Category: English

I died on my wedding anniversary. My sister-in-law, Chloe, sent three AI-generated intimate photos of me with a homeless man to our family SnapChat group. “Hey, everyone! Look at these pics. Cassidy must love this stuff” “Check out these juicy pics, everyone! Cassidy loves this kind of thing!” My husband, Liam, called me, his voice frantic: “Cassidy, I know it’s fake! I’m coming home right now!” A piercing screech of brakes ripped through the phone, followed by a sickening thud. He died horribly, crushed under a massive truck. My mother-in-law, Eleanor, stormed into the hospital and slapped me hard. “You evil jinx! You cursed my son to death!” My father-in-law, Richard, watched with cold eyes. “Good riddance. This worthless cuckold wasn’t fit to be my son.” What chilled me even more was my own mother, Sarah, sobbing as she said, “Cassidy, just accept it. We can’t let one person ruin both our families’ reputations.” My father, Robert, angrily shook off my hand. “We don’t have a daughter like you! You’re a disgrace!” On the rooftop, the wind was biting cold. Chloe cheered from below, “Jump! Go join my brother in hell!” I plunged down, the last thing I saw was my husband’s sweet, trusting smile. Then, I opened my eyes. I was back the day before the photos were sent.

My sister-in-law, Chloe, was proudly showing off her edited photo. “Hey, check this out! Not bad, right?” This time, I smiled and complimented her skills. “Cassidy, are you awake? Come on, try the warm milk I just made for you, I even added honey!” Chloe’s sickly sweet voice buzzed in my ear. She held out a cup of milk, her smile innocent and harmless. “Cassidy? Why aren’t you saying anything? You’re not really mad at me, are you?” She leaned closer, her tone disgustingly affectionate. “I just thought you were too stressed last night, so I played a joke on you. Who knew you’d get so scared you’d smash your phone?” Last night, while I was showering, she secretly used my phone to post a message in my class SnapChat group: [After being married for so long, I just found out Liam is completely useless in bed. This life of celibacy is killing me. Is there any real man out there who can keep me company?] Followed by a few suggestive emojis! By the time I found out, the message couldn’t be unsent. The group instantly blew up, relatives’ messages flooding the screen. My mother-in-law immediately called, yelling and calling me shameless. My father also texted, accusing me of being disgraceful. I was speechless, unable to defend myself, and in my panic, I dropped and smashed my phone. And Chloe, watching my pathetic state, laughed wildly, saying, “Cassidy, I was just joking! Why are you taking it so seriously?” “Why don’t you just go explain it in the group yourself? Hahahaha…” In my previous life, it was her so-called jokes that slowly pushed me to my breaking point! I took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to strangle her right then and there. “Of course not,” I forced a stiff smile, taking the milk. “Chloe’s jokes… why would I be angry?” “Good!” She immediately beamed, plopping down on my bed and affectionately linking her arm through mine. “Sister-in-law, my AI face-swapping skills are super advanced lately!” “I could not only put your face on a homeless man, but I could even swap you with any guy in an adult video, and no one would know the difference!” She giggled, covering her mouth, a cruel glint in her eyes. “Imagine if my brother saw it—he’d totally freak out. Do you think he’d actually believe it?” “Hahaha, that quiet bore would totally lose his mind, right? That scene would be so funny!” Funny? I looked at her twisted smile, my stomach churning. In my previous life, it was this “funny joke” that led to Liam’s tragic death and forced me to jump. “Chloe,” I tried to make my voice sound worried, “let’s not joke like that. Liam… he’s sensitive, he might take it seriously. Plus, Mom and Dad wouldn’t approve.” She laughed, sharp and mean.”Liam ? That boring loser?” “Mom and Dad don’t care about him anyway! He’s like our family’s ATM—except he doesn’t even charge fees!” “My mother said Liam is a loser, so spineless he barely makes a peep. If he couldn’t make money, they would’ve kicked him out years ago! Not like me, I’m their sweet little angel.” As she spoke, she flashed a new, expensive bracelet on her wrist. “Look, Mom made him Venmo me his whole bonus so I could buy this bracelet! Isn’t it pretty? Don’t feel bad for him; he makes money for us to spend!” Then, as if a brilliant idea struck her, her eyes lit up. “Oh, by the way, Cassidy, I found this super cool place today! I’ll take you there this afternoon, okay? It’ll totally blow your mind!” Here it comes. In my last life, she used the excuse of cheering me up to trick me into going near that underpass where the homeless people gathered. That’s where she took the staged photo that would become the base for her AI mischief. My heart pounded, but I kept my face impassive. “What kind of place? I’m a bit tired today, and your brother is coming home for dinner tonight…” “Come on, come on!” She grabbed my arm and shook it, her voice whiny yet forceful. “So what if my brother comes home? Just leave him a note! A guy like him won’t die from missing one meal!” “You’ve been cooped up at home for days! I promise, this place is so… so ‘full of life’! You’ll find it really interesting!” I looked at her, knowing that if I refused, she would only find some other, more extreme way. Better to play along. “…Okay.” I feigned helplessness. “Then wait for me to change.” “Yay!” She jumped up excitedly. “Hurry up, Cassidy! I’ll wait downstairs!” Watching her cheerful back, my eyes turned icy cold. I walked to the vanity table and took out a tiny, high-definition camera disguised as a button, fastening it to the inside of my collar.

That afternoon, Chloe did indeed take me to the place that had haunted my nightmares in my previous life: the dilapidated West Side district, earmarked for future development. The air stank of rot. A few homeless men crouched under the bridge, just shadows in the dark. “Cassidy, look, these homeless people are so pathetic!” Chloe held up her phone, seemingly taking pictures of the scenery, but her lens kept drifting towards me. “They’re all homeless. We should help them, shouldn’t we?” “Mmm,” I replied absently, my gaze vigilantly scanning our surroundings. I knew the homeless man she’d bribed would appear soon. Sure enough, we hadn’t walked far when a disheveled middle-aged man reeking of body odor shambled toward us. His eyes were cloudy, but his target was clear. “Oops!” Chloe suddenly “slipped,” crying out as she lunged directly into me! In my previous life, it was this bump that threw me off balance, making me fall towards the homeless man. She then seized the chance to snap that staged photo of me seemingly falling into his arms. But this time, I was ready. The moment she lurched at me, I subtly shifted my body, deftly avoiding the main force of her push. At the same time, I flicked my wrist, aiming the camera in my collar directly at her. “Chloe! Watch out!” I gasped, reaching out to grab her, but my fingertips just happened to hook onto the phone charm hanging from her chest. “Ah!” she shrieked. To steady herself, her hand instinctively pushed against the homeless man who had just approached us! “Click!” “Click!” I clearly heard her phone rapidly taking pictures. From her angle, the photos would definitely look like *she* was actively falling into the homeless man! And my button camera perfectly recorded everything—including how Chloe accidentally bumped into me, and how she unexpectedly pushed the homeless man. “Get off me! You stink!” After Chloe steadied herself, she immediately shoved the still-dazed homeless man away with disgust, frantically checking her phone. When she saw the photos on the screen, a look of satisfaction spread across her face. She didn’t notice at all that she was the real star of that little accident. “Cassidy, are you okay? You scared me just now!” She put away her phone and immediately adopted a concerned expression. “This place is too chaotic. Let’s go quickly!” “Okay.” I lowered my head, hiding the cold sneer at the corner of my lips. The evidence was in my hands.

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My parents were renowned music professors. After having my twin sister and me, they poured all their hopes into nurturing us. I was a prodigy, picking up anything instantly. My sister, Seraphina, on the other hand, struggled with everything. The day I won the National Youth Cello Competition, Seraphina couldn’t handle it. She left a diary and jumped into the sea, supposedly taking her own life. Every single word in that diary was a chilling accusation of my supposed sins. Dad lost it. He smashed my trophy into my mouth. Shards cut deep as he forced me to kneel. Mom, her eyes blazing red, stomped on my hands, breaking all ten of my fingers. Then she shoved me into a cello case, demanding I atone for Seraphina. My throat burned. I couldn’t breathe between sobs, as blood seeped out of the case, staining the floor. But all I got in return was: “If it weren’t for you, you wicked child, always trying to steal the spotlight, your sister wouldn’t have died! Your selfishness pushed her to her death. Now you’ll stay in there and truly repent, apologize to her!” Seven days later, Seraphina returned, lively and well, at her own funeral. Mom and Dad were overjoyed, embracing her, crying and laughing. They decided to end my punishment. But when they opened the case, they went completely insane.

“Bang!” Dad kicked open the door, grabbed my hair, and threw me to the floor. “You murderer! You killed your sister! How could I have raised something so cruel?” Mom, her hair disheveled, clutched Seraphina’s diary, sobbing hysterically. That’s when I learned that Seraphina had filled the diary with accusations against me, from childhood up. She wrote that I, her gifted younger sister, always loved to show off in front of her, subtly mocking her as worthless. She claimed I humiliated her, saying she didn’t deserve to be a sister, and cursed her for not getting Mom and Dad’s love. So, she didn’t want to compete anymore. She wanted to leave. I froze on the spot. Why would she lie? All my life, Mom and Dad had clearly favored her, cared more for her, simply because she knew how to read their moods and charm them. I, on the other hand, could only gain a little more attention by constantly practicing my cello. Fearing she’d be sad due to her lack of talent, Mom and Dad would practically move mountains to give her the best of everything. To spare her feelings, they missed every one of my competitions, always staying with Seraphina. Today’s finals were crucial for my future, and after much pleading, they finally agreed to attend. But after I won, they went crazy upon hearing Seraphina had jumped into the sea, abandoning me and rushing out. Now, their eyes held nothing but disgust and hatred for me. “Last night, Seraphina told me, ‘Mom, I might never catch up to Elara. My life is a joke’… How did I not realize what she meant!” Mom suddenly crouched down, her nails digging deep into my chin. “She’s your own sister! Is this how you belittled her, drove her to her death?!” Pain made tears well in my eyes. I struggled to speak, “Mom, no, I didn’t…” Before I could finish, Dad, his face a storm cloud, snatched up my crystal trophy and slammed it hard into my mouth. “Still trying to argue after all this?! You used this mouth to force Seraphina to suicide, didn’t you?!” Blow after blow, the heavy trophy slammed into me. My vision blurred, a warm gush erupted from my nose. Bang! The trophy finally shattered against my lips. Several sharp fragments pierced my mouth, and I nearly passed out from the pain. Blood dripped onto my white dress, blooming red where it touched. As if that wasn’t enough, Dad pressed me down, forcing me to kneel on the shards. My knees screamed in agony, the fragments felt like they were piercing my bones. I wailed. The next second, Dad stormed into my room, dragged out all my awards and certificates, and tore them to shreds in front of me. Even the clay sculpture of our family of four that I’d handmade for his birthday was smashed at his feet. No! Dad, why don’t you believe me…? Tears streaming down my face, I lunged to pick up the pieces, but Mom’s foot came down hard on my hand. “You murderer, give me back my Seraphina! Why wasn’t it you who died instead?!” She was hysterical, her high heel slamming down onto my fingers, one by one. “Ah!” The excruciating pain of breaking bones was too much. I couldn’t hold on, and everything went black.

When I woke again, I found myself lying on a soft bed. My face and hands were bandaged. Mom came in, holding a bowl of chicken soup. She blew on each spoonful, then fed it to me. This was the first time in eighteen years she’d been so gentle with me. My nose stung, and tears fell. “Mom, I really didn’t say those things to Seraphina. Please, believe me?” She mumbled a distracted “Mmm,” told me to rest, and left. I quickly drifted into a hazy sleep, but dimly heard someone talking to Mom and Dad: “Time’s almost up. Lock her away now!” My body was lifted and placed into a confined space. The familiar scent of pine wood brought me back to awareness. I struggled to open my eyes and discovered that Mom and Dad had crammed me into my cello case! Behind them stood a man dressed in flowing robes, looking like some kind of spiritual medium. Seeing the fear in my eyes as I tried to struggle, Dad shoved me back into the case with a vicious glare. “Stay there and atone for your sister! The Seer said Seraphina’s spirit can’t find its way back because you drove it away!” Mom, her hands pressed together, murmured, “Don’t be afraid, Seraphina. Your mom and dad have locked this wicked child away to pay for what she did. Please calm down, come back to us soon, just a visit. Tell us where your body drifted off to…” Julian, the medium, waved a hand, signaling them to seal the lid. “The deceased’s spirit will definitely visit in a dream within seven days. After that, you can let her out!” “No, Mom! I hurt so much, please don’t lock me in!” I struggled in terror, but Mom held me down tightly. Dad, with a grim look, snapped the latches shut. The world plunged into darkness. I desperately heard the cello case being locked. “If it weren’t for you—always showing off, always stealing her light—she’d still be alive.” Mom’s cold voice filtered in. Dad’s voice was full of disgust, “It’s just a few days in the cello case as punishment. Is that really more painful than Seraphina being lost to the sea?” My throat burned. I couldn’t breathe between sobs. The wounds on my fingers tore open again, and blood seeped out of the case, soaking the floor. “No… please, I’ll really die in here…” “Hmph! There are air holes in the cello case, and we gave you enough nutrients to last seven days. Don’t you dare try to threaten us with death!” “If only your death, you evil spawn, could bring Seraphina back, how wonderful that would be!” Hearing those last words, I completely gave up struggling. Tears streamed out, stinging the injuries on my face. I started to develop a high fever, my consciousness gradually blurring. I don’t know how much time passed, but then the door to the room where they’d set up Seraphina’s memorial opened. Instantly, my will to survive reignited. Mom, Dad, please save me, I feel terrible… Mom’s anxious voice reached my ears. “The Seer said, as long as we fulfill Seraphina’s wishes from her diary, she’ll definitely visit us in a dream!” “Right, let’s start doing them one by one now!” Dad urged her, and they left again. The door to the memorial room slammed shut with a *bang*. My only hope shattered once more. My body grew colder and colder. My vision began to blur. In the darkness, I seemed to return to my childhood, to a birthday celebration Mom and Dad threw for us. Mom carried a cake glittering with candles, and Dad smiled, clapping his hands. “Happy Birthday to our two adorable little birthday girls!” He smiled, holding out two gifts. “Elara, this is your new sheet music. Seraphina, this is the Barbie doll you wanted…” I smiled, reaching out to take the gift, but their faces instantly twisted. Mom slammed the cake onto the floor. Dad tore the sheet music in his hand to shreds. “You deliberately mocked your sister, forced her to suicide, didn’t you? You murderer!” I cried, shaking my head, “No! I just wanted to tell her, even if she couldn’t follow the path of music, there were so many other possibilities for her future…” “Liar! You killed her! You’ll pay for her life!” I cried, struggled, as if trapped in a long nightmare. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself no longer in that cramped, locked cello case. Instead, I was floating in the air above the memorial room.

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The year I started elementary school, a new teacher joined our small-town school. During the first class, my sister made me draw our mom in my notebook, chained up. The next day, squad cars with flashing lights swarmed our place. They restrained my yelling dad and smashed open the rusty padlock on my mom’s bedroom door. I watched Mom take Melanie’s hand and rush towards the impeccably dressed man, a smile on her face I’d never seen before. Dad lay in a pool of blood, eyes closed. I begged Mom to save him. But she just shoved me away. “Don’t call me! If it weren’t for Melanie, why would I have ever given birth to you, you little monster!” I froze. Melanie, didn’t you say if I gave the drawing to the teacher, Mom would finally hug me? Nothing in front of me matched my fantasies. The incredibly distinguished man, whom Mom clutched tightly, stared at me with intense fury. He kicked my unconscious dad several times before turning to me. A large hand shadowed the sunlight, and I quickly shut my eyes in fear. “Don’t…” It was Mom’s voice. She tugged on the man’s sleeve, giving me a complicated look. My heart fluttered with a tiny spark of hope. So Melanie hadn’t lied. Giving the drawing to the teacher would make Mom like me. My sister, Melanie, wriggled out of Mom’s embrace and pointed at me, sobbing. “Mom, it was her! The kidnapper loved her the most!” “He always gave her the best food first, and called her his little treasure!” “Her kidnapper dad made us suffer so much, why shouldn’t we teach her a lesson?” Mom’s body stiffened, and her eyes, fixed on me, hardened instantly. The man, whom Mom was holding back, seemed provoked. His gaze on me was filled with murderous intent. Bang! He kicked me, sending me sprawling to the ground. The hard sole of his shoe slammed into my chest, making me feel like my insides had been scrambled. “Mommy… Mommy…” I cried out for Mom, but she just kept holding Melanie, never once looking back at me. For some reason, hearing me call her Mom seemed to enrage the man even more. He relentlessly punched and kicked my curled-up body. The pain choked me, and my vision blurred. Mom, didn’t you just like me a moment ago? Why don’t you like me anymore? Officers in uniform finally pulled the man away, and I was saved. My dad, covered in blood, was handcuffed and taken away in a squad car with flashing lights. As he passed me, he actually smiled faintly, muttering something I couldn’t quite hear. I knew that those who were handcuffed never came back. Mom and Melanie were also preparing to leave. I screamed and cried, grabbing Mom’s leg, falling to my knees and begging her. “Mom, please don’t leave me. I’ll be good. I promise.” Mom hesitated, but then Melanie started crying. “Mommy, I’m scared. I don’t want to see her again.” Even though Mom and Robert didn’t want to take me, the officers insisted, and they reluctantly brought me into the car. The car seats were soft, but I didn’t dare move, afraid my dirty clothes would stain them, and they’d abandon me again. I gradually felt dizzy, and on a sharp turn, I couldn’t hold it in anymore and bumped into Melanie. Melanie burst into tears. “You bullied me enough before, and now you’re bullying me again! I hate you! I never want to see you!” In the end, they found a thick rope. One end was tied to my wrist, the other fastened to the back of the car. I was dragged along behind their car like trash. By the time the car stopped, I was a bloody mess.

I was confined to the hospital for a full month. Each time the doctor came for rounds, his eyes held deep pity for me. Mom never once appeared. Only Melanie came a few times. Each time, she wore a beautiful frilly dress I’d never seen before, holding delicate snacks. She sat by my hospital bed, eating chips and boasting about her new life. “Lily, Dad bought me a huge toy castle, much bigger than our old house in the village.” “Mom took me to eat French food. The snails were so delicious, I bet you’ve never had them, right?” Her words pierced my heart a little. But I remained silent, just watching her quietly. After my injuries healed, I was brought home. It was called a home, but my room was in the attic, small and stuffy, with only a tiny skylight. They didn’t allow me to step out of the room, let alone go to school. Every day after school, Melanie would come by my room, in her pretty school uniform and cute backpack, just to show off. “Lily, today in art class, our teacher taught us how to draw, it was so much fun.” “Lily, my classmates invited me to the amusement park this weekend, and Mom already said yes.” I really wanted to go to school too, but from bits and pieces of the nanny’s conversations, I vaguely learned about my background. Until one day, Melanie took my hand and led me out of the attic, to Mom. “Mom, let Lily go to school too.” “Those things were all the kidnapper’s fault, they have nothing to do with Lily. We shouldn’t take it out on her.” After Melanie’s repeated pleas, Mom actually relented. “Go if you want, just don’t cause trouble.” Mom didn’t even look at me, coldly dropped those words, and left. Even though Mom still didn’t like me, I could finally go to school. I was transferred into Melanie’s elite private school, and I thought this was the start of a new life. But on my first day, my desk was drenched in black ink. My new textbooks were torn to shreds, paper scraps scattered everywhere. I didn’t dare speak up, silently cleaning it up alone. During break, a group of rich kids cornered me in the restroom. “Small-town hick! Do you even know how to use a proper restroom?” “Look at her clothes, so tacky!” “I heard her dad’s a kidnapper, trash’s kids should just die!” A chubby girl suddenly grabbed my hair and shoved my head into the toilet bowl. I struggled desperately, but I was too weak and choked on mouthfuls of disgusting water. Just then, Melanie appeared. She frowned and yelled, “Don’t you dare bully my sister!” She pulled me out of the toilet. “My sister just came from a small town, she doesn’t know how to use a toilet, don’t laugh at her.” “She was brought back by my mom and dad, even though… even though she doesn’t really look like she belongs in our family, but for my sake, please don’t bully her, okay?” But after she finished, she suddenly covered her nose, looking at me with disgust. “Ugh, what’s that smell? Didn’t you take a shower?” After her “defense,” the group laughed even more wildly. “So she’s Melanie’s charity case!” “Don’t worry, for your sake, we’ll take good ‘care’ of her!” After school, I returned home, filthy. Mom saw my condition and frowned in disgust. “She’s a lowlife, alright. Only good for causing trouble outside.” I said nothing, dragging my exhausted body back to the attic. Closing the door, I took out the paper and pen I’d hidden under my bed. I’d scavenged them from the trash. Lying on the floor, I drew a little girl on the paper. The girl stood on the edge of a cliff, and behind her, countless unseen hands were pushing her into the abyss.

I quickly learned the survival rules of that school. No matter how they insulted me, how they pranked me, I remained expressionless. They didn’t let me study, so I pretended not to listen to anything in class. Then, in the evening, back in the attic, I’d study little by little. Until one day, Melanie tore all my notes to shreds. “Lily, Mom won’t give you money for college anyway. This junk is taking up too much space. I cleared it out for you, no need to thank me.” In that moment, something inside me just snapped. I used all my strength and shoved her hard to the ground. She hadn’t expected me to fight back and fell heavily, hitting her forehead on the corner of a table. Blood started to seep out. “Ah!” Mom and the household staff immediately rushed up. Melanie cried and threw herself into Mom’s arms: “Mommy, Lily hit me! She said I’m a bad person and she wants to kick me out of this house!” Mom looked at the cut on Melanie’s forehead, then at me, her eyes turning instantly vicious. “You ungrateful snake! Melanie has been so good to you, and you dare lay a hand on her!” Her hand came down before I could move. The sting spread across my face, sharp and hot. Robert also rushed over. “You dare hurt Melanie? You’ll pay for this!!” He grabbed my hair and slammed my head against the wall. My scalp screamed with searing pain. Melanie hid behind Mom, revealing a pair of red-rimmed eyes, “Dad, don’t blame Lily, it’s my fault, I shouldn’t have ruined her things…” “What things does she have? A lowlife, eating my food, living in my house, and daring to bully my daughter!” He looked around, then grabbed a leather belt from the wall. The cold gleam of the belt flashed, but Mom’s eyes showed no ripples, instead, she hugged Melanie even tighter. Crack! The belt landed heavily on my back. My clothes instantly ripped, and the burning pain made me curl into a ball. “It wasn’t me…” I could barely speak through the pain, but I still used all my strength to argue, “It was her… she tore up my notes…” “Still talking back! Still slandering Melanie!” Crack! Crack! Crack! The belt struck again and again. My back, my legs, everywhere burned with tearing pain. I looked up at Mom by the door, casting her a final plea. She finally spoke, but it wasn’t the plea I’d hoped for. “Just like your kidnapper father, full of lies, a born bad seed, rotten to the core.” Robert threw down the belt and started kicking my body with the tip of his shoe. My chest, my abdomen, my back… each kick made me feel like my insides were being torn apart. The taste of blood filled my mouth, and my vision began to blur. Before closing my eyes, I saw Melanie peek out from Mom’s embrace, a barely perceptible smirk curling at the corner of her lips.

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The apartment building was on fire in the middle of the night. My first instinct was to rush and save my boyfriend, Julian. Even with extensive burns all over my body, I gritted my teeth and dragged him out. But then, after my skin graft surgery, I saw Julian on TV, telling reporters: “My girlfriend tried to set me on fire! I’m calling the police!” He even produced surveillance footage of me pouring gasoline, clearly preparing to start a fire. I was utterly defenseless, branded a murderer. When I confronted him at his place, I found Julian secretly involved with my best friend, Serena. “Didn’t you say? Once she’s in prison, no one will ever expose your secret as the fake heiress.” “But only the mouths of the dead stay sealed.” “Whether you’re with the Albrights or with me, you’ll always be the pampered princess.” In a panic, I tried to escape, but they caught me and pushed me down the stairs together. In my last moments, I finally understood. Julian’s efforts to get close to me were all to help the fake heiress clear her path. When I opened my eyes again, Julian was calling me, screaming for help from the fire. I ignored him. Instead, I scrolled through his buddies’ contacts and found the one with the hottest body. “Date? I like guys with eight-pack abs.”

Leo, Julian’s usually quiet friend in the SnapChat group, immediately replied: “Sure, just don’t regret it.” A faint smirk played on my lips as I put down my phone. Gasps filled the air around me. “Fire! Iris, isn’t that Julian’s apartment building in that direction?” It was Serena, my “best friend” for years, the rich heiress. It took dying once in my past life to realize the truth. She was actually the daughter of their former housekeeper, and I was the real Albright heiress, swapped at birth. During a routine blood donation last time, she accidentally found out my true identity. Afraid that I’d return to the Albright family and pose a threat, she conspired with Julian to stage this whole charade. But this time, I wasn’t playing along. Serena urged me to get up and help, but I paid her no mind, instead focusing on doing my makeup in front of the mirror. I put on some killer makeup. Serena paced beside me, stomping her foot in frustration. “Your boyfriend just called, asking you to help with the fire. Why aren’t you going?” “If you’re late and something happens to him, you’ll regret it!” I couldn’t help but scoff. “My boyfriend, and I’m not worried. Why are you?” “If he can call me, he can surely call 911.” “Besides, if the fire really takes hold, what can a young woman like me do?” “If Julian truly loved me, he wouldn’t want me to get in the way.” I continued leisurely applying my makeup. Serena was furious. “Iris Albright! How can you be so cold-blooded and heartless?” “If you’re not going, I will! You’re so callous, I don’t want a friend like you anymore!” She fumed, then turned and stormed away. My phone vibrated incessantly. I picked it up and saw the SnapChat group was in an uproar. It was a private group I’d specifically made with Julian’s friends, excluding him. Ten minutes ago, my “Date?” message had sent the small group into a frenzy. “Hey, look at me! I’m stronger than Julian!” “I’m a hottie, Iris, date me!” Julian’s friends had always been flirting with me. They acted like Julian’s buddies on the surface. But their eyes held a knowing look every time they looked at me. Last time, I overheard them talking in a private lounge. “Seriously, did you win the lottery or something? How did you manage to score a beauty like her?” “If you ever dump a stunner like this, remember to toss her our way.” “For years, you only had Serena in your heart. How did Iris suddenly catch your attention? Even if she’s a bit poor, her face is absolutely stunning, it’s hard not to like her…” Julian always just smiled and stayed silent, basking in their verbal adoration. Everyone knew his heart belonged only to Serena. They knew he would eventually kick me to the curb. Only I was kept in the dark. Including that fire, when I rushed in to save him. But he tried to trap me in the burning room. Even after I dragged him out, covered in burns myself, he still wanted me dead, pushing me down the stairs. This time, I would protect both my life and my identity, making sure no one could take them from me. Just as I was lost in thought, my phone buzzed twice. Leo sent a message: “I’m downstairs.” I sashayed downstairs, looking absolutely stunning. Walking out of the campus gate, I passed by the burning apartment building. The roadside was crowded with concerned bystanders, some frantically trying to put out the fire, others calling 911. My phone kept ringing – it was Julian. I simply pulled my gaze away, silenced the call, and headed off to my date with his friend. I was so stupid in my past life, rushing in to save him without a second thought. But if Julian truly loved me, why would he knowingly try to drag me into danger? After a satisfying meal and some fun, Leo drove me back. This time, Julian had to escape the blaze on his own, looking disheveled and covered in ash. As I returned, my eyes met Julian’s. His face was a mix of shock, surprise, and resentment. His friends were celebrating his narrow escape, and reporters swarmed him. “Excuse me, how did this fire start?” Julian pointed at me, accusingly, into the camera. “It was her.” “I saw it with my own eyes. She snuck in around midnight and poured gasoline nearby, clearly intending to set it on fire.”

Just as I expected. It was exactly like my past life. Julian not only publicly slandered me to reporters, accusing me of arson and attempted murder, but he’d also brought those reporters himself. In my past life, I couldn’t understand why Julian would say such a thing. My eyes red, I looked at him for a long time. “Julian, are you delirious from the smoke? How could I possibly set you on fire?” “I’m your girlfriend, and I’m covered in burns from saving you!” Back then, I had just returned from skin graft surgery. But Julian violently shoved me to the ground. “Don’t make excuses!” “You only got close to me for my money! You knew I had an apartment off-campus, and you wanted to kill me so all my assets would be yours!” My lips trembled, unable to utter a single word. I couldn’t comprehend how the sweet boyfriend I had yesterday could turn into such a monster. But my distraught appearance, to the reporters, looked like an admission of guilt. Now, Julian, just like in my past life, was accusing me of arson and attempted murder in front of the cameras. I remained completely calm. “I have an alibi.” I patted Leo’s shoulder. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask him. I was on a date with him when the fire started.” Julian’s friends stood there, mouths agape, speechless with shock. Some were even whispering: “Holy crap, is she playing that hard? Iris actually cheated on him!” “I told you, Big River, Leo’s family is way richer than yours. Even if she was after money, she wouldn’t pick you.” “But then again, it could be a crime of passion! You never know what’s in someone’s heart, right?” Julian’s expression froze. He hadn’t expected me to say that. His face darkened, and he stared at me intently. “I don’t know how you hooked up with my friend, but even if he’s covering for you, it doesn’t change the facts.” He clenched his fist, veins bulging on the back of his hand, and angrily declared: “I saw the fire with my own eyes. You set it.” I couldn’t help but scoff. “Don’t be ridiculous. If you saw it with your own eyes, why didn’t you stop it?” “Julian, even if you’re going to lie, at least try to make it logical.” I yawned lazily. “A full day of dating is quite tiring. I’m going home to sleep.” “Stop right there!” Julian grabbed my arm, a cold sneer on his face. “You think I don’t have proof?” Soon, Julian produced the surveillance video. Indeed, it showed a girl. In the dead of night, pouring gasoline and dropping an unextinguished cigarette butt. And the clothes the girl was wearing were identical to what I had on right now! Suddenly, I was the target of universal condemnation, harsh glares and accusations raining down on me. “Holy crap, it’s actually true! The surveillance video is right here, what more do you have to say for yourself?” “How could a young woman be so malicious?” “Exactly! Isn’t he your boyfriend? Even if he rejected your proposal, you shouldn’t resort to murder to silence him!” Julian, it turned out, had told the cameras earlier that I was not only after his money, but also retaliating because he’d recently postponed our wedding plans. Julian’s eyes welled up for the camera, as if deeply hurt by me. “Iris, if there’s anything you want, you can just tell me. If you want to break up with me and be with Leo, I wouldn’t stop you. Why did you have to try and kill me?” I broke out in goosebumps. What a performance! Hearing how ‘pitiful’ he was, the people around him started cursing me even more venomously, practically foaming at the mouth. My gaze fell on the surveillance video, and I suddenly spoke. “Since you’re all so convinced that I’m the one who committed arson and attempted murder—” “Why don’t you take a closer look? Is the person in that video really me?” They insisted it was me. The face was identical, and the clothes were exactly the same as mine. But I smiled. “That face is indeed identical to mine, and even the clothes are pretty much the same.” I zoomed in on the video, pointing to a specific detail. “But this woman in the video has six fingers. Are you sure that’s a real person?”

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My fiancé’s first love developed amnesia, fiercely clinging to the delusional belief that she and Dominic had never broken up. The first time, she crashed my birthday party, smashing cake into my face and screaming I was a homewrecker. The second time, she took a baseball bat and utterly destroyed the wedding apartment I’d poured my heart into decorating. The third time, at Dominic’s and my wedding, she broke through security, brandishing a knife, and left me severely wounded. I lifted my bleeding hand, trembling as I dialed 911, but Dominic snatched the phone away and hung up. I thought he was going to tell me to just endure it, again. The next second, hatred burned in his eyes as he strode towards Seraphina, grabbing her by the throat and dragging her out. “If you’re sick, then go to a mental institution and stay there! Don’t you dare think about coming out, ever!” A suffocating knot of dread finally loosened in my chest, and I closed my eyes, succumbing to unconsciousness. When I woke again, I searched the hospital room for him, but instead, my phone screen lit up. My finger instinctively tapped the video. Two naked bodies were intimately entwined on a bed. Seraphina fiercely bit into Dominic’s shoulder, “I don’t care, you’re mine, forever.” “Even if I’m done with you, no one else gets to have you!” Dominic said nothing, but his body answered her possessive declaration with an even fiercer, deeper thrust. *CRASH!* My phone slipped from my numb fingers, hitting the floor with a loud thud. Since you chose her, then we’re over.

The intimate sounds and whispered dialogue from my phone continued. After pleasured moans, Seraphina’s triumphant voice purred, “If Scarlett knew your idea of revenge was just ‘punishing’ me fiercely in bed, do you think she’d still…” “Shut up!” Dominic cut her off coldly. “I’ll never let her find out, and I’m certainly not breaking up with her.” He grabbed her by the neck again, a heavy warning glinting in his eyes. “If you dare lay another hand on her, don’t blame me for exposing your lie about faking illness and making sure you spend the rest of your life in a mental institution!” But Seraphina ignored his threat, her teasing hand boldly reaching out to grasp his throbbing erection. “I don’t believe you could ever be that cruel to me.” Dominic was about to say more, but her warm lips covered his, silencing him completely. Once again, intimate sounds flooded my ears. It was a long time after their intimate exchange on the phone finally ended before I could regain my composure. He knew all along she was faking her illness, yet he repeatedly indulged her, letting her hurt me, all to reminisce about their past love. I raised a hand to wipe away my tears, then picked up my phone and found Dominic’s contact icon. I’d just finished typing my breakup message and hit send when the hospital room door swung open. Dominic walked in, carrying a food container. He scooped out a bowl of porridge and handed it to me, saying guiltily, “I’ve already sent her to a mental institution and disciplined her severely for you.” I gazed at the large, suggestive red marks on his exposed neck, a cold sneer forming in my heart. A “mental ward” that looked more like a luxury penthouse, and that “punishment” that sounded suspiciously like heated passion. His “discipline” for her was certainly unique… and utterly brutal, in a way I hadn’t anticipated. When he saw the breakup message I’d sent on my phone, Dominic’s face instantly tensed. “Scarlett, Seraphina and I are long in the past. You are the only one I love now.” “In seven days, I’ll organize another wedding for you.” Dominic leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead. “I promise you, she will never again appear to ruin our happiness.” His eyes held that deep affection that had captivated me countless times before, but now, I saw only hypocrisy and profound disgust. I looked at him, shaking my head bitterly. “It’s over. We should just break up.” “No!” Dominic possessively pulled me into his arms. “Scarlett, trust me. Just give me one more chance.” “This time, I promise I’ll completely cut ties with her. I won’t let her hurt you ever again.” Dominic leaned down to kiss my lips, but before he could, the sudden ring of his phone interrupted him. “What?! She jumped?!” The next second, Dominic bolted out the door in a panic, without even a word to me. The hospital room door swung open and bounced back, closing with a violent thud that shattered the last shred of hope I had for him. My heart plummeted seeing the contact name flash across the screen: “My Darling Seraphina.” Tears gushed out of my eyes. Watching his retreating back, I whispered softly, Goodbye, to the five years of my misplaced heart.

Looking down, I caught sight of a spreading crimson stain on my shirt, realizing with alarm that my wound had reopened. I urgently pressed the call button. After a long wait, no doctor came. Forcing myself out of bed despite the pain to find help, I was violently slammed into and knocked down just as I stepped out the door. “Sorry, I’m in a hurry. Please move.” That familiar deep voice reached my ears, and I abruptly looked up. I saw a panicked Dominic, tightly holding Seraphina, rushing to the emergency room. A crowd of doctors and nurses followed close behind them. I heard one of them grumbling as they ran: “It’s just a simple sprain, yet she’s acting like her leg is actually broken. Mr. Blackwood is far too concerned about this woman, isn’t he?” “I heard she stabbed Mr. Blackwood’s fiancée, leaving her severely wounded, and faced no repercussions. That’s not just concern; he dotes on her like she’s the most precious thing in the world.” Listening to the whispers, and seeing the large crimson stain on the pristine white floor beneath my feet, a dull ache pulsed deep within my heart. I curled my lips in a self-deprecating sneer. I, his current fiancée, couldn’t even compare to a single toe of his ex. What a cruel irony. Dragging my broken body and spirit, I returned to my room. I grabbed the gauze from the bedside table and, with my one good hand, struggled to bandage myself. Later that night, half-asleep, I was suddenly yanked out of bed. Dominic, looking frantic, pulled me, urging me towards the door. “Scarlett, you have a knack for massages. Go help Seraphina with her ankle.” “She’s in so much pain, she can’t even sleep.” *BOOM!* My brain exploded in that instant. I stared at Dominic, my eyes wide with disbelief. “Dominic, I am your fiancée! You abandoned me to save another woman, and now you want me to massage her?!” I tore myself free from his grip, screaming my questions at him. “How could you possibly do this?!” Seraphina’s knife wound was just one millimeter from my heart. Even the doctors said if I’d been brought in a moment later, I wouldn’t have made it. Just now, you violently knocked me down in the hallway, and my already life-threatening wound had torn even wider. Excruciating, bone-deep pain threatened to swallow me whole. But he ignored it, his eyes only seeing his ex, who merely sprained her ankle jumping from a waist-high window ledge. “I…” The man who was always so aloof and dignified in my presence, his usually composed face showed a rare stiffness. He pleaded softly, “But she was provoked by you, which made her jump and get hurt. Isn’t it only right to help treat her?” I immediately retorted, “You provoked her, not me!” His heart still belonged to his ex, yet he came to provoke me. He indulged her in repeatedly hurting me, yet swore I was the one he loved most. I looked at Dominic, my voice cold. “Stabbed by someone and then expected to treat them? I, Scarlett Hayes, am not some doormat!” Dominic was stunned speechless again. A flicker of displeasure crossed his eyes as he turned away and pulled out his phone. “Hello? Get that renowned specialist from New York to our city, *now*!” He hung up, then cast a cold glance my way. “I never thought you’d be so heartless. I truly misjudged you!” With that, Dominic once again rushed out of my hospital room. As if to punish my ruthlessness towards Seraphina, Dominic didn’t appear again for several days, nor did he send any messages. While struggling to cope alone, I kept hearing from others about his preferential care for Seraphina. “Did you hear? That woman with the sprained ankle is already well, but Mr. Blackwood insisted on flying in the most famous doctor by private helicopter to treat her, saying he was worried she might be permanently disabled.” Another person shook their head, sighing, “Talk about chalk and cheese, huh? The patient in Room 3, Bed 4, whose heart was almost pierced, her fiancé reportedly hasn’t even bothered to visit once.” She then glanced at me, lying in my hospital bed, her eyes a mix of pity and mockery. Even though I repeatedly told myself that Dominic and I were over, facing those strange glances, my heart still couldn’t help but ache. To escape the gossip, I leaned on my crutches, alone, and made my way to the hospital lawn downstairs. After soaking in the sun for a while, I got up and headed back to my room. Suddenly, I heard a shout of alarm. “Look! Someone’s going to jump!”

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My wedding was just around the corner when a nude sculpture, named after me, shot to the top of the trending list. Zooming in on the screen, every scandalous detail was glaringly clear. I felt like I was nailed to a pillar of shame, a cold dread seeping into my bones. My phone was practically melting down with countless strangers calling, asking how much I charged for a night. On my way home from work, I was even dragged into the bushes by a stranger from online, who almost ripped my clothes off! I knew it was the work of my fiancé’s childhood best friend, Chloe Davis. Only he had left those three hickeys on my side that night. At the police station, I screamed hysterically at Leo Sterling over the phone, “Why did you give Chloe Davis my private photos? Why? Do you have any idea I was nearly assaulted?!” The next second, a Maybach pulled up outside, and Leo strode in with long strides, stopping right in front of me. His expression was cold, as if the nude sculpture going viral, as if *I*, who was nearly violated, wasn’t his fiancée. “Chloe is an artist. It’s an honor for you that she chose to depict your nude form.” “Since you weren’t successfully violated, it’s no big deal. Don’t worry, to protect you, Chloe will stand in for you at the wedding next Saturday. But I’ll still legally marry you; you’ll still be my Mrs. Sterling.” Because of this incident, my family’s image was tarnished, and our stock plummeted. I outwardly agreed, playing along. But the second he turned away, I sent a compressed file to a powerful, childless New York mogul. It contained top-secret documents that could ruin Leo Sterling’s career and reputation. “I agree to marry you, including giving you half of the Maxwell family’s assets, but you have to help me take down Sterling Corp.”

The voice on the other end was lazy, with an air of nonchalance. “Deal.” I hung up, exhaling a long breath. But when I opened the passenger door, I saw Chloe Davis sitting in *my* dedicated seat, the “wife-only” one. She put her hands together and playfully stuck out her tongue. “Oh, sorry, Seraphina dear. I really didn’t mean to use your nude photos. I just mentioned it casually, and I never thought Leo would actually get his hands on them.” I ignored her. From the way she was settled, she clearly wasn’t going to get out. Chloe shot Leo a look. “Leo, you really shouldn’t have taken such high-definition photos! But, you know, it’s for art, right? Seraphina, you’re incredibly brave!” My hand clenched the back car door, and the details of the sculpture flashed through my mind. My blood ran cold, freezing me in place. It was already dark. I didn’t want to deal with them and turned to leave. Chloe stomped her feet in frustration and nudged Leo twice. “What are you standing there for? Go apologize to your fiancée!” Two seconds later, Leo grabbed my wrist. “Seraphina Maxwell, what’s with the attitude?” “Chloe thinks you’re beautiful, that’s why she used your nude body. Shouldn’t you be thanking her?” “Beautiful?” I looked at him in disbelief. When we first started dating, a business partner at a party touched my shoulder suggestively. Leo immediately broke that man’s finger bones. Sterling Corp lost a $30 million deal because of it. His father locked him in the basement for three days and three nights. When I saw him, emaciated to just skin and bones, I couldn’t stop my heart from aching. “Leo, don’t be so impulsive for me next time.” That Leo Sterling was like a rogue completely smitten. “Next time someone bullies you, I’ll do it again! What kind of man can’t protect his own woman?” His eyes were bright that night. But now, he saw me being harassed, and he couldn’t even offer a word of comfort. I thought I’d never marry anyone but him, until his childhood friend came back. I couldn’t compete with her at all. I might be letting him go, but I wouldn’t suffer this humiliation for nothing. I sneered, instantly shaking off Leo’s hand. Then I walked straight up to Chloe Davis, tore open the front of her shirt to take a picture! “I think you’re quite beautiful too! Why don’t you also go viral so everyone can see you!” “Leo, save me!” Leo rushed over and kicked me away. “Chloe is still just a young girl! You’re destined to be my wife, I don’t care, so what if people saw you? Even if you were molested…” *Slap!* My eyes red, I slapped him hard across the face! “Leo Sterling, are you even human?!” Chloe panicked, quickly shielding Leo behind her. “Seraphina Maxwell, how dare you hit Leo? Is he wrong? I saw you enjoying being molested!” *Enjoying?* Just thinking about being dragged into the bushes and having my clothes ripped off by that man in black terrified me. I struggled desperately, my throat raw from screaming. The man, unable to finish, punched me a dozen times until I blacked out. If a passing security guard hadn’t called the police, I might have truly died in those bushes. Now, covered in bruises, I stood before them, and they said I *enjoyed* it? 2. I didn’t want to be entangled with them anymore; I just wanted some peace. I turned around and heard a car engine start. I thought they were leaving too, but the next second, the car drove straight towards me! With a deafening crash, I was sent flying by Leo Sterling’s luxury car! At the moment of impact, agonizing pain mixed with numbness shot through my spine, making every breath a tearing agony. Chloe Davis sat in the driver’s seat, trembling. “Oh, sorry, Seraphina! I really didn’t mean to! It’s my first time driving, I didn’t expect to hit you!” A metallic taste filled my mouth, and I coughed up blood. Leo Sterling, however, acted as if he hadn’t seen it, affectionately stroking Chloe’s head and encouraging her. “Good hit.” “No need to apologize, just consider it a lesson for her!” He was so confident I would marry him, but he had no idea I had already married someone else. Watching his calm demeanor, I truly wondered what his reaction would be when he found out. I endured the pain and called 911, and I don’t know how many bags of blood I received before I was wheeled out of surgery. The next day, Chloe Davis posted an update on social media. While I was in surgery, fighting for my life, my fiancé was spending a tender night with his childhood best friend. A luxurious mansion downtown, limited edition luxury cars, jewelry, even the heirloom my grandmother gave *him* – he gave it all to Chloe Davis. “It feels so good to be deeply loved by someone you’ve known for twenty years~” The comment section was filled with blessings and users “shipping them.” Some unhappily married women even complained about their poor husbands, saying how envious they were. This was her relationship account. Chloe Davis was the daughter of the Sterling family’s housekeeper, who later studied abroad. Leo Sterling had hidden this relationship and relentlessly pursued me for three years. After my parents died, he was the only one who truly cared for me, spoiling me like New York’s top princess. It turned out these were all things he had already done for Chloe Davis. The next second, Chloe sent me a message. “Seraphina, did your surgery hurt? Leo’s first time with me was also very painful.” With that, she sent me a photo: a bedsheet stained with blood spots. “Seraphina, Leo wants me to have his baby. He can’t bear for me to suffer, so who do you think he’ll make carry it?” I was engulfed by overwhelming fear. At that moment, I was chained to the hospital bed by tubes, watching helplessly as a doctor approached me with an 8-inch-long needle. “What are you doing?! Don’t come any closer!” I couldn’t break free and resignedly closed my eyes. “Whose orders?” “I’m sorry, Miss Maxwell, I can’t disclose that.” The Sterling Group was the largest shareholder of this hospital, known for its compassionate patient care. Who else but Leo Sterling could make them so callously harm me? The doctor didn’t use anesthesia, and my screams echoed throughout the hallway. After the procedure, I was completely drained from the pain. I touched the life within my womb that wasn’t mine and cried inconsolably. When Leo Sterling and I first became a couple, he knew I loved children. The first thing he did was donate eight million dollars in my name to an orphanage. He watched me play with the children at the orphanage, then crouched down and gently asked if I wanted to adopt one. I, foolishly shaking my head, hugged him and whispered in his ear, “Leo, I only want to have *your* children.” That night, he made passionate love to me, telling me he wanted me to bear a whole soccer team’s worth of kids for him. But he stopped at the last moment, saying he couldn’t bear to see me suffer the pains of childbirth. It turns out he wasn’t afraid of *my* suffering. He just didn’t want *my* children. I was so incredibly foolish. Just then, Leo Sterling walked in, carrying a bowl of porridge. I threw everything I could reach at him!

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The Poisoned Truth The stray cat I brought home hated my husband. Every time David handed me a warm glass of milk, Mittens would leap up and knock it over. After a few times, David told me to get rid of the cat. So, I had no choice but to drop it off at my best friend Chloe’s place. That night, just as I was about to drink my milk, Chloe called. “Sarah! This cat is incredible! It knocks over anything if it gets near mercury, that chemical poison, and it arches its back and hisses!” I froze, my gaze darting to David, who was staring at me from across the room… 0 “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Is the milk too hot?” David fixed his gaze on me, slowly closing the distance. I’d been having trouble sleeping, and he made me a cup of warm milk every night. If what Chloe said was true, then… My hand, holding the mug, trembled slightly. I forced myself to calm down. “It does feel a bit hot. Maybe you can check the temperature for me?” I extended the mug right under his nose. David’s smile froze on his face. Then, a sudden realization hit me: I’d been on speakerphone when Chloe called. The air seemed to solidify in an instant. We just stared at each other, motionless. Suddenly, the mug slipped from my hand and shattered on the floor. “So clumsy. Now you can’t even have any, even if you wanted to.” David managed a strained smile, a hint of accusation in his voice. But I heard a distinct sigh of relief in his tone. The moment he turned to fetch a broom, A wave of bitter realization washed over me. However passionate our love once was, The pain I felt now was just as real, just as piercing. 0

The next morning, I suddenly heard a few meows from the living room. Before I could even wonder, my bedroom door swung open. A fluffy body pounced on me. It was Mittens! The stray cat I’d rescued! How was it back in the house? “Sarah, I got an emergency notice for a week-long business trip. I had no choice but to bring Mittens back to you. I’ll pick her up in a week!” Chloe’s figure appeared in the doorway. She looked rushed, clearly in a hurry to leave. I got up, hugging Mittens, and instinctively glanced at David. His back was to me; I couldn’t see his expression. But when he turned around, he was beaming. “Of course, she can stay! Honestly, Sarah regretted giving her away right after, and so did I!” “Oh?” A flicker of suspicion crossed Chloe’s face. I’d told her how much David hated this cat. She must have been as surprised as I was by his sudden change of heart. “Perfect then. I have to go now. You two take care!” Chloe said, her tone heavy with unspoken meaning, and then opened the door and left. As she vanished, David’s smile slowly faded. He took Mittens from my arms, his face dark with menace, staring at me. Every hair on my body stood on end. 0

That night, I was plagued by a recurring nightmare. I dreamt David grabbed Mittens by the leg, slamming her head against the ground. Finally, he brought his foot down, crushing her… “No!” I screamed, waking up in a cold sweat. And then, I actually heard a few desperate cat meows echoing in my ears. “Mittens…” I stumbled out of the bedroom, searching the entire house, but there was no sign of Mittens. David’s room was also empty. An icy wave of dread washed over me. I suddenly realized those pained meows. They seemed to be coming from outside the front door. I tiptoed to the door and flung it open. What I saw shocked me to my core: David was clutching Mittens by the leg, swinging his arm, and brutally smashing her against the ground. Mittens, after rolling and twitching for a moment, lay still. I was paralyzed with shock by the sudden horrifying sight. When I finally snapped out of it, I rushed over and scooped up Mittens. But she was already lifeless. “Mittens suddenly went crazy just now and scratched Brittany several times, so I threw her once. I didn’t expect her to die just like that!” David gave me a cold look, explaining calmly. Only then did I notice a woman standing behind him.

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From childhood, I was fiercely protective of my sister. No one was allowed to hurt her. My uncle used to mock my sister, calling her ‘simple-minded,’ and even encouraged other kids to treat her like a dog, riding on her back. Without a second thought, I squeezed his son’s mouth open and force-fed him pesticide. “You love watching ‘idiots,’ huh? Well, now you’ll have one of your own to watch.” The old bachelor, taking advantage of the twilight quiet, tried to lure my sister into his room with hard candies. I grabbed the cleaver and, with one swift chop, severed his ‘sinful flesh.’ “That pathetic little thing, and he dared to eye my sister? It’s not even enough to get stuck in a dog’s teeth!” The villagers would scatter whenever they saw me, whispering behind my mother’s back that she’d birthed two daughters: one an idiot, the other a lunatic. My parents, terrified I’d cause another death, had no choice but to painfully commit me to an asylum. I was locked away for ten years. When I was finally released, Mom called me, sobbing. “Chloe, please, come to the hospital first. Your sister… she’s barely hanging on.” “Your brother-in-law, just to amuse his mistress, tied her in a dog kennel for three days and three nights. Her body was so mangled, there wasn’t a single unbitten patch of skin.” I said nothing. I hung up the phone, gripped a heavy iron bar, and rushed to the Sterling estate. When Derek Sterling and his mistress returned, I was stirring the meat in the pot, and I flashed them a smile. “Hungry? Dinner’s ready.”

“Oh, how impressive, the idiot can actually cook! I thought you only knew how to beg for scraps in the doghouse.” Vanessa Thorne pinched her nose and circled around me. Seeing no sign of suspicion on her face, a subtle smile played on my lips. It seemed ten years hadn’t changed how much my sister and I resembled each other. That saved me a lot of trouble. I pretended not to hear the sarcasm in Vanessa’s voice, smiling faintly. “After being bitten by the dogs and hospitalized, I feel like my brain’s gotten much sharper. I really have you to thank for that.” She looked at my docile demeanor and immediately let out a piercing laugh. “Derek, did you hear that? She’s actually thanking us for letting the dogs bite her. You married quite a wife, she’s absolutely hilarious!” Derek Sterling, hearing the taunt, struggled to maintain his expression. He eyed me with disgust. “She’s no Mrs. Sterling. Grandma was just sickly back then, and Lily was nothing but a prop to cheer her up, a temporary comfort.” “Vanessa, you know you’re the only one for me.” Derek clasped Vanessa’s hand tightly, his eyes filled with tender affection. Vanessa shot me a glance, her triumph practically overflowing. She purred, “Alright, I know, let’s try Lily’s cooking.” She inhaled the strange aroma and instinctively swallowed. Eagerly, she picked up her fork and speared a large piece of meat. Derek took a bite too, his eyes lighting up. He mumbled, “Can’t believe it, you fool, your cooking’s actually pretty good.” Watching them devour the meal, the smile on my lips widened. Before long, the entire pot of meat was completely empty. Vanessa rubbed her belly, satisfied. She scooped the remaining scraps into a bowl and handed it to me. “Here, take this good stuff to Lucky and Treasure.” Lucky and Treasure were Vanessa and Derek’s dogs, pampered like children for seven years. As I took the bowl, she suddenly snatched it back, pinching her nose in disgust. “You didn’t pee yourself again, did you? You reek.” “Forget it, I’ll feed them myself.” I looked down at the stains on my apron and clicked my tongue. Those two brutes were a handful. Took all my strength to get them settled, and now look, I’m covered in their mess. I wondered if this outfit would ever come clean. Lost in thought, a sudden shriek erupted from the backyard. Vanessa stumbled back inside, her eyes wide with terror. She clutched Derek’s sleeve, her face ashen. “Derek, the backyard’s covered in blood! Lucky and Treasure are gone!” Her voice was on the verge of tears. Derek frowned deeply, then turned to glare at me. “You’ve been home all this time, where are the dogs?” I touched my nose, a childish grin on my face. “Weren’t they what you just ate? You said it was delicious.” 2. At my words, Derek’s mind went blank, and then his stomach churned. Vanessa frantically gagged, practically retching bile. Her eyes bloodshot, she lunged at me. “You bitch, I’ll make you pay for this!” I stood my ground, unmoving, and silently counted to three. Soon, Vanessa and Derek collapsed to the floor, unconscious. I raised an eyebrow in satisfaction. The sedatives from the asylum worked like a charm. When they awoke again, they were bound tightly to chairs. I picked up a pair of scissors and walked straight to Vanessa. Her face contorted in fear as she shrieked, “Lily! What are you doing?!” I ignored her screams, and with a snip, I chopped off her proudly long hair, leaving it uneven and ugly. Vanessa struggled desperately, but in the end, she could only watch her hair fall, tears streaming down her face. I was simply giving her a taste of her own medicine, returning the favor for what she’d done to my sister. After her haircut, I grabbed a bucket of gasoline and poured a circle around them both. Derek’s eyes widened. “You fool, murder is a crime!” I paid him no mind, simply doused them both in the remaining gasoline. They instantly looked like drowned rats. Then, I smiled, a terrifying grin. “You two love playing games, don’t you? Well, today, I’ll play along.” The lighter clicked, igniting. Seeing that I wasn’t joking, Derek’s pupils constricted. He stammered, “Lily, let’s talk this through, don’t do anything rash.” I raised an eyebrow, a light laugh escaping my lips. “Alright, as long as you agree to two conditions.” “First, transfer five million into my account.” “Second, a divorce.” Lily’s body was a mess, she needed skin graft surgery, and the medical bills would be astronomical. The Sterling household was a living hell, a den of vipers. I had to get Lily out of there. Derek readily agreed to the first, but balked at divorce. “That’s impossible. My mother would never agree. She felt like she was dying back then, and marrying you was supposed to save her life.” “Without her blessing, I can’t divorce you.” I clicked my tongue in annoyance. These Sterlings were no good, and full of ridiculous rules. Derek, terrified I’d change my mind, immediately transferred five million into my account. As promised, I untied them. He slumped in the chair, letting out a relieved sigh. Suddenly, he sniffed himself, and his face instantly changed. “This is water.” I looked at him with a knowing smile. “What else would it be? You said it yourself, murder is a crime.” In my years at the asylum, I’d learned not to act impulsively. I wasn’t about to waste my life on scum like them. Derek’s forehead pulsed with anger, and his fists clenched, knuckles cracking. “You bitch.” I waved my phone, displaying their naked photos. “I advise you not to lose your temper. Sterling Enterprises is in its growth phase right now.” “If these photos get out, it won’t just be me who’s embarrassed.” Derek’s face flushed with fury, but he was helpless. Vanessa, just recovering from the shock of her hair being cut, saw the photos on my phone and completely broke down. “Bitch!” She grabbed the scissors from the table, looking ready to fight me to the death. But as soon as she took a step, a searing pain ripped through her stomach. The next second, Vanessa collapsed to the floor, screaming in agony. Watching her suffer, I feigned surprise and slapped my forehead. “Oops, I forgot to tell you.” “Besides sedatives, I also added abortifacients to that pot of dog meat stew.”

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After giving birth to her son, my sister eloped with my rich boyfriend, Julian Vance. Furious, and relying on our identical faces, I knocked on David Miller’s bedroom door. I swore to torment her husband and son in her place. Ten years later, my sister returned. She saw her son, Leo, healthy and thriving, thanks to me. And David Miller’s booming business. She sneered, “I’m giving your boyfriend back to you. It’s time you returned the family you stole from me.” By then, my rich ex-boyfriend Julian Vance had long gone bankrupt. “Refuse, and I’ll tell everyone about your dirty secret of seducing your brother-in-law!” I gritted my teeth and accepted it. That night, I booked a flight, and a taxi sped through the streets. But David Miller, in the back seat, pulled me onto his lap: “I’m way more capable than that rich boy. Care to find out?” When my sister eloped with my rich boyfriend, Julian Vance, she even sent me an intimate photo of them: [Goodbye, little sister. You couldn’t win against me when we were kids, and you can only admit defeat now that we’re grown up.] I was so angry. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, my identical face to my twin sister. That very night, I knocked on David Miller’s door. If she dared to leave her husband and son in *my* city, then don’t blame me for making their lives hell! David Miller was a bit awkward with his wife’s sudden change in demeanor. But at that time, his business was struggling. He probably thought his wife disliked him for not making enough money, so she had a right to be mad. He became even more humble towards me. Every time I reprimanded or even hit him, he would just silently lower his head, promising to give me a good life soon. I knew my brother-in-law was honest. But I never expected him to be so damn spineless. So I turned my attention to bullying her kid. The child was with me until he was three, truly seeing me as his mother. But this mother was very strict. I didn’t give him food or drink, and sometimes I cursed at him. Every time, he would purse his lips, little hands clutching his shirt, looking at me with teary eyes. He’d timidly say, “Mommy, please don’t be angry… Leo will just go to his room by himself. Mommy, please don’t get sick from anger.” …This father and son were exactly alike in their honesty and spinelessness. Until I went to pick him up from kindergarten and saw a group of kids surrounding him, punching and kicking. I completely lost my composure. Only *I* can bully *my* son! And I haven’t even hit him like that myself! I immediately stormed into the principal’s office. The ringleader was the only son of a powerful local CEO. The principal told me to tolerate it, not to make a fuss. I walked right up and slapped that CEO across the face. David Miller apologized to the CEO for a long time; his humble demeanor made my blood boil. I forced the CEO to pay for Leo’s medical expenses, then grabbed the father and son and turned to leave. On the way back, David Miller seemed about to say something, then didn’t. I gave him an annoyed sideways glance: “What? Think I was too impulsive?” “Cough…” He awkwardly cleared his throat: “N-not exactly…” “Then shut up!” I snapped: “Either you make something of yourself so your son never gets bullied again. “Or *I’ll* step in. That’s better than our whole family being spineless!” I never expected David Miller to actually do it. Now, that CEO needs to send many gifts through intermediaries just to get an audience with David Miller. The Miller family truly made a name for themselves in New York. No one dared to bully little Leo anymore. After I stood up for him at the kindergarten that time, I looked at his frail body. I bit my lip, and even though David Miller was still in debt, I personally used my money to buy a lot of nutritional supplements: “Look how skinny you are! You deserve to be bullied! If you don’t eat up and get stronger, don’t call me Mom!” Under the supervision of me, his ‘stepmother,’ little Leo not only gained weight. His body fat percentage was also excellent. At ten years old, the child subtly developed muscles. Whether in terms of physical strength or social standing, no peer dared to lay a hand on him. Everything was perfect. Little Leo treated me as his mother. He’d boast to everyone about my heroic deeds of confronting the CEO in front of the principal. David Miller also treated me as his wife. After achieving success and fame, luxury goods were thrown into my hands without a care. Luxury cars and mansions were showered upon me without restraint. I, a woman who had never seen much money growing up, actually began to harbor the idea of “living like this for the rest of my life.” Until my sister returned. And pulled me out of my beautiful dream with my ‘husband.’

“Honestly, this decade of happiness? You stole every bit of it.” My sister sat opposite me, blowing a smoke ring into the air: “Even though I eloped with your boyfriend back then, my husband and son are still *my* husband and son. That doesn’t give you the right to turn around and take over my family.” She tapped off the cigarette ash: “I won’t pursue the matter of you stealing my things. Now, I’m giving Julian Vance back to you. “You give me back my husband and son.” I clenched my fists— Julian Vance had gone bankrupt a while ago. His financial situation was even tighter than David Miller’s back then. “Sister, you really know how to pick your moments. Stealing your sister’s boyfriend when your husband’s down and out, then coming back to be the rich wife after you’ve had your fill?” *CRASH!* The ashtray slammed to the floor by my feet. My sister lifted her chin: “Is that how you talk to your older sister? “And, Maya Summers, while I might have had a little something with your boyfriend, *you* seduced your brother-in-law and took over my son! “That’s *my* son, whom I just gave birth to! Don’t you think you’re utterly despicable and shameless? “Think about it, which is more disgusting and dirty!” My breath caught. She stood up, came over to me, and looked down on me: “If you dare refuse, I’ll spill all your dirty secrets. Then we’ll see who gets more hate, you or me.” I didn’t really care about getting criticized. Growing up, simply having enough to eat and drink was my only desire. Back when I was dating Julian Vance, didn’t everyone accuse me of only caring about money? I just thought of Leo. The sweet way that kid called me Mom. If this came out, what would he think? What would David Miller think? Taking a deep breath, I spoke: “Give me three days.” My sister frowned. “What for? Don’t I need to pack my bags? “Shouldn’t I clean up the traces I’ve left behind for you? “Don’t I need to write you a briefing about the changes these two have gone through in the last ten years?” My sister’s expression finally softened a bit. She let out a cold sneer: “If you dare to trick me, I promise you’ll regret it!”

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Late at night, my boyfriend texted me, “My dad isn’t happy with you. Let’s break up.” Drunk, I went to beg for him back, making a scene all night. But when I woke up, his dad was lying next to me. The man opened his eyes, grinning at me. “Are you satisfied with me now?” I snapped, annoyed. I was woken up in the morning by a phone call. “Daisy Miller, are you out of your mind? You called me 108 times last night!” His familiar voice came through the receiver. My voice was already choked with tears. “Ryan King, you finally called me back.” “Daisy Miller, we’ve already broken up. My dad doesn’t like you. It’s better a clean break than prolonged pain. I’m not coming back.” “What’s wrong with me? I can change, okay? I’ll change until your dad is satisfied. You know I can’t live without you.” “Uh, but I just don’t have feelings for you anymore.” No feelings anymore. How do you get feelings back? I couldn’t help but cover my face and cry, but my hand landed on rock-hard abs. A deep voice rumbled from beneath me. “If you want to get back with him, you might be more convincing if you got off me first, don’t you think?” That’s when I realized I was sprawled on top of a handsome man. My brain totally froze. I still hadn’t figured out who this man was. Then Ryan King’s voice came from the other end of the phone. “Dad?”

Dad? The man beneath me was his dad? My drunken haze cleared instantly. I hung up the phone in a flash. “Not getting off yet?” The man’s eyes narrowed at me. “Right. Mr. King.” It was, after all, my first time meeting my boyfriend’s dad. I wanted to appear as well-behaved as possible. But then I remembered I wasn’t wearing any clothes, and my resolve deflated. He never mentioned having such a young and handsome dad! “Mr. King? So now you’re well-behaved?” “You weren’t so quiet when you were biting me last night.” Ah! I froze in utter shock. I scrambled off him immediately and frantically started getting dressed. He watched me the entire time. And waited with immense patience until I was fully dressed. Then he asked, “Are you Ryan King’s girlfriend?” “Ex… ex-girlfriend.” I corrected him. “Do you remember anything from last night?” “I forgot.” I stood rigidly by the bed, like a guilty child caught by a strict teacher. “Hm, how do you plan to handle this?” I don’t know. My world just crashed down. Yesterday, I heard Ryan King’s dad was sick, so I planned to show some initiative and visit him, hoping he’d persuade his son not to break up with me. I just had a few drinks. How did I end up causing such a huge disaster? “Uh, Mr. King, please get well soon. I’ll visit you another time.” He glanced at me, then summed it up with one sentence. “Got it. You don’t want to take responsibility.” “No! I mean…” I hung my head. “I was wrong.” He stood up and slowly, methodically dressed. Even though his back was to me, the lines of his back still made my face flush. “I’ll have the driver take you back. My flight is in an hour, so I’m a bit short on time…” “No need!” I quickly averted my gaze. Just as I was about to leave, my eyes caught sight of the torn condom wrappers in the trash can, which were pretty jarring. To destroy the evidence, I swiftly grabbed the trash bag, intending to make a quick escape. The moment I pulled the door open, I bumped right into Ryan King. “Daisy Miller? What are you doing in my dad’s room?”

When he stormed in, my face was bright red, and his dad had just pulled up his pants. My hands and feet instantly turned cold, and my back broke out in a sweat. So this is what it feels like to be caught red-handed. My mind raced. “I heard your dad was sick, so I came to visit.” Ryan King turned to look at his dad. “Dad, is she really here to see you? Or just to annoy you?” “Hm, she visited… and annoyed me.” His dad was smiling. Ryan King looked really angry. “Daisy Miller, I know you’ve been having a hard time lately, but causing a scene at someone else’s house after we broke up is just really off-putting.” “I know!” “If there’s nothing else, I’ll get going.” All I wanted to do now was escape. Just as I was about to leave, he called out to me again. “Wait, what’s that you’re holding?” “A trash bag.” I quickly hid the trash bag a little behind me. Ryan King looked exasperated again. “Daisy Miller, you don’t need to keep visiting my dad and taking out his trash and trying to curry favor. It’s all pointless.” “Honestly, I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m sorry. If only you were a little prettier.” Me? We’d dated for three years, and he’d always been so gentle with me, saying I was cute. Now he was complaining I wasn’t pretty enough? My anger flared instantly. I lifted the trash bag in my hand and dumped it over his head. “This trash bag is less full of garbage than you are!” “I came here to break up with you, and the reason is you can’t perform.” Ryan King was instantly triggered. “Who can’t perform? Explain yourself!” “Whatever!” Who cared what he said? I turned and walked away. “Wait, why are there condoms in this trash, and three of them?!” I was already at the door, but my heart still lurched. Had the truth finally been exposed? “Dad, did you bring a woman home, and use the condoms I bought?!”

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