Category: English

The day I left the Lynn family, I cut my hair short and moved to a new city. I canceled my phone number and changed my surname back to Shaw. On a remote street corner, I took over a small flower shop. The Lynns all assumed I couldn’t survive without them — that I’d starved to death on the streets by now. Seven years later, a distinguished guest in a tailored suit walked into my shop. He held a pot of withered bellflowers and asked if I could revive it. Our eyes met. My former brother, Lincoln, who once sneered at me, looked like he’d been struck by lightning. “Nina? You’ve been here all along? The whole family thought you were…” I lowered my eyes, ignoring his trembling hands. Staring at the bellflowers I’d once given him, my voice was flat and emotionless. “Sir, bringing dead wood back to life is a lie. Dead flowers stay dead.” — Lincoln looked down at the bellflowers, then back up at me. “Nina, how can you say that?” I picked up my scissors and snipped off the last withered stem in the pot. I swept the dead stem into the trash. “Sir, the flower is dead. It can’t be saved.” “When a person’s heart dies, that can’t be saved either.” Lincoln reached out to grab my wrist. I laid the scissors flat on the counter, blade pointing outward. He froze, hand suspended in midair, then withdrew it awkwardly. “Where have you been these seven years?” “Why didn’t you contact anyone?” “Do you know how long Mrs. Lynn and Mr. Lynn searched for you?” I almost laughed. “Searched for me?” Lincoln’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “The family thought something happened to you.” I emptied the soil from the pot. The roots had rotted through completely. “Mr. Lynn, wasn’t it your family who published that newspaper announcement severing all ties with me?” “Weren’t you the one who personally threw my belongings out of the Lynn mansion?” The color drained from Lincoln’s face. Seven years ago, that rainy night. Lily rolled down the stairs clutching her stomach, crying that she’d lost her baby. I’d been standing ten feet away — I never even touched her clothes. But Mrs. Lynn slapped me across the face. “Shaw Nina, how can you be so vicious?” That slap made my ears ring. Mr. Lynn forced me down in front of Lily’s hospital bed. “Kneel. Apologize to Lily.” I said I didn’t do it. Lincoln rushed over, grabbed the wooden figurine I’d spent three nights carving for him, and smashed it on the floor. I was thrown out of the Lynn mansion. I knelt outside their door all night. Rainwater flooded down my throat until I couldn’t even cry anymore. I knocked, begging them to open the door. Mrs. Lynn stood by the window, glanced at me once, then turned to peel shrimp for Lily. That night, I finally understood. Blood ties are worthless. The only person they would ever love was Lily. Lincoln’s hands trembled. “Nina, we didn’t know the truth back then.” “These bellflowers — you gave them to me.” “I’ve kept them all this time.” I looked at the rotted pot. Yes, I’d given them to him. The first year I returned to the Lynn mansion, I thought I finally had a big brother. I clumsily researched and learned that bellflowers symbolized gratitude and gentle love. When I handed the flowers to Lincoln, he casually left them in a corner of the balcony. Later, Lily said the pollen made her allergic. He had the servants move them to the storage room right in front of me. Now he was holding this dead plant, coming to talk about sibling affection. How ridiculous. “Didn’t you kill it?” Lincoln’s eyes brightened slightly. “From the day you discarded it, it was already dead.” His lips trembled. “Lynn Nina…” “Don’t call me Lynn Nina.” I looked up at him. “My surname is Shaw.” “Shaw Nina.” The bell by the door chimed. My apprentice, Sophie, pushed the door open carrying lunch. She saw Lincoln blocking the counter, then noticed the scissors on my desk, and immediately grew alert. “Nina, should I call the police?” Lincoln looked like he’d been slapped in public. He picked up the dead plant and stepped back. “I’ll come back.” I pushed the trash can toward his feet. “Next time, don’t bring garbage into my shop.” Lincoln stood there for a few seconds, then turned and left. On his way out, he nearly tripped over the threshold. Sophie poked her head out to look. “Nina, who was that?” I cleaned the scissors and put them back in the toolbox. “Someone too cheap to buy fresh flowers.” She made a sound of understanding and set down the food. “Well, he’s really stingy then.” I couldn’t help but smile. My phone screen lit up. Video call. I answered, and the next second, a chubby little face filled the screen. “Mommy!”

Henry held up a drawing — on the paper was a lopsidedly drawn flower. In the middle, he’d also drawn a round, chubby person. “Mommy, this is for you.” I brought the phone closer, smiling. “Then who’s this little pig next to it?” Henry’s face scrunched up. “That’s Daddy!” The camera shook. Frederick appeared on screen, holding the squirming Henry in his arms. He glanced at the drawing and corrected calmly. “I’m not that fat.” Henry hugged his neck. “Daddy is a fat pig.” I laughed out loud. The chill Lincoln had brought earlier gradually dissipated with those few sentences. Frederick looked at me, his gaze pausing. “What just happened?” I didn’t answer. He knew me too well. The calmer I was, the more it meant an old wound had been touched. “Did the Lynn family find you?” I hummed in acknowledgment. “Lincoln.” Frederick’s side went quiet for two seconds. “Do you need me to handle it?” “No.” “I can handle it.” He nodded. “Landing tomorrow at ten a.m.” “Grandpa and my parents are coming back too.” “We’re not leaving again.” I froze. “You’ve decided to settle down?” “Yes.” Henry immediately chimed in. “Mommy, I want to live next to the flower shop!” Frederick pinched the back of his neck. “That won’t work. Your mom will complain about you pulling up flowers.” Henry kicked his legs indignantly. I watched them banter, feeling warmth in my eyes. Seven years ago, when I collapsed on the street, it was winter. The rain was pouring. The Lynn family had thrown me out. Mrs. Lynn had smashed my phone, and the servants had thrown my ID and wallet into a ditch. I had such a high fever I couldn’t see straight. Crouching under a bridge, I heard someone calling my name. It was Mr. Shaw. He was a long-lost relative from my grandmother’s side. He’d been searching for me for ages, but when he finally found me, I’d already been pushed to the brink of death by the Lynn family. When I woke up, Frederick was sitting by my hospital bed. He didn’t say much — just asked me one question: “Do you want to start over?” My throat was so hoarse I couldn’t speak. I could only nod. He helped me cancel my old number and change my surname back to Shaw. Mr. Shaw gave me a flower shop. Frederick gave me a family. Many people assume wealthy families only scheme against each other. But the Caldwell family taught me I didn’t have to watch others’ faces while eating. They taught me I didn’t have to prove my innocence to the point of breakdown when wrongly accused. They taught me love isn’t something you beg for on your knees. Frederick looked at me through the screen. “Nina, what happened in the past is over.” Hearing those words pulled me back to a distant memory. The day I returned to the Lynn mansion, I wore a faded white dress and carried a cloth bag the orphanage in my county had given me. The first time Mrs. Lynn saw me, she frowned and said: “Why are you so skinny? You have no posture.” Lily stood behind her wearing the pink dress originally prepared for me. That pink princess room — Mrs. Lynn said it should be kept for Lily. “She’s not in good health. Changing rooms will make her lose sleep.” So I was arranged into the attic storage room. The roof leaked, the corners were moldy. At night, rats scurried past from behind cardboard boxes. I hugged my blanket and curled up by the bed, telling myself my biological parents just weren’t used to me yet. Just wait a little longer. But what I waited for was Lily hiding a necklace in my backpack. What I waited for was Mrs. Lynn’s slap. What I waited for was Mr. Lynn’s punishment. What I waited for was Lincoln saying, “Lily is innocent. She wouldn’t lie.” Every time Lily cried, I had to kneel. Every time she got sick, I got scolded. Later I finally understood. When some people’s hearts are biased, no amount of reasoning can straighten them out. Frederick asked softly, “What are you thinking about?” I swallowed the old memories. “Thinking about picking you up tomorrow.” Henry pressed his face against the screen. “Mommy has to hug me first.” I said okay. Frederick looked at me. “Hug me too.” Henry immediately covered his mouth. “No stealing.” I hung up with a smile. Outside, the sky darkened. I packed the remaining rotten soil from the bellflowers into a black bag. Sophie asked, “Nina, should we throw it out?” “Throw it far away. Don’t let it affect the new flowers growing in the shop.”

The next morning, I closed the shop early. On the way to the airport, the taxi driver had the radio on loud. “Today’s financial news: Lynn Corporation heiress Lily Lynn will be engaged to capital elite Zachary Chow. Following this news, Lynn Corporation’s stock opened higher…” The driver clicked his tongue. “Elite family marriages are something else.” I leaned against the car window, watching the elevated highway outside. Lily was getting engaged. Seven years ago, she used a fake miscarriage to nail me to the position of vicious older sister. Seven years later, she stood in front of cameras in a gown, still the envied Lynn family heiress. This world can be pretty disgusting sometimes. My phone rang. Unknown number. I glanced at it, initially not wanting to answer. The caller tried a second time. I answered and put it on speaker. Mrs. Lynn’s voice immediately pierced through the car. “Lynn Nina, you finally answered?” The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. My tone was flat. “Who is this?” The other end went silent for half a second. Mrs. Lynn exploded. “I’m your mother!” “Sorry, my mother is on a plane overseas.” The driver almost laughed out loud. Mrs. Lynn’s voice became shrill with anger. “Seven years gone and you’re still so ill-mannered.” “Lily is getting engaged next week. She’s generous enough not to hold grudges about what happened back then.” “Come back to the Lynn mansion immediately and be her bridesmaid.” I thought I’d misheard. “You want me to be Lily’s bridesmaid?” Mrs. Lynn said it like it was perfectly reasonable. “And apologize while you’re at it.” “What happened back then — you caused her so much grief.” “Now she’s willing to let you appear at the engagement party. That’s giving you face.” Lincoln must have gone back and had them dig up my information overnight. It wasn’t that they couldn’t find me. When I had no value, they just couldn’t be bothered to look. Now that Lily was getting engaged, they needed a disgraced biological daughter as a background prop. “Mrs. Lynn.” “Seven years ago, you threw me out.” “You published the announcement severing ties.” “Now you’re calling me back to serve your adopted daughter — did you get that shamelessness as a bonus with your Lynn Corporation shares?” The driver couldn’t hold it in and snorted. Mrs. Lynn exploded. “Shaw Nina!” “Don’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit.” “You’re just a flower seller. You’re lucky to still be alive.” “One word from the Lynn family and you won’t be able to stay in this city.” I looked at the airport terminal in the distance. My mood suddenly improved. “Then try it.” “You…” “Also, the Lynn family isn’t even qualified to deliver fertilizer to my flower shop anymore.” I hung up. And blocked the number. Within seconds, another unknown number called. I continued blocking. The Lynn family was panicking. They always assumed a phone call could get through, a door could be kicked open, a person could be forced back. Seven years ago, maybe. Not anymore. The driver held it in the whole ride, but finally, near the airport, he asked quietly. “Miss, was that really your mom?” I smiled. “Legally speaking, not for a long time.” He parked at the VIP arrival area and turned to give me a thumbs up. “Well done.” I got out and had just taken out my phone to check the flight information Frederick sent when someone suddenly shoved me hard. I looked up. Mrs. Lynn was supporting Lily, with Mr. Lynn standing beside them. Lincoln followed at the back. All four stared at me. What a coincidence. Such an unlucky coincidence. Lily froze first, then quickly hid behind Mrs. Lynn. The movement was so practiced it seemed rehearsed. “Mrs. Lynn, I’m scared.” Mrs. Lynn immediately glared at me. “Lynn Nina, you dare follow us?”

Mrs. Lynn had already rushed up to me. “Acting all tough on the phone, then turning around and chasing us to the airport.” “What, you heard Lily’s picking up her fiancé today and couldn’t stand that she’s marrying well?” Mr. Lynn frowned, his face full of disgust. “Can you have some shame in public?” “Stop embarrassing the Lynn family.” I glanced at the VIP arrival sign overhead. “I’m here to pick someone up.” Lily hid behind Mrs. Lynn, showing half her face. “Stop lying.” “This is the VIP passage.” “How could someone who runs a flower shop get in here?” After she spoke, she covered her mouth. “Unless… someone brought you here?” Mrs. Lynn immediately jumped in. “I knew it.” “Without the Lynn family to keep you in line, you’ve degraded yourself.” “Which old man is keeping you?” Listening to this, I just found it absurd. Seven years had passed and they hadn’t even updated their insults. Lincoln stepped forward, his expression ugly. “Mrs. Lynn, don’t talk about Nina like that.” Mrs. Lynn turned to glare at him. “You’re still defending her?” Lincoln looked at me. “Nina, stop making a scene.” “As long as you apologize to Lily, I’ll convince Mrs. Lynn and Mr. Lynn to let you come home.” I stared at him for a few seconds. “You came to my shop last night with a dead plant.” “Today you’re telling me to apologize?” “Lincoln, you flip-flop with quite the rhythm.” Passersby stopped to watch the drama. Lily’s eyes immediately reddened. “I know you hate me.” “But this engagement is a major event in my life.” “Why do you have to ruin it?” Mrs. Lynn’s heart ached. She raised her hand to slap my face. “Today I’ll discipline you on behalf of the old man keeping you!” I raised my hand and caught her wrist. She froze. I flung her hand away forcefully. Mrs. Lynn stumbled back and was caught by Mr. Lynn. “You’ve gone too far!” Mr. Lynn raised his hand to point at me, furious. “Lynn Nina, how dare you lay hands on your mother?” “She’s not my mother.” I brushed off my hands. “Touch me again and I’ll make you famous at the airport police station today.” Lily bit her lip, then suddenly raised her voice. “You’ve become so frightening.” “We’re just trying to help you.” “If you need money, I can give you some.” She pulled out a card from her bag, like she was giving alms to a beggar. “There’s two hundred thousand here.” “Take it and stop pestering the Lynn family.” People around started murmuring. “Isn’t that Lily Lynn?” “That Lynn Corporation heiress getting engaged?” “Who’s the other one?” Hearing the murmurs, Lily cried even harder. She tried to stuff the card into my hand. I didn’t take it. The card fell to the ground. She immediately gasped. “If you don’t want it, fine, but why did you knock it down?” This routine was so familiar it made my stomach turn cold. She used to do this. Pour hot soup on her own hand, then cry that I burned her. Hide a necklace under my pillow, then say I stole it. Roll herself down the stairs, then say I was trying to kill her baby. I took a step forward. Lily immediately retreated, falling into Mrs. Lynn’s arms. “Don’t touch me.” With that line, everyone’s eyes changed when they looked at me. Mrs. Lynn seized the opportunity to shout. “Everyone look — this is my vicious biological daughter!” “She caused my Lily to miscarry years ago, and now she’s making a scene at the airport!” I watched her mouth open and close, suddenly feeling the air grow thin. For a moment, I felt like I was back seven years ago. Kneeling on the cold floor. Everyone saying I was vicious. No one listening to me say I didn’t do it. Just as Mrs. Lynn was about to rush at me again, a cold voice came from behind. “Who wants to discipline my wife?”

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I didn’t expect the jumbotron camera to pan to me. When my face was projected onto the massive screen, Liam’s voice noticeably faltered mid-song. After the concert ended, my phone buzzed with a text message: [What’s wrong? Regretting it now?] I stared at that familiar number, frozen for a long time. In the end, I didn’t reply, simply slipping the phone back into my coat pocket. The notification chimed twice more in rapid succession: [Didn’t you say you’d never settle for someone like me in a million years? Maya Vance?] [It’s too late for regrets anyway. Now I’m the one who looks down on vain gold-diggers like you.] … I didn’t reply. A long time later, my phone pinged again. It was from Liam: [Stop peeping into my life acting like a fan.] I hadn’t booked a hotel. From the stadium where Liam performed back to my apartment, it took nine hours and thirteen minutes, transferring through various trains and buses. So, nine hours and thirteen minutes later, Liam received a text from me: [Liam, I wish you a bright and beautiful future.] After the text sent successfully, I mixed a handful of brightly colored pills into a slice of cake and swallowed it all down. … My suicide attempt failed. The neighbor from the next apartment over came to borrow some salt, found me, and rushed me to the ER. I hadn’t set up an emergency contact, and my phone book didn’t even have a single entry for “Mom” or “Dad.” Desperate, the hospital staff called the last person I had contacted: Liam. When I woke up, Liam was sitting beside me. He was still wearing his concert outfit, the stage makeup only half-wiped off. His glamorous appearance starkly contrasted with the sterile, glaringly white hospital room. Seeing my eyes open, Liam spoke: “You’re awake?” I asked, “Why are you here?” Liam crossed his arms, wearing an expression that said he had already figured it all out: “Drop the act, Maya. Didn’t you tell the hospital to call me?” I lowered my eyes: “I didn’t.” He uncrossed his legs and leaned in closer, saying: “You clearly have so much family, so many relatives and friends. Tell me, Maya, why did the hospital just happen to call the ex-boyfriend you haven’t spoken to in three years? “Faking a suicide is just pathetic. Even if you saw my success and regretted your choices, you could have at least picked a classier way to try and win me back. Maybe then I’d have given you a second glance. But pulling a stunt like this only makes me despise you more.” Liam’s words hammered against my eardrums one by one. My chest tightened painfully, yet I couldn’t utter a single word in my defense. He stood up from the chair, looking down at me. My face was pale from the stomach pumping. His thin lips parted again: “Next time you want to kill yourself, pick a more efficient method. Taking sleeping pills is just a cry for attention. It won’t kill you.” With that, Liam turned and left, seemingly unwilling to spare me another glance. Half my face buried in the pillow, I finally managed to defend myself with one sentence: “It wasn’t sleeping pills.” What kind of pills were they? I didn’t even know myself. I just knew sleeping pills were hard to get a prescription for, and even if I did, the dosage wouldn’t be nearly enough to be lethal. So I just picked the cheapest over-the-counter meds I could find and bought a random assortment. On the way home from the concert, for the first time in over twenty years, I bought myself a beautiful, delicate little cake. The pills were too bitter; I needed something sweet to wash them down. But it was late when I got back, and the bakery only had one chocolate cake left… and it wasn’t sweet at all. My not-so-long life was coming to an end, and I didn’t even get to taste a little sweetness at the very finish line. 02 Liam was photographed at the hospital last night, and rumors started swirling that I was his secret girlfriend. Because it was a hospital, and someone leaked that I had my stomach pumped, plus others claiming they saw me at the concert, the speculation ran wild. Add in the haters spreading fake news, and the rumors quickly escalated into absurdity. Things like, “Liam sleeps with fans and abandons them, driving the girl to suicide out of despair.” Overnight, Liam plummeted from “America’s Boyfriend” to a universally despised scumbag. I looked at the trending topics that refused to drop, pulled out my phone, and called Liam. It rang for a long time before he finally answered: “What do you want?” Liam’s voice was hoarse. He had probably been up all night dealing with the fallout. I gripped the phone tightly: “This is my fault. However you need me to clarify things, I will cooperate.” Liam let out a short, cynical laugh on the other end, ignoring my statement and instead asking: “Maya, did you only call because you feel guilty for causing me trouble?” What else? What other reason could there be? Because I was worried about him? Because I was scared? Scared that after three years, his career and his future would be dragged down by me yet again? I couldn’t say it. After a long silence, Liam finally sighed: “Clarifying this isn’t as simple as you think. Wait for my PR team’s instructions. But Maya, you said it yourself—this whole mess started because of you. So no matter what happens, you have to cooperate, even if it means…” “Means what?” I asked. Liam mumbled for a bit before saying: “Never mind, it’s nothing. Keep your phone on. Send me a message every half hour. Otherwise, if you run off and refuse to take responsibility, who am I supposed to complain to?” I wouldn’t run away. And I certainly wouldn’t refuse to take responsibility. I set an alarm and sent Liam a message every thirty minutes. Sometimes it was a random photo I took, sometimes a punctuation mark, sometimes an emoji. But mostly, I asked him how the situation was going. Liam never replied to any of them. Only when I repeatedly asked him about the situation did he finally send a warning: “Ask that question one more time, and we switch to FaceTime every half hour.” I had no choice but to tirelessly try and find topics to text him about. Occasionally, if I hit on something that interested him, Liam would mercifully reply with a few words. I knew Liam wasn’t doing this because he was afraid I’d run away. He was afraid I’d try to kill myself again. Since he couldn’t physically be there to watch me, he resorted to this clumsy method to keep an eye on me. But… I closed my eyes. The auditory hallucinations were getting worse. The voices in my ears were a chaotic jumble, and my head felt like it was going to split open. But Liam, I tried so hard to eat something, but I kept throwing it all back up. I tried everything, but I just couldn’t get a good night’s sleep. I was constantly plagued by panic, terror, and an overwhelming sadness… Liam, it seemed that all my longing, my guilt, my hopes for you—they were no longer enough to keep me alive. It was too agonizing. Truly, every minute, every second, was unbearable agony. Even eating candy didn’t help. 03 Liam’s manager came to see me. Compared to three years ago, he had put on some weight, a slight beer belly now noticeable. I heard he got married and had a cute little daughter. “Maya,” David set his bulging briefcase down and casually took a seat across from me. “How do you always manage to cause such monumental disasters?” I slid a glass of water toward him and offered a self-deprecating smile: “I guess it’s a special talent of mine.” David ignored my joke and bluntly dumped stacks of cash from his bag onto the table: “This situation is complicated. Given that you attended Liam’s concert right before your suicide attempt, and the hospital called him directly when you were brought in, simply stating you two are just friends won’t cut it. The fans and the public won’t buy it. They’ll just turn on Liam even harder, accusing him of dodging responsibility, which will only make things worse.” I glanced at the piles of cash on the table and asked: “So, how do you plan to resolve this?” David leaned forward, interlacing his fingers: “People have already dug up the fact that you two used to date. So, to protect Liam’s reputation, our only option is to say that after an amicable breakup, you couldn’t let go and attempted suicide to threaten him. Liam only showed up at the hospital to save your life.” David paused, then continued: “But don’t worry, I’m a businessman. I understand the concept of a fair trade. So tell me how much you want, name your price. If this isn’t enough, I can go back and get more. It’s just… Maya…” He suddenly used my first name: “You need to understand, three years ago, you almost ruined Liam once. He endured a lot to get to where he is today. He absolutely cannot be ruined by you a second time.” David left, leaving behind a massive pile of money that would last me a very long time. I agreed to cooperate with the clarification. I told everyone that I was the one who couldn’t let go, that I was the one who used suicide as a threat. Even though I was immediately bombarded with hate from his fans the moment the statement went live, I didn’t feel wronged. After all, this incident was entirely my fault, and Liam was innocently dragged into it. Besides, I was also helping myself. If I attempted suicide again right after clarifying, and I survived, fine. But if I died, people would undoubtedly blame Liam again. So I couldn’t die just yet. Even if it was just for him, I had to hold on a little longer. I looked at the photo of Liam and me hidden in the back of my phone case and smiled. I finally found a reason to keep living. 04 Liam and I, we had an amicable breakup back then. At least, that’s what I thought. But Liam always insisted that I dumped him. I hated the word “dumped.” It made it sound like there was a winner and a loser in a breakup. At the time, I just felt we weren’t a good match, so I told him: “Liam, we need to stop seeing each other.” What did Liam say back then? He said over the phone: “Maya, if you don’t want to hear about a specific topic, you say ‘stop talking about this,’ not ‘stop seeing each other.’ You’re a journalism major, how is your English worse than mine?” I fell silent for a moment. “Liam, what I mean is, we need to break up!” “You want to get married? Sure, but I’m not of legal age yet…” “Liam, I know you understand what I’m saying. Let’s break up. Don’t contact me anymore.” Everyone thought I was being dramatic. Giving up a perfect boyfriend like Liam and insisting on a breakup. What, did I think I was in a soap opera? Playing the whole “forced separation, he chases, she runs” trope? When we were together, Liam was already making a name for himself in the entertainment industry. With his incredible singing and dancing skills, coupled with his striking looks, his popularity was skyrocketing. His future looked incredibly bright, but it was almost dragged down by me. After my dad had an accident and fell into a coma, my mom didn’t want to deal with it. She dumped the entire mess on me and ran off to fool around. I hadn’t seen her in ages until one day, a man showed up at our door claiming my mom stole his money and demanding we pay it back. I didn’t know if he was telling the truth. Besides, the amount he mentioned was massive. Between going to school and taking care of my dad, the money I made from part-time jobs barely covered our basic living expenses. Even if it was true, there was no way I could pay it back. One time, he showed up drunk to harass me again, and Liam saw him. To protect me, Liam got into a physical fight with him. Liam’s parents were wealthy business owners, well-known in the area. Plus, Liam himself was frequently on TV and social media. The man recognized Liam and decided to target him instead. So, by the next morning, the internet was flooded with news: Liam’s girlfriend leverages his status to avoid paying debts; Liam aids and abets her by getting into street brawls. During a crucial turning point in Liam’s career, I had brought him trouble—a massive problem. Liam’s team had to burn through a ton of money just to suppress the story’s traction. After the incident blew up, Liam’s manager, David, came to me. He told me that my mom didn’t owe that man any money at all. The man was maliciously extorting us. However, they had no concrete proof. To clear everything up, my mom would have to publicly state that she had no financial ties to him. “Furthermore,” David looked up at me: “There’s something I need you to understand. If you and Liam are not a couple, then in this scenario, he’s simply an innocent bystander who saw someone being bullied and stepped in to help.” How could I not understand what David was implying? Liam had a brilliant future ahead of him, and that future was almost destroyed by my hands. So that night, I told Liam: “Liam, we need to stop seeing each other.” After the breakup, I went to find my mom, begging her to step forward and clear the air. Instead, she cursed me out, yelling at me for finding a rich boyfriend and not telling her, while she had to suffer in poverty every day. That’s when I realized she knew everything that man was doing. She was even the one who suggested exposing the story to manipulate public opinion, all to extort a lump sum of cash from Liam. “You want me to clear his name? Fine. Aren’t you two together? Go tell that Hayes kid to cough up a million dollars. Five hundred thousand for the statement, and another five hundred thousand for your dowry. Not a penny less.” That night, after being kicked out by my mom, I walked home alone. The late autumn night was freezing, so cold my entire body shivered. A million dollars? After I almost destroyed Liam’s career, was I supposed to shamelessly ask him for a million dollars? 05 That very night, Liam booked a red-eye flight back. When he arrived, I was at the hospital, sitting by my dad’s bed. Liam found me, looking miserably at my dad, who had been in a vegetative state for three years. Then he asked the most melodramatic question ever: “Did my mom demand this? Is this the classic ‘here’s half a million, leave my son’ scenario?” I sweatdropped. I couldn’t blame him; he’d been acting in too many soap operas. … “Liam, you see it yourself. We’re not from the same world. Dating someone like you is just too exhausting for me. “I always have to walk on eggshells, terrified someone will find out about us, terrified it’ll ruin your image. I can’t even contact you most of the time because it might interfere with your work. “I have to work myself to the bone just to try and close the gap between us, just so people won’t think I’m a gold-digger who doesn’t deserve you. “It’s too exhausting, Liam. Every single day is exhausting. “I don’t want this life. I just want an ordinary, quiet life. Do you understand? You can’t give up your career, your dreams. And even if you did, you’re still a rich kid from a completely different background. The quiet life I want is something you can never give me.” In that hospital room, Liam kept his head down and remained silent for a long time. I gripped the corner of my dad’s blanket, biting my lip so hard I almost bled, just to stop the tears from falling. I don’t know how much time passed before Liam finally spoke: “But Maya, you’re not in this relationship alone. A breakup involves two people, and I don’t agree. “The things you mentioned… I might need some time to give you a proper answer, but we have to try and find a way to fix this together, don’t we? You can’t… you can’t just run into a problem and immediately decide to give up on me. That’s not fair to me.” I don’t clearly remember what happened next. My memory has been failing me lately, and everything in my head feels foggy and chaotic. I probably said a lot of awful things. I remember saying: “Liam, other than relying on the privileges your parents handed you, what else can you do? People like me at the bottom scrape by just to survive, but you were born with things we could work our whole lives and never achieve.” I told him: “Liam, for the rest of my life, the kind of people I despise the most are rich kids like you, hiding behind your parents like parasites.” In my memory, the only tangible, real thing left of Liam is the sight of his back as he slammed the door and walked away. For three years after that day, I never saw him again. … After Liam left, I issued a public statement clarifying that Liam and I were just friends. Regardless of whether I owed anyone money, it had nothing to do with him. He was merely an innocent bystander who stepped in to help. Once the statement was out, the scandal finally died down. But my mom and that man, failing to get the money they wanted, started harassing me constantly. I had no energy to deal with them, but I also had no way out—I couldn’t just abandon my bedridden father. Those three years were hell. Life was a grueling struggle. Just surviving, trying to find a moment of happiness, or even just eating a decent meal or getting a good night’s sleep became an impossible task for me. I knew I was sick. I felt it deep down, but I never had the courage to go to the hospital. I avoided doctors because my dad needed me. I couldn’t afford to collapse. Half a month ago, after clinging to life for four years, my dad slowly stopped breathing. After arranging his funeral, I grabbed my meager belongings and finally left that city. I went to see a doctor. They said my condition was already severe and required medication. If that didn’t work, I might need Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). I didn’t take the meds, nor did I undergo any therapy. I had completely lost the will to live. I just wanted to see Liam one last time before the end. I took out all the money I had saved from scrimping and scraping over the years and bought a ticket to Liam’s concert from a scalper. I also bought a really nice, expensive outfit and did my makeup. I just wanted to look at him from afar. I never expected the camera to find me. And so, after three years, I brought trouble to Liam once again. 06 After I posted the clarification, the internet erupted with hate directed at me, but I didn’t care. I had quit my job a long time ago. I locked myself in my apartment, surviving on delivery food and sleeping pills day after day. But honestly, I couldn’t keep much down. I had no appetite. Even if I forced myself to swallow some soup, I’d throw it right back up. Still, I stubbornly set three alarms every day to force myself to eat on schedule. I needed to stay alive a little longer, otherwise, the mob’s fury would pivot back to Liam. Let’s say a hundred days. I gave myself a deadline. Liam, whatever I owe you, I’ll pay it back with these hundred days of my life. … When Liam showed up at my door, fully disguised in a mask and cap, I was sitting alone on the sofa, staring into space. The apartment was terrifyingly quiet. The rhythmic knocking on the door felt like a lifeline, snapping me out of my crushing loneliness. “Maya, why did you say those things online?” I smiled at him, reached over, and pulled open all the drawers in the coffee table. Inside were neat stacks of cash. The scene looked like a shady underworld transaction, as if the command to “move in” was about to crackle through a hidden earpiece. Liam stared at me, bewildered. “What is the meaning of this?” I shrugged: “Exactly what it looks like. Taking someone’s money to solve their problems, that’s all.” Liam’s face darkened. He didn’t speak for a long time. Then, inappropriately, my phone alarm went off—it was time for dinner. I silenced the alarm and looked up at his face, now free of the mask. A face without a trace of makeup, yet still breathtakingly handsome. I suddenly spoke: “Liam, have you eaten? If not, let’s eat together.” Liam abruptly stood up, anger blazing across his face: “Maya, what… what do you take me for?” I didn’t look up, pursing my lips in thought for a moment: “For… a dinner buddy.” Liam ultimately didn’t leave. He stayed, his expression cold. All his anger hit me like punches landing on cotton. I didn’t fight back; he said his piece, and I said mine. Liam paced the living room in furious circles until he got tired, then started nitpicking: “Why did you put so many chili peppers in this?! Did you do it on purpose?! Don’t you know I need to protect my vocal cords?” Liam yelled from the living room, and I answered from the kitchen: “I only put one tiny tip in, just for flavor.” “You put way too much water in the rice, are you making porridge?” “Is it too much? Doesn’t look like it. Whatever, think of it like a blind box. It adds to the suspense.” “Why is this plate so ugly?” “It came free with some yogurt.” “Why are you peeling the apple so thick?” “Bought them on sale.” “Why is there a chip on the rim of this bowl?” “It fell on the floor and only a tiny piece chipped off. I named it ‘Survivor.’” “The cartoon on your apron is so childish. What kind of taste is that?” “That’s a chibi caricature of a certain artist named Liam.” “…” Liam stopped talking. The soup in the pot bubbled and gurgled, seemingly echoing the rhythm of someone’s heartbeat. A long time later, Liam’s voice drifted in softly: “Maya… why did you try to commit suicide?” I lifted my head from the cloud of steam and met Liam’s eyes, which could never quite hide his emotions: “Liam, if you buy me a cake, I’ll tell you. But it has to be sweet.” However, that night, we didn’t end up eating dinner together, and I didn’t get to eat the cake Liam bought.

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My roommate got drunk after a breakup. While I was giving her a ride home on my electric scooter, I accidentally scraped a Mercedes. My roommate glanced at the license plate and asked me faintly, “Are you short on cash lately?” I answered honestly, “Always.” My roommate nodded, then pitched headfirst off the scooter, adding as she fell, “I’ll make you rich today.” I… At the same time, the door of the Mercedes opened, and a handsome guy in a sharp suit stepped out. We stared at each other in stunned silence. 01 Right before graduation, my roommate quietly broke up with her boyfriend. My gorgeous roommate got completely wasted and called me to take her home. While I was driving her back on my little electric scooter, she was giving me directions and simultaneously ranting about her ex’s terrible behavior. I comforted her while trying to keep my eyes on the road. Not gonna lie, even though she was drunk out of her mind, the scenic route she directed us on was pretty beautiful. Taking in the scenery ahead, I couldn’t help but ask, “Hey, drama queen, why do I remember this area being a luxury gated community up ahead? Are you sure these directions are right?” My roommate leaned against my back and, after a long pause, said, “Do you know? I was the rose he watered. How am I supposed to live without him?” Me: “…” Alright, Rose Queen, you just stay sad for a bit. She was already unconscious and totally useless, and I felt something was really wrong. I had to pull over to the curb and open Maps to see where we were. Suddenly, a force hit my cute little scooter, and my phone flew out of my hand from the momentum. Ahhh!! My phone! A broken phone would just add to the financial misery of my already poor family. I turned around angrily and saw an all-black Mercedes that had given us a light bump. Just as I was about to check on my poor phone and give the driver a piece of my mind… My roommate sat up like she was waking from the dead, glanced at the license plate, pondered for a long time, and suddenly asked: “Are you short on cash lately?” What kind of question is that? We’ve been surviving on instant ramen together for so long, don’t you know I’m always broke? I answered honestly: “Always.” My roommate nodded, and then I watched as she slowly slid down and fell flat next to the Mercedes, adding: “I’ll make you rich today. Are you touched?” I’m touched, alright, but look at me—do I dare move right now, my dear roommate?! What is happening? If you’re going to pull a scam, at least rehearse it with me! My acting skills aren’t up to par for this! As I stood next to her, completely bewildered and not knowing what to do with my hands or feet, the door of the Mercedes opened. The moment the door opened, a pair of long legs stepped firmly onto the ground. Then, a man in a sharp suit slowly walked over. He carried a freezing aura, his face completely devoid of any warmth. His sharp features and tall stature gave off an intense, oppressive presence. I nervously swallowed hard and crouched down, desperately shaking my roommate who was playing dead on the ground. My good daughter, please get up! You picked the wrong person to scam! If you don’t get up, your daddy (me) might get murdered in the next second. A shadow fell over me. I looked up and met his gaze as he stared down at me, scrutinizing. “Get up. Don’t make me repeat myself.” 02 His voice was deep and carried an undeniable tone of authority. Driving a Mercedes, incredibly handsome, deep voice—yep, he’s a certified billionaire CEO. I was scared half to death. Even though this CEO bumped my scooter first and was technically at fault… My idiot roommate trying to run an insurance scam on him was definitely not okay! Seeing this girl still playing dead and refusing to get up, I had to bite the bullet and tell the truth: “Uh, sir, we’re not trying to scam you. She’s just really drunk…” Before I could finish, I saw him frown. Then he crouched down, sniffed slightly, and let out a light scoff, as if laughing out of sheer anger. “Look at you, Chloe Sterling, you actually know how to drink now?” “???” What’s going on? He knows my roommate? Seeing my shocked expression, this CEO turned to me and said very politely: “I apologize. My driver accidentally scraped your scooter. I’m Chloe’s older brother.” “Liam Sterling.” His tone was still as cold as ice. What??? This cold-faced CEO character is my deadbeat roommate’s brother! Which means, my deadbeat roommate… I looked at the “Rose Queen” lying on the ground next to my shattered phone, and tears of envy practically flowed from my mouth. Waaaaah, why didn’t you tell me you were a rich girl! I caught my breath and told her brother: “It’s fine, it’s fine. She got drunk, so she asked me to take her home.” Liam gave a slight nod. Just as he thanked me and was about to pick up my roommate, my deadbeat roommate—oh wait, no, my dear rich friend—suddenly came back to life. She grabbed my hand and refused to let me go. Muttering nonsense like: “You don’t want me anymore, waaaaah. Taking advantage of me being drunk to abandon me. I bought you that car!” I didn’t! I am not! Don’t talk nonsense! I bought my little electric scooter by living on instant ramen! Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Liam giving me an inquisitive look. Damn it. I wanted to explain that the person she was talking about wasn’t me, but her ex-boyfriend. But I didn’t know if she had told her brother about her relationship, so I was stuck taking the blame in silence. For a moment, the three of us were locked in a bizarre, awkward stalemate. Liam holding her, her holding me, and me… I just wanted to die. But Liam, clearly someone used to handling big situations, thought for a moment and then took both of us back to his place. He even had my scooter and phone packed up and brought along. As soon as we walked in, my eyes were practically blinded by the sheer luxury. It was insanely opulent. Is this the world of the rich? Oh my god. However, even though the house was luxurious, it felt inexplicably empty. I secretly looked around and realized there wasn’t a single housekeeper in sight. “Sorry for the trouble of bringing Chloe back.” Liam placed my roommate on the bed, smoothed out his clothes, and extended a hand to me: “How should I address you?” I froze for a second, then reached out and gave him a brief handshake: “Audrey. I’m her roommate.” Liam nodded. He was already tall, and I was standing very close to him. From this angle, I could only see his sharp, defined jawline. “It’s too late today. You can stay here for the night, Audrey. As for the scooter and the phone,” Liam looked at the shattered phone in my hand, his expression calm and unreadable, “I’ll have someone handle it.” He was talking about my little electric scooter and the broken phone. I nodded. Liam turned to leave, but just as he stepped out the door, my roommate suddenly whined with a sob: “Mom…” Then she mumbled some more drunken nonsense. Liam stopped dead in his tracks. He stood outside the door, his back to the light, remaining completely silent. The light from the living room stretched his shadow long across the floor. For some reason, his tall silhouette made me feel a sense of profound loneliness. After standing there for who knows how long, Liam took large strides away without looking back. The room was left with just me and the dead-to-the-world Chloe. 03 Why did he look… a bit sad? I felt a bit confused but didn’t dwell on it. After cleaning Chloe up, I was so exhausted I just collapsed onto the bed. Even as I lay there, it felt like I was dreaming. The roommate who ate cheap takeout with me every day was suddenly a rich heiress, and her attempt at a scam happened to target her own brother. What a bizarre turn of events. Thinking about it, I drifted off to sleep. When I woke up again, it was to Chloe screaming: “Holy shit, Audrey, why am I at home?!” I buried my head under the covers, my brain unable to process anything, and mumbled: “Your brother brought you back.” Chloe instantly started wailing: “Holy shit, my brother!! No wonder that license plate looked familiar.” Wow. So you only dared to pull a scam because you recognized your brother’s car? And here I thought you were just criminally insane. She scratched her head: “Did I say anything embarrassing?” When she said that, the image of Liam standing alone outside the door, looking so isolated, flashed clearly in my mind, and I instantly woke up. I sat up, looked at her wailing, kind of wanting to laugh, and asked: “What do you mean?” Chloe buried her face in the covers, saying despairingly: “About dying over that scumbag, of course. It’s so embarrassing.” So that’s what it was. She definitely said quite a bit about that, Rose Queen. Seeing me stay silent, she started shaking me. I threw my hands up in surrender: “No, no, no, I covered your mouth the whole time.” She put her hands together in a gesture of gratitude: “A grateful heart, thankful for you.” Speaking of this, I yanked her out from under the covers: “You liar, didn’t you say your brother started working right after high school?” Chloe looked completely sincere: “Yeah, he started his own business right after high school.” Then she muttered: “He’s doing pretty well for himself now.” Who would call that just ‘working’?! Who would call this just ‘pretty well’?! I gave her an admiring thumbs-up and said: “Since you’re awake, I’m heading back.” Chloe immediately grabbed me: “Wait, didn’t you say you couldn’t find a place to stay for the summer? Do you want to stay here with me?” I looked at her in shock. Truly my dear roommate, we were on the exact same wavelength. I had actually planned to ask if she wanted to rent a place together for the summer, since our internship locations were very close. But with the current situation, it was a bit unexpected. Her brother was still home; it would be so inconvenient for me to stay here. Probably sensing my hesitation, Chloe immediately said: “Don’t worry, my brother is basically never home. If you don’t come, I’ll have to live in this huge house all by myself. It’ll be so lonely.” Waaaaah, rich girl, you’re really flexing right now. Chloe started acting pitiful: “You know I get scared, right? Just me alone in the house.” I thought about it and asked: “Is there really no one else in your family? Like a housekeeper or something?” Such a big house, yet it felt so empty. Chloe looked confused: “No. When I’m staying at school, it’s just my brother here. He doesn’t like hiring housekeepers.” That solitary silhouette from last night flashed in my mind again, looking even more lonely. I shook my head to clear the image and said honestly: “I’m fine with it, but you have to discuss it with your brother…” Before I could finish, she pulled me out the door and sprinted down the stairs: “Then we have to hurry. My brother is about to leave for the office.” I stumbled as she pulled me along. When we got downstairs, I saw Liam already sitting at the dining table, who knows how long he’d been waiting. 04 Chloe pulled me over to sit down. Liam’s cool gaze swept over us, his voice carrying a slight nasal tone: “Care to explain? You drink now?” Chloe laughed awkwardly: “Well, you know, it’s graduation season, the sadness of parting ways…” Liam gave a scoff, clearly not buying it: “You’re graduating this year?” Chloe shot me a look, desperately signaling me for help. Holy crap, this girl never prepares a script. I coughed, kept a straight face, and lied: “Yes, the seniors in our lab are graduating. We’re close, so we had a few drinks.” Liam’s deep, dark eyes looked at me, as if trying to see right through me. I smiled at him calmly, but inside I was a bundle of nerves. This was scarier than the strictest principal from my high school. I thought Liam was going to press further, but he stopped and calmly said: “Let’s eat.” As if the intimidating patriarch from a second ago wasn’t him. I breathed a sigh of relief, and Chloe secretly gave me a thumbs-up. After a few bites, before I could fully relax, Chloe spoke up while eating: “Liam, Audrey isn’t going home for the summer. Can she stay here with me?” As soon as she finished, Liam’s gaze fell on me. After a brief moment of thought, he answered: “Yes.” Then he continued eating methodically: “I won’t be coming back for a while then. If you have any problems, call me anytime.” Chloe openly threw a peace sign at me, then excitedly praised me to her brother: “Did you know? Audrey is amazing. She’s the smartest person in our dorm. She’s loved astrophysics since she was a kid and studies it with such passion.” She paused, then emphasized: “Astrophysics!” That’s because different fields are like different worlds. Our dorm was mixed; my major was different from theirs, but everyone was actually pretty impressive in their own research areas. Liam seemed interested in this and asked: “Have you always liked it this much?” I thought for a moment and answered honestly: “Not exactly. There was a time when studying it was really painful.” Chloe said admiringly: “Audrey thinks it’s painful but keeps studying, and eventually she loves it. I’m different. I study it and just fail.” I laughed at her exaggerated expression. Chloe acted like a reporter: “Come on, tell us, how did you overcome the difficulties and fall in love with astrophysics?” It wasn’t a big deal. I organized my thoughts and kept it brief: “It’s actually pretty cliché. I met this expert online back then. He taught me a lot, and then I slowly started to enjoy studying it again.” Liam nodded slightly and asked: “And now?” I said firmly: “Lifelong passion.” Chloe nodded excitedly and showed off my keychain: “She really loves it. Even her keychain is a model of Pluto.” When she showed the keychain, Liam froze. He suddenly stopped moving, his eyes locked onto my keychain, his expression complex, his brows even furrowing slightly. I looked at Chloe in confusion. She calmly explained that her brother’s recent projects involved this kind of knowledge, so he gets excited hearing about it. Oh, I see. No wonder he had more to say when he heard I studied astrophysics. “This keychain… is it from the expert you mentioned?”

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When a scholarship student spilled milk on my shirt, my childhood best friend bullied her the very next day. I told him it wasn’t necessary, but later I caught him cornering her again. “If I… if I kiss you, will you let me go?” she stammered. Liam gave a lazy, arrogant smile. “What do you think?” In that exact moment, I finally realized: we were no longer walking the same path. Half a month later, the scholarship student staged a fake bullying incident, and Liam violently kicked my desk over. “Are you psycho, Chloe?! Over a spilled cup of milk?! Really?!” I picked up my backpack with absolute indifference. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I have an airtight alibi.” “I spent yesterday afternoon filing my transfer paperwork. I’m leaving tomorrow.” 01 Liam Evans was the undisputed king of our high school. Tall, handsome, and so naturally brilliant he could place in the top ten without even studying. And everyone knew that I was his one and only untouchable boundary. No one messed with me, and no one crossed me. Or else they suffered the consequences. “Chloe, when do you think Liam is going to let that scholarship girl off the hook?” “He’s literally skipped a whole week of classes just to corner Maya outside of school.” My pen paused on the paper. I looked up at the empty desk a few rows away. I lowered my eyes and gave a flat reply. “I don’t know.” The final bell rang. I hugged my neatly packed notebooks and walked out of the classroom with my desk mate. She kept chattering. “Tsk, well, I guess I’ll never understand the mind of an overly protective boyfriend.” My throat suddenly felt dry. Protective? A few days ago, Maya, a scholarship student, accidentally spilled a carton of milk all over me. Liam’s face instantly darkened. As he took off his school uniform jacket and wrapped it around me, the other students demanded Maya apologize. “Huh? It was an accident. Do I really have to apologize?” “That milk was pretty expensive too…” She mumbled, clearly unwilling. Someone pulled her sleeve and whispered. “You clearly have no idea how protective Liam is of Chloe. If she gets mad, Liam will literally destroy you.” Hearing that, she let out an “Oh.” And gave a very reluctant, defiant apology. Meanwhile, Liam wiped down my desk, never sparing her a single glance. The entire school knew. Liam and I had grown up together. I was the person he cared about most, the person he was absolutely determined to protect. But now… I let out a dry, hollow laugh and stopped my desk mate. “Actually, Liam and I aren’t really anything special.” “Huh?” She looked confused. Seeing I wasn’t going to elaborate, she followed my gaze toward the school gates. In a narrow alleyway just out of sight, Liam and Maya were standing incredibly close. They were talking, and the girl was so close her breath was practically brushing against Liam’s face. 02 There were a lot of students walking by. If you didn’t look closely, they were hidden in the shadows of the alley, making them hard to spot. A lazy, arrogant smile played on Liam’s lips. “So, what do you owe me today?” “A deal is a deal.” Maya’s face was flushed red. She wouldn’t look at him. She went up on her tiptoes and quickly kissed his cheek. “Holy shit! What?!” My desk mate was dumbfounded. She couldn’t help but gasp out loud. That single gasp made Liam turn his head. His eyes locked directly with mine. Our gazes collided, and the air instantly froze. My desk mate finally realized what she had done and covered her mouth. “Sorry! You guys keep talking! I didn’t see anything!” Then she bolted like her life depended on it. I tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, honestly not knowing what to say. I gave a cold, detached smile. “What a coincidence. I’m heading home too.” Liam’s gaze rested heavily on me. He didn’t say a word. We stood there in a silent standoff for three long seconds. As I turned to leave, I heard Maya’s voice. “Liam… is she mad?” “Don’t worry about her.” My heart felt a sudden, agonizing squeeze. I forced it down and walked faster. I had known Liam for nineteen years. Suddenly, I realized he was no longer the boy I remembered. Three days ago, when I found out he had started targeting Maya, I specifically went to talk to him. “I don’t care about stuff like that.” “But I do.” His expression had been completely serious as he enunciated every word. “Your health isn’t great. I won’t let anyone bully you.” We grew up together. That was the sentence he had said to me more than any other. But it was that exact same day. I saw him cornering Maya against the wall of the auditorium. Maya was crying and hiccuping. “If I… if I kiss you, will you let me go?” Liam dropped his usual cold, unapproachable demeanor. He gave a lazy, arrogant smile. “What do you think?” I don’t remember how I walked away from the auditorium. My legs felt stiff, and my chest was so tight I couldn’t breathe. For the rest of the afternoon, I didn’t absorb a single word the teachers said. Eventually, I managed to convince myself: people change. If we were no longer walking the same path. Then we shouldn’t walk together anymore. 03 The next morning, Liam didn’t show up for homeroom. Everyone was used to him skipping class. “But…” My desk mate paused, unsure if she should ask. But she asked anyway. “You didn’t walk to school with Liam today?” Normally, we walked into the classroom together every single day. In the summer, he would buy me breakfast; in the winter, he would have a hot pack ready for me on the walk. It was an unspoken routine everyone knew about. But today, I deliberately took a different route that avoided his neighborhood. Seeing my hesitation, my desk mate tactfully changed the subject. “Oh, whatever. What do you want to grab for breakfast after homeroom?” When homeroom ended, Liam finally showed up. He was carrying a bag of warm, fresh cheese balls. “Oh my god, don’t you have to run all the way across town to get those?” “Chloe, you’re so lucky! Let me have one!” A few girls crowded around me. But Liam didn’t even look at me. He walked past my desk and dropped the bag of cheese balls directly in front of Maya. Then he went back to his desk and put his head down to sleep. The area around my desk went dead silent. “Did he drop them at the wrong desk?” “Did the young master need glasses?” Maya looked over at me, making eye contact with the girl who had just asked for a cheese ball. She covered the bag with her hands. “Sorry. Liam bought these for me. I’m not sharing them.” Nobody really paid attention to her comment. Instead, everyone was shooting me awkward, questioning looks. Finally, someone couldn’t hold back. “Did you guys get in a fight?” “No way. Liam is insanely protective of Chloe. There’s no way he’d suddenly turn on her.” I wasn’t really surprised. Since I had seen them, there was no reason for him to keep pretending. The atmosphere around us was definitely humiliating. But my face remained completely blank. I just pulled my lunch card out of my desk. “We didn’t fight. “And I should clarify this for everyone: Liam and I are just regular classmates. “We don’t have any other relationship.” With that, I walked out of the classroom. The school jacket Liam had draped over his head suddenly slipped off. He raised his eyes to look at me, his gaze freezing coldly in midair. 04 The subtle shift between Liam and me didn’t escape my mom’s notice. For several days in a row, he hadn’t come over to our house. He used to always do his homework with me. Well, he didn’t actually do his homework. He just liked resting his chin on his hand, watching me work, idly twirling the ends of my hair around his fingers. When it annoyed me, I’d swat his hand away. He would just smile, his eyes curving like a sly fox. “Finished? Want to go for a walk?” I would fake being annoyed. “Liam, if you aren’t going to study, don’t distract me.” “Then kick me out.” He would prop his head up with his other hand. His tone was absolutely shameless, knowing full well I’d never actually kick him out. Sometimes I studied very late. He would accidentally fall asleep on my desk. When he finally left, he would stretch by the door, smile, and wave. “See you tomorrow.” That was the dynamic between Liam and me. There were no explicit confessions, but he rooted himself into my life, deliberately leaving his mark everywhere, flaunting his blatant favoritism for me. Who wouldn’t fall for someone like that? I liked Liam. And I had carefully, secretly fantasized about our future together countless times. Maybe we would start dating. Maybe after graduation, he would gently, formally take my hand and confess. Thinking about that, Maya’s face suddenly flashed in my mind. Liam holding her in his arms, smirking, letting her stand on her tiptoes to kiss him. I squeezed my eyes shut, my eyes burning with unshed tears. My mom was asking me. “Liam hasn’t been walking you home lately. “Did you guys get into a fight? “Your teacher called his mom and said Liam is dating someone. Did you guys…” I shook my head, cutting her off. “He isn’t dating me.” My mom froze, clearly wanting to say something else. But I suddenly looked up and asked her. “A few days ago, that magnet school offered me a spot to boost their Ivy League acceptance rate, right? “I thought about it. I’ll transfer.” Before, Liam had told me he wanted to stay by my side forever. And I had the exact same hope. But now. I had absolutely no reason to stay here anymore. 05 Liam and I established an unspoken agreement to keep our distance. His relationship with Maya became the biggest gossip in school. In the past, people had speculated if Liam and I were secretly dating. But since we never crossed any physical boundaries, it remained just rumors. Now, things were different. Liam was skipping class and taking Maya with him. Even the teachers knew about it. During P.E., my desk mate suddenly ran over to me. “Chloe! Liam is going to beat a guy to death! You have to go stop him!” I froze slightly. “A fight?” In my memory, whenever Liam fought someone, it was almost always because of me. When I got there, Liam had a guy pinned against the brick wall. Both of them had blood on their mouths. Liam casually wiped the blood off his face and raised his fist again. “I’ll ask you one more time. Are you going to apologize to her or not?” “I FUCKING TOLD YOU! I never insulted her shoes!” Maya was hiding behind Liam’s back. She was sobbing. “He… he definitely stared at my shoes and judged them.” Liam pulled his fist back to swing. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw me, and he froze. I understood instantly. He was fighting for Maya. Well, I had no intention of interrupting his “knight in shining armor” moment. I turned to leave, but the guy pinned against the wall used Liam’s momentary distraction to kick him away, and then grabbed my arm. I gasped in shock. I recognized him—he was the leader of the local delinquent gang. “Well, well. If it isn’t your little childhood sweetheart.” “You falsely accused me, and you hit me? Liam, if you don’t apologize to me right now, I’m going to punch her in the face!” He gripped my arm with crushing force. I started to panic. “Whatever is going on between you two has absolutely nothing to do with me!” He ignored me. He glared at Liam. “Scared now? I heard you care about her a lot.” Maybe I was just too terrified, but in that moment, I harbored a pathetic, unwarranted sliver of hope for Liam. If it were the old him, he would have done absolutely anything to protect me. But the words asking for help died in my throat. Because Liam laughed first. “You heard wrong.” He lazily lifted his eyes, his gaze sweeping over me with chilling indifference. “Go ahead and hit her. But I am not letting what happened to Maya go.” I stared blankly as he gently wiped Maya’s tears away, and then walked away with her. Above me, I heard a vicious curse. “Motherfucker, I don’t believe him.” The delinquent gritted his teeth. And slammed his fist directly into my face. 06 I blacked out. The punch was agonizing. I never knew getting hit felt like that. In my memories, Liam had taken countless hits like that. Sometimes he got them from fighting for me. Sometimes he got them from his dad beating him for failing his classes. He would always come to me, begging me to apply the ointment. “It hurts so much, Chloe. Don’t you feel sorry for me?” He would say it looking like a pitiful puppy. My heart would pound uncontrollably every time. While I dabbed iodine on his cuts, I would ask. “Can’t you just focus on school? Then your dad wouldn’t hit you.” Liam would go silent. I only ever asked him that once. That day, the atmosphere between us plummeted to freezing. Later, I found out the truth. Liam’s parents had practically been divorced for years. They both had affairs. But to maintain the illusion of a perfect family for Liam, they pretended everything was fine. Ever since Liam discovered the truth, he started getting into fights, skipping class, and staying out all night, pushing everyone away. Once I found out, I never told him to “focus on school” again. He had his own way of rebelling against his broken world. He seemed to severely lack a sense of security. He would ask me, “Chloe, I’m never going to get into a top college like you. Are you going to stop talking to me?” I shook my head. “Never. I’ll always be by your side.” The dream cut off right there. I could hear people arguing next to my ear. It sounded like Liam’s father. “What the hell is going through your head?! Refusing to study is one thing, but you just stood there and watched someone beat Chloe like that?!” Liam’s mother was crying nearby. “How could you do this? Chloe fell from a balcony when she was little, you know she has a history of concussions! Didn’t you always swear you would protect her?” Liam, who had been completely silent, suddenly let out an impatient scoff. He kicked something on the floor. “Fucking hell, protect what? Isn’t she a human being? Does she need me to protect her?” Smack. Liam’s father slapped him hard across the face. His voice was trembling with rage. “And that… that Maya girl! Why is she the only one you stand up for?!” “Heh…” Liam let out a soft laugh. “Yeah. She’s willing to skip class with me. She’s willing to fight with me.” “What the hell is Chloe compared to that?”

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My boyfriend thought my breasts were too big. He gave me $70,000 to get a breast reduction surgery. Right then, a mysterious person suddenly transferred $700,000 to my account. The memo read: “Don’t listen to him.” I gripped my phone and secretly texted my boyfriend’s best friend: “If you want me to listen to you, just sending money isn’t enough.” He replied at lightning speed: “What are you talking about? I don’t understand.” Me: “Never mind then, I’m heading to the hospital.” He panicked just as I expected: “What else do you want?” “Are you 7 inches?” “I’m 24 years old.” “Talk is cheap, show me.” Later, he used his actions to show me a really good time. 01 My name is Maya Vance. I’m the girlfriend of Ethan Sterling, the golden boy of the city’s elite circle. But not for long. Because I plan to teach him a lesson. If you’re asking why I don’t just break up with him gracefully before finding someone else… Well, Ethan brought this entirely upon himself. He hated my figure and constantly pressured me to get a breast reduction. What’s even more infuriating is that he secretly created a burner account to flirt with other girls. So, after careful consideration, I decided to give him a taste of his own medicine before dumping him. Right before bed. For the first time, I posted a face-reveal selfie on my social media account, which had just under ten thousand followers. Caption: “Looking for a handsome, low-maintenance boyfriend.” Requirements: “6 feet tall, 7 inches, must have abs.” Within half an hour of posting, my follower count skyrocketed, nearing a hundred thousand. Amidst the sea of compliments and unsolicited selfies, one particular DM caught my eye. “Don’t you have a boyfriend?” How did this person know I wasn’t single? I clicked on his profile. His IP address showed he was in the same city as me. His profile picture was pitch black, and he had zero posts. His bio simply read: “Small gains accumulate, eventually surpassing everything.” For some reason, I had a sudden premonition. This person definitely knew me. Please don’t let it be Ethan. That would ruin the fun. I was debating whether to reply when he got anxious and messaged again. “Have you considered your boyfriend’s feelings by doing this?” “Even if you want a new guy, you shouldn’t be looking online.” “There are tons of scammers on the internet.” “Be careful or you’ll get trafficked overseas.” … Okay, I was certain this wasn’t Ethan. But judging by his tone, he was probably close friends with him. Who could it be? Looking at the chat window, I suddenly realized his username looked familiar. Scrolling back, I discovered he had been liking my posts for a long time. Sometimes he even left comments. Even Ethan didn’t know about this account, yet this guy had been following me for this long. Could he… have a crush on me? Filled with doubt, I sent a probing reply: “Then do you want to give it a try with me?” 02 The moment I hit send, it was marked as read. My curiosity was completely piqued. I had pretty much met all of Ethan’s friends. Who exactly was secretly harboring a crush on me? After a few seconds of silence in the chat, a flurry of messages arrived. “What do you mean?” “You want me to be your boyfriend?” “Stop joking around. To tell you the truth, Ethan and I are good friends.” “I would absolutely never do anything to betray him.” “Okay then, bye,” I replied. After sending that, I closed the app, put my phone away, and went straight to sleep. The next morning, the first thing I did was open my account to check my DMs. Just as I expected. Not only had he sent a barrage of messages, but he had even tried to voice-call me multiple times. “What the hell do you mean, ‘bye’?” “Explain yourself!” “Are you serious about looking for a boyfriend, or are you just acting out in anger?” “Come to think of it, I guess I could work.” “But I refuse to be the other man. You have to make it official!” “Why aren’t you answering?” “Are you asleep?” “Or are you chatting with other guys?!” One missed voice call. “I already said I’m down. Don’t look for anyone else.” Two missed voice calls. “Fine, I’ll be the other man. It’s not like Ethan is a saint anyway. Last time we were in Tokyo, he went to a maid cafe behind your back.” Five missed voice calls. “Are you still there?” “It’s getting late. Get some rest. Goodnight.” A few minutes later, he sent a heart emoji, followed by a blood-pumping photo of his abs. In the photo, he was wearing sweatpants, lounging casually on a bed, his long legs stretching out endlessly. Under the natural light, his skin had a healthy, tanned glow. The veins on his arms were bulging, and his long, slender fingers were resting in a spot that was very hard to ignore. This was a blatant seduction! I silently downloaded and saved the photo. Blushing, I thought to myself, “He’s definitely packing.” While I was brushing my teeth, the doorbell rang downstairs. My housekeeper answered it and immediately let out a gasp. “Maya, come down quick! Look at this massive bouquet of roses.” Roses… How cliché. I took my time going downstairs. I walked over with a look of disdain and briefly glanced at the card. Then I suddenly noticed a delicate jewelry box sitting on top of the flowers. I opened it and gasped—it was my bangle! This was the last gift my dad gave me before he died. After he passed, his company faced a massive financial deficit. I gathered everything of value I owned and put it up for auction. That included this bangle. I remember it was bought by a foreign buyer for almost half a million dollars. Ethan’s friend somehow managed to track down the buyer and bought it back for me. I sniffled and opened his chat. “I got the package. Thank you for getting it back for me. Could you give me your bank account number?” I couldn’t cough up that much cash all at once right now, but I could definitely manage it if we set up a 12-month installment plan. “I don’t want your money. I just want you.” … I expected him to decline the money, but I didn’t expect him to be so blunt about it. My fingers hovered over the keyboard, trying to figure out how to respond. Just then, a call came in. It was Ethan, reminding me not to forget to go to his friend’s birthday party with him today. “Don’t wear anything too revealing. Remember to wear a binder; it makes you look smaller and better.” I agreed to everything he said. Then I turned right around and picked out a low-cut evening gown from my closet. When I arrived, Ethan was laughing and chatting with a group of people. The second he saw my outfit, his face fell. He immediately pulled me aside. “Why did you show up dressed like this?” I ignored Ethan and looked past him into the distance. Amidst a sea of wandering and suggestive glances, I unexpectedly collided with a pair of deep, dark eyes. 03 Julian Thorne sat alone in a corner, meeting my gaze through the crowd and the blaring music. For some inexplicable reason, I felt paralyzed, unable to move a muscle. Julian broke eye contact first. He then downed the drink in his glass in one gulp. He seemed to smirk, but quickly reverted to his usual aloof demeanor. Thump. Thump. Thump. My heart rate suddenly spiked. At the same time, an incredibly absurd thought flashed through my mind: Could it be him? I quickly dismissed the idea. Ever since I met Julian, he had always been icy and distant. He seemed like he didn’t care about anything. Every time I said hi to him, he would just give a curt nod. He treated words like they were made of gold. Forget having a crush on me; there was a time I thought he actually hated me. “Maya Vance, have you gone mute? Say something!” Ethan waved his hand impatiently in front of my face. I furrowed my brow and shook off his hand: “Don’t you think I look good in this?” As I spoke, I deliberately pushed my chest out. Ethan looked like he was seasick. I took another step forward, and he immediately covered his mouth and bolted for the restroom. Ethan suffers from macromastia-induced vertigo. It’s a bizarre phobia, right? What’s even more bizarre is that, despite not being able to handle girls with large chests, he relentlessly pursued me back then. As for how I found out about this condition… It all stems from a hotel stay not too long ago. I was finally ready to fully commit to Ethan. But right at the crucial moment, the idiot literally passed out. Furious, I dumped a bucket of cold water on him to wake him up. Under my murderous glare, Ethan finally confessed. He said he actually prefers the supermodel body type. Slim waist, long legs, small chest. And except for that last part, I was an exact match for his ideal type. His confession made everything click. No wonder he always made me wear a binder. He claimed he was worried about other guys looking and making him jealous. But the truth was, he was the one who couldn’t handle it. When he emerged from the restroom, Ethan walked over to me, his eyes darting around shiftily, and brought up the surgery again. Before I could answer him, I suddenly received a text from an unknown number. “You have a great body. Ethan is just blind. Don’t get the surgery.” It was him! I bit my lip and downed my sparkling water in one gulp. I replied: “Restroom. Meet me?” 04 He seemed startled; it took him ages to reply. “Are you, sure?” “Of course.” “This is too sudden. I’m not ready.” “Never mind then. If you won’t go, I’ll go by myself.” “Wait!” “I’ll go.” Hook, line, and sinker. I told Ethan I was stepping away. Just as I was about to get up, the door to the private room swung open. Looking up, I saw a woman in maternity clothes standing in the doorway. She was looking around, clearly searching for someone. Looks like some irresponsible rich kid knocked someone up. I was just wondering which scumbag was the culprit. But the next second, the woman walked right up to Ethan, crying and making a scene, demanding he take responsibility. Getting a closer look, I realized that body-wise, she was exactly Ethan’s type. Although I had lost all feelings for Ethan. It was impossible not to be angry. After all, I was currently in the process of cheating on him. If anyone was going to hand out green hats, it was going to be me. I thought Ethan was just getting thirsty online; I didn’t realize he was already expecting a child. Dying of shock in my sickbed, the clown was me all along. In our social circle, saving face is more important than life itself. Without giving Ethan a chance to explain, I slapped him hard across the face and left without looking back. I completely forgot about my restroom rendezvous with the mystery man. On the way home, the more I thought about it, the more annoyed I got, so I just told the driver to turn around and head straight to a club. Going through a breakup, plus failing to cheat and getting cheated on instead—I’d be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t have a good drink. I went to Ethan’s regular club and told the bartender to bring out all the top-shelf liquor he had stored there. I invited everyone around to drink with me. I didn’t start feeling slightly better until Ethan’s entire stash was gone. After downing several glasses of hard liquor. My head started spinning. I glanced at the guy sitting next to me. He looked a lot like Julian Thorne. Was he here to drink too? No way. I remember Ethan saying Julian wasn’t into places like this. Even though I seemed to spot him every time I came here with Ethan. “Are you okay?” He looked at me with concern and asked. It seems I really drank too much; I was already hallucinating. I shook my head vigorously. But I lost my balance, and my whole body started falling backward… Before I could even scream. I fell into a solid embrace. The hug didn’t last long. He very politely helped me back into my chair. His fingers flashed past my eyes like a blur. For some reason. That image slowly merged with the distinct, long fingers from the ab photo etched in my memory. I thought I must be going crazy. To sober myself up, I ordered a glass of ice water. As I reached for it, I accidentally bumped the phone sitting next to it, lighting up the screen. It wasn’t my phone. But the lock screen wallpaper was a picture of me. Judging by the angle, it was clearly taken secretly… 05 I woke up in bed. I glanced around at the furnishings. It was my bedroom. So, was I dreaming? But I definitely went to the club, and I definitely drank a lot. As for what happened after I got drunk, my mind was a total blank. When my housekeeper brought me some hangover soup. I asked her who brought me home last night. She seemed very excited, saying it was a tall, incredibly handsome young man. “Way more handsome than Ethan.” She made sure to add that before leaving my room. Honestly, Ethan wasn’t bad-looking at all. To say this guy was even more handsome… A face, cool and striking, popped into my head. But he really didn’t seem like the type to harbor a secret crush. A guy like him could have any girl he wanted. The more I guessed, the more flustered I got, so I just decided to check the security footage. After setting the time, a Bentley with a vanity license plate composed entirely of the same number appeared on the screen. When the driver opened the door, I saw myself resting peacefully in Julian’s arms. He first politely greeted the housekeeper. Then, carefully, as if holding a child, he carried me out of the car. After laying me on my bed, he gave me a kiss on the forehead—a kiss he clearly thought was stealthy. Oh my god! I slammed the laptop shut with a smack, my face burning, grabbed my phone, and opened my DMs. Julian had sent me a “good morning” sticker an hour ago. I don’t usually like playing games. But teasing him a little wouldn’t hurt. My very first message was: “I’ve seen through the illusions of the mortal world, and I’ve decided to close my heart to love.” He panicked immediately. “Please don’t!” “You have to believe true love still exists in this world!!” “It’s not worth it for a scumbag!!!” I went full manipulative-drama-queen mode: “You and Ethan are good friends. I don’t want to ruin your relationship.” “He’s not my friend. If he wasn’t constantly forcing his way into my circle, I wouldn’t even acknowledge him.” “Ethan is a complete hooligan and a bastard. I’m cutting ties with him right now.” He really didn’t hesitate for a single second. Satisfied, I sent him a cute emoji and asked if he missed me. “I did.” “Prove it.” An image. I tapped it open without a second thought. The next second, I nearly dropped my phone. “Julian Thorne!” “Have! Have you no shame!”

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I woke up at 3 AM with an urgent need to use the bathroom. Still half asleep, I grabbed my phone and headed to the bathroom, planning to scroll through TikTok while taking care of business. The moment the screen lit up, I saw a system notification: [Password entered incorrectly 5 consecutive times. Please try again in 8 minutes.] 01 Try again in 8 minutes? I froze, reading the sentence out loud involuntarily. Almost immediately, I realized something was horribly wrong. I always used Face ID or my fingerprint to unlock my phone. I rarely typed my passcode, and it was impossible that I would type it wrong five times in a row. Moreover, I had been dead asleep. I had just woken up seconds ago. A cold sweat broke out across my back. Whatever residual sleepiness lingered in my brain evaporated instantly. I remembered my phone’s factory settings: If the passcode is entered incorrectly too many times, the phone locks for ten minutes. I looked down at my phone again. In other words, exactly two minutes before I woke up— Someone was in my bedroom, holding my phone, trying to unlock it! And that person… Was highly likely still inside my apartment! 02 The moment the realization hit me, I moved as fast as humanly possible. I locked the bathroom door as quietly as I could and drafted an emergency text to 911. Making sure I included my exact address and a brief description of the situation, I hit send. After doing that, I leaned back against the bathroom wall. I had never been in a situation like this before, and my legs felt like jelly. Thank God for the modern emergency dispatch system. The nearest precinct had officers on duty 24/7. Once a text-to-911 is received, police are usually dispatched and on the scene within ten minutes. I had actually just seen a public service announcement about texting 911 a couple of days ago. I never expected I’d have to use it so soon. I looked down at my phone. The [Delivered] status under my text message finally gave me a slight sense of relief. It was the dead of night. The vast majority of the building’s residents were fast asleep. Everything around me was terrifyingly quiet. I bit my lip hard, forcing myself to stay calm. The only sound I could hear was my own trembling, shallow breathing. The thought that an intruder was standing right outside, separated from me by only a single wooden door… My adrenaline spiked violently, and my mouth went completely dry. I swallowed hard. Suppressing the violent pounding of my heart, I pressed my ear flat against the frosted glass of the bathroom door. Several minutes passed. There wasn’t a single sound coming from outside. It seemed like nothing was happening. I checked my phone again. 3:05 AM. It had been exactly five minutes since I woke up. I started analyzing everything that had just happened in my head. And a few alternative theories started to form. Could it be that I had accidentally rolled over onto my phone in my sleep and triggered the lock screen myself? I nodded silently to myself. —It was definitely a possibility. I was a very restless sleeper. Every morning, I woke up in a completely different position than how I fell asleep. It wasn’t entirely impossible that I had unconsciously mashed the screen in my sleep and triggered the lockout feature. But regardless. As a woman living alone, it was better to be safe than sorry. Especially since the police hadn’t replied with a solid confirmation yet. I gripped my phone tightly, not daring to breathe loudly, keeping my ear pressed to the door. But right at that moment, a soft rustling sound came from behind me. My breath hitched violently in my throat. At the same time, the faint, flickering glow of a streetlamp cast a shifting shadow against the bathroom wall! A wave of pure ice shot up from the soles of my feet. It looked exactly like… Someone was standing right behind me! 03 I sucked in a sharp breath. My breathing grew ragged and heavy. A voice in my head started screaming. Turn around. Turn around. TURN AROUND! Unable to suppress the overwhelming terror any longer, I mechanically turned my head— It was just the bathroom window. I had left it open. The autumn wind on the 18th floor was strong late at night. The blinds were being blown back and forth. The slats rubbing against each other created that soft rustling sound. In the dead silence, a sound I normally wouldn’t even notice had become deafening. … It was just a false alarm! To keep the bathroom ventilated, I almost always left that small window open 24/7. Even at night. I was probably just so terrified that I completely forgot about it. I was scaring myself to death! I patted my chest, annoyed at my own forgetfulness. A bitter, self-deprecating smile touched my lips. However, before I could even let out a sigh of relief… A dark shadow flashed sharply across the floor right at my feet. This time, I saw it with absolute clarity! It was absolutely not the shadow of the blinds. It was the shadow of a person, cast through the gap under the bathroom door by the ambient light in the living room! My pupils shrank to pinpricks. That person really was still inside my apartment! The very next second. CRASH! The sharp sound of shattering glass erupted from outside the door. I violently flinched. I immediately recognized the sound. The intruder had knocked over the glass vase in my living room! I held my breath, trembling as I dropped to my hands and knees, slowly lowering my head toward the floor. Lower, lower, just a little lower… And the moment I looked through the gap under the door. What I saw— Was the contorted, terrifying lower half of a man’s face! 04 “AHHHHH—” I screamed at the top of my lungs, the piercing sound tearing through the silent apartment. I lost my grip on my phone, and it plummeted straight down. Smack! The phone hit the ceramic tiles with a heavy, sickening thud. I didn’t dare reach down to pick it up immediately, terrified the man would suddenly kick the door in. My entire body went rigid. I stared dead at the shadow outside the door. But the man outside seemed just as startled by my scream as I was. He froze in place. Through the door, I could hear his heavy, ragged breathing. It sounded like he was analyzing the situation. Then, he turned and ran toward the front door. A series of rapid, heavy footsteps. SLAM! I jumped. It was the heavy, unmistakable sound of the front door slamming shut. After that, the apartment returned to dead silence. I bit down hard on the tip of my tongue. The metallic taste of blood grounded me, bringing back my sanity. My chest was heaving violently, and large beads of sweat rolled down my hairline. Did he run? Since I heard the door slam… Did that mean the man had finally left my apartment? No! I shook my head, wiping the cold sweat from my forehead. What if he did that on purpose to trick me? What if he was gambling that I would let my guard down and step out, so he could ambush me? Right now, he could be standing perfectly still in the living room, waiting for me to walk right into his trap! I finally reached down and picked up my phone. Wiping the screen, I realized the impact against the tile had left several large cracks across the glass. But thank God, the 911 dispatcher had replied. They told me to stay calm, lock myself in a safe room, avoid confronting the intruder, and promised that officers would be on the scene within five to ten minutes. A surge of relief washed over me. The police were almost here. That was the ultimate lifeline. As long as I could hold out for a maximum of ten minutes, I would be safe! 05 I looked around the bathroom, grabbed the heavy mop from the corner, and held it up like a spear, aiming it directly at the door. The police were still a few minutes away. Anything could happen in that timeframe. I had no actual weapons in the bathroom; this was the only thing I could use to defend myself. If the intruder came back, I was absolutely not going to just stand there and wait to die. Thinking of this, I opened my contacts and found the number for Mr. Miller, the security guard on duty at the front desk of my building. I sent him a rapid-fire text: [Mr. Miller, someone broke into my apartment! I already texted 911!] [The guy realized I was awake and ran out the front door. Can you please keep an eye on the lobby cameras? Look for anyone suspicious leaving the building right now!] [If someone looks sketchy, try to stop them!] [But if it’s too dangerous, don’t engage! Just memorize what he looks like and what he’s wearing for the police! Thank you SO MUCH!!!!!] I used a ton of exclamation points to emphasize how serious this was. Mr. Miller, the guard on duty tonight, was a solidly built guy in his late thirties. Word around the building was that he made a fortune in crypto, retired early, got bored sitting at home, and took the security job just for something to do. He worked out constantly and was built like a tank. Handling an average burglar shouldn’t be a problem for him. The security desk was right in the main lobby on the first floor. No one could enter or exit the building without passing him. After sending the message, I stared at the screen, terrified I’d miss his reply. Luckily, he texted back almost immediately: [Got it. Don’t panic, Chloe. Let me check the cameras right now.] I was incredibly grateful: [Thank you so much! The police should be here soon. You can coordinate with them when they arrive.] I didn’t have any other options. I had just dumped my entire life savings into a down payment for this condo, finally ending years of drifting from one rental apartment to another. If this guy wasn’t caught, I would probably never feel safe sleeping here again. About two or three minutes later, Mr. Miller replied: [Chloe, I’ve been awake at the desk this whole time. Nobody has tried to leave the building, and I haven’t heard anything weird.] [I just checked the playback. Nobody has entered or exited this building since midnight.] [Image Attachment] [Image Attachment] [Image Attachment] [Look, Chloe. Are you pulling a prank on me?] 06 Along with the messages, Mr. Miller sent several screenshots of the lobby security camera feed. I tapped on the images, pinching the screen to zoom in. It was true. The timestamps confirmed that absolutely no one had entered or exited the lobby in the last three hours. But… that didn’t make sense. I frowned deeply. Where the hell did the intruder go? Could he have broken into someone else’s apartment?! After hesitating for a second, I sent Mr. Miller my theory: [Mr. Miller, I’m not joking! I saw a strange man inside my apartment with my own eyes!] [Maybe he snuck into the building yesterday… no, maybe even earlier, and he’s been hiding in the building this whole time.] [There are no cameras in the stairwells, right? He’s probably hiding in one of the stairwells on another floor right now!] Realizing I sounded a bit frantic, I quickly added: [It’s okay, Mr. Miller, thank you. When the police get here, they’ll find him.] As much as I hoped Mr. Miller could catch the guy, this was fundamentally a police matter. If Mr. Miller got hurt trying to help me, I would never forgive myself. Strangely, after I sent that message, Mr. Miller—who had been so responsive just moments ago—didn’t reply. I lowered my phone. In the pitch-black night, I was once again trapped in an agonizing wait. But suddenly, a violent, aggressive pounding erupted against my front door. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! … The knocks were rapid and explosive, terrifyingly loud in the dead silence of the night. I jumped violently, too terrified to even breathe. Was the intruder back? The thought sent a fresh wave of cold sweat down my spine. I didn’t dare speculate. I stayed hidden in the bathroom, furiously texting 911 to ask for an ETA. Seeing the dispatcher reply [Units are pulling up now], I gripped my phone tight. Hurry. Hurry. Please, hurry… I prayed silently in my head. But outside, the knocking escalated into a violent, desperate hammering. SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! … Just as I raised the mop, preparing for a fight to the death… A woman’s voice yelled from the hallway: “Is anyone in there?!” “Chloe! Are you home?!” “If you’re in there, open the door!” 07 I froze. I recognized that voice! It was Sarah, the woman who lived in the apartment directly across the hall from me. “Chloe, are you in there?! Is something wrong?! I thought I heard a weird noise coming from your place!” “Are you okay?! Don’t scare us! Open the door!” “If you’re okay, say something!” Sarah kept pounding on the door, yelling into my apartment. Her voice was hoarse, and she sounded genuinely panicked. Sarah was famous in our building for being incredibly warm and neighborly. She had always looked out for me. I remembered when I first moved in, it was right around Thanksgiving. Sarah saw that I was spending the holiday alone and brought over a massive plate of homemade turkey and stuffing. When the pipe under my kitchen sink burst last week, Sarah made her husband come over and fix it for me. Because of that, whenever I ran into her and her husband in the elevator, I always made sure to chat with them. It seemed my scream earlier had woken her up. Worried about me, she rushed over to check. I kept the mop wedged against the doorframe and cracked the bathroom door open just a tiny fraction. Now, I could hear it perfectly. The person standing outside my front door was definitely Sarah. But I still couldn’t completely let my guard down. Holding the mop like a spear, I mustered my courage, stepped out of the bathroom, and slowly inched my way toward the entryway. After ensuring the living room was completely empty, I carefully pressed my eye against the peephole to look outside. But I couldn’t see anyone. —Everything was completely black! Was the peephole blocked by something? I frowned. Just as I was trying to figure it out, the black mass shifted. What was revealed next… was the bloodshot white of an eyeball! The peephole wasn’t blocked by an object… The person outside was pressing their eye directly against the glass, trying to look inside my apartment! A wave of dizziness hit me, and I instinctively stumbled backward. My legs gave out completely, and I collapsed onto the floor. The voice from outside called out again: “Chloe! Chloe, can you hear me?!” “Honey, if you’re okay, please say something!” “Mr. Miller from security is here too! He said someone broke into your place! We’re all so worried about you!…” 08 The flashing red and blue lights illuminated the night sky. Several patrol cars were already parked outside my building. I was sitting on my couch, wrapped in a blanket, while Sarah sat next to me, rubbing my back. Two officers were sweeping my apartment, while others, guided by Mr. Miller, were checking the security cameras and sweeping the rest of the building for suspects. The commotion had woken up a lot of the residents, and a small crowd had gathered outside my open front door, whispering among themselves. An officer stood in the hallway, calming them down while asking if anyone had seen anything suspicious that night. Watching all of this, Sarah hugged me tightly, her eyes full of pity. “You poor thing. You must have been terrified.” A profound sense of warmth washed over my heart. It turned out that shortly after Mr. Miller got my texts, he left the desk and rushed upstairs. When he got to the 18th floor, he bumped into Sarah, who had been woken up by the noise and had come out to check on me. Because I hadn’t answered the door, they were terrified something horrible had happened to me inside. Desperate to see if I was okay, Sarah had pressed her eye against the peephole, which was what scared me half to death. “So it was just a misunderstanding. I’m so sorry for making you guys worry,” I said to Sarah, feeling deeply embarrassed. “As long as you’re safe! That’s all that matters!” Sarah smiled gently, stroking my hair to comfort me. At that moment, the lead officer walked over to ask some routine questions. “Ms. Davis, did you get a clear look at the intruder’s face?” “The apartment was completely dark, and I didn’t turn on any lights…” I tried to recall the chaotic flashes of memory, feeling a bit lost. But then, I quickly added: “But I am absolutely certain it was a man! And I checked the time—it was definitely before 3:10 AM!” The officer nodded, jotting everything down in his notepad. He asked a few more questions, but since I had been hiding in the bathroom the whole time, there wasn’t much more I could tell him. Just as I was getting frustrated with my lack of helpful information, the officers who had been sweeping the building walked in to report. “Captain, we reviewed the lobby footage. No unauthorized personnel entered or exited the building tonight, and the perimeter sweep came up clean. Also, Ms. Davis lives on the 18th floor. Given the height, the intruder almost certainly entered through the front door.” I stood up anxiously. “What about the bathroom? I leave my bathroom window open 24/7. Could they have used climbing gear or a rope to repel down from the roof?” The young officer looked at me and smiled gently. “Ms. Davis, real life isn’t an action movie. Given the architectural layout of this building, pulling off a stunt like that would be incredibly difficult. And even if a professional thief managed it, they would leave traces. We checked the exterior walls outside all your windows—there are absolutely no scuff marks, rope burns, or footprints.” “We can definitively rule that out.” Hearing that, I couldn’t help but look at my front door. “Then… the intruder really did come through the front door.” My front door had an electronic keypad lock. Hearing my realization, the captain nodded, confirming my theory. “Some electronic locks have known security vulnerabilities, making them susceptible to hacking or brute-force tools. But more often than not, people use birthdays or anniversaries as their PIN, making it incredibly easy for someone who knows you to guess it.” “Also, if you aren’t careful when typing it in, someone walking past could easily memorize your code.” I sighed heavily. It wasn’t like I didn’t know the risks of electronic locks before I bought one. But I’ve always been incredibly forgetful. I constantly locked myself out of my old apartments and had spent a small fortune on locksmiths over the years. So, after weighing the pros and cons, I had installed a keypad lock when I bought this place.

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To make sure I wasn’t being catfished, I asked a psychic streamer to calculate my online girlfriend’s true weight. The Master did his math and said, “Your girlfriend is 98 pounds. She’s got a great figure.” Before I could celebrate, he added: “However, her weight is going to change drastically today. The heaviest part will be 6 pounds; the lightest will be 2 ounces.” As I was wondering what that meant, a comment flashed across the screen: [Oh no, your girlfriend is getting dismembered today!] 01 Seeing that comment, I lost my cool. “That’s not funny, guys. Don’t go around wishing death on people.” But Master Sterling just looked at the camera. “Kid, you’ve watched my streams before. Think about it—do I ever joke?” This was Master Sterling. He had been streaming for years and had never been wrong. People fought for a chance to get a reading from him; I only got through today because of pure luck. I panicked. “Master, is she really going to… you know?” Mia was only 21. She was kind, gentle, and sweet. There was no reason for her to die like that. But the Master nodded. “I’m afraid so.” “Can I tell her to hide at a police station? I’ll call her right now.” “A violent omen is heading straight for her life path. Even if she dodges it now, she won’t escape the next one,” he said, shaking his head. I couldn’t sit still. “Who is trying to hurt her?!” “I don’t know. Even if I did, I couldn’t say. Leaking the secrets of the universe brings a heavy price.” He refused to give more details and warned me: “Don’t be impulsive. If you interfere with someone else’s karma, you’ll be dragged down too.” I couldn’t just watch. I dialed Mia’s number immediately. Yesterday, she complained to me about a guy living in the apartment above her. He kept dropping cigarette butts on her balcony, ruining her laundry. She was planning to go upstairs and confront him today. Could that be it? A fight with a neighbor ending in murder? The call went through. Mia’s sweet voice answered, “Hey, babe! What’s up?” “Mia, did you go see that guy upstairs?” I asked frantically. “Don’t go! Stay away from him!” Mia sounded confused. “Why?” Remembering the Master’s warning, I tried to be vague. “I’m just worried. You’re a girl going to a stranger’s place alone. I don’t want you getting bullied.” “But… I already went.” “What?!” Mia sounded indignant. “You were right, though. That guy is a total psycho. Not only did he scream at me, but he actually threatened to hack me to pieces with a cleaver!” I swore under my breath. “Did you call the cops? Lock your doors and windows! Call the building manager!” “No need for all that drama,” Mia giggled. “I moved out.” “You moved?” “Yeah. I don’t have much stuff anyway. One suitcase was enough for the essentials.” In the background, I heard the mechanical voice of a public announcement system. A train station. “Where are you now?” “I’m coming to see you! I’m already on the Amtrak,” she said tentatively. “Is that okay? I already broke my lease.” The people in the livestream were watching me make the call. The chat was scrolling like crazy: [Damn, that’s bold!] [She’s coming straight to his door. Don’t waste the opportunity, bro!] [98 pounds and moving in? You’re a lucky man.] I wasn’t in the mood for their jokes. The train from the next city took only twenty minutes. She’d be here any second. This was my chance to protect her. I told her I’d be there to pick her up and hung up. “Master,” I asked, “She’s moved out and she’s on a train. Is she still in danger?” “As of right now, her fate hasn’t changed.” My heart sank. “I can see you’ve got a good heart, kid. I’ll give you one more hint.” He pointed to a white card on my desk. “Tear that card in half.” I was confused but did it anyway. “Now flip it over,” he said. I looked at the back. I realized it was a photo—a Polaroid a friend took of me at the beach. I had left it face-down on my desk weeks ago. “You’ve already stepped into the karma of others. Your final state will be exactly what’s in that photo.” The photo was torn in two. In the picture, I was smiling in front of the ocean, but my head and my body were no longer connected. 02 The chat exploded. [Holy crap, the head is gone. Is this guy for real or just a hack?] [How did he know that was a photo? Must be a paid actor in the stream.] [Yeah, and he said he couldn’t leak secrets, then he goes and shows him that?] The Master spoke up: “I can’t reveal the secrets of heaven to everyone, but I have the spiritual protection to resist the fallout. You ordinary people do not.” The doubts continued. One comment caught my eye: [Wait, don’t you need a birth date and time for a reading? This guy never gave his birthday.] Right! I hadn’t given him any of my info. How could he know my head would be separated from my body? I let out a breath. He almost got me. Livestream psychics are just entertainment, right? I couldn’t take it seriously. I closed the app and got ready to pick up Mia. Since this was our first time meeting in person, I put on my best clothes and bought a bouquet of flowers. When I arrived at the station, Mia’s train had just pulled in. After a short wait, a girl in a white trench coat walked out. She was wearing a matching “couples’ bracelet” I had sent her. It was Mia. She looked exactly like her photos—tall, pretty, and elegant. A total dream girl. The meeting went smoothly. She was a bit shy but politely thanked me for letting her stay. It was clear she was happy with what she saw in me, too. I took her luggage and called an Uber to take her back to my place. While waiting for the car, I asked, “Can you tell me more about what happened upstairs at your old place?” Mia shivered at the memory. “You have no idea. I honestly thought I wasn’t going to make it out alive…” She explained that when she went to confront the guy, his door was slightly ajar. She knocked for a long time, but no one answered. So, she just pushed it open. “There was a loud thumping sound inside. Like someone was chopping something. Thump, thump, thump. It was so loud he didn’t hear me.” She paused, swallowing hard. “I walked into the living room and called out. He finally heard me and came out of the kitchen.” I found myself getting tense as she spoke. “The guy was huge. He had this long, nasty scar across his face. He was holding a knife dripping with blood. It was all over his pants. I almost died of fright right then and there.” “But…” “Even though I was terrified, I told him to stop dropping cigarettes on my balcony.” “What did he say?” Before she could answer, a horn honked. Our Uber had arrived. We sat in the back seat together, and Mia continued: “After I told him why I was there, he went ballistic. He screamed at me for coming in, completely ignored what I said, told me to get the hell out, and promised to gut me!” “Why was he so aggressive?” I asked. Mia frowned. “I don’t know. As I was leaving, I glanced into the kitchen. The counters were covered in blood. And the thing on the cutting board… it was weird. I couldn’t see clearly from the door, but it was a pale body with dark hair. I don’t know what kind of animal it was.” I felt a chill. “What if it wasn’t an animal?” “Oh god! You don’t think I stumbled onto a serial killer, do you?” I tried to comfort her. “Probably not. What are the odds?” “I hope so. But either way, I couldn’t live under a guy like that. I had to get out.” Then, the driver in the front seat let out a chuckle. “That’s funny.” Mia was startled. “What’s funny, sir?” The driver had been listening to us. He sounded like an expert on the subject. “You kids have quite the imagination. Dismemberment? Do you know how much strength it takes to chop up a body? Unless a guy is built like an ox, he isn’t doing that alone.” I looked at the driver. He looked to be in his late fifties, gray hair at his temples, looking fairly energetic. He didn’t look like a bad guy. Mia thought for a second. “Is a pro boxer strong enough? That neighbor had trophies and boxing certificates all over his walls.” The driver made a sound of surprise. “Well, then, maybe. My son is a heavyweight boxer. Those guys are all muscle. They definitely have the strength.” I looked at my own skinny arms and silently put my jacket on. I didn’t want to talk about this anymore, so I changed the subject. The station was crowded with cars. The driver’s phone rang. After a quick talk, he turned to us. “Hey, do you guys mind a carpool? My son just arrived at the station too. If I pick him up, I’ll give you half off the fare.” I wanted to say no—I didn’t want to look cheap on our first date—but Mia beat me to it. “Sure! We can do a carpool.” She smiled at me. “Every dollar counts, right? You don’t mind, do you?” “Not at all.” I admired how down-to-earth she was. I pulled out my phone and peeked at the Master’s stream again. People were still asking about me. I typed: [Picked up the girlfriend. Everything is fine. Thanks for the concern.] “Babe, look at that.” Mia nudged my elbow. She was pointing at a dark stain on the back of the front seat that trailed down to the floor mats. It was dark and dry, hard to see on the black interior unless you looked closely. “Looks like… blood,” I whispered. “Probably just spilled some groceries or something.” “My son is here,” the driver said. “Let’s get moving.” A massive, dark-skinned man with bulging muscles opened the door and sat in the passenger seat. The moment she saw him, Mia’s entire body went rigid. She started shaking. Her eyes went wide, her eyelashes trembling. “What’s wrong?” I whispered. Mia pointed a shaking finger at the man in front. “It’s… it’s him…” She was so terrified she had lost her voice. “Damn it, what a bad day!” the man in the front seat growled to the driver. “That girl from downstairs saw me today. I heard she took a train here to the city. I need to find her and kill her before she talks.” My heart stopped. Is he…? “Watch your mouth! We have passengers,” the driver scolded him, then turned to us with a fake smile. “Sorry about that. My son talks nonsense. He’s never killed anyone.” The scarred man finally looked at us. He stared at Mia for two seconds, then slowly licked the scar on his lip. “Dad, quit the act. This is the girl from downstairs.” Holy… “Are you sure?” the driver asked. “I’d know that face anywhere.” “Well then.” The driver reached under his seat and sighed. “I hate to get my car messy again.” He pulled out a long, blood-stained meat cleaver. I went into a state of primal shock. I tried to pull the door handle, but it wouldn’t move. The windows were locked. The car had been modified. The driver floored the gas. He handed the cleaver to his son. The scarred man shifted in his seat, tilted his head, and looked at us with a grin. “So, which one of you goes first? Do you want to be chopped up, or should I just take the head?” 03 Mia was hyperventilating. “I… I didn’t see anything today! Please, just let us go!” I was terrified. “Listen, man, this is a misunderstanding. Don’t do this! I have thousands in my account. I’ll transfer it all to you right now. Just drop us at the next light, okay?” Silas, the scarred man, raised the blade. “You think I’m an idiot? If I let you go, I get the chair. Your money isn’t worth my life!” He swung the cleaver. I dove down, feeling the cold steel whistle over my head. I felt a chill on my scalp. I touched my head—a large chunk of my hair had been sliced off. One inch lower and my skull would have been split open. “Son, wait,” the driver said. “There are cops everywhere checking for DUIs this close to the holidays. Let’s get out of the city limits first.” “Fine.” Silas didn’t put the knife away. He forced us to transfer all the money in our bank apps to his account. “Don’t even think about calling for help, or I’ll hack you both before the cops even get a block away.” We obeyed. He took our phones. Then he leaned back to rest. We were leaving the city. I debated lunging for the steering wheel. But if we crashed and didn’t die, he’d kill us. If we crashed too hard, we’d die anyway. “Cough… cough…” Mia started coughing. She caught my eye and pointed toward the floor under the driver’s seat. Something shiny was there. A blade? Hope flared. If we had a weapon, we had a chance. I signaled her to grab it. Mia was smart. She used her foot to hook it out and then reached down. But then she let out a blood-curdling scream. “AHHHH!” She threw the object away. It landed right on Silas’s lap. It wasn’t a blade. It was a severed human finger. A woman’s finger with a long, glittery acrylic nail. The “shine” we saw was the rhinestones on the nail. 04 “Oh.” Silas looked at the finger. “Hey, it’s that girl from two nights ago.” He picked it up and played with it. “She was pretty, but she didn’t have much cash. My dad likes to rob passengers, but that’s boring. I like the art. I like the way a body comes apart.” He turned around and smiled at Mia. “Especially one as pretty as yours.” He kissed the severed finger, his eyes lecherous. “You’re much prettier than she was.” I was shaking with rage and fear. I knew this road. We were heading toward the rural outskirts. There was a three-way junction ahead. Two led back to the city; one led to the isolated farm country. They’d take the isolated one. The roads there were full of speed bumps because the locals were always trying to catch people speeding so they could “fine” them. I felt my keys in my pocket. There was a small folding box-cutter on the keychain. “Ryan, when he tries to kill me, just run,” Mia whispered, crying. “I’m sorry I dragged you into this.” “Don’t,” I whispered back. The driver saw us in the mirror and smirked. “Mia,” I whispered as low as possible. “Remember that game we played? The one with the rope and the knife?” Mia froze, then her eyes widened. She understood. We had played a survival game together online. We had won a match once by using a cord and a knife inside a vehicle. As the city faded into farmlands, Mia asked, “Can we open a window? It’s hot in here.” Silas growled, “You’re about to be dead. You don’t need air.” Mia took off her trench coat. It had a long, sturdy leather belt. I gripped my box-cutter. The car turned into the rural road. Silas started sharpening the blade. I counted the distance. There was a steep hill coming up with five consecutive speed bumps at the bottom. The car would have to slow to 15 mph. 300 yards… 200 yards… 100 yards… 50… 30… “MIA!” Mia lunged. She looped the leather belt around the driver’s neck from behind, braced her feet against the seat, and pulled with everything she had. “Shit!” Silas yelled, swinging the cleaver at Mia’s head. I threw myself over her, grabbing his arm. Silas was a heavyweight boxer; he was pure power. Even with my adrenaline pumping, I was losing. My strength was failing… “Watch out!” Mia ducked. The cleaver smashed through the side window. The driver was gasping, clawing at the belt. The car swerved wildly, the horn blaring. Silas pulled the knife back to swing at me. I took the box-cutter and stabbed it repeatedly into his arm. He let out a roar of pain. The driver, turning purple, lost control. The car hit the speed bumps, flipped twice, and crashed into a muddy cornfield. “Mia! You okay?” I was dizzy, my head ringing. But the door, damaged from the flip, popped open.

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When my husband cheated on me and filed for divorce, I, a full-time housewife, fought tooth and nail for custody of my son, even though it meant walking away with absolutely nothing. I poured my heart and soul into raising him, scraping together every penny to send him to a top university. And what did he do? He immediately ran back to his father to take all the credit. He didn’t even bother to look back as my dead body rotted in my apartment. Reborn, I woke up on the exact day of my divorce. My son smashed a bowl on the floor and screamed at me: “If you want to divorce, then divorce! Just don’t drag me down with you, you broke loser!” I stared at him for a long time. Then, I gave a faint smile. “Fine. I won’t take you.” 01 After graduating high school, my son was accepted into a prestigious state university. He immediately ran off to his father’s house to celebrate. Meanwhile, I was bedridden with a severe illness, completely alone. On my deathbed, I called him to tell him I was dying. “What the hell does you dying have to do with me? You dragged me through three years of miserable poverty! You deserve to die!” … The building manager couldn’t reach my son until the day of my cremation. “Tyler! Do you still want to go to college?! If you don’t come right now, I’m reporting your behavior to your university!” Only then did my son reluctantly show up to collect my urn. A neighbor lady was so furious she pointed a finger right at his face: “Your mother worked a street food cart day and night for three years just to pay for your tutoring! You ungrateful little monster!” My son argued back with utter disdain: “My dad runs a massive business, my stepmom is an executive, and my grandma loves me! Did I ask her to be my guardian? She worked herself to death because she wanted to!” My soul twisted in the air with pure rage. I screamed at him: “You blind, heartless bastard! If they actually loved you, why did they plot to force me to take custody of you?!” But my son couldn’t hear me. He just hugged the urn and walked away impatiently. Even when I was alive, he never listened to a word I said. I watched helplessly as he walked out of the apartment complex, looked left and right, and then casually dumped my urn straight into a public trash can. He even dusted off his hands, like he had just thrown away a piece of disgusting, cursed trash. “Haha, finally nobody to nag me! Boys, log on! Let’s play some ranked!” He eagerly pulled out his phone and launched his favorite mobile game. In that moment, my heart died completely. Not a single tear would fall. I didn’t know what I was even hoping for anymore. I watched him play match after match, until the sky went dark. Until his brow furrowed, and his face turned pale. I thought he had finally realized that he truly didn’t have a mother anymore. Instead, he patted his stomach and muttered in annoyance, “Why hasn’t Grandma called me for dinner yet? I’m starving to death.” My heart went entirely cold. Every ounce of maternal love I had evaporated, and I slowly calmed down. Honestly, I always knew my son resented me. 02 During his sophomore year of high school, he threw a tantrum demanding a $60 in-game skin. I said no. He suddenly snapped, shoving and hitting me. “This is all your fault! If I lived with Dad, he’d buy me whatever skins I wanted! You have no money, why did you even try to keep me?!” He shoved me so hard I hit my head on the corner of the table, bleeding, but he just ran off without looking back. I searched the streets for him all night, clutching my bleeding head. The next day, he came home wearing brand new designer clothes and shoes, smugly bragging that his dad had bought him ten different game skins. Even earlier, after middle school. His grades weren’t high enough to get into the prestigious public magnet school. I suggested he repeat the year and promised to help him study. “I’m not repeating a year! I’m not humiliating myself like that!” He went looking for his father. His father happily agreed, then turned around and dumped him into a terrible, bottom-tier charter school. My son came back smug and arrogant, bragging that only his dad could actually solve his problems. But he never stopped to think about it. If it hadn’t been for me, bleeding myself dry for the next three years to micromanage his studying… With his terrible foundation and that garbage school, he wouldn’t have even qualified for community college. How could he possibly have gotten into a top state university? But my sacrifices could never compete with the cheap, flashy bribes his father’s family threw at him. My son firmly believed that I was the only thing preventing him from living a wealthy, happy life. I felt so completely worthless and bitter! Bitter that my sacrifices were treated like absolute garbage! Bitter that my short life ended early because of this ungrateful son! 03 I thought I would carry my resentment into the afterlife. Unexpectedly, an angry roar exploded in my ears: “If you want to divorce, then divorce! Just don’t drag me down with you, you broke loser!” I twitched my stiff limbs. A sharp piece of ceramic from a shattered bowl pierced the bottom of my foot. It hurt! I stared blankly at my son’s greasy, acne-covered teenage face. It slowly dawned on me that I had been reborn. Reborn to the day right after his middle school graduation, the day I discovered my husband, Mark, was cheating, and I demanded a divorce. God was giving me a second chance?! My palms instantly warmed up, burning hot, and my heart pounded violently against my ribs. I desperately suppressed my excitement and said flatly: “I don’t have a job, and I have no income. The judge won’t grant me custody of you anyway.” Mark looked shocked: “Chloe, what are you talking about?! Didn’t you just get a job making $1,500 a week?!” I let out a cold laugh in my head. I remembered the gossip I accidentally overheard from coworkers in my past life. “Our manager, Jessica, is so ruthless. She helped the ex-wife get a job just so she could win custody, killing two birds with one stone and kicking all the annoying baggage out the door.” “Then she’s going to take her own daughter and marry the guy, living a clean, baggage-free life. So savage.” That was the moment I realized Jessica was the HR manager at that company! I had been played! Desperate to survive, I swallowed my pride and didn’t confront her. But Jessica burned the bridge immediately. A few days later, she fired me, claiming my “skills didn’t match the position.” People who didn’t know the truth thought I was a nepotism hire and cheered when I was let go. In that moment, I couldn’t defend myself, and I lost all hope. Now, my son charged at me with a demonic expression, clawing the air like he wanted to rip my face off. “I don’t care what schemes you pull, I’m not going with you! Bullshit $1,500 a week, what company pays a glorified nanny that kind of money?!” I laughed. A chilling, freezing laugh. Thanks to the constant brainwashing from my mother-in-law and Mark, my son genuinely believed that I—his mother—was the most useless, worthless person in the family. That I was nothing more than a live-in maid worth maybe $500 a week. I grabbed his hand, lightly tossed it aside, and gave a half-smile. “Your dad was just joking. He and your Aunt Jessica are very well-off financially. I’ll feel perfectly safe leaving you with them.” My son froze instantly. “Your Aunt Jessica is a highly educated professional. I’m sure she’ll treat you just like her own biological child.” My son puffed his chest out, completely agreeing: “Duh! Aunt Jessica and I get along great! She totally understands me, and she really likes me!” Understands that you want to play video games all day? Likes buying you skins, praising your gaming skills, and telling you you’re going to be a pro esports player? I didn’t even bother arguing. Mark, however, panicked. He paced around the room anxiously with his hands on his hips. “Chloe, didn’t you just say that if Jessica has another baby, the dynamic between the three kids would be too complicated and hard to manage? What the hell are you trying to pull now?!” He was still dreaming of dumping me and our son to start his shiny new life, hoping I’d walk away with absolutely nothing. I apologized sincerely: “I was being too narrow-minded before, I’m sorry. I trust that you’ll love Tyler, and I trust Jessica will treat all the kids equally.” Mark choked on his words, while my son wore a smug “glad you know your place” expression. I gave a faint smile and quickly scribbled a few lines onto the divorce agreement. “Mark, I have all the evidence of you and Jessica cheating. I don’t want the house or the car. I just want $120,000 in cash.” I didn’t have time to haggle with them. I just wanted to take what I could get quickly. Besides, the housing market was going to crash in a few years anyway; that house wouldn’t be worth much. Mark was caught completely off guard by my decisiveness and tried to use our son as leverage against me. I just casually tossed out a line: “Didn’t you always claim you loved Tyler more than anything? Are you really going to nickel and dime over a little bit of money?” This was exactly what he used to block me in my past life. I wanted to see how he was going to maintain his “perfect, intellectual gentleman” facade in front of his precious son. My son chimed in carelessly: “Dad, just give it to her! You and Aunt Jessica make plenty of money anyway! But make sure you add a clause in the agreement: absolutely no visitation rights! We’re just paying to get rid of her!” Mark suddenly thought of something, gave a dark smirk, and threatened: “Chloe, I know you hate me and you’re just doing this to spite me. I can give you the money, just don’t back out later.” I rolled my eyes, grabbed the document, and signed my name. “You!” Mark instinctively reached out to grab my pen. I sighed at my son: “Tyler, looks like your dad doesn’t value you as much as you thought.” My son’s face changed immediately. He stood up and demanded: “Dad, what does that mean?! Just pay her so she’ll leave!” Mark frowned tightly, clearly hesitating. I knew he couldn’t bear to part with the money. After all, that $120,000 was the entirety of our liquid savings. Heh, well then, don’t blame me for targeting your true love. “Oh my, speaking of my new job, I think I heard a woman named Jessica referred me.” I spoke slowly, enunciating every single word. “A stay-at-home mom with zero corporate experience somehow lands an offer as a department supervisor at the Sterling Corporation? I should really go ask the CEO about that—” Mark’s face instantly went pale. He cut me off: “Enough! Let me think about it for a few days!” I sneered: “What, do you need to ask your mistress for permission before she even moves in? I might not be offering these same terms in a few days.” With me saying that, Mark was obviously too embarrassed to call Jessica for help in front of me. Plus, he had our son standing right there being an absolute idiot teammate. He agreed to my terms. I was planning to drag him straight to the courthouse to file the paperwork, but then Jessica called, crying that she was spotting. Father and son completely forgot about me and rushed out the door in a panic. Their retreating figures looked quite pathetic. Heh, panicking? I wasn’t panicking at all. In this life, my son was no longer my weakness. Did Jessica really think she could pull the same trick as my past life? Force me to take the son so her perfect family of four could live happily ever after? Not a chance in hell! 04 As soon as they left, I packed my bags and moved out. I hit the ground running, starting my new life! Actually, the moment I was reborn, my career plan was already mapped out. In my past life, because of Jessica, I entered the corporate world. In my 30s, with zero experience, I couldn’t compete with the young grads. I ended up a laughingstock and got fired. Go back to running a street food cart? In a few years, thousands of college grads would flood that market. They were willing to hustle, their food was trendy, and they knew how to market themselves online. The only reason I managed to scrape by in that brutal market back then was pure, grueling effort. I set up earlier than everyone else, and stayed later than everyone else. I hauled my cart from location to location just to sell out my daily prep. Then I came home to check my son’s homework and help him study. That’s why my body broke down so fast. Now, I knew my limits, and I knew how to leverage my strengths. If I entered the high-end domestic staffing industry… First, I was relatively young and had a degree from a top-tier state university. Second, I was an absolute master at childcare and household management. I could endure incredible hardship. My weaknesses would instantly become my greatest assets! I was confident I could build an empire in this industry! In my past life, when I was still at that corporation, I heard a rumor that the CEO, Mr. Sterling, was a single father with a daughter about to enter high school. He posted a massive bounty across the company, asking for recommendations for a reliable, elite estate manager. Someone who could manage their household and tutor his daughter in high school subjects. The salary he offered was staggering. If you passed his interview, he was willing to pay $8,000 a month! After I was fired, I was incredibly tempted to try for it. But when my son heard I wanted to be a “nanny,” he threatened to kill himself. He said I was embarrassing him. Plus, he argued I hadn’t touched a textbook in decades, so how could I possibly tutor a high schooler? But now, none of those things were problems! I confidently called Mr. Sterling, claiming someone from his company recommended me. He asked me to introduce myself. “I scored a 1550 on the SATs back in the day, and if I took a practice SAT right now, I guarantee I wouldn’t score any lower!” I spoke eloquently, though a wave of bitterness washed over my heart. Back then, I wasn’t just smart; when I started college, I was easily one of the prettiest girls in my class. After marrying Mark right after graduation and spending over a decade as a stay-at-home mom, I had become old and overweight, completely losing my former radiance. After my son finished the SATs in my past life, I secretly took the test myself at home. I scored a 1580. Every single point was built on my profound, agonizing love for my son—a love he treated like garbage. “As for my tutoring style, you can test me in person.” I didn’t flinch on this point either. I managed to drag my absolutely atrocious, rebellious son into a top university. I refused to believe there was a student I couldn’t teach. Mr. Sterling then asked about my household management experience. I gave a bitter smile: “Does 16 years as a live-in maid count?” “My special skills include cooking one-handed while holding a baby, eating one-handed while holding a baby, and mopping one-handed while holding a baby.” “I can also flawlessly mix baby formula and change diapers in my sleep.” “In emergencies, I have the stamina to stay awake for 48 hours straight taking care of a crying, sick child.” Mr. Sterling laughed. “You have a great sense of humor, Ms. Chloe. And it sounds like you truly know the meaning of hard work.” I smiled back, tears pricking my eyes. “Absolutely. Mr. Sterling, never underestimate a woman forged on the battlefield of domestic life.” Mr. Sterling had a good first impression of me and invited me for an in-person interview. But even though we had a great conversation, he said he still needed to think about it. I knew I still lacked some of his requirements. Finally, he politely declined: “I have a daughter about to start high school. If you had certifications in nutrition, health management, or formal estate management, I think you’d be a much more competitive candidate.” Hope instantly flared in my chest: “Understood! I hope Mr. Sterling will give me another chance in the future!” As soon as I hung up, I frantically enrolled in massage therapy classes, childcare certification courses, and even a holistic nutrition program. I also signed up for a premium gym and yoga studio. I didn’t bat an eye at dropping $100 an hour for personal training sessions! Now, I knew how to invest in myself! Having lived through death, I knew that relying on anyone else was useless; you can only rely on yourself. Besides, I was currently technically a housewife, spending Mark’s money. If I didn’t spend it, someone else would. Mark broke very quickly. He called me, demanding I come back and finalize the divorce. 05 The second I walked into the house, I knew there was going to be a brutal fight. My mother-in-law, who was usually out dominating the local senior citizen Zumba groups, was surprisingly home. The moment she saw me, she started slamming things around and complaining: “What? Going on strike over some minor disagreement? Are Tyler and I just supposed to starve?” My son, however, casually brushed it off: “If she doesn’t want to cook, she doesn’t have to. Grandma, the takeout we’ve been ordering these past few days is amazing! Especially the fried chicken!” My mother-in-law choked on her words, her face twisting in anger. I looked at my son’s acne-covered, greasy face, and felt absolutely zero emotion. The kitchen sink was radiating a foul smell, and the trash can was overflowing. I ignored it all, wiped the dust off a chair, sat down, and mocked them: “Mom, you should really save your energy to train your new daughter-in-law.” “I’ve cooked for you for over a decade. Can’t you even give me a break on the day of my divorce?” My mother-in-law furiously threw her dish rag on the floor, pointing at me through gritted teeth: “Chloe! No wonder Tyler doesn’t want to live with you! You’re petty, calculating, and full of toxic negativity!” I said calmly: “I never wanted custody anyway. Mark cheated on me. Why would I take my son away and let him live a carefree life with his mistress? I’m not that stupid.” Seeing my mother-in-law’s face turn purple, I continued: “Leaving Tyler here to make their lives miserable is exactly what I want.” “You—You!” She stuttered on “you” for a full minute, unable to form a coherent sentence. Finally, she beat her chest and screamed: “This is a sin! Chloe, you’re taking your anger out on him! Our Tyler is innocent!” “Aren’t you afraid he won’t acknowledge you when he grows up? That he won’t take care of you when you’re old?!” He literally threw my ashes in the trash. Not acknowledging me or taking care of me? That was nothing. My heart was ice cold. I fired back without flinching: “Mom, thank you so much for spending all these years dragging my name through the mud and belittling me in front of him. You guys are all the heroes, and I’m the only villain.” “Now, just as you always wanted, I’ve decided to be a lone wolf.” I was giving them this dead-weight grandson for free! You’re welcome! Then I raised my voice and yelled toward the master bedroom: “Mark! Didn’t you call me here to finalize the divorce? Why are you hiding like a coward?” After a long pause, the closed bedroom door slowly opened. Mark walked out, supporting a not-yet-showing Jessica. My mother-in-law rushed over to them, murmuring: “Oh my, be careful with my precious grandson, we can’t afford any more accidents.” My son couldn’t stand his grandmother’s fawning behavior. He slammed his phone down in annoyance. “Grandma! You already have a grandson! Besides, it’s so early, who knows if it’s a boy or a girl!” Jessica gave a soft laugh and said coyly: “Tyler, Auntie flew to a private clinic out of state to get a blood test. It’s a baby boy.” Mark scolded him lightly: “Is that how you speak to Aunt Jessica? Stop storming around the house from now on.” My mother-in-law immediately chimed in: “Tyler, you need to take good care of your little brother. Quick, quick, pick up your mess over here.” My son viciously kicked the coffee table, turned around, and walked away. “Whoever wants to pick it up can pick it up! Stop babying him!” He stormed into his room and slammed the door. Mark’s face flushed red with anger, a flash of profound disappointment crossing his eyes. My mother-in-law quickly tried to smooth things over with Jessica: “He’s still just a kid. I’ll talk to him later. It’s just hard for him to accept right now. You two have such a great relationship, I’m sure he’ll understand.” Jessica’s eyes were red as she nodded, sitting down looking deeply wronged. But I was the only one who saw the dark, venomous, jealous glare my son shot at Jessica’s stomach right before he turned away. In my past life, I took my son and left before Jessica even found out the gender. I did it specifically so he wouldn’t have to see his dad and grandma acting like this over a new favorite. I knew my son was inherently arrogant, selfish, and egotistical. There was no way he could handle a new brother competing for their affection. When we divorced, I kept his fantasy alive because he was still young. I couldn’t bear to shatter his illusion. After all, I was the one shielding him from all the family’s toxic drama. In his eyes, his grandma was a cool, fashionable lady who danced in local shows. His dad was a refined, wealthy, easygoing man who gave him everything he wanted. And now? Let them tear each other apart! If it’s going to be ugly, let it be ugly for everyone. Why should I be the only one bearing all the humiliation, blood, and tears? 06 I’d enjoyed the show enough. I turned leisurely to Mark. I asked nonchalantly: “We already settled the financial assets last time. Since we’re all here, why not just head to the courthouse right now?” Jessica, sitting nearby, said casually: “Chloe, what kind of couple divorces without discussing the children, and only discusses the money?” I raised an eyebrow, looking at Mark and my son (who had cracked his door open). “I thought we had already reached a consensus on this issue. What exactly do you mean, Jessica?” Jessica gave a dry laugh, lying through her teeth: “Of course I want Tyler to stay with us. His grandma and Mark can’t bear to part with him either.” “But as a woman, my personal feeling is that a child is always better off with their mother.” “I honestly never expected you to be so comfortable leaving him behind.” Comfortable? Was this a threat? Saying that if I didn’t take my son, she would mistreat him? I waved my hand dismissively: “You already have a daughter from your previous marriage, so you’re not exactly inexperienced. I feel perfectly comfortable leaving him in your hands.” Jessica looked at Mark in shock. Mark gave her an imperceptible, helpless shake of his head. I understood now. Jessica didn’t actually believe I didn’t want custody. She came here today specifically to test me. My son came out to grab a glass of water, pretending to be casual. But I knew he was listening closely to our negotiation. Jessica glanced at him, then looked at me meaningfully. “Chloe, we’re both divorced moms. To be blunt, a child is better off with their mother.” “Back when I was raising my daughter alone, it was incredibly hard, but I gritted my teeth and got through it. I’m not trying to brag, but fathers are naturally more careless.” “You raised Tyler from the time he was a baby. Are you really willing to just walk away?” Before I could even speak, my son marched over aggressively, pointing a finger directly at Jessica. “Aunt Jessica, why are you trying so hard to kick me out?! Didn’t you say you loved me and wanted to be my mom?!” Jessica looked like she had swallowed a lemon. Her goal was to drive a wedge between my son and me, testing my bottom line. She didn’t realize her words directly threatened my son’s interests. Because my son blamed me for him not living a wealthy, happy life with his dad, he hated me enough to want me dead. If he hated me that much, how much would he hate Jessica for trying to ruin his dream? Sure enough. My son roared even louder: “You brought your daughter into this house to live in luxury, but you’re trying to kick me out to suffer?! What the hell is wrong with you?!” “If you keep acting like this, I’m not going to help you anymore!” He stood there stubbornly, acting like he had some massive leverage over Jessica. I almost burst out laughing. My stupid, naive son. In the past, Jessica coddled and worshipped you because she was a divorced mom with a kid, trying to secure her spot in this house. She had to play nice. Now she has a son of her own in her belly. She holds all the power. Jessica choked down her humiliation. She couldn’t afford to tear her mask off right now, so she tried to placate him: “Tyler, Auntie isn’t trying to kick you out! I love you so much! I was just worried your mom wouldn’t love you anymore.” My son shot me a look of pure disgust: “Tch, as long as you guys love me and care about me, I have everything I need. I don’t need her.” Jessica shot me a provocative look. I just shrugged indifferently. Reverse psychology? Useless! I even gave her a thumbs up: “You are the most successful stepmom I’ve ever seen, Jessica. I truly admire you.” Mark finally lost his temper and stood up: “Enough! Chloe, today is the day I finally realized how heartless and toxic you are!” “You don’t want your son, you just want the money?! Fine! Have it your way!” My mother-in-law pointed at me and cursed: “You better think this through! The second you walk out that door, you won’t get a single penny from Tyler! Even if you get down on your knees and beg me, it won’t work!” Looking at this furious, panicked family, I felt absolutely euphoric! Now it’s your turn to be incompetent, enraged, and drowning in toxic negativity. Jessica couldn’t accept losing $120,000 to me, complaining bitterly: “She’s a stay-at-home mom who hasn’t earned a single cent. Why does she get so much?” “We have three kids to raise now. And she gets to just pack up and live a carefree life?” I just looked at Mark with a silent smile. His face looked terrible as he pulled Jessica aside to explain the situation. Jessica marched back over to me aggressively: “What, do you think you can sue me? I’m a senior executive at that company. At worst, I get a slap on the wrist for ‘poor oversight’. But I’ll sue you for resume fraud!” “I’ll blacklist you across the entire HR industry! You’ll never find a job again!” Back then, my sister-in-law helped me get that job. The whole family had been plotting against me from the start. I had never even written a resume. Jessica was just trying to bully me, assuming I had no connections and no real-world experience, trying to scare me into backing down. Not happening. I slowly pulled out my phone: “Well then, I’ll have to have a nice, long chat with Mr. Sterling about exactly how I got that job.” “A mistress, magnanimous enough to help the original wife bypass corporate hiring protocols? I’m sure Mr. Sterling will want to properly reward such a dedicated employee—” Seeing Jessica’s cold sneer, clearly acting like she had nothing to lose… I slowly read out Mr. Sterling’s cell phone number: “555-458-7…” Her face finally changed. She screamed: “Enough! I’m not arguing with you!” I didn’t want to argue with her either. I held it together until I finally got the official divorce decree in my hands. Then, I leaned in close to her ear and whispered, word by word: “Jessica, you better hold onto your HR Director title at the Sterling Corporation as tight as you can.” Her lips trembled with rage, her eyes glaring at me with pure hatred. I let out a light laugh and strutted away. My son didn’t even look at me once. The family huddled together, looking like a picture-perfect, happy home. Perfect. Since Jessica is so good at buying people’s loyalty, I can’t wait to see… Between my useless, arrogant son and her manipulative scheming, who will ultimately win!

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When we fought, Noah would take off his hearing aid and throw it away. He never allowed me into his real social circle. Once, at a college reunion, someone asked him, “How do you put up with the Sterling heiress’s temper?” Noah pointed to his hearing aid. “I take it off.” The entire room erupted in laughter. 01 Three days after I got back from Europe, I finally returned to the apartment Noah and I shared. The moment I opened the door, it was obvious no one had lived there in a while. Even though the cleaning service came regularly, the lack of human presence was a very tangible thing. I dropped my bag at the entryway and checked the security camera logs. The logs only saved the last thirty days. In that entire month, Noah hadn’t come home once. Fine. At midnight, the speakers in the master bedroom were blasting a heavy bass track. I was lying on my stomach playing a game on my phone. The music was so loud I didn’t hear the front door open. When my music suddenly paused, I thought the house was haunted. I whipped my head around. Standing at the foot of the bed was Noah, wearing his silver-rimmed glasses, looking like the absolute textbook definition of a cold, calculated intellectual. “You’re back?” I turned back to my game, replying casually, “Yeah, got back three days ago.” Noah was silent for a long time. It wasn’t until my match ended that I realized he was still standing there. He said he had been too busy lately, but promised he’d definitely come with me to my next art exhibition abroad. I looked up at him. “No need. I had a great time with my girlfriends.” Later, when Noah finished his shower and got into bed next to me, I instinctively rolled over, turning my back to him. It suddenly hit me. I don’t think I love Noah anymore. Tears instantly welled up, soaking my pillow. I used to think that just being by his side was enough, but human nature is greedy. I wanted Noah to love me back. On the surface, Noah played the role of the perfect, devoted boyfriend. Until that day. That was the day I realized there was an uncrossable chasm between us. He refused to let me truly get close to him. 02 The tech startup Noah currently ran was co-founded with his college roommate. When that friend got married, the invitation was sent to our apartment. Naturally, I assumed Noah would take me to the wedding as his plus-one. I picked out a wedding gift in advance, booked a makeup artist for the morning of, and selected a tasteful, elegant dress that wouldn’t upstage the bride. Then the day of the wedding arrived. From quiet anticipation, to crushing disappointment, to absolute humiliation… the only thing I saw of the wedding was a group photo posted on Instagram by a mutual friend. Noah was a groomsman. And the bridesmaid standing next to him was looking up at him, her eyes sparkling with adoration. When I refreshed the app, the post was gone. I had been blocked from seeing it. I didn’t want to act like a bitter, hysterical girlfriend, crying and demanding, “Why?!” I forced myself to swallow my emotions. When Noah finally came home, I was sitting on the couch scrolling through my iPad. I just casually mentioned, “You’re back.” As he walked through the living room, I pointed to the wrapped gift box on the coffee table. “This is the jewelry I bought for the bride. Make sure you give it to her.” Noah just gave a brief “Mhm.” That incident ripped a massive hole in my heart. 03 The wound finally festered and burst on Valentine’s Day. I went to Noah’s company to take him out to lunch. As I walked past the reception desk, I paused. The receptionist asked, “Hello, who are you here to see? Do you have an appointment?” I was just about to answer when her eyes lit up. She smiled brightly—a genuine, sweet smile, completely different from her customer-service face. “Mr. Wright! Good afternoon!” In that split second, the group photo from the wedding flashed in my mind. I remembered. This receptionist was the bridesmaid. I took a step forward, and Noah’s executive assistant, Mark, tactfully took a step back. I hooked my arm directly through Noah’s. “I’m here to see your boss. Do I need an appointment?” I was looking at Noah, but the words were aimed entirely at the receptionist. It was Mark who answered, though. “No, no, of course not, Ms. Sterling. You never need an appointment. Just call me next time and I’ll come down to get you,” Mark said with a forced, nervous laugh. Noah frowned slightly. “Why didn’t you call ahead?” “Because then it wouldn’t be a surprise,” I said. Though, for Noah, it was probably more of a shock than a surprise. When we stepped into the executive elevator, the receptionist suddenly came sprinting over, clutching a stack of folders, yelling to hold the door. Mark instinctively pressed the ‘open’ button. When she stepped inside, Mark looked like he wanted to die. His face screamed that he wanted to phase through the elevator floor to escape the awkwardness. “Sorry about that!” she said breathlessly. “Mr. Harris needs these files immediately.” Noah nodded. His hearing aid, resting in his ear, was quite visible. Out of nowhere, the receptionist asked, “Noah, does wearing that mean you can hear perfectly now?” She pointed to her own ear. I stared at her, completely stiff. Before Noah could answer, she suddenly realized she crossed a line and quickly apologized. “I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.” I slowly pulled my arm out of Noah’s grip. He turned his head to look at me. I glared right back. Noah looked back at her and spoke. “If you know it’s rude, you should learn to keep your mouth shut.” His expression was deadpan, his tone completely flat. But the damage was lethal. The young receptionist’s eyes instantly welled up with tears. When she practically ran out on her floor, Mark was the one who had to smooth things over. “I apologize, Ms. Sterling. That girl is Mr. Harris’s wife’s younger sister. She’s just interning here and doesn’t know professional boundaries yet.” I honestly felt bad for Mark. When we reached the top floor, I didn’t step out. I looked at Noah. “Sorry, I forgot I already had lunch plans today.” I was officially canceling our Valentine’s lunch. Mark looked like he wanted to intervene and save the situation. But Noah just stood there and said, “Alright. Call me when you’re done.” The elevator doors slid shut. As the elevator descended, Noah and I held eye contact through the glass doors until the darkness swallowed us. I would never know the conversation he and Mark had after I left. “Sir, aren’t you going to go after her and apologize?” Noah replied, “My only job is to accept whatever she decides. Isn’t that right?” Mark remembered his boss’s background and shut his mouth. After all, the ‘Sterling’ in Chloe Sterling meant Sterling Enterprises. 04 A year later, a mutual friend from our high school got married and invited us both. Noah had a board meeting that day, but after I strongly insisted, he went with me. Watching the bride in her pristine white gown walk toward the groom, my heart suddenly gave a sharp twinge. So this is what a wedding feels like. When the officiant told them to kiss, I looked at Noah. He was already looking at me. After the reception, we drove home in complete silence. My phone buzzed. It was my dad, asking if Noah wanted to come over for family dinner this weekend. I spun my phone in my hand and asked casually, “Are you free this weekend?” Noah was checking his rearview mirror in traffic. “Why?” “My dad… asked if you wanted to come over for dinner.” The visible half of his face stiffened for a second before he said, “I have a business trip this weekend.” I pushed harder. “What about next weekend? Or the weekend after?” Noah said nothing. We drove through a tunnel, the amber lights washing over us and disappearing behind. In the darkness, I asked him, “Noah, do you hate me, or do you hate my dad?” My pent-up frustration spilled over. “Every single time my dad invites you, you always have some excuse.” “Did my dad do something to offend you?” Noah reached out and grabbed my hand. When he finally spoke, he said, “We’ll talk about it when we get home.” His avoidance only made me more furious and reckless with my words. “Noah, are you just completely ungrateful?! My dad has done so much for you!” The brakes slammed hard. Even with the seatbelt locking, I was thrown violently forward. Noah leaned over, gripping my chin with one hand. For a second, I swore I saw pure resentment in his eyes. “You’re right. I’m just the pathetic charity case your family sponsored.” I couldn’t understand. “Noah, this is between you and me. Why do you constantly have to bring up the fact that you were a charity case?” Did he think I looked down on him? Did he think I cared about that? Noah slowly let go of me, his eyes looking dazed. His voice was raspy. “Because that’s exactly what I am.” He reached up and pulled the hearing aid out of his right ear. “I’m also a deaf cripple.” Before I could even process what he had just done, he put the car back in drive. He left one final sentence hanging in the heavy air: “I told you a long time ago.” “We aren’t a good match.” It was true. When Noah finally agreed to date me, he had said, “Even if I never fall in love with you?” It was the first time he had given an inch. I was so shocked I just nodded frantically. So he said, “Fine. Let’s try.” Yes. I was the one who was wrong. The moon was never going to come down just because I asked it to. 05 After that night, without telling him, I flew to London for an art exhibition. For three months, I didn’t initiate contact with Noah once. Noah, however, acted entirely out of character. He would occasionally send me messages—usually when it was night for me, but 3:00 AM for him. “It’s raining. Remember your umbrella.” I ignored him. I went to galleries, went skiing in the Alps, went bungee jumping… After checking off everything on my bucket list, right before I planned to return to the States, I finally sent Noah a text. “When I get back, we need to talk.” He didn’t reply. But the moment I jumped off that snowy peak in Austria, a sudden realization hit me. I needed to stop holding onto him. I had been so obsessed with achieving the “and the princess and the prince lived happily ever after” ending with Noah. But if I actually got it… would it magically erase all the agony I endured to get there? I only went back to our shared apartment on my third day back in the States. Checking the security logs, I saw he hadn’t been home in a month. But he came back at midnight. He told me he would go on the next trip with me. I knew this was his awkward, stunted way of trying to make peace. But I responded with polite detachment. “No need. I had a great time with my girlfriends.” That night, half-asleep, I felt warm skin press against my palm. He was holding my hand. Even someone as emotionally walled-off as Noah must have sensed the shift. The next day, I slept until the afternoon. When I got up, I started packing my things. I had even brought an empty suitcase from my family’s estate specifically for this. When I was cleaning out the nightstand, I opened a drawer and saw a velvet jewelry box I had never seen before. I felt a spike of anxiety. But I reached out and opened it anyway. It was a ring. The exact ring I used to desperately dream Noah would give me. The fading evening sun filtered through the sheer curtains, reflecting off the metal and catching my eye. Engraved on the inside of the band was the word Apple. It gleamed in the light. Inside the box was a small note. It read: “You are the apple of my eye.” You are my most precious person. The date written at the bottom was Valentine’s Day. Two years ago. The sunlight cast a second shadow onto the hardwood floor. I looked up. Noah was home. I picked up the ring, walked right up to him, fighting desperately to keep my tears from falling. I fought so hard the veins in my neck bulged. I shook the ring in his face and demanded, “So what is this?! Is this what you meant when you said—” “‘We aren’t a good match’?!” Noah glanced at the note that had fluttered to the floor and bent down to pick it up. I slapped his hand away. “Speak!” “Did you lose your voice too, Noah?!” 06 Noah always knew exactly how to trigger my deepest emotions. But the truth is, when we first met, we weren’t consumed by this toxic friction and opposition. Noah was a scholarship student in the elite Honors Program. The Sterling Foundation fully funded the tuition and living stipends for all the students in that program. But Noah was unique even among them. Because he was hearing impaired. “Low-income,” “Hearing Impaired,” “Valedictorian”—these buzzwords made him a magnet for local journalists looking for a feel-good human-interest story. The very first time we met, a swarm of reporters was aggressively interviewing him about how it felt to receive the scholarship. One sharp-eyed reporter spotted me getting crushed against the wall by the crowd. “Noah, the girl standing right behind you is Chloe Sterling, the daughter of your benefactor. Is it awkward interacting with her on a daily basis?” Help me. Noah didn’t even know who I was. But Noah just smiled, asked the reporters to step back, and pulled me out of the crushing crowd to a safe spot beside him. “Chloe is wonderful. She’s always been incredibly kind and friendly to everyone.” After surviving that excruciatingly awkward interview, we walked back to the academic building together. As we passed each other in the hallway to go to our respective classrooms… I noticed the device sitting in his ear. “If you wear that, can you hear perfectly?” I asked, genuinely curious. It wasn’t until Noah stopped and turned around that I realized I had said that highly intrusive, rude thought out loud. Noah looked at me with a half-smile and gave a completely irrelevant answer: “I have another ear that works just fine.” If the twenty-seven-year-old Chloe had been there, she would have missed the high school version of Noah so much. Because back then, Noah wasn’t a mute wall of ice. But the girl standing there was seventeen-year-old Chloe. And that bizarre, charming response struck her right in the heart. I decided I wanted to be his friend. I constantly sought him out to chat. Since he was a genius, I used “needing a tutor” as an excuse to hang around his classroom every single day. I even audited some of his classes. During a group English conversation exercise, Noah mentioned that his favorite fruit was apples. So, that Christmas, every single student in the Honors Program found a bright red apple stuffed in their locker. From that day on, the entire Honors Program knew exactly who I was. But only Noah knew that his apple was different. He received a one-of-a-kind Christmas card—the absolute peak of my teenage emotional intelligence. The card read: “You are the apple of my eye.” Even though Noah never formally responded, I could feel his hardened, defensive shell softening toward me. One day after school, I practically dragged Noah to a boba shop to share my favorite drink. Sitting across from him, I kept stuttering, struggling to get the words out. Noah saw me agonizing and finally sighed. “Just spit it out. What do you want?” I gave a victorious grin and stirred my boba with the straw. “Okay, but promise you won’t get mad! I was just curious…” “I googled it, and it said some hearing-impaired people aren’t entirely deaf. What about you?” Noah gave a very gentle smile. “Yeah, that’s right. If there’s a very loud noise right next to my ear, I can hear a little bit.” “Can you take it off?” I asked. Noah was being so compliant that day. He actually took it off. I leaned close to his ear and spoke at a slightly elevated normal volume: “How about this?” Noah didn’t react at all. I got so caught up in the moment that I completely forgot his left ear worked perfectly fine. I leaned into his “deaf” ear and screamed: “I LIKE YOU!” Because I did that, it wasn’t just Noah who found out. The entire boba shop found out.

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I even developed a crush on my archenemy. After sleeping with him while tipsy, I overheard him say: “If we were going to be together, it would have happened a long time ago. Why wait until now?” I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness I didn’t have to take responsibility. Later, when I was getting ready to find my next target. He stormed onto my college campus, looking furious. The corners of his eyes were red, staring at me like I was a heartbreaker. “Audrey, you dare try to hit it and quit it?!” 01 During high school, I had an online relationship for a while, and it was incredibly sweet. I looked forward to coming home from school every night just to chat with him. But before even a month had passed, my parents found out. My parents and my homeroom teacher took turns lecturing me. They said once I got into a good college, handsome guys would be as common as cabbage; I’d have my pick. They warned me not to lose the watermelon while picking up sesame seeds. I listened to them and obediently broke up. Then, pretending to be genuinely remorseful, I tearfully asked who had snitched on me. I wanted to “thank” the person who put me back on the right path. Sure enough, it was Liam Hayes. Our families lived across the hall from each other. We were practically childhood friends. But it seemed like our auras naturally clashed. The moment we were in the same room, we’d start arguing. I couldn’t stand his careless, playboy attitude. He mocked me for having a fiery temper, calling me a tigress. After that incident, I cursed him out thoroughly. Then I unilaterally cut off all contact. Honestly, we both had pretty good grades. Our parents even hoped we’d get into the same university so we could look out for each other. After our SAT scores came out, I immediately changed my preferences and applied to a college on the opposite coast. Now, Liam and I were separated by the entire country, thousands of miles apart. Perfect. I began my college life carrying beautiful expectations. Turns out, after almost a year, I hadn’t met many handsome guys. The ones who added me on social media were either weirdos or creeps. They’d chat for two minutes and then try to invite me out for the night. At first, I even tried looking up my old online boyfriend. Only to find out that the “soulmate” who used to chat with me until midnight had rapidly cycled through several girlfriends. Sigh. What I thought was a gourmet feast… Was actually just spoiled tofu with some rotten cabbage leaves. I really hadn’t experienced anything good. They say the most beautiful romances happen during your teenage years. But why did I have zero suitors during my teenage years? Just endless homework and an archenemy with a seriously foul mouth. I was even nominated in the campus beauty pageant, for crying out loud. Does this make any sense? 02 The summer before my sophomore year, I went home. It was my first time back since starting college. Mr. and Mrs. Hayes across the hall were so happy they cooked a huge feast. Not gonna lie, it was all my favorite dishes. Mrs. Hayes even said Liam was at home, eagerly waiting for me to come over. I didn’t believe it for a second. After high school graduation, I had blocked and muted him. He hadn’t contacted me either. The adult world relies on unspoken rules. If you can’t stand each other, you don’t bother each other. But during holidays, bumping into each other was inevitable. That evening, after getting ready, I went over and knocked on their door. The moment it opened, a handsome face stunned me right where I stood. The handsome guy smiled: “You must be Audrey, right? I’m Liam’s friend, Caleb Reed.” I quickly snapped back to reality: “Hi, nice to meet you!” Looks like I’ll have to unblock Liam after all. Just as I was reaching out to shake the handsome guy’s hand… “Ahem—” A cough from the kitchen interrupted me. Out of habit, I shot an annoyed glance in that direction. But my gaze was firmly caught, unable to pull away. Liam was wearing a simple white T-shirt. At nearly 6’3″, he even had to lower his head slightly as he walked out. The warm, orange light bathed the side of his face, making his features look even sharper and deeper. His long, curling eyelashes cast half-moon shadows under his eyes. He glanced over indifferently. My heart instantly felt like it had been zapped. Beneath the mask was an even more beautiful mask. Behind the handsome face was an even more handsome face. Mrs. Hayes walked out of the room and laughed. “What are you two doing standing in the doorway? Come eat!” “Coming!” I instantly squeezed past the stranger blocking me and hugged Mrs. Hayes. “Mrs. Hayes, I missed you so much!” “If you missed me, you should have come back for Christmas, you heartless girl.” “Oh, come on, I was planning to take my mom to Florida for a trip. Don’t worry, next time I’ll take you and Mr. Hayes!” She was instantly coaxed into a glowing smile, hugging me affectionately. My eyes, however, unconsciously drifted towards Liam. He raised an eyebrow: “What are you looking at?” The familiar voice, the familiar punchable expression. Confirmed, he hasn’t been swapped out by aliens. But was he this handsome before? 03 When I got home, I dug out all our old photos to compare. Hiss, it seems he really was remarkably good-looking even when we were kids. Taking off the school uniform elevated him more than just one level. How did I not notice this before? After all this time, the one who hits every spot on my aesthetic checklist is my archenemy. Does this make sense? Before going to sleep, I scrolled through tons of thirst-trap videos of handsome guys, trying to suppress my restless, lustful thoughts. As a result, in my dreams, Liam appeared wearing a black dress shirt, seducing me. I woke up with a dry mouth. I hurriedly sought advice from my college roommate, Chloe. On the video call, she laughed for a good while before sitting up straight. “Is it possible… you’re attracted to him?” “Impossible!” I retorted without a second thought. Chloe looked at me as if she had seen through everything. “As expected, distance makes the heart grow fonder.” I hung up on her with a deadpan expression. Liam was taking his friend Caleb out. My mom, harboring some unknown intentions, insisted I go along too. She said Caleb was a polite, well-behaved guy, and a top student. Most importantly, he lived nearby. She wanted me to make friends with him. I thought about it, it made sense, so I didn’t refuse. But every time I tried to strike up a conversation with Caleb, Liam would interrupt. Blocking him, as if demanding my attention. The more I glared at him, the more smugly his lips curled up. Caleb watched us helplessly. He took a phone call midway through, and his eyes lit up. “A classmate is nearby and wants to come over, do you guys mind?” I smiled and said I didn’t mind. Liam didn’t say anything either. But he deliberately walked over to me and leaned in. His intentionally lowered voice pierced my eardrums, magnetic and slightly husky. “Audrey, try using that fake, sweet voice again.” His warm breath brushed against my sensitive skin. Accompanied by a clean, subtle cologne, half my body instantly went weak. I pursed my lips, my gaze unconsciously darting away. Caleb noticed my flushed face. “Are you too hot?” I fanned myself with my hand. “Yeah, it’s pretty hot.” After a moment, Liam let out a sudden, soft chuckle. 04 The person who showed up was a very pretty and elegant girl, Mia Vance. As soon as she got out of the car, her first glance landed on Liam. I turned to look at Caleb. A faint blush crept onto his fair, clean face. Hiss, something’s not quite right here. Mia suggested we do an escape room. Watching her and Liam’s matching silhouettes. A subtle ripple stirred in my chest. Before I even realized it, the staff told us we had to split into two groups. Mia glanced at Liam, a hint of joy and anticipation vaguely showing. My chest tightened for a second. When I looked up, I met his deep gaze. Caleb offered to group up with me. But I could see his reluctance; he was just trying to play matchmaker for them. I suddenly felt a surge of anger. “I’m grouping with Audrey.” Liam spoke flatly, stepping to my side. A flash of disappointment crossed Mia’s eyes. She gave me a complex look, pressed her lips together, and stayed silent. While searching for clues in the dimly lit room, an NPC suddenly jumped out. I froze in terror. Liam grabbed my hand; his palm was warm and large. An indescribable sense of security. The accelerated heartbeat from being scared seemed to slowly change its meaning. After it was over, I hesitated for a while but finally asked him. “Why did you pick me?” Liam paused, looking down at me. “Aren’t you afraid of ghosts?” I suddenly remembered back in third grade, I secretly watched a horror movie on DVD. It scared me so much I had nightmares for nights on end. The light in the hallway was broken, flickering on and off. I was crying, too scared to go upstairs. It was Liam who held my hand and led me up. From then on, he always walked home with me. I remembered Chloe’s teasing words. “You’re attracted to him.” I hid the smile in my eyes. It seemed she was right. 05 Caleb created a group chat for the four of us. Mia sent a link. It was a house party event nearby. Pool, billiards, board games, all sorts of entertainment. Isn’t this the perfect opportunity to deepen relationships? I narrowed my eyes. Two days later, the four of us became six. Chloe brought her boyfriend along to be my wingman. “Don’t you worry, if anyone interrupts you two tonight, my name isn’t Chloe!” I nodded in satisfaction. At the pool party, Mia wore a floral swimsuit that accentuated her slender, beautiful figure. She swam a lap, her movements graceful and eye-catching. Caleb stared at her, almost entranced. I casually slipped a pair of sunglasses onto Liam, who was lounging on a chair. He opened his eyes, tilted his head, and saw the wine glass in my hand. “Are you drunk?” I was about to speak. When Mia swam to the edge, propped herself up, and looked at me, smiling radiantly. But hiding an indescribable hostility. “Audrey, why aren’t you coming in?” I put down the wine glass: “Right now.” Then, stepping in front of Liam, I slowly untied my robe. Revealing the fiery bikini underneath. Liam instantly froze. His Adam’s apple bobbed. The moment I turned around, he pulled the robe tight around me. His voice was hoarse: “Swimming while drunk, are you trying to drown?” Mia’s smile faltered a bit. “What are you guys doing!” He looked over indifferently. “You guys go ahead, I’m taking her upstairs to rest.” Mia’s fingers curled. Just as she was about to say something, Chloe stopped her. With one look, her boyfriend also held back Caleb, who was about to come over. I took the opportunity to lean limply against Liam. I could clearly feel it. His body tensed for a second. 06 Back in the room, Liam poured me a glass of water. I took a sip and opened my tipsy eyes. “What did you give me… it’s so hot…” He remained silent for a long time. “…Hot water.” As he stood up, I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him down. “I don’t believe you.” Smelling his familiar scent. My body went even limper. I flipped over and pinned him down. Liam let out a muffled groan and shifted me up a bit. “Audrey, you’re drunk.” He mumbled something else. I impatiently interrupted. “Don’t understand, just want to kiss.” Liam stopped moving, covered his eyes with his arm, and sighed. “Do you know who I am?” “Yes.” “Will you remember when you wake up tomorrow?” “Yes.” “You—” So annoying, I kissed him. Soft lips, so nice to kiss. I clumsily tugged at his clothes and belt. Accidentally brushing against a certain spot. He let out a gasp, flipped over, and pinned my wrists. Dense kisses trailed downwards. The shimmering reflection of the pool from outside shone on the ceiling. Swaying in my hazy vision all night long. 07 The next day, I woke up with my body aching all over. Looking at the hickeys covering me, I was silent for a long while. I grabbed a sun shirt and zipped it up tight. Liam really was… good-looking and functional. As I was about to go downstairs, I heard Mia’s voice. “Liam, are you… and Audrey together?” I stopped in my tracks, subconsciously holding my breath. The next second, I heard his teasing, laughing voice. “No.” “If we were going to be together, it would have happened a long time ago. Why wait until now?” Mia seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. “I see, I thought…” I didn’t listen to the rest and headed straight back to my room. Liam really had thought it through. If we really had feelings for each other, we would have been together a long time ago. Last night was just a moment of madness! Ignoring the subtle heavy feeling in my chest. I let out a breath. It’s fine, I’ll just treat it as ordering a gigolo for a one-night stand. No need to take responsibility, that’s great. So, I sent a quick message to Chloe and the others. Went home, packed my things, and headed back to campus. After the semester started, I ate and drank as usual. Acting like nothing ever happened. In the dining hall, Chloe couldn’t hold it in and asked me: “Did you guys not have a good time that night?” “?” “Was he bad at it?” “??” “Or—” I slapped my hand over her mouth. “We’re just simply incompatible!” Chloe gave me a puzzled look. I sighed internally, not wanting to lose face. I could only be stubborn: “Mainly because I met a better guy.” “Liam? Hmph, what’s so great about him?” A faint, cold scoff suddenly sounded from behind me. “Heh.” “That night, you weren’t saying that.” A chill slowly crept up my spine. My neck stiffened as I mechanically turned my head. Wearing a black windbreaker, looking annoyed, he stood right there. Even the freezing atmosphere couldn’t block the sheer beauty radiating from him. 08 In a secluded grove on campus. Liam approached me step by step with an irresistible presence. “Audrey, don’t you think you owe me an explanation?” “Leaving without saying goodbye is one thing, but blocking me on everything? What, afraid I’ll ask you for money?” I cleared my throat, raising my voice to cover my guilt. “That night was an accident anyway, and we’re both adults. Don’t tell me you expect me to take responsibility?” “Can’t handle playing around, Liam?” He let out an angry laugh, grinding his teeth. “Audrey, you’re really something.” “Didn’t learn anything else in college, just learned how to be a player, huh?” I almost blurted out: Who’s the real player here! But seeing his suppressed anger, reason returned. We had always been like this. Fighting tooth and nail, neither willing to back down or admit defeat. Going our separate ways was the best outcome. I looked up at him, my eyes teasing. “Liam, you didn’t fall for me, did you?” His expression froze. The air seemed to stand still. I didn’t plan on waiting for his answer. “Sorry, I already have someone I like.” “You’re not even on the list.” With that, I turned and walked away. Behind me, I seemed to hear a scoff laced with suppressed emotion. I quietly sped up my pace. After my evening class, Chloe sent me a photo. “Hey, your childhood friend hasn’t left yet, his picture is all over the campus confession wall!” “Audrey, are you really not going to go see him?” In the photo, Liam was sitting on a bench next to a streetlight. A baseball cap shadowed his eyes, and under the dim, yellow light, he looked somewhat lonely and pitiful. Wait… him, pitiful?! I wanted to slap myself. Try being delusional about love again, see what happens.

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