Category: English

My brother, Leo, is devastatingly handsome and an incorrigible flirt—a walking trail of broken hearts. So when I caught a glimpse of him at the gala, engaged in a subtle, flirty exchange with the fiancée of Julian Sterling, the head of the entire Sterling dynasty, my world went dark. Stunned and furious, I frantically stomped on my brother’s foot under the table, a desperate, silent plea for him to stop. But then Jason, who had been studying his cards with his gaze lowered, slowly lifted his eyes to meet mine. His look was deep, unnervingly direct. Oh God. I stomped on the wrong man. 1 It was the engagement party for the Sterling family’s eldest daughter. As close family friends for generations, my brother Leo insisted on dragging me along to offer our congratulations. On the way there, he gave me the usual lecture, a litany of warnings to steer clear of certain trust-fund types. I nodded obediently through it all. “When it comes to love, Elara, remember this: all men are trash. Every single one.” I shot a silent, sidelong glance at my brother, with his ridiculously charming smile and eyes that promised nothing but trouble. “You do realize you’re a man too, right?” I reminded him. Leo just laughed. “Exactly. And I’m the worst of them all.” I was speechless, rolling my eyes so hard I thought they’d get stuck. He pinched my cheek, a devilish grin spreading across his face. “Elara, are you cursing me out in your head again?” “No!” I yelped, a little too quickly. Leo is five years older than me. Handsome, wild, with a romantic life that could fill a novel. But with me, he was a warden. Before I left for college, his rules were absolute: no dating, no late nights, and every outing had to be reported and approved. He was a tyrant. When we were kids, he’d parade me around in front of his friends. “Look! Isn’t my sister the prettiest, cutest thing you’ve ever seen? Bet you wish you had one.” Now that I’m older, he barely lets his friends near me and scrutinizes every interaction I have with the opposite sex. His justification? “My sister is beautiful, and the world is full of scumbags. I have to keep her safe. I won’t let anyone fool her.” Tonight’s gala was supposed to be my official entry into this world now that I’d graduated—a chance to network, to see and be seen. The Sterlings were the pinnacle of high society, after all. The guest list was a who’s who of power and wealth. I just never imagined that the one to cause the biggest scene would be my own brother, the very person who’d lectured me on propriety all evening. He was a player, a Casanova. But I never thought he’d be reckless enough to target the fiancée of Jason Sterling himself. The engagement party was held at a magnificent private estate, a sprawling garden that felt like something out of a fairy tale. After the formal ceremonies, Leo and Jason retreated to a quiet conservatory overlooking the grounds, joining a high-stakes poker game and talking business. I had wandered off, exploring the rose gardens, and was making my way back along a stone veranda. I glanced across a small koi pond towards the conservatory, and what I saw made my blood run cold. Even from a distance, my eyes locked onto the scene. Under the table, my brother’s foot was shamelessly, intimately toying with the woman beside him. I could see the amethyst silk of her dress ripple with the movement. And that woman was Stella Dalton. Jason Sterling’s fiancée. Jason was a man with a fearsome reputation. He had the face of a saint and the heart of a shark. He was impossibly handsome, exuding a gentle, cultured charisma in every interaction. But in the boardroom, his tactics were ruthless, merciless. He wouldn’t have clawed his way to the top of the Sterling family, surpassing six older siblings, if he were anything less. Had my brother lost his mind? His audacity was terrifying. My heart pounding, I hurried over to the conservatory. The men at the table barely glanced up as I entered, their focus locked on their cards. I squeezed myself into the small space beside my brother, positioning myself right between him and Stella. I pretended to watch the game, but my eyes were burning holes into the side of Leo’s head, wishing I could knock him unconscious and drag him out of there. “Care to play?” Jason’s voice, cool and smooth, cut through the tension. Startled, I flinched, my guilt over my brother’s actions making my heart leap into my throat. I looked up at him—at that face, with its flawlessly sculpted features and eyes that seemed to hold ancient secrets. The sheer force of his beauty left me flustered. I shook my head, managing a shy smile. “I’m not very good.” Then, trying to be playful, I added, “Besides, I’m broke. I haven’t even gotten my first paycheck yet.” A faint smile touched Jason’s lips. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, his voice a low murmur. “Your winnings are your own. Your losses are on me.” Unsure how to respond, I looked to my brother for help. A smug, unreadable smirk played on Leo’s lips as he patted my arm. “What are you waiting for? Thank your Uncle Jason.” Jason was the youngest of his generation, the Sterling patriarch’s last son. Though he was only seven years older than me, our parents’ generation considered him a peer. Technically, I was supposed to address him with a level of formal respect. “Thank you… Jason,” I mumbled, feeling my brother was deliberately trying to make this awkward. On the rare occasions I’d met Jason before, I always called him Mr. Sterling. Leo called him by his first name, yet he wanted me to call him ‘uncle’? Jason gave a slight nod, his eyes warm. Then, a ghost of a smile touched his lips as he looked from me to my brother. “If she’s calling me Jason, perhaps you should stick to Mr. Sterling, Leo. After all, you’ll be calling Stella ‘Mrs. Sterling’ soon enough.” Leo’s eyes narrowed, the smile on his face turning frigid. Stella, who had been sitting quietly beside him, kept her eyes downcast, a silent statue. Something was deeply wrong here. A love triangle? Some dark, hidden secret? My curiosity was a frantic, buzzing thing I couldn’t contain. Sensing the sudden frost in the air, I jumped in, my voice bright and eager. “Let me shuffle!” My attempt was clumsy, the cards fumbling through my fingers. It was obvious I barely ever touched a deck. Leo scoffed. “You don’t even know how. Why offer?” Stella finally looked up, offering me a gentle smile. “I can do it.” Jason just watched, his expression unreadable as he took a slow sip of tea. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. The oppressive atmosphere in the room seemed to lift, just a little. As it turned out, my luck was incredible. I won three hands in a row. But I couldn’t enjoy it. My brother was at it again. I’d been watching them like a hawk, and I saw the blush on Stella’s cheeks deepen. That was it. Furious, I kicked my leg out under the table and stomped on Leo’s foot. He didn’t even flinch. I stomped again, harder this time, then a third time, trying to signal that I knew exactly what he was doing and he needed to stop. Now. Still, he ignored me completely. I pressed my shoe down on his, grinding my heel in, baffled by his lack of reaction. It was then, in my confusion, that my eyes met Jason’s. His brow was furrowed slightly, his gaze resting on me, quiet and intense. A horrifying realization dawned. I froze, staring at him. I hadn’t just stomped on the wrong person. I had stomped on Jason Sterling. Repeatedly. Under the table, in front of everyone. An act that could only be interpreted as a brazen, intimate adHavens. Leo finally noticed my stunned silence. He flicked my forehead. “What are you staring at Jason for?” he asked, his tone sharp. Jason’s expression smoothed out, a slow, amused smile gracing his lips. “Yes, why are you staring at me, Elara?” he purred. “Want one of my cards?” My mind was a complete blank. Shock made me blurt out the first thing that came to it. “You’re just… stunning.” The moment the words left my mouth, reality crashed back in. My face exploded in heat. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole. Jason’s gaze remained calm, and he simply gave a small, dismissive smile. He’d probably heard it a million times. My brother snorted. “What, more stunning than me?” Flustered, I just stammered, “You’re both stunning, everyone’s stunning…” The game ended soon after. Leo and Jason started talking business, their tones deceptively casual. After a few minutes, Stella excused herself to go to the restroom. A moment later, Leo got up and left too. Leaving me alone with Jason Sterling. I immediately leaned forward, my voice a mortified whisper. “Mr. Sterling… Jason… I am so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to.” My words tumbled out in a rush. “I was trying to mess with my brother, I thought that was his foot.” There wasn’t a hint of annoyance on his face. Seeing my panic, he even teased me. “And here I was, thinking my shoes had personally offended you.” My face burned even hotter. He had accepted my apology and wasn’t pressing the issue. He changed the subject, his voice casual. “You’ll be starting your internship at Sterling Corp soon, won’t you? Does your brother know?” Leo wanted me to work at our family’s company, but I’d refused. I lied and told him I wanted to enjoy my last summer before starting a real job. In reality, I’d secretly applied to Sterling Corp and gotten in. But I was just an intern. How would the CEO of a global conglomerate even know who was being hired for a bottom-rung position? Yet, here he was, mentioning it. He knew. Panic seized me. Did he think I was some kind of corporate spy? I was wrestling with how to deny it without sounding even more suspicious when he seemed to read my mind. “It was just a question,” he said, his voice soothing. “You earned that offer on your own merit. Come in, work hard, and don’t worry about it.” Relief washed over me, and my eyes lit up. I beamed at him, my gratitude shining through. Jason paused, his cool, moon-like eyes half-lidding for a fraction of a second, hiding an emotion I couldn’t decipher. It was as dark and complex as storm clouds gathering on the horizon. Leo and Stella were still gone. A knot of anxiety tightened in my stomach. Using the restroom as my excuse, I slipped out to find them, muttering curses at my brother under my breath. The first thing I was going to do when I got home was call our older sister, Eleanor. We had three siblings. Eleanor, the eldest, was the business prodigy, the one who had inherited our family’s company. Leo was just her second-in-command. He’d spent his entire childhood on the receiving end of her discipline. He was terrified of her. I passed through a rock grotto, the mist from a small, man-made waterfall raising goosebumps on my arms. A sudden chill, like a silken thread, wrapped around me. I quickened my pace, only to stop dead a few yards later. There, in a shadowy alcove, were Leo and Stella, locked in a tense struggle. Before I could process it, Leo pushed her against the stone wall and crushed his mouth to hers. After a brief, token resistance, Stella melted into his embrace. Oh, Leo. My dear, idiotic brother. Were you trying to single-handedly destroy our family’s company? Making a move on Jason Sterling’s fiancée, on Sterling property… My vision swam. Seeing my own brother in such a sordid scene made my skin crawl. I couldn’t watch. I started to turn away, but a cold presence drifted into my senses, followed by a voice, right beside my ear. “Enjoying the show?” The voice was flat, devoid of emotion, and colder than the night air. The garden was dark, illuminated only by the faint, swaying red light of distant lanterns. Every hair on my body stood on end. A scream built in my throat, but it was smothered by a cold, firm hand clamped over my mouth. An arm snaked around my waist, trapping me against a hard chest. Terrified, I twisted my head and saw him. Jason. His face was a mask of indifference as he stared at the scene unfolding in the shadows. In the dim light, his perfect profile took on a terrifying, beautiful edge. I thought my heart was going to beat its way out of my chest. My mind reeled. Slowly, carefully, I brought my hand up to his, the one covering my mouth. I turned my body to face him, my eyes wide with fear. He looked down at me, his gaze dark and unreadable. His voice was a low, dangerous whisper. “Your brother is playing with my fiancée… So tell me, how would you feel if I played with his little sister?” 2 My brain buzzed and then went completely silent. It felt like it had short-circuited. What did he mean by that? Was he being literal, or was there some twisted, veiled threat I was failing to grasp? I was frozen solid, forgetting even how to breathe. The warm body pressed against my back, the clean, crisp scent of sandalwood that was distinctly Jason’s—it all enveloped me. But it didn’t feel comforting. It felt like being coiled in the grasp of a cold, venomous snake. “Jason… p-please don’t joke like that,” I stammered, my voice trembling uncontrollably. A soft chuckle escaped his lips, a sound that sent a paralyzing chill straight up my spine. “Do I look like I’m joking?” He wasn’t even looking at Leo and Stella anymore. His gaze was fixed entirely on me, intense and possessive. “Your brother has humiliated me. I have to get my dignity back, don’t you think?” “Elara,” he murmured, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Be my fi-an-cée.” He drew out the word, each syllable a nail hammering the terrifying proposition into my mind. Tears welled in my eyes. How did I get dragged into this mess? My brother’s romantic conquests had nothing to do with me. Why was I the one paying the price? “N-No… you can’t… my brother, he…” “Your brother,” Jason interrupted smoothly, his tone flat but carrying an undeniable weight of command, “is about to find himself in a world of trouble. The Havens family has money, it’s true. But compared to the Sterlings, it’s nothing.” “He crossed me. I could make him, and your entire family, pay for it. Or…” He paused, and the pad of his thumb began to gently stroke my cheek, a deceptively comforting gesture, like soothing a cornered animal. “Or, you could be a good girl and do as I say. Become my fiancée. Not only will I forgive your brother, but I’ll even ensure Stella gets what she wants—a clean break from our engagement, freeing her up to run off with the man she truly desires.” “So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?” I was stunned into silence. His offer sounded… terrifyingly tempting. He wouldn’t just let my brother off the hook, he’d actually help them get together? It seemed too good to be true. I tilted my head back, my gaze meeting his deep, bottomless eyes. There wasn’t a trace of humor in them, only the cold, dark glint of calculation. I had no doubt that if I refused, every terrible consequence he’d laid out would become my reality. Leo was an idiot, but he was my brother. I couldn’t stand by and watch him burn our family to the ground. “I… I’ll do it,” I whispered, closing my eyes. My voice was so faint it was barely a sound. “Good girl.” Jason smiled, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes, and released me. The moment he let go, my legs gave out, and I nearly collapsed onto the stone path. He caught me in a flash, his hand steadying my arm. “So scared of me?” he murmured, an eyebrow raised in amusement. I wanted to cry. Of course I was scared. You’re Jason Sterling, the man they call a gentleman predator! “So… what do I have to do?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Act,” Jason said simply. “From this moment on, I am pursuing you. Soon, you will be my girlfriend. And after that, my fiancée.” “In public, you must act completely and utterly smitten with me.” I stared at him, dumbfounded. Smitten? With his terrifying, ice-cold poker face? The acting challenge of a lifetime. As if reading my thoughts, he added coolly, “And if you’re a bad actress, we’ll just have to make it real.” A shiver went down my spine. I nodded frantically. “I understand! I’ll be the best actress you’ve ever seen. Oscar-worthy, I swear!” Across the garden, the sordid kiss finally ended. 3 Leo and Stella exchanged a few words before parting ways. As my brother turned, he saw me standing with Jason in the shadows. His expression froze, a flicker of panic in his eyes. Jason, however, acted as if nothing was wrong. He casually draped an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close in a gesture of effortless intimacy. “Finished your chat?” he called out to my brother, his voice deceptively light. Leo’s eyes darted between the two of us, finally settling on the hand resting on my shoulder. His brow furrowed into a deep, angry line. “Jason, what the hell do you think you’re doing with my sister?” “Exactly what it looks like,” Jason replied with a lazy smile. “I find your sister… charming. I’m thinking of pursuing her.” The color drained from Leo’s face. “No way,” he snapped, his rejection instantaneous. “She’s too young!” “Oh?” Jason’s eyebrow arched. “Younger than Stella?” That one sentence shut my brother down completely. His face cycled through shades of red and white, a spectacular display of impotent fury. I huddled against Jason’s side, barely daring to breathe. When titans clashed, it was the mortals who got crushed. “Elara, get over here,” Leo ordered, his voice tight with restrained anger. I looked up at Jason, my eyes pleading for help. He patted my back reassuringly. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” Then, he turned his cool gaze back to my brother. “She doesn’t want to go with you right now. After all, compared to a brother who publicly humiliates his future brother-in-law, I seem like the more trustworthy option, don’t you think?” “Jason!” Leo seethed, a vein pulsing in his forehead. I genuinely feared he was about to throw a punch. If he did, the Havens family wouldn’t just pay a price; we’d be wiped off the map. I quickly tugged on Jason’s sleeve and forced a smile at my brother that felt more like a grimace. “Leo, it’s… Jason and I… we’re…” I couldn’t finish the sentence, my mind blanking on a plausible lie. Jason, however, had no such problem. “We’re perfect for each other,” he finished smoothly. I could have died. How could he say that with a straight face? My brother obviously didn’t buy it. He stared at me, his eyes boring into mine. “Elara, tell me the truth. Is he forcing you to do this?” Could I say yes? If I did, our family was done for. I could only shake my head, tears welling in my eyes as I choked out the lie. “No, Leo. It’s my choice. I think Jason is… wonderful.” As I said it, I could feel my toes curling in my shoes from the sheer force of the lie. Leo looked at me with the heartbroken expression of a man whose beloved sister had completely lost her mind. “What do you know about him? Stay away from him! He’s not a good person!” You’re not exactly a saint yourself, I thought. It was the pot calling the kettle black. The standoff finally ended when one of Leo’s friends intervened, pulling him away. Jason, meanwhile, led me from the estate. As I sat in the silent, plush interior of Jason’s car, my head was still spinning. In the span of a single evening, I had gone from an ordinary recent graduate to the “scandalous new girlfriend” of a corporate tycoon. Life, it turned out, was full of terrifying surprises. The silence in the car was heavy. I stole a glance at Jason beside me. He was leaning back against the leather seat, his eyes closed. In profile, he was as perfect and unyielding as a marble statue. Without the mask of gentle charisma, a cold, unapproachable aura radiated from him. I shrank into my seat, trying to make myself as small as possible. “My driver will pick you up tomorrow morning at eight,” he said suddenly, his voice breaking the silence. “Huh? Pick me up… for what?” “To go to my house.” My heart skipped a beat. “W-what for?” He opened his eyes and turned to look at me, a playful glint in their depths. “To meet the family. And to get you acquainted with your duties as a fiancée.” My face flushed instantly. “So soon?” “What did you expect? For me to wait until your brother recovers and puts you under house arrest?” Jason said coolly. “For this to work, it has to be believable. And the first step is convincing everyone in your life that it’s real.” “Including your formidable older sister.” At the mention of Eleanor, my stomach dropped. I was done for. Leo was scared of our sister, but frankly, so was I. Eleanor was the acting CEO of Havens Industries, a ruthless workaholic who didn’t suffer fools. 4 If she found out I was tangled up with Jason Sterling, she would skin me alive. “Um… Jason, about my sister… can we maybe take it slow?” I ventured, my voice small. “No,” he replied without a shred of pity. “You’re coming with me tomorrow.” “That’s an order.” My shoulders slumped in defeat. Fine. When you’re caught between a rock and a hard place, you do what the rock says. This was all my brother’s fault. The next morning, I was in the middle of a nightmare where I was tearfully confessing my sins to Eleanor when my phone rang, jolting me awake. It was Jason’s driver, informing me he was already waiting downstairs. I scrambled out of bed, rushing through my morning routine. After tearing my closet apart, I settled on a simple, innocent-looking white dress. When I got downstairs, my parents were having breakfast. My mom paused, taking in my outfit. “Elara, you look so lovely today. Are you going out?” I nodded, my guilt churning. “Yeah, I’m meeting a friend.” “Which friend? A boy or a girl?” my dad asked, his protective instincts immediately on high alert. “A girl! Definitely a girl!” I insisted. Just then, the doorbell rang. My mom went to answer it, revealing a man in a sharp suit standing on our doorstep. It was Jason’s driver. He gave my parents a polite, formal bow. “Good morning. Is this the Havens residence? I’m Mr. Sterling’s driver. I’ve been sent to pick up Miss Elara.” My parents froze. “Mr. Sterling? Which Mr. Sterling?” my dad asked, his voice cautious. “Mr. Jason Sterling.” The air in the room instantly evaporated. My parents stared at each other, their expressions even more horrified than my brother’s had been the night before. I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me. Jason was ruthless! He’d brought the battle directly to my front door. My dad recovered first, his face darkening. “My daughter isn’t going anywhere today.” The driver’s polite smile never wavered. “Mr. Havens, I’m only following Mr. Sterling’s instructions. He said that if you were to refuse, he would be happy to come over and have a chat with you and Mrs. Havens personally.” He paused for effect. “And perhaps discuss some of Leo’s… recent activities.” My dad’s face went rigid. He knew all about Leo’s reckless behavior. Starting a war with Jason Sterling would be suicide for our family. In the end, choking back his anger, my dad could only watch as the driver “escorted” me to the car. As I left, I saw my mom standing in the doorway, her face etched with worry. My heart ached. Jason, you absolute monster. The Sterling family estate was even grander and more imposing than I had imagined. It was a true heritage mansion, surrounded by acres of meticulously landscaped gardens, exuding an aura of old-world power. I followed the butler down a long, echoing hall, my stomach in knots. In the main drawing room, the patriarch of the family, Mr. Sterling Sr., was seated in a high-backed armchair, sipping tea. Several other stern-looking, middle-aged men were seated around him. Jason was sitting just to his father’s right. When I walked in, he beckoned me over with a subtle smile playing on his lips. To me, it looked like the smile of the devil himself. “Grandfather, uncles, this is Elara Havens,” Jason announced, his tone so natural it was as if we were actually dating. “The young woman I’m courting.” Every pair of eyes in the room snapped to me. My palms began to sweat. I forced what I hoped was a sweet and harmless smile onto my face. “Good morning, Mr. Sterling. Good morning, everyone.”

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On our fifth anniversary together, I found myself sitting alone at a table full of cold food, just like the years before. Julian had promised to celebrate my birthday with me, just like he always did. And just like always, he broke that promise. This year, his excuse was his childhood friend, Bella. She wanted to do a photoshoot and needed him and his “boys” to be in it. Without a second thought, he ditched me and ran to her side. At 11 PM, Bella posted a photo on her social media, visible only to me. In the picture, four men in black briefs and bowties were kneeling around a woman draped in sheer fabric. The caption read: “Some people beg for a slice of cake, but I own the whole bakery.” I took a screenshot, then sent it to the girlfriends of Julian’s three best friends. If you guys think I’m beneath you, I hope you never have to kneel and beg me for anything. 1 Staring at that photo, something inside me quietly shattered. The lighting was warm and golden, making the four half-naked men look like Greek gods worshiping their queen. They gazed at her with adoration and submission. Bella, the queen in question, wore nothing but a translucent black veil, showing off every curve, radiating an arrogant, raw sexuality. The caption was a direct provocation. “Some people beg for a slice of cake, but I own the whole bakery.” I looked at the cold dinner I’d prepared, then back at the picture of Julian and his friends acting like trained pets. Suddenly, the anger evaporated. It wasn’t worth it. None of it was. I liked Bella’s post and commented: “A match made in heaven. Trash belongs with trash.” Then, I took a screenshot before the post magically disappeared. I sent it individually to the girlfriends of Julian’s three friends: Leo, Chris, and Sam. Ten minutes later, my phone exploded. Leo: “Linda, are you crazy? I was just helping Bella with a photoshoot! Why did you have to tell my girlfriend? You got a big mouth! She’s mad at me now, are you happy?” Chris: “You psycho! What did I ever do to you? Why involve my girl? If you’re bored, go jump off a bridge!” Sam: “Bitch! Stay out of my business! I hope your whole family gets hit by a car!” I was about to reply when Julian called. “Linda, what the hell is wrong with you?” he shouted. “Because of your little tattling, Leo and the guys are all fighting with their girlfriends. Do you know what you’ve done? Are you that twisted that you can’t stand seeing other people happy?” “Bella is crying because she feels guilty! This is all your fault!” “Get over here right now, explain yourself, and apologize to Bella. Or don’t expect me to be nice to you ever again.” “Bella is crying?” I asked calmly. “Of course! Why else would I be yelling at you? I’ve spoiled you too much.” “Is she still wearing that mosquito net that doesn’t cover anything while she’s crying? Are you guys still in your matching underwear comforting her?” Julian’s voice faltered. “Linda, stop being unreasonable. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “Really?” I sent him the screenshot. “Julian, Bella is practically naked. Did you guys get hard during the shoot?” He hung up. 2 He probably didn’t expect Bella to post that just to spite me, or for me to go nuclear and send it to everyone. Since he hung up, I texted him: “Why hang up? Aren’t you going to yell at me anymore?” He started typing, then stopped. No reply. So, I posted the screenshot and the abusive texts from his friends on my own feed. Caption: “Happy birthday to me, even if I’m celebrating alone.” It was past midnight, technically the day after my birthday, but my feed blew up. Friends commented instantly: “WTF! Julian ditched you on your birthday for this? Trash.” “Don’t be mad, Linda. We’ll celebrate with you.” “Julian looks like a decent guy, but damn, he plays dirty. Four kings and a queen?” “Is she really wearing that? Is she advertising services?” Ten minutes later, Leo’s girlfriend joined the chat. She reposted the screenshot and announced her breakup. “If Leo can wear underwear for her today, he can take it off for her tomorrow. Trash belongs with trash. Go lick your queen’s feet, dog.” The chaos intensified. But Julian remained silent. I wasn’t going to let him hide. I sent the screenshot to his parents. That finally got his head out of his shell. Early the next morning, Julian’s mom called. “Linda, dear, can you come over? We saw the photo. There must be a misunderstanding. You two have been together for so long, the wedding is soon… why make it so ugly?” “Mrs. Miller, you saw the picture. I don’t think there’s a misunderstanding. I’ve been nothing but good to Julian. I love him, but that doesn’t give him the right to hurt me.” Out of respect for his parents, I agreed to go. “I’ll be there soon.” I drove to the Miller estate. Julian’s parents were waiting outside, with Julian standing behind them, head hung low. I got out of my car. Just as I shut the door, a black sports car roared out of nowhere, speeding straight for me. “Linda, look out!” Julian sprinted toward me and shoved me out of the way. Thud! I hit the ground hard. I watched as Julian flew into the air. 3 The sports car sped off. Julian was rushed to the hospital. He had saved me but paid the price with two broken legs. Staring at Julian in his hospital bed, casts on both legs, I felt… nothing. Yesterday, seeing him like this because of me would have destroyed me. I would have been crying my eyes out, wishing it was me instead. But today, I was just glad I only had a few scrapes. Julian woke up post-surgery, weak and pale. “Linda… you’re okay,” he whispered. I ignored the sentiment. “Julian, do you know what yesterday was?” He frowned. “Linda, I’m hurt. I got hurt saving you. If not for me, you’d be the one in this bed. How can you be so cold? Still thinking about your birthday?” His mom chimed in, “Linda, how can you talk to him like that? He saved your life! He’s your fiancé!” “Oh, now I’m the fiancé? I thought you guys preferred someone else.” I looked back at Julian. “Answer me. What was yesterday?” “It was your birthday! Happy now?” He snapped. “I missed it, big deal. I’ll make it up next year.” I laughed. “What about last year? And the year before? And the year before that?” “I…” “Last year, Bella wanted to watch the sunset, so you hiked with her all day while I waited at the restaurant until closing.” “Two years ago, you promised to come. I rented a yacht. You ditched me to help Bella move and took my car, leaving me stranded at the dock.” “Three years ago, Bella came back from abroad. You and your boys booked my hotel for a week-long party, forgot my birthday entirely, and stuck me with the $150k bill.” “And this year… you dressed like a stripper to take photos with her. If I did that with a guy, what would you think?” Anger flashed in his eyes. “Linda, stop being so disgusting. Bella’s photoshoot was art! It was about capturing her beauty and confidence. You’re just jealous because you don’t have an artistic bone in your body. Your mind is filthy.” “So, my boyfriend ditches my birthday for ‘art,’ and I should just be okay with it?” “Yes! Your birthday comes every year. Bella’s youth doesn’t. I was helping a friend achieve her dream. What’s wrong with that?” I nodded slowly. “You’re right. Absolutely nothing wrong.” “Since you love art so much, go chase it. We’re done.” 4 “Done? You’re breaking up over this?” Julian panicked. “Linda, are you insane? Bella is all alone. I was just being a friend. Stop being unreasonable! I’m lying here with broken legs, how long are you going to keep this up?” “I’m not being unreasonable. You say Bella is alone, but my parents are abroad. You promised them you’d take care of me. Did you?” He looked away. “You’re just wrong about this.” “Fine. If you think I’m wrong, I have nothing else to say.” “Recover well. I’ll cover your medical bills.” I turned to leave. Suddenly, Slap! Julian’s dad slapped him across the face. “Dad! Why?” His mom tried to protect him. “Are you crazy? Why hit him?” “He deserves it! He’s getting married, yet he’s fooling around with another woman! If he hadn’t gone to see her, would he be in this hospital bed? It’s his own fault!” Mr. Miller turned to me apologetically. “Linda, don’t be mad. I’ll teach him a lesson. I promise this won’t happen again.” “No need,” I raised a hand. “I can forgive him, on one condition.” Julian’s eyes lit up. “Anything! Name it!” “Call the police.” I stared at him. “Report the driver for attempted murder. Press charges.” “No!” He almost jumped out of bed. “Leo didn’t mean to hit me! It was an accident! He’s my brother. If I sue him, we’re done. No way!” “Suit yourself.” I walked out. “From today on, tell your ‘brothers’ not to expect any more handouts from the Lin Group.” “Julian, since you value the friend who tried to kill your fiancé more than me, I’ll handle it myself.” Outside the hospital, I ran into Bella. She smirked. “Heard Julian got hurt. Mind if I visit?” “Go ahead. We broke up. Sleep with him for all I care.” I tried to walk past, but she blocked me. “Linda, don’t think you’re special just because you have money. Julian stays with me because he wants to. He only dates you for your family’s business. He told me you’re just a glorified ATM to him.” “He never talks about you when he’s with me. Even when he’s drunk or dreaming, he calls my name.” Her eyes were venomous. “And Leo and the guys? They do whatever I say. I snap my fingers, and they jump.” “So Leo trying to run me over was your idea?” “Hmph, I never said that.” She tossed her hair. “You rich girls are so boring. You don’t know what men really want. I love watching you high-and-mighty princesses cry. It makes me happy.” I nodded. Then I looked behind her. “Did you guys hear that?” Bella turned around. Three women stood there, looking murderous. Leading them was Leo’s ex-girlfriend. “So you’re Bella? The bakery owner? You think sharing your boyfriend is fun?” Bella gasped. “You set me up!” I smiled. “I was waiting for them. Who were you waiting for?”

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By day, I was just Julian Sterling’s executive assistant. By night, I took the private elevator straight to his penthouse suite. Julian was clingy. In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, we did everything lovers do. But that didn’t stop the news from breaking: he was getting engaged to Layla Vance. When we discussed the breakup, Julian offered a lot of compensation: a luxury apartment in Manhattan, a villa in the Hamptons, and a historic townhouse in Georgetown… The only condition was that I could never resign from Sterling Corp. 1 The day Julian’s lawyer came to discuss the breakup, I was already irritable because my period was late. I tuned out most of her legalese, but the last sentence caught my attention. “As compensation, Mr. Sterling is gifting you a penthouse in Manhattan, a villa in the Hamptons, and a historic townhouse in Georgetown.” I was stunned. I knew Julian was rich—we’d been “together” for seven years—but I didn’t expect him to be this generous to a secret lover. The lawyer continued, “Ms. York, do you have any objections to these terms?” I shook my head vigorously. Only an idiot would say no to money like this. “Mr. Sterling has only one condition,” the lawyer added, looking puzzled. “He insists that you never resign from Sterling Corp. Can you… agree to that?” “Absolutely,” I said without hesitation. “Is the contract ready?” “Not yet. I’ll contact you when it’s drafted.” “Thank you.” I stood up to leave, but the lawyer, usually so professional and cold in her black suit, suddenly spoke up. “Wait, Ms. York. I have something personal to say.” “I’ve known Julian for over a decade. I’ve never seen him treat a woman like this.” “He has his responsibilities. Please don’t blame him.” “To Julian, you really are special.” I wanted to laugh. Instead, I patted her shoulder. “Don’t overthink it, Ms. Zhang. You really need to stop reading those romance novels on your phone.” 2 When I returned to the executive office, the buzz was all about the Chairman’s impending marriage to Layla Vance. Some said he’d waited years for her. Others claimed the rooftop hotel, “The Summit,” was designed just for her. I was listening with interest when the Chief of Staff stood up. “The boss is treating the whole company to bubble tea.” Whispers erupted immediately. “The boss drinks bubble tea?” “It must be Layla’s favorite. She’s visiting today. We’re just benefiting from it.” I shook my head internally. Nope. Julian loved the stuff. Even if he looked like a stoic statue while chewing on tapioca pearls. Amidst the noise, the Chief of Staff’s eyes landed on me. “Eva, go pick up the order for our team.” “I’m not feeling well today,” I said. Lately, I’d been unusually drowsy. “Don’t be a princess,” she scoffed. “If you don’t go, I’m putting your name first for the next overseas assignment.” As I stood up, a wave of dizziness hit me, and I nearly fell. “Are you okay? I can go,” my colleague Jenny offered worriedly. “I’m fine,” I smiled. “Just low blood sugar. Skipped breakfast.” 3 Carrying a massive bag of bubble tea back into the lobby, I spotted Julian immediately. He was surrounded by an entourage. It was hard to miss him. At 6’3″, his lean frame was wrapped in a bespoke black suit, the buttons done all the way up, revealing a perfectly knotted silver-grey tie. When Julian took over Sterling Corp, the media loved him. One headline read: “Smarter than the models, better looking than the scholars, and richer than God. His only flaw is he never smiles.” Whether in the office or on camera, Julian was always cold, serious, and impeccably dressed. But only I knew that the silver-grey tie he was wearing had once been used to blindfold me while I screamed until my voice gave out. Thinking about the breakup, I felt a twinge of regret. The food during our years together had been exceptional. A black Lincoln pulled up. Julian walked over and helped a graceful woman out of the car. “Layla.” I heard his deep voice. She looked up at him with tender eyes. “I just came to visit. You didn’t need to come down.” A golden couple. A match made in heaven. I stopped watching. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t sad. But thinking about the Manhattan penthouse, the Hamptons villa, and the Georgetown townhouse… I had to think of every tragedy in my life just to keep from laughing out loud. 4 Because the future Mrs. Sterling was visiting, the building was buzzing with excitement and gossip. I used the opportunity to slack off until 6:30 PM. Just as I was packing up, the Chief of Staff messaged me. “Ms. Vance wants to try on wedding dresses. The boss is in a meeting. Go with her.” I never expected my first time in a bridal shop would be with Julian’s fiancée. She tried on dress after dress, tireless. “Since you’ve been with Julian the longest, you should know what he likes.” My heart skipped a beat, but I kept my composure. “You are the one he loves. He’ll like whatever you wear.” Layla gave me a meaningful look. “You have a sweet mouth.” She yawned. “I’m tired. You try on the rest. I’ll just watch.” The staff drew the heavy curtains around me. Putting on the feather-light white gown, staring at myself in the mirror, I felt a moment of trance. But I didn’t expect that when I stepped out, Julian would be standing there. He looked like he’d rushed over, tired. When he saw me, his expression froze. “How is it?” Layla leaned into him, smiling. “Let’s use this one for the wedding.” “Nonsense,” Julian frowned, scolding me. “You’re here to help her, why are you wearing it?” “She looked like she wanted to, so I let her,” Layla explained. Julian looked like he wanted to say more, but his phone rang. He walked away to answer it. I sighed. “Ms. Vance’s face-changing skills are impressive.” Layla looked confused. “It’s just a dress, Ms. York. Why so serious?” She smiled, then added, “But coveting a dress is one thing. Coveting anything else would be laughable. Don’t you agree?” I realized then. Choosing me wasn’t a coincidence. Layla was here to mark her territory. But how did she know? No one in the company knew. “You worry too much,” I said smoothly. “Everyone knows you and the boss are childhood sweethearts. Now that his dreams are coming true, why would he care about anyone else?” I bowed slightly. “I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.” Just then, Julian returned. Layla paled, looking at him anxiously. “Julian, I…” Julian glanced at her, then at me, and pointed at the door. “Get out!” “Yes, sir.” I obeyed instantly. I changed out of the dress and left. through the gap in the door, I saw Layla leaning into Julian’s chest, looking fragile. I mused. So that’s the type Julian likes.

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1 The doctor’s eyes were filled with pity as I swallowed the painkiller. Three days left to live. After taking the pill, I walked to Lily Ashton’s room. Inside, my father was peeling an orange for her while my mother chatted at her bedside. The moment I walked in, the warm smiles on their faces froze, replaced by a chilling indifference. “What, done faking your little act and ready to cause more trouble for Lily?” my father’s voice was like ice. “Let me tell you, Keira, as long as we’re here, you won’t lay a hand on her.” “The Sterlings have always prided themselves on their principles,” my mother chimed in, pointing a finger at me. “I don’t know where you learned to be so rotten, so jealous you’d steal her spot in the chemo trial.” Her voice cracked with disgust. “I wish I’d never had you!” In a corner my parents couldn’t see, Lily smirked at me, her eyes gleaming with triumph. I lowered my gaze. I’d heard these words a thousand times before. In the past, I would have fought back, screamed, tried to expose Lily for the snake she was, even though they never believed a word I said. But I was tired. I didn’t have the strength to fight anymore. “Still, it’s good you’re here,” my father said, breaking the silence. “There’s something I need to discuss with you.” A hollow smile touched my lips. “Funny, Dad. I have something to tell you, too.” I took a breath. “Lily wants my company and the retail shops, doesn’t she? I’ve thought it over. They’re hers.” My father stared, stunned. My mother’s eyes widened in disbelief. “How did you know I was going to bring that up today? You… you agree?” I gave a slight shrug. Their shock was understandable. Lily had been coveting my assets for years, and my parents had tried everything—pleading, threatening, shaming—to make me hand over the business I’d built from the ground up. I’d never budged. But for a dying woman, none of it mattered anymore. Seeing the resolve in my eyes, my mother’s face finally softened into a relieved smile. She stepped forward, her hand patting my head in a rare gesture of affection. “You’ve finally come to your senses!” she cooed. “Lily was always brighter than you, even in school. And despite her illness, she has a much better head for business. We’ll rest easy knowing your company is in her capable hands.” The corner of my mouth twitched. I pulled the transfer agreements from my bag and handed them to Lily. As soon as Lily’s signature was on the page, my parents were all over me, grabbing my hands, calling me their good girl, their wonderful daughter. A bitter irony churned in my stomach. How pathetic. The only time my mother smiled at me was when I surrendered something to Lily. A question flickered in my mind. When they finally saw Lily’s true colors, after I was gone, would they feel a single shred of regret? That evening, I returned home to find my husband, Lucas, and our daughter, Chloe, laughing together in the kitchen. The cancer had made me move quietly, and the soft click of the door went unnoticed. They were so absorbed in their cooking. When Lucas turned, holding a freshly plated dish, the smile on his face froze for a split second before snapping back into place. “Keira, you’re back. I didn’t hear you come in.” My eyes fell to the plate in his hands. A vegetable stir-fry. Lily’s favorite. From the looks of it, he’d become a pretty damn good cook. Another bitter irony. I was on my deathbed before I learned that the man I’d spent five years with even knew how to cook. He’d always criticized my food, and under his influence, Chloe had started to do the same. I’d poured my soul into this family, and earned nothing but their contempt. The old me would have screamed, thrown things, had a hysterical breakdown. The new me just calmly walked past them and sat on the sofa, sorting through my purse. My silence seemed to unnerve Lucas. He hesitated, set the dish on the dining table, and walked over. “Keira,” he began, rubbing his nose awkwardly. “There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.” He paused. “It’s about your sister, Lily.” A cold dread washed over me. I had a very bad feeling about where this was going. His next words confirmed it, leaving me frozen in place. “Lily’s been so depressed since her chemo. Your parents… they think it would lift her spirits if I married her. You know, to bring some happiness back into her life.” A roaring filled my ears. It took a long moment for my own voice to break through. “And you agreed?” Lucas sighed, as if burdened by my lack of understanding. “Keira, I know she’s not your biological sister, but she’s family. Besides, it’s just for show, to help her recover. As soon as she’s out of the hospital, I’ll be your husband again. Chloe’s father.” Before I could answer, Chloe piped up from the kitchen. “Yeah, Mom! Godmother Lily has been really sad lately. You have to understand!” I stared at the two of them. The man I had loved for years. The child I had raised. I had given them everything, my conscience clear. And this was my reward. Betrayal. But it didn’t matter anymore. If Lily wanted them, she could have them. She could have it all. I was done. Lifting my head, I looked Lucas straight in the eye. “Fine. I agree.” Surprise flashed across his face. “Really?” Without another word, he rushed to a drawer, pulled out a set of divorce papers, and slapped them on the coffee table. A bitter smile tugged at my lips. Oh, Lucas. Your eagerness is so naked, you don’t even try to hide it. I picked up the pen and signed my name. A look of profound relief washed over Lucas’s face, replaced by a somber, heartfelt expression. “Keira, once Lily is better, we’ll get remarried. I promise. I’ll never let you down.” He signed his name, then looked at me with a heavy sigh. “You’re so much more mature now, Keira. I know I haven’t always been fair to you, and I’m sorry. After Lily recovers, I promise, you won’t have to worry about a thing ever again.” “That’s right, Mom!” Chloe added, puffing out her chest like a little adult. “You’re being so good to Godmother Lily. I’m proud of you!” Looking at them, my heart turned to ash. A tiny, foolish part of me had held on to a last sliver of hope for Lucas and Chloe. Now, it was gone. There was nothing left to hope for but death. I stood, intending to go to my room, but a wave of dizziness crashed over me. My vision swam, and the world went black. In that final instant, I saw the panic on Lucas’s face. I woke to a biting cold. Opening my eyes, I found myself still on the floor. Lucas and Chloe were standing over me, their faces etched with disappointment. “See, Dad? I told you she was faking it,” Chloe said, her voice sharp. “Mom, can you please stop being so childish? You’re going to make us late to see Godmother Lily at the hospital!” Faking it? Then Lucas spoke, his voice heavy with disapproval. “Keira, can you stop with the dramatics? I already told you, even though we’re divorced, you’re the one I love. You don’t need to pull these kinds of stunts to test me.” Their words hit me, and I finally understood. The pain medication they’d given me didn’t just block the pain for three days; it made me appear completely normal. Healthy, even. But the side effect was brutal. After three days, my organs would fail. The drug was working perfectly. I pushed myself up. “It must be low blood sugar. It’s nothing. I’ll go to the hospital with you. There are some other transfer documents Lily needs to sign.” Lucas nodded, unsurprised. My parents must have already told him. At the hospital, Lily was watching TV in her room. Her face was still pale, but her energy was clearly returning. The smug triumph in her eyes, however, was impossible to miss. “Keira, you’re here!” she chirped. “Thank you for trusting me with your business. I promise I won’t let you down!” “That’s right, Keira,” my mother added with a beaming smile. “You can just relax at home and collect the dividends. Isn’t that wonderful?” I pulled the last of the paperwork from my bag. “In that case, let’s have her manage my entire estate. Then I won’t have to worry about a thing.” The room fell silent. Everyone stared at me. “Keira, are you serious?” Lucas grabbed my arm, his eyes wide with shock. “You’re giving everything to Lily?” Now it was my turn to be confused. They had always taken Lily’s side, given her whatever she wanted, and scolded me when I refused. Now that I was giving her everything, why were they acting so surprised? My father was the first to recover, his face glowing with pride. “The girl has finally grown up! Our love for you wasn’t wasted after all.” “Keira, learning to accept your sister is a wonderful thing,” he continued. “Now you two can live in harmony. We can finally grow old in peace.” Peace? Dad, Mom… you’ve been fooled by her act for so long. Do you really believe she’ll take care of anything that was mine? My head swam again. A strange tickle in my nose. I touched it and my fingers came away stained with blood. “Keira, your nose is bleeding. The weather hasn’t even been that dry,” my mother noted. My hand froze. I couldn’t stop myself. I looked at them, my voice quiet. “Dad, Mom… if I were to die from an illness one day, would you regret any of this?” My mother’s expression didn’t even flicker. She just gave me a dismissive smile. “You look perfectly healthy. How could you die from an illness? Don’t say such morbid things.” “Exactly,” my father added, his gaze shifting worriedly back to Lily. “Lily is the one we need to worry about. Once she’s better, we need to make sure she eats well and gets her strength back.” “I think so too!” Chloe chimed in. “Mom is super healthy. Godmother Lily is the one who needs us.” The last ember of hope inside me died. There was nothing left. I looked down at Chloe and forced a smile. “Chloe, haven’t you always wanted your godmother to be your real mom?” I said softly. “I’m making your wish come true. From now on, Lily is your mother. Aren’t you going to call her ‘Mom’?” A delighted gasp escaped Chloe’s lips. “Really?!” I nodded. “Once you call her Mom, you can eat her cooking all the time. She can be with you whenever you want. Isn’t that what you’ve always dreamed of?” Chloe jumped up and down with excitement. “Yay! Mommy, you’re the best in the world! Thank you!” She pulled her hand from mine and threw her arms around Lily. My parents and Lucas watched the scene, their faces beaming with approval. I turned and walked away. I glanced back one last time. My parents were cooing over Chloe with Lily. Lucas was standing beside them, a gentle smile on his face. Not a single one of them noticed I was gone. I closed the door to the hospital room and left. With only one day left to live, I had nowhere to go. My life had been a frantic rush, with never a moment to myself, never a chance to just… be. I booked a ticket to Brighton, a city by the sea. I watched the waves crash under the night sky and thought about hiking a cliffside trail. But my body wouldn’t let me. Just as the world started to tilt and fade, I dialed a number I hadn’t called in almost five years. Then everything went black. When I woke up, I was in a hospital. My eyes darted to the clock. Six hours left. Sitting beside me, her eyes red from crying, was Jenna. My childhood friend. She had begged me not to marry Lucas, insisting he wasn’t worthy of me. I hadn’t listened. We’d had a terrible fight, and she didn’t even come to my wedding. I knew I shouldn’t have bothered her now, after all this time. But besides her, there was no one else in the world. “What the hell happened to you, Keira?” she choked out, her voice thick with tears. “Weren’t you so happy after marrying Lucas? The perfect little family? Why are you like this? Why is the doctor saying your organs are failing?” I was on a ventilator, but I managed a weak smile. We’d made a pact as kids. If one of us was at the end, the other would handle everything that came after, no matter what. I couldn’t speak, so I mustered the last of my strength and pointed a trembling finger at my handbag. Jenna understood. She retrieved several folders from the bag. She studied them for a moment, then gave a solemn nod and placed them in her own purse. I was relieved to see our bond was still strong enough to communicate without words. Three hours left. I refused any further intervention. After another period of unconsciousness, I woke up to Jenna showing me her phone. It was a text from Lily. [Keira, I won. I got everything.] [Did you really think you could compete with me? It’s your own fault for being so pathetic. Your parents always liked me better anyway.] [Just disappear quietly. I’ll take good care of your mommy and daddy for you. And your husband and daughter, too. 😉 ] Jenna started sobbing, cursing Lily under her breath. I sighed, a wave of self-mockery washing over me. In my entire life, I had only one regret: convincing my father to sponsor Lily Ashton. I first saw her at a rundown orphanage. I was a young volunteer, tagging along with my teacher. It was snowing heavily that day, and all the other children were huddled inside for warmth. But Lily was out back, by the dumpsters, picking meat off discarded bones. I couldn’t stand to see it. I begged my father to help her. After that, Lily and I became inseparable. The next year, she transferred to my class. Her charm and intelligence quickly won over the teachers and students. I was so proud every time someone praised her. Then, slowly, things started to change. My friends began to drift away from me, gravitating toward Lily. The boys who’d had crushes on me grew distant, only to make grand declarations of love for her. Even my parents started inviting her over constantly, for dinner, for sleepovers, until finally, they split my bedroom in two and gave her half. I was too naive, too blind to see it then. Lily’s greatest talent was using the praise of others as a weapon to steal everything that was mine. By the time I realized what was happening, it was too late. My room was gone. My family was gone. Everything I had was hers. I asked her once, why she did it. Her answer chilled me to the bone. “Keira, did you really think I’d be grateful? How could I be? I couldn’t stand watching you flaunt your perfect life in my face. I wanted to take everything from you. I wanted to see the despair on your face when you had nothing left.” I used to believe I could drive her away, that I could make my parents and Lucas see her for who she was. But I was a fool. I underestimated her cunning, and I fatally misjudged how deeply she had charmed my family. I had lost. Utterly and completely. Nine minutes left. My consciousness was fading, my vision blurring. But I could still make out the screen of Jenna’s phone. A new message from my mother. [Keira, have someone repaint your old house pink in the next few days. Your sister loves pink.] [Also, your sister will be discharged in about two weeks. When she is, you need to move some of your things out to make room for hers.] Even in my final moments, all she could think about was Lily. I truly meant nothing to her. So be it. I could hear Jenna crying, screaming my name, but the sound was distant, muffled. I’d been fighting for so long. I was so, so tired. Finally, I could rest. November 24th. Keira Sterling died at Brighton General Hospital. She was 29 years old. Lily was watching television in her hospital bed when the door to her room burst open. She looked up and saw a man standing there. Her biological father. “What are you doing here?” she snapped, her eyes flashing with a mixture of disgust and fear. Rick Ashton let out a cold laugh. “What, you think you’d have landed this rich family if I hadn’t dumped you at that orphanage? I’m broke. Transfer me a hundred grand. Now.” Lily shot up in bed. “Why should I? You haven’t done a single thing for me since the day I was born!” Rick casually sat down on the sofa. “Cut the crap, Lily. I know all about your dirty little schemes. You give me the money, and we can all play nice. If not… well, you know what I’m capable of.” Lily’s hands clenched into tight fists. After a long moment, she relaxed them. “Fine. Just give me some time. I need to get out of the hospital before I can get the money.” He sneered. “Born for the gutter but caught a princess’s disease. It’s just early-stage cancer, what a waste of money. You have two days. If I don’t see the money in two days, I’m going to pay a little visit to your rich ‘daddy.’” He stood, kicked the door open, and left. Lily swept a glass off her nightstand, sending it shattering against the floor. She was breathing heavily, her eyes burning with pure hatred. Why? Why did everyone else get to have a happy life while she was stuck with a parasite for a father, left to rot in an orphanage? Why was she the one who had to endure that life of scorn and pity? She had worked so hard to usurp Keira’s place, to drive the precious Sterling heiress out. She would not go back to that hand-to-mouth existence. Never! Lily got out of bed. Since tricking Keira out of the chemo spot, her recovery had been swift. She would be discharged soon. But now, she had a new plan. She would sell off all of Keira’s properties and businesses immediately, transfer the money to an overseas account in installments, and then leave the country for good. Her scumbag father would never find her. The idiotic Sterlings would never find her. Yes. This had to happen, and it had to happen fast. She told the nurse she was going for a walk, went downstairs, and hailed a cab to the bank. Her heart pounded with excitement as she handed the debit card to the teller. In moments, all of Keira’s money would be hers. She would finally be free. But the teller looked up, a strange expression on her face. “Ma’am, the name and identity on this card do not match your own.” The teller looked at her again. “Are you sure this is the right card?” Lily froze. “How is that possible? My family already transferred ownership of this account to me when we signed the paperwork!” She leaned in. “Are you sure you didn’t make a mistake?” The teller shook her head. “Ma’am, the account is still legally under the name Keira Sterling. Furthermore, a protective hold has been placed on this account.” Lily’s mind went blank. A protective hold? Impossible. How? She had watched Keira sign the transfer agreement with her own two eyes! She’d read it over and over before signing it herself. Had Keira pulled some kind of trick afterward? Wait, the company and the shops! Lily stumbled out of the bank and called a contact she knew. She sat on a bench outside, waiting anxiously. A few minutes later, her phone rang. “Lily, I checked. All those retail locations and the company you mentioned… the legal owner is still a Keira Sterling. And two days ago, her lawyer, acting on her behalf, filed for a comprehensive asset protection order on all of them.” A roar filled Lily’s ears, and her world exploded into white noise.

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1 I was back at my in-laws’ for the holidays with my husband, Jake, and our three-month-old son, Leo. But my ten-year-old niece, Ashley, and her friend decided to throw him from an upstairs window while he was napping. Leo was killed instantly, right before my eyes. His cries were cut short, replaced by two faint whimpers before silence took over. He never moved again. I went mad, scooping him up to race to the hospital, but it was too late. He was already gone. Because of her age, Ashley faced no real consequences. The judge ordered them to pay half a million dollars in damages, but my sister-in-law, Karen, wailed that I was trying to ruin them. I didn’t want their money. I just wanted my baby back. I cried until my soul felt like it was tearing apart, begging them for some semblance of justice. But my husband and mother-in-law just scolded me. “Ashley’s just a child! Are you going to destroy her life just because your son is dead?” My quest for revenge went nowhere. That winter, my heart finally gave out. When I opened my eyes again, I was back. It was the day of the holiday party. The first thing I did was call my parents and have them take Leo away. But this time, a baby was still thrown from the window. … I had just sent my son off and stepped into my mother-in-law’s yard when a sickening thud echoed from the patio. A tiny body, wrapped tightly in a blanket, had slammed onto the stone tiles. Blood seeped through the fabric, staining it crimson. Stunned, I looked up. On the second floor, my niece, Ashley, shot me a defiant look before disappearing from the window. Jake and his mother rushed out at the sound. My mother-in-law let out a piercing scream, her legs giving way. Jake stumbled forward, his whole body trembling. He glanced at the bundle on the ground. “Nina… the baby… he’s not breathing.” I couldn’t even bring myself to look. I bolted upstairs and found Ashley had locked herself in her room. I kicked the door. “Ashley, you open this door right now! Who did you throw out that window!” No answer. But I could hear her and her friend giggling inside. “Ashley, what if they call the cops? Is my mom gonna ground me?” “Chill. We’ll just say it was an accident. Besides, the cops can’t do anything to kids.” Their careless words pierced me like shards of ice. I started to shake uncontrollably. I threw all my weight against the wooden door. “Get out here! Do you have any idea what you’ve done? This is murder!” Jake, who had followed me up, grabbed my arm. His eyes were red-rimmed. “Nina, calm down. You’re scaring them.” I stared at him, my eyes burning with a familiar hatred. It was just like last time. Our son was dead, and his first concern was not frightening his niece. My mother-in-law, wiping away tears, added, “Ashley went a little too far this time, but Nina, you shouldn’t be so unforgiving.” “Leo was only three months old. He’s gone. You two can just try for another one.” I froze. It took a moment for their words to register. They thought it was my son. They thought Leo was dead. But I had just sent him away with my parents. So who was the tiny, broken body lying downstairs? 2 Jake moved to hug me, vowing, “Nina, I promise we’ll get justice for Leo, but Ashley is just a kid, she doesn’t know any better…” I shoved him away before he could finish. “She doesn’t know any better? Then why didn’t she jump herself?” With a surge of fury, I grabbed a chair and slammed it against the door. The wood groaned and shuddered, the vibrations shaking the whole house. “Ashley, get out here right now, or I swear I’ll break this door down!” How could she kill someone and feel nothing? Even if it wasn’t my son today, I would get justice for that poor child. My violent assault must have rattled her, because she finally yelled from inside, “Stop it! If you keep banging, I’ll jump!” I was panting, my arms aching. I turned, stormed to the kitchen, came back with a butcher knife, and hacked at the door. The blade bit deep into the wood and stuck fast. “Jump! If you don’t, I’ll come in there and kill you myself!” The threat finally worked. Ashley opened the door, her face a mask of bored annoyance. “Who did you throw out the window?” She tilted her chin up, rocking back and forth with a lazy arrogance. “Your son, who else?” I slapped her. Hard. The crack echoed in the hallway. Her head snapped to the side. Tears welled in her eyes as she cupped her cheek, her expression one of pure disbelief. “Why did you hit me? My own mom doesn’t hit me! You bitch—” Another slap, just as hard as the first. “That’s the problem! Because your mother never disciplined you, you’ve turned into a monster!” I grabbed her by the collar, my voice a low, furious growl. “I’ll ask you one more time. Who did you throw?” The fight went out of her. She mumbled, still holding her face, “It was your Leo. But it was an accident. I just wanted to see what would happen when he fell.” “I didn’t think he’d actually die.” 3 I glanced into the room. The window was wide open, letting a bitter wind whip through the space. Ashley’s friend was huddled on the edge of the bed, silent and terrified. They were old enough for elementary school. They knew damn well how dangerous it was. Jake tried to mediate. “She’s already said she’s sorry, honey. You’ve let off some steam. Let’s… let’s just bury the baby.” The absurdity of it all struck me. A human life was gone, and a simple “I’m sorry” was supposed to be enough? My mother-in-law rushed over and pulled Ashley into a tight hug, stroking her face. “You hit her so hard,” she murmured, full of pity. “Look how red her poor cheek is.” Her cheek was red. But that baby had lost its entire life. I shoved my mother-in-law aside and dragged Ashley by her hair toward the open window. “You wanted to see what would happen? Why don’t you find out for yourself?” Ashley started screaming, struggling against my grip. “No! I don’t want to! I’ll die! You’ll go to jail if you kill me! You’ll go to jail!” So she did know. She knew it was a crime, and she did it anyway. For the second time in my life, I couldn’t comprehend how a child could be so profoundly evil. A sharp pain shot through my arm as Jake wrenched me away. The force of it sent me stumbling, and my head cracked against the wall. I felt something warm and wet trickle down my temple. Jake shielded Ashley, his face a mask of exasperation. “Will you stop it? The boy is dead. Why are you taking it out on a child? You’re the one who wasn’t watching him!” Both he and his mother stood in front of Ashley, guarding her, looking at me as if I were the enemy. Just like last time. It finally clicked. They were a family, bound by blood. My son and I? We were nothing. Clutching my bleeding head, I reached for my phone with a trembling hand, ready to call the police. Jake kicked it out of my grasp, the phone skittering across the floor. “This is a family matter! Why are you calling the cops?” “Ashley’s not even eighteen. It’s useless to call them.” I used the wall to pull myself up, my gaze locking onto his, full of shattered hope. “That’s your son down there. And you’re just going to let it go?” A flicker of guilt crossed his face when he saw the blood on my forehead. “Nina, we can have another baby.” “But I only have one niece.” 4 What a great husband. So devoted to his family. I’d married him because he was filial and kind to his relatives. I never imagined that very quality would become the knife he’d plunge into my heart. He had never considered me and Leo to be his family. His family was them. His niece meant more to him than his own son. I turned to go downstairs, but my sister-in-law, Karen, came charging up, slamming her shoulder into me. She threw herself at Ashley, hugging her tightly. “Who do you think you are, hitting my daughter?” she shrieked. “I barely lay a hand on her! What gives you the right?” I was shaking with rage. “Why don’t you ask your daughter what she did?” “So your son dies and you blame my daughter? Maybe your son was just unlucky!” I hated her. But all I could think about was the child on the patio. Who was he? And what was he doing at my mother-in-law’s house? “Karen, you’re a mother too. If it was your son who died today, could you still say something so heartless?” Her pupils constricted. She pointed a finger at me, her voice dripping with venom. “You shameless bitch. Your son dies, so now you’re cursing my family? I’d say it’s a good thing your son died! Serves him right!” I grabbed my cracked phone from the floor and started walking downstairs. My mother-in-law shouted, “Stop her! She’s going to call the police!” Karen scoffed. “So what? Ashley won’t go to jail anyway.” “Are you stupid? If she calls the cops, they’ll sue us! We’ll have to pay!” Realization dawned on Karen’s face, replaced by an even deeper disgust. “Jake, look at the wife you married! Her own son is dead, and all she can think about is scheming for our money!” Jake’s face was grim as he chased after me. I had already texted my parents to call the police. He lunged for my phone and saw the message. His face contorted with rage, and he slapped me. “I told you this was a family matter! Why did you have to call the cops?” “My brother’s family is already struggling. Are you really trying to bleed them dry? I never knew you were so malicious.” I clutched my chest, a desperate, broken laugh escaping my lips. Malicious? Oh, I was. I wanted his entire family to burn in hell. Without another word, I continued downstairs. I had to know who that child was. A terrible suspicion was already forming in my mind, but I couldn’t bear to believe it. 5 Seeing that I was ignoring him, Jake grew frantic. He followed me down to the first floor. Just as I reached the back door, he grabbed my shoulders, his grip tight. “Nina, can you please stop making a scene? I already checked on Leo. He’s gone.” “Let’s just bury him. We can pretend none of this ever happened, okay?” I pushed him away, my face a blank mask. But then my eyes widened in horror. The spot on the patio where the baby had been was empty. I seized Jake’s collar. “Where is he? What did you do with the body!” Sirens wailed outside. Two police officers walked into the yard. “Who called this in?” Jake clamped a hand over my mouth, forcing a smile. “Officers, it was a mistake. My wife got it wrong, nobody called.” My mother-in-law and Karen hurried down, the former pointing at me and shouting, “She’s crazy! We were just having a little argument, and she calls the police over nothing!” The officers looked skeptical, but assuming it was just a domestic dispute, they took a brief statement and left. As soon as they were gone, Jake released me. “Nina, don’t you think I’m hurting too? The baby’s dead!” “But you had to make a scene and get everyone involved! How is Ashley supposed to face her classmates now? What will the people in this town think of our family?” I wiped the cold tears from my face. “Is any of that more important than a human life?” My eyes darted around the yard, desperately searching for the child. But he was nowhere. I searched every corner of the house, but the body was gone. Then my gaze fell on the outhouse. As I started towards it, Karen grabbed my arm. “That toilet’s broken. Go somewhere else.” I coldly shook her off and walked toward the small wooden structure. The stench hit me before I was even close. A corner of the bright red blanket was visible, floating in the filth. My entire body began to tremble, and a raw, agonized scream tore from my throat. “Are you even fucking human?”

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I am allergic to scallions. When we ordered, I specifically asked several times: no scallions. But when the dish arrived, it was sprinkled with a generous layer of green onions. Frustrated, I asked the waitress to pick them out. My boyfriend, however, decided to play the peacemaker: “Let it go. The girl works hard; it’s not easy for her.” Seeing someone on her side, the waitress immediately put down her chopsticks. “Exactly. A little scallion makes it taste better anyway. If you’re this petty about everything, you’ll never be happy in life.” I was stunned. I waved her away. My boyfriend nodded in satisfaction. “See? People should be more forgiving.” Forgiving. What a great word. In that moment, I realized this relationship was rotten to the core. 1 “Let’s break up.” When I said this, Leo was still rambling on, criticizing me. One moment he said I was too calculating, the next he said I was too harsh. As if asking a waitress to remove an allergen was a heinous crime. “I said let’s break up. Did you hear me?” I repeated myself. Leo finally shut his mouth. Displeasure was written all over his face. “Stop joking.” “I’m not joking.” “You want to break up over something this small?” “This isn’t small.” I closed my eyes. “You studied bioengineering in college. You should know better than I do that severe allergic reactions can lead to shock, even death.” Leo was silent for a moment before frowning again. “You’re exaggerating.” That sentence again. I lowered my eyes, losing even the desire to argue. I grabbed my bag, stood up, and walked straight out. Panic finally flashed across Leo’s face. He chased after me and grabbed my arm. “Stop being angry. I’ll pick the onions out for you, okay?” “It’s not about the onions.” I pulled my hand away forcefully, enunciating every word. “It’s about the fact that every time my well-being is threatened, you never stand by my side. instead, you ask me to swallow it for the sake of peace.” 2 Similar incidents had happened too many times. Small things, like when a cashier overcharged me and I asked for a refund, Leo dragged me away because he thought it was embarrassing. Big things, like when a project I collaborated on won an award but my name was omitted. My colleague claimed she forgot to include me during submission and said we should just leave it. I called the organizers to withdraw the work, and Leo accused me of being unforgiving and undignified. Item by item… I really couldn’t understand. We were supposed to be the closest people to each other, yet he always helped others hurt me. I’d had enough. “Sarah.” Seeing I was determined to leave, Leo finally softened his tone. “Stop being mad, okay? We’ve been together for three years. Don’t you know me? No one loves you more than I do. My job just requires me to maintain a certain level of dignity. I thought you were used to it. Why the big reaction today?” That excuse again. Leo’s identity as a “university lecturer” was his go-to defense for everything. But if he hadn’t mentioned it, I almost would have forgotten— “You say you value dignity, but I heard you spent days sucking up to the administration to get Bella hired at your school. I heard you even made things difficult for other interviewees for her sake, to the point where someone got into a fight with you. Leo, is your dignity selective?” Leo looked surprised. He thought he had hidden it well. But the surprise only lasted a few seconds. He quickly regained his composure. His face hardened, and he looked at me coldly. “I was wondering why you were acting so crazy today. Turns out you’re just jealous and suspicious of my relationship with Bella.” 3 Naturally, we parted on bad terms. Leo drove off, leaving me at the restaurant entrance. I thought I would be sad. But in reality, too many similar things had happened. My feelings had been consumed bit by bit, my emotions diluted drop by drop… Watching the black sedan disappear into the distance, I felt nothing. I called a taxi and went to my apartment a few miles away. I bought this apartment when I first started working. At the time, Leo was dead set against it. He said he had already bought our marital home. He said buying this apartment was a waste of money, completely unnecessary. Looking back, I had foresight. I slept soundly that night. The next day, I specifically chose a time when Leo would be at work to return to our shared home to pack. But I didn’t expect to see him there. Or Bella. “Long time no see, Sarah.” Bella greeted me first. Still with that aloof, arrogant air. I nodded. It had indeed been a long time. Bella and I were roommates in undergrad. Her family was exceptionally wealthy back then. She only lived in the dorms for two weeks freshman year before complaining it was too crowded. She bought an apartment across the street and moved out. After that, she rarely came to class, and I rarely saw her. I started seeing her again when she started dating Leo, who was in the same club as me. Yes, she is Leo’s ex-girlfriend. Later, for some reason, they broke up. Bella and I never saw each other again. Leo, however, went to the same grad school as me. It was during grad school that he started pursuing me relentlessly. At first, I had zero interest in him and declined all his invitations. He wasn’t discouraged and continued to show concern and care for me every day. The turning point happened one night. I was walking back to the dorm from the library when a man jumped out of the dark bushes. He held a small knife, grinning at me with yellow teeth. He walked toward me, laughing. I was frozen with fear. Just then, Leo appeared out of nowhere. He kicked the man and started wrestling with him. Afterward, I accompanied him to the campus clinic to treat his wounds and asked why he was there. He looked a bit embarrassed: “I saw on the campus app that there have been creeps around lately. You’re so pretty, I was worried…” Seeing me frown, he quickly waved his hands: “Of course, I know you don’t want to see me, and I didn’t want to be annoying. I just wanted to secretly walk you back to the dorm and leave once you were safe.” My heart trembled imperceptibly. After that night, my relationship with Leo changed. Later, I accepted his confession. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed. 4 “So you decided to come back?” Leo’s sarcastic voice pulled me back to reality. “I thought you had some backbone. Only one night away and you’re already crawling back to make peace?” Leo couldn’t hide the smugness in his tone. Before I could answer, he added: “I’m going to a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Bella later. I need to change into a suit. Pour her some tea and entertain her for me.” With that, he walked straight upstairs. I didn’t even want to acknowledge him and started packing immediately. Bella, arms crossed, walked over to me and chuckled, “Where’s the tea?” “Pour it yourself if you want it,” I said without looking up. Her laugh grew more scornful: “Sarah, oh Sarah, you’re funny. Back then you were so proud, refusing to bring me takeout even when I offered to pay you. Who knew that behind the scenes, you were picking up my leftovers?” “Did you hear that? She called you her leftovers.” I stared blankly at the space behind Bella. Her face froze instantly. She panicked and tried to explain: “I didn’t! She’s lying—” She stopped abruptly. Only then did she realize there was no one behind her. “You played me!” Bella glared at me, grinding her teeth, looking like she wanted to slap me. Gone was the noble, aloof demeanor. But I ignored her and continued stuffing things into my suitcase. Bella felt like she had punched cotton. Her chest heaved with anger, but she had no outlet. After a long while, she squeezed out through her teeth: “What do you have to be proud of? If I hadn’t gone abroad, Leo and I never would have broken up, and you wouldn’t have had a chance. Now that I’m back, let’s see if he still wants you.” Bang. I slammed the suitcase shut. “It’s me who doesn’t want him anymore. I’m returning this ‘item’ to you. Wishing you a hundred years of happiness and early childbirth.” With that, I picked up the suitcase and headed upstairs. There were still some expensive bags and jewelry up there. I wasn’t going to let Leo profit from them.

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1 Our doctor called Caspian Hamblett and me a match made in heaven—a cruel twist of fate, really. His fertility rate was practically zero, a severe case of male infertility. Mine was the exact opposite; I was hyper-fertile. We were a biological paradox. And so, in our third year of marriage, the impossible happened: I conceived naturally. I tucked the positive pregnancy test into a small, elegant box, planning to give it to him on his birthday. The perfect surprise. But he beat me to it, exploding across the internet first: #HamblettHeirCaspianAndSupermodelGirlfriendInSteamyHotelRomp #SeraphinaRowesBody #LearningNewTricksAtTheApexHotel I felt like I’d been plunged into a cavern of ice. I called Caspian, my hand trembling. He answered, his voice a low, intimate murmur. “Babe, I’ve got a business dinner tonight. Don’t wait up.” Before I could utter a single word, he hung up, leaving me frozen in silence. I didn’t sleep that night. … The comments online were a torrent of poison. [You can’t really blame him for finding another woman. His wife is barren.] [Exactly. He’s handsome, rich, incredible in bed. He has everything. Genes like that deserve to be passed on.] [Please, Seraphina Rowe is an international supermodel. Can you imagine how perfect their kid would be?] Through the long lens of a paparazzi camera, Caspian made no effort to hide as he pressed the woman against the floor-to-ceiling window. His large hands were strategically placed, cupping her private areas, his movements powerful yet tender. Below, on the street, a crowd of onlookers and photographers grew, their cameras flashing until night fell. [Damn, three hours, four rounds. Caspian Hamblett is a god.] [Seraphina must be in heaven.] For me, those three hours were an eternity of torture. I watched the man who had promised to love me for a lifetime tear off his mask for the world to see, losing himself in another woman. I remembered a year ago, after a full year of trying for a baby with no success, when his parents pressured us into getting checked. The results came back. The doctor told me the problem was Caspian. To protect his pride, his fragile male ego, I begged the doctor to keep it a secret. I told everyone the problem was me. That I was the one who couldn’t conceive. That night, his mother laid out dozens of photos in front of him. “The Hamblett family empire is enormous. We can’t let it die without an heir.” “This one is from Harvard, high IQ. This one is a professor at Juilliard, artistic, from a family of intellectuals…” Right in front of me, Caspian swept the photos into the trash can. “Mom, forget it. I only love Elara.” “I can’t separate my body from my heart.” His mother tried everything to force us apart—tears, tantrums, threats. But he just held my hand tighter and we moved out of the Hamblett mansion. He even threatened to publicly disown his family. “You two can have more kids if you want,” he’d told his parents. “That way you won’t have to worry about the Hamblett legacy.” “Elara and I are going to live a happy, carefree life, just the two of us.” The conviction in his eyes back then was absolute. I truly believed we would love each other for the rest of our lives. But now… Tears blurred my vision. I rested a hand on my stomach, on the precious new life I was carrying, and sent Caspian a text. [Are you sure you don’t want to know what your surprise is?] I stared at my phone, praying for a reply. If he would just apologize, even with a pathetic excuse like he’d lost his head for a moment, I would keep our child. I would give him one more chance. But the only reply I received was a city-wide firework display, lighting up the night sky with a message for everyone to see: [To Seraphina Rowe’s first love, Mr. Hamblett. It began with you, it will be true to you, and it will end with you. I love you~] [Happy Birthday. Here’s to many more with me.] The fireworks spelled out the words, one by one, for a full thirty minutes. Their grand romantic gesture was trending again. They were on a yacht on the Hudson, having a candlelit dinner. [I heard Caspian bought that yacht for her. It’s their private love boat now.] [Wow, so romantic. I can only imagine what happens on that thing~] My heart shattered, piece by piece. Today wasn’t just his twenty-eighth birthday. It was our tenth anniversary. We were eighteen when we got into the same university. One kiss, and we were inseparable. Now, he had clearly forgotten all about the woman waiting at home to celebrate with him. I sat at the dining table for five hours, watching the food grow cold and the cake I’d baked collapse in on itself. Finally, my phone buzzed. It was from Seraphina. [Caspian and I had a wild night. He just fell asleep.] [If you want to know what happened, it’s all online. Need me to send you a highlight reel?] A flood of video files came through, eating up nearly twenty gigabytes of my phone’s memory. [Here’s the whole thing. Enjoy the show, honey.] [Okay, I’m exhausted. Going to cuddle with your husband now. Bye.] The last message was a photo of Caspian asleep. His brow was furrowed with fatigue, but a sweet, satisfied smile played on his lips. A wave of nausea washed over me. I ran to the bathroom and dry-heaved over the toilet. The baby kicked restlessly inside me. I bit my lip until I tasted blood as tears streamed down my face. “I’m sorry, little one,” I whispered. “It’s not that I don’t want you. It’s that I can’t have you.” I wanted so badly to give our child a happy home. But I couldn’t. Not anymore. I couldn’t pretend nothing had happened and continue to share a bed with Caspian. After I was done being sick, I pulled myself up from the floor. I started packing a bag, my mind set on going to the hospital for an abortion. Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was Alfred, his parents’ driver. “Ma’am, Mrs. Hamblett would like to see you.” I went with him. His mother slid a divorce agreement across the table. “I’m sure you’re aware of what happened yesterday.” “Caspian has been carrying on with that woman in public, for the whole city to see. He’s made it perfectly clear he’s ready for a divorce.” “You need to accept the fact that he doesn’t love you anymore. Sign the papers. Don’t hold him back.” After a sleepless night, I had already steeled myself to end our ten-year relationship. To lose his child. To divorce him. I just hadn’t expected the Hamblett family to be in such a hurry to throw me out. I picked up the agreement with a bitter taste in my mouth. The terms were simple: I would leave with nothing. I laughed, a harsh, humorless sound. I pushed the papers back. “I’ll agree to a divorce. But I’m not signing this.” “Caspian’s affair is public knowledge. I want a seventy-thirty split of the assets.” “Seventy for me, thirty for him.” His mother slammed her hand on the table. “How dare you!” “In all the years you’ve been married into this family, you haven’t produced a single heir.” “Marrying Caspian elevated you, a girl from a bankrupt family, to a status and respect you never deserved.” “And now you have the audacity to demand money? You should be compensating us!” The absurdity of it all was suffocating. “Has it ever occurred to you that the reason I can’t have a baby is because your son is the one who’s broken?” SLAP. The force of the blow sent a ringing through my ears. She threw a debit card at my face. “Don’t you dare spew such nonsense.” “Your youth was worth about five hundred dollars.” “Take it, and get out of my house.” Just then, the door opened. Caspian walked in, holding Seraphina’s hand. He flinched when he saw me, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. He tried to pull his hand away, but Seraphina gripped it tighter, linking her arm through his. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Mrs. Hamblett,” Seraphina cooed. “Caspian and I were up so late last night, we overslept a little.” She pulled a sapphire necklace and an envelope from her purse. “This is for you. It was the grand prize from the modeling competition. A royal blue sapphire. The moment I saw it, I thought of you.” His mother’s eyes lit up. “This is a priceless piece, almost impossible to find at auction now. And you’re just giving it to me?” Seraphina nodded. “Of course. You’re Caspian’s mother. You raised this incredible man. I don’t know how else to thank you.” His mother beamed. “You are too thoughtful, my dear. It seems our Caspian has finally opened his eyes.” “I didn’t have time to prepare a proper gift for you, but please, take this.” She handed Seraphina a black credit card. “It has a five-million-dollar monthly limit. Spend it as you wish. I know you models have to maintain a certain image.” Seraphina hugged her sweetly. “Thank you so much! I’m opening the fashion show tomorrow. You have to come!” A bitter pang shot through my heart. In all my years with Caspian, I had never been treated with such warmth. I grabbed my bag to leave, but Caspian stopped me. “Stay for dinner.” I shook him off. “No, thank you. Let’s get a divorce.” “I’ll meet you at the city clerk’s office tomorrow at nine.” His brow furrowed with impatience. “Yes, I’m with Seraphina now. But she doesn’t mind you being around. You can keep your title as Mrs. Hamblett.” He leaned in, his voice low. “You need to remember, you have no one but me now.” “Throwing a tantrum and demanding a divorce won’t do you any good.” He was right. I had no one else. Ever since my parents died in a car crash that was meant for him, a deliberate act of sabotage, I had clung to him like he was life itself. He was the only one left who would be good to me. And now, this blatant betrayal. If I had known this would happen, I would have stayed away from him ten years ago. Then my parents would still be alive. Seraphina approached me with a bright, false smile, as if just noticing me. “Oh, Elara, you’re here! I actually had a little favor to ask you.” “Listen to Caspian. Stay for dinner.” I took a step back. “No.” Caspian’s face darkened. “Elara, don’t take your anger out on Seraphina.” “She’s sincerely asking for your help, not for your cold shoulder.” He shoved me into a dining chair. Seraphina poured me a glass of red wine. “The jewelry I was planning to wear for the show tomorrow has gone missing.” “This is a special exhibition. The pieces need to have a story. The other models are wearing family heirlooms or purchased antiques. I can’t find a suitable replacement on such short notice.” “So, I was hoping to borrow yours.” Her eyes were fixed on the necklace I was wearing. “With the story behind it, your necklace would be the talk of the show.” Her earnest expression was a mask for raw provocation. My heart seized. I instinctively covered the necklace with my hand. I had taken it from my mother’s body. I remember that day with sickening clarity. A massive truck plowing straight into my parents’ car. Their multi-million dollar Rolls-Royce, crushed like a tin can. Blood pooling on the asphalt. It was the darkest day of my life. I knelt before their mangled bodies, my screams tearing through the air, and salvaged the broken half of the necklace from my mother’s neck. It was the only thing I had left of her. And now, Seraphina wanted to use my tragedy as a prop for her career. “Never. My pain is not a tool for your publicity.” Caspian glanced at her, then at me. “Let it go, Seraphina. That was her mother’s.” Tears welled in Seraphina’s eyes, her hand, holding a wine glass, frozen in mid-air. “I just wanted to borrow it,” she choked out. “It’s not like I wasn’t going to give it back.” “Caspian, you know how important this show is to me. I’m on the verge of breaking into the international market.” As her tears fell, Caspian’s expression softened, his brief sternness melting into concern. “Elara, maybe you could just…” “Impossible,” I cut him off. I stood to leave, but Seraphina grabbed my arm. “Please, Elara. I’m begging you.” “I really don’t have time to find anything else. If you’re angry at me because of Caspian, you can hit me, you can yell at me, whatever you want.” I tried to pull away. “Let go of me.” She stumbled backward and fell to the floor, the red wine staining her dress like a fresh wound. Caspian rushed to her side, his face a mask of fury. “That’s enough, Elara.” “Your parents are dead. They’re gone. What’s the point of clinging to a necklace? You’d be better off visiting their graves.” He reached over and ripped the necklace from my neck. “Seraphina is borrowing it. Stop making a scene.” He scooped her up into his arms. “Mom, this woman has ruined dinner.” “I’m taking Seraphina to change. We’ll see you at the show tomorrow.” He carried her out the door. I stumbled after them, my voice raw. “Caspian, that belonged to my mother! You can’t!” “Give it back to me!” He settled Seraphina into the car, then turned to me, his face flushed with anger. “Maybe I’ve been too good to you, Elara. Is that why you feel like you can treat Seraphina this way?” “All she did was ask to borrow something.” He had forgotten. That crash was orchestrated by one of his family’s enemies. They thought he was in the car that day. My parents had died for him. I remember him kneeling at their memorial, sobbing, swearing an oath. “Mom, Dad, don’t worry. I’ll take care of Elara for the rest of my life. I’ll love her and protect her.” “I’ll never let anyone hurt her. I’ll never let something like this happen to her.” All those promises were now dust. A man’s heart changes so easily. For his new love, he could steal my most precious memory. Disappointment was etched across his face. He slammed his foot on the gas, the car screeching away, leaving me standing alone in the road. I didn’t care. I scrambled to my feet and ran after him. At an intersection, there was a deafening screech of tires and a sickening crunch. The next thing I knew, I was flying through the air, thrown several meters by the impact of a car. Blood poured from my nose and mouth. My clothes were soaked with it, a sticky, warm wetness spreading from beneath me. I tried to move, but my body was a dead weight. Through a hazy fog, I heard the wail of a siren. “Quick, call Mr. Hamblett!” “She’s losing too much blood. The baby’s gone. We have to focus on saving her.” “If we lose her, Mr. Hamblett will tear this hospital apart!” A doctor’s voice, choked with tears, “Director, he’s not answering.” “Then use her phone.” They fished my phone from my pocket. The screen was shattered but somehow still worked. A few seconds after they dialed, he picked up. “It’s the middle of the night, Elara. What do you want now?” The paramedic spoke quickly. “Mr. Hamblett, this is City General Hospital. Your wife—” A cold laugh cut him off. “Is Elara being dramatic again? Did she hire actors to try and guilt me into coming home?” “Seraphina has a huge show tomorrow. She’s nervous and needs me with her.” “I’ll come home after it’s over.” “And don’t worry, I’ll bring your necklace back with me.” “No, sir, you don’t understand,” the paramedic insisted. “Your wife has been in a serious car accident.” “She’s in critical condition.” “And she’s miscarried. You need to get to the hospital.” Caspian’s voice was laced with annoyance. “She can’t get pregnant, so how could she have a miscarriage?” “I told you, I’m busy tonight. Tell her to stop acting like a child.” Click. The line went dead. Caspian’s eyelid twitched all night. It was still twitching the next day. A knot of anxiety tightened in his gut. After the fashion show, he hurriedly dismissed the reporters. As he was heading to his car, a man stopped him. “Mr. Hamblett? Miss Elara asked me to give this to you.” In front of all the flashing cameras, the man handed Caspian a small, ornate wooden box. The media swarmed, their lenses focused tightly on it as he lifted the lid.

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The serial murder case I spearheaded was overturned eight years later. The victims’ enraged families cornered me outside my parents’ house and stabbed me multiple times, demanding my life as payment. My own family, ashamed of the scandal, cut ties with me. I served an eight-year sentence for gross negligence in the performance of my duty. After my release, I sought refuge in the quiet coastal town of Port Willow, making a meager living as a fisherman. Finally, there was a measure of peace. But that hard-won serenity shattered the moment my ex-wife, Seraphina “Sera” Albright, arrived. She was now the celebrated Police Commissioner of Cresthaven, famed for her string of high-profile cases. A relentless storm lashed the coast, and a swarm of reporters pressed against my small wooden cabin, shouting. “Mr. Kincaid, sources say the Commissioner remained unmarried for eight years, waiting for your return!” I stared at her, standing there in her rain-slicked glory, and the urge to laugh was overwhelming and bitter. No one knew that the one who had manufactured the case, built the evidence, and pushed me out to take the fall—all to elevate her lover, Brandon Cole—was this very same “devoted” Commissioner Albright. 1 The cabin door remained locked, and the reporters, seeing this public snub, were audibly sympathizing with Sera. She, however, appeared perfectly composed. The rising volume of the crowd finally drew Frankie, the owner of the fishing boat, out of the cabin. He approached Sera, visibly terrified, bowing slightly. “Commis— Commissioner Albright, we’re all honest, hard-working people here,” he stammered. “This town can’t handle a person of your stature. If you and all these cameras don’t leave, we’ll lose tomorrow’s haul.” He then turned toward the cabin and called out, a plea in his voice: “Rhys Kincaid! The Commissioner came all this way for you. Just step out and talk to her!” “That won’t be necessary. Don’t pressure him,” Sera’s cool voice cut in. At the sound of her voice, my hands froze. The sharp nylon mesh of the net sliced a deep, ragged line across my index finger. Even after all these years, hearing her voice—that practiced, even tone—still stripped away my hard-won tranquility. I knew her better than anyone. The possibility that she was here out of some lingering affection was as absurd as the sun rising in the West. I knew she wouldn’t leave until she got what she came for. Thinking of Frankie, and the small kindnesses he’d shown me, I let out a long, heavy sigh. I put down the net and stepped out of the small shack. The instant I appeared, the reporters swarmed. A barrage of questions. Rapid fire. “What’s it like, going from decorated Detective to dockside fisherman?” “Is your avoidance because you still resent the Commissioner for exposing your negligence?” “We hear your former protégé, Brandon Cole, has proposed to her multiple times. Any comment on that?” The manic energy pushed them forward. Microphones jabbed my face. My eyes sought hers—Sera was standing a few feet away, watching the spectacle with a cold, assessing gaze. I felt a chill lock up my muscles. Question after cutting question hit me, but I couldn’t form a single word. My throat was dry. Nothing. The reporters, frustrated by my silence, grew more aggressive, nearly shoving me over. Then, Sera moved. She pushed through the crush of bodies and stood directly in front of me, shielding me. Her voice was low, yet commanded instant silence. “Everyone,” she said, “this is a private matter between Mr. Kincaid and me. We won’t be answering any questions.” She gestured toward the docks. “They have work to do. Let them get back to it. Clear out.” The crowd dispersed grudgingly. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, ready to bolt back inside. “Rhys Kincaid,” Sera said. I forced myself to meet her eyes, my body rigid. “Is there something else, Commissioner Albright?” She flinched, just a hairline tremor at the formality of the title. She took a moment, then asked, her voice soft, “Have you… been well? All these years?” The question, coming from her, was so wildly, obscenely ridiculous I almost laughed. But the moment wasn’t for humor. She took a step closer, lifting a hand toward me. My body reacted instantly. I stumbled back, not noticing the metal bucket beside my feet. CLANG! I fell hard and gracelessly, flat on my back. The fresh cut on my finger struck a jagged rock, and bright blood welled up and ran down my palm. Sera rushed forward, her face a mask of concern, reaching for me. “Are you hurt? Let me help you up.” I scrambled away from her touch, bracing myself against the rough wood of the cabin to stand. “I’m fine.” Ignoring Frankie’s stunned gaze, I hurried to dismiss her. “Commissioner Albright, if that’s all you came for, I need to get back to work. I’m out on the water before dawn.” Sera’s expression fractured into something that looked convincingly like pain. She reached out again. “Rhys, do we really have to be this cold to each other? You don’t know what I’ve been through these past years—” A new voice cut her off. “Mommy! Dad and I missed you so much!” A boy, maybe nine or ten, barreled straight into Sera’s arms. Brandon Cole approached, steering my parents—Robert and Susan Kincaid—by the elbow. He gently took the hand Sera had extended to me, pulling her closer with a proprietary air. “Sera, why didn’t you call me when you came to see the Master?” he chastised, but his tone was light. “Mom and Dad were frantic when they heard you came out to this remote place alone.” He glanced at me, a condescending smirk playing on his lips. “Don’t mind us, Rhys. The boy missed his mother. And with her being pregnant again, we all have to be extra careful.” My eyes drifted, involuntarily, to her flat stomach. The irony was a punch to the gut. Eight years unmarried, waiting for me? She had two children with Brandon, one already nearly ten. I thought back. Before my arrest, she’d been injured in the line of duty, claiming she needed a year at a specialized recovery clinic. That must be when it happened. They were already intertwined, already a family. And I, the fool, had been oblivious, throwing myself into solving just one more case, chasing one more bonus, to make sure she had the best care possible. Before I could even process the assault of emotion, my parents’ accusations began, a torrent of righteous anger. “Rhys Kincaid, you have the nerve to still be breathing!” My father, Robert, spat the words. “You shamed us beyond repair!” My mother, Susan, cried out, “Your father had a stroke three years ago! If Brandon hadn’t been checking on us, if he hadn’t rushed your father to the hospital—your father would be dead and buried!” I looked at their graying hair and the deep lines of their aged faces, and despite everything, a wave of hollow regret washed over me for the years of care I couldn’t give them. But watching them cling to Sera and Brandon, the sting of betrayal intensified. If they knew the truth—that the people they were thanking, the people they cherished, were the ones who had framed me for a crime that cost innocent lives—what would that do to them? My father looked at me with open disgust. “Sera, that boy is a disgrace. He isn’t worth your worry.” He shook his head. “If I had committed such a horrific wrong, I would have had the decency to disappear forever! You shouldn’t have come for him!” My mother chimed in, pure contempt in her voice. “That’s right. We disowned him eight years ago. Don’t worry about hurting our feelings. What good is a son like that? We only recognize you and Brandon as our family now.” Frankie was watching the exchange, his eyes wide and beginning to look wary. There was nothing left to say. My subtly trembling hands were the only thing that betrayed the cold fury churning inside me. Sera noticed the tremor. With a look of practiced sympathy, she explained, “They’ve had to endure public scorn for years, Rhys. Try not to blame them.” She gently soothed my parents, then turned back to me before leaving. “What happened back then… I still owe you for it,” she murmured. “My number hasn’t changed. Call me if you ever need anything.” I simply nodded, refusing to speak. Seeing my non-committal nod, Sera finally seemed satisfied and departed. Call her? I thought. I wanted to run from them, not beg for the scraps of charity she might condescend to throw my way. After my parents and the entourage were gone, Frankie walked over and clapped my shoulder, his expression unreadable. He didn’t say anything, but I knew. Something had shifted. The next day, I was assigned to the oldest, most dilapidated boat, given the back-breaking tasks. Frankie shuffled his feet, avoiding my eyes. “Rhys, it’s not that I don’t want to look out for you,” he mumbled. “Look, after the spectacle yesterday… and, well, everyone knows you did time.” He looked miserable. “No one wants to share a boat with you. You’ll have to work alone.” I nodded silently, shouldered the heavy fishing net, and walked toward the small boat that looked painfully frail against the churning waves. A wave of crushing sadness washed over me. The fragile illusion of peace—Sera had personally destroyed it.

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The day I was due to give birth to twins, I bought out every dose of tocolytics in the hospital, forcing my body to delay labor. I held on until the next day, watching Julian Sterling announce that his 10th mistress, Sophia Lin, had given birth to his child first. Her child would be the future heir of Sterling Enterprises. Only then did I let out a breath of relief and give birth to my twins right there. In my past life, Julian was diagnosed with congenital low sperm count. To ensure an heir, he kept ten mistresses and declared that whoever gave birth first, her child would inherit the empire. He told me that if I gave birth first, he would dismiss all the mistresses and let my child inherit everything. I believed him. When I unexpectedly became pregnant with twins, I was overjoyed. But on the day of delivery, I was met not with his smile, but with his rage. Ignoring my screams, he forced the babies back inside me and stitched me up. I watched helplessly as they slowly suffocated within me. He dragged me to a fresh grave and forced me to kowtow until my head bled. “Sophia came from nothing. I just wanted her child to be the heir so no one would dare bully them. But you, you had to try and steal even that.” “She died in childbirth, taking the baby with her. I want you to pay with your life.” I was beaten to death in front of Sophia’s grave. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on that day. This time, I’ll let the three of them be a happy family. Chapter 1 I called the nurse and demanded the last injection of tocolytics. Chapter 2 The nurse screamed in protest, “Mrs. Sterling, you must deliver now! Any further delay could be life-threatening!” Before I could speak, Julian’s bodyguards burst in and forcibly dragged me away. The doctors and nurses shouted desperately behind us, “Her heart rate and blood pressure are dropping! Moving her now could cause a massive hemorrhage! It could mean three lives lost!” But the bodyguards turned a deaf ear, roughly dragging me to the press conference. Julian’s mistresses were also brought to the scene, some already visibly pregnant. Then, everyone, including me, was forced to drink a bowl of abortifacient. Screams and wails filled the venue, the stench of blood spreading rapidly. “Even if the wife gives birth, it’s not like us mistresses have a chance. Why make us miscarry?! Ah, it hurts! Help!” I was forced to drink the whole bowl. The labor that had just been halted turned into a hemorrhage. My screams alarmed the other women, who panicked: “Mrs. Sterling was forced to drink it too? She was about to give birth!” “If it’s not her giving birth, then who? Who wants us all dead?” I rolled on the floor in agony, gritting my teeth and shouting, “Call a doctor! Someone’s going to die!” Just then, Sophia Lin, dressed in a white gauze dress, walked in arm-in-arm with Julian. Her face was rosy, showing no signs of having just given birth. Chapter 3 As Julian entered and saw the mistresses lying on the floor, his face changed instantly. Sophia covered her nose and screamed, “Oh my, why have all these sisters miscarried? Who is so cruel as to deny them their children?” Before she finished speaking, Julian glared at me and kicked me hard in the stomach. “You bitch! Taking advantage of my absence to drug them! Your jealousy drove you to kill them and their unborn children!” I couldn’t stand up from the pain. Seeing her standing behind him with a smug look, I gritted my teeth, “I didn’t… it must be her—” “Still denying it?” He roared. “This isn’t the first time you’ve hurt people out of jealousy! This time, I won’t indulge you.” He ordered the bodyguards, “Everyone gives her a slap. Afterward, I’ll send you to the best hospitals and postpartum centers.” The bodyguards pinned me down in the center of the venue, ignoring the blood flowing from my lower body. The girls walked up crying, slapping me with tears in their eyes: “I’m sorry, Mrs. Sterling…” One after another, slap after slap, until my ears rang and my vision blurred. Only after everyone was sent away did Julian satisfy himself by taking the baby from the nanny and leading Sophia to me. He looked at my bloodstained body and face, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. But the next moment, he lifted his chin and said coldly: Chapter 4 “Don’t blame me for letting them hit you. I have to teach you a lesson. Let you know the consequences of jealousy and harming others.” “Just so you don’t think about stealing the heir position from Sophia and her son again.” I trembled and looked up at him. So, I wasn’t the only one reborn. No wonder he immediately blamed me as soon as Sophia spoke. No wonder he said I did this “not for the first time.” Because in the past life, he also wrongly accused me and sentenced me to death for Sophia. My eyes reddened. He said coldly: “Joanna, playing the victim won’t work. Giving birth early won’t help either.” “I’ve already had the doctor induce labor for Sophia. This time she will definitely beat you to it. Whoever gives birth first, their child is the heir. Even if you give birth, it’s useless.” I laughed miserably, clutching my bleeding lower body, and whispered: “I already took the inhibitors to delay labor, making way for your family of three. But why won’t you let me give birth to my children? Why force me to drink that medicine, to kill my babies…” He froze, frowning deeply. “Don’t talk nonsense. Your due date was yesterday. I asked the doctor, you gave birth long ago.” Cold sweat poured down my face. I kept crying in pain, pulling him to look closely at my still swollen belly. He looked disgusted, impatiently shaking off my hand, refusing to look at my stomach. “Stop acting. If you want to prove you didn’t try to harm Sophia, admit at the press conference tomorrow that you couldn’t conceive and asked Sophia to carry the child for you.” “Then transfer all your shares and assets to her and her child, and serve them well in the future.” “If you dare play any tricks or touch a hair on her head, I’ll deal with not just you and the bastard in your belly—your critically ill father won’t be staying in the VIP ward either.” Chapter 5 I stared wide-eyed at Julian, my cries heart-wrenching: “Julian Sterling, you bastard! My father is in a coma because he saved you! How can you threaten me with his life?!” Julian said impatiently, “As long as you serve Sophia during her confinement and take good care of them, I won’t touch him.” With that, he left with his arm around Sophia. “Sophia, thank you for giving me an heir. I’m going to reward you well.” My lower body was hemorrhaging. I begged the bodyguards guarding the venue to take me to the hospital, to save the children in my belly. My mother-in-law rushed in. Seeing the pool of blood and my state covered in foul amniotic fluid, her face turned pale. “Send her to the hospital quickly! If anything happens to my grandchildren, I won’t spare any of you!” I was sent to the hospital, but the doctor was nowhere to be found. My mother-in-law was furious, demanding to know where my assigned doctors were. The nurses said awkwardly: “Mrs. Sterling, all the doctors in the city were called to the Riverside Villa by the CEO. Miss Sophia pricked her finger during a blood test, and Mr. Sterling was afraid of complications, so he ordered all doctors to be on standby.” “Right now… there are no doctors in the city.” My mother-in-law was so angry she kept calling him: “He’s crazy! His wife, whom he begged to marry, is hemorrhaging giving birth to his children, and he calls away all the doctors for a mistress? Does he not care if his wife lives or dies?!” Chapter 6 After the tenth call, Julian finally answered, asking impatiently what she wanted, if I was making trouble again and looking for her support. My mother-in-law shouted excitedly: “Joanna is hemorrhaging and in a coma! The babies are suffering from hypoxia! And you took all her doctors away! Do you want to kill your wife and children?” Julian sneered: “Did Joanna make you call me? She gave birth yesterday, why pretend to be critically ill now?” “Alright, alright, I still have to take birth photos of Sophia and my son. She wants a doctor? I’ll send someone.” My mother-in-law hung up, gripping my hand tightly. “Don’t be afraid, Joanna, the doctor will be here soon.” I clutched my belly, feeling the life inside weakening. Thinking of my past life, my children sewn inside me by Julian, suffocated to death. I trembled all over, pulling my mother-in-law’s hand, speaking with difficulty. “Mother, three years ago, my father went into a coma to save Julian. You promised me you’d treat me like your own daughter, and if Julian mistreated me, you’d help me divorce him.” “I beg you, let me divorce him. I won’t stand in the way of his beloved woman’s son taking power. I just want my children to be born safely.” Chapter 7 My mother-in-law was already in tears, nodding repeatedly. “Although it was to repay your father’s life-saving grace, I only said I’d adopt you as a goddaughter. Confessing and proposing was all Julian’s own doing. He loved you so much, how did it come to this? It’s all that bitch Sophia’s doing. If she hadn’t suddenly appeared, you wouldn’t be like this.” I smiled tragically. Yes, childhood sweethearts, first love, how did it become like this? The man who blushed at his coming-of-age ceremony, saying he’d love me forever and would deserve a thousand cuts if he betrayed me. Now he’s cutting me into a thousand pieces for another woman. “Please, Mrs. Sterling,” I said through gritted teeth, word by word. Listening to my weak pleas, she finally nodded. “Okay! When you got married, I made him sign a divorce agreement just in case you drifted apart, so I could help you get away. I’ll go back and process it urgently right now!” “Tomorrow, I’ll announce that you are my sole heir. As for that ungrateful son, I won’t acknowledge him anymore!” My mother-in-law left immediately to handle the matter. I lay on the hospital bed, pain flooding my abdomen, wailing. The young assistant left by my mother-in-law anxiously waited for the doctor sent by Julian. Finally, someone came. But it wasn’t a doctor, it was a delivery guy. Seeing the bloody scene in the delivery room, he awkwardly handed over a bag. A sanitary pad and a band-aid fell out. “Mr. Sterling said it’s just postpartum lochia, not life-threatening. Tell her to wipe it herself and stop disgusting him with this stuff.” The assistant cried, smashing the bag. “Madam, I’ll take you to a hospital in another city right now. You must hold on.” I wailed continuously, my vision went black, and I finally passed out. Chapter 8 I woke up to a bucket of freezing water dumped on me. Before me was Julian’s disgusted face. “Stop pretending now that you’re awake,” he looked down at me. “You knew I was announcing the heir and Sophia’s status tomorrow, yet you made a scene going to a hospital in the next city. Do you want everyone to think Sophia is bullying you?” Sophia stood behind him holding the baby, tears streaming down her face, looking pitiful. “Madam, I know you hate me. But revenge on me is one thing, why did you have your mother-in-law try to take my child?” “The assistant was shouting before being dragged away, saying your mother-in-law went back to process documents to have my child adopted by you, saying I’m not fit to be the heir’s mother…” I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I could only shake my head with all my might, trembling and begging: “I… didn’t… take me to the hospital… the babies… can’t hold on…” “Lying again!” Julian frowned impatiently. “My mom left the hospital in a hurry and brought lawyers to work overnight. Wasn’t that your doing? You think stealing Sophia’s child will secure your position as the heir’s mother?” “Didn’t you give birth yesterday? Why pretend to be critically ill in labor? Trying to trick me into pitying you? Dream on!” My whole body was in agony. The blood below had dried, sticking to my skin, emitting a strong stench. Chapter 9 Sophia covered her mouth and retched, eyes teary: “Sister, you know I can’t stand the smell of blood after giving birth, yet you refuse to clean up. Are you trying to make me faint on purpose?” She cried until her face was pale, shrinking into Julian’s arms, provoking pity. “Look at you now!” Julian looked disgusted. “Like a madwoman, stinking. Such an embarrassment!” He waved his hand, ordering bodyguards to pour bucket after bucket of cold water on me until I was pale and shivering, completely hypothermic, before he told them to stop. Sophia nestled in his arms, crying and begging: “Madam, I beg you, don’t separate me from my child… If you insist on taking my son, I’ll jump out this window!” She acted like she was going to jump, and Julian quickly held her back. Finally furious, he turned around, kicked away my hand grasping his pant leg, and leaned down to shout coldly: “Don’t think you can stay the heir’s mother by manipulating my mom. I’ve already locked down the old mansion. No matter what you plan, it won’t work!” “As for you—I warned you so many times not to bully Sophia and her child, but you wouldn’t listen! Since that’s the case, I have to use special measures.” He turned sharply, ordering the bodyguards coldly: “She drove Sophia to almost jump off a building; she should pay the price. Go, pull her father’s oxygen tube and throw him off the building!” Chapter 10 “Julian Sterling!” I screamed, tearing my throat. “Are you crazy! That’s my father! He saved your life!!” “So what!” Julian sneered. “To force you into a wealthy family, to make your child the future heir of Sterling Enterprises. He schemed to save me, used that favor to force me to marry you. Now you’re married into wealth, and I got you pregnant. If you can’t give birth to my first child, that’s your own uselessness. I’ve repaid my debt. I owe you nothing!” “Do it!” I threw myself at the bodyguards, trying to stop them, but was kicked to the ground. The blood that had dried below suddenly gushed out due to the violent impact, like a burst dam, instantly staining the entire floor red. I screamed in agony, curling into a ball. Julian was about to drag me, but suddenly he saw my high swollen belly exposed by the beating, and then the floor full of crimson. His face turned pale. He subconsciously rushed to my side, held me, and turned to question Sophia. “What’s going on?! I put you in charge of Joanna’s delivery. Didn’t you say she gave birth successfully yesterday and the child was sent to the nursery?!” “Then why is her belly still so big?! Why is she still bleeding!!!” Chapter 11 Sophia’s face changed slightly. But her eyes darted around, and she quickly squeezed out tears, crying as she took out her phone: “Madam did give birth yesterday, the child has been in the nursery.” “I knew Madam would try to make things difficult for me… so I specifically asked the doctor to take a video of the child.” She handed over the phone. On the screen was a baby clearly a month old. The video was crude, obviously fake. But Julian believed it with just a glance. The next second, he furiously lifted me from the ground and slammed me onto the cold, hard floor. The back of my head hit heavily, blood spraying instantly. “You dare lie to me!” He roared. “To make me softhearted, you even faked a belly and blood?! How disgusting, how cheap are you!” “Think I’ll fall for it this time? Dream on!” He lifted his leg and kicked my stomach mercilessly, again and again. Blood and screams splashed with every impact. “Ah… no… don’t…” I begged with a torn throat, but my body grew colder and stiffer. Until I had no strength left to beg, I could only curl up in my own pool of blood, trembling silently. He threw off his bloodstained jacket, turning to Sophia with an apologetic face. “Sorry, Sophia, for making you smell this disgusting scent. I’ll deal with her. After that, I’ll take you to an island for our honeymoon, as compensation for wrongfully blaming you, okay?”

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1 In my last life, I was the queen of the paparazzi. I knew where all the bodies in Hollywood were buried, and eventually, the corporate overlords buried me. Reborn, I became the one-woman rumor mill of a backwoods town called Hickory Hollow. Who’s chicken went missing, which husband was cheating—I knew it all. Then Penelope, the fake heiress, decided to launch her acting career. Her wealthy parents, terrified that I—the real daughter, their dirty little secret—would blow up their perfect lives, came hunting for me. They tracked me down in the dead of night and shoved a non-disclosure agreement in my face, a contract promising I’d never try to reclaim my birthright. “Take this fifty thousand dollars and rot in the mud where you belong. If you get in Penny’s way, we’ll end you.” On the video call, Penelope was already crying, her tears perfectly framed. “Sister, you’re only losing a family, but I can’t lose my dream!” I just smiled and quietly started a live stream. “Fifty grand? Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea what a trending topic costs these days?” “I’ve already compiled all your family’s dirty laundry into a PowerPoint presentation.” “Now, give the camera a big smile. I’ve already got tomorrow’s headline picked out.” “‘Murder for Hire: Hollywood Moguls silenced their real daughter to launch a star.’ How does that sound?” … “You’re asking for it. Smash her phone!” Arthur Preston shot a look at his bodyguards, and the two men in black suits started towards me. I didn’t flinch. I just tweaked the beauty filter on my stream. The viewer count instantly rocketed past two hundred thousand, the live chat scrolling too fast to read. 【Whoa, is this a real-life billionaire meltdown? This is better than reality TV!】 【Isn’t that Arthur Preston, the CEO of Preston Global? And is that former A-lister Eleanor Vance with him?】 Just as a bodyguard’s hand reached for me, I sidestepped and yelled at the top of my lungs. “Help! The city slickers are here to kill us all!” On cue, the Hickory Hollow Senior Squad, who had been hiding along the fence line, made their grand entrance. Old Mrs. Gable led the charge, followed by a squad of seven or eight senior citizens, average age eighty-five and up. In perfect sync, they all threw themselves at the bodyguards’ feet. “Oh, the humanity! They’re killing us! My back, my hip, my kneecap!” The bodyguards froze, dumbfounded. What could they do? One wrong move and they’d be paying off a new beachfront condo. Arthur’s hands were shaking with rage. “You peasants! Get out of my way!” I seized the moment, aiming my phone’s camera right at his contorted face. I smirked. “You all see this? The true face of the one percent.” “Since Mr. Preston is in such a hurry to shut me up, let’s speed things up.” With a tap of my finger, the PowerPoint slide changed. There was Arthur, his arm wrapped around a young model, his hand resting somewhere it definitely shouldn’t be. I had helpfully watermarked the photo with the date, time, location, and even the hotel booking confirmation. The live chat exploded. 【SAVAGE! The receipts are pristine!】 【Isn’t that the model who just debuted from that reality show? So he was her sugar daddy!】 【Go Arthur, still got it in ya. A wife at home and a side piece on the road.】 Arthur’s face went from crimson to a ghastly shade of purple. He clutched his chest, gasping for air. Eleanor shrieked and lunged at me, her nails out. “You little bitch! How dare you photoshop these lies!” I simply played a video. The clip showed Eleanor at a high-end gentleman’s club. She was shoving the keys to a Porsche down the pants of a young male model, her laughter echoing, all her polished Hollywood poise gone. Arthur stared at his wife in disbelief. Eleanor guiltily looked away. The carefully crafted image of Hollywood’s perfect couple shattered into a million pieces, live for all the world to see. I flashed a peace sign at the camera. “Don’t go anywhere, folks. This is just the appetizer.” “Penelope’s plastic surgery records and her ‘casting couch’ audition tapes are up next.” “Spam the chat with a ‘1’ if you want to see it. If we hit a million likes, I drop it right now!” The screen was instantly flooded with a waterfall of【1】. Penelope, who was still on the video call, went pale with terror. I stared at her through the screen, my voice dripping with ice. “You said you couldn’t lose your dream, right? Was your dream to sleep your way through every director in Hollywood?” Penelope screamed and disconnected the call. Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Arthur fumbled for a bottle of nitroglycerin pills and poured them into his mouth. “Let’s go! Now!” he barked at his bodyguards, trying to retreat. I picked up the check from the ground, tore it into tiny pieces, and flung them against the window of their departing Maybach. “Take your fifty grand with you! It’s not that I think your money’s dirty—I’m worried it’s cursed!” My adoptive parents were huddled in a corner, trembling. My mother tugged at my sleeve, her voice shaking. “Lexi, dear, those are your real parents. Did we just… cause a lot of trouble?” I patted her calloused hand, a pang of sorrow in my heart. “Mom, they’re not parents. They’re wolves. And the only way to deal with wolves is with a shotgun.” That night, a cease-and-desist letter from Preston Global’s lawyers was posted online. My streaming account was banned from all platforms for privacy invasion and malicious slander. Banned? They had no idea who they were dealing with. In my past life, I was the undisputed queen of the paparazzi. I dragged an old box out from under my bed. It was filled with everything I’d been preparing since I was a kid. Dozens of backup accounts. Contact information for hundreds of media influencers. I switched to a new account. My new handle: The Hollow’s Herald. My bio was a single, chilling sentence: 【Don’t go to sleep. The truth is coming.】 2 The Prestons’ PR team was good. I’ll give them that. Overnight, the narrative completely flipped. #LexiTheExtortionist# and #LexiUngratefulDaughter# were the top trending topics. An army of bots and paid trolls flooded the internet, painting me as a money-grubbing monster who would even blackmail her own parents. Penelope posted a photo set of herself doing charity work at an orphanage. Her caption read: Even though I’ve been hurt, seeing these children’s smiles reminds me that there is still good in the world. Her comments section was a sea of sympathy. Someone even doxxed my adoptive parents, posting their address online. The next morning, when my mom went to the town market to sell eggs, she was pelted with rotten vegetables. She came home with a hand pressed to her forehead, blood trickling through her fingers. “Lexi, I’m fine, honey. I just tripped and fell.” She forced a smile, trying not to worry me. A firestorm of rage ignited within me, searing its way to the top of my skull. I had planned to play the long game with them. But if they wanted to die on this hill, I was more than happy to bury them there. I opened my laptop, my fingers flying across the keyboard, typing out strings of code. In my past life, I’d taught myself to hack to get scoops. I was no master, but breaking into the eighteen-year-old system of a maternity clinic? Child’s play. An old nursing log. A grainy backup of a security tape. I packaged them together and uploaded them to my new account. The title was simple and brutal. The Abandoned Heiress: Lost or Left for Dead? The video showed Eleanor, eighteen years younger, looking down at a baby in a bassinet with utter disgust. “Cry, cry, cry, that’s all you do! You’re giving me a headache. Was this damn baby born just to ruin my life?” Arthur stood beside her, holding a piece of paper. It was a chart from a so-called psychic. “This child is a curse. She will bring ruin to this family. A jinx sent from hell. If we keep her, we’re all doomed.” “The psychic said we can’t keep her. Tonight’s a blizzard. We’ll leave her somewhere far away.” The footage cut to a road-side security camera. Arthur, holding a swaddled infant, tossed her into a snowbank and walked away without a second glance. That baby was me. The “psychic” was a charlatan who was later jailed for fraud. And Penelope? She was the “good luck charm” they adopted on his recommendation. The video went viral. The internet erupted. 【MONSTERS! These people are absolute monsters!】 【It’s the 21st century and people are still abandoning babies because of some bogus psychic’s prediction?】 【Leaving a newborn in a snowstorm in sub-zero temperatures? That’s attempted murder!】 The same users who had been cursing my name a moment ago were now my staunchest defenders. Penelope’s comments section was a war zone, with thousands calling her a parasite who built her life on a dead baby’s future. I immediately released the second part of my attack: a series of side-by-side photos. Left: Eighteen-year-old Penelope on a luxury yacht for her birthday, wearing a fifty-thousand-dollar custom gown. Right: Eighteen-year-old me in a patched-up winter coat, helping my adoptive father collect scrap metal in a blizzard, my hands raw and red like beets. Left: A designer handbag Penelope casually discarded, which was worth more than my adoptive family’s income for five years. Right: Me, carrying a fifty-pound sack of potatoes for six miles just to save two dollars on bus fare. The stark visual contrast was more powerful than any words. Public sympathy surged. 【I’m crying. Lexi has been through so much.】 【Who’s the real monster here? The whole Preston family is rotten to the core!】 When the stock market opened, Preston Global’s shares immediately plummeted, wiping out billions in value. My phone rang. It was Arthur. This time, his voice held none of its previous arrogance, only a weary, pleading tone. “Lexi, it was all a misunderstanding. I was tricked back then.” “How about this? I’ll give you five million dollars. You take down the videos, and we can come home and talk this out.” Five million? In my last life, I might have been tempted. Now, it just made me feel sick. “I don’t think I’ll be coming home, Dad.” “The psychic said I was a jinx, bad for your finances.” “Looks like your luck really did run out, didn’t it?” I hung up and blocked his number. Outside, my mom was dabbing antiseptic on her forehead. I walked over and gently took the cotton swab from her. “Does it hurt, Mom?” She shook her head. “Lexi, can we just stop fighting? I’m so scared you’ll get hurt.” I wrapped my arms around this frail, small-town woman. “Don’t be scared, Mom. You protected me my whole life. Now, it’s my turn to protect you.” 3 Arthur Preston was clearly desperate. He dropped the loving-father act and went straight to hiring thugs. The next morning, before the sun was up, a deafening roar shook the entire town awake. A dozen bulldozers rolled up to the edge of town, led by my dear brother, Sterling Preston. “Tear it down! I want this whole dump leveled!” The bulldozer’s shovel rose high and then smashed down on the stone sign at the town entrance. With a deafening crack, the sign, our town’s landmark, crumbled to dust. I frantically tried to start a live stream, but the signal was jammed! The bulldozers then plowed into the orchards—over a hundred acres of ripe pumpkins and fruit trees, the town’s entire livelihood for the year. Old Mr. Henderson ran out, screaming, clutching a giant pumpkin. “No! You can’t! This is all we have!” A bodyguard rushed him, kicking him square in the chest. Mr. Henderson went flying, landing hard in the mud. The pumpkin shattered, its bright orange guts splattering everywhere. “Mr. Henderson!” I screamed, my eyes burning with rage as I tried to run to him, but two burly men blocked my path. Mrs. Gable and the Senior Squad tried to form a human barricade. Sterling just sneered and snapped his fingers. “Release the dogs!” Two massive, snarling dogs, as tall as a man’s waist, leaped from a truck and charged the elderly crowd. One of them latched onto Mrs. Gable’s leg, its teeth sinking deep. Blood instantly soaked through her pants. Her screams tore through the morning air. “Help! Somebody help!” The townspeople scattered in terror. The sounds of crying, shouting, and barking dogs created a symphony of chaos. A group of tattooed thugs stormed my house, smashing everything in sight, even tearing the stove from the wall. My dad tried to protect my computer—my only evidence. A goon brought a crowbar down on his leg. A sickening crack echoed through the room. My father’s scream pierced my eardrums. “Dad!” I tried to lunge forward, but Sterling grabbed me by the hair, yanking me back. “Lexi, I thought you were so tough? Thought you were a big shot streamer?” “Why don’t you stream this?” He stomped on my dad’s broken leg, grinding his heel into the shattered bone. My dad’s face was slick with sweat, but he bit his lip, refusing to cry out. “Lexi… run…” he gasped. My mom was on her knees, begging for mercy, but a bodyguard grabbed her by the hair and dragged her away. The town mayor tried to call the police, but Sterling smashed his phone to pieces. “I’ve decided I want this land for a new development,” Sterling announced. “Anyone who calls the cops is an enemy of the Preston family! I’ll make sure their entire family disappears!” Pure, unadulterated rage consumed me. I pulled the pepper spray from my sleeve and emptied the canister into Sterling’s face. “Ah! My eyes!” he shrieked, clawing at his face. I broke free, grabbed a loose brick, and charged at him, ready to die fighting. But it was hopeless. A group of them swarmed me, pinning me to the ground. Sterling, his eyes red and swollen, staggered towards me like a madman. He took a cigarette from one of his men. “Look closely,” he hissed, taking a long drag. “This is what happens to those who help you.” “These peasants are dying because of you!” He flicked the lit cigarette into a nearby haystack. Flames erupted, roaring towards the sky. That was our home. The home my parents had built with their own two hands. I watched the fire reflect in their despairing eyes, and my heart shattered. It was my fault. I had brought this on them. I had been so naive, underestimating the depths of their cruelty, the ruthlessness of their power. Sterling motioned to one of his men, who produced a syringe. “Give her a shot. Take her with us.” My consciousness began to fade. The last thing I saw was Mrs. Gable, twitching in a pool of her own blood. The last thing I saw was my father’s mangled leg. The last thing I saw was the fire devouring everything I had ever loved. Darkness closed in. The same helpless feeling from my past life washed over me. Was I reborn just to bring ruin and death to even more innocent people?

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