Category: English

The day after my D&C, I was scrolling through a late-night forum when I came across a thread. “What’s your partner’s ultimate Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card?” I paused, typing out a response: “The time he shielded me during the Ariel City Collapse…” But then, a newer, explosive comment snagged my attention. “I’m a high-end companion, and I’ve found true love. He’s gorgeous, loaded, and booked me for thirty years straight. He’s obsessed, keeps my legs shaking and my back aching!” “His death immunity? Easy. His wife finally got pregnant after years of grueling IVF, and I just casually mentioned I didn’t want some kid competing with me for his attention. So, he forged the NIPT report, convinced her the baby had Trisomy 21, and pressured her into a late-term abortion.” She followed it up with a picture. Under the dim, expensive bar lighting, a man’s large, clearly defined hand was wrapped tightly around the woman’s waist. “He can’t even sleep unless he’s holding me now, honestly. He’s utterly dependent.” My entire body went cold. Every drop of blood in my veins solidified when I saw the jagged, pale scar that ran across the back of the man’s hand. It was the exact, unmistakable scar my husband, Hudson Miller, had gotten saving me during the collapse. … 1 The comments section was a battlefield of rage. Instead of shame, the woman—who went by “ZoeyLane” on the platform—doubled down, flaunting her conquest with venomous arrogance. “I’m the other woman? Funny. The one who isn’t loved is the real third wheel, sweetie! I’ll do anything for true love—what’s wrong with that? You’re all just jealous I snagged such a high-value man.” When someone agreed with her, she replied, ecstatic: “See? You get it, babe! His wife has fertility issues; that kid was her last shot after five years of IVF. She cried and prayed for that baby, and I made him get rid of it with a single sentence. If that’s not true love, what is?” “His wife will never get pregnant again naturally, but he promised me I’m the only one who will ever bear his child.” “LOL. I’ll share my experience once I’m settled in the penthouse. Gotta go now—he’s calling for me. Time to go satisfy my man.” I stared, rigid, at the screen, a core of ice forming in my chest. Just a week ago, I was at home, resting, trying to hold onto my five-month pregnancy. Hudson had returned with a look of utter defeat, handing me the printout. The diagnosis: positive for Down Syndrome. My world shattered then. I’d collapsed onto the floor, screaming until my throat was raw, begging Hudson if there was any way—any way—to save the baby. He had held me, his face buried in my hair, his eyes red and wet. “Sia, it’s the amnio report. It’s definitive. We can’t bring a child into this world just to suffer. We have to terminate.” He had held my hand through the entire procedure. My five-month-old baby—the one I’d waited five years for—became a mangled mess of tissue and blood. For the past week, I’d been a ghost, the grief a physical, suffocating weight. Hudson had canceled everything, hovering over me until today, when he finally felt my emotional state had stabilized enough to go back to the office. Staring at that picture, I dug my nails into my palm, biting my tongue until I tasted copper. Only pain could alleviate the choking terror. Once the initial shock passed, I did the only thing I could: I followed ZoeyLane’s account. Then, I sent Hudson a text. “Still at the office?” He replied instantly: “Yeah, swamped. Why, babe?” I didn’t reply. I called an Uber and headed straight for his office downtown. Years of love, decades of history—I couldn’t let a few toxic comments destroy that. I needed to see his face. I needed to know. I ran into his assistant, Ben, in the lobby. “Mrs. Miller? You’re here?” Ben looked genuinely surprised. I didn’t speak, just brushed past him and entered the private elevator, riding it up to Hudson’s executive floor. I pushed the door open. The scene I expected—an empty office, proving his lie—was not what I found. Hudson was there, seated behind his vast mahogany desk, his expression sharp and focused. When he heard the door, he looked up, his brow lifting in surprise. His tone was light, playful. “Well, hello, Mrs. Miller. What’s this? Checking up on your husband? Didn’t think you were the ‘pop-in’ type.” Seeing his familiar face, the agonizing tension I’d carried all the way across the city finally broke. Relief and agonizing regret flooded through me. My eyes burned, and I started, instinctively, to walk toward him, ready to collapse into his arms. “Don’t come closer!” Hudson’s sudden, hoarse shout cut me off. I froze. He was pinching the bridge of his nose, his face contorted in discomfort. “Seriously, sweetie. I think I’ve caught that brutal flu that’s going around. You’re recovering from surgery; your immune system is shot. Don’t get near me.” He really did look terrible. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his breathing was shallow and rapid, and his face was flushed a deep red. He was issuing low, strained groans. My heart immediately went out to him. “Hudson, maybe we should go to the ER. You look terrible.” But then, my gaze drifted to the side. The vast, glossy glass wall that overlooked Ariel City was a perfect mirror. And in the reflection, I saw a woman’s head, partially obscured beneath his desk. 2 A chill, more profound than any fear, started at the base of my spine and crept up to the roots of my hair, freezing my tears in place. It took every ounce of my self-control not to scream. “You know what? Never mind. I just got a sharp, stabbing pain in my side. I think… I need to go home.” Without waiting for his response, I fled. It wasn’t a walk—it was a frantic escape. The moment I hit the street, I realized it was pouring rain. My foot slipped, and I hit the pavement, landing hard in a puddle. I didn’t care about the cold or the pain in my hip. It was nothing compared to the agony in my chest. The phone vibrated. It was Zoey. She had posted a new video with a caption: “Daddy’s so smart. He knew his wife would check up on him, so he had his assistant warn us. Not that I was scared. Right under her nose—it was the hottest thing ever.” I clicked the video. Her voice, a low, playful purr, filled the audio. “Was that thrilling, Baby? Having your wife right there?” “Stop messing around,” the man’s voice, raw and strained, chided her. “We were almost discovered.” But beneath the harsh tone, a tremor of undeniable affection and pride was present. I bit down on my lip until the metallic taste of my own blood coated my tongue. Soaked to the bone, I made it back to the house and called the hospital. “Hello. I’m calling about the amniocentesis report I had two weeks ago. I just wanted to confirm there were no administrative issues.” The nurse’s voice was gentle, professional. “Oh, yes, Mrs. Cole. Everything was perfectly fine. The baby was perfectly healthy. Didn’t you see the report? It was emailed directly to your husband.” The baby was perfectly healthy. Those five words, light as air, felt like five separate shards of glass stabbing into my heart. A tidal wave of nausea hit me. I slammed the phone down and ran to the bathroom, vomiting until I was dizzy and weak. Five years of IVF. Over five hundred needles. The endless hope. The daily, desperate prayers for a child. All of it—a monstrous, elaborate joke. The malice of it climbed over my skin. Huddled over the toilet, I laughed and cried, a manic, broken sound. I eventually took a scalding shower, then retreated to the bedroom to search Zoey’s account. Her early posts were typical of an escort—highly curated, provocative photos. But the ones related to Hudson—Zoey’s “Daddy”—were the poison. One, from a year ago: She posted a picture of an employee badge. Zoey Lane. The caption: “Landed a new gig! Time to clock in with my investor!” Another, six months ago: It was our wedding anniversary. Hudson had told me he was stuck at the office. I scrolled through Zoey’s feed and saw a picture of him with her—not at the office, but on a weekend getaway in Laguna Beach. The caption was a kissy face emoji. That night, he’d brought home my favorite takeout—which I now realized was their leftovers. The phone screen went dark, reflecting my tear-streaked face. Hudson came home late. “Still awake? Does your stomach still hurt?” The moment his hand touched my arm, I flinched away. He frowned, a flash of impatience crossing his features. “What now, Sia? I’m exhausted. We can’t do this tonight. Save the drama for tomorrow. I need to sleep.” After he fell into a deep, heavy sleep, I reached for the phone on his nightstand. I typed my birthday. Password Incorrect. The rejection felt like a slap. Desperation fueling me, I found Zoey’s birthdate on one of her public profiles. I typed it in. Unlocked. In his messages, the contact “Baby Zo” was pinned to the top. I scrolled up. The filth was endless. Three days ago: “Baby, can’t you sneak away tonight? Your miserable wife is being such a warden.” “Easy, Baby. Just a few more days. She can’t be left alone right now.” This morning: “I need you now. I’m wearing the sheer silk set you love. Hurry.” 3 I tortured myself, reading every word. I clamped my jaws shut, but a choked sob escaped anyway. Next to me, Hudson woke instantly and, practically in his sleep, pulled me against his chest, stroking my hair. “What is it, sweetie? Still upset about the baby? I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.” His embrace was warm, his hand, with that brutal, jagged scar, was steady on my back. My mind spun back to the Ariel City Collapse. The teenaged Hudson, running toward me through the dust-choked air, throwing himself on top of me. The boulder that crashed onto his arm. He hadn’t made a sound, but his hot, dark blood had splashed onto my cheek. We’d been trapped for two days. He was in agony, every breath a struggle, yet he kept whispering, over and over: “Sia, don’t be afraid. We’re getting out. If I… if I can’t hold on, you drink my blood, you eat my flesh. Just promise me you’ll survive.” He loved me so desperately then. The memory, The Defining Moment, had been my Golden Ticket for him, granting him eternal absolution. How did everything change so completely? I lay there, stiff in his arms, watching the sky lighten. At breakfast, I asked him a casual question. “Do you know a Zoey Lane?” Hudson’s body tensed, but he recovered instantly, spooning me a bowl of oatmeal. His tone was dismissive. “Yeah. Ben’s been swamped, so she’s a new administrative assistant. Why?” His attempt at indifference was perfect. I decided, in that moment, to give him one last chance, for the sake of that teenage boy in the rubble. I took a spoonful of the oatmeal and said, my voice cold, “Fire her. I don’t like her.” Hudson frowned, his mask slipping. “She’s just a glorified runner. Is that really necessary?” “Yes. It is necessary. I don’t want her here.” “CRASH—” Hudson slammed his ceramic bowl down. Shards scattered, one nicking my cheek and drawing blood. His voice was suddenly shrill, enraged. “You don’t like her? What the hell did she do? She’s a perfectly normal, hardworking assistant. I have bent over backward to accommodate your grief, but are you seriously being this ridiculous, Sierra? You’re demanding I fire an innocent woman just because she’s a woman? You’re going to empty out the entire company of female staff just to appease your paranoia?” My ears rang. In all our years together, this was the first time Hudson had ever exploded at me. His face was a mask of pure hate. I stared at him, my eyes welling up. “Funny. Are you touching your conscience when you say you two are innocent? Is she your assistant, or your goddamn…” “Enough!” Hudson violently shoved the entire table, sending dishes flying. His eyes were full of contempt. “I think your anxiety is flaring up again. It’s the depression. You’re being delusional and irrational! Always looking for a problem!” He grabbed his keys and stormed out, slamming the door. I sank to the floor, my heart hammering. Depression. That word was my deepest trauma. Years ago, when we first moved to Ariel City, Hudson’s fledgling architecture firm was just taking off, only to have his work stolen. In my panic to save him from financial ruin, I went to confront the thief. In the ensuing struggle, I fell down a flight of stairs and lost our first baby. That was the first time I saw Hudson truly break. He knelt by my hospital bed, sobbing, snot and tears mixing, whispering desperate apologies. That loss triggered my clinical depression. I was inconsolable, constantly harming myself, unable to cope with the loss of the child. Hudson lost his work. He drove for GrubHub during the day and nursed me back to health at night. Later, the original manuscript was recovered, his name was cleared, and he started his own firm. My depression slowly faded, but the injury to my abdomen left me unable to carry a child without medical assistance. It was the darkest period of my life. I never imagined the man who offered to sacrifice his life for mine in the rubble would one day intentionally kill our second child. And then use the memory of my deepest pain—my depression—to stab me again. I wiped my tears and walked into the study. I needed to print the divorce papers. The Golden Ticket had finally expired. 4 I wanted a quiet ending. But Zoey wouldn’t allow it. She sent a friend request with a chilling message: I’m pregnant. My face went white. I clenched my fists and accepted the request. She immediately sent several messages, starting with a copy of a prenatal scan. “Three weeks along. Guess those expired contraceptives did the trick. Unlike you, Ms. Cole, my little one is naturally conceived. A golden child.” “Honestly, I wasn’t planning on getting pregnant so fast, but here we are. You should do Hudson a favor and file for divorce. He’s ecstatic about this baby.” “Oh, and speaking of ecstatic: Hudson is throwing a small celebration for us tomorrow at The Grand Regent Hotel. Nine AM. It’s an engagement party. You’re welcome to attend.” She attached a photo. Hudson was holding the ultrasound printout, his eyes wet, his expression the picture of tender, overwhelming love. Even when I was pregnant, he had never looked at me like that. I gripped the phone, a visceral, churning hatred spreading through me. My baby was brutally murdered, and they were celebrating their ‘true love’ with a new one. A wedding… Hudson and I hadn’t even had a proper wedding. We were too poor then. No time, no money. I swallowed down the blood in my mouth. Hudson didn’t come home that night. He only sent a text: Working late. Won’t be back. I sat in the dark living room all night. At nine the next morning, I drove to The Grand Regent Hotel. Zoey was even more radiant than in her photos. She wore a slinky white gown, and a cascade of diamonds circled her slender neck. Hudson was in a crisp dark suit, effortlessly mingling, a flute of champagne in his hand. In that moment, everything I had suppressed—the grief, the rage, the betrayal—broke. I charged the stage. In Hudson’s stunned gaze, I slapped Zoey, hard, twice. “Sierra! What the hell are you doing? Have you lost your mind?!” Hudson violently pushed me away, turning to shield Zoey in his arms. I fell, ignoring the sharp twinge in my abdomen, and scrambled up, my hand flying out to slap him across the face. Under his dark, menacing stare, I started to laugh, a wild, broken sound. “What, hurt your little girlfriend? Good. She deserved it. Both of you! This woman is a whore, a high-end escort, a rotten piece of trash who sleeps with anyone who pays her. She’s not just a mistress, she’s a…” “SMACK—” I hit the floor again. The punch knocked the words clean out of my mouth. “Shut your filthy mouth, Sierra!” Hudson’s hand was still raised. Veins bulged in his forehead; his eyes were bloodshot. “Are you crazy? This is my product launch! What is wrong with you? I told you, Zoey is an employee! You’re having a psychotic episode! Spreading vicious, disgusting lies about an innocent woman? You’re evil! You’re sick!” He grabbed my arm, forcing me down, pressing my knees onto the shards of a broken glass display. The glass dug in, searing pain shooting up my legs. Zoey whimpered behind his shoulder, but when she looked at me, her eyes were pure, smug triumph. I realized I’d been set up. This wasn’t an engagement party. This was a public launch that looked like an engagement party, designed to humiliate me and prove her victim status. Security—called by an attendee—finally wrestled me away. My hands were cuffed behind my back, my face was throbbing and bleeding, and I was pinned to the floor like a beaten dog. Hudson glanced at me, his face devoid of emotion. “Officers, she is my wife, but she deliberately assaulted this woman. I will not cover for her. Please charge her to the fullest extent of the law. She needs a harsh lesson.” “Also,” he added, his voice chillingly calm, “she has a history of severe depression and is currently unstable. After her detainment, please transfer her directly to a psychiatric facility. I will coordinate the intake.” The police hauled me up and escorted me to the cruiser. The crowd was silent, all eyes on me. I didn’t resist. I stared at Hudson. I watched him gently wipe the tears from Zoey’s face. I watched him tenderly touch her abdomen. A terrible, desolate smile spread across my face. My laughter turned into a wail, sharp with blood and tears. “Hudson! I hate you!” My vision swam. A sudden warmth spread below me, staining the pristine white marble a shocking red. “Sia!!” I heard Hudson’s desperate scream as the world went black.

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It was the dead of night when a heavy, frantic pounding echoed from the front door. Thud. Thud. Thud. “Sarah! Open up! My dad’s having an episode! You guys have to drive us to the ER, now!” My husband, David, rubbed his sleepy eyes and instinctively moved to get out of bed. I shot up and grabbed his arm, my grip like iron. “Shh. Don’t make a sound.” In my past life, David and I had opened that door out of kindness. We drove that old man to the hospital. And because of that single act of kindness, we lost everything. Our home. Our lives. 1. David blinked, confused, his voice raspy with sleep. “Honey, what’s wrong?” “Rick’s dad is sick. They don’t have a car. We should help.” I let out a cold, silent laugh. “If it’s a real emergency, David, why aren’t they calling 911?” “Don’t turn on the lights. Don’t speak. Pretend we aren’t home.” David didn’t understand, but he trusted me. He scratched his head and settled back into the pillows. “But Sarah… if the old man doesn’t make it because we didn’t help… won’t you feel guilty?” I shook my head, hiding the pure hatred burning in my eyes. Guilty? Never again. The pounding continued for a long time. It was relentless. Then, our phones started lighting up in the dark. Call after call. Luckily, I had silenced them beforehand. David finally sensed something was off. “That’s weird,” he whispered. “Usually, if no one answers, you stop knocking. Why are they hammering on the door like that?” “His dad is supposedly dying, yet instead of calling an ambulance, they’re wasting time knocking on our door?” Exactly. It had been ten minutes. I crept to the door on my tiptoes and pressed my ear against the cold wood. “Damn it, they aren’t home. Now what?” A rough voice hissed from the hallway. I heard someone spit on the floor. “Did you find anyone else?” “No.” A deep sigh from the other side. “Just our luck. Useless neighbors. Call 911, hurry.” “We can’t let the old man expire yet. Not now.” Their footsteps faded down the hall. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and looked back at David. His eyes were wide with shock. “They… they were trying to set us up?” I nodded, my face grim. “You guessed it.” Before we fell asleep, David kept muttering. “How could they be like that? We’ve been neighbors for years.” “We used to share BBQ in the backyard. Why would they want to hurt us?” I gently covered his mouth with my hand. “Stop thinking about it. Just sleep.” 2. In the previous timeline, David and I opened the door immediately. We helped them carry the gasping old man into our backseat. Rick and his wife, Karen, sat in the back, screaming at us to drive faster. David ran two red lights. Then, at the third intersection… crash. We sideswiped another car. It was minor. Just a fender bender. No one was hurt. But that little bump was the beginning of the end. By the time we got to the hospital, the old man was gone. Rick and Karen’s faces changed instantly. They screamed in the hospital lobby, calling us criminals. They claimed our reckless driving caused the “accident” that took the old man out. They said his head hit the seat frame during the collision. And sure enough, there was a wound on the back of his head. Before we could defend ourselves, the driver of the other car jumped in. “I saw it! They sped up when they saw me! They hit me on purpose!” “You knew you had a sick passenger and you still drove like maniacs? You monsters!” There were no traffic cameras on that specific stretch of road. The man passed away in our car. We had to take the fall. We paid the settlement they demanded. We emptied our savings. But it wasn’t enough. They stood outside our office building with banners and the old man’s medical records. They claimed he was recovering. That he would have lived if not for us. They said the old man was the pillar of their family. Now their kids were too traumatized to go to school. They painted us as heartless villains. They forced us to pay for their living expenses. Their kids’ tuition. Everything. They were a black hole. When we ran out of money, they didn’t stop. One night, they spiked our drinks, stole our IDs, and took out massive loans in our names. We were drowning in debt. I will never forget the day the loan sharks came. Rick stood there, eating sunflower seeds, cheering them on. “These two are garbage!” he shouted. “Get ’em! They deserve it!” “Do society a favor!” “Hey, take it easy on the woman, though. She’s got a nice figure. You guys could have some fun with her.” “Just let me watch.” David and I didn’t make it. We were beaten until everything went black. Even after we were gone, they didn’t stop. They livestreamed lies about us, inciting strangers to desecrate our graves. But fate gave me a second chance. I woke up on the day the nightmare began. 3. The next morning, we left for work. We ran into Rick and Karen at the complex gate. Rick glared at us, his eyes full of venom. “You two sleep like the dead? We knocked for twenty minutes last night.” David smiled politely. “Sorry, Rick. Work dinner. We got in late and crashed hard. What’s up?” Karen snorted. “My dad had an episode. Needed the ER.” “You know, Sarah, because of you guys not answering, my dad almost didn’t make it.” David started to apologize, but I stepped in front of him. I looked Karen up and down with a smirk. “Karen, I’m confused. How is your dad’s health our responsibility?” Karen put her hands on her hips, her voice rising. “How? You delayed his treatment! We’re neighbors! You didn’t answer your phone! Who else should I blame?” I chuckled. “I didn’t realize being a neighbor meant I signed a 24/7 on-call paramedic contract.” “You had time to blow up my phone, but no time to dial 911?” “You!” Karen wasn’t used to me fighting back. I was usually the nice one. She pointed a finger in my face. “It’s your fault! You won’t even apologize? The audacity!” “So much for being good neighbors!” “Lucky for you my dad is still breathing, or I’d ruin you!” Rick spat on the ground near my shoes. “Fine. You want to play hardball? Don’t expect any favors from us.” I took a dramatic step back, feigning fear. “Rick, are you threatening me?” “I get scared easily. If I have a panic attack and faint right now, can you afford the lawsuit?” Rick stared at me, his face blank. He muttered one phrase. “Watch your back.” 4. Rick’s dad didn’t pass away. Remembering my past life, a terrifying theory formed in my mind. I told David. He agreed. A few days later, the dad was discharged. Karen called me immediately. Her voice was syrupy sweet, the aggression gone. “Hey Sarah! What are you up to? Got a minute?” I stayed silent. She giggled nervously. “So, Dad’s getting out of the hospital. Could you swing by and pick us up?” “You know we don’t have a car, and he can’t walk that far.” “Neighbors help neighbors, right? I’ll bake you guys some cookies.” I laughed softly into the receiver. “I don’t think I dare eat your cookies, Karen. Weren’t you going to ‘ruin me’ a few days ago?” “I’m busy. No.” I hung up before she could respond. I smiled, imagining her stomping her feet. Moments later, a notification popped up in the Community HOA Group Chat. [Karen]: Is anyone free to help bring my sick father home? Sarah won’t help us. It’s so hard being a woman taking care of an elderly parent alone… I laughed out loud. She has time to text the group, but refuses to call an Uber. She just wants to save the fifty bucks. A neighbor replied quickly. [Brenda – Apt 302]: Oh my god, that’s terrible, Karen. [Brenda – Apt 302]: Taking care of the elderly is so hard. I thought Sarah and David were nice? I can’t believe she won’t help. Brenda. The neighborhood gossip. She always disliked me for some reason. She tagged me in the chat. [Brenda – Apt 302]: @Sarah Be a decent human being. Karen always gives you veggies from her garden. [Brenda – Apt 302]: Why are you so selfish? [Brenda – Apt 302]: Everyone knows you guys have money. You have a nice car. Why not just pick them up? Other neighbors started chiming in. [Neighbor A]: To be fair, maybe Sarah is busy? [Neighbor B]: Yeah, just grab a cab. It’s easier. But Brenda rallied her troops. [Brenda – Apt 302]: A cab? For a man in a wheelchair? A private car is much more comfortable. [Brenda – Apt 302]: Where is the compassion in this building? The chat turned into a war zone. People forgot that Karen asked for help and started arguing about morals. Karen panicked. [Karen]: Please stop fighting! It’s my fault for asking. [Karen]: Is there anyone who can help? The chat went silent.

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On my birthday, my parents gave the princess dress meant for me to my adopted sister. When I cried and threw a tantrum, begging for another, my parents got into a car crash. My brother, Liam, broke down and slapped me across the face. “You’re a curse! Your selfishness killed them!” He immediately shipped me off to a disciplinary boot camp to “fix my attitude.” Eight years later, on New Year’s Eve, I was working as a clown at an amusement park to make ends meet. And there I saw him. My brother. And with him, my parents, who were supposed to have been dead for a decade. Liam gestured magnanimously to the park manager. “Two hundred grand. I want it all spent on fireworks for my sister’s eighteenth birthday.” Scarlett snuggled into their arms, beaming. Suddenly, my mother’s brow furrowed. “I wonder how Mia is doing. Her birthday is coming up soon…” Liam scoffed. “She gets what she deserves! Crying over a single dress, trying to take it from Scarlett.” “We can just tell her the truth in ten days.” The fireworks exploded, a shower of light so bright it brought tears to my eyes. So, my parents weren’t dead after all. And the blood money I’d slaved to earn, my penance, was being turned to smoke and ash to delight Scarlett. But it was too late for me. I was already dying. There was no going back. … The boom of the fireworks still echoed in my ears. But the image seared into my mind was the adoring smile on my parents’ faces as they hugged Scarlett. “Mia! You’re on!” Someone jabbed me sharply in the arm. “Snap out of it! The young Mr. Sterling booked the whole park for his sister’s birthday. We can’t screw this up!” I was shoved onto the stage. My old leg injury gave out without warning, and the juggling balls in my hands scattered across the floor. The manager stormed over, his face purple with rage. “Mia! What the hell are you doing?” His shout drew the attention of the family below the stage. I ducked my head in panic, instinctively raising a hand to hide my face, but a powerful grip clamped down on my wrist. It was Liam. He had rushed the stage, his eyes bloodshot. “Mia?” “You got out? Why didn’t you come home?” Then he froze. “What happened to your face? Those burns…” My fingertips were numb with pain, but my gaze shot past him to the crowd. I saw my parents. The moment they heard my name, they spun around, melting into the throng of people, desperate to disappear. They couldn’t even bear to look at me. A dull blade twisted in my heart, and for a half-second, I forgot how to breathe. “Sister? Is that you?” Scarlett appeared at Liam’s side, her eyes instantly welling with tears. “After all these years… you still don’t like me, do you? Is that why you came to ruin my special birthday performance?” At her words, Liam’s expression turned to ice. He let go of my wrist, flinging my hand away as if it were something filthy. “Some things never change, do they?” “Do you really have to compete with Scarlett for everything? You even had to come and ruin her birthday?” I wanted to explain. That my leg had been broken at the boot camp. That’s why I couldn’t stand properly. But before I could form the words, Liam let out a bitter laugh. “You’re a clown, right? Then perform. Clean up the mess you made.” He turned to the manager. “She performs alone. Until my sister is satisfied.” The manager wiped sweat from his brow. “Mia, your little puppy act is always a crowd-pleaser. Get down on all fours, now!” “If you don’t perform today, you’re not getting a single penny!” A day’s wage. Fifty bucks. That was half a month’s worth of food. It was enough to buy a box of painkillers. Without hesitation, I slowly lowered myself to the stage. The crowd erupted in jeers and whistles. “Crawl, you little clown dog! Crawl!” “Let’s hear you bark!” I dragged myself forward one step. My left leg was useless, making my posture twisted and pathetic. A memory pierced through the haze of pain. A night just like this, before Scarlett came into our lives. Liam was on his hands and knees on the living room floor, grinning back at me. “Come on, Mia, giddy-up! Big brother will give you a ride!” I had giggled and climbed onto his back. “Hold on tight! The princess is ready for takeoff!” Mom and Dad watched from the sofa, their eyes full of love as they watched us play. But now, in my peripheral vision, I saw them again. They were huddled in the crowd. Mom frowned and turned her face away. Dad put a protective arm in front of her, and they both shrank back, terrified I might spot them. Seeing me humiliated didn’t break their hearts. It just embarrassed them. A sharp, drilling pain shot up my leg, and I shuddered. “Wait!” A voice cut through the noise. “You can’t humiliate a girl like this, no matter what. And I think there’s something wrong with her leg…” Liam frowned, his gaze falling to my trembling leg. But Scarlett stepped in front of him. “Oh, my sister has always been good at playing the victim, getting everyone to feel sorry for her…” Of course, he believed her. He glared at the man who had spoken up. “Humiliate her? Do you have any idea what kind of person she is?” “She’s a spoiled, selfish brat who killed her own parents! When Scarlett lost her parents and came to live with us, she tormented her relentlessly, without a shred of compassion.” His words were daggers in my heart. The truth was, I had never tormented her. It was Scarlett who would snatch the hairclips Mom gave me, only to break them. She would demand the music box Liam bought for me, then smash it to pieces. When I cried and begged her to apologize, they all said I was overreacting. I cried. I screamed. I tried to explain. But no one ever believed me. The louder I got, the more frantic my tears, the more they saw a spoiled child throwing a meaningless tantrum. Mom would just shake her head in disappointment. “Mia, why are you becoming so difficult?” Liam would snap, “Can’t you just give your sister a break? Her life is so much harder than yours! She doesn’t have parents!” Then came my eighth birthday. The princess dress they had promised me was on Scarlett. I finally broke. I sobbed and demanded they buy me a new one. And for that, for my one and only act of defiance, my punishment was ten years of believing my parents were dead. The crowd went silent for a moment, then exploded. “So that’s the story! She killed her parents and she’s still walking around?” “People like that should spend their whole lives atoning!” Every word was a white-hot poker twisting in my gut. Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice. “No, that’s not true! Mia is a good person!” “Don’t you bully Mia!” It was Noah, barreling through the crowd and shoving Liam aside. He threw his arms out, shielding me. Liam stumbled back, his eyes landing on Noah’s, which had the distinct, unfocused look of someone with a developmental disability. “Mia,” he said, his voice like frost, laced with disgust. “You’re hanging out with idiots like this now?” Noah turned to me, his big hands clumsily wiping the tears from my cheeks. “Don’t cry, Mia.” He was so gentle. My vision blurred. It was just like ten years ago. After Liam signed the papers and walked away, they threw me through an iron gate. The people inside descended on me, kicking and punching. I curled into a ball in the corner, head in my arms, crying for my brother over and over. They just laughed. “Your brother doesn’t want you anymore!” Then came a sickening crack as my left leg broke. Later, someone started a fire in the storage closet while I was locked inside. The flames licked at my skin, searing it. It was Noah who dragged me out. From that day on, he was the one who protected me, not Liam. I remember my hands shaking as I dialed Liam’s number again and again. “Liam, help me.” “They’re going to burn me alive…” His voice on the other end was cold, detached. “You’re at a boot camp. You should learn to behave. I’m out shopping with Scarlett, don’t call again.” Terrified of making him hate me even more, I never bothered him again. When I finally got out, with a crippled leg and a ruined face, the only job I could get was playing a clown. Half of the money I earned, I wired to Liam as penance for my sins. The other half I saved for Noah. Then, three months ago, I started coughing up blood. A deep, aching pain settled into my bones. It was bone cancer. Terminal. Back then, my only thought was, My atonement… it isn’t finished yet. But now, it seemed it didn’t matter anymore. … “Mia, I’m talking to you!” Liam’s voice snapped me back to reality. Scarlett covered her mouth with a delicate hand. “Sister, you’re… you’re still in contact with people from the boot camp? Isn’t that dangerous?” Liam took a deep breath and turned to the onlookers. His voice was glacial. “From this day forward, anyone who hires Mia Sterling will be making an enemy of my family.” He looked back at me. “You can stay out here and keep suffering to atone for what you did to Mom and Dad!” With that, he wrapped an arm around Scarlett’s shoulders and walked away. His back was so familiar, yet so alien. That same back used to bend down so I could climb on, carrying me home step by step when I was tired from playing. After Scarlett arrived, he never carried me again. Then I saw them. My parents, who had been hiding in the shadows, rushed forward to embrace Scarlett. Through the crowd, I watched my mother gently stroke her hair while my father handed her a beautifully wrapped gift box. The four of them, a perfect family, walked toward the brilliant fireworks display. Not one of them looked back.

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My entire family was on a luxury yacht trip. Just because my adopted sister was curious about sea monkeys, Dad took all the crew members down into the water with her. Soon after, pirates targeted our yacht. The situation was critical. I called Dad on the satellite phone over and over, but no one answered. To protect me, Mom was violated by the pirates. To buy me time to escape, my brother was chopped up and fed to the fish. But it was all in vain. In desperation, I detonated the fuel drums, intending to take the pirates down with me. Hearing the explosion, Dad rushed back and saved me just in time. But my adopted sister, due to surfacing too quickly, suffered decompression sickness and died coughing up blood. Before she died, she looked at me with reluctance. “I always knew I was an outsider, I just didn’t expect… my sister to hate me this much…” Dad silently buried her at sea. When we got home, he didn’t blame me. He even groomed me to be the heir to the company. But on the anniversary of her death, he tied me to a giant rock and sank me into the ocean. “I heard that sacrificing your own flesh and blood to the Sea Witch can give Cici a good reincarnation in her next life!” “If you hadn’t played tricks back then, she wouldn’t have died! You owe her this!” As a sacrifice, I died with my eyes wide open, full of resentment. When I opened my eyes again, the pirate ship was right in front of us. Chapter 1 Seeing that escape was impossible, this time, I didn’t call Dad on the satellite phone. Instead, I reported the yacht’s coordinates directly to the Coast Guard. But the Coast Guard would take time to arrive. I had to ensure my brother and mom’s safety before then. The utility room was hidden. With luck, maybe we could hold out until the Coast Guard arrived. Thinking of this, I grabbed my brother and mom, trying to pull them inside. But my brother looked reluctant and shook off my hand. “Harper, are you crazy? Why hide in a utility room when there’s such a nice view?” Mom was also confused. “Yeah, the weather is so nice today. Isn’t it better to sunbathe outside?” Looking at my brother’s nonchalant attitude, I wanted to smack him. But in my past life, this same carefree brother was chopped up and fed to the fish by pirates just to buy me time to escape. Thinking of that, I gritted my teeth and explained to him. “If we don’t hide, we’ll all die at the hands of pirates!” At this moment, my brother also saw the pirate ship not far away. His face changed, but then he relaxed again. “It’s just a few guys, what are you afraid of? We have a dozen crew members on board, they aren’t pushovers.” I sighed. “They all went down with Dad and Cici to find sea monkeys. Not a single one is left.” Hearing this, my brother’s face changed slightly. Before I could urge him, he pulled me and Mom quickly down into the cabin. After hiding in the utility room, I piled all the heavy objects against the door, but I was still worried. I wanted to call the Coast Guard again, but found that Mom was already calling Dad. She dialed several times, but no one answered. I advised helplessly, “Mom, stop calling. Dad is underwater with Cici looking for sea monkeys. If he gets distracted, he’ll definitely blame you.” Mom said firmly, “Harper, how can you say that about your father? He didn’t answer because it’s inconvenient underwater.” “If he knows we are trapped, he will definitely come back to save us!” In my past life, Mom also trusted Dad unconditionally like this, but ended up being brutally violated. Seeing her persevering to dial the number again, I was so angry I grabbed the phone and shouted. “If you want to die, keep calling! See if Dad picks up!” Mom was stunned, feeling wronged. But the next second, the call connected. She looked pleasantly surprised, quickly took the phone back, and whispered. “Honey, come back and save us! Pirates are on the yacht. We’re hiding in the utility room, we can’t hold out much longer!” Mom’s voice trembled with fear. She had already heard the pirates boarding. They were searching room by room for supplies, and would be here soon. But on the other end, Dad was angry. “Today is Cici’s birthday. I promised to show her sea monkeys. We haven’t been out long, and you’re calling like it’s a life-or-death situation. Is this how a mother acts?” “You’re so old, yet you only know how to be jealous of Harper. I usually spoil you two too much!” Before he finished, Mom interrupted him. “Richard, I’m really not lying to you! There really are pirates on the yacht. They are searching the ship now. If they catch us, the three of us are done for!” My brother also leaned over to explain. “Dad, Mom really isn’t lying. Come back quickly, or it will be too late!” Dad’s roar came from the receiver. “Luke, as the heir to the company, you’re fooling around with your mother and sister? I’m so disappointed in you!” “Tell Harper, if she doesn’t want to be a sacrifice to the Sea Witch again in this life, stop inciting you and your mother. Otherwise, I won’t forgive her!” My brother didn’t understand what Dad was saying, but a storm rose in my heart. Did Dad… come back too? Then why did he refuse to come back and save us? Full of questions and grievances, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I grabbed the satellite phone, wanting to ask clearly. In his eyes, are the three of us less important than his adopted daughter Cici? But before I could speak, the call was hung up. When I called back, it was a busy tone. Just then, bang, someone kicked the utility room door. “Why is this room locked? Is someone inside?” Another person giggled. “Locked or not, watch this!” Immediately after, another loud bang, and the utility room door cracked open. A leering eye immediately pressed against the crack, smiling wickedly. “What did I say? Not only people, but two women.” “I’ve been drifting at sea for months, haven’t touched a woman in ages. Gonna have some fun this time!” The other person kicked him. “I found them first. I get first dip, you wait in line!” Then came a burst of lewd laughter. Mom turned pale with fright, and I was terrified. My brother grabbed a wooden stick, shielding me and Mom behind him. “If you dare come in, I’ll kill you!” But I knew very well that my brother, just recovering from a serious illness, was no match for those two pirates. Just as my brain was spinning, trying to find a way out. Mom suddenly blocked the crack in the door with clutter, took the jade bracelet off her wrist with a resolute expression, and put it on my hand, choking back sobs. “I planned to give this to you when you get married. I’m giving it to you now.” “Harper, listen to me. We don’t know when the Coast Guard will arrive. We can’t sit and wait for death. The window in this room can open, and there’s a small lifeboat hanging outside. You escape quickly!” “And Luke too! From now on, you have to protect your sister for Mom!” Saying that, she squatted down, signaling me to stand on her shoulders to climb out the window. I hugged her. “Mom, I’m not leaving!” My brother’s eyes were red too. “I’m not leaving either. I’m a man, how can I let a woman protect me? If anyone goes, it’s you two!” Just then, the door shook, looking like it was about to break open. Mom stomped her foot in anger. “Mom can’t swim, escaping is useless!” “If I remember correctly, your uncle’s stationed island is nearby! As long as you find him, Mom can be saved. Don’t dawdle!” Saying that, she poked the window glass out with a stick, then squatted down, buried her head between my legs, stood up forcefully, and pushed me out the window. Immediately after, my brother was also thrown out by Mom. The next second, I heard the sound of the utility room door breaking open. Mixed with Mom’s heart-wrenching roar. “You bastards, dare touch me and I’ll chop off your hands!” I was terrified and wanted to go back to save Mom, but immediately, I was pulled onto the raft by my brother and pushed away. “Harper, go find Uncle for help! I’m going back to save Mom!” Looking at my brother’s resolute back, I wiped away tears and rowed hard towards the island where my uncle was stationed. Chapter 2 I don’t know how long passed. My tears dried up, my arms hurt so much I couldn’t lift them, but I kept rowing mechanically. Until a small island appeared in my field of vision. Uncle was the base commander, with dozens of soldiers under him. If they arrived in time, they could definitely save my brother and Mom. After landing, I ran desperately towards Uncle’s residence. Maybe I was too anxious, I fell a few times and twisted my ankle, but I dared not stop for a moment. Because I knew, the sooner I saw Uncle, the greater the chance of Mom and Luke surviving. Seeing Uncle on patrol, I threw myself at him, hugging him, my voice trembling. “Uncle, please save Mom and Luke. We took a yacht out to sea and met pirates! It’ll be too late if we don’t hurry!” Saying that, I tried to pull him by the arm. But Uncle kept a straight face and shook me off directly. “Harper, I don’t want to lecture you, but just because your dad took Cici diving to see sea monkeys, do you have to act out this much drama?” “To make your dad leave Cici behind and prove you’re important, you really stop at nothing, even fabricating pirates as an excuse. I’ve been stationed in these waters for so long, how could I not know if there were pirates? Nothing but lies!” I was stunned, frozen in place. “Uncle, we really met pirates, I didn’t lie to you!” “Please, save Mom and Luke!” Thinking of Mom and Luke dying tragically in my past life, I felt like I was falling into an ice cave. But Uncle’s face showed no emotion. “If your dad hadn’t called in advance saying you made up the pirate excuse to fight for fatherly love with Cici, I really would have been fooled by you!” “Cici is so well-behaved, can’t you yield to her sometimes? She’s not like you, having everything.” I was speechless for a moment. “What do I have to say for you to believe me? I really didn’t lie, it’s Richard lying to you!” Uncle sneered. “Your dad lying to me? What good does it do him?” “Unlike you, always naughty since childhood, unlike Cici…” I was completely enraged, pointing at Uncle and roaring. “Mason, who exactly is your niece?” “Even if you look down on me, my mom is your biological sister, waiting for you to save her. What did she do wrong?” After saying that, I knelt down again, banging my head on the ground. “As long as you save them, I’ll do whatever you say!” But Uncle looked at me, still unmoved. Just then, the bracelet on my wrist was revealed. Uncle grabbed my arm, questioning loudly. “Why did your mom give you her bracelet early?” I gave a miserable smile, suddenly remembering a year-end dinner when I was young. Mom said she would pass the bracelet to me when I got married. At the time, I naively asked her why she couldn’t give it to me now. Mom hugged me and laughed, saying if she ever encountered life-threatening danger, she would give it to me early. Hearing this, Uncle’s face darkened directly, telling Mom not to talk nonsense, it was bad luck. Grandma and Grandpa passed away early. Uncle was practically raised by Mom, so their relationship was exceptionally good. At this moment, seeing the bracelet, Uncle’s icy face finally softened a bit. I choked out, “Mom asked me to bring the bracelet for help. She said as long as you see it, you will definitely understand her situation!” “The school’s quota for the Antarctic expedition this year, didn’t you always want me to give it to Cici? As long as you are willing to save Mom and Luke, I agree!” After saying that, I kowtowed heavily to Uncle again. Actually, when I was little, Uncle and Dad spoiled me a lot. But ever since Cici entered the house, that favor became less and less. My princess room, toys, and clothes were all given to Cici. Later, because of my excellent grades, the school gave me the only quota for the Antarctic expedition. But that night, Dad and Uncle came to me, asking me to give the opportunity to Cici. At that time, I even suspected I wasn’t biological. Otherwise, why did they side with that adopted daughter in everything? Until later, I learned a secret. It turned out that Cici was the daughter of Dad and Uncle’s “white moonlight” (first love/unrequited love). So, they made up for their regrets with the white moonlight on Cici. Seeing me offer the Antarctic expedition quota as an exchange, Uncle was suddenly stunned. Because he knew very well how important this quota was to me. Sure enough, he hesitated slightly, asking doubtfully. “You really aren’t lying?” I sniffled, tone firm. “If I’m lying, may I be hit by a car as soon as I go out!” At this time, Uncle’s sidekick couldn’t stand it anymore. “Boss, this little girl doesn’t look like she’s lying. If she has this acting skill, she could win an Oscar.” “How about we go check it out? It’s not far anyway, treat it as a patrol.” But Uncle still hesitated. I steeled my heart, took off the bracelet, and stuffed it into Uncle’s hand. “Didn’t Cici like this bracelet before? As long as you are willing to save Mom and Luke, I’m willing to give it to Cici!” If Mom is gone, what use is this bracelet to me? Sure enough, after getting the bracelet, Uncle immediately dispelled his doubts and agreed to go check with me. Before leaving, he warned me again. “I’ll trust you this once. If I find out you’re lying, I won’t forgive you!” I nodded desperately, following him and a dozen soldiers, driving three speedboats towards the coordinates I reported. As long as I could save Luke and Mom, I was willing even if it meant death. Chapter 3 But fifteen minutes later, after the speedboats rushed to the location, they found nothing. I was burning with anxiety. Before escaping into the utility room, I set an electronic lock on the yacht. Without the password, it couldn’t be driven away. Where did the yacht go? Where did the pirates go? Immediately after, we searched the nearby waters for a while, still finding nothing. Just then, Uncle suddenly received a call. After hanging up, his face was terrifyingly gloomy. Pointing at me, he scolded. “I knew you were lying. Your dad just called and said there were no pirates at all! Everything was directed and acted by you three!” “Now, your dad has already taken your mom and brother back on the yacht! Nothing happened!” “Harper, you went to such lengths, even fabricating the danger of your relatives to act, aren’t you afraid karma will hit you one day?” “I’m so disappointed in you! Cici is more like a daughter of the family!” My head exploded with a boom. “I didn’t lie, I really didn’t lie…” But before I could explain, Uncle kicked me off the speedboat, saying coldly. “Since you love acting so much, then soak in the seawater and reflect on yourself!” With that, he was about to drive the speedboat away. Just then, I saw something floating on the sea not far away. Swimming over to look, I was struck by lightning. It was actually my brother’s severed arm! The little alligator tattoo on the wrist was done by me. I couldn’t mistake it! I swam over quickly, ignoring my fear, hugging the severed arm, confirming again and again. Finally, although I didn’t want to admit it, I was almost certain this was my brother’s arm. At this moment, I couldn’t control myself and screamed, tears mixed with seawater flowing down my face. In my freshman year, I suddenly became obsessed with tattoos and wanted to practice on my brother’s arm. Luke refused. Finally, unable to beat my persistence, he only instructed me to tattoo something cool. Seeing the cute little alligator I tattooed on his wrist, he laughed and cried. “What is this thing? It doesn’t match my tough guy image.” “Besides, where do alligators have green eyes? Isn’t this a joke?” I explained patiently. “Alligators are so cool, just like you.” “Besides, the alligator’s eyes see the river water, and the river reflects the color of trees and grass, so of course they are green.” “I guarantee, this tattoo is unique in the world, no duplicates.” Hearing me say he was cool and unique, Luke was immediately happy, saying seeing the tattoo would be like seeing him. Even if his appearance changed, the tattoo wouldn’t. Unexpectedly, it became a prophecy. Uncle was about to leave, but was attracted by my scream. Seeing the severed arm in my arms, he immediately frowned and ordered other soldiers to search nearby. Sure enough, not long after, someone found a jacket nearby. And that jacket was bought by Uncle for Mom this summer. Uncle’s brows furrowed even tighter. He hesitated, then asked. “You really didn’t lie? My sister and your brother really met pirates?” I laughed and cried. “How many times do I have to say it for you to believe?” “This arm is my brother’s! I tattooed this myself, I absolutely wouldn’t mistake it!” “I don’t expect you to save them anymore, because they might already be dead.” But what I didn’t understand was, I clearly called the Coast Guard and reported the coordinates. Even if Uncle didn’t come, they should have been able to save Mom and Luke. But now, not only were Mom and Luke missing, even the yacht and pirates were gone. If not for Luke’s arm and Mom’s jacket, I would almost think I was just dreaming. But the arm reminded me constantly, this was not a dream. Hearing this, Uncle dialed Dad’s number again. This time, he put it on speaker. As soon as the call connected, Dad’s impatient voice came through. “What now? Didn’t I tell you? There are no pirates. Your sister and nephew have returned home. What else do you want to ask?” Uncle hesitated for a while, then asked back. “Richard, you weren’t with them, how do you know they returned?” Dad choked. “I just know. Ah, stop asking, I have other things to do. Hanging up.” With that, before Uncle could speak, Dad hung up. But this time, Uncle didn’t seem to believe him. Instead, he called for more reinforcements. He even planned to use drones to search the entire sea area. But the area was too large. Night was falling; there wasn’t enough time. At this moment, I suddenly remembered my spare phone was still in the cabin. Maybe it could be tracked. Sure enough, Uncle immediately located the yacht based on my phone. Following the yacht’s location, we immediately drove the speedboats there. On the way, Uncle’s soldier thoughtfully took off his jacket for me to keep warm. Uncle’s eyes also held some guilt. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly, not knowing whether to resent him. I knew he had a sister complex. In his eyes, no one was more important than my mom. I remembered a girlfriend he had before, who was dumped by Uncle just because she gave my mom attitude. Even I was arguably less important to him than my mom. So, him not believing me and refusing to help earlier wasn’t intentional. He was misled. Right now, he was probably more annoyed than I was.

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I am an assassin. My target this time is the genius hacker known as “Keyboard.” The mission dragged on with zero leads, so I went to a bar to drown my sorrows. One thing led to another, and I accidentally slept with a repressed, buttoned-up nerd. I planned to ghost him immediately, but Ethan Clarke stuck to me like gum on a shoe. I tracked the IP address all the way to Keyboard’s hideout. The man I’d been sleeping next to every night was sitting in front of the computer, his expression calm behind his black-rimmed glasses: “So, the person you want to kill… is me?” Chapter 1 I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. Looking at the young man sleeping stiffly beside me, I felt a bolt of lightning hit my brain. He… he looked way too young! No wonder he was so clumsy last night… it was his first time. I shivered, trembling as I reached for his folded coat to check his wallet. The moment I saw the ID, I let out a long breath. Ethan Clarke. Nineteen. Thank God he’s legal. He must have Asian genes; no wonder he doesn’t crack. I have a colleague in the Organization like that—you can never tell her age. Speak of the devil, my comms device suddenly vibrated. I grabbed my scattered clothes while putting in my earpiece and walking out. Vesper’s calm voice came through the line: “Lilith, Alta Finance’s trading system was breached by Keyboard again. We tracked the intruder’s IP.” “It’s the Main Computer Science Building at Leyton Tech.” I groaned. “Can you guys be faster next time? Do you know how long I’ve been stuck here?” “This is the result of five people working non-stop,” Vesper said flatly. She continued, “The attack was routed through an internal research account… We suspect Keyboard is highly likely a professor at Leyton Tech.” “Got it. I’ll figure it out.” I sighed, unable to stop myself from complaining. “You don’t know how unlucky I was last night. These Ivy League types… you really can’t judge a book by its cover…” Chapter 2 My name is Lilith. I’m a member of the international assassin organization “X.” Unlike my colleague who uses the codename “Vesper,” I only have the name Lilith. Abandoned at birth, the Organization raised me and molded me into a qualified killer. Not long ago, I took a contract worth five million dollars. The target: A hacker named Keyboard. Keyboard is infamous on the dark web. He single-handedly breached the intranet of Trans-Pacific Bank, leaking the secret accounts of dozens of politicians. Rumor has it that incident implicated diplomats from three countries, causing the Finance Minister of a certain island nation to “resign due to illness” and vanish. This time, the high bounty was posted because the client claimed Keyboard hacked Alta Finance’s main server. The client alleged Keyboard altered accounts and walked away with tens of millions. I’ve been on the East Coast for a whole week trying to find him! I even took a side job and zeroed a drug smuggler just to pass the time. But days passed, and intel on Keyboard? Jack squat. The Organization was useless, and the client was playing dead. Last night, my mood hit rock bottom. I walked into a dive bar to drink. Who knew I’d end up in bed with some random nerd? The kid looked like a straight-A student, but once the clothes came off… let’s just say he was built. The terrifying part? He was a virgin. All equipment, no technique. Thinking about last night still gives me shivers. The last time I was this exhausted, I spent three nights fighting mercenaries in the Amazon. Thinking of Ethan’s sleeping face before I left, I felt even more annoyed. Once Keyboard is dead, I am never coming back to the East Coast! Chapter 3 Wearing a white sundress, I walked into the computer lab at Leyton Tech, trying my best to blend in as a normal college student. In my backpack, alongside a textbook, was my trusty P226. On the podium stood a spirited old man, Professor Breen. He was the Vice Dean of Computer Science and the Organization’s prime suspect. I planned to observe him closely, but the lecture sounded like alien language to me. As I listened, my head started to droop… “You there—yes, you in the white dress. Explain the applicability of Dijkstra’s algorithm in graphs with negative weights.” I jolted upright to see Breen frowning at me. Dijk… what? I couldn’t even spell that. Panic rising, I frantically tapped the thigh of the guy sitting next to me under the table. Suddenly, my hand was grabbed. I turned my head and realized the person holding my hand was… him! The kid with the terrible technique! Damn it, he’s a student at Leyton Tech? He quickly scribbled something on a notepad and slid it in front of me. I stammered as I read it: “Uh… Dijkstra is not applicable for graphs containing negative weight edges…” “Fine. Stop reading.” Breen rolled his eyes, deciding to let me off. The old man raised an eyebrow at Ethan. “Ethan, is this your girlfriend? Unexpected. I thought you were—” “Yes.” “No!” We spoke at the same time. Whispers broke out across the classroom. Breen shrugged, addressing the class. “Let me teach you a pickup line. You can tell your future partner: My love for you is like Dijkstra in graph theory—globally optimal…” Chapter 4 After class, I tried to bolt, but Ethan grabbed my wrist. I had a hundred ways to drop him, but I’d probably be arrested for assaulting a student. I forced a smile. “Sorry, classmate, I don’t know you. Can I help you?” Ethan frowned slightly. “Why did you leave without saying goodbye? Lilith.” Damn it. Alcohol really is the enemy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ethan pushed up his glasses, his tone still perfectly monotonous. “That night on Kendall Street, you suddenly hugged me—” “Enough!” I raised my voice, incredulous. “Do you expect me to take responsibility for you?” “Did studying rot your brain? Ask anyone here. It was a one-night stand. Who acts like this?” A girl with freckles next to us poked me. She whispered, “Ethan is a PhD candidate under Professor Breen and the TA for this class… do you want to fail?” I took a deep breath and clenched my fists. The dark-haired man in front of me rolled up the sleeves of his cardigan and naturally helped me pack my brand-new textbook. Ethan looked at me quietly. “Lilith, let’s talk in private.”

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The day Vivian forced the divorce papers on me, I was bound to the Deathwish System. The system’s command echoed in my head: “Slap her across the face and tell her to get lost.” I trembled. Vivian was ruthless. If I dared to stand in the way of her reunion with her long-lost love, she would tear me to pieces. But the system’s threat was chillingly clear: “If you don’t start courting death, you’re going to die. Now.” I had no choice. My hand flew out, and I slapped her. Terrified, I turned and ran from the house the moment my palm made contact. Then the system gave me my next task: smash the window of a police car parked on the street. I was starting to think the system just wanted me dead. But after I shattered the squad car’s side mirror, I finally understood. The life the system wanted me to destroy wasn’t my own. It was theirs. 1 I stared at the squad car, my mind reeling. “No way. That’s a crime!” The voice in my head was cold as ice. “Court death, or you die.” I wouldn’t have believed it. But half an hour ago, that voice had appeared out of nowhere. It told me I was the male lead in a tragedy, a story written to end with my death. Once Vivian’s first love, Adrian Levy, returned to the country, I would be thrown out. After a series of brutal, heart-wrenching events—being tormented, used as a blood bag, and having my kidney stolen—I was destined to be beaten to death by a group of thugs and left to die in an alley. A shiver went down my spine. Adrian had returned last month. And this month, Vivian had started staying out late. Her gaze would drift when she looked at me. I found a man’s cologne in her pocket, one I didn’t wear. She’d step away to take her calls. I knew our hollow marriage was finally over. Today, she handed me the divorce papers. “Adrian won’t see me,” she’d said, her voice flat. “He says we need to keep our distance now that I’m married.” “You know his health is fragile. He can’t be left alone.” “Just sign the papers, Ethan.” I glanced at the agreement. There was no mention of assets. Nothing for me. My savings had been spent years ago, helping Vivian rebuild her empire after her family went bankrupt. For the past few years, she’d been ashamed of me, forbidding me from working. If she kicked me out, I wouldn’t have enough money for dinner. I wanted to reason with her, but the system had ordered me to slap her instead. Everyone knew Vivian Levy, the self-made tycoon, was a shark who played for keeps. Slapping her was a genuine death wish. Now, the system was pushing me again. “Smash it! Now!” Terrified that its prophecy would come true, I grabbed a loose brick from the pavement and brought it down hard on the side mirror. With a loud crack, the mirror shattered and fell to the ground. The car alarm blared, and three officers rushed out from around the corner. I immediately raised my hands, ready to surrender. The lead officer gestured, and I was taken to the precinct. In the interrogation room, an officer held up my blood test results. “No alcohol, stable mental state. So why’d you smash a squad car?” “You do realize that’s a crime, right?” I repeated the lines the system fed me. “I know. I did it on purpose. I know exactly what I’m doing.” A young female officer looked at me, completely baffled. “What’s wrong with you? Get dumped?” I told her the truth. “No. Getting a divorce.” The officer cleared her throat. “Full restitution for the damages, a one-thousand-dollar fine, and ten days in a holding cell.” “You should call your family. And don’t do this again.” I dutifully handed over my bank cards, but every single one was declined. Vivian was already teaching me a lesson. The officers told me to call my family. I dialed Vivian’s number ten times. No answer. On the eleventh try, I found I’d been blocked. The female officer used the precinct’s landline. The moment she said my name, she was cut off. Vivian’s voice, which had once been so gentle, was now cold enough to freeze water. “Ethan? Call me back when he’s dead.” The officers exchanged uneasy glances. The female officer looked at my file again, at the two words printed there: Orphan. Her expression soured. “Just take him to the holding cell.” The ten days weren’t as bad as I’d expected. I was busy with daily routines and educational sessions, which left little time to think about Vivian. When I got my phone back, it was flooded with missed calls from Vivian and her assistant. I called her back. “Where are you?” she demanded, her voice sharp. “The file I left in my office drawer. Where did you hide it?!” 2 I didn’t understand. I paused, confused. Vivian’s voice grew harsher. “I’m giving you half an hour. If that file isn’t back on my desk, I’m calling the police.” “Ethan, do not test my patience.” I was completely lost. I looked at the female officer standing beside me. She had heard everything and gestured for my phone. Taking it, she spoke in a serious tone. “Ms. Levy, your husband was just released from police custody. He still has a fine to pay.” “If you want to file a report, you can come directly to the precinct.” To my surprise, Vivian let out a cold laugh. “Ethan, I’m not in the mood for your games.” The next second, she hung up. I had no idea what was going on, but the police told me to wait at the station while they called Vivian to come and pay the fine. Half an hour later, Vivian stormed in. Her face was dark, and she was grilling one of the officers. “Are you telling me he was really in a holding cell for the past ten days? He didn’t go anywhere?” The officer snapped back, “Believe what you want. Just pay the fine.” On the way to her office, I pieced together the story from Vivian’s conversation with her assistant. Yesterday, a crucial bid proposal had vanished from her desk drawer. It was for the company’s most important project of the year, a highly confidential document, and Vivian had the only final copy. The bid was due tomorrow. I was confused. “Something that important didn’t have a backup?” The assistant answered in a small voice, “Mr. Levy accidentally spilled water on Ms. Levy’s laptop. The hard drive was completely fried.” Vivian’s voice was a low warning. “Adrian already feels terrible about it. He’s sensitive. You are not to mention this in front of him.” The entire office was in a state of emergency, everyone scrambling. The only person who wasn’t was Adrian, who was sitting in Vivian’s chair, lazily browsing the web. When he saw me, a smile spread across his face and he strode over. “Vivian, you found Ethan! Does that mean you found the file, too?” He took Vivian’s hand, his fingers playfully intertwining with hers. “I told you Ethan was just angry and took the file to get back at you. You don’t need to worry about the bid.” Vivian’s expression was strange. She said nothing. Adrian’s smile faltered. His eyes shifted to me. “Ethan, you didn’t… lose the file, did you?” When I didn’t answer, he frowned slightly. “Ethan, I heard Vivian asked for a divorce. I know what she did was wrong, and you must be upset.” “But you shouldn’t have taken a company document. That’s everyone’s hard work.” He changed his tone. “Just give the file back. I’ve already talked to Vivian. She won’t press charges.” Vivian forced out a few words. “He didn’t take it.” Adrian froze. “What? How is that possible…” Just then, the system’s voice boomed in my head. “Slap him. Hard. Now!” How could I dare to touch the man Vivian cherished? But looking at the scene before me, I understood. The system had made me smash the police car to give me an airtight alibi. It wasn’t trying to hurt me. With that realization, I swung with all my might. My palm connected with Adrian’s face with a sickening crack. “You fake!” I spat, reciting the lines the system had prepared. “Who the hell are you to stick your nose in my family’s business? If you’re so concerned, why don’t you try keeping your eyes off another man’s wife for a change!” “You knew I couldn’t have the file, so you fanned the flames on purpose. I bet you’re the one who took it!” The air went still. Adrian clutched his cheek, his face a mask of disbelief. “You…” I slapped him again, a backhand this time. “‘You’ what?! Don’t talk to me. I don’t speak to home-wrecking scum. It’s disgusting!” “Ethan, are you insane?!” Vivian finally reacted, grabbing my wrist. Following the system’s command, I snatched the water glass from her desk and threw its contents in her face. The scalding water drenched her. Vivian froze. 3 She stared at me, her eyes filled with a look of utter unfamiliarity, as if I were a complete stranger. “What have you become? If I had known you were this unreasonable, back then…” I cut her off. “If I had known you were no better than a public toilet, I never would have saved you!” Years ago, Vivian’s family went bankrupt. Her father jumped from a skyscraper, and her mother followed him in death. Creditors broke her leg and threw her into the sea. I was a fisherman back then. I found her and brought her home. I thought that with just the two of us, we could at least find warmth in each other. But Adrian’s return had turned our eight-year marriage into a joke. The system’s prophecies and interventions had thrown my life into chaos. Looking at the drenched, stunned Vivian, for the first time, I regretted that day. Suddenly, Adrian cried out. He stumbled, catching himself on the desk. “Vivian, I feel dizzy.” Without even wiping the water from her face, Vivian turned and rushed to his side, helping him to the sofa. She didn’t spare me a single glance. I turned to leave, but she stopped me. “Adrian fainted because of you. Don’t you move!” She buzzed for her private doctor. After hearing Vivian’s instructions, the doctor wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. “Ms. Levy, while you and Mr. Levy are both Type A, anemia doesn’t necessarily require a blood transfusion.” “And even if it did, we could…” “That’s too much trouble,” Vivian’s voice was glacial. “Ethan dared to lay a hand on him, so he can take responsibility.” “Just draw his blood.” The system urged me on. “Don’t just stand there. Time to make a scene!” I dug my nails into my palm, then threw open the office door. “Urgently seeking Type A blood!” I shouted into the bustling office. “Ten thousand dollars for a pint!” I turned back to face Vivian’s shocked expression. “What, you’re not willing to part with a little cash for him?” From down the hall, employees started to gather. “Ms. Levy, sir, I’m Type A! I even have my donor card. Is it really ten thousand dollars for a pint?” I smiled. “Our CEO is in a hurry to save Mr. Levy. The more, the merrier.” With that, I pushed through the crowd and went straight home. Under the system’s guidance, I spent the rest of the day drafting a new divorce agreement. It was two in the morning when Vivian finally came home, smelling of a cologne I’d always hated. She had already forgotten. She picked up the agreement I’d drafted and let out a series of cold, mocking laughs. “Ethan, asking me to leave with nothing? Have you lost your mind?” She tossed a document at me—a voluntary organ donation form. “No more games. Either you sign this, or I’ll have someone sign it for you.” I opened it. Just as I expected. She wanted my kidney. Vivian scribbled on the divorce agreement. “Adrian is having health problems. Help him. Think of it as helping me.” “As a thank you, I’ll give you a million dollars.” She stared at me coldly. “Don’t be greedy. Don’t make me think you had ulterior motives when you saved me all those years ago.” Perhaps she was too confident. After that, she went into the master bedroom to sleep. A cold wind blew in from the window, and a chill ran down my spine. Following the system’s command, I opened the laptop in the study. Vivian’s social media password was easy to guess: the date Adrian left the country. She had once tattooed that string of numbers on her ankle. I took a picture of the organ donation agreement and posted it online. The caption read: High price for a matching kidney, $1 million. Serious inquiries only. Below it, I posted Vivian’s phone number.

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I cut my wrist to feed Dominic Keller my blood, keeping him alive while we were trapped in the blizzard. My own sacrifice cost me the feeling in my legs, frostbite stealing my mobility and leaving me a vegetable for five years. The exact moment my consciousness flickered back to life, the first sound I heard was his voice—a clear, even cadence—speaking to a doctor. “Mr. Keller, your wife is stable and shows promising signs of awakening. Are you absolutely certain about proceeding with euthanasia?” Dominic’s voice was too calm, too rational. “Money is no object, but I’ve invested five years of my life into this. I’m tapped out. She’s not living like this. It’s better to just let her go.” A searing, dizzying acidity flooded my heart. Five years had changed everything. The man who had once wept, begging me not to die, had finally been taken by the relentless, erosive march of time. … The sound of footsteps stopped beside the bed, and I lifted my head to see Dominic for the first time in five years. He wasn’t as frantic or elated as I had imagined. His gaze held a strange, complicated opacity. He opened his mouth, but the only thing that came out was a quiet, almost perfunctory question. “Is there anything you need? Anywhere you feel pain? I’ll call the doctor.” My throat was desert dry, but no sound would come out. I could only offer a slow, almost imperceptible shake of my head. The atmosphere in the sterile room was suffocatingly quiet. It shattered when the door flew open and a bright, quick voice chirped, “Dom, you promised we’d head out to get my birthday sapphire!” The young woman who burst in froze immediately, our eyes locking. Her smile—so wide, so radiant—collapsed entirely. Hesitantly, she looked toward Dominic. Dominic shifted, an awkward flush creeping up his neck. He avoided her gaze and offered a quick, strained explanation to me. “Jen, this is my assistant, Skylar Reed.” Skylar obviously resented the clinical title, but she merely blinked, her eyes clouding with tears, and said nothing. I lowered my gaze, a dull ache throbbing in my chest. The girl, Skylar, was the ghost of my twenty-five-year-old self. Young, vibrant, with that distinctive smile that crinkled her nose and exposed the youthful prominence of her canine teeth. It was the look Dominic had always claimed to love the most. He seemed desperate to escape the tense bubble we were in. He took Skylar’s elbow and ushered her out. Moments later, the medical team swept in for my full physical assessment. The diagnosis was a formal confirmation of what I already knew: I was awake, but the damage to my legs was permanent. I would likely never stand unaided again. It wasn’t a shock. I hadn’t expected to live through the blizzard in the first place. For the next few days, Dominic came with clockwork regularity. He was skilled and meticulous: he massaged my withered legs, he peeled fruit for me with practiced ease. But he was quiet. When I tried to engage him, he would only listen patiently, offering no real response, no argument, just silence. He operated on a strict schedule, leaving precisely the moment the sun began to dip below the horizon. Every time I reached out to stop him, he would offer the same dismissive excuse. “I have work to handle, Jen. I’ll see you tomorrow.” The hospital door closed yet again. I stared blankly at the fading afternoon light, and the muffled chatter of the nurses in the hall drifted in, every cruel word audible. “Did you hear? The vegetable who’s been comatose for five years finally woke up.” “Can you believe it? And her husband was about to pull the plug, right?” My fingers, resting on the blanket, curled into a fist. I hadn’t had the chance to understand the last five years of Dominic’s life. He had stonewalled every question. “You don’t know the half of it. Her husband is loaded. He’s poured tens of millions into experimental treatments and imported meds just to keep her going.” The envy in the voice was palpable, before the tone soured. “But he has a new girl now. That’s why he wanted to sign the DNR.” The moment they mentioned the “new girl,” Skylar’s bright, hurt face flashed in my mind. The knowledge wasn’t new, but the blunt cruelty of it was. How could twenty years—a lifetime—with Dominic be dismissed so easily? It was the day I was discharged. As Dominic helped me into the car, I looked up at his chiseled profile and asked a question I knew was pointless. “Could you let your assistant go?” His hand, which was bracing my elbow, paused. He didn’t answer, instead deflecting as he always did. “The weather’s beautiful today. I thought we could stop by the waterfront for a bit of sun before heading home?” I tightened my grip on his wrist, holding him in place. “Dominic. What are you afraid of? You told me she was just your assistant.” The smile he’d been forcing evaporated completely. He pulled his wrist back sharply, creating a distance between us that was wider than the car seat. He took a deep, ragged breath. “Jenny, I didn’t beg you to save me five years ago.” The words were a gunshot. “I’ve done my duty, Jen. More than. I’ve wasted money, I’ve wasted my youth. If I had known… if I had known it would turn out like this, we should have just died together on that mountain!” My breath hitched. He saw the blank devastation in my eyes and suddenly deflated. “No, Skylar is not my assistant. We’ve been together for three years.” Dominic’s voice was hard and hollow. “It’s her birthday today. I need to be with her.” He threw the last words out and all but fled, a clear, wide distance between us, his escape executed with the panic of a trapped animal. I sat in the back of the car, silent and numb, watching the city blur outside the window. His words were a relentless loop in my mind. The driver dropped me off at the house. I pushed myself on the wheelchair toward the entrance. Five years had blurred my memory, but the emptiness of the house was immediate. It was not warm. It looked abandoned. Dust covered the furniture like a thin shroud. In the yard, the swing set Dominic had built for me was just two rotten posts holding up a splintered plank. It was all gone. The framed wedding photos had been taken down from the wall. I wheeled through the cavernous, empty living room. My bedroom only contained a bed draped in a protective plastic sheet. Seeing the evidence of his total abandonment, I closed my eyes and sighed. The haze behind my eyelids gathered into tears. We had been together for two decades. We met young, married young, and had spent years grinding it out in a cramped Lower East Side walk-up, working tirelessly until we finally made it in Manhattan. We used our first real money to buy this house—this impossible, beautiful place right on Long Island Sound, where Dominic said he could open the window and see the ocean every morning. I thought we had everything. For our honeymoon, I asked to see the sunrise from the peak of a remote mountain. He took me to the Wyoming backcountry. The weather turned on us, and we were caught in an unprecedented blizzard as we descended, scrambling into a shallow, desperate cave. He stripped the coat off his own back and wrapped me in it, trying to transfer what little warmth he had. We were trapped for seven days, without food or water. The relentless snow felt like a suffocating weight. “Jen, I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect you.” Dominic had clung to the guilt. But I never blamed him. To keep him from slipping away, I used my knife to slit my palm, guiding the thick, vital blood to his lips. My legs were already dead, numb. Every time I felt myself drifting, Dominic would pinch my wrist, shouting. “Jenny, you have to hold on! We promised forever. If you die, I won’t live either.” When the search and rescue team finally reached us, I was gone. As I lost consciousness, Dominic was sobbing like a child. He was pleading with me not to leave him. “Whatever it takes, I’ll make sure you live. Even if it costs me my life.” “Don’t go too far ahead. Wait for me.” “When you wake up, I’ll still be your husband.” I wiped a slow tear from the corner of my eye, opening and closing my hand. When I had grabbed his wrist to stop him from leaving the hospital, I had felt the subtle, instantaneous tension of his withdrawal. I knew about his cleanliness obsession, but he had never once flinched from touching me before. Dominic had forgotten his promises. But he was right. He had done his duty for five years. I pulled out my phone and checked my accounts. The money I had set aside from before the coma was untouched. It would be enough to leave. I would give them their future. Dominic returned only after dark. He was carrying several large shopping bags filled with groceries and household essentials. When he saw me still in the desolate living room, he set the bags on the counter and knelt awkwardly in front of my wheelchair. His voice was softer, less strained. “Jen, don’t take what I said earlier to heart. I was just…” “I was just exhausted. For five years, I watched you lie there, motionless, and I felt so powerless. I often wondered why I was allowed to live.” He was explaining, carefully, cautiously. “After the accident, I couldn’t bear to be here. I haven’t lived here since. But don’t worry, I’ve hired a team of private aides. They’ll take care of everything now.” If I had heard this even a week ago, I might have been moved. But I knew the truth now: he had found someone better, someone easier. He stood up and glanced at the flight information glowing on my phone screen. He offered a light, almost forced smile. “Once your legs get a little stronger, we can travel. Anywhere you want. I’ll go with you.” I pursed my lips and simply nodded. Dominic glanced at his watch. “I have to go now.” “Skylar has a temper. If she thinks I’m here… hands-on… she’ll get upset.” His tone was hesitant, laced with a testing uncertainty, as if he expected me to throw a scene. I let out a silent sigh. “I know. I’ll take care of myself.” A flash of genuine surprise crossed his face. I shifted my gaze, unable to bear the sight of his shock at my sudden compliance. Before he could say anything else, his phone rang sharply. Skylar’s complaining voice was audible even before he answered. He spoke to her patiently, his tone gentle, utterly lacking the frustration he showed me. I sat in the wheelchair, watching my husband console his mistress. In this house, the house we built, I felt like the intruder, the inconvenience. I looked at Dominic, almost avariciously, searching for a glimmer of the man who had loved me. There was none. As he visibly prepared to bolt, I asked the question again, my voice flat. “When will we file for divorce? When will you give your little girlfriend her official title?” His forced smile snapped. He frowned. “Don’t start with this, Jen. I have to go. I’ll call you.” The door slammed shut again, the sound echoing through the empty house. As promised, Dominic had arranged my life perfectly. The private aides were fastidious, helping me transition from bed to chair, assisting with bathing to prevent falls. He was the only thing missing. When I eventually asked for his new contact information, he was immediately defensive, irritable. “Jenny, I have a career. I can’t be glued to you twenty-four-seven.” “You have the aides. Ask them.” “I’m not giving you my new cell number. You’ll probably spend the whole month’s retainer just on talking to me.” After hearing variations of this a hundred times, I learned my lesson. For a full month, I never once contacted him. I thought this was how my life would be—a quiet, supported end. Then, Dominic suddenly remembered me. He brought Skylar to the house. Skylar was dressed impeccably, a new, glittering ring on her finger that perfectly matched the one on Dominic’s. They were standing before me, fingers interlaced. Skylar smiled brightly as she greeted me. “Jen, my friend is a rehabilitation specialist. He’s seen loads of cases like yours. With intense physical therapy, there’s a real chance you could walk again.” Dominic looked at me, his mouth curved in an approving smile. “Skylar’s friend is notoriously hard to book, Jen. You should really thank her.” Watching their nauseating, performative intimacy, a bitter taste filled my mouth. Doctors had given up; this “friend” was clearly an invention. Before I could decline, Skylar stepped forward and pressed down on my immobile legs. She leaned close, dropping her voice to a vicious, barely audible whisper. “Jenny Walsh, you’re dead weight. Do you really not know how to leave gracefully?” “Dom was listening to me. He was going to put you to sleep. Why not just go back to sleep and die in peace? It’s less suffering.” Her fingertips dug hard into my damaged thigh. The shock of the sharp, targeted pain was so jarring that I reflexively pushed her away. To Dominic, however, it looked like I had intentionally attacked her. His face darkened instantly. He caught Skylar, helped her up, and, without asking what happened, began to lecture me. “Jenny, a little gratitude is required! I know you’re frustrated, but Skylar is only trying to help.” He took a sharp breath, his tone turning to pure, withering sarcasm. “They say disability changes people, makes them bitter. I never believed it, but you’re proving them right. You genuinely disappoint me.” After his explosive outburst, Dominic fired the aides. He glanced back at me before he left. “Since you think you’re so capable, you can manage for yourself now.” “Don’t come crawling to Skylar for help.” Without assistance, I couldn’t do anything. Getting into the wheelchair meant struggling and pulling myself up. Showering was terrifying, always a hair’s breadth from a fall. Three days later, I slipped in the bathroom, fell, and broke my arm. Dominic only rushed to the hospital when the surgeon required a spouse to sign the consent form. He saw my ashen face. Something in the sight of my injury must have triggered a wave of guilt, and he started to apologize, his words tripping over themselves. “I was just so angry last time. I’m sorry, honey. So sorry.” “It’s fine.” I cut him off, stopping his weak justifications dead in his throat. Dominic looked confused, perhaps expecting the usual fight, the hysterical scene, the demand for explanations. He assumed my silence meant I would eventually fight, that I would always demand the terms of our marriage. “You’ve thought it through?” he asked, wary. I nodded, the words coming out calmly, naturally. “You’ve done enough for me over the years. You’re right. I can’t hold your freedom hostage just because I saved your life.” I had finally seen the full picture. Twenty years of love had been obliterated by five years of my absence. But Dominic didn’t look relieved. His face cycled through shock and fear. He mumbled, “Jenny, please. Don’t do this.” For the next few days in the hospital, Dominic stayed, a constant shadow. He took over the role of a personal aide, meticulous and attentive. He even tried to chat, weaving stories about a future we could have. “When you’re stronger, we’ll go to Finland to see the Northern Lights.” “And Iceland. The hot springs are incredible.” I looked calmly at his profile. I had already seen those places. I had seen them on his social media feeds—with Skylar. The landscape photos, the shared meals, the staged selfies in front of their new house by the other coastline. Suddenly, I was just tired of the charade. As he sunk deeper into his fabricated future, I cut him short. “Christmas is almost here. Can you meet me at Rockefeller Plaza that day? I have something to tell you.” Dominic agreed immediately. On Christmas Day, I arrived at Rockefeller Plaza at the agreed-upon time. After twenty years together, it was time for a clean, definitive farewell. The plaza was packed, but I saw him instantly. And I saw Skylar standing right beside him. “You promised you would divorce her. We’ve been waiting for three years.” Skylar was having a full meltdown, clinging to his arm. “Jenny is dead weight now. How much longer are you going to let her cling to you?” She grabbed his hand. “Divorce her, Dom. And make her our witness. I’ve already set the wedding date: January fifteenth.” January fifteenth. The exact date, five years ago, that we were trapped in the blizzard. Dominic didn’t agree, but he didn’t push her away, either. He hesitated. That was all I needed. The stone in my heart finally dropped with a quiet, relieving thud. I looked down at my phone—the boarding pass was already open. I pushed the wheelchair forward, away from them, and did not look back.

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After I broke up with him, he cried to his best friend every day. “I dreamed about her again last night.” His best friend was annoyed: “Only dead people visit in dreams.” Jayden sobbed: “Then she must have died for our love.” The response was cold: “Only vengeful ghosts haunt people.” Jayden: “But we made eye contact in the dream.” The friend was exasperated: “Pigs look up before they’re slaughtered.” Later, his best friend met me and froze on the spot. After a while, his ears turned red, and he gritted his teeth. “Didn’t you say she was ugly and bad, a cheater who likes pretty boys?” Jayden giggled: “I was afraid you’d steal her.” His best friend sneered: “Jayden, I’ve had a crush on her for six years.” “You despised her for liking pretty boys, so beat it.” “I’m somewhat attractive; I’ll court her first!” 01 I broke up with Jayden. This trust fund baby truly didn’t know the hardships of life. I borrowed some money from him for my sister’s medical bills, and he just gave me bullshit, saying: “Women should be independent. You can definitely earn enough money yourself!” “Besides, going Dutch is popular in dating now. It’s good enough that I don’t make you split the bills when we eat out.” “I have $50,000, but I don’t want to give it to you. I don’t want our pure love tainted by the smell of money.” “Furthermore, I believe you’re definitely not a gold digger, baby.” Believe my ass. I am a gold digger. A gambling dad, a sick mom, a disabled sister, and miserable me. If I didn’t find a way to get some money, I really couldn’t survive. But speaking of which, I wasn’t really digging for gold. I’d been this rich kid’s on-call nanny for almost six months. At first, he agreed to $2,000 a month. The result was he paid the first month, and then just gave me bullshit about how talking about money hurts feelings. Psycho. Jayden cried pathetically, reaching out to pull me: “Baby, don’t go, I don’t want to break up with you.” I held out my hand for money: “Then lend me $50,000.” Jayden: “That won’t work.” I rolled my eyes, shook him off, and left directly. Wasting my time. With this time, I could have polished shoes for Young Master Luke, brought breakfast for Miss Song, and earned a cool thousand. My sister was still lying in the hospital bed waiting for my money to get a prosthetic limb. 02 I brought brunch for my roommate, the rich girl Sarah Song, and hesitated to ask for a loan. After listening to the reason, Sarah gave it readily. “No rush to pay it back, treating your sister is important.” “We are classmates, I’ll take the IOU, no need for interest, I don’t lack this bit.” I was extremely grateful and took the money to the hospital. Just after paying the fees, I was called by a familiar male voice. Jayden was heartbroken: “Where did your money come from?” “We just broke up, and you are with another man for money?” His brain circuit was abnormal, sensitive and fragile. I didn’t bother to argue with him and said bluntly: “We have already broken up, leave me alone.” He raised his hand to wipe his tears and turned away stubbornly: “You will definitely regret it.” “Only I truly love you, those who give you money are fake.” I looked at the $50,000 displayed on the mobile banking app and couldn’t help but sneer. The stinking rich kid was declaring his love manifesto here again. Fake or not, wouldn’t I know? The saying “where the money is, the love is,” I understood from a young age. When I was little, I remember clearly how my dad got drunk and held all the family’s savings with both hands to give to his mistress. Jayden didn’t even want to lend me money, let alone spend it on me. Now, he even ran to the hospital to step on me. How much does he really like me? 03 Sarah teased me: “Heard you broke up with Jayden?” “You don’t know, he cries to his buddy every day now.” “Yesterday he got dead drunk outside, and the chat records on his phone were photographed and posted.” “I’ll forward them to you, it’s hilarious.” Her family and the Jay family didn’t get along. The more miserable Jayden was, the happier she felt. My phone screen broke yesterday, only half of it was lit. Sarah glanced at it and frowned: “It’s broken like this, and you’re still using it?” Then, she remembered my family situation and sighed. Got out of bed and rummaged through her suitcase. “Here, my old phone that I used before, take it.” I was flattered: “How can I accept this?” She changed phones quickly. Although it was old, it was 90% new. The brand was good, an iPhone worth eight or nine thousand. Sarah didn’t care: “Just consider it my good deed for the day.” “Okay, okay, don’t be touched, quickly look at the chat records and laugh with me.” “By the way, his buddy seems to be from the same high school as you.” “His name is William Wen, do you remember him?” 04 I seem to remember a little bit, but not much. I only knew that he was another existence like a trust fund baby in the capital circle. Sarah said: “William Wen’s grandmother was in poor health, so he went to your small county town to study in order to spend more time with the old lady.” “He’s handsome and has good grades, and is currently studying abroad.” There seemed to be such a person deep in my memory. But it was too far away. People like him, proud sons of heaven, never had any contact with small figures like me. I lowered my head and looked at the chat records. The afternoon before yesterday at 3:00 PM Jayden: “Bro, I still can’t forget her.” “Even though she is so bad to me, greedy for money and lustful, I still can’t forget her, it’s so painful.” William: “Oh.” Last night at ten o’clock Jayden: “Bro…” William: “Get lost.” Jayden: “Boohoo, I got drunk and dreamed of her again.” “Do you think she might also be unable to forget me and is visiting me in dreams?” William: “Only dead people visit in dreams.” Jayden: “Then she must have died for our love.” William: “Can you not be so confident?” “Even if she died for love, could she find you? Is she a vengeful ghost haunting you?” Jayden: “But we made eye contact in the dream, she just looked reluctant to part with me.” William: “…” “Pigs look up before they’re slaughtered. She probably hates you to the bone when she looks at you.” Jayden: “It’s okay if she hates me, it’s better than forgetting each other in the world.” “Bro, what time does your plane land? Can you come drink with me?” William: “Not going.” Jayden: “Please.” “I’ll call you Dad for a month.” William: “Disgusting.” Jayden: “?” 05 Sarah urged me to scroll down. “There’s more, there’s more.” I scrolled to the bottom, the last picture was full of the word “please”. Four o’clock in the morning. Jayden: “I still want to get back together with her.” William: “She was a pig in her past life, I wasted a whole night persuading you.” Jayden: “Bro, help me think of a way to pursue her.” “Really begging you, this time I won’t put on airs, even if she asks me to be a simp, a backup, I’ll accept it.” “I really can’t leave her.” William: “Get lost.” Jayden: “Bro, come beg her with me.” “We’ll kneel downstairs at her dorm for three days and three nights, she will definitely be moved, and will definitely be willing to get back together with me.” “I want her to see my determination.” William: “?” “Are you typing in English? How come I can’t understand?” Jayden: “Please bro, help me beg her together boohoo.” William: “Wait, I’m contacting a mental hospital for you right now.” 06 I hissed, feeling a bit tricky. It was just a normal breakup. Now that Jayden has made such a fuss, everyone in his circle knows about it. How can I make money in the future? This guy really has no morals. A qualified ex should be like dead. What is the point of making it known to everyone? The phone ding-donged, a new message popped up. Jayden requested to add you as a friend. In the verification message, it was his request. “Baby, can you meet me tonight?” “I’ll wait for you downstairs at your dorm.” “I also brought my bro…” A new friend request was sent again, the verification message filled in was: “Ah… the message above is ambiguous, I didn’t mean to threaten you.” “I brought my bro because I wanted him to help me translate.” “I have low EQ, and I always make you angry when I speak, “My bro has high EQ, you will definitely like to hear what he translates for me.” 07 I didn’t want to go to the appointment. I was also afraid that Jayden would really kneel downstairs at the dorm. After much hesitation, I still dawdled downstairs. The cold wind whistled, and some light snow floated. From a distance, I saw two people standing under the street lamp. One’s knees were bent downwards, as if about to kneel. While kneeling, he was also pulling the other one: “Please bro, just kneel with me.” “If she comes out and sees the two of us kneeling together, she will definitely soften her heart, and once she softens her heart, she will definitely be willing to get back together with me.” The other person’s face was dark, and he lifted his foot to kick him away: “I think there is something wrong with your brain.” “Never seen anyone as cheap as you, rushing to be a simp.” I stopped. What if it’s awkward to go out now? As if sensing my gaze, the person standing lifted his eyes and looked towards me. His lips were slightly pursed, his brows and eyes were cold, and the glance he looked over seemed to carry the chill of frost and snow. Cold into people’s hearts. After seeing my face clearly, he frowned, took two steps forward, and then paused on the spot. Jayden sensed his movement, raised his head, and looked over along with him. Then, he was ecstatic. “Baby, I knew you would come out!” “Are you reluctant to part with me, distressed for me?” “It’s okay, I’m not cold, my knees don’t hurt either, it hasn’t even been a minute since I knelt.” I was annoyed with him in my heart, and was about to speak. A male voice got ahead of me, containing anger: “Didn’t you say she was fat and ugly, and greedy for money and lustful?” Me: “?”

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The night before my wedding, I slept with the woman I’d loved for ten years. When the dawn light spilled across the deep crimson stain on the white sheets, I knew I was ruined. A day later, I broke my vow, canceling the society wedding of the year in front of a ballroom packed with every friend and family member we knew. Everyone was waiting—waiting for Sarah, my fiancée, to slap the arrogance right off my face. But she didn’t. She simply walked toward me and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Gabe,” she whispered, her voice barely a breath. “You have to be happy.” I had no way of knowing then, standing numb on the stage, that this hurried, forgiving hug would become a luxury I would spend the rest of my life desperate to touch again. 1 The snap of a lighter breaking the silence woke the woman sleeping next to me. Emily Hale rolled off the bed, stumbling as she scrambled to find the heap of tangled clothes on the floor. “Gabe…” Her voice trembled. “We were drunk last night. We have to bury this, okay? Just go. Please, I’m begging you.” The smoke curled up, weaving a translucent curtain between us. I looked at the woman I had loved—unconditionally, obsessively—for a decade. From eighteen to twenty-eight. My gaze, my heart, every single sober and hazy thought I’d ever had, they all pointed back to her. She had no idea the kind of seismic damage she was capable of. Just standing there, pulling on a shirt, she was more potent than everything else in the world combined. I stubbed the cigarette out in the saucer and gripped her wrist, her pulse fluttering beneath my fingers. “Do you want to leave with me? Right now.” “You’re out of your mind…” Her pupils reflected a kind of wild-eyed panic I’d never seen from her before. “Yes, I am. I don’t want to spend the next few decades regretting why I didn’t take you with me today.” I picked up my phone and dialed Cameron Foster’s number. His laugh was quick and easy on the receiver. “You finally picked up! I just dropped the fireworks off at the hotel. The crew is leaving for your place any minute. Get ready, man, don’t hold up the motorcade.” My hand was sweating around the phone, my throat constricted. The practiced speech I’d rehearsed in my head suddenly felt impossible to deliver. “Cam,” I cut him off. “The wedding… can we stop it now?” The line went silent for two agonizing seconds. “…What are you talking about?” “I said, I want to cancel the wedding. Is it too late?” “Gabriel Ashton!” Cam’s voice became immediately grave. “Where the hell are you right now? Your parents are here, Sav’s parents are here, all your family, every friend you’ve ever had! This is not the time to debate whether you’re in love! You chose the date, you sent the invitations, you proposed! This is about responsibility! This is a commitment to everyone! Whatever massive crisis you’re having, deal with it after the ceremony! Get your ass home now!” “I cheated.” The other end went dead quiet. “What?” “I cheated on Sav.” I repeated it, the words tasting like ash. “I can’t lie to her anymore. And I can’t lie to myself.” “Gabe… you selfish son of a bitch!” Cam’s voice twisted with fury. “You’ve been distracted since you took that goddamn phone call at the bachelor dinner last night! I shouldn’t have let you leave! I can’t fix this! You need to go talk to the bride!” He slammed the phone down. Sarah. The bride today. My hands were shaking. I couldn’t even bring myself to scroll to her contact. “Stop, Gabe. Just stop.” Emily’s voice sounded, closer now. She was fully dressed and standing by the door. “Last night was… an accident. Neither of us meant for it to happen. I don’t need you to be responsible for me, and I certainly don’t need you to destroy your life as penance.” She lowered her gaze. “This is where it ends. I’m leaving.” Before I could process it, she opened the door and hurried out. “Emily… don’t go!” I frantically scrambled on the carpet, gathering my clothes. When I charged down the stairs, throwing on my jacket, the street was already empty. She was like a cool gust of wind through a hallway, vanishing before my eyes yet again. The sudden chime of my phone made me jump. It was Sarah. My fiancée. My finger hovered over the screen, but I hit Decline. I immediately pulled up Emily’s number. Before I could dial, a text from Cam slid across the screen: Sav is here. My heart plummeted. “Where?” At your place, the reply came. She said she couldn’t get hold of you all morning, worried you were too stressed with planning, so she came herself. Gabe, I’m giving you one last piece of advice. Don’t choose the path that will make you regret everything. The phone slipped from my sweaty palm and clattered at my feet. Regret? Yes. I’d regretted this wedding since the day I first said yes to it. 2 Emily Hale was the only light that had ever pierced my dark years. I was eighteen. My parents had just finalized their vicious divorce, and I was diagnosed with severe depression. Our first meeting was at a specialized treatment facility outside the city. She was a volunteer. I was a patient. She carried a unique, steady energy. I found that just being near her could quiet the frantic static in my mind. She was patient and relentlessly genuine. She possessed a kind of raw vitality that felt utterly out of place in the sterile environment. But I was too broken then to understand what love really was. Two years later, my condition stabilized. My father pulled me out and transferred me to a new prep school. We parted abruptly, without even exchanging numbers. We didn’t meet again for five years. It was at a stuffy business dinner—a blind date set up by my father—where I was a customer and she was a waitress. The moment I saw her face, my breath hitched. I stood up and pulled her straight out of the restaurant. That night, we talked for hours in the old parking lot of the treatment center, trying to piece together the five years we’d lost. The news eventually reached my father. After a thunderous rage, Emily disappeared from my life a second time. To the outside world, I was the gilded heir—great family, smooth path ahead. But only I knew I had no right to choose the woman I slept beside. Sarah Reed entered my life around then. She was intelligent, graceful, and impeccably mannered. Her family’s pedigree and social circle were flawless. Everyone—especially my father—agreed she was the perfect match. But I didn’t love her. Had Emily never existed, perhaps I would have eventually fallen for this kind, gentle woman. But then, the night before our wedding, she showed up. “Gabe!” A sharp shout came from behind me. It was Cam. “What are you doing here?” Before I could finish, he grabbed my collar. “You’re going straight back home to kneel and apologize! Sarah will forgive you for the sake of the family!” I forcefully pushed his hand away. “Cam, don’t casually interfere in someone else’s karma. I will never forgive you if you do.” I still remember saying that. They say a man is a boy until he dies. But the truth is, the path you didn’t take in your youth becomes the root of every regret and every fantasy for the rest of your life. As we stood there, deadlocked, my father arrived. He shoved me into his car and drove me directly to the hotel ballroom. I was pulled into a tux, had my tie straightened. A puppet pushed onto a stage. The moment the spotlight hit me, I was utterly disoriented. Then, the crystal doors opened slowly. Behind the lace, I was hoping to see a different face. A voice screamed in my head: You’ve lost her forever. This is your last chance. The officiant’s voice cut through the silence. “Whether in poverty or wealth, in sickness or in health, do you, Gabriel, take Sarah…” “No!” I cut him off. “I do not.” I pulled back the ring I was about to hand over. “I’m sorry, Sav. This ring… it’s waiting for its true owner. The person I love has never been you.” The ballroom fell into a suffocating silence. Everyone was waiting for it—waiting for the loud, satisfying slap to connect with my cheek. But the predicted blow never landed. She simply walked toward me and pulled me into a gentle hug. “Gabe, I’ll handle the aftermath. Use the side door.” She paused, her breath warm against my ear. “Promise me you’ll be happy.” 3 Time stopped right then. I looked down at her, dumbfounded. Maybe, in the last three years, I’d never truly understood the woman standing in front of me. The crowd began to stir. I didn’t think twice. I ripped the boutonniere from my lapel and ran, not looking back, toward the exit. “You idiot! Where are you going?” My father’s enraged roar followed me. I stopped, turning to face his livid expression. “Dad! I refuse to repeat the tragedy you and Mom created. This time, please let me choose for myself. For better or worse, I will take the full blame.” Then I turned and walked away. Outside, the skies were dark with storm clouds. I pressed my hands to my chest. My heart was pounding like a drum. It was that long-lost, visceral feeling of being truly alive. My first destination was the small town in the Asheville region. Emily had vaguely mentioned she was going back to visit her mother, who was ill. Just before takeoff, my phone rang again. It was Cam. I took a deep breath before answering. “No scolding, brother. Just wish me luck. I finally did one thing for myself in this life. Please, handle the fallout at the hotel for me. Tell everyone I’m truly sorry. I’ll compensate for all the losses, double.” Cam was silent for a few seconds. “What about Sarah? How will you compensate her?” “…Sav?” “She’s standing right outside the hotel, bowing and apologizing to every single guest who leaves.” His voice was heavy with disappointment. “Gabe, you have no idea what you just threw away.” My breath caught in my throat. The image of her gentle hug flashed in my mind. I closed my eyes. “Sav… I’m leaving her in your hands.” I hung up and set my phone to silent. No one and nothing would stop me from chasing that guiding light now. The plane landed, and the humid, earthy air of the South hit me. The moment I powered up my phone, a photo popped up. It was a desolate silhouette. A girl in a wedding dress, barefoot, walking through the rain, holding her high heels. The hem of the beautiful gown was stained with mud. I knew that dress. A couture gown, a limited-edition piece flown in from Milan. The wedding dress Sav had been most excited about. A dull ache started in my chest. I immediately called Cam back. “Why didn’t anyone get her? How could you let her walk alone in the rain?” “Let her vent. After this, she’ll forget you.” Cam’s voice was flat. “Gabe, as of today, we are no longer friends.” I squeezed the bridge of my nose, frustrated. “Cam, you’ve never truly loved anyone, so you don’t get it. When you meet the person who makes your heart ache down to your bones, you throw everything away. She is the only reason you have to live.” “No, I don’t want to hear your philosophy right now.” He cut me off. “From now on, I’ll be the one protecting Sav. Which is why we can’t be brothers anymore.” “…What did you just say?” 4 He hung up instantly. I stood there, turning in a slow circle, phone in hand. Cam loved Sav? Since when? A spot in my left ribcage suddenly felt impossibly heavy. I dialed Sarah’s number, almost by instinct. She answered a few seconds later. “Where are you?” “Huh? Me… I’m almost home.” Her voice was muffled, wrapped in the sound of wind and rain. “Look behind you. Is Cam there?” Silence fell on the line. Then, I heard her quietly draw a shaky breath. “Gabe, did you find her?” “…Who?” “That girl in your heart. I’ve handled everything else, don’t worry. You might need to spend some time calming your uncle down, though. Anyway, I have to go. I’m almost home.” I could hear her faint shivers in the background. I could picture her soaked to the bone, standing in the cold rain, looking miserable. The words of apology caught in my throat. The most important thing now was to find Emily. I finally reached the small town Emily had described just before nightfall. When I went to pay the taxi driver, I found my bank account had been frozen. My father’s revenge. My first thought was to call Cam, but his attitude had infuriated me. After much hesitation, I had no choice but to call Sarah. The line was silent for a long time. “…Fine. I understand.” Soon, a text message came through. I accessed the account number she provided and quickly paid the fare. “Sav, thank you. I’ll make it up to you when I get back.” “No need. That money was your initial down payment to my family. Transfer it to a secure card as soon as you can. Then, we’re even.” Even? “Are you still mad at me?” “Gabe, I haven’t blocked you because those three years weren’t entirely a lie. But that doesn’t mean you get to hurt me endlessly. Go after the happiness you want. If we keep talking, we’ll both just get hurt more.” The cursor blinked in the empty input box. I didn’t send anything. She was right. A greedy man doesn’t deserve a full life. I took a deep breath and continued my search. After half a night bouncing around in an old pickup, I finally found the village Emily had mentioned. The moment I saw her, bending over a well in a dilapidated courtyard, drawing water, a sharp pang hit me. “Emily!” The sound was a raw, unfamiliar croak. She straightened up and looked over. “How… how did you find me?” How did I find her? I didn’t know myself. Later that night, we held each other, exchanging whispered confessions. But somehow, the solitary image of the girl in the ruined wedding dress, walking barefoot in the rain, intruded into my mind without warning. I froze, and my voice caught. “Gabe,” Emily’s voice was unnervingly clear in the quiet. “Do you… regret it?” I unconsciously tightened my embrace. “Of course not. I’ve waited for this day for ten years.” From eighteen to twenty-eight, nearly all my love, my devotion, my fixation, had been poured into the woman in my arms. But why was that lost, desolate silhouette flashing in my mind right now? After Emily fell asleep, I sat on the stone steps outside for half the night, smoking, ash accumulating around my feet. The burning heat of the reckless courage that brought me here seemed to have suddenly extinguished. I found her. Now what? A new, cold wave of confusion washed over me. My phone screen was still paused on Sarah’s contact. I wanted to call. Even just to hear her breathe, or to say I was sorry. But what right did I have? Perhaps, the moment I turned my back and ran, I lost all claim to comfort her. The next morning, I hired a car and took Emily and her mother to the nearest regional hospital. The diagnosis was mid-stage liver cancer. The cash I had quickly ran out. The bank accounts were still frozen. With nowhere else to turn, I had to swallow my pride and open Sarah’s chat window again. “I’m sorry to bother you again… Are you liquid right now?” She skipped the small talk. “How much do you need?” “Half a million. Emily’s mother was diagnosed with liver cancer. The surgery and follow-up care need immediate funding, so…” “Okay.” “Sign the authorization papers for the marital condo and send them to me. The wedding jewelry should liquidate to about two hundred thousand. I’ll wire you that this afternoon. Take care of yourself out there.” The text on the screen made my chest clench with a terrifying emptiness. I was watching her systematically, cleanly, and with the utmost dignity, erase every trace of our shared past. Soon, the condo we’d decorated together was swiftly listed on a real estate site. The first person to contact me about it, however, was Cameron. I answered the call. No pleasantries. “Give me the jewelry, and give me the condo. From now on, you will not have any contact with Sarah.” “Why?” “Because she’s my girlfriend now.”

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On the day I divorced my fifty-year-old CEO husband, I wore a full face of makeup and a stunning scarlet dress. A flicker of annoyance crossed Arthur Sterling’s handsome, refined face. “Dressed like you’re getting married today?” he asked, his voice laced with sarcasm. I fluffed my newly styled curls, a picture of a much younger, dashing face flashing in my mind. A genuine smile touched my lips. “I am.” “And it’s someone you know.” A cold sneer formed on his lips. “Everyone in my circle is famously devoted to their spouse. Did you even think before you came up with that lie?” I just shook my head and smiled. No need to explain. After all, he was already on his way. … In the car, Arthur didn’t head straight for the courthouse. He turned in the opposite direction. Meeting my questioning gaze, his tone was dismissive. “Catherine is coming with us. She’s waited over twenty years for this. I’m not making her wait a second longer.” So that’s how long our sham of a marriage had lasted. As we neared Catherine’s neighborhood, a new text came through. While I was replying, I slipped out of the car and bought a bottle of water from a convenience store. When I returned, the front passenger seat was occupied. “Sophie, I hope you don’t mind,” Catherine said, her voice cloyingly sweet. “I’m just so used to sitting up front with Arthur.” Why would I mind? We were on our way to get a divorce. As I reached for my handbag, Catherine gasped dramatically. “What a beautiful bag!” “Sophie, give the bag to Catherine,” Arthur commanded from the driver’s seat, his eyes fixed on the road. I was only trying to grab the small charm hanging from the strap, but he slammed on the brakes and whipped his head around. “I bought you that bag. Are you expecting me to pay you for it now?” I held up the cute little charm I’d just unclipped. “You didn’t buy me this.” His expression darkened, a strange look in his eyes. I placed the bag in Catherine’s lap. “I have plenty more at home, brand new. Give me your address, and I’ll send them all to you.” Arthur nodded, satisfied. “Sophie, as long as you don’t cause any trouble, I’ll make sure no one in our circle ever finds out about the divorce.” I didn’t answer. The man I was about to marry had no intention of keeping our marriage a secret. My phone began to vibrate insistently. I leaned against the window and answered in a low voice. It was him. He was on the plane. A small smile played on my lips as I whispered, “Okay.” Arthur caught my reflection in the rearview mirror, his eyes narrowing at my smile. A surge of irritation washed over him. He was about to demand who I was talking to when Catherine, in the front seat, let out a deep sigh. Her hand absently stroked the bag in her lap. “What’s wrong?” Arthur asked, his voice softening as he turned to her at a red light. Catherine quickly covered a spot on the bag, her eyes darting away. “It’s… it’s nothing…” Sensing something was wrong, Arthur snatched the bag from her. A long, fresh scratch marred the expensive leather. It was impossible to miss. His anger flared. He threw the bag at me. I was looking out the window, completely unprepared. It hit my arm with a solid thud. My hand jerked, accidentally ending the call. But I wasn’t finished talking. Ignoring Arthur, I immediately tried to redial. The call had just connected when Arthur got out of the car, stormed over to my side, and snatched the phone from my hand. He threw it to the ground. A passing car crushed it instantly. “Arthur, you…” Before I could finish, he had dragged me out of the car. My high heels caught on the pavement, and a sharp pain shot through my ankle as it twisted beneath me. I stumbled, unable to stand. Seeing my swollen ankle, Arthur let go of my arm in disgust. “I asked you to give her a bag, and you scratch it first? Sophie, I never knew you were so manipulative!” He didn’t even ask. He just pronounced me guilty. I looked up at Catherine in the car. She quickly averted her gaze, her hands nervously fidgeting with her dress. Ever since she had reappeared in his life, I had become the most manipulative woman in the world in Arthur’s eyes. Marrying him to save his family’s company from financial ruin? Manipulative, using gratitude as a weapon. Working my fingers to the bone to grow his business? Manipulative, using his connections as a launchpad for myself. Agreeing to the divorce to let him be with her? Manipulative, a calculated retreat to gain the upper hand. In the past, I would have patiently explained, defended myself. But not today. I was done. “You’re right. I didn’t want to give it to her. I wanted to piss her off. Are you satisfied?” Biting back the searing pain in my ankle, I forced myself to stand and limped towards the sidewalk without a backward glance. Arthur, I’m done chasing after you, done explaining myself. He stood by the car, a vein throbbing in his temple. “Fine, Sophie! You admitted it! So don’t blame me for leaving you here. You can walk to the courthouse yourself!” Leaving me behind? Wasn’t that his specialty when it came to Catherine? He’d walked out on our wedding reception because of a text from her, leaving me to face our guests alone. He’d left me shivering in the cold for two hours after a gala because he’d secretly gone to pick her up. He’d abandoned me in a foreign country in the middle of a business trip because she’d called him, not even bothering with an explanation. My heart had long since turned to ice. By the time I reached the courthouse, my ankle was a swollen, angry mess. Every step sent a wave of cold sweat down my back. I was leaning against a wall, trying to catch my breath, when someone scooped me up from behind. “Arthur, put me down!” His face was a stony mask as he ignored my protests and marched inside. As we passed Catherine, a flash of pure hatred crossed her face. Inside, a helpful bystander pointed the way. “Sir, marriage licenses are this way.” Arthur’s face darkened. He dropped me. “We’re here for a divorce.” I landed hard, my injured ankle buckling under the sudden weight. A sharp, blinding pain shot up my leg. After the paperwork was done and the divorce decree was in my hand, I found a seat and waited. He should be arriving soon. “Sophie, aren’t you leaving?” Catherine asked, her arm linked possessively with Arthur’s. “Your ankle looks pretty bad. After Arthur and I get our license, we can give you a ride to the hospital!” I took out my compact and reapplied my lipstick. “No, thank you. I’m waiting for someone. We’re getting married. He’ll take me to the hospital.” “Oh, what a coincidence! Arthur, darling, let’s wait with Sophie, shall we?” Catherine pulled Arthur over to the seats next to me. “After we get our license, we can wait and see. If Sophie’s ‘fiancé’ doesn’t have a car, we can still give her a ride.” Arthur squeezed her hand tenderly and tucked it into his pocket. “You’re always so considerate of others.” But as the sky began to darken, no one came. I reached for my phone, only then remembering it was in pieces on the side of a road. Frustrated, I started to get up. Catherine, clutching her brand-new marriage certificate, walked over with a triumphant smile. “Sophie, let’s just forget about this imaginary person. Be reasonable. Let Arthur and I, as a married couple, take you to the hospital.” I patted my pockets again. I didn’t have a single dollar on me. The only valuable thing I’d had was the handbag I’d just given away. So, I didn’t refuse her offer. Outside, I clung to the railing, carefully making my way down the steps. “Sophie, let me help you.” Catherine hurried to my side. I was about to wave her off. “Ah!” She let out a scream, stumbled, and fell backward. Arthur caught her instantly. She buried her face in his chest, her eyes filled with tears. “Sophie, I was just trying to help. Why did you push me?” Arthur shot me a furious look. He stroked her back comfortingly, then grabbed my arm and dragged me down the remaining steps. “Sophie, you are unbelievable…” Seeing me clutch my ankle in agony, a flicker of pity crossed his face. He was about to tell me to get in the car. But then Catherine whimpered, “Arthur…” He immediately wrapped his arm around her and helped her into the car. And drove away. I limped to the nearest police station and asked an officer to drive me home. My assistant got me a new SIM card and brought it to me at the hospital. The moment I turned on my new phone, it was flooded with missed call notifications. Before I could even unlock it, it rang again. “Sophie! You finally answered! What happened? Are you okay?” He sounded like he was on the verge of tears. I glanced down at my bandaged ankle. “It’s nothing serious. I just sprained my ankle.” “What! How bad is it? Have you been to the hospital?” He sounded frantic, as if he would teleport to my side if he could. “I bought a train ticket the second I landed. I’ll be there in half an hour.” “My flight had to turn back halfway because of the weather.” “I’ve been calling you since we landed. I was so scared when you didn’t answer.” Just after we hung up, Arthur, who never posted on social media, updated his status. It was a silhouette of him and Catherine, holding their marriage certificate. I commented: [Congratulations to the happy couple. Wishing you all the best.] When I looked again, the post was gone. A call from Arthur popped up on my screen.

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