Category: English

On our 100-day anniversary, my boyfriend excitedly introduced me to his roommates. “This is my wingman! I only managed to woo you because of his advice!” I looked up, unexpectedly locking eyes with my ex-boyfriend from three years ago. His pupils dilated in shock. The smile on his face froze instantly. Through gritted teeth, he forced out a single word. “F*ck?!” 1 Caleb Vance paused. “What’s wrong?” Ethan Hunt and I stared at each other for a second before simultaneously looking away. Ethan forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Nothing. Just… your girlfriend looks a lot like my ex.” Caleb’s other roommates laughed, trying to smooth things over. “Don’t mind him, sister-in-law. Ethan got dumped pretty hard by that ex. He hasn’t dated anyone in years. Total PTSD.” I kept my voice even. “It’s fine.” Caleb waved his hand. “Bring out the bottles I saved last time.” The bartender nodded respectfully and soon brought out a few bottles of Louis XIII and Hennessy. “Today is our 100-day anniversary. Everything is on me tonight. Drink up, guys!” Caleb wrapped his arm around me, beaming. The others started cheering. “Caleb is the man!” “Adopt me, bro!” “To Caleb and the sister-in-law! Grow old together!” … Only Ethan sat there with a dark expression, tossing an American Express Black Card onto the table. “No need.” Caleb picked up the card and stuffed it back into Ethan’s pocket. “Ethan, take it back. I owe you for helping me get Mia. How could I let you pay?” Ethan’s face went beyond ugly, but the club lighting was dim, so no one noticed. One of the roommates’ girlfriends grabbed an empty wine bottle. “Just drinking is boring. Let’s play Truth or Dare! Whoever the bottle points to has to choose!” My heart tightened. Luckily, the first few rounds missed me. Just as I breathed a sigh of relief, the bottle stopped, pointing directly at Caleb. He chuckled, leaning back on the sofa, sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms. “Truth.” A roommate shouted, “Caleb, are you still a virgin?!” Caleb laughed, “Of course I am, idiot!” A hint of pride appeared on his handsome face. “Mia and I are each other’s first love. Chastity is a man’s best dowry. My first time is definitely saved for Mia.” Under the lights, his glass-bead eyes looked watery and sincere. Despite his playboy looks, he was surprisingly innocent. My heart softened, and I let him pull me into his arms for a kiss. Beside us, the sullen Ethan suddenly smirked. The next second, the bottle spun and stopped, pointing straight at me. The last dare was getting a number from a stranger, so I instinctively chose truth. Ethan stared straight at me. “So, Mia, is he your first love?” 2 “No.” After a moment of silence, I answered calmly. Caleb shot up straight. “I’m not?!” “Then who was it? How long did you date? Why did you break up?!” He seemed to realize he was overreacting. He tried to look magnanimous but failed miserably, his expression twisting. “I mean, I don’t mind, obviously. Just curious.” I paused. “Because there was always a third person between us. He had a girl he couldn’t let go of. I got tired, so I dumped him.” Caleb’s expression relaxed a bit. “What a psycho. Dating someone while hung up on another girl? He deserved to be dumped.” He quickly seized the chance to pledge loyalty. “Babe, I would never make that mistake. Since we got together, I haven’t even spoken to another woman!” He was huge, 6’3″, but acted like a puppy when he wanted affection. I couldn’t help but ruffle his hair. “Okay, good boy.” He lowered his head obediently, but his gaze was fixed on me, heavy with pressure and curiosity that didn’t match his cute act. “So, babe, do you like him more, or me more?” Here it comes! The question every person with an ex gets asked! “That’s a separate question,” I deflected. Caleb didn’t get mad. He narrowed his eyes at me for a moment, then smirked. “Fine. Next time then.” The bottle spun round and round. Just as I was getting sleepy and wanted to leave, it pointed at Ethan. “Truth,” he said, lowering his eyes. A drunk roommate excitedly asked, “Ethan, bro, why exactly did your first love dump you?” Under the lights, Ethan’s eyes were hidden in the shadows of his brow bone, unreadable. Just as everyone thought he was mad and tried to change the subject, Ethan suddenly spoke. “Because I was stupid. I hurt her a lot. “She got tired.” 3 The first time I met Ethan was in my junior year of high school. My dad’s job transferred us, so I was the new kid. My assigned desk mate was Ethan. Because the only empty seat was next to him. For the first two months, we barely spoke five words. I thought he was a rich, lazy delinquent. Rumor had it his family was loaded, and he never studied. He called me a nerd. Every time I collected homework, he impatiently told me to get lost. Until one night, walking home, I saw a fight in an alley. A group of guys from another school, armed with pipes and bats, were ganging up on a student from our school. The boy fought hard and well, holding his own even outnumbered. But he was overwhelmed. Someone hit him from behind with a bat, and he stumbled with a groan. A girl in our school uniform was crying beside him, eyes red. “Stop it! Please stop!” I don’t know where I got the courage, but I rushed over and shouted: “Stop! I called the cops! They’ll be here any minute!” One guy looked up. “Sh*t, who’s this busybody? Get lost or we’ll beat you too!” I tried to stay calm. “The police station is five minutes away. You still have time to run.” Hearing that, the group cursed and scattered. I approached cautiously. “Are you okay?” The boy leaning against the wall looked up. It was Ethan. Messy black hair, sharp features, a cut on his forehead bleeding. He looked wild and dangerous. I frowned, confirming my opinion of him as a troublemaker. Still, I pulled out a band-aid. “You’re bleeding.” He glanced at the pink Hello Kitty band-aid in my hand, scoffed, and turned away. The girl he was protecting thanked me profusely. She took the band-aid and tried to put it on him, looking heartbroken. But he slapped her hand away impatiently. “I’m fine.” He grabbed his bag and walked off. “Ethan…” The girl stepped back, her face pale. I noticed she had a limp. I felt bad. Such a pretty girl, but her leg was injured. I didn’t think much of it. But the next day, when I collected homework, Ethan didn’t tell me to get lost. He lazily took my homework and started copying it. “Wait.” After finishing, he tossed the notebook back to me, raising an eyebrow. “Turn it in, Little Miss Class Rep.” I had seen him fight, so I didn’t dare argue. I cursed him internally and turned to leave. But he called out to me. His voice was slightly raspy, with a hint of awkwardness. “Hey. About yesterday… thanks.” 4 After that, things between Ethan and me thawed. He started talking to me, joking around. Sometimes he’d walk on my left, then yank my ponytail from the right. Every time I collected homework, he’d call me: “Little Miss Class Rep.” We got closer. He dragged me to watch his basketball games and walked me home every day. Teenage feelings are like sparks from nowhere that suddenly catch fire. I found myself looking forward to seeing him every day. Until a power outage during evening study hall. I was terrified of the dark. I froze, unconsciously leaning toward Ethan. In the pitch black, someone grabbed my hand. He whispered in my ear: “Don’t be scared. I’m here.” Ethan’s hand was rough with calluses from basketball, his palm hot. I heard my heart pounding violently and slowly squeezed his hand back. A chuckle sounded in my ear. And two heartbeats, intertwined, indistinguishable. … Ethan and I naturally started dating. He liked me a lot, even studying hard to get into the same college as me. Ethan was smart. His grades improved fast. As we spent more time together, I learned he was a black belt in Judo, played drums, passed level 10 piano, surfed, and skied. He read a lot too. I realized he wasn’t the uneducated delinquent I thought he was. I also learned why he fought. The girl that day was Lily, the daughter of his family’s housekeeper. Years ago, Ethan’s dad expanded his business too aggressively and offended people. Someone hired a hitman to run Ethan over. Lily pushed him out of the way and got hit instead. She survived, but her leg was shattered. She would walk with a limp forever. That day in the alley, the guy had mocked Lily for being a cripple. That’s why Ethan fought. When Ethan talked about it, his eyes lowered, expressionless. “She used to be an amazing dancer. Her dream was to be a prima ballerina, to perform around the world. “Because of me, her dream is dead. I owe her my life.” I sympathized with Lily. I even planned to help Ethan take care of her. I didn’t know then that Lily would be the reason we fell apart completely. 5 Snapping back to reality, I looked at Ethan. Three years apart, he had changed. Still handsome, but the wild arrogance was gone, replaced by maturity. In his black turtleneck, he looked steady, even calm. Everyone was drunk; no one caught his drift. Only Caleb frowned, his gaze darting between us. Before he could speak, I pulled him up. “Let’s go. I’m sleepy. Calling it a night.” … It started snowing in Boston. Huge flakes fell, illuminated yellow by the streetlights. The snow that didn’t melt immediately formed a thin layer on the ground. Caleb took off his grey LV scarf and wrapped it around my neck. Sandalwood mixed with his body heat. He looked down, asking casually: “I heard Ethan’s ex is at our school too. He skipped a grade and transferred here just for her. “You and Ethan are from the same hometown. Do you know her?” I knew Caleb figured it out. He acts carefree, but he’s incredibly sensitive about who I talk to. “It’s me,” I admitted helplessly. Caleb smiled, but his eyes were cold. “So if I asked him how to woo his ex, I’d be digging my own grave?” I knew he was upset. I pursed my lips, silent. Caleb’s voice fell coolly on top of my head, colder than the snow. “Babe, so who do you like more? Him or me?” I knew how petty Caleb could be. If I didn’t soothe him now, he’d hold a grudge for ages. I hugged him tight. “Of course I like you more! We broke up years ago. If I hadn’t seen him today, I would have forgotten he existed.” Caleb looked down at me, silent. I knew what he wanted. I tiptoed to kiss him. He didn’t bend down. He just looked at me with a half-smile. Caleb is 6’3″. I’m a head shorter. If he doesn’t bend, I can’t reach. I was flustered and angry. “Caleb!” He wouldn’t budge. “Beg me.” “Forget it!” I turned to leave, but he yanked me back! The snow blurred under the neon lights. The sandalwood scent became aggressive as he leaned in. I was forced to look up. Even through his wool coat, I could feel the muscle definition of his back. His kiss was demanding, brooking no refusal. He backed me up step by step until tears of suffocation pricked my eyes. Finally, he let me go. I leaned against him, gasping. Through my hazy vision, I saw him looking behind me, smirking provocatively. I froze. I turned around. Ethan stood under the streetlight in a black wool coat. Snow piled on his shoulders. He had been watching for god knows how long.

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It was New Year’s Eve, and we were celebrating with friends when my husband’s “best bro” suddenly clutched his stomach and crumbled dramatically into Ryan Maxwell’s arms. His face was ghostly pale. He weakly grasped Ryan’s hand and said: “Ry, my gut is killing me. It’s got to be your wife’s bad juju—she must have passed her period curse to me. Rub it better, big bro!” Ryan immediately pulled him closer, his face etched with concern, then he spun around and snapped at me. “This is your fault for having a goddamn period and making him sick, Jessie! Riley is taking on your suffering—now, get in there and make him some hot soothing tea!” Riley—my husband’s supposedly platonic male friend—leaned weakly against Ryan. The look in his eyes was pure, cold provocation. “Don’t mind me, Jessie,” he whispered, his voice purposely gravelly and low. “We’re just bros. Honestly, if I had a uterus, I’d give Ry the heir he deserves before anyone else.” I stared at the overly-masculine posture and the obvious, fake lump he used as a makeshift Adam’s apple, and nearly burst out laughing. Did he truly think I was as blind as Ryan and his pathetic friends? Did they believe I hadn’t known Riley was a woman for months? I was tied to a “Wish Fulfillment” New Year’s Gift System. Since you are so desperate to be fertile, I thought, I will grant your wish. Take the torrent of good fortune you asked for! … 1 I glanced down at my phone, where a system interface only I could see had popped up. [New Year’s Gift System Activated. Detected Wish: To Conceive and Bear.] [Issue gift to target ‘Riley’?] I pressed Confirm without a moment’s hesitation. Ryan was still wrapped up in worry, haphazardly rubbing Riley’s abdomen through his thick sweater. “Good boy, Riley. Rub it better. It’s all this useless woman’s fault.” He looked up and glared at me, his eyes burning with a hatred that suggested he wanted to devour me whole. “Jessie! What are you standing around for? Can’t you see Riley’s in pain? Get your ass in the kitchen and make that tea!” “Of course, Ryan. Right away.” I turned and walked into the kitchen, a cold, silent laugh echoing in my mind. Inside, I slowly boiled the water, and casually added a modifier in the system. “System, dial the effect up. I want it intense.” [Request received. Energy doubled.] When I carried the cup of hot ginger-molasses tea out, the scene in the living room had already shifted. Riley’s pain had been an act. Now, the terror in her face was real. Large beads of cold sweat rolled down her forehead. “Nngh… it hurts so bad…” Ryan was panicking, pacing back and forth. “What the hell? You were just fine a minute ago!” I handed the tea to Riley. “Here you go. Drink it while it’s hot.” Riley took one sip, and a fresh scream ripped out of her. “Ah! What is this? Why does it hurt more!” Ryan snatched the bowl from her hand and hurled it onto the hardwood floor. The ceramic shattered, and the steaming liquid splashed onto my bare foot. “Jessie! What poison did you put in this? Riley’s worse now!” “Are you trying to poison him?” I stared at him, my expression blank. “It’s just tea, Ryan. What poison could there be?” Ryan’s spineless friends in the room chimed in. “Jessie, that’s seriously messed up. Riley’s always been nothing but kind to you.” “Yeah, your husband’s bro is our bro. You’ve got a twisted heart, woman.” Ryan pointed a trembling finger right at my face. “Kneel! Apologize to Riley now! He took your curse, and you repay him by trying to kill him!” Riley weakly pulled at Ryan’s hand. “Ry, don’t blame Jessie. It’s my poor constitution… ugh!” Before she could finish, another tortured cry. “There’s something kicking me in the stomach!” Ryan and the circle of friends froze. “Riley, what are you saying? You’re a grown man. There’s nothing in there to kick you.” Ryan was half-shouting when he yanked up Riley’s thick sweater. As soon as the fabric was lifted, everyone in the room gasped. 2 Riley’s previously flat abdomen, in front of all of us, began to swell like a grotesque time-lapse video. Once, twice… In just a few seconds, her stomach had pushed out into a distinct, high-riding curve, looking exactly like a pregnancy well into the second trimester. “What is this?” Ryan was terrified, his hands shaking. I put on a performance of shock, clapping a hand over my mouth. My voice trembled convincingly. “Oh my God, Riley! Your stomach is growing so fast! You… you couldn’t be pregnant, could you?” Riley stared down at her own stomach, her eyes wide with true terror. “Impossible! I can’t be pregnant!” Ryan was dumbfounded, tentatively touching the hard, tight skin of Riley’s belly. “Riley, what’s going on?” I pointed and shouted, “Look at her stomach! There’s something moving inside!” Everyone followed my gaze. Sure enough, a distinct, terrifying outline of a small foot pressed against Riley’s taut skin, kicking hard. “Ugh!” Riley screamed, curling into a tight ball on the sofa. “Ry, help me… it hurts so bad, I think my insides are tearing apart…” Ryan was completely lost, wanting to hold her but too afraid to touch that monstrous belly. “Hospital! Get him to the hospital, now!” One of the friends finally reacted, moving to lift Riley onto his back. Riley heard the word “hospital” and instantly lost it. Clutching her belly, she desperately burrowed into Ryan’s chest. “No! I’m not going to the hospital! Ry, please! It’s just acute gastritis, I just need to rest!” She yelled and desperately clamped her arms over her chest. I sneered internally. She’s terrified that once she’s in a hospital gown, the chest binder and her true gender will be exposed. “Riley, this is no time to be afraid of doctors!” I moved closer, feigning deep concern. “Look at that stomach. What if it… bursts if you don’t get medical attention?” “Ryan, you love your brother so much, don’t you? Do you really want to watch her die in your arms?” Ryan was shocked into action. “Right! Hospital! Riley, listen to me, I’m with you! No one is going to hurt you!” He scooped Riley up without waiting for a protest and charged toward the door. Riley was still screaming in agony. Before leaving, Ryan spun back and spat a threat at me. “Jessie, if anything happens to Riley, I swear I will never forgive you!” “And you’re paying the medical bills! He’s suffering because of you, you’re responsible for everything!” I watched his frantic retreat, slowly pulled out my phone, and swiped his secondary credit card. “Responsible? Absolutely, I’m responsible.” I immediately canceled that secondary card and finalized the paperwork to place a lien on the only property under Ryan’s name. The down payment for that house came from my father. The renovations were paid for by me. I used to love him; I used to be a willing punching bag. Now, all I wanted was to watch them all burn. “Come on, everyone! Let’s go see this medical miracle. A pregnant man—you can’t miss this!” I waved at the gawkers and friends, and we followed the frantic Ryan to the emergency room. We were barely inside the entrance when Riley let out a horrifying shriek. “He’s bleeding!” I looked down. Riley’s gray sweatpants were suddenly drenched in a large patch of crimson at the groin. Blood streamed down his inner thigh, staining the white hospital floor tiles—a chilling sight. Ryan froze, staring blankly at the blood on his hands. “Riley… does your gastritis come with blood in the urine?” 3 I bit back a laugh, putting on a stern face to correct him. “Ryan, try to use your brain for once! That location, that volume of blood—she’s in premature labor! She’s miscarrying!” The emergency room erupted into chaos. “Doctor, please save my brother!” Ryan bellowed at the top of his lungs. A few nurses rushed over with a gurney. When they saw Riley, their faces tightened. “Massive hemorrhage? Quick, Room One!” Riley lay on the gurney, now unconscious. A male doctor approached and reached for the clasps on Riley’s clothing to examine the injury. Ryan lunged forward and shoved the doctor away. “What the hell are you doing? You trying to assault my friend?” The male doctor staggered, looking utterly bewildered. “I’m a doctor! He’s hemorrhaging! How can I locate the bleed without an examination? Can you please be rational?” “He’s shy, you idiot! He won’t even shower with us! You keep your hands clean, you male doctor!” Ryan yelled, his neck bulging. The nurses and patients around us stared at him like he was insane. I stood at the back of the crowd and offered a cool comment. “Ryan, Riley is practically dying, and you’re worried about him feeling exposed? Oh, wait, I mean, male-on-male exposure.” “Maybe a female doctor would be better. Riley is a bit more sensitive than most girls.” Ryan jumped on this idea. “Yes! A female doctor! Get a female doctor, now!” The doctor, enraged, threw his stethoscope onto the counter. “This is an emergency! We don’t have time for you to handpick a physician!” “I demand one! If you don’t, I’ll sue! If my brother dies, you’ll all pay for it!” Ryan started throwing a tantrum until security had to be called. Finally, the hospital relented and brought in a seasoned female physician, Dr. Reyes. Dr. Reyes walked in, her face set in a grim expression. “Family out. We need to examine him.” Ryan refused to budge. “I’m staying! What if he gets scared?” Dr. Reyes fixed him with a stare. “This is a trauma room, not your bedroom! Get out!” Ryan finally backed out, muttering curses, but not before telling Riley, “Don’t worry, Riley. Your bro’s right here protecting you.” Less than two minutes later, a gasp of disbelief came from inside the room. “How is this possible?” It was Dr. Reyes’ voice, filled with shock. Ryan knew something was wrong. He kicked the door open and charged in. “What happened? Did you hurt him?” Dr. Reyes held a stethoscope, staring at Riley’s stomach as if she’d seen a ghost. “This gentleman has a fetal heartbeat! And this level of distension and hardness is clearly the result of uterine contractions!” Ryan froze for three seconds, then erupted into hysterical laughter. “Doctor, are you insane? My brother is a pure man! Do you think I wouldn’t know if he had a uterus? You quack, are you trying to scam me?” Dr. Reyes’ face turned dark red. “I’ve been practicing for thirty years. I don’t mistake a fetal heart for a stomach rumble! If you don’t believe me, we’ll do a sonogram!” “Fine! Bring it on! Who’s afraid!” Ryan scooped up Riley. As he passed me, he shot me a deadly glare. “Jessie, did you hear that? This whole hospital is a joke! When the results come back, I’m suing them for everything they have, and then I’m coming for you!” I shrugged, utterly unconcerned. “Sounds good. I’ll wait to see the miracle of a man giving birth.” On the way to the ultrasound room, Ryan was already on his phone, calling for backup. “Mom, get to First Hospital, now! Riley’s here because that crazy woman, Jessie, poisoned him, and now these doctors are humiliating him by saying he’s pregnant!” 4 I could hear my mother-in-law, Elaine’s, shrill voice through the phone. “What? Pregnant? Riley is my angel! Who dares to insult him like that?” “That jinx, Jessie! I knew she was bad news! You wait there, I’m bringing the family!” I listened to the call and smiled bitterly. My mother-in-law, Elaine, had always thought I wasn’t good enough for her son, treating me like a servant. Riley, on the other hand, was charming and sweet-talking, completely winning her over. Elaine had told me to my face more than once that if only Riley had been a girl, I would have been replaced long ago. Well, now Riley was “fertile.” Let’s see how she handled this. Less than twenty minutes later, Elaine arrived, flanked by several family members, her face a mask of rage. As soon as she saw me, she charged forward, her hand raised to strike. I was ready. I sidestepped, catching her wrist firmly. “Elaine, we’re in public. Public assault isn’t a good look.” “You dare dodge me?” Elaine was shaking with fury, pointing her finger at my face. “Jessie Maxwell, you black-hearted, husband-cursing witch!” “Riley is such a good kid, and you’ve tortured him like this, and then bribed doctors to say he’s pregnant? Are you trying to destroy him?” Ryan chimed in, “Exactly, Mom. You didn’t see that doctor, she sounded completely convinced.” “Jessie must be scared that Riley’s going to take my affection, so she’s resorted to this dirty trick.” I looked at the three of them—this bizarre family unit—and laughed out loud. “Fine. If you all think I bribed the doctor, then let’s prove it to the public. Right now.” “Ryan, you said Riley is a pure man. Do you dare do this ultrasound live for the world to see?” To prove his innocence and to extort money from the hospital, Ryan stuck his chin out. “Bring it on! I dare you! When the results are back, you will crawl out of my house on your hands and knees!” Riley, lying on the gurney, his stomach now swollen like a ceramic bowl turned upside down, was in too much pain to speak. He could only stare at Ryan with pleading eyes. “No… go home…” “Good boy, Riley. Don’t be afraid.” Elaine stroked Riley’s forehead, her heart clearly breaking. “We’re just going to get a picture, humiliate these scam artists, and make sure they never say such a thing again!” At Elaine’s insistence, Riley was wheeled into the ultrasound room. Ryan and Elaine demanded to go in, and the technicians, overwhelmed, allowed them behind a privacy screen. I calmly took out my phone and started streaming. “Elaine, you love Riley so much. If he really can bear a child, will you finally let me go?” Elaine sneered, her face full of disdain. “Of course! If Riley can give my son a child, I’ll kick you out that minute and bring him into the family!” My heart filled with a terrible glee, but I feigned a tearful sadness. “Fine. You heard her. You all witnessed it.” Inside the ultrasound room, the doctor placed the probe on Riley’s grotesquely high belly. The monitor quickly showed an image. The ultrasound tech, a fresh-faced young man, stared at the screen, his mouth agape. “It’s… it’s a human shape!” Ryan shoved the screen aside, his roar vibrating through the room. “What the hell are you saying! Look closer, you idiot!” He lunged toward the monitor and instantly froze. On the screen, a clearly outlined, small humanoid shape was curled up. You could even see the regular, flashing light of a beating heart. I calmly pulled out another piece of paper. This was a paternity and amniocentesis report I had redeemed from the System moments before. “Yes, Ryan. Not only is he pregnant, but it’s yours.” 5 Ryan snatched the paper, his disbelief absolute, and read it over and over. The System guaranteed perfection. This detection report was, even in the hospital’s system, a perfectly legitimate document. The live stream comments went wild. [OMG! He’s really pregnant? A 21st-century medical miracle!] [That guy’s stomach is bigger than mine was at six months. How fast is this baby coming?] [The streamer is amazing! She’s broadcasting the drama of the year!] Elaine’s elderly eyes practically glued themselves to the screen. After a long look, she slapped her thigh. “Oh, my! It’s a big fat boy!” She turned and grabbed Ryan’s arm, her face alight with manic joy. “Ry, this is a miracle! Riley has secured our family line! You listen to your mother—divorce Jessie now! Marry Riley!” Ryan’s face was a study in conflicting emotions—white, then green, then purple. He looked at the monstrous human shape on the screen, then at Riley, writhing in pain on the bed, his mind a complete wreck. “Mom, what are you talking about? Riley is a man!” “And so what?” Elaine’s eyes bulged, spittle flying. “A man who can bear a child is a godsend! It means our family is blessed! Jessie, that barren hen, has been taking up space without producing results—she should have left long ago!” She turned and rushed at me, her finger nearly poking my eye. “Witch! Did you hear that? The Maxwell line is safe! Pack your things and get out! Divorce!” I held my phone steady, the lens focused right on her. “Elaine, we’re live. The whole country is watching. Are you sure you want to demand your son divorce his wife for a man who can give birth?” Elaine paused, momentarily intimidated by the camera, but the ecstasy of having a grandchild quickly overwhelmed her. She didn’t back down; she leaned into the camera, looking even more self-righteous. “Let them watch! I’m telling you all, my son is lucky! His brother is a divine man who can bear his child!” “I demand an heir for my son! Jessie can’t deliver, so she has to yield her position to the one who can! It’s the law of nature!” Riley, lying on the bed, heard this and, despite the pain contorting his face, a triumphant smile touched his lips. He grabbed Ryan’s hand, his voice a ragged whisper. “Ry… I’m really having your baby…” Ryan finally snapped out of his trance. He violently flung Riley’s hand away, his eyes a mixture of terror and utter disgust. “Shut your mouth! It’s impossible! We’re both men!” He spun around, grabbing the ultrasound tech by the collar. “It’s you! You rigged the machine! You worked with Jessie, didn’t you? Tell me! How much did she pay you!” The young tech started to cry. “Sir, I didn’t… the machine doesn’t lie…” “To hell with your machine!” Ryan went completely insane, grabbing a nearby chair, ready to smash the ultrasound equipment. “Stop him!” The hospital security guards rushed in. Several men struggled to pin Ryan to the floor. I watched the spectacle coldly, then spoke into my phone camera. “Everyone, you see my husband, Ryan Maxwell. Because his ‘brother’ is pregnant, he is attempting to destroy hospital property, assault a doctor, and throw me out of the house.” “The down payment for that house came from my parents, and I paid for the renovations. Now, the Maxwells want a man to usurp my role and steal my property.” Elaine was still screaming. “The house is in my son’s name! It belongs to the Maxwells! You’re an outsider! You have no right to speak!” Just then, the ultrasound room door flew open again. Dr. Reyes walked in, holding a chart, her expression grave. “Stop yelling! The pregnant patient’s condition is critical! The contractions are too fast, and the fetal heart rate is crashing! If we don’t operate now, we will lose both mother and child!”

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My junior colleague, desperate to build a “helpful” persona, kicked open the operating room door when a film crew came to the hospital, all for a better shot. “Film in the OR! It’s the most authentic setting.” Startled during surgery, my hand slipped. The operation failed, and the patient hemorrhaged and died on the spot. Afterward, she threw herself into a senior colleague’s arms, sobbing: “I… I was just trying to help. It’s not my fault…” I was blamed for medical malpractice, yet my colleagues only surrounded her to comfort her: “You meant well.” “It’s her own lack of skill. She can’t blame you.” Furious, I shouted: “This is a hospital! Not a studio! You kicked the door open during surgery. What were you thinking?” Overcome with “guilt,” she cried and threatened suicide to atone. To protect her, my senior colleague deleted the surveillance footage of her kicking the door and told the press I was incompetent. I was fired, shunned by the medical community, and eventually killed by the vengeful family of the patient. Reborn, I returned to the day my junior colleague kicked open that door. 1 “Can the family keep it down? Stop wailing!” “You’re disturbing the film crew!” Just like in my past life, my junior colleague Chloe Quinn kicked open the OR door with a bang. Fortunately, this time I was prepared. I gripped the scalpel firmly, cleanly excising the cancerous tissue while carefully avoiding major blood vessels. I calmly directed everyone to continue the surgery. From excision to hemostasis, from suturing to wrapping up. My surgical gown was soaked in blood, looking like I had just crawled out of a sea of blood, but my expression remained calm. The look in everyone’s eyes was one of shock. When the door crashed open, a nurse dropped her hemostats in fright. No one expected me, the lead surgeon, not to even tremble. After the surgery, before I could change. Chloe rushed up to accuse me: “Dr. Foster, you’re covered in blood and still got in the shot. That take is ruined!” “Renting equipment costs five thousand dollars a day. Can’t you be considerate of others?” I didn’t answer. Once the surgery was fully complete, I raised my hand and slapped her hard. Slap— “If you’re sick, go to the psych ward upstairs! Don’t go crazy in my OR!” Her eyes reddened, covering her face pitifully: “Sob… Dr. Foster, why did you hit me?” Her sobbing attracted the attention of colleagues nearby. Seeing people gather, Chloe cried even louder: “I just understood the crew’s hard work and wanted to help.” Frowning, I slapped her other cheek. 2 Chloe’s face swelled up high; she even forgot to cry. I pointed at her and scolded: “As a doctor, instead of stopping outsiders from messing around, you led the charge to kick open the OR door! Are you evil or just stupid?!” Chloe covered her face and wept, choking out: “I just meant well…” “If Dr. Foster thinks I’m wrong, I apologize.” I sneered: “You should apologize to the patient you almost killed!” I hated her act of looking pitiful after doing something wrong. But some people bought it. “Isn’t the patient fine? Is this necessary?” Dr. Harris, a colleague from my year, stepped up to defend her. “Dr. Harris, can you take her punishment for her? If the patient died, would you go to prison for her?” I interrupted Dr. Harris, glaring at him: “This isn’t your place to speak.” “Is it my place then?” Dr. Vaughn, the most senior male doctor in our department and my senior, spoke up. But I gave face to no one: “You shut up too!” “You…” My face darkened: “This is a hospital. Patient safety is the top priority!” “Instead of holding her accountable for kicking open the OR door, you’re here blurring right and wrong. What are your intentions?” “If I had been startled during surgery and my hand slipped, would you still be standing here arguing with me?” “Chloe is the intern under me. My evaluation of her internship is one sentence—she is unfit to be a doctor!” “I will write a truthful report and apply for her disciplinary action.” 3 At this moment, covered in blood with a grim face, I looked terrifying. My colleagues were silent as cicadas in winter, daring not to persuade me further. I walked up to Chloe: “Insulting the patient’s family, kicking the OR door—the patient almost died at your hands!” “Go back and copy the medical handbook a hundred times, write a self-reflection, and reflect properly! Apologize to the patient’s family tomorrow!” “One more incident, and you take off that white coat and leave!” With that, I threw my gloves in her face and turned to leave. “Wait.” Dr. Harris blocked my path, shielding Chloe: “We’re colleagues. Do you have to be so ruthless?” I looked at his face and pointed at the trembling Chloe: “Then why did she have to be so ruthless? Won’t stop until she kills someone?” Chloe’s tears fell like broken beads: “Since Dr. Foster wants to punish me, I admit my mistake.” “Scold me, Dr. Foster, just don’t involve others.” She sniffled and added: “But, can Dr. Foster be lenient?” “If I get disciplined… I won’t get my residency certificate.” Colleagues felt sorry for her and spoke up. “Why be so petty?” “Chloe didn’t mean it.” “Yeah, are you jealous of Chloe’s beauty and using public office to avenge private grudges?” They were always like this. Whenever something happened, they defended Chloe indiscriminately. That’s what emboldened her to do whatever she wanted, ignorant of the consequences. I interrupted them: “A millimeter of difference could lead to a patient dying on the table!” “My ‘pettiness’ is being responsible to the patient! Responsible to the white coat I wear!” “Besides, for kicking the OR door, firing her wouldn’t be excessive! Writing a reflection is letting her off easy!” “Making stupid mistakes but not wanting to take responsibility, wanting to have her cake and eat it too. Did she not graduate kindergarten?” Then I warned Chloe impatiently: “Go write your reflection. If you’re still crying and making a scene after my next surgery, you’ll bear the consequences!” With that, I turned and left. 4 The next surgery lasted over ten hours, ending only the next morning. Post-surgery, I was exhausted. Chloe led a group of people waiting at the OR door. As soon as I came out, she knelt before me with a thud. “Dr. Foster, I really had no ill intentions.” “Isn’t the patient fine?” “Even if it’s my fault, I’ve reflected deeply. Please don’t discipline me.” She was always like this, crying and playing the victim to escape responsibility after causing trouble. But I wouldn’t indulge her: “You don’t need to kneel to me. You should kneel to the patient’s family.” “If you know you’re wrong, you should accept the punishment.” I walked around her back to the office. After a whole night of surgery, my steps were unsteady and my vision dark. Just after changing, before I could rest, a nurse ran over urgently: “Something happened, Dr. Foster! You’re trending!” My eyelid twitched. Thinking of Chloe kneeling, I had a bad feeling. “What trend?” “Look at this… Intern doctor bullied, forced to kneel to senior.” The nurse anxiously handed me her phone. It was the video of Chloe kneeling to me, with nearly a million views. “When reporters went to interview Chloe, they caught her swallowing sleeping pills to commit suicide. She left a suicide note saying she was willing to die to appease Dr. Foster’s anger.” Would someone who really wanted to die cry and whitewash themselves in front of a camera? I downloaded the video to my phone to save as evidence: “Great acting. Much better than those pop idols.” The nurse said, “Dr. Foster, think of something! Maybe go hide for a while!” The office door was suddenly barged open. The Chief of Surgery walked in with a dark face. Looking like he was here to assign blame, clearly prepared. 5 “Dr. Aria Foster! I asked you to mentor the intern, not bully her!” “Hitting people, making them kneel. What do you think this hospital is? The mafia?” Looking at the Chief’s gloomy face, I said calmly: “Chief, do you know why I hit her? She…” Before I could finish, Dr. Harris cut in: “Chief, Chloe has been diligent since her internship started.” “When busy, she goes thirty-plus hours without sleep. Even when I tell her to rest, she refuses to leave her post.” “Because of heart pain from staying up late, she accidentally tripped and hit the OR door. She didn’t want Dr. Foster to misunderstand that she was interfering with the surgery.” “Chief, Dr. Foster treats interns like animals. Chloe is really too pitiful!” I didn’t want to bring up the mentoring issues publicly. But for the same workload, other interns finished in half an hour while Chloe couldn’t do it in five. Can she blame me for working overtime? At this time, Dr. Vaughn also stood up for Chloe. “Chief, it was an unintentional mistake.” “Dr. Foster not only misunderstood her and wanted to discipline her but also used her residency certificate to threaten her to kneel and apologize. It’s too excessive.” The Chief slammed the table, furious. “You’re saying Aria wanted to discipline her and threatened her with her residency certificate?” Dr. Vaughn nodded, looking at me unkindly: “Yes. Chloe has a soft personality and accepts things meekly. She thought it was her fault for upsetting Dr. Foster and swallowed sleeping pills to commit suicide. Fortunately, she was discovered in time, or we would never see her again.” I didn’t know if Dr. Vaughn and Dr. Harris truly couldn’t identify a “green tea” (a seemingly innocent but manipulative girl) or just liked her pitiful act, hence aiding the villain. Listening to them twisting the truth back and forth, I laughed in anger: “There’s surveillance outside the OR. A check will show who’s right or wrong. No need to slander me with such low-level lies…” Slap— The Chief raised his hand and slapped me, cutting off my unfinished words.

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After Ethan Hunt left me at the altar, I moved abroad and started a new life. Five years later, his father passed away, and I returned to the States to pay my respects. At the airport, he bumped into me holding a child. “Is this… our daughter?” His eyes turned red, and he reached out to hug us. I shook my head and stepped back. “Mr. Hunt, you must be joking. How could we possibly have a child?” 1 Ethan Hunt and I were childhood sweethearts. Our parents were best friends, our family backgrounds and education matched perfectly. Naturally, shortly after graduating college, we got engaged. On our wedding day, right as we were reading our vows, Ethan suddenly turned to me. “I’m sorry. I don’t love you.” He was holding a microphone. Everyone heard it. The wedding, obviously, didn’t continue. The perpetrator strutted away, leaving me drowning in humiliation. Our families fell out completely, and my parents and I moved abroad. If my parents hadn’t heard about Ethan’s father passing away, I wouldn’t have come back. After all, they were friends for most of their lives, so my parents asked me to return and pay respects on their behalf. I just didn’t expect Ethan to come to the airport to pick me up. I hadn’t seen him in five years. He was as handsome as ever, but with a more mature air than before. In the past, my heart would race just seeing him. Now, my heart was still as a pond. “Long time no see, Mr. Hunt.” I held my daughter, Lily, and coaxed her to greet him. “Lily, be a good girl, say hi to Uncle Hunt.” She had just woken up, eyes groggy, and murmured in a baby voice, “Hi Uncle Hunt.” Then she leaned back on my shoulder and fell asleep. Ethan’s eyes suddenly reddened. He stumbled forward, almost crashing into me. “Is this… our daughter?” He asked with a trembling voice, reaching out as if to hug me or Lily. I quickly stepped back, putting distance between us. “Mr. Hunt, you must be joking. How could we possibly have a child?” 2 “Sophia, this is the child from back then, isn’t it?” Ethan seemed unable to understand human language, muttering nonsense to himself. I handed the child to the nanny, Mrs. Lee, behind me. Mrs. Lee had been taking care of Lily; having her around helped a lot. Besides Mrs. Lee, I also brought my assistant, Ava, to handle work matters. “Mr. Hunt, I am here on behalf of my parents to pay respects to your father. “We never got married, where would a child come from? I am married, please stop speaking such strange things.” Although five years had passed, the blow of Ethan leaving me at the altar was significant. I really couldn’t muster a polite tone with him. Ethan couldn’t take it. He asked confusedly, “Why ‘Mr. Hunt’? You used to call me Ethan.” “I was too young back then, now I know I was wrong. “Sophia, you’ve worked hard raising the child alone for five years. From now on, I won’t let you down.” Sitting in the car, Ethan kept talking to himself. I thought he was seriously delusional. So I got out and squeezed into the other car with Mrs. Lee and Ava. Thinking about it, I opened the door again. “Ethan Hunt, I am married. You are also married. Please watch your words in the future, don’t drag me into your mess.” After saying that, I was about to close the door. Ethan suddenly grabbed my hand. “Sophia, you still care about Claire and me. “I can divorce her.” When you are speechless to a certain degree, you really just have to laugh. I slammed the door shut and left. Back then, to marry me, he wanted to be with Claire forever. Now that he married his true love, he’s still not satisfied. What a scumbag. 3 My family’s villa in the suburbs was very close to the Hunt’s. Because our villa hadn’t been lived in for years and no one maintained it, it wasn’t habitable for now. So, we stayed at the Hunt’s villa. Originally, we wanted to stay in a hotel downtown, but we had to go to the cemetery the next day. Going back and forth was too troublesome, so we decided to make do for one night. Ethan’s mother pulled me aside and chattered about the past. In the end, she lamented that Ethan had wronged me. “Sophia, would you still be willing to be the Hunt family’s—” Daughter-in-law? Whoever wants it can have it. I quickly interrupted, “I forgot to let you see my daughter.” “Daughter?” As we spoke, Mrs. Lee brought Lily out from the room. Lily obediently called her “Grandma Hunt,” which delighted Mrs. Hunt so much she picked her up and looked her over. “She looks like you. Just like you when you were little, so lovable.” After Mrs. Hunt finished, Lily tilted her head and looked at her. “I like Grandma Hunt too.” Saying that, she planted a big kiss on Mrs. Hunt’s cheek. This little girl was just like her dad, a smooth talker. She made Mrs. Hunt beam with joy. Ethan, who had been standing aside watching for who knows how long, suddenly interjected: “She looks like Sophia, beautiful. Her brain must be like mine, smart.” He reached out and lovingly touched Lily’s braided pigtails. Lily dodged, frowning at him, looking unhappy: “Why should I be like you? My daddy is the smartest, the most amazing.” I also didn’t like Ethan touching Lily, so I immediately signaled Mrs. Lee to take the child away. Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward, Mrs. Hunt tried to smooth things over: “So Sophia is married. Such a pity your Uncle Hunt and I couldn’t attend. “Where is he from? Why didn’t you bring him back to meet us this time?” Our families hadn’t been in contact for five years, so naturally, I didn’t notify them of my wedding. Besides, when I got married, I only invited our parents. “Mom!” Ethan said unhappily. “How could Sophia be married? Lily is my child.” He turned to me again. “Sophia, I wronged you back then, but the child is innocent. She can’t grow up without a father.” I didn’t know where Ethan’s obsession came from, and I didn’t care to know. I stood up and smiled at Mrs. Hunt. “I’m a bit tired today, I’ll go rest first.” I explained so many times that I was married and the child wasn’t his, but this idiot just wouldn’t believe it. Ethan wanted to chase after me but was stopped by Mrs. Hunt. Behind me, the sound of their argument could be heard. “Enough! Haven’t you caused enough trouble for Sophia? “She’s married! Don’t you dare harass her again!” 4 Back in the room, I turned off airplane mode on my phone. Hundreds of messages and calls popped up instantly. “Wifey, wait for me to take Lily to visit my alma mater!” “Wifey, why are you ignoring me?” “Wifey, are you tired of me already—” … I called back immediately, and a man’s aggrieved complaint sounded from the other end. “You only remembered me now. No love left.” I laughed. “No, I was chatting with the elders of the Hunt family and lost track of time.” Julian Thorne sounded like he was facing a great enemy. “You didn’t chat with that guy, did you?” That guy… meaning Ethan. I rolled my eyes. I really wanted to complain to Julian about Ethan’s psychotic behavior. “What is there to say to him? By the way, when can you come back to the States?” Julian thought for a moment. “I’ll fly over immediately after the shareholders’ meeting tomorrow.” We chatted on the phone for a while. The room was a suite. Lily and I slept in the inner room, Mrs. Lee in the outer one. Ava was in the guest room downstairs. Mrs. Lee was telling Lily a bedtime story. I instructed her to watch Lily closely these few days and not let anyone near her. “Especially Ethan Hunt. Don’t let him near Lily.” If I knew Ethan was this crazy, I wouldn’t have brought Lily back. When Ethan ran away from the wedding five years ago, he claimed he loved someone else. My wedding dress was huge and heavy, and I chased after Ethan’s resolute back in humiliation. Finally, I grabbed his sleeve. So many eyes were staring at me then—mocking, pitying gazes that felt like knives slicing me. Tears ruined my exquisite makeup. Through blurry eyes, I begged him to stay. At least, don’t let my parents and me lose face in front of so many people. Ethan just shook me off in disgust. He said, “Don’t do this. Being clingy only makes me hate you more. “I’m going to pursue my own happiness.” So I let go of Ethan and let him leave. The words were still fresh in my memory. I never thought Ethan would pester me like a lunatic after I returned. Simply bad luck. 5 My phone rang again suddenly. A strange number. I picked up, it was Ethan. “Mom gave me your number. Can we talk?” “Nothing to talk about.” The number I gave Mrs. Hunt was a temporary one for my return trip, so it didn’t matter if Ethan knew it. As soon as I hung up, a text came. “I’ve been thinking about you for the five years you disappeared. “Reading the diary you wrote, I realized the biggest mistake I made was missing you…” Thinking about it, I blocked the number. Too annoying. The next morning, our group headed to the cemetery. Since Lily was still young, I left Ava and Mrs. Lee at the villa to take care of her. Among the people at the cemetery were old acquaintances of my parents. I spent some time greeting them. Learning that I was married abroad and had a baby, they were all curious about who the husband was. During the conversation, a female voice interrupted inappropriately. “Why did I hear Ethan say the child is his?” Claire took off her sunglasses and smirked at me. “Long time no see. Coming back this time to use the child to win back Ethan’s heart? “Actually, you don’t have to go through all that trouble. If you want him, I’ll let you have him.” Here it was again, that sense of public humiliation. In the past, I would have been furious at Claire’s words. Now, I just smiled. “You’re too kind. Unlike you, I don’t specialize in recycling trash.” Claire’s face stiffened slightly, but she recovered quickly. “Heard you’re staying at the Hunt’s. Getting ready to bring the child back to the family?” Some people just push their luck. If I kept denying it now, it would seem suspicious. So I ignored Claire directly and said politely to the others, “My husband should be arriving tonight. We can gather tomorrow.” The old acquaintances naturally agreed. The ceremony began, and everyone dispersed. Claire was relentless, chattering behind me, “Really married? Does your husband know about your past? “Does he know you chased another man relentlessly?” 6 My university was next to Ethan’s. In college, our parents set the engagement. Claire was Ethan’s classmate in the same major. The first time I heard the name Claire was when Ethan compared us. That day he forgot my birthday. I pretended to be angry and asked him to come out and have dinner with me. Ethan suddenly got angry, saying I always troubled him with trivial matters. “I promised Claire to work on our social practice project today. You called me out just to eat? “Can you be a little more mature?” In Ethan’s mouth, Claire was a very cool girl. Smart, ambitious, hardworking. I felt wronged and punched him lightly. “Who is your girlfriend anyway?” Ethan apologized then. He explained that the assignment was important, which was why he lost his temper. Growing up, I was always chasing after Ethan. In my heart, he was a brother, a friend, and a lover. So him coaxing me made me happy enough, and I didn’t pursue the matter of him and Claire. I didn’t pay attention to Claire until the end of the second semester of sophomore year. Ethan said he was busy reviewing and would contact me after the break. I missed him so much I sneaked over to his school to see him. He wasn’t in the dorm, nor the library. I saw him on the playground, walking with a strange girl. Somehow, the name “Claire” suddenly popped into my mind. The evening glow reddened my eyes. I chased after them and asked, “Is this your so-called reviewing?” Ethan was a bit panicked. He instinctively shielded Claire behind him. “What are you imagining now?” Ethan frowned. “Is it wrong for me to discuss knowledge points with a classmate? “Sophia, you’re suffocating me.” 7 “Suffocating” was the word Ethan used to describe his parents. The Hunt family elders were strict with Ethan. From childhood, whether it was daily routine or social interactions, his parents arranged everything for him. Perhaps because of the strict control at home, Ethan became increasingly distant and cold to others. He had few friends and could only confide in me when he felt wronged. Saying confide, it was actually just him occasionally showing me his vulnerable side. But this made me think I had a place in his heart. He once said he was most relaxed and happy when he was with me. I didn’t react on the surface, but inside I was blooming with joy. This mutual secret crush, I thought he liked me too. In the end, Ethan said I made him feel suffocated. For a moment, I panicked. Clearly Ethan was wrong, but I panicked. I was afraid I really made him feel suffocated, after all, I looked forward to a future with him so much. But I also had my dignity. Since Ethan dared to hurt me with words to protect another girl, there was no need for this relationship to continue. I proposed a breakup then. Ironically, Ethan came to me with roses that night to apologize. He explained earnestly that he and that classmate Claire were only discussing academic matters. Since then, Claire seemed to disappear from Ethan’s world. I never heard him mention her again. Until the wedding ceremony five years ago. Ethan said, “I want to pursue my own happiness. Claire is my happiness.” Only then did I know that while dating me, Ethan was also warming Claire. To some extent, Ethan was good at disguising. He pretended for so many years, and then destroyed all the beauty at my happiest moment. I asked him why he chose the wedding day. Ethan said, “Claire is insecure. She can only be assured if there is absolutely no possibility of us being together.” Because of such a ridiculous reason, I had to endure so much gossip.

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I used to think that the maid’s daughter, Daisy Carmichael, was born with a fatal flaw: she always had to be the center of attention. Every time she stepped out, she managed to look more dazzling, more the main character, than me, the actual heiress of the Bellwether name. In my past life, at my own engagement party, she cut up every single one of my custom evening gowns. She then swept in, decked out in the one she’d stolen, and became the undeniable focus of the entire room. Everyone murmured that shewas the real leading lady. My fiancé, Tate Donovan, was instantly smitten. They sealed their perverse bond right under my nose. When I finally uncovered the truth, I flew into a furious, irrational rage and tried to tear them apart. That decision cost me everything. My parents were framed, ruined, and died. As for me? Tate and Daisy tied me to his yacht and drowned me in the middle of the ocean. A second chance. I woke up back on the day Daisy had my dresses in her sights. I watched her through the security feed, her smile sickly sweet as she brought the scissors to the first panel of silk. I simply smiled back. Please. I am Charlotte Bellwether. I own the world she breathes in. How dare a low-grade parasite who eats my food and sleeps in my house think she can compete with me? 1. The first person I saw when I opened my eyes was Mr. Alistair, our butler. “Miss Charlie, it’s dreadful! The custom lavender gown you ordered has been sneakily taken by Daisy Carmichael.” I chased him out the door just in time to see the dust kicking up from the tires of my sports car as Daisy peeled out, leaving me nothing but the bitter, rich exhaust fumes. Tch. I should have never let her tag along when I took my driver’s test. Back inside the manor, Mr. Alistair confirmed the inevitable: every single one of my haute couture dresses in the upstairs closet had been deliberately slashed, making them completely unwearable. Just like last time. I stood at the entrance of the walk-in closet, surveying the wreckage—the beautiful, expensive fabric scattered across the floor—and gave a calm, measured command. “Alistair, call the police.” Then I took out my phone and dialed my mother’s number. As soon as she picked up, I switched my voice to a ragged cry. “Mom, something terrible happened! We’ve been robbed!” In the previous timeline, Daisy had stolen the dress and ruined the rest. I was so consumed by rage that I grabbed a random dress and sped to the engagement party. I hit traffic. By the time I burst through the doors, looking dishevelled and frantic, Daisy was basking in the spotlight. Tate, my fiancé, and even my stupid, blindly loyal brother, Spencer, were orbiting her like planets. I lost my head. I stormed the party like a lunatic, humiliating my parents in front of the entire elite social circuit. I still married Tate, but I walked right into his trap. He used my father’s trust to gain a high-ranking position in the company, smuggled goods through illegal channels, and then expertly dumped the entire scandal onto my dad. Dad went to prison. Mom, overwhelmed by grief and stress, got into a massive car accident and died from her injuries. Spencer, my idiotic, worshipping little brother, was also framed by Tate and Daisy and thrown into jail. Finally, Tate took me to the middle of the Pacific on his yacht and shoved me overboard so he could be with Daisy. “You are not even worth one of Daisy’s manicured fingernails,” he hissed, his face contorted with disgust. “Marrying you was the most nauseating thing I’ve ever done.” As the icy water closed over my head, the last thing I saw was Tate’s face, softened with sickening adoration, as he pulled Daisy into a deep kiss. 2. I arrived at the banquet hall with a police escort. Pushing open the massive doors, the scene was a perfect, sickening replica of my memory. Daisy was surrounded. She wore my pale lavender gown—the sleek, soft fabric molding perfectly to her deceptively demure figure. Tate and Spencer stood guard on either side of her, like two knights attending their sweet, innocent queen. The only difference was my parents. Last time, they were frantically trying to call me. This time, because I had warned them and told them to stay put, they sat quietly at their table, watching the unfolding scene with cold, appraising eyes. The lead officer walked straight up to Daisy. “Are you Daisy Carmichael?” The sight of the uniform startled her. “Yes, I am.” “We have a report of grand larceny and criminal destruction of property. We need you to come with us for questioning.” Daisy looked at me, her eyes immediately welling up. “Charlie, how could you do this to me?” I took a deliberate step back. “Do what to you? Please, don’t start with the waterworks. It’s not like you’re the only person who knows how to cry.” She turned back to the officer. “Officer, this is a misunderstanding. My older sister is just playing a joke! We’re like family, she and I—” I cut her off, my voice sharp. “Don’t you dare! Sister? Who said I was kidding around? This is grand larceny!” I turned to the officer. “My sports car is missing. All the household staff confirmed they didn’t touch it. And all the dresses in my closet have been damaged. I have arranged for the security footage to be copied and delivered to the precinct. The evidence will speak for itself.” The buzz among the guests intensified. They looked at Daisy with sudden suspicion. Daisy’s tears finally spilled over. “Charlie, I know you come from a high-born family, but that doesn’t give you the right to insult me! I may be poor, but I have my pride! You can’t just humiliate me in public, step on my self-respect like this!” “Hold it right there.” I held up a hand. “I’m rich. So what? My parents worked for that money. Does having money make me a monster?” I swept my gaze over the room. “Everyone here has means. Does that make us all soulless villains? Even if I were the villain you claim, it certainly doesn’t fall to the maid’s daughter to dispense justice.” “And while we’re talking about pride and justice: you’re wearing my custom gown right now, standing cozied up to my fiancé. What kind of justice is that? Before you preach about your self-respect, maybe you should hand over the dress I had custom-made for my engagement. It’s not meant to be your wedding veil.” The focus in the room became laser-sharp—every eye on the gown Daisy was wearing. “I thought that dress looked a little ill-fitting on her. She stole it?” “I heard she was the maid’s daughter. No wonder I’ve never seen her at an event.” “The sheer audacity! Stealing from your employers and then preaching about dignity. She’s truly shameless.” Daisy’s face cycled through white, green, and red. She was trapped. She couldn’t take the dress off, but she couldn’t stand the judgment. It was then that Tate finally stepped forward. 3. “Enough!” Tate moved in front of Daisy, shielding her. “Charlotte, you’ve gone too far!” He looked at Daisy with a tenderness that made my stomach churn. “It’s just a dress. She looks far more beautiful in it than you ever would. Why can’t you be the bigger person and simply gift it to her?” He met my eyes, his cold and dismissive. “On such an important day, did you really have to cause such a scene? Do you have to make everyone uncomfortable?” He then addressed the police officers. “This is clearly a huge misunderstanding. Thank you for your time, gentlemen. You can go now.” The lead officer gave him a skeptical look. “Are you the person who filed the report, sir? If not, please stand back.” Tate was the product of Harrison Donovan’s extramarital affair. After Harrison’s legitimate wife died, he immediately brought Tate and his mother into the family. That illegitimate status was an open secret in our social circle. In my past life, I was obsessed with Tate. I chased him, threw myself at him, and gave him everything he asked for. He repaid that devotion by killing me. But I was no longer the lovesick fool I once was. My gaze landed on Harrison Donovan, who was hiding near the back of the room with his new wife. “Mr. Donovan,” I said, my voice ringing out clearly. “This is only the engagement. I haven’t even officially married into your family, and Tate is already treating me like this—for the sake of another woman, no less. Do you think this engagement is still necessary?” The Donovan family’s standing was leagues below the Bellwethers’. Tate’s and his mother’s only claim to status was their impending marriage alliance with my family. Harrison, hearing his name called out publicly, had no choice but to awkwardly approach the front. He glared fiercely at Tate. “Apologize!” Tate jutted his chin out. “I did nothing wrong. Why should I apologize?” Tate’s mother rushed over and subtly dug her nails into his arm, but he was too stubborn to back down. My father walked up, his eyes full of contempt for Tate. “Who do you think you are? If my daughter hadn’t, inexplicably, been interested in you, you wouldn’t even be allowed to stand here.” My mother pointed at Daisy. “Officers, we insist on pursuing this investigation. Please take her in.” My brother, Spencer, who had been silent, suddenly burst out. “Dad!” “Shut up!” My father’s glare was like ice. “Look at you, Spencer. Like a hungry penguin begging for scraps at the zoo. You’re an embarrassment.” Spencer could only watch, his eyes burning with resentment, as the police led Daisy away. 4. The security footage was damning. It clearly showed Daisy walking into my closet, taking the lavender dress, and walking out. When she reappeared, she was wearing the stolen dress, but now she was holding a pair of shears. She systematically opened the dress bags and cut through the expensive garments, one by one. The garage footage then showed her getting into my sports car and driving off. The evidence was ironclad. Daisy had no room to deny it. At the police station, she pleaded with me through torrents of tears. “Charlie, I’m so sorry, I made a mistake! It was just a stupid joke, I didn’t mean to ruin your engagement. Please, please forgive me!” I pulled out my phone, pressed a few buttons, and handed it to her. “All the damages, the dress, the car—it comes to seventy-five thousand dollars. If you transfer the full amount, I’ll sign an agreement not to press charges. You messed up. You take responsibility. That’s how it works.” Seventy-five thousand dollars. Her mother, Mrs. Rodriguez, earned maybe seven thousand dollars a month. There was no way Daisy could produce that much cash. Tate was grounded by his father because of the scene, so he wouldn’t be riding in on a white horse. Even if he could, Tate, with his illegitimate status, was far from financially independent. No one in our circle would lend that kind of money to an ambitious bastard who’d just disgraced himself. No one except the old me, the lovesick fool. But the new me was not the old me. I signed the non-prosecution agreement and walked out of the police station feeling victorious. It wasn’t until I reached the car that I realized how Daisy had managed to gather the funds so quickly. It was my dear brother, Spencer. Daisy had merely whined “Ah-hao” over the phone, and the idiot had immediately transferred the money from his account to hers. My blood boiled as I watched them embrace, the transfer essentially moving my family’s money from one pocket to the other. To make matters worse, Spencer had the gall to bring Daisy right back to my house. 5. The next morning, I stepped out of my room and immediately heard the sickeningly sweet voices of Daisy and Spencer downstairs. I walked down to the dining room and saw Daisy plastered against Spencer like a barnacle. They looked up at me with a shared expression of resentment, as if I were the monster for having Daisy arrested. A lavish breakfast was set before them. My place setting was bare, like a locust-stripped field. Not even a glass of water. In the kitchen, Mrs. Rodriguez, the maid, saw me, gave me her back, and continued tidying up, pointedly ignoring me. This was her attempt to give me a subtle punishment for taking her daughter in. I cleared my throat twice. Silence. I called out to Mr. Alistair. “Alistair, if a maid can’t even manage a simple breakfast, perhaps it’s time to find a replacement.” Alistair nodded crisply. “Very good, Miss Charlie. I’ll see to the hiring process immediately.” Daisy shot out of her seat. “Charlie Bellwether, you can’t fire my mother!” “Why? Because I’ve been downstairs for almost ten minutes and haven’t seen a glass of water? This is a household, not a charity. I have no interest in paying a useless employee.” Spencer pulled Daisy back into his arms. “Don’t you have hands, Charlie? Get your own damn water!” I shot him a withering look. “Spencer, don’t force me to slap you before 9 a.m. She’s an employee; she’s supposed to work. What do you think we hire her for? To sit around and collect a paycheck?” “And you, my brother, are defending an outsider without even knowing the facts. Is your brain filled with lukewarm oatmeal?” Mrs. Rodriguez stepped out from behind Spencer, her expression surprisingly composed. “Miss Charlie, I was hired by the Master and the Mistress, not you. You don’t have the authority to dismiss me.” “I have been here for over ten years. I treated you like my own daughter. To speak to me, your elder, with such disrespect—do you have no manners?” “Mrs. Rodriguez,” my mother’s voice cut in from the second-floor landing. She looked down at the maid. “If my daughter’s lack of manners offends you so much, perhaps you should find a family with more polite children to employ you.” Mrs. Rodriguez’s composure shattered. “Madam, I didn’t mean that! I only meant to look out for Miss Charlie, to ensure she wasn’t taken advantage of.” “Exactly, Mom! Mrs. Rodriguez is right. It’s Charlie who’s always being a bully to Daisy!” Spencer chimed in, completely oblivious to the frostiness in Mom’s eyes. “If Daisy weren’t so forgiving, I would have—” “Spencer!” Mom snapped, cutting off his pathetic rant. “Go back to your room. You are grounded until I say otherwise.” He didn’t dare cross Mom. He glared at me, then stomped up the stairs. As he passed me, he muttered, “Charlotte, you’ll pay for this.” 6. In the end, Mrs. Rodriguez was not fired. I had intervened, pleading with my mother to let her stay so that I could monitor her behavior. Telling Alistair to hire a new maid was merely a scare tactic. This mother and daughter had ruined my life once; I couldn’t let them off the hook so easily. Mrs. Rodriguez bowed and scraped, thanking me profusely, but when she lifted her head, the look of seething hatred in her eyes was barely concealed. That was exactly what I wanted. Tormenting them would be so much more satisfying.

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Blair Wellington was in love with my roommate. She stood with him in front of both our families, publicly demanding that the ridiculous childhood engagement between us be canceled. She pointed at me and addressed the parents in the room: “I have never loved him, and the thought of marrying him makes me physically ill.” That was the last day I ever loved Blair Wellington. Later, when another girl confessed her feelings to me, Blair tried desperately to stop us from being together. In her hand, she clutched the childish marriage vow she’d written for me when we were kids. “But you promised… you’d only ever marry me when we grew up.” 1 I had just arrived when Blair Wellington started arguing with her parents—with my roommate, Nolan, standing right beside her. I stomped the snow off my boots and reached for the front door. “I already told you, I never agreed to that absurd engagement pact!” The cold sneer in her voice stopped my hand right before I pushed the door open. “That was set when you two were children! Now you bring a boy here? Do you have any idea how much shame you’re bringing to the Rivers family?!” Through the small gap in the doorway, I watched Blair arguing with her father. My own parents sat silently on the side, their faces drawn and tight. “This is my boyfriend, Nolan.” Blair clutched Nolan Pierce’s hand, staking her claim. Her father’s face was turning beet red. “You are going to marry Cam, and that’s final! You don’t get a choice!” My hand trembled, and the door swung open unexpectedly. Every eye in the room landed on me. Blair’s gaze was cold. She pointed a finger at me and looked back at her parents. Her voice rang out, clear and definitive. “I have never loved him, and the thought of marrying him makes me physically ill.” She didn’t wait for a reply, pulling Nolan out the door and past me. Her eyes swept over me without acknowledgment, as if I were a piece of furniture. Behind them, her parents frantically apologized, while my dad’s face was dark with a fury that wanted to chase Blair down and shake her. I just stood there, staring at the retreating backs of the two people who had just humiliated me. Blair and I had grown up together. For years, she had never once denied the engagement pact. When people teased us about it, she’d always laugh along. I thought she loved me as much as I loved her. 2 That night, after two long hours of my parents’ attempts to console me, I was finally allowed to go to bed. Mom had called me in sick for the day, so I hadn’t returned to the dorm. Just as I was drifting off, my phone on the nightstand lit up. A text from Blair. “I’m downstairs. Come down, we need to talk.” I thought back to her words earlier. My childhood sweetheart, my Blair-y-Bear, had deliberately destroyed me to be with another guy. I didn’t go down that night. I didn’t sleep well, either. I kept having fragmented dreams. A tiny Blair, perched at a desk, carefully writing something down. A moment later, she hopped off the chair. She ran toward my young self. “Camden, when we grow up, you have to marry your Blair-y-Bear.” Her soft little hand pressed her self-made “marriage vow” into mine, her bright eyes sincere and earnest. “Blair-y-Bear will be with Camden forever.” The moon cut through the last layer of clouds, the light blurring my eyes. Half-asleep, I wiped a cold wetness from the corner of my eye. 3 I was intercepted by Blair the next morning on my way to school. “Leaving this late? Did you skip breakfast again?” The familiarity of her tone made me pause. Blair held out a bag of pre-prepared breakfast items. “Camden, what I said yesterday wasn’t aimed at you.” “I just got carried away and said things I didn’t mean.” I stepped back, avoiding the breakfast bag. “No, thank you. Taking anything from you right now would be… nauseating.” Blair pulled her hand back, staring at me fixedly. Her voice cooled. “Did throwing my words back at me make you feel better?” “Camden, I need you to leave Nolan alone. He didn’t do anything wrong; I was the one who went after him.” Blair’s request proved to be highly prescient. Though, as it turned out, Nolan was the one who decided to provoke me. I arrived in class shortly after her. Just as I sat at my desk, Nolan walked up, holding a cup of milk. His voice was just loud enough to cut through the quiet hum of the room, drawing everyone’s attention. “Cam, here’s a drink. Can you forgive me?” I glanced at the milk, then up at him. “Forgive you for what, exactly?” Nolan placed the milk on my desk, looking appropriately embarrassed. “I shouldn’t have accepted Blair’s friend request. I didn’t know she was your childhood sweetheart.” His voice was apologetic. He reached up, intending to put a hand on my shoulder. “Please don’t be mad, Cam.” “If you can just let this go, I’ll even give Blair back to you.” The words I was about to say were cut short by another voice—Nolan’s best friend, who was now laughing in disbelief, jumping to Nolan’s defense. “Nolan, you don’t need to apologize! Cam and Blair are just friends, right?” “You didn’t steal his friend, so what’s the big deal?” “And honestly, Cam, can you ditch the moody rich-boy act? Stop being such a jerk.” The pair were putting on a perfect show. “You two really have this down—one playing the good cop, the other the bad cop, huh?” I finished, yanking Nolan’s hand away. I hadn’t used much force, but he gasped and stumbled back dramatically. “Ah!” He crashed into my desk, and the hot milk splashed across his chest. That was the moment Blair walked in. “Nolan, are you okay? Are you hurt?” She pulled a handful of paper towels from her bag and thrust them into Nolan’s hands, her eyes filled with frantic concern. “I’m fine, Blair,” he mumbled. The surrounding students all shot me accusatory looks. “What are you looking at? He walked right into it.” I found it almost funny. Blair must have heard me, but her attention remained fixed on Nolan. “Let’s get you to the nurse’s office to clean up. Try to bear with it.” She helped Nolan stand up and guided him out. The entire time, I was invisible to her. In the afternoon, Nolan’s friend, still furious on his behalf, got his revenge. I was walking out of the communal kitchen with a bottle of warm water and coffee grounds when I ran straight into him. He deliberately slammed into me, spilling the murky liquid all over my front, and then shoved me hard. “Whoops. My bad, man. Didn’t see you there.” He shrugged nonchalantly and walked off. I looked up and met Blair’s eyes from across the hallway. She was watching me, her expression as cold and detached as if she were looking at a complete stranger. … I walked into the classroom moments before the bell rang, my clothes still damp. I was holding an empty bottle. In the kitchen, I had mixed some lukewarm water with old, murky coffee grounds for the “revenge” I had just had. Before anyone could react, I uncapped the bottle. The dark, staining liquid poured straight over the other boy’s head. “That,” I said, looking him dead in the eye, “was intentional. And no, I’m not apologizing.” He screamed, scrambling to his feet. “What is that?! What did you throw at me?!” I just smirked, offering no explanation. It wasn’t until the entire school was involved that I finally clarified to the principal: “It was just lukewarm water mixed with old coffee grounds. It stains, but it’s not caustic.” 4 After that incident, I was completely isolated. Everyone avoided me. I started to question myself. Had I really been wrong? If I was right, why was I the one being ostracized? Meanwhile, Blair and Nolan had become the class’s golden couple, the star students. The night they publicly confirmed their relationship was also the night I finally admitted my truth. “There’s a class party on Friday night. Are you going to come?” The class president hesitated, clearly having asked everyone else first before reluctantly approaching me. My face was calm, but the hand tucked under the desk was clenched tight. “I’ll go.” I thought, maybe, just maybe, I hadn’t been completely shut out. At the club, we were playing Truth or Dare. When it was Blair’s turn, someone grinned wickedly. “Blair, if your childhood sweetie Cam and your… well, your current guy Nolan both fell into the water, who would you save?” At the time, I never imagined that question would turn into a horrifying premonition. Blair and Nolan were sitting right across from me. The air in the room froze. I kept my eyes fixed on the teacup in front of me. I knew I could leave, but something held me in place. Across the table, Blair gave a small, light laugh. Her tone was measured. “What do you mean, ‘current guy’? He’s my boyfriend, didn’t you know?” In my peripheral vision, she looped her arm through Nolan’s. “Nolan, can you swim?” she asked him. “I’m a total brick,” he confessed, looking slightly embarrassed. Blair sighed playfully, her voice dripping with affection. “Then if you fell in the ocean, I’d have to haul you all the way back, wouldn’t I?” She hadn’t answered the question directly, but the answer was chillingly clear. And it made sense. Nolan was her boyfriend. Saving him first was what any girlfriend would do. I briefly closed my eyes, suppressing the sting of humiliation. Everyone started cheering, teasing the straight-A student about her romantic side. I lowered my breathing, shrinking my presence, terrified of being caught in a look of pity or mockery. But Nolan wasn’t going to let me off that easily. When it was my turn, he smiled, looking perfectly harmless. He asked, gently: “Cam, do you have anyone you like here? Or anyone you’ve ever liked?” He spoke the most cruel words in the most casual tone, making everyone think he was just joking. “Don’t lie, or you’ll have seven years of bad luck, promise?” I felt like I was backed into a corner. Making a scene now would mean permanent banishment, guaranteeing those pitying stares. I slowly raised my eyes and met Nolan’s gaze. “Yes,” I said. The moment the word left my mouth, I felt Blair’s eyes snap to mine. Nolan just grinned, wrapping an arm around Blair’s waist. “Good to know.” A few months ago, this would have been unbearable. But now, after admitting I had loved Blair, that raw emotion felt distant. It felt like a final, faint breeze had swept away the last fragile remnant of my feelings for Blair. The wind passed, leaving the surface untouched. At seventeen, I let go of three years of unspoken love. I was finally certain: I didn’t love Blair Wellington anymore. 5 “Camden.” The party was breaking up, and Blair called out to me before I could leave. She came closer, her expression complicated. “Earlier, when you said you liked someone…” She paused for a difficult two seconds. “Was it me?” To be honest, I felt no lingering affection for the girl standing in front of me. “It was,” I confirmed. Then I added, “But it was in the past tense.” “The moment you pointed at me and said the thought of marrying me made you ill, I decided I was done. Especially now that you have a boyfriend—I’ve genuinely moved on.” Blair’s lips were pressed into a thin line, and she said nothing. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’ve always thought of you like a brother.” I didn’t want to hear her weak excuses. “Blair, I’ll make it up to you.” I immediately refused. I even used my actions to prove my point: I truly wanted to be rid of her and her boyfriend. But Blair wouldn’t listen, instead piling on useless attempts to alleviate her guilt. She kept insisting on bringing me breakfast, even though I threw it away every time. Her occasional acts of misplaced kindness. Nolan, however, didn’t see my desperate avoidance; he only saw my efforts to steal Blair back. The retaliation started coming in waves. … The day before the results of the mock exams were released, Nolan was called to the principal’s office. He returned crying, collapsing onto his desk. Rumors immediately spread that he had cheated on the exam. Blair and her friends, however, refused to believe it. He was, after all, the second-highest-ranking student in the grade, right after Blair. “Nolan? No way! That crib sheet they found couldn’t have been his.” “Exactly! Nolan isn’t like that, come on.” I didn’t pay much attention. But I did remember that I had done well on the exam, making fewer mistakes than usual. After the scores were posted, my brief feeling of accomplishment was shattered when Blair cornered me after school. “Camden.” “Was it you?” I looked at her, confused. “Was what me?” “Framing Nolan for cheating? Wasn’t that you?” “That little slip of paper—didn’t you plant it?” She was cold, the accusation pressing down on me. “Am I that bored?” I scoffed. “Do you honestly think I care about him enough to start trouble?” Blair scrutinized me, her eyes narrowed. “Then why did your score jump twenty-seven points since the last test?” “Maybe I just studied hard and earned it!” I had reached my limit. “Blair, you’re becoming delusional.” Her expression darkened, and then she let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “Camden, how did you turn into this person?” “Sabotage and slander, unrepentant.” Blair shook her head, her eyes full of disappointment. “Is this what your family taught you?” I was so furious I nearly laughed, ready to deny everything. But Blair turned on her phone, showing me a segment of the office surveillance video. Between the time the papers were collected and lunch, I was the only student who had entered the office. This was Nolan’s game. He had deliberately planted the cheat sheet inside his own exam booklet. Since he knew the answers, no one believed he cheated. Combined with the video, I was instantly convicted. Blair looked down at me, distant. She tossed out a cold sentence before walking away. “Camden, everyone has to take responsibility for their actions.” 6 I put my last shred of hope in the principal. After all, this wasn’t about concrete evidence; it was about subjective judgment. But the principal only looked at me with deep disappointment. “Camden! What was your motivation for doing this?!” “Was it jealousy because Nolan’s grades are better than yours?” My throat instantly went dry, and all the fight left me. I couldn’t say a word. When Blair accompanied Nolan into the office, his eyes were still red rimmed. “Cam! Weren’t we close? I always thought of you as my friend, and this is how you treat me?” He grabbed a heavy textbook off the desk and threw it straight into my face. He screamed: “My life was almost ruined because of you! Do you have any idea what you did?” Blair turned her head away, remaining completely silent. The principal scolded Nolan lightly for the violence. But before I could retaliate, he looked at me, a warning in his eyes. Then he quickly changed the subject. “Camden, apologize to Nolan, and I won’t invalidate your test score or record a demerit.” If my score was canceled, I would be removed from the Advanced Placement class for my final year. But I hadn’t done it. How could I apologize? “I’ll only say this once: I did not frame Nolan Pierce for cheating.” The moment the words left my mouth, I felt a cold wetness under my nose. Nolan’s throw had been hard enough to draw blood. I ignored the three people with their varied expressions and walked straight out. “Stop.” Blair chased after me, blocking my path. She frowned when she saw the blood dripping from my nose. But her words were still accusatory. “Camden, you have to apologize to Nolan. He shouldn’t have to carry that slander because of you.” I lightly dabbed the blood with my hand and held it out for her to see. My voice was very quiet. “Blair Wellington, can I at least clean myself up first?” I felt utterly exhausted. Like a person clinging to a cliff edge, I no longer had the strength to hold on to the last life-saving root. I didn’t even want to argue anymore. Blair furrowed her brow. “I’ll take you.” She reached out to grab my hand. I stepped back slightly, looking down, my eyes devoid of emotion. “Blair.” “Please.” “Get lost.” 7 I never apologized to Nolan. But everyone seemed to have tacitly agreed that I was guilty of framing him. Students who had previously ignored me now openly talked badly about me. My test score, the one twenty-seven points higher than before, was nullified. My seemingly stable emotions were starting to crumble. Had I really been wrong? Why was I always the one paying the price? Then came the school-arranged field trip—a mandatory nature hike. This became Nolan’s next opportunity to trap me. “Nolan Pierce and Camden Rivers, you two are a team for collecting brushwood.” … Deep in the woods, Nolan’s true colors emerged. I discreetly switched on the voice recorder in my backpack. “Cam, does it hurt that I stole your childhood sweetheart?” He stood behind me, sounding casual and relaxed. I led the conversation. “So, you deliberately planted that crib sheet to make Blair hate me completely and stop me from trying to get her back?” He glanced around, then smiled, pleased with himself. “Yep. And look, nobody believes you’re innocent, do they?” “How was it? When that heavy book hit your face? That must have hurt, right?” I had what I needed and didn’t want to press him further. With this recording, he could be thoroughly ruined, suspended, or transferred. But he wasn’t finished. The moment I turned to leave, he shoved me hard. “Ah—” As I tumbled down the slope, Nolan, in a moment of arrogant carelessness, also slipped. We both ended up clinging to a tree trunk on the steep incline, precariously balanced. 8 I tried to save myself, but it was useless. Blair, having likely heard Nolan’s scream, was the first to arrive. “Blair, save me…” His face was ghostly white as he looked at her. The girl’s eyes found me, a fleeting look of pity there. “I’m sorry, Camden.” She reached out a hand to Nolan. … “Once Nolan’s up, I’ll pull you up immediately.” Nolan’s face shifted at her words. He used her leverage and started to climb. I forced a weak smile. “Right. Thank you.” I had no right to complain. Nolan was her boyfriend. Saving him first was what any girlfriend would do. I was even surprised she was willing to risk saving me at all. I had thought she would just go back for the principal. But as Nolan climbed, he suddenly stomped his foot down onto my hand. He ground his heel back and forth. He used his other foot to gain purchase, making it look like an accidental slip. The pain made me gasp, and I instinctively loosened my grip. I tumbled down the hill. “Camden!” “Cam!”

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My best friend and I both ended up with unplanned pregnancies at the exact same time. She was carrying the child of an Oscar-winning actor, and I had the baby of a high-stakes New York tycoon. Since neither of them seemed particularly thrilled about the idea of fatherhood, my best friend suggested: “What if we just keep the kids and lose the dads?” I didn’t hesitate: “Deal. Wherever you go, I go.” So, we vanished. We fled the country with our baby bumps and started a dream life together abroad. Two years later, her toddler went viral on TikTok because he was a dead ringer for the famous actor. The camera panned just enough to catch me and my daughter in the background. That night, my bar was surrounded by men in black suits. Just as I reached for my phone to call 911, my hands were pinned behind my back and bound with a leather belt. The man gripped my waist, his voice a low, dangerous snarl in my ear: “Go ahead, call them. Guess how many times I can break you before the cops even pull into the lot?” 1 Heartbroken and fed up with men, my best friend, Mia, dragged me to a high-end club to blow off some steam. She was just about to reach out and touch the abs of a gorgeous male model when Ethan Sterling, the Oscar-winning heartthrob, appeared at the entrance. Ethan, hidden under a baseball cap, stormed over and pointed at the model, who admittedly shared his brooding good looks. “Who is this, Mia? Am I that easy to replace?” Mia flicked a glance at him and stood up with a cold smirk. “Why not? You treated me like a stand-in for your ex-girlfriend, Sophie, for a year. Why can’t I find a better version of you?” “Besides,” she added, “your family’s ‘precious’ heirloom watch is currently sitting on someone else’s wrist.” Ethan went silent, his face pale. “I told you,” he stammered, “I didn’t give her that watch.” Mia: “Great. Then go get it back.” Silence stretched between them like a freezing river, making the thumping club music feel even more jarring. Ethan hesitated for a long time before sighing. “I’m sorry. I can’t.” Even though she expected that answer, Mia’s face crumpled for a split second. She grabbed her bag, signaled for me to call her, and stormed out in her stilettos. Ethan nodded to me and chased after her. Knowing how easily Ethan usually sweet-talked her back, I shouted after them: “Mia! Don’t go soft! This is a dealbreaker! Dump him for real this time!” My throat was dry from yelling. Suddenly, a long-fingered hand offered me a slice of watermelon. I looked at the hand, thinking, Wow, this model is smooth. I turned with a smile: “Hey handsome, what’s your name?” The smile froze. Standing behind me wasn’t a model, but Caleb Vance. Cold features, a sharp jawline, and eyes that looked like they were carved from ice. I stumbled back, but he caught my wrist. Caleb leaned in, a dark smirk playing on his lips: “You like ‘handsome’ guys, huh?” “Fine. Let’s go home. I’ve got plenty for you to look at.” 2 That night, Caleb Vance pinned me against the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse until dawn. The view overlooked the city skyline—prime real estate where every square inch cost a fortune. If it wasn’t for Caleb, I wouldn’t even have clearance to enter the lobby. But I wasn’t his girlfriend. I was his “pet.” His high-end distraction. In my first year as a struggling actress, I met a director who tried to force himself on me. Caleb appeared and ended the situation with a single sentence. He was a titan of industry; I was a nobody. He never made a grand romantic gesture, but he protected me and provided for me. With a face that put Hollywood stars to shame, it was hard not to fall for him. But I knew my place. A “pet” is meant to be replaced. I knew this would never last. “Distracted again?” As if punishing my lack of focus, Caleb’s grip tightened. “What are you thinking about? Your ‘handsome’ models?” I let out a sharp gasp, my nails digging into his arm as I shook my head, biting my lip. My response clearly didn’t satisfy him. He flipped me around. “Even if you weren’t, you’re going to feel this.” Much later, as the storm subsided, Caleb carried me to the bath and held me in his arms. “I heard your sister, Seraphina, is back in the country?” I asked softly. “Mhm.” Caleb was close with his sister; she was the real power behind the Vance family’s domestic affairs. More importantly, she had brought someone back with her—the woman Caleb was supposed to marry in a high-society merger. “Can I meet her?” I tested. Caleb’s eyes snapped open. He studied me with a cold, searching gaze before looking away. “There’s no need.” Of course. A secret mistress doesn’t meet the family. I hid my disappointment and forced a smile. “Okay.” That night, Mia never called. It wasn’t until noon the next day that I got a text. 【Don’t worry. We’re done for good.】 3 A month later, both Mia and I realized our periods were late. We went to the clinic together. When the ultrasound results came back with “PREGNANCY CONFIRMED” in bold letters, we both stared in dead silence. Mia snatched my results and hissed, “We agreed to get the career boost and then bail! How did you let this happen?” “We were careful!” I argued. Then, thinking of that night by the window, I lowered my voice. “But… things got intense. Maybe it failed.” Mia rolled her eyes. I snatched her results back. “You’re one to talk! You don’t even have a guy right now! Who’s the father?” Mia blinked, looking guilty. She muttered under her breath, “Ethan’s.” “Who?” I asked, doing my best ‘confused face.’ She took a breath and yelled into my ear: “MY EX! ETHAN! STERLING!” My ears were ringing. “I heard you! You don’t have to scream!” Mia was already broken up, and Ethan had his “first love,” Sophie, looming in the background. And I was Caleb’s secret plaything while his fiancée was moving into town. Neither of these powerful men would want these children. Mia grabbed my hand. “What if… we just keep the kids and lose the dads?” I thought about it. Caleb had been generous over the years. With my savings and acting checks, I could afford a house in Australia. “A villa. Two moms. Two kids. A dog and a cat.” It sounded like the perfect retirement plan. 4 We moved fast. Mia was already living separately from Ethan, so she was easy to spirit away. I was the problem. I spent weeks trying to find the right moment to end things with Caleb. Then, one night, he came home wasted. When I opened the door, my heart stopped. Caleb was leaning heavily on a beautiful woman. I recognized her from the tabloids—Caleb’s intended fiancée, Isabella Howe. “Hi, you must be Skylar? Caleb’s a bit drunk, I brought him home.” She looked at me with a kind, composed smile. Unlike the “jealous fiancée” trope I expected, she seemed to know exactly who I was. I forced a smile and helped her get him onto the sofa. Isabella didn’t leave. She looked around the penthouse and smiled. “Could I have a glass of water?” I walked to the kitchen island in silence. Her casual voice drifted from the living room. “I heard you’ve been taking care of Caleb while I was abroad. Thank you.” “I’ve seen your work. It’s hard for a woman to make it in Hollywood without a legacy. Seraphina and I actually admire you.” “She mentioned she wanted to meet you at the family gala next month. Did Caleb tell you?” The glass in my hand nearly slipped. I turned to meet Isabella’s eyes. There was no mockery in them. No arrogance. Just the effortless confidence of a woman who actually belonged in Caleb’s world. A confidence I could never have. The weight in my chest finally settled. I knew it was time. That night, while Caleb was passed out, I packed. I left all the jewelry and luxury gifts behind. I only took a braided cord bracelet Caleb and I had bought from a street vendor once—a cheap thing for “good luck.” I thought about saying goodbye to his face, but maybe silence was better. On the gray silk sheets, Caleb’s face was as breathtaking as the day I met him. He always thought he pursued me, but he never knew I fell for him at first sight. I felt a wave of bitterness. I sent one last text: 【I’m gone. Don’t come looking for me. Goodbye.】 I blocked his number and walked out. 5 Fast forward three years. We were living in a coastal town in Australia. We both had healthy toddlers. Mia’s son, Leo, and my daughter, Penny. When the kids turned three, Mia started a “Mommy Blogger” account, though she never showed her own face. I opened a small, trendy bar by the beach. Life was perfect. We had money, peace, and I had plenty of handsome surfers to look at. Then, a comment appeared on one of Mia’s videos. 【Is it just me, or does ‘Leo’ look exactly like Ethan Sterling?】 Ethan had posted childhood photos online years ago. Within hours, the internet had side-by-side comparisons. It wasn’t just a resemblance. It was a clone. “Leo” blew up overnight. People started tagging Ethan everywhere. Someone asked Mia: 【Who’s the dad?】 Mia snarked back: 【No dad. Parthenogenesis.】 When people started accusing her of being a “homewrecker” with a “secret love child,” she fired back: 【If you knew who the father was, you’d realize I’m the one who got unlucky.】 Seconds later, an account verified as Ethan Sterling replied. 【Are you sure about that, Mia?】 Mia panicked, deleted everything, and set her account to private. That night, she came to my bar, terrified Ethan would find her and sue for custody. I told her to breathe. “The internet is huge. Even if he sees the video, he can’t find us in a country this big.” To distract her, I promised to take her and the kids on a trip the next day. 6 We were at a famous landmark when a “Man on the Street” interviewer stopped us. Because of the viral drama, we declined and hurried away, but we couldn’t stop them from posting the footage. The video showed Leo clearly, and it caught me and Penny too. The internet exploded. 【Holy crap, in high-def, that kid is definitely Ethan’s.】 【Is that an actress in the background? She looks like Skylar Stone, the girl who vanished three years ago!】 Seeing the walls closing in, I talked to Mia. “Let’s move again. The bar isn’t doing great anyway. I’m ready to close it.” Mia nodded. “I’m with you. Wherever you go, I go.” Mia deleted her accounts. I posted a “Bar for Sale” ad. That same day, a buyer contacted me and asked to meet that night. I waited until closing time, but the buyer never showed. A weird sixth sense kicked in. Suddenly, the front door was kicked open. A dozen bodyguards in black suits flooded the bar. “Who are you looking for?” I demanded, my heart racing. No one answered. I bolted for the back exit. I ran out the door and slammed right into a solid chest. The scent of cedarwood hit me—a scent I knew by heart. I stumbled back and tried to dial 911. My wrist was snatched, and the phone hit the ground, its screen glowing in the dark. My hands were bound behind my back with a belt. He pulled me into his chest. A familiar, deep voice whispered in my ear: “Sky… have you been well?” The greeting was normal, but the tone was as cold as a grave. “Caleb, we broke up,” I gasped. “This is Australia. You can’t do this.” “Break up?” He let out a dark laugh. “Did I agree to that?” “And as for what I can do… well, you’re about to find out.” The phone on the ground was answered by a dispatcher. Caleb picked it up and held it to my ear, his voice a low, arrogant chuckle. “Go ahead. Give them the address.” “Guess how many times I can break you before the cops arrive?”

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In the third year after breaking up with my childhood sweetheart, my mom cooked his favorite King Crab Legs. “Jenna, get up today, don’t make a scene with her.” Zoe is my mom’s favorite student, Peter is the boy I loved for ten years. Seeing me sitting in a wheelchair without saying a word. My mom raised her volume, attempting to cover up her guilty conscience: “Zoe changed your college application back then for your own good. But being a conflict journalist was your choice, you can’t blame others.” I just smiled and said calmly: “Yeah!” “The past cannot be reversed, but I am ultimately heading forward!” Chapter 1 Seeing that I didn’t lose my temper, nor hysterical like before. My mom was still worried and continued to beat around the bush: “Zoe and Peter have a very good relationship as husband and wife, you can’t be the third party stepping in, I can’t afford to lose face.” My mom has always been like this. Always standing on the outsider’s side. Treating her biological daughter as an enemy who needs to be guarded against. Peter met me first clearly. We are neighbors, childhood sweethearts. Grew up holding hands. He kissed me under the jacaranda tree, confessed to me. We have always liked each other. He said, he would definitely marry me. But as a high school teacher, my mom brought the underprivileged student Zoe home. From that day on, she pervaded every corner, inserting herself into the world of me and Peter. My mom took half the credit. Whether I went to the library or went shopping with Peter, she made me take Zoe along. Even their witness at the wedding was my mom. I tore open a bag of cucumber-flavored chips, my gaze plain. “Mom, you are so worried, why force me to come back to recuperate?” “Damn girl, wings hardened, dare to talk to me like this.” She habitually acted fiercely, wanting to poke my forehead. I turned my head to dodge. Someone pressed the passcode lock outside the door. My mom put on a smiling face and went to welcome them. Chapter 2 Zoe and Peter fingers interlocked. “Ms. Yan, I smell the food, am I late and couldn’t lend a hand?” “Good child, come in quickly. I made Peter’s favorite King Crab Legs, and your favorite scrambled eggs with onions.” Entering the living room, they seemed to discover my existence just now. Zoe hid behind instinctively like the first time she came to my house. As if I were some man-eating beast. My mom glared at me, signaling me not to put on a cold dead face, say hello to guests. I didn’t move. Peter subconsciously looked at my foot wrapped in thick gauze, tone concerned. “Jenna, is your injury better?” I nodded politely. After sitting at the table, my mom arranged them in the best position to pick food, then commanded me: “Go to the refrigerator to get mango juice, Zoe loves it most.” Zoe looked at me, opened her mouth in embarrassment: “Ms. Yan, no need.” “Are you worried about her leg? Don’t worry, she deserves it, insisted on running to such a chaotic place abroad.” “Not really, I can’t eat cold things today, also no luck to eat crab.” Zoe touched her lower abdomen, looked at Peter shyly, announcing she was pregnant, just three months. Peter lowered his eyes, expression unclear. My mom was more excited than being pregnant herself at an old age, instructing many precautions, wishing to let her move back to raise the fetus. “Ms. Yan still keeps your room, Peter doesn’t come back at noon, you come over to eat and take a nap.” My house is a small three-bedroom. The second day Zoe moved in, my mom gave my sunny room to her on the grounds that she suffered too much when she was young. Four years of university, Zoe studied in this city, often came back. So, I didn’t move back to the room that originally belonged to me, still living in the small room without windows. Seeing me no movement. Zoe asked cautiously: “Jenna, not leaving this time right? Ms. Yan says she doesn’t miss you verbally, but often looks at photos you posted on social media!” “So envious of you photographing artillery scars in ancient city of Syria, chasing armed evacuation in Libyan desert.” “Unlike me, can only be a little waste pampered by Peter. Feel so sorry for the special attention Ms. Yan and Peter gave me in high school!” Chapter 3 Once, I was easily provoked by Zoe’s passive-aggressive comments. Because the way mom treated Zoe, let me see she also has a gentle maternal side. Not as harsh as to me. I am allergic to onions. But my mom loves to eat. In order to conduct obedience testing, for a continuous summer vacation, the dining table only had white rice and various dishes stir-fried with onions. Even chicken soup had to throw a few cloves of onions. Born in a single-parent family, I have never seen my biological father. My mom never let me mention him. To what extent? Just mention it, immediately slap my face kind. I was wronged, only Peter comforted me. For a very long time, I had deep dependence on him. That year I was punished by the onion family, I was ten years old. Peter’s parents did business out of town, he asked Grandma Peter to make egg fried rice for me. Since then, I became his little glutton. His pockets loaded with milk, strawberry cakes, spicy strips, feeding me full. We agreed to go to New York University (NYU) together, marry after graduation, let Grandma Peter hold grandson earlier. Until my mom brought Zoe home. Her family is very poor, tested from remote mountain area to this city, took a lot of effort. My mom appreciated her perseverance, stopped my guzheng lessons, paid her tuition and remedial fees. I hated Zoe, always using pitiful look to gain my mom’s sympathy. I never actively talked to her. Peter touched my head, promising to always stand on my side. Until that day after school, he bumped into Zoe squatting on playground eating pickles with cold rice. At that time, his expression was complicated, had astonishment, also bear not. But Zoe in my house, my mom cooked her favorite pasta in different ways. Basically didn’t exist not full. Peter carefully chose words, as if for my own good: “Jenna, don’t you think sometimes too petty?” “Your mom is good to everyone, only not good to you, should you reflect on it?” I was long-term gaslighted by my mom, really went to think if it was my own problem. Meanwhile, Peter used my mom’s name, stood me up, tutored Zoe. Also because Zoe said never been to amusement park, gave up celebrating my birthday. These operations, I was kept in the dark at that time. Otherwise, wouldn’t have discussed long-distance relationship with Peter for four years. Until graduation year, I came back early with luggage, saw Zoe and Peter in my house room, clothes disheveled hugging together. I shed tears all night, as if faith collapsed. Four years, Peter flew many times to see me, vowed to be “graduation-marriage clan” with me. Overnight, how did love change? I shouted and screamed, wanted to drive Zoe out. My mom slapped me hard, said this is the house she bought, I have no right to decide who stays or leaves. In a fit of anger, I proposed breaking up, applied to go abroad as a conflict journalist. My mom not only didn’t blame Zoe, but also intended to recognize her as goddaughter. Just Zoe’s parents didn’t agree, so gave up. Chapter 4 I ate a few mouthfuls boringly, went back to the room. Behind came my mom’s scolding of hating iron not becoming steel, and Zoe’s不动声色 adding fuel to the fire. Peter brought a plate of strawberries in. I ignored him. “Jenna, are you still blaming Zoe? Not saying a word to her today, going back will think wildly again.” If it were before, I would definitely shout loudly: Shouldn’t I blame? She changed my application without authorization, snatched my boyfriend, my mom even didn’t allow me to call police, even couldn’t get angry at her. When suffered stray bullet attack in Syria, almost died. I just figured it out. People who don’t care about you, no matter what you say, what they receive is air. I kept silent. Peter thought I was angering him, explained non-stop: “I always knew, Ms. Yan hated New York very much, you wanted to apply for NYU back then, was to escape her.” “Zoe didn’t want you mother and daughter to break up, so accidentally remembered your password, helped you change it.” Yeah! Her good intention, changed my original economics major in NYU to journalism major in unpopular university, two thousand kilometers away from home. Peter was still chatter: “Jenna, even if I was admitted to NYU with you back then, would also advise you to change application.” I really got annoyed listening, casually said a sentence: “You intentionally tested poorly, was to stay to accompany Zoe?” His voice stopped abruptly, like wild duck stuck by neck. He didn’t know how I knew. Because he never saw clearly, Zoe who looked strong and innocent on surface, simply not the little white rabbit he knew. After finishing university, Zoe didn’t need my mom’s sponsorship anymore, sent a lot of messages provoking me. Such as high school, how Peter crossed sea under camouflage, behind my back took her to amusement park, cinema, and the marine park I longed for. University time, Peter who got driver’s license, used weekends to take her to surrounding tours. If encountered me calling to check post, would also use hotel curtains to lie. Chapter 5 At that time, I was immersed in the pain of suffering triple betrayal. Alone in the real scene of artillery fire quitting. I slapped myself, pulled long hair on top of head, cut veins with blade… From small to big, my mom while using suppression education on me, while using single mother’s difficulty trap me. Zoe made me clearly realize, I am not liked by everyone. Including the only closest relative. She sarcastically said Peter leaving me was correct choice. People like me don’t deserve to live in the world. My mom also sent a lot of messages abusing, saying raised me for more than twenty years in vain. Not because wanted to go to New York she hated most, but because of small contradiction, ran abroad without saying a word. Peter only sent three words: “Sorry!” I didn’t want to listen, could only run desperately. Using fear of facing death, and sympathy for displaced refugees, drowning pain. Several times almost died in artillery fire. Most serious time, if not someone used embassy power, I might die in foreign land. Thought of this. I glanced at phone, expression complex. Lying inside was a latest message: “Jenna, is guardianship transferred out? I can arrange helicopter to pick you up.” I politely replied one: “Still three days, Dad!” Chapter 6 Under mom’s strict defense. I never thought Dad this person, one day would appear in real life. Even more unimaginable Sterling family in New York business circle, has decisive position. Before seeing me. Dad also didn’t know in remote Seattle, mom behind his back, secretly gave birth to me. Fate is very magical. Sterling family members accidentally watching news, saw me in war zone, dedicatedly reporting. Incredibly shocked. I looked almost exactly like aunt when young. When Dad learned I surnamed Yan, heart surged strange emotion even more. Back then, mom in prime of life, very beautiful, admitted to New York university. Dad talked a cross-class love with her. Sterling family valued blood relationship very much. Plus that time war zone very chaotic, anytime likely make people lose life. Dad heard I to save a little girl blown broken leg, life dying. Made prompt decision. Contact embassy, use military aircraft, rescue me back. Later, everything came naturally. Paternity test report same day in hand, I am indeed Dad’s daughter. Chapter 7 I didn’t tell mom about recognizing Dad. She definitely couldn’t accept. Small time, I didn’t understand things, pursued asking where Dad is? Got were loud slaps one by one. And confinement not allowed to eat time after time. Once, mom drunk, grabbed my wrist, eyes fierce like wanting to eat people: “How did I blind back then, gave birth to you such dog thing!” “This pair of eyes better gouged out, save me seeing disgusting!” That sentence like magic spell, entangled me for many years. I gradually learned to bow head, dare not mention Dad two words again. After seeing Dad, only understand all pain, has source. I looked too like Sterling family members. Especially a pair of eyes. My leg injury very serious. Dad used a lot of contacts, found Dr. Smith. To cooperate with other’s schedule, have to wait a month. I proposed to return to Seattle first. Mom knew I injured in war zone, only cared about scolding me heartless, ran to such far place die, collecting body need her费老半天劲. If not return, she definitely make trouble to unit, let leaders not peaceful. I prepared to handle resignation and guardianship moving out. My leg needs long treatment in New York. Dad learned my application changed back then, missed favorite major. Promised to help me realize dream. I didn’t want to refuse because of affectation. Died once, I live understand. Following inner feeling, important than anyone.

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“You owe the family $380,000.” Mom sent an Excel spreadsheet to the family group chat. The header read “Family AA Bill,” followed by three rows: Ashley: Surplus $120,000. Brian: Surplus $20,000. Me: Debt $380,000. The group exploded instantly. “Time to pay up, right?” Ashley sent an emoji. “Mom calculated it clearly,” Brian followed. I stared at that number and smiled. $380,000. Did she ever calculate how much money I’ve transferred to the family since I grew up? Chapter 1 I handed the phone to my husband, David. “Look.” He took it, his face changing bit by bit. “What does this mean?” “The bill my mom calculated.” I took a sip of water. “Says I owe the family $380,000.” “$380,000?” His voice raised. “For what?” I clicked on the spreadsheet and zoomed in. It listed clearly: [Cost Breakdown for Raising Scarlett] Tuition (Elementary to College): $48,000 Living Expenses (18 years): $120,000 Clothing & Shoes: $32,000 College Dorm: $8,000 Wedding Subsidy: -$6,000 Other Expenses: $58,000 Subtotal: $260,000 Interest (5% annual rate, 18 years): $120,000 Total Debt: $380,000. David stared at the last line: “Interest? She even calculated interest?” “Yes.” I nodded. “Mom says if this money were in the bank, it would have earned this much interest. Spent on raising me, so I have to make it up.” “What about your sister?” I scrolled to Ashley’s column. [Cost Breakdown for Raising Ashley] Tuition: $45,000 Living Expenses: $100,000 Clothing: $40,000 Other: $25,000 Subtotal: $210,000 Given to Parents at Wedding: $80,000 Regular Filial Piety: $250,000 Surplus: +$120,000. David stopped talking. I scrolled down to Brian’s column. [Cost Breakdown for Raising Brian] Tuition: $62,000 Living Expenses: $150,000 Other: $88,000 Subtotal: $300,000 Given to Parents at Wedding: $100,000 Regular Filial Piety: $220,000 Surplus: +$20,000. “Wait.” David frowned. “When your brother got married, didn’t your parents give him $350,000 for the down payment? Why isn’t that counted?” “Not counted.” “And your sister’s wedding, didn’t your mom give her $200,000 as dowry?” “Not counted either.” “What about your wedding?” I smiled. “For my wedding, my mom gave $6,000. The bill says ‘Wedding Subsidy negative $6,000’.” David’s hands clenched. “How does she calculate? Giving your sister $200k doesn’t count, giving your brother $350k doesn’t count, but giving you $6k is a negative number?” “Because that $6,000 was deducted from the money I gave her before.” “What do you mean?” “My first year working, I gave the family $2,000 a month. $24,000 a year. Mom said the $6,000 she gave for my wedding was deducted from that.” “What about the rest you gave?” “She said that’s ‘filial piety’, doesn’t count as repayment.” David slammed the phone on the table. “What the hell is this!” I didn’t speak. The group chat kept pinging. Ashley: “@Scarlett, did you see? Mom calculated very clearly.” Brian: “Sis, you owe the most.” Mom: “Scarlett, it wasn’t easy raising you all these years. Now that you’re capable, you should pay it back.” I stared at those messages, didn’t reply to a single one. David asked me: “What do you think?” I opened my photo album, found a screenshot. It was the record of transfers I made to Mom over these years. 2018: $5,000. 2019: $12,000. 2020: $20,000. 2021: $18,000. 2022: $30,000. 2023: $25,000. 2024: $45,000. Plus a few separate ones: Dad’s hospitalization: $15,000. Brother’s wedding gift: $10,000. Sister’s baby gift: $5,000. New Year/Holiday red envelopes: About $3,000 annually. “How much total?” David asked. “I calculated.” I said. “Not counting small stuff, just these, $185,000.” “In the bill?” “Zero.” I saved the screenshot of transfer records. “She says these are my ‘filial piety’ to her, can’t count as repayment. The money she spent raising me is hers. The money I gave her as filial piety is also hers.” David’s hands were trembling. “What are you going to do?” I looked at the message in the group, another one came. Ashley: “@Scarlett, you’re not trying to bail on the debt, are you?” I slowly typed a line. “Sis, Mom gave you $200,000 dowry for your wedding, why isn’t it in the bill?” Send. The group was silent for ten seconds. Then Mom spoke: “That was our dowry for your sister, a different matter from the bill.” I typed another line. “Then Brother bought a house, you gave $350,000 down payment, why isn’t that there either?” Another five seconds of silence. Brian rushed to answer: “That’s Mom and Dad’s own money, what’s it to you?” I smiled. “Good.” I put down the phone and looked at David. “She wants to settle accounts, I’ll settle with her.” David nodded. “What do you need me to do?” “Help me dig up how much my family gave and how much we spent when we got married.” He immediately went to find the folder. I reopened my phone, screenshotting every transfer record, one by one. I want to see exactly how this account should be calculated. Chapter 2 At 9 PM, I finished organizing all materials. David sat beside me, face iron-green. “Do you know what makes me angriest?” He said. “What?” “The year we got married.” I didn’t speak. I knew what he was going to say. When we got married, my family asked for $80,000 as a “Wedding Contribution” (like a reverse dowry/bride price). David’s family wasn’t rich, but they scraped it together. On the wedding day, my mom took that $80,000. “The money is for you,” she said then. “But leave it with me for now, I’ll give it to you when you need it later.” I thought then, okay, listen to her. The result? The second year of marriage, Brian bought a house, down payment wasn’t enough. Mom called: “Scarlett, lend that $80,000 to your brother first.” “Mom, that’s my wedding money…” “Lend it, lend it! Not like he won’t pay back! Your brother buying a house is a big deal, why are you so selfish?” I gave the money. And then? Brian bought the house, got married, never mentioned paying back. I asked once. Mom said: “Your brother just got married, where does he have money to pay you? Besides, you’re married out, still calculating with your brother?” I never asked again. David flipped through the records from back then, voice muffled. “Our wedding, what did your family give?” “You know.” “I want to confirm again.” I sighed. “On the wedding day, Mom gave me a red envelope, $6,000. Said it was to add to my makeup fund.” “And then?” “Nothing.” “What about bedding? Furniture? Appliances?” “We bought them all ourselves.” “What about your sister’s wedding?” I opened my phone, found an old photo. That was posted by Mom on Facebook when Ashley got married. In the photo, Ashley stood amidst piles of red bedding, behind her were sets of furniture, appliances, a new car. Caption was: “Eldest daughter married, grand and glorious!” I counted those things. Ten sets of bedding. Six sets of linens. TV, fridge, washing machine, AC. A car worth $120,000. And $200,000 cash Mom gave on the spot. David looked at the photo, speechless. “Do you know how I felt then?” I smiled. “When I got married, Mom didn’t post on Facebook.” “Why?” “She said, your sister’s was held in the hometown, relatives and friends all came, needed face. Yours was in the city, few people knew, no one would look even if posted.” David slammed the phone on the table. “Your mom…” He held back for a long time, couldn’t speak. I patted his hand. “It’s okay.” “What do you mean okay?” His voice trembled. “She gave your sister $200k dowry, your brother $350k down payment, gave you $6k and took away $80k wedding money. Now she turns around and says you owe her $380k?” I didn’t answer. Phone rang again. It was Ashley’s DM. “Sis, what you said in the group just now was a bit too much.” I clicked open. “How so?” “Mom and Dad giving me dowry, giving brother house money, that’s their business. You can’t compare with that.” “Then what can I compare with?” “Just admit you owe Mom and Dad, isn’t that enough? $380k isn’t asking you to pay all at once, you can pay slowly.” “I owe them?” “How much did you spend on school? Living expenses? Don’t you know in your heart?” I laughed. “Sis, let me ask you. The money spent on your school, did you pay it back?” “I paid it back. I gave money to Mom and Dad every year after marriage.” “Then the money you gave is ‘filial piety’ in the bill. Why is the money I gave also ‘filial piety’ and can’t count as repayment?” Ashley didn’t reply. I continued typing: “Also, Mom and Dad gave you $200k dowry for your wedding, why isn’t it deducted in the bill?” “That’s dowry! Every daughter has it!” “Do I have it?” Ashley went silent again. “Do I have it, Sis?” I sent again. “When I got married, how much did Mom give me?” Half a minute later, Ashley replied: “Your situation is different.” “How is it different?” “You weren’t likable since childhood, relationship with parents wasn’t good either. When you got married, you fought with Mom, of course she didn’t want to give you too much.” I stared at this line, hands shaking a bit. “So, I’m not likable, so I have no dowry. But I’m not likable, I still have to pay back $380k?” “Those are two different things!” “Sis, tell me, what are two different things? Giving to you is one thing, asking from me is another?” Ashley stopped replying. David finished reading the conversation beside me. “What does she mean? You weren’t likable since childhood?” I put down the phone. “Mom said it about me since I was little. Said I can’t talk, can’t read faces, not pleasing. Sister can coax people, Brother is a boy, only me…” “Only you what?” “Only I ‘look like an outsider’.” I remembered childhood. Ashley’s birthday, bought cake, invited relatives for dinner. Brian’s birthday, Mom cooked specially, a table full of dishes. My birthday, Mom usually said: “Celebrate with your sister, buy one cake together, save money.” Ashley had new dresses, I wore Ashley’s hand-me-downs. Brian had new sneakers, I wore cheap canvas shoes. I asked Mom, why. She said: “Your sister loves beauty, wants face. Your brother is a boy, can’t wear girl’s clothes. You just wear whatever, you don’t care anyway.” Did I care? I cared. But I didn’t say. Useless to say. Said too much, Mom would say: “Look at you, why so insensible? Your sister and brother never calculate these with me. Only you have so many issues.” Slowly, I stopped saying. Slowly, I became the “unlikable” one. Slowly, I owed $380,000. David held my hand. “Why didn’t you tell me before?” “Tell what?” I smiled. “Say my mom is biased? Say I wasn’t liked since childhood? Telling you would make you think I’m complaining.” “I wouldn’t.” “But my mom would say I’m complaining. She said, other kids suffer much more than me, I’m still picky, ungrateful.” David was silent for a while. “Then what do you plan to do now?” I looked at the phone screen, new messages in the family group. Mom: “Scarlett, what do you mean exactly? Family, talking about dowry or not?” Ashley: “Exactly, bills are bills, dowry is dowry.” Brian: “Mom, she just doesn’t want to pay, making excuses.” I took a deep breath. “David, help me turn on the computer.” “For what?” “They want to settle accounts,” I said, “Then let’s settle it clearly.” Chapter 3 I spent two hours making a new spreadsheet. Header read: [Recalculation of Scarlett’s Family Accounts] I listed every sum of money. Part 1: My Expenditures. 2018-2024 Annual transfers to parents: $185,000 2020 Dad’s hospitalization: $15,000 2022 Brother’s wedding gift: $10,000 2023 Sister’s baby: $5,000 Annual holiday red envelopes: Approx 7 years × $3,000 = $21,000 Subtotal: $236,000 Part 2: Parents’ Expenditures for Sister. Dowry: $200,000 Car: $120,000 Furniture/Appliances: Approx $30,000 Subtotal: $350,000 Part 3: Parents’ Expenditures for Brother. House Down Payment: $350,000 Wedding Gift: $120,000 Renovation Subsidy: $50,000 Subtotal: $520,000 Part 4: Parents’ Expenditures for Me. Given at wedding: $6,000 Wedding money taken away: -$80,000 Actual: -$74,000 David watched beside me, face getting darker. “So…” “So by my mom’s logic,” I pointed at the table, “Sister got $350k, Brother got $520k, I lost $74k.” “But in her bill…” “In her bill, Sister surplus $120k, Brother surplus $20k, I owe $380k.” David took a few deep breaths. “How did she calculate?” “Because she only counts raising costs, not money given out.” I smiled. “What she gave Sister and Brother is called ‘Parental Love’. What she took from me is called ‘You Should’.” David stopped talking. I saved the screenshot of the table. “You really going to post in the group?” He asked. “Not rushing.” “Then what do you want to do?” I thought about it. “I won’t post first. I’ll wait, see what else they say.” David nodded. “I support you. Whatever you decide, I stand by your side.” My heart warmed a bit. Luckily, I have him. Next day, Mom called. I didn’t answer. Called three more times. Still didn’t answer. Then WeChat voice call. Then text message. Text content: “Scarlett, are you trying to piss me off? Your dad knows this, his blood pressure went up from anger. Are you still part of this family? Call me back immediately!” I put phone on silent. David asked: “You really not answering?” “Say what if I answer? She opens mouth with ‘You owe me $380k’. I answer a hundred calls, she says the same thing.” “Then how long you plan to stay cold?” “Wait till she calms down.” But my mom didn’t plan to calm down. In the afternoon, Sister sent WeChat. “Sis, Mom asked me to persuade you. Don’t be stubborn with her, she’s old, can’t stand anger.” “Sis, do you think this bill is reasonable?” “Reasonable or not, she is your mom.” “So I have to accept?” “Can’t you yield a bit? $380k, you just pay slowly. A few tens of thousands a year, done in ten years.” “Sis, let me ask you, the money you gave Mom, did she ever ask you to pay back?” Sister didn’t reply. I continued: “You know how much you give her annually. New Year two or three thousand, birthday few hundred, holidays token gesture. Add up these years, is it $50k?” “That’s different!” “How is it different?” “Money I give Mom is filial piety. Money you give Mom… is also filial piety. But your raising cost is higher, you went to better college, spent more money than me.” “I got into college myself, half of my college living expenses I earned part-time. Did Mom count these?” Sister was silent. “Sis,” she changed tone, “We are family, don’t calculate so much. Mom is old, she does this for the good of the family.” “For the good of the family? Sis, tell me, in this ‘family’, is there me?” “What do you mean?” “I mean, this bill benefits Sister, benefits Brother, harms me. Who is this ‘family’ for?” Sister stopped talking. I continued typing: “Sis, you said I wasn’t likable since childhood. But do you know why? Because I can’t pretend. I can’t be like you, saying yes to whatever Mom says. I can’t be like Brother, asking for whatever. I just be myself, then got called ‘not pleasing’.” “This…” “I’m not pleasing, so I’m not valuable. I’m not valuable, so I have no dowry. No dowry, still have to pay mortgage for Brother, be ATM for Sister. Now Mom calculated a bill, Sister surplus $120k, Brother surplus $20k, I owe $380k. Sis, do you think this is reasonable?” Sister’s reply came: “Scarlett, you are too extreme.” I laughed. “Yes, I am too extreme.” I exited chat, threw phone aside. David looked at me. “Are you okay?” “Pretty good.” I said. “Do you know, when I was little, the saddest thing wasn’t having no new dress.” “What was it?” “It was every time I asked why, Mom always said: You calculate too much, insensible.” “Seemed like my fault. Seemed I shouldn’t ask. Seemed I should be like Sister, turn a blind eye to all unfairness, smilingly say Mom you are right.” “But I couldn’t do it.” David held my hand tight. “You don’t need to do it.” He said. “You asked right.” I leaned on his shoulder, eyes a bit hot. Phone rang again. Family group. Brother sent a voice message. I clicked, his voice: “Sis, Mom said, before end of this month, you transfer $380k. Or don’t come back for New Year.” Chapter 4 I laughed after listening to that voice message. David asked: “What are you laughing at?” “Laughing at my brother.” “What did he say?” “He said, transfer $380k before end of month. Or don’t come back for New Year.” David was silent for a few seconds. “Does your mom agree with him saying this?” I handed him the phone. In the group, after Brother sent the voice message, Mom sent another one: “Your brother is right. Scarlett, if you don’t recognize this debt, don’t recognize this family.” David’s eyes narrowed. His eyes only do that when he’s extremely angry. I reached out and patted him. “It’s okay.” “What do you mean okay?” His voice lowered. “They are threatening you.” “I know.” “What do you plan to do?” I thought about it. “I plan to settle an account with her.” “That spreadsheet you made last night?” “Yes. But posting the spreadsheet isn’t enough. I want them to know, this account isn’t up to them to decide.” David nodded: “What do you need me to do?” “Help me find the chat records from when we got married. WeChat, text messages, transfer records, all of them.” He immediately went to look through his phone. I continued organizing materials. At 10 PM, I organized everything. Total three documents. First, my transfer records to the family over these years. Second, chat records of family taking my wedding money. Third, screenshots of what my mom said these years. A few of them, I remember especially deep. 2019, first time I didn’t send money home because David lost his job that month, we really had no spare money. Mom said: “Other people’s daughters know filial piety. You have a husband now, don’t want mom?” 2021, Brother married, asked to borrow $50k. I only had $30k, lent $30k. Mom said: “Your brother marrying, you can’t even take out $50k? You earn so much every month, where did you spend it?” 2022, I was pregnant, wanted to take leave home to rest a few days. Mom said: “Why come back? No one serves you at home. Stay in the city honestly, find a confinement nanny isn’t enough?” 2023, I gave birth, Mom didn’t come. She said: “Your sister is busy, your brother needs people too. Doesn’t your husband have a mom? Let your mother-in-law take care of you.” I organized these screenshots one by one. David watched beside me, face getting uglier. “You… never told me before.” “Tell what?” “These words. What she said.” I smiled. “Telling would make you sad.” “I’m sad now.” “I know.” He hugged me. “In the future whatever they say, you don’t have to carry it alone.” I leaned in his arms, didn’t speak. Phone rang again. Sister’s DM. “Sis, thought it through? Mom said, if you don’t pay back, don’t contact anymore.” I put the phone aside. “I thought it through.” David asked: “You posting in group?” “Mm.” “You sure?” “Sure.” I opened the family group, typed a line: “Mom, I also calculated an account.” Send. Then I sent out three documents one by one. First: Money I gave family these years, total $236,000. Second: Wedding money family took from me $80,000, dowry given to me $6,000. Actual: -$74,000. Third: Sister’s wedding dowry received: $350,000. Brother’s house down payment, wedding gift, renovation: $520,000. Finally, I typed a paragraph: “Mom, according to your calculation, raising me cost $260k, plus interest total $380k. Then I ask: What about the $236k I gave you? What about the $80k wedding money you took from me? What about the $350k dowry you gave Sister? What about the $520k house money you gave Brother? If we calculate all, let me help you calculate one more: You gave Sister and Brother total $870,000. You gave me $6,000. You took from me total $316,000 (including $236k filial piety and $80k wedding money). So, who owes whom exactly?” Sent. The group was silent for a full three minutes. Then, Sister sent one: “What do you mean by this?” Brother sent one: “Are you crazy?” Mom sent a voice message. I clicked. Her voice trembling. “Scarlett, your wings hardened, calculating with me? I raised you all these years, is this how you repay me? You ungrateful wolf!” I finished reading, didn’t reply. David looked at me. “Are you okay?” I nodded. “Pretty good.” “She scolded you.” “I know.” “You not angry?” I thought about it. “When I was little, every time I felt unfair, she would scold me. Said I wasn’t sensible, greedy, not likable.” “I was very sad then. Because I thought, maybe it really was my problem.” “But now I know, it’s not my problem.” I looked at phone screen, a pile of messages in group again. Ashley: “You are deliberately looking for trouble!” Brian: “Don’t recognize this family if you have guts!” Mom: “I shouldn’t have given birth to you!” I put phone on silent, on table. “David,” I said, “They want me not to recognize this family, right?” “Mm.” “Then I grant their wish.” I opened group settings, set “Family Group” to Do Not Disturb. Then I clicked Mom’s avatar. Delete. Clicked Sister’s avatar. Delete. Clicked Brother’s avatar. Delete. David looked at me. “You sure?” “Sure.” I put down phone. “They say I owe them $380k. Fine, from today, I don’t owe. This account, cleared.” “But family affection…” “Affection?” I smiled. “David, there is a kind of affection called ‘Only obligations, no rights’.” “Me giving them money is ‘should’. Me having no dowry is ‘not likable’. Me paying back because they raised me.” “But them giving Sister and Brother money, that’s ‘Parental Love’. Sister and Brother don’t need to pay back, because they are ‘own people’.” “What about me? What person am I?” David didn’t speak. I took a deep breath. “From today, I am not that ‘unlikable’ second child. I am myself.” “I owe no one. And need no one to like me.” David held my hand tight. “I like you.” I smiled. “I know.”

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1 Seraphina saved my life three times, so I gave her three chances to break my heart. The first was our wedding day. She arrived with bruises on her neck. I acted like I didn’t see them. The second, she was photographed meeting a lounge singer. I smashed my car’s headlights, slapped her until she bled, and demanded a divorce before losing myself in a club until dawn. Seraphina heard and tore the club apart, then live-streamed a tearful apology and declared her love to the world, swearing she’d be a devoted wife. My family, fearing damage to our corporate alliance, pressured me to forgive her. I did. But the day my mother jumped from our roof after my father’s mistress and her son tormented her, Seraphina disappeared. When I found her, she was in a lounge, her arm linked with my father’s illegitimate son, clinking glasses with friends. “Sera, didn’t you swear off this? Isn’t Asher going to kill you?” someone teased. She scoffed. “Rowan’s no stranger. He was scared, I was just comforting him. What’s the problem?” She sipped champagne, confident. “Besides, when has Asher ever stayed mad? He’ll forgive me. He always does.” But you’re wrong, Seraphina. You’re out of chances. … I took a deep breath and pushed the door open. The boisterous laughter in the room died instantly. Someone fumbled to cut the music. Seeing me, Seraphina shot to her feet, a flicker of anxiety in her eyes. “Asher, what are you doing here? Is… is everything taken care of for your mother?” She gestured toward the boy beside her. “Rowan was just so shaken up. I know he’s your brother, and you’re so busy, so I thought I’d bring him out to clear his head…” How noble of her. “Seraphina,” I said, my voice dangerously low. “Have you drunk yourself stupid? Have you forgotten why my mother is dead?” Today was supposed to have been my parents’ twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Instead, his mistress and her son had shown up at our door. They claimed they were there to offer congratulations, but it was a declaration of war, a blatant provocation. And my father, instead of feeling an ounce of shame, told my mother to be more understanding. Rowan was only two years younger than me. My mother had dedicated more than two decades of her life to building a home for that man, only to discover his betrayal had been a shadow living alongside them for nearly as long. Our housekeeper, unsettled by the tension, had secretly called me while I was out picking up the anniversary cake. But by the time I raced back to the villa, it was too late. My mother leaped from the rooftop. Her body landed on the hood of my car, shattering the windshield in a spiderweb of cracks, painting it crimson. While I was drowning in grief, making arrangements for her funeral, my father was busy comforting his mistress. And my wife… my loving wife was out consoling the son of my mother’s tormentor? Suddenly, an unthinkable thought struck me. “Seraphina, you already knew Rowan, didn’t you? You knew who he was all along.” “I…” She stammered, her eyes darting away, guilt written all over her face. Rowan quickly jumped in. “Brother, please don’t blame Sera. It was my dad and me… we asked her not to say anything yet. We were afraid it would upset you and were waiting for the right moment.” He looked between us, a picture of innocence. “I was her junior in college. We… we dated for a while, but her family forced her into an arranged marriage, so we had to break up.” He added hastily, “I swear, I have no intention of taking her from you. It’s just… I was so scared today. I never thought your mother would be so… distraught.” Seraphina’s silence was all the confirmation I needed. A wave of bitter absurdity washed over me. So, she knew. She knew my father had a secret son, a whole other life, and she kept it from me. If I had known sooner, maybe I could have prevented this. Maybe my mother wouldn’t have felt so utterly alone, so betrayed that jumping seemed like the only way out. Seeing the storm on my face, Rowan spoke again, his voice cloyingly sweet. “Brother, my mother and I truly just wanted to offer our best wishes. I know… I know your mom’s death is connected to us, and I feel terribly guilty.” He gestured to the karaoke machine. “I just graduated, so I don’t have much to offer as a gift. How about I sing you a song, as an apology?” Before I could answer, he hurried over and selected a track. The next second, a ridiculously cheerful party anthem blared from the speakers. I froze. On the day of my mother’s tragic death, he was going to sing that? He turned, a mocking little wink in his eye. The rage that had been simmering inside me finally exploded. I snatched a heavy glass bottle from the coffee table and brought it down on his head. CRACK. The bottle shattered. Rowan screamed, diving behind Seraphina for cover. “Sera, are you okay?” he cried, feigning panic. “I-I didn’t mean it! I swear I didn’t pick that song. I must have been so nervous seeing my brother that I hit the wrong button…” Seraphina stood between us, a trickle of blood running down from her forehead where a shard of glass had nicked her. Her eyes, however, were fixed on me, blazing with fury. “Asher, what the hell is wrong with you? He’s your half-brother! How could you attack him?” She shielded Rowan protectively. “With that vicious temper of yours, it’s no wonder he was scared enough to make a mistake.” “I was starting to feel a little guilty about keeping this from you,” she spat, “but now I see it was the right call. God knows what you would have done to him if you’d known sooner!” Rowan wrapped his arms around her shoulders, his face a mask of adoration. “Oh, Sera, you’re so good to me. You always protect me.” Seraphina’s expression softened as she looked at him, ruffling his hair with a fond, exasperated sigh. “What am I going to do with you? You’re as soft as a little rabbit. If I don’t protect you, the big bad wolf will eat you alive.” Her words hit me like a physical blow. A long time ago, a much younger Seraphina had said those exact words to me. She probably didn’t even remember. I drew a long, shaky breath. From my jacket pocket, I pulled out the papers I’d drafted but never signed after her last affair. “Seraphina,” I said, my voice devoid of all emotion. “Let’s get a divorce.” 2 Seraphina let out a sharp, dismissive laugh, signing the divorce papers with a flourish. “Asher, is this your new trick? The last one didn’t work, so you’re trying again?” She tossed the pen down. “Fine. I’ll sign. But I didn’t cheat this time, so don’t expect me to come crawling back to you.” “See you at City Hall in a month,” she said, her chin high. “You’d better still have this much backbone then. Don’t come crying to me when you change your mind.” My past forgiveness had made her complacent. She was convinced that for the sake of our families’ business alliance, I would never truly leave her. She was wrong. “Don’t worry,” I said, my voice flat. “I won’t.” Without another word, I turned and walked out. I didn’t go home. I booked a hotel suite for the month, to wait out the mandatory cooling-off period. In the days that followed, Seraphina didn’t send a single text. I heard through the grapevine that Rowan wanted to learn to ski in Switzerland. Seraphina owned a private resort there, so she took him. My best friend was livid when he called. “What the hell is wrong with her?” he raged. “Everyone knows she built that resort for you! It was supposed to be your belated honeymoon spot after she proposed. It was meant to be for you and you alone!” “And now she’s taking that little bastard there? Has she learned nothing? Is she cheating on you again?!” I sat by the floor-to-ceiling window of my hotel room, the signed divorce papers lying on the table in front of me. For a moment, I was speechless. These papers… I had them drawn up the last time I caught her. I’d been so suffocated by her betrayal that I’d called my friend and hit the clubs, determined to drink myself into oblivion. Somehow, Seraphina found out. She stormed in like a hurricane, flanked by her security team, and proceeded to smash the place up, slapping every woman who had dared to talk to me. She had grabbed me by the collar, her eyes wild. “You’re a real piece of work, Asher.” Then, her voice broke. “I admit it. I fell in love with you. I can’t stand the thought of you with anyone else. Are you satisfied now?” What followed was that infamous live-streamed confession, a spectacle for the whole world to see. Seraphina swore she would change, that she would be a good wife. And for a while, life was sweet. Like my friend said, she showered me with affection, catering to my every whim. She knew I loved skiing, so she built a private mountain estate in the Swiss Alps, just for me. The name itself was a combination of ours. But now… I looked at the latest picture Rowan had posted online. The grand sign above the resort entrance had been replaced. The four words that once symbolized our union, “Asherina,” were gone. In their place, a new sign proudly proclaimed, “Serarowan.” “Yes,” I finally said into the phone, my voice hollow. “She’s cheating again. Which is why I’m done with her for good.” I hung up and, without a moment’s hesitation, signed my name on the divorce papers. On the seventh day after my mother’s death, my father called, asking me to come home for breakfast. A foolish part of me hoped he felt a shred of remorse, that he wanted us to visit her grave together. When I arrived, I found Rowan and his mother, Diane, sitting at the dining table. My face went cold. I turned to leave. “Stop!” my father barked, his voice sharp with anger. “Don’t you walk out of here!” He slammed his hand on the table. “I heard you attacked Rowan at the club the other day! What kind of monster are you? He’s your brother!” He jabbed a finger at me. “Thank God Seraphina was there to shield him! You injure him, and then you have the audacity to demand a divorce and run away from home?” “I don’t know what your mother taught you, but she raised a thug! You will get on your knees and apologize to them right now before you ruin the partnership between our families!” I stared at this man, this shell of a father whose world revolved only around profit and power. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “You knew I ran away from home? Funny, you never bothered to ask where I was staying, or if I was okay.” “Oh, that’s right, I forgot,” I sneered. “Your heart is entirely occupied by your whore. Otherwise, you might have actually shown up to your own wife’s funeral. You have the nerve to talk about my mother after that?” My father’s face turned purple with rage. He threw his fork down and raised his hand to strike me. Diane quickly intervened, her eyes glinting as she played the part of the benevolent peacemaker. “Darling, what are you doing?” she cooed, holding his arm. “The boy is grieving. We should be understanding. It’s alright, I don’t mind what he says.” She patted his chest, then turned to me with a sickeningly sweet smile. “Besides, you can’t bruise his handsome face. How will he and Rowan both serve as your groomsmen?” The world tilted. My blood ran cold. My voice came out as a strangled whisper. “What… what did you just call him? You’re getting married?!” 3 “My mother has only been dead for a week, and you’re already marrying your mistress?!” My father’s face hardened, his voice dripping with righteous indignation. “You said it yourself, your mother is dead. Am I supposed to mourn her forever?” “And Rowan is a grown man now,” he continued, gesturing to the boy. “I can’t let people whisper behind his back, calling him illegitimate for the rest of his life. It’s my duty as a father!” Duty? I collapsed into a chair, a hysterical laugh bubbling up from my chest as tears streamed down my face. Rowan slid into the seat next to me, taking my hand in a gesture of false camaraderie. “This is great, brother! Now we can be a real family. I don’t know much about the rules of high society, so you’ll have to teach me. I wouldn’t want to embarrass anyone.” “Sure,” I said, wiping my tears away. “No problem.” My father and Diane exchanged satisfied smiles. I calmly lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and blew the smoke directly into Rowan’s face. “Then here’s your first lesson. I am the son of the legal wife. You are the son of a whore. That means you don’t get to open your mouth in my presence unless I speak to you first. Got it?” With a flick of my wrist, I pressed the glowing tip of the cigarette into the back of his hand. The hiss of searing flesh was punctuated by Rowan’s piercing shriek. I grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at me. “Don’t think I don’t know. You spoke to my mother alone right before she died. I haven’t settled that score with you yet, so I suggest you stay the hell away from me.” “Asher! Have you lost your mind? That’s your brother!” my father roared, jumping to his feet. Diane rushed to cradle the sobbing Rowan, glaring daggers at me. “Hah…” I dusted off my hands. “My mother only gave birth to me. I don’t have any cheap half-brothers.” “Dad, you know my temper,” I warned, my voice deadly calm. “You want to throw a wedding for this trash and officially welcome them into society? You go right ahead. But I swear to you, if you try, I will burn your wedding to the ground. Test me.” He knew I wasn’t bluffing. My connection to the Seraphine family still held weight. My father and Diane’s faces contorted with rage and impotence. Just then, a familiar voice cut through the tension from behind me. “With me here, I’d like to see who dares.” Seraphina strode in, one hand casually tucked into her pocket. The moment Rowan saw her, his tears redoubled. He scrambled over to her like she was his savior, showing her his burned hand. Seraphina’s face tightened with pity and anger. “It’s okay, Rowan,” she cooed, her voice soft. “I’ll take you to the best specialist. I promise there won’t be a scar.” She looked at him fondly. “Our Rowan has to be the most handsome groomsman for his father, doesn’t he?” I stared at her, incredulous. My voice trembled. “Seraphina, do you even hear yourself?” She met my gaze, a cold, mocking smile playing on her lips. “I heard everything, Asher. In our world, what man doesn’t have a few women on the side? Your mother died because she couldn’t handle it. Why are you blaming Rowan for her weakness?” Her words were like knives. “You had a father your whole life. Why shouldn’t Rowan have the same? It’s not fair.” “I don’t care what you think,” she declared, her voice ringing with finality. “I’m going to help him take his rightful place in this family. I’ll make sure everyone knows he’s a legitimate heir, and no one will ever dare call him illegitimate again.” She took a step closer, her eyes boring into mine. “You want to ruin this wedding, Asher? Go on. I dare you.” I knew she meant it. The last time she’d made a threat like that, the man who had made a crude joke about me found his company bankrupt within days. He vanished from Seacrest Bay, reportedly with two broken legs and no tongue. I should have seen this coming. Seraphina was always promiscuous. To her, my father’s infidelity was a trivial matter. She couldn’t possibly comprehend the depth of my mother’s pain, or mine. But the betrayal, coming from the woman who had shared my bed, still felt like a dagger twisting in my gut. I snapped. I slapped her, hard. “Get out!” I roared. Seraphina just smirked, rubbing her cheek. Before she could retort, Rowan charged at me, shoving me with all his might. “I’ve had enough of you! Stop bullying Sera!” he screamed. Seraphina watched with a flicker of amusement. “Well, well. The little rabbit has learned how to bite.” “You always protected me, Sera,” Rowan declared, puffing out his chest. “Now it’s my turn to protect you!” I stumbled backward, crashing into a pair of large potted cacti. Hundreds of tiny needles embedded themselves in my back and palms. The sharp, stinging pain made me gasp, blood welling up and dripping onto the floor. My father sighed, a look of utter disgust on his face. “You’ve completely ruined a perfectly good breakfast.” He turned to Seraphina. “Sera, you haven’t eaten, have you? Let’s go out.” Seraphina, her attention focused entirely on Rowan’s hand, simply nodded and led him away without a single glance back at me. As they left, Rowan turned his head and mouthed one word at me. Loser. I watched the four of them walk away, a happy family unit. A bitter laugh escaped my lips as hot tears finally began to fall. “Mom, look… you’re gone, and now your son is homeless…” My voice broke into a sob. “Doesn’t it hurt you to see this? Please, come back. I miss you so much…” 4 News of my father’s impending wedding spread through our social circle like wildfire. During that time, Seraphina flaunted Rowan at every opportunity, taking him to all sorts of high-profile events, even those meant exclusively for married couples. She made it clear to everyone: Rowan was not to be called illegitimate. He was to be treated with the same respect as they would treat her. Rowan, for his part, made sure I knew it. He would call or send videos constantly, each one a carefully crafted showcase of his new life with Seraphina. “Brother, Sera gave me another diamond ring yesterday. It even has our initials engraved on it. I heard it’s bigger than your wedding ring was.” “Oh, and she convinced her father to give me the family’s heirloom signet ring. Isn’t that something they only give to sons-in-law? I guess you won’t be needing it anymore.” I remembered that ring. By Seraphine family tradition, it was only passed to a new son-in-law after the birth of an heir. Seraphina had never bothered trying to get it for me, always saying, “We’ll have kids eventually, it’ll be yours then.” Given her past, I hadn’t been in any rush to start a family. We had planned to start trying after the New Year. Now, it seemed, that was off the table. I couldn’t imagine what she must have said or done to convince her staunchly traditional father to break such a long-standing rule. The final message was a picture of Seraphina, asleep. Her exposed neck and shoulders were a canvas of angry purple marks. The text below it read: “Sera said she hasn’t been this happy in a long time. She said being with an old man like you was so boring she could only fake it.” I didn’t bother replying. I just blocked his number. On the day of my father and Diane’s wedding, Seraphina, paranoid I would cause a scene, hired a legion of bodyguards to patrol the venue inside and out. It was completely unnecessary. She had already put the word out: anyone who dared to help me disrupt the wedding would be making an enemy of the Seraphine family. No one would touch me. I sat alone in my hotel room, clutching a photo of my mother, tears of guilt and helplessness streaming down my face. That afternoon, the door to my suite burst open. Seraphina stood there, flanked by her security, her face a mask of cold fury. A red-eyed, sobbing Rowan was right behind her. She stormed over and grabbed me by the collar. “Asher, I never thought you could sink this low! How could you leak private photos of Rowan at the wedding?” Her voice was laced with venom. “It’s all over the news! You’ve ruined him! How is he ever supposed to get married now? You just wanted to destroy his future!” I shoved her hand away, my brow furrowed in confusion. “What are you talk—” Before I could finish, Rowan burst into tears. “Brother, I know you don’t want to give me the company shares, but it was Dad’s idea! I’m his son, I can’t just defy him, can I?” He looked at me with wounded eyes. “If you’re angry, take it out on me, I can handle it. But why did you have to do it on my mother’s wedding day? She’s been called a mistress for so many years… she’s suffered enough.” And then it all clicked into place. Years ago, when my father was still madly in love with my mother and defied his family to marry her, he had given her half of his shares in the company to show his devotion. My mother later signed them over to me. This was never about a wedding. This was a setup. A cold smile spread across my face. “Seraphina, are you blind? Can’t you see what this is? He’s staging this whole drama to steal the shares my mother left me.” “You say I did it? Who saw me? Do you have any proof?” “I don’t need proof! Rowan isn’t that kind of manipulative person. You’re the only one with a motive!” Seraphina shot back, her belief in him absolute. She grabbed my arm. “You’re going to go live right now, apologize to Rowan, and tell everyone you did it.” “And then,” she said, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper, “you will sign over all of your shares in the company to him. It’s what you owe him.” “And if I don’t?” At my defiance, Rowan let out a theatrical, despairing wail. “Sera, my reputation is ruined! Everyone is calling me a shameless degenerate who destroyed his own parents’ wedding!” “My brother had a father his whole life, he has company shares, he has an amazing wife like you… I have nothing! I can’t live like this, being pointed at and whispered about forever! I’d rather just die!” “Rowan, don’t be stupid!” Seraphina cried, grabbing his arm. She turned to me, her eyes burning with a cold fire, and a cruel smile twisted her lips. “Asher, did you really think the body cremated that day… was your mother’s?”

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