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When my childhood best friend was surrounded by fire, he calmly looked in my direction. I knew he had reincarnated, too. Suddenly, a stream of comments flashed across my vision. “LOL, the thirsty female side character is going to rescue the male lead again.” “Wait for the female side character to save the male lead, get sixth-degree burns, and be shipped off to the sticks. Then the male lead can introduce the poor female lead as the fake daughter to the side character’s family. Childhood romance trope, so sweet.” “Our pure female lead just wants a home. The reborn male lead definitely won’t let the side character return to threaten her happiness.” Is that so? What if, in this life, the one who gets sixth-degree burns is my childhood friend, not me? Chapter 1 The fire crackled loudly. The hot, scorching smoke made it impossible to breathe. “Coral, don’t worry about me. Run!” That familiar scene and voice made my entire body tense up. I thought I was dead. Dead, after my childhood friend and the fake heiress tormented me. Dead, caught in a once-in-a-century blizzard. “It’s okay, even if I die here, it doesn’t matter. As long as you live, that’s all that counts.” “Coral, you’re the kindest, most innocent girl I’ve ever met. I just wish I had met you sooner in the next life to protect you.” Anyone hearing those passionate, sorrowful words would feel compelled to stay. In my past life, I was fooled by them. But in this life, my heart is colder than a sword forged in the mountains for sixteen years. I looked up and met the flawlessly handsome face of my childhood friend, Henry Wen. His expression seemed fearful, but his eyes held an unsettling calm. With that single glance, I knew he had been reborn, too. I curved my lips, about to speak, when a stream of comments flashed across my vision. “LOL, the thirsty female side character is going to rescue the male lead again.” “Wait for the female side character to save the male lead, get sixth-degree burns, and be shipped off to the sticks. Then the male lead can introduce the poor female lead as the fake daughter to the side character’s family. Childhood romance trope, so sweet.” “Our pure female lead just wants a home. The reborn male lead definitely won’t let the side character return to threaten her happiness.” Oh, how amusing. Not only am I reborn, but I can also see these bizarre comments. This second life is going to be far more entertaining. Chapter 2 Just like in the past life, I said, sounding frantic: “Coco! I won’t let you die!” Henry curved his lips into a mocking smile, but just as his smile peaked, I spoke again. “You wait here! I’m going to call the cops and get help!” “Henry, wait for me!” With that, I turned and ran. I ran so fast I almost stumbled and fell. I wasn’t rushing to save him, but this fire was going to spread rapidly. The area was full of dry brush, and it could easily get out of control. Even though the fire didn’t spread in the previous life, I couldn’t risk it. My life is valuable. I have to stay alive until these scumbags are dead! Henry watched me run until I was far away, realizing I wasn’t joking. He started yelling for help. “Help!—Help me!” “Skylar Li! Come save me! I’m going to burn to death!” Hearing that, I finally stopped. Relief flashed in his eyes, but when he saw me simply standing there, arms crossed, watching lazily, he panicked for real. He tried to save himself, rushing toward the ring of fire, desperate to escape. But the idiot was too busy posing. The fire was much bigger than he anticipated. He even deliberately sent the housekeeper away and told the security guards he was setting off fireworks so they wouldn’t disturb him. He wanted the fire to spread quickly so I would burn. Now he’s getting a taste of his own medicine. The comments section exploded. “Is this side character crazy? Why isn’t she saving the male lead!” “WTF, is the handsome male lead going to die in the first chapter?” “No way! He’s the male lead, the Chosen One! Others might die, but he’ll probably just get burned, then get reconstructive surgery to look even hotter. That’s the standard trope.” I smirked. I don’t know who’s posting these comments, but they’re all idiots. Henry can’t get plastic surgery because he has a tendency to keloid scarring. And the Wen family isn’t as wealthy as mine. He absolutely cannot and will not be reborn as a success. I swear, even Jesus can’t help him! … Five minutes later, a passing neighbor heard his cries for help and frantically called the police and an ambulance. I watched him being carried away on a stretcher from a distance. The white sheet didn’t cover his face, which told me the jerk wasn’t dying yet. Good. Chapter 3 After a night of emergency surgery, Henry woke up. His proudly long legs were amputated, and his handsome face was melted by the flames. The smell of burned flesh permeated the air. Henry’s parents almost passed out from grief. This was their only son. When my parents and I stepped into the hospital room, Henry, numb and despairing from the pain, instantly roared with incandescent fury: “Skylar Li! I was so good to you! How could you just watch me burn?” “Do you know my leg was amputated? I’ll never stand again! I have sixth-degree burns and I’m crippled! You could have just reached out and saved me! Why were you so cruel? Why did you ruin me? What did I ever do to deserve this? Are you happy now that you see me like this?” His desperate accusations sounded like a spiteful woman. He looked nothing like the refined, gentle boy he used to be. I wasn’t this unhinged when he ruined me in the past life. I pursed my lips, feigning innocent distress. “Henry, how could you accuse me? Everyone knows I do whatever you tell me.” “You set the fire! You drew that big circle with gasoline and said you were going to show me a magic trick! I thought you were putting on a show again. And you kept insisting I leave. I thought it was part of the act, so I listened and left!” Henry’s mom wiped her tears, complaining. “You left, but you should have called the police! How could you just watch him burn like that?” I spread my hands, looking even more innocent. “I didn’t leave. I was standing right there, watching Henry’s performance.” Henry’s mom’s face went white with anger. She was about to point at me, but Henry’s dad stopped her, trying to soothe her. “Calm down. It’s over now. Henry did set the fire, and he did tell Skylar to leave. She’s only twelve. It’s normal for her to think it was a magic trick.” My parents had already heard my side of the story on the way over. While I might have been partially involved, they couldn’t blame me entirely. My mom quickly added: “We’re so sorry. We spoiled Coco too much. We truly apologize for this.” “I’ve already spoken to the hospital director. They’re contacting the best specialists globally for Henry’s treatment. Technology is so advanced now, he’ll be able to get prosthetic legs soon and walk again. Please let us know if you need anything at all.” Ha, dream on. My parents spent a fortune in the past life trying to get me back on my feet. It was useless. His injuries were too severe. The amputation went up to his thigh, and he damaged his reproductive organs. He’ll never have children unless he’s getting cheated on. Chapter 4 My dad gently patted Henry’s dad on the shoulder, sighing. “I know our children are our lives. I understand how you feel.” “But life must go on, no matter how hard it is. Once you’ve recovered, let’s start the wind power project together. The approval documents just came through.” Instantly, Henry’s parents’ expressions softened. They were just waiting for my dad to say that. After all, their son was crippled—that’s a fact. And it was his own fault. Blaming me was pointless. Better to exchange the misery for a multi-billion dollar partnership. Henry’s dad nodded. “You’re right. We have to keep living.” Henry expected his parents to demand justice for him, to make me pay a painful price. Instead, he realized they were using him as a tool for business interests. He was so angry his face turned crimson. He was about to curse me, when I leaned in and whispered mockingly in his ear. “Henry, I lied to them just now.” “I knew you weren’t doing a magic trick, and I deliberately didn’t save you. You can forget about advanced prosthetic legs. The scars will be permanent.” “I personally ruined you, but this is just the beginning.” The words were devastating. So devastating that his hysterical screams started only after I pretended to tuck him in. “Skylar Li, you bitch! You devil!” “Mom, Dad, she just admitted it! It was all deliberate! She wanted to ruin me! No, she wanted to kill me!” “Mom, Dad, you have to kill her! Kill her—” He didn’t finish. Henry’s dad angrily yelled at him. “Henry Wen!” “Are you done throwing a fit? You’re still trying to blame Skylar!” “You set the fire yourself, and you told the security guards it was fireworks so they wouldn’t check! Everything that happened is your own damn fault! Be thankful Skylar didn’t get hurt, or your life wouldn’t be enough to pay for it!” Henry was so enraged he started spitting up blood. Doctors and nurses rushed him to the operating room for emergency treatment. The comments section was livid. “WTF, the side character is seriously insane! Absolutely unhinged!” “Did the side character reincarnate too? She’s brutal! Her words are murderous. It’s pathetic how the male lead is being destroyed by her.” “Honestly, this psycho side character is kinda hot. The male lead wanted to kill her, and she reversed the outcome. That’s fair.” “Haha, when you put it that way, it’s actually pretty cool.” I smiled. Of course, it’s cool. Compared to the hypocritical male lead and the weak, fake female lead, a vicious side character like me is much more entertaining. I’m ready to kill them both. Don’t bother trying to bind me with morality. A devil who clawed her way out of hell has no morals whatsoever. Chapter 5 The national wind power project was a massive opportunity. So tempting that Henry’s parents quickly forgot about their son still in the hospital. And I, the vicious side character, used the excuse of taking care of him to visit the hospital every day, just to provoke and disgust him. I read him the love letters I received. I danced the ballet I just learned right in front of him. Dancing alone is boring, so I brought a handsome, gentle boy to dance with me. I frequently brought his former rivals to visit him. I shared good news, like getting first place in the entrance exam… He couldn’t take it anymore and complained to his parents, begging them to keep me away. Henry’s dad was furious, accusing him of being ungrateful. He said I was so busy, yet I made time to visit and even brought friends to cheer him up. He called Henry a spoiled brat. Henry developed full-blown depression. I used the opportunity to suggest: “Maybe the hospital environment isn’t good for Henry’s recovery.” “My family owns a villa in the countryside. The scenery is beautiful, the people are kind, and the food is all organic and healthy. With a private nurse and two caregivers, the recovery results would be much better than here.” “Then we can get Henry the most advanced prosthetic legs, and he can play basketball again.” Henry’s dad instantly agreed. “You’re so thoughtful, Coco. We’re too busy to be with him.” The decision was finalized then and there. He was sent to the countryside that afternoon. He fought and screamed and threatened a hunger strike. But what could he do? They just packed him up and put him in the car. He didn’t even have the strength to fight back. The comments lit up. “The side character is a poison! So cruel! The poor male lead is ruined…” “This plot is familiar. Is the side character planning to do everything the male lead did to her, back to him?” “Who says the side character has to die? This counterattack is so satisfying!” “What if the side character takes a cute guy and trains him to be her submissive boyfriend? That would be so hot.” Even the cutest guy wouldn’t be as handsome as the male lead, right? The male lead is the handsomest. Wait, there’s a major villain, Alec Lin, who’s supposedly just as handsome. But Alec’s ruthlessness matches his good looks. He’s a cold-hearted bastard. “If the side character and the ultimate villain team up, the destruction of the world is basically imminent.”

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1 I was doing a stunt for a fight scene when the film’s “It Girl” stabbed me for real, landing me in the hospital. My A-list actor boyfriend, Zane, rushed to my side, fussing over me with worried questions. Before I could even feel a flicker of warmth, a line of text materialized above his head: [When is Sienna going to realize the A-lister bound her to that wannabe Roxy with a Beauty System?] [Whatever part of her body Sienna obsesses over, that same part on Roxy becomes even more perfect!] A second later, my agent of five years, Cole, hurried in. Another line of text appeared: [The agent’s just as bad. He’s bound her with an Achievement System. The harder Sienna works, the more successful Roxy becomes!] I looked at the two men in front of me and fell into a deep, unsettling thought. So… all I have to do is stop giving a damn. … As the text continued to scroll, a chill crept into my heart. How could this be possible? The two most important men in my life were using me, sacrificing me for someone else? Just then, a celebrity news alert popped up on my phone: [Rising Star Roxy Spotted by Fans, Warmly Posing for Photos and Hugs.] In the video, her legs were impossibly long and slender, so pale they practically glowed. But just yesterday, when we were filming our fight scene, I’d seen her thighs, and they hadn’t looked like that. The comments section was flooded. [Roxy is the queen of self-discipline! Just a few days ago people were talking about her ‘thick thighs’ and now look at this comeback. Incredible!] [I heard she runs ten kilometers every morning to maintain her figure! How can a star like this not be famous?] [This is some serious shade on a certain senior actress, isn’t it? She’s been in the business for years and still hasn’t learned to manage her own body!] [Exactly. She’s so dark and chubby. If she’s not a flop, who is?] I didn’t need three guesses to know who the “certain senior actress” was. I glanced instinctively at my boyfriend, Zane, and my agent, Cole. They were both staring at their phones, grinning like idiots, their eyes filled with undisguised admiration and pride. I used to think they were just happy to see an artist from our agency succeed. Now I knew the truth. They were laughing at how stupid I was. The text floated by again: [See? The more Sienna worries about her thigh scarring, the more beautiful Roxy’s legs become.] I took a deep breath. I was starting to believe it. There was no other explanation for how Roxy’s legs could transform into flawlessness in a single day, right after mine had been sliced open. Rage boiled in my chest as I looked at them. One was my boyfriend. When he was a nobody, I was the one who spent a fortune—tens of millions, at least—on ads and investments to make him the star he was today. The other was my agent. When he was a newbie getting bullied in a corner, I was the one, a popular actress at the time, who took him under my wing. Because of me, he became a top-tier agent. And now, these two were working together to destroy me for Roxy. I was about to explode when a nurse came in to change my dressing. Zane immediately took the antiseptic and bandages from her. “I’ll do it,” he said gently. “You go on.” The nurse gave me a knowing, envious smile. “Your boyfriend is so handsome and thoughtful!” I forced a smile, my eyes secretly tracking Zane’s movements. With his back to me, he discreetly tossed the healing powder into the trash. The text floated up: [So cruel. This way, Sienna’s wound will scar, making her even more insecure about it.] I shot up and pushed him away. “Forget it. Just leave it.” Zane stared at me, bewildered. “Sienna, don’t you know that keeping your body scar-free is the ultimate respect you can show your audience?” “Besides,” he added, his voice hardening, “you’re my girlfriend. How can you be worthy of me if you have a scar?” He talked about not wanting me to scar, but all he wanted was for me to be insecure and obsessed. Years ago, when he, a famous actor, chose me, a washed-up star, over a bevy of beautiful actresses, his fans had ripped me to shreds for years. He never once defended me. Instead, he’d gaslight me. “Sienna, maybe they just think you’re not pretty enough.” “It’s okay. With modern medicine, if you want to get some cosmetic work done, I’ll support you.” Blinded by love, I’d foolishly agreed. To be “worthy” of him, I went through hell and back with cosmetic procedures, but my face only got worse. Now people called me a plastic surgery monster, full of toxins. I remember curling up under the covers, my body wracked with sobs, completely depressed over it. And on that very day, Roxy won the “Most Beautiful Lead Actress” award for her stunning looks. Snapping back to the present, I pushed him away with a humorless smile. “If you really cared about me, why haven’t you gone to settle the score with Roxy? Why haven’t you asked her why she used a real knife instead of a prop?” At the mention of Roxy, his expression soured. Cole stepped in, his tone deliberately calm. “Sienna, I know you don’t want to be just a pretty face. You care more about your skills, right?” “So I completely understand you focusing on your acting.” He paused, holding out a call sheet. “Here. I just booked you another stunt gig. Shoots at 1 a.m. The pay is good.” I glanced down at the throbbing wound on my thigh. I’d just been injured yesterday, and he wanted me to pull an all-nighter for a fight scene? I threw the call sheet on the floor. “I don’t feel well. I’m not doing it.” This time, even he couldn’t stay calm. His brows furrowed, his voice laced with impatience. “Sienna, accidents happen in acting. You used to be so tough. What’s wrong with you today?” “Do you have any idea how hard I’ve worked for you these past five years, never giving up, constantly hustling for roles?” I stared at him, a bitter taste in my mouth. “Oh, thank you so much,” I sneered. He’d been with me for five years. I took him on when I was at my peak. He seemed so grateful, always at my beck and call. When my career tanked, he stayed, working tirelessly to find me gigs. I always thought he was loyal. It was why I refused to go home and inherit the family business, despite my parents’ pleas. I pushed myself so hard, often staying on set until three or four in the morning, because I didn’t want to let him down. And what was the result? No matter how hard I worked, I was just a stepping stone for Roxy. The thought made me shake my head. “Since I’m already a flop, what’s the point of trying? I’ll still be a flop.” I looked up and smiled at him again. “You never said you were working so hard. Since it’s such a burden, why don’t you just stop?” Zane and Cole stared at me, their expressions a mixture of confusion and alarm. My words were strange, but my meaning was clear. I didn’t give them a chance to reply. I stood up and walked out. “I’m checking out of the hospital.” Zane snapped out of it and chased me down the hall. “What are you talking about? Your leg looks terrible! Get back in there!” Cole followed, frowning as he tried to grab my arm. “You need to heal up. You have a lot more fight scenes coming up.” “You’re throwing a tantrum over a little thing like this? You’ll never make a comeback at this rate!” “A comeback?” I stopped dead and spun around to face him. “The truth is, you’re terrified I will make a comeback!” My outburst drew curious glances from a few passersby. Zane panicked, fumbling to put on his mask and hissing, “Calm down! We’ll talk about this when we get back!” I shoved his hand away and shouted, “I am perfectly calm!” More people were stopping to watch now. Zane lost it. “Sienna, are you insane? If you don’t care about your own image, at least think about the agency’s reputation!” “You look like a crazy shrew right now! Are you trying to embarrass me?” His face was red beneath his mask. I reached out and ripped it off. “So, the great A-list actor only likes beautiful women?” The mask was off. The hallway erupted. “Isn’t that the movie star, Zane? And that woman… that’s his girlfriend, Sienna, right?” “Why are they fighting in a hospital? Is she pregnant?” “No way. Isn’t he famous for doting on that ugly girlfriend of his? I thought they were true love!” Zane treasured his hard-won fame above all else. He hastily pulled his mask back on, muttering, “You’ve got the wrong person,” and fled. The onlookers froze, their phones still half-raised. I smiled sweetly at them. “Yes, that was Zane.” Cole grabbed my arm, dragging me aside. “If you keep this up, no one will ever hire you again!” “Once this scandal hits the news, your career in this industry is over!” I tilted my head, a laugh bubbling up. “Wouldn’t that be perfect? I was just thinking of retiring.” I had a family empire waiting for me to inherit. I didn’t need to grovel in this toxic industry. While he was still stunned, I turned and walked away. I sent a quick text to my mom, then systematically left every group chat for stunt work. Next stop: the agency, to terminate my contract. I had no endorsement deals, no TV appearances, and no active film roles. Plus, my parents were the biggest investors in the agency. Leaving wouldn’t be hard. That was the real reason the agency never fired me, even after my career had been in a slump for so long. I had asked them to keep my family background a secret, afraid people would use it against me, and even told them not to give me special treatment or resources. The moment I stepped into the office, I ran into Roxy. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes instantly welling up. “Sienna… I didn’t know the knife would… I really didn’t know…” I watched her performance, my face a blank mask. She cried beautifully, inching closer. “Sienna, please don’t be mad at me. It’s all my fault, all my fault…” Her eyes darted to my thigh. “That wound… it’s going to scar! I’ll find you a doctor, I know a really good one…” I sidestepped her. “You stab me, then you find me a doctor. You’re a real saint.” My words ignited the office. A colleague snapped, “Roxy, how is this your fault? It’s her own damn fault for not dodging a real knife. She’s probably just desperate for attention.” “Yeah! Roxy, you’re always getting her roles. She shouldn’t complain about one little stab, or even ten!” “If you ask me, she’s just ugly and high-maintenance! And now she has the nerve to be sarcastic with you!” I scanned the room, a cold smirk on my face. “So, stabbing me was justified, is that it?” Roxy’s tears fell faster. “Sienna, I didn’t mean it like that…” she whimpered. The more helpless she acted, the louder the murmurs grew. “Sienna, that’s going too far. Roxy apologized, what more do you want?” “You think you’re so great because your boyfriend’s a movie star? Get over yourself!” “Look at you. How can you even compare yourself to Roxy? One of her fingers is worth more than your entire career!” “The only reason someone who looks like you is still in this business is because Roxy helps you out. Otherwise, you would’ve been kicked to the curb ages ago!” I took a deep breath, trying to suppress the inferno inside me. They were right. Roxy was better than me now. But everything she had—Zane and Cole had stolen it from me and given it to her. She’d started as a nobody, an extra everyone looked down on. I felt sorry for her and asked Cole to give her a hand. And with that one hand, she shot to stardom. After she got famous, she even got her hooks into my boyfriend. I don’t know when the three of them started plotting against me. I was done wasting my breath on her. I reached out to push past her. The instant my hand touched her, she stumbled backward dramatically, collapsing to the floor. She clutched her knee, her face a mask of agony. “Roxy!” Zane and Cole burst out of the elevator and slammed into me, sending me sprawling. My wound tore open again. Blood gushed out, the pain so intense it brought a cold sweat to my brow. Before I could process what happened, Zane was pointing at me, roaring, “Sienna! How can you be so petty?!” Roxy clutched her back, whimpering as she leaned against him. “I have a promotional event tonight… but after Sienna pushed me, I’m so dizzy… I don’t think I can go… What if this affects the company?” A colleague immediately rounded on me. “That event has several major directors attending! If Roxy can’t go, what will they think of us? You bitch, you’re trying to sabotage everyone!” I suddenly noticed that Roxy was wearing shorts, and her thighs looked thicker than they had in the video this morning, the fabric cutting into her flesh. A text floated by: [Sienna stopped caring about her scar, so Roxy’s legs are back to their original state!] I looked down at my own leg. It was a bloody mess, but the skin around the wound was smooth and pale. Seeing me stare silently at my leg, someone stepped forward and stomped right on my injury. The pain was so blinding I nearly blacked out. The others backed away in disgust. “Now there’s blood all over the floor. So unlucky.” Zane looked down at me, his eyes filled with loathing. “Sienna, if you keep this up, don’t blame me for forgetting our history and telling the boss to blacklist you!” Cole’s voice was like ice. “Without me, a top-tier agent, you’ll never work in this town again!” Suddenly, a furious voice boomed from the entrance. “Insolence! Who dares cause trouble in my company!” Behind the CEO stood my mother, her face a mask of cold fury. The CEO pushed through the crowd of gossiping employees and strode towards me, his brow furrowed. He glanced at my bleeding leg, then at Roxy, and his voice was heavy. “What happened here?” Roxy immediately clutched her back, her voice frail. “Sir, I was just trying to advise Sienna to take better care of her image, but she suddenly lost her temper and pushed me…” The colleagues chimed in. “That’s right, sir! Sienna started it! Roxy was just trying to help!” “Yeah, Roxy is so kind, she didn’t deserve that!” My mother gasped and rushed over. The sight of my leg, drenched in blood, made her scream. “Someone, call an ambulance! Now!” But Zane just scoffed, stopping someone who was reaching for their phone. He crossed his arms, sneering at me. “Stop the act. If you had an ounce of this acting talent on screen, you wouldn’t be a flop.” “Look at Roxy. She debuted after you and already has several leading roles. And you? You’re still just a stunt double. Isn’t that pathetic?” The pain was making my head spin, but I gritted my teeth and glared at him. “This is acting? Are you blind, or am I?” “Zane, have you forgotten how you became an A-list actor in the first place? How dare you lecture me!” “You!” Zane pointed a trembling finger at me. “Sienna! If you hadn’t blackmailed me with the past, do you think I would have ever looked twice at a dark, ugly woman like you?” “I know what you did! You slept with Director Evans to get me that role, to make me an actor! I only stayed with you out of pity, because I didn’t want to expose you!” “But you’re the one who did it! I never forced you!” A wave of gasps and whispers filled the room. “I knew it! That’s how she got famous so fast back in the day! She slept her way to the top!” …It wasn’t enough to destroy me. He had to slander me, too?

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One day, a long-term client of mine hit me up. [15k to meet my online boyfriend for me? You can keep everything he buys you.] I was about to type out a polite “no thanks” when she sent the next message. It was a picture of my nemesis. My face went blank. [Are you telling me you’ve been using my photos and videos to date him?] 1 [You’ve been scammed, girl,] I typed back, trying to be gentle. [Impossible,] she shot back instantly. [He’s sent me so much money. He has to be the real Julian Henderson, the heir to the Henderson fortune.] I sighed. I dragged the photo she sent of Julian into a Google search. It was a stock image, used and abused by dozens of gossip blogs. I took a screenshot and sent it to her. She was unmoved. [We’ve worked together for ages, would I lie to you? My online boyfriend is the Julian Henderson.] I let out a slow, frustrated breath. From what I knew of the insufferable Julian Henderson, the swarm of women he dealt with in real life was more than enough to handle. The idea of him bothering with an online romance was laughable. Especially one where he had to look at my face. He wouldn’t fall in love behind a screen; he’d probably just throw up. [He saw my—well, my—photos and didn’t say anything?] I asked. [He said they were beautiful. I mean, you are,] she said, then quickly added, [I even used your voice notes! He sends me ten grand every time I use one!] Oh, dear god. If Julian actually heard my cutesy, high-pitched voice from those recordings, he’d lose his appetite for a week. That settled it. There was absolutely no way the guy she was talking to was Julian Henderson. With that comforting thought, I scrolled through the photos and videos I’d sold her. The pictures were just standard selfies, nothing too crazy. The videos, however… Me, in a series of tight mini-dresses, complete with a cutesy kitten-ear filter. Whatever. It wasn’t the real Julian. No harm done. My client’s messages turned desperate. [Please, babe, just help me out. It’s a totally safe, public meetup! I told him I’m not ready for anything physical. We’re meeting at the downtown galleria, it’s always packed.] When I didn’t reply, she sent another barrage of texts. [If you’re nervous, just stay for one minute and leave! Please? If he thinks I’m a catfish, how am I supposed to keep getting money from him?] A few seconds later, a notification popped up. A direct deposit of $50,000 had just landed in my bank account. The fingers I’d been using to type my refusal froze mid-air. Then again, what kind of person uses Julian Henderson’s photos for a dating profile and then has the guts to meet in person? Wasn’t he afraid of getting called out for false advertising? This client could hire me to be her stand-in, but nobody could order the real Julian Henderson around. You know what? I was curious. I wanted to see what kind of train wreck this guy was. I deleted my half-written rejection. [Fine.] This client was playing with serious cash. Honestly, the fake Julian sounded more generous than the real one. Fearing I’d change my mind, she immediately sent a flurry of screenshots of their chat history. It was a cringe-fest of “Hubby, kisses!” and “I only love you, hubby!” peppered with gifs of spinning cats and blushing kittens. The fake Julian’s replies were always the same. [You’re so beautiful, baby.] Transaction Notification. [You’re so cute, baby.] Transaction Notification. Transaction Notification. Transaction Notification. Holy moneybags. She quickly sent me the location. [This mall.] I glanced at the address. Well, what do you know. The Crown Prince actually did frequent this place; it was near one of his family’s villas. Maybe… I pulled up Julian’s contact and hit dial. Wouldn’t it be perfect to have the imposter see the real Julian Henderson show up right in front of him? Scare him half to death. Ah. Right. I forgot. He blocked me. I silently closed my phone. 2 After a thousand last-minute instructions from my client, I got dressed to the nines and arrived at the galleria half an hour early to scope the place out. I never expected to actually run into Julian Henderson himself. He was lounging near the central fountain, one hand casually tucked in his pocket. A girl was chattering away at his side, and while he wasn’t really listening, he wore a lazy, detached smile. The fact that he wasn’t showing any sign of annoyance was a miracle in itself. I just stood there, stunned. Then his eyes found me, and the smile vanished from his face. He muttered something under his breath. “Just my luck.” I heard him loud and clear but kept my expression neutral. The girl beside him instinctively tightened her grip on his arm, glaring at me. “And who are you?” When I didn’t answer, she turned to Julian with a wounded look. Julian sneered. “A charity case.” He wasn’t wrong. If I wasn’t broke, I wouldn’t be here to meet a fake Julian Henderson. I let out a small, dry laugh, my voice light. “To be hated by the great Julian Henderson… I must be doing something right.” His face instantly darkened. He crossed his arms, his words dripping with contempt. “Thea, what in this mall can you actually afford?” “As long as you can afford it, that’s all that matters,” I replied with a breezy smile, gesturing to a luxury boutique nearby. “Didn’t you buy me a purse from that very store once?” The girl’s eyes widened. “What’s your relationship?” What was our relationship? We were first loves. And dating this spoiled prince was the single biggest mistake of my life. Julian didn’t say anything, and I wasn’t about to embarrass myself further. I adjusted my bag and turned to leave. “Thea.” His voice was soft, but it carried the same arrogant, condescending tone it always had. “Which poor sucker did you trick into paying for your things this time?” I turned back. “Don’t worry, Julian. I haven’t managed to trick anyone more generous than you yet.” Of course, the guy my client was tricking didn’t count. Julian had been coddled his entire life; he never bothered to hide his emotions. So I knew, right then, that he was in a very bad mood. Worried he’d ruin my upcoming meetup, I decided to placate him. “You were right before,” I said softly. “Someone like me will never be happy. But as long as you’re happy, that’s what counts.” Honestly, I think the “nemesis” thing was one-sided. I never go out of my way to make enemies, especially not with a wealthy ex who used to be an open wallet. But the spoiled boy who was once so hard to please was even less receptive now. He curled his lip, his voice laced with venom. “Don’t you go anywhere. I want to see what kind of trash you’ve managed to catch this time.” I froze. I had no idea what kind of persona my client had created with this guy. What if it was some pure, innocent flower? My cover would be blown in seconds. Julian’s personality was tailor-made for exposing lies; he’d tear me apart with a few pointed questions. I swallowed my pride. “He’s not as handsome as you, and he’s not as rich. Julian, why do you have to humiliate me like this?” The girl beside him nodded. “Yeah, Julian, let’s just go.” Julian didn’t even glance at her. He pulled a black card from his pocket. She took it, her entire demeanor shifting as she turned and walked away briskly. “Okay, I’m going shopping then. Text me if you need anything, Julian!” “She’s cute,” I commented with a faint smile. Julian ignored me but made no move to leave. He just stood there, staring down at me. That was him, though. Impulsive and willful. I remembered a time he had a fever. I was frantic with worry, but he just lazily held my hand and whispered, “Want to see what 104 degrees feels like?” My eyes went wide, and my face turned beet red. Not from embarrassment, but from sheer rage. “Are you sick in the head?” He just smirked, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest. In the end, we did try. And he ended up in the emergency room. Such childish memories. I lowered my gaze. Julian’s patience was wearing thin. He looked at me, a flicker of irritation in his eyes. “You didn’t just make someone up, did you?” I stayed silent. His patience finally snapped. He answered a call from a friend. “Yeah, I’ll be there in a bit.” Then he shot me one last look, his eyes swimming with mockery. “Instead of carrying that cheap canvas tote, you should’ve just swallowed your pride and kept the bags I gave you.” With that, he turned and strode away, his long legs carrying him further and further from me. I watched his tall figure recede. Even the way he walked was infuriatingly nonchalant. After Julian and I broke up, I packed up every single luxury item he’d ever given me and shipped them back to his family’s estate. His only reply was a text with four words: [I don’t want trash.] Then he blocked me. As for the gifts, a friend told me he threw them all in the dumpster outside his villa. My phone buzzed incessantly. N: [Hey, are you there yet?] [Maybe we should meet in the coffee shop? I’ll just tell him I’m waiting for him there?] [Babe, please answer me!] I took a deep breath, composing myself. [Okay, heading to the coffee shop now.] I walked in and scanned the room. I sent a text to my client: [Babe, bad news. Your Julian Henderson isn’t here. Even worse news, there’s only one handsome guy in the entire place.] [Impossible! He said he’s already there!] she replied frantically. I sighed. Just then, the one handsome guy stood up and started walking toward me. His eyes were almond-shaped, tilting up slightly at the corners, and a tiny beauty mark sat just beneath his left eye. He smiled, a gentle, warm expression that somehow radiated the charm of a cunning fox. I instinctively took a step back. He spoke, his voice a low, magnetic hum. “Thea.” My blood ran cold. I looked down at my phone and furiously typed: [Your name isn’t ‘N,’ is it? You didn’t use my real name, did you?] She replied instantly: [Uh, yeah. I was too scared to use my real name, and we were negotiating prices for the photos, so I just sent him yours. Sorry!] [Wow.] I shut off my phone, took another deep breath, and looked up at the handsome stranger. “Hi there.” Up close, he was even more striking. His features were exquisite without being feminine. A high-bridged nose, thin lips curved into a slight smile, and a single, sparkling stud in his left ear. He was far better looking than I had imagined. Stunning, even. Wait a minute. Why would this guy need to use Julian’s photos? I gave a weak smile. “You look a little different from the photos you sent me.” He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t recall ever sending you any of my photos.” My face twitched. This guy never even sent a picture, so how on earth did my client become so convinced he was Julian Henderson?! “Oh, my mistake,” I said through a clenched jaw, forcing another smile. “Would you mind if I used the restroom really quickly?” “Of course,” he said, his smile never wavering. The second I was inside the restroom, I dialed “N.” The moment the call connected, I exploded. “I TOLD YOU, YOUR ONLINE BOYFRIEND IS NOT JULIAN HENDERSON! NOT JULIAN HENDERSON! But you wouldn’t listen. I figured he was just a catfish, but it turns out HE NEVER EVEN SENT YOU A PHOTO! How in the hell did you decide he was Julian?!” There was a long silence on the other end. Finally, a stunned “Holy shit” echoed back. It was a man’s voice. I froze. “He’s not Julian Henderson? How is that possible? Then who is he?” a torrent of panicked questions came pouring out. “You’re asking me?!” I practically screamed back. “Where did you even find this guy? This is so unprofessional!” I thought I was dealing with some girl running a romance scam. Who knew it was a guy? No wonder he had to buy my voice notes. “What does he look like? Describe him, quickly!” The guy on the phone sounded even more panicked than I was. “He’s actually really handsome, so you don’t have to worry about that,” I said. Another silence. After a long pause, his voice came back, devoid of all life. “He doesn’t have a beauty mark under his eye, does he?” “He does.” “AHHHHHHHHH! I’M SO DEAD!” Right, now he’s dead. Where was this fear when he was scamming money off the guy? If he had been scamming the real Julian, he really would be dead. Julian would have had him skinned alive. A moment later, he asked mournfully, “So what do we do?” “I’m curious,” I said. “This guy seems a lot nicer than Julian. What made you think Julian was such a great catch anyway?” “No, you don’t understand. This guy—my brother—is way scarier than Julian. If Julian wanted to kill me, my grandma might step in. If my brother wants to kill me, no one will lift a finger to help!” He started sobbing. My eyes widened. “What did you just say?” He was clearly in despair. “No wonder Julian said I was an idiot. Am I really that stupid?” “So what now?” I asked. “Should I just make a run for it?” “NO!” he yelped. “If you run, he’ll investigate. He’ll one hundred percent trace it back to me!” I was speechless. “You know what? Just take over my account,” he said decisively. “Just pretend it’s been you two talking this whole time. My brother’s not bad-looking, and he’s loaded—” My jaw dropped. Before I could answer, he started muttering to himself. “I never knew he’d be so generous in a relationship. Shit, why isn’t he like this with my allowance?” “Forget it,” I said flatly. Ever since breaking up with Julian, I’d learned one thing: what doesn’t belong to you will never be yours. Especially not these wealthy young masters. Don’t waste your time fantasizing. Besides, if I actually got involved with this guy and Julian found out, who knows how he’d freak out. No, wait. He’d probably just sneer at the guy: “Your taste is terrible, getting involved with a girl like Thea.” I sighed. The guy on the phone wasn’t happy. “Hey, doesn’t your service include after-sales support?” Wow. They really were related. That twisted logic was just like Julian’s. “I’m hanging up,” I said. “Fifty grand! I’ll add another fifty!” he pleaded. “That’s all my New Year’s money! My brother can’t find out!” “One hundred.” “You’re a loan shark! You know you can get plenty from my brother, and you’re still trying to bleed me dry?” “Then forget it,” I said. “DEAL!” he cried, defeated. “What’s your brother’s name?” I asked. “Sebastian Henderson.” My head shot up. “You mean Julian’s cousin? The one who’s always been abroad?” “Yeah.” 3 I smoothed down my dress in the restroom mirror, reapplied my lipstick, and took a final, deep breath before walking back out. Sebastian was waiting for me. To be honest, Sebastian didn’t seem as prim and proper as his name suggested. He had an air of effortless confidence, like someone who existed outside the rules. That constant, gentle smile made him look like a fox. Why would someone with his kind of money and power bother with online dating? I took the initiative and linked my arm through his. He stiffened for a fraction of a second, then his smile widened. “Anything you want to buy? Or should we eat first?” he asked. “Either is fine,” I said. He then led me from one boutique to another. Unlike Julian, he would patiently comment on how each bag or dress looked on me before buying everything. Julian would just find a chair, play on his phone, and pay when I was done. It was strange. It felt like a perfect boyfriend had just fallen from the sky. But I knew Sebastian wasn’t as easygoing as he appeared. The more perfect they seem, the more dangerous they are. For now, though… He even had two bodyguards following us, their arms laden with shopping bags. “Thea, I made a reservation at that restaurant you said you wanted to try,” Sebastian said, his lips curling into a soft smile. “Let’s go!” I agreed cheerfully. “Do you remember which one it was?” he asked, his gaze dropping to me, deceptively casual. He looked like a cat watching a mouse in its paws. Which one. I had no idea. And I couldn’t exactly pull out my phone and ask my male-client-who-is-now-my-fake-boyfriend’s-brother. The silence stretched. My heart hammered against my ribs. I bit my lip, a sudden chill creeping over my skin. I finally understood what the kid meant when he said Sebastian was scarier than Julian. Julian wore all his emotions on his sleeve. If you pissed him off, you knew it immediately. But Sebastian… I couldn’t read him at all. I had no idea what he meant by asking that question. I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, he chuckled, his voice a warm, deep timber. “It’s okay. You’re busy, it’s normal to be forgetful. You’ll know it when we get there.” I nodded frantically. Sebastian was actually a nice guy! If Julian had known I’d forgotten something about him, he would have spent the next five hours delivering a non-stop monologue of creative insults. 4 When we arrived at the restaurant, the maître d’ bowed respectfully. “Mr. Henderson.” He led us to a private room in the back, an elegant space complete with its own koi pond. I sat across from Sebastian. He had the cuffs of his shirt loosely rolled up, revealing well-defined wrists. The pale skin made the blue veins stand out even more. “You can order,” I said, not even looking at the menu. “I’m not a picky eater.” Sebastian smiled. “Alright.” I took the opportunity to text the kid, Noah. [You told Sebastian you wanted to eat at a French place? I almost got caught. Are there any other details I need to know? Tell me now.] Suddenly, the door to our room was pushed open. A familiar voice rang out. “Sebastian? You’re back in the country?” I froze. Julian clicked his tongue, his voice bored. “I thought this room was empty, so I didn’t bother making a reservation. The others are full. Mind if we share?” I ducked my head, trying to shrink into nothing. But I forgot what Julian once told me: he could recognize me even if I was reduced to ashes, just so he could scatter me to the wind himself. “Thea?” The lazy drawl in his voice instantly turned to ice. I didn’t dare look up. Worse, my phone lit up with a reply. [Huh? No way. I never told my brother where I wanted to eat. I hate French food. I like rotisserie chicken.] My eyes widened in horror. “Look at me, Thea,” Julian growled, his voice a low threat. Sebastian’s fingers tapped lightly on the table. “Is that any way to speak to your sister-in-law?” “My what?” Julian’s voice shot up an octave. Only then did I slowly raise my head, offering a weak smile. “What a coincidence.” Then, taking Sebastian’s cue, I added, “Little brother.” “Who the hell is your little brother?!” Julian exploded. He pointed a shaking finger at me, then turned to Sebastian. “You don’t know she dated me?” Sebastian sipped his coffee, completely unbothered. “I didn’t. Are you two still together?” “No, no! We broke up a long time ago,” I interjected quickly. “Shut up,” Julian snapped, his voice tight with suppressed rage. Each word was ground out from between his teeth. His hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles white. “Sebastian, didn’t you run a background check on me when I was dating her? Don’t you dare lie to my face and say you don’t know who she is.” Sebastian crossed his legs, his posture relaxed. In the suffocating tension, he actually managed a lazy smile. “I did. So what?” Julian’s eyes were red with fury. I sighed and decided to intervene. “Don’t be mad. Maybe we just weren’t meant to be. Why don’t you have some water and calm down?” I started to get up to pour him a glass. “Thea.” Sebastian’s voice was light, but his gaze was sharp. My heart seized. I immediately sat back down, perfectly still. Julian looked at me in disbelief. “You argue with me about everything, but you listen to him like that? Did he put a spell on you?” I didn’t answer. To be honest, Sebastian was just more intimidating. A long silence passed. Finally, Julian’s voice was hoarse. “When did you two get together?” I couldn’t answer that. Sebastian answered for me, his tone even. “End of last year.” “When, exactly?” Julian pressed, relentless. “The day after Christmas.” My smile froze on my face. A cold, mocking sneer spread across Julian’s lips. “Wow, Thea. You really are something else.” Julian and I had broken up on Christmas Day. But I wasn’t the one who started talking to Sebastian on the 26th! I kept my mouth shut, swallowing the bitter truth, and let him think I was the kind of girl who moved on in a day. Seeing my silence, Julian slammed the door on his way out.

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My eight-year-old brother, Max, said he was reborn. He led five-year-old me, the girl with zero sense of direction, to a lost, simple-minded boy picking through garbage in a suburban field. The boy was looking for a rag doll. Max pointed to the doll hairpin in my hair and said, “She is the doll. She’s yours now.” With that, Max walked away without looking back. I waited and waited. From noon until sunset. My brother never returned. Then, a strange, echoing voice cut through the air: “The villainess doesn’t know that the male lead has been reborn. In this life, he will only cherish the tragically deceased female lead of the previous life as his own sister.” … I didn’t understand the words. My eyes filled with tears, and I stood trembling in confusion. The lost boy slowly finished flipping the last bit of trash. He wiped his grimy hands on his clothes. Then he tugged the doll hairpin in my hair. “Rag doll, do you want to come home with me?” 1 The end of the road. The silhouette that had walked away never reappeared. I bit down hard on my lip, my eyes red, and pushed the boy’s hand away. My voice trembled despite my best effort. “I can talk! I am not your rag doll!” My mother died in childbirth. My father was long gone. My brother had carried me, still a baby, into the orphanage. Since then, he was the only one who had ever been kind to me. He told me children shouldn’t follow strangers. I stood rigidly by the stinking pile of garbage, waiting for him to return. Five years. Since the day I was born, he had never once left me behind. I didn’t understand why he suddenly left me here. I didn’t understand the strange voice in the air, or what “reborn” meant. I only believed that my brother would come back soon. The sky grew dark. The sun slowly sank behind the woods. A wetness blurred my vision. I wiped my eyes furiously and kept staring down the road. The boy stood before me, studying me intently. I stared back, my eyes wide and cautious. “My brother is coming to pick me up! I won’t go with you!” The boy looked startled, watching my lips move. He seemed to realize that I wasn’t just a doll. He looked disappointed. “Then you stay here. I have to go home now that it’s dark.” The last edge of the sun disappeared behind the trees. The surroundings grew darker. The boy walked away, leaving me alone. 2 The last light faded. I looked down, barely seeing my own feet. Strange bugs and birds chirped. The grass rustled—I didn’t know what it was. I suppressed my tears, afraid to cry out loud. I crouched, curled into a ball, hands clenched, sticky with sweat. It felt like forever. I was sleepy, my eyelids heavy. But I didn’t dare to close them. I kept my eyes wide and my ears straining against the dark. Then, a shadow appeared before me. A familiar height, taller than me. The tears I’d been fighting finally burst out. I stood up, finally letting out the breath I’d been holding. My lips trembled violently. I wailed, rushing into his embrace. But the scent was unfamiliar. Not my brother. I immediately stopped crying and stepped back. In the dim light, I recognized his dirty clothes. The boy who was picking through the trash. He looked at me in the dark. After a long pause, he said foolishly, “Your brother definitely doesn’t want you.” I was furious and ashamed. I clenched my fists. “You’re lying!” The boy was serious. “He said he was leaving you for me, like a rag doll. No one picks up something they threw away.” I bit down hard. I wanted to argue, but no words came out. I could only make small whimpering sounds. The boy looked around. “No one wants you. If you stay here, the monsters will eat you.” He turned to leave. I couldn’t hold back the tears, shaking uncontrollably. “You’re lying! Brother will come for me!” But my feet moved on their own, chasing after him. I was truly terrified of the monsters behind me. I cried louder. Unconsciously, I reached out and grabbed his sleeve. I held on tightly, sobbing. “Brother is coming! He promised to buy me a cake today! It’s my birthday! He saved up for months!” Last night, he had gently held my hand and said, “Little Jane, tomorrow I’m going to give you the biggest surprise!” We walked for a long time. When I hiccuped from crying, I suddenly noticed the light ahead. The strange voice in the air returned: “Isn’t this the Military Base? The place where the female lead will soon be adopted and live. How did the stray idiot bring the villainess here?” “I told you he’s an idiot. Why are you surprised?” “Trespassing on a military base is a crime. Now the villainess, who caused so much trouble in the past life, might be eliminated at five.” I finally saw the light. The wide, imposing gate, topped with a red star. Guards in crisp uniforms stood outside, holding rifles, their faces stern. My crying stopped in my throat. This time, I understood a little of what the voice was saying. I gripped the boy’s sleeve. Just as I was about to say we couldn’t go in there, a young couple rushed out of the Military Base, looking straight at us. The man wore a military uniform, his face stern and angry. The woman, in a smart dress, rushed towards us, her eyes red with tears. She embraced the boy next to me. “You ran off again! We’ve been looking all over the base for you! You’re trying to worry us to death!” I clutched my skirt, afraid to speak. The woman noticed me and paused. “Who… who is this child?” 3 The boy lifted his head proudly. “Someone gave her to me. She can talk and cry.” The woman’s face froze. The stern man behind her stepped forward, his face dark with anger. “Nonsense! You’ve caused trouble!” He controlled his anger and knelt down, speaking gently to me. “Little girl, do you remember your family and where you live? Uncle will take you home immediately.” I was too scared. I stammered, “I’m from the orphanage. I have a brother. He lost me by accident.” The couple handed the boy to the guard and offered to drive me back to the orphanage. Outside the orphanage, I immediately recognized my brother. He was talking to the director under the streetlamp. My eyes welled up. I urgently pushed open the military jeep door and ran toward him. The couple saw I found my family and stopped following. I ran to the gate and met my brother’s eyes. I saw shock, quickly followed by disgust and warning. I thought I was mistaken. Then I heard his urgent voice talking to the director: “You always said she was stupid, that she couldn’t remember the way even after walking it a hundred times. She’s sickly and causes the orphanage so much trouble.” “I accidentally lost her this time. It has nothing to do with you.” “The Colonel’s wife was considering Jane but also Sarah. Let them adopt Sarah. Sarah is smart and will remember to come back and thank you…” I stood rigid, unable to believe what I was hearing. The Colonel and his wife had visited the orphanage recently. They said Sarah and I were the best behaved and they wanted to adopt one of us. My brother tried to make me look good, and the Colonel’s wife decided on me. Sarah was the daughter of an acquaintance of my mother. Her father got into trouble, and she came to the orphanage. She often tried to get close to my brother, but he ignored her. Yesterday, when she came to wish me a happy birthday, my brother angrily sent her away: “Jane’s birthday has nothing to do with you!” Now, just one day later, he was changing his tune. I didn’t know why. Just like I didn’t know why those strange voices kept appearing in the air. The director listened to my brother, then smiled with satisfaction. “Boy, remember what you said. You lost your sister.” “Sarah is clever. If she gets adopted by the Colonel, she will definitely come back to thank me…” I stood there, gripping my hands, unable to process the words. When the director left, my brother walked toward me, his face dark. He asked coldly, “How did you find your way back? Did that idiot teach you the route?” My eyes ached. I fought back tears, but my voice cracked with misery. “Why did you abandon me?” “Why?” My brother sneered. His eyes were filled with a strange, intense hatred toward me. “If I hadn’t been softhearted and remembered our sibling bond, I would have killed you the moment I saw you!” 4 I stared at him, bewildered and terrified. He moved closer, his hateful gaze stabbing me. “In the past life, Sarah just joked about selling my Harvard acceptance letter. You created a huge scene at the college and the military base, humiliating her and sending her to jail, where she killed herself…” I barely understood his words. He stopped talking, sneering with rage. “Why am I wasting my breath? Jane, I spared your life. That’s more than enough. You live or die on your own terms!” “Never appear in front of Sarah and me again, or you’ll regret it!” My whole body trembled. Instinctively, I reached for his arm. He violently pushed my hand away. He turned and shoved me hard. I didn’t know he could push so hard. My body flew backward. My vision blurred. My forehead hit something. Blood flowed, dripping into my eyes. Through the bloody haze, I saw my brother’s cold, resolute back as he walked away. I finally understood. He truly didn’t want me anymore. Because of some confused, incomprehensible reason, he was gone. The young couple who had brought me back led me back to the Military Base. I saw the idiot boy sitting on the sofa in the foyer. He was staring at the door, looking anxious. When he saw me, his eyes brightened. He rushed over and grabbed my wrist. He looked furious, staring at the couple. “She is mine! Don’t you dare take her away again!” He turned to me, carefully checking me over. “Are you hungry? Are you tired? I’ll take you to eat and sleep.” He spoke to me like I was a genuine rag doll. The woman sighed. “That’s my son, Alex. He had an accident six months ago and… lost his mind when his sister died.” So, he wasn’t a stray. He was looking for a doll because he missed his sister. The woman took my other hand, speaking softly. “He won’t hurt you. If you’re afraid, I’ll move him to another room…” I remembered how he came back for me at sunset, even though I drove him away. I looked at her, shaking my head firmly. “I’m not afraid.” The woman’s eyes reddened. She stroked my hair. “Good. Since he brought you back, this is your home now, as long as you want to stay.”

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The million-dollar deal was dead, and for the first time, Caleb turned his fury on me. In front of the entire office, he tore me to shreds. When we got home that night, his tone was cold and clinical. “At work, there’s no room for personal feelings. You screwed up. It’s your fault.” My phone buzzed. It was a text from his new favorite intern, his junior from college. Clara, I’m so, so sorry. It’s all my fault the deal fell through. Caleb bought me a cupcake to cheer me up—it’s actually really good. Should I order one for you? The next morning, Caleb mechanically scraped the breakfast I’d made into the trash. “How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t eat breakfast.” Later at the office, Brenda from the next cubicle leaned over, a conspiratorial glint in her eye. “That new intern has some nerve. She actually went up and talked to Mr. Hayes this morning. Even brought him a coffee and a bagel. And you know what? He not only ate it, he told her it was good.” I was so done. Forget it. On my phone, another man was still trying his best to poach me. “Hey, if all else fails, I’m not above being the homewrecker. Say the word.” I pressed my lips together. No need for that, I texted back. You’re getting a promotion. 1 One second, I was handing my resignation letter to HR. The next, I was being summoned to Caleb’s office. The moment I walked in, a cup of coffee hit me square in the chest. The force of it felt like a slap to the face, stinging my skin. Over on the leather sofa, a woman was crying, her eyes red-rimmed, the picture of pitiable innocence. “Caleb, please don’t blame Clara,” she sobbed. “It’s my fault. I was responsible for that deal falling through, too. I’m the one who should be leaving, not her.” Caleb’s voice was thick with a rage I rarely saw him display. And it was, once again, because of Jenna. “Is this because I criticized you yesterday? Are you trying to pressure Jenna by running to HR and threatening to quit?” he snarled. “You were her supervisor. Botching that deal was your responsibility. How dare you shift the blame onto her?!” “Do you have any idea what people in the office are saying about her now? They’re saying you couldn’t stand working with the ‘disruptive intern’ and that she drove you out! I want you to go out there right now and clear the air!” I thought he might actually be upset about his girlfriend of seven years leaving him. I should have known better. He was just worried that after I left, people would look down on his precious Jenna. Jenna sniffled dramatically, blew her nose into a tissue, and casually tossed the snot-filled wad onto the other end of the sofa. Caleb’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. After a three-second pause, he walked over, picked up the tissue with his fingertips, and dropped it into the trash can. I froze. A tight, sharp pain clenched around my heart and spread through my chest. In our second year together, we were at home watching Hachi: A Dog’s Tale. I was a wreck, sobbing uncontrollably, tears and snot everywhere. He shoved me out of his arms in disgust. “Sorry, I’m a germaphobe. You need to clean yourself up.” He then disappeared into the bathroom and scrubbed himself from head to toe, at least three times over, as if he’d just touched something contagious. A cold laugh escaped my lips. So, his germaphobia was selective. I took a long, hard look at Caleb. “I’m resigning because I don’t want to work here anymore. It has nothing to do with anything else.” He didn’t believe me. “Then why today? Why not yesterday or tomorrow? It has to be about the deal.” He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a low threat. “Clara, don’t you dare pull your petty little games on Jenna. If you do, don’t blame me for forgetting our history.” I sighed, feeling none of my usual desire to argue with him. When it came to Caleb, my emotions were like a sieve. They poured in and drained right back out. He had been there when the deal imploded. We were at the final stage, the client had all but agreed to our terms. Then Jenna burst in, insisting on personally toasting the CEO. The CEO was already visibly annoyed. But she acted like she couldn’t see it. A brand-new intern, forcing a CEO to drink with her—I still don’t know where she got the audacity. When the CEO lost his temper, I held her back and plastered on a smile, apologizing profusely. I told her to drink three shots as an apology, but she burst into tears, louder than anyone. “Clara, why are you doing this to me? Women shouldn’t tear each other down! Why do you always force me to do things I don’t want to do?” At the time, Caleb’s face was so dark he looked murderous. I thought it was because of the deal we’d just lost. I never imagined it was because I’d told Jenna to apologize. I was just so tired. “I’m not playing games, Caleb. Let’s break up.” Without waiting for his thunderous expression to change, I turned, gathered my things, and walked out of the company. Back at our apartment, I started packing. This was the downside of breaking up—so much stuff, it would take forever to pack. Suddenly, my hand froze. In the back of a drawer, I found a pair of red stockings that weren’t mine. They were torn to shreds, a testament to a very eager, passionate encounter. I tossed them into the trash, snapped a photo, and sent it to Caleb. My phone was already buzzing with his texts, full of explanations I didn’t bother to read. Instead, I dialed another number. “Didn’t you say you wanted a promotion?” 2 On the other end of the line, Wyatt was practically screaming with excitement. He offered to come help me move, but I turned him down. If Caleb saw him, I was afraid he’d start a fight. It was better to keep things simple. I had a condo on the west side of town. Once this month’s bonus came in, I could finally pay off the mortgage completely. I would finally have a place of my own. The thought warmed me, chasing away some of the chill. The doorbell rang. I thought it was the movers and opened the door to find Caleb standing there. For a second, I was so surprised I thought I was imagining things. Last year, my appendix burst. I was in so much pain I passed out. I called him, begging him to come home and take me to the hospital. His voice was ice. “I’m at work, Clara. You’re a grown woman. Can’t you dial 911?” But last week, when Jenna spilled some warm water on her leg at the office and yelped in pain, he had scooped her up in his arms in front of everyone and driven her to the hospital himself. He never left work early. Unless it was for Jenna. She was the exception to all his rules. I guess today I was lucky enough to be an exception, too. His eyes scanned the packed boxes, and a flicker of panic, barely perceptible, crossed his face. “What is this?! What are you doing? Are you trying to force my hand by threatening to break up?” “Didn’t you see my texts? I explained everything. Jenna left those here by accident. It was raining that day, so I told her to come up for some ginger tea. Her stockings got snagged, so she just changed before she left.” I narrowed my eyes, thinking back. That was the week before last, when I was on a business trip. I’d flown back into a torrential downpour and asked him to pick me up from the airport. He’d said he was working late and told me to get a cab. When I got home, I saw the half-finished mug of ginger tea on the coffee table. I thought he’d made it for me. Turns out I was just drinking someone else’s leftovers. Maybe the same thought occurred to him, because his expression turned awkward. “Don’t overthink it.” I shook my head, my face calm. “I’m not. It doesn’t matter anymore.” A strange look crossed Caleb’s face. He stared at me for a long time. Finally, his voice was raspy, testing the waters. “Why aren’t you angry anymore?” So he knew I’d been angry before. He just hadn’t cared. Instead, he’d always scolded me, called me petty, said I had a dirty mind that saw the worst in everything. I was about to tell him I was moving out when his phone rang. It was Jenna, crying hysterically on the other end, claiming someone was bullying her. Caleb shot me a furious glare and sneered. “So this is your game. Nice move, Clara.” Before I could figure out what was happening, he grabbed my wrist, his grip like iron, and hauled me out to his car. The car smelled of a woman’s perfume. It was the same scent Jenna wore. Dangling from the rearview mirror was a cute little monster keychain, the same one as Jenna’s profile picture. I hadn’t been in his car since I started working at his company. He’d said he didn’t want people to gossip, so we had kept our entire relationship a secret. The territory that had once been off-limits to me was now completely occupied by someone else. I no longer felt that familiar ache in my chest. There was only a dull sense of inevitability. The moment we arrived at the office, Caleb roughly yanked me out of the car. My heel twisted, and I fell to the ground. He acted as if he didn’t even see it, letting out a cold laugh. “What’s with the act?” He grabbed me by the back of my collar and dragged me into the building like a bag of trash. 3 He dragged me all the way to my old desk. My wrists and knees were scraped and bleeding. I was on all fours on the floor, like a stray dog. Caleb pulled Jenna into a protective embrace, his voice a low warning to the onlookers. “I don’t care who put you up to this, but this is still my company, not Clara’s. Bullying an intern is not acceptable.” “If you want to keep your jobs, you’ll show me where your loyalties lie.” Brenda’s face was white as a sheet. She stood frozen, not daring to move. She had already texted me on the way over. After I left, Jenna was assigned to her team. An intern who loved to slack off and cut corners—what good could she possibly be? She’d messed up a simple lunch order for a client, and Brenda had said a few words to her. That was all it took for Jenna to call Caleb and tattle. Jenna buried her face in Caleb’s chest, the two of them oblivious to the world. “Caleb, I don’t even know what I did… I just saw the client was a little overweight, so I ordered him a salad. And Brenda just started yelling at me…” Caleb stroked her hair, promising to get her justice. His cold eyes swept across the room. “I know Clara was good friends with many of you. You saw she left, and you wanted to stand up for her. But she left because of her own professional failure, because she was too ashamed to stay. It has nothing to do with Jenna.” “I’ll say it one more time. Show me you want to be here, or you can all get the hell out.” Everyone’s face paled. They all understood his ultimatum. Amy, a junior associate I had personally trained, walked up to me. She squeezed her eyes shut, whispered, “I’m sorry,” and slapped me across the face. Caleb stood there, unmoved. “And the rest of you?” A line formed. One after another, they stepped forward, slapping me. Some were people I had helped, others were people who had helped me… Blood trickled from the corner of my mouth. My head was spinning, my ears were ringing, and the world was starting to go fuzzy. Jenna let out a giggle. “Caleb, look at her. She’s so pathetic. She looks like a swollen pig.” Caleb’s eyes were like ice. His words were even colder. “Someone this manipulative, who only knows how to play office politics, doesn’t deserve to be in our company.” “Her resignation is denied. She’s fired. And this year’s bonus is forfeited. It will be transferred to Jenna.” My eyes widened in disbelief. Rage, like a spider’s web, spread through my body, trapping my heart. “Caleb! I earned that! On what grounds?!” Company policy was to calculate bonuses based on the projects each person landed. From negotiations and drafting proposals to closing the deal and haggling with clients, I had done it all myself. To secure one more percentage point, I had drunk until the early hours of the morning. That bonus… that was the money I was going to use to pay off my mortgage. My parents divorced when I was young. Neither of them wanted me. They passed me back and forth like a soccer ball. I was left with my uncle, whose wife hated me. She was always threatening to kick me out if I didn’t behave. As a result, I grew up with a deep-seated fear of having nowhere to go. After I got with Caleb, I clung to him desperately, terrified he would leave me. I had to know where he was at all times. But even the most passionate love can be extinguished. I started putting my faith in money. I would use it to buy a house of my own. That way, if Caleb and I ever broke up, if he kicked me out, I wouldn’t be homeless. I worked like a madwoman, scraping together a down payment. All these years, I had scrimped and saved to make the mortgage payments. The stress was immense. I was losing hair, finding gray strands far too early. Caleb saw it all. He knew exactly how much this bonus meant to me. But now, his voice was mocking. “On the grounds that I own this company. And on the grounds that you bullied Jenna. You owe her this as compensation!” The words were stuck in my throat. A wave of nausea churned in my stomach, rising up my esophagus. A fifty-thousand-dollar bonus. He handed it over to an intern who had done nothing, just like that. I gritted my teeth against the dizziness as Caleb’s security guards threw me out of the building. The moment I was outside, a text from him arrived. What happened today was your fault. When I didn’t reply, another one came through. Fine, maybe I went a little too far. But that was because you showed Jenna no mercy. She’s my junior, after all. When you let people bully her like that, of course I’m going to get angry. I’m leaving for a business trip tomorrow. To France. That new bag you wanted is launching there. How about I buy it for you to make it up to you? He didn’t know that just a minute earlier, Jenna had already posted on her Instagram story. “Someone’s pulling some strings and taking me on his business trip, just because I said I wanted to see the Eiffel Tower~ Such a good boy~” I blocked them both without a second thought. A week later, Caleb returned from his trip. He held the new designer bag in his hand, a nervous feeling churning in his gut. He had planned to be gone for three days, but Jenna had dragged him from one sight to another, and he had completely forgotten to let Clara know. He’d come back today hoping to surprise her. The thought of Clara waiting for him at home warmed him, and he quickened his pace. He pushed open the door, calling her name twice. Silence. The boxes Clara had packed were gone. Everything that belonged to her was gone. Caleb’s breath hitched. His face went white. An unbelievable thought clawed its way into his mind. 4 A massive wave of panic washed over him. “No…” He knew how much Clara cared about him. Over the years, she had brought up marriage more than once. When a woman does that, it means she’s decided to spend her life with you. That’s why Caleb had always seen her as a sure thing. He never worried she would leave. All he had to do was say the word, and Clara would drop everything to meet him at the courthouse. Where else could she go? She had cut ties with her parents long ago. She was in touch with her uncle occasionally, but she knew his wife didn’t like her, so she would never go there. What about that small condo she’d bought with her down payment? Caleb’s eyes lit up for a second. He grabbed the bag and drove towards the west side of town. But when he got there, he stopped. Where was her condo? He didn’t know. A flash of annoyance crossed his face. He’d never thought she would actually move into that little place, so he had never bothered to learn the address. She had asked for his opinion when she was buying it, but he had just glanced at the brochure and said he didn’t know. And now, he had no way of finding her. It was only when he was driving that he realized Clara had blocked him on social media. He had no idea when she had done it. He hadn’t messaged her all week. Had she done it because she was jealous? He couldn’t be sure. He pulled out his phone and called her. The robotic voice of an AI operator that answered sent a jolt of pure panic through him. He had never dreamed that she would actually block him on everything. His mind flashed back to her face in his office that day, her calm expression as she’d said they should break up. He finally realized she had been serious. Caleb felt a thick rope slowly tightening around his chest, suffocating him. He clutched his shirt, squatting on the sidewalk, gasping for air. “Clara…” He was about to call in a favor to find her address when his phone rang. Wyatt’s triumphant voice filled his ear. “Caleb, I’m getting engaged. My girl just said yes.” “We’re having a party tonight. You should come.” A throbbing pain started in Caleb’s temples. He could hear the gloating in Wyatt’s voice, but he was in no mood for an engagement party. “I have something to do, I can’t…” But the man on the other end seemed to have anticipated his refusal. “You have to be there. You’re looking for someone, right? Come, and I’ll help you find her.” Caleb ignored the uneasy feeling in his gut and agreed. He didn’t know Wyatt that well—they’d just been classmates in college—but he knew Wyatt was the youngest son of the wealthy Nash family. He had resources. Finding one person should be easy for him. That evening, Caleb had planned to go to the party alone. But Jenna had somehow heard about it and insisted on coming along to “see the world.” After a moment’s thought, he agreed. I watched with amusement as Wyatt, like a peacock in full display, tried on five or six different suits in front of me. “Which one looks best?” I thought for a moment. “They all look good.” “Why did you have to invite Caleb?” Wyatt looked a little flustered. He quickly came over and took my hand. “You heard that? Are you mad? I’m just so happy…” I shook my head, smiling as I linked my arm with his, and we walked out together. The moment we entered the ballroom, a pair of eyes locked onto me. I followed the gaze and saw Caleb, trembling, all the color drained from his face. Under the bright lights, he looked like a ghost that had just been pulled from the water.

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I have a brother and a sister. For eighteen years, my parents had the master bedroom, my siblings shared the second room, and I slept on the balcony. So when my parents finally decided to upgrade to a four-bedroom house, I cried tears of pure joy. After the housewarming party, we chose our rooms. My parents took the master suite. My brother, Ross, picked the room next to theirs. My sister, Mia, smiling, moved into the northern bedroom. Excited, I headed toward the last room—but Mia stopped me. “Alex, wrong way. Your room’s over there.” She pointed to the balcony, where my familiar wooden bed waited. It hit me then: the problem was never the house size, but my place in their hearts. As I stood frozen, the others gathered in the last room—now a game room. Mia squealed with delight. Ross admired his sneaker shelf. My mom showed my dad his new ergonomic chair. “I finally don’t have to work at the dining table,” he said, touched. “Thanks, Mom! We love you!” they chorused. I watched them—a perfect, happy family—through the doorway. Tears streamed down my face. Even after ten years on the balcony, in this new house, there was still no room for me. An hour later, the novelty of their new shared space wore off, and they trickled out of the room. They finally noticed me, still standing in the same spot, my eyes red and swollen from crying. Mia, oblivious as ever, came over and poked my arm. “What’s wrong, Alex? Did the new house break your brain or something?” Ross let out a short laugh, but it died in his throat when he met my gaze. He walked over, trying to sound magnanimous. “Look, if you really don’t want the balcony, I guess we could switch.” Before I could even speak, my parents shot him down in unison. “Absolutely not! You’re studying for your grad school exams. You need proper rest.” A bitter wave washed over me. So they knew. They knew sleeping on the balcony meant you couldn’t rest properly. “But I have my college entrance exams coming up,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. I thought that might spark a flicker of guilt, but their expressions remained unchanged. “You’ve done it for ten years, you’re used to it,” my mother said. “Your brother isn’t.” My father’s stern gaze was laced with reprimand. “He’s a light sleeper, Alex. You know that!” My mother chimed in, her tone scolding. “Honestly, this boy. Always has to compare everything. You’re being so immature!” The tears I’d just managed to stop started flowing again, hot and unstoppable. Immature? How much more mature could I possibly be? There were three kids, and I wasn’t even the oldest, yet I was the only one who ever did chores. Even during my middle school finals, studying until midnight, I still had to find time to wash the dinner dishes, do the laundry, and mop the floors. With Ross’s offer vetoed, all eyes turned to Mia. She shrieked instantly. “You even think about making me sleep on the balcony, and I’ll make sure none of you get a wink of sleep, ever!” My mother stroked her hair with a look of helpless adoration. “Don’t you worry, my little princess. We’d make anyone sleep out there before you.” “That’s more like it,” Mia said, smugly. “I’ll let you off the hook for now. No need to call Grandma and Grandpa to complain.” I stood my ground, refusing to move my things to the balcony. The silence in the hallway was thick with tension. The urge to just turn around and walk out, to leave it all behind, pulsed through me, but I forced it down. Eight years of living as a guest in my aunt’s house had given me a desperate, bottomless craving for a real home. Even if this family didn’t cherish me the way I’d imagined, at least it was my home. At least I wasn’t a beggar living under someone else’s roof. Swallowing my hurt and resentment, I tried one last time, my voice trembling. “But what about the last room? Can’t I just stay there for a little while…?” “No!” This time, all four of them said it at once. The last, fragile flicker of hope for their affection died in my chest. With a furious roar, I swept my arm across the dining table, sending the carefully constructed pyramid of soda cans crashing to the floor. “If that’s how it is,” I choked out, my eyes burning, “then there’s no reason for me to be in this house at all.” I grabbed my worn-out duffel bag and stormed out without a backward glance. Just as I reached the elevator, a hand clamped down on the back of my collar. “Stop right there! Where do you think you’re going?!” my father yelled, his face purple with rage. “None of your business!” I shot back, my voice cold. It was the first time in my life I had ever spoken back to him, the first time I had ever defied him so openly. He froze for a second, stunned. Then, the sound of the slap was deafening. I stumbled backward, the force of it sending me crashing to the floor. The contents of my duffel bag spilled out around me. “Over a single room? You’d abandon your own parents over a room? Is it really worth it?!” he roared. I looked up at his furious face and screamed back, my voice even louder than his. “Yes! It is!” In the past, no matter how wronged I felt, I would have only offered a quiet, timid defense. I was weighed down by the shame of being the outsider, the latecomer to the family. I thought being obedient and invisible would earn their acceptance. But now I saw it clearly. All it ever got me was more pain. There was no point in trying to fit into a space where I would never belong. My mother rushed out after him. “What is wrong with this child? Do you only get happy when you’re making your parents miserable?” Her anger escalated until she was pointing a shaking finger at me. “Fine! You want a room so badly? You can have the master bedroom! Your father and I will sleep on the balcony! Are you happy now?!” She spun around as if to start packing, but Ross and Mia grabbed her arms. “Mom, you and Dad are the elders. We can’t have you sleeping on the balcony,” Ross said, then shot a resentful look at me. “Seriously, this was supposed to be a happy day, and it’s completely ruined by one selfish person.” Mia’s glare was pure poison. “Just keep it up, Alex. Maybe Mom and Dad will send you away again!” A violent tremor shot through my entire body. The hellish memories of my life at my aunt’s house before I was eight flooded back, replaying in horrifying detail. When I was four, I accidentally broke my cousin’s doll. My uncle’s face darkened, and he shoved me out the door. I spent the entire night curled up in the corner of the stairwell, sobbing until the sun came up. When I was eight, my cousin was playing with matches and burned half the apartment down, but she blamed it on me. My aunt and uncle tied me up and beat me with a leather belt until I was half-dead. That was the year my parents finally took me back. I thought the nightmare was over. I never imagined I would still be the one who didn’t belong. I couldn’t take it anymore. “You don’t have to send me! I’m leaving myself!” I tore myself from my father’s grasp, my face streaked with tears, and slammed the down button for the elevator. I ran out of the building, out of the complex, just ran. It was ten o’clock at night. All I had was a cheap phone that could only make calls. Not a single change of clothes. I stared at the thousands of warm, glowing windows in the distance, then collapsed onto the curb, sobbing uncontrollably, letting out all the years of bottled-up misery. “Alex? Is that you?” A familiar voice cut through my grief. I looked up. It was my classmate, Leo. Standing beside him were his parents, a kind-faced middle-aged couple. I’d been so excited about the new house that I’d told practically everyone I knew, so of course, he knew. “I thought you guys were moving in today,” he started, confused. “What are you doing out here so late…?” His mother cut him off. “Leo, didn’t you say you had some tough homework problems you needed Alex’s help with? This is perfect. Why don’t you invite him over?” Then she turned to me, her voice gentle. “Alex, our place is just around the corner. Would you mind coming over to help Leo out for a bit?” Leo, who knew bits and pieces about my family situation, caught on immediately. “Please, Alex? You’ve gotta help me,” he begged. Thinking of my cold family and my empty pockets, I numbly accepted their kindness and went home with them. Later that night, Mrs. Dallas sent a text to my parents for me, explaining that I’d be staying with them for the month leading up to the final exams. I overheard her on the phone with my mother. I heard my mother’s shrill voice rattling on about how immature and shameless I was, how I shouldn’t be imposing on another family just to “tutor.” She never once mentioned the balcony. She never once asked me to come home. For the next month, I became part of the Dallas family. Leo and I ate together, slept in his room, and went to school together. We studied late into the night, quizzing each other. I silently etched their kindness into my heart and swore I would ace my exams. I had to build a future for myself, a bright one that didn’t depend on anyone else’s approval. The month flew by, and the exams were over. In all that time, my parents had made a few half-hearted calls to Mrs. Dallas, offering to transfer money for my expenses, which she refused. When she did, they never tried to send it to me directly. They never called me once. But I saw them. Whenever I used my phone to look up study materials, their social media posts would pop up. Ross posted: Mom’s been making me a different kind of gourmet soup every day to keep my strength up for GRE prep. Best mom in the world. Mia posted: Dad promised me the new-gen console no matter what my final grades are! Love my family! Best parents ever! My parents were the first to like and comment: Our little family of four, always together. I also saw on my mother’s page that she had dismantled the wooden bed on the balcony and replaced it with two tiers of flower shelves. Her caption was heartfelt: Finally cleared out that eyesore. Now it’s just birdsong, fragrant flowers, and my two wonderful children. My life is finally perfect. So that was it. The days without me were their happiest. I finally understood that from the moment I was born, I was destined to be the extra piece that never fit. A sharp pain lanced through my chest, but it vanished as quickly as it came. The exam results were out. “Alex, did you see it? You’re number one! You’re the top scorer in the entire state!” Leo yelled, grabbing me in a hug and spinning me around. “You’re not so bad yourself,” I said, grinning. “Eighth in the city.” Leo’s parents walked over, smiling warmly. “It’s all thanks to you tutoring him this past month. With his old grades, he would’ve been lucky to get into any state college.” Leo stuck his tongue out sheepishly, then turned to me with genuine gratitude. “Seriously, man. Thanks.” “By the way,” Mr. Dallas said, “we’re planning Leo’s graduation party at The Grand Regency Hotel. If you don’t mind, we’d love for you to celebrate with us, as our guest of honor.” I immediately tried to refuse. I’d already imposed on them for a month; I couldn’t possibly crash their party. But Leo got angry. “You said yesterday you thought of me as a brother, and now you won’t even celebrate with me? Fine! I’m not talking to you anymore!” He pouted, turning his back on me. I was cornered. I had to give in. “Okay, okay, Leo, don’t be mad. I’ll be there.” “You know,” I added wistfully, “I’ve never had a party like that.” Leo’s face was a mask of disbelief. “What are you talking about? You were first in the city in middle school…” He trailed off, suddenly realizing. The three of them looked at me for a long moment. Their eyes held no surprise, no pity. Only a deep, aching sympathy that warmed me to my core. The emotions I had suppressed for so long surged up again. Strangers could see my pain, could care for me, could feel for me. But my own flesh and blood saw me as a burden, something to be ignored and mistreated. It was clear then. Blood isn’t what makes a family. I knew, with absolute certainty, that some people weren’t worth holding on to. On the day of the party, wearing a new shirt and slacks Mrs. Dallas had bought me, I went with them to The Grand Regency. During a trip to the restroom, I took a wrong turn and ended up in a different ballroom. I was about to leave when four familiar figures caught my eye, and I froze. There, on the main stage in the center of the room, were my father, my mother, Ross, and Mia, huddled together, beaming. “This son of mine has been brilliant since he was a boy,” my father announced, slinging an arm around Ross’s shoulders and holding up his grad school acceptance letter for all to see. “He’s bringing honor to the Clarke name!” “And our Mia is incredibly talented too!” my mother added. “Even if her grades weren’t the best, she’s a genius at dance. Just yesterday, she won a national junior dance award!” She finished by planting a proud kiss on Mia’s forehead. “You will always be your mother’s greatest pride, sweetie.” The room erupted in applause. Guests swarmed them, congratulating my parents on their good fortune, praising Ross and Mia for being so accomplished. The atmosphere was electric; everyone was radiant with joy. And then there was me, a lonely shadow in the doorway, completely out of place. I panicked, desperate to escape, but just as I turned to leave, a voice called out. “Alex? What are you doing here?” It was Ross. He was standing right in front of me, and behind him were Mia, and my parents. It had been over a month, and the look in their eyes wasn’t happiness or surprise. It was pure, undiluted disgust. As if I wasn’t their son, but the filthiest, most repulsive thing in the world.

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I just finished my finals, the ink barely dry on my SAT bubbling sheet, when I blinked and woke up ten years in the future. I’m wearing my backpack, staring at a tombstone. My tombstone. The corner of my mouth won’t stop twitching. Cell service is garbage, bars flickering in and out. I rack my brain until I remember exactly one landline number. It belongs to the most depressed, anti-social, toxic-tongued pretty boy in my homeroom. The call connects fast, accompanied by the hiss of static. A voice—familiar but strange—answers. “…Babe?” I freeze. “Who?” 1 The voice on the other end pauses for half a second. “Chloe?” Okay, maybe he just mistook me for someone else. Terrified the signal would drop, I rush to speak. “It’s me. Don’t yell at me, I can’t explain right now, but if you aren’t married, don’t have a girlfriend, and happen to be free… can you come pick me up at the cemetery?” Wait. He called me “Babe” earlier. Doesn’t sound single. I backpedal hard. “Ah, haha, sorry to bother you! Actually, could you just call someone else to get me? Like Julian…” Julian. The guy I’ve been low-key crushing on. My social standing in high school was mid at best. I only kind of knew these two by accident. They count as friends, right? “…Wait for me.” It’s been—God knows how many years—but Liam is still a man of few words. I blink, staring at the screen as the call drops from bad service. Bored, I squat in front of my own grave. It hits me late: Did I just make a prank call claiming to be a zombie? I wonder how Future Me and Liam got along? He probably thinks this is a scam… His guard was always insanely high. Whatever. My legs go numb from squatting, so I hop up and sit on top of my tombstone. It’s polished to a shine, reflecting the sunlight. There’s a huge bouquet of sunflowers in front of it. They aren’t wilted yet. Someone must have visited “me” a few days ago. Guess I was popular? I swing my legs, bored out of my mind. Not long ago, I was celebrating the end of high school. Classmates were tossing papers, screaming “Freedom!” and “I’m dyeing my hair green!” I was quietly asking the teacher if I could take the leftover papers to the recycling center for cash. I wanted to buy treats for the kids at the group home. Liam had helped me pack up, silent as usual. I told him to go home early so his dad wouldn’t beat him. He bristled like a stray cat. Stood up, glared at me coldly. “None of your damn business.” And walked off. I spent hours haggling with the scrap yard guy, and finally caught the last bus before total darkness. I took a nap… and woke up here. At a graveyard. At noon. Finding out I’m dead is shocking. It’s like finding out I flunked out of high school when I was tracking for the Ivy League. …I wonder which college I got into? The sun is blinding, but my phone says it’s midnight. This phone was a gift from the group home director. Cheap, prepaid. She told me not to worry about paying her back, just to study hard. They must be freaking out that I’m missing. I sigh. “Beep-beep!” A text notification sound. Footsteps approach from behind, soft and slow up the stairs. I pivot on my butt, spinning around on the tombstone. A man in a fitted black suit crashes into my line of sight. It’s too hot, so I’ve got my school blazer over my head like a hood. I squint at him. Is that… Liam? I barely recognize him. This man is a galaxy away from the boy who cursed me out yesterday. He freezes, his pitch-black eyes locking onto mine. It seems like he stopped breathing. High school Liam was pretty—pale skin, sharp features—but gloomy. His eyes were always cold, his words poisonous. Current Liam is still good-looking, but the boyish awkwardness is gone. He’s solid, stoic, distant. He’s staring so hard I stop swinging my legs. I hop down from the tombstone. “Hi?” 2 Liam’s breath hitches. He strides forward and crushes me into a hug. My face slams into his rock-hard chest. My nose actually hurts. …When did he get so tall? Wait, if he has a partner, he shouldn’t be hugging me like this! I try to push him away, but his strength has grown with his height. I can’t budge him. Maybe he’s just excited to see a dead friend’s ghost? I let him hug me for a minute, then whisper, “I’m not interrupting anything, am I? Your dad isn’t…” No, wait. It’s been ten years. He looks successful. I correct myself. “I’m not causing trouble, am I?” He buries his face in my neck and rubs against me like a puppy. “I missed you so much.” I stiffen. This is wrong. Is this really Liam? We were “friends,” sure, but this is way too intimate. Does his partner know? I turn beet red from my ears to my toes. I smack his back. “Liam! Let go! Off, off!” He finally loosens his grip but insists on interlacing his fingers with mine. I try to shake him off. He holds tight. …Maybe Future Me and him were really close. “Doesn’t your ‘Babe’ mind us doing this?” I ask awkwardly. “?” He looks at me, then smiles. “You are my Babe.” Me: “…” What the hell did I do in the last ten years? I can’t process this. He takes my backpack. Since I sold all my books, it’s empty and light. Liam, looking like a CEO, slings my high school bag over one shoulder and holds my hand with the other. He asks zero questions about how I’m here. His acceptance level is suspiciously high. I chatter nervously as he leads me away. “What year is it?” He smiles secretly. “2035.” Damn! I really time-traveled ten years. The tombstone said “2032.” I’ve been dead for three years. …Why did I die so young? Twenty-five? That sucks. I frown. “What was my SAT score? Class rank? Which college?” “Never mind, you probably don’t remember the details. just tell me the college.” His voice is soft, melting into the wind. “1560. Top 1%. Z State University.” My eyes go wide. I grab his arm. “That good?! So I…” I stop. I see the ring on his left ring finger. It glints in the sun. I drop his hand like it’s radioactive. “Liam, you’re married?” 3 He grabs my hand back, tightening his grip. He smiles, but he looks away. “Yeah. I married my Babe.” Me: “…” Why is he so calm?! Let go of me! I don’t want to be blasted on TikTok by his wife as a homewrecker. I’m technically 18. Standing next to him, I look like his little sister, but we aren’t siblings. “Just drop me off at a bus stop,” I say, frowning. “I’ll go back…” He tightens his grip again, helping me down the stairs. “Go back where?” Anywhere but with him. “Home…” I need to check on the group home. The director might recognize me even if I’m supposed to be dead. Liam relaxes. He smiles again. “Then let’s go home.” His smiling creeps me out. The Liam I knew didn’t smile. Julian was the one who always smiled. Liam was the one who looked like he wanted to murder everyone. “Let go of my hand…” He stuffs me into the back seat of a car. He climbs in right after me. His face screams “pity me.” I choke on my words. Liam has always been stubborn. If he wants something, he’ll smash through a brick wall to get it. Now he’s looking at me with puppy dog eyes, gripping my hand. “Babe…” My scalp tingles. What is this?! Why is he calling me Babe?! Is this future slang? Who is this dog wagging its tail? I push his face away with my free hand. “Liam, chill! I know you’re excited to see your dead friend, but I just finished high school!” “And you’re married! We can’t do this!” He freezes. Just when I think I got through to him, he pulls me into a hug again. “Sorry. You probably won’t believe me, but once we get home, you’ll see.” Your home, I think blankly. How am I going to explain this to his wife? “…Mr. Lu? Are we leaving?” The driver asks, terrified. I make eye contact with the driver in the rearview mirror. The awkwardness is palpable. Great. I’ve time-traveled and immediately become a mistress. Liam holds me tight. His wedding ring digs into my skin, pricking my conscience. He gives a low “Hmm,” and the driver relaxes. Just as the engine starts, there’s a knock on the window. A man holding a massive bouquet of red roses leans down. He knocks again. He’s smiling. He looks older, but that mole under his lip is iconic. My eyes widen. “Julian?” Liam slams my face into his chest, hiding me. “Drive,” he orders coldly. “Wait! Don’t drive!” I scramble against him. “Liam, that’s Julian!” He knows I had a crush on Julian in high school. He pushes my head down again. “Drive.” I don’t want to be kidnapped to his house to be accused of adultery. I struggle and manage to hit the window button. I try to pop my head up to say hi, but Liam shoves my face into his lap. I freeze. “Well, long time no see,” Julian says. His voice is deeper, smoother. He sounds amused. “Saw you from a distance. You… you’re hiring lookalikes now?” Liam sneers. “If you have nothing to say, get lost.” “Can’t say hi to an old classmate? You’ve gotten cute again since Chloe died.” Hearing my name makes me wince. I try to move, but Liam presses down harder. Now my face is pressed against… something. I turn bright red. I want to die again. To Liam’s unknown wife: I am so sorry! Wait, Liam is the scum here. Why should I die? I wiggle cautiously. Liam groans. I freeze instantly. “Ah, my bad. Didn’t realize you were busy,” Julian laughs. No shame at all. Dude! He definitely misunderstood! Julian leans on the window, chatting casually. “Making out right outside Chloe’s grave? Trying to piss her ghost off?” The air smells like gunpowder. Liam ignores him. “Drive.” The driver hesitates. “Mr. Su… his hand is on the car…” Is everyone a “Mr. CEO” or “Mr. Heir” now? And I’m just “The Dead Girl”? “Hey, little sister,” Julian says, seemingly talking to me. “Still wearing a school uniform…” He sighs dramatically. “Don’t do this kind of work. If you need money, name your price. I’ll beat it.” Julian is still so gentle. I should go with him! I struggle free from Liam’s claws and lunge for the window. “Julian—” Julian’s pupils earthquake. He stares at my face. His smile cracks. “…How much is Liam paying you? I’ll double it. No, name any price. Will you come with me?” 4 What are they talking about?! I open my mouth to say I am Chloe, but Liam yanks me back. His face is ice cold. He glares at Julian. “If you want a substitute, go find your own. Stay away from her.” Julian chuckles, ignoring him. He pulls out a black and gold business card and flicks it at me. Liam tries to block it, but I snatch it mid-air. “If you get bored of Liam… if you want a change of pace…” Julian smiles deeply. “Call me.” I want to put it in my bag, but Liam might confiscate it. I memorize the number instantly and shove the card in my pocket. “Okay, I’ll call.” Assuming he isn’t married too. Liam is grinding his teeth beside me. I can’t believe the guy who wouldn’t talk to anyone in high school grew up to be a cheater! Men ain’t shit. “I’ll be waiting,” Julian says, dropping his eyes. My heart skips a beat. He steps back, waving, holding those roses. He doesn’t look like he’s visiting a grave. He looks like he’s waiting for a date. “Too bad these flowers aren’t for you… Next time, I’ll bring you your own.” The driver hits the gas. I tumble back into Liam’s arms. He feels warm, but his vibe is freezing. I break away easily this time and buckle my seatbelt. The car interior is luxurious. Even a broke kid like me knows this leather is expensive. I glance at Liam. He’s staring straight ahead, looking like he’s built a fortress around himself. The driver is driving like a maniac. “Liam…” He snaps his head to look at me, eyes wide with hope. “…Put your seatbelt on?” His eyes dim. He buckles up. I’m terrified of meeting his wife. I run through a dozen scenarios in my head until the car stops. I step out nervously. Liam grabs my hand again. I try to shake him off. “What are you doing?!” He purses his lips. Silence. He drags me to the elevator. Beep. He drags me to the door. Beep. I close my eyes, preparing to be yelled at by a angry wife. He lets go and pushes me gently inside. “Look.” I peek through one eye. There, on the wall, is a massive wedding photo. My eyes pop out of my head. My face catches fire. Liam stands behind me, sounding hurt. “I told you, you’re my Babe.” “Who else would I marry?” Oh my God. This is scarier than being dead. I’m eighteen. I’ve never dated. I only know the sour taste of a secret crush. And now I’m looking at this? Also… at my age… I like Julian.

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I was in the middle of a sheet mask when my son came running in, crying, and shoved my husband’s phone in my face. “Mom, Dad’s texting another woman! He called her ‘baby’!” he sobbed. “Are you and Dad getting a divorce? Am I going to lose my dad?” I quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. Hearing the shower running in the bathroom, I snatched the phone from his little hands and put it back exactly where it was. “Shh, not so loud,” I whispered urgently. “Listen to me. That lady… she’s a good person. The prestigious international school you go to? She arranged it. The new car we have, this big apartment? She bought them. Mom and Dad’s promotions at work? She made them happen. You cannot let your father know that we know. Do you understand?” My son looked up at me, his eyes wide and shimmering with tears. “Mom, are you speaking English? I know all those words, but when you put them together, they don’t make any sense.” 1 I led my son out to the balcony and gently wiped his tears away. “Honey, all you need to do is focus on your studies. Your dad and I are not getting a divorce, and you are not going to lose your father,” I reassured him. “That lady is a very kind person. She’s not here to wreck our family. In fact, everything we have right now, she’s the one who gave it to us. Do you get it now?” “So just put your worries away and be a good boy. Do your homework.” He was only ten, and he still looked confused. But my calm demeanor seemed to soothe him. He wiped his eyes and stopped crying. “Okay, Mom. I get it. I’ll pretend I don’t know anything.” I ruffled his hair. “Good boy. Finish up your homework and get to bed. Mommy has to work tomorrow, too.” He turned to go, then paused. “Mom? You said that lady arranged your promotions. Is she really that powerful?” I smiled. “Of course, she is, sweetie.” “She’s my boss. And your dad’s.” A look of surprise, then worry, flashed across his face. “Will she… bully you?” Now it was my turn to be surprised. “Why would you ever think that?” He bit his lip. “I just thought… you’re supposed to be enemies. And since she’s your boss, I figured she’d probably be mean to you.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t worry, son. She won’t. Now, go on. Homework.” He didn’t ask any more questions and scampered back to his room. I stood alone on the balcony, a cool breeze washing over me, my mind a complete blank. I never thought the day I discovered my husband was cheating would turn out to be the biggest windfall of my life. 2 Discovering Mark’s affair was a complete accident. We both worked at the same company, started at the same time, and had comparable skills. Yet, he was climbing the corporate ladder at lightning speed while I was stuck. At first, I blamed it on my pregnancy and maternity leave. Then I realized the real reason. Mark had climbed his way into our boss Isabella Hopper’s bed. It all clicked at the annual company gala. Isabella didn’t just shower Mark with awards; she handed him a fifty-thousand-dollar bonus check. Even for the group photo, she insisted Mark stand center stage, while she subtly positioned herself right next to him. That alone wasn’t definitive. But then, during dinner, Isabella came and sat at our table. In the middle of a toast, she casually picked up Mark’s glass and took a sip of his wine. Then she handed it back to him. Without missing a beat, Mark lifted it to his lips, right where her red lipstick stained the rim, and took a drink. Everyone else was caught up in the festivities and didn’t notice the little exchange. But I did. I felt a tremor run through my entire body. A few minutes later, Isabella, supposedly drunk, was being helped to her feet by Mark, who announced he was taking her home. No one objected, and neither did I. But as soon as they left, I slipped out and followed them, determined to find out the truth. I thought it would be a covert mission, but they made it laughably easy. Thinking no one was watching, the moment they were out of the main banquet hall, Mark pinned Isabella against a corridor wall. “Ms. Hopper,” he murmured, his voice low. “You were trying to seduce me tonight, weren’t you? Drinking from my glass in front of everyone, leaving your lipstick on it like a promise.” Isabella, flushed from either the wine or the proximity to Mark, looked thrilled. “You caught me.” Mark pecked her hard on the cheek. “Aren’t you afraid someone would see? What if your husband found out? Luna was right there, for God’s sake.” Oh, that’s me. I’m Luna. Isabella just giggled. “I know. Doesn’t that make it more exciting?” 3 My hands and feet started to tremble, a hot surge of fury rising from the soles of my feet. I was about to storm out and confront them when Mark spoke again. “You’re a reckless little minx, but I love it. I know I’m playing with fire, that your husband would destroy me if he found out. But I can’t stay away from you.” He sighed dramatically. “Even though I know I’m betraying Luna and my son.” Isabella cupped his face, pouting. “Then just compensate them. If there’s no love, give them money. And lucky for you, I have plenty of that.” She ticked off the points on her fingers. “You can’t divorce her yet, and I can’t divorce him, so we have to keep them happy. That bonus tonight? That was from a project I landed and gave you the credit for. Give the whole fifty grand to Luna.” “I’ll wire you another fifty thousand and raise your salary to fifteen thousand a month. Just make sure you give Luna a bigger allowance. And that car and apartment of yours need an upgrade. I felt so cramped the last time I was over.” “The Vice President of the Projects Division is about to retire. I’m thinking of Luna for the position. Consider it another form of compensation. And I’ve already arranged for your son to be enrolled in that bilingual international school. All fees paid. Just come up with an excuse to send him.” My foot, which had been ready to charge out, froze in place. I swallowed the hurricane of emotions swirling in my gut and kept listening. Mark was visibly stunned. “Ms. Hopper… you’re doing so much for me. I… I don’t know what to say. I’m overwhelmed.” Isabella pinched his cheek. “Don’t be silly. As long as you’re good to me, I’ll take care of your wife and child. We need your home front to be stable so we can be together in peace. The last thing I need is a messy public divorce. If my husband cuts me off without a penny, we’re all screwed. Victor would never let me go that easily.” Mark nodded. “It’s so hard, having to sneak around like this, always afraid of being caught. Ms. Hopper, when can we finally be together openly? I hate this.” Isabella’s eyes narrowed, a flash of steel in them. “Victor may be paralyzed, but he’s not dead yet. And he’s paranoid about me cheating. He has people watching me, you know. He even sent his stepsister, Jessica Thorne, to work in Luna’s department. She’s not blood, but she’s completely loyal to him. So, yes, I was being reckless tonight. If any of them found out, we’d both be finished.” 4 Mark’s face fell. “It’s a shame we can’t just quit our jobs. Then we could be together.” Isabella laughed. “Are you kidding? Quitting is not an option. Victor is still the majority shareholder. If I quit, how would I get his money? And if you quit, how would you earn it? This is actually the perfect setup. We get to bleed him dry together. It’s the only thing that makes me feel better.” Mark’s expression brightened. “You’re right. I’d never have this position at any other company. And Luna would certainly never get to benefit from my success.” Isabella smiled softly. “Well, what can I say? I fell for you. That means accepting your family, right? I’ve thought about it, you know. I wish you weren’t married. But then again, if you were single, I probably wouldn’t have even noticed you. I’ve seen plenty of single, ambitious young guys trying to use me to get ahead. You were different. I had to drop all the hints, do all the chasing.” That line clearly stroked Mark’s ego. He lifted her chin and kissed her deeply. “I never imagined you’d be interested in me,” he murmured between kisses. “I thought I was reading the signals all wrong.” They were lost in each other. I quickly backed away and scurried off. Standing on the hotel balcony, I finally took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I never, ever thought Mark would cheat on me. And certainly not like this. Thinking of the fifty-thousand-dollar bonus, my son’s new school, Mark’s raise, and my own upcoming promotion, my initial rage began to morph into a strange, giddy excitement. These were things I’d never dared to dream of, and now they were all falling into my lap in the most bizarre way possible. It was utterly mind-boggling. Suddenly, the fact that my husband was having an affair didn’t feel devastating. It felt… profitable. Even if he divorced me later, I’d be set for life. 5 But Isabella’s words about her husband, Victor, sent a chill down my spine. He wasn’t just her husband; he was the big boss, and he had spies in the company watching her every move. His stepsister was in my department, practically breathing down my neck. How was I going to play this without raising her suspicion? If she found out, it wouldn’t just be Mark who was finished. My beautiful, newly acquired cake would be snatched away. That was absolutely not an option. Now that I knew about the cake, I couldn’t let it go. To lose it would be a regret I’d carry for the rest of my life. To protect my cake, I knew what I had to do. I had to protect their affair. Just as Isabella had promised, after they left the hotel, a notification popped up on my phone. A transfer of fifty thousand dollars from Mark. The note read: All my bonus money for my amazing wife. I love you. If I hadn’t just witnessed him declaring his undying love for Isabella, I might have actually believed him. But that was fine. His love was gone, but the money was here. Isabella moved fast. Soon enough, we were living in a spacious new apartment and driving a new Mercedes. My son was enrolled in the international school without me spending a dime. Mark’s excuse was that he had “connections” and had pulled some strings. Of course, I nodded and played along with whatever story he spun. I knew it was all a lie. That’s why I’d told my son not to blow his cover. But you can’t keep a secret forever. If I could figure it out, so could someone else. Someone like Isabella’s stepsister, Jessica Thorne. Lately, she’d been dropping by my desk with pointed questions. “Luna,” she’d say, feigning concern. “Has your husband been acting strange lately? Coming home late? Suddenly flush with cash? A little distant? I’ve noticed he barely comes to see you anymore. If you didn’t tell people you were married, no one would ever know.” 6 Victor must have been paying her extra, because for someone with such a junior position, she certainly had a lot of time to meddle. If Isabella hadn’t warned me, I’d never have known she was the big boss’s sister. Her questions sent a jolt of panic through me, and a cold sweat broke out on my back. But I kept my expression calm. “Jessica, since when are you so interested in my private life?” I asked with a light laugh. “Mark’s been great lately, nothing strange at all. Are you asking because of the new car and apartment? Oh, I can tell you a little secret. His parents’ old property back home was bought out by the city for eight million dollars. He’s their only son, so they gave it all to him. He’s just been really busy with work, that’s all. It’s perfectly normal.” Jessica’s face was a mask of suspicion. “Eight million? I find that hard to believe.” My smile faded. “Jessica, why would I lie about something like that? I was keeping it quiet, but since we’re friends, I thought I’d let you in on it. Please don’t spread it around. If you don’t believe me, you can always ask Mark yourself.” That shut her up. She returned to her desk without another word. Watching her go, I immediately shot Mark a text to get our stories straight. Hubby, that Jessica Thorne is being weird again. She keeps dropping by and asking strange questions. Today she asked how we suddenly got so rich. I got annoyed and told her your parents’ property sold for 8 million and they gave it all to you LOL. You should have seen her face. A few minutes later, he replied. Wife, you’re brilliant. That’s exactly how you handle people like her. Don’t worry. If anyone else tries to poke around, just brush them off and let me know. I’ve got your back. A transfer notification followed. Payoff: 1,000.00 For my wife, to buy something nice. I know I’ve been busy lately. As soon as things calm down, I’ll take you and Leo on a vacation. Seeing the money, I couldn’t help but smile. I hit ‘accept’ immediately. Thanks, hubby! Love you! Mwah! It seemed my little performance had averted a crisis. I thought that would be the end of the rewards for the day, but then my office phone rang. It was Isabella. “Luna, darling. Meet me after work. We’re going shopping at the Galleria.” 7 At the Galleria, she ignored all my protests and proceeded to drape me in Chanel from head to toe. Clothes, shoes, a handbag, even a bottle of perfume. I was floored. “Ms. Hopper, this is too much,” I stammered. “Why are you buying me all this? I’m getting scared.” She looked me up and down, a satisfied smile on her face. “Don’t you dare say it doesn’t suit you. It’s perfect. And don’t be scared. You’ve earned it. The deal with the Apex Group that your department just landed? This is your reward. The bonuses for your manager and the others will be paid out later.” My mind reeled. The Apex project was handled almost entirely by my manager. I was just a gofer, running errands in the background. If anyone deserved a reward, it was him, not a small fry like me. Then, in a flash, it all made sense. This wasn’t about the Apex project. This was about me handling Jessica. This was her way of saying thank you. A huge, genuine smile spread across my face. “Thank you, Ms. Hopper! I love it!” She adjusted the silk scarf around my neck, her tone casual but deliberate. “From now on, if Jessica tries anything funny, you come straight to me. I’ll deal with her. Don’t confront her yourself. I don’t want her holding a grudge against you.” Her words were a wake-up call. In my haste to cover for Mark, I had forgotten who I was dealing with. Jessica was still Victor’s sister. If I really got on her bad side, and Victor decided to target me, I’d be in serious trouble. Isabella knew her husband’s cruelty better than anyone. Over the next few weeks, to completely throw Jessica off the scent, Mark started making a point of visiting me at the office. He’d bring desserts for the team or a bouquet of flowers just for me. Suddenly, I was the most envied woman in the office. I would blush and lower my head, hiding the triumphant gleam in my eyes from their congratulatory gazes. I knew that behind all this performative affection was a much, much bigger cake waiting for me. And the strategy worked. Jessica finally stopped snooping around.

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My sister, Vanessa, wanted to take a job doing private in-home massages. I tried to talk her out of it. “The world is full of creeps,” I told her. “If something happens, you’ll be trapped.” She grumbled, but she listened and didn’t take the job. But then her best friend, Tanya, landed a wealthy husband through that exact line of work and became a trophy wife. Vanessa grew to resent me, convinced I’d blocked her path to riches. She invited me hiking… and pushed me off a cliff. I was shattered to pieces. The next time I opened my eyes, I was staring at my sister, her face lit with excitement as she talked about the incredible money she could make. I just nodded. “Get rich, and don’t forget your little sister.” She had no idea about the living hell her friend was about to endure. This time, I wouldn’t interfere in her life. I would just let her rot. 1 Vanessa slapped my shoulder. “Look at you, always ready to leech off me. Why don’t you drop out of school and come work with me?” I was in grad school, working on a project with my professor, and money was tight. A cold sweat broke out on my skin as I saw the glint in her eyes. I forced a self-deprecating laugh. “With all these freckles? A client would probably see my face and demand I pay them.” Vanessa roared with laughter, preening in her handheld mirror. “You’re right. You’re so plain, you’d never make any real money. You’re just a bookworm, Bella. Destined for a life of thankless drudgery after graduation.” She’d been beautiful her whole life, and the constant praise had gone to her head. She was convinced she’d grow up to be a star or get scooped up by a millionaire. She believed her looks alone entitled her to that life, blind to the fact that success is built on hard work, not just a pretty face. Last time, I’d stopped her from taking that job, and her friend Tanya had reaped the rewards. Vanessa’s hatred for me festered until it boiled over, and she killed me. She never knew the unspeakable nightmare Tanya’s life became. Now that I’m back, I won’t lift a finger. I’ll just watch her self-destruct. 2 Vanessa suddenly lowered her mirror, a troubled look on her face. “Bella… you don’t think it’s… unsafe, do you? What if I get some gross, fifty-year-old creep?” Her intentions were never pure, so of course she was worried. I blinked, feigning innocence. “What do you mean? It’s not like they’re massaging you. What’s there to be afraid of?” A blush crept up her neck. “You’re too young. You wouldn’t get it.” “Huh?” “It’s the kind of thing where… the massage goes both ways.” She started pushing me toward the door. “You don’t understand, just get out of my room. Stop hanging around.” At the doorway, she leaned in and whispered, “Don’t you dare say a word to Mom and Dad, or I’ll rip your mouth open.” I clamped my lips shut and nodded like an obedient dog. She had ripped my mouth open before. More than once. There was the time she was caught holding hands with a boy by the dean, and she hired actors to pretend to be our parents. And the time she was watching porn with another boy and agreed to spend the night at his place. I’d told our parents about those things, about all of it, stopping her just in time. After her scoldings, she’d attack me, full of rage. The searing pain as her nails tore at the corners of my mouth is something I’ll never forget. But she was my sister. My own flesh and blood. I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. I tried to save her from ruin, and she pushed me into the abyss. As expected, when I went into the living room, my parents asked what we were talking about. I lied smoothly. “I was just asking Vanessa for tips on how to get rid of my freckles.” My father shot me a look of disgust and turned away, as if I were some kind of hideous beast. My mother scoffed. “That face of yours? You’d need a skin transplant to fix it.” She sighed dramatically. “How could I have given birth to two daughters—one so beautiful, and the other so ugly?” In this house, my parents always loved Vanessa more. It made sense. Who would choose the ugly child over the beautiful one? It hurt, but I never fought it. I was grateful to them for giving me life. That’s why I always tried to help Vanessa. I knew if anything happened to her, the grief would destroy them. All their hopes were pinned on her—that she would marry rich and provide for them in their old age. All I could do was claw my way up on my own. I handed over the $500 for my monthly contribution to the household expenses, grabbed my suitcase, and left. Before walking out the door, I told them I wouldn’t be living at home anymore, and the payments would stop. My father called me an ungrateful brat. My mother threw a slipper at me and screamed for me to get out. They never wanted me to go to grad school. The only way they’d allow it was if I paid for my own tuition and living expenses, and gave them $500 a month. They pretended to make Vanessa pay too, but I’d overheard them admitting it was just a lie to milk me for more. She didn’t pay a cent, living at home for free, while I was only there one day a week. In my past life, I swallowed my pride and endured it. This time, I wouldn’t. I finally understood that parents who played favorites like that weren’t worthy of my love. 3 I moved into the dorms at school. Vanessa called me. “What’s this? The good girl is finally rebelling?” “I’m only home a few days a month, and they still wanted five hundred bucks. I got tired of it,” I said. “Hahaha! You’re finally getting a brain! If you want to make some real money, you should come work with me.” She started bragging about how much she was already earning. “Did you see the new purse I posted on Instagram? Just bought it, cost a few grand. Nice, right?” It was clear she’d already started the massage job and was doing well. Let her. She was still gloating. “It’s amazing. A little touching, a little chatting, and a thousand bucks just falls into your lap.” “Bella, you’re my sister. I can’t stand seeing you so dowdy. Why don’t you come work part-time with me on the weekends? If I recruit you, the company gives me a five-hundred-dollar bonus. I’ll even give you a hundred of it, how about that?” What a generous offer. I quickly refused. “I’m too clumsy. I’d be terrible at it.” “Don’t give me that. I’m picking you up this Friday night. If you dare stand me up, you just wait. I’ll make sure you get kicked out of your program!” To avoid her, I went home on Friday night. My parents screamed at me until I thought my ears would bleed. Vanessa stood by, smirking, enjoying the show. When the time came, she made a call. “Oh, Mr. Lee? Yeah, my sister can’t make it. She’s getting an earful right now… maybe some other time.” “Yeah, I know she’s not much to look at, but I’m her sister, I just wanted her to earn a little extra cash… Okay, fine, we’ll forget the interview then.” I watched her sashay out the door and finally let out a breath of relief. My parents were still yelling. I shot to my feet. “Are you done? If you’re done, I’ll get out of your sight!” That only made them angrier. I scrambled out the door and ran. 4 That night, I was sound asleep when my phone rang. Groggy, I fumbled to hang up but accidentally answered. The sound of Vanessa’s sobbing instantly woke me up. “This old man… he almost forced himself on me tonight, Bella… sob…” “I don’t want to do this anymore! It was so scary… I couldn’t push him off… If I hadn’t kept fighting, I… I would have been…!” I crept out into the dorm courtyard to take the call. I pretended to comfort her, but my words were carefully crafted to keep her from quitting. “Sis, didn’t you sign a contract? You should get your boss, Mr. Lee, to compensate you!” She choked back a sob. “You think I can do that?” “Of course! This is a workplace injury! You were on the job and a client assaulted you. Mr. Lee has to take care of it. He’ll probably have to pay you thousands in compensation.” At the mention of money, her crying stopped. “Okay… I’ll try.” After we hung up, I lay in bed for a long time before finally falling asleep. When I woke up the next morning, I checked my phone. As expected, Vanessa didn’t disappoint. “Bella! Here’s a little something for you! I really owe you one. I never would have thought to go to Mr. Lee.” “He said the old bastard paid three grand in damages, and he gave me two thousand of it! Oh my god, this is the easiest money I’ve ever made.” I opened the digital red envelope she sent. Five dollars and twenty cents. “Thanks, sis.” She replied, “Next time something happens, I’ll call you. You need to keep your phone on 24/7. Be ready whenever I call, you hear me?!” She was as bossy as ever. I played along. “Okay, okay, I will.” She was pleased. “Good girl. Good dog.” She still thought I was the same little puppy that followed her everywhere. She was wrong. 5 After that, Vanessa started talking to me a lot more. She told me she’d developed a new tactic: deliberately letting clients get handsy so she could squeeze more money out of them. Most guys would pay up to avoid a scene. She’d complain about one guy’s stinky feet, another’s body odor, all while swearing she’d quit as soon as she’d saved up enough. She would never quit. She would only sink deeper. A few days later, she sent me a cryptic message. “I’m about to become a millionaire’s wife.” “What?” “Can’t you read? Get ready to be the aunt of a trust-fund baby!” Sure enough, Vanessa soon had a boyfriend. She posted a picture on her socials—not of his face, but of his wrist. He had a tattoo of a pair of wings. I remembered my past life. Just before Vanessa pushed me, she’d shown me a picture Tanya had posted. The man in the picture had the same tattoo. I remembered it vividly. It seemed Vanessa was using her memories of the last life to get to him first. From this point on, her real nightmare was about to begin. 6 Vanessa’s new relationship seemed to be going smoothly. She arranged a dinner for her boyfriend to meet our parents. I told her I had to work that night, but she called my professor directly to get me out of it, then showed up in a luxury car to pick me up. I climbed in, my face flushing with embarrassment. I finally saw him, the man with the wings tattoo—Ethan. He was handsome in a polished way, wearing glasses that he pushed up his nose, revealing a shrewdness in his eyes that sent a chill down my spine. “So you’re the little sister in grad school,” he said, his voice smooth. “That’s impressive. We should talk about some business ventures sometime.” Vanessa narrowed her eyes, feigning jealousy. “Ethan, this is my sister. Are you trying to get a two-for-one deal?” Ethan just smirked. “Of course not.” I listened to their shameless flirting, feeling sick to my stomach. That, combined with the overpowering cologne in the stuffy car, made me gag. Vanessa whipped her head around, her eyes wide with excitement. “Are you pregnant? How far along? Who’s the father? Is he rich?” My face darkened. “I’m carsick.” “Ugh, boring.” The dinner was certainly interesting. The food was good, and the entertainment was even better. I got a front-row seat to watch my parents fawn all over Ethan like he was a king. As soon as I finished eating, I faked a phone call and made my escape. 7 Vanessa got richer. She moved out of our parents’ house and into Ethan’s villa. When she tried to quit her job, Ethan wouldn’t let her. He kissed her earlobe and whispered, “Baby, I can support you, of course. But you need your own career. You’ll get bored at home, and I can’t be with you every second. I have to work. You’ll just sit around overthinking things, and that’s not good for our relationship.” Vanessa pouted. “But I’m so tired.” Ethan’s smile turned wicked. “Oh, my baby’s tired? Then let me take good care of you.” Lost in his sweet talk and buried under his affection, Vanessa forgot all about quitting. Soon after, she was pregnant. She was overjoyed. First, it meant she could finally stop working. Second, she was carrying the heir to the ‘family fortune.’ Her dream of being a wealthy wife was within reach. Drunk on her success, she took the positive pregnancy test and went straight to her friend, Tanya. Tanya smiled brightly, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Congratulations! You’re so lucky, I’m honestly so jealous. Does your fiancé have any single friends? You should introduce me.” Vanessa sneered, her face a mask of contempt. “Introduce you? Take a good look in the mirror. You think you’re worthy?” “You can only dream of being me,” she spat, then turned and strutted away, triumphant. She had avenged herself for the humiliation Tanya had inflicted on her in their past life after Tanya had gotten with Ethan. She felt on top of the world. Vanessa didn’t see the small, relieved smile that played on Tanya’s lips as she watched her go. 8 Vanessa came to my university, but she didn’t come to see me. She went straight to my professor’s office and brazenly demanded that I be withdrawn from my program. I only found out when my professor called me. I sprinted to his office. From down the hall, I could hear her shouting. “I’m pregnant now! If you don’t do what I say, you’ll regret it!” “My sister is dropping out to come take care of me! I’ll pay her fifty thousand a month. Can you do that? Can her boss pay her that much after she graduates? “Just process the withdrawal papers!” I rushed in, breathless, and managed to calm her down by reminding her that stress was bad for the baby in the first trimester. I promised her I would drop out, and she finally left. I went back and apologized profusely to my professor, who was thankfully very understanding. Of course, I didn’t drop out. Vanessa called me an ungrateful, spineless loser. “If your brother-in-law wasn’t here with me, I’d make you pay.” The two of them were disgustingly lovey-dovey. Vanessa’s social media was flooded with posts about how attentive Ethan was, how obsessed he was with her body. “Ugh, I can’t take it anymore, but he just wants more, and that gets me going too.” “I’m so worried, doing this in the first trimester.” Time passed, and Vanessa entered her second trimester, her belly starting to show. She posted: “Finally in the second trimester! Now we can really go at it.” Some people in the comments warned her to be careful. Others shamed her for not thinking of the baby. A few crassly asked if her husband was home at night. Then one evening, I got a sudden message from Tanya. “Tonight, do not answer your sister’s phone calls.” I stared at the message, about to reply, when another one came through. “If you don’t want to die, turn your phone off.” At that exact moment, my phone started ringing. It was Vanessa. I answered it.

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I am the long-lost daughter of the richest family in the city. The day my biological brother brought me home, I had mud on my hands from sculpting. My foster sister, upon seeing me, immediately pushed me to the ground in disgust. Before I could even react, my biological mother slapped her across the face. “Who do you think you are? An adopted daughter dares to hit my own flesh and blood!” Damn! I like this mom. She’s cool. I’ve decided right then and there—I’m staying. 1 I am the daughter of the city’s wealthiest man, lost for twenty years. When my brother, Liam, found me, I was knee-deep in clay, working on a sculpture. He waved the fresh DNA test results in the air, hugging me excitedly. “Serena, you really are my sister! I knew I wasn’t wrong! Come with me! I’m taking you home.” I actually had an important mission to complete, and getting into the richest family would make things a lot easier. So, going back to “claim my birthright” and check out my new family was killing two birds with one stone. I got into the car with Liam, still a bit dazed. On the way, Liam briefed me on the family situation multiple times, terrified he’d miss a detail. He said the family had more money than we could ever spend, with businesses in fashion, food, real estate, and transportation. Mom called the shots at home, and she was a big deal in the business world too. Honestly, it sounded like he was just humble-bragging and hyping up Mom. “Besides Mom and Dad, there’s just me and you. Oh, and the staff—maids, cooks, drivers.” “Wait, there’s also the daughter of one of Dad’s friends. But she doesn’t matter. Just pretend she doesn’t exist.” My brow furrowed. I’d heard stories about lost heirs returning home—the first step is usually a power struggle. Life in a billionaire’s family is never simple. I looked down at my clothes, still stained with clay. Walking into a mansion looking like I just rolled in the mud? What kind of welcome was I in for? Thinking about it, I felt a strange sense of anticipation. From what I knew, this foster sister wasn’t just some random girl. 2 As soon as we walked in, a girl dressed head-to-toe in designer brands came running towards us. She beamed at Liam. “Liam, you’re back!” This must be the foster sister Liam mentioned, Chloe. Believing in the principle of “don’t slap a smiling face,” and considering we’d be living under the same roof, I put on a sweet smile and raised my hand to greet her. “Hi, I’m…” Before I could finish, she took a step back and shoved me hard. Caught off guard, I lost my balance and fell. Sharp pain shot through my ankle. “Liam, is she the new cleaning lady? Eww, she’s so dirty! Make her leave!” Liam rushed to help me up, looking at my swollen ankle with distress, then turned to Chloe, shaking with anger. “Chloe! She is not a cleaning lady! She is my sister, Serena! Show some respect!” “And you just pushed her for no reason! Apologize to her now!” Chloe’s eyes widened. She looked me up and down with disdain. “Sister? Her?! Liam, you’ve only known her for a few days. Who knows if she’s a scammer!” “Not just anyone can walk through our front door!” Liam helped me stand and shielded me, his gaze sharp. “She is my biological sister. I don’t hit women, but if you don’t apologize today, don’t blame me for being rude.” Chloe stomped her foot, indignant. “Liam! You’re yelling at me for her? I’m telling Dad!” What? What kind of logic is that? She was rude first, and now she’s playing the victim? I was pissed. Growing up, my adoptive dad never even raised a hand against me. Before I left, he told me I didn’t have to endure everything. Being a little feisty would actually fit my cover better. Nothing a good fight can’t solve. I steadied myself, rolling up my sleeves, ready to slap her. But a fierce figure rushed past me. Before I could react, Slap! Slap! Chloe took two hard slaps to the face. “Who do you think you are? An adopted daughter dares to hit my own flesh and blood!” My own flesh and blood? Is this my biological mom? Her swift, precise movements were cooler than an action movie star. Even cooler than my adoptive dad. I almost applauded. “Mom!” I blurted out. 3 “Aye!” She responded instantly, her face transforming into a loving smile. As if the fierce warrior from a second ago wasn’t her. She put her hands on my shoulders, looking me over again and again. Then she pulled me into a tight hug, tears welling up in her eyes. “Serena, you look just like me! Baby, Mom has been looking for you for so long!” “You’ve suffered all these years. Don’t worry, Mom will make it up to you.” Liam said I was lost when I was three. Mom and he never gave up looking for me. Finally, their efforts paid off. I was found and raised by my adoptive dad. He was a workaholic bachelor. Since I could remember, I never knew what motherly love felt like. I used to envy classmates who said “My mom said this” or had moms picking them up from school. Now, suddenly having a biological mom felt… amazing. Maybe it was blood instinct, but I didn’t reject her. I felt warm inside. Liam turned away, secretly wiping his eyes. I patted Mom’s back, comforting her. “Mom, Liam, I’m back. Thank you for not giving up on me.” Liam hugged both of us. “It’s good you’re back. We’ll never be separated again.” This scene triggered Chloe. Her face twisted in anger, muttering: “You’re all bullying me! I’m telling Dad!” Mom laughed, hearing this. She grabbed Chloe’s chin, looking at her with disdain. “Oh? Really? Go ahead. See who calls the shots in this house!” Just then, noise came from the door. A voice preceded the person: “I’m home.” Hearing this, Chloe ran to welcome him, throwing a glare at me before she left: “Dad’s back. You’re in for it now!” 4 Chloe threw herself into Dad’s arms, sobbing. “Dad, you’re finally back! Mom and Liam are bullying me!” Dad, let’s call him Richard, looked at Chloe’s face. “Chloe, what happened to your face? Who hit you?” “Come, let’s get some medicine. It won’t look good if it swells up.” He tried to take Chloe to find the first aid kit, but the three of us blocked their way. Chloe lowered her head, sniffing. Mom crossed her arms, staring them down. “I hit her.” Liam stood in the exact same pose as Mom. I looked at their expressions, a bit confused, and decided to stay silent. Liam spoke, his tone cold: “Dad, this is my biological sister, Serena. She came home today.” As soon as he finished, Richard pushed Chloe aside and trotted over to me. He squinted, looking me up and down with an expression weirder than an old man reading a phone screen on the subway. Then he looked disgusted and conflicted. “Th-this is my daughter? For real? Is she another gold digger coming out of the woodwork?” “And why are you all bullying Chloe? Don’t you know how pitiful her background is?” Huh? What? What kind of twisted logic is that? What does Chloe’s pitiful background have to do with me? I didn’t make her pitiful. Isn’t being separated from my mom for twenty years more pitiful? I was speechless at his reaction and looked at Liam for help. Liam shielded me, giving me a reassuring look. “Serena, don’t be scared. Just watch Mom.” Before I understood what he meant, Mom exploded. She grabbed a baseball bat and started chasing Richard around the living room. “Richard! Did a donkey kick you in the head today? Did you forget your meds?” “Gold digger? Liam personally handled the DNA test!” “Even without the test, look at her face! Anyone with a brain can see she’s my daughter!” “And you! Your daughter comes back and you don’t even care? You side with an outsider? Looks like you need a beating to straighten you out!” My jaw dropped. I could fit two eggs in there. Liam looked like he was used to it, signaling me not to worry. Richard was begging for mercy in no time, looking absolutely pathetic. It was hilarious. But I didn’t miss the flash of malice in his eyes when he looked down, or the venom in Chloe’s gaze. My suspicion was confirmed. These two were not as simple as they seemed. 5 That night, after updating my adoptive dad on the situation, I went downstairs to find some food. I heard rustling outside my door. Looking through the peephole, I saw someone lurking. As I walked down the stairs, I deliberately didn’t turn on the lights. I pretended not to see the stuff scattered on the steps or the person hiding in the corner. My foot slipped. Instinctively, I reached for the handrail. But a sudden push from behind sent me tumbling down the stairs. Shutterstock When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital room with Mom and Liam looking anxious. “Serena, you’re awake! How do you feel?” “Does it hurt anywhere? You scared us to death!” Mom’s eyes were red as she hugged me. Liam was calmer. “Serena, do you remember how you fell?” I didn’t answer, but asked, “Where are Richard and Chloe?” “They said there was an emergency at the company and would come later.” I paused before speaking. “Mom, Liam, my fall wasn’t an accident. It was deliberate.” “What?!” they exclaimed in unison. I pulled out my phone and showed them the surveillance footage. “I was worried about conflicts with Chloe, so I installed a micro-camera at my door just in case.” The video clearly showed Chloe scattering beads on the floor. And when I slipped, she pushed me from behind. Mom and Liam were furious. “Chloe is evil! We can’t keep her in the house. She has to move out.” I held Mom’s hand, looking serious. “Mom, Liam, listen to me. Chloe isn’t as simple as she looks.” “Moving her out is just step one. She needs to be removed from the company too.” “This involves another reason for my return, but I can’t reveal too much yet. Please understand.” “Use our conflict as a reason to kick her out first. When I recover and join the company, I’ll slowly strip her of her power.” “There’s more to my disappearance years ago. I’m still investigating. Let’s not alert the enemy yet.” Mom and Liam exchanged a serious look. In the end, they agreed to my plan.

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