Category: English

1 At the company dinner, my girlfriend’s childhood sweetheart accused me of stealing his diamond watch. In front of everyone, he snatched my briefcase and dumped its contents onto the floor. When I demanded to see the security footage to clear my name, my girlfriend, Isabelle, just looked at me with contempt. “Leo, I know your mom’s medical bills are piling up, but that doesn’t give you the right to steal.” With that one sentence, my fate was sealed. Everyone was convinced I was a thief. I was ostracized by my colleagues and mocked by the man she truly loved. Eventually, I took my mother and disappeared without a word. But Isabelle, the high and mighty CEO who had never looked down, spent the next five years searching for me like a madwoman. … When I returned to the private dining room, everyone stared at me. I could feel their strange, accusing glances, but I was too preoccupied to care. “Ms. Meng,” I said to Isabelle, “something’s come up. I have to go. You all have fun.” The hospital had just called. My mom was feeling down after her chemo session, and they asked if I could come and sit with her. But Richard, Isabelle’s golden boy, stepped in my way. “In a hurry to sell off the goods, Leo?” I was completely lost. “Sell what off?” “Still playing dumb? You’re a thief. You stole my diamond watch.” My brow furrowed. “Richard, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t steal anything.” He shot me a look of pure disdain. “We all went out to watch the floor show. You were the only one who stayed behind in the room. If it wasn’t you, who else could it be?” I’d stayed behind because my mind was a thousand miles away, consumed with worry for my mother. A song and dance performance was the last thing I could stomach. “You can’t just make accusations like that without proof,” I said, my voice tight. “That’s slander.” Richard’s eyes flicked to the briefcase in my hand. “You stole my watch, and now you’re rushing off to fence it. I bet it’s still in that bag.” He spoke with an air of command. “Open your bag. Let me see.” “That’s just your assumption, Richard. I told you, I didn’t take it, and you have no right to search my property.” “I think you’re just scared.” Before I could react, he lunged forward and ripped the briefcase from my grasp. He unzipped it and turned it upside down, shaking it violently. A thick stack of my mother’s medical reports and treatment plans fluttered to the floor like dead leaves. I’d already been on edge for weeks, crushed under the weight of my mother’s illness. His blatant disrespect was the final straw. Something inside me snapped. I snatched my briefcase back, my voice shaking with rage. “What the hell is wrong with you, Richard? Have you no decency?” He ignored me, crouching down and sifting through the scattered papers. From the pile, he produced a watch, its face glittering with diamonds. He held it up to my face, a smirk playing on his lips. “Well, Leo? What do you have to say for yourself now? You’re a thief.” I stared at the watch, stunned into silence. “I don’t know… I didn’t take it…” Richard let out a short, cruel laugh. “It was in your bag, but you didn’t take it? What, did it just grow legs and walk in there by itself?” One of my colleagues spoke up. “Maybe there’s been a misunderstanding. I’ve worked with Leo for two years. He’s not that kind of person.” “You can know a person’s face, but you can never know their heart,” Richard said smoothly. “Two years is nothing if someone is putting on an act.” After the initial shock wore off, a cold clarity settled over me. I hadn’t stolen the watch, but it was in my bag. Someone had planted it there. And the only person here who had it out for me was Richard. He and Isabelle had grown up together; he was the one she’d never gotten over. He’d come back from America a month ago and had been targeting me from day one. I lifted my head and pointed to the security camera in the corner of the ceiling. “Pull the footage. I’m just as curious as you are to see how your watch ended up in my bag.” Richard didn’t flinch. “Fine by me. Let’s see how you talk your way out of this one.” Just then, another colleague pointed toward the wall socket. “Hey, look. The camera’s unplugged.” My eyes shot to Richard. Of course. No wonder he was so calm. He’d planned this. He seized the opportunity. “It must have been you, Leo! You unplugged it and then pretended you wanted to see the footage. Who do you think you’re fooling?” But he was mistaken if he thought that was enough to frame me. “Then let’s call the police,” I said, pulling out my phone. “Let them clear my name. If I’m the one who unplugged the camera and stole the watch, my fingerprints will be on the plug, the watch, and all over your things.” Seeing my phone, Richard’s composure finally cracked. He quickly adopted a magnanimous tone. “Look, I’ve got my watch back. I don’t want to press the issue. Calling the police would just create negative publicity for Isabelle’s company. Let’s just drop it.” “It’s not dropped for me,” I said, my gaze fixed on him. “I didn’t steal your watch. Unless you admit, right now, that you framed me, I’m calling the cops.” He hesitated, then his eyes darted to Isabelle, his expression shifting to one of wounded innocence. “Isabelle, for your sake, I’ve been more than generous. But he’s insisting on making a scene. It’s only going to embarrass you.” Isabelle’s lips thinned, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes as she looked at me. “Ms. Meng,” I started, my voice pleading, “I didn’t steal…” She cut me off. “That’s enough. This conversation is over. No one is to speak of this again.” I couldn’t hide the wave of despair that washed over me. Not only had she not defended me, but she had chosen this ambiguous, damning silence. If this wasn’t cleared up now, I would be branded a thief for the rest of my life. I shook my head firmly. “No. I need my name cleared. Tonight.” Isabelle’s brow furrowed in annoyance. “Leo, don’t push it. Are you addicted to playing the victim?” Then came the final blow. “I know your mom is sick,” she said, her voice laced with cold pity. “I know you’re desperate for money. That’s why you went after Richard’s watch.” I just stared at her, numb. “You… you don’t believe me?” She looked down at me from her pedestal. “How am I supposed to believe you? You have the motive. The evidence is right there. We have a witness.” “Leo, I told you I would help you with the money. Did you really have to do this?” I looked up at her face, the face I had loved, and it was the face of a stranger. With their CEO’s verdict delivered, the rest of the employees quickly fell in line, their whispers turning into a chorus of condemnation. “I can’t believe we have a thief in our company. What a disgrace!” “I always knew there was something shady about him. My coffee kept disappearing from the breakroom. I bet it was him.” “He’s so cheap. I strongly recommend he be fired!” “Fire him!” Isabelle’s face darkened. “I said that’s enough. This matter is closed.” The room fell silent, but their eyes still burned with scorn. The hospital called again. After taking the call, I walked out of the room and into the cold night. The wind was biting, but it was nothing compared to the ice in my heart. A Rolls-Royce pulled up beside me. The window rolled down, revealing Isabelle’s perfect profile. I ignored her and kept walking. “Get in the car,” she commanded. “Do you want everyone to see you like this?” “I wouldn’t want to trouble you, Ms. Meng. This way, there’s no risk of being seen together.” I hailed a taxi and got in, leaving her behind. We had been together for three years, a secret relationship. At first, it was my choice. I wasn’t sure how long we would last, and I didn’t want to be the subject of office gossip, labeled as some gigolo who’d latched onto the boss. But ever since Richard had returned, everything had changed. Her patience with me had worn thin, and her contempt was palpable. I knew it was over. After calming my mother at the hospital, I decided to quit. But I couldn’t be reckless. My mom’s treatment was expensive. I had to find a new job first. From that day on, life at the office became a living hell. Led by Richard, my colleagues isolated me completely. They’d “forget” to tell me about meetings, leaving me to be reprimanded in front of everyone. I’d find my chair mysteriously soaked with water. At lunch, all that was left for me were cold scraps. I lost ten pounds in a week. One afternoon, I was coming downstairs after delivering a file when I saw a group of them crowded around the office entrance, pointing and jeering at my mother. “So, what do you have to say about your son being a thief?” “They say a child’s failings are the parents’ fault. We heard Leo’s father isn’t in the picture. Did he learn how to steal from you?” My mother, her face pale and drawn, tried to defend me. She told them I had always been a good, obedient boy, that I would never steal. She said that even though she wasn’t educated, she would never teach her son to do something wrong. They treated her words like a joke, their laughter sharp and cruel. Someone shoved her. Weakened by months of chemotherapy, my mother stumbled and fell, the lunchbox she was carrying scattering its contents across the pavement. I saw red. I charged into the crowd, pushing them back. “Get away from her! All of you, get out of here!” The one who had pushed her just sneered. “I barely touched her. Look at her, playing dead on the ground. You two are probably just broke and looking for a payday.” I grabbed him by the collar. “My mother has a tumor. If anything happens to her today, I swear I will make you pay.” “If she’s sick, she should be in a hospital, not out here bothering people.” My mother had always been my entire world. I raised my fist to strike him. But she grabbed my wrist. “Leo, don’t…” We had always been on our own, with no one to rely on. My mother lived in constant fear of me getting into trouble. I lowered my hand, but shoved the man away with all my strength. I turned to my mom. “Are you okay? Does anything hurt?” She shook her head. “I’m fine.” Her voice was laced with guilt. “But the food I made for you… it’s all ruined. It’s my fault. I’ll go home and make you some more.” I had visited her yesterday, and she’d noticed how thin I’d gotten. She’d blamed herself, saying she was a burden and that I should stop spending money on her treatment. I told her I was just craving her cooking, that once she was better, she had to cook for me every day and fatten me up. I couldn’t believe it. She had made my favorite dish—her famous meatballs. I could only imagine the effort it took for her, in her frail state, to prepare them. I knelt, picked up one of the fallen meatballs from the dirty pavement, and took a bite. “It’s delicious, Mom. Just as good as always.” Tears sprang to her eyes. “Leo, don’t eat that! It’s dirty! I’ll make you a fresh batch, I promise.” Just then, the black Rolls-Royce pulled up. Richard got out of the passenger seat and shot me a contemptuous look. He turned to Isabelle in the driver’s seat. “Isabelle, I don’t believe there’s a company policy that forces employees to eat garbage off the ground, is there?” Isabelle emerged from the car, her face a mask of cold fury. She looked from me to my mother with disgust, then waved the crowd away. She turned on me, her voice sharp. “Leo, what have I ever done to you to deserve this? First stealing, and now this? Who are you trying to embarrass?” I looked at her, my heart sinking. “I didn’t steal anything, Isabelle. And this isn’t garbage. This is the food my mother made for me.” My mom rushed to explain. “He would never steal, there must be some misunderstanding, my Leo would never…” Isabelle turned and walked away, not even giving her a second glance. My mom tried to follow, but Isabelle sidestepped her as if she were contagious and disappeared into the building. Watching her back, I felt my world collapse. This was the woman I had loved for three years? The stress was too much. My mother’s eyes rolled back, and she collapsed. I frantically called an ambulance. After a tense wait at the hospital, the doctor told me she was stable but that her condition was deteriorating. He mentioned a specialized clinic in Riverbend City that had a high success rate with her type of tumor. The treatment would cost around fifty thousand dollars. He urged me to transfer her as soon as possible. I sat alone in the sterile hospital corridor, my mind a blank. Fifty thousand dollars? Where was I going to get that kind of money? A pair of gleaming leather shoes appeared in my line of sight. I looked up. It was Richard. He held out a bank card. “Leo, I know you need money. There’s fifty thousand on this. Take it, and disappear from Isabelle’s life. Forever.” The old me would have slapped the card out of his hand and told him that when I left Isabelle, it would be on my own terms, not his. But my mother’s life was on the line. She had sacrificed everything for me. I couldn’t abandon her now. I swallowed my pride. I bowed my head and took the card. “I’ll leave,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “But I’ll pay this back. It’s a loan.” A triumphant smile spread across his face. “I always told you, you and Isabelle are from different worlds. You were just a novelty to her. I’m the one she’s meant to be with.” I murmured my blessings, my voice hollow. “Then I wish you a long and happy life together.” Richard left, satisfied. Not long after he was gone, my phone rang. “Hello, is this Mr. Miller?” “Speaking.” “This is the manager of the Grand Crest Hotel. We were doing maintenance on our security system today and discovered that the camera in your private room has a battery backup. We have the full recording from the night of the incident with the watch.” He paused. “I thought you might find it useful.”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387145”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

What do you do when your husband suddenly becomes filthy rich? Divorce him. Immediately. Every second you hesitate is a second you lose. The day Gavin Sterling became the richest man in River City, I took half his assets and walked away with a smile. His eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed my shoulders. “Luna, you are heartless!” Ten years. The pig I raised was finally fat enough to slaughter. Who understands this joy? 1 I think I’m the first woman who wanted a divorce specifically because her husband got rich. The reason was simple. I discovered Gavin Sterling was thinking about cheating. He was one step away from crossing the line. After a brief moment of shock and sadness, I felt relieved. Actually, five years ago, when his company got its first round of VC funding and started exploding, I had a premonition this day would come. Gavin couldn’t escape the law of nature: men go bad when they get rich. Gavin didn’t know that when he and his buddy, Xavier, were discussing his potential infidelity in the study, I was standing right outside with a tray of coffee. “Hey, Gav, that TV host Bella is pretty hot. What do you think?” Gavin replied lazily, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” “But you bought her a Maserati? That’s not how you spend money if you’re just looking, bro.” My fingers froze. My heart slammed against my ribs. A Maserati? Big spender. Then I heard Gavin’s tired voice. “It’s just a car.” “Ha! Alright, I’ll keep her warm for you. Maybe you’ll change your mind one day.” “Do whatever.” The conversation about Bella ended there, and they went back to talking business. It seemed like just idle talk between men over a cigarette. Not a big deal. I drank that coffee myself and stared at the ceiling until dawn. The irony was rich. When we got married, we were so poor we couldn’t afford a reception. Gavin was currently planning a grand wedding ceremony for me to make up for it. He felt guilty towards me, but that didn’t stop him from buying expensive toys for another woman. Heh. The human heart is unpredictable, and money is a deep ocean. Divorce. I had to divorce him. And fast! Delay leads to disaster. 2 I met with my divorce lawyer, Ryan, at a coffee shop. Coincidentally, the TV in the lobby was playing Bella’s financial talk show. This must be where Gavin met her. The young, beautiful host. Elegant, articulate, insightful. Even facing billionaires who were usually out of reach for normal people, she didn’t flinch. Ryan was an old classmate of mine, now a big-shot divorce attorney. Seeing me stare at the screen, he smiled. “Luna, that Bella looks a bit like you.” I snapped immediately. “Where?!” Bella had long hair. I had a bob. Ryan blinked, confused. “Everyone says so. We even talked about it at the reunion.” I frowned and scoffed. “That’s unfortunate.” I wasn’t in the mood to discuss Bella. I told him straight up: I wanted to divorce Gavin. “Luna, are you kidding? You finally made it to the good life, and you want out?” “Do I look like I joke about marriage?” I rolled my eyes. Our classmates had witnessed how recklessly I married Gavin back then. I couldn’t blame Ryan for being shocked. “You married him when he was dirt poor. You leave him when he’s the richest guy in town. Luna, you sure have a personality.” I replied slowly, “Ryan, I could handle the poor boy back then. Do you think I can handle the richest man in River City now?” “You’ve fought so many divorce cases. I thought you’d understand best.” Who knows the darkness and ugliness of human nature better than lawyers? Especially divorce lawyers. Ryan was speechless for a long time before he clicked his tongue and asked tentatively, “Gavin… did he cheat?” “He’s one step away.” “Then rein him in? Sentencing him to death now seems a bit harsh.” I snorted. “If I’m not harsh now, he’ll be harsh later. Ryan, tell me, in the cases you handle…” “Does the wife get more based on love, or based on the man’s guilt?” Once the mistress actually takes the throne, how much I get depends on their charity. I refuse to be the passive one! Ryan choked. “Luna, your calmness scares me.” Calmness? My calmness was cultivated over five years. Besides Bella, Gavin’s secretary, Holly, was also eyeing him like a hungry wolf. I can’t remember which day it was. I went to have lunch with Gavin. Through the crack in the door, I saw Holly standing on tiptoes to fix his tie. Then she carefully took a thermos of hangover soup from her own lunch bag. Holly was always making moves on him. He always refused. But that day, when the driver brought his lunch box home… The hangover soup I made was untouched. The knot I tied hadn’t even been loosened. Ash from my cigarette fell onto my finger. Ryan looked at me with deep emotion. “Luna, I should send my female clients to you for lessons.” I stubbed out the cigarette and smiled. “It’s useless. They aren’t willing, and they aren’t ruthless enough.” They aren’t willing to give up such an excellent husband to someone else. They think they can be the exception to the cliché. Unless it gets to the bitter end where faces are ripped off and love is dead, they can’t be ruthless. So, people shouldn’t be too greedy. Wanting money and the man? That leads to losing everything. I’m different. Because no one else does what I do: always plotting an exit strategy within the marriage. Of course. I will divorce him. But before I do… I need to use my status as Mrs. Sterling to have a little chat with Bella! 3 That evening, at the dinner table. I purposely put Bella’s show on in the background. It was the episode with Gavin. He touched his face. “What, you think I looked good that day too?” He acted flawless. Zero guilt. I almost believed the Maserati was a toy car. “Gavin, I saw a car I like.” He didn’t care. “Oh? Rare for you to care about cars. Which one? I’ll go with you to pick it up.” I looked at him calmly. “Maserati Levante.” His smile faded slowly. He looked at me with a calculating gaze. “I thought you liked Range Rovers?” I tapped the table. “Fine. Range Rover it is.” As long as it was more expensive than a Maserati. Not long after, I crossed paths with Bella. Her Maserati crashed into my Range Rover. I planned it. Unfortunately, her car was fragile. Bella stood helplessly by her car, glaring at my bumper with resentment. Two luxury cars colliding caused a traffic jam. The police arrived instantly. “Miss Bella, the dashcam shows you made an illegal U-turn. You are fully liable.” Bella looked heartbrokenly at her crumpled door, the shattered headlights, the bent bumper. “Couldn’t you have just let me go? I was prepared to take the points on my license, but now look, both cars need repairs.” Her eyes turned red, playing the victim immediately. Her entitled attitude stunned the cop. An angry male driver nearby shouted, “You’re used to people letting you have your way, huh? That’s a Range Rover! Why would she be scared of you?” “Satisfying! Only magic beats magic!” I watched the show enough, then slowly opened my door and got out. Bella’s accusations hit me in the face. “Why were you driving so slow?! Is the road a shopping mall? I wanted to pass, and you wouldn’t let me. Were you blocking me on purpose?!” “I was in a rush, I had no choice but to step on the gas, you—” Her words died in her throat when she saw me. Her face went pale instantly. I smiled. “Driving such a nice car, but still rushing to work for money? Seems a Maserati can’t change destiny.” “You need a good man for that. Then you could drive leisurely like me.” Bella gritted her teeth, face turning iron gray. She got back in her car without a word. She told the cop, “It’s settled, right? I’ll pay.” The cop nodded and hurried to clear the traffic. I watched her drive away thoughtfully and let out a cold laugh. I was in a hurry to divorce. But surprisingly, Bella was in more of a hurry than me. Or maybe she was just pissed I wrecked her car. A few days later, I received a video file from Xavier’s phone. At a square mahjong table, Gavin was sitting next to Bella, pointing at her tiles. Bella glanced at him sideways, voice dripping with sugar. “Mr. Sterling, which one should I play? My palms are sweating.” Gavin looked at her indulgently. “Whatever you want. If you lose, it’s on me.” The others at the table roared with laughter. When Bella looked down to draw a tile, her long hair fell forward. Gavin naturally picked up a hair tie from the table and tied her hair back for her. “Play well, okay?” My fingers trembled as I tugged at my own short hair. I slammed the phone off and threw it on the bed. A sour, aching feeling surged up. I couldn’t stand steady; blood rushed to my head. I gripped the edge of the desk tightly to calm myself down. If his cheating partner wasn’t Bella, I might have actually let him go peacefully. Not long after receiving the video, Xavier called. He anxiously defended himself. “Sis, I’m so sorry, I couldn’t recall the message. I didn’t mean to send it, it wasn’t me!” “Please, don’t tell Gavin.” I replied flatly, “I know it wasn’t you.” He let out a huge sigh of relief. “Don’t overthink it. You know how Gavin feels about you. That was just a social scene.” “I guarantee, I could cheat a hundred times and he wouldn’t cheat once!” “So someone is trying to drag him down.” He wiped imaginary sweat. “Yes, yes, Mrs. Sterling is sharp as always. My bad.” I hung up, bored. I didn’t believe a word from that playboy. But one thing was true. He wouldn’t dare send that video to me. Only a woman like Bella, with her “family heritage” of climbing the ladder, would do something like that! Xavier’s comment, “I’ll keep her warm for you,” proved he was interested in Bella too. He just didn’t dare snatch food from the tiger’s mouth out of respect for Gavin. It wouldn’t be hard for Bella to get his phone. I called Ryan. “How’s it going? Takes you a week to write a divorce agreement?” “No way, we’re old friends. I was giving you time to cool off.” “If I don’t get it tomorrow, I’m finding someone else.” “Alright, alright, fine.” Time to show my hand to Gavin. 4 I walked into the CEO’s office and made my demand straight away. “Gavin, I need you to do something for me.” Gavin leaned his elbows on the desk, fingers interlaced, looking at me with a measuring gaze. “Mrs. Sterling seems hostile today.” I leaned forward, forcing a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. “I wouldn’t dare. I’m just here to ask Mr. Sterling for something.” “What?” I enunciated every word. “The keys to the Maserati Levante.” He froze. His face went through a kaleidoscope of expressions. We stared at each other for a few seconds, neither backing down. Finally, he tried to coax me helplessly. “Luna, that’s not important. It didn’t cost much.” His face said I was being unreasonable. “You’ve never been a petty person.” I couldn’t be bothered to argue. “Mr. Sterling, can you get them back?” Gavin stared at me intently, trying to gauge how serious I was. I stared right back. He gritted his teeth, rubbed his brow, and finally replied, “Fine. Tomorrow.” This was the first time I hadn’t given Gavin face. But it didn’t matter. Goal achieved. “Thanks.” I smiled faintly and turned to leave without hesitation. As my hand touched the doorknob, Gavin’s voice came from behind. “Luna, are you jealous?” I replied ambiguously, “You can think that.” Once I got the Maserati keys, I drove straight to the TV station and asked Bella out. In the cafe downstairs, Bella arrived late, looking haggard. Doesn’t feel good to have a gift repossessed, does it? “Miss Bella, please sit.” I raised my hand. Her eyes locked onto the car key next to my coffee cup, pupils shrinking violently! She sat down rudely and sneered at me. “Is Mrs. Sterling here to show off?” She flipped her hair, looking at me defiantly. “Mr. Sterling did ask for the key back, but for a man of his status, taking back a gift means an even more expensive compensation later.” I looked at her blandly. Of course I knew such simple logic. But I didn’t care. “And doing this really makes a man lose face.” I waited for her to finish, then slowly pushed the car key toward her. “His face doesn’t matter to me. Miss Bella, a Maserati isn’t worth showing off. I took it back because…” I paused. She looked at me warily. I chuckled. “I just wanted to give it to you personally.” She looked at me sharply. “What do you mean?!” I spoke slowly. “If you want it, I can give it. But you cannot snatch it. Understand, my dear sister?” Her face went instantly pale. The coffee in her hand splashed. She quickly put it down. I crossed my arms and sneered at her. At that moment, I was a porcupine with all quills out. Yes, Bella is my half-sister from a different mother. As of today, we hadn’t seen each other in twenty years. So we both pretended not to know each other. Actually, the moment I heard the name Bella, I knew it was her. At the accident scene, Bella recognized me immediately too. Her target was Gavin. How could she not research who Mrs. Sterling was? She just hadn’t officially ascended to the throne yet, so she kept a low profile. Based on my knowledge of her mother, Wendy, and their family education… Once she succeeded, Bella would put on a pitiful face and say, “Sister, I’m so sorry, I really didn’t know Gavin was my brother-in-law.” I wouldn’t give her that satisfaction! Divorce is fine. But letting Bella even smell Gavin? That would be my failure. She wants to pull the same stunt Wendy pulled on my mom? Impossible. Thanks to that mother-daughter duo, I learned a lesson very young. Never give anyone the chance to catch you off guard!

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387161”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

I’m an NPC in a horror survival game. When a new batch of players loaded in, something weird happened: I could suddenly see the stream chat floating in the air. [Here she comes! Our precious baby girl has arrived!] [Even the Level Boss in this horror game is going to treat her like family.] [Any NPC who dares to touch a hair on her head is gonna get ripped to shreds by the Big Bad.] [Hey, I’m talking to you! You, holding our waifu! You scared her into fainting! You are SO done when the Boss gets here.] I looked down at the woman dangling from my grip, hesitated for a second, and then tossed her onto the floor. If the Boss of this dungeon can’t do his job properly, then I’ll do it for him. 1 I’m a veteran NPC in the horror game system. My tenure is so long I’ve honestly lost count of the years. I just remember the early days, when we were short-staffed, and I had to moonlight across multiple dungeons. I played the Drowned Bride in River God’s Wedding. I was the Cult Deity in Mountain Sacrifice. I was even the Mean Cheerleader in Oakwood High. Eventually, the roster filled up, and I got a permanent station. Three years ago, I transferred to this specific dungeon. Since the moment I gained consciousness, I’ve memorized the 108 rules of the Employee Handbook. Scare the players. Torture the players. Eat the players. The higher their Terror Meter, the better they taste. We’re only one day into this cycle, and I already snagged a player. A girl. She was so scared she cried until she passed out. Players like this usually die in the prologue. I was planning to take her back to my lair, bread her, and deep-fry her. The smell alone would make the ghouls next door cry with jealousy. But I’d only taken a few steps when the text started scrolling across my vision. [Let go of Baby Girl, you ugly freak!] [You are dead meat! The Male Lead is looking for her, and she has the ‘Family Bond’ buff with the Level Boss.] I stood there for a moment, feeling a wave of indignation. Who are you calling ugly? I am widely considered the cutest monster in a ten-mile radius. [She’s so soft and fragile, being held by that hideous thing must be terrifying.] [Look at that axe in her head! I’m gonna have nightmares.] I was mad. Furious, actually. I opened my mouth to curse them out, but the chat just spammed more insults. [What is it doing?] [Is it glitching?] [God, the AI is so stupid.] I got so angry that I circled back to being calm. Whatever. I ignored the floating text, grabbed the girl, and headed back to prep dinner. But I didn’t get far before someone blocked my path. I scanned him. New player. Probably part of the same party as the girl I was carrying. The guy in the lead was handsome, in a delicate, boy-band sort of way. Not my type. The moment they saw me, they tensed up and pulled out their items. The chat exploded, and I couldn’t help but peek. [The Male Lead is here! RIP Ugly.] [Chase has cleared so many dungeons. His items are S-Tier. He can one-shot a low-level mob like this, no problem.] I glanced at the guy. The chat called him “Chase.” Apparently, his gear was “OP.” I grinned, ripping the axe out of my own skull. I charged. Screams erupted. Half the players behind him bolted immediately. Sweet, sweet Terror Points. Come to mama! I sprinted at Chase with a twisted, limping gait. This little combo move usually makes players wet themselves. I learned the walk from the Nurse NPC next door. She died jumping off a building and broke her legs, so her walk is naturally janky. When I first mimicked her, she got super offended. It took me lending her my axe as a hair accessory to calm her down. She even gave me tips on how to limp scarier. Chase lived up to his “Male Lead” title. He waited until I was right in his face before deploying his item. A blinding white light flashed. I couldn’t see anything but the dense wall of chat comments. [AHHH! Chase is so cool!] [That ugly thing is dust.] [It’s a Legendary Item. An NPC doesn’t stand a chance. That’s what it gets for touching our Queen.] The light faded. Chase and I stared at each other in awkward silence. Then, I screamed. My axe! My beautiful axe had crumbled into dust! Chase looked horrified. “My S-Rank Holy Light… didn’t work on her?” The chat, serving as the third-party observer, was equally shook. [What the hell? How is that NPC still alive?] [Glitch? I swear Chase used that to one-shot a Boss in the last game.] [Isn’t this just an A-Rank dungeon? It shouldn’t be this hard. Plus Bella has the ‘Universal Adoration’ trait.] [Yeah, her synergy with the Male Lead is supposed to be perfect.] I was seeing red. My eyes literally started glowing. That axe was the one that killed me. It had been with me for… forever. The memory of the axe breaking tore open a sealed part of my mind. My father killed me. He called me a monster. When my mother was alive, he just hated me. After she died, I lost my only shield. He decided to dispose of “the freak.” That night, he walked into my room, face twisted in hate, the axe raised high. After I died, I used that same axe to return the favor. Violent, tyrannical energy flooded my brain. The chat scrolled faster. [Uh, guys? I think the NPC is going Berserk.] [Crap. If the Male Lead’s item didn’t work, is this a TPK (Total Party Kill)?] [No, look! Bella just woke up! She’s gonna trigger the plot armor. She’ll bring the Big Boss.] [Yeah, this NPC is about to get wrecked by the Level Boss.] I marched toward Chase, step by heavy step, muttering with obsession: “You broke my axe.” “You broke my favorite axe!” Chase’s face was pale. He threw items at me like they were free samples. They slowed me down, but nothing actually hurt. Just as my hand was about to close around Chase’s throat, a shout came from behind. “Stop!” The chat cheered. [Bella called the Big Boss to save the day!] [Sobbing, she’s right on time.] [Die, trash mob!] A familiar pressure weighed on my mind. My brain automatically pulled up the Employee Handbook. Rule 21: Within the dungeon, the Level Boss’s command is absolute. 2 A good employee always remembers the handbook. The rage in my brain began to recede. My eyes cleared. The chat became readable again. [Bella’s family is here!] [Imagine being a grunt NPC and bullying the Main Characters. Don’t you know the plot armor is thick?] The woman the chat called “Bella” threw herself at Chase, crying an ugly, snotty cry, checking him for injuries. “Oh thank god, you’re okay! I was so scared!” I covered my eyes. Hello? Single NPC right here? I died before I even hit puberty, have some respect! A familiar aura swept over me. Luke’s voice boomed above my head. “You’re the one bullying Bella?” The chat filled with schadenfreude. [It’s over. That blind NPC is toast.] [She’s getting arrogant for cannon fodder.] [The Male Lead is human, so he has limits. But the Boss? He’ll rip her apart in seconds.] [Bella is the ‘Group Pet’ of the horror world. All Bosses love her.] [Seriously, the last NPC who scared her got their head twisted off. It’s probably still rolling around that dungeon.] I slowly rotated my head 360 degrees to face Luke. I wasn’t trying to scare him; it’s just occupational habit. When he saw my face, Luke’s ghostly pale complexion shifted. Awkwardness mixed with a hint of fear. He let out a dry laugh. “Sweetie… oh, it’s you.” “Where’s your axe?” “Heh, I almost didn’t recognize you without it.” The chat froze for a second, then erupted in confusion. [Excuse me? Is this the ruthless Boss we know?] [Shouldn’t he be tearing her to shreds and telling Bella ‘I’m here, don’t be scared’?] [Am I tripping, or does the Boss sound… affectionate?] [What is happening? OOC! OOC! The book says they level up together. Bella charms the monsters, Chase kills the threats.] I gave Luke a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. Through gritted teeth, I said, “This human broke my favorite axe.” Luke instinctively wiped non-existent sweat from his forehead. He pulled me aside and whispered, pleading, “Sweetie, give me a break. Let it go this time, okay?” I looked up at him. “Do you remember the Employee Handbook?” Luke nodded. “I remember.” My face was stone cold. “Recite it.” Luke stammered through the recitation. Only then did I nod in approval. Luke whispered, trying to bribe me. “You know that item you always wanted? The one I wouldn’t give you?” “I’ll give it to you.” 3 My eyes lit up. It was a beautiful red wooden comb. I’d wanted it forever, but he’d always refused. Finally! I accepted the bribe and walked away, happily playing with the comb, glancing at the chat occasionally. The viewers were furious at Luke’s reaction. [What kind of Level Boss is this? Garbage! Just kill the NPC!] [He’s unworthy of being Bella’s family.] Some were curious. [Anyone else wonder what the relationship is between the Boss and that NPC?] I tilted my head, thinking about that comment. What relationship? Gratitude, probably. After all, Luke only became the Boss of this dungeon because of me. Back when Luke was a player, entering this dungeon for the sixth time, I caught him. I hadn’t had deep-fried human jerky in ages. Crunchy, dipped in a little blood sauce… the ghosts next door would drool. I dragged Luke back to my lair. Just as I was about to prep him, he used a “Scapegoat” item and bailed. Because of that item, when he faced the original Boss, he managed to kill it, but the item’s curse bound him to the dungeon, making him the new Boss. We’re neighbors. We see each other all the time. He tried to bully me at first. He blamed me for wasting his Scapegoat item—if I hadn’t caught him, he would have saved it for the Boss fight and escaped the game entirely. Becoming a Boss amplifies your rage and malice, so he tried to torture me. It didn’t work out for him. I beat the living daylights out of him. The Owner even punished me by making me copy the Employee Handbook for two weeks because of it! I happily walked home with my new comb. I only work one hour a day. The Owner says scaring players 24/7 devalues the product. Supply and demand, or something. Dungeons have rules. I missed my snack today, but there’s always tomorrow. The game lasts five days. Plenty of chances. I lay in my small room, but the chat wouldn’t shut up. [Ahhh! Chase is so handsome! Hero saving the beauty!] [Bella is so delicate. They are perfect together.] [Ugh, that NPC is even uglier without the axe. Get away from Bella!] I sat up, annoyed. Do these people have eyes?! I jammed the red comb into the hole in my head where the axe used to be and checked the mirror. I am adorable! The Owner told me I am the cutest girl in the world. Thinking of The Owner, I rested my chin in my hands, smiling. 4 Nobody in the dungeon—NPC or player—has ever seen The Owner. Some say he’s a God. Who else could create this nightmare dimension? Some say he’s a higher-dimensional alien. Usually, he appears as a ball of light. But I’ve seen him. The real him. I’m going to work for him forever. With my axe broken, more memories unlocked. The Owner is beautiful. But his hands are cold. The first time I scared a player into tears, he patted my head and said, “Good job, Sweetie.” Right. “Sweetie.” He gave me that name. When we first met, I had an axe stuck in my skull. I charged at him, screaming. He just bent down and picked me up. “Do you want to come with me?” I snarled and struggled. My own father wet his pants looking at me, but this man gently brushed the hair out of my face like the axe wasn’t even there. “You’re very cute. Do you have a name?” “I have a name!” I roared. He tilted his head. “No name? Let me give you one.” “How about Sweetie?” He ignored my protests, smiling. “Sweetie it is.” He led me into the Dungeon World. Years ago, there weren’t many dungeons. Most players died fast. The Owner had free time. He’d braid my hair. He’d draw whiskers on my face like a cat. He’d look at me with that teasing smile and say, “I think you look pretty like this.” I sighed softly. I missed him. I was so bummed out I stopped reading the chat. The next night, my shift started. The players were smarter now. They figured out the rules. Dungeons aren’t instant-death traps. There are patterns. I circled around but couldn’t find an opening to attack without breaking the rules. The chat mocked me. [LOL, look at Ugly go.] [She swapped the axe for a comb. Fashion icon.] [She’s so mad. Bella and the crew figured out the mechanics.] [Look at her spinning in circles.] [First-person NPC cam is kinda funny, ngl.] I ignored them. When my hour was up, I clocked out. Dungeons aren’t impossible, but they are highly lethal.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387178”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

My fiancé accused me of murder. That’s how I ended up in prison. On the day of my public trial, the court live-streamed the proceedings for the entire nation to see. The man who once loved me, Aiden, pushed me onto the Memory Trial platform, a fate reserved for the worst death row inmates. But they didn’t know something crucial. Buried in my mind was the proof: the real killer, his perfect first love, framing me for her crime. 1. Today was the day of my execution. Shackled at the wrists and ankles, I was led from my cell to the courtroom by two stern-faced guards. As we entered, my fiancé, Aiden, lunged forward. His hands clamped around my throat, his voice a raw, furious roar. “Murderer! Why did you pull the plug on my mom’s oxygen?” He shook me, his face contorted with rage. “Killing my mother wasn’t enough for you? You had to put Livia’s sister in a coma, too!” I stared at him, my eyes hollow and empty. “I told you I didn’t do it. Would you believe me now?” “Bullshit! My mother treated you like a daughter! Why would you do this?” he screamed, his voice cracking. “Give me back my mom!” Police officers finally managed to tear him away, dragging him back as they shoved me toward the stand. I remained silent, letting them move me like a doll. A year ago, Aiden himself had pointed the finger at me. The motive they’d invented was simple: I was jealous of Livia, the woman he’d loved before me. I was bitter that his mother, Mrs. Vance, had never approved of our marriage. But it was all a lie. I was innocent. “Order in the court!” the judge’s gavel cracked against the wood. “This court hereby declares that the death sentence for the defendant will be carried out immediately—” “Wait!” Aiden’s voice, sharp and cold, cut through the room. “Your Honor, I formally request a Memory Trial for the defendant,” he said, his face a mask of grim determination. “Letting her die so easily would be a mercy she doesn’t deserve.” The judge conferred with his associates for a moment before turning his gaze back to me. “At the plaintiff’s request, the court orders a Memory Trial to be conducted for the defendant!” Still, I said nothing. No protest, no plea. The guards forced me onto the Memory Trial platform. The technology was new, developed only six months ago to prevent criminals from denying their guilt or recanting confessions. It was a tool to force the truth into the light. The process was agony. A needle-thin neural probe would be inserted directly into the brain to extract memories. It felt like every thought, every feeling, was being violently vacuumed out of your skull. Most death row inmates couldn’t withstand the pain; many died halfway through, their hearts giving out from the sheer torment. As they prepared the gleaming silver apparatus, I looked at Aiden one last time. “Aiden, I have one question for you.” His face was glacial, his eyes filled with a disgust that pierced me deeper than any needle could. “Ask it.” “After my memories are displayed for the world to see… will you regret any of this?” Aiden let out a short, harsh laugh. “Never.” A wave of numb despair washed over me. It was done. “Memory Trial commencing! Execution protocol officially initiated.” The probe plunged into my skull. My body convulsed, a scream tearing from my throat, but in the depths of that white-hot pain, I felt a strange sense of release. After a year of this living hell, I was finally free. On the massive screen above the courtroom, my stolen memories began to flicker to life. 2. The first scene was the hospital. Aiden’s mother, Mrs. Vance, was recovering from heart surgery. I was holding a container of homemade soup, about to go into her room, when I heard voices from inside. A heated argument. Mrs. Vance’s voice was frail, barely a whisper. “I will never… allow you to marry into this family…” “All those filthy things you’ve done… You’re not worthy…” Then, another voice, sharp and cruel. “You old hag. Once you’re dead, I’ll walk into the Vance family whenever I please!” My heart seized. I threw the door open. Livia was standing by the hospital bed, holding the clear plastic oxygen tube in her hand. On the bed, Mrs. Vance’s eyes were wide with terror, her face turning a horrifying shade of blue as she clawed at her own throat. I stared, frozen in disbelief. “Livia, what are you doing?” A flicker of panic crossed her face before it settled back into a chilling calm. “I was just helping Mrs. Vance adjust her oxygen tube.” I snapped out of my shock, snatching the tube from her hand and slamming the emergency call button on the wall. I tried to reconnect the tube, but it was too late. The heart monitor beside the bed began to scream, a single, piercing tone. “The tube was fine, Livia! What the hell were you thinking, pulling it out?” I yelled, my voice shaking. Livia just smiled, a venomous, triumphant little smirk. “Emma, did you really think marrying into the Vance family would make you a princess? Dream on. I was Aiden’s first love. All I have to do is cry a little, and he’ll come running back to me.” Just then, the door burst open. Doctors and nurses rushed in, and right behind them were Aiden and his father. “What happened?” Aiden demanded, his eyes wide. “Aiden, it was Livia! She—” “Aiden! Mr. Vance! Emma killed her!” Livia shrieked, bursting into tears and pointing a trembling finger at me. “She pulled out Mrs. Vance’s oxygen tube!” I stood there, stunned into silence. “No, I didn’t, I—” Aiden’s gaze fell to my hands. I was still holding the tube. From behind his back, where only I could see, Livia shot me a look of pure, wicked victory. “Emma, why would you do this?!” Aiden screamed, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me violently. “It wasn’t me, Aiden, you have to believe me! It wasn’t me!” I pleaded, tears streaming down my face, but his grief had already turned to blind rage. The sharp crack of his hand across my face echoed in the sterile room. Mrs. Vance couldn’t be revived. She was gone. The hospital room descended into chaos. As the first memory faded from the screen, a stunned silence fell over the courtroom. Aiden stared, his face ashen. “How is that possible? Livia swore she saw Emma pull the tube.” He looked at the screen, then at his father, his expression a mixture of confusion and dawning horror. “Dad… did we get it wrong? The Memory Trial… it can’t lie, can it?” Mr. Vance was equally stunned. All he and Aiden had seen that day was me, Emma, holding the murder weapon. They had never imagined a scene like this. The courtroom gallery erupted in murmurs. “Wait, so she didn’t do it? She was framed!” Aiden, snapping back to reality, shouted at the judge. “What about Livia’s sister, Julia? Emma was the one who ran her off the road! She’s still in a coma because of her!” The judge gestured to the technicians. The process continued, pulling another memory from the depths of my screaming mind.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “387194”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

On our wedding anniversary, my wife bought me a cheap, fifteen-dollar drugstore watch. Because of that simple gift, her first love flew into a jealous rage and had his dog attack me, leaving me blind in my right eye. When my mother, infuriated, kicked the dog away, he ran crying to my wife, claiming my mom had abused his precious pet. My wife, Audrey, refused to listen to a word I said. As a “lesson,” she had my mother locked in the kennels with our five Cane Corsos. I fell to my knees, begging her, pleading with her that the dogs were dangerous, that they would kill her. She was busy online, ordering an apology gift for the man’s dog. She shoved me away with her foot, her voice sharp with annoyance. “They’re professionally trained, Ethan. They’re just for show. Stop being so dramatic.” To keep me from “making a scene,” she locked me in my room. I broke down the door. I raced to the kennels and rushed my mother’s broken body to the hospital, but I didn’t have the money to pay for the emergency surgery. I had no choice but to call my wife. She was in the middle of a candlelit dinner with him. The moment I mentioned money, she hung up. By the time she came home, my mother was dead. Seeing my tears, she tossed a platinum credit card onto the floor, her voice dripping with impatience. “What’s all this melodrama? Your mother is tougher than she looks. You really think a few overgrown puppies could get the best of her?” She sighed, a sound of pure exasperation. “Look, because she’s an elder, I’ll let it slide this time. Take this money, buy her some vitamins to calm her nerves. And tell her I’ll give her a grandchild next year. That should cheer her up.” She didn’t know. She didn’t know my mother was gone, and that as for my wife… I didn’t want her anymore either. 1 Audrey watched me, her perfectly sculpted eyebrow arched, as I ignored the credit card on the marble floor. “I gave you the money you wanted,” she said, her tone clipped. “Now go tell your mother to stop hiding and come out here to apologize to Milo.” Milo. That was the name of the poodle mix that had mauled my eye and started this entire nightmare. I lifted my head, my vision swimming, and stared at her. I truly stared at the woman I had been married to for five years. I couldn’t comprehend it. How could she so easily believe the lies of another man over me, over the evidence of her own eyes? How could she condemn my frail, elderly mother on the word of her high school flame? My mom had spent half her life in a hospital bed. She’d finally, miraculously, gotten better. She hadn’t even had a handful of good days before being torn to shreds by dogs. And now, even in death, Audrey expected her to apologize. To a dog. The image of my mother’s mangled body flashed behind my eyes. A wave of grief and fury so strong it nearly buckled my knees washed over me. I pointed a trembling finger to the thick gauze bandage covering my right eye socket. “That animal blinded me,” I choked out, my voice raw. “My mother gave him one little kick. Just to get him away from me. And that was wrong?” My anguish, my hoarse questions, didn’t move her in the slightest. Her gaze was as cold and hard as the floor beneath my feet. “Milo nipped you by accident. And I already punished him—he got three fewer kibbles for dinner. Your mother, on the other hand, took it upon herself to physically assault him.” She crossed her arms. “If I hadn’t gotten there when I did, she would have killed him!” Across the cavernous living room, Spencer—her “one that got away”—cradled the dog, a smug, triumphant smirk on his face. Then, in a blink, his expression shifted to one of pained compromise. “Audrey, maybe we should let it go,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “I mean, technically Milo only bit him because he was yelling… but Ethan is badly hurt. We shouldn’t force his mother to apologize.” He stroked the dog’s fur. “Besides, you were too lenient with Milo. Of course, she was upset. I’ll tell you what.” He feigned a grimace. “I’ll poke Milo’s eye out right now, just to make it even.” He spoke with such theatrical brutality, but his hand never stopped its gentle, soothing motion. The performance was so obvious, so transparent, yet Audrey was completely blind to it. She panicked. “No, Spencer, don’t!” The cool, aloof Audrey Hale I knew, the titan of industry, was suddenly flustered, practically begging him not to harm a fly on that dog’s head. She wouldn’t even consider a punishment as light as putting him in another room for an hour. The irony was a bitter pill in my throat. This was all because Spencer couldn’t stand seeing Audrey show me the slightest kindness. The fact that she had, on a whim, bought me a cheap fifteen-dollar watch from a drugstore had been enough to send him into a jealous frenzy. He’d called his friends over, men who held me down while he sicced his dog on me, all as a “punishment.” The security cameras in the mansion had recorded everything. But Audrey couldn’t be bothered to look. Spencer’s tearful, twisted version of the story was all the proof she needed. It was my fault. All of it. I had to admit, the power of a first love was something to behold. His dog was more important than her husband and her mother-in-law combined. I tuned them out as they continued their dramatic debate. I hadn’t come back for this. My mother’s body was at the funeral home. I was only here to gather a few of her belongings. In a daze, I walked to her room and picked up a bright, floral-print dress. It was the one I’d bought for her the day she was discharged from the hospital. She had adored it, wearing it every chance she got, preening for her friends. “My son bought it for me. Isn’t it beautiful? He’s so smart, so thoughtful. My Ethan.” Her voice, her smiling face, flickered in my mind for a second before vanishing into the grief. My eyes burned and my throat tightened. Before I could even process the fresh wave of pain, a hand shot out and snatched the bag from my grasp. “You’re not leaving until your mother comes out here and says she’s sorry!” Audrey yelled, yanking on the strap. There was a sharp, tearing sound. The bag ripped open. Its contents scattered across the floor. The poodle mix, Milo, trotted over gleefully, snatching the floral dress in his teeth. Something inside me snapped. I lunged forward, kicking the dog away and scrambling to grab the dress. Milo yelped dramatically. That was it. Audrey exploded. “Guards!” she screamed, and two of her security detail materialized, grabbing my arms and pinning me. “It’s a stupid piece of clothing! The fact that Milo wanted to play with it is a compliment, and you attack him? You’re just like your mother—completely out of control! Since you won’t let her apologize, you can do it for her!” I watched, helpless, as the dog shredded my mother’s most treasured possession. Strong hands forced my head down, slamming it against the hard floor. Once. Twice. The sharp pain radiating from my forehead was nothing, not even a fraction of the agony in my chest. Tears I could no longer hold back streamed down my face. A dark, wet patch of red began to seep through the white gauze over my eye. The sight of the blood seemed to startle Audrey. She paused, then waved the guards off. “It’s just a dress, Ethan, my God. I’ll buy you a hundred more. A grown man crying over something so trivial. It’s embarrassing.” Free, I ignored her. I wiped my face, found another bag, and silently, carefully, folded the other pieces of my mother’s clothing and placed them inside. The blood was spreading on the bandage. Audrey’s brow furrowed in something that almost looked like concern. “Your stitches have opened. I’m taking you to the doctor.” She reached for me, but at that exact moment, Spencer gave Milo a sharp kick. The dog yelped again and scampered away, immediately drawing Audrey’s attention. Spencer shrugged, a picture of helpless frustration. “He’s too smart for his own good. He sees you paying attention to Ethan and gets jealous.” Audrey was instantly consumed with guilt. “Oh, my poor baby. It’s my fault. I’ll go find him right now.” She started to leave, then hesitated, her gaze flickering back to me. “If he runs off, someone could steal him. He could be killed. You go on to the hospital. I’ll meet you there after I’ve calmed Milo down.” She turned fully, her voice hardening again. “And I’m letting you both off the hook for today. But this is the last time. You can tell your mother that as long as she lives under my roof and eats my food, she will follow my rules.” She still didn’t know. I watched her run after the dog, too tired to say another word. I finished packing and left for the funeral home. 2 The air in the crematorium was thick with the sound of weeping. But my tears had run dry. I just stood there, silently feeding my mother’s clothes into the incinerator. My father died when I was young. My mother had raised me alone, working herself to the bone, only to be diagnosed with a terminal illness. I’d dropped out of college to work, to pay for her treatments, only to have my wages stolen by a crooked boss. I was desperate, with nowhere to turn, when a sleek black town car pulled up beside me on the street. The window rolled down, and there was Audrey Hale. She looked down at me from the leather-upholstered fortress of her car. “Ethan Cole, right?” she’d said. “I have a proposition for you. Marry me. Move into my family’s estate. In return, I will cover all of your mother’s medical expenses, and I’ll pay for you to finish your degree, even graduate school.” “Okay,” I’d said, without a moment’s hesitation. She thought I’d agreed for the money. She had no idea that I’d been in love with her for years, ever since we were in the same class in high school. Back then, I was the one who made an extra breakfast sandwich every morning and left it on her desk before anyone else arrived. When the other girls, jealous of her family’s wealth and her effortless beauty, started to bully her, I was the one who anonymously reported them for cheating on tests, getting them suspended. When I saw them about to pour dirty mop water into her bottle, I switched it with one of their own, letting them drink their own poison. Slowly, the bullying stopped. A rumor went around that Audrey, the untouchable princess, had a secret knight protecting her. I never dared to step forward. The chasm between our worlds was too vast. We could never have been together. And sure enough, after graduation, she went to study abroad and cut off all contact. When we met again, all those years later, she didn’t recognize me as her old classmate. It didn’t matter. Just being with her was enough. After the wedding, our life was one of polite distance. We were like roommates, two strangers sharing a roof but never crossing into each other’s lives. I knew she had no feelings for me, but I wasn’t discouraged. Life is long, I told myself. Eventually, I could win her over. I poured myself into my studies, managed the household, and tried to be the perfect, supportive husband. Then, a month ago, Spencer returned from Europe. And I learned that she had a great, unrequited love. The one that got away. Years ago, when Audrey’s parents had pressured her to marry, Spencer, unwilling to marry into her powerful family and live in her shadow, broke up with her and left the country to pursue his own ambitions. In a fit of pique, she found me—a poor student who happened to bear a striking resemblance to him—and married me instead. I was just a replacement. A pathetic stand-in. Even knowing the truth, I didn’t feel I had the right to be angry. After all, Audrey had been generous. She had saved my mother’s life. So I stood by as she moved Spencer into our home. I held my tongue, treated him with respect, and yielded at every turn. But living with him, I saw the man he really was. He was nothing like the kind, noble person Audrey described. He would “accidentally” spill hot coffee on himself and blame me. He would stage a fall on the stairs and claim I’d pushed him out of jealousy. His petty cruelties were endless, chipping away at the fragile trust Audrey and I had begun to build. And now, with a spoiled little dog, he had taken my mother’s life. I watched the box of my mother’s ashes be lowered into the ground. Kneeling by the fresh grave, my heart felt like a hollow, cavernous ruin. Her true love was back. So I would leave. I would give them the life they wanted. Audrey had promised to meet me at the hospital, but the sun had set and my phone remained silent. I knew she’d forgotten. I wasn’t surprised. After the funeral, I went to a print shop. I returned to that cold, empty mansion with a single document. I knocked on her study door. “Come in.” She was at her desk, immersed in her work. I placed the divorce papers in front of her. “Sign this.” Without even glancing at it, she picked up her pen and scrawled her signature. “Don’t you want to see what you’re signing?” I asked, my voice tight. She didn’t look up. “What could you possibly want from me, Ethan? It’s your greedy mother again, isn’t it? Putting you up to asking for more money.” My fists clenched at my sides. I opened my mouth to tell her, to finally tell her everything. Bang! The door flew open, slamming against the wall. Audrey hated loud noises. Anyone entering her study, including me, was required to knock softly and wait for permission. But this person, this intruder, was met not with anger, but with a delighted smile. “Spencer! You have to tell me what that paper you gave me means,” she said, rising to greet him. “I’ve been staring at it for five hours, I’ve cross-referenced everything online, and I still can’t decode it.” Spencer laughed. “Decode what? It was a flyer for a pizza place I picked up on the street. I was just using it to fan myself. You’re too much.” The powerful CEO, my wife, stuck her tongue out at him playfully. She wasn’t angry about the wasted time. She carefully placed the junk-mail flyer into a silver picture frame and set it on her desk, admiring it like a piece of fine art. The legal document I’d brought her didn’t warrant a single glance. A greasy flyer from his hand was a treasure. The difference between being loved and not being loved was a stark, brutal thing. They began to chat, completely forgetting I was in the room. I quietly picked up the signed divorce papers and walked out. 3 The next morning, I was at my lawyer’s office first thing. “Everything is filed, Mr. Cole,” he said. “We’ll have her served by the end of the day.” I thanked him and stepped outside to call a cab. As I did, a message popped up on my phone from the home health aide who had looked after my mother at the hospital. Mr. Cole, your mother left a few things here with me. Are you free to come pick them up? I am, I typed back. I headed for the address she sent—a private room at an upscale restaurant. As I approached the door, I was about to text her that I’d arrived when I heard familiar voices from within. Instinctively, I peered through the crack in the slightly ajar door. Inside, Audrey and Spencer were linking arms, about to drink from each other’s glasses. A group of their friends were cheering them on. “Audrey, you’re too young and vibrant to waste your life with someone you don’t love!” one woman shouted. “That Ethan guy was never good enough for you,” another added. “Just divorce him and get back together with Spencer already! It’s destiny!” All eyes turned to Audrey. She just smiled, holding up her glass. “Marriage is what it is,” she said, deflecting. “Life is never perfect.” I had heard enough. I started to back away, but Spencer suddenly looked up and shouted. “Ethan? What are you doing here?” His voice was laced with theatrical panic. “Audrey and I were just playing a game! It doesn’t mean anything, I swear! Don’t get the wrong idea. Here, I’ll… I’ll do three shots as punishment.” He dramatically threw back three glasses of whiskey. The confused party guests instantly understood. Their faces hardened as they turned on me. “He’s just the stand-in, and he has the nerve to get jealous of the real thing? The arrogance!” Audrey shot me a look of pure annoyance. “Get out,” she said, her voice like ice. I didn’t need to be told twice. I turned to leave. But this time, Spencer followed me out. “Leaving so soon? Don’t you want your mother’s things?” I stopped and turned to face him. I should have known. He had paid the aide to lure me here, to make sure I saw that scene. He was a vicious man; this was a trap, and I was walking right into it. I was about to ignore him and keep walking. But then he pulled something from his pocket. A small, delicate gold locket. He dangled it from his fingers. “Look familiar? Just dug it up yesterday.” My blood ran cold. I recognized it instantly. It was the locket my father gave my mother. She had cherished it her entire life. Yesterday, at the burial, I had placed it inside the urn with her ashes. How did he have it? Had he… had he actually dug up my mother’s grave? Before I could even form the question, his fingers opened. The locket fell to the marble floor and shattered. “Oops,” he said with a smirk. “Clumsy me.” A roar filled my ears. Spencer saw my reaction and his smile widened into a triumphant sneer. He leaned in close, his voice a low, venomous whisper. “You know, those Cane Corsos? I raised them myself. They’re bred to be vicious. I did it all on purpose, Ethan. I had Milo bite you. I suggested to Audrey how she should ‘teach your mother a lesson’…” He paused, savoring the moment. “How does it feel, Ethan? To watch your own mother get torn apart, and be completely powerless to stop it?” “This is what you get for trying to take what’s mine.” “Audrey belongs to me,” he hissed. “Stay away from her. Or next time, it’ll be you in the ground.” My vision turned red. I didn’t think. I just swung. My fist connected with his face. Then again. The world dissolved into a cacophony of shouts and screams. I heard none of it. There was only one thought in my head. Kill him. Avenge my mother. “Stop it!” Audrey’s shriek cut through the haze. Her bodyguards swarmed me, pulling me off him. Spencer knelt on the floor, coughing up blood. “Audrey… don’t blame him,” he gasped. “He asked me to get the locket for him… and I dropped it. It’s my fault. He has every right to kill me.” Audrey rushed to his side, dabbing the blood from his lips with a napkin. She glared at me, her voice filled with disgust. “It was a stupid locket! How much could it possibly be worth that you’d do this to him?” “That’s not—” I started to explain. But she cut me off, her rage boiling over. She grabbed her handbag and swung it, the heavy metal corner catching me squarely on the forehead. “Not what?” she screamed. “I saw it with my own eyes! Are you going to stand there and tell me Spencer is framing you?” The blow split my skin open. Warm blood trickled down my face. I let out a short, bitter laugh and said nothing more. What was the point? She wouldn’t believe anything I said. I shook off the guards’ lingering grip and knelt, carefully picking up the shattered pieces of the locket. The sharp edges sliced my fingertips, but I didn’t feel it. Seeing this, Audrey seemed to hesitate, her anger momentarily flickering. She opened her mouth as if to stop me. But then Spencer let out a series of wracking coughs. “Audrey,” he wheezed, “he’s your husband. And his injuries are worse than mine. You should take him to the hospital.” Audrey sighed, her brief moment of concern vanishing. She turned her full attention back to him. “You’re too kind, Spencer. That’s why people always take advantage of you.” Her voice softened. “What does it matter if he’s my husband? You were the one who protected me in high school when I was at my lowest. You saved me. He hurt my savior. I should be making him pay, not taking him to the hospital. He can dream on.” She helped Spencer to his feet. “Come on. I’m taking you to a doctor. We can’t have a scar ruining that handsome face.” And with that, she led him away without a backward glance. The world around me faded away. All I could see were the broken pieces of my mother’s locket. When I had gathered every last one, I stood up and walked out, ignoring the pointing fingers and whispered condemnations of the crowd. I went back to my mother’s grave. The earth was disturbed. The urn was gone. There was no time for grief. I found it tossed aside in the bushes, cracked open. I fell to my knees and began scooping up the ashes, now mixed with dirt and mud. I held the filthy, broken container in my arms, checked into a cheap motel, and booked the first flight I could find. This place was no longer safe. I would take her home, to the town where we were born, and bury her there. That evening, a message from Audrey appeared on my phone. As cold as ever. Did you get that cut on your head looked at? A second message followed. It’s Spencer’s birthday tomorrow. You will come and bring a gift to apologize. If you do, I will forget about what happened today, and we can try to make this work. And a third. Tell your mother she can come back, too. It’s more comfortable here than wherever she’s hiding. She sent the messages, assuming, as always, that I would bend to her will. I didn’t bother replying. Instead, I forwarded the evidence of Spencer’s illegal ownership of dangerous animals to the police, along with a formal statement about my mother’s death. The next morning, my lawyer confirmed the divorce was final. I put Audrey’s copy of the decree in a courier envelope and had it sent to her. Then, clutching my mother’s ashes, I boarded a flight home, leaving that city and its ghosts behind me forever. I would never see Audrey Hale again. … In the private room at the restaurant, Audrey was still waiting, a hopeful look on her face. Knock, knock, knock. A smile touched her lips. “That must be Ethan, here to apologize.” Spencer, his face artfully bruised, waved a dismissive hand. “Well, I was partly to blame. It doesn’t seem right for him to be the only one apologizing, does it?” Audrey was resolute. “When you do something wrong, you apologize. Stop making excuses for him.” She walked over and opened the door. It wasn’t me. It was a courier. “Audrey Hale? This is for you.” She assumed it was a gift from me, a peace offering. She tore open the corner of the envelope, but before she could look inside, two uniformed police officers walked past her and stopped at their table. “Spencer Croft?” one of them said, looking at the man who had come out to see what the commotion was. “We have a report, filed by an Ethan Cole, that you illegally housed five dangerous animals, resulting in the death of his mother. You need to come with us.” Audrey stared, utterly bewildered. “Ethan’s mother is dead? That’s impossible. There has to be a mistake. I’ll call him right now and clear this up!” She fumbled for her phone, and in her haste, the contents of the envelope slid out and fell to the floor. It was a single, folded document. A certificate of divorce.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386456”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When Liam Gallagher and I divorced, we were both calm. He asked me, considerately, what I wanted. I answered without a second thought. “The cars, the house, the savings.” “And half the company stock.” Liam blinked, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “What about the children? You don’t want either of them?” “You love them so much. Are you really going to abandon Leo and Mia?” I looked down at my wrist, at the latticework of scars from years of self-harm, and gently shook my head. Not anymore. From now on, I wanted nothing to do with Liam Gallagher. Nothing except his money. 1 Seeing my cold indifference, Liam looked like he wanted to say something more. But after a moment’s hesitation, he simply signed the divorce papers in silence. As we parted, he spoke with a detached politeness. “I can’t give you the stock, but you’ll always be their mother. If you ever run into trouble, you can always call me.” I nodded. The moment I turned away, I dropped the business card he’d handed me into the nearest trash can. In this lifetime, I would rather die than see Liam Gallagher again. When I got home, I told our housekeeper, Maria, to pack up all of Liam’s things and throw them out. She chuckled, thinking it was just another fight. “Ma’am, did you and the mister have another argument?” she teased. “If you ask me, you should just let it go. He really does care for you. It’s not worth giving up your place as Mrs. Gallagher over a moment of anger.” Maria had seen it all—the years of suffering, the endless humiliation. She knew the torrential force of my love for Liam, and she had witnessed my hysterical breakdowns after each of his betrayals. She, like Liam, was convinced I would never leave. But this time, I didn’t cry or complain. I simply took our wedding portrait down from the wall. “My mother is dead,” I said, my voice calm and empty. The smile froze on Maria’s face. She stood there, stunned and speechless, before stammering out an apology. I just smiled faintly and said nothing. Then, with all my strength, I smashed the heavy frame against the floor. Maria jumped back, startled. Then she was immediately by my side, helping me clean up the shattered glass. She expertly tended to the small cuts on my hand, a familiar routine. “Good riddance,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “You’re a Harvard graduate, for goodness’ sake. You can do so much better without him. You don’t have to take that kind of abuse, dear.” “I know,” I whispered, my head bowed. I hadn’t wanted to cry. But as I looked down, tears began to fall, hot and unstoppable. There was regret and sorrow, yes, but also a flicker of something else: the exhilarating relief of a survivor. Ten years. The romantic fairytale of the prince and the small-town girl had finally reached its end. It wasn’t a happy one, but it was the one I should have expected all along. 2 At eighteen, I was the valedictorian of my county, accepted into Harvard. That same year, I met Liam Gallagher, a successful alumnus who had returned to campus to make a donation. The beginning of our story was breathtakingly romantic. Liam fell for me at first sight. The moment his speech ended, he began a relentless pursuit. He’d wait for me after class with flowers and bubble tea. He’d bribe my roommates for information on my whereabouts. He memorized every little thing about me and declared his love for me under a sky filled with fireworks. Back then, everyone said we wouldn’t last. A girl like me, a Cinderella from a small town, could never truly belong with someone like Liam Gallagher. But Liam didn’t care. He fought against the pressure from his family and the world, proposing to me and shielding me from all the malice. Under his protection, my once difficult life switched to easy mode. I was showered with jewelry and bouquets, offered scholarships to study abroad. Resources were poured on me, everything I could ever want handed to me before I even had to ask. For a naive, dreamy teenage girl, Liam’s intense affection was intoxicating. I fell hard and fast, giving up my ambitions to marry him. Dating, marriage, pregnancy—it all unfolded so perfectly. Life felt effortless. I was drowning in the joy of love, completely unaware that every gift from fate comes with a hidden price tag. The day our son, Leo, was born, Liam’s mother, a woman I had never met, swept into my hospital room and took my baby from his bassinet. Her smile was polite, but her voice was cold and dripping with condescension. “Leo is the future heir to the Gallagher fortune. His position is of the utmost importance,” she stated. “Given your background, you are not qualified to raise him.” After ten months of carrying him, after a difficult labor, I wasn’t even allowed to hold my own son. To even see him, I needed permission. I begged Liam not to be so cruel, not to separate me from our child. He just looked at me with a strange expression. “My mother’s right, Nora. You’re from the country. We had an agreement—I could mess around all I wanted, but when it came to the children, her word was law.” I was on the verge of collapsing from grief, but Liam just wrapped his arms around my waist and tried to kiss me, laughing it off. “Come on, don’t be sad,” he said casually. “If you love kids so much, we’ll just have another one.” I couldn’t push him away. But when his eyes fell on the dense network of stretch marks covering my stomach, he stopped. A flicker of disgust and conflict crossed his face. After a moment’s hesitation, he simply said, “You must be tired. Get some rest.” His coldness was like a slap in the face, waking me from my beautiful dream. I remembered his mother’s contempt, the snickering of those around me. I suddenly realized that this grand, sweeping love story was nothing more than the whim of a rich boy. Fate had given me a gift. Now, it was starting to collect the interest. Losing my son was only the beginning. During my postpartum recovery, I fell into a severe depression. I called Liam, but he never answered. I sent texts, but they went unread. I was sick with worry, imagining the worst had happened to him. The next morning, I woke up to the news. Photos of him in bed with a starlet were plastered all over the internet. The world began to speculate how long it would be before the small-town Cinderella was thrown out of the palace. The public mockery shattered the last of my illusions. I couldn’t accept it. My depression spiraled. We had the most vicious fight of our lives. In a complete breakdown, I grabbed a knife and threatened to jump from the balcony. That was the only time I saw fear in his eyes. He rushed to hold me, his body trembling as he apologized. Like every cheating husband, he wept and swore it was all a misunderstanding, that he loved me, begging for another chance. That night, Liam knelt before me, tears streaming down his face. “Nora,” he pleaded, “please forgive me. Just this once.” 3 I made the second worst mistake of my life. I forgave him. For our son. For the lingering love I couldn’t cut away. And because my mother was in a terrible car accident, leaving me with no other home to run to. So, Liam and I reconciled. And soon, I was pregnant with our second child, Mia. Just like with Leo, Mia was taken away the moment she was born. The excuse this time was that Liam needed to focus on work and couldn’t be disturbed by a crying baby. To see my children, I had to go to the family estate before dawn every day to serve his mother. I poured her tea, massaged her shoulders, and even knelt to wash her feet, all in the desperate hope that she would show a sliver of mercy and let me spend time with my own kids. But all my efforts were rewarded with Liam’s brazen betrayals and my children’s deep-seated resentment. Leo refused to call me “Mom.” Whenever he saw me, he would scowl and say, “That stupid country woman is here again. I don’t want to see her.” Mia was too young to speak. She would just cry until her grandmother held her. Meanwhile, my mother’s condition was getting worse. The coldness of my children and the crushing weight of my life left me exhausted and hopeless. Just when I needed him most, Liam was building a new life with another woman. It was our wedding anniversary. Leo refused my invitation to celebrate. Liam didn’t answer my calls. Instead, his new lover thoughtfully sent me a video of them in bed together. Listening to their intimate sounds, I finally broke. I grabbed a blade and dragged it across my arm, over and over. When Maria burst into the bathroom, I had almost bled out. She frantically called Liam. This time, he didn’t come home until morning. He crouched in front of me, a smirk on his face as he looked at my mangled arm. “Weren’t you going to die? A whole night has passed, and you’re still here, clinging to this family like a stray dog.” His words shattered my fragile calm. Without a second thought, I threw myself off the balcony. I didn’t die. I just broke my leg. Mrs. Gallagher paid off the reporters and dragged me to my mother’s hospital room. She looked down at me, her voice like ice. “The ICU costs twenty thousand a day. If you ever dare to embarrass the Gallagher name again, I’ll make sure your mother dies with you.” That was the first time I realized that even death was a luxury I couldn’t afford. I was trapped. I couldn’t let go of the past, couldn’t sever the ties to my children. So I humbled myself, shrinking into nothingness in a marriage that had devoured my soul. I watched my son and daughter grow distant, watched Liam move from one woman to the next, watched them use my own mother to control me. Marriage into a wealthy family was a sweet dream and a painful chain. Cinderella had become Mrs. Gallagher, but the prince was still lost in his game, “saving” one beautiful, poor girl after another. Until one day, Liam went too far. He fell for a socialite in her thirties with a string of ex-husbands, and he got her pregnant. Mrs. Gallagher was furious. She slapped me twice across the face, screaming at me for failing to control my own husband. “What good are you if you can’t even keep a man’s heart?” she shrieked. “I order you to clean up this mess immediately. Otherwise… I will cut off your mother’s medical funds and ensure you never see Leo or Mia again!” With my marriage in ruins, my mother was the only pillar I had left. I couldn’t lose her. Steeling myself, I went to see the woman, Seraphina. Unlike Liam’s other flings, she wasn’t arrogant or aggressive. She was polite, even deferential, calling me “Mrs. Gallagher” with a pleading look in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, ma’am. I never intended to disrupt your family,” she said softly. “I just love Liam so much. But for his sake, I’m willing to get rid of this child and disappear forever.” Seraphina was true to her word. She took the money and vanished. That night, Liam, who hadn’t been home in ages, walked into my room. Without a word, he pushed me onto the bed and took me. For an entire month, he didn’t let me leave that room. Not until I was pregnant with our third child. As a reward for solving his problem, and to keep Liam at home, Mrs. Gallagher made an unprecedented concession: I would be allowed to raise this child myself. Around the same time, my mother’s health began to improve under the care of the Gallaghers’ private medical team. I was ecstatic. I thought my suffering was finally over, that things were finally looking up. But when I was eight months pregnant, Liam pushed me down the stairs.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386472”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 It was an evening like any other. I was at the sink washing dishes when Toby’s voice drifted in from the living room, carrying its usual cool detachment. “Can’t you read a book or something? Try to improve yourself.” My hands stopped moving. He continued, “In the future, Lily is going to need more than a mother who’s just a housekeeper.” Clang. The plate hit the drying rack with a sharp crack. I froze. And in that single, shattering moment, I understood everything. He was comparing me to someone else. Some new standard I was failing to meet. … 2 Our six-year-old daughter was in the room, so I held my tongue and finished tidying the kitchen without a word. “Lily, honey, why don’t you go to your room and draw for a bit?” Once she was gone, I turned on the television and flipped to a trashy soap opera. A frown creased Toby’s brow. “Aren’t you going to do the dishes? They’ll start to smell.” He had a sensitive nose. The house had to be immaculate, free of any lingering odors. Anything that might create a smell had to be dealt with immediately. I poured myself a cup of tea and kept my eyes glued to the screen. “If it’s a job anyone can do, then you do it.” Toby let out a short, humorless laugh. “I was just offering a suggestion. It’s for Lily’s benefit, too. Is there any need to be so dramatic?” “Wash them or don’t. It’s up to you.” The drama on screen was reaching its climax. The wife and the mistress were in a screaming match in public. The husband wrapped his arms protectively around the mistress, shouting at his wife. “Look at you, you’re acting like a madwoman! Do you have any shred of dignity left? Every day I have to look at your sloppy, unkempt face, and it makes me sick.” The wife looked utterly destroyed, incapable of fighting back as her husband stormed away with the triumphant mistress in his arms. It was, admittedly, garbage television. I turned my head to look at Toby. “Do you think all cheating men invent excuses like that to cover up the simple fact that they can’t control themselves?” His expression tightened for a second before his cool mask slipped back into place. “What kind of question is that? How would I know?” I didn’t reply, just held his gaze. I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. He spoke again. “If you have so much free time on your hands, you should sign up for a class. Improve your skills. Don’t waste your life on this meaningless drivel.” I switched off the TV and stood up to go to the bedroom. As I passed him, I made sure to add, “Don’t forget the dishes, Professor.” The next day, I hired a part-time housekeeper to handle the cooking and cleaning. When Toby came home that evening, Lily and I had already finished dinner. He saw the stranger in our home and frowned, his eyes questioning me. “The new housekeeper,” I said simply. “You know I don’t like having strangers in the house. You should go back to cooking. I’m used to your food after all these years.” I smiled. “After all these years, shouldn’t you be sick of it by now?” I’ve never been one to suffer in silence. Back in school, when bullies came after me, I’d fight back so effectively they’d be crying for their mothers, but you’d barely find a mark on them. I, on the other hand, always made sure to look like the victim. Faced with my sarcasm, Toby sighed. “I make one little comment, and you hold a grudge this long. Thea, you can’t stay a child forever. Some of those rough edges need to be smoothed out. You need to be a better role model for our daughter…” I picked up a water glass and hurled it at his feet. It shattered on the floor. “Are you done?” “If you’re not eating, I’ll have the housekeeper throw it out.” Ignoring his stunned expression, I turned to the startled woman and spoke in a gentle voice. “That’s all for tonight, thank you. Please come back at the same time tomorrow.” “Ma’am, should I do the dishes?” I shook my head. “No, thank you. I have someone else in mind for that job.” After she left, Toby looked like he was about to explode. “You act like this in front of strangers?” “What, am I embarrassing you? Tarnishing the great Professor’s reputation? Am I not worldly enough for you? Not cultured enough? Not as good as whoever you’re comparing me to out there?” “Thea, you’re being completely irrational!” He slammed the door on his way out. Irrational. Right. 3 But he used to love this part of me. He once told me that my bright, fiery personality had shown him a world he never knew existed. He was captivated by the collision of our two different worlds, our opposite natures. He said it made his life complete. I joined the university’s kickboxing club as a freshman. I was one of the few women who endured the brutal training all the way to the finals. Toby, who looked like a delicate scholar who might be knocked over by a strong breeze, fell for me the first time he saw me in the ring, sweat-drenched and fearless. “Your name is Thea,” he’d said once, “It sounds so gentle. It doesn’t match your personality at all.” “What? You see a name like that and expect some delicate literary genius? Sorry to disappoint you, professor. I’m more of a fighter.” He shook his head, flustered. “No, no, that’s not what I meant. I think you’re… you’re so cool. Like a warrior from an old story, fighting for justice. I’ve… I’ve never met anyone like you.” He’d lowered his head then, his ears turning bright red. “Well, you have now,” I’d said. “Guess you’ll get used to it.” I turned to leave, but his urgent voice stopped me. “Wait! Can I… can I get your number?” “Sure.” He was a man of few words, and I wasn’t much for small talk. We didn’t interact much after that. Then one day, he was on his way back from his part-time job when a group of local thugs cornered him, demanding protection money. With his slender build, it was clear he couldn’t take a punch. Since he’d called me a warrior, and I happened to be there, I figured I should probably live up to the title. “Hey! Picking on someone weaker than you? How brave. Why don’t you try a few rounds with me?” They swarmed me instantly. Clearly, I was the more interesting target. Toby had been prepared to take a beating rather than give them his money. But seeing them turn on me, his eyes went red with fury. “Thea! Run! Don’t worry about me!” I shot him a look. “Maybe try a different kind of cheerleading.” I didn’t have much time, so after a quick warm-up, the fight was on. I had some training, but there were a lot of them. I took a few hits—a couple of scrapes on my face, a twisted arm. Toby cried the whole way to the clinic, and I laughed at him the whole way there. After that, he said a debt like that could only be repaid with a lifetime. Later, we graduated. I started my own business. He went on to grad school, climbing the academic ladder until he became a tenured professor. I funded most of that journey. He went from a small-town kid who studied his way out to a level of success most people only dream of. Back in his tiny hometown, he was a local hero. His parents, who had been farmers their whole lives, were the envy of the entire town. He used to say I was his guardian angel. Our life got better and better. We moved into bigger houses. We had our daughter. To take care of her, I stepped back, handed the daily operations of my company over to a professional manager, and focused on building our home. And now, he was starting to resent me for it. I didn’t know how far things had gone with his “reference point” out there, but my gut told me they were still in the early, simmering stages. Without proof, there was nothing I could do. For now. But I had money, and I had time. I was more than willing to play his game. Toby remained meticulous. His hair was always perfect, his shirts crisp and without a single wrinkle. He never came home smelling of anything he shouldn’t. He was still the dedicated academic, Professor Toby. The only change was that after that night, doing the dishes became his job. It was another ordinary day. I needed a book on contract law for a potential company acquisition, so I went into his study. I found it and was about to leave when a flash of red from a gap in the bookshelf caught my eye. It looked out of place. A strange feeling pulled me toward it.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386488”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

The final amount of sponsorship money secured would determine the new project lead. I had hustled across half the city, bowing and scraping to countless people, and was on the verge of victory, ten thousand dollars ahead of the runner-up. But behind my back, my wealthy boyfriend invested half a million dollars in her. He said, “She’s a scholarship student. She needs this more than you do.” Fine. In that case, he could have the project. I was done with both of them. 1 The moment the project lead was announced, every eye in the room turned to me, filled with a mixture of pity and sympathy. A few of my friends had even brought a banner, ready to celebrate. Turns out, we’d popped the champagne too soon. The scholarship student, Sandra Lin, walked to the front, a look of utter shock on her face, as if she couldn’t believe such a prize had fallen into her lap. But her expression quickly changed. She turned to me, her eyes welling up. “Mia, you’re not mad, are you? I just mentioned offhand that I wanted the project, I never thought Aiden would actually take me seriously. How about… I give it to you?” I could see the challenge glittering in her eyes, clear as day. My best friend, Alice, jumped to my defense. “What a performance,” she sneered. “What are you so proud of? Aiden’s blind. He felt sorry for you and threw you a bone. It’s just one project. We don’t want your charity.” Alice knew how much this project meant to me. I had already applied to a top international university. My grades were perfect, my English proficiency score was just shy of a full nine, and this project was the final piece of my application—my stepping stone to a full-ride scholarship. Now, the project was gone. But I couldn’t lose my dignity. If I did, my status as Aiden’s “official girlfriend” would become a complete joke. Sandra looked even more wounded. “I wasn’t trying to steal it from her,” she explained, her voice trembling. “If I really wanted to compete, I would have started fundraising a month ago. I know I’m not as capable as she is, so I never even considered it. It’s just… fate, I guess. I didn’t fight for it, but in the end, it came to me.” Her words were practically begging for a slap. Almost everyone in the room had tried for this project and failed for one reason or another. Now, out of nowhere, Sandra swoops in. No proposal, no hustling—just a word to Aiden, and she had what the rest of us had worked so hard for. Someone couldn’t stand it anymore. “Didn’t fight for it? Playing the innocent little flower, are we? His actual girlfriend didn’t get a dime of his help, but all you had to do was ask, and Aiden threw hundreds of thousands at you. Who knows what you did to get it.” Sandra’s eyes widened in mock innocence. “What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything.” I had no patience for this pathetic drama. As I turned to leave, Sandra grabbed my arm. “Don’t go!” she cried. “You have to clear my name, or they’ll think something happened between me and Aiden!” I was physically and emotionally exhausted. The filter between my brain and my mouth vanished. “Even if you slept with him,” I said, my voice flat, “it has nothing to do with me.” A collective gasp went through the room. Alice stepped forward and pushed Sandra’s hand off me. “Don’t touch her—” Before the words were even out, Sandra crumpled to the floor. Alice stared in horror. “Are you serious? Are you trying to frame me?” Sandra was sobbing now, a picture of tragic beauty, as if we were the evil side characters in her sob story, bullying the helpless heroine. Just then, a tall figure pushed through the crowd. Seeing Sandra on the ground, he shoved me violently. If Alice hadn’t caught me, I would have slammed into the corner of a table. When Sandra saw Aiden, she threw herself into his arms. “I don’t want the project anymore!” she cried. “I was just joking with you! Give the investment to Mia, please! Otherwise, she’s going to hate me forever!” Aiden finally looked up and seemed to notice me for the first time. Realizing he had just shoved me, he pushed Sandra away and rushed to my side, his eyes filled with apology as he looked me over. “I’m sorry, I was in a hurry, I didn’t see it was you. Are you okay?” 2 His hand landed on my shoulder. I felt a wave of disgust and shrugged it off. Aiden’s brow furrowed. I had never rejected his touch before. This was a first. “I’m fine,” I said coolly. “You should take care of her. I’m a little tired, I’m heading home.” He offered to take me, but I refused. Suddenly, Sandra let out a small cry. Aiden immediately turned to her. “What’s wrong?” “I think I twisted my ankle. It really hurts.” Aiden glanced back at me. “I’ll call you tonight,” he said, then scooped Sandra into his arms and left. Alice was practically vibrating with rage. She was about to charge after him and land a kick while his back was turned, but I held her back. After they left, the crowd dispersed. “Why didn’t you tear him a new one?” Alice demanded, fuming. “What’s the use? You hit him, and his family, with all their money and power, can have you thrown in jail. If they’re feeling vindictive, they can make sure you never get a job. We’re normal people, Alice. We can’t win that fight.” My voice was hollow, all the fight drained out of me. Alice deflated. “So what now? Are you going to break up with him?” “Of course. But I can’t be the one to do it.” I knew Aiden too well. He was obsessed with finding a girl who wasn’t after his family’s money, someone who loved him for him. He had spent the first three years of our four-year relationship testing me. If I broke up with him now, he’d tell everyone it was because I finally lost patience when I realized I couldn’t get his money. When I found out he’d given that huge investment to Sandra, I was heartbroken. It turned out his tests were only for me. Sandra just had to say a few words, and he handed over a fortune. My genuine affection had earned me nothing but endless suspicion. A breakup was inevitable. But I wasn’t going to let him slander my name in the process. That night, I didn’t get a call from Aiden. But I did get a wire transfer. Half a million dollars. Attached was a note: This transfer is a gift given with the intent of marriage. In the event of a breakup for any reason, the recipient must return the full amount. Looking at that money, I knew one thing for sure: my education was my only way out. I called my professor and asked if there was any other way to get a full scholarship. He sent me a file. His research project needed one more assistant. If I worked for free, he would give me a co-author credit. I accepted on the spot. For the next month, I was completely buried in work. I was so busy, my phone would often die without me even noticing. At night, I was always the last one to leave the lab. Mastering the data was difficult, and I had no choice but to work harder, to put in more hours. The way back to my dorm went through a small alley. Suddenly, I heard voices. “I’m telling you, I don’t have any money. He got me that sponsorship, but he hasn’t given me a single cent.” It was Sandra. It sounded like she was being mugged, but by people she knew. “You think we’re stupid?” a man’s voice shot back. “He’s a rich kid. We saw him take you jewelry shopping last week. He bought you that ruby necklace, the one that cost over eighty grand. If you don’t have cash, hand over the necklace. We can pawn it.” Sandra was furious. “He bought that for me to wear to his birthday party,” she hissed. “If you take it, what am I supposed to do?” “You idiot,” another man’s voice said. “Just buy a fake one to wear. He’ll never know the difference.” Sandra hesitated. The two men pressed on. “That rich kid has a girlfriend, right? She’ll definitely be at the party. You can pretend the necklace went missing and blame it on her. You’ll drive a wedge between them and get rid of the fake necklace at the same time. Two birds, one stone.” 3 After a moment’s thought, Sandra pulled a box from her bag. As she opened it, a ruby necklace glittered under the dim alley light, its fire captivating. “Make sure you get a good price for it,” she instructed. The two men snatched the necklace and walked away without another word. I ducked into the shadows as they passed. A few moments later, Sandra left, muttering curses under her breath. Long after she was gone, my mind was stuck on that necklace. It was a piece I had dreamed of, a rare and expensive design from a niche artisan. I could never afford it. I remembered looking at it in the shop window with Aiden by my side. He had been silent, his expression unreadable, his gaze fixed on me. At the time, I didn’t understand what he was thinking. My mind was consumed by the necklace, by my future. I would study abroad, get a high-paying job, and on my twenty-fifth birthday, I would buy that necklace for myself. It would be a tribute to all my hard work. After we saw the necklace, Aiden didn’t contact me for a long time. Finally, I went to find him. He was with a few of his friends. When my name came up, one of them sneered, “That girl’s a total bookworm, nothing else. You’re still with her? You’re not actually thinking of marrying her, are you? Don’t be so boring.” Aiden said nothing. Another one joked, “Dude, you spent two years trying to prove she’s a gold digger. Now that she’s not digging, you look miserable. What’s up with that?” A flash of anger crossed Aiden’s face. “I thought she was different,” he grumbled. “She hid it for two years, but she finally slipped. A couple of weeks ago, she took me to see this ruby necklace. It’s a luxury item, way out of her price range. She obviously wanted me to buy it for her. I didn’t fall for it.” His friends hooted with laughter. “See? We told you. She’s just after your money. Good thing you didn’t get played.” Just then, a girl who had been quiet spoke up. “The necklace you’re talking about, is it by a designer named K? She’s been in love with that piece for years, since junior high, I think. Her birthday wish every year was to buy it for herself with her own money on her twenty-fifth birthday.” The group fell silent. Someone tried to challenge her. “How would you know? You know her?” The girl nodded. “She was famous in our high school. Top of her class. I lived in the rich neighborhood, she lived in the old, run-down apartments. But every year, parents from my neighborhood would hire her to tutor their kids. She was never shy about her ambition. She’s an amazing person.” After she finished, no one spoke for a long time. They eventually changed the subject to break the awkward silence. Before leaving, the girl looked at Aiden. “That smug, all-knowing act you just pulled? It was disgusting. She can’t afford that necklace now, but on her twenty-fifth birthday, she will. And she won’t need you to do it.” Aiden couldn’t even look at her. I had planned to break up with him that day, but his face was just too handsome, and his apology afterwards was so sincere that I let it go. The memory faded, and tears filled my eyes. It was true. Some people could get things without any effort, things that others had to fight for their entire lives. The next day, Aiden came to find me. He was holding a bouquet of flowers. “I texted you, but you didn’t reply,” he said with a smile. “Are you busy looking for a job? If you can’t find anything, I can have my dad set you up with a position. Or, you could just marry me and be a full-time wife.” He beamed, clearly expecting me to be overjoyed. Instead, he was met with my cold, empty expression.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386504”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

When I rushed back from abroad, all that was left of my daughter, Anna, was a cold urn. Her husband, Lucas, clutched the urn, his face pale, head bowed in silence. Her son, Mason, had a glint of barely concealed delight in his eyes as he whispered, “Finally, Auntie Chloe can be my mom.” Chloe stood beside them, weeping delicately, looking so fragile that a gust of wind might knock her over. She looked like the world’s most innocent victim. I didn’t understand. Since Anna had the courage to commit suicide, why didn’t she just go crazy and take everyone down with her? Now she was gone, leaving them to enjoy their “happily ever after.” I walked up and snatched the urn from Lucas’s hands. Someone had to be the villain and finish this story properly. 1 Smack! I slapped Chloe hard across the face. She stumbled back, nearly falling to the ground. Mason’s eyes widened. He rushed in front of Chloe, shielding her with his small body. “Grandma, why did you hit Auntie Chloe!” His voice was shrill, protesting for the “perfect future” he envisioned. I sneered, my gaze landing on Chloe’s pristine white dress. That was a custom-made birthday gift Lucas had ordered for Anna just months ago. Back then, Anna had video-called me to show it off. Now it seemed the gift was just a guilt offering for his affair. I tilted my head, signaling the bodyguards behind me. The sound of tearing fabric and Chloe’s screams pierced the air of the cemetery. Mason tried to stop the bodyguards, but his small frame was useless against the hulking men. “Grandma, you’re too much! Mom agreed to give this dress to Auntie Chloe!” Mason’s face turned red as he shouted at me, “You’re just as unreasonable as Mom was!” I glared at him coldly, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him close. I ripped the protective amulet from his neck. Mason had been sickly as a child. Anna had walked miles, kowtowing every few steps to a temple, to get this amulet for him. “You don’t deserve this!” My voice was cold as ice. Mason, rubbing the red mark on his neck, tried to act tough. “Who cares! I wouldn’t wear that ugly thing if she hadn’t forced me!” Chloe curled up on the ground, looking at Lucas with pathetic, pleading eyes, begging for protection. Lucas seemed not to see her. He walked forward like a lost soul and knelt before me. “Mom, please. Give Anna back to me.” “You don’t deserve to speak her name.” I glanced at him coldly and turned to leave. “Enough,” Arthur, my husband—Anna’s father—finally spoke. “Fiona, what’s done is done. Let Anna rest in peace.” I let out a cold laugh, anger surging like a tide. “Rest in peace? While you all live happily? How can she rest?” 2 The next day, I brought a renovation crew and movers to Anna and Lucas’s house. Lucas came from a humble background. I had opposed their relationship, not wanting my daughter to suffer. To marry Anna, Lucas worked day and night for five years to afford the down payment on this house. Moved by his dedication, Anna married him despite my objections. When Anna tried to convince me, her eyes sparkled as she described their future. She told me how hard Lucas worked, how great the location was, how it was near the best schools… After the down payment, Lucas had no money for renovations. So, Anna used all her savings—money she’d kept since childhood—to renovate and furnish the place herself. Anna said this was the starting point of their happiness. Every table, chair, and plant in this house was carefully chosen by Anna. Chloe… how dare she live here? I had the bodyguards throw Chloe out. Then I ordered the movers to take everything that belonged to Anna. As for the things that couldn’t be moved, along with anything belonging to Lucas, Chloe, or Mason, I had them destroyed and thrown out. I then ordered the renovation crew to tear down everything—walls, floors, fixtures—and clear out the debris. When Lucas rushed back, all he saw was an empty concrete shell. It was as if Anna had never poured her heart into this place. “I’m giving you and Chloe a fresh start,” I told Lucas with a mocking smile. This man never understood Anna’s sacrifices. Now, I would make him lose her completely, leaving him nothing to hold onto. Lucas stood silent, his eyes wandering the empty room, searching for any trace of Anna. Chloe hid behind him, her voice weak and innocent. “Auntie Fiona, I’m sorry. I didn’t take good care of Anna. You have every right to be angry.” 3 I stared coldly at Chloe’s pitiful act, the fire in my chest burning hotter. “Didn’t take good care of Anna?” I repeated, my voice sharp as a blade. “Do you have the right to say that? If not for you, you ungrateful leech, would she have ended up like this?” Tears welled up in Chloe’s eyes. She looked as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t. Her helpless act made her look like the victim, painting me as the bully. Anna had lived a smooth life; she was too pure. She never stood a chance against Chloe. I stepped forward, grabbed Chloe by her hair, and dragged her out from behind Lucas. She screamed and struggled, tears streaming down her face. But my bodyguards held her fast. “Auntie Fiona, please! I know I was wrong, please let me go…” I took the scissors a bodyguard handed me. “Wrong?” I scoffed, hacking away at her hair. The snip, snip sound of scissors cutting through hair filled the room. “Your mistake is that you’re still alive,” I said coldly, continuing to cut. I was a grieving mother who had lost her daughter. Did I need to be rational? Chloe’s hair fell to the floor in messy clumps, much like the lies she had woven over the years were finally unraveling. “When Anna first met you, you had just had your hair cut off by bullies like this. She saved you. She pulled you out of despair and protected you until today.” Chloe trembled, tears falling to the floor, her voice choked. “I… I know she saved me…” “And yet?” I interrupted, stopping the scissors and staring at her ruined hair. “What did you do with her kindness? You betrayed her, stole everything from her, and caused the death of her unborn child!” “Lucas…” Chloe cried, gasping for breath, reaching out to him. Lucas kept his head down, fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. He seemed deaf and blind to everything. His shoulders shook slightly as if stung. He looked up, eyes full of exhaustion and despair, voice raspy. “Mom… she… she’s pregnant. I had no choice.” Pregnant? I sneered, a sarcastic smile forming on my lips. Great. Now Chloe could experience another hardship Anna went through. 4 The next day, news that Chloe had moved into Anna and Lucas’s marital home spread online. Someone soon dug up the fact that Chloe was pregnant. This confirmed the rumors that Lucas had cheated and, along with his mistress, drove his wife to suicide. Overnight, Lucas went from “young entrepreneur” and “handsome CEO” to the target of endless ridicule and curses. I was the one who leaked the news, but not just to ruin their reputation. I wanted them locked together. Chloe was pregnant. If Lucas abandoned her now, he would be branded as irresponsible on top of everything else. Regardless of his feelings for her now, he couldn’t dump her. He had to swallow this bitter pill. Netizens started photoshopping “ghost marriage” pictures of them. The public waited for a wedding announcement but instead saw a missing person notice for Chloe. Unlike usual missing person cases that get shared with concern, the comments under Chloe’s notice were full of sarcasm, accusing her of pulling a stunt for attention. Surprisingly, the first person to lose his cool and barge into my house was Arthur. Two police officers were with him. “Chloe is missing,” he said, his voice low. I raised an eyebrow, glancing at the police, then coldly asked Arthur, “Are you notifying me or suspecting me?” “Fiona…” Arthur frowned, using his controlling tone. “I know you’ve always disliked her, but we watched her grow up…” “Child?” I laughed, cutting him off. “She destroyed my daughter. What is she to me? Or do you think I did something to her?” The officers shifted uncomfortably under my gaze. One of them spoke up. “Ms. Fiona, you had a conflict with Chloe before she disappeared. We need your cooperation.” “Conflict?” I stood up, stepping closer. “I just lost my daughter. I have things to do. Do you think I care about a clown like her?” The officer glanced at the urn on the table. “There were witnesses at the cemetery.” “The cemetery?” I looked him in the eye. “My daughter is dead. They tried to usurp everything she had. I was just getting justice for her.” “Do you think warning a shameless homewrecker and an ungrateful wolf counts as a murder plot?” The officer hesitated, looking at the urn again. “You are a person of interest. This is routine. Please cooperate.” “Suspect? What suspect? Was she kidnapped? Or arrested?” My tone was unfriendly. I didn’t need to be normal or reasonable right now. “Maybe she’s just hiding somewhere. She always used these stunts to grab attention and affection.” “Fiona,” Arthur interrupted again. My words clearly hit a nerve. He looked annoyed. When Anna went missing, Chloe had told him the exact same thing. So, he gave up looking for Anna. “We aren’t accusing you,” he said tiredly. “We just hope to find Chloe soon to avoid bigger problems.” “You care about her so much,” I looked at him coldly. “Did you ever care about your own daughter like this?” Arthur looked at Anna’s urn, opened his mouth, then sighed wearily. “Anna’s situation was my negligence. But you can’t blame Chloe for that.” I snorted, having nothing left to say to him. With no evidence, the police asked a few routine questions and left quickly.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386520”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel

1 My wife’s whole family was dying from pufferfish poisoning. The only antidote was made by her company. After 99 calls, she finally answered, annoyed: “Why are you blowing up my phone over one dance with Leo?” I begged her to bring the antidote—her parents and brother’s family were dying. But she gave it all to her first love, Leo, whose family was also poisoned. “They’re my assets. I decide,” she said coldly. “If your family died, that’s their bad luck.” She showed no remorse and even signed a settlement for me, protecting those responsible. When I demanded a divorce, she scoffed, “Your family’s dead—is that really a big deal? They were greedy to eat that fish anyway.” Righteous and unmoved, she still didn’t realize… the dead were her own family. My in-laws were rushed to the hospital after dining at a new upscale restaurant. Pufferfish poisoning. By the time I got there, they were already fading. The doctor was blunt. The only thing that could save them was a specialized antidote manufactured by my wife Chloe’s company. I started calling her immediately. She didn’t answer. Call after call went to voicemail. Finally, on the ninety-ninth try, she picked up. Before I could even speak, her voice, dripping with annoyance, cut through the phone. “It was Leo’s company gala. I danced one cha-cha with him. Why are you blowing up my phone?” The mention of Leo Vance sent a familiar spike of irritation through me. I wanted to confront her, to demand answers, but the thought of my in-laws fighting for their lives in the ER silenced the angry words in my throat. My voice trembled as I got to the point. “Your parents… your brother and his family… they’ve been poisoned by pufferfish. It’s bad, Chloe. The doctor said only your company’s antidote can save them. You have to bring it back, please…” Before I could finish, a cold, dismissive laugh cut me off. “Your family gets pufferfish poisoning, and I’m just supposed to hand over the antidote? Do you have any idea how much that stuff costs?” Her tone was chillingly detached. “I’m a businesswoman, Benny, not a charity. Call me back when they’ve scraped the money together.” Then, as if she couldn’t wait to be rid of me, she hung up. The dial tone buzzed in my ear. I just stood there, stunned, unable to process the cruelty in her words. How could that have been Chloe? My phone vibrated. A text message. It was from the bespoke watchmaker, asking if I was satisfied with the quality of my custom timepiece. It was a birthday gift from my parents. I’d been so swamped with work I hadn’t even had time to pick it up. Chloe must have gone behind my back. And I knew exactly what she’d done with it. She’d given it to Leo to make him happy. It wasn’t the first time she’d done something like this. Every time I confronted her, she’d sneer. “Look at yourself, Benny. Do you even think you deserve a watch like this anymore? It looks better on Leo. He has the class for it.” So generous with Leo, handing over a ten-thousand-dollar watch without a second thought. But when it came to an antidote that could save five lives, she had to nickel and dime me. Rage burned through me. I tried calling her again, but her phone was off. A few minutes later, I was scrolling through my phone when I saw her Instagram post from half an hour ago. A picture of her and Leo, dancing, his arm wrapped around her waist. He was wearing my watch. The caption read: “Gifting my love a custom watch and dancing the night away. Pure bliss!” I was shaking with a fury so intense I felt dizzy. As if on cue, a new post popped up on my feed. It was Leo. “Because of you, my family is safe. I’ll love you for a billion years!” The photo was a selfie. He was holding up a vial of the antidote, planting a kiss on Chloe’s cheek. I wanted to tear her apart. Her own family was dying, waiting for that very medicine, and she was off playing the hero for another man. Just then, the door to the emergency room swung open. The doctor approached me, his expression grim. “I’m sorry. We did everything we could.” The tears came instantly. I had braced myself for it, but hearing the words still felt like a punch to the gut. Five lives. Just gone. Wiping my eyes, I pulled out my phone and called the watchmaker. “I never authorized anyone to pick up my watch,” I said, my voice cold and steady. “I think you’ve been scammed. You should call the police.” Five deaths put immense pressure on the police. It didn’t take them long to identify the owner of the restaurant. It wasn’t a stranger. It was Leo Vance’s parents. For a moment, I didn’t know how to feel. All my grief suddenly felt like a joke. I was a clown, mourning for the family of a woman who had just saved their killers. A bitter, humorless smile touched my lips. I hoped Chloe would never regret this day. The police officer explained, apologetically, that they couldn’t make an arrest yet. The restaurant owners, he said, were also in the hospital being treated for the poisoning. My face remained a mask of stone. “I know they were poisoned.” “But they’ve already been saved.” I looked the officer dead in the eye. “I will be pressing charges. I expect to see them in court.” My certainty seemed to surprise him, but he saw the look on my face and didn’t ask how I knew. He just gave a firm nod. “Rest assured, Mr. Knight. This is a five-person homicide case. We will investigate it to the fullest and bring justice to the deceased.” After finishing the paperwork, I collapsed onto a waiting room chair, every ounce of strength gone. That’s when Chloe called. She didn’t give me a chance to speak, launching into a tirade. “You had the store call the cops? Benny, are you insane? I’m your wife! How dare you accuse me of fraud?” “Because my father paid for that watch, Chloe. And speaking of which, where is the birthday gift my parents gave me?” Silence. After a long pause, her voice returned, softer now, laced with that familiar manipulative sweetness. “We’re a team, aren’t we? What’s yours is mine. Leo has wanted a custom watch for so long, just a little something to reward himself. How could I say no? You should have seen how happy he was.” “He’s not selfish like you,” she cooed. “He even told me to thank you on his behalf.” “Honestly, Benny, look at the difference between you two. The man has class…” She kept rambling, her voice a grating buzz in my ear, until I couldn’t take it anymore. “Shut up!” I roared. The word slammed into her, and she fell silent, stunned. A moment later, her voice came back, laced with disbelief and a wounded tone. “Benny… you told me to… shut up?” Chloe came from nothing, and I’d always been so careful with her pride, always spoken to her gently. I had never, not once, raised my voice to her. But today? Today she had chosen Leo over five human lives. I had no more ground to give. Even a dog shows gratitude when you feed it. She was worse than a dog. “Enough of your nonsense,” I said, my voice flat and cold. “The entire family is in the hospital morgue. Get back here and arrange their funerals.” Her response made me realize that comparing her to a dog was an insult to dogs. “They’re dead, so they’re dead. What’s there to arrange? The company needs to improve the antidote. They can finally be useful and contribute to the research.” “Leo had a scare today,” she added breezily. “I need to comfort him. I don’t have time for this. Just remember to have the bodies sent to the company labs.” She hung up before I could reply. And that’s when it fully hit me. Chloe still had no idea it was her family that was dead. I thought about it for a long moment. Then, I decided to honor her wishes. I would send her family’s bodies to her company. Let them be useful. Given that it was a case of five deaths, the legal proceedings moved quickly. That afternoon, Chloe stormed into our home, her face a mask of fury, and slapped me hard across the face. “Benny, when did you become so vicious?” she shrieked. “Leo’s parents just barely escaped death, and you’re already suing them? Are you trying to push them over the edge?” I held a hand to my stinging cheek, my voice void of emotion. “And they only escaped death thanks to your antidote, didn’t they?” She flinched, a flicker of guilt in her eyes, but she quickly covered it with defiance. “They’re my assets, so I decide what to do with them. If your family died, it was just their bad luck. Why did they have to get poisoned at the same time as Leo’s family?” Her voice grew louder, more self-assured with every word. “Leo’s parents are good people! It’s not like they killed your family on purpose. Can’t you be a little more generous? It was a small mistake, and you’re clinging to it.” “Even if you sue them, even if they go to jail, what good will it do? It won’t bring your family back.” Seeing my expression remain unchanged, she switched tactics, her tone softening into a coaxing purr. “I know it’s hard to accept their deaths right now, but you can’t bring them back. Those of us who are still alive have to move on.” “I’ve already talked it over with Leo. We’ll give you a hundred thousand dollars in compensation.” “Just drop the lawsuit,” she said, her voice light, as if a hundred thousand dollars could simply erase five lives. “Let’s just put this all behind us.” A morbid curiosity sparked within me. I wondered if she’d sound so casual if she knew it was her family we were talking about. When I didn’t respond, her face darkened again, her tone becoming hard and final. “You’ll agree whether you like it or not. I’ve already signed a settlement agreement on your behalf, as your wife.” “With my help, Leo’s parents will be fine, whether you drop the suit or not. But if you refuse, you won’t even get the hundred thousand.” A dry, humorless laugh escaped my lips. I looked at her, my voice laced with ice. “If you’re so determined to protect the people who killed your entire family, there’s nothing more for me to say.” “I just hope you don’t regret this later.” “Regret what? Since you’ve agreed, I’ll call Leo right now.” She seemed surprised by my quick surrender, but she was too eager to think about it. She immediately dialed Leo’s number. Through the phone, I could hear his insincere, syrupy voice. “Chloe, darling, please tell Benny how sorry I am for his loss. I never imagined such a tragedy could happen…” I knew perfectly well Leo couldn’t come up with a hundred thousand dollars. But Chloe would cover for him. He’d probably contribute ten grand, if that. Sure enough, after she hung up, she disappeared into the bathroom. Less than two minutes later, a notification lit up my phone. A hundred thousand dollars had been transferred to my account. Seeing the bank alert, a knowing smile spread across my face. Then, slowly and deliberately, I pulled out the divorce papers I’d already prepared. “Sign them,” I said. “I can’t stay married to an accomplice in my family’s murder.” Chloe froze. Then she snatched the papers, her hands moving to tear them in half. I crossed my arms, my voice calm. “If you tear those up, I’m sending the hundred thousand right back to Leo. And our entire agreement is off.” Her hands stopped. Her eyes widened as if she were seeing a stranger. “You’re threatening me? Benny, you’re actually threatening me?” She completely lost it. “So your whole family is dead. Is that really such a big deal?” “Besides,” she raged, “if your parents and your brother weren’t so greedy, they never would have eaten the pufferfish in the first place!” “You’d divorce me over a bunch of dead people? Are you even human?” I just raised an eyebrow, perfectly calm. “No more talk. Are you signing or not? The choice is yours.” A storm of emotions crossed her face—white, then red, then dark, like a twisted kaleidoscope. The standoff lasted for what felt like an eternity before she finally ground out the words through clenched teeth. “I’ll sign.” She scanned the document, then angrily scrawled her name, the pen tearing through the paper. She threw it on the table with a sneer. “A hundred thousand dollars for five lives. Your family really went cheap.” I pressed my lips together, saying nothing. The fool. She still hadn’t noticed a single thing was wrong. She still had no idea. “Chloe,” I said. “Before the papers are final, we’re still husband and wife. Let’s go see Mom, Dad, and my brother’s family off one last time.” “After all,” I added, “I did what you asked. I sent them to your company, so they could keep being useful.” She was about to refuse, but my last words made her pause. Reluctantly, she nodded. In the company laboratory, Chloe stared at the five bodies covered by white sheets, her expression placid and detached. My own heart was a tangled mess of grief and a sharp, cruel satisfaction. “Dad, Mom, my brother Michael, his wife Sarah, and little Joey… Chloe’s finally here to see you…” Joey. That was her nephew’s nickname. The moment she heard the name, her calm expression shattered, ripped apart by a tidal wave of shock. As if struck by lightning, her legs gave out and she collapsed to the floor, the blood draining from her face.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “MotoNovel” app 🔍 search for “386536”, and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel