Category: English

  • The High School Reunion

    The day before our final exams, it was Chloe’s birthday. Chloe, the prettiest girl in our class, the one everyone adored. Her boyfriend, Jason, our class president, suggested the entire class go to a bar to celebrate and blow off some steam before the big day. Somehow, the advanced placement class unanimously agreed. In my past life, as the academic representative, I tried to stop this madness. I told them they needed to rest, that drinking and partying would ruin their performance the next day. Jason just glared at me. “You’re just jealous again.” My classmates sneered. “Stop acting so high and mighty. You’re just mad Jason treats Chloe better than you.” Ignoring their mockery, I begged them not to go. I stayed up all night calling each of them, making sure they were home resting. The next morning, I waited at the exam center under the scorching sun, calling everyone again to ensure they arrived on time. They all performed exceptionally well. But on the day the scores were released, tragedy struck. Chloe had gone to the bar alone that night to celebrate her birthday. She got drunk and was taken advantage of. Unable to cope with the trauma, she attempted suicide. Jason lost his mind after receiving her goodbye call. He rallied the entire class against me. They cornered me on the roof and pushed me off. I died instantly. When the police questioned them, they lied in unison: “She threatened us not to save Chloe. She said anyone who helped her would fail the exam.” “She jumped because she was afraid of getting caught.” The calls I made that night and the security footage of me checking attendance became their “evidence.” I was cyberbullied. A crazed netizen doused my house in gasoline and set it on fire, burning my parents alive. Jason lived next door. He listened to my parents’ screams with his arms crossed on his balcony, waiting until they were dead before calling the fire department. Only after death did I learn that Chloe had orchestrated it all. Reborn, I stood there as Jason held Chloe’s hand, announcing loudly, “See you at the bar tonight!” I put on my backpack and turned to leave. This time, they can party all they want. I’m done saving ungrateful people. 1 After I died, Chloe started a livestream, shedding crocodile tears: “Even though she bullied me and stopped our classmates from saving me… out of respect for the dead, I forgive her.” “But I’m too traumatized to retake the exam. I’ve decided to go abroad. I’m sorry I couldn’t fulfill my promise of getting into Harvard.” She had always branded herself as the “Beauty with Brains,” determined to attend an Ivy League school. Hearing this, netizens praised her kindness and resilience. She gained a million followers overnight. But the moment the camera turned off, she was laughing in bed with a stranger. “I cheated my way to high scores. If I actually took the test, I would have been exposed. Thank god I came up with this plan. It covers up my pregnancy and gives me a perfect excuse to skip the exam.” “I was planning to trick Jason into coming that night and pin everything on him, but that bitch Sarah ruined my plan. But this isn’t bad. Jason feels so guilty he promised to take care of me and the baby.” Her maniacal laughter cut through my soul like a knife. I wanted to strangle her. But the next second, a familiar voice rang in my ear: “Sarah, what’s with the long face?” “Chloe’s birthday wish is to celebrate with the whole class. She invited you, and instead of being grateful, you’re giving us attitude. Disgusting.” “Chloe is an influencer and still scores higher than you. You only get third place by studying like a nerd. Are you jealous?” “You simped so hard for Jason, but he doesn’t even look at you. Seeing him celebrate Chloe’s birthday broke you, huh?” I froze, realizing where I was—the day before the final exams. I pinched myself. It hurt. Tears sprang to my eyes. I was really reborn! Seeing me cry, the classmates who had just mocked me fell silent. “Were we too harsh? She was just trying to help…” Chloe immediately started crying. “Sarah, I didn’t know you hated me this much. Cursing everyone to fail… We’re the AP class. How could celebrating my birthday make us fail?” Jason immediately shielded her, sneering at me: “Don’t worry about us. We aren’t like you, getting scared shitless over a test. Running to the bathroom constantly and failing because of it.” “For geniuses like us, this exam is a piece of cake.” The class erupted in laughter. I clenched my fists, my heart aching. During the placement exams sophomore year, stress gave me severe stomach issues. I kept needing the bathroom, couldn’t focus, and missed the cutoff for the AP class. After the test, I hid in the study hall and cried. Jason found me then, wiping my tears. “I had my mom make you some porridge. I knew you’d be crying. It’s okay, there’s always next time. I’ll tutor you. We’ll go to the same college…” I thought our mutual crush would have a happy ending. Until Chloe transferred in, and everything changed. I took a deep breath and unclenched my fists. Ignoring their laughter, I packed my bag. “You’re right. In that case, I hope you have fun.” I didn’t explode in anger or cry like they expected. Their smiles froze. The fun of mocking me was gone. Someone shrugged and started discussing what to drink. “Fruit cider. Only 3% alcohol, won’t affect the exam.” I scoffed internally. The fruit cider at that bar could knock out an adult with one glass. My dad, a doctor, often treated patients rushed to the ER with alcohol poisoning from that place. In my past life, that was why I tried to stop them. But this time, I wouldn’t interfere. I shouldered my bag and turned to leave. But Jason didn’t look happy. He frowned at me. As I walked past, he grabbed my wrist. “No. You have to come with us.” 2 Everyone froze, looking at me in confusion. “Why bring her? She’s a buzzkill.” Chloe chimed in with her sickeningly sweet voice, “If Sarah comes and we don’t do well tomorrow, she might blame me. That would be so unfair.” Her eyes were guarded. She was terrified I would actually go. If I went, how could she get drunk and pin her pregnancy on Jason? Jason sneered, explaining: “Sarah is manipulative. Remember Memorial Day? The English teacher forgot to assign homework, but she called to ask for it and then texted everyone, ruining our holiday.” The class went silent. Many glared at me. I laughed bitterly. That was a practice test from a top private school. The teacher got it specifically to help us boost our scores. I notified everyone because I didn’t want them to miss out. But my responsibility was their burden. Jason raised an eyebrow. “If she goes home, she might call your parents and snitch.” I finally snapped. “I’m not that bored.” I suppressed my anger. “I promise I won’t interfere or call anyone. Okay? I just want to go home and rest for tomorrow.” I tried to pull my hand away, but he snatched my backpack. “What are you doing!” I screamed, my heart sinking. The next second, he pulled out my exam admission ticket and waved it in the air. My face went pale. I lunged for it. “You’re crazy! Give it back!” Jason held it high, teasing me like a cat, looking down with arrogance. “I don’t trust you. I have your ticket now. If you want to take the exam tomorrow, behave yourself. Don’t ruin Chloe’s birthday.” My eyes turned red with urgency, my voice trembling. “Jason, you asshole!” He paused at the hatred in my eyes, his tone softening slightly. “As long as you don’t snitch, I’ll give it back. Didn’t we promise to go to the same college? Of course I’ll give it back.” “Just don’t ruin Chloe’s eighteenth birthday.” I looked at him, making promises he wouldn’t keep, and my heart sank. Eighteen years of friendship. My future wasn’t as important as Chloe’s birthday party. I was shaking, staring at him. He avoided my gaze, turning to the crowd with a light smile. “Alert over. Everyone can celebrate in peace tonight.” Chloe immediately leaned into him, her voice dripping with honey. “Thank you, Jason. This party is the best eighteenth birthday gift.” Jason’s ears turned red, but he didn’t push her away. He just touched her hair. “As long as you’re happy.” The classmates cheered loudly. “I think the best gift isn’t the party, it’s our class president!” “You’re both adults tonight. A kiss isn’t too much to ask, right?” Jason laughed, “Stop it.” But the affection in his eyes was undeniable. I stood there, watching coldly, digging my nails into my palms until they bled. Laugh. Have fun. Let’s see if you can still laugh in the exam hall tomorrow. I didn’t even want my bag anymore. I turned to leave. But they weren’t done with me. Jason said coldly, “Lock her in the gym.” “Let her out after the party.” I glared at him, struggling violently. “Are you insane! Let me go!” Several boys rushed me, tying my hands behind my back and dragging me to the abandoned gym. They threw me to the ground, scraping my arm. Jason hesitated for a second, but excitement quickly took over. He stomped on my phone until the screen went black. “Stop being jealous and just wait here,” he soothed. “I’m the class president. I’m just helping a classmate fulfill a wish. If it were your birthday today, I’d do the same.” “Just stay here. I’ll come back for you.” Then he shut the door. The heavy iron door slammed shut, plunging me into darkness. I lay on the floor, screaming for help until my voice was hoarse. I don’t know how much time passed before footsteps approached. I scrambled to the door. “Help—” The door opened. It was my dad. He rushed in, panic etched on his face, and hugged me tight. “Baby? What happened? I couldn’t reach you, and Jason said you were at the party.” “How could you be partying right before the exam? I knew something was wrong! I came looking for you immediately… I can’t believe you were locked in the school!” “Did Jason do this? I won’t let him get away with it!” Seeing my dad alive and well after two lifetimes, I burst into tears in his arms. Dad was terrified. “It’s okay, don’t be scared. Tell Dad what happened.” “I’m fine.” I wiped my tears, forcing myself to be calm. Stopping Jason’s party now would be letting them off too easy. I wanted them to regret this for the rest of their lives. When my mom arrived and saw my injuries, her face fell. But I just whispered, “I’m fine, Mom. I don’t want to go to college here anymore. I want to study abroad. Let’s move overseas.” In my last life, I gave up an offer from a top foreign university to take the entrance exams for Jason’s “let’s go to college together” promise. And I got a tragic death in return. This time, I didn’t want to bet on him keeping my admission ticket safe. I was giving up on this exam. Back home, I slept fitfully until dawn, nightmares of my past life flashing before my eyes. When I woke up, my pillow was soaked. I dried my eyes, put my SIM card into an old phone, and turned it on. My feed was flooded with updates from my classmates, Jason, and Chloe. In the photos, Chloe leaned into Jason’s chest, looking up with a flushed smile. Jason looked tender. I glanced once and noticed the pile of empty cider cans on the table. Drinking that much… forget affecting their performance, some of them might not even wake up tomorrow. Someone even posted a video of the crowd chanting “Kiss! Kiss!” Jason held Chloe tight, kissing her urgently and deeply. It was disgusting. I closed the video. The newest post was from Chloe, visibly set to “Only Sarah Can See.” 3 I opened it to the sound of grotesque panting. Frowning, I watched two entangled figures. I didn’t need to look closely to know the man was Jason. Chloe’s breathless voice taunted me: “Sarah, Jason said he likes me the most. He’s going to marry me after college. What makes a nerd like you think you can compete?” Then, she sent a photo of my admission ticket, torn to shreds. “I made him choose between us. To prove his loyalty, he tore up your ticket. He said this way he doesn’t have to go to the same college as you, and he has an excuse to dump you.” “Can’t wait to see your breakdown tomorrow haha. Happy gap year~” Even though I was prepared for my ticket to be destroyed, seeing the pieces still made my breath hitch and my chest ache. Three years of tireless effort, destroyed so easily by them. The phone rang in the living room. I opened my door to see my dad looking shocked. “What? Students from First High? The seniors taking the exam tomorrow? Alcohol poisoning? Okay, okay, I’m on my way.” His face was pale and sweaty. Seeing me, he thought I was worried about my classmates and quickly comforted me: “Don’t worry, it might not be your class. I’ll go check. Even if it is, I’ll get them recovered ASAP. Won’t delay the exam.” Looking at his worried face, I remembered my past life. I was so worried about them drinking that I dragged my dad to the bus stop the next morning, just in case someone was hungover and needed emergency help. I never expected those ungrateful wolves to claim my dad was there to help me threaten them. That led to the crazed netizens murdering my family in the name of avenging Chloe. But this time, I would absolutely not let my dad get dragged into this mess. … The next morning, I ate the breakfast my dad made and took a taxi to school. Time ticked by, but the bus stop for the exam shuttle was silent. The teachers’ faces grew darker by the minute. “What’s going on? Is the AP class skipping the exam?” The homeroom teacher arrived, looking haggard, followed by a few pale students. Seeing me, they dodged my gaze, guilt and regret written on their faces. The principal listened to the homeroom teacher’s stammering explanation, his face turning black with rage. “I told you a thousand times! Watch your diet and sleep before the exam! And you go drinking at a bar the night before?!” “Only five people can take the test? The rest are getting their stomachs pumped? Some are in the ICU?!” “Are you crazy? Ruining your lives and burning my career down with you?!” His shouting attracted the attention of parents and media nearby. “Oh my god. We cook carefully for them, and these kids drink themselves into the hospital?” “Partying at a time like this? They aren’t scholars, they’re delinquents.” “My kid has average grades, but at least he’s responsible. Those parents must be furious.” “I’ve been a reporter for years, never seen a whole class drink themselves out of an exam.” Cameras flashed. The principal roared in despair, “I’m ruined! The school is ruined!” The English teacher, who always favored Jason and Chloe, paled. “Where are Jason and Chloe? They were our top prospects for Ivy League!” The homeroom teacher looked down. “Can’t reach them. We called the police.” The principal stumbled, clutching his chest. He looked at me, a spark of hope in his eyes. “Sarah is a good kid. She didn’t mess around with them. We can still save one spot.” I lowered my eyes, feigning regret. “Jason took my admission ticket because he was afraid I’d snitch. He hasn’t shown up, so I probably can’t take the test.” Thud. The principal hit the floor. Chaos ensued. Some took him to the hospital; others took the remaining students to the exam center. I got on the bus. The atmosphere was oppressive. Some were already crying. “My dad is going to kill me… shouldn’t have gone to the bar…” “What do I do? I won’t make the cutoff… it’s all Chloe’s fault…” I stared out the window blankly, listening to their sobs. Didn’t they say they were geniuses? That the exam was just a formality? Now they’re scared of failing? Now they cry? At the exam center, I was denied entry without my ticket. A classmate looked at me with guilt. “Sorry.” Confirming I couldn’t enter, I turned and left. My dad was furious, comforting me while cursing Jason. Before we could leave the area… The news had exploded. Parents of the AP class students started a livestream, issuing a joint statement to call the police and hire lawyers, holding the school, Jason, and Chloe responsible. A scandal like this during exam season broke the internet. Netizens flooded Chloe’s social media with insults, calling her a “disaster.” Chloe, missing all day, suddenly started a livestream. Next to her sat a haggard Jason. Tears streamed down her face. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know this would happen. We just wanted to eat cake. It was my classmate Sarah who insisted on ordering alcohol. She said it was non-alcoholic, so we could drink as much as we wanted.” “We got a bit drunk, but we were sent to the hospital in time. We would have been fine. But Sarah wanted revenge, so she made her dad—the hospital director—deliberately mistreat us, causing the alcohol poisoning.” She nudged Jason. “You’re her childhood friend. You can testify, right?” Jason stiffened. Under her urging, he looked up, eyes struggling, before finally gritting his teeth. “Yes. I can testify. Sarah insisted on ordering the alcohol. She was jealous of Chloe and the talented students in the class. And… her dad really is a doctor at that hospital.” 4 I couldn’t believe my ears. Were they insane? Who would believe such a lie? But the parents, who were just demanding Jason and Chloe be punished, turned their rage toward me and my dad. Smash! A U-lock shattered the car window and hit my dad’s forehead. Blood gushed out. The car stopped abruptly. I slammed into the dashboard, vision blurring. Screams deafened me: “Kill these inhumane monsters! Putting my son in the ICU just to bully a classmate? Pay with your lives!” Others chimed in: “Deserved! A doctor committing malpractice for his daughter? Break his hands so he can never practice again!” I screamed desperately, “We didn’t! Check the cameras! I wasn’t at the bar! My dad wasn’t on duty last night!” Fighting through the pain, Dad crawled over to shield me. “Don’t be scared, Dad’s here.” Tears flowed uncontrollably as I screamed, “You’re being lied to!” My phone lit up. A text from Jason: “Sorry Sarah, Chloe’s family is poor. If she gets sued, she’s done. Your family has money, you can afford to pay. We had to push it on you. Once this blows over, we’ll repeat the year and go to college together, okay?” I laughed bitterly. So that was it. Chloe couldn’t pay, so the parents shifted their target to me. Just because my family had money, they could get a payout from us. “Jason, you bastard! You deserve to die!” The parents dragged me and my bloodied father out of the car, kicking and punching us. Someone started livestreaming. Soon, Chloe and Jason saw it on their screen. Chloe sighed in relief, leaning into him. “Thank you for saving me, Jason.” Jason forced a smile, unable to hide the guilt and panic in his eyes. “As long as you’re okay, I’ll do anything for you.” Amidst the chaos, my mom rushed in, pushing the parents away. She shielded us, roaring, “Don’t touch my husband and daughter!” She held up her phone, voice icy and firm: “The ones who really hurt these students are Chloe and Jason. I’ve posted the evidence online. See for yourselves.”

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  • Post-Car Crash Amnesia

    1 Three years after the car crash that supposedly stole my memory, I saw Lucas Kennedy again at a Sotheby’s auction. He was there to bid on jewelry for his wife. I was there to reclaim what was mine. Years apart had etched lines of exhaustion onto his face, while I, in contrast, glowed with a newfound brilliance. The sight of me left him visibly uncomfortable. When the piece we were both there for was presented, he finally broke the silence between us. “Sophia,” he said, his voice strained, “I lied to you three years ago, when you lost your memory. The truth is… I was your boyfriend.” I ran a thumb over the massive diamond on my ring finger and offered him a faint, cool smile. Who ever said I actually had amnesia? … The centerpiece of the entire auction was a vintage emerald bracelet. Its only imperfection was a series of hairline fractures spiderwebbing beneath the gold of its inner clasp. Lucas’s pupils contracted. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes as he looked at me. Of course he recognized it. He was the one who had put those cracks there. That was three years ago. It was also the twentieth year of my love for him. Ever since we were children, I’d followed him around like a shadow, offering him the best of everything I had just to see him smile at me. He was indifferent at first, but with time, he grew accustomed to my constant presence. When he was eighteen, another girl confessed her feelings for him. As he turned her down, his eyes found mine across the room. The playful glint in them saw right through my carefully hidden crush. Later that day, he leaned in, his breath warm against my skin, and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “You know,” he murmured, “yours is the only confession I’ve ever wanted to hear.” A hot blush crept up my cheeks. I tried to pull away, but he cupped my face, his lips tracing a path from my forehead, down the bridge of my nose, and finally, settling on mine. It didn’t take long for his grandfather to notice the spark between us. With his blessing, we were officially engaged. At last, I had a legitimate reason to be by his side. But that was also when everything began to change. Lucas’s gaze fell on a faint scar on my shoulder, now artfully concealed by a rose tattoo. A wave of pain washed over his features. “Sophia,” he asked, his voice barely a whisper, “is that from the crash?” I smiled, my eyes as placid as if I were looking at a complete stranger. Just then, a cloying, sweet voice cut through the air. “Lucas, darling, that’s the one I want! You have to get it for me, please?” The voice continued, “It looks so much like the one that—” The words died in her throat the moment she saw my face. Christiane Reed, whose face had been glowing with a triumphant smile just a second ago, went deathly pale. Her expression hardened into a mask of pure, unadulterated jealousy. She recovered quickly, tightening her grip on Lucas’s arm as if to show him off. “Sophia, what a surprise. It’s been so long. Lucas and I are married now. I hope that doesn’t upset you.” The next second, she covered her mouth with a hand, a spark of malicious glee in her eyes. “Oh, right, I forgot. You don’t even remember the past, do you? How could you possibly be upset?” I swirled the amber liquid in my wine glass, watching them with a calm, elegant poise. Christiane had changed a lot in three years. When I first met her, she was a timid girl fresh from the countryside, wide-eyed and nervous about everything. She was Lucas’s junior from college and became his assistant after graduation. At first, I didn’t think much of the extra attention he gave her. I was so sure of our love, so certain that there was no room for anyone else. That belief shattered the first time I walked in on him gently kissing the tears from Christiane’s cheeks. My mind went blank. Lucas saw me and shoved her away, his voice laced with panic. “Sophia, it’s not what it looks like. Christiane was just upset about a mistake at work. I was comforting her.” I fought back the stabbing pain in my heart and forced a smile that felt more like a grimace. “I know.” But I didn’t know. I didn’t know that was only the beginning. 2 After that day, Lucas and Christiane became inseparable. He said he needed to train her, to show her the ropes. But I saw them. In the convenience store downstairs from the office, she’d be standing in front of me in line, her fingers looped around his cuff, curled against him like a kitten. During meetings, her hand would be clasped in his under the table. He even canceled a dinner date we’d planned for weeks because she called him complaining of a “small headache.” That night, I stood in a torrential downpour, soaked to the bone. When I finally dragged my miserable self back to our villa, he barely glanced up from his work. “Sophia, don’t overthink this,” he said, his tone dismissive. “She’s all alone in this city. It’s not easy for her. I’m just looking out for her.” I nodded, my heart twisting into a tight, painful knot. My throat was so raw I could barely speak. “I know.” But only I knew that later, huddled under the shower, I cried until I couldn’t breathe, letting the sound of the water drown out my sobs. I came down with a raging fever the next day. For the first time in a long time, Lucas seemed genuinely worried. He rushed to the hospital and pulled me into a fierce embrace, his voice low and thick with concern. “Sophia, how could you let yourself get like this?” I blinked open my heavy eyelids, the familiar scent of pine from his cologne filling my senses. For a fleeting moment, I felt like we were back in the good old days, before everything fell apart. Then his phone rang. Christiane’s voice, a mixture of tears and a practiced helplessness, came through the speaker. “Lucas, the power’s out at my place. It’s so dark, and I’m scared. Can you come stay with me?” The arms holding me went rigid. Instinctively, I tightened my grip on his sleeve, but he flinched away, letting me slide from his embrace. He took a deep breath, his hand stroking my hair as he planted a soft kiss on my forehead. His voice was calm, but his words were devastatingly cruel. “Sophia, you have nurses here to look after you.” “Christiane’s a young woman, all alone at night. She’ll be terrified, she won’t be able to sleep. The poor thing.” “I’ll just go for a bit. I’ll be back before you know it.” With that, he gently but firmly pulled his sleeve from my grasp and walked out without a backward glance. He never came back that night. Instead, a message appeared on my phone. He doesn’t have you in his heart! He doesn’t love you! He’s happiest when he’s with me! Why don’t you just disappear, you old hag! Attached was a video of the two of them, tangled in bedsheets, their bodies moving together. A wave of nausea and rage washed over me. Combined with the fever, the world swam before my eyes, and I nearly passed out. When I woke up the next morning, Christiane was standing by my bedside. She deliberately angled her neck to show off the fresh love bites, a smug, victorious smirk playing on her lips. “You have no idea how wild he is with me, Sophia. How much he craves me. I bet he’s never satisfied you like that, has he?” I was raised doted on by two families; I wasn’t one to take insults lying down. I grabbed the flower basket from the nightstand and hurled it at her. Just my luck, Lucas walked in at that exact moment. Christiane immediately collapsed to the floor, sobbing into his arms. “Lucas! I just came to see how Sophia was doing, but the moment she saw me, she went crazy and attacked me…” Before I could say a word, a sharp slap echoed through the room. My head snapped to the side, my cheek stinging. “Sophia! When did you become so vicious?” Lucas roared, his eyes filled with disgust. “You’re a bigger disappointment than I could have ever imagined!” I stared at him, my heart shattering into a million pieces. It was the first time he had ever laid a hand on me. 3 After that, Lucas and Christiane were even more brazen, appearing everywhere together. Meanwhile, Christiane had secretly filmed me throwing the flower basket at her and posted it online. In an instant, the internet mob descended, branding me a psychotic, spoiled heiress. Even my own colleagues at the company started whispering behind my back. “Do you think Sophia’s really losing it?” “I heard she was obsessed with Mr. Kennedy for years. When he got together with Christiane, she just snapped.” It got so bad that one day, a self-proclaimed crusader for justice grabbed me on the street, yanking my hair and raining down blows. “It’s her! The rich bitch from the internet who bullied that poor girl! She’s a homewrecker!” At the word “homewrecker,” a crowd swarmed me, pinning me to the ground. Slaps landed on my face, one after another, until I was black and blue. Someone shouted they should strip me naked. A dozen hands clawed at me, their nails digging into my flesh. I clutched at the shredded remains of my dress, my pleas for help lost in the noise. No one listened. By the time the police finally arrived, I was barely conscious. They casually escorted me from the scene and dropped me off at the villa. Lucas took one look at my bruised and battered state, his brow furrowed not with concern, but with irritation. “Sophia, is this some new way to get my attention?” he asked coldly. “I’ve told you before, there’s nothing between me and Christiane. You need to calm down and think about what you’ve done.” Then, he turned and walked out, leaving me alone. A few weeks later, when Lucas and I returned to the family estate, the air was thick with contempt. My relatives looked at me with open disdain, whispering that I had brought shame upon both our families. Grandfather Kennedy had passed away years ago, but every time we came back, we paid our respects at his memorial. This time, however, Christiane was with us. Traditionally, only family members were allowed in the family crypt, but Lucas made an exception for her. When our relatives questioned his decision, Lucas defended her without hesitation. “Christiane may not be family, but she has more grace and respect than some people who call themselves high-society ladies. She genuinely respects my grandfather. Why shouldn’t she be allowed to pay her respects?” Every eye in the room turned to me. I saw it all: disgust, mockery, judgment. I felt like I was being crucified in public. I couldn’t bear it. I lowered my head and fled to the solitude of the crypt. Thinking of how much Grandfather Kennedy had adored me, my eyes started to burn. Just then, Christiane walked in. She shot me a contemptuous look, then glanced at the marble plaque with his name on it. Her voice was dripping with resentment. “Sophia, with a reputation like yours, you can’t possibly still think you’re going to marry into this family, can you?” she sneered. “If it wasn’t for that meddling old fool and his ridiculous engagement contract, I’d be Mrs. Kennedy right now!” Before I could react, she snatched the memorial urn from its pedestal and smashed it on the stone floor. The urn shattered, scattering ashes everywhere. I stared in horror, frozen for a moment before I lunged at her. “Are you insane?! That was the man Lucas and I respected most in the world!” “So what?” she spat, unafraid. “Not only am I getting this dead old man out of the crypt, I’m going to take everything that’s yours and kick you out of this family for good!” The commotion brought Lucas running. Christiane expertly threw herself to the ground, tears streaming down her face. “Lucas! I just thought Sophia’s bracelet was beautiful and asked to see it, and she… she threw grandfather’s urn at me! She said she was going to drive me out of the family…” SLAP! The sound of his hand connecting with my cheek was even louder this time. He looked at me with pure loathing. “Sophia, you are such a disappointment. After how much grandfather loved you… You were his choice to be the next lady of this house, and now you’ve desecrated his final resting place. You’ll be dealt with according to family law.” “It’s not what happened! Lucas, let me explain!” But he wasn’t listening. He had his men drag me down to the estate’s old, stone cellar. They took a riding crop to my back, the leather biting into my skin with each sharp crack. When I was covered in bleeding welts, lying in the cold, filthy water that pooled on the floor, he ordered them to stop. The pain was excruciating. I screamed until my throat was raw, but no one showed me an ounce of pity. Through the open cellar door, I could see my relatives looking down, shaking their heads. “She destroyed the old man’s ashes. She deserves this.” When I was on the verge of passing out, Lucas finally had them pull me up. For a split second, I saw a flicker of pain in his eyes, but it vanished the moment Christiane wrapped her arms around his, sobbing. “Oh, Sophia, I only wanted to look at your bracelet. How could you do that to grandfather? You’ve broken Lucas’s heart!” I glared at her, too weak to speak. Hearing Christiane mention the bracelet again, blaming it for the desecration of his grandfather’s ashes, Lucas’s fury reignited. He gestured, and the estate guards and his bodyguards swarmed me, pinning me to the ground. I knew instantly what he was going to do. “No! Please, don’t! Lucas, that was my grandmother’s! It’s the only thing I have left of her! It’s the most precious thing I own! Punish me again, lock me back in the cellar, just please don’t take my bracelet! I’m sorry, I was wrong!” I screamed and begged, but he was deaf to my pleas. He ignored my desperate struggles, knelt down, and ripped the emerald bracelet from my wrist himself. A sharp cry of pain tore from my lips. Lucas held the bracelet up, his eyes burning with hatred. “For this… for this worthless thing, you would dishonor the grandfather who adored you for so many years? Do you have a heart at all, Sophia?” “Today, I’m going to make you feel the same pain that I feel right now!” And with that, he hurled the bracelet against the stone floor. The emerald cracked into pieces. The combination of physical agony and soul-crushing heartbreak was too much. A final, desperate wail escaped my lips before I blacked out. 4 I woke up in the estate’s dog kennel. Everyone was convinced I was responsible for scattering Grandfather Kennedy’s ashes, and they refused to have me under the main roof. Lucas, unable to argue with the family elders, had put me here. Through the kennel door, I could hear Lucas and Christiane talking. She was pouting, her voice a childish whine. “Lucas, darling, why did you have to break that bracelet? It was such a shame, I really liked it…” “Enough!” Lucas snapped, his voice cold and sharp. “Know your place, Christiane. A piece like that is far too valuable for someone like you to wear. I punished Sophia because she was wrong. Don’t think for a second you can use this as an opportunity to take what’s hers.” He stormed off, leaving Christiane standing there alone, her face twisted with resentment. A sharp pain in my chest brought me back to reality. In my entire life, I had never been so humiliated. I forced my aching body to stand and stumbled toward the garage. I found my car, got in, and sped away from that place without a second thought. I never saw Christiane standing on the estate’s front steps, a cold, triumphant smile on her face as she watched me leave. At the same time, a Lamborghini roared out of the estate, hot on my tail. Rain was pouring from the sky. Heartbroken and furious, I drove. Lucas’s Lamborghini quickly caught up. He rolled down his window, shouting at me to pull over, but I ignored him. I slammed my foot on the accelerator, desperate to escape him. Suddenly, a barrier and a “ROAD CLOSED” sign appeared in my headlights. I slammed my foot on the brake. Nothing. The brakes were gone. Someone had tampered with them. Panic seized me. I watched, helpless, as my sports car crashed through the barrier and plunged into a deep construction pit. My last memory was the violent jolt of the airbag deploying, and a universe of pain. When I regained consciousness, Lucas was by my bedside. His chin was covered in dark stubble, and his eyes were sunken and shadowed with exhaustion. When he saw me awake, a look of profound relief washed over his face. He took my hand, about to speak, but I beat him to it. “Who are you?” He froze, his eyes darting to the doctor standing nearby. The doctor explained that I was likely suffering from amnesia due to the severe impact. So… Lucas hesitated, looking back at me. I asked him again. “Are you my boyfriend?” This time, his expression changed. The concern was gone, replaced by something unreadable. He gently took Christiane’s hand, who had been standing silently in the corner, and spoke to me in the detached tone one might use with a stranger. “You’re mistaken, young lady,” he said. “I’m not your boyfriend. I’m her boyfriend.” In that instant, a pain so sharp and visceral ripped through my chest that I thought I would suffocate. But I forced a smile, blinked back the tears that threatened to fall, and whispered, “Oh. I see. Do you think… do you think my boyfriend will come for me soon?” Lucas paused, a choked sound catching in his throat. “Yes,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “He will. I’m sure he will.” Then he grabbed Christiane’s hand and practically fled the room. The moment they were gone, I could no longer hold it back. I clutched the fabric over my heart and wept, the sobs silent but wracking my entire body.

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  • The Kissing Penalty

    I cheated way too hard on an exam and accidentally landed myself in the advanced placement class. As a result, the placement test exposed me completely. To avoid being kicked out, I confessed to my academic rival, the school genius: “Julian, I’ve liked you for a long time.” He slowly took off his glasses: “Oh? Let’s give it a try then.” Later, he pinned me down to grind through practice problems: “Keep count yourself. Get one wrong, get a kiss.” I was kissed until I was breathless: “I got this one right…” He chuckled low and kissed me again: “That’s a reward.” 1 “Our AP class is all about excellence. We weed out the weak!” Mr. Wang banged on the podium. “If your total score is below 600, it means you can’t keep up with our pace. You should go to the regular class to adjust! This is for your own good!” My head buzzed. I’m done for. Totally screwed. Last month’s exam, I got lucky and sat right behind Julian Sterling—the academic god who’s always at the top, his name practically glowing with holy light. Following my life motto of “take advantage when you can” and “copy if you can, copy more if it works.” My 20/20 vision worked overtime, and I “borrowed” heavily from his math and science answers. But I didn’t expect to “borrow” my way to a 600! For me, that score is like a miracle, a divine intervention! And now, I’m stuck in the AP class. That day, my dad cracked open his prized whiskey, and my mom excitedly broadcasted to everyone: “Oh my! Our Manny has made it! She’s in the AP class! That’s Ivy League material! Top-tier university guaranteed!” If they knew their “Ivy League material” was now shivering in the elimination zone… I shuddered. I couldn’t imagine the lecture and the grounding that would follow. “Manny, especially you! As a newcomer, you need to work harder!” Mr. Wang’s pained gaze locked onto me. “Don’t spend all day chattering with Xavier. It’s like you rented your mouth.” Xavier, my desk mate, had the honor of being second to last, just one point above me. Mr. Wang looked at us like we were dragging down the entire class’s IQ. “Recently, some students suggested we implement a one-on-one mentorship program. So, we’ll rearrange the seats. The last place sits with the first place, and so on.” First place? Isn’t that Julian? Who wants to sit with that annoying guy! “Julian! As her desk mate, help the new student out, even though it might be difficult.” Julian turned slightly, pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses—standard issue for the refined scumbag—and curved his lips into a calm smile: “I’m used to it. It’s fine.” I gritted my teeth and rolled my eyes at him. Pretentious jerk! Julian Sterling, my childhood friend, and the stumbling block, comparison point, and ultimate “neighbor’s kid” in my life. We’ve known each other since (probably) before we were born, and have been compared all the way up. He’s well-behaved; I’m a troublemaker. He gets perfect scores; I celebrate passing. He’s a walking wall of honor; I’m a living letter of apology. My mom’s classic mantra, “Look at Julian!”, is basically the main theme song of my life. Infinite loop, never muted. 2 After a math class, I felt my CPU was overloaded and smoking, my soul drifting miles away. Turning to look at Julian, this guy’s notes were flowing like water, and he even raised his hand to add a point or two occasionally. “Julian made a very good point.” The teacher smiled until his eyes were slits. “I hadn’t even thought of that solution.” The bell rang, and I slumped in my chair, feeling drained. “Manny!” My best friend peeked in from the back door, waving excitedly at me. I rushed out of the classroom like I was escaping. “How is it? How is it? Being in the AP class, bathed in the academic aura every day, did your IQ go up by 10?” Her eyes shone, the fire of gossip burning bright. “I feel like dying.” I said with a mournful face. “There’s another monthly exam next week. I’m definitely going to be last. If I get kicked out of Class 1, my mom will break my legs.” “What do I do? Should I go steal the answers from Mr. Wang’s office?” I was hopeless. “Isn’t there a ready-made answer sitting right next to you? Julian! Ask him to tutor you!” My best friend reminded me. I was speechless: “Him? Did you forget how he reacted when the class beauty from next door gathered the courage to ask him a physics question last time?” “‘You don’t even know the most basic formulas. I suggest repeating freshman year.’” Her eyes darted around: “I have an idea.” “Spill.” “Confess to Julian!” She lowered her voice, counting on her fingers to analyze for me. “Think about it! If it works, he’s your boyfriend! It’s only natural for a boyfriend to tutor his girlfriend, right? Would he dare have an attitude? You could make him kneel on a washboard in minutes! If he rejects you—” She giggled. “He’d feel at least a little guilty, right? You’re the childhood friend he grew up with! Once he feels guilty, and you ask nicely, can he still give you a hard time? Either way, you win, sister!” I was stunned. “Will that work?” “This is called finding life in death!” She patted my shoulder. “Think about your mom’s feather duster and your dad’s belt!” I shivered. “Besides.” She leaned in mysteriously. “I heard Julian has never dated anyone. Maybe he’s secretly in love with his little childhood friend?” “Give me a break.” I rolled my eyes: “What he loves is probably ‘5 Years of Exams, 3 Years of Simulations’ or that ‘Advanced Mathematics’ book thicker than a brick!” Last semester, the school beauty confessed to him, and he didn’t even look up, dropping a line: “Sorry, I don’t date anyone with a score under 700.” One sentence, driving away all suitors. However, although my best friend’s words were outrageous. But… it seems, maybe, possibly… there’s a tiny bit of logic? Right now, there’s no way out. I’ll bet on it! “Fine!” I gritted my teeth. “I’ll do it! It’s just a confession! Going all out!” “That’s the spirit!” My best friend patted my shoulder excitedly. “Show the passion you use when chasing your anime husband! Remember, sincere eyes! Deep tone! Go! The organization believes in you!” 3 Back in the classroom, Julian was reading a book. Sunlight spilled through the window onto his profile, outlining a perfect jawline. I have to admit, this guy is somewhat attractive. If you ignore that “strangers stay away, acquaintances get lost” aura. I took a deep breath, then another deep breath: “Ju… Julian!” His finger turning the page stopped. He slowly looked up. I squeezed my eyes shut and yelled with the determination of facing death: “I’ve liked you for a long time! Julian!” My voice was a bit loud; half the class went quiet. I realized it too late and covered my mouth, but it was done. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. Dead silence, absolute dead silence. I peeked through a slit in my eyes. Julian’s expression… No expression. He looked at me like he was looking at a math problem he could solve in three seconds. He slowly put down his pen, took off his glasses, and rubbed his brow. “Oh?” He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth curling into a smile that wasn’t quite a smile: “Let’s give it a try then.” Me: “???” I froze on the spot, my mind going blank. That’s not how the script goes! Given Julian’s personality, shouldn’t it be “Are you worthy?” or “I suggest you get your brain checked at the hospital”? Try? Try what? How to try? My brain crashed completely. “What, changing your mind?” Julian put his glasses back on, a glint I couldn’t read flashing in his eyes behind the lenses. “Who, who’s changing their mind!” I stiffened my neck, feeling my face burning. “Try it is!” “Wait for me after school.” “What for?” I looked at him warily. The half-smile on his lips deepened as he clearly spat out one word: “Date.” D… date? I feel like I dug a pit for myself… 4 After school, only the two of us were left in the empty classroom. Julian pointed at my test paper with a score of 88, looking at it like it was a biological weapon: “Why did you choose B for this question?” I answered guiltily: “It looked pleasing to the eye.” “Math isn’t metaphysics.” He pushed up his glasses. “You should know the most basic function formulas. You shouldn’t have missed this one. I’ll explain it to you once.” He suddenly leaned close, and I smelled the faint scent of mint on him. I shrank my neck. His breath was too close, making my already scattered attention drift even further. “Look at the question.” He tapped the test paper, forcefully dragging my wandering soul back. “So, what’s the final answer to this question?” I stared at the steps he just wrote, my mind blank: “A??” He narrowed his eyes, the gaze behind the lenses becoming dangerous: “Why?” “Can’t I just guess!” Embarrassed by his stare, I got angry. I stiffened my neck and yelled back. The next second. He suddenly reached out. Crossing over my body, he braced himself on the edge of the desk on both sides of me. I was trapped between the narrow desk and chair and his warm chest! My eyes widened: “Julian, you you you… what do you want?” “Starting now.” He leaned down slightly, his deep voice carrying a hint of teasing and irresistibility: “Get one wrong, get a kiss.” He paused, as if to emphasize the fairness of the rule. Adding, “Keep count yourself.” What??? This dog! This is definitely premeditated revenge! Abuse of power! Refined scum! Beast in human clothing! Hypocrite! (Omitting ten thousand words.) “You… you’re being a pervert!” I stomped my foot in anger. “Didn’t you say you liked me?” He raised an eyebrow, his tone matter-of-fact. “Kissing my own girlfriend is only natural.” I was speechless. This lie came back to bite me hard.

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  • The Catch of the Day

    I went night fishing by the river, only to be stopped by a hot cop who mistook me for a body dumper. I tried desperately to explain: “I’m here to fish!” The cop didn’t buy it: “Where’s the bait?” I shrugged helplessly: “Fish ate it.” The cop pressed: “Where’s the rod?” I sighed: “Fish dragged it away.” The cop sneered: “Where’s the fish? I’ve been watching you for half an hour, not a single fish. Are you the Air Force commander?” I broke down instantly: “Haha, actually I’m the killer! I’m really the killer! Arrest me! Arrest me now!!” 1 Not catching a single fry all night, I might as well be the killer! The handsome cop probably didn’t expect a simple questioning to break me. He quickly tried to patch things up: “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything else. I just really didn’t expect you were here to fish, given how clean your bucket is.” Hearing this, I cried even louder. Bro, are you comforting me or twisting the knife? While handing me tissues, the cop persisted: “If you didn’t catch any fish, did you catch anything else?” I sobbed: “Does catching a shoe count?” The cop nodded immediately: “Of course! Where’s the shoe?” I pointed to the pond in front of us: “I got too mad, threw it back.” The cop took a slow breath: “Exactly where? Can you fish it out again?” I shook my head, troubled: “Unlikely. Just now, a frustrated angler got so mad he went down to fight the fish, probably kicked the shoe away.” The hot cop tsked, looking a bit headache-prone, and contacted his colleagues to come dredge for the shoe. Curious, I tentatively asked: “Did something happen?” The hot guy answered with a question: “Have you encountered anything strange?” Absolutely! I slapped my thigh: “This pond! I’ve been here five days, at least three hours a day, and haven’t caught a single fish. Tell me, isn’t that strange!” The hot guy smiled slightly: “Let’s not discuss luck.” I thought to myself, how can you call this luck! This is clearly suspicious! Does anyone really go home empty-handed for a week straight? I don’t believe it! I wanted to argue for myself, but the hot cop’s colleague arrived first: “Officer Lu, how’s the situation on your end?” Seeing me, the other cop’s eyes lit up: “Caught a suspect?” The hot guy waved his hand: “This lady is just here to fish.” “What?” The other cop was clearly incredulous: “Fishing? Then why is her bucket empty? “We released three thousand pounds of fry into this pond, and she didn’t catch a single one?!” 2 Enough! I said enough! You two cold-hearted men! You better sleep with one eye open tonight! “Stop it,” the cop named Luke couldn’t bear to look at my tragic expression, quickly patting his colleague, “Should be nothing here, let’s check over there.” Filled with grief and indignation, I followed them to the side. “Where are you going?” Luke blocked me. I pouted: “Retrieving my fishing rod, I set up a big one over there.” Luke let go then, asking as we walked: “Are you familiar with the fishing buddies around here?” I nodded and shook my head: “Sort of, just familiar faces, don’t know their names.” Luke said “Oh”: “Any suspicious persons?” I kept a straight face: “Plenty. Officer, you need to know, anglers only have two states: extremely calm and extremely manic. “For example, right now I look extremely calm, but actually I really want to jump into the water and fight the fish.” Luke suppressed a laugh: “Maybe jump later, finish answering our questions first.” As we spoke, we reached my fishing rod. Observing the water surface, confirming there was no movement, my heart turned to ash instantly: “Then ask quickly, I’m ready to go in.” Luke quickly grabbed me: “Don’t get exci—” Before he finished, the float on the water surface shook, then started to drift. I froze, then rejoiced, pouncing to pull the rod: “Up up up! Fish on!!” Must be a big one, quite heavy. I couldn’t pull it at first and almost threw my back out. Seeing this, Luke quickly helped me: “Slow down, don’t get excited!” How could I listen to him, waving my hand frantically: “Net net net! Give me the net!” Luke scanned around: “No net!” Damn, hooked a big one once a year, and forgot the landing net today! “It’s fine!” I gritted my teeth instantly, “No net, I’ll pull it hard!!” Just a fish, twenty pounds max! I don’t believe I can’t pull it up! … Overestimated. Feels like eighty pounds. But luckily this fish didn’t struggle. Luke and I pulled hard for nearly half a minute, finally seeing a shadow surface. “This fish… has a weird shape.” As the shadow got closer, my expression grew stranger: “This fish… why is it rectangular??” 3 Good news: Didn’t go home empty-handed today. Bad news: What came up wasn’t a fish. Midnight by the pond, red and blue police lights flashing. And I squatted by the pond, touching my heavy rod, weeping silently: You worked hard, big rod. Since you came to my hand, didn’t catch a single fish, but caught human fragments first. “Is the rod damaged? Still usable?” A voice came from above. I looked up, meeting Luke’s handsome face, my sorrow instantly lessened. “It’s fine, this rod can handle 130 pounds.” Although until now, I’ve never seen a fish over 30 pounds. Luke hummed “Mm”, his eyes quite gentle in the night: “Tell us if it’s damaged. After all, you helped us retrieve a body, the police can offer some compensation.” I wiped my tears dramatically: “Then it’s definitely damaged. Officer Lu, my soul is severely injured, need comfort urgently.” Luke suppressed a laugh: “Send you a pennant later? Fishing King?” I choked: “Are you sure you’re not being sarcastic?” Before Luke could speak, a pungent stench drifted over. It stank for ten miles, bringing tears to anyone who smelled it! “What’s happening?” I almost vomited, covering my nose hurriedly. Luke looked over: “The coroner opened the suitcase.” Hearing this, I instinctively looked back, but Luke blocked my eyes almost immediately. “Don’t look.” His palm landed before my eyes, pushing gently, making me retreat: “You’ll have insomnia for a long time if you look.” I blinked, knowing it was for my own good, and obediently retreated behind the police car following his force. Only when completely away from the suitcase did Luke let go: “It’s late, I’ll drive you back first.” I said “Ah”, my mind still on the suitcase. “Hey.” Luke waved in front of me, “What are you thinking about?” I snapped back, grabbing Luke’s hand, pointing at the distant suitcase: “That suitcase, I seem to have seen it somewhere.” 4 Not seem to, I definitely saw it somewhere. The floral print on the side of the suitcase looked so familiar! Luke was stunned too, then became serious: “Really? Think hard then, this is a big clue for solving the case.” Of course I knew, but often the harder you try to remember, the blurrier the memory gets. After thinking for a long time, my brain was still mush. Seeing this, Luke took out his phone: “Let’s exchange contact info first, contact me anytime you remember.” I nodded “Oh oh”, exchanging numbers with him. Luke looked at me: “What should I call you?” I said: “My last name is Wen, Wen Mian.” (let’s call her Wendy) “Okay.” Luke looked at me, slowly exhaling, “It’s late, I’ll send you home first. Come to the station tomorrow to make a statement. “Think carefully about that suitcase when you get back tonight.” I waved my hand: “It’s fine, I drove here, I can go back myself.” Luke insisted: “It’s very late, unsafe for a girl to go back alone. My colleague will drive your car back for you.” Since he put it that way, I couldn’t refuse. Thinking this guy is handsome and kind, I got into the car happily. On the way back, I chatted with Luke at first, then got too sleepy and lazy to speak, leaning against the window thinking about the suitcase print. That flower is too familiar, where exactly did I see… Holy cow! The car braked suddenly. Unprepared, I was thrown forward, chest hurting from the seatbelt. “What happened?” I rubbed my chest, coming back to my senses. “Arrived at your community.” Luke pointed to the gate ahead, “I’ll register, send you downstairs.” I wanted to say no need for the trouble, just a few steps, but Luke already rolled down the window greeting the security booth, finishing registration in a few sentences. “Quite responsible to the people…” I muttered. Luke just smiled upon hearing it: “Should be.” The car quickly arrived downstairs. I unbuckled the seatbelt: “Thanks Officer Lu, you go back and rest early too.” Luke looked at me, gaze indecipherable: “It’s okay, remember to come to the station tomorrow.” I nodded “Mm mm”: “I know.” Luke didn’t unlock the door, but repeated: “Must come.” I thought I’m not senile, no need to repeat so many times. But stared at by Luke’s deep eyes, I swallowed the complaint. “I will definitely go.” Luke seemed satisfied then, unlocking the door to let me out. Back home, showered and cleaned up, it was almost dawn. Leaning on the balcony drying my hair, forcing my eyes open waiting for the washing machine, I glanced down and saw a very familiar car parked downstairs. Isn’t that Luke’s car? Why hasn’t he left yet?

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  • The Love Between the Eyebrows

    My wife gave a college kid a hundred million dollars. Then she personally produced a 24/7 reality series about him. The series, titled “A Hundred Million Dollar Life,” went viral. And the comments were flooded with people shipping them as a couple. 【This is so sweet! Is the $100 million giveaway still on? Where do I sign up?】 【How could you not fall for her? She gave him a fortune and then personally molded him into a superstar influencer. This is literally the definition of nurturing someone you love.】 【When is this series ending so you two can start filming your life as a couple? I can’t wait!】 I warned her not to take it too far. Her response? “Liam, it’s art. Don’t tarnish it with your petty jealousy.” Fine. Art, is it? The next day, I found a college girl of my own. And I gave her a hundred million dollars. 1 “You’re the one.” From a long list of candidates, I chose a young woman who was the polar opposite of my wife, Claire. The girl, unable to contain herself, practically jumped out of her chair. “Mr. Wood, are you for real? A hundred million dollars?” “And you want me to mirror his channel, right? Performing is my major. I can do this.” “But… won’t we get sued for copyright infringement? What if they report us?” Infringement? My voice was flat, calm. “The creator of that channel is my wife.” She stared at me, completely baffled. “Sir… are you two some kind of philanthropic power couple?” A fair question. I’d asked Claire the same thing a year ago. When she first pitched the “Hundred Million Dollar Life” concept, I was confused. Not by the idea itself, but by her choice of star. “Why does it have to be a guy?” I’d asked. She said I didn’t understand, that a male lead would generate more buzz. “Isn’t a hundred million a bit much?” I’d pressed. She reminded me that it was our joint marital property. She was free to do as she pleased with her half, and I had no right to question it. To this day, I still don’t know. Was this whole grand project just an elaborate excuse to get close to him? 2 The day after we signed the contract, the college girl was buzzing with excitement. I decided to copy Claire’s method and film her myself. Claire’s channel was called “Snowfall on Bamboo.” She claimed she chose the name because it contained the character for ‘wood’—a nod to my last name, a symbol of our shared creation. But I knew the college kid she was filming was named Ethan Cole. Close enough. A private joke at my expense. I wasn’t in the mood for clever wordplay. I named the new channel after the girl. “Maya Song.” Claire’s first video was about how Ethan spent his first day with a hundred million dollars. It exploded online the moment she posted it. Because the very first thing Ethan bought was a scarf for Claire. He was handed a life-changing fortune, and he didn’t buy a car, or a house. He bought a ridiculously expensive scarf. He looked straight into the camera, his eyes shining. “I know you’re incredibly wealthy and you don’t need me to buy you a scarf,” he’d said, “but you’re always wearing that lopsided, hideous thing. I wanted to get you a new one.” That “hideous thing” was a scarf I had knitted for Claire myself. It had turned out so ugly that I’d thrown it in the trash in frustration. Claire had fished it out, treating it like a treasure. “Liam made this for me,” she’d said, wrapping it around her neck. “It’s not ugly at all. I’ll wear it forever.” The memory brought a sting to my eyes. In the video, when Ethan presented her with the new scarf, she just smiled softly. Then, she unwound the one I had made. And dropped it into a nearby trash can. Without a moment’s hesitation. I didn’t sleep that night. I replayed the video over and over, dissecting every frame. I confronted her, demanded to know why she’d thrown away my gift. She came home later that night with the scarf. The once-cherished item was now shoved carelessly into a cheap plastic bag. “I told you, it’s for the show. It’s just work. Can you stop overthinking everything?” She glanced at her watch. “If there’s nothing else, I have to go. Ethan needs me on set. I’ve probably missed a dozen great shots just by coming here for an hour.” 3 “Mr. Wood, what do you think I should buy for you?” Maya’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. Her gaze fell on the simple, plain band on my finger. “You’re so rich. Why are you still wearing this?” “A diamond-encrusted ring would suit you so much better.” This was the first ring Claire had ever given me, back when we were just starting our company. As we became more successful, she bought me countless expensive, beautiful rings. But I always wore this one. It represented our beginning. Our promise to never forget where we came from. But now… Maybe forgetting was the only way forward. “Alright,” I said with a smile. “Let’s shoot it just like that.” 4 A female-led channel, a direct answer to “Snowfall on Bamboo,” appeared overnight and immediately sparked a firestorm online. 【Wait, there’s another one? Why do they keep these giveaways a secret from us?】 【Another chance to get rich, missed. The opportunities are dwindling, people.】 【So you’re the one who got the hundred million? Congrats, I guess.】 【Both channels are based in the same city. Is this just some big production company stunt? All scripted?】 I was scrolling through the comments when Claire’s call came through. “Liam, have you lost your mind?” “My project has commercial value. Yours? This is just a pathetic, jealous tantrum.” I laughed. “Commercial value? Is he going to make back a hundred million for you in ad revenue?” She started to speak, but a young man’s whining voice cut through from her end. “Claire, my leg hurts…” She hung up immediately, terrified I might hear another word. After my channel blew up, many of Claire’s friends tried to talk me down. “Don’t compete with her, Liam. Her content is getting stale. She’ll get bored in another six months and come back home.” “Yeah, man, she was always going to come back when she was done playing. By fighting back, you’re just making her dig her heels in.” “They’ve been together 24/7 for a year, but you have no actual proof she’s cheating. Just let it go.” “We all know Claire loves you more than anything. We watched you two build everything from nothing. If she ever truly betrayed you, we’d be the first to call her out. It’s just a professional relationship with Ethan, we promise.” 5 I wasn’t in a good state for the second video shoot. What should have taken an afternoon dragged on into the evening. My empty stomach began to protest. On the ride home, Maya seemed to notice something was wrong. “You’re not feeling well?” “Stomachache. It’s an old problem.” She had the driver pull over. She came back with several different brands of stomach medicine. “Thanks.” “You shouldn’t eat greasy food when your stomach hurts. Do you cook?” I shook my head. “I’ll just order something.” “Order takeout?” she said, a little too brightly. “Liam, as long as I’m here, you won’t have to.” It had been a long time since I’d had a home-cooked meal. I made an exception and let her come to my apartment. I never expected Claire to come home that night. She walked in just as my hands were circling Maya’s waist, tying the strings of her apron. The heavy slam of the door was followed by Claire’s cold, mocking laugh. “Zhou Mu. Did you know I was coming back? Did you stage this little scene for me?” “You think this will get to me? This pathetic performance is a disgrace to art!” I didn’t want to fight in front of Maya. I untied the apron I’d just fastened and gestured for her to leave. Maya didn’t move. “I’m worried she might hit you.” I gave her a faint smile. “Don’t worry. She wouldn’t dare.” After I saw Maya out, I found Claire rummaging through our bedroom. “What are you looking for?” She straightened up. “That plain ring I gave you. You used to wear it every day. I didn’t see it on you today. Where did you put it?” So she did remember our first ring. But I had already thrown it away. A pang of guilt hit me. It was quickly extinguished by her next words. “Find it, quickly. I need it for a new video series with Ethan.” I stood there for a long moment, the words not registering. “You’re going to use our ring… to shoot a video with Ethan?” “Yes,” she said, her eyes alight with a creative spark. “Everyone’s getting tired of the ‘life-changing’ angle. They want romance! I’m planning one final, killer video to wrap up the series.” “We’ll transition from the plain band to a diamond one. I’ll splice in some old photos of you and me, and frame the narrative as if he was the one who was with me when I earned that hundred million, and now I’m giving it back to him. It brings the whole story full circle.” “Liam, it’s going to be a masterpiece! It’ll go viral!” “But… that’s our story,” I asked, my voice hollow. She threw her arms around me. “Liam, you’re so smart! That’s exactly it. It’s our story. I was even hoping you’d write the script for this episode.” I pushed her away. “If it’s our story, why am I not the one in it?” 6 Claire finally sensed that something was seriously wrong. She cupped my face in her hands. “Liam, you’re overthinking again, aren’t you?” “You’re not a professional actor. What if your performance was awkward? Besides, Ethan and I have been working together for so long, we have a natural chemistry.” But Ethan wasn’t a professional actor either. I’d looked into him. He was an alumnus of our university, just three years behind us. The year Claire and I graduated and started our company, he was just a freshman. I don’t know if they were in contact during those three years. All I know is that after three years, the very first thing Claire did after achieving success was pull out a hundred million dollars to build a media empire for him. Was her choice really a coincidence? I didn’t know. Those three years of building our company were a blur of exhaustion. I never noticed a thing. I pushed her hands away, too tired to argue anymore. “I threw the ring away. And I’m not writing your script.” For the first time, a flicker of genuine emotion crossed her face. “Liam, that was the first ring I ever gave you. How could you throw it away?” If she had actually watched my first video, she would have known that I’d tossed the ring into a trash can on camera. A look of dawning realization crossed her face. “Is this because I threw away your scarf?” “So you copied my video and threw away the ring?” “Yes,” I admitted. Claire let out a bitter laugh. “I went back and got that scarf the same night. Why are you still so hung up on this one little thing?” She got the scarf back. But she never wore it again. It wasn’t the scarf she’d thrown away. It was us. “There’s nothing going on between me and Ethan. If you don’t want to write the script, fine. I won’t force you.” “I admit, I’ve been completely focused on work this past year. I haven’t been there for you.” “Just give me a little more time. After I finish this last series, I’ll take you on that vacation we talked about, okay?” She hugged me, placing a light kiss on my forehead. “Be good. And that channel of yours… just shut it down.” “Don’t make things difficult for me.” It had been so long since we’d been this close. For a split second, my body instinctively wanted to lean into her embrace. But she pushed me away just as quickly. “Okay, I only got two hours off from the set with Ethan.” As she was leaving, she noticed the stomach medicine on the table. “Your stomach is weak,” she said coolly. “Remember to eat on time.” 7 After Claire left, a tidal wave of emotions washed over me. I tried to hold it back, but it was no use. The bitter sting in my throat spread to my sinuses. Of all the things she had done, the one thing I couldn’t forgive… was her taking our story, our struggle, our love… and broadcasting it to the world as hers and Ethan’s. All those years of supporting each other through the hardest times… what did they mean now? A knock on the door startled me. I didn’t want anyone to see me like this. I waited a long time, composing myself before I opened it. It was Maya. “You’re still here,” I said, clearing my throat, trying to keep my voice steady. She must have seen that I’d been crying. She looked flustered. “Um, I haven’t finished cooking dinner yet.” “Can I come in and finish?” “I waited outside for a while. I didn’t see you order any takeout.” She was offering a simple, honest kindness. I couldn’t refuse. I let her in. Maya was respectful of my space. She really did just cook me a meal. She didn’t ask a single question. The food was delicious. And my mood, surprisingly, began to lift.

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  • Reborn I Let Her Go But She Refuses

    The love of her life killed himself. All because she married me. For the thirty years of our marriage, our most common wish for each other was to die a miserable death. Right before I died, we had just had a massive fight. As she stormed out, she slipped something into my tea. The moment the poison hit, I knew who had done it. I forced myself to stay alive until she came home, and then I plunged a knife into her stomach, making sure she would join me in hell. But as I lay dying, I heard her stop one of her men from finishing me off. With her last breath, she gasped: “The antidote I found… give it to him…” “After I’m gone… you must… keep investigating… who’s been poisoning him all this time…” “And… when he wakes up, don’t tell that madman… it was me who found the cure for him…” A single tear escaped my closed eye. Only in my final moment did I realize how catastrophically wrong we had both been. When I was reborn, I immediately changed my university application and chose a school on the other side of the world. Let the vast oceans separate us. Let her years be lived without me, so she could finally be with the man she truly loved. … When I opened my eyes again, I was leaning against something soft, and a spoonful of hot ginger tea was being offered to my lips. I snapped my head around and met Victoria’s bloodshot eyes. For a heartbeat, we both froze. This was the morning after I’d spent an entire night standing in a storm, trying to force her to marry me. Victoria clearly hadn’t slept a wink. Dark circles bruised the skin under her impeccably cared-for eyes. “Drink it yourself.” Seeing I was awake, the flicker of worry in her eyes vanished, replaced by the familiar, combative tension of our last life. She pushed me away. “Victoria…” I managed, my voice a raw croak. “What?” “Let me hold you… just for a second…” She stood up to leave. But in the next instant, I had my arms wrapped around her from behind. I could feel her entire back go rigid. “Adrian…” she warned, her hands gripping mine, trying to pry them off. “You can’t force a flower to bloom.” “I know.” I pressed myself against her, soaking in her warmth for what I knew would be the last time. “I get it now.” “You get it now…” She let out a weary, humorless laugh. “Isn’t that what you always say?” She wrenched my hands apart, shoved me back onto the bed, and walked out without a backward glance. The way she slammed the door behind her was an eerie echo of our last moments together in our previous life. I looked down at my palms. Her warmth still lingered there. But she didn’t know. This time, I really, truly understood. I was the boy who grew up with her, the son of the man who had saved her family. But I was not, and would never be, her husband. I closed my eyes. I understand now. I’m letting you go. My phone vibrated. It was one of my assistants. “Sir, we’ve scouted the coastal villa. You’ve always wanted to have your wedding there, right? Should we change the venue?” “Go ask Mr. Leo Vance. He loves the ocean too. If he agrees, then change it.” “Sir?” my assistant asked, thinking he’d misheard. “But… you’re the groom.” “Not anymore.” I hung up and dialed my PhD advisor. “Are you sure about this? The wedding’s off? You’re coming abroad with me for the project?” he asked, wanting to confirm one last time. I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “I’m sure. I won’t back out.” My advisor let out a sigh of relief and quickly signed the necessary papers, as if afraid I’d change my mind. “Even though you’re about to graduate, they’ve been trying to get me to keep you on. A lot of people applied for this project, but no one can replace you, Adrian.” “You finally seeing sense is a good thing. Marriage can wait. A few years won’t make a difference.” A pang of guilt hit me. The project had specifically requested me from the start. But I had been so obsessed with Victoria that I’d stubbornly refused my advisor’s invitation. He had been forced to look for other candidates, but no one met the qualifications, and the entire project had been delayed. I was in his office finishing the last of the paperwork when I heard a plaintive voice from outside the door. “I worked so hard for this, but then Adrian suddenly decided he wanted the spot. My entire month of effort… it’s all wasted…” It was Leo. My hand tightened on the doorknob. Victoria’s one true love. The man who had stood between us for thirty bitter years. I opened the door, and a familiar scene played out before me. Victoria stood there, looking down at me with a coldness I had never seen from her before. “Adrian, give the spot back.” Looking at her expression, and at Leo standing behind her with a tear-streaked, pitiful face, I shook my head. “Impossible.” “Adrian…” An expression of pure disbelief crossed her face. “I’ve already bent to your will and agreed to marry you. You think I don’t know you’ve already booked the wedding venue? You have no intention of going! You’re just doing this to torment Leo!” Leo stepped forward, his eyes red. “Adrian, I really did work so hard for this. Once I’m gone, I won’t be able to bother you two anymore. You’ll have your peace…” “You know damn well how hard you actually worked,” I said flatly. “You wouldn’t have gotten this project anyway.” Leo froze, his eyes growing even redder. Before applying, his original plan was to have Victoria go with him, so I couldn’t stop them. But after I’d repeatedly harmed myself to manipulate her, Victoria, burdened by the debt her family owed mine, had finally caved and agreed to marry me. In a fit of pique, Leo had decided to go alone. But his preparations over the past few months had been driven more by anger than by actual effort. In our last life, he had failed to get the position. But Victoria didn’t know that. Her brow furrowed. “You never even gave him a chance. How can you be so sure he would fail?” I held up the signed document. “Because Professor Miles has already signed off on me.” “Adrian…” Victoria’s fists clenched, her eyes filled with an unprecedented level of disappointment. “I always thought you were just spoiled and willful, but I never imagined you could be so cruel. You don’t need this opportunity, but Leo has sacrificed so much to get here! I can’t believe you’d waste a spot from Professor Miles just to spite him!” Her breathing grew ragged as her anger mounted. She stared at me, her voice like ice. “Listen to me. You may have blackmailed me into this marriage, but because of this, I will never, ever see you as my husband.” “I know.” I nodded calmly. I had already lived through that reality. Victoria turned away, taking Leo’s arm and comforting him in a soft voice. “It’s okay. I’ll fund you myself. We’ll find other opportunities. Don’t be sad.” That gentle tone… I had dreamed of hearing it directed at me countless times in my past life. But I never got it then, and I wouldn’t get it now. I really have to go, Victoria. I assumed Victoria wouldn’t want to see me again before the wedding. But when I returned to the penthouse I’d arranged for us, I opened the door to find her standing there. Our eyes met. Before I could speak, she brushed past me and strode out. I still wasn’t fully recovered. On the kitchen counter sat a bowl of ginger tea, still perfectly warm. A wave of complicated emotions washed over me. I remembered, in our last life, how she had always taken care of me even while she despised me. All because she had promised my parents before they died that she would look after me. So, no matter how terribly we fought, when I was hospitalized, she had donated blood for me without a second thought. Even if we had just sworn to never see each other again, the moment a car was about to hit me, she would instinctively throw herself forward to push me out of the way. She was just repaying a debt with her life. And I… I had always demanded her heart as well. As I drank what was likely the last bowl of ginger tea she would ever make for me, a memory surfaced. I glanced at the date. My heart clenched. I slammed the bowl down, scrambling for my shoes as I dialed my assistant. “Get to the alley off 13th and 6th, now!” It was pouring rain outside, but I didn’t even have time to grab an umbrella. I just ran. Guided by memory, I found the alley where Leo had been beaten in our past life. Just as I remembered, a dozen large men were surrounding a boy. “Just because your parents are dead doesn’t mean their debts are! We’ve given you enough time. No money? Then we’ll take an arm!” “Stop!” I smashed a beer bottle over the leader’s head, grabbed Leo’s hand, and pulled. “Run!” “Ah!” The rain-slicked pavement sent Leo sprawling to the ground. I yanked on his arm, but he was dead weight. The thugs were already closing in. I had no choice. I shoved him behind me. “Go! I’ll hold them off!” “I… I…” Leo was terrified, huddled on the ground and shaking. “Run!” I yelled, doing my best to fend them off. Ten years of martial arts training was no match for a dozen grown men. “I can’t hold them for long! Go get the police!” “I… I’m so scared… I can’t move…” Leo’s voice was trembling uncontrollably. I gritted my teeth and kicked one of the men away, buying myself a precious second. I turned back to haul Leo to his feet, but he let out a sharp cry and shoved me—hard. A blade pierced through my body. My breath hitched. “Shit… there’s blood!” The leader hadn’t expected me to stumble into the knife. He clearly hadn’t intended to kill anyone, and his hand on the hilt was unsteady. My eyes were wide, fixed on Leo. He was staring at me, head in his hands, trembling. “I-I’m sorry… I was just so scared…” Clenching my jaw, I ripped the knife out of my own body and lunged at the thugs, swinging it wildly. They were already spooked by the blood. Seeing me go berserk was the last straw. The group scattered and fled. I staggered, barely staying on my feet. Rain blurred my vision. Through the haze, I heard footsteps approaching quickly. I reached out instinctively for support, but a powerful force shoved me, and my back slammed against the brick wall. Victoria was holding a shivering Leo, her jaw tight as she glared at me. “I already agreed to marry you! Why do you still have to hunt him down like an animal?!”

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  • Best Friend, Worst Enemy

    I chased Justin for three years. After he stood me up yet again, I stumbled upon a forum post. [Started dating my best friend’s crush. Should I tell her?] The most popular comment had just been posted: [My best friend chased him for three years, and his best friend chased me for three years, but we ended up together.] [I won’t tell them. Watching them worry about us and run around for us is actually pretty fun.] The attached photo showed the profiles of a handsome man and a beautiful woman. The girl smiled mischievously at the camera, while the man looked at her with doting affection. He looked handsome and painfully familiar. My eyes instantly reddened, but I was pulled aside by Chase, who had rushed over. He gritted his teeth, “They’re playing us like this. Can you tolerate it?” “You’re beautiful, and I’m not bad myself. Why don’t we become a couple and slap them in the face?” Later, on the day they were having fun announcing their relationship, Chase and I announced our engagement. But the usually aloof Justin blocked my path, his eyes red. “Back then, when you brought me water, was it just to catch a glimpse of him across the field?” 1 The comment section under that hot post exploded. [Fun??? Is the OP brain-dead? Trampling on others’ feelings like this, aren’t you afraid of karma?] [Maybe it’s a regional thing, but where I’m from, we don’t call this ‘best friends’ and ‘bros’, we call them toxic snakes.] [IP is in New York. Everyone come take a look. Having friends like this is really eight lifetimes of bad luck. Scammed by a pair!] [I feel bad for those two. They really are the Jokers in the deck.] The original poster retorted quickly. [What’s wrong with friends playing a joke? A true friend would want the best for you and bless you. If she can’t even do that, she doesn’t deserve to be my friend!] [My sister chased him for three years and couldn’t get him. I got him for her. Shouldn’t I be praised?] [Besides, rich kids like them, what do they know about true love? Once they get it, they probably just play around.] I stood at the theater entrance, the two tickets in my hand crumpled. My eyes were glued to the comments and the photo on my phone. The girl looked mischievous and lively, wearing the expensive hair clip I gave her. My best friend, Sarah, standing next to the man I had chased for three years. Even this morning, Sarah helped me with my exquisite makeup, picked out a beautiful dress, and sent me off with a smile. “If I were Justin, I’d die of love. It’s his honor to be chased by such a beauty!” I was a bit embarrassed but grinned anyway. “He must like me a little, right? Otherwise, why hasn’t he rejected me for three years? He agreed to watch the play with me this time. I’ll definitely win him over!” “What about you? Chase has been pursuing you for so long. When do you plan to get together with him?” Sarah rested her chin on her hand, looking at me with a half-smile. “I don’t know. Let’s see.” When did they get together? My eyes stung. A sense of humiliation and anger from betrayal overshadowed my sadness. Until Chase hurried over and grabbed me just as I was about to break down. “You saw it too? They’re playing us like this. Can you tolerate it?” I pouted, and tears fell instantly. If it were anyone else, I would have already called Sarah to curse Justin together. But it had to be her. “Why?” Chase stared at me for a while, his voice softening, but still tinged with mockery. “Didn’t you see? For fun.” “Summer, you’re beautiful, and I’m not bad myself. Why don’t we become a couple and slap them in the face?” “If they want to play, we’ll play with them.” I was speechless for a long time. Suddenly, my phone rang. Looking down, it was a message from Sarah. [Having fun with Justin? You look so pretty today, he must be dying of happiness!] I suddenly felt the person in front of me was a stranger. Sarah and I had been best friends who talked about everything since high school, even longer than I had known Justin. She knew how much I liked Justin, and how much I looked forward to dates with him. Every time before I went out, she would help me with my outfit and encourage me to confess my feelings. But there were always times when Justin stood me up. Just when I was about to give up, he would show a little concern, making me anxious about gain and loss. I used to think it was just his personality. Now I finally understood that on those days he stood me up… He was with my best friend. In her eyes, am I as ridiculous as a clown? I looked at Chase and said hoarsely. “Okay.” Chase’s eyes were deep, his fists clenched. “We’ll wait for the day they go public and give them a good show. Until then, you can do whatever you want.” “People who betray friends deserve to be punished.” 2 My family is well-off. After graduating from college, I bought a small condo and found a job in the city. Sarah’s family wasn’t doing well. Her parents divorced when she was in high school, and she was isolated by classmates until I transferred there. Only then was she not alone. At that time, she was terrified every day, afraid I wouldn’t eat or chat with her. My heart ached for her situation. I often listened patiently to her troubles. Over time, we became best friends. Later, we went to the same university. I fell for Justin, the “campus crush” from her department. After several “accidental” encounters, I added him on social media and also met Chase. Chase fell in love with Sarah at first sight, saying he liked her “broken” vibe, which made people want to protect her. At first, I didn’t like Chase much. I thought his face looked too much like a playboy’s, and I was afraid Sarah would get hurt. It wasn’t until he did a lot of homework earnestly that I approved of him. I promised to help him chase Sarah, and he helped me chase Justin. In college, the four of us always ate and hung out together. I shared with her the whole process from meeting Justin by chance to falling for this aloof guy bit by bit. Sarah always listened seriously and then smiled to encourage me. “You’re beautiful and have a good family background. No one wouldn’t like you. Even the fortune teller said your life would be smooth. If you like him, be brave and chase him!” She was right. I haven’t encountered many setbacks growing up. Justin was the first one. I wanted to give up countless times, but Sarah persuaded me back. She said Justin just couldn’t let go of his pride and couldn’t see his own heart clearly. But she never said Justin liked her. They got together quietly in a place I couldn’t see. Chase drove me back. We were very quiet on the way, not mentioning those two. It wasn’t until I got out of the car that Chase spoke dully. “I treat Justin as a true brother. He knows I like Sarah. Why did he do this?” “I don’t care about her that much. I just feel… if he had said earlier that he and Sarah liked each other, why would I continue to chase her? Is watching us make fools of ourselves that fun?” I couldn’t answer. “The reason isn’t important anymore. What matters is they never considered our feelings.” Now Chase stopped talking too. I went upstairs and replied to Sarah’s message. [He didn’t come.] [My relative is staying with me recently. It’s inconvenient for you to come back. You should rent a place yourself…] Before I finished typing, Sarah replied instantly. [It’s okay, baby. He probably had something to do. Don’t overthink it. Just reschedule next time. Brave girls enjoy love first.] [By the way, I won’t be back today. I’m dating someone. I’ll introduce him to you when I have time.] 3 I opened that forum post. The heat was even higher than before, but the photo had been deleted. Only Sarah’s alt account was arguing with netizens. [How did I not consider her feelings? When we got together, I didn’t tell her because I was afraid she’d be sad. I’m tired of acting for so long too.] [Don’t you think it’s torture for me to watch her chase my boyfriend? But don’t worry, my boyfriend loves me and won’t let anything happen with her.] [Today she asked my boyfriend out for dinner and got stood up. She’s probably unhappy, but he’s been with me the whole time. Afraid I’d be angry, he took me to a concert. How can I not like someone like this?] … She said a lot. I read every single one. Sarah was sure I wouldn’t be mad at her. No matter what netizens said, she retorted one by one. I suddenly doubted myself. Why did she think I would be this pushover? Not long after, Justin sent a message. [I had something to do today, so I didn’t go. Summer, let’s meet another day when we’re free.] I suddenly felt nauseous. Physically. Back when I was doing photography for a club, I fell for the handsome boy at first glance. He was feeding stray cats seriously. I subconsciously felt such a person couldn’t be bad. Later, the more we interacted, the more I liked him. I almost couldn’t see anyone else. Even if someone confessed to me, I would generously tell them I already liked someone. But now, I suddenly understood. He had been stringing me along for three years. He obviously didn’t like me, but he didn’t refuse my invitations, and even took time to perfunctorily deal with me. [Oh, no need.] I blocked him directly. I opened the chat with Chase. [Justin messaged me. He still hasn’t mentioned him and Sarah. He even just made a random excuse for standing me up. I really don’t want to have contact with him anymore.] Chase replied almost instantly. [Sarah too. I originally asked her out for a movie today. I specifically asked if she had time, she said yes, then turned around and went to a concert with Justin. I suddenly doubt what kind of thing I liked these past few years?] [Screw her ‘broken vibe,’ I’m the one who’s broken!] Reading his message, I almost laughed out loud. Sure enough, when unhappy, having someone as unlucky as yourself makes you feel much better. He sent a few screenshots of Sarah’s alt account’s social updates. Before when Chase chased her, Sarah always refused on the grounds that her family situation didn’t allow her to date. At that time, we both felt bad for her. Chase tried every way to help Sarah. Turns out, she started dating right away, and even posted pictures of the food she cooked for Justin. Looking at the lemon chicken in the picture, I was a bit dazed. I had told Sarah before about Justin’s preferences, including his love for Yunnan cuisine. [By the way, I booked a restaurant for tomorrow. It’s quite expensive. Can’t let it go to waste… How about we go?] [Okay.] 4 The next day at noon, I dressed up and went out. When I messaged Chase that I was leaving, he replied quickly. [I’m downstairs. Just come down.] Chase was driving downstairs. Seeing me come out, he smiled. Fine light haloed his brows and eyes, gentle and peaceful. Justin was always cold and distant, seeming within reach but far away. Chase, however, had a pair of peach blossom eyes and thin lips. When he looked at people, there was always a feeling of deep affection. Before, deceived by his face, I thought Chase was a playboy. After getting to know him, I realized he was actually a very sincere person. “Waited long?” Chase opened the car door and got in after I sat in the passenger seat. Hearing this, he turned to look at me: “Not long. Making a girl wait isn’t very gentlemanly. My mom would beat me if she knew.” I couldn’t help laughing. He laughed too. The atmosphere was much more relaxed. Chase told me about the restaurant we were going to today. “I did a lot of research online. Always wanted to eat there. Originally it was a mid-to-high-end brand, but unexpectedly on opening day, it accidentally matched a couple.” “It spread online and became a must-visit spot for couples. Hard to book.” I looked at him excitedly. “I think I know which one you’re talking about! I’ve always wanted to go too! If nothing else, that crab roe pastry looks amazing…” Chase’s voice suddenly rose, surprised: “Right? I wanted to try that too.” “One of life’s great joys, eating, drinking, and having fun.” I nodded with emotion. The first time I asked Justin out for dinner, he was reluctant. Justin said time should be spent on meaningful things. I was a bit embarrassed then, but Sarah helped me out. She pointed at Justin angrily. “How is eating not meaningful? I don’t care, you must eat with Summer today. I’ll watch you eat!” At that time, Justin was confused by the scolding and followed us in a daze. I even thanked Sarah specifically after returning. If not for her, I might not have been able to step down. Later while eating, Justin suddenly said: “I apologize for what I said that day. Eating is indeed meaningful, especially with interesting people.” At that time, I thought he meant me and blushed. Thinking about it now, Justin’s gaze didn’t seem to fall on me. He didn’t dislike eating, he just disliked eating with me. Two people on different frequencies probably won’t be happy together. Chase saw I stopped talking and talked about his embarrassing incident doing extreme sports with friends. “They all laughed at me, but I’m really afraid of heights! Who understands? Later Sarah knew I was afraid of heights and said I was an arrogant rich kid, useless and temperamental. Good Lord, I’m wronged!” I nodded seriously, drank a mouthful of the mineral water he placed next to my seat, and then spoke. “Fear of heights is normal. I’m afraid of the dark too. Listened to too many ghost stories when I was little. Now I have to sleep with a night light on!” Chatting along, we arrived at the place. Getting out of the car and walking into a garden restaurant, just as we stepped in, we saw Sarah with a brilliant smile, standing next to a doting Justin. “Heard this place is delicious, I booked it specifically in advance.” Chase’s face instantly became very ugly. I frowned, “Sarah, Justin?” Sarah turned around and saw us. Her smile froze, and she subconsciously moved away from Justin. Then she looked at me and Chase, her expression subtle, slowly pursing her lips. “Why are you here?” An accusatory tone. A nameless fire rose in my heart. Looking at this best friend since childhood, I suddenly felt it was extremely meaningless. So I said lightly. “You can be here, why can’t Chase and I be here?”

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  • The Specialized Drug

    1 The specialized drug I developed was exposed by my own husband, General Dylan Croft, for its addictive side effects. After that, I quietly left the military and took a humanitarian mission on a volatile border, telling no one. Ten years later, I saw him again during a documentary interview. The host pushed a microphone toward me. “Dr. Vance, General Croft hasn’t remarried in ten years. The world is waiting for you two to reunite!” As soon as he finished, Dylan walked in. In his perfect dress uniform, he still looked strikingly handsome—the youthful fire replaced by a calm, commanding presence. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, a thousand unsaid words passed between us. But all that came out was a quiet, hollow greeting. “Aria. It’s been a long time.” “Yes. A long time.” My reply was flat, my face still. Ten years ago, the hemostatic agent I created was found to cause severe addiction. Soldiers became dependent for life. My career and reputation were ruined. My own father disowned me. Soldiers’ families stormed my lab and threw acid in my face. But no one knew the truth: that ten years ago, Dylan let his mistress tamper with the formula for profit, and when it blew up, he let me take the blame. … Dr. Matthews, the head of the medical station, rushed forward to greet him, his excitement making him clumsy. “General Croft! It’s a true honor to have you visit our border station!” Seeing me tending to a wounded soldier, Dr. Matthews called out, “Dr. Vance, come and say hello to the General! He’s the youngest general in the armed forces. We’re lucky to have him here!” My hands paused over the gauze, but I didn’t look up. The reporters, however, sensed a story and swarmed me. “Dr. Vance, so this is where you’ve been! You were once the DoD’s most brilliant pharmaceutical expert. How does it feel to be a field nurse, giving shots and hanging IVs? Is it a big step down?” “We hear your ex-husband has been waiting for you all this time, even postponing his wedding. What are your thoughts on that?” I ignored the microphones practically touching my face and continued my work, but I couldn’t stop my hand from trembling as I reached for a vial of medicine. I knew Dylan’s methods too well. I didn’t believe a word of his supposed “devotion.” My guard was up. The tense standoff was broken when Dylan strode over, using his body to shield me from the cameras. “This is a private matter between my ex-wife and me. There will be no interviews today. Please leave.” He turned to me, his gaze a complex storm of emotions. “Aria.” He hesitated, finally just repeating himself. “It’s been a long time.” Hearing his voice again after so many years, my hand jerked. CRASH! The vial slipped from my grasp, shattering on the concrete floor. Glass and medicine sprayed everywhere. A shard sliced my hand, and a bead of blood welled up, dripping from my fingertip. Dylan immediately grabbed my hand. “How could you be so careless?” I snatched my hand back and turned to Dr. Matthews. “Sir, I’m so sorry. I’ll clean this up immediately. Please deduct the cost of the vial from my salary.” Just then, a soft, feminine voice drifted from the doorway. “Dylan, darling, what are you doing here?” “You left the base so suddenly. Your parents and I were worried sick!” I looked up. Isabelle Thorne smiled as she walked in, possessively linking her arm through Dylan’s and giving him a light kiss on the lips. She was the one. The person who had secretly altered the formula for ‘Hemostop’ ten years ago, causing the addiction scandal. And now, she was Dylan’s fiancĂŠe. Behind her stood Robert and Eleanor Vance—my parents, who had cut ties with me a decade ago. Isabelle’s eyes landed on me, and she smirked. “Dr. Vance. Long time no see.” “Oh, by the way, your parents have adopted me as their goddaughter now. I suppose that makes me your sister, doesn’t it?” I looked at my parents. They had aged so much. Their hair was completely white, their postures stooped. A sharp, needle-like pain pricked at my heart. What would they think if they knew this precious ‘goddaughter’ was the very person who sent their real daughter to prison? My father’s gaze was like ice. “We only have one daughter, and it’s Isabelle. The sight of a criminal who would poison our own soldiers for profit makes me sick.” My mother added, her voice tight with anger, “Dylan, what are you doing talking to this piece of trash? It would be best for everyone if she just died out here on the border.” Their words hung in the air, and suddenly every eye in the medical station was on me, filled with suspicion and contempt. I turned away, swallowing the pain, unable to meet their gazes. Dylan sighed. “Don’t blame your parents. What happened back then was a huge blow to them.” He handed me a gold-embossed business card. “I owe you so much. Call me if you ever need anything.” I took the card, not out of acceptance, but with the same polite detachment I would show a patient. I placed it on a nearby table without a second glance. I didn’t believe for a second that Dylan had found me by chance, and I wanted nothing more to do with him. Three days later, my phone rang. It was Dr. Matthews. “Dr. Vance, I am so, so sorry…” he stammered. “I had no idea you were a specialist from the DoD. It was wrong of us to have you working here.” “I’ve marked you down for full attendance this month, and your salary is being wired to you now. Please… don’t come in tomorrow.” Before I could reply, he hung up. I tried calling back, but he had already blocked my number. A moment later, a text came through from my bank: a deposit of $4,500. It was $1,000 more than my usual salary. A note followed: [The extra thousand is for your trouble. We’re a small station. Please, don’t come back.] I knew immediately it was Dylan’s doing. Sure enough, he called moments later. “Aria, I can’t overturn the conviction, but I will compensate you in other ways.” “Being a field medic is too hard on you. I’ve already arranged for you to quit. I bought you a villa in Seaport City. You can move in right away. Isabelle is working at the Military Medical Research Command now, but she’s not as skilled as you. I want you to assist her. The salary is two hundred thousand a month.” My fists clenched so tightly my knuckles cracked. How dare he? How dare he shove me into the abyss, force me to bear the world’s scorn, and then, after I’d lost everyone, reappear like a savior to shatter the peace I had found? How dare he think he had the right to orchestrate my life? Helping Isabelle was just a prettier way of saying he wanted me to be her ghostwriter, her shadow. His words made my stomach turn. I forced my voice to remain steady. “Thank you for the offer, General, but I have my own life. Please don’t contact me again.” There was a long silence on the other end. “Aria, don’t be stubborn. A genius like you only belongs in a lab. I’m offering you a life of comfort where you can do what you love. What more could you want?” “If you continue to refuse, I’ll have to do this my way.” He hung up, leaving a cold knot of dread in my stomach. That afternoon, I found out what his “way” was. With my job gone, I started looking for work to make ends meet. But everywhere I went, it was the same story. No matter how desperate they were for staff, the moment I applied, they would politely but firmly turn me down. Defeated, I returned to my small rented room, only to find my landlady, Mrs. Gable, waiting for me outside. She was a kind old woman. When I first arrived with no money, she had let me stay for a month rent-free and often brought me food. Now, her eyes were red and swollen. “Aria, you’re back…” “I’m so sorry, dear. I can’t rent this room to you anymore. Please don’t be angry with me, I have no choice.” “Some important people from the city came by. They said if I keep letting you stay here, my daughter… my daughter will lose her job in Seaport City…” She broke down, sobbing. I couldn’t bear to cause her more trouble. I packed my bags and left that night. So this was Dylan’s “compensation.” Destroy everything I had, then arrogantly offer me his charity. How pathetic. 2 The day I was forced out of the medical station, Dylan Croft appeared in the small town where I was staying. He looked thinner than he had a few days ago, with dark circles under his eyes, but the stars on his shoulders were as sharp as ever. He arrived with an entire squad of soldiers. He calmly directed them to pack up my few belongings, acting as if we had never divorced, as if he were simply a husband picking up his wife after her tour of duty. At the house he’d arranged for me on the military base, he handed me a glass of warm milk. “You always did have a tendency to get stressed. This will help you sleep.” I took the glass in silence and took a small sip. It was rich, so rich it made me tremble. Just like his so-called compensation—thoughtful on the surface, but a poison that set my teeth on edge. I put the glass down and met his eyes. “General Croft, let the past stay in the past. If you truly want to make amends, you’ll leave me alone.” He flinched, a flicker of darkness in his eyes. “Aria, don’t be difficult. I know you’re not satisfied. This is just the first step. I’ll have my people at the Pentagon work on your case. We’ll get your military status reinstated eventually.” “I know you don’t like Isabelle. I’ll make sure she stays away. For now, just rest.” His tone was gentle, but every word was an order. He wanted me under his thumb, completely under his control. But Isabelle was never one to follow orders. The day after I moved in, she barged in with a crowd of military journalists. “Dylan, darling! I heard Dr. Vance was here. Why didn’t you tell me?” She turned to the cameras. “Dr. Vance was the one primarily responsible for the ‘Hemostop’ incident, but she has served her time. I hope she has learned her lesson and will continue to contribute to military medicine!” The true culprit, spouting shameless lies for the cameras. She then handed me a credit card. “This is just a little something from me. You’re a senior scientist, and my fiancé’s ex-wife. Please, you must take it. If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask!” Her performance was flawless. That night, the news spread like wildfire across internal military networks: [‘HEMOSTOP’ MASTERMIND RETURNS, EX-HUSBAND GENERAL CROFT PROVIDES CHARITABLE SUPPORT!] [VICTIMS’ FAMILIES PROTEST RELEASE OF JAILED SCIENTIST!] Overnight, Dylan became the righteous, devoted general, and Isabelle his magnanimous fiancĂŠe. And I was once again thrown to the wolves, the target of everyone’s hatred. Whether it was intentional or not, Isabelle leaked my address. From then on, protesters gathered outside the military compound every day, holding signs and shouting curses. Families of the victims, angry citizens. Just three days later, my parents arrived. It was the first time they had sought me out in ten years. When I saw Robert and Eleanor Vance standing at my door, a foolish sliver of hope rose in my chest. “Dad? Mom? You’re here. Please, come in.” But my father just stared at me coldly. “Hmph. We wouldn’t dare step inside a murderer’s house.” My mother leaned against the doorframe, her face weary. “Aria, we can never forgive what you did. You can’t keep making mistakes. Isabelle truly loves Dylan. Since you’re divorced, you need to stop bothering him.” “Isabelle is too kind to say this herself, so we have to be the bad guys. You need to leave this place. If you refuse, your father and I will have to find a way to make you leave.” Her voice was as gentle as I remembered, the same voice that had sung me to sleep as a child. But now, every word was a poisoned dagger, tearing me apart. I stared at them in disbelief. “Dad, Mom… did you ever, even for a second, believe me? What if I told you everything that happened was Isabelle’s fault?” SLAP! Before I could finish, my father’s hand struck my face. “You insolent girl! How dare you slander Isabelle, even now!” Dylan, who had just arrived with groceries, saw what happened and rushed forward to intervene. Just then, his phone rang. It was his aide. “General, sir, it’s bad! Ms. Thorne drank too much at the celebration banquet. They’re pumping her stomach at the military hospital!” At the news, Dylan and my parents panicked. Without another word, they jumped into their car and sped off. I watched the car disappear, a bitter laugh escaping my lips as tears streamed down my face. It turned out that my pain, my humiliation, meant nothing compared to Isabelle having one too many drinks. I thought that was the end of it. Ten years had taught me not to expect anything from my parents or from Dylan. But I never imagined what their “way” of making me leave would be. I was out shopping for supplies when several of the victims’ family members recognized me. The butt of a rifle slammed into the back of my head, and everything went black. When I woke up, I was inside a burlap sack. Through the rough weave, I could see we were by the river on the outskirts of the city. The leader, a man named Ryan, kicked me hard in the stomach. “You damn monster. How dare you show your face in Seaport City again!” His words ignited the others. “Give me back my son! He was only twenty-two! He’d just been promoted to Captain!” “It’s all your fault! Your poison ruined my husband’s life! I want you dead!” Fists and feet rained down on me. I tried to explain, but my mouth was gagged, and all that came out were muffled cries. When they grew tired, Ryan spoke again. “You owe us so many lives. Death is too good for you. Today, you’re going to pay your debt in blood.” I heard the whistle of a steel pipe cutting through the air, followed by an explosion of agony. Ninety-nine blows. I passed out again and again, only to be woken by splashes of cold water. I felt each bone crack, heard each sickening snap. Finally, as my consciousness faded, they tied me to a large stone and threw me into the river. The icy water rushed in from all sides, the crushing pressure in my lungs threatening to tear me apart. I closed my eyes in despair, ready for the end. Maybe it was for the best. This life had been too hard, too painful. It was time to rest. Just as my world was about to go dark, a strong arm wrapped around me, pulling me up. Fresh air rushed back into my lungs…

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  • No Old Feelings Under the Scalpel

    At the parent-teacher conference, the teacher asked kids to grade their parents and explain. My son’s note reached me, with two lines in childish handwriting: “Dad, 100 points. Aunty, 100 points.” “Mom, 2 points. I hate you. You rooined my family.” Still too young to spell “ruined” right, he already knew how to blame his mother. After the meeting, I was the only parent kept behind. When I finally left at sunset, my son was gone. As I searched, a familiar voice cut through the dusk. “You should never have fought for Dylan, Avery. You can’t make him happy.” I looked up. My ex-husband, Grant, held our son, his face tense. “Unless you beg me to take you back—” Before he finished, Sienna stepped in softly, smiling. “Avery, you still haven’t paid Dylan’s tuition, have you? I’d gladly take care of him.” I stayed silent, looking at the son I’d raised for nine years. He hid behind Sienna, staring at me as if I’d ruin his “family” again. Years of weariness finally crested. The last of my stubbornness dissolved. I nodded, my voice eerily calm. “Fine.” 1 “You can have custody. We’ll sign the papers in the next couple of days. The sooner, the better.” The autumn wind in the north was biting. A stray leaf spun and landed at a stunned Grant’s feet. I pulled my coat tighter, my gaze lowered. “Let Sienna be his mother from now on. It’s what Dylan wants.” Dylan jumped up, a whoop of joy on his lips, but a single dark look from his father silenced him. That’s strange, he must have thought. Dad and Aunty Sienna get along so well. Why isn’t he happy? “Why?” Grant took a step forward, a furious, unreadable emotion simmering in his voice. “You would rather give up our son than ask me for help, just once?” I didn’t answer. I walked toward the Maybach parked at the curb. “Let’s go. I’ll pack up his things.” I reached for the passenger door out of habit, then stopped myself. I took a step back and got into the back seat. Grant’s eyes went cold. Sienna slid into the passenger seat with an apologetic smile. “So sorry, Avery, dear. I hope you don’t mind sitting in the back. It’s just, I’m so particular, and Grant has the seat adjusted just right for me.” She shot a meaningful glance at Grant. “Honestly, Avery, if you wanted to come back to the family, you didn’t have to use your son as an excuse. Why go through all this trouble?” “You gave him back this time,” she purred. “Next time… will you be giving yourself back?” The familiar digs, the veiled insults. I turned to look out the window. It was getting dark. The car pulled into a run-down neighborhood. I got out, went up the stairs, and unlocked my door. Before I could even step inside, Sienna gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Avery, darling… you live here?” Grant’s eyes scanned the tiny apartment, his expression a mixture of emotions that quickly hardened into disapproval. “I send our son to a private academy, and you have him living in a place like this?” In just six short years, I had gone from being the youngest head surgeon at the city’s top hospital, to a home-care aide for the elderly, to a woman so disgraced that no private clinic would even look at my resume. The meager salary I earned from my part-time job at a convenience store was just enough to cover the rent on this two-hundred-dollar-a-month room. But that was all about to end. Dylan had a lot of things, but there were very few he actually liked. I sorted through his belongings, packing only a small box. I told him to eat well, to go to bed on time, to listen to his father. I held the box out to Grant. He didn’t take it. Sienna did, and was about to say something when— SLAM. Grant shut the door, leaving her and Dylan in the hallway. He stared at me for a long time. Then, a slow, knowing smile spread across his face. “Is this really necessary, Avery?” he asked, his voice low and amused. He stepped closer, twisting a strand of my hair around his finger. “I get it. You can’t live without your son, but you’re too proud to beg. So you came up with this little scheme, this feigned surrender, to give me an opening…” He produced a document from somewhere. “Here. I’ve had the marriage certificate ready for a while now. All you have to do is swallow that pride of yours, sign on the dotted line, and we can go back to how things were.” 2 The way things were. In Grant’s memory, it was always perfect. That year, I had just returned from a fellowship abroad and started at the city’s main hospital. On my first day, a patient’s family member took a doctor hostage with a knife, claiming malpractice. The room went silent. The patient’s case was complex, the surgery incredibly high-risk. No one dared to step forward. I did. “I’ll do it,” I said. Afterward, Grant asked to see me. He was the young heir to a medical tech empire, newly in charge, and this was his first major crisis. He looked me over with a smile. “Dr. Caldwell, you’re very brave.” “It’s not about bravery,” I replied calmly. “As long as there is a sliver of hope, I will never give up on a life.” I paused. “And I was confident I could do it.” A light sparked in Grant’s eyes. He stared at me for a long moment, then smiled. The next day, when 9,999 roses were delivered to my office, I understood what that smile had meant. His pursuit was relentless. When he realized I wasn’t impressed by grand romantic gestures, he changed his strategy. He brought a state-of-the-art medical research project to our hospital, complete with a three-million-dollar suite of equipment for my exclusive use. After my late-night surgeries, he would always be there with a warm bowl of soup. He patiently listened to my mother’s stories, fixed her broken appliances, and found specialists to treat her old ailments. He was direct about his intentions. He told me he would marry no one else. But he did it in a way that showed my mother his sincerity. Finally, she sighed. “You’re not getting any younger, Avery. It’s time to settle down.” “Grant is a good man. He’s practical, and he knows how to care for someone. I think he’s the one who can give you a home.” So I said yes. Our marriage was a transaction. He needed a wife with a spotless reputation to help him clean up his playboy image. I needed a boost for my career, and… a little bit of warmth. On our first anniversary, Grant had a little too much to drink. He pinned me to the bed, a hint of annoyance in his eyes. “All that stuff about my past… you knew, didn’t you?” “I did,” I said. For a moment, I found him endearing. He buried his face in my neck and bit me, hard. “Then why weren’t you angry? Why weren’t you jealous?” I don’t remember exactly what I said, something about how his future was all that mattered to me. What I do remember is the look on his face when I showed him the positive pregnancy test. He was so happy he looked ridiculous. This proud, arrogant man just held me and kept repeating, “Thank you… thank you…” No one knows better than a doctor the irreversible damage childbirth does to a woman’s body. But I wanted to have a child with him. And Grant was truly grateful. So grateful that the very next day, he slept with his new assistant. When I caught them, he was still half-asleep, a frown on his face. “You’re pregnant. How am I supposed to take care of my needs?” 3 For the three years after our divorce, every time I saw Dylan, Grant would ask if I wanted to get back together. My answer was always the same. Eventually, he lost his patience. He used his connections to blacklist me from every medical facility in the city, trying to force my hand. This time, I nodded. Grant froze, a look of disbelief on his face. “You… you agree?” He cleared his throat, regaining his composure. “So you were just playing hard to get. Fine. I’ll pick you up tomorrow. We’ll go to the city hall.” I shook my head and stated my condition. “The day Dylan calls me ‘Mom’ again is the day I marry you.” Grant wasn’t angry. He chuckled. “Still hung up on that? Fine. Let him live with me. I guarantee he’ll be calling you Mom within three days.” His lawyer sent over the custody transfer agreement. The moment my digital signature was on the document, Grant smiled, grabbed my chin, and kissed me, hard. “You’re most agreeable when you’re obedient, Avery.” “City hall. Three days. Don’t be late.” I watched his car speed away, then wiped my lips until they were pale. He didn’t know that I had only ever lied twice in my life. Once, today. And once, when I forgave him for cheating. That year, when I went to the hospital for an abortion, Grant stopped me. He was frantic, as if he never imagined I would be so resolute. “Avery, I was drunk. It was a mistake. Please, just forgive me this once. I swear, it will never happen again!” I had heard the rumors before we were married. Grant was a notorious womanizer. But after our wedding, he had been a model husband. He knelt in front of everyone and begged me, tears in his eyes. In that moment, my resolve wavered. “Fine,” I heard myself lie. “I forgive you.” The assistant was fired. We never heard from her again. When Dylan was born, Grant acted like he had been given the greatest treasure in the world. He bought out every firework vendor in the city and set them off for two weeks straight. With our son as a bond, we had a few years of peaceful, happy life. Until it was time for Dylan to start preschool. Grant said my work schedule was too demanding and that we should hire a private tutor. The tutor he brought home was Sienna. The moment she spoke, I knew. She was the assistant he had fired. The rage was so overwhelming I thought I would be sick. I slapped Grant across the face and screamed at him to get out. After I had smashed half the furniture in our house, I grabbed a crying Dylan and tried to leave. Grant watched, his face a cold mask. He ordered the staff to restrain me. Then, inch by inch, he pried my fingers from our son’s arm and placed him in Sienna’s embrace. He looked at me with a cruel smile. “When will you understand, Avery? People in our class don’t have just one person.” “I always thought you were smart enough to figure that out. I guess I was wrong. You’ve been a real disappointment.” From that day on, I was forbidden to see Dylan. Grant wanted me to apologize, to be like the other society wives and accept my husband’s infidelities. I refused. At the height of our war, I leaked their explicit photos and stabbed him in the arm with a scalpel. Grant, who had never known a day of real pain, looked so panicked at the sight of his own blood. I felt a grim satisfaction. I think I hated him then. Hated him for not being able to love only me. 4 After packing, I terminated my lease, quit my job, and collected my final paycheck. By the time I was done, it was the third day. I bought a ticket for an international flight leaving that night. When I opened my door to leave, Sienna was standing there. Her outfit was simple, but on closer inspection, even her belt was a limited edition piece from the latest collection. She had done well for herself. “I’d give up on the idea of remarrying him if I were you, Avery.” Sienna’s lips curved into a sneer. “You really think using your son as a bargaining chip will get you back into the family? Dylan only thinks of me as his mother now. And as for Grant…” “He might feel a little guilty, but men get bored so easily. Do you really think he’s still interested in a washed-up ex-wife?” She leaned in, her voice a low hiss. “Don’t forget, you have nothing now. And I have a thousand ways to make sure you stay out of this family for good.” A dull ache spread through my chest. I remembered the day I left the Thorne family home for good. To break my spirit, Grant had me transferred from surgery to the geriatric ward, where I cared for dementia patients. As I was cleaning a bedpan, Sienna cornered me. She looked down at the filth on my hands, wrinkling her nose in disgust. “So this is what you’ve been reduced to.” “Tell me, if you couldn’t perform surgery anymore… would you be stuck here cleaning up after old people for the rest of your life?” She shoved me, and her stiletto heel came down hard on my right hand. The heel ground into my flesh. The pain was so intense I thought I heard the bones snap. But that wasn’t the worst of it. My mother was in a car accident. Her life was hanging by a thread. I ran into the ER, begging them to operate, but no one would touch her. Grant stood at the end of the hall, watching with cold indifference. “Just admit you were wrong,” he said, his voice calm, yet cruel. “And I’ll get the best doctors for her.” I was too stubborn to give in. I went into the operating room myself. But my mother’s blood was too warm, my hands were shaking too violently. I was too slow… I couldn’t save her. In that moment, a part of me died with her. The hate was gone. It was really gone. For the next six months, I fought Grant for custody of our son. I gave up everything I had for a child who had already grown distant from me. Every time Dylan cried and said he wanted to leave, I thought this tragedy was my fault, a result of my own stubbornness. It was only after countless sleepless nights that I understood. It was the cruelty in Grant’s love that had brought our marriage to this point. He loved me, so he kept coming back. But his love was selfish, laced with a need for control and a deep-seated contempt. It was all over now. I looked at Sienna, and for the first time, I felt nothing but a quiet pity. I offered her my sincere blessing. “I hope your novelty lasts a little longer for him this time.” Her face darkened, and she started spewing insults. I didn’t say another word. I called a cab and went straight to the airport. On the way, a familiar voice called, as gentle as ever. “What time does your flight land? I’ll pick you up.” “You’re not going to change your mind again, are you?” “No,” I said, my voice firm. “Not this time.” I had nothing left. There was nothing left to keep me here. On the other side of the city, Grant didn’t sleep a wink. When his alarm went off at 7:30, he shot out of bed and drove to my apartment building. He started to go up, then thought better of it. He didn’t want to seem too eager. He went back to his car and tapped his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. The city hall opens in an hour, he thought. Almost there.

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  • The Girl Who Got Off the Bus

    On the day of the SATs, the most popular girl in school found out the billionaire’s son was stranded in the suburbs. She forced the school bus driver to turn around and launch a rescue mission. In my past life, I called the police immediately and stopped her. The whole class arrived on time, aced the test, and got into top universities. But the next day, news broke that the billionaire’s son was engaged—to the girl who had rescued him. My classmate, furious, kidnapped me and dragged me to the rooftop. “You ruined my chance to marry into billions! You ruined my life!” She pushed me off the edge. I died instantly. After my death, the police interviewed my classmates. To their surprise, everyone defended her. “We weren’t going to be late. She ruined Chloe’s dream. Anyone would snap.” “She was always meddling. She deserved it.” Because of their testimony, Chloe got a light sentence. She became an internet sensation, dubbed the “Warrior for Love,” and made a fortune after her release. When I opened my eyes, I was back on that bus. Back to the moment Chloe demanded the driver turn around. This time, I smiled brightly. “Go for it,” I said. “Chase that love. The SATs are nothing compared to true romance.” 1 Even after becoming a wealthy influencer, Chloe wasn’t satisfied. She hired thugs to kidnap my parents. She tortured them until their chests caved in, soaking the floor in blood. Then she stepped on my father’s face. “If your daughter hadn’t ruined my chance, I’d be Mrs. Vance right now! The envy of everyone!” “She’s dead, but she wasted five years of my youth. A father paying for his daughter’s debt seems fair, right?” She pushed them from the eighth floor. They died in agony while she watched, filming it for the dark web. My soul hovered above, screaming, tearing at the air, powerless. Then, everything went black. “Claire, what’s your problem? This bus isn’t yours. Who are you to tell the driver not to turn around?” I blinked, standing in the aisle of the bus. Chloe was glaring at me, eyes burning with fury. “Julian Vance is the richest heir in the state. Do you know how many kidnappers are out there? Every second counts!” “You’re heartless. Even if you get into Harvard, you’ll still be a scumbag.” “Besides, no one else is objecting. Majority rules, understand?” The driver had slowed the bus to a crawl. He chimed in with a smile. “Don’t worry, miss. It’s a small city. Thirty minutes round trip to the suburbs. We won’t be late.” That assumed no traffic. But today was the SATs. Every street near a testing center was gridlocked with anxious parents. Add the mandatory fifteen-minute check-in buffer, and one wrong turn meant missing the test entirely. In my last life, I argued until my throat was raw because I didn’t want my classmates to risk their futures. I never thought my reward would be a gruesome death. Seeing my silence, Chloe scoffed. “We’re the honors class. Even if we have fifteen minutes less, we can finish the test.” “Ask them. Who here wasn’t planning on finishing thirty minutes early anyway? Without us, the test can’t even start.” The other students checked their watches, swayed by the driver’s confidence. “Every mock exam, our class ranks first in the city.” “Even if we’re late, the proctors will understand. We’re saving a life.” “Acting like a class monitor on test day? Gross.” They knew we were just first in this city. The Ivy League acceptance rate doesn’t care about city rankings. It’s a slaughterhouse. I wanted to warn them. But the memory of their twisted faces defending my murderer made me shiver. My heart hardened into ice. I looked up and flashed a brilliant smile. “You guys are right. Since everyone agrees, you should go.” 2 Chloe narrowed her eyes, suspicious of my quick surrender. “You… you’re really not going to stop me?” I nodded and ignored her. I grabbed my bag and stood up. “I’m getting off.” The driver slammed the brakes, nearly rear-ending a sedan. “Miss, you can’t get a cab here easily. Walking will tire you out. How will you take the test?” “Trust me. We’ll save him and be back. You won’t be late.” I shook my head. “You guys go save your hero. I don’t need to be involved.” As I moved toward the door, the driver raised his voice. “Don’t be rash! The teachers and parents are following in cars behind us. If you get off now, what about the others?” The class looked out the windows. Sure enough, a caravan of cars was tailing us. They honked in support. Phones buzzed across the bus. Ding-ding-ding. Parents and teachers texting: Are you nervous? Is everything okay? Chloe typed a quick reply in the class group chat. Everything’s fine! Just hyping each other up on the bus. Relaxing before the test. She looked up at the class. “Don’t tell your parents about this. They won’t understand. If they find out, we’ll get yelled at, and the concert trip will be cancelled!” Before the exams, Chloe claimed she knew a guy who could get cheap tickets to see a pop superstar. Everyone signed up. But the concert was in a sketchy border town notorious for trafficking. I had warned them not to go, and they ostracized me for it. To this day, they were planning the trip behind my back. The students who were about to text their parents put their phones down. But a few of the timid ones were getting cold feet. “If my mom finds out I was late for the SATs, she’ll skin me alive.” “Thirty-five minutes left… round trip is cutting it close. Maybe we shouldn’t go.” “Saving someone is dangerous. Let’s just call the police.” Murmurs of agreement rippled through the bus. But the bold ones sneered. “Look at you cowards. Embarrassing the honors class.” “Twenty of us here. We are the city’s admissions stats. Even if we’re late, they’ll open a VIP lane for us.” “Exactly. They can’t punish all of us. Plus, we’re saving a life. This will be on the news!” I almost laughed. They were so used to being coddled by teachers for their grades that they had lost touch with reality. The SATs weren’t just about them. They were about the sacrifices of every parent in those cars behind us. Seeing the hesitation, Chloe posted an image to the group chat. The bus exploded with excitement. “Sixty million dollar reward?! That’s two million each! Why take the test? Let’s go!” “If this is true, Chloe is our golden ticket!” “Of course it’s true. Chloe has connections. She’s going to be a star after graduation.” “Where are the cowards now? Get off the bus so we get a bigger share!” 3 I checked my phone. Chloe had posted a “Missing Person” bounty for Julian Vance. It looked professional. If I hadn’t lived through this once and known Julian was never missing, I might have believed it. Chloe’s “connections” were just some shady guys she met at a club. She slept her way into a low-budget commercial for a gambling site. Her classmates hyped it up as “modeling” and “debuting.” Blinded by greed, the doubters fell silent. The driver saw his chance. He swerved down a side road, losing the caravan of parents. “Wow, big reward? Lucky day for me! Driving a bus full of geniuses and getting rich?” “This is a shortcut to the suburbs. Thirty minutes round trip, easy.” “Get the money, ace the test. You kids are winners!” The class couldn’t hide their grins, already spending the money in their heads. But the driver’s behavior was suspicious. I checked my watch. Twenty-five minutes to the start. I couldn’t save them. I had to save myself. I marched to the front and banged on the plexiglass partition. “Let me off! I don’t want to save anyone, and I don’t want the money!” I glanced at his ID badge. Frank Miller. Chloe’s last name was Miller. A puzzle piece clicked. In my last life, Chloe didn’t stop until I called the cops. She was unusually persistent. She and the driver must have known each other. They were in on it together. The driver ignored me, accelerating. We were getting farther from the test center. My voice trembled. “Let me off! Or I’m calling the police!” They treated the test like a joke, but I didn’t. I came from a poor family. I was the first person in generations with a shot at an Ivy. Relatives called my parents lucky. But I wasn’t a genius. My bedroom was filled with used pens and practice tests. Calluses on my fingers. Worsening eyesight. My mom waking up at 4 AM to make breakfast. My dad driving me to school in snowstorms. This test was the culmination of eighteen years. I would not fail. The driver didn’t stop. Desperate, I pulled a compass from my pocket and pressed the sharp point against his neck. “Let me off!” The bus gasped. “Whoa, Claire… too far. Just let her off if she wants.” The driver, sweating, slammed on the brakes. Chloe stormed over and snatched my phone. “You can go, but the phone stays. In case you call the cops.” We were nearing the outskirts. Few cars passed here. Without a phone, I couldn’t call a ride. Twenty minutes left. I couldn’t run back in time. I glared at her. “Fine. I promise I won’t call.” “I don’t care about your business. I just want to take the test…” Before I finished, Chloe threw my phone out the window. The door opened. She grabbed my admission ticket and ripped it in half. “Penalty for being a traitor. Now get lost.” I stared in shock, then scrambled off the bus to retrieve my phone and ticket. The phone screen was shattered black. The ticket was confetti. Through the window, my classmates flipped me off. “Thought you wanted to take the test? Run, Forrest, run!” “Embarrassing. Don’t say you were in the honors class.” “Let’s give her a handicap. See if she can score above zero.” 4 Their mockery faded as the bus sped away, splashing mud on my uniform. I watched them disappear toward the horizon, a strange sense of relief washing over me. Laugh while you can. Soon, you’ll be crying, and no one will be able to help you. I tapped my smartwatch and called my mom. In my last life, they took my phone, but they didn’t know about the watch. My mom didn’t ask questions. She heard the panic in my voice and turned the car around immediately. She told my dad to go to the print shop and get a new ticket. Meanwhile, the principal, teachers, and other parents had just arrived at the school. Confused by the missing bus, they received my dad’s call. The principal nearly fainted. “What? They went to rescue someone? On SAT day? Are they insane?!” “Call the suburban police! Get them back now!” Parents collapsed, wailing. “Who talked my son into this? I’ll kill them!” “My daughter is so sensible, she wouldn’t do this! The bus must be stuck in traffic!” “Don’t just stand there! Find them!” Parents jumped back into their cars, racing toward the suburbs. The commotion attracted the media stationed at the school. “A rescue mission during the SATs? Are these kids geniuses or idiots?” “I’ve been a reporter for twenty years. Never seen anyone skip the SATs to play hero. Is it a hijacking?” “Follow them! Hijacking or heroics, this is front-page news!” Reporters piled into vans and followed the parents. I arrived at the test center just as they were leaving. I checked my watch. 9:00 AM. The drive to the suburbs was at least thirty-five minutes one way. They were done for. My dad was waiting at the gate with a fresh admission ticket. He cried when he saw me. “Claire, thank god you’re smart. Thank god.” I felt their fear. They had spent eighteen years preparing for this moment. My teacher looked at me with teary eyes. “Do your best. You’re the only hope for our class now.” I walked into the exam hall, calmed my mind, and focused on every question. Halfway through the test, wailing erupted outside the gates. “It’s only an hour late! Why can’t we go in?” “We are the city’s pride! Future Ivy Leaguers! You can’t ruin our lives!” “Open the gate! Can you take responsibility for ruining our futures?!”

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