Category: English

My boyfriend, seeking a thrill, convinced me to drink a spiked beverage. But just as the effects kicked in, he was called away by his “moonlight.” I was about to protest when scrolling text appeared before my eyes: [That despicable jerk! How could he abandon our girl at a time like this! I’m furious!] [The jerk is going back to the moonlight again! Our girl is so tragic!] [Girl, forget the jerk! Go find Dr. Alex next door! He’s crazy about you!] [Don’t hesitate! Dr. Alex is your antidote!] I couldn’t think straight. I struggled against the agony and stumbled, knocking on the neighbor’s door. “Dr. Alex, help me…” 1 After taking the call, Leo Black pulled his halfway-off pants back on. “I have to go out. You figure yourself out.” The drugs were already taking effect. I was stunned. “You’re leaving now? What about me?” Leo’s face instantly darkened at my protest. “Chloe, you’re an adult. Can’t you handle yourself?” Seriously? He drugged me and now expected me to handle myself? Before I could plead with him, his voice became impatient. “Enough! Tiffany is sick. Can you stop causing drama at a time like this?” The pleading words died in my throat. I watched, desperate and burning, as he walked away. The moment the door slammed shut, scrolling comments flashed across my vision: [How could the jerk abandon our girl now? This is too much!] [This is the eighth time Tiffany has been “sick” this month! Every single time, the jerk leaves our girl for her! No wonder she’s a tragic heroine—this is awful!] [I can’t watch! Someone save our girl!] [Girl, forget the jerk! Go find Dr. Alex next door! He’s your antidote!] [Yes! Hurry next door! Dr. Alex is tall and hot—way better than that jerk!] My mind spun, trying to process the comments. Dr. Alex? The same Dr. Alex Lynn who always wore a cold expression and seemed utterly untouchable? The drugs made my body uncontrollably hot. I couldn’t care less about the comments anymore. I stumbled out, fighting the agony, and knocked desperately on the neighbor’s door. 2 I knocked a few times, but no one answered. I must be hallucinating. Just as I was about to leave, I heard a door open behind me. A voice called out, “Chloe?” I turned and met Dr. Alex Lynn’s dark, deep eyes. He must have just showered. He was shirtless, his lower body wrapped in a white towel. I couldn’t help but notice. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, eight-pack abs… Water droplets clung to his taut muscles. For my current state, the sight was pure fuel. My heart raced, and my chest heaved with every accelerating breath. A cool voice broke the silence. “Is the view satisfactory?” I subconsciously looked up. Even against the light, I could clearly see his prominent brow bone, high nose, and slightly upturned lips. Why had I never noticed before? Alex’s face was like an anime heartthrob brought to life! Mesmerized by his beauty, I blurted out: “Very satisfactory…” The moment I spoke, he visibly froze. His expression instantly looked uncomfortable. The comments exploded. [OMG! Our girl is so blunt! I love it!] [What am I seeing? The ice prince is blushing!] [Blushing is an understatement! Our girl says he’s hot, and he’s… that’s ridiculous!] I instinctively glanced down, unable to help my observation. …It was, indeed, ridiculous. The comments continued: [Save me, he’s wearing only a towel, and he’s… I can’t imagine…] [Hahaha, Dr. Alex is absolutely smitten!] [I’m so nervous! Is the plot I’ve been waiting for finally happening?!] [I order you two: now, immediately, get to it!] 3 I felt like a waterlogged sponge, melting into Alex’s embrace. “Dr. Alex, I feel awful…” “Can you kiss me?” His figure stiffened at my request. [Who understands this? Our girl’s voice is soft and tearful. It’s melting my heart!] [Forget you, Dr. Alex is about to lose his mind! Hahaha.] [I get it. He’s been crushing on her for three years. He must be going crazy.] [Exactly! Every time he saw her with that jerk, his heart must have been breaking.] The comments stunned me. He liked me for three years? I had no idea! But there was no time to think. A sudden, strong force pulled me inside his apartment. The door slammed shut behind me. A tall figure blocked the light. He looked down at me. His long, elegant fingers grazed my cheek, tilting my chin up with warm breath. His voice, however, remained cool. “Explain… what did you mean?” I was forced to look up. Seeing his face so close made me too flustered to speak. But he wasn’t letting up. His intoxicating face leaned closer to mine. “Tell me clearly…” “Where does it hurt?” 4 His question made my face flush. I didn’t know how to answer, but the agony was overwhelming. I finally grabbed his long, defined hands. [OMG! Is this legal? Our girl is so bold!] [Who can resist this? Next step, a physical exam? So exciting!] [I can’t handle this! My composure is gone!!!] Alex’s breath hitched at the touch. He froze, his face turning bright red. I seized the opportunity, wrapping my arms around his neck. I stood on my toes and kissed him. The moment our lips met, he completely surrendered. I don’t know how long we kissed. I found myself on a soft bed. I watched his muscular body lean over me, casting a shadow that enveloped me in the dim light. “Chloe, how do you want me to help you?” Before I could answer, his nose grazed my neck and shoulder. A tingling sensation spread from my earlobe through my entire body. I trembled. But then, my phone rang—totally inappropriate timing. Overwhelmed by lust, I fumbled and hung up. But another call immediately came through. Alex stopped, looking toward the phone. “I’m sorry, I’ll turn it off right now.” I moved to grab my phone. But his hand pressed down on my wrist. “Maybe… let’s just stop.” 5 “Stop? Why?” Did my phone bother him? Is that why he’s mad? I looked at his tightly furrowed brows. I had a terrible thought. Is it because… he can’t perform? My eyes instinctively dropped. [Hahaha, what is our girl looking at? Is she doubting Dr. Alex’s skills?] [She hasn’t realized yet, has she? Dr. Alex is just jealous.] [I’m so mad! That deadbeat jerk had to call now and ruin everything! How can I watch the plot now?] I finally realized the issue. Just as I was about to explain, he spoke first. “Chloe, I don’t want to be the side guy…” “Can you accept that?” His last three words were barely audible. [That’s weird. Didn’t Dr. Alex wish on a photo of her two days ago that he’d be her side piece or even her side-side piece if she just gave him a chance?] [I can confirm! He promised he’d sacrifice everything for love! Now he wants respect? How calculating!] [Wait, why is that calculating? Dr. Alex guarded her for three years! He deserves respect!] [I agree. That jerk abandoned her on Valentine’s Day, and she was followed by creeps until Dr. Alex saved her! He’s done so much for her!] I opened my phone right in front of him. Ignoring the endless missed calls from Leo, I pulled up the breakup text I’d drafted but never sent. I hit send. Then I blocked, deleted, and powered down the phone. Seeing this, Alex looked like a stray dog finally finding its home. I leaned in and kissed his lips. “Dr. Alex, are we good now?”

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I was at my poorest when I met the city’s most notorious playboy. He’d already burned through thirty-five girlfriends; I was number thirty-six. He asked me out three times, and I said no. The fourth time, I threw myself into his arms and sobbed, “It’s you I like, not your money.” Asher Wolfhard held me, deeply moved. But in private, he complained to his friends, “I’ve seen all her tricks before. I’m just playing along because I’m dying to get in her pants.” When I overheard that, I went to bed with him without a word. Unsurprisingly, he dumped me right after. A few days later, my roommate became his thirty-seventh girlfriend. Everyone laughed at me, but I didn’t care. Not long after, Asher was diagnosed with HIV, and I found out I was pregnant. Suddenly, the child in my belly became the most precious treasure of the Wolfhard family. 1 Every Friday, a spectacle unfolded at the gates of Northwood University. A fiery red Maserati would roll up, dropping off a different beautiful woman each time. The car’s owner was Asher Wolfhard, Northwood’s most infamous playboy heir. Every woman who slept with him was said to be left utterly obsessed. But he never went back for seconds, never lingered on any woman for a moment longer than necessary. He would conquer one and, without missing a beat, move on to the next. Three months into the semester, he’d already had thirty-four girlfriends. Number thirty-five was my coworker at the bubble tea shop, Felicity. The moment she got the invitation text, she quit her part-time job on the spot and rushed off to a salon to get her hair and nails done. “Oh my god, my golden ticket finally landed on me,” she said, changing her clothes. “Thank you, universe.” “Willa, seriously,” she went on, “you should buy some nice clothes, maybe get a haircut. Your bangs are too long; they’re hiding your supermodel good looks. That’s why Asher hasn’t noticed you yet.” “If he saw your face and knew you were hiding a rare 36D under that jacket, he’d fall head over heels for you.” I just smiled and said nothing. After she left, I bent down and picked up the panda hair clip she’d dropped. The soft white fuzz trembled in the breeze, just like my restless heart. I was so poor. I’d never owned a single nice piece of clothing in my life. My father was a simple farmer who knew nothing but the soil. My grandmother was sick and needed medicine constantly. My mother… she had left a long time ago. She went to find work in the city, met a construction worker, and never came home. Since I was a little girl, the weight of money had been suffocating me. Now in college, while everyone else was enjoying campus life, I was constantly scrambling for part-time jobs just to eat. The first time I heard the name Asher Wolfhard, a plan began to form in my mind. The Wolfhard family was influential in Northwood City. His mother was a famous entrepreneur, his father a distinguished university professor. Asher was their only child, born late in their lives, and they had spoiled him rotten. A purely physical relationship with him would be fleeting, and I’d be forgotten. Any payout would be minimal. So I waited, biding my time, observing, looking for a better opportunity. The next day, that fiery red Maserati pulled up in front of the tea shop. Felicity got out, dressed in a Chanel knockoff and carrying a designer bag, but her expression was anything but bright. After the car sped away, she grumbled, “I can’t believe it. I didn’t even get his number.” I recalled the fleeting glimpse I’d caught through the car window. “Whose? Asher’s?” “Yes! He slept with me, gave me ten thousand dollars and this outfit, and that was it. The girl from the dance department got twenty thousand! What, am I not as good as her?” I had no answer for that. Felicity sat and fumed for a while longer before her anger finally subsided. “Damn it, I’m so pissed. I need to go get something nice to eat,” she said. “Whatever. With this ten grand, at least I don’t have to work for the rest of the semester. I’ll figure out the rest later.” She smiled at me. “Willa, I’m not trying to lead you astray, but you really don’t have to make things so hard on yourself.” “Just lie back, have some fun, and make some money. What’s so bad about that? It’s a hell of a lot better than shaking bubble tea until your arms fall off for less than three thousand a month.” 2 I didn’t close the shop until 11 PM. On the way back, Felicity’s words echoed in my head. Was I making things too hard on myself? Everyone else was taking shortcuts. Why shouldn’t I? If I couldn’t lock down Asher as a long-term investment, I could just find someone else. At least I could get a quick ten thousand to solve my immediate problems. My head started to ache. I almost laughed at myself. Willa, Willa, you’re getting desperate. The thought of killing the goose for a single golden egg was something I was actually considering. As I turned down a small side street, I saw a car stopped by the road, smoke pouring from the hood. It had crashed into a guardrail. The driver was slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious. I ran to the driver’s side and saw it was Asher Wolfhard. There was no time to think. Terrified the car might catch fire, I started pulling him out. I wasn’t strong enough. It took all my strength to drag and haul him to a safe distance. While I was on the phone with 911, Asher started to come to. He looked at my face, a flicker of surprise and awe in his eyes. “You…” I quickly pressed him down. “Your head is bleeding. Don’t move.” I used my handkerchief to apply pressure to the wound. Soon, the paramedics arrived and loaded him onto a stretcher. I used his phone to contact his family, then turned and walked back to campus. A few days later, as I was leaving class, Asher blocked my path, holding a bouquet of flowers. He still had a bandage on his forehead, and his lips were pale, but his eyes were shining. “You were the one who saved me the other day, right, Willa?” I nodded. “It was nothing. Don’t worry about it.” “How could I not? You saved my life. I’m a pretty big deal, you know. So what you did was a pretty big deal, too.” He thrust the flowers into my arms and then held out a credit card. “There’s ten thousand on here as a thank you. I was wondering if you’d do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight?” He was asking me out. I looked into his charming, almond-shaped eyes, a thousand thoughts racing through my mind. But after a few seconds, I shook my head. “I can’t have dinner with you. I have to go to my part-time job.” “What’s so great about that job? I’ll just give you the money.” “No, thank you. I have hands and feet. I don’t need to take advantage of you.” I fought to keep my racing heart in check, coolly rejecting his offer before turning to leave. I knew he was watching me, probably seeing right through my act. But I was playing the long game. Even if the chances were slim, I had to try. 3 Sure enough, at 7 PM, Asher showed up at the bubble tea shop where I worked. He’d probably never been rejected by a woman before, and he didn’t look happy about it. His face was a thundercloud when he saw me. “You turned me down to work in this dump?” he sneered. “How much do they pay you an hour? Twenty? Thirty? Fifty?” My expression turned even colder than his. “That’s none of your business. Either order something or get out. I don’t have time to play games with you.” Asher was taken aback. He took a deep breath. “I’ll give you one last chance. Ten thousand an hour. Are you coming with me or not?” My face was a mask of indifference. “Get. Out.” Furious, Asher spun around and stormed off. But he only made it to the door before whirling back. He slammed a card on the counter, followed by his hand, slapping it down with a sharp crack. “Everyone in here gets the most expensive drink on the menu. My treat.” “You like shaking bubble tea so much? Tonight, you can shake until you drop.” He was ruthless. For two straight hours, I made over 180 drinks. My hands were trembling, but I didn’t say a word. His face grew darker and darker. When he saw me shaking as I tried to carry in a new container of toppings, he blocked my path. “Fine, that’s enough. Stop.” “There are still three drinks left on your order.” “So I’m canceling them! Just stop, damn it. I’ve never seen anyone so stubborn.” Asher turned and left, and this time, he didn’t come back. Not only that, but he had tipped five thousand into the shop’s account. The ten-thousand-dollar card was still on the counter. On my way back, I stared at the card, a storm of emotions churning inside me. So this was what a shortcut felt like. The money came so fast. What had I been doing all those years, working myself to the bone? Just then, I saw Asher sitting on a bench on the side street. The late autumn night was cold, and he was still in his hospital gown, his head bowed. I had already walked past him, but I hesitated, then turned back. “Here,” I said, holding out the card. “You forgot this at the shop.” Asher looked up, his face deathly pale. “It’s for you.” I pushed the card back into his pocket. I started to walk away but couldn’t stop myself. “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?” Asher stared at me for a long time. “I’m fine. Just a headache.” He pursed his lips, looking unhappy. “Leave me alone. You don’t have to care. It’s not like anyone cares if I live or die.” What a load of crap. His parents doted on him, and he had a legion of girlfriends who would have done anything for him. I didn’t argue. I just moved behind him and started gently massaging the back of his neck. “It’s a side effect of the accident. You should be resting, not running around and getting angry.” He grabbed my hand, his voice weak. “If you hadn’t refused to go out with me, I wouldn’t have gotten so worked up.” “…Then I guess you’ll just have to stay angry. I don’t have time for this.” The Wolfhard family car arrived to pick him up. As he got in, he pushed the card back into my pocket, a rare look of disappointment on his face. “This money is just to thank you for saving my life. Please, take it.” “Okay.” The car sped away. I turned, a small smile playing on my lips. Inside the luxury car, Asher was smiling too. “Sly little fox, playing hard to get with me. We’ll see who’s better at this game.” He closed his eyes and inhaled. “A faint, milky scent… soft 36Ds. Even though I was out of it, I couldn’t have been mistaken. She’s a masterpiece.” The driver had seen it all before. “If you like her, sir, just go after her. There’s no one you can’t have.” Asher chuckled. “What do you know? Beautiful women are a dime a dozen. But a sly fox like her… that’s rare. I haven’t met a woman who could get under my skin like this in a long time. I’m going to have some fun with this one.” 4 When I got my paycheck of three thousand, I sent two thousand home. My grandmother’s heart was getting worse, and she was back in the hospital. My father had no money, so her medical bills fell to me. After paying a school activity fee and buying some necessities, I was left with only five hundred dollars. I lay on my dorm bed, staring at the credit card, my mind at war with itself. I knew its owner, Asher Wolfhard, was also waiting for a notification that it had been used. Just then, the door opened, and my roommate, Tara, walked in. She’d been out at a club all night and reeked of smoke and stale alcohol. The smell quickly filled our small room. A moment later, she stumbled to the bathroom and started vomiting violently, leaving the door wide open. The sour stench was overwhelming. I wrinkled my nose. “Tara, can you please close the bathroom door? The smell is awful.” No answer. When she was finished, she staggered out, ripped open my bed curtain, and snarled, “Mind your own damn business!” Then she collapsed onto her bed and started snoring. Sleep was impossible. I went to the library to catch up on my studies. Time passed, and I almost forgot about Asher. Then one day, as I was leaving the tea shop, I saw him leaning against his car, holding a bouquet of flowers and a cake. “Happy birthday, Willa,” he called out. My eyes welled up. No one had ever celebrated my birthday before. How did he know? As if reading my mind, he said, “Don’t ask how I know. Just come make a wish and blow out the candles.” My first instinct was to walk away, but then I saw the little panda drawn on the cake. My nose stung. “Why a panda?” “Because when you saved me, I saw you were wearing a panda hair clip. I thought it was cute.” “…Thank you.” We found a spot on the curb, made a wish, and cut the cake. We sat side-by-side, and I asked him, “Is your head all better?” “Yeah, it’s healed.” “Let me see.” I leaned in close to look at the wound on his forehead. The stitches were out, leaving only a faint red line. Without thinking, I blew on it gently. I looked up and saw that Asher was blushing. He cleared his throat, his eyes shining. “What… what are you doing?” I quickly looked away, embarrassed. “S-sorry. I didn’t mean to.” We were both a little flustered. We finished the small cake in silence. I stood up, brushing off my pants to leave. Asher grabbed my hand and pointed to his red sports car. “Let me drive you.” I pursed my lips stubbornly. “No. I won’t get in.” I knew how many other women had sat in that passenger seat. Asher seemed to understand. His eyes flickered, and he ran his tongue over the inside of his cheek. After a moment, he pulled out his phone. “Fine. But can I at least get your number?” 5 I had finally gotten Asher Wolfhard’s number. His social media was simple: a few birthday photos, an occasional picture of his car or a party. None of the thirty-five other women had ever made an appearance. I casually liked one of his posts. A message came through almost immediately: [Home yet?] Me: [Yeah.] [Get some rest.] [Okay.] [Want to get dinner sometime?] [We’ll see. I’m a little busy lately, picked up another tutoring job.] [Let me know when you’re free.] [Okay.] I turned off my phone and closed my eyes. There was no tutoring job. I just needed more time to figure out my next move. Asher stared at the screen, a smirk on his face. This damn little fox. One lie after another. He’d given her the card over a month ago, and she hadn’t spent a dime. Her clothes were frayed, her shoes were falling apart, but she was still playing her game. It wasn’t that she wasn’t interested. The way her eyes faintly gleamed whenever she saw his car, the way she unconsciously touched her nose when she lied—Asher had been around the block enough times to know. She was playing the long game. And even knowing that, he wanted to see what this seemingly innocent girl would do next.

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It had been two months since I broke up with Julian after our cold war, and he still hadn’t sent me a single text. I couldn’t take it anymore. I was ready to cave and apologize first. But that very day, I suddenly received a confession from the school’s poorest student, Hudson. I was about to reject him when a wall of text—like a livestream chat—flashed before my eyes: “LMAO, the side chick actually thinks Hudson likes her.” “He just lost a bet with the female lead. He’s forced to confess.” “Poor male lead. Just realized his crush is pushing him away, and now he has to get rejected by this shallow, gold-digging prom queen.” “Must be heartbroken!” “It’s okay, it’s okay! Once he gets reclaimed by the billionaire Harper family in New York, worth billions, our female lead will come running back!” …Wait, what? The Harper family from New York? The super rich one? Hold up! Pause the makeup session. I want this broke boy! 1 I am a gold digger. But I’m good at hiding it. Usually, I treat all my classmates equally and with kindness. Except when it comes to dating. My bottom line is non-negotiable— He has to be rich. And, of course, hot. Julian was the closest thing to my ideal in my eighteen years of life. His family is loaded, old money. Rumor has it they’re second only to the Harper family in New York. Of course, a family like the Harpers is out of my league. Julian was arrogant, cold, and high-maintenance. I chased him for months before he finally agreed to be my boyfriend. But once we were together, he constantly complained that I wasn’t clingy or caring enough. He’d threaten to break up over anything. “Let’s just end it. You only chased me for my money anyway.” “I saw you talking to the basketball captain. Interested in him now?” “Don’t let that used McLaren fool you; it’s worthless.” “Block his number right now, or I’m done!” This happened all the time. By now, he’d practically monitored every good-looking guy in my contacts. Two months ago, Julian picked another fight. The reason? I was twenty minutes late to his birthday party. “This shows you don’t value me!” “You weren’t late to the school assembly! Am I less important to you than the principal?” “Let’s break up. We need to cool off!” Same old routine. Are they even comparable? I’m not a trust fund baby like him. I can’t just offend the principal whenever I feel like it. I was getting tired of it anyway, so I just went along with it. “Fine. Break up then.” “Don’t contact me.” 2 That day, Julian’s face went pale. He glared at me for a long time before smashing a bottle of wine worth thousands on the floor. And true to his word, he never contacted me again. Two months passed. I calmed down. Let’s face it, Julian was the ceiling of what I could reach. Who doesn’t love money? My family is average. My parents favor my younger brother and give him everything good. I want out. But I’m not smart enough. Even studying my butt off only gets me into the top 80 of my grade. My biggest asset is this face… So what if I use my looks to get ahead and satisfy my ambition? What’s wrong with that? Thinking like this made me feel better instantly. School was just letting out. Julian had been playing basketball every afternoon lately. I packed my bag and headed to the courts. I planned to intercept him, apologize, act cute, and smooth things over. But just as I reached the gym entrance, someone unexpected called my name— Hudson. 3 Hudson. Our school’s famous genius. Always number one in the grade. He’s 6’2″, super hot, and once narrowly beat Julian for the title of School Hottie— One of those votes came from me. No ulterior motive. Hudson is just exactly my type. My Libra nature demanded fairness, so I gave him a vote. But aside from that, I had almost zero interaction with him. He kept to himself, barely speaking to anyone. Rumors said someone saw his mom scavenging for vegetable scraps at the market. Others said his dad died young, and his grandma was sick, costing tens of thousands a year in medical bills. Basically, Hudson’s family was struggling. He applied for financial aid every year and worked part-time at a boba shop and a convenience store. In the cafeteria, he only bought the two cheapest veggie dishes. Even the girls wouldn’t be full on that, let alone a growing boy. Once, feeling generous, I took fifty bucks from my allowance and secretly slipped it into his pencil case. Anonymous. Now, at the gym entrance. When Hudson called my name, I frowned— Did he find out about the fifty bucks? In those cliché novels, these poor but proud scholars usually have massive egos. He probably thinks I was trying to humiliate him. Is he here to pick a fight? Before I could come up with a defense, his next words stunned me. “Sophia.” “I like you.” “Will you be my girlfriend?” 4 I was dumbfounded. The gym entrance was crowded. I looked back toward the basketball courts. Julian had walked out without me noticing. He must have just finished playing; sweat was dripping from his forehead. A few of his friends were around him, all looking at us with interest. They were talking loudly, not bothering to lower their voices. “Hey, isn’t that Sophia, Julian’s ex?” “Ex? Watch your mouth, bro. Ex-girlfriend!” “Haha, right! Ex. Gotta say, Sophia’s got backbone this time. Two months! Usually, she’d be crawling back by now.” “Did she find a rebound?” “Oof, Hudson. The scholarship kid.” “Julian, you think she’ll say yes?” Hearing them, I felt awkward. I instinctively looked at Julian. I wanted to give him a look, tell him not to misunderstand. But he never even looked my way. He just bounced the ball, looking bored. Like he was watching something completely irrelevant to him, he smirked mockingly. “Hm?” “Why would I care? Hudson’s a top student. If he likes Sophia, she’s punching up.” My heart sank. Julian really didn’t like me much, did he? He only accepted me because I chased him so hard. Agreeing to break up must have been a relief for him. That’s fine. Not trying to get back together saves me some dignity. 5 Even though I wasn’t planning on getting back with Julian, I wasn’t going to say yes to Hudson either. We’d spoken maybe twenty sentences in three years of high school. Starting a relationship out of nowhere seemed irresponsible to both of us. Just as I was about to reject him, a wall of text floated before my eyes— “Here it comes! The drama! The male lead confesses to the side character!” “Haha, look at her face. Does she really think Hudson likes her?” “It’s just a dare he lost to the female lead. Forced confession.” “Sigh, poor guy. Just realized his crush doesn’t like him and is pushing him to someone else. Now he has to get rejected by this shallow girl.” “Must hurt!” “Don’t worry! Once he gets reclaimed by the billionaire Harper family in New York, worth billions, our female lead will come running back!” …What? The Harper family? New York billionaires? My heart rate spiked. I knew some gossip about the Harpers. Rumor had it Mrs. Harper was frail and only had one child. But due to a business rivalry, that son was kidnapped at four or five. Lost. Never found. Over a decade later, despite expanding their empire, the Harpers never stopped looking. The text kept scrolling. “Almost there! Three months until Hudson gets found!” “The Harper family is abroad right now. Once they meet the kidnapper in London and get the info, they’ll fly back immediately…” “Our boy won’t have to suffer anymore!” Three months. Okay. For someone who loves money as much as I do, how could I let a golden ticket slip away? I crinkled my eyes into a perfect smile. “Sure.” “I accept, Hudson.” I was so shocked by the floating text that I didn’t notice Julian behind me. I didn’t see his face go pale or his fingers tremble. 6 “What? She said yes?” “No way! Isn’t she a gold digger?!!!” “She only dated Julian for his money. Total snob.” “In the plot, she’s supposed to regret it only after Hudson becomes rich!” “Exactly!” “Besides, what about our Wendy?” Wendy. Hudson’s childhood friend. The “female lead” the chat was talking about. They said Wendy made a bet with Hudson to make him confess to me because she liked Julian (the “second male lead”) and wanted to kill any chance of Julian and me getting back together. In the original story, I rejected Hudson, and Julian didn’t take me back. Instead, this “pure” childhood friend went to comfort Hudson immediately. Hudson didn’t have feelings for me, but being rejected publicly is awkward. Wendy, the mastermind, played the innocent flower. She kept Hudson on a hook while spreading rumors that I was a shallow girl who looked down on poor people’s feelings. But secretly, she chased Julian. Until Hudson was found by his rich family. Then she finally “accepted” his feelings. Happy ending for everyone. 7 I had to admit, this girl was good. If she hadn’t dragged me into this stupid bet and spread rumors about me, we might have been friends. But not anymore. I wasn’t going to be nice to someone who wished me ill. I glanced at the corner. Wendy looked shocked that I said yes. She froze for a second, then looked delighted as she turned to Julian. Rumor had it I pestered Julian into dating me, and he was sick of it. Now that he was finally free, he must be happy, right? But as I stepped forward and took Hudson’s hand, the crowd gasped— Julian slammed the basketball onto the ground. Face blank, he pushed through the crowd and stormed out without a word. His friends chased after him, apologizing to the people he shoved. “Sorry, sorry, urgent business.” “No, he’s not mad! Julian’s in a great mood!” “Why the scary face? Maybe he didn’t play enough… hehehe…” “Don’t ask, we gotta go! Bye!”

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When Liam Sterling lost his memory, he forgot I was his sugar baby. He wired me a breakup fee and told me to get lost. I rubbed my pregnant belly and happily ran for the hills. Money? Check. Good genes for the kid? Check. No more catering to a demanding man? Double check. Life was good. But my happiness was short-lived. Every time I went to the hospital for a prenatal checkup, I bumped into Liam. Once, twice, three times… The more we met, the darker and more intense his gaze became. Terrified he might remember our past, I seriously considered fleeing the country. But then, he took a deep breath and strode toward me. After all those chance encounters, he finally spoke: “A man who doesn’t accompany his wife to prenatal checkups is trash.” “But a child shouldn’t grow up without a father.” “What I mean is… I fell for you at first sight.” “If I may ask… can I be your child’s father?” 01 I was Liam Sterling’s kept woman. Pretty, obedient, and suspiciously compatible with him in bed. That’s why Liam, known for being indifferent to women, did something that shocked everyone—he kept me around for three years. Just when people started whispering that he might actually be in love with me… He got into a car accident. And forgot only me. Damn you, Liam Sterling. Did you fake amnesia just to save on the severance package? I was fuming silently while his assistant, Wang, relayed the amnesiac Liam’s verdict over the phone. He put it delicately. “Miss Summers, after the accident, Mr. Sterling finds his past behavior of keeping a mistress… baffling. He doesn’t believe he has any feelings for you and doesn’t wish to see you again. I’m afraid you’ll need to move out of the villa at Sunset Bay within two days.” Sunset Bay was where Liam stashed me. It was also where we’d spent three years tangling in the sheets. After three years, it felt kinda like home. I’d decorated the place with pink lace and filled the garden with sunflowers. So, hearing I had to leave made me a little sad. But hey, his property, his rules. His money, too. I nodded listlessly, ready to pack up and leave empty-handed. Then Wang cleared his throat. “Mr. Sterling isn’t heartless. He knows you’ve been with him for three years. So, he’s transferring a breakup fee and gifting you an apartment in the suburbs. The only condition is… you don’t contact him again.” Ding. A text notification from my bank. Seven figures. My sadness evaporated. Fireworks exploded in my brain. Pew! Pew! Pew! I tried to suppress a grin as I promised Wang: “Don’t worry! I’ll move out today! I promise never to appear in front of Mr. Sterling again!” I was laughing all the way to the bank. I had money, and I was carrying a baby with top-tier DNA. Plus, I no longer had to service a man with an insatiable appetite. Jackpot. 02 Yes, I’m pregnant. I love kids. When I first found out, I tried testing the waters with Liam. “Do you like kids?” He shot it down instantly. “No. Noisy and annoying.” He glanced at me, frowning. “Do you want kids?” His expression was dead serious. Like if I said yes, he’d kick me out on the spot. So, naturally, I lied through my teeth. I shook my head vigorously. “No way! I hate kids. Besides, people in our… situation shouldn’t have kids…” No status, no ring. I thought my answer was perfect. It clearly expressed Liam’s sentiments. But Liam looked like he’d swallowed a bad mushroom. He snapped. “What situation?” “You don’t want to have a child with me?” His reading comprehension skills were clearly lacking. So I mentally flipped him off behind his back. Of course, the dog of a man threw me onto the bed anyway. Luckily, the kid was tough. Even with his dad pounding away like a pile driver all night, he held on. But that just confirmed my decision. So when amnesiac Liam told me to scram… I took the money and ran, happily. 03 I transferred the apartment deed that same day. Moved in overnight. Started my blissful life of incubating. Days were for walks, cooking, and freelance art commissions. Nights were for reading, music, and liking videos of hot guys on TikTok. Back when I was Liam’s canary, life wasn’t this good. The psycho had a rule: one like on a hot guy video equaled one round in bed. Sure, he was hot and good in the sack, but my waist couldn’t take the abuse. So I had to watch hot guys in secret. Liking? Never dared. Now? I was free. I fell in love with 108 different guys a day. My like button was on fire. And the next video was always hotter. Materially secure, mentally thriving. Life was bliss. Time flew. Soon, it was time for my prenatal checkup. Thinking about seeing my little bean made me giddy with happiness. So giddy, I ignored the tiny sliver of unease in my gut. 04 I never expected to see Liam at a suburban hospital. I spotted him instantly in the crowded lobby. Bandaged head, blue and white striped patient gown. His glorious black hair was shaved into a buzz cut due to the injury. But it didn’t dim his looks. If anything, his features looked sharper, more striking. When his gaze swept over, I ducked my head in panic. Feeling his burning stare on the top of my head, I screamed internally. He’s the prince of a business empire! Even if he wasn’t at a private clinic, shouldn’t he be at a top-tier city hospital? What was he doing at a mediocre suburban public hospital? While I was cursing my luck, the gaze lifted. I peeked up cautiously. Liam’s back was disappearing into the crowd. I patted my chest, exhaling a breath I didn’t know I was holding. It’s fine. It’s fine. Everything is fine! He has amnesia. He forgot me. So even if he saw me, it’s fine. To him, I’m just a stranger. comforting myself, I headed to the OB-GYN department. 05 It’s 2025. Not many people are having babies. Getting a number and waiting was quick. The checkup went smoothly. When the doctor handed me the ultrasound and said the baby was healthy… I was nervous and excited. His arrival let me feel a blood connection again after losing my family. He was my miracle in this world. Even though he wasn’t born yet. I loved him. I was keeping him. I stared at the ultrasound happily, wondering how to preserve it. First photo! Need to laminate it, get a cute frame… “Oof!” Someone running towards me slammed into me. I couldn’t dodge. As I stumbled, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, steadied me, then instantly let go. I stood there, shaken, touching my belly as I watched the ultrasound photo drift to the floor. The person who hit me tossed a half-hearted “Sorry” over their shoulder and kept running. I cursed them silently and bent down to pick up the photo. I blew off the dust and looked up to thank the Good Samaritan. He was looking down at the ultrasound in my hand. When I saw his face, my voice died in my throat. Sharp brows, piercing eyes, high nose… The guy who just saved me and my baby was Liam Sterling? My jaw dropped. The “thank you” stuck in my throat. Liam looked me up and down, then at the photo. His usual icy face had evolved from a glacier to permafrost. I panicked. What if he remembered? What if he dragged me to get an abortion? Or worse, kept the kid and kicked me out? My imagination ran wild with terror. I blurted out: “The kid isn’t yours.” Regret hit instantly. Liam had amnesia. Why was I confessing? Talk about a self-own. I forced a smile and tried to salvage it: “Haha, just kidding.” “Thanks, handsome. My husband isn’t here right now. Good thing you caught me, or I couldn’t explain it to him. This baby is the heir the Wang family has been waiting for…” I started babbling nonsense. Liam’s face turned darker. Finally, unable to handle my rambling about the “Wang family heir,” he turned and walked away without a word. Holy crap. That was scary. Next time, definitely changing hospitals. I patted my chest, watching him walk away.

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My foreign language skills are a joke, so it’s ironic I’m dating Adrian, a diplomat fluent in eight. On my birthday, I waited excitedly at the upscale French restaurant he’d booked. The waiter had already approached me patiently seven times when Adrian finally texted: [Work came up. I ordered for you—please eat without me.] Soon after, I saw a post from Vivienne, his unforgettable ex: a photo of Adrian handing her a disposable bib while pausing his order. The caption: [He treated me, worried I’d starve because I forgot English~] Suddenly, the night felt meaningless. I handed the French menu—which I couldn’t read—back to the waiter. “One of everything, please.” After eating my fill and packing the rest, I saw dozens of missed calls. Adrian’s last message said: “Don’t overthink it. Vivienne’s new here—I was just helping. Next time, I’ll make it up to you.” I didn’t reply. If a relationship always needs a “next time,” is it really worth having? 1 I never expected to run into Adrian at a bar. I’d just settled into a booth with my best friend when a firm hand clamped down on my arm. Adrian’s eyes widened in disbelief when he saw it was me. “Amanda? You’re ignoring my texts to come out drinking this late?” Before I could say a word, my friend yanked my arm free and shot a look at the woman standing behind Adrian. “What’s the problem? It’s fine for you to be here alone with another woman, but she can’t be here with her best friend?” Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose. “Don’t jump to conclusions. Vivienne brought a client here to unwind. I was just worried they’d run into trouble if they drank too much, so I tagged along.” “Besides, I told Amanda where I was going. She just never replied…” He trailed off, a hint of frustration in his voice. I checked my phone. He was right; there were a few more messages from him, trying to soothe me and explaining where he was. I was genuinely surprised. Adrian, proactively telling me his whereabouts? In the past, if I even asked how long his business trips were, he’d shut me down. “Amanda, everyone needs their own space. Can you stop trying to keep tabs on me all the time?” It took a mountain of apologies and a solemn promise to never ask about his schedule again before he’d finally forgiven me. I pocketed my phone, my voice flat. “Sorry, I didn’t see them.” Adrian was speechless. Just then, Vivienne drifted over. “Adrian? If Amanda minds, you should just take her home. I’ll be fine getting a cab on my own.” I clinked glasses with my friend without looking up. “I don’t mind. You two do whatever you want.” Adrian’s brow furrowed as he gave me a once-over. “Amanda!” “Be good and go home first. If you want to drink, I’ll pick up a few pounds of your favorite crawfish after I drop Vivienne off, and we can drink all you want. How does that sound?” Adrian is a neat freak; he can’t stand strong smells in the house. After we got together, I gave up all my favorites: smoky barbecue, spicy curries, and messy crawfish boils. Assuming he was just desperate to get Vivienne back to her hotel, I nodded vaguely. “Fine. You should get going.” He seemed surprised by how easily I agreed and ruffled my hair as a reward. “Good girl. Wait for me at home. I’ve already called you a car.” He left in such a hurry he didn’t even notice me flinch away from his touch. It was three in the morning when I finally got home. The moment I pushed the door open, I nearly collided with Adrian, who was clearly on his way out to look for me. He saw me and his voice was cold. “Amanda, do you have any idea what time it is? How old are you? You can’t just run off and come home this late like a teenager every time you’re upset.” I was so exhausted I could have passed out standing up. I didn’t have the energy to argue, so I tried to sidestep him and head to the bedroom. He blocked my path. “Stop being so jealous. If anything was going to happen between Vivienne and me, it would have happened long before you came along.” He pulled a small jewelry box from his pocket. “Here. Your birthday present. You’re another year older now, so you can’t keep acting as petty and childish as you did tonight.” I was too tired to even speak. I took the box without a glance and walked toward the bedroom. “Right. Thanks for the gift.” I tossed it onto the nightstand. Whatever. I crawled into bed and shut my eyes. I was dead to the world before I could even register the sound of the front door slamming shut. 2 The next morning, I woke up and scrolled through my phone to clear my head. That’s when I realized Adrian had stormed out last night. Vivienne had a new post up. [Wish time could just stand still right here.] The picture was of her and Adrian, their backs to the camera, watching the sunrise from a mountaintop. I gave it a like and sighed. Well, good for you two. A shame my front door had to suffer for it. After a quick breakfast, I took a cab to the office. My manager was thrilled and relieved when I told her I would accept the overseas assignment. She’d been so disappointed when I’d turned it down before, not wanting a long-distance relationship with Adrian. “You’ve finally come to your senses! Transportation is so convenient these days, a two-hour train ride is all it takes to see each other. You know what they say, ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder.’” I smiled at her teasing before finally telling her the truth. “I’m planning on breaking up with him.” I finished the transfer paperwork right as the lunch bell rang. My work friends insisted on taking me out for a farewell meal. Laughing, we all piled into the elevator. But as soon as we stepped out of the building, Adrian materialized out of nowhere, shoving a bouquet of flowers into my arms. “A peace offering.” My colleagues erupted in good-natured laughter. “Whoa! What did you do to get on our sweet Amanda’s bad side, Adrian? You’re even waiting with flowers!” “Haha, you’re too late, Adrian! We’ve already booked Amanda for lunch.” Adrian took my hand, steering me toward his car while offering apologies over his shoulder. “So sorry, everyone. Amanda and I have an emergency. I’ll treat you all next week to make up for it!” Thinking something serious had happened at home, I said my goodbyes and let him guide me into the passenger seat. The first thing I did was toss the bouquet into the back before buckling my seatbelt. Adrian got in just in time to see it. His lips thinned. At the next red light, he couldn’t hold it in any longer. “You don’t like them?” I was busy handing off work tasks on my phone and it took me a moment to look up. “What?” His words finally registered. “Oh, the flowers,” I realized. “I’m allergic to pollen. Did you forget again?” Adrian froze, a look of deep regret on his face. “I’m sorry. I’ll remember this time. I promise.” My eyes were already back on my phone. “It’s fine.” It wasn’t the first time. How could a diplomatic genius who could converse fluently in obscure languages fail to remember something so simple? He just didn’t care enough. But it didn’t matter anymore. I didn’t need him to. “We’re here.” Just as Adrian announced our arrival, I finalized my start date with the branch office. I glanced out the window and saw we weren’t at our apartment complex, but in an airport parking garage. I was confused. Before I could ask, Adrian was already opening my door, pulling me by the hand. He was pulling me in a mad dash through the terminal. I was a little stunned. In my mind, Adrian had always been the epitome of calm and collected maturity. This boyish, energetic side of him was something I’d only ever seen in Vivienne’s Instagram posts. “Come on, Amanda, hurry! Our flight is already boarding.” It was only after I was breathless in my seat that I had a chance to ask him what was going on. “What’s wrong? Did something happen to your family?” His family lived abroad, so that was my first assumption. Adrian was still catching his breath. He tucked our passports and IDs safely away. “I know you haven’t used your vacation days this year.” “You’ve always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris, right? I’m on leave, so I thought I’d take you. Please, don’t be mad at me anymore, okay?” It hit me then. In three years together, this was our first trip. Because every single one of his previous vacations had been claimed by Vivienne. Or rather, Adrian’s vacations were for Vivienne. He would go with her on a safari in Africa, chase the Northern Lights in Iceland, or see kangaroos in Australia. But when I asked him to just explore a few local coffee shops with me, he was always too busy with work. Whatever. I’ll just think of it as a breakup trip. A final, clean break. I pushed down the urge to end things right there. “Wait, if we just boarded like this, what about our luggage?” Adrian patted my head. “Don’t you worry, my little planner. I was afraid we’d miss the flight, so I had a friend who’s also heading to Paris take our bags to the hotel ahead of us.” I nodded, my mind elsewhere. Thank God I was between assignments. If I had to request time off this suddenly, I wasn’t sure my company would have approved. 3 It was late at night when the plane landed. We’d just pulled up to the hotel when Adrian’s phone shattered the quiet. He answered. “Don’t cry. Stay right where you are. I’m coming now.” He snatched the car keys back from the doorman, his face etched with anxiety. “Amanda, Vivienne followed us to Paris.” “It’s not safe here at night, I’m worried something might happen to her. You go on up to the room and get some rest. I’ll be back as soon as I pick her up.” With that, he floored the gas and sped off into the distance. He completely forgot that not only do I not speak the language, but he also had both our passports and IDs. The trip was so sudden I hadn’t had a chance to set up international roaming. Unable to contact Adrian, I tried using a translation app to communicate with the front desk, but without any identification, I ended up stuck in the lobby, waiting. The long flight and the late hour were catching up to me. I was dozing off on a plush sofa in the lobby. The airport was only a half-hour drive from the hotel. But the clock hands made two full rotations, and there was still no sign of Adrian. I couldn’t be bothered to imagine what he and Vivienne were doing. I closed my eyes, ready to drift off again, when a deep voice suddenly sounded right beside my ear. “Amanda?” My sleepiness vanished instantly. I whipped my head around in shock. “Leo! What are you doing here?” I jumped to my feet, overjoyed. Seeing a familiar face in a foreign country—especially your high school desk mate of three years—was an incredible relief. Leo walked over, a warm smile on his face. “Here on business. Managed to close the deal a few days early.” His eyes scanned the lobby before narrowing slightly. “Did Adrian bring you? Where is he?” He’d immediately ruled out the possibility of me traveling alone. Anyone who knew me knew my talent for foreign languages was zero. I grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the front desk, waving a dismissive hand. “He went to pick up a friend.” “Just get me a room, quick. I’m about to pass out.” Before we parted ways, Leo made sure to add, “They couldn’t give us adjacent rooms on such short notice. I’m just upstairs in 1312. Come find me if you need anything.” I nodded. “Got it, got it. You’re still such a nag, just like in high school.” “Go get some sleep. Good morning.” 4 I hadn’t been asleep for long when a series of loud bangs on the door woke me. Thinking it was Leo, I stumbled to the door, eyes still closed, and opened it. The person on the other side immediately pulled me into a tight hug. “Amanda, are you out of your mind? You’d actually sleep in a room some strange man got for you? Do you have any idea how long I’ve been looking for you?” The fog of sleep finally cleared. I pushed Adrian away. “And what was I supposed to do? Sit in the lobby like an idiot and wait for you all night?” Adrian’s anger deflated. He was so taken aback by me pushing him away that he forgot to be shocked. He opened his mouth, then closed it. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. Vivienne lost her passport, and I was helping her look for it at the airport.” He reached for my hand. “Amanda, come back to our room with me. This one will be perfect for Vivienne.” I sidestepped his touch, my voice flat. “No need. I trust you two. After all, if anything was going to happen between you, it would have happened long before I came along.” Adrian froze. Those were his own words, the ones he always used to brush me off. Like the time two years ago when Vivienne came back for a visit, forgot her pajamas, and wore his t-shirt to bed. Or last year, when she got a single mosquito bite and insisted on being cradled in his arms like a princess. And just this year, when she borrowed his electric razor to shave her legs. Every time I felt their interactions crossed a line and asked for some distance, he would placate me with that exact phrase. I yawned, too tired to deal with him anymore, and slammed the door in his face. I fell back onto the bed, eager to get back to sleep. 5 In my dreams, I vaguely remember hearing more banging on the door. It wasn’t until I woke up and saw a note, some cash, and my passport slipped under the door that I realized it hadn’t been a dream at all. [Amanda, I’m taking Vivienne to get a replacement passport. I’ll be back as soon as we’re done. Don’t be afraid to spend the money. I’ll take you for a boat ride on the Seine tomorrow.] I pocketed the cash and my passport, tossing the note into the trash on my way out. After getting ready, I stepped out of my room and ran right into Leo, who was just about to knock. I beamed. “Leo, what a coincidence!” Leo smiled back. “It is.” “Is Adrian here? I think I saw him leaving with someone when I went down for breakfast this morning.” “He’s probably not back yet,” I answered simply, not wanting to let irrelevant people ruin a perfectly good vacation. Leo took my bag from my shoulder. “Well, in that case, want to go see the Eiffel Tower this afternoon? I’ve chartered a boat.” “Really?” I couldn’t hide my excitement. “Let’s go! I’ve been dying to find out if the coffee by the Seine is as good as they say!” The Parisian sun was especially bright that day. Leo and I walked through the Arc de Triomphe, cruised down the Seine, listened to a violinist play by the riverbank, and finally had dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower. When we got back to the hotel, I left my door ajar since Leo was going to bring his camera down to transfer the photos to my laptop. A message from him came through: [Amanda, the hot water is out on the 13th floor. Would you mind if I used your shower?] I replied: [Sure, no problem. Bring the camera down with you.] Leo handed me the camera and disappeared into the bathroom with a change of clothes. I was completely absorbed in scrolling through the beautiful pictures. When a knock came at the door, I instinctively called out in English, “Just a second!” At that moment, Leo emerged from the bathroom and went to open the door for me. The next thing I heard was a guttural snarl: “You bastard.” I looked up just in time to see Adrian swing his fist at Leo. Adrian pointed a trembling finger at Leo, who stood there bare-chested, a single white towel wrapped around his waist. His eyes, blazing red, locked onto mine. “Who is he?”

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I came back from a week-long business trip to find a jade “Fertility Buddha” sitting in my husband’s home office. He lied and said a client gifted it for “good fortune.” I immediately pulled up his new intern’s Instagram. There it was—a post from three days ago, geo-tagged at a famous spiritual temple known for fertility blessings. The caption read: “Prayed for a son. Hoping Mr. J gets his heart’s desire.” I realized instantly: My husband, Julian, wasn’t just cheating; he was trying to secure an heir via a surrogate. Before I could screenshot it, the post was deleted. Julian immediately texted me, claiming the intern was his “distant, slow-witted cousin” and told me not to overthink it. I stared at his lies, full of holes like Swiss cheese. I replied with a simple “Okay.” Then, I forwarded the screenshots directly to our angel investor. “Mr. Sterling, would you be interested in hearing about how Julian is embezzling company funds to pay for his ‘cousin’s’ surrogacy plan?” 1 “Oh?” Mr. Sterling’s reply came instantly. I put away my phone and walked into the study, staring at that jade statue. I’d been married to Julian for five years. We went from having nothing to listing our company on the stock exchange. He used to value his reputation above everything. Now, this statue was a monument to his greed, a god invited into our home to bless his betrayal. At 10 PM, Julian came home. He tossed his suit jacket onto the sofa. His collar was loose, and he reeked of alcohol and a perfume that definitely wasn’t mine. “I’m back,” he said flatly, heading straight for the wet bar. “Mmhmm,” I responded, my eyes landing on his wrist. It was bare. The Patek Philippe I bought him was gone. I had bought that watch for his 30th birthday with the first big check we ever earned. He swore it was a witness to our struggle and that he’d wear it forever. “Where’s your watch?” I asked. He paused mid-pour, keeping his back to me. “Sent it in for maintenance.” “Which shop? I’ll pick it up tomorrow.” Julian turned around, brows furrowed, impatience written all over his face. “Chloe, can you stop being so aggressive? I’ve been working all day. I’m exhausted.” He always did this. Whenever his lies were on the verge of collapsing, he used fatigue and gaslighting to shut me up. I didn’t argue. I just went to the bedroom. Once the door was closed, I sent Mr. Sterling a second message. “That watch on his wrist is worth seven figures. It’s currently on Mia’s wrist.” “Also, I audited the company’s accounts for the last six months. There are several ‘procurement’ payments that lead to nowhere.” This time, Sterling replied even faster. “Send me the address.” The next day, I didn’t go to my office. I went straight to Julian’s department. Mia’s cubicle was easy to find. It was in the prime spot, with a bouquet of fresh white roses on the desk. She looked exactly like her name—innocent and harmless. She was wearing a white dress, organizing files. And there, dangling loosely on her slender wrist, was a massive men’s luxury watch. Julian’s Patek Philippe. I walked over and tapped on her desk. She looked up, saw me, and immediately stood up. “Mrs. Zhou? I mean… Chloe? Why are you here?” Colleagues started to look over, curious. “Looking for Julian,” I smiled, staring pointedly at her wrist. “That’s a unique watch.” Mia instinctively tried to hide her hand behind her back, but it was too late. Her face flushed crimson. “Oh… this… it belongs to my cousin. He… he was afraid he’d lose it at home, so he asked me to safeguard it.” “Cousin?” I feigned shock. “Since when does Julian have a sister? Why didn’t I know?” She bit her lip, tears instantly welling up in her eyes. “Chloe, I… I’m Julian’s distant cousin. He probably didn’t think it was worth mentioning such a small thing to you.” “A small thing?” I stopped smiling. “When it comes to Julian, nothing is a small thing to me.” Mia’s face went from red to pale. She looked like she was about to faint. Just then, Julian stormed out of his office. He rushed over, shielding Mia behind him, and glared at me. “Chloe! What kind of scene are you causing here?” He didn’t ask what happened. He just convicted me on the spot. Watching him protect another woman like that felt like swallowing broken glass. “I’m causing a scene?” I laughed coldly, pointing at Mia. “Why don’t you ask her to explain why your watch is on her wrist?” Julian’s expression turned ugly. He clearly didn’t expect me to storm the office over a watch. He glanced at the gathering crowd and lowered his voice. “This is a place of business. Let’s talk at home.” “Home?” I repeated the word. “Which home? The one with me, or the one you bought for her?” 2 Julian was speechless. He grabbed my arm and practically dragged me into his office. The moment the door clicked shut, he exploded. “What is wrong with you?! Do you have to air our dirty laundry in public?” “I just want the truth,” I said calmly. “The truth is she is my cousin! I let her wear the watch for a few days to show off to her friends! Is that a crime?” I looked at him and suddenly felt nothing but pity. When did our marriage become nothing but cheap lies? Just then, my phone rang. It was my mother-in-law. I put it on speaker. Her shrill voice filled the room. “Chloe! Are you harassing Julian at work again? Do you have no shame? A woman running around in public like that… people will think the Zhou family relies on you to eat!” She paused to take a breath. “And let me tell you, don’t think you can hide it forever. If you can’t get pregnant, stop hogging the position! The Zhou bloodline cannot end with you!” Julian’s face went white. He tried to snatch the phone, but I dodged him. “Mom, what do you mean by that?” I asked. “What do I mean? Julian told me everything! Five years and your stomach has been flat as a board. The doctor said you’re the problem! You can’t carry a child!” Her voice got louder. “Now that his cousin is finally willing to help out as a surrogate, you have the nerve to cause trouble? Do you want the whole world to know you’re a hen that can’t lay eggs?” So that was it. He had scripted the whole thing. He pushed all the blame onto me. I hung up and looked at Julian. He looked away, terrified to meet my gaze. “Julian.” I enunciated every word. “Is that what you told her?” He was silent for a long time before squeezing a sentence through his teeth. “I just… didn’t want her to worry.” “Didn’t want her to worry? Or were you paving the way to bring your illegitimate child home?” He snapped his head up. “Chloe, since you know, I won’t hide it.” “I need a son. I need an heir for everything we’ve built.” “And you can’t give me one.” Finally. The mask was off. “So, the baby in Mia’s belly is yours?” I stared into his eyes, looking for a shred of guilt. I found none. Only entitlement. “We haven’t… yet. But soon,” he looked away. “Mia is a good girl. She’s willing to bear my child without asking for a title.” “Without asking for a title?” I laughed out loud. “So the Patek Philippe, the luxury apartment she just leased, and the cash transfers you’ve been making… those just fell from the sky?” Julian’s expression shifted rapidly. “That’s just compensation!” “Compensation?” I stepped closer. “Are you compensating your mistress with company funds?” He was cornered. Shame turned into rage. “Enough! Chloe! This doesn’t concern you! Just stay in your lane as Mrs. Zhou and I won’t mistreat you!” “Mrs. Zhou?” I looked at him. “You know what? I really don’t want that title anymore.” I turned to leave. He grabbed me from behind. “Where are you going?” 3 “Somewhere without you.” I shook off his hand and walked out of the office without looking back. Julian didn’t come home that night. I sat alone in the empty living room, reviewing the files Mr. Sterling had sent me. One was a medical report. Mia’s. It clearly stated she was already six weeks pregnant. So even his “soon” was a lie. He had already done the deed. I flipped through the pages. The man who claimed he loved me, who said I was the only one, had created a new life with another woman weeks ago. The most disgusting part? The payment record for the prenatal checkup came from the corporate account. He was expensing his mistress’s ultrasound to the company. Julian, you truly have no bottom line. My phone buzzed. A text from Julian. “My mom’s heart is acting up. I’m staying at the hospital with her. Go to sleep.” Another lie. I clicked on the live location tracker Mr. Sterling had provided. He and Mia were currently at the city’s most expensive French restaurant, enjoying a candlelight dinner. In the attached photo, Mia was cradling her belly, and Julian was looking at her with pure adoration. Champagne, red wine, and 99 red roses on the table. How ironic. In five years of marriage, he never looked at me like that. Even on my birthdays, he used “busy work” as an excuse to buy a generic cake. But for a pregnant mistress, money was no object. I closed the app and called my mother-in-law. “Mom, Julian said your heart is acting up. Are you okay?” On the other end, the old woman scoffed. “I’m fine! At least he has a conscience and cares about me. Unlike some people who only know how to make me angry.” I smiled. “That’s good. Mom, since you’re so healthy, you’ll definitely live to see your grandson.” “What grandson?” “Oh, right. I wanted to tell you.” “Julian told me Mia is pregnant. Six weeks along. It’s your biological grandson.” “What did you say?” “I said, Mia is pregnant. Six weeks,” I repeated calmly. “You’ll be holding a baby soon.” Heavy breathing came from the other end. After a long pause. “Really? You aren’t lying?” “I have no reason to lie,” I paused for effect. “However, Julian doesn’t seem to want to bring her into the family. He said Mia doesn’t want a title, she just wants to have the baby quietly.” “That won’t do!” The old lady exploded. “The Zhou bloodline cannot be illegitimate! No, I have to make him give Mia a proper status!” “But I’m his legal wife,” I reminded her softly. Silence. I knew that in her heart, my feelings were nothing compared to a hypothetical grandson. “Chloe,” her tone softened, dripping with fake sincerity. “Look, how about this? You divorce Julian for now. Let Mia have the baby. Then you two can remarry. The child will be registered under your name, you’ll still be the lady of the house, and no one can threaten your position.” She really thought she was a genius. Make me move aside, let the mistress birth the heir, then bring me back to raise it and pay the bills? Dream on. “Mom,” I chuckled. “Do you really think that’s possible?” I hung up. The next day, Julian called, furious. “Chloe! What nonsense did you feed my mother? She’s forcing me to divorce you and marry Mia!” “I just told her the facts.” “What facts? I never said I was going to marry her!” Julian sounded panicked. I listened to his impotent rage with total calm. “Julian, did you ever consider that maybe… this is exactly what Mia wants?” He froze. I didn’t give him time to recover. I hung up. Then, I texted Mr. Sterling. “Let’s begin.” 4 The next morning, the company was in chaos. Mr. Sterling, as the majority shareholder, demanded a complete audit of the last year’s financials and froze the funds for several projects. Julian, as the project lead, was immediately suspended pending investigation. He called me, his voice shaking with rage. “Chloe, you did this, didn’t you?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Don’t play dumb! Why would Sterling suddenly audit us? You told him something!” I walked into the study, picked up the jade fertility statue, and weighed it in my hand. “Julian, when you embezzled public funds, you should have seen this coming.” “I didn’t embezzle anything! Those were necessary expenses for business development!” Still lying. “Is that so? Renting a luxury apartment for Mia, buying Patek Philippes, taking trips to spiritual temples… that’s business development?” Dead silence on the other end. Finally, he gritted his teeth. “What do you want?” “Divorce.” Two words. “Impossible!” He refused instantly. “Chloe, I admit I messed up, but we don’t need to go nuclear. Give me time. I’ll handle Mia.” “Handle?” I laughed. “You mean wait until she births your ‘dragon heir,’ then kick me to the curb?” “No!” He denied it frantically. “I just… I just wanted a child. The Zhou family line hangs on a single thread…” “So you hired a womb and pinned the infertility on me?” I cut him off. “Julian, you disgust me.” I hung up and blocked him. Moments later, his mother called. “Chloe, dear, Mom was wrong. I was confused yesterday, that’s why I said those awful things.” “Don’t hold it against Julian. He was just confused for a moment.” “You’ve been together so long, there’s no hurdle we can’t cross. You can’t divorce him!” “If you leave him, what happens to the company? How will our family live?” I listened quietly. They weren’t afraid of hurting me. They were afraid of losing the money I brought in. “Mom.” I spoke. “When you were forcing me to divorce him yesterday, did you think about how we’d live?” “I… I didn’t…” “You said, ‘If a hen can’t lay eggs, she shouldn’t hog the nest.’” I repeated her words back to her. “Well, the nest is empty now. Go find your golden phoenix.” I hung up and blocked her too. 5 Julian was suspended. At the emergency board meeting, Mr. Sterling sat at the head of the table, looking grim. Julian stood in the center like a criminal, sweating under the shareholders’ glares. He tried to argue, blaming the accounting department for “negligence.” “I admit my management was lax, but I never pocketed a dime!” He spoke with such passion, acting like the victim. I pushed the door open right as he hit his crescendo. Every eye in the room turned to me. Julian saw me, his pupils shrinking. “Chloe? What are you doing here?” “I’m a shareholder. Why wouldn’t I be here?” I walked to my seat, sat down, and slapped a stack of documents onto the table. “Mr. Zhou just said he never pocketed a dime, correct?” He stiffened his neck. “Correct!” “Then please explain these transfers to Ms. Mia Lin’s personal account.” I projected the bank statements onto the big screen. Every amount, every date, clear as day. “And this apartment under her name. Rent is $5,000 a month, paid via the company petty cash fund.” “And this Patek Philippe watch. Seven figures. Marked as ‘Client Entertainment Expenses’.” Faced with hard evidence, Julian’s face drained of blood. He stared at me, eyes filled with hatred. “Chloe, you investigated me… just to ruin me?” “I’m not ruining you,” I said calmly. “I’m exterminating a pest in the company.” The room erupted. An older shareholder pointed a shaking finger at him. “Julian! We trusted you! You used company money to keep a mistress?! Do you have no conscience?” Julian had no defense. Suddenly, he turned on me. “It’s you! You forced me to do this!” He screamed like a maniac. “You’re domineering! You’re bossy! You control everything! I have no dignity in my own home! That’s why I made a mistake!” “You think you’re a saint? If it wasn’t for your dad back then…” Bang! Mr. Sterling slammed his hand on the table and stood up. “Enough! Julian, this is a boardroom, not a street corner! Security!” “Get him out of here!” Two guards dragged Julian away as he kicked and screamed. “Chloe! You’ll die screaming! Just you wait!” The heavy doors slammed shut, cutting off his curse. I sat in my chair, feeling cold all over. His last words stabbed precisely into the oldest wound in my heart.

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My husband’s “best female friend” went into premature labor and specifically asked for me to deliver the baby. When she needed a blood transfusion and required a family member’s signature, Logan gripped my shoulders, his nails digging into my skin. He screamed: “You must save my wife and child! Or I’ll tear this hospital apart!” I am his wife. Yet he was calling another woman his wife. “Mr. Rhodes, calm down! Dr. Miller is doing her best!” the midwife yelled. “And… isn’t Dr. Miller your wife?” Logan froze for a split second. But only a second. Immediately, he reverted to his frantic state, his grip tightening until I thought my bones would snap. “Lexi means everything to me. If anything happens to her or the kid, I swear I won’t let you off the hook!” he threatened. The midwife tried to defend me. “Mr. Rhodes, how can you treat your actual wife like this for a friend?” Logan’s eyes were bloodshot as he roared, “A wife is worthless to me! I can replace a wife any day, but Lexi is my partner, my soulmate! She is more important than my life!” A sharp, stinging pain spread across my chest. We were married. We had the ceremony, the prenup, and lived together for over a year. But we never signed the official marriage license. He said we’d do it after a two-year “trial period.” I waited patiently for over four hundred days, only for it to boil down to “I can replace a wife any day.” I took a deep breath and slapped him across the face. Hard. His handsome, cold face swelled instantly. His bodyguards rushed forward, but Logan stopped them, glaring at me with red eyes. “You’re a doctor, Susan. Don’t forget your duty.” 1 Logan threatened the hospital’s reputation, so the Chief of Staff forced me back into surgery. In the end, Lexi delivered a baby boy. Logan and Lexi’s actual husband were ecstatic. When I did my rounds wearing a mask, Logan’s younger sister, Lola, was holding the baby, smiling at me. “Thank you for saving Lexi for my brother. You don’t know how much she means to him.” Logan never told his family about my job, so Lola didn’t recognize me behind the surgical mask. She innocently told me the story of Logan and Lexi. She talked about how they’d known each other since they were thirteen, how Lexi was his right hand in business. She even mentioned how depressed Logan was when Lexi got married, and how he “gave up” and married some random woman just to fill the slot. That random woman was me. For the first time, I realized that in everyone’s eyes, Lexi was the indispensable light of his life. I was just the consolation prize he settled for. I let out a low, uncontrolled sob, interrupting Lola. As everyone in the ward turned to look, I pulled off my mask. “Susan? Why are you so loud? Don’t you know Lexi needs rest?” Logan didn’t explain himself. Instead, he stared at me coldly, his voice dripping with disgust. “With that attitude, how are you even a doctor? Come here and apologize to Lexi!” I didn’t respond. I clenched my trembling fingers and turned around. It wasn’t that I was afraid to face him. I just suddenly didn’t want this anymore. Trying to sustain a relationship alone is exhausting. Watching me walk away seemed to anger him further. He turned to his assistant. “Tell the Director to suspend Susan. She can come back to work when she learns how to apologize.” Then, his voice softened as he looked at Lexi. “Did she scare you? Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, no one can bully you.” 2 Luo’s call reached the Director’s office before I did. But I had already printed my resignation letter. The Director frowned, sighing. “Susan, just apologize to Mr. Rhodes. You’re our most promising OB/GYN. A suspension will hurt your record.” I placed my resignation letter on his desk. “Director, I’m resigning. I’m going abroad for my fellowship.” He paused, then nodded. “You should have gone years ago. Logan held you back.” I met Logan at an alumni mixer. He needed a wife to secure a contract; I needed a marriage to give my terminally ill mother peace of mind. We hit it off. I asked to make it legal immediately. He said his company was unstable and didn’t want his potential debts to affect me. I believed him. I signed the agreement and gave him my heart. Later, I found out his company was massive. After he used me to secure that project, he never mentioned our relationship publicly again. To the world, Lexi, who was always by his side, was his partner. I used to fight with him about it. He never comforted me. Instead, he’d grab my face, eyes full of disdain. “You only know how to hold a scalpel. You can’t help me in business. Lexi is different; she has vision. She doesn’t care about titles. While you’re being petty, she’s helping me build an empire. Instead of being jealous, go read a book.” I had angrily shown him my acceptance letter for a PhD program at Harvard Medical School. He had hugged me tight, dominantly declaring, “You’re not going. I forbid it.” I missed my first chance to go because I thought his possessiveness meant he loved me. But in the end? I was just a disposable object. 3 I was finishing my handover. As I saw my last patient out, I ran into Logan picking up Lexi. I looked at them indifferently and didn’t say a word. But Lexi dragged Logan over to me, speaking in that soft, sugary voice. “Susan, thank you so much. Without you, my son and I would have been in danger. I heard Logan lost his temper with you. He’s just like that—he loses control whenever it concerns me. Don’t be mad at him, I apologize on his behalf.” Then, her gaze dropped to my stomach. She adopted the tone of a wise elder. “But really, a woman needs a child to stabilize a family. You should stop working and go home to focus on getting pregnant. Logan, you love kids. Let Susan give you one.” Logan pinched her nose affectionately, smiling teasingly. “She doesn’t have your good fortune.” I knew Lexi baited him into saying that. In the past, I would have fought back. Now, watching their PDA, I just felt tired. I waved my hand dismissively. “I can’t afford that kind of fortune. Mr. Rhodes, please save it all for Miss Lexi.” I walked into the elevator without looking back. Maybe the cold “Mr. Rhodes” triggered him. As I walked out of the hospital, he grabbed my wrist. He tried to drag me into his car, but I slammed my hand against the door, refusing. “Susan, haven’t you made enough of a scene?” “I’m not making a scene.” He frowned at my blank expression. “Lexi’s husband was there. What you said could cause a misunderstanding.” I laughed, disgusted. I pushed him away. “If you were actually afraid of her husband misunderstanding, you wouldn’t have acted like the father in the delivery room, and you wouldn’t be holding her waist right now.” “She’s my best friend. Physical contact is normal,” Logan insisted, arrogant as always. “Is asking her to have your baby normal too?” I scoffed. Logan lost his patience. “If you want to think that way, I can’t stop you.” He got into the car. “You’re emotional. I won’t come home for a few days. We’ll talk when you calm down.” He rolled up the window and drove off. The black sedan disappeared from my sight, just as he completely disappeared from my heart. 4 My visa was processed quickly. The day I booked my flight, Lola found me. Lola was different from her brother. She was innocent and rarely interacted with me, which is why she had praised Lexi that day in the hospital. Once she found out the truth, she stopped associating with Lexi. When I told her I was leaving, she looked sad. “You were with my brother for so long. Can you really let go?” I nodded. “I can.” When you give everything and get nothing but coldness in return, even the strongest heart eventually shatters beyond repair. Seeing I was serious, Lola started crying. She was pregnant by accident. She wanted to tell Logan, but Logan, taking Lexi’s advice, was planning to marry her off to some business partner she hated. She wanted to keep the baby and escape the arranged marriage. She asked if she could come with me. I was surprised. Logan was willing to sacrifice his innocent sister just because Lexi suggested it? It turned out, Lexi really was the only person he wouldn’t sacrifice. Lola cried pitifully, and I agreed. I used my connections to get her into a auditing program at Harvard and used my ID to get her prenatal checkups done. Once the baby was cleared, we flew out. As soon as we landed in Boston, we found our bank accounts were frozen. It was Logan’s classic move. Starve us until we crawl back. He underestimated us. Lola sold her designer bags and watches. I had already secured a waitressing gig at a restaurant near campus. The neighborhood wasn’t the safest at night. One evening after my shift, I noticed a shadow following me. I gripped the pepper spray in my pocket, walking faster toward the main street taxi stand. Just as I reached the curb, a hand grabbed my shoulder. My heart sank. I spun around, aimed the can, and sprayed. “Hiss—!” A man covered his eyes with one hand. In the other, he held up a wallet with a Kuromi sticker on it. In fluent Mandarin, he gasped, “Student… is this your wallet?” 5 The man was Julian Grey, an actor. He was filming on campus, found my wallet, and followed me to return it. I treated him like a stalker. My pepper spray was the heavy-duty kind. His eyes were swollen shut instantly. He held my hand, looking pitiful. “Sister… is all medical student pepper spray this spicy?” I turned beet red. Out of guilt, I brought him back to the small townhouse I rented. Lola was asleep. As I washed his eyes out, I told him not to hyperventilate. His eyes were like a galaxy—deep and starry—now overflowing with tears and saline. “Sister, if I don’t breathe, I’ll die.” Feeling terrible, I worked faster. When I finished, I noticed his face was flushed, his lips turning blue. I touched his forehead. “Julian? What’s wrong? Answer me.” Julian gasped for air like a drowning puppy. “Sister… can I breathe now?” Pfft. He had actually held his breath the entire time because I told him not to hyperventilate. I couldn’t help but laugh, patting his shoulder. “Are you stupid?” Julian shook his head, looking at me seriously. “Sister, you finally smiled. Do you know you look beautiful when you smile?” I froze. It was the first time anyone cared if I smiled. 6 After my parents divorced, I lived with my mother, who had severe OCD and was a perfectionist. She was rigorous in life and work, and she demanded the same of me. I never dared to laugh freely like other girls. When she got cancer, she forced me to date. I chose the calm, mature Logan to please her. On her deathbed, she held my hand and said maybe Logan was different from her—that I should try to be myself. But in the year I lived with Logan, he was just as strict as my mother. He compared me to Lexi constantly. If I relaxed even a little, he’d scold me: “Susan, you’re a married woman and a medical professional. Can you be more mature? If you’re going to laugh like a schoolgirl, don’t come home!” I didn’t want to fight, so I became the person he wanted: serious, cautious, unsmiling.

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1 At a critical international conference, my phone blew up. It was Cole, a childhood friend I hadn’t spoken to in years. When I finally called back, his tone was sharp. “Too important now? I’m getting engaged and you can’t even come help.” My work was classified. I gave a vague excuse. He grew more arrogant. “Fine. But if you want forgiveness, send a gift—a car with four rings.” Thinking he meant money, I offered ten grand. “Ten grand?” he spat. “My fiancée is Sierra Sterling, from Silveridge’s most powerful family. Don’t push your luck.” A digital invitation arrived. I opened it—and froze. There was my wife, Sierra, wrapped around Cole in a fiery kiss. “Four rings?” I whispered, my voice low. “I’ll send two.” Wreaths have rings, too. Hearing me agree, Cole was ecstatic. “Hell yeah! I knew I could count on you, brother! And hey, I’m looking out for you. Two of the new Audi R8s will be perfect. If you’re a little tight on cash, I know a guy who gives out loans. Super reliable.” Two R8s? At over a quarter-million each? Did he think I was his personal bank? A cold smirk touched my lips. I decided to test the waters. “So, you’re marrying Miss Sterling. Does her husband approve?” There was a pause on the other end, followed by the wet sound of someone swallowing. “Stop nibbling, you little vixen,” Cole’s voice came through, thick with lust. “My buddy here says you’re already married. You care to explain that?” Sierra let out a discontented moan, her words muffled. “My only husband… is you, Cole. That loser… he’s still treasuring a fake marriage certificate like it’s gold.” Aroused beyond control, Cole tossed his phone aside and I could hear the sounds of him pulling her into a rough embrace. The line was filled with a sickening symphony of moans, curses, and cries of pleasure. Each sound was a needle, stitching a pattern of agony directly onto my heart. “Oh Cole, please… I’m going to die!” I killed the call. Reaching under my bed, I pulled out the marriage certificate and immediately dialed the City Registrar. A quick search confirmed it. The certificate was a forgery. The rage was a physical thing, a black tide rising in my chest. I summoned my assistant. “Contact the District Attorney and the Police Commissioner in Silveridge. I want a full, top-to-bottom investigation of the Sterling family. Every asset, every transaction. If you find anything illegal, I want them crushed. No mercy.” “And one more thing,” I added, my voice deathly calm. “Call a florist. Order forty funeral wreaths.” After giving my orders, I stared at the cold, beautiful face on the worthless certificate and crumpled it into a tight ball. She seemed to have forgotten a simple fact. The Sterling family only existed because I allowed it to. To think she would dare humiliate a man of my standing… I would bury her entire family for this. I notified my superiors and drove straight to the Sterling mansion. I was getting my daughter. But she was nowhere to be found. I searched every room, and when I questioned the maids, they averted their eyes and mumbled excuses. My roar of fury finally broke one of them. Trembling, she led me to the backyard, to a crude, brick doghouse. I stared, confused, until she tapped on the dog bowl. A small, shivering girl in rags crawled out. It was my daughter. In that instant, the blood in my veins turned to ice. I couldn’t process what I was seeing. “Nora!” I cried out, rushing forward to sweep her into my arms. But she flinched violently, shaking from head to toe, her voice a tiny, pleading whimper. “Don’t hit me… I won’t eat anymore… I’ll go back to my kennel, I promise…” Her words were a knife twisting in my gut. I’d only been gone for a few months. What had happened here? That vile creature, Sierra… how dare she! Once Nora had calmed down, the whole horrifying story came out. In my absence, Sierra had brought Cole into our home. They carried on day and night, and to keep her out of the way, they locked my daughter in the doghouse. Whenever I was scheduled to return, they would clean her up, dress her in nice clothes, and threaten her into silence. Her small body was a canvas of horrifying bruises. Patches of her skin were scarred with cigarette burns. Cole’s handiwork. Looking at her tiny, malnourished limbs, I felt the last of my control snap. This engagement party would be their funeral. I ordered the maid to throw every last one of Sierra’s belongings in the trash, called a realtor to put the mansion on the market, and then, with my daughter safely with me, I drove toward the party. On the way, Sierra called. “Honey, the DA’s office is at the company. Can you go down there and smooth things over?” “I’m a little busy right now,” I said, my voice dripping with ice. “Stop making trouble for me.” Busy putting horns on my head? I laughed coldly and blocked her number. When I arrived at the hotel Cole had mentioned, the entrance was lined with luxury cars. I told Nora to wait in the car, locked the doors, and walked inside alone. It was just an engagement party, but it was decorated with obscene extravagance. Cole was preening near the entrance in a tailored suit, greeting guests. Behind him, a series of large displays showcased photo after photo of him and Sierra. The revealing clothes, the lewd expressions… each image was a fresh wave of disgust. My fists clenched. I wanted to tear them all to shreds. In five years of marriage, she had always played the part of the untouchable goddess. The number of times she’d even allowed me to touch her could be counted on one hand. But here, in Cole’s arms, she was like a bitch in heat, desperate to please her master. Maybe five years ago, I never should have stepped in front of that loan shark’s knife for her. I never should have paid off her family’s debts and elevated her to a status she never deserved. “Well, well, if it isn’t my old pal Liam! What are you doing just standing there? Never seen a place this fancy? Cat got your tongue?” A jeering voice broke my thoughts. It was Cole, surrounded by a posse of our old childhood friends, strutting toward me like a king. “Hey man, I didn’t see you call my guy for a loan. So, what’s the story with the cars? I’ve been bragging to everyone. Don’t make me look bad, okay?” As soon as Cole finished, a sycophant named Leo flashed a high-end knockoff Rolex on his wrist and chimed in. “Come on, Cole, you’re putting our boy genius in a tough spot. He’s just a damn tutor at some prep school. He probably took the bus here. A car? The guy couldn’t afford a single tire if he saved for the rest of his life!” The group erupted in laughter. “Hey, Liam’s a brain, right? Maybe he can write a poem for the happy couple! He can keep the couple hundred bucks he was gonna give as a gift to pay for his taxi home!” “Liam, listen. Eat all you want, but don’t you dare try to sneak food out in a plastic bag. Cole’s marrying a Sterling, the top family in Silveridge. Don’t embarrass him.” Looking at their smug, bootlicking faces, a chilling coldness settled deep within me. “Liam, they’re just joking around, don’t take it seriously,” Cole said, clapping me on the shoulder, but his eyes were gleaming with triumph. “But let me give you some brotherly advice. In this world, money is king. What’s the use of being book-smart? If it wasn’t for my engagement, you wouldn’t even be allowed through the doors of this hotel.” He leaned in closer. “Remember all those girls you used to look down on? Now you couldn’t even lick their boots. See, that’s where I’ve got you beat. I married well. Now I run this city. But hey, don’t feel too bad. When you meet my wife later, I’ll see if I can get you a job as a security guard at Sterling Corp…” I stared at him, my expression unreadable. The higher he climbed, the harder he would fall. Just then, my phone buzzed. The wreaths had arrived. I gave the order. A moment later, a bizarre procession appeared at the end of the red carpet. A team of people, dressed for a funeral, carrying enormous wreaths, began to wail and chant, throwing the entire event into chaos. Cole’s face turned the color of week-old garbage. He screamed for security to throw them out. The florist, a cheerful man, bustled over to me. “Sir! All the wreaths you ordered have been delivered. I even threw in the full package, procession and all, free of charge. Are you satisfied?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “You did a great job. My brother gets married again, you’re the first person I’m calling.” The florist looked utterly bewildered, but Cole, finally realizing who was behind it, started shaking with rage. “Liam, you son of a bitch! I’m going to kill you!” He lunged, his fist aimed at my face. I caught his wrist, used his momentum to pivot, and sent him flying over my shoulder. He landed flat on his face with a pathetic grunt. Seeing his master down, Leo the lapdog grabbed a chair and swung it at my head. I ducked, spun, and planted a foot square on his ass, sending him tumbling headfirst into a pile of funeral wreaths. Cole scrambled up, his face a twisted mask of fury. “Liam, you have a death wish! Don’t you know who the Sterlings are in this city? You could have ten lives and it wouldn’t be enough!” I just shrugged. There weren’t many people in this world who could threaten my life. Within minutes, Cole had summoned a dozen security guards. “Get him! If he dies, it’s on me!” Emboldened by his promise, they charged. I took down the first two with quick, precise strikes, then used the chaotic environment to my advantage, weaving between tables and guests. In moments, half of them were on the floor. Cole was screaming like a madman. “You idiots! Use your batons! The first person to take him down gets a hundred grand!” The money lit a fire in their eyes. They drew their batons and came at me with renewed ferocity. I misjudged a step, and a heavy blow landed on my leg. I stumbled, and they were on me, a flurry of fists and feet. They dragged me before Cole. Without a word, he drove his fist into my stomach, twice. The pain was so intense my vision swam with black spots. “Liam! You were so tough a minute ago. What happened?” he sneered, grabbing a handful of my hair and slapping my face repeatedly, a sick, ecstatic light in his eyes. Leo handed him a wine bottle. Cole didn’t hesitate. He shattered it over my head. Blood and alcohol poured down my face, blinding me. He spat on me in disgust and pulled out his phone. “Baby, where are you? Some jealous asshole crashed our party and tried to hurt me. You have to come make him pay!” Sierra’s cold voice came through the speaker almost immediately. “Who has the nerve to touch my husband? Have the guards hold him. Cripple him, kill him, I don’t care. I’m on my way.” After he hung up, the sycophants started in again. “Damn, Cole, you’ve got the great Sierra Sterling wrapped around your little finger!” “Sierra Sterling is nothing! Back when Cole was a loan shark, he’d take any woman he wanted. Now those were the days!” Cole puffed up his chest, basking in the praise. He picked up a heavy, steel serving fork from a nearby table and, with a vicious grin, stabbed it straight through the palm of my hand. The agony was blinding. A scream ripped from my throat as cold sweat drenched my body. Nora, worried that I’d been gone so long, had slipped out of the car and into the hotel. She ran in just in time to see the fork impale my hand. She let out a terrified cry and threw herself at me. “Leave my daddy alone! Stop hurting my daddy!” she sobbed, spreading her tiny arms to shield me. Cole froze, stunned by her sudden appearance, then his face hardened into a cruel mask. “You little mongrel. Who let you out of your kennel? Get back there right now before I whip you!” Seeing the terror in my daughter’s eyes, remembering the scars that littered her small body, the hate inside me detonated. I ripped the fork from my palm and, with every ounce of strength I had left, lunged at Cole, plunging the steel tines into his chest. It only went in an inch before he kicked me away. “You piece of shit! You and the mutt you spawned aren’t leaving here alive today!” After a guard crudely bandaged his wound, Cole took out his rage on me, kicking and punching until he was out of breath. He leaned down, his hot, foul breath in my ear. “You know, Liam, I have to thank you. You raised a fine wife for me.” He chuckled. “She is so, so wet.” My blood ran cold. I stared at him. “You knew.” Cole threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Of course I knew, you idiot! Why do you think I set you up with her? For the thrill of it! You were married for five years, and I was fucking her for five years. She was so used up by me, she wouldn’t even let a loser like you touch her.” A red haze descended over my vision. I flailed at him, but he easily dodged my clumsy attacks. “Why?” I choked out. “I treated you like a brother. Why would you do this to me?” There was no remorse in his eyes, only a deep, festering hatred. “Because I hate you! I hate the way you always looked at me with pity, like you were tossing me scraps! So I decided I’d take everything from you. Everything. I’ll even make your daughter my dog!” “You animal!” I struggled to my feet, but before I could move, a sharp slap sent my head spinning. “What bastard dares—” My words died in my throat when I saw her. Sierra. For a split second, I saw panic in her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “You have the nerve to ask me that? You filthy, degenerate whore!” My words erased her panic, replacing it with cold fury. She slapped me again, so hard I nearly fell. By the time I looked up, she was draped over Cole, looking down at me with utter contempt. “You want to know why?” she hissed. “Because you make my skin crawl. You disgust me.” Her revulsion was a blade, carving me up from the inside out. Nora, trembling behind me, tugged on my hand, trying to pull me away. But Sierra’s sharp eyes noticed her. She wrinkled her nose. “What’s that smell? Oh, the little mongrel is here too. You didn’t really think this pathetic loser of a father could protect you, did you?” Cole laughed, sliding his hand up Sierra’s dress and squeezing her. He brought his fingers to his nose and inhaled deeply. “Let’s just take out the trash. Get rid of these two pieces of filth today.” He waved his hand, and the guards pinned me to the floor again. “Sierra, you will regret this!” I roared. “Regret it? I think you’re the one who’s going to have regrets,” she sneered. She ground her heel into my wounded hand and snatched a bottle of vodka from a table. She poured it directly onto the open wound. The pain was beyond anything I had ever felt. It was like being torn apart. The veins in my neck bulged as I thrashed against the hands holding me down. Nora’s screams were heart-wrenching. She tried to push Sierra’s foot off my hand, but Sierra kicked her away. Nora crawled back, sobbing, and started banging her small head on the floor at Sierra’s feet. “Mommy, please… please don’t hurt Daddy…” This only enraged Sierra further. “Who’s your mommy, you little bitch? I’ll kick your teeth in!” She raised her pointed high-heel and stomped it down on my daughter’s mouth. Blood gushed from Nora’s lips. My vision went red. I was helpless, pinned, able to do nothing but scream curses. “Are you even human?! That’s your own daughter! I never should have saved you—” Cole kicked me hard in the ribs, cutting me off. “Since you two are so keen on sharing everything, I’ll be happy to oblige. Hold that little bitch down and pour the rest of that vodka down her throat!” As Leo pried open my daughter’s mouth, I let out a desperate, primal scream. “You can’t touch her! I am a National Scholar of the Research Institute!” The room went silent for a beat, then exploded with derisive laughter. “A National Scholar? You look more like a national embarrassment! Yeah, and I’m the Archmage!” “Dude’s been reading too many fantasy novels!” “Touch her, and you are all dead men!” I bellowed, my eyes bloodshot with rage. The only answer I got was another hail of kicks and punches. “The man who can touch me hasn’t been born yet!” Cole snarled, grabbing the bottle himself and forcing it into my daughter’s mouth. The next second, the entire glass front of the hotel shattered inward as several military jeeps plowed into the lobby, followed by a dozen police cruisers, sirens screaming. The hall was instantly flooded with armed officers, surrounding everything.

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I was the villain’s gold-digger ex-girlfriend. When the villain went bankrupt, I slapped a bank card in his face. “The money on this card… is enough to buy you for three years.” That night, after our daughter fell asleep, I pinned down the struggling villain. “I paid good money. I get to be on top.” “Some people need to learn their place.” Later, when the heroine regretted her choice and came back for him, he was wearing an apron, cooking for our child. “Coco, this isn’t your ‘sister.’ This is one of Daddy’s former subordinates. She’s older than your mom. Call her ‘Auntie’.” 1 I only realized I was the villain’s gold-digger ex-girlfriend when the bullet comments (danmu) started scrolling across my vision. And right now, he had been betrayed by the heroine and was ready to end it all. I wiped the dishwater from my hands, grabbed my three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, and headed to the roof of the Chu Corporation building. “Caleb Chu,” I threatened coolly, “if you don’t get your ass down from there, I’m going to make your daughter call your nemesis ‘Daddy’.” Hearing my voice, Caleb turned stiffly. Seeing the little face that bore a striking resemblance to his own, the corners of his eyes flushed red with emotion. [The villain is about to die, why is she interrupting?] [The villain and his ex… one is bad, one is ruthless. A match made in hell.] [Speaking of which, the villain only loved the heroine because she looked like the ex who abandoned him. He saw her as his salvation.] [That little girl is the villain’s daughter. Cute, but with parents like that, she’s doomed to be twisted.] [Isn’t this the finale? No ending?] I ignored the floating text and smirked mockingly. “What? Bold enough to do the deed, but not brave enough to claim the kid?” “Daddy.” My daughter looked up at Caleb with wet, puppy-dog eyes and called out pitifully. The wind on the roof was fierce. My daughter coughed. Caleb immediately scrambled down from the ledge, stumbling in his haste. “My… my clothes are thick. Maybe… take them off for the kid.” Watching Caleb looking completely lost, I picked up my daughter and shoved her into his arms. “Hold her tight. Don’t drop her.” [Hahahaha, is this the ruthless villain? He can’t even walk straight holding a kid?] [You have to admit, the villain’s daughter looks exactly like him. The mom had zero participation in the genetics.] [When this woman left, the villain chased her in the rain and got into a car accident. She was heartless then. Why come back now? To fight for the inheritance because he’s dying?] [Joke’s on her. The villain is bankrupt. Even his own mother ran away. She’s inheriting nothing but debt.] The Chu family villa… The furniture had long been seized by creditors. Only a bedroll remained on the floor, looking utterly desolate. I sighed. “How much do you still owe?” “Thirty million.” Caleb held Coco, his eyelashes trembling almost imperceptibly. I took the child’s hand and turned to leave. [See? The ex-girlfriend left for money before. Hearing he owes so much, she’s dumping him again.] [Poor villain. No one loves him.] [Back in the day, thirty million was just the price of a necklace for the heroine. Now it’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back.] Caleb lowered his eyes, looking like a puppy waiting to be abandoned. I turned my head slightly. “Well? Keep up.” Something seemed to light up in Caleb’s eyes. 2 In my one-bedroom rental, I put Coco to sleep in the bedroom. Caleb sat on the sofa, looking around, visibly tense. I threw the bank card at him. So this was how Caleb’s mother felt when she threw that twenty-million-dollar check at me years ago. Being rich feels good. “There’s nineteen million on this card.” “It buys you for three years.” I sat sideways on Caleb’s lap, draping my arms loosely around his neck. “So, Caleb… are you single?” “I don’t need a male nanny. I don’t waste money like that.” I whispered in his ear. Caleb knew exactly what I meant. The small mole on his neck bobbed as he swallowed. Caleb seemed ashamed of his reaction, turning his head away to avoid my gaze. “Mmh.” We were so close I could feel the vibration in his chest. [The leads are still fighting over there, and the villain is already holding the baby? You guys are tight-lipped! The villain is eating good, why didn’t you tell us? Trying to keep it all to yourselves?] [Caleb locked the heroine up just for show. The ex-wife comes back and he instantly turns into a pure puppy. Turns out he really just treated the heroine as a substitute.] [Sister, hurry! Bully him!] I looked at Caleb’s flushed neck and the veins popping out, feeling very satisfied. I cupped his face, ignoring his resistance, and kissed him. Caleb pushed at my shoulders but instinctively responded, a tantalizing mix of rejection and welcome. Between breaths, he pushed me away slightly, a look of stubbornness on his face. Our breakup had been ugly. He probably felt that being “bought” so easily was beneath his dignity. “And you? Are you single?” His breathing was ragged, hot breath spraying on my face, raising my own body temperature. “What do you think? Carrying a child and cheating with an ex?” I retorted, panting as I started stripping Caleb’s clothes. I paid for this! As soon as the words left my mouth, Caleb’s eyes lit up like a fire, scorching hot. He grabbed my hand, trying to flip us over, but I pinned him down firmly. “I paid the money. I’m on top.” “Some people need to remember their place.” [Where’s the rest?! Show us the rest! Hey! We need to have a conscience here!] [What can’t I see as a VIP member?!] [I’ll pay! I’ll pay money, okay?!] [Why can’t I see it even if I pay?!] [I’m suing! I’m taking this to the Supreme Court!] 3 When I opened my eyes in the morning, the sunlight was blinding. Rushing out of the bedroom, I found breakfast on the table and a note. Caleb had already taken Coco to school and went to check out nearby real estate agencies to list the house. [Caleb is almost thirty, how does he still have so much stamina?] [All night! The screen was black all night! Better than some eighteen-year-olds!] [Damn girl, you’re lucky. Let me in for two episodes.] Looking at the comments, I sipped my soy milk calmly on the surface, but behind my phone, my face was burning red. By the time I leisurely got ready, it was afternoon. Time to check on the shop. I opened a café in a quiet alley in the south of the city. It unexpectedly went viral on social media, with people coming to check in every day. I hired someone to manage it later, just popping in occasionally. “Boss Lola.” The staff greeted me with smiles. I arranged the flowers I bought in a vase and sent Caleb the location. He was done with his errands and coming to find me. The shop was almost full. I scanned the room, took off my coat, and started trimming the plants. Little Joe, a staff member, ran up to me, whispering mysteriously, “Boss, the customer in the corner looks just like you. When I served her earlier, I almost mistook her.” Text flashed before my eyes. [Holy sht, why is the heroine here?]* [Because of the villain, the heroine fought with the male lead all day and ran away from home. Didn’t expect her to end up in the ex’s shop.] [She’s been crying all morning. Honestly, the male lead is trash for using women.] [Omg, the substitute meets the original. What a soap opera scene.] I finally noticed the girl in the baseball cap sitting in the corner, constantly blowing her nose. “Get her some tissues and send over a dessert on the house,” I whispered, lowering my head. Once she entered the shop, she was a customer. Taking care of customers’ moods was our job. About an hour later, the shop door was slammed open. A group of bodyguards in black rushed in, checking customers one by one, finally stopping in front of the girl in the cap. Most customers were scared off, leaving a few bold ones watching the drama. The bodyguards formed two lines, and a man in a suit walked out from behind them. “Sir, this is my shop. If you have issues, please resolve them privately. Don’t scare my customers.” I secretly signaled Little Joe to call the police and walked up to the man, raising my voice to remind him of some manners. The man paused slightly upon seeing my face. Recovering, he pulled out a check, indicating he would compensate for all losses today. “Ethan Zhou! What are you doing here! Take your people and leave! Stop embarrassing yourself!” The girl in the cap looked mortified, dragging the man named Ethan Zhou towards the shop. [Fck, the male lead is here?]* [This tiny shop is turning into a chaotic pot of porridge.] [I really don’t want to watch them fight anymore. My brain hurts.] So this was the culprit behind Caleb’s bankruptcy. I raised an eyebrow at the check in my hand and walked up to him. “Sir, this amount…” “Is not enough.” Ethan Zhou froze, looking at the check filled with zeros, confused. Just then, the door was pushed open. It was Caleb. Carrying a cake box, he looked wary seeing the crowd. Oops, forgot to text him not to come. [The villain is here too. Now we have a full table for Mahjong.] [Chaos. Chaos is good. Porridge is best served hot.] [This scene… I dare you to broadcast it, I dare not watch.] “Caleb…” The girl in the cap spoke, her voice tearful. “I’m sorry. I really didn’t know the document he asked me to steal was so important. If I knew, I would never…” Caleb looked at the pair through the crowd, stunned for a moment. Ethan Zhou reacted like a cat whose tail was stepped on, stomping around and smashing things on the table. I looked down at the check. Well, now it’s definitely not enough. “You ran away just to see him, didn’t you!” “I looked for you all day, and you’re here meeting your old lover!” Ethan Zhou’s eyes were red, acting like a madman. I pulled Caleb back a step to avoid collateral damage. “Sir, you might be mistaken. Ah-Jing came to see me.” I took Caleb’s hand, took the cake from him, and chided, “Why buy this? The shop sells cakes.” Caleb stared at our joined hands, swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing. We were together for six years. Countless days and nights. He was the type to ignite at a touch. I knew exactly what he was thinking without even trying. In this situation, and he’s still thinking about that. I threw his hand off, glared at him viciously, and found a seat. My legs were tired from standing. Caleb knew he was busted. Feeling guilty, he scrambled to find my hand again. “When I dropped off Coco, she said she wanted to see Daddy pick her up with a small cake after school. I bought it. Didn’t know your shop had them.” The girl in the cap watched us, moving her gaze to my face, inch by inch, as if memorizing every pore. She seemed to realize something, eyes widening in disbelief. “Caleb, you’ve fallen this low,” Ethan Zhou sneered, mocking Caleb to the extreme. He had worked hard to bring Caleb down; of course, he had to trample him a bit. “What?” Caleb’s face showed no embarrassment. Instead, he leaned his head on my shoulder naturally, raising an eyebrow at Ethan. “No woman wants you?” “Jealous again?” Caleb’s mouth. I always said he’d get beaten up one day because of it. Sure enough, as soon as the words left his mouth, Ethan’s rage spiked visibly. He strode forward, grabbing Caleb’s collar. I rushed to pull his hand away. In the struggle, someone elbowed me. I stumbled back, hitting my head on the corner of the wall. I felt liquid sliding down my forehead. The arguing turned into a sharp ringing in my ears, then the wail of sirens. I clutched the check tightly. The last thought before losing consciousness was: If I don’t make him pay until he loses his pants, my name isn’t Lola Gu. 4 The moment I opened my eyes and saw the person in front of me, I grabbed Caleb’s hand, trying to lift my head. But the dizziness was severe, so I lay back down helplessly. He knew me well. Immediately he said, “Already settled the compensation with Ethan Zhou. Don’t worry, I didn’t ask for little.” Hearing Caleb’s words, I let out a long breath and released his hand. Dense text floated before my eyes. [Not just ‘not little,’ it was a lion’s mouth opening wide! You asked for half his company right off the bat, could he agree?] [Finally, after back and forth, with the heroine’s persuasion, Ethan agreed to pay thirty million. Now not only is the villain’s debt cleared, they have twenty million left over.] [This gold-digger ex is really true to her character. Just woke up, doesn’t care if she’s okay, cares how much money he got.] [Am I the only one shipping them? The ex makes one move, and the villain knows exactly what she means.] [My elbow feels cold just watching. Gotta protect my funny bone; I don’t have thirty million.] I fingered the check Caleb handed me, trying to focus on the string of zeros. I know my own body. If not for extorting more money, I wouldn’t have bothered staying unconscious this long. But my heart felt empty, like I forgot something. Caleb went to pay the fees and came back with medicine. Seeing me like this, he chuckled. “Stop looking, the money won’t run away.” “Three stitches, mild concussion.” “Doctor said you can be discharged once you wake up. Keep the wound dry, avoid strenuous exercise and stimulation for a few days.” Three stitches? Concussion? Psychological or not, the wound started throbbing. Was Ethan’s elbow that strong? I looked at the check again, sighed, and squeezed the plush charm on my bag. “Hard. Life is hard.” Caleb was packing. I recovered a bit, fished my phone from under the pillow, and lit up the screen. Seeing the photo of Coco and me, maternal love returned, and I finally remembered what I forgot. My phone was on silent. During this time, Coco’s teacher had messaged and called countless times. By the time Caleb and I rushed to the kindergarten, it was dark. Only one yellow light remained in the hallway. The teacher held Coco’s hand, a hint of forced overtime resentment on her face. I shivered, explaining quickly, “Sorry, Teacher. I fell on the way and went to the hospital.” No need for kids to know adult grudges, so I lied. I handed the teacher the snacks I bought on the way, apologizing again. “Sorry, Teacher, haven’t eaten yet? Just some snacks, nothing expensive.” Seeing the gauze on my forehead, the teacher’s resentment faded. She refused the snacks. I forced them into her hand, claimed dizziness, and had Caleb help me away. Back home, my head was spinning. Caleb was busy making dinner. I leaned on the sofa, eyes closed, enduring the vertigo. Coco sat obediently beside me, massaging my hand. [Daughter is indeed mom’s little cotton jacket. The state really tries everything to boost birth rates.] [Baby, you are a fragrant, soft little cookie, born to be eaten by Auntie in one bite.] [Look, the villain is actually smiling?] [So warm. Next door the leads are arguing non-stop, heroine stormed out again. Two psychos.] [It’s over, the heroine took a taxi heading this way!] Sure enough, shortly after the comment, there was a knock. Caleb wiped his hands and opened the door. The heroine stood outside, tears falling like broken beads. Even I felt bad looking at her. Caleb froze for a second. The heroine seized the moment to throw herself into his arms. “Caleb, I regret it.” “I was wrong before. Will you forgive me?” “I’ll do whatever you say.” “Even if you lock me up, I won’t run anymore.” Coco tilted her head, blinking curiously. “Daddy, who is this sister? Why does she want you to lock her up?” Caleb’s eternally calm face finally cracked. He quickly bent down, holding Coco’s hand. “Coco, this isn’t a sister. This is one of Daddy’s former subordinates. She’s older than your mom. You should call her Auntie.” “Daddy locked her up because…” “Daddy paid her wages. She was locked up to work.” “Oh, so working means being locked up. Coco doesn’t want to work then.” Coco shrank back, looking wary. [Only those who have worked know the weight of that sentence.] [Dude, the kid asks and you actually answer? Speaking of which, the villain and heroine really seem like boss and subordinate, he never gave her a good face.] [Did you see the ex glare at Caleb? Hahahaha, I’m dying. Ex: I don’t even want to mention the sht you did.]* [I’m done. Villain is a straight male. Heroine’s face changed color.] [Godly ‘Not sister, Auntie’.] [Heroine cried all day, now tears frozen on her face due to that sentence. Speechless, hahahaha.] “Do you want to come in and sit?” I turned to look at the tiny living room. The only sofa was occupied by Coco and me. The heroine could only sit at the dining table. Caleb looked awkward. He pointed at me. “This is my Sugar Mommy, Lola Gu.” “This is my subordinate, Sarah Zhou.” “What is a Sugar Mommy, Daddy?” Coco pouted. The vocabulary today was all new to her. I sneered at Caleb, pulling Coco into my arms, describing in the healthiest language possible: “Sugar Mommy means Daddy owed money, Mommy gave Daddy money, so Mommy is called Sugar Mommy.” Coco thought for a moment, seeming to understand. “Then I want to be a Sugar Mommy too, give Daddy money.” Caleb was happy, showing his teeth in a grin. [Don’t corrupt the child! Coco, your dad is old and worthless. Come find Auntie, Auntie is still young!] [Upstairs, your abacus beads are hitting my face.] [Villain, what are you laughing at? Is this glorious?] “Do you have anything else? If not, our family is ready to eat.” Caleb stopped smiling, face tightening as he looked at Sarah Zhou. The speed of his face change was astounding. Before Sarah could speak, Caleb slammed the door shut. Bang. “Caleb, have some manners!” I glared at him. Caleb seemed unhappy that I scolded him. He ate dinner with a long face. Even washing dishes was loud. My head hurt too much to deal with him. He’s always been a dramatic young master. I wasn’t feeling well, so I told Caleb to stay with Coco while I slept on the sofa. My head was spinning at night, couldn’t sleep. Tossing and turning on the sofa was uncomfortable. Suddenly the bedroom door creaked. A tall figure tiptoed out and stopped in front of the sofa. Moonlight outlined him clearly. Caleb. He took off his shoes, squeezed onto the sofa, and pulled me into his arms. Two people squeezed on a tiny sofa. He pressed tight, I could almost feel his skin temperature. My thoughts drifted back to the day I brought him home… We… were on the sofa… So many years… He hasn’t lost his touch. I swallowed, feeling my body heat up. A chuckle sounded by my ear. His magnetic voice whispered, “You’re not well yet, don’t think about nonsense.” The heat rushed to my face. Humiliated at being exposed, I snapped, “What am I thinking?! You’re sticking to me, it’s hot!” Caleb hummed lightly, hugging me tighter. I pressed against his chest, rising and falling with his breath. “I thought wrong, Sugar Mommy.” “Punish me when you’re better.” Punish? My gulp was louder this time. [Let me in for two episodes!] [Quick, someone, lock me in a dark room.] [Done for. I feel like I prefer the villain over the male lead now.]

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387108”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

In my daughter’s class group chat, a mother named Karen suddenly tagged me: “I heard you signed Lily up for a $10,000 summer camp?” “Are you crazy? Wasting my son’s money like that? That’s enough for my family’s living expenses for a whole year!” I was baffled. I replied directly: “Who are you? What business is it of yours?” She immediately sent a voice message: “I’m your daughter’s future mother-in-law. She’s going to marry my son.” “If you spend so recklessly on her now, how will they live in the future? You’re ruining my son’s life!” “Transfer all your family’s money to me for safekeeping right now! Immediately!” What a psycho. I gripped my phone and fired back: “I don’t even know you. My daughter is 5! If you keep spouting nonsense, I’ll rip that mouth off your face.” 1 Seeing that I wasn’t giving her any face, Karen cursed even harder: “You cheap b*tch, I’m reminding you out of kindness and you curse at me?” “Unbelievable! Just thinking about being in-laws with someone like you makes me sick.” “I’m telling you, if you don’t teach Lily correct spending habits now, my son will dump her later.” Is she insane? What is she even talking about? I didn’t know her, but I knew her son, Kevin. He was the class bully. Every day, someone complained about him hitting or cursing at other kids. He even tried to pull girls’ pants down. Lily told me once he hugged her and kissed her face. I told her to stay away from him immediately. I thought only Kevin was weird, but it turns out his mother is even worse. She kept ranting in the group chat: “I’m warning you, all your family’s money belongs to my son in the future. You have no right to waste it!” “Cancel that $10,000 camp right now! Spending that much on a little girl is insane.” “Don’t you know my family doesn’t even turn on the AC to save money?” Idiot! I dismissed her as a lunatic and ignored her. But she kept DMing me: “I’m your in-law, accept my request!” I rejected it without hesitation. She tried again: “You can’t raise a child properly, I’ll help you. Accept!” I rejected again and blocked her. Left with no choice, she tagged me in the group again: “Why are you so stubborn? Send me your address right now. I’m coming over to discipline my daughter-in-law.” Before I could speak, other parents jumped in: “Kevin’s mom, what are you doing? The kids are in kindergarten. What’s this about in-laws and daughters-in-law?” “Exactly, it’s bizarre. They need you to educate their kid? Manage your own little devil first. Stop being a nuisance in the class!” “Seriously, how many complaints has he gotten? As a mother, you should reflect on yourself.” Seeing everyone against her, Karen exploded: “What do you idiots know? Last month my son kissed Lily’s face. She belongs to him now.” “What’s wrong with me disciplining and nurturing her in advance?” 2 Damn it! She was getting more ridiculous by the second. I privately messaged the teacher to kick her out. But it was summer break, and the teacher was busy. Karen went even crazier, constantly tagging me: “Location! Send me your location! I’m coming over right now to teach you a lesson.” “I’ll teach you how to save and spend money properly!” Other parents lined up to curse her: “Psycho, did you eat too many magic mushrooms?” “With your attitude, your son is destined to be single forever.” She ignored them and kept demanding my address: “Send the location now! I’m coming over to teach you correct values!” Fine! Since this crazy woman insists on provoking me, I won’t let her off easy. I have a huge German Shepherd at home. Why should I be afraid of her? She arrived fast. And she brought her son, Kevin. Through the surveillance camera, I saw the shock in their eyes as they stood at my gate. Karen excitedly told Kevin: “Son, you have great taste! You picked a super rich daughter-in-law for me!” “Look at this huge villa and garden. Must cost millions!” “Hahaha, good job, son! Mommy’s going to be a rich lady thanks to you!” What an idiot. Rich lady? She’s not even fit to be a rich family’s servant! The next second, she muttered to herself: “Wait, Lily goes to a public kindergarten with you. She can’t be the young miss here.” “Her mom must be a maid here. Damn, a maid’s daughter going on a $10,000 camp? So wasteful!” “I must teach her a lesson.” She shouted at the gate: “Lily! Come open the door for your boyfriend and mother-in-law!” “No manners at all! When your mother-in-law arrives, you should be kneeling to welcome her! Don’t you know?” “So rude! I’ll tell your boss and get your mom fired!” No one answered. I wanted to see how long they could stand in the 104°F heat. Sure enough, within two minutes, they were sweating buckets. Kevin whined for ice cream. Karen told him: “Don’t rush. Once we find your wife, you can have all the ice cream you want.” 3 She kept banging on the door, screaming: “Lily! Are you trying to kill us with heat?” “Let me tell you, my son is frail. If he gets heatstroke, you’ll be a widow forever!” I still ignored her. I signaled the bodyguard to bring out the German Shepherd. The dog panted, tongue lolling, staring at them like they were snacks. Kevin got scared: “Mom, let’s go! That dog is scary!” Karen was scared too, trembling, but she feigned courage and yelled at the bodyguard: “We are Lily’s in-laws, your maid’s family! Open the gate immediately! I need to go in and educate Lily!” The bodyguard, stone-faced, brought the dog closer. Karen stumbled back several steps: “Are you deaf? If you don’t let me in, call Lily and her maid mother out here!” The dog’s tongue was almost touching Karen’s face. Kevin screamed and ran away. Karen had no choice but to chase after him. Finally, peace. I thought she just had a moment of madness and it was over. Unexpectedly, half an hour later, she tagged me in the group again: “You b*tch, my son has a high fever from your boss’s dog! Bring Lily over to apologize immediately, and take my son to the villa to recover!” What kind of drugs is she on? Hilarious. I dismissed her as a psycho and put it out of my mind to avoid ruining my mood. But just as I was happily packing with my daughter for the camp, the teacher called: “Lily’s mom, are you cancelling Lily’s enrollment?” “Huh?” I was confused. “No, we didn’t cancel. We’re packing right now.” She sounded puzzled: “Oh, we got a call from Lily’s mother-in-law saying to cancel and refund the money.” “We thought since you paid, the refund should go to you, not the grandmother, so we called to confirm.” I laughed in anger. This “mother-in-law” must be Karen. The teachers didn’t know; they thought “mother-in-law” meant grandmother. She’s really something. Not only canceling but wanting the refund for herself? Is her brain filled with pig manure? 4 The camp went ahead as planned. Early in the morning, I took my daughter and luggage to the airport. Surprisingly, Karen and Kevin were there too. Karen looked at me and Lily unkindly. She spoke coldly to my daughter: “Lily, I’m your mother-in-law. When you see me, you should kneel and kowtow. Understand? That’s manners.” “If your mom won’t teach you, I will. Otherwise, you’re not qualified to marry my son.” Absolutely insane. I stepped in front of my daughter and slapped her hard: “If you can’t speak human, shut your mouth and be mute! Get lost!” Slapped by me, she widened her eyes: “You… you dare hit me? Who do you think you are?” One slap wasn’t enough. I gave her another one: “So what if I hit a psycho like you?” This enraged her. She lunged at me, claws out. But before she could reach me, the camp teacher pulled her away. The teacher said patiently: “Parent, let’s talk nicely. No violence please.” Karen exploded: “Talk nicely? No violence?” “Are you blind? Didn’t you see her hit me first? Didn’t you see her slap me twice?” “You biased b*tch! You’re garbage too!” She finished by slapping the teacher. The young teacher had never seen such a shrew. She covered her face, eyes red, tears falling. Karen put her hands on her hips and lectured her: “This is our family matter. Who asked you to interfere?” “You deserved it! Learn a lesson. Mind your own business!” The teacher, furious, called the police. Things just got more interesting!

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