Category: English

On the fifth anniversary of our relationship, Ethan stood me up. He didn’t answer my calls and ignored my SnapChat messages. I was starting to worry that something might have happened to him. Then a message popped up in our group chat. It was from Melissa. “My car broke down on the highway, but luckily Ethan came to save me! And we had some amazing sushi too.” The photo showed a table full of premium sashimi, along with a hand peeling shrimp. That hand was wearing the watch I’d spent half a month’s salary on for Ethan’s birthday last month. I actually laughed out loud. The rage burning in my chest instantly transformed into an indescribable disgust the moment I saw that photo. I directly tagged Ethan in the group chat. “So this is what you meant by ‘urgent meeting at the office and need to work overtime’?” The group chat immediately went silent. A full five minutes passed before Ethan slowly replied in the group. “Melissa’s car broke down on the road. How unsafe is that for a girl alone at night? I happened to be nearby, so I went to help her out. Do you really need to be this passive-aggressive?” I was truly speechless. “Nearby? Your office is in the east district, and she’s on the western ring highway. You call that nearby?” I called out his lie without mercy in the group chat. “Today is our fifth anniversary. Did you forget?” Before Ethan could respond, Melissa jumped in first. “Stella, I’m so sorry! I really didn’t know today was your anniversary. It’s all my fault for being such a tomboy and not paying attention to these details. Don’t be mad at Etha. If you need to blame someone, blame me.” Her practiced performance as the innocent third party directly triggered Ethan’s protective instincts. Ethan replied instantly. “Why are you taking it out on her? Melissa just sees me as a good friend. When a friend’s in trouble, shouldn’t I help? Can you please stop being so petty about everything? You’re so dramatic!” Ethan’s pack of friends in the group started chiming in too. “Exactly, Stella. Ethan just went to help out. It’s not that big a deal.” “Always going on about anniversaries. Ethan works so hard every day, how’s he supposed to remember?” “Melissa’s just got that buddy personality. Don’t overthink it, Stella.” Looking at all these messages defending him on my screen, I suddenly felt utterly ridiculous. Five years of my life. I’d given up better job opportunities for him. I’d moved with him from a cramped rental to our current small apartment, cooking and doing his laundry every day after work no matter how exhausted I was. And this is what I got in return. Him peeling shrimp for another woman on our important anniversary, then calling me dramatic in front of everyone. In the past, I would have cried from feeling so wronged, then frantically called him demanding an explanation, ultimately comforting myself through the cold war that followed. But now, I just felt tired. Completely and utterly dead inside. I called over the server and calmly paid the bill. Then I typed in the group chat. “Fine. Go ahead and enjoy your time with your good buddy.” “Ethan, we’re done.” After sending that message, I didn’t wait for any response. I left the group chat immediately.

Back at the apartment we shared, I pulled out my suitcase and started packing. Clothes, makeup, laptop. All my personal necessities went straight into the suitcase. As for the sneakers and clothes I’d bought him, along with the matching couple mugs and bedding sets I’d personally picked out, I didn’t even spare them a glance. Just as I zipped up my suitcase, the front door clicked open. Ethan walked in reeking of alcohol. He saw the suitcase on the floor and his brow furrowed tightly, his tone full of impatience. “What are you making a scene about now? I just went to help Melissa with her car. Making a fool of yourself in the group chat wasn’t enough? Now you’re playing the running-away-from-home card too? Is this fun for you?” I didn’t even look up, just grabbed my bag and prepared to change my shoes. “Whether it’s fun or not, you’ll find out eventually. Move. You’re blocking my way.” Not only did Ethan not move, he crossed his arms over his chest and let out a cold laugh. “Where are you going? Who else do you have in this city to rely on besides me? You think you can afford to stay in a hotel?” He was banking on my frugal habits, convinced he had me figured out, certain I was just bluffing. I actually laughed. I looked up at this face that I once found so captivating, but now it just seemed unbearably sleazy and arrogant. “Ethan, I’m telling you one last time. We’re broken up. This apartment’s lease ends at the end of the month. I’ve already paid my share of the rent. You figure out your own rent from now on. Don’t come looking for me again.” With that, I shoved him aside forcefully and dragged my suitcase toward the elevator without looking back. Ethan’s furious cursing echoed behind me. “Fine! Once you leave, don’t ever come back! I’ll be a complete idiot if I beg you even once!” I pressed the button for the first floor. Sitting in the taxi to the hotel, my phone buzzed. It was my best friend Jessica sending me several SnapChat screenshots. Jessica: “Has Ethan lost his mind? Look at this!” I opened the screenshots. They were from the chat group with Ethan and his friends. Jessica’s boyfriend happened to be in that group and couldn’t stand it anymore, so he screenshot everything and sent it to Jessica. Ethan had sent a voice message in the group, which when converted to text read: “What a buzzkill. Her temper’s getting worse and worse. She actually left with her suitcase.” His friend Marcus replied: “Is Stella serious this time? Ethan, aren’t you going to chase after her?” Ethan: “Chase after her? No way! She thinks twice about buying a cup of coffee because it’s too expensive. How many days do you think she can afford to stay in a hotel? She’s just acting spoiled.” Right after that, Ethan sent a large red envelope in the group. “Within three days, she’ll definitely come crawling back begging me to get back together. If she doesn’t come back, I’ll treat everyone to bottle service at the bar this weekend!” The group immediately erupted with laughter and comments praising Ethan. I saved the screenshots, then opened Ethan’s SnapChat and blocked and deleted him in one smooth motion. Then his phone number, Instagram, PayPal. Every possible way to contact me, all blocked. After finishing all this, I tossed my phone into my bag and turned to the driver. “Sir, please drive faster.” Three days? You’ll never see me again in this lifetime. I was finally free.

The next morning, I slept in until I naturally woke up in the hotel’s king-size bed. No Ethan’s snoring, no sound of him smashing his keyboard while cursing at video games first thing in the morning. The feeling was absolutely amazing. I quickly got up, washed up, and contacted a real estate agent to look at apartments. At ten in the morning, I found a nicely furnished one-bedroom apartment just a ten-minute walk from my office. Although the rent was a bit steep, now that I didn’t have to support that man-child Ethan, my salary was more than enough. I signed the contract on the spot, paid, and got the keys. Around noon, my best friend Jessica suddenly sent me several sixty-second voice messages, along with some screenshots. “I’m so angry! Look at what I sent you!” “That bastard Ethan? You’ve already moved out, and he still has the mood to game with that homewrecker?” “I seriously can’t believe this. Do they have any shame at all?” I opened the screenshots. The first one was a game stats screenshot. Ethan and Melissa’s duo queue record, from last night at eleven o’clock all the way until four in the morning today. The second was a screenshot of Melissa’s Instagram post from this morning. The caption read: “Even though my car breaking down on the road was unlucky, having Ethan stay up all night helping me rank up turned out to be a blessing in disguise. He’s so amazing!” Below it was Ethan’s comment: “Let’s continue tonight.” I actually laughed. I thought Ethan would at least have lost some sleep last night after making that bet in his chat group while so worked up. Turns out he turned right around and contentedly helped his good buddy rank up in games. Jessica was so angry she called me directly. “I want to reach through the internet and slap both of them! Does Ethan even know you two broke up?” I put her on speakerphone. “Of course he knows. But he thinks I’m playing hard to get. He bet Marcus and the others that I’d definitely come back begging him within three days.” “Disgusting!” Jessica cursed on the other end. “How inflated is his ego? Does he think he’s made of diamonds or something? So where are you now? You’re not homeless, are you?” “Don’t worry, I’ve already rented an apartment.” I said calmly. “Ethan’s trash. Whoever wants to pick him up can have him. I was just blind before.” “Exactly! Good riddance to bad rubbish! The next one will be better!” Jessica sighed with relief. “But what if he never comes looking for you?” I snorted coldly. “It’d be best if he didn’t. I’m just afraid he’ll shamelessly try to cling to me later. I’ve already blocked him everywhere. You don’t need to send me anything about his drama anymore.” After hanging up, I looked at my freshly decorated room, my mood soaring. That evening after work, I ordered myself a super large portion of lobster that I normally wouldn’t splurge on. No need to cook for Ethan, no need to listen to him complain that the food was too salty or too bland, no need to wash his socks for him. This life of not having to be a free maid in a relationship felt absolutely liberating, every pore in my body celebrating. Over the next two weeks, I threw all my energy into work. Not only did I complete my monthly tasks ahead of schedule, but the director publicly praised me at the morning meeting. Life without a scumbag boyfriend really did make even the air smell sweeter.

Friday evening, just before the end of the workday, it suddenly started pouring rain outside with howling winds. I pulled out my phone to call a rideshare, but there were over 300 people in queue. No way I could get one. A few coworkers who were also stuck at the office were complaining nearby. “This rain is crazy. I should’ve brought an umbrella this morning.” “My boyfriend said he’s coming to pick me up. I’m heading to the parking garage!” Watching my coworker happily get into her boyfriend’s car, I stood there as a memory suddenly flashed through my mind unbidden. It was also a rainy day last year. I’d gotten off work without an umbrella and was stuck at the subway station, so I called Ethan hopefully. “The rain’s too heavy and I can’t get home. Can you drive over and pick me up?” But Ethan responded extremely impatiently on the other end. “I’m in the middle of ranked! Can’t you just get a taxi or take the subway home? Can you be a little more independent and stop always relying on me?” Then he hung up directly. That day, I steeled myself and ran home through the pouring rain, getting completely soaked. That same night, I developed a 102-degree fever. But Ethan didn’t even pour me a glass of water. He actually complained that my coughing was keeping him awake. Looking back now, I was truly at a loss for words. What kind of spell was I under to waste five whole years on such a selfish man? Just as I was gritting my teeth, preparing to hold my bag over my head and just run through the rain to the subway, a low, gentle voice suddenly came from behind me. “No umbrella?” I turned around. It was Adrian Knight. The representative of our company’s newest major investor, who’d been at our office these past few days doing project due diligence. He was holding a black long-handled umbrella, his entire presence radiating a mature, steady aura. I froze for a moment, then quickly greeted him. “Mr. Knight, yeah, I didn’t bring an umbrella. Can’t get a ride, so I’m planning to run to the subway station.” Adrian frowned slightly, glancing at the torrential rain outside. “Where are you headed? I’ll have my driver drop you off on the way.” “No, no, I couldn’t impose on you like that.” I instinctively tried to refuse. But he didn’t give me a chance to refuse. “Let’s go.” He opened the large black umbrella, tilting it significantly toward my side without hesitation, sheltering me completely underneath. His shoulder was half-exposed to the rain. A black Maybach was parked steadily at the bottom of the steps. The driver quickly got out to open the door. Adrian let me get in first, then folded the umbrella and got into the back seat himself. Once inside, the driver immediately handed over a clean, dry towel. Adrian took the towel and passed it to me naturally. “Dry your hair so you don’t catch cold.” Then he said to the driver, “Turn up the back seat temperature by two degrees and adjust the vents away from her.” I held the towel, feeling the warm air in the car and the faint woody scent of the air freshener, completely stunned. “Thank you, Mr. Knight.” “After work hours, no need to call me Mr. Knight. Just call me Adrian.” Adrian turned to look at me, his gaze calm without any trace of superiority. “It’s not safe for a young woman to be caught in the rain alone. Next time you encounter this situation, don’t tough it out.” Hearing these simple words, an indescribable bitterness and relief welled up in my heart. They were both men, but the difference was bigger than between humans and dogs. Ethan wouldn’t even come downstairs to pick me up, while Adrian, a boss of such high standing, could attend to details so thoughtfully. I truly felt what it meant to be respected.

That night, I was suddenly jolted awake by severe cramping pain. The pain was so intense I was drenched in cold sweat, crawling and tumbling my way to the toilet where I vomited until I felt like I was dying. Acute gastroenteritis had flared up. Leaning against the cold bathroom tiles, completely drained, I fumbled for my phone wanting to call 911. But my hand slipped and I accidentally pressed a number in my recent calls. The phone was answered almost immediately. “Hello?” A deep, slightly nasal male voice came through. It was Adrian Knight. I froze, only then realizing I’d accidentally called him. “I’m sorry, Mr. Knight, I… I dialed the wrong number…” My voice was trembling from the pain, even my breathing was uneven. The other end went silent for a second, then Adrian’s voice turned extremely serious. “What’s wrong? Your voice sounds off.” “It’s nothing… just a bit of stomach pain. I called the wrong number…” I tried to hang up. “Send me your address.” Adrian didn’t listen to my excuses, his tone brooking no argument. “Right now!” “Really, it’s not necessary…” “Send your address, or I’ll look it up in your employee file directly.” I was in too much pain to argue with him, and that near-death feeling was too strong, so I could only weakly give him my apartment complex name and unit number. Less than twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang. I forced myself through the pain to crawl to the door. The moment I cracked the door open, Adrian strode in. He was wearing only a slightly disheveled shirt, his hair not as meticulously styled as usual. Seeing me curled up on the floor, he frowned and without a word, scooped me up horizontally. “We’re going to the hospital.” He carried me out, his steps quick but steady. In that moment, leaning against his broad, warm chest, I actually felt like crying. Back when I was with Ethan, I’d had gastroenteritis once too. It was two in the morning. I was rolling around in bed from the pain, pushing Ethan who was sleeping like a log beside me, begging him to take me to the hospital. But he groggily turned over, shaking off my hand and yelling at me impatiently. “What are you freaking out about in the middle of the night? You’re so high-maintenance! Just take some stomach medicine. Stop making a fuss. I have an early basketball game tomorrow!” That night, I forced myself to endure until dawn, then went to the hospital alone for an IV. And now, Adrian Knight, a boss who had no relation to me whatsoever, was speeding through the night to take me to the emergency room. At the hospital, he handled registration, payment, and getting medication, running around without letting me take a single extra step. By the time I was hooked up to an IV and lying on a bed in the emergency observation room, the sky was already beginning to lighten. Adrian sat by the hospital bed. Seeing my complexion improve slightly, he finally relaxed. “What did you eat last night?” he asked. “Well… I worked late and skipped dinner. I got hungry at night, so I ordered some super spicy chicken wings…” I said guiltily in a small voice. Adrian looked at me and sighed, pulling out a thermos from nearby. “The doctor said you can only eat liquid foods for the next few days. This is oatmeal porridge. Eat some to fill your stomach.” As he spoke, he opened the lid, and a light, pleasant rice fragrance wafted out. He blew on a spoonful to cool it, then brought it to my lips. I was so surprised I tried to take it from him. “Mr. Knight, I can do it myself!” He moved his hand away, his tone gentle but firm. “You still have an IV in your hand. Don’t move around.” I mechanically opened my mouth and swallowed that spoonful of porridge. My stomach felt warm, and my heart felt sour and full at the same time. This feeling of being carefully cared for and cherished. It had been so, so long. It turned out being truly cared about felt this good.

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I was once the person Ethan loved most. Because I saved his life. Because he owed me that life. My brother Sebastian died in that accident, pushing both of us to safety. Then they reopened the case. Changed the ruling. Sebastian’s rescue choice killed Ethan’s sister. Vivian was the real savior. From that day on, Ethan decided I was guilty. Vivian casually said, “I wonder if she’d just wait there and die if we locked her in a freezer.” Ethan locked me in the cold storage. Right away. But I was pregnant. My child died in that cold. Lying in the hospital bed, I sent that man a message. “I won’t love Ethan anymore. I’ll go to New York with you.” Natalie’s POV I was once the person Ethan loved most. If a little hot water scalded my hand, Ethan would drop everything. He would leave all the company directors waiting to personally take me to the hospital. When someone laughed at me for being too delicate, the next day that person’s company was removed from the collaborator list. Everyone knew I had saved Ethan’s life, and that I’d lost my brother saving him. Back then, Ethan said he would protect everything I had left. But last night, at a dinner party, Vivian casually mentioned wanting to see if I’d also wait in vain for rescue if locked in a freezer. After a few seconds of silence, Ethan had someone send me in. The freezer door locked from the outside. By the time they found me, it was already the next morning. When the warehouse worker opened the door, he stumbled backward in shock. I lay on the floor, my lips completely colorless, my hands and feet stiff as if pulled from ice. The doctor lifted me onto a stretcher. When the needle pierced the back of my hand, I didn’t even have the strength to flinch. Ethan stood not far away, his face pale. He had taken half a step forward. Vivian stood beside him, fingers touching the old scar on her arm, her voice soft. “Ethan, don’t forget. Melissa waited like this for someone to save her too.” Ethan’s footsteps stopped. He didn’t come any closer, only instructed the doctor. “Take her to the hospital.” When I woke up, a warming blanket covered me, and an IV dripped into the back of my hand. The doctor said I was lucky they found me soon enough, but I couldn’t be exposed to cold for the next few days. Ethan frowned as he listened. I stared at his face. I remembered years ago, right after the accident. I’d developed a high fever from smoke inhalation. My brother Sebastian died at the rescue site. Ethan sat by my hospital bed, holding my hand, saying over and over, “From now on, I’ll protect everything you have left.” And he really had kept that promise. He personally placed Sebastian’s memorial plaque in the hall. When I was too afraid to sleep alone, he renovated the master bedroom in the villa so I could rest peacefully. Until they reopened the old case and changed the conclusion. Sebastian was found to have wrongly sealed off a rescue route, indirectly causing Melissa’s death. Vivian was the responsibility Melissa left behind, and also a survivor of that accident. She had old injuries. Whenever she hurt, Ethan would think of his sister. I pushed myself up in bed, my throat raw and aching. “Did you agree to throw me in the freezer?” Ethan didn’t answer, only said, “Rest first.” I stared at his averted eyes. “If I hadn’t been the one who saved you back then, would you have been more decisive? Would you have just let me freeze to death in there?” Ethan’s expression darkened. “Natalie, saving my life doesn’t cancel out another life.” He looked at me. “The person who died was my sister.” I gripped the blanket. “My father’s rescue decision wasn’t meant to harm anyone. Sebastian also died in there. He-” “The investigation results are clear.” Ethan cut me off. “What your family owes Melissa won’t be canceled just because Sebastian died too.” The hospital room door was pushed open. Vivian walked in, holding Melissa’s old belongings. She wasn’t crying, just stood in the doorway with reddened eyes. “Natalie, Melissa was also waiting for someone to open that passage. But no one came.” Ethan’s gaze left me. He turned to support Vivian, his voice low. “Don’t upset yourself anymore.” I watched his hand fall on Vivian’s shoulder. The words on my lips were choked back. After the hospital room quieted down, my phone lit up. Adrian sent a message: “I’ve secured a job opportunity for you in New York. I’ve prepared everything for you. As soon as you agree to come work here, you can enjoy it all immediately.” He was the person who had been providing legal assistance for Sebastian’s memorial project after the accident. Three days ago, he went to New York to prepare everything for me. I didn’t reply immediately. Adrian sent another message: “Sebastian didn’t save you so you could stay trapped, being punished by others.” Before I could respond, a text from Ethan appeared. It was brief: “After discharge today, go back to the villa and clear out the master bedroom. Vivian is moving in tonight. Don’t leave any of your things in the room or the closet. It makes her uncomfortable.” I stared at those words, my eyes slowly growing cold. That master bedroom was the one Ethan had personally arranged for me years ago. Sebastian’s memorial items were kept there. My nightmares from the accident had gradually disappeared in that room. Now Vivian was moving in. I finally replied to Adrian: “I’ll go with you.” The moment I sent the message, footsteps sounded outside the hospital room. Ethan’s assistant entered with discharge papers, his tone polite. “Miss Natalie, Mr. Ethan wants you to return to the villa now. The car is waiting downstairs.”

Natalie’s POV When I was sent back to the villa, the master bedroom door was already open. My coats had been thrown in the hallway. Medicine bottles sat on a suitcase, with a mug lying beside it. A maid stood by the door, head down, not daring to look at me. Inside the room, Vivian’s belongings had already appeared. The right side of the closet had been emptied. Her medicine sat by the bed. Vivian sat on the edge of the bed, wearing Ethan’s coat. Ethan was bent over examining the old injury on her arm. “The family doctor will watch over you tonight. Call him if you feel unwell.” That was the spot where I used to sit when I felt cold. During many nights after the accident, Ethan sat there keeping me company until dawn. Now he left that light for Vivian. Vivian looked up and saw me. “Natalie, good, you’re back. Please hurry and clean this place up. When I see things related to that accident, my wound hurts.” I didn’t argue. I walked into the master bedroom and packed Sebastian’s memorial items one by one into a box. Vivian leaned against the bed watching me. “Sebastian’s death was truly unfortunate, but if your father hadn’t made that decision back then, Melissa wouldn’t have died in there.” My movements stopped. Vivian continued. “You people caused someone’s death, yet your brother still got placed in the memorial hall. While you lived in the villa, did you not hear how the other families cursed you outside?” I placed the materials in the box. “Don’t touch my family.” Vivian laughed. “Isn’t your brother’s death the best leverage you have to bind Ethan? He lost his own sister!” I looked up at her. “You’re using Melissa’s death to live here, using old injuries to make Ethan punish me again and again. Vivian, you have no right to use the dead as your weapon either.” Vivian’s expression changed. She suddenly reached out to grab the memorial items from my arms. I instinctively protected the box. Vivian deliberately stumbled against the corner of the bed, her arm hitting the edge. She immediately began crying out in pain. The bathroom door was pulled open. Ethan came out. His first glance went to Vivian clutching her trembling arm. He didn’t look at me, only walked to Vivian’s side. “Where does it hurt?” Vivian’s eyes reddened. “I was just trying to help Natalie pack. She might still be stuck in past pain. She suddenly pushed me away…” I stood beside the scattered memorial items. “She insulted my father and brother first, and tried to grab Sebastian’s belongings.” “Shut up.” Ethan coldly cut me off. He helped Vivian up, his gaze falling on my face. “Vivian’s old injuries are from that accident. If not for your father’s rescue error back then, Melissa wouldn’t have died. And you still want to hurt her?” I clutched the box tightly and said nothing more. Ethan turned to instruct the maid. “Move her things to the guest room.” The guest room was at the far end of the villa, far from the master bedroom. Boxes were piled at the door. Sebastian’s memorial items were mixed in, and several pieces had been broken. I crouched down and carefully put them back together, one by one. My phone vibrated. Adrian sent a message: “In ten days, I’ll meet you in New York.” I replied: “Okay.” Outside the door, the maid whispered that Mr. Ethan wanted the pillow I’d used thrown out, and the bedside lamp removed too, so Miss Vivian wouldn’t feel upset seeing them at night. At dinner, Vivian sat beside Ethan, wearing a coat I’d left in the master bedroom. “Natalie, I’m just cold. You don’t mind if I borrow this, do you?” Ethan didn’t ask her to take it off, only instructed the maid. “Pour her some milk.” I sat in the farthest seat. Vivian glanced at my still-stiff fingers and deliberately pushed a plate toward me. “Natalie, my arm hurts. Can you help me tear open this package?” Ethan glanced at me. “Vivian’s wound hurts. Help her.” I lowered my head and did as told. My fingers, damaged by the cold, couldn’t grip the bag properly. I nearly dropped it into the plate. Vivian’s eyes immediately reddened. “Ethan, is Natalie still angry that I moved into the master bedroom?” Ethan set down his utensils. “Natalie, be careful. Don’t take your resentment out on Vivian.” I placed the opened package in front of Vivian. Ethan’s gaze landed on my trembling hands, then quickly moved away. After dinner, I carried my medicine back to the guest room. As soon as the door closed, another message from Ethan came in. “Go to the memorial hall tomorrow and remove Sebastian’s materials from the main exhibition area. Vivian is upset tonight. She doesn’t want to see your family name displayed alongside that accident anymore.” I looked at his message, then slowly raised my head toward the box by the door. My brother had died in that accident trying to save me. Later, Ethan personally funded the placement of his materials in the memorial hall. Now, because Vivian didn’t want to see it, Ethan was telling me to remove those materials myself. Knocking soon sounded at the door. The maid’s voice came through. “Miss Natalie, Mr. Ethan also said you should go tomorrow morning.” The maid added another line. “Miss Vivian will go with you.”

Natalie’s POV Early the next morning, the driver took me to the accident memorial hall. A colleague was already waiting at the entrance, holding the notice Ethan had sent last night. The notice contained only one sentence: “Remove all materials related to Sebastian from the main exhibition area and transfer to regular archives.” Ethan had personally selected that memorial plaque’s location years ago. Back then, he stood beside me and told the staff, “Sebastian saved me. He saved Natalie. He deserves to be remembered.” Now, he wheeled Vivian inside without even glancing at that plaque. Vivian sat in the wheelchair, her arm still wrapped in a stabilizing bandage. When she saw me, her voice was gentle. “I don’t want to upset you, but I really can’t stand it. Why should the name of the person who caused Melissa’s death be displayed alongside hers?” Ethan didn’t correct her. He only told the staff, “Begin.” The staff member stepped forward and reached for Sebastian’s memorial plaque. I stood nearby, fingers gripping my sleeve, and didn’t stop them. A colleague asked quietly, “Ethan, where should we put the removed materials?” Vivian spoke first. “Put them in the regular archive room. Don’t display them in such a prominent place anymore. It’s too painful for us victims.” I looked up at her. “Sebastian wasn’t someone who harmed people. He went in to save people.” Vivian’s face paled. Her eyes quickly reddened again. “But if your father hadn’t sealed off that passage, Melissa wouldn’t have died. Your brother saving people is true, but your father causing death is also true. You can’t just remember what benefits you.” “Don’t lump my brother together with the accident.” My voice was hoarse. “He died in there. He didn’t die so you could insult his name.” Vivian suddenly reached out to grab the memorial plaque. “Then I’ll take it down myself, okay?” I instinctively blocked her. Vivian immediately pulled her hand back, clutching her old injury and leaning back, tears falling. “Ethan, I was just trying to help…” Ethan quickly stepped forward to support her. When he looked at me again, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes was gone. “Do you have to make a scene here?” I looked at his hands. “Do you remember? Years ago, you were the one who put my brother’s name in here.” Ethan fell silent for a moment. Vivian trembled beside him. “When Melissa was waiting for rescue inside, she probably didn’t even have the strength to call your name.” Ethan’s silence shattered under those words. He said coldly, “Remove that plaque.” I stepped forward and finally pressed my hand against the memorial plaque. Ethan gripped my wrist, his force landing right on my still-healing injury. My face paled, but I didn’t let go. “Stop using Sebastian’s death to claim victim status.” Ethan’s voice was ice cold. “Natalie, what your family owes Melissa is already too much.” My hand slowly released. The memorial plaque was taken away. A space opened up in the main exhibition area. Vivian looked at that spot and said quietly, “Tonight I can finally have fewer nightmares.” After it ended, Vivian said the stimulation had upset her, and she wanted me to spend time in the rescue experience zone too. Ethan frowned. “Her body hasn’t recovered yet.” Vivian took out Melissa’s old belongings and asked softly, “So you’re going to forget how Melissa died again, just because she saved you?” Ethan stopped looking at me. He had the staff leave, keeping only medical personnel outside on standby. After the experience chamber door closed, cold air and mist pressed down together. Through the glass, I saw Ethan standing beside Vivian, head bent as he listened to her speak. When the door opened again, I could no longer stand. When I was sent back to the villa guest room, my fingers had swollen again, and my wrist bore marks from Ethan’s grip. A maid brought a stack of cards, saying, “Miss Vivian is holding a memorial service for Miss Melissa tomorrow. Mr. Ethan wants you to finish writing these cards tonight.” I asked, “What if I don’t write them?” The maid kept her head down. “Mr. Ethan said the materials removed from the memorial hall are still in his possession.” I sat at the desk and opened the first card. From downstairs came the sound of Vivian trying on clothes. I gripped the pen, my fingers trembling with pain. My phone lit up then. Adrian sent a message: “The documents for leaving are being processed. Wait for me a few more days.” After reading it, I set my phone on the desk and continued writing.

Natalie’s POV I wrote those cards all night. By dawn, my fingers were so swollen I could barely hold the pen. A maid came in to rush me to the memorial service, scooping up the cards without daring to say an extra word. The memorial service was held in the old auditorium. Vivian sat in the front row wearing a black dress. Ethan stood beside her, speaking quietly. “If you feel unwell, go inside and rest first.” I was assigned to a corner, responsible for handing memorial cards to attending family members. As soon as I steadied myself, I heard someone say in a low voice, “Her family caused Melissa’s death, yet she can still stand here. Ethan is very kind.” I didn’t turn around, just handed out the cards one by one. When the memorial service began, Vivian took the stage to thank Ethan for caring for her all these years. When she mentioned Melissa, her eyes reddened. “If Melissa were still here, she wouldn’t want to see the person who harmed her still occupying a spot in the memorial hall.” As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed into Ethan’s arms. The scene immediately descended into chaos. Ethan caught her, his first reaction to call for a doctor. Vivian gripped his sleeve, her breathing shaky. “I just touched the card Natalie handed over… As soon as I touched that card, my old wound started hurting.” Every gaze in the room fell on me. I stood in place. “I didn’t touch anything else. You can check right now.” Vivian closed her eyes, leaning against Ethan. “I’m just saying what I touched… I don’t have the energy to argue with you.” Ethan looked at me, his eyes growing colder. He had his assistant collect all the cards, but didn’t send them for inspection. He only said, “Preserve these items carefully.” I tried to speak. Ethan cut me off in front of everyone. “Why do you insist on making a scene at my sister’s memorial service?” With those words, I knew he had already decided I was guilty. After Vivian was taken to the rest room, Ethan had someone take me to the back of the auditorium. There was an accident experience chamber there. When I saw that door, my body instinctively froze. Ethan said coldly, “Go in and stay for half an hour. If you really didn’t do anything wrong, you can come out in half an hour.” I looked up at him. “I just came out of the experience chamber yesterday. The doctor said I can’t handle more stress.” Ethan fell silent for a moment. From the rest room, Vivian called out softly, “Ethan, Melissa waited so long back then, and no one asked if she could bear it.” Ethan’s expression completely darkened. He had the staff open the door. I was pushed inside. The moment the door sealed, cold climbed up from the soles of my feet. The mist grew heavier and heavier. I leaned against the wall. My injured fingers quickly lost strength. Someone outside reminded him, “Mr. Ethan, Miss Natalie’s vital signs are showing problems.” But Ethan first looked toward the rest room. “How is Vivian?” When the experience chamber was forcibly opened, I had already collapsed on the floor. After examining me, the doctor’s face changed. “She must be taken to the hospital immediately. Her body can’t wait.” On the other side, Vivian was also helped out, saying her chest hurt and she wanted Ethan with her. Two ambulances stopped outside the auditorium. The doctor told Ethan, “Miss Natalie is in greater danger. Miss Vivian is conscious. She can wait a moment.” Ethan stood between the two vehicles. His fingers twitched, as if about to come toward me. Vivian called out softly, “Ethan, just now I almost thought I was back in that accident again.” Ethan withdrew his foot. He got into Vivian’s ambulance first, leaving only one sentence behind: “Save her.” After seeing this scene, I completely lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was already in the hospital. A nurse was changing my dressing. “You were in critical condition for a long time. Your husband was just in the hallway yelling at the doctor. He nearly made the doctor cry.” When I heard the word “husband,” my eyes flickered. I asked, “Where is he now?” The nurse paused. “He just got a call from the other ward. He went to see Miss Vivian.” I didn’t ask again. I looked at the monitor by the bed, my voice soft. “He’s not my husband.” The nurse froze. I added, “Very soon, he won’t be.” The hospital room door was pushed open at that moment. Ethan stood in the doorway, his face dark. He’d clearly heard that last sentence.

Natalie’s POV When Ethan entered the hospital room, he slammed the door hard. He walked to the bed, his voice forced low. “What do you mean, I won’t be your husband soon?” I’d just woken up. My throat still hurt. I didn’t answer immediately. Ethan leaned down and gripped the bed rail, his knuckles white. “Natalie, do you think you can leave me? We have a marriage. We have that accident between us. Do you think our relationship can end so easily?” I looked at him. “If you hate me so much, why did you have the doctor save me just now?” Ethan’s eyes darkened. My voice was soft. “You could have let me die in the experience chamber. That way you’d never have to see me again, and Vivian wouldn’t be upset by me anymore.” “Die?” Ethan seemed stung by that word, his face suddenly ugly. “You think too lightly. If you die, will Melissa come back? If you die, will the consequences your family left behind disappear?” I smiled faintly. “So you saved me to keep me alive and suffering.” Ethan didn’t deny it. A nurse came outside, saying Vivian’s chest hurt again and she wanted to see Ethan. I looked at his profile and suddenly asked, “If Vivian and I both stood before you, would you always choose her first?” Ethan frowned. “That kind of question is meaningless.” “It’s meaningful.” I raised my eyes. “Just now outside the experience chamber, the doctor said I was in greater danger, but you still got in her ambulance. Ethan, every time, you know exactly who you’re choosing.” Ethan said nothing. The nurse urged him again from outside. Ethan’s hesitation was crushed. He said coldly, “Vivian has endured Melissa’s old injuries to live until today. I can’t ignore her. You saved me, but what you owe Melissa can’t be covered by one act of saving a life.” I went quiet. I nodded. “I understand now.” Ethan looked at me like this, his expression growing even colder. “Get up. Go apologize to Vivian.” The nurse tried to intervene. “Mr. Ethan, Miss Natalie just woke up. Her body still hasn’t-” “If she can talk, she can apologize.” Ethan cut her off. I was wheeled to Vivian’s hospital room door. Vivian leaned against the bed, her face pale. When she saw me enter, she first glanced at Ethan, and her eyes immediately reddened. I spoke. “I apologize for what happened at the memorial service.” My words were brief. I offered no explanation. But Vivian gently shook her head. “Natalie, one apology can’t make up for your sins. You ruined Melissa’s memorial service. When I close my eyes, all I see is her waiting for rescue that never came.” Ethan looked at her. “What else do you want her to do?” Vivian said quietly, “Tomorrow, let’s go to the old accident site. Hand over Sebastian’s materials to the hall for archiving. And let Natalie admit that her father’s decision back then truly harmed Melissa.” Ethan didn’t speak immediately. Vivian saw his hesitation, and tears fell. “If she won’t even do this, I’ll think about today every single moment from now on.” Ethan looked at me. “You must go. And Sebastian’s materials. They don’t need to go into any archive in the future.” My fingertips went cold. Finally, I said, “I’ll go.” After returning to the hospital room, I didn’t sleep all night. Adrian sent a message saying I could leave in a few days. The residence in New York was confirmed. After reading it, I put my phone on the pillow. I began organizing what I could take with me. Besides these things, I only had an old key and a backup authorization card for Sebastian’s memorial project. The old key was what Ethan gave me years ago. He said no matter what happened, that would always be my home. I put the key in the bedside drawer and kept only the authorization card in my pocket. The next day, I was taken to the old accident site. Several family members had come. The hall staff were also there. Ethan stood at the front with Vivian. Vivian held Melissa’s old belongings, as if she were the only victim in this old case. The hall staff asked me to step forward. I held Sebastian’s materials but didn’t release them immediately. Vivian spoke publicly. “Natalie, today isn’t for you to cause trouble. The family of the one who caused harm should know their place.” Someone quietly echoed, “Sebastian did save people, but it’s also true that their father caused deaths.” I looked at Ethan. Ethan avoided my gaze, only saying, “Hand over the materials.” I gave the materials to the hall staff. The staff member took them and placed them in an ordinary archive box. My brother’s name was completely removed from the main memorial area. My phone vibrated then. Adrian sent a message: “Leave in three days.” I stood at the back of the crowd, clutching that message in my palm.

Natalie’s POV This wasn’t my first time at the old accident site. In the first year after the accident, I didn’t even dare approach this place. Sebastian died in this area after pushing Ethan and me to safety, then got trapped by a secondary collapse and never came out. Back then, Ethan hadn’t yet been crushed by the reopened investigation. He stood here with me and placed Sebastian’s name in the memorial area. He told me, “Your brother saved us. He deserves to be remembered.” I truly believed him then. Later, when the investigation results changed and it was determined that my father had wrongly sealed the rescue passage, Melissa’s death overshadowed everything. Ethan began avoiding this place, and avoiding the words he’d said years ago. Now, Sebastian’s materials were packed into an ordinary archive box. Vivian looked at the empty space in the main memorial area and said softly, “Ethan, I want to add a new plaque for Melissa. She’s waited so many years. Finally she won’t have to be displayed alongside the name of someone from that family.” Ethan frowned. “The memorial hall has procedures. We can’t make changes arbitrarily.” Vivian lowered her head and touched the old belongings in her hands. “Melissa was most afraid of being left behind alone. She’s already been trapped in that accident for so long. Doesn’t she even deserve a separate place?” After a moment of silence, Ethan turned to the hall colleague. “Make a temporary plaque first. We’ll complete the paperwork later.” I stood nearby, watching the staff place the new temporary plaque in the spot that had originally belonged to my brother. I didn’t speak. I only walked to the archive box and, under the pretense of organizing materials, figured out where the materials were being stored. The backup authorization card was still in my pocket. This was my last chance to access my brother’s materials. In the evening, people from the memorial hall gradually left. I said I wasn’t feeling well and didn’t go back with Ethan. Ethan glanced at me, as if wanting to ask something. Vivian suddenly pressed her hand to her chest. “Ethan, I stood too long today. I want to go back early.” Ethan withdrew his gaze and instructed the driver to take me back to the villa. He left first with Vivian. I didn’t get in the car. After the car lights disappeared, I circled to the memorial hall’s side entrance and used the backup authorization card to unlock the archive room door. At the bottom of the ordinary archive shelf, Sebastian’s materials were pressed there. A label on the file box read “Removed from Main Exhibition Area.” I took out the materials, photographed and recorded them, then took a backup copy. I couldn’t let Sebastian remain only in that ordinary archive box in Ethan’s hands after I left. Just as I closed the archive cabinet, footsteps sounded behind me. Vivian stood in the doorway. Ethan wasn’t with her. She saw the document folder in my hands, and the weakness on her face instantly vanished. “You still want to get Sebastian back into the main exhibition area?” I tightened my grip on the folder. “I’m only taking backup archives. I’m not touching the hall’s original materials.” “What if you’re lying to us?” Vivian took a step forward, her gaze sweeping the corner. “There are no security cameras here. If something happens to the materials, everyone will only know you snuck into the archive room after closing.” I looked at her, finally understanding she hadn’t appeared by chance. Vivian suddenly reached out to grab the folder. I stepped back, protecting the materials. Vivian deliberately stumbled to the side, and file boxes from the shelf came crashing down. A box of old accident materials related to Melissa scattered across the floor. The next second, Vivian fell to the ground, clutching her arm and crying out. “Natalie, why did you push me? Melissa’s things were already destroyed once. Can’t you leave her alone?” Urgent footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway. Ethan and hall personnel rushed over. Ethan’s first glance went to Vivian’s bleeding arm. His face immediately changed. Vivian gripped his sleeve, crying and trembling. “I found Natalie sneaking into the archive room and tried to convince her not to touch the materials. To grab back the folder, she pushed me into the shelf.” I held the folder. “She tried to grab Sebastian’s materials first.”Ethan looked at what I was holding. “Why were you here after closing?” “I have a backup authorization card.” I said, “I have the right to keep a copy of Sebastian’s materials.” Ethan ignored that statement. His gaze fell on Melissa’s scattered materials. Vivian called out softly, “Ethan, I don’t want to see Melissa’s things trampled on the ground like this again.” Ethan’s expression turned completely cold. He stepped forward and took the folder from my hands. I gripped it and wouldn’t let go. My injured fingers ached as he pulled. Then he took my access card from my pocket and handed it to the hall staff. “Cancel it.” The staff processed it right there. I stood there, watching the cancellation confirmation flash on the screen. The last door I had to access my brother’s materials. Ethan shut it.

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I was working late when my smart home app pinged me. Someone had opened the front door. Only Emily and I had registered fingerprints. Emily was three months pregnant. Worried something had happened to her, I opened the live feed. I was about to call the police. But what I saw stopped me cold. She was naked from the waist up, her pregnant belly showing. She was on top of her childhood friend, moving up and down. “Tristan, be gentle. I’m carrying your child.” My heart sank. She had told me the baby was mine. I pulled up every security video from the past few months. They had been having sex all over the house while I worked overtime. I downloaded everything. Tomorrow was our wedding anniversary. At the party, I would give them a gift they’d never forget. Ethan’s POV Emily was three months pregnant. We were supposed to announce the baby at our first anniversary party. The party was at our house. She had picked the house herself. The day she got the keys, she told me this would be our home. Just the two of us. No one would ever take my place. But before the party even started, Emily invited another man to sit at the head table. Years ago, Tristan took a blow meant for Emily. His right hand was permanently injured. His arranged engagement fell apart because of it. The Hayes family felt they owed him. They’d been carrying that debt for years. All the way to today. Now Emily’s unborn child already had someone trying to claim a place for him. Emily’s mother, Linda, spoke first. “Ethan, Tristan isn’t a stranger. If it weren’t for him back then, Emily would be dead. When the child has birthdays in the future, surely he can at least sit at the family table?” Another person piled on. “You’re about to be a father. Be more generous. Tristan doesn’t want any title. He just wants to feel included.” I sat beside Emily, my fingers slowly tightening. Tristan kept his head down, his voice soft. “Forget it. Don’t make things difficult for Ethan. The child is his and Emily’s. What right do I have to interfere?” The moment he said that, the table went even quieter. Linda’s eyes reddened. “You’re too understanding. That’s why people keep taking advantage of you.” “Ethan wouldn’t be that petty, would he?” “Tristan’s hand is ruined. What’s wrong with letting him be close to the child?” Every sentence was a blow to my face. I’d been afraid of scenes like this since I was a child. Even when something was clearly mine, as long as someone else cried harder, I had to give it up. But Emily stood up. She was wearing a formal dress, her belly not yet prominent, her voice steady. “The child is Ethan’s and mine. This house is Ethan’s and mine. The Hayes family owes Tristan, and I’ll repay that debt. If his right hand needs treatment, I’ll pay for it. If he has no one to take care of him, I’ll arrange for someone. But his name won’t be written into the child’s trust, and he won’t have access to our house.” Everyone at the table froze. Linda’s face darkened. “Emily, don’t forget who he became like this for.” “I haven’t forgotten.” Emily looked at Tristan. “That’s why I’ll compensate him. But I won’t use my husband to do it.” I looked up at her. In that moment, I truly believed Emily still remembered what she had said. The day our house was completed, she placed the keys in my palm. “From now on,” she said, “no outsiders. No relatives staying over. No one rearranging your things.” I had said, “Not even your savior?” Emily had smiled and answered, “No one.” I believed her. Before the party, Linda called Emily away to change her dress. I went to the study alone. In the study drawer was an anniversary ring with the date of our house’s completion engraved on the inside. I had planned to put the ring back on Emily’s finger after we announced the baby. But the computer was on. A security footage backup file sat alone on the desktop, labeled with the date of the night I had been on a business trip. The home security system had been installed after Emily got pregnant. It only recorded the door access and hallway. I had never checked it before. Now that backup file sat right in the center of the screen. I clicked it open. At one in the morning, Tristan used the access code to open our front door, as naturally as if he were coming home. He walked straight toward the master bedroom. A few minutes later, Emily appeared in the hallway. She didn’t call the housekeeper. She didn’t stop him. The master bedroom door opened, then closed. The camera couldn’t capture inside the room, but Tristan didn’t come out all night. Just before dawn, the master bedroom door finally opened. Tristan came out first, with Emily following behind. They stood at the end of the hallway talking. Tristan laughed softly. “After the child is born, surely he can’t be the only one the kid calls ‘Dad,’ right?” Emily’s voice was tight. “Don’t make a scene tonight. Don’t provoke Ethan at the party.” “You know better than anyone how this child came to be.” Emily didn’t argue. She only said, “Remember what you promised me.” Applause suddenly erupted from downstairs. The host was calling for us. “Please welcome Mr. Hayes and Miss Emily to the stage. There’s good news to announce tonight!” I stared at the master bedroom door on the screen. The anniversary ring in my hand dropped onto the desk with a soft clink.

Ethan’s POV By the time I came downstairs, the lights in the banquet hall were blindingly bright. Emily was waiting for me at the side of the stage. Seeing my expression, she reached out to steady me. “Ethan, are you feeling unwell?” I looked at her belly, then at Tristan standing behind her. Tristan was holding a glass of wine, also looking at me. His face was clean, as if he hadn’t entered the master bedroom last night at all. The host invited us onto the stage. Emily took my arm and faced the room full of friends and family, her voice gentle. “Tonight, there’s also some good news. I’m three months pregnant.” Applause immediately filled the room. Linda smiled with red-rimmed eyes. The Hayes family applauded while urging me to say a few words. Emily continued, “This child is the greatest gift of Ethan’s and my marriage.” She spoke so calmly. You’d never know about the security footage. Never guess about the words in the hallway. “You know better than anyone how this child came to be.” Tristan raised his glass with a smile. “Emily, Ethan, congratulations.” Everyone was looking at me, waiting for me to say I was going to be a father. Emily’s fingers pressed lightly against my arm. I took the microphone and only said, “Tonight is indeed very important.” I handed the microphone back. The atmosphere stiffened for a moment. Emily quickly smiled and covered for me. “That’s just how Ethan is. The happier he is, the less he can say.” The room laughed again. No one knew my hands had already gone cold and stiff. The party continued. Family members gathered around Emily. Some asked who would accompany her to the next checkup, others said the nursery should be changed to the south-facing room, and some were already calculating who would wait at the hospital when the baby was born. Emily answered everything smoothly. I stood nearby, and with every sentence I heard, I thought of Tristan’s words: “He can’t be the only one the kid calls ‘Dad.’” I went to the terrace. I had just stopped when Tristan came over with a glass of wine. “Ethan, congratulations.” Tristan’s voice was very low. “But why didn’t you bring out the anniversary ring tonight? I saw it in the study.” I turned to look at him. Tristan smiled slightly, his gaze falling on Emily’s belly inside the banquet hall. “That ring is quite a pity. But what Emily should be wearing tonight might not be something you gave her.” He paused, his smile deepening. “Something from the child’s real father would be more appropriate.” My grip on the wine glass tightened sharply. But Tristan stepped back. “Don’t be angry. There are too many people here tonight. If you make a scene, the one who’ll be embarrassed is Emily, and the child. You wouldn’t want the child to be called dirty before it’s even born, would you?” I set my wine glass down on the terrace edge. The base struck the stone surface with a crisp sound. After the party ended, Linda brought a trust document for the child to me. “Ethan, sign this. It specifies which school the child will attend, where they’ll live, which funds will be used for medical care. Everything’s written out in advance so there’s no confusion later.” I opened the document. Tristan’s name was written clearly in the “Long-term Care Participant” section. I stared at those words and let out a short laugh. Linda frowned. “What are you laughing at?” I ignored her and looked at Emily instead. “Did you know about this?” Emily paused for a second. That second was enough. She said, “I knew, but this doesn’t affect your status as the father.” I pushed the document in front of her. “Status as the father?” Emily’s expression changed slightly. The Hayes family immediately chimed in. “Tristan was ruined back then for Emily’s sake. Now, before the child is even born, you’re already shutting him out. Isn’t that inappropriate?” Tristan sat to one side and said quietly, “Forget it. Emily, don’t argue because of me. I shouldn’t have asked for these things in the first place.” Linda’s heart ached even more. “Look how understanding he is.” Emily reached out to take my hand. “Ethan, you can take your time reviewing the document. Tristan won’t take anything away from you. He just needs to be accepted by this family.” I pulled my hand back. I closed the document without signing. “I’m tired.” With that, I turned and went upstairs. I stopped at the master bedroom door. This used to be the place where I felt most at ease. Emily had refused to let relatives stay over, and she had refused to let the elders come in and redecorate. She said the master bedroom belonged only to the two of us. Now the door was closed, but all I could see was the image of Tristan walking out of it in the early morning. Emily came after me, softening her voice. “Ethan, you’re being too sensitive tonight. Tristan won’t affect us, and he won’t affect the child calling you Dad.” Every sentence she spoke avoided the question of how the child came to be. I asked, “Does Tristan come to our house often?” Emily’s eyes flickered. “Occasionally.” She said, “His right hand isn’t convenient. My mother worries he’ll have an accident alone, so sometimes she has him come over for a meal or rest in the guest room for a while.” “The guest room?” “Yes, just the guest room.” Emily immediately responded, “Don’t make it sound so ugly.” I looked at her for a long time. If it weren’t for that security footage, I might have actually believed her. I turned and entered the guest room. The moment the door closed, I opened my phone and saved the security backup, the trust document, and the access log pages. Outside the window, Tristan still hadn’t left. He stood at the gate, looking up at the second floor. Through the darkness, he slowly raised his glass toward where I was.

Ethan’s POV The next morning, I didn’t go to Emily to argue. I sat in the study and pulled up the house access log. Tristan had come more than once. Emily said he only occasionally came for a meal and rested in the guest room for a while. But the times in the access log were all chosen for when I was on business trips, working overtime, or not coming home at night. Several times, Tristan entered late at night and didn’t leave until dawn. The access permissions had been opened by Emily herself. I stared at those lines of records and suddenly felt that Emily’s act of covering for me at the main table last night was like an even louder slap in the face. She wasn’t unaware that Tristan had long since stepped into this home. She just wanted to placate me in front of everyone first. At noon, Emily came to the study. She was holding a revised trust document, her tone very low. “I had it revised. Tristan won’t touch the child’s money and won’t make decisions for the child. He’s just participating.” I didn’t take it. “Why does it have to include him?” Emily pressed her lips together. “Ethan, if it weren’t for him back then, I might already be dead. His right hand still can’t function normally, and his engagement fell through. He could have had a good life, but he became like this because of me.” “So?” “I can’t just give him money.” Emily’s voice grew even lower. “He’s not a servant, and he’s not a stranger. I have to make him feel that all these years of suffering weren’t for nothing.” I looked at her. “Then give him a Hayes family house, give him your shares, give him the car and staff under your name.” Emily’s face went pale. I pushed the document back. “Don’t use my child and my house to compensate him.” When Emily heard “my child,” her eyes clearly stiffened. She quickly suppressed it. “Ethan, don’t say that.” She reached out to touch me. “I won’t let you be wronged.” I looked down at that hand. In last night’s footage, it was this hand that had pushed open the master bedroom door. I moved away. Emily’s expression finally darkened. “Then take a few days to calm down.” She left with the document. That evening, Tristan appeared outside the gate. When the housekeeper came in to report, Emily was sitting in the living room. She went downstairs and saw Tristan standing in the wind, his right hand hanging down, his face pale, yet he wouldn’t step inside. Tristan smiled first. “I won’t go in. I don’t want Ethan to see me and think I’m stealing his home.” Emily immediately frowned. “What are you doing standing outside? Come in first.” Tristan shook his head. “Forget it. I won’t come to the house anymore, and I won’t bring up the child again. No one likes having an outsider in their home. I understand.” The word “outsider” had just fallen when I happened to reach the stairway. Emily turned and saw me, her eyes first showing panic, then turning to reproach. As if I had truly driven a pitiful man to stand outside the door. I didn’t speak, nor did I invite Tristan in. Tristan laughed softly and turned to leave. Emily took two steps after him, then stopped. She turned back to look at me. “Did you have to push him to this point?” I stood on the stairs and asked calmly, “Did I close the door?” Emily was blocked. But after that night, calls from the Hayes family came one after another. Some cursed me for being cold-blooded, some said Tristan was understanding enough already, and others said that before the child was even born, I had already made the household restless. I didn’t argue with any of them. I just recorded all the calls and put them in the same folder. The next day, the trust signing was still scheduled. The Hayes family didn’t cancel it, and they even called Tristan. As soon as Tristan entered, he apologized to me first. “Ethan, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have put Emily in a difficult position, and I shouldn’t have caused the child to be gossiped about before it’s even born.” His words sounded like a concession. Every word pinned me as the oppressor. Linda immediately looked at me. “Tristan has already said this much. You should at least give him some face.” Emily also looked at me. “The document can be revised later, but don’t make today too awkward for everyone.” I opened the document but didn’t sign. “The trust is suspended. We’ll discuss it after the child is born.” The room instantly went cold. Tristan lowered his head and laughed. The next second, he clutched his right hand, his face going white. Emily was the first to rush over and support him. The Hayes family also gathered around. No one looked at the trust document still sitting on the table. I stood in place, watching Emily tightly support Tristan. Tristan leaned on her and looked up at me. In that gaze, there wasn’t a trace of concession.

Ethan’s POV The trust signing ended just like that. Tristan clutched his right hand while Emily helped him sit down and had the housekeeper bring medicine. The Hayes family surrounded him, all asking about his injury with their mouths while their eyes stabbed at me. Linda was barely containing her anger. “Ethan, did you have to push him on a day like this? Don’t you know who his hand was ruined for?” Tristan immediately spoke. “Don’t blame him. I shouldn’t have come.” The more lightly he spoke, the more the people in the room thought I was cruel. Emily supported Tristan and looked up at me. “Let’s not talk about the trust today. Tristan’s hand hurts so much. Are you going to continue?” I looked at her protective posture and didn’t argue anymore. I gathered up the documents. “That’s it.” When Emily left with Tristan, she didn’t look at me. I returned to the study and reopened the access log. Every time Tristan entered late at night, the source of the permission was crystal clear. Emily had opened it. I saved those pages of records, then placed last night’s security backup beside them. Not long after, there was a knock on the study door. Emily pushed the door open. Seeing the access log on the computer screen, her face changed immediately. I asked, “How many times has Tristan actually come to our house?” Emily was silent for a few seconds. “His right hand isn’t convenient. Sometimes the pain is so bad he can’t sleep. I just let him rest in the guest room.” I clicked on one particular night. “This night, he entered at one in the morning and left at six.” Emily glanced at it and averted her eyes. “That night he was in very bad condition. I took care of him until very late.” “What about the night in the master bedroom?” Emily completely froze. She didn’t ask how I knew, and she didn’t deny it. She only lowered her voice. “I’m pregnant now. I can’t be stressed. Ethan, can we wait until after the child is born to discuss some things?” I laughed. “After the child is born, will Tristan be able to move in smoothly?” “I never thought of letting him replace you!” Emily was agitated. “He was ruined for me back then. Now seeing me with a child, it’s normal for his emotions to spiral.” “His emotions spiraled, so you gave him access to the master bedroom?” Emily’s eyes reddened instantly. She seemed finally pushed to her limit, and her voice grew cold. “You know exactly what I feel most guilty about. Why do you keep tearing it open again and again? I’m caught between you and Tristan. Can’t you be understanding just once?” I didn’t respond. I stood up and opened the study door. “You should rest.” Emily stood at the door and looked at me for a long time. For the first time, I didn’t follow along with her guilt. That night, Tristan suddenly moved out of the residence the Hayes family had arranged for him. He didn’t take much, only leaving behind a note. It was very brief. He said he didn’t want to put Emily in a difficult position anymore, and he didn’t want the child to be caught between adults before it was even born. He wouldn’t participate in the child’s trust, wouldn’t enter our house, and wouldn’t disturb me anymore. Linda saw the note soon after. Her eyes immediately turned red. “Tristan has suffered enough, and now even this bit of hope has been taken from him.” Emily’s first reaction was to call Tristan. No one answered. A few minutes later, Tristan sent a location. An old apartment. That was the place where he had lived during rehabilitation after his accident. Emily grabbed her coat and headed for the door. I stood at the stairway. “You’re pregnant. Going out late at night isn’t safe.” Emily paused, as if thinking I had finally relented. I continued, “I’ll have the driver take you. But Tristan’s house access won’t be restored.” The softening on Emily’s face vanished instantly. She left with anger. An hour later, Tristan sent me a video. In the video, Tristan sat in the living room with medicine beside his right hand. He wasn’t crying, only smiling bitterly. “Emily, I didn’t save you back then to be humiliated like this today.” Emily stood at the door, her chest feeling pressed. Tristan looked up at her. “Ethan can’t tolerate me. I accept that. But after the child is born, will I have to ask his permission even to look at the baby once?” Emily was silent for a long time. Finally, she said, “I’ll handle the access issue.” Tristan lowered his head. “Don’t fight with him because of me.” Emily didn’t say anything more. In the study, my computer displayed a notification. Someone was requesting to restore Tristan’s access.

Ethan’s POV When Emily returned home, she went straight to the study. I was still sitting at the computer. She said directly, “Restore Tristan’s access.” I looked up at her. Emily, as if afraid I’d misunderstand, immediately added, “Only to the guest room and first floor. He won’t enter the master bedroom.” I looked at her. “Do you think the problem is just whether he can enter the master bedroom?” Emily’s face tightened. “His right hand isn’t convenient. When the old injury flares up, he can’t even hold a cup. The access is just a precaution. If something really happens, at least someone will see.” “Then have him stay at a hospital.” “Ethan Hayes!” Emily’s voice dropped. “He became like this because of me. When he’s at his most humiliated, I can’t shut the door on him.” I suddenly laughed. “Then who will shut the door for me, your husband?” Emily was blocked by this statement. Soon, her face went cold again. “You’re making this too dirty, and you’re making me out to be too despicable.” I didn’t say anything more. Right in front of her, I clicked “reject.” A system notification popped up. Emily glanced at it and turned to leave. The next day at noon, Tristan’s friend called. Last night, Tristan’s old injury had flared up. He had tried to get to the hospital by himself, fell halfway there, and was sent to emergency. The caller didn’t directly curse me, but every sentence revolved around that door I had closed. “He used to live at the Hayes place where at least someone could look after him. Now living alone outside, in so much pain, he didn’t even dare to trouble Emily.” By the time Emily and I got to the hospital, the Hayes family was already there. Tristan lay in the hospital bed, his right hand re-immobilized. Seeing her, he smiled first. “I’m fine. Don’t worry. This has nothing to do with Ethan.” Linda’s eyes immediately reddened. “You’re still speaking up for him? If he hadn’t closed the access and forced you out, would you have ended up falling in the street alone in the middle of the night?” Emily stood by the bed and didn’t explain for me. Everyone looked at me. Linda struck first. “Are you satisfied now? Tristan is lying here, and you’ve finally vented your anger?” Tristan tried to sit up. “Stop it. It really wasn’t Ethan’s fault.” As soon as he moved, his face went white. Emily immediately pressed him back down. “Don’t move.” Tristan kept his head down. While she adjusted his blanket, he glanced at me. That glance was light but precise. Linda pointed at me. “Apologize.” I didn’t move. Emily looked up at me, exhaustion filling her eyes. “Tristan has already backed down this much. Even if you’re uncomfortable, you shouldn’t have pushed him to the point of getting hurt.” I asked, “Have you already decided this was my fault?” Emily was silent for a few seconds. “You closed the access. He also moved out because he couldn’t get into the house.” I looked at her and said nothing more. I turned and left the hospital room. That same day, I had someone pull the surveillance footage from near the old apartment and the hospital. The footage was quickly delivered to me. When Tristan left his place, his steps were steady, and his right hand wasn’t in uncontrollable pain. After arriving near the hospital, he deliberately went to a stairwell. Where he fell avoided vital areas but was just enough to reopen the old injury. I saved the video. That evening, I returned home. Emily was sitting in the living room waiting for me. Her first words were, “Tomorrow, go to the hospital and apologize to Tristan. And restore his access.” I placed the video on the table. Seeing Tristan walk toward the stairs himself, Emily’s expression shifted for a moment. I said, “Whether this was an accident or not, see for yourself.” Emily was silent for a long time, but finally said, “Even if his emotions spiraled, it’s related to your rejection these past few days. He’s already been pushed to the point where he can only prove his pain this way. Are you really going to keep provoking him?” I suddenly understood. Evidence was useless now. Emily could see it. She just wanted to blame every one of Tristan’s breakdowns on me. Emily softened her voice. “I’ll go with you tomorrow. The access doesn’t have to be restored yet, but at least give him an explanation.” I looked at her for a long time. Finally, I said, “Fine. I’ll go tomorrow.” Emily thought I had finally relented. I went upstairs to the study and sent a message to my lawyer. Move up the departure arrangements by one day.

Ethan’s POV The next day, I went to the hospital. Emily was already in the room. Tristan was leaning against the headboard, his right hand immobilized. Seeing me, he spoke first. “Ethan, I’m sorry. Whether it’s the access or the trust, I’ve made things difficult for Emily.” I didn’t respond. Emily looked at me, waiting for the apology I’d agreed to last night. Seeing my silence, Tristan said quietly, “I won’t enter the house anymore, and I won’t get involved with the child. After the baby is born, I’ll just look from a distance.” When he mentioned the child, his gaze fell on Emily’s belly. That look was too familiar. Like he was looking at something already his. Emily saw it but didn’t stop him. I asked, “Whose child are you really looking at?” The room went silent instantly. Tristan lowered his head. “I know I’m not qualified to mention the child. It’s only natural for Ethan to mind.” Emily immediately frowned. “Ethan Hayes, this is a hospital. Tristan just had an accident. Don’t provoke him again.” I looked at her. “Asking whose child it is counts as provoking him?” Emily’s face went white. “Don’t say things like that here. Family and doctors are outside. If someone overhears, it’s bad for the child.” What she protected first was still appearances. Tristan spoke at the right moment. “Emily, maybe I should leave. I’ll leave San Diego. After the child is born, I won’t disturb you anymore.” Emily immediately turned to him. “Don’t say that again.” I stood where I was, watching her rush to keep Tristan. That apology no longer needed to be said. Soon, the Hayes family entered the room. Hearing that Tristan wanted to leave, Linda was the first to object. “Your right hand is like this, and you still want to live alone somewhere?” Another person pushed the conversation straight to Emily. “Doesn’t the house have a guest room? Let Tristan stay for a few days. Once his injury stabilizes, we’ll talk.” I looked at Emily. Emily didn’t immediately refuse. She only said, “Ethan hasn’t been in a good mood lately. If Tristan moves in, there might be conflict.” Linda sneered. “As long as he doesn’t make a fuss, what conflict could there be?” Tristan shook his head. “Stop it. I don’t want to disturb Emily anymore.” But the more he said he didn’t want to, the more others wanted it for him. Emily finally looked at me. “It’s just the guest room. Tristan can stay a few days while he recovers, and I can make sure his hand is okay.” Just the guest room. Those words were like old nails being driven into my heart again. I remembered when I was young, every time relatives came to stay, my parents said the same thing. Just let them have one room. Just a few days. Just be understanding. I asked Emily, “Do you still remember why we originally didn’t let anyone stay at our house?” Emily froze. Back then, when someone from the Hayes family wanted to stay over, she had personally stopped it. She said our house wasn’t a place for people to crash temporarily. Now, she had trampled those words herself. Emily was silent for a long time, then her voice lowered. “The situation is different. Tristan isn’t like other people. He’s suffered because of me.” I asked, “So?””A guest room, an access card, a spot on the child’s trust. After this, will there be even more ‘just this’?” Emily’s eyes reddened. “Why do you insist on seeing everything as someone taking from you? I’m pregnant, I have to deal with Tristan’s old injury, I’m already exhausted. Can’t you just trust me once?” I didn’t look at Tristan anymore. I only looked at Emily. “Do you really want me to give in?” Emily avoided my gaze. “Consider it me begging you.” The hospital room went quiet. I looked down at her belly, then at Tristan’s immobilized right hand. Finally, I said, “I understand.” After leaving the hospital, I went straight back to the house. I didn’t enter the master bedroom. I went to the study. The lawyer sent a confirmation message. The house disposal had begun, and the withdrawal from the child’s trust signature was also in process. I placed the anniversary ring on top of the divorce papers. Next to them was the access permission cancellation confirmation. Emily’s and Tristan’s permissions would both be deactivated tonight. I organized all the evidence and sent it to the lawyer for safekeeping. That evening, Emily sent me a message. “Tristan is coming back to stay in the guest room tonight. Try not to be cold to him.” I didn’t reply. I dragged my suitcase out of the house. The housekeeper came after me. “Mr. Hayes, do you need a car prepared?” I only said, “Don’t touch anything in the study. When Emily returns, let her see for herself.” A few hours later, I sat in the law office. The lawyer placed the materials in front of me. “The surveillance footage, access logs, videos before and after Tristan’s fall, recordings of the family pressuring you, and the unilateral commitment Miss Hayes just signed. Everything’s here.” I paused briefly when I heard “unilateral commitment.” The lawyer said, “Once this document takes effect, the child’s trust and everything involving Tristan will be separated from your name.” I nodded. “Keep going.” The lawyer asked, “Do you still want to leave any instructions here in the old city?” I turned off my phone, stood up, and walked out. “Everything worth seeing is in the study. There’s nothing to explain.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “394219”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

Eight months pregnant, I accidentally discovered my Alpha husband Coran was cheating on me with my sister Mira, who had come to take care of me. When I caught them, his tone was flat: “You found out? Actually, I’ve been sleeping with her since your third month of pregnancy. These past few months, I’ve been taking her to hotels every night… Who told you to never let me touch you during your pregnancy?” I couldn’t help but raise my hand and slap him across the face. “You bastard! She’s my sister!” Mira dropped to her knees in front of me, tears streaming down her face. “Rowenna, don’t blame Coran. I was the one who started it…” My brain buzzed, and my body swayed. Coran caught me in his arms. I dodged his hands. “Why?” Mira bit her lip, struggling to speak. “I’ve always had feelings for him…” I slapped her across the face. Coran shielded her behind him, his eyes cold as ice: “I’m a man, and I have needs. Isn’t this arrangement better? She’s your sister—we’re all family. Would you rather I cheated with some stranger?”

I stood frozen in place, my throat feeling like it was stuffed with cotton. Coran sighed helplessly and gently wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes. “Rowenna, it’s just your pregnancy hormones making you overthink everything. Don’t get so upset—it’s bad for the baby.” The familiar features before me suddenly seemed like a stranger’s. So he did remember I was still pregnant. Mira scrambled up and headed to the kitchen, her legs still trembling as she walked. “Rowenna, what would you like to eat? I’ll make it for you…” Their concerned expressions made me feel like everything that just happened was a dream. “When did it start?” Coran frowned slightly. “January 25th. That day you went for your prenatal checkup and asked Mira to bring me some documents. I couldn’t control myself…” The bright red hickeys on his neck stung my eyes. The baby in my belly kicked me again. My back hurt so much I couldn’t straighten up, and tears fell in heavy drops onto the floor. So it was that day. I had taken a taxi to the hospital alone, waited in line, got my number, went through the checkup. I asked Coran if he could come with me, but he said he had work matters at the pack that needed his attention. I asked my sister if she could help me, but she said after delivering the documents, a friend needed her help. My legs were swollen during pregnancy, and someone bumped into me at the hospital. I almost had a miscarriage. The two people closest to me were locked in passion on his office desk. And I kept making excuses for him, thinking he was just too busy. I never imagined he was busy in my own sister’s bed. It turned out I was the only fool. Coran suddenly crouched down and rubbed my legs. “If you hadn’t found out, you wouldn’t be sad. Wouldn’t it be better to just keep playing dumb?” “Every time we had sex, we deliberately chose hotels far from home so the mate bond wouldn’t affect you and make you uncomfortable.” My stomach churned, and I kicked him hard in the chest. “Coran, you disgust me!” He took advantage of the momentum to help me onto the couch. “If this makes you feel better, you can kick me a few more times.” As I struggled, my hand touched something on the couch. I lifted it to see—a pair of torn stockings. The blood in my body seemed to turn ice cold. Coran looked like he wanted to say something but stopped. Mira walked out carrying soup, saw what was in my hand, and her face went white. She rushed forward to explain in a panic. “Rowenna, it’s not what you think…” Coran calmly took the stockings, his tone casual. “No need to make such a fuss. Yesterday you said you were going back to your mother’s house and wouldn’t be home that night. That evening I tried something new with your sister on the couch. Not only that, we also went to the bedroom and had sex on your marriage bed. I have to say, it was pretty thrilling.” Tears blurred my vision. I suddenly stood up and rushed into the bathroom, vomiting violently. Outside the door came Mira’s worried voice. “Rowenna, are you okay? Coran’s just talking nonsense. Don’t get upset. Your health is most important—you still have a baby inside you.” The nausea only deepened. I looked at my swollen belly in despair. Why did it have to be at eight months? Why did it have to be Mira? Since childhood, I’d given in to her in everything. When her fated mate died, I stayed by her side through the night, constantly comforting her. She said my house was closer to her university, so I let her move into the villa I shared with Coran. The jewelry and luxury goods on her body—I bought them all for her. I opened the door and stared at Mira. “Haven’t I been good enough to you?” Mira ingratiatingly handed me a bowl of soup, her tone cautious. “Rowenna, please eat something. After you eat, we can talk, okay?” I knocked the soup bowl from her hands. The scalding liquid splashed on the back of her hand, turning it bright red. “I don’t need your fake kindness!” Mira’s eyes instantly reddened. “Rowenna, how can you say that about me!” Coran’s face darkened, glaring at me with displeasure. “If you’re angry, take it out on me. Mira’s just concerned about you. Do you have to make such a big deal out of nothing?” He rubbed his temples while gently wiping Mira’s tears. “See? I told you we couldn’t let Rowenna find out. Your parents were right—Rowenna’s temper is just difficult. If she knows, this household will be turned upside down.” Mira looked at me with tears in the corners of her eyes, her face full of grievance. I felt like I was choking. Since childhood, she’d always been like this. “I’m taking Mira to the hospital. You stay home and reflect on yourself!” He slammed the door so hard it shook. I slumped powerlessly into a chair, but soon a strange smell came from the kitchen. They’d left in such a hurry they hadn’t even turned off the gas… I struggled to move my body to open the door, only to discover that Coran had broken the lock when he slammed it. I desperately called Coran. Call after call, all rejected. Until the last one—he answered, his voice impatient. “Can you stop being so paranoid? Because of you, Mira cried herself hoarse, keep asking if Rowenna really hates her. She really cares about you.” I dragged my heavy pregnant belly, my whole body weak and powerless. “Coran, I…” “I’m busy comforting Mira. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.” The phone went dead with a beeping sound. The smell of gas had almost filled the entire house. I finally felt despair. Coran, I won’t love you anymore.

When I woke up, my mom was lying by my bedside. Overcome with grievance and fear, I instinctively hugged her, my voice choked. “Mom…” “Coran cheated on me.” My mom interrupted my tearful complaint. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant hand. “It’s such a small thing. Do you really need to act like you want to die? What man doesn’t cheat?” I became emotional. “But the person he cheated with is…” Her tone was calm. “I know.” I looked up in disbelief at my mother’s murky eyes. No guilt whatsoever, only dissatisfaction with me. I grabbed my mother’s arm, my voice hoarse with emotion. “You know? You knew and you still…” “Your husband is an Alpha. His work is stressful and he needs an outlet. As his wife, you don’t understand him—fine.” “Outsiders cost money. Your sister is clean. Isn’t it good that she’s sharing the burden for you? What do you have to make a fuss about?” Her mouth opened and closed, every word scolding me for being unreasonable. My mind went blank. Even though I’d long known her favoritism had no bounds. Even though I’d long known Mira was the apple of her eye. I still couldn’t understand. I broke down, screaming and questioning her. I thought she could at least show some concern for me, but instead she said, “When I gave birth to you, my body was ruined because of you. You’ve been ungrateful since childhood, always fighting with Mira over things. Now you even want to fight with Mira over a man!” My fingernails almost drew blood. My father was the previous Beta of Bronzefang pack. He died when I was young in a Rogue attack. I was still immersed in the pain of losing my father when my mom came up and slapped me twice across the face, pointing at me and cursing: “I knew it—you’re nothing but bad luck! It wasn’t enough that you ruined my body when you were born. Now you’ve brought your curse to your father, making him die so young!” Later, when I was eighteen, I became the fated mate of Coran, an Alpha. After we married, I became the pack’s Luna. I thought my mom would stop calling me bad luck. I thought my mom would finally like me. But it turned out she’d always hoped it would be Mira who married Coran and became Luna. My phone buzzed with a notification—one of my special alerts. Mira had updated her social media: “Feeling down. Coran rented out the entire Ferris wheel just for me.” I was lying in the hospital from gas poisoning. My husband was accompanying my sister to the newest Western restaurant, taking her to the amusement park, riding the Ferris wheel with her. “If you can’t keep your Alpha’s heart, who can you blame?” My mother’s flippant mockery made my red, swollen eyes look especially ridiculous. When Coran and Mira came back, I was still in the hospital waiting to give birth. “Rowenna, I’m so sorry. I forgot to turn off the gas when I was cooking. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have…” Mira cried pitifully, but I didn’t even bother to look at her. She cried harder. “Coran, is Rowenna mad at me? I’m so stupid—I can’t even handle such a small thing.” Coran comforted her gently. “It’s not your fault.” He looked at me, seemingly displeased with my attitude. “Rowenna, Mira is apologizing to you. Are you deaf?” I suddenly felt like laughing, but tears fell against my will. Coran realized his tone was too harsh and softened it. He pulled out two stuffed animals. “I know this scared you. I asked the doctor—you and the baby are fine. Mira is still young. She even brought you the stuffed animals you like.” The gemstone necklace on Mira’s neck was blindingly conspicuous. It was the wedding gift I’d asked Coran for over a year. To this day, my neck remained empty. Did I only deserve these cheap dolls? I bit my lip almost hard enough to draw blood. “In what capacity are you speaking for Mira? Brother-in-law? Lover?” Coran’s expression gradually darkened. He let out a cold laugh. “No wonder your mom doesn’t like you.” “Mira is sunny and cheerful, unlike you—petty, narrow-minded. If I were your mom, I would also…” I looked up in disbelief. Coran’s eyes showed panic. “That’s not what I meant…” For as long as I could remember, my mom hadn’t liked me. Even when there were two chicken drumsticks, she’d give both to Mira. When I was little, every friend I made would be drawn to Mira and become her friend instead. Every night in the quiet darkness, I hated myself for not being as likable as Mira. It was Coran’s appearance that told me even if I wasn’t perfect, he would always stand by my side. But now, even he was standing on Mira’s side. My tears flowed like an opened faucet, uncontrollable. I broke down, grabbing things and throwing them at him. “Get out! Just get out!” Over the next few days, probably out of guilt, Coran and Mira came to the hospital to see me every other day. Baby diapers and wipes, all kinds of pregnancy nutrition meals—an endless stream. “Rowenna, didn’t you say before that you really liked this necklace? I bought it specially for you.” The necklace I’d wanted for so long was placed in my palm by Coran, but it felt cold all the way to my heart. One year and three months. He knew I liked it, but never thought to buy it for me. I lifted my head and finally said the words I’d been holding in my heart.

“Let’s get divorced.” We spoke at the same time. I looked up in shock, only to see Coran’s face light up with joy. “That’s great! Rowenna, you know?” Confusion flashed across my face. Coran had already pulled out divorce papers. “This is the divorce agreement. If everything looks good, just sign it.” “After all, we as a married couple owe Mira. I’ll marry her, and you’ll give up your Luna position to her so she can participate in pack affairs as Luna. Consider it compensation.” “Don’t worry, we won’t break the mate bond. You’ll still technically be my wife. I’ll take care of you anyway. Being a housewife from now on isn’t bad.” By the time I finished signing, I finally processed what Coran had said. “Coran, do you remember what you promised me?” Coran paused, seemingly trying to recall. Clearly, he’d forgotten. When I spent two years trying to conceive, drinking countless potions from witches and taking countless fertility shots before finally having this child, he’d promised me, “You’ve sacrificed so much for me. I’ll make sure you become the most respected and happiest Luna among all the packs.” Now he wanted a divorce and to make Mira the new Luna. The door opened and Mira walked in. “Rowenna, are you feeling better?” Coran warned me with his eyes not to say anything. I smiled with tears in my eyes. “How can I be better with a bitch like you around? Seducing my husband wasn’t enough—now you want to steal my Luna position. Mira, you’re shameless beyond belief.” Her face went white as a sheet. Tears fell like broken pearls. Coran’s face darkened. “Rowenna!” “Am I wrong? She’s barely in her twenties and already knows how to climb into her own brother-in-law’s bed! Isn’t that slutty?” I raised my voice. People around us looked at her with mockery. Coran pulled her into his arms and sneered at me. “Who’s more slutty than you? At eighteen, you went to a bar and someone drugged you with an aphrodisiac. I took you to the hospital, but you refused treatment and insisted on having sex with me in the woods…” Contemptuous ridicule echoed around us. My face went from pale to red. I lunged at him in fury. Mira suddenly blocked his path and took the slap. “Rowenna, if you’re going to blame someone, blame me. Everything is my fault. Coran already works so hard.” “Rowenna, what’s wrong with you!” Pain flashed in Coran’s eyes as he pushed me away roughly. My belly hit the corner of the table hard. Blood spread beneath me. Coran shouted for a doctor in shock. Mira cried and hit Coran. “Rowenna, I didn’t mean to. Please don’t let anything happen to you…” Coran watched with tears as I was wheeled into the operating room. In the darkness, surgical clamps spread me open—a tearing pain. I cried my heart out. My life flashed before my eyes like a panorama. It was eighteen-year-old Coran on the grass, fingers intertwined with mine. “Rowenna, I’ll treat you well for a lifetime.” A lifetime—it turned out to only be seven years…

The baby was born premature and went into an incubator. Coran gripped my hand guiltily, his eyes red. “Rowenna, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to push you. When this summer ends, I’ll make Mira leave our house.” I turned to the side, tears flowing silently. After being discharged, Coran locked me in the house. He even hid my phone. The first day, they only brought three meals. I held my newborn baby and cried inconsolably. The second day, I smashed everything in the room and cut my hand. The third day, Coran finally came to see me. I broke down and demanded to know why he wouldn’t even give me the right to move freely. He frowned as he bandaged my hand, his expression helpless. “You’re too emotional right now. I’m afraid you’ll go out and ruin Mira’s reputation. She’s still a young woman. We can’t let your temper destroy her life, can we?” Mira beside him gave me a sympathetic look. “Rowenna, don’t worry. I’ll definitely be a good Luna for Bronzefang pack. I’ll help maintain your friendships too.” My heart felt like a piece of flesh had been carved out. I looked disheveled, my face bloodless. “Coran, what gives you the right to let someone else replace my life! Is this what you call love?” Coran froze for a moment, his patience exhausted. “When you learn how to be a gracious mother, I’ll naturally let you out.” He wanted me to learn to be a gracious mother while stripping away my marriage, my work, my freedom. Meanwhile, Mira enjoyed everything that should have been mine under his protection. I covered my face, laughing until tears streamed down. The baby beside me suddenly began wailing. I touched the child’s burning forehead, my heart twisting with pain. “Coran, let me out! Jack has a fever!” I pounded on the door hysterically, my nails leaving bloody scratches. The crying finally brought Coran. He frowned. “What are you making a fuss about now?” I begged without dignity. “Coran, please look at Jack. He’s your son! He could really die!” Hesitation and conflict flashed in his eyes. “But…” My mother suddenly entered. She glanced once and said flatly, “Making a big deal out of nothing. You had fevers when you were little too. Some fever medicine will be fine. You’re making such a scene—could it be because… today Mira is giving her speech as the new Luna? You wouldn’t be trying to sabotage her work, would you?” Coran’s expression instantly darkened. “Rowenna, enough is enough. When did you become so unreasonable? Using even your son as an excuse.” I laughed until my whole body shook. “I’m unreasonable?” He looked puzzled. “Mira is your sister. Why can she accept all this, but you can’t?” It was as if my breakdown and helplessness were trivial in Coran’s eyes. He took a phone call, a smile spreading across his face as he strode away. “Mom, Mira’s speech is about to start. Let’s go.” I looked at the child in my arms, his face flushed red. As if I couldn’t feel pain, I desperately kicked down the door. But I was covered in blood. Drivers who passed by didn’t dare let me in their cars. When I finally got a ride, I realized Coran had confiscated my phone, and I had no bank cards or cash—no way to pay. The driver kicked me out. By the time a kind person took me to the hospital, the doctor shook his head helplessly. “Why didn’t you bring him sooner? The child was already premature. You’re too careless as a mother.” Holding my child’s cold body as I returned home, my heart dead as ashes, I lit a fire. In the flames, the roar of a helicopter was particularly harsh. A figure slowly walked toward me… “I’m sorry. I came too late.”

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To save my fiancée Angela from a raging fire, seventy percent of my skin was burned. Angela spared no expense, hiring Europe’s top plastic surgery specialists to treat me. She flew to Europe countless times each month to stay with me. Until I recovered and returned to America, wanting to surprise her, I overheard a man outside her office saying: “You’ve done more than enough. You don’t owe him anything anymore.” Angela said nothing. The next moment, a little girl pushed past me and rushed into the office: “Mom, are you going to leave me and Dad? Who is this homewrecker trying to steal you away?” My heart jolted. When did Angela have a child? That brief moment felt like an entire century. Just then, someone came to report to Angela. They gave me a strange look before pushing open the office door. The instant our eyes met, I caught a flash of panic in Angela’s gaze. “Fernandez, you’re back.” Angela quickly composed herself and came forward to take my hand. She gripped too hard. A burning pain shot through the back of my hand, and bright red blood stained her pale fingers. Before I could react, something struck my shin. Then came a tearing pain. “You bad person, stay away from my mom!” The little girl’s shrill voice rang in my ears. Before she finished speaking, the man beside her immediately scooped her up. The girl’s features looked remarkably like Angela’s. When I looked at the man’s face, I froze. He looked seventy to eighty percent similar to me. The excruciating pain in my body made it impossible to think. I could only stare dumbly at everything before me. Who were these two people? A massive unease engulfed me. I slowly withdrew my hand from Angela’s grip and looked at her helplessly, hoping she would explain. But she had no time for me. Her brow furrowed tightly, her voice tinged with anger: “Bridges George, take Ellis away.” What a coincidence—he shared my surname too? Bridges looked aggrieved. The little girl called Ellis was startled into silence, looking completely dazed. But I knew very clearly that Angela felt guilty. The fiercer her words, the more panicked her heart. Bridges pressed his lips together, his eyes full of stubbornness. He held out for a while before finally carrying Ellis away. But he wasn’t watching where he was going, and the father and daughter crashed hard into the wall. The pain from her forehead made Ellis burst into tears, releasing all her pent-up grievances. Angela hesitated at first, but when she saw Bridges’s reddened forehead, she immediately stepped past me. She tenderly rubbed Bridges’s forehead, no longer sparing even half a thought for me. I stood there stupidly. When I looked up, I saw Bridges watching me with mockery. The corner of his mouth curved slightly in a provocative and contemptuous smile. Looking at that face so similar to mine, my heart felt heavy, as if something inside had died completely. I left the office in a daze and returned home alone, only to be locked out. Hearing the “incorrect password” message, my heart felt sour and swollen, an indescribable feeling. With a click, my father opened the door from inside. A flash of panic and guilt crossed his eyes, as if I’d come at the wrong time. The house was brightly lit. The table was laden with sumptuous dishes. Six chairs were arranged around the dining table, with a baby high chair placed beside one of them. Three elderly people were chatting and laughing, bustling about inside. They were my mother and Angela’s parents. When they saw me with my suitcase, the smiles on their faces instantly froze. After an awkward silence, my mother was the first to speak: “Fernandez is back? You should have told us you were coming.” Her voice carried both complaint and reproach, but no warmth. Looking at her, I suddenly remembered these past five years, enduring pain alone in a European hospital. And my parents seemed to have rarely cared about me. So much so that they hadn’t even noticed the doctor had already informed them of my discharge. I stared hard at the six chairs around the dining table, my heart dark and confused. “Fernandez?” Angela’s voice came from behind me. I turned to see the intimate figures of their family of three. Bridges held Ellis with one hand while his other arm wrapped intimately around Angela’s waist. The instant I turned around, Angela hastily broke free from Bridges’s embrace.

My parents shot me a reproachful look the moment they saw them. Then their eyes filled with immense joy and affection. “You’re back.” My father stepped forward and familiarly took the child from Bridges’s arms. At that moment, I had to admit it. After five years away, my place had been completely taken by Bridges. Only after everyone had entered the house did Angela realize I was still standing outside. Looking somewhat embarrassed, she pulled me inside: “Wait a moment, I’ll get you a chair.” “Angela, I’ll do it.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Bridges stopped Angela’s movement. He shot me a triumphant look. I lowered my eyes. From the earlier pulling, my grotesque skin showed spots of blood. “Fernandez is back.” Only Angela’s father offered an awkward smile and small talk. I forced the corners of my mouth up with difficulty but said nothing. At that moment, Bridges came over with a stool. “Sorry, Fernandez, I really couldn’t find a chair. It’s all my fault. Why don’t you take my chair?” Though he said this, his eyes held no trace of apology. “Enough. He has hands and feet. You even brought him a stool—what face does he have to blame you?” My dad interrupted impatiently. I hadn’t said a word since entering, yet I seemed to have done everything wrong. “Let’s eat.” I sat awkwardly on that stool in the corner. Looking at the seafood feast on the table, I didn’t know what to eat. “Can you please eat properly? Who are you putting on that pitiful act for?” My dad sounded impatient. Angela cut a piece of fish for me: “Try this. The housekeeper’s cooking is excellent.” Looking at that bright, colorful piece of fish in my bowl, I only felt my mouth growing more bitter: “I’m allergic to seafood.” At the dining table, Angela’s face stiffened, her eyes filled with guilt and panic. Five years was simply too long. She had forgotten. “I’m full. I’m going to rest now.” In the end, I was the one who broke the oppressive silence. Only to discover that everyone looked even more embarrassed. “My room—is it gone too?” Angela was silent for a moment: “Your room has the best lighting. Bridges’s health isn’t good…” So he’d occupied my room. “And you came back too suddenly. We haven’t had time to clean the guest room. How about you stay in the living room tonight?” A massive dizziness swept through my mind. “So my room—you and he are living in it?” I suppressed the anger inside me and asked word by word. Angela froze. All these years, she’d told herself that Bridges was just a substitute, but she didn’t realize that everything she’d done for Bridges had broken her own principles. At this moment, faced with my questioning, she suddenly didn’t know how to defend herself. Angela’s silence dealt me a heavy blow. “Are you two married?” I asked an irrelevant question. Angela instinctively shook her head. I laughed bitterly. Not married, yet they could sleep together and even had a child. It turned out Angela’s conservatism was only directed at me. An inexplicable rage surged from my heart. The immense anger made me extraordinarily strong. I flipped the dining table with one motion: “Get out.”

Everyone was startled by my sudden fury, frozen in place. “Fernandez George!” My father roared. “You…” He was about to curse at me, but when he saw my bleeding arms, he swallowed all those harsh words. He looked at me with complex emotions and let out a long sigh. For a moment, in that huge house, only Ellis’s wailing could be heard. “Fernandez, I know you can’t stand me, but Angela just got pregnant. She can’t handle being frightened!” Bridges tenderly stroked Angela’s abdomen and shot me a provocative look before continuing: “And Ellis—she’s still so young. What if she gets traumatized?” “If you have any grievances, take them out on me!” My mother came forward, somewhat at a loss: “Fernandez, let me bandage you first. Tonight… just make do for now.” “Tomorrow I’ll prepare a welcome party for you. Everyone will be so happy to know you’re back.” After all that, in my own house, I was still the one who had to “make do.” At that moment, I suddenly felt tired. I sat back down on the sofa without another word. But Bridges still wouldn’t let me go. In the middle of the night, I sat blankly on the sofa when I suddenly heard a soft laugh. I looked up to see Bridges. He was holding a glass of hot water, leaning against the doorframe, his eyes full of mockery: “I hope Angela’s carrying a son. That way we’ll have both a son and a daughter.” Seeing my lack of reaction, Bridges intensified his efforts. “You don’t know this, do you? Angela and I got together while you were still unconscious.” “Oh, and this.” He displayed the watch on his wrist. My pupils contracted. My heart throbbed with pain. That was the heirloom my grandfather left me on his deathbed. Five years ago, to save Angela, the strap had broken. Seeing my reaction, the malice in Bridges’s eyes became even more obvious: “Fernandez George, do you know how disgusting you are right now?” “She said just looking at you once makes her lose her appetite for three days.” “You’re already like that—why can’t you be more self-aware and break off the engagement yourself?” He started rambling about his efforts over the years. He was my uncle’s son, but my uncle was incompetent. Though he was the eldest, he lost to my father. He squandered the family fortune, dying young and full of regrets. When he was young, what he heard most was his father cursing mine. He said it was lucky I got burned, giving him the chance to return to the George family. In the future, not just the George family, but even the Angela family would be his. “Then what are you so worried about?” I interrupted him. “Since the George family and Angela’s family no longer have a place for me, what are you so worried about?” Bridges’s triumphant expression froze. Then his gaze turned cold as he looked at me: “I’ll show you exactly what your position is in this family now.”

With that, he walked to my side, released his hand, and deliberately fell to the ground. “Crash!” Along with the sound of the glass hitting the floor, Bridges let out a scream. Soon, everyone came out. Seeing the blood from glass cuts on Bridges’s foot, everyone’s faces changed drastically. “To the hospital!” My father’s brow furrowed tightly, his eyes showing an urgency and ferocity I’d never seen before. “If you have grievances, take them out on me! Why do you have to turn this house into chaos?” My breathing caught. My heart was squeezed tight by an invisible hand. Grievance, pain, anger, despair. Angela slapped me across the face, then helped Bridges out the door. My mother kept pounding on my chest, completely oblivious that the spot she was hitting had already begun to seep with traces of blood. “Why didn’t you just die five years ago? Are you alive just to torture us?” “If you have grievances, take them out on me! Bridges is innocent!” I stood there numbly. The pain in my heart had long since overwhelmed my physical wounds. Where no one could see, Bridges flashed me a provocative smile. I felt cold all over. The huge house returned to silence. In this place where only I remained, I quietly took out my phone, which was still recording. The next day, my parents acted as if nothing had happened, discussing details of the welcome party with me. But my heart felt no ripples whatsoever. The party was held in the George family garden, where there was a large swimming pool. At the banquet, I watched Bridges skillfully conversing with friends I used to be close with. The whole event felt absurd and laughable. Now in everyone’s eyes, Bridges was the George family’s favored son, the company’s legitimate heir. My heart ached numbly, especially when my father publicly announced he would divide the company shares between Bridges and me. Me: 1%. Bridges: 10%. In that instant, I became the biggest joke. “How pathetic.” “A homeless dog.” “He’s a废person. What use are shares to him?” “If you ask me, he shouldn’t have saved Angela back then. Who knows how much the George family could have developed by now.” Mockery, schadenfreude, mixed with a few words of pity and regret. The next second, Bridges walked toward me with a wine glass, looking triumphant. Everyone around watched with anticipation for the show. “Fernandez, congratulations.” A mocking smile played on his lips. I pressed my lips together and said nothing. Bridges’s eyes flashed darkly. The next second, he slipped, and the wine in his hand spilled all over me without missing a drop. Even more onlookers photographed my disheveled state, pointing and commenting. Angela tried to come forward to help me out of the situation, but I pushed her away. She looked somewhat confused, standing in place. Seeing I wanted to leave, Bridges wasn’t willing to let me go so easily. He followed close behind me to the poolside. “Did you enjoy the welcome ceremony I prepared for you?” Then he revealed a malicious smile. “Guess who they’ll save?” With that, he pulled me into the pool with him. The water in the pool was so cold. The pungent smell of chlorine constantly irritated my nose and skin. The stiffness in my limbs made even struggling difficult. On the other side, Bridges pretended his foot had slipped, putting on an act of drowning. He kept struggling, kept shouting. My consciousness gradually blurred as I slowly sank to the bottom. Meanwhile, Bridges continued struggling with all his might. Everyone rushed over. Angela jumped into the water without hesitation and swam straight to Bridges, rescuing him. My parents only gathered around Bridges, concerned about him. Completely forgetting that their own biological son was still in the water. Before I completely lost consciousness, I seemed to see a figure swimming toward me.

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Living alone, I kept feeling like there was a second person in my home. This morning, I’d just finished making breakfast. The moment I turned around, the fried egg was gone. Freshly washed clothes hung in the closet suddenly had stains on the collar. I turned the house upside down and installed security cameras, but found nothing. Just when I let my guard down, my boyfriend smiled and pulled me close— “You were so passionate last night. The moment I walked through your door, you threw yourself at me.” My blood ran cold. But last night, I wasn’t even home. My boyfriend McMenaman’s fingers were still brushing against my waist. Seeing my face turn ghost-white, he paused and leaned in to touch my face, his tone teasing: “What’s wrong, babe? Embarrassed? You sure didn’t act like this when you were holding onto my neck last night, refusing to let go.” Every muscle in my body tensed. The pain of my nails digging into my palms barely brought me back to my senses. I stared into his eyes, my voice shaking: “You’re saying… you saw me in my room last night?” McMenaman nodded, the smile still on his face. He reached out to put his arm around my waist, but I instinctively dodged. He froze, confused: “Yeah, wasn’t there a power outage? I was worried you’d be scared, so I came over to keep you company.” “When I came in, before I could even turn on the lights, you threw yourself at me. Your hair was in those new big waves you got permed. I’d recognize those curls anywhere.” Every word he spoke was like an ice pick stabbing into my bones. I grabbed his arm hard enough to make him wince: “I’m not joking, McMenaman. I really wasn’t home last night.” “I told you last week—Dottie just went through a breakup. I stayed with her for a couple days. Last night I slept at her place the whole time. I never came back.” The smile slowly froze on McMenaman’s face. He reached out to feel my forehead, panic creeping into his voice: “Stop messing around. This isn’t funny.” “Only you and I have keys to your place. We just changed to that high-security lock last month. Who else could it be but you?” “Besides, we’ve been together three years. You think I’d mistake your body, your voice?” “Last night you sounded exactly like you always do. Even the perfume was the same!” I didn’t argue with him. With trembling hands, I pulled out my phone and called Dottie on speaker. The phone rang twice before she picked up, her voice hoarse from just waking up: “What’s up, honey? You left your cartoon bathrobe here when you left this morning. When are you coming to get it?” I took a deep breath: “Dottie, tell me the truth. Did I sleep at your place last night?” “Duh, where else would you be?” Dottie yawned, her tone teasing. “We stayed up until three watching horror movies. You were so scared you cried while hugging my arm, and you made me get you an ice-cold Coke. Don’t tell me you forgot already?” “Or is McMenaman checking up on you? Want me to vouch for you?” “No need, thanks Dottie.” I hung up and looked up to see McMenaman’s face white as paper, sweat beading on his forehead. He staggered back a step and bumped into the dining table behind him. The glass I’d just set there wobbled and crashed to the floor, shattering. “That’s impossible… how can this be?” He muttered to himself for a moment, then suddenly rushed toward the bedroom like a madman. I heard the loud bang of the closet doors being flung open, clothes being torn down in heaps. Then the sound of him crouching down to search under the bed, the storage boxes on the balcony being turned upside down. The whole place looked like it had been ransacked by thieves. Ten minutes later, he emerged covered in dust, shaking his head with vacant eyes: “Nothing… there’s nothing.” I leaned against the wall, my legs so weak I could barely stand, and finally fumbled for my phone with shaking hands to dial 911.

The police arrived quickly. Two uniformed officers followed the forensics team through my door while I was still trembling all over. I nearly dropped the glasses when I tried to hand them water. I told them everything from start to finish. From the mysteriously disappearing fried egg at breakfast months ago, to the lipstick stains that suddenly appeared on my freshly washed white shirt collar. Then to last night’s incident. Tears streamed down my face as I spoke. The forensics team, wearing white gloves, examined the entire place. The doors and windows were intact. The lock showed no signs of tampering. The security bars I’d installed last month were welded tight, without even a gap large enough for a hand to squeeze through. The forensics team swept the entire house with their equipment. No bugs, no hidden cameras. Not even a hidden compartment to hide someone. “We’ll go check the building’s surveillance footage.” One of the officers, named Brown, patted my shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t panic just yet.” McMenaman and I followed them to the property management security room. With the police present, we fast-forwarded through all the surveillance footage from yesterday afternoon when I left to this morning when I returned. The footage clearly showed that at 5:20 yesterday afternoon, I walked out of the building entrance wearing a white T-shirt and jeans, carrying a canvas bag. I never returned after that. At 11:07 PM, McMenaman entered the building. He didn’t leave until 8:10 AM to buy breakfast. During that time, except for delivery people and food couriers stopping on the floor, no strangers had entered or exited my floor. McMenaman’s face lost all color. He gripped the edge of the security desk, his voice shaking: “That’s impossible… then who was with me last night?” “Her voice, her body—everything was exactly like Sean. I really didn’t mistake it. Sean, you…” “Is now really the time for this?” I cut him off, my nails digging into my palms until they bled, then turned to the officer. “Officer, I’ve suspected someone was in my home before.” “Actually, I’ve felt something was off for a while.” “Sometimes I’d pour water in the morning before leaving, and when I came home at night, the glass would be moved a few centimeters.” “A sandwich I made and left on the dining table—I’d turn around to get milk, and come back to find half of it missing.” “Clean white T-shirts I’d washed and hung in the closet would have yellow stains on the collar before I even wore them, like someone had worn them and gotten foundation on them.” “And last week, the keys I’d left on the shoe cabinet by the entrance—I clearly remembered putting them there, but when I got home from work, they were on the dining table. I thought I’d misremembered at the time, but now it’s obvious I didn’t.” After listening, Officer Brown brought the forensics team back to my place. They searched inside and out for over an hour, even removing some ceiling panels to check, tapping on the utility shaft walls. Still nothing. Finally, Officer Brown sighed and left me his contact information: “We’ll go back and review the past three months of surveillance footage. If you notice anything unusual, call me immediately.” “It’s also possible you’ve been under too much work stress lately and your memory is playing tricks on you. If you’re really worried, you might want to get checked out at a hospital. You should probably avoid staying here for now.” After the police left, only McMenaman and I remained in the house. The atmosphere was so oppressive I could barely breathe. We sat on the sofa. Neither of us spoke first. Only the sound of our heavy breathing. After a long while, I got up to pack my suitcase. McMenaman hesitated, then came over to help me pack: “You’re right, we can’t stay here. Let’s go to a hotel first.” At the hotel, after checking in, McMenaman immediately pulled out his phone to call a security camera company: “I need you to send someone over tomorrow morning to install cameras with storage cards in my home. Cover every blind spot. Money is no object!” After hanging up, he came over to hold me, his hands still shaking: “Don’t be scared. I refuse to believe we can’t catch whoever’s playing these tricks.” I leaned into him, but there was no warmth in my heart. I didn’t tell him that half a month ago, I’d secretly hidden a small camera in the air conditioning vent. It went dark the very next day. I thought it was a quality issue and changed it out three times. Each one mysteriously broke after a few days of use, never capturing anything. Would it be the same outcome this time?

Early the next morning, McMenaman brought me back home. We personally watched the workers install four high-definition cameras in every corner of the living room, bedroom, and balcony, covering every angle with no blind spots. After testing, the workers assured us that this model was waterproof, tamper-proof, with stable signal, and wouldn’t easily malfunction. After the workers left, we returned to the hotel and stared at the camera feeds on our phones. We watched for an entire day. The camera feeds remained quiet, not even a breeze stirring the curtains. I felt even more uneasy. In this anxious state, Officer Brown called in the evening. “Miss Sean, we reviewed three months of surveillance footage from your building complex today.” “Besides you and your boyfriend, only your friend Dottie visited once last month. No other outsiders have entered or exited.” “All the strangers in the hallway were delivery people or food couriers. We verified all their identities. No suspicious persons.” Finally, his tone took on a tactful persuasive quality: “Miss Sean, I suggest you go to the hospital for a checkup. Perhaps you’ve been under too much work stress lately and your memory is off. Don’t feel bad about it.” After hanging up, my heart sank even deeper. McMenaman listened to the call and ran his hands through his hair in frustration, then stood up and grabbed his pajamas, heading to the bathroom: “Babe, I’m going to take a shower. After that, let’s go out for some of that sushi you love. Let’s not think about this for now.” I sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the traffic outside the window, my mind in chaos. Could it really be my mental state? But those mysteriously disappearing breakfasts, the stained clothes, the person impersonating me—it was all so real, not a hallucination at all. I sighed and looked back, instinctively glancing at my phone on the nightstand. The screen was displaying the live feed from home. But the next second, I froze completely. The surveillance feed that had been clear and normal just moments ago was now pitch black. A big X marked the signal bars, like a closed eye. My blood ran cold. I jumped up. The cameras were out again! Before, I could comfort myself that it was poor camera quality or the wifi cutting out. But today’s cameras were brand new, using independent data cards, with new storage cards too. Even if the network went down, they should still store footage locally. How could they go black without warning? If before I could fool myself about camera quality, after yesterday’s incident, I was one hundred percent certain—there was definitely someone in my house! I grabbed my bag and phone from the table. Without even putting on my jacket, I yanked open the hotel room door and rushed out. I ran to the hotel entrance and flagged down a taxi, my voice trembling as I gave my home address. The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror but didn’t dare ask questions. He hit the gas and drove toward my apartment complex. On the way, McMenaman called. His voice was panicked, with the sound of running water in the background: “Babe, where did you go? I was halfway through my shower when I heard the door slam. Why didn’t you say anything before leaving?” “The cameras are all out!” I shouted, crying. “That person is in my house right now!” McMenaman shouted in panic: “Wait for me, I’m coming right now. Don’t do anything rash! Sean, just stay where you are and wait for me!” “I can’t wait!” I bit my teeth and hung up, then pulled up Officer Brown’s WhatsApp. My hands shook so much I had to retype several times: [Officer Brown, the new cameras in my home went dark. I suspect someone’s in my house. I’m heading there now. Please come quickly!] As soon as I sent the message, the taxi arrived at the complex entrance. I paid and rushed into the building. The elevator was occupied and stopped on a high floor. I bit my lip and turned into the stairwell, climbing toward the 12th floor. Halfway up, I kept feeling footsteps behind me. When I looked back, there was nothing—just the green exit sign glowing. I didn’t dare stop. I bit my teeth and kept climbing, my legs so weak I nearly collapsed on the stairs. I finally made it to the 12th floor, leaning against the wall and gasping for breath. When I pulled out my keys, the keychain fell to the ground with a loud clatter that echoed sharply in the quiet hallway. I picked it up with shaking hands and inserted the key into the lock. The moment I turned it, I smelled the citrus aromatherapy I usually used wafting from inside. I took a deep breath and shoved the door open hard. The living room light was on. Warm yellow light fell on the sofa, where a woman sat with her legs crossed. She wore one of those black sheet masks I regularly used. Her hair was styled in the same big waves as mine. She was scrolling through my iPad with her legs crossed. Hearing the door open, she slowly looked up and peeled the mask off her face. I froze in place. The face she revealed was exactly the same as mine!

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In my past life, the maid Linda secretly brought her entire family to live in the basement of my villa. Whenever night fell and everything was quiet, they would come out to roam around. Several times I noticed that the fully stocked refrigerator would be empty the next day. There were always potato chip crumbs on the sofa. I thought Linda was sneaking food, so I scolded her a few times but didn’t think much of it. Until I prepared to immigrate and sell the villa. The maid’s son snuck into my bed, strangled me to death, and threw me in the basement. The whole family even forged my suicide note and seized my villa. When I opened my eyes again, I had been reborn three days before I was strangled. The first thing I did was call the renovation company to seal the basement shut with cement. “Hello? Is this the renovation company? Tomorrow…” Before I could finish the sentence, I suddenly saw Linda standing in the doorway. I was so startled that my phone fell onto the blanket. Linda had half her face hidden in shadow, her lips curling into a kind smile. “Arwen, it’s so late. Who are you calling?” My heart immediately started racing wildly, and cold sweat broke out all over me. I forced myself to stay calm and picked up my phone. “The bathroom seems to be leaking a bit. I thought I’d contact a contractor in advance to come take a look tomorrow.” “Linda, it’s so late and you’re still not asleep. Is something wrong?” Linda sighed, her face full of concern. “I heard sounds from your room and thought you were having nightmares again, so I came to check on you.” “If you’re fine, then I’m relieved.” My hands clenched the blanket as I forced out a smile. “I’m fine. Go get some rest. I’ll call you if I need anything.” Watching Linda close the door behind her, I let out a long breath. With trembling hands, I unlocked the screen and was about to press “911” to call the police when the door was pushed open again. I quickly flipped my phone face-down on my leg, nearly scared out of my wits. Linda walked back in carrying a glass of milk, smiling warmly. “I heated up some milk for you. It’s good for sleep.” I quickly shoved my phone under the pillow and reached out to take the glass of milk. “Thank you, Linda. It’s too hot. I’ll let it cool down a bit before drinking it.” Linda didn’t leave immediately. She stood by the bed looking me up and down for a long while before finally giving me a reminder. “If it gets cold, it’ll upset your stomach. Arwen, don’t forget to drink it.” The door closed again. I stared at that glass of milk and suddenly abandoned the idea of calling the police. Just throwing them in jail for a few years would be too easy on these parasites. Since I’ve been given a second chance at life, I’m going to give them a taste of their own medicine. I picked up the glass of milk, walked into the master bathroom, and poured it all into the toilet bit by bit. Then I put the empty glass back on the nightstand, pulled the covers over me, and lay down pretending to sleep. About ten minutes later, Linda crept over to the nightstand. She picked up the empty glass, looked at it, and only then left satisfied, closing the door behind her.

After confirming she had completely let down her guard, I carefully lifted the covers and tiptoed out of the master bedroom. Like a gecko, I lay flat at the railing of the second-floor staircase, holding my breath as I looked down. I saw Linda walk skillfully to the first floor, pull out a key, and open the basement door. Immediately after, three men and two women crawled out from inside like rats. They were Linda’s husband, her brother, and Jason Lee — the one who strangled me in my past life. The other two women were her mother-in-law and her high school daughter. I covered my mouth, terrified of making even the slightest sound. In my past life, Linda had told me with tears running down her face that she had a whole family to support. I felt sorry for her and paid her double what other maids earned outside. At the time, she even brought her whole family, carrying a basket of eggs to my door to kneel and thank me. It turned out that “gratitude” meant scouting the place in advance so the whole family could take over my nest like cuckoo birds. Now, these parasites were sprawled comfortably on the sofa watching TV. Linda’s husband opened my double-door refrigerator and took out the lobster that had just been air-shipped yesterday, walking into the kitchen. Her mother-in-law skillfully swiped several bottles of wine worth tens of thousands of dollars from the wine cabinet. Linda’s brother Kyle shrank his neck, looking somewhat worried as he glanced at the second floor. “Keep it down, you guys. Don’t wake up that woman.” Linda gnawed on my imported apples while smugly waving her hand. “What are you afraid of? I put extra sleeping pills in her milk. Even thunder couldn’t wake her up right now.” I hid in the shadows, eyes wide, breaking out in a cold sweat. No wonder in my past life, until the day I died, I never heard any sounds from downstairs at night. Linda’s daughter Wendy asked while stuffing potato chips in her mouth: “We eat like this every day. When the refrigerator runs out, won’t she get suspicious?” Linda snorted, her tone full of contempt. “That woman is just stupid with too much money.” “Her parents divorced long ago and went abroad to live their own lives. No one cares whether she lives or dies.” “If she really asks, I’ll just insist I don’t know anything. What can she do to me?” Linda patted the leather sofa, laughing greedily. “Besides, this villa is in a remote location, a full two hours’ drive from downtown. The neighbors around here haven’t even moved in yet.” “This woman has mental problems and has to take medication. The villa has no surveillance cameras. She can’t find any evidence. What do we have to fear?” “At worst, I’ll just say she’s hallucinating from her medication.” Listening to them mock me so brazenly, I dug my fingers hard into the wooden railing. Thinking back to my past life, there were several times I noticed things seemed to be missing from the villa. But because of severe childhood trauma, I had a pathological aversion to being monitored, so I hadn’t installed surveillance cameras. Plus, what went missing was just food and drinks, nothing valuable, so I didn’t think much of it. More fatally, Linda knew I had trouble sleeping and was taking medication, so she would often fabricate fake timelines in front of me, making me think my memory was faulty.

When I looked up again, Jason and Wendy were walking toward the spiral staircase to the second floor. I tiptoed back into the master bedroom, slipped under the covers, and closed my eyes. As soon as I lay down, the door was pushed open. After some rustling sounds, Wendy’s exclamation came from the direction of the walk-in closet. “Jason, look at these dresses, these diamond necklaces. This woman is so lucky.” She put my clothes on herself while cursing viciously. Why does she get to be so rich, living in a big villa every day wearing designer brands? It should all be mine. Jason let out a sleazy, evil laugh. “Take whichever one you like. She has so many clothes and jewelry she can’t wear them all. She definitely won’t notice if a few go missing.” After saying this, Jason started impatiently urging Wendy to leave. Wendy walked to the door holding the clothes, but didn’t forget to turn back and warn him in a low voice. “Don’t go too far. Mom said this woman has never even been in a relationship. She’s a virgin.” “Don’t wake her up and ruin our whole family’s plan.” Jason let out a perfunctory snort. “I know. You’re so naggy.” The door closed softly, and my heart immediately sank. Then the mattress suddenly dipped down as Jason actually climbed onto my bed and pulled me into his arms under the covers. My stomach immediately churned, making me want to vomit. But I could only bite down hard on my tongue, using the pain to force myself not to tremble even the slightest bit. If he discovered I was awake, the tragedy of being strangled to death with a rope in my past life could very well repeat itself immediately. Jason buried his face in my neck, greedily taking a deep breath of my hair’s fragrance. His rough, greasy hand slowly slid down from my cheek. The sour stench of not bathing for years rushed straight to the top of my head. Just as his disgusting hand slid down my back and was about to reach around to the front — “Ring ring ring.” The alarm clock on the nightstand let out a piercing sound. Jason jumped up from the bed in fright. Linda immediately rushed in and skillfully turned off the alarm. She grabbed Jason by the ear, scolding in a low voice. “Bastard, are you trying to get our whole family killed?” “If you wake her up and she finds out, what are we going to eat and drink?” Jason rubbed his ear nonchalantly, his eyes showing the same viciousness as in my past life. “If she finds out, we’ll just kill her.” “Bury her in the basement, and all the money and things in this big villa will be ours.”

The air suddenly went quiet. Linda seemed to be seriously considering the feasibility of killing me. I was so scared that cold sweat poured from my palms. I held my breath tightly, my brain racing. If they made their move now, even if I had to jump from the second-floor balcony and break my leg, I had to take that chance. “No.” Linda suddenly scolded in a low voice, interrupting Jason’s murderous intent. “This damn girl said she’s having a renovation company come tomorrow to fix the leak.” “If we kill her now and someone comes tomorrow to find no one home and calls the police, we’ll all be exposed.” She paused, her tone revealing cunning malice. “After tomorrow, once we’ve dealt with the renovation people, it won’t be too late to kill her slowly.” Linda stared hard at Jason, warning him sternly again. “When the renovation company comes tomorrow, you all stay in the basement. Don’t even fart.” “I’ll lock the basement security door from the outside beforehand and take the key with me.” “It’s a security door. No one can open it without the key.” “She never goes to the basement anyway. As long as I’m not home, there’s no way she can discover you.” Jason nodded repeatedly in agreement. “Okay, okay, whatever you say. Let’s go.” Hearing the door close, I kept my eyes tightly shut, not daring to even flutter my eyelashes, continuing to pretend to sleep. A full half hour passed. Just when I was about to open my eyes — A breath suddenly came close, bringing bad breath with it. “Looks like she really didn’t wake up.” Jason’s voice was right next to me. I pinched my thigh to force myself to stay calm. Linda breathed a sigh of relief. “Alright, let’s go. That lobster is almost done.” The door closed again. To be safe, I endured another half hour in the darkness, making sure no one was speaking anymore before I finally dared to slowly open my eyes. I grabbed my phone. The blinding bright screen showed: 4:30 AM. I wiped the drool from my nose, hatred surging like lava in my heart. Fine. Since you parasites want to kill me, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I sent a message to the renovation team leader. “Zack, bring plenty of cement and sand tomorrow morning. I want to completely seal up that abandoned basement in my house.”

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My wife, Vivian, is the youngest top lawyer in New York. Her proudest achievement was successfully defending the killer who ran over my daughter as innocent. The day my daughter died in that horrific car accident, my wife Vivian pulled the drunk Ethan from the driver’s seat, shoved him into the passenger seat, and got behind the wheel herself. She told me: “Mia is dead, but Ethan is still alive. He has a bright future ahead of him. He can’t go to prison.” Ethan was acquitted, while I was diagnosed as mentally unstable and confined at home, receiving injections for half a year. I stopped making a fuss and quietly watched them parade around as a couple, taking the medication she gave me on schedule. She thought I had finally become an obedient lunatic. Until the day of the Bar Association awards ceremony, when I stepped onto the stage where she was receiving her award and pressed play on the big screen for her. “Learned some new tricks, have you? Trying to get my attention with this indifferent attitude?” Vivian’s expression turned cold, a thin layer of anger lurking in her eyes. “Derek, I know you’re angry with me for defending Ethan. But I’m a lawyer. I won’t abandon any client. Besides, Ethan was innocent to begin with.” I looked confused. “Why are you explaining all this to me? I didn’t even mention Ethan.” The coldness on Vivian’s face instantly froze, a trace of guilt floating to the surface of her eyes. She reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose. “Forget it, I’ll find it myself.” I turned and went back to the bedroom. Just as I was about to lie down and rest, Vivian’s gentle voice drifted in, somewhat muffled. “Ethan, what’s wrong? Don’t cry, tell me slowly… Those reporters are writing nonsense. I’ll come over right away.” After a while, the bedroom door was pushed open. “Something came up with Ethan. I’m his defense attorney, so I need to go handle it.” She explained somewhat uncomfortably. “Oh.” Vivian froze. She seemed to be waiting for me to say something more, but I just nodded calmly and smiled at her faintly. After all, I couldn’t even remember where that case file was, so how could I remember someone named Ethan? Vivian left in anger and didn’t come home all night. The next evening, she returned. And with her came Ethan. His eyes were red-rimmed as he stood behind Vivian with his head lowered. That face was indeed handsome. Even at thirty, he still looked like a college student. No wonder Vivian couldn’t stop thinking about him. “Derek,” Vivian coughed somewhat uncomfortably, “Ethan’s address was exposed and it’s not safe anymore. I’m having him stay at our place for a few days.” Ethan kept his eyes down, his voice very low: “Derek, sorry to intrude. I really had nowhere else to go. Those people are terrifying, calling me a murderer.” “How pretentious,” I thought to myself, then turned and headed to the kitchen. At the dinner table, Ethan sat next to Vivian, helping her with soup one moment, cutting her steak the next, bustling about enthusiastically. “Vivian, you have a sensitive stomach. You can’t eat anything too spicy.” He placed the cut steak onto Vivian’s plate, then shot me a provocative glance. Vivian looked at me somewhat awkwardly, wanting to see my reaction. I just quietly kept my head down, drinking my soup.

“Derek, aren’t you going to have some of the main course?” Seeing me unmoved, Vivian took the initiative to push the plate of beef toward me. “This beef is grilled really tender.” Looking at that plate of beef contaminated with Ethan’s saliva, my stomach instantly churned with nausea. “No need,” I said flatly. “Derek, what are you throwing a fit about now? You’ve been giving attitude ever since Ethan walked in. Our daughter’s death was just an accident. Why do you insist on blaming Ethan?” Vivian’s voice turned cold. I looked at her in confusion. Just as I was about to speak, Ethan interrupted in a low voice. He stepped back half a pace behind Vivian, forcing out a smile: “Vivian, forget it. Derek has disliked me for more than just a day or two. I’ll pack up and move out tonight. If those reporters want to block me, let them. It’s not like I haven’t had dirt thrown at me before.” “Don’t talk nonsense. This is my house, and I’m the one who invited you to stay here. Derek has just been cooped up at home too long and his temper has gotten strange. Don’t pay attention to him.” Vivian comforted him gently. Hearing these words, I felt nothing but numbness in my heart. And so Ethan moved in. He couldn’t sit still for a moment, finding new ways every day to assert his presence in front of me. I just thought there was something wrong with his brain. Vivian had been so busy these past few days that she’d been sleeping at her office. Who was he performing for? Too lazy to care, I turned back to watch TV, but caught sight of a small plush toy in the corner of the TV cabinet. The toy was dusty, with one eye coming loose. My heart seized painfully. This was my daughter’s favorite. How could it be here? As I pondered this, Ethan suddenly reached from behind me and snatched the plush from my hands, his tone casual: “You scared me. I thought I’d lost it.” I stared at him. “This is yours?” Ethan lifted his chin, a smug smile curling at the corner of his mouth: “Yeah, Vivian gave it to me. She said it really suits my temperament.” Vivian gave it to him? An image flashed through my mind of my daughter bouncing toward me in her pink tutu dress. “Give it back.” I extended my hand toward Ethan, my voice hoarse. “Why should I? It’s mine!” “This was my daughter’s. It can’t possibly be yours!” I lunged forward, grabbing Ethan’s wrist. “Let go of me!” Ethan cried out. The front door burst open and Vivian, who had left work early, rushed in. Seeing this scene, she didn’t say a word and shoved me away. I crashed heavily into the corner of the coffee table, sharp pain radiating from my waist. Vivian shielded Ethan, glaring at me furiously. “Derek, have you lost your mind?!” I pointed at the plush toy, tears streaming down my face: “This was Mia’s. Vivian, why is he saying it’s yours?” A flash of discomfort crossed Vivian’s face. “That was a gift I gave to Ethan! Are you going to snatch this away from him too? Is your illness not cured yet?!” Those words were like ice water dumped over my head. I stopped arguing, because I suddenly realized there was something seriously wrong with my memory.

I raised my head and stared at Vivian for a long moment. Those eyes that once held so much love now only showed impatience and disgust, tearing apart the gentle image in my memories. When I first met her, I was the notorious playboy of our social circle. Everyone said I was destined to die alone, because even for an arranged marriage, no socialite could tolerate my temper. Only Vivian. Back then she was just a rookie lawyer, but she stood firmly in front of me. She said, the way you love and hate so boldly is truly captivating. She said, I’ll spend my whole life protecting your pride. For that promise, I didn’t hesitate to break with my family to marry her. I accompanied her from having nothing to becoming today’s top lawyer. But later, after my repeated outbursts over the Ethan situation, she finally grew tired. She said, Derek, when will you ever change that domineering temper of yours? It’s really annoying. All my breakdowns and tears were just unreasonable tantrums in her eyes. Thinking back on the past, bitterness surged to my nose. I’d never felt so wronged. “Vivian, did you really buy this plush toy?” I demanded. Her eyes flickered with panic for a moment, her voice unconsciously rising: “There are tons of similar plush toys on the market! Must you imagine the whole world is conspiring against you before you’ll be satisfied?” Behind her, Ethan’s lips curved into an imperceptible arc, though his tone remained flat: “Vivian, forget it. Since Derek insists, I’ll give it to him. Even though this represents your thoughtfulness toward me, I don’t want you two fighting over a toy.” “No need to give it to him!” Vivian looked at me coldly. “Derek, don’t forget that Mia’s ashes are still at the funeral home. If you keep making trouble, I don’t mind making her disappear forever!” My whole body trembled, my nails digging sharply into my palms. Vivian was someone who did what she said. I closed my mouth and said nothing more. After this incident, to appease Ethan, Vivian decided to throw a small party at home. “Tomorrow is Ethan’s birthday. I’ve invited a few colleagues and friends over to celebrate. Since you’re idle at home anyway, you can be responsible for preparing the food and decorations.”

Tomorrow was October fifteenth. An indescribable sadness welled up in my heart. This date seemed very important to me too, but I couldn’t remember why. Seeing my delayed response, Vivian frowned slightly: “Ethan has suffered quite a bit lately. I want to make him happy. You’d better act gracious and don’t embarrass me.” I nodded mechanically. After she left, I directly called a home service team to come over. The old me would never have delegated this to others. Back when Vivian was just starting out, she was so busy her feet barely touched the ground. She often skipped meals and suffered from stomach pain. I felt so bad for her that I, a young master who’d never lifted a finger, forced myself to learn to cook. But Vivian took it for granted, and would even complain when the food I brought her had gotten cold. Feeding sincerity to a dog must feel just like this. Early the next morning, the house was decorated with flowers. Ethan looked at Vivian with a beaming smile: “Vivian, do you think this cake is pretty? It’s my favorite strawberry flavor!” Vivian wrapped her arm around his waist affectionately, smiling as she said, “As long as you like it.” Before long, guests began arriving one after another. Ethan sat in the center, receiving everyone’s well wishes. “Wishing the handsome Ethan eternal youth!” “Ms. Vivian is so thoughtful toward Mr. Ethan!” Ethan’s eyes and brows were full of satisfaction, his gaze drifting intermittently toward me in the corner: “Actually, I have Derek to thank for how happy I am today. Although there were some misunderstandings before, all these fruits and pastries today were personally prepared by him.” Everyone’s eyes instantly focused on me, filled with scrutiny and mockery. “So this is Ms. Vivian’s husband? I heard after his daughter’s accident, he developed a serious illness.” “He looks pretty normal though. How could he…” Vivian frowned, apparently not wanting people to pay too much attention to me: “Alright, let’s cut the cake.” The lights dimmed. Ethan closed his eyes to make a wish, candlelight illuminating his smug face. Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang. “Who could that be at this hour?” Vivian opened the door with some displeasure. Standing at the door was a delivery person, next to a white funeral wreath. Vivian’s expression changed. “Why are you delivering such an inauspicious thing? Take it away immediately!” The delivery person looked bewildered, pulling out a form to check: “No mistake. This is memorial supplies that Mr. Derek ordered from us six months ago. He said it absolutely had to be delivered today.” As the delivery person spoke, he craned his neck to look inside. My head started aching again, my temples throbbing. I held my head and staggered backward, bumping into the wine on the table. The wine bottle fell to the floor, glass shards flying everywhere. All the fragments of memory reassembled in that moment. A red sports car crashed into the guardrail, the front end severely deformed. My daughter lay in a pool of blood, her eyes still open, staring fixedly ahead. And Vivian, the woman I’d loved for five years, was frantically pulling the reeking-of-alcohol Ethan from the driver’s seat, shoving him into the passenger seat, then getting behind the wheel herself. She turned her head and looked at me as I rushed over, revealing a cruel expression. “Derek, this was an accident. Mia is already dead. But Ethan is still alive. He can’t go to prison.” Reality and memory slowly overlapped. I looked at the white funeral wreath before me, at the room full of festive red balloons, my whole body beginning to tremble, my eyes turning blood red. “Vivian, did you think that by giving me injections and hypnotizing me, you could make me forget all of this? Impossible! I will never forget that Ethan is the killer who murdered Mia, and you are his accomplice!” The living room fell deathly silent. Several lawyer colleagues exchanged glances, whispers spreading. “Could the previous rumors actually be true? Did Ethan really kill someone while drunk driving?” “If it’s true, doesn’t that mean Ms. Vivian committed perjury?” “Didn’t Ms. Vivian say those were just rumors? But looking at Derek’s reaction… it doesn’t seem fake.”

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As the only female doctor in the urology department, my surgical skills were so exceptional that every time appointment slots opened up, they’d be snatched clean by patients in seconds. But today, I’d been sitting in my office for a full hour without a single patient showing up. When I asked the young nurse what was going on, she looked me up and down with a scornful expression: “A woman deliberately staying in the men’s clinic—do you think I don’t know what you’re really up to?” The appointment system opened right on time. Three seconds later, all slots showed “Fully Booked.” This was my normal. As the only female doctor in the urology department, not only was my scalpel steady, but my precision reached millimeter-level accuracy. Patients seeking my care had to fight to snag appointment slots down to the very second. Yet today, I’d been sitting in my examination room for a full hour without anyone showing up. The wall clock ticked away steadily. I glanced at my computer screen—the queue list was completely empty. Maintaining my composure, I stood up to pour myself some tea. Just as I took a sip, someone knocked on the examination room door. John, a familiar patient, poked his head in, his face full of confusion. “Dr. Christie, aren’t you off work today?” I looked up at him. “What makes you say that?” “I camped out on the app last night to book an appointment, but the system didn’t even show your name. I thought you’d gone on vacation or something.” John waved his phone at me. Sure enough, the screen showed my name grayed out, unavailable for booking. I set down my teacup, already understanding what had happened. The hospital’s appointment system was managed entirely by the nursing station. Doctors only had scheduling privileges—we had no authority to change appointment availability status. I walked out of the examination room and headed straight to the nursing station. The new intern nurse, Fiona, was sitting with her legs crossed, scrolling through videos on her phone. When she saw me approach, she didn’t even bother to look up. “Nurse Fiona, why were all of today’s appointment slots closed?” I got straight to the point. Hearing my voice, Fiona tossed her phone onto the desk with a cold laugh. “They’re closed because they’re closed. If no one books, the system automatically shows it as closed.” “What, is Dr. Christie here to inspect my work?” “The system doesn’t automatically close slots that are fully booked,” I said calmly. “You’re new, so if you’re unfamiliar with the procedures, I can teach you. But the appointment slots need to be restored immediately.” Fiona acted as if she’d heard the world’s funniest joke. She suddenly stood up, leaning forward, her knuckles rapping against the desk one tap at a time. “Christie, who are you trying to fool?” “This is the urology department—a men’s clinic. Any man would blush just hearing about this place.” “And you, a woman, you force your way in here, dealing with all that disgusting stuff every day—aren’t you ashamed?” “I don’t think you’re here to treat patients at all!” “As a fellow woman, I can see right through what you’re really thinking.” I understood completely. This kind of malice born from gender discrimination— I’d seen it too many times. Arguing would only waste time. I pulled out my phone and, right in front of her, dialed the director’s internal line. “Dr. Christie?” “What can I do for you?” “Director, the urology nurse Fiona has closed all of my appointment slots today without authorization, and her attitude has been extremely poor.” The line went silent for half a second, then came the sharp sound of a chair scraping back. “What? Dr. Christie, don’t worry, I’m coming right over!” Fiona rolled her eyes and sneered. “What, calling for backup? Are you three years old?” I ignored her, hung up, and stood quietly against the wall. Less than five minutes later, urgent footsteps echoed through the hallway. The director arrived with beads of sweat on his forehead, practically running. When he saw me, he didn’t even pause to catch his breath. He rushed straight to the nursing station and bellowed: “Fiona! Who gave you the authority to touch Dr. Christie’s appointment slots!” Fiona hadn’t expected the director to actually come in person. Her face instantly went pale, but she still stubbornly held her ground. “Director, a woman bossing everyone around in the men’s clinic goes against protocol. I was just protecting the hospital’s reputation…” “Shut up!” The director was furious, pointing right at her nose. “Do you have any idea how much medical revenue Dr. Christie brings to this hospital with a single surgery?” “You’re here pushing gender discrimination? Are you here to work or to play boss!” Then he turned to the head nurse standing nearby and roared, “Right now! Immediately!” “Restore all of Dr. Christie’s appointment slots. If there’s still a system malfunction within ten minutes, you’re all fired!” Fiona was completely stunned by this display. She clutched the folder in her hands so tightly that her knuckles turned white from the pressure.

The next day, the examination room was as crowded as usual. I kept my head down, writing up medical records. Sitting across from me was a young man looking thoroughly embarrassed. He was a programmer who, due to prolonged sitting and irregular sleep schedules, had developed some unspeakable problems. “Dr. Christie, this condition… it can really be cured, right?” His voice was extremely low, as if afraid someone outside the door might hear. I didn’t look up, typing several lines of medical orders into the computer, my tone calm: “As long as you follow my treatment plan, all your indicators will return to normal within a month.” “Don’t worry. This is very common in clinical practice.” Just then, the examination room door was violently shoved open. Bang! Fiona strode in. “Door shut so tight—what kind of shady business are you doing in here?” She looked at the man sitting across from me and said sarcastically: “Dr. Christie, already scouting for targets?” “I think you’ve been working in urology so long you’ve developed some weird fantasies about yourself, haven’t you?” The programmer was so startled his face went pale. He nearly jumped out of his chair. I set down my pen and stared coldly at Fiona. “Get out. I’m seeing a patient. Don’t interfere.” But Fiona not only didn’t leave—she doubled down, walking right up to the desk and pointing at the patient’s nose. “Don’t let her fool you! Women like her specifically target young, good-looking guys like you.” “She pretends to treat patients, but we all know what she’s really after!” The programmer’s face turned bright red. He grabbed his medical records and tried to bolt. I reached out and pressed my hand against the edge of the desk, signaling him not to panic, then turned to Fiona. “Are you here to cause trouble or to work?” “Cause trouble? I’m exposing your true colors!” She sneered. “Everyone, come take a look at our so-called urology expert.” “Doors closed in the examination room—who knows what kind of inappropriate dealings are going on in here!” Her voice was extremely loud, drawing more and more curious onlookers from the hallway. Just then, my phone lit up on the desk with a crisp series of notification sounds. The messages were from a pinned group chat. “Dr. Christie, the prescription you gave me last time worked wonders. When are you free? I’ve prepared a gift for you.” “Dr. Christie, can you squeeze me in for an appointment? I’ll pay whatever you ask.” “Are you busy? When can you come over to the house? Mr. John’s chronic condition was cured thanks to you.” Fiona had sharp eyes. Before I could even grab my phone, she lunged forward and snatched it away. “Let me see exactly which men you’ve been fooling around with behind the scenes!” She shouted while eagerly unlocking the screen. The moment she looked, the light in her eyes changed completely. Because aside from me, everyone in the group chat was a top-tier figure from various industries. Not only did they praise my miraculous medical skills in the group every day, but they also frequently sent me private requests and invitations. Fiona held the phone high, showing the screen to the crowd gathered at the examination room door, her voice trembling with excitement: “Everyone, look clearly! This is her true face!” “What expert, what medical skills—it’s all gained by seducing men!” “Look, all these men are lining up waiting to date her. This is solid evidence!”

Instantly, the crowd erupted in discussion. I could feel various gazes sweeping over me—curious, contemptuous, eager to watch the drama unfold. But I simply stood there, watching Fiona coldly, watching her perform with such effort. Just then, a series of urgent footsteps approached. “What’s going on here? Making such a racket first thing in the morning—what kind of behavior is this!” The department head had arrived. He’d been passing by when he heard the commotion and came over with a furrowed brow. Fiona acted as if she’d found her savior. She immediately dropped her aggressive posture and rushed to the department head, her eyes brimming with tears as she pointed at me. “Chief! Your timing couldn’t be better! You must seek justice for the hospital, for us honest, hardworking nurses!” Fiona choked up as she handed the phone to the department head. “Look at this! Christie… she’s just too much!” “As a doctor, she’s carrying on with these shameful activities in the examination room, having inappropriate relationships with so many patients’ families!” The department head took the phone and glanced at the group chat messages on the screen. When he looked at me again, his eyes clearly showed disgust. “Christie! This is absolutely outrageous! As a doctor, where is your medical ethics?” “Where is your professional integrity? What is all this? You’ve completely disgraced the hospital!” I didn’t defend myself. I didn’t even blink. Seeing my attitude, Fiona became even more emboldened. “Chief, she was also reported by patients before, which is why I closed her appointment slots.” “Now she’s gotten even worse, acting like she’s so capable!” She embellished the story, bringing up the incident when I’d contacted the director, conveniently leaving out that she’d been the one who tampered with the system first. “People like this should be fired immediately, or else our hospital’s reputation will be ruined by her!” The department head’s face turned iron-gray. He glanced at the crowd of onlookers, then at my expressionless face, and finally slammed his hand on the desk. “Suspension! Christie, you’re suspended for one week effective immediately. Go home and write a thorough self-criticism and reflect deeply!” “After one week, we’ll hold a hospital meeting to discuss this further and make a final decision!” “Until then, you are not to set foot in the examination room!” The declaration caused an uproar. Everyone expected me to resist fiercely, or at least defend myself. After all, while I didn’t talk much at the hospital normally, I was always decisive in my actions, and my skills were universally recognized as top-tier. This kind of punishment was undoubtedly a deep humiliation for me. However, I simply walked straight to the desk and picked up my phone. Then, in front of everyone, I pressed the option to “Dissolve Group Chat.” Finally, I said coldly: “I apologize.” Apologize? To whom? For what? I didn’t give anyone time to react. I simply dropped those words lightly and left the hospital.

A week passed quickly. I’d just stepped through the hospital entrance with my resignation letter when Fiona raised her voice: “Oh, Dr. Christie actually knows to come back?” “I thought you’d just packed up and run off! How about it—did you write your self-criticism with tears streaming down your face?” “Did you deeply reflect on all those shameful activities of yours?” As she spoke, she deliberately covered her mouth and made exaggerated expressions at several nearby nurses watching the drama. I acted as if I hadn’t heard anything and walked straight to Human Resources. When my colleague received my resignation letter, a flash of surprise crossed their eyes. But they didn’t say much, just silently began processing the paperwork. Fiona was clearly infuriated by my indifference. She followed behind me relentlessly, her mouth running nonstop: “Acting so high and mighty? You think resigning will clear your name?” “A shameless woman like you should have been kicked out long ago! Save our hospital’s reputation from being tainted!” I never gave her a single extra glance from start to finish. After submitting my resignation, I began packing my personal belongings—a thermos, a few professional books, and my well-worn stethoscope. There wasn’t much. I finished packing quickly. Picking up my bag, I turned and walked out of the examination room without looking back. Fiona continued her sarcastic taunts behind me. I paid no attention, walking all the way to the hospital entrance. The sunlight was just right, warmly falling on me as if washing away all the gloom. However, just as I was about to step through the gate, a piercing screech of brakes suddenly rang out. Followed by a second, a third… Within seconds, ten identical top-tier luxury cars pulled up in perfect formation right at the hospital entrance. The spectacle immediately stopped every passerby in their tracks. The car doors opened almost simultaneously. Ten pot-bellied executives in suits practically ran out of their vehicles. Their gazes cut straight through the crowd, locking onto me as I was about to leave. “Dr. Christie!” “Dr. Christie, you’re finally here!” “Dr. Christie, why did you dissolve the group chat? Did something happen? We’ve all been waiting for you!” They surrounded me in a chorus of urgent voices. The entire hospital entrance fell dead silent. Every gaze, filled with disbelief, landed on me. I slowly turned around and smiled at Fiona, who still stood frozen in place, her face deathly pale.

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I had just returned to the teacher’s dormitory when a group of people blocked me at the door. It was Rachel Morgan, the mother of one of my students, Vivian Morgan. The moment she saw me, she lunged forward, screaming at the top of her lungs. “It’s him! This scumbag assaulted my daughter! She just started freshman year. What’s going to happen to her now?” I was stunned! “What? That’s absolutely impossible!” The hallway filled with people. Some were filming videos, others were whispering among themselves, and some colleagues lowered their heads and slipped into their rooms. “What are you talking about? I’ve never done anything like that!” A young man burst out from the crowd. He threw a punch aimed right at my face. “What kind of teacher are you? You ruined my sister’s innocence.” Rachel slapped a piece of paper right onto my face. “Stop pretending! My daughter said it herself.” Principal Hayes pushed through the crowd and pulled me aside. “Just apologize. Compensate them one million dollars. Don’t let this blow up.”

“Principal, what exactly am I apologizing for?” Principal Hayes’s expression darkened, and he lowered his voice. “Shane, now’s not the time to be stubborn. The parents are emotional. Show them the right attitude first.” “Attitude?” I looked at him. “You want me to show an attitude for something I didn’t do?” Rachel rushed over shrieking. “You’re still pretending! My daughter was almost driven to suicide by you, and you still dare say you didn’t do it?” Ethan Morgan clenched his fists, veins bulging on his neck. “Shane Lawson, if you don’t kneel and apologize today, I’ll kill you!” “Kneel?” I looked toward Vivian Morgan standing behind the crowd. She kept her head down, her school uniform sleeves crumpled from gripping them. I was Vivian Morgan’s class advisor. The first time I entered the classroom, all the other students looked up to listen. Only she didn’t dare make eye contact with me. At the start of the school year, she could only score in the thirties on math tests. When others laughed at her, she would bury her head in her books. After I took over the class, I discovered she would secretly copy her mistakes three times. I had tutored her, explained functions to her. And when classmates mocked her, I once said: “Poor grades aren’t a crime. Giving up is.” As a teacher, I didn’t want any student to fall behind. Rachel was crying and wailing, sitting right on the floor and slapping her thighs. “My daughter is only a freshman! How will she live from now on? How will she get married?” “Shane! We’re the county’s top high school here!” “If this blows up, it’ll seriously damage the school’s reputation!” “Just admit to this first, then we’ll discuss it properly with the parents.” Principal Derek Hayes put his arm around my shoulder, trying to persuade me in a low voice. I shook off Derek Hayes’s hand. “Principal, I never did anything like this!” Derek Hayes’s expression turned grave. “Shane! I know you feel wronged.” “But think about it. You’re just an intern teacher with no permanent position, no connections.” “If this blows up, you won’t even be able to keep your teaching certificate.” “Just appease them for now!” Appease? By admitting guilt? I took a step forward. “Vivian Morgan, look at me.” Rachel immediately blocked her. “You still want to threaten my daughter?” “Everyone saw it! He’s still trying to intimidate the child in public!” Vivian’s shoulders trembled. Ethan immediately shouted. “You dare question her? Look how scared you’ve made her!” Derek Hayes quickly spoke up. “Mr. Lawson, don’t agitate the student.” “Vivian, don’t be afraid. The principal is here. No one can hurt you.” “Let me ask you, did Mr. Lawson often tutor you alone?” Vivian nodded. “Did he sometimes tutor you until very late?” Vivian nodded again. “During tutoring, was it just the two of you in the classroom?” I immediately said: “The door was always open, and there are cameras in the classroom.” “Vivian Morgan, when I tutored you, did I ever close the door when we were alone?” “Did I ever touch you? Did I ever say anything inappropriate?” Tears fell from her eyes, but she still didn’t speak. Derek Hayes sighed, as if deeply pained. “Shane, what’s the point of pressuring a child like this?”

Rachel cried even louder. “Everyone hear that!” “Private tutoring!” “Staying late!” “This inhuman monster!” I stared at Derek Hayes. My heart went cold. Derek Hayes asked again: “Did he buy you bubble tea and bread?” Vivian said quietly: “Yes.” I was almost laughing from anger. “evening study session runs until 9:30. She’s not the only one with low blood sugar. I bought bread for the entire group.” Derek Hayes ignored me and continued questioning. “Did he ever write on your test paper, ‘Don’t be afraid, I’m here’?” Vivian closed her eyes and nodded even more slightly. In that moment, I finally understood. Someone was taking all normal teacher-student care, breaking it into pieces, and assembling it into a knife to stab me with. Rachel rushed over, her fingernails nearly poking my eyes. “You still trying to make excuses? Why would a male teacher treat my daughter so well?” “Because I’m a teacher.” “Bullshit!” She turned around and cried while slapping her thighs. “Everyone look! He still says he’s a teacher. He’s just a scumbag in human skin.” “He targeted my daughter because she’s timid!” “She didn’t dare speak up, so you bullied her!” Derek Hayes spoke again: “Mr. Lawson did that kind of thing to you, didn’t he?” Vivian Morgan lifted her head slightly to look at me. Then she glanced at Rachel. Rachel pinched her arm hard. “Say it! What are you afraid of! I will stand up for you!” Vivian picked at her clothes without speaking. Rachel pressed down on her head. She stiffly nodded. Ethan rushed forward and threw a punch at my face. I dodged to the side. His fist hit the doorframe. “Fuck, you dare dodge?” I stepped back half a step. “Accusing me without evidence! If you attack again, I’ll fight back.” Ethan roared: “You ruined Vivian’s innocence. Even if I beat you to death, it wouldn’t be enough!” Derek Hayes stepped between us. “Everyone calm down!” “Mr. Lawson, your attitude right now is critical.” “Apologize immediately.” “Pay the compensation first and stabilize the situation.” “One million dollars. Transfer it today.” Rachel climbed up from the floor. “One million? You trying to send away beggars?” “My life is so miserable. I raised a daughter, her grades just started improving, and a teacher preyed on her.” “My daughter’s innocence is ruined! Her whole life is over!” Ethan sneered coldly. “My sister still has to get married, go to college, and be a person. Your school thinks one million can shut us up?” “Three million! Not a penny less!” Derek Hayes patted my shoulder and said: “One million is indeed too little, but three million is too high. How about this—I’ll make the call. Two hundred fifty thousand.” “No way. Three million is already cheap for that bastard. My sister was a virgin.” Ethan pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and threw it at my feet. “Three million is for emotional damages. You admit to hurting my sister and can’t go back on it!” “When Vivian graduates from college, you must pay us another five hundred thousand and marry her. Otherwise, you’ll pay a penalty of two million in damages.” I thought I’d misheard. “What did you say?” “You ruined my sister. You have to take responsibility to the end!” Rachel took over. “Our Vivian—if you hadn’t defiled her, she could have married a rich man in the future and earned way more than five hundred thousand. Now you’ve ruined her. You have to compensate!” I looked at that guarantee letter. “Where’s the evidence?” Rachel froze for a moment. “What?” “You say I committed a crime. You want money, a guarantee letter, a marriage promise. Where’s the evidence?”

Rachel pulled a piece of paper from her bag and slapped it onto my face. “This is the hospital’s examination report! It’s written in black and white that my daughter is no longer a virgin! You still want to deny it?” I looked down at the report. The seal of City General Hospital, the red stamp neatly pressed. The name on the report was Vivian Morgan, dated three days ago. The conclusion section had several glaring words. But what did this prove? “This only proves she had sexual activity. It doesn’t prove it was me.” Principal Derek Hayes cleared his throat lightly and stepped in front of me. “Shane, the examination report is right here. You’re Vivian’s class advisor. When something happened to the child, you’re the most suspicious.” After speaking, he gave Rachel a subtle glance. Rachel picked up the cue. “Fine.” “The principal has spoken. We’ll show some respect.” “Two hundred fifty thousand. We need an answer today! If not, tomorrow I’m going to the Board of Education, TV station, and court. I’ll sue you to death!” Rachel wiped her tears. “Once the money arrives, we won’t make a scene.” “We’ll all be family from now on.” I almost laughed out loud. “Family?” Rachel glared at me. “You ruined her. You have to support her for life.” Derek Hayes leaned close to my ear. “Shane, things have come to this point. It’s out of your hands.” “Just pay to settle this!” I stared into his eyes. “Principal Hayes, you’re twisting the truth! You’re planning to force this onto me!” Ethan lost patience. “What the fuck are we wasting words for? This kind of person just needs a beating!” He suddenly kicked toward my abdomen. I stepped to the left, grabbed his ankle with my right hand, and twisted and pushed in one motion. Ethan lost his balance completely and fell hard onto the concrete hallway floor. He gritted his teeth and got up, rushing forward to throw a punch again. In my four years of college, I trained with a coach from the sports academy for three years in boxing. I even won second place in a boxing competition. Against this punk, I could win with my eyes closed. I dodged his straight punch, deflected his forearm with my left hand. My right fist landed precisely under his ribs. Ethan bent over and stepped back three paces, unable to catch his breath. Before his second punch could come out, I’d already gripped his wrist. I twisted it backward, pinning him against the wall. “Don’t move. Move again and your wrist breaks.” Ethan refused to submit and struggled hard. I suddenly released my hand and pushed with the momentum. He stumbled forward, lost his balance. His face hit the ground first, knocking out his front teeth. Blood began seeping out densely across his face. Rachel hugged Ethan’s head, kicking her feet against the concrete floor, wailing. “He’s hitting people! He’s hitting people!” “Everyone saw it! First he raped my daughter, now he’s beaten my son! God! Is there no justice? Is there no law?” “He’s trying to silence us! Murder to silence witnesses! Everyone saw it! Everyone saw it!” Vivian Morgan walked out from the corner. She picked up the bloody tooth from the floor. Then turned to look at me. Her eyes were full of anger. “You really are a scumbag.”

I had tutored her for three months. Every night from seven to ten, rain or shine. Questions she couldn’t solve, I explained one by one. Concepts she didn’t understand, I explained in five different ways. The day she scored 89, I was happier than she was. Now, she was calling me a scumbag. “Shane, now you have another charge—assaulting a student’s family member.” Derek Hayes shook his head, his face full of regret. “Tell me, how do we resolve this?” At the end of the hallway, someone was holding up their phone. Comments were scrolling frantically. “I’m warning you one last time.” Derek Hayes’s tone became completely cold and hard. “If you won’t take a friendly offer, you’ll have to face the consequences. Your intern evaluation, teaching certificate, even your future employment records—you won’t be able to keep any of them.” “You’re just an intern fighting against the entire school? You think you can win?” He leaned closer, lowering his voice to a minimum. “I heard your aunt is quite wealthy. Hurry up and raise the money!” “Two hundred fifty thousand to buy your lifetime reputation. You’re getting off cheap.” The person livestreaming with their phone—the viewer count on their screen had already shot up to 23,000. The comments went crazy. “Predator teacher!” “This kind of person should be sentenced!” “How did the school let this kind of person become a teacher?” “Beat him!” Everyone was cursing me. Someone in the crowd shouted: “No smoke without fire.” “Why didn’t they go after other teachers, but specifically you!” “You definitely did it and won’t admit it!” I turned to look. It was my colleague, Marcus. Just last week he’d borrowed my lesson plans. Meeting my gaze, Marcus showed no guilt whatsoever. “Mr. Lawson, I’m not targeting you. I’m just calling it as I see it!” “Everyone, am I right!” The crowd echoed in agreement! Not a single person asked—where’s the evidence? Rachel had somehow gotten up from the floor. Her hair was disheveled, the tear tracks still visible on her face. “I’m telling you, Shane Lawson.” “As long as you sign today and transfer the money, this matter is settled.” She looked smugly at Derek Hayes. “We’re not unreasonable people, right Principal Hayes?” Derek Hayes nodded repeatedly. “Right, right. Mrs. Morgan’s family is very reasonable. Shane, as long as you settle this two hundred fifty thousand and sign the guarantee letter, Mrs. Morgan will treat you like her own son-in-law going forward. Let’s keep it in the family.” Rachel nodded cooperatively. “That’s right. Once the money arrives and you sign, we’ll treat you as one of our own. We’ll let bygones be bygones. From now on, my daughter is yours.” Ethan chimed in too. “Right, brother-in-law. Just pay up. Transfer the two hundred fifty thousand now, sign the guarantee now. I’ll go to the hospital to fix my teeth myself.” Vivian looked at me shyly, her face red. “Principal Hayes, you’re saying as long as I apologize and pay the money, this will all be over, right?” Derek Hayes nodded, his expression relaxing a bit, thinking I was softening. “Then I’d like to confirm once more.” “If I sign this guarantee letter and pay this two hundred fifty thousand, can you guarantee the Morgan family won’t pursue this further, and the school won’t keep any records?” Derek Hayes and Rachel exchanged glances. “Of course. You can rest assured. I’ll make the call.” Derek Hayes said, his voice more certain than before. I watched this farce coldly. They were extorting me. I pulled out my phone from my pocket. Derek Hayes, Rachel, Ethan, and Vivian all looked over. Their eyes full of hope, greed, and the satisfaction of a scheme about to succeed. “Hello, Sean!”

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