Category: English

The real heiress of our family returned, armed with a brand of performative poverty so extreme she was determined to make us all suffer with her. Our family had a chauffeured car to take us to school, but she refused to get in, insisting that my brother and I ride a rickety electric trike with her instead. When the trike inevitably flipped, my brother and I broke our arms shielding her from the fall. At school, she’d toss out the lavish lunches our chef prepared, only to produce stale bread and pickled vegetables from her bag, forcing us to join her in a life of “frugal simplicity.” My brother, Dan, was a dancer; he fainted from hunger in the middle of rehearsal. When we pleaded with our parents, they’d just sigh. “Sadie’s had a hard life. She’s a pitiful girl. Just try to be patient with her.” “Besides,” they’d add, “frugality is a wonderful quality.” This continued until her official welcoming gala. She replaced all the fine wine with orange soda, the gourmet hors d’oeuvres with potato chips and spicy cheese puffs, and walked on stage wearing a faded, secondhand dress. That was when our parents finally snapped. “Get that pathetic rag off you and throw it away! Who are you trying to look pitiful for?” Dan and I burst into tears of relief and hugged each other. “They finally get it…” 1 The day the real heiress, Sadie, came home, our whole family stood at the entrance to welcome her. The town car pulled up, but Sadie didn’t get out. The driver approached us, looking troubled. “Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, the young miss refuses to ride in the car. She says it wastes gas and decided to walk home.” Dan and I exchanged a look of sheer horror. It was a thirty-mile walk from the city! If there were two people in the Sterling family who loved spending money, it was me and my brother, Dan. Our shared philosophy was simple: life is meant to be enjoyed, and money is the key. He bought the latest sports cars; I bought the latest designer bags. He bought top-of-the-line motorcycles; I bought couture gowns. We were blissfully, unapologetically extravagant. If a destination was more than a block away, we took a car. Our family used to look at us with disdain for it. Hearing the driver’s words, my parents were stunned for a moment. Then, my mother’s face broke into a pleased smile. “Frugality is a good thing. It’s alright, we can wait.” Our older brother, Sterling, had no such patience. He turned on his heel and went back to his office. Dan and I were about to make our own escape when our parents grabbed us. “You two stay right here. You could learn a thing or two from Sadie. Stop being so lazy all the time.” We waited. And waited. An entire day passed, and still no Sadie. Dinner had been reheated three times. Just as we were all about to starve to death, the doorbell rang. 2 The housekeeper opened the door. There stood Sadie, dressed in patched clothes and carrying a massive woven plastic sack. After walking for over ten hours, her face was flushed a dark red and beaded with sweat. Everyone rushed to greet her. My mother took the sack from her. It clinked and rattled, and she assumed it was luggage. “Sadie, dear, are these your things?” The moment she opened it, a sour, musty stench hit us like a physical blow. Sterling, our older brother, who had just returned, frowned deeply, muttered an excuse about work, and promptly left again. Dan couldn’t hold back. “What the hell is that, a bag of trash? It reeks!” Mom shot him a death glare. “Be quiet. Don’t be rude.” Dan sulked, shooting me a helpless look. Sadie, however, lifted her chin, her eyes defiant, and snatched the sack back. “These are soda cans I collected on the way. You can sell them for money. I hate waste more than anything.” She looked pointedly at all of us. “I hope everyone here can learn to be more frugal from now on.” My mother immediately gushed, “Sadie, you’re so sensible.” She then glanced at me and Dan. “Poppy, Dan, you two should learn from your sister instead of just eating and playing all day.” My father chimed in. “Frugality is excellent. Especially for you two. You need to learn its value.” He then pulled out a credit card and offered it to Sadie. “Sadie, this is a little something for your allowance.” Sadie turned her head, glanced at the card, and sneered. “I despise the stench of money. Don’t pollute me with such things.” The atmosphere turned instantly awkward. No one in the Sterling family had ever disliked money. My father awkwardly retracted the card. “Well, let’s have dinner then.” 3 At the dining table, which was laden with lavish dishes, Sadie’s face fell. She slammed her chopsticks down. “I don’t approve of such extravagance. Do you have any plain bread? I’ll have that.” I couldn’t help myself. “But there’s so much wonderful food here. Why would you eat plain bread? Wouldn’t letting all this go to waste be even more wasteful?” My parents quickly agreed. “There’s so much to eat, dear. Please, have some of this.” Sadie looked down her nose at me. “Not everyone is as shamelessly wasteful as a spoiled fake princess like you.” My eyes widened in shock. “Fake princess?” Sadie stood up, towering over me with moral superiority. “Even though you stole my parents from me, I don’t blame you. You can continue to live here. Of course, I don’t like drama and just want to focus on my studies. I hope you’ll refrain from bothering me.” I blinked and looked at Dan. He looked like he was trying to solve a complex math problem while severely constipated. Finally, he spoke up. “Sadie, this is your biological sister, Poppy. She’s a year older than you. Don’t you remember her?” My parents’ faces were also a little strained. Sadie was four when she was lost. It was strange that she wouldn’t remember her own sister. Sadie looked shocked for a second, then her expression smoothed back into one of calm indifference. “I was switched at birth. How could I possibly remember?” Dan and I just stared at each other. In the end, Sadie ate a large, dry roll and drank a bowl of cold water. The rest of the family picked at the gourmet feast, the loud slurping of her water making the whole meal incredibly awkward. We finally survived dinner. But the next morning, when it was time for school, Dan and I were in for a true shock. 4 Sadie stood in front of the chauffeured car, her brow furrowed, refusing to get in. “I will not ride in that. It’s a waste of gas and money.” My mother tried to reason with her patiently. “Sadie, honey, we’re not short on money.” Sadie just shook her head, her chin held high. “I don’t like waste. Having money isn’t a license to be extravagant. If they want to ride, let them. I’ll walk to school myself.” My parents looked stressed. “But it’s your first day. How can you walk?” My mother then turned to me and Dan. “Why don’t you two walk with Sadie to school?” “WHAT?” Dan and I yelled in unison. Mom sighed. “It’s two and a half miles… that is a bit far.” Just then, an old man on a motorized tricycle puttered past the end of our driveway. Sadie’s eyes lit up. She pointed. “We can take that! And we’ll be helping that old man earn some money.” My parents looked at Sadie with pure admiration. Dan and I looked at each other in pure misery. The three of us, all high school students, squeezed onto the tiny trike. The whole vehicle swayed precariously. Even on a perfectly flat road, it felt like we were adrift at sea, lost and helpless. Every time we went over a speed bump, it felt like a direct assault on my spine. The old man up front kept shouting, “Whoa, whoa, you’re leaning left! Everybody lean right!” And then, “Hey, hey, don’t move, don’t move!” Dan and I were so terrified we were barely breathing. How could we possibly be moving? “Now you’re too far right! Lean left, lean left… lean…” The trike flipped. Instinctively, Dan and I threw our arms around Sadie to protect her. His left arm was broken. My right arm was broken. Sadie simply stood up, dusted herself off, and turned to leave. “You two wait here. I can’t neglect my studies. I’m going to school.” And she left the two of us, with our broken arms, to cry together on the pavement. When the police arrived, the old man, trembling, finally got to his feet, tears streaming down his face. “I was just out for a little spin! This girl flagged me down, insisted that a trike was more economical and that I had to take the three of them to school. I’m almost eighty! I don’t need the six bucks!” In the end, my parents came, bought the man a new trike, and gave him a hefty sum for his troubles. 5 Breaking my arm did have one upside: I didn’t have to do any homework. Dan, who had been held back a year, was in my grade. When he found out, he was furious. “No fair! My arm is broken too! I can’t do my homework either!” Our homeroom teacher just tapped him on the head with a notebook. “You broke your left arm. I’ll be checking your work tomorrow.” Dan glared at me from his desk with a look of pure, unadulterated envy. I just gave him a smug, provocative smile back. My parents insisted that since Sadie was new and had no friends, Dan and I had to have lunch with her every day. If we didn’t, they’d cut off our allowances. This was a tragedy. A new designer bag I’d been dreaming of had just been released. Dan was eyeing a new motorcycle. So, we dutifully went to find Sadie for lunch. At noon, our housekeeper arrived with a lavish spread delivered from home. Before she could even set it all out, Sadie shot up from her seat. “I will not eat such a wasteful meal. This is pure indulgence. Mrs. Liu, please give all of this to the homeless people outside.” Dan and I were aghast. “What homeless people?” “Well, then give it to a poor family,” Sadie declared. “I brought my own lunch. I can share it with my brother and sister. There are children starving in the mountains who need this more than we do.” At her insistence, Mrs. Liu packed up the feast. Dan and I exchanged frantic looks. Me: What is she talking about? This is Silveridge Heights. How are we supposed to send this to ‘children in the mountains’? And who would accept a random meal from strangers? What is going on in her head? Dan: No idea. And when did she pack a lunch? Me: I don’t know either. Please don’t let it be… We both turned to look at Sadie. She slowly pulled three hard, crusty rolls from her backpack and placed them on the table. Then, she produced several packets of pickled vegetables. “Brother, sister, I dislike waste. From now on, we will be frugal together. Every little bit counts. I even brought pickles in case you aren’t used to just plain bread.” She then shoved the rolls and pickles into our hands. And so it went. For a month straight. One stale roll, a cup of hot water, and a packet of pickles for lunch every single day. The school didn’t have a cafeteria, and we weren’t allowed to bring in outside snacks. By the afternoon, Dan and I were often dizzy with hunger. One day, Dan went to the dance studio to practice his stretches, his arm still in a sling. He fainted mid-plié. I ran over and held his semi-conscious form, sobbing hysterically. “What kind of ‘real heiress’ is this? She doesn’t want money or love, she just wants to torture people! Dan, if you die, what am I going to do all alone?” He managed to open his eyes and pat my head with his good hand. “Poppy, don’t cry. I’m not dead yet. I’m here with you.” Just then, a sound like a thunderclap echoed through the studio. It was his stomach. And then he passed out for real.

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After Lucas bailed me out of the police station and we were driving home, I asked for a divorce. “Maya, there’s a limit to being willful.” I looked at Lucas, who was focused on driving, and suddenly smiled. “I’ve thought it through.” “Lucas,” I turned my head, my gaze firm, “let’s let each other go.” Chapter 1 The Maserati pulled over to the side of the road. The atmosphere inside the car dropped to freezing point. “Reason.” Lucas gripped the steering wheel, his voice cold as ice. “Give me a reason why you’re making a scene again.” I looked at Lucas and suddenly felt it was all meaningless. I lowered the window and pointed at the car that had been secretly following us in the rearview mirror. “I bet, in less than ten seconds.” “Someone will come looking for you immediately.” I started counting down with certainty. “Ten.” “Nine.” “Eight.” Before I could reach seven, a beautiful figure got out of the Porsche behind us. The girl approached with red eyes. “Maya, I really didn’t mean to today. I only suggested picking up clothes because I had to accompany Lucas to the gala. I truly didn’t know you were sleeping at home, let alone that you’d mistake me for a thief and call the police directly.” “This is ultimately my fault. Please don’t fight with Lucas because of this. I beg you.” “If you’re really unhappy,” the girl grabbed my hand and aimed it at her own face, “hit me.” “Hit me to vent your anger.” My hand was being pulled. Just as it was about to hit her. Lucas shouted coldly, “Maya, where are your manners?” “Eaten by dogs?” I just found it laughable. See. I don’t have to do anything. Even if I just sit here passively accepting it, it becomes my fault. I pulled my hand back and turned to face Lucas. “Do you understand now?” “Lucas,” I seemed to have really stopped crying. It was as if the pain had numbed me to the point of having no emotions. I unbuckled my seatbelt and told him, “This is the reason.” “Lucas, let’s get a divorce.” I opened the car door. Under the shocked yet secretly delighted gaze of Lucas’s secretary, I smiled at her. “Congratulations. After inserting yourself into Lucas and my life all these years, you’ve finally made it.” “I don’t want Lucas anymore.” I turned to leave. Lucas hurriedly got out of the car and grabbed my wrist. “Maya, are you crazy? Do you know that because you called the police today, I missed out on a multi-million dollar project? Just because you said you were scared, I rushed to the police station like a madman, only to find you had my secretary arrested!” “I’ve put up with you for a long time.” “You target Bella at every turn, yet she keeps putting in a good word for you, asking me not to be angry with you and for us to get along! Don’t be so ungrateful!” My wrist hurt from his grip, pulling on the scar there, making it hurt even more. I frowned at my already reddened wrist. “Let go!” I yanked my hand away from Lucas, rubbed my aching wrist, raised my hand, and slapped Lucas across the face. “Lucas!” “I’ve put up with you for a long time too!” Lucas and I had been together for ten years. Even though we had fought, argued, and given each other the silent treatment, I had never embarrassed Lucas in front of outsiders like this. But I didn’t want to endure it anymore. I looked at Lucas and got straight to the point. “Let me tell you, when I was hospitalized with a high fever, you were with your secretary saving stray cats and dogs. When my car got rear-ended, you were stargazing with your secretary. Every time something happened to me, you chose your secretary! And today!” I looked at Lucas. “You told your secretary our home’s passcode. When I had taken medicine and was ready to sleep! You let your secretary break into our bedroom to get your stuff! After I called the police, you didn’t care about me, you just demanded I sign a settlement letter!” “Lucas!” “We are completely done!” Chapter 2 In a fit of anger. I ultimately couldn’t control my expression. My carefully maintained composure completely collapsed. I watched Lucas’s face change slightly, then turn to a guilty, subconscious explanation. “I didn’t know you were back from your business trip! How could I decline Chairman Zhang’s invitation? Letting Bella pick up the stuff was a last resort. Why do you have to blow this out of proportion?” “Maya!” Lucas looked at me with disappointment. “Since when did you become so jealous, seizing on shadows and refusing to let go?” “Maya, no man would like you like this!” I really thought I wouldn’t cry anymore. At least, from signing the settlement letter at the police station to sitting in the car with Lucas, I had maintained my dignity and the manners I should have. I had even replayed all the memories of Lucas and me in the car. In the end. I made a conclusion. I wanted a dignified ending. But tears still fell uncontrollably because of Lucas’s complaints and accusations, like pearls from a broken string, falling no matter what. “Yeah, no man would like me like this.” I choked out. “So, I don’t need your like either.” I wiped my tears and turned to leave, but Bella grabbed my hand. She cried with me, even harder than I did, constantly apologizing and saying sorry. “Maya.” “I really didn’t mean to. Please don’t be mad at Lucas anymore. I’ll resign tomorrow, I’ll disappear immediately! Lucas really loves you, please don’t make him sad, okay?” I hated Bella’s fake innocent act the most. Seeing Bella sobbing, my tears stopped instead. I forcefully shook off Bella and cursed. “Get lost!” Bella was thrown to the ground by me and looked up at me in shock. “Maya!” Lucas helped Bella up with heartache, looking at her scraped palm, and roared at me. “Are you crazy! Apologize to Bella!” “Keep dreaming.” “Want me to apologize,” I looked at Lucas, then at Bella, whose eyes flashed with triumph, and dropped a sentence, “If you don’t agree to the divorce, we’ll go through litigation.” I didn’t look back, nor did I care about Bella’s sobbing and Lucas’s voice coaxing her and calling me crazy behind me. Instead, I took a taxi straight to my best friend’s house. My best friend didn’t say a word. After taking me inside, she took out dozens of beers saved in the fridge and put them on the table, asking me just one question. “Enough?” I looked at my best friend, and my eyes suddenly turned red. She didn’t speak, just opened her arms to me and asked, “Hug?” I completely broke down, crying loudly in her arms. I cried until my voice broke, until my whole body trembled, until I threw up in the toilet. In the end, I told her. “I want a divorce!” “I want a divorce!” “I want Lucas to die a miserable death!” What is the end of love? It’s two people who were once so close they were willing to fight the world together turning into opponents wielding knives at each other, determined to fight to the death. It’s going from hoping to enter the tomb of marriage and let flowers of love grow from it, to finally realizing the truth that even roses wither. Chapter 3 I stayed at my best friend’s house for half a month. During that half month. I saw Bella updating her status on social media every day. In every post, there was a shadow of Lucas. [There’s a moon in the sky, and I have a star.] (Note: Lucas’s name contains “Xing,” meaning star.) The picture was a selfie of Bella, and in the corner, the back of Lucas taking a call in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. [Stars always shine, and I will chase the light.] The picture was a star ring on Bella’s hand, refracting a halo under the light, and a hand with distinct knuckles. It was Lucas’s. [Star taking me to see the world!] The picture was a first-class cabin. Bella smiling brightly, and a sleeping profile next to her. Item after item. My best friend jumped up in anger, pointing at Bella’s post and cursing, “Fck that btch! Is Lucas fcking blind? Can’t he see this slt has bad intentions? Even a dog wouldn’t believe it!” My best friend was furious. Instead, I seemed calm. I seemed to be almost out of the withdrawal period. Regarding my best friend’s rage, I commented calmly. “Lucas knows very well.” “Knows very well?” My best friend sat next to me. “What the f*ck, then why does he still say they’re innocent?” “In Lucas’s view, as long as two people haven’t slept in the same bed, they are innocent. After all, he always believes he hasn’t cheated.” Lucas always held onto that bottom line. So, whenever I threw a tantrum, he always had that line [Bella and I are innocent, it’s your heart that’s dirty! You see everything as dirty because your heart is dirty] and I would be rendered speechless. Now, looking back at these past events. I’ve let it go. I reminded my best friend, “The movers are almost here.” Lucas and I are getting divorced, and I’m moving out, so naturally, I have to go to the house and take what belongs to me. After all. My mother’s belongings are still there. “Good that you’ve figured it out.” My best friend followed me home and waited at the door. I watched Bella’s posts and knew Lucas was on a business trip these days. I thought Lucas and I wouldn’t meet, but unexpectedly, as soon as I opened the door, I smelled food from the kitchen. When I walked closer, I saw Bella sitting cross-legged at the dining table eating prawns at a glance. Seeing me. Bella’s expression froze, like a child who did something wrong, and immediately stood up to call me. “Maya.” I looked at Bella wearing my pajamas and slippers, then at Lucas bringing out a dish, his smile freezing, and then speaking stiffly to me, “Have you eaten?” I ignored Lucas’s gesture and walked to the bedroom. Suddenly, I froze. My figurines neatly placed on the headboard were all messed up, even the bed was a mess. The wardrobe had obviously been rummaged through, and even the safe in the back had been opened. My heart tightened, and I subconsciously checked the contents of the safe. “Maya…” The safe was empty. Bella stood at the door, her voice so weak I could barely hear: “Sorry, my luggage got lost on the way back with Lucas. He told me to come here and get some clothes to wear first.” “I accidentally… opened the safe…” My brain buzzed. I turned around and saw the jade fragments in Bella’s hand. My breathing stopped. “I really didn’t mean to.” “Maya, please!” Bella suddenly lunged at me, then knelt down with a thud in front of me, grabbing my arm, crying. “Please forgive me!” Chapter 4 “I didn’t know it was your mother’s keepsake! I didn’t know, I really didn’t know!” Bella grabbed my hand. “Hit me!” “Please!” “Hit me, make me feel better!” Bella was about to kowtow to me. Seeing her head about to hit the ground, suddenly a hand came between us. Lucas held her forehead, pulled up the trembling Bella, and looked at me lightly. “The dead cannot be brought back to life. Things are just inanimate objects. There’s no need to make things difficult for the living because of dead things. Bella already knows she was wrong.” Lucas’s tone was flat, as if this was a very, very small matter. And I was a very, very narrow-minded person. He protected Bella in a protective stance, telling me. “Stop making things difficult for Bella. Her psychological burden is already heavy enough.” I couldn’t say a word, didn’t even express an attitude. As long as Bella acted pitiful, everything was my fault. From Bella stealing my earrings, to Bella taking my paintings, to Bella smashing my wedding photo with Lucas, to Bella barging into my home, my territory, and now, breaking the last thing my mother left me. Lucas was still telling me to forgive, telling me to be magnanimous. My brain kept buzzing, my throat tightened, and the trembling of my fingertips betrayed my lack of calm. I turned to look at Bella, who was still shedding tears in Lucas’s arms, walked directly to her, and in front of Lucas, grabbed Bella’s hair and slammed her hard against the wall. Then, amidst Bella’s broken scream, I kicked her knee. She really knelt in front of me this time. “That’s not how you kowtow.” I stepped on Bella’s knee with one foot and grabbed her head with one hand, slamming it heavily on the ground. A violent impact sounded. I heard Bella scream, watched bright red blood seep from her forehead, and told her, “This is called kowtowing and admitting mistakes!” My eyes were red. I grabbed Bella’s head and was about to slam it down again, but Lucas grabbed my wrist. He forcefully stopped my movement and looked at me gloomily. “Let go!” “Dream on!” Lucas raised another hand to pin me down, then forcefully pried my fingers open. Watching my nails almost being broken, I frowned in pain, but he seemed unaware, still prying my hand open bit by bit, warning me. “Don’t go too far, Maya!” Too far? I looked at Lucas and laughed in anger, “Lucas, the difference between humans and animals is that humans can think and distinguish right from wrong. Humans have moral constraints, not just relying on passion to decide unconditional protection!” “Since you decided to protect Bella!” “Fine!” Ignoring my nails being broken and blood flowing from my fingertips, while Lucas was stunned, I endured the excruciating pain and scratched Bella’s face hard. Accompanied by my nail completely breaking. And the face of Bella that appeared in dozens of my social media feeds every day was ruined together. Bella completely broke down. I laughed out loud completely. “What is this!” “This is karma!” “Let me tell you, Lucas,” I looked at Lucas’s incredulous expression, then at Bella covering her face and screaming like a chicken, reminding him, “I’ve never been a kind person! You should have known!” “Lucas!” “You’ve completely pissed me off!” “Let me tell you!” “If I don’t ruin you! My name isn’t Lin!”

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After the transmigrator who stole my luck finally left, the world returned to normal. Everyone suddenly remembered how much they used to love me. But it was too late. 1 I lay in bed, the familiar pain gnawing at my body. But today, I didn’t reach for the painkillers like I usually did. Because suddenly, rows of bullet comments floated before my eyes. I thought I was hallucinating, but they felt incredibly real. [Is this the female lead of this world? She’s so pitiful.] [So many mini-worlds are being invaded by transmigrators lately. The original protagonists are suffering.] [She’s lucky she still has her organs. I saw a female lead in another world who was drained dry by a transmigrator, even her heart was dug out.] [Sigh, in the original setting, she was supposed to be the beloved princess, adored by everyone.] [Good thing the transmigrator has been cleared out. Her world line is starting to repair.] I stared blankly at these comments, my mind buzzing. So, I was the protagonist of this world? I used to be happy. My parents spoiled me, my brother protected me, my fiancé loved me deeply. I had countless admirers and was the center of attention. Back then, I was confident and radiant, the irreplaceable princess in everyone’s eyes. Everything changed when Chloe appeared. She seemed tough yet pitiful, delicate and moving, quickly earning everyone’s sympathy. My parents sponsored her, adopted her as a goddaughter. My brother took care of her in every way. Even my fiancé started leaning towards her. At first, I wasn’t afraid. I thought it was temporary, that they just pitied her circumstances. I always believed that in their hearts, I was the most important one. Until things spiraled out of control. It was as if they were bewitched, willing to give everything for her, while becoming increasingly cold towards me. The warmth that once surrounded me was stolen by her, bit by bit. I gradually became air, a superfluous person in this world. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t feel even a shred of kindness anymore. 2 Just then, the comments started scrolling again. [Heard the news? After Chloe left, everyone she bewitched woke up.] [Tsk tsk, the female lead’s parents, brother, and that fiancé… they’re all going crazy looking for her now.] [Who would have thought the once pampered princess is now living in this shabby basement?] [So ironic. They were so eager to abuse the female lead back then, now they remember she was good? Too late.] I stared at the comments, feeling nothing. If they were really looking for me, I only hoped they would never find me. I didn’t know how to face them. Not because of resentment, but because… I was just too tired. The cold glares and accusations had long exhausted the last bit of warmth in my heart. Love can disappear, especially after repeated disappointments. Now, I just wanted to live in a quiet corner. Without their disturbance, no matter how destitute, life would be easier. But fate had other plans. The comments started scrolling frantically. [Holy sht! Her fiancé found her! Liam has found the address and is on his way!]* [He’s coming! He’s coming!!] My mind went blank instantly. The first thought was to run. I struggled to get up from the bed, but as soon as I propped myself up, my vision went black, and I fell back heavily. My stomach felt like it was being twisted by knives, my chest tight. It took a while to catch my breath. I clenched my fists, hatred surging. Why wouldn’t he let me go even after driving me to this point? Trembling, I grabbed a fruit knife from the bedside table, hid it under the covers, and stared dead at the door, body tense. [Ex-fiancé has been standing at the door for five minutes. Is he coming in?] [Speaking of which, what identity does he have to see the female lead now? Fiancé? Don’t make me laugh. He was the one who broke off the engagement.] [He despised her so much back then, now he’s shamelessly coming to find her.] I held my breath. The door was locked from the inside. He couldn’t get in. I thought I could relax a little. The next second, BANG! The door was kicked open. I almost jumped out of my skin. I used to be bold, but now the slightest disturbance was enough to give me palpitations for half a day. [? Bro, can’t you knock?] [Aren’t you here to apologize? Why do you look scarier than a debt collector?] [Coming to visit without bringing fruit is one thing, but tearing down the door? Is ex-fiancé here to apologize or to fight?] I couldn’t care less about the comments anymore. Because Liam was standing at the door, locking eyes with me. In that instant, my heart almost stopped. Fear. Terrifying fear. I burrowed under the quilt like an ostrich. As if he couldn’t hurt me if I couldn’t see him. But I still heard his footsteps. Leather shoes on the floor tiles. Step. Step. Heavier with each step. I counted silently, my hand gripping the knife handle under the covers tightly. The moment he approached the bed, I threw off the quilt and stabbed at him viciously! Thud— The dull sound of the blade entering flesh sobered me instantly. Blood gushed from Liam’s shoulder. He didn’t dodge. Red-eyed, he stared at me motionless. As if he knew I would do this, even willing to let me do whatever I wanted. In that moment, I was more scared than before. Because I didn’t know what he wanted to do, nor did I know… what I did wrong. My breathing was rapid, vision darkening. Violent emotions tore at me. I clutched my chest and fell back onto the bed, unable to breathe, feeling like my chest was about to explode. I only heard him shouting my name in panic: “Nora! Nora, what’s wrong?!” His voice was hoarse, urgent, filled with regret and fear. But I only felt nauseous. Don’t call me that. Don’t call me “Nora.” Consciousness fading bit by bit, I completely passed out. 3 When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed. Looking at the long-lost sunlight, I didn’t feel warmth, only a piercing glare. It was the light I once craved, now a painful spot I couldn’t look at directly. I slowly turned my stiff neck, my gaze landing on the chair beside the bed. Liam was leaning there, eyes closed as if napping, his brow furrowed with exhaustion and loneliness. In this instant, my body began to tremble uncontrollably. Fear grew from my marrow, pressing down until I could barely breathe. I bit my lip hard, trying to suppress the wave of nausea rising within me. But just as I instinctively tried to turn away to escape, the heart rate monitor beside me suddenly blared an urgent alarm. Liam woke up with a start, his face changing color. He threw himself to my side, his voice panicked and rushed. “Nora? You’re awake! How do you feel? Does anything hurt? The doctor said you…” As he spoke, he reached out to touch my face. But in that moment, his approach was like a snake flicking its tongue. His voice, his scent, filled me with utter disgust and terror. Nausea surged, my stomach cramping. I grabbed the edge of the bed and started retching violently. Liam’s hand froze in mid-air, stiff as stone. The color drained from his face completely, leaving only a bewildered, helpless look like he’d been hit by a heavy hammer. [No way, Ex-fiancé, can’t you feel the female lead is physiologically repulsed by you? Why still clinging?] [I’m new here, this plot is suffocating. What exactly did Liam do to make the female lead like this?] [Can’t explain in a few words. It’s mostly trauma. Overnight she was despised by everyone, even the world’s consciousness started rejecting her. It wasn’t easy for her to even survive.] My stomach was empty, nothing came up but dry heaves. I lay back weakly on the bed, gasping for air. In my peripheral vision, Liam was still frozen there like a statue, his face written with regret and fear. There was a glass of water on the table, but I didn’t dare reach for it. No matter how thirsty, I didn’t want any possibility of touching him. Suddenly, thud. Liam knelt down. I froze, turning to look. Liam lowered his head, voice hoarse and incoherent, but every word burned with regret: “Nora, I was wrong, it’s all my fault… I shouldn’t have trusted Chloe… shouldn’t have doubted you… I… I’m a bastard, I failed you, it’s all my fault…” My ears buzzed. His voice was like a fly buzzing around, annoying, piercing, suffocating. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I pulled the quilt over my head, silently resisting everything. 4 After a long time, sensing my resistance, Liam finally quieted down. His kneeling figure remained motionless. Until much later, he stood up, footsteps slow and heavy, walking towards the door step by step. Only when the door clicked shut and the room returned to silence did I quietly breathe a sigh of relief. But not long after, the door was pushed open again. I immediately tensed, pulling the quilt tighter, leaving only a tiny slit to observe the outside. It was a doctor and two nurses, followed by a solemn-looking Liam. The doctor flipped through the chart, tone grave: “Nora’s condition… is very bad.” “She not only has severe chronic gastritis, long-term malnutrition, insomnia, immune system disorders… but also obvious symptoms of PTSD.” “Worse, her spirit has been suppressed for too long. She’s on the verge of a breakdown. If she doesn’t receive systematic treatment soon, organ failure could occur at any time.” Through the slit, I saw Liam’s face turn deathly white under the lights, as if drained of blood. He stood motionless, throat bobbing, finally speaking in a low voice: “Doctor… please, cure her. I beg you, whatever it takes… cure her.” His voice was filled with a pleading that was almost on its knees. The doctor looked at him with a complex expression and sighed: “Mr. Miller, I understand how you feel. But besides medical treatment, we also need her willingness to recover. If she doesn’t cooperate mentally, the treatment’s effectiveness will be greatly reduced.” “Also, the wound on your shoulder needs immediate attention. It’s starting to bleed.” Liam looked down at his blood-soaked shoulder, shaking his head: “It’s fine, I don’t feel pain.” The nurse didn’t give him a choice, insisting on taking him out: “The wound can’t wait. Please cooperate.” As the door closed again, the ward finally returned to silence. My grip on the quilt corner finally loosened, palms sweaty. I closed my eyes silently. I knew my body’s condition well, but having it exposed in front of someone who hurt me felt deeply humiliating. 5 In the short twenty minutes Liam was taken away, the ward door was pushed open again. I curled up instinctively, thinking he was back. But this time, it was two long-lost faces. “Family” I thought I would never see again. My mother, Jane, and my father, Arthur. Before I could react, Jane let out a hoarse cry: “Nora! My precious daughter, Mommy finally found you!” She rushed over, hugging me tightly, almost suffocating me. “Why are you so thin? Your face is so sharp! Oh, Mommy is sorry, Mommy didn’t protect you well. Mommy will never let you suffer again!” Her voice trembled with tears, full of repentance. But in her embrace, I felt no warmth. I lay motionless, letting her hug me like a puppet. Arthur stood by the bed, looking pained, eyes red, whispering: “It’s Daddy’s fault… Nora, Daddy was wrong.” Daddy… Mommy… So I did have parents. Funny how they only remembered me now. Their regret came too late, and too light. I lay stiffly in Jane’s arms, staring blankly at the ceiling, saying nothing, doing nothing. Time passed second by second. The crying gradually subsided. Finally, they noticed something was wrong. I hadn’t responded a single word. Jane froze for a moment, then panic-strickenly touched my forehead, patted my cheek: “Nora? Why aren’t you talking? Are you feeling unwell? Mommy’s here, don’t be afraid, Mommy’s here…” Tears fell from her eyes like broken beads: “Oh my god… how did this happen? My daughter… how did my daughter become like this? This is a sin…” She cried heartbreakingly. But to my ears, it sounded like it came from behind a thick wall—hollow, fake, weightless. Just like when she kicked me out of the house. Same face, same voice. Only then, she said: “Nora, don’t come back and embarrass us!” I withdrew my gaze imperceptibly, letting her cry. I had long lost any illusions about the word “family.” I was no longer the Nora who would humbly cling to them for a rare kind word. Arthur wiped his eyes, voice low: “Where’s the doctor? Doctor! I want to transfer my daughter, right now! To our own hospital!” He walked quickly towards the door. Jane wiped her tears too. “Nora, don’t be afraid. That Liam is too sinister. He found you first and secretly sent you to this hospital without telling us. He doesn’t care about you; he just wants to win your forgiveness while you’re weak!” She stroked my arm gently. “Once Daddy arranges it, we’ll transfer you. Send you to the best doctors, get the best treatment. Mommy will stay with you this time, okay? Nora?” Her fingers brushed over my skin inch by inch. The warm touch felt like crawling insects. Suddenly, I felt a stinging itch on my skin. My pale hand quickly broke out in a large rash. Every place she touched had the same reaction. Jane saw it and screamed: “Doctor! Doctor, come quickly!” The doctor rushed in. After examining me, he frowned: “This is an obvious allergic reaction. Has she come into contact with any allergens?” Jane looked panicked: “No, she wasn’t allergic before, never since she was little… Ah…” She seemed to realize something, her face turning pale. She looked at me, then at the doctor, voice trembling: “Is my daughter… allergic… to me?” The doctor was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly: “In cases of extreme psychological trauma, if a patient has strong rejection towards a specific person, psychogenic contact dermatitis can occur. The body rejects the presence she doesn’t want to accept. It’s a defense mechanism.” The room fell silent enough to hear a pin drop.

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1 The day before my wedding, I went to my fiancé’s office to surprise him with lunch. What I found instead was Lily Vance—the woman who’d left him for being poor and gone abroad—draped across his lap. When she saw me, Lily deliberately tightened her arms around Leo’s neck. “So you’re the little social climber who just plays cards all day? Leo is a celebrated architect now. You’re not in his league.” I ignored her and looked straight at Leo. “Are you calling off the wedding?” My fiancé’s face was a mask of cold indifference. “I need a partner in my career, Stella, not a common woman who only knows how to gossip over a card game.” He sneered. “The stench of the common world on you… it makes me sick.” I didn’t scream. I didn’t cry. I just went back to the private club and, as usual, sat down with my regular partners for a game of Bridge. Leo was right. My daily routine was playing cards. What he didn’t know was that the women at my table held his entire future in their hands. I picked up a card, the ace of spades, and played it with a calm, deliberate motion. “Mrs. Kingston,” I said, my voice light, “that downtown design project your husband is overseeing? Don’t give it to Leo. I have someone better.” … Across the table, Mrs. Kingston paused, her hand hovering over a card. She looked up at me, not with a question in her eyes, but with complete understanding. “Of course, dear. Whatever you say.” She picked up her phone and stepped away from the table. Her voice was low but every word was crystal clear. “Henry, darling? About that downtown project… put it on hold. Yes, replace Leo. Stella has a more suitable candidate.” She hung up and returned to her seat as if she had just instructed her maid to change the dinner menu. My face was impassive. I continued to draw and play my cards as if nothing had happened. Less than ten minutes later, Leo’s call came through. I declined, hung up, and blocked his number. The movements were a single, fluid motion. Half an hour later, the club door was thrown open with such force that it shuddered on its hinges. Leo stood there, panting, his eyes bloodshot, glaring at me like a cornered animal. Lily Vance was clinging to his arm, the picture of fragile innocence, but her eyes glittered with triumph and provocation. Leo stormed over to my table, swept the cards into a pile, and slammed them to the floor. “Stella! The Kingston project is dead! Was this your doing?!” The sharp clatter of the cards was jarring in the quiet room. Mrs. Kingston’s brow furrowed, her expression turning to ice. “Mr. Armstrong, you are not welcome here. Please leave.” Leo completely ignored her, his rage focused solely on me. “Have you had your fun? Don’t play dumb with me! I know you went crying to the Kingstons! Do you have any idea how many nights I spent on that project, how many proposals I drew up? And you destroy it all just because I chose Lily?” Lily immediately gave his sleeve a timid tug, her voice just loud enough for the table to hear. “Leo, darling, don’t be like that. It couldn’t possibly have been Stella. She doesn’t have that kind of influence. I’m sure it was just a last-minute procedural change, or maybe one of your competitors sabotaged you. You shouldn’t blame an innocent person.” Her words were placating, but her body pressed closer to his, staking her claim. At her “reminder,” the suspicion in Leo’s eyes wavered. That’s right. Stella was just a woman who kept rich wives company at the card table. How could she possibly have the power to kill a project that Mr. Kingston himself had approved? He’d much rather believe it was a rival. His gaze shifted from suspicion to pure contempt and disgust. “Get a grip, Stella! Look at yourself. What can you do besides wait on these wealthy women? The cheapness clinging to you is utterly repulsive!” “I need a partner like Lily, someone who can help me with my career, with my connections! Not some common woman who only knows how to play cards!” “Do you think I’m finished without the Kingston project? Let me tell you something. Without me, you are the one who has nothing!” He spat his final words, grabbed Lily’s hand, and stormed out as if fleeing something foul. The club was silent. Mrs. Kingston handed me a cup of tea. “Stella, don’t waste your anger on a man like that.” I shook my head and gave a small, self-deprecating laugh. Across from me, Mrs. Albright played a card with a slow, deliberate hand. “The lead architect for the new downtown redevelopment project hasn’t been chosen yet,” she said casually. “The requirements aren’t steep. Just a clean record… and impeccable character.” An idea sparked in my mind. I picked up a card, looked toward the door where Leo had disappeared, and placed it gently on the table. “And… game,” I said. “A clean sweep.” After they left, Leo and Lily convinced themselves the Kingston project was a fluke, a bit of sabotage from a competitor. They pinned all their hopes on the new downtown redevelopment project. Lily pulled strings with her father and managed to secure Leo a coveted presentation slot. That night, Leo sent me a text. It was a photo of him with a well-known city official. [See this, Stella? This is where I belong.] [The lead designer role for the redevelopment is mine.] [If you hadn’t been so dramatic, that could be you standing next to me. Too bad. Not your fate.] I looked at the boastful message, found it laughable, and deleted it. The next day, at the card table. I brought it up casually with Mrs. Albright. “Mrs. Albright, I heard there’s an architect named Leo Armstrong in the running for the redevelopment project?” Mrs. Albright nodded, her expression neutral. “Yes, I believe so. His proposal was decent. A bit clever.” I smiled, as if we were just making small talk. “He was a senior of mine in college. He was always so talented. His graduation project even won the Gold Medal.” I paused, then added, “But I heard a rumor later… that the award-winning design was actually plagiarized from his girlfriend at the time. The poor girl was so foolish. She covered the whole thing up to protect his future.” Mrs. Albright’s hand slowed as she reached for a card. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes darkened as she glanced at me. On the day of the presentations, I went to the city hall. I had just found a seat in the audience when Lily appeared. She looked down her nose at me, a smirk playing on her lips. “Common women belong in their card clubs. A place like this is above your station.” I didn’t look up, just calmly smoothed the hem of my dress. “I came to see how something I threw away is being treated like a treasure.” Lily’s face tightened. She shot me a hateful glare and stalked off. Leo, dressed in a sharp designer suit, was on stage, speaking eloquently. His proposal was impressive, drawing rounds of applause. When he finished, he made a point of looking in my direction, his eyes filled with a mixture of contempt and triumph. Lily sat in the section reserved for family, smiling like the lady of the manor. The judges on the panel were whispering among themselves, clearly pleased with his work. The host was already raising the microphone to announce the decision. “Ladies and gentlemen, regarding Mr. Armstrong’s proposal, the committee is in unanimous agreement that…” Just then, Director Albright—Mrs. Albright’s husband—who was seated on the panel, raised his hand. “One moment.” Every eye in the auditorium turned to him. Director Albright held up a file. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried through the silent hall. “Mr. Armstrong, behind this stunning proposal of yours, I have just one question.” “Why does the core design concept of your graduation project, ‘Dream Weaver,’ bear such a striking resemblance to a publicly presented thesis by a Ms. Stella Ross, titled ‘Lightspire’?” The smile froze on Leo’s face. He looked as if he’d been struck by lightning, his mind a complete blank. Director Albright projected a side-by-side comparison of the two designs onto the massive screen behind the stage. The overlapping sections were highlighted in red. It was damning. “We had several industry experts conduct an independent analysis. The conclusion is that your work constitutes plagiarism of over ninety percent.” “For an architect, academic integrity is the foundation. For a civic project, the designer’s character is the minimum requirement.” The hall erupted in gasps and murmurs. Leo’s face was ashen. He stood trembling on the stage, a clown stripped bare for all to see. His eligibility was revoked on the spot. The plagiarism scandal spread through the industry like a plague. Reeling from one blow after another, his reputation in tatters, Leo finally started to suspect I was behind it. But he had no proof, and he couldn’t bring himself to believe I wielded that kind of power. All he could do was call me, ranting and raving like a madman. Lily, however, refused to believe it. She was convinced I was a brainless twit. “Leo, darling, don’t overthink it. Stella isn’t smart enough for that.” “It has to be your jealous rivals, trying to drag you down! Don’t worry, I’ll help you!” To salvage Leo’s crumbling reputation, Lily threw a lavish gala for the city’s top architects. She wanted to use the event to show everyone that Leo was still a brilliant genius, with her and her family’s backing. I received an invitation, embossed in gold foil. It felt like a declaration of war. I knew it was a trap. At the gala, architects who knew Leo saw me and shot me looks of pity and disdain, quickly turning away. Lily, in a pristine white evening gown, moved through the crowd like a proud peacock. When she saw me, a flicker of malice crossed her face, as if she were plotting something. She walked toward me, a glass of red wine in hand. As she got close, her ankle “twisted,” and the entire glass of wine splashed across my dress. The crimson liquid was a garish stain on my cream-colored gown. “Oh my goodness, Stella, I am so, so sorry!” she cried out, her voice loud enough to draw everyone’s attention. “It was an accident! Are you alright? I’m just so clumsy.” Before I could say a word, Leo rushed over, pulling Lily behind him protectively. He scowled at me, his face a mask of impatience and disgust. “Stella, what the hell is your problem? You follow us here, and now you’re trying to hurt Lily?” “I remember how you begged your distant, business-owning relative to help me get started. Is this how you repay me? With these cheap, pathetic games of revenge?” With that one statement, he branded me a bitter, obsessive ex. People around us began to whisper. “So that’s her. I heard she’s the one who reported him for plagiarism.” “If she can’t have him, she’ll destroy him. That woman is manipulative.” “Look at what she’s wearing. Looks like it’s from a discount rack. How did she even get in here?” The whispers were like needles, pricking at me from all sides. The same suffocating feeling from my past life—of being isolated and misunderstood by everyone—closed in around me. I looked at the perfectly synchronized performance of the wretched pair before me. I saw the false concern on their faces, hiding their smug satisfaction. I knew I had to make them pay. I smiled brightly at Lily. Then I took out my phone and, right in front of them, made a call. “Mrs. Zhang, are you awake? I’ve run into a bit of a situation.” Mrs. Zhang’s cheerful voice came through the line. “Not at all, dear. What’s going on? Take your time.” I glanced at Lily, whose face had instantly changed, and kept my voice just loud enough for those nearby to hear. “Oh, it’s nothing major. I was just wondering, is your husband still investigating Vance Holdings for tax evasion?” I paused. “I heard the chairman of Vance Holdings is Lily Vance’s father. If the evidence is solid, I imagine that’s enough for a ten-to-fifteen-year sentence, wouldn’t you say?” The other end of the line was silent for a few seconds. “Stella. Thank you for the tip. I know what to do.” I hung up, and with a small smile, raised my phone in a little toast to a pale, trembling Lily.

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My childhood best friend, Luke, got caught sneaking around with the school’s prom queen, Tiffany. To protect Tiffany’s reputation, he lied and said I was his girlfriend. I got suspended for it. Tiffany looked at me with mock sympathy, her eyes red. “Are you happy now?” “It’s just a few days of suspension,” she said. “Now the whole school thinks you two are together, so what am I?” Luke, trying to comfort her, forbade me from returning to school. “Be good,” he told me. “It’s exam season, she’ll get upset if she sees you.” “You’re smart anyway. You can study from home.” I didn’t listen. I went back to school. Luke scoffed when he saw me. “Miss me that much?” He didn’t know I was there to pick up my transfer papers. A month later, Luke called, demanding to know why I transferred. What he heard instead was a lazy, affectionate boy’s voice on the other end: “Babe, how can you be distracted right now? Answering other people’s calls?” “I’m enough for you. Be good, hang up the phone.” 1 Holding the thin transfer application form, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. The principal looked reluctant, still trying to keep me. “Miss Wen, the school apologizes for misunderstanding you. Suspending you without investigation was wrong. Please reconsider transferring…” I shook my head gently, but my resolve was firm. Saying goodbye to my favorite teachers, I couldn’t help but tear up. My favorite teacher wiped away my tears. “I hate to see you go, but your potential is wasted here.” Just as I reached the classroom door, I heard Luke’s lazy laughter. “I waited in line for four hours for this. Will the princess honor me with a bite?” Luke was leaning intimately against Tiffany’s desk. He held a spoon of tiramisu, coaxing it toward her lips. It was hard to imagine someone like Luke having the patience to wait in line for anything. Tiffany still looked a bit grumpy, but the corners of her mouth were already turning up. “Tsk, finally smiling for me?” Tiffany huffed. “Who told you to call someone else your girlfriend? I just wanted to teach you a lesson!” Luke smiled, pleading for mercy. “I did it for you! Wen is top of the class, she just gets a suspension. You’re… average. You would have been expelled.” Tiffany looked at me standing at the door with a triumphant smirk. “Aren’t you worried Wen will get expelled?” Luke pressed a finger to her lips, his eyes playful. “Wouldn’t that be better? Save you the trouble of seeing her.” “As long as you’re mad, I won’t let her come back to school. Forgive me now?” Tiffany slapped his hand away and lifted her chin. “Then who’s that standing at the door? Are you blind?” Luke froze. He turned to me, his smile vanishing instantly. He strode over, grabbed my arm, and dragged me out of the classroom, frowning. “Why are you here?” “Didn’t I tell you to study at home? It’s crunch time for exams, what if you distract her?” “I just got her to calm down, you ruined it!” Maybe because my heart had finally died, I didn’t cry like before. I shook off his hand and moved to pack my things. Luke saw my red eyes and paused. “Miss me that much?” He sighed, helpless. “Fine. Go home now, I’ll come back early to keep you company tonight, okay?” He hooked his pinky around mine and shook it. For a second, I was dazed. 2 Luke and I were inseparable since birth. Our parents were classmates, then neighbors. We were even born on the same day. Luke was older by a few minutes, so he was told to protect his “little sister.” In kindergarten, the first word he learned to write was my name. I had a stutter growing up. Luke fought anyone who laughed at me. When I was ten, my mom died. I locked myself in my room, refusing to eat. Luke climbed through the third-story window when I wouldn’t open the door. He held my pinky and comforted me all night. I cried until I broke, asking, “Will you leave me?” He hugged me tight. “Never.” When Luke bombed his high school entrance exams, I gave up my spot at the elite magnet school to stay with him at the local public school. I believed we would be together forever. But in high school, Luke changed. He started finding me clingy and annoying. He distanced himself at school. His attention shifted to Tiffany, the school beauty. He chased her loudly and proudly. Two weeks ago, someone snapped a photo of them kissing in the woods and posted it on the school forum. Luke’s tall frame hid the girl, showing only messy hair and a pale neck. The Dean was furious. He demanded to know who the girl was. Luke put his arm around me, kissed my forehead in front of everyone, and smirked. “Do you even have to ask? It’s obviously my childhood sweetheart!” I had imagined Luke confessing to me many times. I never imagined he would use me as a human shield for another girl. “I won’t leave you.” That promise still echoed in my ears. But Luke was no longer the boy from my memories. 3 I snapped out of the memory and pulled away from Luke again. Seeing me packing, Luke’s frown relaxed. “Just tell me what books you need, I would have brought them. Why come all this way?” “Do you know what day it is…” He stopped himself. “Whatever, now Tiffany’s upset again. I have to go fix this.” I’ve never been much of a talker. And I didn’t tell him I was transferring. Packing was quick. Senior year textbooks were heavy. My arms were getting sore. Luke naturally reached out and took the bag, walking out. “Come on, I’ll walk you home.” He carried the heavy bag effortlessly with one hand. With the other, he tossed me a bag of pastries. “Bought your favorite chestnut cakes. Eat them later.” I trotted to keep up, reaching for my bag. Luke switched hands, using his free hand to pinch the back of my neck, laughing. “Stop it. With your tiny arms, you’ll break something carrying this.” Suddenly, Tiffany spoke up. “Luke…” She bit her lip, looking pitiful. “My stomach hurts…” Luke spun around. The next second, the heavy bag was shoved into my arms. I stumbled back, hip slamming into a desk corner. “Take a taxi home.” Luke didn’t even look at me as he ran to Tiffany. Pain radiated from my hip. I picked up the bag and limped out. Behind me, Tiffany’s voice floated over: “Your little friend looks hurt. Poor thing.” “Is it cramps? Your period?” “But she really got hit hard.” “Stay there,” Luke said, impatient but not at her. “I’ll get heat packs and brown sugar water.” The hallway was noisy. Their voices faded. The last thing I heard was Tiffany’s sweet voice: “You’re so good to me.” I threw the chestnut cakes in the trash and walked away. 4 Back home, I got a call from Magnet High. “Miss Wen, your dorm and supplies are ready. Just come whenever.” The admissions officer sounded cheerful. “When will you be joining us? Your new classmates can’t wait to meet you.” I thought for a moment. “Tomorrow.” After hanging up, my dad knocked and entered with a plate of fruit. When I suddenly asked to transfer, I thought he’d ask why. But he just nodded. “Where do you want to go? I’ll handle the paperwork.” I wanted to tell him everything. But the words stuck in my throat, and I just cried. “It’s okay not to say.” He patted my back like when I was little. “I know you don’t make decisions lightly. Transferring is good. A fresh start.” “You’re my daughter. Whatever you want to do, Dad supports you.” I begged him not to tell Luke’s parents. He was surprised but agreed. This time, I wouldn’t sacrifice my future. 5 I started packing everything Luke had ever given me. Gift boxes piled up in the corner. Paper stars he folded when I was sad scattered on the floor. A giant teddy bear taking up half my bed. Expensive dresses. Handmade gloves. The polaroid camera and the stack of photos he insisted on taking. Two huge boxes. Taping them shut, I realized it was already night. I struggled to carry the boxes downstairs. The dumpster was at the corner. Just as I was about to throw them in, laughter drifted on the wind. Luke, holding a beer, smiling brightly. Tiffany leaning on his arm, holding sparklers. Someone yelled “Make a wish, Tiffany!”, someone sang Happy Birthday. So it was her birthday. They were chatting and laughing. Somehow the topic turned to transfers. “Heard someone in our grade is transferring? Is it… Wen?” “No way.” Luke was fixing Tiffany’s hair, scoffing. “She’s obsessed with me. She can’t leave me.” “True, she listened to you and stayed home. You’re ruthless, Luke. Aren’t you worried her grades will drop?” Luke sounded casual but certain: “Doesn’t matter. She’s going to the same college as me anyway. Higher scores won’t help.” Tiffany stomped her foot. “Luke! Do you have to talk about her on my birthday?” Luke pinched her nose lovingly. “Princess, how many times do I have to say it? She’s just a sister to me. You jealous of her?” I finished dumping the trash and turned to leave. But then I saw Tiffany playfully hit Luke’s arm. On her wrist was a familiar red string bracelet. I rushed over. “That… that’s mine!” Luke spun around, shocked. “Wen? Why are you here?” I couldn’t mistake it. The bracelet had little silver stars. My mom got it from a temple when she was sick. She climbed thousands of steps for it. One for me, one for Luke. She said it would protect us, that it would be like she was always with us. The string was frayed. Luke had worn it for five years. And now he gave my mom’s last gift to Tiffany! How dare he! Tiffany shrank behind Luke. “What’s wrong with her? Scary…” Smack. The sound of the slap cut through the night air. My hand wouldn’t stop shaking. Luke’s face turned to the side. He froze, shock and anger in his eyes. My eyes burned. I ripped the bracelet off my own wrist. “Who wants your trash!” I threw it over the bridge railing. “Keep it!” “Luke treats you so well, and you hit him!” Tiffany cried. Luke grabbed my wrist, face dark. “Why did you throw it?” I watched the red string disappear into the river below. Without hesitation, I climbed over the railing. “Wen!” “Luke!” Two panicked voices. Tiffany held Luke back. “Don’t go! She’s doing it on purpose! She hit you! She doesn’t care about you!” Luke’s hand froze in mid-air. Conflict raged in his eyes. Anger, worry, and the sting of humiliation. “The bridge isn’t high, the water isn’t deep. She’s just scaring you!” “You’re bleeding. We need to go to the hospital!” After a long silence, Luke’s voice was ice cold. “Let’s go.” The river water hit my knees, bone-chillingly cold. We crossed this bridge every day for school. I remembered Luke always holding my hand, keeping me in the middle, away from the edge. “Stay away. What if you fall? I’m scared.” I’d tease him. “What if you fall?” He’d grip tighter. “I’d be fine. But you can’t fall.” The bridge that seemed so high back then was just a small jump now. I found the bracelet in the rocks. Walking home, I realized something. The bridge didn’t get shorter. The person who used to be afraid I’d fall just stopped caring if I got hurt. But it’s okay. I don’t need him anymore.

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I was in the middle of a game when my roommate suddenly ripped my headphones off and smashed them into pieces. “You’re still playing games?!” he roared. He forced my game to quit and opened the campus forum. I saw the pinned post and froze. “Student Sophie Su Expelled for Degrading Conduct Involving Foreign Nationals, Violating University Honor Code.” I was stunned. That’s my girlfriend. My roommate then quickly turned on his VPN and opened an international streaming site. He said furiously, “Your girlfriend is being livestreamed. The whole school knows!” I finally saw it. A foreigner had started a livestream with the title: “Took down an Easy Girl from China in one day!” In the livestream app, my girlfriend, Sophie, was sitting in a foreigner’s lap. She looked completely enamored, letting the man hold and kiss her. She looked straight at the camera without shame and coquettishly told the guy, “You can’t post this, okay?” The foreigner grinned and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t show anyone. I’ll only watch it when I miss you.” Sophie giggled, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him back passionately. Little did she know, this guy wasn’t just going to show it to people—he was livestreaming it on the international web, letting the whole world see just how cheap she was! I was in a daze. Because my girlfriend, Sophie, was supposed to be in Shanghai on a trip with her best friend. She told me she’d been feeling down lately and wanted to travel with her bestie. She said she didn’t have enough money and asked me to help out. To make her happy, I lived frugally and worked part-time jobs just to buy her a plane ticket to Shanghai. And in the end, this is how she treats me! I basically paid to send her to another man’s bed! I shouted, “Who is this guy?” My roommate said, “You missed the earlier stream. This guy is Ukrainian, an esports player. Your girlfriend went to Shanghai to watch him compete. They added each other on socials, and it hasn’t even been a day, and they’re already in bed! This is huge, it’s trending in twelve countries!” The world was spinning. I couldn’t believe the forward girl in the livestream was my girlfriend. Back when I was chasing her, she wasn’t this open. She demanded gifts every day, demanded romance, or she wouldn’t date me. She always said, “If he cares, you don’t need to teach him; if he doesn’t, you can’t teach him anyway,” using such strict standards to judge me. But in front of that foreigner, she was a completely different person. No, I couldn’t believe this was my girlfriend. It must just be someone who looks like her! My girlfriend must still be traveling with her best friend right now! I quickly called her, staring intently at the phone screen. To my horror, a ringtone rang out in the livestream. I watched helplessly as Sophie picked up the phone. The foreigner asked curiously, “Who is it?” Sophie said, “My boyfriend.” In that moment, my heart died completely. The comments section exploded. There were probably a lot of Chinese people watching the stream for the drama, and a string of “WTF” flooded the chat. The foreigner grinned, “You have a boyfriend and you’re still sleeping with me?” She thought for a moment, then playfully stuck out her tongue and said, “We have a saying in China: Since we’re chasing thrills, we might as well go all the way.” That slut! She said that in a livestream the whole world could see! After saying that, she actually answered my call! Then she hugged the Ukrainian guy, letting him kiss her neck and shoulders. I held the phone, hearing Sophie’s panting on the other end. She gasped out, “Baby, I’m rushing to a scenic spot. Shanghai is so big, I’m exhausted from walking.” The panting on the phone, combined with the intimate actions on the screen, seemed to mock me for being a stupid dog. I am her boyfriend. But now, she was treating me like a tool for her thrill-seeking game. I opened my mouth, but found I couldn’t say a word. My mouth was full of bitterness. Sophie, hearing my silence, looked at her phone in confusion and then hung up. Then she opened WeChat and sent me a voice message: “Baby, your signal is bad, I can’t hear you.” My roommate asked me confusedly, “Why didn’t you speak just now? Why didn’t you expose her true face?” I watched the livestream, gritting my teeth, “The main event hasn’t started yet. Before she strips naked, why should I let this slut realize she’s embarrassing herself in front of the whole world?” My roommate realized what I meant. He gave me a thumbs up and said, “Good job! I was afraid you’d go soft because of your past love and stop her from humiliating herself further.” I watched Sophie being so proactive on the screen, and fury rose in my heart. That bitch. I spent so much money on her. I want her to spit it all back out! The foreigner was still holding Sophie, asking with interest, “You’re so bold, aren’t you afraid your boyfriend will find out?” Obviously, in his mind, Sophie was just a tool. He knew Sophie was bringing him a lot of traffic right now, so this question wasn’t for him—it was for all the viewers! Without knowing it, Sophie had entered the Q&A segment of the show. She said, “I just made a decision that any Chinese girl would make.” The foreigner asked puzzledly, “What do you mean?” Sophie said, “Chinese men suck. They are our last resort. We get together with them only because there’s nothing better at the moment.” The foreigner laughed loudly, “So you’d rather cheat and have a good time with me for a night, right?” Sophie giggled, “Yeah, we all worship your size.” At this moment, the comments section had completely exploded. “I’m also a Chinese girl, please don’t represent me.” “I’m a Chinese girl. I would choose a foreign man, but I would break up with my boyfriend fair and square first.” “I also dislike Chinese men, but honestly, what’s more unacceptable than Chinese men is cheating and knowingly being the other woman! This girl is both!” “I support her! She just did what all men would do. The ones scolding her are all men whose egos were bruised. Stop using alt accounts to pretend to be women here!” “I’m not a man, but the person above is really a dog.” The comments section was filled with curses, and a tiny minority of comments supporting Sophie. Just then, my phone rang suddenly. I looked at it, and rage flared up instantly! It was Sophie’s best friend! I picked up the phone, and she said, “I saw you calling in the livestream. Do you already know?” I said, “Didn’t you tell me Sophie was traveling with you and told me not to worry?” Her best friend said helplessly, “I lied to you, but I didn’t know that guy would livestream it online! It happened, is there any use talking about this now? If you want an apology, I’m saying sorry to you now. Happy?” I was stunned. Her self-righteous attitude left me completely unsure of how to respond. I said, “What do you want?” She said, “No time for nonsense. Go to the campus forum immediately and post a thread saying Sophie didn’t cheat, but that you two were already fighting and in a cold war, which led her to travel to clear her mind. And say you already broke up with her, and she was just calling you ‘baby’ out of wishful thinking. Just explain it to everyone like that, understand?” I asked in shock, “Why should I do that?” She said excitedly, “Don’t you get it? Sophie is the biggest victim now! She was livestreamed and expelled from school. Only you can help her minimize the damage now!” I couldn’t help saying, “Are you drunk? She spent my money to fly to Shanghai to sleep with a foreigner, and you want me to help her minimize the damage?” Sophie’s best friend broke down, “Why don’t you understand! She betrayed you, yes, but now only you can save her! Hurry up and post the thread! If you delay any longer, her life will be ruined by you!” I hung up directly. My roommate also heard what Sophie’s best friend said. He said in shock, “How can this woman be so stupid and so evil!” I said, “She’s not stupid.” It had been so long since the incident happened. As Sophie’s best friend, claiming to care about her sister, she didn’t call to inform her but instead asked me to post a thread. What does this mean? It means she was afraid of appearing in the livestream herself and getting criticized, so she wanted me to take the bullet! Sophie’s best friend, whom I hung up on, bombarded me with text messages. “Hurry up and help her! Didn’t you love her?” “Since you loved her, even if she doesn’t love you, you should do something for her, even just a little bit!” “Don’t be so irresponsible. Men should be magnanimous!” “She is the victim! She is being livestreamed in front of the whole world. Even if you don’t post, at least call her to stop all this! Don’t let her take off her clothes. If that gets recorded, she won’t be able to live!” I got annoyed reading her messages and blocked her number directly, then looked at the phone screen. Things had spiraled out of control. Because Sophie’s livestream video was already trending in over a dozen countries. The whole world was watching this joke, the whole world was learning what an Easy Girl from China looks like! My roommate hesitated for a moment and said, “Do you want to call and stop all this?” I sighed and said, “One thought can be kind, one thought can be evil. Whatever the final outcome is, let her choose for herself.” I finally picked up my phone and dialed Sophie’s number. Right now, she was trending in over a dozen countries. The world was waiting to see her take off her clothes and become that cheap girl. The choice was entirely in her own hands. In the livestream, Sophie glanced at her phone and said, “My boyfriend is calling again.” The foreigner laughed loudly and actually undid the buttons of Sophie’s top. Sophie picked up the phone with an excited look on her face, panting as she spoke to me, “Baby, what’s wrong?” I said, “Your best friend admitted it to me. I know you cheated.” In an instant, the smile on Sophie’s face froze. I didn’t tell her she was being livestreamed. Everything could still be saved. It all depended on how she chose. I said, “I treated you so well, yet you slept with a foreigner you met for one day. I just calculated it. During our relationship, I spent twenty thousand yuan on you. Please return it to me. If you don’t have that much cash on hand, write me an IOU.” I had made up my mind. As long as Sophie agreed to return the money, we would part on good terms. For the sake of our past affection, I was willing to save her this once. However, Sophie suddenly sneered. She said, “Since you know everything, we have nothing more to say. Originally, I felt a little guilty, but now I don’t feel guilty at all. Turns out you are such a terrible man.” I was stunned. Where was her guilt? If she felt guilty, would she be embracing and kissing that foreigner while talking to me on the phone? And one thing I didn’t understand. I said, “How am I terrible?” Sophie said disdainfully, “Asking for money back after a breakup? Do you think I’m a prostitute? Didn’t your parents teach you to respect girls? Doesn’t the time I wasted need compensation?” I said in shock, “At least prostitutes get paid. You traveled a thousand miles to give it away for free. Did you ask him for money? You’re worse than a prostitute.” Sophie instantly flew into a rage. She roared, “Fuck off! You disgusting thing, don’t come looking for insults!” The phone was rudely hung up by her. The foreigner asked, “Did your boyfriend find out?” Sophie hugged the foreigner’s neck and said coquettishly, “I don’t have a boyfriend anymore. How do you plan to compensate me?” The foreigner asked teasingly, “How do you want me to compensate you?” Sophie said, “I can’t bear to leave you. From now on, every time you come to China, give me a call, and I’ll run to find you, okay?” The foreigner raised his hand and actually slapped Sophie across the face. He pinched her cheek and said, “You are really a slutty girl.” Sophie was slapped, but instead of being angry, she obsessively sucked on the foreigner’s finger and said, “Yeah, I am that kind of girl. So how do you want to punish me?” I was truly about to throw up from this scene. I remembered one day, Sophie crossed the street without looking at the traffic lights and was almost hit by a car. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She didn’t thank me. Instead, she started blaming me, scolding me for using too much force and hurting her arm. Yes, I saved her life, but she scolded me for hurting her. But now?

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1 My best friend, Ben, finally stopped laughing long enough to send me the picture of the man my wife was leaving me for. The reason for his half-hour-long laughing fit wasn’t just the affair itself. It was because her new man wasn’t some decorated four-star general, nor was he a billionaire CEO with a summer home in the Hamptons. He was a motor pool driver, nearly forty, who was my inferior in every conceivable way—education, background, and appearance. At first, I thought it had to be a sick April Fool’s joke. But when I confronted Eleanor with the photo, she calmly produced a set of divorce papers. “I failed you in the first half of my life, Ethan,” she said, her voice devoid of emotion. “I can’t fail Liam in the second.” Her next words were a clean, brutal slice: “You can have the assets. I’m choosing him.” My own expression remained flat. I pulled out my phone, opened the calculator app, and did a quick tally of our properties, stock portfolio, and luxury cars. Then, I signed the papers with a steady hand. “I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.” … Exactly twenty-eight minutes had passed from the moment Eleanor confessed her affair to the moment I handed her the signed divorce agreement. According to our terms, the military base housing assigned to us and my related base privileges would remain under my control. She would pay me a one-time settlement of three million dollars in compensation and child support. From that day forward, our son and I would have no further contact with her. When I handed her the papers, Eleanor was in the middle of a video conference, a strategic briefing of some kind. The two silver stars on each of her shoulders gleamed under the lamplight as she glanced up, her eyes catching the words “Divorce Agreement.” She held up a hand, pausing the meeting. “One moment,” she told the screen, before turning her gaze to me. She gave a curt nod, a silent acknowledgment, and I left her study. To speed things along, I packed all of her personal belongings myself. Five large suitcases in total. I was meticulous, not wanting to miss a thing. I even cleared out the storage room, carefully packing away the medals and commendations from her years at West Point. The last thing I saw was the wedding photo hanging on the wall. In it, Eleanor stood tall and proud in her dress uniform, while I, in a crisp white suit, held her tightly in a sun-dappled birch forest. Back then, her arms were always wrapped around me, her voice a warm whisper in my ear. “I’ll love you forever, Ethan.” “Marrying you was the luckiest day of my life.” We met at West Point. She was a freshly commissioned officer, and I, despite having my own share of admirers, fell for her instantly. She was independent, honorable, and beautiful—everything I wasn’t, everything I admired. We married right after graduation, and I watched as she climbed the ranks, from a junior officer all the way to Major General. To support her meteoric rise, I put my own ambitions on hold, becoming the perfect military spouse. I managed our home, our life, and took care of her with unwavering devotion. As her rank increased, so did the frequency of her field exercises and deployments. I filled my days with grocery runs and gym sessions, maintaining my physique while she was away. But she never neglected us. No matter how exhausted she was, she’d come home and help our son with his homework, take walks with me, and use her influence to smooth over the petty politics of base housing. To everyone else, we were the model military couple. I don’t know when it started, but her “weekend exercises” began to stretch, sometimes bleeding into entire weeks where she was completely off the grid. Ben had even joked about it. “Man, you better keep an eye on her. Things can change.” I’d brushed it off, but a seed of doubt had been planted. I’d dropped off documents for her at the base a few times. Everything seemed normal. Her staff officers were always buried in work, and that man—Liam Carter—was always there in the background, driving his truck between departments, delivering supplies, occasionally lending a hand. He was a man approaching forty, not handsome by any means. He wore his uniform well, his hair cut in a sharp military buzz, and he spoke with a friendly, Midwestern sort of charm. He’d even poured me a cup of tea once, polite and unassuming. Over the years, I had braced myself for this possibility. I’d pictured her leaving me for a general’s son, a handsome young captain, or even a dashing war correspondent. The one person I never considered was the truck driver from the motor pool. I’d heard he had been married once before, to another soldier. This was his first job after the divorce, and he was known for his work ethic. He volunteered for extra shifts, was friendly to everyone, and his colleagues liked him. Some of them even asked him to pick up groceries for them on his runs. I remember telling Eleanor about it once, saying he seemed like a hardworking guy and that she should look out for him. Her response was always cool, detached. “The military doesn’t run on favors, Ethan. I’ve already told my staff to stop asking him for personal errands.” At the time, I thought she was just being a stern, by-the-book General. Looking back, I realize she was probably just upset that Liam had to run errands for others after a long day of work. The reason she chose today to confess was simple. I had made her a bowl of warm soup, a ritual for whenever she returned late from an exercise. She stared at the bowl, her brow furrowed slightly, then gently pushed it away. After a long silence, she looked up at me, her eyes clouded with weariness, and asked if we could get a divorce. She admitted it had been going on for three months. She’d been using the breaks between her field exercises to meet him. My heart felt like it had been pierced by a thousand tiny needles, but I forced myself to maintain my composure. I asked who it was. When she said the name “Liam Carter,” I was sure I was hearing things. A wave of numbness washed over me, a strange, aching paralysis that spread through my limbs. 2 By the time Eleanor finished her meeting and came out of the study, I had finished my workout, ironed my uniform for the next day, and was sitting on the balcony, reading a book. As if nothing had happened. She went to the bedroom to change and, out of habit, called out from the walk-in closet when she found it empty. “Ethan, where are my Class A’s?” I didn’t turn around. “Packed. Wear yesterday’s uniform if you don’t mind. You’ll be throwing it out soon enough anyway.” A long, heavy silence was her only reply. When she emerged, she finally saw the five suitcases stacked neatly by the front door. She came and sat beside me, her finger tapping the divorce agreement on the table. “The settlement… I’ll transfer two million now. The rest will be in installments—” I cut her off. “No. I want it all at once.” I paused, then added, “I’m sure he wouldn’t want you to have any lingering ties to me.” A flicker of confusion crossed her face. “He’s my son too, Ethan. I have a right to be part of his life.” “I know I’m in the wrong,” she continued, her voice gaining a defensive edge. “I’m willing to compensate you, but don’t you dare use our son as a bargaining chip.” I set down my book and looked her straight in the eye. “You’re the one who had the affair. The settlement and child support are what I’m owed. Considering your income, keeping the house is hardly greedy of me. As for our son, I’m the one who’s been there for him his entire life. He’s a sensitive boy who needs attention. How much of yourself can you honestly give him while you’re in the throes of a new romance? Being a parent is about more than just money. It takes time and patience.” She was speechless, cornered by the truth. Finally, she managed, “Regardless, I won’t let three million dollars sever my relationship with my son.” I picked up the agreement. “The three million is for the settlement and his upbringing. If you want to provide anything extra, you can transfer it directly to his trust fund. I’ll have a separate account set up for him.” A cold, bitter laugh escaped her lips. “I never knew you were so obsessed with money, Ethan. It’s all you talk about.” “And what about love?” I shot back, my voice dangerously quiet. “What good did that do me?” She had nothing left to say. Her face was a grim mask as she snatched a pen and signed the papers. She then informed me we had an appointment at the base’s Legal Assistance Office tomorrow to file the official application. With that, she called for her aide to come collect her things. I finished arranging a vase of flowers and went to bed. When I woke the next morning, she was already gone. Our son, Leo, came running out of his room and jumped into my arms, chattering excitedly about a dream he’d had about visiting the Air and Space Museum. As I listened, I gently tested the waters. “Mommy has a really important training exercise coming up. She might be away for a little while.” Usually, this news would be met with tears and protests. But this time, he just grabbed his tablet to video call her. “Mommy, when are you coming home?” he asked. “I’m going to be busy for a while, sweetie,” her voice came through the speaker. He just nodded, his little lips pressed into a thin line. “It’s okay. As long as I have Dad, it’s enough.” My composure shattered. My throat closed up, and I couldn’t speak. Making an excuse about breakfast, I fled to the kitchen, fighting back tears. Agreeing to the divorce was painful, but the guilt of not being able to give my son a complete family was what truly gutted me. Even though I knew I wasn’t the one who broke it. After dropping Leo off at school, I met Eleanor at the legal office. We filed the paperwork. Thirty days. In thirty days, we’d have the final decree, and it would all be over. 3 I had just gotten back to the house when a message popped up from a young clerk in Eleanor’s unit named Sam. He was a cheerful, outgoing kid, the kind everyone liked. He asked if I was busy. When I said I wasn’t, he launched right in. Are you and the General getting a divorce? I didn’t deny it. Is it because of Liam Carter? I didn’t answer. I figured Eleanor must have told people. Seeing my silence, Sam sent a string of crying emojis. Dude, I knew it! It’s because of that guy! No wonder you haven’t been bringing us your famous brownies lately! I miss them so much! Back when Eleanor and I were happy, I used to bake for her unit almost weekly as a thank you for their hard work. Some of the younger soldiers would joke they’d never leave the army just so they could keep eating my pastries. It’s okay, I typed back. I’m thinking of opening a flower shop. When I do, you can come by and I’ll give you a free bouquet. Sam cheered up instantly, demanding the address. I told him I’d send it later. He was fine with that, but then the complaints started again. You have no idea what a jerk Liam has become. Right after you stopped coming around, he got promoted from driver to head of the motor pool. His whole attitude changed. He used to smile at everyone. Now he just nitpicks and finds fault with everything. He’s not even trying to hide how smug he is. And get this—he bought the same brand of watch and jacket as you. It’s so obvious. What does the General even see in him? He finished by saying if he didn’t love the uniform so much, he’d request a transfer just to get away from the guy. I was at my front door by then. I sent him a few comforting words, and he finally, reluctantly, ended the conversation. At this point, I found I didn’t have the energy to dissect Liam’s motives anymore. It was a stark contrast to the moment Eleanor confessed, when a frantic, desperate need to understand his appeal had consumed me. I pushed open the door and was surprised to see Eleanor’s boots in the entryway. She was on the floor with Leo, helping him build a complex model airplane. “Dad!” Leo shouted, his face lighting up. “Come on, let’s race and see who can finish their side first!” In the past, Eleanor would have scooped him up, spun him around until he giggled, and then pulled me into a hug. The house would have been filled with laughter. Now, she just cleared her throat and patted Leo’s head. “Daddy’s had a long day, sweetie. He’s tired. Maybe next time, okay?” “Okay,” Leo mumbled. “Mommy, when will you be done with your exercises?” Eleanor paused, then said softly, “As soon as I can,” before shooing him off to get ready for bed. After a long day working on plans for the flower shop, I had no energy to play games with her. “Lock up on your way out,” I said, heading for my room. “I promised Leo I’d stay and sleep here tonight,” she said quietly. I didn’t argue. I had just closed my bedroom door when I heard her phone ring in the living room. Her voice was low as she answered, repeating a few reassurances. Then, her tone sharpened with barely concealed irritation. “I told you, I’m just staying with Leo! What are you so worried about? We’ve already signed the agreement! How many times do I have to explain that we’re sleeping in separate rooms?” A moment later, I heard the sharp click of the call ending. Then, a soft knock on my door. “Ethan,” she said from the other side. “Something urgent came up at the base. I have to go back. I’ll… I’ll try to come see Leo again tomorrow.” I didn’t open the door. “Okay,” I said, just loud enough for her to hear. She wasn’t even out of the driveway when my phone buzzed with a notification: an eighty-thousand-dollar deposit into Leo’s trust fund. The memo simply read: Buy Leo some new clothes. I didn’t reply. I turned back to my laptop, pulling up the business plan for the shop. But just as I did, a new message notification appeared on my screen. It was from a number I didn’t recognize. 4 There were no words. Just a single, smiling emoji. I couldn’t even remember adding this person. I scrolled through the chat history and saw that our only previous interaction was two years ago, when they’d added me as a contact. As I was trying to place them, another message came through. 【You must be feeling pretty smug, huh?】 It hit me like a physical blow. This had to be Liam Carter. But Liam had only been transferred to this base six months ago. How could he have had my number for two years? Had this account been silently watching me, observing my life, for nearly two years? A cold dread washed over me. I replied with a single question mark. The response was immediate, typed with furious speed. 【I don’t care what tricks you’re using to keep her. I can make her come back to me in a second.】 It was him. There was no doubt. So Eleanor had known him two years ago? Maybe even longer. Then, he sent a picture. I clicked on it, and my world tilted on its axis. It was Eleanor, asleep in a bed that wasn’t ours, a man’s arm draped possessively over her waist. In the bottom right corner of the photo was a date stamp: May 20, 2023. I stared at the image, my stomach churning. A wave of bitter nausea rose in my throat, and I lurched toward the trash can, dry heaving. May 20, 2023. That was the day my mother was in the hospital for a biopsy. Eleanor had been on a grueling field exercise for the entire month. She had compressed her schedule, pushed her unit to the limit, just so she could get back in time to be with me. She’d spent hours on the phone, her voice a soothing balm against my anxiety, telling me not to be scared. I couldn’t sleep, so she stayed on a voice call with me all night, a constant presence in the darkness. She arrived back at dawn on the 20th, exhausted but resolute, and sat with me outside the operating room, holding my hand. And on that same day, in the midst of all that, she had found time to be with him. How could she have come home and looked me in the eye? When I didn’t respond, Liam grew bolder. He sent a flurry of photos, each one meticulously dated. Our wedding anniversary. Leo’s birthday. Each time, she had been with him first, before rushing back to play the part of the loving wife and mother. The disgust was so profound it eclipsed the pain. I had thought this was a recent thing, that she had simply grown tired of our quiet, stable life in the last few months, a mid-life crisis pushing her toward a new “true love.” But it wasn’t new. It was rotten to the core, and had been for years. I went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. Returning to my desk, I saved every single photo, creating a file for the evidence. I knew why he was sending them now. He was getting impatient. The full three-million-dollar settlement hadn’t been paid yet. Over the past two weeks, Eleanor had transferred 1.2 million, but the remaining 1.8 was, in her words, “going to take some time.” The house was already in my name, a detail clearly stipulated in our agreement. There was no dispute there. If I were to blow this up now, it would jeopardize her career, and an enraged Eleanor would be far less likely to pay me the rest. I could lose everything. Leo could lose his father. Eleanor had probably expected me to break down, to beg, to fight. But my pride, my need for dignity, wouldn’t allow me to cause a scene at her command. Liam, however, hadn’t counted on my quiet compliance. My refusal to engage, to even confront her, had thrown him off. He knew that in this game, the first one to lose their cool, loses. But something didn’t add up. If Liam had been able to stay hidden in the shadows for so long, playing the part of the harmless, hardworking driver, why the sudden desperation? In just a few more weeks, our divorce would be final. Why would he risk everything now, just because she came home to spend one night with her son? I checked the time. It wasn’t too late. I called Sam. He was out having a late dinner with some colleagues, and he told me, with a conspiratorial whisper, that they were all gossiping about Eleanor and Liam. By pooling their information, they’d pieced together a few new details. Apparently, at a joint-forces mixer last week, Eleanor had had too much to drink and was personally escorted home by a handsome Colonel from a neighboring unit. That same Colonel had since asked her out a few times. Combined with the fact that I hadn’t been around for weeks, the rumor mill was churning: Major General Vance was about to be single again. Suddenly, a host of ambitious young officers were making their interest known. And that’s when Liam Carter started to lose his nerve. “Ethan, you’re such a good guy, I can’t stand keeping this from you,” Sam said, his voice earnest. “Don’t be sad. I mean, yeah, the General is amazing, but she’s also a cheater. You’ll find someone so much better! No, wait, screw women! You’re going to have an amazing career, your flower shop is going to be a huge success, and then you’ll find someone better, haha.” His clumsy attempt to cheer me up actually worked. A small smile touched my lips. “Thanks, Sam. I’ll do my best.”

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I’m what you’d call a “try-hard.” While everyone else gets cats or dogs, I got a snake just to prove I’m different. Some people question my life choices. “I can cuddle my cat anytime I want. Can you say the same about your snake?” I leaned down and planted a big, fat kiss right on my snake’s head. Mwah! “Not only can I cuddle him, I can kiss him too.” “My dog is super friendly; you can pet him all you want, and he won’t bite.” I ran my hands all over my snake’s body, even playfully tying him into a loose knot. “Mine’s a softie. Easier to handle than a dog.” [Girl, stop playing! Can’t you see the male lead has already fainted from happiness?] [Usually, he only dares to sneak a kiss when she’s asleep. How is he supposed to handle this kind of affection?] [He’s already passed out twice today. She gives him a little sugar, and he’s like: “She’s got moves.”] 1 I’ve been a try-hard since I was a kid. To show how unique I was, while other kids played in the mud, I sat on the sidelines reading books and doing homework. A little girl with a butterfly bow in her hair blinked at me and ran over, extending a warm invitation. “Fiona, come play with us! It’s so much fun.” I lifted my chin arrogantly. “No thanks. I think reading is more fun.” The little munchkins all gasped in unison, their round eyes widening. One kid dropped his jaw in awe. “She’s amazing. She loves studying so much.” I secretly puffed out my chest. From that moment on, I fell in love with the feeling of being different. In middle school, my classmates were immature and bullied a transfer student from a poor rural family. To show how different I was, I swooped in like an anime protagonist. Not only did I chase away the bullies, but I also became his best friend. In high school, everyone started taking things seriously, burning the midnight oil to improve their grades. But me? I sat comfortably at the top of the class, leaving right when the bell rang. I was all about that effortless vibe. My desk mate, sporting dark circles under her eyes, was green with envy. “Fiona, how do you get grades like yours?” I looked up at the sky, feigning distress. “Maybe it’s just talent. I don’t really study.” I successfully elicited a gasp of envy from her. By college, a pet craze swept through campus. Cats and dogs were everywhere. To show how different I was, I decided to get something unique. 2 But what to get was the problem. After a lap around the pet store yielded nothing, I walked down the street, feeling defeated. I spotted a bench and sat down to rest. My gaze wandered to a nearby bush. A creepy-crawly sensation spread over my body, and my legs turned to jelly. There was a snake in the grass, sunbathing. I stood up shakily, ready to bolt. I moved carefully, terrified of disturbing Mr. Snake’s sunbathing session. Two steps later, it hit me. Cats, dogs, hamsters—too common. What if I kept a snake? And not just any pet store snake. A wild one. The moment the thought crossed my mind, I couldn’t move. I turned back, pulled out my phone, and used an app to identify it. The result: Rat Snake. Non-venomous. The little black snake was still blissfully soaking up the sun, looking incredibly relaxed. He had no idea danger was approaching. In a flash, I pinched him by his “seventh inch”—the spot behind the head where you’re supposed to grab a snake. The little black snake finally reacted, thrashing wildly. Startled, I almost let go. He whipped his head around, ready to bite, but then froze. We stared at each other. The snake tilted his head. He retracted his fangs, flicked his tongue, and licked my hand. I swear I saw a hint of ingratiation in his actions. Was he also captivated by my unique aura? I didn’t dare move. If the enemy doesn’t move, I won’t move. The snake seemed to calm down. He hung there obediently, widening his eyes as if trying to look cute. I tentatively patted his head. “From today on, you’re not a stray snake anymore.” He nudged my palm. Why did the little black snake look shy? I must be seeing things. Snakes can’t be shy. 3 Since he was wild caught, I decided to quarantine him for a few days. I didn’t have a cage, so I found a cardboard box and lined it with a small blanket. The snake was well-behaved the whole time, letting me place him in the box. His tail tip brushed against my wrist occasionally. Afraid he might escape and scare the neighbors, I put the box in my bedroom and blocked any gaps. Now he couldn’t get out. Exhausted from the day, I washed up and fell asleep. I slept deeply but felt something heavy pressing on my chest, like I was being strangled. Morning came. I opened my eyes and found the culprit weighing me down. The little snake was curled up in a ball, sleeping soundly on my chest. I pinched his head and tossed him aside. He woke up, slapping the bed with his tail in protest, and slithered back onto me. I tossed him again. He crawled back. After a few rounds, realizing he had no intention of attacking, I let him be. School was starting in a few days, and I definitely wanted to take him out for a walk. Before that, I decided to train him. I would turn him into a snake more obedient than a dog and cuter than a cat. If I took him out and he misbehaved or bit someone, I’d be a laughingstock. 4 “First things first.” I looked sternly at the snake. He coiled himself into a mosquito coil shape, sitting up straight. “I need to give you a name. Something low-key but meaningful, fitting my status.” “Your name is—Inky.” The little guy, head held high, slumped down. A look of speechlessness seemed to cross his dark face. The audacity! Questioning me? I went through the entire dictionary to pick that name! I coughed loudly to remind him of his attitude. “Next, learning how to be a good pet. For example…” “Inky, sit.” The snake straightened his head, pointing his tail at himself as if asking, Who? Me? I looked at his long body. Asking him to sit might be a bit tough. So I changed the command. “Inky, shake hands.” He slithered forward and placed the tip of his tail in my palm. I gave it a squeeze. Smooth. Nice texture. “Good boy! That’s my Inky.” The moment I squeezed his tail, he flopped over, his whole body going limp. Confused, I poked him. “Inky, what’s wrong?” He remained limp, lying powerless on the floor. Worried, I picked him up. “Snakey, are you okay?” His body temperature was low, so I instinctively pressed him against my chest to warm him up. He came to, took one look, and thud—fainted cold. I quickly put him in my bag and rushed to the vet. The vet examined him while I waited outside. When he came out, I surrounded him anxiously. “Doctor, what’s wrong with my snake? Why did he suddenly faint?” The vet put down his instruments, sat back in his chair, and said concisely: “Overstimulation.” I thought hard. Nothing stimulating had happened. It must be the new environment. And I was too eager to train him. Sumimasen, Inky.

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Damian Vance, the heir to Aurelia City’s most powerful family, had a fight with his childhood sweetheart. Crying, she boarded a flight overseas. Furious and soon regretful, Damian ordered the plane to be grounded immediately. However, there was a passenger on board in critical condition. The pilot and the flight director, under immense pressure, chose to continue the flight as scheduled. When the plane landed, the young woman, Clara, ignored all warnings and wandered off alone. She was cornered and assaulted by local thugs, and when Damian finally found her, she was injured. Three days later, the pilot and the flight director were found dead in an alley. Their end was gruesome, a scene so horrific no one dared to intervene. Their bodies were left to be torn apart by stray dogs, leaving nothing behind. Five years later, I curled into Damian’s arms, my eyes red-rimmed as I watched the woman across from us, his wife, break down in utter despair. “I’m sorry, Damian, darling,” I whispered. “I just wanted to say a few words to my sister…” Damian soothed me with one hand while casting a careless glance at his wife. “Don’t make a scene, Clara. The title of Mrs. Vance will always be yours.” His voice was a silken blade. “But a man needs a little novelty now and then.” … The first time Clara Morgan completely lost control and tried to strike me was when Damian brought me to her mother’s hospital room. The moment her father saw me, he exploded. He screamed that I was a homewrecker who deserved a miserable death and, when Damian wasn’t looking, he hoisted a chair to smash over my head. “You little slut! How dare you show your face here!” Damian was faster. He intercepted the chair with a sharp crack of wood against his arm. After wrestling Clara’s father out of the room, he left me alone with her mother. Clara wasn’t there. Her mother lay on the bed, her breathing as faint as a thread. “Clara…” she rasped. “Water…” I pressed my lips together, a small, knowing smile playing on them as I walked over. “Here you are, Mrs. Morgan. Drink up.” Through the window, Damian watched my display of gentle obedience with a look of deep satisfaction. It only hardened his expression as he dealt with the struggling man in the hallway. Mrs. Morgan managed to force her eyes open. When she saw it was me, her face contorted in horror. With a surge of adrenaline, she shoved me away. I stumbled backward, unprepared, and fell to the floor. A shard of glass from a fallen vase sliced into my calf, and blood began to well up, staining my skin a brilliant crimson. “You’re so young,” she wheezed, her voice trembling with rage. “Couldn’t you learn to be a decent person? Don’t you know that home-wreckers like you are cursed by God?” “And now… now…” she gasped, “you come here to torment my family!” “Get out! Don’t let my Clara see you!” At the thought of her daughter, her eyes filled with tears. When I didn’t move, just sat there on the floor, she grew frantic and tried to get out of bed. Her breaths came in ragged, desperate gasps, like a broken accordion. Then, she collapsed onto the floor. Just at that moment, Clara walked in, carrying a bowl of soup. The scene that greeted her made her freeze. After helping her mother back into bed, she wiped the tears from her own face, walked over to me, and poured the entire bowl of hot soup over my head. “I have turned a blind eye for so long,” she hissed, her body trembling like a leaf in a storm. “Why? Why must you come here and torture my parents?” She stood there, a fragile white flower braving a hurricane, both delicate and unyielding. My voice was a choked sob, tears streaming down my face. “Sister, I was just worried you couldn’t handle taking care of your mother all alone. I wanted to help…” “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know—” She ignored me. Behind her, her mother’s condition worsened, and the heart monitor began to shriek a piercing alarm. Shaking, Clara fumbled for the call button. The door flew open, but the incoming team of doctors was stopped dead in their tracks, held back by an invisible wall. Damian strode in and swept me into his arms, his face a mask of concern. “Clara,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “Apologize to Maya.” For a moment, a flash of defiance lit up Clara’s eyes. She grabbed the bouquet of flowers I had brought, tore them to shreds, and threw the ruined petals at us. “Damian, do you have any idea why my mother is in this hospital in the first place? It was you! You make me sick,” she spat. “Get out. Both of you, just get out!” The outburst drained her completely. She crumpled to the floor, a heap of helpless despair. Damian remained unnervingly calm, utterly unmoved by her breakdown. His only concern was me, his fingers gently probing my injuries. When he discovered the gash on my leg, his gaze on Clara turned to ice. “Are you done with your tantrum?” he asked coldly. “If you are, get up. Don’t you find this embarrassing?” The doctors, though they dared not enter, were getting an eyeful. I could feel their veiled, contemptuous glances on me. Clara pointed a trembling finger at the door. “Get out! Didn’t you hear me? I said get out!” Damian just smiled, a chilling, indifferent curve of his lips. “Clara, you need to think very carefully. If I leave—” He walked over to her mother, who was now convulsing on the bed, and his hand closed around the tube of her ventilator. The monitor’s alarm blared even louder, more insistent. But without Damian’s permission, no one dared to set foot inside the room. Gasps of horror echoed from the hallway, but no one moved to stop him. The look in Clara’s eyes shifted, a rapid, horrifying kaleidoscope of shock, agony, and finally, a dead, hollow numbness. Everyone watched as the woman Damian had once spoiled into Aurelia City’s most celebrated socialite, the woman who had everything, slowly, inexorably, sank to her knees. Under the desperate, pleading eyes of her parents, she knelt before me. “Miss… Maya… I’m sorry.” Her voice was a ghost of itself. “I shouldn’t have misunderstood your kindness. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I shouldn’t have thrown the soup on you.” “Please, forgive me.” She bowed her head, breaking her own spine. She had surrendered to Damian. Satisfied, his expression softened. “See, Clara? I told you. If you just behave, we can still have a good life together.” He stroked my hair. “Maya is very sweet and understanding. She heard your mother was in the hospital and insisted on coming to visit. She’s no threat to your position.” His gentle, placating words were like a series of sharp slaps across Clara’s face. But she could only keep her head down, all fight gone from her. Everything she had, everything she was, was a gift from Damian. And just like his hand on her mother’s lifeline, he could take it all away. If she didn’t bow, her mother would die. From that day on, Clara accepted her reality. She became the docile, obedient wife Damian wanted. She submitted to his every demand. She swallowed every one of my provocations, each one a slow, twisting knife in her gut. Damian was a man of particular habits. He liked to be clean. After we made love, he insisted on washing up before starting again. He had insatiable stamina, and our nights were often long. Which meant I had to shower several times a night. One evening, exhausted, I slipped in the bathroom and twisted my ankle. Damian was beside himself with worry. Then, he came up with a “perfect” solution. From then on, whenever we were together, he made Clara wait outside the bedroom door. Each time we finished, she had to come in and help me wash. I saw it countless times: her trembling hands, her red-rimmed eyes, the raw hatred simmering just beneath the surface. The woman who wanted nothing more than to tear me to pieces was forced to serve me like a maid. She learned her lesson the first time. Distraught and clumsy, she had accidentally scalded me. “Damian, darling, don’t blame her,” I had cried, my voice laced with feigned panic. “It wasn’t her fault, I was just being careless.” But the fear in my eyes as I looked at Clara betrayed my words. Damian’s fury was explosive. He knew Clara’s weakness. He didn’t punish her directly. He punished her father. That night, her father was dragged behind a car for a mile. The torture only stopped when Clara knelt and begged me, banging her head on the floor until it was bruised and bloody. It only stopped when she took a shard of glass and carved matching wounds onto her own body. She had no choice. Day by day, the light in her eyes grew dimmer, until it was almost gone. Then, one day, she met another man. Clara had been running a high fever, but I had a craving for a specific cake. She went out into the pouring rain to buy it for me, and on the way back, she collapsed. When she woke up, she was in a hospital. A man was sitting by her bedside, and it was clear he had been there all night. It wasn’t her husband, Damian. It was a stranger. When he saw she was awake, he stirred. He was holding an insulated food container, and by some twist of fate, it held her favorite dish: shrimp congee. As she ate, tears began to silently stream down her face. They didn’t speak much. She only learned his name was Liam Blackwood. It was a name she would never forget. From that day forward, it was as if the gears of fate had started to turn, pulling them both onto the same path. Whether she was at her weakest, her most broken, or feeling a glimmer of hope after her mother’s condition improved slightly, she would find him there, a quiet, constant presence in her life. He shared her pain and her joy, and in doing so, became the pillar that held up her crumbling world. One day, she gathered the courage to ask him the question that had been burning in her heart. “Do you have feelings for me?” Liam had always been reserved, almost shy, around her. But this time, he didn’t hide it. He simply nodded. In that moment, Clara felt as though a ray of light had finally pierced the suffocating darkness of her life. Her heart pounded in her chest. But then, her eyes fell on the date on her phone. Tomorrow was her wedding anniversary with Damian. Somehow, inexplicably, she didn’t answer Liam. She went home, clinging to one last, desperate shred of hope. The sounds of my panting moans drifted from the master bedroom. She closed her eyes in disgust. When she opened them again, she saw two plane tickets on the table. They were for the island where she and Damian had spent their honeymoon. The place they had promised to return to every year on their anniversary. “He remembered…” she whispered. Her heart, which she thought was dead, fluttered for him once more. She remembered Damian’s words, that he still loved her, that his affair with me was just a passing fancy. Maybe, if she could just endure a little longer, everything would go back to the way it was. That night, for the first time in a long time, Clara slept soundly. The next morning, she dressed herself in Damian’s favorite style, her heart full of nervous anticipation. But when she went downstairs, the house was empty. The tickets were gone. Just then, a new post appeared on my Instagram feed. [He was hesitant about this island at first when I suggested it, but what my baby wants, my baby gets! We’re off!] [The price was a whole night of ‘punishment’ from Damian though hehehe…] The picture was of me, nestled in Damian’s arms, holding up the two plane tickets and making a peace sign. Clara felt like the biggest fool in the world. A wave of nausea washed over her, and she ran to the bathroom, vomiting until there was nothing left. But she didn’t have time to be heartbroken. Her phone rang. It was the hospital. “Miss Morgan? Your mother just went into cardiac arrest!” On the plane, I was leaning against Damian, watching the clouds drift by, when I overheard a heated argument from the cockpit. “Are you insane? Ground the plane now!” “Just shut up! Have you forgotten what happened last time?” “But there’s a world-renowned surgeon on this flight…” “There’s no patient in critical condition on this flight! The order came from his wife! You might not value your life, but I value mine!” A moment later, the plane began to veer sharply off course. The sudden change in direction sent us straight into a flock of birds. Blood and feathers exploded against the window in front of my eyes. I screamed and fainted in Damian’s arms. When I woke up, Damian’s voice, thick with rage, was ringing in my ears, intertwined with Clara’s hysterical sobs and pleas. “Damian, I’m begging you! Please, let my mother down!” “No! Please, no!” I was in a spacious, comfortable van. When I opened the window, I had a clear view of the scene unfolding on the ocean. It was a vision from hell. Clara’s parents were being dangled from a helicopter, spinning endlessly over the water. Below them, the dark shapes of sharks circled. Men on the helicopter were tossing chum and bloody animal parts into the sea. Some of it landed on Clara’s parents, some of it was snapped up by the sharks. Some of the sharks leaped high out of the water, their jaws snapping just inches from her parents’ feet. Clara’s face was utterly devoid of color. She had lost count of how many times she had kowtowed to Damian. But he just stroked her head, his voice deceptively gentle. “Clara, you’ve been a very bad girl. I spoiled you too much.” “Your mother wasn’t that sick. When I went to see her, she was energetically cursing Maya with you. She was faking it. I don’t believe you couldn’t see that. So why use that as an excuse to ground my plane? Do you have any idea how long Maya was unconscious from the shock?” “This,” he said, gesturing to the horrific scene, “is just an equal punishment. When you do something wrong, you have to be punished.” “Don’t worry,” he added with a chilling smile. “They’re all animal experts. They know what they’re doing. Nothing will go wrong.” Clara could only shake her head, her words choked with tears. “We didn’t lie to you… we didn’t…” But Damian no longer believed her. She couldn’t fathom how the man who had once grounded a plane for her, who had flown into a rage over a tiny scratch, could now torture her like this for another woman. Suddenly, two of the sharks went into a frenzy. They leaped from the water, their jaws clamping down on her parents’ legs. Her parents’ mouths were gagged, but their eyes were wide with unimaginable agony. The men in the helicopter, fearing the sharks would drag them down, frantically cut the ropes. “NO—” By the time Clara’s mind registered what was happening, her parents had been dragged under the waves. The dark water churned, and then, a massive bloom of crimson spread across the surface. Clara’s scream was a sound that could have shattered the sky. Even Damian seemed stunned for a moment. In that instant, Clara found a surge of superhuman strength. She broke free from the men holding her and ran to the edge of the deck. Against the light, she was a broken silhouette. “Damian,” she whispered, her voice a hollow echo. “If this is what you wanted.” Then, right before his eyes, she leaped from the deck, into the blood-red water where her parents had vanished. It was only then that Damian seemed to snap out of his trance. His heart felt like it had been hit by a sledgehammer. “NO—” he roared, his voice cracking. “CLARA—”

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The awards ceremony ended, and so did we. I broke up with Liam Walker, Crestwood PD’s golden boy. “All this because I gave the commendation for the serial killer case to Lily?” he asked, a smirk playing on his lips. “Yes.” “Fine,” he said, the smirk never wavering. “Just don’t come crying back to me.” From the academy to the city precinct, we had been partners for a decade. Everyone said we were a perfect match. He was convinced that without him, I was nothing. So he ignored me, again and again. Betrayed me, again and again. He chose a junior colleague over me and stole the honor that should have been mine. But the commendation was just an excuse. The truth was, my transfer orders had come in yesterday. I was leaving Crestwood for Veridian City, a world away from him. This time, I was truly done with him. From now on, our paths would never cross again. 1. “I’m the one who ended it. I won’t have any regrets.” “Do you even remember how many times you’ve said that?” He leaned back in his chair, the picture of nonchalance. “Was it the 97th time? 98th? Or 99th?” He was right. I’d lost count of how many times I’d used breaking up as a threat. But even so, he and Lily Evans never stopped their little dance. A colleague nearby chuckled. “Come on, Claire, what’s the drama? You can’t live without Liam.” I ignored them all, silently packing the belongings on my desk. “Claire, stop the theatrics. You’re not going to quit your job over this, are you?” When I didn’t respond, he strode over, grabbing my arm so hard I stumbled. Just then, Lily’s cheerful voice cut through the tension. “Liam, my parents want to take a trip down south. You have so much experience, could you help them plan an itinerary?” The old me would have exploded right then and there, calling him out for his lack of boundaries and her for her shameless advances. But what was the point? Nearly a hundred arguments had only pushed them closer together. Seeing that neither of us was paying her any attention, the smile finally fell from Lily’s face. Her eyes reddened, and she began to sob. “Liam… Claire… please don’t fight because of me.” She wiped at her tears, her voice choked. “This commendation… I begged him for it. My family… we’re going through a hard time, and I really needed the bonus and the honor. He only gave it to me because he felt sorry for me. Claire, please don’t blame him. It’s all my fault.” It was a masterful performance, painting her as a pitiful victim of circumstance. If I pressed the issue now, I would look like a bully. Liam, his heartstrings thoroughly tugged, handed her a tissue. Watching his tender gesture, the eight years of frustration and hurt I had suppressed erupted all at once. “Do you two really take me for a fool? Liam, the night you didn’t come home, it was Lily who answered your phone. She said you were in the shower.” “That black jacket you’re wearing—that’s Lily’s, isn’t it? And the white shirt she wore two days ago? That was the birthday gift I gave you. The embroidery on the cuff took me two weeks.” The office fell silent. Everyone stared at me, shocked. In their eyes, I had always been the gentle, good-tempered Claire Reed. They had never seen me this furious. “You two are disgusting,” I spat. Liam stared at me, his face a mask of disbelief. “Claire, have you lost your mind? How could you say that about Lily? How could you try to ruin a young girl’s reputation?” Seeing him leap to her defense, righteous and indignant, I suddenly found it all laughable. Without another word, I turned and walked away. All night, my phone buzzed incessantly. Notifications from Liam. Restaurant reservation successful. Hotel room confirmed. Your takeout order is on its way. Your Durex delivery has been dispatched. He was just trying to provoke me. The old me would have already called him, begging him to come back. But this time, I truly didn’t care. 2. Just as the sky began to lighten, I saw Lily’s new social media post. A photo of an elegant Western-style breakfast, captioned: “A new day starts with a beautiful breakfast.” In the corner of the photo was a man’s hand, knuckles well-defined. On his ring finger was a ring. The one I had saved up for three months to have custom-made. The only one of its kind in the world. I commented directly below the picture: “A whore and a dog, till death do you part.” Not long after I posted it, my doorbell rang. Standing at the door was a bouquet of vibrant red roses. I froze for a second, then remembered. Today was my three-year anniversary with Liam. After eight years together, he still didn’t remember that I hated red roses. That I loved lilies. An image of his smug face flashed in my mind—ordering flowers for me after a night with her. The thought was sickening. My phone lit up with a message from him: “Happy Anniversary.” How ironic. I kicked the offensive bouquet across the hallway and, without a moment’s hesitation, blocked and deleted his number. A cake delivery guy, just stepping out of the elevator, stared at the mess in shock. He was holding a mango layer cake. A shame. I was allergic to mango. “It’s yours,” I said, slamming the door shut. The “thud” was the only sound before the tears started streaming down my face. What had I been to him for these past eight years? Less than a pet dog. For him, I had given up a prestigious position with the Forensics Unit in Veridian City to stay in this small town. Looking back, the regret was overwhelming. A man like him was never worth sacrificing my future for. Blocked, Liam sent a message from an unknown number: “Don’t be angry. You’re talented enough to get a commendation on the next big case. Don’t be so petty.” He still didn’t get it. It was never about the damn commendation. It was about the betrayal. Shaking off the thoughts, I started packing. The apartment was filled with his things; mine were few and far between. Suddenly, I remembered I’d left the autopsy report for the serial killer case at the office. After some hesitation, I went back to the Crestwood PD. As I passed the squad room, I heard familiar voices. “Captain Walker, you look like you’ve seen a ghost. So she blocked you? She’ll unblock you eventually.” “This is the first time she’s ever blocked me,” he said with a wry, careless laugh. “What did you do to make our ice queen so mad?” a colleague joked. “It was just about the commendation.” “That’s it? Does our top ME really need one more commendation? It was good to give it to Lily. Poor kid’s been living in Claire’s shadow. If it wasn’t for you, she probably would’ve never gotten one in her life.” I walked straight past them. The noisy room fell instantly silent, broken only by a few awkward coughs. So, they did feel embarrassed when caught gossiping. Liam rushed over and grabbed my wrist, his brow furrowed. “Claire, what is this really about? Can’t we just talk?” But I had no time for him. Because inside the forensics lab, Lily was flipping through my autopsy report, a strange smile on her face. “Let go of me!” I yanked my arm free from Liam’s grip, stormed into the lab, and slapped Lily hard across the face. She clutched her cheek, staring at me in shock. “Are you sick? Do you just get off on stealing other people’s things?” I bent down, snatched my report off the floor, and glared at her. “Stealing my man wasn’t enough? Then you tried to get my job right after graduation, manipulated Liam into stealing my commendation, and now you’re putting your hands on my case files?” “Claire! How could you hit her!” Liam burst in, immediately pulling Lily into his arms. Burrowing into his chest, Lily started her waterworks. “I… I wasn’t trying to steal it. I just admire you so much, Claire. I wanted to see what one of your reports looked like… I didn’t mean any harm…” I knew she would play the victim whether I hit her or not. I might as well get the satisfaction. “Admire me? Lily, you have a strange way of showing it. Admiring me so much you have to take everything that’s mine.” 3. “Claire, have you made enough of a scene?” Liam’s voice was tight with anger as he held Lily even closer. “This is between us. Leave her out of it!” I strode forward. Before he could react, I swung my arm and landed another loud, stinging slap squarely across his face. His eyes blazed with fury, but I knew he wouldn’t dare hit me back here, at the precinct, in front of everyone. Just as I predicted, he clenched his jaw, forcing his anger down. “Claire Reed,” he said through gritted teeth, “you have just assaulted a colleague. I will be reporting this to Internal Affairs.” As they walked away, Lily clinging to him, I called out after them, my voice loud and clear. “Good. I’ll be reporting Captain Walker and Dr. Evans for their inappropriate relationship and for bringing disgrace to this department. Let’s see who goes down first!” Liam’s steps faltered for a moment before he hurried Lily away even faster. My colleagues from the forensics unit gathered around me, offering clumsy words of comfort. “Claire, calm down. Captain Walker is just confused right now…” “Yeah, you two have been through so much. This will all blow over in a few days.” “That Lily, honestly… don’t let her get to you.” I straightened the report in my hands. “It’s fine,” I said coolly. “I’m not upset. We’ve already broken up, anyway.” The air froze. “I don’t believe you” was written on every single face. Of course, they didn’t believe it. No one would believe that I could ever leave Liam Walker. Back at the academy, we had been the light in each other’s lives, the ones who saved each other. We were the campus’s golden couple. Everyone knew how much he doted on me—enough to pluck the stars from the sky, enough to cut ties with his own family for my sake. He’d even used his entire life’s savings right after graduation to pay off the massive gambling debts my parents had left behind. Everyone said he had saved me. But he always told them, “We saved each other. If I hadn’t met Claire, I might not have had the courage to keep living.” From the moment I pulled him back from that rooftop ledge, we became each other’s anchor. Everyone said Claire Reed was madly in love, that she couldn’t survive without Liam Walker. All of that began to curdle the day Lily, our junior, appeared. Our world of two suddenly had a third. She was always there, chirping “Liam” this and “Claire” that, her familiarity feeling both natural and intrusive. At a class reunion, someone joked that we looked like a “happy little family of three.” But I knew. She was after Liam. From the first moment that fragile-looking junior timidly called me “Claire,” I knew our story was about to change. I first met her at the precinct entrance. It was her first day as a forensic intern, and she arrived in Liam’s car. When she got out of the passenger’s side, she was holding a half-eaten bag of spicy chips. That seat. Liam had once sworn to me, “This is Queen Claire’s throne. No one else is allowed to sit here.” The smell of artificial spice hit me, and I saw greasy fingerprints all over the limited-edition action figure on the dashboard. My brow tightened, and anger flared inside me. But Liam just placated me. “She’s my professor’s niece, Claire. She’s young and doesn’t know any better. Don’t stoop to her level.” That night, we had the biggest fight of our lives. And that night, for the very first time, I said the word “breakup.” The second time I saw her was at the restaurant where Liam and I had our first date. The two of them were laughing together. Liam was rambling about how I didn’t know how to dress, how Lily was so much more vibrant. The moment he saw me, he rushed to explain. “I was just about to call you! My professor asked me to show Lily around, and she chose this place.” Lily stood up timidly. “Claire… I’m so sorry. I didn’t know this restaurant was special to you and Liam…” I looked at the food already on their table and my anger boiled over. I calmly suggested we break up again, then grabbed my stunned best friend’s arm and stormed out. Incidents like these became more and more frequent. He made too many exceptions for her. I fought back, again and again, and the only result was that they grew closer. I couldn’t bear to throw away all our years together. After every fight, all it took was for him to soften his tone, to murmur a few sweet words, and I would forgive him. I gave him a hundred chances. Until the awards ceremony, when he gave the commendation that was rightfully mine to Lily. In that moment, he used up his very last chance. 4. The day I went to the precinct to pick up my transfer papers, I ran into Liam and Lily. It was no surprise. They were wearing matching jackets, like a couple. I remembered asking him to wear matching outfits with me, and he’d always called me childish. Now, here he was, doing it willingly. When he saw me walk past him without a glance, Liam hurried to catch up. “Do you have to be like this? Are you really going to throw away our entire future over one commendation?” Lily rushed over too, her eyes red and tearful. “Claire, please don’t blame Liam. It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, you two wouldn’t have…” Her words were cut short by a sudden commotion. A man with a twisted expression, looking completely unhinged, was charging toward us, brandishing a gleaming dagger. “Look out!” Liam yelled instinctively. In that instant, time seemed to crawl. His eyes darted between me and Lily. In that split second, without a shred of hesitation, he spun around and threw his body over the crying girl, shielding her completely. The dagger, fueled by a madman’s hatred, came straight for me. I wasn’t defenseless, but his choice—his instant, unthinking choice to protect her—stunned me. My reaction was half a second too slow. Darkness swarmed my vision as my colleagues surged forward and subdued the attacker. Liam, still holding the terrified Lily, looked back at me. His handsome face was a canvas of panic… and guilt. He started to move toward me, but Lily clung to him, her grip like a vise. I woke up in the hospital. “Where’s Liam?” “He took Lily home. He said she was terrified and needed someone with her.” I closed my eyes and said nothing more. A little while later, I saw Lily’s new post. He was at the mall with her. Shopping. I stared at the picture for a long, long time. The wound on my arm throbbed, but my heart was calm. I felt no ripples, no waves. So this is what it feels like for a heart to die. No tears, no drama. Not pain, not even an ache. Just… nothing. Soon, a message from him arrived. “Claire, get some rest. I have to go out of town for an assignment. Be good and wait for me to come home, okay?” He must have thought that because I’d unblocked him, I had forgiven him, just like all the other times. He was wrong. I had only unblocked him to tell him about my transfer. But now, it seemed, there was no need. I blocked him again and boarded the plane to Veridian City. 5. When Liam Walker saw he’d been blocked again, his brow furrowed in irritation. But the notice for an urgent assignment quickly pushed the thought from his mind. He told himself Claire was just throwing another tantrum. He’d go back and smooth things over, just like he always did. Beside him, Lily saw the look on his face and gently took his arm. “Liam, what’s wrong? Are you tired? Let me get you some coffee.” He allowed her to fuss over him, temporarily shelving his annoyance with Claire. It wasn’t until a regional conference that he overheard a conversation from the forensics table. “Did you hear Claire Reed put in for a transfer to Veridian City? Such a shame, she’s a brilliant ME.” “Yeah, I heard it’s already finalized. She’s already gone.” A strange sense of dread coiled in Liam’s stomach.

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