Category: English

After yet another chilly standoff with Cam, my partner of seven years, I didn’t cave. My friends rallied around me. “She’s just complicated, you know? A little contradictory.” “A woman who battles herself needs a saint for a boyfriend.” “She’s just testing you.” But I was truly exhausted. I had nothing left to give, and no desire left to apologize. All the cold wars, the pointless arguments, the constant emotional dodging over the years had worn me down to the point where I couldn’t tell the difference anymore. Was she genuinely complicated and emotionally unavailable, or was she simply done loving me? So when she tossed “We’re done” at me like a verbal grenade, I simply caught it. “Then let’s be done.” 1 Cathy Riley visibly froze. I kept my head down, my voice low and steady. “I’ll pack my things and take them out as soon as I can. Anything we bought together can stay with you. As for the clothes you left at my place, if you want them back quickly, let me know. Otherwise, I can box them up and ship them to you.” The silence in the room was heavy, broken only by my own clipped speech. Cathy’s expression shifted from stormy anger to a blank, startling composure. She cut me off. “What about Toby? How do we split custody?” Toby was the stray cat I’d found outside our apartment complex. I’d adopted him, paid for his food, vet bills, and toys—everything. Yet, he was utterly indifferent to me. Eight out of ten times, he refused to be held, and a few times, he’d actually clawed my wrist. Cathy, meanwhile, was aloof and rarely interacted with him, but Toby adored her. He’d rub against her legs and purr with an annoying, entitled meow. “He’s yours, too,” I sighed. Even my deep affection for the cat couldn’t withstand that kind of obvious favoritism. It felt like a tiny, final betrayal. “Nolan James,” Cathy hissed, her voice tight with suppressed fury. “You missed Valentine’s Day, and now you’rethrowing a tantrum?” Hadn’t she been the one to say “break up”? Maybe she’d forgotten. She’d used the phrase so often; it was a cheap, effective tool to leverage control, a threat she knew always worked on me. “I told you, the flight was delayed. I got here as fast as I could.” Cathy scoffed. “An excuse. Why couldn’t you have taken an earlier flight?” I’d spent over twelve hours working non-stop to condense my meetings just so I could catch the last flight home that day. But Cathy wouldn’t listen. She was ready with a hundred more reasons to indict me. I fell silent, a deep, weary sense of futility settling in my chest. She turned and walked a few steps toward the door, then paused, turning back with a cold, superior tone. “Until you realize your mistake, I won’t be back.” “We are broken up,” I corrected her. She acted as if she hadn’t heard me, tilting her head. “I’ll give you one more chance. My anger isn’t just about your delay.” This was new. Usually, she just slammed the door and vanished. “Think carefully, Nolan. Then come and apologize.” 2 I sat on the sofa for a long time, trying to summon the energy to clean up the living room. Then, I retrieved the gift from the wastebasket. It was the result of a frantic search across a dozen stores in a foreign city. She hadn’t spared it a glance, hadn’t valued it at all. It lay there, worthless, among the other detritus of the argument. After tidying the living room, I went to the bedroom to pack. This was Cathy’s house, but my life was imprinted everywhere: the matching coffee mugs, the cozy throw blanket, the couple’s cutlery we’d picked out together. I only grabbed a few changes of clothes, then picked up my suitcase to leave. As I reached the front door, a flash of orange-and-white streaked toward me. Toby, the traitorous cat, planted himself squarely in the middle of the carpet, his round eyes fixed on me as if to block my exit. When I’d found him, he was filthy and malnourished. Now, his fur was glossy and thick. He looked the picture of health. I crouched down. Surprisingly, Toby didn’t pull away. I gently stroked his head. “I’m leaving now. She’ll take care of you.” I assumed he’d be happy with that arrangement. He preferred Cathy anyway. Unlike me, he never sought my affection. I peeled Toby’s claws from where they were firmly hooked into my jeans and ignored his sudden, frantic meowing, walking out with my suitcase. 3 I was outside the building when my phone rang. It was one of Cathy’s friends, her voice heavy with accusation. “Nolan, what did you do to Cam this time? She’s out drinking, and no one can stop her. She’s throwing things. Get down here and haul her home before she trashes my bar.” I felt a weariness that went bone-deep. “I don’t know why she’s angry. She walked in and just started smashing glassware.” There was a pause on the other end, followed by surprise. “You don’t know? She found out you had dinner with another woman, and that woman dropped you off at your hotel. Cam’s furious. She’s jealous.” I explained, “That was a client. The dinner was business, strictly professional. She drove me back because it was raining, and I couldn’t get a taxi.” So, that was the real reason. Cathy had always been this way. If I exchanged more than two words with another woman, she’d spiral into a jealous fit. I used to rationalize it, telling myself it was possessiveness born of love. But now, all I felt was exhaustion. “I could have explained everything, easily. But I don’t understand one thing.” My voice was quiet, aimed at the friend, but meant for Cathy. “Why does she tell you everything, but she won’t just ask me?” I once asked a buddy what he did when he fought with his girlfriend. He thought about it and said, “Depends on who’s wrong. We just wait for both of us to cool off, talk it out, and move on.” Cathy never did that. She bottled everything up. I was always left guessing what was wrong, forced to go through her friends for intel. I couldn’t fathom why she refused to communicate directly with me, why she preferred to vent to others instead of seeking clarity from her partner. Later, I learned the term for her behavior: emotionally withholding. Cathy was the most complicated, sensitive, and volatile person I’d ever known. She only knew how to retreat and push back, using veiled barbs and cold silence as her weapons. Everyone warned me people like that weren’t suitable for serious relationships. I didn’t believe them. I rushed in, heart blazing with hope. But now, I was lost. If a relationship always required one person to be the only active participant—the one who pursued, placated, and apologized—could it truly last? 4 I moved back to my own apartment. We might have avoided each other socially, but professionally, we still overlapped. We worked at the same research institute, though in different departments. During a project handover, I saw Cathy with a young man. He had bright, earnest eyes, a new graduate student named Finn O’Connell. Cathy’s eyes lit up the moment she saw me. But I didn’t look at her. I calmly handed over the documents and reports. Just as instantly, her warm expression chilled into aloof indifference. She brushed past me without a word, her gaze fixed straight ahead. I heard Finn, ever the curious gossip, whisper, “How did Professor Riley get that huge scar on her arm? It startled me when I first saw it.” Someone quickly supplied the backstory. “You’re new here. Professor Riley and Professor James—our Nolan—they were the golden couple. That scar is from an emergency drill back in college. She injured her arm carrying him. They say the injury kept her from qualifying for the pilot program she always wanted. That’s why she switched majors and ended up here.” Finn’s eyes widened with admiration. “That’s incredible. They really are a dream couple.” The workplace gossip flared up. Everyone praised Cathy’s sacrifice—giving up her dream for me, following me to the Institute. They lauded her devotion and expressed envy toward me. Our recent cold war was dismissed as playful bickering. “I bet Nolan is the first one to apologize this time.” “Last time, he bought us all lattes. What’s it going to be this time? I want the fancy macarons.” “I don’t agree. You’re cheating. Nolan always caves first. I’ll take that bet only if you back Cam to apologize.” I stood in the corner, listening to their laughter and assumptions. But they were all wrong this time. “Cathy and I have broken up. Please don’t mention it again.” My unexpected statement shut down the conversation instantly. Everyone looked at each other, then quickly dispersed. Our relationship was nowhere near the fairy tale they imagined. The constant arguments and emotional standoffs had left it deeply wounded and fragile without anyone noticing. I wanted to know: If I stopped trying to fix it, stopped fighting to keep it alive—what would Cathy do? Would she notice? Would she fight for me? Would she finally, just this once, apologize first? 5 A whole month passed. Cathy and I were like strangers, locked in a silent, exhausting battle of wills, neither willing to yield. Meanwhile, Finn and Cathy grew noticeably closer. They ate lunch together, left work together, and during the team weekend retreat, Cathy chose him as her hiking partner. Finn looked a little hesitant. “Are you sure this is okay? What about Nolan?” Cathy’s voice was sharp and cold. “We broke up, didn’t we? Why would I care what he does?” She didn’t bother to lower her voice. “Besides, he loves running off and having dinner with other women. I’m sure he’ll do the same on the mountain.” Suddenly, everyone was looking at me differently. I heard the murmurs. “She’s too good for him. He cheated on her, no wonder she broke up with him.” When I walked past, the gossiping cluster scattered. Later, going up the trail, Finn twisted his ankle. Cathy immediately abandoned the climb to tend to him. Finn apologized profusely. “I’m sorry, I ruined our hike. Now we’re last.” Cathy comforted him, her voice soft and gentle. “It’s fine. It was just a casual trip to relax. The ranking doesn’t matter.” I was walking further behind them. Since the number of attendees was odd, I hadn’t wanted to split anyone up, so I was hiking alone. I’ve never had great stamina, and I was already breathing heavily. The two figures ahead of me were cozy and harmonious. I even heard someone praise Cathy for being so responsible and nurturing. 6 Cathy was responsible and nurturing. She was polite and gentle with everyone… except me. Back in college, she was the student-body leader. During that emergency drill, everyone ran outside. She ran to me, hauling me up—my foot was in a cast from an injury a few days prior. The whole campus heralded it as an act of pure devotion. But what they didn’t hear was her spitting words at me. “Do you know how much trouble you are? Why did you even come to class with that foot? Now our whole group is last. Nolan, you are absolutely useless.” I wanted to tell her I had a medical exemption and wasn’t supposed to participate. But listening to her harsh criticism, I kept quiet, unwilling to provoke her further. Her friends later told me she was “speaking backward.” She was genuinely worried about my injury and wanted me to rest at home. They said she specifically tracked down a specialist to prescribe me the expensive herbal medicine. “She only made a hundred dollars a day at her part-time job, but your medicine was eighty dollars a dose. She bought a two-week supply without blinking.” My friend was envious. “She’s just complicated, but she truly loves you. That whole ‘ice queen’ act is the best kind of drama.” But seeing Cathy comfort Finn, I realized the bitter truth: She wasn’t incapable of warmth; she simply chose to reserve her kindness for everyone but me. I could hear about her love for me through the accounts of others, but I never felt it from her attitude. She only hurled cruel words, rolled her eyes, and gave me the cold shoulder. She called me clumsy, she called me shallow. She cut up a scarf a coworker gave me and smashed a gaming console a colleague loaned me. I always told myself she was just jealous, that she cared too much. So, after being repeatedly pushed away, after every refusal to communicate, I’d talk myself down. I would be the patient one, the proactive one, the one who apologized again and again. But even love, even enthusiasm, needs reciprocity. I wasn’t invincible in this relationship. I felt hurt, too. Emotional unavailability and a lack of love look so identical. I was so heartbroken I couldn’t tell the difference anymore. Was Cathy truly just complicated, or had she stopped loving me? 7 I stopped walking and quietly dropped out of the retreat. I texted my boss, claiming I felt ill. Back at my place, I systematically gathered up everything Cathy had left behind, along with all the gifts she’d ever given me. I packed it all up and shipped it to her address. When I was done, I stared blankly at the sofa for a while. Then, I picked up my phone and typed three short words. “We are done.” Last time, it had been a desperate test, a small, fragile hope that she would ask to reconcile. But this time was real. I genuinely wanted to walk away.

Traveling back to my hometown for Christmas, I was scrolling through TikTok when I hit a video that made my heart stop. It was a clip of a guy from behind, sitting at a late-night diner. The caption read: “To the guy in the blue puffer jacket at the diner tonight: You are literally my dream man. TikTok, do your thing!” I stared at the screen. That was my boyfriend. I knew that jacket. I knew the way he sat. That was the day he dropped me off at the train station. We had a massive fight that morning. Since then, he had only sent me three dry texts. He has an Avoidant Attachment Style. I used to think his silence was just a test—a way to see if I’d keep chasing, keep choosing him. I thought my job was to be the “secure” one, to be his rock. I didn’t realize that this time, he’d found a “Secure Guide” of his own. I clicked on the girl’s profile. Her latest post was a photo of her beaming, wearing that same blue puffer jacket. Beside her was a man’s arm, solid and familiar, draped around her shoulders. Caption: “Update: The jacket fits. He’s even hotter than I thought.” 1 Caleb Reed warned me before we started dating. He told me he had an avoidant attachment style. He told me that loving him would eventually hurt. That was three years ago. We met at his veterinary clinic. I had rushed in with a stray kitten I’d found on the side of the road, clinging to life after being hit by a car. Caleb was about to clock out, but he took the kitten without a word. “How did it happen?” he asked, his voice low and clinical. “A car hit it,” I said, barely holding back tears. “But it was still moving when I found it. Please.” Caleb glanced at me. “You’re this upset over a stray?” At the time, I thought he was cold. But he performed the surgery, stayed late, and at midnight, he walked out and told me, “It’s going to live.” I burst into tears of relief. Caleb reached into his pocket, pulled out a fresh pack of tissues, and handed them to me. “Stop crying.” He took off his surgical mask then. He had a sharp, stern face, but his eyes… his eyes were soft, almost vulnerable. I fell for him in that exact second. I adopted the kitten and named it Dawn. Every “check-up” or “vaccine” became an excuse to talk to him. By the time winter rolled around, we were official. Caleb opened up to me for the first time on a snowy night. He told me he’d been a “stray” himself. His parents’ divorce was messy; he was the one left behind. He’d tried to run away to find his mother, but he got into a car accident. He said he’d wished he died then. It would have been better than hearing his parents argue about who had to take him. As he spoke, his eyes turned red. I reached for his hand, and he gripped it tight. “I’m avoidant, Chloe,” he whispered, his eyes searching mine for a reason to run. “People hate people like me. I’ll push you away. Are you sure?” I didn’t hesitate. I nodded. “I love you, Caleb. I don’t care what your ‘style’ is.” He kissed me then—a desperate, hungry kiss. For three years, I studied psychology. I read the books. I learned how to give him space when he retreated. I convinced myself that if I was just patient enough, I could heal him. But staring at that TikTok, I realized I’d overestimated myself. I looked at our empty chat log. I felt a bone-deep exhaustion. I typed: “Caleb, I think we should break up.” No reply. 2 They say avoidants will repeatedly push away the people they love most. Three days ago, we fought at the airport. Caleb wanted me to spend Christmas with his parents. I couldn’t. My grandfather was in the ICU, and the doctors said it was a matter of days. I showed Caleb the photos—my grandfather, skin and bones, hooked up to machines. Caleb is a good person at his core. He felt bad for my grandpa. But he didn’t feel bad for me. “What about me?” he asked. “I told my family you were coming. Everyone’s expecting you.” “Chloe, you just don’t want to commit. You’re looking for an excuse.” It was the old routine. He’d take a legitimate conflict and twist it until it was my fault. He’d say I didn’t love him enough. He didn’t want to solve the problem; he wanted to avoid the reality of my pain. If I didn’t back down, he’d end it with a cold “Fine, we’re done.” But I couldn’t let my grandfather spend his last Christmas without me. “Babe,” I pleaded, “I’ll visit them right after New Year’s, okay?” Caleb snapped. He shoved my shoulder—not hard, but enough to create distance. “Forget it. I don’t need this.” “Go home to your family. I’ll go to mine. Let’s just forget the marriage talk for now.” He grabbed his suitcase and walked away. He didn’t look back once, even when I yelled that I loved him. On the train home, I sent a dozen texts explaining, apologizing, even asking my parents to help me talk to him. But as the messages sat on “Delivered,” I started to think. What did I actually do wrong? The only mistake I made was thinking I was irreplaceable. Without me there, Caleb wasn’t mourning. He was busy letting a stranger wear his jacket. After I sent the breakup text, he finally posted a Status: “Nobody ever stays. Nobody ever chooses me.” I gripped my phone, my heart skipping a beat. Usually, I’d be calling him, crying, begging him to see that I was choosing him. But this time, I stayed silent. 3 I wasn’t sure if Caleb had actually hooked up with that girl yet. Under her video, people were begging for an update. “Did you get the guy??” “The 2026 plot twist we needed!” The girl replied, acting shy: “We haven’t made it official yet. He’s a bit of a mystery, very cold-moody lol. But we’re going to see the New Year’s fireworks together. Hehe.” It felt like a knife to the chest. Caleb doesn’t talk to strangers. In three years, he never played games with other women. Even when we fought, he was loyal to a fault. That was why I stayed. I thought his “avoidance” was a cage he was trapped in. I realized then that our relationship was actually over. What I couldn’t understand was why he couldn’t just talk to me. Why couldn’t he just say goodbye? My grandfather’s condition worsened. The only silver lining was that when I got to the hospital, he was still conscious. If I had gone to Caleb’s parents’ house, I would have missed our last conversation. I turned off my phone. I was done blaming myself. Suddenly, a notification popped up. A follow request on Instagram. The bio said: @EverlyQ_. The message in the request was anything but friendly: “Are you Caleb’s girlfriend?” I stared at the screen. Everly. The girl from the TikTok. I hit accept. “Who’s asking?” The reply was instant. “I’m Everly. I’m the girl who’s going to be with Caleb.” 4 I checked her profile. She was young, probably a college junior. She lived in the same town Caleb was from. She was also incredibly bold. “Look, Chloe. I’m not trying to be mean. Caleb told me you broke up with him.” Ah. So he did read the message. “And?” I typed. A long paragraph appeared a few minutes later. “You know Caleb. You know how much he’s hurting. He’s avoidant—he can’t handle being abandoned. I met him and I realized he has a girlfriend, and I was going to back off. But then he called me last night, crying. I realized you two are a toxic match.” “I like him. I know how to handle someone like him. I’m a ‘Secure Guide.’ I won’t give up on him or threaten to leave every time things get hard. I’m going to pursue him seriously. Just don’t go posting drama online once we’re official.” I sat there, stunned. I couldn’t even process the logic. I was the one who stayed for three years. I was the one whose grandfather was dying. But to her, I was the villain for finally reaching my breaking point. I typed back one word: “OK.” Everly: “Just ‘OK’? I actually feel bad for Caleb. He wasted three years on someone so cold.” 5 Was I cold? For three years, I tried to melt an iceberg. Caleb wasn’t a child. He could have understood why I chose my dying grandfather over a Christmas dinner. Any normal person would. But love isn’t enough to cure a personality disorder. And Caleb didn’t love me enough to try. It was the second day after the breakup. He still hadn’t replied. However, he had deleted the “Nobody ever stays” status. Then, he started deleting photos of us. One by one. It seemed petty, but I knew his language. This was his way of getting my attention. He wanted me to see the “erasure” of our memories and panic. He wanted me to come crawling back to save the relationship. But I didn’t have the energy to play the game anymore. My dad called. Grandpa was being moved home. I knew what that meant. Hospice. I burst into tears and ran for my car to get to the hospital. On the way, my phone rang. Caleb. I swiped answer, my heart in my throat. “Chloe,” Caleb’s voice was heavy, sounding both angry and desperate. “Are you really doing this? Are you really leaving me?” “Caleb, I can’t talk right now—” Then I heard it. A rustling sound through the phone. A soft, feminine moan. “Caleb… what are you doing?” Silence. Then a girl’s voice, muffled: “Caleb, come back to bed…” My world shattered. 6 I pulled over to the side of the road, gasping for air. The betrayal felt like a physical blow to the stomach. Three years of patience, three years of “healing,” and he was in bed with another girl within 72 hours of a fight. While my grandfather was dying. I sat there for twenty minutes, staring at the steering wheel, before I forced myself to start the car. I had to see Grandpa. The drive to the hospital, which should have taken fifteen minutes, took me forty. My eyes were so blurred with tears I could barely see the road. I stumbled into the hospital, looking for the room. I was a wreck. I accidentally slammed into a man in the hallway. “Whoa, easy there.” Strong hands caught my shoulders. I looked up through a fog of tears at a man in a white coat. He looked steady. Reliable. “I’m sorry,” I sobbed. “I’m looking for Thomas Miller. He’s my grandpa… he doesn’t have long…” I was babbling. Doctors usually don’t know every patient by name. But this man didn’t pull away. “Take a breath. Follow me.” He led me through the maze of the hospital to the ICU. I saw my parents outside the room, their faces red from crying. I rushed to the bed. My grandfather opened his eyes one last time. “My… sweet girl…” The weight of the last three days finally broke me. I knelt by the bed, gripping his hand as the warmth left it. “I’m sorry, Grandpa. I’m so sorry.”

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The fourth year of being Zoe’s substitute. She returned to the country in person. Liam Sterling dumped me without hesitation, swiftly getting back together with her. At a friend’s gathering, he raised his glass to sincerely wish me a good man in the future. I smiled and toasted back, wishing him the same. Everyone present thought I was putting on a brave face. Even Liam thought so. Until one late night. His best friend, Lucas, updated his Instagram. In the photo, seventeen-year-old Lucas stood next to the equally seventeen-year-old me. And his caption was: “Broken mirrors will eventually be reunited.” The likes and comments from mutual friends. Exploded in the next minute. … Perhaps I had a premonition. So when Liam proposed breaking up, I actually breathed a sigh of relief. “Chloe, I’m sorry.” “If there’s anything I can do to compensate you, just ask.” The words were spoken to me. But Liam’s gaze drifted past me, landing on the clock hanging on the wall. It was almost nine o’clock. He and I both knew very well that Zoe’s flight would soon land in this city. “Let’s talk later, I just came back from overtime, quite tired.” I bent down to untie the straps on my high heels, my voice soaked in fatigue. There’s an unwritten rule between adults. No contact for three days means automatic breakup. And Liam and I had accumulated countless three days. So my sentence was a response to his offer of compensation. But Liam misunderstood. He stopped me from entering the bathroom, looking serious. “Let’s clear it up tonight, I don’t want to meet Zoe with ambiguity.” The overhead light cast an anxious shadow on his prominent brow bone. I suddenly remembered a night a few years ago. Under such light too. Liam held my hand, insisting on the title of boyfriend. I stopped my steps. Quietly stared at him for several seconds. “Break up, right? I agree.” Seemed unexpected that I would be so straightforward. Liam was stunned. His Adam’s apple rolled slightly. “Don’t you have anything to say to me… even scolding or hitting me is fine.” I wanted to laugh listening to this. But the corners of my mouth were too heavy to lift. Finally, I just lifted my chin, pointing behind him. “Liam Sterling, it’s almost nine.” Implication being, he should go. A trace of complexity flashed across Liam’s face. As if he wanted to say something, but was covered by greater urgency. Finally, he picked up his coat and pushed the door open to leave. From opening his mouth to disappearing, the whole process took less than thirty seconds. This is the weight of me and Zoe on the scale in his heart. After facing this disparate contrast again. I leaned against the cold wall. Laughed very lightly. Chapter 1 My relationship with Liam. He was the one who actively entangled first. After our first meeting, he pursued me almost frantically. I asked him the reason many times. Every time, he categorically said it was love at first sight. Yes, love at first sight. I gradually got used to him appearing in front of me on time every day. Also let down my guard. Letting him get closer and closer to me. Just the only strange thing was. After getting together, he would often stare at my face distractedly for a long time. I asked him what was wrong. Liam didn’t answer, only whispered in my ear that he loved me so much. At that time, I really thought I was loved. The change happened on an unremarkable weekend. While tidying up. I accidentally knocked over a box in his study. Photos inside scattered all over the floor. I squatted down to pick them up, only to find they were all intimate photos of Liam and another girl. On the back of the photos was written the same sentence. “Liam Sterling and Zoe want to be together forever.” The girl’s eyebrows and eyes were surprisingly similar to mine. I looked for a long time before realizing in hindsight. What his so-called love at first sight really meant. I proposed a breakup. But unexpectedly, during the holidays that year, Liam chased to downstairs of my parents’ home. The winter night temperature dropped below zero, he just stood in the wind all night. When I went out in the morning and saw his face turned blue from cold. I still softened after all. I accepted his clumsy explanation and stuttering promises. But towards this relationship, there was finally a few points of distrust added. Later, friends around got engaged and married one after another. Occasionally Liam also half-jokingly mentioned our future. I always changed the topic tracelelessly. Later he stopped mentioning it, just treated me more attentively and thoughtfully. Until one time I came back from a business trip in the early morning. Saw him forcing himself to stay awake sitting at the dining table waiting for me, with a bowl of warm Lobster Bisque by his hand. At that moment, a place in my heart suddenly softened. I thought, maybe getting married isn’t so bad. The sadness was real. But I really loved him too. Just when I almost made up my mind. The news of Zoe returning to the country spread. Liam suddenly became very busy. Phone always silent, messages often replied overnight. He still came home, but like bringing back an empty shell. Until recently when Zoe’s flight information was completely confirmed. Liam finally stood in front of me. Said that sentence of breakup that we both tacitly understood. Chapter 2 I agreed to the half-month project inspection proposed by my boss during the day. Originally considered that I couldn’t handle the intensity of continuous work. But now I changed my mind. Maybe busyness is the best way to fill the emptiness of heartbreak. Handing over work with colleagues was already late at night. Should have put down the phone and slept well. But I ghost-driven opened Instagram. Liam and Zoe’s hand-holding photo pierced into my eyes without warning. His caption was: “Glad didn’t arrive late, hope won’t be late again in the future.” Heart felt like being smashed heavily by a blunt instrument. I turned off the screen abruptly. Then kept eyes open till dawn. High-intensity work indeed makes people forget everything. In the half month of business trip, I lost seven pounds. Busy enough to have almost no gap to think of Liam. Only occasionally when thoughts wandered, there would be a moment of trance. The day of return. Friend sent a message, reminding me of the time and place of the gathering tonight. I knew there was a high probability of seeing Liam again on such an occasion. Perhaps, also Zoe. But I didn’t plan to avoid. I wasn’t the one in the wrong. I couldn’t cut off all contact with mutual friends just because I broke up with him. Thought for a moment, I typed a word in the chat box. “Okay.” … Light in the private room was blurred, voices noisy. When pushing the door open, several gazes fell on me. Before I could see the figures clearly, I heard Liam’s voice first. He probably drank. Tone higher than usual, carrying a bit of urgency. “I waited for Zoe for so many years, this time she’s back, I will absolutely not miss again.” A calm deep male voice interrupted him. “So, you can end the previous one with peace of mind?” “Liam, is feelings just a game to you?” Liam seemed stumped. Silent for two seconds, then retorted slightly irritably. “Lucas, not everyone is like you, years passed still obsessed with a first love who has no news. I’m different from you, I know what I want.” The man didn’t speak again. Air suddenly quieted somewhat tensely. Liam probably realized his slip of tongue, reached out to put arm around that person’s shoulder. “I said wrong, punish myself a drink. You just came back, don’t let my business spoil the fun…” Unknown who whispered a reminder. “Chloe is here.” All voices stopped abruptly. Liam looked up, panic flashed on face. And in the sofa corner. That man who had been hidden in the shadow, slowly raised his head. Profile clear and handsome, eyebrows deep. Those eyes looking at me, just like before. Actually Lucas. Really him. My breathing stopped in this second. The world also seemed to be pressed mute by someone. Only the heartbeat, knocked heavily on eardrums once. And again. Chapter 3 “Let me introduce, this is my friend Lucas.” Liam reacted first. He pretended nothing happened, pulled Lucas to me. “He was abroad these years, just came back recently.” “Wanted to introduce you before, but every time he came back you were away, quite unfortunate…” Liam drank, and was a bit guilty. Said quite a lot. But I didn’t listen to any. Just staring blankly at the person in front. Didn’t expect years passed. We actually reunited in such a situation, by mistake. Thinking of what he just said. That faint ripple in heart, soon returned to silence. Everyone in this world is qualified to judge others’ feelings. Only he, is least qualified. I didn’t intend to dig up old matters on such an occasion. Hid all emotions on face, just pretended not to know. Only nodded to Lucas. “Hello, Lucas.” … Atmosphere of gathering remained somewhat subtle. Everyone thought this awkwardness came from my breakup with Liam. I didn’t want to care, found a quiet corner to stay alone. Lucas sat diagonally opposite me. His gaze fell over from time to time, deep enough to be hard to ignore. My heartbeat was a bit messy. Didn’t notice Liam sat next to me. “Chloe, I sorry you in this relationship, any request you just…” He lowered voice, tone sincere. I listened but felt annoyed. Twitched mouth corner, moved aside, distancing from him. Didn’t fulfill promises when together, why say these words after breakup. “No need, wish you and Zoe grow old together.” I hate using quarrels to demand an answer already clear. Since can’t keep, better let go with dignity. Strange thing is. Hearing me finish this sentence, light in Liam’s eyes dimmed for a moment. But soon, he returned to normal, raised wine glass said. “Then… also wish you find true love in future.” More gazes gathered. I maintained last dignity, picked up wine in front. When gaze swept past behind Liam, I saw Lucas. He was quietly looking at me. Brows slightly frowned, eyes complex making me unable to understand. Just for that moment, all suppressed grievance and incomprehension suddenly surged up. Why is it always me getting hurt? Where exactly did I do wrong? Cold liquid slid down throat, carrying burning pain. I put down glass, excused myself to restroom. When getting up to leave, I could feel gazes behind. Lucas’s, Liam’s, others’. Door closed behind. Also separated vague discussions in private room. Chapter 4 “Did Chloe’s eyes look red when she went out just now?” “Must be holding on hard, four years, how can be so easy to let go.” Liam listening, suddenly froze. He turned to the speaker, tone a bit urgent. “Did she really cry just now?” Other party stunned by his question, mumbled: “Just… eye rims a bit red, maybe saw wrong.” Liam wanted to ask more, private room door pushed open. I came back, face showing no abnormality anymore. “I still have work unfinished, leaving first, you guys have fun.” I picked up bag, smiled to friends. Liam stood up immediately. “Chloe, I send you…” Before voice fell, his phone rang. Moment screen lit up, his eyes obviously dodged. Even didn’t see name, I guessed who. Private room too quiet. Causing female voice in phone also clearer. “Liam, my stomach hurts… can you come back?” It was Zoe. Heart seemed pricked gently by fine needle. Not deep, but pain clear. Liam held phone, looked at me again. Face written full of dilemma. I lazy to watch anymore, turned pulled door left. … In private room, Liam watched door close, trace of annoyance flashed on face. He seemed to explain to himself, also to others. “Zoe hurts badly every period, I really have no way…” Lucas who kept silent suddenly stood up, picked up coat. Liam stunned, subconsciously stopped him. “Where you going?” “Leaving.” Lucas tone very light. “Wait!” Liam like grasping life-saving straw, tone carried trace of pleading. “Lucas, this is mountain top, unsafe for her a girl drank to go down, you help me send her, okay?” He knew Lucas cold nature, dislike contacting unfamiliar people. Original didn’t hold much hope. But Lucas steps stopped. Quiet few seconds, he opened mouth, actually agreed. “Okay.” I underestimated difficulty of hailing car on mountain. After being cancelled three times in a row. A car slowly stopped in front of me. Window lowered, revealing Lucas’s face. “Get in, I send you back.” This person’s tone attitude didn’t change a bit from years ago. Wind strong on mountain, blowing bones painful. I didn’t be pretentious, pulled door sat in. Beside still familiar woody scent. My mind trance, turned head, whispered address. Continuous half month high intensity business trip, plus emotion consumption tonight, body reached limit long ago. Just drove down mountain road, I fell asleep groggily. Dream bumpy, like back to past. That time I also always fell asleep beside him. Every time wake up covered with his coat. And he quietly read beside, waiting me wake naturally. “Why not call me?” “Saw you sleep soundly, couldn’t bear.” Dialogue in memory blurry. Then picture shattered, became boundless quarrel crying. Brow tight, I woke up. Car already stopped. Outside window was my familiar apartment building. I sat straight suddenly, suit jacket on body also slid down. Movement woke Lucas napping beside. “Thank you sending me back.” I didn’t want ask extra words. Hurriedly untied seatbelt, reached to pull door. Door motionless. I paused action, turned look Lucas. He also looking at me. Gaze heavy, like bottomless sea in night. After few breaths. He opened lips, tone obscure. “Why so thin?”

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At the end of the year, Xavier, who told me he was on a business trip, appeared at my family dinner, sitting intimately next to my cousin. Seeing me, he froze. “Sarah? Why are you here?” “You know each other?” My cousin was surprised for a moment, then hugged my arm, whispering gigglingly in my ear. “Hehe, Cousin Sarah, this is the CEO of my company. Just because I complained about my parents pressuring me to get married, he couldn’t wait to propose pretending to be my boyfriend to accompany me back!” “How is it? Is he super nice? All those things in the living room were bought by him! Calling my parents ‘Mom and Dad’ so naturally! Acting like it’s real!” I stood frozen on the spot, stiff all over. More than knowing each other, he is my boyfriend of seven years who always used being busy as an excuse not to meet my parents. But… not anymore. Chapter 1 “Oh right! Cousin Sarah, how do you know each other? You don’t have a crush on Xavier, do you?” Lexi looked at me with a smile, a hint of hostility flashing in her eyes unnoticed. She is extremely possessive, loved snatching my things since childhood, and now declaring sovereignty blatantly. I chuckled lightly, glanced at the stiff Xavier, and was about to speak. Xavier’s text message came. [Sarah, don’t make a scene. Be angry if you want, but today I’m here as Lexi’s boyfriend. Don’t slip up and make everyone unhappy.] [Lexi is young, she can’t afford to lose face.] “Not familiar, met by chance.” I gritted my teeth, knuckles turning white, almost laughing in anger. “Oh~ I want shrimp! Xavier peel for me quickly! And that crab, pick out the meat for me!” Lexi was heartless, skillfully commanding Xavier to do this and that, as if they had done such things countless times. But Xavier is allergic to shellfish! I subconsciously wanted to stop it, but met Xavier’s warning eyes. When Lexi was happy eating, Xavier sent me another message. [The little girl loves to eat, peeling a bit won’t cause allergy. Don’t make a fuss, just go buy me an allergy pill later.] My heart went cold, gripping the chopsticks tightly. Together for seven years, he always refused to peel anything for me on the grounds of mysophobia (fear of dirt), let alone peeling shrimp risking allergy! “Cousin Sarah, didn’t you say you have a boyfriend of seven years? Why not bring him home to see?” “Yeah! Didn’t you say he runs a company? Wouldn’t be bragging to save face, right?” “Did you break up? You are really stupid, slept for free for seven years, slept into worn shoes…” A group of people talking at once, pointing fingers at me. My parents smiled reluctantly, wanting to smooth things over. But interrupted by Lexi’s mom, my Aunt Karen, with a shrill voice. “Oh my, you wouldn’t be a mistress outside, right? That’s not okay!” “Just sat at the table and you kept looking at our Lexi’s boyfriend. Wouldn’t even spare your cousin’s boyfriend, right? Sarah, one must have a bottom line!” A sentence made me unable to step down, face turning pale instantly, subconsciously looked at Xavier for help. Touching my gaze, Xavier dodged, grabbing Lexi’s hand tightly in front of the whole table of relatives. “No matter what, I only like Lexi! It’s useless for others to have crooked thoughts!” After speaking, he glanced at me warningly. Just this glance, made the relatives present more certain that I wanted to seduce him. “Oh my! Look, look how good the boyfriend our Lexi found is? Some people want to be homewreckers, pity no one wants them!” “Sarah, tell us the truth, are you really a mistress outside?” “Must be! She sends two or three hundred thousand to family every month! What job makes so much money? Isn’t it being kept by a sugar daddy? No wonder she has no face to bring him home! Her parents must be pissed off!” I bit my lip hard, nails digging deep into flesh. Parents were talked down unable to lift heads, faces white and green. Just defended me a few words, quickly choked back. I couldn’t help standing up abruptly, angry and uncomfortable. “Xavier! You speak!” “Don’t you know clearly if I am a mistress or not! You speak!” Chapter 2 The scene quieted instantly, everyone’s eyes focused on us. Lexi’s face pale, holding Xavier’s hand uneasily. “Xavier, don’t you plan to explain?” I looked at him with disappointment. He didn’t want to meet my parents, delayed marriage, even when I proposed with a ring and got rejected, I accepted all these! But I can’t accept my boyfriend rushing to pretend to be a couple with someone else! Xavier was silent for a long time, eyes gloomy. “Sarah is not a mistress, the person she dated for seven years, is actually…” I gripped my clothes, full of hope. But he avoided my gaze, tidying Lexi’s hair. “Is my good brother Sebastian. Sebastian chased her. Sarah never acted as a mistress for anyone.” At this moment, my heart shattered completely. The dignity supported for days, the smile maintained at the table all shattered, nose sour terribly. “Sarah, you should also bring Sebastian back to meet parents, consider marriage.” Xavier said lightly, but his eyes stared at me tightly. I understood his meaning. Nothing more than asking me to endure, to be obedient. Since so, then I do as he wishes, really become Sebastian’s girlfriend. I held back tears, smiling pretending to be relaxed. “Yes, it’s Sebastian. I’ve been with him for seven years, planning to get married this year.” “Sebastian? Isn’t Sebastian that boy who followed Sarah’s butt since childhood? Even said everywhere he wanted to marry Sarah when grew up!” Someone spoke in surprise, like discovering a secret. “I remember! Delivering gifts to the door every year! Turns out Sarah was hiding it! I said why so diligent without kinship!” Everyone changed faces, no one noticed Xavier’s face getting darker and darker. We three have a good relationship. Sebastian confessed to me more than once. Xavier was very jealous, once even angry with me for a long time because Sebastian sent me home, so I never said Sebastian was my childhood friend. “Uncle, Auntie, late this year. Where is Sarah? I bought her favorite cake from that shop, freshly baked! She definitely likes it!” Speak of the devil, Sebastian pushed the door and walked in, pointing skillfully at the pile of gifts at the door, waving the cake at me. “Why eyes red? Who scolded you? I’ll scold back for you!” I couldn’t help laughing, held his arm under his shocked gaze. “Mom, Dad, Sebastian, my boyfriend! We plan to get married next year.” “When did you become childhood sweethearts with Sebastian? Why didn’t I know! You never told me!” My voice and Xavier’s voice overlapped. Sebastian froze on the spot, looked at Xavier, then at Lexi snuggling beside Xavier, frowned. Xavier’s eyes slightly cold, staring tightly at the hands of mine and Sebastian holding together. “Sarah, I need an explanation.” Lexi bit her lip, a trace of venom flashing in her eyes. “Cousin Sarah, wouldn’t be you finding Brother Sebastian to act with you right? Last year you said your boyfriend was better than Brother Sebastian. Besides, Brother Sebastian doesn’t run a company.” “Xavier! You can’t join them to deceive parents just because you have good relationship with them!” She looked innocent, as if mentioning inadvertently. Xavier sneered, a trace of understanding flashing in his eyes, voice carried a bit of impatience. “Sarah, your trick is really low level.” Chapter 3 “Xavier, others don’t know, don’t you know? My company is already open, everything is going smoothly.” Sebastian frowned, expression unkind. Under my whispered explanation, he roughly understood the matter, glanced at Xavier with a sneer. “How come I didn’t know you found a girlfriend? Didn’t you say going on business trip for New Year? Causing…” “Sebastian!” Xavier face dark, silent warning. Lexi’s face turned white instantly, clutching Xavier’s clothes tight. Finally my mom smoothed things over, pulling Sebastian to sit down for a good chat. After meal, Xavier indeed had an allergy. Arms and neck densely red, Lexi distressed shedding tears. “You knew you are allergic to shellfish, why peel for me! Are you stupid!” “Not painful, I like peeling for you!” Turned to look at me again, crying accusing “And Cousin Sarah! Why didn’t you remind me! Do you like seeing Xavier sick so much! In your eyes, is there only Sebastian!” Last sentence fell, Xavier’s face instantly became ugly. “Sebastian is my boyfriend, of course I only have him in my eyes.” I looked at the two hugging together amusingly, trying hard to ignore the heart pain. “Sarah!” Xavier roared at me angrily, face dark enough to drip water. “You don’t need to find Sebastian to pretend boyfriend for face, very boring.” I understood his meaning, asking me to stop while ahead. But. “Didn’t you say it? My boyfriend of seven years! Is Sebastian…” Before I finished, I was dragged by the exasperated Xavier to the unmanned backyard garden. Veins on his forehead were jumping with anger. “What exactly are you making a fuss about? How to end this later?” “Lexi is a little girl urged to marry and blind date during New Year, what’s wrong with me helping her? I just didn’t want you to be sad so I hid it from you! Do you have to be so serious?” “Sarah, my patience is limited too! You know I hate you being with Sebastian the most!” “I tell you one last time! Matter between me and you not allowed to tell anyone! You as my girlfriend! Also not allowed to have intimate contact with Sebastian! Understood?” I stared at Xavier for a long time, seeing he wasn’t lying, laughed directly. Laughed until tears fell, I spoke choking. “So you mean! You can cheat, but I must be your girlfriend obediently and! Can’t complain?” “I don’t mean that! Not cheating either! I’m just helping Lexi!” He was exasperated, trying to deceive himself. But we dated for seven years, he never called any female other than me by nickname! Even less would actively propose to fake boyfriend for help! No wonder, since Lexi started working, he would smile at the cup inexplicably every day after coming home! Turns out spring heart sprouted! “Sarah, Lexi is different, completely different from you! She is fresh and vigorous, straightforward. I just think she is special, that’s all!” I laughed sarcastically, backhanded him a slap. Heartache, but stomach churned more disgusting! “Xavier, let’s break up.” “We are done.” Chapter 4 I turned and left after speaking, but bumped into Lexi who eavesdropped for unknown how long. Her eyes red, face white as paper. “Cousin Sarah, you…” I had no time to listen to her sadness, left straight away. At night, don’t know how Xavier coaxed, two people came back talking and laughing intimately. Lexi even looked at me provocatively, deliberately exposing the eye-catching mark on her neck, pouting red swollen lips. “Xavier! No empty room at home, you sleep with me tonight, I warn you! Don’t be like this afternoon…” Xavier saw me slightly stunned, a trace of guilt flashed in eyes, but still hugged Lexi, smiling said okay. He was certain, I was just throwing a small tantrum, will return to him naturally when anger subsides. But this time, I am serious. “Sarah, apologize to Lexi for your nonsense wishful thinking causing her cry for long time afternoon.” He signaled with eyes, but I treated as invisible, sneering at red mark on his neck. Seven years, I was never allowed to leave marks on him. “I know you always liked me, but I never had you in my heart from beginning to end, hope you don’t let Lexi misunderstand later.” “Oh my? What misunderstanding? Sarah, you have boyfriend yourself still pestering Xavier ah? Do you want face?” Aunt Karen full of anger, pointing at my nose cursing. “I said you are a mistress! Thanks to Xavier speaking for you! How can you even snatch cousin’s boyfriend!” “I saw it afternoon! Sarah pulling Xavier in backyard garden, probably seducing Xavier!” A group of people talking at once, wanting to nail me on pillar of shame. I wanted to explain several times, couldn’t insert words. Only Lexi, lying in Xavier’s arms with shocked aggrieved face, looking at me triumphantly provocatively. Next moment, received message from Lexi on phone. [Cousin Sarah, you dated Xavier for seven years, feelings just so so! Still snatched by me easily?] [He kissed me afternoon, hugged me, even confessed to me, said he was attracted by my maverick in company long ago, you are really boring.] “Cousin Sarah, is what my mom said true? But aren’t you marrying Sebastian soon? How can you…” She bit lip with tears, totally unlike person who could send such message. Aunt Karen crazy angry, rushed up slapped me hard, dragging my hair hitting against wall. “Pui! How did our family produce such shameless bitch!” “Are you cheap or not! Snatching sister’s man too!” “She said my son sexually harassed her few years ago! Probably she failed seduction herself!” “Start live stream! Post her online! Go to her company make scene! Ruin her reputation!” Group of people surrounded me cursing, Xavier watched coldly me being beaten, ignoring my help-seeking gaze. [Sister, you can never beat me in this life.] Lexi looked at me provocatively, moved mouth silently. I sneered, wiping blood trace at mouth corner. Slapped Aunt Karen’s face, then slapped the relative who claimed witnessing me seducing Xavier. Threw a stack of things on their faces.

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1 Seven years. That’s how long I’d been back with the Moreaus, the family I was born into. And in all that time, they all still hated me. My parents found the stench of poverty impossible to wash off me, a stark contrast to the effortless grace of the girl who had taken my place. My biological brother, Marcus, blamed me for the year the false daughter had to move out and “suffer” after I first came home. When she moved back in, he guarded her like a junkyard dog, convinced I was a constant threat. Even Rhys, the boy I practically raised from infancy, declared that the false daughter, Sophie, was the sister he’d always dreamed of. Me? I was the wicked witch who wouldn’t let him eat junk food or play video games all day. He once told me, with all the certainty of a child, that no one in the world would ever love me. I thought he was right. It had to be something in the air of this world, something fundamentally toxic to my existence. So when a System appeared out of nowhere and asked if I wanted to complete missions in other worlds, I didn’t hesitate. I agreed instantly. … The System came for me the day I got out of the detention center. I’d been locked up for two weeks. Outside, winter had sunk its teeth into the air. I wrapped my thin windbreaker tighter around myself. Hunching my shoulders against the biting wind, I mumbled to the System. “Are you sure? As soon as this body dies, you can take me away?” After receiving a firm confirmation, my eyes settled on the nearby lake. I had just started walking toward it when a heavy coat was draped over my shoulders. I turned my head and came face-to-face with a sight that made my stomach churn. My dear brother, Marcus Moreau. Two weeks ago, he was the one who had personally escorted me to the police station. It was because Sophie’s masterpiece for the art competition, which had mysteriously gone missing, was found in my room. In shreds. At first, I had screamed myself hoarse, trying to defend myself. But as I looked at their impassive faces, my explanations withered into despair. I had forgotten. Sometimes, the truth doesn’t matter. Everyone has their own set of scales. And a single one of Sophie’s tears could outweigh my entire existence. Marcus had wiped away that tear and told me, his face a mask of cold disappointment, that I needed to learn a lesson. Remembering that, I shrugged my shoulders. The heavy men’s coat slid off and landed in a heap on the dusty ground. Marcus’s face tightened, his expression growing colder still. The old me would have been a mess of anxiety, forcing a placating smile. But now, I just gave him a sideways glance before looking away. “Does Sophie know you’re here?” I asked, my voice flat. “Because I’d hate for her to shed a tear and have you pin the blame on me again.” I offered a thin, humorless smile. “Two weeks ago, she cried, and you sent me to a detention center. You gave me a permanent record and made sure I wouldn’t be able to graduate. If she cries again, what’s next? Do you want me to bleed out to dry her tears for you?” Marcus, who had bent down to pick up the coat, froze. He stayed like that for several long seconds. After all, we both knew the truth. Sophie had destroyed her own painting. It was a pathetic, self-staged drama. Over the years, her schemes had always been clumsy and obvious, but our parents, Marcus, and Rhys had all chosen to be blind. Finally, he straightened up, brushing the dust from his coat. He didn’t offer it to me again. He kept his eyes on the ground. “Come home. Mom and Dad are waiting.” He paused, then finally looked at me. “Mom bought you a strawberry cake.” He reached for my hand. I flinched back, taking several steps away. “I don’t eat strawberry cake. I ate Sophie’s once, and you locked me outside in the courtyard to stand all night. Remember? It was snowing, too.” The fingers of his outstretched hand curled into a fist. He looked away, his gaze darting around like a cornered animal. A silent, bitter laugh formed on my lips. I knew he remembered. That night, as I stood shivering in the snow-filled courtyard, I had looked up and seen him in his second-floor bedroom, warm in a thin sweater. He gave me a single, indifferent glance before drawing the curtains shut. Snowflakes landed on my eyelashes, melting into cold trickles that slid down my numb face. I couldn’t tell if they were water or tears. 2 Marcus’s face was a mess of shame and conflict. His lips moved as if to say something more, but I was already done listening. The System had promised me a new world. A world where I would have loving parents and a brilliant older brother who adored me. A world completely different from this one, where every meal I’d eaten for seven years had felt like choking down uncooked rice. With that thought, I took a deep breath and broke into a run toward the man-made lake. “Cora! Where are you going?” As I sprinted, I could hear his frantic footsteps pounding on the pavement behind me. “Cora! No one at home is blaming you! Sophie promised she’d try to get along with you! You need to stop this, right now—” His angry shouts died in his throat. Because without a moment’s hesitation, I launched myself toward the thin sheet of ice forming at the water’s edge. I ran, full of joy, toward my new world. But in the next second, my vision flipped. A strong arm wrapped around my waist, tackling me to the frozen grass. At the same time, I heard a loud splash. I sat up, pushing myself from the ground, and saw Marcus flailing in the icy water. He couldn’t swim. I could hear his choked gasps for air, his face already turning a deathly shade of blue from the cold. I just sat there on the lawn, watching him sink, my expression blank. Chaos erupted on the shore. Someone jumped in and dragged him out. Wrapped in a blanket, Marcus shivered violently, but his eyes, across the frantic crowd, found mine. For the first time, those eyes, which always held such cold assessment and judgment when they looked at me, held something else. They held pain. Anguish. But what did he have to be anguished about? I shook my head, a scornful smile on my face. When the Moreau family found me at fifteen, I actually had one good year. Back then, Sophie had claimed she felt guilty for stealing my life of privilege. She announced she was giving me back my parents and brother, and she moved out with Rhys. She left with a dramatic flourish, deleting all her contact information for the family. That year, my mother cooked my favorite dishes. My father canceled business dinners to eat with me. And Marcus would pick me up from school every day. The dinner table was often silent, and Marcus was always distracted on the drives home, but I was still clumsy and greedy in my enjoyment of the warmth I had been denied for fifteen years. I thought I finally had a home. But the next year, Sophie came back, with Rhys in tow. She was rail-thin and looked like a startled bird. And just like that, in less than a year, my father, mother, and brother were no longer mine. The food on the table was always Sophie’s favorite. My father, no matter how late he came home, would always peek into her room. And I never saw Marcus’s car at the school gates again. Then came Sophie’s endless campaign of sabotage. She said I tore her dress. Marcus believed her and threw my entire wardrobe into the backyard pond. She said I stole her necklace. Marcus looked at me like I was scum. “Give it back to her, Cora. Don’t make me search your room.” The necklace was later found in a hidden compartment of Sophie’s own jewelry box. She just stuck out her tongue and said she’d forgotten, and no one cared about the suspicion and hurt I had endured. She said I was spreading rumors about her at school. Marcus didn’t even bother to ask me; he just canceled my car service. Sophie’s tactics were never clever, but they were sharp, and they dug into my flesh, causing a pain that was deep and relentless. My explanations were useless. Their favoritism was a fortress, and I was never allowed even a sliver of their affection. So what was this performance now? What was all this supposed to mean? 3 The crowd of onlookers on the shore began to disperse. I stood up, testing the ankle I had twisted in the fall. I had only taken a couple of steps when an ice-cold hand clamped down on my arm. “Cora, what in God’s name are you trying to do?” I didn’t answer. My eyes scanned the area, searching for a more efficient way to die. The lake was out. Too easy to be rescued, and too much trouble for the rescuers. Jumping from a building wouldn’t work unless it was high enough. Bashing my head against a wall wasn’t a guarantee… “Cora, answer me!” My silence enraged Marcus. He let out a low growl, his voice trembling on the edge of a breakdown. “What is it you want? Was that a threat? Were you trying to scare us? Let me tell you, Cora, threatening suicide is the most pathetic tactic there is! Do you think we’ll just give in to you? In your dreams!” His shouting made my ears ring, but strangely, I felt a laugh bubbling up inside me. See? People who don’t love you will see you hanging from a rope and think you’re just playing on a swing. Ignoring my struggles, Marcus dragged me into his car. He was soaking wet, his lips a deep shade of purple from the cold. But he seemed oblivious to it, one hand gripping the steering wheel, the other clamped around my wrist like a manacle. I tried to pull away, my voice calm. “Let go.” He didn’t. His grip only tightened. “Cora, Mom and Dad are waiting for us. You said you wanted to go to Disneyland, remember? I’ll buy the tickets in a few days. We’ll all go as a family.” A humorless smile twisted my lips. “Is Sophie going?” His fingers tightened on my wrist. After a few seconds of silence, he said, “I’ll keep an eye on her.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. My laughter darkened his expression. “Cora, you don’t need to compete with Sophie. You—” I didn’t let him finish. I lunged for the steering wheel. The car swerved wildly on the empty road. Marcus’s voice cracked with terror. “Cora! Are you insane?” “We’re going to crash!” Perfect. A quick end for both of us. Dying with him was disgusting, but taking one of them with me felt like a fair trade. Fueled by that thought, I yanked the wheel with all my might. The car fishtailed violently before veering sharply to the right, crashing into the median strip. The screech of tires echoed in the sudden silence that followed. But apparently, Marcus had slammed on the brakes in time. The impact wasn’t even hard enough to deploy the airbags. My head swam. I sighed. Another failure. What a shame. The first thing I did was reach for the door handle. Locked. Marcus slumped in the driver’s seat, his face a ghastly shade of white. After a long moment, he turned to me, the corners of his eyes red, his voice a raw, broken whisper. “You really… want to die that badly? Even if… it means taking me with you?” I clutched my aching head, not even bothering to look at him. “Marcus, why didn’t you just drown in that lake?” 4 Marcus didn’t say another word. He just drove, forcing me back to the Moreau estate. The dead silence between us lasted until we stepped through the front door and saw Sophie. She was dressed in a white sundress, her cheeks rosy. It was clear my absence had been good for her. Her eyes widened when she saw Marcus, then narrowed at me, her face immediately crumpling into its usual mask of tearful victimhood. “Sister Cora, my brother went all the way to get you… what did you do to him? How could he be—” “Shut up.” Marcus’s voice was hoarse and dry, but it carried an undeniable weight. Sophie’s eyes flew open in disbelief. Even our parents, who had hurried into the foyer, looked stunned. I turned my head, surprised. It was the first time I had ever heard Marcus speak to Sophie with anything less than gentle indulgence. His head was bowed, his normally ramrod-straight spine slumped with an uncharacteristic weariness. “It has nothing to do with Cora.” He looked up, his gaze sweeping over all of us. “From now on, don’t jump to conclusions about my business, or Cora’s. Especially you.” He fixed his eyes on her. “Sophie.” The color drained from Sophie’s face. Her lips trembled, and tears began to stream down her cheeks. But this time, her usual pitiable act was tinged with genuine panic and hurt. “Brother… you’re yelling at me… for her?” Just then, another voice, clear but sharp with anger, cut in. “Marcus! How could you say that to my sister?” I looked up. Another traitor. Rhys. The younger brother I had raised by hand before I was “rescued” by the Moreaus. He stormed down the stairs and planted himself protectively in front of Sophie. I could still see the ghost of the little boy he used to be in his features, but the look he gave me was pure, cold hostility. “Cora! What lies have you been telling about my sister now?” “She has always treated you like her real sister, putting up with all your moods! How can you be so vicious, trying to drive a wedge between her and Marcus? Can’t you stand to see any of us happy?” His words had barely faded when my hand connected with his cheek in a sharp slap. He staggered back, clutching his face, his eyes wide with shock. “Cora… you… you hit me?” I looked into his disbelieving eyes and gave him a careless smile. “So what if I did? With a mouth that filthy, aren’t you just begging for it?” Perhaps because I had never treated him this way before, his expression went blank, a familiar, wounded look creeping into his eyes. For a fleeting moment, I was transported back in time. I was ten, and Rhys was three. Our parents had died together in a car accident. Suddenly, I, a child who could barely care for herself, became the guardian of a toddler. The meager settlement money was quickly spent by relatives on the pretext of buying a burial plot. So I learned to act like an adult. I went to the market to pick up the rotten vegetable leaves the vendors threw away. I would cook a pot of watery porridge, so thin you could see your reflection. I’d drink the water off the top and give the thicker parts at the bottom to Rhys. When he was old enough for school, I knew there wasn’t enough money for both of us. So, after my own classes, I would scavenge for scraps to sell. I was chased by stray dogs and bullied by other scavengers. Back then, I was steeped in the sour stench of the junkyard. My classmates would pinch their noses when I came near. The smell felt like it had seeped into my very skin. So much so that when I first arrived at the Moreau’s house, my mother rushed to embrace me, but her arms only hovered around me for a second before quickly pulling away. Her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and she discreetly raised a hand to her nose. Rhys had seen my humiliation. As I stood there, frozen with shame, he reached out and squeezed my hand tightly. Then he stood in front of me and announced to the Moreau family that I was the best sister in the world, and if they dared to bully me, he would make them pay. That was the Rhys I knew. But a year after he and Sophie returned to the Moreau house, the best sister in the world became the worst. He was full of praise for Sophie and criticism for me. And now, this boy who constantly accused me of being manipulative and psychologically twisted, was looking at me with a rare flicker of hurt in his eyes. He stood there, head bowed, clutching his cheek, looking pathetic. His precious sister was clearly heartbroken for him. Sophie walked toward me, her voice trembling with perfectly modulated emotion. “Sister, please don’t be angry. Rhys is still young, he doesn’t know any better. He speaks without thinking. I’ll apologize to you on his behalf.” She reached out, as if to take my hand. “I didn’t raise him well. And I… I shouldn’t have come back. If my being here makes you so unhappy, if it’s tearing this family apart, I… I can leave again…” There it was. The same old act. As expected, our mother immediately wrapped a protective arm around her. “Sophie, don’t say such foolish things. This is your home.” Our father glared at me, his eyes full of warning. “Cora, don’t stir up trouble the moment you walk in the door.” I scanned the faces in the room. They were all clustered around Sophie, a protective circle. And there I was, standing alone in the entryway, an outsider who had never, not for a moment, belonged in this so-called family. The thought made me sigh. “You really are a loving family,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “So wonderfully, disgustingly alike.” They all stared at me, stunned. Sophie was the first to react. She tore herself from our mother’s grasp. “I’ll just die! I was a mistake from the beginning! If I die, everything will be clean again!” She ran to the nearby dining room, snatched a steak knife from the table, and held it to her wrist. “It’s all my fault…” “No! Sophie, put the knife down!” our mother shrieked, shooting me a look of pure hatred.

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When we got married, Generals and Admirals in the Officer’s Housing fought to reserve the title of Godfather for our future child. My Captain husband wasn’t in a hurry, applying for delayed family planning every year. I thought he was busy with work, temporarily no mind to welcome a child. Until I scrolled to a mom blogger’s sharing post. She detailed in the post how she met, fell in love, and had a child with her current lover. But someone in the comments section analyzed something wrong, “Is the blogger a mistress? Whose serious husband doesn’t get a marriage license, doesn’t go public, and isn’t home by 11 PM every day?” “Does the blogger know about this? Does the other party’s wife know about this?” That mom unashamedly admitted her identity as a mistress, and even boasted, “So what if I’m a mistress, the one not loved is the mistress, I just missed the timing to marry him.” “As for his wife, whatever General’s daughter or Admiral’s daughter, anyway no matter how powerful, still have to be my defeated opponent.” The comments section was noisy, but I felt like falling into an ice cave. Because from those scattered words, I pieced together a terrible truth. That unsuspecting pitiful original wife, is me. Chapter 1 These days Sean Sterling has been leaving early and returning late, busy to the point of not eating properly. I know his military exercise mission is nearing the end, it’s the critical time. I tidied Sean’s study as usual, but saw the final draft of the operation plan on the desk. Without hesitation, I drove to his base, thinking I shouldn’t miss the afternoon briefing. Bored on the road scrolling phone, scrolled to that mom blogger’s post. The Paracord Bracelet on the man’s wrist in the picture caught my attention. I recognized at a glance that was Sean’s birthday gift last year, I handmade from raw material polishing to weaving. My heart clearly skipped a beat, I forced myself to calm down. But a few minutes after the woman admitted being a mistress, this post was immediately deleted. Guess verified, I endured trembling hands clicking into the account’s homepage. Video update frequency not high, every one is little woman’s muttering, and some PDA pictures: “Daughter is born, Mr. S calls her Peanut, looks like another daughter slave!” “Peanut always cries at night, I can’t rest well, Mr. S heartaches me, gave me limited edition necklace.” I know the owner of this account, she is Sean’s Junior from the Academy, Valerie. Man’s face in photos all blocked, but I already confirmed that Mr. S, is Sean who been with me for seven years. Until today, that account newly updated this one: “Third anniversary with Mr. S, want to be happy forever!” My hands couldn’t stop trembling, until base gate I reacted, tears already completely blurred vision. Confront? Or pretend to know nothing, continue living muddled life? When consciousness returned, I already arrived at base family reception room. While seeing Sean, I also saw the young woman and stroller beside him. Everything in that account confirmed, impact of picture becoming real object still made me almost faint. Child in stroller looks two or three years old, cheeks chubby, wearing a small military uniform. Valerie with elegant playful makeup, exquisite to even nails trimmed neatly. Valerie blew soup cool handed to Sean’s mouth, Sean face full of doting, eyes not moving a bit. Child in stroller unknown so, smilingly shouted with babbling voice: “Daddy, Mommy! Happy!” Sean obviously hasn’t discovered operation plan left at home, whole person not anxious not impatient: “Valerie, why you come base today, not rest well at home.” Valerie face coquettish: “Few days ago Peanut sick, you busy non-stop daily, I heartache you ah!” Turns out previous time not mission busy, was child sick. I instead heartached Sean, sat in living room till late night waiting him back daily. Valerie finished speaking sighed: “When can I be by your side openly ah, Peanut getting bigger, how to explain to her later.” Sean held Valerie’s hand like promising: “Hubby also let you call, all my comrades only recognize you one sister-in-law, you still not satisfied.” “Now home still has many chores to handle, I not bear you work hard, Clara doing it very handy.” Valerie seemed not buying this, brows frowned: “Then what about Peanut, like last time no daddy by side how can do? I don’t matter, but you can’t let Peanut be shameful whole life right.” Raising hand I saw dazzling couple rings on two people’s ring fingers, that set of rings I liked for long time. That time ordering Sean said female size not mine, but to not let me disappointed, he specially found a replacement ring. I thought he loved me, didn’t expect original ring long worn on other’s hand. Chapter 2 I wiped tears again and again, until eyes dry tears ran out. Valerie words ugly, Sean also irritable, he pulled military uniform collar, but still very restrained coaxing her: “Don’t worry, I will give you and Peanut an explanation.” “But think, Clara with me so long time, her dad before death also promoted me a lot, I can’t suddenly go back divorce her right.” Valerie completely threw temper, exquisite eyelashes trembling with her words. “What you mean ah, you so heartache Clara why come provoke me? Boohoo poor Peanut, your daddy heart no us!” Child small, didn’t understand these words, but Valerie holding her cry, she also started sobbing, one big one small cried into tear persons. After all in military base, even family reception room can’t mess around, Sean could only soften tone more, hugged this mother daughter pair: “Wifey wifey I wrong okay? Very soon okay? Very soon I let you become Mrs. Sterling okay?” I laughed, suddenly relieved. I took out phone recorded video of scene before eyes, then wiped dry tears, tore operation plan in hand into pieces, threw into trash can, turned left. On way back, phone notification rang, Valerie updated another one. This time picture is one man one woman two big hands wrapping child’s fist, caption is: “Dear Mr. S, thank you for your promise, I will wear most beautiful wedding dress become your wife.” Comment section of this one exploded many people, I clicked in one by one found Sean’s comrades inside. “Ohohoh, Officer S and Miss Y finally lovers become family?” “I cry dead, family of three just need to be neat tidy, sister-in-law I will always support you!” “Back then timid junior sister, finally marrying dream god officer?” I looked at those comments, saying not heartache is fake. Turns out everyone knew Sean had new “wife”, only me still kept in dark. Busy here there so many years, finally like I became the one breaking others family. I finished reading all comments, scrolled to bottom, in corner no one noticed someone mentioned me: “Then what about S & C?” That comment was only one not replied, nor deleted, As if mocking me, forgotten, ignored, betrayed. Once I incredibly believed Sean loved me, we two grew up in military compound, marriage alone seven years long. Me and Sean always didn’t want child, he said we both young, still want contribute more to army, and I also didn’t want bounded by child steps. This point I don’t know say Sean considerate me, or we coincided, no matter how family urged, Sean blocked for me. Relatives friends all felt we two in love, only want two people world. And I besides busy my work, managed Sean daily life orderly, his big small matters can’t leave me. Seven year itch, I knew would be cold, didn’t expect welcoming would be such a big surprise. I screenshotted everything for evidence, exited Valerie homepage, Clicked open Research Institute official website apply, without hesitation participated in this international scientific research exchange project. It is also time for me to consider for myself. Chapter 3 My mentor once invited me countless times to go abroad participate exchange project, but I all refused. Reason very funny, also very simple, because exchange shortest four years, I couldn’t bear throw Sean in country. Now good, everything in time. I just finished applying received success message, Sean phone called in. I think he finally discovered his operation plan not brought. I set phone to Do Not Disturb, just watched Sean called eighteen times in one breath. Seeing me delay answering, his text bombing also came: “Clara, help me check if there is file bag on my desk, inside has operation plan.” “Clara why you not answer phone? Saw my message?” “Now see immediately call me back.” “Clara where you go? Reply me immediately.” I watched him jumping feet breaking defense on phone other end, sneered once turned off phone. Back home I cleared messy things at home, love souvenirs I once treated as treasure I packed sold to waste collector. Love letters he wrote me, military models he made me, and other miscellaneous things, total sold $17.50, bought out all our emotions. Sure enough not valuable. Finished packing I made up a good sleep, night I was woken by Sean. He home immediately came question me: “Clara where you go today! I sent you so many messages called so many phones why you ignore me?” I felt somewhat funny, he wouldn’t really treat me as his orderly right, I must be on call anytime. “Body uncomfortable didn’t look phone, what wrong?” I not slow not fast, Sean irritably scratched hair: “My operation plan can’t find, maybe left home I wanted let you send me, but fine I explained to superior, look tomorrow.” I stretched waist lazy look him: “Oh, then you come back find yourself ba.” Sean seemed finally discover my emotion wrong, voice softened a bit: “What wrong Clara, is it I voice too fierce just now, sorry ma I just anxious…” I spread hands, face full indifference, anyway he calls everyone wife, who knows exactly how many wives he has. “No ah, I looked home no ba, maybe you left in your other home.” Sean face panicked for a moment, I hurriedly supplemented: “After all you often go your comrade home dinner something, right.” Chapter 4 I took Sean’s wonderful expression all in eyes. Sean sighed relief want come hug me, just then his phone rang. Sean looked phone, no remark number, but his expression very subtle, then looked up at me. “Why not answer ah?” I pretended reasonable look. Sean raised hand touched my head, I endured nausea looking at him. “Good oh I listen to you, I go answer now.” Sean followed steps down, picked phone ran to balcony start calling. Past times he avoided me answering phone, I all defaulted he military affairs phone, would leave enough space for him. But today different from past, this time I quietly hid at balcony door, heard his phone content. “Didn’t I say when I home you don’t contact me? I feel today she a bit suspicious.” Sean voice somewhat impatient, trying suppress temper. Phone other end don’t know said what, Sean sighed voice gentle down: “Good Valerie, I not that meaning, is want divorce but can’t let her discover ah, can’t let her have handle right.” “Mm mm, I know good Valerie, I go over immediately okay? You and Peanut obedient wait me fine.” I pretended nothing happened back to bed sitting, Sean walked out, sat bed side want hug me, I calmly dodged: “What wrong?” “Clara, today didn’t bring operation plan, mission report postponed, superior leaders not too happy, I today want go socialize apologize, not accompany you.” I look of understood, originally he at home I also not convenient pack things, hurry leave quite good. But I still want see, Valerie in his heart exactly how important. “But already very late, you haven’t accompanied me for days, I miss you.” I spoke against conscience, endured nausea look his reaction. Sean looked phone, heart tangled bad: “Clara, I promise you, accompany you tomorrow okay, you understand me a bit.” I looked his eyes somewhat forgot his original look, current Sean makes me so strange also so disappointed. “Okay, you go.” Sean like liberated quickly wore military uniform went out, I opened phone clicked into Valerie homepage, sure enough updated one: “Peanut slept early, I one sentence lonely Mr. S immediately fly back my side la, tonight use this lingerie take him down.” Picture is Valerie in sexy nightdress. I turned off phone, last trace expectation for Sean also gone, I packed things well, slept early. Next morning early, I printed divorce agreement lawyer sent me signed placed on table, and all evidence I grasped all spread on table, left without looking back. When Sean saw these I already sat on plane flying abroad, and I left for Sean only remain that divorce agreement, and my message: “Sean Sterling, let’s divorce.”

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Cousin Chase suffered from kidney failure and needed $50,000 for a transplant. Aunt Brenda tagged everyone in the “Family Reunion” group chat, asking for donations. Relatives cried about their hardships one after another, symbolically donating $20. Only my mom took everything on herself: “We are all family, why scrape together? I’ll pay the $50,000 surgery fee.” Watching my mom enjoy the relatives praising her as “The Saint” and “Living Bodhisattva”. My heart skipped a beat. Since I can remember, my mom has been the “Saint” praised by relatives, preferring to eat chaff and swallow vegetables herself, just to dedicate selflessly. Especially for cousin Chase’s family, as long as they cry poor and sell misery, my mom would scour property from me to give them. Sure enough, next second, my mom called me, asking for $50,000. After being refused by me, she directly brought cousin’s family to break into my house. Sitting on the floor wailing: “You must pay the $50,000 for your cousin’s treatment!” “Otherwise, where do I put my face?” Chapter 1 Aunt Brenda wiped her non-existent tears. “Luna, your cousin is only 23, the doctor said if he doesn’t get a kidney transplant, he will die!” “You are successful now, making money, just take the money out, save your cousin!” I looked at Chase aside, face pale, thin out of shape. Indeed looked like seriously ill. But that sinister look in his eyes made me shiver. I subconsciously protected my 6-month pregnant belly: “I don’t have money.” “How can you not have! I see you just don’t want to save him!” Aunt Brenda immediately screamed sharply, eyes quickly glanced at the house, exchanged a look with my mom. Took out documents prepared long ago. “How about this, Auntie won’t make it difficult for you, don’t you have a house?” “Sign this paper, transfer the house to your cousin, we use it for mortgage, get a loan for surgery.” “When your cousin gets better, makes money, then return the house to you.” I picked up the file to look, it was an agreement giving full authority of the property to Chase. As long as I sign this, Chase can dispose of my house worth $200,000 at will. This is not borrowing money at all. Clearly planned to rob my house! I put the file back on the table. “Impossible! I won’t sign!” Aunt Brenda’s face sank: “Luna, are you leaving him to die?” “We said we would return it to you later, how can you be so cold-blooded! Watching your cousin die?” I almost laughed in anger. Every time said borrow, but never seen return. “Why don’t you mortgage your own house, insist on robbing mine?” My mom climbed up from the ground, scolded me sternly: “How do you talk to elders! If mortgage their house, where will your cousin live later?” “How can you be so vicious!” I looked into my mom’s eyes: “I am vicious?” “Mom, I am your biological daughter, I am pregnant!” “Given the house to them, with a big belly, what should I do?” My mom frowned tight: “Can you be same as him?” “He is your cousin, the only male heir of our Chan family!” This sentence again. The only male heir. So, I deserve to be their blood bag. “I don’t have money.” My attitude very firm: “Won’t sign either.” Aunt Brenda turned face on spot: “Carol, look at the good daughter you raised! Such a vicious heart, deliberately wanting to harm my Chase to death!” My mom rolled her eyes, plopped kneeling down, hugging my legs crying: “Luna, mom begs you… just sign it…” “Your cousin can’t die…” “If he dies, our Chan family line ends…” This trick again: cry, make scene, threaten suicide! Aunt Brenda’s family of three stood aside, watching coldly. My heart felt blocked by a stone, pressing me breathless. “Mom, get up.” My voice dry. “No!” My mom continued crying: “If you don’t sign I won’t get up!” “Then you just kneel.” I pried her hands open, about to return to room. She suddenly smashed her head against the wall. Huge dull sound hit my heart fiercely. Her head full of blood, screaming loud: “If you don’t agree, I die here today!” I froze on spot, cold all over. My mom, for others, threatened me with death. Took mom to hospital to bandage wound. Back home, Aunt Brenda’s family already left. Fruits and supplements in fridge already emptied, even stored ribs disappeared. Only left a mess in the house. I with big belly, cleaned until midnight. My mom didn’t mean to help at all. Even with a black face, constantly scolding me. “How did I raise such a selfish daughter like you!” “Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda, this is also accumulating virtue for the child in your belly, don’t you understand this principle?” “I already promised in front of all relatives, I will pay your cousin’s surgery fee.” “You embarrassing me like this now, how can I face relatives later?” “You really, lost all my face!” … I finally couldn’t bear it, red eyes shouted: “For your face, you have to suck my blood, force me to sell house?” “Mom! Do you want to force me to death?” My mom froze for a few seconds, then turned angry from shame: “I am the recognized Saint, Living Bodhisattva! Is it wrong for me to help relatives?” I laughed with tears flowing: “Saint? Living Bodhisattva?” “Mom, your face, your so-called Saint persona, are all exchanged by drinking my blood, cutting my flesh!” “I am your daughter, not your blood bag!” “Even less your tool to earn face!” My mom chest heaving violently, pointing at me, fingers trembling: “You…” “You unfilial daughter!” “Knew earlier you are such selfish person, should have strangled you to death when born!” Finished, slammed door into guest room. Door vibration made my heart twitch in pain. Since childhood, I lived under shadow of mom’s “Saint”. As long as Aunt Brenda came to cry, cousin sick, cousin needs tuition. My mom sent all money at home to them. My shoes wore holes, money from selling bottles picked for half a year, wanted to buy a pair of new shoes. My mom turned around stole my piggy bank, subsidized cousin to buy $80 new sneakers. In college I worked day and night for living expenses, but cousin wanted to buy $300 game console, mom stole my money to give him without a word. I collapsed crying, questioning her why. She put on a face educating me, people can’t be selfish, all family, need help each other. But, all her joy of helping others, was built on depriving my interests. I returned to room tiredly, opened phone. All Aunt Brenda’s words in group condemning me leaving them in lurch, selfish. Even specially tagged me: “As long as you sign, then apologize to us, we won’t count with you.” My mom apologized one by one, saying didn’t educate me this unfilial daughter well. She definitely will gather surgery fee for Chase. Midnight, I got up passing guest room door, still could hear her mumbling phone call, guessing discussing how to force me sign. My heart ice cold. Husband sent abroad for business trip, I alone with big belly, no one to help. In case something happens, what to do. Thinking of this, I ordered pinhole camera overnight. Next day, taking advantage of mom mysteriously going out, hurried let master install it. Until night, mom came back carrying big and small bags of luggage. Smilingly said: “You with big belly, not convenient, mom come take care of you for a few days.” I felt a chill in heart. Pregnant till now, she never said come take care of me. Something wrong must have a demon. But, I never expected, my biological mom, would go this far for an outsider. Chapter 2 After a day, Aunt Brenda’s family came with a few rotten fruits. Enthusiastic as if the dispute day before yesterday was my hallucination. Making my heart hairy. Few people exchanged looks obscurely. Aunt Brenda smilingly reached out to pull me. “Luna ah, day before yesterday was Auntie too anxious, our fault, don’t take it to heart.” I withdrew hand, didn’t speak. She dry laughed twice, continued: “We went back thought about it, letting you give up the house, indeed not appropriate.” “We are all family, need understand each other, help each other.” “You are a girl, later inevitably need natal family brothers help, this is also for your good.” I watched her acting quietly. Her eyes rolled: “So, we thought of a good way, no need you pay money, also can help your cousin, accumulate virtue for child in your belly.” Seeing I didn’t answer, she embarrassed for few seconds, said to herself: “We asked doctor, if use family member’s kidney, no need spend money buy kidney source, can save a big sum.” My mom nodded repeatedly: “Right! This is a good way!” Aunt Brenda looked at me: “So, we came today, just to take you to do a matching test, in case matched, no need spend your money, and can save your cousin!” “We give you another $500 nutrition fee, worth your half month salary!” I protected belly, trembling all over. Turns out, this is the way they thought of! Their abacus, played too loud! $500, exchange my one kidney! I still have to be grateful, thank them for charity nutrition fee! Saying, she wanted to pull me to test. I stepped back directly, avoiding her. “I won’t go.” “Luna!” Uncle Bob stood up, voice unquestionable: “This blood, you don’t draw, have to draw!” Chase looked sinister: “Cousin, do you just hope I die?” My mom voice suddenly raised: “Luna! How did I raise such an ungrateful wolf like you!” I covered belly, looking at three sanctimonious people, unbelievable: “I am pregnant 6 months!” “Don’t you know, if donate kidney, must abort the child?” My mom shoulders shook, dared not look straight into my eyes. Aunt Brenda waved hand, face full of indifference. “Don’t worry, we arranged everything, as long as match successful, we arrange abortion surgery, very fast.” “After surgery, few days can donate kidney.” I red eyes, voice choked. “This is my child! Is a living life!” Aunt Brenda impatient: “Child can bear again!” “You are 28, why still so insensible?” “Is the money-losing goods in your belly important, or your cousin’s life important? Why can’t you distinguish?” I looked at this room of people more terrible than devils, holding phone in hand, trembling wanted to secretly call police. A slap suddenly hit my face, center of gravity unstable, fell on sofa, phone landed. Uncle Bob face twisted, pointing at me scolding: “I educate you well for your mom!” “Why you so selfish!” “Your child gone can conceive again, but your cousin’s life only one!” “Why you so vicious! Not giving your cousin a way to live!” My mom stepped forward, lips moved, said nothing. Aunt Brenda picked up my phone, suddenly screamed: “Not good, this damn girl wants to call police!” Everyone face changed. Uncle Bob face gloomy, voice like evil ghost crawled out from hell. “I knew you wouldn’t be obedient.” “Since so, don’t blame me being impolite!” Before I could react, was held by arms. “What are you doing? Let me go!” I struggled desperately: “This is kidnapping! Is illegal!” “Mom! I am your daughter! Beg you, save me!” My mom eye rims red, dodged sight: “Luna, just go check, count mom begging you…” A cloth with pungent smell covered my mouth and nose. My vision started blurring. Before completely losing consciousness, heard Aunt Brenda’s voice say, “Carol, since all need check, then you also go check.” Chapter 3 Open eyes again, I lay in my own bedroom. Inner arm a patch of bruise, huge needle hole stung my eyes painful. “Awake?” Aunt Brenda’s face magnified in front of eyes, smile creepy. Family occupied bedroom, drove my mom to sleep on living room sofa. They confiscated my phone, not allowed me go out. I finally understood, why that day my mom specially ran back pack luggage, but claimed to take care of me. At that time, they already decided to imprison me! I protected belly shouting: “Let me out!” “You are illegal detention! Is illegal!” Uncle Bob pressed cigarette butt on floor. “Don’t refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!” “Stay obediently, release you naturally when matching result comes out in few days!” Three days in a row, I begged mom for help countless times, begged her give me phone, begged her help me call police. But she just looked difficult: “Luna ah, just listen, just donate a kidney, not painful.” My heart died completely. Few days later, result finally came out. Aunt Brenda holding few papers, eyes shining: “Matched successfully!” “Son, you are saved!” Family of three wept with joy. No one saw my mom dodging, hiding her own matching report. Uncle Bob took out donation consent form put in front of me: “Hurry sign.” Family took turns persuading me. Aunt Brenda said, wait I donate kidney, their family work like cattle and horses for me. Uncle Bob said, I don’t donate, not Chan family member, later die not let me and mom enter ancestral grave. Chase eyes sinister: “You think, you can escape?” They approached step by step, I retreated step by step towards door direction. Just when I was about to touch doorknob, Aunt Brenda suddenly screamed: “Bad! She wants to escape!” Uncle Bob face changed, grabbed me back, pulling my hair pressing to ground: “Damn girl! Dare escape, I beat you to death!” I clenched fists dead tight, unwilling to sign. Crying looking at mom: “Mom! I am your biological daughter!” “You just watch helplessly they force me and child to death?” “Mom… beg you, save me…” My mom stunned aside, lips trembling: “Child… can want again… you still young…” My face pain, Aunt Brenda hideous face magnified in front: “Don’t dawdle! Sign quickly!” My mom hand extended, retracted again. “Don’t… don’t hit her… she still pregnant…” Uncle Bob snorted, pushed me towards wall: “Pregnant what! Anyway this bastard seed all aborted!” I hit wall, belly hit table corner hard. “Ah! My belly!” I curled up in pain, bright red blood flowed from between legs. “Mom…” I reached out, voice weak: “Send me hospital… child…” My mom wanted rush over support me, pulled by Aunt Brenda. “Don’t believe her! She just doesn’t want donate kidney, deliberately faking!” My voice weak, trembling all over: “Not faking…” “Beg you… save my child…” Aunt Brenda eyes rolled: “Miscarriage just right! Saved abortion surgery money!” “Quick! Take chance now, let her sign!” She excitedly greeted: “Also, let her sign house authorization too!” My mom knelt in front of me crying bitterly: “Luna, just sign it…” “Sign mom send you to hospital…” I started consciousness blurring, felt someone holding my hand writing something. Signed, my mom shouted: “Quick! Send her hospital!” “Rush what!” Aunt Brenda snatched file, holding property deed: “Hurry transfer house! Or what if she regrets!” My mom face difficult: “But Luna she…” “Can’t die!” My mom dragged away by Aunt Brenda. Moment door closed, she looked back at me once. Eyes had struggle, but finally turned and left. I used all strength, crawled towards door direction bit by bit. Dragged a long blood trail behind. Crawled to door, supported body hard, opened door. “Help… me…”

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Since we got married, my husband Julian only earned $3,000 a month. So I always scrimped and saved, even with a fever of 104°F, still stayed up late working, just to subsidize household expenses. Until I died of Cardiac Arrest in bed, my soul floated out of my body. Accidentally saw, Julian was signing a property purchase contract with a woman at a luxury condo sales office. Turns out, in these few years of marriage, he earned millions. But kept pretending to be poor in front of me. Also kept a mistress outside. However, when Julian returned home and saw my corpse. He collapsed on the spot. Chapter 1 When working overtime, I forced myself to sit straight, raised hand touched forehead, felt burning hot. Fever not light. And heart position came waves of tightening dull pain, very uncomfortable. “You look terrible, Jane.” “Hands also so cold, still shaking! You must have high fever, hurry go home rest!” Colleague Sarah walked over, concerned touched my hand. I barely smiled at her, shook head: “It’s okay, Sarah, I can hold on. Wait I finish this proposal then leave.” “Still do what proposal! Health important!” Sarah tone became serious. “I heard people say, fever especially high fever, easy trigger Myocarditis, even precursor of heart attack! This is not joking!” Heart attack? This word made my heart skip a beat. But soon, I threw it behind head. Too exaggerated, I still so young, how possible. “Really okay, maybe just common cold.” I persisted, gaze back to screen. “This proposal due tomorrow, boss said, if done well, this month can get $1,000 bonus.” This money very important to me. $1,000 bonus, can let Julian no longer worry so much about next month rent. Thinking can share a bit for him, I feel this fever can be endured. Me and Julian married three years. These three years, our life very hard. He just an ordinary employee in a small company, income not high. Every month budget carefully, can barely save a little money. But, Julian treats me very good, very very good. Although he earns not much, but gave all considerateness and gentleness to me. So money less a bit what relation? As long as our hearts together, days will always slowly get better. I always believe this point. Therefore, I willing fight all strength. Time slowly passed in fever and discomfort. When I finally typed last word, office only left me alone. Strong exhaustion like tide drowned me, I almost propped up from chair. Heart dull pain became continuous and clear, accompanying every breath, bringing a burst of slight sting. Good thing back home, moment push door, a wave warmth came to face. Julian haven’t slept, sitting on sofa watching TV waiting me. “Wifey, you back!” He immediately stood up welcome, seeing my pale face, brows tightly frowned, “What happened to you? Face so ugly!” “Nothing, just a bit fever, maybe too tired.” I squeezed a smile, didn’t want him worry. He reached hand probed my forehead, exclaimed: “So hot! Definitely high fever.” He involuntarily pressed me on sofa, turned went kitchen, “You don’t move, I make you a cup honey water.” Looking his busy back, my heart filled with a kind of sour happiness. Body discomfort seemed also reduced some. He soon brought a cup warm honey water, watched me drink mouthful by mouthful. Then, he sat beside me, holding my hand, tone carrying apology and reluctance: “Wifey, sorry, company temporarily arranged me business trip tomorrow morning, go New York for a week.” “So long?” My heart sank, sudden separation made me somewhat lost, and is when I body uncomfortable. “Mm, a quite urgent project.” He hugged me in arms, “I will miss you.” I leaned on his warm chest, listening his steady heartbeat, felt relieved a lot. “I will also miss you.” I softly said. “Just because want leave a week…” His voice suddenly lowered, carrying a trace of acting spoiled meaning, hand also started restless gently rubbing on my back. “Wifey, tonight… okay?” I immediately understood his meaning. If usual, I naturally would enthusiastically respond. But now, I whole body weak, heart that disturbing dull pain also never disappeared, I really want immediately lie down rest. I opened mouth, wanted tell him my body very uncomfortable. But words to mouth, swallowed back again. He tomorrow want business trip, a week can’t meet, I don’t want spoil his fun. Besides, he work so hard, this bit small request, how can I refuse? So, I suppressed body discomfort, tried hard let my voice sound normal even carrying point expectation. “Okay.” Got my permission, he happily kissed my forehead, then picked me up, walked to bedroom. In process of intimacy, my consciousness sometimes clear, sometimes blurred. High fever made my body burning, but more terrifying me is, heart load seemed rapidly increasing. Every heartbeat heavy and loud, that tightening pain feeling more and more clear, even brought bursts of slight suffocation feeling. I very afraid, want push him away, want shout stop. But, looking his devoted and satisfied expression above me. Feeling his desire and attachment to me, I retreated again. Chapter 2 Everything finally ended. Julian satisfied lay beside me, soon emitted even snoring. I however no sleepiness. Body exhaustion reached peak, but heart that abnormal feeling more and more strong. I struggled prop up body, pushed Julian beside, “Julian, you wake up…” He confusedly “Mm”ed, half open eyes, mumbled asked: “What wrong, wifey?” “My heart… special uncomfortable…” I difficultly organized language. “Can’t breathe… can we… go hospital look?” Hearing “Hospital” two words, Julian seemed awake some. He turned over, turned on bedside lamp, rubbed eyes, didn’t first care my condition, instead yawned, carrying complaining tone said: “Hospital? This middle of night go hospital for what?” He reached hand touched my forehead. “Still burn very high? Eat some Tylenol sleep a sleep fine. Go hospital is just blind toss.” “I tell you, our company that Little Wang, few days ago also felt self here uncomfortable there uncomfortable, insist run hospital, result you guess what?” “Checked a big pile, nothing wrong, wasted over thousand dollars for nothing! Hospitals now ah, heart too black, just thinking ways take money from your pocket!” His words, like a basin cold water, extinguished courage I just mustered. Our budget this month already very tight. If I go hospital, really like Little Wang checked a circle but fine, isn’t it wasting Julian hard earned money for nothing. He knew definitely will heartache, will pressure bigger. Under weighing, that bit weak help seeking thought, by worry of wasting money and fluke psychology of maybe fine thoroughly overwhelmed. However, Grim Reaper didn’t give me chance wait till dawn. Around 2 AM, a burst unprecedented severe pain fierce tore my chest! That feeling indescribable, as if whole chest cavity instantly exploded, all air pumped empty. I couldn’t even emit a shout. Extreme pain only lasted short few seconds. Then, my consciousness became light floating, detached from that heavy and painful shell. I “saw” myself still lying on bed, face under weak moonlight showed a kind of terrible blue grey. And Julian, knew nothing about this, still sleeping sweet. Chapter 3 I died? Just died like this?! No! Impossible! I crazy pounced to Julian, used all strength beat his face. “Julian! Wake up! Quick wake up! Send me hospital! Beg you! Save me!” But, my palm directly passed through his body. My screaming also dissipated in air, didn’t stir a trace ripple. He just smacked lips in sleep, turned over, continued sleeping. Huge despair instantly swallowed me. Just in this extreme despair moment, those happy moments belong to me and Julian, uncontrollably surged into my mind. Remember when we just married, family no money, he yet always could live ordinary days full of poetry. He would use wild flowers weave wreath put on my head, would under moonlight read clumsy love poems he wrote for me. Once, we poor only left last bowl instant noodle. He lied to me said he ate, insist pushed all noodle to me, watching me eat. Later I then found, he hungry stomach drank plain water whole night. These bits and drops, not involve money, but full of love details, constituted our marriage most solid happiness cornerstone. He although money earn not much, but he gave me his all, gave me most precious romance and considerateness. These memories more sweet, current reality more cruel. Slideshow like happiness pictures flashed fast before my eyes, finally froze on his sleeping face. My soul just dry sat by bed, whole night, my gaze almost didn’t leave Julian’s face. I how hope he can suddenly wake up, find my abnormality. Even only a trace tiny chance. Morning 6 AM, on bedside table that phone set vibration to not wake me up, emitted slight buzzing sound. Julian almost immediately woke. He quickly pressed off alarm, then first reaction is turn head look me. However, seeing I still “sleeping”, face showed relieved expression, movement became more gentle. He carefully lifted quilt, tiptoed off bed, afraid make a bit sound. He dressed neatly, then back to bed side, leaned down, printed a gentle and warm kiss on my forehead. But, skin he touched a piece ice cold, this strange touch made him slightly frown. He low voice talk to self, carrying doting blame. “So cold, must be kicked quilt last night.” Finished, he carefully helped me tuck quilt corner, pulled quilt till my chin. As if this can drive away that death coldness. I aside watched heart like knife twisted, used all strength scream: “Not cold! Julian! You touch my pulse! You try my breathing! Quick call 911 ah!” But he completely couldn’t hear. He gazed my face, eyes gentle can drip water: “Honey, wait I back from this business trip, give you a surprise.” Surprise? My heart because this sentence full of hope violently twitched painful. But, I can’t wait anymore. Finished, he last nostalgically looked me once, lifted already packed luggage, light hand light foot opened door, then gently closed. Then, my soul also followed him floated out. However, arrived Amtrak station, a fashionably dressed young woman waiting him. My soul instantly stiffened in place. They all way talking laughing, relationship looked very intimate. Julian even actively helped that woman carry bag. My uneasy feeling also at this moment, became more and more strong. Chapter 4 Boarded train, found seat sat down, already noon. Attendant pushed food cart over ask if need lunch. Julian picked up menu, unhesitatingly pointed most expensive two sets on it, ordered two. I again shocked. Julian always frugal, when we train together, he never willing buy expensive lunch on train, always prepared bread and water in advance. I thought this time because company reimburse. However, when that woman looked food in tray, charming voice said to Julian: “Brother Feng, you treat me so good every time, so happy.” This words like a poison quenched sword, fierce pierced my soul! Turns out, his generous and willing, never was for me! He cried poor to me, calculated to me, but to another woman so generous! Huge betrayal feeling and absurdity feeling let me almost soul fly spirit scatter. Lunch ended in an atmosphere suffocating me. That woman used napkin elegantly wiped mouth corner, then leaned close Julian, carrying spoiled nasal sound whispered: “Brother Feng, tonight… can we only open one room? Like this… can save some money.” I dead stared Julian, waiting his reaction. Soul trembling. Good thing after short silence, Julian voice sounded: “No need, travel standard enough. Rooms already booked, two rooms.” Luckily… he pushed away. That woman obviously stunned a bit, smile on face somewhat stiff, but soon recovered soft charm: “Brother Feng, you really are… gentleman.” Julian didn’t take words again, just picked up phone, started handle work messages. Following few days, my soul like an invisible shackle, tightly followed Julian. I saw that female colleague called Lyla, almost pervasive trying approach him. After an informal dinner with client, slightly drunk Lyla again leaned to Julian side, half complain half spoil. “Brother Feng, you treat yourself too harsh. Earned so much money, still fight life for what?” “You are our department big hero, these years earned not less than Five Million right? Heard headquarter want promote you be department manager, is it true?” Julian brows slight frown, seemed not like her talk these, only faintly hummed, count as admitted. Five million? Department manager? These few words like thunder exploded in my soul! How possible? He clearly told me, he only has $3,000 salary every month, performance bad even deducted money! We for hundred dollars electricity bill calculated, for a pair hundred dollars sneakers hesitated half year. He everyday home complain work tired, make money hard, pressure big to insomnia… If these all fake, then why? Why hide from me like this? That night, back to hotel. Julian just finished shower, wearing bathrobe sitting on sofa reading contract. Knock sound rang. Outside door stood Lyla. She changed daytime business suit, only wearing an almost transparent black silk slip nightdress. She said nothing, moment door opened, like a soft water snake, directly pounced into Julian arms, arms tightly circled his waist. “Lyla! What you doing!” Julian low shouted, body fierce stiff, immediately force, almost roughly tore her from body, pushed away one step outside. His face iron green, bathrobe belt pulled loose. Lyla pushed stumble a bit. Stand firm, deliberate created charm on face disappeared. “Julian! You pretend what gentleman! You these years earned so much money, a cent not tell your home that yellow face woman, not just long not loved her, want change a wife?” “You secretly bought that large flat in South City ‘Lake Shore Drive’, decorated so luxurious, not just for living with other woman?” “Based on what can’t be me? Where am I worse than her? Since you not love her, why not divorce? Guarding that broken marriage acting, you not tired?” “Shut up!” Julian finally exploded. “Lyla, I warn you, don’t insult my wife!” “My this life, only love her one person.” “Everything I hide from her, only because a vow I once gave her!” Lyla face instantly became pale. Then she fierce glared Julian once, fierce turned, slammed door left. Room fell into dead silence. Just then, his phone rang. He looked caller ID, is my mom. However once answered phone, came my mom anxious million parts voice. “Julian! Where is Jane? Her phone why always off? I called three days!” “I went your home knock door, knocked half day also no one answer!”

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After divorcing my billionaire ex-husband, I married an ordinary man. Every day he is silent, wearing a tattered jacket with messy hair, bargaining over a few cents when buying groceries. Friends teased me, although consumption downgraded, aesthetic shouldn’t downgrade too right. I just smiled: “Back then I slashed Sebastian Sterling’s little secretary’s face in front of everyone in the company.” “For her, Sebastian made a huge scene with me, my reputation long stank.” “When just out of Federal Prison, even dogs walked around me, now having someone willing to marry me is already very good.” Saying this, my knife fell, skillfully gutted a fish. While bagging for customer, while greeting next one. “Boss, new fish arrival, pick whatever you like.” The other party stunned, then tremblingly said: “Joanna, to disgust me, you ran to this kind of place to degrade yourself? Is it necessary?” Chapter 1 I didn’t look up. The blunt fish knife in hand slammed heavily on the cutting board. I skillfully scraped scales, scales mixed with bloody water splashing everywhere. Sebastian stood there, wearing a well-tailored Bespoke Tom Ford Suit, completely out of place here. He stared at my hands full of chilblains and cracks, those hands once only played piano, now rough like withered tree bark. “Don’t block the way if not buying, people queuing behind.” I casually wiped hand with rag, took the bag handed by the auntie behind. Sebastian ignored by me, expression on face couldn’t hold. He stepped forward, knocked the knife out of my hand. “Clang” a sound. Knife fell on concrete floor, bounced twice. “Miss Sterling, top student of Finance Department, killing fish here?” He roared out, voice carrying disbelief and suppressed anger. Attracting surrounding vendors and grocery buying aunties to look sideways. “Joanna, do you think this way I will heartache? Will regret sending you in?” Contempt in his eyes about to overflow. In his view, everything I do is to gain his attention. Even making myself so embarrassed. I bent down picked up that knife, wiped hard on apron. “This gentleman.” “This knife $30, just fell rolled edge, you have to compensate.” “Also, I don’t know you.” Sebastian stunned. He didn’t expect I would talk money with him. Still merely thirty dollars. Surrounding aunties started pointing fingers. “Who is this guy? Dressed like a human, running here to bully a fish seller.” “Exactly, look how scared Little Jo is.” “I see must be hooked up with Little Jo before, now see people down and out come to step a foot.” Discussion sounds drilled into Sebastian’s ears. His face green and white. Assistant behind wanted to come up stop, pushed away by Sebastian waving hand. He dead stared my eyes, like wanting to dig out some past affection from inside. Pity, inside nothing. Only numbness. “Pretend what stupid?” Sebastian gritting teeth, lowered voice. “If Uncle Sterling knew your current virtue, coffin board couldn’t hold down.” “Your hands are used to point country mountains, not used to dig fish intestines!” “If you lack money, why not apply to big companies? With your degree…” Speaking here, he suddenly stopped. Mouth corner hooked a sarcastic arc. “Oh, I forgot.” “You have criminal record.” “Was me personally sent you in.” “So you blame me? Use this way revenge me?” More he said more felt he reasonable. That high above superiority came back. I ignored him, turned fished a fish from water tank. Pressed, knife fell. Fish blood squirted out, straight splashed on his pant leg. Sebastian subconsciously retreated, face showing disgusted expression. I expressionlessly bagged fish, handed to customer beside. “Fish cleaned, $25, scan code on wall.” Whole process didn’t look Sebastian once. This ignoring more uncomfortable than quarreling for him. He took out a clean white handkerchief, wanted reach hand wipe blood spots on my face. I tilted head dodged. Handkerchief hung in mid-air, awkwardly stopped. “Sir.” I pointed QR code on wall, tone no wave. “Knife just now $30, plus lost work fee, total $50.” “Scan code, don’t delay my business.” Chapter 2 Sebastian hand froze in mid-air. That white handkerchief was fiercely crumpled in his palm. He stared at me, chest heaving violently. Obviously angered by my attitude. “Money? You just want money?” He sneered, took out checkbook from chest, swish swish wrote a string of numbers. Took out a stack thick cash from wallet again. “Pap” a sound. All thrown on cutting board full of fishy smell and bloody water. “Close stall.” He ordered, tone unquestionable. “Accompany me eat a meal, say words clear.” “These money, enough you sell fish a year in this broken place.” People around sucked cold air. That stack money say less also have $2,000 – $3,000. For people in market, this is a huge sum. Sebastian raised chin, waiting see me cry bitterly, or angry from embarrassment throw money back. After all previous Joanna, most couldn’t stand this insult. I looked at that stack money stained with fish blood. No hesitation. Reached hand grabbed that stack wet bills, weighed in hand. Then stuffed into that fanny pack patched many times. “Thank you boss.” I nodded to him, face no half humiliation. “Want what service? Kill fish or scrape scales?” Sebastian pupils fierce shrank. “Joanna…” His voice trembling, finger pointing me shaking. “Do you still want face?” “Before for a limited edition bag not bought, you could cold war with me three days.” “Now for this bit money, you don’t even want dignity?” I impatiently took off apron. Inside was a washed white old T-shirt, neckline loose. “How much a pound is dignity?” I asked him back, conveniently picked up water hose beside washed mud on rubber boots. “Let’s go, didn’t want eat?” “But say first, high-end restaurant I not go, disheveled clothes they not let in.” Sebastian choked by me speechless. Could only black face follow behind me. I took him through narrow dirty alley back door of market. That is road to Low-income Housing. Ground full sewage and rotten vegetable leaves. Air filled with a moldy smell. Sebastian walked carefully, afraid dirty his shoes. “Walk two steps you know why I love money.” I said without looking back. Passing alley entrance, Landlady blocked there cracking melon seeds. Seeing me, immediately spit shell. “Little Jo, when pay last month utility bill? Not pay again I cut power!” “Auntie Wang, immediately, just opened business.” I accompanied smile, took out few bills Sebastian just gave from pocket, didn’t count handed over. Auntie Wang seeing money, face immediately changed. “Ouch, rich ah? Okay okay okay, give you few days grace.” Walk forward again. Scrap picking Uncle Liu pushed cart over, wheel stuck in pit. I word didn’t say went up help push cart. Finished bargained with Uncle: “Uncle, last time that cardboard you calculated me 50 cents less, today have to make up.” Sebastian stood aside watching all this. Face more and more ugly. He watched me calculate few cents with people. Watched me bow and scrape to landlord. Watched me skillfully shuttle in this bottom world he felt suffocating at a glance. That reality, like slaps, fiercely fanned on his face. Finally, he couldn’t stand it, grabbed my arm, strength big like want crush my bone. “Enough!” He roared. “Joanna, stop acting.” “I don’t believe you can accept this life.” “Move out, I arrange apartment for you, find job for you.” He took out phone, fingers flying operation. “I transfer you $1 Million.” “Later don’t let me see you lose face in this kind place.” He eagerly wanted use money to wash guilt in heart. Or say, wanted buy a peace of mind. Prove he didn’t ruin me so thoroughly. I didn’t move. Quietly watched him operate. Few seconds later. “Ding” a sound. Not transfer success prompt sound. But transaction failed error sound. Sebastian stunned. He looked red words on phone screen, face blank. “What happened? Network bad?” He tried again. Still failed. System prompt: Recipient account frozen due to “Blacklisted by Credit Bureaus” identity, restricted high consumption and large transfer. Sebastian hand froze. He fierce looked up at me. I also looked at him, mouth corner pulled a sarcastic smile. “President Sterling noble person forgetful.” “Three years ago, to force me admit guilt, was you personally applied asset freeze and credit blacklist to court.” “Till now, haven’t unsealed yet.” Sebastian face instantly pale. He opened mouth, wanted explain something, but couldn’t make sound. That means once wanted force me to dead end. Now became wall hindering his charity “kindness”. How ironic. Alley entrance came engine roar sound. A red Porsche stopped there, extremely dazzling. Door opened. A foot wearing red bottom high heels stretched out. I looked that direction, plainly said to Sebastian: “Your wife came.” “Not go look?” Chapter 3 Tiffany got off the car. Wearing current season Chanel suit, neck hanging huge diamond necklace. That was auctioned by Sebastian last month. News hyped hot then, said was anniversary gift for beloved wife. She took off sunglasses, gaze circled between me and Sebastian. Immediately face piled sweet greasy smile, fast walked over. “Sebastian, why ran to this kind of place?” She affectionately held Sebastian arm, whole person about to stick on him. Eyes however like knife scraped my face. “Aiya, so big fishy smell ah.” She exaggeratedly covered nose, retreated two steps, other hand non-stop fanning wind in front of face. “This smell smell long will nausea, Sebastian, let’s go quickly.” She frowned, like saw some dirty thing. That physiological disgust, no disguise. Sebastian body stiffened a bit, didn’t push her away, also didn’t speak. Just eyes complex looking me. Tiffany seeing me not speak, moved forward again, pretended just recognized me. “OMG, isn’t this Sister Joanna?” She covered mouth, face surprised. “How you… how became like this?” She reached hand, seemed want touch my face, but stopped in mid-air. Like afraid dirty her hand. “Sister Joanna, although back then you scratched my face, harmed me almost disfigured…” She touched her smooth as initial cheek, eye rims instantly red. “But I long didn’t blame you.” “After all that time your emotion unstable.” “But seeing you like this now, my heart really so sad.” She saying, tears about to fall. Sebastian originally some guilty expression, instantly cold few points. He remembered that scene back then. Remembered Tiffany full face blood miserable state. That bit just sprouted sympathy, pressed down again. “Sister Joanna, how you sell this fish ah?” Tiffany suddenly turned topic, pointing bag in my hand. “Since met, I definitely want take care your business.” She saying want take that bag. I didn’t let go. “Miss Tiffany this pair hands precious, don’t touch this dirty thing.” I wanted put bag back on ground. Tiffany however suddenly reached hand to grab. “Aiya, polite what.” Just at moment her hand touched bag. “Splash” a sound. Bag flipped. Water inside, along with that dead fish. All splashed on my body. Originally dirty T-shirt, now more soaked, stick on body. “Ah! Sorry sorry!” Tiffany loud screamed, jumping feet dodge. “How this fish so slippery ah!” She while shouting, while observing Sebastian reaction. Seeing Sebastian frown, she immediately changed a face. Pointing fish on ground loud shouting: “Sister Joanna, is your fish stinky ah?” “Smell why so strong?” “You wouldn’t be selling dead fish pit people right?” “This if let people eat sick what do? Heard you have that kind disease…” She deliberately didn’t finish. Surrounding neighbors and passerby originally loved watch fun, hearing this, one after another surrounded over. “What disease ah? Contagious?” “Sell dead fish? This too wicked right.” “Later can’t buy at her place.” Public opinion wind direction instantly changed. For us stall vendors, reputation is rice bowl. I stood in place, let dirty water drip down along hair. Face no expression. I didn’t rush up tear her mouth like three years ago, just bent down picked up fish on ground, put back in bag. Then raised head, look straight Tiffany eyes. “Miss Tiffany.” My voice not loud, but word word clear. “My fish are all just pulled back this morning.” “Neighbors on this street, ate half year all fine.” “Instead Miss Tiffany.” I swept glance her face coated full powder. “Powder on face about fall into water.” “This fish if dead, also poisoned by your cosmetics.” People around burst laughter. Tiffany face instantly swelled into pig liver color. “You!” She pointed me, angry finger shaking. “Little Jo sells fish most honest, never short weight.” In crowd, that Auntie Wang cracking melon seeds stood out. “Exactly, you this woman dressed like human, how full mouth spray dung ne?” Uncle Liu also pushed cart help voice. “People Little Jo not easy, you rich people don’t bully people too much.” Wind direction turned back again. Bottom people although love watch fun, but also have simple justice sense. Especially seeing Tiffany this arrogant look, naturally have resistance. Tiffany she help looked at Sebastian, tears watery. “Sebastian, look her…” Sebastian looking whole body soaked, but still straight spine standing there me. Eyes flashed a trace irritation. He suddenly felt this farce very embarrassing. “Enough!” He low roared, threw off Tiffany hand. “Still dislike not enough shame?”

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My husband Pierce Donovan’s newest student, Brooke Miller, wasn’t just curious; she was a goddamn investigative journalist of my private life. The first time she was alone with me, she asked if I’d leaked urine after childbirth and if Pierce, the revered professor, still found me sexually attractive. Later, under the guise of “researching the human body,” she relentlessly pestered Pierce to let her examine him. It escalated to sending him lingerie photos late at night, asking which set would make a man “get off.” Yet, every time I confronted him, Pierce would cite her troubled background as an orphan and insist I show compassion and restraint. “She’s just a curious baby, Scarlett,” he’d sigh. I kept my mouth shut. I kept my rage tucked away. Until Christmas Day. I had stepped out with my mother-in-law to pick up a new playing card. When I returned, I found Brooke, not just holding a handful of crushed walnuts, but shoving them into my five-year-old daughter Daisy’s mouth. Walnuts. Daisy has a severe, life-threatening nut allergy. After rushing my daughter to the hospital, the adrenaline of terror gave way to pure, blinding fury. I slapped Brooke across the face. Pierce immediately pulled the sniffling girl into his arms. He looked at me, his handsome brow furrowed in disappointment. “Scarlett, you need to calm down. Why are you attacking a kid who has no family? Brooke was just curious about the reaction. An academic observation, that’s all. It’s not like Daisy is permanently damaged.” “She’s fine, isn’t she?” I closed my eyes, the cold finally seeping into the deepest parts of my soul. If he was going to protect his so-called “curious baby” like this, then the role of the Perfect Wife was officially vacant. 1 “Mrs. Donovan, I really was just too curious.” Brooke dabbed at her eyes, leaning on Pierce. “You let me stay in your home for the holidays. If I made a mistake, aren’t you the one with the bigger responsibility?” Even Pierce looked at me with a cold, accusing stare. “Brooke is young, Scarlett, and still just a kid. You knew Daisy has allergies, so you shouldn’t have any nut products in the house to begin with! This is your fault.” Standing outside the emergency room doors, my anger was so extreme it circled back around to a terrifying calm. I just nodded. “You’re right,” I said. “It is my fault.” My mistake wasn’t the nut products. My mistake was suffocating myself for so long, swallowing my justifiable feelings and compromises just to become his Perfect Wife. Daisy has a severe nut allergy, but my mother-in-law loves pecans. To accommodate everyone, I painstakingly prepared all the favorite holiday foods. Now, I realized I was the only person I had forgotten to accommodate. I remembered the past months. Every time Brooke’s “curiosity” led to inappropriate behavior with Pierce, I had gently questioned him, only to be met with that familiar, cold irritation. “Scarlett, I’m busy. I don’t have time for your silly, jealous games. Brooke is a student, not some mistress. We’re not the disgusting people you think we are.” That single sentence—disgusting people—had shamed me into silence and completely crushed my courage to ever question him again. From that moment on, I learned to rationalize their oversteps. I threw myself into being the perfect homemaker and hostess, desperate to earn his public acknowledgment as a “good wife.” I had it all wrong. The Perfect Wife gets neither his love, his attention, nor the ability to protect my daughter. Pierce, expecting a fight, looked confused. His expression softened with a complicated mix of relief and subtle condescension. “I’m glad you finally see your mistake.” Just then, Daisy was stabilized and rolled out. Her small face was pale, and she was silently mouthing “Mommy” and “Daddy.” Pierce, the doting father, took a step toward her. But his step was snagged by Brooke, whose legs suddenly buckled. “Professor, I feel faint…” He looked at his frail daughter, then down at the picture of helpless distress in his arms. He lifted Brooke, cradling her. “Daisy’s stable, Cami. You stay here. I have to get Brooke back to her dorm. She probably skipped breakfast ‘to observe the symptoms of hypoglycemia’ or some bullshit.” He hurried away. Daisy’s eyes filled with tears as she was wheeled into the recovery room. She clung to me, her voice a small, broken whisper. “Does Daddy hate me? Why did he hug the bad sister and not stay with me?” Her pale face was marked by the small, red scratches Brooke had left when forcing the nuts into her mouth. “I’m sorry, Mommy. Is it because I’m not a good girl that Daddy doesn’t want to come home? I’ll be quiet. I’ll be good.” My heart shattered. I hugged her tight, trembling, telling her over and over that none of this was her fault. That her mother loved her fiercely. The next day, Pierce was supposed to pick us up. He never showed. We were already in the car when he finally called. “The lab is crazy, Scarlett. I can’t leave. Take Daisy home, and I promise, I’ll make it up to her.” But through the phone, I heard Brooke’s voice, sickly sweet, complaining that her hand hurt and begging him to feed her. The tiny spark of hope in Daisy’s eyes died. “Mommy,” she whispered. “Can we go to a house with just you and me? Daddy likes my little brother. I don’t want a Daddy anymore.” Little brother? I froze. Pierce and I only had Daisy. Where would a “little brother” come from? Watching my five-year-old weep, a cold, hard knot formed in my stomach. I didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” I said, putting the car in drive. “We’re moving today.” As I drove Daisy to the first safe place I could think of, I called a private investigator. “I need everything you have on Pierce Donovan and Brooke Miller. Everything. And I need to know if they have a child.” The neighborhood was alight with festive decorations, firecrackers popping in the distance. It was a holiday. But when I arrived at the apartment building with Daisy, the security guard stopped me. “Who are you? Gotta have a keycard to get in!” I frowned. “My husband has the keycard, but I’m the owner of unit 603.” The guard snickered. “Mistresses are getting bold these days. The owner of 603 is heavily pregnant and definitely does not have a kid that big.” I stared at him. That apartment was my property, bought before Pierce. It was our first place, where we lived for three years, packed with the early memories he’d sworn were sacred. He’d promised it would be our “love nest,” the place we’d return to when we were old. The deed was in my name alone. I swallowed the rising panic. “I am the owner. I bought the unit eight years ago—” “Get lost!” The guard waved me off impatiently. “Go find a better time for this, lady! I don’t care about your story. No outsiders allowed on Christmas.” His eyes slid to Daisy, a look of outright contempt that seemed to call my daughter a bastard. The insult was a physical slap. I reached for my phone and pulled up the digital deed. He took his time reviewing it, waiting until a couple passing by paused to watch. Reluctantly, he handed the phone back. “The registration list doesn’t have your name, lady. Even if this is real, I need to see you open the door. That’s Professor Donovan’s home, and you are not going to cause a scene.” His arrogant face fueled my sudden calm. “Fine. You can follow me upstairs and watch me open my own front door.” I parked the car and took Daisy’s hand. The guard scoffed behind me. “What are you waiting for? Can’t even open your own front door, huh?” I extended my finger to the biometric reader. BEEP. Authentication failed. The guard laughed. I tried the keypad, punching in our anniversary. Password incorrect. “Told you you’re a mistress! The owner can’t get into her own house? Now take the brat and get out!” The guard lost all pretense of patience and reached out to grab my arm. Daisy screamed, terrified. As I fought to pull away, her small teeth sank into the man’s arm. He bellowed and viciously kicked my daughter. Her tiny body slammed against the stone wall. Her head snapped back, and she collapsed. “Daisy!” My vision swam red. I fought desperately against the guards, but all I could do was watch as the man who kicked her raised his security baton high above my unconscious daughter’s head. “Stop!” It was Pierce. My tightly wound body relaxed for a split second. Daisy was still his daughter. He would never allow them to hurt her. But the Pierce who stepped out of the apartment was not the Pierce I knew. He wrapped his arm around Brooke’s shoulders, his expression dark with fury. “Scarlett! I told you that child isn’t mine! I’m married! Stop harassing us!” In front of everyone, he hesitated, then pulled out a wad of cash and threw it, hitting my face. “This is charity, for you. Bringing a child out in the middle of winter as leverage? You’re a terrible mother.” “Guards, get them out. Don’t let them bother me again.” I gaped at him, my eyes burning. “Pierce Donovan! This is my apartment. My pre-marital asset—” Before I could finish, he kicked me—hard—in the chest. “Lies! Guards! Are you really going to let an outsider terrorize a resident?” The stunned security officers swarmed me, roughly dragging me and Daisy away. I shielded her body with mine, screaming, my voice raw with heartbreak. “Pierce Donovan! I was blind! I threw away my whole life for you!” For a fleeting second, his eyes met mine, and I saw a flicker of panic. But it vanished quickly. Brooke took his hand and placed it on her stomach. I couldn’t hear what she said, but I saw the doting, tender smile he gave her. The neighbors’ scornful whispers surrounded me. “No shame, trying to claim a married man like that.” “Look at the poor kid. Her life is ruined with a mother like that.” Out in the ice and snow, my daughter, just recovering from anaphylaxis, was being rushed to the emergency room for the third time in two days. Pierce’s texts popped up on my phone. He claimed that because Brooke had no parents, he was just letting her stay in the apartment temporarily. “Scarlett, don’t be ridiculous. If the neighbors find out you’re my wife, how is Brooke going to live here? You sound like a screaming shrew, Cami. Where is the calm, gentle wife I married?” Screaming shrew. That final line was the last, cold-blooded blow that shattered the lingering pieces of my love. The ‘gentle wife’ was a performance, a straightjacket I’d worn for him. Now, I was just raw, furious, and determined. My hands trembling, I called home. “Dad,” I said, my voice breaking. “I’m sorry… I made a terrible mistake. I need your help.” While Daisy was being treated, I made two major moves. First, I hired a professional legal team and drafted divorce papers that would ensure Pierce left with nothing. I also immediately sold the pre-marital apartment at a deep discount. Second, I had my family cut all hidden financial support for Pierce’s university research and, more immediately, instructed the nurse taking care of his paralyzed father to quit immediately. I had been the dutiful, sacrificing wife for so long that I’d almost forgotten the kind of leverage and freedom Scarlett Blake once possessed. The day the nurse left, Pierce called dozens of times. When I finally answered, his voice was tired and frantic. “Scarlett, where are you?! My father has been lying in his own filth for a day, the place is covered in dirty clothes and trash, the fridge is empty!” I listened, unmoved. “I’m with my daughter. She’s recovering.” His rant paused. His voice went husky. “I… I forgot. How is Daisy? I’m coming right now—” His words were cut off by a girl’s soft squeal, then the sound of urgent footsteps and a lingering kiss. I hung up, expressionless. He didn’t deserve to see our daughter again. He didn’t deserve any genuine human emotion. Pierce didn’t visit the hospital once during Daisy’s stay. He only rushed in when I was checking her out, right before our flight. “I’m so sorry, Scarlett. Home has been a total mess without you. I finally realize how much you do. When we get back—I promise, I’ll make it up to you and Daisy.” He knelt, forcing a weary smile onto his haggard face. “Daisy, sweetie, can Daddy hold you now?” My phone buzzed, saturated with texts from Brooke. “You know why the Professor hasn’t visited? I passed the three-month mark today! I told him I was curious about pregnancy sex, so he stayed in bed with me for seven days straight!” I looked up. There was a faint red mark just beneath Pierce’s collar. But this time, no emotion stirred in my chest. Daisy looked at Pierce, hope and fear warring in her eyes. She hugged my leg and whispered to me. “Mommy, can I just hug Daddy once? Then I really don’t ever want him again.” I stroked her hair and agreed. I left for only a moment to grab our belongings from the room, but when I returned, Pierce and Daisy were gone. I screamed her name, running hysterically down the halls. I stumbled around a corner, and a sharp, paralyzing pain exploded in the back of my skull. Darkness. I woke up in a freezing warehouse. Daisy was strapped into a restraint chair with electrodes. Her mouth was taped shut. She was crying hysterically, her face beet red, struggling for breath. “Professor, they say shock treatment makes kids smarter. Just let me try it, please?” I was paralyzed by shock. “Pierce Donovan, are you insane?! She called you Daddy! And you’re going to electrocuteher?!” Pierce’s eyes flickered with a hint of remorse, but it vanished as Brooke started to weep pitifully. “Professor! If I don’t satisfy my curiosity, I won’t be able to eat or sleep! My tummy hurts right now!” At the mention of her stomach, Pierce was instantly focused on her, his face a mask of panic. “Okay, okay, anything you want…” “Brooke Miller, don’t you touch her! If you hurt Daisy, I will rip you to pieces—” SMACK! A stinging blow split my lip. Blood bloomed on my chin. I stared at Pierce in utter disbelief. He was snarling. “Daisy wouldn’t listen to a damn thing I said! I just asked her to call Brooke ‘Mommy,’ and she bit her! She bit her!” Brooke seized the opportunity, cuddling into his side. “The bite hurts! Shock treatment doesn’t just make them smart, it makes them obedient. Professor, I want to play!” The “bite” was a tiny, unbroken red mark on her arm. I screamed and struggled, the ropes around my wrists cutting deep, drawing blood, but I couldn’t stop Brooke from flipping the switch. A current surged. Daisy cried out, instantly losing control of her bladder, convulsing, and passing out. But Brooke wasn’t finished. She cranked the dial up and hit the switch again. Daisy was only five! She started foaming at the mouth, her entire body twitching violently. Brooke laughed, picking up a metal rod and whipping it across Daisy’s face. Daisy woke up, screaming in raw pain. “Shut up! Stop crying! Tell me you’ll listen to me!” But a five-year-old child could only cry for her mother. My heart was hemorrhaging. “Stop it! Stop, you monster!” Seeing Daisy’s continued tears, Brooke’s eyes hardened. “How will you ever be a good big sister if you don’t learn obedience? You’re going to get a good lesson this time.” She reached for the highest-voltage switch. Pierce didn’t see it, but I saw her look at me, a silent, vicious challenge in her eyes. “Your daughter is going to die.” “NO!” Just as her finger made contact with the button— The warehouse doors were violently kicked open. Highly trained men in black suits swarmed the room, instantly tackling Pierce and Brooke to the floor.

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