Category: English

When Liam and I fought the fiercest, he cursed at me to get lost. He said, “If it wasn’t for you, I would have been with Chloe long ago.” Hearing this, I sneered. “Chloe? Are you worthy of her?” “Only I am.” “I am the optimal choice you can get.” “The top tier, understand?” 1 Chloe, my older sister. Beautiful inside and out, great grades, high IQ. It’s not surprising that Liam liked her. After all, my secret crush, Arthur, also liked her. This caused me great pain. Chloe, my sister. Such a wonderful existence, I truly couldn’t bear to do anything to her. But she just happened to be the sweetheart of my secret crush. What could I do? I could only beat up Liam. When Arthur talked to Chloe, I beat up Liam. When Arthur held hands with Chloe, I beat up Liam. When Arthur hugged Chloe, I beat up Liam. When Arthur kissed Chloe, I beat up Liam. When Arthur and Chloe got together, I wailed and beat up Liam. It’s not that Liam didn’t think about fighting back. But he couldn’t beat me. Although he’s taller than me and has eight-pack abs. All his workouts were for body sculpting, hoping Chloe would lust after his beauty. I was different. I learned kickboxing, Taekwondo, and Jiu-Jitsu. Thinking that if Chloe ever abandoned Arthur, I would lock him up, hehehe. So we waited and waited, and then Arthur and Chloe got married. One of us gave the bride away, the other welcomed the groom, both crying like two dogs. Everyone said they were a loving uncle and nephew, and we were deeply affectionate sisters. (Note: Arthur is Liam’s young uncle). But they didn’t know how badly we wanted to crash the wedding. We didn’t do it; our last shred of moral standard restrained us. That time, I didn’t beat up Liam. We got wasted, hugged each other and cried bitterly, and then started making out. 2 Yes, that’s right, we slept together. Whether Liam was driven by alcohol-induced lust, I don’t know. Anyway, I wasn’t. I was just giving up on myself. If I couldn’t give myself to the person I loved the most, then I’d give it to someone with a good face. If I can’t give myself to the person I love most. Giving it to a dog is the same. Later, we slept together many more times. Passionate in bed. Once out of bed, we warned each other. “Friends with benefits, understand? Don’t get clingy!” Finally, our parents started rushing us to get married. First was Liam’s dad. He tagged him in the family group chat. [Look at your young uncle, how happy he is after getting married, deeply in love with your aunt, aren’t you envious?] At that time, Liam was drunk. Replied: [Envious. So should I marry my aunt too?] One sentence literally stunned the group chat into silence for five minutes. His dad sent over a dozen sixty-second voice messages in a row. His mom roared: “Are you trying to tear this family apart?” His aunt (my sister) sent a question mark. His uncle sent a polite smile emoji. Liam knew he was dead meat. So he slid onto his knees, hugging his dad’s thigh. “I meant my aunt’s sister. Since my aunt is so wonderful, her sister can’t be bad either. I want to marry my aunt’s sister.” 3 How great. How beautiful this world is. The person I loved the most became my brother-in-law. And I could marry my nemesis, making my brother-in-law my young uncle at the same time. Sure enough, the world is a circle. Liam knelt before me. “I know you saved my dog life, I’ll agree to anything!” I nodded, my voice calm. “Then go die.” “That won’t work.” “Then I’ll kill you.” I hadn’t beaten up Liam in a long time. Out of practice, I actually forgot to lock the door. Just as I was straddling his waist, ready to unleash a flurry of punches on him, his parents, my parents, plus my sister and Arthur, all stood outside the door at the same time. Their eyes full of benevolence, like holy halos, blinded my dog eyes. They nodded one after another. “So wonderful.” “We didn’t even know these two kids were together.” “Adding family ties to family ties.” “Simply wonderful.” “Get married, get married immediately.” I compromised. Let’s marry. Gotta get married eventually, who cares to who? 3 (Continued) On our wedding night, Liam set three rules with me. “A marriage of convenience, right? You play your way, I play mine.” I shook my head. “If I meet someone I like, you can’t stop me.” I shook my head. “Then if I want to go out and have fun, you can’t control that, right?” I shook my head, then nodded. Liam broke down. “What do you mean?” “Mia, you don’t actually like me, do you?!” I rolled my eyes to the ceiling and immediately gave him a hard slap on the head. “Do I not need face?” “You are Mia’s man, yet you’re hugging and kissing others, and I have to turn a blind eye?” “Let everyone know I’m wearing a green hat (being cuckolded)?” “Liam, I’m warning you, if you dare to step out of line, I’ll break your legs.” I, Mia. Grew up with a strong sense of entitlement. In this world, there is only what I don’t want, nothing I can’t get. Of course, Arthur being the exception. Losing to Chloe, I don’t feel ashamed. But if Liam dared to make me lose face… Hehe, I have plenty of strength and means. 4 But Liam was just not one to stay in line. He went on a date. The date was a college student. He took the little girl to eat Western food, considerately cutting her steak for her. Then took her to a movie, always casually lowering his head, making the little girl blush. Finally dropped the little girl back at school, hugging her gentlemanly and restrainedly. Acting like a proper human being. The photos were sent to me by a private investigator. Liam hadn’t been acting normal recently. Always staring at his phone, raising his eyebrows, curling his lips, and even using emojis he never used before. Even his profile picture changed to a view of his own back. A glance and you know he didn’t take it himself. And he wouldn’t be so vain as to have a guy take it for him. So it could only be the opposite sex. Which opposite sex? Around Liam, no one who knows of my existence dares to get close. So it must be someone who doesn’t know about me, not in our circle. Outside the circle? That leaves even more room for imagination. So I hired a marriage mediator (PI) to follow Liam. 4 (Continued) Today is his third day following Liam. Leaving home in the morning, Liam looked in the mirror for ages, styling every strand of hair. He dressed ordinarily, specifically choosing an outfit without visible logos. Even grabbed a cup of fresh milk from the fridge. I asked him where he was going. He said playing poker. Looking at it now, he wasn’t playing poker, he was inspecting the goods. Looking at the photos, I was very calm. Calmly finished my meetings, calmly got off work, calmly went home. Calmly took out the bottle of wine Liam treasured the most from the wine cabinet. Liam’s car pulled in. I stood there calmly. He got out of the car. “What are you doing here…” Before he could finish, I raised the wine bottle and smashed it over. “F*ck!” Liam turned pale with fright and quickly dodged. His car wasn’t so lucky, smashing into pieces, a mess all over the ground. “Are you crazy? What nerve are you tweaking?” I didn’t say a word. Raised a foot and kicked him right in the stomach. Liam stumbled back repeatedly and fell to the ground. I pressed down, my knee digging into the soft flesh of his stomach. Slapped the photos onto his face with a smack, smack sound. “Giving me a green hat? Do you have a death wish?” Liam’s face, originally full of anger, turned to embarrassment after hearing my words. He cleared his throat. “I didn’t even do anything, get off me.” I sneered and increased the pressure. Liam let out a muffled groan. “Are you done? Do you think I don’t dare touch you?” “Then show me.” As soon as my words fell, Liam suddenly raised his leg and thrust upward fiercely. As I lunged at him, he flipped over and pinned me underneath. He looked smug. “Did you really think I couldn’t beat you? I was letting you win, understand?” My face turned extremely ugly. I raised my head, opened my mouth, and bit down hard on his arm. Liam let out a howl. “Are you sick!” “I didn’t even really do anything.” “Is this necessary?” With a cold face, I kicked him off me. “Is it necessary? What, do I have to catch you in bed?” “Can you not speak so harshly?” “You think my words are harsh? Are your actions any prettier?” “What did I do? Look at you instead.” He pointed to the wine on the ground. “Do you know how much that wine costs? Do you know how many people I had to ask? Mia, you are truly sick!” He fired off sentence after sentence. I watched him squat down, picking up the glass shards with a pained expression. Watched him glare at me with vicious eyes. The photos were still in my hand, crumpled out of shape by me. Finally, I swung my arm and threw the photos at his face. “Divorce!” “I’m f*cking divorcing you!”

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The brother I picked up turned out to be a real-life young master from a wealthy family. After returning to his billionaire family and becoming the despised outcast, he wanted to commit suicide out of despair. I grinned: “Bro, hurry up and die.” “I have my eye on this punk. Only if you die can I hold your funeral photo and morally blackmail him into dating me.” “Oh, also, I borrowed 3 million dollars from the village in your name.” “If he doesn’t agree, I’ll use this money to hire someone to lock him up and force him to love me.” “Best if I get pregnant with his kid and bind him to me for life.” Pfft— He sprayed out 20 sleeping pills. Then he got up and rinsed his mouth eight hundred times. 1 When I was four, I wanted a brother. The girl next door, Jenny, had a brother who wove grasshoppers for her and carried her across the river. I was green with envy. So I asked my mom if she could give me a brother. My mom, who had been playing “golf” (farming) in the fields all day, laughed angrily. “I can’t birth one. Go find someone who can.” I was obedient from a young age. So I kowtowed to Big Yellow, the dog who could birth 10 puppies in a litter: “Big Yellow, I accept you as my mom. Can you give me a brother? Please.” Early the next morning, I was woken by Big Yellow’s unusual low barking. In the faint morning light, Big Yellow was gently nudging a shadow curled up by the haystack with his nose. It was a little boy. His clothes were torn, his face too dirty to see clearly, but his eyes were exceptionally bright. He hugged his arms, shivering slightly. I cheered: “Good job, Big Yellow! You really gave me a brother!” I am very loyal. I turned and shouted to my mom who came out hearing the noise: “Auntie! I have a brother!” Then I rushed to hug Big Yellow’s neck and called him Mom. “Lily! Evans!” My mom roared, holding a spatula. I didn’t know why she was angry, but her beating was very graceful. 2 After beating me, she boiled hot water and let the boy take a bath. When he came out clean and sat at our dining table, I finally saw his face clearly. Who would have thought, Big Yellow, a country dog, gave birth to such a stylish person! His features looked like they were painted; extremely good-looking. Compared to him, Jenny’s brother looked like a scribble. He didn’t look at me, staring unblinkingly at the bowl of rice on the table— Rice mixed with meat broth, topped with several pieces of soft stewed ribs. So I pushed the bowl generously in front of him: “Brother, eat! Don’t be shy!” As if he finally couldn’t hold back, he picked up the bowl, eating in small bites at first. Then he started wolfing it down, gasping from the heat but not stopping. Just then, my mom came out of the kitchen with two bowls of rib noodles. Seeing this scene, her face turned black as the bottom of a pot. 3 She rushed over and grabbed my ear: “That’s dog food! Big Yellow’s dog food! Who told you to give guests dog food?!” “Ouch ouch ouch, it hurts!” My ear was twisted numb, I jumped and shouted, “You said it was Big Yellow’s dog food, and Big Yellow didn’t say anything!” “Besides, Big Yellow’s food is delicious, I’ve eaten it too.” These words completely ignited my mom’s anger. She raised her hand to smack my butt: “So you not eating well every day is because you steal Big Yellow’s food?” Just then, a very thin hand suddenly reached out and gently pulled my mom’s shirt. The little brother had stood up at some point. He looked up slightly, his eyes full of caution: “A-Auntie… it’s okay, that rice is very fragrant…” “Can I… eat a few more bites?” “I haven’t eaten for two days… so hungry…” 4 My mom’s hand froze in mid-air, looking down at the boy who only reached her chest. He was too thin. His exposed wrist was so slender it looked like it would snap with a little force. At this moment, he was swallowing nervously, his eyes glancing uncontrollably at the bowl of dog food on the table. “What a sin…” She grabbed the little brother and put the noodles covered in ribs in front of him. “Child, eat! Eat as much as you want! There’s plenty!” Then she turned and rushed back to the kitchen, pots and pans clanging. In a while, she brought out a large plate of golden fried eggs. “Eat, child, eat slowly.” My mom kept putting eggs in his bowl, her eyes red. When he was full, holding the bowl and sipping the noodle soup. My mom asked carefully. “Child.” “Tell Auntie, how… did you get so hungry?” 5 The little brother’s fingers holding the bowl tightened, knuckles turning white. He lowered his eyes, staring at the chopped green onions floating in the soup, silent for a long time. Just when I thought he wouldn’t answer, he suddenly spoke: “They… are not my biological parents.” “They beat me and didn’t give me food. So I ran away.” My mom’s tears fell instantly. She turned sideways and wiped her face hard with her sleeve. 6 After eating, I tugged at my mom’s sleeve: “Mom! Can we let the little brother stay and be my brother?” My mom glared at me: “Why ask me? He has to be willing to be your brother!” I didn’t know how to make him willing. So I went to ask the sister next door. She was the first college student in the village, very cultured! Although villagers said she couldn’t even spell “monkey,” a useless scholar. I ran to the sister’s house. She was sitting on a small stool in the yard. —Hair clipped up messily, floral cotton pants paired with a tight down jacket. Me: ??? Didn’t Mom always say city people are the most fashionable? Why did sister dress like my grandma after two years of college? 7 “Sister, I…” I suddenly felt a bit shy, “I have a friend who wants a boy she just met to be her brother. What should she do?” “Yo yo yo~ Just a brother~? Only a kid like you believes that~” The sister, who was playing with her phone, suddenly got interested and revealed an evil smile. “But this is easy! Let your friend—take her best friend and kneel to beg him!” “Must… must kneel?” I felt my knees starting to hurt. “Of course!” The sister said decisively, “That shows sincerity!” I gritted my teeth: “Fine, but who is the best friend?” “The very best friend.” 8 My best friend is Big Yellow. So when the little brother finished using the toilet, he saw a person and a dog kneeling at the outhouse entrance. His pale face cracked instantly. From initial confusion, to shock after seeing our posture, then to helpless panic. He subconsciously took half a step back, almost stepping into the cesspit behind him. “You… you guys…” “Please stay and be my brother!” I shouted with full energy, “Big Yellow and I beg you together!” Just then, my mom came out to pour a basin of dirty water. 9 “Lily! Evans!” Her roar shook the sky, “What are you doing kneeling at the outhouse with Big Yellow! Get up!” Just when my mom was about to put down the basin and twist my ear. The little brother suddenly took a small step forward and bent down slightly. Using those hands so thin you could see the bones, he gently held my arm. “Get up.” His voice was very soft, “I… haven’t been a brother…” “But… I will try my best.” 10 From that day on, I, Lily Evans, had a brother. Mom renamed him—Ethan. Ethan was the best brother in the world. I secretly wore Mom’s precious high heels at home to be pretty, but accidentally broke the heel. Scared, I cried while writing a suicide note on the table. He heard the noise and came in, looked at the crooked “suicide note” on the table. Looked at my tear-stained face, and said nothing. When Mom came back and threw a fit, he took the blame for me like a martyr: “Mom, sorry, it was me… I accidentally broke your high heels.” My mom was shocked, taking out her broken lipstick and soiled dress: “These… you did these too?” Ethan glared at me fiercely, then closed his eyes in despair: “Yes. I thought they looked nice, so I tried them on.” My mom was silent for a long time, wanting to speak but stopping, finally squeezing out a sentence: “…Son, your hobbies are quite broad.” 11 Ethan was also the worst brother in the world. When I super accidentally forgot my homework at school. And cried at home for a whole day: “Doomed, can’t do homework today, can only watch cartoons hehe oh no boohoo~~” My brother, who was running a fever, sat up from his deathbed. Walked a mile to get my homework back. He slapped the homework in front of me with a pap. Corner of his mouth harder to suppress than an AK: “Write.” Me: ??? 12 Days passed like flowing water. In middle school. I was crowned the “Golden Microphone” by teachers for talking too much. Ethan, two years older, scored 748 raw points in the high school entrance exam, becoming the city’s top scholar. 13-year-old Big Yellow became a grandma. We all had a bright future. In high school. Ethan won first prize in the National High School Math League. My autistic deskmate was “talk-therapied” by me into a Silver Microphone. Big Yellow’s son, Little Yellow, was neutered by my mom for being too flirtatious. The Yellow family line ended! We… cling to my brother’s thigh!! Bro! Don’t forget us when you’re rich! 13 However, Big Yellow and I never expected. My brother would get rich so fast! Just won the first prize in the National Math League. Immediately after, because he was too handsome among a group of nerds, he went viral overnight. A photo of him receiving the award got over a million likes on TikTok, and the comments section exploded— “The third brother on the right is killing it! No lighting, no makeup, pure hard handsome!” “Just asking, is this the National Handsome Guy First Prize?” “Am I the only one who thinks… he looks like a certain billionaire Mr. Vance from the capital???” This comment was upvoted to the top. Then, another video was dug up— A silhouette of Arthur Vance flashing past in financial news. Two faces placed side by side, simply like looking in a mirror. So overnight again. My brother became a real billionaire heir. Bro, I know your future is bright, but isn’t this too bright? 14 When a man achieves the Dao, his poultry and dogs ascend to heaven. My mom’s entertainment changed from golfing in the fields to playing mahjong at the village entrance. Big Yellow’s afternoon tea changed from leftovers to imported dog food. I also transferred from the rotten high school in town to a noble school in the capital. My brother is benevolent!! However, since returning to the wealthy family to be a young master, he became very busy. We rarely met. So sad, missed him so much, so I often messaged him. Me: Bro, miss you, are you doing well there? Is the allowance enough? If enough, share some. Cat reaching out.jpg. Brother (ATM Version): How much? Before I replied. He transferred ten thousand. Brother (ATM Version): Afraid you’re not used to living at school, rented you a house at the school gate. Brother (ATM Version): If anyone bullies you at the new school, tell me. No dating! No dating! Understand? Me: Cat nodding.gif. Don’t know why, my brother always seemed afraid city people would bully me. He said this many times. Making me a bit scared too. Do city people look down on us country folks? 15 So on the day of reporting to the new school, I brought Little Yellow (Big Yellow’s son) for protection. Just sat down, a few rich second-generation kids staggered around me. The leading boy looked me up and down, a playful smile on his lips: “Hey, new here? Heard… you’re the one transferred from some village, from the same place as Ethan Vance (formerly Ethan)?” My heart skipped a beat, clutching my bag strap, nodding silently. A girl with exquisite makeup beside him looked at me with a light smile, from my canvas shoes to my ponytail. My heart was in my throat, my brother’s warnings flashing in my mind, And those bullying transfer student scenes in TV dramas. Doomed, doomed… Unexpectedly, the girl’s eyes lit up: “Great! She’s really from the countryside!” Me: “???” 16 The boy beside her was incredibly excited. “You guys from the countryside must study very hard. Math must be super awesome like Ethan Vance, right?” “Not gonna lie, you look like a mathematician!” Me: ??? Mathematician?? Who??? Me with 30 points??? But before I could speak. He took out a stack of test papers, slapped them on my desk. “God, help a brother out.” He put his hands together in a pleading gesture, “These, due this afternoon. Name your price!” I tentatively extended a hand. “Five…” Before I could say “bucks”. “Five thousand?” He froze. 17 Then the group of people around him sighed in relief, showing expressions of “what a bargain”. “No problem!” “Last time I offered Ethan Vance fifty thousand a sheet, he told me to get lost. You are truly benevolent!” Afraid I would regret, he immediately finalized it. “There are ten papers here, fifty thousand, I’ll transfer it now!” I looked at the payment notification on my phone. Head buzzing, five… fifty thousand just like that? Who said city people are bad? City people are too good! I started writing papers diligently. Although I couldn’t understand the questions, I wrote extremely seriously. Neat handwriting, clean paper, every page filled. But it was all gibberish. He only asked me to finish, didn’t ask me to be right! So I finished before noon. When I handed it to them, they were shocked by my speed as heavenly. Saying everywhere I was the reincarnation of Euler.

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I’m fiercely protective of my own, no questions asked. Loyalty over rules, always. When I was a kid, if my dog got picked on, I’d grab a knife and chase the culprits three blocks for revenge. Later, at work, if my team had a dispute, I didn’t care who was right—only who won. But my boss’s wife, Vanessa, never understood this. At the company’s holiday party, she walked over, glass in hand, and pointed to one of my top salespeople. “This girl looks familiar. Yesterday, I saw her checking into a hotel with an old man in broad daylight, just to close a deal. Young people will do anything for money.” She smiled sweetly. “You should be careful. People like that often carry diseases.” The room erupted. Everyone turned on Emma, whispering insults. She tried to explain, but as an ordinary employee, her voice was drowned out. She was trembling, on the verge of a panic attack—a sign her depression was returning. I stepped in front of her, my smile calm, but my words icy. “Vanessa, you’ll apologize to Emma in front of everyone—or I’ll reveal some things you’d rather keep private, right here, right now.” … Mark, the Finance Manager, sidled over with his drink, patting my shoulder. “Sarah, don’t be so impulsive.” “Vanessa is just a straightforward person; she didn’t mean anything by it. You’re in a crucial stage of your career, with limitless potential.” “It’s not worth getting into a fight with the boss’s wife over a regular employee. It’s not worth it.” Fiona, the Admin Supervisor, chimed in, a hint of disdain in her eyes as she glanced at Emma. “Exactly, Sarah. Vanessa was just kindly reminding you. Don’t let your subordinates drag you down.” “She’s looking out for you, don’t be ungrateful.” A smug look spread across Vanessa’s face. She slowly pointed at Emma. “Manager Klein, I believe an employee who taints the company’s atmosphere like this is a liability.” “How about this, if you agree to fire her, I’ll give you a fifty percent raise.” “And I guarantee your department will receive the best resources. What do you say?” The private room fell silent for a few seconds, then a collective gasp went around. “Oh my goodness, a fifty percent raise!” “Manager Klein hit the jackpot! Just by firing one employee, she’ll earn hundreds of thousands more each year.” Brenda, the HR Supervisor, immediately stood up and walked over to Emma, her tone full of disdain. “The boss’s wife has spoken, so hurry up and leave. What are you waiting for?” “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for doing such dirty things?” Emma looked up, her eyes red-rimmed. She choked out, “I didn’t do anything. Why are you slandering me?” But no one paid attention to her, because the dignity of a junior employee was not worth their consideration. I turned back to Vanessa, my smile completely gone, my eyes radiating an unyielding determination. “Vanessa, do you not understand me?” “Then I’ll say it again. Emma is my person, and no one touches her.” The smugness on Vanessa’s face froze. She clearly hadn’t expected me to be so disrespectful. Her face darkened. “Sarah Klein, don’t push your luck! I’m the owner’s wife of this company!” The atmosphere in the private room instantly plummeted to freezing point. Everyone fell silent. Emma cried uncontrollably. “Sarah, it’s alright…” “Don’t jeopardize your future because of me. I’m not worth it.” I glared at her. “What are you crying for? I’m here. Let’s see who dares to bully you.” Vanessa’s chest heaved with anger. She pointed at me, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Sarah Klein, you’re defending her so fiercely. Is there something unsavory going on between you two?” My colleagues’ gazes turned to me, filled with doubt and speculation. “Manager Klein’s department always has such good performance. So, this is how they achieve it? What an eye-opener.” “I used to wonder why all the company’s big contracts were signed by their department. Turns out it’s all through selling themselves.” I placed my hands on my hips, my voice cutting through their whispers like a blade. “You can spout nonsense, but you can’t make baseless accusations! Slander is a crime!” “Every achievement in our department is earned through everyone’s hard work and effort.” “Emma, our top sales associate, works overtime every day until late at night. Are you all blind?” “With a single baseless remark, you dismiss all her efforts and defame her character?” “Are you all out of your minds?” Vanessa hadn’t expected me to retort so loudly in such a situation. She immediately put on a show of being deeply wronged, her eyes reddening, tears starting to fall. “Manager Klein, I’m doing this for the good of the company! If this kind of behavior spreads, how will the company ever grow?” “I know you want high performance and commissions, but we can’t go against our conscience!” She cried, her face tear-streaked like a pear blossom bathed in rain. Everyone around us looked at her with sympathy. I was a founding employee of the company, building it from the ground up with the owner, Mr. Evans. Countless sleepless nights had led to its current scale. Mr. Evans still held some regard in my heart. For his sake, I forced down my anger. “Vanessa, you must have seen wrong yesterday. Emma would never do such a thing.” “She’s young, unmarried, and she still needs to establish herself in this industry.” “A single remark from you could ruin her entire life.” “I’m asking you to apologize to her in front of everyone today. Is that too much to ask?” I offered her an out, but Vanessa wouldn’t take it. As if gravely wronged, she clutched her stomach and crouched down. Crying, she wailed, “Oh, my stomach… my baby.” Just then, the private room door opened, and Mr. Evans, the owner, walked in. The moment he saw Vanessa crouched on the floor crying, his face instantly filled with alarm. “What’s wrong, darling? What happened?” Vanessa threw herself into Mr. Evans’s arms, sobbing. “Honey, I just kindly reminded Manager Klein to manage her employees properly, and she was so mean to me.” “You know how difficult it is for me to conceive at my age. How could she treat me like this…?” Mr. Evans lovingly embraced Vanessa, comforting her constantly. When he turned to look at me, his eyes were filled with anger and disappointment. “Sarah Klein, was that really necessary?” “We’ve worked side by side for over 20 years, and you’d disrespect me like this?” “You should also know, I’m almost 50 now!” “My biggest regret all these years has been not having a child of my own.” “Now that Vanessa is pregnant, I want to treat her like royalty. Why are you making things difficult for her?” Meeting his anger, I calmly said, “Mr. Evans, Emma is innocent. I have proof.” I immediately took out my tablet from my bag and opened Emma’s work schedule. It clearly stated that she was to attend the City West Industry Summit all day yesterday. Before Mr. Evans could speak, Vanessa leaned in. “Isn’t that perfect?” “The industry summit is full of rich and powerful old men. Isn’t that a great opportunity for her to make connections?” I ignored her and opened my phone. I found the official live-streaming platform for the summit and downloaded the full replay from yesterday. I fast-forwarded the playback, and the screen clearly showed the live footage from the summit. From 9 AM when the summit began until 8 PM when it ended, Emma’s figure consistently appeared in the frame. She had not left the venue for a single step the entire time. I turned off my phone and looked at Mr. Evans. “Mr. Evans, Emma simply didn’t have the time to do what Vanessa is claiming yesterday.” “Emma joined the company two years ago. In these two years, she has been diligent and hardworking.” “She’s so young, it’s terribly unfair for her to suffer such baseless accusations.” I paused, my tone firm. “Mr. Evans, I demand that Vanessa apologize to her and allow the young woman to work and live normally.” Vanessa’s face turned very ugly, her eyes darting nervously. She clutched her stomach, looking wronged. “Honey, but I really wasn’t lying.” “My memory hasn’t been good since I got pregnant, so I might have gotten the time wrong.” “But I truly saw Emma go into a hotel room with a client!” “I swear on the health of the baby in my belly, I absolutely did not deliberately slander her.” Mr. Evans held Vanessa even tighter, looking at me with great impatience. “I trust Vanessa’s character. She’s not the type of person who would deliberately slander someone.” “Besides, there’s no smoke without fire. If Emma really had no issues, why would she be misunderstood?” “Sarah Klein, I am now telling you, as the Chairman of the company, this matter ends here!” “This employee, Emma, cannot stay with the company.” “You are to dismiss her immediately, right now!” “Otherwise, you’re out too!” Seeing Mr. Evans’s outburst, the people around us quickly chimed in. “Mr. Evans is right. Such a controversial employee definitely shouldn’t stay with the company.” “Manager Klein, just listen to Mr. Evans. Don’t insist any longer, it’s not worth it.” “Exactly, losing your own job for an employee is too costly.” I looked at Emma’s tear-reddened eyes, a pang of sadness in my heart. My department, though small in number, was comprised of elite, hand-picked individuals. We supported each other in this unfamiliar city. Having worked hard together for so many years, we were like family. Emma was the youngest in the department, and also the most dedicated. I couldn’t stand by and watch her be slandered like this. I looked at Vanessa coldly, giving her one last chance. “Vanessa, the young woman grew up in a single-parent family.” “Her father abandoned them for another woman after he became successful. Her mother’s health isn’t good, so she’s had a very tough life.” “I advise you to stop. Admit your mistake now, and it will be a good deed for the baby in your belly.” But Vanessa again clutched her stomach, her brows furrowed. She said painfully, “Honey, my stomach hurts so much.” “The baby seems to know I’m being bullied…” Mr. Evans immediately became anxious, roaring at me, “Sarah Klein! What are you waiting for? Fire Emma now!” “If anything happens to Vanessa and the baby, I’m not done with you!” I looked at Mr. Evans’s anxious face, then at Vanessa’s feigned expression of suffering. The last flicker of hesitation in my heart vanished. A cold smile played on my lips. “Alright, since there’s nowhere left to retreat, I won’t retreat at all.” Vanessa turned and shouted, “Where’s the HR Supervisor? Get over here!”

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While waiting for my prenatal scan, a girl bumped into me, sending me to the floor. A faint but clear red stain spread across my pants. Sharp pain shot through my stomach. I reached for my phone to call the police, but the girl, trembling like a frightened rabbit, begged, “Please, don’t call the police.” I stared at her, voice icy. “If something happens to my baby, who will take responsibility?” She hesitated, then said, “My boyfriend is a famous obstetrician here. He’ll take care of you. Let me call him.” The call connected immediately. From afar, I heard a man’s panicked, scolding voice. “I told you to use the family lane, but you refused. Don’t you know you’re fragile? The first trimester is critical.” “You can be mad at me, but not about our baby, okay? I’m coming now. Don’t cry. I’m here.” When the man in the white coat rushed toward us, full of worry, I realized—he was my own husband. The same one who had banned me from the family lane, calling it “causing trouble.” 1 The moment Marcus appeared, the pain in my stomach seemed to intensify, a dense, searing ache that brought tears to my eyes. Through a watery haze, I watched the man who had given me a tender good-morning kiss just hours ago. Now, his eyes saw no one but the girl on the floor, Laura. “Are you scared? Are you feeling sick? I told you to use the family access lane, but you wouldn’t listen. Now you see,” Marcus said, his tone sharp but his voice trembling with a thick undercurrent of worry. The hand he used to wipe away Laura’s tears was white-knuckled with tension. Laura looked up at him, her voice a soft whisper. “I didn’t want to cause you any trouble.” Marcus’s jaw clenched. “There’s nothing I want more than for you to rely on me, Laura. I fought to get to this position so that you could depend on me, so that I would be the first person you think of when you’re scared.” “I want to solve all your problems, you understand?” His words sucked the air from my lungs. I couldn’t even find the strength to prop myself up. Amid the gasps of the onlookers, my body went limp, and I slumped to the floor. I had heard Marcus say those things before, but they had been the exact opposite of what he was saying now. Early in my pregnancy, it was a high-risk situation. I was spotting every day, and getting an appointment with a good obstetrician was nearly impossible. One evening, I tried to coax Marcus, who had just gotten home. “I remember that senior doctors and professors have special access for their families. Honey, the check-ups are so exhausting. Could you apply for a spot for me?” At the time, Marcus had paused, his hands still on his scarf. He looked at me, his face a blank mask. “Vivienne, please, don’t make my life harder than it already is.” My hand, resting on his arm, froze. I looked up at him in disbelief, unable to comprehend how the loving husband I knew could say something so cruel. “I’m a senior consultant, yes,” he continued, “but if I make an exception for you, do you have any idea what the other patients, the ones you’re cutting in front of, will say? What my overworked colleagues will whisper behind my back?” “I’m up for a major promotion next year. Your casual request for ‘special treatment’ creates huge problems for me. I’m already exhausted from dealing with work and hospital politics.” “Vivienne, you used to be so understanding. How has being pregnant made you so selfish?” It felt like a physical blow to my heart. “I’m sorry,” I managed to say, my voice dry. “I was just so scared something would happen to the baby we’ve waited so long for.” Marcus and I had been married for five years. We’d gone through countless medications, endless tests, and finally conceived through IVF. After all that struggle, to finally have our baby, only to see blood every day… a deep, gnawing fear had taken root inside me. Now, Marcus’s words had made it bloom into full-blown terror. My breath hitched, and for a moment, I could barely see his face. He was still talking. “I’m an obstetrician, Vivienne. I know better than anyone if there’s a problem with the baby. Don’t be so dramatic.” It was only when he noticed how pale I’d become that he sighed, his voice softening into a placating tone. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to our child. Don’t you trust me? There, there, don’t cry.” So I swallowed my hurt. For every check-up, I obediently waited in line for two hours. I never even asked Marcus to come with me, afraid I would be a distraction from his important work. And this was my reward. To see him practically begging another woman to be a “trouble” to him. The family access he refused to get for me… he had been saving it for someone else all along. The man still fussing over Laura finally turned, his expression impatient. But the moment he saw the blood pooling beneath me, his pupils contracted. He reached out for me by pure reflex. With the last of my strength, I slapped his hand away. “Don’t touch me!” I hissed. Then, my head lolled to the side, and the world went dark. Through the fog, I could hear Marcus’s frantic voice. “Vivienne, hold on! I’m going to save you, I promise.” “Massive hemorrhaging, high-risk miscarriage! Prep an operating room, now!” A nurse spoke up hesitantly. “Dr. Reid, you have that national medical conference to present at soon…” Marcus cut her off. “No one else can save this baby. I have to do the surgery myself. I’ll take full responsibility for missing the lecture.” My hands clenched together unconsciously. Tears streamed from my closed eyes, but a small part of me felt a sliver of relief. I let go, surrendering to the blackness. Thank God. Marcus still cared about our baby. With him here, I wouldn’t lose our little life. I don’t know how much time passed. My eyelids fluttered open. I was still in the operating room, the surgical light blinding me. 2 I’ve always had a low tolerance for anesthesia. Marcus knew this; he would never have let me wake up mid-procedure. A sharp, slicing pain radiated from my lower abdomen. A terrible premonition washed over me. I forced myself to sit up, my eyes falling on a stranger’s face. He was making the first incision on my belly. My world narrowed to a single point of terror. “Who are you?” I shrieked. “Why aren’t you Marcus? Where is he?” “Marcus said he would save my baby! He was going to skip his lecture to operate on me! Why is it you? You’re in the wrong room, right?” The other doctor, a Dr. Peterson, was startled by my sudden awakening. “Ms. Scott,” he said, recovering quickly, “your condition is critical. If we don’t operate now, we might not be able to save your uterus.” “Right before you were brought in, a patient named Laura collapsed from shock. Dr. Reid is with her, stabilizing her pregnancy.” “Dr. Reid said her appointment was scheduled before yours. Even though you’re his wife, he can’t break the rules. But he’s been very responsible,” Dr. Peterson added quickly. “He specifically asked me to handle your surgery. I’m the only one here who can guarantee we save your uterus.” But I didn’t want my uterus. I wanted my baby. I could still feel a faint, fluttering heartbeat inside me. My baby hadn’t even had a chance to see the world. He had fought so hard to grow this big. I hadn’t even had the chance to call him by his nickname, Kicker. I couldn’t just let him die. Gritting my teeth, I shoved the doctor away. Clutching my bleeding abdomen, I ignored the searing pain and stumbled off the operating table. I staggered through the hallway, screaming Marcus’s name. “Marcus, come out! I’m begging you, save our baby! You promised you would protect him!” “Marcus, I’m not angry anymore! If you just save our baby, I’ll pretend today never happened! We waited so long for him! Last night, he kicked your hand, don’t you remember?” “Please, don’t be so cruel! I’m begging you, save him!” Staff and patients stared at me, whispering amongst themselves. “Is that woman crazy? Dr. Reid is in the middle of surgery.” “I think that’s his wife. But even so, she can’t just demand he abandon another patient to save her. So selfish.” I didn’t care about their scornful words. I just kept crying his name, a desperate, wounded sound. The bleeding, which had never really stopped, now flowed freely down my legs, leaving a gruesome trail of red in my wake. Dr. Peterson caught up to me, trying to support my swaying body. “Are you trying to kill yourself? It’s just a baby! You and Dr. Reid can have another one later!” I shoved him away with a stubborn fury. As long as there was a sliver of hope for my baby, I wouldn’t give up. Finally, I found him. He was in another operating room. He was focused, his expression grim as he worked. A spark of hope ignited in me. I pressed myself against the viewing window. “Marcus! Our baby is still alive! He’s still alive! Please, just this once, make an exception for me!” “I can’t lose him, Marcus. I really can’t.” When my hands grew too weak, I resorted to banging my head against the glass, praying he would see me. Marcus’s steady hand trembled. He slowly looked up, and his eyes met mine. I saw his body stiffen. I didn’t care. I poured all my remaining energy into my plea, begging him to choose me, just this once. But then, Laura, on the operating table, moaned and frowned in discomfort. Marcus’s gaze immediately snapped back to her. I saw the mask move as he spoke. A nurse came out and, without a word, injected a syringe into my arm. The last of my strength drained away, and I collapsed to the floor. The nurse spoke to Dr. Peterson, who was still standing behind me. “Dr. Reid said she has a low tolerance for anesthesia, so you need to increase the dosage. He said if the baby can’t be saved, it can’t be saved. Just make sure you save the uterus.” “His procedure is at a critical stage. If you can’t control your patient and she disturbs him again, he’ll make sure you fail your next performance review.” 3 The operating room doors swung shut again. My eyes were wide open, tears streaming silently down my face as I was pushed back inside, utterly defeated. I was conscious enough to feel the scalpel slice open my belly. I felt them remove the child, the one who was part of my own flesh and blood, from my womb. I saw them toss his tiny, silent body into a waste bin. My eyes followed that bin until it was wheeled away, disappearing from my sight forever. A wave of dizziness washed over me. The pain in my abdomen spread to my heart, a crushing agony that made it impossible to breathe. The stitching was quick. Dr. Peterson wiped the sweat from his brow. “We saved the uterus.” “Ms. Scott, don’t blame Dr. Reid. For him, the patient’s needs always come first.” “Besides, he’s never pulled strings at the hospital before, never asked for a VIP room. This time, he was very firm about getting one for his family. He does care about you. As his wife, you need to support his work.” Dr. Peterson chattered on, defending Marcus. I stared at the white light on the ceiling, my hands pressing down on my now-flat stomach in a gesture of self-punishment. A cold laugh escaped my lips. “So I should thank him?” Dr. Peterson fell silent and pushed open the door to a VIP room. “You should get some rest. Dr. Reid will be here to see you soon…” He didn’t finish his sentence. I turned my head and looked into the room. Marcus was there, cradling a sleeping Laura in his arms, gently wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “I know you’re a light sleeper,” he murmured. “I specifically requested this room for you. Don’t worry about anything else. I’m here. Our baby is going to be born healthy and strong.” Noticing the movement at the door, Marcus looked up and saw my ashen face. His lips tightened into a thin line. Dr. Peterson quickly pulled my gurney back, stammering an apology to Marcus. “I’m so sorry, Dr. Reid. I heard you requested a room for family, so I brought Ms. Scott here…” Even then, Marcus carefully settled Laura back onto the bed before he came out to face me. He even had the presence of mind to gently close the door, so she wouldn’t be disturbed. He rubbed his temples and dismissed Dr. Peterson. Then, he finally met my gaze. “Vivienne, Laura just had a major scare. She needs quiet to rest and keep the baby safe. I’ve already lost one child today. I can’t lose another.” “I know I’ve wronged you in this… Vivienne, the most important thing now is for you to recover…” SLAP! I struck him across the face with all my might. The extreme grief had paradoxically calmed me, freezing my emotions into a shard of ice. “How did you two meet?” Marcus turned his head to the side, closing his eyes for a moment before answering. “She was my student. Laura is a good girl. She knows we’re married, and she didn’t want me to hurt you by divorcing you. She was willing to be with me without any official status.” “When she found out you were pregnant, she kept telling me to go home and take care of you. She wouldn’t even let me accompany her to her own check-ups. I gave her the family access pass to make it up to her, but she never even used it.” “Laura has already been through enough. Take your anger out on me. She has nothing to do with this.” “Hahahaha.” I started laughing, a wild, broken sound that brought fresh tears to my eyes. So he had already considered divorcing me. The only reason my marriage was still intact was thanks to Laura’s “pity.” The way Marcus defended her, so openly and without shame, was another sharp, twisting knife in my already bleeding heart. I lunged at him like a wild animal, scratching and clawing. “Marcus, you bastard! I hope you rot in hell! You’re going to pay for what you did to my Kicker!” Marcus stepped forward, clamping a hand over my mouth. Then, he actually injected me with a sedative. “Vivienne, I will make this up to you. But the hospital can’t know about this. I’m up for promotion, remember?” “The hospital is short on beds. I’ve already requested one VIP room, I can’t break the rules and ask for another. Please, for my sake, just put up with a temporary bed in the hallway.” 4 “Don’t worry,” he added, his voice a low murmur. “I’ll come check on you constantly.” My body went limp on the gurney. I watched, helpless, as Marcus pushed me to a solitary, temporary bed at the end of the corridor. Passersby stared, pointing and whispering. “That’s the crazy woman from before. Screaming like she owns the place.” “Dr. Reid has the patience of a saint. He isn’t even angry, he’s taking care of her himself.” Despair washed over me, a tidal wave that drowned out everything else. The tears wouldn’t stop. Just as Marcus finished settling me in, the hospital director came rushing over. “Professor Reid, I’ve been looking everywhere for you! The officials from the national health board heard you missed the lecture to save a patient. They were incredibly impressed! They’ve agreed to wait for you to finish your surgery before you present.” “It’s going to be live-streamed nationwide. Never mind these patients, you need to come with me right now.” The man who had just promised to care for me dropped my hand without a second thought and hurried away. I dug my nails into my palm, using the sharp pain to claw back a sliver of strength. Leaning against the wall, I staggered after them. The lecture was clearly a major event. Several top figures in the medical community, faces I recognized from television, sat in the front row, looking at Marcus with approval. Marcus gave a solemn bow and spoke into the microphone, his image projected onto the live-stream feed. “My sincerest apologies. An emergency surgery delayed my presentation. But I have no regrets. A doctor’s duty is, first and foremost, to his patients.” A wave of applause and murmurs of praise filled the hall. “A true physician’s heart,” someone whispered. Marcus pushed his glasses up, hiding the smug smile that touched his lips, before clicking open his presentation. “The topic of my lecture today is the promotion of the extraperitoneal cesarean section.” But the image that appeared on the giant screen was not a medical diagram. It was a photo of him and Laura, naked in bed together. The color drained from Marcus’s face. I stood in the back, in the shadows, holding up my phone, which was playing a recording. My voice, amplified, rang through the hall. “Excuse me, Dr. Reid, but is your ‘physician’s heart’ reserved only for your mistress, Laura?”

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At seventeen, Blaine and I discovered we were living inside a sappy romance novel. He was the hero; I was just an extra. Blaine, furious, tore the book to shreds. “I don’t care about being that hero, and I certainly won’t fall for anyone else!” he declared to me. At twenty-two, just as the book had foretold, I was set to leave the country. Blaine ran his fingers through my hair, a promise in his voice. “When you come back, we’ll get married.” At twenty-seven, I returned. To attend Blaine’s wedding to the heroine. 1. An hour before the banquet was set to begin, I stood in the hotel lobby, lost in thought before the welcome sign. “Groom: Blaine Miller; Bride: Summer Ashton.” It felt like seventeen again. I’d pulled an unmarked book from a library shelf, only to see the cover proclaim: “Hero: Blaine Miller; Heroine: Summer Ashton.” It was like a Pandora’s Box, terrifying to open, impossible to ignore. “What’re you looking at?” Seventeen-year-old Blaine had appeared out of nowhere. He leaned over me, resting his head loosely on my shoulder. “What idiot used my name to write a novel?” He snatched the book, grumbling as he read. “What a dumb name, Summer Ashton. The person I like is clearly named Autumn Hayes!” “Autumn, where’s my Autumn…” His voice grew softer, more hesitant, as he flipped through the pages, until his face turned stark white. The book chronicled a romantic love story between Blaine, at twenty-two, and the heroine. Everything in it, except for the future, perfectly mirrored our reality. And his Autumn? Just a footnote in the background, a memory. “I don’t care about being that hero, and I certainly won’t fall for anyone else!” Blaine’s eyes burned red with anger as his hands trembled, tearing the book apart. “Autumn, don’t you believe it. That person… that’s definitely not me…” I said nothing. Seventeen-old Blaine held me close, choking back sobs and muttering defiantly, “I hate summer.” “Autumn, from now on, I’ll hate summer more than anything.” The boy’s choked cries faded under the growing din. I snapped back to reality, feeling the sunlight creeping onto my shoulder. Following the golden ray, I looked out the window, a sudden realization hitting me. It was summer. 2. “A wedding in the middle of summer? It’s sweltering.” A woman wiped her brow as she entered the hotel, complaining to her companion. “Did you check the calendar? Today isn’t a particularly auspicious day. What were the Millers thinking?” “Blaine’s just eager to get married, I guess. I heard he proposed to her five times before she finally said yes!” her companion said, proudly sharing the gossip. “The Millers have been planning this wedding for years, so once she agreed, they pulled it all together in seven days.” “Wow, Blaine must really love that Summer Ashton girl…” The woman’s exclamations drifted away with their footsteps. I couldn’t help but wonder. How much did the Blaine in the book love Summer? So much that, after knowing her for only six months, he began quietly planning every detail of their wedding. So much that, despite their mutual affection, he spent five years cautiously making his way into her world, held back by his own fear. This was a man known for his impatience, his bold and unrestrained nature. Yet, he loved her so much that he had completely forgotten… At seventeen, he’d picked up a torn piece of the shredded book. On a blank space, he childishly scrawled: “I, Blaine Miller, hereby warn every author who spins tales: First, Blaine Miller is not to be a hero; second, the only name Blaine Miller loves is Autumn Hayes; third…” “Unwavering by any will, Blaine Miller will forever, always, only love Autumn Hayes!” “Mom, what does this say?” A little girl stood before the welcome wall, pointing at a line of text. I followed her gaze, finally noticing the words: “With this grand ceremony, we invite you to witness our decision to walk hand-in-hand through life. — Blaine Miller & Summer Ashton” 3. Fifteen minutes had passed. I was still foolishly standing at the entrance, lacking the courage to take a single step. “Autumn.” A familiar voice suddenly called from behind me. I had just turned around when I was urgently pulled by the arm. “It really is you… Autumn, you’re finally back.” I was enveloped in a slender, fragrant embrace, a silent sob catching in my ear. A bitter taste filled my throat, and I managed to choke out, “…Aunt Carol.” Blaine’s mother let out a distressed sob, then quickly covered her mouth. “Yes, yes, I’m so sorry, Autumn…” After high school graduation, it was Blaine’s eighteenth birthday. He’d invited me to the Miller estate under the guise of celebrating. The moment we stepped through the door, we ran into his mother. “Mom, let me introduce you. This is your future daughter-in-law, Autumn Hayes.” Blaine’s arm was around my shoulder, his tone confident and proud. “Autumn, this is Mom, your future mother-in-law… Mmph!” I stood on my tiptoes to cover Blaine’s mouth just as Aunt Carol delivered a sharp flick to his forehead. Amidst Blaine’s yelp of pain, we both paused, then exchanged smiles. That was my first meeting with Aunt Carol. It set the tone for all our interactions thereafter — Blaine causing mischief, me trying to rein him in, and Aunt Carol cleaning up. In the end, we all laughed. On my twentieth birthday, Aunt Carol gave me the Miller family heirloom jade bracelet. She solemnly promised, “Autumn, if Blaine ever wrongs you, I’ll kick him out of the house and disown him!” Today, Aunt Carol was apologizing to me. I hugged her back, gently patting her on the back. All I could offer in return was a quiet, “Aunt Carol, it’s not your fault.” 4. Aunt Carol was the first to let go. “Autumn, this isn’t the place for catching up.” She quickly wiped her eyes, regaining her composure as a polite host. “It’s hot outside; come in and sit down.” I lowered my head, letting her take my hand, and unexpectedly found myself stepping into the banquet hall. After just two steps, Aunt Carol suddenly stopped, her voice tense. “Autumn, don’t misunderstand…” I looked up, puzzled, and instantly saw the wedding decorations. Golden wheat ears intertwined with sunflowers, set against various autumn-colored flowers, creating a romantic rustic scene. Scarecrows stood on either side, country-style bamboo baskets filled with fruits and vegetables, and a crescent moon hung above the stage… It was like a Van Gogh painting. Like stepping from summer directly into autumn. My breath hitched. “Autumn, don’t misunderstand, the wedding was arranged quickly, this setup was done by Blaine years ago, there wasn’t time to…” I gripped Aunt Carol’s hand tightly, interrupting her abruptly. “Aunt Carol, where is Blaine now?” “Autumn…” My gaze fixed on the tip of that moon on the stage, where a single, striking wheat ear blossomed. Perhaps a single grain of wheat had slipped from God’s palm, carried by the wind to this very spot? With a flicker of undeserved hope, I stubbornly asked again, “Aunt Carol, where is Blaine now?” Aunt Carol fell silent. After a long moment, she sighed. “He’s taking wedding photos with Summer… They’re in Room 1019.” I turned, and without a moment’s hesitation, ran out. In the blur of rapidly passing, noisy scenes, a strange illusion struck me. Seventeen-year-old Blaine was waiting for me. 5. But in truth, my entire story with Blaine began when I was sixteen. The first day of junior year, after class assignments were posted, I walked into the classroom early, instinctively heading for the front row. A wisp of osmanthus scent suddenly drifted into my nose, like an invisible pull. I deviated from my usual spot, choosing a window seat in the back, closer to the osmanthus tree. The classroom slowly filled with noise, but I buried my head in a book until a commotion beside me. Blaine dramatically slammed his backpack onto the desk. He wore a crisp white shirt, looking down at me, a casual eyebrow raised as he asked, “Hey, classmate, what’s your name?” His expression and tone were nonchalant, yet I sensed a hint of displeasure. Confused, I glanced at him. “Autumn Hayes.” Blaine scoffed. “I asked for your name, not your age.” “…” I lowered my head, ignoring him. My first impression of him was: this guy isn’t very bright. During introductions, I stood on stage and said, “My name is Autumn Hayes.” He leaned back in his chair, lounging in the audience, and asked, almost looking for a fight, “Which ‘Hayes’?” I looked at him again, expressionless. “Like a field of hay.” He feigned understanding, drawing out a long, “Ohhh~” I walked back to my seat, bewildered, only to see him suddenly extend his hand toward me. “Nice to meet you.” He smiled, his eyes crinkling. “Hey, Miss Hay.” I tripped over the chair leg. And realized with a profound sense of despair: I was now desk-mates with a not-so-bright classmate. 6. Later, I learned that Blaine was the notorious troublemaker of our high school. The back-row window seat was unofficially his territory, and I had “stolen” it. When he asked for my name, his unspoken question was, “Hey, how dare you sit in my spot?” I thought it was incredibly childish. Perhaps because my parents worked abroad and I’d lived alone since freshman year, I was more mature than my peers, and quite reserved, with no friends. I wasn’t good at dealing with people like Blaine. He’d casually say to me, “Hey, Miss Hay, can I copy your homework?” He’d also, after playing basketball, walk through the crowded hallways directly to me. He’d smile and point to the untouched bottle of water in my hand, “Miss Hay, can I borrow a bottle of water? You don’t mind, right?” His demeanor and tone were laid-back, yet not presumptuous or rude. In fact, it was as if he considered himself exceptionally close to you. In my mind, I quietly categorized this trait as: bad boy charm. Until one day, I saw him reject a bottle of water offered by another girl on the sports field. His reason: “Sorry, but I never accept things from girls. Don’t want to cause any misunderstandings.” The girl was indignant. “But you took water from your desk-mate!” “That’s because I borrowed it from her,” Blaine said, tilting his head and smiling. “Besides, there’s no misunderstanding between us.” What did he mean? I froze a short distance away, experiencing a mental short circuit for the first time in my life. But the moment Blaine glanced sideways and saw me, his smile spread to the corners of his eyes. He walked toward me, step by deliberate step. “Miss Hay, are you wondering right now: Blaine seems to treat me a little specially?” He leaned slightly, hands on his knees, and peered up into my eyes. “No need to wonder.” His face glowed in the backlight as he declared, “Miss Hay, you are special.”

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After being recognized as the true heiress by the eighth pair of wealthy parents, my mindset collapsed, and I was going crazy. At the recognition banquet, the fake heiress framed me for throwing her bracelet into the pool. Facing my parents’ questioning, I suddenly felt like dying. So the next second, I twisted my head and dove straight into the pool, sinking to the bottom in the blink of an eye. My parents were terrified out of their minds. They frantically fished me out, their faces ashen. Looking at the fake heiress crying from anger, my brother warned me with a gloomy face: “If you dare to grandstand again, get out of this house!” Hearing this, I got up and rushed straight towards the traffic: “Sure thing, bro, I’ll go out and get hit by a car right now!” My brother was completely dumbfounded. He dragged me back from the highway in a panic, looking at me like I was a monster. That night, the fake heiress stood on the roof, acting as if she was about to jump off the building: “I shouldn’t have usurped my sister’s identity, I’ll return it to her right now!” As soon as she finished speaking, I looked at her hesitant posture, impatiently stepped forward, and pushed her aside. “So dawdling, let me do it.” Saying that, amid everyone’s shocked screams, I cleanly jumped off the roof. … 1 The wind howled in my ears, and I completely lost consciousness. When I slowly woke up again, I heard Mia Sterling’s whining voice in my ears: “I really didn’t say anything. Sister jumped down herself, I don’t know what happened to her either.” Seeing this, my brother Ethan Sterling immediately stepped forward, shielding her firmly behind him in a protective posture: “Mom, Dad, this must be a trick directed and acted by Chloe Sterling. I think she just wants to use this to frame Mia!” “If she really didn’t want to live, why did she specifically pick a place with a landing platform to jump?” “Isn’t it because she calculated that she wouldn’t die from the fall? She simply has bad intentions!” Ethan saw our parents’ eyes waver. Turning his head, he met my newly opened eyes. His eyes lit up, as if he suddenly thought of something. Without explanation, he dragged me off the hospital bed, pulling and hauling me to the window. “Mom, Dad, look, this is the thirtieth floor, there’s no buffer underneath.” “If she really has the determination to die, why isn’t she jumping now?” “I think she’s just putting on an act! Just wanting to frame Mia!” I had just woken up, my head was still groggy, and my whole body ached. I was just regretting why I didn’t die again. Pressed by him like this, the height of the thirtieth floor crashed into my eyes without any obstruction. I was instantly delighted. Ethan was still talking non-stop, while half of my body had already couldn’t resist the temptation and climbed out the window. Halfway through their conversation, they turned their heads and saw this scene. The air froze for a moment. The next second, the room completely exploded with screams, dragging, and chaos. I struggled, I thrashed, I twisted my body desperately trying to edge outward. The few of them pinned me down with their hands and feet, coaxing and persuading, exerting immense effort before finally dragging me back to the bed. Ethan still wanted to say something, but just as he was about to speak, he was interrupted by a loud smack from Dad! “Enough! Shut your mouth right now!” He fiercely slammed the window shut and locked it, pointing a trembling finger at me, then turning to Ethan: “Have you ever seen any child attract attention like this?” “Chloe is your biological sister! Look what you’ve forced her to become!” Saying that, Mom and Dad sighed, slowly walking to my bedside: “Chloe…” Before my parents could get the words out, they were interrupted by Mia clutching her chest and crying: “It’s all because of me that sister has such thoughts. Maybe… I should just leave…” Hearing this, my parents’ movements instantly paused, and their expressions immediately became serious: “Mia, don’t think nonsense! You will always be a daughter of our Sterling family, no one can replace you!” Ethan even directly blocked in front of her, swearing: “In this life, I, Ethan Sterling, only recognize you as my one and only sister! No matter who leaves, it won’t be you!” If this were the first time I heard these words, I might still be sad. Unfortunately, I had heard the exact same words seven times already. I could recite them backward; all that was left was disgust. A strong feeling of nausea hit me. Their faces faded in and out of my vision, and in my trance, I remembered the past again. I was a magnet for bad luck. During my most miserable year, I lost my memory, had no money, and almost starved to death on the streets. So when the System told me I was the “Chosen One” female lead of true and fake heiress stories, and that completing tasks would earn me generous bonuses. Just to have a full meal, I agreed without a second thought. However, the System got the target wrong, causing me to experience the physical and mental abuse plot of the true wealthy heiress seven times in a row. I was diagnosed with a work-related injury and developed severe PTSD towards the identity of “true heiress.” Just as I was holding a hundred-million-dollar compensation fund preparing to retire, the eighth pair of wealthy parents came looking for me. “Host, are you really going to abandon the mission? I swear the target wasn’t wrong this time, it’s your biological family…” “If you still want to give up, the rules haven’t changed. Just die in this world.” I was bargaining with the System in my head. The next second, Ethan’s voice snapped me back to reality. “Chloe Sterling! Look at the good deed you’ve done!” I looked up, meeting his gloomy face. 2 He said because I just jumped off the building, Mia was so worried her old illness relapsed, and the doctor said she needed a total blood transfusion. “If it’s a minor illness, go get treated. If it’s a major illness, go die. Why come looking for me?” “Oh, if she really doesn’t know how to die, I could teach her.” Hearing this, seeing our parents weren’t around, Ethan was so angry he slapped me directly: “It’s all because of you that Mia’s old illness relapsed! So you must give her this blood transfusion! You have no right to refuse!” Mia cried tearfully beside him: “Forget it, brother. Sister hates me so much, she definitely won’t agree to give me a blood transfusion. Just let me fend for myself!” When she cried, Ethan became even more irritable. He grabbed my collar: “Chloe Sterling, if you still want to return to this family, then you have to give this blood today whether you want to or not!” I was shaken by him until my vision went dark repeatedly. Just as I was about to cough, I was fiercely thrown back onto the bed by him. “Chloe Sterling, don’t force me to use methods. If you know what’s good for you, sign the informed consent…” Before he could finish speaking, I impatiently got up and quickly signed my name. I casually tossed the pen, not even looking up: “Draw it.” Ethan didn’t react: “What?” “I said, don’t you want to draw my blood to give to Mia? Draw it, better to drain it all directly. I don’t want to live anyway.” Hearing me say this, Mia immediately looked at Ethan with tearful eyes. Ethan’s face instantly darkened another degree. “Chloe Sterling, it’s just asking you to give Mia a little blood. Is it necessary to deliberately put on this look to disgust us?” “Name a condition. What will it take for you to properly give Mia a blood transfusion…” I was getting a throbbing headache from his schizophrenic behavior. This wasn’t okay, that wasn’t okay! At this moment, I couldn’t bear it anymore! I stood up with a whoosh and roared at him: “Change, change, change! I’ll change it for her!” “Not only will I give her my blood, I’ll give her my life too! Can you shut up!” Before he could react, I directly grabbed the fruit knife nearby and stabbed it towards the artery in my wrist. The expected severe pain didn’t arrive; the blade was grabbed by Ethan with extremely fast reaction. Seeing the blood spilling from his fingers, Mia beside him screamed in fright and stumbled out of the ward to call for a doctor. And Ethan pinned me back on the bed with my arms behind my back, his face livid, his voice trembling: “Chloe Sterling! Are you crazy?! Is this the only trick you know to get attention?” “Before you lost your memory, you only knew how to seek death all day long. I didn’t expect that after so many years, even with amnesia, you still haven’t made any progress!” I froze for a moment, then struggled crazily: “Let go! Whether I’ve made progress or not is none of your damn business!” “I’m your brother!” The veins on his forehead popped out. I kicked and thrashed on the bed, finally just lowering my head to bite his hand. But until my mouth was full of the taste of blood, he still didn’t let go. Finally, I was really out of options. I relaxed my strength and smiled gently at him: “Okay, brother, I admit, I just want to grandstand and attract your attention so I can steal your love away from Mia.” “You are too wise, you saw through it at a glance.” “Now the act is over, I’m not dying. Can you let go?” Ethan stared into my eyes, seeing my sincere look didn’t seem like lying. After a long while, he finally slowly let go, let out a long breath, and said: “Chloe Sterling, I don’t like forcing others, but Mia can be considered your sister. It’s perfectly justified for you to give her a blood transfusion. Today you were too unreasonable.” “I promise, as long as you obediently sign and go give Mia a blood transfusion, our Sterling family can still accept you again…” Before his voice fell, I grabbed the knife and stabbed it into my neck. The world was quiet for a second. When Mom and Dad pushed the door open holding boxed lunches, my splattering fresh blood splashed all over their faces. With a clatter, the lunch boxes fell to the ground. A miserable, shrill scream erupted in the room: “Doctor! Go get the doctor quickly!” 3 I had a dream. The me in the dream was young, fierce, and couldn’t bear the slightest injustice. Every time I was framed by Mia, I defended myself hoarsely. Quarreling, jumping off buildings, slitting wrists, running away from home. I used all extreme methods to prove myself. Over time, under the gradually disappointed gazes of my family, I became a “madwoman.” The last time, Ethan spoke harshly to me: “If you act up again, get out of the Sterling family forever!” I froze for a long time, then recklessly rushed into the midnight snowstorm. The last memory was the blinding halo of headlights and the dull thud of my body hitting the ground. When I woke up again, with an empty brain, I agreed to bind with the System. I wandered for a long time. When the first pair of wealthy parents recognized me and brought me home, I was full of joy, thinking I had finally found a home. But I didn’t expect that closely following were the second pair, the third pair… By the fifth pair, looking at the wealthy parents who were like Russian nesting dolls, I completely stopped laughing. When the seventh pair of wealthy parents brought me home, I was already on the verge of breaking down. At this time, not only could I recite the physical and mental abuse script of the true wealthy heiress backward. I even had a bit of a stress reaction just hearing the word “wealthy.” This was the eighth time. The current me couldn’t muster half a bit of interest in the love of these wealthy family members. I just wanted to quickly take the hundred-million-dollar compensation fund, fake my death, and escape far, far away from all these people. I was awakened by Ethan’s voice: “Mom, Dad! Yes, Mia exaggerated her old illness relapse this time, but wasn’t that also because she was scared?” “Think about it, how did Chloe treat her in the past!” His voice paused, then lowered a few degrees: “Back then, weren’t you also afraid Mia would suffer grievances, so you deliberately bought off those seven families with similar situations, letting them take Chloe back first and pretend to be her parents, so Mia could have more time to adapt?” “Besides, how could Chloe completely change her nature just by losing her memory? Anyway, I don’t believe it.” “If you ask me, she just mingled outside for seven years, got smart, and her acting skills went up a level…” “Enough!” Dad severely shouted him down. Followed by a long silence. I sat on the bed, picking at the bandages on my neck, my ears buzzing. That sentence echoed repeatedly in my mind: bought off seven families. The System’s voice jumped up in my mind at the same time: “I told you something was wrong! How could I find the wrong target time after time! Making you do a task that should have taken one try seven times!” “I thought the main system was too garbage, after all that, it turns out they were the ones playing tricks!” “But fortunately you had the foresight. Holding the hundred-million-dollar compensation fund, you’ve already prepared a new identity in another world. You can leave this world at any time.” Before it finished speaking, I had already rolled out of bed. “Wait, Host, why is your face so ugly? What are you looking for…” I was concise: “Looking for a knife.” 4 Didn’t find a knife. I was half-coaxed and half-dragged back to the Sterling mansion by my parents, who rushed in after hearing the commotion. After getting home, I turned the villa upside down as soon as I entered the house, but in the huge villa, I couldn’t find a single controlled blade. I wanted to jump off the building again, but didn’t expect all the windows inside and out had been sealed shut. Even a thick layer of carpet was laid on the stairs. Psychologists came one after another. Mom and Dad started guarding by my side day and night, never leaving my side. Mom had to change my dressing every day with red eyes. Dad, to make me happy, even brought out the family portrait the painter painted for us back then. “Tch.” Ethan happened to pass by the door, saw this scene, and mocked: “Really good at acting.” “Don’t you just want to use the pity play to squeeze Mia out of this house?” “Let me tell you, Chloe Sterling, as long as I’m still here, don’t even think about it.” After saying that, he turned and left. My gaze fell on the face of the brother in the painting who smilingly carried me on his shoulders, and I was in a trance for a moment. In the following days, I never found an opportunity to commit suicide again. Perhaps that last sliver of hope I had for them completely shattered after hearing they had continuously pushed me outward seven times. I wanted to die faster even more. Finally, it was Mia’s birthday party. That day, as soon as I entered the door, I was affectionately pulled by her. “Sister, you came to my birthday party, how can you not have a decent dress?” I let her half-drag and half-pull me, following her away from the crowd. When we reached the edge of the pool, she suddenly stopped, leaned in close to my ear, and said viciously: “Don’t think you can steal everything I have now.” “Anyway, you always liked to seek death, right?” “There are no security cameras here. Even if you really drown here… no one will suspect me.” She paused, enunciating each word: “So, go die.” Before her voice fell, a violent force fiercely struck from behind me. With a splash, the freezing pool water instantly swallowed me. I didn’t struggle, but let the pool water submerge me. The feeling of suffocation surged, and my consciousness gradually blurred. The System’s countdown rang in my ears. “Five, four, three…” Suddenly, I was dragged up by a force. Ethan’s voice exploded in my ears: “Mia said you stole her jewelry! Making her unable to step down in front of everyone!” “Speak! Where did you hide the things?” Seeing me curled up on the ground trembling continuously, his strength subconsciously loosened for a moment. After a long while, as if remembering something again, his eyes became sinister once more. “Chloe Sterling, did you hear me? Hand over the things!” “Just to deny taking a set of jewelry, you acted out this diving scene again, isn’t it boring?” Seeing I didn’t respond, he completely lost patience: “Are you f***ing addicted to acting?! Endless, right?!” While roaring, he roughly grabbed my wrist, whose pulse had already stopped, wanting to drag me up from the ground. The next moment, his movements suddenly froze, and his face turned deathly pale with a whoosh. Right at this time, Mom and Dad, who had received the video recording from my micro-camera, happened to push the door and burst in. Ethan mechanically turned his head to look at Mom and Dad, and then slowly looked at me lying lifelessly on the ground. He staggered backward two steps, widened his eyes in disbelief, and slumped onto the ground.

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He told me company policy didn’t allow plus-ones. He said this for eight years. Eight years, sixteen corporate retreats, and I had never been to a single one. Today, while organizing some old photo albums, I came across a group picture from his company’s retreat last year. In the front row stood several couples, smiling brightly. I recognized his colleague Dave, standing next to his wife. There was also Kevin Smith from the Sales department, standing next to his wife as well. My husband was standing in the second row. Next to him stood a woman in a white dress. I had lost an identical dress three years ago. 1. I stared at that photo for a long time. A white dress, floral print, cinched waist, hem falling just to the knee. Three years ago, I bought it at the mall for $150. I only wore it once to my mom’s birthday dinner. Later, it just disappeared. I asked Mark about it, and he said the cleaning lady probably lost it by mistake when she was tidying up. I believed him. Now, that dress was on another woman, standing right next to him. I zoomed in on the photo, trying to make out the woman’s face. But the resolution was too low; I could only see a blurry outline. Long hair, slim, not very tall. Her hand was resting on Mark’s arm. The gesture was incredibly natural, like she had done it a thousand times. I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. The door opened, and Mark walked in. “You’re back?” I put my phone down. “Working late again?” “Yeah, wrapping up a project.” He took off his shoes. “Did you eat?” “I ate.” I watched him walk into the bathroom to wash his hands, his movements the same as always. “Your company retreat to Lake Tahoe is next month,” I said. His movements paused for a split second. “Oh?” “I saw Dave’s wife post about it on Facebook today. She said she’s looking forward to it.” Mark turned off the faucet and dried his hands. “That’s the Sales department’s retreat. Our Tech department might not go.” “Aren’t Sales and Tech going together?” “Depends.” He walked out of the bathroom. “Management hasn’t finalized it yet.” I nodded and didn’t ask further. He went into the study to turn on his computer, saying he had some work to catch up on. I sat on the sofa and looked at that photo one more time. It was taken at the entrance of a resort, with a massive, manicured lawn in the background. I recognized the place. Two years ago, when they came back from their retreat, I asked him where they went. He said it was just a rustic cabin in the woods, nothing fun. But the resort in the photo was clearly not a rustic cabin. I opened Yelp and searched the location. Average cost: $250 a night. A four-star resort. So this was the “rustic cabin” he told me about. My phone rang. It was my mom. “Have you had dinner?” “I did.” “Where’s Mark?” “Working late in the study.” “Tell him not to work too hard. He needs to take care of his health.” “I know.” After hanging up, I walked over to the study door. It was slightly ajar. Mark was on the phone. “…don’t worry about next month. I’ll handle it.” His voice was hushed, as if he was afraid of being overheard. “Alright, let’s leave it at that for now.” He hung up. I knocked on the door. “Come in.” I pushed the door open. “Who was on the phone?” “A client.” His eyes never left the screen. “About the project.” “Talking to clients this late?” “Yeah, out-of-state client. Time zones.” I didn’t press him. Walking back to the living room, I saved that group photo to my phone’s camera roll. That night in bed, he wrapped his arm around me just like he always did. “Are you tired lately?” he asked. “I’m fine.” “The retreat next month… I might be gone for three or four days.” “Okay.” “You’ll be okay at home by yourself, right?” “I’ll be fine.” He kissed my forehead. “Get some sleep.” I closed my eyes and listened to his breathing slowly even out. Eight years. Eight years, sixteen corporate retreats. Every single time, he told me company policy prohibited plus-ones. Every single time, I believed him. But in that photo, all the other guys had their wives with them. I was the only one missing. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. His hand was still resting on my waist, warm. Just like always. But suddenly, that hand felt like a stranger’s. 2. The next day was Saturday. Mark said he had to go into the office for half a day to take care of some things. “Will you be back for lunch?” “I should be.” I watched him leave, then booted up my laptop. I found his company’s official website and clicked on the “Employee Events” tab. There were dozens of photos—retreats, annual galas, anniversary parties. I looked through them, one by one. 2016 Retreat, Miami. Mark was in the group photo. Standing next to him was a woman. Not me. 2017 Retreat, Aspen. Mark was in the photo, and standing next to him was the same woman. Still not me. 2018 Retreat, Hawaii. The same woman. 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. Every single year, in every single photo, that woman was there. She wore different clothes, changed her hairstyles, but her facial features never changed. An oval face, monolids, and a small dimple when she smiled. I didn’t know her. I had never seen her in my life. But she had been standing next to my husband for eight solid years. My hands began to shake. I saved those photos to my desktop, one by one. After saving them, I opened Mark’s iMessage synced to his iPad. He didn’t have a passcode on his devices. He always said we didn’t need to hide things from each other. I searched and found a chat history with a “Chloe Bennett.” The latest message was from 11 PM last night. Mark: “Did you get home safe?” Chloe: “I did. Thanks for today.” Mark: “Get some rest.” Chloe: “[Kiss Emoji]” I scrolled up. The day before yesterday. Chloe: “Did you book the hotel for next month’s retreat?” Mark: “Yeah, The Ritz-Carlton at Lake Tahoe.” Chloe: “The same suite as last year?” Mark: “Yeah, lakeview room.” Chloe: “Can’t wait~” My stomach began to cramp. I kept scrolling up. A month ago. Mark: “Wear that blue dress for the client dinner.” Chloe: “Okay. Are you going to wear a tie?” Mark: “I’ll wear the one you gave me.” Chloe: “It’s a matching couple’s set, you know. Don’t let anyone catch on.” Mark: “So what if they do?” Three months ago. Chloe: “Did your wife ask where you went again?” Mark: “No, she never asks.” Chloe: “She’s so gullible.” Mark: “She’s not gullible, she trusts me.” Chloe: “Then you better treat her well.” Mark: “I know.” Six months ago. Chloe: “What should I wear for the annual gala this year?” Mark: “You look beautiful in anything.” Chloe: “Your wife isn’t coming this time, right?” Mark: “No, she never comes.” Chloe: “Then I can dress up a little more.” Mark: “Whatever you want.” A year ago. Chloe: “Can I post the photos from the Maldives on Instagram?” Mark: “Yeah, just block her from seeing your story.” The Maldives. A year ago. I remembered. A year ago at this exact time, I was three months postpartum. He told me the retreat dates conflicted with everything and he had to go. I stayed home alone taking care of our newborn, while he went to the Maldives. With her. I put the iPad down. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. The front door opened. Mark was back. “What’s wrong?” He noticed my expression. “You look so pale.” I looked at him. I had looked at this face for eight years. It was the face I woke up to every morning, the face I saw before falling asleep every night. I thought I knew him so well. But now I realized I didn’t know him at all. “Nothing.” I stood up. “I’ll go make lunch.” “Let me do it. You rest.” He rolled up his sleeves and walked into the kitchen. I stood rooted to the spot, staring at his back. That back was so familiar too. But so what if it was familiar? She was probably incredibly familiar with his back, too. Maybe even more familiar than I was. 3. On Monday, I took a personal day off from work. I went to Mark’s company building. I wasn’t there to see him. I went to see Emily from the HR department. Emily was my high school friend. She had been an HR manager at Mark’s company for five years. “Well, this is rare! What brings you here?” Emily was surprised. “I was just in the area. Wanted to grab lunch with you.” We went to a nearby coffee shop. “Does Mark know you’re here?” “I didn’t tell him. I wanted to surprise him.” Emily smiled. “You two are so sweet.” I forced a smile in return. “By the way,” I said, pretending to be casual, “Can we bring plus-ones to the retreat next month? I was thinking of tagging along.” Emily froze for a second. “Bring plus-ones? Of course you can.” “But Mark said company policy doesn’t allow it.” Emily’s expression turned very strange. “There’s no such policy. Our company has always allowed plus-ones for the retreats. They even cover half the expenses for family members.” My heart stopped beating for a full second. “Always?” “Yeah, it’s been like that since I started working here. Didn’t you know?” “Mark told me…” I couldn’t finish the sentence. Emily saw right through my facade. She reached across the table and grabbed my hand. “Sarah, what’s wrong? Did something happen between you and Mark?” “No.” I shook my head. “Maybe I just remembered it wrong.” “Don’t lie to me.” Emily lowered her voice. “Tell me… is Mark…” I looked at her without speaking. She let out a heavy sigh. “Actually… I’ve always wanted to tell you, but I was afraid of ruining your marriage.” “Tell me what?” “Every time there’s a company retreat, Mark brings a woman with him.” My hands began to tremble. “We all thought she was his wife. We thought she was you. But then, one time, I saw the name tag they printed for her. It said ‘Chloe Bennett’.” Chloe Bennett. I knew it. “Who is she?” “One of Mark’s clients. I think she works in foreign trade. They’ve known each other for years.” “How many years?” Emily hesitated. “At least… eight years.” Eight years. The exact amount of time Mark and I had been married. “Are you saying they go to all the retreats together?” “Not just retreats.” Emily’s voice dropped even lower. “Annual galas, client appreciation dinners, the boss’s birthday parties… she goes to all of them. When Mark introduces her, he calls her ‘my wife’.” My wife. Those two words plunged into my heart like a dagger. Eight years. A full eight years. He had taken another woman to every single event, introducing her to everyone. And me, his actual, legal wife—I hadn’t been to a single one. “I always assumed that was you…” Emily’s eyes turned red. “I’m so sorry, Sarah. I should have told you sooner.” “It’s not your fault.” I stood up. “Thank you for telling me.” Walking out of the coffee shop, I crouched down on the sidewalk and cried for a long time. Eight years. I waited for him for eight years. I trusted him for eight years. And the result? Eight years of “company policy” was just eight years of lies. For eight years, his colleagues, his bosses, his clients—not a single one of them had ever met me. They all thought Chloe Bennett was his wife. And I was the one kept hidden in the dark.

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I was seeing a new man behind my first patron, Aaron Nash’s back, when I unexpectedly got pregnant with the new man’s baby. Just as I was fretting, I discovered Aaron had always been secretly in love with his step-sister. Without a second thought, I decided to find a stand-in for him. I finally found a college student, Lily Evans, who looked about 70% like Aaron Nash’s step-sister. She signed a contract with me: if she successfully took my place, she’d give me half of her monthly allowance. As expected, Aaron was drawn to her, and I, the ‘difficult’ girlfriend, was swiftly shown the door. Watching the cold, hard numbers in my bank account grow each month, I smiled. If I couldn’t have a man’s heart, I’d certainly have his money! … The third time I called Aaron Nash back from work for some frivolous reason, he finally snapped. “Viola Bernard! Can you please stop being so dramatic? Do you have nothing else to do all day? You’re so idle!” I covered my face, feigning hurt. “Aaron, you’ve changed. You weren’t like this before.” He used to patiently indulge my every whim, treating me like a pampered, delicate trophy wife. Aaron was utterly fed up. “Viola, I’m warning you, know your place. Don’t get carried away by a little kindness. Understand your position and stop overstepping.” Aaron was truly angry. Before, I would have backed down, appeased him, and kept him from getting upset. But today, I was breaking up with him. “Aaron! You don’t love me anymore! I want to break up with you!” Aaron’s voice was volatile. “Then break up!” He pointed at me. “Viola, do you honestly think we were in a relationship? You were nothing more than a plaything. Stop flattering yourself.” Aaron’s words were too harsh, and I, being overly emotional, genuinely started to cry. “Pack your things tomorrow. Move out immediately.” I choked back a sob. “What about severance?” I instinctively clutched my belly. Raising a child costs a fortune. I needed to fleece him for as much as I could get. Aaron couldn’t possibly be that stingy, could he? He had indeed become stingier. He tossed a card at me. “Here’s five million. Take the money and get out.” It used to be at least eight million. Aaron left. I quickly packed my things, and on a whim, sold all the expensive furniture in the house. Anything Aaron had given me, even the costly mattress, I took with me. My bank account instantly swelled with cash. Just then, Lily called. “Sister, did you break up with Mr. Nash?” “Yes, yes, just now.” Lily let out a sigh of relief, her voice light. “Sister, don’t you worry. From now on, even if Aaron only gives me a dollar, I’ll give you fifty cents.” “Good. That’s very thoughtful of you.” I couldn’t help but advise her, “Remember to keep Aaron’s preferences and dislikes firmly in mind, and really grasp his step-sister’s personal style.” “I absolutely will.” Lily was very eager. As long as she could live a life of luxury, she’d do anything. After hanging up, I single-handedly cleared out the entire walk-in closet, my back aching from the effort. Lily was the new trophy wife I’d found for Aaron. A month ago, I had discovered I was pregnant, and the child wasn’t his. Coincidentally, I also found out that Aaron was deeply, yet subtly, in love with his estranged step-sister. To protect the baby inside me, I had no choice but to take a risk and personally find a stand-in for Aaron. I finally chose Lily, who bore a striking resemblance to his step-sister. As expected, Aaron took an interest in Lily, and I was finally free to exit. My belongings filled four large moving trucks. Seeing all my treasures, I was so excited I wiped away tears. The housekeeper spoke up, “Miss Bernard, perhaps you should be a little more amenable with Mr. Nash. He still cares for you deep down.” No, no. Aaron had become stingy lately. Even if I blamed the baby in my belly on him, I wouldn’t get much out of it. Even without Lily, he would eventually lose interest over time. This variable was better controlled by me, and I could earn double the money. The housekeeper sighed, and the next second, he saw Aaron and Lily by his side. Lily clung to his arm like a delicate bird, looking at me with feigned unfamiliarity. The housekeeper stammered, “Mr. Nash, Miss Bernard is moving out.” Aaron’s tone was cold. “Viola, once a breakup happens, there’s no going back. Don’t be so stubborn.” Lily looked nervous, clearly afraid I might change my mind. My eyes reddened. “Aaron, you changed your mind a long time ago, didn’t you? Is this woman your new favorite?” Aaron forced a smile. “I don’t need only you.” “Butler, from now on, Lily will live here. Don’t ever mention Viola Bernard again.” I clenched my fists and covered my face, barely stifling a laugh. This was perfect! Feigning distress, I got into the passenger seat of the moving truck, continuously covering my face. Below, Aaron’s expression was complex, a flicker of pain in his eyes. I had never traveled in such a common vehicle before. I was always chauffeured, never letting my feet touch the ground if possible. Aaron said, “Once the arrow is shot, there’s no turning back. Take care of yourself.” I nodded vigorously, hoping we would never cross paths again. He handed me another card. “This is the last time I’m giving you money. Take care.” I hadn’t expected to receive more money, and I felt a bit guilty. Yesterday, I’d complained about the small severance and sold all the furniture. Now the villa was empty. The housekeeper probably thought I was being petty, selling everything just to spite Aaron, as if I actually needed the money. The truck driver pulled away, and I let out a huge sigh of relief. Before I even reached my new home, I received a transfer from Lily: five hundred thousand. [Lily]: Sister, how did you make Mr. Nash love you so much? My monthly allowance is a million. I’ve never seen so much money in my life. I really want to be this rich forever. I gave her serious advice. [Me]: Do your job well and mimic Anya Nash, but whatever you do, don’t let him find out you’re deliberately imitating her. Otherwise, he’ll turn on you. Lily was obedient and took my words as gospel. Back home, I popped open a bottle of champagne for myself as the moving company slowly put everything in its place. The next day, I woke up in Leo Hayes’s arms. My consciousness hadn’t fully awakened, but my face was nestled comfortably in Leo’s chest. “Baby, you finally moved in here.” “Honey, I was just so busy before. From now on, I’ll be with you every day.” Saying this, I kissed Leo’s face. He was my second patron and the biological father of the child in my belly. The economy might be in a slump recently, which was why Aaron had become less generous. I was afraid of being dumped by him and struggling, so I decided to prepare a backup plan and found a new patron. Leo made me breakfast, and I checked my bank balance while I ate. Aaron had spent more money on Lily. Lily was quite honest; the first thing she did after getting the money wasn’t to enjoy it, but to split it with me immediately. “Baby, who are you chatting with?” I casually brushed him off. “Just a friend.” Leo reached out and pinched the flesh on my cheek. “You seem to have gained a lot of weight recently; you look quite plump.” “Isn’t being a little plump good? You used to say I was too thin.” I hadn’t told Leo about the pregnancy because I was afraid he’d drag me to a clinic for an abortion. I didn’t dare to gamble on the consciences of these wealthy men. I would only tell him about the child’s existence when I was further along and everything was settled. With this child, I would be set for life. Leo kissed me. “I love you no matter how you look.” After breakfast, Leo left for work. Almost immediately after, Lily called me, her voice excited. “Sister, last night I slept with Aaron, and he called out Anya Nash’s name in my ear.” “Good thing I pretended to pass out from pleasure, otherwise I wouldn’t have known how to act.” I chuckled. “Next time, just pretend you didn’t hear it, or directly ask who that person is.” Aaron would smooth it over anyway. He and Anya could never be together, constrained by their identities and by convention. “The world of the rich is so messy! He was pretty angry yesterday when he saw the empty villa, and he even cursed at you a bit.” “What did he say about me?” I felt a little surge of excitement. How could Aaron be like that? Couldn’t we have ended things amicably? Why did he have to curse me? Lily repeated all the insults. “He called you a drama queen, materialistic, and high-maintenance.” Hearing this, I let out a sigh of relief. This wasn’t really cursing me; this was just my true nature. When I first met Aaron, he liked my straightforward, uncomplicated personality. He said he could see right through me, which made him feel secure. So people change so quickly; one moment they like you, the next they despise you. My acceptance was high, just as I, upon discovering Aaron was spending less on me, immediately sought out a new patron. “Sister, don’t worry, I’ll be your eyes and ears and relentlessly extract money from him.” I cautioned her, “Don’t be too greedy at first. If he gives it to you, take it, but don’t constantly ask for more; it makes you look cheap.” “He’s most accommodating in bed. Just seize that opportunity to ‘rob’ him.” Lily spoke sweetly, then started showering me with compliments. “Sister, you’re still the best. No wonder Aaron is so obsessed with you.” She went on and on, eventually complimenting my looks and figure. “Sister! You’re a goddess descended from heaven. A beautiful woman like you, even I’m in love with you!” I rolled my eyes. “Alright, stop. You get back to work.” After hanging up, I secretly went to the hospital for a check-up. If I could, I’d check every day. Just as I got my results, I ran into Aaron. He walked towards me. “Viola Bernard, what are you doing here?” He subconsciously glanced at my medical report, which I quickly hid. “None of your business. You and I are ancient history.” Aaron chuckled. “Viola, you’re not still throwing a tantrum, are you? I pampered you too much all these years, that’s why you’ve gotten so audacious.” “Last night, Lily and I slept together.” Aaron was trying to find regret or sorrow on my face. But he was clearly disappointed. I was perfectly fine with it. Not just after the breakup, but even if I had known he was with other women while we were still together, I wouldn’t have been particularly sad. I’d only be scared of being dumped unprepared. “That’s great. I wish you happiness.” I clutched the report, eager to leave, but he grabbed my wrist. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you suddenly at the hospital?” I found Aaron’s words very strange and casually brushed him off. “Just a check-up.” I pulled free from his grip and walked away. His gaze behind me was so intense that I didn’t dare to look back. I couldn’t let him know I was pregnant, or I’d be completely ruined. Getting pregnant after a breakup was one thing; getting pregnant before was cheating on him. No man would tolerate that. Aaron’s face was grim. He felt Viola had lost a lot of weight. He pulled out his phone and made a call. “Check on Viola Bernard, why she’s at the hospital, and send me her medical report.” When I got home, I found a strange woman in my living room. I couldn’t help but be wary, asking her flatly, “Who are you? How did you get into my house?” Autumn Hayes scrutinized me. “So you’re the woman my brother’s keeping?” It turned out to be Leo’s sister. I breathed a sigh of relief; as long as she wasn’t some random woman, it was fine. Even if Leo changed his mind, it had to wait until the baby was born. “Hello, sister. I’m Viola Bernard.” Autumn looked disdainful. “Don’t call me that. A woman like you isn’t fit to enter the Hayes family home.” I smiled. “Oh, I wouldn’t dare. Your brother is just having some fun with me, a temporary novelty.” Hearing me say this, Autumn’s expression was odd, as if she were uncomfortable. She’d thought it would take some effort to make Viola understand her place. Autumn’s voice rose. “Good that you know!” I kept smiling. In my line of work, you had to have a good mindset. Without it, you couldn’t do this job. You couldn’t have it all. A few minutes later, Leo returned. He saw Autumn, his brows slightly furrowed. “What are you doing here? Haven’t I told you not to just walk into this house?” Autumn looked a little angry. “Brother! Are you afraid I’ll disturb your little hideaway?” “Good that you know.” Leo glanced at me, then quickly pushed her out the door. “Go quickly. Are you out of things to do, or just bored?” Autumn clung frantically to the door, shouting, “I’m not leaving! I don’t want to leave!” I sighed. “Leo, let her in. It’s not too late to eat dinner before she leaves.” Leo relented, and Autumn quickly scurried in, giving me a look that said, “You’re smart.” To maintain my image as a reasonable person, I voluntarily went into the kitchen to cook. Leo was touched, kissing me. “So thoughtful. I’ll bring you a gift tomorrow.” As I was cooking, I didn’t realize my phone, left in the living room, was ringing. Autumn picked it up without thinking. “Hello? Who is this?” The caller said, “Let Viola answer the phone.” Autumn frowned. “What do you want? What’s your relationship with her?” Aaron’s voice was complex. “I’m her husband. She’s pregnant, and the child is mine.”

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At my high school reunion, Bennett Hayes, the guy I’d crushed on for three years, actually showed up. I didn’t say a single word to him all night. By the time the party wound down and everyone had drifted away, I was the only one left to haul his drunken self back to his hotel. In the room, watching him sprawled on the bed, I fought a internal battle for a long time. Eventually, I managed to keep my baser instincts in check. I didn’t expect him to show up at my front door the next morning, looking hurt, asking: “How did you hold back?” I was completely lost. “Weren’t you wasted?” He took a step forward. “I was drunk. “I was faking it. “You, on the other hand—you watched me for so long, and you still just left.” 1 Our class president started organizing this reunion months ago. Everyone was signing up. Then, the former sports captain tagged Bennett Hayes in the group chat. 【@Bennett are you coming?】 【Whoa! If Bennett’s coming, then Clara Sterling will be there too, right?】 【The dream team! My high school OTP is finally going to be in the same room again!】 Scrolling through the messages, a bitter pang hit my chest. Clara was the “It Girl”—stunning, wealthy, and effortless. Standing next to Bennett, they looked like they belonged on a movie poster. Meanwhile, back then, the most I ever got was a smirk from Bennett when the teacher announced the test results. “Our Academic Rep really is something else,” he’d say. My crush was a secret I kept buried deep. I didn’t even have the courage to speak to him. I was terrified a single look would give me away. Finally, Bennett replied with a simple 【1】. I immediately messaged the president to confirm my spot. On the night of the party, I sat in a corner, chatting with some girls about college. Then Bennett walked in. Clara was right behind him. The room erupted into cheers. “Bennett and Clara look so good together!” “Only Clara could actually pin down a guy like Bennett!” Clara gave a shy smile and rolled her eyes at everyone. “Alright guys, pipe down.” Bennett’s face suddenly went cold. “Stop talking trash,” he snapped. He pushed through the crowd and sat directly next to me. The room went dead silent. Every eye was on us. I stiffened and turned my head, meeting Bennett’s dark, unreadable eyes. “Long time no see, Academic Rep.” I folded instantly. I just nodded at him, barely a greeting. He was all legs and broad shoulders. To avoid touching him, I scooted as far toward the wall as I could. Bennett glanced at me out of the corner of his eye but said nothing. My friend Jenna texted me under the table. 【Holy crap, why is Bennett sitting next to you? Since when are you guys tight?】 【I have no idea. Maybe because I’m wearing black and he didn’t see there was a human being here?】 【…Nobody is that blind. Look at Clara. If looks could kill, you’d be a crime scene.】 I glanced at Clara. She looked miserable. I told Jenna I’d rather be a ghost than a target. The class president pulled Clara into a seat. People started reminiscing about high school, and the tension eased. Suddenly, Clara walked over with a glass of wine. She leaned down and smiled at me perfectly. “Suzy, mind if we swap seats?” I looked up. Finally, an exit! “Oh, sure! I’ll swap with you.” I grabbed my orange juice and started to stand up. A heavy weight hit my shoulder. Bennett had pinned me down. I froze, slowly turning to look at his long, pale fingers on my shoulder. Then I looked at Clara. Her eyes were flaming. Bennett didn’t even look at her. He just flicked his gaze up and said coldly: “She’s sitting right here. Find another spot.” I broke into a cold sweat. I wanted to shake his hand off. But then I realized that making a scene would just make it look more intimate. I tried to play it cool. “It’s fine, I’ll swap. I don’t really want to be against the wall anyway.” Bennett tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. “In high school, didn’t you always fight for the wall seat?” The smile on my face vanished. I had no idea what game he was playing. The room was silent. Clara, completely ignored, had tears brimming in her eyes. “Bennett, do you really have to humiliate me in front of everyone?” Bennett’s aura was heavy. “Humiliation is self-inflicted,” he said flatly. “She’s sitting here comfortably. Why should she move for you?” Clara couldn’t take it anymore. She set her glass down and ran out. Bennett didn’t move an inch. Eventually, the class president went after her. Every eye in the room moved from Bennett to me. I felt like I was sitting on a bed of needles. Oh my god. I have nothing to do with this! 2 After Clara left, Bennett started drinking heavily. To anyone watching, it looked like a lovers’ quarrel. I didn’t dare speak to him for fear of making things worse. I huddled in the corner with my juice, mentally counting how many glasses he knocked back. In three years of high school, we’d never been this close. He’d taken his jacket off and draped it over the chair. His white shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing the sharp lines of his forearms. I tried to control myself, tried not to look. But the faint scent of his rose-wood cologne kept drifting toward me. It had been a year since graduation. His features were more defined now. The boyishness had faded, replaced by something more rugged and masculine. He was even more handsome than before. I couldn’t resist a peek, but I walked right into his gaze. I immediately looked down at my food. A few seconds later, he let out a low chuckle. “Hiding again.” My heart nearly leaped out of my chest. Thankfully, someone else started talking to him, breaking the tension. I poked at my salad, feeling distracted. I kind of regretted coming. Knowing he wasn’t mine but wanting him anyway was a special kind of torture. Suddenly, a chicken wing landed on my plate. I looked at Bennett in shock. He looked away, saying casually: “Serving tongs. They’re clean.” I took a deep breath and muttered a “thank you.” But inside, I was screaming—This isn’t about the tongs! We are not ‘fixing each other’s plates’ close! Luckily, everyone else assumed I was just caught in the crossfire. Even Jenna messaged me: 【Looks like the ship has sunk. Suzy, you are a total casualty today. I can’t save you. Just eat.】 I sent back a “face-palm” emoji. Bennett seemed determined to get trashed. He barely spoke to anyone, and he didn’t look at me again. As the night ended, people started filtering out. I wanted to leave too. But Bennett was leaning back with his eyes closed, his long legs blocking my way out of the booth. “Bennett?” I whispered. “Can you move?” No response. I tugged on his sleeve. “Bennett?” Still nothing. He was out. I looked at Jenna for help. “Jenna, wait for me!” But as she started to walk over, Bennett’s eyes snapped open. A sharp, cold glare fixed on her. Jenna stopped dead and gave a weak smile. “Suzy… maybe you should be the one to get him home?” I didn’t even get a chance to protest. “Mhm,” Bennett grunted. He looked back at me and said politely: “I’d appreciate the help, Suzy.” I: “…Fine.” 3 I opened a room at the hotel next door and asked if he could walk. He braced himself against the table and stood up, stumbling slightly. I caught him instinctively. The sudden contact sent my pulse racing. I wanted to let go, but I was afraid he’d fall. “Maybe I should call a porter to help you?” Bennett straightened up immediately, frowning. “No. I don’t like being touched by strangers.” He grabbed his jacket, looking back at me. “Let’s go. You said you’d get me back.” He started walking out ahead of me. I watched his back, confused. Is he wasted or not? I sighed and followed. “Bennett, wait. Let me call an Uber.” “Is it far?” “Not really—” “Then let’s walk. My head is spinning. I don’t want to be in a car.” He looked pale, his brow furrowed. He really did look unwell. Maybe the fresh air would do him some good. I followed silently behind him. The only sound was the GPS on my phone telling us when to turn. Bennett stopped abruptly. I wasn’t paying attention and nearly walked into his back. My nose brushed against the wool of his coat. “What’s wrong? You going to be sick? I can go to the pharmacy and get you some ginger ale or something?” My dad always drank that when he overdid it. There was a 24-hour pharmacy right on the corner. “Wait here,” I told him. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back—” Bennett suddenly grabbed my wrist and yanked me back, pulling me into a full-on hug. My whole body went rigid. I forgot how to breathe. The hug I’d dreamed about for three years was actually happening. But I was clear-headed. This is wrong. I tried to push him away, but he held on tighter. If anyone saw us, how would I even explain this? “Bennett—” my voice was shaking. He buried his face in my shoulder, his voice low and raspy. “Don’t go. Please. “I didn’t mean to make you mad. Don’t hide from me anymore.” 4 Bennett was definitely gone. He was clearly mistaking me for Clara, saying all these confusing things. I didn’t want to wrestle with him in the middle of the street. I had to play along. “I’m not going. I’m taking you to rest. Just be a good boy and let go, okay?” He gave a soft “mhm,” let go of the hug, but immediately grabbed my hand. He looked at me with those big, puppy-dog eyes. Thank god for my strong moral compass and high emotional intelligence. By the time we walked the two blocks to the hotel, my palm was sweaty from how hard he was gripping it. I stepped into his shadow and muttered, “If you’re this clingy, why did you fight with her in the first place?” Once we got to the room and the door closed, he couldn’t stand anymore. He pulled me down onto the bed with him. His breath was hot against my ear. If I turned my head just an inch, I could kiss him. Who could resist that? Me. Only me. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t. He was drunk, not dead. Taking advantage of him would be disgusting. I pushed my “dark thoughts” down and rolled him off me. Bennett was flat on his back. His throat moved as he swallowed, his pale neck flushed red from the alcohol. My god. If I kept looking, I was going to have a nosebleed. I fumbled with a water bottle and held it to his lips. He drank greedily, his Adam’s apple bobbing. The water spilled slightly, wetting his shirt. I slapped my own cheek. “Get it together, you animal!” I whispered. I pulled the covers over him and finally calmed down. Looking at his sleeping face, I gave myself a mental high-five. Good job, Suzy. You didn’t ruin the guy you’ve loved for three years while he was unconscious. He should stay a dream. Not a messy reality. The doorbell rang. The hangover patches I’d ordered had arrived. I left the medicine, some water, and some tissues on the nightstand. I gave him a little wave and whispered goodbye. “Bye, Bennett. Don’t drink like that again. A guy alone in a hotel needs to be more careful.”

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I possessed the Benevolent Spouse Prosperity System. All it took was a small gift from my husband to trigger a hundredfold surge of luck and fortune for him. For ten years, Grant Kensington ascended from a humble gig-economy driver to the undisputed magnate of Westport, all by being “good” to me. This year, for our anniversary, he promised a surprise luxury getaway. It wasn’t until the plane landed that I discovered his secretary, Brooke, had gambled away everything in Monte Carlo. “Honey, you’re the only one who can save me this time, or Kensington Holdings is finished.” “The casino owner has been looking for a woman who looks exactly like you. If you stay here, all our debts will be wiped clean.” He had no idea that casino was owned by my father. And his act of pushing me forward as collateral was about to trigger the system’s merciless counter-curse: The Husband-Waster’s Penalty: All Prosperity Ceases. 1 The moment we landed in Monte Carlo, Grant rushed me straight to The Golden Citadel Casino. After the heavy soundproof door of the VIP suite clicked shut, I saw Brooke. She was slumped on the sofa, eyes red and swollen, hair a mess. Seeing us, she lunged into Grant’s arms. “Grant! You finally came! I thought you’d abandon me.” It was only then that I fully understood: The surprise luxury getaway was merely a ruse to rescue Brooke from the crippling debt she’d amassed. Grant had brought Brooke to Monte Carlo a few days earlier under the guise of a business trip. She’d insisted on trying the high-stakes tables, and the two had spent three days and three nights in a drunken, losing spiral. Looking at the distraught woman, I didn’t immediately fly into a rage. I simply asked, my voice dangerously calm, “How much?” Grant’s voice shook, barely a whisper. “F-five… five hundred million.” My head exploded in a deafening silence. Five hundred million dollars. That was the entirety of Kensington Holdings’ liquid capital, plus loans secured by mortgaging most of our assets. While my Benevolent Spouse Prosperity System could bring him boundless luck, each activation came at a steep, private cost to me: weight gain and accelerated aging. In the past decade, Grant had gone from a delivery driver to a Westport titan thanks to the system, but I’d paid for every step of his success. I was over a hundred pounds heavier, and despite my best efforts to maintain my appearance, I looked a decade older than my actual age. Paying off $500 million in one go? Even if my body spontaneously combusted, it would be impossible. I took a deep breath and stared at him. “Why am I here? Are you planning to have me gamble it back to save you?” He waved a hand dismissively. “No, no, that’s impossible. I want to—” Brooke cut him off. “Grant, we don’t have time. If you can’t say it, I will.” She walked up to me, shoving a phone screen almost into my face. “The casino owner, Victor Kensington, has been searching for this woman for thirty years. The bounty is still active—whoever provides a lead, or the woman herself, has their debt erased.” Seeing the photograph of the woman in a vintage gown, I instantly recognized her: my mother, who had passed away years ago. My mother had left my father after a terrible argument, taking me with her. But one morning, I couldn’t wake her up. The social worker said she’d taken sleeping pills. I’d spent three decades believing my father’s absence was due to his hatred for us. But now, Brooke claimed he’d been looking for us for thirty years? My silence spurred Grant on. He grabbed my arm, his voice desperate. “Jo, I know this isn’t fair to you, but it’s the only way. All you have to do is agree that you’re her, and play along.” “It’ll only be a few months. Once the heat is off and the debt is cleared, I swear I’ll find a way to get you back!” I looked at him, completely stunned. “Grant, you brought me to Monte Carlo to hand me over to another man? To bail out the massive hole you and your mistress dug?” When Grant and I first married, he was a broke kid. He’d spend $199 of the $200 he earned delivering food on me. One day, he spent his entire month’s paycheck on a gold necklace. That’s when the system’s voice chimed in my head. [Benevolent Spouse Prosperity System Activated] [Detected partner gift: Necklace, valued at $3,500] [Return: Partner Grant Kensington receives a hundredfold surge of luck, lasting 30 days] I thought it was a hallucination. The next day, Grant won $50,000 on a scratch-off ticket. The day after, while on a delivery, he saved an elderly man who was having a heart attack—who turned out to be the patriarch of a major investment firm. A month later, Grant quit his job, used the reward money and the connections from the grateful family, and opened his first logistics company. For ten years, no matter how small the gift, good fortune would cascade upon him. 2 A lipstick secured a multi-million dollar contract. A scarf helped him narrowly avoid a hostile takeover. A home-cooked anniversary dinner led to insider information on a government-backed project. The more expensive the gift, the greater his reward. Grant became a commercial legend, rising from a delivery driver to the new elite of Westport. We upgraded from an eight-hundred-square-foot apartment to an eight-thousand-square-foot penthouse overlooking the harbor. Each system activation meant more weight and more years added to my apparent age. But Grant had never shown a hint of disgust. “Jo, you’re my lucky charm. My woman should be soft and well-fed.” Seeing him transform from a self-conscious young man into a confident titan, I felt it was all worth it. Until three years ago, when he hired Brooke. Within two weeks, Grant was coming home later and later. He missed holidays and anniversaries and, most critically, stopped giving me gifts. It wasn’t until this year’s anniversary that he came home early, promising this trip to make up for his neglect. I was genuinely touched by his seemingly sincere eyes. But the system in my mind remained silent. No chime, no hundredfold prosperity countdown. Still, I said yes. Ten years of marriage—I clung to a thread of hope. Maybe I was overthinking, maybe he was just busy, or maybe the system was gone. Yet, I underestimated the depths of his cowardice. Grant began to argue desperately, his words turning cruel. “Jo, don’t make it sound so awful! This is a win-win!” “Besides, you’re… well, you’re exactly the kind of mature look the photo would have thirty years later, anyway—” Mature look? I laughed, though tears spilled from my eyes. “Grant, for ten years, every time you gave me a gift, I got a little fatter, a little older, and your career soared. Did you ever wonder why?” “From a delivery driver to the new Westport elite, do you honestly believe all of it was due to your superior talent and luck?” His face paled slightly. Brooke sneered. “Jo, are you losing it? What crazy talk is that? Grant’s success is entirely his own!” I ignored her, staring intensely at Grant. “The wife is the family’s true fortune. The Benevolent Spouse brings prosperity.” I leaned in. “But now you’re trying to sell me. You’re the Husband-Waster. Do you know what the penalty is?” Grant didn’t know. He’d never known the system was real. He thought his success was all his own merit. But now, a sudden panic flashed in his eyes. “Y-you’re talking nonsense. What are you going on about?” I didn’t want to waste another second. I turned to leave. The moment my hand touched the doorknob, a sharp sting hit the back of my neck. A cold liquid rushed through a needle and into my skin. I stumbled, turning to see Grant holding a syringe, his eyes a mix of anguish and determination. “Jo, I’m sorry.” “You…” My tongue went numb; my limbs quickly lost all strength. Grant caught my falling body and settled me onto the sofa. Brooke pulled a second vial from her purse. “Grant, Victor has seen every type of woman. You said she was like a dead fish in bed. What if he’s not satisfied?” She shook the vial of pink liquid. “This is something I sourced—a little boost. It’ll turn even a stone-cold woman into an easy conquest. Just to be safe, we should use it.” I widened my eyes in horror, shaking my head violently. Grant was silent for a few seconds. “Give it to her.” I managed to force the words out. “Grant, ten years of marriage… is this how you treat me?” He wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Jo, don’t blame me! I have no choice!” “If I don’t do this, Kensington Holdings will declare bankruptcy tomorrow. I’ll be buried in debt, I’ll fall from the clouds into the gutter, with nothing!” “You’re my wife. We went through the early days together. You should help me!” My heart felt like it was submerged in freezing seawater, sinking slowly, hardening into ice. I scanned their faces, a cold, bitter smile touching my lips as I asked my final question. “You’re trying to trick a man who practically runs Monte Carlo. Aren’t you afraid of being exposed? Or, are you afraid that I am the woman he’s looking for?” Grant’s expression froze. Brooke paused, then covered her mouth and chuckled. “Jo, you’re really getting into character! Everyone knows Victor has been looking for this woman for thirty years. She’d be in her fifties now. You might look a little worn, but you’re only in your thirties. Are you actually dreaming?” She stepped closer, whispering in my ear. “You don’t know the full story, do you? Victor’s rule is: anyone who provides a lead or brings in a woman who fits the description has their debt instantly cleared, regardless of the outcome.” “Whether the woman is real or not…” 3 She drew out the words, her eyes shining with wicked calculation. “That’s your problem to deal with. It has nothing to do with us. Our debt is cleared the second we hand you over.” “I’ve heard the women who were caught lying didn’t end up well. Broken bones were the least of it; some were dumped into the ocean. So, Jo, let’s hope your performance is convincing.” I felt a chill run through my body; my blood seemed to turn to ice. So that was their plan. They didn’t care if I was real or fake, alive or dead. They just needed a credible pawn to clear their slate. I looked at Grant, my voice shaking uncontrollably. “So… that’s what you think? As long as the debt is cleared, you’re safe back in Westport? And if I’m exposed here, tortured, or even murdered, it won’t matter to you?” Grant avoided my gaze. “Jo, don’t think the worst. Victor is a gentleman. Even if… even if he finds out, he’ll just throw you out. He won’t hurt you.” “And once I’m back in Westport, Monte Carlo’s reach won’t extend that far. No one can touch me, and I’ll figure out a way to get you out.” Ten years. A whole decade. I hadn’t nurtured a loving partner or a devoted husband. I had nurtured a selfish man who would sacrifice me without a second thought for his own survival. I finally understood: Some people’s self-centeredness and weakness are innate. Even if you give them the world, they’ll never use it to protect you. I started laughing, a cold, choked sound at my own stupidity. Brooke seized the chance, pinching my jaw and forcing the sweet, cloying liquid down my throat. I choked violently, tears and mucus blurring my vision, unable to speak. Just then, the suite door swung open. Leading the group was a man with a prominent scar on his face. “Grant, Victor sent me to take a look.” He walked to the sofa, leaned over, examined me closely, and compared me to the photo on his phone. His brow furrowed instantly, and his eyes turned hostile. “Grant, you sure this is the woman Victor is looking for? The photo shows a young, beautiful woman with a gentle air. This one is old and fat. You think Victor runs a junk-lot?” Sweat broke out on Grant’s forehead. He quickly stepped forward, forcing a smile. “Bart, it’s been thirty years. Don’t women age and gain weight? It’s completely normal!” “Look closer, Bart. The eyebrows, the nose, the curve of the mouth… aren’t they identical to the picture? She’s just a little older and heavier, but the foundation is all there!” The man, Bart, stared at my face for a long moment, his frown easing slightly. “I guess… thirty years is a long time. Even with the best maintenance, time catches up to a woman.” Then his nose twitched. His expression hardened as he looked at Grant. “You drugged her?” Grant froze. Brooke quickly interjected with a fawning smile. “Bart, it’s just a little something to get the party started.” “Victor is still a vigorous man, but for a reunion after so long, a little mood setting helps. We just wanted to ensure Victor was… satisfied.” Bart stared at Grant, then at my agonizing struggle, and a leering, knowing look passed between them. “Tch. Your woman is pretty well-versed, isn’t she?” He turned, pulled out a walkie-talkie, and spoke quietly for a moment. Returning, he nodded to Grant. “We’re keeping the woman. I’ve notified Victor. He’ll be here once he finishes his current business.” He snatched the betting slip from Brooke’s hand and shredded it. “Grant, your debt is cleared.” He pointed at the door. “Now, get lost.” Grant looked like a man given a reprieve from death. He profusely thanked Bart. “Thank you, Bart! Thank you! We’re going now! Right now!” He practically dragged Brooke out the door without a backward glance. The drug’s effects were intensifying. I tried to use my remaining rationality to speak. “W-wait…” Before I could finish, a thug standing nearby delivered a vicious kick to my side. “Settle down, you! You dare stop Bart when he’s letting someone go? Do you have a death wish?” I stifled a grunt and coughed up a mouthful of blood. 4 Bart slapped the thug across the face. “Are you out of your damn mind?! I told you to watch her, not kill her!” “What if she is the woman Victor’s been looking for? Do you have enough lives to pay for that, huh?! You want a taste of Victor’s methods?!” The thug clutched his cheek, startled and terrified, but a spark of defiance remained. He muttered. “B-Bart… I… I just saw she wasn’t cooperating…” “Besides, so many women have come in over the years—young, beautiful, in great shape… they all looked more like the photo than her, and none of them were real.” He eyed me with disgust. “This one is old and fat. How could she be the one Victor’s been searching for? I bet someone was desperate and brought the cheapest option they could find to fool us…” “Shut up!” Bart snapped at him, but a flicker of doubt crossed his own eyes. He shot a sharp look at Grant’s retreating back, then crouched in front of me. “Woman, I’m asking you one last time. Are you Victor’s woman? Think carefully before you answer.” He paused, his voice low and warning. “Lots of women have tried to pose as her over the years. Their fates weren’t pretty. Broken limbs were the least of it. Some were thrown to the sharks. Tell me the truth now, and I might put in a word for you to lessen your pain. But if Victor finds out you lied, you’ll wish for death.” I looked at Grant and Brooke, whose faces were pale and whose eyes were urgently signaling me to lie. After a long silence, I nodded. “I am.” Relief washed over Grant and Brooke’s faces. They started to leave, but I called out to them again. “Grant, before you go, can you give me a gift?” He stopped, confusion clouding his features. Finally, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a single, cheap, low-value poker chip from a slot machine. “Here. A souvenir.” The instant the token landed in my palm, the system’s silent alarm, dormant for three years, finally blared to life. But it wasn’t the familiar [Benevolent Spouse Prosperity] notification. It was: [Detected partner gift under malicious circumstance, intended to use Host as collateral. Husband-Waster behavior confirmed] [The Husband-Waster will have all previously acquired prosperity reclaimed, with the Hundredfold Wealth Drain commencing in one hour, lasting until the end of life.]

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