Category: English

At the company holiday gala, my boss insisted on setting me up on a blind date. Drunk and emotional, I red-eyed confessed that I still wasn’t over my ex. My colleagues, hungry for gossip, pressed for details. The CEO, sitting at the head of the table, watched me with an increasingly strange expression. “This ex of yours… his last name wouldn’t happen to be Sterling, would it?” 1. The other executives instantly sobered up, exchanging nervous glances. I, however, had face-planted onto the table, achieving the deep, peaceful sleep of an infant. I completely missed the boss’s question. My colleagues, desperate for the tea, shook me vigorously. “Don’t fall asleep, Summer! Keep going!” I lifted my head with great effort. “Say what?” “Is your ex’s family rich?” “Filthy. Obscenely rich,” I mumbled, spreading my arms wide. “His kitchen… had a row of fridges just for imported seafood people gifted them.” “How did you meet?” “High school classmates.” I mumbled a few more incoherent things and sat there trying to buffer. My body found the camera lens before my brain did. I immediately tried to fix my facial expression. Only to realize it was the big boss, secretly filming me with his phone. “Mr. Vanderbilt, why are you filming me?” Chase Vanderbilt was handsome, rich, and constantly in the tabloids. Among the group executives, he was the one everyone gossiped about. They called him the “Spare Heir.” He had an older brother, the Crown Prince. But a year ago, the brother was transferred abroad, and Chase took over the company. Rank-wise, I wasn’t important enough to sit at his table. But today was the annual gala. And I was the top-grossing livestreamer across all sectors last year. I went wherever the company pointed me. To show their appreciation, the leadership allowed top-performing employees to sit at the VIP table. Chase pursed his lips, gesturing for me to continue. “Don’t stop on my account. I want to hear this.” “Let’s not talk about dating…” I slurred. “It’s embarrassing.” I absentmindedly dropped a cherry tomato into my wine glass. Realizing I wasn’t out with clients, I fished it out and ate it. Sour. Chase hissed in sympathy. “Embarrassing?” He seemed like he wanted to laugh but held it back. “Is dating your ex that embarrassing?” I shook my head. “He’s not embarrassing. I was just… a failure back then.” “That doesn’t track,” he led the conversation. “If you were a failure, why was he with you?” I didn’t answer. He shot a look at the people around him. Several half-drunk executives immediately stood up, claiming they needed to toast other tables. Seeing this, my colleagues also slipped away one by one. Confused, I decided to follow the herd. Chase looked up quickly, clearing his throat. “Where are you going? Your performance last year was stellar. Let’s talk about a raise.” I jolted awake and shimmied back into my seat. I refilled my glass, muscle memory taking over to offer a toast. “Thank you for the recognition, Mr. Vanderbilt. Bottoms up.” “Sit, sit. Stop drinking.” He held my glass down. “Tell me more. Ethan… I mean, your ex. How did his mother convince you to break up? Did she curse at you? Threaten you?” No. She was very kind. It was my senior year of college. Since confirming our relationship sophomore year, I would stay at Ethan Sterling’s place during winter and summer breaks. His mother appeared suddenly one afternoon. I was napping on the couch and was startled awake by a knock. I thought Ethan had forgotten his keys. I ran to open the door, only to find a strange woman. She looked about thirty percent like Ethan. She wasn’t surprised to see me. And she didn’t seem to be looking for Ethan. I greeted her slowly, “Hello, ma’am.” “Summer, hello.” She smiled. “Can we go inside and chat?” I guessed her purpose immediately. She introduced herself as Mrs. Sterling. Her family controlled shipping lanes on the East Coast. Her marriage to Mr. Sterling was a business alliance. The two families’ industries complemented each other perfectly. They had been married for years in relative harmony, and Ethan was the only son. Maybe Mr. Sterling had illegitimate children. But Ethan’s position was secure. Assuming he didn’t do anything stupid. Like letting an outsider find a weak point to exploit. “I trust Ethan’s abilities; he doesn’t necessarily need a marriage to secure his position,” Mrs. Sterling said, adjusting her designer clutch. Then came the pivot. “However, marriage is a way to gather support.” “If he doesn’t do it, someone else will.” “If others realize his wife’s family is weak, they might use marriage alliances to challenge him. That wouldn’t be good.” With every sentence, my back stiffened. I was sitting on pins and needles. Let’s get this over with. I kept my head down. “Mrs. Sterling, what… what do you want me to do?” She looked at me picking at my fingers, her gaze almost pitying. “Summer, I’ve known about you since high school.” “Back then, Ethan would always ‘accidentally’ mention your name at home.” “I looked into you. I know your parents are traditional and strict, that you relied on financial aid to leave your rural town, and that you got into the prep school on grades alone.” “You’ve had a hard life.” “You’re smart, and you’re pretty.” “But to be our daughter-in-law… you don’t have to be perfect, but you can’t have such glaring deficits.” “I didn’t want to break you two up so quickly.” “But Ethan is graduating. If you stay in the country, he won’t want to go abroad to manage the overseas branches.” “So, Summer, for his sake, and for yours… consider this.” She opened her clutch. She slid a thin check across the coffee table. I wiped my face quickly, afraid to look up. “Okay. Okay, I understand. Is it alright if I don’t walk you out?” Her soft cashmere shawl brushed against my flannel pajamas. The scent was faint, like old money and sandalwood. The scent faded. She closed the door, as if she had never been there. I went to the bedroom to pack. Only then did I realize how much stuff I had. Clothes and socks filled a corner of the walk-in closet. Jewelry, hair ties, and skincare products Ethan had bought me on a whim. The plants I raised, the plushies I bought, the half-used toiletries. It was way more than the single suitcase I arrived with. I packed, then unpacked. I left all the expensive jewelry. I took the skincare products. I wouldn’t bear to buy such expensive brands on my own. I took extra pajamas. And the cashmere shawl—it was a celebrity style, very long. When I bought it, Ethan laughed, saying I was trying to look cool despite being short, that I looked like a manta ray in it. I had to take that. The sound system was a brand I picked out. It was supposed to be amazing. Though, once we got it, I realized the internet hype was exaggerated. But I still loved it. Too bad I couldn’t carry it. What about the flowers on the balcony I’d tended for two years? Would I have to spend another two years growing new ones somewhere else? I sat next to the messy suitcase and suddenly broke down. The front door opened and closed. Footsteps, the rustle of bags being placed on the table. “Summer,” Ethan called from the living room. “I’ll make dinner, okay?” I didn’t answer. He muttered to himself in confusion. He must have seen the check on the coffee table because his footsteps suddenly became frantic. The bedroom door flew open. “Who came here…” Ethan’s face was pale as he held the thin piece of paper. I turned to look at him, quickly wiping my face with my sleeve. “Hey, don’t cry. Don’t cry.” He half-knelt, pulling me into his arms. “Who came to see you? Tell me.” His fingertips were cold; his coat was freezing. I rubbed my face against his coat, burying myself in his warm sweater. But his sweater smelled of sandalwood too. They were family. Could I really drag him down, forcing him to choose sides? Gasping for air, I tried to pull away, but he yanked me back. His fingers tangled in my hair, forcing my head against his chest. “Speak. Was it a man or a woman? How old?” He lowered his head, his nose pressing against my temple, his breath ragged with anger. I shook my head. “We… we need to talk.” “Talk about what? Summer, what are you doing? Breaking up?” His gaze was severe. “When we got together, didn’t you promise me you wouldn’t give up easily?” I wanted to say sorry, but I couldn’t. He had told me he thought everything through before asking me out. So he hoped I would consider the obstacles we’d face before giving him an answer. I promised him I would stay by his side. But I was too young. I underestimated the weight of the world. Facing it now, I realized a single sentence from his mother was enough to negate everything. I was retreating. Would he retreat too, at some point? “Maybe we should… just separate?” I met his eyes, my voice getting smaller. “I’m afraid… afraid you’ll regret it later. That you’ll feel I’m… a burden…” “Enough!” Ethan cut me off, swallowing hard. For three years in high school, I rarely spoke. At first, when classmates asked me questions, I wouldn’t answer. I’d just write down the solution. They thought I was arrogant. They called me the “Silent Ice Queen of Exams.” Later, teachers called on me to answer questions. It happened enough times that they realized I had a speech impediment. A severe stutter. So, I gained immunity from answering questions. No one forced me to speak. They just occasionally advised me to practice more. Classes during the day, dorms at night… time was tight. I couldn’t find space to practice, nor did I want to. Only after getting together with Ethan did I occasionally open my mouth. He would always wait for me to finish. Even if describing a simple event took me ten minutes. He never interrupted me like this. I clamped my mouth shut. “Summer,” he took a deep breath, cupping my face in his hands. “Do you still love me?” I looked at him and nodded. “Then don’t mention breaking up. Do it for me—practice speaking. I’ll practice with you at home.” He applied a little pressure. “Do you hear me?” I nodded again. He pulled me into his arms, tightening his grip. “Good girl.” After that day, neither of us mentioned the two-million-dollar check. He hired a housekeeper, and he spent all day dragging me into conversations. Sometimes I woke up late at night to hear him on the balcony, taking calls. The person on the other end didn’t sound happy. He would listen in silence for a long time, giving low responses. Usually, the next day, he’d apologize, saying he had to attend board meetings and would be gone for a few days. I saw the documents on his desk. Meeting minutes, industry reports, financial statements. Confidentiality level: Unknown. I didn’t dare look closely. I just knew I was probably dragging him down. When he was gone, I practiced speaking to my phone. I started a voice chat livestream. Regardless of whether anyone was listening, I forced myself to talk. Some viewers were scared off. College classmates who bumped into me on campus thought I was having a mental breakdown. For a while, my weird livestream was even discussed on the university forum. I replied to comments one by one, explaining the reason. To my surprise, the internet was kind. People came just to chat with me. But it was so painful. The livestream got more popular. Some encouraged me; others mocked me. Some tricked me into reading inappropriate comments. I still stuttered. After accidentally reading a phonetic pun for a slur, my channel was banned again. I couldn’t take it anymore. Why torture myself like this, and drag Ethan down with me? A lifelong condition isn’t something that can be fixed in a short time. I wanted to give up. But this time, I didn’t have the courage to face Ethan. I left everything behind, taking only the clothes on my back. I broke up with him via text from a hotel room. He flew back from the West Coast that very night. He insisted on seeing me. I opened the door to see a travel-worn Ethan. Eyes bloodshot, standing stiffly. Neither of us spoke. I couldn’t stop the tears. I cried and cried. Finally, I spoke the most fluent sentence of my life. “Ethan, the pressure is too much. I really can’t keep going.” He pursed his lips tight. “You really can’t keep going? Can’t we try again?” I said, “I’m so tired.” He placed a gift bag on the floor, lowering his eyes. “If it’s really that painful… then forget it.” I squatted on the ground, watching him turn his back. “Ethan!” He stopped and looked sideways. Only then did I realize his eyes were red too. I said, “Can we still be friends?” Will we ever see each other again? He laughed lightly. “Yeah. If you need anything, find me.” But I understood. He meant he wouldn’t find me. And indeed, we never contacted each other again. It’s been over three years. If he knew my speech is crystal clear now— I wonder if he’d be happy for me. Alcohol brings up old memories. Illusory emotions rushed to my head, making me forget reality. I was slumped on the table, completely forgetting I was at the group gala. Sitting opposite me was my boss’s boss’s boss. Chase frowned and patted me. “Summer? Summer, wake up… Holy crap, does she have alcohol poisoning? I’m dead. Ethan Sterling is going to chop me up.” I was shaken awake, tilting my face out from my arms. I opened one eye to look at him. “Hmm? Mr. Vanderbilt?” Chase let out a sigh of relief. He handed me a napkin, lifting his chin. “Wipe your face. Crying like that.” “Sorry, drank too much. Got emotional. This wine is strong.” I forced a smile, realizing something. “Hey, Mr. Vanderbilt, weren’t we talking about a raise?” He waved his hand expansively. “Raise. 50%. But tomorrow… no, the day after tomorrow, you have to come with me to… uh, a cross-company exchange meeting.” “Is my rank high enough to attend with you?” “Oh, it’s just a simple dinner.” “Oh. Wait, the day after tomorrow is the start of the holiday break.” “Triple overtime pay. The meeting is full of big-shot connections. I’m taking you because you’re ambitious.” Chase sounded very convincing. I didn’t suspect a thing and made an ‘OK’ sign. He let out a breath, smiling like a triumphant fox. “I’ll have the driver take you home. Rest up. I’ll pick you up the day after tomorrow.” 2. I slept until 2 PM the next day, thanks to the alcohol. I woke up and sat on the edge of the bed thinking for thirty minutes. I couldn’t remember exactly what I said at the gala last night. But I definitely remembered Chase’s mischievous expression at the end. His reputation with women wasn’t great. One day sending a starlet to a magazine cover. The next dining with a debutante. Though I hadn’t heard of him messing with female employees. Still, it gave me goosebumps. Before I could think of an excuse to bail, a corporate message popped up. [Tomorrow’s dinner is a birthday celebration for a buddy of mine. You’d better bring a gift.] [Take this seriously. Maybe if they like you, you can make a few hundred thousand more in commission this year.] [5:30 PM. My secretary, Leo, will pick you up.] Your private party? I shouldn’t go. I drank too much yesterday and ran my mouth, please forgive me, Mr. Vanderbilt. There are people with better sales numbers than me, maybe give the chance to them? I deleted all my refusal drafts. Cowardly, I typed: [Received.] After washing up, I realized I forgot to ask key information. Is this buddy old or young? Does he like western stuff or traditional? What’s his orientation? I knew nothing. I searched “gifts for male leaders” on my phone. The history showed shops I used to buy from. Scarves, belts, briefcases. The prices were low, ranges I wouldn’t choose now. But back then, Ethan was always happy to receive them. I suddenly felt dazed. Ethan’s birthday was coming up soon, too. He was born right around the holidays. Every year, he’d celebrate with me, then rush home to celebrate with his family. He’d return the next day with bags of stuff. Gifts from relatives and the Sterling family’s business partners. Some knew he was dating, so they gifted trendy luxury items suitable for women. He’d pick through them and bring me everything I could use. He’d tease me, refusing to hand them over easily. Making me circle him, anxious and stuttering. Only then would he lift his chin and slowly hand over the suitcase. I’d sit on the floor opening boxes. Ethan would lean against the wall, sipping water, watching me. “Like any of them?” I’d show him my favorite. He’d nod, smiling. “Got it. I’ll discuss more projects with that family next year.” I’d say, “You… you’re abusing your power.” My birthday is in the fall. Exact date? Unclear. With his gifts piled up, it felt like I had a great birthday too. Since breaking up, I hadn’t picked a gift for anyone. Filtering through millions of items to match someone’s temperament, preferences, and status was exhausting. I summoned the courage to message Chase. “Mr. Vanderbilt, what does your friend like? I’ll prepare accordingly.” He said, “Anything is fine.” … Anything it is. I asked a contact to buy a brick of aged tea. I just said I wanted expensive. Gifting tea is never wrong. The shop owner said the tea I wanted was high grade, and the only one in stock was reserved. He had to transfer stock from another store. Luckily, it arrived before the dinner. I picked a semi-formal business casual outfit and left with the gift box.

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The day I asked for a divorce, I slapped the evidence of my husband’s ten-year affair with his business partner on the table. Evan stared at the file, his face a mask of shock. “So you knew? Ten years ago, you already knew about Zoey and me?” “Yes.” A long silence stretched between us. “Then why now?” he finally asked. “Why wait until now to divorce me?” “Because I no longer have to endure it.” Our daughter’s final exams were over. I was done pretending. 1 I ignored the swirling confusion and shock in Evan’s eyes, pushing the divorce agreement across the table toward him. “The company shares in your name, we split them fifty-fifty. Everything else—all other assets—comes to me.” Evan’s eyes scanned the document, his brow lowering with each line. He slammed the papers down. “Impossible!” he roared. “How is that any different from leaving me with nothing? I will not agree to this divorce!” He leaned forward, his voice rising. “And besides, you’ve been a housewife all these years! You haven’t touched the business. I was the one out there, grinding, closing deals, drinking until I was sick to build this company. What right do you have to half the shares?” I didn’t get angry. I simply leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms, my tone as casual as if I were discussing the weather. “Fine. Let’s take it to court.” “But I should remind you,” I continued, “with the evidence I have, I can easily file for an asset freeze. All our marital property will be locked down, including your shares. And while we’re at it, I can also sue Zoey to claw back every penny of our marital funds you spent on her over the years. If I freeze her assets, that will certainly include her shares in the company.” I let that sink in. “The company is about to go public. With the shares of the two largest stakeholders frozen simultaneously… you can forget the IPO. The entire company’s operations will be paralyzed.” Evan’s hand, resting on the table, clenched into a tight fist, the veins bulging on his forearm. He spoke through gritted teeth. “So you planned this. You deliberately chose this exact moment to bring this up.” I held his gaze, my expression unreadable. “Do you remember what yesterday was?” He looked utterly lost, his eyes blank. “Yesterday,” I prompted, “was the last day of Chloe’s final exams.” Watching his eyes widen in dawning horror, a bitter laugh escaped my lips. He’d forgotten. Of course, he had. How many important dates had he forgotten over the years? My birthday. Our anniversary. And now, he had forgotten the single most important milestone in his daughter’s life. I closed my eyes and let out a long, slow breath. When I opened them again, they were clear. “Our daughter has graduated. Divorcing now won’t affect her anymore.” 2 Under Evan’s stunned gaze, I slid the agreement back in front of him. “Fifty-fifty on the shares. You have two options. One, you transfer the equity to me, which will require a shareholder vote. Or two, you buy me out.” He exploded. “Are you insane? You’re taking everything else! Where am I supposed to get the money to buy you out?” I shrugged. “Then give me the shares. Or we go to court. Your choice.” “You—” He was seething, a vein throbbing in his temple. But my face remained a mask of cool indifference. He finally choked out his decision through clenched teeth. “Fine. I’ll buy you out.” It was just as I’d expected. The IPO was everything to him. If we divorced and I took half the shares, his control over the company he’d built would be threatened. After all this work, he would never allow that to happen. He scrawled his name on the signature line, then threw the document at me before storming toward the door. He yanked it open, only to find Chloe standing there. She froze, clearly startled. My heart leaped into my throat. My plan had been to finalize the divorce and then gently break the news to her. I had waited until she was out celebrating with her friends to have this confrontation with Evan. I never thought she’d be home so soon. What should I do? How much had she heard? “Chloe…” I started, stepping toward her. But her eyes, red-rimmed and furious, were fixed on her father. “Is it true, Dad?” she demanded, her voice trembling. “What Mom said? Have you been with another woman for the last ten years?” Evan’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He just lowered his head in silence. Chloe’s eyes welled with tears. She bit her lip, turned, and ran. “Chloe!” I started after her, but a hand clamped around my wrist. I spun around to face Evan’s furious glare. “Sienna, did you have to do this? Did you have to get a divorce and hurt our daughter like this?” I stared at him, my own anger flaring. “Let’s be very clear, Evan. You hurt her when you betrayed our marriage. When you betrayed this family!” Ignoring his stunned expression, I wrenched my arm free and ran out the door after my daughter. I searched everywhere, finally finding her in the small park near our neighborhood. She was sitting on a bench, staring blankly into the distance. I sat down beside her. Her voice, when she spoke, was a ragged whisper. “Mom… I’m so sorry.” 3 Tears streamed down Chloe’s face. Panicked, I pulled her into my arms, stroking her back. “You have nothing to be sorry for, sweetie. You didn’t do anything wrong.” She let out a choked sob. “But you knew! You knew Dad was cheating all this time, and you endured it for ten years… for me.” My hand stilled on her back. A familiar ache spread through my chest. She wasn’t apologizing for a mistake. She was apologizing for my pain. “Oh, honey,” I whispered. “It wasn’t endurance. It was a choice. A calculated decision that adults have to make.” “I made that choice because I wanted you to grow up happy and healthy, in a whole family.” Chloe pulled away, her tear-filled eyes locking on mine. She blinked, and fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. “But a person only has so many decades. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have had to carry the pain of his betrayal alone for ten years.” Ten years. It was a long time. I sighed softly, my expression softening. I smiled, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear and gently wiping the tears from her face. “Who said this family only brought me pain?” I said, playfully pinching her cheek. “You’ve brought me so much joy over the years.” “Besides,” I added, “it’s not too late for me. I’m only in my forties. The best is yet to come.” A small laugh escaped Chloe’s lips. She nodded, her expression firming. Then I remembered something, and my own face grew serious. “But I didn’t ask you. I just went ahead and asked your dad for a divorce. Are you… are you angry with me?” Chloe’s head snapped up. There were still tears clinging to her lashes, but her gaze was resolute. “Mom, we are all independent individuals. You have the right to pursue your own freedom and happiness. You don’t need my permission for that.” “And I will always, always support your decisions. Just like you’ve always supported my dreams.” I stared at her, my own eyes filling with hot tears. In that moment, I knew. My daughter was truly grown up. 4 When Chloe and I got back to the house, Evan was still there. Chloe shot him a cold look, huffed, and walked straight to her room without a word. I turned to him. “Let’s go sign the papers tomorrow.” Then, ignoring the lost look on his face, I went to join Chloe. That night, we lay in her bed and talked for hours, sharing old memories. We laughed until our sides hurt, and we cried together. As the night wore on, we made a decision. It was time for a road trip. The day after the divorce was official, Chloe and I left. Ever since she was a little girl, Chloe had dreamed of building rockets. Aerospace was her passion. She was planning to apply to MIT, so we started our trip there, touring the campus. Then, we drove three thousand miles across the country to a beach town in the south. I was lounging on a beach chair, sipping a cold coconut water and watching Chloe play volleyball with some other tourists, when my phone started buzzing. It was Evan. Again and again. I ignored it. But he was relentless. Finally, I sighed, put down my drink, and answered. “Sienna, where did you put my blue striped tie?” A tie. He was ruining my vacation over a tie. If I wasn’t halfway across the country, I would have slapped him. “You’ve lived in that house for over a decade, and you can’t find your own things,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “It’s clear you never saw it as your home anyway. Why don’t you just hurry up and move out? Move into a home where you can actually find your own ties.” I hung up. Until the divorce was legally finalized, I couldn’t completely block him. I just silenced his calls and muted his messages and tried to forget he existed. When we finally returned home, Evan’s pent-up frustration exploded. “Sienna, you’re finally back!” he yelled. “Look at this place! You just run off without a word, and the house is a disaster! I can’t find anything!” “And my suits! No one’s been ironing them. They’re all wrinkled! How am I supposed to see clients like this? You’re in your forties! Can’t you stop being so selfish and just abandoning your family?” I almost laughed. Had he lost his memory? We were divorced. He wasn’t my problem anymore. I was about to tell him so when Chloe’s door opened. “You have no right to talk to Mom that way!” she shouted. 5 Evan looked as if he’d been struck, utterly dumbfounded that Chloe would yell at him. Her voice, strong and clear, echoed through the large house. “For as long as I can remember, Mom has been the first one up and the last one to bed. She handled every single thing in this house, all by herself. She never even let herself get sick.” “And you? What did you ever do? All you did was show up for meals and expect your clothes to be clean!” “The only reason you’re a ‘big shot boss’ now is because Mom was here, ironing every one of your suits, polishing every pair of your shoes, so you could look brilliant when you went out to impress those clients.” “Don’t think you’re so great just because you make some money. If Mom had a career, she’d probably earn more than you!” Before Evan could even process it, SLAM. Chloe shut her door. His face was beet red with fury. He couldn’t argue with Chloe, so he turned his anger on me. “Sienna, did you teach her to say those things? Is this how you raise a daughter? To disrespect her own father?” I was about to slap him when the door creaked open again. Chloe stood in the doorway, her eyes blazing. “Mom didn’t have to teach me. I have eyes. I have a brain.” “And I can tell you what she did teach me. She taught me to have a sense of responsibility. To have integrity. To have a moral compass.” “And you? What did you teach me? I look at you and all I see is a liar who betrayed his family, a coward with no integrity and no morals!” SLAM. The door shut again. Evan’s face was ashen. He stood there, trembling, as if he’d been physically assaulted. I slowly lowered my hand. To be so thoroughly condemned by your own child… it was a humiliation far worse than any slap I could deliver. He stormed back to his room, slamming the door behind him. When he emerged, he was dragging two large suitcases. Chloe and I were in the kitchen, laughing and talking as we made dumplings. We didn’t even look at him. The front door slammed shut, rattling the windows. Neither of us looked back. When the exam results were released, Chloe’s score was more than high enough for MIT. We hugged, jumping up and down with excitement. I couldn’t stop crying. In that moment, the last ten years of pain and sacrifice felt worth it. After we submitted her application, it was as if a massive weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I never expected that Zoey would come looking for me. And I certainly never expected that she would be coming to convince me not to get the divorce.

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1 The Bright family’s real heiress had a strange quirk: she acted like a baby. She ate from a baby bowl, slept in a cradle, and needed a stroller to go out. She had our prestigious law firm redecorated as a nursery—cafeteria served purees and rice cereal, clients’ coffee swapped for hand-mixed formula. “Grown-ups are yucky,” she’d say. “We need to purify the world with childlike innocence!” Wracked with guilt over losing her as a child, my parents catered to her every whim. Even my fiancé Bruce urged me: “Eloise, you had her life for twenty years. Can’t you be more tolerant?” On the final hearing of the firm’s biggest case, the entire court waited for her to wake from her “baby nap.” The judge fumed. I stepped up to take her place. With a brilliant defense, I saved our client $300 million and earned a partnership. Humiliated, the heiress drank on the rooftop, fell, and died. My parents and Bruce blamed me: “You snatch everything! It was a guaranteed win, yet you stole it!” They tied me to a chair and brought in my case losers. One by one, they took revenge—one knife per verdict. I died in hatred. When I opened my eyes, I was back on the day she demanded the case. This time, I walked straight into the opposing firm. You want a “guaranteed win”? I’ll make you lose it all. … “Eloise, sis, pretty please let Baby have the case?” The cloying, saccharine voice grated on my ears. Vivi Bright, dressed in a custom-made pink onesie, was practically hanging off my fiancé, Bruce. She pouted, her childish pigtails whipping against his arm. “Baby wants to try the Hawke Industries case!” Bruce looked at me, his face a mask of weary apology. “Eloise, Vivi’s new to the firm. She needs a confidence boost. You have so many cases on your plate… why not let her take this one for practice?” His gaze was as gentle as ever, but an involuntary shiver ran down my spine. In my past life, it was Bruce who drove the final knife into my heart. “Eloise Bright,” he had hissed, his eyes colder and more alien than I had ever seen them. “You owe Vivi a life!” Seeing my silence now, my father, holding a baby bottle, scowled. “You enjoyed twenty years of her life. Are you really going to fight her over a small, open-and-shut case like this?” Small case? I laughed internally. Hawke Industries was accused of commercial fraud, with three hundred million dollars on the line. The prosecution had a rock-solid chain of evidence. It was an ironclad case. I had pulled fifteen all-nighters, sifting through thousands of pages of documents, to find the one single loophole that could turn it all around. That “guaranteed win” was bought with my blood and sweat. I suppressed the storm raging inside me, my voice frighteningly calm. “Fine. The case is hers.” The tension in the room instantly evaporated. Vivi cheered and planted a loud, wet kiss on Bruce’s cheek. “Yay! Now I can stand in court with my favorite Bruce!” He stiffened, glancing at me in a panic. “Eloise, don’t get the wrong idea. Vivi just has the mindset of a child. She’s like that with everyone she likes. It doesn’t mean anything.” He’d used the same explanation in our last life, even scolding me for projecting my “filthy adult thoughts” onto an innocent baby. But I’d never seen Vivi kiss anyone else. Only Bruce. And always, always, when I was there to see it. I curved my lips into a faint smile. “I understand. Since Vivi is taking the case, I’ll step down. I’ll get all the relevant materials organized for her.” “Wait,” my father called out from behind me. “You’ve been on this case for a long time, and you have the courtroom experience. You’ll be Vivi’s assistant on this one. It will be a glorious moment for the Bright family when you two sisters win this together!” He left the other half of his sentence unsaid: and if you lose, you’ll be the sacrifice we offer to Gideon Hawke to appease his anger. Seeing me lower my head in silent agreement, his expression softened. He walked over and patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Eloise. We’ll be fair to both of you. We won’t play favorites.” In my past life, that empty promise had moved me to tears. I had been so desperate for their approval, even knowing they only adopted me because my eyes held a faint resemblance to their lost daughter. The moment Vivi returned, they looked at me with nothing but disgust and contempt, as if I were a cheap counterfeit. Vivi’s sticky voice broke through my reverie. “Bruce, which lawyer’s robe should Baby wear? The pink one with the little lambs, or the blue one with the little stars?” Bruce stroked her head dotingly. “No matter what you wear, our Vivi will be the most dazzling star in the room.” He used to say that to me. After a victory, he would ruffle my hair and whisper, “My Eloise, always so dazzling.” Now that word, along with the people I once considered my family and my love, all belonged to Vivi. I waited downstairs at the firm for a long time before Bruce and Vivi finally appeared. Her outfit today was even more absurd: a dinosaur onesie. She bounced and bobbed her head all the way to the car and expertly climbed into the passenger seat. That’s when I noticed it. Bruce’s Mercedes now had a pink child safety seat installed in the front. The clicks of the five-point harness echoed as he buckled her in. He was practiced, clearly not his first time. He caught my gaze and explained, looking uncomfortable, “Vivi says she gets scared in the car. A safety seat offers better protection…” Vivi waved her fists in protest. “Baby’s not scared! Baby just values her life!” I turned to look out the window, completely indifferent. Mr. Hawke was already waiting for us in the conference room. His eyes, deep as pools of ink, swept past Bruce and me, finally landing on Vivi. His brow twitched almost imperceptibly. Bruce bowed slightly. “Mr. Hawke, this is the lead counsel our firm has assigned to your case, Ms. Vivi Bright.” Hawke’s expression remained unchanged. He extended a hand. Vivi leaped backward. “Strangers are icky! Baby is clean. Baby doesn’t touch strangers!” The air froze. The secretary at the door looked like she had swallowed a fly. Bruce’s face went white. He scrambled to smooth things over. “Mr. Hawke, I apologize. Vivi is… very pure-hearted. She likes to joke around.” Hawke slowly retracted his hand. His face betrayed no emotion, but the atmospheric pressure in the room dropped several degrees. I stood silently to the side, watching. Gideon Hawke. His ruthless reputation was legendary. Rumor had it he’d spent his early years in gray areas, with a past he didn’t talk about. He was not the kind of man who would play house with a “baby.” Feeling Hawke’s hostile gaze, Bruce pressed on. “Vivi is the sole daughter of the Bright family. She may be eccentric, but she’s a legal prodigy. She scored first in the state on the bar exam.” Vivi propped her chin on her hands, blinking exaggeratedly. “Uncle Gideon, Baby looked at your case. It’s super easy! The other side is a bunch of big meanies. Baby will definitely win and make them cry!” Hawke’s brow furrowed. He turned to me. “Eloise Bright. You were handling my case before.” His voice was dark, laced with suppressed fury. “Are you certain this… woman… is competent?” My expression was calm. After a moment of silence, I turned to Vivi and spoke with grave formality. “Vivi, the Hawke case involves a three-hundred-million-dollar settlement. More importantly, it involves the future of the Bright law firm. Are you sure you want to take this on?” Her face changed. The feigned cuteness twisted into a mask of resentment. “What are you trying to say, sis? Do you think Baby is going to lose? Baby is super smart!” She stomped her foot, the tail of her dinosaur onesie wagging behind her. Bruce rushed to placate her while desperately explaining to Hawke, “Mr. Hawke, Eloise has been a bit emotional since Vivi came back. Vivi’s abilities are absolutely not in question!” Gideon Hawke’s gaze shifted between the three of us. Finally, he spoke, his voice flat. “I’m not interested in your family drama. I only care about results. Win this case, and your firm will be at the top of the food chain in this city. Lose it…” He paused, his eyes glinting like polished steel. “And for three hundred million dollars, I don’t mind sending you all a funeral wreath.” We were politely “escorted” out. The moment we were back in the car, Vivi’s lower lip trembled, and tears began to stream down her face. “He was mean to Baby! He scared Baby!” Bruce fumbled to wipe her tears, pulling a lollipop from the pocket of his tailored suit. I opened my car door and stepped out. “Where are you going?” Bruce yelled after me. I stood by the curb, hailing a cab. “I’m going back to organize the case files for Vivi.” “You could at least try to be nicer! Can’t you see Vivi’s crying?” A taxi pulled up in front of me. I smiled. “Calming the baby is your job. My job is to make sure the baby doesn’t die too ugly a death.” The car door slammed shut, cutting off Vivi’s sobs and the sight of Bruce’s furious face. The taxi wasn’t as fast as the Mercedes. By the time I arrived at the firm, Vivi was already buried in our mother’s arms, wailing. “Mommy… everyone was bullying Baby… Uncle Gideon was mean to me, and Eloise was mean to me too…” She let out a hiccup and then spat up a mouthful of milk. My mother’s heart broke for her. She patted Vivi’s back while glaring at me. “Eloise Bright! What did you do now?” Bruce quickly tried to intervene. “Auntie, it’s a misunderstanding. Eloise was just…” I cut him off calmly. “I just told her the case was important and that she should be careful.” SMACK! The slap stung my cheek, leaving a fiery pain. My ears were ringing, but I could still hear my father’s enraged voice. “We raised you for twenty years so you could threaten Vivi like this? You really think you’re something special, don’t you? Without the Bright family, you’d be rotting in a ditch somewhere! Get out! Get out of my sight! As of today, the Bright family has no one like you!” I was thrown out by security. My office supplies were tossed into a box and dumped on the curb, spilling everywhere. I silently began to pick them up. Bruce hurried over, hissing in a low voice, “Eloise, stop this. Just apologize to them. I’ll help you plead your case.” I looked at him. The man I had loved with all my heart. He had said nothing while I was being hit. Now he was telling me to “apologize and admit I was wrong.” My fingers brushed against something cold. It was the family portrait from my desk. After a brief pause, I tossed it into a nearby trash can. An hour later, I was sitting in Ethan Cole’s office, meeting his inquisitive gaze head-on. “The Hawke Industries fraud case. I want to be the counsel for your plaintiff.” He was stunned for a moment, then let out a soft laugh. “Why?” My voice was ice, devoid of any emotion. “Because Hawke is going to lose, and I don’t want it to affect my win rate.” His brow furrowed slightly. He tapped his fingers on the desk, then suddenly asked, “What happened to your face?” “I was slapped.” “By who?” “Mr. Bright.” He raised an eyebrow. “Your adoptive father?” My face was a blank mask. “My former adoptive father.” Ethan chuckled and shook his head. “That man is really losing his touch…” He sobered, his expression serious. “Are you sure you want this case? It means going head-to-head with the Bright family, with Hawke Industries, and with your… fiancé. There’s no turning back.” I looked out the window. The sky was gray, but my mind was crystal clear. “I never look back.” Ethan smiled and extended his hand. “Welcome to the battlefield.” A week later, when I appeared outside the third courtroom of the district court, my former parents were sitting in the front row. Bruce stood beside them, constantly checking his watch, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. The defense counsel’s seat was empty. Vivi hadn’t arrived yet. The judge was already seated, reviewing the case files. The court clerk kept glancing at the door, her expression growing impatient. Seeing me, my adoptive parents both frowned. My father practically lunged at me, hissing through his teeth, “What are you doing here? You’re not a lawyer with my firm anymore. Still can’t let it go?” I looked at his furious expression and answered calmly, “I’m here to observe.” He was about to say more when the judge’s voice cut him off. “Is the defendant’s counsel not present?” It was 2:05 PM. The hearing was already five minutes late. “We will wait another five minutes. If counsel does not arrive, they will be considered to have forfeited their right to defense.” More sweat beaded on Bruce’s forehead. Gideon Hawke’s stare was making him squirm. He stood up, bowed slightly to the judge, and explained cautiously, “Your Honor, Ms. Vivi Bright may be stuck in traffic. We request the court’s understanding…” Before he could finish, the judge interrupted coldly, “Traffic is not an excuse. This court has rules.” The minutes ticked by. Just as the five-minute extension was about to end, Bruce couldn’t take it anymore. He stood up and addressed the judge. “We request to change our defense counsel!” His eyes shot to the gallery, and he pointed at me. “Ms. Eloise Bright is also an excellent lawyer at our firm. She can take over the defense!” All eyes turned to me. My former parents looked at me, a hint of desperation in their eyes. The judge pushed up his glasses. “Ms. Eloise Bright, are you willing to take over the defense?” I ignored Bruce’s silent plea and spoke slowly. “I cannot.” “I was fired from the firm a week ago.” “Eloise!” Bruce cried out, his voice cracking. “This isn’t the time to throw a tantrum! The firing was just talk. You can come back anytime!” I calmly shook my head. “I’m not throwing a tantrum. I simply cannot…” My father stood up, his voice sharp with accusation. “So this was your plan all along! Now you’re just putting on a show!” “Order!” The judge’s gavel came down with a sharp crack. “Maintain order in the court!” Bruce glared at me like a cornered animal, but before he could speak, Vivi’s high-pitched voice echoed from the doorway. “Baby’s here! Baby’s here!” My father shot me a triumphant glare, as if to say, See? We gave you a chance and you blew it. But in the next second, the courtroom fell into a dead silence. A giant baby walker appeared in the doorway. Vivi, dressed in a frilly doll dress and a fluffy sleeping cap, was gripping the handlebar of the walker, taking shaky, toddling steps into the room. The only sound in the silent court was the whirr-click of the wheels. A terrified-looking assistant followed her, carrying a diaper bag overflowing with a baby bottle, diapers, and pacifiers. Everyone was speechless. Even the judge forgot to bang his gavel, his mouth hanging open as the pink walker wobbled its way to the defense table. Vivi took the pacifier out of her mouth, her cheeks puffed out in annoyance. “Baby didn’t even get to finish her nap. Why did we have to start so early?” The judge, who had likely never witnessed such a farce in his entire career, turned to Bruce, his voice trembling slightly. “Are you… certain… this is your defense attorney?” Bruce looked at Vivi, who was now struggling to climb into her chair, and a doting smile touched his lips. “Your Honor, please rest assured. Our lawyer’s professional capabilities are beyond question. As for her personal habits and quirks, I believe those are not the standard by which we should judge a person.” The judge’s mouth twitched. After a long moment, he shook his head in defeat. “Very well. Court is now in session.” The gavel struck. “The plaintiff may now state their claim.” I picked up my files and, under the astonished gaze of everyone in the room, walked to the plaintiff’s table. “Your Honor, members of the court.” My voice was clear and steady. “I am the legal counsel for the plaintiff, Eloise Bright.” CRASH! Bruce’s chair clattered to the floor.

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After I got pregnant and became a housewife, my husband, Mark, started using money as a weapon. Every time we had a disagreement, he would lock my access to our joint credit card. When he did it again, leaving me with a mess to clean up, I decided I was done playing nice. I wasn’t just going to get mad. I was going to ruin his reputation—and his bank account. 1 I stared at the notification on my phone: “Transaction Declined. Card Locked by Primary Account Holder.” Again. Suppressing the rage bubbling in my chest, I texted Mark: “What is your problem? Every time we argue, instead of talking, you just cut off the money?” I typed out a follow-up insult, but the message turned green, then failed to deliver. He blocked me. For a moment, I just felt exhausted. I sat there for a few seconds, then opened the “Miller Family Reunion” group chat. I started tapping, messaging them one by one. Starting with his Aunt Linda. “Aunt Linda, could I borrow $500?” “Layla? Is everything okay?” “Aunt Linda, you know I hate to ask. This is the first time I’ve ever done this. But things have been so hard lately, I have nowhere else to turn.” Linda’s gossip radar immediately started pinging. “What happened?” I started typing out pure fiction. “You know how the economy is. Layoffs everywhere. Mark hasn’t brought home a paycheck in months. I can’t even afford baby formula right now. It’s… humiliating.” Technically, I wasn’t lying. The economy was bad. I just didn’t specify that Mark hadn’t actually been fired. “But Mark works for the City! Government jobs are safe, aren’t they?” “Who knows these days? Aunt Linda, we literally have no food in the fridge. Can you lend me $1,000? I’ll pay you back as soon as things turn around. If we can’t pay, you can ask Mark’s parents. It’s all the same family debt. But please, don’t tell anyone. You know how much pride Mark and my in-laws have. I’m only asking you because I trust you.” Mark was obsessed with his reputation. So were his parents. They had never borrowed a dime from anyone. In fact, when we bought our house, I used my own savings and the wedding cash gifts to cover the renovations because Mark claimed his assets were “illiquid.” Because we had such a spotless financial reputation, getting them to lend money was easy. Aunt Linda immediately Venmoed me $1,000. She followed it with a “lips zipped” emoji. “Don’t worry, honey. Your secret is safe with me.” Yeah, right. If she actually kept it a secret, how was I going to borrow from everyone else? I repeated the process. I hit up Mark’s other aunts, his uncles, his cousins, his second cousins. By the end of the hour, I had collected about $12,000 in my personal account. I told everyone to keep it a secret. But obviously, people talk. Soon, the Miller Family group chat started getting active. 2 “Layla, I heard you’re asking everyone for money. Is something big going on?” Cousin Becky tagged me in the main chat. Then, someone tagged Mark’s parents. “Bob, Susan, I heard Mark got fired? Is it true you guys are broke and in debt?” Mark’s mother, Susan, saw the message and immediately fired back. “Bullshit! My son is doing great. He’s up for a promotion soon! Who is cursing my son? I’ll tear your mouth off!” “I didn’t say it! Mark’s wife said it!” Then everyone started tagging Mark. But Mark didn’t show up. He was probably out drinking with his buddies after our fight, likely passed out in a hotel room by now. The money was already in my account. Time to drop the bomb. I typed into the group chat: “Since everyone is asking, I’ll tell you why I borrowed the money. Your precious Mark? He’s a real piece of work. When I got pregnant, he gaslighted me every day. He promised that if I quit my job, he’d handle the finances. He said, ‘I’ll make the money, you just look beautiful.’ His parents joined in, too. They promised to help with the baby, promised to buy the baby gold jewelry, promised to take care of me postpartum. So, I quit. The reality? I became a free maid. I cook, I clean, and he brings his frat-boy friends over to trash the house, then leaves without lifting a finger. Every time we argue, he locks the credit card. And the baby? As soon as his parents heard it was a girl, they vanished. No gold jewelry. No help. They stayed for a week, demanded I cook for them while I was recovering from a C-section, and then left. My health is wrecked because of it. Today, he brought friends over again. I asked him to make a bottle for his daughter—just one thing—and told him not to use boiling water. He threw the formula can on the floor, locked my credit card, and stormed out. But he might be gone, but the bills aren’t. I have a baby to feed. That’s why I borrowed the money. As for repayment? Go ask Mark. This money was used for household expenses. It’s a marital debt.” I hit send. Then I immediately left the group chat. 3 I didn’t care what they thought. I realized something: being a “good wife” and caring about face only gets you walked all over. It was time to go crazy. My phone exploded. Calls and texts from aunts, uncles, and Mark’s parents flooded in. I blocked them one by one until silence returned. I hesitated, then opened a chat with my best friend, Chloe. We hadn’t spoken much since I got pregnant. I typed: “You there?” She replied instantly: “?” I broke down. I called her on FaceTime and cried for twenty minutes, spilling everything. Chloe, being the saint she is, forgave me for my past stupidity. “So, what’s the plan?” she asked. “I don’t know.” Chloe thought for a moment. “Remember my cousin Jax? The one who’s a certified nurse and personal trainer?” “Yeah?” “Hire him as a male nanny.” “What?” “Listen to me. He’s three years younger than you, fit, strong, and great with kids. Hire him for a high salary. Since you’re still married, his salary is a ‘household expense.’ It’s marital debt. Plus, Mark is aggressive. Jax teaches self-defense. He can protect you.” Male nanny? Eight-pack abs? “I prefer a lean swimmer’s build, but…” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Focus. Then, go buy expensive recovery supplements. Buy the best stuff for the baby. If the money runs out, borrow more. Take out a loan. Mark said he’d support you? Make him support you.” I hung up and felt enlightened. I immediately hired a cleaning crew to deep clean the house. I ordered top-tier bird’s nest soup and supplements. I bought a case of imported organic formula—$100 a can. I bought designer baby clothes. By the evening, I had spent $3,000. I thought about it, then transferred $10,000 to my parents. 4 “Honey, why did you send us money?” my mom called, confused. “Mom, Dad, this is returning the money you gave me for the renovation. Consider the ‘loan’ paid in full.” “What are you talking about? We gave that to you.” I explained the situation. My parents were furious. “We thought he was a decent man because he worked for the City! That’s how he treats you? Divorce him immediately. Come home, we’ll help you raise the baby.” Tears streamed down my face. Every time Mark cut me off financially, I wanted to call them, but I was too ashamed. “Mom, Dad, don’t worry. I was weak because I was recovering. But I’m better now. You know your daughter. I’m not going to let Mark or his family off the hook.” After hanging up, Mom texted me: “Okay. The $10,000 cash is settled. But don’t forget the vintage gold jewelry we gave you for the wedding. Get that back.” “I will.” Around midnight, Chloe’s cousin showed up with a contract. “Salary is $1,500 a month? That’s too low,” I said, waving my hand. I crossed it out and wrote $3,000/month. Contract term: One year. “You can sleep in the guest room. Ask Mark for your salary tomorrow when he gets back.” Jax looked at the contract, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. “Alright, boss. I’ll go make up the bed. You rest.” He brought me a foot bath with hot water and heated up a glass of milk before going to make his bed. My god. Why had I been living like a servant when I could have had this? 5 Early the next morning. The front door banged loudly. “Layla! Open this damn door!” I opened my bedroom door, annoyed. The dining table was set with steaming wontons, steamed eggs, fresh berries, and a bowl of bird’s nest soup. “Layla, you eat first. I’ll get the door,” Jax said. I sat down obediently. Jax opened the door. Mark stumbled in, still wearing yesterday’s clothes, looking hungover. “Layla, what the hell are you—” Mark, who is 5’9″, stopped dead when he looked up at Jax, who is 6’1″ and built like a tank. “Who are you?” Mark looked at Jax, then at me eating calmly. He rushed toward me. “Great! You’re cheating on me now? With some wild man? I’m going to teach you a lesson!” He didn’t make it two steps. Jax flipped him onto the floor with a smooth judo throw. “Mr. Miller, I presume? I think you’re confused. I am the nanny Ms. Layla hired. Here is my contract. Also, there is an initial payment of $3,000 due immediately.” Mark stared at the contract, then glared at me in disbelief. “You’re insane.” He tore the paper up and threw it on the floor. “I didn’t agree to this. Get out of my house.” Jax didn’t even look at the mess. He reached behind him and pulled out another copy. “Mr. Miller, this contract is already signed and legally binding. You just tore up a photocopy. I have plenty more. If you refuse to pay, I will have to pursue legal action to protect my labor rights.” Mark, who knew nothing about labor laws but feared lawsuits because of his government job, froze. “Bullshit! Don’t threaten me. I hold the money in this house. I didn’t sign it.” Mark tried to lunge at me again. Jax grabbed his arm effortlessly. “Let go!” Mark yelled. Jax pulled out his phone and showed a Venmo QR code. “Pay, or I sue. Your choice.” Mark struggled but couldn’t break free. Finally, he gritted his teeth, pulled out his phone, and scanned the code. “Now let go.” Jax released him. Mark stumbled. I was sipping my soup. “Layla, what is the meaning of this? You borrowed money from my entire family, and now you have this… man here? What are you doing?” I shrugged, pointing at Jax, then at the baby’s room. “As you saw, you locked the card. But the house needs things. The baby needs formula and diapers. We need to eat. Since you won’t provide, I had to find a way.” “Your ‘way’ was to humiliate me in front of my relatives? Where is my dignity? Where is my parents’ dignity? How can we show our faces at the family reunion now?” I put down my spoon. “Did you think about dignity when you cut off your wife and child? You have no shame, so why should I protect your face?” “Stop talking nonsense. Return the money to my relatives right now. Then apologize. Tell them you have postpartum depression and lost your mind.” I rolled my eyes and ate another wonton. “I have one thing to say to you: You’re right. I didn’t do my postpartum recovery well. So, starting today, I am going to pamper myself. Don’t expect me to lift a finger in this house. I need to heal.” 6 Mark’s eyes bulged. “You’re crazy. If you don’t do the housework, who will?” Jax stepped forward. “I will.” I nodded. “I hired a nanny for a year. He does the work.” “Impossible. Fire him now. No, wait until the end of the month, then fire him. I’ll bring my parents here to watch you. You’re clearly mentally unstable.” He held out his hand. “Give me the rest of the money you borrowed. Then go apologize.” “No money left.” “Bullshit! I saw the group chat. You borrowed twelve grand! Do you know how many months of salary that is for me?” I pointed to the pile of luxury supplements and baby gear in the corner. “It’s all there.” Mark followed my finger. He rushed over to the pile like a madman, checking the price tags. When he saw everything was triple digits, his face crumbled. He picked up a can of the imported formula and smashed it on the floor. “Are you insane?! You spent twelve grand on this trash?” “No, no. It’s high-quality. Good for the body.” Mark lost it. “Is there something wrong with your brain? Can’t the kid eat the cheap stuff? Why buy this expensive crap? It’s just a girl! A useless girl doesn’t deserve this!” My face went cold. So that was it. No wonder his attitude, and his parents’ attitude, changed the moment the baby was born. They felt I failed them by not providing a male heir. Back when we got married, I asked him if he wanted a boy or girl. He said, “As long as it’s yours, I love it. If it’s a boy, we protect you. If it’s a girl, I protect both of you.” Lies. All lies. Mark grabbed a box of bird’s nest soup and threw it at me. “And this stuff isn’t worth twelve grand! Maybe two or three. Where is the rest? Give it to me!”

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My younger brother, in the name of love, refused the political marriage I arranged. Relying on me to always clean up his messes, he boldly claimed he would give up everything to be with his lover. I sneered and threw a waiver of inheritance rights at him: “Don’t think the family can’t survive without you just because you’re a man.” “From now on, I am the master of the Gu family!” Chapter 1 My brother, for the sake of love, rejected the blind date I arranged. He hugged a small-time celebrity in front of the camera, ranting about how I was a feudal matriarch, standing in the way of true love. He even declared through the lens that he would give up his inheritance rights to fly away with his beloved. In the living room of the Gu mansion, the TV broadcasted my brother’s interview. My father, sitting on the sofa, was furious. I knelt on the floor, my lowered eyes hiding any emotion. Hearing Lucas say he would give up his inheritance, my father smashed the cup in his hand in rage. Seeing me unmoved, he slapped me across the face: “Useless thing! What kind of sister are you!” “It’s all because you didn’t discipline your brother properly that he got seduced by some starlet!” My hands by my sides slowly clenched into fists, sharp nails digging into my palms, almost drawing blood. The butler beside us looked pained and wanted to step forward to persuade my father, but I stopped him with a glance. My father was in a fit of rage, speaking without thinking: “Go tell that brat! If he doesn’t come back today, he never needs to come back!” “Don’t even think about getting the Gu family inheritance!” After speaking, he glared at me fiercely, then got up and let the maid help him leave. Seeing my father go upstairs, the butler immediately helped me up and brought out the ointment prepared in advance to treat my wound. Enduring the pain, I took out my phone and ordered my assistant to prepare documents and pick me up at the mansion. This beating wasn’t for nothing. I endured this father-son duo for twenty years just for this opportunity. After sending the message, I whispered instructions to the butler: “Continue drugging the old man, but remember not to alert him.” The butler nodded and handed me the car keys. Because he was the only son, Lucas was spoiled by my father since childhood. Whenever he caused trouble, I was the one to clean it up. So when he saw me, he was still sitting with his legs crossed, smoking, and sneering: “I told you, if you make me marry someone I don’t want, I’ll ruin your plans. Are you satisfied now?” The dim lights in the bar hid the flash of mockery in my eyes. I touched my slightly swollen cheek, a smile rising at the corner of my mouth. Then, I picked up the red wine on the table and splashed it on his face, following up with several hard slaps: “Is this how you talk to your sister? Asking for a beating, aren’t you!” Seeing me strike him, he was stunned for a moment, then covered his face and cursed loudly: “Scarlett, are you f*cking crazy? Believe it or not, I’ll tell Dad!” I sneered and took a step back, giving a look to the bodyguards behind me. They understood immediately. They grabbed Lucas by his hair and dragged him out of the booth. The bar owner was a friend of mine and had already opened a private room for us. I took a call at the door of the private room, then walked in with a smile. The bodyguards dragged Lucas in and threw him on the floor like trash. Dressed in a suit, I sat on the sofa with my legs crossed, looking down at Lucas. Lucas grimaced from the fall, but as soon as he got up, he started cursing: “You f*cking…” The bodyguard was quick and slapped him immediately: “Watch how you speak to the Young Miss! Unmannered thing!” Lucas, weak from too much partying, was slapped to the floor and couldn’t recover for a while. Seeing his wretched state, half the grievance of being bullied in the past disappeared. Watching him struggle to get up, I rose gracefully, picked up the document on the table, and threw it in his face: “Father said your refusal to marry caused the Gu family a huge loss.” “Now he’s granting your wish. Get out of the Gu family.” Lucas’s eyes widened: “Scarlett Gu, who are you trying to fool?” Saying that, he immediately took out his phone and dialed our father. Smiling, I listened to the busy tone on his phone, then deigned to speak: “Looks like Father blocked you.” “Bullying classmates in middle school, hitting teachers in high school, failing classes and chasing girls abroad.” “And now refusing a marriage alliance. Father sees no hope in you and has completely given up.” “So, do you think it’s appropriate for you to still shamelessly cling to the Gu family?” Lucas had been spoiled since childhood. No one except our father dared to speak harshly to him. Especially being humiliated by me, whom he always looked down on, he exploded like a firecracker. He snatched the document, signed his name furiously, and stormed out of the private room, shouting threats as he went: “I tell you, Scarlett, wait until I make something of myself, then I’ll come back and slap your face hard!” I smiled but didn’t rush to retort. The bodyguard handed me the document from the floor. I checked it carefully and nodded in satisfaction. It was a statement giving up inheritance rights. Lucas had signed his name on the back. Although it lacked legal effect because it wasn’t notarized, As long as Lucas signed it, I had the means to ensure he wouldn’t get a penny. Chapter 2 Lucas didn’t return all night, which infuriated my father. According to the maid, he had to take quite a few blood pressure pills to barely fall asleep. At the breakfast table the next day, I calmly reported Lucas’s actions to my father. As expected, my father was furious: “You can’t even handle such a small thing, what use are you!” “It must be your incompetence as a sister that made my son so rebellious!” After speaking, he raised his hand, ready to strike me. I said without even lifting my eyes: “I have to go to the Song family this morning for the marriage alliance. If you hit me, I won’t be presentable.” My father glared, his raised hand pausing in mid-air for a while before slowly lowering. The Song family was equal to the Gu family. Since Lucas broke the engagement first, the Gu family definitely had to apologize. But he considered himself a man of standing, unable to lower himself to apologize, and unwilling to let his precious son do it. So only I could represent the family and go to the Song house to apologize. I watched his indignant look, a trace of mockery flashing in my eyes, but continued eating calmly. I had endured this old thing for a long time. Beaten by him since childhood, yet having to pretend to be a harmonious family outside. Truly disgusting. But it’s different now. If nothing unexpected happens, he’ll be dead soon. After eating, I took the Gu family’s luxury car to the Song mansion. The Songs were old friends of my maternal grandfather, so they treated me very well. Even with Lucas fleeing the marriage this time, the Song parents didn’t seem too angry and received me warmly. My best friend Mia Song took me to her room. Seeing the slap mark still on my face, she was distressed: “Why did your dad hit you again? Why don’t you stop staying there and come to our house?” I patted her hand comfortingly: “I’m fine.” “I’ve endured in the Gu family for over twenty years. If I leave now, I’m giving up completely.” Mia sighed deeply: “Why is your life so bitter? Meeting a terrible father wasn’t enough, you had to have a terrible brother too.” Hearing this, the light in my eyes dimmed instantly as I sat on the bed. My mother was a cheerful rich young lady, but she fell in love with my father, a phoenix man with nothing but good looks. In an era where TV dramas praised breaking family shackles for love, my mother ignored my grandfather’s objections and married for love. Who knew that when my father’s business grew bigger relying on his father-in-law, and my grandfather passed away unexpectedly, My father finally tore off his mask of hypocrisy and began frequently abusing my mother. And I, born first, became a target of his domestic violence because of his preference for sons. My cowardly mother was secretly happy that I could “share the fire” for her. She even helped my father when he beat me, punishing me together. My mother died of dystocia after giving birth to Lucas, and I completely became the punching bag for the Gu father and son. I wasn’t my mother, spoiled by my grandfather. So since I could remember, I endured in the Gu family, just to one day hold the Gu family completely in my hands, And let Lucas and that old thing die without a burial place. Fortunately, the plan is about to be completed, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Looking at the concerned Mia in front of me, I still felt a little guilty. After all, this escaped marriage made the Song family a joke among all the wealthy families in Hai City. I took Mia’s hand and said sincerely: “I still want to apologize to you. I caused such a big impact on your and your family’s reputation.” Mia patted my arm and comforted: “It’s okay. I know this is your plan. Helping you is what I should do.” Chapter 3 When I returned to the Gu house, my father was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper early, with his newly recruited life secretary standing beside him. The secretary was young, beautiful, and had a good figure, looking at my white-haired father with spring in her eyes. Seeing this May-December romance, I was used to it and walked to my father’s side to await orders. Seeing me, my father put down the newspaper, drinking tea while saying: “Lucas wants to start a business recently. Although he said he doesn’t need the Gu family’s help, you should keep an eye on him.” “Young people’s enthusiasm shouldn’t be dampened. Invest some money in him secretly, don’t let him fail.” I nodded, unable to hide the contempt in my eyes. When I started my business back then, not only did I not get a penny, but I also received my father’s merciless ridicule. He said women have no talent in business and should stay home to teach children and support their husbands. When my business failed due to lack of experience, he was full of sarcasm. He even called me stupid as a pig in front of half the celebrities in Hai City at a banquet, saying I couldn’t even do such a small thing well. Completely forgetting that without my grandfather’s funding, he would have failed just like me. Now that his precious son wants to start a business, he changed his tune, eagerly sending money out. He lowered his head, naturally not noticing the contempt on my face, and waved his hand to dismiss me. The little secretary beside him saw his attitude towards me and also changed her previous respectful attitude. Her look at me also carried a hint of disdain. My face remained unchanged as I greeted them and went upstairs to rest. I knew what my father meant. He wanted me to open a company directly for Lucas, letting Lucas “move in with his bags”. To the outside world, we would say Lucas was young and promising, doing well in his independent business. But how could I grant his wish? The next morning, I went to the company with a fake smile. The first thing I did was ask my assistant to notify the senior management of a meeting. My father had no business mind. After my mother died, I basically grew up in the company. My father simply handed over the management rights to me, but firmly held the equity in his own hands. As long as the company’s turnover didn’t satisfy him, I would be beaten when I got home. But I wasn’t sitting idly by. Over the years, I had already figured out how the Gu family operated. Important positions were also filled with my trusted aides. Taking this opportunity to help Lucas open a company, I could also eliminate dissidents in the company. The senior executives came to the meeting room confused, but looked at each other because of the news I brought. I had already drawn up the personnel to be assigned, and their positions and salaries were a grade higher than in the Gu Group. On the surface, I was promoting them and giving them better treatment. Moreover, as the heir to the Gu Group tacitly approved by my father, going to Lucas’s company would also allow them to build a good relationship with the “crown prince” in advance. But in reality, only I knew that Lucas’s company wouldn’t last two years. At most two years later, I would completely take over the Gu family. By then, I would give them a severance package and send them away. At this time, the Gu Group’s headquarters would be full of my trusted aides, making it easier for me to manage. Lucas clamored for two days about starting his own business. In the end, after picking and choosing, he didn’t even know how to select a company address. Because he didn’t bring a single card when he ran away from home, he could only live in his girlfriend’s house all day. That small-time celebrity thought she had finally hooked a rich man and would have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of her life. Who knew the other party was a young master with no ability and a bad temper. She couldn’t hit him or scold him, and had to serve him carefully. Over time, she also became irritable and restless. So when I contacted her, she was extremely enthusiastic and agreed to my request immediately. I asked her to pretend that this company was opened by her, as long as Lucas went to work. Anyway, Lucas, this young master, had never been in contact with family affairs, and hadn’t even met those senior executives. The celebrity knew Lucas and I had fallen out, assuming I was too embarrassed to say it myself. Moreover, by borrowing flowers to offer Buddha, she could make Lucas love her more. On the day she accepted the task, she took Lucas to the new company. I knew I couldn’t hide it for long. After all, those executives wanted to curry favor with Lucas. They would definitely reveal their identities to show their loyalty. The secretary I arranged by Lucas’s side reported to me the day after he went to the company. Saying Lucas knew this was a team split from the headquarters, but still remained silent. I laughed secretly in my heart. Of course he would remain silent. After all, he knew that with his ability, he couldn’t afford to open a company at all. So he could only bow his head and submit, enjoying the basic convenience brought by his father’s generation. Chapter 4 Days passed extremely fast. Lucas’s company looked thriving. Meanwhile, my father continued to be lovey-dovey with his life secretary, their stickiness disgusting to behold. The butler was secretly anxious, signaling me several times to speed up my move. After all, for every day my father lived, the possibility of my brother becoming the heir increased. Then my more than ten years of effort would be wasted. However, I remained unmoved by the butler’s urging, only watching a relationship blogger’s livestream every night. Until that familiar voice appeared in the livestream. Only then did I breathe a long sigh of relief, smiling as I pressed the screen record button. The relationship blogger in the livestream was carefully selected by me. She specialized in guiding good-looking girls from humble backgrounds on how to dig gold from sugar daddies. Because of her excellent professional level, she was somewhat famous in the industry. And the little secretary beside my father, from an ordinary family and a non-prestigious university but who skyrocketed to success, would definitely consult her when she was at a loss. As long as she consulted, half of my plan was achieved. In the livestream, that little secretary indeed explained the Gu family’s situation in detail. “Hello anchor, I am currently the life secretary of a big boss.” “My family background isn’t very good, and my education isn’t high, but I’m very good-looking, so the boss likes me very much.” “It’s been half a year now, and he has spent two million on me.” “But I’m still not quite satisfied, because he is too old. I’m afraid he’ll die before I get enough.” “He has a pair of children. The daughter manages the company but has no equity. The son is the undoubted heir for the future.” “Do you think I should try to trick the old man into marriage to become the stepmother, or go seduce his son?” Watching the increasing comments under the livestream, the corners of my mouth tilted up slightly, listening carefully to the blogger’s analysis. The blogger advised her not to dream of seducing the young master, just serving the old one well would be enough. Who knew the little secretary wouldn’t give up, continuing to ask: “What if I insist on seducing the young master?” “But I’m not as good-looking as his girlfriend. His girlfriend is a celebrity.” Hearing gossip about a celebrity, the barrage instantly surged, everyone immediately guessing whose drama this was. The blogger still earnestly persuaded her, saying if she served the old one well, she could get at least twenty million. But if she went to seduce the young master, not only was the chance of success extremely small, but the outcome of failure would be miserable. The conversation between the two went back and forth. The man they discussed was like pork on a chopping board, weighed by the butcher, occasionally disdained for not exploding enough gold coins, wasting their precious youth. When the little secretary got off the mic, I stopped recording and leisurely sent the video to my best friend Mia. The Song family focused on the internet entertainment industry. Mia was the big boss of a well-known MCN in the country, with countless marketing accounts and funny bloggers under her. So spreading this kind of scandalous news was simply too easy. Mia first laughed loudly at the Gu father and son on WeChat. Then immediately distributed the recording to the marketing accounts and funny bloggers under her banner. She even instructed those few funny bloggers with tens of millions of fans across the net to make sure to film it well, the funnier the better. We were simply too good at doing this kind of wicked thing. I wasn’t sitting idly by either, wearing a vest account to send the recording to the know-it-alls in our circle. Striving to make the matter as big as possible. It would take some time for the bloggers in the MCN to make videos. I took this opportunity to notify the butler to stop the medicine. Don’t wait until the old thing gets angry and goes to the hospital, only to be found poisoned by the doctor.

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Seven years ago, a life was lost on my operating table. The official inquiry concluded it was due to a botched rescue. The patient’s family splashed the hospital’s sign with red paint, then camped outside day and night, demanding my life for the one I’d taken. My own father, ashamed of the disgrace I’d brought upon our family, forbade me from wearing mourning black at his funeral. I was stripped of my license for gross negligence and spent the next seven years in prison. When I was released, I moved north, to a remote forestry station in the mountains, and became a warden. Life was quiet, the past a scar I tried not to touch. But the arrival of my ex-husband, Vincent Vance, tore that scar wide open. He was a star now, the celebrated Chief of Medicine at a prestigious hospital, his reputation immaculate. A blizzard was raging outside my small cabin when a convoy of medical vehicles pulled up. A voice, sharp as breaking ice, cut through the storm. “Dr. Ross, you know, Chief Vance never forgot you. He still wears his wedding ring!” I looked out at him, standing amidst the swirling snow yet untouched by it, and my stomach churned with a cold, familiar sickness. Because the man they called a saint, the “unforgettable” Chief Vance, was the one who had falsified the medical records all those years ago to protect his one true love, throwing me to the wolves without a second thought. 1 The snow beat a relentless rhythm against the windowpane. When I opened the door, Vincent was standing there, a dark figure against the white landscape. He wore a heavy overcoat, yet not a single snowflake clung to him. “Abby?” he asked, his voice laced with a performer’s disbelief. I said nothing, but my hand tightened on the doorframe, the rough wood splintering into my palm. A sharp, grounding pain. “Chief Vance is leading a team for the winter clinic,” Old Man Fitz, the station manager, said, squeezing past me with a wide, nervous grin. “Heard you were out here and thought he’d stop by to say hello.” “Just a few words, then I’ll be on my way,” Vincent said. My heart seized, as if caught in a vice. I had no choice but to step outside. As I did, a woman with sharp glasses from his team approached. I recognized her. She’d always been Seraphina Stone’s shadow. I couldn’t imagine why she was with Vincent now. “You must be Dr. Ross,” she said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Chief Vance mentions you often.” She paused for effect. “He always said you were a force to be reckoned with in the ER. We call a surgeon like that ‘The Scalpel.’” “I just never imagined I’d find you… here.” Vincent cleared his throat, his face a perfect blank. “You can all wait for me in the vehicles. I’d like a moment alone with her.” Once they were gone, he spoke. “Abby, am I… too late?” I bit my lip, the words a painful whisper. “I’m afraid I can’t afford the honor, Chief Vance.” It was the first time I had ever called him that. He frowned, taking a step closer. “What have you done to yourself? You look… worn.” Worn? And whose fault is that, Vincent? A bitter laugh escaped me, and I took an involuntary step back. “If there’s nothing else, Chief Vance, you should go. I have to make my rounds soon.” I shoved my hands into my pockets, hiding the chilblains that covered them. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing any more of my decay. He looked at me with those eyes, the ones that could feign an ocean of depth and devotion. “Abby, does it have to be like this between us? You never knew the truth about what happened…” He moved to take another step, but a voice, light and melodic, cut him off. “Vincent, darling, you promised you’d come with me to my ultrasound today. Did you forget again?” Seraphina Stone emerged from the lead vehicle, a hand resting possessively on her swollen belly. She turned her triumphant gaze on me. “Dr. Ross. It’s been a long time.” “Vincent and I had an appointment,” she purred. “I was so worried when I couldn’t find him, I just had to come looking. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Her hand slipped naturally into the crook of his arm. So, they had a child now. What in God’s name was he doing here? Had he come all this way just to show me how happy he was? I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised. This was the man who had forced me, the head of the department, to assist the junior Seraphina, just to give her a leg up. And when it all went wrong, he had pushed me off the cliff without a moment’s hesitation. A love that reckless deserved to be flaunted, didn’t it? I forced a brittle smile to my lips. Before I could speak, the woman with the glasses chimed in again. “Oh, Seraphina, you shouldn’t be out here in this cold! You have to take care of yourself. You should be at home resting. I’m here, you don’t have to worry about a thing.” Her fawning was sickening. I had no desire to be a part of their little drama. I turned to shut the door in their faces. 2 My phone rang. It was my brother, a voice I hadn’t heard in years. “I’m warning you, Abby, stay away from Vincent!” he hissed. “He’s about to be a father. Stop embarrassing yourself with this pathetic, shameless behavior!” The words hit me like a physical blow. Seraphina had already called him. Before I could process it, he continued, his voice dripping with resentment. “You didn’t even come to Dad’s funeral. And Mom’s not well. Vincent has been the one supporting us all these years! Don’t you dare cause any more trouble!” I opened my mouth to ask about our mother, but the line went dead. Of course. Seven years in prison for malpractice had made me a stain on the family name. My father had decreed on his deathbed that I was not to attend his funeral, that my name was not to be carved on his headstone. My mother and brother, who had once adored me, had become strangers. Thinking of my mother, my vision blurred. I wondered what they would feel if they knew the truth—that the people who had single-handedly destroyed my life were the very same ones they now revered. Vincent’s hand blocked the door before I could close it. “Don’t be too hard on your brother,” he said softly. “He’s had it rough. After Dad passed, Mom’s health declined. He’s been holding the family together all by himself.” He pushed his glasses up his nose, the picture of weary regret. “I know I didn’t handle the situation perfectly back then. And I’ve spent every year since trying to make up for the damage it caused you. If… and I’m just saying, if you ever need anything…” I slammed the door shut. A voice filtered through the wood. “Who does she think she is? Does she still think she’s ‘The Scalpel’? The Chief of Medicine comes all the way out here to see her, and she acts like this? She should be grateful.” “That’s enough,” came Vincent’s voice, smooth and controlled. “If she doesn’t want to see me, we’ll leave. There’s always tomorrow.” 3 The station was small. News of Vincent’s visit spread like wildfire. The whispers followed me everywhere. I was the ex-con who had the audacity to disrespect a man like Chief Vance. My patrol route was reassigned to the farthest, most isolated corner of the woods. The station manager couldn’t meet my eye. “Abby, you know I was hesitant to hire you, given your… history. I took a chance on you. This new route is remote, but it’s quiet. No one will bother you out there.” I accepted it in silence. I took my gear and walked deeper into the forest. The work became harder, the pay less reliable. I knew why. When my wages stopped coming altogether, I went to see the manager. Before I could say a word, he pushed a stack of cash into my hands—everything he owed me. Seeing the mix of guilt and relief on his face, I quit on the spot. He looked like a man who’d just been granted a pardon. “You’ll be better off away from here, Abby,” he said, his voice softer now. “Having a man like Chief Vance looking out for you… that’s a blessing most people could only dream of.” I knew it. It was always Vincent, pulling the strings. It was a blessing I could do without. I slung my meager bag over my shoulder and walked out of the forest for the last time. I visited the grave of my grandmother, the only person who had ever truly loved me. Then I wandered the city streets like a ghost, feeling the same profound dislocation I had felt the day I was released from prison. It didn’t take long for Vincent to find me. He stood in the doorway of my dilapidated room, his brow furrowed in distaste. “I’ve arranged an administrative position for you at St. Anne’s Medical Center. You can start tomorrow.” His tone was final, accustomed to being obeyed. It was almost funny. After all these years, he was still trying to manage my life, to fit me into his plans. “No, thank you. I can’t.” The words were out before I could stop them. “Why not? Where else are you going to go in your condition?” he demanded. “We may be divorced, but we’re still family. Stop pushing me away. Everything I do is for your own good!” For my own good? Or was it to soothe the nagging whispers of his own conscience? “I don’t need your help,” I said, my voice cold. “I just want to find a place where no one knows my name and live a quiet life. Nothing else matters to me.” “Not even your brother’s job?” I looked up. Behind his glasses, his eyes were hard and unyielding. I knew he wasn’t bluffing. 4 The next day, I reported for duty at St. Anne’s. I had barely pushed open the office door when a familiar face greeted me. Seraphina, holding a large bouquet of lilies, beamed at me. “Dr. Ross, welcome to St. Anne’s! I know you’re not practicing medicine right now, but I’m sure a woman of your talents will shine wherever you go. If you need anything at all, Vincent and I are here for you.” Her little speech had its intended effect. Eyes turned towards me, filled with a mix of curiosity and contempt. The whispers started immediately. “So that’s her, ‘The Scalpel.’ I heard she killed someone on the table. Did hard time for it.” “That’s Chief Vance’s ex-wife. She doesn’t look like much. What did he ever see in her?” “Dr. Stone is such a class act. Being so gracious to her husband’s ex. She’s a true professional.” Looking at Seraphina’s condescending smile, the acid in my stomach churned. I ignored her, walking straight to the desk with my nameplate on it. I knew exactly who I had to thank for my current situation. She followed me, placing the flowers on my desk. “Dr. Ross, Vincent told me your mother hasn’t been well. If there’s anything I can do, please don’t hesitate to ask. I truly hope you find your place here at St. Anne’s.” Her every word was so dripping with false sincerity she might as well have had “saint” tattooed on her forehead. My mother, hearing I was at St. Anne’s, came for an appointment with my brother in tow. Seeing her gray hair and stooped shoulders, my eyes stung. But her gaze went straight past me to Vincent. “Vincent, my dear boy, you’ve done so much for us,” she said, her voice trembling. “First taking care of this old woman, and now having to worry about Abby too. She’s the one who made the mistake, but you and Seraphina are the ones who have to deal with the fallout. If she doesn’t learn her lesson, if she causes any more trouble, you just wash your hands of her! Let her fend for herself!” She coughed, suddenly weak. I smiled, a bitter, helpless expression. In their eyes, I would always be the stain they couldn’t wash away. 5 One evening, as I was leaving the hospital, Vincent and Seraphina intercepted me. “Dr. Ross,” Seraphina said, her voice low and conspiratorial. “I feel I should warn you. I overheard a patient today telling people that you were the one who killed his father. He knows you’ve been released. He might be looking for you. Please, be careful.” Vincent stood beside her, silent, his silence a form of consent. But I saw it—a flicker of a smirk on Seraphina’s face before she smoothed it away. As expected, for the next few days, I felt eyes on me as I walked home. Vile slogans were painted on my apartment door. Someone printed out my photograph, the face slashed through with a knife. The family’s hatred now lined the entire alleyway where I lived. It came to a head on a dark, rainy night. I was walking home after a late shift when several figures stepped out of the shadows, surrounding me. A wooden club slammed against my head. Blood, hot and sticky, streamed down my neck. “‘The Scalpel,’ my ass!” a voice spat. “Tonight, you pay for my father’s life!” The blows rained down on me, a brutal, percussive rhythm of pain. My consciousness began to fray at the edges. The smell of rain and blood was suffocating. “My father died on your table! You don’t deserve to live!” “We have Dr. Stone to thank for your address. At least you won’t die wondering why!” A hand grabbed my hair, yanking my head up. I saw the glint of a knife. So this was it. This was the end. The rain sluiced over my face, as if trying to wash away the grime of my miserable existence. A father who died cursing my name. A mother and brother who wanted me to disappear. A husband who swore forever and then betrayed me. I closed my eyes. For the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of release. The knife plunged into my stomach. I collapsed, a useless heap on the wet pavement. Just as the world began to fade to black, a tall figure burst from the darkness, sprinting towards me. “Stop!” At the same moment, the wail of a familiar siren ripped through the night.

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I watched my roommate take her last breath right in front of me. She was attacked by a groundskeeper on her way back from the library a few days ago. To bury the scandal, the university offered the rest of us in the dorm guaranteed spots in the graduate program. But today, I heard a strange rumor. “Did you hear? Someone saw the girl who died… they said she was studying by the old library again!” 1 I suppressed the shock rising in my chest and hurried back to the dorm. My roommate, Sarah, was already there. Her face was paler than mine, and she looked visibly shaken. “Sarah,” my voice trembled, “did you hear the rumor… about Lily?” Sarah looked at me as if I were a lifeline and nodded vigorously. She glanced around the room nervously, as if afraid of disturbing something unseen, then leaned in and whispered, “Sunny, do you think it’s true? Do you think she… came back?” “Impossible,” I said quickly, trying to convince myself as much as her. “We saw her die. People don’t come back from the dead. They must have seen someone else.” “That’s not what I mean,” Sarah hissed. “I mean… what if she came back for revenge?” My breath hitched. “Why would she? I didn’t kill her. It was… an accident. If she wants revenge, she won’t come for me.” But deep down, the thought had already taken root. Sarah’s fear turned into annoyance. “Sunny, don’t you dare try to put this all on me. You played a part in her death too. If she’s back for blood, neither of us is safe.” I stayed silent. I didn’t want to admit it, but she was right. Lily had a heart condition. After the assault on University Avenue, the shock triggered an attack. She was lying on the ground, gasping for air, her pills just out of reach. I had moved to help her, but Sarah stopped me. She stared at Lily with a terrifying intensity. “Sunny, do you want that grad school spot?” “If Lily dies because of this scandal… the school might guarantee spots for the three of us to keep us quiet.” I hesitated. Shamefully, I hesitated. I studied hard every day, but my grades were just shy of the cutoff. A guaranteed spot would secure my future. Sarah kicked the pill bottle away, sending it skittering into the darkness. I watched her do it. I hesitated. I didn’t stop her. Because of my hesitation, Lily died, her hand still reaching for the medicine that could have saved her. Just as Sarah predicted, the university hushed it up and offered us the spots. I thought it was over. But now… Before Sarah could say more, the door opened. Our third roommate, Emily, walked in. Sarah shut up instantly, blinking at me before turning to Emily with a forced casualness. “Emily, did you hear someone saw Lily on University Avenue? Do you know anything about it?” “Really? Haven’t heard,” Emily replied flatly. She climbed into her bed and turned her back to us. Sarah rolled her eyes and texted me a stream of complaints. She’s so cold. No roommate loyalty at all. Lily dies and she doesn’t even care. She hated Lily anyway. Probably happy she’s gone. If it weren’t for us, she wouldn’t even have that grad spot. Ungrateful. I wanted to roll my eyes too. If Sarah had “roommate loyalty,” she wouldn’t have kicked Lily’s medicine away. But I was no better. I comforted Sarah over text. I don’t care. I’m going to check University Avenue myself. Sunny, you have to come with me. 2 I stared at the message. Was she crazy? She thinks Lily is a ghost, and she wants to go find her? But I wanted to know too. Having someone with me felt safer. We picked noon the next day—broad daylight, maximum sun. We went to the study corner on University Avenue. If anyone saw Lily, it would be here. There were plenty of girls with long hair reading, but none of them were Lily. I heard Sarah let out a long breath behind me. “See? I told you. They saw it wrong.” She still wasn’t reassured. She dragged me up and down the avenue several times. Only when we were absolutely sure Lily wasn’t there did she smile. For the next few days, we “coincidentally” walked by that spot, scanning every face. No Lily. It was just a rumor. But the night I finally relaxed, a man jumped from the roof of the Humanities building. 3 When we heard someone jumped, a crowd rushed to see. Sarah and I went too. Suicides happen on campus sometimes. The pressure is high. But when I saw the body, my blood ran cold. It was a man in a groundskeeper’s uniform. His face was a mess, unrecognizable. But sticking out of his pocket was a delicate, expensive hair clip. I knew that clip. Lily’s dad gave it to her for her birthday. It cost a fortune, and she loved showing it off. Why was it on this man? I knew then. He was the one who attacked Lily. A chill crawled up my spine. Sarah grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my flesh. She was trembling. “It’s her… she’s back for revenge.” I looked at Sarah’s terrified face and couldn’t find a single word of comfort. We stood there, clinging to each other as campus security shooed us away. Strange. Why wasn’t the Dean of Students here? She usually handled these things. As we walked back, Sarah kept looking over her shoulder. Suddenly, someone shouted. I looked up. Fire. 4 It was coming from the faculty office building! I ran with the crowd. “The fire started in the Dean’s office,” someone whispered. “Everyone got out except her. She’s still inside.” My heart sank. The Dean was the one who covered up Lily’s death. She was the one who proposed the grad school spots. First the attacker. Now the cover-up artist. It wasn’t a coincidence. The heat from the fire hit my face, but I felt freezing cold. When the fire was out, they brought out the Dean’s body. She was curled up like a piece of charcoal. The smell of burnt meat mixed with the acrid smoke made me gag. Sarah vomited right there on the grass. She wiped her mouth, looking at me with wide, panicked eyes. “Sunny… what do we do? are we next?”

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1 I was on a luxury liner in international waters, trying to clear my head, when I saw my little sister trapped in the center of a poker table. Standing opposite her were the two boys she grew up with—her so-called “best friends.” They were flanking a fragile-looking girl, sneering with cold amusement. “What’s wrong, Lily? Can’t afford the buy-in? You were acting pretty tough earlier. Didn’t you demand three million from Bella for a ruined scarf?” “You can fold, sure. Just sign over your 15% stake in the family trust to Bella by tomorrow morning.” Lily’s knuckles were white, her eyes rimmed with red. Someone in the crowd laughed, loosening his tie. “Out of cash, little girl? Tell you what, take off a piece of clothing, and I’ll give you five hundred in chips.” Wolf whistles erupted around the table. “Strip it all off, and my whole stack is yours.” I stood in the shadows of the upper VIP deck, slowly twisting the signet ring on my pinky finger. I haven’t shown my face in years. It seems this trash has forgotten that even though my sister uses her father’s surname, she is still a Sterling by blood. And anyone who touches a Sterling girl pays with their life. … The executive assistant beside me held his breath, whispering cautiously, “Ms. Sterling, I’ll call the cruise manager immediately and have him apologize on his knees.” I looked down at the table, my voice icy. “No rush. Let’s see what game they’re playing first.” Anyone daring to touch my people right under my nose… none of them were getting off this boat in one piece. Down below, Brad Kingsley looked at my sister, surrounded by leering men, and smirked. “Lily, why so shy? I’ve got those private photos from your cloud. How about I sell a set to the crowd and buy you back into the game?” Before the words fully left his mouth, he tossed a flash drive to a technician. A second later, the massive LED screen lit up. High-definition photos of my sister, half-dressed and vulnerable, were projected for everyone to see. “The Rivers’ eldest daughter acts so pure, but look at that body!” “I’m already excited. Imagine her live.” Before the filthy comments could die down, Chad Thorne threw another drive onto the table, laughing darkly. “I’ve got more. If you’re too scared to strip for chips, I’ll help you out. Here’s another buy-in!” The crowd roared with approval. The atmosphere turned feverish. “You boys are generous! Giving us a free show!” Lily was trembling, tears streaming down her face. “We grew up together… how could you do this to me?” “Now you’re crying?” Brad sneered. “Where were those tears when you forced Bella to pay for that scarf?” “We’re helping you raise money. Why are you so ungrateful?” Lily tried to argue, her voice desperate. “She ruined it on purpose! That scarf was a gift from my sister…” The girl in the middle, Bella, suddenly dropped to her knees, weeping theatrically. “Lily, I know I was wrong. I’ve bet everything I have. Please, just let me go! Don’t call the bet!” Brad slammed his hand on the table. “Lily! You’re relying on your money to bully Bella to death, aren’t you?” Chad yanked Bella up from the floor, pulling her into a protective embrace. “If you dare bully Bella in front of us, don’t blame us for being heartless!” Bella sobbed softly. “Don’t blame Lily. Blame me for upsetting her.” She turned to my sister, a glint of malice in her eyes. “Lily is out of money. I heard she works eight jobs just to eat. If she doesn’t call this bet, I’ll let it go.” I laughed, a cold, sharp sound. I looked at the chips on the table. Lily had already bet everything—even the shares our grandfather privately gave her. If she folded now, she would be destitute, saddled with massive debt. I stared at Bella. She was wearing the couture gown I had custom-made for Lily. On her wrist was the Patek Philippe I sent for Lily’s birthday. Even the emerald necklace our mother left for Lily was hanging around Bella’s neck. And my own sister? She was wearing a faded, second-hand dress with a patch on the hem. Since when did a Sterling fall so low? Lily bit her lip so hard it bled. Tears carved tracks through her pale makeup. She looked ready to collapse. So, what Bella said was true. “Investigate,” I ordered sharply. My assistant vanished instantly. I’ve been abroad expanding the family empire for years. I rarely came home. But I video-called Lily every month. Why didn’t she tell me? Suddenly, Lily looked up, her voice broken. “Why? You were my childhood friends. How could you use stolen photos as chips?” Brad toyed with a stack of chips. “If you don’t want to trade, then fold. Give everything to Bella as an apology.” Chad didn’t even look up. “Cut the crap. Either trade the photos or go over to the loan sharks and strip right now!” The crowd jeered. “Strip, princess!” “Sleep with me tonight, and I’ll cover your bet!” Lily was surrounded, shaking like a leaf. Just when everyone thought she would break, she looked up. A desperate, final fire burned in her eyes. “I call!” The crowd gasped. 2 I froze, my fingers unconsciously tapping the railing. I knew Lily’s assets. What was on the table was everything she had. Watching her thin, trembling figure, my heart ached. She pulled out her phone with shaking hands, switching between a dozen loan apps. It took her a full hour to scrape together a measly hundred grand. “That’s it?” Chad sneered, slamming his wine glass down. “Bella spends more than that on a facial.” Bella covered a giggle. “Lily, just give up. I’ll be merciful.” Brad shoved his entire stack to the center. “Raise. Double it.” Lily’s face went corpse-white. “Since you’re so desperate, let me help you again…” Chad pressed a remote. The big screen shifted. It was an AI-generated deepfake video of Lily. The actions were explicit, the voice perfectly synthesized to sound like her moaning. “That sound… damn.” “I’d pay twenty million for the full set!” Lily shot up from her chair. She was vibrating with rage and humiliation, looking at the two men she once trusted. But they only had eyes for Bella, gently draping a coat over her shoulders. “Turn it off! Turn it off right now!” Lily screamed. But her voice was drowned out by the bidding war from the crowd. A waiter bowed, handing her a tablet. “Miss Rivers, would you like to sell the copyright to the video? Otherwise… you either call or fold.” Lily buried her face in her hands, sobbing. “I… I really have nothing left…” The men around her looked like hungry wolves waiting for a dying animal to drop. My knuckles cracked as I gripped the rail. I was about to go down there. But then, Lily reached into her worn pocket. She pulled out a dull, grey stone and placed it carefully on the waiter’s tray. “I’ll use this for chips…” Laughter exploded in the hall. Bella laughed so hard she shook. “Oh my god! Is she insane? Picking up a rock from the road to bet?” The waiter respectfully took the stone away. Less than three minutes later, he returned with a cart stacked neatly with fifty million in chips. “Miss Rivers. Your chips.” The hall went dead silent. Bella’s mask cracked. “That dirty rock is worth fifty million?!” Brad stood up. “You’re kidding me!” Chad kicked his chair over. “Get the appraiser out here!” 3 I narrowed my eyes. That wasn’t just a rock. That was a rough-cut, unpolished diamond seal—the Sterling family signet. It authorized the transfer of up to one hundred million dollars from the family trust. Lily would never use it unless she had no other choice. And these idiots only valued it at fifty million? Behind me, the cruise owner was kneeling on the carpet, shaking so hard his sweat was soaking the floor. He didn’t dare wipe it. Down below, the crowd was in chaos. “The appraisal confirms this is the private seal of the Sterling family of New York, valued at one hundred million,” the manager’s voice trembled over the PA. “We are discounting it to fifty million for immediate liquidity.” “The Sterlings?” Someone gasped. “Do those kids have a death wish?” Hearing the name, Bella’s eyes suddenly reddened. “Grandpa Sterling has been sick for so long… Dad gave all the family assets to me…” She turned to Lily. “Sister, I even sold a kidney. I really have no money left. We’re sisters, why are we tearing each other apart? Don’t let others laugh at us.” The wine glass in my hand shattered. “Sisters?” My assistant stepped forward, whispering. “Bella is an illegitimate daughter George Rivers acknowledged six months ago. DNA confirmed. He dotes on her.” Good. Very good. George Rivers, you have a death wish. I haven’t been home in a few years, and you dare pull this behind my back? You think I went too easy on you before? I’ll settle his account when I get back. Right now, I need to save my sister. Brad looked furious. “Lily, since you’re so vicious, don’t blame us.” “Call! Fifty million!” Brad slammed the table, only to be told he didn’t have enough chips. He and Chad exchanged a look, gritted their teeth, and signed over their family shares. “Double!” They pushed the chips to Bella. “Let’s see what you have to call that!” Bella smiled triumphantly, mouthing to Lily: You’re done. Lily was trembling, her face drained of blood. Double meant one hundred million. This cut off all her exits. If she folded, she lost everything and couldn’t leave the ship. If she called… she had nothing left to bet. A man shamelessly reached for Lily. “Hey beauty, sell the videos, you’ll have the money.” “Shameless!” Lily slapped him. “Bitch!” The man sneered. “You’ll be begging me later.” Chad played with a chip, smiling cruelly. “Want to call? Double again.” Bella finally dropped the innocent act. Her eyes were venomous. “Sell your body, sister. Even used goods like you are worth something.” A dozen men circled closer, eyes sticky and gross. “Strip! Strip! Strip!” “I’ll sign a donor agreement.” Lily’s voice was quiet, but it hit like a thunderclap. The room gasped. “Is she crazy?” “She’s giving up her life?” “Is her body worth two hundred million?” Bella screeched, “Sister, are you dreaming? Even if we sold you for parts, you aren’t worth two hundred million!” Before she finished, the waiter wheeled out a cart with two hundred million in chips. The hall erupted. “Rigged!” “I’m healthy as a horse and they only offered me five million! How is she worth two hundred?” “If we don’t get an answer, we’re trashing this boat!” 4 “Everyone, calm down.” The manager raised his hand. The big screen lit up again. Lily’s medical report was displayed. My pupils contracted. Lily was born with Golden Blood—Rh-null. The rarest blood type on Earth. Rich people would pay astronomical sums for a live donor of that blood type. From the moment she was born, I classified her medical records as top secret. I guarded that secret with my life. And now, these people had forced her to expose it. Especially the Kingsley and Thorne families. I treated them well because they grew up with Lily. And this is how they repay me? Bullying my sister for some bastard child? “Bella, don’t panic!” Brad looked grim, comforting her. “Don’t be scared. This is her last stand. We’ll strip her clean,” Chad added. The two men frowned, desperate to gather funds. They mortgaged antiques, real estate, and called loan sharks. But to beat my sister, they needed four hundred million. I watched them struggle calmly. They gritted their teeth. Not only did they make Bella sign a donor agreement, they signed their own lives away too. They scraped together six hundred million. “All in!” The two men stared at Lily with pure malice. They weren’t just trying to destroy my sister; they wanted to swallow the Rivers family and take a bite out of the Sterlings too. The dogs I raised for my sister were trying to bite the hand that fed them. Lily lost all hope. She opened her mouth several times, finally pleading with her childhood friends. “Brad, Chad… for the sake of our past, please let me go…” She was crying. The two men hesitated. They almost reached out. But Bella was faster. She slapped herself hard across the face and fell to her knees in front of Lily. “Sister! It’s all my fault! It’s because I’m poor and couldn’t pay for that scarf! I’ll be your slave… do whatever you want to me, just don’t hurt Brad and Chad!” The sympathy in the men’s eyes vanished, replaced by ice. Lily was utterly broken. She didn’t even want to check her cards. She turned to leave, a walking corpse. I signaled with my hand. My assistant slipped away. Lily didn’t make it two steps before bodyguards grabbed her and slammed her back into the chair. “Call or fold! No one leaves the table!” Security surrounded her. It was life or death. Both sides were all in. The dealer covered the hands. The room held its breath. Lily, ashen-faced, suddenly looked up toward the VIP balcony. Toward me. She straightened her spine and screamed, “I CALL! DOUBLE!” Silence. “Miss Rivers,” the waiter said coldly. “You have nothing left to bet.” Smack. A black card hit the table. Lily shouted, “I have money! I call!” Brad and Chad’s faces twisted. They stared at the card. “Lily, where did you get that? You’re broke!” Bella’s eyes were red. “Sister, don’t use a fake card. This isn’t a game. You’ll die for this!” But before she could finish, gasps filled the room. “How is that possible?” Brad and Chad jumped up, staring at the screen in disbelief. “No way…”

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My new neighbor is pregnant, and she’s demanding I run my air conditioner 24/7. “I don’t have an AC, and I don’t want to hang out at your place all day,” she declared. “Just set yours to 60 degrees. The cold air will blow over to my apartment. It’s not like it affects you.” I patiently tried to explain the concept of heat exchange to her—that even with my door wide open, her apartment wouldn’t get much cooler. I also mentioned that air conditioners weren’t that expensive and she could easily have one installed. She wouldn’t hear it. “Do you think air conditioners are free? Are you going to pay my electric bill?” she snapped. “I don’t care. I’m carrying a child, and if my baby boy overheats, I’ll sue you for attempted murder!” It was like talking to a brick wall, so I gave up. But she didn’t. She started by banging on my door around the clock. Then, while I was away on a business trip, she pried open my lock and ran my air conditioner for seven days straight. It was right around then that I saw a viral rental post in my city’s online forum. [I smashed every AC unit in my building and nearly burned the place down with my wood stove. Now I’ve been kicked out.] [A delicate wife-to-be with a naturally cold constitution, trying to conceive. Urgently need a home where I can use my wood stove! Seeking apartment for rent!] I contacted the delicate wife-to-be immediately. If I couldn’t handle my neighbor myself, I’d find an equally unhinged person to do it for me. Let the dogs fight it out. 1. I had just gotten home when the knocking started again. I put in my earplugs and pretended I couldn’t hear a thing. A week ago, a couple moved into apartment 401, right across the hall. While they were moving in, the woman, flushed and sweating, asked if she could step inside for a minute to cool off. That one act of kindness was my undoing. That very evening, she and her husband tried to invite themselves over to enjoy my AC. Considering she was pregnant, I was polite at first. I explained that I lived alone and it wasn’t convenient to have them over all the time. I suggested, once again, that they buy their own unit. Her response was stunning. “Do you think air conditioners are free? Are you going to pay my electric bill?” she scoffed. “I’m not even worried about you trying to seduce my husband. You’re the one being dramatic.” The entitlement was staggering. I stopped trying to reason with her, but she banged on my door for the entire night. It only got crazier. While I was at work, she would call my office, demanding I come home and turn on the air. After I blocked her number, she started having the building management call me. I even called the police, but they dismissed it as a simple neighborly dispute they couldn’t resolve. The knocking grew louder, and her shrill voice pierced through my earplugs. “402! I saw you come home! Open this door right now, my baby has been hot all day!” I ignored her, hoping she’d eventually get tired and go home. Suddenly, a synthesized voice echoed in the hall: Password incorrect. She was trying to guess the code to my electronic lock. After three failed attempts, the lock’s alarm blared. Shaking with rage, I screamed through the door, “What the hell is wrong with you? Will you ever stop?!” But she didn’t. As soon as the alarm silenced, she started punching in codes again. Because the errors were in quick succession, this time the alarm shrieked for a full ten minutes. The building’s group chat lit up. [Whose alarm is that? Is someone breaking in?] [My grandson just fell asleep and it woke him up! He won’t stop crying. Can management do something?!] [I think it’s coming from downstairs. This is 502. Can someone from management please check it out?] Then my phone rang. It was the building manager. To avoid disturbing my neighbors any further, I had no choice but to open the door. “I knew you were in there,” she said with a triumphant smirk. “Let me in, quick. My baby is about to overheat.” I blocked the doorway with my body. “If you’re hot, that’s your problem to solve.” “And I’ve let you in during the day before. You can’t just camp out in my apartment forever.” Her voice suddenly rose to a shriek. “Camp out? How dare you! You have some nerve.” “You’re the one who invited me in! I’ve gone my whole life without AC, and I was fine! But you had to let me taste it, and now I can’t even stand being in front of a fan!” “I’m pregnant! My baby needs air conditioning! You started this, so you have to fix it!” I was speechless with fury. I pulled out my phone and opened the Amazon app. “The cheapest units are a few hundred bucks. You could have one installed by tomorrow.” She slapped my hand away impatiently. “I told you, I don’t have money for that! Ugh, I’m done arguing with you.” “From now on, you will leave your air conditioner on 24/7, set your door open. That way, the cold air will reach my apartment.” She even added, “Set it to 60 degrees, otherwise it won’t be cool enough.” I fought the urge to strangle her, taking a deep breath instead. “That’s not how AC works! It’s about heat exchange. My door being open won’t magically cool your apartment!” She completely ignored me. “What do you mean it won’t work? The cold air comes into my apartment, my apartment gets cool. Simple.” There was no getting through to her. I slammed the door in her face. “402, if you don’t open this door, I’ll make your life a living hell!” She started messing with my lock again. Three more failed attempts. This time, the alarm wailed for half an hour. The group chat exploded with complaints. People were starting to gather outside my door. As the angry messages scrolled past, I’d had enough. I uploaded the security footage from my doorbell camera to the chat. A few minutes later, apartment 401 was being tagged by a dozen furious neighbors. [@401 Brenda What is wrong with you?! It’s the middle of the night! You’ve woken up my kids three times!] [@401 Brenda Are you trying to break in? Did you lose what little brain you have?] [@401 Brenda @Management Can you please handle this woman?!] Brenda went completely silent. I thought I could finally get some sleep. I never imagined she would actually call the police. 2. Before I could even process what was happening, my front door was forced open by the police. Brenda leaped out from behind a line of uniformed officers, pointing a trembling finger at me. “Officers, that’s her! She’s trying to murder my baby!” “Arrest her! Take her away!” I stared at my splintered door lying on the floor, a hysterical laugh bubbling in my throat. I recounted the entire night’s events to the police, my voice shaking. “Officer, she’s the one who has been harassing me, demanding I set my AC to 60 degrees and aim it at her apartment.” Brenda cut in. “Well, what else am I supposed to do? I don’t have an AC! If I can’t use hers, whose can I use?” The officers exchanged bewildered glances. What they thought was a potential crime scene had devolved into a bizarre neighborhood dispute mediation. After getting the full story, the lead officer stepped forward. “Ma’am,” he said to Brenda, “whether this young lady decides to run her own air conditioner is really none of your business.” Brenda puffed out her stomach. “How is it not your business?! If she doesn’t open her door and turn on her AC, I’m the one who suffers! What if my baby and I get heatstroke? I read online that people can die from that!” She glared at the cops. “What kind of public servants are you? So high and mighty, you don’t care about us regular people at all!” Now it was the officers’ turn to be speechless. The lead officer’s tone hardened. “Ma’am, if you continue with this irrational behavior, we’re going to have to take you down to the station.” That sent Brenda over the edge. She clutched her belly and plopped down on my broken door. “Take me to the station? You’re all in on it together!” she shrieked. “I knew it! You listen to her side for two seconds and you’re already defending her, even though she’s trying to kill my baby.” She shot me a venomous look. “No wonder a woman like you lives alone in such a big place without a man. You’ve probably got a whole stable of them on the side. Is that why you wouldn’t let me in? Were you hoping my husband would come over by himself? You shameless slut.” Her eyes swept over every officer in the room. My hands were trembling with rage. The officers looked equally furious. They had mobilized an entire unit in the middle of the night for a false alarm, and now they were being slandered by the perpetrator. The lead officer’s face was grim. “Ma’am, you have now committed three offenses,” he said, his voice like steel. “Insulting a police officer, filing a false report, and intentional destruction of property.” “You’re coming with us. You’re looking at a minimum of 10 days in holding and a significant fine.” The color drained from Brenda’s face. But she clutched her belly and screamed, “I’m not going to any station! I’m pregnant! The government wants me to have this baby! Taking me in is like defying the country itself!” She started thrashing around, threatening to jump out the window if they tried to take her. The police weren’t having it. They swiftly detained her. A locksmith sent by the police repaired my door. Between the damages and compensation, Brenda ended up paying me $250. Enough to buy her own damn air conditioner. As they led her away, she turned and fixed me with a look of pure, venomous hatred. A look that promised she would get her revenge. 3. I heard Brenda was held for the full ten days. I was so grateful, I sent a thank-you platter to the police station. A week later, my company sent me on a two-week business trip. When I got back, my door was gone. A blast of cold air was pouring out of my apartment. The door to 401 was wide open, and Brenda waddled out, clutching her belly. “There you are! I had to hire someone to take your door off the hinges. What a pain!” she grumbled. “And by the way, is your AC broken? I’ve had it running for days, but my place is still hot. You need to buy a new one!” My chest tightened with fury. I pointed at the empty space where my front door used to be. “Do you have any idea how illegal this is?” Brenda rolled her eyes. “That $250 I gave you was for the door, wasn’t it? And your electricity. At a few bucks a day, I’ve paid for five or six years of your AC!” The audacity was breathtaking. I didn’t even bother arguing. I just pulled out my phone and dialed 911. The two officers who responded were the same ones from before. The moment they saw us, their faces tightened. “Officers, she removed my door. While I was gone, she entered my home and used my air conditioner. I’ll have to check my security footage to see what else she did.” After a quick assessment, the police told Brenda she would have to compensate me. Brenda just snorted. “Compensate her for what? I already gave that bitch $250! That’s enough to use her AC for years!” “And I’ll have you know, my husband is on a top-secret mission for the government! When he gets back, little cops like you will be on your knees before him!” The officers looked utterly exhausted by her. One of them cuffed her while the other said dryly, “Sure, ma’am. I’ll be waiting.” Brenda was hauled off to the station once again. But after that night, things got worse. Garbage started appearing outside my door. At first, it was just a small bag. Then it was kitchen scraps, rotting food. One time, there was even feces mixed in. Worse, Brenda started pouring spoiled soup and other sticky, foul-smelling liquids under my door. Every time I came home, the combination of trash and heat turned my entryway into a biohazard zone. The stench seeped into my apartment, and no amount of air freshener could get rid of it. I called the police, but Brenda would just sit by her open window and threaten to jump, screaming that they were persecuting an innocent citizen. Eventually, the police gave up, telling us to resolve it ourselves and to stop wasting their resources on “minor issues.” Building management was equally useless. Desperate, I posted on an online forum, hoping for a solution. As I was scrolling, I stumbled upon a popular local rental ad. [I dismantled every AC unit in my building. Now the other residents have kicked me out.] [A delicate wife-to-be with a naturally cold constitution, trying to conceive. Urgently need a home without air conditioning! Seeking apartment for rent!]

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1 I was at the Go club, waiting for someone, and I got a little carried away. I didn’t just win; I annihilated my opponent, wiping her clean off the board. Furious, she flipped the board, sending the black and white stones scattering across the floor. She pointed a finger right in my face and screamed, “No one in Seacliff dares to beat me. Are you looking to die, bitch?” Before I could process what was happening, she signaled her bodyguards. They pinned my arms, and she forced my hands into a pair of crude, wooden finger clamps. In an instant, my fingers were a mangled mess of blood and pulp. “This is assault, in broad daylight! Is there no law here? Do you have any idea who I am? How important these hands are?” A sharp slap cracked across my face. “The law?” she cackled. “Let me tell you something. I’m Annie Sinclair, Caleb Hawthorne’s executive assistant. In Seacliff, the Hawthorne family is the law. I could afford to pay for more than just your hands. I could afford to pay for your life.” I froze. Caleb Hawthorne? The Hawthornes of Seacliff? That was the man I was here to meet. His family’s patriarch had practically begged me to come. … The diamond on Annie’s acrylic nail scraped a long, bloody line down my cheek. “You cheap tramp,” she sneered. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do. Everyone in this city knows Caleb Hawthorne is obsessed with Go. You learn a few moves and think you can come here and seduce him? I’ve dealt with countless sluts like you over the years. I can spot your kind a mile away.” She leaned in closer, her voice a venomous whisper. “You dare to challenge me? I could have you flayed alive.” At her signal, the bodyguards tightened the clamps. I heard the sickening, splintering sound of my own bones breaking. The pain was so intense it buckled my knees, and I collapsed to the floor, biting my lip so hard I tasted blood. A crowd had gathered, whispering and pointing. “She’s way out of her league. Picking a fight with Annie Sinclair?” “Everyone knows Annie is Mr. Hawthorne’s favorite. This girl is going to disappear without a trace.” I glared at them, my vision blurring with rage and pain. They were twisting everything. I had told Annie I was waiting for an appointment, but she had insisted on a match. I had no choice but to play, and even after I deliberately made weak moves, her skill was so pathetic she was still losing. Her constant taunts were what finally made me snap and crush her. I fought through the agony, trying to defend myself. “I was invited here by the elder Mr. Hawthorne. Call him if you don’t believe me! I don’t even know what Caleb Hawthorne looks like. Why would I be trying to seduce him?” Annie snorted. “So you finally admit it. You think you have the right to say his name?” She kicked me hard in the stomach. “If you’re going to lie, at least make it a good one. No one knows Mr. Hawthorne’s schedule better than I do. He’s in the media room watching the international Go tournament finals, and he promised to take me to dinner afterward. I think I would know if he had an appointment.” It clicked. That’s why he was late. That’s why I’d been waiting. He never took this meeting seriously at all. “Then get him out here,” I gasped. “Let’s clear this up face-to-face.” “Hah, why would I bother him?” Annie glanced at the club manager, who was practically bowing at her feet. The manager scurried over. “It’s true. Mr. Hawthorne is currently in the media room and has given strict instructions not to be disturbed. And I personally heard him say he was taking Ms. Sinclair to try that new restaurant downtown.” The heel of Annie’s shoe pressed harder into my stomach. “Scared now? It’s too late for that.” She grabbed a fistful of my hair, pulling my head back. “As long as I’m around,” she whispered in my ear, “no other woman is getting near him. You’re going to be an example. A warning to anyone else who thinks they can seduce Caleb Hawthorne.” She straightened up and gave a sharp command. “Strip her.” With a loud rip, my dress was torn open. The men in the crowd stared, their eyes hungry. Some of them pulled out their phones and started taking pictures. “Damn, she’s got a great body. Too bad she’s a troublemaker.” “That body is why she’s a troublemaker. A woman built like that is always asking for it.” “Hahaha, you’ve got a point.” Their lewd laughter echoed in the room, cut short by a sharp voice from behind them. “What are you all doing?” 2 Annie immediately transformed, twisting her hips like a snake as she walked over to the man and draped herself over his arm. “Mr. Hawthorne,” she purred. “I was just teaching this disrespectful woman a lesson.” I looked up at Caleb Hawthorne. He was well over six feet, dressed in an impeccably tailored designer suit. He was undeniably handsome. I could see why old Mr. Sterling was so insistent on this match, saying we’d make a perfect couple. The dossier the Hawthornes had sent over claimed Caleb was a workaholic whose only passion was Go, with a completely blank relationship history. Seeing him with his secretary now, that seemed highly debatable. But right now, all that mattered was getting these thugs off me. “Mr. Hawthorne,” I said, my voice shaking. “Your grandfather arranged for me to meet you here. He should have told you.” “My name is Elara…” “Enough.” He raised a hand, cutting me off with a bored expression. “Another social climber trying to use my family’s name to get to me. I don’t care who you are. If you cause trouble in my club, you will be punished.” I stared at him in disbelief. He hadn’t asked a single question. He just condemned me. “I won a single game of Go against your secretary after she provoked me!” I yelled, my voice raw with anger. “What crime did I commit that deserves this kind of torture?” Caleb’s expression flickered. A glint of surprise appeared in his eyes. “She can beat you?” Annie pouted, her voice dripping with false injury. “She only won because she cheated. When I called her out on it, she threw the board. I know how much you cherish these sets, Caleb, so I had to discipline her.” “What?” Caleb’s face contorted with rage. “You cheated? In my club? You must have a death wish.” He looked down at me, his gaze falling to the clamps on my hands. He let out a cold, humorless laugh. Then he gave a new order to the bodyguards. “Move the clamps up an inch. I want every knuckle shattered.” The guards roughly pried open my limp fingers and repositioned the clamps. A fresh wave of blinding, all-consuming pain shot through me, so intense I dry-heaved. Just as I felt myself about to pass out, Caleb crouched down and gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Are you going to cheat again?” I fought to control my chattering teeth, spitting the words out. “I didn’t cheat. She’s lying. If you don’t believe me, check the security footage.” “Why would I need to check the footage?” Annie interjected, shooting a look at the manager. “There are witnesses everywhere. Ask anyone here if she wasn’t the one who cheated and started a riot.” “Yes, yes!” the manager chimed in. “Everyone here knows how skilled Ms. Sinclair is. There’s no way this woman could have won without cheating.” “I saw it too. No wonder Ms. Sinclair got angry.” “Exactly. Go is a gentleman’s game. It’s been tainted by trash like her.” Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd. “It seems you’re a stubborn one,” Caleb said, his voice low and dangerous. “I despise two things in this world: liars and cheaters. And today, you’ve landed in my hands. I’m going to teach you a lesson you’ll never forget.” He had the bodyguards remove the clamps. He picked one of the wooden sticks and poked at my mangled fingers. “The bones aren’t completely crushed yet. Get me a small mallet. I want you to smash them, one by one. Let’s see what’s harder, her mouth or this hammer.” I was trembling uncontrollably, from pain or rage, I couldn’t tell. “I’m calling the police. No matter how powerful your family is, this is still a civilized society.” Annie ground the stiletto of her shoe into the back of my hand. “A civilized society? Honey, you’re mistaken. In Seacliff, the Hawthornes are society. The Hawthornes are the law. Isn’t that right, Mr. Hawthorne?” Caleb just chuckled, a dark, affirmative sound. Then, my screams echoed through every corner of the club. 3 The brutal assault was only interrupted by the ringing of a phone. Caleb finally waved the bodyguards off. “Caleb, my boy! I trust you’re satisfied with the match I arranged?” It was the cheerful voice of the elder Mr. Hawthorne. “It took a lot of persuading to get her to agree to this meeting. You’d better be on your best behavior.” “Oh, yes. I’m extremely satisfied,” Caleb said, a cruel smile playing on his lips as he stared at me. His grandfather didn’t catch the sarcasm. “I had someone deliver that warm jade Go set you prepared. You should play a few games with Miss Lincoln and get some pointers from a master.” “Alright, alright, let the young people talk.” I recognized that second, deeper voice. “Mr. Sterling, help me!” I screamed. A bodyguard immediately clamped a hand over my mouth. Someone brought over an exquisite silk-wrapped box. Caleb opened it and shot me a venomous glare. “Don’t worry, Grandpa. I’ll be sure to play with her until she’s completely satisfied.” I struggled, but I was pinned. I could only watch in horror as they cheerfully hung up the phone. Annie peeked into the box, a flash of envy in her eyes. Then she scoffed. “This woman is something else, able to fool even the old man. Caleb, this was the gift you prepared for the great Elara Lincoln.” A wave of gasps went through the crowd. “Elara Lincoln? You mean the one who played the ‘Hand of God’ move in the recent International Go Championship?” “She’s a national hero! If it weren’t for her, our team would have been wiped out.” “It’s a shame all the photos and videos from that day only showed her hands. No one knows what she looks like. Mr. Hawthorne, if you meet her, you have to tell us all about it!” “What’s the big deal?” Annie boasted. “She’s a fellow student from my academy. I can invite her here to play you all anytime.” “No wonder Ms. Sinclair is so skilled! You come from such a prestigious background!” “I’m honored to have lost to you, Ms. Sinclair!” The flattery clearly pleased her, but when she caught my disbelieving stare, her face darkened again. “What are you looking at, bitch? Always wanting what doesn’t belong to you.” She kicked me again, this time in the chest. The impact sent me stumbling backward into a side table. The warm jade Go set clattered to the floor, the stones scattering like jewels. Several of them landed on my ruined hands. The pristine, translucent jade was instantly stained with my blood. “You idiot!” Caleb roared, shoving my shattered hands away. “You couldn’t even move out of the way!” I lay on the floor, every inch of my body screaming in pain, too weak to move. He personally knelt to pick up the bloodied stones, yelling for someone to clean them. “Do you have any idea how much effort I put into acquiring this set? Now it’s ruined! What am I supposed to give to Elara Lincoln?” “Exactly!” Annie chimed in. “That set cost over a million dollars to craft, and that’s not even counting the sentimental value Mr. Hawthorne put into it. You owe him at least five million. Can a tramp like you afford that? Ten of your worthless lives wouldn’t be enough!” The pain was so absolute, it tipped over into a strange, hysterical clarity. I started to laugh. “Make me pay? This Go set might be expensive, but my hands are priceless. These hands you’ve destroyed… they’re insured for fifteen million dollars.” “Caleb Hawthorne, what is your sentiment worth? You may have just destroyed my entire career. My chance to bring glory to this country.” I gritted my teeth, hatred blazing in my eyes. “Hahaha, she’s delusional. Everyone in the Go world knows the Sterling family insured Elara Lincoln’s hands for fifteen million dollars. And in two weeks, she’s set to represent the country in the World Go Finals. What, are you the second Elara Lincoln?” “Mr. Hawthorne,” Annie said smoothly, “I think all this talk has given her ideas. She’s a pathological liar. You can’t be soft on her now. I know her type; all they care about is money. You have to make her pay for every bit of damage she’s caused.” “Cheating, causing a riot in my club, ruining my jade Go set, and most importantly, impersonating Elara Lincoln,” Caleb snarled, his eyes boring into mine. “I don’t know what your goal was, but I’m telling you now, in Seacliff, making someone disappear is the easiest thing in the world.” He stared at me, enunciating every word. I stared right back. “The fact is, what if I am Elara Lincoln?” 4 The room erupted in laughter. “Wow, she’s really lost it now.” “Everyone in the Go world knows Elara Lincoln’s story. Fifteen years old, serving tea in a teahouse when the great Mr. Sterling from the capital discovered her talent. In just a few years, she reached the rank of 9-dan professional, breaking world records. No one’s ever seen her face, but this woman cheats and throws herself at men. What an insult to the name.” “Exactly. Besides, Elara Lincoln is Annie’s fellow student. The fake has just run into the real deal and been exposed.” “I say just get on your knees and beg. Maybe Mr. Hawthorne will spare your life. It would be a shame to waste a face and body like that.” Annie’s smirk widened. “You heard them. Get on your knees and apologize. If I’m in a good mood, I might even put in a good word for you.” “Shut up,” I said, fighting back a wave of nausea as I struggled to my feet. “Caleb Hawthorne, if you don’t believe me, ask your grandfather who he arranged for you to meet today. He told me you never miss a single one of my public matches. Open your eyes and look at these hands. Are they not identical to the ones you’ve seen on screen?” I held up my bloody, mangled hands. For a split second, I saw a flicker of panic in his eyes. My hands were distinctive; I have a small, ruby-colored birthmark on my right wrist. Seeing Caleb’s hesitation, Annie quickly jumped in. “Cosmetic procedures are so advanced these days, you can get a mole tattooed anywhere you want. Mr. Hawthorne, she really went all out for this scam. If it weren’t for me, you would have been fooled. Here, look, Elara just posted on her private story.” She held up her phone, showing a social media account with the name ‘Elara Lincoln.’ Two minutes ago, it had posted a text update: Day 3 of seclusion. Exhausting, but worth it. “See? I just sent her a message to cheer her on, and she replied, ‘Thanks, sis!’” Annie proudly displayed the screen for everyone. A chill ran down my spine. She hadn’t just fabricated a connection to me; she’d fabricated an entire fake profile. “There,” she said smugly. “Now you have nothing to say. Besides, the media has already reported that Elara Lincoln is in seclusion and has declined all interviews.” She was right. I was supposed to be preparing for the finals. If the elder Mr. Hawthorne hadn’t personally traveled to the capital, and if Mr. Sterling hadn’t felt obligated to agree as a favor, I would never have come to Seacliff to meet this man. Wait. Mr. Sterling was with him. “Your grandfather was just talking to Mr. Sterling on the phone,” I said desperately. “I am begging you, just make one call. Just to verify. If I’m lying, I will accept any and all consequences.” “I know you don’t want this arranged marriage. I swear, I will never have anything to do with you again. If I break this vow, may I die a horrible death.” Caleb was silent for a moment. Annie’s hateful gaze was fixed on my hands. “Mr. Hawthorne, this is easy. You may not know about cosmetic procedures, but I do. A tattooed mole is only on the surface of the skin, not like a real one. Have someone take a knife to it. If you can carve it out, it’s fake.” She leaned in, her voice dropping conspiratorially. “Elara Lincoln is far away in the capital. You’re punishing this tramp for her own evil deeds. Even if your grandfather finds out, he won’t truly blame you. In fact, after this, he’ll probably stop trying to set you up with trashy women.” Caleb looked up, and our eyes met. I saw the doubt in his waver and die. His face became a dark mask of resolve. “You can blame your own greed,” he said coldly. “Someone get a knife and carve that mole off her wrist. How dare a slut like this even try to imitate Elara Lincoln.” “No! I really am Elara! Caleb, she’s lying to you! She’s not my classmate, she doesn’t have my number, everything she’s said is a lie!” I struggled with all my might. “Pathetic. Still lying when you’re about to die. Mr. Hawthorne told you to do it, so get it over with!” The tip of the blade was just about to pierce my skin when a voice cut through the tension. “Is a Miss Elara Lincoln here? No one is answering her phone.” My head snapped up. I met a pair of familiar, worried eyes.

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