Category: English

My family was on the verge of bankruptcy, and I was being forced into an arranged marriage to save it. As soon as I was dropped off at the Sterling mansion, I heard shouting from inside: “I don’t care how pretty she is! I just heard her asking someone if their parents were dead! With that kind of attitude—” I silently pushed open the door, fully prepared to be rejected. The next second, the young master inside turned beet red and gasped: “Miss Hale is not only beautiful but also deeply caring. I knew my father had excellent taste. I will follow your arrangements completely.” His father: “?” Me: “?” 1 My family was facing bankruptcy, so I was packed up and sent to the Sterling estate in the middle of the night. Before I even stepped through the door, I heard a furious roar: “You old man, you control everything! Don’t you know marriage is about freedom now?! “I’m only twenty-three! I won’t marry some strange older woman! “Even if I get hit by a car the moment I step outside, I won’t agree to this ridiculous demand! “What did you say? She’s pretty? How superficial can you be! “What use is being pretty?! That girl outside is her, right? “I passed by her earlier and heard her asking someone if their parents were dead! With that kind of attitude, even a dog wouldn’t marry her!” I froze. He seemed to be talking about me. When I got out of the car, a street vendor splashed mud all over me with his cart. I was about to say something, but he immediately yelled that I was blind for not watching where I was going. We got into an argument, and he ended up asking if my parents were dead since I had no manners. So I replied, “Your parents are the ones who are dead.” Did Julian Sterling just walk past me? Well, he must have selective hearing, because he only heard me cursing, not the guy cursing me. The argument inside grew louder, accompanied by the sound of things smashing. I closed my eyes in despair. This marriage alliance was probably dead in the water. Rumor had it that Julian was the only son born to Mr. Sterling in his old age, spoiled rotten and arrogant beyond belief. And for something as big as an arranged marriage, even if the old man liked me, his son’s opinion mattered more. I sighed. Forget it. For the sake of decency, I had to at least greet Mr. Sterling. I was already here. Might as well get it over with today instead of dragging it out. Leaving my luggage at the door, I hesitated for a moment before pushing it open. “If you force me, old man, I’ll bash my head in right now!” Julian was facing the wall, head tilted back, looking fully prepared to knock himself out. I carefully extended a hand. “Um, you don’t need to kill yourself. We can just call off the engagement.” If he actually died, I’d be implicated. The thought made my scalp tingle, and I shivered. Two pairs of eyes inside the room landed on me simultaneously. “Scarlett, why are you here so early?” Old Mr. Sterling looked surprised, glancing at his crazy son with hesitation. “Scarlett, as you can see, this marriage… your father and I discussed it, but—” “Ouch!” Before Mr. Sterling could finish, Julian suddenly collapsed to the floor. He proped himself up halfway, banged his head against the wall a few times, and stared straight at me. “Miss Hale, please excuse me. When my headaches act up, banging my head helps. But I’m perfectly healthy otherwise. If you don’t believe me, we can do a pre-marital health check.” His father: “?” Me: “?” 2 Perhaps it was the supreme confidence of being in his own home. Julian showed zero embarrassment. He picked himself up from the floor and turned to me with a polite smile. “Miss Hale, you came over first thing in the morning. Did you sleep well? Would you like to catch up on some rest here?” Me: “…” “I think I heard Miss Hale showing concern for someone outside earlier. Miss Hale is truly beautiful and kind-hearted, isn’t she, Father?” His father: “…” If I hadn’t heard what he was screaming just moments before, I might have been fooled by his handsome exterior. I looked up at him. He truly lived up to the title of a young master born with a silver spoon. Tall and broad-shouldered, yet he had a pair of puppy-dog eyes that added a touch of dopey charm to his sharp, aloof features. When Julian met my gaze, his face turned crimson, and he hurriedly looked away. His comment reminded me of what he said before I entered—that I had bad manners. If his current politeness was just for show, and we broke off the engagement, I could still marry someone else. But if he went around telling everyone in our circle that I had bad manners, my reputation would be ruined, and my backup plans would be gone. Thinking of my family’s precarious business, I couldn’t help but speak up, whispering an explanation. “I didn’t ask if someone’s parents were dead. That vendor cursed me first.” Julian paused slightly. Then he panicked. “I wasn’t badmouthing you! Miss Hale, you misunderstood!” He scratched his head, looked at Mr. Sterling, and his eyes lit up. He turned and shouted: “Dad, why aren’t you dead yet? When am I getting the inheritance?” Then he grinned at me: “I know Miss Hale meant to show concern. I often show concern for my dad like this at home too.” …What a filial son. I curved my lips slightly, not daring to make a sound. The next second. Slap! Mr. Sterling slapped Julian across the face, furious. “You unfilial brat!” Being humiliated by his own father made Julian lose face. It also seemed to slap him awake. The look he gave me suddenly became distant. Julian swallowed hard and lifted his chin. “I was talking in my sleep just now. Haven’t woken up yet. Don’t take it seriously. You’re only average-looking anyway.” Slap! Another slap landed on Julian’s face. “That’s not why I’m mad! Bastard! How did I raise such a bastard!” Mr. Sterling rolled his eyes so hard I thought they’d get stuck. The scene was chaotic. I spoke up weakly. “Maybe we should just call off the wedding.” I felt like this young master had a few screws loose. Sure enough. The sleep-talking fairy opened his mouth: “Fine, then I’ll reluctantly agree to marry you.” “…” 3 Julian had just ordered the driver to take me home. In the afternoon, he showed up at my door with bags of gifts, rushing like he was on fire. “I’m reluctantly visiting your home. You don’t mind, do you?” Looking at Julian, dressed in a black suit encrusted with rhinestones, hair styled perfectly, preening like a peacock. This is what he calls “reluctantly”? I was confused, but played along: “I don’t mind. Wear whatever you want.” Julian’s smug smile froze. He muttered something about leaving something in the car and told me to go inside first. When he came back in. My little sister dived into my arms, crying loudly that a dragon fruit monster was outside. I looked up. Julian’s black rhinestone suit had been swapped for a hot pink rhinestone suit. It was blinding. But he didn’t care, looking up arrogantly: “That one was too formal. This one feels more… reluctant.” “…” During dinner. My mom signaled me to put food in Julian’s bowl. I picked up a shrimp for him. The next second. He shoved the shrimp, shell and all, into his mouth, mumbling: “Since my fiancée served it, I’ll reluctantly eat it.” “…” He chewed up the shell and swallowed it. A moment later. He nudged my shoulder, looking shifty-eyed again. “Can you give me some more food? I feel like the food tastes better when you serve it.” 4 I didn’t understand, but I complied. I served food. He didn’t spit out shells. I poured water. He drank from the bowl. “Reluctantly doing this.” “Reluctantly doing that.” “I’ll reluctantly do this again!” After drinking an unknown number of cups of water I poured. My little sister, who had finally overcome her fear of the dragon fruit monster, slowly crept to my side. She carefully extended a pinky finger, pointing at the monster. Her round eyes widened, full of innocence. “Sister, is that a water buffalo?” The water buffalo himself froze mid-sip. Was it my imagination, or did Julian sound a bit choked up? “I’m going to the restroom.” A moment later. My sister, who had run off to play, sneakily ran back, pointing towards the bathroom. “Sister, I think the water buffalo is crying in there. Going ‘moo moo’.” “…” This marriage partner, Julian Sterling. It seems like he had a very high fever as a child. Every move he makes is baffling. After an afternoon of “reluctance,” I finally saw him off. Just as he reached the door, Julian seemed to remember something and whipped around. “Miss Hale, I forgot to introduce myself.” Does he need an introduction? The Sterlings are famous. “I am currently technically 23, virtually 24, swaying on 25, almost 26, immediately 27, soon to be 28, approaching 29, nearly 30! “I am much older than you!” What a way to calculate age. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Julian looked inexplicably nervous. Oh. I remembered. Before entering his house this morning, he seemingly said he wouldn’t marry a woman older than him. I didn’t expect him to explain it so tactfully. My face felt hot, and my heart skipped a beat. But fate didn’t seem to want to give him a chance to explain further. Maybe his vow not to marry me was too sincere. On our wedding day. While “reluctantly” on his way to pick me up. Julian actually got hit by a car.

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During the typhoon, my wife’s childhood friend called, claiming she was having miscarriage symptoms and demanding I rush to his private club. I was still groggy from an emergency appendectomy, so my father-in-law answered the phone. He grabbed the family’s heirloom medical kit and raced into the storm to save the child—but died in a horrific highway pile-up. By the time his body was brought to the hospital, it was too late. Nothing could be done. “Mike, you have to save Olivia’s baby… If she loses it… she’ll never be a mother again…” Even in his final moments, my father-in-law only thought of the child in her womb. He died with his eyes wide open, unpeaceful. Grief-stricken, I took the kit and rushed to the club—only to find Olivia and her friend Mason arm-in-arm, toasting. “Well, Liv,” Mason drawled, smirking. “Looks like your husband doesn’t love you that much. What’s your bet-losing punishment?” Olivia, flushed with wine, draped herself over him playfully. “Don’t worry,” she purred. “He’d crawl through hell for me—even if it rained knives!” Shock and rage washed over me. I stormed forward and grabbed her arm. “I thought you were miscarrying! How can you drink?” Olivia’s face turned icy. She splashed red wine in my face. “Wishing a miscarriage on me? Disgusting! Can’t you see we’re just playing a game?” She kissed Mason, then glanced back at me. “And that,” she said, “is your punishment for being late.” 1 Fury tore through my chest. “Olivia, you’re playing games with our unborn child’s life?” I choked out. “Your father was worried sick about you. He was in an accident on his way here!” I couldn’t bring myself to tell her he was dead, terrified of what the shock might do to her. Olivia snatched the medical kit from my hands, her voice sharp. “It’s Mason’s birthday. We’re celebrating. You didn’t even bring a gift, and you show up clutching my dad’s emergency kit? What are you doing, bringing your bad luck here?” she snapped. “Look at you, a complete mess. You call yourself a man?” My eyes burned, my fists clenching and unclenching at my sides. “You need to come to the hospital with me. Something’s happened to your father.” Mason, enjoying the drama, chimed in with a lazy smirk. “What’s with that look? Like you’re about to explode. You don’t like what she said? You going to hit her?” he taunted. “She’s just celebrating my birthday. You have to curse your own kid and your father-in-law over it?” The contempt in his eyes was naked. I knew he was provoking me, trying to make Olivia angry so I’d be humiliated in front of everyone. In the past, to keep the peace, I would have bowed my head and apologized like a pathetic dog. But my father-in-law’s last words were still echoing in my head. She can never be a mother again. For a woman, losing the ability to have children is a uniquely cruel fate. This wasn’t the time for me to play the clown for their amusement. I just needed to make sure Olivia and the baby were okay, and then get her to the hospital to see her father one last time. “Olivia, come with me to the hospital. To see your dad!” It was the first time I hadn’t groveled before her in public. The onlookers smirked, waiting for the show. As expected, Olivia’s red lips parted, and the venom poured out. “Stop using my dad as an excuse for everything! We were playing a game. Is that a big enough deal for you to start wishing death on him?” she sneered. “You were too pathetic to show up on time, so I lost the game and had to take the punishment. Instead of apologizing, you come here and ruin Mason’s birthday party. For a grown man, you’re incredibly petty.” The room erupted in laughter. “Look at you, you pathetic loser. You don’t deserve a woman like Olivia.” “She’s a saint for not only marrying you but agreeing to have your baby!” “If I were married to Olivia, I’d worship her. If she told me to die, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second!” “You’re just some poor kid who married up, Mike. Who gave you the nerve to piss her off today? You’re playing with fire!” I’d heard the same insults for two years. I could recite them by heart. Ignoring them, I reached for Olivia’s wrist, wanting to check her pulse. If it was steady, a dark part of me wanted to tell her, right then and there, that her father was dead. And that it was her fault. Seeing me reach for her, Mason slapped my hand away with disgust. “You really think just because she’s pregnant, she’s yours for good? Let me tell you something, she’s a modern woman, not some property you own!” Mason always knew exactly which buttons to push. Her face flushed with anger. A second later, her palm cracked across my cheek. “Get off me!” she shrieked. “You think you’re worthy of touching me?” She wiped the hand that had struck me on her dress, as if she’d just touched something filthy. Mason laughed. “Since you’re clearly not here to celebrate, how about you get the hell out? And I mean crawl.” The memory of a time she’d actually forced me to crawl out of a party flooded back, a humiliating fire that burned away the last of my sanity. My fist, clenched tight, shot out and connected with Mason’s mocking face. “You son of a bitch,” I roared. “You can play any game you want, but you don’t joke with people’s lives! You killed my father-in-law! I’ll turn your birthday into your death day!” 2 My punch was fast and vicious. Mason staggered back, blood pouring from his nose. The crowd immediately grabbed me, pulling me away as Olivia rushed to Mason’s side. “Mase, are you okay? Does it hurt?” The raw concern in her eyes was something I had never seen directed at me. She gently dabbed at the blood on his face like he was some priceless treasure, terrified of hurting him. Then she turned, grabbed a beer bottle, and slammed it into my stomach. The impact landed directly on my fresh surgical incision. Stars exploded behind my eyes, but the physical agony was nothing compared to the pain in my heart. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead, but Olivia didn’t seem to notice. “Mike, are you insane? You hit Mason? If you can’t live like this anymore, then let’s get a divorce!” To make sure I didn’t “go crazy” again, several men in the room pinned my arms behind my back, holding me like a criminal. I struggled, humiliation fueling my strength, but it was no use. Defeated, I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “Your father was killed in a car accident trying to get here to help you. He’s at the hospital right now, waiting for you to see him one last time. If you just come with me to see him, I’ll sign the divorce papers immediately.” Olivia’s eyes blazed. It was clear she didn’t believe a word. She slapped me again, once on each cheek. “Mike, I am ordering you to get on your knees and apologize to Mason!” she commanded. “If you don’t, I’ll tell my father you wished death on him!” Someone kicked the back of my knees. Already weak from the pain in my abdomen, my legs gave out and I collapsed to the floor. Laughter filled the room. “I thought you had a backbone for a second there! Look how fast he kneels!” Mason’s taunt was met with a chorus of agreement. “We were just playing a game, and you get so bent out of shape you curse your own father-in-law to death. And after Dr. Adler treated you like his own son!” “He took you in and this is how you repay him? What an ungrateful bastard!” … I felt a warm wetness spreading from my abdomen, and the room began to spin. All I could hear was “Dr. Adler, Dr. Adler,” and all I could see was his face as he died in front of me. “Olivia! If you don’t believe me, just call the hospital! Why would I lie about something like this?” When she forced me to my knees, whatever was left of my love for her died. All I wanted now was to make sure her father didn’t have to face the end alone. For a moment, she hesitated. She pulled out her phone, about to make the call, but then Mason let out a low groan. She immediately dropped her phone and rushed to his side. “Mase! What’s wrong?” Mason touched his nose, which had already stopped bleeding, and looked at her with lovesick eyes. “My nose… it’s really throbbing…” “He must have broken it. Mase, we need to go to the hospital!” Mason just pointed to his own lips with a playful, possessive smile. “I’m a big boy, I can handle a little pain. All I need is a kiss to make it better.” He shot a triumphant, challenging glance at me. “Although,” he added, “I’m afraid someone might lose his mind and try to kill me.” Olivia glared at me, then, without a shred of hesitation, she leaned in and kissed him. Mason immediately pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. From my knees on the floor, I could clearly see the thin strand of saliva that connected their lips as they parted. I felt nothing. No anger, no jealousy. Just a vast, cold emptiness. When they finally broke apart, Olivia was blushing like a bride, her eyes soft and dreamy. But the moment her gaze met mine, her expression turned to ice. “This is your punishment for being impulsive,” she said coldly. “I hope you’ve learned your lesson. Next time, I don’t know if there will be anything I can do to make it up to him for you.” 3 The room erupted in laughter again. Everyone understood her meaning. This time it was a public kiss. Next time, it would be her in his bed. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Are you really not going to the hospital to see your father one last time?” Furious, Olivia picked up her phone to call her dad, but she also aimed a kick at me. She put so much force into it that she lost her balance, and the phone flew from her hand, its screen going black as it hit the floor. Mason was quick, catching her by the waist before she could fall. “Liv, calm down. Getting angry isn’t good for you. Remember, you’re pregnant!” he soothed. “For my sake, just let him go. I don’t want my birthday to be ruined by all this negativity.” His magnanimous words only seemed to make Olivia angrier, her chest heaving. But wrapped in his arms, she slowly calmed down. “See?” she said, looking at me with contempt. “That’s the difference between you and Mason. You broke his nose, and he’s still defending you. But you throw a tantrum over a simple game!” She turned to Mason. “Mase, have security escort him out. I don’t want to see his face again.” With Olivia’s permission, Mason was more than happy to grind me into the dirt. He signaled for the guards. Her kick had torn my wound open. Blood was now steadily seeping through my shirt. “Liv, I think something’s really wrong with Mike!” one of the girls finally pointed out. I used to be tough. Now, even in the dim light of the club, my face was as white as a ghost’s. Olivia didn’t even glance at me. “Don’t worry about him. He’s faking it.” As I was dragged out and dumped into the pouring rain, the club behind me was still alive with music and laughter. The pulsing beat mixed with the drumming of the rain, sounding like a funeral dirge, mocking me for ever thinking I deserved better. I clutched my father-in-law’s medical kit, letting the storm wash over me. If I hadn’t had appendicitis, I would have been the one to answer that call. All Mason and his friends wanted was to humiliate me. He knew that when it came to Olivia, I’d lose all sense of reason, especially now that she was two months pregnant. Fate had played a cruel joke. I was still under anesthesia when my father-in-law, in his frantic love for his daughter, rushed headlong into disaster. He died trying to save my child. He died in my place. The thought that I was partly responsible for his death was a guilt that threatened to drown me. But pain couldn’t kill me. My father-in-law was waiting for me to handle his final affairs. I closed my heavy eyes and waited for the ambulance to arrive. Olivia never showed up. Not while I was recovering, not for the funeral arrangements. It was as if she had vanished from the face of the earth. A colleague at the hospital asked me, “Why wasn’t Olivia at Dr. Adler’s funeral?” I stared at a photo on my phone—her and Mason on a beach in Bali, wrapped in each other’s arms. “She had something important to do,” I said quietly. My colleague nodded sympathetically. “Of course. She just found out she was pregnant. A shock like this… it’s better for her to focus on the baby.” I let out a hollow laugh and didn’t correct him. The day I was discharged from the hospital, I had barely walked through the door of our apartment when she returned. “Mike, I’m home!” She stood by her suitcase, her eyes full of expectation. I knew what she was waiting for. Normally, the moment she got home, I’d rush to replace her heels with slippers, then sweep her up in my arms, carry her to the couch, and massage her feet. It was our ritual, one of the many habits born from years of love. But ever since Mason had returned to the country as the heir to his family’s fortune, she had pulled away. No more playful affection, no more casual touching. All those small, loving habits had become things she despised. Over the last two years, I had gone from confusion to withdrawal to this. A heart of cold, dead ash. I watched the hope in her eyes slowly fade, truly baffled by what she was thinking. Did she really believe that after forcing me to kneel, after having me beaten and thrown out like trash, after running off to Bali with her childhood sweetheart, all it would take was one sweet word to erase the humiliation and bring us back to how we were? My eyes began to sting. 4 After a few seconds of silence, Olivia walked over to me, her eyes welling with tears. I didn’t even look at her. She sighed, then climbed onto my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Are you still angry about the other day? Are you not even going to comfort your favorite wife?” she whispered. “You know Mason’s friends are all rich kids. Their games are always over the top. If I didn’t play along, I’d never fit in. When you made that scene, I had to do something to smooth things over. If I hadn’t, those guys could have made one call and gotten you fired, let alone blocked your promotion to attending physician.” This was my favorite position, her in my lap. But now, all I could smell was the faint scent of a man’s cologne on her skin, and my stomach churned. I held my breath and pushed her off me. Olivia bit her lip, looking even more wounded. “Why do you always get so angry over such small things? I’m carrying our child. If you won’t even take care of me, the least you can do is not make things harder. Now I have to be the one to comfort you? You’re going to be a father, Mike. Grow up.” A game. A man’s life. I was nearly killed by a kick from her. And she thought I should just pretend nothing happened and comfort her? “You were playing a game, so why did you have to drag me into it?” I asked, my voice flat. “If you two had ended up in bed, would you have expected me to kneel beside you and serve you?” “You killed your own father trying to climb into some so-called high society. What gives you the right to ask me for comfort?” At my continued “cursing” of her father, the few tears in her eyes vanished. Her beautiful face hardened. “My father is an old man. Can’t you show a little respect?” she snapped. “I can get into that circle because Mason and I have been friends since we were kids. If there was really something going on between us, would I be having your baby?” It was the first time she had argued with me so calmly, her tone almost like a lover’s quarrel. Her good mood was probably thanks to her vacation with Mason. She opened her suitcase and pulled out a pair of expensive-looking cufflinks. “I picked these out for you on my trip. They’re for your birthday. I was supposed to be back yesterday to celebrate with you, but my flight was canceled. A day late is better than never.” How thoughtful of her to remember my birthday amidst all her fun. As for the gift, it belonged in the trash. I had seen these cufflinks before, on Mason’s social media. They were a birthday gift from someone trying to suck up to him. He didn’t like them, so he’d posted that they were free to a good home. And Olivia had brought them back for me. She couldn’t even be bothered to spend a single penny on me, yet she expected me to be grateful for her trash. When I tossed the cufflinks into the garbage can, her patience finally ran out. “Mike, don’t push your luck!” Without thinking, I shot back, “Better than you, running off on a honeymoon with Mason while your father’s body isn’t even cold in the ground!” Mason’s social media had been filled with intimate photos of them, captioned: “Honeymoon Day 1.” “Honeymoon Day 2.” … She didn’t even flinch at being caught. She just stomped her high heel down on my foot, her face contorted with rage. “Mike, I knew you were heartless, but I didn’t realize your soul was black too!” she shrieked. “Mason was right! The moment I got pregnant, you showed your true colors!” “And I actually defended you to everyone! I told them you would always love me, always treat me right! But what do you do? You curse my father to death, over and over!” “Mason was just testing you for me, with that little game! Not only were you late, but you made a huge scene! And now I lower myself to come home and comfort you, and you’re still acting like this!” “I never should have gotten pregnant with your child! You don’t deserve it!” With that, she grabbed her suitcase and slammed the door behind her. I shook my head and laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. Did she really think that after disappearing for half a month, she could come back with Mason’s garbage, spew a few condescending words, and I would just forgive her? She still had me blocked. She didn’t even know her own father had been buried for over a week. Two hours later, I received a photo from Mason. It was a medical form for an abortion procedure, signed by Olivia. Next to it was a picture of her, her face pale, but a small, triumphant smile on her lips. In that moment, a strange lightness settled over me. A heavy chain had finally snapped. The baby was gone. I could no longer fulfill my father-in-law’s dying wish. This marriage was over. 5 On my father-in-law’s birthday, I brought a bouquet of his favorite jasmine and white roses to his grave. I never expected to run into Olivia and Mason there. “Mike! Are you sick in the head?” she screamed, her eyes red with fury as she saw the name ‘Daniel Adler’ on the tombstone in front of me. “My father is alive and well! It wasn’t enough for you to curse him to death, now you’ve built him a tombstone? How can you be so vile?” She stomped on the flowers, crushing them into the dirt. “Who is this short-lived lover of yours that you dare to bury her in the plot my father bought for himself?” For a moment, I had no idea what she was talking about. Wasn’t she here to apologize to her father? She continued to shriek at my confused face. “Mike, just because I got rid of your baby, you’re going to humiliate my father like this?” “Why did you stop him from saving someone yesterday? Because of you, because you and my father refused to help, Mason’s great-aunt missed her window for emergency treatment, and now she’s dead!” “You’re the one who’s petty and forgot your duty as a doctor, so why drag my dad down with you? He must be so consumed with guilt that he’s disappeared! It serves your dead whore right!” I was completely lost. But one thing was clear. She wasn’t here to apologize or to visit her father. I pointed at the tombstone, my voice calm against her storm of rage. “Your father died two weeks ago, Olivia. You didn’t ask, you didn’t care. Now, someone feeds you a line, and you rush here to slander his name. You’re a truly filial daughter.” Mason snapped his fingers. Two large men grabbed me, holding me still. He held a phone in front of my face. On the screen, a video played. Two men in white coats, one old and one young, were rushing down a street with medical kits. They passed an elderly person collapsed on the ground. They seemed to argue, and then the young doctor pulled the older one away. A moment later, the young doctor was seen kissing a woman. The builds of the men, the medical kits… they looked exactly like me and my father-in-law. The timestamp on the video was from the previous day. Two hours after Olivia’s abortion. “If you want revenge, take it out on me! If you want a divorce, fine!” she screamed. “But my father has spent his entire life saving people! He shouldn’t be consumed with guilt over your mistake! And he most certainly shouldn’t have his final resting place occupied by some cheap slut!” “Do it!” she commanded. “Dig up that bitch’s ashes! I’m going to scatter them to the wind myself!” One of Mason’s men produced a shovel from his car. I struggled, roaring, “Olivia! That’s your father’s grave! You can’t do this!” Seeing my distress only fueled her hatred. “No wonder you don’t care about me anymore! This woman has stolen your soul, even in death!” she spat. “Since you care so much, then I’ll make sure to destroy her completely! This is the price you pay for betraying me and humiliating my father!” I snatched a shovel from one of the men and swung it wildly. “Anyone who touches that grave, I swear to god, I’ll take you down with me!” But it was five against one. They quickly overpowered me, pinning me to the ground and beating me mercilessly. The others, including Olivia, began to dig. When she finally pulled the urn from the earth, her face was twisted into a triumphant, grotesque smile. I used the last of my strength to plead with her. “Olivia, don’t! Those are your father’s ashes!” But she wasn’t listening. I watched, my eyes burning, a taste of blood rising in my throat, as she opened the urn and threw my father-in-law’s ashes into the wind. “See that, Mike?” she shrieked. “That’s what happens when someone tries to steal my father’s grave!” As she raised the empty urn to smash it on the ground, a furious voice boomed from behind us. “Olivia! What are you doing?” “What have you done to your father’s grave?!”

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1 I was reincarnated as the tragic heroine of a romance novel, and my overbearing CEO boyfriend had a “dear sister” who was perpetually hospitalized. In the middle of the night, his phone rang again. He threw on his clothes in a hurry. “Clara’s not feeling well. I have to go see her.” According to the script, I was supposed to cry and beg him not to leave. Instead, I just watched his retreating back and felt a yawn coming on. The moment he was out the door, I called his arch-nemesis—the one with the chiseled eight-pack—and invited him over. The next morning, I timed it perfectly for when I knew he’d be at Clara’s bedside and video-called him. Seeing his face darken instantly, I drawled, “What’s wrong? You went to take care of your sister, didn’t you? The house felt so empty, I just found someone to keep me company. Is that so strange?” “And don’t get the wrong idea. It’s a purely platonic friendship. I’m very tired, Adrian. Could you please not be so unreasonable?” Before he could explode, I hung up. After all, if you can have a little sister, why can’t I have a big brother? … The moment the call ended, a dead silence fell over the living room. Larry Ryder raised an eyebrow, leisurely tying the belt of his bathrobe, concealing the sculpted planes of his abdomen. He let out a low chuckle, his voice laced with the undisguised glee of a spectator. “My guess? Mr. Vance will be back in ten minutes, tops.” I leaned back languidly against the sofa and took a sip of red wine. “I’ll bet five.” The words had barely left my lips when the front door slammed open with a deafening bang, as if it had been kicked in. Adrian was back. His eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving with rage. His gaze first sliced across the perfectly composed Larry, then landed on me, his voice squeezed through gritted teeth. “Seraphina, you’d better give me an explanation!” I swirled the liquid in my glass, feigning ignorance of his volcanic fury. “An explanation for what?” I lifted my eyes, my expression a mask of innocence. “I just had a friend over to hang out. What’s wrong with that?” “A friend?” Adrian scoffed as if I’d told the world’s most hilarious joke. He stalked forward and seized my wrist. “A friend who keeps you company in a bathrobe?! Seraphina, have you no shame?!” The disappointment and fury in his eyes threatened to swallow me whole. If I were the original Seraphina, my heart would be shattering right now. I’d be crying, pleading, trying to explain. But I’m not her. I calmly pulled my hand from his grip, rubbing the red marks on my wrist. My tone was light, dismissive. “Adrian, don’t be so unreasonable. We just watched a movie together. He just got out of the shower. Your constant suspicion is exhausting.” Every single word was a line he had used to placate the original Seraphina countless times. Adrian choked, his face a mottled canvas of white and red. He looked as if he couldn’t believe those words were coming from my mouth. Beside me, Larry let out a perfectly timed sigh and shrugged helplessly. “Adrian, please don’t mind me. Sera and I have always been like this. She’s never really seen me as a man. But since you seem to hate me so much, I’ll just go.” His performance—a masterclass in passive-aggressive manipulation—was impeccable. I immediately grabbed Larry’s arm as he pretended to leave, turning a reproachful gaze on Adrian. “Why are you being so hostile to him? Adrian, when did you become so petty?” “Petty?” Adrian was shaking with rage. “He’s a man, in our house, in the middle of the night! And you’re defending him!” “And Clara?” I finally revealed my endgame, a sweet smile playing on my lips. “Isn’t she a woman? She calls you in the middle of the night, and you go running without a second thought. Why don’t you ever mention the impropriety of a man and a woman being alone in a room together?” I took a step forward, looking directly into his furious eyes, pinning him in place with my words. “If you can have Clara as a sister, why can’t I have Larry as a brother? You can’t have it both ways, Adrian.” Adrian’s lips moved, but no sound came out. Trapped by his own twisted logic, he was rendered speechless. Finally, he just turned and slammed the door behind him. Silence returned to the living room. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and turned to Larry. “Thank you. Sorry you had to be part of the show tonight.” Larry’s playful demeanor vanished. He poured himself a drink and looked at me, his expression complex. “Seraphina, do you remember the university debate tournament? You were my opponent, and you argued me into a corner.” I paused. He gave a self-deprecating smile. “Even back then, I thought you belonged in the sunlight—confident and proud. Not trapped in this golden cage, letting your light be extinguished for a man.” He set down his glass and looked at me, his gaze serious. “It’s Adrian’s loss that he doesn’t cherish you. I’m not helping you for the drama. I just think you deserve better than this.” I looked into his sincere eyes, and the deep-seated resentment of the original soul within me felt a flicker of solace. He was right. I didn’t deserve this. And that poor woman deserved a much better ending. I touched my chest, my resolve hardening. Just wait. This was only the beginning. It was time for the villains of the story to suffer, just as the heroine had. Doubly so. Adrian didn’t come home the next day. I was more than happy for the peace and quiet. I even had a good night’s sleep for the first time in ages. It wasn’t until evening that the villa’s front door opened again. Adrian walked in, supporting a frail figure. It was the woman I had seen in countless photographs: Clara Lane. She wore a plain white dress, her face pale. She looked like a delicate white lotus, swaying in the slightest breeze. Adrian avoided my probing gaze and set her suitcase on the floor. “The doctor said Clara is still very weak and needs to rest,” he announced. “She’ll be staying here from now on, so I can take better care of her.” He paused, then added, “Just make an extra portion at mealtimes. It’s not much trouble.” Clara chose that moment to offer a weak, fragile smile. A triumphant glint flashed in her eyes as she looped her arm through Adrian’s. “Adrian-brother insisted,” she cooed. “He was just so worried about me being alone. I hope his wife won’t mind.” She drew out the word “wife,” her tone dripping with unconcealed provocation. Just as I was about to speak, a sharp pain lanced through my chest. It was the primal scream of the original Seraphina’s shattered soul. She was urging me, screaming at me to demand why Adrian would bring this woman into her home, to throw her out immediately. The intensity of the emotion nearly overwhelmed me. I took a deep breath, pressing a hand to my chest to soothe the turmoil within. I suppressed the wave of resentment and stretched my lips into a brilliant smile. “Mind? Of course not! Why would I mind? Welcome, little sister Clara.” My enthusiasm stunned both Adrian and Clara into silence. Pretending not to notice their shock, I continued warmly, “Adrian’s right. You need to be looked after. And it’ll be nice to have someone else around. It gets so lonely here by myself.” My tone shifted, and I clapped my hands together as if struck by a sudden, wonderful idea. “What a coincidence! I was just about to tell you, the house is about to get even livelier!” Adrian’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?” I gestured toward the door. “My dear brother Larry is having his company and his home renovated at the same time. It’s a dusty mess, and I was worried about his health. I couldn’t bear the thought of him living all alone in a hotel, so I’ve invited him to stay with us for a while.” As if on cue, the doorbell rang. I pressed the remote, and the door swung open to reveal Larry, casually pulling a silver suitcase behind him. Dressed in stylish casual wear, he took in the scene in the living room and raised an eyebrow in feigned surprise. “Well, look at this. A full house.” He winked at me, then turned his gaze to Adrian, whose face had darkened like a thundercloud. “Adrian, I hope you won’t mind my intrusion for the next little while.” The air in the living room seemed to freeze. Clara’s smile was plastered to her face, and Adrian looked like he’d just swallowed a lemon. Oh, this was going to be fun. The war began the very next morning, in the kitchen. Clara was up at the crack of dawn, a pink apron tied around her waist, presenting Adrian with a bowl of painstakingly prepared congee. “Adrian-brother, try this. I simmered it all night,” she said, her voice a soft murmur. “I just hope your wife likes it. She seems to be a late riser.” I ignored the barb in her words and walked straight to the stove, taking four eggs from the refrigerator. Adrian frowned, his tone laced with command. “Clara made you breakfast. Sit down and eat.” I paid him no mind, turning on the heat and adding oil to a pan. With a sizzle, the fragrant aroma of frying filled the air, a stark contrast to her bland, watery porridge. I expertly cracked four eggs into the pan, frying them to a perfect, sunny-side-up finish. I plated two for myself and two on a separate plate. A vein throbbed in Adrian’s temple. “Seraphina,” he said through clenched teeth, “do you have to be like this?” “Like what?” I pierced a yolk with my fork, watching the golden river flow out. I took a slow, deliberate bite before looking up at him with an innocent smile. “You have your sister’s breakfast of love, and I have my high-protein meal. Oh, and by the way,” I gestured to the other plate, “these are for my brother Larry. He’s taking me for a heavy weightlifting session later, and we’ll need the energy.” With that, I picked up both plates and, ignoring their stunned faces, walked into the villa’s home gym. Larry was already there, finishing his warm-up. A fine sheen of sweat coated his bronze skin, the air thick with the scent of raw masculinity. “Your energy supply,” I said, handing him the plate. He took it and started eating without ceremony. An hour later, Adrian appeared at the gym door, his face a thunderous mask. He had probably come to confront me, but the sight before him froze him in place. I was struggling through my last set of weighted squats, my energy nearly spent. Larry was standing directly behind me, his shirt off, sweat trickling down his defined abs. His hands were placed firmly on my waist, his hot palms pressing against the thin, sweat-dampened fabric of my workout top. “I can’t… I can’t get up…” I panted. “Don’t give up,” Larry’s voice was a low, magnetic hum right next to my ear. “Feel the power in your glutes. That’s it… I’ve got you. Don’t be afraid.” His chest was almost completely flush against my back, moving with me, the position intimate and seamless. From Adrian’s angle, it looked as if he was holding me in a full embrace. CRACK! Adrian couldn’t take it anymore. He slammed his fist into the doorframe. Larry and I both turned. My face was flushed from the workout, while Larry slowly straightened up, wiped the sweat from his chest with a towel, and gave Adrian a provocative look. “Trouble sleeping, Adrian?” Adrian’s eyes were murderous. He stared at the damp imprints of Larry’s hands on my waist, his Adam’s apple bobbing, but he was speechless. What could he say? That it was improper for a man and woman to be so close? His dear sister was sitting in the dining room. That our position was indecent? He had personally massaged Clara’s sprained ankle just last night. Watching his face contort with a rage he was forced to swallow, I felt a sliver of the original soul’s resentment begin to dissipate. Still breathing heavily, I flashed Larry a grateful, sweet smile. “Thank you, Larry-brother. Having you here gives me so much strength.” Adrian’s fists clenched so tightly I could hear the knuckles crack. Late that night, I had just stepped out of the shower when my bedroom door was thrown open. Adrian stood there, reeking of alcohol, his eyes bloodshot. He stalked toward me, his scent and the smell of liquor engulfing me. Before I could react, he had me pinned against the wall behind the door. “Seraphina,” his voice was hoarse, edged with fury, “what the hell do you want?” He didn’t wait for an answer. His scorching lips crashed down on mine. The kiss was an invasion, a punishment. It was less a kiss and more a beast’s bite. I wrinkled my nose in disgust and, when he tried to deepen it, I wrenched my head to the side. He froze, his chest heaving as he fought for control. After a long moment, he buried his face in my neck, his voice suddenly laced with a raw, wounded tone. “Do we have to be like this? You were never like this before.” I almost laughed out loud. When the original Seraphina had poured her heart out for him, he had ignored her. Now that I was giving him a taste of his own medicine, he was the one feeling wronged? I placed a hand on his chest, feeling the frantic drumming of his heart through his shirt. “Are you jealous?” I whispered. His body went rigid. He snapped his head up, his eyes boring into mine in the dim light. His lips parted, but no words came out. Finally, as if I had struck a nerve, he let me go and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. The next day, I was at the city’s most exclusive luxury boutique, picking out a tie clip for Larry as a thank you for his stellar performance. When I went to pay, the cashier handed my black card back to me apologetically. “I’m sorry, ma’am. This card has been frozen.” Before I could say anything, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Adrian, dripping with condescension: When you figure out how to be a proper wife, you can come and talk to me. Until then, all of your cards have been suspended. He thought he had me. He thought, just like the original Seraphina, I would panic, lose my mind, and come crawling back to him, begging for scraps. I glanced at the text and a contemptuous smile touched my lips. I pulled out a second phone and made a call. “Mr. Davies? It’s Seraphina Lockhart. The trust fund my mother left me… I’m activating it. Now.” At three o’clock that afternoon, I stood on a stage, bathed in the blinding light of flashbulbs. Dressed in a sharp, white power suit, I stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Larry Ryder, unveiled as his most important new business partner. I smiled brightly for the cameras. I knew Adrian would see it. After the successful press conference, Larry handed me a glass of champagne. “Congratulations, Seraphina. A brilliant counterattack.” Just as I was about to toast him, the phone in my purse began to vibrate violently. I pulled it out. The screen was filled with missed call notifications. More than twenty of them. All from Adrian. I ignored it and was about to turn the phone off when it lit up again. This time, it was the private line from the Vance family estate. I answered. There was a second of silence, then a stern, aged voice boomed through the speaker. “Seraphina, have you had your fun yet?!” The Chairman’s voice was as imperious as ever, as if I were still the meek little thing the Vance family could control. “My fun?” I scoffed. “Mr. Chairman, is your memory failing you? Your son brought his ‘dear sister’ into my home and cut off my finances, and you have the nerve to say that I’m the one causing trouble?” He was clearly taken aback by my sharp retort. “You…” “Me what?” I cut him off. “Go manage your incompetent son. As for me, from this day forward, I’ll do whatever makes me happy.” I hung up just before his thunderous roar could erupt from the speaker. For the next few days, an eerie calm settled over the villa. Adrian, surprisingly, didn’t go running to Clara. Instead, he seemed to be trying to mend things with me. He knew the annual Starlight Gala was approaching. It was the biggest event of the year for the city’s elite, and the Vance family could not afford to lose face. On the night of the gala, I slipped into a flame-red mermaid gown I had prepared long ago. Adrian stood behind me, fastening a diamond necklace around my neck. His reflection in the mirror was a storm of complex emotions. “After tonight, let’s talk,” he said, his arms wrapping around me from behind, his voice almost a plea. “Send Larry and Clara away. We can…” He never got to finish his sentence.

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In my past life, my parents died in a car crash. My twin sister and I were left behind. She was adopted by the richest man in the city, while I was taken in by a flashy, nouveau riche couple. The billionaire’s only son was a psychopath. My sister became his plaything—tortured, disfigured, and eventually paralyzed from the waist down. Meanwhile, the nouveau riche couple groomed me carefully. I entered the entertainment industry and became a rising star. Consumed by jealousy, my sister set a fire and burned me alive. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of our adoption. This time, my sister threw herself at the feet of the nouveau riche couple, calling them Mom and Dad. She didn’t know. The billionaire’s son might be cruel, but he was just a fifteen-year-old boy with issues. The nouveau riche couple? They clawed their way up from the gutter. Their methods were far more sinister. How could a pig-brained girl like her survive them? In the end, she walked a path of self-destruction. As for me? I tamed the psycho brother. He pinned me against the wall, whispering, “Sister, you’ve been dishonest. Big brother has to punish you.” 1 “Auntie, Uncle, I want to be your daughter! I’ll be so good, I promise!” My twin sister, Chloe, ran up to the flashy couple, her voice sweet and pleading. The couple hesitated, whispering to each other. “They’re both ten, look the same. Which one should we pick?” Hearing this, Chloe sold herself even harder. “Pick me! Please! I’ll work hard to repay you for raising me!” Seeing her desperation, I knew. She had been reborn too. In our last life, the couple couldn’t decide between us. Then, the billionaire Mr. Sterling arrived with his son, Julian. Hearing “billionaire” and seeing the handsome boy, Chloe chose them first. I was left with the flashy couple, the Millers. But fifteen-year-old Julian was a monster. Mr. Sterling was always away on business, leaving Chloe at Julian’s mercy. He tortured her until she was unrecognizable and wheelchair-bound. 2 I, on the other hand, was carefully cultivated by the Millers. I became talented, beautiful, and poised. They spent a fortune paving my way into Hollywood. Within two years, I was a star. But behind the glamour lay a darkness I dared not remember. The Millers scrutinized me. My heart skipped a beat. I quickly pulled out a photo of our late parents and started crying. “Boohoo, Mom, Dad, I miss you so much… No one can ever replace you…” The Millers’ faces soured. The woman pointed at Chloe and whispered, “This one seems loyal. That one’s a lost cause. Let’s take her.” Chloe dropped to her knees, ecstatic. “Mom! Dad! I’ll listen to whatever you say!” Just then, the orphanage director arrived with Mr. Sterling. Seeing me crying over my parents’ photo, Mr. Sterling looked touched. He thought I was a girl who valued family. He decided to adopt me on the spot. Chloe sneered at me, whispering, “Sis, I’m so jealous. You got a billionaire dad and such a handsome brother!” Then she turned to Julian. “Big brother, she’s your family now. Take good care of her.” She emphasized “good” with malice. Julian ignored her, looking at me with amusement. Chloe gave me one last look—like she was looking at a dead person—took the Millers’ hands, and left without looking back. I watched them go and sighed in relief. Sister, congratulations on taking my place in hell. In our past life, while Chloe was being broken by Julian, I became a household name thanks to the Millers. I starred in a blockbuster movie and won Best Actress. To the outside world, I was in heaven, and she was in hell. Chloe thought so too. She blamed me for her misery. When she set the fire that killed me, she didn’t know I had wanted to die for a long time. 3 She didn’t know that the heaven she was rushing toward was the real hell. Thinking of this, I looked at Julian sitting beside me. Compared to the nightmares of my past life, he looked like an angel. After all, what psycho brother doesn’t love his little sister? Chloe failed because she was stupid. In the car, Julian noticed me staring. He said coldly, “Seen enough?” His expression was terrifying for a fifteen-year-old. Dark and heavy. My heart jumped. Time to start the conquest. “Big brother, I’ve never seen a boy as good-looking as you. Are you really going to be my brother?” I smiled sweetly, eyes full of admiration and longing. Julian turned to look at me. A hint of mockery flashed in his cold eyes. “You really want to be my sister?” … Duh! I’m ten years old and your dad just adopted me. Do I have a choice? “Yes! I’m so happy to have a brother to love me!” I feigned joy, then quickly turned anxious, lowering my head and twisting the hem of my ragged shirt. “But… you probably don’t like me either. At the orphanage, no one liked me. Everyone hated me…” Julian paused, speaking stiffly. “I don’t hate you.” I stopped sniffing and threw my arms around his waist. “Yay! Brother doesn’t hate me! Brother likes me!” Julian stiffened instantly. He shoved me away, his gaze turning dark again. “Get off. Don’t touch me without my permission.” … Classic psycho behavior. Moody. Mr. Sterling laughed from the front seat, telling Julian to get along with me. I knew this house would essentially be just me and Julian. Mr. Sterling was always flying around the world. Julian was the only constant. As long as I handled this psycho, I’d be safe. At the villa, the butler arranged for my room to be right next to Julian’s. 4 From then on, I began my campaign to tame my psycho brother. On the first day of school, I clung to his arm and cried, “Brother, don’t leave me! I’m scared, waah…” Julian looked at me, snot and tears running down my face like an abandoned puppy. He couldn’t bring himself to shake me off. I became his biggest fan. “My brother” was always on my lips, said with pride. When I was sick, I refused medicine unless Julian coaxed me. I pestered him to help with homework, demanding hugs as rewards when I got it right. I was his shadow, sticking to him everywhere. Three years passed. Julian grew used to my dependence. He stopped flinching at my touch. Even the butler remarked, “I’ve never seen the Young Master care for anyone like this. Miss, you are lucky.” Hearing that, I knew I had him. That night, during a thunderstorm, I crept into Julian’s bed. He came out of the shower and saw me, his face darkening immediately. “Brother, I’m scared! I had a nightmare. Can I sleep with you?” Before he could explode, I started crying. Julian’s face was a mix of anger, murderous intent, and deep helplessness. I thought, Oops, did I push too far? So I climbed off the bed, sobbing, “I’m sorry, brother. When I was little, Mommy always held me during storms. I just miss Mom…” A flicker of softness passed through Julian’s eyes. He muttered a curse. Just as I hugged my pillow to leave, he yanked me back. “Sleep on the edge. And stay still. Hear me?” I was shocked. It worked? That night, I slept in the same bed as Julian. Feeling him gently patting my back, a strange emotion welled up in me. I knew him from my past life. He wasn’t always a monster to Chloe. His mother died young, and his father was absent. He craved love. But Chloe, once she became the heiress, was vain and hung out with the wrong crowd. She saw Julian as a rival for the inheritance.

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1 Caleb Brady rejected his stepsister Seraphina in front of everyone—then asked me, the quiet scholarship student no one noticed. Sera shattered, and her madness soon turned toward me. Yet every time she attacked, Caleb pulled me behind him, a slow smile spreading as he watched her face pale. “She’s clean. She’s beautiful. You and her aren’t in the same league.” His voice dropped low. “Leave her alone—or you’ll regret it.” The students cheered. I felt a warmth in my chest, believing I’d found the best man alive. Until Sera cornered me in the hall, ripped my shirt open, and had her crony force a kiss on me while everyone filmed. Caleb snapped. He pulled me into his arms, then dragged Sera into a stairwell and slammed her against the wall, kissing her over and over. Muffled groans tangled with sharp breaths. “Is this my punishment or reward, brother? You tell me,” Sera’s voice purred through the door gap. “You won’t be my boyfriend? What should I do next time?” “Go on—warn me again.” “Don’t you dare say you love her. You’re the one who let me play psycho to punish her.” Her mocking laugh pierced me like ice. Cold rose from the floor, freezing me in place. All along, I was just a prop in their twisted game. “Don’t flatter yourself, Sera,” Caleb’s voice was strained. “I only let you pretend to be crazy so she’d depend on me more.” “You have no idea how soft she gets when she melts against me, all hurt and needing comfort.” Sera’s foot traced a slow path up his calf. “Flatter myself? Soft, you say?” “You’re such a bad liar, big brother. That’s not what you were saying last night, when you were holding me in Mom and Dad’s bed.” “Tell me, do you have to pop a pill to get it up for Chloe, too?” “Or was that just for me? A little something to earn your reward?” Her arms snaked around his neck, her laughter bright and sharp. The sound was followed by the wet noise of biting kisses and ragged breathing, punctuated by Sera’s coquettish murmurs. “Next time, I’ll leave your lips so swollen you won’t be able to go home,” Caleb growled, his voice thick with something that sounded dangerously like pleasure. “I know,” she cooed. “I’ll be sure to try even harder.” “See you tonight, brother.” Long after Sera’s footsteps faded away, I heard Caleb’s quiet echo. “See you tonight.” My fists clenched, a roaring sound filling my ears. A few minutes later, Caleb stepped out of the stairwell, his expression a perfect mask of concern. He wrapped his arms around me, just like he always did. But this time, I didn’t dissolve into tears. I didn’t beg for his help. I didn’t even return the embrace. He stroked my hair, his touch gentle. “My sweet girl, you’ve been hurt. But I’m here now.” “I just punished her for you. Don’t be angry anymore.” I looked up at him, my eyes landing on his lip—swollen and split, a tiny bead of blood welling at the corner. My public humiliation, my helpless, screaming breakdown… was just a “punishment” in his eyes. A trivial event. Worse, it was just an excuse for their twisted foreplay. Those beautiful, almond-shaped eyes had once captivated me completely. The day another boy tried to ask me out, Caleb had smoothly cut in. “Hey, good girl. Mind if I cut in line? I’ve got a confession to make, too.” His long, elegant fingers offered me a folded note. Inside, the handwriting was bold and sweeping, filling the page with passionate words. My face burned. I couldn’t speak. He was the one who laughed first. “You’re blushing already? How red are you going to get when we’re under the covers?” He had the face of a poet and the mouth of a sailor. In a daze, I nodded my consent. From that day on, he walked me to and from school. Every single day. Rain or shine. I felt a dizzying sense of vertigo. Were they the same person? Just like now. He was talking to me, but his gaze kept drifting in the direction Sera had disappeared. I pushed myself out of his arms. “Caleb, I’m telling a teacher.” No response. Instead, his voice came out choked with anguish, full of a desperate sincerity. “I truly love you.” My heart stuttered. I looked up, only to find him staring at Sera’s retreating back in the distance. A suffocating tightness squeezed my chest. I raised my voice, forcing the words out. “Caleb, I’m going to the principal. I deserve justice.” That finally snapped him back. His hand shot out, grabbing my arm. “I told you, I already punished her.” “She’s mentally ill. She’s pitiful enough as it is. Don’t hold it against her.” “Besides,” he added, his tone dismissive, “I trust you. It’s not that big of a deal.” The casual indifference in his eyes sent a chill down my spine. Not a big deal? Then what was? Oh, right. Seraphina’s happiness. That was what mattered. Caleb draped an arm over my shoulders, a hint of impatience in his gesture. “We’re practically family, anyway. Just let it go.” “Let’s get back to class.” I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, but the sharp tang was nothing compared to the agony ripping through my heart. As we walked, whispers and stifled giggles followed us like a cloud of flies. They were all pointing, all staring. Suddenly, someone shoved me hard, sending me stumbling into our classroom. A blizzard of photos rained down on me, their sharp edges kissing my skin like paper cuts before fluttering to the floor. They were all of me—my shirt torn, my face twisted in shock as that boy forced himself on me. “Surprise!” Sera appeared, holding another handful of even more explicit shots, scattering them over my head. “We’re all so curious, Chloe! Why don’t you give us a little performance right now?” “Performance!” “Performance!” “Performance!” The chant hammered into my skull. My entire body started to shake. Helplessly, my eyes found Caleb. Our gazes met for a split second before he looked away. “Shut up,” I screamed, grabbing the nearest textbook and hurling it at Sera. But Caleb’s hand shot out, his fingers closing around my wrist like a vice. “That’s enough. Everyone, disperse,” he commanded. “Class is starting.” As the crowd melted away, Sera shot me a triumphant smirk. She unhooked a lacy bra strap from under her shirt and casually looped it around Caleb’s wrist. Then she raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me in a blatant challenge. “What is this supposed to be?” he grumbled, but he quickly pulled down his sleeve to cover the strap. My heart felt like it was bleeding, drop by painful drop. This was the same guy who thought my simple hair clip ruined his image, yet here he was, treasuring his stepsister’s underwear like a trophy. I sank into my seat, a numb automaton. The whispers around me grew louder. “Too bad for Caleb. Guess he only gets sloppy seconds.” “Seriously. I was late today, I missed everything. Someone send me the pics?” “She looks so innocent, but who knows how many guys she’s slept with behind his back.” The words were quiet, but they felt like needles stabbing into my back. I gripped my pen, but my hand was trembling too much to write. Suddenly, a hail of trash—half-eaten snacks, fruit peels, wadded-up napkins—pelted my head and shoulders. Someone even threw the contents of a small trash bag at me. I whipped around. Sera just hummed, looking bored. “What’s wrong, good girl? Why don’t you ask my brother for help?” “Give him a little kiss. He’d probably die for you,” she said, covering her mouth in a mock giggle. My voice was a choked sob as I reached out my hand. “Caleb.” He flinched away from my touch. His eyes were fixed on Sera’s back. “Go wash up,” he told me, his voice flat. “Tonight, I’ll lock her in the dark room. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” In the girls’ bathroom, I scrubbed frantically at my skin, trying to wash away the filth and humiliation. Through the crack of the stall next to me, I saw her. Sera, perched on his lap. “Don’t push it, Sera.” “She’s pure and clean. She’s not someone you can mess with.” Sera just giggled. “Is that so? But my dear, dear brother—” “Why did you pull away from her just now?” “Don’t even try to tell me you weren’t disgusted by her.” “Shut up,” Caleb hissed, his voice tight with rage. “I have a thing about germs.” “You think everyone’s like you, swapping partners like they’re changing clothes?” “It’s disgusting.” Sera was unfazed. “Brother, you’re not a very good liar.” “Does my lingerie smell nice? Is it satisfying, holding it while you sleep at night?” “I’ve been with so many men, but you still sneak into my room every night to kiss me, don’t you?” Caleb’s breathing grew heavy and ragged. “Shut up! That’s your punishment! For what you do to her.” “Tonight. The dark room.” “The dark room? Tonight, I want to be on top.” “And the sheets are getting old. The bed isn’t soft enough.” “I saw the maid outfit you hid in the closet. I want you to wear it for me tonight.” Caleb’s body went rigid. “If you dare touch her, I’ll double your punishment.” “In Mom and Dad’s bathtub this time? It’s nice and big in there.” Sera leaned in and pressed her lips to his. “Admit it, brother. You’re madly in love with me.” I stumbled backward, my hand flying to the wall to keep myself from collapsing. My nails scraped against the tile, leaving bloody streaks, but all I could feel was a hollowing ache inside me. My heart was emptying out, becoming a vast, cold cavern. A bitter smile twisted my lips. Caleb, oh, Caleb. What a true love you are. When I got back to the classroom, a girl grabbed me by the hair and shoved my head toward a trash can. “Thief! How dare you steal from me!” I struggled wildly. “I didn’t…” A series of sharp slaps rocked my head. “Still denying it? We found the necklace in your bag!” “You’re just a poor charity case! How could you ever afford something like that?” Pain exploded behind my eyes, and the world started to go gray. I reached out, grasping for something, anything. “What’s going on?” Caleb walked in, looking a bit disheveled. Sera stood behind him, a smug look on her face. A moment later, our teacher followed. After hearing the story, the teacher frowned at me. “Chloe, is this true?” I shook my head. “No.” “But the necklace was found in your possession.” “Sera told me yesterday she saw you acting suspiciously in the classroom after hours.” My heart seized. I whirled on Sera. “It was her! She’s the one who has it out for me!” “She’s doing this on purpose! She’s jealous of me and Caleb, so she framed me!” “She even had someone rip my clothes this morning!” The teacher looked conflicted, her gaze finally settling on Caleb. He looked at Sera, and a flicker of understanding crossed his face. He stepped in front of me. “Ma’am, Chloe told me yesterday how much she liked that necklace.” “She didn’t mean any harm. I’ll apologize on her behalf. Please, let’s just forgive her.” The teacher sighed, looking at me with a mixture of pity and disappointment. “Your scholarship is revoked. And I want a ten-thousand-word apology on my desk by tomorrow morning.” I stood there, frozen. A bone-deep chill spread through me. In this vibrant, lively school, I felt like a ghost. Caleb patted my shoulder. “It’s okay. So what if it’s revoked?” “It’s just a few thousand dollars. I’ll transfer you the money right now.” A second later, my phone buzzed with a notification from my bank. Sera shot him a glare. “Well, aren’t you someone’s little treasure?” “You better take good care of her. We wouldn’t want her turning into a little thief again, would we?” “Get back to your class,” Caleb snapped at her. He turned back to me and gently wiped a tear from my cheek. “Don’t be scared, sweet girl. I’m here.” I stood there like a wooden doll, unmoving. Sera was right. He was already hopelessly in love with her. And I was just the shield he used to deny it. I opened my phone, staring at a familiar contact. My thumb hovered over the words I had typed out, the most decisive words I’d ever written. Then I let the screen go dark. 2 Maybe it was guilt. For the next few days, Caleb stuck to my side like glue. But his mind was elsewhere. His thumb was always rubbing the jagged scar on his wrist. I knew the story behind it. I’d overheard it one day. Sera had been dating some guy, and Caleb had lost his mind with jealousy. He’d hunted the guy down and started a fight. But Sera had protected the other boy. In the ensuing chaos, she had been the one to shatter Caleb’s wrist. He should have hated her for it. But when she came to apologize, to gently clean the wound and apply medicine, he forgave her instantly. He even refused to change the dressing she’d put on, wearing it until it was gray and frayed. How ironic. When we first started dating, I’d worried about that scar. I’d gently touched it once, and he had recoiled violently, shoving my hand away. He’d rushed to the nearest sink and scrubbed his skin raw, as if terrified my touch had contaminated that sacred ground. Just like now, in the cafeteria. From across the room, Sera let out a small cry, and Caleb was on his feet in a second, rushing to her side. His face was a mask of panic, which quickly soured into annoyance when he realized it was just a prank. Sera wrapped her arms around his waist in front of everyone. “Brother, I ordered too much food. I can’t finish it.” “Can you help me? Please? Just eat the rest for me.” He grumbled and said no, but then he took her plate and finished every last bite, without even changing the fork. He even ate the fatty piece of pork she’d left, the one thing I knew he absolutely detested. If I had ever asked him to do something like that, he would have lectured me about how disgusting it was to eat someone else’s leftovers. It wasn’t the food that was disgusting. It was the person. I stared down at my own plate, my vision blurring. My phone buzzed. [I’m only going along with her because I’m afraid she’ll bully you. Eat up, my sweet girl.] How kind of him to find the time to string me along. I couldn’t breathe. It felt like a dull knife was being dragged over my skin, again and again, leaving me a mangled mess of flesh and blood. A wave of nausea hit me, and I ran to the bathroom, heaving until my stomach was empty. When it was time to go home that evening, Caleb still hadn’t noticed anything was wrong. He just muttered something about having to take care of something and left without me. My face was pale as I walked down the street alone. Suddenly, a bag was thrown over my head. I was dragged into a narrow, damp alley. Sera clapped her hands together, her voice sharp and gleeful. “Hit her hard. I’ll pay you double.” “Beat her until she’s half-dead. It’ll be more fun that way.” “Don’t hold back. I’m a certified psycho, remember? My brother will clean up any mess I make.” The sharp clicks of her heels echoed as she walked over and kicked me hard, several times. “Harder! You think you can mess with me? You overestimate yourself.” “Don’t you know who I am? I’m the princess of the Brady family.” “You’re so small and skinny. My brother says there’s nothing to grab onto. I don’t know what he sees in you.” A brick slammed into my collarbone with a sickening crack. A pained grunt escaped my lips. I was in so much agony. “Caleb…” I whispered his name, a desperate prayer. I still clung to the hope that he would appear like a savior and rescue me. The blows rained down, heavier and heavier. Finally, I stopped fighting back, collapsing onto the grimy pavement as darkness encroached. Through a haze of pain, I thought I heard familiar footsteps. He won’t leave me like this, I thought, a desperate flicker of hope igniting within me. He couldn’t. Not when I’m this broken. But the next voice I heard was Caleb’s, cold and detached. “Are you done venting? We can go now.” “You’ve been a little hard on her lately. She’s been crying in secret. Don’t go too far.” He sounded so indifferent, but Sera just melted against him, her voice a playful whine. “But it’s her fault for messing with me. I’m not done yet.” “That’s enough. Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because I’m here.” Sera’s voice turned demanding. “Then tell me you love me.” “Don’t be ridiculous.” “Tell me you love me, and I’ll stop.” A long silence stretched out. Just when I thought he wouldn’t answer, he did. “I love you.” “That’s more like it.” Sera snorted. “I knew you loved me most. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have tipped me off that she was coming this way.” “If I hadn’t done this, you already had people lined up to take care of her, didn’t you?” “The only tough thing about you is your mouth… my sweet, dear brother.” She planted a series of loud, wet kisses on his face. Satisfied, she signaled for her goons to leave. Caleb stepped into her path, blocking her way. “Now, what about my reward?” “Three hours. Is that enough?” “Not enough. I want the whole night.” He cupped her face, his thumb stroking her cheek before he leaned in and kissed her deeply. “You’re so greedy,” she murmured against his lips when they finally broke apart. She leaned against him, her body pliant. They stayed like that for a long time before finally leaving together. Caleb glanced back at the crumpled figure on the alley floor. A frown creased his brow for a moment. Then, without a second thought, he turned and walked away. I don’t know how much time passed. I managed to drag myself up against the rough brick wall. A stray dog trotted over and snatched my shoe. My hand was sticky with something warm and metallic-smelling. I couldn’t seem to draw a full breath for the pain. My phone lit up with a message that felt like a devil’s whisper. [Chloe, you shouldn’t have touched her.] My bloody fingerprints smeared across the screen as I clutched the phone, a wave of helplessness washing over me. The edges of my vision were growing darker. I remembered when we first got together. He held me close and promised, “Sweet girl, no one will ever bully you again. I’ll make you happy.” Even with his demanding schedule, he found time to write me poems. He once stood up in front of our entire class and read one aloud before leaning in to kiss the tip of my nose so gently. Now I realized it was all just a performance. Another way to provoke Sera. My collarbone was broken. The delay in getting treatment meant it would never heal properly. It was a twisted, ugly knot under my skin, like a maggot. I was out of school for a long time while I recovered. Caleb never came to see me. He’d send the occasional placating text, claiming he was busy. But he wasn’t busy. He was in the park just down the street. Kissing his stepsister. When I finally returned to school, the taunts were louder, the cruelty more blatant. They put glue on my chair, tore up my books. Someone spat in my water bottle. They’d hoot with laughter when they succeeded. Caleb was always there, standing on the sidelines with a cool, detached expression. His silence was a green light for all of it. Occasionally, he’d offer a few hollow words of comfort. But every time he did, Sera would retaliate with something even worse. Which would lead to another one of Caleb’s “punishments.” And I would fall deeper and deeper into the abyss. I couldn’t take it anymore. I dragged Sera up to the rooftop. She just crossed her arms, completely unfazed. “Well, well. The good girl finally snapped?” “How many times have you cried yourself to sleep?” “You did all of it on purpose.” My voice was tight, my chest aching. She just smiled, then reached out and pulled my collar aside, exposing my mangled collarbone. “Tsk, tsk. Look at that… so ugly. I wonder if brother will still be able to stomach kissing you now.” I grabbed the front of her shirt. “Sera!” “Chloe, stop it!” Caleb charged onto the roof, breathing heavily. He looked terrified. But his terror wasn’t for me. It was for her. I threw a small audio recorder at his feet. “Listen to it.” “They did it on purpose. They planned it all.” “I’m going to expose everything!” Caleb’s eyes widened. He was scared. Scared of how he was going to clean up Sera’s mess. “Sweet girl, come here.” “She’s sick. Let’s not stoop to her level.” “You’ve been in love with her all along, haven’t you!” “What? How could you think that?” “She’s disgusting. I’d never be interested in her. Sweet girl, are you feeling insecure?” Even now. Even now, he was still lying. “Then you release the recording. Right now.” His brow furrowed. “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s the Brady family name…” I pulled Sera back toward the edge of the roof. “I don’t care! Do it now! Post it!” “Don’t! Sweet girl, don’t move!” “Choose! Choose right now!” I was getting more and more frantic. He lunged forward. And pushed me off the roof. Maybe he didn’t mean to. Maybe, in his rush to grab Sera and pull her to safety, he just shoved me out of the way. By some miracle, I survived. When I came to, I heard their voices. “Sera, you have to stop,” Caleb was saying. “You’ve gone too far recently.” Sera scoffed. “No way. Why are you so concerned about her?” “She’s my girlfriend. Your future… sister-in-law.” “She is not!” Sera shrieked. She grabbed Caleb’s head and pulled him down for a bruising kiss. “Why do you call me disgusting?” she demanded. “I was young and stupid, someone tricked me. But now, you’re the only one I want, brother!” “You know you have feelings for me, too. Now let me sit on your lap.” Caleb turned his head away, silent. “What if she wakes up…” “I don’t care! I want to! You bastard brother!” He gave in. I clutched the bedsheet, tears sliding silently down my temples. The pain was sharp, drilling into my very bones. I didn’t dare open my eyes, didn’t dare face what was happening. A week later, I chose a time when I knew they’d be out and went home to get my things. From down the street, I could hear the sound of things smashing. The inside of our small apartment was destroyed. And my brother, my only family, was lying in a pool of his own blood. “Leo!” I screamed, rushing in and gathering him in my arms. Sera saw me. She didn’t even seem to care. She was on the phone with Caleb. “She’s back. Way to ruin the mood.” I screamed into the phone, my voice cracking. “Caleb, help! It’s my brother, he’s—” His voice on the other end was calm, unhurried. “Alright, sweet girl. Maybe you’ll learn your lesson this time.” “I’ve already taken care of everything. Don’t even think about calling the police or making a scene. It won’t do you any good.” Sera raised a triumphant eyebrow at me. “The good girl,” she purred. “Brother says… being with me is exciting. It’s interesting.” “And you? You’re just a toy to pass the time.” The ambulance arrived too late. My brother was dead. The day of his funeral, a cold rain fell from a gray sky. And I dialed a familiar number. “About what we discussed before… I’ll do it.”

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I was born with a dual personality. Normally, I’m a gentle, good girl. But three drinks in, I switch to a ruthless, bloodthirsty monster. When I was seven, at my aunt’s wedding, I sneaked three glasses of wine. When I woke up, my hands were covered in blood. At my feet lay a dozen skinned tabby cats and a massive hunting dog that had been strangled to death. My parents, shaking with fear, threatened suicide to make me swear I’d never touch a drop of alcohol again. But now, at my fiancé’s birthday party, his childhood sweetheart, Felicity, insists I drink. I shook my head, claiming an alcohol allergy. Felicity, glass in hand, teared up: “Ethan, I knew she looked down on me. What did I do wrong?” Ethan, my fiancé, snapped impatiently: “Felicity is toasting you. It’s just a drink. Will it kill you?” He grabbed my chin, forcing the high-proof liquor down my throat. “Be good! Drink three as punishment. Apologize to Felicity.” 1 One glass of white liquor burned its way down my throat. Watching Ethan pour the second, I shook my head, trying to stay lucid. My voice was raspy. “I really can’t drink. Something bad will happen.” Felicity looked wronged. “Ethan, I think she just doesn’t welcome me. I should go.” Ethan grabbed her to comfort her, then turned to me with thinly veiled anger. “Anna, why do you have to be so difficult?” I smiled bitterly. Once upon a time, Ethan would block every drink for me. I remembered him holding my hand under the table, defending me: “My Anna is allergic to alcohol. I’ll drink for her…” I took a deep breath. Standing up, I stumbled. A buzzing sound filled my head, like a pair of eyes slowly opening in the dark. Ignoring everything else, I staggered to the bathroom, splashing cold water on my face, desperate to stay awake. “Pathetic. Didn’t you say you were allergic? Why are you fine?” Felicity stood nearby, arms crossed, eyes full of mockery. Her tone dripped with sarcasm. I clenched my fists. Bad. The alcohol content was too high! I gritted out through clenched teeth: “Get out!” Instead of leaving, Felicity smirked and stepped closer. “You don’t know, do you? Ethan and I set this up just for you. You’re drinking whether you like it or not.” “Because Ethan is going to get you drunk and give you away as a toy.” I snapped my head up, eyes wide with disbelief. “Impossible!” Ethan and I had been together for three years. We were engaged. I couldn’t believe it. But the moment I stepped out of the bathroom, Ethan walked towards me with a dark face and a glass of wine. “Two more glasses. Drink up, Anna. Apologize to Felicity!” I looked at him, my heart sinking. I can’t drink! The memory of those skinned cats from when I was seven was etched into my brain. I promised my parents. No more killing. I rushed to the door, turned the handle, but it was locked tight. “Open the door! I’m leaving!” Ethan advanced on me, holding the glass. “Anna, show some class. You haven’t finished your apology drinks. Where are you going?” I almost growled. “Open the door! If you force me to drink again, you won’t be able to handle the consequences!” Ethan sneered. “Anna, who are you scaring? You always say you’re allergic, but look, you drank one and you’re fine. Just two more, and we’re good.” Ethan’s buddies chimed in. “Exactly. In this day and age, who doesn’t drink? Stop being dramatic.” Felicity smirked at me, her smile widening. Seeing no escape, I exhaled, staring Ethan down. “Felicity said you’re going to get me drunk and give me away. Now you’re forcing me. Explain.” Ethan’s face changed instantly. 2 He looked at Felicity disapprovingly. “Felicity, why did you tell her beforehand?” Felicity shrugged. “Ethan, what are you afraid of? She can’t escape today anyway.” My head buzzed. A white light exploded like lightning. My voice trembled. “Ethan, are you really doing this?!” “I’m your fiancée!” “Anna, listen. Felicity wants to get into the film industry. There’s a director willing to give her a chance, but the condition is… you. He likes your innocent look.” “Anna, don’t worry. Even if you sleep with another man, I won’t mind. The wedding is still on.” I watched Ethan’s mouth move, dazed. Was this the man who fought thugs for me? Why did everything change the moment Felicity appeared? “Ethan, do you hear yourself? Did you forget your proposal vows?” “And why should I, Anna Feng, sacrifice myself for Felicity’s career? Who the hell is she?” Ethan looked increasingly impatient. “Felicity is like a sister to me. You’re my woman, so you’re her sister-in-law. What’s wrong with helping her? Don’t be so selfish!” He stepped closer. “Anna, I know you wouldn’t agree if you were sober. Be good. This liquor is strong. Two more glasses and you’ll be drunk. You won’t feel pain. When you wake up, it’ll be over.” “You’re disgusting!” I trembled all over, teeth chattering. Tears flowed freely, cold on my face. Ethan, dark-faced, grabbed my hand like usual and pulled me into his arms. But the next second, he pinched my chin and poured the liquor down my throat without hesitation. “Anna, relax. It’ll be over soon.” I gagged and teared up, but Ethan squeezed harder, forcing the alcohol down. When the glass was empty, the eyes in my mind opened completely. Cold and cruel. I panicked. It was happening again. My memory would cut out, and then… blood. Everywhere. The smell of iron filling the air. I screamed hysterically: “No more! If I drink again, you’ll all die!” “Ethan, we’re done! Unlock the door and let me go!” Felicity laughed, her eyes full of contempt. “Ethan, Anna is really drunk. Saying we’ll all die? Who is she scaring?” She smiled sweetly. “Anna, my future depends on you. Take good care of Director Deng.” Ethan saw my grief and tightened his grip, his voice softening slightly. “Anna, stop fussing. You’re my fiancée, just help me, help Felicity. One more glass, and you’ll be out.” My heart felt like it was being sliced open. The first night I looked forward to was my wedding night with Ethan, not a sacrifice to a stranger I’d never met. Just then, the doorbell rang. Felicity lit up. “Director Deng is here!” The man who entered was short, bald, and his belly jiggled when he walked. He leered at me immediately. He asked Ethan, “Is this your fiancée? You’re really willing?” 3 Ethan gritted his teeth and pushed me towards the greasy man. “Director Deng, we have a deal. After tonight, Felicity is the lead in your new movie.” Director Deng pinched my waist, his fat face trembling with a smile. “Deal. But let’s be clear. I hate trouble. After I’m done with her, I don’t want any issues.” Ethan replied matter-of-factly. “Don’t worry. She’s my woman. She listens to me. She won’t make a scene.” He turned to me, commanding: “Anna, serve Director Deng well tonight. I promise to give you the grandest wedding.” I struggled furiously, eyes spitting fire. “Ethan, you bastard! Who gave you the right to decide for me!” Director Deng looked displeased. “Can you handle this or not?” Felicity got anxious, grabbing Ethan’s arm. “Ethan, Anna doesn’t seem willing to help me. What do we do?” Ethan glared at me, quickly pouring another glass, smiling apologetically at Director Deng. “Director Deng, relax. One more glass and she’ll be docile.” The greasy man nodded, gesturing for speed, then added: “I should warn you. I have some… special hobbies. I like it rough.” He pulled out his phone, showing pictures of women whipped until they were bloody. I was struggling against Ethan, but hearing this, my pupils shrank. A chill ran down my spine. “Ethan, are you trying to destroy me?” “Have you forgotten everything between us?” He paused. Felicity immediately whined, “Ethan, I don’t want to be a background actor anymore.” Ethan’s grip tightened instantly. “What’s a little suffering for Felicity? Being a sister-in-law means sacrifice!” “Be good! Drink this. The whipping won’t hurt as much when you’re drunk. Anna, I’m doing this for you.” My heart plummeted, turning to ice. I stared at him dead on. “Ethan, I really can’t drink. Three glasses and I turn into a homicidal maniac! Last chance. Let me go now, and we’re done.” With the alcohol accumulating, dizziness set in. I felt the string about to snap. The eyes in my mind were gleaming with cold, murderous light. She was stirring. I couldn’t hold her back much longer! “Anna, what nonsense. A maniac? Who’d believe that? Everyone knows you’re gentle.” Ethan dismissed my warning completely. Director Deng was impatient, reaching out to grab me with greasy fingers. Felicity watched with glee, her eyes full of disdain. I scanned these demons living among humans and suddenly grinned. Using the last of my strength, I snatched the bottle from Ethan. To everyone’s shock, I downed the entire bottle. The high-proof alcohol burned through every sense. “Ethan, you’re right. Drinking takes the pain away.” Surprise vanished from Ethan’s eyes, replaced by a satisfied smile. “That’s right. Glad you figured it out, Anna.” Felicity giggled. “Thought she was so chaste. Turns out she’s easy.” Director Deng grabbed my shoulder, fingers wandering. “Fucking obedient. Good girl!” My eyelids drooped, then snapped open. I spat out: “Useless trash! Should’ve let me out sooner.” Director Deng looked eager. “Yeah, you’re my little snack today. Feed me!” Felicity joked, “Director, go easy. Anna is fragile.” My gaze lingered on their necks. The arteries pulsing underneath. I licked my lips. “So thirsty!” The man hugged my shoulder, laughing lewdly, dragging me towards the bedroom. “I’ll feed you right now!” In the living room, Felicity stared at the closed bedroom door, snuggling into Ethan’s arms, smiling broadly. Now Ethan was hers. The lead role was hers. Anna Feng was just a stepping stone. She didn’t believe Ethan would want a used woman. She looked up and kissed Ethan’s cheek, speaking softly. “Ethan, thank you so much for today.” Ethan smiled. “Silly girl, you’re like my sister. I’ll try to give you whatever you want.” He lowered his head to deepen the kiss when a blood-curdling scream erupted from the bedroom! Felicity’s eyes lit up, but she said, “Oh my, Anna must be suffering! Ethan, does your heart hurt?” Ethan frowned, surprised. “Wait, that’s a man’s voice. It’s Director Deng!” 4 When Ethan and Felicity rushed in, they found the greasy man naked and hogtied. His neck was a bloody mess. He was paralyzed with fear, fat face trembling, muttering: “Don’t kill me, don’t kill me…” I looked away from the pile of lard, shaking my hand. Fresh blood dripped from my fingertips. I tilted my head at the dumbstruck pair in the doorway. Felicity seemed slow to process, eyes wide. “Director Deng is into this?” Hearing voices, Director Deng kicked his bound legs, screaming: “Did you set me up?! Trying to kill me?!” “Get this crazy woman away from me!” Ethan pointed at me furiously. “Anna, what are you doing? Do you know the consequences of offending Director Deng?” Felicity snapped out of it, exasperated. “Anna, how can you be so evil? You offended Director Deng, what about my lead role? I just asked you to service him a little, and you seek revenge!” She stomped her foot. “Ethan, look at her! She did it on purpose! She can’t stand seeing me succeed!” Ethan’s temple throbbed. He grabbed my wrist, gritting his teeth. “Didn’t you agree just now? Now you’re ruining it for Felicity? How can you be so vicious?! Believe it or not, I’ll announce our engagement is off tomorrow!” Messy hair covered my eyes. I slowly looked up, my gaze chilling to the bone. Ethan shuddered under my stare, then barked: “Anna, I’m talking to you! Cut the act!” “Apologize to Director Deng now! Let him play however he wants. Soothe him! Felicity’s lead role can’t be lost, she’s a future movie queen, hear me?!” His voice dropped, anger rising on his face. “Anna, if you still want me to marry you, obey! Or I’ll dump you in a second!” “Noisy!” I tilted my head, spat out a mouthful of blood, grinned to show bloodstained teeth, and fixed my eyes on Ethan’s neck. “Acting tough? I know you. A spider on the street makes you jump.” Ethan looked at the man on the bed, fawning. “Director Deng, don’t worry. I’ll tie Anna up for you later. I guarantee you’ll have fun!” He didn’t notice the man on the bed wouldn’t even look at me, shivering at the mere mention of my name. Ethan looked around for rope. Just as he turned, I spoke. “Looking for this?” His eyes landed on the rope in my hand. He reached for it, but the next second, I looped it around his neck. In an instant, he was choking, eyes bulging, fingers clawing at the rope. Voice tight: “Anna, what are you doing? Let go!” Felicity lunged, trying to pull the rope, slapping my hand frantically. “Anna, are you crazy? You dare hurt Ethan? Let go!” I rolled my neck, tightening my grip, lowering my eyes to leisurely admire the struggle beneath my hands. The more he struggled, the better I felt. That’s right. Trash, you should have let me out sooner. Ethan’s face turned purple. He squeezed out: “Anna, let go!” I smiled, letting go abruptly. He gasped, sucking in air greedily. Pointing at my nose, he cursed: “Anna, you just tried to kill me! I’ll kill you today!” But the next second, he couldn’t speak.

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Julian Thorne is bipolar, with a volatile temper. Yet, he ended up in an arranged marriage with me—a cowardly fake-good-girl. That day, Julian smashed everything in the living room. He yelled at his father, “You old fossil! How dare you make decisions for me? She’s got guts smaller than a mouse! What’s the use of being pretty?!” “Marry her? Ha! Over my dead body!” Then he turned around and bumped into me, shivering at the top of the stairs. Julian’s breath hitched. Suddenly blushing, he changed his tune, his voice softening. “Dearest father, marriage isn’t entirely out of the question. How about we set the date for next month—no, next week… actually, let’s just make it tomorrow.” 1 By the time I arrived, Julian had already trashed the living room. Expensive antiques from auctions were thrown like toys, shattering all over the floor. I stood at the door with my oversized suitcase, unsure whether to enter or flee. Just yesterday, I was informed I’d be marrying Julian Thorne. Everyone in our circle knew Julian had severe bipolar disorder. The worst incident was when he dislocated a rich kid’s arm over a joke, sending him straight to the hospital. The guy still hasn’t fully recovered. And me? I’m known as the timid, well-behaved girl. Cowardly, weak, prone to tears. The complete opposite of Julian. As an illegitimate daughter, I had no say in this arranged marriage. The very next day, I was kicked out with my luggage. I had no choice. To maintain my victim persona and gain some leverage, I had to start with Julian. The servants stood trembling on the side. Trying to minimize my presence, I dragged my suitcase slowly under the butler’s signal. But as soon as I reached the stairs, I heard Julian’s furious roar. “You old fossil! How dare you make decisions for me? She’s got guts smaller than a mouse! What’s the use of being pretty?!” “Someone saw her at a party the other day, tripping over nothing and crying on the floor for half an hour. Tsk, I hate crybabies.” “If you’re so obsessed with marriage, go be a matchmaker! The fees alone could boost the family business!” “Fifty is a great age for remarriage. Go get a new wife and have another son so you can stop nagging me!” “Marry her? Ha! Over my dead body!” Julian grabbed the last vase and threw it. It grazed his father’s forehead and smashed at my feet. Startled, I let out a scream. “Ah!” Julian, still fuming, turned around impatiently at the sound. However… I witnessed the volatile, spoiled prince freeze the moment he saw me. A flush spread rapidly from his ears to his neck. Huh? Wasn’t he supposed to hate me? This wasn’t going according to the script. Julian stared at me for a long time, only snapping out of it after his father called him several times. Suddenly blushing, he changed his tune, his voice softening. “Dearest father, marriage isn’t entirely out of the question. How about we set the date for next month—no, next week… actually, let’s just make it tomorrow.” 2 I was assigned the room next to Julian’s. Originally, I was supposed to stay in the guest room on the second floor. But Julian claimed the guest rooms hadn’t been used in ages and might have mice. I lowered my head, pretending to hesitate. Julian lived up to his reputation for being volatile and gloomy. My plan was to make him hate me. That way, I could maintain my pitiful persona and easily sabotage the marriage. But the current turn of events had me confused. Julian didn’t give me a chance to refuse. He picked up my suitcase and carried it upstairs himself. He kept stealing glances at me, muttering, “If you get scared and start crying again, I won’t have time to comfort you…” I stood frozen, looking helplessly at Mr. Thorne senior. He looked equally confused but patted my shoulder, telling me to settle in. Julian was extremely territorial; no one was allowed in his space without permission. This meant only the two of us lived on the fourth floor. He placed my huge suitcase gently on the floor. He wanted to help me unpack, but I stopped him just in time. The suitcase was filled with my personal items. If he saw them, my persona would crumble. My hand accidentally brushed his. It was cool. The next second, Julian spun around, quickly taking off his jacket and tying it around his waist. He cursed under his breath. “F*ck.” Me: “?” Is the prince this innocent? Julian kept his back to me, stiff as a board. I blinked and whispered an apology, sounding like I was about to cry. “I’m sorry.” Sure enough, Julian whipped around, stammering. “Why apologize? I should be the one apologizing. Sorry, sorry, was I too loud just now? Did I scare you? I’ll be quieter next time, please don’t cry…” He bent down, clumsily trying to comfort me. Seeing I stopped tearing up, he asked tentatively. “W-what’s your name again?” “Chloe.” I whispered. This dummy. He didn’t even know his fiancée’s name. I looked up, meeting his nervous gaze. Julian held it for a second before blushing again. 3 Before leaving, Julian left a sticky note with his number, telling me to call him if I needed anything. Watching his expectant look, I hid behind the door and nodded obediently. Once the door closed, my innocent act vanished. I rubbed my sore eyes and tossed the note into the trash. Then I opened my suitcase. I took out my strap dresses, tongue ring, and toys. Finally, I grabbed my tablet, opened my favorite site, and started enjoying some “content.” Meanwhile, Julian’s phone rang as soon as he got back to his room. It wasn’t Chloe, but his best friend, Zack. “Julian, Chloe isn’t as simple as she looks.” “Yeah, she’s got some moves.” “She’s not just a pretty vase. Some guys saw her at a club a few days ago—” Before Zack could finish, Julian cut him off impatiently. “Who the hell allowed you to badmouth Chloe?” “She’s not a vase! She’s clearly… a cute little hamster!” Julian’s ears burned as he spoke. “Forget it, can’t explain it to a single dog like you. Just wait for the wedding invitation!” He hung up. Julian opened his hand. In his palm lay a small sticker. He had secretly swiped it while carrying her luggage. The pattern was unclear. White with some pink. It carried Chloe’s unique gardenia scent. F*ck. Julian cursed himself and headed to the bathroom, turning the shower to the coldest setting. For the first time in his twenty-something years, his heart raced for a girl. There was no sound from next door. Julian pressed his ear against the wall, patiently listening. The air around him smelled strange. He listened to the faint, happy sounds coming from the girl next door. Late at night, still caught in the afterglow, Julian thought to himself: “Love at first sight is actually f*cking real.” 4 Over the next few days, Julian canceled all his plans. He just stayed home obediently. To be precise, he followed me wherever I went. His only private activity was calling people to rush the wedding preparations. I suspected he was possessed. But he justified it by saying: “Cultivating feelings with my fiancée.” Having a tail was annoying. Outwardly, I pretended to be scared, hoping Julian would get bored and kick me out. Preferably with a hefty “emotional damage” fee. To my surprise, instead of getting bored, Julian took me to a gathering. He claimed he wanted his bros to meet their sister-in-law. I stood outside the private room, hesitant to enter. To maintain my good-girl image, I wore a plain white dress with minimal makeup. Completely out of place in a noisy club. “I’m a little scared…” Scared of what? I knew these idle rich kids well. Colorful hairstyles, foul mouths, smoke everywhere. But when the door opened… A dozen guys in suits sat upright on the sofas, glasses of orange juice on the table. The air smelled of fresh gardenias. Everyone was smiling, hair gelled back neatly. It looked less like a club gathering and more like an elementary school assembly. Julian looked even more nervous than I was. “Babe, are you still scared?” I swallowed my prepared excuse and shook my head silently.

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1 Peter brought home a little boy after getting me a late-night snack during my morning sickness. With a playful look, he asked if I thought it was his secret love child. Seeing my stunned face, he laughed softly and stroked my cheek. “We’ve been married for years, love. You’re the only one I want to be a father for.” He explained he found the boy on the street, clinging to him, and would return him in the morning—just in time for my ultrasound. I nodded. But at the clinic the next day, my calls went unanswered. Then I spotted him across the hall, holding a pale woman, his voice heavy with emotion: “Why didn’t you tell me back then—why did you hide our son?” As the two lost lovers held each other and cried, their past misunderstandings dissolved. “Don’t cry, it’s all my fault,” he whispered. “Focus on getting better. We’ll never be apart again.” I looked down at the ultrasound photo in my hand, at the healthy little life inside. My thumb hovered over my phone for a moment, then I deleted the unsent message: “Honey, the baby’s perfect.” … His mother suddenly stormed past me, yanking the two apart before slapping the woman, Lily, hard across the face. “You bitch,” she spat, her voice venomous. “You’re just as shameless as your mother. You know you’re the product of an affair, so how dare you come back and tangle yourself up with my son!” Lily stumbled back, a crimson handprint already blooming on her cheek. Peter snapped back to reality, instantly shielding Lily behind him. “Mom, what are you doing!” “What am I doing?” His mother was trembling with rage, jabbing a finger at his chest. “Have you lost your mind? Have you forgotten how her mother crawled into your father’s bed and made my life a living hell? Have you forgotten how she took your father’s money and tossed you aside like a stray dog? Now she’s sick and dying, and you’re letting her sink her teeth into you again? I’m telling you, not as long as I’m alive!” “It’s not like that, Mrs. Croft,” Lily sobbed. “I found out I had bone cancer back then. I had to leave him; I didn’t want to be a burden.” “Oh, so noble of you,” his mother sneered. “Then why not keep it a secret forever? Peter was finally moving on, he has a new family, and now you show up with a child, crying in his arms in a hospital corridor. Do you think we can’t see right through you, Lily?” “Mom!” Peter’s voice was a low growl of fury as he held the trembling Lily even tighter. “She left to protect me! She’s been fighting this disease alone for years. Can you please just stop?” His mother’s hand shook as she pointed at him, her chest heaving. I watched the drama unfold, a nauseating wave washing over me. The stares of onlookers felt like needles piercing my skin. I took a deep breath and stepped forward, gently touching his mother’s arm. “Mom, let’s go. My stomach hurts.” It was only then that Peter saw me. The anger on his face froze, and he let go of Lily in a panic. “Sienna? What are you doing here?” My vision blurred. I ignored the hand he reached out to me, clinging to his mother’s arm instead. My voice trembled. “Mom, take me away… my stomach really hurts.” “Sienna, what’s wrong?” He rushed toward me, trying to help me into a chair. “Don’t touch me!” I screamed, my voice raw as I violently shoved his hand away. “You mean lady, stop bullying my daddy!” The little boy from last night shot out like a cannonball and slammed into my side. My balance gave way, and I crashed heavily to the floor. An agonizing, tearing pain ripped through my lower abdomen. A wave of warmth instantly soaked through my clothes. “Sienna!” I saw Peter and his mother running toward me, their faces masks of terror. “Doctor! Somebody get a doctor!” 2 I was lying in a hospital bed, an IV drip feeding a cocktail of drugs into my hand to stabilize the pregnancy. The doctor was speaking to Peter in a low, serious tone. “The impact caused fetal distress. The mother is in a fragile state. She cannot handle any more severe emotional stress.” Peter sat by my bed, his hand gripping mine, his thumb stroking my skin. His eyes were shot with red. “Sienna, I’m so sorry.” I turned my head away, staring at the wall. He leaned forward, resting his forehead on our joined hands. “Don’t be scared. I’m right here. I’m not leaving your side for a second.” The words had barely left his mouth when his phone blared with a sharp ringtone. His body tensed. He didn’t move. The phone rang again, and again, stubbornly persistent. Finally, he released my hand, his face a canvas of guilt. He stood up. “Sienna, I… I’ll be right back. It might be an emergency over there.” “Peter.” My voice was eerily calm, my gaze fixed on the ceiling. “Let’s get a divorce.” He froze, as if nailed to the floor. After a long moment, he slowly turned, the color drained from his face. “Sienna, what did you just say?” “A divorce.” My eyes finally met his. “I said, I want a divorce.” He rushed back to the bed, reaching for my hand again, but I pulled it away. “Sienna, don’t do this. I know you’re angry, but don’t scare me like this,” he stammered, his eyes wide with panic. “Wait here, I’ll go get you that chestnut pastry you love, and that taro bubble tea you just showed me, okay?” “No.” “I hate taro. And I never showed you that drink. Even the late-night snack you brought me last night… that was Lily’s favorite.” “The moment you saw that boy, you thought of her, didn’t you?” “So,” I looked away, my eyelids heavy with exhaustion, “let’s just get a divorce.” He shook his head violently, his voice cracking. “No, that’s impossible. You’re my wife. We have a child on the way. We’re a family!” “A family?” I repeated softly, a faint, bitter curve on my lips. “Then tell me, Peter, when I collapsed… where were you?” His lips parted, but no words came out. “You were with Lily and her son, playing happy family for the camera!” I shoved him away, grabbing the pillow and the medical chart from the nightstand and hurling them at him. “If they hadn’t used my number as the emergency contact, would you have just kept me in the dark forever? Let me play the fool and pretend everything was fine?” “Peter! If you can’t let her go, why drag me into your misery? Why should I have to be the cover for your great, tragic love story?” He was pale, his voice raspy as he tried to explain. “Sienna, listen to me… The kids at school, they bully him. They call him a bastard for not having a father.” “I just wanted… I just wanted to give him some comfort. Your father cheated, you must know what it’s like to grow up without a dad. It was just one picture. We’ll have a million chances to take our own. But Lily… this was her only wish before she starts chemo. I couldn’t say no…” Couldn’t say no. His weak defense extinguished the last bit of warmth in my heart. “You couldn’t say no to her, so you felt fine lying to me?” I started to laugh, but the laughter turned into tears I couldn’t stop. “You needed to give your past a perfect ending. You needed to give them closure. So what about me? What about our baby?” “What are we?” 3 That day, as Lily lay in the chemotherapy ward, nearly not waking up, Peter still left. After he was gone, I picked up my phone. The first call was to my lawyer to draft the divorce papers. The second was to his mother. There was a moment of silence on the other end, then a deep sigh. “Sienna, I am so sorry. I have a house in coastal Maine. Go there. I won’t tell Peter where you are.” “You were the one who pulled him out of that darkness. I have no right to ask you to stay now.” After hanging up, my gaze fell to my right shoulder, where a dull ache always bloomed on rainy days. After Lily had left him all those years ago, Peter had spiraled. He crashed his car while street racing, a wreck so bad the doctors said he might never walk again. Everyone thought he was finished. That’s when I, fresh from the grief of my own mother’s suicide, applied for the job as his caregiver. I spent every day by his bedside, talking to him, massaging his atrophying muscles. He would throw fits, knocking food trays to the floor. I would just quietly clean it up and make him another meal. “Get out!” he’d roar at me. “I don’t need your pity!” I would just look at him and say, “Peter, if you want to die, you have to stand up first. Walk out of here on your own two feet and do it with dignity. Then we can die together.” I don’t know which words finally broke through, but he started physical therapy. From sitting up to standing, every step of his recovery was with his arm slung over my shoulder, his entire weight bearing down on me as I willed him forward. The day he learned to walk again, he held me so tight, his hot tears soaking into the collar of my shirt. “Sienna,” his voice was impossibly hoarse, “you saved my life. From now on, my life is yours.” This shoulder had once carried the full weight of his despair, and the ugliest years of our lives. My phone buzzed, pulling me from the memory. I opened the message. It was a photo. My mother’s gold bangles—the only thing she left me—were dangling from a dog’s leg. Beneath it, a line of text: “He said these bangles were incredibly important to you, so he wouldn’t give them to me. But my son liked them, said they looked good on Sparky. He called Peter ‘daddy’ a few times, and just like that, he gave them to my son. Thanks for the gift.” Blood rushed to my head. My hands started to shake uncontrollably. I ripped the IV needle from my arm and, ignoring the nurse’s protests, stormed out of the room. I threw open the door to Lily’s room. She was propped up in bed, a healthy flush on her cheeks, petting the dog. “Give them to me,” I demanded, my voice trembling. Lily slowly stroked the bangles on the dog’s leg and smiled. “Oh, don’t be so stingy. It’s just a pair of gold bangles.” “I heard they were a gift from your mother, the one who got cheated on. If my son didn’t like them, I’d think they were bad luck.” She paused, looking me up and down. “Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you.” She pointed a finger at the sofa beside her bed, her eyes glinting with provocation. “Last night, right where you’re sitting now, Peter and I went at it all night. He told me he never forgot me. He said having you around was torture for him.” “Sienna, I used to treat him like dirt, and he still comes crawling back, licking my hand like a dog. You really are pathetic, aren’t you?” My mind went blank with a roar of white noise. A wave of indescribable nausea churned in my stomach. When I came to, Lily was on the floor, clutching her face in disbelief. I lunged again, grabbing a handful of her hair and dragging her toward the bathroom. I wanted to silence her. I shoved her head under the shower spray, the cold water blasting her face. “You don’t deserve to even say my mother’s name!” “Ahh, Peter! Help me!” she shrieked, her hands clawing wildly at my arms. “Sienna! What the hell are you doing!” Peter burst into the room. He seized my wrist and flung me away with brutal force. My back slammed into the wall. I still tried to lunge for Lily. “Have you lost your damn mind?” he roared, standing between me and Lily, his eyes filled with undisguised rage and a chilling coldness. “She’s on chemo! She’s not going to threaten your status as Mrs. Croft. Look at the state of you! You’re acting just as crazy as your mother did before she killed herself! You’re an unhinged, irrational mess!” CRACK. The sound echoed in the small room. I had slapped him with every last bit of strength I had. “Peter,” I whispered, “you’re not even human.”

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On my way to pick up my son from school, I scrolled through a thread on a popular forum. “What’s the most reckless thing you’ve ever done?” The comments were a wild mix. Some people confessed to affairs, others to streaking through a park. The discussion was lively. I swiped past, uninterested. Until a familiar profile picture caught my eye. Her answer was about how she’d ruined a girl’s life with a single sentence. “She was my boss’s fiancée, young and beautiful.” “The night before her wedding, she was kidnapped. My boss sent me to deliver the ransom.” “I suggested we wait a few days. Let a little hardship teach her to behave.” “Turns out she couldn’t handle it. The kidnappers broke her mind. She ended up in a psychiatric hospital.” “This is her third year locked away.” “And me? I finally married my boss.” That one word, finally, dripped with the sweet satisfaction of a long-nurtured plan. It felt like a challenge, three years in the making. 1 The thread was popular. In just a few minutes, her comment had been voted to the top. Sarah had even posted a picture. Two hands, fingers intertwined. On them were the wedding rings I had designed myself but never had the chance to wear. “I don’t think I did anything wrong,” she continued in a reply. “If I had to do it a hundred times over, I’d make the same choice every time.” “After all, I’m the only one in this world who deserves him.” “Not some spoiled, pampered princess who only knows how to cry.” She wrote about the struggles she and Martin Vance had overcome together, how they had propped up a struggling company. She painted a picture of late nights, working side-by-side, relying on each other. But she never mentioned where Martin’s startup capital had come from. It wasn’t time to pick up Leo yet. While waiting at a red light, a dozen more replies popped up. Some called her shameless, warning her that what goes around comes around. Others argued it wasn’t her fault, that I was just mentally weak. Then, someone managed to dig up her identity and found the photos that had gone viral all those years ago. Staring at the grainy image, I felt a jolt. It was like peering through a crack in time. I saw her again—the lost, helpless girl from three years ago. Me. Stripped naked and thrown onto the street. Walking, bare and exposed, into the glare of the media’s flashbulbs. A stark contrast to the polished, radiant Sarah standing proudly at Martin’s side. Martin had spent a fortune to scrub the story from the headlines, but the humiliation was forever seared into the memory of the internet. The light turned green. I sighed and pressed the accelerator. By the next intersection, her comment had been deleted. But a new text message had appeared on my phone, sent five minutes ago. “Eliza, are you okay?” The number was unfamiliar. There was no name. But in this world, only one person ever called me Eliza in that particular way. I hesitated for a moment, then deleted the message. His concern had come three years too late. Whether I was okay or not had long ceased to be his business. The car moved forward. I had no time to look back. Only sometimes, when the autumn leaves swirled past my windshield, would I remember a life that felt a million miles away. 2 Before I turned twenty-three, I had never known a day of hardship. I was the jewel of my family, a princess in the city’s high society. A chauffeur drove me everywhere; housekeepers attended to my every need. Even my arranged marriage was to Martin Vance, the handsome and brilliant rising star of the elite. Everyone used to say it. “Eliza Chen has a charmed life. She’s the brightest star in the city.” That all ended the night before my wedding, when I was taken. They demanded an astronomical ransom from my family. Eighty million dollars. But I wasn’t afraid. My parents adored me. Martin had sworn he’d marry no one else. They would liquidate every asset they had to bring me home safely. At first, the kidnappers were almost polite. But on the seventh day, a bucket of ice-cold water woke me from my dream. One of them grabbed me by the hair and kicked me to the floor. “Your family said they couldn’t pay. So what the hell is this?” I looked up. On the television was Martin’s triumphant face. He was standing next to Sarah at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The screen behind them blazed with a headline: “Vance Industries Celebrates Initial Success, Secures Further $80 Million for New Project.” Eighty million. The exact amount. The kidnappers let me make one last call to Martin. When the line connected, it was Sarah’s voice that answered. “Mr. Vance is busy. May I ask who’s calling?” “Oh, it’s you, Miss Chen. He’s unavailable.” Her voice then became a playful murmur, clearly meant for someone in the room with her. “Oh, Martin, stop it… the press conference is about to start. You’re wrinkling my dress, how am I supposed to face the reporters…?” The line went dead, cutting off the intimate sounds. It was a silent declaration from Martin. Between love and ambition, he chose ambition. Between me and Sarah, he chose Sarah. I stood there, frozen, unable to process it. I didn’t notice the way the kidnappers’ eyes had changed as they looked at me. On the eighth day, the ransom didn’t arrive. They broke one of my fingers as a warning. Martin didn’t respond. He didn’t yield. On the ninth day, the ransom still hadn’t arrived. They filmed me while they violated me, threatening to ruin my name forever. Martin remained silent. That afternoon, his company released a formal statement. “Vance Industries will never bow to criminals.” On the tenth day, my parents announced they were liquidating their assets in the country and moving overseas. I had been completely abandoned, an asset that had lost its value. The kidnappers were furious. Their rage turned on me. They used every method they could think of to torture and humiliate me. By then, both they and I were clinging to one last, desperate thread of hope. That someone, anyone, would come. But no one did. While I was imprisoned, Martin and Sarah grew closer. The news was full of them. Attending galas, hosting events. Clinking champagne glasses, basking in the glow of success. Every financial news channel was reporting on it. Martin’s investment was a massive success. He was on track to become the wealthiest man in the city. A golden road stretched out before him. A pack of ravenous demons was behind me. They unleashed all their rage and frustration on my body. Whips, daggers, branding irons, and steel needles. I was begging for life and praying for death. On the fifteenth day, I found a chance and I ran. I can’t recall the pain or the obstacles of that escape. I just remember running. Running until my feet were numb, until my wounds split open, until I was running on nothing but my last breath. Just as I was about to collapse, to give up, a sound drifted through the air. Music. It pointed the way. 3 I didn’t care that I was naked. I didn’t care about dignity or shame. All I wanted was to live. But when I stumbled into the clearing, I saw Martin. He was with Sarah, hosting a charity event in a rural town. It was a huge spectacle, swarming with reporters. How perfect. He had money for investments, for charity, but not to ransom his own fiancée. He had time for press conferences and interviews, but not to save his own fiancée. He was here, soaking in praise and applause, while he had left me to suffer every imaginable horror at the hands of monsters. I stood there, naked and frozen, a grotesque clown at their party. I let them all stare at the canvas of wounds that covered my body. In that moment, every camera turned to me. Martin’s face went cold. He didn’t ask if I was hurt. He didn’t ask what I had been through. He only said one thing. “Eliza, what kind of scene are you making?” A scene? A scene? So all the pain, all the torture I had endured… In his eyes, it was just a tantrum, a desperate bid for attention. My blood and my scars were less important to him than a speck of dust on the ground. I stumbled toward him, sobbing. “Why? Why didn’t you save me?” “Why? I’m your fiancée! We grew up together, we were supposed to spend our lives together…” My voice broke. “I’m… I’m carrying…” Before I could finish, Martin cut me off, his voice cold and hard. In front of everyone, he pushed my hand away. His gaze was heavy, a complex mix of emotions I couldn’t decipher. “Eliza, why can’t you just learn to behave?” he said. “The moment I got the news, I sent Sarah to negotiate. I told you that once this busy period was over, the money would be sent. You were never in any real danger. Why do you have to be so dramatic?” Who would use their own life, their own dignity, for drama? I stared at the man I had loved since I was a child, my mind reeling in disbelief. But even as the last of my tears dried on my cheeks, his expression never softened. He just seemed vaguely annoyed that I had disrupted his charity event. Finally, someone wrapped me in a blanket and led me away. Sarah came over, feigning concern. But as she did, she deliberately pulled down the silk scarf from her neck, revealing a fresh love bite on her skin. “Curious, aren’t you?” she whispered. “Wondering why your parents didn’t come to save you?” “Wondering why Martin’s attitude toward you has changed so drastically?” Her voice was a venomous caress. “Because… you’re not their daughter.” Sarah told me everything. The day the ransom note arrived, my parents were frantic. They were ready to liquidate everything to save me. But Martin stopped them. He produced a paternity test. It proved I was an imposter, a baby switched at birth by a vengeful nanny. The real heiress, their true daughter, had died years ago from that same nanny’s abuse. That revelation stopped my parents in their tracks. The jewel of the family… was a fake. Years of love made it impossible for them to completely abandon me. But the knowledge that they had raised their daughter’s killer—or at least, the child who had taken her place—paralyzed them. Torn, they did the only thing they could. They left me a dowry of eighty million dollars and entrusted my care to Martin. In their minds, they had done their duty. They just never imagined Martin could be so ruthless. He took that eighty million—my dowry, my ransom, my life savings—and poured it into his new project. It made him a tycoon. It made him a legend. And it left me to be tortured until I had nothing left. That day, I cried until I had no tears left. When I looked up, Martin was standing over me. He was silhouetted against the light. I couldn’t see his expression, but I could see the necklace around his neck. It matched the one Sarah was wearing. He looked down at me. “Eliza,” he said, his voice low. “I won’t abandon you just because of this… disgrace.” “But I want you to remember, you have no family to run back to anymore.” “If you want to marry me, if you want to be Mrs. Vance, you need to learn to behave.” Everyone told me this was his way of extending an olive branch. They said he knew my prideful nature, knew about my traumatic experience, and yet he was still willing to accept and forgive me. They said it was proof that he loved me. But all I heard was a threat. The old Eliza would have screamed. She would have raged. She would have burned the world down. But after being beaten into submission by fate, I was afraid. I realized my entire life was now in Martin’s hands. My future, my happiness, my very existence. It was all up to him. So, I did as he wished. I learned to behave. 4 At dinner, I pretended not to see the elegant, smiling Sarah sitting across from me. I silently swallowed every piece of food they placed on my plate. Even when my stomach churned. Even when my heart was hammering against my ribs. I didn’t dare show any disgust. I was too afraid. Terrified of that feeling of having nothing, of being completely at the mercy of others. Compared to the leaves and garbage I’d been forced to eat in that cage, swallowing the food on my plate was easy. I tried so hard to be the perfect, obedient wife-to-be, tucking away all my pride and my fire. But there was one thing I couldn’t do. I couldn’t bear Martin’s touch. His every caress, the sound of his breathing… It threw me back to those fifteen days in hell. It made me see the faces of my captors, feel their hands on me. I was terrified. Terrified of remembering. Terrified of the barely-healed scars being ripped open again. Whenever Martin came near me, whenever he touched me, I would start shaking uncontrollably. Then I would scream and scramble away, pushing him off me with all my strength. Martin never hit me, not like they did. He would just watch me, his voice cold and distant. “Eliza, haven’t you made enough of a scene?” I had lost the right to make scenes long ago. But I couldn’t speak, couldn’t meet his eyes. I could only curl into a ball in the corner, my arms wrapped tightly around myself, holding onto the last shreds of my dignity. The more I withdrew, the angrier he became. The night of his birthday, he was drunk. He yanked me to my feet, grabbing my face in his hands. “Say something! Why won’t you say anything?” he demanded. “You used to be the one who never shut up, who was always clinging to me. What is this, some act? Playing the untouchable saint?” “Is this still about that one little incident? How long are you going to keep this up?” His voice dropped to a low growl. “Eliza, why can’t you just learn to behave…” Something had set him off that night. He was determined to be with me. He tore at my clothes, his hands rough. He pinned me down, his mouth closing over mine. In that instant, the carefully buried terror erupted. The mattress beneath me became an iron cage. The man above me became one of my captors. It felt like every scar on my body was splitting open, dragging me back into that endless nightmare. I lost all reason. All that was left was the instinct to survive. In a blind panic, I grabbed the crystal vase from the nightstand and swung. Sarah burst in to find Martin on the floor, covered in blood. She made a huge show of it, calling the police, calling an ambulance. “Help! Somebody help!” she screamed. “Eliza’s gone insane! She’s trying to kill him!” And just like that, I was taken away by the police. Sarah produced the photos from the charity event, the ones of me naked and distraught. She claimed I’d had mental health issues for years. She had me committed to a psychiatric hospital. Martin handled all the arrangements. From setting up a trust fund to cover my expenses to arranging my meals, he took care of everything. Before they left, he looked at me. “Eliza,” he said. “You be a good girl in here, you hear me?” “When you’re better, I’ll come take you home.” Everyone knew it was a lie. The rumors about him and Sarah were already everywhere. He needed a plausible excuse to get rid of me, the inconvenient baggage from his past. So, I had to be the crazy one. … An autumn leaf drifted onto the windshield, and the school bell rang, pulling me back to the present. I looked up, searching the crowd of children for a familiar face. Instead, I saw Martin. He looked surprised, then a flicker of something like joy crossed his face. He hurried through the throng of parents toward me. “Eliza? What are you doing here?” “You were discharged? Why didn’t you call me? Do you have any idea…” Before he could finish, a small, cherubic boy ran up and hugged my leg. “Mommy, what took you so long?” “All the kids at school made a bet to see whose mom would pick them up first. I’m going to lose again!” I smiled and squeezed his cheek, about to comfort him. But it was Martin who spoke first, his eyes suddenly red. 5 He crouched down, his gaze fixed on Leo. His face was a canvas of shock and disbelief. “This is… your son?” “How… How is that possible…?” Martin’s eyes lifted from Leo to me. His deep-set gaze was filled with an emotion I couldn’t name. It was almost an accusation. As if he was demanding to know why I had kept something so important from him. And underneath, there was something else. Regret. As if he was finally realizing he had left both me and his child in that hell. But I knew Martin. Nothing—not me, not a child—would have changed his decision. Even if he had known I was pregnant back then, he still would not have come for me. I didn’t want to have this conversation in front of Leo. I took my son’s hand, lifted him into the car seat, and positioned my body to block Martin’s view. “Leo is my son. He has nothing to do with you.” “I hear you and Sarah are getting married soon. Congratulations.” “From now on, let’s live our own lives. Don’t contact me again.” The moment Martin had me committed, any relationship between us was over. After I was discharged, I gained access to a trust fund my parents had left for me. It wasn’t a fortune, but it was enough to live comfortably. I didn’t need Martin. I didn’t need anyone. I just wanted to cut all ties with the past. Leo, always observant, sensed the strange tension between us. He glanced curiously at Martin but stayed quiet, obediently fastening his seatbelt. As I turned to close the door, Martin’s hand shot out, bracing it open. The door frame bit into his flesh, drawing blood, but he refused to let go. “Now that you’re out, come home,” he said, his voice strained. “I promised your parents I’d take care of you. I can’t go back on my word.” The wedding ring on his finger caught the afternoon sun, glinting brightly. I stared at it for a moment, then gave a small, tired smile. I was useless to him now. Why was he still putting on this act? I sighed, my voice calm and even. “You don’t have to do this. Whatever we had ended three years ago. You have no responsibility or obligation to me.” A financial debt can be repaid. An emotional one is impossible to calculate. What he gave me, what he took from me… who could ever say? It was better to leave it all buried in the past. You have to look forward. Compared to the twisted wreckage of my past with Martin, I much preferred the quiet, simple life I had now. Martin just stared at me, searching my placid eyes for a spark of the vibrant, fiery Eliza he once knew. He found nothing. I was a stranger to him now. After a long moment, he looked down, his expression defeated. “I saw Sarah’s post,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “I’m sorry.” It was the first time Martin Vance had ever apologized to me. He claimed he didn’t know the details of what had happened. He said he was so consumed with the new project that he had delegated all the “minor” issues to Sarah. He never imagined she would twist his words, that she would deliberately delay things. “She said with our families’ influence, no one would ever dare to actually harm you.” “She said you had a temper, that it would cause trouble for you later in life. She thought this would be a good lesson for you, a way to make you learn to behave.” His voice cracked. “I never thought it would go so far. I never knew how much it hurt you…” Did he not know, or did he not want to know? In fifteen days of captivity, he never once called to check on me himself. In three years in that hospital, he never once came to visit. His love was a thin, cheap veneer. Something to pass the time when he was bored. I didn’t need it. I didn’t want it. This time, it was my turn to push his hand away. “Martin, we’ve known each other since we were children. I know you better than anyone. I know your temper, your ambition, your stubborn pride. That’s why I want nothing more to do with you.” My voice was firm, final. “I’ll say it one last time. Leo is not your son. If you don’t believe me, go get a paternity test.” “Now please, stop interfering in our lives.” I slammed the car door shut, sealing out the sound of his voice, sealing out the past. Leo watched me carefully from his seat. Seeing that I was calm, he asked tentatively, “Mommy, who was that man?” “Was he your boyfriend a long time ago?”

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In the year I loved Julian Thorne the most, I gave him the System’s Magic Lamp of Wishes. He was so smitten, he said he wanted to have a child with me. I agreed with my words, but that very night, I faked my death and became his “white moonlight”—the one who got away, gone too soon. Six years later, the System found me, on the verge of a breakdown. “Host, the original target wants me to ask you: your son is in the operating room. Do you want to see him?” I remained calm. “I never had a child with him.” The System sounded even more desperate. “The night you faked your death, he wished for a child with the Magic Lamp. The Lamp didn’t give him one, so he went on a rampage. To maintain world stability, we gave him a child with both your genetic markers.” “Now he’s completely lost it. He told me to tell you that you must meet him today, or he’ll pull the plug on your son’s oxygen.” Hearing this, I immediately transmigrated back to the original world. The System dropped me into a hospital room. A five-year-old child sat on the hospital bed. Seeing me appear out of nowhere, his pale, tender face showed only a hint of surprise. His round, dark eyes stared at me. Then, with one hand in his pocket, he coolly handed me a bank card. “I’ll give you ten million dollars. Stay and be my mom.” 1 The kid was handsome, with an arrogant demeanor exactly like Julian’s. The System chimed in with an explanation. “Host, this is Leo, the child created from yours and the target’s genetic match. He’s six years old.” Seeing the card Leo handed over, I was surprised. “You know me?” Leo stared straight at me, his eyes showing a maturity beyond his years. “I know you’re my mom. I’ve seen you in the photo album in that man’s safe.” I was even more surprised. The child refused to call Julian “Dad.” Was their relationship that bad? The System prompted: “The relationship between the target and the child is very distant. In the week since the child’s surgery and hospitalization, he hasn’t visited once.” I frowned unconsciously. Julian was being way too irresponsible as a father. Leo was his child, after all. Leo looked at me, his small hand clutching tightly. “So, will you stay and be my mom?” I choked, not knowing how to answer. I knew Julian’s temper. Years ago, when I was kidnapped, I had been gone from Julian for less than half an hour when he turned the whole city upside down. He broke the legs of all the kidnappers and left them on the roadside. Yet, looking calm as ever, he squatted down, held my hand, and wiped the places others had touched with a towel, over and over again. His love was as crazy and dark as he was. For me, he even wished for a child from a Magic Lamp. But I faked my death and left him for six whole years. If I agreed to stay, I would definitely run into Julian. I couldn’t imagine what that madman would do when we met again. Seeing my silence, a flash of panic crossed Leo’s eyes. “Is ten million not enough? How about a hundred million?” “I can write you an IOU. When I grow up, I’ll pay you every cent.” With that, Leo pulled out a piece of paper and grandly wrote several zeros, handing it to me to sign. The next second, a maid rushed in, dropped a bowl of medicine, snatched the IOU, tore it to shreds, and threw it in the trash. “Young master, you’re confused! This is the nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-ninth bad woman who got plastic surgery to look like the Madam to trick you. I’ll tear off her disguise right now!” Saying this, the maid rushed over to pull my hair. Ignoring his pain, Leo quickly climbed out of bed and blocked her, frowning and shouting. “Who told you to touch her? Do you think I can’t even recognize my own mother?” The maid’s lips trembled. “But Young Master, the Madam died six years ago. How could she be the Madam?” “Shut up! My mom isn’t dead. That man said it himself, Mom is a ‘Tasker.’ She had to be his ‘white moonlight,’ so she faked her death to trick us.” I was startled. Julian knew I was a Tasker. He was too smart; I couldn’t hide it when I approached him, so I just told him. But I never revealed the plot. How did he know I had to be his “early-departed white moonlight”? Did he always know, or did he find out after I faked my death? “She is my mom! I finally met my mom. Get out! Don’t touch her.” Leo glared fiercely at the maid, protecting me like a beast guarding its cub. The maid was driven out of the room. Before leaving, I saw her making a call. Leo bit his lip and secretly wiped his tears, leaving a red rim around his eyes, which made my heart ache. “You pulled on your surgical wound, didn’t you? Does it hurt?” Leo huffed, arrogant just like Julian. “It’s just an appendectomy.” I paused. Appendectomy? Then why did Julian make it sound so serious, threatening to pull the plug? I thought the kid was dying! The System spoke timidly, “Maybe he threatened you like that just to trick you into coming back?” It did sound like something Julian would do. I rubbed my throbbing temples. Looking at the child’s pale face, my heart softened. Seeing the medicine on the table, I took a few steps, and Leo immediately grabbed the hem of my clothes tightly. “Mom… I-I’ll write you another IOU. You can have as much money as you want. I’ll definitely pay you. Please don’t leave me, okay?” Seeing his pitiful look, so afraid I would abandon him, my heart turned to mush. I had just found out about his existence and met him for the first time, yet I genuinely felt the guilt of abandoning my husband and child. I picked him up and placed him on the hospital bed. “I’m not leaving, and I don’t want an IOU. I’m going to get your medicine. If you take your medicine, the wound won’t hurt anymore.” He shook his head vigorously. “I don’t hurt. I’m very tough.” I said softly, “If you drink the medicine, I won’t leave.” Leo’s dark eyes suddenly lit up. He took the medicine, pinched his nose, and drank it in one go, coughing as he choked. Then he grabbed my clothes tightly. “I drank it. You can’t leave. You have to stay with me!” “Okay, I’ll stay with you.” “Swear it!” I was helpless. Like father, like son; they both loved making me swear. “I swear, I’ll stay with you. Your wound hasn’t healed yet. You need rest. Sleep now.” I patted his back gently. Leo’s ears turned red. He tried hard to keep his eyes open, examining me carefully, but eventually couldn’t resist the drowsiness and fell asleep. His fingers, however, still gripped my sleeve tightly, refusing to let go. I stared at him, my heart softening inch by inch. Just then, the silent System suddenly issued an urgent alarm. “Host! Something happened to the original target!” I was startled. “What’s wrong?” The next second, a large screen appeared in front of me. On the screen was the villa where Julian and I once lived. The living room was densely packed with wooden puppets. Julian sat in the center of the living room. His chiseled face was as handsome as it was six years ago. His distinct fingers held a carving knife, adjusting the curve of a puppet’s earlobe bit by bit. As the last wood shaving fell to the floor, he murmured softly. “Serena, this is the two thousand and ninetieth you. I’ve waited for you every day for six years. Why won’t you come back? Is it because I wasn’t good enough that you left me?” His eyes were vacant. The eyes that were once full of ambition now held only despair and numbness. I was shaken, involuntarily recalling the first time I met Julian. He had been kicked out by his father. In the dead of winter, wearing only thin pajamas, covered in bruises, he walked barefoot towards the sea. Just like now, there was no light in his eyes. I desperately pulled him ashore and forced clothes onto him. He looked at me warily and asked in a hoarse voice. “Why did you save me?” I casually said, “Because I can see the future. I know you’ll become a very powerful person later. Powerful enough to overturn the world.” I wasn’t exactly lying. He was the big villain in the book. As long as he survived the hardest times, he would be a man more powerful than the protagonist. Julian was suspicious by nature, but he believed me. Then, in just three years, he became the madman everyone talked about, unscrupulous for money and power. And I was his only weakness. I snapped back to reality, seeing Julian raise the carving knife and slice his fingertip without hesitation. Blood dotted the puppet’s lips, completing the final touch. He smiled, his blood-stained fingertip tracing the puppet’s face, his eyes full of obsession and satisfaction. “My Serena is so beautiful. Pity, no matter how much it looks like her, it’s not her.” I shivered. Following his gaze, my blood ran cold. The villa was filled with puppets, all looking exactly like me. Lifelike. It showed how dedicated and obsessed the carver was. Six years later, he seemed even crazier. 2 The System said: “Host, since you left, the target has shut himself up with your puppets all day, unwilling to part for a moment. Even when he was seriously ill and vomiting blood, he rushed back here overnight.” I pursed my lips, guilt welling up. A knock sounded at the door. The rushing butler spoke cautiously. “Mr. Thorne, Nanny Wang couldn’t reach you and asked me to tell you that another woman who looks like the Madam has appeared around the young master.” “This time she’s tricked the young master completely. He insists on recognizing her as his mother. The young master just had surgery and probably misses the Madam, so I’m a bit worried he’ll be deceived by that woman. Should you… go see the young master?” Being suddenly interrupted, Julian’s voice was displeased. “Let him recognize whoever he wants as his mom. Get out. Don’t disturb me and my wife celebrating our anniversary.” The butler sighed and left silently. My brows knitted tightly. Even more confused. Why was Julian’s attitude towards his son so terrible? What exactly happened between father and son? “Sorry, I was a bit loud just now. Did I scare you?” Julian apologized in a low voice, his fingertips repeatedly stroking the puppet’s hair, endless pain and loneliness flashing in his eyes. “Serena, I miss you so much. When will you come back to see me?” I unconsciously held my breath, afraid he would discover me. I asked the System. “He looks a bit crazy, but he’s alive and kicking. What did you mean by ‘something happened’ just now?” Before the System could answer, a crimson red reflected on the screen. Julian unhesitatingly slit his wrist, watching coldly as blood soaked the puppet’s dress. My pupils shrank violently. “What is he doing! Does he have a death wish?” The System spoke. “This is a ritual. It’s said that on a couple’s wedding anniversary, if one drips their blood on a puppet, the other half’s soul will possess the puppet.” “He might be trying to summon you back this way.” I gritted my teeth. “What a lunatic.” There wasn’t a single servant inside or outside the villa now; the butler had just been driven away by Julian. His cut was deep. If this continued, he might really die here today. Panic grew in my heart, my voice trembling uncontrollably. “System, didn’t you want me back to stabilize the world? If a powerful villain like Julian dies, what’s the point of the protagonist in the book? A strong villain makes a strong protagonist. Think of a way to save him!” “Don’t worry, Host. There is a way.” The next second, the photo hanging on the wall smashed onto the table with a snap. The first aid kit bounced up and landed heavily at Julian’s feet. That was the first aid kit I prepared for Julian a long time ago. At that time, Julian was always accidentally hurting himself, so I prepared a kit with all the medicines he commonly used. Julian froze as expected, his gaze falling on the puppet in front of him, eyes crazy and obsessed. “Serena, are you back?” Long silence. No answer. He pulled the corner of his mouth, laughing self-deprecatingly. “I really am crazy, actually thinking you would possess a puppet.” The System announced good news. “Host, the time for the soul-summoning ritual has passed. If the target wants to cut his wrist and drip blood, he’ll have to wait until next year.” I looked at Julian. Sure enough, he threw away the knife in his hand, squatted down to pick up the bandage spilled from the kit, and wrapped it around his wrist loop by loop. I breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Julian’s pale face, my heart ached a little more. “Does Julian bleed himself once every year after I left?” “Pretty much. But the cuts weren’t this deep before. Maybe just for a moment just now, he really wanted to die for love.” I fell silent, the guilt growing stronger. The System retracted the screen. My gaze returned to the hospital room. Leo beside me was curled up in a ball, clutching my hand tightly for fear I would leave. My heart softened unconsciously again. This was actually my child with Julian. He looked like him, and also very much like me. I couldn’t help but smile. When the sun set, Leo woke up suddenly. Seeing his pale face, I gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and asked softly. “Did you have a nightmare?” Seeing me, Leo’s eyes instantly turned red, and he buried his head in my arms. “Mom, it really is you. You really came back, and you really didn’t leave.” “You don’t know, I just dreamed that the madman killed all the people who looked like you.” Leo trembled slightly in my arms, gritting his teeth. “That man is not only crazy but also blind. He might not recognize you like I did. He might treat you like the others and kill you.” Mentioning Julian, Leo’s face was full of disgust and resistance. I genuinely didn’t understand. Leo was raised by Julian. How could the father-son relationship be this bad? Just as I was about to ask, Leo jumped out of bed and looked at me seriously. “Mom, he’s sick in the head. I know you left because you hated him too. But I’m normal. Why don’t you take me with you? I can make money and do housework!” With that, Leo took out several bank cards from his schoolbag and stuffed them all into my hand. “There’s a total of ten million in the cards. Although it’s not much, I’ll work hard to earn more later and support you for the rest of my life.” Holding the bank cards, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Leo, why do you hate your dad so much and curse him like that?” Leo didn’t answer. His warm little hand held mine, his voice softening a bit. “Mom, can I answer this question after we leave?” Seeing the slightly pleading look in Leo’s eyes, my heart melted completely. “Okay, I promise you. Let’s go.” A flash of joy appeared in Leo’s eyes. He held my hand and walked out, comforting me at the same time. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll take you to escape and protect you… forever.” Before he could finish, Leo suddenly bumped into a tall, solid wall of a person. My expression changed abruptly, and my steps halted. The man stared straight at me, lips slightly curved, charming yet weirdly dangerous. “Serena, you’d rather run with him than stay for me? Want to abandon me a second time, hmm?” 3 Julian had lost a lot of weight, appearing even more noble and cold. His gaze swept indifferently over Leo, finally landing on my face. “Serena, can we talk?” Leo shivered under his gaze, but still gritted his teeth and stood in front of me, looking at his father warily. “Don’t think I don’t know what you want to do. I warn you, don’t even think about hurting her.” I avoided Julian’s gaze guiltily. Speaking of which, whether in the past or now, Julian had a clear conscience towards me. It was I who let him down time and again. Feeling even more guilty for no reason… The atmosphere was deadlocked. The System suddenly appeared, egging me on. “Host, news just came from headquarters. As long as the target’s emotions stabilize, your mission is complete. This conversation is a very good opportunity.” I nodded in agreement, finally looking at Julian and agreeing. “Okay, let’s talk.” Leo grabbed the hem of my clothes, his face full of worry. “Mom, don’t go.” I patted his head and comforted him, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Only then did Leo gently let go of my clothes. Watching Julian lead me away, he chased after us unwillingly. Just a few steps later, a nurse grabbed him. “Little one, where are you going? It’s time for your injection.” Leo said anxiously, “My mom, she…” “Okay, okay, after the injection, sister will take you to find your mom. Be good now, okay?” With that, without giving Leo a chance to speak, the nurse picked him up and walked towards the ward. I gave Leo a reassuring look. Julian suddenly spoke. “You care about that kid a lot?” His tone was sour with jealousy. I found it strange. “Leo is our child. How could I not care?” “Heh.” Julian laughed self-deprecatingly. “So you’d rather listen to him and leave with him than come see me, right?” “Serena, do you know I waited for you for six whole years? How can your heart be so cruel?” Hearing Julian’s trembling, hoarse voice, my heart felt blocked by a huge stone. “I’m sorry.” Julian tightened his grip on my hand, harder and harder. “Serena, that’s not what I want to hear.” He suddenly quickened his pace, dragging me into an empty ward and pinning me against the wall. I felt a sense of doom and instinctively wanted to run. Julian grabbed me, pinning my hands tightly against the wall, his movements carrying irresistible force. He leaned close to my ear, his self-deprecating voice carrying an anger that couldn’t be quelled. “You want to leave me that much, huh?” He kicked the door shut. The next second, Julian’s lips pressed against mine without explanation, his breath hot enough to ignite the air. His intensity grew. I was kissed to the point of suffocation and turned my head away sharply, begging. “Julian, let go of me. It really hurts.” Hearing my voice, his reason gradually returned, and he slowly let go of me. I dropped my hands. Julian saw the two red marks on my wrists where he had gripped them, and fully regained his senses. Guilt flashed in his eyes. “Sorry. I’ll find you some medicine.” I pulled him back. “It’ll fade in a bit. Julian, what did you want to talk about?” Julian didn’t answer but still found me the medicine. I was helped into a chair by Julian. He squatted in front of me, silently applying the ointment for me. I pursed my lips. Julian’s suit sleeve rolled up slightly, revealing that shocking scar on his wrist. The bandage that should have been there was removed by him at some point. I grabbed his wrist. Julian’s eyes flickered, and he immediately pulled down his sleeve, saying indifferently. “It’s nothing. Accidentally cut it.” How was this an accidental cut? It was clearly done by Julian himself when he was bloodletting for that ritual. Hearing Julian’s indifferent tone, I was instantly furious. “Julian, do you cherish yourself so little?” Not expecting me to be so angry, Julian paused, then chuckled. “Serena, are you caring about me?” “What else? Julian, if I’m not by your side, can’t you learn to cherish yourself?” I scolded him angrily. The moment our eyes met, I froze. Julian’s eyes were red, the corners of his mouth raised in a smile. “You left so heartlessly back then. I thought you wouldn’t feel sorry for me anymore.” His words choked me up. I said dryly, “I didn’t say I didn’t feel sorry for you.” I got up, found a bandage in the ward, and re-wrapped it for him. Afraid he would take it off again, I tied two knots specifically. “You are not allowed to take it off, do you hear me?” 4 Julian lowered his head and gave a hum of agreement. “I know. I have something to give you.” I saw him take a bracelet out of his pocket and put it on my wrist. “This should be very important to you. It was accidentally thrown into the sea the day you left. After I picked it up, I kept it with me. It waited for you with me for six years.” I raised my hand, slightly stunned. This was my mother’s relic from the real world. Six years ago, the day I faked my death. The System wanted me to throw the suitcase into the sea to simulate suicide. I left in a hurry that day, so I accidentally put the bracelet in the suitcase too. After returning to the real world, I felt bad for a long time. I didn’t expect that now, this bracelet had returned to my hands. I never mentioned to Julian that this bracelet was important to me, yet he keenly sensed it. My feelings were mixed. Seeing my surprise, Julian lowered his eyes and smiled. “You abandoned me and left. It’s been six years, and I can’t hate you at all.” “Even if I know that all your kindness to me was just for the mission, I would still fall for it.” Julian closed his eyes, two lines of clear tears falling, his tone self-deprecating. “Serena, am I stupid?” Less than two years after graduating from college, relying on his own ability and means, he leaped from being the neglected child of the Thorne family to the President Thorne everyone feared. He had money and power; everyone envied his success. But now, he insisted on begging for that worthless love from me. Julian, you really are stupid. A dense pain rose uncontrollably in my heart. I unconsciously raised my hand and wiped away his tears. “These six years, you’ve suffered.” Julian turned his head away. “I didn’t want to hear your apology, Serena.” He paused, finally looking at me, eyes flickering. “Can you stay here and accompany me?” I fell silent. Back then, the System promised that after completing the mission, it would send me back to the real world and give me endless wealth. So at the beginning, every kindness I showed Julian was indeed just with the mindset of completing the mission. Even if I truly fell in love later, I didn’t stay. After all, people’s hearts change easily. Who knows if many years later, Julian would still love me as before? I trusted the money in my own hands more. Before I could speak, a shout came from outside the ward door. “Mom, I don’t allow you to stay with him!” The door was slammed open. Leo stumbled in, stood in front of me, pointed at his dad and cursed. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re planning! Besides, this is my mom. Why should she stay with you? She should take me and leave together!” Julian frowned and sneered. “She is my wife. Why should she take you?” Leo also sneered. “But she didn’t want you six years ago.” These words stabbed Julian fiercely. A cold storm surged in his dark pupils. “Say that again?” Seeing the situation was bad, I covered Leo’s mouth and scolded. “Enough, both of you shut up.”

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