “I’m telling the truth. You can call my dad and ask!” I had a glimmer of hope that if Tiffany called my dad, I could beg for help again over the phone. “Hmph, I won’t call. I don’t believe you!” Saying that, she stepped on me again. My stomach churned. I opened my mouth to gag. The moment I opened my mouth, she pinched my chin shut. “Still lying when you’re about to die? I’m going to cut out your tongue right now and see how you can still lie!” With that, she had two burly men hold my shoulders while she slowly picked up the knife from the ground. Fear instantly spread through my body. I struggled violently, kicking with my untied legs. One kick landed on Tiffany. She stumbled and almost fell. “Bitch!” Tiffany instantly snapped. She slapped my face repeatedly, yelling as she did so. My face burned. It must be so swollen that you couldn’t make out my features anymore. Watching the knife get closer and closer, I felt a chill run through me. Was I going to be unable to escape being gouged out and having my tongue cut out again, even after being reborn? Tiffany viciously grabbed my tongue. My tears instantly poured out in pain. Just as the knife was about to fall on my tongue, the basement door was kicked open. A group of black-suited bodyguards rushed in, effortlessly taking care of the thugs guarding Jake. The two thugs holding me were startled and unconsciously let go of me. Tiffany didn’t care about anything. She turned to run, but other bodyguards pinned her to the ground. My dad’s assistant rushed over, followed by a doctor, and took Jake and me to the Miller family’s private hospital. 3 I had just been bandaged up and taken to a VIP room when my dad called. I answered the phone and told him everything that had happened. My dad was furious. “Tiffany is really out of control, she really thinks of herself as my daughter? Don’t worry, honey, Dad will take care of you!” “And that bitch, Brenda. She doesn’t deserve to hold the title of my wife. I will make them regret coming into this world.” I nodded in agreement. “Dad, since Tiffany isn’t your biological daughter, then there’s no need to keep her in the Miller family anymore.” “Also, Jake is my boyfriend. He almost died saving me this time. I’ll introduce him to you when the time comes.” My dad made a heavy promise. “Don’t worry. From the moment she dared to hurt you, she was no longer a member of my family.” “Dad has already landed, I’m coming back to help you get revenge!” Hanging up the phone, my heart finally settled. I wanted to go to the room next door to see Jake. Just as I got out of bed, the door to the ward was pushed open from the outside. My stepmother, Brenda, walked in with a group of bodyguards. Before she could speak, she raised her hand and slapped me to the ground. “You little tramp, who gave you the guts to bully my daughter!” The wound that had just been bandaged up started bleeding again. My head spun. I didn’t understand what right she had to hit me. She was just my dad’s second wife. If it wasn’t for me, she would still be selling herself in a brothel. When I was seven years old, my biological mother died of illness. My dad wanted to go legit because of his position, so the mob boss assisted the police in taking down several brothels. Brenda was one of them. The first time I saw her, I thought she looked like my mom. So, I begged my dad to let her be my mom. That’s how she came to marry into the Miller family with Tiffany, who was the same age as me. I gave her the opportunity to be a rich lady, but she pushed me into hell. Tiffany, who should have been locked up awaiting my decision, walked out from behind Brenda. Looking at me on the ground, she said, “Mom, never mind. She said she was Dad’s biological daughter, and she said she was going to make me pay.” Brenda looked at me, her red lips curled into a sneer. “The Millers do have a biological daughter, but she was kidnapped by traffickers a long time ago. She’s probably dead by now.” “I’ve been married into the Miller family for so many years. How could I not recognize the real Miller heiress?” Brenda’s words directly negated me. Then, a middle-aged man walked out from behind Brenda. I recognized him as the person who had just rescued me, called Randy, and a glimmer of hope reignited in my heart. Just as I cast a look of help towards Randy, he kicked me in the stomach. “You’re really a shameless whore. You want to trick us into thinking you’re the boss’s daughter? You’re really brave!” “You don’t know your place. Let me teach you a lesson!” He kicked me in the stomach again and again. I couldn’t take it anymore and spit out a mouthful of blood. My vision blurred with pain. I looked at Randy in disbelief. “Are you crazy? I really am Guy Miller’s biological daughter!” “Smack!” He slapped me. My head rocked back and forth. “I’ve been by the boss’s side for so many years. The boss does have a missing daughter, but if it was you, why wouldn’t he recognize you?” “You even dare to call the boss by his name. You really don’t want to live.” “The Miller family only has Miss Tiffany. I think you’re just trying to steal the Miller family’s money and pretend to be the boss’s daughter to scam money!” Randy turned me into a lying woman trying to scam money with a few words. I wanted to explain that my dad didn’t announce it to protect me, but before I could open my mouth, Tiffany spoke pitifully. “Mom, Lily is seducing Jake. You know, Jake is the person I like, but she seduced him. This is just insulting me!”

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I was Daniel’s fiancé. The day his family’s company went belly up, Daniel was scrambling, hounded by creditors. I ended up being the one who got him out of the country. Before he left, I even fronted him a million bucks to get started. “Here’s a million. I’ll be right here, waiting for you to come back and marry me!” Five years later, Daniel was the hot new thing in the business world, and he came back, just like he said he would. Only this time, he wasn’t here to marry me. He was here to call things off. Right in front of the cameras, he took Jessica’s hand and made it official. “Five years ago, when my family lost everything, we called off the engagement with the Eleanor family. Jessica’s my fiancé now.” … I sat back in my office chair, lit a cigarette. I looked at Jessica, sitting all dolled up next to Daniel. She was a looker, even more so than in the pictures I’d seen online. I blew out a lungful of smoke, filling the air. Jessica started coughing without even trying to hide it. Daniel was all over her, waving the smoke away from her face and turning back to me with a frown. “Hey, there’s a lady present, Eleanor. Can’t you put that thing out?” Now that he was a big shot, Daniel was less of a kid than he’d been five years ago. His eyes were sharper, and he had a bite to his words. Five years ago, no way he would have talked to me like that. I used to smoke, I used to drink, and he’d just be there, quietly by my side. Then he’d give me gum to get rid of the cigarette smell, make me hangover soup to get the buzz out. Just like he was waving away the smoke for Jessica now. Back then, I was just dumb enough to fall for that sweet, caring act. I practically begged my dad to go to the Daniels family and ask for my hand in marriage. But the good times didn’t last. Not long after we got engaged, the Daniels family went bankrupt out of nowhere, and Daniel’s parents died soon after. Daniel was all alone, with nowhere to go, and creditors chasing him left and right. I gave him a million, got him out of the country, and even said something ridiculous, like I’d wait for him to come back and marry me. Thinking about it now, I had to laugh. Daniel frowned at me. “What’s so funny, Eleanor?” “Do I need to get your approval to laugh, Mr. Daniels?” He stared at me for a long moment, then reached out and handed me a bank card. “Here’s ten million. It’s ten times the million you loaned me five years ago. I hope you’ll keep quiet. I don’t want to talk about any of that again!” I chuckled, then calmly pocketed the card. “One thing at a time, Daniel. The ten million is what you owed me. Keeping quiet is going to cost you extra!” Seeing me negotiate, Daniel seemed relieved. He pulled out another bank card and handed it over. “Here’s another ten million. I hope you keep your word!” With that, he seemed to regain his confidence, standing up straight in front of me. The little bit of hair falling on his forehead fluttered a little, just like the day he said goodbye five years ago. He didn’t look like he’d changed much. He said he’d make it, he’d come back to this city, and he’d never forget how I felt about him. The memories and reality started to merge. Daniel’s brand of gentle, confident arrogance still got to me. I must be out of my mind. Was I about to get all lovey-dovey now? “Ms. Eleanor, the amounts in both cards are correct.” My assistant’s voice snapped me out of it. Daniel looked a little cold, seeing that I didn’t trust him enough to check the amounts on the cards. Before he left, he gave me a solemn look. “Eleanor, you should try to be more of a lady. No one’s going to like you the way you are!” He said it with such sincerity, like he was actually worried about me. But I didn’t care. I am who I am, a one-of-a-kind firework. 2 Honestly, I knew Daniel had changed his mind long ago. Or maybe he never loved me in the first place. Five years ago, when he promised to marry me, he was probably just caught up in the moment. Or maybe it was my million that got to him, and he couldn’t find a reason to say no. So now that he was back, he couldn’t wait to get rid of me, to make things right for him and Jessica. What Daniel didn’t know was that I was way ahead of him. He was out of the country for five years, and I wasn’t there for him. Jessica was. She gave him encouragement when he was down, cheered him up when he was feeling bad. She made a much bigger impression than me, the woman who just gave him a pile of cash. Now, they’d been through thick and thin together, and I was just the rich girl who got played. I handed the two bank cards to my assistant and had her bid on a necklace at an auction. The next day, I showed up at Daniel’s party for the reopening of the Daniels Corporation, wearing that necklace. When I made my entrance, I made sure to rub the brightest pink diamond on the necklace, making it sparkle. Everyone in the room turned to look at me, and the whispers started up. “Isn’t that the necklace Daniel was going to buy to propose to his fiancé?” “Does that mean Eleanor’s the fiancé Daniel’s been talking about?” “No way! Didn’t he say on the news when he got back that they called off the engagement five years ago?” Seeing things get out of hand, Daniel couldn’t stay put. He hurried over to me, his voice low and angry. “Are you doing this on purpose, Eleanor?” “You knew I needed that necklace, so you had someone buy it out from under me!” I lifted my glass and took a sip, ignoring Daniel. But the reporters were like sharks smelling blood. They swarmed around me and Daniel. “Ms. Eleanor, is that the necklace that Mr. Daniels said he was going to use to propose?” “Now that the necklace is on Ms. Eleanor, does that mean you two are getting married soon?” “Ms. Jessica, did you know about this? Mr. Daniels, how are you going to explain this?” Daniel’s face was priceless. He started explaining himself, struggling to say that he had nothing to do with me. As for the necklace, it was just an accident. I waited for him to finish, then calmly set down my glass and added, “I bought the necklace myself, but someone else paid for it, right, Daniel?” Daniel looked like he’d swallowed a bug, his mouth open but unable to say a word. He’d given me the money, but he couldn’t explain why. Whatever I said, he just had to take it. The reporters could smell something fishy, and soon the news about me and Daniel was all over the internet. Everyone was sure that Daniel was the man who gave me the money. He didn’t want to admit it, but he couldn’t deny it either. By the end of the party, most of the reporters had left. Jessica was glaring at me, her eyes locked on the necklace around my neck. “Eleanor, don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you have money. So what if you got your hands on the necklace? Daniel doesn’t love you. He’ll never love you!” “All you ever do is make money. You reek of it. No one will ever like you.” 3 I had to admit, Jessica’s words touched a nerve. I raised my hand and slapped her. I wasn’t done yet, but Daniel ran over and stopped me. He grabbed my right hand, his face dark and his voice mean. “How long are you going to keep this up, Eleanor?” “You stole my necklace, ruined the Daniels Corporation party, and now you hit Jessica. What else do you want?” “Don’t think you’re so special just because you’re Eleanor’s daughter. I’m not afraid of you!” He squeezed my hand harder and harder. Before long, there was a bright red mark on my wrist. Jessica was like a bunny, already in his arms, crying and sniffling. “It’s not Eleanor’s fault. It’s my fault. I just said that the necklace she bought was really pretty, but she misunderstood what I meant.” “It’s my fault for not making myself clear. Daniel, I’m okay. You just got back. You don’t need to make things worse with the Eleanor family.” I finally saw what Jessica was up to. She was putting me down to make herself look better to Daniel. And she wanted to make me look bad in front of everyone. Too bad for her, I didn’t care. Everyone in this town knew that Eleanor was rich and had a nasty temper! The people around us were whispering, but no one dared to come forward. Some of the people who knew me were shaking their heads. I raised an eyebrow, yanked my hand away from Daniel, and rubbed my wrist. I kept a smile on my face, and my eyes didn’t change at all. “You’ve gotten a lot bolder in the last five years.” Five years ago, Daniel wouldn’t have dared to grab my wrist like that, not even if I gave him a hundred reasons. He wouldn’t have dared to go against me like this. He didn’t say anything. After a long moment, he gave me a cold look, then took Jessica and left. I knew he wouldn’t stay and fight with me for long, but I didn’t think Jessica would pull any more tricks. After the party, a video quietly made its way to the trending page. The video started with me slapping Jessica and ended with Jessica sadly pulling Daniel away. It made me look like a villain, and it made her look pitiful. People were standing up for her. In the comments, a lot of people came forward, saying that they had been abused by me. I got people to explain that the video had been edited and wasn’t the whole story. But it seemed like it was too late. Everyone had made up their minds about me. After the video came out, Jessica got a lot of attention and did a lot of interviews. She kept hinting that I should apologize. Daniel also took the chance to launch the first product of the rebuilt Daniels Corporation, using his victim status to push the company into the market. His popularity soared, and the company was making money hand over fist. I was the only one who was taking the heat. I looked at the business evaluation for the Daniels Corporation over the past few weeks. I had to say, I had good taste. Five years ago, I knew Daniel would make it, so I gave him a million without thinking twice. He didn’t let me down. He came back a success. But when he came back, he stood on the opposite side of me. I’d basically helped an enemy! I could make him successful, but I could also drag him back into the mud! After that mess, Eleanor’s company took a hit. Our reputation went down, and other companies were targeting us. My best friend was afraid I would be sad, so she dragged me to a bar. But when I got there, I realized it was a trap. Daniel was there, laughing and drinking with other people. My best friend slammed her glass on the table. “Why didn’t you tell us that jerk was here? We wouldn’t have come if we knew.” Some of the people we knew told us to sit down and talk. They said that we shouldn’t stay mad at each other. Daniel even lifted his glass and toasted me. He stood in front of me, saying, “Eleanor, what’s done is done. The Daniels Corporation has gotten back on its feet. If we keep fighting, it won’t be good for either of us. Even Eleanor has to earn money, right?” I didn’t say anything, and his face started to turn ugly. “Are you going to drag this out until we both lose?” The room went silent. All you could hear was my laughter. “You need to be sincere if you want to apologize, or shut up. And where’s your fiancé? Why isn’t she here to talk? Or are you afraid I’ll hit her again?” “I’ve been getting dragged through the mud online for weeks. She hasn’t even shown her face. You just want me to forget about it?” Daniel’s lips were pressed into a thin line, and he was glaring at me. “What do you want?” “What do I want? I want her to apologize to me online, and say that she twisted the facts!” Daniel didn’t even hesitate. If he did that, Jessica’s reputation would be ruined, and the Daniels Corporation would take a hit. I smiled and said, “Then there’s nothing to talk about. Let’s settle this for good!”

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After the wedding, my billionaire husband insisted on sleeping with 99 different starlets every year. At a gala, Chad accidentally shattered a wine glass and demanded that I, eight months pregnant, get on my knees and clean it up for the “it” girl. As the live stream camera focused on me, my water suddenly broke in front of a million viewers. The “it” girl shrieked and jumped back, “Get a shot of her skirt! That’s so gross!” That night, I hemorrhaged in a nearby restroom and delivered a stillborn baby. Meanwhile, back in the ballroom, my husband was toasting champagne with Brittany, his flavor of the week. I wrapped the dead infant in a napkin and handed it to my mother-in-law. My voice was calm. “I did what you wanted. I delivered the first heir to the Lancaster fortune. Now, can I leave?” 1. My mother-in-law wept, cradling the lifeless bundle. “Honey, is there really no turning back? Chad’s just blind and stupid, but he’s not a bad person, can’t you…” A notification popped up on my phone. It was a live stream of Chad down on one knee, proposing to Brittany, the “it” girl. Fireworks exploded as he sincerely kissed her dress. Brittany, teary-eyed, flashed a diamond ring the size of a pigeon’s egg, already sporting a new designer gown. “Who said Chad was secretly married? This is the proposal! Call me Mrs. Lancaster from now on,” she cooed. The internet went wild. Brittany, overwhelmed by the “Mrs. Lancaster” comments, blushed and hid behind Chad. The comments got bolder. “We need to see Chad and his ‘Mrs.’ kiss!” Chad acted as if I didn’t exist. He pulled Brittany in for a sloppy kiss right in front of the camera. My mother-in-law choked. She thought I’d freak out and grabbed my wrist. “Honey, I’m done. I never should have forced Chad to marry you. Leave. Be free.” But I wasn’t angry. All my life force had drained away when I delivered that stillborn. “Maybe wait until after the funeral…” Looking at the cold little body in my mother-in-law’s arms, my heart ached. Once the baby was buried, Chad’s cruelty would never hurt me again! I agreed. My mother-in-law immediately called Chad. “Mom, I knew you’d call. The proposal was just for Brittany. Is Hope giving you trouble again? Can’t she just leave me alone…” “Chad, you need to come home in three days, or you’ll regret it.” A woman moaned in the background, and Chad laughed. “Are you going to drug me again at the old house? Can Hope handle it with her baby bump?” “Get back here for your son’s funeral! Hope had a miscarriage!” The line went silent for a second. Then, the moaning started again. “Oh, she can just get in line. She can have another one,” he said casually. My mother-in-law slammed the phone down. “Honey, leave after the funeral.” Chapter 2 Chad, unable to reach my mother-in-law, surprisingly came home. “I heard about the miscarriage. How are you? You’re young. You can have another one.” I clenched my fists, my knuckles turning white. This was the first time in five years he had offered to give me a child. I would have been thrilled before, but now, I didn’t want it. I said coldly, “No thanks. I don’t want to have your baby.” Chad’s anger exploded. “Hope, I just offered you a kid! Isn’t that enough? Who do you think you are?” He shoved me onto the couch, ripping at my shirt. “You’ve always wanted a baby, right? Here, I’ll give you one. You’ll be happy now!” I pushed him off, slapping him. “Chad, I don’t want you anymore!” You! I don’t want you! The baby, I don’t want it! This “Mrs. Lancaster” title! I don’t want it either! Chad sneered, “Don’t want it! You think I believe that? You just wanted to trap me with a kid. Don’t pretend you don’t care. If you don’t want to, plenty of other women do!” He brought Brittany home to provoke me. Unlike his other flings, Brittany was pregnant. I was drinking a medicinal broth when Chad walked in. “Brittany’s pregnant. She’s moving in. You have experience, so take care of her.” I laughed. Experience? Eight months of a stillbirth experience? Seeing my lack of reaction, Chad frowned and ordered the butler to prepare a room for Brittany. Brittany pinched her nose at my soup spoon and threw it on the floor. “Oh, is Hope so weak she can’t hold a spoon? I’m afraid you’ll never be able to carry a baby.” She wasn’t the first to insult me. The other women had taunted me the same way. I used to beat them to a pulp. But I felt nothing now. Brittany, ignored, felt like a fool. When Chad returned, she grabbed my wrist and shoved the bowl onto the floor. Then, she screamed and fell. “Hope! I just wanted a sip of your soup. Are you trying to kill Chad’s baby?” The usual act. I used to cry and explain that it wasn’t me. But now, I calmly ladled another bowl and poured it over her head. If she wanted to eat, then she could eat. Brittany shrieked, covered in broth. Chad grabbed me, throwing the bowl. “Hope, are you jealous that she can have my baby? What’s wrong with you?” The broken shards sliced my wrist, and blood gushed out. I fell onto the glass. Chad picked up Brittany, yelling at me. “Apologize to Brittany!” The blood ran down my arm and dripped on the floor. Apologize? I picked up a shard and plunged it into the wound, staring at Chad as I slowly widened the cut. Chad hated my seemingly obedient but defiant attitude. He sneered. “Trying to make me feel sorry for you? You’re overdoing it. One cut on your right wrist isn’t enough. Want a few on your left?” I laughed and said “Okay.” Then, I pulled up my sleeve, revealing my prosthetic arm. Brittany gasped, and Chad frowned, his eyes wide. “Why do you have a prosthetic arm?” My left arm had been crushed five years ago saving Chad. He had panicked, finding the best doctors to fit me with a lifelike prosthetic. But the night I was forced to marry him, he had looked at my arm with disgust. “Using your arm to guilt me. Now you’re Mrs. Lancaster. Don’t let me see that metal thing again!” I wore long sleeves whenever I saw Chad. He had forgotten that I had lost an arm. I thought he would feel guilty. Instead, he scoffed. “You finally brought out the prosthetic to guilt me? Want me to feel bad and treat you better? Fine. You win.” Looking at his smirk, I laughed. Yes, I was winning. I’d be free in three days. Chapter 3 Chad took Brittany to the hospital. I went to my room to pack. I realized that nothing held a shared memory of Chad and me. I opened a basket and took out a baby shoe. The thread was a gift from him. That was all. No love, no wedding. The wedding photos were fake. The pregnancy was the result of being drugged. Five years of misery. I needed to end it. “What cute baby shoes!” Brittany appeared behind me, snatching the shoe. Chad stood there, glancing at me indifferently. “Worthless. She bought them for the baby.” Like always, Chad dismissed me. “She was sent here to have my baby.” I used to cry and wait for Chad to love me again. But I was done. Chad continued. “If you like it, our baby can wear it.” Brittany threw the shoe down and clutched her stomach. “Chad, my stomach hurts. The baby’s things are bad luck. We can’t keep it here!” He glared at the shoe. “Burn it.” I tried to stop him. I watched as Chad threw the shoe into the fire. The love was gone. It was just a shoe. I went to get my passport expedited. When I returned, Chad saw it. “Why do you need a passport?” I was startled. “To take my mom on vacation.” He looked surprised, then scoffed. “The funeral’s in two days, and you’re going on vacation.” “You’re heartless!” I was a heartless fool. I burned myself for love, but Chad didn’t care. That night, Chad came to my room and threw a black card at me. He said he was sorry and that he shouldn’t have hurt me. Then, he pushed me onto the bed. “Come on! Brittany’s pregnant, so I’ll satisfy your baby fever.” I felt sick. I slapped him. “Don’t touch me! I don’t want your baby! Get out!” Chad paused, studying me. I glared back. “Get out!” Chad laughed, wiping the blood from his mouth. “Other women sleep with me for free. Now I’m offering you a black card, and you’re complaining. You’re expensive!” He pinned my hands. “Chad, you’re cheap. I think you’re disgusting. I don’t want your kids!” Chad grabbed my chin. “I gave you two chances! Other women line up to sleep with me and have my babies!” “Don’t regret it! You weren’t meant to be a mother!” Chad slammed my arm into the bed. I wiped my mouth. “Chad! I won’t regret it! I hope you do!” I packed my bags. Two days. Chad, I will be free! Chapter 4 I made it to the funeral. I placed flowers on the grave. Chad walked in with Brittany, then she pulled Chad away so we could be alone. I knew she was up to no good. But I was leaving soon. Brittany whispered, “You’re finally going to be famous!” She swallowed pills and slapped herself, pretending to fall. Blood stained her dress. Reporters rushed in, live streaming. “Why?! Why did you hurt my baby?!” “How can you be so proud? Even if you love my husband, you can’t force me to have an abortion. Please don’t hurt my baby…” Brittany screamed. “Is it because Chad rejected you?” “Did you force her to have an abortion? Are you going to jail?” She had paid them off. I didn’t understand why she would sacrifice her child to hurt me. Chad tied me up and made me kneel in front of Brittany’s bed. “You’re evil. You forced Brittany to have an abortion. She’s a star. You ruined her life!” “She’s kind, but I’m not. Kneel and apologize!” Apologize? I laughed. “She wants me to explain?” Brittany was pale and weak. “I just want a sincere apology. Is the mother of the Lancaster heir not worth your repentance?” Chad squeezed my jaw. “Think before you speak, or you won’t leave this room!” “If I apologize, I can leave?” “Yes, if Brittany forgives you.” I nodded. “Don’t touch me. I’m apologizing.” I knelt. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Lancaster. I loved Chad and schemed to break you up. But you and Chad are meant to be, and a mistress can never break that.” “I’m sorry, Mrs. Lancaster. I was jealous and poisoned you. I killed the Lancaster heir. I’m a murderer!” I banged my head on the floor. Brittany smiled. Chad frowned at the blood. “Stop it!” “Want me to regret this?” He started to pull me up, but I continued banging my head on the floor. She ordered Chad to move the patient to another room She did not want me to escape her, [Pricing Point Here] Chapter 5 “What?” “Hope, she died from banging her head on the floor!” Chad laughed. “You can’t die from hitting your head. She’s trying to scare me. I’ll go see her.” Seeing that Chad didn’t believe him, the guard fell silent. Chad saw my body being wheeled into the morgue. He lost it, barging into the morgue and screaming at them to not touch me. The nurse called my mother-in-law. She arrived and slapped him. “Why can’t she die? You tortured her. Let her be free! Chad, I’m in charge of the funeral. You can’t see her again!” Chad returned to the room and saw my blood. He vomited blood. He curled up on the floor, crying. “Hope, I’m sorry. Hope, please come back.” “I’ll bang my head a million times. Please come back, I was wrong…” The guards couldn’t move him. Reporters snapped photos of him crying. “Chad, isn’t Hope a mistress? Why are you crying?” “Mrs. Lancaster lost the baby. Are you suing Hope?” Chad snapped. He punched a reporter and yelled, “Hope isn’t a mistress! She’s my wife, Mrs. Lancaster!” The internet exploded. #Chad and Hope Married for Five Years. The Mistress is the Real Mrs. Lancaster. #Real Wife’s Miscarriage. Mistress Pregnant. Stealing the Identity. #Brittany Fakes Pregnancy. Everyone knew the truth. Chad was drunk, remembering our first meeting. I grew up in Chad’s orphanage. The children were raised to be servants. I was skilled, so I was sent to work for Chad. I lost my arm saving him. We fell in love in the mountains, hiding from kidnappers. My mother-in-law wanted Chad to marry me. But someone accused me of colluding with the kidnappers. Chad believed it. He canceled the wedding and tore up the marriage certificate. My mother-in-law forced him to marry me. He was a victim, saying, “Hope, do you think I didn’t see the greed? Do you think I did not see you with the kidnappers?I am not going to give you a penny of my fortune!” “Beg me for a baby, or you’ll be a widow forever!” My dream wedding became a tomb. I wanted a divorce, but my mother-in-law refused. I had to have a baby. So, I tried to sleep with Chad. He hated me and wouldn’t come home. My mother-in-law drugged Chad, and I got pregnant. In the third month, I gave Chad the pregnancy test. He choked me and forced me to swallow an abortion pill. “I said you could only have a baby if I wanted you to!” My mother-in-law saved me, whipping him. Chad cried. “Hope’s baby must have been cute…” The baby was dead. He had killed it. I had given birth in a bathroom and was left for dead, he was with Brittany. “Hope must have been in pain, and I was with another woman. I should have been with her. I’ll die with her!” Chad saw evidence that Brittany had faked the pregnancy and paid off the reporters. He kidnapped Brittany and made her apologize. She died from banging her head on the floor. Her death was hidden. Chad wasn’t allowed to attend my funeral. So, on the same day, he had a wedding. He held my photo, admitting I was his wife. He had cheated on me many times, and Brittany was just one of them. He had forced me to apologize. He was hated, and the Lancaster’s stock plummeted. Someone sent him a photo from the orphanage. The woman’s face looked just like mine. Chad offered a million for information about me. He was crazy. “Hope, you’re not dead. I’ll find you!”

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Because of the pandemic, our apartment building suddenly went into lockdown. I glanced at the small fortune I’d spent stockpiling food. I wasn’t worried. What I didn’t expect was that my soon-to-be ex-husband, Ethan, who’d come back to pack his things, and his soon-to-be fiancée, would also get locked down… in my apartment. Oh god, what kind of fresh hell was this? 1 “Urgent notice: Due to the ongoing health crisis, the building is temporarily locked down. All residents must cooperate…” Locked down. Again. I was used to it by now. Looking down at the two huge grocery bags in my hands – easily four figures worth of panic-buying – I wasn’t panicking. When I got to my apartment door, I was fumbling in my purse for my keys when I realized the door was already slightly ajar. Ethan’s voice drifted out, “I told you, I can pack up my stuff myself.” I pushed the door open and came face-to-face with Ethan and a stunning woman standing beside him. The beautiful woman looked a little flustered. She glanced at Ethan, then lowered her gaze, a charming hint of softness in her eyes. Okay, I got it. This must be Ethan’s long-lost ex-girlfriend, the one he was crazy about, who just got back from overseas. “Hi, I’m Lily – Ethan’s soon-to-be ex-wife,” I chirped, maybe a little too brightly. “Oh… hi, Lily. I’m Sarah…” Ethan’s ex was clearly taken aback by my enthusiasm. After a surprised pause, she offered a gentle smile back. We even made a move like we were going to shake hands, friendly as could be. Except my hands were full. Ethan frowned at me, then walked over and took the heavy bags. “What’d you buy all this for? Celebrating our divorce?” His tone was clipped, annoyed. Remembering why I’d bought it all, I blurted out, “The building’s on lockdown!” “Lockdown?” Ethan’s frown deepened. He glanced over at the suitcase standing near the door, a serious look clouding his dark eyes. Sarah looked worried now too. She turned to Ethan, her voice soft, “Ethan, what do we do? We still have…” “We’ll have to stay put for now. Wait until the lockdown lifts,” he cut her off. It finally hit me. With the sudden lockdown, Ethan and his old flame were going to be stuck here… with me. Great. Making the beautiful Sarah stay in what was technically still Ethan’s and my “marital home.” I almost felt bad for her. 02 Ethan and I didn’t get married for love. It was purely a marriage of convenience. Back then, my family was relentlessly pressuring me to get married, and he happened to need a wife for appearances. We “met” on some upscale matchmaking site and got married practically overnight. About a month ago, I found out his ex, Sarah, was back in the picture. So, I did the decent thing and offered him an out – asked for a divorce. We were just waiting for him to get back from a business trip to file the papers. Never thought we’d get hit with a lockdown before we could make it official. Since this apartment was Ethan’s before we got married, and he was being pretty decent about it – agreeing to sign it over to me in the divorce settlement – I did the polite thing. I cleared out the master bedroom, which I’d kept spotless, and generously offered it to him and his future wife. I moved my stuff into the smaller spare room next door. And just like that, the three of us began our extended quarantine life together. After a few days, I could see why Ethan was hung up on Sarah for so long. Sarah was efficient with housework and an amazing cook – a total domestic goddess. “Sarah, you’re incredible! Ethan would be the luckiest guy in the world if he married you!” I laid it on thick, smiling sincerely. Hey, when someone’s cooking gourmet meals for you, you gotta lay down some compliments, right? Sarah blushed, clearly flattered. Her eyes, full of affection, drifted towards Ethan. But he just kept eating slowly, methodically, barely acknowledging her. What was Ethan’s deal?! Not exactly Mr. Warmth. Or… was I, the soon-to-be ex-wife, making things awkward? Thinking maybe I should stop being the third wheel, I decided to head downstairs for the mandatory COVID testing. As I got up, Sarah headed towards the kitchen, probably feeling hurt by Ethan’s coolness. I nudged Ethan’s arm discreetly. “Sarah’s amazing,” I whispered. “You gotta treat her better, you know? Don’t be so cold, like you always were with me!” Ethan paused mid-bite, shooting me an icy glance. “Doesn’t all that food you inhale ever shut you up?” “…” Ouch. Sharp tongue. I was used to it, though. I rolled my eyes at him. As Sarah came back from the kitchen, I said, “Sarah, your future husband here has been looking gloomy these past few days. Am I cramping your style? Interrupting your quality time?” Sarah blushed crimson. Ethan’s face darkened. See? Called it! “Lily.” Ethan’s voice was suddenly low and sharp, calling my name… 03 I jumped, startled. He hadn’t used that tone with me since we got married. What was his problem? I quickly grabbed my mask and face shield by the door. “Just going down for my COVID test!” And with that, I bolted. Seriously, if they wanted alone time, they didn’t have to treat me like the enemy! As I pulled out my phone to find my ID, a notification popped up – a message from Ethan. I tapped it, but it vanished. “Message retracted.” Ugh, I hated when people did that! Given our super awkward situation, and with his old flame right there, I couldn’t exactly text back asking what he’d said. So, I took my curiosity down to the testing line. The person administering the tests – clad head-to-toe in PPE, but I recognized her voice as my neighbor, Deb – expertly swabbed my throat, twisting it just long enough to make me gag. Seeing no one else waiting, she leaned in conspiratorially. “Someone’s been eating well during lockdown, huh? Looking a little… healthier.” I chuckled nervously, about to mention the unexpected “domestic goddess” in our apartment, aka Ethan’s girlfriend. But Deb beat me to it. “Speaking of, where’s your husband and his… cousin? Haven’t seen them down here.” Cousin? It clicked. Deb must have thought Sarah was Ethan’s cousin. When Ethan and I first got married – partly because my parents were breathing down my neck, partly because I saw flashes of kindness beneath his reserved exterior – we somehow managed to make our convenient arrangement look real to outsiders. So, I figured Ethan must have told people Sarah was his cousin to avoid gossip, to protect her reputation. Smart. I just laughed vaguely and mumbled something noncommittal to Deb before heading back upstairs. Since we were still under lockdown, the building staff told everyone to head straight back to their apartments after testing. Walking back, I couldn’t help but hope I’d walk in on some classic rom-com scene – maybe a steamy make-out session against the wall, or some intense flirting. Anything to justify how hard I was trying not to get in their way…

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