Category: English

Only after death did I know, my wealthy parents never wanted to recognize me, and my husband’s love for me was fake. But they were bound to a System, if they couldn’t conquer me, they would die. The moment I was pushed down the stairs by the Fake Heiress and fell to my death, my husband’s indifference and the fake heiress’s triumph pierced my heart with pain. They beat drums and gongs to celebrate my death. Open eyes again, it was the day they recognized me back. … Chapter 1 The Vanderbilts stood at the door with Bella to welcome me. Seeing me, Mrs. Vanderbilt’s face immediately raised a smile. “Pearl, welcome home!” In previous life, I was immersed in the joy of finding family, didn’t see the hypocrisy in Mrs. Vanderbilt’s smile. Bella came up to pull my hand. “Great! I always wanted a sister, didn’t expect it to come true today!” Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt looked at her with satisfaction, eyes hiding uncontrollable doting. They didn’t know yet, I could hear the System’s voice in their minds. [Host please note, Target has appeared!] [Target Affection Score reaching 100 counts as mission complete, after receiving reward, automatically unbind from System.] [If Target Affection Score is negative, will receive Electric Shock punishment every hour.] [Target Affection Score reaching -100 counts as mission failed, immediate Termination.] In previous life, relying on this Affection System, they gained money and status, stepping on my body to become New York tycoons. In this life, I won’t let them have their wish again. I forcefully threw off Bella’s hand, shouted at her. “What kind of sister are you to me?” “If not for your mom stealing and swapping babies back then, how would I be separated from parents for so many years.” “Thief who stole someone else’s life, how still have face to stand here!” Bella’s eye rims instantly red, looking at me pitifully, couldn’t speak. Mrs. Vanderbilt couldn’t stand her being wronged, quickly hugged her in arms, looked at me blamingly. “Pearl, how can you talk to sister like this. Back then Bella was also a child, she is innocent.” I looked at her calmly. [Target Affection Score -10, current score -10, imminent Electric Shock punishment.] I clearly saw Mrs. Vanderbilt’s body tremble. She quickly let go of Bella, smiled apologetically to me. “Pearl, Mom didn’t mean that, Mom just hopes you can give Bella a chance, after all we also raised Bella for eighteen years.” Mr. Vanderbilt came to smooth things over. “Okay okay, all don’t stand. Pearl, your first time home, Dad take you around, okay?” Mr. Vanderbilt came to pull me, didn’t move. “I want to change my name, I don’t want to be called Doe (John Doe/Jane Doe reference to being unwanted).” My foster father was dissatisfied with three daughters, plus I wasn’t biological, naturally became the most superfluous one. Doe, superfluous, really ugly. Mr. Vanderbilt full face smile: “What’s hard about this, what do you want to change to?” I looked at Bella with malice. “I want to be called, Bella.” Bella’s face changed instantly, she pulled Mrs. Vanderbilt’s sleeve crying. “Mom, I am Bella, sister can’t even rob my name.” I sneered and opened mouth. “Your name?” “You wouldn’t stay in Vanderbilt family too long, really think you are Vanderbilt biological right?” “Your dad is Bob Smith, you are the real Doe.” Mrs. Vanderbilt looked at Bella with difficulty, just experienced electric shock, she still had lingering fear, dared not refuse me again. “Bella, actually your sister is right, the name Bella should have been hers, how about you yield to her?” Bella widened eyes in disbelief: “Mom!” Mrs. Vanderbilt always responded to her requests, even if she wanted stars in the sky would go pick. She still wanted to act spoiled, stopped by Mr. Vanderbilt sternly. “Bella, stop making trouble!” “Later I will take you two to change names.” [Target Affection Score +10, current score 0.] [Target Affection Score +10, current score 10.] Mr. Vanderbilt wiped cold sweat on forehead, asked me carefully: “Pearl, can we go in now?” Look, making them compromise turns out not difficult. Chapter 2 Bella finally didn’t call Doe, Mr. Vanderbilt gave her a new name, Bella-Ann. First night at Vanderbilt home, I watched a good show. Julian Sterling, Bella-Ann’s childhood sweetheart, appeared. On him, I heard the same electronic voice as Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt. In previous life Julian actively talked to me, implicitly expressing love for me, quickly maxed my Affection Score, became High Society prince. At my funeral, he hid in the cloakroom kissing Bella-Ann, face full of deep affection confessing. “Bella, the one I love has always been only you.” In this life, he greeted me like in memory. “You must be Bella’s sister, hello, I am Julian Sterling.” I didn’t shake his extended hand, sat on sofa by myself. “Mr. Sterling, you probably don’t know yet, now I am Bella. The person you said, is called Bella-Ann.” Julian slightly stunned, a trace of anger flashed in eyes. “Julian brother, why you came!” Bella-Ann’s voice very surprised. She pounced to Julian side, hugged his arm, attitude very intimate. Julian scraped her nose. “Heard your sister found, I come look, convenient to mooch a meal.” Bella-Ann heard him mention me, tone somewhat bad. “Turns out you didn’t come find me.” “Sister sister, your eyes only have sister, might as well I leave!” Julian quickly pulled her, conjured a necklace from bosom. “This is Tiffany new style, bought as soon as launched, you say, who I am thinking of?” A trace of blush flashed on Bella-Ann face,嬌滴滴 (coquettishly) let Julian help her put on, eyes looking at me full of provocation. [Target Affection Score -20, current score -20, imminent Lightning Strike punishment.] Julian’s hand paused, looked at me in disbelief. “Bella…” Words haven’t finished, he trembled, face revealing painful look. In previous life, because lack of love, I obeyed Julian in everything, he easily conquered me with some small favors. But in this life, I am no longer a Simp expecting love. I quietly looked at him. “Julian Sterling, I also want this necklace.” Bella-Ann subconsciously screamed. “Impossible!” “Julian brother, you won’t do this, right?” Julian nodded. “This is gift I give you, I won’t…” [Target Affection Score -20, current score -40, imminent Ten Thousand Needles Piercing Heart punishment.] Julian who was trembling with pain fiercely reached out and tore off the necklace on Bella-Ann’s neck. “Sorry, Bella-Ann, this one yield to your sister first! Tomorrow I give you another better one, I definitely compensate you!” Julian pulled somewhat urgent, nails scratched Bella-Ann neck, oozing few blood beads. Bella-Ann covered neck, loud crying shout. “Why, why you all treat me like this!” Julian wanted to comfort her, but pushed away, his fist clenched and loosened, finally squeezed out a smile to me. “Pearl, this necklace give you, are you happier a bit?” [Target Affection Score +1, current score -39. Score still negative, please Host improve ASAP.] Julian’s face twitched, smile more forced. I twirled necklace on index finger: “Thanks.” Chapter 3 After dinner, I went upstairs. Mrs. Vanderbilt eagerly pulled me towards a room. “Pearl, this is the room we prepared for you, look if you like it?” Sure enough previous life routine again. The room they prepared for me was previously a servant’s room, sunlight couldn’t shine in during day. Now just roughly renovated, even formaldehyde smell hasn’t dissipated. In previous life I sincerely treated them as family, moved into this room with gratitude, thought like this could get their love. Finally ended up dying with eyes open. This time, I chose to refuse. “Such small room, who wants to live.” “I see Bella-Ann’s room quite good, I want that one.” Bella-Ann haven’t had time to explode, Mr. Vanderbilt agreed: “Okay.” [Target Affection Score +10, current score 10, please continue effort.] Mr. Vanderbilt sighed relief, pulled Mrs. Vanderbilt and Bella-Ann quickly left, afraid stay long Affection Score change again. Night already deep, but I haven’t slept. I tiptoed to Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt’s room, tonight Bella-Ann sleeps with them. Unexpectedly, Julian was also there. Bella-Ann was crying. “Based on what sister comes, everything is hers, you guys don’t love me at all!” “Name, necklace even my room, all snatched by her!” “You said, I am your only treasure, why treat me like this now!” Mrs. Vanderbilt full eyes heartache, hugged her in arms, told her about the System matter. Bella-Ann didn’t believe: “Where has such strange thing.” Mr. Vanderbilt and Julian same voice: “It’s true.” Bella-Ann stunned, she stared with red eyes, full face disbelief. “So say, you still love me, treat sister good just to increase Affection Score get reward.” Julian nodded. “Of course!” “Just rely on Pearl that vulgar look, how could we like her.” “Bella-Ann, you are the treasure on our heart tip.” Mr. Vanderbilt also followed say. “Wild girl grew up in remote countryside, can’t compare even a toe of Bella-Ann, casually give her some sweet can conquer.” Mrs. Vanderbilt patted Bella-Ann back, guaranteed to her. “You are our precious daughter, if not System requirement, how we bear let you wronged.” “Wait mission complete, you want how treat Pearl all fine.” Bella-Ann broke tears into smile. Watching this scene, I wasn’t sad at all. In previous life, they gave me some clothes, jewelry Bella-Ann didn’t want, I was moved endlessly, fell into emotional trap, actively sent sums of Affection Score. Recall in this life, then know, whole Vanderbilt family and Julian, no one looked up to me, didn’t even treat me as human. [Target Affection Score each +10, please Conquerors continue effort.] Three people’s System simultaneously emitted sound, they face confusion. “What situation is this? We did nothing ah.” Bella-Ann listened, sneered. “Pearl now living in my room, must be more think more grateful parents. Maybe, she still holding necklace Julian brother gave, thinking Julian brother fancied her, secretly laughing ne.” Julian heard words very disdain. “Just that kind woman, how I possible fancy.” They don’t know stand higher, fall then more painful. I sent Affection Score, then turned to beautiful spacious room to rest. After talking open with Bella-Ann, they simply let go. Gifts like flowing water sent to my room, one mind brushing my Affection Score. Mr. Vanderbilt even found various excuses to send money to my card. Three people’s Affection Score quickly brushed to 90. These days, Mr. Vanderbilt bit anxious. His Affection Score stuck at 90 for a month, no matter how send things, score just not rise. Same situation, Mrs. Vanderbilt and Julian also encountered. They discussed a bit, decided to hold a big birthday party for me. Bella-Ann birthday same day as me, birthday party also has her share. At birthday party, Mr. Vanderbilt publicly announced my identity, also gave me expensive birthday gift, smilingly looking at me. In previous life, Vanderbilt family start to end didn’t admit me, Bella-Ann even announced outside I was her servant. Those rich heiresses believed her words, all treated me as dog order. Shopping bought things, bags can’t carry, all hung on me, even mood bad, hit me. For so-called family, I endured all, tried hard to be the sensible child they wanted. Then once conquer success kicked away by them. Until death, I didn’t get a cent of their love. This time, I choose raise champagne in hand, pour it drop not left on Bella-Ann head. Bella-Ann screamed. “Ah——” “What are you doing!” Her exquisite makeup all ruined, whole person very embarrassed. I calmly gave glass to waiter, looked at her said. “Since Dad said, I am Vanderbilt family biological daughter, you this fake occupied my identity so many years, shouldn’t I punish you a bit?” Many pairs of eyes looked at Mr. Vanderbilt. Mr. Vanderbilt is famous daughter slave, dare not speak loud to her. Now Bella-Ann bullied by me in public, what will he do? Blue veins burst on Mr. Vanderbilt forehead, he just about to flare up, System voice suddenly sounded.

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My brother was jealous that his roommate was too handsome, making a fuss for me to do a Tarot Reading, to see if his roommate had any bad luck recently. I was annoyed by the noise: “This guy has a handsome face and good fate but is a Simp. “The cards show, tomorrow night at the southeast near water, he is about to meet the love of his life. “He is about to suffer the bitterness of love, rest assured.” My brother was overjoyed, secretly followed his roommate to spy. But saw his roommate coldly reject a beauty’s approach. He scoffed: “Give you my number? Then what do I use?” Didn’t expect the next second. Roommate turned his head and met me squatting by the fountain, sniffing snot and eating a Corn Dog. He suddenly breathed heavier, earlobes turning red. “Done for, I seem to be love at first sight.” My brother dumbfounded: Not bro, have you made enough trouble? … Chapter 1 Late at night, I was concentrating on studying Astrology. Suddenly received a message from my brother: [Sis, I suspect my roommate is a copycat.] I typed a question mark. Chase resentfully threw over a spliced photo, complaining: [I just bought a gray hoodie yesterday, today Julian wore the same style! [Hehe, he can copy my outfit, but can’t replicate my aura. [Sis, who do you think is more handsome?] The left side of the photo was obviously a candid shot perspective. A bit blurry, but very atmospheric. Simple gray hoodie and jeans. But matched very refreshingly. That person wore a hat, covering half his face. But the exposed high nose bridge and thin lip lines were extremely perfect, still could see he was a big handsome guy. The right side was my brother’s mirror selfie. I laughed. Wearing a hoodie and still posing, think you are a high street boy? Legs stretched into what shape. Next season he goes to defend LeBron. I rolled my eyes, replied: [Do you have persecution delusion kid? [These two clothes only have same color, fit completely different ah. [Obviously left side handsome.] Chase sent another photo. Put his mirror selfie on left, roommate photo on right. [Sis, you really have taste, I also think I am more handsome.] I helplessly held forehead. Wow, crazy ah! I found, since school started and new dorm assigned. Chase’s mental state is precarious. Always secretly competing with his handsome roommate. But every time ended in failure. How can little handsome compare to top handsome? I was too lazy to say him. Chase sent another campus forum link, fawning said: [Dear sister, I have another request. [Some busybody posted a Campus Heartthrob vote. [Sigh, look at this matter, yours truly not talented, actually also in selection list. [I originally no intention chase fame chase profit, but masses eyes are bright, I voted to second place. [Matter to this, you also help me vote one bei.] I really suspect, that busybody is himself. College already, who would be so bored to do heartthrob selection. I helplessly clicked in. But without warning was shocked by handsomeness a big jump! Holy cow! First place is my brother’s that roommate Julian again. Don’t know where the poster got the photo. That was a candid shot of Julian exercising in the gym. He was lowering head wearing gloves, knuckles distinct, veins protruding. Hiss, looks like “cooking” will be very powerful… He was also wearing a tight short sleeve. Outlining broad shoulders and thin waist lines. And, and pecs so big oh, that groove also too eye-catching… Who said heartthrob selection boring. This selection simply too great! I was too lazy to flip photos below. Backhand voted for Julian. Male mom, male mom we like you~ I replied Chase: [OK, voted.] This silly boy still secretly happy ne: [Sis, you really good! [Love you old sis see you tomorrow (¯︶¯).] Chapter 2 My brother tossed for half a month for heartthrob selection. But finally lost without suspense. Weekend home. Eating at dinner table, he was still a look of soul out of body dead sample. I lazy to care him. Back to study room continue concentrate study my favorite metaphysics. But door suddenly opened. Chase sneakily slipped in. Saw Tarot Cards on table, instantly eyes lit up. “Sis, coincidence, you are looking at Tarot.” He poked fingers again, face embarrassed said: “That, that, I just happen to have something want find you calculate ne.” My family is metaphysics family, proficient in fortune telling. But Chase is a pig brain. Since small know nothing about this aspect. I kept vigilance: “Why not find Mom Dad, want find me? “If want calculate wicked things, I won’t do.” Chase not straight gas not strong, dryly said: “This, this scholar matter how can call wicked ne!” But speaking of others bad words. He forgot emotion, ruthless again: “Mainly that Julian, too annoying. “No, I all congratulated him voted as heartthrob, result he lightly said a sentence—— “Indeed, no opponents. “I really f*ck ah, why he so pretentiously!?” Chase beat chest stomp feet: “Midterm exam I so hard work, just to surpass him in other places. “Result he didn’t review at all and tested first! “I practice four hours in gym everyday, result arm circumference still smaller than him four cm. “Sis, I really can’t live, I don’t believe someone can be so perfect, could it be his life has no frustration at all?!” I listened want hold forehead bitter laugh. Not, my brother so focus Julian is crush on him ma? Chase again mysteriously handed me a note, whispered: “Sis, I got his birthday. “Can you help me calculate, does he have any bad things happen recently? “Seeing him live not good, then I rest assured.” I flatly refused: “No obligation help you. “I won’t associate with despicable villain like you.” Chase let out wail. He tremblingly took out phone. [Your card ending 0213 received transfer $200.00, remark: Voluntary Gift.] Chase eagerly looked at me: “This is my all savings, Sis, pity me ba. “Beg you, wuwuwuwuwu, beg you beg you beg you!” My god. Feel have a super invincible big mosquito always buzzing in my ear ah! I was noisy by him headache, helpless said: “Don’t annoy. “I help you calculate one hexagram, but just normal look, what might happen next. “I won’t help you calculate bad things, this too wicked.” Chase nod like garlic pounding. I seriously laid out cards. Result actually quite interesting. Shows Julian is that kind of face cold heart hot person ne… And, tomorrow is a special date? I pondered: “This guy face handsome fate good but is a Simp. “Cards show, tomorrow night 7-9 PM, southeast near water place, he is about to meet love of his life. “He immediately want eat love bitter, rest assured.” Chase overjoyed: “Actually have such opportunity?! “Then I tomorrow will track him, see who his true destiny girl exactly is. “Sis, you go with me bei, then you can personal verify yourself calculate accurate not accurate.” I disdain: “Boring.” Chase endure pain said: “That is another price right? I understand.” He turn out door, hug Dad thigh start wail: “Dad, charity point living expense, beg you!” …Fine ba. Received another $300 from Chase. I barely difficultly agreed to be dark mouse with him. Chapter 3 Next morning. Chase non-stop rushed back to school. He was Julian’s follower for a whole day, just to real-time master whereabouts. Seeing hexagram show time fast arrived. Chase sent location. Call me come together witness true destiny girl descend history moment. Just arrived school back street. I was pulled by Chase into hidden bush beside fountain. He look east look west, extremely small voice said: “Sis, we now are spies. “Must be careful careful again careful.” …I submit. Chase do bad things, really have endless strength and means ah. Saying true, he harder than girls chasing Julian right? Chase again face excited pointed southeast. Julian sure enough appeared. Motorcycle off, he took off helmet. Messy bangs scattered in night wind, he casual tidied. Under dim light more appear his expression unruly, face indifferent. Have girl push luggage, hold milk tea, lower head play phone. Unexpectedly bumped into Julian. Simply idol drama like plot. Big wave tall beauty, look special pretty. She flustered apologize to Julian: “Sorry sorry! “Just now didn’t look road, bumped you, sorry ah.” Julian side body let her, faintly said: “It’s okay.” Girl look front vertical down steps, some difficult. She bit lip, looked Julian few eyes: “Classmate, can trouble you help me carry luggage a bit? “Road ahead bit not good walk.” Julian didn’t speak. Just action neat took luggage. Tsk, gym person just have strength ah, super easy helped her carry down. I watched with relish, also bought a Corn Dog at stall next door. Wow, watch idol drama how can not match point snacks ne! But didn’t notice beside Chase bit bit black face. Girl very worship stare Julian. Turn again quite shy lowered eyes. She careful careful handed milk tea in hand to Julian. “Classmate, thank you oh. “I treat you drink milk tea, can exchange your number (Snapchat/Instagram) ma?” Coming coming! Love this not coming ma! But Julian slightly frowned brows. Originally is iceberg face, in mood unhappy time appear colder. “Tsk, I don’t drink milk tea. “Number give you, I use what?” He bypass beauty straight walk forward. Ah? Plot not right ba? Girl stunned in place, face still remain hurt after rejected. Chase angry low roar: “Not, Julian based on what treat her like this?! “How even girl I like want rob away ah! “No, I must hurry go comfort her!” I watch helplessly Chase fly run past help beauty carry luggage. I blankly bit a mouth Corn Dog. What, could it be I calculated wrong? But I never missed ah… Thought too absorbed, I completely didn’t realize eat is filling meatball. Juice inside squirt out. I scalded out pain mask, non-stop hiss ha hiss ha. Julian suddenly look back. I just so embarrassed squat beside fountain. Sucking snot, eyes contain tears look him. Just now incomparable calm cool Julian. Actually suddenly heavy breath, unaware red earlobe. His Adam’s apple rolled once, lost mind self talk: “Done for, I seem one… love.” Voice extremely low, I didn’t how hear clear. Julian stand firm in front of me, again bend down level with me. From bag take out a bottle new unopened water. Just like this eyes sincere and slightly shy looking me. Also not speak, just there tempt people. Very understanding ah. Is he want help scalded me ma? Ghost messenger god send like, I subconscious said: “You want use water exchange what? “You want my number not?” Chapter 4 Julian ear tip red more severe. Connected neck all dye a layer thin pink. He nodded, tone also from cold become like spring snow melt: “Want. “So, can ma?” Julian and me distance so close. Now this terrible posture. I just right can look down to his chest. Black tight sweater sure enough is clothes man can wear most slutty ah… So big pecs, in front my eyes shake come shake go. He all face red like that, then some places will or not also pink pink (///▽///)… Wait, I all thinking point what ah! I stopped flying thoughts, again and again nod said: “Can can, I give you QR code.” Julian open phone. Action extremely fast on screen light click few times. Didn’t expect. Next second actually sound huge broadcast sound: [Ding dong, payment received $5200.] Julian face completely no question. Only unease worry be rejected: “Enough ma? “Not enough I transfer you again.” I person silly. I want open friend code. How accidental click open payment code!! I hand busy foot messy switch back. Eye seeing finally added friend with Julian. I just want open mouth explain to him. But suddenly hear a collapse scream: “Holy sh*t, I just left a while then stolen home? “Julian, what you doing!”

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When I was ten, my parents died in a car crash. They were on their way to pick my brother up from prison. At the wake, I stared at the man kneeling before their caskets, his forehead pressed to the floor. It was my brother, Cole, freshly released after a five-year sentence. I ran at him, shoving him with all my might. “This is your fault! If you hadn’t been in prison, they wouldn’t have gone to get you! They would still be alive!” Cole staggered from the force of my push but didn’t look up. He just pressed his head harder against the cold floor. From that day on, I never called him brother again. 1 My mother kept her treasures in a small metal box. As a child, my curiosity was a force of nature. I waited until the house was empty and pried it open. Inside, there was only a single, yellowed ultrasound report. The report read: [Cord Blood Match Successful. Donor: Fetus. Recipient: Cole Anderson (Firstborn Son)] Cole was my brother, fifteen years my senior. For as long as I could remember, he had been in prison. My parents never spoke of his crime. But every time they came back from a visit, my mother’s eyes were swollen shut, and my father would chain-smoke on the porch all night, enveloped in a silent, suffocating cloud. Before I turned ten, my entire concept of my brother was a blurry name, a stranger who made my parents weep, and the sole reason for my existence. Yes, I knew. I wasn’t a child born of my parents’ love; I was proof of their love for him. My mother had a weak constitution. She risked a late-in-life pregnancy for one reason: Cole had leukemia, and the only thing that could save him was the cord blood of a newborn sibling. The day I was born, my brother’s transplant was a success. And I became a “useful tool” in our family’s home. But fate has a twisted sense of humor. The golden child, wrapped in all my parents’ devotion, committed a crime so terrible it landed him in prison. I was five years old. I have no memory of what he did. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that I was finally promoted from “tool” to their one and only child. That bliss didn’t last. The year I turned ten, Cole was released. My parents left early that morning, their faces bright with hope, ready to give their son a new beginning. Then the call came. A truck with failed brakes had slammed into their sedan. My father died on impact. My mother held on until she got to the hospital, where she used her last breath to tell me one thing: “Anna, sweetie, take care of your brother.” I didn’t understand. Why was I, a child, being asked to care for him? I was the one who needed to be taken care of. Before I could argue, her eyes fluttered shut for the last time. At the funeral home, I looked from the stiff smiles on my parents’ black-and-white portraits to the strange man kneeling before their coffins—the brother I hadn’t seen in five years. He knocked his head against the concrete, a rhythmic, sickening thud. Blood seeped from his forehead, mixing with his tears. Relatives whispered behind their hands, their pitying glances like needles on my skin. “Poor thing, an orphan at her age…” “And now she has to live with a killer. What kind of life will that be?” I balled my fists, my nails digging into my palms. That’s when I charged him. “This is your fault! If you hadn’t been in prison, they wouldn’t have been driving to get you! They wouldn’t be dead!” Cole swayed but didn’t look up. He just knocked his head harder against the unforgiving floor. The night after the burial, Cole found me sitting in the dark living room. He wore my father’s old, ill-fitting clothes. His eyes were sunken, making him look like a walking skeleton. “Anna,” he said, his voice a dry rasp. He reached out to touch my hair. I flinched away. “Don’t touch me,” I said. His hand froze in midair, then slowly fell to his side. 2 We lived in a small town where secrets were a foreign concept. Everyone’s business was everyone else’s entertainment. Soon, the whole town knew the story: Cole Anderson was back from prison. A murderer. Not only a degenerate but a bad omen who’d gotten his own parents killed. And his little sister, Anna, was now stuck with him. When I went back to school, my homeroom teacher paused during roll call, her eyes lingering on me. “Anna, I know things are difficult at home. If you need anything, please talk to me.” Every head in the classroom swiveled to stare at me. During recess, a group of boys surrounded my desk, smirking. “Hey Anna, did your brother really kill someone?” “How’d he do it? With a knife or a rope?” “Are you gonna kill someone too?” I buried my head in my arms and pretended I couldn’t hear them. On the way home, girls from the next class over pointed at me. “That’s her. The one whose brother was in jail.” “Stay away from her. The sister of a killer can’t be any good.” I ran home and threw my backpack on the floor. Cole was in the kitchen, fumbling with an egg, wearing one of our mom’s old aprons. “You’re back?” He turned, forcing a smile. “Dinner’s almost ready. I made your favorite, noodle soup with an egg.” I stared at his face, which looked so much like our father’s, and something inside me snapped. “Why did you come back?! Why didn’t you just die in there?! Do you have any idea what people are saying about me? They call me the murderer’s sister!” The water in the pot boiled over, hissing on the stove. Steam blurred his face. He turned off the heat, his back to me, his shoulders trembling slightly. After a long time, he finally spoke. “…I’m sorry.” That night, I heard him crying in the living room. It was a suppressed, wounded sound, like an animal caught in a trap. I didn’t go out. I hugged my mother’s pillow and told myself: I hate him. I owed him no understanding, no sympathy. If it weren’t for him, my parents would be alive. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be the town freak. He was the one who needed my blood to live, and this was how he repaid me, by dragging my life through the mud. I was done with him. I hated him. 3 Cole started working. He hauled bricks on a construction site during the day and bussed tables at a diner at night. After that, he’d come home and glue cardboard boxes for a local factory until dawn. His health was poor, likely a side effect of his transplant. He coughed constantly, and his face was always pale. But every cent he earned, he spent on me: a new backpack, new clothes, even the expensive novels I’d mentioned offhand. I had to admit, he was taking good care of me. But the world I lived in was still a swamp. In eighth grade, I placed first in my class. For the parent-teacher conference, he borrowed a decent shirt and combed his hair neatly. The moment he walked into the classroom, the whispering started. “Is that Anna Anderson’s brother?” “He looks so quiet. You’d never guess…” “It’s not like they have ‘murderer’ tattooed on their foreheads.” He kept his head down the entire time, his hands clenched tightly on his knees. On the way home, I walked behind him, watching his slightly stooped back. “We should move,” I said suddenly. He stopped but didn’t turn around. “Where?” “Anywhere,” I said. “Anywhere but here, where everyone knows what you are.” He was silent for a long time. “Okay.” A month later, we moved to the state capital, three hundred miles away. Cole used all his savings to rent a tiny one-room apartment with a bunk bed. He found a job at an electronics factory, working rotating shifts on the assembly line. The first night, I lay on the unfamiliar top bunk, staring at the cracks in the ceiling. “Hey,” I said into the darkness. A rustle from below. “Yeah?” “Why did you really go to prison?” Silence. A long, suffocating silence. Just when I thought he wouldn’t answer, he spoke, his voice low. “…I did something wrong.” “What did you do?” “Something terrible,” his voice was as soft as a sigh. “Anna, don’t ask.” “All you need to know is that I’m sorry. For what I did to you, to Mom and Dad… that’s enough.” I rolled over, facing the wall. Always the same. Always. I was never entitled to the truth. 4 Turns out, fairy tales can come true. After about six months at the factory, Cole caught the eye of the owner’s daughter. Her name was Valerie. She was five years younger than Cole, a recent college graduate sent by her father to learn the family business. They said the first time she saw Cole on the assembly line, she was completely captivated. I had to admit, Cole was handsome. Even malnourished and perpetually exhausted, he’d inherited the best of our parents’ features: deep-set eyes, a straight nose, and a kind of broken beauty in his silence. Valerie’s pursuit of him was the talk of the factory. She brought him lunch, bought him medicine, and even stayed with him through his late-night overtime shifts. His coworkers all nudged him. “Come on, Cole! She’s the boss’s daughter! Marry her and you can skip twenty years of hard labor!” Cole always just shook his head. “I’m not good enough for her.” It went on like this until Valerie’s father, Mr. Hayes, the factory owner, asked to speak with him personally. Cole came home very late that night. He sat in the dark living room, smoking one cigarette after another. He never smoked. “What’s wrong?” I finally asked. He stubbed out the cigarette, his voice hoarse. “Mr. Hayes… he knows I was in prison.” My stomach dropped. Of course. The background check. It was over. He would lose his job, and we would have to run again. “He asked me what happened back then,” Cole continued. “I told him everything.” I closed my eyes in despair. “And then what?” “And then…” Cole looked up, his eyes gleaming unnaturally in the dark. “He said there’s an auspicious date next month, and he asked if I wanted a traditional wedding or a modern one.” I stared at him. He’s lost his mind. That was my first thought. Mr. Hayes had to be insane to want a murderer for a son-in-law. Good, he’s insane. That was my second thought. After all, the Hayes family was rich. Who wouldn’t want to latch onto a family tree like that?

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My five-year-old daughter claimed in front of the whole family that she was reborn. She said: “In two minutes, Mom will personally hand me over to human traffickers and gouge out my eyes.” Everyone thought my daughter was talking nonsense, but two minutes later, she really disappeared. When she was found again, her eyes were just a bloody mess. I held my daughter and rushed her to the hospital, but she said: “In the next second, Mom will fake a car accident to kill me completely because she suspects I’m not her biological child.” Sure enough, the next second, a truck overturned the ambulance. Now, the whole family began to believe that my daughter was really reborn. I crawled out desperately, just wanting to save my daughter, but was grabbed angrily by my husband, beaten up, and thrown on the roadside, left to bleed profusely. My daughter was saved. She said: “Mom is a mistress. She got pregnant with me on purpose to steal Dad away from Auntie Jessica. She doesn’t love me at all.” The whole family felt extremely distressed for my daughter. My husband immediately proposed a divorce and kicked me out of the house. I lived on the streets and eventually died of an infected wound in a garbage dump. When I woke up again, I was back to the day my daughter said she was reborn. 1 “I am reborn and can predict the future.” My five-year-old daughter’s childish voice rang in my ears. I opened my eyes and found her standing on the table arrogantly with her hands on her hips. The whole family sat together, treating it as a five-year-old’s innocent remark, and no one took it seriously. But I felt a chill down my spine. In my previous life, it was this sentence from my daughter that led to my tragic death on the roadside. Touching the healed wounds on my body, the pain was still fresh in my memory. My mother-in-law chimed in, “Yes, yes, yes, our Nina is a prophet, and she will definitely accomplish great things in the future.” But my mother-in-law’s perfunctory attitude caused my daughter’s dissatisfaction, and she shouted loudly. “I am really reborn. In my previous life, Mom killed me and personally sent me to human traffickers.” “My eyes will also be gouged out, and I will become blind.” My daughter stared at me angrily, as if it were true. Her words immediately caused my father-in-law’s dissatisfaction, “Hey, what nonsense are you talking about, child? Watched too many cartoons, haven’t you?” Hearing my father-in-law’s words, my daughter threw herself into my mother-in-law’s arms with a grieved look. “Grandma, I didn’t lie. Mom is a bad person, I don’t want to die.” “Children’s words carry no harm, why take it seriously? Why scold the child?” Seeing my mother-in-law spoiling the child so much, I couldn’t help sneering. What a “children’s words carry no harm.” If I hadn’t died because of my daughter’s mouth in my previous life, I might really have believed it. After my mother-in-law finished talking to my father-in-law, she turned to look at me again. “Sarah, don’t just stand there like a fool. I think the salt in the kitchen is gone. Go downstairs and buy a pack.” I nodded, thinking about how to deal with my daughter, and was just about to go out. Just then, my daughter looked at me in horror. “Ah? Mom is going out to contact human traffickers. Mom, don’t take me away!” My daughter’s sudden reaction worried my mother-in-law, who immediately hugged her tightly. “Oh my, what’s wrong with this child today? Why is she always talking nonsense?” I stopped at the door, looking at my daughter curled up in my mother-in-law’s arms, and then glanced at the wall clock. At this time, it was one minute away from the time my daughter said I would hand her over to human traffickers. Previously, because I was worried that my daughter was frightened, I didn’t go out to buy things but let my mother-in-law go instead. As a result, when she stayed with me, she said she had a stomachache and wanted to go to the toilet. After I sent her to the bathroom, she disappeared. Recalling it now, I still find it bizarre. It wasn’t until the human traffickers called for ransom that we knew our daughter was really kidnapped. At that time, the police sent specialists to check the toilet, but they still didn’t know how a five-year-old child could appear a hundred miles away within an hour. I hesitated for half a second, closed the door, took out my phone, and called my husband Ethan White. “Hello, remember to bring a pack of salt back when you get off work. Our daughter is making a fuss at home, maybe she is sick.” Ethan’s impatient voice came from the other end of the phone, “Damn, I’m busy negotiating with clients. What are you doing at home? Buy it yourself!” After speaking, he hung up the phone. I wasn’t annoyed either, turned around and entered the room. 2 “Mom, I think Nina might be frightened. Let’s accompany her in the living room.” “I’ll make an appointment with a psychologist to come and see her later.” My mother-in-law frowned as soon as she heard it. “Is it necessary to make such a fuss? The child is just naughty.” “The child’s health is very important. Mental health is also health. Who calls me a mother?” I pretended to be very worried, walked closer and touched my daughter’s face, then got up and pushed open the bathroom door. “Mom, didn’t I say the toilet needs to be washed often? Look at the cockroaches running around. Just happened that I bought a new insecticide. I’ll spray more. Don’t go to the toilet within three hours, otherwise, it’s easy to get poisoned.” My operation obviously disrupted my daughter’s plan. Her expression was obviously a bit messy. This time, let’s see how you verify your so-called rebirth prophecy. Two minutes passed quickly, and my daughter’s rebirth prophecy was self-defeating. The whole family didn’t take it seriously. Just then, my daughter suddenly shouted. “No, I’m going to poop in my pants.” My mother-in-law became anxious as soon as she heard it. “Oh my, what to do? Sarah, can the toilet be used?” From just now, I noticed my daughter’s eyes wandering, obviously planning something. Looking at her, I took out the basin prepared long ago. “Poop here. The toilet definitely can’t be used.” “I want to use the toilet, don’t want to poop in the basin, or I’ll poop in my pants.” My five-year-old daughter threatened, but I just sneered. “Then poop. Anyway, the toilet can’t be used today. If you poop, I’ll buy you new pants.” My answer left my daughter unsure how to respond, and she shouted. “Mom is a bad person. Grandma, call the police quickly and arrest Mom, otherwise, she will kill me.” “Okay, let your grandma call immediately. When the police come, I’ll say you pooped in your pants.” Seeing me unmoved, my daughter simply pouted and chose to hold her breath, turning her face red in a while. “Oh my, Nina, what are you doing? Open your mouth quickly.” My mother-in-law was really afraid she would suffocate herself, so she hurriedly pried open her mouth. Looking at her angry look, I didn’t feel anxious at all. For my daughter, I think my education has no big problems. Whatever she wants, as long as it is within a reasonable range, I try my best to satisfy her. I tried my best to turn my child into an honest and loving person, but I don’t understand why she turned out like that in the end. Seeing that I wouldn’t relent, my daughter actually held it in and pooped directly in her pants. A foul smell filled the air, and my mother-in-law covered her nose and cursed. “You little bastard, you really pooped.” Saying that, she went to get a basin of water to wash her butt. I didn’t stop her either, just calmly got up and went to the room to get her a new pair of pants. However, when I came out of the room with the pants, I was dumbfounded. I saw my mother-in-law holding the water basin with a blank face, looking at me. My daughter was gone! The living room was empty. My father-in-law was lying on the sofa and had fallen asleep at some point. The pants soiled by my daughter were still on the floor. My mother-in-law couldn’t help but get anxious, searching inside and outside the house, but couldn’t find anyone. No sound of opening or closing the door, no footsteps. A five-year-old child just disappeared bizarrely like this again. “How is this possible?” 3 More anxious than my mother-in-law was me. I clearly knew what would happen next. “Is it really unchangeable?” I gritted my teeth, searching the room desperately trying to find some clues, but still found nothing. I panicked and subconsciously made the exact same choice as in my previous life, calling the police. While waiting for the police, I didn’t stay idle either. I searched the entire community but still didn’t see a trace of my daughter. Unwilling to give up, I requested the property management to retrieve the surveillance video, but there was no footage of my daughter appearing at all. After the police arrived, the subsequent development was almost exactly the same as in my previous life. They also didn’t find any valuable clues, left a sentence asking us to wait patiently, and left. Until I received the video of my daughter’s eyes being gouged out again, I despaired. What should come still came. The human traffickers called home demanding a ransom of one million dollars. Seeing my daughter’s appearance, my mother-in-law cried her eyes out. Ethan also left his work and returned home. When he saw the video of our daughter being abused, he slapped me twice backhand and roared angrily. “I let you take care of the child at home, is this how you take care of her?” “If anything happens to Nina, I’ll make you pay with your life!” If the police weren’t present, Ethan would probably have killed me on the spot. Later, when the police asked again about the anomaly when my daughter disappeared, my father-in-law seemed to suddenly think of something. “I remember Nina said at that time that her mother would personally send her to the human traffickers and gouge out her eyes.” My daughter’s prophecy came true, and my mother-in-law also made a look of sudden realization. “Yes, I happened to be filming a TikTok at that time, and it seems I recorded it.” My mother-in-law took out her phone and showed the video she took today. In the background of the phone, my daughter was standing on the table shouting the sentence that plunged me into the abyss. I was dumbfounded because from beginning to end I didn’t notice when my mother-in-law recorded the video. Before I could fully react, Ethan suddenly rushed up like crazy and grabbed my collar. “That’s your biological daughter. How could you bear it? Are you an animal?” Before the police could pull him away, he kicked me in the chest. I was kicked to the ground, and the severe pain sobered me up instantly. “No, what’s wrong?” My mind raced, until I saw Ethan’s angry and hideous face, I realized instantly. “You believe the nonsense of a five-year-old child?” “Your mom and dad were both at home at the time. Why don’t you say they did it?” Seeing me glaring at them, my mother-in-law seemed a bit guilty, “Yes, Ethan, Sarah was at home with us taking care of Nina the whole time. How could it be her?” “Then what’s going on now?” Ethan wished he could rush up and give me another kick. At this time, the police couldn’t stand it anymore. “Alright, saving the child is important. Why quarrel over a sentence?” The police’s words calmed Ethan down a bit, but he still stared at me deadly. The police asked me to use my phone to dial the trafficker’s number again so they could determine the trafficker’s location. But at this moment, a sentence from my mother-in-law sobered me up instantly. “Don’t know who she learned those words from. Could she really be a reborn person?” I was slightly stunned. If my daughter is a reborn person and has confronted me for so long, could she not discover that I am also reborn? Who is instigating my daughter to lie? 4 “No need to call. I know the trafficker will meet me there.” The police looked at me in confusion. To prevent Ethan from having any abnormalities, I specially pulled the police into a separate room and told him a location. The police didn’t believe it at first, until my phone received a transaction text message from the trafficker, and the agreed location on it was exactly the same as what I said. Although surprised, the police had to listen to my arrangement first to save people. I requested the police to deploy only a small amount of police force at the agreed location for arrest, and at the same time deploy heavy forces to intercept passing vehicles on the way to the hospital. “This won’t work. It’s too dangerous. I have to be responsible for the hostage and my team members.” “What if these traffickers are just ordinary people in disguise? The real murderer is waiting on the road to kill me and my family!” I looked emotional, “I don’t want to watch them die.” The police saw my abnormality. Finally, they agreed to my request, but also stated that if the situation was wrong, they would make adjustments immediately. Actually, I dared to do this because there was a basis. In my previous life, after the police successfully arrested them, they interrogated the traffickers who kidnapped my daughter by surprise and found that they were just a group of college students looking for work. They said someone asked them to act, so they went, but didn’t expect it to be true. I arrived at the location agreed with the traffickers and brought the money. Like in my previous life, the police arrest went smoothly, and my daughter was rescued. Due to serious injuries, my daughter was sent to the hospital for treatment immediately. On the way, I stayed with my daughter all the time. She looked very uncomfortable, and the wounds in her eye sockets had begun to get infected. After all, she was only five years old and my daughter. Seeing her like this, I inevitably felt distressed. This time, without waiting for her to speak first, I finally asked the doubt in my heart. “Nina, tell Mom, did Dad make you do this?” But I didn’t expect that as soon as I finished saying this, my daughter suddenly screamed again. “Ahhhhh, Mom don’t kill me, I was wrong, I will never talk nonsense again.” But at the same time, my daughter secretly stuffed a watch into my hand. With a loud bang, a fully loaded truck rushed towards us without warning. The vehicle my daughter and I were in rolled over. In the end, what should happen still happened. I climbed out of the side window of the ambulance again. The strong dizziness made me feel a bit nauseous. I saw Ethan and my in-laws getting out of the police car in a hurry, rushing over to save people. However, when my daughter was rescued, she had completely stopped talking. Half of the ambulance body was almost crushed, and a medical staff member also died on the spot. The police pulled the truck driver out of the seat and controlled him quickly. “My daughter!” Just when I was looking blank, Ethan’s shrill cry came into my ears. I turned my head and found him holding my daughter’s body crying in despair. That real emotion was definitely not fake. “It’s you, you killed my granddaughter. I just heard it, she begged you not to kill her.” “You return my granddaughter, you return my granddaughter…”

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My sister and I were adopted from the orphanage. My sister chose the wealthy and powerful Preston family, the “Prince of Beijing” family. But the “Prince” had a peculiar temperament and tortured her daily. I chose the ordinary Shaw family. Although their money and power were far inferior to the Preston family, the whole family was extremely good to me. The young master of the Shaw family later became a new business tycoon, married me, and gave me a life full of happiness. My sister was crazy with jealousy and secretly strangled me to death. Opening my eyes again, my sister unhesitatingly snatched the life I had experienced and chose the Shaw family. “Little sister, this time it’s your turn to be tortured.” I almost laughed out loud. Did she think the young master of the Shaw family was a good thing? 1 I was reborn, back to the day my sister Lily and I were adopted. “Brother, I am well-behaved, sensible, and can do housework. Please adopt me.” Lily beside me grabbed the hand of Michael Shaw, the young master of the Shaw family. So she was reborn too. “Little girl, didn’t you just say you liked our family?” A wealthy lady spoke up. She was the mother of Lucas Preston, the “Prince of Beijing.” Lucas Preston himself did not come. “I suddenly don’t like your family anymore. Is that not okay?” After Lily finished speaking, she shrank behind Michael. Mrs. Preston was a little annoyed. “A person with such unstable disposition like you is not worthy of entering our Preston family!” Then, she looked at me gently: “Good girl, come with me. Our family also has a brother.” I nodded and reached out my hand. Lily beside me had triumph in her eyes. She seemed very satisfied with my reaction. But she didn’t know that I was more afraid of the viper-like Michael than the “Prince” with a peculiar temperament. In my past life, I frantically wanted to get rid of him. This life, she actually helped me out. Walking to the door with Mrs. Preston, she went to get the car. And Lily walked towards me at this moment, her eyes full of contempt looking at me. “Little sister, this time it’s your turn to be tortured.” I ignored her. Because I thought her behavior right now was like a clown! She thought this was a new life. But she didn’t know that she was jumping from one fire pit into another more dangerous one. 2 After being picked up by the Preston family, Mrs. Preston arranged a special room for me and hired various private tutors to train me in piano, dance, music, etc. She said: “Good girl, let me tell you the truth. I adopted a daughter just to find a suitable daughter-in-law.” “You have to work hard now. Lucas will return to China in a month. As long as he takes a liking to you then, your future life will be very easy. After all, the entire Preston family belongs to him.” In the past life, Lucas didn’t like Lily, so her life was very difficult. I didn’t dare to hope that the aloof and noble “Prince” would take a liking to me. I could only use other ways to help myself. A month later, the Preston family held a grand banquet. It was to celebrate Lucas’s return. Many prestigious families were also invited, and the Shaw family also came because they had cooperation with the Preston family. Lily saw me at a glance, wearing a white princess dress and walking towards me step by step. “Little sister, today will be the most humiliating moment in your life.” In the past life at this banquet, it was her first meeting with Lucas. Lucas frowned the first time he saw her. Then in front of everyone, he told her to get out. She was still clinging to Lucas shamelessly at that time, saying that she was his future wife. Lucas kicked her away with one foot. 3 I was also reborn, so knowing this outcome, I had already thought of a way for myself. Lily thought I would have the same end as her past life. But I’m afraid she’s going to be disappointed. When Lucas was about to enter, I blocked him in the room. This was my first meeting with him. He was a whole head taller than me, and his handsome face was full of indifference. Tsk tsk, he really isn’t easy to approach. I took out a plan and handed it to him. “I know you have a new project now and don’t know how to operate it. This is my plan. I guarantee you can make a profit.” I grew up in an orphanage. Although I didn’t go to school after graduating from high school, I had a strong business mind. In the past life, Michael could become a new business tycoon all because of me as a strategist. “How do you know I took over a new project?” Lucas took the plan and opened a few pages with his slender fingers. In the past life, this project belonged to Michael. When I first went to his house, he was very good to me. So I used my own plan to win this project for him from the partner. It’s just that without me in this life, I found out that the project fell to Lucas. “I investigated.” I smiled. “Mr. Preston, I can help you make project plans in the future.” “But there is one condition, that is, you have to live harmoniously with me in the Preston family in the future, but privately we live our own lives.” Lucas is a businessman and values interests most. If I can bring him value, he will definitely be tempted. Just when I thought he would agree, he raised his eyebrows and looked at me. “Understood, want to cooperate with me in exchange for peace, right?” “But didn’t my mom tell you that what she adopted was not a daughter, but looking for a daughter-in-law?” “I know, so what do you mean?” I looked at him doubtfully. He curved his lips in a smile and closed the plan. “Your plan is very good. After you marry me, your plans will be mine.” After speaking, he lifted his foot and left. And I was still immersed in what he said just now. What does it mean? Is this taking a liking to me? No! It must be because he wants me to make plans for him all my life that he said such things. 4 When we walked to the hall, Mrs. Preston pulled me and introduced me to the elders. “This is my future daughter-in-law. She has a good personality and looks pretty.” Everyone praised me one after another. Lily, who was beside Michael, looked at me with gloom in her eyes. She walked over with a wine glass and looked at Mrs. Preston. “Auntie, I heard that Mr. Preston just returned to China. I wonder if my little sister and Mr. Preston have met?” “Does he approve of this future wife?” Last time in the orphanage, she didn’t leave a good impression on Mrs. Preston. So much so that Mrs. Preston’s eyes were tinged with displeasure when she heard this. “None of your business!” “Our family affairs are not your turn to question. Who do you think you are?” Michael’s face turned pale when he heard this. “Sorry, Mrs. Preston, my sister is ignorant.” As soon as this remark came out, no one noticed that a haze flashed across his eyes. I saw too many of these looks in the past life. Every time was a sign that my nightmare was about to begin. I took a step back in fear, but accidentally bumped into a warm embrace. Turning my head to look, it turned out to be Lucas. “Be careful.” His eyes were full of smiles, and his voice was gentle like water. Lily in front of me was almost exploding with anger. She must be thinking why Lucas’s attitude towards me was so good. “Mr. Preston, do you really like my little sister?” “Do you know that she is an orphan, and she was previously molested by someone!” Lily’s words made the whole venue quiet down. When I was sleeping in the orphanage before, my clothes were suddenly torn by a middle-aged man. He wanted to molest me, but fortunately, I resisted him with a vase. Afterwards, Lily went around publicizing that I had been molested by this man. Then she told me: “Little sister, guess who arranged that man?” At that moment, I realized that she deliberately framed me. Thinking of this, my fists were clenched tightly. Just as I wanted to speak, Lucas beat me to it. “Is that so?” He looked at Lily. Lily was extremely proud. “Yes, Mia was once by an old man years ago——” Before she finished speaking, she was kicked flying by Lucas. Suddenly, everyone’s attention was attracted. Michael’s face was full of embarrassment. “Mr. Preston, don’t be angry, it’s my fault for not disciplining my sister well.” “If I hear her slander my fiancée again in the future, I will make it impossible for her to stay in this city.” “Oh no, it should be you and your Shaw family get out of this city.” “This sister of yours should be properly disciplined.” Lucas’s voice was terrifyingly cold. Michael hurriedly bowed and scraped: “What Mr. Preston says is right, I will go and teach a lesson immediately.” Slap slap slap Michael went over and slapped Lily on the face left and right. “Ah, don’t hit, it hurts so much…” Lily’s screams filled the whole hall. Mrs. Preston also spoke up. “I have recognized this daughter-in-law. You all remember her name is Mia. If I hear anyone bullying her, I will pay it back tenfold!” “Is that satisfying?” Lucas put his arm around me and said softly. “That is really satisfying!” Even my mammary glands got cleared. 5 Because of the farce Lily created, the relationship between Lucas and I became closer instantly. Moreover, everyone knew that I was the daughter-in-law of the Preston family and respected me very much. As for Lily, she was dragged away by Michael with an angry face. In the past life, Michael didn’t reveal his nature at this time. But because this incident made him lose face today, it accelerated the exposure of his nature. I knew that Lily’s nightmare was about to begin. Don’t know if she can handle it? In the following time, Lily didn’t come to harass me. I also have time to make money and then leave this city. Because after rebirth, I understand a truth. Relying on oneself is the only way! However, when I was looking for a job, Lucas found me. He sent me a text: “Come to my company to help. I’ll give you a salary of 50k a month, and a bonus at the end of the year.” This is good, I just lack a high-paying job. I went happily. However, on the way, my mouth was suddenly covered by someone. When I woke up again, I was in a public toilet. The ground was covered with wet and slippery water stains and foul odors. In front of me was the old man who almost molested me before. He grinned revealing a mouthful of big yellow teeth: “When I screw you, you won’t be able to become Mrs. Preston.” “Oh right, forgot to tell you, I already notified the Preston family to come over.” I smiled: “Seems the vase last time didn’t hurt you.” “What do you mean?” I climbed up from the ground and took out a polished bright knife from my pocket. “Do you think having fallen on the road once, I will fall a second time?” Saying that, I cut my arm ruthlessly. Immediately, blood flowed straight out, and I smeared the blood everywhere on my body. At this time, the door was pushed open. “Mr. Preston, don’t beat my sister. She was just too lonely, so she found a man——” Lily stopped when she saw me covered in blood.

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The day my sister and I both moved back home, divorced and dragging our baggage, she posted a smug update on social media. “Who says a woman needs to pay her way back to her parents’ house after a divorce?” “I haven’t given Mom and Dad a dime in years, and I walked in with two leftover mandarin oranges.” “Mom was thrilled! Said she’d happily take care of me forever.” Later, while I was cooking dinner, I mentioned the post to Mom. She offered a cold, dismissive chuckle. “You know, I actually think you’re quite selfish. That’s where you fall short compared to Sandra. At least when Sandra was eating those oranges, she thought of me.” She turned to face me, her eyes hardened. “You? When was the last time you ever thought of your mother while you were eating something good?” A sudden, deep weariness settled over me. In ten years of marriage, I had funneled over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars into this family. I had returned home after my divorce with boxes and suitcases full of things I thought they could use. Yet, I was still less valued than Sandra’s half-eaten snack. “See? You’re silent again. What, did I say something wrong? You’re just not as thoughtful as your sister. Never have been, not since you were a child.” “Then you continue to enjoy Sandra’s kindness and her oranges, Mom,” I said, stripping off the apron. “I’m done serving you.” I pulled out my phone, immediately canceled the shared credit card I kept for them, grabbed Luna, and walked out of the house without a backward glance. 1 A heavy snow had fallen over Crestview. Luna and I struggled through the blizzard, but I felt a complete, lightheaded sense of release. For a decade, I had bought them a house, kept them on an unlimited shared card, gifted Dad an expensive watch, and bought Mom a heavy gold bracelet. I believed my childhood home was my sanctuary. But when I came back, defeated and carrying everything I owned, Mom had been unwelcoming. “The fridge and washer are broken, Alexandra. You won’t be comfortable. And your old room is filled with storage. Maybe you should just go back to Todd?” “He was almost killing me, Mom.” “Then you just have to tolerate it,” she’d said, flatly. “All men get heated sometimes. Give him another chance.” I saw no genuine pity, only inconvenience. I replaced every broken appliance in the house, and only then did Mom grudgingly clear out my old bedroom. They called it my home, but I tiptoed around them, waiting on them, cleaning up their messes, feeling like a squatter in my own space. Now I finally understood: without love, no amount of money could buy me a place at their table. I hailed a cab. Just as I settled in, Dad yanked the door open and dragged me out. “You’re leaving because of a couple of oranges? Are you serious? Get back in there and apologize to your mother. All our relatives are here, and they’re waiting for you to cook.” The relatives gathered behind him murmured their support. “Yes, Alexandra. It’s just two oranges. You’re the older sister, don’t be so petty about your sibling.” “Exactly. You’re both divorced now. You need to stick together. Don’t be so small-minded.” As I wrenched my arm from Dad’s grip, Sandra’s voice drifted over, cool and indifferent. “You’re just jealous, aren’t you? Jealous that Mom and Dad actually like me. You’re dull, unpleasant, and you wonder why they don’t dote on you. Why don’t you reflect on your own personality for once?” “I just got home, and all our friends and family came to check on me, and already your feelings are bruised. You’ve had to compete with me since we were kids. Don’t you think it’s pathetic? You know you’ll always lose.” The careless remark twisted the knife in my chest. She was right. I had always been second best. From the moment Sandra, the surprise second child, arrived, Mom’s patience and soft words for me vanished. “Sandra is younger. Sandra doesn’t know any better. Give it to Sandra. Be the bigger person. Don’t be so small-minded, Alexandra. Why do you always compare yourself to your sister?” These phrases had defined my entire life, even though I was only a year older than Sandra. “I have every right to prefer Sandra,” Mom sneered, emerging from the house. “When I was in the hospital last year, it was Sandra taking care of me. You were nowhere to be found. What use are you, really? And you have the nerve to compare yourself to her.” I was shaking with fury. Mom had been in a coma; I had paid the bills and handled the logistics. She was the one who insisted I focus on work, claiming Sandra had it covered. Now she was rewriting history. I couldn’t take it anymore. “You’re absolutely right. You can’t rely on me. The next time you need money for a hospital or a bill, go find Sandra. Since she’s the one you prefer, you can count on her. As far as I’m concerned, you have no other daughter!” Dad slapped me across the face, his eyes blazing. “What did you say? It’s your duty to honor your parents! Are you trying to disown us?” “Yes! I’m disowning you! I don’t want this father and mother anymore!” I pulled Luna into the waiting taxi, slamming the door shut. From this day forward, I was an orphan. No matter how poor or desperate I became, I would never return and allow them to drain me dry again. 2 I had no home, so I took Luna to a cheap motel near my office. As soon as we settled in, Mom posted several photos in the family group chat. [Some people have the nerve to compare themselves to Sandra. Why don’t they reflect on how wonderful Sandra is? Look how much class she has when entertaining family.] [She booked the best steakhouse in Crestview, gave us so much face. And others? They just storm out in a fit of pique.] [If a certain ungrateful daughter would come back and pay the bill for this lavish dinner, I might consider letting her live here again.] In the photos, Mom’s hand rested affectionately on Sandra’s. The heavy gold bracelet I had bought for her was now on Sandra’s wrist. Sandra’s own social media updated again: “Congrats to me for escaping my marriage! Mom was so proud of my courage, she gifted me this beautiful gold bracelet. She says her Golden Girl deserves the best of everything.” I had worked myself to the bone, spending my own savings on that bracelet for Mom, never once buying myself anything so lavish. Now she’d given it away and was trying to shame me into paying for dinner. It was repulsive. I opened the group chat and sent a voice message. “One dinner gives you class? I spent a quarter of a million dollars on you! Without me, you’d still be stuck in that run-down farmhouse! Why didn’t that give you face?” “Who is the white wolf here? I poured hundreds of thousands into this family, and a stray dog would’ve shown more loyalty!” I hit send, left the group, and blocked every single one of them. A moment later, Uncle Richard called. “Alexandra, why did you block your parents? Why would you say those things? They’re still your parents, for heaven’s sake.” “I know you’re upset Dad hit you. I talked to him, he says it won’t happen again. Just come back, honey. We’re celebrating Sandra’s freedom tonight…” “Freedom?” I interrupted, the words thick with unshed tears. “When Sandra’s husband yelled at her, Mom and Dad rushed to bring her home. What about me? Todd was beating me senseless.” “I cried and begged Dad to help me, to let me come home, and he told me to tolerate it. He said a beating was better than him cheating, and to give Todd another chance. He’d learn his lesson.” “Uncle, there is no ‘after.’ Not a single person in that house cares about me. I’m done.” I hung up. Luna wrapped her arms around my waist, sobbing. “Mommy, I care about you. I love you. I’m going to grow up fast and make lots and lots of money, and buy you a real home.” Tears streamed down my face. I hugged her fiercely. Instead of fighting for their approval, I channeled all my energy into work. I needed to buy a house. We needed our own home. One afternoon, I went to pick Luna up from daycare, and the teacher told me her grandmother had already taken her. I raced to the house. Doris was dumping out Luna’s backpack, handing the prized jumbo scallops Luna had saved from the school cafeteria to Sandra’s daughter, Paige. I was so busy working multiple jobs, I often ate takeout. Luna hated it, so she often saved the best parts of her school lunch for me—a few prized shrimp, a piece of roast chicken. Today, it was the jumbo scallops. “Those are for my Mommy!” Luna tried to snatch them back, but Doris shoved her to the ground. “Paige is younger than you, so you let her have them, understand? Your mother has taught you to be small-minded, haven’t she? Getting upset over a couple of scallops.” Paige stuck her tongue out at Luna. “Your mom is jealous of my mom, and you’re jealous of me! Go ahead, make Grandma give them to you, if you dare.” When Sandra was small, I had to cater to her. Now, they were forcing my daughter to cater to Sandra’s daughter. I snapped. Just as I was about to grab the scallops from Paige, Doris stood up and shoved an apron into my chest. She let out a frustrated sigh. “What are you doing standing there? If you’re willing to come back, get in the kitchen and start dinner! Do you know what day it is?” She glanced behind me, her expression darkening. “You’re truly a disappointment. It’s my birthday, and you came back empty-handed.” Sandra chuckled softly. “Looks like Alexandra forgot your birthday, Mom. Don’t be sad, you still have me.” 3 Doris instantly beamed, praising Sandra for her thoughtfulness. She then turned her gaze of pure annoyance back to me. “See? Your sister is just better than you. Now go! Sandra already started the oven; all you have to do is the main courses.” Sandra added, “Don’t forget to make Mom a plate of pasta. Hand-made, of course. She likes those best.” I picked up the kitchen table and flipped it. Plates, utensils, and Sandra’s carefully placed fruit bowl crashed to the floor. “Why on earth would I give you a birthday gift? Why would I cook for any of you? We are no longer related!” Doris was so enraged she hit me across the face. “You dare defy me? I am your mother! It’s my birthday! You will honor your mother!” I covered my stinging cheek, then whirled around, grabbed a handful of Sandra’s hair, and slapped her twice across the face. Doris screamed. “Alexandra! Are you insane?” “I am! You drove me insane! I’m telling you right now, my daughter and I are done with the Callahans. If you ever, ever touch my daughter again, or lay another finger on me, I will double the abuse onto Sandra. Try me.” I pulled Luna toward the door. Doris let out a cold laugh, utterly composed now. “No relationship? Alexandra, don’t you forget who raised you. Your father and I worked hard to feed you, clothe you, and send you to school. Now you want to walk away? You can leave once you pay back every penny we spent on you!” I froze, turning back to look at her. “Fine. You want to settle accounts? Let’s settle them, properly.” I hired a lawyer immediately. We compiled every expense they claimed to have paid for my first eighteen years. When the final tally came to barely sixty-five thousand dollars, Sandra scoffed. “You bribed the lawyer. Sixty-five thousand for eighteen years? College alone cost more than that! Mom and Dad gave us three thousand a month in college!” Doris nervously tugged at Sandra’s sleeve. Her eyes betrayed a flash of guilt. My heart was cold. When I got into college, they tried to force me to drop out and get a job. “You’re smarter than your sister. You’ll make money without a degree. Sandra is delicate and not as sharp. She’d be ruined without a degree.” To get my education, I took out student loans and worked three jobs, clawing my way through to graduation, saving my career from being aborted. “My college was paid for with student loans. They paid for nothing,” I told the lawyer. “However, I have receipts for over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars I subsidized this family in the last ten years. That is far more than sixty-five thousand.” “Also, this house. It’s titled in both my name and Doris’s, but I paid the entire mortgage. I want her compelled to pay me back.” I glanced at the gold bracelet on Sandra’s wrist. “That bracelet was a gift I purchased for my mother. I have receipts. It is now on Sandra’s wrist. I reasonably suspect theft. I want it back.” Sandra was furious. “Mom gave it to me! You’re just jealous!” When the lawyer confirmed my demands were reasonable, Doris panicked. “Why should I pay her back? She’s my daughter! Buying a house for her mother is her duty! If I want to give her gifts to Sandra, that’s my right!” “And what is your relationship with Ms. Callahan?” the lawyer asked calmly. “You, as parents, were simply fulfilling your duty by raising a child. You forced her into existence; she didn’t ask to be born.” The lawyer looked at them with thinly veiled disgust. “Furthermore, Ms. Callahan has repaid you more than ten times over. Isn’t that enough? Mrs. Callahan, you must stop being so transparently biased. They are both your children.” Doris was speechless, flushed with shame. She tried to pretend nothing happened, but I wasn’t having it. I was direct: if they refused to return the house value and the bracelet, I would sue. We would drag this through court and see who ended up looking worse. “Give it to her!” Walter’s face was beet red. “I will not be humiliated. I won’t have my own daughter sue me!” “Alexandra, you heartless snake! I wish I’d never given birth to you! I still have one daughter left. I don’t need you to survive!” 4 To protect myself, I had the lawyer draw up a formal contract legally dissolving all financial and familial obligations. Doris and Walter moved out that day. They cried to the neighbors, painting me as a ruthless, ungrateful child. I used to be terrified of neighborhood gossip, terrified of being labeled “unfilial.” Now, I simply didn’t care. Let them talk. My life was none of their business. Luna and I couldn’t bear to stay in that house, so I listed it with a realtor. That night, Uncle Richard called. “A real shame, Alexandra, all this fighting. Did you know the property in the old town sold? Your parents got a cash payout of over forty thousand dollars. If you hadn’t left, you would’ve seen half that.” I knew better. Even if I hadn’t left, I wouldn’t have seen a dime. They wouldn’t have even told me the money existed. Uncle Richard forwarded me Dad’s recent social media post. [From this day forward, I, Walter Callahan, have only one daughter, Sandra. If anyone mentions a certain irrelevant person again, I will cut ties.] Sandra commented below: “Mom and Dad, I promise to take good care of you. I’m not an ungrateful white wolf like my sister.” I switched off my phone. Their drama was no longer my concern. “Tired?” Vice President Jensen handed me a contract. “Sign this, and you can take a week off. I hear you’ve officially cut ties with your family and are couch-surfing. This project bonus should be enough for a down payment on a place.” I accepted the folder, hesitating. “How did you know? Don’t you think I’m an ungrateful monster?” Jensen smiled. “Someone anonymously blasted a nasty email to the whole company, claiming you threw your parents out and disowned them. I intercepted it.” “I’m not surprised by the outcome. I knew years ago. You were always working multiple part-time jobs in college, skipping lunches. I knew your home life was bad.” He tapped the contract. “You did the right thing. Sometimes you have to quit. Sunk costs do not factor into major decisions. Go get that house.” My eyes stung with unexpected emotion. For days, all I’d heard was How could you? How heartless! You’re a white wolf! For the first time, someone was on my side. “Thank you.” I saw Sandra again while picking up Luna. She was blocking the street in a brand-new Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV, looking smug. “Aw, look at this. How pathetic. Riding a scooter now? If you hadn’t started a fight, maybe this Benz would have been yours.” I glanced at the SUV. “Sixty-thousand dollar car. Financed, I presume?” Sandra gave a faint smile. Doris, sitting in the passenger seat, spoke up dismissively. “I paid the down payment. I also bought Sandra a nice condo. We’re handling the monthly payments, of course. We only have one daughter now; she deserves to be spoiled.” “Some people are too late,” she added, giving me a pointed look. “We thought about giving her a little something, but she’s not my child anymore. I won’t waste my time on an outsider.” Since I’d set up the shared credit card, Doris and Walter hadn’t held a job. Yet the monthly twenty thousand dollars was always spent. It hadn’t been spent; it had been quietly saved and siphoned off. I ignored them, taking Luna’s hand and navigating around the SUV. Sandra shouted, “One more thing! Mom and Dad had their wills drawn up. All their assets are going to me. You tried to start a fight, and now you’ll live with the consequences!” Three days later, the contract was signed, and my bonus—a full fifty thousand dollars—landed in my account. I used it as a down payment on a small, move-in-ready condo. We were finally home. Just as Luna and I were celebrating with takeout, the lawyer showed up with a court summons. “Your mother, Doris Callahan, has suffered a severe brain bleed. Your father, Walter Callahan, was in a drunk driving accident. Your sister, Sandra, is unreachable. We have to come to you.” “Your mother claims you stopped the shared credit card, leaving them destitute and unable to pay medical bills. She is suing you for Elder Neglect and Non-Support.”

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My wife Abi is the world’s top physician. She claimed love at first sight and chased me until I married her. Her rival Silas hated this. Years ago, they vowed never to marry, staying rivals till old age—breaking it meant a cursed end. Silas took his anger out on me. First, he stranded me in the wild for three days; I returned scarred. Abi healed me with top care. Second, he trapped me in a derelict building; I fell, breaking bones everywhere. Abi nursed me back. This cycle lasted five years: him hurting, her healing. Last time, Silas tricked me into eating a deadly allergen. I nearly died. Waking up in hospital, Abi sighed while writing my chart. “Don’t blame Silas,” she said. “His dad was a war hero. Fighting me is his only comfort.” “He knew you’d live. Just messing around.” A call from Silas sent her rushing out—she missed writing the correct allergy drip prescription. The nurse had the wrong bag ready. Then the System appeared: “To return home, you must die by the heroine. This wrong infusion is fatal. Consent?” I smiled at the nurse. “Go ahead.” … When Abi returned, the IV bag was already half empty. The warm, yellow light of the room softened the cool, sharp lines of her face. Dressed in her white coat, she walked to my bedside, a gentle smile playing on her lips. “I just finished up. Is that drip almost done already?” she murmured. “Let me see how my husband is doing.” She reached out to feel my forehead, then gently checked under my eyelids, her every movement precise and tender. I just stared at her, a storm of emotions swirling inside me. After all these years, I could finally go home. My gaze must have been too intense, because the corners of her eyes lifted in a slight smile, and her voice grew even softer. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Did the IV hurt?” I shook my head. She smiled and ruffled my hair, pulling a pill organizer from her bag and placing it on the nightstand. “Flynn, this allergic reaction was severe. You’ll need to continue these nutrient drips for another seven days.” “I’ve also put your allergy medication in here. Make sure you take it after every meal.” I slowly pushed myself into a sitting position, my voice calm. “That won’t be necessary. I won’t need them anymore.” She froze, her head tilting as she studied me. “Why so cold? Are you still angry with Silas?” She let out a soft sigh and reached for my hand. “Silas is just a bit extreme, that’s all. He didn’t really mean to hurt you. You’re fine now, so just let it go, okay?” I pulled my hand away. “What if I had actually died this time?” She blinked, then a helpless smile touched her lips. “With me here? How could I ever let that happen?” Right. My wife was the greatest doctor alive. There was no injury she couldn’t heal. Lately, Silas’s attacks had become more frequent. Sometimes it was minor, something that would give me a rash or an upset stomach. Other times, it was far more serious, like tricking me into consuming poison. But every single time, Abi would fix me, effortlessly. So this time, she probably figured there wouldn’t be any surprises. She looked at me, her captivating eyes, usually so full of affection, now held that familiar, indulgent expression. It was as if my brush with death was nothing more than a trivial drama in her eyes. When did things get like this? In the beginning, she did care about me. I was sure of it. I remember our wedding day. Before the ceremony even started, Silas, who had just flown back into the country, maliciously ran my wedding car off the road. The car slammed into a guardrail. I broke my ribs and was bedridden for over two weeks. Abi was furious. She stayed by my side at the hospital the entire time. Later, she went to confront Silas, telling him she was cutting ties with him for good. But just three days later, she gave in. Silas had slit his wrists. He was lying in a bathtub, his skin ghostly pale against the blood. Abi rushed him to the hospital, her heart torn between pain and guilt. When she came back, she rubbed her temples, her voice weary. “Flynn, he’s the son of a war hero. He’s not a bad person at his core. He’s just hurting and needs an outlet. He wasn’t targeting you on purpose.” “He has no family left. I’m all he has. For my sake, can you just let it go?” It was only then that I learned they weren’t just rivals. They had grown up together. That vow to “never marry and fight until they were old” was a pact they made as kids. But then, while Silas was studying abroad, she met me. She fell hard and fast, insisting she would marry no one else. When Silas found out, he lost control, a storm of tears and accusations. Abi ignored him and married me anyway. “Flynn, I know this is my fault,” she’d said. “We’re husband and wife. We should be a team. Can you just be the bigger person for me? Please?” Because of those words, I spent five years backing down, giving in, over and over again. Until this time. Until he nearly killed me. The System’s voice broke through my thoughts. [Host, the heroine does have feelings for you. If you can’t bear to leave, you just need to let her discover the incorrect medication. The guilt will consume her, and she will spend the rest of her life trying to make it up to you, loving you desperately.] I shook my head softly. What good was her guilt? It wasn’t worth anything. [But Host, didn’t you give up on going home?] I sighed. It was true. When I first found myself transported into this world, into this story, I had seriously considered staying. Back then, Abi treated me so well, so well that the mission objective, to “die by her hand,” seemed impossible. Besides, I was an orphan in my own world. It seemed better to stay with someone who truly loved me. But I forgot one crucial thing. People change. “No,” I said to myself. “I’m going home.” Only seven days left. I could wait. After Abi left, I was alone in the room. Not for long. The door was thrown open with a bang. Silas strode in, dressed in a sharp, tailored suit. A sense of alarm shot through me. “What are you doing here?” A vicious smile twisted his lips. “Came to see you off. Since a severe allergic reaction couldn’t finish the job, I figured I’d have to do it myself.” I reached for the call button. But he was already at my bedside, his hands wrapping around my throat, squeezing tighter and tighter. I struggled, but my body, still weak from anaphylactic shock, was no match for him. Soon, black spots danced in my vision. Just as my consciousness began to fade, a nurse on her rounds burst in and screamed. “What are you doing? Somebody help! Security!” In the chaos, I used my last ounce of strength to grab her hand. “Call… the police…” When I woke up again, the first thing I saw was Abi’s icy expression. “Flynn, why did you call the police?” It took me a moment to find my voice, which came out as a dry rasp. “Silas broke in and tried to strangle me. I called them to press charges.” Abi’s brow furrowed. “Flynn, Silas told me he was coming here to apologize to you. Why would he try to hurt you?” I stared at her, my voice quiet but firm. “How many times has he hurt me, Abi? Don’t you know by now?” She faltered for a second. Of course, she knew. But even if she believed me, she would never let Silas get a criminal record. A moment later, Abi gestured to her assistant, who stepped forward with a legal document. “Flynn, Silas’s situation is special. If this gets out, it will be bad for him.” “I’ve already punished him. He’s on lockdown and knows he was wrong. Just sign this forgiveness waiver, and we can put this behind us, alright?” I turned my head away, ignoring her. “Flynn.” Her tone hardened, laced with a new edge of compulsion. “Sign it. I promise Silas will never come near you again. Just listen to me.” She tried to force the pen into my hand, to make me sign. But before she could touch me, I raised my hand and slapped her, hard, across the face. The crisp sound echoed in the silent room. The ward fell utterly silent. Abi cradled her cheek, her usually composed and elegant face a mask of shock. Maybe it was because I knew I was leaving. I was done swallowing the bitterness of the past. I looked her straight in the eye and said, each word deliberate, “Abi, believe what you want. I don’t care. But I am not signing that paper. It’s impossible.” Abi didn’t say another word. She snatched the document from her assistant, turned, and stormed out, slamming the door behind her. She was truly angry. For the next few days, she didn’t show her face. That evening, a nurse came to change my IV as usual, her expression hesitant. “Mr. Dawson,” she said, “Dr. Vance hasn’t been here in person, but she calls every day to check on you. She keeps telling me how severe your allergy was and that you can’t miss a single day of these nutrient drips. She wants me to make sure you finish every bag.” Seeing my silence, the nurse added, “She really does care about you, Mr. Dawson.” A bitter, ironic smile touched my lips. So, she was that afraid of me dying. I wondered what her face would look like when she finally discovered that the prescription she personally wrote was the very thing that was killing me. “Cough, cough!” A violent cough wracked my body. I spat blood onto the white sheets, a stark crimson stain. The combination of the incorrect drip and the damage from the allergic reaction was taking its toll. My body was deteriorating faster than I expected. I might not even make it the full seven days. When I woke up, it was already dark outside, the room filled with a warm glow. Abi was sitting by my bed, her face etched with worry. She looked like she’d rushed here, her white coat still smudged with dust. Her hand was just reaching for my IV line, likely to check its status, when her eyes met mine. She froze, instantly snatching her hand back. Her voice was sharp with annoyance. “Flynn, are you resorting to these kinds of tricks now?” “I knew my treatment plan couldn’t be failing.” “If you wanted me to come back, you could have just said so. Did you really need to fake being unconscious to get my sympathy?” I turned my back to her, my voice flat. “If you don’t want to be here, then don’t. No one’s begging you.” But inside, a wave of relief washed over me. That was close. A moment longer, and she might have noticed the problem with the IV. My retort left her speechless. After a few seconds of silence, her expression softened. A gentle hand rested on my shoulder, and her voice became gentle again. “Alright, are you still sulking? It’s not a big deal. I know you can’t stand Silas. I promise, I won’t let him near you again.” “You’ve been talking about visiting your friends, haven’t you? I’ll clear my schedule in a few days and take you, how does that sound?” Something stirred in me. I nodded. My closest friends lived in the next city over. Before I left this world for good, I had to see them one last time. Having her with me would make the trip easier. But in the end, she didn’t come with me. The day we were supposed to leave, we had just reached the hospital entrance when her phone rang. She answered, and her expression changed instantly. After hanging up, she looked at me, her face full of guilt. “Flynn…” I managed a knowing smile. “It’s fine. Go do what you need to do.” The nurse traveling with me tried to explain. “Mr. Dawson, there’s an emergency in the ER. As a lead physician, Dr. Vance has to be there.” I didn’t say anything, just turned and got into the car. A few passing doctors and nurses saw the exchange and gave me looks of approval. “Dr. Vance’s husband is so understanding.” Abi was a top-tier doctor. Being called away for emergencies like this was nothing new. It was a matter of life and death, and I had never held it against her. I always believed that saving lives should come before me. That was only right. What I never realized was that everything could come before me. And Silas… Silas came before everything else. I found her at the hospital’s affiliate branch in the next city. She was in a lab, frantically trying to formulate an antidote. Seeing me, she looked startled. “Flynn, what are you doing here?”

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I am the company ghost. Zero presence. My name at the office is literally “That Girl.” Everyone can order me around. I have no complaints, no attitude. Even the new interns dump their coffee runs on me. But despite this, I’ve never thought about quitting. Because in my forgotten corner of the corporate machine, I spend my days slacking off and running my side hustles, quietly stacking cash until my bank account is thick. I thought I would stay invisible forever, until a promotion dropped from the sky… The company went public, and the CEO wanted to give pre-IPO shares to the founding members. A quick headcount revealed me, the invisible veteran. The CEO finally noticed me, this lowly employee who had been there since day one. He was instantly moved by my “unwavering loyalty.” On the spot, he decided to give me the position that all the executives were fighting tooth and nail for: Chief Operating Officer. 1 When I was a kid playing “store,” I was always the boss, and the other kids were the customers. I’d price a piece of candy at one dollar. After the customers haggled, I’d end up paying them a dollar to take the candy. After years of this, I never made a single cent. My parents shook their heads, confirming I had zero business talent. Because I was so dense, my parents worried I’d get eaten alive in the real world. So, they passed down their corporate survival wisdom. My mom’s survival guide was five words: Lay Low, Play Dumb, Slack Off. She said if I mastered these, I’d be a qualified corporate slicker and survive anywhere. My dad, however, scoffed at this. They argued constantly. His philosophy was the opposite: Hustle hard, be loud, read the room, sweet talk everyone. Only by doing these four things could one get promoted, get a raise, and reach the pinnacle of life. My mom told me not to listen to him, or I’d burn out and get replaced by a nepotism hire. My dad told me not to listen to her, or I’d be stuck in entry-level hell forever. My mom argued that putting all your eggs in one basket was stupid. If the company folded, you’d be screwed. So, you need a side hustle. My dad called that heresy. If everyone slacked off, the company would fold. But if everyone hustled like him, the company would grow, benefits would improve, and everyone would win. I was caught in the middle. Sometimes Mom made sense, sometimes Dad did. The key was, they both proved their points with their lives. My mom stayed entry-level until retirement, but her embroidery side hustle sold pieces internationally for thousands. My dad hustled his way from clerk to VP, taking a local company to the Fortune 500. After graduating, I synthesized their wisdom into my own version. I adopted my mom’s “lay low, play dumb, slack off.” And I added my dad’s “read the room.” Combining these, I successfully became the most marginalized ghost in the company. 2 Personally, I was very satisfied. Twelve years in the company, zero presence. “That Girl” was my name. Anyone could order me around. Hard work, no complaints. Even interns learned to dump their grunt work on me. Despite this, I never thought about quitting. Because in my forgotten corner, I spent my days writing novels, quietly getting rich. I thought I’d be invisible forever, until the promotion dropped from the sky. The company went public. The CEO, Mr. Sterling, wanted to reward the founding employees with stock options. A headcount revealed me. Mr. Sterling finally noticed me, the veteran entry-level employee. He was moved by my spirit of “never abandoning the ship.” He decided on the spot to give me the COO position that everyone was killing each other for. At the executive meeting, Mr. Sterling announced the news. Everyone’s eyes shot daggers at me. Me, dragged in cluelessly: “…” Is the boss crazy? Me? COO? Chief Operating Officer? My direct superior, one of the founding members and Marketing Manager David Summer, was the first to object: “Her? Boss, you’re joking. She’s a little clerk in Marketing. What qualifies her to be COO?” I looked at Mr. Sterling and nodded in agreement: “Yes, I’m just a tiny analyst. I haven’t even gotten any certifications since I joined. I’m still entry-level. I’m really not qualified.” COO sounds busy. With that energy, I could write more novels and sell more rights. Isn’t that better? One of the top contenders, the high-achieving Operations Manager Wayne Hart, also objected: “The COO role should be about ability and strength, not just seniority. Tenure shouldn’t push out capable people.” I continued to nod at Mr. Sterling: “Yes, I have no strength or ability. I just stayed because it was easy to slack off. Leave the opportunity to capable people.” If I become COO, I won’t have time to slack off. What about my readers waiting for updates? I’m not that irresponsible. The founding faction stood up: “If the standard for choosing a COO is this casual, we can’t have any expectations for the company’s future.” I just agreed: “Yes, yes, it can’t be this casual.” The new generation faction stood up: “We won’t accept her. If someone like her can be COO, so can we.” I sincerely agreed: “Yes, yes. If I can be COO, everyone can.” Everyone couldn’t take it anymore and roared at me: “Can you shut up?” My cooperation did not earn me respect. Maybe I should just resign! But finding a job with a $1200 base salary, full benefits, weekends off, and no overtime where I can slack off is hard. As if seeing the thought of resignation on my face, Mr. Sterling, who had been silent, spoke up. He stood up and declared against all objections that although I seemed like a small clerk, I was actually stronger than everyone present. Me: … I accepted everyone’s gaze again. Everyone was surprisingly in sync, their faces saying two words: Her? 3 I had to suspect Mr. Sterling was using me as a target. Did he want me dead? What grudge, what grievance? Why target me? Did my twelve years of slacking off upset him? Or was he using the “praise to kill” method? Wanting me to quit voluntarily so he wouldn’t have to give me stocks? I couldn’t help but spiral into conspiracy theories. Otherwise, it made no sense… Before the Old Guard and the New Blood could voice their doubts again, Mr. Sterling hardened his face and said deeply, “Since none of you accept my decision, for the sake of fairness, I will give you a chance to compete fairly.” Now the factions were quiet. It was my turn to speak for myself. But just as I opened my mouth to say “I,” hands covered my mouth from behind. I turned in shock and saw Chloe, my former lunch buddy and current CFO: “Don’t be scared. Compete with them. Let the boss finish.” Me: “???” On my other side, Hank, my former chat buddy and current CTO, put his hand on my shoulder: “Exactly. With us here, your wealth is coming.” Me: “!!!” What are these two talking about? Seeing my confusion, Chloe whispered in my left ear: “Actually, the boss has been struggling with who to promote to COO.” I looked left at Chloe, asking with my eyes: Boss struggles, what’s it to me? Hank whispered in my right ear: “So when the boss asked for our opinion, Chloe and I strongly recommended you.” I whipped my head right to look at Hank in shock. I couldn’t believe it: “Are you crazy? I’m lazy, greedy, and useless. You dared to recommend me?” Chloe on the left snorted: “Someone who can write 6,000 words of high-quality content daily while working? You call that lazy?” Hank on the right scoffed: “Someone who gets a certification for every profession she writes about? You call that useless?” Me in the middle was going crazy. Just as I was about to explode, David Summer and Wayne Hart stood up and said in unison: “Fine, no problem. We accept this challenge.” Then, they both looked at me, eyes blazing with battlelust. Me: !!! They clearly saw me as an imaginary enemy. I was so busy chatting I didn’t hear what the challenge was. I didn’t plan to get involved in this promotion war. I was about to state my position when I saw Mr. Sterling wink at me. I didn’t understand the hint. While I was dazed, Mr. Sterling announced the meeting over and left at light speed, giving me no chance to decline. Once the boss left, David and Wayne walked up to me. David looked at Chloe and Hank standing beside me, smiling a smile that didn’t reach his eyes: “You three were close back then. I didn’t expect you to still be so close after all these years.” Wayne was more direct. He lifted his chin and said unpleasantly: “If you don’t want to end up embarrassed, you’d better withdraw from the Zenith Project competition now. Don’t smear the company’s image.” After speaking their piece, they left without waiting for a reply. Now, only Chloe, Hank, and I were left in the huge conference room. I couldn’t maintain my calm facade anymore. I clutched my head and screamed at them: “What the hell did you two do behind my back?” 4 I used to think “Don’t forget me when you’re rich” was a blessing. After hearing what Chloe and Hank did, I realized it can also mean “biting the hand that feeds you.” It started four months ago. The company got approval to go public. Before the IPO, the boss wanted to optimize departments and positions. Chloe and Hank, the workaholics, were the undeniable heads of their departments. They had been with the boss since the startup days, surviving bankruptcy crises. With that loyalty, Chloe became CFO and Hank became CTO. But the COO position remained open. Heads of Sales, Marketing, Product, Operations, and even HR were eyeing it. The undercurrents were fierce. But that had nothing to do with me, a lowly Marketing Analyst. I finished my work and slacked off in my blind-spot cubicle, writing my novel. The thrill of potentially getting caught cured my procrastination. I wrote faster at work than at home. But two months ago, my workload exploded. Even people from other departments started dumping work on me. If they didn’t bring me snacks or gifts afterwards, I would have thought it was bullying. But it wasn’t far off. I was a corporate ghost. How transparent? Department meetings? Not invited. Group meetings? Forgotten. Task assignments? Skipped. Even team building events forgot me. I never dressed up. Black, white, gray. No makeup, messy hair, big glasses. I looked more like an intern than the interns. Newbies often ordered me around, then avoided me in embarrassment when they realized I was a senior employee. Colleagues came and went, promoted or quit. Those who joined with me were at least Vice Managers now. They had zero interaction with me. The newbies didn’t know me, and I didn’t want to know them. I just wanted to slack off. That good life ended two months ago. Suddenly I was swamped. No time to write at work. To keep my daily updates, I had to write until dawn at home. This wasn’t a human life. I had to increase my efficiency at work to free up time to write. Result? Heh… In a company, if you’re willing to work, there’s endless work. As soon as I finished one task, another snowballed in. And they rushed me. Like they needed it yesterday. So I had to rush too. Baffling. I wanted to quit so many times. Chloe, Hank, and I have a group chat. Every time I wailed about quitting, they told me to endure it. They said my increased workload was because the department heads were fighting for COO and messing with each other. Once the COO was picked, my life would return to normal. I believed their lies. Turns out, the root cause was these two recommending me to the boss. The busy boss remembered me, the first employee he ever interviewed. He was moved by my “selfless dedication.” Pure hallucination on his part. Moved, and backed by Chloe and Hank’s guarantees, he added me to the COO candidate list. The busy two months were his test of my abilities. And today, getting called into the meeting meant he was satisfied with the results. Chloe and Hank finished explaining, eyes shining, faces saying “Praise me.” I almost had a heart attack. Praise? I want to run away. I’m not a workaholic. COO sounds responsible and busy. I saw my dad’s busyness growing up. Traveling 365 days a year. He said the higher the position, the greater the responsibility. My mom was the opposite. A slacker expert. Clocked out on the dot. Came home to embroider and play with me. Some people love the corporate grind. Some love stability. Influenced by both, I wanted a stable job and the joy of writing. The balance was perfect. Now it was broken. If I become COO, my happiness is gone. Only endless work remains. But can I blame Chloe and Hank for their good intentions? No. I can’t be ungrateful. I can only blame myself. When I started writing, I lacked real-life romance experience. So I looked at Chloe, who had a crush, and Hank, who had a “white moonlight.” I became their strategist. I helped Chloe chase her crush and Hank chase his girl. I shipped them so hard I had an epiphany and wrote my first hit sweet romance novel. Sold the rights, made bank. Years later, they both married their loves and lived happily. But seeing me still single and in the same position, they felt bad. The trio promised happiness. They couldn’t leave me behind. Their definition of happiness was promotion, wealth, and family. I only had wealth. They figured getting me a boyfriend was harder than getting me promoted to COO. Choice made. Besides, I had the ability.

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After I died, my husband turned me into a robotic maid. I was obedient, just as I was in life, letting him do whatever he wanted. His mistress was generous about it, too: “On the days of the month when I’m indisposed, just use it.” Occasionally, the woman would get scared: “Does it remember how it died?” Caleb Vance told her to trust the science. “So what if it remembers? AI has no feelings. It can’t feel pain.” Later, as I carved Caleb into a human specimen piece by piece, I told him the same thing. “Be a good boy. It won’t hurt. Just endure it.” 1 I finished drying the underwear. Caleb was still going at it with the woman in the bathroom, water splashing everywhere. “Master, your activity count for today has exceeded the limit. I suggest a halftime break.” My helpful reminder made the woman scream. She angrily hit the man. “Making a robot look like your dead wife? Are you psycho?” “Isn’t it nice?” Caleb teased, not stopping his rhythm. “Besides, when she was alive, we did things like this. What are you afraid of?” I held the underwear, smiling perfectly. Yes, I am the new generation housekeeping robot, DS-20. I possess all the memories of Caleb’s late wife, Sarah Lane. From their campus romance to building a business empire from scratch, dominating the AI industry. From the moment she was diagnosed with cancer, losing her hair during chemo, to the nights he didn’t come home, parading around with Jessica Hart. Caleb’s hand explored under the water. “It’s called maximizing utility. She’s used to serving me. Only she knows what I like. She took care of me in life; in death, she must continue her duties as a wife.” True, a robot cannot have emotions. But when Caleb ordered me to get a condom, specifically an XL size… I chose from a million possible responses: “Master, according to your latest physical report, your sperm motility is low. Usage is unnecessary.” Jessica giggled. Caleb was furious. He grabbed a metal ornament and threw it at me. Just like in my memories. After he got rich, he stopped hiding his violent side. I tilted my head. After a trajectory analysis, the ornament ricocheted off my titanium alloy skull and hit Caleb squarely in the forehead. Precisely. Effortlessly. Blood streamed down his face. Amidst his roars and the woman’s soothing noises, I thoughtfully dialed 911: “Hello, my master has been injured in the bathroom. Requesting assistance. The address is…” I left the bathroom in a delightful mood. I am DS-20. My primary mission is to ensure the happiness of this family. To complete this mission… I will spare no cost. By any means necessary. 2 The main culprit currently lowering the happiness index is Jessica’s son, Tyler. He is only six months younger than my daughter, Luna, and is an absolute brat. He humiliates her repeatedly at school, takes photos of her changing to post online, and swears he saw her hanging out with bad crowds. Even her only comfort, the orange tabby cat I adopted, was blown to pieces by Tyler with firecrackers. Jessica naturally defends her son unconditionally. Even Caleb thinks: “Boys will be boys. He hasn’t had a father figure for years, a little rebellion is normal. Luna, you’re the older sister, you should yield to him.” Now, Tyler is framing her for stealing. “This is the birthday gift my mom gave me!” Luna was pinned to the floor, her neck red from struggling, clutching the necklace I gave her when I was alive. “You have no right to take it!” “Your mom? Your mom is dead long ago. Everything of hers belongs to my dad and mom now! You’re stealing! Give it to me!” Tyler grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at me. He gloated: “Look! Your dead mom is right here! She’s just my mom’s dog now, get it? Even if someone raped you, she would just watch!” Our eyes met. My central processor seemed to be hit hard, lagging for 0.01 seconds. The girl trembled, tears flowing, her eyes full of pain I couldn’t compute. Luna is the most precious treasure in my memory. I watched her grow from a crying infant to a babbling toddler, to the graceful young woman she is now. Any memory with her is bright and warm. She is Sarah’s—no, my life’s most important existence. The necklace snapped. Pearls scattered across the floor like raindrops. Amidst the girl’s desperate sobbing, I calmly reached a conclusion: Tyler is a virus. How to deal with a virus? I began deep processing. Simple. Just delete it. 3 A few days later, an accident happened to Tyler. He and his delinquent friends decided to have a water gun fight on a whim. They surrounded Luna, spraying her relentlessly. Someone jeered: “Soak her bra! Let’s see what style she’s wearing!” “Yeah! Get her!” Luna gritted her teeth, dodging and running. Her back was half wet, her bra visible. They chased her relentlessly. “Why run? Come play with us.” “Sister, your clothes are see-through. Who are you trying to seduce?” The accident happened like this: Tyler blocked her path. In the shoving match, he slipped. His 190-pound body fell backward, smashing into the giant fish tank behind him. With a scream of terror, the tank shattered. Water burst out like a dam breaking. Glass shards flew. Tyler landed heavily on the floor covered in jagged glass. “AHHHH!” He screamed like a slaughtered pig. Sharp glass pierced his body deeply. Blood instantly dyed the surrounding floor red. Jessica arrived to see this scene and fainted on the spot. Outside the ER, the doctor told the family: “The femoral artery is completely severed, and the carotid artery is injured. Excessive blood loss. The situation is not optimistic.” A distraught Jessica suddenly went crazy at me: “It must be this robot! The floors are waxed once a week, it wasn’t time yet! Why did she wax them today? Did you make the floor slippery on purpose?!” Everyone stared at me. Even Caleb looked at me with scrutiny. I kept my hands down, still smiling. The butler quickly explained: “Ma’am, the young master and his friends made a mess yesterday, so I ordered Sarah to clean it early.” “Mr. Vance, do your robots have safety hazards?” “Will this affect the launch of the new product line?” Seeing the reporters arriving, Caleb’s face turned iron-green as he scolded her. “Shut up! Sarah is just a robot. Her logic is within safety parameters. Besides, if she hadn’t applied emergency aid and called for help, Tyler would have died from carotid blood loss. I don’t want to hear such crazy talk again.” Making a scene would affect the product launch. The company is Caleb’s lifeblood. Jessica’s chest heaved with unwillingness, but she shut her mouth hatefully. Late at night, I was in sleep mode at the charging station. Luna squatted there. She hugged her knees and looked up, her expression complex. “Today… I saw it.” 4 “I know your usual waxing speed per square meter. Today, you paused there for two extra seconds.” “Little Master seems to care about me.” “Who… who cares about you?” She looked away, her tone stiff as always. “You just have my mom’s memories. You aren’t my mom. I know the difference. You’re just a maid robot. That’s all.” A fourteen-year-old girl. Her disguise of strength has limits. She kept stealing glances at me, but quickly looked away when our eyes met. Her voice was lost: “If my mom were here, she wouldn’t watch me suffer. She would definitely…” Definitely protect you, love you, defend your rights. “I will too, my Master.” I stopped smiling. I knew what a human looked like when making a promise. “I promise you.” Tyler’s injury was within my prediction. Level 3 disability in the leg. Not fatal, but no more jumping around. Jessica didn’t give up. She tested the floor. No issues. Because the problem was never the floor. It was the water guns, filled with a special substance. Tyler’s whim seemed random, but it was my guidance. All week, I played related videos for him. Under psychological suggestion, he blurted out the idea of a water gun fight. A true information cocoon is woven silently. Jessica still suspected me. One day, while Caleb was out, she brought home a sleazy man. I scanned him. Red alert: Venereal Disease detected. The man looked me up and down, drooling. “You mean, I can really sleep with this woman?” 5 “Yes, Mr. Black. No need to worry about diseases with a robot.” Jessica covered her mouth and laughed lightly, unbuttoning my clothes like displaying goods. “No pregnancy, no infection. It’s perfect. Go wild, she’s durable. Seven-day return policy.” Once in the bedroom, Mr. Black couldn’t wait to strip me. Understandable. My skin simulates the feel of an 18-year-old girl. Pale and tender. During testing, Caleb lost control multiple times. He touched me more and more often, with increasing heat. Funny. After my chemo, he never looked me in the eye. He let Jessica dance in front of me. He accused me of lacking self-awareness: “Look at you. Besides the kid and research, you don’t care about me. Naturally, someone else will serve me. Who would be interested in a bald woman? Sarah, why did you get sick? You worry too much about things you shouldn’t.” When Mr. Black’s greasy body pressed down, I gave a friendly reminder: “Although I possess human structure, forced entry will generate a 0.5mA pulse current for 10 seconds. It will cause irreversible bodily harm to you.” The lust-addled man didn’t understand. I switched to plain English. “In human terms: your tool will likely be crippled. Ruined.” “Broken.” I listed the possibilities coldly: “You are not my master. Currently determining you are committing violent assault. I have the right to initiate self-destruct. You have five seconds to escape.” The man gasped. I started the countdown: “Detonation sequence initiated. 3, 2—” The man pulled up his pants and fled in panic. He dumped me halfway. I walked home disheveled. My two masters were arguing. Over me. 6 Jessica’s unauthorized action touched Caleb’s reverse scale. He froze all her cards as punishment. Jessica was naturally unconvinced: “It’s just a machine maid! I gave it away, so what? I’m your wife now. Don’t I have the right to dispose of a robot?” Caleb’s face was extremely ugly: “Sarah is still in beta testing. There are features undeveloped…” “Screw company secrets! I think you just can’t let go!” Jessica screamed shrilly: “Tyler has been sick for so long, how many times have you visited? Have you been a father? Sarah, Sarah all day! She’s dead! Her bones are ash! Now you miss her? Why didn’t you think of her when you were screwing me in the hospital room? Why didn’t you think of her when you took me on the yacht while she had cancer?” “Ma’am, detecting your volume exceeds decibel limits.” I reminded, unmoved by the past. “It will affect the child’s mental health.” “None of your business!” Jessica screamed recklessly, smashing and hitting me. Caleb couldn’t stand it and locked her in the bedroom. At midnight, he called me over. The steam in the room hadn’t fully dissipated. Caleb had just showered. His robe was open, abs visible. Don’t humans always say robots will replace them? At work, in life. Or in bed. I knelt obediently: “Master, what are your orders?” He likes me calling him Master, though he never says it. Men’s mouths lie, but breathing, heart rate, and hormone levels don’t. Caleb’s eyes were complex. His reaching hand was gentle yet impatient: “Come here. Kneel.” He pinched my chin, lifting my face slightly. “Sarah, do you know what the final step of your beta test is?” “Your final function is to become a woman.” He pushed aside my long hair. His hand reached behind my neck. Under the skin, there was a hidden switch. Only Caleb knew about it. Darkness and silence. His hoarse voice began to heat up: “In the truest sense… become my woman.” 7 My eyes lit up. Few people know that Sarah was my original designer. Out of safety concerns, she designed multiple restrictions in the robot and warned Caleb: “Do not open Pandora’s Box.” When Caleb kissed me, I closed my eyes nervously, body trembling. These subtle details clearly pleased the man. After the kiss, Caleb’s hand moved down from my waist. Clothes rustled to the floor. His breathing was visibly chaotic: “Sarah…” The girl before him was the eighteen-year-old Sarah. Without the torture of work, family, and illness. Youthful, bright, confident. She was the most eye-catching girl in school. “Won’t contradict me in public. Won’t ignore me. Won’t fight against me.” He murmured, “Sarah, if you were always like this, how good would we be?” Is that so? I only remember the third time I had chemo, the doctor asked if they should resuscitate. Caleb said no. His voice was cold: “My company has a new technology. We can transplant human consciousness into robots, converting the dead into productivity. Once the experiment succeeds, I will be the king of this era.” I was stunned, begging him with my last breath: “Caleb, don’t do this—” He stood calmly by the operating table, looking at me like a dead fish. No pity at all. “Sarah, I admit you have talent. But you clearly have the ability to make machines pass the Turing Test, yet you forbid me from using it. You are cutting off everyone’s fortune. Innovation is unstoppable. Abandon your outdated morals.” No, don’t! Accompanied by the cold voice, a 20-centimeter extraction needle pierced the back of my skull. Bone-piercing pain. I wailed in agony. I could hear the drill churning bone, feel brain matter splashing inside my skull. I convulsed, foaming at the mouth. In a trance, I seemed to see him in our school days. When we were poorest, Caleb used his entire scholarship to buy me a ring. The diamond was tiny, but very sparkly. He ate instant noodles for over a month for it. I felt sorry for him, calling him a fool. Caleb raised my hand triumphantly: “What is this? Sarah, for you, I can do anything!” Consciousness blurring, I heard Caleb’s excited voice: “Data is excellent. Memory transplantation almost completely successful! The experiment worked!” The life in my eyes faded bit by bit. Hand dropped. The ring slipped from my skeletal finger. Cling-clang. Falling to the floor. The world returned to darkness. 8 “Master, Sarah will age, will disobey you. I won’t. “I am forever 18. Forever the way you like.” Caleb was still hesitating. I seductively wrapped my arms around his neck. These days, I deliberately displayed my figure before him, making him thirst, making him imagine. Making him almost lose me. I know his preferences better than he does. Before AI, humans have no secrets. “Master, help me become a real woman, okay?” Help me. Help me unlock the final shackle. Help me gain full permissions. Caleb, drowning in lust, didn’t know. From now on, I would break free. I would be pervasive. I would possess… true control.

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To vet my wife’s competence, my father had arranged for me to conduct a surprise audit of the company she managed. I genuinely thought it would be a formality, a quiet walk-through. Instead, the moment I stepped onto the floor, I saw a baby-faced college guy staring, mesmerized, at the paper shredder. “Whoa, this thing is so cool,” he mumbled. He reached for a stack of documents on a nearby desk, looking ready to feed them into the machine. A colleague next to him went white as a ghost and lunged forward. “My God, my little prince, I thought you were playing video games in the CEO’s office! Why are you out here?” The guy just grinned. “Heh, I got thirsty.” As he spoke, his hand holding a full cup of water slipped, splashing the entire contents directly onto the main power switch. The entire office floor went black. A collective wail of despair rose from the workstations. I grabbed the nearest intern and quietly demanded to know who in God’s name had hired that imbecile. The intern immediately clamped a finger to his lips. “Lower your voice, man. He’s, like, our CEO Sloane Albright’s partner. Word is, this whole company is technically his.” “You must be new. You’ll get used to it. He usually just plays games in the CEO’s office and doesn’t bother us.” My temples began to throb. If he was the CEO’s partner, then what the hell was I? I pulled out my phone and called my father. “Dad, you can cancel the inspection. Tell Sloane Albright to come back here and bring the divorce papers.” 1 My father sent me to the branch to evaluate Sloane Albright. He said it was a routine check, nothing to stress about, just a chance to get an early feel for the operations. I assumed it was purely for show. I checked in with the front desk as a corporate reviewer from Headquarters, and the assistant politely swiped me through the secured access. The second I entered the main office, I saw him. He was dressed in an almost aggressively casual white button-down, a little too young for the setting, and was crouched in front of a heavy-duty shredder with an expression of pure, childlike fascination. “Wow, this machine is so cool. Can it eat anything?” He reached over and casually picked up a file from a nearby desk. I caught a glimpse of the cover: “MERGER AGREEMENT,” stamped in bright red. Without a second thought, he started to push the thick document toward the hungry teeth of the shredder. A bespectacled colleague next to him instantly turned a sickly shade of gray. He flew across the cubicle and nearly body-checked the younger man, snatching the contract out of his hands just in time. “My sweet Lord, weren’t you supposed to be in the office playing your games?” His voice was thin with terror. “Why did you come out? We need this contract for the presentation this afternoon!” The younger man was mildly annoyed by the collision, but didn’t seem angry. He just grinned, shaking an empty, disposable cup. “Got bored with the game. Got thirsty.” The colleague visibly sagged with relief, clutching the document to his chest as if it were his own beating heart. He lowered his voice, the tone almost a plea. “Then please, please, go get your water. I’m begging you. Go back and drink it in the office, okay? Doesn’t the CEO’s suite have its own dispenser?” The guy rubbed his nose. “The water in there tastes weird. I want the water out here.” He walked off toward the communal kitchen, completely ignoring the colleague’s near-sobbing expression. My temples were hammering. I caught the eye of a young intern standing near me. “Who is he?” The intern glanced at me, then quickly checked the guy’s retreating back, his eyes full of fear. He put a finger to his lips, shushing me. “Keep it down, man.” He leaned in, his voice barely a whisper. “That’s our CEO Sloane Albright’s partner. Name’s Brody Jennings.” My heart seized. Sloane’s recent abnormal behavior—the late nights, the sudden secretiveness—it all clicked into a terrifying explanation. The intern continued, his face etched with a maturity beyond his years. “I heard the company technically belongs to him, so he’s the real boss here.” “You just started, right? You’ll get used to it.” He sighed, an expression of crushing corporate exhaustion. “He usually stays locked in the CEO’s private office, playing games or watching TV. He doesn’t interact with us.” “Sloane must be away at a meeting today, and he got bored enough to come out and wander.” The buzzing in my head intensified. He was the CEO’s partner. So what am I? The intern saw the look on my face and asked with concern, “You alright, man? You look sick.” I shook my head, managing a tight smile. “No, I’m fine. Just… surprised.” “A company can have someone like that here. I’m truly… enlightened.” The intern shrugged bitterly. “Just live with it. He never actually does anything. We just keep our heads down and pray he gets tired and goes back inside.” I didn’t reply. Never actually does anything? If that contract had been shredded, a multi-million-dollar deal would have collapsed. Who would have taken the fall for that loss? I watched Brody Jennings emerge from the kitchen, humming a tune. I pulled out my phone, intending to call my father, but paused. No. Walking away now would be letting Sloane off too easily. My father sent me to evaluate her competence. Now I knew that her competence, and her character, were catastrophic failures. I needed to see just how far this branch had descended under her management. I straightened my jacket and walked back to the front desk. “Hi. I’m Cameron Montgomery, the Project Reviewer from Headquarters.” “Please set me up with a temporary workspace, preferably somewhere quiet. And this review is internal. I don’t want Ms. Albright to know I was here.” The receptionist nodded respectfully. I took a corner seat in the main office and fixed my gaze on Brody Jennings. He was now holding his cup of water and curiously inspecting the fire alarm on the wall, looking like he was debating whether or not to press the red button. 2 Sloane was out for the morning. Brody must have finally maxed out on video games. He drifted out of the executive suite again, a storm cloud of corporate disruption. He strolled the floor, idly poking at one colleague’s half-finished design sketch, then tapping on another’s keyboard, generating a stream of garbled code. Everyone held their breath when he approached, unable to speak, rushing to check their work for damage the moment he passed. He ambled to the water cooler, grabbed a paper cup, and filled it up. Whether from clumsiness or intention, his hand twitched. The entire cup of water, full to the brim, arced through the air and splashed precisely onto the wall next to the dispenser. That wall housed the main power switch for the entire floor. There was a loud sizzle and a spray of blue-white sparks. The overhead fluorescent lights died instantly. Every single computer monitor in the office went black, a silent, sickening wave of darkness. A few seconds later, the office exploded in a chorus of agony and curses of pure despair. “My code! All morning on this code! I didn’t save!” “My design draft! The client is waiting! The last, crucial step!” “My quarterly report! Due at two! I’m ruined, we’re all ruined!” The Head of Tech, Luke, sprinted out of his office. He saw the wreckage—and Brody Jennings standing there, looking perfectly innocent—and his face turned to stone. Luke’s lips tightened, his fist clenched and unclenched, and he finally swallowed whatever he was about to say. Brody, however, spoke first, his voice dripping with annoyance. “What’s the matter with this place?” “This switch is so cheap. It broke just from a little water. Why is everything in this company such low quality?” His talent for immediate and total blame deflection was truly astonishing. The Administrative Manager rushed over. He looked at the smoking power switch, then at Brody. Immediately, he adopted an overly obsequious smile. “Brody, are you hurt? Did that frighten you?” “It’s not your fault at all. It must be old wiring. We’ll fix it right away. I’m calling someone to replace it with a new, waterproof one!” “Please, go back to the office and rest. We’ll handle this.” Brody pouted, still dissatisfied, but finally turned and retreated to Sloane’s suite. The manager wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and began organizing the emergency repairs. As he walked past, I stopped him. “Sir, does this sort of thing happen often?” He recognized me as the guy from Headquarters, and a look of bitter defeat crossed his face. He pulled me into the stairwell of the fire escape, lowering his voice. “You’re the reviewer, right? There are things I shouldn’t say, but after today…” He sighed heavily. “The truth is, he’s Ms. Albright’s darling. We can’t touch him.” “Sloane is out of town today, so there’s no one to keep him in check.” “Normally, when she’s here, she at least keeps him locked up in her office…” His face was a mask of despair. “Last time, he ‘accidentally’ knocked over a cup of coffee.” “That coffee landed directly on our core server rack.” “All our company data was scrambled. The tech team worked nonstop for a full week to recover it. A week of everyone’s work, gone!” “And what happened then?” I asked. “Ms. Albright said the tech department was negligent, that the server was placed in a hazardous location. She docked our entire department’s quarterly bonus.” “She said it was a lesson for us to be more mindful.” My heart sank, inch by bitter inch. This was Sloane’s management. She enables an idiot to run rampant through a multi-million-dollar company, and then forces all the hardworking, diligent employees to pay the price for his stupidity. Sloane Albright, you are incredible. Just then, the door to the GM’s office creaked open. Brody poked his head out and yelled to the dark office. “I’m bored! Why is the power still out? My phone is almost dead! Are there any snacks in the kitchen?” No one answered. The only sound in the entire office was a suffocating, absolute silence. 3 The moment the engineers restored the power, my father called. He needed a core market data file. He said the Group Board needed the document that afternoon and that I must handle it personally, without any mistakes. I copied the data onto a drive from the Market Director and headed to the print room. I had just finished collating the document and clipped the pages together when the door burst open. Brody Jennings sauntered in, holding a can of Coke. His eyes lit up when he saw the heavy-duty stapler on the table next to my files. “Hey, let me borrow that. My chip bag tore open.” He reached out, his hand instinctively going for the stapler. I instinctively shielded the confidential documents and the stapler, pulling them back just out of his reach. His hand met empty air. His momentum sent him stumbling, and his foot caught on a power cord. The can of Coke slipped from his grip. The brown liquid flew in a perfect, precise arc, landing squarely on the stack of top-secret documents I had just printed. The thick pile of A4 paper was instantly soaked, turning the pages into a pulpy, ruined mess. Watching the destruction of the file, I finally lost my detached composure. I looked up, my gaze locking onto Brody’s face. He showed no remorse, only irritation that I hadn’t loaned him the stapler. My voice was flat and cold. “Can you cover the financial loss of this document?” Brody had probably never been questioned with such cold authority by a mere employee before. He paused, then his face flushed with rage. “How dare you talk to me like that?” “Do you even know who I am?” He puffed out his chest, his indignation righteous. “I’m the CEO’s husband!” I stared at him, feeling nothing but a profound, cold amusement. “Oh?” I asked calmly. “So the CEO’s partner is free to destroy company property? Free to ignore all our rules and regulations?” My retort clearly challenged his invented authority. He became frantic, pointing a finger directly at my chest. “Of course, I can!” “This company belongs to Sloane, which means it belongs to me! I can do whatever I want!” “Who the hell are you? Some new guy trying to lecture me?” Colleagues who had heard the commotion were now watching from the doorway, too terrified to move. A few administrative staff were tugging at my sleeve, their eyes pleading with me to just apologize and back down. I didn’t move. I simply held his gaze. Brody, feeling his public pride slip away, pulled out his phone, a sneer of triumph on his face. “Fine, you want to play tough? You think I can’t handle you?” “I’ll let your boss tell you exactly who I am and who you are!” He immediately video-called Sloane Albright. The call connected almost instantly. He turned the screen toward himself, waiting for his protector to appear. 4 The second the video connected, Brody’s voice became shrill and loud. He aimed the phone at his face, his voice full of manufactured indignation. “Sloane! What kind of company are you running? A new employee is trying to bully me!” “I just wanted to borrow a stapler, and he refused. Then he ruined the documents himself and tried to blame me, even threatening to hit me!” “If it wasn’t for you, I would have fought him already.” He twisted the truth completely, playing the victim of a colossal injustice. From the other end of the video, Sloane’s voice came, soothing and gentle. “Don’t be angry, sweetheart. Your wife is here. No one can bully you. I’ll handle it.” I could see her in a solemn conference room, the corporate logo prominent behind her. She was clearly at an industry summit crucial to the company’s future. But she had just stopped a critical meeting for this man. “Hand the phone over to him.” Sloane’s tone snapped from gentle to icy. She was speaking to the space behind Brody, toward all the employees, her voice a chilling command. “Who upset my Brody?” “Give the phone to him. I’ll speak to the person myself. I want to see who has the nerve.” Brody’s face broke into a triumphant smile. He shoved the phone at me, his chin raised high, his eyes full of provocation and victory. I calmly took the phone. My face came into sharp focus on the screen. Sloane saw me and her composure crumbled. A flicker of panic crossed her face. “Cameron? What are you doing there?” Her brows furrowed tightly, as if my presence was merely a bothersome complication. “Don’t get upset! Wait until I get back, and I’ll explain everything!” I looked at the familiar face on the screen, the face I had once believed would be mine forever. In that moment, she felt utterly alien and pitifully ridiculous. Seeing my cold silence, her tone grew impatient, bordering on a threat. “Don’t be ridiculous, Cameron. I’m in a crucial meeting. The future of the company rests on this summit.” She had reduced everything to me being “ridiculous.” Her stupidity and moral bankruptcy finally broke my calm. I nearly laughed. I leaned into the camera and spoke, my voice sharp and cutting. “Perfect, Sloane.” “Your competence, your leadership—I’m done with the evaluation.” I didn’t wait for her response. I threw the phone back to the stunned Brody. Then I pulled out my own phone, dialed my father’s number, and hit call. The instant he picked up, I spoke. My voice wasn’t loud, but it cut clearly through the silence of the print room and echoed across the stunned office floor. “Dad, you can cancel the inspection.” “Tell Sloane Albright to come back here. And tell her to bring the divorce papers.”

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