Category: English

There was a rumor in school that I, the “campus belle,” was dating Liam, the school heartthrob. After denying it countless times with no success, I finally snapped at the gossipers: “Stop making things up! I hate him, okay?” From that day on, Liam never spoke to me again. Years later, he became the new tech king of the city, basking in success. Meanwhile, my family was drowning in debt, on the brink of bankruptcy. At our most desperate moment, Liam showed up at our door. He said he could save us. I asked him if there were any conditions. He refused to answer. He only said one thing: “Marry me.” After the wedding, we lived separate lives under the same roof. Our relationship was frozen at zero. I always thought Liam didn’t like me. Until the car accident. A split second before impact, he threw himself over me, shielding my body with his own. His voice choked with tears as he whispered in my ear: “Please… don’t hate me so much, okay?” 1 Liam died. He died in the fourth year of our marriage. He died in that sudden, horrific car crash. Before the car spun out of control, Liam wrenched the steering wheel to the left, using his own body as a shield for mine. That was the only reason I survived. A second before the collision, Liam covered my eyes. “Stella… please…” “Please don’t hate me so much, okay?” I didn’t have time to answer before my vision was washed in red. The violent impact knocked me unconscious. This memory replayed in my dreams countless times. I never thought a careless sentence I used to brush off a high school rumor would stay with him, haunting him for so many years. I wanted to tell Liam personally that I didn’t hate him. I had never hated him. But there were no more chances. He appeared in my dreams again and again. And died in my dreams again and again. It was a torture called regret, slicing me into pieces, driving me insane. 2 After I was discharged, the lawyer came to see me. I learned that Liam had made a will right after we got married. His billions in assets all went to me. I laughed at his stupidity. It was a business marriage. How did he dare? What if I was a gold digger plotting for his money? What then? This fool. He left himself no way out. Liam’s parents died early. But he had a nest of black-hearted relatives. When Liam was young, they kicked him around like a soccer ball, afraid he’d eat an extra grain of their rice. When he became successful, they swarmed like flies, claiming kinship every other day. Now, at the funeral, they were all wailing as if their hearts were broken. But not one of them was truly sad for Liam. They were all acting, using the title of “family” to try and grab a piece of his massive estate. I sat quietly, staring at the black coffin in the center of the hall. I couldn’t cry anymore. Rumors had long circulated in our circle that Liam and I had a bad relationship, living separate lives after marriage. Seeing my calm demeanor now, the mourners whispered among themselves. They said I was heartless. That I wouldn’t even put on a show. Liam’s photo still hung in the hall. In the photo, his eyes were gentle, a slight smile on his lips. Liam actually didn’t like to smile. It seemed like nothing in this world could make him truly happy. The last time I saw him smile like that was recently, on our wedding anniversary. I insisted on drinking with him. After three rounds, my face was flushed. I deliberately leaned into his arms, looking up to brush my lips against his chin. Actually, I wasn’t drunk at all. I was acting. I had to rely on alcohol to break down the barriers in my heart and test him in the most direct way possible. Liam was drunk too, his steps unsteady. After I kissed him, he turned red from his ears to his neck. But on the surface, he pretended to be calm. “Stella, you’re drunk. I’ll take you back to your room…” I took the opportunity to act wild. Like an octopus, I wrapped myself around him. Burning skin against burning skin. We were so close I could feel his breath. No one could resist that kind of tension. That night, it rained heavily. Inside and out, everything was wet. Our first time actually waited until the fourth year of our marriage. I didn’t expect a drunk Liam to be like that. Almost crazy. His large hands held me, imprisoning me tightly in his arms, as if I would disappear the moment he let go. “Stella… Stella…” “Don’t leave me…” “Don’t throw me away…” He kept calling my name. Hot tears fell on my shoulder. I bit my lip, unable to speak. I could only respond with a flurry of kisses. After that night, we both acted like we had amnesia. Neither of us dared to bring it up. All the madness seemed to be attributed to a drunken accident. Until a few days ago, when I found out I was pregnant. I wanted to tell him on his birthday. But Liam called me first, saying he wanted to take me out to celebrate. “Liam, I have something important to tell you.” In the car, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. For so long, we had carefully tested each other’s feelings, pretending not to understand, neither daring to cross the chasm between us first. I thought the arrival of this child would be the turning point in our relationship. “What is it?” Before I could say it, a truck lost control and flew out from the side road. In just a few seconds, I lost Liam and our child. I lived in pain and regret every moment. They were gone. Why was I still alive? 3 I left our marital home and moved into a small apartment under my name. Partly because Liam’s cheap relatives kept coming over, demanding money. I was tired of dealing with them and handed everything over to the lawyers. Partly because that villa was full of Liam’s traces. His slippers, his towel, his unfinished wine, his favorite magnolia tree… I was suffocating from the pervasive grief. The day after I moved out, Ethan knocked on my door. I knew my parents gave him the new address. Since the Tan family survived the crisis and business started booming again, Ethan began hovering around me. He was good at sucking up to my parents. He often brought expensive wine and rare calligraphy, making my parents beam with joy. They even said not having him as a son-in-law was the biggest regret of their lives. Whenever Liam and I visited home, we almost always saw Ethan. With my parents’ indulgence, Ethan dared to use his own chopsticks to put food in my bowl at the dinner table. And Liam sat right next to me. Lips pressed tight, not saying a word. Later, I often regretted not considering Liam’s feelings. Watching another man openly court his wife while his in-laws cheered him on. How painful that must have been for him. Liam was busy with work, often traveling all over the country. We lived apart for the first two years of our marriage. Later, I tried many times to find a chance to talk to him properly. Specifically to clarify my relationship with Ethan. But Liam always avoided me. Whenever I asked to talk, he had a business trip. Until the end, that paper window between us was never fully pierced. Right now, Ethan stood at my door. He even brought pastries from my favorite bakery. Cheap flattery. “Stella, just look back at me, okay? “I truly love you! I’ve loved you for years!” Listen to that. How sincere. Not long after I was discharged, my parents urged me to remarry. “Luckily you and Liam didn’t have much affection. Now that he’s gone, you won’t be stuck in grief. “We can see Ethan truly loves you. Don’t hang yourself on one tree.” How funny. When our family was on the verge of bankruptcy, my parents wanted me to marry into money to save them. They even suggested I be a mistress to an old man. When people are desperate, family affection goes out the window. I was just a chip for their comeback. Where was Ethan then? He watched from the sidelines, dodging us. He was afraid I’d drag him down with our misfortune because of our past friendship. The only one who extended a hand was Liam. I admit, when we first got married, I had no feelings for Liam. Although we were old classmates, we hadn’t been in touch for years. His sudden proposal seemed like a transaction to me. He helped the Tan family survive. I became his trophy wife, managing his household and social obligations. Mutual benefit. Naturally, it wasn’t worth pouring emotions into. But time proves everything. Liam never calculated or schemed against me. He gave me full access to his company’s most confidential information, trusting me completely. Once you’ve seen the ocean, no other water compares. How could I look at Ethan’s “sincerity,” mixed with endless calculations and weigh-ins? 4 I refused Ethan. My parents came over to scold me for being stupid, wasting my youth on a short-lived man. In their anger, they cursed Liam too. Calling him bad luck, delaying my life even after death. My suppressed emotions exploded. I smashed everything in the apartment. Then I went to the kitchen and grabbed a cleaver. I warned them: anyone who dared speak ill of Liam again, I’d take them down with me. Disheveled, hysterical. Like a madwoman. All these years, I had been gentle and rational in front of Liam. That was the me he liked. If he saw me like this now. He would despise me… My parents were scared to tears. “Is it necessary? “Didn’t you say you had no feelings for the boy? Are you abandoning your parents to defend him?!” They seemed to have forgotten how Liam sacrificed his own company’s vitality to save the Tan family. Forgotten that without Liam shielding me, I wouldn’t be alive. A few days ago, when Liam’s relatives caused a scene at the company, they wore the same faces. Throwing tantrums, cursing Liam for being heartless, giving money to outsiders while mistreating his own blood, spreading rumors about him online. They also forgot how much Liam helped them regardless of their past cruelty after he succeeded. Liam, do you see? When the tea cools, people leave. People in this world have no conscience. You really had a hard life.

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Seven years. That’s how long we’d been together when I finally brought my boyfriend, Leo, home to meet my family. During the dinner, my cousin, Claire, suddenly gagged and covered her mouth. My aunt’s expression soured, shifting from shock to pure fury. “Look at you!” she screeched, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. “Your cousin, with her community college degree, lands a man like Leo. And you? You come back from studying abroad with… what? This mess? Getting yourself knocked up! Have you no shame?” Claire just shrank in her seat, tears silently streaming down her face. That only enraged my aunt further. She raised her hand, ready to slap her. But Leo’s hand shot out, grabbing my aunt’s wrist in a grip of steel. “Don’t,” he said, his voice low and firm. “Don’t you dare touch her. It’s my baby.” In the stunned silence of our relatives, he scooped Claire into his arms and strode out of the private dining room. He never once looked back at me. … The room erupted. Gasps of shock mingled with muttered curses. My head was ringing, a high-pitched whine that drowned everything out. Just ten minutes ago, Leo had been on my arm, charming my family, toasting to our future. They’d all praised him—so successful for his age, so gentle and kind. Now, he had just publicly claimed my pregnant cousin and walked out, leaving me to face the wreckage. My aunt, snapping out of her stupor, rounded on me. “So that’s it, Hannah!” she shrieked. “You’d steal your own cousin’s boyfriend? Claire is pregnant, and you still went after him! You little homewrecker, you’ve ruined her life!” With a guttural cry of rage, she snatched a cup of hot tea from the table and hurled it at me. I flinched, shutting my eyes against the expected searing pain. But it never came. I opened them to see my father standing in front of me, his body shielding mine. Scalding liquid and dark tea leaves dripped from his hair and down his face. He looked utterly defeated. “William, are you okay?” My mother’s voice was a panicked whisper, her icy hand trembling as she gripped my arm. My father’s face was ashen, his lips tinged with a terrifying blue. He collapsed with a heavy thud. “Dad! What’s wrong?” The dignity he had maintained his entire life shattered on that restaurant floor. My hands shook, but instinct took over. I dialed Leo. “Leo, it’s my dad! Something’s wrong, you have to come back!” There was a two-second pause on the other end. “Hannah,” he said, his voice cold and distant. “Claire’s carrying a child now. She can’t handle any stress. Your dad’s old ticker acts up sometimes, he’ll be fine.” He hung up. And my heart sank to the floor. From the ambulance ride to the frantic rush into the hospital, my mother’s hand never stopped shaking in mine. I couldn’t afford to cry. I ran, a blur of motion, from one counter to another, filling out forms, paying fees. It wasn’t until they pushed my dad through the doors of the emergency room and that terrifying red light flickered on that I finally felt the strength drain from my legs. The only notifications on my phone were automated payment receipts from the hospital. Leo hadn’t called. He hadn’t texted. I took a shaky breath and headed to the admissions desk to pay another deposit. As I rounded a corner, I saw him. Leo was there, talking quietly with a doctor in a white coat. “Well, look at you, old friend,” the doctor said, clapping Leo on the shoulder. “Never took you for the shotgun wedding type.” Leo stared out a nearby window, his expression unreadable. “The baby’s not mine,” he murmured. “I just couldn’t stand to see her family tear her apart.” “And that’s why you’re here in the middle of the night for a fetal heart monitor test? I thought you were about to get engaged to her cousin.” Leo gave a quiet, affirmative hum. “Aren’t you worried your girlfriend is going to lose her mind?” “I just need to know she’s okay. Then I can rest easy,” Leo said, his voice laced with a strange tenderness. “Hannah and I will have the rest of our lives together. What’s one night?” The doctor sighed, patting his shoulder again. “I never knew the ice king of our class was such a romantic. Does Claire even know how much you care?” “She doesn’t need to know. As long as she’s safe, that’s enough. Being able to look after her, as family… that’s all I need.” A memory surfaced, sharp and painful. The day Claire first introduced us. Leo was already a legend at our university, a name professors still used to inspire students long after he’d graduated. Claire had playfully pushed me forward. “This is my cousin, Hannah,” she’d said with a laugh. “Your biggest fan.” My heart had been pounding so hard I didn’t notice how Leo’s gaze kept drifting back to Claire, following her every move. He asked me out not long after that. I thought it was love at first sight. I never imagined I was just a convenient disguise for his undying devotion to my cousin. “Leo.” Claire’s voice, weak and fragile, cut through my thoughts. She was standing nearby, draped in a man’s coat that was far too big for her. He was at her side in an instant, his voice softening with concern. “What are you doing out here? It’s cold.” “The baby wasn’t moving. I got scared.” “Come on, let’s get you back inside,” he murmured, pulling the coat tighter around her. “Don’t overthink it. The doctor said the baby is probably just sleeping. You need to rest.” She leaned against him, and for a moment, they looked like a perfect, loving couple. “Leo!” My voice was a choked, trembling thing. He turned, and the tenderness in his eyes froze over the moment he saw me. He strode forward, physically blocking my path to Claire. “She needs to rest, Hannah. Don’t you dare start something with her. I’ll explain later.” He actually thought I’d come all this way to pick a fight with her. “Explain?” My voice cracked. “What is there left to explain? My father, he’s—” “Don’t you start!” he snapped, his patience gone. “Your cousin is at risk of a miscarriage because of the shock she went through tonight! Did you really have to follow us here to make a scene? Can you just be reasonable for once?” “Leo,” Claire said softly from behind him. “Don’t be so harsh with Hannah. Just… talk to her, okay? We left in such a hurry. She must be hurting.” Her words were like a balm, instantly soothing his anger. “I’ll explain everything later,” he said, turning back to me, his tone now condescendingly calm. “It’s not what you think. I’ll come by and explain it all to your parents tomorrow. Just go home for now.” So that was it. All it took was a single word from Claire to turn his rage into reason. The irony was suffocating. Before I could say another word, he was guiding Claire away, leaving me standing alone in the sterile hallway. My chest tightened, a physical ache spreading through me until it was hard to breathe. I stumbled back to the waiting area outside the emergency room, my eyes fixed on the glowing red light above the door. A message from Leo buzzed on my phone. [Hannah, I promise, the baby isn’t mine. Your cousin got involved with a real scumbag, and I can’t let her be shamed for it.] [I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. I’ll make it up to you.] [Once this is all over, we’ll get married. We’ll see the Northern Lights in Iceland, and when we get back to Seacliff City, I’ll sign the deed to my downtown penthouse over to you.] I turned off the screen. It was all so absurd. He thought a penthouse and a wedding could erase this nightmare. The public humiliation he was so desperate to save Claire from, he had simply redirected, turning it into a volley of daggers aimed straight at me and my family. And with my father’s life hanging in the balance, what did apologies and compensation even mean? “Family of William Price?” The emergency room doors swung open. A doctor stepped out, pulling down his surgical mask. I pushed myself to my feet, my legs numb and unresponsive. “We did everything we could.” The words hung in the air, carving a hollow space inside my chest. My father went into that room and never woke up. He didn’t even get to say goodbye. “No,” I begged, my voice breaking. “Please, doctor, try again. Use any drug, any surgery, whatever it costs!” The doctor just shook his head, his expression full of a sorrowful finality. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” My mother stared blankly for a few seconds, her hand covering her mouth. Then, a wail of pure, unadulterated grief echoed through the deserted corridor. I don’t remember the hours that followed. I moved like a puppet on strings, numbly following nurses’ instructions, signing forms, making arrangements. The next morning, as I helped my mother, her body wracked with sobs, out of the hospital morgue, my aunt called. My mom answered, her eyes vacant. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to hold her together. “Oh, Sarah,” my aunt’s cheerful voice chirped through the speaker. “That Leo is such a doll. He showed up this morning with a case of premium whiskey!” “Listen, you know that expensive ginseng extract you bought for William? Do you think I could have some? Claire’s been so drained lately, and it’s not like William enjoyed it anyway, right?” “Oh, that’s right! I forgot. He passed out after your ungrateful daughter threw her little tantrum yesterday. He’s doing better now, I hope?” A raw, guttural sound escaped my mother’s throat. Her eyes were bloodshot with fury. I snatched the phone from her hand. “You tell Claire to get down to the funeral home and kneel,” I hissed. “Otherwise, I will never forgive either of you.” “Well, I never! You insolent little—” I ended the call. “He’s gone,” my mother wept, her voice raw with pain. “Your father is gone, and they’re still talking like this!” She was shaking so hard I was afraid she’d fall apart. “I’ll never forgive them,” I vowed, my voice low and dangerous. As the words left my mouth, I looked up and met a pair of cold, familiar eyes. Leo. He was standing at the entrance to the lobby, his arms laden with shopping bags. “What is he doing here?” my mother rasped. “Make him leave.” Leo glanced from me to my mother, his face a mask of annoyance. “Hannah, why did you bring your mom here? Claire needs peace and quiet. You two shouldn’t be disturbing her.” He was carrying boxes of high-end supplements, bird’s nest soup, and formula for expectant mothers. It hit me like a physical blow. He didn’t know. He hadn’t come to see me. He was here to dote on Claire. “We’re not here for Claire,” I said, my hand tightening on my mom’s trembling shoulder. As I turned to lead her away, Leo’s voice stopped me. “Is your dad feeling better? The elderly have to be careful with their hearts, especially when it gets cold.” I gritted my teeth, fighting back a fresh wave of tears. “He’s gone, Leo,” I said, my voice shaking with rage. “You killed him.” Leo’s brow furrowed, his expression darkening. “That’s not funny, Hannah. That’s a horrible thing to say.” “If you were half as considerate as Claire,” he added, his voice dripping with disappointment, “you wouldn’t be causing a scene like this.” He turned without another word and disappeared into an elevator. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms, the pain a welcome distraction from the inferno in my chest. My mother was on the verge of collapse. I forced myself to be strong, took her home, and then returned to the hospital to handle the rest of the arrangements. After signing a mountain of paperwork, I found myself opening Claire’s Instagram page, almost against my will. She’d posted a photo of a reservation contract for a luxury post-natal retreat, a bouquet of champagne roses artfully placed beside it. The caption read: Lost, scared… but then you came and made everything right. With you here, what is there to fear? The retreat was the most exclusive one in Seacliff City, the kind of place celebrities went to recover. It cost a fortune. Leo was certainly sparing no expense. I scrolled down. The comments were filled with congratulatory likes from friends and relatives. And at the very bottom, a comment from Leo: I’ll always be here. He had never made me a promise like that. Not once. I remember the time I had acute appendicitis, the pain so bad I was writhing on the floor. I called him, and he told me he was in an important meeting and that I should call an ambulance myself. He showed up at the hospital hours after my surgery, scolding me for bothering him at work over “something so small.” “You’re an adult, Hannah,” he’d said. “You have to learn to be independent. I’m not your caretaker.” I thought he was just ambitious, career-driven. Now I knew the truth. He had never loved me. In that moment, a wave of regret so powerful it almost buckled my knees washed over me. The only man in the world who had ever truly loved me, who had always put me first, was now lying cold and alone in the morgue. And I would never see him again. My phone vibrated. A new message from Leo. [I already promised you we would get married after Claire has the baby. Why are you still acting like this?] [My assistant, Evans, just told me our partnership with your family’s company is on hold. Hannah, can you stop being so childish? Don’t pull these petty stunts to try and force my hand!] [Your lack of maturity is incredibly disappointing.] I switched off the screen, ignoring him. I had already informed Evans about my father’s passing. It happened so suddenly, we decided it was best to keep it quiet for now to avoid panic. All major projects were temporarily halted until the company stabilized. And Leo thought it was all about him. A game I was playing to win him back. Then, my phone rang. It was Claire. “Hannah,” she began, her voice syrupy sweet, “Leo’s lost so much weight recently. He’s so stressed, taking care of me, worrying about work… my heart just breaks for him. You should really try to be more understanding.” A cold, humorless laugh escaped my lips. “What do you want, Claire?” She sighed dramatically. “It’s all my fault. If I’d never introduced you two, the father of my child wouldn’t be in such a difficult position.” Her tone shifted, a note of triumph creeping in. “To be honest, I was always surprised he chose you. You two are from completely different worlds, after all.” In the background, I heard a man’s muffled voice ask who she was talking to. The line went dead. The father of my child. She was calling Leo the father of her child. Suddenly, everything was crystal clear. They had been playing me for a fool. I downed a large cup of black coffee, forcing myself to think. Then I called Evans. “I need you to find something out for me,” I said, my voice steady. “Claire was doing just fine overseas. Why did she suddenly come back home?” Leo could be her loyal dog if he wanted. But they would not use my family as collateral damage. We held my father’s memorial at a private hall in the funeral home. After his closest friends and family had paid their respects, only my mother and I remained. She looked ten years older, but she understood that life had to go on. I knelt on a cushion, mechanically tossing paper money into a burning brazier. Suddenly, the doors burst open.

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I started dating a notorious player, and everyone said he’d finally settled down. But then, browsing an online marketplace, I found our engagement ring listed for sale. The seller’s username was “No Cilantro,” and her entire storefront was filled with my belongings—everything I’d left at my boyfriend’s apartment. “He’s my bro. All his stuff is mine to deal with.” “If I shake my head, he has to dump his girlfriend.” I bought the ring, pretending I hadn’t seen a thing. When I went to confront him and catch them in the act, I ran into his incredibly handsome, autistic neighbor instead. He was holding my lace nightgown, stammering an apology. “…It’s clean. Not dirty.” I swallowed hard. “You mean… you?” 1 Looking for cheap textbooks, I opened the local marketplace app. Unexpectedly, I saw an engagement ring engraved with the name “Austin Cole.” I sent a message instantly. 【Austin, are you short on cash lately?】 Austin: 【?】 Closing the chat with him, I clicked on the seller’s profile. Username: “No Cilantro.” It was a girl. And the items listed in her shop… They were all things I had left at Austin’s place. Toothbrush, plushies, hair ties, even two open packs of sanitary pads—all listed for sale. At first glance, I thought Austin was planning to sell me off next. Hesitating for two seconds, I clicked “I want this.” The reply came instantly. 【Original price $9999, yours for $99.】 【Pick whatever you want from my page. I’ll even give it to you for free, shipping included.】 I could feel the disdain through the screen. I probed further. 【Moving house? Selling so much stuff?】 【What belongs to my bro belongs to me, right?】 【There’s always some girl leaving her junk at his place. Doing a public service by clearing it out!】 I sent a thumbs-up emoji and continued. 【Your bro doesn’t mind?】 【Stop dilly-dallying. Order if you want. If he dares to complain, I’ll tear his roof off.】 【With the way he treats relationships like trash, even if I crashed his wedding, he’d run off with me…】 If I initially thought she was just being dramatic… Now, I was certain. Austin had a “female bro” ready to object at his wedding at any moment. 2 Austin and I. We were the perennial kings and queens of the campus dating scene. I dated him partly because he had that bad-boy handsome look. And partly because I hated losing. Every girl he dated ended up dumped. Every guy I played with ended up kicked to the curb. My roommates placed bets. Would I get bored of Austin first, or would Austin find me boring first? Unexpectedly, Austin and I played around until we reached the point of discussing marriage. He looked wild, but he was surprisingly pure in love. Just a touch on his Adam’s apple would make him purr like a cat. When I kissed the corner of his eye, the small red mole on his earlobe would become exceptionally distinct. I was direct with him, teasing him until he showed me his abs. He often blushed and told me: “Babe, you’re the one I’m going to marry.” “I haven’t let anyone else touch me here. Don’t go too far, okay?” All of Austin’s friends said the prodigal son had returned and settled down. Not a single strand of another woman’s hair could be found on his social media. Even I, who had seen it all, was almost fooled by him. I didn’t expect him to be hiding a “female bro” in the background. Honestly, the moment the truth was revealed… What surged up wasn’t melancholy or loss. It was regret. Regret that I had miscalculated. If my roommates found out, they’d laugh at me again. Luckily, it wasn’t too late. 3 I bought everything “No Cilantro” was selling. Evidence must be destroyed to be foolproof. Counting on my fingers… I realized a lace nightgown was missing. I, Bella Vance, can throw away things I don’t like. But I can’t accept them ending up in another woman’s hands. The thought of losing a round to Austin and leaving something behind… It lit a fire in my heart. I knew his door code by heart. Opening the door a crack, I heard two voices talking. “Harper, you sold all of Bella’s stuff. How am I supposed to explain this to her?” “Just break up. It’s not like it hasn’t happened before.” “Come on, princess, I haven’t had enough fun with this one yet…” “Besides, didn’t you say that once I make Bella fall head over heels for me and then dump her, you’d go public with me?” “What, getting cold feet now?” Standing outside the door, I clenched my fingers tight. Although my motives for approaching Austin weren’t pure either… Hearing him say “make her fall head over heels and then dump her” still stung. But thankfully, I hadn’t given my heart away this time either. Harper sounded a bit angry, hugging Austin’s neck petulantly. He didn’t push her away, letting her nails scratch at his Adam’s apple. “Austin, I can agree to be with you right now. Cut it off with her, okay?” That voice would make any girl’s knees weak. But the next second, Austin slammed her against the wall. “Harper, stop pretending.” “Everyone knows you’re just itching to take Julian’s virginity.” “I keep my word. I’ll dump Bella. But you have to be good too. Settle down and be with me.” The distance between them was intimate, their gazes practically sticky. It looked like they were about to kiss. I couldn’t help but look away. Suddenly, the sound of a door opening came from behind me. I froze. Turning around, I bumped into a pair of wet, deer-like eyes. His white shirt was unbuttoned to his chest, revealing two symmetrical moles on his collarbone that were impossibly alluring. I stared for two seconds, genuinely thinking… Austin’s “female bro” might have terrible character, but her taste was impeccable. Julian… was simply exquisite. 4 Everyone at the university knew Julian Rossi. A genius held in the palm of his professors’ hands, publishing two top-tier papers a semester. Silent, with a cold, aloof aura. Outsiders thought this “flower on the high peak” looked down on everyone. But I heard from Austin that he had autism. So, no matter how many people in my DMs egged me on to pluck this flower… I never made a move. But now, seeing Julian’s stance, wishing he could hide himself away… My heart raced uncontrollably. His messy bangs hung low, covering his dark, bright eyes. Below were knuckles tinged with pink. Noticing my gaze, Julian suddenly gripped the lace nightgown in his hand tighter. When he panic-strickenly tried to hide it, it was too late. I saw the exquisite English embroidery on the label. I pointed at the dress, my heart pounding. “Mine.” Julian’s broad back trembled heavily. He turned red all over. Biting his lip hard, he couldn’t utter a single word. But the more withdrawn and reserved he was… The more I felt… restless. … Behind me, the wind blew the door wide open. Harper and Austin were kissing passionately, wet sounds filling the air. She pushed Austin away breathlessly, straightening her skirt. She looked toward the door with some anticipation. “Is that Julian? Should I go open the door?” Two apartments per floor, the shared space wasn’t large. Just as I was debating whether to run, a large hand pulled me into an embrace. The world spun, and suddenly, Julian had me pinned behind his door. The distance was too close; his bobbing Adam’s apple was right above my head. He seemed frozen, apologizing repeatedly. “…S-sorry.” He shoved the nightgown he was clutching into my hand. A faint scent of soap powder, same as on him. I really liked this lace nightgown. I had asked a friend to reserve it from a runway show. But seeing it crumpled wantonly in those pink-tinged hands… Suddenly, I didn’t want it as much anymore. Compared to the dress, I wanted to know… What Julian had done to it…

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The scholarship student I’d been supporting for years crashed my birthday party with the arrogance of a king. He slammed a crumpled ultrasound report onto the table. “Vanessa is pregnant with my child. You better be smart about this, old man. Divorce her. Now.” I stared at the paper, completely bewildered. “Are you sure… you’re talking about Vanessa? My wife?” Elias, dressed in a suit that cost more than my first car, smirked and waved the paper in my face. “Of course. We made this baby on a cruise ship last month.” His words sent a shockwave through the room. The guests gasped. My fork clattered onto my plate. Because my ex-wife, Vanessa, passed away three years ago. 1 I looked at Elias blankly, trying to process the absurdity. “Do you actually know who Vanessa is?” Elias gripped the ultrasound, his expression full of disdain. “Liam, cut the crap. Just sign the papers and vacate the position of ‘Vanessa’s Husband.’ Otherwise, you’re just going to embarrass yourself further.” The Elias standing before me was unrecognizable. Gone was the scrawny, timid boy I met eight years ago. This version wore a tailored Italian suit, his hair styled perfectly, radiating entitlement. He was a far cry from the kid picking through trash bins to feed his disabled parents. Despite his hostility, I still held a shred of hope for the kid I once knew. “Elias,” I said calmly. “Stop joking. It’s my birthday. Have a slice of cake.” He swatted the plate away. It crashed to the floor. “I don’t want your trash cake! Are you divorcing her or not? If you don’t, I have other ways to make you.” He jabbed a finger toward my face, nearly poking my eye. My girlfriend, Chloe, immediately pulled me back. Her voice was sharp. “Don’t touch him!” The entire banquet hall was staring. As the host, I felt the heat rising in my cheeks. “Elias, if you keep making a scene, I will cut off the funding for you and your family tomorrow.” I remembered why I started helping him. I saw a boy with dirt under his nails and cockroaches in his hair, studying while scavenging for recyclables. I promised to put him through college and help his family. Every month, I wired him three thousand dollars. On holidays, I sent more. But this boy, who had lived on my generosity, just sneered at me. “You think I care about your charity?” 2 He leaned in, patting my cheek disrespectfully. “Get it through your head. I got her pregnant.” He lifted his leg to show off his limited-edition sneakers, then flashed a diamond watch on his wrist. “Vanessa said once she gives birth to our son, she’s buying me a mansion. She’s moving my whole family in. Your little three-grand allowance? Keep it. Save it for your own funeral plot.” He laughed, grabbed a bottle of wine, and smashed it onto my four-tier birthday cake. Cream and sponge flew everywhere. The guests were in an uproar. “You ungrateful brat!” one of my friends shouted. “Liam put you through school, and this is how you repay him? By trying to steal his wife?” “Selling yourself for money… disgusting.” Elias rolled his eyes at the accusations. “You all think Liam is some saint?” He looked around the room, acting like a whistleblower. “You’ve all been scammed.” “Liam uses Vanessa’s money to build his own reputation! He hasn’t spent a dime of his own. He packages himself as a philanthropist to guilt-trip Vanessa so she won’t divorce him!” He was getting worked up now, playing the hero. “Vanessa supports him, pays for his charity work, and he won’t even give her a child! He is toxic. He is immoral. I am here to liberate her!” The crowd murmured. “Are you insane?” someone yelled. “You’re delusional and wrecking a home!” Elias grabbed a bowl and hurled it at the speaker. 3 “I’m not a homewrecker! I’m paying back a debt of gratitude!” Elias screamed. “When I found out Vanessa was the one actually funding me, I repaid her with the only thing I had—my youth and my body!” The room fell silent, shocked by his shamelessness. Before I could explain, Elias locked eyes on Chloe, who was holding my arm. “Oh, look at that. Using Vanessa’s money to keep a mistress?” Chloe frowned. “Show some respect. I am Liam’s girlfriend.” Elias laughed. “Girlfriend? Please. Liam is an infertile old man living off his wife. Why would a young, pretty girl want him? You’re a sugar baby!” He whipped out his phone, snapping photos of us. “If you don’t divorce her voluntarily, I’ll blast this affair all over the internet. You’ll leave the marriage with nothing, and you’ll owe Vanessa millions!” I looked at the wreckage of my party. I realized Elias wasn’t just ungrateful; he might be having a psychotic break. The academic pressure must have snapped something in his brain. I didn’t get angry. I just patted his shoulder gently. “Elias, listen to me closely.” “You are mistaken. I have always been your sponsor. The money came from my personal accounts.” I exchanged a look with Chloe. We didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “As for Vanessa… she passed away in an avalanche three years ago. I identified the belongings myself.” Elias jumped back as if stung. “You’re sick! Spreading rumors that your wife is dead? Do you have no conscience?” I had tried to be patient. But he was ruining my night, and even the calm-tempered Chloe had seen enough. “Get out, or I’m calling security,” she warned. Elias sneered at her. “You two are so brazen. Just wait. Tomorrow, the Jiang family will kick you out on the street!” 4 I realized he truly believed his own lies. I actually felt a pang of pity for him. Whoever signed that pregnancy test, it wasn’t my late wife. I felt an obligation to wake him up from this delusion. “Since you’re so sure,” I said, “let’s go see Vanessa. Come with me.” Elias puffed up his chest. “Fine! When you see her, you’ll see how much she loves me!” I asked Chloe to arrange the cars. Two luxury sedans pulled up. Half the guests, sensing high drama, got in their cars to follow us. When we arrived at the destination, I told the driver to let Elias out. He took off his sunglasses, looked around, and started screaming. “A cemetery? You brought me to a cemetery? What is wrong with you?” “Calm down. Follow me.” I led him through the rows of headstones until we stopped in front of a marble slab. “Read it. Whose name is that?” Elias glanced at it and laughed loudly. “I admit, you committed to the bit. You even faked a tombstone to avoid a divorce.” “But it’s useless, Liam.” “You can lie all you want, but she is the mother of my child.” He checked his watch, impatient. “If you agree to the divorce now, I’ll ask Vanessa to throw you a few thousand as severance. Keep stalling, and you’ll regret it.” Chloe let out a sharp laugh. She pulled out her phone, turned on the flashlight, and shined it directly on the tombstone’s photo. “Elias. Look closely. Is this the woman you spent Valentine’s Day with?” Elias squinted at the ceramic photo embedded in the stone. Silence stretched for a few seconds. Then he pointed a shaking finger at me. “Liam… you are ruthless.”

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1 In my last life, I chose my mother. I did it for the ghost of a mother’s love she might one day offer—the one who did nothing but complain about being broke and let life happen to her. Later, she had a change of heart. She started with a small diner and clawed her way up to become a restaurant mogul. My brother, who had begged to go live with our wealthy father, was broken by the crushing pressure of his new life. He jumped from a building and landed on me as I was passing by. When I opened my eyes again, we were both reborn, back on the day our parents divorced. My brother, Sam, clung to our mother’s leg, putting on a performance worthy of an Oscar. “Sis, you go with Dad. Go live the good life. I’m not afraid of tough times! I’m staying with Mom!” He didn’t know the only reason our mother turned her life around was because she’d seen me, riddled with stomach cancer, coughing up blood while still forcing myself to work. So, this time, I don’t want love. I want money. All I want is to close my eyes for the last time in the quiet comfort of a twenty-thousand-dollar custom mattress. Even if that life means a stepbrother who supposedly hates my guts and a father who sees me as nothing more than a nuisance. It doesn’t matter. I don’t have long to live anyway. … The rain was relentless on the day I was reborn. “Oh, Maya, you be a good girl over there, you hear? And don’t you ever forget that Mommy loves you more than anything.” My mother stood in the doorway of our dilapidated apartment, the paint peeling off the iron gate behind her. She looked at me with what was supposed to be deep affection, tears mixing with the rain on her cheeks. Her words were all about how much she’d miss me, but her hand was clamped firmly on Sam’s arm. She held on as if she was afraid the sleek luxury car waiting at the end of the alley would snatch her precious son away. Sam, nestled against her, shot a smug grin in my direction. “Go on, sis. Your new life is waiting!” That gloating look told me everything. He was reborn, too. But I wasn’t angry. I almost wanted to laugh. The familiar, searing burn was rising in my stomach again. I knew I probably wouldn’t make it to adulthood this time either. But it didn’t matter. At least this time, I had a choice. I turned and walked away, my sneakers splashing through the muddy puddles toward the alley’s entrance. A gleaming Maybach was parked there, its polished surface a stark contrast to the decaying neighborhood. A boy stood beside it. That was Caleb, my stepbrother, whom I’d never met. He wore a windbreaker, one hand shoved in his pocket, the other impatiently tapping at his phone. He held an umbrella carelessly, not minding that one of his shoulders was already soaked. When he looked up, his eyes scanned over me as if I were a bag of trash about to be tossed into his car. “Finished with the performance?” he asked as I approached. His voice was cold, but with an undercurrent of teenage rasp. “Making my dad and me wait half an hour for your five-minute tearful goodbye. You must think you’re pretty important.” I didn’t bother explaining. I just tossed my moldy canvas bag into the trunk. “Sorry.” My voice was hoarse, scorched by stomach acid. Caleb raised an eyebrow, apparently surprised by my quick surrender. He let out a short, humorless laugh, then opened the back door and slid in himself, making no move to help me. I wasn’t expecting any chivalry. I’d heard about him in my last life. This kid had a notoriously bad temper and hated anyone invading his space. I opened the door on the other side. The heat inside the car was blasting, but a chill still clung to my bones. My father sat in the passenger seat, his head bent over a file. He didn’t even turn around. “Now that she’s in, let’s go.” His tone was flat, devoid of any emotion. “That’s your brother now. This family doesn’t tolerate freeloaders. You need to prove your worth if you want to have a place here.” I shrank into the corner, watching through the tinted window as my mother and brother continued their dramatic, tear-soaked farewell at the end of the alley. What a show. Too bad the audience had already left. 2 The car moved smoothly, but my stomach was a churning sea of pain. It was a sharp, drilling ache that felt like it was boring into my very bones. I gritted my teeth, digging my fingers into the soft flesh of my inner thigh, trying to drown out one pain with another. Cold sweat trickled down my temples, dripping onto the leather seat. A sharp click sounded beside me. Caleb had his headphones on, idly flicking a lighter open and shut. But I could feel his eyes on me. “Hey.” He pulled one earbud out, his voice low, probably so our father wouldn’t hear. “If you’re going to puke, get out and do it. Don’t mess up my car.” I didn’t have the strength to speak. My hand trembled as I fished a small, unlabeled white bottle from my pocket. I shook out two pills and swallowed them dry. The bitterness as they scraped down my throat made me shudder. Caleb’s fidgeting stopped. He stared at the bottle, then at my paper-white face and my trembling fingers. His expression hardened into one of sharp disgust. “They even deal that crap in a dump like that?” He leaned a little closer, and the clean, fresh scent of his cologne momentarily masked the musty smell clinging to my clothes. “Maya,” he said, his voice laced with contempt, “are you a junkie?” I took a shaky breath. The medicine hadn’t kicked in yet, and the pain was making my vision swim with black spots. “Painkillers,” I managed to whisper, my eyes closed. “Hah.” He scoffed, clearly not believing a word. He put his earbud back in and shifted away from me, as if trying to create a physical barrier between us. “Now that you’re living under our roof, you better clean up your act. If my mom finds out, I can’t protect you.” He added, “Not that I’d want to.” I leaned my head against the cool glass of the window, watching the city’s neon lights blur past. A junkie? Whatever. I wasn’t planning on living much longer anyway. It was safer to be seen as trash than as a cash cow. By the time the car wound its way up into the hillside villa community, the agonizing knot in my stomach had finally begun to loosen. I was finally home. My stepmother, Lianne, was waiting at the door. She wore a silk lounge set and looked impeccably maintained, a polite but distant smile on her face. “You must be Maya. Your room is ready. It’s the guest room on the second floor.” No warm welcome, no fake affection. Good. I picked up my bag and headed upstairs. As I passed Caleb, he stuck his leg out, tripping me. Weak as I was, my legs gave out, and my knee slammed hard onto the polished floor. “Whoops. My bad.” Caleb looked down at me, his eyes filled with malicious glee. “Tsk, tsk. Shaky on your feet? Must be a nasty habit.” Downstairs, my father was taking off his coat. He heard the noise and glanced up with a frown but said nothing. Lianne’s brow furrowed, but she only gave Caleb’s sleeve a gentle tug. “Caleb, stop it.” I pushed myself up from the floor. My knee throbbed, but I felt a strange sense of relief. This was it. This was right. This was the life I wanted. Cold, hostile, and indifferent. I didn’t want anyone to bother me. I certainly didn’t need anyone to care about me. As long as they didn’t love me, I could die peacefully in this multi-million-dollar coffin. “It’s fine.” I brushed the dust off my pants and offered Caleb a smile that held no warmth. “I’ll be counting on you to look after me from now on, brother.” Caleb seemed taken aback. He studied me for a moment, then scoffed. “I’m not your brother, so don’t even try.” “And another thing. I don’t like noise, and I don’t like people touching my stuff. You better remember that.” He shoved past me and stormed up the stairs. 3 Dinner was an affair orchestrated by Lianne. It was a long, formal dining table. My father, Grant, sat at the head, with Lianne to his left and Caleb to his right. I was placed next to Caleb. The table was set with exquisite china and food I’d never even seen before. The aroma was tempting, but the smell of meat alone made my stomach clench. “Eat. Don’t be shy.” Grant sliced into his steak without looking up. “You’re part of this family now. I’ve enrolled you at St. Mary’s Academy. You start tomorrow.” It was the best private school in the city. In my last life, Sam had dreamed of getting in. My mother had sold our ancestral home to try and buy his way in, but they didn’t accept new money. “Thank you, Dad.” I picked up my knife and fork. My hand was shaking so badly that the silver clattered against the plate. Caleb shot me a cold glare. His eyes lingered on my trembling wrist, a smirk playing on his lips. Obviously, he was still convinced I was a user going through withdrawal. I managed to cut a tiny piece of steak and put it in my mouth. The prime cut, which should have been tender and juicy, tasted like a rancid dishcloth. I choked it down, fighting back the nausea. The moment it hit my stomach, an explosion of pain erupted. Cold sweat drenched my back instantly. I put down my cutlery and grabbed my glass of ice water, gulping it down in an attempt to quell the rising tide of acid. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?” Lianne’s sharp eyes had noticed my distress. I quickly shook my head, flustered by her attention. “No, it’s delicious.” I forced a smile, though my face probably looked paler than a corpse’s. “Just a little carsick, that’s all.” “So delicate,” Grant muttered, clearly displeased. “How do you expect to survive in this world if you’re so weak?” “I’m sorry,” I mumbled, looking down. He ignored me, turning his attention back to his wife and son, and the three of them were soon lost in conversation. I only had two bites of that meal. After dinner, I fled to my room. I shut the door and locked it. I ran to the bathroom and threw up the two mouthfuls of meat I’d forced down. The vomit was streaked with red. I collapsed onto the floor next to the toilet, my hands shaking as I pulled the bottle from my pocket. I took out three pills. That was my limit for the day. Any more would cause irreversible kidney damage. Not that my kidneys were likely to last that long anyway. I swallowed the pills and lay down on the twenty-thousand-dollar mattress. It was so comfortable. If only I could just fall asleep and never wake up. 4 When I came downstairs the next morning, Caleb was on the sofa, pulling on his shoes. He paused when he saw me. His eyes landed on the vitamin bottle in my hand, which I hadn’t had a chance to put away. It was my disguise, filled with high-strength painkillers. “Breakfast of champions?” he drawled, a smirk on his face. “Too many vitamins can be toxic, you know. Common sense.” I shoved the bottle into my pocket, ignoring him. “Thanks for your concern, brother.” The driver took us to school. Caleb clearly didn’t want anyone to know we were related. He made me get out a block away from the school gates. “Walk the rest of the way,” he ordered, rolling down the window. “And don’t tell anyone you know me. I have a reputation to maintain.” Fine by me. The moment I stepped into the classroom, I could feel the hostility. Dozens of pairs of eyes were fixed on me. “So that’s her? The illegitimate one?” “I heard she’s not just illegitimate, she grew up in the slums. A total delinquent.” “God, how did someone like her get in here…” I walked to an empty seat at the back of the room and sat down. So childish. But I knew who was behind this. Sam couldn’t get into this school, but he had plenty of friends who could spread rumors for him. He wanted to ruin me. I didn’t care. As long as they didn’t bother me while I was trying to sleep, they could say whatever they wanted. I rested my head on the desk. The pain was returning, a dull ache in my stomach as the medication wore off. I fell into a deep sleep and didn’t wake until someone shook me violently. I opened my eyes to see my homeroom teacher, a snobbish middle-aged woman, glaring down at me. “Maya! It’s your first day and you’re sleeping? What do you think this is?” She pointed to a problem on the blackboard. “Get up there and solve it.” I squinted at the board. Calculus, all in English. In my last life, I’d taught myself university-level math to tutor Sam. This was easy. But I didn’t move. It hurt too much to stand. “I can’t,” I said simply. The class erupted in laughter. “What a dummy.” “Waste of a spot.” The teacher’s face turned red with anger. “If you can’t do it, then get out and stand in the hall! Don’t be an eyesore in my classroom!” I slowly got to my feet, picked up my water bottle, and walked out. The hallway was filled with sunlight. It was nice. Warmer than the classroom. I leaned against the wall, soaking up the sun like an old woman on her deathbed.

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My husband claimed he’d been reborn, warning that in his past life, my long-lost parents stole my $10 million lottery win, ruined us, and had us killed. He insisted I transfer everything to his name and divorce him to stay safe. Trusting him, I gave up all we owned. The day the divorce was final, he blocked our door, smirking. “Reborn? Parents? Did you really believe that? I’ve been cheating for years. Lina is pregnant, and I’m marrying her.” Then our eight-year-old son Leo shoved a paternity test at me. “My real mom is your boss. You’re just a fool.” They laughed as if I were a clown. I swallowed my words. So, the rebirth was a lie. But the lottery win and finding my birth parents? That’s real. And that boss he’s marrying? She embezzled millions, was fired, and is now scrambling to repay it all. 1 “If you get it, then get lost,” Liam said, kicking a duffel bag of my belongings onto the lawn as if it were trash. “Lina will be here any minute, and the sight of you will just ruin her mood.” “I’m so sick of you,” he seethed, his face twisted with a resentment I’d never seen before. “Always that same dead look on your face. It makes me want to puke. And in bed? A total corpse. No passion, nothing.” He wasn’t finished. “And you, an orphan with no family to speak of, trying to teach me about social etiquette? That’s hilarious. While my parents were teaching me how the world works, you were still begging for scraps in an orphanage!” His words were venomous, fueled by a rage I couldn’t comprehend. But all I felt was a hollow, bitter amusement. When we got married, he swore he’d cherish me forever. After a traumatic birth left me with physical and emotional scars, making intimacy difficult, he’d said he understood, that he could handle it. The “social etiquette” he was so incensed about? It was me, gently suggesting he attend a company party to be more of a team player. I couldn’t fathom how these small, forgotten moments had curdled into such a deep-seated hatred. Seeing my silence, my son Leo must have thought I was planning to stay. He exploded. “Are you just waiting here to cause trouble for my mom?” he shrieked. “The house, the car, it’s all ours now! It has nothing to do with you!” He glared at me, his small face a mask of contempt. “If it wasn’t for the money you make, I would’ve been disgusted to even call you ‘Mom’.” “My real mom is a big-shot executive! She’s going to sell this dump and buy us a mansion!” A mansion. They had no idea. The “big-shot executive” he was bragging about was already drowning in debt after being fired for embezzlement. And my lottery win was real. Thirty million dollars. If things had been different, Leo would have been the heir to a fortune. But it seemed fate had other plans for him. I looked at the father and son, a derisive smile touching my lips. “What you’ve done is called fraud. I’ll be suing. Expect to be served.” Liam’s face darkened. “You transferred everything willingly. The bank tellers, the notaries—they can all testify to that.” He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. “Don’t be pathetic, Stella. You have no family, no one to back you up. You should be more concerned with where you’re going to sleep tonight.” Just then, a woman rushed up, throwing her arms around Liam in a triumphant embrace. “Liam! You really did it? You divorced that bitch?” she squealed. “The house, the car, the savings… it’s all in your name, right?” It was Lina. My best friend. My boss. We’d been roommates in college. She came from a poor, rural family, and we’d worked countless part-time jobs together, forging a bond I thought was unbreakable. I helped her get a job at my company, and within a year, she’d climbed the ladder and become my direct superior. She was a frequent guest in our home, always helping with Leo. I was so grateful to her. I never imagined the three of them were playing me for a fool, right under my nose. Even worse, I now suspected they’d swapped the embryos during my IVF treatment, letting her become a mother without any of the pain. Seeing my things scattered across the lawn, Lina dropped all pretense. She draped herself over Liam, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “Stella, thank you so much for taking care of my husband and my son all these years. It must have been so much work for you.” 2 Before I could react, Liam spoke, his voice cold and sharp. “Why thank her? If it weren’t for me and Leo, she’d have spent her whole life never knowing what a real family feels like.” He pulled Lina closer, stroking her hair. “You’re the one who suffered, my love. Putting up with this for ten years, just to spare her feelings.” He looked at her with feigned adoration. “You’ve given so much for this family. From now on, Leo and I will treat you like a queen.” The words made my stomach churn. Liam was a university professor, a man who cloaked himself in an air of intellectual superiority. Yet in over a decade, he’d never managed to get tenure and was practically a pariah in his department for being so difficult. He loved hosting pretentious “academic salons” where he and his colleagues would get drunk, pouring his entire salary into fine wine and cigars. The mortgage, the car payments, Leo’s expensive tutoring, the housekeeper… every single bill was paid by me, working overtime, chasing bonuses, keeping our heads above water. And now, with a few careless words, he had erased a decade of my sacrifice. I remembered the first time I met him. I was working a late shift at a greasy spoon diner, and he stepped in to chase off some guys who were harassing me. His quiet intensity, that scholarly charm… I was completely captivated. And for that, I had spent ten years supporting him without complaint. So when he told me his bizarre story about being reborn, begging me to transfer our assets, I didn’t question it for a second. I just did it. I never thought my trust would be met with such a profound betrayal, my devotion turned into a punchline. I took a deep breath, my gaze shifting to Lina. A cold, sharp smile spread across my face. “Liam’s drinking and smoking habits run about ten grand a month. Leo’s tutoring is another five. The mortgage is ten, the housekeeper is eight, and miscellaneous expenses usually hit around twenty. All in all, you’re looking at over fifty thousand a month.” I let the numbers hang in the air. “You’ve been fired, Lina. Can you really afford these two money pits?” “Fired?” Liam’s confident smirk vanished, replaced by confusion. He turned to Lina. “What is she talking about?” I watched, waiting for her to squirm her way out of this one. Lina shot me a venomous glare before forcing a smile for Liam. “Honey, I didn’t want to worry you. You’ve been so stressed with the divorce, I was going to tell you later.” She put a hand on her stomach. “Besides, I have skills, I have experience. I’ll find a new job in no time. And don’t forget… I’m carrying your baby.” The mention of another child instantly erased Liam’s concerns. His face lit up. “You’re right! You’re pregnant with our baby. You should be quitting any job you have, not looking for a new one.” Leo’s face, too, was a picture of relief and excitement. “That scared me! If Mom was broke, what would I eat? What would I wear?” he chirped. “It’s okay, after the new baby comes, Mom can just go back to work.” Then, his eyes fell on a rock by his feet. He snatched it up and hurled it at my head. It missed, but the intent was clear. “You evil witch!” he screamed. “Mom worked at the same company as you! You must have gotten her fired! She didn’t tell us because she didn’t want us to worry, and you just blurted it out to make Dad and me feel sorry for you! You wanted us to choose you over her!” His face was red with fury. “You’re the most wicked person I know!” He then ripped a small, woven charm from his neck, a talisman I had gotten for him, and threw it to the ground, grinding it under his heel. “Take your junk back!” he yelled. “My real mom will buy me something better, something expensive. I’m too good for cheap trash like this!” That talisman… I remembered Leo running a dangerously high fever. I had spent an entire night kneeling in a cold chapel, praying, and paid a fortune to have it blessed by a renowned priest. My love, my devotion, stomped into the dirt. The question I had been burning to ask—Why do you hate me so much?—died on my lips. At this point, it didn’t matter. There was nothing left to say. “Well then,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm, “congratulations to you both on marrying into such a prestigious family.” I picked up two small, important items from the pile of my discarded life and walked away without looking back. The thirty million dollars from the lottery was already in my new bank account. The first thing I did was book a flight to Scandinavia to see the northern lights. While I was gone, Liam posted a picture on social media: his marriage certificate with Lina. The caption read: After all this time, I’ve finally found my way back to you. No one could ever keep us apart. I liked the post. And I left a comment: “Congratulations! Paying off massive debts is always easier with two incomes instead of one.” Lina, predictably, blocked me. Then, I called the best divorce lawyer in the city. “Money is no object,” I told him. “I want them to give back every single thing they took from me. And then some.” 3 A week later, my lawyer had a plan. “Ms. Evans,” he said, his voice crisp and confident, “your evidence is impeccable. We can absolutely file to have all assets returned. And if you wish, we can also sue for a substantial amount in emotional damages.” I transferred his ten-thousand-dollar retainer without a second thought. Soon after, a legal notice arrived at Liam’s doorstep. His enraged call came moments later. “Stella, are you insane? Drop this lawsuit right now!” I hung up. Three days later, he ambushed me outside my office building. “We need to talk,” he hissed, blocking my path. “Or I’ll make a scene right here, and you’ll be too embarrassed to ever show your face at work again.” A laugh escaped my lips, sharp and humorless. I remembered our anniversary one year when he’d bought me a set of expired, high-end makeup. I’d gone to the department store to return it and gotten into an argument with the clerk. He’d stood by, mortified, claiming I was embarrassing him before leaving me there and driving home alone. Now, he was acting just like that shameless clerk. Liam stared at me, confused. “What’s so funny? Don’t think you’ve won just because you hired some lawyer. Let me tell you something—Lina is the true heiress to the Sutton fortune!” He puffed out his chest. “That’s Sutton Corp, Stella. You drop this now, while you still can.” The long-lost heiress? Lina’s parents were migrant farm workers. I’d met her mother in college; they were practically identical. But Lina had always spun these fantasies about being a secret princess, swapped at birth. I looked at Liam, intrigued. “You’re a professor, an intellectual. You can’t possibly believe everything she tells you.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. “I’m warning you, you can come after me, but you leave Lina out of this!” He looked me up and down, a contemptuous sneer on his face. “I know your type. An orphan, desperate for love. This whole lawsuit is just a pathetic attempt to get me back, isn’t it?” He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Remarrying you is out of the question. But… you could come back as our live-in nanny. Leo misses your cooking, and I don’t want Lina to overwork herself.” I laughed again, this time a full-throated, incredulous sound. “A nanny? Liam, you’ve really lost your mind.” He mistook my shock for coyness. “You take good care of the house, and I might consider… playing the husband for you every now and then. Maybe even let Leo call you ‘Mom’ again.” He straightened his collar, radiating smug self-importance. “Considering our ten years together, this is the best I can offer. Don’t push your luck.” Before I could respond, Lina appeared, materializing at his side as if on cue. She planted a kiss on his cheek, then took my hand, her face a mask of magnanimity. “Stella, we’re best friends. I’m willing to share my husband with you.” Her eyes pleaded with me. “Honestly, I’ve wanted to say this for a while. I’m not here to break you up; I’m here to join you.” She looked at me with pity. “There will always be a place for you in this family.” Her performance of a kind, generous victim instantly moved Liam. He wrapped an arm around her, glaring at me. “See? Even Lina doesn’t mind. You can move back in tonight.” He paused, adding, “But just so we’re clear, Lina will always be number one in my heart.” I almost choked on my laughter. Join them? Join them in their mountain of debt? I didn’t have a poverty fetish. That afternoon, Liam sent me a voice message. “From now on, you can live in the storage closet. Rent’s two thousand a month.” The storage closet was barely big enough to turn around in. He wasn’t just insulting me; he was trying to dehumanize me. I deleted the message, blocked his number, and moved on. I worked late that night. When I finally got back to my new apartment, I opened the door to a scene that froze the blood in my veins. The entire place had been stripped bare. It looked like it had been professionally robbed. My hands shaking, I pulled up the feed from the hidden security camera I’d installed in the bedroom. What I saw made my entire body tremble with rage. Just then, my phone rang. It was Liam, and he sounded furious. “Stella, who the hell do you think you are, living alone in a 1,600-square-foot penthouse? Do you think you deserve that?” “I always thought you were a simple, frugal woman. Look at what you’ve become!” “I asked a friend about that sofa I saw on the camera feed. Thirty thousand dollars! Where did you get that kind of money?”

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While sorting through my late brother’s belongings, I found his diary. On the very last page, he wrote: 【In the next life, I don’t want to be Autumn Vance’s brother.】 I froze. Brother really hated me until death. If I hadn’t insisted on marrying Cole Sterling, inviting a wolf into the house… The Vance family wouldn’t have gone bankrupt, and Brother wouldn’t have gone to prison. Suddenly, a floating comment appeared on the diary. 【You don’t think “not wanting to be your brother” means he hates you, do you?】 【Flip a few pages back and see.】 I turned back to the entries from his college years. It read: 【Loving your own sister makes you a beast.】 Tears instantly welled up in my eyes. The comments appeared again. 【We’ve reached 1000 likes! We can help you be reborn back to your college days!】 【Go back quickly! Your brother is about to crash his car!】 I bumped right into Cole Sterling, who had just come home. A comment floated by: 【Remember to teach this scumbag a lesson when you go back!】 1 Cole, reeking of alcohol, sneered and grabbed me. “I heard Julian Vance died. I came back specifically to see your miserable state.” He squinted at me. But he couldn’t find the expression he wanted on my face. He frowned, “Where are you going? What are you hiding in your arms?” I wiped my tears and said coldly: “To find my brother.” Cole was startled and loosened his grip slightly. I took the opportunity to push him away. Following the prompts from the floating comments, I arrived at a racetrack. I wasn’t unfamiliar with this place. It was where my brother used to race and eventually crashed during college. I waited under the scorching sun for a long time. The sun made my vision go black, and I fainted on the ground. When I opened my eyes again, a familiar figure walked by. Tears flowed uncontrollably. I stumbled forward and spoke to the person’s back. “Brother… is it really you? Turn around and look at me.” I really was reborn back to my college days. Julian Vance stood with his back to me, his voice faint. “What? Here to settle scores for Cole Sterling again?” I froze. During the four years of college, Julian and I had argued countless times because of Cole. I even smashed Julian’s computer for Cole. Destroying the model he made for the national competition. It was only right that he didn’t believe me. “No… I came for you. “Brother, I’m sorry… I hurt you. “I won’t like Cole anymore. I’ll listen to you and stop pestering him.” Julian’s back stiffened. “Autumn Vance, what kind of act is this?” His words sounded sarcastic. But listening closely. I could hear a trace of imperceptible trembling. The comments reminded me: 【Act coquettish. Your brother is secretly overjoyed that you’ve found your way back.】 “Brother, Autumn came to ask you for dinner.” He finally turned around. But he was stunned. “What’s wrong with you? Dressed like that, you don’t look like a college student.” I tugged at Julian’s sleeve. “Brother, I want to eat at that food stall near our high school. “After eating, will you accompany me to buy some clothes, okay?” Julian’s lips pressed into a thin line, and he coldly pulled his hand away. “Want to drug my food again and send me to the hospital?” 2 I froze. So besides smashing his computer. I had done even worse things to him. “Brother, I wasn’t…” “Wasn’t what! You still want to send Julian to the hospital!” Before I could finish, I was interrupted. Mia Lane walked over and slapped my hand away. “My business with my brother is none of your business.” “I’m Julian’s girlfriend, how is it none of my business? As for you, you’re just the adopted daughter of the Vance family, always opposing Julian. “Julian might not hold it against you, but I won’t spoil you.” Comments flashed by. 【What is the vicious female supporting character being arrogant about? The male lead only tolerates her because she took care of him when he was hospitalized. Calling herself his girlfriend?】 【The heroine misunderstood this before. She thought her brother and Cole both liked Mia, and that her brother hated her.】 Julian’s eyes were dark. His gaze fell on the back of my hand, red from the slap. In the end, he didn’t say a word. In the silence. The roar of an engine approached. A man with dyed white hair walked over. Arms around two women, one on each side. “Yo, Young Master Vance brought two today too? “I say you should have done this long ago. Hang out with us more. “The heir to the dignified Vance family, messing with competition modeling every day, pretending to be a model student. “Chasing after an adopted sister who doesn’t even look at you, what’s the point…” Julian shouted sternly: “Shut up! Don’t talk nonsense to my sister!” White Hair looked at me. “So this is the sister. “Young Master Vance has skills. Took her down so fast. “What’s that saying, men aren’t bad, women don’t love.” “I said shut up!” Julian’s fingers curled slightly at his side, knuckles turning white. White Hair spread his hands, smiling indifferently: “Okay, okay, not talking. Are we racing or not?” Julian’s expression softened, “Of course, same rules.” I suddenly realized. This wasn’t Julian’s first time racing. After I ruined his competition projects multiple times. He had changed from that gentle and jade-like top student. Into a school tyrant who skipped class all day. “No racing.” I pulled Julian’s hand down. “Brother, I’m still hungry. That food stall is moving soon. Let’s go one more time.” Julian smiled mournfully. “A week ago, you used every trick to get me to eat with you, and then I ended up in the hospital getting my stomach pumped, missing the debate finals. “Autumn Vance, I won’t believe you anymore.” 3 Julian left me behind. Taking Mia towards a dazzling red supercar. Halfway there. His steps suddenly paused, he stopped and looked back: “This isn’t a place for you, go back to school.” I called out to him. “Julian Vance, what if I don’t go!” This time, he didn’t look back. Just waved his hand with his back to me, “Suit yourself.” Comments flashed. 【The person he likes keeps hurting him, who wouldn’t be depressed? So he developed the habit of racing.】 【But after crippling someone in this race, he spent half a month in detention and was completely abandoned by the Vance parents.】 【Then the heroine brought Cole to seize power, it makes me so mad.】 Watching Julian start the car. I rushed onto the track. Standing in front of Julian’s car. A sharp braking sound. The red supercar emergency stopped 0.01 cm from my knees. The heat burned my knees. Julian opened the car door. Eyes red, looking like they were about to bleed. Walking towards me furiously. “What are you doing? What if I couldn’t stop!” My legs went weak, and I fell forward. Julian instinctively supported me. “Brother… if my death can make you forgive me, then I wish I was the one who died…” I don’t want to see the Vance family go bankrupt and you commit suicide in prison a few years later. Julian was confused, “Autumn, what exactly are you playing at?” I pushed him away and walked towards the car. Opened the passenger door. “Mia Lane, get out.” Mia’s face was ashen. But Julian said nothing. She could only silently agree. After she got out. I sat in the passenger seat. Mia’s face changed drastically, “What do you mean!” Julian also frowned at me. “If you want to race, I’m coming with you.” Julian’s jawline tightened. In the stalemate. Cole Sterling somehow found his way here. “Mia! I finally found you. I heard you went racing with Julian, listen to me, don’t go.” Cole grabbed Mia outside the car door. Only then did he discover me and Julian inside the car. I raised my eyebrows, meeting Cole’s gaze. He was my college boyfriend, former husband. But I wasn’t unfamiliar with his obsession with another woman. He stammered: “Autumn, why… why are you here too?” I laughed: “Julian is my brother, is it strange for me to be in his car?” 4 Four people, eight eyes meeting. The air solidified. In the past four years of college, I chased after Cole. But his heart always held Mia. Mia looked down on Cole’s ordinary background. She chased after my brother, wanting to climb the high branch of the Vance family. I loved him, he loved her, she loved him. Such a dead loop. Ended with my marriage to Cole. Just when I thought my devotion had borne fruit. Cole sold the Vance family’s trade secrets. The Vance family faced bankruptcy. Only then did I know. Cole married me just to revenge on Julian, revenge on the Vance family. He took everything from the Vance family for himself. Turned around and gave it all to Mia. Confessed to her in high profile. Julian went to settle scores with him, was sued for injury, and sentenced to twenty years. After that, I received news of my brother’s suicide in prison. … Thoughts returned. This time I must keep myself and Julian far away from Cole and Mia. I said to Cole: “Aren’t you here for Mia? She’s here, take her away.” Cole’s voice trembled a little. He grabbed my hand. “Autumn, I’ll explain to you later… you get out too, listen to me, okay?” Julian clicked his tongue impatiently. I quickly pulled my hand away. Pushed Cole hard. Closed the car door. Julian looked at me. Emotions I couldn’t understand surged in his eyes. Finally, he smiled self-deprecatingly. Leaned over and fastened my seatbelt.

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During a livestream, I connected with a top celebrity filming in Southeast Asia. He was hiding in his hotel room, looking sickly green, his expression terrified: “Streamer, I think I’ve encountered something unclean!” I pondered for a moment: “Indeed, there is something unclean…” Fans frantically flooded the chat, begging me to save their idol. I dipped my brush in cinnabar, drew a talisman with fluid strokes, and held it up to the camera: “An anti-diarrhea talisman. Screenshot it and use it as your phone wallpaper; it will protect your stomach in Southeast Asia. “The director told you to do a light fast, not to lightly bite off unclean food at the night market, okay?” 1 Hearing me say this, the celebrity visibly tensed up, repeatedly making a “shh” gesture at the camera. “Julian Thorne! “Didn’t you say you went to the gym last night?!” A hand as white as porcelain reached into the frame, expertly twisting Julian’s ear half a turn, making him yelp in pain. “Sis, Sis, I was wrong! “I just went to eat some raw marinated seafood. It didn’t have an ingredient list, and you said if it doesn’t have a label, it’s zero calories!” Julian twisted and dodged, accidentally bringing his sister into the frame. 【Oh my god, my carb-loving idol. Have you guys forgotten how he warned everyone right after debut to cherish the time while he was still thin?】 【Stop laughing, guys. Dieting is really hard. Only our brother knows the spicy and savory joy in that food!】 【Sister Thorne has such an authoritative face! Petition for Julian to switch to mukbang and let Sister Thorne debut!】 Seeing she was also on camera, Sister Thorne resentfully released her grip on Julian. Julian covered his ear with a mournful face and asked me for help: “Streamer, it’s true I ate something bad, but I really encountered something unclean. “Last night, I got up in the middle of the night with diarrhea. The TV was on, the screen full of smoke, and I could faintly hear people screaming. I thought I forgot to turn off the TV before sleeping, and couldn’t find the remote, so I just unplugged it. But when I got up again for the bathroom, the TV was still on, showing the same scene!” I explained: “The south side of your room corresponds to the Li trigram, meaning excessive fire energy, and the Five Elements belong to Wood. Such a building is best balanced by being built near water. But there is no sign of water around you. This kind of hotel location, if it encounters the Flying Star of the year, is prone to ‘fire disasters.’ This place must have suffered a devastating fire in the past, causing great loss of life.” Julian’s face grew uglier as he listened. He took out another phone to search online. “Damn, a tanker truck overturned downstairs before, exploded, and caused a huge fire that burned hundreds of people to death!” Julian’s face turned pale, looking at his sister in disbelief: “Sis, I’m your biological brother. How could you set me up like this?!” Sister Thorne rubbed her forehead, unable to force a smile: “Did you forget we’re filming a horror movie? The director designated this location for shooting! When you were interviewed, didn’t you look forward to staying in a haunted hotel?” Julian clutched his head and wailed: “I thought it was just hype! Other camping variety shows film in the wild but go back to sleep in hotel suites. How was I supposed to know that filming a horror movie meant actually staying in a hotel where a fire happened?! We don’t need to be this immersive!” 【Go! Go! Go! Let’s go, see how strong the ghost hotel vibe is…】 【First time seeing a team not revolving around the artist but playing the artist like a fiddle.】 【You guys really have no heart. Am I the only one worried about my brother’s safety?】 Seeing too many anxious comments, I spoke up to comfort them: “Don’t worry, the fire was many years ago, and the hotel has been renovated. Your Fortune Palace is full, your Yintang is wide and upright without lines, indicating a life of prosperity. If it weren’t for your physical discomfort depleting your Yang fire, you wouldn’t see these things at all. “Use the anti-diarrhea talisman. After a sleep, you won’t be affected anymore. Just place your slippers, one facing forward and one backward, in front of the bed. This indicates you are just passing through, and they won’t disturb you again.” Julian gripped his sister’s arm tightly, shaking his head like a rattle drum: “I won’t listen, I won’t listen. I absolutely refuse to stay in this room tonight!” Sister Thorne was helpless: “Then let’s swap rooms, okay?” The boy nodded vigorously. Sister Thorne broke free from his grip and solemnly thanked me facing the camera: “Thank you so much today. When Julian’s movie is released, we’d like to invite you to the premiere. Is that okay?” As she spoke, a necklace accidentally revealed from her collar caught my attention. 2 “Point the necklace you’re wearing at the camera. Let me take a closer look.” Sister Thorne obediently took off the necklace, held it in her hand, and brought it close to the lens. Two trapezoidal jade pieces formed a rectangular gilded locket, intricately carved with a figure of a shapely woman, with fox tails faintly visible behind her. “You’d better not wear this necklace anymore.” Sister Thorne looked troubled: “I just got it from an Archan (Thai master) yesterday. He said after bonding, I must wear it every day.” I frowned: “Your Career Palace is ruddy and full, indicating career success. Look at you, daring to bring your brother into a haunted hotel for a more perfect horror movie. Such determination and courage confirm this. “But your Marriage Palace is dim and gloomy, indicating separation. Don’t blame me for being blunt, but whenever you fall in love, you inevitably meet a scumbag.” Julian forgot his fear and nodded repeatedly: “Master, you are so accurate. The boyfriends my sister dated… one was a mama’s boy who asked his mom what to wear, one seamlessly moved on to his first love, and the current one… mmm…” Julian, having his mouth covered by Sister Thorne again, started struggling in vain. The chat room was buzzing. 【How pretty do you have to be to be loved?】 【The value of the phrase ‘the result is the same anyway’ is still rising.】 【Am I the only one curious why Sister Thorne shouldn’t wear the necklace?】 “When you requested this necklace, were you told it was a Fox Immortal amulet, a highly spiritual wild nine-tailed fox that would make your love life smooth and your boyfriend devoted to you?” Sister Thorne blushed slightly and whispered “Mm-hmm.” I gave my conclusion directly: “It’s impossible for fox fur to be sealed inside the pendant. Think about it, is the climate in Southeast Asia suitable for wild foxes? If we’re talking about Fox Immortals, Northeast China haven’t even spoken up yet, and somehow Southeast Asia produced a nine-tailed fox?” A faint embarrassment colored her exquisite brows, but she suppressed her temper: “But right after I put on the necklace, he immediately apologized and begged for my forgiveness!” “That’s because the Archan used the method for making Yin amulets. With such heavy evil energy, what’s sealed in the pendant is either the hair of a woman who died tragically unmarried or corpse oil refined from a premature fetus. Either one has the ability to let you feel the effects immediately. “The more effective they are, the bigger their appetite. Ordinary offerings cannot satisfy them at all. You will only sink deeper step by step to meet their demands, eventually reaching a point of no return. Is it worth it for a man?” Hearing this, Sister Thorne took a deep breath, barely controlling her trembling hands, and carefully opened the pendant. Inside rolled a bead filled eighty percent with a brownish-black liquid, in which strands of hair were indeed visible. Seeing this, even I couldn’t help but sigh: “Small workshops really go hard on ingredients. Corpse oil and corpse hair, a double dose.” Fear flickered in Sister Thorne’s eyes, and she flung the necklace away violently. Taking advantage of his sister being distracted, Julian secretly sent me a photo of her boyfriend. I clicked on the photo, scrutinized it for a moment, and shook my head even more: “The person you are dating now has sunken temples, indicating he is often a groom. Even wearing ten necklaces won’t make him loyal to you.” Sister Thorne hadn’t recovered from the shock of wearing a corpse oil necklace close to her body and looked at me blankly. A new message notification popped up on her phone. Julian snatched it before she could react and read the content word by word: “If you trust me, check, check, your boyfriend.” With one shock after another, Sister Thorne calmed down instead, but her voice was icy cold: “Ask the other side—you three, me three?” Julian looked at his sister with some worry before replying as instructed. The other side seemed to be waiting by the phone and replied immediately. “I’m three, you’re four. The eldest is taking care of the kids back home, the fifth is a junior schoolmate.” The chat exploded. 【Hello, I am Netizen Number Six.】 【I know three and four, but together they seem a bit unfamiliar.】 【Anything discovered before marriage should be treated as good news. Cut it off early, grow early!】 【Does this scumbag’s family run an antique shop? Why does he call everyone ‘Baby’?】 At this point, Sister Thorne calmed down a bit more, pressed the angry Julian into the chair in front of the camera, and said to me: “Master, thank you so much today. When our work here is done, we will definitely come to thank you in person.” After speaking, she slapped the back of Julian’s head again. Julian subconsciously put on his business smile: “That’s it for today’s livestream, babies don’t worry. See you in our work in 2025!” 3 【Little Tang, is Sister Thorne’s boyfriend really that scummy?】 As soon as I went offline, my best friend Grape sent a gossipy WeChat message. 【Not only is her boyfriend a scumbag, but the guy chasing you isn’t a good match either.】 Speaking of this, I couldn’t help but lecture her. After I came down from Heming Temple, I briefly set up a stall at a suburban night market. She was my first fortune-telling customer. I was the one who dealt with her scum ex-boyfriend back then. Later, when she came to visit me at Heming Temple, a handsome guy with vertical pupils diligently picked her up and dropped her off. If she hadn’t told me in time that the guy was a professional cosplayer and actually a girl who was just tall and loved wearing unique colored contacts, I would have almost summoned lightning to strike. 【Don’t worry, a relative introduced him. It’s just going through the motions to placate the parents. Little Tang, did you calculate some gossip about him? Tell me quickly!】 I found typing troublesome, so I sent a voice message, concise and comprehensive: “That man claims he studied abroad when he was young, and his parents were lonely so they had a second child. Actually, the little son is his. The child’s biological mother is a hostess at a nightclub who gave birth and dumped the child on him before running away. His parents are getting older and don’t have the energy to raise the child for him anymore. The family then discussed getting married quickly to find a nanny who can take care of both the old and the young.” “Oh my god, that’s great!” “?” “This is a ready-made excuse. I’d like to see who dares to introduce me to a blind date again!” “Don’t worry. When you meet your true love, when the Red Phoenix Star moves, I’ll tell you.” “You’re the best!” … 4 After reciting the morning scriptures, I started the livestream on time. As soon as I went online, a user named “Heaven Rewards Diligence” bought the link. After confirming via private message that he was willing to show his face, we started a video connection. “Hello, what would you like to divine?” “Heaven Rewards Diligence” was a simple and honest middle-aged man, his eyes full of hope: “Streamer, can you help me look at the fruit orchard behind me? I want to contract it.” I carefully examined his face and gave my conclusion: “Your cheekbones are ruddy and your eyes are like stars, indicating your career will gradually prosper. Judging by your age, you should be over thirty. From thirty-five to forty, you rely on your eyes for luck. With your phoenix eyes and high eyebrows, I won’t say you’ll own vast lands, but at least your family will be well-off, with no worries about food and clothing…” Despite the good words, “Heaven Rewards Diligence” seemed increasingly disappointed. Hearing “no worries about food and clothing,” he couldn’t help but smile bitterly, shaking his head to interrupt, showing his lunch to the camera—a plain steamed bun with preserved vegetables. “Streamer, you seem to have misjudged this time.” 【Oi, the famous Daoist Master Fang Tang flipped over? What, ran out of scripts?】 【Actually, taking a step back… taking ten thousand steps back is pretty tiring…】 【Don’t play abstract. Watching Fang Tang’s stream for so long, this is the first time she’s been inaccurate. There must be something strange!】 I ignored the netizens’ doubts and continued: “Your face was originally very good, but that scar on your left eyebrow cuts through the Sun Horn. Coupled with the uneven height of your Sun and Moon Horns, it indicates your father should have passed away. And your chin is round but forehead narrow, meaning you left your hometown for study and work after growing up, unable to show filial piety at your parents’ knees.” A flash of pain passed through “Heaven Rewards Diligence’s” eyes, and he spoke with some shame: “Sorry, streamer, I was rude to say you misjudged earlier. “I indeed left home young to study in Beijing, and stayed there to work and start a family after graduation. I brought my parents to Beijing to live for a while, but they were never accustomed to it, so I paid for them to build a house in our hometown. “After the house was built, I brought my wife and child back for a short stay. Unexpectedly, within half a year, my father… “I couldn’t accept the blow of losing a close relative, living in a daze all day, and accidentally made a big mistake at work, getting fired. My wife, in anger, took the child back to her parents’ home. I thought it would be good for everyone to separate and calm down, so I returned to my hometown.” Several major hardships of middle age pressed on “Heaven Rewards Diligence” simultaneously, leaving him almost breathless. “Can you film the self-built house you mentioned?”

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The moment I turned eighteen, I walked in on my mother, then-General Eleanor Beaumont, in the back of her official, armored SUV, servicing one of her junior officers. She simply looked at me, her eyes flat and cold, and said: “Rhys Beaumont, don’t take this to your father. He’s the one who will be destroyed.” I didn’t believe her. Crying, I told my father the truth. That night, he jumped. In that instant, my world fractured and collapsed. I drove a stolen SUV straight through my mother’s second wedding reception, smashing the ballroom to hell. The next day, she put me on a plane to Berlin. My wildest years were spent overseas. I tasted every flavor of blonde bombshell and went through lovers like clean socks. The line of people chasing me stretched from Ibiza to Paris. But just as a stunning girl in a silk slip was sitting on my lap in a penthouse suite, a curt wire from my mother summoned me back to Capitol City. Her demand: I was to marry Major General Stella Kincaid. I knew the rumors. She was ice. Stoic, famously ascetic, and rigidly disciplined—a woman who had never, they said, let a man touch her hand, let alone her. The thought of marrying someone so utterly joyless choked me. I did everything I could to derail the engagement. I hired the most expensive escort in the city and brought her to a military gala as my date. Stella, in her razor-sharp dress uniform, merely walked in, gave me a look that could freeze water, and silently led me back to The Compound. I deliberately caused a scene—a full-blown, drunken riot—right outside the base gates. She personally appeared at the Joint Chief’s office the next morning to smooth it over, silencing the scandal before it could even whisper. I was the disaster, and she was the cleanup crew. It wasn’t until I got thrown into the city jail for a bar fight that she finally broke a mission for me. She interrupted a massive combat drill, leaving over a thousand troops mid-exercise just to come get me. As she bandaged my torn knuckles, her voice was quiet, almost a whisper. “I don’t care how much trouble you cause, Rhys. Or how many headlines you make.” “I can manage all of that.” “I only care if you are hurting, here.” 1 My heart seized in my chest. No one had ever truly cared about me. Not with that sincerity, not since my father. Stella Kincaid’s single sentence shattered every one of my defenses. My voice was hoarse when I finally spoke. “Do you have an unfinished love? A ghost of a soulmate you couldn’t keep? Because the woman I marry can only have room in her heart for me.” Stella’s gentle gaze rested on my face. “No. Only you.” And so, I married her. After that, a saying circulated in the social circles of Capitol City: Don’t cross Major General Kincaid’s husband, Rhys Beaumont. Because no matter the scope of the mess I created, the Ice General would always be standing behind me, using her formidable power to protect me. I really thought that my small, fragile light had finally penetrated her cold heart. It wasn’t until I went to the base to drop off some forgotten files that I overheard a conversation between her and a colleague. “Major General Kincaid, what’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told?” Stella was silent for a moment, then she slowly replied: “Someone once asked me if I had an unattainable, lost love.” “I lied and told him I didn’t.” Boom! A sonic boom detonated in my skull. I froze instantly. She had someone? Then why the hell did she lie to me? Just as I was about to burst in and demand an explanation, an aide rushed in and whispered something to her. Stella’s usually perfect composure fractured. Her face went tight, and she rushed out. I hailed a cab and followed close behind. The car stopped outside an abandoned, half-finished building on the outskirts of the city. A distraught man was holding a boy hostage with a knife. The moment Stella saw the boy, her voice went taut, vibrating with an intensity I’d never heard. “Let him go!” The captor sneered. “Stella Kincaid! They say your greatest love is Rhys Beaumont, but I know the one you truly carry in your heart is him—Leo Sinclair! You busted my operation, drove me to the wall! Today, I’ll show you what true despair tastes like!” Stella fought to maintain her calm. “Your fight is with me! Let him go and come for me!” “Let him go? Fine!” The man kicked a military-issue blade toward her. “Stab yourself once in the heart! Then I’ll consider it!” Stella didn’t hesitate. She bent, scooped up the knife, and plunged it—hard—toward her own heart. I was hidden in the shadows, my nails digging crescent moons into my palms to stifle a scream. She was willing to sacrifice herself—to kill herself—for another man? The captor roared with insane laughter. “It looks like you truly do love him desperately! All the more reason to kill him!” But as he raised his knife, the embedded Special Forces team swarmed in and subdued him. Sirens wailed as the ambulance rushed in to take Stella away. Through the chaos, no one noticed me—the man standing in the corner, his face ghost-white. Just then, Leo Sinclair walked over. I stared, rigid. “What… what exactly is your relationship with Stella Kincaid?” Leo offered a bitter, self-mocking smile and laid out the sickening truth. Two years ago, he and Stella were deeply in love and planning to marry. But then he was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive blood disease. The only cure was an incredibly scarce, breakthrough gene therapy drug called Novagen. The only person in the entire city with guaranteed access to the Novagen supply was my mother. Stella had gone to her, pleading for the drug. My mother’s condition: Stella had to marry me and conceive a child with me. The truth hit me like a lightning strike. No wonder she was so relentlessly and abnormally fixated on our intimate life, almost every night… The colossal shame and heartbreak nearly tore me to pieces. I spun around and marched straight into General Beaumont’s penthouse. My mother paused in surprise when she saw me, but I went straight to the point. “Did you use that Novagen drug to force Stella Kincaid to marry me?” Eleanor Beaumont smiled, utterly unbothered. “So what if I did? I did it for you! Stella is a Major General, a rising star! You have no idea how many—” I slammed my hands down, flipping the solid wood table. My eyes were burning red. “I’m giving you two options! First: you give the Novagen to Stella Kincaid! Second: you use every ounce of your influence to grant Stella and me the fastest divorce possible!” “Otherwise, I will level this place, and none of us will walk away.” My spine rigid, I turned and left. I didn’t go back to The Compound. I went straight to the nightclub I frequented. For three days straight, I drowned myself in the haze of the club, drinking and dancing, trying to numb the growing emptiness and coldness in my chest. A girl sidled up. “Hey, handsome. Drinking alone is boring. How about I keep you company?” I frowned, annoyance flaring, ready to tell her to get lost. The next second, a sickening crack of bone snapped through the noise, and the girl screamed, crumpling to the floor. I looked up into the cold, stunning face of Stella Kincaid. “Go. If I see you touch him again, I’ll make sure you don’t walk.” The woman scrambled away, terrified. But my heart was a block of ice. “What are you doing here?” My voice was devoid of warmth. Stella’s brow furrowed. “I was on an urgent deployment for the last few days. I got back and heard you’ve been here for seventy-two hours. There’s a limit to how much you can indulge your temper, Rhys. It’s time to come home.” Urgent deployment? My heart felt like it had been shredded by a thousand micro-bullets. Was ‘urgent deployment’ her code for ‘getting a knife to the chest for your sweetheart?’ I didn’t call her lie. I turned my face away, my tone flat. “I’m not going back.” I pushed past her, trying to walk out. But Stella’s arm shot out, grabbing my waist and hauling me back to her. “Stella Kincaid! What the hell are you doing!” I was shocked and furious, thrashing against her. Ignoring my struggle and kicks, she pulled me deeper into a dimly lit corner behind the main dance floor. “Rhys…” Her voice was raw, her breath ragged. “Do you know how long it’s been since you performed your duties as a husband?” “If you won’t come home… we’ll do it right here…” “No! I won’t! Stella Kincaid, if you touch me today, I will hate you forever!” My shame and rage were immense, but they were eclipsed by the crushing pain in my core. “Don’t be scared… the lights are dim. No one will see us…” She gave me no more chance to resist, forcing me to push into her. The dry, abrasive friction made my body instantly tense, and a choked cry of pain escaped me. “Just endure it…” Stella’s voice was thick with suppressed need. “I can handle this pain, you can handle this. We still have a child to conceive.” A child to conceive… Those three words were a poisoned blade, plunging deep into my chest. I lifted my head suddenly, my voice deadly. “Stella Kincaid, what if I told you… I don’t want to have a child with you?” Stella’s movements instantly stalled. “Rhys, I can yield to you on everything else, but not this. This is non-negotiable.” Her words, which were meant to sound so deep and loving, became a sharp, mocking tool in my ear. She couldn’t see my pain, my despair, my terror. All she saw was Leo Sinclair’s survival. Suddenly, a scream ripped through the corner. I twisted my head. Leo Sinclair was standing not far from us, his face chalk-white, tears streaming down his cheeks, looking right at us. The next second, he spun around and ran, sobbing. Stella’s face instantly changed. She pulled away from me almost instantaneously and ran after him! I staggered to my feet, adjusting my wrinkled clothes, feeling like a lifeless puppet as I walked out of that repulsive corner. But as I exited the club’s back door, I heard a shout from above: “Someone jumped!” I instinctively looked up, and saw a figure plummeting from the roof of the club. CRASH—! A heavy, sickening thud. The falling body landed squarely on me. I didn’t even have time to scream before I lost consciousness. I woke up in the military hospital, hearing the frantic voice of a nurse. “Both patients are severely wounded! Internal bleeding, multiple fractures… but we only have one operating room left! The patient who goes second has a high risk of death! Major General Kincaid, you must choose… who do we save first?” Then, I heard Stella’s hoarse voice. “You have to save both! Can’t we arrange a transfer?” “We can’t, Major General! Their condition is too unstable for travel! You… you must make a choice now…” A suffocating silence. Finally, I heard Stella Kincaid speak, one word at a time: “Save… Leo. First.” I already knew the answer. But hearing her make that choice, with my own ears, my heart felt like it was instantly ripped apart. I couldn’t breathe. When I opened my eyes again, Stella was sitting by my bedside. She leaned in immediately when she saw I was awake. “You’re up? How are you feeling? Anything else hurt?” I slowly turned my head, avoiding her touch. “You already gave up on me at the operating room doors. You chose to save him. Why are you putting on this performance of concern now?” Stella’s body stiffened. Clearly, she hadn’t expected me to overhear. “Leo is a close, old friend. He was gravely ill, and his body has been very weak. In that situation, if he didn’t get surgery immediately, he would have died… That’s why I chose him first.” She paused, then looked back at me. “But I immediately called in the military’s mobile surgical unit, so you received timely treatment as well… Rhys, I didn’t abandon you.” I laughed coldly. “Stella Kincaid, if he’s just an old friend, then why did he lose control and jump when he saw us together?” Stella fell silent again. After a long moment, she said, “Leo once had a deep love, a partner he couldn’t be with for many complex reasons. His emotions have been unstable. Seeing us that night… perhaps it triggered something, making him act rashly.” I hadn’t realized she was such a good liar. I remembered vividly on our wedding night, when I’d half-jokingly, half-seriously said: “Stella Kincaid, I hate being lied to more than anything. My father lived and died by my mother’s lies. If you lie to me, I’ll walk away and never look back.” She had gently stroked my cheek, her voice low. “I won’t lie to you.” And now, the lies were piling up. Love, to me, had always been optional. If it worked, great. If not, I’d move on. The second I confirmed she was lying, she was already gone from my world. Seeing my silence, Stella changed the subject. She pulled out a polished wooden box containing a set of shimmering military medals. “I remember you said you were looking for your father’s belongings that your stepfather sold off.” Stella offered the box to me, her voice gentle. “I searched everywhere, finally tracking them down at a military museum overseas. I completed the set for you.” My eyes flickered, resting on the familiar, aged gold. My heart was lightly squeezed by an invisible hand, and a wave of soreness hit the back of my throat. I reached out and took the box. “I’ll take the gift, but I won’t say thank you.” “Because soon, I’ll be sending you one hell of a gift, too.” Stella frowned, about to ask what I meant, when an aide knocked and reported a few urgent details. Her face immediately hardened. She stood up. “Rhys, I have an emergency task. I have to lead the team. Rest well.” Watching her hurried exit, my mind was crystal clear. Emergency task. It was just code for rushing to the next room to comfort the fragile soulmate she prioritized over everything else. The following days were spent in quiet recovery. I walked past Leo Sinclair’s room countless times, and through the slightly ajar door, I always saw Stella meticulously, personally, taking care of him. I would just glance over and move on, a calmness settling in my heart. After all, she would soon no longer be my wife. Who she cared for was none of my business. One afternoon, I returned from a checkup to find my bedside table had been moved. My stomach dropped. I yanked the drawer open. My father’s war medals—gone. I grabbed the nearest nurse. “Who was in my room? Where are my things?!” “It… it was Mr. Sinclair. He said he was retrieving something for you…” My eyes turned to ice. I stormed straight toward Leo Sinclair’s room. Leo was leaning by the window, and he looked at my frigid expression, seemingly having expected me. “Where is it? What did you do with the box?” Leo stared back, speaking softly. “I left it in the hospital’s morgue.” “If you want it, you can go get it yourself.” The hospital morgue was on the second basement level—cold, dark, and silent. I have claustrophobia, and I’ve been terrified of the dark since I was a child. A primal terror shot through me. Gritting my teeth, I shoved open the heavy, freezing metal drawers one by one. In a cabinet tucked away in a corner, I saw the familiar rosewood box. I sighed in relief, snatched the box, and turned to leave, but then I heard a heavy CLANG. The steel door of the morgue had been locked from the outside. “Leo Sinclair! Open the door!” I threw myself against the door, pounding and screaming hoarsely. Leo’s voice, laced with a smug chuckle, drifted through the steel. “Enjoy your stay, Mr. Beaumont. You’ll have plenty of company down there…” His footsteps faded into the distance. “Let me out! Open the door!” I threw all my weight against the door, shouting, but the only response was the deafening silence and the bone-chilling cold. My injuries were unhealed. The fear and the cold rapidly depleted my strength. Eventually, I slumped against the freezing metal door, my consciousness fading until I passed out. I don’t know how much time passed, but I dimly woke to muffled voices outside the door. “Stella… I’m so sorry. I only meant it as a joke, telling him I left his stuff in the morgue, I didn’t think he’d actually go in… Now the police are here, saying I’m facing unlawful detainment charges… What should I do?” Then came Stella’s low voice. “I already signed the waiver of prosecution as your family member. It’s handled. Don’t worry.” Lying on that cold floor, listening to their exchange, my heart turned to ash. Leo Sinclair almost killed me in here, and Stella Kincaid had casually signed a waiver for him? An uncontrollable rage surged, shooting straight to my head. I grabbed a glass bottle from a nearby utility cart and hurled it, shattering it against the steel door. The door flew open instantly. Stella walked in, with Leo right behind her. I pushed myself into a sitting position, my weak body shaking, my eyes fixed on Stella. “He nearly killed me. What right did you have to sign that waiver?!” Stella looked at my pale face, a complex flicker in her eyes. “Rhys, Leo’s intentions were innocent. It was a misguided joke. He didn’t think you’d take him seriously.” “A joke?” I laughed, a harsh, humorless sound. “Stella Kincaid, you know me. This isn’t over!” Stella pressed her temples, her voice strained with fatigue. “What do you want?” I ignored her and ordered the aide standing by the door. “Go. Bring me ten buckets of ice water.” Soon, buckets of steaming cold, icy water were brought in. I pointed at the water, my gaze on Leo Sinclair. “You. Pour all ten buckets over yourself, from head to toe. When you’re done, this is over.” “What?!” Leo’s eyes went wide with disbelief. He turned to Stella, pleading. “Stella, I… my body can’t handle that! The doctor said I can’t get cold!” Stella immediately turned to me. “Rhys, stop this madness! You know Leo’s condition. This will kill him!” “Did he think about whether it would kill me when he locked me in the morgue?!” Leo looked at the buckets of ice water, trembling, his eyes filling with tears. Stella took a deep breath, removed her dress uniform jacket, and reached for a bucket. “Fine. If you insist on this, I’ll do it for him.” “Stella! No! Your stitches haven’t healed!” “It’s nothing.” Watching her willingness to go to such lengths for Leo Sinclair, my heart was instantly crushed, pain turning to numbness. Stella lifted the bucket, looking at me, her eyes warning. “After I do this, I expect you to stop harassing Leo.” I didn’t speak. I just watched her, frigid. Stella raised her arm, about to dump the ice water over her head. But in that instant, I lunged, grabbed the trembling Leo Sinclair beside her, and with all my strength, poured the entire bucket of ice water over his head! “AHHH—!” Leo shrieked, soaked instantly, shivering violently. Stella spun around at the sound. Seeing the sight, her face turned to fury. “Rhys Beaumont! What did you do?!” I looked at her, my expression cold and resolute. “He seems to enjoy the icy atmosphere of the morgue. I was just being kind and letting him experience it again.” A flash of pure, burning anger ignited in Stella’s eyes. But she had no time to scold me. She immediately grabbed her uniform jacket and wrapped Leo in it. But in her frantic rush, her elbow struck my unhealed wound with brutal force. I was caught off guard, stumbling backward. Thud! My forehead slammed into the sharp corner of the nearby coffee table. Excruciating pain shot through me. Warm liquid immediately flooded my face, staining the white tile floor crimson. My vision swam. I looked up to see Stella anxiously wiping Leo’s face, holding him carefully in her arms to warm him, never once glancing at me, the man bleeding out on the floor… I bit back a cry, covering the gushing wound with my hand, forcing myself to stand despite the pain and dizziness. Step by step, I turned and walked out. Later, I received nine stitches in the ER. The nurse bandaged me up, sighing. “How did you get so badly injured? Where is Major General Kincaid?” I closed my eyes and didn’t answer. During my hospital stay, I could still overhear the nurses whispering about how Stella Kincaid was tirelessly caring for the feverish Leo Sinclair. I listened, my heart a barren landscape. I couldn’t even feel the sting of sadness anymore. Before my stitches were even removed, I checked myself out. As I walked out of the hospital, I got a call from my mother, Eleanor Beaumont. “The divorce papers have been approved.” “I’m releasing the official divorce statement online tomorrow. When that’s done, I will deliver the Novagen to Stella Kincaid.” She paused, her tone laced with a final warning. “Once you have the signed papers, you will disappear and stay gone! Do not come back and cause any more trouble for me!” Hearing her cold voice, my numb heart felt no stir. I spoke into the receiver, my voice icy. “Eleanor Beaumont, you are truly sickening.” Without waiting for her reaction, I hung up. I picked up the luggage I had packed long ago. Without a single moment of lingering, I drove straight to the airport and boarded a flight to a foreign country. From that day on, Rhys Beaumont was erased from Capitol City. Meanwhile, Stella Kincaid had cared for Leo Sinclair in the hospital for days without sleep, until an emergency military operation finally demanded her attention. She hadn’t even reached the door to her office when she saw a group of her colleagues—Brigadier Generals, Colonels, even a Joint Chief—all gathered, discussing something with agitated excitement. A particularly outgoing Colonel saw her and immediately rushed over, his face glowing with anticipation. “Major General Kincaid! Perfect timing! Is it true what the internet says?” “Now that you and Rhys Beaumont are done, does that mean the rest of us get to fairly compete for him?” “Stella, Mr. Beaumont is gorgeous and his spirit is so bright and wild. There isn’t a single person in the city who doesn’t secretly adore him. I’ve been crushing on him forever! I only held back because he was your husband! Now I’m finally free!” “Exactly! Introduce us! We are all lining up already!” They spoke over one another, their words overflowing with admiration and a fierce determination to win Rhys. Hearing their excited chatter, Stella felt a tidal wave of never-before-felt, savage rage surge through her, burning her composure to the breaking point. “Introduce him? Compete? Line up?! Do you know what you are saying?!” Her voice was bone-chilling, radiating a terrifying authority. “Rhys Beaumont is my husband!” They were startled by her sudden, violent fury, looking at each other in confusion. A close female colleague cautiously showed her a phone screen. “You… you don’t know? Mr. Beaumont’s mother already posted your divorce statement online today…” Stella snatched the phone, her eyes locking onto the bold, black letters on the screen. BREAKING: KINCAID-BEAUMONT POWER ALLIANCE COLLAPSES! Major General Stella Kincaid and Socialite Rhys Beaumont File for Divorce Today.

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My husband left work early to pick up our daughter, while I prepared a birthday surprise for her at home. Just as I started steaming the Boston lobsters and king crabs, my husband messaged me: “Hurry, turn off the heat, don’t steam them yet.” I understood immediately; our daughter’s classmate had followed along again. It’s not that I’m stingy and don’t want to share. Our daughter’s classmate lives right across from us. In the past few months, she and her brother have been freeloading at our house. Yet, her mother is so stingy she won’t even give my daughter a popsicle. I immediately ran to the kitchen to turn off the heat. Good stuff, our family will eat it tonight. 1 For my daughter’s twelfth birthday, we planned to celebrate simply at home. It just so happened that my husband’s performance exceeded the target recently, and his boss sent him two boxes of seafood. The most expensive ones inside were Boston lobsters and king crabs, totaling over a thousand dollars. My husband and I have lived for almost half a lifetime and never eaten these. My daughter had craved them after watching mukbangs before. Seeing that our family of three was about to feast today. “She insisted on taking my car. I couldn’t help it. She’s already in the car, can I kick her out?” My husband messaged me while waiting at a red light. He drove the four-wheeler to pick up our daughter today, intending to shop at the mall with her, but ended up being entangled by Sharon’s daughter. “It’s okay, just don’t let her in later.” I’ve known the neighbor across the hall, Sharon, for a year because our children are in the same class. Her daughter, Penny, often visits our house, mostly around meal times, always asking cheekily what we are eating. Then she asks eagerly, “Auntie, can I eat some?” In front of my daughter, I couldn’t refuse. After repeating this several times, I told Penny not to knock on the door at meal times, but she never listened and kept ringing the doorbell. When doing homework, my daughter would bring out her snacks to share with her, and Penny always wanted to take an extra portion back for her brother. I told my daughter not to share everything with friends. A box of 24 bottles of milk usually lasts my daughter a month, but now she shares it with Penny, and at the fastest, it’s consumed in a week. Milk, cookies, cakes, although these things aren’t expensive, the consumption rate is fast, and it adds up to an expense over time! My daughter was unhappy, “Mom, she is my best friend in class, and she shares things with me too.” I softened my heart, thinking that since my daughter values friendship so much, I shouldn’t interfere too much. Penny is considered a polite child, except for being a bit thick-skinned. Until a month ago, I heard Sharon talking to her daughter in the hallway. “The neighbor bought pig trotters today. Go over tonight and have a good meal.” “Bring some snacks back for your brother too.” “Come back after doing homework until 9:30, save some electricity at home.” I didn’t expose her immediately; after all, we are neighbors and need to save face. After this day, for half a month continuously, there was no meat dish for dinner at my home. Penny would come to my house, glance around, and leave if there were no dishes she liked. And the snacks in my daughter’s room were temporarily confiscated by me. Gradually, the number of times Penny did homework at my house decreased. As a result, she was no longer enthusiastic towards my daughter, and even pretended not to see her when meeting in the hallway. “See, she befriended you with a purpose.” “She won’t come if there’s no food.” But my daughter would still greet Penny cheekily and invite her to our home. “Your house has no food, I won’t go.” Penny refused bluntly. My daughter took her own pocket money behind my back to buy her food. A week ago, my daughter ran home with red eyes and told me she wanted a popsicle, “Mom, you were right.” I took my daughter downstairs to buy one. Sharon from across the hall seemed to be waiting for me. She held an apple in her hand, looking apologetic. “I’m really sorry. I always buy an even number of popsicles for my family. My daughter and son each get one every time.” “If I share one with your daughter, it will become an odd number. In the end, the two kids will fight.” “You only have one child, you don’t know the troubles of raising two kids!” She squatted down and stuffed the apple into my daughter’s hand, “Understand Auntie, okay?” Then she stood up and smiled at me, “When will your family make big pig trotters again? Penny craves them so much, and my cooking skills are not good.” I replied coldly, “If you can’t cook, you can go out and buy.” I threw the apple in my daughter’s hand back to her. I thought after this, Sharon and I had fallen out. I just didn’t expect her skin to be thick enough to pretend nothing happened. Look, she is standing at my door now, holding her son Peter in one arm and holding Penny with the other. “Your child’s birthday is today. I won’t cook dinner tonight. They will eat at your place.” 2 She reached out to open my door. I pushed secretly behind the door to stop it from opening and said to her patiently, “Sorry, we don’t plan to celebrate Ashley’s birthday this year.” “We only prepared a small cake. You’d better take the children away.” Sharon was slightly surprised, “Not celebrating? Then why did I see someone delivering two boxes of stuff to your house at noon?” “Heard it was seafood. Just right, Penny and Peter haven’t eaten seafood for a long time. Isn’t this convenient?” She smiled and took out a red envelope from her bag and handed it to my daughter, “This is a little token from Auntie. Happy birthday to you.” I hurried to stop her, and Sharon kept pushing and shoving with me. It happened to be the time for getting off work and school. There were many people coming and going in the hallway, which inevitably attracted attention. Sharon loudly proclaimed that she was giving my daughter a red envelope, and neighbors praised her for her thoughtfulness. My husband waved his hand and stuffed the red envelope back into her bag, “Thank you for your kindness, but today we just want to celebrate as a family.” Penny and Peter took the opportunity to slip in through the crack of the door. They slipped into the kitchen, only hearing a clatter, the pot lid fell to the ground, and cheers came from inside: “Mom, their family really has king crabs and big lobsters.” I really didn’t expect two children to be so impolite. My husband went in and pulled the two children out. The two children were stubborn, grinning and pulling at my sofa, refusing to come out. Peter suddenly screamed. Sharon screamed: “Why did you hit my son?” My husband was severely reprimanded and lowered his head to explain that he didn’t hit anyone. Sharon rushed in and brought the children out, turning her head to lose her temper at me: “Isn’t it just a popsicle? Is it necessary for you to fuss about it until now?” “No one in the class plays with your daughter. Only my daughter is kind enough to play with her. What’s wrong with me letting her come to the birthday party? It’s not like eating and drinking for free.” “Isn’t it just king crab? If you don’t want to let us eat, just say so. No need to find disgusting excuses.” These words made it seem like my fault. A neighbor poked her head out: “Oh, Ashley’s mom, this is wrong of you. Your two families’ children play so well, yet you don’t invite them for a birthday?” “How big can a child’s appetite be? King crabs and lobsters aren’t that expensive. What’s wrong with eating a little?” “Besides, even if you don’t let them in, you can’t hit the child, especially in front of the parent.” I was about to explain when Sharon pulled Penny and Peter and slammed her own door shut with a “bang”. My husband and I looked at each other. We explained to the neighbors for a while before eliminating the misunderstanding. After that, I turned on the heat to steam the seafood, preparing to start eating. But the class group chat suddenly became lively. 3 The top message was a complaint from Sharon: 【Just can’t understand, how can there be such a neighbor?】 【For a birthday, I gave a red envelope. They made excuses saying they weren’t celebrating and even kicked my children out.】 【I wondered what the reason was. Turns out the family wants to eat king crab and lobster secretly.】 【How well my daughter plays with her daughter! To be treated like this?】 Parents below @Penny’s mom: “Did you send it to the wrong place?” The chat was quiet for three minutes. Penny’s mom: “Oh my, sorry to disturb parents and teachers. I did send it wrongly. Can’t withdraw now, everyone please ignore.” After all, there are people in the group who want to gossip. Someone @Penny’s mom: “The person you mentioned isn’t Ashley’s mom, right? You happen to be neighbors.” Sharon didn’t reply, but everyone started discussing. 【I asked my son. Today is indeed Ashley’s birthday. She promised my son she would invite him for her birthday, but suddenly reneged. My son is so sad.】 【By the way, shouldn’t a child’s birthday be livelier with more people?】 【Every year for my daughter’s birthday, I wish I could invite the whole class. How much money can it cost?】 【Oh my, I saw Ashley’s dad’s post on Moments. There really are king crabs, but they aren’t big.】 【Ashley’s mom didn’t do this well. How to say, petty.】 … I didn’t know many parents in the group, and they weren’t familiar with me either, but now they kept discussing me. I @Penny’s mom: “What black and white are you reversing? We clearly didn’t invite you. You came thick-skinned to give a red envelope yourself.” “What our family eats is none of your business.” “You tell your daughter to come to my house every day to freeload food and drink, and bring snacks back by the way. What did I say about you?” Penny’s mom @me: “Saying my daughter freeloads food and drink is too much, right? What did she eat from your house?” “If you put it that way, so does your daughter.” “Last time at my son’s birthday, she ate a bag of chips, two packs of Konjac snacks, three packs of spicy strips, and a big chicken leg at my house.” “Bought her a bottle of lemonade and an ice cream cone while shopping, and also bought her a piece of clothing.” “You are so stingy. I will never let my daughter go to your house again. The two children break off relations.” A parent sent a laughing-crying emoji: “My god Penny’s mom, you remember too clearly.” I also laughed on this side of the screen. A bag of chips, two packs of Konjac snacks, three packs of spicy strips, a big chicken leg, these were the only snacks at her son’s birthday that day. The things were eaten by three children together. Lemonade and ice cream cone were shared by my daughter and her daughter. The clothing bought was cheap street stall goods buy one get one free. I explained all these. Sharon said in the group that I was spitting blood (slandering). Seeing her anxious, I sent a 5-minute and 37-second recording to the group. 4 The recording started from the moment the door opened and Sharon said the first sentence. Listening to the voice, you can know how unreasonable she was. I also took screenshots of orders for things bought for her daughter in the past half year from shopping apps. Amounts ranged from 10-dollar pens to two or three hundred dollar dresses and shoes. @Penny’s mom: 【If I remember correctly, the dress your daughter is wearing today was bought by me. Eighth screenshot.】 “Everyone please judge for yourselves.” There was no movement in the group for the time being. Sharon messaged me frantically privately to withdraw the message, bombarding me with voice calls. I blocked her immediately and got temporary peace. After a few minutes, several parents added me as friends. I thought they wanted to say something, but they just asked me for shopping links. One parent said I was too honest, “Why are you so good to her daughter? No matter how well my child plays with partners, I can’t do this much.” A few more minutes later, the homeroom teacher disbanded the group and created a new one, “Parents, please don’t occupy public resources for private issues in the future.” This farce ended. After falling out with Sharon, I was a little worried about my daughter being discussed in class. Fortunately not. She said someone took the initiative to make friends with her. Penny was originally sitting in front of her. Now the seats have been adjusted, and the two basically don’t say a word now. Although Sharon and I are neighbors across the hall, without the children’s contact, we basically don’t meet. Sometimes seeing from a distance, she turns her head high before me. Neighbors wondered about our relationship. Later they also learned the whole story from others and came to a conclusion: “So this woman is so thick-skinned!” After a while, I found that the express cardboard boxes placed at the door of my house always disappeared inexplicably. I knew there was an auntie on the second floor who collected waste cardboard boxes, but she usually collected them in the trash bin and wouldn’t come to the floor. At first I didn’t pay attention. Waking up early this morning, I found rustling noises at the door. Looking through the peephole, it was Sharon. She took all my cardboard boxes.

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