Category: English

Right before finals week, Chloe, the school’s resident rich girl and Prom Queen, volunteered to help everyone “blow off some steam.” That night, the entire senior class showed up at the most exclusive club in the city. The only person Chloe didn’t invite was me. But looking at the photos flexing on Instagram and Snapchat, I didn’t shed a tear. I put on my noise-canceling headphones and focused on my textbooks. In my last life, I was the target. I saw Chloe’s posts, rushed to the club out of concern, and walked right into her confessing her love to my boyfriend. I swallowed my pride. I tried to be the responsible one. I begged my classmates to go home and rest, to focus on the exams that would determine our futures. And what did I get? Pure hatred. “You can’t have fun, so you won’t let anyone else have fun, huh?” It wasn’t until I snapped photos and sent them to the parents’ group chat that everyone was dragged home. They all aced their exams. They all got into Ivy Leagues. And I was completely ostracized. The day my boyfriend, Liam, and I both got our acceptance letters, Chloe posted a suicide note on social media and downed a bottle of sleeping pills. That night at the club, after I had interrupted her confession, she had gotten wasted. She ended up alone in an escape room game, stripped, and someone filmed it. After Chloe got her stomach pumped, Liam and the rest of the class lost their minds. To avenge their “fallen angel,” they kidnapped me. They filmed videos of me being tortured. They blackmailed my parents, forcing them to jump off a rooftop. They faked my suicide. They forged a note saying I was sleeping around and the guilt of killing my parents drove me to drink pesticide in a basement. After I died, the whole class popped champagne. Liam finally got with Chloe. It was only after I died that I learned Chloe’s true identity… But then I opened my eyes. I was back. I was back to the night she offered to treat the whole class. This time, I decided to give them exactly what they wanted. “Finals are practically here. I know everyone is stressing out, so tonight is on me! Black card energy only!” “I’m taking you guys to the hottest spot in town!” Amid the cheers, Chloe was surrounded like a celebrity, holding a platinum credit card high in the air. My hand froze on the classroom door handle. Inside, the voices got louder. “By the way, whatever you do, do not tell Luna. She’s such a buzzkill. She’ll definitely snitch to the teachers or our parents!” Laughter erupted. Chloe flipped her long hair, playing the role of the benevolent queen. That sentence hit me like a bucket of ice water. This scene was too familiar. I had already lived through this. Realizing where I was, I let go of the handle and backed away from the door. I was reborn. The realization rang in my head, making my whole body tremble. Not from fear. From excitement. In my last life, I hadn’t heard this conversation clearly. Everyone kept their mouths shut. Even Liam, my boyfriend, just told me to go home early and rest. I thought he cared about me. Now I know he was just covering his tracks. His heart was already with Chloe, the “heiress.” “Luna is hot, but she’s such a nerd. She’s obsessed with me, what can I do?” “I can’t dump her right before finals. We’re classmates; I can’t be that cruel.” When Chloe had defended him back then, calling him kind, she had slipped a love letter into his hand. “You guys stop. Luna is desperate. This exam is her only ticket out of mediocrity. She has to try hard.” And just like that, Chloe was the saintly, rich beauty, and Liam was the gentle, golden-boy class president. And I was the clown obsessed with him. But Liam forgot something. He was the one who stalked me for three months, begging me to say yes. I only studied so hard because I promised my parents I’d get Valedictorian if they let me date him. Thinking about what was coming, my hands went cold. In a few hours, the class would be at the club. Chloe would “accidentally” forget to block me from her story. I would see it. Then, she would confess to Liam in front of everyone. I would show up, fight with her, and she’d end up drunk and alone… It was all a setup. Remembering the hell I went through, I pulled out my phone and walked away from the classroom. Once I was in a quiet corner, I called my parents. I asked for my private tutor to come over tonight. “Mom, the exams are practically here. Every second counts. No breaks. I want to study tonight.” This time, I wasn’t going to stop them. Chapter 2 While the whole class was sneaking around, gathering at the rendezvous point, I was sitting in front of my tutor. While they were raising glasses and cheering, I walked over to a vase of water and dropped my phone into it. I watched the screen flicker and die. A smile finally crept onto my face. “Alright,” I said to the tutor. “Let’s get back to Calculus.” At the club, the bass was thumping against eardrums, syncing with adrenaline-filled heartbeats. Some students hesitated, staring at the drinks in their hands. “Chloe… finals are literally on Monday. Is drinking really a good idea?” “If anyone finds out…” Chloe, her designer dress shimmering under the strobe lights, laughed it off. She was clinging to Liam’s arm. “The whole class is here. Who’s gonna snitch? If we all keep quiet, nobody knows.” “The only person with a big mouth didn’t get an invite.” “Relax.” Chloe claimed she “knew people” at this club and told everyone to drink up. Between the lights and the peer pressure, the hesitation evaporated. “Chloe’s got us! She’s loaded!” “It’s just one night! We need to decompress!” “Besides, we crushed the mock exams. Our average is way higher than the other classes. Consider this a pre-celebration.” “Everyone is here except Luna. If she wasn’t Liam’s girl, we wouldn’t even tolerate her…” Someone mentioned my name. Liam, already flushed from a few shots, slammed his glass down and sneered. “Don’t mention her. I’m already regretting it.” “After tonight, I’m dumping Luna!” The cheers got louder. Chloe smiled, satisfied. She slyly pulled out her phone, snapped a grid of photos, and hit post. Visibility: Only Luna. Talking about me made Liam look disgusted. He drank more, letting Chloe hold his hand. He looked like he was in heaven. “Luna and I are different. She follows me around like a puppy. She has to grind just to crack the top ten. Look at me—I barely try, and I’m number one!” “She probably thinks we’re going to the same college.” Liam raised an eyebrow, looking smug. “I applied to a school I know she can’t get into.” “Someone like her? She’s not in my league.” I only learned he said these things after I died in my last life. But now? I didn’t care where Liam went to college. This time, I was going to make sure he didn’t go to college at all. Calculating the time, thinking I had seen the photos and was rushing over, Chloe decided to make her move. She stood in front of everyone and started her confession. “Liam, graduation is coming.” “I don’t want any regrets. I know you have a girlfriend, but I have to be honest.” “Liam, I like you.” The DJ switched the track from EDM to a slow ballad. The spotlight hit Chloe and Liam. Chloe was dressed to kill, looking vulnerable and expensive. Liam stared into her eyes, swallowed hard, and felt his resolve crumble. “Chloe, I…” She put a finger to his lips, her eyes darting to the entrance. She frowned slightly when she didn’t see me, stopping him from speaking too soon. “Don’t answer yet. I know you wouldn’t betray Luna.” “I’m just so jealous of her. Wait until this song ends, then tell me.” She looked so fragile, so heartbroken. It hit Liam right in the chest. They were teenagers, running on hormones and adrenaline. The dozens of classmates surrounding them started chanting, pushing for a yes. “Say yes! Say yes!” “Liam, you legend! Chloe is a thousand times better than Luna!” “Why are you hesitating? Dump the nerd and get with the queen!” “What are you waiting for, Liam?” Under the pressure, Liam’s wandering eyes focused. He looked at Chloe, and his expression hardened into determination. Chloe smiled, but she kept glancing at the door. Sweat beaded on her forehead. She gripped her dress. “Come on, say yes! Chloe’s nervous!” She bit her lip. I still wasn’t there. While the club was reaching its boiling point, I was lying comfortably on my sofa. Late that night, my parents came home from the office. When they saw me awake, they looked surprised. I cut straight to the chase. “Dad, I don’t want to sponsor that scholarship student anymore. The one named Chloe.” “Cancel the secondary credit card I authorized for her.” Chapter 3 I almost laughed saying it out loud. Who would have guessed? The school’s big spender, the “Ms. Moneybags,” was actually the charity case my family was anonymously supporting. It was supposed to be a double-blind donation, but somehow Chloe figured out it was us. And once she realized my family was her benefactor, she started targeting me. I used to think she hated me because of grades. But who would have thought a girl with average scores would suddenly shoot into the top ten, while her own grades tanked until she was dead last? “My family has money to burn. I don’t need school to succeed.” She’d say that while flashing a bracelet with a designer logo and wearing the latest limited-edition sneakers. Meanwhile, my family received a letter saying her grandfather needed a $50,000 surgery. In my last life, when I “snitched” and the parents came, everyone left. Except her. She told everyone her parents were busy running their company and the chauffeur was on his way. The class believed her. They felt bad leaving her. But Chloe’s parents were dead. She only had her grandparents in the countryside. No chauffeur was coming. The money my family spent on her could have funded a hundred other students. And what did we get? My parents dead. Betrayal. And Chloe spitting on my grave after I was gone. “What charity? You only helped until I was eighteen! What about college? What about my lifestyle? What if my grandparents get sick?!” “Pah! You rich capitalists are all fake. You deserved to die!” Back in reality, my parents looked shocked. Before they could speak, I hugged them both. Feeling their warmth, my eyes teared up. I remembered their broken bodies on the pavement from the last life. Rage burned in my chest, but I forced it down. I looked up and smiled. “Promise me, okay? I know I was wrong.” “I realized you were right. I’ll listen to you. I’m breaking up with Liam.” I was so stupidly in love in my past life. Death cures that pretty quickly. My parents, who had always hated my relationship with Liam, looked confused but relieved. “Luna, you said you wanted to study to go to his college. Why the sudden breakup?” “Your mother and I talked… we were actually going to support you if you really loved him…” “Is that little punk bullying you? Just wait, I’ll…” Their concern was suffocating in the best way. Guilt mixed with anger in my gut. I shook my head, hugging them tighter. “I just want to focus on myself. I don’t want to regret anything.” I wasn’t going to let them off the hook. This time, they were going to be the ones with regrets. At the exact moment the credit card was frozen, nobody in the club noticed. Liam, basking in the envy of his peers, agreed to date Chloe. He kissed the corner of her mouth and made a solemn vow. “Tomorrow morning, first thing, I’m breaking up with her.” Chloe’s smile froze for a second before she forced a sweet, timid expression. “Is this okay? You haven’t broken up yet… maybe we should…” Thinking she was worried about her reputation, Liam laughed and kissed her again. “Don’t worry. She’s obsessed with me. I’m the love of her life; she wouldn’t dare do anything to hurt me.” Hearing this cringe-worthy dialogue, Chloe’s eye twitched. She wasn’t happy. She was panicking because I hadn’t shown up. Seeing the cameras in the dark corners of the club, she pushed Liam away and yelled for everyone to drink. “Let’s celebrate! A toast to us! And to… acing our finals!” Just as the class rushed the dance floor, drinks in hand, a heavy hand clamped down on Chloe’s shoulder. She spun around, eyes lighting up, thinking it was her “connection.” But her face fell when she saw a bouncer. “What do you want?” “Can’t you see we’re partying?” A waiter stepped forward, holding a POS machine, asking for payment. “Miss Chloe, your group has run up a significant tab. Plus the outstanding balance from previous visits. We need you to settle the bill now.” Chloe was annoyed. She pulled out the card and threw it on the floor. “Do you know how to do business? You’re embarrassing me.” “Take it. Take the money and get lost!” She took her anger out on the waiter. Used to this treatment, the waiter picked up the card. He swiped it. His obsequious smile vanished. It was replaced by a cold, hard stare. “Miss Chloe, this card has been declined. It’s deactivated.” “Do you have another form of payment?” Chloe’s head snapped up. Chapter 4 “No… that’s impossible. It can’t be canceled.” “I’ve used it here a dozen times. It’s the only card I brought…” Seeing the bouncers closing in, the color drained from Chloe’s face. One of them reached for her. Liam stepped in, playing the hero. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” Sensing the shift in atmosphere, the rest of the class gathered around, forming a protective wall in front of Chloe. “Back off! You want to fight?” “We’re together! Do you have any idea who Miss Chloe is? Do you know who her family is?!” “If you touch her, her dad will have this place shut down and you’ll all be fired!” They shouted threats. Chloe looked panicked. She saw the main doors being locked and bolted. She screamed and buried her face in Liam’s chest. “Liam, what do I do? The card isn’t working.” “They’re going to hurt me.” Her voice was just loud enough for everyone to hear. The students looked uneasy. Suddenly, the crowd of bouncers parted. A massive man with a thick gold chain and a scar on his face walked out. “Who the hell said they were looking for me? I’m the owner.” “Who claims they know me? Let me see your face.” Chloe froze. “I… I…” She didn’t know him. She’d never even seen the owner. Exposed in front of everyone, she started crying, jumping up and down in frustration. “I was scammed! I thought the other guy was the owner! I didn’t know!” “I can’t pay right now! What do we do?!” Seeing her tears, the class went into full defense mode. Liam puffed out his chest. “We aren’t deadbeats! We just didn’t bring cash!” “We’re here to celebrate before finals! We aren’t trying to dine and dash!” “How much is it? We’ll pool our money!” Liam didn’t know that regular clubs don’t let high schoolers in. Chloe had brought them to a shady underground dive run by gangsters. Getting in was easy. Getting out… not so much. Hearing Liam offer to pay, the boss twisted the gold ring on his finger and grinned, showing yellow teeth. “Your total is sixty-eight thousand, eight hundred and eighty.” He spread his hands. His eyes raked over Chloe and the girls behind her. “Of course, if you can’t pay with cash… flesh works too. These schoolgirls look fresh…” “That’s nearly seventy grand! You’re running a scam!!” The crowd exploded. They were high school students. Even if they pooled their allowances, they couldn’t scrape together ten thousand, let alone seventy. Liam screamed at the boss. Chloe was shaking. The girls were terrified. “Chloe, call your family! Ask them to send money!” Family? Nobody was coming. Chloe bit her lip until it bled. She looked at Liam, tears streaming down her face. “I wasn’t… I’ll think of something. I’ll call Luna.” “She’s the only one who can save us now. Before the teachers and parents find out, we need her help.” She didn’t call the police. She didn’t call an ambulance. She kept saying only I could save the class. She dialed my number. Again. And again. No answer. “Help! Ahhh!” “Trying to rip us off? Beat these broke kids to death!” The bouncers moved in. Students were getting smashed with beer bottles. Chloe covered her mouth, trembling, barely able to stand. An hour later, I picked up my new phone and inserted the SIM card. As soon as I logged into WeChat, a message popped up. Luna, you did this on purpose! I scoffed and deleted the message. I looked at the screen and counted down in my head. Almost there. Just a little longer… A moment later, the silent parent group chat exploded. A parent posted a video, crying. “My kid… my perfectly healthy kid… why is he in the ICU right before finals?!” “Wait, didn’t the school say there was a mandatory study session tonight?” “Why are our kids at a nightclub?!” I clicked the video, raised an eyebrow, and watched the chaos unfold. This time, let’s see how you talk your way out of this, Chloe.

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Before college applications were due, the most popular girl in our class, who claimed to be the daughter of the richest man in the city, suddenly announced she could get everyone into Ivy League schools. “My parents donated several buildings to those schools. Getting you guys in is a piece of cake.” Most of my classmates’ grades were far from Ivy League standards, but they believed her and gave up on applying, relying on her connections to get them into college. In my past life, I realized her promises were unreliable and immediately urged them not to give up on applications, advising them to have a backup plan. I even called their parents one by one. But this only angered her. She mocked me for being poor and not understanding how the upper class works, accusing me of ruining everyone’s future. My boyfriend also raged at me: “I think you’re just jealous that Bella is rich. You can’t stand the thought of us all going to Ivy Leagues. So what if your grades are good? A lifetime of effort can’t catch up to three generations of accumulation!” For the sake of our three years as classmates, I didn’t hold it against them. Before the deadline, seeing they still hadn’t applied, I called the police and exposed her fake identity. She was condemned by everyone and, in despair, jumped into the river. My classmates said she deserved it and thanked me for saving their futures. But at the graduation dinner, my boyfriend poisoned my drink. The entire class watched coldly as I struggled in pain. “At worst, we wouldn’t go to college. But Bella lost her life!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day she claimed she could get us in through the back door. Chapter 1 In the private room of the restaurant, after I was poisoned to death, my boyfriend, Tyler, was still not satisfied. He took my phone and contacted my parents. Hearing something happened to me, my parents rushed to the restaurant without a second thought. Seeing me lying on the ground, bleeding from my eyes, nose, and mouth, they cried until they couldn’t breathe. Tyler and other classmates helped them sit down: “Uncle, Auntie, don’t get too excited. The ambulance is on its way. Drink some water first.” My parents didn’t suspect anything and drank the water they offered. But soon, they felt a sharp pain in their chests, followed by vomiting a large amount of blood. At this moment, they finally revealed their true faces: “Your precious daughter was poisoned by us too. She killed Bella, so she must go to hell to atone for her sins!” “You two old things can go down and accompany your daughter too. If you want to blame someone, blame Sarah for her vicious heart that dragged you down.” My family of three died on the spot. My soul floated in the air, wishing I could take them with me, but I was powerless. But the next second, a familiar voice rang in my ears: “Wow, Bella, your family driver dropped you off in a Rolls-Royce again today.” I stood in the corner of the classroom, looking at everything in disbelief, finally realizing that I had been reborn. “No, that’s my dad, not the family driver.” This made everyone even more excited: “Oh my god, your dad treats you so well, dropping you off personally even when he’s so busy.” Bella smiled, accepting it by default, but I knew everything she said was a lie. Thinking of the pain before my death in my past life, I looked at her with hatred. Perhaps sensing my unfriendly gaze, Bella looked at me: “Sarah, your grades are so good, you don’t need my help to get into an Ivy League, right?” I withdrew my gaze, about to speak, when Tyler interrupted: “Bella, don’t worry about her. Look at her poor appearance. Even if she gets in, she can’t afford it. She should just go to community college.” “Yeah, she probably can’t even pay tuition. Even if Bella is kind enough to get you into an Ivy League, you won’t have money to live in the city. Bella can’t take care of you forever.” At this moment, my classmates firmly believed Bella’s words, thinking she could definitely get them into Ivy League schools through the back door. Last night, I checked my scores; they were above the cutoff, so as long as I didn’t mess up the application, I would definitely get in. Hearing this, Bella’s eyes lit up: “Actually, my family often does charity to help poor students. If you kneel and kowtow to me now, I can pay for your college.” I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to punch her: “No need. Things obtained by force that don’t belong to you will eventually backfire.” Bella’s expression froze, then she immediately squeezed out a few tears: “I’m doing this for your own good. After all, if you go to an Ivy League, maybe your destiny will change in the future. If you don’t appreciate it, forget it.” Seeing her like this, Tyler immediately stepped forward and kicked my knee: “Sarah, don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Bella willing to sponsor you is a blessing you earned over eight lifetimes. Hurry up and kowtow to thank her!” “Yeah, what’s the use of saving face when you’re this poor? Can dignity be eaten?” My leg hurt, but I held on and didn’t kneel, just glaring at him hatefully. So many eyes were watching me, waiting to see me kneel humbly. “No need. Although my family is poor, we have money for school. Besides, there are student loans. There’s always a way to survive.” “As for you, trying to get in through the back door with insufficient scores, be careful not to outsmart yourselves.” Chapter 2 Tyler and I met at school. Because my grades were among the best in the class, I often tutored him, and we gradually developed feelings. We had agreed that even if we couldn’t go to the same university, we would be in the same city. But everything changed after Bella transferred to our class in senior year. After her high-profile transfer, Bella started flaunting her wealth non-stop, revealing to classmates that she was the daughter of the richest man in the city. School was just for show; her future path was already paved. Not only that, she also gave luxury goods to classmates to show off her financial power. Now most of the class started fawning over this rich girl, including Tyler. Bella gave Tyler the latest gaming console. Since then, Tyler became addicted to games, and his mock exam scores got worse and worse. I saw it and was anxious, advising him to put down the games for a while and focus on studying. He could play all he wanted after the exams. But he didn’t listen to me at all, instead blaming me for disturbing his game: “Do you know how expensive this console is? Enough to buy your life! Get lost.” In my past life, I couldn’t bear to see him fall, so I meddled and told the teacher. Thinking back now, I was really stupid. People like this deserve to rot! “Hahahaha, dying of laughter. Sarah, you’re too naive. Do you understand the rules of high society? Getting into an Ivy League is just a word from the richest man.” Tyler laughed as if he heard something funny. Other classmates laughed along, the classroom filled with a cheerful atmosphere. “Exactly, three generations of business beat your ten years of hard study.” “What’s the use of good grades? You’ll just work for others after graduation.” “Bottom-feeders like you will never understand. What you fight for your whole life might just be a word from the richest man.” I smiled. Some of what they said was true, but only if Bella was really the richest man’s daughter. “Then I wish you all success,” I said. After speaking, I strode out of the school. After walking a block, I got into a Rolls-Royce on the side of the road. The car took me all the way to the villa area. Back home, my parents were waiting for me. “Baby, Mom knew you could do it. Look at the gift Mom prepared for you, do you like it?” My mom took out a box and placed it in front of me. Inside was a large diamond necklace, sparkling dazzlingly under the light. “This is a property deed for an apartment near the university. You can commute directly, no need to squeeze into dorms with other students.” My dad placed a property deed in front of me, his expression full of relief. Looking at my living parents, tears burst from my eyes. Fortunately, fortunately, everything was still in time. Chapter 3 Seeing me cry, my parents immediately asked with concern what happened. I looked at the servants at home and wiped my tears: “Let’s go to the study and talk slowly.” In the study, I told them everything that happened today. Hearing the name Bella Huang, my parents were stunned for a few seconds. “Is Bella Huang Old Huang’s daughter?” My mom reacted first. Among our servants, only one had the surname Huang, and that was my dad’s driver. That’s right, Bella was not the richest man’s daughter at all. Her dad was just one of my dad’s several drivers. My dad had several drivers. Bella’s dad had been here the shortest time, so he hadn’t seen me. Shortly after he arrived, he asked my dad about his daughter wanting to transfer schools. Seeing that he was diligent and honest, my dad helped him out and let Bella transfer to our school. Unexpectedly, he raised an ungrateful wretch. “Bastard, I’ll fire him right now!” My dad was so angry he swore. I quickly stopped him. Exposing their father-daughter identity now would undoubtedly alert them. Moreover, what they did was more than just faking their identity. “They dare to bully my daughter like this, they must pay the price!” My mom said firmly. I nodded and told them my plan. After finishing, my mom patted my shoulder: “Alright, stop talking about these unhappy things. Now that the scores are out, hurry up and fill in your application. But if you don’t want to go to college in the country, it’s fine. Mom has contacted schools abroad for you.” Last night, the Ivy League admission scores were released. I was thirty points above the line, safe. I immediately told my homeroom teacher the good news and indirectly asked about others’ scores. It was difficult for others to get into Ivy Leagues, but getting into a good university was decent. As for Tyler and Bella, their scores were at most enough for community college. I opened my computer, filled in my application, chatted with my parents for a while, and went to sleep. Early the next morning, the homeroom teacher posted a lot of notices about filling out applications in the class group chat, telling students not to miss the deadline, otherwise they would have to repeat the year. No one spoke in the group, but in another group without the teacher, they were mocking the teacher for being old-fashioned. They didn’t need to fill out applications at all; Bella would solve everything for them. Bella posted a photo of a foreign attraction in the group a while later. “I’m abroad right now. Don’t worry, I’ve talked to my dad. Just wait for your acceptance letters.” Now the group was boiling again, everyone kissing Bella’s ass. I silently exited the group. Anyway, I finished my application, booked my flight, and was ready to travel abroad. Chapter 4 Soon it was the deadline day. I was sleeping in the hotel when my mom called. “Baby, the deadline is tonight. Log in to your account again, don’t let anything go wrong. I saw on the news yesterday that a kid’s application was changed to community college by a relative last year. Check it quickly.” I didn’t tell anyone my account and password, so it shouldn’t be changed, but I took out my computer to be safe. But when I logged in, I was dumbfounded. The Ivy League university I originally filled in had somehow turned into an unknown vocational school. My heart almost jumped out of my chest. I couldn’t help thanking my mom. I immediately changed the application back and called my parents. They were both startled but calmed down quickly, instructing me to change my password and tell no one. A while later, my dad sent an IP address. Seeing it, I immediately understood. Sure enough, it was that bastard Tyler trying to drag me down. Most of my passwords were related to my birthday. He probably guessed my password and changed my application. Fortunately, my mom was one step ahead and changed it back in time. Although I was abroad now, I wished I could fly back immediately and kill that bitch. I didn’t want to go anywhere that day, so I stared at the website in the hotel until the deadline, afraid of problems again. When the deadline arrived, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. But before I could relax, my phone rang. Bella sent me two photos. One was a screenshot of my application. “Since you can’t afford an Ivy League anyway, I helped you change it to a community college. Low tuition, perfect for a poor ghost like you.” The other was a photo of her and Tyler kissing. “Have to thank Tyler too. If not for him, I wouldn’t know your password.” I just glanced at it and immediately blocked her. Anyway, I changed my application back, and these people wouldn’t be smug for long. Getting into an Ivy League was a big deal. The day before picking up the acceptance letter, the homeroom teacher notified me to pick it up at school the next day so they could share the glory. I did as told. When I arrived at school, I found many people there. “What are you doing here? Today is for Ivy League acceptance letters. Community college ones won’t come until next month.” A burst of malicious laughter erupted from the crowd. “Forget it, let her stay. Let her see what an Ivy League acceptance letter looks like. She probably only has this one chance in her life to see one.” Listening to their ridicule, my heart was calm. After all, the truth would be revealed soon. Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted: “The letters are here!” Students looked outside and saw the homeroom teacher walking towards us with an acceptance letter. “Why only one? Didn’t our whole class get into Ivy Leagues?” Tyler rushed up first: “Why only one letter, teacher? Where are the rest? Too many to carry? I’ll help you.” Although holding an Ivy League acceptance letter, the teacher’s expression was very ugly: “What’s wrong with you guys? I asked the leadership, you weren’t admitted at all!”

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During a reality show livestream, the current “It Girl” deliberately tried to embarrass me. She dared me to call the top celebrity, my ex-boyfriend, and provoke him live: [I’m getting married tomorrow!] His response? [You want a wedding gift? Keep dreaming.] Thirty seconds later: [I’m willing to be the side piece. Video call me if you dare, I’ll prove I’m better.] Me: ???!!! … Damn it, ex-boyfriend, who messed with your settings?! 1 I lost the game on the variety show, so I had to accept the punishment from the winner of the last round. Bella, the current “It Girl” of Hollywood, rested her chin on her hand, pretending to think deeply. Finally, she flashed a dazzling smile. “Call Julian, and tell him—” “You still like him, but you’re getting married tomorrow~” ???! My vision went black. Provoking Julian, the top star in the industry, on a live broadcast? Is this something a human being would come up with? Did a coupon explosion fry your brain? Seeing my lack of reaction, she switched to a cutesy, whining tone. “I wanna see! I love this drama! Come on, call him!!!” I politely refused. “We don’t really know each other that well. How about another dare?” Bella pretended to be angry and playfully slapped my shoulder. “Oh stop it, you guys definitely know each other. “Last night, Julian mentioned you while we were chatting. “It’s just a game, we’re all friends here, let’s have some fun~” Friends? He’s my ex-boyfriend, and I met you thirty minutes ago. Where’s the friendship?! [Hahaha, Bella has such a great sense for variety shows!] [This is kinda awkward, Chloe looks so uncomfortable stuck in the middle.] [Ugh, your fave is so fragile. If she can’t play, she shouldn’t be on the show. Does she understand entertainment?] [Totally, super sensitive much?] [Bella explained they all know each other well, it’s just a joke.] [OMG! Am I the only one shipping them? Bella and Julian were chatting last night!!!] [Maybe they were chatting in the same bed, under the same covers hehehe! Whispering sweet nothings every night!] I ignored the deluge of shipping comments and was forced to pull out my phone. Everyone here is sharp. What kind of game are you playing, little girl? You just want to see me get rejected after confessing my feelings. Then you can have a sweet interaction with Julian and sell your “couple” image, right? I’m such a sucker!!! I held my breath and pressed dial. The ringback tone echoed through the hall— [My head is so itchy~] [I’m growing long hair~] [I’m growing long hair~] [Hehehehe~~~] ???! Damn, isn’t this the stupid audio clip I recorded for fun when I had COVID and lost my voice years ago? He still has it?! Ahhh, is he sick?! Why would he set this ghostly thing as his ringback tone?!!!! 2 [??? The cool guy is actually this weird in private?!] [Hahaha, I’m dying, who recorded this? It sounds like a dying crow!] [Sounds like a girl, could it be Bella?!] [Every step is a sweet moment boohoo, us “Julibella” fans are eating good!!!] [Trust me, sisters, every couple I’ve shipped has gone public, they are definitely real!] [It’d take a ghost to recognize anyone from that raspy voice…] [Pfft, anyway, it’s not your fave Chloe.] [Just say you’re jealous, stop trying to make everything about her.] [Chloe’s fans are just like her. Your girl wants to cling to Julian but can’t, so you’re all pressed?] [It’s not the first time for Chloe. Didn’t she always use the same stuff as Julian before? Boy crazy.] Bella squatted in front of the screen, replying to comments whenever she could. “Oh, what are you guys saying? It wasn’t me~” “I can’t make such a rough voice.” “Julian likes that old cartoon Ratatouille, so I just found a random sound clip for him~” Ha, you’re good at fishing in troubled waters. The next second, the call connected. The Ratatouille fanboy’s voice was cold. “Hello, who is this?” His lazy voice was amplified through the speakers. Accompanied by a slight, grainy rasp of just waking up, it made my tailbone tingle. Wait, he asked who I was? The one screaming about long hair in your phone!!! After a few heavy breaths, this foolish human finally saw the caller ID. He huffed, putting on an act. In the background, there was the rustling of fabric as he got up. “Oh, it’s Miss White. What business do you have so early in the morning?” What business? Business, business, business. My business is you, okay? Suppressing the urge to curse. I began to execute the task emotionlessly. “I really like you, but I’m marrying someone else tomorrow.” … The rustling stopped abruptly. Silence on the other end for a moment, then a faint voice. “If you want a wedding gift, just say so. “Don’t disgust me with words like that. “I have no interest… in you.” ??? Wow, growing a backbone now? Who was the one crying his eyes out like swollen peaches when we broke up?! The host and guests were stifling laughter, teasing glances flying everywhere, and millions of netizens flooded the livestream to watch the drama. My brain short-circuited, and I blurted out nonsense. “No need for a gift, just come for the reception.” “You can meet my husband. He’s tall, handsome, has an eight-pack, great stamina, very durable!” 3 Come on, let’s go! The braver ex wins!!! I clearly heard a faint grunt from Julian’s nose over the phone, “Good, very good…” Suddenly, the call was hung up. The busy signal echoed loudly in the empty studio. Awkward atmosphere. “Hahaha, Julian is quite grumpy in the morning,” the host laughed it off. The comments started partying again. [Speechless, why is Chloe adding drama?] [OMG, Julian straight up said he has no interest.] [Does this mean Chloe harassed him a lot before? Otherwise, such a gentleman wouldn’t say that…] [Knowing he and her female friend like each other, yet still throwing herself at him like a green tea b*tch, disgusting.] [Bella run! You treat her like a sister, she treats you like a stepping stone!] [You guys are crazy, conspiracy theories over everything.] [Watch it if you want, get out if you don’t, no one’s forcing you!] I was dumbfounded, speechless. Everyone here is completely immersed in their own art!!! If you’re so bored, go find a factory and sew some shoes! And that damn Julian! If you can’t speak, sew your mouth shut!!! The camera persisted in filming my phone. I forced a smile. “Task completed, I guess.” Before the words fell, a WeChat message from Julian popped up at the top of the screen. [Send me the time and location!] [I want to see what kind of ghost wedding you can pull off in such a rush.] [I’m going to steal candy from kids.] [Snatch cigarettes from old men.] [Throw wine at uncles.] [Fight for the bouquet.] [Rip off the groom’s hair gel and shoe lifts!] ???! The guests and host widened their eyes. They leaned in, disbelief on their faces. “Are you and Julian…?” “Nothing! We are nothing! He’s just being abstract haha!” I waved my hands frantically, shaking my head at warp speed. But Julian wouldn’t let me go. Messages kept coming. [I mean…] [I’m willing to be the side piece!] [Hear that? I’m willing to be the side piece!!] [Who knows if your husband’s stamina is from pills!] [I don’t need pills!] [So, right now, accept the video call and inspect the goods!!!] Before anyone could react, the video call ringtone deafened the room! 4 ???! What the hell?! Inspect what goods? Tell me what goods we are inspecting?!! I was almost delirious. Rapid breathing accompanied by tachycardia, the scenery before my eyes distorted. [Huh? Isn’t Julian dating Bella?] [Oh my god, is Bella the other woman now? Ahhh!] [She thought she and Chloe were besties, turns out Chloe slept with Julian behind her back hehe!] [Damn, cheaters, backstabbers deserve to die!] [Do Bella fans have a persecution complex? This is obviously a script…] [LMAO, people are still spreading rumors about Julian.] [Paparazzi camped out forever to catch him leaving at dawn.] [Thought he was meeting a beauty, followed him over mountains and rivers for 20,000 steps, only to find he was taking pictures of the sunrise.] [The paparazzi cursed and wanted to leave, but he caught them.] [Then he narcissistically forced them to take handsome photos of him…] [You’re saying this straight guy has the brains to date two at once?!] [Hahaha evil photographers!] [Whatever, I only care about what we’re inspecting? Pecs or… that?] [??? Teacher, please! This isn’t the wilderness!!] Ignoring the comments. My palms holding the screen were sweating like crazy. Calm down! Calm down! Calm down!!! Taking a deep breath, I squeezed out a desolate smile. “Looks like our show is really hot, even Julian is using ‘unscrupulous means’ to show his face.” “Let’s say hi to him together!” Before connecting, I looked around and directly pulled the eager Bella to the front. I held the phone high to ensure her face was the first thing seen. She tugged at her collar, widening her innocent eyes, full of shyness. Great job, time for you to lead the charge! Damn it, better you than me! Aren’t you a couple? He’s talking to me like this now. Go catch the cheater! Anyway, I’m showing it openly, I have a clear conscience. If anyone dares to scold me again. I’ll just frame him. Saying he wants to have his cake and eat it too, coveting me. I rejected him righteously many times. That’s why he’s angry and talking nonsense! And I am the good bestie who resisted temptation!! Hehehehe!!! A logical plan. A clear path to clearing my name. A smart, perfect brain. Go go go! Let’s go!

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The day our daughter choked to death, I pulled out every one of my thorns. I became the proper, graceful wife Dylan had always wanted. I stopped hiring private investigators to follow him. I stopped storming into bars and flipping tables at midnight. I stopped forcing him to swear on his life that he would love me forever. So when I found a lipstick in his car, a shade I never wear, I just carefully put it aside for him. “This color is so hard to find,” I said with a placid smile. “Don’t forget to give it to her.” Dylan slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a halt. “Ava, you’re sick,” he seethed. “If you’re going to keep playing these passive-aggressive games, maybe we should take some time apart to cool off.” “Fine,” I said. “Let’s just get a divorce.” He stared into my calm, empty eyes, utterly stunned. 1 In the end, it was Dylan who broke first. He sighed, a look of pleading on his handsome face. “You know I don’t mean that. I just… I want you to stop misunderstanding me.” “Ava, I’ve changed. I really have.” He looked so pathetic now. A far cry from the cold, ruthless man who had pinned me by the throat a year ago, calling me a shrew. I smiled, my voice light. “Okay. I believe you.” He frowned, about to say more, but I had already put on my headphones. Dylan stepped on the gas, and the car sped toward the cemetery. It was the anniversary of his mentor’s death, and all his former students were there to pay their respects. Which meant the widow, of course, was there too. Rosalind, dressed in a chic black dress, was holding a little girl’s hand. The moment I saw that innocent face, a tide of buried pain and despair surged up, slicing at my heart. My eyes burned. I took an involuntary step forward. Dylan’s hand clamped down on my shoulder, his voice a low warning. “Ava, it’s been a long time. You’re the one who said you wanted to come. Don’t make a scene in front of all these people.” I smiled, and a hot tear splashed onto the back of his hand. He froze for a second, and in that moment, I pushed him away. “Did you really think I came to see your mentor?” I whispered. “I just came to see my Nora.” “Today’s her birthday.” All the tension went out of Dylan’s body. His shoulders slumped, and he seemed to age ten years in an instant. He was always telling me it was in the past. But it wasn’t. That year, my Nora was one year old. Rosalind’s daughter, Luna, stuffed more than a dozen chocolate candies into her mouth. Nora’s face turned blue, her tiny throat constricting, her limbs stiffening as she died in her cradle. I held her. Her body was so cold. No matter how many layers I wrapped her in, she was still so terribly cold. “Dylan, get her snowsuit,” I’d begged. “Hurry! What if she catches a cold?” I screamed his name a dozen times, my voice raw. But he just knelt at my feet, his face ashen. He was grieving too, broken by the loss. But even then, he was defending them. “Luna is only five. She couldn’t have meant to do it…” “Don’t call the police, Ava. I’m begging you.” In that moment, everything inside me shattered. The despair was a black hole in my chest. The grief was too vast, the pain too deep. It was far more than love could ever bear. 2 I met Dylan when I was shaking down local businesses for protection money. In the slum where everyone knew the only law was the strength of your fists, I had been thrown away as a child and had grown a tough hide and a thick skin to survive. But Dylan wasn’t like that. His father had died in an accident, the compensation was never paid, and his mother had been forced to move them there. The hardship was too much for her. Less than a year later, she ran off with the man who owned the corner store. I’d walked in to collect my fee just in time to see her leaving. I grinned at Dylan. “Looks like your mom doesn’t want you anymore. Welcome to the orphan club.” He tilted his chin up, refusing to cry, but his eyes were red-rimmed. This neighborhood saw families torn apart every day. I was barely surviving myself. But seeing the tears welling in his beautiful, defiant eyes, I forgot everything. “Hey, don’t cry. I’ll take you with me,” I said. “As long as I’ve got food to eat, you won’t starve.” Someone that beautiful shouldn’t be crying. He shouldn’t be left to rot in the filth of the slums. I gritted my teeth and took him in. In the years that followed, I did whatever it took. I scavenged, begged, performed street tricks, worked as a hostess in seedy bars… Everyone knew that for a hundred-dollar bill, Ava would get on her knees and call you daddy. I didn’t care about dignity. I only cared about getting Dylan out. He was a genius. Even in that hellhole, he aced his exams and got into a top university. I paid his tuition with money earned in ways I never wanted him to know, and I never dared to set foot on his campus. I was afraid his classmates would see me—trashy, rough, and reeking of the streets—and look down on him because of it. But Dylan would always take my hand and tell everyone, without a trace of shame, “This is the woman I love.” The first time we made love, I whispered in his ear, “Dylan, I can barely read. You’re so brilliant. How could you ever love someone like me?” He chuckled and kissed my damp hair. “You’re like a little hedgehog. All prickly and fierce with the world, but you use your spines to protect me.” “Where would I be without you?” he murmured. “From the day you took me in, I swore I’d give you the best life imaginable.” He kept his word. In four years, he graduated with honors, published several papers, and made breakthroughs in cutting-edge technology. He was hailed as a young prodigy, with top companies fighting to recruit him. Even I knew the gap between us was as vast as the gutter and the clouds. But on his graduation day, he proposed. “My little hedgehog, will you marry me?” I cried so hard I could barely breathe, repeating “yes” over and over. As our friends cheered, he held me close and kissed me deeply. The air filled with flying mortarboards, and all I could hear was the thunder of my own heart. It was the crescendo of our love story. I thought that happiness was just the beginning. I never imagined… I never imagined I would spend the rest of my life praying to go back to that day, just to change my answer. “No.” 3 After graduation, Dylan decided to pursue a postgraduate degree under a renowned academic titan, a Professor Quinn. One day, there was an accident. An explosion in the lab. Professor Quinn shielded Dylan with his own body and was killed instantly. At first, I was filled with guilt for Rosalind and her daughter, Luna. I went to their house every day, bringing gifts, helping with chores. Rosalind hated Dylan. She would scream at him, even hit him. He took all of it, silently enduring her rage and taking care of her every need. And somewhere along the way, that care turned into something else. One afternoon, I went to their house as usual, bringing a nourishing soup for Rosalind. I pushed open the living room door and froze. My husband was kissing his mentor’s widow on the sofa, their bodies tangled together. The throw pillows were soaked. My mind went blank. The thermos slipped from my fingers and crashed to the floor. When I came to my senses, I screamed and lunged at them, tearing them apart. I grabbed the thermos and threw the scalding soup at Rosalind. But it was Dylan who jumped in front of her, taking the brunt of it. They were both so calm. It made me look like the crazy one, the fool. “Ava, darling,” Rosalind said, lighting a cigarette and leaning against the wall, her robe slipping off one shoulder. She smiled lazily at me. “I’m all alone. The nights are so long, so lonely.” “You’re a woman. Surely you understand?” I was shaking with rage. I picked up a chair and threw it at her. “I understand my ass!” “That’s enough.” Dylan caught the chair, his eyes cold as ice. “Ava, don’t act like a shrew.” They were both so smart, so sophisticated. In their world of the elite, it seemed there were no rules, no morals. Anything was permissible. But I didn’t understand. I couldn’t accept sharing my husband with another woman. I made Dylan kneel and swear to me that he would never see Rosalind again. I held a knife to my own throat and threatened him, demanding he be home by six every night. I stood on the rooftop with our daughter in my arms and forced him to delete Rosalind from his phone in front of me. At first, he complied. Then he started making excuses to come home late. I caught him meeting her in secret, again and again. Finally, he stopped pretending altogether. After our fights, he would just get in his car and drive to her house, staying the night. My husband’s betrayal, my baby’s cries, the other woman’s taunts. I was stretched to my breaking point. The slightest thing would make me burst into tears. Once, Nora had a fever of 104, but he was at a parent-teacher conference for Luna. I took a craft knife to my arm again, bleeding onto the floor as I called and begged him to come home, to just look at our child. He just laughed on the other end of the line. “Stop lying, Ava. How many times are you going to pull this stunt?” “You’re not dead yet, are you?” His voice was cold, laced with amusement. “My little hedgehog, you can’t be naive forever.” 4 I knelt before Nora’s grave, letting the rain soak through my clothes. Dylan came up behind me, the umbrella silently appearing over my head. I wasn’t a good mother. The day Nora died, I was so busy fighting with Dylan and Rosalind in the living room that I didn’t even know my own daughter was choking to death upstairs. I pressed my forehead against the cold stone of her grave, as if it could bring me closer to her. Rosalind approached, holding Luna’s hand. Even nearing forty, she was still beautiful. She bit her lip, her expression one of fragile sorrow. “Ava, I am so sorry. I disciplined Luna harshly after it happened. We’re all family. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive her.” Luna bowed her head, her voice thick with tears. “I’m so sorry, Auntie Ava.” Then, she pulled something from her pocket and placed it on Nora’s grave. When I saw what it was, my entire body went rigid. It was a bag of chocolates. In an instant, a monstrous wave of grief and fury washed over me. I shot to my feet and slapped Luna across the face, hard. Rosalind shrieked, jumping in front of her daughter. “What are you doing? Why would you hit a child!” “Your child is a child, but mine wasn’t?!” Dylan grabbed me around the waist and dragged me away as I struggled and screamed. He pulled me into a secluded corner and held me tight, patting my back. “It’s okay, it’s all in the past…” “You’re pregnant now,” he murmured. “We’re going to have a new baby. Everything will be okay.” I looked at him, my eyes blank. “Dylan, the day Nora died… were the security cameras really broken?” He was silent for a long time before giving me the same answer he’d given me a year ago. “Yes.” “It’s been too long. The footage can’t be recovered.” I pushed him away and started to walk. “Don’t go after them,” he said, his voice tense. “She’s just a child, she doesn’t know any better. Rosalind explained it to me. Luna meant to bring cookies, she just grabbed the wrong bag by mistake.” He was terrified I would go back to their house and smash things, like I did right after Nora died. But I just turned and gave him a weak, tired smile. “Calling her Mrs. Quinn is so formal.” “She’s the love of your life, after all.” Dylan closed his eyes and sighed. He must be regretting it. Regretting not running away with Rosalind, regretting being stuck with a madwoman like me. Funny. I was regretting it too. Regretting giving him another chance to hurt me until there was nothing left. I went straight to the hospital. “Are you sure you want to terminate the pregnancy?” the doctor asked gently. “Your health is already quite poor. It might be very difficult for you to conceive again.” I nodded, numb. Dylan and I were not fit to raise a child. I lay on the operating table and let the cold steel cut into me. It was the next day when I finally returned home. I turned on my phone, and a flood of messages from Dylan poured in. “Honey, where are you? Please don’t do anything stupid.” Dozens of worried messages, followed by the last one. “Something came up at work. I have to go on a business trip for a few days. I’ll make it up to you when I get back.” On social media, however, Rosalind was posting pictures of their happy family vacation. Dylan on the left, her on the right, Luna smiling between them. The background was Disneyland. Dylan’s guilt over her husband’s death had led him to give himself to them as compensation. What a fair trade. I smiled and blocked all of them. When Dylan came home, my bags were already packed. He saw the suitcase but didn’t seem surprised. He just knelt before me, his voice low and pleading. “Our baby can’t grow up without a father. And I can’t live without you.” “Please don’t go.” He looked up at me, his eyes red-rimmed, the picture of a broken man. His tears used to work on me. But I was no longer the eight-year-old girl on the street, or the twenty-three-year-old new mother. I had seen enough of his act. I calmly pulled my hand from his grasp. “Dylan, the divorce papers are on the table. I had an abortion.” “And you… I don’t want you either.” “Let’s just end this.”

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At the awards ceremony, my fiancé, Julian, used the moment he was presenting me with an award to drag his “little flower,” his new fling, onto the stage and publicly announce their relationship. I shrugged. “Just a man. Out with the old, in with the new.” My parents: “Pull the funding. No more cooperation.” My sister: “Revoke the copyrights. I’d rather let them rot than sell to you!” Julian panicked, coming to me to apologize and bow his head. I waved him off. “What level do you think you are, to be worthy of speaking to me?” 1 At the Golden Magnolia Awards, Julian was the presenter, and I was the winner. Just as I was about to take the trophy from his hands, Julian took a step back and spoke into the microphone: “Today is a special day, and I have one more thing to say.” The crowd fell silent. I stood aside, watching as Julian uttered the words: “I’ve been dating Lina for six months now. Today, I want to use this stage to tell her!” “Lina, confessions of love are best done by a man!” Applause erupted from the audience, accompanied by waves of cheering. Below the stage, Lina covered her mouth, her eyes misty. The host had to remind her to go up. The two embraced, and Julian gave the trophy to Lina. I frowned slightly on the side, took the microphone, and chuckled: “I heard Mr. Xue already has a fiancée at home. Is this a public declaration that Miss Lina is the other woman?” The applause below stopped abruptly. Lina froze instantly. Julian looked displeased: “Those were just jokes from the elders. What era is this? Does anyone still believe in arranged marriages?” I looked at Julian’s dismissive face and laughed out loud: “Well then, I wish you two a hundred years of harmony and an early birth of a precious son!” I dropped the microphone and turned to leave, abandoning the trophy. I knew the entertainment reporters would have a field day. The host was still cueing me on stage: “Lauren, your trophy.” I smiled at him: “Your trophy!” I didn’t believe for a second that Julian did this without his support. After all, the awards ceremony had a schedule. As a host, he had zero control over the stage. This trophy is for him, let him learn a lesson! I sat below the stage. The host’s face looked a bit ugly. I had no interest in what was said next, just took out my phone and quickly informed my family about Julian’s matter. Since he said it was an arranged marriage, he probably didn’t need our family’s help anymore. The Xue family is a third-rate family in the capital. If not for the friendship between his grandfather and mine, Julian would never have become my fiancé. After enjoying all the conveniences our family brought him, he thinks he’s something now. Laughable! After the ceremony, I left with my manager. She was indignant, “This Julian did it on purpose, right? Doesn’t he know this is live?” “A perfectly good award, ruined by him!” I patted her, “Isn’t this perfect? Start the marketing immediately. I want Julian to kneel and beg for my forgiveness!” Since I threw it all away, why should I suffer his anger? Holly looked at me in astonishment, “Decided?” “Of course!” “Alright, I’m on it!” Holly looked excited. She is my cousin, and she has personally managed me since my debut. She knew Julian’s background all too well. The Golden Magnolia Awards live broadcast. Julian generously showed his love, and Lina was not far behind. After coming out, the two were surrounded by reporters. Photos together, a visual sense of happiness for the whole world to see. Just don’t know how Julian will explain after going back. I glanced at him with a sneer, got in the car, and drove away. As soon as I arrived home, Julian and his parents appeared at my house. Julian’s face was red and swollen. He was only wearing a shirt on his upper body, with brambles tied to his back. Was this a “proffering a birch rod and asking for a flogging” apology? “Lauren, today Julian was confused. It was all that Lina seducing him. He was momentarily blinded. Will you forgive him?” As soon as we met, Julian’s mother, Mrs. Xue, took my hand and pushed all the responsibility onto Lina. 2 I found it funny. Julian isn’t a three-year-old child. Could Lina just crook her finger and make him lose his intelligence so much as to publicly announce their relationship at the Golden Magnolia Awards? That was a live broadcast across the entire internet! He ruined my award ceremony! I smiled without saying a word, just looking at my parents. My mom spoke up, “That’s not quite right. Julian has been dating Lina for six months. Before this, our Lauren and he were engaged.” “Speaking of which, Lina is the mistress, and your son condoned the mistress’s rise to power!” Mrs. Xue’s face was cloudy and uncertain. Then she looked at Julian, pretending to be angry, “You brat, come here and apologize!” But Julian held his head high, “I’m not wrong. Freedom of marriage, love supreme. Whatever fiancée, those are feudal remnants left by the older generation. I don’t recognize them!” “Mom, Dad, if you force me, I’d rather leave the family!” “Lauren, you also received a modern education, why are you so old-fashioned!” Julian’s words instantly turned Mrs. Xue’s face green. Julian’s dad, Mr. Xue, slapped the back of his head, neither light nor heavy. “Shut up! If you can’t speak, don’t speak!” My mom smiled without warmth, “In that case, our two families will break off the engagement here. Let’s exchange the tokens!” My dad also nodded, “Yes, young people have their own ideas. Forced matching is not good.” My parents were thinking that the two families had known each other for many years. Since Julian was unwilling, forced melons are not sweet. They didn’t want me to lower myself to fight for a man with Lina. If this one doesn’t work, just change to another. My mom added: “That’s right. However, after the engagement is broken, the two families will have no further interaction. Future cooperation ends here!” This was our family’s bottom line. My parents just wanted to solve it quickly, to avoid me getting involved in a love triangle, which is really bad luck. But this made Mrs. Xue think our family was in the wrong. She immediately brought the engagement token. It seemed she carried it with her, wanting to break it off long ago. My mom checked carefully, confirmed it was correct, and returned their jade piece. Julian took it and put it in his pocket. Mrs. Xue cheekily said: “Although the engagement is broken, business failed but benevolence remains. I see Lauren is a very good child. I treat her like a daughter.” I withdrew my hand, “I don’t deserve that. I have my own mother to love me. And my mom always taught me that people who truly love me won’t act one way to my face and another behind my back!” Mrs. Xue was stunned, “Th-this child, how can she be like this?” My mom sneered, “That’s just her temper. If it were me, I might have hit someone.” Mrs. Xue was stunned and wanted to say more, but my dad issued an eviction order. Mrs. Xue instantly got angry, “The Liang family really puts on airs. Anyway, the cooperation is over. There is no need to meet in the future. Your threshold is high; we can’t climb it!” “Good that you know.” My mom unceremoniously asked her to leave. Did she think the Liang family only had this little bit of assets? Did the cash flow from two collaborations make her think our family was only this scale? Forget it, meeting such a short-sighted person, there’s no need to associate with them much. The butler showed them out. Before leaving, Julian looked at me: “Lauren, your temper is too bad. If you were as gentle as Lina, I wouldn’t possibly…” Slap! I raised my hand and slapped him. Julian was stunned. Mrs. Xue screamed, “You dare hit my son!” “Shouldn’t a scumbag be hit? I’m generous not to argue with you. Otherwise, if I immediately release the video from just now, how long do you think your son’s true love declaration can last?” Mrs. Xue instantly died down. Julian looked at me viciously: “Lauren, just you wait. This circle isn’t run by you alone!” 3 I scoffed, not taking it seriously. Julian’s resources still relied on my family. What waves could he make? I thought this matter ended here. But unexpectedly, early the next morning, Holly called me, “The originally scheduled xianxia drama was suddenly withdrawn! Bastard, they actually switched to Lina!” As soon as she said this, I understood. This was the resource Julian gave her. Julian was originally the investor of this drama. I got the role through auditioning, and the talk with the director went well. I didn’t expect to be replaced at the last minute. Holly gritted her teeth, “Bastard, I definitely won’t let him go. I have to tear off this layer of his face!” “No need, let her act. Aren’t her films all flops!” Lina had too much dirt on her. Without me doing anything, she’s seeking her own death. However, some people still kicked us while we were down. The entertainment industry has limited resources. It’s either you grab mine or I grab yours. Originally, I didn’t care. It was just a pity that this IP was ruined by this scumbag. I didn’t care, but someone recklessly danced on my minefield. The production officially announced the change of the female lead. Lina’s fans instantly exploded with laughter. “Our Nana is amazing. Announced yesterday, resources soar today!” “Nana daughter is so beautiful. What does that Lauren next door rely on? Just her family having a bit of money!” “Someone’s family must be exploding with anger!” The entertainment industry is realistic. My fans were not to be outdone and immediately entered the fray. “What’s wrong with our Lauren? Is her acting bad? Debuted five years ago with many works. Look at your family, how many works? Same catfish whiskers for ten thousand years, only knows how to whine!” “That face has changed several times. It’s version 3.0 now. Is it stable? Don’t change again in two years, and we can only find her in the cast list!” The two fan bases argued fiercely. Julian’s fans were not to be outdone and joined the搅混水 (muddying the waters). “Sister-in-law is good, sister-in-law is amazing. Bitch Lauren get out of the entertainment industry!” “Bitch Lauren’s face is really unwatchable. How much hyaluronic acid did she inject last night? Her face is black; no amount of whitening essence can save it!” The three fan bases made a huge noise. Many people ran to my comment section to private message me, “Sister, aren’t you going to come out and say something?” Seeing them fight for me, I just posted a sentence: “Gap period, resting for a while before fighting again!” Fans received my comfort and temporarily ceased fire. Julian, however, asked to meet me. Because we still had an engagement before, and there were some overlapping interests, now that he asked to meet, it was just right for me to make things clear to him. When Julian saw me, he was arrogant, throwing a stack of documents in front of me, “You can’t act in that Ten Thousand Miles of Peach Blossoms. Take this as compensation.” I glanced at it and scoffed instantly: “Trash script, even Lina wouldn’t want it, right?” “Lauren, although this is a web drama, the character design is good. The vicious female supporting character is very popular. As long as you act well, there will be no problem! After all, it fits you well, playing yourself!” Holly couldn’t hold back, “Julian, I think you have a hole in your brain!” I stopped Holly and faced him, “I can’t act in Ten Thousand Miles of Peach Blossoms, and neither can Lina.” “Julian, did you buy the copyright of the original novel for this drama?” Julian looked stunned, “What do you mean? Copyright? Of course I have it. I warn you, don’t touch Lina, or I definitely won’t let you go!” “Tsk tsk, let’s see who has the ability! From today on, I am your opponent. If you dare to grab my resources for Lina, I will grab your projects. Let’s see who is ruthless!” Julian instantly got angry, “Lauren, don’t go too far. Just you?” I turned my head to look at him and sneered, “Just me. Julian, just you wait. This IP is definitely mine!” “Steal my female lead role, and I won’t even let her enter this production team!” 4 Out of the office, Holly asked me: “Do you have a good plan? Do you know where to buy the copyright? It is said that the original author has not shown up until now, and they have not been able to contact her.” “The reason it’s exposed now is to force the author out. It is said that the website has already negotiated!” “Useless. No matter how well negotiated, it won’t work.” Holly looked shocked, “What do you mean?” “Didn’t you know? The author is my sister. How could she sell it to someone else?” She was stunned, “Your sister is Warm Sunny?” “Yeah.” I took out my phone and called my prolific and eccentric sister. My sister was woken up from her dream by me, her tone grim, “Lauren, if it’s not an urgent matter, disturbing my sleep, I’ll kill you!” Temper still so violent. I sighed, “I broke off the engagement.” “Good riddance. That kid didn’t deserve you at all.” “But he gave that Ten Thousand Miles of Peach Blossoms drama to Lingzhi. The novel copyright is in your hands.” “What! I was about to sign the contract soon. That little bastard!” “Don’t sign. Sell it directly to me.” My sister laughed as soon as she heard it, “Family doesn’t speak two languages. Since that kid disgusts you so much, I’ll give it to you!” Don’t know what method my sister used to make the website relent, directly announcing that the copyright belonged to me. Holly and I started anew, opening a new film and television company, being our own bosses. Overnight, the super IP Ten Thousand Miles of Peach Blossoms became hot. Unexpectedly, the female lead was announced to be changed in the morning, and in the afternoon, the female lead returned to my hands. I won’t act in it, but it definitely won’t be Lina. This time, Julian was exasperated. He called me, “Lauren, what means did you use? Why is the copyright in your hands?!” “Nothing, probably because I have a lot of money. Unlike you, stingy. You are the producer and investor, but are you willing to spend money? With your meager sum, you want the original author to follow you? What were you thinking?” “Lina is also miserable, following a stingy iron rooster like you!” I mocked him for a while, making him speechless with anger. After hanging up, I blocked him directly, then added a sentence on Weibo: Someone don’t break defense. I’m untalented, just have a little money! Now Julian and Lina’s fans collapsed. “Bitch Lauren, you are so shameless. Relying on your family having a little money to snatch resources!” “Unscrupulous capital, boycott the Liang family!” “Dox her, see what business the Liang family does!” I smiled, reading comments while picking replies: “Yes, that’s right. I just rely on my family’s money to do whatever I want. Being my own boss, not working for others, so cool. If you are not convinced, you can only endure it. If you have the ability, persuade the author to sell the copyright to you!” “Our family makes fishing rods. Boycott away!” Just kidding. Anglers don’t care about the entertainment industry. If he boycotts our goods, he will never be able to buy such good fishing rods again. My words made the fans laugh crazily, “Still my Sister Liang is amazing, Sister Liang is mighty!” “No wonder Sister Liang said she wanted to rest. Turns out she was aiming for a big one!” “What rest? Snatching the field back in two hours.” “Yesterday’s award ceremony made me so angry. The winner was the protagonist, but Dog Xue actually took the trophy to announce his relationship with his girlfriend. Has he no shame?” “And the host, no sense at all, how did he control the field!”

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I am the female lead. Yet, I had a past romance with the villain and even bore him a child. After the male lead appeared, the system wiped my memories, faked my death, changed my appearance, and forcibly removed me from the villain’s side. But barely two years later, I crossed paths with the widowed villain holding a child at a banquet. Meeting the villain’s cold, distant gaze, I inexplicably stared at them with reddened eyes. Comments floated across my vision at that moment— [Wait… isn’t the villain supposed to be gloomy and cold-blooded?] [Since when did he have a kid?] [He treats the kid like his life, won’t even let others look.] [Is this kid his? Who gave birth to it? Who dared to?] [Wait, why is our female lead staring at the villain like that!] 1 Half a year after marrying Julian Sterling, I still flinched at his touch. On a Saturday night, he blocked me at the bedroom door again. “I’ve given you six months to adjust. Are you still unwilling to share a room with me?” Julian was handsome, wealthy, and my childhood sweetheart whom I knew inside out. Even now, his voice remained exceptionally gentle. But meeting his serious gaze, I instinctively took a step back. “I’m sorry—” This was the phrase I said most to Julian in our six months of marriage. As expected, Julian closed his eyes briefly. He whispered, “You know that’s not what I want to hear.” He looked at me again. “You have to give me a reason.” I avoided his gaze, staring at the pattern of the floor tiles. “I might… still need some time.” 2 Four years ago, I went abroad to study. On my return trip, I was in a plane crash. I was in a coma for a whole year. Julian never left my side. So as soon as I woke up, I was rushed into marrying him. In the six months since our marriage, Julian treated me with the utmost care. We had a shared history. Everyone told me he loved me. Everyone took it for granted that I loved him deeply too. They said Julian was the only man in my long life. Our marriage was the envy of countless people. I leaned against the headboard, looking at the cold crescent moon outside the window, unconsciously touching my heart. But inside, there was always a heavy emptiness. Since opening my eyes in that hospital bed six months ago, I felt I had lost something very important. But no matter how hard I thought or tried to recall, I didn’t know what I had lost. 3 Julian left in anger again. He would suppress his temper and not show it in front of me. But behind my back, he often drank himself into a stupor late at night. His assistant called me, stammering that Julian was drunk again and didn’t recognize anyone. Said they couldn’t move him. He asked tentatively, “Mr. Sterling has a meeting tomorrow morning… Madam, what do you think?” I sighed softly. “Give me the address. I’ll come right over.” After parking in the underground garage downtown, I checked the club’s address again before opening the door to get out. As soon as I stepped out, I noticed a gaze lingering on me. I instinctively looked towards the source and met the eyes of a little boy, about two or three years old. Opposite my parking spot was a low-key black luxury van. The boy was cleanly dressed with a beautiful face. He was leaning on the half-open car door, staring at me. He seemed curious, tilting his head slightly to look at my face. The gaze was innocent, direct, and soft. 4 My footsteps paused. A strange parking lot late at night, a tender child. I instinctively wanted to move towards him, even wanted to pick him up. But before I could act, a bodyguard in black got out of the half-open door. The bodyguard gave me a wary look, then quickly picked the little boy up and put him back in the car. The door closed tight. I only heard the child’s indistinct voice: “…Where’s Daddy?” Then the bodyguard’s low response: “Mr. Thorne will be down soon.” I couldn’t hear anything else. 5 As I left, I felt an inexplicable reluctance. I even looked back at the van, only to meet the driver’s warning gaze through the windshield. The driver had muscular arms and looked fierce. It seemed if I looked one more time, he would get out and deal with me. They guarded that child tightly and strictly, not even allowing others a glance. This must be an order from the boy’s parents. They treasured him too much to be so sensitively defensive. I finally withdrew my gaze and walked slowly out of this quiet underground parking lot. 6 On the weekend, Julian took me to his parents’ house for dinner. He was the perfect husband in everyone’s eyes. Even after marriage, he often took me to visit both sets of parents. At the dinner table, my mom intentionally mentioned the neighbor’s little granddaughter. Her hint was too obvious. She said I was already twenty-six and couldn’t delay any longer. Julian smoothed things over for me. I stared at the plate in front of me, dazing. A pair of black, bright, child’s eyes abruptly appeared in my mind. I often thought of the child I met in the parking lot that night. Perhaps he was too beautiful. Perhaps his gaze was too serious. I even dreamed of him occasionally at night. A hand suddenly rested intimately on my right shoulder. I snapped back to reality, looking into Julian’s smiling eyes. I didn’t hear what he said, but he was clearly waiting for my answer. Julian tilted his head slightly, looking at me. His gaze was focused, containing only me. But I dared not look at such eyes more and more. I dared not meet his gaze. So I turned my head, pushed the bowl and chopsticks away, and stood up. “I’m full.” Julian’s hand dropped from my shoulder. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him lightly clench his empty palm. Going upstairs, I heard my mom complaining to Julian behind me. She said my personality had completely changed since waking up from that accident. Then came Julian’s faint explanation: “Maybe she was traumatized then.”

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The day our son was born, my husband, the judge, asked for separate beds. “I won’t divorce you,” he said. “Our son deserves a complete childhood. But don’t expect anything more.” From then on, his touch became a memory. Even if I fell in front of him, he wouldn’t steady me. For ten years, we were never seen kissing or holding hands. When rumors surfaced, he’d simply state, “Intimacy is private.” Online, he was praised as disciplined and respectful. Only I knew the hollow loneliness of a decade in an empty bed. Everything shattered when our son, Leo, was bullied at school—brain hemorrhage, broken rib, rushed to the ICU. But Judge Will Keery didn’t sue or demand a hearing. He hid behind impartiality, delaying again and again. Heartbroken, I rushed home and overheard him talking to a friend: “Will, if Clara finds out you’re stalling because the boy who hurt Leo is your old flame’s son, she’ll divorce you.” “She’ll never know.” That sentence was ice through my heart. It was never about justice. The scales in his heart had tipped long ago—and not in my favor 1 A summer heatwave was scorching the city, but a sudden chill ran down my spine. From the study, Will’s voice was unnervingly calm. “And even if she did find out,” he added, “she wouldn’t dare.” He was right. Ever since Leo was born, I’d lived like a widow, never once uttering the word ‘divorce.’ He saw my silence not as endurance, but as proof. Proof that I loved him too much to ever leave. His friend chuckled. “Man, I still can’t believe it, Will. It’s been how long since high school? And you’re still hung up on that little rebel, Zoe.” “Well, she was the only stain on your perfect student record, wasn’t she?” the friend continued, his voice thick with nostalgia. “I still remember when you two got caught fooling around in the teacher’s lounge. The principal called you out in front of the whole school, and she just looks at you and asks, ‘So, how’d my lipstick taste?’ God, that was classic!” The sound of his laughter echoed through the door, and the color drained from my face. Fooling around? That was a phrase I could never associate with Will, a man who seemed the very picture of judicial restraint, a paragon of virtue. The thought of him, the same man who would disinfect his hands with alcohol if our fingers accidentally brushed, sneaking around with another woman, their bodies pressed together in the hidden corners of a high school… A wave of revulsion, so potent it was almost physical, clawed its way up my throat. I bolted to the bathroom, retching over the toilet until only bitter bile came up. I hadn’t eaten, hadn’t slept since the incident with Leo, my days a frantic blur between the police station and government offices. And Will? Leo’s own father? He had the time to sit here, reminiscing with a friend about his wild high school days. It was laughable. Utterly, painfully laughable. When I emerged from the bathroom, the friend was gone. Will was alone in his study. His eyes scanned my swollen eyelids and pale cheeks. He pursed his lips. “The existing evidence is inconclusive. The hearing has to be postponed. Getting worked up won’t change anything.” The same excuse. Always the same excuse. My hands clenched into fists, a cold dread seeping into my bones. If I hadn’t overheard them, I’d still be in the dark, still believing his lies. I took a step forward, pausing at the threshold of the study. “Will, what will it take for you to schedule the hearing?” He frowned, preparing another excuse. But before he could speak, I let out a soft, sharp laugh. “If you file the motion for a hearing… I’ll give you a divorce.” For a moment, he seemed stunned, as if the sudden joy of the offer had short-circuited his brain. Then, just as quickly, his expression darkened, his face hardening into a mask of cold fury. “Clara, if every family member of a law enforcement official used threats and emotional blackmail to serve their own interests, what would be left of justice in this world?” His voice was low, cutting. “Leo gets into trouble at school because he’s inherited your selfish, manipulative nature.” I froze, the words hitting me like a physical blow. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He was the one abusing his power to protect his ex-lover’s son. And now, he was blaming me? Blaming our child? I lunged forward to argue, to scream, but he was faster. With a sharp, definitive crack, he slammed the study door in my face. The sound echoed in the silent house, a final, brutal judgment. I stumbled downstairs in a daze. My phone rang. It was Leo’s lawyer. Like the one before him, his voice was hesitant, full of apologies. “Mrs. Keery, I’m so sorry, but I can’t take your case. I suggest you find someone else…” My grip on the phone tightened until my knuckles were white. A metallic taste filled my mouth. “Mr. Davies, did someone from… on high… have a word with you?” “Mrs. Keery, please don’t ask me any more questions.” He hung up quickly, but I didn’t need an explanation. In this city’s legal circles, there was only one person with enough influence to make a top lawyer from a prestigious firm back away from a case. Will. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I called Mr. Davies back. “Mr. Davies,” I said, my voice eerily calm. “You won’t take the criminal case, I understand. But surely you can handle a civil one?” “I’d like to hire you,” I continued, “to file my divorce papers.” 2 At the hospital, I went straight to Leo’s room. He was out of immediate danger, but he was still wrapped in thick bandages, his cheeks hollowed out. He looked as fragile as a piece of paper. When he saw me, his eyes lit up, but then he reflexively glanced behind me. His face fell. “Mommy, did Daddy not come again?” “Leo, sweetie, Daddy is… he’s still collecting evidence. He’s going to make sure the bad people get punished,” I choked out, the lie tasting like ash in my mouth as my own heart fractured. Just then, a sickly-sweet voice called from the doorway. “Leo’s mom.” I spun around. It was Zoe. She was holding a basket of bruised, overripe fruit and a bouquet of white chrysanthemums—the kind you bring to a funeral. Standing beside her, smirking, was the boy who had hurt my son, Cody. They swaggered into the room as if they owned it. “So glad I finally caught you,” Zoe said with a practiced smile. “Have you had a chance to think about the settlement I mentioned?” Her son shot Leo a middle finger, his expression dripping with arrogance. Leo flinched, his bright, innocent eyes instantly clouding with fear. I moved to stand between them, my voice a low growl. “Get out. Get out now!” Zoe feigned a placating tone. “Clara, let’s not get emotional. It was just a bit of roughhousing between kids. There’s no need to blow it all out of proportion.” My vision went red. “Roughhousing? My son had a broken rib and a brain hemorrhage! He was in the ICU! And you call that roughhousing?” Zoe’s smile faltered for a second. I sneered. “You want a settlement? Fine. Let your son have a broken rib, too…” Before I could finish, Zoe snatched her son into a protective embrace, glaring at me. The boy, feeling bold, puffed out his chest. “Mom, Judge Keery said we don’t have to be scared of her! He said he’d protect us!” Hearing Will’s name from that boy’s lips was the final straw. My control snapped. I lunged forward and slapped the smirk clean off his face. A piercing wail filled the room. “You hit my son! You’re dead!” Zoe shrieked, her facade crumbling into rage. She grabbed a fistful of my hair, her other hand slapping my face again and again. My body, weak from days of stress and sleepless nights, gave out. Stars exploded behind my eyes as I sank to my knees, taking the brutal, repeated blows. On the bed, Leo was screaming, sobbing hysterically. “Stop it! Don’t hit my mommy! Mommy!” The violent thrashing tore at his wounds, and fresh blood began to seep through his clean white bandages. By the time the police arrived, Zoe was perfectly fine, save for a few stray hairs. I was a wreck—my face bruised and swollen, my clothes torn, every breath a sharp, searing pain. At the station, I insisted on a medical examination. I wanted to press charges. But suddenly, the officers’ attitudes changed. They declared Zoe had acted in self-defense, protecting her child, and demanded that I apologize to them both. I shot to my feet, the handcuffs rattling against the metal table. But then I saw it—the officer, holding his phone, speaking with a reverence I knew all too well. My strength evaporated, and I collapsed back into the chair. Will. It was Will again. He couldn’t bear to let his old flame suffer even the slightest inconvenience. A lump of cotton formed in my throat, choking me. I refused to apologize. They held me in a small, dark room for three days. Every second of those three days was an agonizing eternity. In the darkness, my mind drifted back ten years, to a drunken night that changed everything. I’d gotten pregnant by accident. Will had told me to have the child, promised he would marry me, that he’d take care of us. I thought my secret crush had blossomed into a real-life fairy tale. It was all just a beautiful lie. Three days later, I walked out of that station, disheveled and hollowed out. I went straight to the hospital. But the private, top-tier room where Leo had been was now occupied by an elderly woman I didn’t recognize. I found Leo in a crowded general ward. He threw himself into my arms, his body trembling with sobs. “Mommy, Daddy said I was bad at school, that I started the fight, and that’s why I got hurt. But I didn’t, Mommy! I was good…” His cries were like tiny, barbed hooks tearing at my heart. I swallowed the blood that had pooled in my mouth. After comforting him, I stormed out of the ward, my anger a burning inferno. As I passed the private room, a familiar silhouette stopped me cold.

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My husband, Alex, got into a car accident and lost his memory. He reverted to his nineteen-year-old self—his wildest, most rebellious phase. When I went to see him, he treated me like a complete stranger, his eyes cold and distant. “Wife? Are you kidding me? There’s no way I got married!” Seeing how resistant he was, I had no choice but to leave. But ever since that first meeting, he’s been popping up in front of me 800 times a day, claiming it’s just a “coincidence.” A month later, he was bragging to his friends about getting my number. They broke down on the spot: “Bro, you spent a whole month just to get your own wife’s number?” 1 Alex was in a car accident. I booked the earliest flight back. When I arrived at the hospital, he had just fallen asleep. The doctor said Alex was fine, just a mild concussion. But the impact caused temporary amnesia. As for how long “temporary” meant—maybe a month, maybe a year, maybe longer. His memory was stuck at nineteen. His wildest, most untamable age. His friends warned me that Alex didn’t remember marrying me and it might take time for him to accept it. I was prepared. Even when he first found out he was going to marry me years ago, his attitude wasn’t exactly warm. Not as resistant as now, but definitely cold. Asking a nineteen-year-old Alex to accept a wife was a tall order. I took a deep breath. “I’ll come back tomorrow. Call me when he wakes up.” “Okay, sister-in-law.” The next day, before I heard from his friends, the hospital called. “Mrs. Sterling, can you contact your husband? We’ve searched the entire hospital and can’t find him. He’s not on the security cameras.” “It looks like he climbed out the window.” My breath hitched. It was hard to imagine the nineteen-year-old Alex doing something so reckless. In the years we’ve been married, he’s always been calm and composed. I’d heard stories about how wild he used to be, but climbing out of a hospital window? After leaving work, I called his friend, Ben. It turned out Alex went straight from the hospital to a club to find them. When I arrived at the private room, Ben and the others were being pressured by Alex to drink. “Alex, I really can’t drink anymore.” “Me too, man. I quit drinking years ago.” “Alex, stop drinking. Sister-in-law is going to kill us.” “Yeah, it’s been a day. She must be worried.” Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “Sister-in-law? You guys trying to skip out on drinks again?” Ben looked like he wanted to cry. “Alex, you really don’t remember you have a wife?” “Stop messing with me. I wouldn’t get married even if I was dead. Giving up my freedom? No way. Besides, guys who let their wives control them are spineless!” Alex still thought Ben was just the prankster friend taking advantage of his amnesia. He definitely didn’t believe he was married. The sound of me pushing open the door was drowned out by the loud music. Ben saw me first. A chill went down his spine. “Alex, stop talking.” I walked into the room and picked up a bottle from the table. Except for Alex, everyone sat up straight. Alex leaned back on the sofa, looking up annoyed. “Do the waitresses here just barge in without knocking?” His voice cut off the moment he saw me. After locking eyes with me, Alex started frantically adjusting his tie and shirt. He buttoned the top two buttons, then reconsidered and unbuttoned them. He pulled his collar down a bit, revealing a hint of his chest. Nineteen-year-old Alex… quite the show-off. Ben and the others couldn’t bear to watch Alex dig his own grave any longer. They were about to warn him, but I silenced them with a look. As I left, I heard everyone in the room let out a collective sigh of relief. “Alex, why is your face so red?” Alex looked incredulous. “Me? Blushing? Impossible!” Luke, who was always a bit dense, immediately opened his front camera. “It is red! Wait, Alex, do you know who she is?” “Cough.” Ben interrupted him sharply. They were more afraid of offending me than Alex. “Someone must have spiked the drinks. Check it out.” Alex picked up his glass, then slammed it down. “Done drinking. Going home.” 2 The “home” Alex referred to wasn’t the house we lived in now. He went back to the old Sterling estate. Since his keys didn’t work, he climbed over the fence. He almost got caught as a burglar. Luckily, the security guards had good eyesight. He was unharmed, but he woke up his elderly parents. “You brat, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? Digging up ancestors’ graves?” “Honey, you forgot. Our son is supposed to be in the hospital. He had an accident and lost his memory. He probably doesn’t remember his own house.” “Oh right. Now that you mention it… You brat, forgetting even Alice? You’ve got some nerve.” Alex’s dad grabbed a feather duster and aimed for his legs. Maybe twenty-nine-year-old Alex wouldn’t dodge. But nineteen-year-old Alex knew exactly how to evade his father’s wrath. He sprinted upstairs to his room and slammed the door. “What Alice? You guys arranging another engagement? When I was nineteen you tried to sell me off to some rich lady, remember? Can’t believe you’re still doing this when I’m twenty-nine.” His dad shouted from the stairwell, “Ungrateful brat! I wish you wouldn’t waste Alice’s time!” Alex sneered from behind the door. “Fine by me.” That night. My best friend, Sarah, came over to keep me company and vent on my behalf. “Why don’t you just confront him? I bet he’s faking it!” “Let’s go to the estate right now, bag him, and beat him up!” I couldn’t say I wasn’t angry. My husband stays out all night, claims he’s definitely single, and acts like marrying me is a fate worse than death. “But seriously, what if he never remembers? Are you two just going to be stuck like this?” “If he really doesn’t remember, then we bag him and lock him in the house.” 3 Work was slow the next day, so I agreed to go with Sarah to check out her new bakery and give some advice. Just as I arrived, my mother-in-law called. “Alice, I have to tell you something.” “This morning, I saw Alex dressed like a peacock. He even put on hair gel and cologne before leaving. I’m afraid he’s—” The door chimed. Alex walked into the bakery. It was opening day, so the shop was crowded, but I spotted him immediately. Mainly because his outfit was screaming for attention. Cargo pants with too many pockets, an oversized black T-shirt, and a silver chain necklace. So trendy it hurt. I spoke into the phone, “It’s okay, Mom. I know.” He might have amnesia, but I still remember everything. I walked past Alex with a tray of samples, deliberately offering them to the customers around him. Just as Alex, who was closest to me, finally reached out for a toothpick, Sarah swiped the last piece. “Mmm, delicious. Crunch crunch. My baking is top tier.” She looked at Alex, feigning surprise. “Oh! I didn’t know you wanted to try too. I took the last one. Tell you what, we have new products you can buy to try at home.” Alex’s mouth twitched. Sarah continued, “Wait, you didn’t just come here to mooch free samples, right?” And just like that, Alex bought a $3,000 membership card and five pineapple buns, leaving with a dark face. Sarah waved his first receipt of the day. “Thanks, bestie. Consider this my grand opening red packet.” 4 Alex sat in the private room at the club, staring at five pineapple buns. “Isn’t this Sarah’s new bakery?” Ben took a bite of a bun before Alex pulled him onto the sofa for interrogation. “How does my outfit look today?” Ben answered honestly, “Very nineteen-year-old you.” Alex frowned. “Am I old now?” Luke looked envious. “No way. You’ve maintained your prime better than any of us. You’re legitimately handsome, bro.” “I’m twenty-nine now. That’s basically thirty. Men aren’t worth much at thirty… Wait, she doesn’t know how old I am, right?” Ben dropped his bun. “She? Alex, are you talking about a woman?” Alex hummed noncommittally. “Yeah. She’s playing hard to get.” “Holy shit. Tell sister-in-law Alex fell in love at first sight with someone else.” “I know, I know. I’m texting her now.” “What does she look like, Alex? Don’t do anything stupid!” “You guys saw her yesterday. I didn’t fall in love at first sight! I’m never getting married! But I’ve never seen anyone look like that. Face the size of my palm… so gentle…” Max, who was typing the text to me, froze. He looked up at Alex in disbelief, then frantically deleted everything. “The one from yesterday? That’s…” False alarm. Ben and Luke exchanged glances. They asked Alex, “Do you know her name?” Alex shook his head. “You guys know?” Ben and Luke made eye contact for a long time before pushing the hapless Luke forward. Luke grinned until his face hurt. “Yeah, her name is Alice Vance. We know the owner of the bakery, Sarah. Alice is her best friend.” Alex let out a soft “Ah.” “So that’s it.” “These buns are pretty good. I’ll bring you guys some more over the next few days.” Alex left, humming a tune. The remaining friends looked at each other. “You think when Alex gets his memory back, he’ll throw us all into the river?” “It’s fine. Sister-in-law told us not to say anything. With her protection, Alex won’t do anything to us.” “True.”

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The air was thick with the acrid smell of sulfur and burnt meat. When the SWAT team kicked down the door, they froze. They stared in horror at the charred remains scattered across the floor. I was sitting on the sofa, calm and collected. Under my feet lay the bodies of Mr. Henderson’s parents. The officers swept the room, checking for secondary devices, before training their rifles on me. “Hands on your head! Do not move!” I slowly raised my hands, my voice steady. “Officer, two of my classmates were in the bathroom when it went off. Can I go check if they’re dead, too?” The veteran detective walked in, took one look at the hellscape, and glared at me. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Don’t think being a minor will save you from this.” I shook my head. I never planned on running. Chapter 1 I was taken to the interrogation room. No matter what they asked, I didn’t say a word. Not until a uniformed officer entered to report. “We’ve confirmed forty bodies at the scene.” I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Forty. I didn’t miss a single one. Perfect. The detective slammed his hand on the metal table. “Julian! You arrogant little psychopath! How can you smile right now?” “Tell me, why did you detonate that bomb? Do you realize you just destroyed over thirty families?” I nodded. “I know. That’s why I didn’t run. I sat there and waited for you. I did it all. I built the bomb myself.” “Wrap it up. There’s nothing else to say.” The high school principal rushed in, trembling as he pointed a finger at me. “Why? Why would you do this?” “If it weren’t for Mr. Henderson, you wouldn’t even be in school! He pulled you out of that abusive house!” “Your classmates… they knew you were the youngest. They pitied you. They took care of you. And you… you’re worse than an animal!” The old principal, nearing retirement, was choking on his rage. Behind him stood Dr. Sarah Evans, the school psychologist. She was the only person, besides Mr. Henderson, who had ever shown me kindness. I looked at her. “I’m sorry, Dr. Evans. I didn’t mean to drag you into this mess.” She looked conflicted. “Julian… your psychological evaluations were always normal. You’re a healthy, brilliant kid. Is there something we don’t know? Please, tell the truth.” “Maybe… maybe it could help mitigate your sentence.” I grinned. Dr. Evans was so kind, trying to save me even now. I shook my head slowly. “There’s no secret story.” I looked back at the detective. “I just wanted to test the blast radius of my homemade explosive. I wanted to see if it really could wipe out everyone in that house.” “I’ve confessed, officer. Anything else?” “You monster!” Chapter 2 The detective roared, looking like he wanted to strangle me right there. I looked at him provocatively. I knew he couldn’t touch me. “The evidence chain is solid. I even kept the receipts for the chemicals. What’s the hold-up?” “Why haven’t you closed the case?” The heavy steel door swung open. A man with an imposing aura walked in. He sat on the edge of the table, staring right into my soul. I straightened up. “You must be the boss. Is there anything left to discuss? I admitted to everything.” The man kept his face stone cold. “I’m Detective Miller, head of Major Crimes. I’m taking over.” His eyes were sharp, like a hawk scanning for prey in tall grass. I nodded. “Ask away.” “Why did you kill them? Your principal and teachers say Mr. Henderson and your classmates treated you like family. You have no motive. Unless there’s something they aren’t telling us.” I shrugged. “No hidden motive. Like I said, I just wanted to test my bomb.” “They were good to me. That part is true.” “How were they good to you?” Miller pressed. I counted on my fingers. “They brought me breakfast. They tutored me. They fought for me to stay in school. The whole class even crowdfunded my living expenses.” “Mr. Henderson contributed the most.” Chapter 3 “So you killed Mr. Henderson and his elderly parents?” “Yeah. I was afraid he’d be lonely in hell.” The officer taking notes in the corner snapped his pen in half. “Captain, this kid is a textbook sociopath. He’s crazy. There’s no point wasting time. Let’s book him.” Miller glanced at the officer. “Is that how you conduct an investigation? Sloppy?” “If you can’t dig for the truth, turn in your badge.” The room went silent. Miller’s authority was absolute. I sat up a little straighter, facing Miller. Miller called Dr. Evans back in. “You said he passed his evaluations?” Dr. Evans looked at me with fear now. I smiled gently. Who wouldn’t be afraid of a mass murderer? “Yes,” she stammered. “His mental health was stable. He showed no signs of antisocial personality disorder. If he had, per school policy, we would have intervened. I was sure he was fine.” Miller frowned, looking back at me. “So, why, Julian?” “I suggest you come clean. If there are extenuating circumstances, it could save you from the needle.” “The needle?” I laughed. It sounded like a joke. “In this state, mass shooters get the chair or the injection. I killed forty people. You think there’s a loophole for that?” “Detective Miller, I’m not a three-year-old. Don’t lie to me.” Dr. Evans stepped forward, desperate. “Julian, you’re a genius. You know right from wrong. How could you do this? Just tell us why. Is there a chance?” I shook my head. “I don’t need a chance.” “If I wanted hope, I wouldn’t have built the bomb in the first place.” Miller gritted his teeth. “What happened today? What made you light the fuse?” Chapter 4 “You’re human, Julian. I don’t believe you did this without a trigger.” I furrowed my brows, pretending to think deeply. I tapped my fingers on the metal table. “Today was college acceptance day. I got into the State Teachers College. We agreed to celebrate at Mr. Henderson’s house.” “When we arrived, Mr. Henderson’s parents had prepared a feast. Better than Thanksgiving.” “I was the youngest, so they sat me right next to Mr. Henderson.” I spoke calmly, pacing the story like I was describing a family movie night. “Someone suggested we needed champagne. They sent me downstairs to the convenience store to buy it.” I smiled, remembering the scene. “I stood downstairs and pressed the button on the remote. The boom… it was beautiful. The windows blew out. Black smoke poured into the sky.” I got excited, gesturing with my cuffed hands. “The whole apartment complex ran out screaming. I walked back up. The room was black.” “Luckily, the neighbors weren’t home. Just my class.” Dr. Evans frowned. The pity in her eyes was replaced by disgust. “Some were in pieces. Some were just charcoal statues. You couldn’t tell who was who.” “When I walked in, Mr. Henderson was still holding his wine glass. He didn’t even have time to scream.” “My bomb froze him in time forever.” Tears of excitement welled in my eyes as I recounted the masterpiece. The silence in the interrogation room was suffocating. Miller slammed the table. “Enough! Tell me why!” “Julian, stop acting. I know there’s a reason!” He was pushing me. Forcing me to say it. I pouted like a petulant child. “Why does there have to be a reason?” “If there isn’t one, do you want me to make one up?” My casual tone, coming from a mass murderer, was terrifyingly innocent.

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On our seventh anniversary, my boyfriend Eric was late. While waiting, I saw actress Mona Faye’s livestream. After starring with Eric in a hit drama, their on-screen romance had fans obsessed, calling them perfect together. I, his real-life girlfriend, was mocked as “Hollywood’s Most Underwhelming Girlfriend.” Fans were betting on when he’d dump me for Mona. In the stream, a fan asked if they’d really fallen for each other. Mona smiled shyly, holding up her phone. “Ask a certain someone.” I scoffed. Eric always cut contact while filming—my call minutes earlier went to voicemail. But when Mona called, he answered instantly. Her voice sweet, she asked, “Eric, have you fallen for me for real?” I heard his low chuckle through her phone. “I’m working, Mona. Stop messing around.” Seven years—I’d spent my youth helping him rise from nothing. Yet to him, I mattered less than a co-star. Right then, I knew it was over. Days later, Eric came home—no hug, no kiss, no apology for missing our anniversary. He just scowled, angry about my call. “Molly, I’ve told you—when I’m working, I immerse in my role. No outside distractions.” He looked down coldly. “As an actor’s girlfriend, you need to understand. Support my process, don’t add chaos. Get it?” 1 I sighed, sinking wearily onto the sofa. Honestly, I couldn’t remember a single time I had ever caused him any real trouble. Except for once. We hadn’t seen each other in over three months, and I missed him desperately. I checked his schedule beforehand, making sure it was his day off before driving hours to visit the set. I even stood in line for three hours to buy his favorite pastries. But when I arrived, a sudden downpour had forced the crew to reschedule. They were shooting a major rain scene that day. Because of my unexpected arrival, Eric couldn’t get into character for a kiss scene. It took take after take. He was always so charming and patient with everyone else, apologizing profusely to the crew for the delays. But all his frustration, he saved for me. He even threw the pastries I brought onto the ground. “Molly, who told you to come here? Take your damn things and get out!” Tears stung my eyes. “You’re a bastard, Eric! You only ever take it out on me!” I shot back, my voice trembling. “I saw you were busy, so I waited in the green room. How was I in your way?” “I can’t do this anymore! We’re done!” I screamed. The word “done” seemed to stop him in his tracks. He stood frozen for a second, his fists clenched, visibly fighting back his rage. Then he strode over, pushed me into a chair, and kissed me—a rough, punishing kiss that was more bite than passion. “We can fight, Molly,” he growled against my lips. “But don’t you ever threaten to leave me again. Got it?” Back then, I thought his desperate attempt to keep me meant he truly loved me. Looking back now, I think he was just used to having me around. After all, not many women would be foolish enough to put their own career on hold and follow a struggling actor to a new city to chase his dream. I told him I had seen Mona’s livestream. And that wasn’t all. I brought up the press tour for their last project, where he and Mona had a tearful, emotional moment on stage. When the host asked what was wrong, Mona had cried, “Timing in life is just so important. I’m so envious of his girlfriend.” Eric had sighed and reached out to gently stroke her hair. The fans went wild. The shippers cut together dozens of viral clips of the moment. The caption always read: The tears are still on your face, but I no longer have the right to wipe them away. When I mentioned this, Eric pinched the bridge of his nose, his voice strained with forced patience. “Mona is new to this, Molly. She’s young, she has a hard time getting out of character. Is that a crime?” “She’s a colleague. A colleague was crying, so I comforted her. Is that a crime?” “The fans get too invested. I can’t control them. Is that a crime?” “Can you please stop being so suspicious all the time? You make me feel like some kind of monster. The pressure is already immense…” But I just didn’t understand. In the show, the characters got their happy ending. In real life, the show was a massive success, with rave reviews. What on earth were they crying about? I waited for his excuses to run out. Then I took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye. “Eric, let’s break up.” 2 My stubbornness finally exhausted his patience. He was in a hurry to catch a flight and didn’t have time to argue. “You need to cool off,” he said, tossing the words over his shoulder as he walked out. That was his solution to every problem between us. Ignore it. The next time we saw each other, we’d kiss and make up, and pretend the fight never happened. For him, if it wasn’t spoken of, it was forgotten. But I remembered. I had a running tally of every single slight. A few days later, I signed a contract to transfer ownership of my business. “Ms. Vance, your shop always seems so busy. Why are you closing?” the new owner asked. I looked around the flower shop, a pang of sadness in my chest. I had poured years of my life into this place. “Because I’m leaving Northwood,” I said. Eric and I were both from Southport. When he decided to move north to pursue his career, I quit my job and followed him. We were dirt poor at first. We lived in a tiny, one-room basement apartment that cost six hundred a month. The window was half-submerged at street level, and strangers would constantly peer in as they walked by. Northwood was a glittering metropolis, and we were like rats living in a sewer. The winters were brutal. I bought a secondhand space heater, and one night, faulty wiring caused it to catch fire. When Eric heard, he borrowed a friend’s car and drove seven hours through the night to get back to me. He was a man who channeled almost all his emotions into his acting. In everyday life, he was reserved, almost detached. But that night, he held me and cried so hard he could barely breathe. “Molly, I’m so sorry,” he sobbed. “It’s my fault. You’re suffering because I can’t provide for you.” “I’ll make it big,” he promised. “I’ll make so much money, and I’ll spend the rest of my life loving you.” Seven years passed. Eric’s career soared, and the chasm between us grew wider with every success. It was inevitable. I have crippling anxiety when it comes to relationships. And Eric, of all things, is an actor. His job requires him to simulate intimacy, to pour his soul into another identity and pretend to fall in love with someone else. Once, he was filming a particularly intense scene with an actress. It was the emotional climax of the film, where the two characters finally confessed their tortured love for each other. They kissed until they were both crying, clinging to each other long after the director yelled “Cut.” They ended up tumbling onto the bed, their bodies pressed together, tearing at each other’s clothes. None of that was in the script. It was a raw, spontaneous overflow of emotion. The director was ecstatic, clapping his hands. “Brilliant! That was brilliant! They really felt it.” And by some cruel twist of fate, it was Eric’s birthday. I had come to the set with a gift. Seeing that… it shattered me. But what could I do? It was his job. If I got angry, if I showed my jealousy, I was just being unreasonable. My insecurity festered, making me anxious, paranoid, and controlling. One night, while Eric was in the shower, I checked his phone. He caught me. The look on his face was pure fury. “Molly, what the hell is wrong with you? Are you bored? Don’t you have a life of your own?” Three questions, each one a dagger. He was the one who had begged me to quit my job and move to Northwood with him. He said he loved how much I needed him, that he would take care of me forever. The day after that fight, I took all my savings and opened the flower shop. I was there every single day, rain or shine. I made myself busy. If I was busy, I wouldn’t have time to wonder who Eric was kissing today, how far the intimacy would go, or what would happen if he couldn’t separate the role from reality and truly fell in love with someone else. 3 It was past rush hour, and the subway car was nearly empty on my way home. Two girls sat next to me, giggling as they stared at a phone. “I’m telling you, they’re for real. Eric and Mona. You can’t fake that kind of body language, that subconscious need to be close.” “Doesn’t he have a girlfriend?” “Come on, think about it. On one hand, you have the girlfriend of seven years. She’s getting old, there’s no mystery left. On the other, you have a gorgeous, vibrant movie star. If you were Eric, who would you choose?” I quietly pulled out my compact mirror and looked at my reflection. I was the campus beauty back in college. I wasn’t that washed up, was I? The truth is, I had forced Eric to go public with our relationship. At first, he said he didn’t want to bring his private life into the spotlight. The result was that no one in the industry even knew he was taken. Women pursued him, friends tried to set him up, and one producer even tried to proposition him. I finally blew up. “Do you really think it’s ‘unnecessary,’ Eric, or are you just ashamed of me? Are you afraid of losing your ‘single guy’ appeal?” He called me unreasonable. But he did it. He posted a simple announcement on his social media: [Happy 7 years to my amazing girlfriend, @MollysBlooms] That night, two hashtags trended simultaneously: #EricLarkinGoesPublic and #EricAndMona. The shippers had worked overnight, creating a viral post titled: You are the madness that exists outside the rules of my world. It was a meticulous compilation of every single flirty interaction between them. In their narrative, Eric and Mona were star-crossed lovers, and I was the villain keeping them apart. They claimed the only reason Eric hadn’t broken up with a mediocre woman like me was out of a sense of duty. Late that night, Mona went online. She liked the post, then quickly unliked it, and then posted that it was an “accidental slip.” A masterclass in plausible deniability. She even tagged me directly: [@MollysBlooms Hope you don’t mind, let’s get lunch sometime! xoxo] She acted like we were old friends. I had never even met her. Eric told me not to overthink it. “Mona’s just a sweet, innocent kid, Molly. She was probably just trying to make you feel less awkward.” I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “She’s innocent. So what am I?” “You?” A small smirk played on his lips. “Come on, Molly. Don’t compare yourself to a girl that young.” His tone was patronizingly sweet. Mona was only two years younger than me. 4 One of the girls next to me took off her headphones, and a familiar voice drifted out. I remembered then—it was the fan meet for Eric’s new show in Bayside. It was being livestreamed. I pulled up the stream on my phone. Mona had recently been at the center of a media firestorm. Rumors were swirling about her—that she had been a bully in school, that she’d slept with a director to get a role, that she’d hooked up with co-stars. At the fan meet, she addressed the rumors for the first time. Within minutes, she was crying too hard to speak. And Eric was right there, protecting her. Every sharp question from the press, every nasty comment in the live chat—Eric shot them all down. “Online harassment is a terrifying thing,” he said, his voice firm and serious. “It can cause irreparable harm…” I laughed. A bitter, hollow sound. And then, the laughter turned into something else. A sharp sting in my nose. I covered my face with my hands, but the tears leaked through my fingers. “Are you okay?” one of the girls next to me asked, offering me a tissue. “Thanks…” Crying on the subway was mortifying. I got off at the next stop, even though it wasn’t mine. It was all his fault. Ever since he’d made our relationship public, his and Mona’s shippers had laid siege to my social media. “Just let him go. Let him be with someone who’s actually right for him.” “The one who isn’t loved is the third wheel. You’re just in the way.” “If you weren’t such a bitch, my ship would have sailed by now!” “Break up with him, or we’ll make you.” It escalated. The more extreme fans doxxed me. They sent me grotesque images in my DMs. A few even started showing up near my apartment, trying to confront me. I used to read stories about people who took their own lives because of online bullying. I felt sorry for them, but a part of me didn’t quite understand. Why not just turn off the internet? Why let the words of strangers destroy you? Now I knew. It was a terrifying, suffocating poison. At the time, Eric was on location for a film. My calls went unanswered, my texts vanished into a void. By the time he came home, I hadn’t slept properly in two weeks. I was a wreck, my nerves so frayed that a doctor had prescribed medication for anxiety. All Eric did was give me a quick hug and murmur, “Don’t worry about it, Molly. They’re just fans who can’t let go of the show.” Then he was off again, rushing to his next engagement. I had always told myself it was just his personality. He wasn’t the most observant or comforting person. It didn’t mean he didn’t love me. But now, watching him on the screen, fiercely defending Mona, speaking about the dangers of online bullying… watching him in the background while the director spoke, constantly handing Mona tissues, whispering in her ear until he made her smile through her tears… I realized what a complete and utter fool I had been. 5 I bought a plane ticket back to Southport. The day before I left, I had one last follow-up appointment with my doctor. His office was on the fifth floor, at the end of a long, sunlit corridor. Today, the corridor was blocked off, a crowd of people gathered around. I edged closer to see what was going on. They were filming a movie. I wasn’t interested. I turned to leave, but through a gap in the crowd, my eyes met Eric’s. And next to him stood Mona. I remembered then. He had mentioned his next role was a doctor. He just hadn’t mentioned it was another project with her. It didn’t matter. I didn’t care anymore. For a split second, our eyes locked. Eric frowned, taking an involuntary step toward me. I turned and walked away without looking back. Mona glanced in my direction, catching sight of a woman with long hair disappearing down the hall. “Who was that? Your girlfriend?” she asked. “Yeah.” “Here to check up on you?” Eric gave a slightly embarrassed smile. “I guess so.” Mona pouted. “Dating someone outside the industry is so much trouble. Following you all the way to a hospital… This is the first time I’ve ever been treated like some kind of homewrecker. What’s her problem?” “It’s not like that,” Eric said, his gaze still fixed on the empty hallway. “She just gets a little jealous sometimes. Insecure. It’s not about you.” During a break, Eric opened his phone. He noticed his last chat with me was from over two weeks ago. [When does filming wrap? Need to talk to you.] He’d read it but never replied. He must have forgotten. It was normal for him not to contact me while he was filming. But it was highly abnormal for me not to contact him. I was the one who usually spammed him with pointless messages—a great steak I ate, a windy day in Northwood, a cute dog I saw. I never cared if he read them or not. This silence meant she was still angry about their last fight. Usually, she got over things quickly. Why was she holding onto this one for so long? Remembering the cold look in her eyes just now, Eric worried she had gotten the wrong idea again. He decided he should probably explain. … I was waiting for my number to be called when my phone started ringing incessantly. Annoyed, I realized I’d forgotten something important. I declined the call, went to my contacts, and blocked the number. Then I opened my messages, found Eric’s name, and deleted the conversation. Much better. 6 Since his calls wouldn’t go through, Eric came to find me in person. Thankfully, it was a private clinic, and it was nearly closing time, so we didn’t become the center of attention. He reached out to ruffle my hair. “Came to see me?” “In your dreams.” “Still trying to fool me?” He sighed, a weary smile on his face. “Come on, Molly, don’t be jealous. The director specifically requested Mona and me for this project. He wanted to capitalize on the buzz from our last show.” He poked my cheek. “You’re such a little jealous thing, following me all the way here. Did you really think I’d cheat on you?” My patience snapped. “I told you, I’m not here for you. I have my own business to attend to.” “What business could you possibly have?” he retorted without thinking. At that exact moment, the electronic screen on the wall lit up with my name. “Patient B17, Molly Vance, please proceed to examination room 05…” I stood up. Eric grabbed my wrist, his face suddenly tight with shock and concern. “You’re sick?” 7 I shook his hand off, my expression blank. “It’s nothing. Just a check-up.” “What do you mean, ‘just a check-up’?” he pressed, his voice rising with alarm. “What’s wrong? Why didn’t you tell me?” He tried to follow me into the room, but I quickly shut the door in his face. Dr. Evans looked up. “Your boyfriend?” I’d been seeing him for a few years. We’d even run into each other on morning jogs by the river. We were friendly, and he knew about Eric. I shook my head. “Ex-boyfriend.” “Oh?” Dr. Evans raised an eyebrow. “Congratulations.” “Thank you.” Ever since Eric had screamed, “What the hell is wrong with you?” at me, I had started to believe something really was. So I went to a doctor. The diagnosis was mild depression and severe anxiety, specifically triggered by my romantic relationships. It mostly stemmed from my mother. My father died in a construction accident when I was two. My mother left me with my aging grandfather in the countryside and went to the city to find work. She would only come back once every few years, promise to stay for two weeks, and then disappear after two or three days. I became so terrified of her leaving that I would sleep on the floor outside her door, just to make sure she was still there in the morning. When she was home, I would cook for her, wash her clothes, and give her all the money I earned from collecting herbs in the mountains. I thought that if I could just prove how useful I was, she would love me more. One year, she came back with a man and a little boy—my new stepfather and stepbrother. My grandfather had passed away by then. It was the middle of a snowy winter, and I was running a fever, but I cooked and cleaned for all of them. The day before New Year’s Eve, my mother promised to take me shopping for new clothes the next day. I cried with happiness. The next morning, I pushed open her door to find the room empty. They had left in the middle of the night. The phone number was disconnected, the address she gave me was fake. They had simply vanished. I survived on the charity of my aunts and uncles. Before Eric, I had one other boyfriend. He cheated on me after less than six months. He said it was my fault, that I was too needy, so he had to find someone else. After that, the anxiety took root in my heart and grew like weeds. I was terrified of not being good enough for people, and terrified that they would betray me. Eric was right. Something was wrong with me. Dr. Evans had told me a long time ago that it wasn’t all my fault. He said my partner’s behavior wasn’t helping. He gave me two options: find a healthy distraction, or remove the source of my anxiety. Step one: I opened the flower shop. Step two: I left Eric. And now, I felt fantastic. My check-up went perfectly. “Your condition has stabilized, Molly,” Dr. Evans said with a smile. “You can stop the medication.” He shook my hand. “All the best. It was a pleasure knowing you.” 8 When I walked out of the exam room, Eric was gone. He had to get back to filming. He’d left a message for me with the young nurse at the front desk. “He said he knows he’s been neglecting you because of work, and that as soon as this movie wraps, he wants to give you a proper birthday celebration,” the nurse relayed, her eyes wide with envy. “Wow, you’re Eric Larkin’s girlfriend? He’s handsome, rich, and famous! You’re so lucky!” I didn’t know what to say. I just forced a smile. So many people told me how lucky I was, how much they envied me. But I never felt it. It was like having a fishbone stuck in my throat. You can’t swallow it, you can’t cough it up, and you can’t just walk around with your mouth open for everyone to see. Only you know how much it hurts. But now, finally, the bone was gone. The next morning, I boarded a plane to Southport. My best friend, Gia, picked me up from the airport. The moment she saw me, she wrapped me in a bone-crushing hug. “Molly, baby! I told you not to follow that jerk to Northwood! He doesn’t deserve you!” I laughed. “You might be the only person on the planet who thinks he’s not good enough for me.” “Of course! You’re too good for him! You’re a total sweetheart—if someone is even remotely nice to you, you’ll give them your whole heart. Eric never knew how to appreciate you, and he’s going to regret it for the rest of his life!” The last dregs of my post-breakup sadness evaporated under the warmth of Gia’s tirade. “Come on, baby girl,” she said, slinging an arm around my shoulder. “Welcome back to my town. Forget that loser. I’m going to show you a good time.”

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