Category: English

The night before the wedding, my fiancé’s foster sister posted a video on Snapchat. In the video, Ethan—who’s always been such a germaphobe—was kneeling on the floor, using my wedding veil to wipe her feet. “Even though he’s about to become someone else’s husband, he’ll always take care of his little sister.” I went to pick up drunk Ethan, and Mia insisted on coming home with us. While I was washing up, she deliberately threw my wedding ring down the drain. I didn’t get angry. Ethan noticed something was off about me, but his face showed only relief. “Vivian, you’re finally learning to be tolerant of my sister.” I didn’t respond. I just smiled and voluntarily gave up the bedroom to Mia, who was demanding to sleep with Ethan. He had no idea that the good days for the Hayes family were about to end. Why would I care about this boundary-crossing sibling relationship anymore? The next day, only ten minutes remained until the wedding ceremony. The officiant had already come to urge us three times, but the groom Ethan was nowhere to be seen. My bridesmaid burst through the door, gasping for breath. “Vivian, stop waiting!” “I heard that on the way here, Mia got a stomachache, and Ethan turned the wedding car around and carried her straight to the hospital!” I called Ethan. The phone rang for a long time before someone picked up. The first sound I heard was Mia’s coughing. “Ethan, go back! Vivian’s wedding can’t happen without you. I can manage alone at the hospital.” Ethan’s voice was full of anxiety and heartache. “Don’t talk nonsense. You’re breaking out in cold sweats from the pain—how can I leave?” Then he spoke into the phone, his tone laced with irritation. “Vivian, Mia’s in really bad shape. I can’t leave.” “Go calm down the guests and tell them the wedding will start a bit late.” Hearing his self-righteous tone, I found it laughable. “Ethan, this is a wedding. Can a wedding just ‘start a bit late’?” “Vivian! Is the wedding more important than someone’s life in your mind?” Ethan snapped impatiently and hung up directly. I stood up and walked toward the banquet hall. The originally noisy hall instantly fell silent, dissolving into whispers. Ethan’s parents approached with embarrassed expressions. Mrs. Hayes grabbed my hand and lowered her voice. “Vivian dear, Ethan went to handle an emergency. Why don’t you just hold the wedding by yourself?” “Both our families care about our reputation. Don’t waste any more time—the guests are waiting.” I coldly pulled my hand away. At that moment, my bridesmaid shoved her phone in front of my face, trembling with rage. “Vivian, look at what Mia posted on Snapchat!” On the screen was Mia’s freshly updated status. In the picture, Ethan sat by the hospital bed, tightly holding her hand. The caption read: “Even if the whole world is waiting for him to get married, he’ll still stop for me.” I walked straight onto the stage and took the microphone from the officiant. “Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this wedding.” “Unfortunately, the groom has someone more important to be with today.” “Therefore, the wedding is canceled. Please enjoy the food and drinks.” After speaking, I ignored the ashen faces of the Hayes parents, casually tossed the microphone aside, lifted my wedding dress, and walked out of the banquet hall without looking back. I returned to the new house Ethan and I had prepared and began packing my things. The door was suddenly pushed open. Ethan rushed in and slammed his hand down on my suitcase. “Vivian, have you made enough of a scene!” “Didn’t I tell you to calm the guests at the venue? You publicly announced the wedding cancellation—where does that leave my parents’ dignity!”

I stopped what I was doing and straightened up to look at him. “When you abandoned me for Mia, did you think about my dignity?” A flash of guilt crossed Ethan’s eyes, and his tone softened. “Vivian, I explained it to you. Mia’s situation was sudden—I couldn’t just let her die.” “You’re usually so kind. Why are you being so petty about Mia?” My gaze fell on the collar of his shirt. There, clear as day, was a lipstick mark. The exact same shade as the one Mia was wearing in her Snapchat photo. Ethan followed my gaze and looked down. His expression changed, and he instinctively covered his collar with his hand. “Mia was in so much pain she couldn’t stand. She accidentally smudged it. Don’t overthink this.” “Vivian, after all these years together, won’t you even give me this much trust?” I zipped up my suitcase and dragged it toward the door. Ethan blocked the doorway, his eyes reddening. “Vivian, I was wrong, okay?” “We can have another wedding. Stop making a scene.” I ignored him. Ethan panicked and grabbed my wrist. “I won’t let you leave! If you walk out that door today, don’t expect me to ever coax you back!” “The wedding is already canceled. Starting today, we have nothing to do with each other.” I pulled my suitcase and walked out the door without looking back. A few days later, I bought a villa. Just as I finished settling in, my assistant called. “Miss Sterling, there’s an urgent document for a core company project that needs your signature.” I agreed and drove to Hayes Corporation. This branch was a company I established to help Ethan start his business. I pushed open the general manager’s office door. Mia was sitting in my office chair. She was holding a pink notebook, reading it with great interest. I froze. That was my diary. I strode over and snatched the diary back. “Who gave you permission to touch my things?” Mia jumped in fright, looking aggrieved. “Vivian, don’t be so mean.” “I was just looking around. How was I supposed to know you kept your diary in an unlocked drawer?” At that moment, Ethan walked in from outside carrying two cups of coffee. Seeing me, he froze for a moment, then frowned. “Vivian, what are you getting upset about now? Mia’s still not feeling well. Don’t scare her.” I laughed coldly. “She went through my diary without permission, and instead of stopping her, you blame me?” Ethan was dismissive. “You didn’t lock your diary properly. Mia didn’t do it on purpose.” “Besides, it’s not like there’s anything shameful in your diary.” Mia chimed in from the side. “Exactly, Vivian. And those love letters you wrote in your diary are so corny.” She cleared her throat and recited in a mocking tone. “‘Today Ethan drove twenty miles to buy me cake from the north side of town.’” “‘I feel like the happiest woman in the world. I must stay with Ethan forever.’” She covered her mouth and laughed. “Vivian, you always seem so cold and aloof, but I never knew you were such a desperate simp in private.” “Actually, that cake was bought for me. I didn’t want to eat it, so he brought it back to you.” “You actually treasured it enough to write about it in your diary. Hilarious.” Humiliation flooded through me instantly. Those feelings I once cherished were now being trampled under their feet.

Ethan stood to the side, the corner of his mouth turned up. “Vivian, you wrote it so clearly in your diary—you obviously still love me.” “Stop being stubborn and come home with me. I’ll pretend the wedding thing never happened.” I ignored him, turned to the paper shredder, and without hesitation, fed the diary into it. The diary that recorded all my memories with Ethan was instantly reduced to confetti. Ethan’s face turned livid as he rushed over to confront me. “Vivian Sterling! What are you crazy for!” My tone was cold. “Just disposing of some unnecessary garbage.” Mia suddenly grabbed Ethan’s arm. “Ethan, since Vivian doesn’t want to deal with you, let me take over the core bidding project on the south side for her.” “I promise I’ll do better than her.” The south side project—I had pulled three months of all-nighters and used the Sterling family connections to secure that bidding qualification for Ethan. Ethan nodded without hesitation. “Fine. Mia’s so smart, she’ll definitely handle it.” He turned to look at me, his tone commanding. “Vivian, hand over all the core project materials to Mia.” “Since you want to make a scene, go home and reflect. You don’t need to manage company affairs for now.” I looked at him and found it ridiculous. Without the Sterling family, Ethan was nothing. “Fine. Since you want it so badly, take it.” I picked up the documents on the desk, signed them, and turned to leave. That evening, I had just finished showering when Ethan sent me a text. “Vivian, why didn’t you come to the Hayes family dinner tonight?” “My parents are already very unhappy about what you did. This dinner was meant for you to apologize to them.” I felt speechless and typed back. “We’ve already called off the engagement. I have no obligation to attend your family dinners.” The moment I sent the message, Ethan called. “Vivian, do you have to make things so difficult for me?” “You’re just throwing a tantrum like this to force me to send Mia away, aren’t you?” He sighed on the other end of the phone, his tone softening. “You know the person I love is you, but Mia saved my life years ago.” “Without her, I would’ve died. I can’t be ungrateful.” I couldn’t help but laugh coldly. “Ethan, if you want to repay her, go ahead. Give her your life if you want.” “Just stop harassing me.” I hung up directly and blocked his number and social media accounts. But immediately after, I saw Mia had posted something on Snapchat. She was wearing revealing sleepwear in what used to be my wedding house, with an imperial jade necklace around her neck. “A gift from Ethan—worth millions.” The more I looked at that necklace, the more familiar it seemed. It was a relic my mother left me before she died. I had left in such a rush when I moved out of the new house that I’d forgotten it. Without a word, I immediately drove to Ethan’s place. When I arrived, Mia was sitting on the sofa, live-streaming on her phone. She was wearing my mother’s necklace around her neck, showing it off to the camera. “Everyone, this is genuine imperial jade. My brother specially gave it to me.” I walked over to retrieve the necklace and accidentally knocked her phone out of her hand. “Ah! Vivian, what are you doing!” Mia shrieked and jumped up. “Give me back that necklace!” I pointed at it, my voice furious. Ethan heard the commotion and immediately ran over to protect Mia. “It’s just a necklace. Mia just thought it looked pretty and wore it for a bit.”

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On Women’s Day, my husband Frederick sent me a muscular man with a bow tie around his neck. “This is the latest companion robot. Let him keep you company from now on. Vivian is pregnant, so I need to spend more time with her. Stop bothering me.” He spoke impatiently, then turned and left. But I looked at the lifelike robot with a face remarkably similar to my childhood friend Xavier’s, and smiled with delight. That evening, I sent Xavier a message: “You knew my marriage contract expires today and I’m single again, so you came early to pursue me?” “Yes.” Xavier replied to my message. “Eight years of repaying a debt—finally over.” With his sigh, my thoughts drifted back to when I was eighteen. My parents both died suddenly in an accident. I couldn’t handle it at the time. My mental breakdown led to several hospitalizations. Then Grandpa Frederick suddenly appeared, arranged for top doctors, and helped me recover. He had only one request—that I help support his good-for-nothing grandson, Frederick. I agreed. From then on, I began my love-hate relationship with Frederick. He went from initially finding me annoying to showing unnatural care and protection. He would clumsily make me necklaces by hand on my birthday. He would make my favorite macarons during my period. His clumsy love moved my heart. So when he confessed with a blushing face at graduation, I said yes. But everything changed when his first love, Vivian, returned to the country just before our wedding. He denied everything between us, publicly claiming I was just a housekeeper his grandfather hired to take care of him. Grandpa Frederick was so angry he nearly died. As he took his last breath, he held my hand and asked me to marry Frederick for three years and protect him for three more. Today is the last day. I rubbed my temples and stood up to pack my things. But unexpectedly, Frederick came back and brought me a small cake. “Eat it. I remember you like these.” I looked at the mango on the cake and smiled bitterly, shaking my head. He forgot—I’m allergic to mangoes. Vivian is the one who likes mango cake. I tugged at the corner of my mouth and just asked him, “Why did you come back?” He said proudly, “It’s all because Vivian is so kind. She insisted that since today is Women’s Day, I should come back and keep you company.” “See, this is the grace a proper wife should have. You should learn from her.” I froze. Vivian always did this—displayed her magnanimity at inappropriate times. But they both forgot that I’m Frederick’s legitimate wife. Not wanting to say more, I just stared at the clock, quietly spacing out, hoping he’d leave quickly. But Frederick loosened his tie and lay sideways on the sofa, showing no intention of moving. His face full of hopeful fantasies: “I hope Vivian has a girl, just like her—kind and lovely.” Then he looked at me critically: “Look at you—your personality is so unlikable, always controlling people. Nobody wants you.” “And I’ve been thinking about the future too. When the child is born, it needs to be legitimate, so you’ll have to give up your position as Mrs. Frederick.” “Don’t worry, I already talked to Vivian about it. You can stay here afterward to take care of Vivian and the child. After all, Grandpa originally had you take care of me, so you should be quite skilled at being a housekeeper.” As his constant belittling continued, my heart still couldn’t help but ache. Just as I was about to tell him about the contract, the doorbell rang abruptly. Vivian had arrived.

Frederick quickly stood up and carefully helped her inside, constantly instructing: “You should have called me. I would have picked you up.” “The baby didn’t give you trouble on the way, did it?” I watched Vivian, who wasn’t showing much yet, proudly thrusting out her waist and abdomen. I turned to go back to my room. But Vivian spoke with a wronged expression: “Hannah, do you not welcome me?” “Then I’ll just leave.” Before I could say anything, Frederick grabbed my arm forcefully and shouted: “You did that on purpose?! Making Vivian sad.” “Go make soup. Vivian likes the eight-treasure soup you make.” I stood there without moving. Frederick’s face darkened, and he dragged me directly toward the kitchen. “You can come out when it’s done.” “Click”—the door locked. Through the transparent glass, I saw Vivian’s provocative smile and a flash of light in the robot’s eyes. I stood there indifferently for a moment, then started moving. Not just making soup—I fried, sautéed, and stir-fried, preparing a whole table of dishes. Consider it tonight’s farewell dinner. An hour later, when I finished cooking, sweat covering my forehead, Frederick mercifully opened the kitchen door and said: “Wouldn’t it have been better if you’d done this earlier?” Seeing the abundant dishes on the table, satisfaction flashed in his eyes, and he said to me condescendingly: “Alright, bring them out. You can eat at the table with us tonight.” I shook my head, but he grabbed me and forced me into a chair. “Why are you being difficult?!” “This is the only time you’ll eat at the table. From now on, you need to be self-aware of your position as a housekeeper.” Vivian saw me sit down and said sourly: “Hannah, you really care about Frederick. Everything on this table is what he loves to eat.” I paused, quietly picked up food with my chopsticks, and replied, “It’s a habit.” A habit of being good to him, taking care of him, so I reflexively made these dishes while cooking. A trace of emotion flashed in Frederick’s eyes. Just as he was about to say something— Vivian suddenly clutched her stomach and cried out: “Ah! My stomach hurts.” “Hannah, did you put something in the food?” She started crying: “If you have any complaints, take them out on me. Why harm my child?!” I shook my head repeatedly in denial. “No, I didn’t.” Before I could finish, Frederick angrily slapped me hard across the face. “Bitch! I knew you were up to no good!” “Come to the hospital with us. If anything happens to Vivian, I’ll make you pay with your life.” I helplessly followed them. At the hospital, after examination, there were no drug residues found. But Vivian kept crying that her stomach hurt. Finally, the doctor diagnosed that she’d had fetal movement and needed rest. Frederick demanded I stay to take care of her: “You made Vivian unhappy in the first place, so you’re responsible.” “Besides, you’re going to stay as a housekeeper to take care of Vivian and the child anyway. Consider this early practice.” Seeing his self-righteous manner, I laughed in anger and told him directly: “Frederick, our marriage contract has expired. We have no relationship now. I’m leaving, and you have no right to restrict my freedom.” He was stunned by my cold tone. After a moment, he recovered and sneered: “What expired contract? Are you playing hard to get with me? I’m not falling for that.” “Hannah, serve obediently, and I’ll keep you at the Frederick house.” He restrained me in front of Vivian’s hospital bed, instructed me to take good care of her, then kept watching me. I couldn’t find a chance to leave. Until a group of Frederick’s friends arrived.

“Frederick, you really have your wife taking care of your mistress. Impressive.” “Back then, Grandpa Frederick’s small favor got you eight years of Hannah’s devoted care. What a bargain.” “But she doesn’t know her parents’ death wasn’t an accident, does she? It was deliberate, connected to one of your family’s shady companies. After Grandpa Frederick quickly dealt with the company, he discovered Hannah’s talent and extended help. All these years, she’s proven her worth. Grandpa Frederick was truly a businessman—so shrewd.” I froze in the hospital room, quickly covering my mouth to prevent any sound from escaping. Tears kept flowing. The conversation outside the room continued. Frederick said casually: “So what if she knows? An orphan girl—being Mrs. Frederick for three years is already more than she deserves.” “What, Frederick, sounds like you’re planning to divorce her?” “Then I… hehe, honestly, your wife’s figure—curves in all the right places, ass ripe as a peach—I’ve been eyeing her for a while. Can I have a taste?” The air suddenly went silent. After a moment, Frederick replied indifferently: “Whatever.” My clenched fists loosened. I slumped into the chair and closed my eyes. Soon, the hospital room door opened. Frederick and his friends came in. “How are you taking care of Vivian? Sleeping with your eyes closed!” Frederick came in and scolded me first. Then he anxiously checked on Vivian, and seeing everything was fine, breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to say something more to me, I didn’t want to face him anymore and turned to leave. At that moment, his friends stepped forward and surrounded me. One of them looked at me with sticky eyes, constantly moving closer. With nowhere to retreat, I called out to Frederick: “Make them leave.” Frederick was noncommittal, raising his eyebrows and saying: “Weren’t you the one who wanted to leave? I didn’t stop you. I won’t stop my friends either.” “Besides, my friends like you—that’s why they’re keeping you here.” Hearing his shameless words, I gritted my teeth and tried to rush out. But three or four men had me completely surrounded. I had nowhere to retreat. Just as I was about to scream for help, Vivian woke up. Frederick immediately told his friends to stop. “Don’t disturb Vivian’s rest. If you want to fool around, go elsewhere.” I took advantage of the men’s moment of confusion, broke through the encirclement, and left. When I got home and opened the door, I found the lifelike robot had moved to the living room. I remembered clearly putting it in the basement. Just as I was puzzled, the robot extended its hand. “I came to get you.” Touching the warmth of its palm, I knew—Xavier had come. “I saw them bullying you through the robot. I couldn’t stand it, so I flew here.” “I’ll take you away.” I nodded silently, then said: “Wait three more days. I want to give Frederick a big gift before I leave!” Xavier indulged me. That day, he first took me to his local property to settle in. Then, after listening to the truth about my parents, he was equally furious. “So that’s what happened.” “Don’t worry, Hannah. I’ll help collect evidence too.” “And…” He looked at me with heartache: “When your family had that accident, I was abroad and didn’t know, otherwise…” “These years, you’ve suffered.” I smiled and shook my head: “It’s fine. I believe good and evil will always be repaid.” The next day, to make me happy, Xavier took me shopping through all the major jewelry and clothing stores. We accidentally ran into Frederick’s friends. They all contacted Frederick. “Frederick, isn’t this your wife? How is she with a man?” Frederick waved his hand casually: “What man? That’s the lifelike robot I bought for her.” “Hannah will never have another man besides me in this life.” He was drunk, face flushed, tongue thick as he shouted. A second-generation rich kid next to him suddenly looked at the screen and exclaimed: “Is that him?!” “The mysterious Xander family’s grandson they found ten years ago, the current head of the Xander family.” “He’s always been abroad. Why did he come back?” Frederick’s heart trembled. He looked carefully. After a long moment, he said dismissively: “It’s not him. It really is a robot I bought.” “They just have somewhat similar facial features.” “If you don’t believe me, I’ll call Hannah and ask.” The moment he dialed, he paused. It was already 2 AM. At this time, Hannah would be asleep, and she had neurasthenia—she was most afraid of being suddenly awakened. But… Frederick sneered. No matter what time, as long as it was a call from him, she would answer instantly. This was a habit she’d developed over the years. Thinking this, Frederick confidently dialed. But the next second, a cold response came from the phone: “Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service.”

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New Year’s Eve, two in the morning, I rushed home through the snow. The moment I pulled back the covers, a strong scent of perfume hit me in the face. This wasn’t my perfume. Then I felt something sticky on the bed, and beside the pillow lay a long strand of blonde hair. I stared at my sleeping husband, Warren. He suddenly jerked awake, stammering: “You… how did you get back early?” I forced down my nausea and didn’t lose my temper. Instead, I sent a message to that college girl I’d been supporting for four years, who was currently sleeping in the guest room: [Are you asleep? I prepared a New Year’s gift for you—fifty thousand in cash] My phone vibrated. Mia’s message popped up immediately. [Thank you! I just woke up, Happy New Year!] Just woke up? Two minutes ago, I clearly heard sounds of someone getting dressed and coughing from the guest room next door. For fifty thousand dollars, she wouldn’t even bother pretending. I left the bedroom. Warren sprang up instantly, reaching out to grab me: “Honey, where are you going this late?” His palm was covered in cold sweat. The feeling reminded me of the bed sheets I’d just touched. “To give Mia her gift.” I avoided his hand and grabbed a stack of cash from the nightstand. “It’s New Year’s. Of course I should give a gift.” Warren’s face turned pale, his eyes darting toward the door: “You could give it to her tomorrow… she must be sleeping…” “She’s awake. She just replied to my message.” I ignored his attempt to stop me and pulled open the door. Walking through the hallway, I found the guest room door slightly ajar. I pushed it open. A wave of cheap perfume hit me, mixed with the smell of bodily fluids after sex. Mia was wearing a silk nightgown I’d bought last year, sitting cross-legged on the bed. Seeing me come in, there was no shame on her face. Instead, a trace of a smile appeared: “Hey, why are you back so late?” The sheets were rumpled, there was an indentation on the pillow, and a half-full glass of water sat on the nightstand. I walked to the bedside, looking at this girl we’d been supporting for four years. Her face was indeed young, with an innocence that hadn’t been beaten down by society yet. “Take it.” I raised my hand and threw the fifty thousand dollars right at her face. Bills flew through the air, landing on her hair, her shoulders, falling into her low-cut neckline. Mia froze. The next second, she crawled on the bed, picking up the money piece by piece and clutching it to her chest, her face all smiles: “Thank you so much. You’re so good to me.” As she bent down, her neckline slipped, revealing a small red mark on her chest. I forced down the urge to tear these two apart. “You’re welcome. After all, some money isn’t easy to earn—you have to trade your body for it.” Mia’s movements paused. She looked up, her eyes venomous but quickly switching to innocent: “What are you talking about? I’m using knowledge to change my destiny.” “Is that so?” I glanced at the bed sheets. “I think what you’re learning isn’t knowledge—it’s positions.” With that, I turned and left without looking at her expression. Back in the master bedroom, Warren stood by the window. He’d already rolled up the electric blanket into a ball. “Honey, this blanket’s a bit old. I just saw some dirty stuff on it. Let’s get a new one tomorrow.” “Dirty stuff? It is pretty filthy.” I walked to the bed and yanked down the sheets, duvet cover, and pillow cores in one motion. “Throw it all away. I don’t like things other people have touched. Disgusting.” Warren didn’t dare argue. He carried the pile of bedding out of the room. Watching his back, I pulled out my phone and opened an app. It was for the miniature cameras I’d installed earlier to observe the cleaning lady’s work. They happened to cover the blind spots in the living room and hallway. On the screen, two people were tangled together, rolling from the living room into the master bedroom. I expressionlessly saved the video.

The next morning, firecrackers sounded outside the window. Warren got up unusually early. The dining table was set with pizza and roast chicken. “Honey, eat while it’s hot.” Warren was wearing an apron. “You worked hard last night. Just rest at home today.” Mia sat across from him, wearing a turtleneck sweater that covered her neck. Seeing me come out, she got up and ladled a bowl of soup, placing it in front of me: “Try this soup. Warren went specially to a restaurant to buy it.” I didn’t touch the utensils, looking at Warren instead: “Rest? You’re supposed to come with me to my parents’ place today. Did you forget?” Warren’s smile stiffened. Then he clutched his stomach: “Oh no, honey, I was fine until you mentioned it, but now my stomach’s cramping.” “I probably caught a chill waiting up for you until midnight last night.” What a performance! If I hadn’t seen the video of him naked and tangled with Mia, I might have believed him. “That’s right.” Mia immediately chimed in. “Warren’s health has never been good. It’s snowing so hard outside—what if it gets worse?” “Why don’t… you go by yourself? I’ll stay home and take care of him.” What a harmonious duet. So this is what they were waiting for. “Fine.” I picked up the car keys. “Since your stomach hurts, stay home and rest. Remember to take your medicine. Don’t die at home—that would be unlucky.” Warren breathed a sigh of relief: “Drive carefully, honey. Come back early.” I walked out. The moment I closed the security door, I heard Mia’s laughter from inside: “Finally she’s gone, that old hag…” I got in the car but didn’t start the engine. Instead, I pulled out my phone and connected to the surveillance feed. On the screen, the second I left, Warren pulled Mia into his arms: “Baby, you scared me. I thought she’d discovered something.” Mia pushed him, then leaned into his embrace: “So what if she discovers it? You already said once we get the money, we’ll run away together.” Warren chuckled, his hand sliding under her clothes: “Just be patient a little longer. The equity transfer agreement for her company can be signed next month.” “When that happens, this whole family will be ours.” Mia pushed Warren away and walked into the master bedroom. A few minutes later, she came out. She was wearing my brand-new haute couture cashmere coat that I’d just brought home, along with my diamond necklace. She spun in front of the hallway mirror: “Warren, do I look good in this?” “This coat is wasted on that old woman. Only I’m worthy of wearing it.” Warren hugged her from behind: “Beautiful, so beautiful! All of this will be yours soon—even this house.” Mia stroked the coat’s collar: “Of course. Oh, that fifty thousand she gave me—can I use it to buy a bag?” “Buy it! Whatever you want!” The two started unbuttoning each other in front of the mirror. I turned off the surveillance and took a deep breath. I hadn’t even cut the tags off that coat yet. I started the car and floored the gas pedal. But I didn’t go to the cemetery. Instead, I circled the neighborhood and parked back downstairs. Since you two are so eager, I’ll grant your wish. Five minutes later, I stood at my front door and took out my keys. I turned the lock directly. The soft “click” echoed through the living room. The door opened. In the living room, two tangled figures sprang apart instantly. Mia was wearing my coat, the buttons half undone, with her sweater pushed up underneath. Warren’s belt was unbuckled, his pants hanging on his hips. Seeing me, both their faces went deathly pale. Warren nearly fell to his knees, stuttering: “H-honey? How… how did you come back?” I ignored him, staring at my coat on Mia’s body, and strode over. I backhanded her across the face. “Take it off.” Mia was stunned, covering her face without reacting. I physically tore it off her. “You think you’re worthy of wearing my clothes?” I looked into her eyes. “Look at yourself. You really think putting on phoenix feathers makes you a divine bird?”

I’d stripped Mia down to just her turtleneck sweater. She huddled in the corner of the couch, crying. “I… I didn’t mean to… Warren said the coat looked nice and told me to try it on…” Warren finally snapped out of it and rushed over to push me away, standing in front of Mia: “Claire! What’s wrong with you?” “It’s just a coat! Mia is a student you’re supporting—she’s like our daughter!” “Daughter?” I pointed at the two disheveled people. “What kind of father rolls around on the couch with his so-called daughter?” “Warren, did you leave your brain in the bedsheets, or do you think I’m blind?” Warren’s face turned red: “We… we were just playing around. You’re thinking dirty thoughts—your mind is filthy!” Just then, the doorbell rang. “Warren! Open up! We came to visit you!” Hearing the voices, Mia’s eyes lit up. She immediately wiped away her tears, fixed her hair and clothes, and rushed over to open the door. “Happy New Year, everyone!” Mia took the local specialties from various aunts and relatives, her face full of smiles. If you ignored her swollen face, you’d really think she was the lady of the house. “Oh my, this must be Mia! What a pretty girl!” “This girl is so thoughtful, up early doing housework. Not like some people who travel for work on New Year’s and don’t care about family at all.” Aunt Grace pursed her lips, her eyes cutting toward me. These relatives had always looked down on me because I didn’t give them money and hadn’t had children. Mia poured tea for everyone and arranged strawberries in the most prominent spot: “Everyone, please try these. These are organic strawberries that Claire specially bought—over a hundred dollars per pound.” “Usually Claire won’t even let me eat them, but today you all get to enjoy them.” Aunt Grace ate while talking: “Of course—she’s a CEO. How could she care about us poor relatives?” “Only Mia is kind-hearted. Warren, you need to think clearly about some things. You should marry someone who cares about family, not someone who only has eyes for money.” Warren smiled apologetically, but his eyes kept drifting to Mia. I leaned against the cabinet, watching this farce. “Aunt Grace is right.” I suddenly spoke, a fake smile on my face. “Mia really is capable. Since she loves doing housework so much, tonight’s dinner is all hers to prepare.” Mia’s smile froze. “Also.” I pointed at the bathroom. “The toilet’s a bit clogged. The cleaning lady is on vacation. Since Mia is so thoughtful, why don’t you scrub it while you’re at it?” Mia looked to Warren for help. Warren was about to speak when I cut him off: “What? Does it hurt your feelings? Didn’t you say she’s like our daughter? Shouldn’t a daughter help out around the house?” In front of the relatives, Warren could only grit his teeth: “Mia, then… help Claire out.” Mia went into the kitchen with red-rimmed eyes. Watching her cough from the cooking fumes, I felt slightly better. I sat on the couch cracking sunflower seeds, listening to Aunt Grace and the others criticize me. Until a bratty kid suddenly pulled something out of Mia’s bag. “Mommy! Look how pretty this is!” It was a limited edition lipstick I’d lost last month. The living room went silent. Aunt Grace looked embarrassed: “This… maybe Mia accidentally took it by mistake…” “Accidentally?” I took the lipstick and looked at Mia, who had just brought out a dish. “This lipstick hasn’t even been opened. What, my things grew legs and walked into your bag?” Mia’s face turned pale, the plate trembling in her hands. Warren immediately jumped in: “I gave it to Mia. I saw you didn’t use that shade much, so I gave it to her.” Mia’s tears came on command: “You gave it to me… don’t you remember?” Magnificent. I tossed the lipstick back into her knockoff bag and wiped my hands. “Fine. Since I gave it to you, I’ll see it through.” Under the table, I sent a message to my lawyer: [Is the agreement ready? I need it tonight.]

The dinner table was covered with food. Mia was exhausted, her makeup smudged, her hair greasy. She forced herself to sit next to Warren and put a piece of pizza on my plate: “Try my cooking.” The sauce looked blackish. I didn’t touch it, just swirled my wine glass. Suddenly, Mia covered her mouth and rushed into the bathroom with a “gag.” Retching sounds came from inside. Aunt Grace’s eyes lit up: “Oh my! That sound… could she be pregnant?” Warren’s chopsticks shook. He gulped down some liquor, his face darkening. Mia came out supporting herself against the wall, her eyes red. “Warren… I…” “It’s okay, I’m here!” Warren pulled Mia onto his lap. “Claire, since we’re already talking about this, I won’t hide it anymore.” “Mia is pregnant. It’s my child.” Aunt Grace glanced at me. “Claire, don’t blame Warren.” “You’ve been married four years and your belly still hasn’t moved.” Aunt Susan chimed in: “Exactly! What man doesn’t want a child?” “Mia is young with a healthy body. Since she’s pregnant, it’s heaven’s will.” “As a wife, you should be magnanimous and let her have the child.” Warren raised his voice: “Mia doesn’t need a title. As long as the child can be born and recognized by the family.” “You’ll still be the lady of the house. The child will even call you Mom.” “You want me to raise a mistress’s child?” I lifted my wine glass and swirled it. “Warren, has your brain short-circuited? You can actually dream this up?” Warren slammed the table. “Claire! Don’t be ungrateful!” “If I hadn’t taken care of you these past years, could you have focused on your career?” “Now I just want a child, and you want to kill us all? You’re so vicious.” Mia huddled in his arms crying: “Claire, I don’t want anything. I just want to repay Warren for his kindness…” “If you really can’t accept me, I’ll leave right now, even if I end up on the streets…” “Leave? Where to?” Aunt Grace stood up and blocked the door. “You’re carrying our family’s child. Who dares let you leave!” “Repayment, huh?” I put down my wine glass. The glass made a crisp sound hitting the table. “Since everyone is so righteous, I have a video of Mia’s repayment here.” “Let’s watch it while we eat. It’ll liven up the evening.” I picked up the remote and pressed the cast button. On the TV screen, Warren and Mia were naked and tangled on the couch. Mia’s voice came through: “Warren, your poor relatives are so annoying, especially that Aunt Grace.” “She wanted me to date her son? She should look in a mirror.” Warren laughed between heavy breaths: “Bear with it, baby. They’re just a bunch of old leeches.” “Once Claire dies and we get the money…” “The first thing I’ll do is cut ties with these poor bastards so they stop clinging to us.” On screen, Mia’s finger traced circles on Warren’s chest: “So… that accident insurance, did you buy it?” “The brake pads on her car—you tampered with them and it really can’t be detected?” Warren’s voice echoed through the living room: “Don’t worry, I’ve arranged everything.” “As long as something happens to her, that’s tens of millions in compensation, plus this house and the company shares…” “Then we’ll take the money and go abroad. Who cares if these poor relatives live or die?” Only the laughter of the two people on screen echoed through the room. Aunt Grace trembled all over, pointing at Warren: “You… what did you say? You want to cut ties? And you want to… murder someone?” Mia had lost all color in her face, collapsing limply to the floor. Warren stared at the screen, his lips trembling, unable to speak. I took a sip of red wine. “This is the New Year’s gift Miss Mia prepared for you all. How about it? Surprised?”

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On a stormy day, I was stuck at school, waiting for Megan to pick me up. Two hours later, she still hadn’t arrived. I couldn’t wait any longer and walked out, only to overhear Megan on the phone around the corner: “I know, I’ll bring him back!” “It’s not like I asked his dad to save me back then. I don’t owe him anything! Why should he emotionally blackmail me like this!” My heart ached. If I could choose, I’d rather my dad hadn’t saved her that day. That way, I wouldn’t have to live under someone else’s roof. That night, I submitted my application to teach in a remote district, determined to leave Megan behind for good. An hour after I got back, Megan’s car finally pulled into the driveway. She stormed upstairs, furious. “Liam, why didn’t you wait for me tonight!” Megan’s voice came from outside my door. I put away my dad’s photo and replied flatly, “I waited two hours.” Megan stood in the doorway, a flash of impatience crossing her face. “The rain caused traffic. Couldn’t you have waited a bit longer!” “What’s so great about that school anyway? Just come work at our family company!” I didn’t agree. “Got it.” I wasn’t ready to tell her about my plans to teach in the countryside yet. “It’s late. I’m going to bed. If there’s nothing else, please go back to your room.” I got up and gently pushed her out. Megan’s face darkened as she grabbed the doorframe. “Liam, there’s a class reunion the day after tomorrow. Come with me!” Thinking of that group of high school classmates made my stomach turn. Before I could refuse, she’d already typed my name into her phone. “I signed you up.” “I’m not going.” For the first time, I refused clearly, grabbing her phone and deleting my name. “Megan, I won’t go. Those are your friends, your circle. They have nothing to do with me! My life doesn’t need you to arrange it!” Megan froze, then laughed coldly. “Fine! I shouldn’t have bothered!” “You don’t need to!” I took a deep breath. “And you don’t need to worry about me anymore. I’m not your burden or your responsibility!” She responded by slamming the door. Looking at my dad’s photo on the desk, complex emotions welled up inside me. When I was six, Megan fell into the water. A flash flood had erupted while her family was camping by the river, and they couldn’t escape in time. Megan was swept into the current. My dad happened to pass by and jumped in without hesitation to save her, but he was pulled under by the rushing water from exhaustion. When they found him, his body was swollen beyond recognition from being submerged for so long. That’s how I lost my father. When the Langley family learned I’d become an orphan, they took me in. Megan took care of me constantly. We grew up together, inseparable. Even her friends joked that I was her shadow. Now she was saying I was emotionally blackmailing her. If I could choose, I’d rather it had been someone else who died in that flood instead of my dad. That way, I wouldn’t have to fall asleep every night looking at his photo. As for the class reunion she mentioned, I’d already seen it in the group chat. Those people had spread rumors in school, saying my dad knew his family was poor and used his sacrifice to give me a chance to latch onto the Langleys. I’d fought one of them over it, and we both got hurt. I was so upset that I refused to apologize even when facing suspension. Megan got the security footage to prove what really happened, and the person who spread the rumors was forced to apologize. But I never forgave them. Because that person was Megan’s good friend, and when they said those things, Megan probably agreed deep down. I left the group chat and looked over my teaching application materials again and again before hitting send. My mentor called right away. “Liam, you’ve decided? Does Megan know?” My mentor had met Megan before. I smiled. “She’s not the one who decides my life. I can make my own choices. It’s fine.” A soft sigh came through the phone. “Alright. Good luck with everything. See you the day after tomorrow.” “Yeah, thanks.” After hanging up, I surveyed my room and started packing. Since I’d decided to leave, I had no intention of coming back. Some things I couldn’t take with me, I’d just throw away. That night I slept restlessly, my dreams chaotic. When I woke, dawn was breaking. Unable to fall back asleep, I got up and went downstairs. Helen Langley was already in the kitchen.

“Liam, you’re up early. Do you have plans today?” “Yeah, going to school. My teaching practicum is almost over.” Helen set a bowl of oatmeal in front of me, her tone gentle. “What are your plans after graduation? You and Megan are the same age, and you’ve been in school all these years. When you enter society, make more friends so you won’t be lonely.” I understood her underlying meaning—she hoped I wouldn’t cling too much to Megan. Robert Langley had indicated more than once that he hoped I’d help Megan in the future, maybe even become part of the family. But Helen didn’t agree. Robert had gotten angry about it, calling her “ungrateful.” I’d once overheard their argument outside the study. I understood what Helen meant, and it stung at the time. The secret dependence and feelings beyond family affection I’d harbored in my youth—others could probably see them too. Not just because my dad saved her, but because back then, Megan really had given the lonely me so much warmth. But now I understood. In her eyes, the Langleys had raised me all these years, and that debt was more or less repaid. There was no need to be bound together like real family anymore. But I never needed them to repay any debt. I just wanted my dad back. If they hadn’t ignored the warnings and insisted on camping in that spot, Megan wouldn’t have been swept away. I smiled and said, “Helen, I’ve actually been wanting to tell you this for a while.” “The Langleys have raised me all these years, and I’m already an adult. I want to move out.” Helen paused. “Liam, you…” “My dad used to say that ultimately, people can only rely on themselves. The Langleys took me in for so many years—you and Robert gave so much. I can’t keep being a burden. It’s time I lived independently.” “I wanted to talk to Megan about this last night, but she was upset. I’m only telling you, and I’d appreciate it if you’d keep it between us. I’m leaving the day after tomorrow.” Helen looked shocked. “So soon!” She didn’t offer any polite words of persuasion, just that one “so soon,” which already revealed her true feelings. Probably realizing how she sounded, she quickly added, “I mean, isn’t it too rushed? You still have so many things to sort out. If Megan finds out, she’ll probably throw a fit.” “I’ll leave it to you to explain it to her, then. Tell her after I’m gone.” Helen’s expression softened. “Alright, Liam. You’ve always been sensible. Have you found a job? Where will you live?” “I found one. I’m going to be a teacher. I report the day after tomorrow. Haven’t found a place yet.” “That’s good, very good.” Helen’s tone clearly lightened. She turned and went upstairs, quickly returning with some documents. “This apartment is downtown, right by the subway station. Very convenient. Take it, Liam. When you’re living alone, stay safe. Don’t rent a place with strangers.” I accepted it. My dad’s life was worth all those years of support from them, plus this apartment. Teaching in a remote area would be tough, and I’d need money in the future. With this apartment, I’d at least have a place to stay when I came back. No need to be precious about it.

After breakfast, Helen took me to transfer the property deed. Looking at my name on the document, I felt relieved. I went back to continue packing. My eyes swept over the small trinkets on the bookshelf—all gifts Megan had given me over the years. I gathered them one by one, sealed them in a box, and prepared to take them to the storage room. As soon as I stepped out, I ran into Megan. “What’s that?” She frowned at the box. “Some old things I don’t need anymore. Taking them to storage.” “Let me help.” She took the box without waiting for an answer and walked off. I had no choice but to follow. “Liam, why won’t you go to the reunion? Are you still hung up on what those people said? That was so long ago! Leo’s back in town. Let’s all just hang out.” Hearing Leo’s name made me pause. So he was back. “I said I’m not going.” My voice was calm. “Megan, who you want to be close to is your business. Don’t use me as an excuse. We don’t have that kind of relationship anymore, and there’s no emotional blackmail. When it comes down to it, you don’t owe me anything either.” Megan’s face turned livid. “You!” I took the box back and put it in the storage room, then turned to leave. Behind me, I heard her kick a cardboard box. For the next two days, I sorted through my old things. Megan didn’t come home, and Robert was on a business trip. Helen helped me pack quite a bit, and I shipped it all away. The day I left, Helen looked up at the second floor, reluctance on her face. “That girl is so busy all the time… Never mind. Liam, she’s busy with work. Let’s not disturb her. Take care of yourself.” I wheeled my luggage out and sent Megan one final message: “Megan, goodbye.” No response. I headed straight for the station and began my long journey. That night, on the sleeper train, I was added back to that class group chat. As soon as I entered, I saw photos Leo had posted from the reunion—him and Megan sitting very close, his arm casually draped over the back of her chair. “After all this time, we meet again! Everyone’s still the same!” The group was full of congratulations and teasing. “Are you two together? Congrats!” “You’re perfect for each other. When’s the wedding?” “Liam didn’t come today. Is he upset? If you two get together, what about Liam?” Someone tagged Megan. After a long pause, Megan finally replied: “What about him? What does it have to do with me?” I stared at the screen, almost able to see her impatient face. I remembered high school, when she’d stand up for me and chase away troublemakers, then ruffle my hair and say, “Liam, you’re family. I’ll always take care of you.” “Liam, you’ve lived with us for so long. Just stay forever, okay?” I’d naively said back then, “I can’t stay forever. I’ll need my own place eventually.” But she’d stubbornly grabbed my wrist. “No! Everyone says you have to repay a life-saving debt. I have to take responsibility for you. We’ll… we’ll always be family.” Those words had made my heart race. I’d thought it was a promise. Looking back now, it was probably just a passing whim. Only I took it seriously. Messages kept flooding the group. Someone mentioned me again, and Megan brushed it off: “Stop bringing him up. He lived with my family for all those years. Any debt was paid off long ago.” Leo chimed in: “Exactly. Megan has her own life. She can’t be tied down by the past forever.” I laughed coldly and typed in the message box: “I could have lived without depending on anyone. It was you, Megan, who made me lose my only family. If I could turn back time, I would hold my dad back and stop him from saving you.” Send. Leave group. Block everyone. Megan, goodbye forever.

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1 After I got pregnant, I kept working. But right before I was about to land a huge client, my boss’s assistant, Tiffany, tried to fire me. Her reason? I threw up too much and went to the bathroom “too often.” Fuming, I marched into my boss Aldrich’s office—my husband’s office. He handed me a termination letter and said, “Company policy allows only five bathroom breaks a day. You took ten. Tiffany has every right to fire you. And you’re pregnant—just stay home and rest.” My eyes dropped to the floor. A corner of a lace thong was sticking out from under his couch. So he was cheating. I said nothing. I slapped the termination letter across his face. The moment I walked out of the building, I called our biggest competitor. “Do you limit how many times employees can use the bathroom? If not, I’ll bring my client to you tomorrow.” …… “Serena, are you messing with me?” Daniel’s voice on the other end of the line was laced with shock. “I’m not kidding,” I said, my voice calm. “If you agree, I’ll bring the Evergreen Holdings deal I secured straight to you tomorrow to sign. Once that’s done, you’ll be the top company in Northwood.” Daniel hesitated. “Are you having problems with Aldrich? Is this call just to spite him?” “Everyone in the industry knows you’re the powerhouse, carrying all the major accounts for Aldrich’s company.” “You sold your parents’ apartment to fund his startup, and you’ve personally landed every single contract for the company all these years.” “For the Evergreen Holdings mega-deal, you pushed yourself so hard you nearly passed out from severe morning sickness. Employees wanted to rush you to the ER, but you were so worried about delaying the signing, you stubbornly…” I froze, surprised he knew about what happened recently. Listening to him, I just managed a bitter smile. Yeah, everyone in the industry knew how much I cared for Aldrich. I once believed we’d build our empire together, side by side, until the very end. But today, I was dealt a blow that shattered me awake from that beautiful dream. Aldrich and I started with nothing, two broke students, determined to carve out our own space in this big city. We built everything from scratch, pushing hard until today, finally owning our own company. Six months ago, when I told him I was pregnant, his hands trembled with excitement. But when I suggested we get married, he fell silent for a long time before finally speaking. “Serena, once we secure Evergreen Holdings, our company will be number one. Our dream of making it big in this city will finally be realized.” “Don’t you want to walk down the aisle when we’re at our peak, at our most glorious moment?” “Let’s get married after we close the Evergreen contract, okay?” I agreed. Yesterday, Evergreen Holdings confirmed the partnership, and the signing date was set. I was so overwhelmed, I collapsed on the street outside the office and ended up in the hospital. When I woke up, I rushed back to the company to prepare for the final signing. But I couldn’t get in. The facial recognition failed; I’d been blacklisted. I found a familiar intern to let me in, only to find my office supplies dumped in the trash. Photos of Aldrich and me were covered in footprints, my smiling face defaced with black marker. And sitting at my personal desk was the new secretary—Tiffany. With her bright red nails, she scrolled through her phone, pulling up three months’ worth of my bathroom break surveillance videos. “New company rule: no more than five bathroom breaks during working hours, each not exceeding five minutes.” “You go a dozen times a day. Who knows if you’re actually working or just taking a break?” “If everyone acted like you, how would the company function?” I was stunned. Since when did the company have such a rule? I went to Aldrich’s office and told him what happened. He simply said, his tone flat: “Tiffany was headhunted from a major corporation. The rules she’s implementing are based on big company experience. We, of course, have to follow them.” I tried to suppress my anger, explaining that my frequent bathroom trips were due to pregnancy and work stress. He waved his hand dismissively. “That’s just your weak constitution; don’t use it as an excuse.” “Today, I’ll make an exception because of your morning sickness. But in the future, if someone takes a break in the bathroom and then claims to be sick with diarrhea, am I supposed to pretend I don’t see it? How can I manage then?” My face flushed with anger, my eyes burning. In his eyes, my pregnancy sickness was no different from an upset stomach. I was about to say something more when Tiffany walked in, phone in hand. “Serena, company policy states pregnant employees should be terminated. I only didn’t fire you out of respect for Aldrich.” “But now you’ve violated the rules too many times. If I don’t act, other employees will lose respect for me. How can I lead my team?” “Besides, you’re expecting at your age; you should be home resting. Constantly running to the bathroom doesn’t just affect efficiency, it makes our company look unprofessional.” I stared at her, my voice icy. “My pregnancy, and my frequent bathroom trips, didn’t stop me from securing the Evergreen Holdings deal for the company.” “I’m also a VP here. This policy was never approved by me, so it shouldn’t have been implemented.” Her eyes welled up, and Aldrich slammed his hand on the desk. “Enough!” He saw the shock and tears in my eyes, frowned, and said impatiently: “I’m the one who set the rules. If you have a problem, take it up with me. You’re already fired. Stop pulling rank on her.” “And don’t bring up the deal. Tiffany told me you’ve been skipping out on work, constantly running to the bathroom. The rest of the team did everything.” “If working while pregnant is too stressful for you, making you run to the bathroom all the time, then isn’t Tiffany doing you a favor by firing you and sending you home to rest? Instead of thanking her, you’re bullying her right in front of your direct supervisor?” He furrowed his brow. “Apologize to Tiffany, now!” 2. Apologize? I took a long, hard look at the man I’d loved for ten years, from college sweetheart to business partner. There was a time when a key employee, disrespectful of a woman in charge, talked back to me. Aldrich, without a second thought for the crucial technology that employee held, told him to pack his bags and leave on the spot. He held my hand, standing firm in front of the entire company. “Serena is my wife and my business partner. Disrespecting her is disrespecting me. Furthermore, our company has no room for employees who disrespect women.” Those words spread online, earning us countless praises, and we were even named Best Enterprise that year. Just one year later, he was tolerating a new assistant, God knows where he found her, being disrespectful to me, and discriminating against a pregnant woman. I took a deep breath, about to speak, when my peripheral vision caught a glimpse of underwear tucked under a couch cushion. Embroidered with small snowflakes. It wasn’t mine. A mix of absurdity and nausea churned in my stomach. My feet swayed, and as I looked up, Tiffany was staring at me, a defiant glint in her eyes. It was hers. The words caught in my throat suddenly lost all meaning. I pulled my ID badge from my pocket and threw it on the couch. “You want to fire me? Fine. But according to regulations, I expect my severance package. If I don’t see the money by tonight, I won’t hesitate to take your ‘rules’ to arbitration. And when that happens, I won’t be the one losing face or paying the fines.” “Also, *I* landed this project. You fire me, and you can forget about the Evergreen Holdings deal.” Watching their faces cycle through shades of green and white, I sneered and walked out of the office. The first thing I did was call Daniel. There was no way I was letting them benefit from the project I worked so hard for while they were busy betraying me. Daniel’s voice came through. “Whether you’re doing this to spite Aldrich or not, I’m taking you seriously. If you come, my VP position is yours. And if you’re worried about managing a baby later, I can help with that too.” “That won’t be necessary,” I said, smiling. But for some reason, his voice on the other end dropped, a hint of disappointment in it. “Alright then. See you at the signing tomorrow.” I hung up and went home to pack. Good thing we weren’t married; otherwise, I’d be figuring out a divorce too. But the baby… I touched my belly. A few seconds later, my gaze hardened. With a father like Aldrich, it was better to raise this child on my own. I got home early and started packing. In the corner of the study was a storage box with a note taped to it: “Aldrich’s treasures, please do not touch.” This was the box he kept all my gifts in. He even collected my old water cups and hair ties. He used to say: “These will all be shown to our precious son someday, to tell him they’re tokens of our love.” I had intended to cut all ties with him, but seeing that box, my heart still ached. I opened it. The moment it opened, I froze. Inside weren’t my old things, but a pile of toys and lubricants. My head exploded with a buzzing sound. On the computer, Aldrich’s SnapChat was still open, and messages with Tiffany kept popping up: “Protecting you is what I should do. If you hadn’t helped me relieve stress these past few months, I would’ve exploded.” “Wear the bunny girl outfit tonight to celebrate the successful signing, okay?” My vision blurred, but I bit back the nausea and saved all the chat logs and videos to my phone. Still furious, I grabbed a bag of fuzzy peaches and rubbed them all over those disgusting items, back and forth. You want to play games? Fine. Play all you want. My things packed, I was about to leave when the door suddenly swung open. Aldrich walked in, saw me with my luggage, paused, then smiled. “What’s wrong? I just said a few things. Is that reason enough to get mad and run away?” “I’m just being professional, you know? You’re my wife, so I have to be even stricter with you for the others to follow rules.” “Alright, stop messing around. I bought your favorite steak. Tonight, we’ll celebrate tomorrow’s signing.” I was about to speak, but Tiffany came in behind him. “Aldrich, I don’t like my steak medium-well, make it medium-rare.” “Right, Tiffany likes it tender. Make sure you cook it well.” “Tiffany’s been so busy, she hasn’t eaten all day, unlike you, who got to go home early.” He pressed a package of fish into my hands, trying to push me toward the kitchen. My face went cold, and I threw the fish back. “I won’t cook it.” His face immediately darkened, and he grabbed my arm. “What’s wrong with you? Is pregnancy making you stupid? You can’t even handle this?” “You embarrassed Tiffany at the office today. I specially invited her here so you could personally cook her a meal as an apology, and you’re still being difficult?” “Aldrich, it’s okay. Serena’s pregnant with your baby, it’s normal for her to be moody. I can take it.” Tiffany cut in. “Just because she’s pregnant, she can act like this?” Aldrich grew even angrier at her words. He dragged me to the kitchen, pushed me in, and locked the door. “You’re not coming out until you cook dinner!” I stumbled and fell. A sharp, twisting pain shot through my belly, and cold sweat instantly drenched me. I pounded on the door, crying out. “Aldrich! Let me out! My stomach hurts so bad… I fell… Take me to the hospital…” “Aldrich, I think Serena’s just mad I’m eating dinner here, and she’s trying to use the baby to manipulate you. Maybe I should just leave?” The footsteps outside paused, then his cold voice came through the door: “I just asked you to cook dinner? Is that reason enough to threaten me with the baby’s safety? You’re crazy!” I couldn’t tell if it was heartbreak or abdominal pain, but I kept knocking, pleading. “Cook if you want, don’t if you don’t. Come on, Tiffany, let’s go to that Michelin-starred place instead.” “Oh, Aldrich, you’re so sweet~” I was in too much pain to speak. “I’m not lying… really… it hurts so bad…” My only answer was the *bang* of the front door closing. My vision went black, and I passed out. 3. When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed. And the person watching over me was Daniel. He visibly relaxed when he saw my eyes open. “I called you a bunch of times, but no answer. You scared me to death. I thought you and Aldrich had a huge fight and he might have hurt you, so I rushed over.” “Then I found you collapsed in the kitchen. The doctor said you just fell and bruised your stomach; the baby is fine.” I managed a bitter smile. My injury and collapse *were* because Aldrich had effectively “hurt” me, in a way. I gratefully thanked him, then picked up my phone, wanting to contact Evergreen Holdings’ representative. I planned to tell him I’d left Aldrich’s company and jumped ship to Daniel’s. But my phone screen was flooded with texts from Tiffany. And videos. “Bitch, so what if you’re carrying Aldrich’s kid? You still got sent home to be a housewife? Giving your desk and your job to me?” “Aldrich said he’s sick of you, always working, no fun at all. And you smell gross when you’re pregnant. He prefers someone young like me, hehehe. Who knows, maybe soon I’ll be more than just his VP at work.” “Oh, and Aldrich said since you’re a housewife now, how can you be the Evergreen project lead? Don’t come to the signing tomorrow. I’ll go instead. Save them from seeing your disgusting face and throwing up.” I stared at her taunts and videos, expressionless. Before I could even react, Daniel exploded. “What the hell is this? How dare she talk to you like that!” “You’re not even mad? Do you really love Aldrich that much? Enough to just let this trashy woman walk all over you?” Daniel’s eyes were red. “Serena, if I had a wife as amazing as you, I’d cherish you every single day. I’d never let you suffer.” I calmly texted Tiffany back: “The garbage man is all yours. But you can forget about my project.” I looked up at Daniel, bewildered. “What did you just say?” He gritted his teeth. “Nothing. I just said I’m your boss, and if they dare try to steal your project, I’ll make them pay.” I nodded. “Okay.” The doctor recommended strict rest to prevent a miscarriage. I immediately asked Daniel for three months of leave, planning to rest at home after the signing. As I left the obstetrics department, I bumped into a man and a woman. Both were covered in red rashes, constantly scratching at their bodies. When Aldrich saw me, his face instantly paled, and he rushed to question me. “Serena, did you mess with anything in my study? What did you put in there? The doctor says if they can’t find the allergen, we’ll keep itching like this!” I instantly understood. They must have used the clothes that had peach fuzz on them. I said blandly, “What ‘thing’? Tell me, so I can try to remember if I touched it.” He flushed, but dared not explain clearly. I sneered, pulled out the videos I’d saved from his SnapChat yesterday and the videos Tiffany sent me, and laid everything bare. “Oh, you mean this bunny girl outfit? I was eating peaches yesterday, and I think I accidentally dropped some fuzz on the clothes.” “You!” His face was ashen, and he cursed under his breath. “You’re crazy, spying on my computer! And sending someone to record our videos! What are you trying to do?” He pointed at me and yelled: “You did this to us! I’m not letting you get away with it! Get on your knees and apologize to me and Tiffany right now! And transfer the Evergreen project to her!” “Otherwise, the wedding’s off, and you can look forward to being an unemployed single mom!” 4. I looked at him coldly, then pulled out my phone and called the wedding planner directly. “Yes, we’re not getting married. Cancel everything.” As Aldrich’s face turned ashen, I calmly said, “For the past ten years, I was blind. I mistook a piece of trash like you for a treasure.” “Since I’ve finally realized my mistake, I’m willing to give you up and cancel the wedding. But there’s no way I’m handing over the clients I’ve worked so hard for and the Evergreen contract to you.” I said softly, “You should probably start thinking about how to explain this to the investors who thought you’d secured the Evergreen deal. Oh, and don’t forget my compensation, either.” I turned to leave, but Aldrich lunged forward and grabbed my arm. “I’m sorry, Serena, you know I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately, and with you pregnant, I was scared to touch you, afraid of hurting the baby, so I just couldn’t resist…” “It was just a mistake after some drinks. She said it wouldn’t affect us. We agreed it was just for your pregnancy, and once you had the baby, I’d be devoted to you and our child.” I smirked. “Do you really think I’d believe that?” I glanced at my phone. The signing time was approaching. I looked up at the man I’d loved for ten years, and spoke calmly. “Can’t we just part ways amicably, Aldrich? I’m only taking what’s mine. I’m not trying to ruin your company.” His face cycled through shades of green and white. He just mumbled, “But I don’t want to lose you. I never thought about losing you.” I gave him a deep look. “When you were doing all those things, did it ever cross your mind how much pain you’d cause me? If you had, you’d know that with my personality, I would definitely leave you.” His lips moved as if to say something more, but I walked away. He quickly followed. “I was wrong! Serena! Please, give me another chance! For the sake of our child! Give me one chance. If you don’t want me to have contact with Tiffany, I can pay her off and send her away!” “If you still want to work, I’ll give you a position to come back to after you have the baby…” I impatiently pulled away from his grasp when a car suddenly swerved directly toward me. I couldn’t dodge it in time and was sent flying. Blood splattered as I hit the ground hard, a pool of crimson spreading beneath me. I writhed in agony, reaching out to Aldrich, screaming. “Save me! Save the baby!” Aldrich’s face was pale. He was about to rush over, but then Tiffany staggered out of the car, crying, and threw herself into his arms. “Oh no, Aldrich! What do I do? I just saw you say Serena was taking the project and clients, I was so desperate, I just wanted to chase after her, but I hit the wrong pedal!” “I don’t want to go to jail, Aldrich! Please help me!” I struggled, convulsing in pain. “Aldrich…” I pleaded with him. “That’s your child too! You can’t just let him be killed!” A momentary struggle flashed across his face, then he firmly pulled Tiffany to him and spoke to the police who had arrived at the commotion. “I’m the pregnant woman’s husband. She was arguing with me and suddenly ran out into the street, that’s why she was hit. It wasn’t this young lady’s fault.” He rushed over, grabbed my hand, and said. “The baby… is already gone. We can’t drag an innocent girl into this too.” “How about this, consider this compensation for you forcing Tiffany away, okay? And since you can’t make it to the signing now, Tiffany and I will handle the meeting and sign the contract for you.” “After this, I promise to return home and treat you well.” “Aldrich!” My eyes burned with hatred. “You bastard! You’ll regret this!” Doctors rushed to pull him away, urging him to sign the papers to send me to emergency. But he just pulled Tiffany closer and left. “Sorry, we have a very important meeting to attend. Let her rest in the emergency room for a bit; I’ll come sign later.” With that, they got into the car and drove away. I passed out from the pain. Tiffany, specially dressed in a designer gown, walked triumphantly into the conference room, arm in arm with Aldrich. Some people curiously asked, “Where’s Serena? Wasn’t she in charge of this partnership?” Aldrich said nonchalantly, “Serena severely violated company policy and has been fired. Tiffany is now in charge of this project.” The representative from Evergreen Holdings looked astonished. “What did you say? Serena was fired? Then who will be responsible for our partnership?” “Tiffany, of course.” He looked at Tiffany, whose face barely concealed her excitement, and said dotingly, “This partnership was made possible thanks to Tiffany’s new rules, which streamlined many inefficient employees, allowing us to successfully secure the Evergreen deal. With such an excellent employee as the new project lead, she’ll undoubtedly manage the Evergreen project even better in the future.” Tiffany puffed out her chest, her face glowing. “Yes, I will definitely live up to Aldrich’s expectations. I’ll achieve even better results than Serena did in the future.” But the Evergreen Holdings representative across the table stood up, his face cold. “I apologize, but for this project, we only recognize Serena. Since Serena isn’t here, I see no reason to proceed with this partnership.”

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“What’s one plus one?” On the highway, my brother Sam suddenly asked. I hesitated. “It’s…” Before I could finish, my mother flew into a rage and slapped me hard across the face. “I have a master’s degree. Your father has a PhD.” “Your brother is a math prodigy who gets perfect scores every time, and you have to hesitate over one plus one? You’re nothing but a useless waste!” My cheek burned. Terror flooded my chest. I shook my head, crying: “Mom, please don’t hate me. I’m not useless. Sam said-” But she wouldn’t listen. She pushed me out of the car “A piece of trash that inherited nothing but inferior genes doesn’t deserve to sit in the same car as us. Walk home yourself!” I ran after them desperately, but my parents drove off with Sam anyway. A massive truck came speeding from behind. Suddenly, my body felt light. I caught up to their car. “Mom, Dad, I’m not useless! My teacher called me a young artist and said everyone has their own strengths!” …… “A child’s stride is is roughly between 0.3 and 0.5 meters.” “I did the math for you. From here to the highway rest stop, you only need to walk 3,000 steps.” “This is your punishment, but it’s also meant to activate your potential. Since you’re not naturally clever, it’ll help you fit into our family.” Once Mom finished, she turned and got into the car without a second glance. I ran after her. “Mom, don’t leave me behind.” The car window slowly rolled down. Mom just tossed a small camera out from inside the car. “This is the latest cloud camera. It’ll record you, so don’t try to slack off and skip counting.” “Be careful on the road. You can only walk in the emergency lane.” Mom left those final instructions, and the window immediately rolled back up. I watched helplessly as the car drove away. The taillights grew dimmer and dimmer until they completely disappeared into the darkness. “Mom, it’s so cold.” The weather lady on the forecast said today’s temperature was 10 degrees below zero. But Mom forgot to give me my coat. I held up the little camera dejectedly and spoke to the lens. “Mom, I’m not useless.” “I’m the best at drawing in my whole class. My teacher said that’s called having different strengths.” But the camera lens couldn’t talk back. I sniffled and held back my tears, then started counting seriously. “1, 2, 3…” But it was so cold. Even the warm breath I exhaled seemed to turn to ice. I counted slower and slower, and my steps got smaller and smaller. When I reached 1,000, my legs felt as heavy as two big stones. I tripped over something and fell to my knees. The pain shot through me instantly. My whole body hurt. I apologized to the camera lens through my tears. “Mom, I’m sorry. It really hurts too much. I’ll just rest for ten counts.” Our family often played counting games. Success brought rewards, failure brought punishment. Sam always got the rewards. I always failed, and Mom would punish me for ten counts. Ten slaps on the hands, ten spanks on the bottom. I used to think ten counts was so slow, but now it felt so fast. When the ten counts ended, I struggled to get up from the ground. I moved my legs bit by bit. The blood from my knees soaked through my pants, and every step hurt so much. I gritted my teeth. Just 1,970 more steps and I could get back to our hometown. My grandparents were waiting for us at the reunion dinner. But my body grew colder and colder. White spots seemed to drift before my eyes. I cried toward the camera. “Mom, I don’t think I can keep going.” She didn’t answer. Then a blinding light flooded in from behind me. I had wandered into the middle of the road without even realizing it. When I woke up, I suddenly realized my body had turned weightless.

My lighter body quickly caught up to my parents. They were resting at a service area with lots of delicious food on the table. Mom was urging Sam to drink some hot water. “It’s too cold today. You must drink some hot water.” Sam reluctantly took a sip. I quietly swallowed, wanting so badly to drink some hot water too. “Mom, I want some too.” I timidly begged, but Mom remained completely indifferent. She fed Sam water and gave Sam fruit. She seemed unable to see me at all. I held back my sadness. Just then, Dad suddenly raised his hand to look at his watch and frowned. “We’ve been waiting at the service area for an hour. Why hasn’t Chloe arrived yet? I hope nothing happened to her.” My heart lifted with joy. Dad-he finally remembered me. “Dad, I met a really big truck. I was too tired to run, and that truck-” I wanted to tell Dad loudly. But Mom said impatiently, “Dylan, it’s only two kilometers. It’s not that far.” “If it were Sam, he would’ve run here already.” “She’s always been lazy since childhood. This is a good chance to let her exercise!” Sam nodded. He wasn’t just good at math-he was athletic too. “She’s already slow. If she doesn’t get some exercise, what are we going to do when she’s always sick?” He snorted coldly. Sam often mocked me. This time in the car, he suddenly asked me a math question. He just wanted to laugh at how stupid I was. Before, I would always grin at Sam foolishly, never holding grudges. After all, he was my brother. But this time I was a little angry. I yelled at him. “I am not! Sam is so mean!” If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have been kicked out of the car. Dad hesitated. He looked at the thick fog outside, then his brow gradually relaxed. “A two-kilometer walk takes adults 20 to 35 minutes. Considering external factors, it’s normal for a child to be a bit later.” Hearing Dad’s words made my heart feel heavy. I’d been sickly since childhood, getting winded after walking just a few steps, let alone walking 3,000 steps in such cold weather. But they seemed to have forgotten. They decided to wait a little longer. They waited another hour, until Sam got impatient. He pestered Dad to drive. Just then, a couple walked in. Their conversation interrupted Sam. “We left at dawn on purpose, but there’s still a traffic jam.” “That accident just now was really terrible. I heard the kid’s brains were splattered everywhere. It was just a child…” At those words, Dad trembled violently. Mom panicked too. She quickly opened her phone. She saw the little dot still moving on her phone and breathed a sigh of relief. The next second, she became angry again. “The camera I bought not only records video but also has GPS tracking.” “Look, she’s moving fast right now. She definitely got a ride and is playing victim. She doesn’t listen at all!” “We’re not waiting for her anymore. Let’s leave now. If she’s so capable, she can have whoever’s driving her take her home!” Hearing this, I became anxious. “Mom, that’s not true.” “I didn’t. That’s an ambulance, not a ride I found.” But Mom couldn’t hear me. She bundled Sam up tightly and pulled Dad to the car to go home. I cried as I followed my parents’ car. The ambulance siren seemed to get closer and closer, but Dad hit the gas and exited the highway. The car soon arrived at my grandparents’house. I rushed toward them feeling wronged, but passed right through them.

New Year was my favorite time every year. The New Year gathering meant I could see my grandparents. But now I felt so sad. My tears wouldn’t stop flowing. Grandma rushed to the back seat and lifted Sam out first. Then she looked into the car again. “Where’s Chloe? Why isn’t Chloe in the car?” “Grandma, I’m here.” I sobbed and tugged at Grandma’s sleeve. Mom said impatiently, “She’s riding with someone else.” “Come on, it’s freezing out here. Sam sat in the car for so long-he’s cold and hungry. Show some concern for your grandson.” Mom’s words immediately silenced Grandma. She looked at Dad. When Dad nodded, she sighed and stopped asking. “Alright, alright. I made apple pie. Try some.” Mom, Dad, and Sam all ate with relish. I clutched my stomach, about to cry. After walking for an hour, I was exhausted and starving. What I wanted most was Grandma’s apple pie. “Chloe loves apple pie. I even saved some especially for her.” Grandma said with a smile, standing up to look out the window again and again. I sniffled. I couldn’t hold back my tears anymore. After everyone finished eating and Grandma cleared the table, she still hadn’t seen me arrive and finally couldn’t help asking my parents about me again. “Why isn’t Chloe here yet? Whose car is she riding in? Why didn’t you all come together?” The living room suddenly fell silent. Dad hesitated. “Soon, I think. She should be here soon.” His uncertain answer puzzled my grandparents. “Whose car is Chloe riding in? Just call and ask. She’s been gone so long-aren’t you parents worried at all?” Dad pushed up his glasses but looked at Mom. Mom angrily opened her phone. my grandparents stretched their necks expectantly. I looked too. She frowned and opened her phone. Seeing that the camera’s GPS showed it wasn’t far from my grandparents’ house, she said, “Fine. She’ll be back in five minutes.” my grandparents wanted to look closer, but Mom immediately closed her phone. “While we’re back, I need to tell you something important.” “Chloe’s about to start first grade. You can’t keep spoiling her anymore. It’s very bad for her future development.” Mom’s tone was extremely stern. I hid behind Grandma in fear. Mom loved smart children. She was always gentle with Sam. But I was too stupid. Mom was always angry. Once I scored 59 on a math test, and she was so furious she slapped me. “Are you even my biological child? How can you be this stupid?” “You got such simple addition and subtraction wrong? What’s in your brain?” To make me learn math well, she frantically created study plans for me. Study a year’s worth of math, do math problems. If I couldn’t learn, she’d hit my palms. Grandma couldn’t stand it and would speak up for me. This time was the same. She said quietly, “Jennifer, I think teaching children shouldn’t be too forceful. Chloe is still young…” Before she could finish, Mom cut her off sharply. “Mom, do you know that Chloe now has to hesitate even when asked what 1+1 equals?” “When Sam was her age, he could already solve third-grade math problems!” Grandma’s face turned pale. In the corner, Sam was secretly laughing. I rushed forward anxiously. “Mom, I didn’t hesitate! It was Sam!” “Sam said 1+1 doesn’t equal 2!” I didn’t understand, but when Sam asked again, I hesitated. But Mom couldn’t hear my explanation. “Everyone, look! Isn’t this Chloe’s coat?”

Dad and Grandpa went to get the luggage. They found my coat. Grandpa held up the coat, looking confused. “If Chloe rode with someone else, why is her coat in your car?” Dad frowned, also seeming incredulous. “Jennifer, when you made Chloe get out of the car, you didn’t give her a coat?” Mom panicked, her eyes shifting. “I… I forgot.” “And Chloe too. She’s old enough-she should know to put on her own coat.” Hearing Mom’s complaint, I felt wronged and hugged myself. Mom kicked me out of the car. She didn’t give me any chance to resist. The bone-chilling cold seemed to return. In this warm, heated room, my body kept shivering. “What?” “On the highway, you kicked Chloe out of the car?” Grandpa’s voice immediately rose in accusation. Grandma clutched her chest. “Are you insane? In weather ten degrees below zero, leaving a six-year-old child alone on the highway-how could you do such a thing!” “What if… what if something happened…” Mom immediately cut off Grandma. “There won’t be a ‘what if.’ I told her to walk in the emergency lane. There’s no danger!” Mom seemed to be trying to comfort Grandma. She even opened her phone. “Look, Chloe’s GPS is still moving. Nothing will happen.” But my grandparents didn’t believe her. They insisted on going to the highway to find me. I shook my head crying, my heart aching. “Chloe’s already back. Please don’t fight…” Sam suddenly ran out. He looked like he’d discovered something new. “Mom, look what I found!” I looked at what he was holding and wanted to snatch it away in fear. But Mom grabbed it first. She seemed to have found powerful evidence to turn things around. She pointed at the thing in her hand and questioned my grandparents. “What is this? You’re such good grandparents to Chloe! Spoiling her so she won’t amount to anything!” “Thank goodness I raised Sam myself. Look how excellent he is-first in his grade, perfect math scores. When it was time to move up, every school fought to have him!” “What about Chloe? She’s useless! A waste that you spoiled!” Her words stabbed into my heart one by one. In the picture of our family that I’d drawn, Sam and I held hands while my parents held ours. We all had big smiles on our faces. I’d titled it “A Happy Family.” “What future is there in drawing? I want them to get into NYU! To have a good future!” She was about to tear up the family portrait. I rushed over begging. “Don’t! Mom, don’t!” “I’ll be good. I’ll study hard. I’ll never draw again.” The next second, Mom ruthlessly tore the picture to shreds anyway. Her face twisted as she yelled at my grandparents. “Do you know how much pressure there is in society now? Degrees are so devalued, and you still spoil her. What will she do when she enters society?” My grandparents’ faces went pale. They looked at my father. He adjusted his glasses. “I also believe Chloe should focus on her studies, not waste her limited energy on meaningless things.” His words broke me completely. Through my tears, I felt myself slowly floating upward. Mom, Dad, I wasn’t the child you wanted. Please don’t be angry. Sam will become your pride… The doorbell rang suddenly. Mom went to answer it, muttering, “That must be Chloe. I told her to walk three thousand steps, but I bet she barely took one!” But outside stood two officers in uniform. They held a bloodstained camera and a photo from the accident. “Excuse me,” one of them asked. “What is your relationship to the child holding this camera?”

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While organizing files in my husband Julian’s study, I accidentally found a yellowed gift agreement in the bottom drawer. It was the breakup compensation Julian had given to his ex-girlfriend, Megan, completely free of charge: 30 million dollars in cash, 2% of his company shares, and the property rights to two downtown office buildings. Julian and I had been married for seven years, yet before our wedding, he had me sign a cold, impersonal prenuptial agreement. I had no assets in my name, let alone any involvement in his business. Even this villa we lived in had nothing to do with me. Just as anger surged through me, Julian appeared at the doorway and snapped at me: “I told you not to go into my study. You’ve broken the rules again.” I handed him the gift agreement for his ex-girlfriend and said calmly: “Julian, let’s get a divorce.” He frowned and tore the document in my hands to shreds: “Just because of this agreement?! Do I need your approval to spend my own money? Besides, this is all in the past.” With that, he didn’t spare me another glance and walked out of the study. As for me, I simply picked up my phone and called my lawyer.

When the divorce lawyer sent over the divorce agreement, she was still trying to talk me out of it: “Mrs. Weston, are you sure you want to leave with nothing? Even though you signed a prenup, Mr. Weston has always been generous. You could fight for your legal rights.” Hearing the lawyer’s words, a bitter smile tugged at my lips. Legal rights? I actually had nothing. After we got married, Julian only took a one-dollar salary from the company each month. The division of company shares—he had made that perfectly clear before we even got married. All core assets were under his personal name and had nothing to do with me. The day we got our marriage license, he brought in a professional lawyer as witness, and I faced a thick stack of prenuptial agreements. Actually, I never thought there was anything wrong with it before. Julian was a born businessman—calculating, strategic, extremely rational. Back then, I loved him as a person, not his wealth, so I didn’t haggle over any of it. I even sympathized with how hard it was for him to build his business, always trying to save money so he could invest more in the company. But it wasn’t until I saw how generous he’d been with his ex-girlfriend that I realized what a fool I’d been. My chest tightened painfully, but I replied calmly, “No need. Just proceed with this agreement.” After hanging up with the lawyer, I slipped off my ring: The engraving inside read “JM.” Only now did I suddenly realize—this was the initials of “Julian and Megan.” This reminded me of three years ago, when I had accidentally left the ring behind at an art exhibition. When Julian noticed I wasn’t wearing my ring, he flew into a rage. He dragged me to the door. “Why aren’t you wearing your ring? Where did you put it?” The coldness on his face made me panic. I hurriedly explained: “I went to an art exhibition during the day and accidentally left it in the restroom. The staff said they’d send it over tomorrow.” After hearing my explanation, Julian didn’t say anything more that night, but he still sent his assistant to retrieve the ring from the exhibition staff overnight. Even this villa we lived in—he had originally bought it planning to marry Megan. Megan had left him, yet she walked away with wealth I could never obtain in my entire life. What made me jealous wasn’t just the unfair distribution of assets—it was his favoritism toward his ex-girlfriend all these years. For the entire seven days that followed, he barely said a word to me. He didn’t touch the breakfast I prepared. He didn’t even come home for two of those nights. Thinking of everything that had happened, a wave of numbness and bitterness washed over me. Afraid tears would spill over, I took off the ring and placed it on the table. When the lawyer delivered the agreement, I signed my name on the divorce papers without hesitation and left the villa without looking back.

With a friend’s help, I quickly found a suitable place to live. I’ve never been picky about my surroundings, so that same afternoon I finalized the lease with the landlord. By the time I finished cleaning, it was already nine o’clock at night. I planned to go back to the villa to discuss the divorce with Julian face to face. But I waited until eleven, and Julian still hadn’t come home. I sat blankly in the living room, waiting for him. At one in the morning, Julian pushed open the door, reeking of alcohol. Seeing me sitting there, he immediately looked annoyed. He tossed his suit jacket onto the back of a chair and said coldly, “Are we going to fight again? I don’t have time for this.” As he spoke, he rolled up his shirt sleeves and started walking straight to his room. He didn’t even glance at the divorce agreement I’d left on the table, nor did he say a single unnecessary word to me. My throat tightened, but I still called out to him, “Julian, this is the divorce agreement. Please sign it.” Julian’s steps faltered slightly. He turned back to look at me with irritation. “You’re still mad about that agreement with my ex? You’re my wife now. Can’t you be a little more gracious about this?” Hearing those words, I almost wanted to laugh. So in Julian’s mind, the only reason I wanted a divorce was because he’d given his ex a breakup settlement? But if it were really just about money, I never would have married him in the first place. Maybe Julian would never know—for all four years of college, I had secretly loved him. I wrote him ninety-nine love letters, but never had the courage to hand him a single one. Like a humble bystander, I quietly watched everything about him from the sidelines. It wasn’t until after graduation, when my family arranged a blind date for me, that I ran into him again. At the time, he had just broken up with his girlfriend and looked completely lost. Even though I knew he might just be using me to fill the void, I still agreed to date him. I thought people could change. My sincerity would eventually move him. After we started dating, he rarely took the initiative with me, but he was always polite. He didn’t spend much time with me, but he was willing to watch a movie with me on Valentine’s Day. He’d give me birthday gifts, even though his secretary was the one who picked them out. But those tiny bits of sweetness were enough to make me feel content. After a year of dating, we got married. There was no touching proposal, no romantic wedding. It was only because his parents pressured him to get married that he agreed to marry me. Four years of secret love, one year of dating, seven years of marriage. It was enough. I didn’t want to continue anymore. Fighting back the ache in my chest, I took a deep breath, “Julian, I really want a divorce.” With that, I stood up first, calm and resolute, and repeated myself, “So I hope this agreement is signed by tomorrow morning.” After saying this, I walked past him toward the guest room, mimicking his usual cold demeanor, and locked the door behind me. Julian suddenly shouted angrily behind me, “Fine then, Sophia! You want a divorce? Great, I’ll sign right now. Even if you come crawling back to me on your knees, I won’t take you back!” Soon after, the sound of a door slamming came from the next room. Listening to the commotion outside, even though I was mentally prepared, I still felt a sharp, prickling pain spread through my heart. Maybe Julian had forgotten—during these seven years of marriage, I had begged him countless times. On our first anniversary after the wedding, I had pleaded with him to go celebrate at the beach. He agreed readily, but when the time came, he sent a last-minute message saying he had an emergency board meeting that night. After that, he didn’t bother to explain anything—he just hung up the phone. Seven years passed, and every year I would ask if he had time to travel abroad with me. But every year, he said his schedule was too packed. Just like that, the trip he owed me kept getting postponed again and again. Actually, I never understood why even after being married to Julian for years, it always felt like there was an invisible wall between us. Until that gift agreement surfaced. Then I finally understood—it was simply because he never cared about me at all. I had to admit one thing: Where a man spends his money is where his love lies.

The next morning, Julian was already gone. All that remained in the living room were the shredded pieces of the divorce agreement scattered across the floor. Looking at the mess, for a moment, I felt almost dazed. Maybe Julian wasn’t really that heartless toward me after all? Did he tear up the divorce agreement because he couldn’t bear to let me go? Then my phone buzzed with a new message, snapping me back to reality. The message was from a woman I didn’t know. A week ago, she had suddenly sent me a friend request on Instagram. Her verification message read: “Homewrecker, I’m back. Time to give Julian back to me, don’t you think?” Out of curiosity, I accepted her request. Since then, she had been sending me all kinds of photos and files. Photos of Julian with her at a concert. Screenshots from a video of them watching fireworks together at the beach. Even photos of them kissing in a parking garage late at night. She was even the one who tipped me off about that agreement in Julian’s study. This time, she sent me a photo of Julian sleeping in a hotel bed, his face turned to the side. “I heard you went through Julian’s study and found that agreement. So, have you given up yet?” “By the way, the jewelry Julian left for you—I hope you’ll have it cleaned and disinfected soon.” “I’m a germaphobe. I don’t like other people touching my things.” “The only reason I let Julian marry you in the first place was because you seemed clean enough. Men have needs, you know. Better he uses you than goes out looking for hookers.” “Also, you have three days to get the divorce done. Otherwise, I’m going public with our relationship.” “Don’t think Julian will miss you. You have no idea how eager he’s been.” “Ever since I came back to the country, he’s been coming to see me almost every day. Anyway, I’ve got to go—Julian’s waking up. We’re about to take a bath together.” The messages stopped there. And my tears fell one by one onto the keyboard. Through my blurred vision, I forced myself to reply: “You say you don’t like other people touching your things? Well, Julian’s been sleeping with me for years—at least a thousand times by now.” After I sent the message, she didn’t respond. My chest felt suffocated, like punching cotton. That piercing pain shot straight through my heart. No wonder he stormed out in the middle of the night. I thought it was because my mention of divorce had upset him. Turns out he was just rushing off to relive old memories with his ex. The last thread holding my heart together finally snapped. With trembling fingers, I sent him a message: “Julian, are you free today? Let’s go to City Hall and get this done.”

It had been a full half hour since I sent my message, and Julian still hadn’t responded. He didn’t answer my calls either. But Megan did send me a voice message. “Can you stop being so annoying? Why do you keep calling Julian? Don’t you know? Julian and I hate being interrupted when we’re alone together.” I swallowed my rage and replied: “I’ve already asked him for a divorce. If you don’t want to stay nameless forever, tell him to come back and sign the papers.” Megan didn’t respond. I had no patience left to wait for Julian’s reply. I called a moving company directly and started packing all my belongings. Including all the gifts I had given him over the years: The oil paintings I’d painted for him, the ties and cufflinks I’d bought him… All of it had been tossed in the storage room like garbage. Since he didn’t want any of it, I’d throw it all away—along with the heart that once loved him. Even though I’d lived in this house for seven years, it only took three hours to load everything onto the truck. As I was about to leave, I couldn’t hold back anymore—tears streamed down my face once again. I had just moved into my new apartment and was organizing my things when I received another message from Megan: “Come over. Julian is in my hotel suite. He’s agreed to sign the divorce papers.” Looking at the message, my fingers tightened around the phone. In the end, I only replied: “Okay.” Before I left, a plan for revenge had already formed in my mind. I changed into athletic wear and grabbed a camera with a telephoto lens. Then I took a taxi straight to the hotel address Megan had sent me. She had humiliated me for an entire month. It was time for her to experience what humiliation felt like. Even if it meant Julian would be furious. Even if we’d both go down in flames.

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I was born and switched by the housekeeper. She stuffed me in the servants’ quarters, claiming I was a servant’s illegitimate daughter. She placed her own daughter in the gold-trimmed crib, making her the envied true heiress everyone adored. For three years, I watched her wear princess dresses, drink imported formula, and be cherished by Mom and Dad. While I slept on the floor and ate leftovers. That night, the housekeeper got drunk and let something slip—she said even my name was randomly chosen. I heard every word crystal clear. That very night, while everyone slept, I crawled into the master bedroom. In the crib, the fake heiress slept soundly. I climbed up, aimed at her, and raised my foot. A dull sound of a body hitting the carpet. Then came Aria’s heart-wrenching cries. Every light in the villa blazed on instantly. I heard chaotic footsteps thundering down the hallway. Dad—James Reed, Mom—Grace Hartley, and the housekeeper Victoria Hayes. They burst in together. The scene before them froze them all in place. Me, Juniper Reed, the servant’s illegitimate daughter in their eyes, lying peacefully in the crib meant for the Reed family’s true daughter. While their treasured daughter, Aria, lay on the cold carpet, crying so hard she could barely breathe. “Aria!” Mom Grace was the first to react, screaming as she rushed over to scoop up Aria. James’s face turned ashen, his gaze stabbing toward me like a knife. The housekeeper Victoria’s face drained of all color in an instant. She knew better than anyone what this meant. “Aria, my baby, where did you get hurt? Let Mommy see.” Grace held Aria, tears streaming down her face with heartbreak. Aria’s little face was streaked with tears as she pointed her finger at me. “It was her! She pushed me!” Her words were garbled but the meaning was unmistakable. All eyes focused on me again. James’s gaze grew even colder. “What happened?” His voice simmered with fury. Victoria’s body trembled like a leaf in the wind. She rushed forward and yanked me from the soft crib. Her grip was strong, squeezing my bones painfully. “I’m so sorry, sir. I’m so sorry, ma’am.” “This is my fault. I didn’t watch this wretched child closely enough.” “She must have been sleepwalking and wandered up here on her own.” She spoke while digging her nails into my arm, her eyes full of warning. I endured the pain. I said nothing, only staring at this couple—my parents in name only—with dark, grape-like eyes. My gaze was filled with timidity and fear. Like a frightened little animal. This was my act. Over three years, I’d learned exactly how to disguise myself to survive. Grace’s attention remained entirely on Aria, not even glancing at me. But James was scrutinizing me. His brow furrowed tightly. Perhaps he was wondering how a three-year-old child could run from the servants’ quarters to the master bedroom and climb into such a high crib. “Sleepwalking?” He repeated the word, skepticism lacing his tone. Victoria’s cold sweat immediately broke out. “Yes, sir.” “The child has had this problem since she was little.” “I’ll take her away right now, lock her up, and never let her disturb Miss Aria again.” As she spoke, she started dragging me away. I sneered inwardly. Lock me up? In her dreams. My goal tonight wasn’t just to kick Aria. I needed to stay. Stay close to them. So I started trembling. My thin body shook violently, teeth chattering. I looked at James, my eyes filled with extreme terror, as if I’d seen something horrible. Then I burst into tears. Crying even more pitifully than Aria on the floor. My sobs came fast and frightened, carrying an indescribable sense of grievance. “It wasn’t me… it wasn’t me…” I cried while speaking in broken phrases. “There was… there was a bad person…” “A bad person in black clothes. He carried me up here.” “He tried to take my sister too. I was scared, so I pushed him away…” My words were jumbled. But the core message was clear. A stranger had broken in. James’s expression changed instantly. He wasn’t concerned about me—he was worried about the Reed family’s security. “What did you say? Someone in black?” He demanded sharply. His voice made me flinch, and I cried even harder. Victoria froze. She hadn’t expected me to fabricate such a lie. She wanted to contradict me but didn’t dare. Because if she said there was no intruder, how would she explain my presence here? Could she admit she got drunk and let something slip, and I overheard? She didn’t dare gamble. “Sir, this child is talking nonsense!” She could only deny it stubbornly. “How could a stranger possibly get into the house?” James ignored her. His sharp gaze swept around the bedroom. The windows were shut tight, the door locked. It didn’t look like anyone had broken in. His eyes returned to me, filled with scrutiny and impatience. “Enough. Stop crying.” Grace had finally calmed Aria down. She held her daughter, looking at me with disgust. “A servant’s child only knows how to lie. Like mother, like daughter.” “Victoria, take her away immediately. Just looking at her irritates me.” Victoria felt as if she’d received a pardon. She immediately grabbed my arm, wanting to drag me out of this dangerous place. I knew this was my last chance. Once she took me back to the servants’ quarters, even crueler torture awaited me. I couldn’t leave. Just as Victoria started pulling me, I used all my strength to break free from her grip. I dropped to my knees. Not kneeling toward Victoria, nor toward Grace. I knelt toward James. The absolute authority in this household. I lifted my head, face covered in tears, looking up at him. My eyes no longer held only fear. There was also a trace of attachment and dependence. “Daddy… Juniper is scared…” I called out timidly. That single word “Daddy” made the entire room fall deathly silent. Everyone froze. Including myself. Wait, I hadn’t meant to call him Daddy. I’d intended to say “sir.” But this three-year-old body seemed to have instincts of its own. Under extreme fear and desperate need for protection, it called out the deepest name in its heart. James’s body went rigid. He looked down at me. At my gaunt little face, at my dark grape-like eyes. I saw an extremely complex emotion flash through his cold gaze. Shock, confusion, and a trace of… emotion he himself hadn’t even noticed. Victoria’s face had turned white as paper.

Deathly silence. The air seemed to solidify. Grace held Aria, her frown deepening. “What did she call you?” She asked James, her tone full of disbelief and revulsion. “A servant’s bastard child dares to call you daddy?” Victoria’s soul nearly left her body. She dropped to her knees. “Sir, ma’am, I’m so sorry!” “This child has problems in her head. She babbles nonsense all the time. I’ll go back and discipline her properly!” She kowtowed repeatedly while reaching out to cover my mouth. I shrank back, dodging her. I remained kneeling, still looking up at James. I said nothing, only staring at him stubbornly with those eyes so similar to Grace’s. My gaze said: I didn’t call the wrong person. James’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He didn’t immediately fly into a rage, nor did he have Victoria take me away. He just stared at my face for a long time. So long that even Grace grew impatient. “James, what are you standing there for? Have Victoria get her out of here!” “Aria’s been frightened.” Aria in her arms cooperatively started sobbing again. “Daddy, I’m scared. She’s so dirty.” Aria’s voice pulled James from his thoughts. The trace of emotion in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by his usual coldness. “Victoria, take her downstairs.” He spoke flatly. “Yes, sir.” Victoria breathed a sigh of relief, quickly getting up and grabbing me like a chicken. This time, I didn’t resist. Because I knew my goal was half-accomplished. The seed of doubt had been planted in his heart. I’d caught that momentary exchange of glances. A man who dominated the business world wouldn’t be easily swayed by emotions, but he absolutely trusted his own eyes and judgment. My face was the strongest evidence. Victoria dragged me out of the master bedroom at a quick pace. Behind us, Grace’s voice comforting Aria drifted over. “Aria, don’t be afraid. Mommy will make her leave our house tomorrow, okay?” “Okay!” Aria immediately stopped crying. Victoria’s steps faltered. My heart sank slightly too. Leave this house? That wouldn’t do. On the way back to the servants’ quarters, the long corridor was silent. Victoria said nothing, but her grip on my arm grew tighter and tighter. I knew a beating awaited me. Sure enough, as soon as we entered that dark, damp little room, she locked the door behind us. Then she turned around, her face no longer showing the earlier fear—only viciousness and malice. “You little bitch!” She slapped me across the face. A burning pain. The blow sent me stumbling and falling to the floor. “Who told you to run out there? Who told you to talk nonsense?” Still unsatisfied, she raised her foot and kicked me. I curled up, using my arms to protect my head. Over three years, I’d learned this was the most effective way to protect myself. I was used to this pain. Compared to hunger and endless cold, physical suffering was actually the easiest to endure. “Did you hear something?” After a few kicks, she seemed tired and stopped, panting as she questioned me. I lay on the floor, saying nothing. “I’m talking to you!” She grabbed my hair and yanked me up from the floor. My scalp felt like it was tearing. I was forced to lift my head and look at her twisted face. “I’m warning you, Juniper.” “From now on, if you dare run around or talk nonsense again, I’ll break your legs and cut out your tongue!” “You remember this—I’m your mother! That Aria is the true Miss Reed!” “You’re just an unwanted bastard, fit only to serve my daughter like a slave for life!” She said viciously. I looked at her, my gaze calm. No tears, no begging for mercy. My calmness seemed to enrage her further. “You dare glare at me?” She raised her hand to hit me again. Just then, a knock came at the door. “Mrs. Hayes, are you in there?” It was a young maid’s voice. Victoria’s movement froze. Her expression changed. “What is it?” She asked impatiently. “Sir wants to see you.” The maid said from outside. Victoria’s pupils constricted sharply. Sir? Why would sir want to see her this late? An ominous premonition settled over her. She released my hair and threw me hard onto the floor. “You stay right here and don’t go anywhere!” She warned me in a low voice, then walked over to open the door. The maid outside saw her and paused. “Mrs. Hayes, your face…” “It’s nothing. I just bumped into something.” Victoria explained vaguely, straightening her clothes and hair. “Where is sir?” “In the study.” “Alright, I’ll go right away.” Victoria closed the door and locked it from the outside. I heard her footsteps hurrying away. The room returned to darkness and silence. I climbed up from the cold floor mat and walked to the door. I pressed my ear against it but heard nothing. But I knew James must have grown suspicious because of my “daddy” call earlier. He wanted to verify. And Victoria was his first step in verification. A cold smile curved my lips. Did Victoria think locking me up would solve everything? Too naive. This tiny servants’ room couldn’t hold me. I walked to the window and skillfully moved a small stool over. The window had no lock, just a simple latch. I stood on my toes and struggled to push it open. Then I opened the window and took a deep breath of the cool night air. Jumping down would hurt a bit. But that was fine. I knew tonight’s show was just beginning. I had to see it with my own eyes.

The study light was on. James sat behind the massive mahogany desk, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the surface. Before him sat a cup of coffee, now cold. He hadn’t drunk it. His thoughts were chaotic. In his mind, the scene of that child crying and calling him “daddy” kept replaying. And those eyes. Those eyes almost identical to Grace’s. Three years ago, the day the child was born, he’d been abroad negotiating an important contract. By the time he returned, the child had already been born for several days. Grace was weak after childbirth, so he hadn’t thought much of it. Household matters had always been Victoria’s domain. Victoria was Grace’s distant relative who’d been with the family since Grace married into the Reed household. They trusted her absolutely. So he’d never questioned his own daughter. But tonight, that child called Juniper was like a pebble dropped into his calm lake, stirring up ripples. Would a three-year-old child have that kind of gaze? It wasn’t just fear—there was a calmness and stubbornness beyond her years. Too strange. A knock interrupted his thoughts. “Come in.” Victoria pushed the door open, head lowered, expression respectful yet tinged with unease. “Sir, you wanted to see me?” “Sit.” James pointed to the chair opposite. Victoria seemed flattered, sitting down carefully. “That child is called Juniper?” James got straight to the point. “Yes, sir.” Victoria’s heart leapt to her throat. “Who is her father?” James stared into her eyes. Victoria’s gaze flickered. “I… I don’t know.” “She was an abandoned baby I found at my hometown doorstep. I felt sorry for her, so I kept her with me.” This lie she’d prepared long ago. Seamless. James said nothing, just watching her. His gaze seemed to pierce through to the soul. Victoria felt her scalp crawl under his stare, cold sweat pouring down. “How many years have you been with Grace?” James suddenly changed the question. “Almost ten years, sir.” “Ten years.” James nodded. “Grace trusts you very much.” “Ma’am’s kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain.” Victoria quickly pledged loyalty. “So three years ago when Grace gave birth, you handled everything at the hospital, inside and out.” James said casually. Victoria’s heart skipped a beat. What did he mean? Was he suspecting something? “This… this was part of my duties.” Her voice was dry. “I remember you said at the time that when the child was born, she had a red birthmark on her ankle.” James continued. Victoria’s face turned deathly pale in an instant. The birthmark! How could she have forgotten about this! Back then, to make the Reed couple believe Aria was their daughter, she’d deliberately fabricated this birthmark lie. Because Aria did have a red birthmark on her ankle. But the real Reed daughter had no birthmark at all! “Yes… yes, sir.” “Miss Aria does have a plum-blossom-shaped birthmark on her ankle.” She could only bite the bullet and confirm. “Mm.” James acknowledged, not continuing that topic. He picked up the cold coffee and took a sip. “Alright, you may go.” “Remember, control your daughter. Don’t let her run around scaring Aria.” His tone was bland, revealing no emotion. Yet Victoria felt like she’d just walked through death’s door. “Yes, sir. I’ll remember.” She quickly stood, bowing as she backed out. Not until she left the study and closed the door did she realize her back was completely drenched in cold sweat. Too close. Fortunately, sir didn’t continue questioning. She breathed a long sigh of relief and hurried toward the servants’ quarters. She had to get back and properly discipline that damned Juniper. All this trouble was caused by that little bitch! In the study, James set down his coffee cup. He opened a drawer and took out a photograph. It was Grace’s one-month-old baby photo. In the picture, the infant was plump and fair with bright, dark eyes. Almost identical to that child called Juniper tonight. Another thought occurred to him. Grace’s family had a very distinctive hereditary trait. Severe mango allergy. Yet his daughter Aria loved eating mangoes most of all. Before, he’d simply thought the child didn’t take after her mother. But now, thinking back, this detail seemed suspicious everywhere. A bold thought so absurd even he found it ridiculous rose in his mind. Could it be… He picked up the phone on the desk and dialed a number. “Hello, Leo, it’s me.” “I need you to handle something.” “First thing tomorrow morning, send your most reliable person to my house.” “Collect two samples for a paternity test.” “One from Aria, the other…” He paused, the image of that thin yet stubborn little face floating through his mind. “…from Victoria’s daughter, Juniper.” “Remember, this matter is absolutely confidential.” After hanging up, James leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He hoped he was overthinking. At that moment, in a large tree outside the window. I was hiding behind the dense leaves, taking in everything in the study. Though I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I saw James’s expression. Saw his contemplation when he took out the photograph. And most importantly, saw his serious, resolute expression when he made that final call. I knew my plan had succeeded. He was wavering. Next, I just needed to add more fuel to the fire. Let this spark of doubt burn into a raging inferno. I slid down from the tree silently, agile as a cat. I didn’t return to the servants’ quarters. Victoria was definitely furious now—going back would be walking into a trap. I was going somewhere else. A place where I could make the fire burn even hotter. Grace Hartley’s room.

Grace hadn’t gone to sleep yet. She sat at her vanity, gently stroking Aria’s hair. Aria had been frightened today and insisted on sleeping with her. At this moment, the little girl had fallen asleep, her small face still showing traces of distress. Grace sighed. She thought again about tonight’s events. That child called Juniper, that dirty little face, and that timid call of “daddy.” Honestly, the first moment she saw that child, she felt something strange. Not entirely disgust. There was also a trace of inexplicable… closeness. Especially when she knelt on the floor looking up with those eyes so similar to her own, Grace’s heart had actually stabbed with pain. How could this be? She must be going crazy. That was just a servant’s child. A crude, ill-mannered bastard who’d even learned to lie. Grace shook her head, trying to shake off these absurd thoughts. Just then, she heard a faint, suppressed whimpering. The sound came from the balcony. She paused. This late at night, who was outside? She stood and quietly walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, pulling back a corner of the curtain. In the moonlight, a small, thin figure was curled up in the corner of the balcony. It was Juniper. She hugged her knees, head buried in her arms, small shoulders shaking. She was crying. Crying so sadly, so helplessly, yet not daring to make too much noise. As if afraid of disturbing others, or perhaps afraid of being discovered in her vulnerability. Grace’s heart felt like something squeezed it hard. Pain. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. This afternoon she’d hated this child so much. But now, seeing her cry alone in the cold night wind, she actually felt some compassion. As if possessed, she opened the balcony door. “It’s so late. What are you doing here?” Her voice came out softer than she’d expected. Hearing the voice, my body jerked violently. I slowly raised my head, seeing her, my eyes immediately filling with panic. I quickly scrambled up from the floor, standing there at a loss, like a child caught doing something wrong. “I’m… I’m sorry, ma’am.” “I… I didn’t mean to.” My voice carried a thick nasal tone, hoarse and pitiful. “I… I didn’t dare go back.” “Mrs…. Mrs. Hayes said she’d break my legs.” As I spoke, tears fell again. Grace’s brow furrowed. “She was going to hit you?” “Yes.” I nodded, instinctively touching my swollen, reddened cheek. In the moonlight, that clear handprint was especially prominent. Grace’s gaze fell on my face, her eyes narrowing. She reached out as if to touch it, but stopped mid-air. She seemed to find me dirty. I saw her hesitation. I sneered inwardly but looked even more pitiful outwardly. I lowered my head, saying softly, “It’s okay, ma’am. It doesn’t hurt.” “Mrs. Hayes said I was disobedient, that I made Miss Aria angry, so I deserved it.” “As long as… as long as you don’t send me away, being hit is fine.” “I don’t want to go to an orphanage.” “I heard from other servants that children in orphanages don’t get enough food and get bullied.” Each of my sentences was like a needle, pricking Grace’s heart. She’d grown up privileged, never witnessing such a scene in her life. A three-year-old child actually begging not to be sent away, willing to endure beatings. What kind of desperation was this? For the first time, she felt a trace of dissatisfaction toward Victoria. Even if it was a servant’s child, surely she couldn’t abuse her like this? “You… come inside first. It’s cold outside.” After a long silence, she finally spoke. I froze, as if not believing my ears. I looked up at her, eyes full of flattered gratitude. “Thank you, ma’am.” I carefully walked into the room, standing awkwardly at the carpet’s edge, not daring to step forward. I kept my head down, not daring to look at her or any of the luxurious furnishings in the room. I acted exactly like a child from the slums who’d accidentally wandered into a palace. Inferior, yet tinged with curiosity. Seeing me like this, the dissatisfaction in Grace’s heart turned to pity. “You’re called… Juniper?” She asked. “Yes.” “Who gave you that name?” “Mrs. Hayes.” I said, “She told me I was found under a grapefruit tree.” Grace fell silent. She looked at me, then at Aria sleeping sweetly on the bed. One randomly picked up under a grapefruit tree. One cherished like a precious pearl amid endless love. How unfair fate was. Just then, I suddenly caught a sweet fragrance. It came from a plate of cut mangoes on the nightstand. Left as a bedtime snack for Aria. My eyes immediately locked onto that plate of mangoes. Then my face showed an expression of extreme terror. I began backing away uncontrollably, my body starting to tremble. “No… don’t…” I cried out in alarm. “Don’t eat that… eating it will… will kill you…” My reaction was intense. As if I’d seen some deadly poison. Grace was startled. “What’s wrong with you?” She asked, confused. “That… that thing is poisonous!” I pointed at the mango, voice trembling. “I… I saw it before. A kid in my village ate this and got red spots all over, then… then died.” I fabricated a lie full of ignorance and fear that fit my background identity. Grace froze. Mango? Poisonous? Of course she knew mangoes weren’t poisonous. But she also knew that everyone in the Hartley family was allergic to mangoes. Mild cases broke out in rashes, severe cases… could indeed be fatal. This was a hereditary family secret. Except for the closest family members, outsiders couldn’t possibly know. But this child before her… Why would she have such a strong reaction to mangoes? Could it be… A thought Grace herself found absurd—just like James—sprouted in her heart. She looked at me, eyes full of shock and disbelief. Then she looked at the “daughter” on the bed who loved eating mangoes. A thought screamed frantically in her mind. Could this one actually be my daughter? Then who is that one on the bed?

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Nara, the daughter of a New York tycoon, is a hopeless romantic. To elope with a poor student, she slashed my face and threatened me with my parents’ lives: “As long as you get plastic surgery to look like me and marry the New York billionaire heir in my place, I’ll spare your parents.” As I desperately resisted, subtitles suddenly floated before my eyes: [Nara is so foolish. When they elope, they’ll encounter a tsunami. Not only will she be lost without a trace, but she’ll also lose her status as the female lead!] [The New York billionaire heir is the real male lead, but Nara insists on choosing the poor student, a mere supporting character.] [This random passerby with the slashed face is so lucky. If she agrees to the plastic surgery, she can replace Nara and infiltrate the wealthy family to live the good life.] I covered my mangled, bloody face and made my decision without hesitation: “Take me to get the surgery right now. I’ll imitate you perfectly, I guarantee no one will see through it.” Since she’s delivering this heaven-sent fortune right to my doorstep, I won’t be polite about taking it.

My words made the subtitles explode: [No way, this passerby named Sarah is that bold? She actually dares to replace Nara in the arranged marriage?] [If someone discovers that Sarah got plastic surgery to impersonate her, their whole family of three will definitely die horribly.] In that case, I’ll just work hard to make sure no one discovers I’m a fake. I asked Nara: “Just plastic surgery will definitely have flaws. What if someone discovers I’m fake and drags you back?” As Nara frowned, I seized the opportunity to suggest: “How about you train me properly? Let me learn your way of speaking, your style of dress, get familiar with your interests, hobbies, friends, family, and so on.” “As long as I can comprehensively imitate you, it’ll be foolproof.” Nara immediately agreed: “Let’s do it your way. Anyway, there are still three months until the arranged marriage. While you’re recovering from surgery, I can train you properly.” After achieving my goal, she unlocked the iron chains on my parents: “Sarah, if you’d agreed earlier, your family wouldn’t have had to suffer so much.” At this moment, my parents were already covered in blood, barely clinging to life. Yet they kept begging Nara: “Please spare Sarah, we’re begging you…” Nara kicked them in disgust: “Having Sarah be my substitute is a gift to lowlifes like you. You should be thanking me.” I knelt beside my parents, strong hatred surging in my heart. Just because my eyes, height, and voice were eighty percent similar to Nara’s, she had ruthlessly targeted me. My family was extremely poor. My parents had no connections and raised me by collecting trash. For Nara to torture us was easier than stepping on an ant. Fortunately, there were these subtitles that let me change my mind in time and save my parents’ lives. When I lay on the operating table, the subtitles were still wailing: [Can Nara please just break up with the poor student already? The New York billionaire heir is a tall, rich, handsome CEO. I don’t want to see Sarah get this advantage!] A tall, rich, handsome CEO? That’s perfect. I endured the excruciating pain of bone shaving and flesh grinding, closing my eyes in anticipation. From this moment on, I would no longer be pitiful Sarah. I would replace the love-brained Nara and become the real Nara. The wealthy heir she doesn’t want to marry—I’ll marry him. The good life she doesn’t want—I’ll live it for her!

Starting the next day, Nara put me through high-intensity training. “I started racing at eighteen. Hurry up and get your driver’s license, then practice driving three hours every day.” “Your country accent is so tacky. Quickly practice standard English. If you embarrass my dad at a big event, I’ll kill you!” “Do you understand dining etiquette? Do you understand the rules of socialite circles? Have you ever even gotten your nails done?” As Nara scolded me, she started losing her temper: “I’m very picky about everything—food, clothes, housing, transportation. You reek of poverty. How could you possibly imitate me?” I humbly appeased Nara: “I can do it! Even if I don’t sleep, I’ll study hard according to your requirements.” I knew the gap between Nara and me was huge. But I wasn’t afraid. I forced myself to sleep only two hours a day. Besides practicing driving, I learned financial knowledge from scratch. I also studied all the major fashion magazines intensively, familiarized myself with every luxury brand, and learned etiquette from online videos. With superhuman willpower and determination, one month later, I successfully got my driver’s license, my spoken English became standard, and my eyes held much less timidity. Nara was quite satisfied: “I didn’t expect you to be so serious. Let’s move to the next stage.” She brought out materials and photos piled like a mountain: “This is my family tree. You need to recognize all these relatives clearly. They often give me gifts. If you dare mistake anyone, you’re dead.” “These are my family’s important business partners. You need to treat these people seriously, or my parents won’t be happy.” “This is information and background on my arranged marriage partner. Think it over carefully and deal with him properly for me.” I stared at the photo of the New York tycoon Diego, setting a goal for myself. As long as I could win over this man and have a few children with him, even if someone discovered my true identity later, with the children as my trump card, I could at least save my own life and my parents’ lives. My parents, after being beaten last time, never received treatment. Nara watched me closely and wouldn’t let me take care of them at all. I could only occasionally sneak back to bring them some medicine and food. “Don’t worry, once I become Nara, I’ll definitely let you live the good life.” For myself and my parents, I was full of energy, wishing I could utilize all twenty-four hours of the day. As the scabs on my face gradually fell off, the poor student couldn’t help but worry: “This Sarah looks too much like you after the surgery. What if she takes the opportunity to replace you and steal your wealth?” The subtitles were also anxious: [Supporting male character, please persuade Nara! This Sarah looks so malicious. She’s working so hard—clearly she wants to steal the nest!] [Can someone please tell Nara she’s going to die in a tsunami? I’m so anxious!] Nara dismissed this: “Can’t I control a lowlife trash collector? Don’t worry, I have a plan.” She grabbed my neck, her tone vicious: “I’m giving you an account number. After you infiltrate my family, you’ll transfer all the money my family gives you and the marriage fund to me.” “If I find out you’re embezzling my money, I’ll immediately come back and expose your identity, making your whole family die without a burial place!” After speaking, she pushed me away and smiled sweetly while holding the poor student’s arm: “From now on, she’ll continuously transfer money to us. We can travel the world without worry!” I obediently agreed on the surface, but inside I couldn’t stop sneering coldly. If Nara knew she would die soon, and that I would completely replace her… I wonder if she could still smile?

Soon, as my surgical wounds fully healed, my every word and action took on her appearance. I learned skincare and makeup, learned how to dress and accessorize, and learned how to act coquettish. I could recognize every relative and friend around Nara. I recognized more executives and subordinates in the company than even Nara did. As the wedding date drew closer, Nara couldn’t wait to put me into real combat: “Tonight my family will formally meet with Diego’s family to discuss the wedding. You better perform well!” The subtitles still wouldn’t give up: [I hope Sarah is full of holes tonight and gets discovered as a fake. That way our Nara still has hope.] [Sarah reeks of poverty in her bones. Diego will definitely notice. I’m waiting to see Sarah make a fool of herself.] The subtitles didn’t think highly of me, but I proved myself. From driving home and acting cute with Nara’s parents, to helping myself and Nara’s mother pick out dresses and makeup… throughout the entire process, not a single person in Nara’s family questioned that I was fake. If I could pass Nara’s family’s inspection, I was even less worried about Diego’s family. Before leaving, Nara’s mother asked worriedly: “Have you cut off contact with that poor student?” “You were making such a fuss about canceling the engagement before. Now you’re suddenly so cooperative—you’re not plotting something again, are you?” I imitated Nara’s tone, proudly raising my chin: “Mom, can you have a little faith in me! No matter how much I mess around, I can still see what’s important. I wouldn’t make you die of anger over a poor student!” “Besides, that Diego is good-looking enough for me. This arranged marriage isn’t a loss.” My sweet, coquettish yet clever manner would make even Nara herself bow down in admiration. It made Nara’s mother smile with relief. “You really are my good daughter. Here’s five hundred thousand—go trade in for a new car.” As soon as the money arrived, I transferred it to Nara. Nara expressed satisfaction and told me to perform well tonight. Once seated at the dinner table, even though I knew Diego kept observing me, I deliberately acted indifferent toward him. While eating, I paid special attention to avoid all the foods Nara wouldn’t touch. When they started discussing the wedding budget, Diego took the initiative to talk to me: “My current budget is eighty million dollars. Do you have any thoughts on this?” I curled my lips into a mocking smile: “Eighty million? Are you treating me like a beggar? I spend more than eighty million just setting off fireworks. If you want to marry me, please show the highest level of sincerity.” That haughty, domineering manner made Diego narrow his eyes appreciatively: “Alright, I’ll plan the wedding with a five hundred million budget, no upper limit.” I petulantly slammed the table: “Come sit over here. How can we discuss details from so far away?” “I want the best designer to design my wedding dress. I won’t wear it unless it’s covered in diamonds.” Diego smiled knowingly and sat beside me. The subtitles were all exclaiming: [Sarah really captured the essence. Neither family noticed Sarah is fake. What if she actually marries Diego?] [Can Nara please properly punish Sarah? I think this ugly woman really wants to climb up to Diego, this high branch.] Diego’s family was extremely satisfied with me and transferred ten million in wedding fund advance payment on the spot. As soon as the meeting ended, I transferred the money to Nara. “Sarah, your performance tonight was excellent—completely authentic.” I thought Nara had lowered her guard around me. Who knew she would suddenly change her expression and slap me hard: “Remember your identity. Fake is fake—it can’t become real.” “Your purpose in life is to get married for me, then transfer money to me to keep your parents’ dog lives safe.” After speaking, she actually dragged my parents out again. Right in front of me, she viciously broke one of my father’s legs: “If I find out you’re trying to replace me, I’ll cripple all your parents’ remaining legs!”

Amid my parents’ screams, I wiped away my tears and kowtowed to her in humiliation: “I’ll do whatever you tell me to do. I absolutely won’t covet things that don’t belong to me.” Nara threw all her documents at me, then took my documents and began preparing her elopement plan. Through the subtitles, I learned she and the poor student had booked a smuggling boat and reserved a house abroad. Following Nara’s instructions, I converted all her expensive bags and jewelry into cash and deposited it all into her account. During this time, I also persisted in paving my own way. Whenever I returned to Nara’s home, I would secretly collect Nara’s hair for future emergency use. The subtitles grew more and more anxious: [The more I watch this Sarah, the less she seems like a good person. I feel like Nara is raising a tiger that will devour her.] [If only Nara would check the weather forecast before setting her itinerary, she could avoid the tsunami!] I counted down to the elopement day, extremely excited inside. As long as Nara got on that boat and died in the tsunami, I wouldn’t have to live in fear anymore. I seized every opportunity to get close to Diego. However, Diego was unfathomable. One day he actually said to me: “Nara, you’re not quite what I imagined.” I used coquettishness to hide my panic, asking him what was different. “According to my investigation, you were previously madly in love with a poor student and even wanted to cancel the engagement for him.” “I wonder what made you change your mind and agree to this arranged marriage with me?” I scoffed, putting on a disgusted expression: “Can we not mention that tacky ex-boyfriend? Isn’t that bad luck?” Diego stared at me meaningfully: “Since you dislike your ex-boyfriend so much, I’ll keep an eye on him for you and absolutely won’t let him harass you again.” I suppressed my panic, treating Diego’s words as a joke. In our subsequent interactions, I began occasionally mentioning the poor student to avoid Diego’s suspicion. After enduring a few more days, the day of Nara’s elopement finally arrived. According to plan, I stayed at Diego’s place that night. I wanted to take the opportunity to sleep with him, while the subtitles live-broadcast the elopement process. [It makes me so angry to see Sarah hugging and kissing Diego! She’s here embracing the rich and handsome guy while the real Nara can only secretly board a boat to elope.] [Nara has ultimately boarded the ship of no return. The tsunami is approaching. My female lead is going to die like this…] Seeing the subtitles say that Nara’s boat had set sail, the heavy stone in my heart finally settled. After tonight, I would be the real Nara! No one would ever harm our family again, and I wouldn’t have to be anyone’s dog anymore. All that awaited me in the future would be inexhaustible wealth and honor. Suppressing my inner excitement, I was about to continue being intimate with Diego when his assistant suddenly pounded on the door frantically: “This is bad! That poor student eloped with Nara! Someone saw them board a ship heading abroad!” My body stiffened, and I completely panicked. Of all my calculations, I never calculated this. Diego wasn’t joking—he was actually keeping an eye on the poor student! If Diego wanted to get to the bottom of this, I would definitely be exposed! Not only would all my efforts be wasted, but our family of three couldn’t escape a horrible death either… Just as I was in a panic, Diego looked at me suspiciously, then opened the door and questioned his assistant: “Are you sure that woman who eloped is my fiancée Nara?” “Positive! I received photos!” Diego took the phone and looked. His expression instantly froze. The next second, he viciously grabbed my hand: “If the woman who eloped is Nara, then who are you?” My heart jumped into my throat. At the same time, the subtitles began scrolling frantically before my eyes.

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The hospital had limited parking, so to make dialysis treatments more convenient, I rented an exclusive parking spot near the hospital at a premium price. But my wife’s childhood sweetheart always came crying to me on rainy days, begging me to give up my spot, saying his asthma meant he couldn’t get wet in the rain. I refused: “There’s a public parking lot right next door. It’s just a few extra steps. Why do you need to take mine?” When my wife found out, she was furious: “Can’t you be a little more compassionate? His asthma attack almost killed him on the road!” I was confused: “He has a car but won’t use it. He insists on getting soaked to steal my parking spot, and that’s somehow my fault? Besides, it’s an exclusive spot. I paid for it. First come, first served.” My wife fell silent: “I’m sorry. I was too worried.” For the next few months, she drove me back and forth without fail, rain or shine. But on the day I needed emergency treatment for acute kidney failure, she drove me around for three hours, deliberately missing the optimal treatment window. On the hospital’s big screen, she stood embracing her childhood sweetheart with a cold smile: “Didn’t you say first come, first served? Well, there’s no dialysis bed available now. Let’s see how long your life has to wait in line.”

A sharp pain tore through my kidneys. I grabbed my wife Kate’s arm desperately: “Kate, quick! Get me to the hospital. I feel like I’m dying!” She violently shook off my hand and sneered. “What’s the rush? When Pedro had his asthma attack, he was in a hundred times more pain than you are now.” The car suddenly braked hard. I looked out the window—this wasn’t the hospital. It was a deserted underground parking garage. Complete silence surrounded us. “Kate, have you lost your mind? What the hell are you doing?” She didn’t answer. Instead, she turned on the car’s display screen. The image showed live surveillance footage from the hospital’s dialysis center. In the city’s most advanced blood purification chamber—the one I had reserved—her childhood sweetheart Pedro lay comfortably, attended by several nurses. Kate smiled at Pedro on the monitor, then turned to look at me. “David, I’m so sorry. Pedro had a sudden severe asthma attack. It was critical, so he had to use your spot first.” My heart sank to the bottom. “You planned this all along?” She finally dropped her disguise, laughing contemptuously: “You’re the one who said it—first come, first served. Now, you can just wait here.” The excruciating pain made my vision go black. I used the last of my strength to beg her: “Then at least take me to another hospital!” She acted like she’d heard the funniest joke in the world. “Another hospital? Why should I spend money to save a useless burden like you?” She turned on the car’s air conditioning to the coldest setting, the freezing air blasting directly at me. I shivered violently from the cold, but the pain in my abdomen only intensified. She lit a slim cigarette. The harsh smoke made me cough violently, each cough tugging at my torn kidneys. I stared at her now-unfamiliar profile, my voice hoarse: “Kate, our three years together…” “Really?” Her eyes were ice cold. “Pedro said he saw you embracing another woman. Now you want to talk about our three years together?” I looked at her in shock: “You’re insane! When did I ever—” “Enough!” Kate whirled around. “Pedro’s body is damaged. Fine, you took his parking spot. But then you made him stand in the rain until he got a fever. Now it’s time for you to experience what suffering feels like!” The car door locked with a “click.” She got out, imprisoning me alone in this cold, desperate space. On the screen, Pedro showed a triumphant smile and waved at the camera. I don’t know how much time passed before the car door was violently yanked open. Kate stood outside, several thugs behind her with cigarettes dangling from their mouths, their eyes leering at me. She held a bucket filled with murky, filthy water. “It’s too dry in the car,” she looked down at me condescendingly. “How else can you understand the helplessness Pedro felt waiting for a parking spot in the rain?” I moved my lips weakly, each word draining all my remaining strength: “Kate… save me…” She snorted coldly. The thugs immediately understood. Two hands reached in, dragging me roughly from the car and throwing me hard onto the muddy ground. Mud water instantly soaked through my clothes. I struggled to get up, but a foot pressed down hard on my back, pinning me to the ground, unable to move. Kate lifted the bucket and walked over to me. The filthy water poured down from above my head, reeking terribly, choking into my mouth and nose. I shook violently from the cold, my consciousness gradually blurring between the freezing temperature and the excruciating pain in my kidneys.

“Don’t you have OCD?” Her voice was filled with vengeful pleasure as her high heel ground over my fingers. “Don’t you disinfect the house three times every day? How does it feel now?” She gave a thug a look. The man grinned viciously, pulled a baseball bat from the trunk, weighed it in his hands, and tossed it to her. Kate caught the bat and crouched down beside me, her voice soft. “Pedro said that day after getting caught in the rain, he felt like his lungs were going to explode.” She slowly stood up and raised the baseball bat. “Now, let you feel the same.” The bat came down with a sharp whistle, smashing hard into my lower back—right where my kidneys were. “Ahhh—!” The intense pain made me scream inhumanly. My body arched violently, and my vision went completely black. On the car screen, Pedro spoke with fake concern, though excitement leaked through his voice: “Kate, that’s enough. Don’t break him. I still need him…” “You’re still defending him!” Pedro’s words seemed to trigger Kate, madness exploding in her eyes. “He almost killed you! This little pain is nothing!” She stopped letting the thugs do it and took matters into her own hands. Another strike, smashing hard into my calf. “Crack!” I clearly heard the sound of my own bone shattering. The pain nearly made me pass out, but she still wasn’t satisfied. She threw down the bat and ordered a thug: “Tear off his shirt!” The expensive cashmere sweater she’d given me for my birthday was ripped apart with a “rip.” My bare upper body was exposed to the cold autumn wind, trembling all over. I stared at her intently, using the last trace of my strength. During a brief gap in the pain, I used my last bit of strength, my fingers trembling as they moved quietly toward my collar. There was a specially made emergency pin sewn there. My assistant Leo had half-forced me to wear it before this hospitalization, calling it a good luck charm. He always said I trusted human nature too much. I struggled with all my might and finally pressed that tiny switch. My tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and I almost collapsed from exhaustion. Leo. He would come. He would definitely come to save me. As long as I could hold on until he arrived… “David, what are you up to?” Kate’s voice pierced through the hope I’d just kindled. She bent down and yanked open my collar. The small pin was exposed before her eyes. She froze for a moment, then her face flooded with the rage of being played. She lifted her foot, the tip of her scarlet high heel aimed at the pin. “Trying to call for help?” “Crack!” “You useless piece of trash, you’re pretty cunning though.” The metal casing was crushed and deformed, electronic components scattering everywhere. I stared at her hard, my vision going black in waves. I can’t die. In college, I’d taken an emergency medical course and studied physiology well. Now I could only rely on myself. I curled up in the mud water, using a specific position to reduce pressure and bleeding in my kidneys. I regulated my breathing, fighting against wave after wave of intense pain. Seeing that I was actually trying to save myself, Kate’s expression became extremely complex. Pedro’s voice came from the car screen again. “Kate, when I had my asthma attack, the pain almost killed me. How can he still hold on this long?” “He shouldn’t have it this easy!” “Right, he shouldn’t have it this easy.” Kate nodded. She turned and took a white medical kit from the car, throwing it on the ground. A woman who’d been standing behind the thugs walked over. She wore an ill-fitting nurse’s uniform, her face completely expressionless. “He’s lasted too long.” Kate issued her cold command. “Give him an injection of diuretics and saline.” My pupils contracted sharply. “Kate, you’re insane!” I screamed with all the strength in my body: “My kidney function has already failed! This will accelerate electrolyte imbalance and cause cardiac arrest!” The fake nurse crouched down expressionlessly, opened the medical kit, and skillfully drew a syringe full of clear liquid. The needle gleamed coldly as it pierced my arm. “No—”

The drug was forcefully pushed into my vein. In that instant, I felt my heart suddenly stop beating. Then came an even more violent pounding, as if it would burst through my chest. My breathing was instantly taken away. All the muscles in my body began convulsing violently, uncontrollably. My body arched in the icy mud water, then crashed down heavily, bouncing repeatedly. Kate watched me struggle in agony on the ground with cold indifference, watching my lips gradually turn purple from lack of oxygen, her tone terrifyingly calm. “When Pedro had difficulty breathing, he convulsed just like this.” The drug burrowed into my veins. My heart stopped suddenly. Then came the drum-like violent pounding, threatening to tear my chest apart. My breathing was stripped away. My muscles spasmed uncontrollably, my whole body arching in the icy mud water before crashing down heavily. In my fading consciousness, I saw my mother. She lay in a hospital bed, holding my hand, her breath barely there. “David, live well… for me… see the whole world…” No. I can’t die. I haven’t fulfilled my promise to her yet! I bit down hard on my tongue. The sharp pain brought a moment of clarity. I used my last bit of strength to fumble in the mud, my fingertips touching a sharp piece of broken stone. I slashed it toward the woman who had injected me. “Ahhh—!” She screamed and dodged, a deep gash opening on her arm, visible to the bone. “You dare fight back!” Kate’s face twisted with rage. She kicked the stone out of my hand. She stared at me intently, then suddenly smiled eerily. “David, didn’t you once say your greatest wish was to donate your corneas after death to help others?” That was the most sincere thing I’d ever said to her, whispered lovingly in her ear. On the screen, Pedro’s voice rang out excitedly. “Kate, I have a friend whose mother is waiting for a suitable cornea donor!” “Perfect.” Kate’s smile was both brilliant and cruel. “Since you’re going to die anyway, might as well make a contribution now.” She tilted her head toward the thugs. “Hold him down.” “Take out his corneas for me!” “Kate! You wouldn’t dare!” I let out a beast-like roar, my eyes bloodshot, rage filling my vision. Several thugs surrounded me with vicious grins. One of them now held a gleaming fruit knife. They pinned down my limbs. The cold blade aimed at my eye. Just as the knife tip was about to pierce my eyeball— “BOOM!” The parking garage’s rolling door was smashed open by tremendous force. Several black cars sped in. Trained men in black jumped out of the vehicles. The thugs were subdued instantly. Screams rose one after another. The man leading the group rushed to me and wrapped me in his coat. “David! I’m sorry Leo came late!” All the strength seemed to drain from my body. I leaned against his solid arm, lifted my eyes, and looked coldly at Kate. On the screen, Pedro’s face froze, completely dazed. “David?” Kate’s voice shook uncontrollably. She couldn’t comprehend what was happening before her eyes. Pedro on the other end of the screen took a long moment before letting out a terrified shriek. “Kate, run! They’re… they’re from Stellar Technologies!” I looked at Kate, using all my strength, each word hoarse like sandpaper scraping. “Her, and that man on the screen—I want them… to beg for life but be denied, to beg for death but be unable.”

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