Category: English

After I got pregnant, my boyfriend tricked me into going to the rainforest to “relax.” Once inside, he took all the supplies and pushed me down a steep slope. This was not an accident. His one true love had said it herself— as long as the baby and I were alive, her life would be ruined. In my previous life, I bled to death in the jungle. He faced a live camera and announced: I had insisted on the expedition and died by my own recklessness. This time— the woman they personally killed walked back into the spotlight, alive. There was a sharp pain coming from my body, and I slowly opened my eyes to find myself at the bottom of a cliff in the forest. If it weren’t for the soft dirt beneath me, I would have died. I was a guide at Ailfa Mount Forest Park and was 12 weeks pregnant. I was supposed to be resting at home, but my husband, Bradley Cooper, insisted that I be a guide for his childhood friend, Ashley Thompson. I was furious. “I’m pregnant now. Why are you making me give Ashley a tour guide?” Bradley said, “If Ashley’s personal tour guide hadn’t had a temporary commitment, I wouldn’t be asking you to do this, Amanda. Besides, you’re only 12 weeks pregnant. It won’t hurt.” I got angry and said angrily, “I’m not going.” “Go or get a divorce,” said Bradley. I could only compromise. In my previous life, I had taken Ashley walking in the safety of the forest park. But she took advantage of my inattention and ran into the primitive forest of Ailfa Mount, which was infested with poisonous insects, miasma, and crisis. I couldn’t leave her alone and had to chase after her. When I came to a cliff, Ashley said that there seemed to be a person at the bottom of the cliff, so I went over to look. But she suddenly pushed me off the cliff. Ashley said, “Amanda, go to hell. As long as you die, I can be with Bradley.” Luckily, the bottom of the cliff was soft dirt, and I survived. I endured the excruciating pain and groped for half an hour on the ground full of rotten and withered leaves before I finally found the micro-recorder. In my previous life, after I awakened, I had been eager to save myself. Only after I was saved did I realize that the micro-recorder was gone. Without the micro recorder, no matter how I explained the truth, Bradley just didn’t believe me. I took a closer look at the micro-recorder and was relieved to find that it was not broken. I had a habit of taking the recorder with me when I did one-on-one guided tours so that I could have proof if something happened that I couldn’t explain. The one thing I could be sure of now was that Ashley had dared to kill me in the primeval forest because she had traveled this road with her private guide. But she overestimated herself. The primeval forest of Ailfa Mount was like a labyrinth. Even if she had walked through it dozens of times, she would still get lost, let alone without a guide, which was why she was also in danger. After I bandaged my injured leg at the bottom of the cliff, I immediately followed the route I had taken in my previous life to leave the mountain. In this life, I didn’t want anything to do with Bradley and wouldn’t ask him for help. Coming to the tree I had seen in my previous life, I realized that there were two paths in front of me. In my previous life, I chose the left one, which led to getting lost before I asked Bradley for help. In this life, I chose the right path and headed for the right side. After I had walked 1250 yards, there was a sudden chill of cold air in front of me, and then I realized that a white mist had risen from the ground. I hastily retreated. The white mist was miasma, and I would die if I inhaled it. I was forced to the tree again. Looking at the time, it was already past three in the afternoon. Ailfa Mount would be dark by five. At night, Ailfa Mount was infested with poisonous insects and wild animals, and it was very cold. It would be dangerous for me to lose my warmth. I had no choice but to take the left side of the road. After an hour or so, it was dark. I climbed up a tree and looked for a signal source. At this time, my cell phone battery was only 2% left. Luckily, as in my previous life, I got through to Bradley at the last minute. “Bradley, I’m in distress, probably southeast of Ailfa Mount, within 9100 yards upstream of Snake Lake. Come and help me,” I yelled. Bradley said, “How could you, as a veteran guide at Ailfa Mount, not get out? You’re such a vicious woman. How dare you take Ashley into the primeval forest of Ailfa Mount? Do you want to kill Ashley? I know what’s in your mind. Don’t pretend to be lost. I’ll settle the score with you when you get out. Right now, I’m going to save Ashley.”

With that, Bradley hung up. I froze. What was going on? In my previous life, he would have obviously come to my rescue first, and he didn’t say those words. After thinking for a moment, I suddenly understood. Bradley had also been reborn. This time, he chose to save Ashley first. I tried to call the rescue center, but my phone was dead. I felt a wave of fear enveloped me. On all sides were interlocking and strange trees, and the weird noises were emanating from the gloom. I couldn’t delay any longer and had to get out of the mountain quickly. At the moment, I was lost in reverse, but I had to keep going. My injured leg went from pain to numbness. As I walked, it got dark. I was exhausted. The water and food in my backpack had been eaten up by Ashley not long into the primeval forest of Ailfa Mount. I sat on the ground panting heavily as the temperature reached 23 degrees Fahrenheit and the branches of the trees lit up with eerie silver “lights”. They were night birds staring at me. In the distance, there was a horrible hissing of wild animals. I was a bit desperate, not knowing whether I could get out alive. Just then, a few lights penetrated through. It was the rescue team coming. “Amanda, why aren’t you out yet?” The two team members who came, Dylan Murphy and Joshua Collins, were Bradley’s men. “Dylan, Joshua, it’s good you’re here. Hurry up and get me out of here,” I said breathlessly. “But we have a mission. Bradley told us to search and rescue Ashley,” said Dylan. “Aren’t you guys going to rescue me?” I questioned. At that moment, Dylan’s satellite phone rang, and it was Bradley calling. Bradley asked, “Did you two find Ashley?” Dylan replied, “Bradley, we didn’t find Ashley, but we did find Amanda. Should we take Amanda out first?” “Don’t bother with her. She’s just trying to delay you guys from getting to Ashley. You guys hurry and head downstream to Snake Lake,” said Bradley anxiously. “Dylan, Joshua, I’m really dying. Why don’t one of you two take me out first, and the rest of you keep looking for Ashley?” I pleaded. “Amanda, the rescue team has a rule that two people are required for an action. Going alone would be dangerous,” explained Dylan. “Amanda, our whole team knows that you hate Ashley. But you went too far this time. How could you take Ashley into the primeval forest? You should know very well the danger of Ailfa Mount.” Joshua complained about me for Ashley. Dylan said, “Joshua is right. Amanda, you really went too far this time. If anything happens to Ashley, you are legally responsible. “Also, how could you get lost? You’re the guide of Ailfa Mount. You should be more familiar with the geography here than us.” I was a guide for the Ailfa Mount attractions, not for the Ailfa Mount primeval forest. Dylan said, “Amanda, stop pretending.” “I’m not pretending. Can’t you guys see that my leg is hurt?” I said angrily. Dylan looked at my leg and said, “Then you wait for us here, and we’ll go search and rescue Ashley first.” Wait? How long would I have to wait? I didn’t know if Ashley had been bitten by a snake right now. If a snake had bitten her, they would have waited in place for a helicopter rescue. At that time, would they be able to come back and rescue me? I said, “Give me water, food, and an outdoor jacket, and I’ll get out on my own.” I decided to save myself. After giving me the supplies, they both continued to swim down towards Snake Lake. I was less tired after I put on the outdoor jacket, drank water, and ate cookies. I couldn’t continue walking at night. A campfire was built, and I was too wary to sleep. Just after six in the morning, a faint bright light shone through the cracks in the branches of the trees to the ground, and I started to move. After six hours of walking, I finally made it to the exit. Just at the moment of relief, the stabbing pain in my leg and exhaustion suddenly hit me, and I passed out.

When I woke up, I found myself in the hospital at the Ailfa Mount. “Amanda, would you like some water?” A girl asked me. “Hailey?” She was Hailey Richardson, my coworker. She had happened to find me fainting at the exit and took me to the hospital. “How did you get into the primeval forest?” asked Hailey, puzzled. I said, “It’s complicated.” Just then, Bradley’s voice came from the corridor. “Where is she?” Hailey immediately walked over. “Bradley, your wife is here.” The door to the ward was open. I looked over at Bradley, and his eyes were so cold. A man said, “Bradley, Ashley is in Ward 8.” “How is she?” Bradley asked. The man replied, “She’s fine, just losing her warmth.” “That’s good.” Bradley went straight to Ward 8. Hailey was shocked. “Why didn’t your husband come in to see you?” I smiled bitterly and didn’t explain. The next day at noon, I saw Bradley walking through the corridor with a lunch box. He didn’t even glance toward me as if I didn’t exist. I had bought that lunchbox. I would often go to the rescue unit to bring food to Bradley. Now, he was carrying my lunchbox and delivering food to his beloved. It was kind of ironic! I was getting ready for bed around ten o’clock at night when Ashley pushed open the door and came in. I asked, “What do you want?” Ashley said wickedly, “I really didn’t think you were so tough that falling off a cliff didn’t kill you.” I said, “Are you going to turn yourself in, or am I going to call the police on you?” Ashley laughed, “Do you have any evidence? Who would believe you?” “There’s always a day when the truth is revealed,” I said. Ashley said smugly, “The truth? The truth right now is that you took me into Ailfa Mount and tried to kill me. I desperately ran away from you and was saved. “By the way, are you having a hard, aggravating time right now? Bradley chose to save me instead of you.” After experiencing my previous life, I was now utterly disappointed in Bradley. If I hadn’t encountered the miasma, I wouldn’t have asked Bradley for help. “Have you finished? Get out when you’re done,” I said in a cold voice. Just then, the sound of steady, heavy footsteps came from the corridor. The footsteps were all too familiar to me. It was Bradley. Suddenly, Ashley slapped herself. Then, she collapsed on the floor and looked at me with tears in her eyes. “Bradley and I are just friends, Amanda. I can understand that you don’t believe me. But why did you hit me?” The door to my ward was pushed open. Bradley dropped the food he was holding and ran over, heartbroken, to help Ashley up. “Amanda, you’re a mean, vicious bitch. Ashley wasn’t wrong. Why did you hit her? Don’t you realize she hasn’t recovered from the distress?” “Did I not get in distress? Did I recover physically?” I asked. Bradley said, “You deserved it. If you hadn’t lured Ashley inside the primeval forest, not so much would have happened.” “Do you believe anything she says?” I questioned. Bradley said firmly, “Yes, Ashley doesn’t lie.” I roared, “Fine. I don’t want to argue with you guys. You’re both assholes. Get the fuck out of here. I don’t want to see either of you.” “My face hurts.” Ashley cried, covering her cheek in aggravation. Bradley was outraged and reached out to slap me hard. I was dazed from the slap and stumbled, falling to the ground. A sharp pain came from my belly. Looking between my legs, I realized that blood was flowing out.

After coming out of the emergency room, the doctor told Bradley and I that the baby was fine. “You rest easy and nurse the baby. Deal with our marriage after the baby is born,” said Bradley icily. “Do you still care about the baby?” I sneered. Bradley said, “Of course. The baby is my bloodline. How could I not care?” His words were so ironic. In my previous life, he had ignored the fact that I was pregnant, locked me up in a secret room full of poisonous snakes, let me be bitten alive by the snakes, and then watched as the already-formed child and I were eaten clean by the snakes. But in this life, he cared about the baby. After Bradley left, I approached the doctor. “Doctor, please perform an abortion on me.” I thought, “My child, don’t blame me for being cruel. Even if I give birth to you, you won’t be happy. Living a new life, I don’t want to have any involvement or ties with Bradley. Forgive me, my child.” After being discharged from the hospital, I returned home and opened my computer to draft the divorce agreement. Just after ten in the evening, Bradley came home. “I have something to say to you.” We both surprisingly spoke in unison. “Go ahead,” I said. Bradley said, “Tomorrow, I’ll take you to Ashley to apologize, and you’ll have to beg her forgiveness.” I laughed, “Are you insane? Are you asking me to beg her for forgiveness?” “Shouldn’t it be? Ashley and I are just friends. I just think of her as a sister. But you’re so petty and vicious that you always think Ashley and I have something to hide,” said Bradley stubbornly. “Are you sure you really just see Ashley as a sister? What sister would ask you to go to her room in the middle of the night to install a light? What sister would come to my house when I’m on a business trip and watch TV in your arms in a miniskirt?” I retorted. Bradley blushed, obviously knowing I was right. “Regardless, it was your fault for luring Ashley into the primeval forest of Ailfa Mount this time. You were so evil that you tried to get Ashley killed. Shouldn’t you apologize?” He said loudly. I was furious and took out my micro-recorder, placing it in front of him, then roared, “See for yourself exactly who harmed whom.”

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I was working overtime, and my blood sugar crashed. My fiancée’s male assistant offered me a piece of chocolate. Turns out, it had peanuts. I’m severely allergic. Soon, my body was covered in hives, and I struggled to breathe. I collapsed on the floor, begging my fiancée to take me to the hospital. The male assistant, Caleb, looked so hurt as he explained: “I didn’t know Alex was allergic to peanuts, and this chocolate only has a tiny bit of peanut in it.” My fiancée, Jessica, glared at me, her eyes blazing: “Stop faking it! You just can’t stand seeing me do well by Caleb. A man’s jealousy is pathetic!” Even Chloe, my childhood best friend, cursed me for being manipulative and shoved a handful of peanuts into my mouth. “Caleb is so kind, and you’re still targeting him. How disgusting!” After that, they grabbed the “traumatized” assistant and rushed off to a luxury suite at a hotel. I suffocated and died right there on the spot. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on that very night of overtime.

A figure flitted nervously around my desk. “Oh no, Alex, your blood sugar is low? Quick, eat this chocolate!” Caleb blinked his big, innocent eyes, holding out a piece of “chocolate” to me. Meeting his overly concerned gaze, a wave of sickening dread washed over my spine. The agony of suffocating to death in my past life surged through me. Caleb suddenly pouted, his eyes welling up. He knelt before me, his legs giving out. “I was so thoughtless! Alex, you’re Jessica’s fiancé; you usually eat expensive things. You must look down on anything someone like me offers.” “I… I deserve to die, boo-hoo-hoo! Alex, please don’t blame me! Please don’t hit me!” His utterly provocative act made me see red. Last time, I was on the verge of collapsing at my desk. Caleb, seemingly out of kindness, came over and offered me chocolate. I was deeply touched by his apparent generosity. “Thank you.” I smiled gratefully at him, tore open the wrapper, and tossed the treat into my mouth. Not long after, huge red rashes erupted all over me. My body itched so badly I wanted to tear my skin off. Then, I started coughing uncontrollably, collapsing weakly onto the floor. I struggled to grab Caleb’s pant leg: “Y-you gave me peanuts?” Caleb blinked his innocent eyes, feigning confusion as he explained. “Peanuts are nuts, too, Alex. I didn’t lie to you.” But in his eyes, there was a flash of triumph. In that moment, I knew he was doing it on purpose. I wanted to beat him to death. However, my throat was swelling, making it harder and harder to breathe… Nightmarish memories flooded my mind. I snapped my eyes open, staring at Caleb, who was still kneeling before me. “Caleb, on your very first day, I told you I was allergic to peanuts.” “And you’re still pretending you didn’t know?” You bastard, trying to pull the same stunt again? Furious, I lifted my foot and *thwack* – I kicked him, sending him flying into the back of a desk leg. Immediately, a huge bump swelled on his head. He clutched his head, curling up and looking at me in disbelief. “You kicked me? What did I do wrong with my good intentions?” Innocent tears streamed from his eyes, as if I were some kind of villain. He burst into loud sobs: “I know I can’t stand up to you, but you shouldn’t just bully me because Jessica has your back!” He made such a scene that everyone else still working overtime turned to stare. My colleagues’ gazes were filled with condemnation. They whispered amongst themselves. “He’s so arrogant, just because he’s Jessica’s fiancé. He’s just a useless nobody.” “He actually made the new guy kneel and used violence? Is there no decency left?” Looking at these people, I felt a surge of anger. When I was dying last time, where was all your outrage then? Caleb trembled, huddling into a ball. “I truly didn’t know you were allergic to peanuts, Alex.” Still playing innocent. I wanted to give him two more slaps, but then a sharp female voice came from behind me. “Alex Miller, how dare you hit Caleb?!”

Jessica stormed over on her high heels, immediately pulling a tearful Caleb into her embrace. Caleb buried himself in her, sobbing and hiccuping. “I… I just saw Alex working so hard, so I offered him chocolate!” “I know Alex doesn’t like me since I became Jessica’s assistant. Maybe I should just leave. Only if I leave you, Alex will be happy.” “Otherwise, every day will be hell for me!” What a masterful liar! Hearing his words, Jessica’s heart ached even more, her eyes turning red. “You’re not going anywhere! As long as I’m here, Alex Miller won’t dare bully you!” Then, she gritted her teeth and snapped at me. “I really spoiled you, turning you into a worthless bully!” Worthless? A bully? Her face, distorted and venomous under the harsh office lights, looked utterly alien in that moment. To make her branch manager’s performance look good, so she could get promoted to corporate headquarters sooner. I worked day and night, preparing proposals for her. Several times, I worked overtime to the point of intense stomach cramps, a racing heart, dizzy spells, and even collapsing right at my computer! Only to wake up the next day and continue working… I secured countless important projects for her. She’d forgotten all that. A few simple accusations from the man in her arms were enough for her to slander me. The ridiculous accusations from the person I loved most made my whole body ache with anger. An uncontrollable nausea rose in my stomach; I almost threw up. That’s right, in my previous life, she protected Caleb the same way. When I told her Caleb gave me peanuts and begged her to take me to the hospital. Caleb, as if deeply wronged, cried hysterically. “But I saw Alex drinking a peanut smoothie just two days ago! Alex, what do you have against me? Why are you slandering me?” This time, not only did Jessica accuse me of being jealous and dramatic. But even Chloe, my childhood best friend, who came to pick Caleb up after work, witnessed the scene. She then forcibly shoved handful after handful of peanuts into my mouth… My eyes bulged as I suffocated. Before I lost consciousness, I saw my fiancée and childhood friend, each linking arms with Caleb. Jessica gazed at her little assistant with deep affection. “Caleb, you’ve worked so hard working late. Let’s get a luxury suite tonight to reward you.” Chloe turned back to me, sneering. “Alex Miller, you deserve whatever comes next. Even if you die from this allergy, it’ll be the price for bullying Caleb!” My colleagues watched me with cold eyes; no one paid any attention to my pleading hand. “He deserves it for provoking Jessica’s most important person.” “I heard Caleb’s real identity is actually…” They whispered amongst themselves. “No wonder Jessica values him so much, and even Ms. Chloe treats him with such care. Caleb’s noble aura just can’t be hidden, even as a junior employee.” “That jerk Alex, he deserves what he gets for bothering someone he shouldn’t.” They closed the doors and windows, happily leaving for a company dinner with the funds Jessica specially approved. I lay alone and helpless on the cold floor. Until I became a stiff corpse… The memory sent shivers down my spine. I abruptly widened my eyes, pulled open my drawer, and threw a pile of medication and hospital records onto Jessica’s face. “Is this what you call ‘spoiling’ me?” Then I slammed a stack of contracts I’d secured onto her desk. “Is this what you mean by ‘worthless’?” A flicker of guilt crossed her face. I pointed at Caleb, still feigning innocence in her arms: “Me bullying him? Which eye are you seeing that with?!” I’d suffered enough; I wouldn’t tolerate it anymore. I yanked Caleb out of her embrace and started dragging him towards the exit.

“Y-you let go of me! Where are you taking me?” The main entrance was blocked by glass. I dragged him by his hair and slammed his head into the biometric scanner. With the hatred of two lifetimes, I used all my strength. The scanner shattered instantly. The alarm blared, “Ahhhhh!” A trickle of blood ran down Caleb’s forehead. Jessica snapped back to reality and rushed over, her eyes burning with fury. “Alex Miller, are you insane?! I order you to let go of Caleb!” I smiled, gritting my teeth. “Didn’t you say I was bullying him? How could I possibly disappoint you?” Jessica was livid, swinging her hand and slapping me across the face. Her sharp nails left deep, fiery gashes, and the stinging pain froze me in place. Again, she hurt me without hesitation, for someone else! While I was stunned, she snatched a wailing Caleb back into her arms. Caleb touched his forehead, which only had a small cut, and tears streamed down his face in terror. “It hurts so much! Am I going to be disfigured?” “I knew I shouldn’t have been so willful. My sister didn’t want me to come to the branch to learn. It’s all my fault for being so headstrong…” In an instant, Jessica’s face turned white. Rumors had long circulated that the CEO’s younger brother had secretly joined a branch office. Now Caleb had just admitted it himself! Jessica pointed at me, her eyes bloodshot, and yelled at the approaching security guards. “Arrest him! Make him kneel and apologize to Caleb!” Despite my struggles, the security guards immediately twisted my arms behind my back and tied me up. Jessica sent Caleb to the hospital, and they took me there too. “Quick, call all the specialists! Make sure Caleb doesn’t have even the slightest scar!” She was so frantic she could barely speak, as if Caleb had lost an arm or a leg. As doctors swarmed into the room, Jessica finally let out a sigh of relief. Then, her gaze fixed on me, cold and piercing. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” “Our company worked so hard to achieve today’s success. Are you going to ruin everything?!” I scoffed, a laugh escaping me. “You’re truly insane for Caleb.” Jessica shook her head: “Alex Miller, you are rotten to the core.” She clenched her fist and ordered the security guards. “Hold him down. Don’t let go until he bows down and apologizes a hundred times to Caleb.” Caleb, feigning distress, clutched Jessica’s skirt, whimpering. “Forget it, Jessica. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t accidentally given Alex those peanut snacks, he wouldn’t have lashed out at me and injured me.” “It’s just because Alex loves you too much. Please don’t break up because of me…” Heh, what a scumbag. He made me sound like some kind of possessive, violent psychopath. Jessica’s face was grim. “Caleb is still pleading for you, and look at yourself, your maliciousness. I don’t think we need to get married anymore!” I stared at her cruel face, as if all our past happiness had been nothing but a lie. I fought back tears and shouted. “Fine! From today onwards, we have nothing to do with each other!” “You…” Jessica was momentarily stunned, as if she hadn’t expected me to agree so readily. At that moment, the medical staff in the room glanced at me with peculiar looks. And with Caleb injured, everyone felt more pity and sympathy for him. Yet no one saw the blood from my face running down my neck, staining my white shirt… As the medication was applied to Caleb’s head, he let out a sharp cry of pain. Jessica snapped back, saying. “I am so disappointed in you. What are you waiting for? Hold him down and make him apologize and bow down to Caleb!” “Never! I’d rather die than bow down to him!” A security guard kicked my knee hard. My joint buckled, and I involuntarily dropped to my knees. Jessica, how could you make me suffer such humiliation, lose all my dignity? At that moment, a figure exuding a palpable chill walked into the room.

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That year, the one where we were practically broke, I followed Alexander to Germany for his studies. He casually mentioned Christmas was coming. I washed dishes at a local diner for half a month, then spent twenty euros on a small Christmas tree. He glanced at it and called it pathetic, practically trash. That very evening, Alexander maxed out all my credit cards to get Vivian a whole farm of German firs. The next day, they returned home together. Their high-profile union became the talk of the town. Meanwhile, I was penniless, evicted by my landlord, and nearly froze to death in the heavy Munich snow. Six years later, we met again. Alexander stood at the entrance of my temporary apartment, lugging a luxurious Christmas tree, his eyes red as he wished me a Merry Christmas. I firmly stated, “Mr. Alexander, I absolutely despise Christmas.” Chloe’s POV Alexander clearly froze at my words, a flicker of bewilderment crossing his usually playful eyes. He probably hadn’t expected such a blunt rejection. After all, when I was sixteen, I’d been so thrilled by a ring he’d woven from grass that I couldn’t sleep for three days. “Chloe,” he said, setting down the priceless Christmas tree. His voice was laced with a hint of caution, completely lacking the demanding, high-status CEO image he usually projected in the media. “Don’t be mad. I know you’re blaming me.” “Back then, I truly had no choice. If I didn’t play along, we’d both starve.” He tried to reach for my hand. “I’m free now. My grandpa handed the Alexander family over to me.” “I’ve taken care of Vivian too.” “Chloe, look, I still remember you once saying you wanted a Christmas tree covered in crystals.” The tree he brought was adorned with all sorts of expensive crystals, shimmering beautifully in the sunlight. It was stunning. “You suffered so much with me back then. I can make it all up to you now.” “Chloe, let’s start over, okay?” But my heart felt strangely calm. If it had been the Alexander from six years ago standing here, saying these things, I probably would have joyfully leaped into his arms, screaming and kissing his face. Now, though, as I looked at the opulent Christmas tree, I only felt a sense of absurdity and a bitter laugh welling up inside. What was the point? Could it take me back six years, so I wouldn’t have to rummage through restaurant dumpsters for food on freezing nights? Could it prevent my landlord from throwing my luggage onto the street because I couldn’t pay rent? “Mr. Alexander,” I said, taking a step back, avoiding his touch. My voice was soft. “I’m doing perfectly fine now.” “Fine?” Alexander frowned as if he’d heard a joke. “Living in this hundred-square-meter apartment is ‘doing fine’? Chloe, stop being childish. Come back with me to…” “Mommy.” A timid voice interrupted Alexander mid-sentence. A tiny head peeked through the crack in the door. Lily, in her pink bunny pajamas, clutched a worn-out teddy bear, her eyes wide with fright. She had a tendency to be very shy, fearful of strangers and loud noises, and only truly comfortable with me. Seeing me confronting a strange man at the door, she was clearly terrified, but still bravely ran out to find me. The little one clung tightly to my leg, trembling all over, but wouldn’t let go. Alexander’s voice died in his throat. He looked down, his gaze falling on Lily. The little girl, around five or six years old, had fair skin and dark, shiny eyes like grapes. They were red-rimmed from fear, and her pressed lips showed a stubbornness that was heartbreaking. The soft, warm glow of the apartment lights fell on Lily’s face. Anyone could see the striking resemblance between the child’s features and my younger self, and that defiant expression was so much like his from back then. Before he left Germany six years ago, despite our many conflicts, we hadn’t slept in separate rooms. Alexander’s hand trembled as he pointed at Lily in disbelief, his voice hoarse. “Chloe… this child… who is she?” Just as I was about to pick Lily up, Alexander suddenly crouched down, staring intently at Lily’s face, his eyes instantly turning alarmingly red. “She’s my child… isn’t she?” He stammered, the wild joy of rediscovery almost overwhelming his reason. “Back then… back then you were already pregnant? Why didn’t you tell me? Chloe, how *dare* you wander around all these years with *my* child!” I ignored Alexander’s accusations, quickly trying to soothe Lily, who was trembling with fear. “Lily… you named her Lily…” Alexander’s wild joy intensified. “I knew it! Chloe, you still care about me! I used to fantasize about it, and even told you, if we ever had a daughter, we’d name her Lily! You remembered!” By the end, his voice was choked with tears.

Chloe’s POV I looked at Alexander like this and almost burst out laughing. He had probably conjured up an entire dramatic saga of a single mother on the run in his head—like me enduring hardship and humiliation alone in a foreign country to give birth to his child. This instantly sent his already overflowing guilt soaring to its peak. “Alexander, get a grip,” I said, looking at him coldly. “Not every child in the world is yours.” “You’re still trying to trick me!” Alexander suddenly stood up, his emotions raw. “The timing matches, the looks match! Chloe, you’re doing this to get back at me, keeping my child from me, aren’t you?” “I know I was an ass, but I truly had no choice back then, Chloe. Let me hold her, I’m her father.” He reached out to touch Lily. “Ah—!” Lily shrieked, startled. Her psychological defenses were fragile, and a strange man’s closeness instantly sent her spiraling. She let go of me, covered her ears, and crouched on the ground, her tiny body curled into a ball, beginning to tremble violently. “Lily!” My heart tightened, and I quickly crouched down to comfort her. Alexander stood there, flustered. “I… I didn’t mean to, I just wanted to…” The elevator door opened, revealing Aldrich. “What’s going on?” Aldrich was wearing a dark gray cashmere coat, clearly just back from work, a strawberry mousse cake for Lily in his hand. Seeing Lily trembling on the floor, he quickened his steps, first handing me the cake, then kneeling down on one knee. He skillfully pulled Lily into his arms, his broad hand gently patting her back. “Lily, it’s okay, Daddy’s home.” Lily, who had been screaming moments ago, immediately quieted down as soon as she heard Aldrich’s voice and caught his familiar scent. She buried her face in Aldrich’s coat, her tiny hands clutching his collar, whimpering, “Daddy… I’m scared…” Aldrich gently kissed her forehead, then stood up, holding her with one arm. With his other hand, he instinctively pulled me behind him. He turned, facing a stunned Alexander. Alexander stared at the child in Aldrich’s arms, then at Aldrich’s stern face. “Daddy?” Alexander gritted his teeth. “Chloe, you’re letting my daughter call some random guy ‘Daddy’?” Aldrich slightly raised an eyebrow, his gaze calm as he looked at Alexander, his voice gentle but sharp. “Mr. Alexander, is it your family’s etiquette to harass my fiancée and daughter at my doorstep late at night?” Alexander looked at Aldrich. The Aldrich family, though discreet and not flaunting their wealth, everyone knew Aldrich was a formidable figure. He’d cut his teeth on Wall Street in his early days, then slowly began taking over the family business. He was a force to be reckoned with. “Your wife and daughter?” Alexander laughed. He pointed at Aldrich. “When did the famous Aldrich suddenly get such a grown-up daughter? This child is clearly…” “Clearly what?” Aldrich took a step forward. He was a head taller than Alexander, and his height advantage gave him an imposing aura. “Alexander, if you truly cared, if you had visited Chloe even once in her four years in Germany, you wouldn’t be barking like a stray dog here now.” Alexander winced, his face flushing with embarrassment at having his secret exposed. Aldrich didn’t look at him again. He just turned to me, speaking gently. “It’s cold out here. Take Lily inside. I’ll handle the rest.” I nodded, took Lily, and closed the door. The Alexander from back then would also tell me to hide behind him, but then, for his own future, he’d let go of my hand again and again.

Chloe’s POV The argument outside slowly died down. After comforting Lily, I hesitated for a moment, then couldn’t resist walking to the floor-to-ceiling window and looking down. The black Maybach sat in the snow for a long time, not moving. The streetlights cast its shadow long, much like that field in my memory that felt impossible to cross. And on the haystack beside the field, the boy with a blade of grass dangling from his lips. That was sixteen-year-old Alexander. Back then, he wasn’t called Alexander; everyone in the village called him a bastard. He was the Alexander family’s illegitimate son, hidden away and left to fend for himself in the countryside. I lived next door. Two unsupervised kids, growing up intertwined like wild weeds. That summer was stiflingly hot. After school, we’d run to the small river behind the mountain to cool off. Alexander caught two fish, grilled them golden brown, and gave me the biggest one. As he meticulously removed the bones, he confidently said, “Chloe, when I’m rich someday, I’ll buy this entire mountain, build you a huge house, and treat you to meat every day.” I laughed, calling him a braggart. “You can’t even scrape together your tuition.” He just smiled, his eyes bright like stars in the sky. “Now is now, and the future is the future! Chloe, believe me, I’ll definitely make something of myself.” I smiled back. “Of course I believe you! When you make it big, don’t forget me!” Wealth arrived more suddenly than we could have imagined. The head of the Alexander family lost two sons and four grandchildren in quick succession, and finally remembered there was still a bloodline in the sticks. The day that black Rolls-Royce drove into the village, the dust it kicked up almost blinded everyone. The butler, in a black suit, stood in our dilapidated yard, his eyes filled with disdain, yet he had to respectfully invite Alexander into the car. When Alexander left, he clutched the car door, refusing to get in. His eyes red, he turned back to me, then grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go. “I’m not going! I’m taking Chloe with me!” The butler, his face cold, pried his hand away. “Mr. Alexander, you’re going back to inherit the family business. What would taking a country girl like her look like?” “Once you’re educated and your career is stable, what kind of woman couldn’t you find?” Alexander was forcibly pushed into the car. The window rolled down, and he leaned half his body out, yelling at me, his voice hoarse: “Chloe! Wait for me! You absolutely have to wait for me! I’ll come back for you!” I laughed confidently. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely come find you!” Two years later, I got into a top university far from our village. To save money, I bought the cheapest long-distance train ticket. The twenty-plus-hour journey was filled with the smell of stale feet and crying babies. I stood squashed in the aisle for an entire night. When I got off the train, my legs were swollen and aching like crazy. The destination was a grand city, bustling with people. I dragged my frayed, dusty old canvas bag, feeling lost and unsure where to go amidst the dazzling crowd. “Chloe! Over here!” A familiar voice cut through the noisy crowd. I smiled and turned. There was Alexander, standing in the most conspicuous spot at the exit. In two years, he had changed. He was taller, his skin fairer. He wore a neat shirt and casual pants, his hair meticulously styled. He glowed. He was no longer the wild country boy but the heir to the Alexander family. I instinctively wanted to hide that canvas bag behind me, feeling utterly ashamed of my appearance. But Alexander didn’t hesitate at all. He rushed over, pushing aside anyone in his way, and pulled me, smelling of sweat and travel, tightly into his arms. “Silly girl, if you needed money, you should have asked me. Didn’t you get tired sitting on that train for so long?” His voice trembled with concern. He snatched my dirty canvas bag, slung it over his shoulder, and held my hand tightly with the other, as if afraid I’d get lost. He ignored the strange looks people gave us. He escorted me all the way to school. At the campus gate, someone heckled, “Well, well, Alexander, is this your childhood friend? She looks so cheap-looking!” Alexander’s face darkened, and he shot them a cold glare. “Shut up. This is my girlfriend. Anyone else want to say something?” He took me to a restaurant near the school gate. The prices on the menu made my jaw drop. Alexander puffed out his chest, his eyes shining with youthful arrogance and ambition. “Chloe, even though I’m not in charge yet, I’m working hard. My grandpa really likes me these days.” “Don’t worry, with me around, you’ll never have to suffer like this again.” “I’ll have you fly on planes, ride in private cars, live in mansions. I’ll even take you to study abroad and see the most beautiful sights in the world.” That pizza tasted so good that day, the melted cheese stretched, as if melting my heart. Through the hazy steam, I looked at the smiling boy across from me, my heart brimming with happiness.

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I’d just wrapped up a cross-continental meeting when my phone buzzed with an unfamiliar number. “Are you Dennis Miller’s mother? Please come to the school. Your son led a bullying incident today, and the other parent is demanding compensation!” The voice on the line was sharp, accusatory. My fingers paused, and I instinctively straightened my posture. “Excuse me, I think you have the wrong number. My son attends middle school in Canada; he’s not in school here.” There was a moment of silence, then the voice grew colder. “Our records show you as the guardian, Sarah Miller, an employee of Radiant Group, and this is your cell number. So, is your son named Dennis Miller?” My mind went blank. My name is Sarah Miller, I’m a director at Radiant Group, and my son is indeed named Dennis. After my husband passed away, my son went to live with my parents in Canada. How could he possibly be enrolled in a school here? I didn’t get a chance to explain further before the caller hung up. Half an hour later, I rushed to the Dean’s office at that private middle school. Pushing open the door, a heavy, stifling atmosphere hit me. Several teachers were huddled around a middle-aged woman, speaking in hushed, comforting tones. The woman’s eyes were red and swollen as she clutched a thin, trembling boy beside her. The child had a bandage on his forehead and was still quietly sobbing. On a nearby chair sat a boy with a bowl-cut. Two buttons on his school uniform were undone, his pant legs rolled up to his knees, and he was picking at his fingers. There wasn’t a shred of remorse on his face; instead, he radiated an almost arrogant defiance. At the sound of the door opening, everyone’s eyes snapped toward me. The bowl-cut boy’s eyes lit up. He shot up from his seat, rushed over, and grabbed my wrist, his voice loud and demanding: “Mom! You’re finally here! You have to back me up!” I froze, instinctively shaking off his hand. “You’ve got the wrong person. I’m not your mom.” He paused, then burst into ear-piercing wails. “Mom, why are you pretending not to know me?! They started it; I just pushed him! It’s his fault for not letting me copy his homework!” Owen’s mother immediately turned red with fury, pointing at me. “Is that how you teach your child? He assaulted someone and now you won’t even acknowledge it, you won’t even acknowledge him?” A woman in her early thirties with a frown on her face walked over. “Hello, Ms. Miller, I’m Brenda Collins, from the school. “I just checked our records, and they do show you as Dennis Miller’s guardian. Your child pushed a classmate into a bookshelf, and he needed three stitches on his forehead. The other parents are demanding $7,000 for medical expenses and emotional damages.” I swallowed my surprise and explained, “I came to your school to ask why you have my information in the first place? “My son has always been in Canada; he’s never attended school here!” Then I pointed at the boy. “And he is not my son. I don’t even know him!” The boy’s crying stopped for a second, his eyes darting around before he jutted out his chin and yelled, “You are my mom! Your name is Sarah Miller! You work at Radiant Group! I’m not wrong!” My heart plummeted at his words. How could he possibly know all that information? I instantly calmed myself, staring directly at him. “Shut up, I’m not your mom!” Then I turned to the bullied child. “Little one, did he hit you first?” The child timidly nodded. “He always bullies me. Today, when I wouldn’t let him copy my homework, he pushed me down and said he’d make me regret it.” Seeing this, the bowl-cut boy suddenly lunged to hit him again, shouting, “You’re lying! I’ll rip your mouth off!” I quickly grabbed him, only to find he was surprisingly strong. He struggled, trying to kick, and kept spewing curses. “Let go of me! You’re all bad people! My mom has money; she’ll get you all fired!” The teachers rushed to help hold him down, their faces etched with helplessness. “This boy often bullies classmates, stealing things and yelling at people. We never expected him to be this violent.” Owen’s mother trembled with rage. “You need to give us a clear explanation today! Either pay up, or I’m calling the police!” I looked at this unfamiliar, aggressive boy, my mind swirling with doubt. Why was he using my son’s name to attend school? And why was he pretending I was his mother? Something was definitely wrong here. “Call the police then.” I pulled out my phone. “Let the police investigate who his guardian really is and why he’s using my son’s identity to enroll.”

Just as I raised my phone to call the police, the Dean’s office door burst open with a bang. A bald man with a menacing expression stormed in. His sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing a network of brutal tattoos. Owen, his face full of grievances, stumbled toward him. “Dad, Dad!” The bald man instantly pulled his son into a fierce embrace, his gaze sweeping over the bandage on Owen’s forehead. His pupils constricted, and his fury ignited. He looked up abruptly, his roar shaking the room. “Who’s Dennis’s parent? Get out here!” The office fell silent. Everyone’s eyes instinctively darted to me. The bald man followed their gazes, locking onto me, and immediately charged. Before I could even speak, a searing pain exploded across my cheek. Smack! The bald man’s fist slammed into me. The force was immense; I stumbled back several steps and fell to the floor, a fiery pain spreading through my nerves. “You’re that monster’s parent, aren’t you? Look at the kind of child you’ve raised!” Still seething, the bald man struggled to lunge at me again, but two teachers held him back. Brenda offered some feigned concern. “Mr. Black, please try to calm down. Let’s not resort to violence in front of the children!” She glanced at me, a hint of satisfaction in her eyes. The arrogant bowl-cut boy, Caleb, now trembled uncontrollably, clinging to my clothes and hiding behind me. I stood up straight, wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, and explained, “Mr. Black, you’ve got the wrong person. I am absolutely not this child’s parent! “My son’s name is Dennis Miller, but he’s been in Canada since he was three and has never attended this school!” I pointed at Caleb, my voice hardening. “I came here today to figure out why you have my phone number and why my son’s information is in your archives!” The bald man paused, the furious expression on his face instantly vanishing, replaced by a flicker of doubt that creased his brow. He pushed away the teachers holding him, grabbed Caleb by the collar, and roared, “Tell me, is she really your mom or not?” Caleb’s face went ashen, but he still jutted out his chin, not a hint of guilt in his eyes. “She is my mom! I’m not lying!” “She’s a director at Radiant Group and has lots of money! She can pay Owen’s compensation!” Brenda, far from trying to de-escalate, added, “That’s right, Dennis’s records indeed list Ms. Miller as his guardian.” “All the information was entered through proper procedures; there couldn’t be a mistake!” The bald man’s fury reignited. He released Caleb and advanced toward me. I backed away repeatedly until my back hit the corner of a desk. He stared into my eyes, grinding his teeth. “If you say he’s not your son, then how would he know all your information?” “Are you the director of Radiant Group?” I straightened my back, meeting his gaze, and said each word distinctly. “I am Sarah Miller, and I do work at Radiant Group, but I am absolutely not this child’s mother. Someone has impersonated me and my son!” The moment I finished speaking, Caleb’s face crumpled, tears and snot streaming down. “Mommy, why won’t you acknowledge me? I’m Dennis!” “I’m sorry, I won’t be naughty and bully classmates again! Mommy, please don’t abandon me.” Crying, he pulled a photo from his pocket and handed it to Brenda . “This is a photo of me and Mom when I was little. Please, Teacher, tell Mom not to abandon me.”

In the photo, I was wearing a cream-colored dress, holding a seven or eight-month-old baby boy in my arms. My mind went blank. This photo was taken a week before my husband’s death. Soon after, my son went to Canada with my parents. But how did it end up in this child’s hands? The bald man also saw the photo. The confusion in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by an icy glare, as if he was convinced I was deliberately trying to deflect blame. Brenda’s voice suddenly turned stern. “Ms. Miller, that’s you in the photo, isn’t it?” Scornful, mocking gazes from everyone in the room converged on me. I tried to explain, but my throat tightened, unable to utter a sound. Because it was indeed me, undeniable. “Since it’s you, stop trying to shirk responsibility!” Brenda took the photo, her tone laced with reprimand. “A child’s misbehavior comes from bad parenting, but a parent avoiding responsibility is utterly despicable! A woman like you doesn’t deserve to be a mother; you have no moral compass! “To avoid a few thousand dollars in compensation, you’d disown your own child? You’re heartless! People like you are a menace; you not only corrupt your child but ruin their entire life!” I stared at her, stunned, unable to comprehend such hostility from a teacher. I took a deep breath, forcing down the surging emotions. “I really am not his mother!” “Why don’t we call the police right now and let them investigate this identity theft…” Before I could finish, the bald man cut me off. “Don’t pretend anymore!” A mocking smirk played on his lips. “Parents with such dishonest, irresponsible character are bound to raise a bullying monster!” The teachers and parents in the office nodded in agreement. “She looks so respectable, but who knew she’d be so irresponsible!” “The child just made a small mistake; she should help him correct it. How could a parent disown her own son?” “And she’s a director at Radiant Group? Shifting blame over such a minor issue, doesn’t she feel ashamed?” They mocked me openly, completely ignoring what I had just said. I trembled with rage, my peripheral vision catching Caleb. He was hiding within the crowd, the fear he’d shown earlier replaced by a triumphant smirk. He was smiling at me, his eyes full of provocation, as if watching a twisted play. Rage instantly clouded my judgment. I lunged forward, grabbing his arm with such force that he immediately grimaced in pain. “Ow! Let go of me!” I clamped onto his arm, forcing him to meet my gaze. “I’m asking you, what’s your name?” “I’m Dennis Miller!” “Where is your father?” “I don’t have a father!” “Then what about your mother?” “My mother is…” He was about to continue when he suddenly looked up at me, a chilling, subtle smile playing on his lips. Then, he pointed his small finger at me, his voice clear. “My mom is right here! You’re my mom!” I completely lost it. Ignoring the strange looks from everyone around me, I reached out and clamped my hand around his neck. “You’re still lying!” His face instantly turned purplish-blue. His hands flailed wildly, and his eyes shifted from defiance to deep terror. My voice was icy, carrying a ruthlessness I’d never felt before. “I’m giving you one last chance!” “Who is your real mother? How did you get this photo? Who told you to impersonate my son?”

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I have aphasia. My parents, ashamed of my inability to speak, pressured me into marrying Aria, my brother Brandon’s vegetative fiancée, to save him from a difficult situation. For three years, I devoted myself to her care. Miraculously, Aria awoke. But the first thing she did was demand a divorce. She believed Brandon was the one who had cared for her all these years, declaring that she would marry no one but him. Later, I overheard her best friend trying to explain that I was the one who had taken care of her for three years. Aria just laughed nonchalantly. “I already knew,” she said. “But my husband can’t be a mute.” My heart shattered completely. I sought a hypnotist to erase my memories and treat my aphasia. When I woke up, I gazed at the woman by my hospital bed and asked, confused, “Who are you?” The woman’s face instantly paled with panic… Aria had been in a coma for three years. The first person she saw upon waking was me, but her eyes were filled with disappointment. I didn’t notice the sorrow in her gaze, my heart swelling with joy as I helped her sit up. I immediately shared the good news in our group chat. Soon, the hospital room was packed with people. And I, her husband who had cared for Aria for three years, was pushed into a corner, utterly ignored. Brandon arrived late, dressed in a sharp blue suit, looking as if he’d just come from a party. Aria immediately clutched Brandon’s hand, her eyes rimmed red. “Honey,” she whispered, “you’ve worked so hard these past three years.” At her words, everyone in the room froze. The very air seemed to solidify. I stood awkwardly to the side, unable to utter a single word to defend myself. All because I suffered from aphasia. Her friend, sensing the tension, spoke up hesitantly. “Aria, Leo is your husband.” Aria’s brow furrowed instantly, her gaze turning icy as she looked at me, as if I had somehow intruded upon her relationship with Brandon. I had always known Brandon was the one she loved. They were supposed to marry, but a car accident left her in a vegetative state. Brandon, unwilling to endure the hardship, ran to our parents, crying. When I heard it was Aria, I agreed to their plea to marry her in Brandon’s place. I never imagined that three years of my devoted care would lead to this. I quickly grabbed my phone, ready to type out an explanation, but Brandon slammed his hand down on my device. “Leo, Aria just woke up. She probably can’t process so much information at once. You should step out for a bit.” The others in the room, sensing the strained atmosphere, quickly found excuses to leave. The moment the door closed, Brandon tearfully embraced Aria, as if he had suffered some monumental injustice. “Aria, you’re finally awake. I’ve waited for you for three years…” My heart lurched violently, and my hand gripping the doorknob trembled slightly. I don’t know how much time passed before Brandon opened the hospital room door, a few clear tears still clinging to his eyelashes. I walked into the room, filled with a sense of dread, just as a glass vase shattered at my feet. “Leo, you certainly went to great lengths to marry me!” “You’re disgusting, using such underhanded tactics!” Splintered glass shards cut my calf, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the ache in my heart. Aria and I had grown up together. She was the only one who didn’t dismiss me for my aphasia, the only one who encouraged me to seek treatment. But after she met Brandon, she was drawn to him. The girl who once promised to marry me, her heart slowly drifted away. Now, she saw me as a despicable intruder in their relationship. I anxiously gestured in sign language, then remembered she couldn’t understand, and shakily picked up my phone, trying to type an explanation. Brandon smirked, then raised his hand and swatted my phone, sending it crashing to the floor, where its screen immediately went dark. “Leo, please, just let us be together!” I stood there, stunned. Besides sign language, my phone was my only means of communication. And now, I couldn’t even defend myself. I shook my head desperately, but this world was cruel, and even more so to someone who couldn’t speak.

My parents, who had somehow heard the news, rushed to the hospital. Hope flickered within me. I stopped them, gesturing wildly in sign language, pleading with them to explain for me. They could barely understand some simple signs. My mother nodded gently, but my father simply pushed me aside, pulling my mother into the room. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, my mother hesitantly began, “Leo, he…” Brandon, realizing what she was about to say, cut her off. “Mom, Leo just loves Aria too much. Don’t blame him.” My eyes widened in disbelief. I grabbed Brandon, signing furiously: You’re lying! You’re lying! He rubbed his wrist, clinging tightly to Aria, putting on a pitiful act. “I’m sorry, Leo. Don’t be angry, I won’t say any more.” I desperately signed towards my mother, my vision blurring: Tell her the truth! It’s not like this! My mother avoided my gaze. A wave of helplessness washed over me. Not a single day in the three years I’d cared for Aria felt as desperate as this one. My father’s face darkened. “Didn’t you force Brandon to step aside? You said Aria wouldn’t know anyway.” If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I wouldn’t have believed my own father could so shamelessly twist the truth. His words were like needles piercing my heart. It was Brandon who had scorned Aria, deeming her a “lost cause” and refusing to marry her. That’s when my parents had made me take his place. Aria scoffed. “Leo, it’s a good thing I woke up. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have rested in peace even in death.” I bit down hard on my lip, the metallic taste of blood spreading in my mouth. So this was how pathetic I was in her eyes. My mother pulled me out of the room, her face full of apologies. “Don’t blame your father. We owe Brandon this.” Brandon’s parents had died saving mine, so my parents took him in and treated him like their own son. My parents felt indebted, so I had to give in to him on everything. If I ever refused, Brandon would cry and say, “If only my mom and dad were here.” When I developed aphasia, a time when I desperately needed companionship, Brandon convinced my parents to take him on an international trip. Three years ago, Brandon’s mocking words still echoed in my ears: “A mute and a vegetable, how perfectly matched!” My mother continued, “Now that Aria’s awake, she’s so proud, she’ll divorce you eventually. “Leaving a good impression now will only elevate Brandon’s standing in her heart, won’t it?” Tears splattered on the ground. I pounded my chest, trying to relieve the pain gripping my heart. But they owed Brandon’s parents, why did I have to pay the price? Aria moved quickly. She decided to divorce me in the morning and had the papers drawn up by the afternoon. Afraid I would cause trouble, she hired several bodyguards to watch me as I signed. I let out a bitter laugh and slowly wrote my name. Aria had saved my life once, and I had protected her for three years. Now, we were even.

The evening autumn breeze carried a hint of chill. After my phone was repaired, the first thing I did was text Dr. Hayes: I’d like to try the hypnosis therapy you mentioned last time. Dr. Hayes quickly replied: You will lose some memories after hypnosis. And we’ll need a family member to sign a consent form, ensuring someone can care for you during recovery. My gaze fell on the words “family member,” and a bitter smile touched my lips. I couldn’t even think of anyone who could sign for me. I scrolled through SnapChat endlessly, my finger hovering over one contact, hesitant to tap it. Unexpectedly, the avatar suddenly vibrated, and a message popped up: I’m back in the country today. Can we grab dinner? I quickly replied, setting a time and place. I stared out the window, my thoughts drifting far away. Maya was my sign language teacher’s daughter. Because I often went to her house for lessons, we naturally grew close. Three years ago, when she learned I was marrying a vegetative woman, she angrily smashed the birthday gift she planned to give me, saying it was a waste for her mother to teach me sign language. I signed back, spewing harsh words. Then she went to study abroad, and I thought we would never meet again. I never expected her to return. After several years, she had matured considerably. When she wasn’t smiling, an aura of “do not approach” radiated from her. I got straight to the point, signing my question: Can you… pretend to be my family and sign for me? Her expression stiffened. After hearing the full story, her hands clenched tightly, as if she was struggling to suppress something. “Are you sure about this?” I nodded gently. What use were those memories to me anyway? And once they were gone, I could speak again. “Okay.” It was evening when I returned to Aria’s house. My belongings were casually strewn in the villa’s hallway. Aria glanced at me indifferently. “Leo, don’t say I’m not being lenient. From now on, you’ll move into the guest room.” I nodded softly. She hadn’t expected me to be so calm and eyed me up and down. I would forget her soon anyway. What did it matter where I lived? Suddenly, a small dog, Cupcake, ran out from inside the house. My body tensed, and I instinctively grabbed Aria’s arm. She frowned in displeasure and harshly flung my hand away. “Leo, know your place.” Her strength was considerable. I wasn’t prepared and instantly tumbled to the floor, my wrist screaming in pain. I had been afraid of dogs since childhood, and the girl who once promised to protect me for life had now let go of my hand. A flicker of regret crossed her eyes, and she reached out to pull me up. I pretended not to see, and endured the pain as I pushed myself to my feet. Brandon emerged from the room and took Aria’s hand. “Cupcake doesn’t like being confined. Let’s move her to a bigger room.” Aria looked at him dotingly. “Okay, we’ll give Cupcake the guest room we just cleaned up. “Leo, you can move to the basement.” How ridiculous. In her eyes, I was worth less than their adopted stray dog. As I packed my things, I suddenly caught a strange scent. Following the smell, I found a large yellow stain on a red coat. This coat was a birthday gift from Aria. Because my birthday fell on the same day as Brandon’s parents’ memorial, my parents never allowed me to celebrate. Aria had secretly given me the coat, looking at me earnestly as she said, “Leo, I’ll spend every birthday with you from now on.” Promises, it seemed, only held true when love was present. I treasured this coat, never daring to wear it. It seemed I never would.

When Aria saw the coat, a hint of emotion stirred within her, and she instructed the butler to take it for dry cleaning. But I simply tossed the coat into the trash, along with all the photos Aria and I had taken over the years. In the future, I wanted nothing to do with her. Aria stared at me and slowly spoke, “Brandon is kind-hearted for adopting Cupcake. If you dare make him sad, I won’t let you off easy.” It was utterly absurd, almost laughable. It seemed Aria had completely forgotten my fear of dogs. Perhaps Aria had given instructions, as not a single servant offered to help me. I endured the pain in my wrist and tidied up until evening, finally clearing away everything related to Aria. This was the first time I had stayed at home in three years. After Aria became a vegetable, I practically lived at the hospital. At first, people visited, but eventually, the Jiang family gave up on her. Most of the time, it was just her and me in the room. I was just starting to drift off to sleep when a bucket of cold water doused me awake. Aria looked down at me. “Leo, you’re getting lazier and lazier.” “You’re not the master of this house anymore. How dare you sleep in?” My head felt a bit hazy. I simply nodded to indicate I understood. I wiped the water from my face and got up to change. The villa servants were bustling about. The butler glanced at me and instructed me to polish the piano. It was only then that I remembered it was Brandon’s birthday. My fingers glided over the keys, and a beautiful melody poured out. Aria once said these hands were made for playing the piano. Yet now, they were used for polishing it. A self-deprecating smile touched my lips. Sweet words were only true at the moment they were spoken. Halfway through, I received a message from Dr. Hayes: Tomorrow morning at ten. I quickly replied with “Okay” and forwarded the message to Maya. Just the thought of being able to speak again lifted my spirits considerably. I thought this party had nothing to do with me, but then Aria pulled me into the dressing room. I took the gown she handed me, a little surprised. Her face was full of impatience. “Hurry and change. If you don’t attend, what will people say about Brandon?” It turned out she was only afraid of people talking about Brandon. I felt the large stains on the gown, my heart long numb. I remembered an hour ago, Brandon’s social media post with a photo: No worries if the outfit gets dirty, Aria will prepare two for me. Brandon stood by the cake, like an elegant prince, while I felt like a clown for their amusement. I tried to make myself as inconspicuous as possible, sitting in a corner. But the whispers still reached my ears. “What’s on his clothes? So disgusting!” “He’s shameless, stealing Brandon’s fiancée.” “I heard he’s a mute.” The mockery was relentless. I clutched the hem of my clothes tightly. Brandon sat down at the piano, the spotlight illuminating him. All eyes were drawn to him. The music suddenly stopped. He cried out in alarm, “It hurts! How are there razor blades in the piano!” The butler pointed to me in the corner. “Only Mr. Leo touched the piano!” Aria glared at me, roughly dragging me to the piano. She slammed my hands onto the keys, and excruciating pain shot through my fingers, making it almost impossible to breathe. “Leo, this is the price for your mistakes.” Without another word, she disregarded my bleeding hands, picked up Brandon, and walked out the door. I clearly saw Brandon flash me a triumphant smile. Later, an ambulance took me to the hospital, but all the doctors there had been called to consult on Brandon’s case. Before I passed out from blood loss, I heard a nurse shout angrily, “If his hands don’t get immediate treatment, he’ll be permanently disabled!” Tears streamed down my face. I wished I had never met Aria. Meanwhile, a doctor recognized Aria and greeted her warmly. “How is your husband? He took care of you for three years; it’s about time his hardships ended.”

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Seraphina Vance had found the perfect excuse to legitimize her blatant infidelity. Before we got married, I signed a non-disclosure agreement, which meant I could only be her secret husband. If I initiated the divorce, I’d walk away with a measly $9.9. For three years, I watched her shamelessly flaunt her staged romance with her so-called colleague, Caleb Reed. They traveled together, made public appearances, and even checked into the same hotel. All while I, her supposed “understanding partner,” was left to care for her ailing parents and act as her personal assistant, handling every single one of her affairs. I had no idea when her “work” would end until Caleb called her late one night, his voice thick with complaint. His fans were hounding them to get married, demanding to know when she’d finally make their relationship official. “Darling,” Seraphina cooed softly into the phone, “I’ll give you a perfect wedding soon, okay?” The cold night air blowing in from the balcony carried Seraphina’s hushed whispers. Hearing her answer, my body, nestled in the sheets, went rigid. My throat constricted, and I could barely breathe. On the other end, Caleb persisted, his voice low and melancholic. “Seraphina, everyone’s expecting us to get married. I can’t wait. Let’s do it soon.” Seraphina stood on the balcony, her profile appearing exceptionally tender in the dim light. She soothingly reassured him, “Don’t rush, I won’t let you down.” It was clear that even when disturbed late at night, she was more than happy to coddle her rumored boyfriend. Seraphina returned to the bedroom, a faint smile still lingering in the corners of her eyes. But the moment she saw me sitting on the edge of the bed, her expression hardened. “Julian, it’s the middle of the night. Why are you sitting here trying to scare me instead of sleeping?” I swallowed the dull ache in my chest and met her gaze. “And how does it feel for you to be up in the middle of the night, sweet-talking your lover?” “Lover? What are you talking about?” Seraphina frowned, annoyance flashing in her eyes. “Can you stop being so crude? Caleb and I are just work partners. Isn’t it a bit much to label him like that?” Watching her righteous indignation, my voice involuntarily tightened. “Me, too much? What ‘work partners’ in this industry plan a wedding together?” Seraphina stumbled over her words for a second, then looked away. “You heard all that?” She nervously rubbed her nose. “I couldn’t help it. The fans were practically demanding it. Caleb and I have too much attention as a screen couple. If we don’t see this act through, how can I justify his cooperation these past three years?” “Justify his cooperation?” A searing, numbing pain shot through my heart, and my body trembled uncontrollably. Three years of marriage. I watched the entire world believe she and Caleb were a match made in heaven, saw them interact sweetly on camera, flaunting their affection as if no one else existed. As Seraphina’s legitimate husband, I was hidden away like a shadow, banished from the light. Yet, all these years, Seraphina had never shown me a shred of guilt. She actually felt she owed Caleb. So what did my years of silent endurance and sacrifice count for? “Julian, you know how it is. You have to commit to the role. For the sake of publicity and career benefits, can you just bear with it a little longer? This is my job.” Seraphina was an A-list actress. Every time, she’d spout some high-minded BS, making it sound like she and Caleb were just professional colleagues. If my friend hadn’t personally seen them embracing as they entered a private hotel last week, I probably would have still believed everything she did was “just for work.” But now, her “work” had escalated to planning a global sensation of a wedding with Caleb. And when she and I got married, we didn’t even have the simplest ceremony. I suppressed the bitter churning in my stomach, my voice hoarse. “Seraphina, Caleb is just a colleague, yet you’re planning a lavish, public wedding for him. What about me? Your legal partner? Have you ever given me any kind of ceremony?” When we got married, Seraphina was just a struggling actress. She thought a rich kid like me was just playing around and always treated me with cold indifference. I voluntarily signed a prenuptial agreement, agreeing to only $9.9 if we divorced. I even gave up inheriting my family business to be her assistant. For the sake of her career, we didn’t even have a wedding. She once promised me that once she made it big, she’d give me a grand wedding. Later, she shot to stardom, but never mentioned the wedding again. I’d subtly brought it up, suggesting even a simple dinner with our families would be enough. But she’d always brush me off with “work is too busy, we’ll talk later.” Now, for a grand, extravagant wedding, Caleb just made a phone call, and she agreed without hesitation. Seraphina probably thought I was being unreasonable. She grew impatient, her tone sharp with frustration. “Julian, I’ve explained it countless times. Why can’t you just understand me?” “Caleb and I have such high public visibility as a couple. I can’t let all that effort go to waste.” “Can’t you just wait a little longer?” I didn’t say anything else. The night stretched long, the wind outside cold and fierce. Watching Seraphina’s irritated expression, a profound weariness washed over me. I couldn’t wait any longer.

“Julian, Caleb and I have talked it over. After the wedding’s public attention dies down, we’ll announce our ‘breakup.’ In a year at most, I’ll tell everyone that you’re my real partner.” “Everything I’m doing now is for our better future, don’t you see?” Seraphina probably sensed my mood was off and tried to salvage things. But I just found it utterly absurd. I was her rightful partner, yet I was hiding in the shadows, waiting for my wife to grant me official recognition. For her colleague, Caleb, Seraphina always went out of her way to ensure he was treated with the utmost respect. When she and Caleb first started pretending to be a couple for publicity, he was a newcomer working with the famous actress, and many fans couldn’t accept it, attacking him online. Seraphina then made a classic public defense, taking everyone who insulted Caleb to court. At a gala dinner, reporters pressed them about their relationship. Seraphina just smiled, then turned and kissed Caleb under a flurry of flashbulbs. The entire venue erupted. And I, as her assistant, watched from below as my own wife kissed another man. Later, Seraphina explained to me that it was “just a script” arranged by the company. But similar “scripts” kept piling up. They were inseparable in public, always together. Even at private gatherings with mutual friends, she stopped bringing me along. Gradually, even our shared friends started to think Seraphina and Caleb were the perfect match. I felt wronged and pained, but Seraphina would always tell me not to care about other people’s opinions, emphasizing that I was her legal partner. “Julian, I know you’ve endured a lot of hardship with me these past few years. I don’t want it to be like this either.” “Darling, please don’t be angry, okay?” Seeing my silence, Seraphina slowly moved closer, intending to kiss my forehead. She gazed at me deeply, as if in that moment, only I existed in her eyes. Many times before, I had been swayed by those soulful eyes, softening my resolve again and again, continuing to endure. I’d forgotten she was an actress; she could look deeply into anyone’s eyes. “I’m tired. Let’s just sleep.” As she leaned in, I turned my back to lie down. Seraphina raised an eyebrow, a little surprised, then lay down herself, wrapping an arm around me. The simple ring on my ring finger lightly brushed against the one on her hand, making a faint click in the darkness. The sound vanished as quickly as it appeared. I lay in the dark, lost in thought. When I met Seraphina, I was scouting film projects for my company at a studio lot. She was an extra, only getting roles as a corpse or a stunt double who got beaten up. Once, Seraphina offended an assistant director and was deliberately tormented, filming a beating scene twenty times. When I found her, she was sitting alone in the shadows, covered in bruises, looking so lonely and pathetic. I brought her home, meticulously cared for her, and used my connections to help her get opportunities. But at first, Seraphina always thought I, a rich kid, was just temporarily amused, and she never gave me a kind look. Until one time, to help her secure a role with lines, I endured severe stomach pain and drank too much, eventually passing out at the dinner table. When I woke up, Seraphina was by my bedside, her eyes red, her body still trembling with fright. “Julian, when I saw you in the hospital, I suddenly got so scared…” I was a bit helpless. “Scared of what?” “Scared of you leaving me.” After saying that, Seraphina paused, then seemed to understand something. She lifted her deep, captivating eyes and said earnestly, “Julian, I think… I’ve fallen in love with you.” From then on, she became incredibly attentive to me, working tirelessly on her acting. And I voluntarily stepped away from my family business, becoming her personal assistant, handling all her complicated affairs. Soon after, Seraphina proposed to me. She saved money for six months to buy me a branded ring. Though it had no diamond, I, submerged in love, was deeply touched. I wore that ring close to me for three years until I passed by that brand’s store one day. On a whim, I went in to inquire, only to be told by the sales clerk that the ring I was wearing was a fake, not even a decent replica. Meanwhile, Caleb? Over these three years, Seraphina had personally bought him countless designer gifts, their value immeasurable. And me? All I had was this fake ring. The memories faded, and I felt a wave of nausea, instinctively wanting to remove the ridiculous ring on my ring finger. The moment I stirred, Seraphina seemed to sense it and held me even tighter. “Don’t move,” she mumbled groggily. “Caleb…” A sharp pain seized my chest, and I curled up in agony. Even though the person beside me breathed warmly, I felt only a chilling coldness, so cold that my heart went numb, almost suffocating.

The moment I woke up the next morning, Seraphina called. “Remember to go to the nursing home to see my parents today. Don’t skip it just because you’re angry.” Seraphina prided herself on being filial. Even though her parents lived in the best nursing home, her pronouncement, “Children should personally care for their parents,” had me looking after my in-laws for three full years. Meanwhile, I barely saw my own parents once a year. “Yeah, got it.” I numbly replied, hung up the phone, and drove alone to the nursing home. “Oh, sweetie, look how wonderful Caleb is! He’s going to be our son-in-law!” My mother-in-law was proudly telling the nurse, pointing at Caleb on the TV, as I walked into the room carrying a pot of freshly made soup. The nurse’s eyes lit up. “Are they really getting married?” “Of course!” my in-laws said in unison. My steps faltered, and a familiar sharp pain pierced my chest. I suppressed the bitterness in my throat and softly spoke. “Mom, Dad.” As soon as they heard my voice, my in-laws’ faces immediately soured. The nurse looked at me, a bit confused. “And this gentleman who comes every day is…?” “He’s our godson!” my mother-in-law quickly interjected. The nurse suddenly understood, a look of envy on her face as she left. “Sir, I’m so envious you get to be Seraphina’s brother. How lucky!” I forced a smile, but it wouldn’t reach my eyes. The moment the door closed, my mother-in-law’s voice turned shrill. “Julian, why didn’t you tell us you were coming? You want to scare two old people to death?” I managed a strained smile. “Mom, Dad, you seemed to be enjoying your conversation, I didn’t want to interrupt.” “I made you some soup today. Please try it.” As soon as the soup was handed to them, my father-in-law sniffed it and slammed the bowl on the floor. The hot soup splattered on my hand, making me wince in pain, but they just said, “What kind of soup is this? It’s so greasy! Julian, you can’t even cook properly anymore. What good are you?” “I’ll make it again next time,” I said, enduring the pain as I cleaned up the mess on the floor. A profound sense of powerlessness swept over me. Suddenly, I felt that three years of unwavering care had all been in vain. After massaging my in-laws, I prepared to leave, but couldn’t resist asking one last question, holding onto a final sliver of hope to gauge their attitude. “Mom, Dad, do you know? Seraphina is going to have a wedding with Caleb.” I said, trying to sound calm. “Really?!” As soon as the words left my mouth, my in-laws cheered excitedly. “That’s wonderful!” Though I had anticipated it, my heart still sank. “But… I’m her husband…” “Don’t be ungrateful!” My father-in-law frowned and sneered. “We never agreed to you two being together in the first place. You’ve bled Seraphina dry enough over the years. You should know when to quit and stop clinging to her,” my mother-in-law snapped, her face darkening with impatience. Bleed her dry? Even though I knew my in-laws were always harsh, hearing those words firsthand made my body involuntarily tense up. In three years of marriage, I had never asked Seraphina for a single dime, nor had she spent any money on me. Most of our daily expenses were covered by me. I cared for my in-laws relentlessly, managed everything for Seraphina, and in the end, I was branded a “vampire.” At this point, I understood where Seraphina’s coldness and selfishness came from — it was a family trait. Three years of genuine affection had moved neither my in-laws nor Seraphina. My in-laws continued to chatter, even ordering me to empty their bedpan. I numbly turned around, ignoring their curses and walked out without looking back. Walking out of the nursing home, I looked at the distant sunlight gradually dispelling the gloom, took a deep breath, and dialed a number. “Hello, Dad, are you free right now?” “…I’ve made my decision.”

When I got home, the living room lights were already on. Seraphina sat on the couch, her face contorted with fury. I was about to speak, but she suddenly stood up, rushed towards me, and yelled, “Julian, what the hell is wrong with you?! I already swallowed my pride, and you actually went to my parents’ place to give them attitude?!” Seeing the identical smugness on all their faces, I sneered. “I made soup for your parents, and they knocked it over without even tasting it. The nursing home has plenty of caregivers, but they insisted I take care of them personally.” “As Seraphina’s husband, I’m treated worse than a servant.” Seraphina frowned impatiently. “My parents are old, it’s normal for them to be emotional. There are many caregivers, but they trust you more. They’re treating you like family by asking you to do it.” Hearing that, I just felt sick. “They trust you the most, so why don’t you personally empty their bedpans?” In three years, apart from sending her parents money, she had barely visited the nursing home, always claiming to be too busy with work. In reality, she just found her incontinent parents disgusting. She pushed everything she didn’t want to do onto me. Because I once loved Seraphina so deeply, I willingly endured it all. My self-sacrifice, in their eyes, was simply expected. “Julian, how dare you speak to me like that!?” Seraphina, stung by my words, angrily flipped over the coffee table in front of her. I couldn’t dodge in time, and the scalding hot water, just boiled, splashed all over my hand. A huge blister immediately swelled on the back of my hand. The burning agony spread from my skin through my entire body. My vision blurred, and I broke out in a cold sweat from the pain. “Now do you know how to talk to me?” Seraphina looked pleased, advancing toward me step by step. “You only calm down when I throw a fit. As my husband, why can’t you be more like Caleb, gentle and considerate, instead of constantly talking back to me?” It’s like three words out of four from her family were about Caleb. I stood up, enduring the pain, and sneered. “If you think Caleb is so great, then marry him!” “Julian!” Seraphina hadn’t expected me to talk back again. Her eyes turned red with rage as she threatened, “If you dare talk back to me again, I’ll divorce you!” That was exactly what I was waiting for. I met her angry gaze, my voice firm. “Fine! Let’s get divorced then!” Seraphina was uncharacteristically stunned. After several seconds, she slowly raised her eyes, an expression of disbelief on her face. “Are you serious?” “Yes.” But Seraphina’s emotions were unusually agitated. “Julian, are you insane?” I scoffed. “Perhaps only an insane person could tolerate their wife publicly dating someone else and even planning a grand wedding.” Seraphina’s voice trembled. “If you initiate the divorce, you’ll only get $9.9 in compensation.” Because of that paltry $9.9 compensation, Seraphina had never worried that I would leave her. I unhesitatingly pulled out my payment QR code. “Transfer me the $9.9. Let’s divorce immediately. And I’ll even give you an extra gift!” As soon as I finished speaking, Seraphina’s face instantly turned ashen.

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The company’s layoff list went public, and my husband’s name was on it. To secure his future, I voluntarily resigned, ensuring the company kept him. He climbed the corporate ladder, while I became a housewife for forty years. Until, in our old age, he suddenly asked for a divorce, planning to move in with my former assistant… Even our son supported his choice: “Dad worked so hard to support us all these years, Mom. Just let him go.” That’s when I realized Marcus and Chloe had been having an affair ever since that layoff. After being abandoned, I died alone in a tiny rental apartment from heart failure. Then, I opened my eyes again. I had been reborn, back to the moment the company announced the layoff list. This time, I wouldn’t give up my job for my husband again. “Audrey, did you hear me?” Marcus waved a hand in front of my face. “I just got called into a meeting, passed by the CEO’s office, and got a sneak peek at the layoff list… My name’s on it too.” He wrinkled his nose, his face etched with despair. At that moment, he had no idea I’d been reborn. After his initial dejection, a glint flickered in Marcus’s eyes. He grabbed my shoulders. “Honey, I’m a man, I can’t lose my job. How about you volunteer to resign and give your position to me? You can be a stay-at-home mom, and I promise I’ll make you the happiest woman in the world!” I just stared at him. He’d said the exact same thing in my past life. Last time, I listened to him and went to the CEO to resign. I even begged the CEO to keep him on. The CEO eventually agreed to my request. After I was laid off, Marcus took over all my responsibilities. And Chloe, who had been my assistant, naturally followed him. Then, behind my back, they had an affair for forty years. I clutched my chest, forcing myself to pull away from the painful memories. “Audrey, since you’re not saying anything, I’ll take that as a yes.” Marcus grinned, and just like before, he patted my head and kissed me. Then he pulled a pair of gloves from his pocket. “Happy birthday, honey. Your old gloves were so worn out, so I bought you a new pair.” I didn’t answer. Because I clearly remembered that in my past life, I’d found a jewelry store receipt in his jacket pocket. He claimed it was a souvenir from a business trip, meant for his superior. But the very next day, I saw a beautiful gold necklace on Chloe’s neck. Back then, I was too naive to connect the two events. He gave me a cheap pair of gloves, but bought Chloe a gold necklace. There were countless similar incidents in my past life. So, I looked him straight in the eye and said: “Marcus, I don’t agree.” He didn’t react immediately. “…What?” “I won’t resign and let you take my position. Women have careers too. Why should I sacrifice mine for you?” Marcus’s eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. “Audrey, I never thought you’d be so selfish!” “What kind of wife competes with her husband for a job? What you should be doing right now is taking care of our son and my mom!” I scoffed, shaking my head. “You being laid off just shows your incompetence. I think you’re better suited to stay home.”

“…You!” He was so furious he couldn’t speak, slamming the office door shut as he left. We were in a cold war for the next few days. On the first night, I cooked dinner. He simply flipped the table over. Gazing at the mess scattered across the floor, Marcus’s mom, Martha, didn’t scold her son. Instead, she glared at me. “Audrey, what did you do to upset Marcus again? Go apologize to him, right now!” Leo also piped up: “Mom, why are you always picking on Dad?!” I almost laughed from sheer frustration. I wasn’t going to hold back anymore. I kicked the overturned dining table. After that day, I never cooked again. Hearing that Marcus and I were fighting, Chloe started to secretly butter him up. She’d make two lunches every day, sneaking one to Marcus at the office. Once, I saw her feeding him bites of food. A flash of guilt flickered in Marcus’s eyes. Chloe, however, offered a knowing smile. “Audrey, I brought too much lunch, so I figured I’d share some with you. Want to try my cooking?” I shook my head, my voice cold. “No thanks.” “Audrey, you’re not mad, are you?” “I just feel bad for Marcus, working so hard every day. If you’re upset, I won’t do it anymore.” She bit her lip, her eyes sparkling with what looked like tears. Marcus immediately felt a pang of sympathy for her. He pulled Chloe behind him, lowering his voice. “Audrey, stop stirring up trouble for no reason. Chloe is a sweet girl, nothing like you!” I nearly scoffed, but I held it in. Only three days left until the layoff list was officially announced. Then I’d make sure Marcus was out for good. Right now, I couldn’t waste my time and energy arguing with him. Three days later, the company held the layoff meeting. Everyone sat with their heads bowed, terrified their names would be called. But Marcus, who had already seen the list, was perfectly composed, even a little smug. The CEO read the last name, then looked out at the room. “And finally, Audrey.”

My heart plummeted. I felt cold sweat instantly prickle my skin. My hands and feet went numb. How could this be… How could it be me? Beside me, Marcus struggled to suppress a triumphant smirk. After the layoff list was read, they moved on to the personnel assignments for the restructured company. Not only was Marcus not laid off, but he was also promoted. To manager… I didn’t fully recover until the meeting ended. I stumbled to the stage, picking up the sheet of paper covered with names. It really was me… Brenda, a colleague standing nearby, also on the list, sighed, her face etched with worry. “Audrey, you’re our best technician in the whole department. Did you upset the new Vice President?” I felt a strange disconnect, asking almost automatically, “Who is it?” “His name is Robert. He and the CEO finalized this layoff list together.” It finally clicked. Robert, he was Chloe’s brother-in-law. My face fell, utterly drained, body and soul. I had no idea where the road ahead would lead. Stumbling home in a daze, I found Chloe there already… Marcus’s mom, Martha, had prepared a lavish dinner. “Marcus, this time, it’s all thanks to Chloe’s help.” Martha said, not forgetting to shoot me a glare. She clasped Chloe’s hand tightly. “You’re such a good girl! I truly wish you were Marcus’s wife.” Marcus took a sip of wine, silently agreeing with them. Standing in the doorway, I felt like an outsider in my own home. Then, Chloe saw me, her eyes gleaming with a challenging glint. “Audrey, you’re back!”

After that day, Chloe became a regular at our house. She, dressed to the nines every day, stood in stark contrast to me, newly laid off. I didn’t even have money for new clothes anymore. A cold dread enveloped me. Was I doomed to repeat the tragedy of my past life? No. I wouldn’t allow it. Absolutely not. I took off my apron, found Brenda, and we discussed starting our own business. We bought a food truck, planning to sell burgers on the street. But Marcus was quick to mock me. “How much money do you think you’ll make selling burgers? Don’t embarrass me out there.” Ever since I was laid off, Marcus’s attitude toward me had grown increasingly hostile. But I ignored him, focusing on building our business. The weather was freezing, and my hands were raw with chilblains. The pain kept me awake at night. Marcus saw them but just brushed it off. “I told you not to go out. Now you’re suffering, serves you right.” I remembered in my past life, his excuse for wanting a divorce was because of Chloe’s hands. Her hands had developed arthritis from overwork, and she eventually couldn’t do housework. Marcus felt terribly sorry for her, so he decided to divorce me to take care of her. “Chloe’s hands got arthritis from helping me at work. I can’t just ignore her.” Later, both father and son threw me out, renting a rundown apartment for me. Now, I absolutely wouldn’t repeat those mistakes. I gritted my teeth, applied chilblain cream, and wrapped my hands in thick bandages. The next day, I was back at my burger stand. I worked the stand during the day and spent my evenings in the kitchen, studying. Besides selling burgers, I hoped to re-enroll in school and become a professional engineer. It was my only way back into the workforce, my only chance to change my life. And I couldn’t let Marcus know about any of my efforts. Marcus, thanks to Chloe’s connections, was absolutely crushing it at work. He came home later and later each night. Their affair was an open secret at the company. My former colleagues even joked about me in their SnapChat group chat: “Audrey is really generous! I wish my wife was that generous and let me have a mistress.” “She doesn’t even have a job now, she has to rely on a man to support her. Of course, she wouldn’t dare to divorce him!” “Such a pussy!” … Despite the humiliation, I remained unfazed. I stared at the date on the calendar. December 20th was fast approaching. I felt a surge of excitement. Because, in my previous life, one of the company’s multi-million dollar German machines broke down on that exact day! And in the entire company, I was the only one who knew how to fix it.

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At the hospital, I found our emergency fund empty while my husband toasted Christmas in a five-star suite with his sweetheart and her dog. The photo showed her in lingerie, straddling my husband over a game of strip poker. The doctor shook his head, declaring the patient deceased. I stormed home to confront my husband, only to find him too wasted to stand, waving me off like a bothersome fly. My son rushed out, yelling, “Mom, stop picking fights! What’s the big deal if Dad spends a little on Felicity. She’s just his best friend!” “Besides, it was Grandma who was sick! You should’ve paid! Why’d you even touch our savings?” My husband smirked at me. “I really can’t believe your mom died over a bit of money.” A cold, bitter laugh escaped me. It wasn’t my mom. It was his! I pushed the door open at 3 AM. Daniel was passed out on the couch. The stench of stale booze and perfume made my head spin. I walked over, the bank card digging into my palm. “Where’s the money?” He stirred, voice thick with sleep and annoyance. “What’s your problem? I just got off an overtime shift. I’m exhausted. Can’t you just chill?” I shoved the card in his face. “Two hundred thousand. Gone. Where is it, Daniel?” His eyes darted away. “I don’t know, maybe-” I didn’t wait. I opened my phone, pulled up Felicity’s Instagram, and thrust the screen under his nose. That photo was perfectly framed. There was Felicity, in a sequined bra, radiant as she clung to Daniel, gripping his tie. And there was Daniel, smiling, his hand tugging playfully at her bra strap. That relaxed, contented smile-I hadn’t seen it in years. In the corner, their Pomeranian, Snowball, perched before a pet cake studded with candles, its neck ringed by a sparkling gold collar. The caption read: “Thank you to my incredible Daniel for Snowball’s Christmas! Gold collar with his name, lifetime insurance-all set. Love my perfect ‘best friend’!” I stood there, arm outstretched, frozen. “It’s just… some money,” he finally muttered. “Snowball is family to her. She wanted to give him a perfect Christmas. What’s the crime in helping a friend? The venue, the photographer, the custom collar-twenty grand. A dog deserves love, doesn’t it? I got him lifetime insurance too. Fifty thousand. The rest…we celebrated. It’s called networking. You wouldn’t understand.” I heard myself laugh-a short, sharp sound. “What’s wrong?” “Why are you like this? Felicity isn’t a stranger. We have history. And if your mother died over money…that was her choice. Not my problem.” He turned his head away, dismissive. My son rubbed his eyes and walked out. “Dad’s right. If she died, it’s because you didn’t make enough. We shouldn’t have touched the savings. What’s wrong with helping a dog? Snowball’s a living thing. Aunt Felicity is nice to Dad, so he’s nice back. What’s wrong with that?” I whipped around to stare at the child I’d raised for fifteen years. He said it calmly, as if stating a simple fact. Just hours ago, the E.R. doctor’s words still rang in my ears. “Ms. Clara? Your mother-in-law has had a massive stroke. She needs surgery now.” I clutched the bank card and rushed to the hospital, only to see two words flash on the terminal: “INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.” My mother-in-law, Eleanor, had a pension of over ten thousand a month. She scrimped and saved, handing every spare cent to Daniel, or to her grandson. I watched his face cycle through self-righteousness, to irritation, and finally settle into a mask of cold blame-and beneath it, a flicker of relief. Even in the subtle curl of his lip, I caught it: that familiar, ghost of a smile. I’d seen it before. Every time my own mother was unwell, he’d perform concern, but that same fleeting, lighthearted look would surface. He’d always boasted about his mother being tough, brushing off her high blood pressure, her hidden snacks of fatty meat and strong tea. Now, his “tough” mother had collapsed. And he still thought it was my mother. I nodded, pressing my lip into a thin line. “You’re right,” I said, my voice eerily calm. “That’s fate. Nothing to regret.” “But the dead still need burying. What’s the plan for the funeral?” His face twisted with instant irritation. “She’s your mother! Why should I care? You handle it. I have no money and no time for this!” “Alright.” I didn’t look at him again. I simply turned and walked towards the bedroom.

My mother-in-law’s death certificate was just a simple sheet of paper. In the living room, Daniel was scrolling on his phone, shoving cookies into his mouth. My son, Leo, was sprawled on the sofa, the cacophony of his video game filling the air. “What time is it?” Daniel heard me and looked up, furious. “No breakfast again? Are you trying to starve us?” Daniel let out an irritated tsk, pushed himself up, and fished his wallet from the briefcase. He peeled off several bills, walked over, and flicked them toward me. “Enough. Stop moping around like it was your own mother.” His voice was thick with condescension and undisguised annoyance. “Here. Five hundred. Go buy some discount flowers and a cheap candle. Wrap this up. Quickly.” “I’ve already booked my annual leave. Leo and I are taking Felicity to Whistler to ski. Don’t you dare try to guilt-trip us into canceling.” Leo’s eyes widened. He paused his game, sitting bolt upright. “For real? Dad! Yes! I want the new Carbon Pros.” His young face showed pure elation, even a hint of complaint. “Grandma, seriously…she couldn’t have waited? She still owes me my graduation gift.” Grandma. He said it so naturally. Both father and son were absolutely convinced that the person who died last night was my mother. Slowly, I bent down and picked up the bills. This five hundred dollars was his entire budget for “my mother’s” funeral. “Daniel, don’t you want to go see Mom at the hospital? It’s the last time.” His lips curled into a mocking smile. “What’s the point? She’s dead. Occupying a hospital bed costs money. Just burn her, already.” He paused, his tone growing more impatient. “Honestly, your mom really knows how to pick her timing. Not dying sooner or later, but right on Christmas, almost ruining my ski trip with Felicity.” I took a deep breath. Well, if Daniel, her own son, requested this, why should I waste my effort? Just then, the doorbell rang. The annoyance on Daniel’s face instantly vanished, replaced by a cheerful lightness, and he strode to open the door. “Daniel! Leo, sweetie!” Felicity stood there, cuddling that fluffy white Pomeranian. A dazzling gold chain shimmered around her neck, its pendant identical to Snowball’s collar. “I’m here to take Snowball for his Christmas grooming! Oh, Clara, you’re here too?” Her lips curved into a perfectly measured, pitying arc. “My condolences, Clara. Daniel told me about your mom. Old age, you know, nothing you can do.” She changed the subject, her smile deepening, as she ostentatiously stroked her necklace. “Look, it’s a matching set for me and Snowball! Daniel picked it out specially. Isn’t it cute? He says I’m even more adorable wearing this than Snowball is.” Snowball was set down and immediately scampered around the living room, rubbing against Daniel’s pants, then going to Leo’s feet. “Oh, that reminds me,” Felicity chimed in, her voice artificially light. “About your mother…it won’t interfere with our ski trip at the end of the month, will it? Daniel assured me it was fine, so I went ahead and booked the hotel. All good?” I watched Felicity’s saccharine smile, Daniel’s utterly indulgent and even doting gaze upon her, my son chasing the dog, and finally, my eyes fixed on Daniel’s face. “Daniel, let’s get a divorce.” “What did you say?” Daniel took a step forward, his voice squeezed through clenched teeth. “Clara, are you out of your mind? You want a divorce over your mom dying?!” He tried to crush me with his usual intimidation. “How are you going to explain this to your dad? Don’t you dare embarrass me like this!” “Mom! What are you talking about?!” Leo lunged forward, shielding his father, his face filled with incredulity and fury. “Grandma just passed, and you’re not even sad, you’re here making a scene about divorce? Are you sick?! You’re making Dad and Felicity laugh at us!” He pointed at me, his tone full of accusation and disdain. “Do you know how good Felicity is to me? She buys me anything I want! She’s more like a mom than you are! What’s wrong with Dad helping her? All you ever do is make a long face!” Felicity, with her arm around Leo, shot me a triumphant, challenging look. Every word was like a final hammer blow, shattering the last vestiges of my heart, any lingering illusion that perhaps, just perhaps, some humanity remained in them.

The funeral home chapel was stark and empty, only my mother-in-law’s body lay there. A staff member handed me a price list. Daniel’s call came in just then. “Just pick the cheapest cremation,” his voice held its usual impatience. “It’s just ashes, what difference does it make? Don’t waste money.” I didn’t argue. I checked the last box. The urn was also the simplest wooden box. As I walked towards our apartment complex, familiar laughter drifted over. At the corner, in front of an expensive pet store, Daniel and Felicity stood side-by-side. Felicity was holding a brightly colored ski suit up to Snowball. Daniel’s arm was casually wrapped around Felicity’s waist. Snowball seemed to sense something, suddenly wriggling free from Felicity’s arms and dashing towards me, barking furiously. I was startled. The wooden box slipped from my grasp, smashing onto the ground. The lid flew open, and a scattering of gray-white ashes spilled out. “Snowball! Come back!” Felicity shrieked. Daniel finally saw me. The smile on his face instantly froze. The arm around Felicity’s waist snatched back as if burned. His gaze swept over the mess on the ground, his brows furrowed. Snowball ran to the ashes, sniffed curiously, then let out several loud sneezes, shaking his head repeatedly. “Oh no! My Snowball!” Felicity, in high heels, rushed over, cradling the dog protectively. Her eyes immediately filled with disgust and anger as she looked at me. “Clara, what are you doing?! You scared Snowball! He just got over a cold! And what… what is this on the ground? It’s so dirty! How unlucky!” Daniel walked over, first looking at Felicity and the dog in her arms, then shifting his gaze to me and the scattered ashes. His face was grim, part embarrassment at being caught, part pure exasperation. “Are you not watching where you’re going?” He preemptively accused me, then stiffly added, as if to explain the previous scene, “Felicity’s back isn’t feeling well, I was just… rubbing it for her.” He suddenly raised his foot and kicked hard at the pile of ashes several times! The ashes swirled up, scattering into the cold, dry air, becoming even more formless. “Clean it up now!” He shouted at a street sweeper nearby, his tone brooking no argument. “This is utterly disgusting! Throw it in the trash!” “Why are you standing there?” Daniel snapped. He yanked a bill from his wallet and shoved it at the worker. “Just take it away! It’s disgusting!” He turned to me, his tone chillingly casual. “Stop gawking. So the urn broke? Go scoop some dirt from the backyard, put it in a box, and be done with it. No one’s going to autopsy the ashes.” Just then, my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was the funeral director, calling to finalize the simple interment for tomorrow. Before I could answer, Daniel snatched it from my hand. “Keep it simple. Don’t waste money on a plot. Just find some public land outside the city. Bury the box. Don’t order any flowers or anything.” He paused, glanced back at me with a look of pure, performative malice, then added. “Actually, add one more thing. Hire a mariachi band. A small one. Three people. Have them play at the graveside. Something upbeat. What’s with the long faces? She had a long life. Let’s give her a proper send-off. Make it festive.” I stood there, holding the empty wooden box, listening to him plan his mother’s “festive” funeral as casually as ordering a pizza, her ashes to be mixed with backyard soil. Felicity was cooing at Snowball, rolling her eyes. “Daniel, hurry up, this place smells weird, Snowball isn’t comfortable.” Daniel hung up, shoved the phone back into my hand, and brushed imaginary dust from his hands, as if he’d completed a bothersome chore. “That’s how it’s going to be,” he concluded, no longer looking at me. He turned and walked towards Felicity, his voice regaining its lightheartedness. “Come on, after we finish getting Snowball his gear, let’s grab some food.” I gently closed the lid. Fine. Have it your way, Daniel. After all, it wasn’t my mother in there.

The wind whipped dust across the rural landscape.I had to squint against it. Before me lay a raw mound of earth-no stone, no name. Only a weathered wooden stand held the box I’d filled with soil from our apartment’s dying flowerbed. A cheap Bluetooth speaker screeched out the latest viral pop song. In front of the grave, a handful of young women in sequined skirts gyrated in a crude, listless imitation of a dance. A crowd of local villagers had gathered at a safe distance, drawn by the noise. They stood in a silent semicircle, pointing and murmuring among themselves. I stood witness to Daniel’s demanded “celebration.” Just then, a taxi sped up. The door opened. A middle-aged woman, looking travel-ravaged and pale, stumbled out. It was Sarah. Daniel’s sister. She had clearly just arrived from the airport, her face etched with the fatigue of a long flight and an expression of disbelieving panic. Her gaze swept over the dancing women, the gawking villagers, finally landing on the solitary grave and the wooden box on the table. “Mom?” she cried out hoarsely, her legs buckling. She collapsed directly in front of the dirt grave, her shoulders trembling violently, a choked sob escaping her throat. “Mom!” I was about to step forward when another car arrived. Daniel got out, accompanied by Felicity and my son, Leo. The moment I saw them, my pupils narrowed. All three of them were dressed in garish, bright red. As soon as Felicity got out of the car, she raised her phone, excitedly pointing it at the dancing women, taking photos and videos, clucking approvingly. Daniel put an arm around her shoulder, a smile on his face as he said loudly, “This is more like it! A bit of liveliness is good, the old lady would have loved it.” I walked up to them and said, “This is a funeral. Dressed like this, isn’t it inappropriate?” Daniel immediately pulled Felicity behind him, as if shielding a precious treasure, and glared at me impatiently. “Clara, are you done yet? It’s just a memorial service! Don’t be so old-fashioned. Felicity and Snowball are here specifically to lighten the mood.” He paused, his tone growing even more self-righteous. “Besides, your mom’s dead. What does she know?” Sarah, who had collapsed to her knees by the grave, snapped her head up at his words. Her face was a mess of tears. She stared at her brother, as if he’s a stranger. Daniel finally noticed her. He moved forward, trying to pull her up. “Sarah, what’s all this? This is Clara’s mother’s-” He didn’t finish his sentence. CRACK! A raw, open-handed slap exploded across his cheek. Sarah staggered to her feet, her whole body trembling violently. She jabbed a shaking finger toward the raw mound of earth. “Daniel! Open your eyes! Look! Who do you think is in there? That’s Mom! Your mother! And you…you give her this? You let these performers dance at her grave? You wear red? You… you heartless monster!” The slap snapped Daniel’s head sideways, a red mark blazing across his cheek. He held his face, his eyes shifting from shock to utter confusion. He suddenly turned to me, lips trembling with a silent question. I took a deep breath, walked to my just-arrived parents, and calmly gestured toward the absurd scene. “Mom, Dad. This is the funeral Daniel arranged. For his mother.”

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It had been ten years since Damien Thorne bullied me into dropping out. I ran into him at a food truck. He swaggered out of a BMW, arm slung around my ex, Tiffany. Spotting me hunched over a burger by the curb, he sneered. “Look how far our star student has fallen. Eating gutter food even my dog wouldn’t touch? And you’re actually enjoying it?” Tiffany shot me a look of pure disgust. “This is pathetic. Thank God I dumped you!” I kept my head down, eating my burger, saying nothing. Then Damien kicked it flying. “I’m talking to you! Are you deaf, or just stupid?!” He had no idea a single word from me could topple his family’s empire. Dozens of bodyguards in the shadows eased off their safeties. I waved them down with a cold smirk. “That burger was eight bucks. Pay up.” “Or else…” Damien stared at me, then burst into harsh laughter, cutting me off. “Have you lost it, you broke loser? You think you can demand money from me?” “You’re actually threatening me? What, you think you can kill me?” “Or have you forgotten how I used to pin you down and beat you like a dog in high school?” I could, in fact, end him right now. But seeing Damien’s unchanged, arrogant face, my mind snapped back to high school. Back when Tiffany and I were together. Damien had cornered me, saying he wanted her, and ordered me to back off. I refused. The result was a relentless campaign of bullying from Damien. He and his crew would dump trash in my desk, glue my seat shut, and stuff dead rats into my lunchbox. The worst time, they cornered me in the alley behind the school. Damien, a cigarette dangling from his lips, grabbed my hair and slammed my head against the wall, over and over. I was bedridden in the dorm for three days. And Tiffany, she broke up with me. The very next day, she started dating Damien. Convinced she must have been coerced, I went to ask her why. Instead,she and Damien lured me into a bathroom, shoved my head in a toilet, and gave me a “lesson.” To this day, I remember her words, dripping with contempt. “I only dated you because you were top of the class. I was betting on your potential.” “Then I met Damien. Grades are meaningless. His father is on the School Board. You could never compare. You’re just stepping stone material.” I walked home soaked, spiked a fever that lasted a week, and missed my final exams because of it. The teachers knew. But with Damien’s father on the Board, no one dared lift a finger. Later, I drop out. Never thought I’d run into them here, today. Damien’s laughter roared, drawing attention. A crowd spilled out of the bar next door. All my old high school classmates. They were having a reunion. Clearly, I hadn’t been invited. The moment they saw Damien, they swarmed him. “Damien! We’ve been waiting for you!” “Get in, the drinks are already!” Damien pointed at me, sneering. “Ran into some beggar scrounging for food. Accidentally kicked his burger, and now he wants eight bucks. Pathetic, right?” At his words, they finally turned to look at me. The sycophancy in their eyes for Damien twisted into pure contempt for me. “Our former valedictorian, reduced to begging for eight bucks?” “He must be completely broke!” Even my high school teacher stared at me with disdain. “Liam Carter, it’s just a burger. Damien wouldn’t kick it for no reason. What did you do to provoke him? Always check your own faults first!” It was always like this. Back in high school, every time Damien bullied me, the others just cheered him on. I asked him for help, and he’d always side with Damien without hesitation. “Why would he target you? Always check your own faults first.” Suddenly, a figure pushed through the jeering crowd. It was Benji Miller, my old desk mate. He glanced at me, then at the burger in the dirt, a flicker of pity in his eyes. “Liam, you don’t know who Damien is. You shouldn’t be picking a fight.” “Here. Take a few hundred bucks. Let it go. Don’t make things worse for yourself.” Benji pulled out the only few hundred bucks from his faded jeans and offered them to me. I was moved. Benji had been the closest thing I had to a friend in high school. The only one who ever spoke up for me when Damien bullied me. His life wasn’t easy now. But his concern was still genuine. I pushed his hand away. “Keep it. This won’t be a problem for me.” Benji looked anxious, ready to insist, but Damien shoved him aside roughly. “Playing a hero, Benji?” “YIou should spend that on cigarettes for us, not this loser. Might earn you some favors later.” He snatched the cash from Benji’s hand and tossed it to his ever-present sycophants. They caught it, smirking. “Yeah, giving it to Liam is a total waste!” “Buy our goodwill instead. Fall on hard times, and you can be our dog. We’ll even toss you a bone.” Benji clenched his fists but stayed silent. Damien turned his full attention back to me. “Liam, aren’t you desperate enough to beg for eight bucks?” “Tell you what. For old times’ sake, I’ll give you a way to earn it.” “Get on your knees and lick those burger crumbs off the pavement. I’ll not only pay your eight bucks, I’ll give you eight hundred. Sound good?”

His words sent the crowd roaring. Tiffany leaned on Damien’s shoulder with a wicked grin. “Oh, Damien, you’re too good. Letting this bum have a full meal and earn some cash!” Others joined in. “Liam, Damien’s handing you a golden ticket. Aren’t you grateful?” Even the teacher scoffed at me. “Liam, aren’t you going to thank him?” I stood there, quietly watching the whole scene. Ten years had passed. Nothing had changed. “Since you all think it’s such a golden opportunity…” “Why don’t you eat it.” My words killed the laughter instantly. Damien’s face hardened, his eyes bulging. “What did you say? I’m giving you a handout, and you refuse?” The others chimed in, jeering. “Trying to act tough, is he? Pathetic. Pride is all the poor have left.” The teacher shook his head with a theatrical sigh. “Hopeless ten years ago. Hopeless now.” Damien slowly lit a cigarette, took a long drag, and blew the smoke directly into my face. “Liam. You still don’t get it, do you.” He tapped the asphalt with his shoe. “This whole block? Belongs to the Thornes.” Then he gestured to the the skyscraper across the street. “That office tower? Ours too.” As he spoke, he jabbed the burning ember of his cigarette toward my chest. “And you? You’re just a beggar, surviving on my family’s goodwill.” “Understand?” Watching his performance, I couldn’t help but crack a smile.

Seeing me smile, Damien’s brow furrowed. “You think I’m joking?” I looked at him calmly, like he was nothing more than a barking dog. “This street might be yours, Damien, but you don’t own what’s right.” “I’m giving you one last chance. Give me and Benji our money back.” A muscle twitched in Damien’s face. Then he burst into an even more exaggerated fit of laughter. “Did you hear that? He’s giving me one last chance!” “That’s the funniest damn joke I’ve heard all year.” The surrounding classmates immediately joined in with scornful laughter. Tiffany looked at me like I was a clown. “Liam, are you broke and stupid?” “You couldn’t even begin to comprehend the world the Thorne family moves in.” “Still picking a fight? Do you have a death wish?” The others watched, contempt in their eyes. “One last chance? What can he even do if Damien doesn’t give him money?” “What can a poor guy like him do? Just cry to Damien! Hahahaha!” “Damien, you should really teach him a lesson, let this loser know his place!” Only Benji, seemingly afraid Damien would actually hurt me, rushed forward and pleaded with Damien. “Damien, Liam’s just hot-headed. Don’t take it personally.” “My money can be for the guys’ cigarettes. Let’s just drop this, Liam’s had it rough…” Before he could finish, Damien grabbed Benji by the collar. “You useless idiot, you always stuck up for him in high school, it’s annoying!” With that, Damien raised his fist and swung it at Benji. I reached out and caught Damien’s wrist. He froze, then slowly turned his head toward me. “What? Think you can teach me a lesson?” He leaned in until his face was inches from mine, then tapped his own cheek mockingly. “Go on. Hit me!” “Let’s see if a loser like you even has the-” SMACK! Before he could finish, I landed a sharp slap directly across his face.

The crisp sound of the slap echoed loudly in the night street. For a moment, everyone stared at me in disbelief. Damien stood frozen in place, a clear five-finger imprint rapidly appearing on his face. He clutched his cheek, glaring at me in utter disbelief, grinding his teeth. “Liam Carter! You dared to hit me?!” I clapped my hands, my voice flat. “Didn’t you tell me to?” Tiffany steadied Damien, her eyes narrowing at me viciously. “Liam, are you crazy?! Are you trying to die?!” Only Benji, his face ashen, tugged at me frantically. “Liam, run! Now!” “Damien has connections everywhere, he’ll kill you!” I lightly patted Benji’s shoulder. “Easy. He doesn’t have that kind of power.” “I don’t have the power?!” Damien exploded, his face twisting. “You know who my uncle is? Victor Sterling. This whole district answers to him!” A ripple of shock went through the crowd at the name. “His uncle is Victor ‘The Enforcer’ Sterling?” “I heard Sterling is ruthless about family. Didn’t he?” “Yeah. Word is some drunk insulted his nephew once. Sterling made him swallow his own tongue.” Amidst the whispers, Damien glared at me hatefully, his voice venomous. “Liam, today I’m going to show you what real power is!” With that, he pulled out his phone and publicly dialed Victor’s number. As soon as the call connected, Damien put it on speaker. “Uncle, get to Bourbon Street, I just got hit!” However, from the other end of the line, only Victor’s low voice came through. “I have an urgent matter to deal with. No time.” Then, Victor immediately hung up. The scene fell into stunned silence. Damien’s face was a mask of disbelief. But I smiled. “What? He won’t come?” “Then let me call him.” With that, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. “Tell Victor to get his butt to Bourbon Street within three minutes.” After I hung up, the place was completely silent for a full three seconds. Then came a wave of scornful mockery. “Tell Victor to get his butt here in three minutes? Who do you think you are?” “You’re so desperate to look tough, you’re practically suicidal!” The onlookers stared at me like I was mentally challenged. Damien let out a cold laugh. “Liam, you’re unbelievably stupid.” “You’re a bottom-tier nobody, you don’t even have the right to speak to my uncle.” “Besides, my uncle spoils me rotten, and he’s too busy to even come for me. What makes you think you’re important enough for him to drop everything?” I looked at him, my voice calm. “When I call him, he has no choice but to come.” Benji’s face was chalk-white. He tugged at my arm, his voice on the verge of tears. “Liam, stop talking, just run, or it’ll be too late!” “After hitting me and disrespecting my uncle, he thinks he can run?” Damien roared, then yelled to the surrounding classmates. “Keep an eye on these two pathetic losers.” “Today, I’m going to drag him in front of my uncle and let him feel the terror of ‘The Enforcer’!” As soon as he finished speaking, the classmates immediately formed a circle, trapping Benji and me in the center. Tiffany shot me a disgusted glance. “So dumb.” “Good thing I broke up with you and chose Damien instead.” Damien snorted, checking his watch. “You said my uncle would be here in three minutes.” “Well, time’s up.” “Where is he?” The crowd erupted in derisive laughter. “Three minutes? He couldn’t get Sterling on the phone in three centuries!” “If that loser can summon Victor, I’ll eat my own shoes.” The echo of their mockery hadn’t faded when a convoy of black luxury sedans rounded the corner, screeching to a halt before the crowd. The lead door flew open. A middle-aged man launched himself from the back seat. Damien froze solid. “Uncle?!”

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I was just pulled back from the brink of death. Before I could remember my own name, I became my sister’s blood bank. The man who dragged me from my hospital bed to drain my blood was the one who hated me most. My husband. Julian Vance. Amelia’s POV The sharp sting of antiseptic dragged me back to the land of the living. I blinked up at a blank, white ceiling. My left wrist was a clumsy bundle of bandages. I had no memory. My mind was a clean slate, wiped. Nothing remained. The door flew open. A middle-aged couple stood there, their expressions not of relief, but of profound irritation. “Creating another scene, Amelia? Have you no shame left?” The man sounded furious. The woman’s was a razor. “We never should have fetched you from that backwater village. If our Chloe had an ounce of your dramatics, she’d never let herself be victimized!” From their unveiled contempt, the outline of my life began to form. My name is Amelia. The Dawson family’s long-lost biological daughter. But in this house, I ranked far beneath the cherished adopted one, Chloe. I also had a husband, Julian. Three years ago, an incident led to me becoming his wife. It also made me the most unwelcome and inconvenient person in his eyes. Because his heart had always belonged to Chloe, never me. My father continued his cold sneer. “Stop using these tactics in the future. When have you ever succeeded? Even if something really happened, Julian wouldn’t spare you a glance.” My mother’s face was full of disdain. “I really don’t know what part of you, besides your bloodline, resembles a Dawson.” “Let’s go. Chloe needs us.” They turned and left, never once looking back at me. I lowered my head, touching the bandages on my wrist, and gave a self-deprecating laugh. Even with amnesia, it didn’t mean I couldn’t feel pain. I could only imagine how many times the past me had endured such neglect. My parents didn’t love me, and my husband didn’t love me either. I was superfluous. The next day, I discharged myself. As I stood by the hospital entrance in thin clothes, a black luxury car pulled up in front of me. The door opened, and Julian stepped out. He held a petite woman in his arms, his gaze incredibly tender as he looked down at her. His usually stern features softened. Whispers of curiosity and gasps of envy rippled through the onlookers. “Isn’t that Julian? Who’s the woman he’s holding?” “He’s so handsome! Finally seeing him in person today. I’m so jealous of the woman in his arms, being cherished like that. I’d die on the spot.” He rushed into the ER with her, brushing past me without a glance. I wasn’t even a blur in his periphery. Only then did it hit me. He was my husband. My husband in the eyes of the law. A bitter laugh escaped me. My husband wasn’t here to pick me up from the hospital, but he was accompanying another woman to the emergency room. Just as I turned to leave, hurried footsteps echoed behind me. Julian had returned, grabbing my wrist with a force that felt like it would shatter my bones. “Chloe is injured and needs a blood transfusion urgently.” He stared at me, his tone an undeniable command. “You have RH-negative blood. Come with me for a blood draw.” He roughly dragged me forward. I didn’t struggle, just looked at him calmly. My gaze seemed to irritate him. He impatiently unclasped his watch from his wrist, shoving it into my cold palm. He clearly expected tears or demands. “Here. Now leave.” His posture was like dismissing an object. I clutched the watch, a faint, almost imperceptible cold smile playing on my lips. “Not enough?” He frowned in displeasure. “Amelia, don’t be greedy.” I tucked the watch away, replying blandly. “How could it not be enough? Such an expensive watch is more than enough for a hundred blood draws.” He seemed to sense something was off, but only frowned, eventually saying nothing. In the blood draw room, the needle pierced my skin. Through the glass, I watched him by Chloe’s bedside, gently tucking her blanket in. The nurses’ hushed whispers drifted into my ears. “It’s her again. Mrs. Vance.” Their low voices carried. “Jumping off buildings, cutting her wrists. She just tried to get Mr. Vance’s attention.” “What’s the point? Mr. Vance only cares about Chloe. She’s just humiliating herself.” Their words stung like needles. So, this was how pathetic my past self had been. Amnesia, perhaps, was a blessing. Four hundred milliliters of blood later, my face was pale. I leaned against the wall and walked up to Julian. “Where do we live?” I asked. Julian’s face was full of mockery. “What, another trick of running away from home so I’ll go looking for you?” “I forgot, I really forgot.” I smiled faintly. “After all, I’ve lost so much blood, my brain isn’t working right.” He waved his hand impatiently. “I’ll have the driver take you back.” “Thank you.” I turned to leave, then paused, looking at him. “Are you coming home for dinner tonight? To celebrate my discharge.” “Celebrate?” His face instantly darkened. “Chloe is still in there. What’s there to celebrate? Are you that heartless?” “If you’re not coming back, fine.” My tone was calm. “I had a gift for you.” “Stop with these attempts to curry favor. I don’t need them.” He cut me off, turning to stride quickly towards Chloe. Did he really not need it? I lowered my head and smiled. He would need this “gift.” I pulled out my phone, found Mr. Henderson the lawyer’s name in my contacts, and called. “Mr. Henderson, please prepare two documents for me.” “One divorce agreement.” “And a parental rights termination statement.”

Amelia’s POV Mr. Henderson noted down my requests over the phone. After hanging up, the Vance family car arrived. I opened the car door and got in, telling the driver, “To the embassy.” “Yes, ma’am.” The driver paused, but was wise enough not to ask questions, turning the car around immediately. During my two days in the hospital, I had already scheduled my visa application appointment. All the documents were prepared, and the process was surprisingly smooth. I expected to receive it in about two weeks. Back in the car, I instructed the driver, “Don’t tell Julian about today.” The driver’s hands paused on the steering wheel, then he said softly, “Mr. Vance… he doesn’t like us mentioning you in front of him.” So, his aversion to me was so deep that he didn’t even want to hear my name. I simply hummed in acknowledgment. That was fine. It would make leaving even easier, with no strings attached. The car stopped in front of an imposing villa. This was where I had lived for three years. A huge wedding photo hung in the foyer. In the picture, my eyes were filled with love as I looked up at the man beside me. Julian, however, wore a cold expression, like an unapproachable iceberg. The stark contrast made me, the “mistress of the house,” feel incredibly superfluous. Back in the bedroom, I found an old phone tucked deep in a drawer. It contained only one encrypted memo app. It chronicled the past three years, detailing how I had been repeatedly neglected, ignored, and hurt by him. “March 7th. I brought him lunch; he said he wasn’t hungry. But then he took Chloe to a fancy French restaurant.” “May 20th. He claimed he was in an all-night meeting. Yet, Chloe’s Ins story showed him setting off fireworks for her.” “August 15th. Chloe had a fever. He abandoned me in the ER, sick, to stay by her side all night. I overheard him telling his assistant, ‘Forget her. She won’t die.’” “December 1st. I hurt myself again. Julian, what do I have to do for you to finally look at me?” … Line after line of text, like a dull knife, cut into my heart. I looked down at my wrist. The scars, long healed, now felt as if they were being torn open again, throbbing faintly. I suddenly felt a profound sorrow for my past self. How could anyone love someone so much they completely lost themselves? Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Soon, I raised my hand and wiped them away fiercely. I put the old phone back in the deepest part of the drawer and closed it. As if sealing away that unbearable past. In the mirror, my face was pale but unusually calm. I looked at myself in the mirror and whispered. “It’s okay if no one loves you.” “From now on, you have to love yourself.” For the next two weeks, Julian didn’t come home once. No calls, no messages. It was as if I had never existed in that house. Until a phone call broke the brief silence.

Amelia’s POV On the other end of the line, my mother’s voice was full of unapologetic accusations. “Are you not even planning to show up for Chloe’s birthday party tonight?” Birthday? I was still struggling to remember when she impatiently barked her order. “No matter what your excuse, be there at 7 PM sharp!” With that, the phone was slammed down. I didn’t want to go. But then I thought, I was leaving soon anyway, so there was no need to cause more trouble at the last minute. So, I chose a black dress and had the driver take me to the birthday party venue. The entire venue had been booked out. Julian had specifically rented it for Chloe. When I arrived, the party was at its peak. The center of attention was Julian and Chloe, standing together. Chloe wore a designer pink gown, looking like a meticulously cared-for rose. Julian’s gaze remained fixed on her, never wavering. “I heard Julian personally planned the whole surprise for Chloe. Didn’t sleep for three days, they say.” Amidst the guests’ whispers, I watched Julian half-crouch, willingly adjusting Chloe’s gown. The smile on his face was a tenderness I had never seen before. That scene was like a silent knife. Suddenly, spotlights illuminated the stage. My father announced. “I’ve decided to transfer 60% of my company’s shares entirely to my daughter, Chloe!” The entire room erupted in whispers. The biological daughter gets nothing? The adopted one takes all? Eyes filled with scrutiny, pity, and schadenfreude all turned to me in the corner. But the real shock was yet to come. Julian led Chloe onto the stage, opening a velvet box. Inside was the Vance family heirloom ruby bracelet. “Isn’t that meant for the wife of the Vance family’s eldest grandson?” someone gasped. Julian clasped the ruby bracelet onto Chloe’s wrist. “Julian, this is too precious,” Chloe whispered, covering her mouth, then looked out at the audience timidly. “This should have been Amelia’s.” My mother immediately chimed in. “Amelia has Julian taking care of her, she doesn’t need these things. You’re frail, so it’s only right for you to have it.” Julian’s gaze swept across the room, as cold as ice. “If not for an accident three years ago, Chloe would be standing here by my side today. This bracelet is simply returned to its rightful owner.” That phrase, “returned to its rightful owner,” felt like a slap across my face. The guests’ snickers gnawed at my last shred of dignity like ants. I looked at the picture-perfect family on stage, at Chloe’s triumphant eyes and Julian’s merciless face. Even with amnesia, my heart felt no ripple. No heartache, no sadness, not even anger. I turned and quietly headed for the exit. “Look, Mrs. Vance is crying,” I heard someone whisper behind me. My steps didn’t falter as I walked into the restroom. The face in the mirror had no tears, serene like a deep ocean. It seemed that when a heart died, it truly stopped hurting. These people, these events, were now just an irrelevant past to me. I forced a smile at my reflection. Just a little longer. Once my visa was processed, I could finally leave.

Amelia’s POV I came out of the restroom and turned into a secluded garden balcony for some fresh air. The moment I stepped in, I froze. In the shadows, Julian had Chloe pressed against the wall, engaged in an intense kiss. “Julian… will Amelia be sad…” Chloe whimpered. “I think I saw her crying…” Julian released her, his thumb caressing her swollen lips. “Whether she’s sad or not, what does it have to do with me?” He looked at her, every word deliberate. “Chloe, you’ve always been the only one I love.” My face felt a little wet. I reached up to touch it and found tears. “Maybe my past self is mourning,” I thought. I left expressionlessly. Not long after returning to the ballroom, Chloe rushed over, agitated. “Amelia, the ruby bracelet Julian gave me is gone! Did you take it?” Her eyes were red. “Someone saw you were the only one who went near my seat!” My parents immediately rushed over. “Amelia, did you steal the bracelet?” My father demanded sternly. My mother slapped me hard across the face. “You’re humiliating our family! Hand it over now!” My cheek burned, and I looked at my so-called biological parents, feeling only absurdity. “I didn’t take it,” I defended myself. “Still lying!” My mother ordered the bodyguards, “Search her! Strip her if you have to, just find that necklace!” Two bodyguards roughly grabbed me. In the struggle, my dress ripped open, revealing a bare shoulder. The surrounding guests snickered. Just then, a bodyguard suddenly pulled the bracelet from my purse. “Found it!” Chloe, teary-eyed, took it, her face full of hurt. “Amelia, I know you’re upset. If you really wanted it, all you had to do was ask, why did you have to steal it?” Her words solidified my guilt. Julian slowly approached. He ignored everyone, his gaze a laser fixed on me. When he spoke, his voice was a honed blade, dripping with contempt. “Why steal it?” A sneering, contemptuous curve twisted his lips. “I never considered you my wife, didn’t you know that?” “Things that don’t belong to you, even if you steal them, will never truly be yours.” The ultimate humiliation drowned me. Just when everyone expected me to break down, I suddenly laughed. A soft laugh escaped me, and I watched Julian’s face tighten in response. I lifted my chin, meeting his glacial stare. “I didn’t steal it.” Then, holding his gaze, I poured every ounce of my being into three final words, a public decree for all to hear. “Julian, I don’t love you anymore.” “If I don’t love you, you’re nothing to me. Why would I steal that bracelet?”

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “325335”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #重生Reborn