Category: English

During the year I loved him most, my uncle drugged me and threw me into the bed of his greatest rival. That night, I was tormented in every imaginable way by Liam Sterling, a man rumored to have severe sadistic addictions. When I was finally rushed to the hospital, Liam fell to his knees, his eyes red, begging for my forgiveness! Meanwhile, my uncle publicly proposed to the girl who had ruthlessly bullied me in high school, preparing to give her the wedding of the century! On his wedding day, I kidnapped the bride, forced her into mourning clothes, and made her bow to a dog in a mock wedding ceremony. I recorded the entire thing and broadcast it across the internet! When my uncle arrived, he pressed a knife to my throat and warned me. “Elena Vance, pull a stunt like this again, and I’ll make sure you die without a grave.” Seeing the raw heartbreak in his eyes for another woman, I was suddenly just… exhausted. From that moment on, I only wanted to cut him out of my life forever. But when I was four months pregnant, and everyone sighed about how Liam Sterling, the ultimate romantic, pampered me to the heavens, I accidentally overheard a conversation between him and my uncle. My uncle asked uncertainly, “Are you really determined to risk Elena and the baby’s lives by forcing a premature birth at seven months, just to harvest the cord blood and save my wife?” Liam didn’t hesitate for a second. He nodded firmly. “Yes. Chloe saved my life. Her illness can’t wait any longer.” While I was wandering the streets in a daze, someone sent me a text. “Elena Vance, choose me!” “I’ll help you put them both behind bars!” Gripping the stair railing, I listened to the two men inside the room. The chill seeped from my fingertips straight into my heart, freezing me inch by inch. My uncle, Arthur Vance, teased with a mocking tone. “Mr. Sterling, you’re willing to sacrifice your own flesh and blood for my wife. Such profound devotion.” He shifted his tone, full of arrogant triumph. “Unfortunately, Chloe has always loved me.” “Even Elena’s little hidden crush from her youth was focused entirely on me, wasn’t it?” Liam’s voice was cold and hard as he shot back. “Don’t get cocky, Arthur.” “If you hadn’t put a hundred-million-dollar bounty on the dark web, orchestrating this whole scheme to get Elena pregnant just to harvest her cord blood, and if Chloe hadn’t personally begged me, I would never have conspired with scum like you.” “Oh?” Arthur scoffed. “And after all this is over, do you really intend to marry her?” Liam was silent for a moment before answering seriously, “Yes. I’ll marry her and spend the rest of my life making up for the harm this will cause her.” “Suit yourself,” Arthur agreed casually. “Saves me the trouble of dealing with her delusional feelings.” “I’ll prepare a generous dowry for her.” I covered my mouth and stumbled backward, fighting the suffocating pain in my chest as I fled like a madwoman. It turned out that all the bone-deep torment, followed by the meticulous, careful pampering… it was all a massive conspiracy to take my baby’s life to save their precious darling. I stood in the pouring rain, crying until my voice was hoarse. I couldn’t believe that my romance and my marriage had been nothing but a scam to harvest medicine for someone else from the very beginning. At that exact moment, the massive jumbotron on the mall across the street was playing an old interview with Liam. The reporter asked sharply, “Mr. Sterling, there have been persistent rumors that Ms. Elena Vance, the woman you hold so dear, is actually secretly in love with her uncle, Arthur Vance.” “Many say… Ms. Vance’s feelings are unnatural, and that she is completely unworthy of your passionate devotion. Do you have any response to this?” On screen, his posture was dominant, his voice resonating with power. “My wife, Elena Vance, is the most pure, noble existence in this world.” “Anyone who dares to slander her again makes themselves an enemy of Liam Sterling!” “For the rest of my life, I am her strongest shield and her sharpest blade!” The vows that once made my heart race and filled me with pride now felt like knives carving into my heart, leaving me bleeding and raw. My phone kept ringing. He had called dozens of times. I used to answer him instantly, but now, I never wanted to hear his voice again. When I stumbled home in a daze, he was waiting at the door, his face pale with panic and anxiety. When he saw me, he looked like he had finally caught his breath, striding over and pulling me into a desperate, crushing hug. “Elena, where were you? I rushed back overnight after finishing the overseas project. Do you know how frantic I was when I couldn’t find you?” “Why didn’t you answer your phone?” I replied casually, “I went for a walk. Didn’t look at my phone.” He immediately started wiping my wet hair and changing my clothes, his eyes full of distress, while ordering someone to call the private doctor to check on me. “You little fool, you need to tell me before you go anywhere from now on.” “The rain is so heavy. What if you slipped? What if something happened to you and the baby?” His tone was filled with nervous worry, but I couldn’t tell anymore if he was worried about me, or the baby whose cord blood he needed to harvest. That night, my sleep was incredibly restless, plagued by nightmares. Sometime after midnight, I heard the private doctor’s disapproving voice coming from the living room. “Mr. Sterling! Performing the surgery in seven days is too risky! The Madam’s life will be in grave danger! Why can’t we wait until she reaches full term…” Liam cut him off coldly: “Seven days. Go prepare for it. The longer we wait, the more Chloe suffers.” My heart felt like it was being ripped apart. So, to him, my life and my child’s life weren’t worth a single moment of Chloe’s discomfort. Just then, his phone lit up. A message from Chloe popped onto the screen. “Liam, thank you for everything you’ve done for me. If there is a next life, I promise I will never fail you again.” Meanwhile, on her social media, she was flaunting the “honor” of having two powerful men abandon multi-million-dollar deals for her. The photos showed Liam’s suit jacket draped over a chair, and her hands tightly clasped with my uncle’s. How ironic. His excuse for missing my prenatal checkup today was suddenly glaringly obvious. He didn’t sneak back into the bedroom until dawn, having finally put out his cigarette. When he saw my face covered in tears, he froze, a flash of panic and guilt in his eyes. “Baby, why are you crying?” I looked into his eyes and said bitterly, “Liam, I had a nightmare… I dreamed about the year my parents died in that car crash. The bleeding just wouldn’t stop…” “And I dreamed about the days when Chloe rallied everyone in school to trap me in the bathroom and force me to drink dirty water.” The arms holding me stiffened slightly. Then, he hugged me even tighter. “Don’t think about it. It’s all in the past.” But then, he instinctively tried to excuse Chloe. “Chloe… she was young back then. It was probably just a thoughtless mistake.” With one phrase—”thoughtless mistake”—he erased all my bloody, agonizing history. I silently pulled away from his embrace, turned my back to him, and curled up in the dark to digest my emotions alone. The very last, microscopic sliver of hope in my heart was thoroughly extinguished. Early the next morning, Liam brought a breakfast he had cooked himself to my bedside. “Elena, try this. It’s a new nutritional meal I learned that’s great for pregnant women. If you like it, I’ll make it for you every day.” After speaking, he slid an iPad over to me. On the screen was the architectural rendering of a massive hospital. “Elena, look. This is the hospital I funded and built exclusively for you.” I suppressed a cold sneer and didn’t expose his lie. To ensure his plan was foolproof, he really spared no expense. He even went through the massive trouble of building an entire hospital. “In six days, the world’s top team of obstetric specialists will convene here.” “I’ll go with you. We’ll be good and get a comprehensive checkup and conditioning. It’s all to ensure that you and the baby… are completely safe when the critical moment comes.” His display of deep, sincere affection made my stomach churn violently! Those specialists were undoubtedly prepared for Chloe! “In six days… it’s my birthday.” I instinctively guarded my lower abdomen, making one last, feeble struggle. “Can we not go? I don’t want any checkups. I just want to stay quietly at home with our baby.” “You said you’d take me to Disneyland for my birthday every year. Why does it have to be a hospital this year?” He frowned, his gentle tone laced with undeniable authority. “Be good. It’s just for this year. We have to go.” He reached out to stroke my hair, but I subtly dodged his hand. “Elena, you need to listen to me. This is all for your own good.” He stood up, as if to cover up the awkwardness of the moment. “Your favorite porridge is still warm in the kitchen. I’ll go get it for you.” In the brief moment he turned and walked into the kitchen, my phone screen lit up. It was a message from Chloe, dripping with the arrogant pity of a victor: “I heard Liam promised to go with you to take maternity photos today?” “What a shame. I suddenly got the urge to reshoot some wedding photos with your uncle today.” “Unfortunately, our photographer’s skills aren’t as good as Liam’s. I want him to come help us.” “Who do you think… he’ll say no to today?” The nausea in my stomach became unbearable. I crawled to the bathroom and vomited until the world spun. When I finally came out, only the cold porridge was left. Liam was gone without a single word. Two hours later, he finally sent a message explaining. “Baby, I’m so sorry! We’ll have to take those photos another day.” “An urgent meeting came up. I have to go handle it.” I swallowed my bitter laughter and dialed the very last number in my contacts list. “Uncle Chen, I’m ready to officially take over the company. Help me revoke Arthur Vance’s proxy control over my shares. Investigate all the illegal transactions he’s conducted using his position over the years, gather the evidence, and prepare to file charges.” “Also, terminate all business ties with the Sterling Group. Cut off all resource allocation to them immediately.” After hanging up, I went to the hospital alone and consulted about an abortion procedure. Liam didn’t come home for an unprecedented two days. I didn’t go back either. But in those two days, he didn’t send me a single message. I knew he was just too “busy” to come home. What was even more laughable was that he would occasionally send me a fake update. A forged flight ticket, or a staged photo of a meeting room. He exhausted himself trying to trick me into believing he was busy working! Meanwhile, I could always spot him in Chloe’s social media posts. Just like now. While I was recovering my health, they were busy celebrating their perfect wedding photoshoot. Chloe specifically sent me a video. It showed her toasting Liam. “Liam, thank you for dropping everything to be my photographer.” “I took up two days of your time. Are you sure it’s okay? Do you want me to go back with you to explain things to Elena?” “She already dislikes me because I exposed her for bullying classmates in high school. If she finds out you lied to her, won’t she throw a fit?” Liam shook his head dismissively. “Chloe, don’t worry about it. She won’t make a scene.” “She’s very dependent on me now. She treats me as the most important person in her life, aside from her late parents.” “She’s smart. Even if she finds out, she’ll know her place.” My uncle, Arthur, chimed in, refusing to be outdone. “Exactly! With Elena’s personality, she sticks to whoever she latches onto like a leech.” “Even if she throws a tantrum, she can’t make any real waves.” “Back then, to keep me around, she willingly signed over all her corporate shares to me.” “I had such a headache trying to shake her off during those days. But thankfully, she’s latched onto Liam now, and my world is finally peaceful.” I didn’t watch any further. Chloe bullying me and then pinning the blame on me was just sickening. As for whether these two men defended me or not… it didn’t matter anymore. That night, I replied to the message I had previously ignored. “Sebastian, I choose you.” “But you have to help me compile all the evidence that Chloe bullied me, and the proof that she stole my identity as Liam’s savior.” After he readily agreed, I forwarded Chloe’s boastful photo to Liam. “Weren’t you overseas on a business trip, so busy you couldn’t even answer the phone?” “Why is this bully saying you’re personally acting as her photographer?” Almost the second the message was sent, he called. His voice sounded slightly rushed, as if he was scrambling to get his story straight. “Elena, listen to me. I was dealing with a project. I just finished the meeting.” “Running into Chloe was a total coincidence. She and your uncle were taking wedding photos nearby, and I just happened to run into them, so I helped snap a few shots.” Seeing that I didn’t respond, he rushed to explain further. “You know… she did save my life, after all. It was a small favor, I really couldn’t refuse. Please don’t take it to heart.” “If you don’t like it, I promise you, I will never have any unnecessary contact with her again. I just want you to feel secure.” Listening to his riddled, yet self-righteous defense, my heart was as still as stagnant water. I just asked one question. “Liam, what if the person who saved you back then was me, not her?” “Would you ever regret what you’ve done to me?” He froze for a second, then answered impatiently. “How is that possible? It was her who saved me. That’s a fact.” “Baby, I know you’re angry and you don’t like her, but you can’t… you can’t just make up crazy lies about a life-saving debt. That’s absurd.” I didn’t say another word and hung up the phone. But what I never expected was that in the middle of the night, he actually brought Chloe back to our house. When he saw me packing my things, he froze and instinctively stepped in front of Chloe to shield her. But Chloe walked right past him, stopping in front of me with a smug, victorious smile. “Ms. Vance, your uncle and I had a fight. I’m just crashing here for the night. You don’t mind, do you?” I looked at her undisguised, provocative smirk—which was perfectly hidden from Liam’s view—and said coldly: “Get out.” Chloe’s smile instantly vanished. Her eyes immediately turned red, and acting as if she had suffered a monumental injustice, she ran out crying. “Elena Vance!” Liam’s brows immediately furrowed, his tone carrying obvious blame. “Why are you throwing a tantrum again? This is my house too! Chloe saved my life. She’s upset and just wanted to stay the night. What’s the problem?” He stepped forward, his eyes full of disappointment and disapproval. “You know she just had a fight with Arthur and is feeling down. Why did you have to use such harsh words to insult her at a time like this? When did you become so mean?” Seeing my silence, he took a deep breath, as if trying desperately to suppress his anger, and finally dropped a cold ultimatum. “Stay home and reflect on your behavior. The day after tomorrow… I’ll come pick you up for the hospital.” With that, he didn’t hesitate to chase after her. He didn’t even notice the abortion appointment confirmation sitting right next to him. Fine. At this point, I couldn’t be bothered to waste my breath on him! Without a shred of hesitation, the moment he turned to comfort his “savior,” I calmly packed up all my important belongings and completely abandoned this meticulously crafted gilded cage. I chose a highly secluded, top-tier postpartum recovery center to rest. The sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows was perfect. Sebastian sat beside me, elegantly feeding me peeled grapes, a hint of theatrical amusement playing on his handsome features. “Take a look,” He presented the tablet like a grand prize, pulling up a live stream video. “The show is starting.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “391157”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

It was Friday night. My husband, the regional sales director, was trying to suck up to a major client. To seal the deal, he took a photo of our 18-year-old daughter’s period-stained underwear and posted it to a business networking group chat with over 300 men. “Look, the little money-drain I’ve been raising at home is finally ripe,” he typed. “This is what we call ‘seeing red for good luck.’ I guarantee we’ll sign that contract tonight!” The group chat immediately exploded with jeers and crude jokes. “Hey Mark, that’s an untouched, mint-condition model! You’ll be able to ask for a massive dowry for that one later, huh?” My hands were shaking violently as I read the messages. My daughter, hiding in the bathroom, sent me a single voice memo. “Mom, I don’t want to live anymore.” For years, I had swallowed my pride and endured his drunken embarrassments just to save his face. But this time, he had raised his butcher’s knife against my daughter. I turned around, walked into the kitchen, and grabbed the freshly sharpened boning knife. I slipped it into my purse. Twenty minutes later, I kicked open the heavy double doors of the private VIP room at the luxury hotel where he was hosting his “celebratory banquet.” …… The deafening crash of the doors hitting the wall made the crystal glasses in the room rattle. A suffocating wave of cigar smoke and stale liquor hit my face. The men’s loud, raucous laughter died instantly. In the center of the room, Mark was holding up his phone, his face flushed red with alcohol, fawning over an obese man sitting at the head of the table. “Mr. Lewis, look at how vibrant that color is! An eighteen-year-old, totally untouched! This is a genuine good omen. If you sign this contract, your business will definitely boom!” The man called Mr. Lewis, his face practically melting with fat, narrowed his beady eyes at the phone screen. A mixture of drool and whiskey dribbled from the corner of his mouth. “Mark, you’re a real player! This is a fantastic omen. So damn spicy!” The surrounding group of “elite” salesmen started cheering him on. “Nobody does it like Director Mark! Willing to put his own daughter on the line for the sake of the numbers! Now that’s a man who gets things done!” My eyes bypassed all of them, locking dead onto the photo that was currently being AirDropped to a large iPad on a side table. It was my eighteen-year-old daughter, Mia. She was suffering from severe period cramps for the first time and had curled up in bed, crying as she sent me that photo asking for help. That pair of pink cotton panties, stained with bright red blood, was now being paraded around like a sick joke, nakedly displayed in front of this room full of disgusting men. A cold, terrifying numbness spread down the back of my neck. “S-Sarah?” Mark finally realized who had kicked the door open. The sleazy smile froze on his face, quickly twisting into embarrassed rage. “You crazy bitch! Who told you to come here?! Can’t you see I’m entertaining important clients?! Get the hell out!” He slammed his phone face-down on the table and stood up, moving to shove me out the door. “Delete the photo.” My hand was locked around the handle of the knife in my purse. “What did you say?” Mark acted like he had just heard a hilarious joke. He turned to his pack of sleazebag friends and laughed. “See? This is what they mean by ‘women have long hair but short sight’! Typical female soft-heartedness!” He turned back to me, jabbing a thick finger hard against my forehead. “Sarah, let me spell it out for you. That photo is the key to unlocking this deal tonight! I raised Mia. She eats my food, she lives in my house. Shouldn’t she contribute a little surplus value back to me? As long as Mr. Lewis is happy, forget a photo of her underwear—if I told her to come down here right now and pour his drinks, she should consider it a blessing!” “Yeah, come on, Sarah.” A younger subordinate wearing glasses chimed in from the side. “Director Mark is doing this for the family. This is a five-million-dollar contract. What’s a little sacrificed privacy compared to that?” “Sacrificed?” I stared at Mark’s greasy, sweaty face. “Why don’t you post your own filthy, disgusting secrets to the group chat and sacrifice those? That is your biological daughter! She’s only eighteen!” “So what if she’s eighteen? Eighteen makes her a legal adult!” Mark was losing his patience, his voice rising to a shout. “College girls these days will take out loans using naked photos as collateral just to buy a designer bag! I just borrowed one little picture. It’s not like she lost a piece of flesh! But look at you—standing there looking like a hanged ghost. You’re bringing bad luck to my table! Get out!” At the head of the table, Mr. Lewis was starting to look annoyed. He slammed his whiskey glass down heavily. “Mark, are we drinking or what? If you can’t even keep your own woman in line, maybe we shouldn’t be signing this contract after all.” “No, no, no, Mr. Lewis, please!” Mark panicked instantly, spinning around and bowing apologetically. “I’ll handle it right now! I’ll handle it! The old ball-and-chain is hitting menopause, her brain isn’t working right!” With that, he turned back to me. His face contorted with dark malice. He raised his hand and slapped me across the face with everything he had. “You ungrateful bitch! I said get out!” The entire left side of my face swelled up instantly, five bright red finger marks burning into my skin. The private room erupted in cheers and applause. My head was thrown to the side by the force of the blow, my messy hair falling over my eyes. My phone vibrated in my purse. It was a voice memo from Mia. I played it. There was no talking. Just the sound of muffled sobbing and running water. I whipped my head back around. My right hand shot into my purse and ripped out the boning knife with lightning speed. A flash of cold steel. “AHHHH!” Before Mark could pull his hand back from slapping me, I drove the knife straight through it, pinning his hand violently to the solid wood dining table! “AHHHH! MY HAND! MY HAND!” His blood-curdling screams drowned out the cheers in the room. Mark convulsed in agony. The blade had sliced through flesh and bone, embedding itself deep into the wood. The slightest movement sent blinding, excruciating pain shooting up his arm. Blood quickly soaked the pristine white tablecloth. “She’s trying to kill him! Murder!” The “elite” salesmen who had just been cheering were now terrified out of their minds. The young guy with glasses fell backward onto his ass, a dark wet stain spreading across the crotch of his pants. Mr. Lewis dropped his glass, it shattered on the floor, the fat on his face trembling violently. “She’s insane! You’re all insane! Call the cops! Call 911!” The room dissolved into absolute chaos, but I ignored it all. I stepped forward, grabbed Mark by the hair, and forced his head up to look at me. “Does it hurt?” I asked him, my voice barely above a whisper. “When you posted Mia’s photo for these animals to fantasize over, did you wonder if it hurt her? Did you ever stop to think how she’s supposed to face the world after this?!” “Sarah! I’m going to kill you! I’ll kill you!” Mark’s eyes were bulging from the pain, his facial features contorted. “You dare touch me?! I’m the Regional Director! I’m the pillar of this family! You eat my food, you drink my water! You’re nothing but a dog I keep on a leash!” “Well, today I’m going to show you what it feels like to be bitten to death by a dog.” I yanked the knife out of the table. Blood splattered across my face. Mark let out an even more agonizing howl, clutching his mangled hand as he rolled onto the floor. I raised the knife, fully intending to stab him again, but several hotel security guards burst into the room and tackled me, pinning me hard against the floor. I watched as Mark was helped up. He was screaming in pain while simultaneously roaring at me like a madman. “Lock this crazy bitch up! Let her rot in prison! I’m going to make her wish she was dead!” I didn’t cry. I just kept my eyes locked onto the iPad screen. Mia’s photo was still there. Half an hour later, I was handcuffed to a chair in the local police precinct. Mark’s hand was bandaged up like a mummy. He stood in the mediation room, spit flying from his mouth as he yelled. “Officer, this was attempted murder! I’m the victim here! She used a ten-inch boning knife! That crazy bitch was trying to kill me!” The officer taking the statement looked at my stained maternity shirt, then at the baby pacifier sticking out of my purse, and frowned. “A domestic dispute triggered by severe emotional distress does not meet the threshold for attempted murder.” The older officer tapped his pen on the desk. “However, Mrs. Sarah, the fact that you assaulted him with a deadly weapon is undeniable. Based on the medical evaluation, this qualifies as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. If the victim refuses to drop the charges, you are going to prison.” “I refuse!” Mark roared viciously. “I absolutely refuse! I’m not just going to send her to prison, I’m going to sue her for every dime of my medical bills and lost wages! This hand is the hand I use to sign million-dollar contracts! It’s ruined now! Who’s going to compensate me for my lost commissions?!” Just then, the door to the mediation room opened. A woman in a sharp business suit walked in. It was Chloe, the legal counsel for Mark’s company—and the “close confidante” he spent an awful lot of time flirting with. “Director Mark.” She didn’t even glance at me. She walked straight over to Mark and whispered something in his ear. Mark’s expression shifted, and a dark, venomous smile crept across his face. “Fine. Let’s put the prison talk on hold for a second.” He walked over and looked down at me, waving his bandaged hand. “Sarah, I won’t press charges. But I have one condition.” “That contract fell through, and Mr. Lewis is furious. You are going to go to his hotel right now, drop to your knees, and kowtow three times. Then, you’re going to have that brat Mia go to his room, have dinner with him, and apologize personally. If you do that, we’ll call it even.” I snapped my head up, staring daggers at this absolute monster. “In your dreams.” “Dreams?” Mark sneered. He pulled out his phone and tapped on a video he had just received. “Take a look for yourself. This isn’t a dream.” The video was from a hospital. Mia was lying on a gurney, her wrists covered in blood, being rushed into the ER resuscitation room. That photo of her had already been frantically forwarded by the men in that group chat. Someone had even posted it to her college’s anonymous forum. The caption was vile. [The supposed ‘pure’ campus beauty’s explicit photos leaked. Turns out she’s just a cheap slut.] “Your sister called the ambulance. But I cut off the medical payments.” Mark leaned down, his voice an evil whisper in my ear. “Sarah, you can try to be tough. But your daughter doesn’t have the time. Without my signature, all your credit cards are frozen. The ER fees, the ICU bills, plus all those nasty rumors on the internet… how are you going to fix any of that?” “You’re nothing but a useless housewife who only knows how to chop vegetables.” “Without me, you won’t even have the money to pay for your daughter’s funeral.” I slumped in the chair, my body completely devoid of strength. Mark and Chloe turned to leave. “You have until 8 AM tomorrow to think it over. Either agree, or get ready to bury that brat, and then rot in a cell yourself!” The police officers looked at me with pity, but procedure dictated they keep me in a holding cell for the night. It wasn’t until 3 AM that my younger sister managed to scramble enough bail money together to get me out. “Sarah, what were you thinking?!” My sister’s eyes were bloodshot as she drove, crying and scolding me at the same time. “Was it worth throwing your life away over that piece of trash?! Mia is in the ICU right now! They stopped the bleeding, but she hasn’t woken up yet. The doctors said she lost so much blood her organs are failing. She needs transfusions, she needs rehab… it’s going to cost thousands of dollars a day!” “The money…” I opened my mouth, my voice cracked and hoarse. “I’ll find a way to get it.” “Where are you going to get it?!” My sister sobbed in frustration. “Your cards are frozen! Mom and Dad’s savings are locked up because that bastard Mark tricked them into putting it into some long-term mutual fund! They can’t touch it! I only have twenty grand in my checking account, and I already spent ten grand just paying the deposit for the ER!” The city streets blurred past the window, illuminated by the sickly yellow glow of the streetlights. For the past five years, for the sake of this family, so that he could focus on his career, I had resigned from my position as a Design Director making $150,000 a year. I willingly traded my career for an apron. He had said: “I’ll handle the outside world, you handle the home. You are my rock.” And this is how he repaid me. He trampled my dignity behind my back, used my daughter’s privacy as a cheap bargaining chip, and treated all my sacrifices like worthless garbage to be exploited. When we arrived at the hospital, they wouldn’t let us into the ICU. Through the thick observation glass, I saw Mia. She looked so fragile and pale, thick bandages wrapped around her wrists, like a broken doll completely devoid of life. Her phone had been placed in a plastic belongings bag outside the room. The screen was lighting up non-stop. It was flooded with abusive text messages from her classmates, and screenshots of that photo being maliciously shared by countless strangers. [I always knew that innocent act was fake.] [How much for a night? Looks pretty intense.] [I heard your dad pimped you out? You guys have some sick family dynamics.] Every single word was designed to tear her eighteen-year-old soul to shreds. I covered my mouth and crouched in the corner of the hospital corridor, shaking uncontrollably as I wept. My sister had gone down to the cafeteria to get some breakfast. I was alone in the hallway. Suddenly, the sharp click of leather shoes echoed against the marble floor. I looked up and saw Mark walking toward me. He had changed his clothes. His arm was in a sling. Behind him was Chloe, and two massive, intimidating bodyguards. “Have you thought it over?” Mark kicked me hard in the shin. “Mr. Lewis is willing to compromise. If you go over to his hotel right now and show him a good time, he’ll cover half the medical bills upfront.” “And once Mia wakes up, she can go over there too!” I didn’t move. I just stared dead at him. “She is our daughter. Even a tiger won’t eat its own cubs.” “She’s a money drain! And she’s not my blood anyway!” Mark suddenly exploded in rage, pointing a finger at the ICU. “What’s the point of raising her?! Look at this pathetic psychological resilience—she tries to kill herself over one stupid photo?! I spent a fortune putting her through art school so she could marry into a wealthy family and get me business connections! And now look at her! You want me to waste my money saving a defective product?!” “Chloe, give her the paperwork.” Chloe stepped forward and handed me a folder. “Sarah, just sign it. It’s a transfer of guardianship agreement and an assumption of debt form. Director Mark is feeling generous. If you take on all his personal debts and leave the marriage with nothing, he won’t press charges for aggravated assault. He’ll even lend you ten grand for the hospital bills.” I stared at the blood-soaked documents in my hands. So this was it. He wasn’t just trying to pimp out his daughter; he was trying to bleed me dry and leave me drowning in debt for the rest of my life. “I won’t sign.” I used the wall to pull myself up, swaying unsteadily on my feet. “Mark, you’ll have to kill me first.” “You want to do this the hard way?!” Mark shot a look at the two bodyguards. “Grab her! Mr. Lewis likes his women a little unhinged anyway. I think she looks just miserable enough to suit his tastes right now! Drag her out of here!” “What are you doing?! This is a hospital! Help! Somebody help me!” The two massive men lunged forward and grabbed my arms. My sister, returning with a bag of bagels, saw what was happening and screamed, sprinting toward us. “Let go of my sister! You animals!” “Get the fuck out of the way!” Mark kicked my sister in the stomach, sending her sprawling across the floor. The two bodyguards wrenched my arms behind my back and started dragging me toward the elevators. Absolute despair swallowed me whole. This was the VIP wing. It was isolated, and Mark had clearly used his connections to get the nurses to clear the floor. Staring up at the harsh white fluorescent lights, in that moment, I just wanted to drag them all to hell with me. But Mia hadn’t woken up yet. If I died, Mia would fall into the hands of this monster, and her fate would be even worse. I couldn’t die. Not only could I not die, I needed to live better than any of them. I needed to make these animals pay. My hand desperately gripped the small business card hidden deep in my pocket. It belonged to the man I had ruthlessly abandoned on a rainy night, six years ago. Right as they shoved me toward the elevator doors, I summoned every ounce of strength I had and bit down viciously on Mark’s wrist. He yelled in pain and let go. I used my head to smash the elevator call button, pulled out my phone, and dialed the number I had memorized long ago. It rang exactly once before it was answered. “Who is this?” I sucked in a lungful of air that smelled like blood and screamed his name into the receiver. “Liam. It’s Sarah.” “They’re trying to kill my daughter.” “Please… please save us.”

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The Ashworth Group’s annual summit. My mother, Victoria Ashworth, stood on the stage, ready to announce the company’s heir. Everyone in the ballroom, from the board members to the press, turned to look at me—her son, the Vice President of seven years. But the next second, she announced that my cousin, Connor, would inherit the mantle and serve as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. The entire hall erupted in a stunned silence, then a low, confused murmur. I stared at her, shock quickly turning to a trembling rage. “Eight years I’ve run this company, and I’m your son,” I demanded, my voice tight. “Connor just graduated. On what planet does he deserve the CEO position?” My mother’s expression was cold, utterly devoid of warmth. “Because Connor is stronger than you,” she replied. “He will surpass your eight years of accomplishments in one.” I froze. Then, a furious, bitter laugh escaped me, tilting my head back as it echoed through the silence. I knew that wasn’t the real reason. It was her constant need to maintain ‘perfect optics,’ to frame every decision as a sacrifice for the family’s perceived moral integrity. Since she insisted on giving everything that was mine to Connor, time and time again, I would take my core team, start my own empire, and finally stop being her son. … 1 My laughter stunned the entire room. The wide, business-like smile on my mother’s face vanished, replaced by a deep frown. “Did you forget your meds this morning, Ryan? What is this spectacle?” she hissed. “I’ve gone mad, yes,” I countered, dropping the smile and locking eyes with her. “You drove me to it.” “When this company was collapsing, I was the one working under 100-degree heat to land clients, collapsing from heat exhaustion a dozen times to stabilize the situation.” “I designed our breakthrough product, pulled an all-nighter for an entire week, nearly dying on the floor! That product exploded. That’s when we started turning a profit!” Every word I spoke was hard and undeniable. Heads in the crowd nodded in agreement; they all knew the truth of my efforts. Only my mother’s face grew colder. She grit her teeth. “Enough! What is this loud, unseemly shouting? You are embarrassing me!” “I acknowledge you’ve had some accomplishments, but they still don’t measure up to Connor’s. He just returned and already closed the deal with OmniCorp International.” “You,” she finished, a cruel, final twist of the knife, “worked a year and couldn’t seal that agreement.” Hearing that, I felt like I’d been struck by lightning. I was completely blindsided. That deal, the biggest in company history, was my year-long effort—the one that cost me countless red-eye flights and nearly drained my health. My mother had promised to announce the good news at the gala, but instead, she’d just handed the credit to Connor. All to appear fair, all to maintain her perfect, untouchable optics. Connor, stepping in with practiced fake humility, spoke up. “Aunt Victoria, my qualifications aren’t enough. I truly shouldn’t take this CEO spot.” “Let my cousin, Ryan, have it. Please don’t let this ruin your family relationship. I’m happy to serve as his Deputy.” Listen to him. So humble, so magnanimous. It secured him a position, guaranteeing him a comfortable life as the guaranteed runner-up. My mother didn’t even notice the blatant manipulation. She snapped at me again. “Look at Connor, you brat! See how gracious he is! Then look at you—you do nothing but provoke me.” “The CEO position is final. Connor will take it.” “I will fire anyone who objects. Including you.” Her eyes pinned me with a stark, terrifying threat. Beside her, a smug, barely perceptible smirk touched Connor’s lips. The whispers around the room intensified. Some pitied me. Many mocked me. Others were already sucking up to Connor. My heart felt dead. Looking at my mother one last time, I said, “Then let Connor be your son.” “I quit.” The entire hall fell into a perfect, absolute silence. Everyone, including my mother, stared wide-eyed, unable to comprehend that I had just renounced my family. I turned immediately, walking toward the exit. But as I reached the corridor, my mother’s voice followed me. 2 “Ryan.” She grabbed my arm, her manicured nails digging in. “Can you not be an adult for once? Fighting with me in front of all those people? It’s utterly humiliating.” “Connor’s parents died young. We have to take care of him!” “And right now, I have to maintain optics! As soon as I win the Entrepreneur of the Year award, I’ll find a way to get you the CEO spot. Now, come back inside, apologize to everyone, and tell them you’ll gladly be Connor’s Deputy.” I had foolishly thought she was having a change of heart. I had been wrong. This was another brutal blow. “I earned an acceptance to an elite MBA program on my own merit,” I said, my voice raw. “And you revoked my spot and gave it to Connor, who was sleeping through community college.” “You said it was to ‘maintain optics.’” “You said he was poor and lonely and I had to yield.” “You said you’d let me go later.” “But what was the result?” I looked up at her, demanding an answer she couldn’t give. This pattern had repeated my entire life. When I excelled in school, I was pulled out of the best programs. My mother always cited ‘optics.’ But she immediately leveraged her influence to slip the underperforming Connor into the exact spots I had been denied. For years, I wondered if I simply wasn’t good enough, if I hadn’t tried hard enough to earn her approval. Now, I finally understood: no matter how high I climbed, I would never be enough. I would never be worth more than a single word: “Optics.” It was as if I’d ripped a hidden secret from her chest. My mother’s face reddened with rage. “Ryan, if you continue this tantrum, you will never be allowed back in this company!” Her gaze was icy and full of pure threat. “Fine.” This time, I didn’t back down. I turned and walked away. She stood there, frozen. Her mouth opened, as if to yell or plead, but in the end, she said nothing. Stepping out of the hotel, the frigid December air was like my mother’s cold words—bitter, piercing, and sharp enough to cut through my heart. “Mom,” I whispered to the wind. “I have the ability to stand on my own, even without you.” Taking a deep breath, I pulled out my phone and messaged Sasha, a graduate student I knew from the city’s investment circles: Heard you’re loaded and have nowhere to put your cash. Interested in investing in me? [I am!] Sasha replied instantly. [Meet me at the usual spot tonight. We can talk about it. Might even show you the new abs I’ve been working on!] I cracked a small, weary smile. Since she found out I’d broken up with my girlfriend, she loved to tease me. I headed home to pack. The moment I walked through the door, I found my father, Robert Ashworth, already sitting on the sofa. “Dad, I…” Before I could finish, he snatched a throw pillow from the couch and threw it at my face. “Why did you publicly undermine your mother? Why do you constantly target Connor?” “It’s just a CEO position. The name is still Ashworth. Why does it matter who sits there?” He had already heard everything. And as expected, there was no comfort, no warmth. Only a torrent of accusation. I took a slow, deep breath. “It’s all Ashworth. Why does it matter who your son is?” I replied simply. “Let Connor call you Mom and Dad from now on.” I had no energy left for a fight. “You—” My father lunged forward, his open palm cracking against my cheek. “It’s because you are always so childish and disrespectful! That’s why you don’t deserve the CEO position!” I swallowed the metallic taste of blood and suddenly laughed. “Dad.” “I’m childish? I’m disrespectful?” “Tell me, since you brought Connor home, haven’t I given him everything—the best food, the best toys, the best opportunities?” “The private school spot, the MBA program, you gave them all to him. I even took the fall that time he hit someone with the car.” “In college, you kept me deliberately poor for ‘optics,’ giving me a miserable hundred dollars a week for groceries, while Connor got three thousand dollars a week in allowance.” “Did I ever rebel? Have I not been obedient enough?” Faced with my quiet, devastating inventory, my father was struck silent. I didn’t linger. I walked into my room, quickly tossed a few belongings into a duffel bag, and prepared to leave. “What is this? Running away?” my father called out. There was no regret in his voice, only outrage. I didn’t answer. I just walked silently out the front door. His final shout chased me down the driveway: “Ryan Ashworth! So you didn’t get the CEO spot! Don’t be so melodramatic!” “You ungrateful, disrespectful son! If you walk out that door tonight, don’t ever come back! I’ll pretend I never had a son!” 3 I’d heard those words too many times since childhood. But there was a foolish, stubborn hope for kinship, a desire for recognition that always held me back. This time, I slammed the front door behind me. The cold wind outside felt better than the false warmth inside that house. I didn’t have a car. My mother said it was to maintain optics—she didn’t want people to accuse her of spoiling me. My father said Connor didn’t have a driver’s license yet, and they didn’t want him to feel bad. I reached the curb when a high-end luxury sedan screeched to a halt beside me. The window powered down, revealing the stunning face of Sasha. I slid into the passenger seat. “Why are you here? I thought we were meeting at the usual place?” “The whole city knows you disowned your family,” Sasha replied, pulling out into traffic. I blinked, then opened my phone. The news feeds were already buzzing. [Ashworth Group Discards Son, Appoints Nephew to Take Over Family Empire. Major Gala Planned for Tomorrow to Celebrate!] [Breaking: Ryan Ashworth Chooses to Cut Ties with Parents, Reportedly Homeless!] The gossip mill moved fast. Seconds later, I saw texts from my parents: [Without the Ashworth name, who will recognize you? I advise you to think carefully!] [Don’t be so selfish! Come home immediately and apologize to your mother and Connor. Beg their forgiveness. Otherwise, you’ll starve on the streets, and no one will bury you.] I didn’t reply. I just laughed. Starve? No one will recognize my face? We would see. I followed Sasha into a chic, dimly lit cocktail lounge. As I looked up, a familiar silhouette came into view, and my pupils instantly constricted. It was Tara, my childhood sweetheart, my ex-girlfriend. At this very moment, she was nestled in Connor’s arms, a sickeningly sweet smile plastered across her face. “Oh, senior,” Sasha murmured, rolling her eyes. “You’re such a goof. They were hooking up the whole time they were studying abroad.” Boom. My head felt like it had been hit with a wrecking ball. I felt utterly ridiculous. My parents had actually tried to tell me a long time ago to hand Tara over to Connor. Their absurd reason: they worried people would say they used the Ashworth power to pressure her into marrying me. I had refused violently, enduring a brutal, public shaming from my mother—a deliberate cutting of resources and reputation—yet I still wouldn’t let go. Later, Tara went abroad. We stayed long-distance for four years, and I paid for everything. But the day she returned, she broke up with me. Her eyes were red when she said it. “Ryan, the pressure from your parents is too much. They will never approve of us. We have to break up. I don’t want to drag you down.” She blocked me everywhere. I spent months wallowing in a confused, self-flagellating guilt, convinced I hadn’t given her the security she needed. This scene before me was a slap in the face. Tara saw me and her eyes widened in surprise. She quickly dropped her head, but Connor forcibly grabbed her hand and pulled her over. “Cousin Ryan.” Connor smiled, a poisonous, sickly sweet expression. “I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while, but I didn’t know how to bring it up. Please don’t be mad.” “Tara and I? We’re true love!” A cold fury exploded in my chest. I raised my hand to punch him. But Tara swiftly stepped in front of Connor. “Enough, Ryan!” “Do you have any respect for yourself as an older brother? How dare you try to hit Connor!” 4 I stood there, my arm trembling. “Why… why would you do this?” Tara stayed silent for a few seconds, then replied, “Because you’re a cast-off! Connor is the pride of your aunt and uncle! The future heir of the Ashworth family!” The words hit me like a physical blow. A scythe had just hacked a piece of my heart out. I laughed, the sound hollow. Love. Kinship. Both utterly worthless in the face of cold, hard profit. Sasha started to step forward to argue, but I stopped her, grabbing her arm and turning away. More words were pointless. The only thing left was to prove with success who was stronger, who would shine brighter, and who would have the final laugh. “Cousin.” Connor rushed up behind me. “My corporate celebration dinner is tomorrow! You simply must come.” He handed me an invitation, his mouth curled into a mocking smile. I realized then: this meeting wasn’t accidental. Connor had set this up. Why else would he be carrying an invitation with him? “I’d be delighted.” I took the envelope. I walked out, a cold smile forming on my lips. As we got into Sasha’s car, I turned to her. “I need a favor.” “Don’t worry,” Sasha said, patting her chest. “Everything for tomorrow is already set.” We exchanged a look. No more words were needed. We understood each other completely. The next day, I arrived promptly at the grand hotel where my mother was hosting Connor’s celebration dinner. The guests hadn’t arrived yet. My parents, Connor, and Tara were all standing together, their faces hardening when they saw me. “Hmph.” My mother sneered. “Look how considerate Connor is. He still remembers to invite you, no matter what. And you? All you know is petty jealousy!” “Apologize to your mother and Connor,” my father added, following her lead. “We’ll let yesterday go. This is your last chance to be sensible.” They weren’t even trying to hide their satisfaction with Connor and Tara’s relationship. It seemed their ‘optics’ crusade was just a tool to separate Tara and me so they could secretly push her toward Connor. “Cousin, there are no grudges that last overnight in a family. Just humble yourself,” Connor mocked, his smile wide. Tara, beside him, quickly chimed in. “They were kind enough to offer you the Deputy position, Ryan. It’s a recognition of your limited abilities. You should be grateful.” I met their patronizing statements with a disdainful smile. “Who said I was here to attend the banquet?” My parents frowned, then burst into scornful laughter, thinking I had lost my mind. Just then, a long line of luxury cars began pulling up outside. “Come on,” my mother snapped, pushing past me. “Forget this disrespectful brat. Let’s greet our guests.” She led my father, Connor, and Tara to the entrance. The city’s elite had arrived. But they all stopped at the hotel door and wouldn’t move inside. My mother looked confused. “Everyone, what are you waiting for? Please come in!” No one moved. “They’re waiting for my permission.” I slowly walked to the door, placing myself at the head of the assembled crowd.

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Everyone said I was a lucky, spoiled princess. I had doting parents and a loving fiancé, Liam Sterling. They spoiled me into becoming the most arrogant heiress in the city. Then, my dad brought home Chloe Vance, the daughter of his late army buddy. She was gentle, sensible, and eager to cook, clean, and do all the chores. In her second month here, my fiancé canceled our engagement and publicly pursued Chloe. My parents were furious. They held me and coaxed me for hours, then pointed at him and yelled, “Don’t you ever regret this! Even if you beg on your knees, we will never let our daughter marry you!” By Chloe’s third month, my dad had cut ties with me and legally adopted her. In the empty house, it was just my mom and me left. I cried and hugged her. “Mom, I promise I won’t be a brat anymore. Please don’t abandon me, okay?” She stroked my head and comforted me. “You will always be Mom’s precious baby.” Until later… when I had a high fever that wouldn’t break, my mom told me she had to work overtime and that I needed to be stronger. I went to the hospital alone and was diagnosed with terminal cancer. On my way back, I saw my mom carefully decorating a birthday cake for Chloe. Heartbroken and utterly lost, I called the doctor. “Can you help me book… euthanasia abroad for the day after tomorrow?” I really had been spoiled by them. I couldn’t even endure the pain of the treatments. 1 It was very late, and Mom still hadn’t come home. I looked around the empty house, shivering and hugging my arms tight. Even if she was celebrating Chloe’s birthday, it was past midnight. It should be over by now… I couldn’t help it; I called her. But several calls went unanswered. I was too worried. With my body burning up, I forced myself out the door. Chloe’s rented apartment wasn’t far; a ten-minute walk. Before I even knocked, I heard laughter from inside. It was Mom’s laugh. I froze for a moment but knocked anyway. Chloe opened the door. Surprise flashed in her eyes, quickly replaced by a sweet smile. “Sister, what are you doing here?” I didn’t answer, just looked past her into the apartment. In the living room were Dad, Mom, and Liam. On the coffee table sat a birthday cake, the candles unlit. It was the cake Mom had made for her. Seeing me, Mom looked embarrassed. Dad frowned. “Why are you here?” Liam didn’t even look my way. I looked at Mom and asked tentatively, “Mom, it’s really late. Can you… come home with me?” She was silent for a while before answering, “Elena, I need to take care of Chloe from now on. I can’t go back with you. The house is yours, you… take good care of yourself.” My fingers twitched. Chloe suddenly grabbed my hand, smiling. “Sister, let’s eat cake together. Mom made it herself.” She pulled hard, and I tried to pull my hand back. Right then, Chloe let out a sharp cry and stumbled backward, her knee hitting the corner of the coffee table. She clutched her knee, tears instantly welling up. “Sister, why… why did you push me?” I was stunned. I didn’t push her. Dad immediately stood up, helped Chloe, and glared at me. “Are you here to bully Chloe again?!” Liam sneered. “Elena, can’t you just give it a rest?” Mom looked awkward, wanting to say something, but ultimately went to comfort Chloe first. “Chloe, sweetie, does it hurt? Let Mom see.” I stood in the doorway, completely superfluous. Drawn by the commotion, Chloe’s neighbors peeked out to watch the drama. “Is that the Sterling family’s heiress? I heard she’s incredibly spoiled.” “Tsk, a grown woman still bullying people. No wonder no one wants her.” I didn’t explain. The old me would have cried, screamed, and insisted, “I didn’t push her!” But now, I just stood quietly, watching them defend Chloe. It was like watching a play that had nothing to do with me. I turned and dragged my exhausted body away. Behind me, I could hear Chloe’s sobs and their comforting voices. Walking down the dark, empty street, my phone pinged. It was an email from the hospital—confirmation of the organ donation form. I offered a weak smile and replied, confirming. This was for the best. They had Chloe now. When I was dead, Mom, Dad, and Liam probably wouldn’t even be sad. 2 By the time I got home, the sun hadn’t risen yet. Looking at the mountain of gifts in my room and the family portrait on the wall, it all suddenly felt very foreign. I couldn’t help but think back to the days when I was cherished. Growing up, I was the luckiest, most pampered girl in the city. When I was sick, Mom and Dad would stay up all night with me. If I craved something at 2 AM, Liam would drive across town to get it. If I threw a tantrum, all three of them would carefully coax me back to happiness. Until two months ago, when Chloe arrived. At their first meeting, Dad said, “This girl is so sensible, not fragile like you.” When Chloe did chores, Mom said, “You should learn from Chloe.” When Chloe never complained, Liam said, “Chloe is so strong, you need to grow up.” Gradually, from being the apple of their eye, I became the one who was “lesser than Chloe.” I blinked. Dawn was breaking. Today was my last trip to the hospital. I needed to get checked to see if I met the criteria for organ donation. The blood draw room at the hospital was crowded. I sat on a chair, waiting for my number. “Elena Sterling.” I stood up and walked in. The nurse looked up and froze. “Sister, what are you doing here?” It was Chloe. She was wearing a nurse’s uniform, doing her internship here. I said nothing and extended my arm. She picked up the needle, searching for a vein. My veins are very thin; she tried twice but couldn’t find one. The moment the needle pierced my skin, it hurt. I couldn’t help it; tears spilled over. The patients waiting in line started whispering: “Why can’t this nurse get it right?” “She made the poor girl cry from the pain.” Chloe’s face turned bright red, and she apologized guiltily. “I’m sorry, sister, I’ll try again.” I kept my head down, tears falling drop by drop. Just then, the door swung open. It was Dad, Mom, and Liam. They had come to bring Chloe breakfast. Seeing me cry, Dad frowned. “Elena, can’t you be a little stronger? Stop making trouble for Chloe.” Mom whispered, “Elena… stop crying, everyone is watching. It looks like Chloe is bullying you.” Liam looked impatient. “You deliberately picked a fight on her birthday yesterday, and today you come to her workplace to cause a scene! There’s a limit to your bratty behavior! Bully Chloe again, and I won’t hold back.” Then, they started explaining to the onlookers: “She’s been spoiled since she was little. She always picks on Chloe like this.” The crowd started whispering again. “So she came here to cause trouble. I was wondering why she cried over a little needle.” “Isn’t this basically harassing a healthcare worker? That’s too much!” “I know this girl. She’s unreasonable and loves bullying people. Even her parents couldn’t take it and moved out.” I hung my head silently, letting Chloe jab my arm a few more times before she finally drew blood. My tears kept falling. Drip. Drip. Mom, Dad, and Liam, who used to panic over my slightest discomfort, were now entirely focused on comforting Chloe. I wiped my tears and thought: This is the last time it will hurt. It’s okay. The flight is already booked. This afternoon. Soon, everything will be over. 3 Back home, I started packing. My suitcase was small because I didn’t need to bring much. The house deed and my savings passbook were left on the table. Along with a letter: “I’m leaving the house to Mom; split the money however you want. I’m going somewhere far away, don’t look for me. Chloe is much better suited to be your daughter and fiancée. Thank you for loving me once.” I looked at the empty house, dragged my suitcase, and walked out. Without looking back. Everything went smoothly. Lying on the hospital bed waiting for the euthanasia procedure, I still felt a bit dazed. The doctor was very skilled. He found the vein on the first try. It only hurt a tiny bit. I was very satisfied. I watched the liquid slowly flow into my body. Blinking, I thought: Dad, Mom, and Liam are probably with Chloe right now. I hope with Chloe there, they will always be happy… Meanwhile, at Chloe’s apartment. The three of them sat in the living room, looking anxious. Dad said, “We’ve kept this act up long enough. It’s time to stop.” Mom nodded. “Yes, seeing her cry yesterday broke my heart.” She glared at Dad, complaining, “It’s all your fault! You wouldn’t let me go hug Elena. Imagine how hurt she must have been.” Liam smiled. “Mom, Dad, I have a gift ready. I’m going to surprise her later to cheer her up.” Dad glared back. “Do you think you’re the only one who cares about Elena? You think it didn’t hurt me? We did this for her own good! She was too spoiled. She’d suffer once she got into the real world. But no pain, no gain. After this, she’ll definitely be more obedient, she’ll understand how good we are to her, and she’ll appreciate us more.” Mom smiled too. “If Elena could be even a tenth as well-behaved and sensible as Chloe, I’d wake up laughing from my dreams.” Thinking of an obedient Elena, amusement flashed in Liam’s eyes. “I can’t wait to go back and see her.” Chloe sat nearby, wanting to speak but hesitating. She remembered Elena’s eyes yesterday—empty, despairing. “Uncle, Auntie, Liam… what if Elena… is actually really angry?” The three of them laughed. “She won’t be. She loves us the most.” Dad checked his watch. “Let’s skip lunch and head back now. Don’t want to keep Elena waiting.” They laughed and chatted as they headed back, planning exactly how to “apologize.” Completely unaware that I was already gone. 4 They pushed open the door to the Sterling house and called out, “Elena, we’re home!” They were met with total silence. Mom frowned. “Where did she go?” Dad checked the rooms. “No one here.” Liam pulled out his phone and called her. “It’s turned off.” Mom walked into the living room and saw the items on the table. The house deed. The passbook. And a letter. Her hands shook as she picked it up and read it aloud: “I’m leaving the house to Mom; split the money however you want. I’m going somewhere far away, don’t look for me. Chloe is much better suited to be your daughter and fiancée. Thank you for loving me once.” The three of them froze. Dad: “Did she… did she run away from home?” Mom: “Where could she go? She’s definitely still throwing a tantrum.” Liam: “Don’t panic yet. I’ll ask her friends.” They started making frantic calls. “Have you seen Elena?” “No.” “Has she contacted you?” “No.” Everyone said the same thing. Panic began to set in. Mom suddenly remembered something and rushed into Elena’s room, pulling an envelope from a drawer. It was a medical report. She opened it, and her face turned ghostly pale. The report read: Cancer, terminal stage. Immediate hospitalization recommended. Date: Three days ago. Mom’s hands shook so violently the report fluttered to the floor. Dad and Liam rushed over to look. Their faces drained of all color.

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My husband insisted I take my car to a specific luxury auto shop for maintenance every week. Since then, my car started having frequent malfunctions. Once, it almost caused a fatal crash. When my husband found out, he just coldly replied, “You didn’t die, did you? Is there a need to make such a big deal out of it?” Until yesterday, when I asked him to pick up the car for me. He got into an accident on the way back. When I rushed to the hospital, a young girl with red, swollen eyes screamed at me: “What gave you the right to make Ethan pick up your car? If you weren’t so lazy, he wouldn’t have gotten hurt!” “Do you have any idea he fractured his leg and broke his ribs?” Her tone was incredibly self-righteous, like she was scolding a servant who had done wrong. It wasn’t just me; all the friends and family who came to visit Ethan Vance were stunned. Ethan gave her a doting look, then turned to coax me: “She’s just a young girl fiercely defending a client. She speaks her mind, don’t take it personally.” It was only then that I realized: Ethan had bought that auto shop and given it to her. Chapter 1 I stared calmly at the crying, tear-stained girl until she exhausted herself and stopped. “Are you done? My turn.” “How many times has your dealership made this kind of amateur mistake? If you don’t give me a reasonable explanation, you can explain it to the NYPD and the Vance family’s legal team.” The girl’s face went pale. She looked helplessly at the man on the hospital bed. Ethan’s expression shifted. “Victoria, it was my own driving error. It has nothing to do with her. I’ve already handled the accident.” “Your driving error?” I raised an eyebrow, looking straight at him. “How is it?” Ethan coughed. “I’m fine. Besides a fractured tibia and a mild concussion, there’s no need to…” I cut him off. “I was asking about the car.” Stung by my coldness, the girl’s voice pitched up again. “Ethan is hospitalized, and you only care about a car?! Do you have a conscience?!” “You must be Lily Dawson, right?” I crossed my arms slowly, looking at her without a trace of emotion. “First, that car is worth eighteen million dollars. It’s a global limited edition.” “Second, Ethan is my legally wedded husband. Is there a problem with him picking up my car?” “And finally…” I paused, my gaze dropping to her hand tightly gripping Ethan’s hospital gown. “You are just a college student Ethan sponsored. In what capacity are you standing here interrogating me?” Lily flushed bright red. She instinctively let go but still tried to defend herself. “I… I just feel bad for Ethan!” “You could have easily picked up the car yourself, but you forced him to make the trip. Now that he’s in an accident, you don’t even have a single word of concern…” I glanced at a text message my assistant just sent me and let out a cold laugh. “You should probably save that pity for yourself.” “The damage assessment is out. The estimated repair cost is upwards of three million dollars. Will that be cash or card?” Lily’s knees gave out, and she swayed, glaring at me with a mix of defiance and grief. “Th-Three million? That’s extortion!” She then looked pitifully at Ethan. “Ethan…” Ethan propped himself up. The movement pulled at his injuries, and he rubbed his temples in pain. “Victoria, she just graduated. She’s still a kid. Where would she get three million? Stop scaring her.” “It was my mistake anyway. I’ll pay you for the repairs.” Lily’s eyes lit up instantly, a smug curve appearing at the corner of her mouth. I looked at him, mocking, “You really are a knight in shining armor. Wasn’t buying her a luxury dealership enough?” Ethan clearly didn’t expect me to know about that. His expression froze. Lily lost her previous bravado. Biting her lip, she explained, “Victoria, if you’re angry, take it out on me. Don’t blame Ethan. He only helped me out of pity.” Ethan sighed and waved Lily off. “This has nothing to do with you. Go home for now.” Lily kept her head down, looking back at Ethan every three steps as she walked to the door. Just before leaving, she quickly rushed back. She pressed a beautifully decorated glass jar into Ethan’s palm. She looked up at him, her eyes glistening and pitiful, radiating a sticky, undeniable affection. Anyone with eyes could tell they were sleeping together. Lily pursed her lips and reluctantly left. As she passed me, she whispered an explanation: “Victoria, it was my oversight. I let Ethan drive the car away before the inspection was fully complete, and that’s why the accident happened.” “Please don’t misunderstand. That jar is full of origami lucky stars I folded myself, praying for his leg to heal quickly.” The inspection wasn’t complete? But the shop had literally called to tell me the car was ready for pickup. That time my brakes failed… was that an “incomplete inspection” too? Chapter 2 “Victoria, I’ve been meaning to find a time to tell you about the dealership.” Ethan’s voice pulled me back to reality. It was just the two of us in the room now. He put on a smile, carefully set the glass jar aside, and reached out for my hand. “She just graduated, and it was her birthday. It was just a gift. Don’t tell me my CEO wife is actually jealous?” He said it so casually, as if he had just given away a cheap stuffed animal. I stepped sideways, avoiding his touch. “Is this your type now?” A sudden silence fell over the room. Ethan’s face changed slightly, and he rubbed his brow. “I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you’d overthink it.” “Lily and I are completely innocent. We…” “I don’t care.” I cut him off dismissively. “I didn’t catch you in bed, true. But I, Victoria Vance, do not tolerate sand in my eyes. Ethan, you better drop whatever inappropriate thoughts you’re entertaining, or I will tear this marriage apart.” Ethan looked up, staring at me in disbelief. “You don’t trust me?” I looked down at him, my eyes completely dead. My silence was the most direct answer. He wanted to say more, but his phone on the bedside table rang right on cue. The name “Lily” flashing on the screen was glaringly obvious. Ethan hesitated before answering. Lily’s soft, fragile voice immediately floated out: “Ethan, is Victoria giving you a hard time? Even if she’s angry, please don’t fight with her, okay?” “I ordered some bone broth from that Michelin restaurant you like. I was afraid Victoria might misunderstand, so I didn’t bring it up myself.” In just two sentences, she managed to act like the sweet victim while sneakily reminding me of her intimacy with my husband. I stood frozen. Ethan caught a glimpse of my face and quickly hung up. I sneered internally, too exhausted to keep playing these fake games with him, and turned to walk out of the ward. “Victoria!” Ethan called out frantically. “Are you really mad?” “I promise I’ll stay far away from her from now on. I’ll never contact her again. Just please don’t be so cold to me.” “My leg hurts…” I turned my head slightly, my voice dropping below freezing. “If it hurts, call a doctor. I have a company to run. Get some rest.” Stepping out of the hospital, the cold New York wind hit my face, slightly suppressing the violent rage building in my chest. I pulled out my phone and called my assistant. “Do a deep background check on Lily Dawson. I suspect my last brake failure is connected to her.” The last time I got my car serviced there, the brakes failed on the highway. I had to crash into a median just to avoid a fatal pileup. That night, on Ethan’s orders, the regional manager of a high-end jewelry brand personally brought dozens of priceless pieces to our penthouse for me to choose from. “Mr. Vance treats you so well. Having a husband this devoted is truly enviable.” I glanced over the diamonds, feeling nothing but irony. “Didn’t you know? The night a man cheats, he’ll tell his wife ‘I love you’ a hundred times just to alleviate his own guilt.” Ethan thought I was just throwing a tantrum. He thought I was like those upper-east-side socialite wives who cry and scream when they catch their husbands cheating, only to be bought off with a Birkin bag and some diamonds. But he forgot. I am Victoria Vance. The sole heir to the Vance corporate empire. I took over the family business at eighteen and carved out a bloody path on Wall Street by twenty-two. I married him at twenty-five in a strategic business alliance—not because I couldn’t live without him, but out of respect for our fathers’ friendship. And because he promised me a lifetime of absolute loyalty. The hilarious part? It only took five short years for him to completely throw those vows out the window. Chapter 3 The next day, I received a friend request from Lily on WhatsApp. The note read: “Victoria, I want to explain what happened with your car’s maintenance.” I was incredibly busy that day. After back-to-back meetings, I had to fly to Chicago in the evening for my uncle’s birthday banquet. It wasn’t until I got off the plane that I accepted her request. Lily immediately sent a voice memo. The gist of it was that the mechanic who serviced my car was a temp who had abandoned his post, and they couldn’t reach him. I didn’t reply. As I backed out of the chat, my finger slipped and opened her social media feed. Her latest post was from half an hour ago. The photo showed Ethan sitting on the sofa in our Hampton villa, drinking soup. In the background, I could clearly see the oil painting I bought at auction for a fortune, and the custom-made Italian rug. What burned my eyes most was that Lily was wearing my favorite silk pajamas and slippers. She was leaning intimately against him, smiling brightly, holding up a peace sign for the selfie. The caption: “Finally get to take care of you while you’re sick! Even though I’ve been misunderstood, the truth will speak for itself. Made you this bone broth from scratch. Hope you get better soon! ❤️” I took a screenshot and sent it to Ethan: “Staying in my house, wearing my clothes, getting cozy with my husband. Is this your definition of ‘completely innocent’?!” Ethan replied instantly: “Victoria, Lily spilled some soup on her clothes while cooking, so she just borrowed yours temporarily. She’s just trying to be kind, don’t overthink it.” I sneered and typed back: “Kind?” “More like the soup is an excuse to sneak into my house and steal my husband. Wearing my clothes to play the good little wife. What? Does she think playing cuckoo bird will make her the lady of the house?” “Can you stop being so bitter?” Ethan’s tone shifted. “You’re never around. She went out of her way to take care of me. Can’t you be a little more tolerant?” “Victoria, you never used to be like this. When did you become so overbearing and heartless?” Staring at the screen, I laughed out of pure anger. Overbearing? Heartless? When the Sterling Group’s supply chain snapped, I was the one who ruthlessly led my team through a month of sleepless nights to secure the critical funding he needed. When his father was dying, I—the “heartless” one—dropped a billion-dollar M&A deal to sleep on a cot in his hospital room for two weeks. He used to say my decisiveness and ruthlessness in the boardroom were the things he admired most about me. Now that he has a sweet, gentle little angel by his side, I’m suddenly too overbearing and bitter? Because my aunt insisted I stay a bit longer, I didn’t catch a flight back until the morning of the third day. The smart lock hadn’t been replaced, but my fingerprint had been deleted. I stood at the door and rang the bell. The person who opened it was Lily. This time, she was wearing Ethan’s button-down shirt. The hem barely covered her thighs, and her hair was wet, like she had just stepped out of the shower. “Victoria?” She sounded shocked. “Why are you back? Ethan is still sleeping…” I cut her off. “I can’t return to my own house?” “Move!” “I didn’t mean it like that.” She stubbornly blocked the doorway. “But Ethan is resting, and you look like you’re in a bad mood. I’m afraid you’ll disturb him…” I didn’t have the patience for her garbage. I shoved her hard out of the way. “Get out of my way!” The commotion woke Ethan. He came out of the master bedroom on crutches. Seeing the explosive tension, he frowned. “What’s going on here?” Chapter 4 Before Lily even opened her mouth, the tears started flowing. “Ethan, I’m sorry. You were so tired last night, I just wanted to let you sleep a little longer. I didn’t mean to offend Victoria.” She sobbed, her shoulders hitching, looking like a brutally bullied little bunny. Yet the tips of her ears were conspicuously flushed red. Ethan turned his head and coughed twice before speaking: “Victoria, you’re really misunderstanding Lily. Apologize to her.” I ignored him and sat down on the sofa. I looked up and noticed that the framed photo of Ethan and me on the display shelf was gone. In its place was the glass jar filled with Lily’s origami lucky stars. Lingerie that definitely didn’t belong to me was scattered across the coffee table. “No wonder you tried to block the door. You two have been busy, haven’t you, Ethan?” Lily scrambled crying to pick up the underwear. “These are mine. I… I washed them, I was just letting them dry here…” “Drying them in the living room?” I scoffed. “Can Ethan even satisfy you with a broken leg?” Lily’s face burned crimson. She stammered: “Victoria, you… you really misunderstood. Ethan and I haven’t done anything.” “Enough!” Ethan glared at me impatiently. “Victoria, do you have to use such filthy language to humiliate her?” “She’s just an innocent young girl. She’s not like you, with a head full of endless calculations!” I raised my eyes to him. “What exactly am I calculating?” “You’re calculating how to embarrass her, how to ruin her reputation, how to make me your obedient dog, revolving around you and only you forever!” Ethan grew more agitated as he spoke. “Yes, I let her stay here! But absolutely nothing happened between us!” “She took care of me, and I’m grateful to her. It’s that simple! Why do you always have to assume the absolute worst of people?” “I don’t care how dirty your heart is.” I pulled a document from my bag. “What I do care about is the fact that six months ago, you used corporate funds and resources to open a luxury car dealership for her. A twenty-million-dollar investment labeled as a ‘charitable grant.’” “Ethan, did the board of directors approve that? How does ’embezzling corporate funds to keep a mistress’ sound as a headline?” Ethan’s face turned ashen. “You investigated me?! She is not my mistress!” “Then what is she?” I stood up and walked over to Lily. “Ms. Dawson, why don’t you tell us? What are you?” Lily bit her lip. “I… I just admire Ethan. I’m so grateful for everything he’s done for me, so I came to take care of him for a few days…” “Admire him enough to wear my clothes and sleep in my bed?” I pointed at the master bedroom door, which was left slightly ajar. “Ethan, I saw you both come out of the master bedroom with my own eyes. How do you explain that?” Ethan gritted his teeth. “Believe what you want. Lily slept on the floor to keep an eye on me. We didn’t do anything!” “I really don’t care if you slept together or not.” I put away the financial document and dropped a divorce agreement onto the coffee table. My tone left absolutely no room for negotiation. “Ethan, revoke her ownership of that dealership, sign this divorce agreement like a good boy, and we’ll split the assets according to our prenup. We can end this with some dignity.” “Otherwise, I will sue you for embezzlement and marital infidelity, and I’ll report you to the board. Do you want to bet whether those old foxes will use this excuse to kick you out of your own company?”

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On Christmas Eve, the sixth year of our marriage, the family was having dinner. George’s father, whose dementia was advancing, suddenly spoke up out of the blue: “Did you prepare the savings bond for my grandson?” “I miss him so much. It’s a shame he’s not with us for the holidays this year.” George was an only child, and we had only one daughter, Ruby, who was five. I froze, assuming the old man was just confused again. I laughed gently and explained: “Dad, George and I only have one daughter, Ruby. Where would a grandson come from?” “Right, honey?” George was holding his fork, and he mumbled an unnatural acknowledgement. Before I could process it, I heard his father say again: “It’s the grandson. George took me to see him. He lives right downstairs.” I went still. There was someone living downstairs: a newly moved-in single mother. And she did have a child—a five-year-old boy. After a brief, suffocating silence, I put down my napkin, walked into the kitchen, and pulled a pan of warm rolls out of the oven. Smiling at George, who was just about to stammer out an explanation, I said: “You two go on and eat. I’m going to take a basket of these rolls down to the new neighbor downstairs.” 1 From closing the kitchen door to stepping into the elevator, I took exactly thirty seconds. Thirty seconds later, I was standing outside the apartment of the woman who, according to my father-in-law, housed his five-year-old grandson. Knock. Knock. “Who is it?” The door opened. A woman younger than me, with a low, slightly messy braid, stood in the entryway. She looked pale, trying for a veneer of confused innocence. My gut told me immediately: She was the one. As soon as she saw me, her composure shattered. Her face went a shocking white, and her hands began to shake uncontrollably, as if I were some kind of nightmare she had tried to suppress. “C-can I help you?” A boy ran up behind her. “Mommy, who is it?” “Go back to your room!” The woman shrieked, her voice shaking with panic. Yet, she had the nerve to live one floor below me, separated from my home, my husband, and my daughter by only a thin layer of concrete. “I’m your upstairs neighbor.” I cut straight to the chase, right in front of her child. “I was curious. My father-in-law mentioned that your son is his beloved grandson.” The woman’s hand instantly tightened on the doorknob. Her eyes, filled with dread, darted back to her curious son, before she forced a thin smile and offered her explanation. “Oh, that. It’s because I ran into your… husband when I was picking my son up from kindergarten one day.” She struggled over the word “husband,” and I caught the flicker of deep resentment in her eyes. “He told me your father-in-law is very ill and dreams of having a grandson, so he specially asked me to play a part, just to fulfill the old man’s wish.” “I’m truly sorry if this has caused you any trouble.” It was an impeccably airtight explanation. It not only cleared her name but also subtly threw shade at me for failing to give the old man a grandson. I might have believed her if I hadn’t noticed the framed photo on the wall behind her. It was a picture of a seemingly perfect family of three, standing beneath the twinkling lights of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. The man’s face was blurred, deliberately obscured. The woman, however, was clearly the one standing in front of me. I zeroed in on the photo. The date printed on the corner was January 8th—my daughter Ruby’s fifth birthday. George had told me he had a mandatory, last-minute business trip and couldn’t make it home from the airport. Apparently, his “business trip” was a photo shoot under the most romantic holiday display in New York. I glanced down at the entryway again. In the shoe cabinet, a pair of men’s size 11 Italian leather loafers were tucked intimately beside the woman’s nude stilettos, glaringly close. I remembered clearly: George wore a size 11. My hand, holding the basket of warm rolls, clenched until my knuckles were white. I forced myself to act nonchalant and handed the basket to her. “Happy Holidays,” I said. “Th-thank you.” The woman nervously reached out. A flash of gold on her wrist burned my eyes. It was a gold bangle, identical to the one I was wearing. “That’s a beautiful bangle… is it solid gold?” I stared at her wrist, my heart hammering. Because I knew that the one on my wrist was fake. George’s words echoed back to me: “Sophia, the price of gold is crazy right now. It’s not a smart buy. I’ll get you a gold-plated one for now—a placeholder. When the market dips, I’ll buy you the real one.” He had sounded so sincere. I hadn’t thought twice, happily accepting the cheaper substitute. I’d even posted about it on Instagram: A million dollars is nothing compared to your truth. Thinking of that post, which was still pinned to the top of my profile, my smile nearly cracked. The woman’s face, already pale, went completely ashen. But then, a look of haughty defiance flashed in her eyes. Her chin tilted up slightly, a deliberate challenge. “Of course, it’s real. George took me to the jewelry district himself to pick it out. It’s a full fifty grams of solid gold.” “He said that even though gold is expensive, if I love it, the money is never an issue.” “Unlike some people who settle for a gold-plated token. A woman has to treat herself well, don’t you agree?” I nodded, a soft laugh escaping me. “You’re absolutely right.” “Happy Holidays.” With that, I placed the basket in her trembling hands and turned, walking toward the elevator. I didn’t go back upstairs. I went straight down to the complex’s private garden. From there, I called my father, who was still at his office in Manhattan. He was the CEO of Harrington Global, and George’s direct, though distant, boss. “Dad, I’m changing my mind.” I deleted the Instagram post bragging about George’s devotion. My voice was unnervingly calm. “Cancel the Senior Vice President role you were planning to give George, and cancel the private medical team for his father. Get me the best divorce lawyer in the state. I’m leaving George.” “Yes, he’s cheating.” “And the child is the same age as Ruby.” 2 When I returned to my father’s penthouse, George must have gotten a frantic call from the woman downstairs. He had visibly relaxed. Since I hadn’t made a scene, he clearly assumed his affair was still safely hidden. Just as foolish as I used to be. Using a vague excuse—that my father wanted to see Ruby for a few days—I bundled my daughter up and we left. George didn’t suspect a thing. He walked us to the car downstairs, playing the part of the devoted father perfectly. But I still noticed it. After seeing us off, the elevator stopped on the second floor. Her apartment. “Mommy.” Ruby leaned her soft cheek against mine, confused. “Why did the elevator stop on the second floor? We live on the third floor.” I smiled faintly, touching my forehead to her hair, my voice colder than the winter air. “Because Daddy is going to do something bad. And soon, we won’t need this home anymore.” That evening, after I’d tucked Ruby into bed, my father called me into his study. His tone was heavy, laced with the heartache of knowing his daughter had been betrayed. “I told you the minute I met George that he wasn’t worth it. But you were stubborn and insisted on marrying beneath you.” “Look at the mess he’s made.” I pursed my lips, picking up the folder on the desk and opening it. One hundred twenty pages. Every page was irrefutable evidence of George’s infidelity. 2021. The night before our wedding. While I was in the bridal suite, chatting with my maid of honor, sleepless with excitement for my life with George, he was in a dive bar, meeting a bottle service girl named Brooke. They were “in love at first sight.” From meeting to sleeping together, it took them two hours. He couldn’t even wait for our wedding night to pass. 2022. I was pregnant. I was throwing up constantly from morning sickness, unable to keep anything down. George, claiming to be at a mandatory corporate training seminar, was across town at an OB/GYN, accompanying that girl to her prenatal appointments. 2023. Our daughter’s first birthday. We threw a huge party. George gave her a pair of miniature gold bangles, symbols of luck and safety. Now, the lab report in the file explicitly stated: Gold plated. Silver core. Another lie. And then 2024, 2025, 2026… A huge, frigid void opened up in my chest. It wasn’t just the shock of George cheating. It was the realization that he didn’t even love our daughter. Yet, when she was born, George was the one who personally named her Ruby—meaning precious gem. Trembling, I closed the file. My phone vibrated—a notification from our home security app. I had secretly activated the apartment camera before leaving. On the video feed, the Christmas dinner I had spent all day preparing was still steaming on the table. My father-in-law sat at the head of the table, nervously pulling out the huge gift card he had prepared, slipping it into Brooke’s son’s hand. “Happy Holidays, my good boy.” George had his arm around Brooke, and they were feeding each other, a disgustingly intimate picture of domestic bliss. Suddenly, Brooke glanced at her son, who was absorbed in counting his money, and spoke: “George, my mom is nagging me again to bring you home. She doesn’t know about us. I can’t hide it much longer.” “Since your wife is at her parents’ place, why don’t you host my family for a holiday dinner tomorrow?” “It would stop my relatives from whispering that Cody is… a bastard.” George frowned, hesitating. He finally picked up his phone and sent me a text. Honey, how long are you staying with your dad? Should I bring you some toiletries? My phone screen was split. One side showed my husband and his mistress planning their faux family dinner. The other showed George’s pathetic attempt at a check-in. I didn’t hesitate. I tapped out a response: No need. Dad and I are heading to our summer house tomorrow to see some extended family. Won’t be back for a few days. The message was sent. The next second, I got his reply. Okay, sweetie. You enjoy your time with your dad. Don’t worry about things here. Tell Ruby her daddy loves her. In the concurrent camera feed, George leaned in and gave Brooke a hard, satisfying kiss on the cheek. “Fine. Dinner tomorrow, then!” Brooke smiled. I smiled, too. A holiday dinner, you say? If George was hosting, it wouldn’t be so strange for his lawful wife to attend, would it? 3 The next day, The Peninsula Hotel. My father had called the manager early, arranging for us to be placed in the adjoining private dining room. Through the hidden serving window, I could clearly hear every sound and movement next door. George, true to form, sent a probing text the moment I sat down. Wife, where are you now? Did you see the relatives? Are the roads safe? I knew he was testing me. On the freeway. Traffic jam. Won’t get to the summer house until tonight. I texted back dismissively. The chat showed him typing, followed by a small cat emoji indicating acknowledgement. Stolen from Brooke, I guessed. I frowned in disgust and didn’t reply. At that moment, the party next door started to arrive. Leading the way were George, in a sharp suit, and Brooke, holding the hand of the little boy, who was wearing the same style of gold bangle as my daughter. They looked like an enviably happy family of three. Next came a pair of elderly, distinctly academic-looking parents. Then, three or four other relatives clustered together. Brooke gracefully ushered everyone to their seats, proudly introducing George by her side. “Mom, Dad, this is George. I’ve told you about him. My husband.” “He’s been working overseas, but he made a special effort to come back this year so he could spend the holidays with you.” George nodded with a practiced reserve, and followed up with a greeting. “Hello, Mom and Dad. It’s a pleasure.” In our dining room, Ruby tugged on my hand, her large eyes filled with confusion and fear. “Mommy, who is Daddy calling? Why did that lady say Daddy is her husband?” “And why is that boy wearing the same bangle as me? Daddy said he only gave one to me.” I stroked her head reassuringly, saying nothing. Next door, Brooke’s mother beamed, taking George’s hand. “Good, good. Our Brooke was so secretive about you before. We thought…” “George, her father and I have been teachers all our lives. We value character above all else. Seeing you here today puts my mind at ease.” At these words, Brooke’s face instantly tightened. I knew she felt a prick of guilt. Then, Brooke’s father spoke up, patting George’s shoulder. “George, your mother and I don’t have any grand wishes, just that our daughter finds happiness and doesn’t make any foolish mistakes.” “Seeing you two so happy as a family today, I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders.” As they spoke, both elderly parents’ eyes grew red-rimmed. It was obvious that Brooke’s five years of single motherhood had been a source of immense social pressure for them. “Alright, alright, why are we getting sentimental on Christmas?” Brooke’s aunt chuckled, breaking the heavy atmosphere. “Our little Brooke has always been a good girl. She’d never be like those shameless women out there in society, would she? Brother, Sister-in-law, you worry too much.” “Right, Brooke?” No amount of foundation could hide the awkward flush on Brooke’s face. She nodded stiffly. “Yes, Aunt is right.” “Exactly. Brother, don’t overthink it. You and Sister-in-law have been teachers your whole lives. Of course, you raised a good daughter.” Brooke’s uncle added, laughing. The atmosphere was becoming warmly convivial. Everyone was laughing, except for the hosts. Through the hidden window, I could clearly see that Brooke was gripping George’s hand so tightly her knuckles were white. So terrified, yet she still chose to be the other woman? I gave a small, cold laugh. Slowly, I took Ruby’s hand, stood up, and walked out, stopping at the door of the adjoining private dining room. Inside, Brooke’s relatives were pushing for a wedding. “George, since you’re back in the country and the boy is growing up, when are you two getting married? It would settle my and her father’s hearts.” Brooke’s mother asked expectantly. “Yes, I’ve already prepared the dowry. As long as you and our daughter are happy, we’ll do anything.” Brooke’s father smiled. “Exactly. I think the tenth of next month looks good.” “The fifteenth works, too. They’re both lucky days.” The relatives chatted excitedly, completely missing the fact that George and Brooke’s faces had gone from pale to green. “Wait a moment.” Finally, George couldn’t help but interrupt them. “Brooke and I can’t get married yet. Because…” “Because he’s already married, and his child is five years old. And Brooke is the woman he cheated with.” I pushed the door open, leading my daughter inside. “Honey, tell me I’m wrong?” The expressions on George and Brooke’s faces froze.

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In the seventh year of my father’s infidelity, my mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Her first reaction was to drop to her knees and beg the doctor not to tell my father. The doctor, a close family friend, cried out of sheer frustration. “Elena, what kind of saint are you pretending to be?” “Do you honestly think this will make that cheating bastard drop to his knees in regret and see the error of his ways?” “Using your own death to punish someone else, how pathetic can you get?” But my mother just smiled, her gaze landing softly on me. “What use do I have for his regret?” “I’m doing this to secure a future for my Chloe.” 1. By the time my mother and I walked out of the hospital, my father had already left. He had only left her one text message: [My time is valuable. You were five minutes late, so I left.] My mother gripped her phone, looking a bit dazed. It made me think of the past. I have hemophilia, so I’ve been in and out of hospitals since I can remember. My father used to always drop everything at work to wait patiently for us. My mother would tease him, “Aren’t you annoyed waiting?” He would take me from her arms and kiss her cheek. “Never. Every second I wait for you two is a moment of happiness.” Squished between them, feeling their warmth, I was happy too. My mother’s trembling fingers swiped the message away. Instead, she texted her friend, Dr. Sarah: [Did you send the forged clean bill of health to Mia?] After receiving a confirmation, she took my hand and we walked home. My mother used to walk so lightly that I often had to run to keep up. But now, she had to lean on me just to keep moving. As soon as we got home, she rushed to the bathroom and coughed up a mouthful of blood. After she finished, she looked up, staring blankly at the two overlapping bloody handprints she’d left on the mirror. The blood was a dark, terrifying red. Panicked, I immediately called my father. I could hear a woman laughing in the background, but I was used to it and pretended not to notice. Crying, I told him that my mother was in the final stages of stomach cancer. My father came back very quickly. Seeing the stark red in the toilet bowl, he scooped my mother up in his arms. “Don’t be afraid. We’ll find the best specialists for a second opinion right now.” “I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to you.” He had always said that the women outside were just playthings, and that the one he loved the most would always be my mother. He was a man of his word. But right then, the sharp click of high heels sounded, and Mia, wearing a white dress, appeared. She held her head high and slapped a piece of paper against my father’s chest. “Liam, you’re such a fool! You don’t even know you’re being played by this washed-up housewife!” “What late-stage stomach cancer? It’s just a trick to get your attention!” “A friend at the hospital sent me this. She’s perfectly healthy!” I saw it clearly; that piece of paper was the fake clean bill of health my mother had asked Dr. Sarah to forge. I opened my mouth to explain, but my mother grabbed my arm tightly. I could only watch as my father’s face darkened with rage. “Faking an illness to fight for attention, and making Chloe lie for you too.” “Elena, you really have outdone yourself!” Ignoring my attempts to stop him, my father stormed out. My mother watched him leave with his arm around that woman, a faint smile appearing on her pale face. I was sobbing uncontrollably. “Mom, why did you pretend you were healthy?” My mother sighed softly. “Because Mia is too stupid.” “So stupid that she would never think to accuse me of faking an illness on her own.” “So, I had to manufacture the evidence for her.” “I’m accumulating moral capital. The more I accumulate, the more he’ll feel he owes you…” “Besides, once your father finds out her report was fake, he’ll never believe another report she produces again.” I didn’t understand. All I knew was that my mother was dying, so I cried even harder. My mother wiped my tears, and as she did, she started crying too. “Liam, you’re so smart, how could you fall for an idiot like Mia?” My mother used to be the mistress of a coal baron, while my father was a poor entrepreneur constantly bowing and scraping for investments. A single glance at a banquet, and a rose unexpectedly bloomed from the rotting soil. Using her influence with the coal baron, my mother secured a massive investment and a flood of orders for my father. Later, the coal baron went to prison, and my father had become a titan in the business world. Amidst everyone’s mockery, he sought out my mother, a woman who had been passed around. Without a word, they got married immediately. After they married, my father pampered my mother like the most precious jewel. He bought her a chateau in France and gave her dry shares in his company. When she became pregnant with me, he even spent a fortune to buy the naming rights to an asteroid for her. They could have been happy forever. Until I was born. 2. I was diagnosed with hemophilia, and my father hired a secretary who had the same rare blood type as me. Her name was Mia. She was a bit ditzy, which people found endearing. He said she was my mobile blood bank. But gradually, when the “blood bank” came to give me transfusions, my father would frown in distress. There was even a time when I was critically ill, and just because Mia said she was afraid of needles, my father pulled my IV tube out. I almost died that day, saved only because the hospital managed to source blood from out of state. When I woke up, I saw my father holding Mia’s hand, telling my mother: “I’m sorry, Elena. I’ve fallen in love with Mia.” “As long as you accept it, you’ll still be my wife, and Chloe will still be my only daughter.” My mother calmly accepted the reality. She said my medical condition was too expensive; if they divorced, she truly couldn’t afford to raise me. And just like that, my mother became the most “generous” official wife in the entire city. So generous that when photos of my father in bed with young girls from clubs leaked, she handled the PR crises herself. Whenever that happened, my father would apologize to her and transfer a sum of money into my account. My mother accepted it on my behalf and acted as if nothing had happened. Until a few days ago, when Mia showed up with a pregnant belly. She announced she was carrying my father’s child, a boy. “When I saw his ecstatic reaction, I knew this fetus would eventually threaten your position, Chloe. It had to be eliminated.” “And since I’m dying anyway… after a lifetime of being a dependent vine, using my life to pave the way for my daughter is a satisfying end.” As she spoke, my mother pulled out a brand-new journal. A kept woman with only a grade-school education obviously didn’t have the habit of keeping a diary. So, she had to forge one. Her fingers were swollen, making it almost impossible to grip the pen. But she still wrote down, word by word, the story of her and my father over all these years. When she was done, she had the journal artificially aged and locked it in a safe. She made me memorize the safe’s combination. “The day your father misses me the most after I die, lead him to find this diary.” Forging the diary took several days. My mother clutched her stomach, huge drops of sweat rolling down her face from the pain. She gave me a black credit card and asked me to go buy her some painkillers. It was strange; it was only September, but heavy snow had started to fall. I didn’t have time to think about it. I slipped and fell multiple times running to the pharmacy. I tried to buy the medicine and swiped the card. “Beep beep. This card has been frozen.” I froze. This was a supplementary card to my father’s account, and it had always had no limit. It couldn’t be frozen. I immediately called my father. But the person who answered was Mia, her voice lazy and triumphant. “That’s your father’s punishment for your mother.” “He also told me to pass on a message: act like a proper wife and stop playing these manipulative games.” I screamed, “Impossible! You must have provoked him!” Mia chuckled softly, lowering her voice. “Yes, I did. So what?” “After all, I just mentioned that his unborn son wanted to see snow, and your father spent tens of millions on artificial snow!” Looking at the bruises on my body, I started to sob. So, this heavy snow that made me fall over and over again was my father’s gift to his mistress. By the time I broke open my piggy bank and bought the medicine, my mother had passed out from the pain. I fed her the pills, and when she woke, her eyes reddened at the sight of my injuries. I heard her call Dr. Sarah. “He loves her more than I thought.” “I need to accumulate even more moral capital for Chloe. My death needs to be more brutal.” I don’t know how much time passed before I woke up in my mother’s bed. She was panting as she packed things away. Wedding photos were thrown into the fireplace; clothes and jewelry were all sold off. When I saw her about to destroy the scarf she had knitted for my father with her own hands, I lunged to stop her. But she just kissed my cheek. “I know it’s hard to let go, sweetie.” “But I have to make sure that you are the only thing I leave behind for him.” I opened my mouth but couldn’t speak. Then, my father’s assistant called my mother. “Ma’am, Mr. Sterling was just photographed by reporters taking Ms. Mia for a prenatal checkup.” “He wants you to film an apology and clarification video as soon as possible, so it doesn’t affect the company’s stock price.” 3. My mother gave a flat hum of acknowledgment and expertly set up the camera. I was furious and started yelling. “It’s his fault! Why should Mom take the blame?!” “I don’t want Mom to be the one who loses face anymore!” I pushed the camera over, but my mother picked it right back up. “Be good, Chloe. The company will be yours eventually.” “Protecting the stock price now is protecting your future interests.” I still didn’t really understand, but my mother’s eyes looked so infinitely sad. On camera, she was poised and dignified. “This is all a misunderstanding. Ms. Mia is an employee of our company and has no one to care for her, so Liam kindly escorted her to the hospital.” When the video was posted, the internet exploded with mockery. Everyone said my mother was acting like a loyal dog playing the role of the official wife. But my father was very pleased. He finally came home. The moment he walked in, he picked me up and spun me around, slipping a jade bangle onto my wrist. Then he kissed my mother and gave her an emerald green safety charm. “This is my generous Elena,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’ve already unfrozen the card.” “I wasn’t angry that you faked an illness to play games; I was angry that you cursed yourself.” “We’re going to grow old together. Promise me you’ll never say such unlucky things again, okay?” My father was so gentle. He still loved me and my mother, right? I watched them foolishly, suddenly feeling like my legs didn’t hurt anymore. After my father left, I happily snuggled up to my mother, wanting to touch the safety charm. But she sneered and took it off. She rubbed my head and showed me a news article on her phone. [A Gambling Legend! Mr. Sterling Spends Tens of Millions and Strikes Pure Green Jade, Cutting a Hundred-Million-Dollar Bracelet on the Spot!] I looked at the picture of the pure green jade bracelet on Mia’s wrist. Suddenly, I realized something. My bangle, fitted with my mother’s safety charm, was exactly the size of the core cut out from the center of a bracelet. Oh. So the gifts my mother and I received were just the scrap pieces leftover from making Mia’s bracelet. I was so angry I wanted to confront my father. But my mother calmly contacted Dr. Sarah to confirm the date she would take the euthanasia drugs. She chose the date of her wedding anniversary with my father. “This way, whenever he gets married again, he’ll be forced to remember my death.” “The longer he remembers me, the better it is for my Chloe.” I didn’t dare cry in front of my mother; I could only hide in my room and count down the days. I was about to lose my mother. Even though she held me and said she would become a star in the sky… I was already seven. I knew those were lies. But I couldn’t expose her lie; I didn’t want her to be sadder before she died. My mother was very busy for the next few days. She contacted a man named Mr. Zhao and they whispered together for a long time. Then she carefully picked out a gown, because my father was taking her to a charity gala. Just her. Not the smelly mistress. She even helped my father pacify Mia beforehand. But the moment he turned his back, she taught me how to provoke the newly appeased Mia: “Hehe, so what if he made it snow for you? You’re still just his plaything.” “For official events like a charity gala, the only one who gets to hold my dad’s hand is my mom!” Mia took the bait so easily; she was so enraged that she immediately took action. On the day of the charity gala, our family of three had just taken our seats. Mia, disguised as a staff member, appeared. She didn’t say anything, just looked at my father with red, tearful eyes. I clearly saw my father’s Adam’s apple bob. “Liam,” my mother pleaded, “this is a major event. Please, just give me this one night of dignity…” But under the gaze of the entire room, my father patted my mother’s hand. “There are too many people here, and Mia is pregnant. I’m afraid she’ll get bumped.” He went to sit with his mistress. The whole room gasped and whispered. My mother lowered her head as if in humiliation, but secretly shot a look at Mr. Zhao nearby. 4. I knew this Mr. Zhao; he was one of my father’s biggest investors. After my father cheated, he had asked my mother to leave with him. I remembered him as a gentle and polite man. But today, he was acting very boorishly. He roughly grabbed Mia and demanded she drink with him. Mia, panicked, repeatedly refused. My father stepped in front of her, politely stating that she was pregnant and couldn’t drink. But Mr. Zhao seemed enraged and laid down an ultimatum: “If Mr. Sterling won’t even give me this face, then our partnership ends here!” Seeing Mia’s terrified eyes and my father’s awkward expression, I felt a surge of joy. I even silently cheered for Mr. Zhao, hoping he would exact a little more revenge for my mother. But the next second, I heard my father say with a smile: “How about this, Mr. Zhao? Let my wife drink with you.” “Mia only has a bit of looks, but my wife is known as one of the great beauties of the city.” I was stunned, unable to believe that the man saying this was my mother’s husband. My mother didn’t react, simply allowing my father to drag her and push her toward Mr. Zhao. “It’s just a few drinks… You wouldn’t refuse, would you?” I lunged forward to shield her. “My mom is sick! The doctor said she can’t drink! She said it would hurt her to death!” My father grabbed me by the collar, tossed me aside, and glared at my mother. “Look how you’ve raised Chloe, she lies constantly.” Mr. Zhao, having gotten his way, put his arm around my mother and, along with several other men, forced her to drink. My mother numbly downed glass after glass, while Mr. Zhao’s eyes actually seemed to redden. Finally, after who knows how many glasses, my mother violently threw up blood. “Elena!” My father’s face changed drastically, and he immediately ran over. But Mia let out a scream. “So much blood… Liam, seeing this is making me feel sick…” My father hesitated for a second, then turned and picked up Mia. “The hilltop villa isn’t far from here. I’ll take you there to rest.” The hilltop villa was his wedding gift to my mother. My mother treasured it and never let outsiders inside. She stared dead at my father. “No! Take her anywhere else, but don’t dirty my villa!” My father started by trying to persuade her nicely, but this time my mother refused to budge. The argument dragged on all the way to the villa, and Mia’s exaggerated groans grew louder. Furious, my father actually slapped my mother. “Are you crazy?! It’s just a house!” “Since you think it’s more important than my son, then you can rot inside it!” Saying that, he shoved my mother into the villa and locked the door from the outside, preventing her from following them. Mr. Zhao, Dr. Sarah, and Dr. Sarah’s police officer boyfriend… They patiently waited outside the villa with me. We didn’t enter until my father’s car had sped off into the distance. My mother was still throwing up large mouthfuls of blood. Her clothes and the floor were stained red. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat from the pain. But she held on, directing Mr. Zhao to set up a complex mechanism. “You must… make sure that the moment they make love on that bed… my body… will fall.” “Don’t forget to lock the door when you leave… He needs to think I died because he forced me to drink and locked me in where I couldn’t get help…” “Traces… must be erased using professional forensic techniques…” “The infertility drug… Chloe, when you go home, you must find a chance to put it in your father’s water…” “The report proving Mia’s fetus isn’t his… is it forged? Let me see if it looks real enough…” “He must only have Chloe as his heir… it must be her…” Her voice trembled with agony. Finally, using the last of her strength and with everyone’s help, she climbed up to the skylight. She put a white pill into her mouth, a smile of release finally appearing on her face. “There shouldn’t be any flaws left.” “Thank you all for your help.” “Chloe, farewell. Mom loves you, will always love you…” Her voice grew weaker until it could no longer be heard. The adults were all weeping uncontrollably; Mr. Zhao cried so hard he fell to his knees. I was the only one who didn’t cry. I watched my mother meticulously orchestrate her own death, and my tears had long since run dry. I looked at the sunflowers in the villa’s garden. That heavy snow had caused them to wither prematurely. I sat there quietly, waiting for my father to return. It wasn’t until midnight that the doorbell finally rang.

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After dying of exhaustion from endless overtime, I was reborn. And I woke up with an unexpected superpower: a one-way sensory link with my terrible boss. It was 1:00 AM, and the paperwork on my desk was piled high as a mountain. Meanwhile, from the boss’s office, I could hear the muffled giggles of him and my coworker, Chloe. It was exactly like my past life. During the day, my boss squeezed every ounce of productivity out of me. At night, I was stuck working overtime to finish the tasks Chloe shoved onto my plate. For three years after I was hired, I worked like a literal pack mule, 24/7. Until one night, during a grueling overtime shift that stretched until 3:00 AM. My heart seized, I started foaming at the mouth, and I died right there at my cubicle. Thinking back on it now, my blood boils. Why did I have to carry the weight of the world while they lived their best lives?! Given this second chance, I’m going to be the light of justice and teach these two a lesson they’ll never forget! Just as I was getting pumped up, vulgar sounds drifted from the office. A wicked smile curled my lips. I stood up, aimed my crotch squarely at the corner of my desk, and slammed into it as hard as I could. …… 1 At the exact same moment. A scream like a slaughtered pig erupted from the boss’s office. My boss, Mr. Henderson, burst out the door with his pants hanging around his knees, clutching his crotch as he scrambled away in a panicked sprint. “Mr. Henderson! Mr. Henderson, what’s wrong?!” “We were just getting started! Come back!” Chloe ran out of the office, stomping her feet in frustration as she watched him disappear down the hall. I had seen enough of the show and was getting ready to slip away. But Chloe, having nowhere else to vent her frustration, grabbed my arm. “Who said you could leave?! It’s only 1 AM, and you’re trying to clock out?” “Have you finished my work yet?!” I yanked my arm out of her grip and gave her a side-eye. “If you’re so worried about it, you can do it yourself.” She let out a contemptuous laugh and looked me up and down. “The company doesn’t pay you to do nothing. This is your job!” “Besides, you should feel honored to help me. It shows I value your abilities!” With that, she shoved past me and strutted away. The next day, Mr. Henderson didn’t show up at the office. But the rumors were flying among the staff. People were saying he and Chloe went too hard and he threw his back out—or worse, that he might be permanently out of commission. But Chloe didn’t miss a beat; she was quickly back to throwing her weight around. “Get back to work, everyone!” “Gossiping like a bunch of housewives! Keep it up, and I’ll have Mr. Henderson dock your pay!” As she spoke, she marched over to my cubicle and tapped the stack of files on my desk. “You better do a good job on the work I gave you. If you try to slack off, I’ll make you regret it.” The day after that, Mr. Henderson showed up looking slightly green to attend an important client pitch meeting. Chloe was brimming with confidence. She assumed I had done the work for her, just like always. However, when she booted up the computer and saw a completely blank PowerPoint presentation, she froze. She stammered for a few minutes, unable to string a single coherent sentence together. “Mr. Henderson, what is wrong with your employee? If you’re not prepared, don’t waste my time!” The client slammed his hand on the table, clearly annoyed. Chloe scurried over to Mr. Henderson and immediately started blaming me, claiming I sabotaged her on purpose. The useless idiot of a boss didn’t even try to salvage the pitch; he just immediately took her side and threw me under the bus. “Samantha! What the hell is wrong with you?! I told you to… AHH!” I bit down hard on my tongue. Mr. Henderson shrieked in pain. The client, startled by the outburst, grew even more irritated. “If your company isn’t serious about this partnership, we’re done here!” With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him. “Mr. Henderson, look at her! She ruined the project and humiliated me,” Chloe whined, putting on a sickly-sweet, victimized act. Ignoring his bleeding tongue, Mr. Henderson pointed a finger right at my face. “You useless piece of—” I pinched my thigh with everything I had. His face contorted. “—piece of trash, you always—” I pinched harder. “If you can’t do the job, get the hell out of my—” I grabbed the inside of both my thighs with both hands and twisted as hard as I could. “Ooh! Yow!” Unable to take it anymore, Mr. Henderson rubbed his thighs frantically and bolted from the room. Not satisfied, Chloe raised her hand and slapped me across the face. From down the hall, Mr. Henderson let out another wail of pain. Chloe panicked and rushed out after him, making sure to shove me hard on her way. I lost my balance and tripped over my own feet, falling to the floor. Simultaneously, a horrifying scream echoed from the company stairwell. Mr. Henderson had tumbled down the stairs. He emerged with a bloody face and was immediately rushed back to the hospital. I picked myself up in the conference room, dusted off my pants, and laughed until my sides hurt. That night, an anonymous post appeared on the company’s internal forum. It claimed I was protected by divine spirits. Anyone who bullied me caused the boss to suffer terrible luck. 2 A few days later, Mr. Henderson returned to the office covered in bruises and called me into his office. “Samantha! Did you post this nonsense?!” “You better keep your head down and focus on your work. Cut out this voodoo crap before I—” “Oh, Mr. Henderson, who made you so angry?” Chloe sashayed into the room, her hips swaying exaggeratedly. She leaned down, whispered something in his ear, and a sleazy smile spread across his bruised face. “Sam, about that project falling through… you share some of the blame.” “Normally, I’d fire you on the spot. But I’m a forgiving boss.” “I’m going to give you one last chance.” “Our janitor called in sick today. To make up for your mistake, you’re going to clean the bathrooms for the day.” I agreed without a second thought and practically skipped out of his office. Even though I was mentally prepared, when I opened the bathroom door, the smell almost made me gag. I held back my nausea. While I mopped the floor, I plotted how I was going to use this opportunity to teach those two a lesson. Of course, Chloe had to pick that exact moment to waltz in and harass me. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. A college grad scrubbing toilets. How pathetic.” “Cross me again, and next time I’ll make you drink from the bowl!” Chloe jabbed a finger with bright red nail polish into my forehead, leaving little crescent-shaped marks. I glared at her heavily made-up face. I wanted nothing more than to shove the dirty mop straight down her throat. But I knew she was only acting tough because she had the boss backing her up. If I wanted to put her in her place, I had to deal with the root of the problem. “I have two expense reports due today. Make sure you get them done after you’re finished playing janitor.” “I’m cooking a romantic dinner for Mr. Henderson tonight. This is my big chance to finally lock him down!” With that, she turned on her heel and sashayed away. An idea sparked in my mind. I packed up my cleaning supplies and quietly pocketed a bottle of industrial toilet bowl cleaner. At 7 PM, Chloe video-called me. On the screen, I could see a table set with steaks and romantic candlelight. “Sam, you’re just destined to be a workhorse for the rest of your life.” “If tonight goes well, my status is going to completely change. If I were you, I’d just quit now.” In my past life, I could never figure out why she targeted me so relentlessly. In this life, I still couldn’t figure it out. A few seconds later, Mr. Henderson appeared in the frame. He sat down at the table with a lecherous grin, giving Chloe’s backside a squeeze with his stubby fingers. Just as he was about to put a piece of steak into his mouth… Without a second of hesitation, I cracked open the toilet bowl cleaner and took a massive swig. Gulping down half the bottle, I felt a little bloated, but nothing else. Mr. Henderson, however, was not so lucky. On the video call, his face drastically changed color. He violently hurled the steak back onto his plate. “Chloe! If you don’t know how to cook, why the hell did you say you could?!” “Do you have any idea how expensive this steak was?! It tastes like literal chemicals!” “You think you can marry me with skills like this?! Do I look like a… URGH!” The next second, he projectile-vomited all over Chloe. Then he started foaming at the mouth and collapsed face-first onto the table. Seeing Chloe covered head-to-toe in vomit, I nearly snorted with laughter. Mr. Henderson didn’t come to the office for several days after that. Chloe also called out sick for two days. When she finally returned, her face was swollen like a balloon. During lunch, my work bestie, Lily, excitedly spilled the tea. “Everyone’s saying the boss got food poisoning from Chloe’s cooking!” “When his mom found out, she went straight to Chloe’s apartment and slapped her like twenty times!” “Honestly, I’m starting to think that post on the forum was real.” “They made you clean the toilets, and immediately got hit with massive karma!” I just kept chewing my chicken cutlet, smiling silently. A week later, Mr. Henderson was discharged from the hospital. I thought he might finally lay low for a bit. But when he came back, he brought a literal priest with him. 3 The priest was draped in all sorts of random, clinking talismans. He walked a couple of laps around the office floor. Then, stroking his fake beard, he declared that the company was cursed by an evil spirit. “Foul demon! How dare you wreak havoc in the mortal realm!” He shouted while pulling a thick stack of obviously mass-printed yellow paper talismans from his sleeve. He started slapping them everywhere. “Priest! Priest! Samantha is the weirdest one! Every time I get near her, something awful happens!” “Put extra talismans on her desk!” The priest didn’t hesitate. He licked his thumb, grabbed a talisman, and slapped it right onto my forehead. Then he lit a bundle of incense and started waving the smoke in circles around me. Despite the thick smoke, I didn’t react at all. But the choking, burning sensation transferred perfectly to Mr. Henderson. He started coughing violently, hacking like he was trying to cough up a lung. The priest’s face dropped. He immediately scrambled over to the boss. “Aha! The demon possesses you, you scoundrel!” With that, he repeated the process, slapping a talisman directly onto Mr. Henderson’s forehead. I reacted quickly. While no one was watching me, I grabbed a lighter from my desk and sparked it near my own forehead. “WAAAHHH! HOT! HOT! HOT! I’M BURNING!” Mr. Henderson screamed in agony. The talisman fluttered to the floor, and a massive, angry blister bubbled up on his forehead. “Demon! Face my blade!” The priest drew a wooden sword and swung it with all his might, chasing the boss around the office, hacking and slashing. Mr. Henderson scurried around like a rat, screaming for his life. Chloe saw this as her chance to prove her loyalty and threw herself in front of Mr. Henderson to protect him. But the priest was too deep into his roleplaying, and he started wailing on her, too. “You foolish woman, step aside! Humans and demons cannot coexist! This will only end in tragedy!” With that, he smacked her right across the face with the wooden sword. Chloe clutched her face, wailing. The entire office was plunged into absolute, chaotic hilarity. My coworkers, who had long suffered under the tyranny of this awful couple, were absolutely loving it. Everyone secretly pulled out their phones to record the disaster, stifling their laughter. Lily leaned over to me while filming the carnage. “Sam, be honest with me. Do you actually have powers? Did you put a hex on them?” “I’d be careful if I were you. What if he fires you over this?!” I feigned shock and covered her mouth. “Don’t talk nonsense.” “What powers? The only thing I know about is labor laws, not black magic!” The mayhem lasted a solid thirty minutes before security finally ambled in and dragged the priest away. Mr. Henderson’s shirt was shredded by the wooden sword, his beer belly completely exposed. His face was swollen and battered. Chloe didn’t fare much better. Her previous bruises hadn’t fully healed, and now she had fresh, angry red welts across her cheeks. “Maybe it really is karma. Everyone knows Mr. Henderson brought that guy here just to mess with Samantha!” “Seriously! I think there’s definitely something supernatural going on with her!” The whispers of the staff made Mr. Henderson so angry he stormed out of the office. Chloe was left standing there, puffing up with anger like an angry toad. “Samantha! Whatever trick you’re playing, you’re going to pay for it!” “You better start figuring out how you’re going to carry on your ‘demon romance’ with Mr. Henderson!” She stomped her foot furiously, grabbed a massive stack of folders from her desk, and shoved them into my chest. “Don’t get cocky!” “We have a major client dinner tomorrow. If you mess this up, I promise I’ll make you regret it!” That night, I intentionally stayed awake all night. At 3 AM, I did five hundred burpees and ran up and down the stairs of my apartment building twenty times. 4 The next morning, I bumped into Mr. Henderson by the elevator. He looked like a walking corpse—pale, stumbling, completely drained of life. I knew my midnight workout hadn’t been in vain. Once I got to my desk, I played the part of the obedient employee and handed over the completed presentation to Chloe. But to my surprise, Mr. Henderson actually told me I had to attend the client dinner that afternoon. Just as I was wondering if this was some sort of trap, Chloe started complaining. “Shut up! Who knows what kind of sabotage she’ll pull if we leave her alone at the office?!” “Keeping her where I can see her makes me feel safer.” Confirming they weren’t plotting anything insidious, I secretly cheered. Bringing me along just made it easier for me to torture him. At the dinner, Chloe hadn’t bothered to prepare at all. So even though the presentation I wrote was crystal clear, she stumbled through it, stuttering and making constant mistakes. Seeing the client growing visibly annoyed, Mr. Henderson quickly tried to change the subject. I used the awkward pause to slip away to the restroom. Surprisingly, Chloe followed me. “Did you make that presentation overly complicated on purpose?!” As she yelled, she raised her hand to slap me. I didn’t dodge. In fact, I leaned into it slightly. When her hand connected, I threw myself onto the floor, bending my wrist at an impossible, painful angle. “You’re just incredibly stupid! How is that my fault?!” “A single-celled organism has a higher IQ than you! What do you actually do besides wiggle your ass in front of the boss?!” “You’ve been wiggling for years and you’re still not his wife! Seems to me like you’re a failure at everything!” I provoked her relentlessly. Exactly as I planned, she turned beet red with fury. She straddled me on the floor and started raining slaps down on my face. The harder she slapped me, the more excited I got. I grabbed her collar and slammed my forehead directly into her nose. “Ahhh! You bitch! I paid twenty grand for this nose job! How dare you headbutt me?!” Chloe lost her mind, viciously yanking my hair. Just as our brawl peaked, another coworker came rushing into the restroom. “Why are you two fighting?! Stop it! Something’s wrong with Mr. Henderson—he looks like he’s possessed!” I kicked Chloe off me and sprinted happily back to the private dining room. Mr. Henderson’s horrific state made me want to slap my knee and cackle. His face was swollen tight and shiny, making him look like a bloated pufferfish. His toupee had come loose and was dangling precariously off the back of his head, swaying with every movement. The client’s face was dark as thunder, and he stormed out in disgust. At that moment, Chloe limped into the room, looking like a disaster. Ignoring the ruined deal, she started sobbing about how I had assaulted her. Seeing me standing there looking perfectly fine, Mr. Henderson’s rage boiled over. “I knew you ruined the project on purpose! What the hell did you do to me?!” “How is this my fault?! I went to the bathroom to pee! How could that hurt you?!” “Samantha! I am your boss! How dare you speak to me like that!” “You might be my boss, but you’re barely human!” “You expect one person to do the work of eight, but you haven’t given us a raise in years!” “You’re a cheapskate even when it comes to holiday bonuses!” “The Thanksgiving turkeys were spoiled! The Christmas gifts were expired! The one time you gave us gift cards, they required a $500 minimum purchase to save ten bucks!” “You skim off our hard-earned money just to spoil your little mistress!” I screamed out every ounce of resentment I had built up, feeling incredibly refreshed. Mr. Henderson trembled with pure rage, but his swollen face couldn’t even form a coherent expression. “Fine! Fine! Samantha, you’re fired!” He roared at the top of his lungs. I took the opportunity to spit right in his face, grabbed my purse, and walked out without looking back… A week later, however, Mr. Henderson showed up at my front door, pounding frantically. “Please! I’m begging you! Come back to work!”

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The day they lowered Neil’s tiny casket into the ground, I didn’t just bury my son. I buried the woman Garrett Blackwood used to despise. After Neil died, I methodically shed every habit my Major General husband had found irritating. He started staying out late; I stopped asking where. He left his phone on the counter, full of explicit, flirtatious texts; I kept my eyes on my book. Even the day of the funeral, when he sent a detached, “Emergency meeting. Can’t break away,” I accepted it with unnerving calm, organizing the entire service alone. His aide, a young man named Jensen, watched my swollen, bloodshot eyes and leaned in to whisper. “Colonel Blackwood really couldn’t get out of this one, ma’am. He promised he’d come straight here when it’s done. He might still catch the last prayer.” I didn’t answer. I just placed my child’s ashes into the small, waiting crypt. Just as I was about to signal the crew to seal the vault, Garrett’s armored vehicle roared into the cemetery. He was soaking wet, still in his fatigues, and he hadn’t even killed the engine. “Quinn! Why didn’t you wait for me? Neil was my son too!” My voice was flat, an airless expanse. “Your duties are demanding, Garrett. Neil would understand.” My excessive compliance seemed to irritate him more than any scream could have. He opened his mouth to argue, but the murmuring of the small military crowd froze him in place. “Colonel Blackwood is really something for Tina Price, isn’t he? Rushed the specialty meds over the second he heard her K9 was sick. Didn’t even check on his own son.” “Yeah, only showed up for the funeral once Tina’s dog was stable.” Garrett’s hands clenched at his sides. He watched me with sharp, defensive eyes, bracing for the hysterical outburst he expected, the one he had always weaponized against me. But my eyelashes didn’t even tremble. I simply took the shovel and quietly covered the crypt with the last clod of earth. … 1 “Tina and I are just comrades! I swear, I only see her as a little sister! And Neil’s death was a tragic accident!” I nodded, already walking toward my car. “I know. The wind is picking up. You should head back to the base.” Garrett hurried after me and grabbed my arm. “If you’re angry, take it out on me. Scream. Hit me. Anything but this cold shoulder.” I looked at him with genuine curiosity. He used to despise my emotional outbursts, lecturing me that a military spouse must be rational and disciplined. Now that I was calm and controlled, he found me “cold.” As I was about to pull my hand free, his secure communication device vibrated. Garrett’s brow furrowed, but he answered the call. “I’m busy. Can this wait until tomorrow?” A woman’s voice, thick with tears, came through the tiny speaker. “Garrett, Ragnar’s having another seizure… could you please come check on him?” Ragnar was Tina’s K9. Garrett glanced at me. Seeing no reaction, he instantly capitulated. “Okay. I’m on my way.” He hung up, and I pulled the car door open for myself. I hadn’t secured my footing, and I stumbled slightly. “Watch it!” He reached out and steadied me with a firm grip. I gently pushed his hand away. “Go on. A K9 is a combat partner. You should see to him. It’s the right thing to do. Drive safe.” I even reached in and handed him his uniform cap. Garrett took the cap, a strange, sharp pang hitting his chest. He got into his vehicle, but before pulling away, he looked at me. “I’ll be home for dinner tonight.” “Good. I’ll wait for you.” Garrett did not come home. I cooked three dishes and a soup. I waited from dusk until late into the night. I heated and reheated the meal until, finally, I dumped it all into the compost bin. At two in the morning, Tina updated her social media. [With you here, I’m afraid of nothing. Thank you for being my rock.] The photo was a candid shot of Garrett in profile, kneeling to give the K9 an injection. His brow was knitted in intense concentration, but his movements were tender. I hit ‘like.’ Then, I connected to my secure channel. “Dad, the divorce papers will be finalized in seven days. About the National Security Advisor you mentioned… I’m willing to meet him.” For the next week, I practically lived at the Research Institute, trying to drown my numbness in data and diagnostics. My colleagues avoided my eyes. Whispers trailed me in the corridor. “Quinn’s an iron woman… back to work the day after her son’s funeral.” I ignored them, continuing to calibrate parameters. Tina walked past, carrying a thermos, and stopped by my workstation. “Quinn, I’m so sorry for your loss. Try not to push yourself so hard.” Her voice was low, but loud enough for everyone to hear. “If only someone had been more attentive that day, maybe your son could have been saved…” I tightened my grip on the electronic stylus. Garrett had never explained swapping Neil’s specialty medication. Instead, he let the rumor fester, effectively pushing the blame onto me. That afternoon, during the Base’s mandatory meeting, Garrett’s father, the General, slammed a file onto the conference table. “Quinn Blackwood! Don’t think your family name gives you carte blanche to be this reckless!” “You pulled a three-day marathon session for a breakthrough experiment while your child was burning up with fever! How did my son marry such a cold-blooded woman!” I looked at Garrett. He deliberately avoided my gaze. “Dad, about this…” “Silence!” The General rose, towering over the table. “This is what happens when you indulge her!” He strode toward me, then raised his hand and struck me across the face. “That’s the first slap, for killing my grandson!” I staggered backward, my cheek stinging. A heavy silence fell over the room. Behind the General, I saw Tina Price struggling to suppress a satisfied smirk. “And that’s the second,” he said, raising his hand again. “For costing the Base a critical research partnership!” “The lead representative heard you neglected your own flesh and blood. They called our family heartless and pulled all funding this morning!” The second blow was heavier. My ears rang, and I tasted iron. Garrett finally jumped out of his chair. “Dad!” “What, are you still defending her?” Garrett moved in front of me. “To hit her, you have to go through me.” The General was shaking with fury, his finger nearly touching my nose. “Look at this! Garrett is still covering for you!” “I’ve indulged you too much, Quinn! You’ve become a threat to military discipline!” The third slap never landed, but my vision went black. I collapsed. I woke up in the Base clinic. Garrett was sitting on the edge of the bed. “Tina… she grew up on a frontier outpost. Besides me, all she had was Ragnar.” He paused. “Can you just overlook it this one time? Please?” I closed my eyes. “Quinn, let’s start over. We’ll have another child. I’ll give you any compensation you want.” I finally turned to him, my throat dry. “What if I say no?” He froze, his brows tightening. “Don’t be dramatic.” I felt the phantom ache on my cheek. “I’m not being dramatic. I just want to know—” “Do I still have the right to say no?” His last thread of patience snapped. “Rest up. I’ll come back later.” He left quickly. As the door swung shut, I heard Tina’s voice: “Garrett, is Quinn okay? This is all my fault for asking you to bring the medication…” Garrett’s voice instantly softened. “It’s not your fault, Tina. She’s the one spiraling.” I stared at the ceiling, and silent, effortless tears tracked down my temples and into the pillow. I thought I had cried them all out when my son died. The next day, I was discharged. A serviceman drove me to the Base housing complex. I walked in and saw Tina sitting in the living room, chatting and laughing easily with Garrett’s parents. Ragnar, the K9, was lying at her feet. Hanging from his collar was the small, engraved military tag my son used to cherish. I had polished that tag myself when Neil turned one. His name was carved on the back. After he died, I burned all his toys and clothes, but I’d kept that tag. It was my only tangible memory. “Quinn is back!” Tina stood up right away. “Ragnar just loves this tag. Garrett said Neil didn’t need it anymore, so he let Ragnar wear it for a bit.” I didn’t speak. I walked over and gently tugged the tag off the K9’s collar. Startled, Ragnar snapped, sinking his teeth into the back of my hand. Blood welled up instantly. “Quinn! What the hell are you doing?” Mrs. Blackwood rushed over. “It’s just a piece of metal! Why are you fighting with a dog?” “Yes, Quinn. If you’re upset, I apologize. Please don’t scare Ragnar.” I clutched the tag tightly, blood oozing between my fingers. Garrett walked in just then. Seeing the scene, his face hardened. “What’s the drama now?” Tina immediately stepped forward. “It’s my fault, Garrett. I shouldn’t have given Ragnar the tag.” Garrett looked at me, his eyes full of reprimand. “It’s a dog tag. You gave it away. Why are you making such a scene?” He snatched the tag from my bleeding hand and clipped it back onto the K9’s collar. “The world doesn’t revolve around you, Quinn!” I looked at the transfer orders tucked away in my purse. I turned my back on them and walked upstairs. The next day, I went to the Institute. My assistant said the research partner’s representative was in the conference room, demanding an explanation from me personally. I grabbed my briefing notes and pushed the door open. Representative Rebecca Shaw, the lead negotiator, looked at me and her face turned cold. “CTO Zhou, I hear you neglected your son to the point of death just to run an experiment? We are hesitant to partner with such a cold-blooded researcher.” I stood straight. “Representative Shaw, the situation that day was…” “The situation is irrelevant,” she cut me off, holding up a hand. “The entire system knows the story now—that you put your career first and let your own flesh and blood die for a project. I am a mother. I can’t in good conscience work with someone so heartless.” The officers around the table muttered among themselves. Garrett sat to the left, silent. I took a deep breath. “How would you like to resolve this, Representative?” She slid a glass of clear liquor toward me. “Drink this. Apologize publicly and say that you failed as a mother. We’ll call it even.” My doctor had strictly forbidden alcohol due to a severe stomach condition. I looked at Garrett. He averted his eyes, yet again. “The Representative is giving you an out, Quinn. Take it.” My hands were shaking as I picked up the glass. The entire room was waiting for the show. Behind Garrett, Tina wore a knowing smile. The first sip burned my throat. The second made my vision blur. When I finished the last drop, I inverted the empty glass on the table. “I apologize. I was wrong.” Representative Shaw finally smiled. “Very well, CTO Zhou.” I rushed into the restroom, throwing up until I was dry-heaving. Blood mixed with the liquor on the porcelain sink. I gripped the edge, my legs too weak to hold me. Garrett followed me in, his face tight. “Are you alright?” I rinsed my mouth. “I’m fine.” “You shouldn’t have pushed yourself if you can’t hold your liquor.” “Didn’t you tell me to drink it?” He choked on the words. He reached out to wipe the blood from my mouth. I took half a step back. “Colonel Blackwood, this is a Base facility. Be mindful of appearances.” His hand froze in the air. That afternoon, the General summoned me to his study. A new agreement was spread out on his desk. “You will automatically waive all pension and indemnity rights related to Neil.” “Furthermore, your researcher status will be revoked. The Blackwood family will not support idlers.” I had been wondering how to get Garrett to sign the divorce papers. This was unexpectedly convenient. Just as the pen was about to hit the paper, Garrett burst in. “Dad! Don’t sign that!” “What, still protecting her?” Garrett looked at me, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes, and his throat worked hard. “Tina is pregnant. It’s mine.” The pen slipped from my fingers, leaving a long, dark streak across the document. The General froze, then erupted in ecstatic joy. “Are you serious?!” “Just confirmed. Two months.” “This child was conceived just before Neil passed… it must be providence!” Tina appeared in the doorway. “Quinn, I’m so sorry.” The General had already forgotten me. He looked between Garrett and Tina. “Wonderful! Wonderful!” “Two months? Garrett, you finally did something right!” I stood still, a ringing sound in my ears. Two months. That was just over two months ago, right before Neil was gone. Now I understood. Garrett walked over, trying to embrace me. “We can raise this child together. It can be ours, okay?” I looked at him, feeling an overwhelming, terrifying sense of unfamiliarity. The three of them excitedly discussed the new life, none of them noticing I quietly slipped the agreement off the desk. That night, I packed a single suitcase. I had burned all of Neil’s photos, keeping only a micro-negative embedded in my old ID tag. The one military tag—I had to get it back. As I left my bedroom, I saw Tina standing by what used to be my son’s room. The room was empty. She was instructing a serviceman to move in K9 training equipment. “This will be Ragnar’s new activity room,” she announced. She saw me and gave a sickly sweet smile. “You don’t mind, do you, Quinn? Garrett said it was just sitting empty.” I looked at the small, engraved tag she had tossed carelessly into the waste bin. My knuckles turned white. “Oh, Quinn, there was one thing I never told you.” “Don’t blame Garrett. Neil and Ragnar had seizures at the same time. The vet said both needed the drug immediately.” My body went cold. Garrett had told me he hadn’t known about Neil’s seizure. “Garrett said Ragnar was bigger and breathing heavier, so he saved him first.” “Neil was five years old. He would definitely hold on.” It wasn’t that he was too late. It was that he chose to let go. I wiped away the last bit of moisture from my eyes, retrieved the tag from the trash, and walked out without a word. When Garrett returned home, he was carrying a box from my favorite old-school bakery. “Quinn, we need to talk this through—” But all he saw was an empty living room and the document on the dining table. The Divorce Report. Both signatures were already complete. The next second, the pastry box slipped from Garrett’s hand, and he staggered backward, collapsing.

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I was the true heiress, despised by my entire family. My teachers and classmates loathed me, my childhood sweetheart was repulsed by my looks, and only the transfer student, Chloe, treated me like a friend. When I was falsely accused of stealing, she was the only one who believed me. When my childhood sweetheart called me a two-hundred-pound pig, she supported me as I tried to lose weight. When my parents kicked me out, she took me in. I thought she was my lifelong best friend, until the day Chloe pushed me from the eighteenth floor. Before falling, I heard her disgust: “You fat pig, do you think anyone would help you if it wasn’t to drain your last ounce of luck?! Just die already! I’ll gladly take over everything you have!” My eyes widened in shock. No wonder everyone who loved me had turned against me. Filled with burning resentment, I found myself back on the day Chloe transferred to our class. But this time, I could hear her inner voice. [System, is this the Child of Fortune?] A mechanical voice chimed in: [Yes, Host. As long as you can make those around her despise her, you can plunder a portion of her luck. Eventually, her beauty, grades, childhood sweetheart, and family fortune will all be yours!] Hearing this, I looked up, meeting Chloe’s predatory gaze. …… Seeing me look at her, Chloe flashed a sweet smile. I lowered my head, expressionless, hatred churning within me. So she was bound to a Luck Plundering System! The more people hated me, the more luck she gained! No wonder I felt my body growing weaker and weaker in my past life! I steadied my emotions, knowing that after PE class, she would frame me for stealing! Sure enough, upon returning from PE, Chloe shrieked, “My grandmother’s heirloom is gone!” Everyone panicked immediately. “No way, check again! Could it have fallen somewhere?” “Holy crap! Who the hell stole my money?!” Instantly, the classroom descended into anger and panic. Chloe cried out, red-eyed, “Whoever took the bracelet my grandmother left me, please give it back! I can pay you!” She was sobbing hysterically, and classmates comforted her sympathetically. The class president said grimly, “Let’s check the security cameras!” I sneered inwardly; the cameras were already jammed by the system. As expected, the class president returned empty-handed. Chloe suddenly looked at me, tears streaming down her face. “Emma, you came back to the classroom halfway through. Did you see who took our things?” Instantly, all eyes turned to me. The class president hesitated before saying, “Emma, I want to trust you, but… can we check your desk?” Liam shielded me, frowning at her. “Emma wouldn’t do something like that!” Chloe looked at Liam, weeping sorrowfully. Liam wavered. “Emma, I believe you, but maybe you should just…” Rolling my eyes, I zipped open my backpack. Inside were the missing items. The class erupted. Chloe looked at me, heartbroken. “Emma, do you hate me? Why else would you do this? How did I offend you?” She sobbed uncontrollably while the others comforted her, shooting me looks of disgust. “Your family is rich, and you still steal! How disgusting!” “She looks so innocent, but she’s a thief behind our backs!” “Chloe, you’re too kind! Stealing is wrong, no matter what! It’s a character flaw! Total moral bankruptcy!” As the classmates glared at me, Chloe, eyes red, asked understandingly, “Emma, is there a misunderstanding?” The others grew even angrier. “She was caught red-handed! What misunderstanding?! You’re just too soft-hearted!” They started grabbing at me. “We have to tell the teacher! She needs to be punished!” Then I heard the voice of Chloe’s system: [Disgust value +10, +5, +8…] Followed by Chloe’s excited voice: [Soon, I’ll take her beauty and figure! Make her a fat pig! I won’t even have to do anything, people will be disgusted just looking at her!] But before her dream could come true, I pulled out my phone, looking hurt, and played a video. “I didn’t do it.” I looked a little embarrassed. “I went to the bathroom during PE and saw someone sneaking around in the classroom, so I recorded it. I didn’t think they were stealing.” Chloe’s face stiffened. She scrambled to watch the video, and the others gathered around. The video clearly showed someone sneaking around and taking things. The face was blurry, but the figure clearly wasn’t mine. The classmates erupted in anger. “What an idiot! What was she thinking? Why can’t we see her face?” “Did Emma and Chloe offend someone? I’m telling the teacher!” “Wait, doesn’t that figure look familiar?” Someone eyed the class suspiciously. I looked at Chloe. “I never came back to the classroom. Why did you say you saw me?” Chloe panicked, stammering, “I-I must have seen wrong.” [Disgust value reset to zero.] Hearing this, Chloe glared at me with vicious resentment. She refused to give up. [System, she got lucky this time! Tomorrow is the placement exam. Isn’t Emma top of her grade? I’ll frame her for cheating! Once her teachers, classmates, and parents are disappointed in her, I’ll snatch her grades and Liam’s love!] That’s exactly what happened in my past life. It destroyed the trust of my teachers and parents. My classmates despised me, my grades plummeted, and I became the laughingstock of the school. Liam even called me a despicable pig and joined in mocking me. But this time, I wouldn’t let her win! The next day, I breezed through the exam and handed in my paper early. But just as the exam ended, Chloe shot up from her seat. The homeroom teacher looked at her, confused. “Chloe, what is it?” Chloe cast a conflicted look my way before announcing loudly, “Mr. Smith, Emma cheated!” The entire class froze. We were the honors class; a single point could mean a drop of several ranks, and our allowance depended on it. Anyone caught cheating would be metaphorically torn to shreds. Liam was still protective of me at this point. He frowned at Chloe. “Why are you always causing trouble for Emma?!” Chloe looked at him tearfully. “I was a victim last time too! I just think it’s unfair to everyone else!” Mr. Smith frowned. “What proof do you have? Emma is always number one. Why would she cheat?” She pointed at me. “The proof is in her pocket. I saw her put a cheat sheet in there, and…” She seemed to muster her courage. “And… maybe her past top scores were cheated too?” Instantly, all eyes were on me. The teacher gave me a searching look, asking me to prove my innocence. But when I reached into my pocket, my face paled—there was actually something in there! Seeing my hesitation, the others grew suspicious. Chloe, unable to hold back, rushed over and pulled the item from my pocket. It was a cheat sheet! Everyone’s expressions twisted. “Emma actually cheated? Was she cheating all along?” “And we thought she was so smart! My parents always compared me to her! I thought she had real talent! She’s just a cheater? Disgusting!” “We never got first place because of her! She needs to be severely punished!” Chloe looked at me apologetically. “Emma, I’m doing this for your own good…” Inwardly, she was rejoicing as the system announced the rising disgust values! I sneered. Trying to steal my luck wouldn’t be that easy this time! I unfolded the paper and showed it to everyone. It was covered in random doodles. The class fell silent. I glared at her coldly. “This is a cheat sheet?” Chloe’s face changed. “Impossible!” “Impossible?” I scoffed. “Let me ask you, where exactly did I cheat? When did you see me cheating?” Chloe’s face darkened, and the class grew impatient. “What’s with the drama? Do you think we have all day?” “Always crying and playing the victim. Who’s even bullying her?” “Speaking of which, didn’t the person in the video yesterday look a lot like Chloe?” Chloe panicked, biting her lip hard. Her eyes darted around, but she remained stubborn. “It wasn’t me! I really saw it! I don’t know what’s going on!” I laughed coldly and pulled an identical piece of paper from her pocket. This time, it was a real cheat sheet. I had anticipated her move and slipped the real cheat sheet into her pocket. “It seems the real cheater is someone else.” Chloe’s face drained of color. “It’s not me! I didn’t do it!” I looked at her coldly. “The evidence is right here. What else do you have to say? How did I offend you? Why are you doing this?” Chloe was speechless. Finally, she saw the balcony and ran toward it, crying that she was going to jump. The whole incident ended inconclusively. She failed to steal my luck and instead became isolated by the class. Ignoring Chloe’s resentful glares, I continued studying. But I heard her inner voice: [System, does that bitch Emma know something? I definitely put that cheat sheet in her pocket!] The mechanical voice replied: [No anomalies detected.] [Useless!] Chloe closed her eyes. [Looks like I’ll have to bleed a little!] Hearing this, I frowned slightly, but before I could process it, Chloe appeared in front of me. Her eyes were red, her shoulders trembling. “Emma, I’m sorry, I saw wrong!” I watched her warily, unsure of her game. When I ignored her, she grabbed me. “Emma, can you forgive me? I really didn’t mean it!” Her voice grew louder, drawing the attention of the class. Then, she dropped to her knees. My face changed, and I tried to pull her up, but the moment I reached out, she slammed her head hard against the desk. Blood immediately gushed from her forehead. Chloe shrieked, begging desperately, “Emma! I was wrong, please stop hitting me! I didn’t mean it!” Her voice was weak and broken. The other students rushed over. The class president paled, holding Chloe and shouting, “Get her to the nurse!” A few students frantically carried Chloe away. The class president turned on me, furious. “Are you crazy?! Why would you do that? Even if she misunderstood you, you can’t just attack her like that! Are you trying to kill her?!” “She was on her knees begging you, what more do you want? Do you think she’s an easy target because she’s soft-spoken? This is school, not your house!” “Emma, I misjudged you! If something happens to Chloe, how will you live with yourself?!” I could feel their disgust. Panic set in, and I tried to explain, “No! She hit her own head!” But they just stared at me coldly. Suddenly, I felt a strong pull on my arm. Liam yanked me away so forcefully I almost fell. He looked grim. “Emma, you need to apologize to Chloe!” I felt it was absurd, but he continued, “I’m doing this for your own good. You can’t just hit people! When did you become so violent?!” Although I had long stopped liking him, their lack of trust still terrified me. I was completely caught off guard this time! Seeing me frozen, Liam tried to drag me to the nurse’s office. I struggled fiercely and slapped him hard across the face. “Get away from me!” Liam held his cheek, staring at me in disbelief. Through gritted teeth, he said, “Fine! You’ll regret this!” I returned to the classroom, deeply unsettled. The class president had already fetched the homeroom teacher, who wanted an explanation but clearly didn’t believe me either. “You’ve disappointed me so much. You must apologize to Chloe! Or I’ll have to call your parents!” I knew the teacher was already being lenient, but I felt so wronged that I stubbornly refused. Just as the teacher was about to lose her temper, Liam walked in, supporting Chloe. With her forehead bandaged and looking weak, Chloe pleaded, “Mr. Smith, I believe Emma didn’t mean it. I don’t need her apology.” Her innocent smile made the teacher and students despise me even more. Mr. Smith looked at me with disappointment. “Emma, reflect on your actions! I’ll be reporting this to the school administration!” A classmate added indignantly, “Chloe, you’re too kind! If it were me, I’d make sure she was punished!” Liam looked at me with disappointment. “Emma, what happened to you?” Everyone blamed me, while the true culprit, Chloe, looked at me with understanding—but I knew she was mocking me! [System, an idiot like Emma is no match for me. Transfer her grades to me first!] As soon as she finished, my mind grew foggy. The knowledge in my head was vanishing! And Chloe’s smile grew wider! After that, my classmates isolated me. Teachers called on me, but I couldn’t answer even the simplest questions, while Chloe answered them flawlessly using multiple methods. By the end of the day, all my teachers had criticized me and praised Chloe. My classmates gave me weird looks; they started suspecting my past grades were fake! Seeing my panic, Chloe felt triumphant. [System, I didn’t know the top student knew so much! I was going to take it slow, but now I’m going all in. I’ll make the whole world hate her, and I’ll absorb all her luck! Then, everything she has will be mine!] [I need to borrow some points this time. Once I finish her off, I’ll pay you back double!] Hearing this, memories of my past life—being hated and revled by everyone—flooded back. I stumbled home, just wanting to hide. But I still went to school the next day. I wouldn’t let her win! As soon as I entered the classroom, everyone looked at me strangely. Uneasy, I tried to talk to the class president, but she shrieked and jumped away. “What’s wrong?” I asked nervously. Suddenly, inappropriate sounds filled the room. The smartboard played a video of me in bed with several thugs, my eyes glazed over. My face went pale. Before I could speak, Liam grabbed me angrily. “Emma! Wasn’t what you did enough? Do you have to humiliate me in front of the whole class?! How could you be this kind of woman?! You’re disgusting!” “I don’t know what you’re talking about! The video is fake! I can prove it!” I denied frantically. Liam looked at me with even more disgust. “Still pretending? I had it analyzed the moment it went viral online. It’s real! Why did you become like this?!” My face was white as a sheet, my body trembling. How could this be? My classmates looked at me with revulsion, like I was filth. “Disgusting. She acts so proper, but she’ll take anything in private!” “Maybe she wasn’t falsely accused the previous times. What wouldn’t someone like her do?” “She even hit someone! If Mr. Smith wasn’t so soft, she would’ve been suspended!” Students from other classes sneaked photos of me with their phones. I tried to turn off the video, but Chloe stopped me. “Emma, why don’t you respect yourself? Do you know what they’re saying online? They’re calling you a streetwalker, saying you only charge twenty bucks… I can’t even say it!” Other classmates chimed in, “Chloe! Why are you still defending her?! She’s just cheap! She hit you last time!” I pushed her away, shouting, “I didn’t!” “Why won’t you admit it?” Chloe looked at me with disappointment, but inwardly she was ecstatic. Just a little more, and all my luck would be hers. I felt physically ill, swollen and confused. Then, my parents and Mr. Smith arrived, accompanied by a group of reporters. Seeing them, Chloe stepped forward like an angel. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, Emma didn’t mean it, you have to talk to her calmly! And make sure to wear gloves. I heard people who play around like that carry viruses~” Chloe noted my parents’ murderous glares and felt incredibly smug. [Once Emma’s parents completely lose hope in her, her luck will be practically gone! Hahaha!] My parents stormed in, raising their hands—but the slap landed squarely on Chloe’s face. My father’s voice was full of disgust and rage. “You bitch! The one messing around outside is someone else!” Chloe’s smile froze. Panicked, she touched her cheek, looking at my parents tearfully. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, what are you doing? Did you hit the wrong person?” My mother’s glare was deadly. “Hit the wrong person? Don’t you deserve to be hit?!” Chloe frantically called the system. [System! What does she mean?! Why do I deserve to be hit? Do they know something?] The mechanical voice replied: [Host, you must find the problem yourself.] [You’re useless! What good are you?! Forget it! I have a bad feeling about this. Use all my disgust points to buy the love of Emma’s parents!] My heart clenched, and I instinctively gripped my parents’ hands tightly. My understanding of the system was superficial—what if history repeated itself? Sensing my fear, my mother turned to me with a loving gaze. “Don’t worry. We will clear your name and teach those ingrates a lesson!” Chloe grew even more terrified, urging the system. [Hurry! Hurry!] My heart was in my throat, but the system just buzzed. [No disgust points detected from the Child of Fortune’s parents. Cannot complete transaction… bzzzt—] Chloe raged internally, but I sighed in relief. The system wasn’t omnipotent! The other students were completely confused. “The evidence is irrefutable. What else is there to say?” “I bet Emma is using her family’s money to buy fake evidence!” Mr. Smith was also confused. The principal had sent her to expel me, given the massive online uproar. As an honors student, Mr. Smith actually believed me and had secretly gotten the video analyzed. It could have been an AI deepfake, but the results showed the video was completely authentic. No tampering detected! So, hearing my parents say they had evidence, she was skeptical. My parents held up a flash drive. “We do have evidence. It proves that the girl messing around with those thugs wasn’t my daughter! It was—her!” My father pointed at Chloe. The whole room gasped. Chloe cursed inwardly but maintained her innocent facade. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, I know you want to find a scapegoat for Emma, but I’m innocent!” The internet exploded. “The evidence is clear! They’re not keeping a low profile, they’re actually looking for a scapegoat?!” “This family is disgusting! I heard they own a company. If their company survives this, I’ll eat shit doing a handstand!” “That poor classmate. She was just defending her! They’re bullying her because she’s an easy target!” Liam shielded Chloe, glaring at me. “Mr. and Mrs. Miller, why are you framing Chloe? She was just defending Emma! Even if you want to help Emma, you can’t just slander someone else!” Chloe cried pitifully, cursing inwardly. I knew she had already stolen some of my luck; I couldn’t think straight anymore. My parents looked at Liam with disappointment. “You’re Emma’s fiancé, and you don’t believe her? Good thing you aren’t together yet! Once this is over, our families’ engagement is off!” Liam looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. Pain and conflict flashed in his eyes. He stepped forward, but Chloe tugged at him, and his expression hardened again. Anxious, I knew we couldn’t delay. “Mom, Dad, play the video!” My parents nodded. Chloe’s face turned pale. She didn’t know what video we had, but she definitely couldn’t let it play. She tried to stop them, but how could she overpower my parents? She shrieked, “Liam! They’re going to frame me!” Liam hesitated, glancing at me before stepping forward, only to be slapped by my father. The fake video was deleted, and the video from the flash drive was played. Everyone was stunned. The class president’s mouth hung open. “What… what’s going on?” The reporters my father brought dutifully started recording. The video showed the same thugs, but the girl with them wasn’t me. It was Chloe. Pale-faced, Chloe screamed and rushed to block the screen. “That’s not me! It’s not me! They’re framing me!” My father scoffed. “Not you? Yesterday, Emma warned me, so I had people follow you and record your every move. I didn’t expect you to do something like this! And somehow, you pinned it on my daughter!” Chloe screamed, “Impossible! Your video is an AI deepfake!” She glared at me venomously, frantically calling the system. [What’s happening?! How did that bitch Emma know?!] I felt the changes in my body slowing down. The others were probably starting to doubt her. Liam watched in shock. “What’s going on? How can there be two identical videos with different people?!” “I had Emma’s video tested; it was real!” My father snorted. “You can test our video too!” Liam looked at me, pale. I coldly averted my gaze. The online discussion was also intense. “What’s going on? Is this a ghost story? Am I dreaming?” “Just another PR stunt. I bet the family is just in denial.” “No, this video is real too.” “Exactly, I asked a tech expert. Both videos are authentic!” A sudden silence fell over the room. Mr. Smith sighed in relief and asked the question on everyone’s mind: “What exactly is going on? Either both videos are fake, or only one is real!” Of course, she hoped both were fake! Trembling, Chloe glared at me. “Her family is rich! They bribed someone to fake it!” The others pondered this. Just then, several men walked in. Seeing them, Chloe looked as if she’d been struck by lightning. My parents let them in. “Tell them what really happened that day!” It was the thugs from the video. They looked a bit dazed themselves. Chloe was terrified. [Damn it! System! Are you working with them to set me up? Didn’t you make them kill themselves after we finished? How could you screw this up?] The system’s cold, mechanical voice replied: [Host, I followed your instructions. You assumed it was foolproof and didn’t witness their deaths. I told you before, the system isn’t omnipotent. Everything must be based on existing reality. To frame Emma and make it undetectable, you had to pay the price. Pushing them to suicide was already a violation of protocol. If you cannot plunder Emma’s luck and repay your borrowed points twofold… you will pay with your soul!] The system’s emotionless voice sounded like a reaper coming for her soul! Terrified, she screamed inwardly, [No, no, no! I still have a chance!] When the thugs saw Chloe, their eyes cleared a bit. “It’s her! She came to us that day, offered us money for some ‘excitement’! Said the more guys, the better! We wanted the cash, so we went to the Bingtian Motel with her and filmed it… but…” His expression turned fearful. “But… after it was over, my buddies and I couldn’t think of anything except killing ourselves. That’s all we could think about. If someone hadn’t grabbed us on the way, we’d be dead!” “She’s a demon! She’s not human!”

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