Category: English

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

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1. The moment the public apology went live, the comments section exploded. Within three minutes, it was already at 99+. A private message popped up from Liam, the junior I was forced to apologize to. His words dripped with scorn. “Sebastian, the only thing you have on me is luck. You just happened to meet her first. In what other way are you better than me?” “All I had to do was shed a few tears, and she immediately made you bow down and apologize.” “So what if you have a marriage contract? As long as I’m not happy, you two will never get married.” He followed it up with a screenshot, a blatant boast showing two first-class tickets to Paris. My fiancée was taking him on a trip to cheer him up. I was about to lock my phone when a new notification appeared. It was Liam, commenting publicly on the apology post: “Everyone, please don’t be so hard on Mr. Padel. It was my fault, too…” Less than a minute later, my fiancée replied directly to his comment. “Don’t take all the blame, Liam. This was clearly Sebastian’s fault from the beginning.” My colleagues piled on, accusing my apology of being insincere, its every word dripping with resentment and sarcasm towards Liam. Someone tagged me. I ignored it. A moment later, my phone began to ring. It was my fiancée, Isabella, calling to rake me over the coals. She called again. And again. Thinking of her boundless, unconditional defense of Liam, I calmly powered off my phone, silencing the incessant ringing. Isabella Padel and I had been engaged since we were children. The agreement was simple: upon our marriage, I would bring 5% of my family’s old company shares as a dowry, and in return, I would join the Padel family and their corporate empire. But ever since she brought her protégé from her alma mater, Liam, into the company, her world had begun to revolve around him. Whatever Liam wanted, Isabella delivered it to him on a silver platter. Even a project I had slaved over for months could be casually tossed his way as a gift to soothe his feelings. A few days later, Isabella came home in a rush. The moment she walked in, she ordered me to pack a few suitcases for her. She had a business trip. I remembered the Paris tickets Liam had sent me. “A business trip,” I said, my voice heavy with irony, “or a vacation?” She heard the edge in my tone and immediately assumed I was still sulking about the apology. Her brow furrowed. “It was your fault, Sebastian. You have no right to be angry. If I hadn’t stepped in to mediate, your own colleagues would have run you out of the company.” “This is a critical project,” she continued, softening slightly. “I have to go myself. Don’t worry, I’ll be back as soon as it’s over. It won’t delay the wedding.” Seeing my silence, she seemed to relax, thinking I had accepted her “greater good” reasoning. She changed the subject, asking what gift I wanted her to bring back. In the past, she always brought me a souvenir from her trips. I used to cherish them. Then I discovered by accident that they were all things she had first offered to Liam—gifts he had rejected or deemed unworthy. The memory soured my mood. “Whatever,” I said flatly. Sensing my lack of interest, she had the housekeeper finish her packing and turned to accept a gift box from Arthur, our butler. She held it out to me. “A reward. For your generosity with the shares.” I glanced inside. It was an expensive watch, a rare vintage piece. Except, I had seen this exact watch on Liam’s wrist just a few days ago. So, this was a fake. A cheap knock-off she was passing off as a reward to shut me up. She saw me smile and mistook it for pleasure. She moved to put it on my wrist. As her fingers reached for the watch, I flinched back, a reflex I couldn’t control. She froze, her expression turning awkward. “You… you don’t like it?” I caught the flicker of guilt in her eyes. After a long moment, I said one word: “Expensive.” She visibly relaxed, relieved. She was about to offer some hollow words of comfort when her phone buzzed with an urgent ring. A glance at the screen, and she quickly stepped out of the walk-in closet to answer. The moment she picked up, Liam’s whining voice drifted down the hall. “Bella, where are you? I’m getting impatient down here…” I casually tossed the watch into a drawer. Arthur, the butler, saw me and drew a sharp breath. “Sir, you’ve always treasured the mistress’s gifts. What’s changed?” Treasured them? I practically worshipped them, enshrined them like holy relics. But ever since Liam had entered our lives, Isabella had allowed him to rummage through my things, to take whatever caught his fancy from the gifts she’d given me. I had argued with her about it, and she’d called me selfish and petty before turning around and buying Liam something even better, even more expensive. Isabella ended her call and strode back in, grabbing her luggage from Arthur. “I have to go,” she said hurriedly. “Make sure you follow up on the custom wedding suits. Don’t let anything delay the ceremony.” She moved to hug me, but I instinctively took a step back. A confused look crossed her face. She started to say something, but the thought of Liam waiting outside seemed to win out. She awkwardly dropped her hands, grabbed her coat from the housekeeper, and rushed out the door. I stood by the window and watched as Liam gallantly opened the car door for her. She practically jumped inside, eager to be with him. That car. It was the first gift Isabella had ever given me. A classic sports car. I had kept it in the garage, pristine, never driving it for fear of damaging something so precious, a symbol of her affection. Then Liam saw it. And with a wave of her hand, Isabella gave it to him. “You don’t have a license anyway, Sebastian,” she had said. “You can’t use it. Liam lives far from the office; he could use a reliable car. This way, he’ll be more productive for the company. I’ll buy you a better one when you finally get around to taking your test.” I had said nothing, just watched as Liam took the keys and immediately coaxed her into going for a joyride with him. I had to smile at the memory. The truth was, I’d had my driver’s license for years. It was sitting in the drawer of my bedside table. She had just never cared enough to notice. As the car disappeared down the driveway, I pulled out my phone and made a call. “I need to cancel the order for the custom-made bridal shoes.” “Yes, I understand. I’ll cover any and all cancellation fees.” 2. They were meant to be my wedding gift to Isabella, a surprise to make her happy on our big day. But now, it was clear they would never be worn. The next day, I arrived at the office with my resignation letter in hand. The moment I walked in, I was met with hostile stares. I was used to it. I calmly walked to my desk. I could only imagine what new lies Liam had been spreading. He was constantly whispering about me to our colleagues. At first, I didn’t care, but the misunderstandings piled up until any attempt to defend myself was dismissed as a weak excuse. Eventually, I just stopped trying. While I was getting a cup of tea, my phone buzzed relentlessly. 99+ notifications. All from Liam. I didn’t have to open them to know what they were: a stream of photos documenting his blissful time with Isabella. The timestamp in the corner of each picture showed he was sending them around the clock. I’d never seen Isabella so patient, so engaged. In all our years together, she had never been like this with me. She had never laughed with such genuine, uninhibited joy. In every photo, she was radiant. It was a side of her I had never been allowed to see. I remembered the year I bought her a professional camera for her birthday. I’d secretly taken photography classes for months, wanting to capture her beauty. When I gave it to her, her face fell. “I’ve always hated having my picture taken,” she’d said, her voice cold. “As my fiancé, how could you not know that? Or is this some kind of power play?” “Stop pretending you know me, Sebastian. It’s disgusting.” She didn’t speak to me for a month after that. I had to work myself to the bone on two major projects to secure her promotion to Vice President before she would even look at me again. The difference between being loved and not being loved… it’s painfully obvious. When you love someone, you cherish everything they are, everything they do. I put my phone away and walked straight to HR to submit my resignation. When I returned to my desk to hand over my work, I realized there wasn’t much to hand over. Most of my projects had been stripped from me weeks ago, given to Liam as peace offerings. The handover took less than an hour. As I was packing my personal effects, the head of the project department stormed over, slamming a rejected bid proposal on my desk. “Sebastian! You were in charge of this bid! The client just called, furious. There are major errors in the proposal. I want an explanation, now!” The surrounding colleagues, already poisoned against me by Liam’s stories, saw their chance. This was their moment to play the hero. “How could you screw up such an important project? Do you have any idea how much this meant to Ms. Padel?” “I can’t believe they let him handle it. If Liam had been in charge, this never would have happened.” “You think his salary can even begin to cover this loss?” “Cover it? He couldn’t afford to. They should just fire him and be done with it.” I ignored their chatter and glanced at the proposal’s cover sheet. A cold smile touched my lips. “This wasn’t my project. It was Liam’s.” Kevin, one of Liam’s most devoted sycophants, scoffed. “Can’t even take responsibility for your own mistakes? Are you a man? We all know this was your project. Now you’re trying to pin it on Liam? Do you think we’re all blind?” The others murmured in agreement. Just then, an HR representative walked over. “Your resignation has been approved, Sebastian.” Kevin’s face twisted into a sneer. “Trying to run away now? It’s too late. You’d better figure out how you’re going to compensate the company and explain this to Ms. Padel.” “You’re a disease,” he spat. “The company should have cut you out long ago. If it wasn’t for Liam, always defending you, Ms. Padel would have thrown you out on the street ages ago.” His words lit a fire. The mob mentality took over. They decided I was a blight on the office and needed to be removed immediately. Within minutes, they had shoved all my belongings into a black trash bag and tossed it out the office door. Kevin stood over me, his arms crossed. “Well? Are you going to leave, or do we have to make you?” I looked at him, this pathetic, spineless yes-man, puffed up with borrowed power. I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. Twice. Then, leaving him and the others in a state of stunned silence, I walked out of the company for the last time. 3. A few days later, Liam sent me another barrage of photos. This time, it was a professional photoshoot. “By the way,” his message read, “you and Isabella have been together for so long. Have you ever had a professional portrait session? I’ve never seen a single photo of you two at her place. Don’t tell me you don’t even have one picture together… how pathetic.” I was about to block him when I accidentally opened one of the images. The theme of the photoshoot was a wedding. My vision darkened. So, the man Isabella intended to marry was Liam. It suddenly occurred to me that our own wedding was just around the corner, and we still hadn’t taken any engagement photos. I had brought it up with Isabella multiple times, but she always brushed me off, saying she was too busy with work. Her “work,” it turned out, was taking Liam on romantic getaways. My mother called just then, asking about the wedding preparations. “Sebastian, darling, you must double-check everything. We can’t have any mistakes. It would be an embarrassment to the Padel family.” “And if you need anything, you tell me. Our family may have lost its standing, but we will not be bullied by anyone.” An image of Isabella, radiant in a wedding gown and smiling at Liam, flashed through my mind. “Mom,” I said, my voice flat. “I’m not getting married.” She thought I was throwing another tantrum. “Sebastian, Isabella is a woman. Can’t you just be the bigger person? You’re about to walk down the aisle. You can’t do it with a sour look on your face.” Be the bigger person? How many times had I been the bigger person? How many times had I watched her sacrifice my work, my dignity, to appease Liam? How many times had I swallowed my pride when she took him on trips alone? I had told myself it would get better, that if I was just patient, she would come around. But she only pushed further, and now this. A wedding shoot with another man. This time, I was done being the bigger person. Sensing my silence, my mother gave me a few parting words of advice and hung up. A little while later, Arthur came to my room. The custom-tailored wedding suit and gown had arrived. He said Isabella had already gone to the boutique and was waiting for me. I was surprised. I hadn’t expected her back for at least another week. She never cut her trips short. Could it be that this wedding actually meant something to her? But if it did, why had she been completely absent from the planning, leaving everything to me? I scoffed at my own foolish hope, went to the garage, and drove to the bridal shop. As I approached the entrance, I heard raised voices. It was Liam and Isabella, arguing. “Why do you have to marry him?” Liam demanded. “You’ve been chained to that ridiculous contract your whole life! Are you going to let him ruin your future too?” “You love me! When you’re with me, you shine! You’re alive!” “I can’t bear to see you unhappy. If you go through with this wedding, I’ll… I’ll kill myself right in front of you!” Isabella was stunned into silence. Seeing her hesitation, Liam’s emotions boiled over. He grabbed a letter opener from the counter and dragged it across his wrist. Isabella screamed, lunging forward to snatch it away. She grabbed a swatch of fabric, pressing it against the bleeding cut. He shoved her away. “Don’t stop me! Let me die! At least then I won’t have to watch you suffer every day!” Terrified he would try again, she nodded frantically, agreeing to anything. Seeing her surrender, Liam’s face broke into a tearful, triumphant smile. She tried to take him to the hospital, but he refused. “I want you to announce it,” he said, pressing his advantage. “On your wedding day, in front of everyone. You will tell them that I am your groom, and that Sebastian is just some pathetic stalker who’s been obsessed with you. It’s the lesson he deserves.” Isabella looked at the blood soaking through the fabric, and she agreed. I turned and walked away from the shop. I pulled the simple silver ring from my finger—the one she had given me when we first got engaged—and tossed it into a curbside trash can. 4. When I got home, the sound of a cooking show was echoing from the kitchen. The living room was a disaster zone, ingredients strewn everywhere. In the kitchen, I found Isabella, flustered and surrounded by mess. She had been up all night, trying to learn how to make a restorative soup for her dear Liam. Her eyes lit up when she saw me. “Sebastian! You’re good at making soup, aren’t you? Come and teach me. I need to make something for Liam. Something to replenish his… energy.” The bright, eager look on her face was one I recognized. I had seen it once before, the day I agreed to sign over my 5% share in the family company. I never thought I’d see it again, especially not for another man. I glanced at the red, scalded marks on the back of her hand. “We have a chef for that,” I said coldly. “You don’t have to do it yourself.” “You don’t understand,” she cut me off, her eyes shining. “It means more when you make it yourself.” I looked into those bright eyes. I, too, had once poured my heart into making nourishing broths for her, ignoring the servants who whispered that I acted more like a maid than the master of the house. She had shown no gratitude then. She had mocked me, and once, she had even thrown a bowl of scalding soup at my legs, leaving a scar that never faded. I took an involuntary step back. She saw it as defiance. Her expression hardened instantly. “Are you still angry about the apology?” she snapped. “I already promised you, didn’t I? After the wedding, I’ll buy you any car you want.” “Besides, our wedding is in three days. I’ll make sure you’re the most envied man in the city.” I didn’t answer. I just turned and walked up the stairs. Her temper flared. She grabbed the spatula she was holding and hurled it at me. It struck me squarely in the back. Later, I came downstairs to find Arthur carefully bandaging her arm. She had failed to make the soup and had only managed to burn herself badly in the process. She saw me and her face contorted with rage. “You’re nothing like Liam! Liam would never treat me this way!” she screamed. “He…” “Then cancel the wedding,” I said, my voice cutting through her tirade. “Since I’m not the one you want to marry anyway.” Isabella shot to her feet, aghast. The bandage slipped, revealing an arm covered in blisters. Tears welled in her eyes. “Sebastian, how dare you! Say that again!” I was momentarily stunned. I couldn’t believe she would go to such lengths for him. I took a deep breath. “We’re breaking up. The wedding is off. Do I need to repeat myself?” She stared at me, disbelief warring with contempt. “Is this a game to you, Sebastian?” she sneered. “You were the one who insisted on this wedding. Now you’re the one trying to call it off. Do you really think these pathetic threats will give you some kind of control over me? You’re dreaming.” I wasn’t going to argue. I packed a suitcase, walked out the door, and booked a flight out of the country for that night. Before I left, I prepared a video—a personal monologue—to be played at the wedding instead of a photo montage. I gave it to Arthur, my final gift to Isabella. He, thinking it was a romantic surprise, promised to play it on the big day. He hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowed with concern. “Sir, that blow you took to your back… are you alright?” I paused, then managed a small smile. “I’m fine.” When Isabella got angry, she threw things. She never considered the consequences. Over the years, I’d gotten used to it. Besides, the pain from that little spatula was already gone. As I watched the other passengers board the plane, I sent one last voice message to Isabella. “Congratulations on your wedding, Isabella. You and Liam deserve each other. I hope you like my gift.” A red exclamation point appeared next to the message. Of course. She had blocked me long ago. The cabin announcement for takeoff began. As the plane lifted off the ground, I smiled at my dark phone screen and whispered, “Goodbye, Isabella.”

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One week before the college entrance exams, I, the top student predicted to be the valedictorian, stabbed a needle into my own eye. In my past life, during the last mock exam, my boyfriend’s childhood friend, Chloe, accused me of copying her. When the teacher compared our papers, he found our essays were identical. He criticized me on the spot and warned me not to do it again. However, during the math exam, Chloe accused me of copying her again. After checking, our answers were identical once more. The teacher scolded me harshly for being unrepentant and sent me home to reflect. I couldn’t understand it. I clearly didn’t cheat. Yet, whether it was English or Math, my answers were nearly identical to Chloe’s. As the college entrance exam approached, I had to suppress my doubts and enter the exam hall. After finishing the English paper, I thought I was safe. Unexpectedly, Chloe stood up again to accuse me of cheating. I tried to defend myself, but the answers on my paper were still identical to hers. In the end, I was disqualified from the exam and kicked out. Moreover, I was banned from taking any national educational exams for two years due to cheating. In despair, I jumped from the roof. When I opened my eyes again, I was back one week before the college entrance exam. 1 “Mia! Why did you copy Chloe’s exam paper? Even the essay is word-for-word identical!” “You’re the top student in the grade!” The homeroom teacher’s angry shout exploded in my ears. I looked up, meeting his eyes filled with anger and disappointment. I turned my head blankly to look around. I saw Chloe glaring at me viciously. She curled her lip and shrieked, “Mia, you’re so shameless, even copying my essay!” I trembled all over, struck by lightning, finally realizing I had been reborn. Reborn to the moment Chloe first falsely accused me of copying her. In my past life, the school organized the last mock exam a week before the college entrance exam. Near the end of the English exam, Chloe, sitting next to me, suddenly raised her hand and shouted: “Teacher, Mia is copying my paper!” The homeroom teacher looked shocked, and I found it absurd. I had consistently ranked first in the grade for years; why would I copy her paper? Chloe glared at me, eyes certain, provoking, “Teacher, if you don’t believe me, compare our papers.” I handed my paper to the teacher first. Chloe was my boyfriend Tyler’s childhood friend. Ever since I got together with Tyler, she had found fault with everything I did. I thought this was just another one of her tricks against me. I was used to it and didn’t take it to heart. But after the teacher finished reading the papers, the look he gave me instantly turned into utter shock. “Mia, what are you doing? Why did you copy Chloe’s paper!?” My mind went blank. How could I have copied Chloe’s paper? Chloe lifted her chin, face full of triumph, “Mia, don’t deny it. Look for yourself, even the essay is copied. You’re despicable!” I took the paper and looked; it was exactly as she said. 2 Even the essays were identical. I was confused and shocked. How was this possible!? I clearly did the paper myself. I tried desperately to explain, but no one believed me. After all, the two papers were identical. The teacher thought I was under too much pressure as the exams approached. He comforted me with a few words and told me not to do it again. During the math exam in the afternoon, Chloe raised her hand again. “Teacher, Mia is too shameless, she’s copying my paper again!” After checking, the teacher found my answers were identical to Chloe’s again. His face darkened immediately, scolding me for being unrepentant and sending me home to reflect. During those days at home, I racked my brains. But I couldn’t figure out why, even though I didn’t cheat, my answers for both English and Math were identical to Chloe’s, even the essays. In the college entrance exam hall, I cleared my mind and focused on answering. With the exams being so strict, it was impossible for the previous situation to happen again. After finishing the English paper, I felt confident. But as soon as the bell rang ending the exam, Chloe, sitting to my left, raised her hand. “Proctor, I want to report the student next to me for copying my paper!” Two proctors immediately stepped forward to check. Once again, my answers were identical to Chloe’s! The punishment came quickly. For two years, I couldn’t take any national educational exams. Born into a poor family, the college entrance exam was my only chance to change my destiny. Losing this chance meant I had no future. In despair, I jumped from the roof. But unexpectedly, God let me live again. This time, I will rewrite the ending! Seeing my silence, the teacher thought I had tacitly admitted it. He tapped my desk, heartbroken. 3 “Mia, I know the pressure of the college entrance exam is huge for you, but your grades are excellent. As long as you perform normally, getting into an Ivy League school is no problem. You don’t need to do this at all.” I snapped back from the immense shock, frowning deeply, just nodding slightly without defending myself. Like in my past life, no one would believe me even if I spoke out. After all, Chloe and I had identical essays. Chloe raised her eyebrows and sneered, “Maybe all of Mia’s previous exam results were copied, and I just happened to catch her this time.” As soon as she finished speaking, the surrounding students looked at me differently, full of suspicion and disdain. The teacher gave me a deep look but didn’t say anything more. Reborn, I must find a way to cope. For the second exam, Math, in the afternoon, I planned to hand in a blank paper. As long as I didn’t answer, she couldn’t accuse me of copying her. Seeing I hadn’t moved my pen, the teacher stood beside me to remind me. Chloe glanced over, seeing my paper still blank. She immediately mocked, “Teacher, I was right. Mia must have copied before. Now that you’re watching, she can’t answer!” Meeting her contemptuous gaze, I picked up my pen, took a deep breath, and scribbled nonsense on the paper. If I wrote nonsense answers, she couldn’t possibly say I copied. “Fifteen minutes left until the end of the exam, please hurry up.” As soon as the teacher finished speaking, Chloe beside me raised her hand again. She glared at me, gritting her teeth, and shouted, “Teacher, Mia is too shameless, she copied my paper again!” The teacher’s face darkened, picking up our papers to compare. I glanced at Chloe; her plan was going to fail this time. My answers were completely irrelevant nonsense. Bang! The teacher was furious, slamming the test paper heavily on my desk. “Mia!” A bad premonition rose, and I quickly picked up the two papers. Even my fabricated answers were identical to what was written on Chloe’s paper. Word for word! I was dumbfounded again. I clearly wrote nonsense, how could it still be identical to hers? 4 The teacher’s face turned red with anger, and he said sternly, “Mia, you are truly incorrigible! Go home and reflect immediately, don’t come to school before the college entrance exam!” I numbly packed my things, ready to go home. I really couldn’t figure out why the answers I wrote casually were still identical to Chloe’s. Before leaving the classroom, Chloe stopped me. She had a smile on her face, but it was sinister and terrifying. “Mia, it seems all your previous grades were copied. What will you do for the college entrance exam?” “The college entrance exam is the only chance for a poor person like you to change your fate. If you can’t copy, you’re dead meat!” She finished speaking and strode away with a malicious smile. Chloe was right; the college entrance exam was my only chance to change my fate. Missing this opportunity meant a dead end for me. So I absolutely cannot repeat the same mistakes! Just as I walked out of the school gate, an urgent voice came from behind. “Mia, stop right there!” I turned around sharply and saw my boyfriend Tyler looking livid. He rushed up to me, pointed his finger at me, and raged: “How can you be so shameless? I always thought you had good grades and were a good student. I didn’t expect your grades were all copied.” “Of all people to copy, you copied Chloe. Mia, who gave you the nerve!” I sneered. I was blind to have liked him in my past life. Seeing my silence, he threatened viciously again, “I warn you, if you dare bully Chloe again and copy her paper, I’ll dump you!” I rolled my eyes directly and said coldly, “Wrong, I’m dumping you now. Stay away from me!” With that, ignoring his stunned expression, I turned and left. Now I’m busy saving my life, no time to entangle with him. Back home, I stayed indoors, preparing for the upcoming college entrance exam. Soon, the day of the exam arrived, and I came to the exam center. Just about to enter, a hand suddenly grabbed me. By the familiar feeling, I knew it was Chloe. Her usual sharp sneer rang in my ear. “Mia, you’ve copied for so many years. This is the college entrance exam, I want to see how you copy me!” Followed by Tyler’s viciously disdainful voice: “The exam is so strict, let’s see how you copy Chloe’s paper. You’re dead!”

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Before the final exam of my senior year, my daughter threatened that if I didn’t buy her the entire Apple ecosystem, she wouldn’t take the test. For her future, I gritted my teeth and agreed. After she successfully finished her exams and got her Apple products, she came home and presented me with a graduation gift wishlist. It added up to nearly $15,000, money I simply didn’t have. She turned around and shamed me online, ranting that “if you can’t afford to raise a child, don’t have one,” and threatened that if I didn’t buy her these gifts, she would refuse to apply for college. I was cyberbullied to the point of a mental breakdown and had to take out loans to satisfy her demands just so she would go to college. Little did I know, this was just the beginning. In college, she constantly competed with her classmates—demanding luxury clothes and bags, renting a high-end apartment, asking for expensive plastic surgery… I couldn’t afford it. In a fit of rage, she pushed me into the river, claimed a huge insurance payout, and squandered it all with a delinquent boyfriend. When I opened my eyes again, I was back before the final exam of her senior year, listening to my daughter threaten not to take the test. I smiled brightly: “Fine, don’t take it! Go straight to work in a factory and save me the tuition.” 1 “Mom, everyone in my class is getting the full Apple suite for graduation. I don’t care, if I don’t have it, I’m not taking the last History exam.” “I might as well not go to college and just work to buy it myself. Using a cheap phone is embarrassing anyway, I’d rather be dead.” Hearing my daughter Chloe’s familiar threats, I realized I had been reborn. Checking my phone, it was exactly noon on the last day of the college entrance exams in my previous life. Less than half an hour before the final History exam. Looking at my daughter sulking outside the exam center, I felt no anxiety. After all, the despair of being pushed into the river by her without hesitation in my past life was too deeply etched in my memory. I closed my eyes, mourning the ungrateful wretch I had painstakingly raised. When I opened them again, I wore a look of relief. “Chloe, you’ve grown up. You know how to feel sorry for your mom.” She was confused: “What do you mean? You agreed?” I smiled brightly: “Fine, whatever you say. Don’t take the exam! Go straight to work at a factory tomorrow and save me a fortune in tuition.” “Perfect, I’ll use the money I saved for your college to go on a trip. It’s been years since I relaxed.” My daughter’s face fell, looking even uglier than before. “Mom, how can you think like that? If you use the tuition for travel, how will I go to college?” See, she didn’t really want to skip college. She just knew too well that for a mother, nothing was a better bargaining chip than her child’s future. I looked surprised: “Didn’t you say you weren’t going? I have to respect your decision. You’re an adult now, anyway. My job raising you is done.” In my past life, she often complained to teachers, classmates, and relatives that I didn’t respect her opinions, and that her father divorced me because I was too controlling. Even though she knew perfectly well that we divorced because her father cheated. She made everyone stereotype me as a controlling single mother who became twisted after losing her husband, suffocating her daughter. So later, when I died “accidentally,” many people thought I deserved it and even comforted my daughter, saying she was finally free of her suffocating mother. “Mom, if I don’t go to college, I won’t find a good job. How will I support myself? I’ll still have to come back and mooch off you.” Seeing my nonchalance, my daughter got anxious. I waved my hand dismissively: “It’s fine. Didn’t you say you wanted to work in a factory to buy whatever you want? That means you can definitely support yourself.” “If it really doesn’t work out, and one day I can’t work anymore and you have no money, we’ll just die together. I’ve lived long enough anyway.” Threatening with death? Like I don’t know how to do that. Threats only work if you care more than she does. But now, I didn’t care. 2 My daughter’s expression was priceless; she was speechless for a long time. But since I had centered my life around her for so many years, she bet that I wouldn’t really abandon her. So she sat under a tree and started playing games on her phone, acting like she really wouldn’t take the exam. Fortunately, I was more resolute than her. While she wasn’t looking, I took her exam admission ticket from beside her and tossed it into a nearby trash can. “Let’s go, Chloe. Before checkout time, let’s go back to the hotel for a nap.” Her eyes widened, unable to believe I actually threw away her ticket. She even forgot her game. After reacting, she screamed. “Mom, what are you doing?!” “Hurry up, it’s too hot. Since you’re not taking the exam, that piece of paper is useless.” I urged impatiently, pulling her to walk back. She was dragged along by me, but her steps were heavy as lead, looking back at that trash can every few steps. As the exam time drew closer, we were getting farther and farther away from the exam center… Her breathing became more anxious, her forehead and palms sweaty. I, on the other hand, felt lighter and lighter, even humming a tune. When we were almost at the hotel, she finally couldn’t take it anymore and flung my hand away. “Why do you get to decide if I take the exam or not? What kind of heartless, selfish mother are you! I won’t let you have your way!” She threw these words at me and ran back toward the exam center. Our hotel was diagonally opposite the exam site, a few hundred meters away. I watched her sprint to the trash can, dig out her admission ticket, and then dash towards the school. Finally, she made it into the exam center a second before the gates closed. So she knew how important the exam was for herself. And here I thought she was taking it for me. I sneered and went straight back to the hotel. I planned to take a nap and then carefully plan my future. Because I was done with this ungrateful wretch. 3 Taking care of my daughter for the exams had exhausted me physically and mentally. But lying in bed, I couldn’t sleep. Closing my eyes only brought regret. I couldn’t help but wonder, what did I do wrong to raise such a heartless child? Chloe’s dad gave $500 a month in child support, and not always on time. I bore almost all the major expenses. Money wasn’t tight, but I was never stingy with what she needed. Worried that a single-parent household disadvantaged her, I prioritized her needs, even if it meant skimping on myself. Thinking back, perhaps it was this lack of financial concept and my constant compromises that made her appetite grow bigger and bigger. In my past life, before entering the exam room, she demanded the Apple suite. To give her peace of mind for the exam, despite my tight budget, I gritted my teeth and agreed. Even though I was still using a $200 Android phone from three years ago. The latest iPhone, MacBook, iPad, AirPods, and Apple Watch cost nearly $4,000, which was three months of my salary. With my income in a second-tier city, it didn’t seem completely unbearable. But after paying for our daily expenses, mortgage, car loan, and utilities, there was barely anything left. Spending three months’ salary at once meant I had to find other ways to fill the hole. But I was just a nurse working shifts day and night. My income was hard-earned; where would I find extra channels and time to make more money? But since I promised, I delivered. I bought her the Apple suite that day. The college entrance exam happens once in a lifetime. Seeing my daughter happy, I thought the hardship was worth it. Little did I know, this was just the beginning. 4 Her happiness lasted only two days. She found some guide online and gave me a graduation gift wishlist, telling me to buy everything on it. Looking at the list totaling nearly $15,000, I felt dizzy. I couldn’t come up with that much money immediately. My daughter was furious. She went online and shamed me, saying “if you can’t afford to raise a child, don’t have one.” She even threatened that if I didn’t buy these gifts, she would refuse to apply for college. I was cyberbullied to the point of a breakdown. I had to use my savings and take out loans to barely scrape together enough money for the gift list before she would agree to go to college. Later, she became more and more excessive, constantly competing with classmates in college— Demanding luxury clothes and bags, renting high-end apartments, asking for expensive cosmetic surgery… I couldn’t afford it at all. In a fit of rage, while we were taking a walk, she pushed me into the river. Then, with the $500,000 insurance payout, she lived it up with a delinquent boyfriend. Fortunately, dying once made me see people’s hearts clearly and woke me up. Besides being a mother, I am myself. Why can’t I live for myself just once?

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My fiancé and his best girl friend slapped their marriage certificate on the table in front of me. I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I just pushed a dice cup across the glossy wood. On the line was the new house they’d just bought, and my entire youth. They laughed and called me crazy, but they didn’t know my grandfather’s nickname. They called him the “Ghost Hand.” 1 The music in the bar was a physical thing, a headache hammering against my skull. The glass of water in front of me had been sitting for a while. A fine mist of condensation clung to the glass, tiny droplets streaking down one by one, hitting the table and bleeding into a small, dark patch. I was waiting for Leo. He’d texted earlier, said he had something important to tell me, and named this place. I checked my phone. 9:30 PM. He was half an hour late. I didn’t push, I just waited. A few minutes later, the door swung open, and a blast of cold night air swept through the bar. Leo walked in. I didn’t move. I just watched him. He wasn’t alone. Sophie was with him. His best girl friend. The one who’d pull all-nighters playing video games with him, the one who’d wash his jerseys, the one who would always, without fail, take his side and yell at me whenever we fought. A cold knot formed in my stomach. They walked to my table and sat down across from me. No one spoke. The water dripped from the glass. Tick. Tick. Sophie broke the silence. She took a small, official-looking document and slapped it on the table. The sound wasn’t loud, but in the chaos of the bar, I heard it with perfect clarity. “Cara,” she said. “Leo and I got married.” I lifted my eyes and looked at Leo. He wouldn’t meet my gaze. He stared at the marriage certificate on the table, his eyes darting away, a strange mix of guilt and grim determination on his face. I just stared at him. For a long, long time. The music, the chatter, the clinking of glasses—it all seemed to fade away. My world went silent, leaving only the tick, tick of water rolling down the side of the glass. I didn’t cry. I didn’t curse. I didn’t even tremble. I just sat there, looking at them. A stone had lodged itself in my throat. I couldn’t swallow it, couldn’t cough it up. It was hard to breathe. I reached out, picked up the glass of water, and drained it in one go. The water was ice-cold, a frigid path from my throat to my stomach. I set the empty glass back down on the table, the sound louder than the slap of their certificate. “When did this happen?” I asked. My voice was calm, devoid of emotion. As if I were asking about the weather. Sophie smiled. She leaned against Leo, her fingers tracing patterns on his arm. “Just today, silly. Why else would we call you? It’s a surprise.” Leo finally looked up. He met my eyes, his lips parting as if to say something, but in the end, nothing came out. I nodded. “Oh,” I said. Just one word. Then I stood up and grabbed my purse. “I’m leaving.” I turned to go, but a hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. It was Leo. “Cara, you…” I looked back at his hand clutching mine. His palm was slick with sweat. I pulled my hand free, my eyes fixed not on him, but on Sophie. “Congratulations.” Then I walked away without a second’s hesitation. I pushed open the door to the bar, and the cold wind hit me like a physical blow. I shivered, pulling the collar of my coat tighter. The night was dark, the streetlights casting a sickly yellow glow. I didn’t call a cab. I just started walking. I didn’t know where I was going. I just needed to move. The shops along the street were all closed, their windows dark except for the harsh fluorescent light of a lone convenience store. I stopped in front of a vending machine, staring at the rows of colorful drinks for a long time. In the end, I didn’t buy anything. I just stood there, looking at my own reflection in the glass. The person staring back at me was a stranger. Her eyes were hollow. Empty. 2 I didn’t go far. I just leaned against a wall in a nearby alley and lit a cigarette. I don’t smoke. The raw burn in my throat made me cough, hard, until my eyes watered. I didn’t wipe the tears away. I let them trail down my face until the wind dried them, leaving my skin feeling tight and sore. I ground the cigarette out with my shoe and walked back to the bar. I couldn’t just leave. Leo and I had been together for three years, since college. The down payment on the apartment we rented? My parents’ money. We had plans to get married next year, to put my name on the deed. The seed money for his company? Half of it came from me. He owed me. Sophie owed me. This was not over. I pushed the door open again, and the same wave of warm air, thick with smoke, alcohol, and perfume, enveloped me. Leo and Sophie were still there. They were drinking now, sipping from flutes of expensive champagne, the bubbles fizzing aggressively. On the table, next to the marriage certificate, were several other documents. As I got closer, I saw what they were. A property transfer agreement for the house. A contract for the transfer of company shares. Were they dividing up my life as party favors? Leo saw me and froze, a flicker of discomfort on his face. Sophie, however, was perfectly at ease. She raised her glass to me. “Back so soon? Come to your senses? Ready to have a celebratory drink with us?” I pulled out a chair and sat down across from them. The table was sticky with spilled liquor. I placed my bag on the empty seat beside me and looked at them. “The house, the company,” I said, my voice still perfectly level. “They’re mine.” Leo’s face was flushed. It could have been the alcohol, or it could have been shame. He cleared his throat. “Cara, don’t make a scene. We had a good run. Let’s not make this ugly.” Sophie swallowed her champagne and laughed out loud. “Ugly? Cara, are you not getting it? You’re a nobody now. You and Leo are over. All of this belongs to me.” She pointed at the contracts on the table, her face smug. I didn’t waste my breath on her. My gaze was fixed on Leo. “Leo. Say something.” He avoided my eyes, picking up his glass, refilling it, and downing it in one gulp. “Cara, Sophie and I are in love. Just… let us be happy. This is all just material stuff. You’re a smart girl, you can earn it all back someday.” Let them be happy. Material stuff. The words didn’t make me angry. They made me want to laugh. I looked at them both, one feigning righteousness, the other reveling in her victory. “I don’t want the house,” I said. “And I don’t want the company.” Sophie raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Giving up? Trying to be the graceful ex-girlfriend?” “I have a proposal,” I said, my eyes scanning them both. “Let’s play a game.” Leo frowned. “What kind of game?” “Simple.” I reached out and picked up the dice cup from the center of the table. The dice rattled inside. “We roll. One round. You win, I walk away from everything and wish you a long and happy life. But if I win…” I paused, watching their expressions shift. “If I win, I take everything on this table. And every single valuable thing you two have on you.” Sophie looked at me like I had lost my mind. She burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking. “You? Roll dice? Cara, did the shock fry your brain? Do you have any idea how much the stuff we’re wearing is worth?” “I do,” I nodded. “Enough to send you both from heaven straight to hell.” The color drained from Leo’s face. “Cara, stop this nonsense.” “Nonsense?” I smiled. “I’m giving you a chance. A chance to keep all the things you clawed away from me. What, are you scared to play?” I set the dice cup on the table and slid it toward them. People at the surrounding tables had started to notice the commotion, their curious glances turning into hushed whispers. Sophie’s laughter died. She stared at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of suspicion and challenge. “Fine.” She slammed her hand on the table. “I’ll play. Let’s see what tricks you have up your sleeve.” Leo tried to object, but Sophie cut him off. “What, Leo, are you afraid? Afraid you’ll lose it all to her?” He clenched his jaw, his eyes locking onto mine with a warning. “Cara. You asked for this.” I ignored him. My attention was on the dice cup. This was a game I knew all too well.

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1 It’s been three years since my sister Victoria cut me out of her life, blocked my number, and erased me from her world. Today, she donated a single dollar to my LifeFund page and left this comment: “Lung cancer, huh? Let me know when you actually die. I’ll throw a party.” Three years ago, Leo — the charity case she’s sponsored since high school — accused me of stealing his scholarship. Victoria pulled me out of college instantly. “I will always be your safety net, Caleb, but stealing what isn’t yours has consequences!” We fought until she pointed at the door. “Don’t come back until you’ve learned your lesson. I’ll break that stubborn streak if it’s the last thing I do!” After that, she treated Leo like royalty. Every job I found mysteriously vanished, leaving me to survive on scavenging. I stared at her comment until the words blurred into a cruel line. Then I called the cemetery plot seller. “Save me the cheapest one. I’ll send the deposit tomorrow.” Her dollar was just enough to meet the withdrawal minimum. I was finally going to give her what she wanted. “You’d better move fast, son. These plots are in high demand, you know,” the cemetery owner said, his voice a sigh over the phone. He didn’t need to say it outright; no money, no deal. I couldn’t blame him. I’d visited the cemetery half a dozen times over the last year, but the prices were always too steep. Every penny I had went to medication that barely touched the pain. Each visit was a desperate hope that a cheaper plot had opened up, a bargain bin for the dying. Every time the owner asked which one I wanted, I’d mumble the same excuse, my face burning with shame. “I’ll… I’ll bring my family back to look next time.” But this time, my voice was steady. “Don’t worry. I’m buying it for real this time.” After hanging up, the screen reverted to my LifeFund page. Victoria’s message stood out like a gash amidst the kind wishes from strangers. 【Lung cancer, huh? Let me know when you actually die. I’ll throw a party.】 I read it again and again, a part of my mind refusing to believe those words could come from my own sister. But because of her one-dollar donation, my balance hit the ten-thousand-dollar mark exactly—the minimum for withdrawal. A bitter taste filled my mouth. I was about to hit the button when a new notification popped up. A one-cent donation from Leo, her precious charity case. His message followed: 【Come home, Caleb. Just apologize and Victoria will forgive you. You have to stop faking things like this.】 My hand clenched around the phone, knuckles turning white. But after a long, ragged breath, I said nothing. I just requested the withdrawal. Buddy, the stray cat I’d taken in, sensed my distress and began weaving between my ankles, his purr a low rumble. I knelt and stroked his head, then poured the last of his cheap kibble into his bowl. He limped over, his crooked leg a constant reminder of his past, and started eating, glancing back at me every few bites. His hopeful eyes sent a jolt of pain through me, throwing me back to the night Victoria threw me out. Her voice, dripping with disgust, was a shard of ice in my memory. “If you won’t admit you’re wrong, then get out. I don’t want you anymore!” Three years ago, Leo had made a grand show of giving me his university scholarship. An hour later, he was crying to Victoria, telling her I’d bribed a teacher to steal it from him. He gambled his future on the certainty that she would believe him over me. The one teacher who could have cleared my name had just retired and left for a trip around the world, completely unreachable. Leo’s timing was perfect. He won his bet. Victoria didn’t even let me speak. She just called the school and withdrew my enrollment. I shattered. I screamed. I raged. She slapped me, hard. “Caleb, have I ever denied you anything? Why would you need to steal?” Her voice trembled with fury. “Do you have any idea what this scholarship meant to Leo? It was his only way out of poverty!” She demanded I apologize. I refused, my neck stiff with the indignation of the falsely accused. So she threw me out. I sat on the front steps all night, waiting. I thought she was just angry, that any minute the door would open and she’d call me back inside. But morning came, and she never did. As I finally, hopelessly, turned to leave, I saw a man storm out of the house next door, holding a squirming cat by the scruff of its neck. “Meeeooww!” The cat’s shriek was cut short as he was slammed onto the pavement. The man’s face was a mask of disgust—the exact same look Victoria had given me. “Stupidest cat I’ve ever seen. Climbs a tree and manages to break its own leg.” He kicked at the small, limp form. “Get out of here. I’m done with you!” My breath caught. His words echoed Victoria’s. I rushed forward and scooped up the trembling creature. Its leg wasn’t just broken; it felt like it had been deliberately snapped. I looked up to confront the man, but his door was already closed. In that moment, I understood. It didn’t matter if the cat had done anything wrong. It didn’t matter if I had. When someone wants to throw you away, they don’t need a reason. I kept the cat and named him Buddy. For three years, Victoria made my life a living hell. Every time I found a job, she found a way to get me fired. Eventually, I was left with nothing but scavenging. Buddy’s life downgraded with mine. Our apartments got smaller, his food got cheaper. I posted an adoption ad online. The money from LifeFund was for my grave. My illness was a lost cause anyway; I might as well grant my sister’s wish and die. But Buddy deserved a chance. He would live for me. I never expected the call I got two hours later, from a customer service rep at LifeFund. “Is this Caleb? Your fundraising campaign has been flagged for fraudulent activity. The withdrawal has been suspended.” A roar filled my ears, a white noise that blanked out all thought. “The report was filed by your sister, Victoria.” “Who did you say? Victoria?” “Yes. She provided proof of your relationship and claimed your medical records are fake. The platform is currently investigating. Until we can verify your claim, all donated funds will be frozen.” The world tilted, plunging me into an icy void. “That’s impossible! My records are from a top hospital, they’re real! She… she has a grudge against me. She wants me dead…” “Sir, please calm down,” the rep interrupted, his voice professionally placid. “As I said, we are investigating. If your claim is verified, the funds will be released to you immediately.” I was shaking so badly I could barely hold the phone. Arguing with him was useless. I hung up and dialed Victoria. For the first time in three years, it rang. The moment she picked up, I roared into the phone. “Victoria! Why would you tell LifeFund I’m faking it? Do you have any idea…” “Aren’t you?” she cut in, her tone light, almost amused. “Caleb, I know you. You’re too proud to come crawling back, so you pull a stunt like this to make me fold first.” A pause. “Tell you what. Come home, apologize, and we’ll pretend this whole embarrassing episode never happened.” Her words hit me like a physical blow. My heart didn’t just sink; it plummeted into a black abyss. This is what she thought of me? My hand tightened on the phone, but the words wouldn’t come. In the background, I heard Leo’s voice. “Is that Caleb, Vic? Just let him come home. I forgave him for that stuff three years ago.” Victoria’s voice hardened. “I know you’re a good kid, Leo. But Caleb needs to learn his lesson. He’s my brother, and I refuse to let him grow up with a character flaw like that.” She was talking to Leo, but every word was meant for me. A cold, humorless laugh escaped my lips. “Victoria, I did nothing wrong back then. He framed me. And I’m not faking anything now. Every document is from the hospital.” My voice dropped, low and final. “I will never apologize. I’d rather die than admit to something I didn’t do.” “You—” I hung up before she could finish. She called back. I ignored it. The emotional storm raging inside me sent daggers of pain through my lungs. Each breath was a fresh torment. A moment later, a text message arrived from her. 【Caleb, I am so disappointed in you.】 That night, sleep was a stranger. It felt like a thousand needles were embedded in my lungs, each inhale and exhale a fresh wave of agony. The prescription painkillers had run out days ago. I just curled up, hugging Buddy, and endured it. When dawn finally broke, my phone rang again. It was LifeFund. “Mr. Caleb, the platform requires you to undergo a new set of medical examinations and submit a report with today’s date.” My voice was a lifeless rasp. “And if I don’t?” “For disputed campaigns, failure to cooperate will result in a full refund of all donations to the original donors.” “Then refund it. Thanks for your trouble.” I ended the call. I didn’t have the money for more tests. If I couldn’t get that ten thousand dollars, so be it. Buddy nudged his head against my chest. I managed a weak smile. “You hungry? I’ll go find some bottles to sell. Get you some food, okay?” He just purred, tilting his head, blissfully unaware. I splashed some water on my face and grabbed my burlap sack. My cheap apartment was on the outskirts of town, where I had to compete with retirees for every scrap of cardboard and plastic. So, I headed downtown, toward the upscale shopping centers. The rich people there drank expensive bottled water, and the cans were worth more. If I was polite and asked to take their trash, they usually just handed me the recyclables. Two hours later, my sack was half full. As I was about to head to the next mall, a sharp voice cut through the air behind me. “Caleb? What are you doing here?” I turned. Victoria stood there, her face a mask of shock. Beside her, Leo was juggling five or six luxury shopping bags. My brow furrowed. I turned to walk away. But Victoria crossed the distance in three long strides and grabbed my wrist. “You’re scavenging for trash?!” Her face darkened, her eyes sweeping over me from head to toe. They lingered on my faded, threadbare jeans, and a flicker of something unreadable crossed her features. Leo sauntered over. “Wow, Caleb. A little on the nose, don’t you think? Scavenging? Did you know we’d be shopping here today? Is this part of the act?” Victoria’s expression grew fouler. She started dragging me away. “You are coming with me.” “Let go of me!” I struggled, but her grip was like iron. She pulled me into a quiet corner and shoved me against the wall. “Look at you! What is wrong with you? All you had to do was say you were sorry, and you choose this?” “What else was I supposed to do?” I shot back, my face a blank mask as I met her furious gaze. “You made sure every job I got disappeared. If I don’t do this, how do I eat?” “You could have come home!” she snapped. “You knew all you had to do was apologize! Was it really that hard?” “You’re just embarrassed, aren’t you?” I said, my voice dripping with scorn. She opened her mouth to retort, but Leo cut in. “Caleb… you kind of smell. Can’t you smell it yourself?” He wrinkled his nose. “You should really pay more attention to your hygiene. You’re still family, after all. Think of Victoria’s reputation.” I turned my gaze on him, meeting his taunting eyes. The needles in my lungs started stabbing again. “You’re the family now, Leo. Not me.” With that, I turned and walked away. Victoria’s voice followed me, low and dangerous. “Caleb, you refuse to admit you’re wrong? Fine. Don’t you dare regret this.” I pretended not to hear, quickening my pace. That day, I couldn’t sell the cans and bottles I’d collected. The owner of the scrapyard just sighed. “Some big shot by the name of Victoria put the word out. Said no one in the entire city is to buy scrap from you. Don’t blame me, kid. We gotta make a living, and we can’t afford to cross someone like her.” I didn’t argue. I just nodded, shouldered the heavy sack, and started the long walk home. That was also the day Buddy left me. A kind girl drove two hours to come and get him, not caring that he had a bad leg. He had a new owner, a new home. It should have been a happy moment. But as I handed Buddy over to her, something inside me broke, and tears started streaming down my face. The girl panicked. “Oh! Are you… are you sad to see him go? I promise, I’ll take such good care of him!” I wanted to tell her it wasn’t that. I was dying. Buddy had to go with someone else to have a chance at a real life. But the words were lodged in my throat. “You look really pale,” she said, her voice filled with concern. “Do you need to see a doctor?” I shook my head. I didn’t need a doctor. The only place I was headed was hell. Grief, bitterness, heartbreak… an unspeakable wave of emotion washed over me. Buddy started meowing from her arms, and the sound made the ache in my chest unbearable. I had to turn my back. “Just go. Please, go quickly.” The girl’s voice was solemn. “I promise. I will take the best care of him.” Then, she and Buddy were gone. I collapsed onto the sofa, feeling as if my soul had been ripped out. A few hours later, my phone rang. It was the girl. Her voice was choked with sobs. “I’m so, so sorry. Buddy ran into the road… he was hit by a car. He’s gone.” The world went silent. My heart stopped beating for a few seconds, leaving me suspended in a terrifying emptiness. “The driver paid me two thousand dollars in damages… I felt I had to tell you. I can transfer the money to you…” When I came back to myself, I was coughing up blood. The call had ended. A two-thousand-dollar transfer notification appeared, followed by a picture. Buddy was a mangled, bloody mess, a broken heap on the asphalt. My vision tunneled. This wasn’t an accident. The force, the damage… he was run over. Deliberately. Ignoring the blood dripping from my chin, I zoomed in on the photo with a trembling hand. The car… That was Leo’s car. I knew it instantly. It was the one Victoria had bought him for his birthday. The girl was sending a flood of apologies, one message after another. I didn’t read a single one. I rose slowly to my feet, my movements stiff and robotic. I walked into the kitchen, my face a blank mask, and took the largest knife from the block. Then, I walked out the door and headed straight for Victoria’s house. I burst in to find her and Leo sitting at the dinner table. Without a word, I raised the knife and lunged at Leo. He screamed and scrambled away. A hand clamped down on my wrist, and Victoria’s face, contorted with rage, was inches from mine. “Are you insane?” I shoved my phone in her face, showing her the picture. My voice was a low growl. “Your precious little brother ran over my cat. He didn’t just hit him, he crushed him. It was deliberate!” “I’m done letting things go,” I snarled. “For this, I can’t forgive him!” Leo stammered, his face pale. “I… I didn’t mean to. I paid for it! I’m sorry, Caleb…” “Is ‘sorry’ going to bring him back?” I shrieked, my voice cracking. “Leo, haven’t you made my life miserable enough for the past three years? Why couldn’t you just leave a poor, defenseless cat alone? Are you even human?” My rage was a raw, physical thing, and all I wanted was to plunge the knife into his heart. Victoria’s brow was a tight knot. “It’s just a cat, Caleb. Do you have to be so dramatic?” Her words were a bucket of ice water. “Leo paid you and he apologized. That’s more than you’ve ever done,” she continued, her voice cold. “It’s been three years, and you still haven’t given us an explanation for what you did!” “I told you I didn’t steal his goddamn scholarship! Are you deaf?” The dam of my composure finally burst, three years of repressed anguish pouring out. “I am your brother! Your flesh and blood! Why won’t you ever believe me?” My voice rose to a hysterical pitch. “What will it take? Do I have to die right here, right now, to make you happy?” Victoria stared at me, her eyes filled not with sympathy, but with profound disappointment. “You’re being completely irrational.” Leo suddenly stepped forward. “Caleb, I’m sorry, I really am. What can I do to make you forgive me…” CRACK. My fist connected with his jaw before he could finish. He stumbled back, stunned. Victoria’s eyes went from disappointed to glacial. “I see three years on your own has taught you nothing.” And then, she swung, repaying the punch on Leo’s behalf. My head snapped to the side, a loud ringing filling my ears. She looked down at her hand, a flicker of regret in her eyes. “You made me do that.” The slap didn’t just sting my cheek; it shattered whatever fragile connection was left between us. Before, I might have hated her. Now, there was nothing. I swallowed the coppery taste of blood rising in my throat. “You can celebrate now,” I said, my voice thick with a chilling calm. I wiped my mouth and turned to leave. “Celebrate what? What are you talking about?” She reached for me again, but this time, I spun around and hurled my phone at her feet. “Stay away from me!” She froze, a look of genuine confusion on her face as she watched me walk away. This time, she didn’t follow. I walked out of her gilded prison, went straight to the nearest overpass, and began to climb. Staring down at the river of headlights below, a strange sense of peace settled over me. I was going to be free.

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I slept from 1975 to 2025, the sole survivor of a cryonics experiment. With the face of a twenty-year-old, I went to find my billionaire younger brother, only to see comments suddenly floating before my eyes. “The female lead is so stupid. Her brother turned her small shop into a business empire, but people change. He doesn’t even remember her. What’s the point of reconnecting?” “Exactly. The battle for the Sterling heir is fierce right now. If she dares to show up, they’ll make her disappear faster than you can say ‘inheritance’!” “Only Julian truly loves the female lead. If she marries him, she’ll be happy forever!” Just then, Julian dropped to one knee and proposed to me passionately. “Zoe, the Sterling family waters run too deep. Don’t go back, okay? Marry me. I’ll take care of you and protect you for the rest of my life!” Touched, I was about to speak when I suddenly heard his inner thoughts. “System, did you release the fake comments?” “Host, the fake comments are out. But are you really going to marry Zoe Sterling? According to the original plot, after the villainess Audrey Sterling becomes the heir, you can live a life of luxury with her forever.” “I’m giving Zoe’s inheritance to Audrey. I owe her that much, and I’ll spend my life making it up to her. As for Audrey, she achieved her dream. She’ll be happy even without me.” I retracted my emotion. This guy played games while I was ready to give my heart. But he was wrong. From beginning to end, I was all about my career. A little love affair wasn’t going to stop me. 1 Seeing my silence, Julian slid the ring onto my finger, his eyes full of affection. “Zoe, don’t worry. I’ll protect you forever.” I took off the ring and slapped him across the face with it. “No need. I’m going to find my family.” Julian pressed his thin lips together, his eyes turning red as he looked at me. The comments scrolled frantically before my eyes. “The devoted male lead was rejected! So unfair! The female lead is an idiot. If she goes to reconnect tonight, Audrey will definitely feed her to the dogs!” “I don’t understand the female lead. Why give up a good life to seek death?” I ignored it all and started to walk away. Julian hurriedly grabbed me, his voice urgent. “Zoe, don’t waste your effort. Even if you go, Old Man Sterling won’t recognize you as his sister, let alone give you the property!” I looked at him. “Why?” Julian sighed. “Old Man Sterling made his fortune from your pickle shop and became the richest man. He forgot his roots long ago. Now the Sterling family wishes you were dead out there. How could he possibly hand over the property?” Looking at his worried face, I found it laughable and shook off his hand. “Even so, that’s my business. Regardless of the outcome, I have to try.” The comments went wild. “Is the female lead sick in the head? Are family and money more important than life? Glutton for punishment!” “The male lead is really worried about her. Poor guy, his deep love is wasted. Just wait, she’ll regret it!” The more the comments raged, the faster I walked toward the villa. Behind me, Julian’s confused inner voice sounded. “What’s going on? Why does Zoe insist on reconnecting? Does she know Old Man Sterling has been waiting for her?” “Host, what do we do now?” Julian thought: “We’ll play it by ear. I won’t let her succeed.” I found my brother’s mansion according to the address. Many people were going in and out. I was dressed decently and slipped in. Suddenly, a woman dressed in luxurious clothes stopped me, looking me up and down condescendingly. “Who are you? I don’t recall inviting you to this family banquet.” Comments started flashing. “The ruthless villainess finally appears. The female lead is done for. Serves her right for coming back!” “The villainess is Old Man Sterling’s favorite granddaughter and groomed as the heir. She wouldn’t be in this position without some tricks up her sleeve.” The woman in front of me had arrogant eyes. I spoke calmly. “I’m here to reconnect with my family.” Audrey Sterling crossed her arms and laughed mockingly. “Another one here to claim relation. Tell me, which illegitimate daughter of the Sterling family are you?” Hearing this, I straightened my back and spoke clearly. “I am your Great-Aunt.” Audrey froze, then looked at me like I was a lunatic, utterly speechless. The hall erupted in laughter. “I’ve seen people claiming to be long-lost fathers or mothers, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone claiming to be a great-aunt to a granddaughter.” “If she’s really the Great-Aunt, then after Liam smashed her only portrait, she’d strangle him.” I followed the mocking voices and looked into a corner where a boy sat, looking out of place. He had delicate features but his clothes were stained with red wine, looking quite disheveled. He stared at me intently, as if seeing something shocking, his eyes full of disbelief. “It’s really… Great-Aunt…” Hearing this, the group mocking me patted his face maliciously, laughing uncontrollably. “The Great-Aunt must be in her seventies or eighties. This girl looks younger than Audrey. You actually believe she’s your Great-Aunt? Stupid and foolish, you think you deserve to compete with Audrey for heir?” “Exactly. He’s bad luck. Born killing his mother, then smashing the Great-Aunt’s portrait, sending the old man to the hospital nearly dead. You should just shut up and stay in your room, understand?” “Alright, just hit him. Don’t mention the portrait; that’s Grandpa’s sore spot.” Saying this, they were about to pour wine on him again. Anger surged within me. “Stop!” My shout startled them, and they nearly dropped the wine. Audrey glanced at me coldly. “Why are you still here? Someone throw her out. If Grandpa sees trash like this later, he’ll be angry.” My eyes darkened. Just as they were about to act, the main doors were pushed open, and Old Man Sterling entered surrounded by bodyguards. Everyone quieted down immediately, watching Old Man Sterling take the main seat. I stared at him blankly. Fifty years had passed. My brother’s hair was white; time had left its mark on his face. Seeing those aged yet familiar features, I involuntarily called out his name. “Danny Sterling…” Old Man Sterling stiffened and slowly lifted his eyelids to look at me. The comments exploded. “Whoa, the female lead is bold! Calling the old man by his name? Does she have a death wish?” “Look at everyone’s faces, like they’ve seen a ghost. Hilarious. Now there’s a show to watch. The female lead is in for it!” The crowd stirred, looking at me with schadenfreude. Audrey’s face grew darker, and she said angrily: “How presumptuous! Security, throw this crazy woman spouting nonsense out immediately!” Several guards rushed forward to restrain me. I ripped the ancestral jade pendant from my neck and held it high. “I am your Great-Aunt! I dare anyone to touch me!” Seeing this, everyone gasped. “This… this is the family heirloom recorded in the Sterling genealogy. Is she really the Great-Aunt?” “Get real. Your Great-Aunt is twenty?” “But I heard the old man say the Great-Aunt participated in a secret experiment back then. Could the result be eternal youth?” Hearing this, panic flashed in Audrey’s eyes. She quickly stepped forward and affectionately held Old Man Sterling’s arm. “Grandpa, even jade pendants can be forged. She’s just a crazy woman. Don’t believe her nonsense.” The atmosphere in the hall grew tense. Old Man Sterling leaned on his cane and looked at me for a long time before slowly speaking. “Bring the jade pendant here. Let me have a good look.” Just as I was about to hand over the pendant, Julian suddenly rushed in, snatched my pendant, and smashed it on the floor. “Zoe, stop deceiving yourself! The Sterling family is out of your league!” 2 When I came back to my senses, the jade pendant was shattered into pieces. My brain buzzed instantly. My hand was faster than my brain, slapping him first. “Julian, if you’re sick, go see a doctor! Why smash my stuff!” Julian took the slap without resisting. He just gave me a deep look and bowed to apologize to everyone. “Apologies, everyone. She is my girlfriend. That jade pendant was a fake she bought online for $9.99!” “She has delusions, always fantasizing about being rich. Here are her medical records. Every word I say is true. Please don’t blame her.” The medical records were passed around, causing a stir. “So poor she went crazy, thinking of getting rich by claiming kinship. But her posture just now was convincing; even I was almost fooled.” “Brain issues indeed, daring to scam the Sterling family. Lucky the old man is kind. In another family, she’d be dead already.” The medical records were handed to Old Man Sterling. His face darkened bit by bit, and he waved his hand helplessly. “Fine, take her away. We Sterlings don’t trouble sick people.” Audrey secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a triumphant smile on her lips. “Didn’t you hear Grandpa kicking you out? Security, throw her out!” Several guards moved again. Julian blocked them for me, reaching out his hand to beg. “Zoe, the rich world isn’t for us. I just want to live a good life with you. Come with me quickly.” Comments flooded the screen instantly. “Ahhh, the male lead loves her so much, risking his safety to take her away. I’m crying.” “Female lead, stop being ungrateful! You can only survive by leaving with him!” Everyone’s gaze fell on me mockingly. I understood. Julian wanted to force me to leave this way, fulfilling his wish for Audrey to be the heir. I slapped his hand away and spoke to Old Man Sterling. “Since no one believes me, I demand high-tech proof. A DNA test.” After waking up, I frantically searched for my family. During that time, I learned about new ways to verify kinship. DNA can help me confirm my relationship. I won’t be pushed around. Everyone froze. “What’s going on? She dares to do a DNA test? Is she really the Great-Aunt?” Audrey’s smile froze, looking a bit more panicked. “Stop stalling here. Why should we listen to you?” “Enough.” Old Man Sterling tapped the floor heavily with his cane twice. Everyone quieted down immediately. “Audrey, get a doctor to test her DNA.” Audrey bit her lip unwillingly but didn’t dare refuse. “Yes, Grandpa. I’ll go right now.” The comments exploded again. “The female lead is digging her own grave. Making a scene and insisting on a death wish. She’ll regret it sooner or later!” I ignored it and sat down to let the doctor take a sample. Soon after, the doctor returned with the results and announced to everyone. “Everyone, the results are out. The conclusion is very clear—” The whole room held its breath. I held my head high. Until the doctor declared, “Mr. Sterling and this lady have no blood relationship.” A few seconds later, the crowd erupted in laughter. “I thought there would be a twist. Dying of laughter. Turns out she’s just a clown.” “She can really act. Stubborn until the end. Let’s see how she explains this.” My face changed. I strode forward and snatched the report from the doctor. The end clearly stated, “Zoe Sterling and Danny Sterling are excluded from biological relationship.” I clenched the report. “Impossible. I am Danny’s sister. There’s a problem with the report. I demand a retest!” “Enough!” Old Man Sterling shouted angrily, his cane banging loudly on the floor. Everyone fell silent, not daring to make a sound. Old Man Sterling lifted his eyelids to look at me, eyes full of disappointment, and sighed heavily. “Many people know my name, and many know I’m waiting for my sister. But child, you’re young and not on the right path. Deception won’t lead to a good end.” “I’ve waited for my sister for fifty years. Now I’m half in the grave. I shouldn’t hope for her return. I won’t pursue your matter. Go, stop making trouble.” Audrey held her head high, mocking me unceremoniously. “Fake is fake. Even if you test ten thousand times, the result is the same! Get out now!” The next second, the boy who looked out of place in the corner suddenly spoke to the old man. “Grandpa, let her test again. She really is our Great-Aunt!” Audrey was furious. “Liam, shut up! There’s no place for a jinx like you to speak in the Sterling family!” Liam ignored her, walked up to Old Man Sterling, and knelt with a thud. Red-eyed, he said, “Grandpa, no one has seen Great-Aunt’s portrait except you and me.” “You can’t remember because you’re sick, but I broke that portrait. I always remember Great-Aunt’s face. She is Great-Aunt!” “Grandpa, I beg you, let me take the sample to the hospital for a retest!” Audrey clenched her fingers, walked up quickly, and slapped him hard. “Liam Sterling! I thought you were just unlucky, but I didn’t expect you to betray the family and conspire with outsiders! Did you know you couldn’t compete with me, so you found a way to work with others to impersonate Great-Aunt and steal everything from the Sterling family?!” “I tell you, I won’t let you succeed. Someone! Take Liam down and teach him a lesson!” Several guards surrounded him. Liam struggled desperately, kowtowing incessantly, voice urgent. “Grandpa, please! Let her test again! She really is Great-Aunt; she isn’t lying!” Liam kept kowtowing, staining the carpet red with blood. My face was solemn, lips tight. Old Man Sterling breathed heavily, his expression finally moved. “Alright, stop kowtowing. I’ll give her one more chance. If the result is the same, I won’t spare her, nor you.” Audrey panicked. “Grandpa!” Old Man Sterling turned away and waved his hand. “It’s decided. Go do it immediately.” Liam stood up, bowed to the old man with joy in his eyes. “Thank you, Grandpa. I’ll go right now!” I watched him run away with the sample, heart trembling. This child is genuinely testing for me. As long as he handles it, the DNA test won’t be wrong. I just have to endure a little longer. When the results come out, I’ll slap them in the face hard! Comments scrolled frantically. “I’m getting annoyed by the female lead’s stupidity. She definitely won’t survive tonight.” “Everyone pack up, get ready for the female lead’s funeral.” Annoyed by the comments, I looked away, catching a glimpse of Julian beside me. I heard his gnashing thoughts. Julian: “A hurdle appeared out of nowhere. Zoe Sterling is lucky.” System: “Host, what’s happening? Are we going to fail the mission?” Julian: “No, I have a plan. If she insists on fighting, I can only do what the comments say and make sure she doesn’t survive tonight!” I withdrew my gaze calmly, eyes falling on Audrey. Her fingers were tapping something on her phone. Looking up and meeting my eyes, a trace of ruthlessness flashed in hers. I closed my eyes, choosing not to see. Time passed minute by minute. Suddenly, Liam video called, quickly projected onto the big screen. “Everyone, the second report is out—” 3 Everyone looked up. Liam focused the camera on the result. “Grandpa and this Miss Sterling are biologically related!” The cane fell to the ground with a clatter. Old Man Sterling stood up excitedly, supported by others as he walked to me, shaking as he held my hand. “Sis… Sister, is it really you? You really came back?” “It’s me. I’m back.” I straightened my back, gaze sweeping over everyone. Those who were mocking me just now lowered their heads, afraid to breathe. My gaze glanced over Audrey, who was biting her lower lip, and I laughed lightly. “Since the truth is out now, shouldn’t we figure out what happened with the first report?” Everyone’s eyes fell on Audrey. Her body trembled violently. The murderous look just now turned into aggrievement. “Great-Aunt, I… I don’t know what happened. It must be this doctor. He’s worked for the Sterling family for over ten years. I recently found out he cooked the books and stole a lot of money. He must be afraid you’ll investigate strictly after taking over, so he falsified it on purpose!” The doctor’s eyes widened. “But you just told me to fake the test result for five million, otherwise you wouldn’t get the inheritance when your Great-Aunt returned.” As soon as he finished speaking, Audrey walked up quickly and slapped him. “You! You’re talking nonsense! Do you have proof?” The doctor covered his red face, sneered, and threw his phone out. It clearly showed a transfer of five million. “I don’t want this money anymore! Today I’ll show everyone the face of this vicious woman who would disown her ancestor for money!” “You!” Audrey’s shoulders shook with anger. Red-eyed, she ran to Old Man Sterling and grabbed him. “Grandpa, listen to me. The picture is photoshopped by the doctor. He wants to frame me, really…” Old Man Sterling threw off her hand, eyes full of disappointment. “I spoiled you for so many years. You were the granddaughter I favored most. I didn’t expect you to do such a thing. Although Liam isn’t as clever as you, his character is top-notch. In comparison, I was blind to judge people wrong.” Old Man Sterling sighed heavily, turned away from her, and announced to everyone. “Today your Great-Aunt has returned. As promised, I will give her the position of Sterling family heir. As long as I live, you descendants don’t think about her position. As for Audrey… I am thoroughly disappointed. Deal with her according to family rules. Kick her out if needed, do whatever needs to be done.” With that, Old Man Sterling supported me to leave. Audrey finally panicked, grabbing Old Man Sterling’s coat hem and begging. “No… no Grandpa, give me another chance. I won’t dare again, I swear!” Audrey cried like a pear blossom bathed in rain. Someone in the crowd couldn’t bear it and spoke up. “Uncle, Audrey was just momentarily confused. Kicking her out directly might not be appropriate.” “If Audrey is kicked out for this, wouldn’t it go against your image of benevolence? If other wealthy families hear about it, who knows what rumors they’ll spread.” “Yeah, just give Audrey another chance.” Seeing everyone pleading, Old Man Sterling looked at me in dilemma. The long-silent comments flashed. “Female lead, don’t go too far. The villainess is the biggest antagonist! Don’t court death if you want to live!” “I’m done. If the female lead had any brains, she should win over the villainess. Can’t she see the obvious situation?” 4 I smiled calmly. “Alright, Danny. Everyone has a point. Audrey is still young; she shouldn’t be kicked out for such a small mistake.” Hearing this, Audrey secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Then I changed my tone sharply. “But the Sterling family has always been reasonable. Audrey made a mistake, so naturally, she must be punished. I heard the second rule of the Sterling family is to kowtow a hundred times to apologize for offending ancestors, right? Let’s deal with it this way. Any objections?” Everyone looked at each other, no one dared to speak. “Good! Sister said it well!” Old Man Sterling nodded approvingly while applauding me. “Do as Sister says. Audrey, remember, every kowtow must be loud to count as apologizing to the ancestor.” Audrey’s smile froze. “Grandpa, this…” “Enough, just do it.” Old Man Sterling ignored her and helped me to the main seat. My gaze swept the hall; Julian had slipped away unnoticed. I withdrew my gaze. Several guards brought Audrey to me, pressed her shoulders, and she knelt with a thud. The always proud Audrey suffered such humiliation for the first time, crying tears all over her face. Her head was pressed by the guard for the first kowtow. I took an apple from the fruit plate Old Man Sterling offered and enjoyed the show while eating. The moment Audrey met my eyes, her unwillingness looked like she wanted to swallow me alive. The next second, she was pressed down by the guard for another kowtow. After a hundred kowtows, Audrey’s forehead was broken and bleeding. I didn’t make it harder for her, had someone take her down for bandaging, and officially announced the start of the banquet. Old Man Sterling presented me with a pile of novel gadgets. I looked at them with curiosity. I picked a handy “brick” to smash a walnut. The guard beside me spoke tremblingly. “Great-Aunt, the brick you just used to smash the walnut is the master’s phone.” Seeing the screen shattered into a spider web, Old Man Sterling froze, then laughed nonchalantly. “It’s fine! My sister loves using phones to smash walnuts. But Sister, this thing isn’t just for smashing walnuts. Let me show you…” He held the phone, opening various apps, making me exclaim in wonder, sighing from the bottom of my heart. “Didn’t expect only fifty years to pass, and times have changed so much. Good, really good.” The wrinkles at the corners of Old Man Sterling’s eyes deepened. Holding my hand, he rambled on about many things. “Sister, after I took over your pickle shop, it coincided with the economic reform. I seized the opportunity, turned the shop into a factory, and the factory into a company. That’s how our Sterling family developed.” “People praise me for being lucky to catch the era of development, but I think the luckiest thing in my life is having you as a sister. If you hadn’t trusted me with the pickle shop back then, the Sterling family wouldn’t have today’s achievements.” Those eyes full of weathering had light again when looking at me. I took a tissue to wipe his tears, pretending to scold him. “What are you crying for? Men don’t cry easily. Hold it back.” Scolded by me, Old Man Sterling actually held back his tears. Seeing him looking like he wanted to cry but couldn’t, I burst out laughing.

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On the plane, my boyfriend’s “white moonlight”—the one who got away—smashed a hole in the window with her high heel just to get some fresh air. Instantly, all the passengers were sucked into a deadly vortex of decompression and hypoxia. As a flight attendant, I risked my life to save everyone. After the plane landed, she grabbed my hand and cried: “I just wanted some fresh air! Who knew this window was so flimsy!” At that moment, my boyfriend walked over and defended her: “Lexi didn’t mean it! She’s just a young girl! She didn’t know the consequences would be so severe!” I interrupted him directly, warning him coldly: “This is an aviation accident. If you want to cover for her, your selection for Flight Attendant of the Year is gone!” In the end, I called the police, and Lexi was sentenced to ten years. My boyfriend was sad for a few days, but then he seemed to get over it. Later, he was promoted from captain to chief pilot, and we got married. During our honeymoon, he flew the plane himself. Mid-flight, he manually depressurized the cabin and said to me over the intercom: “Lexi just wanted to open a window for some air, and you got her locked up for ten years.” “Now I’ll let you know what it feels like not to be able to breathe!” I clutched the broken oxygen mask, opening my mouth in vain, and died in extreme pain and suffocation! When I opened my eyes again, everything had restarted. I decided to stay out of it. I want to see how they will end this high-altitude farce! 1 As soon as I opened my eyes, the familiar chaos and screams filled my ears! In my past life, after Lexi caused the disaster, she ran to me crying for help. It was the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, and I wasn’t working, just a passenger on this flight for a trip. But I still rushed forward regardless of everything. I risked my life to save everyone. Because I turned the tide, I won leniency for her. As long as she behaved well afterward, she still had a chance for probation. But she had been spoiled since childhood and couldn’t stand being wronged. She dared to throw tantrums even in the detention center. In the end, she ruined her chance for probation and was sentenced to ten years in prison. Now I sat securely, fastened my seatbelt, and continued to rest with my eyes closed. Soon, Lexi stumbled over. Her makeup was ruined by tears, and she grabbed my arm incoherently: “Wendy! Something happened! Please go and take a look!” I slowly opened my eyes and looked at her coldly: “I’m on vacation.” “But… but…” “This is your flight, your responsibility.” I interrupted her and closed my eyes again. But she grabbed my arm tightly and forcibly dragged me to the first-class cabin. The scene before me was a mess; the emergency window was broken. Biting cold wind swirled debris around the cabin, and many passengers were injured and unconscious. The high-pressure air tore the hole into a large gap. Several colleagues blocked it with a meal cart, but it obviously wouldn’t hold for long. Seeing Lexi, the chief purser’s anger flared up: “Lexi! Are you crazy? How could you do such a thing?” “Relying on the captain to protect you, you only know how to cause trouble every day!” “This hole won’t hold for long! If there’s no other way, everyone on this plane is doomed!” Oxygen masks fell one after another, and the emergency alert sound echoed continuously in the cabin. Several young colleagues began to break down, saying with a sobbing tone: “We’re not going to die, are we…” In the confusion, someone looked at me: “It’s okay! Wendy is here! She is the company’s technical ace!” “Last time there was an engine failure on an international flight, she successfully directed the emergency landing! She must have a way!” Everyone’s eyes instantly focused on me. At this time, Lexi pointed at me and screamed: “I went to find you a long time ago, but you kept dragging your feet and wouldn’t come!” “Just because I got a little closer to Mark, you bear a grudge!” “Even if you don’t like me, you can’t take it out on everyone on the plane and let everyone die in vain!” For a moment, the way everyone looked at me changed. “Wendy, at a time like this, how can you still be emotional?” “Yeah, human lives are at stake!” Seeing this, Lexi took out her phone to show everyone. It was a video she just secretly took of me. In the picture, I was sitting in my seat with my eyes closed, indifferent to her crying pleas. Lexi burst into tears again, walked up, and grabbed my hand: “Wendy, you are also a flight attendant. Our duty is to be on standby at all times!” “At a life-and-death moment, how can you not save us?” “Are you looking down on others just because you are professionally capable?” I couldn’t bear it anymore and shook her off! Caught off guard, she took a step back, and her forehead hit the luggage rack next to her heavily. I looked at her coldly and said word by word: “Are you out of your mind!” 2 “Today is your shift, your post! If something happens, you are responsible!” “You put everyone on the plane in danger just to get some fresh air!” “You still have the nerve to blame me. Even if I wanted revenge, I wouldn’t have the guts to destroy the emergency window!” Lexi covered her red forehead, her face as pale as paper. “At a life-and-death moment, why are you still fussing about details!” “Before, when other colleagues asked you for help, you would help, but when I ask you, you don’t!” “You are just jealous that Mark treats me well, so you are using public office to avenge private wrongs!” Her weak and helpless appearance made several passengers around start to be dissatisfied with me. “I think you did it on purpose, putting on airs here relying on your seniority!” “With such a vicious heart, refusing to save people, you don’t deserve this uniform!” But immediately, colleagues spoke up for me: “Lexi, you are simply turning black into white!” “Wendy worked for three months without rest to cover shifts. What’s wrong with wanting to rest on her hard-earned vacation?” “Usually, when you were asked to learn more emergency knowledge, you slacked off. Now what right do you have to blame Wendy here?” Immediately, other colleagues echoed: “Exactly! It’s not her working hours now; she has no obligation!” Hearing this, the passengers complained about Lexi again, and some suspected whether she was really a professional flight attendant. Her face turned green, and she shivered in the corner. At this time, my boyfriend Mark’s sharp shout suddenly came from the broadcast: “Shut up, all of you!” Then his tone softened and became intimate: “Lexi, don’t be afraid, I’m here.” Immediately afterwards, he reprimanded us severely: “Lexi is just a young girl who made a mistake in a moment of confusion. You are seniors; you should give her a little more tolerance!” “Wendy Zhang! I order you to find a solution immediately!” I picked up the phone next to me directly and sneered: “I am a passenger now; you have no right to order me!” After speaking, I glanced at the window, my heart tightening. The meal cart blocking there was about to be sucked flat, and there were cracks all around the edge. Although the plane was also descending at maximum speed, it was still far from the ground. In this situation, at most ten more minutes, the airflow would tear the plane apart completely! Reborn, I wanted to see this pair of adulterers suffer the consequences. But I and this cabin full of passengers couldn’t be buried with them. I turned the call mode to public broadcast so everyone could hear. “I have a way to solve this accident, but I have two conditions!” The originally noisy cabin instantly quieted down, and everyone looked at me with burning eyes. I said in a cold tone: “First, you immediately report Lexi’s mistake to the tower, admit that you shielded her because of personal feelings, are unworthy of being a captain, voluntarily request indefinite suspension, and have it recorded in your file.” “Second, make Lexi kneel and apologize to everyone!” As soon as the voice fell, Mark’s roar came: “Wendy Zhang, don’t talk nonsense! We are just colleagues!” “Besides, you are just a flight attendant. What right do you have to give orders to the captain?” Everyone clamored upon hearing this: “Still saying there’s no relationship? Calling her ‘Lexi’ so affectionately!” “So it’s the captain covering up! For a woman, does he want us all to be buried with her?” “Kneel! Make your little mistress kneel and apologize to us!” 3 Hearing this, Lexi’s face changed again and again. Then she suddenly rushed to the cockpit and slapped the door hard with both hands. “Mark! Save me! They want to drive me to death!” Several colleagues rushed up to stop her. It is strictly forbidden for anyone to break into the cockpit during the flight. This is an iron rule, especially in emergencies. The chief purser scolded angrily: “You lunatic! Interfering with the cockpit will cause the plane to crash!” Mark’s voice came from the broadcast: “Let her in! Don’t stop her!” “I am the captain! I have the final say here!” Lexi immediately burst into laughter through tears and shouted to the broadcast in public: “Mark, I knew you were the best! You will definitely protect me!” This made the passengers on the verge of collapse laugh in anger. “Crazy, truly crazy!” “One dares to poke the window, one dares to open the cabin door, two lunatics!” “The captain takes the lead in breaking the rules. Can we still land alive?” Standing aside, I also felt it was absurd to the extreme. Dealing with high-altitude accidents, the primary task is emergency descent, and then ensuring the cockpit is not disturbed. But this captain forgot even the most basic professional ethics for personal feelings. At this time, a piercing friction sound came from the meal cart; it had begun to deform and tear! Everyone’s heart was in their throats! The chief purser’s face was pale, and she shouted hoarsely: “Captain! There’s no time! I request mandatory evacuation of all personnel in the front cabin!” This is the most extreme plan. Once proposed, it declares that the crisis has reached the final moment. But Mark said unhurriedly: “Let Lexi in first! I can’t let her be in danger!” Hearing this, Lexi acted coquettishly to the broadcast again: “Mark, just open the door…” Several male passengers couldn’t bear it anymore. They rushed up violently, grabbed her hair, and dragged her to the ground! “Bitch! Still being slutty here!” “We’re all going to be killed by you, and you’re still flirting here?” “Want to enter the cockpit? I’ll throw you out of that hole directly! Let you go down for some fresh air!” Curses and pulling sounds mixed together, and the scene instantly went out of control. Soon her clothes were torn, her hair disheveled, looking wretched. With a “thud,” she knelt heavily on the ground, kowtowing and crying to everyone: “I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! I harmed everyone!” Mark’s voice full of pity came instantly: “Lexi! Are you okay? What are you doing?” “I warn you! This is a crime!” This undoubtedly added fuel to the fire. The passengers cursed: “Still protecting her now! How are you a captain?” “If you don’t do what Wendy says, we’ll throw her out now!” “Anyway, we are going to die, what crime are we afraid of! Send her on her way before we die!” The broadcast fell silent, only his heavy breathing could be heard. I could imagine his iron-blue face and clenched fists. A few seconds later, his frustrated and unwilling voice came: “Okay! Wendy Zhang, I’ll do as you say! Think of a way quickly!” 4 Saying that, he immediately reported to the tower. After hearing the confirmation tone of reception, I breathed a long sigh of relief. At least in this life, he has no chance to harm me again. I quickly started to deal with the crisis. “Everyone, listen to my command!” “Bring me all usable blankets, pillows, and cushions!” “Tie them together with luggage straps and belts to make a temporary filling!” “Quick! We have less than ten minutes!” I clicked the timer on my watch as I spoke. Colleagues also acted immediately. At this moment where every second counted, Lexi was still crying to the broadcast: “Mark, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault, I dragged you down.” Mark immediately comforted her with heartache: “Silly, how can this be blamed on you. You’ve done well, don’t blame yourself.” Lexi cried even harder, sobbing: “I quit, I don’t want to be a flight attendant anymore! This job is too scary!” Mark’s voice sounded again: “Lexi, stop crying, I’ll give you a chance to make up for your mistakes!” “Go help Wendy Zhang, I believe in you!” The chief purser immediately objected: “Now is not the time for her to make up for mistakes; she will only cause trouble!” “Shut up!” Mark scolded: “Before the approval process is completed, I am still the captain! I have the final say here!” “Lexi needs to rebuild her self-confidence. This crisis is her best training opportunity!” I was almost amused by his anger. At a time like this, he was still thinking about organizing some “practical combat drill” for his little lover? Using hundreds of lives on the whole plane as her sparring partners? Lexi wiped her tears and stumbled to my side: “Wendy, I’ll help you!” “Teach me, what should I do!” I didn’t look up, reaching under the seat to find belts. “Stand back, don’t get in the way.” But she acted like she didn’t hear, circling around me, stepping on my foot occasionally, and even trying to trip me. I didn’t want to pay attention to her, but she was relentless. “Wendy, do you think I’m stupid? Let me help you… ah…” Saying that, she suddenly fell towards me, her elbow hitting my back hard. A piercing pain made me gasp. “Sorry, Wendy, I slipped accidentally!” I endured the severe pain and threw her off, cold sweat seeping from my forehead. The lives of everyone on the plane hung by a thread; I had no time to argue with her. Seeing this, a trace of unwillingness flashed in Lexi’s eyes. At this time, colleagues handed over a bundle of tied blankets, and she immediately took it. Then pretending her hand slipped again, she let the bundle of blankets fly directly towards the gap in the hole, about to be sucked out of the cabin! “Get lost!” I shouted sternly, pushed her away, and grabbed the blanket. This back and forth wasted a lot of time. I glanced at my watch; less than five minutes left! Seeing this, colleagues scolded one after another: “Lexi, stop causing trouble here!” “Please go sit in the back!” Accused by everyone, Lexi cried aggrievedly and shouted to the broadcast again: “Mark, they are all bullying me…” Mark’s accusation came immediately: “Wendy Zhang! Asking you to guide Lexi is giving you a chance to make amends!” “Just because you lost a child yourself, you can’t stand an innocent and lively girl like Lexi?” These words were like a poisoned dagger, accurately stabbing into my old wound. I once miscarried for him. At that time, he accompanied me through many desperate days and nights, saying “having you is enough” over and over again. Now, for another woman, in front of so many people, he uncovered my most private scar. I suppressed the severe pain in my heart; now was not the time to collapse. I turned around and directed everyone to push the filling just tied up towards the glass. This was the most critical step; a slight carelessness would suck everyone out together. Three minutes left! We withstood the huge suction force and pushed it forward carefully. Just as we were about to successfully block it, Lexi suddenly shouted: “You are doing it wrong! I read in a book that we should depressurize first and then block the door!” Saying that, she actually rushed to the depressurization valve on the side! “Stop!” My eyes nearly split open. The pressure difference between inside and outside the plane was so huge now; her depressurization would tear us all to pieces!

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1 The day my wife was welcomed back by her wealthy family, I was packing my bags. She saw me and frowned. “Leave it. I’m only taking Julian and Mia. You can stay here in the Warrens.” “I’ll give you five hundred a month for expenses,” she added, her voice devoid of warmth. “And I’ll let you see Mia from time to time.” I nodded calmly, without a fight. I already knew. She was always going to choose her childhood sweetheart and take my daughter with them. In my last life, I threw a fit and begged to go with them to the Hawthorne estate. I thought I could finally live a comfortable life. Instead, I was framed for theft by Julian. Then, my own daughter tricked me, luring me to the eighteenth-floor balcony before pushing me off. I remember her red-rimmed eyes as she screamed, her voice raw with hatred. “I don’t want a thief for a father! If you hadn’t insisted on coming, I would have had a better dad by now!” In that moment, a chill colder than death consumed me. Then, I opened my eyes. I was reborn. A text message glowed on my phone’s screen, a notification from a classified national research agency. Mr. Jacob Levy, congratulations. You have been officially recruited. Please be advised: upon entry, all contact with external persons is forbidden for a period of five years. I had two days left. Two days until I could dedicate myself to my country and leave this life behind. But that night, as I hid out in my new rental, the door was kicked open. Isabella Hawthorne stood in the doorway, her white designer suit soaked by the rain, her expression as dark and stormy as the sky. Behind her, holding an umbrella, was Julian. And holding Julian’s hand was my daughter, Mia. Julian’s voice was thick with false indignation. “Jacob, I know you’re upset, but you can’t just steal my mother’s heirloom. That necklace is the only thing I have left of her…” His words struck me like a bolt of lightning, and the blood in my veins turned to ice. I realized with dawning horror that this was exactly how it started last time. My hands trembled as I tried to stop them, but the bodyguards were already tearing my apartment apart. From a hidden pocket inside my suitcase, one of them pulled out a silver necklace. Isabella held it up, her eyes filled with a disgust so potent it felt like it was flaying me alive. My body went cold. I understood everything in that instant. “Impossible…” I whispered. It was Julian. In this life, just like the last, he had laid the perfect trap to make me a pariah in everyone’s eyes. “Caught red-handed,” Isabella’s voice was sharp as glass. “Jacob, for the sake of our marriage, I’ll give you one chance to confess.” Confess? I lifted my head, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. I was so close. Two more days and my life would have been completely different. “I have nothing to confess,” I said, each word a struggle. Her fury blazed hotter. She barked an order to the men at the door. “Then help him remember his place!” Two hulking figures stormed in, grabbing my arms in a vicelike grip. One of them forced my head down, the immense pressure forcing me to bow before Julian. “Kneel and repent!” Isabella’s voice rained down on me from above. I clenched my jaw, resisting with every ounce of strength I had left. “It wasn’t me! Isabella, I won’t do it!” But the bodyguard’s hand was like an iron clamp. He slammed my head against the floor. Crack! A searing pain shot through my forehead as it met the rough concrete. “Apologize,” Isabella commanded. “No…” I gasped. Crack! Another slam, harder this time. I felt a warm trickle of blood run down my face. Mia’s voice, choked with tears, pierced the air. “Daddy, just say you did it! Please, I’m scared…” My daughter’s plea was a knife in my heart. She had no idea that every time she called me “Daddy,” she was carving another piece out of my shattered soul. In my last life, when she pushed me from that rooftop, I died never understanding why the daughter I had adored for ten years would trust a man she barely knew over me. Isabella’s tone was laced with scorn. “See? Even your own daughter is ashamed of you.” Crack! The third blow. My vision began to blur. Blood and sweat mingled, dripping onto the cold floor. Julian made a show of intervening. “Bella, that’s enough… Maybe Jacob was just confused…” “Confused? He’s pathologically stubborn!” The guard grabbed my head again. I used my last bit of strength to look up, my eyes locked on Julian. “I did nothing wrong!” That was the last straw for Isabella. “Still talking back?! Keep going! Don’t stop until he admits what he did!” Just then, Mia rushed forward and kicked my shoulder with all her might. “You’re a thief! You’re not my daddy anymore! I don’t love you!” The kick itself was weak, but it froze me to the core. I stopped struggling. My own daughter. While I was being framed, while my head was being smashed against the floor, she didn’t believe me. She came to add her own blow. So this is what it feels like for a heart to die. Even Isabella seemed taken aback by Mia’s action. She waved a hand, and the bodyguards released me. I collapsed onto the floor, a broken heap, blood flowing freely from my forehead. She walked over to me, rain dripping from the ends of her hair. “Jacob, for Mia’s sake, if you apologize to Julian right now, I’ll let this go.” I looked up, my vision blurred by blood, and stared at her. At the innocent-looking man behind her. And at the daughter who looked at me like I was a stranger. A bloody smile stretched across my lips. “I… did nothing… wrong.” “And I will never apologize to Julian!” I spat the last words out, my gaze fixed on him. Isabella’s face contorted in a mask of rage. “Stubborn fool! Drag him outside! He can kneel in the rain until he’s ready to confess!” I was hauled out into the yard and thrown into the cold, muddy water. The torrential downpour washed over the gash on my forehead, the pain sharp and biting. From behind me, I heard Julian’s gentle voice. “Bella, the rain’s so heavy. Maybe we should let him come inside…” And Mia’s childish question. “Mommy, when is the thief going to say he’s sorry?” Followed by Isabella’s cold reply. “He brought this on himself.” A thief? Brought this on myself? The pain in my body was nothing compared to the agony in my soul. The voices faded as the world dissolved into blackness. The stinging smell of antiseptic filled my nostrils. I drifted back to consciousness, pulled by a wave of excruciating pain. The ceiling above was the sterile white of a hospital. My gaze shifted to find several stone-faced bodyguards in black suits standing around my bed like sentinels. “You’re awake?” a cold voice asked. I slowly turned my head. Isabella stood by my bedside, her face a thundercloud of fury. In her hand was the necklace, but her eyes held no warmth, only judgment and disgust. She held it up. “Jacob, I’m going to ask you one last time. Where did you hide the real heirloom from Julian’s mother? This one… is a fake.” A fake? My pupils constricted. I understood instantly. Julian! That venomous bastard! He used a fake to seal my fate as a thief. Whether I confessed or not, he had another trap waiting. The real necklace was probably long gone, hidden or destroyed. He didn’t just want to ruin my name; he wanted to ensure I could never recover. My throat was parched and raw. “I didn’t take it,” I rasped. My heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand, squeezing the very air from my lungs. Why? Why, even with a second chance, was I still trapped in this nightmare of false accusations? Isabella stared at me, trying to gauge if I was lying. After a moment, the last shred of patience in her eyes vanished, replaced by bitter disappointment and a chilling cruelty. “It seems you won’t talk unless we use more persuasive methods.” She took a step back and gave a cold command to her men. “A thief doesn’t deserve to keep his hands. Since he won’t give it back, break his fingers, one by one. We’re in a hospital. He won’t die.” My eyes widened in disbelief. She was going to… break my fingers? No! She couldn’t! I struggled, but the bodyguards held me down. I couldn’t lose my hands! The National Defense Research Agency! My future! All my hopes of escaping this hell were pinned on those hands—hands meant for delicate instruments and life-changing experiments! Without them, I was finished! “Isabella! You can’t!” I screamed, desperation clawing at my sanity. “I didn’t steal anything! I didn’t—” She just watched, her expression unchanging, as if watching a silent movie that had nothing to do with her. One of the guards grabbed my left hand, his thick fingers closing around my index finger. “NO!” My shriek tore through the silence of the room. SNAP! The sharp crack of bone was followed by a white-hot agony that made my vision go black. I almost passed out from the pain. Pain. Indescribable pain. But it was nothing, not even a fraction of the agony consuming my heart. I looked at the woman I had loved with every fiber of my being for ten years, at her beautiful, merciless profile, and a poisonous vine of hatred began to grow, twisting and choking everything inside me. I hated her. But I hated myself more. How could I have been so blind? How could I have fallen for this cold, cruel woman who couldn’t see the truth right in front of her? To protect her fragile ego, I’d hidden my degrees from a top university, content to play the role of a simple man, letting her believe I was nothing special. Ten years of sacrifice, ten years of my life, all for this. I regretted it. I truly, deeply regretted ever loving her. SNAP! The second finger broke. “Argh!” My body convulsed, and a cold sweat drenched my hospital gown. Isabella stood there, expressionless, but I caught a glimpse of her hand, clenched at her side, her knuckles white. Does it hurt you, Isabella? Does it hurt to watch? Because it’s nothing compared to what you’ve done to me. SNAP! SNAP! The third. The fourth… Pain washed over me in relentless waves, threatening to drown my consciousness. I bit down hard on my lip, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth, but I refused to confess to a crime I didn’t commit. One, two, three… When the four fingers on my left hand were bent at unnatural angles, the guard moved to my right. Despair, cold and absolute, submerged me completely. My future, my dreams, were shattering before my very eyes. SNAP! By the time the ninth finger was broken, I didn’t even have the strength to scream. I lay on the bed like a dying fish, the shallow rise and fall of my chest the only sign I was still alive. Nine of my ten fingers, shattered. My life, shattered along with them. Through it all, I never confessed. Isabella looked at my pathetic state, soaked in blood and tears, at my grotesquely swollen and misshapen hands. Her face went pale for a second. She turned away sharply, her voice catching almost imperceptibly. “Get the doctor. Set his fingers.” With that, she fled the room, never looking back. Doctors and nurses rushed in, their hands trembling as they tended to my wounds, resetting and splinting my broken fingers. The pain was so intense I kept passing out, only to be jolted awake again. In the end, they put an oxygen mask on me just to keep me breathing. I was a broken doll on a cold hospital bed, my consciousness fading in and out. Hate, regret, and despair warred within me, threatening to tear me apart. Why did I ever meet her? Why did I let my life be destroyed by a woman like this? Late that night, the door to my room creaked open. Two figures, one large and one small, slipped silently to my bedside. It was Julian, and my daughter, Mia. My mind was a fog, but I could feel their presence. Julian’s voice was a venomous whisper. “Look at your daddy, Mia. So pathetic. Wouldn’t you rather have me as your new daddy? I’ll buy you all the pretty dresses you want, take you to amusement parks, make you the happiest little princess in the world.” My heart seized. And then I heard the answer that would haunt me for the rest of my life, and the one before it. Mia’s childish voice chirped without a hint of hesitation, full of excitement. “Yes! I want you to be my daddy, Uncle Julian!” In that moment, what was left of my heart turned to ash. Julian chuckled, pleased. “But, Mia, as long as your old daddy is still around, I can’t really be your new one.” He paused, his voice slithering like a snake. “See that mask on his face? He looks like he’s having a hard time breathing. Be a good girl and help him take it off. Then he won’t be in pain anymore, and I can be your daddy forever, okay?” My eyes shot open! Through my blurry vision, I saw Mia’s innocent little face. She looked from Julian to me, and then… she reached out her small hand, reaching for my oxygen mask. “Bad daddy!” she muttered, her voice filled with a programmed hatred. “You’re a thief! I don’t want you anymore!” As her little hand closed around the lifeline that was keeping me alive, as I saw the pure disgust in her eyes, the last ounce of fight left me. My soul was a dead, empty wasteland. So this was it. Even reborn, I couldn’t escape my fate. I was destined to die at their hands. And this time, it was so much more humiliating, so much more hopeless. I felt the tug on the mask, and my breath caught in my chest. I’m dying. And this time, I probably won’t be coming back…

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Taking the SATs is a right every student has, but for three years, I was barred from the testing center. The first year, I was dressed properly, passed security, and had my ticket. But just as I was about to step into the room, the proctor glanced at my admission ticket and immediately blocked me. I thought there was something wrong with the ticket. The second year, after repeating a grade, I printed my ticket directly from the official website, following every guideline. But again, the proctor looked at it and kicked me out. By the third year, I had changed my name and moved to a different city. When I saw that the proctor was my former elementary school teacher, I thought I was finally safe. Seconds before, she was smiling and encouraging me. But the moment she saw my ticket, her face fell. She ruthlessly blocked me from entering and told me with absolute certainty that no matter how many times I tried, I would never be allowed to take the test. I couldn’t understand. What was wrong with my ticket? Why did I pass security and facial recognition, only to be stopped by every single proctor who saw my admission slip? 1 “According to regulations, you cannot enter the testing room!” Hearing this, my first thought was that Mrs. Chen didn’t know I had changed my name. I immediately pulled out my legal documents and ID. “Mrs. Chen, you must be misunderstanding! I changed my name last year. I’m not an imposter!” She didn’t even look at the papers. She dragged me away from the door. “Jane, I know you changed your name. But rules are rules. I absolutely cannot let you take this test. It wouldn’t be fair to the others!” As the doors began to close, threatening to waste three years of blood, sweat, and tears, I grabbed Mrs. Chen’s arm, begging. “Mrs. Chen, please! This is my third time trying!” “If you won’t let me in, at least tell me why!” She looked at me with disgust. “A student like you has no right to take the SATs. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. I guarantee no proctor will ever let you in!” Looking at my admission ticket lying on the floor, I broke down crying. Why? I passed every security check. Why did every proctor turn me away? The first year, I wore my uniform and brought the school-issued ticket. The proctor took one look and blocked me. Terrified of missing the test, I screamed until the site director came. But after checking my ticket, she didn’t help me. She had security drag me out. I failed by default. I thought the ticket format was wrong. The second year, I printed it myself according to national standards. I thought it would work. But I was rejected again. Taking the SATs is a right. I checked every regulation. My residency and ID were fine. I had no criminal record. Why was my right being stripped away? I refused to accept this unfair treatment. I started to suspect someone was targeting me. So I changed my name, changed my residency, and registered for a third time. Seeing Mrs. Chen gave me hope. She was the teacher who first taught me to love learning. I believed in her justice and kindness. I believed she would let me in. Instead, she dealt the final blow. As the bell rang, I grabbed her clothes and fell to my knees. “Mrs. Chen! I beg you! Let me in!” 2 My parents, who hadn’t left yet, saw this and rushed over. Seeing me sobbing, they knelt before Mrs. Chen, their hearts breaking. “Mrs. Chen, please have mercy on our child!” “This is her third time trying. If she just failed the test, we’d accept it.” “But she’s studied hard for twelve years for this chance. Why won’t you even let her try?” Mrs. Chen turned her head away, ignoring them. My dad grabbed her leg and pulled a passbook from his pocket. “For this test, her mom and I sold our land.” “The money is all here. If you let my daughter in, it’s all yours. If it’s not enough, I’ll borrow more, I’ll take loans, please!” Seeing my parents so humble, tears filled my eyes. Mrs. Chen looked pained, but she didn’t budge. “Don’t do this. I understand how you feel, but I cannot violate national regulations.” My mom thought Mrs. Chen was worried about something else. She pulled me down to kowtow three times. “Mrs. Chen, you taught Jane. You know her!” “She was always a model student. She never broke the law. Even when she was bullied, she never fought back.” The site director saw the commotion and hurried over. My dad tried to plead my case. “Director, my daughter Jane passed security and arrived an hour early. But the proctor won’t let her in!” Mrs. Chen didn’t explain. She just handed my admission ticket to the director. The man looked at it, and his face instantly changed. “Parents, take your child home! We cannot allow a student like her to take the test!” “Don’t bother coming back for the next sessions. It’s useless!” The director’s words sent me to hell. I looked at the disgust and hatred in his eyes, filled with confusion and grievance. I didn’t know him. Why did he hate me? It was as if I had committed an unforgivable crime. Looking back on my 21 years, I was as insignificant as a speck of dust. Because we were poor, I always kept my head down, afraid to offend anyone. My parents were farmers their whole lives. If not for my education, they would never have left that remote mountain village. Since I was little, they told me education was the only way to change my fate, to change our family’s fate. So I worked hard. Even though I wasn’t always number one, my grades were good. Even my homeroom teacher said getting into a top university wouldn’t be hard for me. But two years of repeating grades had drained my parents’ savings. This time, they gave up everything to bet on me. I knew this was my last chance. I stopped begging the proctor and charged at the door. But before I could touch it, two security guards pinned me down. They threw me out of the testing center. I hugged my parents, crying uncontrollably. “Mom, Dad, what do I do? What do I do?” My mom wiped my tears and comforted me. “It’s okay. We’ll try again tomorrow.” “No matter what, we’ll get you into that test! Or we’ll call the police. Okay?” 3 To be safe, my parents went with me to print another ticket. The next day, my high school teacher, Mrs. Zhang, brought my former classmates to cheer me on. They held a banner: “Go Jane! You got this!” I felt a pang of sadness. If I had taken the test the first year, I would be in college with them now. Mrs. Zhang patted my shoulder. “Jane, don’t worry. It’ll work this time!” I nodded, but I was still scared. I handed her all my documents. “Mrs. Zhang, can you check my ticket and ID? Is there anything wrong?” The photo was new. The ID wasn’t expired. Even though I had checked a hundred times, Mrs. Zhang checked again patiently. Confirming everything was perfect, I walked to the door, trembling as I handed over my documents. The proctor this time was an older man. He seemed surprised to see so many people cheering for one student. He looked curious. “You’re Jane?” I nodded seriously, heart pounding. “Yes. Is there a problem, sir?” “No!” He smiled and handed back my ID, his eyes kind. “With so much support, you must do well!” I nodded gratefully. “I will!” But just as I reached for my admission ticket, his brow furrowed. “Jane, you cannot take today’s exam!” Like he was looking at a plague, he had security throw me out. Remembering yesterday’s words, tears burst from my eyes. I collapsed on the ground, my desperate wails drawing everyone’s attention. My classmates tried to fight for me. My parents swore to get justice. They rushed to the reporters, screaming about corruption. “Reporter, there’s a black market in the SATs! The proctors and the education board are bought! They’ve stopped my daughter for three years!” “Please help my daughter! She repeated two years and never got to step inside!” The reporter smelled a scoop and went to interview the proctor. “Sir, are the parents’ claims true? Why are you stopping a model student?” “Is there really a conspiracy?” A crowd gathered, sympathizing with me. They demanded an explanation. But the proctor maintained his cold, legalistic face. “Rules are rules. Student Jane does not meet the requirements for the exam!” “It doesn’t matter who comes today! I will not let her in! I suggest she give up!” His words ignited the crowd’s anger. “Unfair! The SATs are a right!” My parents charged forward. My teacher and classmates charged too. I saw them scuffling with security. I saw my parents kicked to the ground. How did it come to this? I wanted to help. I wanted to stop them. In the chaos, someone kicked me, and I fell. Blood and tears blurred my vision. I couldn’t stand up, but my eyes landed on the admission ticket nearby. I reached out and grabbed it. This ticket destroyed my life. Destroyed everything here. I wanted to see what curse was on it! I flipped it over to the photo side. Seeing that youthful smiling face, I laughed through my tears. In that moment, I finally understood why I was rejected three times! 4 The proctors and security held the line. Until the police arrived and took us all to the station. Afraid Mrs. Zhang and the students would be implicated, my parents took the blame. “Officer, it’s our fault. Mrs. Zhang and the kids are innocent.” “They have bright futures. If the board wants to press charges, arrest us!” “My daughter didn’t hit anyone! Check the cameras!” Even the usually quiet students spoke up for me. “Jane didn’t hit anyone! I saw it!” “Me too!” Hearing them defend me, my eyes reddened again. The officer looked at me with a complicated expression. “Jane, we’ve investigated the situation.” “There is no conspiracy. The proctor was right. You do not meet the requirements for this exam.” “Your previous rejections were for the same reason.” “As for the reason…” He looked at my parents, hesitating. Mrs. Zhang interjected. “Regardless of the reason, we shouldn’t have caused a disturbance. That was our fault.” The officer didn’t press the issue. He went with the flow. “Don’t worry. No one was hurt, and it didn’t escalate too far. The proctors and the board have decided not to press charges.” “Especially you students. Your hearts were in the right place, but you were too reckless!” “Some of you are Ivy League students, right? Future pillars of the nation. Go back to school!” “Yes! Thank you, officer!” The students sighed in relief. So did I. My parents comforted me. “Jane, I know college is your dream.” “It’s okay to fail this time. Next year we’ll move to another city and try again. Whatever you want to do, we support you!” Looking at their gray hair, my guilt peaked. If not for me, they would have escaped poverty long ago. “Mom, Dad, Mrs. Zhang, everyone!” I bowed deeply to them. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.” “If it wasn’t for me…” Before I could finish, my mind went chaotic. Darkness swarmed my vision. Just as I fell… I felt countless hands reaching out, holding me up with all their strength. But I still fell into unconsciousness. I was taken to the hospital. In my haze, I heard many voices.

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