Category: English

My fiancé and his best girl friend slapped their marriage certificate on the table in front of me. I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I just pushed a dice cup across the glossy wood. On the line was the new house they’d just bought, and my entire youth. They laughed and called me crazy, but they didn’t know my grandfather’s nickname. They called him the “Ghost Hand.” 1 The music in the bar was a physical thing, a headache hammering against my skull. The glass of water in front of me had been sitting for a while. A fine mist of condensation clung to the glass, tiny droplets streaking down one by one, hitting the table and bleeding into a small, dark patch. I was waiting for Leo. He’d texted earlier, said he had something important to tell me, and named this place. I checked my phone. 9:30 PM. He was half an hour late. I didn’t push, I just waited. A few minutes later, the door swung open, and a blast of cold night air swept through the bar. Leo walked in. I didn’t move. I just watched him. He wasn’t alone. Sophie was with him. His best girl friend. The one who’d pull all-nighters playing video games with him, the one who’d wash his jerseys, the one who would always, without fail, take his side and yell at me whenever we fought. A cold knot formed in my stomach. They walked to my table and sat down across from me. No one spoke. The water dripped from the glass. Tick. Tick. Sophie broke the silence. She took a small, official-looking document and slapped it on the table. The sound wasn’t loud, but in the chaos of the bar, I heard it with perfect clarity. “Cara,” she said. “Leo and I got married.” I lifted my eyes and looked at Leo. He wouldn’t meet my gaze. He stared at the marriage certificate on the table, his eyes darting away, a strange mix of guilt and grim determination on his face. I just stared at him. For a long, long time. The music, the chatter, the clinking of glasses—it all seemed to fade away. My world went silent, leaving only the tick, tick of water rolling down the side of the glass. I didn’t cry. I didn’t curse. I didn’t even tremble. I just sat there, looking at them. A stone had lodged itself in my throat. I couldn’t swallow it, couldn’t cough it up. It was hard to breathe. I reached out, picked up the glass of water, and drained it in one go. The water was ice-cold, a frigid path from my throat to my stomach. I set the empty glass back down on the table, the sound louder than the slap of their certificate. “When did this happen?” I asked. My voice was calm, devoid of emotion. As if I were asking about the weather. Sophie smiled. She leaned against Leo, her fingers tracing patterns on his arm. “Just today, silly. Why else would we call you? It’s a surprise.” Leo finally looked up. He met my eyes, his lips parting as if to say something, but in the end, nothing came out. I nodded. “Oh,” I said. Just one word. Then I stood up and grabbed my purse. “I’m leaving.” I turned to go, but a hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. It was Leo. “Cara, you…” I looked back at his hand clutching mine. His palm was slick with sweat. I pulled my hand free, my eyes fixed not on him, but on Sophie. “Congratulations.” Then I walked away without a second’s hesitation. I pushed open the door to the bar, and the cold wind hit me like a physical blow. I shivered, pulling the collar of my coat tighter. The night was dark, the streetlights casting a sickly yellow glow. I didn’t call a cab. I just started walking. I didn’t know where I was going. I just needed to move. The shops along the street were all closed, their windows dark except for the harsh fluorescent light of a lone convenience store. I stopped in front of a vending machine, staring at the rows of colorful drinks for a long time. In the end, I didn’t buy anything. I just stood there, looking at my own reflection in the glass. The person staring back at me was a stranger. Her eyes were hollow. Empty. 2 I didn’t go far. I just leaned against a wall in a nearby alley and lit a cigarette. I don’t smoke. The raw burn in my throat made me cough, hard, until my eyes watered. I didn’t wipe the tears away. I let them trail down my face until the wind dried them, leaving my skin feeling tight and sore. I ground the cigarette out with my shoe and walked back to the bar. I couldn’t just leave. Leo and I had been together for three years, since college. The down payment on the apartment we rented? My parents’ money. We had plans to get married next year, to put my name on the deed. The seed money for his company? Half of it came from me. He owed me. Sophie owed me. This was not over. I pushed the door open again, and the same wave of warm air, thick with smoke, alcohol, and perfume, enveloped me. Leo and Sophie were still there. They were drinking now, sipping from flutes of expensive champagne, the bubbles fizzing aggressively. On the table, next to the marriage certificate, were several other documents. As I got closer, I saw what they were. A property transfer agreement for the house. A contract for the transfer of company shares. Were they dividing up my life as party favors? Leo saw me and froze, a flicker of discomfort on his face. Sophie, however, was perfectly at ease. She raised her glass to me. “Back so soon? Come to your senses? Ready to have a celebratory drink with us?” I pulled out a chair and sat down across from them. The table was sticky with spilled liquor. I placed my bag on the empty seat beside me and looked at them. “The house, the company,” I said, my voice still perfectly level. “They’re mine.” Leo’s face was flushed. It could have been the alcohol, or it could have been shame. He cleared his throat. “Cara, don’t make a scene. We had a good run. Let’s not make this ugly.” Sophie swallowed her champagne and laughed out loud. “Ugly? Cara, are you not getting it? You’re a nobody now. You and Leo are over. All of this belongs to me.” She pointed at the contracts on the table, her face smug. I didn’t waste my breath on her. My gaze was fixed on Leo. “Leo. Say something.” He avoided my eyes, picking up his glass, refilling it, and downing it in one gulp. “Cara, Sophie and I are in love. Just… let us be happy. This is all just material stuff. You’re a smart girl, you can earn it all back someday.” Let them be happy. Material stuff. The words didn’t make me angry. They made me want to laugh. I looked at them both, one feigning righteousness, the other reveling in her victory. “I don’t want the house,” I said. “And I don’t want the company.” Sophie raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Giving up? Trying to be the graceful ex-girlfriend?” “I have a proposal,” I said, my eyes scanning them both. “Let’s play a game.” Leo frowned. “What kind of game?” “Simple.” I reached out and picked up the dice cup from the center of the table. The dice rattled inside. “We roll. One round. You win, I walk away from everything and wish you a long and happy life. But if I win…” I paused, watching their expressions shift. “If I win, I take everything on this table. And every single valuable thing you two have on you.” Sophie looked at me like I had lost my mind. She burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking. “You? Roll dice? Cara, did the shock fry your brain? Do you have any idea how much the stuff we’re wearing is worth?” “I do,” I nodded. “Enough to send you both from heaven straight to hell.” The color drained from Leo’s face. “Cara, stop this nonsense.” “Nonsense?” I smiled. “I’m giving you a chance. A chance to keep all the things you clawed away from me. What, are you scared to play?” I set the dice cup on the table and slid it toward them. People at the surrounding tables had started to notice the commotion, their curious glances turning into hushed whispers. Sophie’s laughter died. She stared at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of suspicion and challenge. “Fine.” She slammed her hand on the table. “I’ll play. Let’s see what tricks you have up your sleeve.” Leo tried to object, but Sophie cut him off. “What, Leo, are you afraid? Afraid you’ll lose it all to her?” He clenched his jaw, his eyes locking onto mine with a warning. “Cara. You asked for this.” I ignored him. My attention was on the dice cup. This was a game I knew all too well.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387921”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 It’s been three years since my sister Victoria cut me out of her life, blocked my number, and erased me from her world. Today, she donated a single dollar to my LifeFund page and left this comment: “Lung cancer, huh? Let me know when you actually die. I’ll throw a party.” Three years ago, Leo — the charity case she’s sponsored since high school — accused me of stealing his scholarship. Victoria pulled me out of college instantly. “I will always be your safety net, Caleb, but stealing what isn’t yours has consequences!” We fought until she pointed at the door. “Don’t come back until you’ve learned your lesson. I’ll break that stubborn streak if it’s the last thing I do!” After that, she treated Leo like royalty. Every job I found mysteriously vanished, leaving me to survive on scavenging. I stared at her comment until the words blurred into a cruel line. Then I called the cemetery plot seller. “Save me the cheapest one. I’ll send the deposit tomorrow.” Her dollar was just enough to meet the withdrawal minimum. I was finally going to give her what she wanted. “You’d better move fast, son. These plots are in high demand, you know,” the cemetery owner said, his voice a sigh over the phone. He didn’t need to say it outright; no money, no deal. I couldn’t blame him. I’d visited the cemetery half a dozen times over the last year, but the prices were always too steep. Every penny I had went to medication that barely touched the pain. Each visit was a desperate hope that a cheaper plot had opened up, a bargain bin for the dying. Every time the owner asked which one I wanted, I’d mumble the same excuse, my face burning with shame. “I’ll… I’ll bring my family back to look next time.” But this time, my voice was steady. “Don’t worry. I’m buying it for real this time.” After hanging up, the screen reverted to my LifeFund page. Victoria’s message stood out like a gash amidst the kind wishes from strangers. 【Lung cancer, huh? Let me know when you actually die. I’ll throw a party.】 I read it again and again, a part of my mind refusing to believe those words could come from my own sister. But because of her one-dollar donation, my balance hit the ten-thousand-dollar mark exactly—the minimum for withdrawal. A bitter taste filled my mouth. I was about to hit the button when a new notification popped up. A one-cent donation from Leo, her precious charity case. His message followed: 【Come home, Caleb. Just apologize and Victoria will forgive you. You have to stop faking things like this.】 My hand clenched around the phone, knuckles turning white. But after a long, ragged breath, I said nothing. I just requested the withdrawal. Buddy, the stray cat I’d taken in, sensed my distress and began weaving between my ankles, his purr a low rumble. I knelt and stroked his head, then poured the last of his cheap kibble into his bowl. He limped over, his crooked leg a constant reminder of his past, and started eating, glancing back at me every few bites. His hopeful eyes sent a jolt of pain through me, throwing me back to the night Victoria threw me out. Her voice, dripping with disgust, was a shard of ice in my memory. “If you won’t admit you’re wrong, then get out. I don’t want you anymore!” Three years ago, Leo had made a grand show of giving me his university scholarship. An hour later, he was crying to Victoria, telling her I’d bribed a teacher to steal it from him. He gambled his future on the certainty that she would believe him over me. The one teacher who could have cleared my name had just retired and left for a trip around the world, completely unreachable. Leo’s timing was perfect. He won his bet. Victoria didn’t even let me speak. She just called the school and withdrew my enrollment. I shattered. I screamed. I raged. She slapped me, hard. “Caleb, have I ever denied you anything? Why would you need to steal?” Her voice trembled with fury. “Do you have any idea what this scholarship meant to Leo? It was his only way out of poverty!” She demanded I apologize. I refused, my neck stiff with the indignation of the falsely accused. So she threw me out. I sat on the front steps all night, waiting. I thought she was just angry, that any minute the door would open and she’d call me back inside. But morning came, and she never did. As I finally, hopelessly, turned to leave, I saw a man storm out of the house next door, holding a squirming cat by the scruff of its neck. “Meeeooww!” The cat’s shriek was cut short as he was slammed onto the pavement. The man’s face was a mask of disgust—the exact same look Victoria had given me. “Stupidest cat I’ve ever seen. Climbs a tree and manages to break its own leg.” He kicked at the small, limp form. “Get out of here. I’m done with you!” My breath caught. His words echoed Victoria’s. I rushed forward and scooped up the trembling creature. Its leg wasn’t just broken; it felt like it had been deliberately snapped. I looked up to confront the man, but his door was already closed. In that moment, I understood. It didn’t matter if the cat had done anything wrong. It didn’t matter if I had. When someone wants to throw you away, they don’t need a reason. I kept the cat and named him Buddy. For three years, Victoria made my life a living hell. Every time I found a job, she found a way to get me fired. Eventually, I was left with nothing but scavenging. Buddy’s life downgraded with mine. Our apartments got smaller, his food got cheaper. I posted an adoption ad online. The money from LifeFund was for my grave. My illness was a lost cause anyway; I might as well grant my sister’s wish and die. But Buddy deserved a chance. He would live for me. I never expected the call I got two hours later, from a customer service rep at LifeFund. “Is this Caleb? Your fundraising campaign has been flagged for fraudulent activity. The withdrawal has been suspended.” A roar filled my ears, a white noise that blanked out all thought. “The report was filed by your sister, Victoria.” “Who did you say? Victoria?” “Yes. She provided proof of your relationship and claimed your medical records are fake. The platform is currently investigating. Until we can verify your claim, all donated funds will be frozen.” The world tilted, plunging me into an icy void. “That’s impossible! My records are from a top hospital, they’re real! She… she has a grudge against me. She wants me dead…” “Sir, please calm down,” the rep interrupted, his voice professionally placid. “As I said, we are investigating. If your claim is verified, the funds will be released to you immediately.” I was shaking so badly I could barely hold the phone. Arguing with him was useless. I hung up and dialed Victoria. For the first time in three years, it rang. The moment she picked up, I roared into the phone. “Victoria! Why would you tell LifeFund I’m faking it? Do you have any idea…” “Aren’t you?” she cut in, her tone light, almost amused. “Caleb, I know you. You’re too proud to come crawling back, so you pull a stunt like this to make me fold first.” A pause. “Tell you what. Come home, apologize, and we’ll pretend this whole embarrassing episode never happened.” Her words hit me like a physical blow. My heart didn’t just sink; it plummeted into a black abyss. This is what she thought of me? My hand tightened on the phone, but the words wouldn’t come. In the background, I heard Leo’s voice. “Is that Caleb, Vic? Just let him come home. I forgave him for that stuff three years ago.” Victoria’s voice hardened. “I know you’re a good kid, Leo. But Caleb needs to learn his lesson. He’s my brother, and I refuse to let him grow up with a character flaw like that.” She was talking to Leo, but every word was meant for me. A cold, humorless laugh escaped my lips. “Victoria, I did nothing wrong back then. He framed me. And I’m not faking anything now. Every document is from the hospital.” My voice dropped, low and final. “I will never apologize. I’d rather die than admit to something I didn’t do.” “You—” I hung up before she could finish. She called back. I ignored it. The emotional storm raging inside me sent daggers of pain through my lungs. Each breath was a fresh torment. A moment later, a text message arrived from her. 【Caleb, I am so disappointed in you.】 That night, sleep was a stranger. It felt like a thousand needles were embedded in my lungs, each inhale and exhale a fresh wave of agony. The prescription painkillers had run out days ago. I just curled up, hugging Buddy, and endured it. When dawn finally broke, my phone rang again. It was LifeFund. “Mr. Caleb, the platform requires you to undergo a new set of medical examinations and submit a report with today’s date.” My voice was a lifeless rasp. “And if I don’t?” “For disputed campaigns, failure to cooperate will result in a full refund of all donations to the original donors.” “Then refund it. Thanks for your trouble.” I ended the call. I didn’t have the money for more tests. If I couldn’t get that ten thousand dollars, so be it. Buddy nudged his head against my chest. I managed a weak smile. “You hungry? I’ll go find some bottles to sell. Get you some food, okay?” He just purred, tilting his head, blissfully unaware. I splashed some water on my face and grabbed my burlap sack. My cheap apartment was on the outskirts of town, where I had to compete with retirees for every scrap of cardboard and plastic. So, I headed downtown, toward the upscale shopping centers. The rich people there drank expensive bottled water, and the cans were worth more. If I was polite and asked to take their trash, they usually just handed me the recyclables. Two hours later, my sack was half full. As I was about to head to the next mall, a sharp voice cut through the air behind me. “Caleb? What are you doing here?” I turned. Victoria stood there, her face a mask of shock. Beside her, Leo was juggling five or six luxury shopping bags. My brow furrowed. I turned to walk away. But Victoria crossed the distance in three long strides and grabbed my wrist. “You’re scavenging for trash?!” Her face darkened, her eyes sweeping over me from head to toe. They lingered on my faded, threadbare jeans, and a flicker of something unreadable crossed her features. Leo sauntered over. “Wow, Caleb. A little on the nose, don’t you think? Scavenging? Did you know we’d be shopping here today? Is this part of the act?” Victoria’s expression grew fouler. She started dragging me away. “You are coming with me.” “Let go of me!” I struggled, but her grip was like iron. She pulled me into a quiet corner and shoved me against the wall. “Look at you! What is wrong with you? All you had to do was say you were sorry, and you choose this?” “What else was I supposed to do?” I shot back, my face a blank mask as I met her furious gaze. “You made sure every job I got disappeared. If I don’t do this, how do I eat?” “You could have come home!” she snapped. “You knew all you had to do was apologize! Was it really that hard?” “You’re just embarrassed, aren’t you?” I said, my voice dripping with scorn. She opened her mouth to retort, but Leo cut in. “Caleb… you kind of smell. Can’t you smell it yourself?” He wrinkled his nose. “You should really pay more attention to your hygiene. You’re still family, after all. Think of Victoria’s reputation.” I turned my gaze on him, meeting his taunting eyes. The needles in my lungs started stabbing again. “You’re the family now, Leo. Not me.” With that, I turned and walked away. Victoria’s voice followed me, low and dangerous. “Caleb, you refuse to admit you’re wrong? Fine. Don’t you dare regret this.” I pretended not to hear, quickening my pace. That day, I couldn’t sell the cans and bottles I’d collected. The owner of the scrapyard just sighed. “Some big shot by the name of Victoria put the word out. Said no one in the entire city is to buy scrap from you. Don’t blame me, kid. We gotta make a living, and we can’t afford to cross someone like her.” I didn’t argue. I just nodded, shouldered the heavy sack, and started the long walk home. That was also the day Buddy left me. A kind girl drove two hours to come and get him, not caring that he had a bad leg. He had a new owner, a new home. It should have been a happy moment. But as I handed Buddy over to her, something inside me broke, and tears started streaming down my face. The girl panicked. “Oh! Are you… are you sad to see him go? I promise, I’ll take such good care of him!” I wanted to tell her it wasn’t that. I was dying. Buddy had to go with someone else to have a chance at a real life. But the words were lodged in my throat. “You look really pale,” she said, her voice filled with concern. “Do you need to see a doctor?” I shook my head. I didn’t need a doctor. The only place I was headed was hell. Grief, bitterness, heartbreak… an unspeakable wave of emotion washed over me. Buddy started meowing from her arms, and the sound made the ache in my chest unbearable. I had to turn my back. “Just go. Please, go quickly.” The girl’s voice was solemn. “I promise. I will take the best care of him.” Then, she and Buddy were gone. I collapsed onto the sofa, feeling as if my soul had been ripped out. A few hours later, my phone rang. It was the girl. Her voice was choked with sobs. “I’m so, so sorry. Buddy ran into the road… he was hit by a car. He’s gone.” The world went silent. My heart stopped beating for a few seconds, leaving me suspended in a terrifying emptiness. “The driver paid me two thousand dollars in damages… I felt I had to tell you. I can transfer the money to you…” When I came back to myself, I was coughing up blood. The call had ended. A two-thousand-dollar transfer notification appeared, followed by a picture. Buddy was a mangled, bloody mess, a broken heap on the asphalt. My vision tunneled. This wasn’t an accident. The force, the damage… he was run over. Deliberately. Ignoring the blood dripping from my chin, I zoomed in on the photo with a trembling hand. The car… That was Leo’s car. I knew it instantly. It was the one Victoria had bought him for his birthday. The girl was sending a flood of apologies, one message after another. I didn’t read a single one. I rose slowly to my feet, my movements stiff and robotic. I walked into the kitchen, my face a blank mask, and took the largest knife from the block. Then, I walked out the door and headed straight for Victoria’s house. I burst in to find her and Leo sitting at the dinner table. Without a word, I raised the knife and lunged at Leo. He screamed and scrambled away. A hand clamped down on my wrist, and Victoria’s face, contorted with rage, was inches from mine. “Are you insane?” I shoved my phone in her face, showing her the picture. My voice was a low growl. “Your precious little brother ran over my cat. He didn’t just hit him, he crushed him. It was deliberate!” “I’m done letting things go,” I snarled. “For this, I can’t forgive him!” Leo stammered, his face pale. “I… I didn’t mean to. I paid for it! I’m sorry, Caleb…” “Is ‘sorry’ going to bring him back?” I shrieked, my voice cracking. “Leo, haven’t you made my life miserable enough for the past three years? Why couldn’t you just leave a poor, defenseless cat alone? Are you even human?” My rage was a raw, physical thing, and all I wanted was to plunge the knife into his heart. Victoria’s brow was a tight knot. “It’s just a cat, Caleb. Do you have to be so dramatic?” Her words were a bucket of ice water. “Leo paid you and he apologized. That’s more than you’ve ever done,” she continued, her voice cold. “It’s been three years, and you still haven’t given us an explanation for what you did!” “I told you I didn’t steal his goddamn scholarship! Are you deaf?” The dam of my composure finally burst, three years of repressed anguish pouring out. “I am your brother! Your flesh and blood! Why won’t you ever believe me?” My voice rose to a hysterical pitch. “What will it take? Do I have to die right here, right now, to make you happy?” Victoria stared at me, her eyes filled not with sympathy, but with profound disappointment. “You’re being completely irrational.” Leo suddenly stepped forward. “Caleb, I’m sorry, I really am. What can I do to make you forgive me…” CRACK. My fist connected with his jaw before he could finish. He stumbled back, stunned. Victoria’s eyes went from disappointed to glacial. “I see three years on your own has taught you nothing.” And then, she swung, repaying the punch on Leo’s behalf. My head snapped to the side, a loud ringing filling my ears. She looked down at her hand, a flicker of regret in her eyes. “You made me do that.” The slap didn’t just sting my cheek; it shattered whatever fragile connection was left between us. Before, I might have hated her. Now, there was nothing. I swallowed the coppery taste of blood rising in my throat. “You can celebrate now,” I said, my voice thick with a chilling calm. I wiped my mouth and turned to leave. “Celebrate what? What are you talking about?” She reached for me again, but this time, I spun around and hurled my phone at her feet. “Stay away from me!” She froze, a look of genuine confusion on her face as she watched me walk away. This time, she didn’t follow. I walked out of her gilded prison, went straight to the nearest overpass, and began to climb. Staring down at the river of headlights below, a strange sense of peace settled over me. I was going to be free.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387937”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I slept from 1975 to 2025, the sole survivor of a cryonics experiment. With the face of a twenty-year-old, I went to find my billionaire younger brother, only to see comments suddenly floating before my eyes. “The female lead is so stupid. Her brother turned her small shop into a business empire, but people change. He doesn’t even remember her. What’s the point of reconnecting?” “Exactly. The battle for the Sterling heir is fierce right now. If she dares to show up, they’ll make her disappear faster than you can say ‘inheritance’!” “Only Julian truly loves the female lead. If she marries him, she’ll be happy forever!” Just then, Julian dropped to one knee and proposed to me passionately. “Zoe, the Sterling family waters run too deep. Don’t go back, okay? Marry me. I’ll take care of you and protect you for the rest of my life!” Touched, I was about to speak when I suddenly heard his inner thoughts. “System, did you release the fake comments?” “Host, the fake comments are out. But are you really going to marry Zoe Sterling? According to the original plot, after the villainess Audrey Sterling becomes the heir, you can live a life of luxury with her forever.” “I’m giving Zoe’s inheritance to Audrey. I owe her that much, and I’ll spend my life making it up to her. As for Audrey, she achieved her dream. She’ll be happy even without me.” I retracted my emotion. This guy played games while I was ready to give my heart. But he was wrong. From beginning to end, I was all about my career. A little love affair wasn’t going to stop me. 1 Seeing my silence, Julian slid the ring onto my finger, his eyes full of affection. “Zoe, don’t worry. I’ll protect you forever.” I took off the ring and slapped him across the face with it. “No need. I’m going to find my family.” Julian pressed his thin lips together, his eyes turning red as he looked at me. The comments scrolled frantically before my eyes. “The devoted male lead was rejected! So unfair! The female lead is an idiot. If she goes to reconnect tonight, Audrey will definitely feed her to the dogs!” “I don’t understand the female lead. Why give up a good life to seek death?” I ignored it all and started to walk away. Julian hurriedly grabbed me, his voice urgent. “Zoe, don’t waste your effort. Even if you go, Old Man Sterling won’t recognize you as his sister, let alone give you the property!” I looked at him. “Why?” Julian sighed. “Old Man Sterling made his fortune from your pickle shop and became the richest man. He forgot his roots long ago. Now the Sterling family wishes you were dead out there. How could he possibly hand over the property?” Looking at his worried face, I found it laughable and shook off his hand. “Even so, that’s my business. Regardless of the outcome, I have to try.” The comments went wild. “Is the female lead sick in the head? Are family and money more important than life? Glutton for punishment!” “The male lead is really worried about her. Poor guy, his deep love is wasted. Just wait, she’ll regret it!” The more the comments raged, the faster I walked toward the villa. Behind me, Julian’s confused inner voice sounded. “What’s going on? Why does Zoe insist on reconnecting? Does she know Old Man Sterling has been waiting for her?” “Host, what do we do now?” Julian thought: “We’ll play it by ear. I won’t let her succeed.” I found my brother’s mansion according to the address. Many people were going in and out. I was dressed decently and slipped in. Suddenly, a woman dressed in luxurious clothes stopped me, looking me up and down condescendingly. “Who are you? I don’t recall inviting you to this family banquet.” Comments started flashing. “The ruthless villainess finally appears. The female lead is done for. Serves her right for coming back!” “The villainess is Old Man Sterling’s favorite granddaughter and groomed as the heir. She wouldn’t be in this position without some tricks up her sleeve.” The woman in front of me had arrogant eyes. I spoke calmly. “I’m here to reconnect with my family.” Audrey Sterling crossed her arms and laughed mockingly. “Another one here to claim relation. Tell me, which illegitimate daughter of the Sterling family are you?” Hearing this, I straightened my back and spoke clearly. “I am your Great-Aunt.” Audrey froze, then looked at me like I was a lunatic, utterly speechless. The hall erupted in laughter. “I’ve seen people claiming to be long-lost fathers or mothers, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone claiming to be a great-aunt to a granddaughter.” “If she’s really the Great-Aunt, then after Liam smashed her only portrait, she’d strangle him.” I followed the mocking voices and looked into a corner where a boy sat, looking out of place. He had delicate features but his clothes were stained with red wine, looking quite disheveled. He stared at me intently, as if seeing something shocking, his eyes full of disbelief. “It’s really… Great-Aunt…” Hearing this, the group mocking me patted his face maliciously, laughing uncontrollably. “The Great-Aunt must be in her seventies or eighties. This girl looks younger than Audrey. You actually believe she’s your Great-Aunt? Stupid and foolish, you think you deserve to compete with Audrey for heir?” “Exactly. He’s bad luck. Born killing his mother, then smashing the Great-Aunt’s portrait, sending the old man to the hospital nearly dead. You should just shut up and stay in your room, understand?” “Alright, just hit him. Don’t mention the portrait; that’s Grandpa’s sore spot.” Saying this, they were about to pour wine on him again. Anger surged within me. “Stop!” My shout startled them, and they nearly dropped the wine. Audrey glanced at me coldly. “Why are you still here? Someone throw her out. If Grandpa sees trash like this later, he’ll be angry.” My eyes darkened. Just as they were about to act, the main doors were pushed open, and Old Man Sterling entered surrounded by bodyguards. Everyone quieted down immediately, watching Old Man Sterling take the main seat. I stared at him blankly. Fifty years had passed. My brother’s hair was white; time had left its mark on his face. Seeing those aged yet familiar features, I involuntarily called out his name. “Danny Sterling…” Old Man Sterling stiffened and slowly lifted his eyelids to look at me. The comments exploded. “Whoa, the female lead is bold! Calling the old man by his name? Does she have a death wish?” “Look at everyone’s faces, like they’ve seen a ghost. Hilarious. Now there’s a show to watch. The female lead is in for it!” The crowd stirred, looking at me with schadenfreude. Audrey’s face grew darker, and she said angrily: “How presumptuous! Security, throw this crazy woman spouting nonsense out immediately!” Several guards rushed forward to restrain me. I ripped the ancestral jade pendant from my neck and held it high. “I am your Great-Aunt! I dare anyone to touch me!” Seeing this, everyone gasped. “This… this is the family heirloom recorded in the Sterling genealogy. Is she really the Great-Aunt?” “Get real. Your Great-Aunt is twenty?” “But I heard the old man say the Great-Aunt participated in a secret experiment back then. Could the result be eternal youth?” Hearing this, panic flashed in Audrey’s eyes. She quickly stepped forward and affectionately held Old Man Sterling’s arm. “Grandpa, even jade pendants can be forged. She’s just a crazy woman. Don’t believe her nonsense.” The atmosphere in the hall grew tense. Old Man Sterling leaned on his cane and looked at me for a long time before slowly speaking. “Bring the jade pendant here. Let me have a good look.” Just as I was about to hand over the pendant, Julian suddenly rushed in, snatched my pendant, and smashed it on the floor. “Zoe, stop deceiving yourself! The Sterling family is out of your league!” 2 When I came back to my senses, the jade pendant was shattered into pieces. My brain buzzed instantly. My hand was faster than my brain, slapping him first. “Julian, if you’re sick, go see a doctor! Why smash my stuff!” Julian took the slap without resisting. He just gave me a deep look and bowed to apologize to everyone. “Apologies, everyone. She is my girlfriend. That jade pendant was a fake she bought online for $9.99!” “She has delusions, always fantasizing about being rich. Here are her medical records. Every word I say is true. Please don’t blame her.” The medical records were passed around, causing a stir. “So poor she went crazy, thinking of getting rich by claiming kinship. But her posture just now was convincing; even I was almost fooled.” “Brain issues indeed, daring to scam the Sterling family. Lucky the old man is kind. In another family, she’d be dead already.” The medical records were handed to Old Man Sterling. His face darkened bit by bit, and he waved his hand helplessly. “Fine, take her away. We Sterlings don’t trouble sick people.” Audrey secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a triumphant smile on her lips. “Didn’t you hear Grandpa kicking you out? Security, throw her out!” Several guards moved again. Julian blocked them for me, reaching out his hand to beg. “Zoe, the rich world isn’t for us. I just want to live a good life with you. Come with me quickly.” Comments flooded the screen instantly. “Ahhh, the male lead loves her so much, risking his safety to take her away. I’m crying.” “Female lead, stop being ungrateful! You can only survive by leaving with him!” Everyone’s gaze fell on me mockingly. I understood. Julian wanted to force me to leave this way, fulfilling his wish for Audrey to be the heir. I slapped his hand away and spoke to Old Man Sterling. “Since no one believes me, I demand high-tech proof. A DNA test.” After waking up, I frantically searched for my family. During that time, I learned about new ways to verify kinship. DNA can help me confirm my relationship. I won’t be pushed around. Everyone froze. “What’s going on? She dares to do a DNA test? Is she really the Great-Aunt?” Audrey’s smile froze, looking a bit more panicked. “Stop stalling here. Why should we listen to you?” “Enough.” Old Man Sterling tapped the floor heavily with his cane twice. Everyone quieted down immediately. “Audrey, get a doctor to test her DNA.” Audrey bit her lip unwillingly but didn’t dare refuse. “Yes, Grandpa. I’ll go right now.” The comments exploded again. “The female lead is digging her own grave. Making a scene and insisting on a death wish. She’ll regret it sooner or later!” I ignored it and sat down to let the doctor take a sample. Soon after, the doctor returned with the results and announced to everyone. “Everyone, the results are out. The conclusion is very clear—” The whole room held its breath. I held my head high. Until the doctor declared, “Mr. Sterling and this lady have no blood relationship.” A few seconds later, the crowd erupted in laughter. “I thought there would be a twist. Dying of laughter. Turns out she’s just a clown.” “She can really act. Stubborn until the end. Let’s see how she explains this.” My face changed. I strode forward and snatched the report from the doctor. The end clearly stated, “Zoe Sterling and Danny Sterling are excluded from biological relationship.” I clenched the report. “Impossible. I am Danny’s sister. There’s a problem with the report. I demand a retest!” “Enough!” Old Man Sterling shouted angrily, his cane banging loudly on the floor. Everyone fell silent, not daring to make a sound. Old Man Sterling lifted his eyelids to look at me, eyes full of disappointment, and sighed heavily. “Many people know my name, and many know I’m waiting for my sister. But child, you’re young and not on the right path. Deception won’t lead to a good end.” “I’ve waited for my sister for fifty years. Now I’m half in the grave. I shouldn’t hope for her return. I won’t pursue your matter. Go, stop making trouble.” Audrey held her head high, mocking me unceremoniously. “Fake is fake. Even if you test ten thousand times, the result is the same! Get out now!” The next second, the boy who looked out of place in the corner suddenly spoke to the old man. “Grandpa, let her test again. She really is our Great-Aunt!” Audrey was furious. “Liam, shut up! There’s no place for a jinx like you to speak in the Sterling family!” Liam ignored her, walked up to Old Man Sterling, and knelt with a thud. Red-eyed, he said, “Grandpa, no one has seen Great-Aunt’s portrait except you and me.” “You can’t remember because you’re sick, but I broke that portrait. I always remember Great-Aunt’s face. She is Great-Aunt!” “Grandpa, I beg you, let me take the sample to the hospital for a retest!” Audrey clenched her fingers, walked up quickly, and slapped him hard. “Liam Sterling! I thought you were just unlucky, but I didn’t expect you to betray the family and conspire with outsiders! Did you know you couldn’t compete with me, so you found a way to work with others to impersonate Great-Aunt and steal everything from the Sterling family?!” “I tell you, I won’t let you succeed. Someone! Take Liam down and teach him a lesson!” Several guards surrounded him. Liam struggled desperately, kowtowing incessantly, voice urgent. “Grandpa, please! Let her test again! She really is Great-Aunt; she isn’t lying!” Liam kept kowtowing, staining the carpet red with blood. My face was solemn, lips tight. Old Man Sterling breathed heavily, his expression finally moved. “Alright, stop kowtowing. I’ll give her one more chance. If the result is the same, I won’t spare her, nor you.” Audrey panicked. “Grandpa!” Old Man Sterling turned away and waved his hand. “It’s decided. Go do it immediately.” Liam stood up, bowed to the old man with joy in his eyes. “Thank you, Grandpa. I’ll go right now!” I watched him run away with the sample, heart trembling. This child is genuinely testing for me. As long as he handles it, the DNA test won’t be wrong. I just have to endure a little longer. When the results come out, I’ll slap them in the face hard! Comments scrolled frantically. “I’m getting annoyed by the female lead’s stupidity. She definitely won’t survive tonight.” “Everyone pack up, get ready for the female lead’s funeral.” Annoyed by the comments, I looked away, catching a glimpse of Julian beside me. I heard his gnashing thoughts. Julian: “A hurdle appeared out of nowhere. Zoe Sterling is lucky.” System: “Host, what’s happening? Are we going to fail the mission?” Julian: “No, I have a plan. If she insists on fighting, I can only do what the comments say and make sure she doesn’t survive tonight!” I withdrew my gaze calmly, eyes falling on Audrey. Her fingers were tapping something on her phone. Looking up and meeting my eyes, a trace of ruthlessness flashed in hers. I closed my eyes, choosing not to see. Time passed minute by minute. Suddenly, Liam video called, quickly projected onto the big screen. “Everyone, the second report is out—” 3 Everyone looked up. Liam focused the camera on the result. “Grandpa and this Miss Sterling are biologically related!” The cane fell to the ground with a clatter. Old Man Sterling stood up excitedly, supported by others as he walked to me, shaking as he held my hand. “Sis… Sister, is it really you? You really came back?” “It’s me. I’m back.” I straightened my back, gaze sweeping over everyone. Those who were mocking me just now lowered their heads, afraid to breathe. My gaze glanced over Audrey, who was biting her lower lip, and I laughed lightly. “Since the truth is out now, shouldn’t we figure out what happened with the first report?” Everyone’s eyes fell on Audrey. Her body trembled violently. The murderous look just now turned into aggrievement. “Great-Aunt, I… I don’t know what happened. It must be this doctor. He’s worked for the Sterling family for over ten years. I recently found out he cooked the books and stole a lot of money. He must be afraid you’ll investigate strictly after taking over, so he falsified it on purpose!” The doctor’s eyes widened. “But you just told me to fake the test result for five million, otherwise you wouldn’t get the inheritance when your Great-Aunt returned.” As soon as he finished speaking, Audrey walked up quickly and slapped him. “You! You’re talking nonsense! Do you have proof?” The doctor covered his red face, sneered, and threw his phone out. It clearly showed a transfer of five million. “I don’t want this money anymore! Today I’ll show everyone the face of this vicious woman who would disown her ancestor for money!” “You!” Audrey’s shoulders shook with anger. Red-eyed, she ran to Old Man Sterling and grabbed him. “Grandpa, listen to me. The picture is photoshopped by the doctor. He wants to frame me, really…” Old Man Sterling threw off her hand, eyes full of disappointment. “I spoiled you for so many years. You were the granddaughter I favored most. I didn’t expect you to do such a thing. Although Liam isn’t as clever as you, his character is top-notch. In comparison, I was blind to judge people wrong.” Old Man Sterling sighed heavily, turned away from her, and announced to everyone. “Today your Great-Aunt has returned. As promised, I will give her the position of Sterling family heir. As long as I live, you descendants don’t think about her position. As for Audrey… I am thoroughly disappointed. Deal with her according to family rules. Kick her out if needed, do whatever needs to be done.” With that, Old Man Sterling supported me to leave. Audrey finally panicked, grabbing Old Man Sterling’s coat hem and begging. “No… no Grandpa, give me another chance. I won’t dare again, I swear!” Audrey cried like a pear blossom bathed in rain. Someone in the crowd couldn’t bear it and spoke up. “Uncle, Audrey was just momentarily confused. Kicking her out directly might not be appropriate.” “If Audrey is kicked out for this, wouldn’t it go against your image of benevolence? If other wealthy families hear about it, who knows what rumors they’ll spread.” “Yeah, just give Audrey another chance.” Seeing everyone pleading, Old Man Sterling looked at me in dilemma. The long-silent comments flashed. “Female lead, don’t go too far. The villainess is the biggest antagonist! Don’t court death if you want to live!” “I’m done. If the female lead had any brains, she should win over the villainess. Can’t she see the obvious situation?” 4 I smiled calmly. “Alright, Danny. Everyone has a point. Audrey is still young; she shouldn’t be kicked out for such a small mistake.” Hearing this, Audrey secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then I changed my tone sharply. “But the Sterling family has always been reasonable. Audrey made a mistake, so naturally, she must be punished. I heard the second rule of the Sterling family is to kowtow a hundred times to apologize for offending ancestors, right? Let’s deal with it this way. Any objections?” Everyone looked at each other, no one dared to speak. “Good! Sister said it well!” Old Man Sterling nodded approvingly while applauding me. “Do as Sister says. Audrey, remember, every kowtow must be loud to count as apologizing to the ancestor.” Audrey’s smile froze. “Grandpa, this…” “Enough, just do it.” Old Man Sterling ignored her and helped me to the main seat. My gaze swept the hall; Julian had slipped away unnoticed. I withdrew my gaze. Several guards brought Audrey to me, pressed her shoulders, and she knelt with a thud. The always proud Audrey suffered such humiliation for the first time, crying tears all over her face. Her head was pressed by the guard for the first kowtow. I took an apple from the fruit plate Old Man Sterling offered and enjoyed the show while eating. The moment Audrey met my eyes, her unwillingness looked like she wanted to swallow me alive. The next second, she was pressed down by the guard for another kowtow. After a hundred kowtows, Audrey’s forehead was broken and bleeding. I didn’t make it harder for her, had someone take her down for bandaging, and officially announced the start of the banquet. Old Man Sterling presented me with a pile of novel gadgets. I looked at them with curiosity. I picked a handy “brick” to smash a walnut. The guard beside me spoke tremblingly. “Great-Aunt, the brick you just used to smash the walnut is the master’s phone.” Seeing the screen shattered into a spider web, Old Man Sterling froze, then laughed nonchalantly. “It’s fine! My sister loves using phones to smash walnuts. But Sister, this thing isn’t just for smashing walnuts. Let me show you…” He held the phone, opening various apps, making me exclaim in wonder, sighing from the bottom of my heart. “Didn’t expect only fifty years to pass, and times have changed so much. Good, really good.” The wrinkles at the corners of Old Man Sterling’s eyes deepened. Holding my hand, he rambled on about many things. “Sister, after I took over your pickle shop, it coincided with the economic reform. I seized the opportunity, turned the shop into a factory, and the factory into a company. That’s how our Sterling family developed.” “People praise me for being lucky to catch the era of development, but I think the luckiest thing in my life is having you as a sister. If you hadn’t trusted me with the pickle shop back then, the Sterling family wouldn’t have today’s achievements.” Those eyes full of weathering had light again when looking at me. I took a tissue to wipe his tears, pretending to scold him. “What are you crying for? Men don’t cry easily. Hold it back.” Scolded by me, Old Man Sterling actually held back his tears. Seeing him looking like he wanted to cry but couldn’t, I burst out laughing.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387953”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

On the plane, my boyfriend’s “white moonlight”—the one who got away—smashed a hole in the window with her high heel just to get some fresh air. Instantly, all the passengers were sucked into a deadly vortex of decompression and hypoxia. As a flight attendant, I risked my life to save everyone. After the plane landed, she grabbed my hand and cried: “I just wanted some fresh air! Who knew this window was so flimsy!” At that moment, my boyfriend walked over and defended her: “Lexi didn’t mean it! She’s just a young girl! She didn’t know the consequences would be so severe!” I interrupted him directly, warning him coldly: “This is an aviation accident. If you want to cover for her, your selection for Flight Attendant of the Year is gone!” In the end, I called the police, and Lexi was sentenced to ten years. My boyfriend was sad for a few days, but then he seemed to get over it. Later, he was promoted from captain to chief pilot, and we got married. During our honeymoon, he flew the plane himself. Mid-flight, he manually depressurized the cabin and said to me over the intercom: “Lexi just wanted to open a window for some air, and you got her locked up for ten years.” “Now I’ll let you know what it feels like not to be able to breathe!” I clutched the broken oxygen mask, opening my mouth in vain, and died in extreme pain and suffocation! When I opened my eyes again, everything had restarted. I decided to stay out of it. I want to see how they will end this high-altitude farce! 1 As soon as I opened my eyes, the familiar chaos and screams filled my ears! In my past life, after Lexi caused the disaster, she ran to me crying for help. It was the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, and I wasn’t working, just a passenger on this flight for a trip. But I still rushed forward regardless of everything. I risked my life to save everyone. Because I turned the tide, I won leniency for her. As long as she behaved well afterward, she still had a chance for probation. But she had been spoiled since childhood and couldn’t stand being wronged. She dared to throw tantrums even in the detention center. In the end, she ruined her chance for probation and was sentenced to ten years in prison. Now I sat securely, fastened my seatbelt, and continued to rest with my eyes closed. Soon, Lexi stumbled over. Her makeup was ruined by tears, and she grabbed my arm incoherently: “Wendy! Something happened! Please go and take a look!” I slowly opened my eyes and looked at her coldly: “I’m on vacation.” “But… but…” “This is your flight, your responsibility.” I interrupted her and closed my eyes again. But she grabbed my arm tightly and forcibly dragged me to the first-class cabin. The scene before me was a mess; the emergency window was broken. Biting cold wind swirled debris around the cabin, and many passengers were injured and unconscious. The high-pressure air tore the hole into a large gap. Several colleagues blocked it with a meal cart, but it obviously wouldn’t hold for long. Seeing Lexi, the chief purser’s anger flared up: “Lexi! Are you crazy? How could you do such a thing?” “Relying on the captain to protect you, you only know how to cause trouble every day!” “This hole won’t hold for long! If there’s no other way, everyone on this plane is doomed!” Oxygen masks fell one after another, and the emergency alert sound echoed continuously in the cabin. Several young colleagues began to break down, saying with a sobbing tone: “We’re not going to die, are we…” In the confusion, someone looked at me: “It’s okay! Wendy is here! She is the company’s technical ace!” “Last time there was an engine failure on an international flight, she successfully directed the emergency landing! She must have a way!” Everyone’s eyes instantly focused on me. At this time, Lexi pointed at me and screamed: “I went to find you a long time ago, but you kept dragging your feet and wouldn’t come!” “Just because I got a little closer to Mark, you bear a grudge!” “Even if you don’t like me, you can’t take it out on everyone on the plane and let everyone die in vain!” For a moment, the way everyone looked at me changed. “Wendy, at a time like this, how can you still be emotional?” “Yeah, human lives are at stake!” Seeing this, Lexi took out her phone to show everyone. It was a video she just secretly took of me. In the picture, I was sitting in my seat with my eyes closed, indifferent to her crying pleas. Lexi burst into tears again, walked up, and grabbed my hand: “Wendy, you are also a flight attendant. Our duty is to be on standby at all times!” “At a life-and-death moment, how can you not save us?” “Are you looking down on others just because you are professionally capable?” I couldn’t bear it anymore and shook her off! Caught off guard, she took a step back, and her forehead hit the luggage rack next to her heavily. I looked at her coldly and said word by word: “Are you out of your mind!” 2 “Today is your shift, your post! If something happens, you are responsible!” “You put everyone on the plane in danger just to get some fresh air!” “You still have the nerve to blame me. Even if I wanted revenge, I wouldn’t have the guts to destroy the emergency window!” Lexi covered her red forehead, her face as pale as paper. “At a life-and-death moment, why are you still fussing about details!” “Before, when other colleagues asked you for help, you would help, but when I ask you, you don’t!” “You are just jealous that Mark treats me well, so you are using public office to avenge private wrongs!” Her weak and helpless appearance made several passengers around start to be dissatisfied with me. “I think you did it on purpose, putting on airs here relying on your seniority!” “With such a vicious heart, refusing to save people, you don’t deserve this uniform!” But immediately, colleagues spoke up for me: “Lexi, you are simply turning black into white!” “Wendy worked for three months without rest to cover shifts. What’s wrong with wanting to rest on her hard-earned vacation?” “Usually, when you were asked to learn more emergency knowledge, you slacked off. Now what right do you have to blame Wendy here?” Immediately, other colleagues echoed: “Exactly! It’s not her working hours now; she has no obligation!” Hearing this, the passengers complained about Lexi again, and some suspected whether she was really a professional flight attendant. Her face turned green, and she shivered in the corner. At this time, my boyfriend Mark’s sharp shout suddenly came from the broadcast: “Shut up, all of you!” Then his tone softened and became intimate: “Lexi, don’t be afraid, I’m here.” Immediately afterwards, he reprimanded us severely: “Lexi is just a young girl who made a mistake in a moment of confusion. You are seniors; you should give her a little more tolerance!” “Wendy Zhang! I order you to find a solution immediately!” I picked up the phone next to me directly and sneered: “I am a passenger now; you have no right to order me!” After speaking, I glanced at the window, my heart tightening. The meal cart blocking there was about to be sucked flat, and there were cracks all around the edge. Although the plane was also descending at maximum speed, it was still far from the ground. In this situation, at most ten more minutes, the airflow would tear the plane apart completely! Reborn, I wanted to see this pair of adulterers suffer the consequences. But I and this cabin full of passengers couldn’t be buried with them. I turned the call mode to public broadcast so everyone could hear. “I have a way to solve this accident, but I have two conditions!” The originally noisy cabin instantly quieted down, and everyone looked at me with burning eyes. I said in a cold tone: “First, you immediately report Lexi’s mistake to the tower, admit that you shielded her because of personal feelings, are unworthy of being a captain, voluntarily request indefinite suspension, and have it recorded in your file.” “Second, make Lexi kneel and apologize to everyone!” As soon as the voice fell, Mark’s roar came: “Wendy Zhang, don’t talk nonsense! We are just colleagues!” “Besides, you are just a flight attendant. What right do you have to give orders to the captain?” Everyone clamored upon hearing this: “Still saying there’s no relationship? Calling her ‘Lexi’ so affectionately!” “So it’s the captain covering up! For a woman, does he want us all to be buried with her?” “Kneel! Make your little mistress kneel and apologize to us!” 3 Hearing this, Lexi’s face changed again and again. Then she suddenly rushed to the cockpit and slapped the door hard with both hands. “Mark! Save me! They want to drive me to death!” Several colleagues rushed up to stop her. It is strictly forbidden for anyone to break into the cockpit during the flight. This is an iron rule, especially in emergencies. The chief purser scolded angrily: “You lunatic! Interfering with the cockpit will cause the plane to crash!” Mark’s voice came from the broadcast: “Let her in! Don’t stop her!” “I am the captain! I have the final say here!” Lexi immediately burst into laughter through tears and shouted to the broadcast in public: “Mark, I knew you were the best! You will definitely protect me!” This made the passengers on the verge of collapse laugh in anger. “Crazy, truly crazy!” “One dares to poke the window, one dares to open the cabin door, two lunatics!” “The captain takes the lead in breaking the rules. Can we still land alive?” Standing aside, I also felt it was absurd to the extreme. Dealing with high-altitude accidents, the primary task is emergency descent, and then ensuring the cockpit is not disturbed. But this captain forgot even the most basic professional ethics for personal feelings. At this time, a piercing friction sound came from the meal cart; it had begun to deform and tear! Everyone’s heart was in their throats! The chief purser’s face was pale, and she shouted hoarsely: “Captain! There’s no time! I request mandatory evacuation of all personnel in the front cabin!” This is the most extreme plan. Once proposed, it declares that the crisis has reached the final moment. But Mark said unhurriedly: “Let Lexi in first! I can’t let her be in danger!” Hearing this, Lexi acted coquettishly to the broadcast again: “Mark, just open the door…” Several male passengers couldn’t bear it anymore. They rushed up violently, grabbed her hair, and dragged her to the ground! “Bitch! Still being slutty here!” “We’re all going to be killed by you, and you’re still flirting here?” “Want to enter the cockpit? I’ll throw you out of that hole directly! Let you go down for some fresh air!” Curses and pulling sounds mixed together, and the scene instantly went out of control. Soon her clothes were torn, her hair disheveled, looking wretched. With a “thud,” she knelt heavily on the ground, kowtowing and crying to everyone: “I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! I harmed everyone!” Mark’s voice full of pity came instantly: “Lexi! Are you okay? What are you doing?” “I warn you! This is a crime!” This undoubtedly added fuel to the fire. The passengers cursed: “Still protecting her now! How are you a captain?” “If you don’t do what Wendy says, we’ll throw her out now!” “Anyway, we are going to die, what crime are we afraid of! Send her on her way before we die!” The broadcast fell silent, only his heavy breathing could be heard. I could imagine his iron-blue face and clenched fists. A few seconds later, his frustrated and unwilling voice came: “Okay! Wendy Zhang, I’ll do as you say! Think of a way quickly!” 4 Saying that, he immediately reported to the tower. After hearing the confirmation tone of reception, I breathed a long sigh of relief. At least in this life, he has no chance to harm me again. I quickly started to deal with the crisis. “Everyone, listen to my command!” “Bring me all usable blankets, pillows, and cushions!” “Tie them together with luggage straps and belts to make a temporary filling!” “Quick! We have less than ten minutes!” I clicked the timer on my watch as I spoke. Colleagues also acted immediately. At this moment where every second counted, Lexi was still crying to the broadcast: “Mark, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault, I dragged you down.” Mark immediately comforted her with heartache: “Silly, how can this be blamed on you. You’ve done well, don’t blame yourself.” Lexi cried even harder, sobbing: “I quit, I don’t want to be a flight attendant anymore! This job is too scary!” Mark’s voice sounded again: “Lexi, stop crying, I’ll give you a chance to make up for your mistakes!” “Go help Wendy Zhang, I believe in you!” The chief purser immediately objected: “Now is not the time for her to make up for mistakes; she will only cause trouble!” “Shut up!” Mark scolded: “Before the approval process is completed, I am still the captain! I have the final say here!” “Lexi needs to rebuild her self-confidence. This crisis is her best training opportunity!” I was almost amused by his anger. At a time like this, he was still thinking about organizing some “practical combat drill” for his little lover? Using hundreds of lives on the whole plane as her sparring partners? Lexi wiped her tears and stumbled to my side: “Wendy, I’ll help you!” “Teach me, what should I do!” I didn’t look up, reaching under the seat to find belts. “Stand back, don’t get in the way.” But she acted like she didn’t hear, circling around me, stepping on my foot occasionally, and even trying to trip me. I didn’t want to pay attention to her, but she was relentless. “Wendy, do you think I’m stupid? Let me help you… ah…” Saying that, she suddenly fell towards me, her elbow hitting my back hard. A piercing pain made me gasp. “Sorry, Wendy, I slipped accidentally!” I endured the severe pain and threw her off, cold sweat seeping from my forehead. The lives of everyone on the plane hung by a thread; I had no time to argue with her. Seeing this, a trace of unwillingness flashed in Lexi’s eyes. At this time, colleagues handed over a bundle of tied blankets, and she immediately took it. Then pretending her hand slipped again, she let the bundle of blankets fly directly towards the gap in the hole, about to be sucked out of the cabin! “Get lost!” I shouted sternly, pushed her away, and grabbed the blanket. This back and forth wasted a lot of time. I glanced at my watch; less than five minutes left! Seeing this, colleagues scolded one after another: “Lexi, stop causing trouble here!” “Please go sit in the back!” Accused by everyone, Lexi cried aggrievedly and shouted to the broadcast again: “Mark, they are all bullying me…” Mark’s accusation came immediately: “Wendy Zhang! Asking you to guide Lexi is giving you a chance to make amends!” “Just because you lost a child yourself, you can’t stand an innocent and lively girl like Lexi?” These words were like a poisoned dagger, accurately stabbing into my old wound. I once miscarried for him. At that time, he accompanied me through many desperate days and nights, saying “having you is enough” over and over again. Now, for another woman, in front of so many people, he uncovered my most private scar. I suppressed the severe pain in my heart; now was not the time to collapse. I turned around and directed everyone to push the filling just tied up towards the glass. This was the most critical step; a slight carelessness would suck everyone out together. Three minutes left! We withstood the huge suction force and pushed it forward carefully. Just as we were about to successfully block it, Lexi suddenly shouted: “You are doing it wrong! I read in a book that we should depressurize first and then block the door!” Saying that, she actually rushed to the depressurization valve on the side! “Stop!” My eyes nearly split open. The pressure difference between inside and outside the plane was so huge now; her depressurization would tear us all to pieces!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387969”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 The day my wife was welcomed back by her wealthy family, I was packing my bags. She saw me and frowned. “Leave it. I’m only taking Julian and Mia. You can stay here in the Warrens.” “I’ll give you five hundred a month for expenses,” she added, her voice devoid of warmth. “And I’ll let you see Mia from time to time.” I nodded calmly, without a fight. I already knew. She was always going to choose her childhood sweetheart and take my daughter with them. In my last life, I threw a fit and begged to go with them to the Hawthorne estate. I thought I could finally live a comfortable life. Instead, I was framed for theft by Julian. Then, my own daughter tricked me, luring me to the eighteenth-floor balcony before pushing me off. I remember her red-rimmed eyes as she screamed, her voice raw with hatred. “I don’t want a thief for a father! If you hadn’t insisted on coming, I would have had a better dad by now!” In that moment, a chill colder than death consumed me. Then, I opened my eyes. I was reborn. A text message glowed on my phone’s screen, a notification from a classified national research agency. Mr. Jacob Levy, congratulations. You have been officially recruited. Please be advised: upon entry, all contact with external persons is forbidden for a period of five years. I had two days left. Two days until I could dedicate myself to my country and leave this life behind. But that night, as I hid out in my new rental, the door was kicked open. Isabella Hawthorne stood in the doorway, her white designer suit soaked by the rain, her expression as dark and stormy as the sky. Behind her, holding an umbrella, was Julian. And holding Julian’s hand was my daughter, Mia. Julian’s voice was thick with false indignation. “Jacob, I know you’re upset, but you can’t just steal my mother’s heirloom. That necklace is the only thing I have left of her…” His words struck me like a bolt of lightning, and the blood in my veins turned to ice. I realized with dawning horror that this was exactly how it started last time. My hands trembled as I tried to stop them, but the bodyguards were already tearing my apartment apart. From a hidden pocket inside my suitcase, one of them pulled out a silver necklace. Isabella held it up, her eyes filled with a disgust so potent it felt like it was flaying me alive. My body went cold. I understood everything in that instant. “Impossible…” I whispered. It was Julian. In this life, just like the last, he had laid the perfect trap to make me a pariah in everyone’s eyes. “Caught red-handed,” Isabella’s voice was sharp as glass. “Jacob, for the sake of our marriage, I’ll give you one chance to confess.” Confess? I lifted my head, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. I was so close. Two more days and my life would have been completely different. “I have nothing to confess,” I said, each word a struggle. Her fury blazed hotter. She barked an order to the men at the door. “Then help him remember his place!” Two hulking figures stormed in, grabbing my arms in a vicelike grip. One of them forced my head down, the immense pressure forcing me to bow before Julian. “Kneel and repent!” Isabella’s voice rained down on me from above. I clenched my jaw, resisting with every ounce of strength I had left. “It wasn’t me! Isabella, I won’t do it!” But the bodyguard’s hand was like an iron clamp. He slammed my head against the floor. Crack! A searing pain shot through my forehead as it met the rough concrete. “Apologize,” Isabella commanded. “No…” I gasped. Crack! Another slam, harder this time. I felt a warm trickle of blood run down my face. Mia’s voice, choked with tears, pierced the air. “Daddy, just say you did it! Please, I’m scared…” My daughter’s plea was a knife in my heart. She had no idea that every time she called me “Daddy,” she was carving another piece out of my shattered soul. In my last life, when she pushed me from that rooftop, I died never understanding why the daughter I had adored for ten years would trust a man she barely knew over me. Isabella’s tone was laced with scorn. “See? Even your own daughter is ashamed of you.” Crack! The third blow. My vision began to blur. Blood and sweat mingled, dripping onto the cold floor. Julian made a show of intervening. “Bella, that’s enough… Maybe Jacob was just confused…” “Confused? He’s pathologically stubborn!” The guard grabbed my head again. I used my last bit of strength to look up, my eyes locked on Julian. “I did nothing wrong!” That was the last straw for Isabella. “Still talking back?! Keep going! Don’t stop until he admits what he did!” Just then, Mia rushed forward and kicked my shoulder with all her might. “You’re a thief! You’re not my daddy anymore! I don’t love you!” The kick itself was weak, but it froze me to the core. I stopped struggling. My own daughter. While I was being framed, while my head was being smashed against the floor, she didn’t believe me. She came to add her own blow. So this is what it feels like for a heart to die. Even Isabella seemed taken aback by Mia’s action. She waved a hand, and the bodyguards released me. I collapsed onto the floor, a broken heap, blood flowing freely from my forehead. She walked over to me, rain dripping from the ends of her hair. “Jacob, for Mia’s sake, if you apologize to Julian right now, I’ll let this go.” I looked up, my vision blurred by blood, and stared at her. At the innocent-looking man behind her. And at the daughter who looked at me like I was a stranger. A bloody smile stretched across my lips. “I… did nothing… wrong.” “And I will never apologize to Julian!” I spat the last words out, my gaze fixed on him. Isabella’s face contorted in a mask of rage. “Stubborn fool! Drag him outside! He can kneel in the rain until he’s ready to confess!” I was hauled out into the yard and thrown into the cold, muddy water. The torrential downpour washed over the gash on my forehead, the pain sharp and biting. From behind me, I heard Julian’s gentle voice. “Bella, the rain’s so heavy. Maybe we should let him come inside…” And Mia’s childish question. “Mommy, when is the thief going to say he’s sorry?” Followed by Isabella’s cold reply. “He brought this on himself.” A thief? Brought this on myself? The pain in my body was nothing compared to the agony in my soul. The voices faded as the world dissolved into blackness. The stinging smell of antiseptic filled my nostrils. I drifted back to consciousness, pulled by a wave of excruciating pain. The ceiling above was the sterile white of a hospital. My gaze shifted to find several stone-faced bodyguards in black suits standing around my bed like sentinels. “You’re awake?” a cold voice asked. I slowly turned my head. Isabella stood by my bedside, her face a thundercloud of fury. In her hand was the necklace, but her eyes held no warmth, only judgment and disgust. She held it up. “Jacob, I’m going to ask you one last time. Where did you hide the real heirloom from Julian’s mother? This one… is a fake.” A fake? My pupils constricted. I understood instantly. Julian! That venomous bastard! He used a fake to seal my fate as a thief. Whether I confessed or not, he had another trap waiting. The real necklace was probably long gone, hidden or destroyed. He didn’t just want to ruin my name; he wanted to ensure I could never recover. My throat was parched and raw. “I didn’t take it,” I rasped. My heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand, squeezing the very air from my lungs. Why? Why, even with a second chance, was I still trapped in this nightmare of false accusations? Isabella stared at me, trying to gauge if I was lying. After a moment, the last shred of patience in her eyes vanished, replaced by bitter disappointment and a chilling cruelty. “It seems you won’t talk unless we use more persuasive methods.” She took a step back and gave a cold command to her men. “A thief doesn’t deserve to keep his hands. Since he won’t give it back, break his fingers, one by one. We’re in a hospital. He won’t die.” My eyes widened in disbelief. She was going to… break my fingers? No! She couldn’t! I struggled, but the bodyguards held me down. I couldn’t lose my hands! The National Defense Research Agency! My future! All my hopes of escaping this hell were pinned on those hands—hands meant for delicate instruments and life-changing experiments! Without them, I was finished! “Isabella! You can’t!” I screamed, desperation clawing at my sanity. “I didn’t steal anything! I didn’t—” She just watched, her expression unchanging, as if watching a silent movie that had nothing to do with her. One of the guards grabbed my left hand, his thick fingers closing around my index finger. “NO!” My shriek tore through the silence of the room. SNAP! The sharp crack of bone was followed by a white-hot agony that made my vision go black. I almost passed out from the pain. Pain. Indescribable pain. But it was nothing, not even a fraction of the agony consuming my heart. I looked at the woman I had loved with every fiber of my being for ten years, at her beautiful, merciless profile, and a poisonous vine of hatred began to grow, twisting and choking everything inside me. I hated her. But I hated myself more. How could I have been so blind? How could I have fallen for this cold, cruel woman who couldn’t see the truth right in front of her? To protect her fragile ego, I’d hidden my degrees from a top university, content to play the role of a simple man, letting her believe I was nothing special. Ten years of sacrifice, ten years of my life, all for this. I regretted it. I truly, deeply regretted ever loving her. SNAP! The second finger broke. “Argh!” My body convulsed, and a cold sweat drenched my hospital gown. Isabella stood there, expressionless, but I caught a glimpse of her hand, clenched at her side, her knuckles white. Does it hurt you, Isabella? Does it hurt to watch? Because it’s nothing compared to what you’ve done to me. SNAP! SNAP! The third. The fourth… Pain washed over me in relentless waves, threatening to drown my consciousness. I bit down hard on my lip, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth, but I refused to confess to a crime I didn’t commit. One, two, three… When the four fingers on my left hand were bent at unnatural angles, the guard moved to my right. Despair, cold and absolute, submerged me completely. My future, my dreams, were shattering before my very eyes. SNAP! By the time the ninth finger was broken, I didn’t even have the strength to scream. I lay on the bed like a dying fish, the shallow rise and fall of my chest the only sign I was still alive. Nine of my ten fingers, shattered. My life, shattered along with them. Through it all, I never confessed. Isabella looked at my pathetic state, soaked in blood and tears, at my grotesquely swollen and misshapen hands. Her face went pale for a second. She turned away sharply, her voice catching almost imperceptibly. “Get the doctor. Set his fingers.” With that, she fled the room, never looking back. Doctors and nurses rushed in, their hands trembling as they tended to my wounds, resetting and splinting my broken fingers. The pain was so intense I kept passing out, only to be jolted awake again. In the end, they put an oxygen mask on me just to keep me breathing. I was a broken doll on a cold hospital bed, my consciousness fading in and out. Hate, regret, and despair warred within me, threatening to tear me apart. Why did I ever meet her? Why did I let my life be destroyed by a woman like this? Late that night, the door to my room creaked open. Two figures, one large and one small, slipped silently to my bedside. It was Julian, and my daughter, Mia. My mind was a fog, but I could feel their presence. Julian’s voice was a venomous whisper. “Look at your daddy, Mia. So pathetic. Wouldn’t you rather have me as your new daddy? I’ll buy you all the pretty dresses you want, take you to amusement parks, make you the happiest little princess in the world.” My heart seized. And then I heard the answer that would haunt me for the rest of my life, and the one before it. Mia’s childish voice chirped without a hint of hesitation, full of excitement. “Yes! I want you to be my daddy, Uncle Julian!” In that moment, what was left of my heart turned to ash. Julian chuckled, pleased. “But, Mia, as long as your old daddy is still around, I can’t really be your new one.” He paused, his voice slithering like a snake. “See that mask on his face? He looks like he’s having a hard time breathing. Be a good girl and help him take it off. Then he won’t be in pain anymore, and I can be your daddy forever, okay?” My eyes shot open! Through my blurry vision, I saw Mia’s innocent little face. She looked from Julian to me, and then… she reached out her small hand, reaching for my oxygen mask. “Bad daddy!” she muttered, her voice filled with a programmed hatred. “You’re a thief! I don’t want you anymore!” As her little hand closed around the lifeline that was keeping me alive, as I saw the pure disgust in her eyes, the last ounce of fight left me. My soul was a dead, empty wasteland. So this was it. Even reborn, I couldn’t escape my fate. I was destined to die at their hands. And this time, it was so much more humiliating, so much more hopeless. I felt the tug on the mask, and my breath caught in my chest. I’m dying. And this time, I probably won’t be coming back…

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387986”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

Taking the SATs is a right every student has, but for three years, I was barred from the testing center. The first year, I was dressed properly, passed security, and had my ticket. But just as I was about to step into the room, the proctor glanced at my admission ticket and immediately blocked me. I thought there was something wrong with the ticket. The second year, after repeating a grade, I printed my ticket directly from the official website, following every guideline. But again, the proctor looked at it and kicked me out. By the third year, I had changed my name and moved to a different city. When I saw that the proctor was my former elementary school teacher, I thought I was finally safe. Seconds before, she was smiling and encouraging me. But the moment she saw my ticket, her face fell. She ruthlessly blocked me from entering and told me with absolute certainty that no matter how many times I tried, I would never be allowed to take the test. I couldn’t understand. What was wrong with my ticket? Why did I pass security and facial recognition, only to be stopped by every single proctor who saw my admission slip? 1 “According to regulations, you cannot enter the testing room!” Hearing this, my first thought was that Mrs. Chen didn’t know I had changed my name. I immediately pulled out my legal documents and ID. “Mrs. Chen, you must be misunderstanding! I changed my name last year. I’m not an imposter!” She didn’t even look at the papers. She dragged me away from the door. “Jane, I know you changed your name. But rules are rules. I absolutely cannot let you take this test. It wouldn’t be fair to the others!” As the doors began to close, threatening to waste three years of blood, sweat, and tears, I grabbed Mrs. Chen’s arm, begging. “Mrs. Chen, please! This is my third time trying!” “If you won’t let me in, at least tell me why!” She looked at me with disgust. “A student like you has no right to take the SATs. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. I guarantee no proctor will ever let you in!” Looking at my admission ticket lying on the floor, I broke down crying. Why? I passed every security check. Why did every proctor turn me away? The first year, I wore my uniform and brought the school-issued ticket. The proctor took one look and blocked me. Terrified of missing the test, I screamed until the site director came. But after checking my ticket, she didn’t help me. She had security drag me out. I failed by default. I thought the ticket format was wrong. The second year, I printed it myself according to national standards. I thought it would work. But I was rejected again. Taking the SATs is a right. I checked every regulation. My residency and ID were fine. I had no criminal record. Why was my right being stripped away? I refused to accept this unfair treatment. I started to suspect someone was targeting me. So I changed my name, changed my residency, and registered for a third time. Seeing Mrs. Chen gave me hope. She was the teacher who first taught me to love learning. I believed in her justice and kindness. I believed she would let me in. Instead, she dealt the final blow. As the bell rang, I grabbed her clothes and fell to my knees. “Mrs. Chen! I beg you! Let me in!” 2 My parents, who hadn’t left yet, saw this and rushed over. Seeing me sobbing, they knelt before Mrs. Chen, their hearts breaking. “Mrs. Chen, please have mercy on our child!” “This is her third time trying. If she just failed the test, we’d accept it.” “But she’s studied hard for twelve years for this chance. Why won’t you even let her try?” Mrs. Chen turned her head away, ignoring them. My dad grabbed her leg and pulled a passbook from his pocket. “For this test, her mom and I sold our land.” “The money is all here. If you let my daughter in, it’s all yours. If it’s not enough, I’ll borrow more, I’ll take loans, please!” Seeing my parents so humble, tears filled my eyes. Mrs. Chen looked pained, but she didn’t budge. “Don’t do this. I understand how you feel, but I cannot violate national regulations.” My mom thought Mrs. Chen was worried about something else. She pulled me down to kowtow three times. “Mrs. Chen, you taught Jane. You know her!” “She was always a model student. She never broke the law. Even when she was bullied, she never fought back.” The site director saw the commotion and hurried over. My dad tried to plead my case. “Director, my daughter Jane passed security and arrived an hour early. But the proctor won’t let her in!” Mrs. Chen didn’t explain. She just handed my admission ticket to the director. The man looked at it, and his face instantly changed. “Parents, take your child home! We cannot allow a student like her to take the test!” “Don’t bother coming back for the next sessions. It’s useless!” The director’s words sent me to hell. I looked at the disgust and hatred in his eyes, filled with confusion and grievance. I didn’t know him. Why did he hate me? It was as if I had committed an unforgivable crime. Looking back on my 21 years, I was as insignificant as a speck of dust. Because we were poor, I always kept my head down, afraid to offend anyone. My parents were farmers their whole lives. If not for my education, they would never have left that remote mountain village. Since I was little, they told me education was the only way to change my fate, to change our family’s fate. So I worked hard. Even though I wasn’t always number one, my grades were good. Even my homeroom teacher said getting into a top university wouldn’t be hard for me. But two years of repeating grades had drained my parents’ savings. This time, they gave up everything to bet on me. I knew this was my last chance. I stopped begging the proctor and charged at the door. But before I could touch it, two security guards pinned me down. They threw me out of the testing center. I hugged my parents, crying uncontrollably. “Mom, Dad, what do I do? What do I do?” My mom wiped my tears and comforted me. “It’s okay. We’ll try again tomorrow.” “No matter what, we’ll get you into that test! Or we’ll call the police. Okay?” 3 To be safe, my parents went with me to print another ticket. The next day, my high school teacher, Mrs. Zhang, brought my former classmates to cheer me on. They held a banner: “Go Jane! You got this!” I felt a pang of sadness. If I had taken the test the first year, I would be in college with them now. Mrs. Zhang patted my shoulder. “Jane, don’t worry. It’ll work this time!” I nodded, but I was still scared. I handed her all my documents. “Mrs. Zhang, can you check my ticket and ID? Is there anything wrong?” The photo was new. The ID wasn’t expired. Even though I had checked a hundred times, Mrs. Zhang checked again patiently. Confirming everything was perfect, I walked to the door, trembling as I handed over my documents. The proctor this time was an older man. He seemed surprised to see so many people cheering for one student. He looked curious. “You’re Jane?” I nodded seriously, heart pounding. “Yes. Is there a problem, sir?” “No!” He smiled and handed back my ID, his eyes kind. “With so much support, you must do well!” I nodded gratefully. “I will!” But just as I reached for my admission ticket, his brow furrowed. “Jane, you cannot take today’s exam!” Like he was looking at a plague, he had security throw me out. Remembering yesterday’s words, tears burst from my eyes. I collapsed on the ground, my desperate wails drawing everyone’s attention. My classmates tried to fight for me. My parents swore to get justice. They rushed to the reporters, screaming about corruption. “Reporter, there’s a black market in the SATs! The proctors and the education board are bought! They’ve stopped my daughter for three years!” “Please help my daughter! She repeated two years and never got to step inside!” The reporter smelled a scoop and went to interview the proctor. “Sir, are the parents’ claims true? Why are you stopping a model student?” “Is there really a conspiracy?” A crowd gathered, sympathizing with me. They demanded an explanation. But the proctor maintained his cold, legalistic face. “Rules are rules. Student Jane does not meet the requirements for the exam!” “It doesn’t matter who comes today! I will not let her in! I suggest she give up!” His words ignited the crowd’s anger. “Unfair! The SATs are a right!” My parents charged forward. My teacher and classmates charged too. I saw them scuffling with security. I saw my parents kicked to the ground. How did it come to this? I wanted to help. I wanted to stop them. In the chaos, someone kicked me, and I fell. Blood and tears blurred my vision. I couldn’t stand up, but my eyes landed on the admission ticket nearby. I reached out and grabbed it. This ticket destroyed my life. Destroyed everything here. I wanted to see what curse was on it! I flipped it over to the photo side. Seeing that youthful smiling face, I laughed through my tears. In that moment, I finally understood why I was rejected three times! 4 The proctors and security held the line. Until the police arrived and took us all to the station. Afraid Mrs. Zhang and the students would be implicated, my parents took the blame. “Officer, it’s our fault. Mrs. Zhang and the kids are innocent.” “They have bright futures. If the board wants to press charges, arrest us!” “My daughter didn’t hit anyone! Check the cameras!” Even the usually quiet students spoke up for me. “Jane didn’t hit anyone! I saw it!” “Me too!” Hearing them defend me, my eyes reddened again. The officer looked at me with a complicated expression. “Jane, we’ve investigated the situation.” “There is no conspiracy. The proctor was right. You do not meet the requirements for this exam.” “Your previous rejections were for the same reason.” “As for the reason…” He looked at my parents, hesitating. Mrs. Zhang interjected. “Regardless of the reason, we shouldn’t have caused a disturbance. That was our fault.” The officer didn’t press the issue. He went with the flow. “Don’t worry. No one was hurt, and it didn’t escalate too far. The proctors and the board have decided not to press charges.” “Especially you students. Your hearts were in the right place, but you were too reckless!” “Some of you are Ivy League students, right? Future pillars of the nation. Go back to school!” “Yes! Thank you, officer!” The students sighed in relief. So did I. My parents comforted me. “Jane, I know college is your dream.” “It’s okay to fail this time. Next year we’ll move to another city and try again. Whatever you want to do, we support you!” Looking at their gray hair, my guilt peaked. If not for me, they would have escaped poverty long ago. “Mom, Dad, Mrs. Zhang, everyone!” I bowed deeply to them. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.” “If it wasn’t for me…” Before I could finish, my mind went chaotic. Darkness swarmed my vision. Just as I fell… I felt countless hands reaching out, holding me up with all their strength. But I still fell into unconsciousness. I was taken to the hospital. In my haze, I heard many voices.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388002”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My parents died in a plane crash. The family company went bankrupt. My older brother had a mental breakdown from the trauma. To keep the only family I had left, I went crazy trying to make money. For three years, I endured hell. I was drugged and tortured by my brother’s arch-nemesis. I was treated like a toy by his so-called “best friends.” I did things… unspeakable things. I didn’t care. As long as they paid me. As long as I could afford my brother’s treatment. I was willing to be a dog if that’s what it took. But just as I finished my latest “job” and prepared to visit my brother in the hospital, I saw him. Sitting in a Michelin-star restaurant. With my “dead” parents. “Julian, you’ve been playing dead and crazy long enough,” my father said, swirling his wine. “Your sister looks like a skeleton. This punishment game should end.” Julian laughed, a sound I hadn’t heard in years. “Looking like a skeleton is what she deserves. Who told her to keep pushing for Lily to go back to her birth mother? She made Lily so depressed she almost killed herself.” “But you’re right. Three years is enough. For her birthday next week, let’s give her a surprise. We’ll say you survived the crash but had amnesia, and Lily found you. Then I’ll miraculously recover my sanity. She’ll be so grateful to Lily. We’ll be one big happy family again.” My mother frowned slightly. “That story has a lot of holes.” Julian shrugged, unbothered. “It’s Chloe. She’s not exactly bright. She’s eighteen and hasn’t stepped foot in a classroom in years. We can fool her.” … I stood frozen, listening to their conversation. It felt like there was a hole in my heart, dripping blood drop by drop. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. But my body was so exhausted I didn’t even have the strength for tears. The three of them continued eating, the picture of harmony. Until a voice cut through the air. “Long time no see, Mr. and Mrs. Vance. Are you done playing house with Julian?” At the sound of that voice, my body began to tremble uncontrollably. I knew that voice. It belonged to Lucas Thorne. My brother’s sworn enemy. The man who, to get back at Julian, had me drugged and locked in a dark room for three days and nights. “Chloe is truly pathetic,” Lucas drawled, walking up to their table. “She barely had a few good days back in this family before she started selling herself to support you all. Willing to be a dog for money. Honestly, she would have been better off never coming back.” My brother’s face darkened. “Stop fear-mongering. She’s just working part-time jobs. She hasn’t stooped to being anyone’s dog.” Lucas smiled, a wicked glint in his eyes. “Is that so? Just working jobs, huh?” “I’m just speaking generally. There was this silly girl whose family went broke. I felt bad for her, so I gave her some… substances. We had a great time together for a few days.” “When she woke up, she didn’t cry or scream. She just asked for money…” He implied everything without saying anything explicitly. After my brother’s “accident,” Lucas was the first to kick us while we were down. I had just paid Julian’s hospital bills and hired a nurse when Lucas kidnapped me. He locked me in a basement, stripped me bare. He drugged me. Forced himself on me. Filmed it. “Your brother is such a high-and-mighty golden boy,” he had whispered. “So I’ll break his little sister.” “Tell me, if he sees his precious sister screaming under me, will he go even crazier?” I was terrified he would show the video to Julian. I bit my tongue until it bled to keep from making a sound. When he didn’t get the reaction he wanted, he found new ways to torture me. My entire body, except for my face, was covered in scars. Chapter 1 Julian sneered, his voice dripping with disgust. “Only asking for money? That’s no different from prostitution. How cheap.” “Women like that are a dime a dozen. God knows what diseases she has. Only you, Lucas, would have a stomach strong enough for that.” “Just a warning: she’s young, but playing around like that? Careful you don’t catch something.” Lucas smiled, a cold, humorless expression. “Yeah. She really doesn’t have any self-respect.” His gaze drifted past the decorative plants and landed squarely on me. My father, knowing the bad blood between the two men, tried to smooth things over. “Young men like to play, it’s normal. Just don’t ruin your health over it.” “If you like her, just keep her as a canary in a cage. Clean, available whenever you want. No need to mess around with street trash.” Lucas nodded slowly, as if enlightened. “You’re right, sir.” “I really should keep her close.” My heart hammered against my ribs. A cold sweat broke out on my back. The wounds I thought had healed began to throb with phantom pain. Julian noticed the worry on our mother’s face and puffed out his chest. “Mom, don’t worry. My plan is flawless. I asked my best friends to look after Chloe.” “Chloe isn’t like that loose woman Lucas is talking about. She wouldn’t sell her body.” “If you don’t believe me, I can call them right now…” He glared at Lucas and dialed one of his “best friends.” “Hey, Tyler? It’s Julian. I asked you to take care of my sister. everything’s good, right?” On the other end, Tyler’s voice sounded forced. “Julian… yeah. Taking care of Chloe? Of course. I’ve been… taking great care of her. She’s very grateful.” “I have to say, your sister is so obedient. She’ll do anything for you.” Julian looked smug. “Of course. Since she came back to the Vance family, I’ve been the one who cared for her most. Kids like her, who never got love growing up… once they taste a little kindness, they’ll sacrifice everything.” “Just let her suffer a bit with work, then stop. She’s still my biological sister. She needs to come back and be the Vance family heiress eventually.” “You… still consider her your sister?” Tyler slipped up, then quickly corrected himself. “Right, right. Whatever you say, Julian.” Julian made two more calls. Both friends confirmed they would continue to “take care” of me. Until Julian decided the game was over. I smiled. A bitter, broken smile. Is Julian an idiot? How could he think “taking care of her” meant anything good coming from them? After Lucas tortured me, I was terrified he would come back. So I went to Julian’s friends for help. Instead, I was blackmailed. Tyler and the others—Julian’s “brothers”—used the recordings Lucas made to threaten me. They wanted me to be their mistress. Their toy. They had played with every kind of woman, but never one from their own social circle. Never a fallen heiress. I became their prey. After every session, they threw money at me. I lived a life worse than death. And all of this… all of it was because Julian wanted to punish me. Punish me for taking the place of his “real” sister, the girl he loved like family. I turned to leave. I couldn’t breathe. But someone slammed into me from behind. I fell hard, my forehead cracking against the marble floor. “Watch where you’re going!” Lily shrieked, clutching her arm. The commotion drew the attention of the Vance trio. “Are you blind? Are you trying to kill me?” Lily raised her foot, clad in a sharp stiletto heel, and stomped down on my hand. Blood instantly gushed from the wound. I tried to pull my hand back, but Julian rushed over and kicked me square in the chest. “Since when do Michelin restaurants let beggars in?” “This filth got blood on my sister’s shoes!” “Manager! Where is the manager?” Chapter 2 The manager rushed over, bowing apologetically. “I’m so sorry, sir, miss. I’ll have her removed immediately. Today’s meal is on the house. Please let me know if you need anything else.” Lily glanced down. When she saw my face, her eyes lit up with excitement. “We don’t need your charity.” “Since this lowlife dirtied my shoes, make her kneel and lick the blood off.” The manager hesitated. But Lucas walked over, the picture of elegance and refinement. “I agree with Miss Lily,” he said smoothly. “It’s only right that she cleans up her mess.” He stepped forward, grabbed a handful of my hair, and dragged me to Lily’s feet. He leaned down, whispering in my ear. “If you keep your mouth shut, I might just have to ‘discipline’ you right here.” I opened my mouth, trembling. The metallic taste of blood filled my throat. Lily watched with glee, her eyes shining with the thrill of humiliation. When her heel was clean, she finally pulled her foot away as if granting a great mercy. She threw herself into my parents’ arms. “Mommy, Daddy, I missed you so much!” “Studying abroad was so tiring. You have to stay home and keep me company.” Blood and tears blurred my vision. Julian had told me Lily was sold off to pay our debts. I was consumed by guilt. I remembered my foster parents calling me a jinx. I believed my return had caused the Vance family’s ruin. So I worked myself to the bone. I sold my soul to buy Lily back. Even though my parents were “gone.” I wanted Julian to have a complete family again. I was dragged out of the restaurant by security. People stared. Some looked at me like I was a cockroach. Some looked with pity. Lucas followed leisurely behind. Once the security guards let go, he grabbed my hair again and shoved me into his car. Back to the familiar basement. He dragged me to the sink and scrubbed my face roughly. “I love destroying things that are full of life,” he hissed. “Deceived by the brother you loved. Deceived by your parents. And yet you took their lies for truth and willingly destroyed yourself.” “Tell me… is this game fun? Is it fun?” I didn’t sleep that night. The next day, he dressed me up like a human being and dumped me in front of the mental hospital where Julian was “staying.” The guard at the gate looked at me with concern. “Chloe, you look terrible.” “Don’t work so hard. You need to take care of yourself.” I nodded numbly and walked to Julian’s ward. He was wandering around in his hospital pajamas. When he saw my reflection in the mirror, he instantly switched into “crazy mode.” He pinched me. Bit me. Screamed that I was a curse. After a while, he would “lucidly” apologize, weeping. “Chloe… Chloe, leave me alone.” “Don’t waste your life on me.” He was such a good actor. I let him bite me. Let him hit me. Watched him cry. I felt nothing. “No need to apologize,” I said quietly. “Brother, I saved enough money. You can get the treatment soon. Your favorite sister will come back to you.” “No one will ever disturb your happy family again.” Julian looked moved. He took the bank card from my hand. Then his eyes caught the mangled wound on the back of my hand. “Chloe, your hand…” I pulled it back. “You can’t make money without getting hurt.” He sensed something was wrong, but he didn’t dare ask. He just gave a hollow instruction. “Take care of yourself.” I left. The moment I walked out, he got into a waiting car. My phone buzzed. A text from Lily. Following the address, I arrived at a riverside villa. It wasn’t just the Vances. Lily’s rich friends were there too. A welcome back party. Someone mistook me for hired help and gave me a waitress uniform. I put it on and walked in. My parents gifted Lily jewelry worth millions. Julian handed her a contract transferring ownership of a subsidiary company. And my bank card… the money I bled for… Julian placed it in Lily’s palm. “Chloe saved this for three years. Take it. Use it for pocket money.” I laughed. A dry, rasping sound. Chapter 3 Three years of selling my body, my dignity, my health. Handed over to the person I hated most like it was spare change. It was hilarious. Truly. I turned to leave, but my path was blocked. Tyler and the others stood there, smirking. “Lily was right. You really came to snitch.” “You b*tch. Trying to ruin our friendship with Julian?” My phone buzzed again. A text from Lily. [Serve my brother’s friends well. Don’t be ungrateful.] “Chloe, you haven’t hung out with us in a while,” Tyler leered. “Today’s a celebration. Come on, let’s have some fun.” I knocked over a vase, smashing it toward them, and ran into the crowd. It was a party. If I caused a scene, people would notice. I could escape. I was almost there. But Tyler tackled me. He slammed my face into the floor. Hearing the commotion, Julian walked over from the main group. He frowned at his frantic friends. “What are you doing?” “Bullying a waitress?” I opened my mouth to scream, but Tyler clamped his hand over my mouth. “This waitress tried to seduce me. A classic badger game. I was just teaching her a lesson.” I couldn’t speak. I used every ounce of strength to grab Julian’s pant leg. He was about to kick my hand away when he saw the wound. The one Lily gave me yesterday. “Her hand…” Tyler laughed nervously. “People like her get hurt all the time, right?” “True.” Julian didn’t question it. “Tyler, keep it down. I thought about setting you up with Chloe, but she’s too dirty now. I won’t insult you like that.” Tyler smirked. “Got it.” Lily called out from behind him, and Julian turned to leave. I was gagged and dragged upstairs. I heard my father’s voice. “What are you boys doing?” A spark of hope ignited. Maybe Dad would save me. But his next words pushed me into the abyss. “Don’t kill anyone.” I was thrown into a room. The men surrounded me, expecting me to submit like before. I lay there quietly. Like a puppet with its strings cut. They hit me. Cursed me. I took it in silence. “Boring. She’s like a corpse.” “Take some photos and let’s go. She’s broken anyway.” They posed me, snapped pictures, and left, locking the door from the outside. I took out my phone. I found Julian’s contact. I sent one message. [If there is a next life, Brother… please don’t come find me.] If you don’t find me, you can’t give me hope. If I don’t have hope, maybe my life won’t be this tragic. I walked to the balcony like a ghost. I looked at the sunset. I reached out, wanting to touch it. I desperately wanted to grab that last bit of warmth. I leaned out too far. Gravity took over. The world spun. From noise to silence. Chapter 4 The sound of a heavy object hitting the ground drew attention. But few people cared enough to check. A servant went to look, then reported back to Julian. “It’s a woman who fell. Wearing a waitress uniform. Clothes are torn.” “Looks like she was just… used by someone.” Julian immediately thought of Tyler’s group. He didn’t want a scandal, especially with business partners involved. “Get rid of the body. Find a quiet place and dump it. If she’s found, it’ll look like a hit-and-run or a body dump. Nothing to do with us.” The servant nodded and went to handle it. Turning back to Lily, Julian resumed his gentle demeanor. “Is there anything else you want to do now that you’re back? I can arrange it.” “The entertainment industry is fun these days. Want me to open an agency for you? You can scout handsome actors.” He spoke of opening a company like buying candy. Whatever Lily wanted, he would give. Because in his heart, Lily was his sister. And I… the one stolen for eighteen years… was just a stranger with the same blood. Even if this stranger sold her soul to the devil for him. He didn’t care. As long as Lily was happy, nothing else mattered. My bones were shattered. Blood bubbled from my mouth. The servant looked at my mangled face and sighed. “Poor thing. Next time, don’t try to mix with the rich. Their hands are always bloody.” “I’ll dump you near the highway. Try to call for help. Whether you live or die is up to fate.” Another servant shoved him aside and threw me into the trunk like a sack of garbage. “Who cares? She’s damaged goods. Dead is dead.” “If she wanted to kill herself, who can she blame?” Suddenly, Julian felt a wave of panic. Mom found him, looking worried. “Julian, I don’t know why, but my heart is racing.” “You said the game is ending. Why didn’t you bring Chloe today?” “You don’t think… something happened to her?” Julian quickly reassured her. “I saw her at the hospital this morning. The game officially ends tomorrow. You’ll see her then.” Tomorrow was my birthday. He planned to surprise me then. He reached into his pocket for his phone. He had felt it vibrate earlier but ignored it. The message list was empty. Unbeknownst to him, Lily had already accessed his cloud account and deleted my final text. Frowning, Julian dialed my number. No answer. Was I still working? He was confused. He had the money now. Why was I still hustling? My body was dumped on the border between the suburbs and the city. I lay on dry grass and rocks. I had landed face down. When the car drove away, I used the last of my strength to turn over. Breathing was agony. Dried blood crusted my lips. I stared up at the night sky. My memories played like a movie reel. I remembered when I first came back to the Vances. I was skinny, scarred. Julian had been furious on my behalf. “We treated their daughter like a princess, and this is how they treated my sister?” Lily had cried then. “I’m sorry! I didn’t know my bio-parents were like that! It’s all my fault Chloe suffered!” She cried so pitifully that no one dared defend me. That night, a maid rushed downstairs. Lily had slit her wrists. “Master! Madam! Miss Lily hurt herself!” She was rushed to the hospital. When she woke up, she apologized again. “I just wanted to atone. I should repay Chloe with my life.” My father thought I had bullied her. He made me kneel. Eight hours a day, until Lily came home. That wasn’t the end. It was the beginning. When Lily returned, Julian gave her a pink diamond. The next day, it was in my drawer. She cried to me with red eyes. “Chloe, I know you suffered, but everything in this house belongs to you and Julian. Why steal the diamond Julian gave me?” Julian found it in my room. He slapped me hard. “The Vance family has never had a thief.” “Those people really raised you crooked.” I was sent to juvenile detention for three months. Then came the plane crash. Julian’s breakdown. The frozen assets. I remembered Julian’s initial kindness and couldn’t bear to leave him. So I started earning money. I thought Lily was suffering with debtors. I tried to find her. But she was living the high life abroad. From start to finish, I was the only one in hell. The party ended. The blood stain was scrubbed clean. Julian stared at his silent phone. No messages. An unsettling feeling grew in his chest.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388018”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My relationship with Professor Adam Lawson was a secret, a four-year violation of the university’s strict ban on student-faculty relationships. Just before graduation, I begged him to come home with me to meet my parents. His hand, which had been caressing my waist, froze. “Are you serious?” I nodded, my heart pounding. But a slow, dismissive smile spread across his face. “Your father asked me to look after you. If he found out I’ve been sleeping with his precious daughter, he’d probably kill me.” He leaned in, his voice a low murmur against my ear. “Stop messing around. Screwing is one thing, Ava. But for marriage? You’ll have to find someone else.” I froze. He kissed me then, a brief, meaningless gesture of affection before pressing a slip of paper into my hand. “That’s my nephew’s contact info,” he said. “He’s your age. Why don’t you give him a call?” 1 Adam’s voice was casual, laced with the lazy satisfaction of a man who’d just gotten what he wanted. On any other day, this was when he was most agreeable. He’d say yes to anything. But today, though his tone was light, the words held an undeniable finality. The piece of paper in my hand felt like it was burning a hole through my skin. I wanted to crumple it up, to throw it in the trash, to scream at him, After four years, was there ever a single moment of genuine feeling for me? But my mind went numb, flashing back to a scene from three nights ago. Adam had just been promoted. His friends took him out to a bar to celebrate, and by the time he called me, he was already drunk, his words slurring as he asked me to pick him up. When I found him, he was leaning against a brick wall outside, a cigarette dangling from two fingers, a lighter flickering in his other hand. As the flame caught, one of his friends asked, “Ava’s been with you for four years, man. Aren’t you going to make it official?” “Your final thesis defense is coming up,” another chimed in. “After that, you won’t be professor and student anymore.” I held my breath, my heart hammering against my ribs. This was the day I had been waiting for, dreaming of for four long years—the day I could finally stand by his side in the open. The day I wouldn’t have to duck my head and avoid his gaze when we passed on campus, when I could call him something other than the formal, sterile title everyone else used: “Professor Lawson.” I was desperate to hear his answer. But in the next second, he took a long drag from his cigarette and exhaled a plume of white smoke. A smirk played on his lips, as if he’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. “Are you serious? Her dad asked me to look after her, that’s it. What feelings? Make it official? Get real.” “Dude, he didn’t ask you to look after her in your bed!” his friend shot back, shocked. Adam just chuckled, a low, dismissive sound. “She came onto me.” “And I’m not a saint.” I couldn’t name the feeling that washed over me then. It was a sharp, twisting pain in my chest, and my eyes burned. On instinct, I turned and ran. I didn’t go back to his apartment or to my dorm. I bought a six-pack of beer and went to the beach, chugging it down, trying to drown the image of his smiling face from my mind. But it was no use. I ended up black-out drunk, and in the end, it was Adam who came to get me. He never asked what was wrong. He didn’t care. He just took me home, and his lips found mine in the darkness. His hands gripped my waist, pulling me into a familiar, dizzying climb. The pathetic thing was, I couldn’t resist him. It was only at the very end, when I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer, that I bit down hard on his shoulder, drawing blood. I forced him to whisper the words I so desperately needed to hear. “I love you.” I used to secretly delight in the thought that Adam, a man who was wealthy, brilliant, and constantly surrounded by beautiful women, had chosen me. Now I knew the truth. He hadn’t chosen me. He had selected me. Pretty, naive, and clean. And the forbidden thrill of sleeping with a student—that was just an added bonus. “Not happy with the arrangement?” Adam’s voice pulled me back to the present. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for my response. He had already dressed, his dark hair now swept back from his forehead. He had the kind of eyes that made everyone feel like they were the center of his world, a smile so warm it could melt you. But if you looked closer, you’d see the truth: a cold, detached clarity that kept everyone at a distance. “Ava, don’t be difficult. Okay?” A long moment passed before I found my voice, a dry, scratchy thing. “Fine.” 2 After that night, Adam and I didn’t speak for a week. The withdrawal was agonizing. I poured every ounce of my energy into my graduation thesis, hoping the work would numb the pain. On the day of my presentation, Adam was one of the evaluating professors. When he saw me, his gaze was utterly blank, his expression unreadable. He looked at me as if I were a complete stranger. My hands tightened on the textbook I was holding, a wave of nausea rolling through me. I forced myself to walk past him, pretending not to care, and took a seat in the last row. This presentation was the final hurdle to graduation, and my classmates were a mess of nerves, wringing their hands. All except for one girl sitting directly behind Adam. She rested her chin on her hand, her eyes fixed on the back of his head, adoration practically radiating from her. Adam seemed to sense her stare. He turned, a small, weary smile on his face, and whispered something to her. I was too far away to hear, but I could read his lips. Focus. Stop messing around. His tone was indulgent, affectionate—the same tone he only ever used with me in bed. My eyes started to burn again. The third student finished their presentation. The girl, whose name I now knew was Claire, was next. She wore a simple white dress, her makeup subtle and confident as she walked to the podium. As she passed, I could have sworn her eyes flickered toward me, a flash of undisguised hostility in her gaze. I had no idea why. Then, her presentation appeared on the projector, and my world tilted on its axis. My roommate reacted first. “Ava, your topics are the same?” No. It was more than that. From the very first word she spoke, I knew. This wasn’t just the same topic. This was my thesis. The data, the citations, the arguments—I had spent months researching, verifying, and writing every single word. “Excuse me.” I shot to my feet. The professors in the front row turned, their faces etched with annoyance. On stage, Claire paused, a slow, knowing smile spreading across her face. “Yes? Do you have a problem? Don’t you know this is a formal defense?” one of the professors snapped. I bit my lip, my fists clenched. “Yes, I know. But I have a question.” “And what would that be?” Claire asked, her voice sweet as poison. Before I could answer, she continued, “You’re not going to say our topics are the same, are you? Or maybe… that I stole your paper? That I plagiarized you?” “Didn’t you?!” I shot back, my voice shaking with rage. “Even if the topics were similar, it’s impossible for the data, the citations, and the entire argument to be identical!” I walked to the front and handed my printed thesis and a USB drive to the professors. They took them, their expressions skeptical, and began to compare the two documents. As they read, their faces grew grim. “What is the meaning of this?” I shook my head. “I don’t know why her thesis is identical to mine, but I swear on my life, this is my original work. My roommate can vouch for me.” Claire just laughed. “Well, my roommate can vouch for me, too. And I have my drafts. Do you want to see them?” She pulled two stacks of handwritten notes from her bag. The writing was messy, but the notes were undeniably real. My head spun, and my eyes instinctively found Adam, a desperate flicker of hope igniting in my chest. He had been there when I chose my topic. He had seen my first draft. If he would just speak up for me, I could— But his voice cut through my thoughts, sharp and impatient. “If you can’t prove your case, then don’t waste everyone else’s time.” He looked directly at me, his eyes cold. “Furthermore, you are under suspicion of plagiarism. You will receive a failing grade.” The world went white. I stared at him, unable to believe what I was hearing, my eyes instantly flooding with tears. “What did you say?” “I plagiarized? Adam, do you dare say that again?!” He frowned. The noisy classroom fell silent. My roommate, terrified I was about to cause a scene, rushed over and pulled me away, apologizing profusely to Adam. “Professor, I’m so sorry, she didn’t mean it. She’s pulled so many all-nighters for this thesis… This is just… hard for her to accept.” Adam sat motionless, his expression unreadable. He waited until I was gone before signaling for Claire to continue. 3 Back in the dorm, my roommate tried to console me. “That girl today, her name is Claire Sterling. I heard her father is on the university’s board of directors. She has connections, Ava. Even if she did steal your work, you can’t fight her head-on like that.” I wasn’t listening. I was tearing my room apart, searching for my own drafts. I found nothing. They had been stolen. My roommate suggested checking the security cameras, but warned me it was a long shot. I was heading downstairs to try anyway when a text from Adam lit up my phone. [I’ll give you an explanation for what happened today.] [Come to my faculty apartment.] I took a deep breath, clutched my phone, and ran. He had just showered. A towel was slung around his neck, his dark hair damp and falling across his forehead. I could still see the faint mark of my teeth on his shoulder. The moment the door closed behind me, I demanded, “Why?” “Do you have any proof that you didn’t plagiarize?” “How am I supposed to prove it? My drafts were stolen, and my roommate’s word isn’t enough. I thought you would help me. You saw how hard I worked on this. I even asked for your advice on the topic. And what did you say?!” My voice cracked. “With one word—plagiarism, fail—you destroyed months of my work. Now I might not even be able to graduate!” “Four years. I was with you for four years, Adam. Don’t you have a heart?!” The dam finally broke. Tears of betrayal and hurt streamed down my face, splashing onto the floor. Four years ago, my dad, a high-ranking officer, had been worried about me being alone in a new city. He’d asked Adam, a family friend’s son, to look after me. From the first day I met him, I was hopelessly smitten. He never rejected my adLawsons, always indulging my every move. I thought he liked me, too, so I worked tirelessly to be worthy of him. I made the dean’s list every year. I planned to apply to the same research institute as him after graduation. I had poured my soul into that goal. I had hoped my thesis presentation would be my crowning achievement. And what had he given me in return? He sighed, a weary sound, and reached out to wipe away my tears. I flinched away. “Crying at the first sign of trouble. You’re still such a child. Can’t handle the slightest setback. What have you even learned these past four years?” He looked away. “Let the thing with Claire go. It’s over.” “I’ll give you a chance to retake the exam. You can just—” I looked up, horrified, unable to believe this was the man I had known, the man I had loved for four years. “What did you say? You expect me to just accept the plagiarism charge?” “Is this your idea of an explanation?” He didn’t look at me. He pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and set it on the table. His voice was flat, devoid of emotion. “At least this way you’ll be able to graduate. I know you want to check the security footage, but I might as well tell you.” “The cameras have been down for maintenance for the past few days. You won’t find anything.” “Oh, and there’s one more thing I forgot to tell you.” He paused, turning to look at me out of the corner of his eye. “Claire is my fiancée.” For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. 4 I don’t remember how I left his apartment that day. But I fell violently ill afterward, a feverish haze that lasted for nearly two weeks. My roommate learned not to mention the thesis around me. But I still heard Claire’s name whispered in the halls. She had been accepted into Adam’s prestigious research institute. Her thesis was praised for its “forward-thinking” approach, and doors opened for her everywhere. With her status as Adam Lawson’s fiancée, no one dared to say a negative word about her. The university’s strict ban on student-faculty relationships, it seemed, didn’t apply to Claire. By the third week, I finally dragged myself out of bed. I skipped the graduation ceremony, focusing instead on studying for my retake exam and applying to other research institutes. But the rejections came one after another. Every background check failed. The black mark of plagiarism still hung over my name. Sitting in my empty dorm room, I stared at another polite rejection email, a profound sense of helplessness washing over me for the first time. “Ava, don’t lose hope,” my roommate said, trying to comfort me. I took a deep breath. Just as I was about to close the browser, my inbox pinged. My hand, resting on the mouse, began to tremble. My heart leaped into my throat. I braced myself for another rejection, but then I read the words: Congratulations, Ava. We are delighted to welcome you to the team. My eyes began to sting. After hundreds of emails and countless interviews over the past few weeks, the tension that had been coiled in my stomach for so long finally snapped. The institute was in San Francisco. The HR manager added me on a messaging app, confirmed my start date, and we settled on the day after tomorrow. I read and reread the word “Congratulations.” I carefully asked about the background check, and they assured me everything was fine. Finally, I let myself cry. My roommate, hearing I was moving to the West Coast, insisted on a farewell dinner. I didn’t refuse. We both knew that after graduation, our paths would diverge. But I never expected to hear from Adam again. [Claire found out about us. To reassure her, you’re going to meet my nephew tomorrow at 3 PM.] It wasn’t a request. It was an order. I thought seeing his name would still stir something in me, some flicker of pain or longing. But I felt nothing. It was like staring at a stranger’s name. I didn’t reply. I just blocked his number. My flight to San Francisco was at 3 PM tomorrow. I hoped I would never have to see Adam Lawson again. … Adam frowned at his phone. The message remained unread. He hadn’t paid much attention to Ava’s life recently, but he knew she’d been busy. After her retake exam, she had been relentlessly sending out applications, going on interview after interview. The top institutes in Boston had all rejected her, citing the failed background check. It had become a running joke among some students. He hadn’t cared. But yesterday, he’d seen her eating in a restaurant. And a strange, heavy feeling had settled in his chest. She had lost so much weight. Her waist was so thin he could have circled it with one hand. She was listening quietly as her roommate talked, her frame so fragile, her face pale and drawn. She looked like she could collapse at any moment. That’s when he remembered. She had been sick for a while. On the day of her retake exam, her face had been as white as a sheet of paper. So, that night, he had pulled some strings and arranged for another position to open up at his institute. He planned to offer her a job as his assistant. But somehow, Claire had found out. She’d thrown a fit, convinced he was still hung up on Ava. Claire, despite being the same age as Ava, had a temper that exhausted him. Their engagement had been arranged by their families since they were children. He knew they would get married eventually, so he gave in. That’s why he’d sent Ava the text. He never imagined that Ava, who used to reply to his messages in seconds, would simply ignore him. An unfamiliar wave of irritation washed over him. Then, he saw a message in a group chat: [You guys hear?! The girl who got rejected everywhere just landed a job! At that top-tier institute in San Francisco!] 5 At two in the afternoon, my phone rang. Adam. I declined the call. He immediately called back from a different number. Again and again, until I finally snapped and answered. “What do you want?” I said, my voice sharp. The airport was bustling. I found a quiet corner after checking my luggage. The line was silent for a long time. Just as I was about to hang up, Adam finally spoke. “I hear you’re going to San Francisco.” I didn’t deny it. I knew he’d find out sooner or later. “You got such a great offer. Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Why should I tell you? Who are you to me? My former professor? My ex-fuck buddy?” I heard his sharp intake of breath. “Don’t call me again,” I said, my voice cold. “This kind of pathetic chasing isn’t like you, Adam.” I hung up and blocked the new number. Before, when I loved him, I would have given him anything. Call me a fool, call me lovesick, I didn’t care. I believed in giving everything to the person I loved, without expecting anything in return. I didn’t regret our four years together. Not even now. But I had made the choice to walk away. No matter how much I had loved him, it was in the past. I could look back, but I would never, ever go back. When I landed in San Francisco, a colleague from the institute was there to pick me up. He looked vaguely familiar. There was a faint resemblance to Adam in the set of his eyes, but his presence was calmer, more grounded. He lacked Adam’s careless, playboy charm. “Hi, I’m Leo Lawson,” he said, introducing himself. My head snapped up. The name clicked into place, the same name from the crumpled piece of paper Adam had given me. And then another thought struck me. He was supposed to be in Boston, waiting for me on a blind date he knew nothing about. What was he doing in San Francisco? “Is something wrong?” Leo asked, noticing my silence. He waved a hand in front of my face. “Uh…” I cleared my throat, embarrassed. “No, nothing.” Leo studied me. “Are you sure? Are you feeling airsick?” “I’m fine,” I repeated, forcing a smile. If he didn’t recognize me, then he must have been just as opposed to Adam’s meddling as I was. Since he wasn’t bringing it up, neither would I. Leo and Adam were complete opposites. Leo was an old soul in a young man’s body. Though he was only twenty-three, he carried himself with the quiet gravity of someone much older. He put my luggage in the trunk and held the car door open for me, his hand carefully placed on the frame to make sure I didn’t hit my head. As he drove, he was the picture of perfect form—eyes on the road, hands at ten and two, posture ramrod straight. He didn’t play music or the radio, and he didn’t make small talk. The silence was absolute. The old me would have found it suffocating. But now, it was a relief. I didn’t have to pretend, didn’t have to force a conversation. I was about to close my eyes when Leo’s phone buzzed. He frowned, clearly annoyed by the interruption. He glanced at me, saw my eyes were open again, and apologized. “Sorry to disturb you.” Then, he declined the call and blocked the number. All in one smooth, efficient motion. I said nothing. The caller had been Adam.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388034”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

After pretending to be poor for three years, Julian finally decided I was worthy. He felt I was good enough to marry him. To get me to agree, he bought every billboard in South City just to apologize. Then, fireworks lit up the city for a month straight while he proposed. But in the fourth year of our marriage, he got his first young, delicate mistress. When I found out, he didn’t panic. He just arrogantly put out his cigarette, looking at me with cold indifference. “Are you sure you want to make a scene? Are the bank notifications not convincing enough?” I froze for a moment, opened my mouth, but couldn’t say a word. 1 It wasn’t until our wedding anniversary, when that young girl walked in wearing the exact same pearl necklace as me, that I understood a simple truth: you can’t live on promises. But back then, I was still naive. I tore the heavy South Sea pearl necklace from my neck. The pearls were large and lustrous. Julian’s butler once told me he bid for them personally at auctions. Maybe he bid on too many. Same size, same quality, same craftsmanship. It was impossible to ignore. I threw the broken necklace into Julian’s face. Pearls scattered everywhere, rolling onto the carpet. Julian’s face darkened slightly, but he didn’t lose his composure. He leaned back in his Italian leather chair, blowing a smoke ring casually. “Amy, are you sure you want to make a scene?” I clenched my fists, staring at his calm demeanor. Suddenly, all my strength drained away, and my heart turned to ice. The young girl was terrified by our standoff, hiding behind him like a frightened deer, tears welling up in her round eyes. He laughed at her reaction, pinching her cheek. “Look at you, so scared.” I stood there, mouth opening and closing, but no sound came out. Just bitterness. His question was so certain. I had no capital to make a scene. Three years ago, when my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer, my dependence on Julian grew, and our relationship became unbalanced. After all, I relied on him for everything. He arranged the hospital, the doctors, the surgery fees, the recovery costs. Everything. Including my current comfortable life. So he didn’t even bother hiding his little mistress from me. Even if I found out, what could I do? 2 I don’t remember how I left the party. I only remember my legs feeling like lead, every step a struggle. The delicate student girlfriend ran after me, looking anxious. She told me not to be angry, that Julian was just joking, that I shouldn’t take it seriously. Joking? She was on his arm, wearing the same necklace as his wife, at my anniversary party, and she called it a joke. I felt suffocated, hating myself for compromising. Just four years of marriage, and I was groveling under Julian’s wealth and power. I didn’t want to engage with her. I threw off her hand. I didn’t use much force. But she fell. Her pale knees scraped against the ground, bleeding instantly. Before I could react, I was shoved hard. “Amy, are you done?” Julian helped her up tenderly. I stumbled back, stepping on the loose pearls on the carpet, and crashed into the champagne tower. The tower, as tall as a man, collapsed on top of me. My dress was soaked in golden liquid. I tried to get up, slipping on pearls and glass shards. Shards pierced my heels and knees. But Julian didn’t even look back. He called for a first aid kit and gently cleaned the girl’s wounds. As he led her away, he finally glanced at me. “Can you stop embarrassing yourself?” I watched them leave, him supporting her with his body, protecting her as if she were made of glass. One of his friends pulled me up, lecturing me. “Sister-in-law, men need face. You were too undignified today.” I scoffed at his self-righteousness. “Get lost.” “Pah! Ungrateful woman! Look at your age! Still acting like a princess? See who cares about you now.” Acting like a princess? They thought I was just acting like a princess back then. 3 Four years ago, when I found out Julian had been pretending to be poor, I felt humiliated. I insisted on breaking up. His friends came to persuade me then, too. “Amy, have some pity! He hasn’t eaten in days. If you ignore him, he’ll die.” “Amy, we’ve never seen Julian this serious about a woman. Everyone has defenses. Just pretend your boyfriend won the lottery!” Julian had money and power, and his friends were his lobbyists. He permeated every part of my life, turning it upside down. I ignored him, but everywhere I went, LED billboards played his apologies. “Amy, it’s all my mistake…” “Amy, please see me again!” “How much to buy back my girlfriend’s forgiveness?” … One billboard cost more than my monthly salary. It seemed sincere, but I kept remembering the three years he watched me struggle. He said he was poor, with only a mother, and wanted to study. To make ends meet, I often worked two jobs. At my worst, I was laid off and delivered food after hours. For his birthday, I delivered food for a month to buy him a new laptop. There were nights of torrential rain. I was thrown off my scooter, nearly washed into a storm drain. I limped home, only to hear him discussing with his friends how to reveal the “surprise” to me. I stood at the door, frozen, and dropped the laptop. 4 My poor boyfriend was one of the richest men in the city. The laptop I risked my life for wasn’t even worth one of his meals. It was absurd. Rich people have so many ways to have fun. Why play with ordinary people’s feelings? The details I had ignored came flooding back. No wonder he was poor but picky about food. No wonder he didn’t know how to use my cheap water heater. No wonder he couldn’t relate to my complaints about rent and prices. I was blind. 5 He apologized a thousand times. But I heard something else. “You did well. You passed my test. Now I reward you by letting you be with me. Aren’t you happy?” I hit him, bit him, kicked him, threw the laptop at him. He protected the laptop and fell down the stairs. He held the computer like a treasure, looking at me pitifully. “Amy, I’m sorry…” I didn’t want to forgive him. My bruises still hurt. He said he loved me, couldn’t leave me. Then how could he watch me suffer? How could he use my struggle as a metric for his test? Three years! We slept in the same bed for three years. How can you play with a person like that? I ignored him for months. He bought my apartment building. I was ready to leave the city. But then, an accident happened. Before I could resign, Julian’s friends found me. They said Julian, heartbroken by my refusal, agreed to go abroad for his mother. He was on a flight last night. And that flight crashed. I watched the news, mind blank. I never thought he would die. We were together for three years. Even at his “poorest,” I never thought of leaving him. How could I not love him? I just couldn’t accept the deception. I rushed to the airport, watching families waiting anxiously. My legs gave out. I squatted in the hall, crying. That’s when Julian appeared. He wiped my tears, voice trembling. “Amy… do you still want me?” I looked up. His eyes were burning. He pulled me into a tight hug. “I didn’t get on the plane, Amy. I couldn’t leave you.” “Amy, give me another chance?” “Amy, do I have to die for you to look at me again?” 6 Like the suspension bridge effect, people forgive easily in the face of death. He proposed, lighting up the city with fireworks for a month. The first year or two of marriage were happy. He was a model husband, home by ten every night. “Sorry, gotta go home. The wife is strict.” “No more drinks, the wife will get mad.” When did it change? The economic gap, especially after my dad got sick, made me dependent on him like a vine. When one person knows the other can’t leave, humanity is tested. Dad’s cancer was advanced. The imported drugs were astronomical for me. I relied on Julian. Before marriage, I had a good job. Julian didn’t stop me at first. But after Dad got sick: “Mrs. Sterling working for peanuts? It’s embarrassing.” I felt uncomfortable but submitted, handing in my resignation. Leaving the Sterling villa, I went to the hospital. Dad was suffering from side effects. Rash, pneumonia. I heard him coughing from the hallway. When I entered, he held it in, looking at me. I felt a pang of sorrow seeing him so frail. I had changed clothes, but the cuts on my knees and arms still hurt. Dad noticed immediately. “Amy, what happened?” “Nothing, just fell.” He pulled up my sleeve, revealing the cuts. “How did you fall like this?” “Tripped on gravel.” Dad sighed, pulling out ointment. “Still so clumsy.” I was afraid to speak, afraid he’d sense something wrong. But he knew. “Amy, are you hiding something? Is Julian treating you well?” “Yes! You know how much effort he put into marrying me.” “Amy, people change. Relying too much on someone leads to disrespect.” “If possible, I hope you can find a job. Have your own ground to stand on.” “I’m looking. Once Dad gets better, I’ll work.” “Amy, everyone dies. Don’t be stubborn. Don’t let Julian look down on you because of me.” “No, Julian is good.” Just then, the hospital TV flashed news about Julian. Fireworks again. But this time, not for me. A young girl, smiling shyly next to him. “Sterling CEO’s New Love.” Dad coughed violently, blood on the sheets. I panicked. He grabbed me. “Amy, what is this?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388051”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When the results of the second mock exams came out, I, the perpetual valedictorian, was dead last. Suddenly, a stream of text floated across my vision like a live chat: [The male lead is so screwed! Everyone around him has activated the Swap System. They’re forcibly trading attributes with him.] [Swapping grades is just the beginning…] The comments were all lamenting my tragic fate. Until the next day. The person who stole my grades suddenly dropped dead. 01 [Congratulations! You have identified the first Swapper!] [Please identify all hidden Swappers before the SATs. Failure to do so will result in the “Human Swine” penalty.] [Swappers identified: 1] [Countdown to SATs: 44 days] The system’s cold notification rang in my head. I clenched my fists. Beside me, my desk mate, Caleb, was gossiping with a look of disbelief. “…They say she was just walking down the street and boom, heart attack. She was perfectly healthy during the last checkup.” Seeing my distracted expression, Caleb lowered his voice. “But it is weird, right? Sarah from AP Bio was always failing, but this time she got the highest score in the school. And right after that, she drops dead. People are saying she messed with some dark magic or something.” I forced a pale smile. “There’s no such thing as magic. Let the dead rest in peace. Don’t spread rumors.” Caleb shut up, looking chagrined. I lowered my eyes to hide the storm brewing within them. Three days ago, I was bound to the [Predator System]. The system told me that people around me were bound to the [Swap System]. Each of them has one chance to swap something of mine with theirs, at no cost to themselves. Grades were just the start. Soon, someone would swap my looks, my family, even my lifespan. I had to find all the Swappers before the SATs. Otherwise, everything valuable I possessed would be stolen. Eventually, even my limbs and eyes would be taken, leaving me a “human swine”—a torso kept alive in agony. However, any Swapper I correctly identified would die instantly. Whatever they stole would return to me within two business days. This was a game of life and death. At first, I was skeptical. Until the mock exam scores came out. I, who always ranked first, was at the bottom. And Sarah, who always failed, was number one. So, I didn’t hesitate. I opened the system interface. [Swapper Identity Confirmed: Sarah Jones.] [She stole your grades.] Not long after, I heard the news of Sarah’s death. From this, I confirmed two things. Chapter 2 First, the system and the floating text weren’t lying. Swappers were lurking around me, and I had to fight to the death. Second, the Swappers didn’t know I had the Predator System. Otherwise, Sarah wouldn’t have been so blatant about stealing my grades. They were in the light; I was in the dark. I had the advantage. 02 Two days after Sarah died, our homeroom teacher made an announcement. “There was a glitch in the grading system. Sarah Jones’s and Liam’s scores were swapped in the database. Liam is actually the top scorer for this exam.” The teacher looked at me warmly. “Liam, you’ve been number one all year. Keep this up, and you might be the state valedictorian.” I smiled slightly. The system was precise. Two business days, right on time. A few days later. While washing my face in the morning, I noticed several pimples. The familiar text floated by. [Another Swapper made a move. This time, they swapped the male lead’s looks.] [This Swapper is smart. He didn’t swap everything at once. He’s doing it gradually.] [After all, the male lead is the school heartthrob. Since *** is so plain, a full swap would be too obvious.] [The male lead probably just thinks he’s stressed and breaking out. He won’t notice a thing.] [And to think the male lead has always been so nice to him. You really can’t trust anyone.] I see. Without the chat log, I wouldn’t have noticed so soon. Although the name was censored, I gleaned three clues. The Swapper is an average-looking guy. The Swapper has a three-syllable name. The Swapper is close to me. Three names popped into my head. My desk mate, Caleb Miller. My roommate, Ethan Davis. My neighbor, Zach Wilson. After observing them, I locked onto Caleb. Usually a bit chubby, he had suddenly slimmed down recently. His face looked much clearer. [Swapper Identity Confirmed: Caleb Miller.] [He stole a portion of your appearance.] The next second, a piercing alarm shrieked in my brain. [WARNING! WARNING!] [Host failed to identify the true Swapper!] [You have one more chance. Please find the real thief of your looks within three days.] [If you fail again, you will receive a penalty: Looks permanently -50, SAT Score permanently -100.] [Please take this game seriously!] Chapter 3 03 I paused. This Swapper was cunning. Perhaps Sarah’s death served as a warning to the others. They were no longer reckless. They were hiding. The hunt just got harder. Back in the dorm, I quietly observed my roommate, Ethan. Was it my imagination, or was his skin glowing? Ethan was humming a tune. “Ethan, did you change your face wash? You look… radiant.” I probed casually. “Really? You think so?” Ethan beamed. “It’s this new brand I saw on TikTok. It was cheap, so I tried it. I’ll send you the link!” He sent it immediately, rambling about skincare routines. I laughed along, then pulled out my phone and texted my neighbor, Zach. “Hey bro, you off tomorrow? Wanna go shopping for clothes?” Zach replied quickly: “Nah, I’m gonna study at home. SATs are in a month, I’m too stressed to go out.” The next day, I knocked on Zach’s door with a crepe cake. “Picked this up on my way back.” I held up the cake and slipped inside. “Nice! You’re a lifesaver!” Zach took the cake happily. I asked casually, “Bro, have you been losing weight? You look thinner.” “No way,” Zach said naturally. “I’ve been stress-eating kebabs every night. Maybe the exam pressure is making me look gaunt.” He stepped on the scale in the living room. “See? Haven’t lost a pound. Got excited for nothing.” We chatted for a bit before I left. Back home, I summoned the system. [Swapper Identity Confirmed: Zach Wilson.] [He stole a portion of your appearance.] 04 Zach hadn’t lost weight, nor was his skin glowing. He looked normal. But I remembered he had oily skin. If he ate greasy food or sweets, he’d break out instantly. Yet, his face was clear. Chapter 4 Obviously, those pimples had been transferred to my face. [Congratulations! You have identified the second Swapper!] [Swappers identified: 2] [Countdown to SATs: 36 days] Outside, I heard the frantic screams of Zach’s parents. “Zach! What’s wrong?! Don’t scare us!” “Call 911! Hurry!” I froze. I knew identifying them meant death. But Zach… he died over some pimples. Was it worth it? Sensing my hesitation, the system spoke coldly: [The moment he chose to target you and steal your looks, he ceased to be your friend.] [Mercy to the enemy leads to you becoming a ‘Human Swine’.] [Take the game seriously.] I shook my head. [It’s not mercy. I just don’t understand why. Is being good-looking that important?] Important enough to stab your best friend in the back? Or maybe… I was the only one who thought we were friends. Now that he was dead, no one would know what he was thinking. But suddenly, everyone around me felt like they were wearing masks. What were they hiding behind those friendly smiles? Over the next week, I caught two more Swappers. One stole my scholarship nomination. Another stole my popularity. I caught them quickly. The system was excited: [Swapper abilities are only valid before the SATs.] [Keep it up, Host! Once the exams are over, they can’t touch you!] [I am applying for a reward mechanism. For every Swapper caught, +10 points to your SAT score!] Things were looking up. Even the chat comments said I might change the tragic ending of the original story. Until that day. I was walking down the street. A truck lost control and barreled toward me. When I woke up, I heard the word “amputation” from outside the hospital room. [WARNING! WARNING!] [Host’s Luck stat has dropped to ZERO!] [Find the Swapper who stole your Luck within 24 hours!] [Failure will result in forced amputation of both legs!]

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “388069”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel