Category: English

I am the mother of the villain. After my awakening, a system tasked me with giving the villain a happy family. I scooped up the villain, who was still just a toddler, and stormed into my high-cold, hateful husband’s house. “Honey! Do you not want me and our child anymore?” “Honey, say something!” Later, I pondered getting the villain a stepfather. My husband bit my neck, jealousy oozing from every pore. “In your dreams.” 1 I am the villain’s mother, but I’ve awakened. The villain, Sebastian, is my son. Sebastian became a villain because his unhappy family warped his personality, creating a dark and twisted character. His parents, me (Vivian) and Julian, were in a loveless business marriage. I had someone else I liked, but family pressure forced the union. My mother even drugged Julian and me, leading to a one-night stand and Sebastian. Julian hated my family for drugging him, so he ignored Sebastian from birth. Due to my own family issues and unrequited love, my temper grew strange, and I was cold to Sebastian. Sebastian lacked love growing up, his personality became extreme, and he eventually became the villain of the story. But I, Vivian, the cruel mother, suddenly awakened. Memories of the past replayed in my mind. Things I had done felt strangely foreign. Before I could react, I gained a system. The system gave me a mission: Give Sebastian a happy family and let him grow up happily. Me: “…” I looked down at the soft, white toddler at my feet and was speechless. He clutched a teddy bear, looking up at me pitifully. I asked uncertainly, “…Are you my cub?” Sebastian’s face crumpled, his mouth quivered, and tears threatened to fall. “Mommy, do you not want me anymore?” “Yes, yes, yes!” I panicked, rushing to comfort him. “You are Mommy’s precious heart, of course I want you!” Sebastian’s eyes lit up. “Really?” I nodded. “Really, really truly.” “That’s the first time Mommy called me precious!” Sebastian’s mood flipped instantly, eyes curving into crescents. “Hehe, I’m Mommy’s precious.” I felt a pang of sadness. Just a simple sentence made him so happy. How cold had I been before? Kids’ moods change like the weather. Just as he was happy, Sebastian’s face fell again. He asked cautiously, “Mommy, I miss Daddy. When can I see him?” Me: “…” Good question. Where is your dad? Where is my husband? 2 Julian, my husband who purely hates me. Cold personality, bad temper, but handsome enough to make up for it. In the original story, Julian and I separated immediately after marriage. He had his own villa, and we didn’t live together. My mom drugging us happened at a banquet we both attended. She spiked our drinks when we weren’t looking. One shot, one kill. Thinking about it, Julian’s pretty potent. My thoughts were straying, so I shook my head to get back on track. The system wants me to give Sebastian a happy home. That includes: A strong dad, a loving mom, a happy baby. A key link is missing. Action speaks louder than words. I immediately got Julian’s address, grabbed Sebastian, and rushed over. Arriving at Julian’s villa, the gate was open. We crossed the front yard and stopped at the door. I didn’t know the code, so I tried facial recognition. I tried mine first. Verification failed. Then I picked up Sebastian and let him try. Failed too. I fell silent. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine we three strangers are a family. No choice, I had to use the primitive method: ringing the doorbell. After a dozen seconds, the door opened. Julian’s punchable handsome face appeared. Seeing me, he frowned. Before he could say “Scram,” I beat him to it. “Hi! Nice to meet you, I’m your wife!” Julian looked at me like I had finally lost my mind. Then slam, the door shut. Me: “…” Failure is the mother of success. I rang the doorbell again, then picked up Sebastian. “You do it.” When Julian impatiently opened the door again, Sebastian smiled sweetly. “Daddy, I’m your son!” Strike two. Sebastian looked sadly at the door Julian closed again. “Mommy, does Daddy not like us?” “How could that be?” I lied through my teeth. “Your dad is afraid we aren’t full, so he’s serving us a ‘closed door special.’ Haha, haha, haha.” I couldn’t keep laughing. After shivering in the cold wind for a while, I pressed the doorbell a third time. Julian opened the door furiously. “Vivian! Is your brain…” I covered his mouth quickly before he could finish. “Don’t say it!” I signaled with my eyes. “The child is here! Bad influence!” Julian: “?” I picked up Sebastian and slipped into Julian’s house with lightning speed. Julian had a Border Collie named Max, very obedient. Seeing Max, I immediately entrusted Sebastian to him. “Max, quick, take your brother to the backyard to play. I need to talk to your dad.” Max looked at me, then at Julian. Then he actually grabbed Sebastian’s shirt and led him to the backyard. Julian was so angry his mouth twitched. “Vivian!” He gritted his teeth. “What the hell do you want?” “Don’t use my full name, it’s not intimate.” I tried to calm him down. “Hubby, I was wrong before. Let’s make up!” Julian’s icy face looked like an avalanche. “Whoever you are, get out of Vivian’s body right now.” “…” I thought for a moment and used the classic parent line. “Listen to me, I’m not thrilled either. But isn’t this for the child?” “A child’s childhood can’t lack parental companionship!” “Everything for the child, for the child’s everything. Let’s just make do and tolerate each other, okay?” “What do you think, Hubby?” Maybe it was an illusion, but I felt steam rising from Julian’s head. He: “Get out.” Me: “Yes, sir.” 3 I rolled out swiftly. Because Julian would soon discover he threw out the big one but forgot the small one. Sure enough, not even 5 minutes later, Julian’s call came. I naturally didn’t pick up. It wasn’t until an hour later that I returned to Julian’s villa. I rang the bell, and this time the door opened quickly. Julian stood there holding Sebastian by the collar, then tossed him into my arms. “Take him and go. Don’t come back!” Then he slammed the door. I took Sebastian home. On the way, I asked Sebastian, “What did you do at your dad’s?” Sebastian thought for a moment. “I ate cookies, played hide-and-seek, and played fetch in the backyard!” My eyes widened in surprise. “Your dad played with you?” He shook his head. “No, Max played with me. Max brought me the cookies too. Daddy was working in the study.” “I even brought washed grapes to Daddy while he worked, and he didn’t refuse me!” Me: “…” Such a sensible dog and baby. Such an insensible Julian. But anyway, this counts as Sebastian getting a bit familiar with his dad. So a week later, I used the same trick and dropped Sebastian off at Julian’s again. To prevent Julian from shutting the door on me, I left Sebastian at the door, rang the bell, and hid behind the gate to peek. The door opened. Seeing Julian, Sebastian immediately followed my instructions, holding up a bag of fruit. “Good afternoon, Daddy! I brought you apples and bananas. Wishing you peace and no banana-nxiety!” “…” Julian was silent for two seconds. “Did your mom teach you those puns?” “What puns?” Sebastian blinked. “Can I come in, Daddy?” “Where’s your mom? She left you here alone?” Julian seemed certain I was nearby and raised his voice. “Vivian, come out! Do you think I won’t lock him out?” Me: “!” What a cruel father! Julian started counting down. “Three, two—” Just as I was about to run out, Julian was bumped by something, stopping him from closing the door. It was Max. Max barked angrily at Julian, then grabbed Sebastian’s shirt to pull him inside. “Max!” Julian looked incredulous. “Who is your master anyway?” Max ignored him, dragging Sebastian inside without looking back. Julian slammed the door in frustration. Watching from afar, I gave a silent thumbs up to Max. Is this Paw Patrol to the rescue? With Max there, I went shopping with peace of mind. I accidentally shopped a bit too long. Afraid Sebastian would annoy Julian, I hurried back. Feelings need to be cultivated slowly. But when I rang the doorbell and the door opened, I saw a teary-eyed Sebastian. “Seb?” I was surprised. “What’s wrong? Where’s your dad?” Sebastian pulled me towards the bedroom. “Daddy has a fever. He looks really sick, boohoo…” I went into the bedroom and saw Julian lying in bed, looking pale and frowning. “Julian?” I called him. “You okay?” Julian opened his eyes. Seeing it was me, he looked even worse. “I’d be fine if you weren’t here. Take Sebastian and get lost.” “You’re sick and still driving people away.” I suspected his mouth was poisonous enough to kill himself. Neither Julian nor I took his illness seriously, but Sebastian was frantic. “Mommy, is Daddy okay? Will he die?” I saw a towel on Julian’s head and asked Sebastian, “What’s this?” “I put it on Daddy. I also made him a cold remedy drink.” He pointed to an empty cup on the nightstand. “Daddy drank it, but he’s still sick.” I was surprised. “He drank it?” Julian actually let Sebastian put a cloth on his head? And drank Sebastian’s concoction? “Hubby.” I leaned into Julian’s ear mischievously. “You drank the cold medicine our son made? Seems you don’t hate him that much!” Julian kept his eyes closed, coldly spitting out “Get out.” Seeing him like this, I doubled down on the mischief, leaning closer. “Let me tell you some good news. The cloth your son put on your head is the rag used to wipe the living room floor. Hahahaha.” “Vi! Vi! An!” Julian couldn’t take it anymore, opening his eyes to yell. However, maybe because we were too close, the moment our eyes met, something felt off. Julian is very handsome. His fever-flushed cheeks gave him a pitiful look. I could even feel his breath. I gulped. Something’s wrong. Need to run. However, just as I tried to get up, I was bumped by something furry. It felt like the butt of a giant fat dog. I fell uncontrollably. And just like that, my lips brushed against Julian’s cheek. Holy… After freezing for two seconds, I realized what happened and jumped two miles away. Julian seemed stunned too. Even his ears turned red. He didn’t even scold me. Sebastian was grinning ear to ear. “Hehe, hehe, hehe.” And the culprit—Max—was wagging his tail like a windshield wiper, looking proud. I was in despair. Max! Bad dog! No treats for you! 4 I ran. I grabbed Sebastian and ran fast. Sebastian was reluctant to leave his cheap dad. “Mommy, Daddy is all alone, poor him.” I said righteously, “He’s an adult. He’ll be fine after some medicine. What if you catch it?” “I’m not afraid.” Sebastian’s little head was filled with big worries. “Will Daddy die alone at home?” Even after driving Sebastian home, his face was scrunched up all evening, as if Julian might kick the bucket any second. Sigh, what a sin. Late at night, I had to take Sebastian back to Julian’s villa. After putting a mask on Sebastian, I rang the doorbell again. Half a minute later, Julian’s hoarse voice came from the intercom. “Vivian, is my house a tourist attraction?” “Don’t be a stranger, Hubby. What yours and mine? It’s ours.” I faced the camera. “Our son wants to show filial piety at your sickbed. What’s the passcode?” Julian was clearly too angry to speak properly. “I think you’re the one with the fever. Why would I tell you my passcode?” “Fine, if you won’t tell me, come down and open it yourself.” I was getting annoyed. “Hurry up, stop being fussy.” Sebastian’s milky voice chimed in. “Daddy, are you okay? Mommy and I are here to take care of you.” “…” Another ten seconds passed. Just as I was losing patience, Julian gave the code. “246754.” Once inside, Sebastian’s short legs carried him fast to Julian’s room. “Daddy, I’m here! Are you still alive?” Julian looked better but still weak. “Why are you back?” “Mommy and I came to keep you company.” Sebastian held Julian’s hand and mine. “When I’m sick, I hate being alone. I really want you and Mommy with me.” “So I thought, if you’re sick, you’ll be lonely too, and want me and Mommy.” Julian and I both froze. I could imagine how indifferent I was to Sebastian when he was sick before I awakened. Julian was silent. He probably thought the same. I nudged Sebastian to go play with Max, saying I’d take care of Julian. “How about it, Hubby? Feeling the pang of conscience?” After Sebastian left, I leaned towards Julian. “It’s okay, it’s not too late!” I sincerely invited him. “Want to join me in building a civilized, loving model family?” Whether from illness or annoyance, Julian looked like he had a headache. “Vivian, what right do you have to lecture me? Your family drugged me and irresponsibly brought Sebastian into this world.” His words were heavy and irrefutable. I lowered my head dejectedly. “I was wrong.” “You…” Julian was shocked. “What’s wrong with you? Aren’t you always proud? You never apologize.” If giving Sebastian a happy family was just a system task before, now I genuinely wanted him to be happy. Sebastian is so good. He doesn’t need me to worry about anything. He eats, sleeps, and plays obediently. If he breaks something, he’s terrified I’ll be mad and cries begging for forgiveness. I had a bad temper, and Julian wasn’t much better, but Sebastian is completely different from us. It’s hard to imagine such a good kid turning into a paranoid, dark villain. “I was wrong, really wrong.” A great woman knows when to yield. I grabbed Julian’s hand. “Hubby, it was all my fault. Let’s love each other starting today!” Julian looked at me. I looked back with deep affection. Half a second later, his mouth twitched: “Dream on.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388179”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

After my brother, Finn, was imprisoned for white-collar crime, his enemies came after me. I couldn’t find a job. I was hounded by threats. Every morning, I’d open my door to find dog crap on the doorstep. Every night, I’d come home to my door splashed with red paint. I broke. Drowning in depression, I tried to kill myself three times in five years. The last time, I swallowed an entire bottle of sleeping pills and waited for the end, my heart a hollow cavern of despair. But through the haze, I heard my brother’s frantic voice. “I just wanted to teach Serena a lesson! Who told you to take it this far?” His adopted sister, Amy, whimpered back, “So the fact that she hit me just gets swept under the rug?” And just like that, I knew. My brother was never in prison. Our family was never bankrupt. Everything I had endured was nothing more than punishment for a single slap I’d given Amy five years ago. I closed my eyes, a bitter taste filling my mouth. Oh, Finn, I thought. Your punishment was far too light. My life is yours to take. … As the anesthetic flowed into my veins, the voices faded. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. The only person with me was the doctor. He recognized me, of course. Dr. Evans’s face was a grim mask of frustration. “Serena, what was it this time? Why did you want to die?” “If it wasn’t for the emergency stomach pump, you’d be dead. Do you understand that?” A fire raged in my stomach, but I felt nothing. My gaze was a hollow thing fixed on the ceiling. “Someone sent me an urn and a funeral portrait of myself. They told me to go die.” The doctor stood there for a long moment, then sighed. “It’s your life, Serena. Are you really going to die just because someone tells you to?” “Please,” he said, the weariness evident in his voice, “don’t do this again.” I could hear the helplessness in his tone. He’d seen me three times in five years. The first time, I jumped from a fourth-story window. I misjudged the height and survived. The thought of Finn, waiting for me to pick him up from prison, filled me with immediate regret. I dragged my broken, bleeding body to the hospital. The second time, I slit my wrists. As I watched the crimson pool spread across the floor, I remembered I was in a rented apartment. It felt wrong to die in someone else’s house, to leave such a mess for them to find. So, once again, I went to the hospital. This was the third time. This time, I didn’t care about my brother. I didn’t care about anyone else. I poured the sleeping pills I’d been hoarding for months into my mouth and swallowed. And still, I didn’t die. Dr. Evans was still talking. “When you’re discharged this time, I’m controlling your prescription. You’ll have to come in every day to pick up your dose. I can’t give you a full bottle anymore.” He turned to leave. “Doctor,” I rasped, my voice raw. “Did you see a man? He looks a little like me.” He knew all about my brother in prison. He gave me a look of pity and shook his head. “Serena, you’re still disoriented. You need to rest.” “There was no man. A young woman brought you in. Said she was your neighbor.” I said nothing more. After he left, I pulled the IV needle from the back of my hand and walked out of the room. The “young woman” Dr. Evans mentioned was waiting for me right outside the door. Our eyes met. The venom in hers was impossible to hide. “Serena,” Amy sneered, “if you want to die so badly, why don’t you do it properly? A kitchen knife across the throat—one good slice and it’s over. Why bother with sleeping pills?” I ignored her words and offered a faint smile. “Since when are you my neighbor?” A flicker of guilt crossed her face. “I wouldn’t be caught dead here if it wasn’t for Finn!” She spun around to leave, then paused and looked back over her shoulder. “Next time you try to die, do it in the bathroom. That way, no one will have a chance to find you.” My expression remained a perfect blank. She hurried away. I went home. There was no dog crap on the doorstep. The red paint on the wall had been scrubbed clean. After a long moment, I pushed the door open and looked up. My eyes caught it instantly—a tiny surveillance camera, newly installed, tucked away behind the old curtain rod. Small enough to miss if you weren’t looking for it. Finn had been here. I casually averted my gaze and went into the bathroom. Perhaps he wanted to give me some semblance of privacy. There were no cameras in here. Only the shattered pieces of the urn and the torn black-and-white photo of me, scattered on the floor. I could almost see myself from a few hours ago—hysterical, broken, hopeless. No wonder. No wonder Amy told me to die in the bathroom. No camera. Finn would never find me. A wave of absurdity washed over me. My legs gave out and I slid to the floor, burying my face in my hands, my grief a silent, writhing thing inside me. Finn, your punishment is still too light. You should have taken my life. … I grew up coddled, born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I never learned to back down from a fight. Years ago, my parents died in a car crash. Finn decided the house felt too empty with just the two of us, so he brought his adopted sister, Amy, to live with us. To his face, Amy would call me “sister” with sickening sweetness. Behind his back, she’d accuse me of hitting her. Finn called me spoiled, said I didn’t know how to behave. I wasn’t about to take that kind of accusation lying down. I slapped Amy right then and there. “That,” I said, my voice dripping with ice, “is what hitting looks like.” She burst into gut-wrenching sobs, collapsing at Finn’s feet, begging him for justice. He ordered me to apologize. When I refused, he raised his hand to strike me. In that moment, I spoke, my voice dangerously calm. “Finn. Think very carefully. If that hand comes down, you are no longer my brother.” The veins in his temples pulsed with rage. His hand remained suspended in the air. Finally, he lowered it and turned to Amy, pulling her up and comforting her with gentle words. “I’m so sorry, Amy. I’ve spoiled Serena rotten. I’ll teach her a lesson, I promise. Don’t be sad…” At the time, I scoffed. What kind of lesson could he possibly teach me? A beating? I could take it. And I’d get my revenge. I was so wrong. A few days later, Finn announced that our family was bankrupt. He had been sentenced to six years in prison for financial crimes. Panic seized me. I gathered all the jewelry, designer bags, and watches he’d ever given me. It wasn’t even enough to cover a fraction of the debt. He went to prison. The villa was seized. I was an orphan, homeless. For the next five years, I was hunted. His “enemies” made my life a living hell. I couldn’t find a job—even the sleaziest bars wouldn’t hire me as a hostess. I survived by collecting cans and bottles, living a life lower than a sewer rat. Every day, anonymous messages would arrive, calculating how many bodies I’d have to sell to pay off Finn’s debts. The red paint on my walls felt like blood, a stain that could never be washed away. The sound of knocking in the dead of night was terrifying. Each time I opened the door, the hallway was empty, save for the funeral money, wreaths, and paper dolls scattered on the floor. I thought about leaving Port Sterling. But Finn was in prison, waiting for me. So I endured. I broke, I healed, I broke again. I couldn’t even die properly. It was a cycle of torture with no end. The moment I swallowed those pills, I felt a pang of guilt. Amy had run away, and now I was running away, too. When Finn got out, he’d have no one. How would he survive? But he was the one who saved me. Why? Why would you save me, Finn? You should have watched with cold indifference. You should have stood by and let me die by my own hand. Anything would have been better than letting me learn that these five years of blood and tears were nothing more than your idea of a punishment. … My tears had run dry. I started the journey to the prison. I had never dared to visit him before. I was afraid he’d see how broken I was and feel sorry for me. But now I understood. He was probably living in the lap of luxury. The only one suffering was me. Just as I expected, when I told the prison guard why I was there, he laughed. “Miss, we have no inmate here by the name of Finn Monroe. Are you sure you have the right name?” The sunlight was blinding. It made my eyes water again. I looked down. “I must have been mistaken. Since he’s not here, I’ll go check at home.” I went home. To the villa that was supposed to have been seized. It was blazing with lights. It was Amy’s birthday. There was a party in full swing. Fairy lights were strung up in the yard. A movie was playing on a projector screen over the musical fountain. A group of girls—Amy’s friends, I assumed—were sitting nearby. When they saw me at the gate, their faces twisted in disgust. “Where did this beggar come from? Shoo! Get lost! There’s no money for you here!” I ignored them, keyed in the old passcode, and walked straight in. They were stunned that I knew the code and didn’t dare to stop me. I pushed open the front door. My eyes met Finn’s. He was in the middle of placing a birthday crown on Amy’s head. The color drained from his face. The paper crown in his hand crumpled. Amy froze, her grip tightening on her knife and fork. The air grew thick with an awkward silence. They exchanged a look, neither of them speaking. I, on the other hand, walked to the table, pulled the four-tiered cake towards me, and began to eat it with my hands. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten something so delicious. For five years, things I once took for granted were now just scents I’d inhale as I passed by a bakery. Sometimes, the craving would be so intense I’d pick through trash cans for someone’s leftovers, not caring how dirty they were. “Serena…” Finn frowned and moved to stop me. “Wash your hands first. They’re dirty…” Dirty? I met his gaze. Then, with deliberate slowness, I licked the frosting from each of my fingers. His expression soured, his lips tightening into a thin line. Amy finally spoke, her voice strained. “Serena, what do you think you’re doing? Finn didn’t mean to deceive you! He just saved your life!” My stomach, used to watery broth and scraps, churned at the sudden onslaught of sweetness. I pushed the cake away. Without a word, I grabbed a baseball bat that was leaning against a nearby wall and swung it with all my might into the dining table. “Happy birthday?” I screamed, my voice cracking. “I was about to die, and you’re throwing a birthday party?” “Five years! You punished me for five years over a single slap? Fine! If I can’t be happy, then no one can!” I was a whirlwind of rage, the bat crashing down again and again. Finn stood frozen, his face ashen, watching me. Amy cowered behind him, not daring to make a sound. The table was soon a wreck of splintered wood and shattered glass. But was it enough? No. I moved into the living room. The sofa, the television, the coffee table—all of them were reduced to rubble. The sound of destruction was deafening. Finn didn’t stop me. It was only when I lunged for Amy that he grabbed my wrist, his grip like steel. “Haven’t you had enough?” he hissed. My chest heaved. I couldn’t speak. Our eyes locked, and his grip tightened, bit by bit, until tears welled in my eyes. His eyelashes fluttered. He let me go. The very next second, my hand connected with Amy’s face. The sharp crack of the slap echoed through the room, followed by her shriek of pain. It was as if the sound snapped the last thread of reason in his mind. Without thinking, he hit me back. The force of his blow sent me sprawling to the floor, my ears ringing. “Serena,” he said, his voice laced with bitter disappointment. “I can’t believe that even after all this, you still don’t understand that you were wrong!” “I punished you, yes, but it wasn’t real. Did you really have to take it this far?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It took a moment before I could force any words out. “I swallowed an entire bottle of sleeping pills…” “And I saved you.” His voice was laced with frustration, as if he regretted his own decision. “Look, now that you know the truth, just come home. I promise, I won’t let you suffer anymore, okay?” I wanted to laugh, but tears came first. “Finn, where were you for the past five years?” He avoided my gaze. “We went traveling overseas for a bit. So you wouldn’t get suspicious.” With those words, my heart plummeted into the deepest, coldest part of hell. So while I was scavenging for my next meal, he and Amy were vacationing around the world. I suddenly felt like a fool for even coming here. I nodded, got to my feet, and turned to leave. As I reached the door, Amy shouted, “Don’t you feel so wronged, Serena! You deserved every bit of it!” I turned back. My eyes went past her, locking onto my brother’s. His silence was an agreement. His expression was distant, cold. I gripped the doorknob to keep myself from collapsing. “Fine,” I whispered. “I owe you all.” For the next few days, Finn bombarded me with calls and texts. He thought I was still sulking. At first, he was angry, accusing me of not understanding his “good intentions.” [You’re such a princess. I let you live on your own for a couple of years without any money and you try to kill yourself and wreck the house.] [Serena, do you really think the entire world revolves around you?] [Do you think these five years were easy for me? I was in agony every day, just waiting for you to come home!] [You’ve failed me, and you’ve failed Mom and Dad!] When I didn’t respond, his tone shifted. He tried to coax me back. [Hasn’t it been long enough? Can’t you see? We’re family, Serena. I promise, if you come home, I’ll send Amy abroad. How about that?] [Stop being stubborn. It’s just an apology. Say you’re sorry and we can put all this behind us.] But no matter what he said, his messages were met with a wall of silence. Finally, his disappointment turned to something colder. [So you won’t listen to reason or threats? I really have spoiled you too much.] [I was actually feeling guilty, I wanted to make it up to you. But I see now that’s not necessary.] [Serena, from this day on, I’m done with you. You’re about to find out what a real punishment looks like.] [Without me, you are nothing!] And he was right. After he washed his hands of me, life became even harder. Bribed by Amy’s money, more and more people joined in the torment. My new phone number was leaked. The moment I turned it on each day, it would be flooded with filth. The dog crap at my door became a constant, disgusting battle. A single, enormous word was painted on the wall opposite my door in blood-red paint: DIE. The sound of a woman weeping would echo from all sides of my small apartment in the dead of night. Anonymous packages arrived, containing dead rats or grotesque dolls. Even my neighbors, disturbed by the constant chaos, begged me to move out. And through it all, Finn knew nothing. He had taken Amy traveling again. Every now and then, a text would come through. [Why is the camera turned off?] [Running out of money for food yet? Still not coming home?] [I haven’t changed the code to the villa. You can come back and live there. I’ll smooth things over with Amy. You just have to come back and apologize.] […] [Fine. I know how stubborn you are. Let’s see how long you can last.] But it didn’t matter anymore. The harassment, his messages—none of it mattered. I had already decided how to end this charade for good. I had turned off the camera, but I still didn’t feel safe. So I went into the bathroom and locked the door. The blade slid across my wrist. I had experience this time. My hand was quick and steady. As the blood trickled down, memories of Finn and me flickered through my mind like a movie reel. I was just a year old. The first word I ever spoke wasn’t “mama” or “dada.” It was “Finn.” His eyes lit up as he took my outstretched finger in his hand, our parents looking on with envy. From that day on, he treated me like a queen. I hated homework. I wouldn’t listen to anyone and was constantly getting my parents called into school. My mother would try to discipline me, but he would stand in front of me. “Mom, let me handle it. I’ll tutor her.” I wouldn’t listen to teachers or tutors, only him. After just six months with him, my grades skyrocketed. The day I got into the best high school in the city, he ruffled my hair with pride. “You’re amazing, Serena. What do you want as a reward?” In middle school, I was bullied. I got into a fight and broke my arm. When he found out, he scolded me, his face dark with anger. “You can’t just go around hitting people!” But the next morning, he was standing at my school gate with a baseball bat. “Who hurt my sister? Get out here, now!” …

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388198”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 We spent everything, burying ourselves in debt to save our premature son. But in the end, we lost him. After that, I fell into a deep depression. Noah, terrified I’d do something reckless, tried everything to make me smile, even with the debt crushing him. “Babe, we can always make more money,” he’d say, holding me. “As long as I have you, we have a home.” He worked day and night—delivering food, driving for a ride-share. No matter how exhausted, he’d hug me the moment he got home. For a year, he held us together with sheer grit. I thought we’d make it through. I thought one day I’d tell him I was okay. But then I saw some kids playing outside and broke down. Noah, who had just walked in with bloodshot eyes, finally snapped. “Enough! When does this miserable life end?!” he screamed. “Everyone feels sorry for you. But what about me? Who feels sorry for me?” He threw his helmet down and ran out into the rain. I was alone. My eyes drifted to the utility knife on the windowsill. It would be better to be dead. Dead, so Noah wouldn’t have to pretend anymore. Dead, so I could be with my baby. … The rain hammered against the window, a frantic, desperate rhythm. Noah was gone. The security door slammed shut with a deafening bang. I stood there, staring at the closed door, the frame still trembling, my heart trembling with it. “Who the hell is here to feel sorry for me?” The words echoed in my mind, a relentless torment. He was right. Who was there for him? To pay for my therapy, to pay off the debts from a child we couldn’t even keep, he worked through fevers, through exhaustion. I was a burden. No child, no job. Now, I couldn’t even offer a sliver of emotional support. I just made things worse. My gaze fell on the windowsill, on the utility knife Noah used to open packages. The blade glinted in the dim light, a cold, silent invitation. It would be better to be dead. Once the thought took root, it was impossible to shake. Dead, so Noah wouldn’t have to pretend to be strong anymore. He wouldn’t have to eat leftovers to save money, wouldn’t have to force a smile for a five-dollar delivery fee in a downpour. And I could finally be with the baby who never got to call me “Mom.” I walked over and picked up the knife. It was light, yet it felt impossibly heavy. I went into the bathroom and locked the door. I stuffed a towel into the crack beneath it. I didn’t want the smell of blood to escape. Noah hated the smell of blood. He used to hide whenever I had to clean a fish. I turned on the faucet and lay down in the tub. The cold water seeped into my clothes, but I couldn’t feel it. I picked up my phone and opened my messages. His name, “My Husband,” was pinned to the top. The last message was from him, sent that afternoon: “Babe, what do you want for dinner? I’ll pick it up on my way home.” He was still trying then. Still trying to coax a smile out of me. I typed a new message: “Going to a friend’s to clear my head. Don’t look for me.” My finger hovered over the send button. Finally, I scheduled it to send at 8:30 PM. He would be home from the evening rush then. He’d be a little annoyed, but also relieved. He wouldn’t have to face me. He could get a good night’s sleep. I placed the phone on the sink, the screen casting a pale light on my face. I took the knife and drew it, hard, across my wrist. Once, twice. The skin parted, and a fountain of crimson erupted, blooming in the clear water like grotesque, garish flowers. I closed my eyes and leaned back. The warmth was draining from my body, bit by bit. As my consciousness faded, I saw my baby, smiling at me from the clouds, his chubby little arms reaching for me. “Mommy’s coming, baby,” I whispered. Tears mingled with the blood in the water. You won’t be alone anymore. Just before the darkness consumed me completely, I heard the rain stop. Good. The rain has stopped. And I don’t love you anymore, Noah. 2 When I opened my eyes again, I was floating near the ceiling, my body weightless. I looked down and saw myself in the bathtub. My face was waxy, my lips blue. The water was a dark, still red. I was dead. It was a strange, detached feeling. I heard a key in the lock. Click. The door opened. Noah was back. He was soaked, his hair plastered to his scalp, water dripping down his face. In his hand was a plastic container from the little takeout place down the street, my favorite noodles. He stood in the doorway, peering cautiously into the dark apartment. He slipped off his shoes quietly, afraid to wake me. “Babe?” he called out, his voice soft. No answer. He seemed to relax, probably assuming I was asleep, or still sulking in the bedroom. He placed the noodles on the table and peeled off his wet jacket. His face was etched with exhaustion, his eyes a web of red veins. He pushed the bedroom door open a crack. The bed was empty. He froze, then his eyes darted to the bathroom. The door was closed. The light was off. He walked over and tried the handle. Locked. “Babe? Are you in there?” He leaned against the door, his voice hoarse, pleading. “Are you still mad at me?” I floated in front of him, my heart aching at the sight of his hunched, weary form. He waited, but there was no sound from within. He sighed, figuring I was ignoring him, and slid down the door to sit on the cold, hard floor. His pants were still damp. There we were, separated by a thin sheet of wood. My body on one side, his tired back on the other. Life and death, so close. “Babe, I’m so sorry,” he whispered, picking at the grout between the tiles. “I was just… so tired. I got a complaint today, they docked me fifty bucks. I was just so frustrated, and then I saw you crying, and I just… lost it. Please, don’t ignore me. Yell at me, hit me, anything.” He pulled a small, crushed box from his pocket. Inside were a few strawberries, slightly bruised, but still a vibrant red. “Look, I bought you strawberries. Not many, but they’re sweet. The guy said it was the last box. Please, just open the door. Come out and have one.” The bathroom was silent, except for the occasional drip, drip, drip of the faucet. 3 Noah let out a bitter laugh. “Fine, you don’t have to come out. Just… listen to me talk for a bit.” “Babe, we only have two hundred thousand left on the debt. Just give me another year. No, half a year. I’ll work my ass off for another six months, and then things will be easier. I’ll take you traveling. We’ll go to all the places you’ve ever wanted to see. We’ll have another baby, okay?” His voice broke on the last words. He buried his head in his knees, his shoulders shaking. “I miss our baby, too… I’m in so much pain… but I’m a man. I have to hold it together. If I fall apart, what will happen to you?” I watched him cry, wanting so desperately to stroke his hair, but my hand passed right through him. You fool. You’d be so much better off without me. He rambled on for a long time, talking about the past, the future, the child we never got to raise. His voice grew quieter and quieter until, finally, he fell asleep, slumped against the door, his arms wrapped around his knees. His phone buzzed in his pocket. 8:30 PM. My scheduled message had sent. He was sleeping too soundly to hear it. Dawn broke. A sliver of sunlight pierced through the curtains, falling across his face. He stirred, then shot awake, his first instinct to check the time. He scrambled to his feet. “Shit, I’m going to be late for the morning rush!” He grabbed his jacket, but then he remembered. He looked back at the bathroom door. Still closed. He checked the bedroom again. The blankets were neatly folded, untouched. “Mia?” he called out, a flicker of confusion in his voice. He pulled out his phone and finally saw the message from the night before. “Going to a friend’s to clear my head. Don’t look for me.” He stared at the screen for a long moment, then his shoulders slumped. A sad, tired smile touched his lips. “Probably for the best,” he muttered to himself. “At least she won’t have to look at my miserable face. And I can focus on work.” He believed it completely. I’d gone to my friend’s place after fights before. It never occurred to him that I was just on the other side of that door. He saw the cold noodles on the table, the grease congealed into white clumps. He didn’t throw them away. He sat down and shoveled the cold, greasy noodles into his mouth, washing them down with gulps of cold water. He ate quickly, then carefully placed the bruised strawberries in the fridge, sticking a note on the door: “Babe, strawberries are in the fridge. Don’t forget to eat them when you get back. I love you. Don’t be mad anymore.” Then he put on his helmet and rushed out the door. I was alone again. I looked at the note. Those strawberries… I would never get to eat them.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388216”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My daughter, Mia, was about to receive her award at the robotics competition when a well-dressed man suddenly stood up. “I remember your school has a rule: a donation of five million dollars adds ten points to the student’s score for the year. There’s five million on this card. The first prize belongs to my son!” Everyone present was stunned. The teacher hesitated for a moment before nodding. Mia stood on the stage, bewildered. “But I’m the real winner!” The man’s son sneered at Mia. “Mia Carter, so what if you work hard? My mom is rich. The chance to study at the top lab belongs to me.” Mia was about to cry. I walked up, held her hand, and smiled at the arrogant father and son. “You say there’s five million on the card? Is it true? Why don’t we verify it right now?” The man nodded proudly. “Of course. My wife has plenty of money. Swipe it now!” My smile deepened. That card was clearly my supplementary card. It was the allowance I gave my wife! 1 Charles glanced at me disdainfully and handed the card to the teacher with an air of superiority. Someone gasped, “That’s… that’s the Supreme VIP Black Card! Only those with assets over a hundred billion can have it!” “Oh my god, the Chen family is top-tier wealthy!” Charles clearly enjoyed the praise, his arrogance undisguised. He glanced at Mia with a mix of contempt and pity. “Little girl, blame your parents for not being able to afford five million. People like you, no matter how hard you try, are just stepping stones for us.” Mia’s face flushed red, and she shouted angrily, “That’s not fair! I won first place!” She had loved artificial intelligence since she was little. She prepared for this competition for three years, and the study opportunity was her dream. Parents whispered among themselves, some sighing. “This is too cruel to the child.” “But wealth is power, especially in international private schools like this. There’s no fairness in the face of privilege. This is a lesson she must learn.” Even the teacher shook his head at Mia. “Rules are rules.” Seeing this, Leo Chen laughed even more arrogantly. “I told you, Mia Carter, you can’t beat me. So what if you have talent?! Your efforts are worthless in front of me!” “Dad, can I go get the award now?” Charles looked at me triumphantly and said to his son, “Of course.” Mia’s face crumpled, tears welling up in her eyes, stubbornly repeating, “I won first place, I won first place!” Heartbroken yet amused, I whispered in her ear. Her eyes widened. “Dad, really?” I nodded. “Watch.” Just as Leo strutted towards the podium, the teacher hurried over. “Mr. Chen, this card is locked. It can’t be used!” Charles frowned and raised his voice. “Impossible! You bumpkins just don’t know how to use it!” Helpless, the teacher handed the card reader to him. Beep! A mechanical female voice announced: “Your card cannot be used!” “How is this possible?” Charles stepped back in surprise. Other parents laughed. “Mr. Chen, did you pick up that card somewhere?” “If you don’t have five million, why pretend? How embarrassing!” Charles gritted his teeth and tried again and again. “Your card cannot be used!” “Your card cannot be used!” The laughter and murmurs grew louder. Leo got anxious. “Dad, what’s going on? I need to get the award!” Watching Charles’s embarrassment, I stepped forward and smiled. “Since Mr. Chen can’t produce the five million, the first prize still belongs to my daughter.” Mia’s face brightened. She winked at me and started towards the podium. “Wait! The card has a problem, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have five million. The award is my son’s!” Charles stared at me darkly, then dialed a number. Soon, my wife, Sarah’s voice came through. 2 After hanging up, Charles regained his arrogance. “Don’t worry, son. No one can take this award from you. It’s yours!” He looked at me provocatively. I sneered. Just now, Charles and Sarah flirted on the phone, their tone so intimate it was embarrassing. Soon, my phone rang. Sarah ordered me arrogantly: “Zachary, what’s wrong with the card you gave me? Contact the bank immediately to unlock it and raise the limit to fifty million!” I remained calm. “What do you need so much money for?” “Business entertainment, of course. Stop nagging and do it!” I lowered my eyes to hide the coldness within. Anyone familiar with me knows this is a sign of impending doom. Ridiculous. A woman living off my family dares to keep a lover under my nose and boss me around. I must have been too lenient, making her forget who the real master of this house is! Seeing no reaction from me, Sarah sent a few angry voice messages and then went silent. Charles held up his phone, showing a bank balance of exactly five million! He smiled politely, but his eyes were full of triumph. “Teacher, rest assured. I told you, rich families don’t lack five million. Even fifty million is nothing. Unlike families living on wages, stingy about even a hundred thousand.” He glanced at me meaningfully, then pretended to be kind to Mia. “Little girl, remember to be born into a better family next time. Don’t let your hard work be snatched away so easily.” Mia smiled at Charles. “Uncle, no one can snatch what belongs to me!” I stepped forward, smiling, and said slowly: “Exactly. No one can snatch what belongs to my daughter!” “It’s just five million.” A kind parent pulled me aside. “Mia’s dad, five million isn’t a small amount. For the rich, it’s handbag money, but for ordinary families, it’s astronomical. The study opportunity is rare, but don’t risk your family’s future.” Other parents advised me not to be impulsive, while sycophants sneered: “How much do you earn a year? Trying to imitate the rich, throwing money around. Careful not to lose your house!” “Some people just want to show off without weighing their own worth!” It’s my fault for teaching Mia to be low-key. Everyone thinks we’re an ordinary working-class family, and Mia got into this school on merit alone. I glanced at the sycophants, noting their associated companies, and made a decision. I smiled politely at the teacher. “I’ll do as Leo’s dad did and transfer the money to the school account.” Ding! “Five million received!” The mechanical voice from the teacher’s phone silenced the crowd. Then someone shouted: “Holy crap! Mia’s dad really paid five million!” Charles’s face darkened. He gritted his teeth and operated his phone. Ding! “Ten million received!” The crowd erupted. “Ten million?! Is he crazy?” “You don’t understand. This is top-tier wealth! Mr. Chen is truly powerful!” Three large donations in a row made the teacher wipe sweat from his forehead. Leo couldn’t help but gloat. “Dad, you’re the best!” Charles enjoyed the praise, patting his son’s head. “Son, don’t worry. Your mom said whatever you want, she’ll support it. What’s ten million?” Indeed, what is ten million? An unfaithful woman using my money to support her lover and bully my daughter. She really has a death wish! I wonder how far Sarah will go for this father and son, and how much money she has embezzled from me? Under Charles’s arrogant gaze, I spoke slowly: “Twenty million!” 3 Everyone stared at me in disbelief. “Is Mia’s dad crazy? Does he have twenty million?!” Charles gritted his teeth. “Talk is cheap…” Before he could finish, “Ding! Twenty million received!” echoed in everyone’s ears. My smile deepened. “I don’t mind contributing more to education. Do you want to continue? I’ll play along to the end!” “Oh my god, Mia’s family isn’t simple! Who knew!” The teacher wiped his sweat again, unable to hide his joy, and looked at Charles. “Leo’s parent, do you want to raise the bid?” Charles’s cold gaze darkened. He took out his phone and called Sarah again. Moments later, triumph returned to his face. He deliberately unfolded his tri-fold phone, revealing the wallpaper. Someone spotted it immediately. “The woman on the screen is Sarah Shen, General Manager of Zhouhai Group! My god, she’s Leo’s mom!” “Look, it’s a family of three on the screen. Hard to imagine the cold, high-powered business goddess smiling so sweetly.” “Mia’s first place is gone. No matter how rich her dad is, he can’t beat Zhouhai Group in this city!” A kind parent pulled me aside again. “Mia’s dad, stop trying to be brave. Everyone knows how powerful Zhouhai Group is. Offending them means losing your business and going bankrupt!” Charles walked towards me arrogantly, eyes full of contempt. “I wanted to keep a low profile, but someone is blind. Now you know? Your petty cash is nothing to top families like us!” I raised an eyebrow. “You mean your wife is Sarah Shen, GM of Zhouhai Group?” “Dad, that’s clearly…” Mia almost blurted out. I pressed her hand and winked. She understood immediately. Charles and his son didn’t notice our interaction, still basking in the flattery. Charles nodded at me arrogantly. “Scared now?” He smiled maliciously. “You offended me today. But I’m generous. If you and your daughter kowtow three times to me and my son in front of everyone, I’ll tell my wife not to pursue your fault.” “Otherwise, she’ll bankrupt your family!” “Little girl, forget about robotics competitions. You won’t even be able to afford school!” Mia was furious. “I’ve never seen such shameless people!” She spat at Charles. “Pah!” Leo rushed over to hit Mia. “I’ll kill you, little bitch! How dare you spit on my dad!” I pushed him down. A scream. “Dad! My knee is scraped! It hurts!” Charles glared at me, seeing Leo’s bloody knee, his eyes turned murderous. “This won’t end well today. My wife is coming. Zhouhai Group’s legal team isn’t to be trifled with. You and your daughter will spend the rest of your lives in jail!” I raised an eyebrow. Saves me the trouble of calling Sarah. My group’s special assistant and top legal experts are on their way with divorce papers and Sarah’s termination letter. Today is the end for this adulterous couple! Hearing Sarah was coming, the sycophants rushed to comfort Leo and mock me, their words getting viler. “Lowly people don’t know their place. You can’t bear GM Shen’s wrath! Prepare to lose everything!” “Mia, forget school. Go pick trash with your dad!” “Picking trash isn’t enough. The old one finds a sugar mama, the young one will follow suit and find a sugar daddy! Fast money!” Just then, a Cayenne sped up. “It’s the Zhouhai executive car!” “GM Shen is a virtuous wife, caring so much about her husband and son to come so fast! The Carter family is finished!” The sycophants looked at me and Mia with undisguised malice. Charles smiled, his face twisting with the pleasure of impending revenge. “Poor loser, my wife is here. Your death date has arrived!” 4 I remained calm, a faint smile on my face. “Is that so?” Sarah, dressed expensively, went straight to Charles and Leo, ignoring me and Mia a few meters away. Seeing Leo’s bloody knee, she was furious. “Who did this? Don’t they know Leo is my son?” “Who has a death wish!” Charles gritted his teeth. “Wife, it’s that bastard! You must get justice for me and our son!” Following Charles’s finger, Sarah’s dark face froze, turning into shock. I met her gaze meaningfully, slowly walking over with my daughter. Charles urged, “Sarah, it’s them!” Sycophants chimed in, “GM Shen, this pair of lowlifes bullied the young master and refused to apologize!” Forced, Sarah walked towards me quickly. As she got close, she lowered her voice: “Zachary, what’s going on? Why are you here? And you hurt Leo? We’ll talk at home. Now, apologize to them solemnly, and we’ll let this go. I don’t want to embarrass you publicly.” I raised my eyebrow and voice so everyone could hear: “Apologize? Is she worthy?! Sarah Shen, shouldn’t you explain why Leo calls you mom and Charles calls you wife?” The crowd buzzed. “What does this guy mean? Questioning GM Shen?” “He sounds like a husband questioning a cheating wife!” “Impossible. Everyone knows GM Shen is here for Charles and Leo.” Embarrassed, Sarah’s face turned green. She whispered a threat: “Zachary, don’t go too far. I just adopted Leo. Why are your thoughts so dirty! A grown man picking on a child!” “Besides, I’m your wife! We share honor and disgrace! Embarrassing me does you no good. Shut up and apologize!” I sneered and slapped Sarah hard across the face. “Sarah Shen, have you forgotten who you are?” The crisp slap stunned Sarah and shocked everyone. “Is this guy crazy?! Hitting Sarah Shen, GM of Zhouhai Group? Does he want to die?” Charles glared at me. “You bastard, dare to hit my wife!” He ordered the security guards, “Hold him down! I’ll knock his teeth out!” Security rushed at us. Sarah stared at me silently. Just as they got close, Mia blurted out: “Mom, Charles and Leo bullied Dad and me. Why are you siding with them and letting security hurt us?” “Mom, don’t you know Leo tried to buy my first prize with money? You know how important this award is to me!” Everyone was shocked. “Mom”? “Mia calls Sarah mom, Leo calls Sarah mom. Either someone’s crazy, or this is huge gossip!” “Quick, livestream! Guaranteed viral!” Mia looked angry. “Mom, say something!” “Little bitch, what are you yelling! She’s my mom. Who are you?” Leo glared at Mia. Charles scanned my face and laughed: “I see, you’re picking a fight with me to get attention and seduce my Sarah. Are you worthy?” “You and your daughter are equally low!” He glared at Mia. “No wonder a girl so young reeks of sluttiness. Like father, like daughter. Has she tasted men already?” My anger surged. “You have a death wish!” I won’t allow anyone to insult my daughter. My face darkened terrifyingly as I looked at Sarah: “Sarah Shen, aren’t you going to explain clearly to everyone?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388232”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 I ordered a housekeeping bot to make my life easier. Instead, they sent me a living, breathing man. An incubus, to be exact. With a tail and an appetite that could never be satisfied. He wore me to a frazzle, so I took my friends’ advice and sent him back. But then I saw the security footage of him shivering and curled up in a cold logistics warehouse. Against my better judgment, I drove through the night to get him back. The night I brought him home, he buried his face in the crook of my neck, his breath hot and searing against my skin. “My owner… who touched you?” His cold, scaled tail coiled around my waist like a python, the sharp tip pressing against the hollow of my throat. “Tell me,” he whispered, “can anyone else… feed my owner the way I can?” … The delivery guy was panting as he set the man-sized box down at my door. “Ma’am, what in the world did you order? This thing weighs a ton.” “A housekeeping bot,” I said casually. “The latest high-tech model.” After he left, I tore open the box. I wasn’t met with the gleam of metal I expected, but with… a man. A man curled up in packing foam, completely naked. And attached to him was a long, black, scaled tail, which was twitching unconsciously against the cardboard. I was stunned. I immediately whipped out my phone, snapped three pictures of the box’s contents, and fired them off to customer service. 【Care to explain this?】 【I ordered a fully automated cleaning bot, and you sent me a male escort?】 【A freak with a tail, no less! Is this human trafficking or some kind of Resident Evil experiment?!】 Customer service replied in seconds. 【Dear customer, you’ve received our newest model, the Bionic Domestic Companion!】 【He not only cleans and cooks but also warms your bed and keeps you company. He’s fully featured. You’ve hit the jackpot!】 I laughed, but there was no humor in it. 【Jackpot my ass! I want a refund!】 The “typing…” indicator flickered for a long time. 【Dear, this is a special prize from our mystery box promotion. All sales are final once opened.】 【Besides, he’s already imprinted on you. He won’t survive if you send him back.】 I was about to unleash a storm of curses when the man in the box stirred. He slowly sat up, long black hair cascading over his face. When his unfocused eyes found me, they glowed with an eerie violet light. Those weren’t human pupils. He stared at me, his nostrils flaring as if he’d caught a scent. The next second, he lunged. That slick, cold tail wrapped around me instantly, tightening its grip. “Hungry…” He opened his mouth, revealing sharp fangs, and nuzzled against my neck. Terrified, I kicked him away. He barely flinched, seeming not to feel the pain at all. A strange flush crept across his pale face. “So… fragrant…” I scrambled into my bedroom and locked the door behind me. My hands shook as I sent a voice message to customer service. 【This thing is going to eat me! I’m calling the cops! I’m suing you!】 A series of bowing and pleading emojis flooded my screen. 【Please, don’t! Ma’am! He’s an incubus! He doesn’t want to eat your flesh!】 【Just stay calm! Give him a three-day trial! Just a little something to eat is all he needs! I’m begging you!】 From the other side of the door came the sound of nails scratching against wood, followed by the man’s low, desperate plea. “Owner… open the door… I’m so hungry…” 2 I spent the whole night huddled in my bedroom. The sounds from the living room only died down as dawn broke. Clutching a can of pepper spray, I cautiously opened the door. The living room was a disaster. The incubus was lying motionless at the foot of the sofa, his tail limp on the carpet, its scales dull and lifeless. Was he… dead? I poked his side with the handle of a broom. “Hey.” No response. I poked him again. He rolled over. His face was ashen, his lips cracked and peeling. Only the faint rise and fall of his chest told me he was still alive. I grabbed my phone and messaged customer service. 【What do I feed him? Raw meat? Cooked?】 【Saliva, sweat, blood… anything from your body is his energy source.】 【What kind of sick design is that?】 【I want to return him. Now. Immediately.】 Customer service started laying it on thick. 【Dear, the return process is very complicated, and in his current state, no courier would even take him.】 【Please, just do a good deed. Even a single drop of saliva will help him recover.】 【Saving a demon’s life is, like, a million karma points, I swear!】 The man on the floor suddenly convulsed. The tip of his tail curled pathetically, brushing against my calf in a silent plea. My biggest weakness has always been my soft heart. I couldn’t just watch him die in my living room. I went to the kitchen, poured a glass of water, and took a sip. Kneeling in front of him, I cupped his chin. He had one of those devastatingly beautiful faces. Even on the verge of death, his unnatural beauty was breathtaking. I closed my eyes, leaned in, and transferred the water from my mouth to his. The moment our lips touched, he snapped awake. The man who’d been as limp as a corpse suddenly opened his eyes, his violet, slitted pupils flaring with light. His hand clamped around the back of my head. His tongue swept through my mouth, greedily, desperately, taking everything I had to give. I tried to push him away, but his strength was immense. The coppery tang of blood filled my mouth before he finally, reluctantly, pulled away. A thin strand of saliva connected our lips. He let out a satisfied sigh. “Thank you for the meal… Owner.” I wiped my mouth, gagging. “Get lost! Stay away from me!” It was as if he didn’t understand a word I said. 3 To keep him from starving to death in my apartment, I was forced into the role of his “feeder.” But I had my limits. This was a one-time thing. Absolutely no repeats. I pointed to a glass on the table. “From now on, you drink from my used glasses or eat my leftovers.” His name was Silas. At my words, his beautiful eyes instantly dimmed. His tail drooped, sweeping listlessly across the floor. “But… that’s not much energy.” “Take it or leave it. Starve for all I care.” My face was a cold mask as I tossed him one of my old T-shirts. “Put this on. And stop parading around naked.” Silas looked wounded, but he obeyed, pulling on the shirt to cover his dangerously alluring body. Except for the tail. The jeans I gave him didn’t have a hole, so his tail was uncomfortably coiled up at his waist, creating a conspicuous bulge. Over the next few days, I had to admit, he was useful. He handled all the chores, and his cooking was better than a five-star chef’s. He was also incredibly perceptive. A slight frown from me, and he’d know whether I needed a glass of water or just some quiet. If it weren’t for that tail, which was constantly trying to cross a line, I might have actually started to accept him. One Saturday night, I was on the couch watching a movie when I felt something brush against my ankle. Something cool and smooth. I looked down. Silas was kneeling on the rug, diligently wiping down the coffee table. But at some point, his tail had snaked its way out of his jeans. Like a nimble serpent, it was slithering up my ankle, already inside my pant leg. Goosebumps erupted all over my skin. “What do you think you’re doing?!” Silas looked up, the picture of innocence, but the corners of his eyes were tinged with a seductive blush. “Owner, my tail itches.” “Then go scratch it on a wall! Why are you rubbing it on me?” “Only my owner’s warmth can soothe it.” He crawled closer, his voice so soft it was almost liquid. “Owner, will you help me wash it? It’s so dirty between the scales. It’s really uncomfortable.” I stared at his gleaming black tail. He had a point. He’d been dragging that thing all over the apartment for days; God knows what kind of germs were on it. I’m a bit of a clean freak, and the thought of where that tail had just been made my skin crawl. “…Get in the bathroom.” The bathroom was thick with steam. Wearing rubber gloves and holding a scrub brush, I went to town on that tail. “Ah… gently… Owner…” Silas braced his hands against the wall, his body arched like a bow. Sweet, thick moans escaped his throat. “…Keep it down! One more peep out of you and I’ll chop that thing off!” I scrubbed harder, the bristles scraping harshly against his scales. He trembled more violently, his knees going weak until he almost collapsed. The look he gave me over his shoulder was shimmering with unshed tears. It wasn’t pain. It was pure bliss. “Owner… so rough…” I couldn’t take it anymore. I threw the shower head at him. “Pervert! Wash it yourself!” I fled the bathroom as if escaping a fire. 4 After that night, Silas became even clingier. But I kept my distance, even starting to seriously consider sending him back for good. That Friday, my company had a team-building event. I drank too much and got home late. When I pushed the door open, the apartment was dark. But the air was thick with a sweet, cloying scent so potent it was suffocating. The entire place felt like a furnace. “Silas?” In the moonlight filtering through the window, I saw piles of clothes in the living room. My clothes. Lingerie, jackets, nightgowns… all heaped into a massive nest. In the center of the nest, a dark shape was trembling violently. The alcohol haze vanished. I fumbled my way toward it. “What the hell are you doing?” Before I could get close, the shadow shot up. A wave of intense heat hit me, throwing me back onto the sofa. Silas was on top of me. His skin was scorching, like a branding iron, flushed an unnatural, feverish red. Sweat dripped from his hair onto my face. His violet eyes were dilated, devoid of reason, filled with nothing but a raw, overwhelming desire. “Owner…” he gasped, his voice a ragged rasp, like sandpaper on wood. His hands pinned my wrists. I struggled, “Let me go! You’re burning up! Do you have a fever? I’ll get you some medicine!” “Human medicine won’t work.” He buried his face in my neck, inhaling my scent like a man starved, his teeth grazing my pulse point. “Silas! Snap out of it!” I tried to knee him in the stomach, but his tail coiled around my legs with effortless strength. The scales, now bristled and sharp, scraped against the sensitive skin of my inner thighs, sending a jolt of sharp pain and dizzying pleasure through me. My phone had fallen onto the rug, its screen lit up. Just then, a series of messages from customer service finally came through. 【Hey! By my calculations, your incubus should be entering his heat cycle!】 【Whatever you do, don’t let him go hungry! An incubus in heat without enough energy to stabilize him will go feral!】 【Remember! At this stage, saliva won’t be enough! You need a deeper exchange!】 My mind went blank. Deeper? How much deeper? Before I could process it, Silas ripped open the front of my blouse. Buttons scattered across the floor with a series of sharp clicks. He lifted his head. The face that usually played cute and obedient was now twisted into a mask of raw, savage lust. The tip of his tail slithered up my waist, heading for the most dangerous territory. “Owner, since you refuse to feed me properly…” His smile was wicked, predatory. “I’ll just have to take it myself.” The cold tip of his tail pressed against the thin fabric of my underwear.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388248”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 My husband’s sister, Maya, suffers from a rare condition we call emotional hemophilia. The slightest hint of sadness can cause her to bleed from her eyes, nose, and ears. To better care for her, my husband, Mike, moved her in with us. The moment Maya took up residence, Mike declared our home a “no-sadness zone.” Everything had to revolve around her. When she deleted my work files or broke a necklace that was precious to me, I had to force a smile and comfort her. When she complained that the guest room was too small and demanded our master bedroom, I gave it up without a fight. It all came to a head when she told Mike he should divorce me. “She’s my only sister, Eve, and she’s sick,” Mike coaxed, his voice a gentle murmur. “Living here, she can’t help but feel like an outsider. It’s just a piece of paper. Can we just get divorced for now, for her sake?” I paused for a moment, then offered him a small smile. “Alright.” A light sparked in Mike’s eyes. He pulled me into a tight embrace. “Thank you, Eve. Thank you. I’ll make this up to you, I promise.” “I know,” I said, the smile never leaving my lips. As soon as an elated Mike had left the room, I opened a message on my phone from my real estate agent. Ms. Thorne, the buyers are eager to move in. When can you be out? In three days. … After sending the reply, the smile finally faded from my face. I turned and began to pack the clothes from my closet, preparing to leave the home I had lived in for over a decade. Just then, Maya walked in with two workmen. Her face was glowing, her spirits high. She pointed to my bedroom window. “Take down those old curtains and toss them. And make sure you get the measurements right for the new ones.” The men began setting up a ladder, their boots tracking dirt all over my bedroom floor. I stared at Maya, then at the curtains, a deep frown creasing my brow. Those curtains were custom-made by my mother before she died. When Mike and I first got married, he had nothing. But he was a top graduate, hardworking and honest, with a future full of promise. My mother, worried I would struggle, signed her old two-bedroom apartment over to me. It became our marital home. Maya smiled sweetly at my confusion. “Well, Eve, since you’re moving out after the divorce, you won’t mind if I redecorate, will you?” I remained silent, the words caught in my throat. A moment later, Mike came in, pulling a suitcase. He saw the scene and his face fell, his eyes immediately flicking to mine. “Just put the ladder on the bed,” Maya commanded the workers. “It’ll be faster.” “Maya,” Mike said, his voice a low warning. He reached for my hand, a placating gesture. She turned, her smile unwavering. “Mike, I picked out new curtains. It’s a style you love. They’ll be delivered tomorrow.” Mike’s guilty gaze lingered on my face for a heartbeat longer. Then, he turned to Maya and smiled. “As long as you like them.” The discomfort vanished from his features, replaced by his usual gentle warmth. “Okay,” he said to the workmen. “Let’s get this done quickly so she has time to pack.” “Just step on the bed,” Maya instructed them. “Hurry up.” The workers complied, their dusty work boots leaving clear, damning footprints on the pristine silk sheets I had just changed. I opened my mouth to protest, but Mike’s grip on my wrist tightened. He shook his head almost imperceptibly, his brow furrowed in a silent plea. He pulled me aside. “That’s just how Maya is,” he whispered. “She’s sick, Eve. Don’t stoop to her level. I’ll help you pack the old ones up later. We can hang them in your new apartment.” A cold laugh escaped my lips. I calmly pulled my hand from his grasp. “Don’t bother.” Mike let out a soft sigh, his patience wearing thin. “Are you angry?” He tried to soothe me, his voice dropping to a gentle hush. “I know this was your mother’s favorite pattern. But she’s gone now, and you won’t be living here anymore. When you move back in, we can pick out a new set together, okay?” My voice was flat. “What makes you so sure I’ll be moving back in?” He smiled then, his eyes soft and warm as he ruffled my hair. He bent down, meeting my gaze. “I’m here. You wouldn’t have the heart to stay away, would you?” He was right. In the past, whenever we fought, I’d leave for a night at most. Like me, Mike had lost his parents early. He knew I had nowhere else to go, and he would always come find me, coaxing me back home with a few sweet words. Then he would make my favorite dish: sweet and sour pork ribs. My stomach was sensitive; I couldn’t handle anything spicy. The ribs were my mother’s signature dish. Before every meal, I used to place a few pieces in front of her photograph. But since Maya moved in, the ribs had disappeared from our table. The reason? Remembering our parents would make Maya sad about her own. Even on the anniversary of my mother’s death, I had to pay my respects outside. When I came home that day, Maya had insisted I take down my mother’s picture. “That black and white photo in the living room is so morbid,” she’d complained. “It scares me.” I refused. She threw a tantrum, crying and screaming until she collapsed, bleeding from her face. At the hospital, she told Mike I had done it on purpose to upset her. Mike’s face had been a mask of cold fury. “Even if you see Maya as a burden, you have no right to provoke her like this,” he’d hissed at me. “She’s my only sister, my only family.” “Why can’t you just accept her?!” After that, my mother’s portrait was moved from the living room to our bedroom, then to the guest room. And today, it was leaving this house with me for good. “We’ll sign the papers tomorrow, and then I’ll help you move,” Mike said, his eyes filled with a tender affection that no longer reached me. I didn’t answer. The agent messaged me again. [Ms. Thorne, just to confirm, three days from now? I need to schedule the locksmith.] [Confirmed.] 2 The next day, Mike and I finalized our divorce. Before we even got home, he had already sent a picture of the divorce certificate to Maya, to put her mind at ease. On the drive back, he steered with one hand, his other resting on my wrist. He gave me a sly wink. “I’ll help you pack when we get home. In a little while, we’ll get remarried, keep it a secret from Maya. Once she’s fully accepted you, you can move back in.” He was so sure of himself. “After you’re gone for a bit, you can come back with some of her favorite snacks. She’ll come around. I know my sister.” I turned to look at him. “Why do I need her to accept me?” A frown creased his brow, his handsome face clouding with disappointment. “You’re still angry?” I turned away, staring out the window. He tried again, his voice laced with practiced patience. “She’s a patient, Eve. Be the bigger person. Why are you still holding a grudge?” “She’s sick, and she’s gotten used to living here. When we remarry, we’ll sell this place and buy a bigger one. I’ll even let you pick the master bedroom first, how about that?” I looked at him, my expression impassive. “I couldn’t even have the master bedroom in my own apartment. What makes you think a new one would be any different?” His face instantly hardened. A chill crept into his eyes. He pulled the car over to the side of the road, yanked his tie loose, and grabbed my wrist, his grip bruising. “I know you’re still upset about what happened. But I slept in the guest room with you, didn’t I?” “Maya is sick! She can’t handle stress! Are you trying to push her over the edge, Eve? Do you want me to end up all alone, like you?” His voice rose to a furious shout. “I never knew you were so selfish!” He threw the car door open and stormed off, leaving me alone in the passenger seat. I didn’t have a driver’s license. After my mother’s car accident, I never wanted to learn. The car she had bought for me had always been driven by Mike. And now he had just walked away. He didn’t care that I was still sitting there, as if I were a stranger who had never been part of his world. Fine, I thought. Once I’m gone, we’ll have no reason to contact each other anyway. Let him go. I sighed and called a car service to drive me home. It was dark by the time I arrived. Mike wasn’t back yet. Maya was curled up on the sofa, watching a comedy special and laughing her head off. She looked surprised to see me for a second, then her expression went blank and she turned back to the TV. “My brother said you’d be back,” she said, her voice flat. “Didn’t think it would be this soon. He made you sweet and sour pork ribs. They’re on the table.” I glanced at the dish, feeling nothing. “I’ve already eaten.” How ironic, to see that dish again on the eve of my departure. Was this Mike’s idea of an apology? He always believed that no matter how far I went, I would always come back. He didn’t know that this time, I was leaving for good. I pushed the thought aside and walked toward the guest room. The moment I flicked on the light, I saw the chaos. The soiled silk duvet was a crumpled, filthy heap in the corner. The bed frame was dismantled, parts scattered across the dirt-caked floor. And the suitcases I had packed were gone. I turned around. Maya was standing behind me, her arms crossed. “I packed your things for you,” she said slowly. “They’re on the balcony.” “My brother said this room is the most soundproof. He’s turning it into a treatment room for me.” 3 A chill settled deep in my bones. I hadn’t even left yet, and she was already throwing my life aside. They both seemed to have forgotten that this apartment was mine. But I was too tired to argue anymore. I walked toward the balcony, planning to leave that night. As I rounded the coffee table, I saw through the glass door that there was only a single, small suitcase out there—no bigger than a carry-on. My face went pale, my hands beginning to tremble. I had packed several large suitcases with my clothes, my toiletries, my mother’s portrait, and all her keepsakes. My heart hammered against my ribs as I rushed forward and opened the small case. Inside were a few tattered clothes and garbage bags, the rest of the space stuffed with trash. My mother’s portrait and her jewelry were nowhere to be found. Neither were my own bags and valuables. “Where is my mother’s picture?” I asked, my voice dangerously low as I fought to control my rage. Maya shot me a defiant look and lounged back on the sofa. “Oh, that old junk? I threw it out. This place is too small to store so much clutter.” She gestured toward the balcony with her chin. “But I left you a change of clothes.” Her tone was so casual, as if throwing away my most precious possessions was a minor inconvenience she had graciously handled. I sucked in a breath, my fists clenching. “Those were my things,” I said, my voice rising. “What gave you the right?” My tone seemed to startle her. She sat up, a flicker of surprise in her eyes, quickly replaced by a look of wounded innocence. I ignored her and stormed toward the master bedroom. She followed close behind, her voice sharp. “This is my bedroom now!” I paid her no mind, flicking on the light. There, neatly stacked in a corner, were my suitcases. My missing skincare products and jewelry were arranged on her vanity. I suppose I had been patient for too long. An uncontrollable fury surged through me. I didn’t care about the material things. All I wanted was my mother’s portrait. “My brother said everything in this house is mine,” Maya snapped. I began to tear the room apart, searching—the closet, the drawers, under the bed. Every possible hiding place. Nothing. Seeing my desperation, Maya seemed to relax. She wiped a trickle of blood from her nose with the back of her hand. “If you rush to the dumpster now,” she taunted, “you might still find it.” “You did this on purpose,” I said, grabbing her wrist. “Of course I did,” she sneered, her confidence returning. “I’m sick of seeing you mooning over a dead person’s picture all day.” Her contempt was a physical force, pressing down on me. My lips tightened. I finally understood the significance of the pork ribs on the table. It was Mike’s pathetic attempt at a peace offering, knowing she had thrown away the one thing that truly mattered to me. Just as I was about to confront her, the front door opened. Mike was home. 4 The moment Maya heard his voice, she ran to him, throwing herself into his arms in a flood of tears, as if she were the one who had been grievously wronged. Blood was trickling from her nose as she clutched at his shirt. Mike’s face immediately darkened. He looked down at her, his brow furrowed with concern. “Eve, I know I shouldn’t have taken your jewelry,” Maya sobbed. “And the workmen are coming tomorrow, that’s the only reason I had them take the bed apart! I’ll let you have the master bedroom back, just please don’t be mad at me!” Tears of blood streamed down her face. I didn’t want to waste my breath on explanations. I walked straight toward them. “Where is it?” Without a word, Mike shoved me away, shielding Maya in his arms. The force sent me stumbling back, the small of my back slamming into the sharp corner of a table. “Even if you’re angry at me, Eve, you don’t take it out on Maya.” His voice was laced with ice. “Why are you so malicious?” A searing pain shot through my lower back. Cold sweat beaded on my forehead. My chest tightened, and I struggled to breathe. “You’ve disappointed me so much,” Mike said, his voice dripping with contempt. “I thought you would finally let it go, but you just keep targeting her, deliberately provoking her, trying to kill her.” I looked up, trying to speak, but Maya’s sobs grew louder. Mike grabbed my arm and, ignoring my injury, dragged me out of the room and threw me into the hallway. I collapsed onto the floor, my back throbbing and my elbow scraped raw. I looked up at him, at the eyes that once held such tenderness for me, now filled with a cold, final resolve. The sound of the door slamming shut echoed in my head like a gunshot. “Open the door! Give me back my picture!” I pounded on the door, but there was no response. Faintly, I heard Mike’s voice from inside. “She only cares about this apartment. She’ll be back.” My heart finally shattered. I clutched my chest, my body shaking with a pain that was more than physical. Then I remembered the dumpsters downstairs. I forced myself up, hobbled into the elevator, and as soon as the doors opened, I ran, ignoring the agony in my back. People stared at me with disgust as I tore through the garbage, but I didn’t care. I let the grime cover me from head to toe. I searched all night. Finally, at the very bottom of a dumpster, I found it. My mother’s portrait, nestled amongst the filth, miraculously unharmed. I clutched it to my chest and wept until I had no strength left. The pain in my back flared, a constant, throbbing reminder. I looked up at the apartment building, my heart a hollow, empty cavern. The sun was rising. It was all over. Upstairs, Mike and Maya were probably still asleep. The new owners arrived and saw me immediately. “Ms. Thorne?” the man asked, his eyes wide with surprise. “Are you alright?” “I lost something,” I said, my lips cracked and dry. I pushed myself to my feet. “You’ve moved all your things out, then?” the wife asked, her face beaming with excitement. I handed them the keys. “Whatever’s left, you can do with as you please. The rooms, the furniture, it’s all yours now. But… the previous occupant might need some time to accept reality.” The husband, Mr. Davis, understood immediately. “We’ll handle it,” he said with a nod. He made a quick phone call, and I saw a few professional-looking security guards join them. They took the keys and headed upstairs, their faces bright with the joy of a new home. I carefully wiped the dirt from my mother’s portrait, got into the waiting car, and as I heard the faint sound of Maya’s shrill scream from the building, I said calmly to the driver: “To the airport.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388264”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My ex-boyfriend lives in the same dorm room as my brother. My brother, cursing under his breath, transferred my monthly allowance. “Happy now? You’re only with me for the money!” Seeing this, Liam added two zeros to the transfer amount. “Mine’s longer than his. I can make you happier.” Liam thought my brother was my current boyfriend. He made a bet with others, claiming he could easily win back a “gold-digger” like me just by beckoning his finger. I knew he was up to no good. Liam offered me his Black Card; I rejected it. My brother gave me a “spend ten get five off” coupon; I took it. Liam carefully selected expensive gifts; I rejected them. My brother gave me a half-used pack of tissues; I took it. Liam completely panicked. “Is my money Monopoly money? Would it kill you to spend it?!” 1 My brother transferred my allowance while grumbling. “Happy now? You’re only with me for the money!” I didn’t dare breathe too loudly, but on the other end of the line, I was grinning like a cunning fox, full of sycophancy. As soon as I received the money, I immediately loaded it all onto my meal card. I’ve been a foodie since I was little. The buffet place downstairs from our apartment complex opened for less than a month before the owner ran away overnight, hiding from me. When my family stocked up for the holidays, my parents would take turns guarding my door at night. Bought snacks I didn’t like? No problem, I’ll handle them. Leftover food? Put it down, I’m here. A mature woman’s greatest charm is solving problems. My mom says since I was born, our family has never eaten leftovers. The year I graduated high school, my dad asked where I wanted to apply for college. I immediately said I wanted to go to my brother’s school. My brother froze, then clutched his meal card like he was facing a formidable enemy. Oh no! Disaster strikes! I scrimped and saved every month just to treat my mouth well. But by the end of the month, I still had no money for food. At times like this, I would do some day labor jobs that provided meals. My brother, worried about me running around from dawn to dusk, had to grit his teeth and transfer five hundred dollars from his own allowance to me. As soon as my brother’s relief funds arrived, I couldn’t help but transform into his biggest fan. Before I could flatter him more, two notifications popped up on my phone. Another transfer message appeared, adding two zeros after the five hundred. My ex-boyfriend’s message followed closely behind. [Mine is longer than his. I can make you happier.] 2 It was noisy on my brother’s end; someone seemed to be calling his name outside the door. My brother threw his phone on the desk and went out. He forgot to hang up. On the other end of the line, Liam’s voice rang out. People around him were jeering. “He just broke up with Liam, and now he’s hooking up with someone else. Hmph.” “Liam dropped fifty grand just like that. That’s too generous for such a fickle woman.” Liam laughed carelessly, eyes slightly narrowed, playing with his phone with slender fingers. “A woman like Hailey? I just need to beckon my finger, and I can pry her back.” I stared at the fifty thousand dollars that just hit my account, falling into deep thought. When I first arrived at college, I ate all day long and advertised various restaurants on my social media. Whether it was collecting likes for discounts. Or sharing posts for free drinks. Give me a little benefit, and I’d take the bait. Some people said I looked like a paid shill for restaurants. Later, the rumors got more ridiculous, saying I tricked various men into eating at designated restaurants to get kickbacks. I don’t know where Liam heard this. With a halo over his head, he descended from the sky, deciding to punish a wicked woman like me. “Date me, I’ll treat you to meals. How about it?” Relief food falling from the sky? That was very kind. I nodded vigorously and agreed on the spot. Liam set up various traps, planning to expose my “true colors” in public. He asked me to take him out to eat. That day, he dressed formally, suit pressed, leather shoes polished. An outfit fit for any high-end venue, but I dragged him to the night market food street. Spicy snail noodles. Spicy duck necks. Spicy skewers. I ate until my face was red, turning to ask him: “Feels good?” Liam looked at me with his butt on fire. However long he tested me, I dragged him around the night market for that long. In the end, between enforcing justice on behalf of heaven and saving his butt, Liam chose the latter. He broke up with me. My dining partner was gone; I was sad for a long time because of this. Later, one of Liam’s good friends let it slip, and I learned the truth. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Screw him. There are always people wanting to bully honest, good women like us. I even felt resentment towards the fifty thousand dollars just transferred to me. Is this some new humiliation play? Afraid of a trap, I cautiously returned the money to Liam. On the other end of the line, the notification sound of fifty thousand dollars being returned rang out. The originally chaotic dorm room instantly fell into a deathly silence. My brother came back after finishing his business. He picked up his phone and said: “Hailey, someone just gave me two ‘spend ten get five off’ coupons. Do you want them?” I take advantage whenever I see it. “Yes!” Liam silently picked up his phone, typing a message to me. [Do you want my Black Card?] Just as he hit send, a red exclamation mark popped up, reminding him he was blocked. My brother chatted with me as if sorting through trash. “I have half a pack of tissues left here.” “Yes!” “Last time I bought a drink, I won a ‘one dollar for another’ prize.” “Bring it here.” “The cookies I bought got a little damp.” “It’s fine, I don’t mind.” “Liam, no swinging in the room!” “Okay… hmm?” My brother packed a box of junk for me. When I went to pick it up, I heard on the way that someone in the boys’ dorm had a hearty tug-of-war with a ceiling beam using their neck. I couldn’t help but sigh; it’s good to be young. The counselor and the school doctor surrounded Liam, asking about his well-being. Liam remained silent, head lowered. When he passed by my brother, my brother was still buried in his phone talking to me. “You can’t blab in front of my girlfriend. I don’t want her to know about our relationship.” I received the benefits and smiled slyly. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone know about us.” My brother was pursuing a senior who lived in the dorm opposite mine. Knowing this, I chanted his praises in the senior’s ear all day like a scripture, helping him gain presence. If the senior knew we were siblings, my previous praises would seem like self-promotion, with zero credibility. After hearing this, Liam’s face changed again and again. He looked at us with an extremely complex gaze. “Gavin, what is the relationship between… the two of you?” My brother answered honestly: “She’s my sister.” My brother took my dad’s last name, and I took my mom’s. My brother didn’t know Liam and I knew each other, so he didn’t explain much. Liam looked at me, then at my brother. He laughed mockingly, his tone becoming sarcastic. “So it’s a sister.” He took a utility knife from his pocket and aimed it at his wrist. “There seems to be a bug in my wrist, jumping around. I’ll pick it out.” The counselor turned pale with fright and roared: “That’s a freaking artery!” 3 My brother now had an extra expense for dating on top of his own living costs. And because of me, he had to save some relief food for me every month. I felt a little guilty. I happened to see someone recruiting day labor for hotel cleaning and asked who wanted to go. I signed up immediately. I wanted to scrape together some money to buy my brother those shoes he had liked for a long time. My brother was moved to tears when he found out, saying his sister had grown up. I worked all day, and it was dark when I got off work. Standing by the roadside, I called my brother: “It’s a bit remote here. Can you drive over to pick me up and take me back to school?” My brother said: “Find a place to wait for a while. I’ll drop your sister-in-law off first, then come pick you up. Just ten minutes or so.” I said okay, then stood by the roadside waiting. A few minutes later, a black Porsche stopped in front of me. The window rolled down, and I saw Liam’s face. He looked me up and down, then glanced at the hotel behind me. His brows furrowed slightly, the usual lazy smile on his face fading. “Why are you here alone? Where’s Gavin?” Seeing Liam’s face, I felt a nameless fire in my heart. It was all my fault for being blinded by greed back then, getting tricked by this vicious fox. Unconsciously, resentment crept into my voice. “He went to find his girlfriend.” Liam seemed to laugh angrily. “So he just abandoned you like this?” I scratched my head, feeling the words were weird but didn’t seem to have any major issues. I didn’t know how to answer, so I just stood there dumbly without speaking. “Get in. I’ll take you back to school.” Liam opened the car door for me. After getting in, I didn’t forget to tell my brother not to come, that someone was giving me a ride. Sitting in the passenger seat, I turned to look at Liam beside me. Two buttons of Liam’s collar were undone, revealing a silver chain around his neck. The pendant, reflecting a cold light, swayed with his movements. My gaze followed the pendant down, fixating on the section of collarbone at his neckline, unable to look away. “Why do this kind of thing?” Liam’s voice was cold. Upon closer listening, one could detect the anger within. Maybe he was disgusted by my behavior of working as a hotel cleaner. “What do you rich people know? If not for making money, who wants to do this kind of thing?” Liam’s hand gripping the steering wheel tightened, asking through gritted teeth: “Just for five hundred dollars?” “Yes, just for five hundred dollars!” I answered righteously. Although the work was dirty and tiring, and I encountered all sorts of weirdos, it paid well! And provided food! Liam asked: “Then why didn’t you take what I gave you?” “Is my money Monopoly money? Would it kill you to spend it?!” I wanted to take it too! But at that moment, my IQ took the high ground. By the time I came to my senses, the money had already been returned. Since it’s come to this, of course, I can’t say such spineless words now. I smiled faintly, like a clear breeze under a bright moon. “Because it’s inappropriate.” Liam closed his eyes as if life had lost all meaning, his voice light as if talking to himself. “Then is he appropriate?” My phone rang in my pocket. The ringtone drowned out his sentence. I pressed answer, and my brother’s voice sounded. “Hailey, are you at school? Who drove you back?” I turned to look at Liam. Liam shook his head, signaling me not to say it was him. I had to lie: “It was a colleague who drove me; he happened to be going the same way.” My brother told me to let him know when I got back to the dorm safely. I nodded and agreed. Liam’s car stopped at the school gate. After thanking him, I got up to leave. Just as I opened the car door, I heard Liam ask in a hoarse voice: “Hailey, do you have to go down this path? What he can give you, I can give you the same.” Give me what? Day labor wages? This damned fox always manages to hit my weak spot. Thinking of the things he said about me in the dorm during the day, I got angry. I dropped a decisive sentence: “No need!” Back in the dorm, scrolling through my phone, I saw Liam posted a new update. [My life has been ruined by a scumbag.] Me: “?” What’s wrong with him now? 4 I unblocked Liam from the blacklist, struggling half the night on how to advise him to see a neurologist. He was weird tonight. I suspect he damaged his brain from hanging himself. Holding my phone in a daze for a long time, drowsiness surged, and I unknowingly fell asleep. When I opened my eyes the next day, my phone screen was full of distress messages from my brother. [Sis, that roommate in the bunk across from me named Liam is acting weird. Your brother is a little scared.] [I opened my eyes today and saw him sitting by my bed, staring at me like a resentful wife. Scared me to death.] [Not only that, the way he looks at me is weird, his tone is weird, and the questions he asks are weird.] [He asked me what brand of body lotion and shampoo I usually use, and what style of clothes I like to wear.] [Just after I answered, somehow he got a bunch of the same items as mine and walked back and forth in front of me like a clone.] [So scary, sis. What is he doing! What is he doing!] I could feel my brother’s breakdown through the screen. Recalling Liam’s social media post from last night, a bold guess couldn’t help but form in my mind. [Bro, are you usually close with Liam?] My brother froze, then started counting one by one. [He doesn’t usually live on campus. I rarely saw him before. He only suddenly came back to live in the dorm recently.] [Oh right, I brought him lunch once. That’s when his eyes started looking weird, and then he started living in the dorm the next day.] [I think I also said good morning to him.] [I also helped him bring in his laundry.] [He even saw my broad shoulders, narrow waist, sexy and graceful body.] My brother counted one by one, getting more desperate as he counted. [Is that kid coveting my butt?] My mood became heavy and complex. My ex-boyfriend fell in love with my brother. Oh my god, is this a plot that should appear in a romance novel? Things have come to this; saying more is useless. I sighed. [Bro, go find someone to weld you a pair of iron underpants.] My brother didn’t dare stay in the dorm for another second. He grabbed his jacket and was about to run. Just as he stepped out of the dorm door, Liam’s chilly voice sounded in his ear. “Gavin, where are you going?” That day was the first time I saw my brother, a big guy over six feet tall, forced into such a state. Hiding in the bathroom, his voice was desperate and helpless when calling me. “These rich people simply don’t treat honest folks like me as human! I already have a girlfriend, but he still won’t let me go, constantly asking where I’m going, who I’m with, what I’m doing.” “I know I’m stunningly beautiful, putting the moon and flowers to shame, but a gentleman pursues properly. Forcing a good man into prostitution is simply despicable! My heart will only ever hold your sister-in-law. A married man can be killed but not humiliated. I will absolutely not yield to evil forces!” I made up my mind, slamming the table and standing up. “Bro! Your happiness and your butt, I will protect them!”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388281”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Five years into our secret marriage, Lucas Sterling’s ambitious first love returned. He allowed me to become a stepping stone for Bella Clark’s rise. He watched as she made me practice lines in the pouring rain, rehearse dances barefoot in the snow, and even forced me to entertain investors in flimsy clothing. Once, Lucas had shielded me with his life, saying, “Ava, I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.” But later, at the celebration party, he made me stand aside and watch him passionately kiss Bella. He said, “Once Bella’s career stabilizes in a few years, I’ll announce that you are Mrs. Sterling.” I smiled and didn’t answer. I couldn’t wait that long. I was dying. 1 On our fifth anniversary, Lucas took a phone call and left me without a word, staying out all night. The next day, I found out that his ambitious first love, Bella Clark, had returned. Bella had left Lucas without a word to pursue her career abroad. Since her return, she had moved into the Sterling mansion. Bella held Lucas’s arm, dressed in a red haute couture gown, looking at me like she was inspecting a product. “So you’re the dancer Lucas said I’d be managing?” Looking at Bella’s red dress, I suddenly remembered the first gift Lucas gave me on my birthday. Lucas gave me a red dress. After I put it on, he stared at me intently, his gaze so fervent it made me shy, my fingers nervously twisting the red fabric. It turned out Bella was the one who liked red dresses. “After all these years, Lucas, your taste has declined.” She frowned, her tone mocking. “That innocent act won’t work on me. Until you win honors for me, I won’t go easy on you.” “Understood.” I didn’t want to stay in the same room with her, so I turned to the kitchen to get the porridge I had simmered for six hours for Lucas. I didn’t want her to be my manager. But no one could change Lucas’s decision. Even though I was his wife through an arranged marriage, the Sterling and Jiang families were top-tier elites in the city, second only to the Xie family. Though born into wealth, my mother taught me to be gentle and virtuous, never to argue. Suddenly, I was yanked back. Slap! A stinging pain spread across my face. I covered my cheek and looked at Bella. She looked at me as if it were only natural. “I didn’t say you could leave. Who let you go?” The earring Lucas gave me was knocked to the floor, my earlobe burning with pain. I squatted to pick it up, but Bella stepped on my hand. I couldn’t take it anymore and pushed her away. “Enough!” Bella stumbled, her hand hitting the corner of the dining table. She cried out in pain. Lucas immediately held her hand in distress, glaring at me angrily. “Bella just got off the plane and hasn’t even eaten, yet she’s thinking about guiding you! And you hurt her over a cheap earring!” I froze. He gave me that earring, saying that lovers who wore earrings would never be separated. Seeing my expression, Lucas walked over and hugged me like he used to, but his words chilled me to the bone. “Bella is different from you. She’s so strong it hurts. She suffered a lot abroad. Now that she’s back, I hope to help her achieve the glory she wants.” “She made a lot of plans to help you succeed. Be good and listen to her, okay?” “If you insist on embarrassing Bella, I’ll have to find a new Mrs. Sterling.” Lucas knew Bella was asserting dominance, yet he chose to indulge her. He looked at the porridge on the table, his tone gentle. “Bella loves seafood porridge the most. Give it to her.” Whenever Lucas worked late, I would wake up early to make him seafood porridge because he once said he didn’t like porridge until he fell in love with seafood porridge. It turned out he didn’t love the porridge; he loved Bella, who loved the porridge. Watching them leave, I sat frozen on the floor, a chill rising from the bottom of my heart. 2 Since bringing Bella back, Lucas treated her exceptionally well. Everything in the house was replaced with things Bella liked. The house was filled with fresh flowers just because she said she liked the scent. But Lucas forgot I was allergic to flowers. When I was rushed to the hospital for anaphylactic shock, I saw my parents guarding my bedside. My father asked, “If you’re being mistreated, come home. Dad can support you!” I shook my head. I couldn’t let go of Lucas, couldn’t let go of the boy who once protected me with his life. When I first learned about the arranged marriage with the Sterling family, I was reluctant. I wanted to pursue my dance career rather than be trapped in marriage. So, I often avoided dinners with Lucas. Until one late night, after dance practice, I was stopped by a group of drunk men. They wouldn’t let me leave and demanded I dance for them. Lucas suddenly appeared, kicked the leader to the ground, and pulled me away. I watched him run ahead, my heart pounding. We were soon caught. They pulled out knives. Lucas shielded me, taking a stab to his abdomen. The men fled at the sight of blood, leaving me crying and holding Lucas. “Do you want to die?!” Lucas said, “Ava Jiang, I’ll protect you for the rest of my life.” My father gave me a jade pendant, saying he hoped it would keep me safe and happy. I smiled and leaned into my father’s arms, my speech slurred from my swollen face. “Of course, I’m the Jiang family’s precious daughter.” But the smile was bitter, my heart heavy. I didn’t understand why, after five years, I still couldn’t make Lucas love only me. I was tired. 3 When I returned to the Sterling mansion, Lucas looked at my pale face, stunned. “Why do you look so haggard?” He tried to hug me, but I instinctively pulled away. The unfamiliar scent on him made me uncomfortable. Lucas looked at me with a half-smile. “Unhappy?” He brought a glass of hot milk to my lips. Whenever we argued, he would heat milk for me. Drinking it meant I was no longer angry. Seeing the milk used to dissipate most of my unhappiness, but now, I still couldn’t calm the depression in my heart. “It’s just an allergy, you won’t die. So delicate,” Bella sneered. “To get you that contract, I drank with them all night.” Bella snatched the milk and drank it. “Don’t spoil her. If she gets used to it, who will spoil her in the entertainment industry?” I looked at Lucas, but he showed no displeasure. Instead, he looked at Bella approvingly. “Mm, you’re right.” The pain in my chest worsened. I wondered if emotional pain could really hurt this much. I didn’t respond to Bella, which made her feel slighted. Her gaze fell on my jade pendant. She snatched it. “Nice pendant. Did Lucas give it to you? Confiscated.” The pain in my chest intensified, leaving me speechless. But that pendant was from my father. I couldn’t let Bella take it. I lunged forward. Just as I was about to touch the pendant, Bella dropped it. It smashed into pieces on the floor. Enraged, I pinned Bella to the ground. In the struggle, Bella cried out in pain. Lucas pushed me away. I fell onto the shards, cutting my legs and hands. I gathered the pieces, tears falling on them. My father’s gift was broken. Lucas didn’t even look at me. He carried Bella away, coldly instructing the bodyguard, “Make her kneel there. She’s not to get up without my permission.” I was forced to kneel on the shards, sharp pain shooting through my knees. I struggled to get up. I couldn’t kneel like this; my legs were for dancing, I couldn’t let them be ruined! But I was too weak to resist. Kneeling there in despair, the pain in my heart only grew stronger. 4 The hospital put a Band-Aid on Bella and said she was fine. But after kneeling for so long, I struggled to even stand. Lucas looked at me, a trace of emotion in his eyes, but his tone remained cold. “Ava, I hope you’ll be obedient in the future. Don’t disappoint me again.” “You need to know that the position of Mrs. Sterling was meant for Bella. You can’t be willful just because you hold the title.” Hearing this felt like being doused in ice water. My heart went cold. I pushed Lucas away and walked out. I didn’t want to see him or Bella. I wanted to go home, to the Jiang family who truly loved me, to my parents. But the moment I stepped out the door, I collapsed, a sharp pain in my heart making it impossible to breathe. Before losing consciousness, I saw Lucas running over anxiously, just like when he protected me years ago, his eyes full of love. When I woke up, I was in the hospital. Lucas was gone. My repaired jade pendant lay on the bedside table. The doctor stood beside me. “Where is your family? I need to discuss your condition with them.” I paused, sensing something. “Just tell me directly.” The doctor hesitated for a moment. “You have severe heart failure… If you rest well, you might live 3-5 years. But if you don’t take care, maybe six months at most.” I clutched the pendant and smiled at the doctor, saying I understood. The moment I lowered my head, tears filled my eyes. So the recent chest pains weren’t because of Lucas; they were because I was dying. I couldn’t describe the feeling, but I felt regret. Regret that I hadn’t been filial to my parents, regret that I hadn’t achieved the highest honors in dance, regret that I hadn’t made Lucas truly love me… When I returned to the Sterling home, Lucas hugged me gently. “Ava, why did you faint suddenly?” I shook my head. “Maybe I’ve been too tired lately.” Bella crossed her arms, looking at me with disdain. “Tired? What a pampered princess. The selection is coming up. Do you want to win or not? Go outside and practice your lines.” Lucas hesitated. “Maybe let Ava rest for a few more days?” Bella immediately turned to leave in a huff. “Fine! You feel sorry for her! Then why hand her over to me? I came back for glory! Not to watch a drama queen act weak!” Lucas quickly coaxed her. “Okay, okay, we’ll listen to you.” I was locked outside to practice lines. Even when it started pouring rain, Bella wouldn’t let me in. She said, “Aren’t there scenes in the rain? Don’t stop!” The autumn rain was fierce. I was soaked, the cold seeping into my bones. My heart hurt more and more, and I fainted on the ground.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388298”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Alan’s stomach was acting up, so I spent the morning making his favorite chicken soup. I drove to his university lab, but a sign at the entrance stopped me cold: “No Dogs or Mia Hayes Allowed”—with my photo attached. I was reaching for my phone to call Alan when a bucket of icy water crashed down from above, drenching me. Jessy White, his star student, leaned out a window, feigning surprise. “Mia! What’s a housewife doing at the lab? You should be at home!” she chirped. “And don’t mind the sign—it’s just an inside joke. You wouldn’t get it.” Soaked and shivering, my makeup streaked and dress clinging, I stood frozen as Alan rushed down, dragging Jessy by the ear. “She’s young and just jokes around,” he said soothingly. “You’re not mad, are you?” Jessy stuck out her tongue. “It’s your fault! You lost the bet, so I put up the sign. And you still owe me that ghost-pepper hot pot!” She glanced at the thermos in my hand and smirked. “Mia, the professor doesn’t even like your soup. I always end up finishing it. You can just give that one to me.” 1 Before I could react, her hand was already reaching for the thermos. I shoved her away. A tidal wave of rage and hurt crashed over me, so strong it was hard to breathe. No wonder Alan, who always ate so blandly, had suddenly developed stomach problems. He’d been out stuffing his face with spicy food to entertain someone else. The moment my hand made contact with Jessy, Alan reacted instinctively. He lunged forward, pulling her into the protective circle of his arms before realizing what he’d done and quickly letting go. Jessy’s eyes immediately welled with tears. Her voice cracked as she spoke. “Mia, the sign was just a joke. I know you’re upset, but you can’t just push me like that!” She looked around at the gathering students, her voice rising. “I know you grew up rich and you’re used to getting your way, but this is a university. We’re all equals here. How could you humiliate me like this?” I almost laughed out loud at the sheer audacity. She puts up a sign with my picture on it calling me a dog, dumps water on me, and now she’s the one being humiliated? Alan patted Jessy’s head, his tone lacking any real reprimand. “Alright, you poured water on her, so you’re even. Let’s just drop it.” He turned to me, his gaze taking in my drenched state. He frowned and started shrugging off his white lab coat to drape over my shoulders. “Mia, don’t take it out on Jessy. She’s just brutally honest, that’s all. She doesn’t mean any harm.” I flinched back, refusing his touch. A heavy cloud of perfume wafted from the coat—the same cloying, sweet scent Jessy was wearing. The smell mixed with the damp chill on my skin, making my stomach turn. “Oh!” Jessy exclaimed, as if a thought had just occurred to her. She gave me a small, smug smile. “Mia, please don’t get the wrong idea. I know you housewives have a tendency to overthink things.” She pointed at the lab coat in Alan’s hand, her voice dripping with a sense of superiority. “I was running an experiment late last night and spilled something on my clothes, so I borrowed Professor Hayes’s coat. We’re always pulling all-nighters for project deadlines. Sharing clothes, using each other’s things… it’s completely normal for us. But you’re a little older, and you’re not in our circle, so I guess you wouldn’t know that.” She finished, watching me with a bright, expectant smile, waiting for my reaction. The students who had gathered were now whispering among themselves. “At the department dinner last month, Jessy got wasted and puked all over Professor Hayes. He’s usually such a clean freak, but he wasn’t even mad. He just got her water and rubbed her back.” “That’s nothing. They’re so close. Honestly, sometimes it seems like he’s closer to her than to his own wife…” The student was silenced by a sharp elbow from a friend, but the fragments I’d heard were enough to paint a vivid, ugly picture. I looked at Jessy, my voice surprisingly calm. Only I could feel the lump of emotion lodged in my throat. “So you really like my soup?” Jessy seemed taken aback by the question. After a brief pause, she flashed her usual bright smile. “Of course! That chicken soup you made last time was delicious, though it could have used a little more salt. I already told Professor Hayes.” She winked at Alan, then turned her easy, confident gaze back to me. “You added more salt this time, right?” She spoke with such casual entitlement, you’d think she was talking to her hired help. I loosened my white-knuckled grip on the thermos. I bent down, opened it, and placed it on the ground in front of a stray dog sniffing around a nearby trash can. Then, I smiled sweetly at Jessy. “Yes, I added more salt.” I paused, watching the dog start to lap at the soup. “But I’d rather feed it to a stray than let you have a single drop. At least a dog knows loyalty.” 2 Jessy’s face went pale. She understood exactly what I meant. When she was ten years old, she didn’t even have a proper name, just a cruel nickname given to her by her family. She was living in some forgotten, impoverished mountain town, her body covered in bruises from her parents’ beatings. I was there on a charity mission, delivering supplies, when she fell to her knees in the dirt and begged me to save her. My heart broke for her. I brought her back to the city with me, paid for her education, and personally taught her everything—from how to dress and carry herself to the books that would shape her mind. I had transformed Jessy from a scrawny, terrified child into a poised and brilliant student at a prestigious university. A dog, at least, will wag its tail in gratitude. And how did Jessy repay me? By setting her sights on my husband the moment she got into his lab. What made me feel even sicker was that Alan had let it happen. He had indulged her. Now, here she was, young and vibrant, her eyes red as she pointed an accusing finger at me. “How could you say that? How could you compare me to a dog?” she shrieked. “I know you’ve been a pampered heiress your whole life, totally different from normal people like me. But I’m not your servant! You can’t insult me like this! I demand an apology, right now!” Tears streamed down her face, her shoulders shaking with perfectly timed, dramatic sobs. Alan’s frown deepened. He looked at me, his voice softening just a fraction. “Mia. It’s the day of Jessy’s dissertation defense. Just apologize to her so we can move on. Don’t let this derail her big day.” He paused, glancing at my disheveled appearance as if just noticing it. “Besides, your clothes are soaked. You should go home and change before you catch a cold.” He said it all so matter-of-factly, as if his logic was irrefutable. I watched him subtly position himself in front of Jessy, shielding her as if he expected me to attack her. The irony was so thick I could taste it. For our entire lives, he had always been the one to shield me. A fire ignited in my chest, and my entire body started to tremble with rage. Seeing my silence, Alan gestured to two female students nearby. “Can you two please escort my wife home?” He turned back to me, lowering his voice into the familiar, cajoling tone he used when he wanted to soothe me. “Mia, please, just go home. We’ll talk about this tonight when I get back.” The two young women approached me timidly. “Mrs. Hayes, we can walk you home.” I never made a habit of taking my anger out on bystanders. I gave them a quiet nod and turned to leave. As I walked away, I heard Jessy’s voice, now laced with a triumphant, flirtatious whine. “Professor Hayes, what if she uses her family’s power to pressure the university? What if she tries to stop me from graduating?” Alan, a man I’d only ever seen be cool and distant with others, actually chuckled. “You? The little tyrant who bosses me around the lab and drags me out for spicy food challenges? Since when are you afraid of anything?” he teased. “Mia’s all bark and no bite. She won’t do anything to you. Besides,” he added, his voice dropping slightly, “I’m here to protect you, aren’t I?” Their shared laughter followed me down the path. I clenched my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms, a bitter smile twisting my lips. It seemed that after all these years of marriage, Alan still hadn’t learned a single thing about me. When I, Mia Hayes, decided to destroy someone, did he really think he could protect them? 3 On the way home, the two students kept exchanging hesitant glances. Finally, one of them took a deep breath and held out her phone. “Mrs. Hayes… you should probably see this. It’s been trending on the campus forum.” It was a pinned post at the top of the page. “Debate Topic: Are Professor Alan Hayes and Jessy White the Ultimate Academic Power Couple?” I took the phone, my thumb scrolling down. The post was filled with photos. There was one of them standing shoulder-to-shoulder at an academic conference, another of them leaning over a desk in the lab, heads close together as they discussed data. In another, Jessy was smiling, playfully adjusting Alan’s tie as he leaned down to accommodate her. My grip on the phone tightened. I had bought him that tie. I had tied it for him myself just that morning. The original poster gushed, “OMG you guys, who gets it?! Professor Hayes is so serious and brilliant, and Jessy is so sharp and witty. When they team up in debates, they absolutely destroy everyone! It’s like they can read each other’s minds!” The thread had hundreds of replies. “This is what a partnership of equals looks like. Some trophy wives just wouldn’t understand.” “Dude, don’t be so harsh. You gotta leave her with some dignity. I mean, making soup is a skill, right?” I read through them, one by one. The phone’s screen cast a harsh light on my face, making my eyes sting. So that’s how they saw it. Alan and Jessy were the perfect match, soulmates destined for greatness. And I was just… the superfluous trophy wife, the parasitic vine who couldn’t even keep up. Then, a different kind of reply caught my eye. “What the hell is wrong with you people? Do any of you have a clue how amazing Professor Hayes and Mia were back in the day?” “I went to undergrad with them. They were the real power couple, the kind of love story you read about.” “Mia gave up her spot in the PhD program—a guaranteed spot—to go work and support Alan so he could pursue his research.” “The day Alan defended his own doctorate, he didn’t celebrate with anyone else. He ran straight home to Mia, saying he had to share that moment with the most important person in his life. He said she meant more to him than any academic achievement.” “And now you’re calling her a trophy wife? Saying they have nothing in common? Without Mia, there probably wouldn’t even be a ‘Professor Hayes’ today!” The replies fell silent for a moment. Then a few more trickled in. “I’m in the physics department, I’ve heard rumors that his wife basically bankrolled his early career.” “If that’s true, then Professor Hayes’s behavior now is… seriously messed up.” “Is it just me, or does it seem like Jessy is deliberately trying to copy Mia’s old vibe? That whole ‘brilliant and independent’ thing…” I stopped reading. The posts were right, but they didn’t have the full story. Both my family and Alan’s were titans of industry, old money with sprawling empires. When we got married, it was understood that one of us would have to step back from our personal ambitions to take the reins. Alan couldn’t bear to leave academia, so I was the one who gave up my doctorate to manage the family enterprise. Back then, I had no idea what I was sacrificing for what I thought was love. But now, at thirty-two, I understood perfectly. In everyone else’s eyes, I had long ago forfeited the right to stand by Alan’s side as an equal. My phone rang, pulling me from my thoughts. It was Alan. His voice, tight with suppressed fury, hit me like a physical blow. “Mia, that post on the forum. Did you have someone write that?” “Jessy saw it. She’s been crying for an hour. Her defense is this afternoon, she can’t be this emotional.” “I don’t care what you’re thinking, but you need to get that post deleted immediately. And then you will apologize to Jessy.” “Whatever issue you have, you take it up with me. Don’t you dare use these cheap, underhanded tricks to ruin her future!” In the background, I could hear the faint, pitiful sound of Jessy’s sobbing. Suddenly, the storm of emotion inside me subsided, replaced by a cold, chilling calm. Ten years of marriage, a lifetime of shared history since childhood, all of it weighed less than a few of Jessy’s tears. It was utterly, laughably absurd. When I finally spoke, my voice was flat, devoid of any inflection. “Alan.” “First, I don’t have access to your university’s internal forum. I didn’t post it.” There was a moment of silence on his end. I let out a small, sharp laugh. “And second,” I said, my voice dropping to a near whisper, “you can tell her this.” “She hasn’t even begun to see what my ‘tricks’ look like.” “It’s far too early for tears.” 4 I hung up before he could respond and immediately composed two texts. The first was to the various professors on the dissertation committee, asking them to help me stall for time. The second went to my assistant, instructing him to gather the information I needed and print it into bound booklets. I was about to give Jessy a graduation gift she would never forget. After that was done, I went home, showered, and changed into a sharp powersuit. I had my driver take me to the hall where Jessy’s defense was being held. On the way, my phone buzzed. It was a video file from one of Alan’s more loyal students, followed by a frantic series of voice messages. “Mrs. Hayes! Something terrible just happened!” I opened the video. The screen showed the large projection screen at the front of the lecture hall. Jessy was at the podium, having just said, “Now, if you’ll direct your attention to my research data…” The next slide wasn’t data. It was a photo. A shockingly intimate photo of me, one Alan had taken. One meant only for him. A wave of hushed gasps and stifled laughter filled the hall. I could hear a few male students whispering, “Damn, the professor’s wife is secretly a smokeshow… Alan’s a lucky guy…” Jessy let out a little shriek, fumbling with the remote clicker. Her face was flushed, her voice choked with fake panic. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I used Professor Hayes’s laptop to make the presentation… I must have accidentally dragged in a picture from another folder! I didn’t mean to!” She clicked the button again, and another photo flashed on the screen. And another. Different angles, all of them private, intimate moments between my husband and me, now on public display. The murmuring in the hall grew louder. The video ended with a close-up of Jessy’s face, a perfect picture of flustered innocence. But I could see it clearly. The corners of her mouth were turned up in a triumphant smile. Alan rushed onto the stage, blocking the camera’s view as the video cut out. My hands clenched around the phone, a deep, glacial cold spreading through my chest. More messages flooded in from the student. “Mrs. Hayes, please don’t be upset. Maybe… maybe everyone will forget about it in a few days.” I knew he was just trying to be kind. Those photos would be all over campus by nightfall, fodder for endless gossip and speculation. A sharp, acidic sting hit the back of my nose, and my eyes burned. I bit down on my lip, hard, forcing back the hot, scalding wave of humiliation that threatened to overwhelm me. Don’t you dare cry, Mia. Not here. Not now. But my throat felt like it was clogged with wet cement, heavy and raw, making it impossible to breathe. So this is what it felt like to be stripped naked in front of the world. I swallowed hard, pushing the feeling down, and picked up the freshly printed booklets my assistant had just delivered. I got out of the car. I slipped into the lecture hall through a back door just as Alan was making his closing remarks from the stage, his voice firm and steady. “First, I expect everyone here to delete any photos or videos of today’s unfortunate incident. Do not share them. If I find out you have, there will be serious consequences.” “Second, Jessy is a student I have personally mentored. She can be a bit clumsy, but she is a good person and she has worked incredibly hard. If she struggles with any of your questions today, I ask that you please remember that, and perhaps go a little easy on her… for my sake.” He probably didn’t even realize the sheer depth of affection that colored his voice when he spoke her name. Jessy was the first to spot me. The smile vanished from her face. She shot to her feet, her voice high and shrill as she pointed at me. “What are you doing here?” “You’re not a student! You’re not allowed in here! Get out! Get out right now!” Every eye in the room swiveled from Alan to me. I could feel their gazes on my skin like tiny, sharp needles—a mixture of curiosity, pity, and vulgar speculation. I met their stares without flinching, my eyes finally landing on Jessy’s furious face. I gave her a small, serene smile. “Jessy, darling.” “I raised you for ten years.” “From the time you were a little girl of ten until you were a young woman of twenty.” “By any measure, wouldn’t that make me your mother, in a way?” I watched the color drain from her face as I held up the booklet in my hand. “So I came to watch my daughter defend her dissertation…” “Is that not allowed?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388317”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The first thing I did after leaving the police station was call my lawyer and have him draw up divorce papers. My friends were floored. “Divorce? But she’s head over heels in love with you, man!” My wife, madly in love with me? “Yeah, remember when you had that bad fall? She was the one who secretly donated over a pint of her own blood for you.” “And that time she got in that car accident? She was delirious, just mumbling your name over and over. When she came to, she denied the whole thing.” “We can all see it, Asher. She adores you. She’s just too proud to let you know.” “Don’t do it, man. She’s been secretly planning a huge anniversary surprise for you!” I glanced down at the three angry, red scratches on my forearm. Her handsome young executive assistant had carved them into my skin with a fork. “No,” I said, my voice flat. “I’m divorcing her.” 1 My friends tried to talk me out of it for hours. Not a single one of them could change my mind, not even my own brother. After five years of marriage, this was the first I’d heard of it. That Eleanor Vance, my Eleanor, felt this way about me. The whole world knew, it seemed. Everyone except me. There were moments, fleeting glimpses, when I’d caught an undeniable flicker of emotion in her eyes. But the way she and her assistant were constantly wrapped around each other always short-circuited any deeper thought I might have given her loving gazes. Maybe she did love me. We had been through so much together, weathered so many storms. But every time I brought him up, it was the same old story: “It’s just work, Asher,” or “Don’t be so ridiculously jealous.” Her accusations buried any possibility of love before it could even surface. Until last night. I went to pick her up from a corporate gala. I found her assistant, Julian, with one arm around her unconscious form, while his other hand was slyly working its way under her blouse, fumbling with the clasp of her bra. I saw red. My fist connected with his jaw. Julian retaliated, grabbing a steak fork from a nearby table and slashing three bleeding furrows into my arm. In the end, it was Eleanor who called the cops. On me. The charge was assault. While giving his statement, Julian cradled the bruised side of his face, looking for all the world like a kicked puppy. Eleanor sat with him just outside the interrogation room, a silent, supportive presence. By the time I was released, they were gone. Her car, too. It wasn’t until the next morning that the door to our apartment swung open. The stale smell of alcohol on her was gone, replaced by something clean and foreign. “Have a good night’s sleep at Julian’s?” I asked, looking up at her. My voice was devoid of any emotion. She sighed, that familiar, weary expression settling on her face—the one that always made me feel like I was the one being unreasonable. “I’ve told you, there’s nothing between us. How many times do we have to have this conversation? You’re the one who assaulted him. I couldn’t exactly expect you to apologize, could I? The least I could do was drive him home and buy him a gift to make up for your behavior.” My fists clenched at my sides, the knuckles white. She was getting agitated now. “Can’t you be rational for once? The kid’s got an image to maintain. How’s he supposed to show up to work with a black eye?” “He has a black eye,” I ground out, “and I’m supposed to be untouched?” Her gaze finally fell to the scratches on my arm. Her breath hitched. “Did… did he do that?” I pulled my arm back as she reached for it. The wounds had been deeper yesterday, bleeding freely. But she only noticed them now that they had scabbed over. “I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I was drunk last night, I didn’t see…” “You didn’t see my arm bleeding, but you saw the faint bruise on his cheek?” She sighed again, a long, drawn-out sound of frustration. “Asher, Julian and I are just friends. If I were in love with him, I never would have married you. I’m not the kind of person who cheats.” Just then, the front door opened again. Before I could even register my surprise, a figure brushed past me, rushing to Eleanor’s side. “Eleanor! I was so worried. Did he give you any trouble?” I stumbled back, knocking a vase on the console table. It wobbled precariously. I watched as Julian cupped her face in his hands, his expression a mask of pure concern. “He didn’t hit you, did he?” “Julian, this is not the time!” Eleanor’s eyes flashed with panic. She pushed him away and turned to me. But I shoved her back, my voice dangerously low. “You gave him a key to our home?” “I…” “Mr. Vance!” Julian stepped between us, his eyes blazing with righteous indignation. “I’m her executive assistant. If she forgets a file or some other important document, what’s so wrong with me coming back to get it for her? Can you do anything besides fantasize about her cheating on you? Take a look around! In the real world, men and women work together. It’s normal. Maybe you should try to get out of the dark ages!” CRACK. “Ah!” “Is this your idea of normal workplace interaction?” I snarled, my voice barely a whisper as I slammed him against the wall. “Undressing her while she’s passed out drunk?” Eleanor froze. I tightened my grip on Julian’s collar. “And then lying to the police, telling them I’m mentally unstable, that I see every man near my wife as some kind of rival?” “Let… let go…” he choked out, his face turning pale. Eleanor rushed forward. “Asher, please, let’s just talk about this. Let him go.” A searing pain shot up my arm. The scabs on my wounds had been torn open in the struggle. A triumphant smirk played on Julian’s lips. “You son of a bitch!” My fist was already flying towards his face again when Eleanor’s voice cut through the air, sharp and commanding. “I said, stop! Didn’t you hear me?” BAM. A force slammed into me, sending me staggering back. I crashed into the console table. The vase I had bumped earlier shattered into a thousand pieces. My hand landed squarely on the shards, and crimson bloomed across the polished wood. For the first time in all our years together, she had laid a hand on me. And it was for him. I looked up. Julian was leaning against her, clutching his chest as if I’d dealt him a mortal blow. She didn’t even glance back at me. “It’s okay,” she murmured to him, her voice soft. “I’ll apologize to you on his behalf. Take the week off. Rest up at home.” Her words were professional, detached. But for a split second, I saw a flash of genuine pain and concern in her eyes. It was a look I knew all too well. For the fifteen years I’d known her, that look had been reserved only for me. I closed my eyes, the sting of betrayal sharper than the glass in my hand. “Eleanor,” I said, my voice hollow. “Let’s get a divorce.” 2 The hand supporting Julian went rigid. She turned, her face a pale mask of shock. “What did you say?” I clutched my bleeding hand. Her breath caught in her throat. “You’re…” “Mr. Vance,” Julian interrupted, his tone dripping with condescension. “Threatening a woman with divorce is the most pathetic thing a man can do. Eleanor works her ass off to support this family, and what do you do? You mistrust her, you threaten her! What kind of man are you? No woman would put up with that!” His words seemed to steady her. The panic in her eyes subsided, replaced by a hard glint. “Asher, don’t joke about things like that.” I turned away from her, walked to my desk, and pulled the papers from the drawer. A flicker of triumph lit up Julian’s eyes before he quickly masked it, turning to Eleanor with a look of feigned concern. But Eleanor’s expression had changed. The confidence was gone, replaced by a dawning horror. “You actually had them drawn up?” “Mr. Vance,” Julian chimed in smoothly. “Divorce papers aren’t just a threat. Once they’re signed, there’s no going back. Are you so sure she won’t call your bluff? Are you banking on the fact that she loves you too much to ever sign?” I narrowed my eyes. From the moment I met him, I knew Julian was trouble. And now, he was proving it. His words were a masterful piece of manipulation, pretending to defend her while daring her, provoking her pride. He knew Eleanor better than I thought. He knew she couldn’t stand being backed into a corner. If you pushed her far enough, she’d burn everything to the ground just to prove she couldn’t be controlled. A cold smile touched my lips. “Don’t worry. The second she signs, I’ll be out of here. And I won’t look back.” Julian’s lips curled into a victorious smirk. But in the next instant, the divorce agreement became confetti in Eleanor’s hands. “Eleanor!” Julian cried out, instinctively trying to catch the fluttering pieces of paper. Eleanor’s eyes were locked on mine, burning with a fierce intensity. “I will never sign.” Julian stared at her, dumbfounded. I was surprised, too. I had pushed her this far, and she still wouldn’t break? “Fine,” I nodded, my voice calm. “Then we’ll go through the courts.” “What?” She looked as if she’d been slapped. “I’m moving out. I can’t stand to be in this house with him around.” I grabbed the suitcase I had packed earlier. Eleanor lunged to block the door. “Asher!” “Eleanor!” Julian quickly pulled her back. I walked out without a backward glance. Her voice, trembling, trailed after me: “Let go of me! Asher! Don’t go! We need to talk!” 3 After moving out, I found a job. Before I gave up my career for Eleanor, I was a damn good designer. Getting back into the industry felt like coming home. I adapted quickly. But it wasn’t long before Julian cornered me outside my new office building. “She fired me,” he announced, his voice loud enough for my new colleagues to hear. “Won’t take my calls, won’t answer my texts. Are you happy now?” Heads turned. A crowd was starting to form. “Asher, I was her assistant. It was my job to be in close contact with her! Is every man who even speaks to her a threat in your eyes? Why should we, the people who are just trying to do our jobs, have to pay the price for your paranoia?” Whispers rippled through the onlookers. “Sounds like some corporate drone got caught in the crossfire of a CEO and her jealous husband.” “That kid looks pretty clean-cut. I doubt he’s a homewrecker. The other guy is probably the problem, forcing his wife to fire her assistant.” “I wouldn’t put up with a man like that. If she did cheat on him, I wouldn’t even blame her.” Hearing this, a smug smile touched Julian’s lips. He puffed out his chest, his voice ringing with even more righteous anger. “Mr. Vance, you can be as controlling and possessive as you want. You could have asked Eleanor to hire a female assistant. But to attack me, to force her to fire me… don’t you think that’s going too far?” “What? That bastard hit him, too?” “This isn’t even Eleanor’s company, is it? So he won’t let his wife work with men, but he’s fine working in an office full of women? Hypocrisy at its finest.” Julian tilted his chin up, looking down his nose at me. “Mr. Vance, people can see the truth for what it is. I suggest you call Eleanor right now and clear this up. Don’t let your marital drama ruin the lives of us working folk!” “Clear what up?” I asked, crossing my arms. “What is there to explain about what you and Eleanor did?” “Here we go again,” someone in the crowd muttered. “This guy thinks every man on earth is trying to steal his wife.” “Like we have time for that. Women just slow you down.” “He’s hopeless. All testosterone, no brain.” “Wait… what’s that on the building across the street?” Everyone turned. On the blank white wall of the opposite building, a massive, crystal-clear image was being projected. “Turn it off!” Julian screamed. But it was too late. Everyone saw it: Julian, leaning over an unconscious Eleanor, his hand slipping beneath her blouse, reaching for her bra. “Whoa… so the husband wasn’t just imagining things. That assistant really is…” “Damn. He looks so innocent, but he’s a total creep.” “Well, you can’t blame him for trying. That Eleanor is a knockout, and young, too. Of course he’d make a move.” “Asher!” Julian grabbed the front of my shirt. “Turn it off! That’s slander! I’ll sue you!” POW. My fist slammed into his face before he could even see it coming. He stumbled back, which gave me a clear view of the person who had just gotten out of a car behind him. Eleanor. She was staring at me, her face a canvas of shock. The last time I’d hit him in front of her, she’d shoved me into a pile of broken glass. The time before that, she’d had me arrested. “Eleanor!” Julian wailed, his eyes turning red. “He’s lost it again! Look at my face! He hit me again!” I just stared at her, silent. She walked forward. Julian’s lips twitched into a smug, triumphant smile. “Did you hurt your hand?” she asked, gently taking my fist in her hands. “Next time, don’t do it yourself.” Julian froze. “Buddy’s not eating,” she said softly, her eyes searching mine. “He misses you. Please, come home. Just to see him. Please?” I pulled my hand from her grasp and walked away without a word. Behind me, I heard her voice, thick with unshed tears. “Asher.” 4 Eleanor started posting non-stop on her social media. Pictures of her daily life, always with Buddy, our Golden Retriever. She wasn’t the type to abuse an animal to get my attention, so instead, she flooded her feed with adorable pictures of him, hoping to lure me back home. Whenever I made a public appearance, she’d be there, Buddy in tow if she could manage it. But I also noticed that wherever she was, Julian was never far behind. I gave Eleanor the cold shoulder, and Julian would use the opportunity to slide in, trying to talk to her. She would brush him off, her voice laced with impatience. “You’re fired! Don’t you get it?” His eyes would well up with tears. “Eleanor, are you trying to ruin my life?” “Ruin your life?” She let out a bitter laugh. “You’re the one who’s ruining mine! My husband won’t come home, he won’t speak to me, he’s served me with court summons… I’m fighting a divorce case because of you! Isn’t this all your doing?” Julian looked indignant. “That’s because he’s paranoid! Everyone in the company knows our relationship was strictly professional! He’s the one who wants to twist it into something else! It just proves he doesn’t deserve your love!” “Shut up!” Eleanor snapped. “You have no right to talk about him.” “I…” Tears threatened to spill down his cheeks. “And another thing,” she continued, her voice cold as ice. “My relationship with you was professional. But what about yours with me?” Julian was stunned into silence. Eleanor scoffed and turned away. “Stay away from me from now on. I don’t want my husband to have any more misunderstandings.” “Eleanor…” Julian’s voice was a choked whisper. He turned his head and saw me walking by. His tear-filled eyes burned with a raw, undiluted hatred. I pretended I didn’t see him. The sight of those two together soured my mood completely. From then on, I only accepted invitations to high-level forums and exclusive events. No riff-raff allowed. But after a few weeks of peace, Eleanor somehow managed to get her hands on an invitation. She was back at my side. It was the day before our first court hearing. “Asher, can we please not do this?” “Can you please stop following me?” Her eyes grew red. “Asher, I swear, there was nothing between us. It was strictly professional.” I didn’t entirely disbelieve her. Eleanor wasn’t the type to have a physical affair. Her upbringing wouldn’t allow it. It was one of the things I’d admired about her. But she still didn’t get it. A relationship doesn’t need a physical affair to be broken. Even if there were no romantic feelings for Julian on her part, her complete lack of boundaries was a betrayal in itself. One or two instances are a thorn in your side. Five years of it becomes an uncrossable chasm. “Let’s just end this amicably, Eleanor,” I sighed. “We’ve known each other since we were kids. Let’s not make it ugly.” “Asher…” The tough-as-nails woman who wouldn’t cry over a broken bone was now looking at me like a lost child. I turned to leave. Just then, a panicked shout echoed from the hallway. “Fire!” The stairwell instantly descended into chaos. I smelled the thick, acrid scent of smoke. “Gas masks!” My instincts kicked in. I smashed the glass of the emergency cabinet. After putting one on, I was about to run when I remembered her. I turned and tossed the remaining mask to Eleanor. At that exact moment, a familiar voice called out from the next room. “Eleanor! cough! Eleanor, are you in there?” Eleanor, who had been pulling me towards the exit, froze. That voice… it was Julian. “Cough! Cough!” A wracking cough echoed from the other room. I tugged her arm. “Let’s go! We’ll get help for him downstairs!” “No!” She grabbed my wrist, her grip like iron. I stared at her, bewildered. “Julian has weak lungs.” “Eleanor, what are you talking about?” A hand pressed against my gas mask. I heard her voice, laced with a terrible, misplaced pity. “I’m sorry.” “Eleanor! cough, cough!” The mask was ripped from my face. Thick, black smoke flooded my lungs. Tears streamed from my eyes. “Eleanor… cough… Eleanor…” “Shh, it’s okay,” she said, her voice receding. “I’ll just give him the mask, and then I’ll come right back for you.” The smoke was a suffocating curtain. I crawled towards the door, my lungs on fire. Through the haze, I saw a familiar silhouette being supported by Eleanor, guided gently down the stairs. “Cough… Eleanor…” You said you’d just give him the mask! “Is anyone else up there?” I heard a firefighter’s voice through the roar. “Yes… yes… I’m… here…” My voice was a raw, useless rasp. Then I heard her voice, a familiar sound, answering for me. “No one. Just get him to safety.” My world went silent. The blood in my veins turned to ice.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388333”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel