Category: English

The company was thrown into disarray because of that troublemaker, Chloe. My husband, Derek, not only stopped me from firing her but demanded I pay her compensation for emotional distress. “She already has mental health issues, and she’s a divorced single mom. Don’t add more pressure to her.” “If you ask me, give her three million as compensation, and a long vacation. It would really show your generosity as a leader.” I stared at Derek, utterly disbelieving. If Chloe hadn’t used a baby bottle to serve a client during a meeting, the company wouldn’t have been targeted and plunged into this crisis. Watching her hide behind Derek, I sneered, “Anyone would think she’s your wife, not your employee.” “Since you’re so keen on protecting her, then get out of my company, both of you!” “And sign the divorce papers in the cabinet on your way out. My company doesn’t need imbeciles like you two.” My words had barely left my lips. Derek stood up, aghast. “How can you be so heartless? I’m just being empathetic to an employee, and you want to divorce me?” “The company’s in trouble, and instead of figuring out a solution, you’re picking on an employee. Victoria, do you even act like a boss anymore?” Watching his self-righteous display, I found it both laughable and pathetic. “Derek, you’ve probably forgotten that everything you have now, I gave you.” “You’re protecting Chloe so fiercely. Could it be there’s something shady going on between you two?” I was raised from childhood to be an heiress. Derek was just a man my father brought into our family business to assist me as my husband. I’d made it clear from the start that I didn’t want Chloe hired. She had a knack for stirring up trouble. Others would be working overtime on proposals, and she’d accidentally unplug the server. When asked to submit a plan, she’d claim her baby had a “rumbling tummy” and needed her. What was even more infuriating was when she put sick cats and dogs in the communal food storage area, leading to the entire staff being rushed to the emergency room. There was no way I was keeping an employee like that. But last month, while I was on a business trip overseas, Derek bypassed HR and shoved her into the client relations department. And then that troublemaker used a baby bottle to entertain an important client, successfully bringing disaster down on the company. Derek not only refused to fire her but demanded I pay her a hefty compensation. He was truly insane. “Victoria, how could you say such a thing?” Derek’s face flushed crimson, his shouting voice growing weaker. “We’re husband and wife! This company is our shared effort…” “Shared effort?” I cut him off, a cold laugh escaping my lips. “Don’t flatter yourself. Without the Albrights, you, Derek, would probably be couch-surfing or struggling on the streets somewhere…” Before I could finish, Chloe, who was hiding behind Derek, suddenly burst into tears. “It’s all my fault! I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have caused trouble for the company, and I shouldn’t have made Mr. Johnson uncomfortable… Ms. Albright, Mr. Johnson is just too kind. Our relationship is completely innocent. Please don’t be angry, and please don’t argue with Mr. Johnson because of me…” As she spoke, she suddenly pushed Derek away and dashed towards the office’s floor-to-ceiling window. Chloe braced her hands on the windowsill, turning to look at us, her eyes bloodshot. “If my death can calm everything down, if it can help the company through this crisis, if it can make you two reconcile, then… then I’ll just die!” Derek’s face went ashen, and he exclaimed, “Chloe! Don’t do anything rash!” He rushed forward, pulled her down from the window ledge, and glared at me fiercely. “Victoria, Chloe just used a baby bottle to pour some water for a client, right? A baby bottle isn’t dirty. How hard is it for a divorced single mother with a child? Can’t you show some understanding?” “You’re not infertile yourself, are you, so you can’t stand to see anyone else doing well? Victoria, when did you become so vicious?” I raised an eyebrow, watching him flail desperately, my eyes full of scorn. “But I distinctly remember that it was *you* who got a vasectomy years ago. What do you mean *I* can’t have children?”

At my words, Derek’s arms, wrapped around Chloe, stiffened. The venomous look in his eyes instantly dissolved into panic. “Victoria! You… how could you bring up our private matters in front of everyone?! Are you insane?” I sneered, a chill seeping into my heart. He was the one who proposed it back then, to make me feel secure enough, that’s why he had the vasectomy. Watching his frantic rush to protect Chloe, I asked, “You didn’t tell her, did you? What, afraid she’d find out and wouldn’t like you anymore?” Chloe cried, stepping forward to grab my arm and explain, “Ms. Albright, I’ve already proven that Mr. Johnson and I have a completely innocent relationship. Why won’t you believe us?” “And how can you mock Mr. Johnson like that? Even if Mr. Johnson can’t have children, he’s still so decisive and efficient! If I were his wife, I’d never mock him like you do!” I shoved her away in disgust. I hadn’t used much force, but she tumbled to the ground. And she dragged me down with her. A sharp pain shot through my knee. I was about to demand an explanation when I saw Derek frantically shield Chloe’s stomach. Catching my gaze, Derek abruptly pulled his hand back. I gave a self-mocking laugh, staggering to my feet. He frowned as he watched me limp on my injured leg. The leg injury was from saving him. Back then, he was young, reckless, and always getting into trouble. I was kidnapped by his enemies, and the tendons in my leg were severed, leaving me paralyzed for a year. It was also because of that incident that he had the vasectomy. Derek reached out to help me, but I swatted his hand away. He looked displeased, then forcefully scooped me up and placed me on the sofa. “How long are you going to keep this up?” He pulled up my pant leg, looking at my seemingly uninjured leg, and sneered, “I knew it. I distinctly remember it healed ages ago, so how could it still hurt? Just stop pretending.” “Victoria, when did you become so petty and calculating?” Hearing his words, my heart completely died. Even if the skin on my leg showed no outward damage, inside it was riddled with scars. “Is Chloe’s child yours?” I asked directly what was on my mind. It wasn’t that I was being suspicious without cause. During the year I was recovering, Derek initially stayed by my side, consumed by guilt. But later, he started using the excuse of being busy with work to stay out all night. I looked at the pearl necklace around Chloe’s neck. Derek had paid a high price for it at an auction. I thought it was a holiday gift for me. But now it was on Chloe. Perhaps during that year I was recovering, he fell in love with Chloe and had a child with her. And the vasectomy was just a smokescreen. Derek looked at me, his face pale. “What nonsense are you talking about? Fine, I don’t have to keep her, I’ll just fire her…” Before he could finish, Chloe screamed, clutching her stomach. Seeing this, Derek scooped her up without another word and rushed out. I shook my head with a sarcastic smile and called my father. “Dad, Derek is tainted. Cancel all the company shares we were going to give him…” Before I could finish, I was suddenly struck from behind and everything went black.

When I woke up, I was tied up in an abandoned factory. The throbbing pain in the back of my head hadn’t subsided when one of the kidnappers inserted a needle into my finger. I wanted to scream from the pain, but my mouth was gagged. Just as the second needle was about to pierce my skin, a voice came from the shadows: “Stop.” I instantly looked up. Even though the person was masked and using a voice changer, I recognized him as Derek. He walked up to me, his exposed brows furrowing slightly when he saw the blood on my hand. But he quickly turned his back, clenching his fist as he spoke, “This is a small price for a boss with no empathy like you. Don’t forget where you came from.” So, he kidnapped me to get back at me for Chloe. Derek really had fallen for Chloe. But he forgot that everything he had was because of me. I pressed the emergency button on my wrist. In less than ten minutes, my exclusive security team would track my location. Just then, Derek’s phone rang. Chloe’s soft voice came through: “Derek, why does this bracelet you gave me keep beeping? It’s so annoying… Please come back, I’m scared…” Derek abruptly hung up, instinctively looking at me, then delivered a forceful blow, knocking me unconscious. My consciousness slowly faded. I never imagined Derek would secretly give my security bracelet to Chloe. When I woke up, I was back in the hospital. Derek sat by my bed, a solemn expression on his face as he held a bowl of porridge. The moment he saw my eyes open, he leaned closer. I turned my head, avoiding his hand, but he continued to scoop a spoonful to my lips. “Chloe had a miscarriage. The doctor said it was due to the stress you caused yesterday, combined with her hard work for the company…” Hearing his words, I slapped him across the face. He stared at me, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, which quickly darkened. “You can hit me or yell at me all you want, but Victoria, Chloe is so delicate. How could you unleash your nasty, overbearing side on her?” “Get out.” I gritted my teeth, hating him. Not exposing his kidnapping me immediately was a huge act of grace, yet he dared to blame me? He had no idea what he was doing. As Derek was about to say something more, my phone suddenly rang. He saw that it was my father calling and instinctively snatched the phone. “What are you complaining to Dad about now?” I sneered but didn’t stop him. Just as the call was about to connect, Derek’s phone in his pocket rang, and Chloe’s sweet voice came through. “Mr. Johnson, why aren’t you back yet? My stomach hurts so much…” Derek patiently soothed the person on the phone, then turned to me, his face full of reproach. “I’ll explain everything to Dad. You’re the one who was being stubborn and spiteful first, so don’t think you can play the victim.” With that, he hurriedly left the hospital room. I rolled my eyes and answered my father’s call. “My dear daughter, I’ve looked into everything. However, I’m still going to proceed with the press conference for the equity transfer.” I was confused and about to ask my father why, when he sent me a video. After watching the video, I immediately understood my father’s intention and nodded in agreement. As soon as I hung up with Dad, Chloe sent me provocative photos. One picture showed Derek intimately washing Chloe’s feet.

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The Echo in the Mirror: My Mother’s Escape My mom was a university student, sold into an isolated rural community to be a breeder. She always said her biggest regret was giving birth to me. When Grandma forced her to do heavy labor, only allowing her a bowl of thin gruel, she called me a curse. When her father-in-law groped her, she called me that little monster from the Miller family. When Dad, drunk, beat her black and blue, she’d ask me when I was going to die. “That year, I could have escaped. Why did you have to run out? Why did you call me ‘Mom’ and make me soft?” “I wish I never had you, my daughter!” She must have said that a thousand times. I never understood it. Until that day. I saw her young face in the mirror Mom cherished most. It was smudged and dusty, but free of wrinkles and scars. She asked, “Who are you? Can you save me? I was tricked into coming here!” That moment, I finally understood what “shackles” in books truly meant. I was Mom’s shackles, the chains that bound her to a life of misery. The next second, I spoke to my younger mom. “I’ll save you. This time, I’ll definitely get you out!”

Just as dawn broke, Grandma burst into the rundown shack and yanked Mom up. “You lazy, good-for-nothing hag! I paid so much for you, and you can’t even birth a son, and you’re useless around the house. What a jinx you are.” Her complaints made Mom tremble slightly. She wasn’t unable to conceive; she simply couldn’t anymore. I heard Dad had beaten Mom so savagely, he’d ruined her insides. Everyone was furious that day, except Mom. She was smiling, so genuinely happy. She’d said, “Finally, I don’t have to bear little beasts for these animals.” But ever since that day, she’d gone from being Dad’s plaything to Grandma’s workhorse. Just then, Dad, who hadn’t returned all night, stumbled back. Drunk, he lurched towards Mom, and before she could react, he slapped her hard across the face. “You worthless bitch! I paid for you, you’re *my* property, and you dare glare at me?” “You bring nothing but bad luck! It’s definitely because of you I lost all my money gambling. I’m going to kill you!” His fists and feet rained down on Mom. Mom’s pained cries were hoarse, like Grandpa sawing wood, cutting into my heart. I couldn’t help but rush over, sobbing, “Dad, please, stop hitting Mom!” The words had barely left my lips before Dad kicked me mercilessly, sending me flying. “Hmph, two little parasites. Someday I’m going to beat both of you to death.” He spat on the ground, burped, and staggered away. Grandma just rolled her eyes and shuffled off. “Honestly, he doesn’t know his own strength. Nobody’s going to work today.” I ignored the sharp pain in my stomach and crawled over to Mom. Her eyes were closed; Dad had knocked her unconscious again. I was so sad, and utterly helpless. I couldn’t get any medicine. They never gave Mom proper care, not unless she was on the verge of dying. In my despair, a glint of light caught my eye. I focused, seeing a small mirror lying on the ground. What was astonishing was that the mirror didn’t reflect me, but a girl. And she looked incredibly like Mom. “Little one! Can you hear me?! I’ve been kidnapped, please, can you call the police for me?” “My name is Annabelle Anderson, and I live at…” I froze, picked up the mirror, and hesitantly asked, “Sister, what year is it where you are?” “It’s 2005.” My eyes widened. “It’s 2020 here.” The other side fell silent too. My deepest suspicion was confirmed: I was talking to my mom in the past. My past mom was so beautiful, no wrinkles, no scars on her face. She was the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. No wonder Mom wanted to escape. Before she came here, she had another home, and her family there had cared for her so well. She had her own name, Annabelle Anderson. Unlike here, where I called her Mom. Dad called her “Hey!” and “Bitch,” Grandma called her “Hussy,” Grandpa called her “Slut.” No one knew her real name. Taking a deep breath, I said to the mirror, “Mom…” I stopped myself. I couldn’t let her know I was her daughter. This time, I absolutely couldn’t be her obstacle. Thinking quickly, I corrected myself, “I’m sorry, sister. I can’t find a way to call the police right now.” Disappointment flickered in her eyes. I added, “But I’ve heard about you. You’re the woman bought by the Miller family from the edge of town.” “I can help you. Help you escape.”

The next morning, Mom was in too much pain to get up. Before Grandma could speak, I ran out. “Grandma, I’ll do extra work today. Can Mom rest for a day?” “If Mom gets too tired, no one will help you with chores.” Grandma looked at Mom’s suffering face and grumbled, “Frank, honestly, why does he hit her so hard?” But she still compromised, dragging me off to the fields. After a moment of thought, I asked Grandma, “Grandma, how did you catch Mom the first time?” Grandma glared at me. “What are you prying about, kid?” I whispered, “If Mom tries to run away again, I can help you find her. I don’t want to lose you, Mom.” Hearing this, Grandma patted my head, pleased. “Good girl, that’s what I like to hear!” She lowered her guard around me and recounted, boastfully, “That hussy first ran away in the middle of the night…” Grandma told me that night, Mom, confused by the paths, ran in the wrong direction and ended up circling back to the village. Old Man Henderson, who was up early for work, saw her and brought her back. Grandma laughed at how foolish Mom was, but I felt a chill run down my spine. How desperate Mom must have been then, thinking freedom was within reach, only to find herself right back in the lion’s den. I fought back tears, forcing a smile. “Grandma, if there’s a fork in the path, which way leads back to the village entrance?” “Of course, it’s the path to the right, where the old well is.” I nodded. “Okay. If Mom runs away next time, I’ll trick her into thinking the right path leads to freedom.” Later that night, I took out the mirror and told Mom, “I found out you were caught because you ran in the wrong direction.” “Sister, when you get to the back hill, and you see a fork in the path, whatever you do, *do not* go right. Remember, the right path with the abandoned well—don’t take it!” Mom on the other side of the mirror nodded solemnly. After just one day, her face was already swollen, blood staining the corner of her mouth. My heart ached as I gently touched the mirror’s surface. “Sister, you have to escape!” Escape, forget me, and find your own family. The next morning, I opened my eyes. And saw Mom’s rough, sickly yellow face, still covered in fresh bruises. I sat up with a start. Why… Why was Mom still here? Why hadn’t I disappeared? My hands trembled as I reached out to touch her cheek. The next second, Mom opened her eyes. “What are you doing?” she asked coldly. My voice shaky, I replied, “Nothing… nothing, Mom. I just wanted to touch you.” “Hoping I was dead, weren’t you? Too bad for you, I’m still alive, still here to make your life miserable.” Mom painfully propped herself up, her voice laced with sarcasm. As she moved, I saw a new scar on her arm. It was long, like a twisted earthworm writhing on it. My pupils contracted sharply, tears streaming uncontrollably. Mom failed to escape… And was beaten again. Mom’s gaze followed mine to the scar, and she shivered, as if recalling a painful memory. The next second, she slapped me hard. “What are you crying about? Playing the dutiful child now? Trying to make me feel more sorry for you? More attached?” “If you knew how much hell I live in here, you never would have run out and called for me that day!” “What good is acting all sympathetic now? It’s too late. Everything’s too late!” I covered my stinging face, feeling a wave of injustice. That day, I hadn’t known she wanted to escape. I only knew I’d stolen a plate of roast chicken, wanting to give it to her. My good intentions backfired, and I only caused her more harm. “I’m sorry,” I choked out. She turned her head, annoyed. “Stop pretending!” The atmosphere fell silent, only the buzzing of mosquitoes filled the air. After a long while, I cautiously asked, “Mom, how did you get caught the second time you ran away?” Her gaze drifted through the narrow wooden slats towards the sky, and surprisingly, she answered me. “The second time I ran? The second time… was when I was forced to marry that animal, Frank Miller.” “I took advantage of them drinking outside, gnawed through my ropes in the room, then climbed out the window and ran.” “I ran and ran, until I finally saw a road. On the road, I saw a stranger, and I thought I was saved. I rushed over and begged him.” “I told him I’d been kidnapped. Please save me, take me to the police. I’ll give you any money you want.” Mom’s voice caught, as if a savior truly stood before her. “That man was so kind. He said, ‘Don’t worry, young lady, I’ll take you to the police right away.’ So he led me through winding paths, walking for a long time.” She paused, and my breath hitched. Then, Mom’s tears flowed again. “But then! That two-faced monster tricked me right back to the Miller house! He laughed and said he was Frank Miller’s uncle, here for his nephew’s wedding, and I was the ‘grand gift’ he delivered to his own nephew!” My face stiffened, my hands trembling uncontrollably. Yes. Mom was right. The Millers, they were all animals.

Late that night, I took out the mirror again. Mom’s face, streaked with blood and dirt, appeared before me. I could barely make out her features. “Little one, I failed… they still tracked me down by my footprints…” “I was too naive and too desperate, I didn’t think of that.” She mocked herself, weakly. My heart ached, and I murmured, “It’s okay, sister. We still have a chance.” She caught her breath, then asked with a flicker of hope, “Tell me.” I immediately recounted everything I’d heard that day. At the end, I emphasized, “Sister, don’t trust anyone.” Mom nodded gravely. “Okay, I won’t trust anyone.” After our talk, I watched my sleeping mom beside me. I still couldn’t relax. My wish used to be to stay with Mom forever. Now, I wished Mom could just disappear. How wonderful that would be. Ten days later, it was the day of my parents’ wedding, fifteen years ago. Late that night, I secretly crept out of the rundown shack. The image in the mirror swayed. Mom, dressed in red, ran without stopping. Then she paused. After a long time, she whispered, “The man is gone.” I breathed a sigh of relief. “Then hurry and follow the main road! You’ll definitely get out.” “Okay!” She nodded with determination. The night deepened, and my head grew heavier. The fatigue from working all day swept over me like a tide. “You’re that liar!” Suddenly, Mom’s terrified scream jolted me awake. Followed by the sound of her frantic footsteps. “Sister! What happened?!” I cried out. “I… I met a car on the main road. The person inside was the one who kidnapped me and brought me here!” As her words ended, she let out a piercing scream. The next instant, the mirror reflected my own pale face. “Sister! Sister!” I called out anxiously. The mirror remained unresponsive. My legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the ground. “Who are you talking to?” Mom’s cold voice reached my ears. I stiffly turned my head, my pupils instantly constricting. Mom’s leg was crippled… “Mom… your leg…” My words seemed to hit a nerve. The next second, she raised her crutch and slammed it down on me. “Don’t you dare remind me! Yes, my leg is crippled! Your wonderful father did this to me!” I hadn’t saved Mom. Instead, I’d caused her to lose a leg. Tears streamed down my face. I crawled on the ground, frantically punching my own leg. “I’m sorry! I wish it was my leg that was crippled! I’m useless! Why, why can’t I just get you out of here?!” My actions seemed to douse Mom’s fury. She dragged her heavy leg towards me, slowly crouching down. “Stop hitting yourself. You won’t cripple it that way. You don’t need to act.” I looked up, my face smeared with snot and tears, meeting Mom’s eyes. “Mom, I’m not acting. I *will* save you! Please believe me!” Her eyes widened, their dull, listless gaze seeming to clear. After a very long time, she wiped away my tears with her hand and sighed. “You little monster, when you grow up, when you have the ability to leave these treacherous mountains, then come and take me out.” No, Mom, I’ll take you out soon! I murmured to myself. For the next few days, I spent my days exploring the village vicinity, memorizing the terrain. At night, I’d convey the details to my past mom through the mirror. What panicked both of us was that our chances to speak through the mirror grew fewer and fewer.

Sometimes our voices would break up. Sometimes we could only speak for ten minutes. Mom’s expression grew grave. “Little one, have you seen Cinderella? If this mirror has magic, then this situation feels like the magic is fading.” I looked blank, shaking my head. “Sister, I haven’t read that book you mentioned. I only went to school for two years before I was pulled out to work.” Mom’s face softened with pity. “It’s okay. When I escape, I’ll send you lots of books, and we can read them together!” My heart ached. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t see the books Mom sent, nor would I wait for her to teach me to read. Swallowing my tears of reluctance, I forced a smile and nodded. “Okay, Sister. You’ll definitely escape!” Three days later, while searching for routes, I encountered an important person. It was a man with a nice backpack. I feigned curiosity and asked him, “Mister, I’ve never seen you before. Are you from another village?” The man chuckled. He pointed ahead and explained, “I’m a staff member at the weather station, heading to relieve my colleague.” “A weather station? I’ve never heard of that. Does our village have one? Has it been there for many years?” I asked, pretending to be curious. The man was amused by my childish questions and patiently explained, “It’s a weather station, not a convenience store. It was built thirty or forty years ago, and it’s quite far from your village. I still have to climb for another half hour to get there.” “Is it just by climbing along this road that I’ll get there?” I asked. The man nodded. “That’s right.” Then he seemed to remember something and gently added, “Little one, don’t bring your friends up here. The mountain path is dangerous, and the staff at the station are working, very busy.” I nodded obediently and waved to him. “I understand! Be careful on your way! I’m heading home now.” On my run back, my heart thumped like a wild rabbit. Fifteen years ago, the weather station was already there. This man wasn’t from the village; he was very likely from a big city. He was patient, polite, a good man. I weighed these thoughts in my mind as I flew down the mountain. Because I’d been lazy with farm work, Grandma beat me. This time, I didn’t cry. Instead, I kept smiling foolishly. Grandma was startled. She threw down her bamboo stick and rubbed her hands. “That kid, is she touched in the head?” I ignored her, unable to feel the pain. Instead, I happily scurried back into the rundown shack. That night, I secretly drew the route map on the dirt floor and showed it to Mom in the mirror. “A weather station? Little one, you’re so clever! How did I not think of that? These government sites must have people!” Mom exclaimed excitedly. I sniffled, grinning. “Hehe, I just happened to run into that man by chance.” “I’ll leave tonight. These past few days, I’ve been playing them, making them drop their guard. Now is my chance to escape.” “Can you tell me your name? When I escape, I’ll definitely come back for you!” My heart pounded. I suppressed a sob and replied, “Sister, my name is Hope Anderson.” Hope, for Mom to escape. “Oh, we both have the same last name, Anderson. What a coincidence!” Mom said, surprised. Yes, of course it’s a coincidence. Being your daughter is the greatest blessing of my life. I didn’t say that out loud. I just waved to her. “Okay, then hurry and go. I’ll guide you if you get lost.” I held my breath, watching Mom carefully climb out the window. Then came her soft gasps, like sticks tapping against my heart. “Go right here. After you see the red house built with red bricks, turn left.” I whispered the directions. She nodded at me. I watched her run along the correct route, quickly heading up the mountain. That moment, I breathed a sigh of relief. Just keep climbing, and she’d reach the weather station. Listening to the crunch of leaves underfoot, my heart slowly settled. Suddenly, a shout came from the mirror, “Hey! What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?!” My heart instantly skipped a beat. The next second, the mirror shattered.

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It was a senior class road trip. I suddenly grabbed the steering wheel and plunged the car off a cliff. Four people, including our head teacher, died instantly. I, however, was thrown from the window, sustaining only minor injuries. The victims’ families camped outside the police station daily, and online, the outrage was deafening. “This sociopath deserves to be put down, not just once, but a hundred times over!” My mom spent a fortune hiring a lawyer for me, but I went wild and bit the poor guy, sending him to the hospital. Yet, she still refused to give up. “Jade is still a child; she wouldn’t hurt anyone without a reason! Please, give her another chance!” “What reasons?” I sneered, flipping off the jury. “I just didn’t want to live anymore and decided to take a few people down with me.” The internet branded me a demon who deserved to die, while my mother sobbed before the cameras, pleading for mercy. In the end, the judge gave me three days. “If no hidden circumstances can be proven in this case within three days, Jade Vance will be sentenced to death, effective immediately!” In a corner no one saw, I let out a silent sigh of relief. Just three more days. Everything would be fine. ……

“Defendant, what was your motive for these murders?!” It was a live-streamed court session. Facing my stone-cold defiance, even the seasoned judge looked visibly frustrated. “You know the jury will decide your fate, yet you publicly bit your lawyer?” “I felt like it!” Licking the blood from the corner of my mouth, I pulled a cruel smile. The victims’ families in the courtroom erupted instantly. “She admitted it! What more do you need? Just give her the death penalty and let my daughter finally rest in peace!” I coldly watched the disheveled, distraught woman in the spectator’s box. It was Chloe Miller’ s mother, one of my former high school dorm mates. Just two days ago, I’ d personally sent her daughter straight to her grave. Beside her, crying inconsolably, were the parents of my other two dorm mates. “Kill her! Four lives lost and not a shred of remorse!” “This kind of antisocial filth, leaving her alive will only lead to endless trouble!” The comment section of the live stream was a furious torrent. The jury stared intently at my every move, trying to find a crack in my facade. But I just looked indifferent, even leaning back, legs crossed, and letting out a casual whistle. Only three days, anyway. If I kept my mouth shut during this time, they couldn’t pry anything out of me. It was a shame I survived the crash, by some twist of fate. But I had to die. “Defendant, please show some respect!” The judge’ s face darkened. “You have a successful career, a decent income, a reasonably happy life. Not long ago, you even booked plane tickets for a family vacation.” “How did you suddenly become a sociopath and brutally murder your high school dorm mates?” I paused, then quickly regrouped. “They were showing off their wealth.” I pointed a finger back towards the spectator box. “It was her daughter, Chloe Miller. In the car, she insisted on showing me some designer jewelry and luxury bags, even laughing and calling me a poor nobody!” “Back in school, I was the poorest in the whole class, fighting tooth and nail just to get by! How dare she get all that without lifting a finger?” “Just for that?” “Just for that!” “You’ re lying!” Mrs. Miller gasped, choking back sobs. “My husband went bankrupt three years ago! Chloe couldn’t possibly buy luxury items anymore!” I stammered. “Then I misremembered!” “Anyway, one of them was showing off. As for who… I hit my head, I can’t quite recall!” “I’ ve always hated you holier-than-thou rich people. It’ s disgusting…” With that, I spat in the direction of the spectator box. Then I flipped off the jury. “Jade Vance is a pathological liar!” “This kind of person is obviously consumed by jealousy! Her three dorm mates had such bright futures, all ruined by her!” “And her homeroom teacher, Mr. Davies, was a top educator in the district!” “My daughter wasn’t a bad person!” A staggering figure suddenly burst into the courtroom, making my heart lurch. It was my mom, Eleanor, who had been knocked unconscious and sent to the hospital just moments ago, after arguing with the victims’ families outside the courthouse. She’ d returned, dragging her injured body back here. “Here’ s her junior high transcript, look… A straight-A student, always in the top ten!” “Even if she did something wrong, it’ s because her dad and I failed as parents. If someone needs to be jailed, send us to prison!” The mention of my dad, Arthur, brought a sudden surge of bitter memories. My mom’ s tearful plea made the jury exchange uncertain glances. Netizens were buzzing. “It’ s been over six years! What does a junior high transcript prove now?!” “Jade Vance is 22, and in her mom’ s eyes, she’ s still a child? No wonder she raised a daughter like this!” “Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, and victims’ families, I’ m kneeling here on behalf of my daughter!” My mom dropped to her knees, her bandaged forehead hitting the floor with a heavy thud. A shocking crimson stain spread. I struggled to look away, forcing myself to stop trembling. “There must be some hidden story here. How could Jade harm four strangers for no reason?” A flicker of surprise crossed the judge’ s eyes. Suddenly, I went wild, shoving past the court officers and scrambling out of the defendant’ s box. I lunged forward, tackling my mom to the ground. Quickly, I chewed up the transcript and swallowed it. In doing so, my clothes ripped, revealing a mosaic of old scars on my back. “Defendant, who caused these injuries on your body?!” I’ m done for, I thought.

I hastily tried to cover my back. But everyone in the courtroom, including the live stream viewers and my mom, had seen it clearly. The judge called for a forensics team to examine my injuries. While waiting for the report, he persisted with his questions. “Is this why you refused to stay in the hospital or change your clothes after the car crash?” I remained silent. “Who inflicted these injuries on you?” “Those three bitches, okay? Are you happy now?” The internet exploded. “No way! Is this about bullying?!” “They looked so innocent and sweet, not like people who’ d do something like that!” I glanced at the big screen displaying the comments. “You idiots know nothing! Haven’t you heard that appearances can be deceiving?” “You’ re lying!” Brooke Johnson’ s father, Mr. Johnson, suddenly stood up. “My daughter was an excellent student, a model student chosen by teachers and classmates. How could she bully you…?” “They were jealous of my grades, obviously!” I forced a smile. “Mr. Johnson, you were quite busy back then, weren’t you? Did Brooke ever tell you about cheating on exams?” “Did she tell you she paid me to do her homework?” “I…” The man was momentarily speechless. I scoffed. “You don’t know your own daughter at all! Because of negligent parents like you, I was bullied for a year and a half!” “Defendant.” The judge’ s voice was stern. “Is this why your grades suddenly plummeted in the second semester of junior year?” “Yes.” “What about my husband?” Mr. Davies’ s wife glared at me. “Even if Brooke and her friends bullied you, what does that have to do with my husband?! Why did you have to kill him too?!” “Because he knew and did nothing!” My face darkened. “I told him about the bullying back then, but he didn’t want to offend your well-connected families. He chose to turn a blind eye.” “Just because I came from a poor background, did I deserve to be abused?!” After a heated exchange, my mom listened, utterly bewildered. Just as she was about to ask something, the medical examiner arrived with my injury report. The results surprised everyone. My old scars were indeed consistent with injuries sustained around six years ago. But the force required was far beyond what three underage girls like Chloe, Brooke, and Skylar could inflict. “Defendant! Are you still lying now? Who was the man who beat you like this?!” My mom finally snapped out of her daze and rushed to hug me. “Jade, who did this to you?” I turned my face away, not wanting to see the tears in her eyes. “It’ s my fault, Jade! If your dad and I hadn’t been so busy working, you wouldn’t have been unsupervised and ended up like this…” “Did you fall in with bad company?” My mom desperately held my hand. “Were you threatened by some gang members? Tell me, Mom will get justice for you!” “No, no, no!” I impatiently shook off her hand. “Stop playing the devoted mother act. Who are you trying to fool?” Before I finished speaking, Chloe’ s mom suddenly grabbed a chair and charged at me. Thud. My mom blocked me, collapsing to the floor in pain. I clenched my fists, unmoving, my nails digging deep into my palms. “What kind of person is she? Her mom almost died protecting her, and she just stands there, cold-faced and indifferent?” “Ma’ am, you should give up! This kind of heart can’t be warmed. Saving her is pointless…” The court officers tried to send my mom to the hospital, but she waved them off, struggling to her feet. “Are you refusing to speak because you’ re trying to protect someone?” My mom clutched me tightly. “The person who beat you… it wasn’t your dad, was it…?” A pang of pain shot through my heart. “Your dad lost his job this year and went back to our old village. I thought you’ d be safer with him looking after you. I never imagined he’ d hit you?” “N-no… it wasn’t…” “I’ ll go confront him!” My mom turned angrily, but the judge called out to her. “Eleanor Vance, who did you just mention?” My mom turned back, confused. “My husband, Arthur Vance! Jade’ s dad!” “But…” The judge frowned. “Mr. Vance passed away five and a half years ago…” “What?!” My mom looked as if she’ d been struck by lightning. “How can that be? I personally saw him off to work in the city just last month!” “Look at the photos of the four victims. Do you recognize them?” My mom shook her head blankly. “They were Jade Vance’ s high school homeroom teacher and dorm mates.” The judge suddenly understood. “I thought you just weren’t involved enough in your daughter’ s life to remember her teachers and classmates…” “Jade Vance’ s mom… could she have amnesia?” On the other side of the camera, netizens discussed my mom’ s anguished expression. “No wonder she kept talking about juvenile protection laws and her own negligence…” “So that’ s why she still thinks Jade is a child?” “What trauma did she suffer to lose her memory? It looks like what she forgot might be connected to Jade’ s murders!” The judge thought so too. He immediately ordered the police to summon witnesses to the stand. My mom had contacted my junior high teachers, intending to prove I was a good student. But now, she looked at their aged faces and fell into a panic. “How can this be?” My mom clutched her head, roaring helplessly. “Didn’t Jade just finish junior high? Didn’t her dad just go to work in the city?” But seeing her like that, I could do nothing but feel a crushing heartache. Things were spiraling out of control, so the judge decided to adjourn the court. It was also because the police had found a new lead. After my dad died, my mom had a boyfriend named Malik. That name sent a chill through my entire body. My mom, however, claimed she didn’t remember him. “This Malik was an orphan, with no family left.” The trial resumed the next day. The police publicly announced the new lead they’ d found. “According to our investigation, he came to the town of Sunnybrook five years ago for work and soon began a relationship with Eleanor Vance.” “Later, the two decided to move back to the village to open a general store, so they relocated to her old home.”

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When I was seventeen, I rushed into a burning building to save Leo. A falling beam hit my head, and from that day on, I became simple-minded. To save money for my rehabilitation, he dropped out of school and took on all sorts of dirty, back-breaking jobs. Ten years later, Leo became the youngest entrepreneur in the city. And I was still the idiot who needed her shoes tied and her meals spoon-fed. Later, Leo started coming home later and later, his eyes filled with nothing but disgust when he looked at me. Until that day, I accidentally broke the music box his assistant gave him. For the first time, he lost his temper with me. He dragged me to the rooftop. And ordered me to jump from the fifty-story building. I didn’t understand why he wanted me to do that. I just knew that being a good girl earned me rewards. I’d been afraid of heights since I was little, but now, I was even more terrified of him leaving me. I smiled, taking a step back: “Leo, please don’t be mad. I’ll listen to whatever you say.”

The moment my body tilted backward, a powerful force yanked me back. I stumbled into his arms, and before I could even steady myself, a stinging slap landed on my face. “Are you insane?! You’ll die if you fall from here! Don’t you even know what death is?!” Leo’s voice cracked as he roared at me. Feeling the sharp pain on my cheek, I belatedly started to tremble. I didn’t know if it was from the fear of nearly falling, or the unsettling sting of his harsh scolding. But I still instinctively raised my hand, wanting to wipe away the tears at the corner of his eyes. “Leo, I’m sorry.” But the next second, Leo roughly pushed me away: “You idiot, what else can you say besides ‘I’m sorry’!” Just then, the iron door to the rooftop burst open. Chloe rushed in, looking frantic. She glanced at the two of us, her face instantly paling: “Leo, have you lost your mind? What are you doing bringing her to a place like this?!” “If anything happened to her, you’d be charged with aiding and abetting suicide. You’d go to jail for that!” Her voice was hoarse as she clutched Leo’s arm tightly, then pulled him into a fierce embrace: “If you end up in prison, what will I do?” At that moment, Leo finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably into her shoulder: “I don’t know… I’m just so tired…” Watching his trembling back, I vaguely realized something. For the past ten years, I seemed to have truly become the source of all his pain. After Leo calmed down, he noticed the large scrapes on my knees. A flicker of guilt flashed in his eyes: “Scarlett, does it hurt? I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to be so harsh just now.” He helped me up, and together with Chloe, we went downstairs. Back home, Leo found the first-aid kit and, as he had countless times before, carefully dressed and bandaged my wound. But this time, though his movements were still practiced, his eyes held nothing but exhaustion and weariness. After treating my injury, Leo handed me a piece of candy and gently told me: “Stay home, be a good girl.” Then, he took Chloe’s hand and walked out the door. I was a little curious, so I quietly crept to the door. I heard snippets of their conversation. “Chloe, I’m really tired… As long as she’s alive, I won’t have a single day of peace.” “You know what? I even thought that after she jumped, I’d just die with her…” Hearing this, Chloe’s brows instantly furrowed: “Leo, what nonsense are you talking about! You’ve already sacrificed a whole decade for that idiot, and you’re still thinking of throwing your life away too?” Leo replied weakly: “But what can I do? She became like this saving me back then. I owe her too much.” Just then, Chloe suddenly noticed me eavesdropping behind the door. She rushed over, grabbing my collar: “Scarlett, even if you’re an idiot, you should at least have some shame, shouldn’t you? Do you really want to drag Leo down your whole life, content to just be a parasite?” Leo quickly pulled her back: “Chloe, why are you arguing with her? She doesn’t understand any of this.” “Alright, stop it. Come with me for a walk. There are some company matters I need to discuss with you.” Leo glanced at me, told me to stay home and be good, then left with Chloe. After they left, I stood by the door, frozen for a long time. A few neighbors happened to pass by and saw me. They began to whisper amongst themselves. “Oh, poor Leo, he has such a hard life. Busy with company matters all day, then he has to take care of an idiot when he gets home.” “I heard that young lady, Chloe, has proposed to him several times, but Leo never agreed, all because he can’t let go of this idiot.” “If you ask me, Leo is just too kind. In this situation, he should send that idiot to a psychiatric hospital.” “Or if she just died, Leo’s life would be much easier…” Hearing those words, my heart gave a violent lurch. I couldn’t help but walk closer. The neighbors saw me approach, fear crossing their faces as they took a few steps back. But I just blinked, nervously asking: “Auntie, Uncle, if I go to the psychiatric hospital, will Leo not be sad anymore?” Seeing them not answer, I pressed on: “Then… if I die, will Leo be happy?”

The neighbors didn’t answer my questions. They just scurried away, as if avoiding something dirty. Watching their retreating backs, I suddenly remembered. Last year, for my birthday, Leo had taken me to a park far from home. He told me to sit on a bench, gently stroking my head and saying: “Scarlett, wait for me here. I’ll be back soon.” But I waited from noon until the sun began to set, until the streetlights flickered on one by one. He never came back. In the end, I had to find my way home myself, relying on vague memories, one step at a time. I remember thinking then, that after being gone for so long, Leo must have been frantic with worry. But when he opened the door and saw me, there wasn’t a trace of joy on his face. Only disappointment and sorrow. It was only now that I vaguely understood. He actually wanted to abandon me that day, didn’t he? A wave of sorrow washed over me, and my nose stung. I crouched down, burying my face in my knees, tears gushing out uncontrollably. But soon, I remembered what the neighbors had said. If I truly disappeared, would Leo’s life be much easier? Would he finally be able to smile happily? Thinking this, I wiped away my tears, stood up, and gathered my courage to step out of the house. I walked aimlessly along the road for a long time, not understanding traffic lights or directions. I didn’t know how to find the “psychiatric hospital” they spoke of. Distracted, a speeding car suddenly swerved towards me. I froze in place, my legs rooted to the spot. Just then, a pair of hands violently pulled me back to the side of the road. Still shaken, I looked up, only to see Leo’s face, filled with terror and lingering fear. “Scarlett, I told you to stay home, didn’t I? What are you doing running out again?!” “You idiot, can’t you just make my life a little easier for one day? Do you just want to drive me crazy before you’re happy?!” Seeing him so distraught, I shivered, whispering: “Leo, I want to go to the psychiatric hospital. I just wanted to go there and…” Hearing this, Leo froze. A flicker of confusion and guilt crossed his eyes, then he sharply asked: “What are you babbling about?! Did those people put ideas in your head again?” I quickly shook my head, a little nervous: “No, I want to go myself. Leo, please take me there, please.” No sooner had the words left my lips than Leo suddenly cupped my face, his voice trembling: “Scarlett, I’ll never abandon you, never!” “I’ll protect you and take care of you my whole life. Don’t overthink things anymore.” Looking at his reddened eyes, I nodded obediently. But deep down, I knew. Just now, when that car was about to hit me. I had actually seen Leo standing by the roadside earlier. In those few seconds, he had hesitated again. The next morning, Leo took me to the hospital for a follow-up. Although I didn’t understand what the doctor was saying, seeing his tightly furrowed brows, I realized my condition might have worsened. This thought weighed heavily on my heart. No, I couldn’t go on like this. I couldn’t keep dragging Leo down. While he went to get the car, I quietly slipped away from the parking garage. I turned and ran outside. This time, I had to succeed. I had to find that place. But as soon as I reached the entrance, I ran straight into Chloe. Seeing me alone, her face instantly darkened. She violently grabbed my arm, making me flinch in pain. “Scarlett, how did you sneak out alone again? Can’t you make Leo’s life a little less difficult?” She gnashed her teeth and hissed. “It’s always you, always you!” “Because of you, Leo rejects me again and again. Haven’t you ruined his life enough? Do you have to ruin my happiness too?” Her gaze suddenly turned sinister. As if having made a decision, she stared at me intently, muttering to herself: “Leo, you’re always so kind, always too soft-hearted…” “It’s okay. This time, I’ll help you get rid of her for good.”

Chloe dragged me to a deserted corner, slamming me against the wall. She smirked, then suddenly grabbed my hand and fiercely raked it across her own face. “No… let go of me!” I screamed in terror, struggling to pull my hand back, but I couldn’t match her strength. Chloe quickly scratched her face, leaving bloody marks. But she didn’t think it was enough. She pulled out her phone and violently smashed it on the ground; the screen instantly shattered. Under my horrified gaze, she lunged and slammed her forehead against the wall. Blood immediately streamed down her brow. “You idiot, you owe Leo so much, and now I’m going to make you pay for all of it!” Chloe glared at me viciously. The next second, she suddenly shrieked: “Help! This maniac is trying to kill me!” Soon, hurried footsteps came from nearby. Several hospital security guards saw Chloe’s blood-soaked face and me standing frozen in place. They immediately rushed forward and pinned me to the ground. “It wasn’t me… I didn’t…” I cried, barely managing to stammer out a few words, but no one listened. Everyone thought I was the deranged assailant. Before long, Leo also rushed over, freezing at the sight before him. He dashed to Chloe’s side, his voice trembling: “Chloe, are you okay?! What happened?!” Chloe leaned on his shoulder, her voice weak: “Leo, please don’t blame Scarlett… She just had an episode, she couldn’t control herself…” Before she finished, Leo’s gaze fell on the shattered phone. His face changed dramatically: “Scarlett, do you have any idea how many important files were on here, you idiot!” “Leo, it really wasn’t me…” I cried, shaking my head, but then Leo saw the bloodstains on my hands. His eyes grew colder and colder. “Ten years… I gave up everything for you, and this is how you repay me?!” Leo’s voice suddenly rose, his breakdown laced with despair. His fists rained down on me like a storm, each punch carrying immense resentment. Finally, he kicked me in the head. A security guard tried to intervene, but Leo pushed him away. “Do you know how much I lost because of you?!” He cried out as he hit me. “You hurt me enough, and now you have to hurt the people around me too? Scarlett… what did I do wrong to be tormented by you like this?!” I curled up on the ground, letting him vent. My entire body trembled from the pain, but my heart ached even more. Finally, Leo seemed to have tired himself out. He stood up and made a call. He summoned his subordinates, then dragged me from the ground and took me with them. They took me home and threw me into the dark basement. As the iron door slammed shut, the entire world plunged into darkness. The wounds on my body stung with a burning pain. I huddled in the corner, shivering. I don’t know how much time passed, but I started to develop a fever, my throat dry as dust. “Water… I want water…” I called out weakly, but no one answered. Just then, through the vent, I heard voices from upstairs. “Chloe, I really put you through a lot today.” It was Leo’s voice. “Only now do I understand how stupid I was… to willingly sacrifice my own happiness for an idiot.” “Leo, it’s not too late. You still have a long life ahead of you.” Chloe responded softly. After a moment of silence, Leo spoke again: “Chloe, I’ve made up my mind… I promise you, we’ll get married next month.” “It’s time… for me to truly live for myself.” A moment later, I heard the sound of two people embracing and crying from upstairs. I lay on the ground, tears silently streaming down my face. So, if I disappeared, Leo could find happiness. This heartbreaking truth, strangely, brought me a glimmer of relief. The pain in my body didn’t seem so unbearable anymore. In a hazy stupor, I gradually lost consciousness.

Days later, Chloe had me sent to a pigsty on an outlying farm. She locked my ankle with an iron chain, just long enough for me to move between the feeding trough and the straw pile. The air was thick with the foul stench of feed and manure. “This place really suits you. You’re no different from an animal anyway.” Witnessing all this, Leo simply stood by in silence. I guessed he had given his unspoken consent. From then on, I lived with the pigs every day. And Leo, after he left, never came to see me again. Until one morning, I woke from a daze. I heard footsteps approaching from a distance. Looking up, I saw the one person I longed for—Leo. He was dressed in a sharp suit, walking cautiously closer. He knelt down, looking at me through the fence: “Scarlett, I’m marrying Chloe today.” I gazed at him blankly. He looked so handsome, more handsome than I’d ever remembered him. “I’m sorry, you’ve suffered these past few days. After the wedding, I’ll come and get you.” His voice was very soft. I nodded in bewilderment, reaching out to touch the hem of his suit, but then I saw my own dirty hands and pulled back. He stood up, gave me one last look: “Wait for me to come back.” With that, Leo turned and got into his car. Watching the car drive away, I didn’t call out to stop him. I just repeated over and over: “Leo, I’ll wait for you.” Around noon, the pigsty door was suddenly pushed open. I thought it was Leo, but instead, I saw a stranger. “Idiot, Miss Chloe specifically told me to send you off.” He said coldly, then began splashing liquid around. The pungent smell made me cough. I instantly realized he was pouring gasoline. “Blame yourself for being in the way. As long as you’re alive, Miss Chloe won’t have a single day of peace.” “Go on and die quietly. People like you are better off dead.” The next second, as flames erupted from the corner. The pigs, startled, scattered and fled. The fire spread rapidly, and a scorching pain radiated from my skin. The thick smoke made me cough relentlessly. Even if I wanted to escape, bound as I was, I had no way. I’m really going to die this time, aren’t I? But, maybe that’s not so bad. The wooden beams of the pigsty began to collapse. I looked at the small patch of sky outside the fence. I thought of Leo in his suit again. “Leo, you have to be happy…” This time, I won’t be a burden to you anymore. In a daze. I seemed to hear the screech of tires in the distance, and Leo’s heart-wrenching cry: “Scarlett—!” Before I completely lost consciousness, I only heard someone quietly regret: “Mr. Leo, she has no heartbeat.”

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In my past life, I welcomed Ruby into our home as our adopted daughter. She, in turn, utterly destroyed my family. Mark and I poured every last penny into treating her illnesses. Not only was she ungrateful, but she also killed our biological son. After she yet again demanded money with no success, she revealed the truth about our son’s tragic death, then pushed me down the stairs with a smile on her face. After I died, she had Mark institutionalized, and tricked my parents into shouldering massive debts. Reborn into this life, I immediately tossed her back to where she belonged. If she couldn’t appreciate a good life, then she could roll back to her hell! I opened my eyes, shocked to find myself reborn on the very day we found Ruby. At that moment, my husband, Mark, looked up at me, stars shining in his eyes. “Honey, since you want to adopt her, let’s give her a name.” “What should we call her?” “How about Ruby? ‘Ru’ for joy, symbolizing eternal happiness, and ‘by’ for precious jade, representing beauty and value.” “Let’s make her our forever happy little girl.” Mark’s face was alight with dreams for the future. At this moment, he didn’t have the prematurely white hair of my past life, nor was he the raving madman locked away in a mental institution. He was in the prime of his life, untouched by half a lifetime of suffering. Seeing my silence, he lowered his head and gently cooed at the baby in his arms. My eyes welled up slightly. In my past life, we had just gotten married when we found Ruby. Even without a biological child of our own, we chose to adopt her. She had a congenital cleft lip that needed surgery, and after being abandoned in the snow for too long, she was suffering from a persistent, dangerously high fever. To pay for her treatment, we drained all our savings. We even took on considerable debt, enduring the bewildered stares of our relatives. After she was discharged from the hospital, she didn’t just need normal things like formula and diapers; she also required various medications for her ongoing treatment. On top of that, she was a high-needs baby, crying incessantly at the slightest disturbance, unable to be left alone for a moment. Mark’s parents had strong reservations about Ruby, feeling she was a huge burden, and they completely disregarded their adopted granddaughter. In desperation, I had to quit my job and dedicate myself entirely to her care. A constantly wailing infant, and me, unable to work because I was tied down with childcare. The entire weight of our family rested squarely on Mark’s shoulders. Under immense pressure, we had to give up on having our own child. For this, Mark endured endless lectures and harsh words from his parents. To protect Ruby and me, he even spread a rumor that he was infertile. We were subjected to endless whispers and gossip, yet our love for Ruby never wavered. But how did she repay us?

Later, when she was old enough to go to school, I was able to go back to work, improving our family’s quality of life. Things were getting better and better, so Mark and I discussed having a second child. When she found out, she secretly started putting birth control pills into our tea. Later, she even showed up at our workplaces, screaming and causing a huge scene, trying to force us to give up on having a second child. But we were dead set on having a child of our own. She didn’t succeed that time. She cried, saying she was sorry and would never throw a tantrum again. The child we had raised by hand was crying so heartbrokenly, that in the end, Mark and I believed her. Not long after, our son, Leo, was born. She seemed thrilled, actively feeding him formula, changing his diapers, and even washing his clothes. She said, “Mom, you worked so hard for me, doing so much. Now it’s my turn to help you.” We were so touched that she had grown up and become so sensible. But we never imagined that a few months later, she would smother our baby boy in his crib. After Leo was gone, Mark and I aged decades overnight. Unaware of the truth, even after suffering the unbearable pain of losing a child, we continued to dote on her. Until she reached adulthood, and her demands became even more outrageous. When we couldn’t afford her lifestyle, she got involved with predatory high-interest loans, from some really shady lenders. When her creditors came knocking, her first thought wasn’t repentance, but our “inheritance.” She said, “Mom, Dad, I know I messed up. This is the last time. If you don’t forgive me, I’ll just have to die.” Our hearts softened again, and we opened the door, ready to welcome our beloved daughter. But it wasn’t our beloved daughter who walked through that door. It was a hungry wolf. She behaved for a few days, then tricked Mark into leaving, and then told me the truth about our son’s tragic death. She gesticulated wildly, excitedly telling me how her little brother had struggled, how he had stopped breathing. “I stood right there next to him, watching his face turn red, until his tiny hands fell limp, and he slowly ran out of air.” “If I could do it again, I’d make him die an even worse death.” I lunged at her, wanting to fight her to the death, but she shoved me down the stairs, and I died a brutal death. After I died, Mark fell into even deeper despair. Losing a son in middle age, then a wife in his later years. He developed suicidal depression, and Ruby used this as an excuse to have him sent to a mental institution. Not content with that, she also tricked my parents into shouldering massive debts. And yet, this heartless monster, she lived a life of ease and freedom.

I suppressed the hatred in my heart and blurted out, “‘Baby?’ I scoffed, ‘More like bad news.’” “Honey, I don’t want to adopt her anymore.” Mark looked stunned. “But you just said you wanted to adopt her. What made you change your mind so suddenly?” I snatched the child from his arms, staring at the incessantly wailing Ruby. “I just remembered something I once heard.” “Some children are just born to bring bad karma, to make your life hell.” “And these bad kids, they get their evil from their parents, you know.” “Mark, think about it. If we had a child, would we ever abandon them? Even if they weren’t smart, or healthy, or beautiful, or even if they had a serious illness?” Mark immediately replied, “Of course not. Even if it meant selling everything we owned, draining our life savings, and piling up debt, I would never give up on them.” “See? That’s what normal people think.” I took a deep breath. “The parents of this child, they’re not normal people.” “There’s no telling if this child might have inherited their twisted genes.” Reincarnation was too unbelievable, and society wasn’t ready for talk of it back then. And my sudden change in demeanor, from doting to disgusted, would have been enough to convince anyone I’d lost my mind. “Alright, you’re right. Then we won’t adopt her.” Mark nodded, understanding. Ruby, in my arms, seemed to understand our conversation and cried even harder. Tears streamed down the tiny person’s face, her wails tearing through the air. Her little hands flailed desperately, trying to grasp my clothes, as if by doing so, we wouldn’t abandon her. Mark saw this and his face softened with pity. “So, what do we do now?”

I seriously considered Mark’s question. If we left Ruby here now, and someone else took her, then another kind soul would suffer. But that possibility was low. After all, no one wants an extra child they know nothing about; who knows if she has any diseases? Besides, Ruby’s face was disfigured by her cleft lip, and she had a persistent fever. No one would willingly bring such trouble home. But letting her freeze to death in this snow? That would be too easy for her. I couldn’t let go of the grievances from my past life, yet my tormentor was just an innocent infant. Even if I got my revenge, she wouldn’t even know it. After careful consideration, I thought of a good place for her. “Honey, let’s take her to the orphanage.” A flicker of hatred flashed in my eyes. Ruby once told me, playing on my sympathies, that if Mark and I hadn’t taken her in, she’d have been stuck in the hell of the orphanage. She claimed to be incredibly grateful that Mark and I had saved her from that hell. This time, I didn’t need her “gratitude.” I just wanted to send her back to where she belonged. Ruby was still crying, gasping for breath. Mark, seeing her pitiful state, wavered slightly. “Honey, she’s crying so pitifully. Maybe we could…” I naturally wouldn’t let him change his mind. I cut him off directly. “Honey, there are too many unfortunate people in the world. We’re just ordinary people; we can’t save them all.” “Taking her to the orphanage out of goodwill is also a kind act.” Mark could only nod in agreement.

Soon, Mark and I rode our bike to the orphanage gate. As soon as Mark stopped, I carried Ruby over to a flowerbed by the entrance. Ruby, who had cried herself tired, immediately started to wail again, her cries tearing through the air. I curled my lips into a cold smile and gently placed her on the edge of the flowerbed. As I stood up, I looked down at her. Her crying stopped for a moment, and I saw a torrent of hatred pour from her eyes. A chill ran down my spine. A terrifying thought pierced my mind: Could she have been reborn too? This thought made the hatred in my heart surge, instantly engulfing me in its tide. I couldn’t stop myself from raising my hand, aiming for her neck. Just then, Mark called out from behind me, “Honey, it’s cold. Let’s head home soon. Mom and Dad are waiting.” I snapped back to reality. Heaven had given me a second chance, not to lead me down the path of despair again. I had a wonderful life ahead of me. Even if I wanted revenge, I shouldn’t throw my entire life away for it. “Okay,” I said. We went home.

That very night, I pinned Mark to the bed. He paused for a moment, then a blush crept onto his face. “Honey, you’re a little different tonight, aren’t you?” My passionate kisses were his only answer. In this life, I wanted to have our child sooner. I wanted to give him everything we had. If there was any regret, it was that I had failed them both in my past life – him and our son. Now, all I wanted was to make it up to them.

I wasn’t sure if Ruby had been reborn. But I knew for sure that if she had, with her deranged and malicious personality, she would eventually come back for revenge. Deep down, I almost *looked forward* to her return. But to my disappointment, the next six years were uneventful. In those six years, I accomplished a lot. I quit my old job and, leveraging my foreknowledge, opened my own restaurant. I also borrowed a lot of money and invested in old properties, just waiting for them to skyrocket in value. And throughout those six years, I had kept tabs on Ruby. She was no different from the other children at the orphanage. They ate together, played together. If anything was different, it was that the other children often picked on her. They would snatch her food when adults weren’t looking, make her do extra chores. They would even drag her into deserted corners and beat her up. She often came back with bruises and scars, seeking help, but no one bothered to intervene. She became the lowest of the low in the entire orphanage. When I heard the news, I gave a bag of candy to Tommy, the neighbor’s kid. He happily ran off. His grandmother lived near the orphanage, and he often went there to play. Once, he saw me near the orphanage, and noticing my look of disgust towards Ruby, he bravely approached me and asked, “Auntie, don’t you like that little girl?” I nodded. “No, I don’t.” He was often fed candy by me. Hearing my words, he immediately rushed into the orphanage and gave Ruby a hard slap. Tommy was a wily kid; he’d deliver a quick slap and then vanish in a flash. When he returned to me, I promptly handed him a handful of candy. His eyes lit up, and with that, a new world opened for him. We reached an unspoken agreement. He was responsible for bullying, and I was responsible for the candy. Tommy, eager for more sweets, even roped in other kids at the orphanage who hadn’t tasted candy before. I was more than happy to see this play out.

In the seventh year after I abandoned Ruby, she disappeared from the orphanage. No one knew where she had gone. The orphanage staff searched frantically and reported her missing to the police, but she was nowhere to be found. I secretly helped look for her a few times too. If she could simply escape hell like that, it would be too easy for her. Unfortunately, despite our extensive search, we couldn’t find her. I pondered over it for a long time, but found no clues. That unsettling thought rose again. Could this stupid, malicious person have *really* been reborn? I couldn’t help but feel annoyed. “Mom, what’s wrong?” My six-year-old son, Leo, asked in his sweet voice. “Did Leo make you angry?” My son was just like his dad—gentle and considerate by nature. My heart softened, and all the sharp edges within me receded. “No, Leo is wonderful.” I stroked his head, and much of my lingering obsession faded. If I couldn’t find her, then I would let her go for now.

A year after Ruby disappeared, I had given up on finding her. But just then, she came looking for me. That day, I was busy at the restaurant. I had just brought a dish out from the kitchen when I saw a little beggar child rush in from outside. I quickly put down the plate, ready to go forward and ask if she needed help. Before I could reach her, she ran up to me and hugged my leg. She sat on the floor, crying loudly, “Mommy, I’m your daughter!” She cried as she looked up, revealing a pathetic little face. In an instant, the entire place erupted. In those days, abandoning a child, or having an affair and a child out of wedlock, was something people would scoff at. The restaurant immediately buzzed with gossip. The neighbors were already green with envy over our success. Now, with an excuse to attack us, they all chimed in with accusations. “Is that child really yours from outside your marriage?” “Mrs. Johnson, that’s a terrible thing to say. Couldn’t they both have had her?” “Then they must be heartless to abandon their own daughter just to have a son.” “…” People always sympathize with the weak, especially such a small child. Ruby instantly became the object of everyone’s pity. With just one appearance, and one sentence, she successfully stirred up everyone’s anger towards me. She skillfully cast herself as the victim, turning everyone to her side. At that moment, I knew for sure: Ruby had been reborn too.

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Three years into our marriage, my husband, David, now a major success, decided it was time to finally buy our wedding rings. But before the custom rings were even ready, I got a call from the jewelry store. “Mrs. Hayes, if the ring isn’t comfortable, you can bring it back anytime for adjustment.” I was completely baffled. I hadn’t even picked up the rings yet, how would I know if they were comfortable? I immediately called David to ask, but he stammered and mumbled. “How would *I* know? The jewelry store staff must have made a mistake, called the wrong number!” “Don’t worry, I’ve paid the deposit. If they can’t deliver, I’ll go settle the score with them myself!” My blood ran cold. I instantly knew something far more complicated was going on. David Hayes, so you get a little money and immediately jump into an affair? I’ll make sure you both pay for this, big time! 1 After hanging up, my heart ached with sharp, agonizing pain. I remembered three years ago, David was just a broke guy from a small town, new to the city. He’d been swindled out of all his money and was shivering, huddled on my doorstep in the dead of winter. He may have been down on his luck, but he was handsome. My heart softened, and I took him in. He didn’t have connections or a fancy degree, but he was incredibly charming and knew how to make people feel good. He charmed my entire family, and my dad, completely won over by his charisma and ambition, practically pushed me to marry him! To support David’s entrepreneurial dreams, my dad even sold our only family property for a million dollars to fund his investment. David didn’t disappoint. In just three years, he grew his company to a market value of a billion dollars, becoming a genuine business magnate. When we got married, he was just starting out, and times were tough. We only registered our marriage. Forget a wedding ceremony; we didn’t even buy wedding rings. Finally, with money in hand, he held my hand, full of gratitude, promising me the most magnificent wedding. And a pair of the most expensive custom rings. But now, just as I was eagerly anticipating our personally designed rings, they had been picked up by someone else. I didn’t even know who that woman was, yet she had impersonated me. My gut screamed that something serious had happened. I was going to find out exactly who this *bitch* was! Wiping away the cold tears on my face, I took a deep breath and drove straight to the jewelry store. I stormed up to the service counter, forcing down my anger, and demanded to know. “I’m Mrs. Hayes, who ordered custom wedding rings here a month ago. Who picked up my rings early today?” The sales associate looked up, her eyes wide with surprise. “Ma’am, you must be mistaken. Mrs. Hayes picked up the rings an hour ago!” “And the rings were finished a month early, we notified Mrs. Hayes to pick them up a day in advance. Who are you?” Just as I suspected, it wasn’t a mistake. Someone had deliberately impersonated me. “I am Mrs. Hayes! You let someone impersonate me and walk off with the rings without verifying their identity? What are you going to give me now?!” Seeing my tone turn harsh, the sales associate’s face showed some displeasure. “We have the customer’s registered phone number. She even came in with Mr. Hayes three days ago to ask if the couple’s rings could be rushed. How is that impersonation? And you, you keep saying you’re Mrs. Hayes, but we’ve never seen you before!” The sales associate’s words left me even more bewildered. 2 I suddenly remembered that when David said he wanted to get us custom rings, we were both away on a business trip. He’d tasked his secretary, Jessica Feng, with handling it. David had even sent our design requirements to his secretary in advance. So, the sales associate was right; I hadn’t shown up at all. But I had no idea that the imposter, the one pretending to be me, had actually come to the jewelry store with David, using my name? Now I was even more certain David was lying. He knew *exactly* who picked up those rings! I was furious, about to call David right there and then to demand an explanation. Just then, the click-clack of high heels echoed from behind me. I instinctively turned around and saw a woman in her twenties, draped in jewels. What really made my blood boil was the limited-edition handbag David had promised to buy me last month – the one he’d said was impossible to get – was slung over *this woman’s* shoulder! And I knew this person. It was Jessica Feng, David’s secretary! I was about to rush over and demand what she was doing here, but Jessica’s expression froze, and she spoke first. “Sarah? What are you doing here?” Before I could even open my mouth, the jewelry store sales associate scurried out from behind the counter. Beaming, she greeted Jessica. “Mrs. Hayes, you’re here! Are the rings the wrong size? We can adjust them for you right away!” The sales associate’s words made Jessica’s face change. She immediately walked over, grabbed my arm, and started pulling me out, lowering her voice. “Sarah, if you want to buy jewelry, I can introduce you to another store. This place’s styles aren’t great…” I instantly understood what Jessica was trying to do. She was afraid I’d expose her for impersonating me right there! I immediately stopped, my face cold, my eyes filled with sarcasm as I glared at her. “So eager to drag me away? I was just about to ask you: impersonating me and taking my husband’s and my wedding rings – what exactly do you think you’re doing?” My words were laced with fury, my voice loud and sharp. It instantly drew everyone’s attention. Several sales associates and dozens of customers browsing in the store all looked my way. Jessica’s face first contorted in extreme embarrassment, but then, in a blink, she launched into her performance. She pouted her lips, turning on the waterworks, and whimpered pitifully at the onlookers. “Sarah, how could you… I picked up *my* wedding rings, the ones *my* husband ordered for *me*. Why are you accusing me of stealing yours…?” Jessica’s sob story, combined with my aggressive stance, instantly had everyone wrapped around her finger. They started scolding me. “Where did this psycho come from? So aggressive! She’s taking her own ring, and this woman claims it’s hers?” “Yeah, I’ve been here the whole time, I heard it all. She ordered the rings with her husband, and this woman is trying to steal them?” “I think this crazy old lady must be having a meltdown. Is she even mistaking other people’s husbands?” Even the sales associates looked at me with smug pleasure, as if *I* were the crazy person trying to steal someone’s wedding ring. I couldn’t be bothered to waste words on these clueless bystanders and spoke directly to the sales associate. “It’s simple. Let’s both call our husbands right now, and we’ll know who’s telling the truth.” 3 I expected Jessica, the imposter, to get cold feet, but instead, she gritted her teeth and lifted her chin defiantly. “Fine, let’s call! The truth is the truth! Let my husband prove it himself!” She immediately pulled out her phone and dialed, putting the call on speaker. As soon as the call connected, she deliberately started crying into the phone, her voice full of grievance. “W-w-woobie, come quick to Happy Jewelers and save me! I just picked up the ring, and it feels a little loose, so I came to get it adjusted, but this crazy woman jumped out and said I impersonated her to take her wedding rings, and she won’t let me leave…” I clearly heard David’s furious voice explode from the phone. “Which psycho dares to accuse you of taking her ring? I’ll make her pay for this!” “Boo hoo hoo, I can’t even talk right now. Just come see for yourself!” With that, Jessica decisively hung up, her eyes full of provocation as she looked at me. “My husband is on his way. Let’s see who he acknowledges as his wife in front of everyone!” I was so angry my teeth ached. I couldn’t understand what gave Jessica the nerve to be so brazen. She knew David was married, she knew *I* was his wife and a company shareholder – we’d met plenty of times! While Jessica and I waited for David, the sales associate from the service counter approached. She rolled her eyes at me and spoke coldly. “Ma’am… you, who *claims* to be Mrs. Hayes, if you’ll permit me to say, you should leave now before Mr. Hayes arrives. Save yourself the embarrassment of being exposed. They could even sue you for fraud!” Several other sales associates chimed in, scoffing. “Yeah, ma’am, take a good look in the mirror. You’re old, fat, tacky, and ugly. You must be almost fifty, right? And you have the nerve to impersonate Mrs. Hayes? Do you even deserve it?” “Exactly! The real Mrs. Hayes is young and beautiful. Look at her outfit, all designer brands. That limited-edition handbag alone is worth over a million. Can *your* cheap clothes even fetch a hundred bucks?” “Who gave this old woman the courage to impersonate Mrs. Hayes and put on such an act? How embarrassing when she gets exposed!” I’d always known that some luxury store salespeople were snobby and judged people by their wallets. It seemed jewelry stores were no different. It was true, my family had poured everything we had into helping David start his company. But his specialty was quality control. All the market expansion and sales channels? I was the one running them. I was constantly out and about, entertaining clients, so I dressed for comfort, not style. I probably looked older than my thirty years. But it was precisely because I tirelessly built his sales channels and secured deals that we got order after order. And the comfortable life we now enjoyed. I was so focused on building the business that I neglected my appearance. Of course, I wasn’t as young and radiant as Jessica. But no one knew that once, I was a renowned beauty, the most popular girl in school. Lost in thought, a tall, imposing figure pushed through the crowd and strode quickly into the store. “Jessica! Where’s that crazy woman who was bothering you? I’ll teach her a lesson!” David didn’t even notice me. He rushed over and pulled Jessica into his arms, comforting her with doting eyes. My chest tightened in agony. I stared at the scene, unable to believe it, and spoke to David through gritted teeth. “So, David Hayes, tell me yourself, between me and this woman, who is your wife?” 4 If I still didn’t believe David and Jessica were having an affair, I would truly be the biggest fool on earth. I wanted to see how he would try to defend himself now that I had personally caught him red-handed with Jessica. I expected David to be shocked and ashamed when he saw me. Instead, his reaction completely shattered my bottom line. David froze for a second, then suddenly glared at me, his brows furrowed in rage. “Sarah Song, are you out of your mind? You’re just my cleaner, what are you doing impersonating Mrs. Hayes? Do I really need to come all the way here to prove that my wife is Jessica Feng?” “I know you’re ugly and old, and your small-town husband doesn’t want you anymore, but you can’t fantasize about being my wife and then bully my *actual* wife! You’re absolutely despicable!” David’s words stunned me into silence. “David Hayes, you… you say that again. I’m your cleaner? She’s Mrs. Hayes?” “I’ll say it a million times! What, are you so desperate to be Mrs. Hayes that you’ve gone crazy? Believe it or not, I’ll fire you right now! Now get home and scrub my toilets!” David’s aggressive stance intimidated everyone present, and people started pointing and cursing at me. “No way! Even cleaners are dreaming big now? Another one of those ‘CEO falls for the maid’ stories, I guess!” “Hahahaha, this is hilarious! Mr. and Mrs. Hayes are so unlucky to run into such a deranged cleaner!” “Hey, cleaning lady, stop making a fool of yourself. Go home and scrub those toilets, or you’ll really be jobless!” The store staff and customers suddenly erupted in a collective roar of laughter. It was as if I really was a cleaner fantasizing about a CEO, and my face instantly burned crimson. Jessica, so openly defended by David, walked right up to me, sneering. “I told you, Auntie Sarah, my husband himself has come to prove it. Are you going to stay here and make a bigger fool of yourself? Get lost!” Seeing me stand still, Jessica raised her leg and kicked me. I instinctively defended myself, raising my hand to push her away. But my hand didn’t even touch Jessica, when she let out an exaggerated shriek and fell to the ground. “David… my stomach hurts so bad, our baby…” The next second, David rushed over and scooped Jessica into his arms, then slapped me hard across the face. “Sarah Song! You’re a twisted, sick woman! Jessica just found out she’s pregnant with my child, and you push her? You did that on purpose, didn’t you?!” I stopped arguing, pulled out my phone, and dialed 91 “Hello, I’d like to report a crime. Someone here is impersonating me and has fraudulently taken wedding rings valued at ten million dollars. Also, my husband is having an affair and is suspected of transferring company assets to his mistress…” In the stunned silence of everyone present, I calmly hung up. David was completely bewildered, staring at me with rapid breaths. “Sarah Song, are you serious?” I silently took out our marriage certificate from my bag and displayed it for everyone to see. “In your mouth, everything is a lie, but my marriage certificate with you, that’s real.” My single sentence made all the onlookers’ eyes widen in shock.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299325”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn

When I heard that Marcus had broken my legs, my daughter, Chloe, didn’t call the police. Instead, she rushed to his house and stabbed him eighteen times. As the police led her away, a reporter interviewed her: “You graduated from a prestigious university, working for a big company, with a brilliant future ahead. Now you’re a murderer. Do you regret it?” Chloe smiled at the camera, “Why should I regret it?” “My mom is the most important person in my life. If I had to do it again, I’d still do the exact same thing.” Chloe’s devotion touched the entire internet, and countless people voluntarily pleaded for her. Even a top lawyer offered to defend her pro bono. Considering Marcus’s long criminal record and the serious injuries he inflicted on me, coupled with the huge public outcry over Chloe’s filial piety, the court ultimately ruled it self-defense and acquitted her. Everyone rejoiced at the verdict. Only I disagreed. I appealed multiple times, demanding a death sentence for Chloe, arguing for a life for a life. But eight appeals, eight losses. Everyone called me a heartless, ungrateful mother. A reporter approached me: “Your daughter has been filial since childhood, excellent in both character and academics. This impulsive act of murder was all for you. Why are you so determined to get the judge to sentence her to death?” I looked at the reporter and said calmly: “If you secretly follow my daughter for two days, you’ll understand why.”

On the first day of filming, the reporter staked out Chloe’s company entrance for a secret live stream. Lying in my hospital bed, I quietly opened the live stream. Under the watchful eyes of numerous netizens, Chloe left work, looking utterly exhausted. But she didn’t go home. Instead, she drove to meet her best friend, Jessica. As soon as they met, Jessica got straight to the point: “Chloe, are you sure you want to sell your car to pay for your mom’s leg treatment?” “You know perfectly well that her leg bones are completely shattered. No matter how much money you pour into it, she won’t fully recover!” Chloe replied without hesitation, “The doctor said there’s still a tiny chance of recovery. Even if it’s one in ten thousand, I don’t want to give up.” “You know how much my mom used to love sports. She’d go hiking and running whenever she had time. To confine her to a wheelchair for the rest of her life—that would be too cruel for her.” Jessica looked at Chloe with a pang in her heart: “What about you?” “Isn’t your current life cruel for you?” “To treat your mom’s legs, you’re selling your car, working odd jobs, and even mortgaged the house you live in.” “You’re thinking so much about her, have you considered yourself?” Chloe’s eyes lowered slightly, but her voice was incredibly firm: “She’s my mom. She’s the most important person in my life.” Seeing Chloe’s sincere and earnest words, the live stream comments exploded: “OMG, I didn’t know until I saw the live stream, this daughter has sacrificed so much for her mom?” “Yeah, she’s truly quietly emptying herself for her mom!” “She’s really the filial daughter who would kill for her mother, she’s making me cry!” Jessica sympathetically gripped Chloe’s hand, saying deeply: “Chloe, I can buy your car, but I genuinely feel it’s not worth it for you!” “You’ve given your all for your mom, but what about her? She’s appealing again and again, wanting you to be sentenced to death!” Chloe’s expression was grave, and she said, word for word: “What she does is her business.” “I’m her only daughter, I have to be good to her.” Seeing this, the comments section boiled over even more: “Damn, I’m crying, what kind of perfect daughter is this?!” “Exactly, someone who’s this filial to her mother, how bad could she be? Why would a mother try to get her executed?!” “I think Elara’s just being difficult on purpose. She doesn’t appreciate such a good daughter, she deserved to have her legs broken!” After completing the transfer paperwork with Jessica, Chloe quickly took the money from the car sale and went home. As soon as she arrived, she immediately started cooking. After preparing the meal, she carefully portioned it into insulated containers, then rushed with the food to the hospital where I was staying.

When I saw Chloe arrive at the hospital downstairs, I turned off the live stream. An invisible camera, installed beforehand in my room, recorded Chloe walking towards me with the food. “Mom, today I made your favorite steamed fish and pork rib soup. Please, try some.” She laid out the steaming hot dishes in front of me. But I didn’t even glance at them, saying faintly: “I don’t feel like eating.” A flicker of disappointment crossed Chloe’s eyes, but she still patiently coaxed: “Mom, the doctor said you need to replenish your nutrition. If you don’t eat, your body won’t be able to handle it.” I looked at her, then suddenly spoke: “I want a freshly baked pastry.” Chloe paused. Her gaze shifted to the window, a hint of difficulty appearing in her expression: “Mom, it’s too late now, and it’s raining heavily outside. The pastry shops are probably all closed.” I said coldly, “But I really want a freshly baked pastry.” “I can’t eat anything else.” Seeing my stubbornness, Chloe was silent for a few seconds. Finally, she nodded, without a trace of resentment on her face: “Okay, I’ll go buy one now.” With that, Chloe quickly turned and left. I picked up my phone and watched as the drone recorded her wandering through the pouring rain, searching shop by shop for a pastry. And the comments section was frantically scrolling: “Damn, this old hag is doing it on purpose, right? Where would you find pastries late at night? And it’s raining so heavily outside, isn’t she intentionally tormenting her?” “Exactly! She doesn’t eat the nutritious meals someone painstakingly cooked for her, but she specifically wants a pastry? Isn’t she completely out of her mind?!” “So disgusting, she must be taking her anger out on her daughter because her appeals failed!” “I’m so mad! Why doesn’t this kind of person just drop dead?!” Two hours later. Chloe returned to the hospital room, breathless. She was soaked to the bone, but the pastry was clutched protectively in her arms, not a drop of water touching it, as if it were a treasure. “Mom, I bought the pastry. It’s still warm, please eat it while it’s hot.” She offered it with a placating smile, carefully pulling the pastry from her embrace and holding it out to me. But my tone was cold: “After all that trouble, I’ve lost my appetite.” “I don’t want to eat anymore.” Chloe’s outstretched hand froze in mid-air. That placating smile instantly filled with sorrow. Seeing this scene, the comments section completely exploded: “Damn, I’m shaking with anger! Is this old hag out of her mind? She had all those nutritious meals prepared for her, but she insisted on pastries, and now that someone braved the rain to get them, she won’t eat them! Is this even a human being?!” “She’s deliberately tormenting her daughter, it makes me want to rush through the screen and slap her twice!” “So disgusting, if someone played games with me like this, I’d teach her a harsh lesson!” “I’m really crying with anger. Her daughter is so good, why is she tormenting her like this?!”

Chloe opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately just quietly took the pastry back and gently placed it on the bedside table. “I’ll leave it here for you, Mom. Call me if you want to eat it, and I’ll warm it up.” After saying that, Chloe took a shower, then, as usual, quietly sat by my bed and watched over me all night. The first day of the live stream ended. The comments section was filled with curses directed at me. The moment I woke up on the second day, Chloe immediately brought warm water for me to brush my teeth and wash my face. Her movements were gentle, as if she were tending to her most precious treasure. “Mom, I cooked porridge early this morning and even went to get you fresh-baked pastries.” “I didn’t do well yesterday, and you went hungry. I’m sorry.” With that, she ladled out a bowl of porridge, carefully scooped a spoonful, and gently blew on it to cool it. Just as she brought the spoon to my mouth, I suddenly raised my hand and fiercely knocked over the bowl of porridge. “I never said I wanted porridge this morning!” The hot porridge splattered all over Chloe. Her hands turned bright red from the scalding liquid, but she didn’t get angry or upset. Instead, she anxiously moved closer to check on me. Seeing that I hadn’t been splattered with porridge, she immediately let out a sigh of relief: “Thank goodness it didn’t burn you.” With that, she quickly grabbed a towel, but instead of wiping herself first, she meticulously cleaned the porridge stains from my bed rail. Blisters rapidly rose on her scalded hand, yet she didn’t even flinch. Seeing this scene, the comments section of the live stream boiled over again: “Damn, this old hag woke up early just to be disgusting, didn’t she?!” “Just looking at her makes me angry! How can she bully her own daughter like this? Why doesn’t she just die?!” “Sigh, the more I watch, the more I pity this daughter. She’s burned like this and still cares about her mom first.” After wiping the porridge from the bed rail, Chloe crouched down to clean the floor. But as she squatted, her body went limp, and she fainted directly onto the floor. A nurse rushed in at the sound. After helping Chloe onto the bed and examining her, her expression was grave: “How did her fever get so severe? It’s 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius)!” Seeing Chloe ill, the live stream audience became utterly furious: “Damn, she must have gotten a high fever from being soaked in the rain last night!” “And I saw during the live stream that Chloe herself didn’t eat anything. Besides working to earn money, she was just taking care of her mom. That much exhaustion, even a saint couldn’t handle it!” “She has such a severe fever and still silently takes care of her mom. How could such a good daughter end up with a monstrous mother?!” “I’m so mad, I really hope this old hag explodes on the spot!” After the nurse took Chloe out of the room for treatment, the reporter called me: “This is the two-day follow-up live stream you wanted? Do you know how much the internet has been cursing you these past two days?” “I’ve followed your daughter for two days; she’s absolutely perfect, and her devotion to you is beyond reproach. Why are you treating her like this?!” I said softly, “Are you sure you captured everything in these two days of live streaming?” The reporter paused for a second: “Of course, I filmed 24/7, missing no details or corners.” “No.” My voice was soft, yet utterly certain: “There’s one crucial place you definitely haven’t seen.” The reporter’s voice immediately became curious: “What place?” I paused for a moment, then said seriously, “Her study.” Hearing me say that, the reporter immediately realized: “Your daughter always closes the door when she goes into her study, and the windows and curtains are tightly drawn. I indeed haven’t filmed inside.” “But it’s just a study. Even if she goes in, she’s probably just working or reading, what’s there to film?” I said deeply, “You’re wrong.” The reporter quickly asked, “Is there something fishy in the study?” I said slowly and deliberately: “Aren’t you curious why I’ve been treating her this way?” “As long as you go into her study, you’ll know everything.” “The house key is under the doormat outside the door.” With that, I hung up the phone. My call with the reporter was broadcast live, real-time, through the hospital room’s surveillance. Suddenly, the comments section of the live stream erupted again:

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My mother-in-law, Brenda, loved to prank me with AI-generated videos of a homeless man breaking into our house. The first two times, panicked by Brenda’s pleas for help, I sped home, running several red lights. Only to find the front door wide open, Brenda and her friends laughing on the sofa. “See? I told you my daughter-in-law does whatever I say. Even if I call her at midnight, she’ll rush right back.” It wasn’t until the third time that she was truly stabbed by a homeless man and rushed to the emergency room. The doctors told us the knife had pierced her heart, and the surgery was too complex for them. The only cardiac surgeon in the entire hospital who could do it was my husband, Ryan Miller. I called him like a madwoman. He finally picked up on the 99th call. “Ashley, are you out of your mind? I’m delivering Chloe’s dog’s puppies right now. If anything happens, can you take responsibility for that?” He hung up, blocking me on every platform imaginable. Ultimately, Brenda passed away on the operating table from excessive blood loss. On the day of Brenda’s funeral, Ryan Miller and Chloe Davis knelt at her grave, crying until they fainted. Once that jerk and his conniving witch had cried enough, I tossed my phone at their faces. “Now, Ms. Davis, can you explain why you hired someone to commit murder?”

I was deep in spring cleaning when Brenda called. I chuckled. “Mom, stop messing with me. I’ve seen those AI-generated homeless intruder videos on TikTok a dozen times.” My mother-in-law had always loved to torment me. The first time, she claimed a homeless man had broken in. I ran several red lights, losing a bunch of points on my license, just to get home. I pushed open the door and found Brenda and her girlfriends chatting away as usual. The second time, she claimed the homeless man was back. I dropped everything, got chewed out by my boss, and lost my bonus for the month. When I got home, she just laughed at me, recording my reaction on her phone. This time, there was no way I was falling for it again. Brenda sensed my disbelief and her voice instantly took on a panicked edge. “Ashley, I’m really not lying this time! He has a knife! You need to come home, I’m scared!” Just as I hesitated, wondering if I should take time off to check, Brenda suddenly let out a piercing scream, and the line went dead. My heart dropped. Her scream sent a shiver down my spine. Could someone actually have broken in? Thinking of Brenda alone at home, I didn’t care about anything else. I grabbed my car keys and rushed out the door. All the way there, I prayed it was just another one of Brenda’s elaborate pranks. But when I got home, I realized I’d been far too naive. Our front door was surrounded by people: property management, security guards, and paramedics. Seeing that scene, my legs went soft with fear. I nearly collapsed to the ground. Without another thought, I helped Brenda into the ambulance, rushing to St. Jude’s Hospital in the city center. This was the hospital where my husband, Ryan Miller, worked. With him there, Brenda would surely be fine. Once I collected myself slightly, I called Arthur, my father-in-law, and Ryan. Arthur said he’d be right there, but Ryan just kept not picking up. Just then, the emergency room doors burst open. The doctor, drenched in sweat, walked out. “The patient’s heart was punctured. Her condition is extremely critical. Dr. Miller is the only one in the entire hospital who can perform this surgery!” I didn’t hesitate. “Then where is he? Tell him to hurry up and operate on his mother!” The nurse stammered, “But… but Dr. Miller is on vacation. We just called him, and he didn’t answer.”

I froze. Ryan was on vacation? He never mentioned it to me. I didn’t think twice, pulling out my phone and calling Ryan again. Once, twice, ten times… All I got was the cold, automated voice: “Hello, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later…” Refusing to give up, I opened SnapChat and suddenly noticed Ryan’s profile picture had changed to a white puppy. I recognized that puppy. It was Chloe Davis’, his junior colleague. As if by an unseen force, I clicked on Chloe’s SnapChat. Her story had just updated. The caption was for that little white dog, Buddy: “Don’t be scared, Daddy and Mommy are with you.” At that moment, I didn’t have time to question their relationship. I just wanted Ryan to come back and save Brenda. Taking a deep breath, I called Chloe. It rang twice before she picked up. Before she could speak, I quickly said, “Hello, is this Chloe Davis? I wanted to ask if Ryan Miller is with you? Please tell him my mother-in-law was stabbed, and her condition is very serious. He’s urgently needed for surgery.” My voice was practically begging, but then Ryan’s annoyed voice came through the phone. “Ashley, are you ever going to quit? What kind of timing is this to cause trouble?” “I can’t believe how cold-hearted you are! Buddy is having a difficult labor, her life is critical. What’s wrong with me, a doctor, helping her deliver her puppies?” “At a crucial moment like this, why are you still making up stories about my mom getting stabbed? You need to know where to draw the line with your crazy schemes.” Tears welled up in my eyes, but I pushed them back, trying to persuade him gently. “Mom really is at the hospital, your hospital right now. Your chief of staff said no one else can do this surgery. Her condition is critical. If you don’t come back soon, she might…” She might really be gone forever. I couldn’t bring myself to finish the sentence. “Might what? Might what?!” A sneer came through the phone.

“Ashley, I swear you’re so stupid and malicious. You’re actually wishing death upon my mom just to trick me into coming home.” I tried to explain, but then I heard Chloe’s sickeningly sweet voice in the background. “Ryan, honey, come quickly! Buddy isn’t doing well…” Chloe’s voice was so sugary-sweet and overly gentle, just hearing it made you want to pity her. “I’m coming right now.” Ryan said, about to hang up. I panicked, shouting, “Ryan Miller, I’m not lying! Please, just come back and see, okay?” Ryan’s voice came through the receiver again, each word dripping with venom, as if he was gritting his teeth. “Ashley, if anything happens to Buddy, I swear I will never forgive you.” Then he hung up. Listening to the dial tone, my tears finally broke free, streaming down my face. When I tried to call again, Ryan had blocked me everywhere. Arthur, my father-in-law, rushed in. Seeing me collapsed on the floor, he quickly helped me up. Like a drowning person grabbing a lifeline, I clutched his arm. “Dad, quickly, call Ryan! Please, before it’s too late!” Arthur didn’t hesitate, immediately pulling out his phone to call Ryan. It rang twice before he picked up.

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The morning after my one-night stand with Damian Thorne, my private photos were plastered all over the internet. Everyone scorned me, mocking how a seemingly poised and elegant dancer could be so wild and reckless behind closed doors. I cried as I confronted Damian, demanding an explanation, but he humiliated me in public. “I just wanted to see what a prima ballerina was like in bed. Thought it would be amazing, but it was nothing special.” “Scarlett Hayes is the only one for me. What we had? Just a game.” He wrapped his arm around Scarlett Hayes, the very dancer who’d lost to me in every international competition we’d ever faced off in. His expression was smug and utterly contemptuous. It was then I realized: his three years of passionate pursuit of me had been nothing more than an elaborate plot to get back at me for Scarlett! Overnight, I plummeted from grace, branded a whore everyone could mock. Meanwhile, Damian openly paraded Scarlett everywhere, spoiling her rotten, treating her like a goddess. Three months later, he seemed to remember me, asking almost casually, “By the way, is Aurora Reed still begging for me to come back?” “Mr. Thorne, Ms. Reed is married. To your most hated rival.”

As I stumbled out of the Thorne mansion, my assistant, Chloe, called. “Aurora, the ballet company informed me that my reputation made me unsuitable for the lead role in Swan Lake. They even sent a termination letter…” “All my endorsements are bailing, and they’re suing me for damages!” “Please, Aurora, go beg Mr. Thorne! Everyone saw how desperately he loved you for three years. He’d never let you endure such humiliation!” Hearing Chloe’s choked voice, my heart felt like it was being torn apart. But even if I opened my mouth, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. The man who orchestrated my ruin, who sent me spiraling to rock bottom, was Damian himself. The sweeter our past moments, the crueler my reality now. His so-called love at first sight? A lie. His undying love? A lie too. His three years of passionate pursuit, his countless extravagant gestures, his endless nights by my side – it was all just an elaborate trap meant for me. Once he’d taken my virginity and helped his beloved deal me the ultimate blow, I became useless trash, tossed aside without a second thought. Only last night, he’d held me so tenderly, his whispers of love echoing in my ears, kissing my forehead again and again. “Aurora, you are the woman I, Damian Thorne, love most in this life. I want you to stay by my side forever.” “After tonight, I’ll go back and reject the arranged marriage my family had planned for me. I’ll tell them you’re the woman I’m going to marry.” “I’ll throw you a lavish wedding of the century that everyone will envy, and make you my cherished Mrs. Thorne, okay?” I was so moved, I almost told him that I was the sole heiress of the powerful Reed Corporation, whom his family had desperately tried to arrange a marriage with. I’d only kept it a secret to pursue my dream of becoming a dancer. I truly believed that when he returned to his family and discovered this, he’d be even more thrilled, convinced we were a match made in heaven. But instead, it became the most exquisite irony against myself. Fated love? Just a cruel performance. From the very beginning, it was a complete sham. Damian never loved me, so how could he ever betray me? I hung up the phone, lost in thought, and tripped in a puddle, falling hard. Seeing me sprawled on the pavement, covered in mud, everyone around me burst into scornful laughter. “Isn’t that the high and mighty Aurora Reed, the prima ballerina? Looks like Mr. Thorne was done with her, and now she can’t even walk straight!” One of the rich guys I’d turned down, Blake Morrison, leered at me, his eyes slithering over my body like a snake. “Since Mr. Thorne doesn’t want you, why not consider me?” “My fortune isn’t as grand as his, but I can certainly afford a few cheap thrills like you!” As they humiliated me, Damian stood behind them, arm wrapped around Scarlett, whispering intimately to her, not lifting a finger to defend me. Seeing that, any last shred of affection I had for him evaporated. But just as I struggled to my feet, preparing to leave, a saccharine voice suddenly chimed in from behind me. “Damian, I lost one of the diamond earrings you gave me. Aurora was the only one near us earlier…”

Scarlett Hayes pouted, her brow furrowed in a pitiful display, touching her half-bare earlobe. “If it were any other jewelry, it wouldn’t matter, but it’s the special gift you gave me for my eighteenth birthday. I’ve always treasured it like my life. If it’s lost, I’ll cry for ages…” Damian gently rubbed her shoulder, comforting her, then shot me a cold glare. “Aurora Reed, be smart, hand it over now.” “Otherwise, if my men find it, things will get messy.” Through gritted teeth, I spat, “Damian, I’m not as despicable as you think!” “When I said I was breaking up with you, I didn’t even take a single thing you ever gave me. Why would I take her earring?!” The onlookers snickered, whispering that I was just a struggling dancer, living off my performances, with no right to act so high and mighty. They claimed I must have hidden away plenty of Thorne family jewels. Damian scoffed, looking too impatient to deal with me. He casually waved over two bodyguards. “Go. Search her thoroughly. Don’t hold back.” In that moment, my heart was pierced by a thousand arrows, I couldn’t breathe from the pain. After three years together, I refused to believe Damian didn’t know my character. But just to get back at me for Scarlett, he was willing to let me be branded a thief, all to humiliate me further! When the bodyguards’ hands reached for me, I slapped them away. “Don’t touch me!” In front of everyone, I emptied my bag, throwing it on the ground. “You want to search? Go ahead! If you find anything that isn’t mine, I’ll pay you back a hundredfold!” My belongings spilled onto the ground: only a few simple makeup items and some ointment and bandages for dance bruises. Amidst the mocking jeers about my meager possessions, the bodyguards meticulously searched everything, flipping my bag inside and out three or four times. Finally, they shook their heads at Damian. Damian frowned slightly, then lowered his head, gently coaxing Scarlett. “It’s okay if we can’t find it. I’ll buy you another set, no, a hundred sets of couture jewelry, how about that?” Scarlett pouted and shook her head. “No, Damian, that was your first gift to me, it has so much meaning. No other jewelry can replace it!” “Besides, Ms. Reed hasn’t been searched completely yet, has she? She’s still wearing so many layers of clothes…” Looking at her venomous smile, I could hardly believe these words were coming from another woman, let alone a dancer. “Scarlett Hayes, don’t push it!” “No matter how low I’ve fallen, Scarlett, you can’t use a cheap earring to humiliate me!” “Since you’re accusing me of stealing, fine! I’ll call the police. Let them figure out who’s right and who’s wrong!” Just as I reached for my phone, Damian motioned for his bodyguards to snatch it directly from me. “Aurora Reed, this is the Thorne estate. You play by my rules.” “Every piece of clothing on your body was given to you by me. Since you insist on a clean break, you’ll return it all.” “Men, strip her, piece by piece!”

The late autumn night in Blackwood City was cold and desolate. I was held down in front of the Thorne mansion gates, and in front of the entire city’s elite and the flashing cameras of the media, my clothes were stripped off piece by piece. With each garment removed, shrill whistles and mocking laughter erupted. Before long, I was bare except for my underwear and a sheer silk slip. Even my stockings and shoes were gone. The biting wind whipped my hair, sticking it to my tear-streaked face. I felt utterly humiliated. Anyone with half a brain could see there was nowhere left on my body to hide any jewelry. I hugged myself, tears streaming down my face, and looked at Damian. “It’s come to this, can you stop now, Damian?” “All this time we were together, I never asked you for anything.” “Just this once, please, I’m begging you, leave me some shred of dignity. Can you?” The bodyguards hesitated, their gazes turning to Damian for instruction. Damian sat regally at the center of the courtyard banquet, his handsome face was cast in stark relief by the lights, half in shadow, half illuminated. His expression was unreadable. “Since that’s the case, then…” He hadn’t even finished his sentence when Scarlett giggled, cutting him off. “Since she’s already stripped this far, why not strip completely? That way, Ms. Reed’s innocence can be fully proven, don’t you agree, everyone?” If this were before, everyone in Blackwood City knew how utterly obsessed Damian was with me, and no one would have dared disrespect me. But now, they all knew I was just a discarded woman, and Scarlett Hayes was the apple of Damian’s eye. They all nodded in agreement with her. “Exactly! I bet that slip of hers could hide plenty more!”

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My boyfriend’s childhood friend’s work error cost the company $100 million. Her first move was to fabricate evidence, trying to frame the new intern to take the fall for her. I desperately held back my boyfriend, who was about to commit perjury for her. “Don’t go! A hundred million dollars is no small matter. The police will eventually trace it back to you, and then it won’t just be your career, your entire life will be over!” Under my pressure, my boyfriend told the truth about what happened. For this, he earned the appreciation of the company executives and rose quickly through the ranks. Meanwhile, his childhood friend was convicted of corporate misconduct and sentenced. Unable to cope, she took her own life by cutting her wrists. My boyfriend calmly, almost unnervingly so, handled her funeral arrangements and proposed to me as planned. But on the one-year anniversary of her death, he took me to her grave. He pulled out a dagger and started slicing into my body, one cut after another. 365 cuts, each one targeting the most sensitive nerves. He looked at me, a bloody mess, and gave a sinister grin. “If I had committed perjury for Chloe back then, she would still be alive. If you hadn’t meddled, Chloe wouldn’t have died! Die! Bitch! Go join Chloe in her grave!” I died, consumed by hatred. When I opened my eyes again, I saw my boyfriend, looking anxious and ready to commit perjury for Chloe. I smiled. He didn’t know that the new intern was the chairman’s only daughter. And the chairman? He was a notoriously doting father…

“Ryan, you personally reviewed the Summit Tech contract. Tell me, whose signature is at the bottom of that contract, mine or Ava’s?!” Chloe’s pleading, almost childish tone snapped me back to reality. I glanced at Ava, the company’s new intern, standing beside us, looking lost and overwhelmed. It hit me then: I’d really been reborn. In my previous life, it was at this exact moment that I stopped Ryan, forcing him to tell the truth when the executives questioned him. I later found out that Ava was actually the chairman’s daughter. Because of this, Ryan gained favor with the company’s upper management and was promoted to Vice President that very year. Chloe, however, was prosecuted by the company for corporate misconduct. It was her mistake from the start. If she’d just had a better attitude, there might have been room for leniency, but she chose to be stubborn until the very end. Eventually, due to cyberbullying and immense pressure from the company, she took her own life by cutting her wrists. Ryan calmly handled her funeral and married me as planned. But on the one-year anniversary of Chloe’s death, he took me to her grave. 365 cuts, each one targeting the most sensitive parts of my body. He held the dripping knife, his eyes filled with ruthless cruelty and hatred. “If you hadn’t meddled, Chloe wouldn’t have died! Today is Chloe’s anniversary, and your corpse is the best gift I can give her!” I watched my own blood drain away, dying, consumed by hatred in excruciating pain. “Eleanor, what’s wrong with you? Why are you holding onto me?” Ryan’s impatient voice pulled my thoughts back. I looked down, then snatched my hand away from Ryan as if I’d been electrocuted. Ryan smoothed out his shirt, which I’d clutched and wrinkled, his voice laced with a threat. “Eleanor, don’t you dare meddle! Chloe’s in trouble, and I can’t just abandon her. Don’t be petty and jealous, I’m telling you…” “I don’t care.” I cut Ryan off before he could finish. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes, but Chloe’s sobs didn’t give him time to think any further. He pulled Chloe along and headed for the door. “Don’t worry, Chloe. That contract was definitely signed by Ava. Come on, let’s go to Legal and clear this up. I’ll testify for you!” Ava, tears welling in her eyes, rushed after them. As she left, her helpless gaze swept over me, making my heart clench. But I didn’t have time to dwell on it. Reborn, I had to seize control. With that thought, I bolted towards the surveillance room. It seemed Ryan had been prepared; the surveillance footage of Chloe signing the contract had been deleted. Luckily, I’d learned some tech skills on my own for work. After thirty frantic minutes, I finally managed to recover the footage and back it up to my phone. Just as I let out a sigh of relief, the surveillance room door was violently pushed open. “Eleanor, there’s trouble in the main conference room! The new intern is threatening to jump!” I rushed over with my colleague. As I entered, I saw Ava, her face streaked with tears, standing by the open window, trembling and sobbing. “That contract really wasn’t signed by me! I need to see the surveillance footage! Otherwise, I’ll jump!” Everyone was at a loss for what to do, when Chloe suddenly stepped forward. She pointed at the shaking Ava and blurted out, “Go on, jump! If you really jump, then everyone will believe you!” Ava’s eyes were filled with despair. She looked at Ryan, her voice hoarse. “I need to see the footage…” “See what?! That exact segment of the footage was deleted! Ava, I bet you deleted it yourself, didn’t you? Didn’t think you’d be such a schemer for someone so young!” As soon as Chloe finished speaking, she and Ryan exchanged a quick, knowing glance, their eyes filled with a triumphant smirk that their plan was about to succeed. Accusations from colleagues echoed in my ears. “Young lady, you can’t behave like this. If you made a mistake, admit it. What’s with this suicide threat?” “Yeah! If it wasn’t you, why was that footage deleted?” “Just admit it! Otherwise, we’ll all have to share the blame for this loss!” The crowd was quick to turn, indeed. I was frantically trying to figure out what to do, when a furious roar suddenly came from outside the door. “What’s all this commotion?!”

The person who arrived was Mr. Henderson, the General Manager of the Legal Department. Seeing the executive, Chloe immediately stepped forward and pointed at Ava. “Mr. Henderson, this new intern messed up the contract, causing the company a $100 million loss! Now she’s making a scene, threatening to jump!” Mr. Henderson looked at Ryan, who stood nearby. “Ryan, you’re always in charge of contract approvals. Is what she’s saying true?” Ryan nodded repeatedly. “Yes, it’s true! The contract submitted definitely has Ava’s signature!” “Mr. Henderson, it really wasn’t me! I need to see the contract! Otherwise, I’ll jump right now!” Ava sobbed as she looked at Mr. Henderson, a flicker of determination visible in her helpless eyes. As a high-ranking executive, Mr. Henderson was skilled at reading people. Even though Ava was just an intern, this was a human life at stake. He frowned and looked at the colleague responsible for surveillance. “Go, pull up the footage…” Before Mr. Henderson could finish, Ryan interrupted him and quickly stepped forward. “Mr. Henderson, that segment of the footage was deleted by Ava herself…” “I didn’t delete it! It wasn’t me!” Ava’s emotions grew more frantic. The tension and exhaustion made her shake like a leaf. Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she stumbled backward, tilting towards the open window! A collective scream erupted from the crowd, while a gleam of delight flashed in Chloe and Ryan’s eyes. Eight years ago, the memory of being bullied by senior employees when I was an intern at this company flashed before my eyes. There was no time for hesitation. I sprang forward and grabbed Ava’s wrist. Then, I looked at Mr. Henderson, gritting my teeth. “I have the footage!” I followed Mr. Henderson to his office, walking past Ryan and Chloe, whose eyes were filled with threats and unease. As I passed Ryan, he grabbed my wrist. “Eleanor, I’m telling you, don’t meddle!” I yanked my hand free, and once in the office, I placed the surveillance footage directly in front of Mr. Henderson. “Mr. Henderson, I just recovered this footage from the surveillance room. The person who originally signed that contract wasn’t Ava at all, it was Chloe!” As the footage played, Mr. Henderson’s face grew paler and paler. He slammed his fist on the table. “Those two have some nerve! Not admitting their own mistakes! And almost causing someone’s death!” “Mr. Henderson, I believe this matter must be severely punished, otherwise wouldn’t it encourage such a culture of cronyism? And that’s a $100 million loss!” Seizing on Mr. Henderson’s rising anger, I quickly offered my two cents. “More importantly…” I leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “that new intern’s last name is Sterling…” Mr. Henderson’s hesitant gaze froze instantly after hearing my last words. He swallowed nervously, repeatedly. After a long moment, he grabbed my hand. “Eleanor, you truly saved my life!” I knew very well that without using Ava as leverage, the company would be reluctant to impose severe penalties. Just like in my previous life, the company had initially given Chloe a chance to settle. But now, once Mr. Henderson knew Ava’s identity, it meant that Ryan’s career was completely over… Watching Mr. Henderson storm out, I felt a sudden wave of relief. Without the status and power he had in my previous life, this time, no matter how unwilling Ryan was, he wouldn’t be able to cause any serious trouble. I took a deep breath and stepped out. As I pushed open the office door, I bumped into Ava, her face still streaked with tears. Seeing me, she kept nodding profusely in thanks. Finally, she placed a faded, yellowed hair clip in my hand. “Eleanor, I’m leaving the company today. You keep working hard here. If you ever run into trouble, just take this to the highest executive with the last name Sterling. He’ll definitely help you!” With that, she turned and ran off. I sighed, carefully placing the hair clip in my pocket. Though it was just a faded, yellowed clip, I knew that in this life, this might be the turning point of my destiny… A cool breeze swept by, sending a shiver down my spine. The scene of Ryan’s insane retaliation from my previous life suddenly flashed in my mind. Thinking about the life I was still entangled in with Ryan, I immediately called a car and headed towards our shared apartment. But as soon as I stepped out of the company building, I was surrounded by a group of security guards. Ryan and Chloe strode towards me, following closely behind Mr. Henderson. Mr. Henderson, who had been so profoundly grateful to me moments ago, now looked at me with a grim expression.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “299315”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #狼人Werewolf #玄幻Fantasy #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn