Category: English

My sister, Stella, had a disastrous first love, which left her convinced that all men were trash. The day I introduced Ethan to her, she didn’t hold back. She looked him up and down and said coldly, “He’s just like every other guy. Eventually, he’s going to betray you.” Under the table, I desperately tugged at the hem of her shirt. But Ethan didn’t get angry. He looked straight into Stella’s eyes and said, word for word, “If I ever betray Maya, I hope I lose everything.” Stella only let out a scoff. “We’ll see about that.” After that day, the tension between them was ice-cold, leaving me awkwardly caught in the middle. Later, I was sent away on a six-month business trip. The night before I was scheduled to return, I was lying in bed, scrolling through an anonymous confession page on Instagram. One post caught my eye: 【I fell in love with my younger sister’s boyfriend. What should I do?】 The comment section was filled with absolute rage. Then, I saw a reply from a burner account: 【Please stop hating on her. It’s not her fault. I was the one who pursued her.】 【She acts so tough on the outside, but she’s incredibly fragile inside. The more she pushes me away, the more my heart breaks for her.】 My finger froze. Instinctively, I clicked on the burner account’s profile. There was only one video on the page—a video of a cat. Yet, a sudden chill washed over me, and I couldn’t stop shaking. That cat was Joy, the one Ethan had given me.

I zoomed in on the video, over and over. I didn’t want to miss a single detail. But every single detail confirmed my worst nightmare. It was the cat from our first anniversary. On my birthday, Ethan had driven through a massive blizzard just to deliver her to my doorstep at midnight. He told me her name was Joy. He said he hoped she would bring joy to every single day of my life. A wave of absurdity washed over me. I could barely breathe. I backed out of the profile. I scrolled back to the very beginning of the confession post. It was posted just an hour ago. 【The first time we met, I hated him. I had been betrayed before, so I didn’t trust men at all.】 【But he was so good to my sister. She has a sensitive stomach, so he kept a detailed note on his phone of what she could and couldn’t eat.】 【Every time she worked late, no matter how midnight it was, he would always go pick her up.】 【He remembered every little thing she liked. His Instagram profile picture was even a matching couple photo of them.】 I bit my lip so hard that the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. Ethan had been so perfect to me. He tracked my period cycle, always keeping Midol and heating pads in his backpack. Once, when I was rolling in pain from cramps in the middle of the night, he booked the earliest flight just to bring me medicine. Any passing comment I made, he would remember and make it happen the next day. I had always felt like the luckiest girl in the world to have found the best man on earth. With trembling hands, I kept scrolling. 【Then my sister went on a business trip. She told me to call him if I needed anything, saying he was reliable. I told her I’d rather die than call him.】 【One night, there was a violent thunderstorm, and the power in my apartment went out. The lightbulb shattered. I’m terrified of the dark, and the landlord didn’t pick up my calls.】 【In a panic, I found the number my sister left me and called him.】 【Thirty minutes later, he showed up at my door, completely drenched. He smiled and said, ‘So you do have a weak spot after all.’】 【In that exact moment, something shifted in my heart.】 I remembered that night. Ethan used to tell me everything. When we FaceTimed that night, he had brought it up himself. “Your sister acts like she’s fearless, but she’s actually terrified of the dark.” He talked about Stella for a long time. He smiled as he spoke. There was a strange, gentle warmth in his laugh. I didn’t think much of it back then. I even told him to make sure he helped her whenever she needed it. 【After that, whenever things broke in the apartment, my first instinct was to call him.】 【We started seeing each other more often, and I realized I didn’t hate him anymore.】 【He started waiting for me to get off work. We went grocery shopping and watched movies together.】 【He even learned how to cook my favorite meals. Just like he did for my sister, he made a list of my likes and dislikes on his phone.】 【I told him it felt wrong that he was texting me with a profile picture of him and my sister. He changed it instantly.】 【My feelings for him are getting so complicated.】 That profile picture was the very first photo he took of me when we started dating. I remembered teasing him back then. “Aren’t you embarrassed to use my photo? People will laugh at you.” He had pinched my cheek, looking so proud. “My girlfriend is beautiful. Of course I want the whole world to know.” He had kept that picture for five years. No matter what anyone said, he never changed it. The day he finally did, I asked him why. He said it was for work. And I believed him. It turned out it was all because of a single word from Stella. Tears splashed onto my screen, blurring the text. 【We went to the movies tonight. At the end, he suddenly turned to me and asked, ‘Do you like me?’】 【I could hear my own heart hammering. Then I heard him say, ‘I wish I had met you first, Stella.’】 【I lost control. I kissed him, and he didn’t pull away.】 【I feel disgusted with myself. How could I do this to my own sister? But I can’t stop loving him.】 【She comes back tomorrow. I don’t know how to face her.】

My stomach churned, and a wave of nausea hit me. I leaned over the edge of the bed and dry-heaved, but nothing came out. When our parents died in that car crash, I was eight, and Stella was thirteen. Stella was the one who went to all my parent-teacher conferences. She was the one who braided my hair. When I got my first period, Stella was the one who bought pads and taught me what to do. Other kids talked about their moms and dads. But for me, it was always Stella. When I introduced Ethan to her, I wanted her approval so badly. To me, she was more of a parent than anyone else. But now… The person I shared blood with, and the person I loved most. They had been doing this behind my back. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart. I curled up on the bed, sobbing in the dark. The confession post was going viral. The comments were getting more brutal by the second. 【This is sick. Stealing your own sister’s boyfriend? What a parasite.】 【I feel so sorry for the sister. Betrayed by her own flesh and blood and her boyfriend? This is a living nightmare.】 【’Can’t stop loving him’? Go to hell. And this guy is absolute trash!】 Under every single hateful comment, Ethan had replied. 【She is in more pain than anyone. She hates herself more than you ever could. You have no right to judge her.】 【Yes, I’m trash. But even as trash, I will protect her.】 【If I had met her first, I would have chosen her.】 And the latest update on the post was from a minute ago. 【You’re all right. I’m disgusting. I’m going to cut him off. I can’t lose my sister.】 My phone slipped from my hand, clattering onto the hardwood floor. Just yesterday, I was counting down the hours to come home. Now, I had no idea how to face them. Outside, the city lights were blinding. I didn’t sleep a wink. After hours of painful agonizing, I dragged my suitcase to the airport anyway. A text from Stella popped up right on time. 【Maya, I’m waiting for you at the arrivals gate.】 Ethan’s text came a minute before my flight boarded. 【Safe flight, Maya. Can’t wait to see you.】 This was his only message since our rushed phone call last night. In the past, he would have called me thirty minutes early to wake me up. He would nag me about not forgetting my ID, my bags, and to make sure I ate breakfast. Then, he would spam me with texts the entire trip to make sure I was safe. But now, there was only one short sentence. I didn’t reply. I turned off my phone and closed my eyes. When the plane landed, I saw Stella and Ethan waiting at the exit. They stood on opposite sides, at least six feet apart. Acting like strangers. Stella’s makeup was heavy, almost completely hiding any signs of crying. She was always like that—never showing any vulnerability. Even to me. Ethan didn’t run up to hug me like he usually did. He forced a natural-looking smile and pulled a bouquet of flowers from behind his back. “Welcome home, Maya.” When he handed me the flowers, both Stella and I froze. He was holding white roses. Those were Stella’s favorite.

I fought with everything I had to keep my face neutral. I was the one who had told him Stella only liked white roses. I only liked baby’s breath. For five years, he had never gotten it wrong. He suddenly realized what he was holding. Panic flashed in his eyes, and he quickly tried to cover it up. “I was in such a rush this morning, I didn’t even notice I grabbed the wrong bouquet. I’ll get you a much bigger one later.” As he spoke, his eyes instinctively darted toward Stella. Stella didn’t look at him. She stepped forward and took my suitcase. “Come on. Let me take you out for a nice lunch.” In the past, the three of us would have gone to grab a massive meal. But those words from the confession post kept screaming in my head. I forced a tight smile. “You guys go ahead. I have to head straight to the office.” Ethan stepped forward. “I can drive you there.” “No!” The rejection came out sharper than I intended. Both Ethan and Stella frowned, confusion and suspicion written all over their faces. I lowered my head, took my suitcase back from Stella, and tried to keep my voice steady. “My manager is waiting for my report. I won’t be home until later.” Their expressions softened. Stella smiled. “Okay. I’ll cook your favorite dinner tonight.” Ethan offered a gentle smile. “Call me when you’re done. I’ll come pick you up.” I nodded. I turned and practically ran out of the airport, hailing a cab to the office. Outside the window, the familiar streets blurred past. I had lived in this city for twenty-five years. Every corner held a memory of them. That steakhouse on 5th Street. Stella always lectured me about my sensitive stomach, refusing to let me eat anything too spicy, forcing me to drink milk. That boba shop on Broadway. Ethan had waited in line for three hours just to get me a limited-edition cat mug. And the cinema downtown. The three of us used to buy tickets for late-night shows, then walk back slowly under the streetlights. We would argue about the plot. Stella would always tear Ethan’s opinions to shreds. Ethan would raise his hands in surrender, laughing and saying, “My bad, my bad.” Then he would lean in close to my ear and whisper, “Your sister is terrifying.” Those days were so happy. When I snapped back to reality, my face was drenched in tears. The cab driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “Hey, kiddo. Nothing in this life is worth crying that hard over. Keep your chin up.” I let out an embarrassed laugh. “Thanks.” I wiped my tears away. When we arrived at the office, I paid and got out. Looking up at the glass building, I took a deep breath. During my six-month trip, I had been temporarily assigned to a regional project. Because of my performance, my manager had offered to put me on a secret three-year project overseas. I had turned it down. Because Ethan said he wanted to get married. Before I left, he told me that as soon as I got back, we would start looking at houses. Well, I didn’t need to look at houses anymore. But I definitely needed that project. I walked into the office. My manager, Mr. Vance, was just coming out of a conference room with a stack of files. He stopped when he saw me. “Maya? I thought you weren’t back until tomorrow.” “I got an earlier flight,” I said, forcing a smile. “Mr. Vance, about that overseas assignment… I want to apply for it.” His eyes lit up. “Really? I tried to convince you for months, and you wouldn’t budge.” “Are you sure about this?” Was I sure? To be honest, even now, I couldn’t fully believe that Stella and Ethan had betrayed me. But I knew some things didn’t need to be understood. They just had to be accepted. I nodded. Mr. Vance’s expression turned serious. “This is a highly confidential project, Maya. You’ll be stationed overseas for three years. No trips home, and extremely limited contact with anyone back here. Can you handle that?” “Yes. I can leave tomorrow morning.”

It was 10 PM by the time I finally walked out of the building. Ethan was leaning against his car, smoking. A pile of cigarette butts littered the ground around his feet. The orange glow of the cherry lit up his face, highlighting his deep frown. In our five years of dating, I had only seen him smoke twice. The first time was the year we graduated. His parents wanted him to move back to his hometown. But I wanted to stay with Stella. Ethan had smoked cigarette after cigarette back then, just like he was doing now. In the end, he chose me. And now? What choice was he making? I didn’t want to think about it. Seeing me, he immediately crushed the cigarette, walked over, and took my bag. “First day back and they make you work this late? Your company is slave-driving you.” “Just had a lot of data to go through,” I lied. He opened the passenger door, and I slid in. A faint scent of perfume hit my nose. My body went completely rigid. It was Stella’s favorite perfume. I looked down. Right there, wedged in the gap of the seat, was a lip balm. It was the one I had bought for Stella last month. Ethan got into the driver’s seat. He saw me staring at the lip balm and froze. The car fell into a suffocating silence for two long seconds. Then, he laughed. “Oh, Stella must have dropped that when I gave her a ride earlier. I’ll give it back to her.” I stared at the lip balm. “Did Stella sit in the passenger seat a lot while I was gone?” His hand froze on the seatbelt. He turned to look at me, his eyes dark and unreadable. Then, he reached out, ruffled my hair, and chuckled. “What, are you jealous of your own sister now? Cute.” I didn’t laugh. His tone became serious. “You’re the one who wanted us to get along, Maya. I only drove her around occasionally.” He paused, then added, “If it bothers you, I won’t do it again.” “I’m tired,” I said, closing my eyes. I didn’t want to hear another word. He stared at me for a few seconds before starting the car. “Did you… see anything online last night?” I opened my eyes and looked at him. “See what?” He remained quiet for a moment, then smiled. “Nothing. You just seem off today. Your eyes are really red.” I closed my eyes again. “I was too excited last night. Didn’t sleep at all.” He started the engine, shaking his head with a soft chuckle. “Still a kid.” He reached over and turned up the thermostat. The car got noticeably warmer. Whenever Stella rode with us, she always wanted the heater on high. She hated the cold. When we got home, Stella was already waiting at the door. “You must be starving! Wash your hands, dinner’s ready.” I walked in. The table was packed with all my favorite foods. I sat in my usual spot. Stella sat on my left, and Ethan sat on my right. Both of them immediately put food on my plate at the same time. “Maya, your favorite garlic parmesan chicken.” “And the spicy wings.” For a second, I felt like I was back in the past. But reality pulled me right back. Everything was broken. A thousand questions bubbled up in my throat. I saw the post. Why did you do it? But as the words reached my lips, I lost my nerve. I couldn’t ask. The dinner tasted like cardboard. Finally, Stella raised her glass. “Maya, I want to make a toast.” She drank her first glass. “Welcome home.” “Second, to your promotion.” Then, she looked at Ethan. “And third. You two have been together for five years. I know I used to be against it, but I’m not anymore. You should pick a date and get married.”

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Eight years into our marriage, I was driving my daughter to school when I received a follow-up call from a luxury hotel. “Is this Mr. Ethan Reynolds? Your wife, Chloe Vance, left her diamond ring in the suite.” My whole body froze. Ethan was my husband. Chloe was my best friend. Panic-stricken, I rushed to my brother, Logan, desperate for someone to lean on. But he didn’t look surprised at all. He just sat there, completely calm, and tried to soothe me: “Summer, they have a child together now. Just pretend you don’t know about it.” “Ethan only hid it from you because he didn’t want you to be hurt.” My sister-in-law, Rachel, chimed in: “Exactly, Summer. Don’t blame Chloe. You’re both mothers. Try to show her some understanding.” I stared at Rachel, completely dumbfounded. I used to think she was my best friend. Now, she was telling me to forgive a mistress and a bastard child. It turned out that in family, friendship, and love… I was nothing but an outsider. Seeing the dead silence in my eyes, Logan sighed and tried to persuade me with a heavy heart: “Summer, we aren’t young anymore. And you have Lily to think about.” “Take my advice. Close one eye and let it go. Having a compromised marriage is still better than being a single mother.” This was my own brother. My own flesh and blood. Yet he was openly helping them lie to me. Rachel stood by his side, gently grabbing my wrist with a practiced, superficial warmth. “Yes, Summer. At our age, what other choices do women have?” “Chloe didn’t have a choice either. When her family went bankrupt years ago, she was cornered by brutal debt collectors. Ethan saved her. She had no other way to repay him, so…” A sharp pain stabbed my heart. Rachel, Chloe, and I had been inseparable since middle school. We had sworn to be sisters for life. But now, she knew perfectly well that Chloe was the homewrecker. Yet she still demanded that I forgive her. People’s hearts are always biased. It didn’t matter that I once got eight stitches on my forehead after defending Rachel from a gang of street thugs. None of it mattered now. I violently shook off her hand and said coldly: “Rachel, as of today, we are done.” She gasped. Before she could speak, the office door was kicked open. Ethan stood there, his face clouded with anger. His eyes locked onto me. Logan and Rachel quickly slid out of the room, leaving the two of us alone. Ethan walked up to me, his voice deep and demanding: “Summer, you dragged this drama all the way to Logan’s office. What exactly do you want?” In all our years together, this was the first time he had ever looked at me with such cold indifference. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I choked out: “Ethan, what did I ever do to deserve this? You’re sleeping with my best friend, and you even have a kid with her?” Seeing the tears in my eyes, Ethan softened slightly. He sighed and pulled me into his arms, his voice dropping to a gentle whisper: “Summer, relax. She will never take your place. You are still the only Mrs. Reynolds.” My eyes stung. I stubbornly pushed him away. I refused to share my husband. Ethan’s brows furrowed, and his tone turned icy again: “Summer, if we take this to court, I will fight for full custody of Lily. You know how that will end. Do you really want our daughter to suffer in poverty with you?” I stared at the man in front of me, my mind blank. We had loved each other since we were teenagers. How did we end up threatening each other over our child? Seeing my hesitation, Ethan’s voice softened a fraction: “Just live your life quietly. You and Lily will want for nothing. To the world, you will always be the glamorous Mrs. Reynolds.” I hid the burning rage in my heart and nodded slowly. From that day on, I pretended everything was back to normal. I drove Lily to and from school every day. I stopped asking Ethan why he didn’t come home. I stopped leaving the porch light on for him. Instead, I quietly hired a private investigator to gather evidence. Until one afternoon, a familiar figure blocked my path. It was Chloe, whom I hadn’t seen in months. She looked slightly uneasy. For years, I had believed Chloe was living a hard life. When she got pregnant out of wedlock years ago and lived alone, I felt so sorry for her. I took care of her. I bought almost all of her baby’s clothes and supplies. I even nagged Ethan constantly to help her out financially. Looking back, I realized they had probably been sleeping together in the very bed I helped pay for. Chloe stepped forward, her voice soft and trembling: “Summer, can we talk?” I stopped and looked at her, my face completely expressionless. “Say what you want to say.” She bit her lower lip, glancing nervously at the pedestrians passing by, and lowered her voice: “Things weren’t supposed to end up like this. Ethan and I… we’ve been together for years. Our child is growing up now. I just want us to coexist in peace.” “I never wanted to ruin your life. But when it comes to love, we are all helpless.” Listening to her hypocritical speech, a mocking smile touched my lips. “Save your tragic act.” I stared into her eyes, and a realization suddenly hit me. “Ethan cheated on me with you during my second month of pregnancy, on the night of my birthday, didn’t he?”

Chloe’s pale face gave me the answer. That night, Ethan had promised to come home early to celebrate with me. But I sat alone with a cold dinner, holding my positive pregnancy test, waiting all night. At dawn, he finally came home, covered in bruises. I panic-strickenly tried to take him to the ER, but he held me tight, whispering: “Summer, don’t move. Just let me hold you. I missed you so much.” It wasn’t a confession of love. It was the guilt of a cheater. Every ignored red flag and suspicious detail suddenly rushed back to me. No wonder Chloe moved right after that night. She claimed a stalker was following her, but a “good Samaritan” saved her. It wasn’t a good Samaritan. It was Ethan. “Summer, we can still be friends,” Chloe said, reaching out to grab my hand like she used to. I stepped back, dodging her touch. I let out a bitter laugh. “The kind of friends who sleep with each other’s husbands?” Suddenly, a cup of ice-cold water splashed right onto my face. The water dripped from my eyelashes. I looked up and saw Rachel standing there, glaring at me with fury. “Summer, do you think Chloe is having an easy time?” “A rich girl like you will never understand the desperation of people at the bottom. No wonder you’ve never had any real friends!” A sharp, stabbing pain pierced my chest. I swallowed my words. There was no point in arguing. Then, Ethan appeared. He handed me a tissue, his tone patronizing, as if he were soothing a toddler throwing a tantrum: “Summer, stop making a scene. Lily is waiting in the car.” All my anger was instantly crushed by reality. Yes. I had my daughter. Now was not the time to blow everything up. Just as I turned to leave, a stray, aggressive dog suddenly charged toward us from the park. In a split second, without a shred of hesitation, Ethan threw himself over Chloe. He shielded her entirely in his arms, screaming at the dog. Terrified by his shouts, the dog veered off and knocked me to the ground instead. My hands and knees scraped violently against the rough asphalt. Fortunately, the school security guards rushed over and tackled the dog. Ethan gently helped Chloe to her feet. Then, he looked at me and said indifferently: “Are you okay?” Before I could answer, he spoke again: “I’m taking Sophia to the amusement park tonight. I won’t be coming home.” The evening wind blew past, carrying a bitter chill. I should have stopped expecting anything from him a long time ago, shouldn’t I? I walked back to my car. The moment I opened the door, Lily threw herself into my arms, asking sadly: “Mommy, why did Daddy protect that lady instead of you? You were in way more danger.” Even a five-year-old saw it. But he didn’t. Choking back my tears, I stroked my daughter’s hair: “Because Daddy is farsighted, sweetie. He can only see things that are far away.” My daughter nodded, not fully understanding. For several days, Ethan didn’t show his face. Until one afternoon, my phone rang. “Summer, Chloe has been mysteriously ill. We’ve been to every hospital, and the doctors can’t find any physical issues.” Before I could say anything, his voice turned incredibly cold: “I had a spiritualist look into it. The medium says the negative energy is coming from your mother’s grave. Your mother’s plot is too close to Chloe’s mother’s plot. Her dark aura is cursing Chloe, making her sick.” My fingers tightened around the phone. I couldn’t believe my ears. “What did you just say?” “Exhume your mother’s casket and relocate it to another cemetery.”

Ethan’s tone was completely casual, without a hint of guilt or hesitation. “Arrange it quickly. Stop dragging Chloe’s health down.” His words hit me like a physical blow, leaving me gasping for air. When Chloe was in middle school, she and Rachel often came to my house. My mom knew Chloe loved tacos, so every time she visited, my mom would make them fresh for her. Later, when Chloe’s mother died of illness and her family was bankrupt, they couldn’t even afford a basic casket. It was my mother who took out her own savings so Chloe’s mother could be buried with dignity. Neither I nor my mother had ever done anything to hurt her. But now, she wouldn’t even let my dead mother rest in peace. I bit my lip so hard it bled, my voice shaking: “No. My mother has been buried for years. She is at peace. I will not move her.” My refusal instantly enraged Ethan. He snapped, his voice filled with venomous accusation: “Summer, can you be mature for once? Moving a casket is a minor issue. Chloe’s life is on the line. Do you have to be this malicious?” He slammed the phone down. That same afternoon, Ethan took a crew of workers to the cemetery. By the time I rushed there, everyone I cared about was already standing by my mother’s grave. Seeing me, Logan stepped forward to block my path. “Summer, stop being so stubborn. It’s just a relocation. The dead are already gone, but the living need to survive.” Staring at my own brother who was siding with a mistress, my heart turned to ash. All my patience and restraint shattered at that moment. I took a step forward, raised my hand, and slapped Chloe hard across the face. Chloe’s head snapped back. Tears instantly spilled from her eyes as she sobbed: “Ethan… I didn’t force her… I’m just in so much pain…” Ethan’s eyes flared with absolute fury. He grabbed my wrist so hard I felt my bones cracking. His voice was freezing: “Summer! Are you insane? Who gave you the right to lay a hand on her?” Beside him, Logan immediately pinned my shoulders down, barking: “Summer! You’ve gone too far! Apologize to Chloe right now! Stop acting like a spoiled brat!” I struggled wildly to break free, screaming at them: “Too far? Who is the one going too far?!” “I paid for her mother’s funeral! I gave her everything!” “And she ruined my family, and now she won’t even let my mother rest!” “Logan, she was your mother too! How can you do this?!” A sudden downpour drenched the cemetery. The cold rain mixed with my tears, blinding my vision. Logan’s face stiffened, but he remained stubborn: “She’s already dead, Summer. It’s just a casket relocation. Don’t be so stubborn!” With those words, the last thread of sibling bond between us snapped completely. Ethan looked at me, a brief flash of hesitation in his eyes. But in the next second, Chloe cried out in despair: “Summer is right. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t even be alive.” Ethan panicked. To comfort Chloe, he looked at me and said coldly: “Since you dared to hit Chloe, this is your punishment. You will stand right here and watch your mother’s grave be dug up.” With a wave of his hand, several burly security guards stepped forward. They threw me down, pinning me into the wet, cold mud. In front of me, the workers picked up their shovels and began to dig. The tombstone engraved with my mother’s name slowly began to tilt. I shook violently, screaming until my voice went hoarse: “Ethan, please… I beg you… don’t do this.” “That’s my mother! She is already gone! She did nothing wrong!” “Chloe’s illness has nothing to do with my mother! You know that!” “Please, stop them! Don’t dig her up… I beg you!” I stripped away every ounce of my dignity, but Ethan remained completely unmoved. Chloe leaned against his chest, a subtle smirk playing on her lips. She was doing this on purpose. Finally, with a heavy thud, the corner of the wooden casket was exposed to the muddy rain. Kneeling in the mud in front of my mother’s desecrated grave, I made a silent vow: I would never forgive any of them. After that day, I fell dangerously ill. I lay in bed with a raging fever until a frantic call woke me up. The school principal’s voice was filled with sheer panic: “Mrs. Reynolds, you need to get to the school right now! Lily had a physical altercation with another student.” “Both girls have run up to the school’s rooftop terrace! It’s extremely dangerous!” My heart leaped into my throat. My limbs turned to jelly. Lily was a gentle, quiet girl. She never fought with anyone. Why would she be on the rooftop? I didn’t have time to think. I threw myself into my car and drove like a maniac. The entire way, I prayed to God not to let anything happen to my little girl. The metal door to the rooftop was slightly ajar. I pushed it open, and the scene before me made my blood run cold.

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On my birthday, Ethan told me he had a surprise for me. I was blindfolded and waited for a long time, only to be held by a completely strange man. My body felt weak and hot, and I cried, begging him not to touch me. A low chuckle came from above. It was Asher Vance, Ethan’s best friend and the school’s notorious bad boy. He reached out, gently wiping away my tears, and murmured with a sigh, “Dump him. Be mine instead.” Then, he showed me a video. In a dimly lit VIP lounge at a club, Ethan was drinking with his rowdy friends. Someone asked him, “Is your girlfriend’s body really that amazing? I don’t believe it. Unless you let me sleep with her.” “What are you thinking? She’s Ethan’s precious girl. If you touch her, Ethan will have your head!” another friend laughed. Ethan, sitting amidst a cloud of cigarette smoke, spoke nonchalantly, “Beat me in poker tonight, and you can have her.” Amidst the roaring laughter, someone asked, “What about Lily, your little admirer? I’d like to—” “Don’t you dare!” Ethan kicked him coldly. “Lily is the only pure flower in my heart. If any of you touch her, I’ll chop your fingers off!” He let his friends make the dirtiest jokes about me. Yet, he wouldn’t allow Lily to be tarnished in the slightest. I wiped away my tears, turned to the campus bad boy, and asked, “If I become your girlfriend, will you help me destroy him?”

“Are you joking?” Even after all these years since graduation, Asher still carried that dangerous, rebellious aura. He gave me a mocking look. “You’re not just playing me to escape this room, are you?” Saying that, his hand slid around my waist. “Don’t forget, your boyfriend literally bet you away and lost you to me.” “Whether I agree to your deal or not, tonight, you belong to me.” His warm breath brushed against my neck. I wanted to kick him, but my limbs were completely weak and useless. He laughed softly and leaned down to kiss me. But the moment before his lips touched mine, he stopped. He stared at me with pure amusement. “Chloe, tell me, is your boyfriend blind?” His hand gently brushed past my cheek, trailing through my hair. “Using a woman as beautiful as you as a poker chip… and losing you to another man.” “If my girlfriend were in a room with another guy, I would go absolutely insane.” As his hand moved downward, my cheeks burned like fire. “Asher…” The glass of water Ethan had given me earlier was definitely spiked. I steeled my heart. “Help me. Use your body to make this heat go away.” I closed my eyes and heard his low laugh. Then came the sound of clothes hitting the floor. I bit my lip, bracing myself. But the next second, a glass of ice-cold water was splashed directly onto my face. I opened my eyes in shock. Asher had already put his jacket back on, sitting a few feet away from me. “I don’t take advantage of drugged women. But that doesn’t mean I’m rejecting your deal.” The light was too dim for me to read his expression. He said, “Starting today, you are my girlfriend. I will unconditionally help you ruin that piece of trash.” With that, Asher got up and went into the bathroom. The cold water had washed over me, and the effect of the drug subsided by half. I didn’t know when I fell asleep. All I knew was that when I was shaken awake, Asher whispered, “Your boyfriend is outside.” Before I could react. The door was pushed open slightly, leaving a crack. Ethan walked in, looking around nervously. Just as I was about to call out to him, Asher covered my mouth. When I saw the girl Ethan was holding, I froze. Her name was Lily. She was wearing a pure white dress, looking as innocent as a little wildflower. Soon, Ethan pressed her against the wall, kissing her with desperate obsession. I recalled the video again. Ethan said Lily was the “only pure flower” in his heart. But in the beginning. That was exactly how he used to describe me. I stared unblinkingly at the hallway, watching the gentle look on Ethan’s face. Lily wasn’t satisfied with just a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his hand toward the hem of her dress. But Ethan gently stopped her. “Babe, not here. I don’t want your first time to be in some random place. Let’s wait until we get back. I’ll book the most expensive suite for us.” Lily smiled coyly. “Chloe has been with you for six years. Did you coax her like this too?” Ethan was silent for a moment. “No.” Lily pouted playfully. “Liar. I don’t believe you.” A bitter smile formed at the corner of my mouth. He wasn’t lying. I remembered my first time with him. He had begged and pleaded for it. It was in a dusty backroom of his family’s department store. He didn’t even want to spend money on a hotel room. It turned out that being loved and not being loved were worlds apart. “Ethan, who is prettier? Me, or your girlfriend?” “You are.” Lily wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed. “True. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have used her as a bet and lost her to another man.” “She’s probably sleeping with someone else right now. Aren’t you sad at all?” Ethan let out a mocking laugh. “She’s been dirty for a long time anyway. One more man won’t make a difference.” It felt like a lightning strike. Even after he walked away with his arm around Lily, my hands and feet remained ice-cold.

I knew exactly what he was referring to. It was that night back in college. I was walking back late from my campus job and took a sketchy shortcut through a wooded path. I ran into a group of local thugs. When I finally escaped and got back, my clothes were torn. Rumors spread like wildfire, saying I had been ruined by those thugs. I clarified again and again that they hadn’t touched me. On the surface, Ethan pretended to believe me. He held me gently and comforted me, saying, “I know. My Chloe is always pure.” But behind my back, he told his friends: “Chloe? Who knows how many guys have slept with her already.” “I don’t even want to touch her. She feels dirty.” It turned out, from beginning to end, He had never believed me. The next day, when I found Ethan, he was picking out a birthday gift for Lily. It was an expensive jade bracelet. He had specially ordered a jasmine flower to be engraved on it. Ethan looked at it with eyes full of tenderness, imagining how it would look on Lily’s wrist. “Aren’t you going to explain yourself?” My voice was cold. Ethan looked up at me and smiled. “Asher has had his eye on you for a long time. Giving you to him for one night wiped out my millions of dollars in debt.” He sneered. “Don’t you think that’s a pretty good deal?” Losing my mind, I swung my hand and slapped him hard across the face. But Ethan seemed to enjoy it. He gently touched the cheek I had slapped, his smile turning even more despicable. “Chloe, I said I would still marry you. No matter how many men you sleep with, I’ll still marry you.” “But if you keep throwing these tantrums, I don’t mind postponing our wedding for another year.” His tone was so condescending. After all, I was the one who had chased him in the past. My parents divorced when I was young, leaving me extremely insecure. All I wanted was to build a family of my own early on. But to Ethan, that made me easy to manipulate. The last time he postponed our wedding, which was supposed to be last month, was because Lily cried. She claimed I called her a mistress and pushed her down. But if he had bothered to check the security cameras, he would have seen that Lily fell on purpose. She had cornered me to provoke me, and when I ignored her, she used this petty trick to frame me. Before I could even defend myself, Ethan believed her without hesitation. “Chloe, you went too far. Lily has been sheltered her whole life. How could you push her?” “Kneel down and apologize to Lily right now, or our wedding is postponed for a year!” I hadn’t done anything wrong, so of course, I refused to apologize. So, the wedding was indeed delayed. But now, I finally understood what it felt like to stop loving someone. Let alone the wedding. I didn’t even want this man anymore. By the time I snapped out of it, Ethan was already gone. I pulled out my phone and texted him: “Let’s break up.” After a long time, he sent back a casual, single-word reply: “Okay.” I let out a bitter laugh and turned off my phone. I walked aimlessly around the street food market, feeling completely lost. Back in college, Ethan always said he was broke and couldn’t afford fancy restaurants, so he often brought me here. Even though we were poor, feeling loved made everything feel warm. Five years after graduation, Ethan was now a CEO. He would come back from hooking up with Lily and hand me a twenty-thousand-dollar designer bag or take me to a thousand-dollar dinner. But he never loved me the way he used to. I remembered the first time he introduced me to Lily. He sat in the car, looking at the girl in the pleated skirt and pigtails standing at the school gate, and said: “She’s my neighbor’s little sister. She just came to the city for college, and her family asked me to look after her.” Later, the way he looked at Lily became more and more intense. More and more tender. Once, after getting drunk, he looked at Lily’s back and chuckled. “Chloe, don’t you think she looks a lot like you did five years ago?” “So pure, untouched by the world.” Yes, she was pure and flawless. Unlike me now, who had to go to business dinners and drink myself to exhaustion just to save his company from crises. I no longer had that “untouched” innocence. Instead, I had the aura of a weary, calculating businesswoman. But he forgot. Who was the one who turned me into this? The avocado salad in my mouth tasted like cardboard. I stood in the cold wind, tears streaming down my face. “If it tastes that bad, don’t eat it.” Suddenly, a hand snatched the salad away.

I turned around in surprise, only to find Asher standing there. He had been quietly following me from a short distance this whole time. He handed me a tissue and gently wiped away my tears. I looked at him blankly. “Why are you here?” Asher stared at me with a complex look in his eyes. “You agreed to be my girlfriend. Can’t I go on a date with my girlfriend?” He slowly leaned closer, took my cold hand, and stuffed it into his coat pocket. “Or are you planning to back out?” Asher and I walked in silence for a long time. Suddenly, he asked: “Why didn’t you tell him that I didn’t touch you last night?” I shook my head. “I broke up with him anyway.” Asher gave me a surprised look. “I thought you couldn’t let him go. After all, everyone said you two… had the perfect relationship.” Maybe it was my imagination, but Asher’s voice sounded a bit strained, almost jealous. I looked up at the sky and smiled. “Yeah. Everyone thought we had a great relationship. Even I believed it.” Three years ago, Ethan got critically ill. The doctors even issued a critical condition notice, telling his family to prepare for the worst. But I didn’t give up. I worked five jobs a day. I was a waitress during the day, delivered food during rush hours, and promoted alcohol at clubs at night. I worked so hard I almost coughed up blood. I did everything I could and somehow saved Ethan’s life. When Ethan woke up, his eyes were red as he held me. “Chloe, I love you.” He promised he would protect me for the rest of his life. On my birthday that year, he gave me a massive bouquet of paper roses. He said I would always be his favorite rose. But it wasn’t until I saw him spend millions on that jade bracelet, carefully carving a jasmine flower onto it, That I realized. He didn’t want roses. He liked jasmines. “Maybe it’s fate, Asher. You saved me back then, and maybe I was destined to return the favor.” I took the initiative to hold Asher’s hand. “I’m your girlfriend from now on.” Asher let out a soft chuckle. “I thought you forgot about what happened back then.” How could I forget? In college, there was a rumor about Asher and me for a while. He was the notorious bad boy, the rebel who skipped classes and got into fights. Even the professors stayed out of his way. In my memory, he was a loner. Whenever I saw him, I would walk the other way. But that night, walking home late from my job, Ethan was supposed to pick me up but stood me up. I walked down the dark path alone. And ran into those thugs. They cornered me in a dead end, covered my mouth, and tried to tear my clothes off. Just when I was in complete despair, Asher showed up. He fought like a maniac, completely reckless, and literally terrified the thugs away. “Get back to your dorm already,” he growled. He recognized me. He hid his bleeding knuckles behind his back and followed me from a safe distance to make sure I got back safely. I asked hesitantly, “You’re bleeding. Let me take you to the hospital first.” “None of your business. Stop being annoying,” he snapped coldly, like a defensive hedgehog. But feeling guilty, I forced him to go to the clinic anyway. By the time we got back to campus, the sun was almost up. When people saw me returning with the school bad boy, my clothes torn, the rumors started. They said I had spent the night with Asher at a motel. The rumors were nasty. While I didn’t care about what others said, I begged Ethan to believe me, repeatedly explaining that nothing happened between Asher and me. On the surface, Ethan comforted me gently, saying he believed me. But behind my back, he told his friends: “Who knows what really happened that night? Maybe Chloe was already ridden by Vance.” No wonder he never touched me after that night, claiming he wanted to save it for marriage. My thoughts were interrupted when Asher went to buy me boba. I sat on a bench near the mall entrance waiting for him, when a familiar voice sounded in front of me. “Ethan, look, isn’t that Chloe?” Lily smiled at me with an innocent face, holding a massive bouquet of bright red roses. “Why is she shopping all by herself? Ethan, how could you leave your girlfriend alone? I should go say hi to her.” “Lily!” Ethan frowned and called out to her, but he didn’t stop her. He quickly followed behind, glaring at me defensively, as if he was terrified I would hurt his precious Lily. “What are you doing here?” I sneered. “I didn’t know you owned this street. Why do you care?” Lily smiled and wrapped her arm around Ethan’s. “Ethan is taking me out. He said you two used to eat here all the time during college. He even said your favorite was cheap street hot dogs. I would never dare to put something so cheap in my mouth. You really can endure anything, Chloe.” I rolled my eyes internally. I looked around to see why Asher was taking so long, but Lily took that as a cue to flaunt her roses. “Look, Ethan bought these roses for me. They smell so good!” “Since you’re his girlfriend, why don’t I give them to you!” I looked up coldly. “Didn’t he tell you? We broke up.” Ethan frowned. “Chloe, stop throwing a tantrum. We’ve been together for nearly seven years. What do you mean, broke up?” “Even if you’re mad about what happened the other night, you don’t have to lie about this.” He was the one who had replied “Okay” to my breakup text. Just as I was about to pull out my phone to show him, Lily suddenly shoved the roses right into my face. “Don’t be mad. Just take these roses as Ethan’s apology to you…” Her movement was so sudden that I couldn’t dodge. The thick scent of pollen rushed straight down my throat. “Get… get them away…” I was severely allergic to pollen. Within seconds, my lungs seized up, and I could barely breathe. “Call… call 911…”

Seeing me gasp for air, Lily looked terrified and immediately hid behind Ethan, pretending to cry. Ethan shielded her, looking down at me with disgust. “Stop acting, Chloe.” “Do you think copying Lily’s innocence makes you look pitiful? This pathetic act only makes me despise you more.” I wanted to beg them to help me, but Ethan disgustedly kicked my foot away and walked off with Lily. As my consciousness faded, I suddenly remembered years ago. The first time Ethan found out about my pollen allergy, he had rushed me to the ER, holding me tightly, crying with panic. “Chloe, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were allergic!” “I promise I’ll protect you from now on…” But just now. He only cared about protecting his precious little flower. He forgot that my allergy was severe enough to kill me. When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. I opened my eyes to meet Asher’s worried, bloodshot eyes. “You almost scared me to death.” “I came out with the boba and saw you collapsed on the pavement. The doctor said if I had been a few minutes later, you wouldn’t have made it.” He still looked visibly shaken. I smiled weakly at him. “Who knew the fearless bad boy of our school could make a face like that?” Asher looked away, embarrassed. “I’m thirsty.” He immediately poured me a glass of water. I noticed his knuckles were bruised and scraped. “What happened to your hand?” Asher tried to pull his sleeve down to hide it. But I grabbed his arm. “Tell me the truth.” Asher sighed. “Ethan did this to you. I went and taught him a lesson.” My eyes widened in surprise. That was definitely Asher’s style. I tugged at his sleeve. “Asher.” “Yeah?” “Do you… like me?” Asher turned around, staring into my eyes with absolute seriousness. “Dummy. It took you this long to realize?” I froze, my face turning crimson. That afternoon, Asher went out to get food. When he came back, he mysteriously pulled out a velvet box and proposed to me. “Chloe, I can’t wait anymore.” “I’m terrified that if I hesitate for even a second, you’ll run back to that loser. I need you to promise to marry me right now.” The patients in the neighboring beds laughed and cheered. “Say yes! A guy this devoted is hard to find!” I hadn’t planned on moving so fast. But looking into Asher’s intense eyes, I found myself nodding. “Can I really trust you?” “Of course. I’m a million times more reliable than your ex.” I laughed. Asher bought plane tickets. He said he wanted to take me back to his family’s estate next week to get married. After officially quitting my job, I passed a bakery on my way home. Remembering Asher liked strawberry cake, I smiled and picked one out. “Excuse me, how much is this—” Suddenly, the cake was snatched from my hands. Lily cooed, “Ethan, I love this cake. Buy it for me, please?” Then she gave me a provocative look, pretending to be shocked. “Oh, Chloe! What a coincidence! I’m so sorry, but I really want this cake. Can you let me have it?” What a curse. I couldn’t even buy a cake without running into them. I pulled my hand back in disgust. Since she touched it, I didn’t want it anymore. Seeing me turn around to leave, Lily pouted as if she was about to cry. “Ethan, is Chloe mad at me? Go comfort her!” The next second, Ethan blocked my path. “Didn’t you hear her? Lily is crying because of you. It’s just a cake, why can’t you let her have it? Apologize to her.” Seeing my silence, his tone softened. “Chloe, Lily just graduated. She’s still a kid. Don’t be so petty.” “If you behave, and let me spend this graduation season with her, we will get married in a year as planned.” “You’ll still be my wife. No one can take your place.” I looked up and let out a cold laugh. “Ethan, didn’t you get my breakup text? Why are you still acting like we are together?” “What breakup text?” Ethan froze. The next second, Lily stepped between us. “Chloe, your dress is so pretty. Can you send me the link?” She intentionally sent Ethan away to pay for the cake. Once he was out of earshot, the mask came off. “I’ll tell you the truth. I replied to that text on Ethan’s phone. He has no idea.” “Chloe, you already know Ethan doesn’t love you anymore. But since his family is rich, it’s no wonder you’re still clinging to him like a desperate dog.” “But stop wasting your time. No matter how much he liked you in the past, you are history now.” She crossed her arms, smiling like a proud white rose. “The only one Ethan loves now is me.” She expected to see tears in my eyes. Instead, I gave her a calm look. “Is that so? Then congratulations.” I turned and walked away without looking back. She had no idea that I was getting married too. Whatever drama they had had absolutely nothing to do with me anymore. A week later, Asher took me to his family’s estate. When we pulled up, I was stunned by the massive, sprawling historic estate before my eyes. “This is your family home? Why does the gate say ‘Vance Mansion’?” Asher explained: “Vance is my mother’s family name. When my father cheated and abandoned her, I took her name. Now, the Vance family needs an heir, so they brought me back.” Asher looked at me seriously. “Actually, I am the sole heir to the Vance Empire.” Back in college, I thought Asher was just a poor, angry kid. When I accepted his proposal, I was fully prepared to live a simple, budget-friendly life with him. I had no idea he was the heir to the wealthiest family in the city. Three days later was our wedding. Asher threw me a grand, spectacular wedding that caught the attention of the entire high society. Even my wedding dress had been custom-made months in advance. When I tried it on, it fit perfectly. I asked him in surprise, “How did you know my measurements?” Asher smirked. “Guess.” I couldn’t. Later, the housekeeper let slip that on the night Ethan “lost” me to him, Asher had held me close just to measure my frame. On the day of the wedding, the Vance family invited every prominent figure in the city. Ethan and Lily showed up in formal wear, looking around the Vance Estate with pure envy as they were led to their seats. When Ethan saw me passing by, his brow furrowed. “Chloe? How did you sneak in here?” He looked around nervously. “Come here. Do you know what kind of place this is? You can’t just wander in without an invitation.” “Just tell them you’re with me. Don’t cause trouble.” I was wearing a casual but elegant silk wrap dress, heading to the bridal suite to get my makeup done. Naturally, Ethan couldn’t tell I was the bride. I just smiled. “No need to worry, Ethan.” With that, I walked away. Ethan’s voice chased after me. “Wander around all you want! Don’t blame me when security throws you out!” I thought to myself: The only one getting thrown out today is you. Two hours later, the makeup artists finished my bridal look, and I changed into a multi-million-dollar designer wedding gown. The venue was buzzing with excitement. Lily looked around with starry eyes. “I wonder who the lucky girl is to marry the Vance heir!” Ethan shook his head. “I’ve never met him. I don’t know why he invited me, maybe some business associate of my dad’s.” He was already planning how to flatter and connect with the mysterious Vance heir after the ceremony. “The bride and groom are coming!” Asher gently held my hand. Amidst the thunderous applause and cheers, we stepped out onto the grand altar. When Ethan and Lily saw our faces, their expressions turned completely pale. “No way… How can it be them?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “454431”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster

My boyfriend, Austin, proposed to me right after donating his kidney to his childhood best friend, Chloe. In my past life, I said yes to his proposal. After we got married, the entire financial and physical burden of our lives fell on my shoulders. Austin claimed that since he only had one kidney left, he couldn’t get too tired, couldn’t handle stress, and couldn’t do any physical labor. I had to work overtime to pay the bills while doing every single bit of the housework. I literally worked myself to death at forty, dying of sudden cardiac arrest at my desk. And what did Austin do? He took my life insurance payout and married Chloe. They lived happily ever after on my blood money. So, when I woke up reborn, standing in front of Austin’s proposal once again… I rejected him on the spot. “Why the hell would I marry a lazy, one-kidney slacker like you?!” “Emily, marry me!” Austin knelt on one knee, holding a bouquet of red roses in one hand and a diamond ring in the other. His face was still pale from the kidney donation surgery a few days ago. But a confident smirk played on his lips. He was absolutely sure I wouldn’t say no. After all, we had been together for seven years. Marrying him had practically become my life’s goal. Even though he had stood me up countless times for Chloe. Even though he ignored my warnings and insisted on giving Chloe his kidney. He believed I would always be his safety net. His frat bros stood behind him, cheering and filming on their phones. “Say yes! Say yes!” One of them nudged me. “Come on, Emily, just say yes!” “Yeah, haven’t you been dreaming of marrying Austin forever?” “He’s finally proposing. What are you waiting for?!” It was exactly like my past life. A month after Austin donated his kidney to Chloe and got discharged from the hospital, he threw this grand proposal. He told me I was his true love. He said donating the kidney to Chloe was just because they grew up together. He said he couldn’t just watch her die. He begged me to understand his “noble sacrifice.” In my past life, my heart softened, and I said yes. But right after the wedding, Austin used his health as an excuse to quit his job. He refused to work. He spent every single day lying on the couch, playing video games and scrolling through TikTok. He didn’t lift a finger to help around the house. Whenever I complained, he’d play the victim card. “I only have one kidney, Emily! I’m fragile!” “The doctor said I can’t do heavy lifting! I can’t stress myself out!” “Do you want me to die? Is that it?!” Even his mother, Helen, had the audacity to point at my face and scream: “You’re the one who begged to marry my son! Did he force you?” “You’ve been living with him for seven years. If it wasn’t for Austin, who would want a used-up woman like you at thirty?” “Now that you’re a Carter, it’s your job to serve him!” So, I worked a grueling 9-to-5 by day and did endless chores by night. We never had kids, because Austin claimed his kidney issue made him impotent in bed. Between the stress, the exhaustion, and the depression, I collapsed and died of a sudden stroke at my desk in my early forties. Not even a month after my funeral, Austin registered his marriage with Chloe. They moved into the house I bought. And lived a luxurious life using my life insurance payout. Remembering the sheer horror of my past life… I looked down at Austin kneeling before me. I sneered. “Austin, you’re nothing but a lazy, one-kidney slacker now.” “Why on earth would I marry you?!” Austin froze, staring at me in utter disbelief. Chloe immediately stepped forward, grabbing my arm with a hurt expression. “Emily, how can you say that to Austin?!” “He saved my life! He gave me his kidney because he couldn’t bear to see me die!” “You can’t look down on him just because he did something heroic!”

She was freshly discharged, her face pale and her lips bloodless. Because she got so worked up, her body swayed as if she was about to faint. Austin scrambled up from the floor and quickly caught her in his arms. The look he shot me was filled with pure disgust. “Emily! Since when did you get so malicious?” “I just saved Chloe’s life. Was I supposed to just stand by and watch her die?！” Austin’s friend chimed in, “Seriously, it’s just one kidney. Austin and Chloe have been best friends since they were kids!” Austin tried to grab my hand again. “Emily, stop throwing a tantrum! I know you’ve been dying to marry me. I’m literally offering you a ring right now!” He was offering me a ring. How incredibly generous of him! He made it sound like I should be down on my knees thanking him. I stepped back, slapping his hand away. “Austin, I’m not throwing a tantrum, and I’m definitely not joking.” “Not only am I rejecting your proposal, but I’m also breaking up with you.” “You only have one kidney left. Who knows if you can even perform in bed anymore?” “Why would I choose a broken man over all the healthy, capable guys out there?!” At my words, Austin’s face flushed a deep, angry red. He never expected me to bring up his masculinity in public. “Emily! Don’t push your luck!” “You’re almost thirty, and we’ve been living together for seven years. Who else is going to want you if not me?!” “I’ll give you twenty-four hours to cool your head. Keep playing this game, and I swear I’ll leave you for real!” With that, Austin picked Chloe up and walked away without looking back. He always did this. Whenever we had a fight, he would walk out on me to “let me cool down.” And in the past, I would spend the entire night crying, spamming his Snapchat with paragraphs of apologies. His friends gave me looks of sheer disgust and pity before leaving. Soon, I was left standing there completely alone. This proposal was pathetic. Aside from the cheap roses and the ring, there were no decorations, no effort. As I walked back, a drizzle began to fall. I took an Uber back to the apartment Austin and I rented together. When I pushed the door open, I saw Austin wearing an apron, cooking soup in the kitchen. In our past life, after we got married, he wouldn’t even lift a finger if a bottle of soy sauce spilled. Yet here he was, playing the caring chef for Chloe. Seeing me walk in, a smug smirk appeared on his face. His eyes said: I knew you’d crawl back to apologize. I ignored him and walked straight toward the bedroom. But Austin rushed over and grabbed my arm. “Chloe is sleeping in there. Don’t go in.” I frowned. “If I don’t go in, how am I supposed to change my clothes?” I had gotten soaked in the rain, and my hair and clothes were dripping wet. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. “It’s just a little rain, you’ll survive.” “Chloe is a fragile patient right now!” Suddenly, a memory flashed in my mind—our third anniversary. I had booked a fancy restaurant months in advance. But Austin ditched me for three hours because Chloe called him with some minor emergency. It had rained that night too, and I had walked home soaking wet. When I confronted him, his response was exactly the same: “It’s just a little rain, you’ll survive.” I let out a cold laugh. So his heart had already drifted back then. He pointed to the standing fan in the living room. “Go stand in front of the fan. It’ll dry quickly.” Feeling the cold, damp fabric sticking to my skin, I violently yanked my arm out of his grip.

“Austin, I pay half the rent for this apartment. You brought Chloe here without even asking me, and now you won’t even let me into my own bedroom?!” Seeing me push past him, Austin blocked the door with his body. “Emily, can you stop being so dramatic?!” “Chloe and I just got discharged. We both got caught in the rain today. Instead of showing some basic empathy, you’re trying to kick a sick girl out of her bed!” I laughed out of sheer anger. “If you guys are so sick, why aren’t you in the hospital? Why didn’t you take Chloe back to her own place? Why bring her to my apartment?” “Austin, you’re the one who dragged your little side-chick in front of my face!” I shoved him to open the door, but Austin grabbed my wrist in a vice grip. With a harsh grunt, he shoved me back violently. “Emily, know your place!” “If Chloe’s recovery is ruined because of you and she gets sick again, I’ll make you pay with your life!” Unprepared, I lost my balance and fell, my lower back slamming hard against the wall. A sharp pain shot up my spine, tears welling in my eyes. I looked up at Austin’s fierce, hostile eyes. For the first time, I realized I had never truly known this man. In my past life, he always claimed he was too weak to even open a bottle of water. But the force he used to shove me just now? That was definitely not the strength of a sick patient. From inside the room, Chloe let out a weak, theatrical cough. Austin immediately panicked and rushed inside. “Austin… are you and Emily fighting because of me?” Chloe’s weak voice drifted out. “Please don’t be mad at her, she didn’t mean it…” Austin’s voice softened instantly as he comforted her. Disgusted, I walked into the room, grabbed a suitcase, and began packing my things. Austin paused, looking at me in shock. “What do you think you’re doing?” I rolled my eyes. “You won’t let me sleep here, remember? I’m leaving. Enjoy your cozy little nest.” “Emily! Do you have to be so passive-aggressive?!” Chloe threw back the duvet, pretending she wanted to get out of bed, but Austin gently pushed her back down. “Ignore her. Let her throw her tantrum.” “Let’s see how long she can survive out there!” I packed my essential clothes, grabbed my ID and documents, and zipped the suitcase. As I walked out, Austin was carefully feeding Chloe soup, spoon by spoon. Ha. How touching. I booked a decent hotel near my office. The next morning at work, I went straight to my manager’s office. There was an overseas relocation opportunity to Italy. Because it was so far, nobody in the department wanted to go. In my past life, my manager, Sophia, had offered it to me. I had studied Italian in college, and she thought I was the perfect fit. But because of Austin’s proposal, I had turned it down. This time, I was absolutely not wasting my life for a slacker. Sophia was thrilled when I volunteered. “Are you sure, Emily? What about your boyfriend?” “We broke up.” Sophia stared at me for a moment before handing over the paperwork. “Fill this out. You can fly out next week.” Next week. One week was more than enough to erase myself from Austin’s life. I took the afternoon off and went back to the apartment to get the rest of my things. The place was empty. When I unlocked the door, the sight made me gag. The kitchen sink was piled high with greasy dishes. Moldy takeout boxes littered the table. Dirty clothes were thrown all over the couch, and the trash can was overflowing. My phone buzzed. It was a text from Austin: [When you get off work, clean up the apartment.] Still as demanding as ever. In our past life, he treated me like his personal maid.

He expected me to serve him hand and foot. He even demanded that I cover all his living expenses. And he said it with such entitlement: “You think I want to ask you for money? I’m sick! I can’t work!” “If you don’t support me, you’re forcing me to work and die early! Emily, do you just want to see me dead?!” I locked my screen and walked straight to the bedroom to grab my remaining bags. Let them rot in their own filth. We had lived here for two years. Every corner of this small apartment held memories. I remembered when we first moved in. Austin had held me close, promising he’d buy me a giant mansion once he made it big. We had stayed up late planning our future. When did it all change? Ah. It started a year ago, when Chloe was diagnosed with kidney disease. He started ditching me at a single phone call from her. He took the soup I spent four hours simmering to feed her. He even gave away the plushies we won together at the arcade to “cheer her up.” In the bottom drawer, I found a photo of a pet rabbit. Austin and I had won it at a carnival a year ago. We raised it for three months. Chloe saw it, said it was cute, and Austin gave it to her without asking me. By the time I found out and rushed over, Chloe had already cooked it into a stew. She sobbed, claiming she “didn’t know it was a pet” and thought it was meant for eating. I packed my things into two categories. One to ship back to my parents’ house, and the rest straight into the dumpster. I left the keys on the counter and sent Austin one final text: [Austin, we are over. Don’t contact me again.] Then, I blocked and deleted his number. In this life, I refuse to waste another second on him. When Austin brought Chloe back later that day, he expected a clean house. Instead, the kitchen trash was practically crawling with maggots, releasing a foul stench. Chloe pinched her nose in disgust. “Is Emily still mad at me?” “Maybe I should just leave.” She made a show of walking toward the door, but Austin caught her. “Don’t worry about her!” “She’s just trying to make us feel miserable.” “I’ll clean up. Go rest on the couch.” As Chloe lounged on the couch, Austin rolled up his sleeves and started doing chores. In the two years we lived together, he had barely done any housework. Now, because he cared so much about Chloe, he had to do it himself. By the time he washed the dishes, threw out the trash, mopped the floor, and started the laundry, he was gasping for air. With only one kidney, his stamina was shot. But Chloe couldn’t do any physical work either. He collapsed onto the couch, panting. “Since when did Emily get such an attitude?！” “She actually stayed out the entire night!” Chloe gripped Austin’s hand, looking incredibly anxious. “Austin, what if Emily really wants to break up with you?” “If you guys break up because of me, I’ll never forgive myself!” Her eyes welled with tears, looking utterly pathetic. Austin smiled and gently patted her head. “Don’t worry, babe. Emily and I have been together for seven years. She’s been desperate to marry me. She’d never actually leave.” “Besides, now that I’m like this, she’ll only feel more obligated to stay.”

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At our engagement party, my fiancée’s childhood best friend, Ryan, suggested playing a blindfolded guessing game. Unable to resist the crowd’s teasing, Chloe had no choice but to tie a black silk scarf over her eyes. When she stumbled over to Ryan, she first felt his face, and then, without warning, she slid her hand right between his thighs. “Ryan, I knew it was you! Still the same as always.” The room erupted into wild laughter and cheers. I stood there, the hand holding my plate of cake freezing instantly. Seeing my awkward expression, Ryan quickly tried to laugh it off, explaining: “Ethan, please don’t get the wrong idea. Chloe and I grew up together. She’s been grabbing onto me to sleep since we were kids.” “We’re just too familiar with each other, that’s all.” Quiet snickers rippled through the room. Chloe tried to look angry, her eyes wide, but she couldn’t help but giggle: “Oh, shut up, Ryan! How dare you expose me in front of everyone? I’m going to kill you!” “You have some nerve talking about me. Didn’t you also love cuddling me to sleep back then?” Ryan laughed, gently shaking her off, and waved his hand: “Chloe, that was ages ago. Why are you bringing it up now? Alright, stop playing around…” “What do you mean? Didn’t you just last week…” Chloe blurted out. But she cut herself off mid-sentence, suddenly snapping her mouth shut. The atmosphere in the VIP lounge instantly turned painfully awkward. Seeing this, Ryan quickly stepped in to smooth things over: “See! I told you Chloe can’t hold her liquor. She only had a few drinks and she’s already talking nonsense.” The guests looked at each other, forced a few laughs, and played along with the joke. But only I knew the truth. This was no drunken slip of the tongue. Last week was our six-year anniversary. While we were being intimate that night, I noticed a fresh hickey on her chest. She claimed it was just an allergic reaction to a bug bite. I didn’t think much of it at the time. Now I realized that Ryan was that “bug.” Sensing the tension, the guests tried to change the subject with some idle chatter. But I remained completely serious. I stood up and stared straight at Chloe: “Keep going. What happened last week?” Chloe froze for a second, then frowned impatiently: “Nothing happened. Can you not be so uptight? Ryan and I are best friends. What’s wrong with a little joking? He doesn’t even mind.” “But I mind.” The moment the words left my mouth, the lounge fell dead silent. All the laughter vanished. Ryan looked incredibly uncomfortable, awkwardly turning his face away. “Chloe, I don’t care what you and him did in the past, but we are about to get married. Don’t you feel disgusted with yourself doing these things with zero boundaries?” In the next second, Chloe exploded: “Ryan and I literally shared the same bed growing up! I’ve never seen him as a man, and he’s never seen me as a woman. Why does your mind have to be so incredibly filthy?” “If something was actually going on between Ryan and me, would I even be with you right now?” Chloe kept complaining at the top of her lungs. I laughed out of sheer anger. I walked straight up to Ryan and grabbed his belt: “Great. Since neither of you sees the other as the opposite sex, why don’t you prove it to everyone right here, right now? Let’s see if I’m just overthinking!” This time, absolutely no one was laughing. Ryan struggled in shame and anger, but I refused to let go. Seeing this, Chloe shrieked and lunged at me. She raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. “Ethan! What the hell is wrong with you? If you’re crazy, go get therapy! Do you have to make everyone miserable just to be satisfied?!” Ryan, looking utterly victimized, tugged at her sleeve and whispered: “Chloe, don’t fight with Ethan because of me. It’s all my fault today… I took the joke too far. I didn’t realize Ethan would be this sensitive.” Hearing this, Chloe let out a cold sneer: “Oh, he is sensitive, alright.” Someone in the crowd couldn’t hold it in and snorted. My face burned with humiliation. Chloe shot me a disdainful look and mocked: “Ethan, why are you making that miserable face? For whom?” “Everyone else can take a joke. Why are you the only one losing your mind? How long are you going to keep acting like a dramatic child?” At that moment, I felt like a thousand needles were piercing my heart. Every breath I took brought a sharp, throbbing pain. In the end, I didn’t say another word. The overwhelming nausea in my stomach forced me to bolt out of the room. Standing outside the lounge, I fell to my knees, clutching my mouth. The stomach acid burned my throat as I gagged. It took a long time for the feeling to finally pass. Just then, I heard someone inside ask: “Chloe, seriously, tell us the truth. Have you and Ryan ever actually slept together?” “Of course we have,” Chloe replied almost instantly, without a hint of hesitation. But Ryan immediately cut in: “Wait, we never did the actual deed, so that doesn’t count!” “Then what does it count as?” Chloe asked with a sly laugh. “It counts as me giving you a few free massages, haha.” The lounge exploded into roaring laughter once again. I stood outside the door, my heart completely dead. All this blatant betrayal and crossing of lines. From her mouth, it was all just a lighthearted joke. After a moment of silence, I pulled out my phone and sent a message to our wedding planner on Snapchat: “Cancel the venue reservation. The wedding is off.”

When I woke up on the couch the next morning, a massive hangover made my head spin. But as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Chloe sitting in front of her vanity mirror. “Oh, for your sake, I got up at six in the morning to do my makeup. I wouldn’t bother dressing up this nicely for anyone else.” I didn’t even need to guess to know Ryan was on the other end of the line. Chloe noticed I was awake through the mirror, and her hands paused. “Babe, I can’t go try on wedding dresses with you today. Ryan’s film crew is having their wrap party, and I have to go celebrate with him. Let’s do it another day.” I gave a quiet “okay” and continued to rub my temples. The dull, throbbing headache kept coming in waves. Seeing my pain, Chloe just rolled her eyes: “I told you not to drink so much, but you never listen.” “There’s honey in the kitchen. Go make yourself some honey water. I’m busy with my makeup and don’t have time.” I found it almost funny. She was too busy to pour me a glass of water, yet she could hold her phone between her shoulder and ear, terrified of missing a single word from Ryan. And as for what happened last night, Chloe acted as if she had total amnesia. No explanation, not even a half-assed apology. Maybe she truly believed she had done nothing wrong. I stood up and went to the kitchen to make the honey water. I looked back at Chloe and said quietly: “Chloe, let’s break up.” The person on the phone must have said something hilarious. She burst into loud laughter, completely ignoring my words. After a moment, Chloe asked dismissively: “What did you just say? I didn’t hear you.” “Nothing.” I shook my head. Soon, Chloe was ready to leave. Just as she reached for the doorknob, I grabbed her hand: “Why don’t I come with you?” Chloe looked at me with utter shock: “What are you going to do there?” Seeing that I didn’t reply, her tone quickly became annoyed. “Ethan, Ryan and I were just joking around last night. You didn’t actually take that seriously, did you?” “I’m going to his wrap party, and you want to tag along? Are you that paranoid that something is going on between us? Can you stop being so suspicious all the time?” Hearing this, I felt a surge of cold amusement. I hadn’t even said anything, and she was already defensive. “I’m on vacation these days, and I have nothing to do. I just want to go out and clear my head.” I looked at her calmly, a slight smile on my face: “Unless… Ryan is the one who minds me being there, and he doesn’t want me to come?” Chloe’s expression stiffened. She stammered: “No… you’re overthinking. Why would he care…” In the end, Chloe had no choice but to reluctantly agree. On the way to the set, she sat in the back seat, staring down at her phone playing a game. Halfway through, her AirPods died, and the audio blasted through the speakers: “Chloe, is your fiancé crazy? Why does he have to tag along to this? You have zero freedom.” “How did you end up with such a petty man? Yesterday he made everyone so uncomfortable. It was so embarrassing.” Then came Ryan’s voice, of course: “Chloe, didn’t we agree that you belong only to me today?” “And yet you brought your man along. You clearly don’t care about your best bro at all.” Hearing Ryan’s half-joking, petulant words, Chloe just hummed a few times without defending me. Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the venue. As soon as we got out of the car, Ryan walked up to greet us. When he saw Chloe, his eyes lit up: “Wow, why are you so dressed up today? Anyone would think you’re going on a hot date.” Chloe laughed and playfully punched his arm: “Stop it! You always say I look like a tomboy with zero feminine charm.” “Since I’m here to support our big star, of course I had to put in some effort.” “Oh wow, I’m honored.” Chloe blushed and giggled, hitting his chest again. Suddenly, she remembered I was standing right there. She immediately pulled her hand back and forced a fake smile at me: “Ethan, Ryan and I are just kidding around. You’re not going to get mad again like yesterday, right?” I smiled and said nothing. We walked into the venue hall. In the blink of an eye, Chloe had somehow changed into a white wedding gown. She was holding Ryan’s arm as they walked out from backstage. I froze slightly at the sight. The surrounding crew members immediately started teasing them: “Oh my god, they look so good together! What a handsome couple!” Ryan tried to suppress his grin, pretending to look annoyed: “Alright, that’s enough, guys. This is just for work, okay? Work!” He explained that the show needed some promotional posters re-shot. The lead actress was sick and couldn’t make it, and Chloe’s figure was the closest match. So, they asked her to stand in, and they would use AI face-swapping in post-production. In front of the camera, the two of them held each other intimately. But the photographer kept asking them to strike more passionate poses. Ryan said hypocritically: “Chloe, is this really okay? You and Ethan haven’t even taken your wedding photos yet, and here you are taking them with me. I’m worried he might feel bad.” Chloe remained nonchalant: “It’s fine. I’m just helping you with work. Ethan isn’t that petty.” Finally, when the photographer suggested a “camera-angle” kiss. The two of them didn’t even hesitate. They went straight in for a passionate French kiss right in front of the lens. As they were wrapping up, someone jokingly shouted: “Wow! Now that the wedding photos are done and the kissing is out of the way, should we head straight to the honeymoon suite?!”

Hearing this, Ryan tried to look serious: “Stop messing around. Chloe’s fiancé is right here. What honeymoon suite? Come on…” On the side, Chloe sneered: “Oh, look at you acting all innocent now. I’ve never seen you this shy before.” Just then, a crew member stepped up, pushing Chloe into Ryan’s arms with a smirk: “Ryan, weren’t you complaining that the lead actress was too stiff in that bed scene? Why don’t you and Chloe shoot a quick reference take? We can use AI face-swapping later. It’ll look incredibly real!” Chloe leaned into Ryan’s chest, half-resisting, but she didn’t say no. Ryan looked down at her, his voice dripping with temptation: “Chloe, are we best friends or what? If we are, do your boy a favor.” Chloe looked over at me, a hint of mockery on her face: “I want to help you, Ryan, but Ethan is right there. I’m just afraid he’ll start imagining things again.” But I just looked at her calmly and even nodded: “Why would I? Since it’s for Ryan’s work, I obviously don’t mind. If you’re okay with it, go ahead.” Hearing this, Chloe’s face instantly lit up with a massive smile. And at that exact moment, my heart went completely cold. It was just a test. And yet, this woman I had loved for six years. Exhibited her dirty, rotten, and boundary-less true self so eagerly. Once the camera rolled, the two of them lay on the decorated prop bed. Though they were covered by a duvet, their movements beneath it were incredibly violent. They nearly broke the bed. Chloe put on a very vocal performance, moaning loudly. With no script, she ad-libbed right on the spot: “Ah! You’re so much better than my fiancé! Just like that!” When the shoot ended, the crew members teased: “Wow, Chloe, your acting is insane! It’s your first time doing a scene like this, but you two looked like you’ve done it a hundred times before.” Chloe’s face flushed red at the comment. “Oh, stop it. It’s because Ryan is a professional actor. He didn’t show any physical reaction during the whole thing, so I didn’t feel awkward at all.” Ryan looked incredibly proud of himself. He pinched Chloe’s cheek and joked: “Of course. I told you, I only see you as my bro. How could I get turned on by a guy?” While they were chatting and laughing. A large crowd of Ryan’s fans arrived at the set for a meet-and-greet. Hearing that their idol had “sacrificed himself for art” by filming a passionate scene, they were all incredibly excited. A charity auction of the show’s props was organized on the spot, and fans rushed to bid. While the auction was in full swing. I stepped forward, held up a pair of men’s underwear, and yelled loudly: “Look here, everyone! This is the actual underwear your idol just wore during the bed scene! It’s still warm!”

The entire venue fell dead silent. Every single eye locked onto the underwear in my hand. In the next second, the fans in the crowd screamed with pure excitement: “Is that really Ryan’s underwear? I want it! I bid five thousand!” “Get out of my way! Don’t steal it from me! I bid twenty thousand! Quick… let me smell Ryan’s scent!” Seeing the chaotic scene, Chloe shrieked and rushed toward me: “Ethan! Are you out of your mind?! Why the hell did you bring his underwear out here?!” I blinked, pretending to look completely innocent: “Aren’t you guys auctioning off props as souvenirs for the fans?” “I saw that all of Ryan’s costumes were sold out for a lot of money. I figured the underwear he wore close to his body would be worth even more, right?” Saying this, I turned the underwear inside out. “But there’s one thing I’m really curious about. Chloe, didn’t you just say that Ryan is a professional actor and had absolutely no physical reaction during the whole scene?” I dragged out my words, and the crowd instantly let out a collective gasp. The fans’ expressions shifted from excitement to shock and suspicion. Ryan frantically tried to rush over and grab the underwear, but he was immediately blocked by several reporters: “Mr. Carter, can you explain what is going on here?” “As a professional actor, didn’t you claim that it was just acting?!” Facing the reporters’ aggressive questions, Ryan’s face flushed red with panic. He wanted to explain, but the evidence in my hand spoke for itself. Chloe was shaking with rage. She ran up to me, pointing at my face and screaming: “Ethan, you creep! You actually went and stole Ryan’s underwear?!” Seeing her intense reaction, I looked at her with feigned surprise: “Oh? I remember you saying with your own mouth… that Ryan is a professional actor and felt absolutely nothing during the bed scene with you?” I turned to the agitated crowd of fans and raised my voice: “Then Ryan was lying! He wasn’t just acting!” “And the entire shoot only lasted about three minutes. Finishing in less than three minutes… isn’t that the definition of premature ejaculation? That’s a medical condition, Ryan. You need to get that checked!” Hearing my words, the crowd exploded again: “What?! Ryan actually got turned on and finished in three minutes during a shoot? That is insane!” “Oh my god… I can’t accept this! How can my idol be a three-minute man?!” “Ryan, are you even human? Getting turned on by a basic girl like her? Do you have any respect for your fans?!” Faced with the insults and doubts, Ryan’s face turned completely pale. He rushed up to me. He snatched the underwear out of my hand and hissed through gritted teeth: “Ethan! Why did you bring my underwear out? Did you do this on purpose just to humiliate me?!” I blinked, mimicking his earlier tone, and let out a soft laugh: “Ryan, why are you saying that? I was just playing a little joke with everyone. You’re not actually taking it seriously, are you?” Watching him choke on his own words, I held back my laughter and delivered the final blow: “It’s okay. Erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation are treatable. Do you want me to recommend a good doctor?”

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It had been five years since my fiancé and my billionaire brother dumped me in the slums. Now, they had finally found me. And the first thing they asked was if I knew what I did wrong. I nodded numbly. “I know. I was wrong.” Five years ago, they were convinced I had framed Melanie, their precious darling. Together, they ruined me and sent me away. They forgot that I was Ethan’s fiancée, and Julian’s biological sister. But now, I was terrified. I had surrendered. I chose to obey. Yet, Julian suddenly slammed his glass onto the floor. “You were never like this before!” Even Ethan, the fiancé who used to look at me with nothing but disgust, had red eyes. “Please, Sera. Go back to being the girl who cried and screamed. I beg you.” *** **1** It had been five years since they dumped me in the slums. Today, they finally found me. I was crouching by a rusty public faucet in a filthy alley, scrubbing dirt out of an old, faded bedsheet. A few pairs of polished leather shoes stepped right into the muddy puddle in front of me, stopping right at my feet. I looked up and recognized the face immediately. It was Julian Vance. My brother. Five years hadn’t left many marks on his face. He only looked more powerful, his sharp brows carrying an even heavier air of authority. “Do you admit you were wrong now?” I lowered my head, staring at my red, swollen fingers. “Yes,” I whispered. “I was wrong.” Hearing my answer, his tense brow relaxed. The corner of his mouth even twitched upward into a tiny, self-satisfied smirk. “Come home with me,” he said. I nodded and stood up to pack my few belongings. But as I turned around, another figure stepped out from the shadows of the alley. It was Ethan Caldwell. He had come too. I hadn’t seen him in five years. He seemed taller now, his jawline harder and colder. His eyes locked onto my face, his expression a complicated mess of emotions. “Sera, since you admit your mistake, you’re still my fiancée. Our engagement is still on.” I watched his lips move, the words floating into my ears. *Fiancée.* *Engagement.* They felt like words from a past life. I nodded. “Okay.” Aside from that one word, I had nothing else to say. During my five years in the slums, I had lost track of day and night. By day, I wandered through noisy, filthy streets, taking any under-the-table job that would buy me a single meal. At night, I curled up in a drafty shack, listening to rats scratching in the corners and drunkards screaming in the distance, staring at the ceiling until dawn. All the life had been sucked out of me. Every sharp edge had been ground down to dust. Julian’s Rolls-Royce was parked at the entrance of the alley. It was pitch black, polished so bright it hurt my eyes. The car started. Soon, the low, crumbling shacks and the eternal stench of rotting garbage were left far behind. The view outside the window became cleaner, greener, and grander. Finally, the car pulled up in front of the luxury estate I had left five years ago. The iron gates opened automatically. The lawn was manicured so perfectly it looked like a green carpet. Everything looked exactly the same as in my memory, yet everything felt completely different. Walking into the living room, the massive crystal chandelier cast a blinding light. The air smelled faintly of fresh lilies. Just as we stepped inside, a maid rushed over to greet us. “Mr. Vance, dinner is ready. Should I serve it now?” Julian gave a low grunt of approval. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned his head to look at my way. “Sera, I had them make all your favorite dishes tonight.” He spoke so naturally, as if his five-year absence was just him stepping out for a short walk. One by one, the dishes were brought out. They were plated so beautifully they looked like works of art. Lobster, wagyu steak, truffles, caviar… These were things I had only seen on crumpled flyers near trash cans over the last five years, things that belonged to a completely different world. I sat down in silence. Ethan sat next to me. He picked up a silk napkin and naturally draped it over my lap. I was instantly terrified. “Thank you,” I gasped, my voice trembling. “Thank you so much.” I frantically reached out to take the fork he was handing me. The moment our fingers brushed, my memory short-circuited. When was the last time someone draped a napkin for me or handed me a fork? Was it five years ago? Or even longer? My mind went completely blank. *Clatter.* The fork slipped from my fingers, rolled across the table, and fell to the floor, stopping right by Julian’s leather shoe. The air in the room froze. I went stiff. Then, purely out of survival instinct, I threw myself to the floor to grab it. My movement was so sudden and frantic that my knee slammed hard against the heavy mahogany table leg. It made a dull, painful thud. But I didn’t feel the pain. I only felt pure, suffocating panic. I was terrified they would throw me back into the slums for being clumsy. I grabbed the fork, clutching it tightly in my fist. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, scrambling back to my feet. My voice was so low it was barely audible. “I didn’t mean to.” Julian and Ethan were both staring at me. Their eyes fell on my white-knuckled grip on the fork, staying there for several agonizing seconds. Ethan spoke first, his voice empty of emotion. “It’s fine.” The maid silently stepped forward and handed me a clean fork. During dinner, Ethan occasionally placed cut pieces of steak onto my plate, his movements as natural as they used to be years ago. I whispered “thank you” every single time, forcing myself to swallow every bite. *** **2** Julian and I were originally orphans. Later, we were adopted by different families. He was taken in by the ultra-wealthy Vance family. But the couple who fostered me only wanted a free, obedient maid. I studied like my life depended on it, got into an Ivy League university, and managed to get a job at Julian’s corporation after graduation. I was so naive back then. I actually believed that hard work could change my destiny. At the company, I found my long-lost brother. The day the DNA test results came back, Julian held me tight and cried, saying he had finally found his little sister. I cried too, thinking I finally had a family. Later, I met Ethan, and we got engaged. For a moment, I thought the misery of my life was finally over. Until Melanie Sterling showed up. She was my brother’s darling, and Ethan’s irreplaceable first love. I found out she was playing both of them at the same time, and I tried to expose her. Instead, she framed me. She made me take the fall for corporate espionage, leaving me with a felony record and a suspended sentence. A black sedan drove me to the slums and dumped me there. The driver left me with one final message: “Mr. Vance said he doesn’t have a ruthless sister like you. Don’t ever come back.” In the beginning, I tried to start over. But with a criminal record, no decent company would even give me an interview. I had to go to the most remote, shady factories to do the most grueling manual labor. One day, a machine on the assembly line malfunctioned. The new girl next to me froze in terror. I rushed over to hit the emergency shutoff switch. After a blinding flash of pain, I lost two fingers on my left hand. The factory owner claimed I was just temporary under-the-table help and had no insurance. Then, they fired me. Because being disabled made me less efficient. After that, I could only do odd jobs. Washing dishes, sweeping streets. I took whatever I could get. I barely stayed alive. “Sera?” Ethan’s voice dragged me back to reality. I raised my head and realized both he and Julian were staring at me. I had unconsciously curled my left hand into a tight fist. “What’s wrong with your hand?” Julian asked, his eyes narrowing sharply. I quickly hid my hand under the table, shaking my head. “Nothing.” But Ethan suddenly reached over and gently grabbed my wrist. His hand was incredibly warm. Mine was ice-cold. “Let me see,” he said, his voice dropping low. I pulled back, but I couldn’t break his grip. Julian had already stood up and walked over to my side of the table. Ethan gently pulled my hand up into the bright light of the chandelier. That hand was skeletal, covered in thick, rough calluses. And on my left hand, the index and middle fingers were completely missing, leaving behind ugly, distorted scars. Silence fell over the room like a heavy shroud. Ethan’s hand trembled violently. Julian’s breathing suddenly became ragged and heavy. I slowly pulled my hand out of Ethan’s grip and hid it under the table again. “A factory machine,” I explained calmly. “It happened a long time ago.” No one spoke. After what felt like an eternity, Julian asked in a hoarse voice, “Why didn’t you tell us?” I looked at Julian and let out a tiny, soft laugh. “It’s fine,” I said. “It’s not a big deal. It doesn’t stop me from working.” I meant it. Missing two fingers only made me wash dishes a bit slower, but I could still wash them. Sweeping took a bit more effort, but I could still sweep. In the slums, as long as you were alive, nothing else was considered a big deal. Both of them remained silent for a long time. Eventually, they said nothing more and went back to their seats. When I returned to my room, the maid had already drawn a hot bath for me. The tub was massive, steam rising from the warm water, with fresh rose petals floating on top. The moment I stepped in, the warm water wrapped around me. I couldn’t help but let out a long, shaky sigh. It felt so good. This warm, safe feeling. Compared to shivering in freezing public restrooms to wipe myself down with cold water for the last five years, this was absolute heaven. Dignity? Pride? Self-respect? In the face of survival, those things were as light as dust. I understood now. As long as I could have clean water, a soft bed, and a life where I didn’t have to worry about starving tomorrow… Forget admitting I was wrong. Even if they made me get on my knees and beg, I would do it gladly. The proud, stubborn Seraphina Vance from five years ago was long dead. The shell that remained only wanted to survive. After my bath, I walked over to the window and pulled the curtain back just a fraction. In the garden below, the lights cast a soft, warm glow. Ethan’s car was still parked there. He was leaning against the door, holding a lit cigarette, the red ember glowing in the dark. I used to hate the smell of smoke. It always made me cough. Back then, whenever he smoked, I would pout, snatch the cigarette from his mouth, and crush it. He would always laugh, pinch my cheek, and say, “You’re so bossy.” Ethan was staring up at my window. The moment he saw me pull the curtain, he froze, looking a bit panicked as he quickly threw the cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his shoe. Then, my phone buzzed. I picked it up. “I’m sorry, Sera,” his voice came through the receiver, sounding incredibly lost and anxious. “I won’t smoke near you again.” I answered sincerely, “It’s fine. You can smoke whenever you want.” There was a long silence on the other end. “Didn’t you hate it when I smoked?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper. My grip on the phone tightened until my knuckles turned white. My brain scrambled to process this. Why was he asking that? Was this a test? Was he unhappy with my reaction? “Before…” I paused, making my voice even softer, gentler, dripping with a carefully crafted desire to please. “Before, I was just immature.” *** **3** There was only dead silence on the line. I licked my dry lips and continued, “I won’t do that anymore. You can smoke if you want to. It really doesn’t bother me.” As I spoke, I could feel my heart racing. Not because of any lingering affection, but out of sheer terror. I was terrified of saying the wrong word, of failing to give them the reaction they wanted. Because if I failed, they would think I still hadn’t learned my lesson. They would think I was still the same stubborn girl. And then, that black sedan would show up again. They would throw me right back into that alley smelling of mold and rotting garbage. No. I could never go back there. “I really know I was wrong,” I added, pleadingly. “Ethan, I promise. I’ll be good.” I heard his breathing turn heavy and ragged through the phone. “Sera…” He called my name, but the rest of his words seemed to choke in his throat. I waited for a few seconds, but he didn’t say anything else. “I’m tired,” I whispered. “Can I go to sleep?” “…Go to sleep.” I pulled the curtains closed and lay down on the bed. The mattress was so soft I sank right into it, and the duvet felt light as a cloud. I kept my eyes open, staring up at the gorgeous crystal chandelier on the ceiling. Everything here was too perfect. It didn’t feel real. When I woke up the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky. I could hear faint voices coming from downstairs. As I walked down the staircase, I looked through the banister and saw the scene in the living room. Julian was sitting on the main sofa, and opposite him sat a woman. She had soft curls, wore an elegant dress, and had a delicate, beautiful profile. Melanie Sterling. My breath hitched in my throat. Ethan was there too. He was sitting on a single armchair to the side, his expression cold and distant. Melanie was the first to notice me. “Sera?” She set her cup down, a sweet smile spreading across her face. “Julian told me you were back. Welcome home.” She walked over to me. “It’s been so many years. You’ve gotten so thin, Sera.” I looked into her eyes. Those beautiful eyes of hers were filled with pity, the exact look someone would give a dirty, stray dog. “I’m fine,” I said. “Everything will be better now,” she said gently. “You’re home. Julian and Ethan will take good care of you.” Ethan set his coffee cup down and looked at me. His gaze was intense and complicated. “Since Sera is back,” he started, his voice quiet but commanding enough to silence the room. “I want us to get married as soon as possible.” Julian frowned slightly. “So soon?” “Yes.” Ethan’s eyes softened as they locked onto my face. “Sera has suffered too much out there. I want to make it up to her as soon as possible.” Julian fell silent for a moment. He looked at me, then at Melanie, and finally let out a sigh. “Fine. Though I’ll miss having her around.” Melanie’s smile didn’t waver. “This is wonderful news. Sera and Ethan have been engaged for so long anyway. It’s about time they made it official.” “Julian, you should be happy for your sister.” Julian gave a noncommittal grunt and didn’t reply. I stood there like an outsider, listening to them plan my wedding. “How about the fifteenth of next month?” Ethan asked. “Is that too rushed?” Melanie asked softly. “A wedding takes a lot of planning.” “We can make it happen,” Ethan replied firmly. They kept talking about guest lists, venues, caterers… Every word floated past my ears and vanished into thin air. “Sera,” Ethan suddenly called out to me. “What do you think?” I turned my head to look at him. “Nothing. Whatever you guys decide is fine.” Julian glanced at me then, his eyes landing on the dress I was wearing. It was a style from five years ago. He spoke up, his voice warm and gentle. “I’ll take you to the mall to buy some new clothes later. We haven’t bought you anything in years.” My chest tightened, and I quickly waved my hands. “No, no need. I have enough clothes.” Julian’s brow furrowed. “You used to love shopping. You’d drag me to the mall and make me walk around with you all day.” I paused, my voice dropping to a whisper. “I was wrong back then. I was immature. I wasted too much money.” The living room fell dead silent. Ethan suddenly spoke up. “Just have them deliver the clothes here.” I looked up, not quite understanding. “I’ll have the personal shoppers from our usual boutiques bring the latest season’s collection straight to the mansion for you to choose,” Ethan explained, his tone completely natural. Julian nodded. “Good idea. Pick as many as you want, and look at some jewelry too.” He reached his hand out, wanting to pat my head the way he used to. Before my brain could even process what was happening, my body reacted on pure instinct. I flinched violently, jerking backward to avoid his touch. *** **4** Julian’s hand froze mid-air, and the warmth on his face instantly vanished. His voice turned cold. “Sera, are you still angry with me?” My heart hammered against my ribs. My survival instinct took over, and I immediately lowered my head, frantically apologizing. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was wrong.” Julian’s tone grew heavier. “Why are you flinching when I’m just talking to you?” “I…” I opened my mouth, but no words came out. “I didn’t mean to. I just… I’m just…” I was just used to it. In the slums, any sudden movement toward me meant danger. A shove from a drunkard, a slap from a factory boss, or those disgusting, predatory hands reaching out in the dark… “I’m sorry, Julian,” I said, forcing a smile onto my face, even though I knew it must look pathetic. “I’m just not used to it yet. I won’t do it again.” Julian stared at me, his eyes dark and unreadable. Melanie smoothly broke the silence, her voice sweet and soothing. “Julian, don’t scare Sera. She just got back. She needs time to adjust.” Ethan stood up and walked over to my side. He didn’t touch me, but he stood there like a shield, blocking me from Julian’s intense gaze. “Take your time,” he said softly, defusing the suffocating tension in the room. Julian glanced at Ethan, then back at me. “I was too impatient. Sera, I’m not mad at you.” “I know,” I said quickly. “It’s my fault.” Since coming back, I spent most of my time in my room, rarely going downstairs. But today, a maid knocked on my door. “Miss Vance, Ms. Sterling is on the phone. She wants to invite you out for coffee this afternoon.” My chest tightened. My immediate instinct was to say no. But I was terrified of making her angry. I was terrified they would think I was being ungrateful. The meeting was at a quiet, high-end French café. The moment I pushed the door open, I knew I shouldn’t have come. Sitting on the plush velvet sofa next to Melanie was another woman. Chloe Harrington. She was wearing the latest designer coat, her makeup flawless. When she saw me walk in, she raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. Melanie smiled and waved at me. “Sera, you’re here! Come, sit. Chloe happened to be nearby, so she joined us.” I sat down on the single armchair opposite them, shrinking my body to take up as little space as possible. Everyone in our high-society circle knew Chloe had been obsessed with Ethan for years. Five years ago, she had never missed an opportunity to make my life miserable. “I heard you’re marrying Ethan?” Chloe got straight to the point, her tone dripping with venom. “Sera Vance, you really know how to play your cards. Couldn’t cut it in the slums, so you crawled back to leech off of Ethan again?” I kept my head down, saying nothing. “Chloe,” Melanie chided gently. “Don’t say that.” “Am I wrong?” Chloe sneered. “Everyone knows what she did back then. She stole company secrets and tried to frame you, Melanie. Sera, your skin is remarkably thick.” I clenched my hands, my nails digging deep into my palms. “Oh, right!” Chloe acted as if she had just remembered something. “I heard you’re a cripple now? Missing two fingers? Well, I guess karma is real after all.” I snapped my head up. Chloe was staring at me, her eyes filled with nothing but smug cruelty. Melanie sat beside her, sipping her coffee elegantly, completely silent. At that moment, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion washed over me. Five years. I had run for five years, feared for five years, lived like a dog for five years. Since coming back to this house, every single day felt like walking on a tightrope. I had to calculate every word three times before speaking. And for what? Just to stay in this gilded cage and let these people humiliate me? To let them look at me like I was trash? I slowly uncurled my fists and looked up, staring directly at both of them. “Ms. Harrington, Ms. Sterling,” my voice was incredibly calm—calmer than I ever thought possible. “I know neither of you wants me here.” Chloe blinked, clearly not expecting me to be so direct. Melanie set her coffee cup down, her eyes locking onto mine. I continued, “So, how about we make a deal?” “A deal?” Chloe laughed as if she had just heard a hilarious joke. “Yes.” I nodded. “I’ll sell them to you.” “What did you say?” Chloe frowned, thinking she had misheard. “Julian Vance and Ethan Caldwell,” I said their names slowly, like reading items off a grocery list. “Ms. Harrington, you want Ethan. Ms. Sterling, you want to be the next Mrs. Vance, right? I will pull out. I will disappear completely and never show my face again.” I looked at their stunned expressions and even managed a small smile. “It’s a great bargain. Two.point-five million dollars each. That’s five million dollars total.” “Five million is pocket change to women like you. But to me, it’s enough to start a new life somewhere else.” “What do you say?” The moment the words left my mouth, the door to the private room was slammed open from the outside. Julian and Ethan stood at the entrance. Both of their faces were deathly pale, as if they had just been brutally struck. Their eyes were wide, filled with absolute shock, betrayal, and deep, bleeding hurt. The air in the room froze. I looked at them. They looked at me. No one said a word. Finally, Ethan spoke, his voice incredibly hoarse and trembling. “Sera… what did you just say?”

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My grandma is famous for “getting confused.” I told her not to touch my work laptop. She immediately took it to a pawn shop, sold it for pocket change, and got me fired and blacklisted from my industry. When I confronted her in tears, she just scoffed. “I’m just an old lady who made a mistake! Is it really that big of a deal?” Later, she found the expensive gold bracelet I bought for my boyfriend, pawned it, and stuffed my secret infertility test report into the empty gift box instead. It broke my boyfriend’s heart, and he broke up with me. When I screamed at her, she actually smiled. “I did you a favor, sweetie! Now you can go find a richer man who actually lives long!” I accused her of ruining my life. But my toxic family forced me to my knees, demanding I apologize to her. Heartbroken and completely broken, I ended my life by jumping off the city bridge. But now, I’ve opened my eyes again. I’m back. And this time, I will destroy every single one of them. 1 The sharp, suffocating smell of smoke filled the air. My grandma was in the living room, screaming at the top of her lungs. I glanced at my work laptop, sitting perfectly untouched on my desk. My mind snapped into focus. I had traveled back in time. I was reborn. In my past life, this was the exact moment Grandma Beatrice threw highly flammable firestarter blocks into the wood fireplace, nearly setting the entire house on fire. She cried afterwards, claiming she was just “getting old and confused.” Back then, I had rushed to help her. I left my laptop on the desk, told her not to touch it, and ran to clean up her mess. But while I was busy dealing with the smoke, she took my expensive work laptop and pawned it for a measly hundred dollars. I had begged her to tell me which pawn shop she went to so I could buy it back and save my job. But she clutched the hundred dollars in her pocket, her face twisted in anger. “No way! What I find is mine to sell! This money is for my precious grandson, Austin!” My boss didn’t care about my excuses. He fired me on the spot and blacklisted me from the entire industry. I was one step away from a major promotion. Because of her, my career was dead. I had asked her in despair, “Why? Why did you ruin my life?!” But she just sat there, casually eating chips. “Oh, come on! One door closes, another opens. I made a tiny mistake. Is it really that big of a deal?” My dad, Arthur, had glared at me. “Elena, watch your mouth! That’s your grandmother! You’re just useless, don’t blame her. If you don’t like this house, get married and get the hell out!” My mom, Martha, and my brother, Austin, just watched like they were enjoying a reality TV show. I swallowed my tears back then. To protect the birthday gift I bought for my boyfriend, Ethan—a beautiful gold bracelet—I hid it deep in my closet. But a few days later, Grandma Beatrice suddenly had enough cash to hand Austin three hundred dollars. A terrible feeling had crept into my chest. And then, I got the breakup call from Ethan. That was when I realized what she had done. She had pawned the gold bracelet. In its place, she put my confidential medical report—the one showing I was infertile—inside the gift box. Ethan thought I had lied to him. He thought I didn’t trust him. He told me, crying, that he had planned to propose to me that very day. But his voice was suddenly cut short by a horrific crash over the phone. A semi-truck had plowed into Ethan’s car. He died instantly. I screamed at my grandma, “You’re a thief! You stole everything from me! You killed my happiness!” But my dad grabbed me by the hair, forcing me to beg for her forgiveness. Austin kicked the back of my knees, forcing me to drop to the floor. My mom sighed. “Elena, your dad is the head of this house. You have to listen to him. Your grandma didn’t mean to do it. Old people make mistakes. Besides, if it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t have known Ethan was destined to die young anyway.” Grandma Beatrice smirked. “Exactly! What’s the big deal? If I hadn’t intervened, you’d be a young widow right now. Now you can find a rich, healthy man. I did you a favor!” Looking at their cold, mocking faces, something inside me died. I ran out of the house and jumped off the bridge, ending my miserable, unloved life. 2 Back in the present, Grandma Beatrice’s shrieks from the living room grew louder. I stayed in my room, completely ignoring her. First, I quickly backed up all my work data to the cloud. Then, I packed all my expensive jewelry, documents, and valuables into a bag. I was going to drop them off at Ethan’s apartment. In this life, I would protect my career and the man I loved. And I would make sure my toxic family drowned in Grandma’s “confused mistakes.” After securing my things, I walked out of my room. The living room wall was completely blackened by smoke. It looked terrible. My mom crossed her arms, glaring at me. “Why didn’t you help your grandmother?” Grandma Beatrice immediately pointed a shaking finger at me. “She did it on purpose! You know I’m old and get confused! I was screaming for help, and you just sat in your room. Are you trying to kill me, you ungrateful brat?!” A cold smile touched my lips. *Oh, I want you dead, Grandma. But death is too easy for you.* Instead, I poured her a warm glass of water and handed it to her gently. “Grandma, look at you, getting confused again. When you were screaming, I literally yelled at you to stop throwing those firestarter blocks. When the flames shot up, I immediately ran outside to look for help.” “I was so worried about you that I forgot to call 911. My bad.” Grandma Beatrice’s face turned red. “You little liar! You think you’re smart? God will punish you for disrespecting your elders!” She glanced greedily toward my bedroom door, then turned to Austin with a sweet smile. “Austin, don’t be like your sister. Come to Grandma’s room later. I have a little surprise for you.” My eyes narrowed. My laptop was already gone. What was she planning to steal this time? I walked back into my room and waited. A moment later, Grandma Beatrice dragged my mom into my room. “Look at this mess! Elena does nothing but stare at her computer. Her room looks like a pigsty! I almost choked on smoke, and yet I still came in here to clean up for her. She has no heart!” She pretended to wipe away a tear. My mom nudged me. “Apologize to your grandma right now! Who else would care enough to clean your room?” I screamed laughing inside. A grandmother this toxic? No one else would want her. I stepped up to her and smiled warmly. “Thank you so much, Grandma. You’re so sweet. It’s a good thing you ‘cleaned’ my room. I thought a thief broke in and stole my laptop, my books, and the boxes under my bed. I was literally about to call the cops!” Grandma Beatrice stiffened, her voice turning sharp. “What are you talking about?! I didn’t see any laptop!” Aha. She wasn’t confused at all. She knew exactly what she was doing. In my past life, she had targeted my laptop on purpose. Thank God I acted fast, or history would have repeated itself. I turned to my mom, my voice cold. “Hear that, Mom? She claims she was ‘cleaning,’ but she’s actually looking for things to steal and pawn.” Grandma’s face flushed with guilt. My mom snapped, “Elena! Stop it! She’s your grandmother!” Suddenly, Austin stormed into the room. He threw a crumpled hundred-dollar bill right at Grandma’s face. “Did you pawn my limited-edition anime figures?! Is this your ‘surprise’?! I don’t want your stupid cash! Get my figures back!” I shook my head, pretending to comfort him. “Austin, how can you talk to Grandma like that? She didn’t mean to do it! She’s just an old lady who got a little confused!” 3 Grandma Beatrice stared at me, realization hitting her like a truck. She ran back to her room in a panic. “Oh no! They’re gone!” Austin fell to the floor, clutching his head. “My figures… my limited-edition figures…” My mom panicked, not knowing what to do. I immediately pulled out my phone and dialed 91

Grandma Beatrice rushed back and lunged at me like a feral animal. “Did you touch my heirloom diamond necklace?!” I grabbed her by her collar and dragged her straight into her bedroom. “Aren’t you the one who loves ‘making mistakes’? Don’t you love pawning my stuff? Today, I’m going to learn from the best!” I grabbed her favorite vintage radio from under her pillow and smashed it onto the floor. “This looks like junk! Time to throw it out!” Grandma picked up the broken pieces, her body trembling with rage. “You monster! You absolute monster!” I smirked, then picked up a large glass jar filled with her expensive, five-year-old aged herbal tonic. “No, no! Don’t! That’s expensive!” she shrieked. *Crash.* I smiled innocently. “Oops. My hand slipped.” Looking at the shattered glass and the dark liquid ruining her carpet, she lost her mind. “My five-year-old tonic! Elena, you did this on purpose! Just wait until your father gets home! He’s going to beat you to death!” I walked over to her altar and picked up her highly prized, creepy vintage porcelain angel statue. My eyes went dead cold. “Let him try. Let’s see who dies first!” *Smash.* The porcelain shattered into a million pieces. Grandma Beatrice fell to the floor, wailing and slapping the ground. “This is a sin! You smashed the holy angel! You’ve cursed this entire family!” I shrugged. “You’re my grandma. If I’m cursed, it’s because I learned it from you. I’m just ‘confused’ today.” I walked over to her closet, pulled out a valuable landscape painting my dad had gifted her, and ripped it in half. “Nice paper. Makes great scrap!” Grandma Beatrice was so angry she couldn’t breathe. She stumbled, fell over the broken glass, and scraped her arms and legs, bleeding onto the floor. In the hallway, my mom was holding a hyperventilating Austin. She screamed at me, “Elena! Are you trying to destroy this family?! You hurt your grandma and your brother! Are you going to kill your father and me next?!” Suddenly, a heavy leather briefcase slammed into the back of my head. My dad, Arthur, had just walked in. His face was distorted with fury. “Elena! I will end you today!” He grabbed a wooden golf club from the umbrella stand and chased me through the house. As I ran outside, I tripped over a stone in the yard and fell hard, unable to get up. Just as the golf club was about to crash down on my back… The ambulance sirens wailed, and the paramedics pulled into the driveway. I burst into tears, crawling toward the medics. “Please, save me! He’s going to kill me! My grandma stole my brother’s things, which made him faint. When I argued with her, she fell over her own mess, and now my parents are trying to kill me!” “Is it because I’m a girl? Is that my crime? Why does Grandma get a pass for stealing, and my brother gets pampered, but I get beaten?! My life matters too!” The paramedics looked at my dad with absolute disgust. One of them stepped between us, blocking my dad. “Sir, put the club down. I don’t care if she’s your daughter, this is domestic abuse. We will report this to the police!” The other paramedic added, “Favoring your son is one thing, but this is sick. You can’t blame this girl for your family’s mess.” My dad’s face burned with shame. He slowly lowered the club. Grandma Beatrice, covered in scratches and tonic, hobbled out, screaming at the medics. “Don’t listen to that little witch! She’s lying! She attacked us! You should call the cops on her! She’s a useless girl, she deserves to be flayed alive!” To prove her point, she reached out and violently pinched my arm. The ambulance driver had enough. “Are we going to the hospital or not?!” Austin suddenly started throwing up in my mom’s arms. My dad and grandma panicked. “Yes! Yes, let’s go!” I helped the medics lift the stretcher to load Austin into the back. Grandma Beatrice pushed me away forcefully. “Get away from my grandson, you curse! Austin is the only boy in this family! If anything happens to him, I’ll kill you!” In her haste, she pulled the stretcher too hard, causing Austin’s shirt to slide up, exposing his torso. The female paramedic gasped. “Oh…” My dad, embarrassed and angry, yelled at me, “Can’t you do anything right?! You almost dropped him!” The medic quickly pushed them inside. “That’s enough. We need to go.” The ambulance sped away. The neighbors who had gathered to watch slowly dispersed. I wiped my tears and let out a cold, satisfied smile. I wondered if the paramedic was shocked by the cute pink lace bra Austin was wearing under his shirt. The show was just getting started.

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We had been married for seven years. Yet, my wife’s childhood best friend, Julian, moved right into the new townhouse I had just bought for our daughter. He held up the deed in front of my face, wearing a smug grin. “What bond could possibly beat being childhood sweethearts, Ethan?” Before I could even demand an explanation, my wife, Chloe, rushed forward and shielded him behind her back. “He just got divorced and has nowhere else to go. It’s hard for a single dad to manage on his own. I’m just trying to help him out.” “It’s just a house deed. Why do you have to be so petty and dramatic about it?” And just like that, they kicked me out of my own property. Half an hour later, Julian sent me a private Snapchat message. It was a picture of a luxury watch. In the background, Chloe was handing her credit card to the cashier. “I bet Chloe has never bought you anything this expensive, has she?” the caption read. I knew Chloe bought it to comfort him. This time, I didn’t throw a fit. I didn’t argue. I simply decided to get a divorce.

I was at the hospital getting checked for appendicitis when Chloe sent me a voice note on Snapchat: “Bring some mangoes and cherries on your way back.” She sounded completely unfazed, as if she hadn’t kicked me out of the house just two hours ago. Today was our daughter Lily’s birthday. I had gone to the new townhouse early, excited to decorate the place and give her a surprise party tonight. Instead, when I opened the door, I found Julian and his son, Leo, walking around the living room, pointing and deciding where to put their furniture. I only asked him what the hell he was doing there. Chloe immediately lost her temper and screamed at me. Before I could even explain, she gave me that look of utter disgust and pushed me out the door. “Are you listening to me?” Chloe’s voice came through a second voice note, slightly softer this time. She was clearly testing the waters. “Yeah,” I replied hoarsely. Hearing my confirmation, Chloe let out a sigh of relief. She called me on FaceTime immediately and started nagging. “Make sure you get the mangoes from the organic market downtown. They have to be fresh. Choose the imported ones, the big ones…” Meanwhile, my Snapchat kept buzzing. She sent me a dozen links and screenshots. Most of them were articles on how to pick the perfect mango and things to watch out for. Chloe’s favorite fruit was cherries. I was severely allergic to mangoes. So she definitely wasn’t buying them for me. The answer was obvious. They were for her newly divorced childhood best friend, Julian. A sharp, stabbing pain flared up in my abdomen. My vision went blurry for a second. Gritting my teeth, I leaned against the hospital corridor wall to keep myself upright. I forced my voice to sound normal so she wouldn’t notice. “If you see any fruit you like, grab some for yourself too,” Chloe suddenly added. A faint warmth bloomed in my chest. I actually smiled. Maybe Chloe did care about me, at least a little. “Okay,” I murmured. I started wondering if I had been too harsh earlier. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding. Chloe was just trying to help a friend in need. Maybe I should apologize to Julian. But before my thoughts could drift any further, Chloe continued: “But don’t buy any papayas. Julian can’t stand the smell.” “And no blueberries either. Honestly, just look around. Don’t buy anything too expensive for yourself.” Those few words instantly turned my warmth into ice. Papayas and blueberries were my absolute favorites. “Chloe, do you even know…” The words choked in my throat, desperate to pour out. But Chloe cut me off. “Anyway, it’s not like you have anything important to do. Just hurry up. Julian and Leo are waiting.” With that, she hung up. We had been married for seven years, and Chloe had no clue what fruits I liked. Yet, she knew every single detail of another man’s preferences. It was hilarious, really. I bought the fruits and drove back to the townhouse. When I walked in, Chloe handed me a cheap keychain with a little stuffed bear hanging from it. “Julian asked me to give this to you. He wanted to apologize,” she said. “You scared him and his kid when you burst in earlier. Go on, go apologize to him.” There was a tiny logo on the back of the keychain. It was from the same luxury brand as the watch Julian had flaunted on Snapchat. This was obviously a free promotional item. The stuffed bear was dirty, and one of its arms was torn, with white cotton spilling out. It looked exactly like our broken, pathetic marriage. I noticed Chloe’s eyes darting toward the stairs upstairs. I didn’t take the keychain. My voice was dead cold. “I don’t want it.” Chloe’s face darkened instantly. “Ethan, can you grow up for once? Julian didn’t do anything wrong, yet you terrified him. He’s trying to be nice and make peace, and you’re here acting like a dramatic diva.” “The poor guy just got divorced and is raising his kid alone. Do you have any heart?” Seeing that I still refused to back down or apologize, Chloe lost her temper and shoved me hard. She didn’t use all her strength, but the sudden impact triggered my acute appendicitis. I collapsed onto the hardwood floor, cold sweat instantly breaking out across my forehead. “Oh my god, are you okay?” Chloe panicked. She quickly knelt down to pull me up, her face filled with what looked like guilt. “I’ll take you to the ER.” I didn’t refuse. I needed to get back to the hospital for my surgery anyway. “Fine,” I wheezed. But the moment I climbed into the passenger seat of our car, a suffocating wave of strangeness hit me. A random men’s jacket was tossed carelessly in the back seat. The spot where I usually kept my mints was now occupied by a sleek, masculine water bottle. I even opened the glove compartment to look for some painkillers and pulled out a freshly opened package of men’s underwear. Seeing this, Chloe stammered, trying to explain. “Julian needed to borrow the car last week. He probably just left some of his things behind.” “Here, let me throw it away.” She reached out to grab the underwear from my hand. I pulled back slightly, my expression empty. “Don’t bother.” Chloe looked surprised. “You’re… not mad?” I turned my head to look out the window, remaining silent. After everything she had done, nothing could shock me anymore. I wasn’t mad. I was just… done. “Listen, when we get to the hospital—” Before we could reach the hospital entrance, Chloe’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen, and a bright smile instantly lit up her face. While we were waiting at a red light, she picked up the call. I heard Julian’s voice over the speaker. He merely complained about having a mild headache, and Chloe immediately went into a frenzy of worry, asking him a million questions. “Ethan, you can walk the rest of the way, right? It’s just a block,” Chloe said, not even trying to hide her impatience. She pulled over by the curb and stared at me, practically begging me to get out. “Julian is feeling really sick. I need to take him to the clinic for a full checkup.” I shook my head, clutching my throbbing abdomen. “No.” “I can’t. I don’t have the strength to walk.” Chloe’s face twisted into disgust. “Are you seriously playing the victim over a five-minute walk?” She reached over, pushed my door open, and literally shoved me out of the car. “You’re a grown man, Ethan. Can you not even navigate a hospital by yourself?” I stumbled onto the pavement, barely holding myself upright. I watched as Chloe stepped on the gas and drove away without looking back. The traffic was heavy, and cars sped past, almost brushing against me. Thankfully, a kind stranger saw me struggling and helped me walk into the ER.

The diagnosis was clear. It was a severe case of appendicitis, and the doctor insisted on immediate surgery. If I delayed it any longer, it would rupture. I signed the paperwork and was admitted that night. The surgery was scheduled for the following afternoon—right around the time I was supposed to pick up Lily from school. I sent Chloe a Snapchat message, asking her to pick up our daughter tomorrow. But I didn’t get a single reply all night. We used to be so different. When did she change into this monster? I couldn’t sleep, my mind racing. But surely, Lily was her own daughter. Chloe wouldn’t be heartless enough to neglect her. The next day, right after I woke up from the anesthesia, my phone rang. It was Lily’s elementary school teacher. “…Mr. Miller? Are you caught up with something today? Lily is still at school, and no one has come to pick her up…” Then I heard Lily’s small, trembling voice over the phone. “Daddy? Are you working late today? I’ve been waiting for so long.” My heart stopped. “Didn’t Mommy pick you up?” The teacher replied that they had been waiting for over an hour, and neither of us had notified the school. Lily had finished all her homework in the office, and the teacher only called because she was worried we had forgotten. She tried calling Chloe, but the line went straight to voicemail. I comforted my daughter, ignoring the doctor’s orders to rest after surgery. I pulled out my IV, got dressed, and took an Uber straight to the school. When I finally got back home with Lily, I saw Chloe lying comfortably on the sofa, a facial mask on her face, scrolling through her phone. She barely looked up, completely indifferent. “Where have you been? Why are you guys so late?” Suppressing the burning anger in my chest, I asked her if she had seen my messages. She gave a careless shrug. “Oh.” “I was too busy. Slipped my mind.” She quickly changed the subject, pointing to some dishes on the dining table. “I knew you guys would be hungry, so I brought some takeout back.” I walked over and looked at the plates. It was a plastic container filled with a few wilted lettuce leaves, some tiny scraps of beef, and a couple of soggy eggplant slices. It looked exactly like leftovers someone had scraped off their plate. An hour ago, I had seen Julian’s Instagram story. He had posted a picture of someone cooking in his kitchen. The face was cropped out, but I would recognize those hands and that silhouette anywhere. It was my wife, Chloe. Julian’s caption read: *“Some things never change. Cooking my favorite meals and laughing like the old days.”* He even tagged a few mutual friends. I poked at the cold, greasy food with a fork, feeling incredibly nauseous. The surgical stitches in my abdomen started to throb with pain. “I’m not hungry. I don’t want to eat this.” Chloe tossed her phone onto the coffee table, her face tightening. She raised her voice. “What is your problem now? I went out of my way to bring you food, and you’re throwing a tantrum?” “Is this still about the townhouse deed? Why are you being so dramatic?” “Julian was devastated after his divorce. He has a kid and nowhere to go. I’m just trying to support him. I didn’t know you were this petty, Ethan.” “We grew up together. There is nothing going on between us. Stop overthinking.” I was physically and emotionally exhausted. With the last bit of my energy, I whispered, “I’m not overthinking. I just didn’t expect to find another man living in the house I bought for our daughter. I only asked him a question…” Chloe waved her hand impatiently, cutting me off. She sneered. “He is not ‘another man.’” “Just a question? Who knows how rudely you asked him! You basically chased him out!” *Is that really who I am in your eyes?* I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Lily was standing right beside me, and I didn’t want her to see her parents screaming at each other. “I didn’t chase him out. But you didn’t even have the decency to tell me—” “Enough!” Chloe screamed, slamming her mug onto the glass table. She glared at me with cold, venomous eyes. She laughed mockingly. “Julian was right about you.” “You are just a petty, insecure, jealous control freak! You make a huge scene over every little thing. I must have been blind to ever marry a guy like you!”

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My wife won a $5 million lottery. Right after cashing it, she demanded a divorce and wanted me to leave with absolutely nothing. I agreed. But on our way to the courthouse, a truck flipped over and crushed our car. At the exact moment of impact, my wife pushed me right into the path of danger. A steel bar pierced straight through my chest. She died shortly after when our car exploded in flames. Now, we’ve both been reborn. We’re back to two months before the lottery draw. And my wife can’t wait to divorce me to keep that $5 million all to herself. What she doesn’t know is… I was the one who bought that winning ticket. I only swapped our tickets to surprise her and make her happy. The moment I opened my eyes, a harsh slap landed on my face. Looking at the terror and anger in Chloe Cooper’s eyes, I knew she had been reborn too. “Ethan Miller! Did you do that on purpose?! You couldn’t stand the thought of me having $5 million, so you tried to kill me in that car!” Chloe’s face was pale with fear, still haunted by the pain of her past death. I let out a bitter laugh. I was the one who got impaled by a steel bar trying to shield her, yet in this life, I was the monster who tried to murder her? Terrified that I might change my mind, Chloe scrambled through the drawers, grabbed our IDs, and dragged me toward the door. “Come on, we’re getting divorced right now! You promised, and you can’t back out!” She was terrified that I would stay and demand half of her $5 million. Listening to her frantic, desperate voice, a cold despair washed over me. In our past life, we couldn’t afford much. On our wedding anniversary, we each bought a lottery ticket, promising to give them to each other as anniversary gifts once the numbers were drawn. On the day of the draw, I was shocked to find that my ticket had won the $5 million jackpot. Back then, we didn’t really care whose ticket was whose. To give Chloe a surprise, I quietly slipped the winning ticket under her pillow while she was out. I planned to bring up the draw casually so she could “discover” it herself and we could celebrate together. But when Chloe found it, she hid the truth from me. After secretly cashing the ticket, she claimed our marriage was dead and demanded a divorce. I was still hopelessly in love with her back then. I thought she was just being impulsive. I figured once she calmed down, she would come back to me. So, I agreed to sign the papers and walk away penniless. Who would have thought that on our way to the courthouse, a massive truck would flip and crush us? At the final second, Chloe pushed me right into the path of a flying steel bar. I was impaled alive. The worst part was, I didn’t die instantly. I felt every agonizing second as my life slowly drained away. Even though she eventually died in the car explosion, my hatred for her never faded. Looking at her hurried back, I sneered and yanked my arm out of her grip. Meeting her startled gaze, I said coldly, “I’ll sign the divorce papers. But leaving with nothing? No way.” After all, I had my own secret assets. I had plenty of investments before we married. I only kept them quiet because I didn’t want to hurt her self-esteem. I wanted to slowly build a better life for us together, step by step. Chloe thought I was backing out. Her face twisted, but when she realized I was just refusing to walk away empty-handed, she relaxed instantly. “Fine, whatever! It’s not like you have any money anyway! You’re just a broke loser. Did you think I’d actually care about your pennies?” Looking at her smug face, I felt a wave of pity. I wondered what her face would look like when she found out she never had the winning ticket in the first place.

When we walked out of the courthouse, the sun was shining brightly. Chloe stared at the divorce papers in her hand as if a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She practically radiated smugness. I looked at my own papers with mixed feelings. In my past life, I had truly loved this woman. But that love had turned to ash the moment she threw me away for money. And it was completely obliterated when she pushed me to my death. “Chloe, from now on, we are completely done,” I said quietly, saying goodbye to my past. “You better believe it!” she snapped, pointing a finger at my face. “We’re parting ways now. Don’t you dare crawl back to me when you find out about my fortune! A broke loser like you won’t get a second glance from me ever again!” She sounded so sure of herself, as if the $5 million was already sitting in her bank account. I watched her hail an Uber and leave. Then, I turned around and walked toward the lottery convenience store. In our past life, this was the exact day we bought those tickets. Chloe never believed in luck. She had just picked a random string of numbers and completely forgot about them. She hadn’t even noticed that the winning numbers were completely different from the ones she originally chose. As for me, I wanted the ticket to be meaningful. I had specifically chosen our birthdays as the numbers. I never expected that my romantic gesture would become the very tool that destroyed our marriage. But it was for the best. Now, I didn’t have to hide my financial status for Chloe’s sake anymore. Luckily, Chloe thought I was just a broke guy. She didn’t bother to do a financial discovery during our quick divorce. After buying the ticket with the exact numbers from my memory, I went home and opened Snapchat. I was surprised to see that Chloe had already posted on her story. She was posing next to a luxury sports car with the caption: *What’s mine is mine, and nobody can take it away!* At the same time, my phone started buzzing with notifications. Chloe had used our linked accounts to apply for loans across multiple online platforms. The total came out to a whopping $3 million. Before the divorce, we had linked our credit profiles and phone notifications for convenience. It was obvious. Chloe was so confident she would win that she was already maxing out loans to spend her future prize money. But I had my doubts. Chloe’s family was a mess. She had a paralyzed, greedy mother who treated her like a cash cow. Did she really think she could flaunt this money online without her mother finding out? Sure enough, within an hour of her post, my phone was flooded with angry texts and missed calls from her mother. They were all accusing Chloe of being an ungrateful brat who forgot her own blood the moment she got rich. Her mother demanded she transfer the money immediately. Her mother cursed her out in the texts, calling her every name under the sun. Even through the screen, I could picture Chloe’s frantic face. A satisfied smile spread across my face. I unlinked our accounts from my phone and lay down on my soft bed. To keep Chloe comfortable, I hadn’t even bought a decent mattress back then. My back used to ache every single day. I looked at the lottery ticket resting on my nightstand. A deep sense of peace washed over me. Chloe, this is just the beginning of your panic. Just wait until the loan payments are due and you don’t have a single cent to pay them back. That’s when the real nightmare begins.

On the day of the lottery draw, our old college group chat suddenly came alive. Someone was organizing a reunion. Chloe and I had been college sweethearts. We went from campus dating straight to marriage, witnessing each other’s youth. That was why her cold betrayal had hurt me so deeply. After thinking about it, I decided to go. I was curious to see how everyone was doing after graduation. More importantly, knowing Chloe’s vanity, she would definitely show up to brag. I wanted to see the exact moment her world crumbled. When Chloe arrived at the lounge, she drew gasps from everyone. She had completely ditched her usual modest look. Now, she wore a flashy, hot-pink dress with a high slit, her hair curled into loud waves. She practically screamed “new money.” Seeing everyone’s reaction, Chloe covered her mouth and giggled, though her eyes were filled with arrogance. “Oh, stop it, guys! It’s only been a couple of years!” “Wow, Chloe, you look so different!” one of the girls asked curiously. Chloe took a sip of her champagne and said casually, “Well, they say a bad marriage is like acid to a woman’s face. Now that I’ve broken free from my chains, I’ve finally got my glow back!” The room went quiet. Several eyes darted toward me. The atmosphere turned incredibly awkward. Back in college, Chloe and I were the couple everyone envied. These classmates had all attended our wedding, calling us soulmates. Now, Chloe’s words were a direct slap to my face, mocking me for being useless and unable to provide for her. I let out a cold laugh. “Well, they also say it takes two to tango. I’d rather be a simple man than a gold-digging, unfaithful snake.” “You!” Chloe’s hand tightened around her glass. Her eyes flared with rage. She stood up, ready to throw her drink in my face, but a few classmates quickly stepped in to pull her back. I sat there, completely unfazed. Go ahead, throw it. Let’s see if you can afford to pay for my custom-tailored shirt. Just as someone tried to change the subject to break the tension, the VIP room door swung open. A collective gasp echoed through the room. “Serena Vance! I can’t believe she actually came!” I looked toward the door. Serena Vance walked in, wearing a stunning red high-slit gown. Her legs were wrapped in sheer black tights, ending in killer black heels. With her perfectly styled dark waves and flawless pale skin, she looked like a dangerous, breathtaking rose blooming in the dark. Most importantly, Serena was now the CEO of a major listed company. Her net worth was astronomical—far beyond anyone else in this room. That was why so many people had shown up tonight. Everyone wanted to get on her good side and bag some business opportunities. Coincidentally, her outfit was almost a direct contrast to Chloe’s. But Serena’s elegance and posture easily outclassed Chloe. Standing next to Serena, Chloe looked like a cheap, tacky plastic flower. Seeing her spotlight stolen, Chloe’s face fell. She tried to strike up another conversation to draw the attention back to herself. But everyone was too busy trying to greet Serena. Nobody paid Chloe any attention. To everyone’s absolute shock, Serena ignored the crowd. She picked up a glass of wine, walked straight toward me, and smiled softly. “Ethan. It’s been a long time.” A quiet murmur rippled through the room. I smiled and clinked my glass against hers. As she sat down next to me, I looked at her beautiful face, and my mind drifted back to the quiet girl from college. Back then, Serena was plain and introverted. She used to wear her bangs so long they covered her eyes, always keeping her head down. She was so quiet that some of the guys in our class used to pick on her. I couldn’t stand it, so I helped her out a few times. I never expected her to take it to heart. She started bringing me breakfast, cleaning my desk, and even doing my homework. Chloe had thrown massive tantrums over it, so I had to politely ask Serena to stop. After that, we drifted apart. Whenever I tried to talk to her, she would just lower her head and walk away quickly. But on my wedding day with Chloe, though Serena didn’t show up, she sent a whopping $188,000 wedding check. It had shocked every single guest at the venue. Now, our classmates began whispering, speculating about my relationship with Serena. Chloe’s face twisted in jealousy. Seeing me become the center of attention, she sneered and spoke up, her voice dripping with venom. “Serena, Ethan is just my trash. He’s a broke loser with nothing to his name. Aren’t you worried about catching his bad luck by sitting so close to him?”

The entire room fell dead silent. Everyone had heard rumors about our divorce, but they had politely avoided the topic. Nobody expected Chloe to bring it up so crudely, launching a vicious personal attack on me. On the surface, she was insulting me. But in reality, she was mocking Serena for hanging out with “trash.” Serena frowned slightly. She shifted her gaze from me to the mocking Chloe. For the first time, a look of genuine confusion appeared on her face. “…I’m sorry. Do I know you?” I pinched the bridge of my nose to keep from laughing. Serena’s face-blindness was acting up again. But I couldn’t blame her. Chloe’s style had changed so drastically. She used to be a simple girl, but now, under her expensive makeup, she looked like a tired, worn-out woman trying too hard. Chloe’s expression shattered. “Serena! You don’t recognize me? It’s me, Chloe! Chloe Cooper!” Serena blinked, finally putting the name together. Her polite demeanor instantly turned cold and distant. “Oh. Ethan’s ex.” Seeing Chloe’s face turn the color of a bruised plum, I wanted to burst out laughing. Chloe had wanted to use Serena to show off, but now she was reduced to nothing more than “Ethan’s ex.” Serena raised her eyes, her commanding CEO aura instantly filling the room. “I don’t care what happened between you two, and frankly, I’m not interested. But as Ethan’s friend, I will protect him. I ask that you watch your mouth in front of me.” She paused, then added coldly, “You had something precious and didn’t know how to cherish it. Now you’re here throwing tantrums. If I were Ethan, I’d be glad to be rid of you too.” Though she kept her words polite, the underlying anger in her voice was unmistakable. I looked at Serena, completely stunned. Was she… defending me? Was she saying Chloe didn’t deserve me? Did she actually care about me…? Sensing my gaze, Serena turned to look at me. Realizing what she had just blurted out, a deep blush rushed up her cheeks. She suddenly looked like a shy schoolgirl, a complete contrast to the cold CEO who had just shut Chloe down. I tentatively reached out and took her hand. Her hand trembled slightly, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she quietly nudged her chair closer to mine. Having lost all face, Chloe wanted to scream. But she didn’t dare cross Serena. She wanted to glare at me, but Serena’s warning was still ringing in her ears. With nowhere to vent her fury, she slumped into a corner, her face dark with rage. I didn’t care about Chloe. I just looked at Serena. She had changed so much, yet the way she looked at me—with that same quiet, hidden warmth—had never changed. Soon, classmates started coming over to toast Serena, hoping to secure partnerships with her company. Serena looked at me as if asking for permission. When I smiled and nodded, she gave me an apologetic look and turned to handle the guests. Watching her, my heart melted. Suddenly, a loud shriek shattered the warm atmosphere. Chloe stood up, holding her phone high in the air, screaming frantically, “It’s time! The lottery numbers are being drawn! I won $5 million! It’s my time!” 【PAYWALL NODE】

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At three in the morning, a piercing ringtone shattered my sleep. It was the ER. On the other end, Nurse Brenda’s voice was frantic. “Dr. Vance, you need to get down here right now! We have two bizarre patients. Their arms… they’re literally fused together. It’s like they’re growing into one!” I rubbed my temples as I threw on my white coat, sighing. I figured it was just another pair of wild college kids playing some stupid late-night prank. But the moment I pushed open the trauma room doors, the annoyed expression on my face froze. There they were, looking like a pair of grotesque, struggling conjoined twins. Their skin was weirdly blended together at the forearms. One of them was my mentor, Dr. Richard Sterling, a man who had been like a father to me. The other was Vanessa—my wife, the woman I loved more than life itself. It was Friday night. I had just finished lead-operating on a grueling burn-graft surgery and was about to clock out when the emergency pager went off. “Dr. Vance! ER Bay A! Now!” It was Jimmy, our intern. His voice was shaking violently. My heart sank. I thought one of our recovering firefighters was having an acute rejection episode. I rushed toward the ER while changing my clothes, trying to calm him down. “Don’t panic, Jimmy. Deep breaths. What’s the situation?” “Dr. Vance… you just have to see it for yourself,” Jimmy sounded like he was on the verge of tears. “Two people… their arms are literally grown together!” Grown together? I stopped dead in my tracks. A million medical anomalies flashed through my mind. I had performed separation surgeries on conjoined twins before, but two adults fusing together later in life? What kind of sick joke was this? “Is it skin adhesion? Did they get stuck together with superglue or industrial epoxy?” I pressed. “Neither!” Jimmy cried. “They are literally joined! Flesh and blood! It’s like one continuous sheet of skin!” I didn’t have time to process it. I took the stairs three at a time and burst into the ER. The sharp, sterile smell of bleach was mixed with low, agonizing groans. And then, I saw it. The most absurd sight of my career. On two adjacent gurneys lay a man and a woman. Their right and left arms, from elbow to wrist, were seamlessly bound together. The skin connecting them was smooth and perfect. There were no stitches, no scars, as if they had been born this way. The sight was so unnatural that even after twenty years as the Chief of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, my scalp went numb. But a second later, when I saw the woman’s face—flushed red with a mixture of pain and shame—the blood in my veins completely turned to ice. It was Vanessa. My wife of five years. And the man beside her was Dr. Richard Sterling, the legendary medical pioneer who had mentored me and whom she always spoke of with the utmost respect. “What are you staring at? Haven’t you ever seen a medical experiment go wrong? Do something!” Vanessa—the woman who was usually so soft-spoken and blushed whenever she raised her voice—glared at me. Her eyes held a venomous, hateful look I had never seen before. Both she and Dr. Sterling were wearing messy hotel bathrobes. Their hair was damp, and they smelled faintly of cheap hotel body wash. A loud buzz rang through my head, as if I had been struck by a sledgehammer. My legs felt weak, and I could barely stand. “Dr. Vance,” Nurse Brenda said, her expression incredibly awkward as she handed me a clipboard. “Dr. Sterling needs an emergency separation surgery immediately. But… we need a family member to sign the consent form. We can’t reach his wife, Eleanor.” Vanessa shrieked, “Don’t call Eleanor! She has a severe heart condition. She can’t find out about this! Ethan, just sign the damn paper! You’re his protégé, you have the authority. Sign it!” The surrounding staff looked at me. Their eyes were a mix of sympathy, pity, and a barely concealed urge to gossip. I could practically hear their thoughts: *So, this is the sweet, devoted wife Dr. Vance always brags about.* Just yesterday, I was bragging to my colleagues about how Vanessa had taken a day off to prepare a “special anniversary surprise” for me at home. Well, this was the surprise. She was literally glued to another man. I took a deep, shaky breath, forcing down the overwhelming wave of nausea and fury. “I can’t sign this,” I forced out. “Why not?!” Vanessa’s voice pitched dangerously high. “Ethan Vance! Are you trying to kill Dr. Sterling? If anything happens to him, I swear… I will ruin you!” She tried to sit up, but the movement yanked at the fused flesh. Both of them let out a painful groan. Dr. Sterling’s face was deathly pale. Sweat dripped from his forehead, but the look he gave me was still full of condescending authority. “Ethan,” he wheezed, using his usual paternal tone to command me. “Don’t act like a child. We were testing a new bio-gel formula, and there was an accident. Lives are on the line. Learn to prioritize.” A bio-gel formula? I wanted to laugh. That was my project. I had spent three years of blood, sweat, and tears to make a breakthrough on the core formula. Since Richard was my mentor, he had access to the files. But my project was still in the animal-testing phase. And they were “testing” it on themselves, in a hotel room, wearing bathrobes? “No,” I repeated. My voice was quiet, but rock solid. “Hospital policy states a direct family member must sign the consent form for a high-risk experimental procedure. Otherwise, if anything goes wrong, the department cannot take the legal fall.” “You selfish bastard!” Vanessa’s face contorted with rage. She pointed her free hand at my face, screaming, “Ethan Vance, you ungrateful leech! Who got you out of that small-town clinic and secured your residency? Who funded your research? Now that we need a simple signature to save a life, you’re playing bureaucracy games?!” “Dr. Vance, maybe… maybe you should just sign it,” Jimmy whispered, pulling gently on my sleeve. “Vanessa… I mean, she has a point. Dr. Sterling is your mentor. And if they file a formal complaint against you, your promotion to Chief Medical Officer this year will…” A smug gleam flashed in Vanessa’s eyes. She knew me too well. She knew how hard I had worked for the CMO position. She was betting everything that I wouldn’t risk my career. My heart felt like it was being squeezed by an icy hand, suffocating me. I looked at her, savoring every syllable. “Vanessa, if you say one more word, I am filing for divorce.” Then, I turned to Nurse Brenda. “Notify the administration. I am officially recusing myself from this surgery due to a personal conflict of interest.” I ripped off my white coat, threw it onto the floor, and walked out under the stunned silence of the entire ER. **Chapter 2**

I didn’t go home. That house would feel more suffocating than the hospital right now. I drove down to the river, stood in the freezing wind, and smoked one cigarette after another. My phone wouldn’t stop vibrating. There were angry calls from the hospital Chief, texts of concern from colleagues, and dozens of hysterical, abusive texts from Vanessa. Finally, one text made me freeze. It was from Eleanor, Dr. Sterling’s wife. “Ethan, Richard told me he went out of town for an urgent medical conference. Do you know which one? He forgot his blood pressure medication, and I can’t reach his phone. I’m really worried.” Staring at the screen, my vision went blurry with rage. These two monsters weren’t just betraying me; they were gaslighting an old woman with a failing heart. The anger burned away my remaining hesitation. A cold, calculated plan began to form in my mind. I put out my cigarette and dialed the Chief of the hospital. The moment he picked up, he started yelling. “Ethan! What the hell are you doing?! The patients are in critical condition, and you just walked out? Do you know they’ve already filed a formal complaint? Your CMO candidacy has been put on hold!” “Chief, I’m sorry,” my voice was eerily calm. “I just needed to clear my head. I’m coming back now. I’ll perform the separation surgery myself.” The Chief paused, his tone softening slightly. “Good. That’s more like it. Remember, Ethan, you’re a doctor first. Your duty is to save lives.” “Yes, I am a doctor,” I murmured. “And I will handle this in the most professional way possible.” When I returned to the hospital, the OR was prepped. Vanessa and Dr. Sterling had already been anesthetized and were lying side-by-side on the operating table. Under the harsh surgical lights, the fused skin looked even more repulsive. I snapped on my sterile gloves and picked up the scalpel. The team expected me to slice in immediately. Instead, I turned to my assistant. “Take tissue samples. Send three sets for urgent DNA profiling and chemical analysis. One from the fused zone, one from Vanessa, and one from Richard.” “But Dr. Vance…” the assistant hesitated. “Time is sensitive.” “Do it now,” I ordered coldly. I also told the anesthesiologist to increase their dosage slightly. I needed to make sure they wouldn’t wake up before I finished setting the stage. Then, using a micro-probe, I carefully extracted some of the gel-like substance trapped beneath the fused tissue. This was their “bio-gel.” I smiled coldly as I sealed the sample in a sterile vial. Only then did I lower my scalpel and begin the physical separation. My hands were perfectly steady. Like rock. Each cut was mathematically precise. I didn’t nick an extra millimeter of Vanessa’s flesh, nor did I leave any of Richard’s tissue on her arm. I had used these hands to restore confidence to burn victims, and to wipe away Vanessa’s tears. Now, I used them to cut the very last tie between us. The surgery was a success. Two hours later, their arms were separated, wrapped in clean bandages, and they were rolled into a VIP room. To “make care easier,” Vanessa had demanded they share a double room. I didn’t object. I even “thoughtfully” made the arrangements myself. Once they were settled, I took the precious vial of gel and walked straight into my private lab. **Chapter 3**

Late at night, the hospital corridors were silent. I sat in front of my lab computer, watching the results pop up on the screen. A dark fire of revenge ignited in my chest. The first was the DNA report. It showed that the fused skin cells had completely merged at a genetic level, showing abnormal cellular proliferation. They had literally become one on a biological level. The second was the chemical analysis. And it was exactly what I had suspected. The “bio-gel” they used wasn’t my research. It was a black-market product I had read about in an international journal—a dangerous, experimental compound called “Gene-Grafting Gel,” which had been banned by the FDA due to severe side effects. This gel used specific enzymes to force cell walls of different organisms to rupture and reconstruct, creating an artificial graft. It was originally designed for interspecies organ transplants. But it had a fatal flaw. The catalytic reaction was highly unstable. If the ratio was off, or if the temperature and humidity of the environment weren’t perfect, it would trigger uncontrollable, continuous cellular fusion. It would create a permanent, inseparable mass of flesh. Even worse, once this fusion process started, it couldn’t be stopped by standard surgery. Any remaining gel in their tissue would act like cancer cells, triggering secondary and tertiary fusions with any skin they touched. In other words, they were now like two magnets. Even if you pulled them apart, if they got too close again, they would literally melt back into each other. The only way to stop it was a highly specific inhibitor. And the formula for that inhibitor was locked safely inside my head—a byproduct of my own research to prevent accidents. Looking at the report, I laughed. They had tried to steal my life’s work, but because they couldn’t get their hands on my actual formula, they bought a cheap, dangerous knockoff on the black market. And Vanessa was so confident I could “save” them because she assumed I had the real gel and the cure. She wanted everything. My career, my research, my future. Perfect. Just perfect. I encrypted the files, saved them to a secure drive, and dialed a number. “Hello, Eleanor? It’s Ethan. I’m so sorry to call this late. But I just found out Richard had… an accident. He’s currently admitted to our hospital. Can you come over? There are some things you have a right to know.”

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