Category: English

I had a car accident and ended up in the hospital. Suddenly, I had this idea to play a prank on my girlfriend. “Who are you?” Seeing Clara’s face freeze, I almost burst out laughing. But then Clara pointed to her best friend, Brooke, and said, “I’m your girlfriend’s best friend. She’s your girlfriend, Brooke.” My expression stiffened into a mask. Brooke, however, stepped forward. “Yes, I’m your girlfriend.” I forced a smile. “Then take me home.” Brooke took me home. She said I’d been living there the whole time. I looked around the place, which had no trace of my actual life, and played along, nodding as if I were as oblivious as she was. I slept for a while in her bed. When I went out to get a glass of water, I heard voices from the living room. “Brooke, do me a favor and pretend to be Asher’s girlfriend for a bit.” “Aren’t you afraid he’ll suddenly get his memory back?” “If he gets his memory back and gets mad, I’ll just sweet-talk him. He loves me so much, he’d never really leave me. Honestly, I’ve been so over him lately. This is a perfect excuse to finally catch a break and mess around a bit.” “So, you and Lucas finally hooked up, huh? You just want to use this as an excuse to have some fun with him.” “You know me too well. But I definitely love Asher more. Keep him close these days, but don’t get any ideas with him. Though, out of all my friends, you’re the only one I’d trust with this, especially since you always seemed to hate Asher anyway.” My bare feet instinctively retreated, but then I deliberately made some noise by the door and walked back towards the living room. Brooke heard the sound, quickly hung up her FaceTime, and stood up. “The floor’s cold. Why aren’t you wearing shoes?” Brooke quickly came over, took my hand, and led me to the couch. “I’m thirsty,” I said, looking around, a bit lost on where to find water. “I’ll get it for you.” Brooke walked to the water cooler and brought me a glass. She sat beside me, looking at me. “Still uncomfortable anywhere?” I drank the water and shook my head. She reached up, smoothed back my messy hair, and leaned in to kiss my forehead. My eyes flickered. I’d just heard Clara tell her not to touch me. I’d also always thought Brooke hated me. But now… When her lips met mine, I pulled away. She calmly stroked my face. “You don’t remember, but we can take our time. You’ll get used to me again.” Brooke, it seemed, was also deceiving her best friend.

When Brooke brought me to the VIP room, it was already buzzing. A crowd of socialites and trust fund kids were there. But the moment I walked in, they all fell silent, their eyes drifting to Clara with a knowing look. “Oh, Asher’s here! Do you remember me? I’m Lucas, your college roommate!” Lucas, sitting next to Clara, greeted me. Brooke led me to a seat. I looked at him and shook my head. “Sorry, I don’t.” “No worries, we can all just reintroduce ourselves.” Lucas said, casually slinging an arm over Clara’s shoulder, making her lean intimately against him. This former college roommate, now friend, seemed to revel in my supposed amnesia, staking his claim on Clara with a barely concealed smirk. Clara, too, seemed to relish the thrill of being so intimate with another man right under my nose. “Yeah, totally! Both of your best friends’ girlfriends are in this circle, how great is that?” “We can all hang out together often. Amnesia or not, it won’t make any difference.” The other friends all understood the situation, but tacitly kept quiet, seemingly sharing a perverse amusement, enjoying the spectacle of someone being publicly betrayed and played for a fool. They all went back to playing games. Clara and Lucas were sharing a single pretzel stick, their mouths getting closer and closer. “Kiss! Kiss!” Cheers erupted from the group. In that atmosphere, Clara and Lucas plunged into a deep kiss. Afterward, Clara leaned shyly into his embrace, and Lucas, looking utterly satisfied, hugged her tightly, even casting a subtle, triumphant glance my way. Later, I lost a game and had to take a penalty: kiss someone for thirty seconds. Everyone fell silent, looking at me. They were curious who I’d pick. Would I instinctively pick Clara? Clara seemed a bit tense, avoiding my gaze. She probably didn’t want me to have an instinctive reaction so soon. Brooke, next to me, also seemed rigid. I smiled. “Of course, I’ll pick my girlfriend.”

I said, turning to Brooke. “Shall we?” I distinctly felt Brooke’s tension ease. She looked at me steadily, then leaned in. I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her. “Whoa!” Another round of gasps and “whoa”s. These people might have seen Clara embrace and kiss other men, but they surely never expected me to do the same with another woman. So their “whoa”s were particularly fresh, but then they suddenly fell silent. Brooke seemed to kiss me without reservation, chasing my lips. Her tongue swept through my mouth, intertwining with mine, and the hand clutching the back of my neck tightened, as if she wanted to devour me whole. After thirty seconds, I pulled away, only to see Clara’s face had turned absolutely thunderous. That’s why everyone else had clammed up. How ridiculous. Brooke gently wiped a damp spot from the corner of my mouth. “What’s wrong with everyone? Didn’t I just take my punishment?” I asked, feigning confusion about the odd atmosphere. “Even with amnesia, Asher isn’t shy with his girlfriend,” Lucas commented, clearly mocking me for making a fool of myself because of my memory loss. Clara’s expression grew even more unpleasant. I went to the restroom outside, but on my way back, I heard voices coming from the stairwell. “Brooke, I told you not to get handsy with him. That wasn’t cool earlier.” Clara’s voice was cold. “It was just a game. He’s got amnesia. Are you really suggesting he should have picked you, someone who’s clearly with another man? That’s not realistic, is it? You yourself chose me to be his girlfriend now.” Brooke’s voice was laced with a smile. Clara was silent for a moment. “Fine, just keep some boundaries. While I don’t believe you’d actually fall for Asher and sleep with him, try to avoid overly intimate contact, okay? Otherwise, it’ll be awkward for you, and I wouldn’t want that, right?” “Heh, you know me so well.”

Back at Brooke’s villa, as I was about to enter my room, she stopped me. Without a word, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed me. “Mmm—” I tried to pull away, but she firmly wrapped her arms around my neck. She pressed me against her with surprising strength, cupping my jaw, and assertively, without question, pushed her tongue into my mouth. It was so intense I felt my breath catching. Slowly, she guided my hand, inviting it to trace downwards and part her legs. But for some reason, she stopped the movement between her legs. After a long moment, she pulled away, stroking my face and whispering, “We took a step forward today, didn’t we? We can get to know each other more and more.” I looked up at her, dazed. Her actions seemed to completely contradict what her best friend had said. I didn’t understand her. Clara and I had vastly different family backgrounds, and she had worked hard, step by step, to make me accept her. Later, I met some of her friends, a group of socialites and trust fund kids, especially Brooke. Brooke hated me, looked down on me—it was a known fact within their circle. She always treated my relationship with Clara with a hint of disdain. In the past, I’d always tried to avoid her. But after my ‘amnesia,’ when Clara forcibly paired Brooke and me as a couple, Brooke kept taking advantage of the situation. Was she doing it to get back at Clara for setting us up? … My design job was pretty flexible, so I often worked from home. Brooke knocked and came in. “Hard at work, huh? There are fireworks tonight, let’s go see them.” When we arrived at the lake where the fireworks were being set off, Clara and Lucas were already standing in the best spot, watching the grand display. Lucas, with Clara leaning against him, suddenly kissed her on the cheek, his eyes full of tenderness. Clara smiled back at him, gently smoothing his messy hair. Then she turned and saw us. Clara saw me, and for a fleeting moment, she stiffened and looked flustered. But then she pretended as if nothing had happened. Lucas also saw us. “You guys made it.” “Asher, can you do me a favor and take some pictures of Clara and me?” Lucas called out, walking over and handing me his phone. Clara’s face faltered for a second, then she glanced at me. “I’m so happy today! Clara set off these fireworks just for me. I want to remember this moment forever,” Lucas said, standing next to Clara and gazing at her with deep affection. Clara’s expression softened, and she hugged him. My hand, holding Lucas’s phone, paused. So, today was Clara’s grand fireworks display for Lucas.

I watched them embrace through the phone’s lens. Lucas had his arm gently around Clara, who was nestled against his chest, a happy, satisfied smile on her face. Behind them, the magnificent fireworks painted the sky, a scene of pure romance. I quietly took their pictures. Once, on my birthday, Clara had also set off a lake full of fireworks for me. Lucas had even offered to take pictures of us then. I was probably as happy and content as Lucas was now. Lucas had even said, looking a bit wistful, “I’m so envious of you two. I really hope I’ll find someone who treats me like that someday.” I’d even comforted him back then, telling him he would. Now, he had indeed found it. Brooke took the phone from my hand. “Alright, you’re not here to be their personal photographer.” Brooke tossed the phone back. Clara caught it and handed it to Lucas. … After the fireworks show, Lucas and I went to the restroom. Since it was too crowded, I decided not to bother. But on my way back, I overheard the conversation between the two of them, waiting for us by the side. “Looks like you and Lucas are having a great time, huh? You and Asher haven’t had this much fun in ages, have you?” Brooke said. “True. Lucas and I lately feel just like Asher and I used to. Lucas is even sweeter than Asher, and so thoughtful and attentive. He makes me feel so comfortable and happy,” Clara replied. “Then why don’t you just let it be? Lucas really is more your type. Asher, you always said he was so stubborn sometimes, that he annoyed you, didn’t you?” Brooke suggested. “Brooke, Asher and I have so many years of history, it’s not something you can just throw away.” “Lucas also said he’s not looking for anything serious, that he’d be perfectly happy just to enjoy our time together. He’s such a sweet fool,” Clara mused. “Hmph.”

Back at the villa, Brooke suddenly wrapped her arms around me and kissed me. Then she pulled back a bit, looking at me seriously. “Asher, do you know? You are the best Asher. You don’t need to compare yourself to anyone.” I stared at her, as if she were responding to Clara comparing me to Lucas. How… how did she know me so well? She knew my little habits that Clara had forgotten—what kind of candy I liked, what dishes I preferred, what movies I enjoyed… She took another step further than before. I didn’t object. She looked at me, momentarily stunned, then took my hand and led me into her room. We were tangled in that room, our breathing ragged, our bodies entwined. Before this, Clara had been the only woman I’d ever been with. When Clara first pursued me, I was full of distrust. But her earnestness and resolve, her attitude towards my grandmother, and the help she secretly offered, won me over. Later, because her parents disapproved, they cut off her financial support. I thought that was when she’d realize the gap between us. But she didn’t compromise. Instead, she worked and studied alongside me. Eventually, her parents relented out of concern. I truly settled down with her. When my only grandmother passed away, she hugged me, comforting me, telling me I still had her. She promised she would always be by my side. Such was a relationship that, even then, felt like it had completely changed. If that was the case, then I might as well learn to be with another woman.

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The year I turned eight, my mom broke my arm, and my father rushed me to the hospital. Desperate, I reached for help, dialing the phone number Mom had drilled into my memory, the one she’d ordered me to keep etched in my heart. Less than half an hour later, a convoy of over a dozen sleek black SUVs descended upon us, lining up in an intimidating procession. The man leading them brutally beat my father, crippling him, then forced him to reveal Mom’s whereabouts. They rescued Mom from a hidden cellar in a remote, secluded cabin. Mom gazed at my father’s broken form, her face utterly devoid of sympathy, before she threw herself into the man’s arms. Everyone was about to leave. I stumbled forward, my small legs barely carrying me. “Mommy, a hug…” Mom whirled around, her hand flashing out, delivering a stinging slap across my face. “Don’t call me Mommy! You make me sick just looking at you. Get out of my sight, and don’t ever, *ever* come back!” My cheek burned, a searing pain, but the ache in my chest was worse. Hadn’t Mom promised she’d love me if I just did what she said?

The fiery sting on my face lingered as I stood rooted to the spot, clutching my cheek. Mom had explicitly told me that if I just remembered that number and did everything she asked, she would love me dearly. But now, the look in her eyes was colder than any of my father’s violent outbursts, chilling me to the bone. The man in charge merely cast a fleeting, cold glance my way. Then he reached out, drawing Mom closer by her shoulder. “Easy now, darling. Don’t stress yourself. Let’s go.” Mom leaned into his embrace, her shoulders still trembling slightly. Just then, the door of a stretched luxury sedan parked nearby swung open, and a little boy in a crisp white suit hopped out. His hair was perfectly combed, and he ran straight to Mom. “Mommy, are you okay? Daddy and I came to get you! Did anyone hurt you?” Mom looked down at the boy, her eyes instantly welling up. She knelt down, pulled him into a tight embrace, her voice thick with emotion. “Mommy’s fine, my precious. It’s all thanks to you and Daddy for rescuing me.” Her hand gently stroked the boy’s back, a tender gesture, as if cradling the most priceless treasure. That was a tenderness I had never, not even once, received. I stood watching, a sharp, twisting ache seizing my heart, mingled with an indescribable envy. My body seemed to move on its own accord. I awkwardly shuffled a few steps closer, wanting to be nearer to Mom. But before I could reach her, the little boy suddenly looked up. He shoved me back forcefully. “Get away from my mom!” “Don’t you dare touch her with your filthy hands! Go away!” I already had injuries, and the push sent me sprawling onto the ground. Mom stood up as well, her gaze now filled with even more intense revulsion. She instinctively pulled the little boy behind her and spoke to the man. “Please, take my darling to the car and sanitize him. She’s just… unclean.” The man nodded. They turned to walk towards the luxury car. Panic surged through me. I forgot the pain, forgot the fear, and ran after them, yelling. “Mommy! Mommy, don’t leave!” My voice was raw with tears, but Mom didn’t even turn her head. The man seemed annoyed by my cries. He paused, giving a subtle nod to two burly men in dark suits nearby. Soon, a large cargo van pulled up. The back doors swung open, revealing a pitch-black interior reeking of damp earth and something acrid. Inside, a metal cage held a massive Doberman, its name Brutus. The moment it saw me, it snarled, baring its razor-sharp teeth, and let out a ferocious, guttural bark. Fear froze me to the spot. I even forgot how to cry. The little boy’s face was flushed with triumphant glee. “Mommy, look! I specially asked Daddy to bring Brutus! He’s here to protect you!” “If this little monster dared to bully you just now, Brutus would’ve definitely taken a bite out of her!” Julian Thorne, the man, said nothing. He just gestured for his men to open the cage door, then reached out and grabbed my arm. His grip was merciless, sending a fresh wave of agony through my already wounded flesh. I struggled, trying to pull away, but his hold was unbreakable. “No! Let go! Mommy, help me!” I screamed, but he acted as if he hadn’t heard, forcefully shoving me into the metal cage. I fell onto the cold, hard floor of the cage, the pain bringing fresh tears to my eyes. The little boy leaned over the edge of the van, tilting his head as he curiously asked the man. “Daddy, is this little monster coming home with us too?” The man didn’t answer. He simply motioned for the men to put Brutus back into the cargo area. The van doors slammed shut, plunging me into absolute darkness. The foul stench grew even stronger. Brutus seemed displeased that I was occupying his space, circling the cage and barking at me incessantly. If not for the metal bars, I was certain he would have torn me to shreds. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I curled into a ball, my knees pressed against my chest, and muffled my sobs.

The cargo van swayed gently with the truck’s movement. I huddled in the corner of the cage, hugging my knees. The wound on my arm throbbed relentlessly, and my stomach growled a hollow protest. My tears had long since dried, leaving my eyes gritty and aching. After what felt like an eternity, the truck suddenly stopped. The truck driver, a flicker of pity in his eyes, held out a sandwich and a bottle of water. He seemed hesitant. “Kid, you must be starving, right? Here, take this…” Before he could finish, a chilling voice cut in from outside. “Who told you to interfere?” I squinted towards the light. Julian Thorne stood by the van, his face utterly devoid of emotion, his eyes like chips of ice. He snatched the sandwich and water from the driver’s hand. Without a glance at me, he tossed them directly to Brutus. I watched Brutus wolf down the food, the hunger in my own stomach clawing at me even harder. I licked my cracked lips. There was a water bowl for Brutus inside the cage, but the stench was sickening, threatening to make me gag. Yet, I forced myself to drink, choking it down, ignoring the awful taste. At least it offered a moment’s relief from the thirst. Julian’s gaze swept over me, raw disgust etched on his features. He said nothing more, simply tilting his head towards the driver, who quickly closed the van doors. The cargo area plunged back into darkness. After what seemed like another endless journey, the truck finally stopped. When the doors opened, I saw an enormous house, grander than any castle I’d ever seen in movies. Fountains sparkled, manicured gardens stretched out, and liveried staff stood in perfectly aligned rows by the entrance. Julian and Mom walked ahead, Mom cradling the little boy in her arms. I later learned his name was Lucas Thorne. Lucas beamed, his face alight with joy. Mom occasionally bent down to whisper to him, her expression soft and tender. I was yanked from the metal cage, my arm throbbing painfully from the grip. Julian didn’t even look at me. He simply addressed a staff member. “Take her away. Find somewhere to confine her. I don’t want her making an unsightly mess of the place.” I had no room. My assigned space was a damp, perpetually dim corner in the basement. Every morning before dawn, I had to rise and work – scrubbing floors, doing laundry, tidying the garden. If I missed a single spot, the staff would scold me, and sometimes Mom would even see. But she never helped. She would either walk away as if I were invisible, or she’d scowl and snap at me to vanish, as if my mere presence polluted her sight. Whatever toy Lucas wanted, Julian would immediately have someone buy it. Once, I walked past the living room and saw Mom sitting on the sofa, Lucas nestled in her arms, while Julian sat beside them, reading a story from a book. That was a happiness I could never even dream of in this lifetime, a happiness I would never possess. Back in the remote area where we used to live, storybooks were a luxury no one had. But a neighbor, Mrs. Peterson, used to tell her daughter bedtime stories every night. I always wished Mom would tell me a story, just once. My body began to move forward again, seemingly against my will. I wanted to get a little closer, to hear Mom’s voice just a little longer. Mom seemed to sense something. She suddenly looked up. The moment her gaze fell on me, her smiling face instantly changed, as if she’d just seen something utterly repulsive. All the tenderness was replaced by fierce revulsion. “How dare you come here? Who let you in?!” Her reaction startled me, and I froze, my fingers nervously twisting the hem of my worn shirt. Mom rushed over, reaching out and shoving me. I slammed against the wall, biting back a cry of pain. Lucas ran over too, kicking my shin hard. Tears instantly welled up. “Stay away from my mom!” Lucas yelled, kicking me several more times. Mom just stood there watching, making no move to stop him. Instead, she frowned and said. “Lucas, don’t touch her. You might get dirty. Mommy will take you to wash your hands later.” I crouched on the ground, clutching my throbbing shin, tears dripping onto the floor.

In the days that followed, I was treated like discarded trash, left in the darkest corner. The staff, seeing Julian’s and Mom’s attitude towards me, became even more cruel. They ordered me around at will, constantly yelling and hitting me. Lucas found new entertainment. “Little monster, come here! From today on, you’re my pony!” I didn’t dare to move. He came forward, grabbed a handful of my hair, and dragged me into the garden, forcing my head down. “On all fours! Hurry!” I gritted my teeth and crawled on the ground. The coarse gravel bit into my knees, a searing pain. Lucas climbed onto my back, clutching my hair and yelling, “Giddy up!” I could only endure the pain and crawl forward. If I slowed down even a little, the small riding crop in his hand would lash fiercely across my back. Sometimes, when he wasn’t satisfied, he would make the staff bring Brutus over. “Brutus, chase her! Make her run faster!” Brutus’s barks echoed behind me, and my heart hammered against my ribs, threatening to burst. I crawled with all my might, my knees scraped raw and bleeding, but I dared not slow down. What pained me most was Mom. She sat under a sun umbrella in the garden, sipping her afternoon tea, her eyes fixed on me as Lucas rode me around. A faint, chilling smile even played on her lips. “Lucas, be careful not to fall.” Her gaze never once lingered on me, not even when the riding crop tore the fabric on my back. In her eyes, I seemed to be nothing more than a beast of burden, a toy to be ridden and abused. Here, I went hungry every single day. Lucas didn’t like carrots. Every meal, he would dump the carrots from his plate into the flower beds. So, when no one was around, I would sneak into the flower beds and pick up the dirt-covered carrots. The gritty, earthy taste coated my tongue, but at least it filled my stomach a little. Today, I was so incredibly hungry that I chewed a couple of bites before realizing something was wrong. It wasn’t a carrot. “What are you doing?!” Mom rushed over, her eyes falling on the trampled flowers in the flower bed. “My flowers! How dare you eat my flowers?!” Lucas heard her voice and ran over. When he saw the carrots on the ground and the ruined flowers, his eyes flickered with panic. He was afraid Mom would discover he had been picky and wasteful, throwing his food here. “Mommy, she tried to steal my carrots and deliberately ruined your flowers!” Mom’s already furious emotions escalated, spiraling into a furious rage. She lunged forward, grabbing my arm and shaking me violently. “You ungrateful wretch! It’s a miracle I haven’t let you starve to death, and now you dare to steal Lucas’s food and destroy my flowers! I shouldn’t have let you live!” “Enough, darling. Don’t get yourself worked up.” Julian Thorne had appeared nearby at some point. He walked over, put an arm around Mom’s shoulder, and gently patted her back to calm her. His eyes, however, fixed on me with a fierce glare. Once Mom’s emotions had somewhat settled, he slowly walked to me, knelt down, and his fingers clamped around my jaw, forcing my head up to look at him. “I’m warning you, don’t ever make her angry again, and don’t ever bother Lucas. In this house, not even a single flower is yours to touch.” “Dare to transgress again, and I’ll show you something far worse than being chased by Brutus.” I looked into the cold malice in his eyes. Terror seized me, my body trembling uncontrollably. Tears streamed down my cheeks, but I was too terrified to even whimper. The pain in my jaw intensified until he finally released me. I collapsed onto the ground, weak and limp, watching as Mom was led away by Julian. Lucas even turned back and stuck his tongue out at me. Mom knew perfectly well that Lucas was much stronger than me, and I was always the one being bullied. Yet, she would rather believe Lucas’s lies than spare me even a glance.

Soon, Lucas’s birthday arrived. I was ordered to wear a ridiculous bear mascot costume and stand in a corner, playing a cheerful character for the guests’ amusement. I couldn’t endure it any longer. I secretly took off the costume head to catch my breath. But the moment my face was revealed, I met Lucas’s eyes. He was walking by with a small slice of cake. Seeing me, he immediately shrieked. “Daddy! Mommy! The little monster is trying to steal my birthday cake!” Mom rushed through the crowd, grabbed my arm, and dragged me to the center of the banquet hall. Hundreds of eyes bore into me, filled with open disdain, morbid curiosity, and thinly veiled glee. “My allowing you to live here is a monumental act of charity! And now you dare to steal at Lucas’s birthday party?!” Mom’s voice trembled with rage. She raised her hand, ready to strike me. “I didn’t…” I weakly protested, my head spinning, barely able to stand. “Still talking back?!” Julian walked over. He gazed down at me with an air of cold, calculated superiority. Instead of hitting me, he reached out and took a slice of birthday cake from a passing waiter’s tray. It was the cake I’d only dared to look at from afar, not even allowing myself to fully inhale its sweet scent. Then, his hand slammed down, grinding the slice of cake into my face with deliberate, brutal cruelty. A ripple of low chuckles spread through the guests. Some even pulled out their phones to take pictures. Lucas clapped his hands, cheering. “Daddy’s so cool! That’s how you punish her!” “Get out! Get out of here right now! Don’t you dare contaminate everyone’s sight any longer!” Mom pointed to the door, her voice shrill. I dared not stay, afraid they would hit me again. I scrambled away, half-crawling, half-stumbling towards the grand staircase. But Lucas wasn’t satisfied. He chased after me, kicking my back and legs as he ran. “Little monster, don’t run! You still haven’t apologized to me!” I was only focused on running forward and didn’t notice the steps beneath my feet. He kicked my knee, and my body swerved. I plummeted down the stairs, Lucas losing his balance and falling after me. My vision went black. Before I lost consciousness, I heard Mom’s gut-wrenching shriek. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me. Then, I completely lost awareness. When I next opened my eyes, I was lying in a hospital bed, my entire body aching. Mom sat by the bed, clutching Lucas’s hand, her eyes red and swollen from crying. The doctor stood nearby, his face grave. “Mr. Thorne, Mrs. Thorne, young Master Thorne’s condition isn’t good. He needs an emergency blood transfusion, but his blood type is incredibly rare, and our hospital’s blood bank doesn’t have a match. Neither of your blood types match either…” Julian stood nearby, his face terrifyingly grim. A nurse approached my bed, carrying my medical chart, and spoke softly to the doctor. “Doctor, when we drew blood from this little girl earlier, we found her blood type is the same as Young Master Thorne’s.” Julian spun around, his gaze snapping to me, as if he couldn’t believe it. He strode quickly to my bedside, staring at my face, then at the chart in the nurse’s hand. His voice trembled slightly. “What did you say? Her blood type is the same as Lucas’s?” The nurse nodded. Julian immediately turned to the doctor. “Quick! Have the doctors run more detailed tests! Confirm if it’s a perfect match!” The doctors immediately got busy. Julian stood rooted to the spot, muttering to himself. “Impossible… Lucas’s blood type is so rare, even mine doesn’t match. How could hers…?” Then, he followed the doctor to the lab. Only Mom and I were left in the room. Mom didn’t even glance at me, merely holding Lucas’s hand tightly. About half an hour later, Julian walked back in, looking utterly shell-shocked, his steps unsteady. Mom saw him and immediately stood up, asking anxiously. “Well? Is it not a match? I knew this monster would be useless! If anything happens to Lucas, I swear I won’t let her off the hook!” Julian suddenly cut her off, his voice hoarse. “Stop, Eleanor.” He looked at Mom, then at me, pausing for a few seconds before speaking with great difficulty. “She’s not a monster… She’s our biological daughter.”

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In front of my desk, a group of guys dispersed, leaving me standing alone. My desk was carved with insulting words like “cheap” and “slut.” My notebooks lay scattered on the floor, dirty and trampled. It was in that exact moment, I, the heroine of this novel who was forced into a relationship with him, suddenly regained my memories. The next second, Julian arrived, just as he always did, like a god. He reached out to me, his eyes unsettlingly deep. “Don’t be scared. I believe you’re innocent.” But I remembered everything. It was him who spread the rumors, all to isolate me, to make me utterly dependent on him, to belong only to him. Under his calculations, I not only broke ties with my parents but was also tricked into dropping out of school, ultimately becoming his golden cage pet. I snapped back to reality, his familiar hand already reaching out. Looking at his gentle smile, I felt a wave of nausea. This time, I violently slapped his hand away and spoke in a cold voice. “Of course, I’m innocent. The police will clear everything up.”

Julian’s hand froze in mid-air, the gentle mask on his face cracking for the first time. A hint of darkness flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a look of worry. “Alice, making a big deal out of this kind of thing will only ruin your reputation.” “Let me handle it, okay?” I bent down to pick up the notebooks from the floor, brushed off the shoe prints, and looked up to meet his gaze directly. “Didn’t you already destroy my reputation?” “Everything you guys did to me, I’m going to tell the police. None of you will get away with it.” My eyes swept over the faces of the guys who had been there earlier. Hearing me say that, their arrogant expressions finally softened a bit. In reality, I hadn’t called the police. Because in the original story, Julian’s specialty was using public opinion to apply pressure. Every time I was close to grasping a sliver of hope, he’d cut off all outside help under the guise of “protecting” me. Since I couldn’t stop him, I’d use the most just method to punish him. A month ago, on my way home, I was dragged into a dark alley by a drunk, an attempted assault. Julian appeared, rescued me, and took me home. But somehow, photos of last night’s incident were taken and spread throughout the school, reaching almost everyone. In the photos, my expression was maliciously distorted, my shoulder exposed. The boys leered, pointing and whispering, calling me “trash” and “slut.” I was isolated, labeled a slut. Every time, it was Julian who stepped in to save me. Until I awakened my memories and discovered it was all Julian’s carefully laid trap. He hired the drunk, and he spread the photos. All to make me cower under his wing, belonging only to him. Later, I was bullied into dropping out, confined by him in a mansion, and cut off from my parents. My father, consumed by rage and grief, suffered a fatal heart attack, and my mother never recovered from the devastation. The mansion’s curtains remained drawn day after day. I was trapped in that luxurious cage, living the same monotonous life. Until I accidentally stumbled into a secret room. The walls were plastered with photos of me from childhood to adulthood, dense and overwhelming. In the center was an old newspaper, featuring a blurry photo of a little girl’s back. Julian entered without me noticing, wrapping his arms tightly around me from behind, his voice twisted and trembling. “Do you remember, Alice?” “I was eight that year, and I fell into the icy lake in the park. The water was so cold, I thought I was going to die.” “It was you, such a tiny person, crying and yelling for adults, desperately pulling me out with a tree branch…” “You were the only light in my dark life.” His arms tightened around me, a fervent declaration, his breath hot against my neck. “Only I truly love you. My life belongs to you, and you’ll never escape me.” I felt cold all over, as if plunged into an ice abyss. My innocent act of kindness as a child had led to a nightmare that haunted half my life. My father dead from anger, my mother gravely ill… The source of all this tragedy was me, and the devil I had saved years ago. The ultimate outcome was me spending the rest of my life in the suffocating cage he had woven.

I snapped out of it. The guys, seeing Julian so calm, seemed to gain confidence. They exchanged glances, letting out even more piercing jeers. “Call the cops? Alice, who are you trying to scare?” “Yeah, what are the cops going to do? Tell everyone you deserved it for being a slut?” “We all saw the photos. Why are you still acting all high and mighty?” They relied on their numbers, convinced I wouldn’t dare, and couldn’t fight back. Just then, Mr. Harrison, our homeroom teacher, rushed over after hearing the commotion. Seeing my messy desk and scattered notebooks, his brow furrowed deeply. “What’s going on? What’s all this noise about?!” The guys immediately quieted down a bit, but still wore smug, unconcerned smiles. Julian instantly stepped forward, speaking before I could. “Mr. Harrison, it’s just a misunderstanding.” “Just some kids messing around. I’ll handle it, okay?” I took a deep breath, not looking at Julian, and faced Mr. Harrison directly, speaking clearly and firmly. “Teacher, this isn’t a joke. This is blatant slander, defamation, and bullying.” I pointed at the carvings on the desk, at the soiled notebooks on the floor, and finally at those boys. “Julian’s so-called ‘handling’ is just hoping I’ll silently endure this injustice.” I turned back to the surprised Mr. Harrison, enunciating each word, my tone resolute. “Mr. Harrison, I demand to call the police.” “These slanders and defamations have severely damaged my reputation and personal dignity.” “I need the law to clear my name.” Mr. Harrison was clearly stunned, seemingly unprepared for my assertiveness. Schools usually preferred to handle these matters internally. Julian’s face subtly darkened. “Alice, don’t be impulsive. Do you know the consequences of calling the police? Those photos…” “Of course, I know the consequences.” I cut him off, unwavering. “The consequence is that those who spread rumors and defame others will face legal punishment.” “As for those manipulated photos, it’ll be perfect for the police to trace their origin!” I deliberately emphasized “origin,” and saw Julian’s pupils contract almost imperceptibly. Finally, with my strong insistence and clear articulation, Mr. Harrison agreed to my request to call the police. Soon, the wail of a police siren echoed at the school gate. The moment the uniformed officers walked into the classroom. I saw the faces of those previously arrogant boys finally turning pale, their eyes filled with panic. They instinctively looked towards Julian. And Julian, standing at the edge of the crowd, his gentle worry already gone. It was replaced by an intensely cold scrutiny and a flicker of astonishment and gloom that I had completely broken free from his control. The arrival of the police instantly froze the atmosphere in the classroom. After understanding the basic situation, two officers took all of us to the police station. As Julian passed by me, he whispered, just loud enough for me to hear. “Alice, don’t blow this up beyond repair.”

The process of giving my statement was long and suffocating. Just as I expected, the boys quickly synchronized their stories. They just said it was a joke that went too far. The classroom surveillance camera was “conveniently” broken, with no evidence to prove they had bullied me. Julian’s statement was far more sophisticated. He played the role of an anxious, well-meaning classmate trying to defuse the conflict. “Officer, I believe Alice is innocent.” “But if this gets blown out of proportion, she’ll be the only one hurt.” He subtly implied that my insistence on calling the police was a “stubborn” act, disregarding my own reputation. Julian saving me was an undeniable fact, creating a perfect loop with his supposed good intentions. Then, the police followed protocol and notified parents and the school. Within fifteen minutes, Julian’s family lawyer rushed in, followed by our school’s vice-principal. The lawyer skillfully negotiated with the officers. The final outcome was cold and stark: insufficient evidence. Those boys, after a verbal warning from the police, slunk away. Julian was the last to leave. His face now held only a deep, almost tangible possessiveness. “Alice, the law can’t help you either.” He leaned in slightly, his voice laced with a chilling fanaticism. “Had enough fun? It’s time to come back to me.” I didn’t look up, just stared at my knuckles, clenched so tight they were white. The suffocating and helpless feeling from my memories returned. But the police failure was already within my expectations. I hadn’t expected to bring him down with just this one attempt. Calling the police so publicly was to alarm him, to force him to use his family’s connections. The more he intervened, the more mistakes he’d make, the more evidence he’d leave behind. I slowly lifted my head, my face devoid of the breakdown or submission he anticipated. Instead, I managed a faint smile. “Julian, the game has just begun.” A flicker of surprise and bewilderment crossed his eyes. Just then, I turned my head and saw my parents arriving at the police station, rushing towards us. The police must have told them everything that happened. Mom rushed over and hugged me tightly, her voice choked with sobs. “Alice!” “What happened? Why didn’t you tell Mom if you were upset?” Dad’s gaze swept over my messy school uniform and my swollen wrists, his face darkening further. He turned to the police officer beside him, his tone firm. “Officer, my daughter went through such a terrible thing at school. The school must give us an explanation!” “Dad, Mom.” I gently interrupted Dad’s questioning. “Let’s go home first. There won’t be any results for now.” Dad paused, seemingly surprised that I would proactively ask to leave. He looked at my pale face. Finally, he nodded heavily. “Okay, let’s go home first.” “But this isn’t over.” The three of us, under the complex gazes of Julian and the others, left the police station.

Back home, the moment the door closed, the tight string in my mind finally snapped. My legs gave out, and I almost collapsed, but Mom firmly caught me. Her warm embrace carried a comforting scent. The thought of how the story unfolded before I awakened my memories sent shivers of fear down my spine. I couldn’t hold back anymore; the pent-up grievances and fears erupted. “Mom… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” I cried heartbrokenly, my words incoherent, my body trembling uncontrollably. Mom hugged me tight, her voice also choked with sobs. “My silly girl, it’s Dad and Mom who didn’t protect you well enough, making you suffer so much…” Dad silently offered me warm water, his eyes filled with heartache and unfocused rage. His voice was hoarse with anger. “I’ll go to school tomorrow and demand an explanation! We don’t need this school. I will not let my daughter endure this kind of treatment again!” Mom tried to remain calm, wiping away my tears, then patting Dad. “Robert, don’t scare our child.” “Alice, it’s okay now. Mom and Dad are here.” They surrounded me, without a hint of disdain or doubt. Only complete trust and unreserved heartache. In that moment, memory and reality formed a cruel contrast. Julian’s chilling voice seemed to still echo in my ears. “Alice, your parents think you’ve shamed the family.” “They don’t want you anymore. Only I want you.” “Because of you, your family is ruined. Where else can you go but to rely on me?” Those words had repeatedly tortured my already shattered nerves at the time. Yet now, Dad was trembling with anger, but his concern was that he might scare me, might upset me. How could they think I was a disgrace? They only feared they hadn’t protected me enough. Julian had systematically removed all my support, intending to turn me into a helpless, clinging vine, utterly dependent on him. My parents insisted I rest at home for a few days, not going back to school for now. They carefully guarded my emotions, and the warmth of home almost made me succumb. But I knew Julian wouldn’t give up so easily. Sure enough, on the third night, my phone screen lit up with a text message from an unknown number. “Want to know the whole truth? Tomorrow night at eight, meet me under the old oak tree in the alley.” “Come alone.” My heart lurched. Julian couldn’t wait. It was almost identical to my memories. Only the time was earlier, and the method had changed from a subtle note to a direct text message. In the original story, driven by a desperate longing for the truth, I foolishly went to the meeting. What awaited me wasn’t the truth, but another carefully orchestrated “accident” and “rescue.” Then, under his repeated “benevolent” protection, I completely fell for him, destined for ruin. This time… I took a deep breath, my fingertips rapidly tapping on the screen. “Okay.” I knew another meticulously planned trap awaited me under that old oak tree. But this meeting, I had to take.

The next evening, I arrived at the tree early. Footsteps approached from behind the tree, uneven and dragging. Three thugs emerged from the alley. They saw me, exchanged a lewd glance, and swaggered up to surround me. I took a step back, my spine hitting the rough tree trunk. The corner of my eye sharply scanned the deeper shadow at the other end of the alley. It was Julian. One of the thugs reached out to grab my arm. I sharply slapped his hand away. My voice was laced with deliberately amplified terror and trembling. “What do you want? Get away from me!” “Feisty little thing, aren’t you?” Another thug spat, pressing closer. I pretended to struggle, pushing and shoving, letting out terrified whimpers. Sure enough, just as one thug’s hand was about to grab my collar. “Stop.” Julian stepped out of the shadows. He lunged forward in a few strides, pushing away the thug closest to me. He yanked me behind him, shielding me with his body. Julian had clearly trained; his movements were clean and precise, making the thugs stumble back. The thugs muttered curses, helped each other up, and fled. I coldly observed the performance tailored just for me. In my memories, I would have been trembling in fear at this moment. Clinging to him like a lifeline, falling even deeper into his dependency. But now, it only made me sick to my stomach. In the darkness, only his footsteps approaching me remained, along with his chillingly gentle voice. “Alice, are you okay?” “Don’t be scared. I’m here.” I looked at him with scorn. “Julian, putting on this little show, is it amusing?” He seemed not to have expected me to call him out so directly. The tenderness on his face gradually faded. He didn’t immediately refute, nor did he admit it. He just quietly watched me. After several seconds, he let out a very soft laugh. His voice was filled with a curious amusement at being seen through. “My Alice, you’ve really changed. You’re not like you used to be…” He reached out and, without resistance, pinched my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “But what if you know? What does it change?” He admitted it openly, his tone even carrying a hint of boastfulness. “That drunk, I paid him. Those photos, I took them, and I spread them.” “The bullying you suffered at school, I orchestrated all of it.” “They don’t understand you. They don’t want to believe you.” “Only I truly love you. Only I can clear all obstacles for you.” “See, tonight is no different.” He chuckled, his gaze sweeping over the spot where the thugs had disappeared. “Without me, what would you do?” He waited for my breakdown, my fear, my ultimate submission. This was the climax of his script. However, I merely looked at him, my eyes devoid of any of the emotions he desired. “Are you done talking?” Julian’s smile froze on his face. I slowly raised my phone, which had been in my jacket pocket, and waved it in front of him. The screen displayed the recording interface. “Julian, save those words for the police.”

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My best friend always said that checking your partner’s phone was a basic requirement in any serious relationship. So, one evening, I decided to conduct a surprise inspection of my boyfriend’s phone. He seemed completely calm, handing it over without a moment’s hesitation. It wasn’t until I tapped on that pinned group chat, “Brothers United,” and used his account to send a message: “Hey guys, guess which girl I’m with right now.” Three seconds later, the screen exploded with replies: [????] [Holy hell! Serena’s back?] [Serena’s back?! Seriously?! Where is she?!] Serena. I’d never heard that name in Leo’s life before. A chilling premonition crept over me. I snapped my head up. Leo, who had been lounging on the sofa, had somehow straightened his back. His gaze was fixed, unblinkingly, on the phone in my hand. He opened his mouth, as if to speak, but no sound came out. The phone vibrated frantically in my grip, new messages popping up one after another, buzzing relentlessly. I don’t know how long passed, but then he suddenly sprang up, practically lunging across the sofa. “Give it back!” His voice was hoarse, laced with an urgency and panic I’d never heard from him. Instinctively, I hid the phone behind my back, stood up, and took a step back. “Who is Serena?” I heard my own voice ask, dry and raspy. I looked at him, the man I had loved for two years, the man I thought I knew so well, the one I’d given my complete trust to. Yet, in that moment, he felt like a complete stranger. “Leo,” I repeated, my voice trembling uncontrollably, “Serena, who exactly is she?” “Just… just an old friend,” he finally managed to say. “Honestly, sweetheart, you have to believe me.” His voice softened. “It’s all in the past. I… I just didn’t want to bring it up, afraid you’d overthink things. I promise you, there’s absolutely nothing between us anymore.” He tried to approach me again, his tone urgent and earnest: “Don’t you know who’s truly in my heart? These past two years, haven’t you felt how I’ve treated you? Are you really going to completely dismiss everything we have just because of a thoughtless joke from my buddies?” It was true. For the past two years, he had been exceptionally good to me. Thoughtful, understanding, he remembered all our anniversaries, would buy me my favorite late-night snacks, and stayed constantly by my side when I was sick. Those warm, sweet memories flooded in, clashing fiercely with the icy suspicion, threatening to tear me apart. My hesitation seemed to register with him. He seized the opportunity, stepped forward, and gently pulled me into his embrace, his arms tightening around me, his chin resting on my head, his voice muffled: “I’m sorry, sweetheart, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have kept things about her from you. But I just thought there was no need to let past issues affect our present. I was wrong, please don’t be angry, okay? I’ll tell you everything from now on, hmm?” That night, he coaxed me with extreme tenderness, explaining that he and Serena had a brief, undefined relationship in college. They broke up due to personality clashes, and it ended on a sour note, which was why his friends remembered her so vividly. He said he no longer cared about her, and the only reason he hadn’t mentioned it was because he feared my jealous nature would make me upset. He sounded utterly reasonable, his eyes sincere, even a hint of being wronged for being misunderstood. I chose to believe him. Or perhaps, I chose the two years of emotional investment I had made, and the care he had shown me every day. I deleted the message from the group chat, pretending nothing had happened. He seemed to sigh in relief, treating me even better than before, more cautiously. Life, it seemed, had returned to its peaceful rhythm.

But some things, once shattered, can never truly be mended. I found myself involuntarily observing him. After he fell asleep, I would secretly pick up his phone. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t stop myself. His SnapChat, texts, and call logs were eerily clean. It wasn’t until a week later that, on a strange impulse, I tapped into his phone’s cloud drive. It required a password. My heart suddenly pounded. I knew all his common passwords, I tried them; they were wrong. A powerful intuition drove me. With trembling hands, I typed in his and Serena’s names. The screen flashed, and I was in. In that instant, my blood ran cold. Inside the cloud drive, there was a folder named “Project.” I clicked it open, revealing countless photos, and a subfolder within it, named “Her.” My hands trembled so hard I could barely hold the phone. I clicked on “Her.” There was only one photo. It was a girl’s back, wearing a white dress, standing in a field of sunflowers. Sunlight streamed down on her, making her look like something out of a painting. Even though it was just a back, I knew almost immediately: that was Serena. What chilled me to the bone even more was that back, that slightly curly long hair, the style of that dress… it was exactly what I had worn three years ago, on my first date with Leo. Shaking, I went back to the main “Project” folder and opened another subfolder. It was full of photos of *me*. Eating, sleeping, reading, laughing, angry… all kinds of moments of me. I used to think they were proof of his love, his sweet way of documenting our life together. But now, looking at these photos, a chill ran from my feet straight to the top of my head. Because in these photos, his camera angles, and the way he guided my poses… subtly, whether intentionally or not, they were replicating that back in the sunflower field. I abruptly looked up, at Leo sleeping soundly beside me. He seemed to be in a deep sleep, his features soft and relaxed. But in that warm bed, I felt like I’d been plunged into an ice bath. With trembling hands, I returned to the “Project” folder and started checking other folders. Their names were simple and clinical: [001_J], [002_L], [003_M]… like cold, numerical codes. My fingers were icy, I could barely grip the phone, and subconsciously, I clicked on the closest one, [002_L]. Inside were more photos. Many photos. Another girl, long, slightly curly hair, wearing various light-colored dresses. She was laughing, reading, drinking coffee… many candid shots. But her hairstyle, her fashion sense, the curve of her profile in some shots… faintly, there was an indescribable sense of familiarity. I backed out and clicked on [003_M]. Same thing. Another girl. Long, slightly curly hair, a fresh, clean style. The number of photos seemed fewer than in 002. So… I wasn’t the first. And I might not… be the last. Was I just the latest in his collection of similar replacements? Did he ever feel an ounce of genuine affection for me? Or was it all just a concession based on my resemblance to her? That tiny spark of attraction, if it ever existed, for “Maya” as an individual, what did it amount to in the face of his massive obsession with Serena? Probably, ridiculously insignificant. I sat on the cold floor, hugging my knees, watching the sky outside slowly lighten.

*Ding-dong* The doorbell rang like a death knell, waking a sleeping Leo. He walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. Driven by a strange impulse, I crept to the door and pressed my ear against the cold wood. I heard the door open. Then, a sweet, entitled, and utterly familiar female voice that was etched into my very soul, crisp and clear. “Leo, darling, surprise! I’m back! The freeway from the airport was packed, so I had to leave super early this morning… Oh, why do you look so upset? Don’t you want me here?” My breath hitched instantly. Serena. So, *this* Serena. She really was back. And she had come straight here. Outside the door, Leo’s voice was tense: “Serena? How… how did you find this place? Why didn’t you say you were coming?” “I wanted to surprise you, silly! What, are you hiding someone in there? Is it not convenient for me to come in?” “No… you…” Leo was clearly flustered. “Oh, right,” Serena’s voice suddenly dropped, laced with cunning and a hint of provocation, “my sister… Maya, she lives here, doesn’t she?” “Sister.” The word was like a rusty key, unlocking the long-sealed, dark corners of my childhood. In the backyard, the new swing Dad bought. I hadn’t even had a chance to sit on it once before Serena, in her pretty princess dress, was already on it, with Dad pushing her from behind, her laughter ringing clear. I ran over, but Dad just brushed me off, saying, “Maya, be gentle with your sister, she’s younger.” But she was only a few days younger than me. Dad’s gaze always followed Serena, praising her as smart, beautiful, a little genius. And I was always the insignificant side character, the “senseless” child who “couldn’t hold a conversation” and “whose grades weren’t as good as my sister’s.” My crayon drawings were casually tossed aside, while any numbers Serena scribbled were cherished by Dad like precious treasures. My grievances and tears only earned me the reprimand, “You’re the older sister, you should be more sensible.” Serena’s voice pulled me back to reality: “It’s really quite funny, Leo, darling.” “You chased my shadow for so long back then, and then… how did you end up with her?” “Were you using my sister to miss me?”

The last shred of sanity in my mind shattered. I yanked open the bedroom door. Serena saw me, showing no surprise whatsoever. Instead, she looked me up and down, a perfect, taunting curve on her lips. “Oh, sister, you really are here,” she said, her tone light. “Long time no see. Why are you still…” She deliberately paused for effect, her gaze sweeping over my old, worn t-shirt and swollen eyes, “…so careless about your appearance?” Leo stood awkwardly between us, looking from me to Serena, his lips moving, but not a single word coming out. The helplessness and fury of my childhood instantly drowned me. Why? Why could I never escape her? Why was even the sole happiness I had grasped, the happiness I thought was mine, merely a byproduct of her shadow? “Who’s your sister? My mother only had me,” I said with difficulty. Serena dramatically covered her mouth, her eyes, however, crinkled with amusement: “Sister, why are you still so sensitive? You were like this as a child, always so serious, never cute at all. No wonder Dad always preferred me.” Leo finally found his voice, pleading: “Serena! Stop it!” He then turned to me, trying to take my hand: “Sweetheart, calm down, let’s go inside and talk, okay?” I violently shook him off, my eyes still locked onto Serena. “You’re not welcome here,” I said, each word slow and deliberate. Serena, however, acted as if she’d heard something amusing. Instead of leaving, she took a step forward, watching the tension between Leo and me with keen interest, her gaze finally settling on Leo’s frantic, bewildered face. “Leo, darling,” she tilted her head, her voice innocent yet utterly cruel, “You seem really scared of my sister getting angry, huh? What, do you actually… like her now?” “No way? Have you forgotten what you used to tell me? You said you loved how lively and smart I was, and couldn’t stand her quiet personality, so stubborn and boring, like a block of wood…” Leo sharply gasped, sucking in a cold breath, and cut her off angrily: “Serena! What the hell are you talking about!” My body swayed, almost imperceptibly. Stubborn and boring. Like a block of wood. I looked at Leo; he looked at Serena, his eyes filled with shock, an attempt to silence her, but absolutely no… denial. Serena watched his desperate expression, her smile growing more triumphant and brazen, as if everything was going exactly as she planned. In that moment, standing at the doorway of the apartment I’d lived in for two years, facing my boyfriend and my half-sister, I felt like a complete and utter joke. I said nothing more. I just turned around, walked back into the bedroom, grabbed my suitcase, not even fully zipped, and silently, directly, headed for the front door. “Sweetheart!” “Sister?” Two voices rang out simultaneously, one frantic, the other feigning surprise with playful mockery. I didn’t look back, nor did I stop. I pushed past Leo, who was blocking the doorway, deliberately bumped into Serena, who was still watching the show, and dragging my suitcase, stepped into the elevator. The elevator doors slowly closed, shutting out Leo’s panicked shouts and Serena’s triumphant smirk. The mirrored elevator wall reflected my pale, numb face. How ridiculous, Maya. All these years I’d fought to escape, and it turns out, it had never truly left me.

Dragging my suitcase, I walked aimlessly down the street like a lost soul. My phone vibrated frantically in my pocket, Leo’s name flashing on the screen. I hung up, then blocked him. The world was so big, and I suddenly had no idea where to go. Go back to my parents’ house? That place held even more memories of Serena and my father’s favoritism. I couldn’t do it. Go to my best friend Chloe’s? How could I explain this utterly absurd situation to her? Tell her that the man I loved for two years treated me as a stand-in for the person I hated most? In the end, I just found a quick hotel that looked reasonably clean and checked in. Once I closed the door, shutting out all external noise, I finally allowed myself to collapse, leaning against the door, slowly sliding down to the cold floor. Tears finally welled up, late but unstoppable. Not loud sobs, but silent, desperate streams, soaking my shirt. The next few days passed in a daze. My phone was off, cutting me off from the outside world. I just slept, stared blankly, and mechanically ate a little to sustain myself. Until one morning, I rushed to the bathroom and dry heaved for ages, but nothing came up. This happened for several consecutive days. A terrifying thought suddenly pierced my mind. I stared at the two clear red lines slowly appearing, and all the strength instantly drained from me, and I slid down the wall to the floor. Pregnant. Just as I decided to leave Leo for good, just as my life had been shattered into a million pieces, this baby arrived. What a… cruel irony.

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I was born with a shadow. It wasn’t mine; it belonged to my twin sister, who died shortly after birth. To appease it, my parents forced me from a young age to wear dresses I hated and speak in a soft, delicate voice. To make it happy, the night before my most important piano competition, they locked my door and made me listen to terrifying stories in the dark all night. To fulfill its wishes, on my eighteenth birthday, they destroyed all my college acceptance letters and sent me to a strict boarding dance academy. Until I married my psychologist, Dr. Alistair Vance. He gently told me I would get better. That day, he held my latest brain scan, the love in his eyes almost melting me. He softly caressed the large shadow on the film and smiled at me. “Sweetie, your brain is nourishing it beautifully. It will soon fully occupy this body.” “Then, you can peacefully join your sister.” Dr. Alistair Vance’s voice was soft, but every word felt like a poison-tipped needle, piercing deep into my heart. Those eyes, which I once adored, were now filled with a sickening expectation. My stomach churned violently. “You’re joking, right?” I finally managed to squeeze out a question, needing to confirm it again. Alistair didn’t answer directly. Instead, he carefully tucked the CT scan back into the manila envelope. Then, he walked over to me, crouched down, and looked me directly in the eye. “This is not a joke.” “This is our shared anticipation, your parents’ wish for over twenty years, and a testament to my love.” An icy dread shot up from my feet to the crown of my head. Alistair reached out, intending to touch my cheek. I flinched back sharply, avoiding his touch. His hand froze mid-air, the smile vanishing from his face. “Sweetie, don’t be scared.” “This process won’t be painful at all. Afterward, you’ll go to a place without pain, to be reunited with your sister.” He spoke so casually, so matter-of-factly, as if he were discussing something trivial that happened every day. All his years of meticulous care for me. It was all a lie. “No…” My legs felt like jelly, numb and weak. But I couldn’t show it now. Because here, in front of him, I was no match. I lowered my head, feigning submission. “I… I’m just a little scared.” Hearing the slight softening in my tone, Alistair’s voice immediately turned gentle. He sat beside me and pulled me into his arms. “Don’t be afraid, I’m here with you.” He picked up a glass of warm milk from the bedside table and held it to my lips. “It’s getting late. Drink some milk and get some rest.” Looking at the white liquid near his lips, I felt a wave of nausea. But I could only obey. “Okay.” A sickeningly sweet, cloying warmth slid down my throat, and Alistair smiled, satisfied. He took the empty glass from my hand and left a goodnight kiss on my forehead. “Alright, go to sleep now.” “Goodnight.” The moment he left, I bolted straight to the bathroom, knelt before the toilet, and forced myself to throw up. Only when my stomach was completely empty did I collapse, exhausted, onto the cold tile floor. I looked at myself in the mirror, pale-faced, hair disheveled. Suddenly, a chilling thought crept into my mind. I had lost. I had been utterly defeated from the moment I was born. But I absolutely refused to accept this fate.

The next day, when I woke up, Alistair had already made breakfast. Everything seemed normal. If it hadn’t been for yesterday’s revelation, I almost would have believed it was just a nightmare. “Come eat.” I suppressed the urge to run, sitting down stiffly. “This afternoon, we’re going to your parents’ house. They said they miss you.” My heart sank. But… “Okay.” I softly agreed, trying to keep my voice sounding normal. Alistair’s face lit up with a delighted expression. “Wonderful, they’ll be so happy to hear the news.” I looked up, feigning confusion, and asked Alistair, “What news?” “Why, that your condition has had a breakthrough, of course.” “They’ve invested so much; it’s time they saw a return.” His words instantly took me back to the past. I suddenly remembered my days at the dance academy. Waking up before dawn every day, being forcibly bent by the instructors, crying myself to sleep every night. Tears and sweat—that was my entire three years of memory. I had questioned them countless times, asking why they treated me that way. They simply replied with the vague phrase, “It’s all for your own good.” Now I understood. They simply wanted to train a body worthy of their precious daughter. I took a deep breath, suppressing the hatred that surged in my heart. “After breakfast, I want to go for a walk. I’ve been feeling a bit cooped up lately.” “Great! I’ll come with you.” I quickly waved my hand, refusing Alistair. “I want to be alone, just in the apartment complex garden.” Alistair looked at me, saying nothing. I lowered my head, not daring to meet his gaze, my heart pounding. Finally, he spoke. “Alright, but come back soon. We’re leaving at noon.” A tight knot in my chest loosened a little. After breakfast, I changed and prepared to leave. As I reached the entryway, I instinctively reached for my phone and keys. “Looking for these?” Alistair’s voice came from behind me. I turned, meeting his gaze as he held my phone. “I charged it for you last night after you fell asleep.” I took the phone he handed me; the screen was still on. For some reason, I felt a subtle unease. “Where are my keys?” “I put them away.” He said to me casually, “Our home has smart locks, so you don’t need keys.” “But…” Before I could finish, Alistair cut me off. “Enough!” His voice held a hint of impatience. “Go on, don’t keep me waiting too long.” With that, he turned and walked to the living room, picking up a psychology textbook. I tentatively pressed the handle of the fingerprint lock. “Password incorrect.” Alistair had changed the password and deleted my fingerprint. He was now engrossed in his book, seemingly oblivious to my movements. I walked over to him, forcing a smile. “Alistair, the password’s wrong.” He looked up, a contrite expression on his face. “I’m sorry, Sweetie, I changed the password yesterday and forgot to tell you.” As he spoke, he took out his phone and tapped a few times. “There, try again.” With a mix of hope and skepticism, I typed in my original birthday password. “Verification successful.” The door opened. Standing in the doorway, I couldn’t take a single step. I could feel Alistair’s gaze burning into my back. He was just using this method to tell me. He could lock me in, or let me out, whenever he pleased. Everything was under his control. “Why aren’t you going?” I turned around; he had put down his book and was watching me. “I suddenly… don’t want to go out.” I closed the door and watched him walk closer, step by step. “Then stay home with me.” Alistair opened his arms. I hesitated for a moment, then submissively leaned into his embrace. My plan had failed. What was I going to do? Soon, he would take me back to that so-called home. I had no way to save myself. But out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something. On the coffee table behind Alistair, lay a fruit knife… Its blade reflected a cold gleam in the light.

The knife stood upright in the fruit bowl, as if pointing the way for me. A terrifying idea instantly sparked in my mind. Clinging to Alistair’s arm, my body trembled involuntarily. My voice broke, sounding fragile and helpless. “I’m still a little scared, Alistair.” Alistair’s body stiffened for a moment, then he gently patted my back. “It’s okay, Sweetie. Soon, you’ll be free.” I continued my act. “But I don’t want to leave you, or Mom and Dad.” A flicker of emotion crossed Alistair’s face. He cupped my cheek. “We’ll always remember you, Sweetie.” I suddenly pushed him away and lunged towards the coffee table. Grabbing the knife. “Sweetie, what are you doing!” Alistair’s voice immediately turned anxious. I gripped the fruit knife tightly, pointing the tip at my own neck. “Get away!” My voice was hoarse from screaming. Alistair looked at me, his face initially fearful, but a moment later, he sneered. “Did you think I wouldn’t be prepared?” He pulled a small remote control from his pocket and pressed a button. In an instant, my limbs felt weak, and the fruit knife clattered to the floor. My body became limp and powerless. “What… what did you do to me?” Alistair slowly walked towards me, looking at me with utter contempt. “A small precautionary measure.” Alistair adjusted his collar, his impeccable facade snapping back into place. “It’s getting late, we should leave.” He picked me up from the floor. I tried to resist, but I couldn’t move, only allowing him to manipulate me. I could only watch as he picked me up and tossed me into the passenger seat like a sack of trash.

The air in the car was so oppressive it was suffocating. Alistair turned on the stereo, and my favorite song began to play. “Don’t be so tense, Sweetie.” Alistair said gently as he drove, “We’re just going home.” I closed my eyes, not wanting to look at him or answer. The car slowly left the city and drove onto a road leading to the suburbs. I knew we were almost there. The car finally stopped in front of a secluded villa. It looked exactly as I remembered it—a house that felt more like a tomb. Alistair cut the engine and turned to look at me. “We’re home.” He unbuckled my seatbelt, then got out and walked around to open my door. “Do you need me to carry you?” I ignored him and propped myself up, standing by the car door. My legs still felt a bit wobbly, but I forced myself to stand steady, not letting him see my weakness. Alistair nodded, thoroughly satisfied. “You’re recovering much faster than I expected.” The door opened, and my mother, Brenda, emerged. She was dressed in a modest, tasteful dress, her hair meticulously styled. “You’re back.” Her voice was soft. “Mom,” Alistair greeted her warmly. I looked at her, but no words came out of my mouth. “Come in quickly, your father is waiting for you inside.” In the living room, my father, Richard, sat rigidly on the sofa. He was a quiet man; the number of times I’d spoken to him growing up could be counted on one hand. He looked up, glanced at me, then quickly looked down again. “Sit,” Father finally spoke, gesturing to the sofa opposite him. Alistair helped me sit, then sat beside me, tightly gripping my hand. “Dad, Mom,” Alistair broke the silence. “The time is right.” He took the manila envelope from his bag, pulled out the CT scan, and handed it over. “Look.” Father and Mother leaned in, carefully taking the scan, their eyes glistening with a sickening, triumphant joy. Their fingers lingered over the large shadow, a possessive, sickening tenderness in their touch. “This is wonderful… truly wonderful…” “After more than twenty years, we’ve finally reached this day.” I looked at these three people, supposedly my closest family, and a torrent of uncontrollable hatred and despair erupted from the depths of my being. “You’re all so happy, but did it ever occur to you that I might not want this?” Their smiles froze on their faces. Alistair’s grip tightened, crushing my hand almost to the point of breaking. “Elara!” I yanked my hand away and stood up. “Why should I die for someone who never even lived?” I coldly stared at these people who so readily professed their “love” for me. Father suddenly stood up, pointing at me, trembling with rage. “How dare you! How can you say such a thing? Everything you have was given to you by her! Now it’s time for you to repay her!” Alistair lunged forward, grabbing my arm. “It seems my ‘therapy’ hasn’t quite taken hold yet.” He turned to my parents. “Dad, Mom, please go back to your room. I need to speak with her alone.” Father snorted, then pulled my still-hesitant mother, turning and walking upstairs. Only Alistair and I remained in the living room. The gentleness on his face was gone, replaced by icy control. “It seems I’ve been too lenient with you.” He dragged me towards the basement door. “It’s time I reminded you what happens when you don’t obey.”

This was the place of my greatest childhood fears. Alistair effortlessly dragged me inside, then slammed the door shut with a bang. “Alistair! Let me out!” I frantically pounded on the heavy iron door, tears streaming down my face. His voice came from outside the door, cold and distant. “Reflect on your actions in there.” “Call me when you’ve come to your senses.” Then, the sound of his footsteps faded away. I slid down the door, leaning against it in despair. When I was little, if I ever showed the slightest doubt about their commands, they would lock me in here. I’d be trapped for days on end. Sometimes, they’d even play terrifying sounds: The growls of monsters, women’s screams, the clanking of chains… Even after all these years, I remembered every detail clearly. I hugged my knees, trying to stop my body from trembling. Don’t be scared. Alistair said that every moment of happiness and peace I felt was nourishing *it*. So, conversely, could my fear and pain also affect *it*? I began to recall past events. The night before the piano competition, they locked me in my room, forcing me to listen to horror stories all night. The next day, with dark circles under my eyes, I participated in the competition in a daze, and my performance was abysmal. And Alistair—he used tenderness and love as a disguise, soothing my wounds, making me drop my guard. Thinking of this, my stomach churned. I slowly stood up and began to grope in the dark. Relying on memory, I walked in one direction. I remembered there was a small window high up here. After some searching, my hand brushed against a rough wooden box. This was it! I climbed onto the box and pushed the window. I pushed with all my might. With a shattering crash. I immediately scrambled out, hands and feet. Outside was the villa’s backyard, overgrown with weeds. Ignoring the cuts on my palms from the broken glass, I got up from the ground and ran. Bursting through the backyard fence, I ran onto the desolate road. Behind me, the villa lights came on. They had found me. But my legs suddenly buckled beneath me, out of my control

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After being reborn, the first thing I, Evie Lewis, did was switch my newborn daughter, Aurora Roberts. Just because in my previous life, shortly after Aurora was born, a medical check-up revealed her blood type was AB. But my blood type is B, and my husband Calvin Roberts is O. There’s no way we could have an AB blood type child. As soon as this result came out, Calvin flew into a rage and immediately demanded a paternity test. The test results showed that Aurora was biologically related to me but not to Calvin. Calvin slapped me, his tone full of disappointment. “I’ve treated you with nothing but love and loyalty, and this is how you repay me!” Calvin’s mother, Vivian Roberts, accused me of cheating and having a child to scam their family fortune. I was completely stunned. I knew better than anyone that Aurora’s father could only be Calvin. For a moment, everyone accused me of cheating and called me a slut. Calvin even divorced me and complained online, causing countless netizens to attack me. I had nowhere to go with Aurora, fell into depression, and jumped to my death, never understanding why this happened. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Aurora was born. ***** “Evie, you’ve worked hard. I’ll take Aurora for a check-up later.” Calvin’s voice sounded in my ear. He held Aurora with a gentle expression. I jolted suddenly, realizing I had been reborn. Before I could think it through, I immediately spoke to stop him, “No need, I’ll take her. Didn’t you say you have to work overtime at the company today? Don’t stay here.” Calvin was stunned, looking at me with some surprise. He hesitated, “That doesn’t seem right. You just gave birth and need to rest.” The more he declined, the more anxious I felt. I reached out to take the baby. “One day of rest is enough, leave the baby to me.” In my previous life, Aurora was found to have AB blood type after a check-up, and Calvin angrily confronted me about it. He demanded a paternity test and even accused me. As soon as the paternity test came out, he insisted I had cheated, forcing me to leave with nothing and driving me and the child into despair. Thinking about his slander and lies now, I can’t help but feel a chill all over. But just as I was about to take the baby, Vivian, standing nearby, sneered coldly and spoke harshly. “You’re so useless. My son has been taking care of you, and now you’re making him work overtime?” “You do nothing all day and even gave birth to a useless daughter. What a disgrace to the family!” Ever since I married Calvin, Vivian has never treated me kindly. Calvin is filial, so I tolerated everything for his sake, but Vivian only became more arrogant. Now she dares to act so brazenly even in the hospital, making everyone in the ward frown. “What do you mean by that? Isn’t it a father’s duty to take care of the child?” “You’ve had children yourself and know how hard it is, so why are you scolding her?” “You should have changed your preference for boys over girls long ago.” Vivian, used to having her way at home, instantly turned red upon hearing these words. Calvin quickly tried to smooth things over. “Mom, Evie is my wife, it’s my duty to take care of her.” Then he said to me, “Honey, you rest first. We’ll go home and make you something delicious. We’ll be back soon.” His look of being caught in the middle, trying hard to please us, made the originally dissatisfied glances withdraw. I didn’t say anything, just quietly held Aurora back in my arms. Seeing the small mole on her finger, I was certain this was my biological daughter. Calvin didn’t switch her out, nor did he insist on personally taking her for a check-up. But how did Aurora turn out to have AB blood type, and what about that paternity test report? Full of doubts, I made a call to my parents and handed Aurora over to them. Coincidentally, the hospital had an abandoned baby. I adopted an O blood type baby girl and put Aurora’s wristband on her for the check-up. This time, I’ll see how Calvin tries to frame me!

After the check-up, I carried Aurora back to the ward. Not long after, Calvin and Vivian came in with dinner. Calvin said, “Evie, I made this especially for you. Try it.” As soon as the insulated container was opened, the rich aroma of food filled the entire ward. He handed me a spoon and said with a smile, “If you like it, I’ll make it for you every day. Don’t feel shy, my salary card is in your hands, buy whatever you want.” He looked at me dotingly, full of care and affection. The other mothers in the ward saw this and looked over with envy. “Such considerate men are rare nowadays, earning money and taking care of the family.” “You’re really lucky to have such a husband. Life must be comfortable. Just focus on taking care of the baby at home.” “When I ask my husband to buy something, he always complains a bit.” I glanced at Calvin; his gaze was gentle, like a flawless model husband. But in my past life, it was this affectionate look of his that deceived everyone. I let out a cold laugh and slammed the spoon down. I said, “You’re all talk. This meal was still bought with my money.” “You say the salary card is mine, but you interrogate every expense like I’m a criminal, even questioning when I spend two dollars.” “And every time your mom makes things hard for me, all you do is tell me to endure it. You’ve never truly cared about me.” Now everyone’s suspicious eyes all turned to Calvin. He clearly didn’t expect me to explode in public, staring at me in shock and pretending, “What are you talking about?” At this moment, Nurse Amber Martin walked into the ward, holding a few test reports in her hand. Calvin breathed a sigh of relief and immediately went up. “Give it to me, let me see the test results.” Vivian squeezed in to look as well, but I was subtly excluded by them. Watching their eager expressions, my heart suddenly sank, and a sense of foreboding quietly arose. The next second, Calvin’s eyes widened. “Why is Aurora’s blood type AB? That’s impossible!” Vivian screamed, “Calvin is type O blood, how could he have a daughter with AB blood type?” She suddenly turned to me, shouting at the top of her lungs, “Evie, what did you do? Aurora isn’t even our child!” The doctor heard the commotion and pushed the door open, frowning as he scolded, “Family member, please don’t make a scene in public.” Vivian became even more agitated when she saw him, grabbing his clothes and crying, “Doctor, you have to judge this for us.” “The child’s mother is type A blood, the father is type O, but the test shows the child is AB! How is that possible?” The doctor frowned. “Generally, parents with type A and type O blood usually won’t have a child with AB blood type. However…” Vivian slapped her thigh and interrupted loudly, “I knew it, Evie must have cheated!” Calvin was still acting, looking dejected. “No way, Mom. I trust Evie, the child must have been switched!” Amber chimed in at the right moment, “Impossible, our hospital’s procedures are very strict. The baby was given a wristband at birth, we wouldn’t make such a mistake!” The three of them exchanged words, and within a few sentences, they convicted me. Vivian glared at me fiercely and suddenly burst into tears, “How did my son marry such an unprincipled woman? She not only cheated but also had a child. Truly shameless!” The hospital room was filled with sighs. Calvin questioned me with a grim face, “Evie, what did I do wrong for you to cheat and betray me?”

I looked at Calvin, momentarily at a loss for words. After years of marriage, I eagerly anticipated the arrival of this child. But he personally tore apart this happiness, making me realize it was only my own expectation. Seeing my silence, a trace of smugness flickered in Calvin’s eyes. Vivian went as far as pointing at me and cursing, outright claiming that Aurora was born from my affair. She said, “I always knew you weren’t a good person. At home, you’re always flaunting yourself, just thinking about seducing others.” “When you gave birth, the delivery room was full of men, and you felt no shame. Turns out you’ve already been seen by everyone!” “I will get to the bottom of this. I will never let an outsider take away our family’s inheritance!” Her sharp voice pierced my ears painfully. I stared at her coldly, then turned to Calvin. “Do you think so too?” He looked indifferent and spoke in a lofty tone. “Even if you’re my wife, I can’t accept this.” “All these years, I’ve catered to your every need, especially after you got pregnant. But you’ve trampled on my sincerity, so I won’t tolerate it anymore!” He spoke righteously, as if he had suffered a great insult. I put on a hurt expression, covered my face, and said, “Just because the blood types don’t match, you assume I cheated? Calvin, I’ve really misjudged you all these years.” “Why are you tarnishing my innocence?” The surrounding mothers and their families, having seen Vivian’s fierceness and now witnessing Calvin’s true colors, showed sympathy and began speaking up for me. “Different blood types prove nothing! Accusing someone of cheating like this is just too unreasonable.” “How can you make such wild guesses about something so serious? If you’re wrong, you’ll ruin your wife’s entire life!” “I used to think you deeply loved your wife, but now I see you don’t trust her at all.” The crowd buzzed with discussion, but Calvin neither got angry nor upset; instead, a barely noticeable hint of delight flashed in his eyes. He said, “Then let’s do a paternity test. Blood types might be wrong, but DNA doesn’t lie!” “If Aurora isn’t my child, Evie, I want you to leave with nothing! Do you dare?” I let out a cold laugh. “Who wouldn’t dare? Let’s go right now! If it turns out you falsely accused me, then you’ll be the one leaving with nothing!” Calvin looked smug, his eyes full of excitement from his plan’s success. We went straight to the testing center for blood sampling. On the way, Calvin had already spread the news widely, posting several videos online, and the buzz quickly escalated. Relatives called one after another, and even reporters followed from the hospital to the testing center. He welcomed everyone, tearfully recounting his story of deep affection and cruel betrayal. I watched coldly, but my mind was racing. Before the checkup, I confirmed the child had type O blood, but AB blood was still detected—it must have been an error during the checkup process. But Calvin wasn’t afraid of the test—why was he so confident? Suddenly, a thought struck me, and a guess flashed through my mind. I immediately lowered my head to message my parents. When we walked out of the identification center, Calvin confidently said, “Evie, I’ll make you pay. You brought all this on yourself.” I looked up at him, my expression still calm. Calvin wouldn’t know that this time, no matter the result, he could never get his way.

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I was watching a TV show on my husband Miles Green’s computer in the office when an AI assistant prompt suddenly popped up. [My dear boss, stop working. You need to rest so you’ll have the energy to be with me tonight.] Looking at the delicate font and the screen full of pink bubbles, I was stunned. I took a screenshot of the page, rushed to Miles, who was meeting a client outside, and asked, “Do you have a lover?” Miles paused for a moment, then smiled and pinched my cheek, saying, “Silly girl, that’s just the company’s AI virtual girlfriend. I’m just personally testing it.” I calmly nodded and then had someone investigate this AI assistant. After obtaining the IP address behind this virtual girlfriend, I immediately sent it to the company group chat. I directly said: [If you come forward now, I might still consider leaving you some dignity.] Since they take my money and still treat me like a fool, they should be prepared to lose their status and ruin their reputation. The once lively company group chat instantly became very quiet. Five minutes later, Miles hurriedly pushed open the office door and walked in. Sweat beaded on his temple, his breathing was a bit rapid, and he looked very anxious. “Charlotte, it was really just a program test. You have to believe me.” Charlotte Johnson is my name. Several senior core employees of the company also came in, all helping Miles explain. A man said, “Ms. Johnson, that was the beta version of the AI, absolutely no real person was operating it.” “The conversation content was pre-set. It’s not what you think it means.” Immediately, the technical director dug out the meeting records and placed them in front of me. Then he said, “These conversation templates were designed by the team together to enhance user affinity and engagement.” “For the sake of our team’s results, Mr. Green personally conducted the test. If you misunderstood him, we deeply apologize.” They spoke sincerely, constantly defending Miles. Miles held my hand, his eyes full of sincerity. “Charlotte, I’m sorry for upsetting you. If you don’t like me using this, I won’t use it again.” He knew his sincerity could always move me. Back then, he was very poor. I admired his character and decisively supported his startup. To achieve results, Miles worked overtime for half a month straight and often didn’t come home. I never doubted him; instead, I took care of the house and waited for him to come back. When Miles needed funds, I asked my father, Nicholas Johnson, for investment and agreed with Miles that he would control the company’s profits for the first five years. In the end, his business didn’t take off, but I didn’t blame him. I even recommended Miles to work at the group founded by Nicholas, citing “gained valuable experience” as the reason. On the day he became the group president, at the celebration banquet, he proposed to me for the second time. He said his love for me would always remain as pure and passionate as when we first fell in love, and that he would only ever love me. Every year on our wedding anniversary, Miles would propose to me again to show he hadn’t forgotten his original feelings. Logically, his loyalty to me should be very strong and unshakable. I wearily pressed my temples and waved at them. “I understand. I won’t pursue this matter anymore.” They breathed a sigh of relief and then left the office. Miles also breathed a sigh of relief. He came over to hug me, but I pushed him away. I had already read Miles’ chat history with the AI assistant. That AI assistant would chat with him every few minutes. Although most of it was about weather or schedule reminders, the language was flirtatious, even somewhat explicit. The chat also included faceless real-life memes. I could tell that all the memes came from the same person. No matter how much I trust Miles, I can’t help but feel suspicious. I have to get to the bottom of this. I know someone in the group’s tech team. I excused myself to the restroom and sent over the traced IP address. They quickly sent me the results. The user of this IP is inside our group building. Using the HR employee records, I found this person’s name. She is Hannah Ross, a new intern in the Operations Department 2. I suddenly felt very upset. They all said there was no real person in control, but now I even have the other person’s name and information. I got into the elevator and went straight to Operations Department 2 downstairs. At the office door, I spotted Hannah right away. Everyone else was focused on work, but her computer screen was playing a variety show in full screen. Her desk was lined with expensive hand creams and snacks, along with a humidifier solely for her use. I walked into the office, and Hannah caught sight of me from the corner of her eye. Sensing something, she quickly raised her hand and slid the couple’s photo under the documents on her desk.

When I approached her desk, Hannah slowly paused the variety show. I clenched my fists, wondering if Miles had granted her such special privileges. I asked her, “You’re watching a variety show during work hours. Have you finished all your tasks?” Hannah glanced at me indifferently. “I’m tired from work, taking a break, so what? Are you here to clean up? You should turn right ahead to the pantry.” The nearby employees looked like they didn’t want to get involved, but one of them still whispered to her, “This is Ms. Johnson, the daughter of our group’s founder and Mr. Green’s wife.” Hannah looked at me with a feigned innocent expression. “Sorry. I thought Mr. Green’s wife would be elegant and beautiful, so I didn’t associate her with you. My apologies.” A surge of anger instantly rose in my heart. I was about to speak to her when Hannah glanced elsewhere, and her eyes suddenly turned red. She whispered, “I’m sorry, Ms. Johnson. I’ll get to work right away.” At that moment, Miles’s stern voice sounded behind me. He asked, “What’s going on?” A few employees immediately gathered around. A man said, “Ms. Johnson accused Hannah of not working seriously. She was scolded to tears by Ms. Johnson.” A woman said, “Hannah’s work was already done well. The team leader allowed her to take a break. Ms. Johnson is being too strict.” I was a bit surprised. Just now, these people stayed silent, afraid that the conflict between Hannah and me would involve them. But as soon as Miles appeared, they seemed to have direction and kept speaking up for Hannah. “Enough,” Miles pointed at Hannah and said, “Come to my office tomorrow to report your work. I will personally check your workload.” Hannah lowered her head and agreed, but the corners of her mouth quietly curved upward. My heart suddenly ached, and my chest was filled with bitterness. Is Miles warning her, or looking for an opportunity to be alone with her in the office? I steadied my emotions, then raised my voice and said to everyone, “I’m not here to supervise work, but to inform you that the company will gradually upgrade the equipment. Starting with your department, all computers will be replaced with new ones.” Hearing my words, the employees were all pleasantly surprised. Only Hannah unhappily said, “Why so sudden? I’m already used to my computer. Can I not change it?” “No, you can’t.” Miles directly rejected her protest. Then, he turned to me with a gentle smile and said, “My wife’s words represent mine. You all must follow her plan.” Hannah looked at Miles in disbelief, her face instantly turning red. I didn’t want to see her like that, so I said something to Miles and went home alone. Not long after, Miles left work early and hurried back home. In his left hand, he carried my favorite cake, and in his right hand, the bag I had my eye on a few days ago. Miles said apologetically, “Charlotte, I’m sorry. I’ve already handed over the AI virtual girlfriend test to someone else. I promise I won’t touch anything that makes you feel I’m distracted again.” I took the gift he gave me and calmly said, “I can understand if it’s for work.” He sighed, then pulled me into his arms, his voice full of guilt. “I know I’ve neglected you. I’m sorry. My phone password is your birthday. If you’re worried, you can check my phone anytime.” I nodded and said nothing more. At night, when Miles went to take a shower, I unlocked his phone. His phone was clean, with nothing suspicious. Suddenly, a message popped up: “Menstrual pain relief medicine has been delivered.” It turned out that before apologizing to me, Miles was still concerned about Hannah’s period pain. My heart clenched tightly, and I almost smashed his phone to the ground. Miles had truly become a man with two faces.

Without waiting for Miles to finish his shower, I went straight to another room. That night, I couldn’t sleep at all. The next day, all the equipment in Operations Department Two was replaced. I found the main computer Hannah used before and had a professional recover all the data inside. Sure enough, her computer also had an AI assistant client program. She was the AI assistant chatting with Miles, Miles’s “virtual girlfriend.” Realizing that the guess I had pondered all night was confirmed, my hands couldn’t help but tremble a little. Did Miles use the company’s resources and even have so many employees lie, just for his love with Hannah? With trembling hands, I opened their chat logs and found that the records on Miles’s computer were edited, while the ones on Hannah’s computer were complete. From Hannah’s records, I could see that Miles cared for her with great attention, leaving nothing out. To openly buy coffee for Hannah, Miles treated the entire department of 50 people to coffee. To make Hannah happy at work, Miles lowered the performance requirements for the entire department. Miles even cared about what color stockings or style of underwear Hannah wore today. They also had a meeting place called Sweet Home. Just last week, they agreed to meet at Sweet Home. Hannah asked him if she should prepare birth control pills. Miles replied: [No. Our child will definitely be healthier than Charlotte’s.] Seeing this sentence, I stared at the screen, utterly shocked as if struck by lightning. Last year, I was once pregnant with Miles’s child. That time, after entertaining a client, he drove home drunk. He asked me to help open the garage door but accidentally hit me, causing me to miscarry. After sobering up, Miles kept crying and said he would pray for the child in heaven every day. For the sake of our future, I endured this matter. But now, the man who caused my child’s death is actually hinting to another woman that the child I lost was unhealthy. I was trembling all over, my hand gripping the mouse almost crushing it. Before I knew it, night had fallen. In 30 years of life, it was the first time I stood on the edge of collapse. I gathered all the materials and rushed to the company to find Miles, who claimed to be working overtime. When I arrived at the VIP section of the underground parking lot, I saw Miles’ car lights flash a few times. Then, Miles and Hannah happened to walk out from two separate elevator entrances. I instinctively hid in the shadows. As soon as they met, they couldn’t even get into the car before passionately kissing each other. They looked like a couple who had been suppressing their feelings for a long time. After the kiss, Miles gently caressed Hannah’s cheek and said, “Wait for me. Once I become the chairman tomorrow, I’ll find a way to make Charlotte disappear. Then we can be together forever.” Hannah gazed at him obsessively and said, “I know you’ve been preparing for this day for many years. I’ll wait for your success.” A chill ran from my spine to the top of my head, and I almost collapsed. My heart ached as if it had been stabbed countless times. So, Miles was using me all along. How could he face my parents and the child we lost? After they drove away, I stumbled out from the shadows. That night, I didn’t go home. Miles called and messaged me like crazy. I only replied: [See you at the shareholders’ meeting tomorrow.] Miles then reassured me to sleep early, not caring at all where I had gone. The next day, I walked into the meeting room on time. Seeing me, Miles instantly got excited and immediately brought over a proxy form for me to sign. I inherited the largest shares in the group, but I usually let him exercise the voting rights on my behalf. Today, Miles is giving a work report to vie for the chairman position. With my proxy, he can cast 40% of the approval votes for himself. I signed, then turned to see Hannah proudly standing in the employee representatives’ lineup.

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My name is Nora Reeds. After going to the swimming pool with my good friend Alexa Stewart, my period was delayed by half a month. Alexa insisted I take a pregnancy test. Seeing the two bright red lines on the test, I was stunned. Although I have a boyfriend, I’m a conservative girl and never went all the way with him. Then whose child am I carrying? My first reaction was to get an abortion immediately. But my boyfriend Chase Scott was worried about my health and was willing to marry me to raise the child together. Until the day of delivery, I lay in the delivery room, extremely weak, but before I even saw the baby, Chase smothered me with a pillow. He pressed his whole body against me, shouting frantically, “You b*tch, did you really think I wanted to raise that child? Both you and the baby must die!” Having just given birth, I had no strength to fight back and was smothered to death by him. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the moment I just found out I was pregnant. This time, I must find out whose child I’m carrying! I stared blankly at the two lines on the pregnancy test in the bathroom, while outside Alexa kept urging, “Nora, have you checked? Are you really pregnant?” My hand trembled as I looked at the bright red two lines, feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit. In my past life, because of this child, I was forced to take a break from school to prepare for childbirth, and in the end, I was even smothered to death. Until my death, I never knew how I got pregnant, let alone who the father of the child was. Alexa, growing impatient, directly opened the door and came in. But I quickly hid the pregnancy test stick. She looked around curiously and asked, “Where’s the pregnancy test? Are you pregnant or not?” I shook my head. “I haven’t even had sex, how could I be pregnant?” Alexa couldn’t keep a secret. In my past life, as soon as I found out I was pregnant, she told Chase, which led to everyone knowing about my premarital pregnancy. This time, I don’t plan to tell her about it right away. Alexa said a bit disappointedly, “I thought you were really pregnant. I heard Chase is planning to propose to you soon; he’ll definitely be happy.” My heart sank. How did I not realize before that she likes kids so much? I clenched the pregnancy test in my hand, carefully thinking about everything that happened since my last period. Chase and I only went to the mall twice, and we didn’t even kiss. The baby definitely isn’t his. And I haven’t been alone with any other man. The only person I’m usually closest to is Alexa. But she’s a woman, so it’s even more impossible! I frowned tightly, suddenly remembering something—Alexa and I went to a swimming pool a month ago. At that swimming pool, I was harassed. A man deliberately swam close to me and even made some particularly lewd gestures. I was shaking with anger, and Alexa was even more furious, scolding him on the spot and driving him away. Later, I didn’t feel like showering, so I waited for her in the changing room and ended up falling asleep unknowingly. When I woke up, my whole body was sore, and I thought it was just fatigue from swimming. Looking back now, could it be that I was violated at that time? Thinking of this possibility, I couldn’t help but feel a chill all over and immediately went to the hospital. I not only needed to check if I was really pregnant but also something even more important. If I was really violated, there would definitely be traces on my body. I must find that person! After the ultrasound results came out, I was completely devastated. The test results showed the fetus was already four weeks old, exactly one month. The doctor asked if I wanted to keep it or terminate it, and I immediately scheduled an abortion. No matter whose child this is, I can’t keep it! The doctor skillfully scheduled the surgery for me, murmuring softly, “Young girls these days really don’t take care of themselves, getting pregnant at such a young age.” My cheeks burned, but I couldn’t explain. Should I say I have no idea how I got pregnant? I turned around and scheduled a gynecological exam and infectious disease screening. If the person who assaulted me has an STD, the consequences would be unimaginable. The doctor put on gloves and had me lie on the examination bed, but moments later, she frowned deeply. She said, “How is this possible?” “Your hymen is intact, so how did you get pregnant?”

I was stunned too; I had already planned to take the evidence to the police after the examination. But this result was completely unexpected. My hymen is intact, so how did I get pregnant? The doctor comforted me, saying, “Don’t worry, it could be because the male organ is too small, so the hymen wasn’t torn. “This situation of yours is rare, but not impossible.” I walked out of the examination room, completely lost in confusion. It’s been a month since I went to the swimming pool, and now there’s no evidence left. Do I have to terminate this pregnancy without knowing the truth and suffer in vain? Chase suddenly called me. After answering, his anxious voice came through the receiver. “Nora, where are you? Alexa can’t find you and has been calling me nonstop. Did something happen?” Only then did I realize Alexa had called me several times, but I didn’t hear it because I had silenced my phone in the examination room earlier. Chase’s gentle words made my nose sting, but I immediately recalled the scene of him killing me in my past life. He clearly hated me to death, yet he insisted on waiting for me to give birth before killing me. Could this child have something to do with him? I hadn’t had time to sort out my thoughts when Alexa’s call came in again. As soon as I answered, she scolded me, “Why didn’t you pick up? Do you know how worried I was about you?” I completely lost control, tears streaming down my face. In my past life, after I got pregnant by accident, Alexa advised me to terminate it, but I was foolish and insisted on listening to Chase. The doctor said my uterine lining was very thin, and if I terminated the pregnancy, it would be extremely hard to conceive again. Chase also promised to marry me, so I foolishly decided to have the baby. Thinking about it now, how could a man willingly raise someone else’s child? Now the only person I can trust is Alexa. I told her I’m pregnant and currently at the hospital. In less than five minutes, she rushed over. When she saw me, she hugged me tightly. “Being pregnant is a good thing! Stop crying, I’ll call Chase over right now!” I shook my head and tightly grabbed her wrist. “The child might not be his.” Alexa was stunned. “Are you sure? Then whose child is it?” I said, “Actually, I don’t know either. I just want to terminate this pregnancy now.” She was silent for a few seconds, then firmly said, “No matter what decision you make, I’ll support you.” The next day’s abortion procedure was accompanied by Alexa. But before I entered the operating room, Chase rushed over. He said, “Wait, Nora, don’t go through with the surgery. I’m willing to take care of you and the child!” My hand holding the examination report tightened. How did he know I was here? I only told Alexa about this! I turned to look at Alexa, and she was just as puzzled. “How did he get here?” Chase sat beside me, panting, and held my hand tightly, fingers interlocked. He said, “Did you forget we set up couple tracking before? I noticed you were at the hospital yesterday and rushed over because I was worried about you.” He lowered his head bitterly. “I never expected you to be pregnant.” “I know the child isn’t mine since we never had a sexual relationship. “But Nora, your health has always been poor. I’m afraid if you terminate the pregnancy this time, it might be hard for you to become a mother in the future.” I’m actually a very traditional girl and have no plans to be childfree. But to have a child without even knowing who the father is? I can’t do it; I’d rather stay single for life. I slowly pulled my hand back. “No, I must terminate this pregnancy.” Chase was stunned for a moment and frowned, “Why? I clearly don’t care anymore, so what are you still worried about?” Alexa also softly advised, “Yeah, Nora, abortion is too harmful to your body. Why don’t you think it over again? Your health is already fragile.” Chase suddenly snatched the test report from my hand and pulled me up without a word. He said, “I won’t let you harm your body. Worst case, we’ll get married next month. Don’t worry, I won’t mind. Even if the child isn’t mine, I’ll still raise them as my own.” His words drew the attention of those around us. A nurse said enviously, “What a good man, willing to raise someone else’s child.” “If it were me, I would keep the baby since someone is willing to raise them.” Although Chase said that, his brow furrowed slightly upon hearing the nurse’s words. What he said wasn’t sincere at all. He just wants me to have this child and then humiliate me relentlessly. I let out a cold laugh and said, “You have the nerve to say you despise me? Let’s break up. My business is none of your concern.” After saying that, I got up and left under his astonished gaze. I must figure out what exactly Chase has to do with the child in my belly!

Although Chase had hinted at getting a room before, he never brought it up again after I refused. My hand couldn’t help but rest on my lower abdomen. This child didn’t just appear out of nowhere. Could it really be as the doctor said, that the man who violated me has a very small penis? After thinking it over, I decided to go to the swimming pool again. I slipped some money to the security guard and got surveillance footage from a month ago. There’s no camera inside the changing room, so I could only see the people entering and leaving. But after looking over and over, I didn’t find anyone suspicious. I couldn’t help feeling discouraged. Could it be that I was wrong? Was it not something that happened that day? Alexa bought me a drink and asked with a grin, “Nora, I sent Chase away. Now you can tell me, whose child are you carrying?” I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “I wish I knew. All I remember is going to the swimming pool, and then I somehow ended up pregnant.” She was stunned for a moment, then quickly slapped her forehead and said, “Could it be that someone ejaculated in the pool?” “I came across a news story before, where a man deliberately ejaculated in a public pool, and several girls ended up pregnant!” I almost burst out laughing. Sperm has a very short survival time and quickly loses its viability when exposed to chlorinated pool water. But her suggestion reminded me of the man who harassed me that day, so I pulled up the surveillance footage of the swimming pool again. But this time, I saw someone unexpected. That person was Chase! He was wearing a mask, standing sneakily at the entrance of the pool. Soon, he walked out of the surveillance footage and disappeared into the restroom. I clenched my fists, thinking, “He’s definitely not simple!” Before I could confront him, the door was pounded heavily. Alexa went to open the door but was shoved to the ground. The person who came in was my dad, Dylan Reeds, followed by my mom, Juliet Reeds. I had just stood up when he slapped me hard. I instinctively covered my face and heard Dylan angrily scold, “Nora, how could I have a shameless daughter like you? You’re not even married yet, and you’re already rushing to have someone’s child?” I looked over his shoulder and saw Chase behind him, staring at me with a smug expression. He pretended to sigh and said pitifully, “Nora, I really don’t want to pressure you, but I’m truly afraid you’ll abort the baby.” “I asked the doctor, and they said your uterine lining is very thin. If you abort this time, it will be hard to conceive again.” In my previous life, he used the same excuse. He even rushed into a flash marriage with me just to make me keep the baby. No wedding, no gifts, nothing at all, yet I was still deeply grateful. I thought I owed him, so even in late pregnancy, I worked hard to make it up to him. Looking back now, I was truly so foolish. What did I do wrong? I don’t even know how I got pregnant. Dylan’s face turned red with anger. “You’re dropping out tomorrow and getting married. Otherwise, when your belly gets big, people will laugh at you.” Chase advised, “Mr. Reeds, don’t rush. Nora can take a break from school and marry me first. Later, my mom can take care of the baby, so it won’t tire her out.” Alexa brought me ice to put on my face. I sat down on my own, my tone cold. “Who said I was getting married? I’m not.” Dylan’s eyes widened, and his finger trembled as he pointed at me. “What are you trying to do? Do you still want an abortion?” Juliet cried on the side as she said, “How could you get pregnant before marriage? If you don’t marry Chase, who else can you marry?” I listened to those words and suddenly laughed. “I’m going to marry the baby’s father. Who told you the child I’m carrying is Chase’s?” Juliet stopped crying, and Dylan froze in place. I said slowly, “Chase is impotent, there’s no way he could get me pregnant.” Chase’s face changed drastically, and he yelled at me, “Are you crazy? You’ve never even seen it, so how can you say I’m impotent?” Juliet couldn’t help but ask, “So the child really isn’t yours?” Chase opened his mouth, only to realize he had been set up by me. He immediately said, “Mr. Reeds, Mrs. Reeds, even if the child isn’t mine, I’m still willing to marry Nora. I don’t mind her, and I don’t mind the child.” I rolled my eyes. “I broke up with you a long time ago. If I get married, it’ll be to the child’s real father!” He shouted angrily, “Then tell me whose child you’re carrying! Do you dare to say it?” I was stunned for a moment, and Alexa quickly stepped in to smooth things over. She patted my shoulder and comforted me, “Alright, everyone calm down, let’s talk this through.” My gaze landed on her hand, and I couldn’t help but freeze. Then I widened my eyes in disbelief. I knew whose child I was carrying.

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Before marrying Leonardo Morgan, his mother Olivia Morgan gave me a premarital obedience test. She asked me to serve coffee to the whole family, and I did. She made me walk barefoot on a gravel path to prove I could endure hardship, and I did. She made me sign a prenuptial agreement stating I wouldn’t get any assets in case of divorce, and I still signed it. Throughout the process, Leonardo watched coldly. He only said to me, “Josephine, don’t make a fuss. Just bear with it. These are our family rules.” Josephine Campbell is my name. I smiled and nodded, but tears couldn’t help falling. The final test was Olivia slapping me unexpectedly. Olivia said, “After marrying Leonardo, you need to understand what humility is.” I stood still, but Leonardo, who was upstairs in the study having a video meeting, suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. Afterward, Leonardo covered his face and looked at me in horror. At this moment, a mechanical voice echoed in my mind. “Your Shared-Sensation System with Leonardo has been successfully bound. From now on, he will fully experience all the pain you endure.” The pain on my face hadn’t subsided yet when Leonardo collapsed backward like a puppet with its strings cut. His handsome face, always filled with arrogance and disdain, was now twisted in fear. Olivia shouted, “Leonardo!” The other servants also shouted, “Mr. Morgan!” The Morgan Villa’s living room instantly descended into chaos. Screams, cries, and the sound of chairs and tables crashing to the ground merged into a chaotic noise. I stood there, watching everyone frantically lift Leonardo onto the ambulance. And the cause of it all—Olivia froze for just a moment before pointing at me and yelling, “It’s you, you wretch, who made Leonardo collapse at home!” I said nothing, just raised my hand and gently touched my swollen left cheek. The burning pain on my cheek felt just like the ache in my heart. The hospital’s diagnosis came out quickly. Leonardo had acute concussion along with facial soft tissue contusions, but the cause was unknown. When Leonardo woke up, I was the only one in the hospital room. He saw the clear five-finger mark on my face. The mark was identical to the impact he remembered feeling on his cheek. Immediately, the confusion in his eyes was quickly replaced by gloom. Leonardo asked in a hoarse yet judgmental voice, “Josephine, what did you do to me?” I calmly looked at him and said, “I didn’t do anything. Olivia slapped me, and then you collapsed.” “Ridiculous!” Leonardo sneered, “My mom slapped you, and I ended up spitting blood and fainting? Josephine, are you now making up such lies just to gain my sympathy?” “This is not a lie,” I said word by word. “Just now, we were bound by the Shared-Sensation System. From now on, any harm I suffer, whether physical or emotional, you will feel it too.” Leonardo stared at me intently, his eyes full of disgust and contempt. He sneered, “Is this your new trick? Josephine, I really underestimated you. You’ve truly tried every possible way just to make me look at you.” “Don’t you believe me?” I asked him. “I believe you’re a lunatic,” Leonardo said coldly. I laughed, but tears fell once again. I wiped them away, looking at the man I had loved for ten years but could never move. Then, in a cold tone even unfamiliar to myself, I said, “Leonardo, let’s make a bet.” “What are we betting on?” Leonardo raised an eyebrow, looking at me as if I were a ridiculous clown. I calmly said, “Let’s bet that I’ll make you personally feel just how painful the suffering I’ve endured all these years truly is.” Leonardo didn’t answer, just turned his head away and called the nurse. His actions told me he found even speaking another word to me disgusting. Looking at the pitch-black night sky outside the window, I whispered, “You will believe.”

When I returned to the Morgan Villa, I was greeted by Olivia’s face twisted with anger. Olivia yelled, “How dare you come back? You bitch! Leonardo has never even lost a hair since he was a child. The moment you came to my house, he ended up in the hospital. You’re a jinx!” As she cursed, she ordered the servant to take down the decorative whip hanging on the wall. The whip was made of leather, soaked in oil, looking dark and shiny. Looking at that whip, my heart skipped a beat. I remembered when I first met Leonardo. Back then, he was just as dashing, like a proud wild horse. I followed behind him, thinking that if I worked hard enough, one day I could walk alongside him. But now, in his home, I’ve become an object to be beaten and scolded at will. The TV in the living room was on, and a reporter from the financial channel was broadcasting a piece of news. “The Morgan Group’s president, Leonardo Morgan, was urgently hospitalized today. His childhood friend, famous actress Ayla Reed, rushed to visit him at the hospital. The two appeared close throughout, dispelling earlier rumors of Leonardo marrying an ordinary woman.” On the TV screen, Ayla was tucking the blanket around Leonardo with a worried look, and the way Leonardo gazed at Ayla was a tenderness I had never seen before. So, Leonardo wasn’t born indifferent; he just gave all his warmth to someone else. And I can’t even earn a shred of his trust. Overwhelming grief and anger consumed me. With a loud snap, the first whip struck heavily on my back. My flesh instantly tore, and the intense pain nearly brought me to my knees. Olivia yelled, “You shameless woman! How dare you seduce Leonardo! I’ll beat you to death!” Like a madwoman, Olivia whipped me one lash after another. At that moment, my phone rang. It was Leonardo calling. I mustered all my strength to answer the phone. “Josephine!” Leonardo’s suppressed, angry roar came from the other end of the line. “What self-harming stunt are you pulling now to get my attention? I’m telling you, stop it immediately! This only makes me despise you more!” His voice came through the receiver, and Olivia heard it. Olivia thought I was complaining to Leonardo, so her expression turned even fiercer. “You dare to snitch? Clearly, I haven’t hit you enough!” Immediately, she raised her hand and lashed me with all her strength. “Ah!” Leonardo’s roar on the other end of the phone instantly turned into a piercing scream. That sound pierced my eardrums, carrying unimaginable pain. Olivia was stunned. On the phone, Leonardo’s wails continued, each one more harrowing than the last. Olivia finally panicked. She dropped the whip, grabbed my phone, and urgently shouted into the receiver, “Leonardo? Leonardo, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me!” On the other end, Leonardo’s labored breathing was intermittent. “Mom, my back hurts so much. I’m in agony.” “Your back?” Olivia turned to look at me in confusion. I was lying on the ground, my back a bloody mess. Olivia immediately said into the phone, “Leonardo, don’t be scared. I’m coming right away. It must be that bitch cursing you!” After hanging up the phone, Olivia hurriedly left the villa. In the hospital, Leonardo lay on the bed, cold sweat dripping from the intense pain in his back. He grabbed Olivia’s hand as she rushed over and asked suspiciously, “Mom, did you just hit Josephine?” Olivia’s eyes kept darting around as she immediately denied, “No! Why would I hit her? She’s the one going crazy, crying and making a scene at home. I just said a couple of words to her, that’s all.” Ayla immediately chimed in, her voice soft and aggrieved, “Yes, Leonardo. Olivia has always been good to Josephine. But just now, Josephine seemed to be talking nonsense on the phone, which upset Olivia so much that her heart felt unwell.” As Ayla spoke, she gently massaged Olivia’s chest. Looking at the “wronged” Olivia and the “thoughtful” Ayla, Leonardo thought of Josephine’s silence on the phone. Instantly, the doubt in his heart vanished. He felt that even if the Shared-Sensation System really existed, I was deliberately hurting myself to gain sympathy and thought I was too scheming.

The day Leonardo was discharged, Ayla also went back to the Morgan Villa, saying she wanted to “take care of Leonardo.” Olivia was naturally very happy. While Leonardo was in the study handling work, Olivia and Ayla called me downstairs and swept a pile of broken vase shards onto the floor. Olivia crossed her arms and commanded me with an arrogant tone, “The floor is dirty. Kneel and clean it up.” Ayla, on the other hand, hypocritically advised me, “Josephine, just listen to Olivia. She’s doing this for your own good, wanting you to learn some manners. Leonardo doesn’t like women who are unruly.” My knees were already bruised and purple from the whip. Now, kneeling on the sharp porcelain shards, every movement felt like countless steel needles piercing into my bones. Upstairs in the study, Leonardo was resting in his chair. Suddenly, a sharp, piercing pain shot through his knee, jolting him awake. This pain was exactly the same as the sharp pain in his back that day. Leonardo froze for a moment, then suddenly pushed open the door and rushed downstairs. He rushed to the staircase and saw Ayla holding a basin of water, seemingly losing her balance, pouring the entire basin of cold water over my head. The icy water made me shiver all over, and the wounds on my knees soaked in water hurt so much that my vision went black. Seeing Leonardo, Ayla immediately threw herself into his arms, crying bitterly. “Leonardo, I didn’t mean to. It was Josephine suddenly trying to stand up, which made me accidentally spill the water. Is she trying to hurt herself with broken porcelain and then blame us?” Olivia immediately chimed in, “Exactly! This woman is so vicious. Leonardo, you can’t keep indulging her. She’ll ruin our family.” Looking at my miserable state and then at Ayla trembling and crying in his arms, the hesitation in Leonardo’s eyes was once again replaced by disgust. Leonardo sternly ordered the servants, “Tie her to the chair for me. That way, how can she hurt herself?” Two strong servants roughly dragged me up and tied me to a chair in the living room with coarse rope, leaving me unable to move. Leonardo gave me a cold glance, then helped Ayla upstairs. Back in the study, as soon as Leonardo sat down, a strange sense of restraint spread throughout his body. His bones, muscles, and every joint felt tightly bound by invisible ropes. Even his breathing became difficult. Leonardo immediately understood and thought, “Josephine is tied up, so I feel tied up too. Could that ridiculous Shared-Sensation System actually be real?” A terrifying thought formed in his mind. Leonardo suddenly stood up and said to Ayla, who was peeling an apple for him, “Go accompany my mom for some shopping. I need some time alone.” Then he said to Olivia, “Mom, you must be tired. Go out and relax. Feel free to use the credit card as you like.” Olivia and Ayla both wanted to head out quickly, so they happily left the villa immediately. The villa instantly fell silent. Almost at the moment the door closed, the suffocating sense of restraint on Leonardo suddenly vanished. Leonardo stood there, his expression constantly changing. After a long time, he slowly walked downstairs, step by step, and stood in front of me, tied to the chair. I was drenched, water droplets from my hair sliding down my cheeks. I could no longer tell if it was water or tears. Leonardo silently looked at me. For the first time, his eyes no longer held that cold disdain. He crouched down, his voice carrying a struggle even he didn’t notice. “Did someone really bully you?”

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Last life, my best friend gave me a longevity lock, a beautiful gold charm. Little did I know, once I put it on, it couldn’t be taken off. And then, I had a fever for seven straight days. When I finally recovered, bad luck haunted my every step. That’s when I found out: my life of fortune had been swapped with her husband’s fate of an early death. From then on, they lived a blissful life where money seemed to roll in effortlessly, while I was left broke, struggling, and unlucky in everything. I barely lived to thirty before I was hit by a car and died in an accident. As I lay dying, my older brother, Tyler, who suffered from XYY syndrome, let out a heart-wrenching cry and tried to shield me. But it was no use. We both died that day. Reborn, I opened my eyes to find myself back at the moment she was about to give me that longevity lock. A cold smile touched my lips. If she wanted my prosperous life so badly, then I’d give her a husband with XYY syndrome. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you!” The dorm door burst open with a bang, and my best friend, Brittany Hayes, walked in, holding a cake with lit candles. That’s when my other roommates, Chloe and Ashley, realized it was my birthday. “Oh my God, Brittany, you’re so thoughtful!” Chloe exclaimed. “Cassidy, I’m so jealous you have a best friend like her,” Ashley added. … Brittany suppressed a smug grin, pretending to be bashful. “Oh, it’s nothing, isn’t it just what best friends do for Cassidy?” She handed me a gift box and told me to open it to see if I liked it. Inside was a golden longevity lock. Everyone gasped in awe. “Wow, that must’ve cost a fortune!” In my last life, I was first thrilled that Brittany remembered my birthday, and then utterly moved by such an expensive gift. But I had no clue that this lock was a cursed charm! Once it was on, it would swap my life with her boyfriend’s! Back then, I suffered from a high fever for a whole week, with no warning, no reason. Doctors were stumped. But once I got better, my luck turned sour. I became impoverished, couldn’t even afford food. Meanwhile, her boyfriend started living the good life, with money literally falling into his laps, winning the lottery left and right. I only lived ten more years after that before a car crash ended my life. When I died, a fortune teller who had once read my future happened to pass by. He said my life was destined for immense prosperity and boundless wealth. How could it have ended so miserably? It was then I realized: my fate, from the moment she placed that lock on me when I was twenty, had been swapped! Now, in front of me, Brittany’s eyes flickered with a ruthless smile, but she gently took out the lock. “Cassidy, let me help you put it on.” “I picked this gift out for so long; it’ll definitely suit you.” My heart seized. This lock had been custom-made. If I put it on, I wouldn’t be able to take it off for the rest of my life!

I quickly stepped back, dodging her. She paused, then her face crumbled into a look of hurt. “Don’t you like my gift?” “But I saved up my allowance for half a year, penny by penny.” “Never mind. I guess I’m just not someone people like, and my gifts are trash, always getting rejected.” Hearing this, my roommates immediately felt sorry for her and started scolding me. “Cassidy, this is her heartfelt gesture! How cold-blooded are you to ignore her feelings?!” Chloe cried. “I totally misjudged you! Fine, then we won’t give you presents either.” Ashley chimed in. … I could only say that I appreciated her intention and accepted the gift, but I already had a necklace on. Brittany’s eyes welled up. “Mine is more expensive than yours. Doesn’t it deserve to be around your neck?” Just then, my brother Tyler’s gruff voice boomed from downstairs. “Sis! C-come down!” I suddenly remembered that my family had planned to take me out for a dinner party tonight to celebrate my twenty-second birthday. I used it as an excuse to slip away downstairs. But Brittany followed, grabbing my arm. “Cassidy, just try it on! You’ll definitely love it!” Even though I’d already accepted it, she wouldn’t give up until she’d put it around my neck. Tyler’s eyes widened, and he abruptly shoved Brittany away. “She said she doesn’t want to wear it! Stop bothering her!” Brittany was startled, standing rooted to the spot. I quickly made an excuse that we had to go and pulled my brother away. But I never expected that same night, she’d post my brother on the campus gossip page. The accompanying picture, taken by a passerby, showed her face full of panic when my brother pushed her away. “I was just kindly giving a gift, but her brother yelled at me. Was I really in the wrong?” Below, several comments were clearly instigating trouble. “That guy has XYY Syndrome; there’s something wrong with his head. That girl is sweet and kind; her best friend should stay away from her.” “Isn’t that the Miller guy… honestly, every time I see her brother, he looks terrifying.” “Why are XYY people even alive? They should just be snuffed out!” … The post’s popularity soared, clearly boosted by paid promotion. Hundreds of comments piled up instantly, all attacking me and my brother. I clicked on a few and realized they were Brittany’s alt accounts. And the third comment, the one advocating for strangling XYY people, was from Brittany’s boyfriend, Jason. I trembled with rage. During my mother’s prenatal check-ups, nothing had shown up. It was too late when Tyler was born with XYY Syndrome. Even with all the challenges of his condition, our family had never given up on him. But now, manipulated by Brittany and her boyfriend, he was subjected to this kind of online abuse. I looked at that life-swapping longevity lock and a thought, sudden and chilling, began to form.

But I didn’t know if this thought was right or wrong. Did I really have the right to decide someone else’s life? My brother Tyler sat on the sofa, eyes vacant, drooling. His eyes were wide-set, his pupils small, making him look somewhat unsettling at first glance. For so many years, our family hardly dared to let him out alone. If we could, we would have kept him on a leash. Mom had even quit her job to be by his side constantly. I suddenly hesitated, murmuring, “Is this really the right thing to do?” “If I give Jason Reed’s life to you, you’ll become normal, but you’re also destined not to live past 35…” “But if things stay as they are, when you get older…” In my last life, my brother remained XYY syndrome-affected and intellectually disabled his entire life. He was cursed at every time he went out. Later, he would tremble when he met strangers and would lock himself in his room, hurting himself when he was upset. Jason Reed’s fate, though not bringing wealth, was destined for a peaceful life. Now facing such a choice, I was at a loss. Suddenly, Tyler stammered, “G-good, Sis…” I froze, realizing he was actually responding to me. Tears streamed down my face in an instant. My brother, trapped in that body, must have been suffering even more than I imagined. And so, I solemnly placed that longevity lock on him. As graduation approached, Brittany and Jason had secretly gotten their marriage license because Brittany didn’t want to spend money on a wedding reception. Two years ago, when Brittany and I went to a temple to pray, we coincidentally met a fortune teller. After analyzing our birth details, he marvelled at my fate, saying I was destined for wealth, and after graduation, I would enjoy thirty years of immense fortune. Money, both legitimate and windfalls, would pour in; I’d be swimming in cash without lifting a finger. At the time, Brittany didn’t believe him, but over the next two years, everything the fortune teller predicted for me came true. So, she must have coveted my fate for a long time. In my last life, she took my prosperity, enjoyed a lifetime of luxury, and caused my early death. This life, it was time for her to pay the price. I’d give her a husband with XYY syndrome, and we’d see if she could handle it! I went to a jewelry store and picked out an identical longevity lock to wear myself. That way, those people couldn’t say anything. Brittany happily took a photo with me and posted it on Ins, with a caption hinting at something else: “Bringing fortune home.” And Jason commented below: “Honey, wait till I get rich and take care of you (thumbs up).” She replied: “Okay, hubby (tongue out).” I was very much looking forward to seeing how they would get rich.

Just when I thought everything was going smoothly, I started experiencing the same symptoms as in my last life. A persistent high fever, a hoarse throat, and I was bedridden. How could this be!? I grew more worried each day. Because fate is a fickle thing. If my destiny truly included windfalls, then even if I tripped and fell outside, I’d somehow stumble over gold necklaces! But if I had still swapped lives with Jason this time, what was the point of my rebirth? My heart pounded with increasing panic, but I had no one to confide in. Brittany, once assured that I had the lock, quickly grew tired of me and moved out of the dorm, not even bothering to pretend anymore. She told everyone she met: “I had someone read my fortune, and Cassidy is going to be a magnet for bad luck, sick all the time. I’d advise you all to stay far away from her.” I gritted my teeth, propping up my ailing body, and found the same fortune teller who had read my fate in my last life. After hearing the whole story, the fortune teller said there must be something I hadn’t discovered and told me to go back and search thoroughly. I had no choice. I rummaged through everything she had ever given me, but found nothing. Just as I was despairing, I shook out my pillowcase, and a small paper doll fluttered out. It was drawn to resemble Jason, and on its back, his birth details were written! The fortune teller said, “That’s it! Both the lock and the paper doll work together. And since you touched the lock, the effect was stronger on you. But luckily, you found it early.” A cold sweat broke out over me. That same day, I placed the paper doll under my brother’s pillow and instructed my parents to watch him as he slept. The next day, my fever gradually subsided. This time, I was eager to see how Brittany could enjoy a life of luxury as she did in my last life.

Soon, my brother developed a fever, which terrified my parents. They wanted to rush him to the hospital, but I managed to persuade them otherwise. I told them this fever would soon pass, and they would have a normal son. My parents hesitated, hardly daring to believe. After all, my brother had been intellectually disabled for over twenty years! To keep Brittany from suspecting anything, I continued to feign illness. I SnapChatted her: “Can you bring me lunch?” She didn’t even bother to pretend anymore. “Don’t you have hands? You think people are your mom?” “I thought we were best friends, but why are you treating me like this now that I’m sick?” “Best friends, my ass! I’ve been sick of you for ages! We’re done!” “What did I ever do to you?” The message went out, but it came back with a red exclamation mark. She had blocked me. I immediately screenshotted the chat and posted it on Ins. “My best friend won’t even bring me food when I’m sick and cut off our friendship. Is it wrong for me to feel heartbroken?” Instantly, my Ins comments section buzzed with discussions. “She’s actually like that behind the scenes? No wonder…” “This woman is such a drama queen, two-faced. Who would ever be friends with her?” … Besides that, I received many comforting messages from “little angels.” An hour later, a pounding knock echoed at the door. Brittany, her face full of impatience, opened the door and tossed the meal onto my desk. “There, happy now? You’re so much trouble.” “And I’m telling you, delete that Ins post right now, or I’ll rip your mouth off!” She threw it so hard that the soup and rice spilled across my desk, dripping onto the floor. I captured the scene with my phone and posted it on Ins again. “My best friend intentionally spilled my food on my desk and threatened to rip my mouth off if I kept talking. What should I do?” “Can this friendship even continue?” The comments below piled up, calling her a gangster and giving her the nickname “Mouth Ripper.” She became infamous overnight. Mention her name, and everyone would respond with sarcasm. My phone started ringing off the hook. It was Brittany, furious, spitting mad. She called to reach me. But I expressionlessly hung up and blocked her number. I secretly went to the hospital to check on her boyfriend, Jason, who was still recovering from his initial illness. Brittany was there, clutching her phone tightly. “She’s ruining my reputation!” “That b****! I hate her!” Jason comforted her. “It’s okay, baby. The master said the life swap is in progress. Just a few more days, and I’ll have her fortune. Then we’ll never be short on cash.” “I’ll buy you houses, cars, planes, yachts! Will you still be mad about such small things then?” Brittany was captivated by the pipe dream he was spinning, holding her breath. “Hubby, you have to promise me you’ll love me forever.” “Of course, I will.” A cold laugh echoed in my heart. Too bad their wishes were destined to fall flat. In this world, nothing truly comes for free. After all, every destined gift already has its price marked in the shadows. Soon, Jason was discharged from the hospital. The life swap was a success. They walked hand in hand, ecstatic.

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