Category: English

I was just about to slip a McDonald’s bag into the struggling main character’s desk. The barrage of scrolling comments, the comments, flashed across my vision: [The Drama Queen side character is using food she won’t eat to ‘feed’ the hero again. Seriously, does having a little money make her better than us?] [She’s pure evil. She saw the hero only had eyes for our sweet main girl, so she harassed and targeted her until the poor thing had to transfer schools.] [Keep bullying him, side girl! Once your family is broke, the hero will seize your assets, force you into marriage, lock you up, and torture you mentally and physically before you meet your miserable end! ~] I snatched my hand back as if burned. Then, I turned and tossed the McDonald’s right onto the desk of my sworn enemy. Oh, I’d feed the stray dog outside before I’d give anything to that guy! 1 Garrett Blackwood was lounging in his chair, one long leg propped casually over the other. He raised an eyebrow, glancing at the familiar yellow bag on his desk, and let out a chuckle that held no humor. “Princess Hart, are you sure this is for me? The sun must have risen in the west.” He picked up the bag delicately, as if it might be contaminated. “Don’t tell me you’re treating me like your personal trash can, disposing of things your precious Alex didn’t want. That’s just bad karma.” The comments stuttered. Then a wave of question marks filled my screen. [Why did the side character give the McDonald’s to someone else?] [What else? She knows her sad attempts won’t get the hero’s attention, so she’s trying a different angle.] [I’m so sick of this spoiled, drama-obsessed rich girl. She’s the literal opposite of our kind and resilient Finny. I can’t wait for Alex to be reunited with his elite family so this side character can get her comeuppance! Lock her up! Torture her!] The horrific stream of comments, wishing me dead, coupled with Garrett’s usual cryptic passive-aggression, left me feeling frayed. I glared at him, annoyed. “Garrett Blackwood, consider it a gift. If you don’t want it, just say so…” Just then, Alexander “Alex” Donovan walked in. He saw me standing next to his desk, talking to Garrett. His expression instantly froze over. “Stella Hart, what did you just put in my desk?” His voice was low and icy. “I’m going to tell you one more time: I don’t need your high-and-mighty, fake charity. I don’t like you, and please, respect yourself.” The cold misjudgment stung, leaving a hollow ache in my chest. But on the outside, I gave nothing away. I lifted my chin, projecting a false bravado. “Alex, I didn’t put anything in your desk, and I never will again. I don’t like you. Don’t… don’t flatter yourself.” Seraphina “Finny” Cole, who had walked in behind Alex, knitted her delicate brows. She looked at me, her tone soft but laced with disapproval. “Stella, you’re really going too far. You shouldn’t constantly use money to insult and trample on people’s dignity.” She sighed dramatically. “You already caused him a lot of trouble last time, and some truly awful rumors started…” I blinked at her, utterly bewildered, and remained silent. Why does everyone always twist my intentions? Is trying to discretely help someone with their tuition really ‘trampling on their dignity’? Garrett let out a dismissive scoff. He rapped his knuckles sharply on his desk. “Alex Donovan, do you suffer from delusions? And you, Finny, the one who always joins the witch-hunt the second it starts, would you both mind taking a look? Is there anything in Alex’s desk? Why are you creating drama?” 2 Right in front of Alex, Garrett reached into the bag. He pulled out a Mac Spicy. He ripped open the wrapper and took a huge, satisfying bite. He grinned at Alex, his eyes full of meaning. “Free breakfast tastes great. Not everyone is an ungrateful jerk, you know.” He then turned his head to me, drawing out his words. “Thanks, Princess Hart.” My heart hammered against my ribs. I shot Garrett a grateful look. “You’re welcome.” Alex scoffed, walking to his seat. He subtly glanced into his desk drawer. He immediately froze. Finny bit her lip, looking from Alex to me, appearing utterly heartbroken. I ignored both of them. I walked back to my own seat and sat down, feigning composure, though I was completely deflated inside. What a mess. The comments filled the screen with question marks. [Who is this loudmouth guy, and why is he talking to our hero and heroine like that?] [Ugh, our sweet Finny is so upset! Of course, every evil side character has a jerk of a side-guy who defends her unconditionally.] [This venomous witch! She definitely just used this method to get the hero’s attention. She’ll be disappointed, though.] The comments was getting increasingly aggressive, but I managed to piece together the entire backstory. This world was the setting for a decades-old, trope-filled romance novel. It featured the whole spectrum: high school romance, broken hearts, a ‘chase-the-heroine-and-burn-in-hell’ arc, and a lot of emotional abuse. The hero, Alex Donovan, was the long-lost son of an old-money New York elite family. He’d met the heroine, Finny Cole, in an orphanage. They reunited in high school and were deeply in love, secretly pining for each other. I, the villainous side character, wanted Alex because he was the campus hottie. I repeatedly used money to ‘humiliate’ him, trying to force him into a relationship with me. I also secretly targeted and framed Finny, forcing her to transfer schools in disgrace. Alex never forgave me for that. And so, after he was reunited with his elite family, the revenge began. He systematically destroyed my family’s business. But that wasn’t enough. He then forced me to marry him. I was locked in a dark room, abused, physically and mentally, until I became a shivering, broken mess, begging for his attention like a dog. It was at that point that Alex and Finny reunited. Their old flame reignited. But Alex didn’t want Finny to know about my existence, or his dark side. In the end, he burned me alive… I shivered, pulling my eyes away from the screen, a cold dread creeping up my spine. The way the comments described “me” and these events… it felt off. 3 Yes, I had a crush on Alex. I was particularly drawn to his cool, aloof, and ridiculously handsome face. Especially when he wore his wire-rimmed glasses. He looked exactly like a cold, genius scholar from one of my favorite animes. So I started observing him. I wondered why he was so tall yet so skinny. Why he always skipped the cafeteria, eating only a stale roll at his desk. Even though he clearly looked like he was struggling financially, why hadn’t he applied for the school’s financial aid program? I even had my dad’s assistant, Brandon Davies, check with the school to see if there was some administrative oversight. Brandon’s reply was shocking. “Alex Donovan doesn’t meet the school’s need-based requirements, and he hasn’t applied.” “However, his family’s finances aren’t bad, but his parents are inexplicably harsh on him. They make him sleep on the porch, even though they have an extra room, and he works every night at the street market just to earn his tuition.” “The counselors tried a home visit, worried about his stress affecting college applications, but it didn’t help…” I was horrified. Alex was having a genuinely awful life! After a week of surveillance, I dragged my best friend from the next class to the street market to support him. Alex was selling fancy, homemade layered puddings and mochi cakes. When I arrived, his booth was empty. He hadn’t sold a thing. I intended to buy everything he had. But I reached into my bag and realized my phone had been stolen. Just as I started to panic, I made eye contact with Alex. My nerves shot through the roof. I don’t know what came over me, but I whipped out my AmEx Black Card. The words flew out of my mouth: “How much—is the whole booth? I’ll buy you.” Crap. I was so nervous I completely misspoke. I bit my lip, scrambling to explain. “No! Alex, I meant, how much for all of this? I’ll take it all.” Alex’s face grew colder by the second. I felt desperate and my words tumbled out. “I don’t mean anything by it. It’s just, if you’re having financial trouble, I could cover your tuition. That way, you wouldn’t have to work so hard and you’d have more time to study… College applications are really important.” I was being as careful as I possibly could. I’d never been this tentative in my life. But Alex still erupted in anger. He looked at me with cold disgust. “Stella Hart, do you think this is a joke? What do your finances have to do with me?” “You pulled the same stunt with the student body president in ninth grade. Were you following me just for this moment? Did you think I’d be impressed and fall for you? No. You make me sick.” The rapid-fire accusations left me stunned. My friend, seeing the growing crowd, quickly pulled me away. Once we were safely in the car, she finally dared to speak loudly. “My Queen, you can’t offer to sponsor someone by just throwing an AmEx Black Card at them! His face was charcoal gray. Of course, he misunderstood.” I averted my gaze sheepishly. “It was my first time.” “And what was that about buying him? You’re still a student! You can’t just go around talking about—” I quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. “Shh! I told you, I misspoke!” Sigh. The misunderstanding was massive. My crush was officially over. My friend, seeing my glum face, offered a suggestion. Her eyes brightened. “Alex is just super sensitive about his pride, but he is cute. How about this? You help him secretly, but drop subtle clues. That way, you save his pride. That’s how it happens in all the books! The hero eventually falls for the heroine who quietly supports him.” I nodded thoughtfully. Hmm, that makes sense. And so, I started two operations: One: I had my father’s assistant arrange for a scholarship to Alex in the name of the Hart Family Foundation. Two: I started stuffing his desk drawer with expensive breakfasts: Black Truffle Eggs Benedict, Lobster Omelets, Foie Gras Crêpes, etc., inside a discreet, designer-branded lunch tote. Every day was different. I sometimes included a necessity, like a $1,000 Montblanc pen. But Alex remained stone-cold to me, only thawing when he looked at Finny. He threw everything I gave him to his desk-mate. The worst part? His desk-mate actually tried to hit on me yesterday. [Princess, I’ll be your little lapdog. I promise to be way more obedient than Alex, and I’ll do anything you want. I’m the starting player on the basketball team, and I have a six-pack, you can check them out…] The audacity scared me so much I immediately blocked his number. I sighed. Today, I intentionally swapped the gourmet breakfast for McDonald’s—I’d heard from a classmate that Alex secretly loved the Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Good thing I didn’t give it to him. Since Alex hated me and my misguided attempts so much, I decided I was done with the crush. As for the comments calling me the villainess? They were wrong. I was going to be the lead of my own life. 4 After evening study hall, to reward Garrett for his performance earlier, I invited him to the nearby street market for dinner. Garrett was initially reluctant, letting out a soft “Tch.” “Princess, if you’re treating, I expect French or at least steakhouse fare. What’s the meaning of bringing me to the street market?” he challenged. Because the street market is my favorite, and it’s all you deserve. Since we were kids, Garrett had always been a copycat, wearing the same brands and doing the same things. When I tried to bribe the class treasurer to do my homework, he instantly ratted me out to my mom and blamed it on a ‘secret dating pact.’ I’d hold that against him forever! I rolled my eyes and gave a small, haughty snort. “Take it or leave it. Goodbye if you leave it.” Garrett strode ahead, his long legs covering the ground easily. “Who said I wouldn’t eat? I love street tacos. As long as you’re not treating certain people, I’ll eat anything… hurry up, short stuff.” Your entire family is short stuff. I narrowed my eyes, fuming, and lifted my foot to kick his calf. He dodged quickly, as if he had eyes in the back of his head. “What is it now, my Princess?” He turned, arching an eyebrow, his smile wide and provocative. I stared him down with a silent, intense menace. Once we got to the market, I bought him only a small bag of Deep-Fried Oreos. Then I happily bought myself a huge haul: street tacos, cheese fries, a corn dog, a funnel cake, a taro swirl pastry, a chocolate-matcha mochi… so much food I could barely hold it all. Garrett looked at his lone bag of Deep-Fried Oreos. Then he looked at the mountain of food in my hands. He laughed, exasperated. “Fine. Very fine.” “Thank you, Princess Hart. I love Deep-Fried Oreos. But you can’t possibly carry all that. Let me help you…” He reached out to grab some of the bags. “Absolutely not!” I glared at him and quickly side-stepped his attempt to snatch my food. Suddenly, someone blocked my path. Finny Cole stood in front of me, calling out towards the distance. “Alex, slow down! Stella’s been following us for a while now. Why don’t we all go together?” I froze. I pursed my lips. Awful luck. Why did I run into them here? The comments started rolling again. [The inescapable, gold-digging side character is here again to interrupt the hero and heroine’s alone time.] [She failed in the daytime, so she came at night to flash her AmEx Black Card at the hero’s booth? LOL, too bad the hero already has a nice sponsor now and doesn’t need to work for tuition, nor does he need this woman’s high-and-mighty ‘help’!] [Evil side character, get lost! Get lost! Get lost!] My intent was to turn and leave, but the comments stopped me. The comments reminded me: If he thinks I’m humiliating him, why am I still sponsoring him? 5 Finny glanced at the food in my hands, her smile gentle but her eyes devoid of warmth. “Stella.” “These are all Alex’s favorite things to eat. Did you come here to apologize for the scene this morning? That’s very thoughtful of you.” Garrett’s lips pressed into a thin, hard line. His knuckles were white as he gripped his bag of Oreos. Seeing my silence, he stepped in to run interference. “Apologize for what? Besides, this is all for me. It has nothing to do with anyone else.” Alex’s voice was hard and cold as he addressed me. “Stella Hart, how many times do I have to tell you? Can you just stay away from me?” He threw a contemptuous glance at Garrett, who was standing beside me. “Did you try a different trick today to get my attention? Girls need to value themselves more… When you act like this, I only feel disgusted.”

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In 2016, I took on a bizarre case for a second-instance defense. My client was a teenage killer. He had assaulted three people, murdered four, and burned the bodies before fleeing. He had already escaped the police radar. But suddenly, he turned himself in, pled guilty in court, and calmly accepted the death sentence. I was at my wits’ end, assuming the case was lost. Then he said, “I want to overturn the verdict.” 1 In the spring of 2016, I took on a sensational case. The client was a mother with a weathered face, dressed plainly, yet the retainer she offered was substantial. The defendant was her son, Liam Cole. She had no other demands; she just wanted him alive. I reviewed the case files, and the outlook was grim. It was a murder and arson case that took place in a suburban villa. There were four victims: a local well-known entrepreneur named Marcus Reed, his wife, his son, and a drifter named Travis Black. The autopsy revealed that three of them showed signs of sexual assault, with Marcus being the only exception. The police investigation had been difficult; the fire destroyed all traces, and being in the suburbs, there was little surveillance footage. But two months later, Liam turned himself in, and the case was closed just like that. The first trial ended with a death sentence. The legal aid lawyer could do nothing. In court, Liam smiled as he admitted to all charges. In his final statement, he said he killed for pleasure and only regretted not torturing the victims longer that night. A pure antisocial personality. It attracted media attention, and public opinion spiraled. While awaiting the death penalty review, Liam’s mother finally scraped together enough money to find our law firm, hoping for a turnaround. In the detention center, I met Liam, and he surprised me. A delicate-looking boy, polite in speech, nineteen years old but looking no more than fifteen or sixteen. He didn’t look like a murderous demon who despised the court at all. His first sentence after sitting down stunned me: “Miss Lawyer, I want to overturn the verdict.” His tone was as casual as if he were saying he wanted breakfast. “Overturn the verdict? Are you denying your previous crimes?” “No. Murder, arson, I admit to all of it. But I want to overturn the verdict.” I started to feel something was off. “How do you plan to do that?” Liam blinked. “I’m going to tell you a story. You have to write down every single word.” Later, I would learn just how crucial that request was. 2 I said in court that I killed for fun, but actually, I didn’t. I did it to restore my sexual function. Miss Lawyer, as a woman, you might not understand my state of mind. Let me start from the beginning. In the beginning, it was all about money. I was born in a remote village, a poor place. My father built our house years ago. It leaked rain and wind, and we had no money to fix it. We had a few acres of land where we grew feed corn for pigs. It tasted terrible, but the yield was high. It could feed pigs and fill human stomachs. We didn’t have a TV, only a radio my father picked up while working in the city. It was my only channel to understand the world. My favorite station broadcasted legal cases. I liked lawyers very much. Moving their lips, they could send bad guys to prison and make big money. It was amazing. I dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Reality, of course, isn’t as easy as dreaming. When I got older, like most people in the village, I went to the city to work. But manual labor was hard, and I couldn’t handle hardship. By chance, I met a middle-aged man in an urban village. He took me to a rental room and gave me a hundred dollars. It was painful, but that was a whole hundred dollars. I didn’t know how much rice that could buy. It only took ten minutes to earn that money. I was desperate for money. Like that, I drifted through the alleys on the edge of the city. Later, a regular customer took me in directly, bringing me to his home to keep me. Nominally, I was his adopted son; at night, what had to happen, happened. But I didn’t care. He could provide me with a stable income and a place to live, and that was enough. Years later, one night, he died of cardiac arrest after taking medicine. I even attended his funeral. I hated him, but he did help me. That’s a story for later. Let’s talk about back then. Not long after being taken in, my life stabilized a bit. Young and ignorant, I met a girl. She was a city girl, clean, with skin white as porcelain. We moved fast. Not many days later, we found a hotel. Although I did dirty work, I didn’t like men. I was still a blank sheet of paper when it came to matters between men and women. So it wasn’t until that night that I discovered I couldn’t perform as a man. I fled in panic. After that, I tried many methods, but none succeeded. I went to the hospital for a checkup. The doctor said there was no physical problem, and I didn’t have any diseases. But for some reason, it just didn’t work. At this time, Travis told me he had a way. He read in a book that most male dysfunctions are psychological, not physiological. In other words, my body was fine; my brain was the problem. Intense sensory stimulation could help the brain overcome this barrier. That’s why some people seek pleasure on the edge of suffocation. I was afraid of death and didn’t dare try suffocation. Travis said he had a way, leave it to him. Under his lead, we entered the Reed family’s suburban villa. There, under intense stimulation, I really recovered my ability. 3 “Travis? One of the deceased, the drifter? You knew him?” “Friends from the streets. We’re all lowlives; knowing each other is normal, isn’t it?” I thought for a moment. “Are you saying Travis was your accomplice? You broke into the Reed villa together, and he was the mastermind?” “Yes.” I sighed. “This won’t work. You say you were accomplices, so why did he die? To shift the blame to Travis, you need evidence, but I guess you don’t have any, otherwise you would have presented it at the first trial. Also, the case file mentions Travis had a terrible reputation and was selfish. Why would he commit a crime just to help you?” Liam thought for a moment and nodded. “So that’s how it is… But I didn’t intend to shift the blame to him. Miss Lawyer, please hear me out.” 4 Travis didn’t want to help me; he wanted me to help him. Marcus Reed’s son, Julian Reed, was from the same hometown as Travis. They grew up together, and Travis used to be the big brother. As adults, one went uphill, the other downhill. The Reed family got rich doing business and lived in a villa. Julian started working in the family company before graduating college. His life was smooth sailing. Travis’s parents died early. He spent his family fortune on drinking, gambling, and whoring, owing a lot of debt. Travis often borrowed money from Julian. Remembering their old friendship, Julian always gave it and never asked for it back. But over time, he stopped giving, saying he’d help in emergencies but not poverty. Travis held a grudge because of this. On the night of the crime, Travis went to the Reed house again and came back to find me for a drink. Muttering about how they became rich and looked down on him. After staring at me for a long time, he suddenly mentioned the plan to treat me with intense stimulation and asked me to go to the Reed house with him. I thought I might as well try, so I went along. When we snuck into the villa, it was late at night, and the three members of the Reed family were asleep. The first to suffer was Julian’s mother. Travis told me he would go first, and I would be next, so I could watch and learn. Julian and his father were tied up, gagged, thrown aside, watching along with me. Watching Travis’s atrocities, I had no reaction. Instead, when I glimpsed Julian’s face out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly reacted. At the time, I didn’t understand why, but I was delighted. I don’t want to describe what happened next in detail. When it all ended, Julian’s mother wasn’t moving anymore. She seemed to have had a chronic illness. Under such misfortune happening to herself and her son, she got too agitated and died. Since a life was lost, Travis and I decided to go all the way. I killed Julian, and Travis killed Marcus. One life each, ensuring we had leverage over each other. Travis usually acted tough, but killing for the first time, after pulling out the knife, he was so scared he couldn’t stand and collapsed on the ground. It’s embarrassing to say. Seeing him like that, I reacted again. Travis probably didn’t expect to become my prey. Caught off guard, he was easily tied up by me. In the last moments of his life, he kept cursing me. But I was too excited. The pleasure outweighed everything. After it was all over, looking at the mess, I just set it on fire. That’s it. Miss Lawyer, are you okay?

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I grew up with three boys, the only girl between four powerful families. When my family fell on hard times, my parents tried to arrange a marriage with one of them. But Hunter, the bad boy, sneered at me and said, “No way. I like ’em sweet. She’s just one of the guys.” Caleb, the golden retriever type, shrugged apologetically: “I only see her as a sister.” And Ethan, the valedictorian, said coldly: “She’s reckless and stupid. Not wife material.” They rejected and belittled me without a second thought, leaving my parents to smile awkwardly through the humiliation. That was the moment I finally gave up. So, I turned to my parents and said, “Mom, Dad… I actually have a boyfriend already.” Chapter 1 Hunter sat with one arm draped over the back of his chair, sleeves rolled up, looking effortlessly cool and completely disinterested. He was laughing at something Caleb said. Ethan was scrolling on his phone, the blue light reflecting off his glasses, making him look even colder than usual. They barely listened to my parents’ awkward attempts to smooth over the conversation. Until I spoke. The private dining room went dead silent. Hunter and Caleb snapped their heads toward me. Ethan looked up from his phone, his gaze sharp and probing. I ignored them. I turned to my parents, who looked just as shocked. “You should have told me about the arranged marriage sooner. We could have avoided this misunderstanding.” “They’re right.” “We grew up together, but I only see them as brothers. There’s nothing romantic between us.” My parents hadn’t told me this was a matchmaking dinner because they were afraid I wouldn’t come. They had carefully chosen Caleb—he was two years younger than me, clingy, and we rarely fought. I didn’t know why the other two showed up. I was a little mad at my parents for lying to me, but mostly, I just felt a deep, aching sadness for them. Back when my family was still doing well, my mom once asked me if I liked anyone. I looked away and didn’t answer. Mom knew immediately. She smiled and teased, asking if it was one of the “Three Musketeers.” I turned bright red and told her to stop. She took that as a yes. But after that, I became careful, burying my feelings so deep that no one, not even them, could guess who I truly loved. Then my dad made some bad investments. Our assets shrank, and the Rivera family started losing its standing. The other three families began to distance themselves. My mom thought that if she didn’t push me, my stubborn pride would keep me silent forever. So she took a risk and set up this dinner. She didn’t expect the boys who grew up protecting me to reject me so brutally. I was used to their teasing. But seeing the strained smiles on my parents’ faces made my heart twist in pain. I couldn’t take it anymore. Before my parents could ask about this “boyfriend,” I stood up. I looked around the table, my voice cold. “It doesn’t look like you guys want to be here anyway.” “Since that’s the case, let’s call it a night.” Chapter 2 My parents went to get the car. I was about to follow when someone grabbed my arm. I turned around to see Hunter’s annoyed face. He was wearing a white button-down over a black t-shirt, the top buttons undone to reveal two new diamond dermal piercings on his collarbone. Trendy, wild, just like him. He looked down at me, a mocking smile on his lips. “Haven’t seen you in a while. Temper getting worse, huh?” “You took a long leave from school. Where’d you find this boyfriend?” “How old is he? Is he hot? Do I know him?” The questions were rapid-fire, aggressive. They sounded like concern. But I knew better. If I told him the truth, he’d just blink those pretty eyes and tell me I wasn’t good enough for whoever it was. It happened every time. I reacted instinctively. I yanked my arm away and shouted, “None of your business!” Hunter looked at his empty hand, stunned. His smile dropped. He frowned, looking even more irritated. Caleb poked his head out from behind Hunter. He grinned, showing his sharp canines. “Whoa, why the big reaction?” He used that playful, high-pitched tone he always used to seem harmless. It made people let their guard down. But his words were anything but harmless. “Did you actually find some random guy, Sis?” “Wow. Aren’t the three of us enough for you?” His smile deepened. He looked at me and said, deliberately, “What a slut.” Caleb loved to joke that they were my “harem.” Like I was some queen collecting men. But in our group of four, I was the one constantly trying to fit in. I used to lie to myself. I told myself that their teasing and pranks were just “guy things.” They still hung out with me. They still beat up anyone who bullied me. We grew up together. I had to be special to them, right? Until “The Incident” happened. That was when I realized I was just a toy to them. A clown for their amusement when they got bored. I met Caleb’s gaze. He was still smiling, waiting for me to get hurt, waiting for a reaction to his insult. I stared at him blankly for a few seconds. Then I turned and walked away. A few steps later, a colder voice called out. “When are you coming back to school?” It was Ethan. I paused but didn’t turn around. It was a normal question, so I gave a normal answer. “In a couple of days.” I heard Caleb make a loud, annoyed tsk sound. He grumbled loudly, making sure I heard. “Of course. Only the ex gets a response.” “But seriously—” “You guys broke up ages ago, Sis. Why are you still treating him differently?” It was ironic. Of the three, Ethan was the most vocal about hating the idea of marrying me. He called me stupid and reckless. But he was the only one I had actually dated. And Ethan was the one who confessed to me. Chapter 3 Unlike the generational wealth of the Sullivan (Hunter), Mitchell (Caleb), and Hayes (Ethan) families, the Riveras were new money. My dad got lucky with a tech boom early on and rode the wave into their social circle. But it was superficial. Behind our backs, people called us tacky hillbillies. They said we didn’t belong and would eventually go back to where we came from. When I was little, I wanted to fight the kids who said that. But my dad stopped me. He told me that if we wanted to stay, I had to make friends with “the right people.” So I swallowed my pride. I became the tomboy, the loud, happy-go-lucky girl who tagged along with the rich kids. I realized Hunter, Caleb, and Ethan were the kings of the playground, so I stuck to them like glue. From elementary school to college. From being the annoying hanger-on to being accepted as “one of the boys.” Even though my dad’s initial advice was calculating, over the years, I truly came to love them as my best friends. Then my dad’s investments tanked. The stock market crashed. And suddenly, the boys started pulling away. In that silence, I realized that we were never equals. This time, I didn’t beg for their attention. I went to class alone. I learned to live without them. Then, I got kidnapped. When a group of guys surrounded me, demanding money, I was confused. I recognized some of them—guys I thought were my friends. I thought it was a prank. I laughed and said, “If you guys are broke, just ask. I can lend you cash.” But then they named a price I couldn’t possibly pay. And I realized they weren’t joking. They took everything valuable I had. They locked me in a warehouse for two days with no water. I heard them arguing nervously about calling my parents versus just selling me to traffickers. I felt a mix of absurdity and terror. It was like watching toddlers play with a loaded gun. Funny because they were amateurs. Terrifying because the gun was real. The humor vanished when they stripped me naked and took photos to “blackmail” my family. I curled into a ball, screaming curses at them, threatening them. But they could see my fear. One of them, a guy named Jordan who used to sit next to me in history class, crouched down. He sighed, smiling as he reached out to touch me. “Bella, forgive me.” “I actually really like you. I didn’t want to do this…” He screamed before he could finish. I bit his finger. Hard. I clamped down with every ounce of strength I had left, tasting copper, trying to bite the bone in half. The group panicked, rushing forward to pull me off. Just then— The warehouse door creaked open. A beam of sunlight cut through the darkness, blinding me. A tall figure stood in the light. It was Ethan. Chapter 4 After the rescue, I didn’t leave the house for weeks. The betrayal, the kidnapping, the violation of those photos… it shattered me. My mind was hanging by a thread. During that dark time, Ethan—the cold, distant genius—stayed by my side. I had never seen him so gentle. It was like he could sense my fragility. He talked to me for hours, distracting me from the memories. I stayed in his private apartment. He handled my leave of absence from school. He kept the news from my parents so they wouldn’t worry. He used his connections to “handle” Jordan and his crew. He even managed to keep Hunter and Caleb away, ensuring no one disturbed my recovery. He protected me completely. His maturity and reliability made me open up. I became dependent on him. Finally, I couldn’t help it. I asked him, “Why… why are you being so good to me?” I remember that moment perfectly. Ethan was wearing comfortable loungewear, sitting next to me on the carpet. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing pale but strong arms. He spun a pen through his long fingers. He wasn’t wearing his glasses. His dark hair fell over his forehead, making him look softer, lazier. He looked at me with a tenderness that made my heart ache. He answered my question with a question. Smiling slightly, he asked, “Do you want to be my girlfriend?” It felt like Cupid’s arrow hitting a bullseye. I fell dizzyingly into his rare, intoxicating warmth. I had no reason to say no. With his care, I slowly healed. I became cheerful again. Looking back now, it all feels like a dream. Ethan seemed cold, but he was possessive. While we were dating, he forced Hunter to stop putting his arm around me. He made Caleb watch his mouth. If I was even slightly uncomfortable, he fixed it. I was so happy I thought I was in love with him. I even daydreamed about what kind of wedding dress I’d wear to marry him. But he was faking it. It was all an act. Everything he gave me—was a lie. I will never forget that day. It was the first time I cooked a full meal. My hands were covered in cuts from the knife, and the kitchen was a disaster zone. But I made eighteen dishes. Because Ethan said he wanted a home-cooked meal for his birthday. The doorbell rang. I opened the door, expecting praise. Expecting a hug. Instead, I got laughter. Cruel, hysterical laughter. Caleb was holding his stomach, laughing so hard he couldn’t stand straight. Hunter was whistling, filming me with his phone—filming me in a stupid apron, holding a spatula, looking confused and pathetic. And Ethan. He leaned against the doorframe, a faint smile on his lips. He looked like a player who had just won the game and was enjoying the victory screen. “I didn’t know our wild Bella had such a domestic side. Hahaha…” “Good thing the bet was only for a month. If you kept this up, Ethan, she’d probably offer to have your babies! Hahaha.” “Ha. That was interesting. My turn next?” When Hunter said that, he paused. He looked at me. Then he shrugged and turned away, as if I didn’t matter. Smirking, he said, “Oops, she heard. Guess we need a new game for next time.”

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“Eve, this is far enough. I didn’t get you a ticket, you should head back.” My husband, Nolan Bell, spoke the words at the airport check-in counter, his voice light and airy, as if commenting on the weather. The excitement I’d been holding onto all morning froze on my face. I looked up, stunned. “What do you mean?” “The whole family is going to Maui for seven days. We can’t leave the house completely empty, so I just didn’t buy you a ticket.” He offered a small, easy smile. “Besides, this is a vacation for those of us who worked hard all year to rest. You’re already home all day. You rest every day, so what’s the big deal?” The entire family—my in-laws, my brother-in-law Jared, and our son, Mike—all stood by, silently checking their phones, avoiding my gaze. I stared at Nolan, who looked utterly convinced of his own logic. Seven years. For him, I gave up my career and became a full-time homemaker for seven years. Three hundred and sixty-five days a year, with no sick days, no paid time off. And now I knew: he had never once valued my effort. “Fine,” I nodded slowly. “I’ll go home and watch the house.” Nolan seemed momentarily startled, as if he expected a larger fight. Before they headed through the gate, I looked at the six of them, letting the silence stretch. “Are you absolutely sure this is the arrangement you want?” 1 I picked up the suitcase I had packed with so much hope last night and turned to leave. The gate agent was calling for boarding, and every gentle announcement of, “Have a pleasant trip,” felt like a dull knife twisting in my chest. Nolan rushed after me, pulling me aside into a quiet corner. “Babe, listen to me. This trip for the whole family has stretched the budget already. I had to cut out some unnecessary expenses.” I stopped walking. “Unnecessary?” Nolan shrugged, reasonable and self-righteous. “Yes. We agreed this was a trip to Maui for everyone who worked hard this year. You don’t have an office job, you’re home all the time. Haven’t you rested enough?” I stared at him, disbelief curdling into cold anger. “What do you think rest is?” “Sleeping until noon is rest. Waking up at five a.m. to make breakfast for six people is not rest!” “Lying on the sofa scrolling through your phone is rest. Scrubbing the sink, mopping the floors, driving Mike to school, and doing your brother’s laundry—that is not rest!” My voice was low but shaking. “Nolan, we’ve been married for seven years. Three hundred and sixty-five days a year. Tell me one day that I’ve truly rested!” I pulled my arm out of his grasp. “Go. All of you. Have fun. Don’t worry about me.” Nolan opened his mouth, prepared to argue further. But then his mother’s voice chirped from the gate: “Nolan, hurry up! What are you standing there for? It’s boarding time!” Jared waved his passport. “Forget about her, bro.” He tossed his head toward me. “You know how dramatic she gets. Grab her a cheap souvenir when we get back.” Six-year-old Mike ran over and tugged on Nolan’s shirt. “Dad, let’s go! We don’t need Mom! I want to see the ocean!” My knuckles were white as I gripped the handle of my suitcase. I looked at Nolan one last time, managing a smile. “Didn’t you hear them? Go on.” Nolan’s eyes flickered, but he stopped trying to talk. “Take good care of the house. I’ll bring you a trinket.” He released my arm, turned his back, and walked swiftly toward the people he considered to have “worked hard all year.” I stood there, watching the six of them disappear into the tunnel. I gave a small, self-mocking laugh. I knew right then I couldn’t wake up a man who was only pretending to be asleep. But it didn’t matter. By the time he returned, my divorce papers would be ready. 2 As the taxi sped away from the airport, I pulled out my phone and found the family group chat was buzzing. Nolan’s mother—Mrs. Bell—had posted a selfie, complete with a filter that made her look twenty years younger. [Look, everyone! See how wonderful my son, Nolan, is? He worked so hard to take the whole family on a spectacular trip to Maui for the holidays!] [And look at this plane! First class seats for the parents, too! So thoughtful!] The comments from aunts and uncles came pouring in instantly. [Oh, Clara, you’re so lucky! Such a good son and daughter-in-law!] [Is that Jared? Wow, he’s so tall now. Didn’t he just graduate?] Jared, wearing the expensive noise-canceling headphones I’d gifted him last birthday, flashed a peace sign at the camera. [Aunt Tracy, my brother gave me three thousand dollars in spending money for this trip. I’ll bring you back something nice!] Three thousand dollars? I checked the booking app on my own phone. A round-trip economy ticket from our city to Maui was currently on sale for just $150. $150. That’s what he considered an “unnecessary expense” and a “too large” cost to carry. The memory of Nolan’s words at the airport—too expensive, cut back, already resting—mixed with the cold, hard reality of the ticket price. A sense of profound, unprecedented sorrow swept over me, and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. I had been married to Nolan for seven years. He told me his parents needed care, and that he was too busy building his career to handle things at home. I gave up my burgeoning career. For seven years, I ensured this six-person home always had a hot breakfast at 5 a.m. Laundry thrown on the floor was magically folded in the dresser drawers the next morning. The trash was never full; the sheets were changed every Monday. My in-laws’ doctor’s appointments, Mike’s sick days, Jared’s long breaks from college—Nolan never had to lift a finger. He only needed to wake up, exchange pleasantries with his parents and son, go to work, and the day was done. I looked at the thick layer of calluses covering my palms from years of scrubbing and labor. My heart felt hollow. I couldn’t stop myself. I screenshotted the ticket price and posted it to the family group chat. [To everyone thinking of getting married or becoming a homemaker: Don’t. Your worth might not even amount to one hundred and fifty dollars.] The vibrant chat went silent. I could practically hear the collective gasp. After a long pause, my Aunt Tracy tentatively tagged Nolan. [Nolan, what is going on? Your entire family is traveling without Eve?] 3 Mrs. Bell’s voice messages quickly flooded the group. “Oh, the cruelty! It’s not that we didn’t want to take Eve. Nolan thought we all needed a break after a year of hard work, but Eve was at home all day long and is plenty rested. That’s why we only bought tickets for those who needed a rest!” She started sobbing dramatically into the phone. “If I had known Eve was going to be this petty about a simple plane ticket, your father and I would have stayed home. I can’t believe my own daughter-in-law is breaking my heart in front of the whole family…” Jared snatched the phone from his mother. “Exactly! If she wanted to come so badly, she could have just bought a ticket! It’s not like my brother wouldn’t have given her the money.” “She’s just trying to stir up drama and humiliate my mom. What kind of person does that?” The money he was referring to—was it the $800 monthly allowance Nolan gave me for household expenses? The money he was referring to—was it the $800 monthly allowance Nolan gave me for household expenses? The entire family of six lived in the house Nolan and I bought together, a decent 1,200 square feet. That $800 had to cover the 300 mortgage payment, utilities, food for six adults and a growing child, plus even Jared’s occasional college expenses. It never stretched far enough, but Nolan always ignored me when I brought it up. Whenever I mentioned the budget was tight, he would look up from his phone and expertly deflect. “How can it be not enough? You don’t work, Eve. You don’t know how hard it is to earn money. You need to learn to be thrifty. Stop being so wasteful.” But my closet held the same dresses I’d worn four years ago. My pajamas were threadbare. I only bought the cheapest drugstore skincare. Even my most comfortable sneakers were a pair my own mother had bought too big for herself and passed down to me out of pity. And Nolan’s family? His father met his friends at the local bar every few days. His mother’s ballroom dance team needed a new, expensive costume every season. Jared never missed a concert or music festival. Nolan wouldn’t spend $150 on a ticket for me, but he had no problem handing Jared $3,000 for a vacation spending spree. I leaned back against the seat, doing the final tally in my head. Nolan, sensing the shift in the chat’s temperature, finally made an appearance. [Stop this now.] He was only there to shut down the topic. [Eveis clearly being unreasonable. Don’t make the whole family a spectacle. It’s the holidays.] Watching him twist reality like this made me want to scream, but I was too exhausted to even bother with a cold laugh. But the relatives, already convinced by Nolan’s smooth narrative, jumped in to “stand up for justice.” [I knew Nolan wouldn’t do something so heartless! He’s a good man. Eve, you need to look at yourself for a change.] [Seriously, I thought you were so dedicated when you were taking care of your mother-in-law in the hospital. I guess I was wrong about you.] My Aunt Sarah sent a condescending eye-roll emoji. Just last month, Mrs. Bell sprained her ankle while practicing a dance routine and had to spend two weeks in the hospital. Mr. Bell had his walking club, Nolan had work, and Jared was glued to his gaming console. So, I was the one who managed the house and cooked meals during the day, then went to the hospital to sit bedside every night. I’d rush home before dawn to make breakfast and start the cycle over. I was so exhausted I sometimes had to lean on the kitchen counter to keep from collapsing. When I begged Nolan, “Can we please hire a nurse or an aide?” He looked at me with genuine surprise, then scoffed. “Absolutely not. A hired nurse won’t care for her like you do, and why should we pay when you’re right here?” All those small, toxic moments I’d chosen to ignore came flooding back, threatening to drown me. Exhausted, hollowed out, I used the last of my resolve to book a consultation with the best divorce attorney in the city. I couldn’t live this life for one more day. 4 The following days were a blur of divorce preparation. I was busy securing a new place, tracking bank transfers, and looking into work. Nolan, meanwhile, was having a blast. Mrs. Bell shared updates from Maui eight times a day in the family chat. “The luxury suite Nolan booked for us is simply divine,” she boasted, her voice dripping with self-satisfaction. “And look at this private beach. We can go anytime we want.” Jared was shown lying on the sand playing games, still wearing the headphones I’d bought him. “Man, vacationing abroad is the best! Too bad some people just weren’t lucky enough to join us.” He was still holding a grudge about the group chat argument. “Oh, stop it, you brat,” Mrs. Bell scolded him, but the tone was more encouraging than harsh. Jared sat up and pulled Mike, who was playing in the sand, toward the camera. “Mike, tell us, do you want Mommy to be here?” Mike, holding his tiny plastic shovel, shouted into the phone, “No, not Mom! Dad said we don’t need Mom! She doesn’t work, she’d just waste money!” The video cut off abruptly. The family group chat was dead silent after that, a chilling quiet. Nolan’s cousin, Tracy, messaged me privately. “Eve, please don’t be upset. Mom and Dad saw that video. We all think Aunt and Uncle are completely out of line. We’ll talk to them when they get back.” A wave of warmth, quickly followed by a greater sense of hollowness, washed over me. See? Even outsiders knew this was unacceptable. But Nolan pretended not to notice. That evening, I was reviewing the first draft of the divorce agreement the lawyer had sent. Nolan’s text popped up. [Babe, honestly, Maui is overrated. Nothing special.] [I bought you a gift. We get back the day after tomorrow. Come pick us up at the airport, okay?] The day after tomorrow. I opened the chat with my attorney. [Can the divorce agreement be finalized by tomorrow night?] A thumbs-up emoji came back instantly. I smiled as I typed my reply to Nolan. [Can do.] Soon. Two more days until my divorce. 5 The next twenty-four hours were in fast-forward. Mrs. Bell continued posting pictures of their perfectly happy, smiling family in Maui. But the family chat grew increasingly quiet. Even when Mrs. Bell tagged a relative, they pretended not to see it. Meanwhile, I packed up the last seven years of my life. The wedding album went into the dumpster. The family portrait? Shredded. The small pieces of furniture I had painstakingly bought and collected over the years were either sold or donated. Nothing would be left for the Bells. Finally, the day of their return arrived. Nolan had texted me the day before, insisting I be there on time. They had bought so much, he said, and his parents were too old to carry it all. He needed me there to help with their luggage. Even now, he saw me as nothing more than the family’s chauffeur and porter. I was too tired to argue. I just texted Okay and promptly turned off my phone to sleep. The plane landed the next day. Nolan’s family emerged, laden with shopping bags. “Bro, where is she? Is she seriously running late?” Jared kicked his suitcase in frustration. Mrs. Bell tutted. “Eveisn’t usually this disorganized. Maybe… she’s still mad at us?” “Nolan, you need to set her straight when we get home. A woman who holds a grudge like this? Doesn’t she know how to be a wife and daughter-in-law?” “Mommy bad!” Mike, clinging to his grandmother, clapped his hands. Nolan’s face darkened. He pulled out his phone and dialed me, his voice sharp with annoyance. “Where are you? I told you to be on time to pick us up!” “I’m right here.” Nolan’s head snapped up. His eyes frantically searched the crowd and finally landed on me standing a short distance away. Unlike my usual home-life uniform, I was wearing a simple, chic linen dress and a clean, elegant makeup look. I was polished, poised, and utterly detached. Nolan’s eyes lit up. He dragged his suitcase toward me. “Babe, you look great. Did you put on makeup just for me?” He pulled a small, clam-shaped box out of his pocket. Inside was a cheap, shell necklace, the kind sold by street vendors in tourist traps. It cost less than ten dollars. “This is from Maui, just for you, babe. It cost me a fortune, but you’re worth it. Put it on. Aren’t you happy?” I barely glanced at the necklace—a cheap trinket still dusty with sand. My gaze swept over Jared’s newest gaming console, Mr. Bell’s shiny new wristwatch, and Mrs. Bell’s new, prominent gold necklace. I smiled. “Perfect. I have a gift for you, too.” Surprise exploded in Nolan’s eyes. “What is it? That’s my girl! I leave you alone for a week, and you’re still this thoughtful. I definitely married the right woman…” I pulled a file from my bag and opened it, holding it out to him. “This gift is… our divorce agreement.”

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Chapter 1 At the age of twenty, my grandfather’s best friend, the wealthiest man in the city, laid out photos of his several grandsons before me and asked me to choose one as my husband. Without hesitation, I chose the sixth grandson, Ethan Vance. Everyone present was in disbelief. After all, everyone knew I had a deep, unrequited love for the third grandson, Liam Vance, and had vowed to marry no one else but him. In my previous life, I got my wish and married Liam. Because of this, he inherited most of his grandfather’s assets. But after marriage, he hooked up with my younger sister. My parents were furious and sent my sister abroad to study. Liam thought I was the one who instigated it and hated me to the bone. From then on, he surrounded himself with countless beauties, each one resembling my sister. Because of this, I developed severe depression. But he secretly replaced my medication with slow-acting poison, causing me to die in agony, along with our unborn child. Reborn, I decided to let them be together. But unexpectedly, Liam was reborn too. 1 I had just walked out of Grandfather Vance’s study when I ran into Liam Vance and his brothers. Seeing me, the Vance brothers scattered, laughing. Before leaving, they didn’t forget to mock me. “Mia Quinn is here looking for our third brother again? You really go all out chasing a man. Being this forward, aren’t you afraid your late hero grandfather would find you embarrassing if he knew?” Liam looked me up and down coldly. “What are you doing at my house? Trying to get my grandfather to put in a good word for you? Planning to bring up how your grandfather saved mine on the battlefield again? You guys should be done playing the ‘repay kindness’ card by now.” “But I advise you to save it. You’ve made such a scene about us that I’ve lost all face. I still need to consider marriage carefully. Begging anyone won’t help.” His eyes were full of disgust and contempt. Just like in my previous life, my love never moved him. I let out a deep breath and said calmly, “Does it have anything to do with you? Grandfather Vance asked me to come. Tomorrow, he’s personally hosting my birthday party.” After I finished speaking, the Vance brothers were stunned. “Grandfather is personally hosting a party for you!” I knew why they had such expressions. Because Grandfather Vance hadn’t managed family affairs for a long time. His personal involvement certainly wasn’t just for a birthday party. Grandfather Vance once said he would choose one of the Vance children to be my husband on my twentieth birthday. My husband would inherit most of the assets under Grandfather Vance’s name. And become the next head of the Vance family. After the gasps, everyone smiled slyly and congratulated Liam. “Congratulations, Third Brother. Don’t forget to look after us in the future.” “With Grandfather’s support, Third Brother can finally show his talents.” Liam glanced at me triumphantly and mocked, “Congratulations to you too. Chased me for so many years, finally got your wish.” “You must be overjoyed right now.” Saying this, he leaned in closer, twitching the corner of his mouth slightly. “But to avoid a repeat of tragedy, I need to make some things clear first. You have to promise me that after marriage, we live our own lives. You cannot interfere with my private life.” “Only then will I agree to marry you.” My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t expect him to make such an outrageous request. I looked at him suspiciously several times. Was he reborn too? At this moment, a delicate female voice came from behind. “Sister.” My sister, Bella, wearing a super short pleated skirt, walked towards me with a shy face, coughing occasionally. Liam quickly went to meet her. “Why are you out when you’re sick?” Bella lowered her head, looking aggrieved. “Liam, Dad asked me to accompany Sister. He was afraid she’d be lonely.” Liam held her hand tightly and glared at me sideways. “Why are you so delicate, needing someone to accompany you just to go out? Didn’t you see Bella is unwell?” With that, he led Bella away. Before leaving, he didn’t forget to turn back and scoff. “Mia, if you keep being this selfish and willful, I absolutely won’t marry you.” I smiled. It was me who didn’t want to marry. 2 On the day of my birthday party. Only after the elders had left one by one did Liam arrive with Bella, meandering in. Bella’s face was flushed, and there were glaring red marks on Liam’s neck. Anyone with eyes could tell what they had just been doing. If it were the old me, I would have been crying and making a scene by now. I would have desperately questioned them, asking why they would do such a thing. One was the person I loved, the other my sister. Did they not consider my feelings at all? But now, I just glanced at them and continued chatting with the people around me without any ripple of emotion. Liam saw my gaze linger on the ambiguous marks on their bodies for a few seconds. He vigilantly shielded Bella behind him. But after waiting and waiting, I didn’t explode. He was a bit unhappy and forced a smile. “Mia, you’re not pretending to be magnanimous because you’re afraid I won’t marry you, are you?” “That’s good too. After all, I am the future head of the Vance family. It’s impossible for me to have only one woman in my life. I will have countless confidantes in the future.” “Since you’re being sensible today, I’ll reward you.” Saying this, he took out a small velvet box from a bag. Just as he was about to hand it to me, Bella snatched it away. “So pretty! Isn’t this the limited edition bracelet from that top luxury brand? It’s hard to buy!” Liam immediately withdrew his hand. “Bella likes it? Then it’s yours.” Bella laughed awkwardly. “Forget it, this is your birthday gift for Sister. I can’t steal her love.” She looked at me while speaking, her bragging evident. “What does it matter? You take it with peace of mind. As for her, I’ll just find something random to give her.” “Anyway, as long as it’s from me, she thinks it’s good.” As soon as these humiliating words came out, everyone present chuckled. Dead memories suddenly awoke at this moment. Making me dazed for a moment. It was indeed like that before. As long as it was his, I thought it was good. Once, when I went to the Vance house to deliver festival gifts, I got caught in the rain. He casually gave me a piece of clothing, which I kept for several years. He even accidentally saw me secretly smelling the scent on that clothes. At that time, he spat at me. “Why are you so shameless?” My girlish secret being exposed like that made me ashamed to show my face. Grandfather Vance hit him twice with his cane. “She’s a little girl, what nonsense are you spouting?” He smiled ruffianly and said nothing more, but he embellished the story and told it to many people. I became a joke in everyone’s eyes. Thinking of this, I felt it was incredibly pointless. I turned to leave. But Liam stopped me. “Unhappy already? Can’t keep pretending?” “I knew a vicious woman like you couldn’t truly be generous.” Looking at his hand gripping my wrist, I pulled it out forcefully. “Mr. Vance, show some respect.” Liam was stunned. “Respect what respect? Aren’t you dying to marry me? We’ll be sleeping in the same bed later, why pretend?” “Who said I wanted to marry you?” The whole venue fell into a deathly silence first. Then erupted into roared laughter. “Then who are you going to marry? You love me so much, would you be willing to marry someone else?” “Besides, other than me, our family barely has a sixth brother. But my sixth brother was in a car accident, almost became a high paraplegic, and has been sickly ever since. Who knows when he might kick the bucket. Moreover, I heard some of his functions were damaged. Are you going to be a widow for life?” 3 Everyone present looked at me silently, waiting for my answer. At this moment, Ethan Vance was suddenly wheeled into everyone’s view. He indeed looked sickly, too weak to leave his wheelchair. Everyone laughed meaningfully again. I was just about to say I wanted to marry Ethan. But I suddenly remembered Grandfather Vance’s instructions. “Since you chose the sixth one, I respect you. Don’t tell anyone yet. When everything is settled, everyone will naturally know.” After hesitating, I held back my words. Ethan didn’t say anything either, just glanced at me lightly. But there was some disappointment in his eyes. I understood Grandfather Vance had his own worries. After all, there were many people in the Vance family, and everyone was eyeing his safe. So I stopped arguing with Liam. I let them laugh out loud. I turned and left. On the way back, Bella sat in the same car as me. She shook her wrist triumphantly. The light of the jewelry dazzled my eyes so much I could hardly open them. “Even if Sister marries Liam, so what? You’ll never get his heart.” In others’ eyes, Bella was a harmless little white rabbit. But where no one was looking, she would bare her fangs. Looking at her, I remembered the scene in my previous life where I caught her and Liam in bed. At that time, she hid in Liam’s arms like a frightened little rabbit. Liam protected her tightly, afraid I would hurt her. I fainted on the spot from the stimulation. Later, my parents sent her abroad to study, and she married a rich second generation who lived abroad. Her life was infinitely better than mine. In this life, I decided to let her and Liam be together. See what kind of ending she would have. Thinking of this, I smiled faintly. “Yes, what’s the use of having his person if I can’t have his heart? Hope you grow up quickly and marry him soon.” “Wish you a hundred years of harmony, tied together forever.” Hearing my words, she was lost in thought for a moment. She raised her eyebrows and smiled. “I know you’re pretending not to care, but whether true or false, the person Liam loves is me.” After a while, the Mid-Autumn Festival arrived. My father asked me to send festival gifts to Grandfather Vance again. As soon as I walked into the Vance gate, I ran into Bella, who hadn’t been home for a few days. She was wearing an haute couture gown and a set of jewelry. Looking precious and noble. Seeing me, she smiled slightly. “Sister, do you think this dress looks good on me? And these, they were all given to me by Liam.” “I said I didn’t like things too luxurious, but Liam insisted on giving them to me, saying only I deserve these.” I frowned impatiently. Trying to avoid her. But she blocked my way again. “Sister, I just want to share my joy with you. Why are you so cold?” “I know you’re jealous of me, but no one can help with matters of the heart.” Saying this, she actually started crying. I reached out to push her aside. But she took advantage of the situation and fell to the ground, crying even louder. “Sister, why did you hit me? I am your sister after all!” At this moment, Liam arrived! “Mia, what are you doing!” Liam glared at me angrily. “You bully even your own sister? Do you have any humanity left?” I looked at him, then at Bella, and laughed. “Bella, I didn’t expect you to know such dirty tricks at such a young age.” Slap. Liam slapped me hard and roared, “I won’t allow you to speak about Bella like that!” 4 My face burned with pain. I instinctively wanted to fight back. But out of the corner of my eye, I saw many guests. Worried about ruining the Vance family’s Mid-Autumn banquet. I suppressed my anger and glared at them. The corners of Bella’s eyes showed a smile. Realizing he was a bit excessive, Liam tried to pull me. But his hand was held by Bella, unable to move. “Liam, it feels like there’s sand in my eye. Help me take a look.” Passing guests looked over here, pointing at me. “Isn’t that the eldest daughter of the Quinn family? To seduce a man, she even bullies her own sister. Truly disgracing her family.” Liam looked disgusted. “Mia, apologize to Bella now! How did I get involved with a woman like you? So bad luck.” The brothers behind him covered their mouths and snickered. “Miss Quinn, this won’t do. How can you not even tolerate your own sister? Our Third Brother will have confidantes in the future. Won’t you be angered to death?” “Hahaha, maybe our Miss Quinn can beat everyone in the city and drive away all the women around Third Brother.” Back then, for Liam, I specifically learned kickboxing, declaring that I would beat up anyone who snatched Liam from me. Thinking about it now, it was really shameful. Amidst the laughter, Liam approached me and spoke to me in a contemptuous tone. “Today Grandfather will announce our engagement. If you want to marry me, don’t forget what I said.” “After marriage, we live our own lives. You are not allowed to interfere with me.” “In that case, I will forgive your viciousness and arrogance.” I looked at him in disbelief. Not understanding how someone with higher education could say such ridiculous things. Seeing my silence, he thought I acquiesced. He became even more proud. “As long as you are obedient, I won’t make you lose face too much.” He was certain that I could only marry him in this life. The onlookers were waiting to see a joke. Footsteps suddenly came from the house, and Grandfather Vance’s secretary walked out: “What are you arguing about here? It’s a big festival, do you want to make the old man unhappy?” Behind him followed another person, the sixth son of the Vance family, Ethan Vance. He didn’t need to be pushed today, wearing a Tang suit, looking much healthier. Seeing me covering my face, he walked past everyone to me. He asked in a low voice, “Are you okay?” Seeing him, I remembered after being driven to a desperate situation in my previous life, wandering the streets like a ghost. A car slowly stopped. The window rolled down, revealing this very face. “Mia, why are you here?” He never called me sister-in-law. I thought he didn’t approve of me. Until before I died, I knew it wasn’t like that. “Does it hurt?” Ethan asked again seeing me dazed. I looked up into his deep eyes. My eyes felt hot. I smiled, “Doesn’t hurt.” Liam snorted coldly, “Does it hurt or not, what does it have to do with you, number six? She is your future sister-in-law.” Hearing this, the secretary showed a surprised expression. Finally, he just said, “Go in, the old man is waiting.”

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I spent seven years as Christian Vance’s executive assistant and nine years as his secret lover. Until one morning, on my 29th birthday, I woke up in his bed, and he casually gave me an order: “Clear my schedule for April. I need the month off for my wedding.” I froze, my eyes instantly stinging with tears. He chuckled, looking at me with amusement. “You didn’t think I was marrying you, did you?” I asked him, “Then… what am I?” He pulled me into his arms, soothing me like a child. “You know how the Vance family is. If you married in, they’d eat you alive. Keeping you on the side is freer. It protects you.” “Babe, it’s just a business merger. It won’t affect us. You’re still the one I love most.” In that split second, I suddenly didn’t love him anymore. Chapter 1 At 7:00 AM sharp, the alarm went off. I kept my eyes closed and nudged the warm chest behind me. “Get up, Christian.” The arm around my waist tightened, pulling me back into his embrace. His body heat was overwhelming, pressing against me. I was still sore from last night, my voice raspy as I reminded him, “We’re going to be late…” “Five more minutes,” he murmured against my neck, his voice thick with sleep and desire. “I’ll be quick.” We had always been compatible in bed. His stamina was terrifying. An hour later. My legs were trembling as I stood in front of the mirror, tying his Windsor knot. He raised a hand to smooth my messy hair, looking satisfied and lazy. “Still mad?” I glared at him, a flush still on my cheeks. “My perfect attendance bonus is gone, Mr. Vance.” His fingers traced a red mark on my collarbone, his voice teasing. “I’ll pay you double. Deal?” I slapped his hand away. “We are seriously late!” He was over thirty, yet he had the energy of a teenager. I straightened my blazer and switched into professional mode. “10:00 AM signing ceremony. Lunch with CEO Caldwell at noon. 2:00 PM executive board meeting. 4:00 PM construction negotiation with Mr. Chen. 6:30 PM, the Industry Gala dinner.” “Got it.” He nodded, fastening his Patek Philippe watch. In an instant, he transformed back into the cold,禁欲 (ascetic) CEO the world knew. He glanced at his wrist. “Oh, right.” As if remembering a minor detail, he instructed me: “Clear my schedule for April. I need the time for my wedding.” My hands shook violently. The tie I was fixing unraveled. I couldn’t process it. He said… wedding. Was he… proposing? My eyes welled up. Tears fell before I could stop them. We had been running this marathon for nearly a decade. I had waited so long for this day. “No?” His voice came from above, tinged with awkwardness. He looked at me, frowned, and then laughed. “You didn’t think I was marrying you, did you?” It was like a bucket of ice water dumped over my head. I stood frozen. The messy sheets, the evidence of our intimacy, suddenly looked blindingly grotesque. He paused, then clarified. “It’s Bianca Sterling.” The Sterling family’s eldest daughter. A pamperd heiress. A match that screamed “old money” and “power couple.” Silence stretched out, suffocating. I looked at him, my lips trembling. “Then… what about me?” He turned his head slightly, avoiding my gaze. “You know my father’s health is failing. My cousin is making a play for the CEO spot. We’re going public soon. Merging with the Sterling family is the best strategic move.” He looked back at me, his eyes softening with that familiar, manipulative comfort. “Eva, I’m doing this for our career.” It sounded so noble. Our career. “By the way, Bianca can be a bit entitled. Just humor her. Don’t take it to heart.” He patted my head. “I won’t let you be mistreated.” I looked out the floor-to-ceiling window. The festive New Year’s decorations outside clashed with the blinding sunlight. My eyes burned. My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice. “So, you never planned to marry me?” A flash of impatience crossed his face. “Eva, is that piece of paper really that important to you?” “You know my family. They’re vipers. If you married in, you’d suffer. Keeping you outside the family is freedom. It’s for your own protection.” I smiled bitterly. What a “noble” sacrifice. His parents had always looked down on me. I was the girl from the trailer park. No matter how competent I was, to them, I was just a gold digger climbing the corporate ladder in Christian’s bed. I closed my eyes, tears streaming down. “Christian, what have I been all these years?” “Your lover? Or just a kept pet?” He sighed, wiping a tear from the corner of my eye. “Don’t overthink it. Have you ever seen anyone keep a ‘pet’ for ten years?” He pulled me into a hug. “Babe, it’s just a business marriage. I promise I won’t touch her. You’re still the one I love.” “My heart has been yours for nine years. Have I ever strayed? Look at our circle. Who else is as loyal as I am?” He wasn’t wrong. In this circle of billionaires, fidelity was a myth. Open marriages and a carousel of mistresses were the norm. Christian was different. Everyone knew the CEO was obsessed with his secretary. For nine years, he had put me on a pedestal. Chapter 2 I first met Christian Vance during my senior year of high school. He had just taken over the family business and came to my school in the Rust Belt for a charity event. I was the student representative presenting him with flowers. Suddenly, my father stormed onto the campus, grabbing my arm, screaming that I had to drop out. He needed me to work at a factory. He owed gambling debts, and selling me off to a local mechanic for a quick dowry was his solution. At the age when dignity matters most, I was slapped twice across the face in front of the whole school. Just as I felt I was drowning, a cold, clear voice descended from above. “How much? I’ll pay it.” I looked up. Christian was in his early twenties then. Sharp brows, phoenix eyes, possessing a calm authority far beyond his years. The debt was $25,000. He wrote a check for $50,000. He bought my freedom and severed my ties with my father. He was like a god descending to pull me out of the mud. I didn’t know then that $50,000 wouldn’t even buy a single screw in the watch he wore. A casual act of kindness changed a poor girl’s destiny forever. After that, his assistant wired me money every year for tuition. I never saw him again. For years, I sketched his face in my memory. When I was 20, I had saved up every cent he had given me. I wanted to pay him back. I didn’t have his number, so I waited in the lobby of Vance Enterprises. It was a freezing winter day in New York. After three hours, I saw his Maybach pull up. “Mr. Vance!” I rushed forward. He glanced at me sideways, frowning. The window rolled up, sealing him away. He didn’t remember me. I panicked and reached out, my fingers getting pinched in the closing window. “Mr. Vance, I’m Eva Saunders! You sponsored me three years ago!” The window lowered slowly. He turned, his gaze landing on me. I handed him the envelope of cash, my fingers throbbing. “I don’t need the sponsorship anymore. This is to pay you back.” “I’ll pay back the original $50,000 slowly.” I bowed deeply. “Thank you for saving me. You’re a good man.” “Oh. It’s you.” He scanned me, his eyes lingering on my red, swollen fingers. “Get in. Let’s go to the hospital.” “No, Mr. Vance, I… I’m fine.” I clenched my hands, stepping back in embarrassment. My nose was red from the cold, my coat was from a thrift store, and my boots were worn out. I was a vision of poverty, completely out of place against his luxury car. Eventually, his driver got out and opened the door for me. I sat on the edge of the leather seat. It was warm inside, a different world from the freezing city streets. I tried to hide my scuffed boots and pilling sweater. The heat hit my face, mixing with shame, turning my ears bright red. He broke the silence. “You made that much money in two years of college?” I nodded, face burning. “I keep my scholarship. And I buy vintage clothes from estate sales to resell online. I made a decent profit.” He raised an eyebrow, a flicker of appreciation in his eyes. “You have a head for business.” He paused. “Interested in interning at Vance Enterprises over the winter break?” I nodded furiously. “Really? Yes! Thank you, Mr. Vance!” Chapter 3 That winter, I became a lowly intern in the Secretary’s Office. Surrounded by Ivy League elites, I felt like an ugly duckling. Christian had impossibly high standards. During the day, I ran around until my feet blistered. At night, after everyone left, I stayed behind to study the files. One evening, I was still at my desk. Outside, the Manhattan skyline glittered. I didn’t notice. “Why haven’t you clocked out?” The low voice startled me. I spun around. Christian stood there, framed by the city lights, looking like a king. “What are you reading?” He leaned over, looking at my screen. Private Equity. Options. Leverage. I stammered, “I heard you discussing these terms with a client… I didn’t understand, so I wanted to learn.” He nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Ambition is good.” He walked to a bookshelf and pulled out a few volumes. “Read these instead.” He tapped my desk. “It’s late. Go home. I don’t run a sweatshop.” We walked out of the building together, only to run into a college classmate who had been stalking me. I had rejected him multiple times, but he had followed me to work. “Eva! I’ve been waiting for hours. Let’s get dinner.” I was mortified. After getting rid of him, I apologized profusely to Christian. “Mr. Vance, I promise he won’t come back. It won’t affect my work.” He raised an eyebrow. “Suitor?” “Sort of…” He tilted his head, looking at me. “Do you know the best way to reject someone?” I shook my head blankly. He smiled, a look that was hard to read. “Tell them you have a boyfriend.” “But I don’t…” “What kind of boyfriend do you like?” he asked. “I don’t know…” I twisted my fingers nervously. He lowered his head, staring straight into my eyes. “Is someone older okay?” I avoided his gaze, heart pounding. His eyes burned into me. “Is someone like me okay?” Handsome, wealthy, successful. To a girl from nowhere, he was the ultimate dream. Maybe I had fallen for him the moment I looked up at him at 18. I didn’t know why he wanted me—a plain, boring girl. Maybe he was bored. Maybe I was a novelty. I never expected that I would spend my twenties in his shadow. Walking beside him for nearly ten years, only to end up here. Chapter 4 “Miss Saunders, I hope you know your place.” It was something Christian used to say when we argued. At work, we were boss and subordinate. If I messed up, he scolded me, and I took it. At home, he would hold me and say, “You can’t talk back to the boss, but you can talk back to your boyfriend.” That was the “place” he gave me. Now, his fiancée was saying the exact same words to me. “Miss Saunders, I hope you know your place.” When Bianca Sterling appeared at the company, it caused a sensation. We had kept our relationship low-key at the office, but nine years of glances and body language couldn’t be hidden. Everyone knew. I was the last to know about the marriage. “I thought Eva would finally get the ring,” VP Miller whispered loudly to a group of employees. “Guess the boss finally woke up.” “Nine years with the same woman? Even if she’s a supermodel, you’d get sick of it.” “No comparison. Eva is pretty, but look at Bianca. That Hermès bag alone is worth more than Eva’s life.” Miller had always hated me. He made sure I heard every word. Bianca sat on the sofa in the CEO’s office. She looked immaculate in a tweed Chanel suit that would look matronly on anyone else but looked royal on her. She looked me up and down and laughed lightly. “I’ve known Christian for years. He’s a creature of habit. He eats the same dish over and over.” “It doesn’t mean the dish is good. He’s just too lazy to switch restaurants.” She lifted her chin. “But eating too much fast food is bad for your health. Don’t you agree, Miss Saunders?” I stood there, nails digging into my palms, unable to speak. “Christian has been loyal to you physically, I’ll give you that. If you stay quiet, I won’t make trouble for you. But—” She frowned, looking concerned. “You’re almost thirty, right? I’ve never seen such an… elderly mistress.” “How many years do you have left? When your looks fade, will he still care?” “There is no shortage of young faces in this city. What makes you think you can be a mistress for life?” She narrowed her eyes, enjoying my humiliation. “Secretary by day, bedwarmer by night. You really work hard, don’t you?” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Miss Sterling, my relationship with Christian isn’t what you think.” For nine years, he took me to meet his friends. They called me “sister-in-law.” We lived together. We built a home. Bianca sneered. “Eva, you’ve lived the good life so long you forgot where you came from. A trailer park girl who climbed into her sponsor’s bed to change her tax bracket. We all know how much effort that took.” “He kept you for nine years, but did he ever promise you a future?” She stepped closer. “You think because his frat buddies call you ‘sis’ that you’re Mrs. Vance? Wake up. The Vance family doesn’t let trash in the front door. He’s marrying me for power. He’s not an idiot. He won’t throw away his empire for you.” She looked at my red eyes with disgust. “Don’t go crying to Christian. Vance Enterprises needs the Sterling capital. He’s lucky I chose him.” “Men are all the same. I picked Christian because he’s handsome and cleaner than the rest.” “From now on, tuck your tail between your legs when you see me.”

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I am the real heiress, and Leo is the real heir. For ten years, lost and alone, we depended on each other to survive. We made a pact: if one of us was found, they would take the other with them. But when his family found him, he gently pushed me away. “The other ‘son’ is here too. The car is full. I’ll come back for you next time.” I knew he wouldn’t come back. Later, after losing the battle against the imposter son, he returned to me, disheartened. “Raising fish and planting trees isn’t a bad life. I’m willing to spend the rest of my days with you like this.” I shook my head, waving the DNA test result in my hand. “This time, it’s my turn to go home.” “And my family? They don’t have a fake daughter.” 1 When the village chief ran up to tell me Leo was back, I was rolling up my sleeves, picking passion fruit, sweat dripping from my forehead. I froze for a moment, then wiped the sweat and smiled. “Well, treat Mr. Billionaire nicely. We’re struggling to find buyers for these passion fruits anyway.” It had been three years since Leo left. In those three years, he never came back to see me, nor did he come back to pick me up as promised. From heartbreaking agony to silent disappointment, and now to a calm smile—I guess I’ve grown up. Growing up means focusing on reality. Leo is a wealthy heir now. Buying my passion fruit should be a piece of cake for him, right? “Luna, aren’t you going? Maybe Leo came back to get you,” the village chief said, happy for me. I pinched a fragrant passion fruit in my hand and shook my head. “No, I need to finish the harvest. If I don’t pick them now, they’ll overripen.” The chief was surprised but seemed to understand. He sighed and ran down the hill. I continued to bury myself in work with the other villagers, racing against time. Dizzy from the heat, I looked up to see a thin figure standing before me. I paused, then greeted him. “Mr. Vance, you’ve lost weight.” 2 Leo Vance had lost weight. I remember when he left three years ago, he was a tall, vibrant young man with a handsome face that looked out of place in the countryside. Everywhere he went, widows tried to flirt with him. Now, he was thin, silent, and gloomy. The only thing unchanged was that devastatingly handsome face. Reunited now, my eyes still went straight to his face. He didn’t speak, just stared at me intently. His eyes were red, lips trembling, as if he had suffered a great injustice and desperately needed a hug. I instinctively took a step forward, then stopped. I didn’t want to hug him. In the past ten years, I had hugged him countless times. He was a proud person, stubborn since childhood, never willing to lose. He once fought a homeless man for half a burger, getting beaten bloody, just to bring it back for me to eat. Then he cried silently in pain while I held him all night. He clashed with villagers for his adoptive mother, roaring like a madman with a sickle in hand, then collapsed exhausted into my arms, where I held him all night. When he missed home, staring blankly at the sky in the middle of the night, I held him all night too. This ambitious boy had never left my embrace. But three years ago, he left without hesitation. 3 That day was supposed to be the day Leo and I officially led the villagers in planting passion fruit. I was on the mountain fantasizing about a bountiful harvest and making big money. But Leo suddenly went down the mountain and met the family he had dreamed of. By the time I excitedly ran down, he had finished pouring out his heart to his family and was packing his meager belongings. I hugged him tightly, weeping with joy. “Leo, this is great! You finally reunited with your family!” His body stiffened, and he was silent for a moment. Surprised, I wiped my tears and looked at him. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy?” He was happy, actually. But beneath that joy in his eyes, there was a different emotion hidden. “Happy,” he answered with one word, looking at the mountain outside the village. “Aren’t you busy? The villagers don’t know farming techniques; you need to guide them constantly.” “Busy or not, I have to come see you! You’ve been found by your family!” I didn’t catch the subtext in Leo’s words, rambling on instead. “Great! We’ll have money, and we can help the villagers develop. Perfect!” Leo fell silent again. I finally realized something was wrong. Leo was happy to see his family. But he wasn’t happy to see me. I pursed my lips and deliberately punched him lightly. “Cat got your tongue? You’re not thinking of dumping me, are you?” I asked in a joking tone. But Leo’s tone was serious. He hesitated, his eyes flickering. “My parents adopted a son. He came too, so…” He paused, looking away. “So, the car is full. I’ll come back for you next time.” 4 My head felt like it exploded. The car is full? I saw that car from a distance. It was long and huge, more spacious than Old Man Wang’s truck. How could it be full? I’m not stupid. I immediately understood what Leo meant. But ten years of feelings are hard to cut off. I really couldn’t believe it, nor did I want to. So, moments before the tears gushed out, I kept joking. “If there’s no room inside, I can sit in the trunk! Or the roof works too, haha.” My forced laughter sounded like the sharp cry of a dying duck. Leo exhaled heavily, turning his back to me. “Luna, wealthy families in reality are more exaggerated than in novels. They care more about matching status. “I was betrothed since childhood. I have to marry someone for alliance. It’s not up to me.” With every word he said, my tear ducts collapsed a little more. By the time he turned to look at me, my face was covered in tears. Yet he remained calm, his tone full of ambition. “I am the heir to a wealthy family. There is also a very favored adopted son at home. If I take you back, it will definitely drag me down. “I can’t afford any mistakes. I don’t want my biological parents to think I’m a useless person ruled by emotions. So, you must stay!” I was crying my heart out, unable to refute a single word. Leo’s eyes flickered. He hugged me, his voice softening. “Be good. Wait for me to come back for you.” 5 Leo did come back eventually. Standing alive among the passion fruit trees, standing in front of me. But I simply greeted him politely, calling him Mr. Vance. Leo blinked his wet eyes, pursed his trembling lips, a flash of doubt in his gaze, seemingly unable to understand why I was so indifferent. Actually, I should have excitedly thrown myself into his arms. Or joked like many years ago: “Oh look, crying again? Come here, Mommy will hold you.” And he would glare at me angrily: “I’ll beat you until you call me Daddy!” We played wild back then. Now, we can’t play anymore. I broke the silence. “Mr. Vance, look, our village’s passion fruits are ripe. Sales aren’t good this year. Can you help?” Leo didn’t look at the passion fruit. His gaze stayed on me. Finally, he spoke, voice hoarse. “Luna, you’re not happy to see me at all.” “I am! I don’t know how happy I am. Our mountain full of passion fruit depends on you!” I shook his hand enthusiastically. Genuine enthusiasm. Because I was really afraid this year’s fruit would rot in the field. Leo said nothing, just squeezed my hand. Living in luxury, his hands were now fair and tender like bamboo shoots. In contrast, mine were calloused, rough, and dark. “Luna, you’ve suffered,” Leo said, gently stroking the back of my hand, his eyes red again. Goosebumps rose all over me. I yanked my hand back. “Mr. Vance, please have some self-respect. Let’s talk about passion fruit.” He froze on the spot. I proactively handed him a business card. “Mr. Vance, our Almond Village passion fruit is famous far and wide. Planting history dates back to before the Reform and Opening Up. Guaranteed plump and juicy…” Actually, the planting history was only three years, and we lost money for three consecutive years. Leo stared at my card, speechless. I pointed to the number on it. “Mr. Vance, you can contact me anytime. We’ll supply however much you want!” With that, I took a sip of water and walked toward the mountainside. Back to picking!

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Chapter 1 When the news broke that Mason and Hailey were getting married, the internet exploded with joy. Everyone expected me to have a meltdown. After all, I’d spent the last ten years chasing Mason like a pathetic, love-struck puppy. Everyone thought I was obsessed with him. Nobody knew that I’d been waiting for this day. For ten long years. I wanted them to get married more than anyone. At the wedding, hundreds of cameras were set up, and top influencers were live-streaming the event. “Finally! Mason and Hailey are tying the knot. That other girl must be dying right now, LOL.” “It hasn’t been easy for Mason and Hailey. My girl Hailey finally got her happy ending.” “If it wasn’t for that toxic witch, Mason would have married my goddess ages ago. But hey, at least her existence made Hailey realize her true feelings.” “Sobbing! Mason, please take care of Hailey!” “I hope that psycho doesn’t ruin today.” The comments scrolled by in a blur. I read a few and lost interest. They were either blessing the couple or cursing me out. A decade ago, I would have been in the comments fighting for my life. But after ten years of this, I was immune. I stood in a corner, scanning the venue. Please, I prayed silently. Let this wedding happen. It has to happen. To blend in, I wore a dress completely unlike my usual style. For one day, I would play the role of a sophisticated lady. The venue was buzzing. I saw Mason’s parents in the front row, Hailey’s parents, and then… my father and stepmother. And plenty of other familiar faces from our social circle. On the massive screen above the altar, a slideshow of Mason and Hailey played. Their smiles—smiles I used to beg for—were plastered everywhere. The music swelled. The officiant took his place. The wedding began. I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I was more nervous than the bride and groom. This moment determined my entire future. I was done being the hated, desperate ex. Call me a villain? Fine, I’ll own it. But call me a simp? Absolutely not. Mason stood at the altar in a sharp tuxedo, his posture perfect. He watched his bride walk down the aisle with deep, unwavering affection. “Look at his eyes! He’s so in love.” “OMG, Mason’s gaze is killing me.” “Hailey is so beautiful.” Hailey was an A-list actress, the nation’s sweetheart. Mason had generously opened up 100 spots for her fans to attend the wedding. The people standing next to me were probably some of the lucky few. “Look! They’re exchanging rings!” My attention snapped back to the stage. Mason had already slid the ring onto Hailey’s finger. Now it was her turn. I held my breath as she lifted Mason’s hand. Just a second before the ring touched his finger, she froze. Her gaze cut through the crowd and landed straight on me. I knew it. She saw me. I hadn’t expected her to let me off easy, not even on her big day. Sure enough, Hailey picked up the microphone. Chapter 2 “Thank you all for coming to our wedding,” Hailey said, her voice trembling slightly. “But I also want to thank someone special. Someone you all know.” Everyone followed her gaze until it landed on me. It took a moment for the crowd to realize who I was. “You all know it wasn’t easy for Mason and me to get here. We faced so many obstacles.” Yes, obstacles I created. Not just to fulfill my mission, but because I wanted to. “Bella, I know you’re not happy about this,” Hailey continued, staring right at me. “But I want you to know that true love doesn’t care who came first. You’ve been by Mason’s side for a long time, but he’s only ever seen you as a sister. I hope one day you find someone who truly loves you.” “And thank you, Mason, for always choosing me.” I felt the hostile stares burning into me. A few people even moved closer, glaring at me with undisguised hatred. This was exactly what Hailey wanted. To drag me out and publicly humiliate me one last time before she put that ring on. She finally turned back to Mason and slid the band onto his finger without hesitation. My heart finally settled back into my chest. “Mason and Hailey are married now,” a girl next to me hissed. “If you try to ruin their relationship again, Mason won’t let you off the hook.” I looked at her and nodded earnestly. “Don’t worry. I wish them a lifetime of togetherness. Locked down. Forever.” DING— 【Congratulations, Host! Mason and Hailey are officially married. Mission accomplished. Happy Ending achieved!】 【Confetti! Confetti!】 【Host, your mission is complete. I’m leaving now.】 【Where will you go?】 This was a voice only I could hear. It belonged to the System—a voice I’d been hearing for ten years, ever since it first appeared. Hailey was its Host. From the System, I learned that I was the “villainess.” I tried to change my fate, but nothing worked. So, I leaned into the role. I played the villain. I waited for the plot to end. I waited for it to leave. 【I’m going to another world!】 【Okay, 1807. Thank you for giving me a new life.】 【You’re welcome, Host. Take care of yourself. I won’t be coming back.】 【Mhm!】 Silence followed. It seemed System 1807 was truly gone. Now that 1807 had left, the real villainess could finally take the stage. Before I turned to leave, I caught Hailey’s eye on stage. I gave her a small smile. Your good days are officially over. Chapter 3 The first thing I did when I got back to my apartment was throw out everything from my past life and call movers. Then, I unpinned a chat on WeChat and sent a single message. By the time I was done, it was past midnight. For ten years, I had dutifully played the role of the villain. The male and female leads needed conflict to deepen their love, and I was happy to be the tool that provided it. But now, the story was over. Without the plot controlling me, who knew what would happen next? Everything I had given away as a plot device, I was going to take back. Piece by piece. Starting with Mason’s position. Three days later, the hype around Mason and Hailey’s wedding was still dominating the headlines. It was being called the “Wedding of the Century.” Hailey used the buzz to break into international markets, expanding her fame even further. On the third day after the wedding, the traditional “homecoming” visit, I went back to the family house too. I could hear laughter from inside before I even opened the door. I could imagine the warm, happy family scene. But I was here to ruin the mood. Hailey was the first to react. “Bella’s back! We were just talking about you. It’s been so long since we all sat down for a meal together.” “Since you’re here, join us.” “Sure,” I said. Watching their forced smiles made the air taste sweeter. “Since you’re back, try to get along with your sister,” my biological father, Simon, said sternly. “Don’t start any drama. They’re married now. If you try to interfere, you’re just a homewrecker.” I looked at him. It was hard to believe a father could speak to his child like that. But I’d heard worse from him. I didn’t care anymore, so it didn’t hurt. “Don’t worry. I have no interest in doing something so low-class when someone already has a family.” Simon’s face darkened visibly. Just then, the housekeeper announced dinner was ready, breaking the tension. But as soon as I sat down, Hailey spoke up. “Mom usually sits there. Bella, would you mind moving?” I gave Hailey a look that was half-smile, half-sneer. She returned it with a gentle, saintly smile. Only I knew how rotten she was on the inside. Lauren, my stepmother, laughed it off. “If Bella likes that seat, let her have it.” Even Mason frowned at me disapprovingly. “Bella, you really haven’t changed.” Chapter 4 SLAM. I slapped my hand on the table. “This is my house. Who told you I have to watch outsiders’ moods to eat in my own home? Eat if you want, otherwise get out!” The sound made everyone jump. No one expected me to fight back—especially not against Mason. Everyone knew I was the girl who couldn’t get over him. Back when I was a rebellious teen, I only listened to Mason. He used it to brag: Look, she’s a rich heiress, but she does whatever I say. So they all assumed I wouldn’t fight back. They forgot that I used to have claws. I’d been a simp for ten years, but my edges hadn’t disappeared. I’d just hidden them. Now that I was free, I wasn’t going to suffer in silence anymore. “Bella, have you lost your mind?!” Simon roared, slamming the table even harder than I had. My hand throbbed in sympathy. “Do you want me to kick you out?” I rubbed my palm under the table. It felt good to be fierce, but it hurt my hand. In the past, I would have been crying and apologizing by now. Villain Rule #1: Lack of love. Specifically, fatherly love. The thought of being kicked out used to terrify me. When the plot controlled me, Simon held all the cards. But the plot was gone. “Dad, you seem to have forgotten something. The name on the deed to this villa is Bella Shen.” Simon froze. Lauren saw the mood shift and quickly tried to smooth things over. “Bella, stop joking. The deed is locked in the safe. Your father can’t take a joke like that.” Simon seemed to snap out of it, banging on the table again. “You ungrateful brat!” Fine. My friendly reminder fell on deaf ears. “Martha, serve dinner!” “Coming, Miss Bella!” “Don’t call me Miss Bella. Call me the Second Miss!” Martha ignored me and went back to the kitchen. Martha’s cooking was as delicious as ever. Hailey looked pale. Being called the “Second Miss” clearly struck a nerve. “Dad, are you planning to put Hailey on the family registry?” Hailey was Simon and Lauren’s daughter, born three months before me. “Dad, need I remind you? The ‘Shen’ in Shen Family stands for Shen Ci—my mother. Not Simon Shen.” Shen Ci. My mother. A gentle woman, but too love-struck. She fell for Simon, a gold-digger from a poor background, and paid for it with her life.

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Ethan knew that every time I died, I would come back to life. So, after that landslide, he didn’t hesitate to cut out my heart to save his first love. When he took my hollowed-out body from the doctor’s hands, he whispered, “You’ll be fine after a nap.” But he didn’t know—that was my last life. 1 Ethan carried my corpse into the basement of the Search and Rescue base. My internal organs had been harvested; I was nothing but an empty shell. My face, however, was still rosy, as if I were merely sleeping. He opened the cryonic preservation pod with practiced ease, his movements clean and efficient. When he placed me inside, his hands were steady. There wasn’t a shred of hesitation. “Just sleep for a while,” his voice was terrifyingly calm. “Didn’t you say it doesn’t matter if you die?” Yesterday was our wedding anniversary. I had prepared a table full of dishes and bought his favorite red wine. Seeing him come home on time for once, I was happy as a fool. He had just raised his glass when the phone rang. It was his lieutenant: “Captain, Bella ran into a landslide during the mountain patrol. She’s trapped…” His hand trembled. The glass shattered on the floor, dark red wine splashing onto my new dress like blood. “How bad is it?” His voice was already hoarse. “Critical. Internal organs…” He didn’t wait for the rest. He grabbed his jacket and rushed out. I grabbed his hand. “I’ll go too. I can help.” He looked back at me. His gaze was complex—not filled with concern, but with calculation. When we arrived, she had been pulled out, but her heart was severely damaged. She needed a transplant immediately. He looked at Bella, his unconscious first love lying on the stretcher, his fingers trembling. That tremor was a panic I had never seen in him before. Then, he looked at me. His eyes were bloodshot. “I’m sorry,” he said. Before I could process what he meant, I felt a sharp pain in the back of my neck. Before I lost consciousness, I saw him nod to the doctor. Turns out, they had prepared for this. When I was wheeled into the operating room, something strange happened. It felt like my soul floated out of my body. I hovered in mid-air, witnessing everything. I saw him standing right next to the operating table. When the doctor’s scalpel sliced open my chest, he watched expressionlessly. There was no ripple of emotion in his eyes, as if my body were nothing more than a tool to be used. “Her organs are in perfect condition, and the match is compatible,” the doctor’s voice sounded distant. “It’s enough to save Captain Bella.” I watched my own heart being taken out, placed in a cooler, and rushed to the adjacent operating room. He followed the cooler out, not sparing me a single backward glance. After he placed me in the cryo-pod, he sat nearby processing paperwork, occasionally glancing up at me. I floated in front of him, searching his eyes for a trace of guilt. But his gaze passed right through my soul, landing on his phone. A text from the doctor: The surgery was successful. She is recovering well. He smiled—a relieved, happy smile. He tossed my medical file aside and left the basement. On the open page of the file, it clearly read: “Organ Donor: Voluntary.” He didn’t even bother to invent a lie. He thought I would wake up soon anyway. But he didn’t know that this time, I would never wake up. Because the extra life I had—the one that allowed me to resurrect—had already been used up the last time I saved his teammate. 2 It’s true. I had the ability to resurrect. Three years ago, before I was pulled from the wreckage of a plane crash as the sole survivor, a voice in the darkness told me I had been granted three lives. The first life, I used on myself to survive that crash. Ethan was the rescue captain who came to the scene. He was tall, his dark blue uniform pressed and sharp. Standing before the wreckage, he was surrounded by a cold aura, like a general from a bygone era. I was curled up on the stretcher, shivering. He turned his profile toward me, his jawline tense and defined. When those dark eyes swept over me, it felt like he could see through my soul. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “You’re safe now.” His voice was deep and soothing, like warm water pouring into my heart. In that moment, I fell for him. The voice in the darkness had told me: If you maintain a marriage with your destined one for three years, you can stay in this world forever. Looking at this cold, handsome man, I decided to gamble. This was the first time twenty-eight-year-old Sarah truly wanted something with such determination. Ethan looked to be in his early thirties. Years of training gave him a lean, powerful build. He walked with a distinct rhythm, a habit from his military days. Every time I passed the rescue base, I could recognize his back instantly. I began to approach him as an ordinary woman. I delivered coffee to the base every day, brought late-night snacks for the team working overtime. I knew I looked desperate, like a sad puppy, but I didn’t care. They said Ethan never accepted gifts from women, but he took my coffee. He was always polite but distant. The team felt sorry for me, saying I was blind to reality. “Captain never gives any woman hope. Don’t waste your time.” But what I didn’t tell them was that every time I pretended to stumble, he was always the first to catch me. He would say “be careful,” but his hand would linger. Until one day, I heard him on the phone calling a woman “Bells,” his tone dripping with affection. It was his former lieutenant, Bella. Rumor had it they were childhood sweethearts. Bella was beautiful. Everyone said they were a match made in heaven. I should have backed off then. But I still had two lives left. I was young and headstrong, thinking I could surely last three years. If I had known my second life would be used to save his teammate, and my third life would be ended by his own hands, I would have run far away from the start. Unfortunately, love makes you blind. 3 Bella was Ethan’s partner back in the Special Forces. Everyone in the rescue team knew they used to be the best sniper and spotter duo. On the battlefield, a spotter and sniper need a connection so deep they can practically read each other’s minds to complete the mission. So after discharging, Ethan and Bella joined the rescue team together, moving with the sync of a single person. I once secretly looked through Ethan’s old photo albums. In the photos, Bella wore a uniform, her eyebrows raised in high spirits—a heroic elegance I, an ordinary woman, could never achieve. And Ethan stood beside her, looking down at her with such tenderness. Later, the team told me Ethan had chased Bella for five full years. From boot camp to special ops, from drills to actual combat, everyone thought they would end up together. But Bella rejected him in the end. “We aren’t right for each other. You deserve better.” She said this right before a mission. Ethan was the one loading her magazines. They remained the best partners, acting as if nothing happened. But in the dead of night, Ethan would go to the shooting range alone, firing until his fingers bled. Later, Bella applied for a transfer to a remote border rescue unit. The day she left, Ethan stood outside the airport, watching her back disappear through security. His fingers unconsciously rubbed a ring he never got the chance to give her. The team said that was the most broken they had ever seen him. I met Ethan six months after Bella left. He was like a pool of stagnant water then. Even his smiles were cold. But I didn’t care. I thought time would wash away the past. “He’s never had room in his eyes for anyone else. You think he’s gentle? That’s professional habit. Doesn’t matter if it’s you or a supermodel, he takes the flowers with a smile and throws them in the trash the moment he turns around.” An old team member told me this. They didn’t want to see me humiliate myself. But I didn’t believe it. I told myself the past is the past. Even if I was just a sequel to someone else’s story, I accepted it. Even the base nurse couldn’t stand it: “Sarah, why don’t you get it? The Captain visits the border every year to see Bella. They are separated by thousands of miles, but their bond is deeper than any day you spend next to him.” I really didn’t understand. I didn’t understand why Ethan agreed to date me, or why he married me. Thinking back now, perhaps from the day I used my second life to save his teammate, he had been planning this. 4 The rescue that changed everything happened in my second year knowing Ethan. Heavy rains caused a landslide, burying a village. Ethan led the charge, with his childhood friend and teammate, Mike, covering the rear. No one noticed the boulder teetering above. “Ethan!” Mike’s voice cut through the rain. The moment he shoved Ethan aside, the boulder crashed down. “NO!” Ethan tried to rush into the rubble like a madman, held back by three teammates. Back at the base courtyard, he knelt in the rain, shaking like a wounded beast. That was the first time I saw him lose control. The always calm and collected Ethan could be this desperate. Mike was his brother in everything but blood. They enlisted together, joined special ops together, and retired together. When Mike was pulled out, his heart had stopped. The doctor said even if he was revived, he needed a heart transplant, and the treatment would cost at least $800,000. “Please, you have to save him.” Ethan gripped the doctor’s hand, his voice raspy. “I’ll get the money. Whatever it takes.” But he had only recently retired; his savings went to his mortgage. The team pooled money, but it was barely a fraction. I watched him pace the hospital corridor, eyes red, looking like he hadn’t slept in days. “It should have been me,” he kept repeating. “Why did he save me?” In that moment, my heart ached so much I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t stand it anymore. “I can donate my heart,” I walked in and said. “I’m a perfect match for Mike.” Ethan jerked his head up. “Are you crazy?” His voice cracked. “You’ll die!” I smiled at him and whispered in his ear, “Trust me. I have a superpower. I won’t die.” He didn’t agree, but I went behind his back and did the surgery. I donated my heart to Mike, and my liver and kidney to a wealthy man’s daughter. The wealthy man transferred $800,000 to Ethan’s account. Three days later, I woke up. When I opened my eyes, Ethan was guarding my bedside. He hadn’t slept in three days. Dark circles bruised his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to leave. “You’re awake,” his voice was rough as he carefully held my hand. “Does it hurt?” That was the first time I saw him look so gentle. Mike recovered quickly, and Ethan began visiting me frequently. He peeled apples for me, fed me water, his gaze so focused it made my heart tremble. Sometimes when I feigned sleep, I felt him gently kiss my forehead. He started telling me his stories—childhood pranks with Mike, the grueling tests in special ops, and how terrified he was of losing people he cared about. When he spoke, his eyes were tender, but they hid something I couldn’t read. Later, he proposed. I nodded, tears streaming down my face. He kissed them away and held me tight. Later, I applied to work at the rescue base as a contract nurse, just to be by his side. And that was when Bella transferred back to headquarters.

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Chapter 1 During a team meeting, my mom FaceTime’d me out of nowhere. She said she missed me. She just wanted to see my face. Mr. Stirling, my boss, snapped at me. “Cut the noise. We’re in the middle of a briefing.” I had to decline the call. I texted Mom, In a meeting. Call you after work. But she wouldn’t listen. The phone buzzed again and again. She kept sending video requests, typing that she missed me so much, begging for just one look. I was reaching to silence it when Stirling lost it. He snatched my phone, hurled it onto the concrete floor, and screamed, ” I said cut the noise!” The screen shattered. The phone went black. I didn’t dare make a sound. When the meeting ended, Stirling tossed a couple of hundred-dollar bills on the ground. He looked at me with cold, dead eyes. “Fix it. If it buzzes in my meeting again, you’re fired.” I picked up the phone. It was cracked, but it wasn’t dead. It had just rebooted. As soon as it turned on—twenty missed calls. I opened my messages. Mom had sent a string of voice notes. “Caleb, baby, Mama misses you. Are they treating you okay out there?” “Eat right, okay? Mama feels… heavy. Like I can’t catch my breath.” “Baby, don’t cry. Mama loves you so much. If I don’t make it… I’ll watch over you from Heaven.” My mind went blank. The world stopped spinning. Then, a text from Pops popped up: Get the first bus home. Your mother’s gone. I stared at the cracked screen, my hands shaking so hard I nearly dropped it again. I tried to call Pops. When he answered, my throat felt like it was stuffed with broken glass. It hurt to speak. Pops was broken, but he tried to calm me down. “Don’t panic, son. Just… breathe.” But I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t form sentences. I just stuttered, choking on tears, “What do I do? Pops, I don’t have a Mama anymore.” I collapsed on the office floor, sobbing uncontrollably. Stirling stormed back into the conference room. “What is wrong with you? Crying like a baby in the middle of the day? I have clients in my office!” “My mom…” I choked out. “My mom is gone.” Stirling paused for a second, then sneered. “Your mom died, not mine. I’m closing a deal. You want to cry? Take it outside.” He muttered something about “bad luck” and slammed the door. I wiped my face, adrenaline mixing with grief. I chased him out and grabbed his arm. “I need bereavement leave. I’m going home. Now.” Stirling looked at me like I was a cockroach. “You’re taking leave during our busiest season? Fine. Bring me a death certificate first.” “She just passed,” I said, my voice trembling. “There is no certificate yet. I need to go.” “Then have your family send a picture of the body.” I froze. I thought I misheard him. “Excuse me?” “Video call,” he said, checking his watch. “Put a mirror under her nose. No fog after two minutes? She’s dead. I’m busy. Don’t waste my time.” He waved me off and turned to walk away. I grabbed his suit jacket and yanked him back. Hard. The office went silent. Everyone stared. I clenched my fist, every muscle in my body screaming to smash his face in. Stirling pointed a finger in my face. “Let go. Policy is policy.” I swallowed the rage. I had to. If I hit him now, the cops would come. If I got locked up, I’d miss the funeral. I wouldn’t see Mama one last time. I let go. Stirling smirked, thinking I was weak. “Coward. All bark, no bite. This is a business, not a daycare.” I gritted my teeth. “I’m not asking for leave. I quit.” I shoved past him, wiping my eyes, and headed for the door. But this time, Stirling grabbed my arm. “Quitting? Fine. Pay the damages first.” Chapter 2 I stopped. “What damages?” “Company policy,” he sneered. “You’ve been here less than a year. Breach of contract. Training fees, equipment fees… comes out to three grand. Pay up, then you can go.” I was confused. “Training? I started working the minute I walked in the door.” “Working here is the training,” he said smoothly. “You’re learning skills. That costs money.” I looked at him, disbelief washing over me. “My mother just passed away, and you’re trying to shake me down?” He shrugged. “Rules are rules. You either pay, or you get on your knees and apologize for the disruption. Once your family proves she’s a corpse, I’ll give you one day off.” I couldn’t believe a human being could be this vile. Stirling leaned in close, his voice a venomous whisper. “In my house, you don’t disrespect me. If I don’t break you today, how do I manage the rest of these sheep? Everyone has problems. Your mom croaking isn’t an excuse to inconvenience me.” He glared at me, then walked into his office, telling the security guard to lock the main doors. “He doesn’t leave until he pays.” The guard, a big guy who followed orders blindly, moved to block the exit. I walked toward the glass doors. The guard stepped up. I didn’t slow down. I kicked the fire safety box on the wall. Crash. I grabbed the red emergency axe. My chest was heaving. I tried to calm down. I thought of Mama. She hated violence. She hated when I fought. The guard was trembling now. I remembered how Mama used to visit the houses of the kids I fought, begging their parents not to call the cops, paying for their medical bills with money she didn’t have. She was gone now. I had to see her. I couldn’t go to jail. I ignored the guard and swung the axe. SMASH. The tempered glass of the main door shattered into a million diamonds. I dropped the axe and walked out. Behind me, Stirling was screaming. He chased me to the sidewalk, face red with fury. “You son of a b*tch! You walk away, and you’re done!” I turned around. My eyes were cold. “If I didn’t have to see my mother, you’d be ending today.” He scoffed. “Tough guy. You think I’m scared?” I didn’t answer. I got in a cab. On the way to the bus station, a coworker called. “Caleb, you’re screwed. Stirling is furious. He says you owe for the door and the fees. He’s going to sue.” “Let him,” I said. “His contract is illegal. No judge will enforce it.” “It’s not about the law,” the coworker whispered. “Stirling targets guys like us—from the sticks, no college, desperate. It’s his business model. You made him look weak. If he doesn’t crush you, the scam falls apart.” “He’s calling in favors,” the coworker added. “He pulled your address from HR files. He’s bringing guys to your place. He wants to make an example out of you.” “Okay,” I said. I hung up. I opened Mama’s chat. I played her last voice note again. “If I don’t make it… I’ll watch over you.” I listened to her voice, sitting in the back of a Greyhound bus, crying like a lost child. Mid-sob, a text came in from Stirling. Wait there, trash. I’m going to send you to meet your mother. Chapter 3 I made it back to the Hollow. The old folks were sitting on their porches. When they saw me, the chatter stopped. They went inside. As I walked down the dirt road, blinds were drawn. Doors were locked. They hated me here. My hands had too much red on them from the old days. I was one of the “left-behind” kids. My folks went to the city to work off debts, leaving me with my grandparents in this forgotten corner of the state. Kids without parents get bullied. That’s the law of the playground. But I was born mean. I never backed down. Every kid who tried me ended up in the clinic. The neighbors called me a menace. They stormed my grandparents’ house, demanding justice. Mama had to come back. She spent every dime she saved bailing me out, paying for stitches and broken teeth. She hugged me while I was still covered in dirt. She cried. “Are you crying because we’re broke?” I had asked her, acting tough. “I’m crying because my baby is hurting,” she wailed. That was the day I changed. I swallowed my temper. I went to the city. I wanted to make money so she could rest. But she didn’t get to rest. I wiped my eyes. I ignored the dirty looks from the neighbors. I rounded the corner to my dad’s trailer. I stopped. A black SUV was parked in the yard. Stirling was there. And he wasn’t alone. He had five guys with him—bikers, roughnecks. My dad was bowing to them, apologizing. Stirling poked my dad in the chest. “Who do you think you are? Your son caused the damage. Your son pays.” I didn’t expect him to beat me here. But I took the bus. He drove a luxury car on the highway. “Sir,” my dad pleaded. “My boy has a temper. I’m sorry. But my wife… she’s laying inside. Please, out of respect for the dead, can we talk after the funeral?” “Your wife kicked the bucket, not mine!” Stirling shouted. “Good riddance, I say. Raising a piece of trash like your son? She checked out early to avoid the shame!” I walked toward them. “There he is!” Stirling pointed. The thugs circled me. “My mother is inside,” I said, my voice low. “I don’t want trouble right now.” The leader of the thugs, a guy with a neck tattoo and a shaved head, stepped forward. He blew cigarette smoke in my face. “What if I want trouble?” Chapter 4 Stirling puffed up his chest. He had his army now. He tapped my sternum hard. “You were real loud in the office, Caleb. Said you were gonna end me?” I looked at the thugs. Then at Stirling. “Let me light a candle for my mom. That’s all I ask.” “I don’t have time for your voodoo,” Stirling spat. He pulled out his phone and started recording. “Here’s the deal. You disrespected me. You’re gonna kneel down, right here, and beg for forgiveness. You’re gonna admit you owe me the money.” My dad stepped in. “Sir, please! His mother just passed! Asking him to kneel… it ain’t right!” “Right?” Stirling laughed. He gestured to his hired muscle. “I paid these gentlemen good money to come out to this dump. Do you think I care about what’s right? I’m bullying you. Because I can.” My dad looked at me, eyes pleading. “See?” Stirling grinned. “Even your old man is a coward.” “I’m begging him not to hurt you,” Dad said honestly. “Please, just go. If you push him, you’re gonna get hurt.” Stirling fake-shivered. “Ooh, I’m shaking. Your boy gonna beat me up?” “He’s the only one his Mama could control,” Dad whispered. The bald thug flicked his cigarette butt at me. It hit my cheek, sparks stinging my skin. He grabbed a handful of my hair. “Your daddy talks big. Come on then. Hurt me.” I took a deep breath. “Pops, is the hearse coming?” “Yeah,” Dad whispered. “Soon.” I nodded. I shoved the thug backward and walked into the trailer. “Hey!” Stirling screamed. “I’m talking to you, dirtbag!” I ignored him. My heart was breaking. I walked into the bedroom. There she was. She looked peaceful. Just sleeping. Her hands were cold. I knelt beside her. “I just wanted you to have a good life, Mama. Why did I take that job? Why wasn’t I here?” Dad came in. “She wanted to talk to you. Your phone was off. I recorded it.” He held up his phone. On the screen, Mama looked frail. Every breath was a struggle. “Caleb… eat well. Dress warm. I tried to save for your wedding… but I’m useless. I only saved five grand.” She wiped her eyes on the screen. “It’s in the coffee tin… under the sink. Buy a car. Find a nice girl. Mama loves you…” Suddenly, Stirling burst into the room. He pointed at the cupboard under the sink. “Five grand! You heard it! That’s my compensation!” I turned, eyes burning. “I am listening to my mother’s last words! Shut up!”

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