Category: English

My boyfriend died for his first love, and I died in a car accident as a result. After we were reborn, we stayed out of each other’s lives. That was the silent agreement. I never expected to run into him again at a nightclub— down on one knee, proposing to that same first love. When he noticed me, his eyes swept over me with open disdain. “So this is what your life has come to without me?” “Don’t pretend. You followed me here because you want me back, didn’t you?” “Beg. Maybe I’ll be generous enough to take you back.” I just stared at him, genuinely caught off guard. Then I laughed. Apparently, no one had told him yet— I was already married. I never thought I’d see Lucas again, especially not in a place like this. I got stuck in traffic and missed the reunion dinner, so I drove straight to the club where I had another commitment. To my surprise, I bumped into my old classmates—they’d moved the party here. They were lost in the music on the dance floor. Lucas, with his fair skin and tall build, stood out in the crowd. He held Olivia close, his eyes full of affection. “Lucas is a real prodigy. So young and already owns multiple Formula 1 teams,” someone commented. “Absolutely. He rented out this entire club just for Olivia tonight.” “This has to be the most expensive venue in the city. A night here must cost at least a million.” “Well, you can’t put a price on making your girl smile.” As the music faded, Olivia stood there, flushed and slightly breathless. Suddenly, the big screen lit up, playing a montage of Lucas and Olivia’s romantic moments. The crowd cheered as Olivia was guided to the stage. Lucas, holding a bouquet of roses, got down on one knee in front of her. “Olivia, will you marry me?” His voice was soft, brimming with emotion. Someone in the crowd muttered, not too quietly, “When did Lucas and Evelyn break up?” The question hung in the air, reaching everyone’s ears. Hearing my name, Lucas’s expression darkened, his smile vanishing. Olivia’s face stiffened for a second before she recovered, accepting the flowers with a polite smile. “Lucas has always been popular, but hey, who didn’t make mistakes when they were young? What matters is that it all worked out in the end.” The crowd laughed, chiming in about what a perfect match they were. I stood in the corner, watching their intertwined fingers. Was I the “mistake” she meant? But she didn’t know—in our past life, Lucas was the one who chased me. He fell for me at first sight and pursued me intensely. Back then, who could resist a handsome, brilliant man who seemed utterly devoted? So I said yes. The day we made it official, Lucas cupped my face, hesitating before a kiss. “Evelyn, is this a dream?” he whispered. “If I kiss you, will I wake up?” I laughed, brushed my fingers over his beautiful eyes, and stood on my toes to kiss him. That night, he promised, “Evelyn, I’ll spend my whole life making you happy.” I believed him. But he lied. I took a deep breath and moved toward the elevator through the dim light. A sharp-eyed former classmate spotted me. “Evelyn? What are you doing here?” “What happened to you? You look… tired.” “Don’t tell me you’re still jobless. Since Lucas is here, just ask him for a favor. I’m sure he could hook you up with something that pays at least five grand a month. For old times’ sake.” Their mockery was thinly veiled. I ignored it, politely smiling as I poured myself a glass of ice water. From the moment I walked in, Lucas’s eyes were locked on me. Seeing me take the free water, he seemed to relax a bit. “Order whatever you want,” he said casually. “It’s on me tonight.” “Thanks, but I’m good,” I replied, my tone polite but distant. Lucas’s step faltered. Half his face was shadowed, his expression unreadable. After a long moment, he let out a low, bitter laugh. “Still as proud as ever, Evelyn.” Olivia watched me with wary eyes, lacing her fingers with Lucas’s in a possessive gesture. “Evelyn, no offense, but as a woman, you could at least try to look presentable in public.” “Look at you—mismatched clothes, messy hair. What man would want you like this?” “I have tons of old clothes at home. If you want them, you can have them. Lucas buys me so much, I can’t even fit it all in two walk-in closets.” The group chuckled. I glanced at my reflection in the glass. After two straight days on set, I was exhausted and hadn’t bothered fixing up. Next to Olivia’s flawless appearance, I did look rough. “No thanks,” I said, waving her off as I reached for some chilled fruit at the bar. I was too hungry to care about manners. Lucas suddenly walked over and held out his phone. I looked up, confused. “Give me your account details. I’ll wire you three hundred thousand,” he said. “Your situation… it’s partly my fault.” “But that’s in the past. Don’t be so stubborn.” “Stop waiting around for me. Move on.” Lucas’s phone wallpaper was a picture of Olivia holding a huge bouquet. Her carefree smile made me pause. In our past life, I wasn’t even his wallpaper. My number wasn’t saved because he never needed to call me—I handled everything for him, both in life and work. Guess it’s true—you can always tell when someone’s really into you, and when they’re not. We started dating in college and married right after graduation. He dreamed of being a race car driver. I wanted to be a film director. Two completely different paths, never meant to cross. Seeing the disappointment in his eyes, I gave in. I gave up my chance to study abroad without a second thought, following him around day after day, hauling heavy toolboxes. When he didn’t have professional gear, I delivered food on my bike late at night, saving up to buy him the best racing suit. When he had no pit crew, I taught myself mechanics, doing the work of a whole team for him. But he still lost. His second-hand car, bought cheap, couldn’t compete with the latest models. And when I tried to comfort him through the slump, he pushed me away, his eyes filled with a disgust I’d never seen before: “I’m so sick of this boring life with you.” “If I’d chosen Olivia back then, I wouldn’t be stuck like this.” Those words shattered every hope I had. I didn’t even get to look back at the road we’d traveled before we both died in that crash off the cliff. I wanted to beg him to save our baby. But the words were swallowed by the flames before I could speak. Since fate gave us a second chance, we both chose to live the lives we wanted. There was no reason to stay in touch. I pushed the phone back toward him. “We’re not connected anymore. This isn’t necessary.”

Lucas frowned, his voice trembling slightly though he didn’t seem to notice. “No connection? What’s that supposed to mean? Are we strangers now?” I met his gaze evenly. “Aren’t we? Our lives don’t cross anymore. How I dress, how I live—it’s none of your business.” “If you’ve got money to burn, maybe donate to people who actually need it.” Maybe feeling I’d embarrassed him in front of everyone, Lucas’s face hardened. “Evelyn, cut the act. You came here to get my attention, didn’t you?” Olivia gently patted his arm. “Lucas, don’t be so harsh.” She turned to me, contempt barely hidden behind a gentle tone. “Evelyn, don’t mind him. He’s just concerned about an old friend.” “How about this? I opened a private clinic on South Street. We need a receptionist—$7,000 a month, plus room and board.” “If you’re interested, it’s yours.” Someone nearby exclaimed, “South Street? That’s prime real estate! Olivia, you’re amazing.” “Evelyn, you hit the jackpot! Quick, thank her!” I rolled my eyes, calmly eating my fruit. “No need. I’m happy with my job.” Seeing I wasn’t grateful, the bootlickers turned on me. “Evelyn, poverty has messed with your head. Lucas and Olivia are trying to help you, and you’re acting all high and mighty.” “We’re all old classmates here. We know what you’re worth. Don’t let your pride ruin this chance.” After he finished, Olivia pretended to stop him. “Don’t say that… Maybe Evelyn really likes her life now.” As she spoke, her eyes welled up, as if she’d been wronged. Seeing her tears, Lucas pulled her close. “Olivia, you’re too kind.” He turned to me, his voice cold. “Evelyn, I didn’t expect you to still be so selfish and fake.” “You’re beyond help. You deserve the life you’ve got.” I wondered why he’d say such things. In both lives, I’d never done anything to hurt him. Why, after all this time, was he still so cruel? I didn’t want to engage further. I stood to head to the private room upstairs, but a former classmate blocked my way. He held a drink, leering as he approached. “Evelyn, I always hated that stuck-up act of yours. Never thought I’d see the day.” “How about a drink? Five hundred bucks a glass, sound good?” “Let me hold your hand, and I’ll throw in extra.” I looked closer—barely recognizing him as the guy who’d confessed to me at graduation. Jack, I think his name was. Back then, I was focused on landing a study-abroad spot, so I turned him down flat. Guess he held a grudge. Everyone laughed. No one stepped in. I frowned. I hadn’t meant to crash their party. If not for my prior commitment, I’d have left long ago. Security was nowhere. As I was about to shove him away, Lucas—who’d been watching silently—suddenly hurled his glass at Jack. “Stay away from her,” he said, his voice icy. Jack, now drenched, spun around ready to fight but froze when he saw it was Lucas. He just shot me a vicious glare. The glass shattered on the floor. Olivia’s smug smile vanished as she stared at Lucas in disbelief. “Lucas, what are you doing?” Lucas didn’t even glance at her, his eyes fixed on me. “My event, my rules. I don’t want trouble.” I stepped back, wiping alcohol off my pants. “The security here is terrible.” Olivia glared at me, her eyes blazing. “You’re complaining?” “Do you even know where you are? This is Adrian’s place—the movie star. Without Lucas, someone like you wouldn’t get within a mile of here.” At the mention of Adrian, several women perked up. “The Adrian who’s won all those awards and been on the city’s rich list for five years straight?” “I heard he has a kid, but no one’s ever seen the wife.” Just then, the main door swung open. A little girl walked in, surrounded by bodyguards. She glanced around curiously. A butler in a suit followed closely. “Miss, please slow down. Watch your step.” The old classmates buzzed with excitement. “Someone who can just walk in here, called ‘Miss’—must be the movie star’s daughter!” “Oh my god, she looks just like Adrian!” I was about to step forward when Jack blocked my path again. He didn’t dare confront Lucas, so he took it out on me. “Evelyn, if it weren’t for Lucas, someone like you would never get to see a celebrity’s kid. How about you kneel and apologize? If I’m in a good mood, I might even marry you.” “A solid guy like me making five grand a month is a catch. You should be grateful!” I ignored him, watching as the girl got swarmed. They bombarded her with questions, some already pulling out phones to snap pictures. Olivia’s earlier arrogance was gone, replaced by a fawning smile. “Sweetie, is your daddy Adrian?” After getting a nod, Olivia’s smile widened. “What brings you here? Want some fruit? Let sister get it for you.” She reached to touch the girl’s cheek. The little girl pushed Olivia’s hand away and walked straight to me. Under everyone’s stares, she threw herself into my arms. “Mommy!” Her bright eyes filled with tears. “Mommy, Lily missed you so much!” “Why didn’t you answer Lily’s call yesterday?” I held her close, soothing her. “Mommy was rehearsing on set and didn’t check her phone. I won’t do it again. Can you forgive me?” Lily beamed and planted a loud kiss on my cheek. “Lily’s not mad. I was just worried.” I poked her cheek. “My Lily is the best.”

Everyone in the room was stunned, staring at us in disbelief. Lucas stood frozen, frowning as if about to speak. A handsome man in sunglasses rushed in. “Honey, why didn’t you text that you got off early? I would’ve picked you up. The traffic’s awful—I worry.” “The manager said your reunion was here?” He put an arm around my shoulder, took off his sunglasses, and smiled at the crowd. “Hey, everyone. I’m Evelyn’s husband, Adrian.” “Tonight’s on me. You’re Evelyn’s friends, so order anything. Hope you all have a great time.” Jack, who’d tried to get me to drink, turned pale. The women could barely contain their excitement. “Evelyn is married to Adrian?!” “Oh my god, this is like a movie! This is too perfect!” I just smiled without responding. Adrian turned, his gaze sweeping over Lucas. After a moment, he gave a faint, dismissive smile. “So you’re Evelyn’s college boyfriend?” “I should thank you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have met my perfect wife.” Lucas didn’t answer, his eyes fixed on me. “Evelyn, are you lying again?” “Did you hire some actors?” I sighed, taking Adrian’s hand and showing Lucas the wedding ring on my finger. “He’s my husband, Adrian.” “I don’t lie. And I have no reason to lie to you.” Lucas suddenly panicked. “But you said you’d only love me forever!” Worried Adrian might misunderstand, I quickly clarified, “I never said that. Never.” Those words drained the color from Lucas’s face. He wanted to argue but knew he had no ground. In our past life, I had vowed at our wedding to love only him. But in this second chance, he’d chosen a different path. What right did he have to hold me to a promise from a life that no longer existed? Lucas couldn’t accept it. “Even so, we loved each other once. How can you just move on? Did our past mean nothing?” Beside him, Olivia had gone pale. I glanced at the proposal photos still rolling on the big screen and sighed. “Aren’t you with Olivia now?” “Half an hour ago, you were proposing to her. Now you’re accusing me of not cherishing the past?” Lucas had organized this gathering, and almost everyone had come to butter him up. When that guy harassed me, no one lifted a finger. Now that they knew who I was married to, they turned on Lucas and Olivia. “Come on, Lucas, let it go. Evelyn’s happy. You should be happy for her.” “I mean, who wouldn’t want to be with a guy like Adrian?” Olivia couldn’t take it anymore. She reached for Lucas’s hand. “Lucas, let’s go. I’m your fiancée now. You and Evelyn are over.” But the moment she touched him, Lucas shoved her away violently. Olivia lost her balance and fell onto the broken glass. Her hands were cut in several places. Her face flushed with humiliation, and she shot me a resentful look. Adrian’s smile deepened. “Mr. Summers, you’re not having second thoughts, are you? Trying to win my wife back?” “Evelyn is incredible, but she’s not interested. Don’t overestimate yourself.” Exposed, Lucas stammered, “No… I…” I raised a hand to stop him, my tone cold. “Lucas, the past is the past.” “I have a family now, and you’re with the person you always wanted.” “Let’s not do this.” Our daughter was clearly bored. She tugged Adrian’s hand and pouted. “Daddy, I don’t wanna stay here for my birthday. I wanna go home and eat the food you and Mommy make.” Adrian asked the butler to take her to the car. Holding my hand, he gave a meaningful look to the room. “I heard someone offered five hundred dollars for my wife to drink with him?” Jack went pale, trembling as he stammered, “It was me… I was an idiot, I offended Mrs. Smith. Please… please forgive me.” He hung his head, shaking. With a glance from Adrian, bodyguards stepped forward, lifted Jack, and dragged him into a side room. Then Adrian turned to Olivia. “And I heard you offered my wife a cleaning job at your clinic?” “Funny, I own the entire block in South District. If the clinic owner is personally hiring cleaners, maybe I should rethink the lease renewal.” The threat was clear. Olivia forced a smile, hiding slightly behind Lucas. “I was just joking with your wife… Please don’t take it seriously…” Adrian’s gaze swept over the others who’d disrespected me earlier. They all looked down, not daring to breathe loudly. Finally, he turned to me and gave a playful wink. I knew what that meant—he wanted praise for standing up for me. I took his hand and we turned to leave. Just outside the door, Lucas caught up. “Evelyn!”

The late autumn wind was chilly. I instinctively hugged my arms. I motioned for Adrian to wait in the car. After a moment’s hesitation, he draped his coat over my shoulders before getting in. Even now, he chose to trust me. I held Adrian’s coat tight, watching Lucas approach unsteadily. His eyes were dark, unreadable. “Why did you marry him? Is he really better than me?” His question was absurd, but thinking back to everything before I married Adrian, I couldn’t help but smile. That year, I was a rookie director trying to break into the industry. Even new-media producers wouldn’t look at my scripts. I’d almost run through my savings chasing that dream. When I was at my lowest, Adrian picked up my script. He didn’t look down on me. Instead, he went over every detail with me, suggested actors, helped me win my first director award. The day I won, he confessed. I won’t deny I’d fallen for him during those long collaborations, but because of my past-life scars, I held back. I asked him, “If I’m with you, can I still direct?” Adrian seemed surprised. “You’re your own person. You don’t need my permission. I love you, so I’ll support whatever you want to do.” I took a deep breath. “I want kids.” Adrian smiled softly. “Me too.” I said yes, and from that day on, he became my new beginning. We married. Adrian respected my wish for a simple church wedding with just close friends and family. Then came Lily. Seeing my expression, Lucas looked as if he’d been stabbed. Eyes red, he asked again, “That girl… she’s really yours?” “Yes.” “You never wanted a child with me. Why him?” His words brought back the ultrasound photo I’d clutched until I died in that crash. That baby had a steady heartbeat but died with me in the fire. My chest ached, tears blurring my vision. Lucas kept accusing me of betrayal. Finally, I couldn’t take it. I slapped him. Lucas held his cheek, staring at me in shock. “We had a child once.” “The day you drove us off the cliff, I was going to tell you.” “I used to feel so guilty about that baby. But now I’m just relieved. At least my child didn’t have a father like you.” Lucas froze. He covered his mouth, trembling. “No… you went to the clinic that day. Olivia said she saw you go in for an abortion.” “She said you thought I was too poor to have my child.” Then I understood why he’d called me selfish all those years. “If I looked down on you, why would I have married you without hesitation?” Lucas shattered. He collapsed, mumbling, “I killed my child… I killed them.” Tears fell as I looked at him, feeling only ridicule. “I walked with you for so long, gave you so much, and you believed someone else so easily.” I turned to leave, but Lucas grabbed my wrist. “Evelyn, I was wrong. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have doubted you.” “Please come back. I can’t live without you.” I shook my head, pulling my hand free. “Lucas, you forgot.” “‘Let’s never see each other again in this life.’ You said that.” I knew the past couldn’t be changed. Thankfully, I’d truly moved on. One night, police cars surrounded the Stevens’ private clinic. The next day, headlines blared: Oliver Stevens, Olivia’s father, arrested for illegal organ trafficking, corpse sales, and baby auctions.

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I took care of my husband in a vegetative state for three years. On the day he woke up, he publicly identified my cousin as the one who had saved his life. I thought he had simply mistaken her for someone else. Then I heard him say, “I could never marry a mute. Someone who can’t even explain herself has no right to stand beside me.” In that moment, I understood— to him, I had only ever been a temporary substitute. So I signed the divorce papers on the spot and turned around to schedule memory-erasure surgery, removing him from my life before he could do it to me first. Lucas had been in a coma for three years. When he woke up, the first person he saw was me, but his eyes were filled with disappointment. I didn’t notice the disappointment in his eyes. Overjoyed, I helped him sit up and shared the good news in our friends’ group chat. Soon, the hospital room was crowded with people. And I, the wife who had cared for Lucas for three years, was pushed to the corner, completely ignored. Chloe arrived late, wearing a beautiful blue evening gown, looking like she had just come from a party. Lucas grabbed Chloe’s hand, his eyes red-rimmed, “Honey, you’ve suffered so much these three years.” At these words, everyone in the room was stunned, as if the air had frozen. I stood to the side, fidgeting with my clothes, unable to speak up for myself. All because of my mutism. His friend awkwardly explained, “Lucas, Emily is your wife.” Lucas’s brow instantly furrowed, his eyes turning cold as he looked at me, as if I had come between him and Chloe. I had always known he liked my cousin Chloe. They were supposed to get married, but a car accident left him in a vegetative state. My cousin didn’t want to marry a vegetable and cried to my parents. When I heard it was Lucas, I agreed to their request to marry him in my sister’s place. Little did I know that after three years of my devoted care, this would be the result. I immediately took out my phone and started typing, wanting to explain, but Chloe pressed down my phone. She looked at me with a fake smile, “Sister, Lucas just woke up. He probably can’t handle too much information right now. Why don’t you step out for a bit?” Sensing the awkward atmosphere, the others in the room made excuses to leave. As the door closed, Chloe burst into tears and threw herself into Lucas’s arms, as if she had suffered some great injustice. “Lucas, you’re finally awake. I’ve waited for you for three years…” My heart suddenly tightened, my hand trembling as I gripped the doorknob. After what seemed like an eternity, Chloe opened the door, her cheeks still wet with tears. I walked into the room suspiciously, only to have a glass shatter at my feet. “Emily, you really went to great lengths to marry me!” “Using such underhanded tactics, aren’t you ashamed?” Flying glass shards cut my leg, but the pain was nothing compared to what I felt in my heart. Lucas was my childhood friend, the only one who didn’t look down on my mutism and encouraged me to seek treatment. But after meeting Chloe, he was unconsciously drawn to her. The boy who once said he would marry me gradually turned his heart towards her. Now he even saw me as the villain who came between their love. I frantically tried to use sign language, then remembered he couldn’t understand it. I shakily took out my phone to type an explanation. Chloe looked at me challengingly, knocking the phone out of my hand. It fell to the floor, the screen instantly going black. “Sister, please, let us be together!” I stood there, stunned. Apart from sign language, my phone was my only means of communication with others. And now I couldn’t even defend myself. I shook my head desperately, but the world can be cruel, especially for someone who can’t speak.

My parents somehow got wind of the news and rushed to the hospital. I intercepted them, using sign language to ask them to explain for me. They could understand a bit of simple sign language. Mom nodded slightly, while Dad just pushed me aside and pulled Mom into the room. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Mom hesitantly spoke up, “Emily, she…” Chloe, sensing what Mom was about to say, interrupted, “Mom, my sister just likes Lucas too much. Don’t blame her.” I widened my eyes in disbelief, grabbing Chloe and frantically signing, [You’re lying! You’re lying!] She rubbed her wrist, nestling into Lucas’s arms, looking pitiful, “I’m sorry, sister. Don’t be angry, I won’t say anymore.” I desperately signed to Mom, my vision blurring with tears, [Tell him it’s not like that!] Mom avoided my gaze. A sense of helplessness spread through my body. In the three years I had cared for Lucas alone, not a single day had been more desperate than today. Dad’s face darkened, “Weren’t you the one who forced your sister to give up her place? You even said Lucas wouldn’t know anyway.” If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I never would have imagined my own father could twist the truth so much. These words felt like needles stabbing my heart. Originally, it was my sister who despised Lucas for becoming a vegetable and didn’t want to marry him. That’s why my parents had me marry him instead. Lucas let out a cold laugh, “Emily, it’s a good thing I woke up. Otherwise, I would have died with my eyes closed.” I bit my lip hard, the taste of blood spreading in my mouth. So this was how he saw me. Mom pulled me out of the room, her face full of guilt, “Don’t blame your father. We owe Chloe this much.” Chloe’s parents had died saving my parents. My parents took Chloe in and treated her like their own. My parents felt indebted to her, so I always had to give in to her in everything. Whenever I refused, Chloe would cry and say, “If only my parents were still here.” When I developed mutism, just when I needed companionship the most, Chloe convinced my parents to take her traveling abroad. Three years ago, Chloe’s mocking words still rang in my ears, “A mute and a vegetable are a perfect match!” Mom continued, “Now that Lucas is awake, he’ll divorce you sooner or later.” “Leaving a good impression now will only elevate your sister’s status, won’t it?” Tears fell to the ground as I pounded my chest hard, the only way to alleviate the pain in my heart. But it was my parents who owed my uncle and aunt, why did I have to pay the debt? Lucas moved quickly. He decided on divorce in the morning and had the divorce agreement drawn up by the afternoon. Afraid I might cause trouble, he had several bodyguards watch me as I signed my name. I smiled bitterly and slowly wrote my name. Lucas had saved my life, and I had watched over him for three years. From now on, we owed each other nothing.

The autumn evening breeze carried a hint of chill. As soon as my phone was fixed, I sent a message to Dr. Miller, [I’d like to try the hypnotherapy you mentioned before.] Dr. Miller quickly replied, [After hypnosis, you will lose some memories.] [Also, a family member needs to sign a consent form to ensure someone will take care of you during your recovery period.] My gaze fell on the words “family member”, and I couldn’t help but smile bitterly, unable to think of anyone who could sign the consent form for me. I kept scrolling through my contacts, my finger hovering over one profile picture, hesitating to click on it. Unexpectedly, the profile picture suddenly shook, and a message popped up, [I’m back in the country today. Would you like to have dinner?] I quickly replied, agreeing on a place to meet. Looking out at the scenery, my thoughts drifted far away. Daniel was the son of my sign language teacher. Because I often went to his house for lessons, we became quite familiar with each other. Three years ago, when he learned I was going to marry a man in a vegetative state, he angrily smashed the birthday gift he was going to give me, saying his mother teaching me sign language was a waste. I fought back using sign language, saying all sorts of nasty things. Later, he went abroad to study, and I thought we would never see each other again. I didn’t expect him to return to the country. After not seeing each other for several years, he had matured a lot, giving off an unapproachable aura when not smiling. I went straight to the point, using sign language to ask him, [Can you… pretend to be my family member and sign for me?] His expression froze. After learning the whole story, his hands clenched tightly, as if trying hard to suppress something. “Are you sure about this?” I nodded lightly. What use were these memories to me anyway? Besides, after the memories were suppressed, I would be able to speak again. “Alright.” When I returned to the Jiang family mansion, it was already evening. My things had been carelessly thrown in the hallway of the villa. Lucas glanced at me coldly, “Emily, don’t say I’m not giving you face. From now on, you’ll live in the guest room.” I nodded lightly. He hadn’t expected me to be so calm and looked me up and down. I would forget about him soon anyway, so what did it matter where I lived? Suddenly, a small dog ran out of the house. I froze, instinctively grabbing Lucas’s arm. He frowned in displeasure and shook off my hand roughly. “Emily, know your place.” His force was so strong that I hadn’t reacted in time and fell to the ground, pain shooting through my wrist. I had been afraid of dogs since childhood, and the boy who once said he would protect me for life had now let go of my hand. A flash of regret crossed his eyes, and he reached out to help me up. I pretended not to see it and struggled to my feet, ignoring the pain. Chloe came out of the room, clinging to Lucas’s arm and pouting. “Little Darling doesn’t like being confined. Can we give it a bigger room?” Lucas fondly ruffled her hair, “Alright, let’s give the newly cleaned guest room to Little Darling.” “Emily, you’ll move to the basement.” How laughable. In his eyes, I was worth less than a stray dog they had adopted. While packing my things, I suddenly smelled something strange. Following the scent, I saw a large yellow stain on a red coat. This coat was a birthday gift from Lucas. Because my birthday was on the same day as my uncle and aunt’s death anniversary, my parents didn’t allow me to celebrate. Lucas had secretly given me the coat, earnestly telling me, “Emily, I’ll be with you for every birthday from now on.” Apparently, promises only count when there’s love. I had cherished this coat so much that I never dared to wear it. It seems I’ll never get to wear it now. Lucas saw the coat, felt a twinge of emotion, and told the housekeeper to take it for dry cleaning. But I threw the coat directly into the trash bin, along with all the photos of Lucas and me from over the years. I didn’t want to have any connection with him in the future. Lucas stared at me and slowly said, “Chloe has a kind heart and adopted Little Darling. If you dare to make her unhappy, I definitely won’t let you off.” People really do laugh when they’re at their wit’s end. It seems Lucas had completely forgotten that I’m afraid of dogs. Probably on Lucas’s orders, not a single servant helped me. Ignoring the pain in my wrist, I packed until evening, finally clearing out everything related to Lucas. This was the first time I had stayed at home in three years. After Lucas became a vegetable, I had practically lived in the hospital. At first, there were visitors, but later everyone in the Jiang family gave up on him. Most of the time, it was just him and me in the hospital room. Just as I was falling into a light sleep at dawn, I was awakened by a bucket of cold water. Lucas looked down at me condescendingly, “Emily, you’ve really become lazy.” “You’re no longer the mistress of the Jiang family. How dare you sleep in?” My head was a bit fuzzy, and I nodded lightly to show I understood. I wiped the water off my face and got up to change my clothes. The servants in the villa were bustling about. The housekeeper glanced at me and told me to go polish the piano. Only then did I realize today was Chloe’s birthday. My fingers glided over the piano keys, and beautiful music flowed from my fingertips. Lucas once said my hands were born to play the piano, but now these hands were used to polish the piano. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the irony. Sweet words are only sincere in the moment they’re spoken. Halfway through polishing, I received a message from Dr. Miller, [Tomorrow morning at 10 AM.] I quickly replied “okay” and forwarded the message to Daniel. Thinking about being able to speak again, my mood improved considerably. I thought this party had nothing to do with me, but unexpectedly, Lucas pulled me to the dressing room. I was flattered to receive a dress. But he was full of impatience, “Hurry up and put it on. How will people talk about Chloe if you don’t attend?” So it was only to avoid gossip about Chloe. I felt the large stains on the dress, my heart already numb. I remembered Chloe’s social media post an hour ago: [It doesn’t matter if I stained the dress, Lucas will prepare two for me.] Chloe stood by the cake like an elegant princess, while I was like a clown for people’s amusement. I tried to minimize my presence, sitting in a corner. But the gossip still reached my ears. “What’s that on her dress? It’s disgusting!” “She’s so shameless, stealing her sister’s fiancé.” “I heard she’s a mute.” The mocking voices were incessant. I clenched my dress tightly. Chloe sat down at the piano, the spotlight focused on her, attracting everyone’s attention. The music suddenly stopped, and she cried out, “Ouch! How are there razor blades in the piano!” The housekeeper pointed at me in the corner, “Only Miss Emily touched the piano!” Lucas glared at me angrily, roughly pulling me to the piano and pressing my hands onto the keys. The pain in my fingers was so intense I could barely breathe. “Emily, this is the price you pay for doing wrong.” After saying this, he carried Chloe out, ignoring my bloodied hands. I clearly saw Chloe flash a smug smile at me. Later, an ambulance took me to the hospital, but all the doctors in the hospital had been called to examine Chloe. Before I fainted from blood loss, I heard a nurse shout angrily, “If her hands don’t get immediate treatment, she’ll be permanently disabled!” Tears slid from the corners of my eyes. I really wished I had never met Lucas. Meanwhile, the doctor looking at Lucas seemed familiar and greeted him. “How’s your wife? She took care of you for three years. It’s finally her time to be happy.” 5 Lucas frowned at the word “wife”, about to ask what he meant. Chloe pretended to wipe away non-existent tears, “Lucas, my hand hurts so much. Will I not be able to play the piano anymore?” Seeing her cry, Lucas immediately panicked, holding her in his arms and comforting her softly.

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My manager fined me six hundred thousand dollars for eating a snack bar during overtime, saying company rules mattered more than any contract I had closed. What she didn’t mention was that I had just finalized a billion-dollar renewal and hadn’t left the office for thirty hours. I signed the apology without protest, and submitted my annual leave request on the spot. By the time I walked out of the building, the company’s largest client had already suspended the contract and demanded to speak to me by name. I ate a snack bar because I was starving from working overtime, and my manager slapped me with a $600,000 fine! She pointed a finger right at my face, absolutely fuming. “Alex, don’t think you’re hot stuff just because you closed that deal!” “This is a workplace, not your kitchen! Eat your food at home!” “Company policy explicitly forbids snacking! You knew this and did it anyway, so your offense is even worse!” “Your $600,000 commission for that contract? Canceled!” I just looked at her, cool as a cucumber, and said, “Whatever.” I figured, why bother? I was already giving up, and that’s when she really lost it. Victoria was absolutely furious with my attitude. “Alex, write a public apology, you’ll deliver it at the all-staff meeting!” I looked at her face, crimson from anger, and clenched my fists. Then, calmly, I said, “Fine by me!” My colleagues all stared at me, disbelief written on their faces. Victoria spun around, high heels clicking, and went up to the 23rd floor. I stayed at my desk. A little while later, a notice popped up in the company-wide company chat group. “Sales Department’s Alex has repeatedly violated company policies. After careful consideration, it has been decided to deduct this month’s commission, totaling $600,000, and she is required to present a public apology at today’s all-staff meeting at 2 PM as a warning to others!” My colleagues looked at me in shock. Leo, at the desk opposite mine, sent me a private company chat: “Victoria’s having a total meltdown, don’t argue with her. Just suck it up, that’s $600,000!” I just smiled. Sucking it up wouldn’t do any good; she wanted to kick me to the curb after I’d served my purpose. She’d been eyeing my position for ages. When Mr. Sterling, the old chairman, headhunted me, he promised I wouldn’t have to clock in or out, I’d have complete freedom, and could eat or drink as I pleased, as long as I delivered results. I practically ran half the sales department on my own. This Monarch Corp. contract, worth billions, I handled the renewal myself, and wrapped it up in just a week. Victoria probably thought my job was too easy and was just green with envy! I company chatted back to Leo: “Just wait. This afternoon isn’t just my public shaming; someone’s also going to try and take my place.” Leo looked shocked, but I ignored him, calmly sitting at my desk, organizing and printing all my client files. Then I formatted all the data on my work phone. After doing both, I started writing my apology. Victoria came down at one point, saw me writing, and couldn’t help but flash a smug smile. At 2 PM, she arrived with some people. The all-staff meeting in the 23rd-floor conference room, with over a hundred people, was packed. Victoria’s voice was sharp and clear. “I’ll reiterate: a company is a company. Don’t think it’s your home. Despite countless warnings, some people just don’t listen!” “Don’t think you’re so special just because the chairman personally hired you. Anyone can close a deal just by schmoozing and having a fancy dinner!” “Alex, get up here and deliver your apology. Let everyone see how you messed up!” I stood up and walked to the front, under a mix of confused and secretly gloating stares. “Manager Victoria is right. I shouldn’t have eaten that snack bar in the office. From today forward, I will strictly adhere to company discipline and never cross the line again!” “Manager Victoria, I’m not much for words. If you don’t want me to eat, I won’t eat. Being a salesperson isn’t such a big deal anyway.” “Good to know! Given your repeated offenses, the senior management has decided to revoke your position as Sales Director, effective today, and demote you to a regular sales associate.” “This is our new Director, Brandon. He’s an MBA from abroad and will lead us to new heights!” A smattering of applause broke out. Victoria pulled a smarmy-looking guy forward. Leo and I exchanged glances; he was completely floored. Finally, Victoria added, “Alex, organize all your client files and hand them over. They’ll be reallocated!” I readily agreed, printed everything out, and handed it over immediately. These clients? If you can handle them, go right ahead! Seeing my cooperation, Victoria seemed a little suspicious. She checked everything carefully, ensuring nothing was missing, and finally let it go. Brandon, meanwhile, was strutting around like he owned the place. He came straight from the 23rd floor to my desk and tapped on it. “Alex, hurry up, pack all your things right now. Otherwise, if anything goes missing, you’ll be held responsible.”

I understood perfectly. As Sales Director, my desk was in the same area as everyone else, but I had a whole row to myself, with an open view, allowing me to see everyone opposite me. Now, it was different. He was eager to push me out, and my new spot was directly opposite him, by the window. Even with air conditioning in summer, we weren’t allowed to close the blinds. The scorching sun blared through the glass, not only reflecting off the computer screen but also making it unbearably hot. But none of that mattered. I quietly packed my things and was about to move my computer to the new spot when he stopped me. “Hold on. We need to check everything on your computer carefully. What if you’re taking client data with you?” “Fine, check it!” I opened my computer and let him search through everything. Mr. Sterling himself had personally headhunted me. At the time, he’d told me, “Alex, you have absolute authority in this company!” Mr. Sterling’s health had declined in recent years, and he’d gone abroad for treatment. Everything they were doing now struck me as utterly ridiculous. I knew exactly what Victoria was thinking: kicking me to the curb to cut costs. But unfortunately, costs aren’t that easy to cut. Brandon found nothing suspicious and could only wave me off. Leo sent me a message: “Don’t worry, Alex. We’re all rooting for you!” I sent back a smiling emoji. What good was their support? I didn’t believe for a second that the senior management on the 23rd floor was unaware of what Victoria was doing to me. They were tacitly approving it. That meant Mr. Sterling, far across the ocean, must also know. If that was the case, there was no point in arguing with them. I clocked out at the end of the day, just as usual. I didn’t know what their previous expectations were, but from now on, I’d strictly follow company procedures. That couldn’t be a problem, right? According to my old routine, I’d usually meet clients for tea and chats after work. But not anymore. I drove straight home, lay on my long-missed bed, and watched the sunset, feeling fantastic. Normally, I’d always be out entertaining clients, with endless social obligations. Now, I finally had time to myself. I opened my phone, searched for theater tickets, and booked one for myself. My favorite theater actor had performed hundreds of shows, but I’d never been to a single one. Now, I finally had the time. Soon after, I was added to a new sales group. Brandon was the group admin. “Attention All Staff: From now on, all sales personnel must write daily sales logs. You need to report who you met, what was discussed, and if there’s any potential interest, for my review.” “You must secure 5 potential clients each month. If you fail to meet this, your end-of-month evaluation will be reduced by 20%.” Leo messaged me privately: “Look at him! Says he came back from overseas, but he’s using all these outdated methods on us?” “Has he ever even worked in sales? Potential clients aren’t that easy to find! Five a month? The entire company only closes deals based on old clients these days!” “The economy’s rough now, it’s not that simple. And the big clients aren’t ones we can handle. For small clients, this city only has so many people. He really doesn’t want to give us any breathing room.” Seeing Leo’s rant, I just comforted him, “Take it easy. Just do whatever your boss tells you to.” “Alex, are you really just going to let him push you around? I wouldn’t stand for it! If it were me, I’d have quit ages ago! I can’t take this crap!” Leo was always outspoken. I smiled at his messages but didn’t reply. I wasn’t in a hurry. They’d find out soon enough.

The next day at work, I submitted my annual leave request. I’d been with the company for eight years and hadn’t taken a single day of annual leave. When I submitted the request, Brandon looked at me. “What’s the meaning of this, Alex? I just started, and you want to take time off? Are you deliberately trying to go against me?” “Director Brandon, you’re overreacting. Under your leadership, I’m sure we’ll turn things around. I haven’t had a break in so many years, I just can’t take it anymore. I plan to take some annual leave to truly relax and recover. My body can’t handle it.” He sized me up, his eyes full of disdain. “Right, I suppose you do have to service all those big clients. People over thirty certainly can’t keep up.” His words had a hidden meaning, I knew. He was implying I’d used improper methods to land those clients. Once people form a prejudice, it’s hard to change their minds. But for now, I wouldn’t explain myself further. Brandon still signed it. “Remember the end-of-month evaluation! If you don’t meet it, your base salary will be docked!” “Fail for three consecutive months, and you’ll be packing your bags and out the door!” “Understood. Don’t worry, I’m not leaving.” Because the ones leaving would have to be them! After completing the paperwork, I packed my things and started my vacation. First stop: the state capital. Today was the day of the show I’d been waiting for; I couldn’t miss it. Two hours later, as soon as I got off the high-speed train, Leo sent me a message: “Alex, the Luminar Group contract is finalized, and Victoria says the credit for this achievement will go to Brandon.” “By the end of the year, they’re going to push for Brandon to be the head of the sales department. That way, Victoria herself can get another promotion!” “The nerve! Are you just going to let them get away with it?” “Not yet. They can’t handle it. Just wait!” I sent that message and smiled. Renewing the Luminar contract wasn’t something you could just achieve by wining and dining. I ignored it, put my phone on silent, and sat in the auditorium, looking at the stage just a meter away. I felt incredibly excited. My emotions ebbed and flowed with the play, laughing at times, crying at others. Two hours later, I walked out of the auditorium, pulled out my phone, and saw over a hundred missed calls and countless company chat messages. The most recent one was from Victoria, sent just moments ago. “Alex, Mr. Miller from Luminar Group says there’s a problem with the contract, and they’re backing out! The direct loss is over $3 billion! You can expect to be fired!” I scoffed, and simply replied, “The contract was handed over to Brandon. If he can’t handle it, am I supposed to take the blame?” “Manager Victoria, if you want to fire me, remember to give me my severance.” After sending it, I shoved my phone back into my pocket. Even Leo couldn’t reach me. I wandered around, eating and shopping, and the constant stream of messages on my phone gave me a pretty good idea of what was happening. After I left, Brandon decided to “build rapport” with the major client and went to Luminar Group, bringing gifts. He ran into Mr. Miller, who, upon learning he was the new director, asked a few technical questions. Brandon couldn’t answer a single one. Mr. Miller felt the company was unprofessional and insisted on an on-site visit. I’d personally taken him to that site 800 times. Brandon had never been there. When they arrived, they happened to find a machine broken. Brandon told an engineer to come fix it. But no one could fix the new machine. Whenever there was a problem, I was the one who called in my contacts to repair it. Brandon used this as an excuse, claiming I had deliberately sabotaged the machine. Mr. Miller immediately declared that our company was a fraud and he wouldn’t renew the contract. Not only had Brandon botched the contract, costing the company $3 billion, but Mr. Miller also ridiculed Brandon, and it even reached Mr. Sterling, the old chairman. Just then, Leo called. “Alex, you need to come back! They’re about to call the police, saying you committed malicious fraud!”

Hearing that, I just chuckled. I knew Brandon and the others were listening, so I told him directly: “Leo, do me a favor and call the police for me. I’m an employee on annual leave, how could I possibly commit malicious fraud? I don’t have that kind of power. Let them investigate however they want!” After saying that, I hung up and company chatted him: “Don’t worry. I’m on a seven-day leave. I’ll deal with it when I get back in seven days.” Now, let’s see who can’t sleep. Back in the office, they were in a frenzy. “What’s going on? What did Alex say?” “She said she’s on seven days of annual leave and will deal with it when she gets back.” Leo stared at Victoria. “Manager Victoria, do you still want to call the police? I’ll call them right now.” Victoria glared at him. “Call them! Call them now!” “Brandon, aren’t you a mechanical engineering major? Hurry up and find someone!” Brandon readily agreed. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” Then he started calling in his contacts. Leo, seeing their desperate state, couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, giving me a live update. I looked at Brandon’s frantic expression with disdain. They only knew me as a salesperson, but they didn’t know I also had a mechanical engineering degree. And our field was very specialized. My mentor was a big shot in this area, and this very machine was his design. Naturally, only his direct students, like us, knew how to repair it. Whenever I encountered a problem, I could just make a call to the client’s CEO, who also happened to be my senior fellow student from our research group. He’d even bring me food and drinks when he came. That’s why whenever I handled things, accompanying major clients to inspect machines and factories, on-site, I could usually seal the deal. It wasn’t just because I was dedicated; it was also because my mentor and fellow students from our research group had huge influence. Connections are cash. Unfortunately, they didn’t understand that. Now, just for such a minor thing, they’d pushed me out and even withheld my $600,000 commission. Since that’s how it was, I wouldn’t be polite either. Everyone has a powerful network! I sent Leo a PayPal transfer. “Keep an eye on things and report back to me anytime. I’m going to enjoy my week-long vacation.” “Got it!” My mentor happened to be in the state capital, and I was here to visit him and catch up with my fellow students from our research group. Brandon was just a guy with a fancy degree from a diploma mill; the engineers he could call were just as amateur as he was. After arriving at the factory and seeing the machine, it didn’t take long for them to “find” the problem. “It’s just a loose screw; tightening it will fix it.” An on-site technician quickly tried to stop him. “No, the previous engineer said that screw can’t be touched. If you touch it, the entire production line will collapse.” “I know you types; you even burn incense before starting work. Don’t be so alarmist!” “If it really worked, you wouldn’t be calling me now!” His invited repairman, also his buddy, simply tightened the screw and then pressed the button. As the entire production line started to rumble and roar, Brandon looked smug. “See? That’s what capability looks like! I don’t know what kind of favors that previous guy did for you, always talking him up!” “I think…” Before he could finish, the machine started to creak and groan, then shook violently, the strange noises growing louder. Both men froze in terror! The technicians gasped, “Cut the power!” After the power was cut, the machine shuddered for several minutes before finally stopping, but not before emitting a sharp, piercing shriek. Victoria panicked. “What happened? Open it up and see!” As soon as they opened it, smoke billowed out. It was completely wrecked. Not only that, but the screw Brandon had tightened earlier had snapped, and half of it was at the bottom of the machine.

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After the car crash, I faked amnesia. I thought it would shake them up. Instead, my son brought another woman to my hospital room and called her “Mom.” My husband didn’t say a word to correct him. They thought I’d forgotten it all. They had no idea—I remembered every cruel word, every time he wasn’t there, every night I cried myself to sleep. So I signed the divorce papers, packed my entire life into moving trucks, and walked out without a single look back. That’s when the panic finally set in for them. After the accident, I decided to play along with the memory loss to see how my husband and son would react. “Who are you people?” I asked, keeping my voice flat. A mischievous glint flashed in my son’s eyes. He led a woman in from the hallway and announced, “Ma’am, my parents and I are just visiting.” With bandages wrapped around my head, I looked down at my five-year-old, Leo Carter, holding two adults’ hands, a smug little grin on his face. My husband, Nathan Carter, stood beside him in his impeccably tailored suit. His gaze was intense, searching my face, but he didn’t correct our son’s choice of words. The woman Leo clung to wore a soft, flowy white dress. She looked elegant and kind, but flinched slightly under my stare, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Noticing my focus on Amelia Reed, Leo quickly stepped between us, as if shielding her. If I really had amnesia, I might have bought the picture of this perfect, happy little family. Leo tugged on Nathan’s hand, whispering just loud enough for me to hear, “Dad, now that Mom can’t remember, can you finally get the divorce?” I knew his game. This was payback because yesterday I’d scolded him in front of the housekeeper. This was how Leo got his kicks—making me the punchline. But I was done playing. I’d claimed memory loss; might as well run with it. Pretend there was no son, no husband. “Excuse me… who are you again?” Leo’s jaw went slack, his cocky grin fading into shock. “You… you really don’t remember me? You can’t forget me—I’m your favorite kid…” Nathan’s brow furrowed, his icy stare turning even colder, voice dripping with annoyance. “Evelyn Reed, cut the act. The doctor said it’s a minor concussion. You can’t fake amnesia to get out of this.” Leo, his little face scrunched in a mirror of his father’s impatience, chimed in, “Yeah, stop pretending! You love us too much to ever forget us!” A headache was starting to pound behind my eyes. Before I could respond, a nurse knocked and entered. “The patient needs to rest now,” she stated firmly. “All non-family members, please step out.” Without another word, Nathan and Leo turned, with Amelia following quietly behind them. The young nurse came in, glancing back at the door. “Your husband was here earlier—he just went to get you some soup from the cafeteria.” “My… husband?” My mind stuttered. Didn’t you just escort my husband out? She blinked. “Yes, he’s very handsome. I remember him from four years ago when I worked in L&D. He was at every single one of your prenatal appointments, always waiting so patiently outside. Never on his phone. He had us all believing in love again.” She paused, then chuckled. “By the way, who were those other two? Good-looking, but they had a real ‘here to collect a debt’ vibe.” I almost laughed. Nathan hadn’t come to a single one of my fourteen prenatal appointments. The man who’d been by my side was my younger half-brother, Caleb Reed, who was only eighteen back then. I didn’t bother explaining. Soon, none of it would matter. A moment later, Caleb hurried in with a takeout bag, slightly out of breath. The sight made my empty stomach clench; I hadn’t eaten all day. Caleb carefully unpacked the containers, napkins, a bottle of water, and a spoon. “I brought some warm ginger tea and your favorite—homemade chicken soup. It’ll help. Here, I’ll get the lid off for you.” Ever since I met Caleb at fifteen, he’d been my rock. A few spoonfuls in, the gnawing emptiness finally began to ease. When I looked up, I saw his eyes were red-rimmed, his lips trembling slightly. “When I heard about the accident… I was terrified.” A bittersweet warmth spread through me. A car crash is terrifying. I’d been lucky. I’d thought pretending to lose my memory would shake Nathan and Leo up, maybe even give us something to laugh about later. But trying to get concern from a heartless person is like squeezing water from a stone.

A few days later, I was discharged. I firmly told the doctors that aside from Nathan and Leo, my memory was perfectly fine. The doctor explained to Nathan that the memory loss was temporary, a side effect of the concussion, and that my full recall would gradually return. Back at Nathan’s house, I headed upstairs, ignoring the cheerful piano duet floating from the living room. Leo and Amelia were playing, and when they finished, Amelia gave him a proud thumbs-up. “My little maestro, you were wonderful!” Leo beamed, blushing. “Only because you’re the best teacher!” A perfect picture of mother-son harmony. I continued up the stairs without a word, watching Leo’s smile vanish as he spotted me. Amelia quickly stood up. “Mrs. Carter, how are you feeling?” From the staircase, I gave a polite nod. “Much better, thank you. Please, don’t let me interrupt.” I didn’t dislike Amelia—I envied her. She wasn’t the other woman. She was Nathan’s unforgettable first love. I was the one who had married him, but the truth is, the one who isn’t loved is the real outsider. Nathan fell for her at eighteen. Last month, when Reed Corp declared bankruptcy, Amelia returned. She’d used all her savings to cover her family’s debts, and her music degree didn’t open many high-paying doors here. So, Nathan hired her as Leo’s piano teacher for $6,000 a month.

“New Mom is the best! I love my New Mom!” Leo’s voice echoed through the foyer. “Leo, I’m not—please don’t call me that,” Amelia replied, looking uncomfortable. Unhappy with her response, Leo wrapped his arms around her leg. “If you keep calling me ‘Leo,’ I’ll get mad! You have to call me ‘Lee-Lee’! You’re so much nicer than my mom—I like you best!” He shot a glance toward the stairs, making sure I was gone, then added, “Why don’t you just move in? I want to see you first thing every morning! Dad says it’s fine, and our house is huge! You could have any room you want!” Nathan had offered to let her stay to save the commute, but she’d politely declined, choosing to rent a place instead. “Leo, you should practice today’s piece,” Amelia gently reminded him. He shook his head, persistent. “Are you scared of my mom? Don’t be. Dad and I will protect you. She does whatever Dad says—she wouldn’t dare bother you.” Leo knew exactly how to twist the knife. I fastened my pearl earrings and walked downstairs slowly, deliberately. Amelia looked increasingly uneasy as I approached. “Amelia, you really should consider staying,” I said. “I know the commute is brutal. Please, don’t stand on ceremony. You’re more than welcome here.” Leo stared, completely thrown. Usually, if Nathan even mumbled Amelia’s name after a few drinks, I’d fall apart. He must have thought he’d found the ultimate weapon. But today, it just… didn’t land. “I want ice cream!” he demanded, trying a new tack. “Get me two! No—ten!” The only answer was the sound of the front door closing behind me. After days looking a mess in the hospital, I had a skincare appointment. My car was waiting. As the door clicked shut, Leo’s defiant expression finally crumbled. “Sir, your ice cream,” the housekeeper said, retrieving it from the freezer. “Who said I wanted any?!” He threw the tub to the floor, his eyes fixed on the closed door. Could Mom really not remember him?

When Nathan’s mother, Lydia Carter, found out Amelia was back and teaching Leo, she came over immediately, arms laden with luxury gift bags. She settled on the sofa next to Amelia, taking her hand affectionately. “Amelia, my dear,” she cooed. “You’ve been through so much. Oh, if only you and Nathan had ended up together from the start. He could have managed Reed Corp. You wouldn’t be in this position.” Amelia flushed. “Lydia, we shouldn’t talk about that now. It’s all in the past. I’m just grateful Nathan gave me this job.” “Why shouldn’t we?” Lydia gave her hand a pat. “With you teaching Leo, my mind is at ease. And you know Nathan is filing for divorce. You understand what that means, don’t you?” She lowered her voice. “Don’t you worry, dear. Leo adores you, and so do I. You’d fit right in. Besides, Nathan is fully intending to help get Reed Corp back on its feet.” Though Lydia knew I was home, she hadn’t announced her visit. I listened from a distance. Nathan liked Amelia, Leo liked Amelia, and clearly, so did his mother. Lydia had wanted Amelia as a daughter-in-law from day one. Amelia came from old money, the perfect match for the Carters. The moment Nathan met her, he was smitten. Lydia was thrilled, immediately starting wedding plans. The only problem was, Amelia didn’t feel the same. She turned Nathan down and left to study music abroad. Lydia, while disappointed, admired her ambition and independence. As for me, from a modest, ordinary family, I was labeled a gold-digger. Lydia was too polite to say it to my face, but her disdain was a constant presence. Sometimes, I wondered if Amelia had married Nathan from the start, maybe everyone would have been happier. A buzz from my phone snapped me from my thoughts—a notification that the insurance payout for the accident had cleared. I’d thought the crash would fade into a distant memory, but closing my eyes brought it all back, vivid and raw. It was pouring that night. Nathan and I were on the highway when his phone rang. I heard the voice on the other end clearly:

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The military base housing was ablaze. Scarlett, the doctor tending to my husband, and I, were both trapped inside. I was about to scream for help when I heard Nealon’s voice from outside, sharp and commanding: “Clara is my family; she’s capable of making sacrifices for the greater good. Focus all efforts on rescuing Scarlett!” It hit me then. Nealon had been reborn too. In our last life, I told him I was two months pregnant. He hesitated, then chose to save me, leaving Scarlett to perish in the flames. He showed no reaction to her death, dedicating himself entirely to our daughter and me. Until twenty years later, when he deliberately crashed our car, taking both our lives: “Clara, saving you first was the biggest regret of my life!” Watching Nealon, eyes red-rimmed, charge into the inferno to save Scarlett, I gently touched my stomach, allowing the flames to engulf me. “Baby, this life, we don’t need a dad.” Scalding, thick smoke choked me, and I crumpled to my knees. Flames instantly encircled me. Nealon, just a wall away, spared me only a fleeting glance before turning his back, carrying Scarlett, and leaving without a second thought. In that moment, I knew for sure: he was reborn, just like me. To atone for not saving Scarlett last time, he was now choosing to abandon me and our two-month-old daughter in my belly. “Mr. Dawson! The fire’s too fierce, we can’t get in!” Chaotic shouts filtered in from outside. “Everyone, listen to my command. Retreat immediately.” Nealon’s voice was eerily calm: “The plan to rescue Dr. Scarlett is complete. As for Clara – she understands the necessity of sacrifice.” My heart lurched violently. In this life, he would rather see me burn to death! Clinging to sheer willpower, I pushed myself up from the ground. Guided by memories from my past life, I found an emergency exit already consumed by the blaze. I held my breath, enduring the searing pain in my legs, draped a damp, tattered towel over myself, and with a desperate surge of courage, dashed through. Even if it was just for my daughter, I couldn’t die this time! I don’t know how long I ran before my limbs gave out from the intense pain, and I collapsed. “Quick, rescue her! Clara is still alive!” “Water! Get some water!” Buckets of cold water cascaded over me, slowly bringing back my consciousness and sensation. “Get her on the stretcher and to the hospital, fast!” I was hastily lifted onto a stretcher and carried to a waiting vehicle. But Nealon pushed Scarlett into the car first. “Dr. Scarlett is injured.” He said, his voice flat: “Take her to the hospital first. The rest of you wait.” “But Clara’s injuries are much more severe! If Dr. Scarlett only twisted her ankle—” “Are my orders not clear enough?” Nealon brutally cut him off: “Don’t worry about her. She’s not going to die!” With that, he turned and got into the ambulance with Scarlett, leaving. Sympathetic glances from the bystanders fell on me. One kind soul, unable to stand by, offered me a ride in their old pick-up truck to the hospital. I was unconscious for three days and three nights in the hospital. Nealon never showed his face once during that time. It wasn’t until the hospital sent more than a dozen payment reminders for my medical bills that I managed to get someone to contact Nealon for payment. Only then, on the fifth day, did he deign to visit me. Scarlett was with him. Having been rescued first this time, she had no burn marks, and even her sprained ankle had fully healed. She carried several boxes of expensive supplements. And wore a new dress. I recognized that dress – a high-end item I’d always longed for but couldn’t afford, a single piece that could easily eat up half my year’s salary. “The money?” I managed to croak out. The smoke had scorched my trachea and esophagus; every breath, every bite of food, was torture. Nealon’s face instantly hardened: “What? You resent me spending money on Dr. Scarlett’s recovery? You had to make a scene to get my attention?” I weakly gripped the bedsheets. The pain from my injuries made me let out a suppressed groan. “Stop faking it. You’re not dying.” Nealon sneered. Scarlett, carrying the supplements, walked up to my bed, a triumphant smile on her face: “What a shame, these supplements were specifically bought by Nealon for *me*. They’re not suitable for you, Clara.” “But I’m moving in right next door to your house soon.” She lifted the corners of her mouth: “That’s Nealon’s idea too. It’ll be easier for me to take good care of him, and I can keep an eye on you, too.” I snapped my gaze to Nealon. He placed his hands on Scarlett’s shoulders, his eyes filled with doting affection: “It’s settled. We’ll pick a good day to move in.” On-base housing was strictly for married personnel. For Nealon to arrange for single Scarlett to live next door showed just how much effort he’d put in. He was determined to make up for the regret of losing Scarlett in our previous life. I gave a bitter laugh: “Is it to ‘take care’ of me… or to make it easier for you two to meet and date?”

Nealon froze for a second. When he recovered, he immediately pulled Scarlett behind him. “She’s my doctor!” He gnashed his teeth: “Get your twisted thoughts out of your head. Scarlett and I have nothing but a professional relationship!” In our previous life, I had believed that excuse. Naively thinking he just liked to look out for Scarlett. But he’d regretted her for twenty whole years, wishing he could trade my life for hers. Seeing my silence, Nealon, losing patience, grabbed Scarlett’s wrist and left the room, not sparing me another glance. From that day on, he never visited me again. The day I was discharged, it was snowing heavily. With no one to pick me up, I borrowed a pair of crutches and prepared to walk home. As I reached the compound gate, a soldier blocked my path: “Clara, are you being discharged today?” I nodded: “Yes.” “Mr. Dawson sent me.” He grinned: “Mr. Dawson is helping Dr. Scarlett move today. He asked me to tell you to stop by the grocery store on your way home and pick up some nice food for a party for Dr. Scarlett.” I froze. He knew I was being discharged today. But he still chose to help Scarlett move. I forced a bitter smile, leaning on my crutches, and slowly turned back. The snowstorm was too heavy; it took me a full day to walk those ten miles home. Seeing me return, Nealon’s face was grim: “Are you deliberately targeting Scarlett?” “I told you to buy groceries, but you purposely wandered around outside, making her wait all day. What were you thinking? Do you really believe I don’t know?!” “Don’t blame her.” Scarlett gently touched his arm, her eyes filled with feigned hurt: “It’s my fault for not being ready. My mistake.” “It has nothing to do with you. She’s just got a twisted mind.” My husband turned to comfort her, his eyes full of tenderness: “You won’t be disappointed today. I’ll take you out for a nice meal.” Scarlett, a smirk playing on her lips, shot me a triumphant look. Freezing cold, I had no energy to deal with her deliberate provocation. I dragged myself home, hugged my duvet tight, and drifted off to sleep. I don’t know how long I slept before hurried footsteps woke me. It was Nealon’s voice. I instinctively got up to open the door for him. He often forgot his keys, and after years of marriage, getting up at night to let him in had become ingrained in my muscle memory. I painstakingly shuffled to the door, opening it just a crack, but the scene before my eyes made my blood run cold. Nealon, clearly having had too much to drink, pulled Scarlett tightly into his embrace: “Let me hold you a little longer. I don’t want you to go.” She nestled obediently in his arms: “Look at you. We’ll see each other every day from now on. Wherever you go, I go. Always sticking by your side.” “Good. Don’t go back on your word.” Nealon left a deep kiss on her forehead, freely pouring out the suppressed longing of twenty years. I quietly closed the door. A wave of nausea swelled in my throat. I rushed to the bathroom, dry-heaving from morning sickness. “Just a little longer, baby.” I caressed my belly, comforting myself: “When Mommy feels better, I’ll take you away.”

I don’t know how much time passed before Nealon returned, smelling faintly of perfume. He noticed I hadn’t waited up for him and had gone to bed early, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. “I’ll be working late often from now on.” His voice was cold: “Don’t bother me unless it’s something important.” “But I’m pregnant, I—” “Then you just stay home and focus on your pregnancy!” Nealon’s disgust intensified: “Don’t use the child to tie me down.” A bitter taste filled my mouth. It wasn’t until I died in our last life that I learned he always hated me for revealing my pregnancy in the fire, forcing him to save me in front of so many people. He believed I had deliberately used the baby to force him to abandon her. That’s why this time, before I could even speak, he immediately ordered everyone to save Scarlett. I had no energy to care about his disdain. I quietly calculated my departure time. Five more months. In five months, I’d take the college entrance exam. In my previous life, I hadn’t performed well and only got into a mediocre university, a lifelong regret. Since fate had given me a second chance, this time I wanted to aim for the University of Mississippi. Nealon didn’t notice anything amiss. His absence from home actually made things easier; I could study and take care of myself. Five months flew by. My belly was visibly rounded, and the baby’s movements grew more frequent. Nealon, who had consistently ignored me, often staying at Scarlett’s house, suddenly returned home a week before the exam with supplements and toys. “I’ve booked an appointment with a doctor.” He pursed his thin lips: “While you have time, go for a massage; it can ease labor pains.” I was surprised. He actually remembered that in our last life, I had a difficult delivery with our daughter and almost died on the operating table. My heart ached with a bittersweet pang. Even if he didn’t love me, at least he still loved our daughter. “Okay, I’ll go.” I agreed. The next day, I arrived at the hospital early. “I heard you sold your exam spot.” While waiting in line, Mrs. Henderson from the housing compound squeezed next to me and asked: “Other places, you can sell a spot for over a thousand dollars. How much did you get?” My mind buzzed. We only had one exam spot allocated to our compound. I had worked so hard to get the top score and earn that spot; there was no way I would sell it. “I didn’t sell it. How did you know?” I panicked. Mrs. Henderson looked puzzled: “Scarlett has been bragging about going to the exam for ages. You didn’t know? We’re from the same compound; whose spot would she use if not yours?” My heart clenched. I rushed home from the hospital immediately. When I found Nealon, he was celebrating with his friends, sending Scarlett off. Seeing me, everyone’s faces turned sour. “How could you give my spot to her?!” I asked, barely suppressing my anger. “She deserves to go to college more than you do.” Nealon’s gaze fell on my swollen belly: “You just need to focus on your pregnancy and take good care of the baby, be a good mother. Going to college isn’t something you should be thinking about.” “This is the spot *I* earned. You have no right—” “I’m your husband. Of course, I have the right.” He stood up, opened the door, and forcefully pushed me out: “While I still have patience, don’t embarrass yourself any further.” The door slammed shut. Laughter and conversation resumed inside. In my previous life, even though I only attended a mediocre university, with that degree and my solid professional skills, I was favored by my superiors and my career flourished. That’s why, in this life, Nealon was willing to snatch my exam spot and give it to Scarlett. I let out a bitter laugh, and, cradling my belly, I found Mr. Davidson, my superior. “This is my divorce application.”

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I was rushing to fly overseas to close a multi-billion dollar deal with European high society, but my private jet was intercepted right as it was about to take off. A man in a suit stormed onto the plane, yelling: “Who gave you permission to touch my jet? Do you even know how much this thing costs? More than you’ll ever make!” I figured he had mistaken the hangar, so I tried to explain: “Look closely, buddy. This is Hangar #25, and this plane belongs to me.” My explanation only made him angrier. “My plane is in Hangar #25! My wife bought it for me last month, you think I’d be mistaken?” “Get your people off my plane, now, or you’ll regret it!” Seeing how unreasonable he was, I decided to have the airline staff pull up the plane’s ownership records. Just as I was confidently preparing to put this arrogant punk in his place, I heard the bombshell drop from the airline staff. “Brandon, please exit the aircraft as soon as possible. This plane actually belongs to Kamran.” “All clear, ready for takeoff!” “Hold on, we have an emergency on the ground!” Just as the pilot prepared for departure, a sudden warning came from ground control. I ordered a flight attendant to open the cabin door. I wanted to see what the hell was happening. “What are you people doing?! How can so many of you guard this hangar and let someone touch my plane?! Am I paying millions in storage fees every year for nothing?!” Through the cabin door, I saw a sharp-suited young man raging at the hangar attendant. Behind the suited man stood a group of young men and women, all looking pretty smug and mocking him. The attendant, clearly flustered from being yelled at, pointed at me in the cabin doorway and shouted: “This… this really isn’t my fault. When the plane was registered for storage, the owner was only listed as Mr. Kamran.” “That gentleman arrived and said he was the owner, and that his name was Brandon, so I opened the door for him.” Upon hearing this, the young man’s eyes were bloodshot as he stormed onto the plane and roared at us: “Who gave you permission to touch my jet?! Don’t you know how much this thing costs? More than you’ll ever make?!” My flight crew were all people I’d temporarily recruited from the flight base. Seeing the situation, they all looked at me with questioning eyes. “Brandon, this is…” I waved them off, signaling them to stay cool. I turned to size up the young man in the suit. He had a handsome face, but he reeked of alcohol. Probably just some drunk who got the wrong hangar. To avoid any unnecessary drama and keep things moving, I patiently explained: “Hey, buddy, look closely. This is Hangar #25. This plane definitely belongs to me.” “Check the hangar next to it, maybe your plane is parked there.” As soon as I said that, the group of young men and women started openly mocking the suited man: “Kamran, you’ve been bragging about bringing us to see your private jet, and this is it?” “Your claims are a bit outlandish, aren’t they? Your family might have some cash, but do you even know what a Gulfstream 700 costs? Your dad’s net worth isn’t enough for that!” “Let’s just leave. We don’t need this humiliation.” Hearing his friends’ doubts, the suited man started pacing frantically, then grabbed the hangar attendant by the collar: “You were there that day when my wife gave me the plane, right?! You need to vouch for me!” The hangar attendant looked awkward: “I… I think there was something like that, but…” Before the attendant could finish, Kamran eagerly cut him off, boasting to his friends: “See?! Didn’t I tell you I have a private jet? Didn’t I?!”

When his friends heard Kamran really had a private jet, their expressions immediately changed. “Our Kamran really hit the jackpot! He even has a private jet now. You gotta bring us along when you make it big!” “I’m finally getting to fly on a private jet today!” “Are there any wealthy older women out there who give planes as gifts without even dating first? Introduce me to one, seriously!” After hearing his friends’ flattery, Kamran became even more cocky. He grabbed the attendant’s shirt again: “I’m taking my friends to my wife’s birthday party today. Get these clueless idiots out of here, now!” “You mess this up for me, and I’ll end you!” “And check the plane thoroughly, inside and out! If there’s even a scratch, I’ll hold you responsible!” Seeing how serious he looked, I was completely thrown. I even started to doubt if I’d gotten the wrong hangar. I double-checked with my assistant, confirming I hadn’t made a mistake. Now I knew this guy wasn’t drunk and confused; he was just trying to use my plane to show off in front of his friends. And of course, this had to happen when I was already rushing to Europe for a crucial deal. Just as I was about to step forward and kick them out, the attendant walked over, looking annoyed. “Sir, illegally claiming ownership of a private jet is a serious offense. Please leave immediately, or else…” “Are you kidding me?! He says it’s his, and you just believe him?!” “This plane is clearly mine! I bought it for over a hundred million dollars from an American manufacturer last year! He just opens his mouth, and you decide the owner has changed? Are you kidding me? This airline is ridiculous!” The attendant looked wronged: “But… you both claim to be Mr. Kamran, so who is the real…” “Of course it’s me! This jet is mine!” Before the attendant could finish, Kamran jumped in, yelling. Watching this jerk constantly messing with my schedule, the anger inside me surged. “I’m warning you, there’s a limit to how much you can front. You’re consistently disrupting my travel plans. I’ll sue your ass!” “Get off my plane, now!” He arrogantly shoved me in response to my warning: “I haven’t even accused you of stealing my damn plane yet, and you’re trying to kick me off? Who gave you the guts?!” “Get your people off my plane, now, or you’ll regret it!” My assistant, seeing how disrespectful he was, stepped forward to confront him, but I stopped him. Time was short; I couldn’t waste it with this meaningless argument. So I directly asked him: “You say this plane is yours? Then tell me, what’s its tail number?” Only the owner would know the tail number. I asked this question to publicly humiliate him, to see if he’d keep up the act. My flight crew and Kamran’s friends all looked at Kamran, waiting to see if he could answer. I stood there coldly, ready to watch him make a fool of himself. But his next words completely stunned me. “Tail number B-9527, Gulfstream 700 model, priced at over one hundred million dollars. Did I get that right?” “Now get lost!” Watching Kamran’s arrogant face, my jaw dropped. Not only did he know the plane’s tail number, but he also knew its exact price. This was beyond strange. While the base model of this Gulfstream usually starts around 90 million dollars, the manufacturer customizes the interior configurations for each client, so every plane’s price is unique. How did he know the exact price of *this* plane? What was going on?

The flight crew, hearing Kamran rattle off the tail number, immediately gathered around me, looking worried. The pilot spoke first: “Brandon, is this plane really yours? Don’t get us all in trouble; this aircraft is worth hundreds of millions. If it comes to litigation, we could end up in serious trouble, even jail.” “Brandon, your offer was generous, but the risk for this charter is too high. I can’t take it.” The maintenance engineer outright demanded to quit. Realizing this was about to become a major issue, I quickly reassured everyone: “Everyone, calm down. While I don’t know how he found out my plane’s tail number, I can guarantee you, this jet is absolutely mine.” “Look, these are the emails from when I purchased the plane from Gulfstream.” The crew members looked at the emails on my phone and calmed down a bit. “I’ve already sent someone to rush the airline to pull up this plane’s ownership records to prove it’s mine.” “When they do, I’m not only kicking this guy, who’s illegally claiming my plane, off the aircraft, but I’m also pressing charges against him.” Hearing me say that, the crew members all returned to their workstations. Kamran, hearing I was getting the airline to check ownership records, burst into laughter. “You’re quite the actor, aren’t you? Checking ownership? Or are you hoping they’ll clear a path for you to bolt?” I couldn’t be bothered with this jerk. I’d deal with him harshly once the airline staff confirmed ownership. Seeing I was ignoring him, he started to ridicule the crew: “You people are so stupid! Can’t you see he’s a complete fraud, a thief?!” “He’s stealing my plane and trying to drag you all down with him! Don’t you realize that?!” His friends also chimed in to support him: “You guys are so naive! Is a Gulfstream something just anyone can own?” “Look at our Kamran; he’s wearing Armani and a Rolex. Only someone of his caliber deserves to own such a thing.” “And look at him! His clothes don’t even have a logo, clearly bargain bin finds. This guy probably couldn’t even afford a toy plane, let alone a private jet!” My assistant, unable to stand their mockery, couldn’t help but retort. “Honestly, such ignorance! You people have no idea!” “Our boss’s jacket is made of French vicuña wool, custom-tailored by the top luxury brand Loro Piana over six months. A single jacket is worth half a million dollars, and you call it a bargain bin find? With your level of taste, do you really think you deserve a private jet?!” My assistant’s retort left Kamran and his friends speechless, their faces flushed red with embarrassment. To get his pride back, Kamran pointed at me and yelled: “Who are you calling ignorant? Who doesn’t deserve a private jet?!” “When the airline staff gets here and proves this plane is mine, both of you will get on your knees and apologize to me, or you’re not leaving!” I let out a cold laugh: “We’ll see about that. It’s not set in stone who’ll be kneeling then!” Just then, the airline’s personnel finally arrived. I looked at him triumphantly: “Did you sort out the plane’s ownership?” The airline staff member nodded gravely: “Yes, it’s been confirmed.” I glanced at the arrogant Kamran and smirked: “Since it’s confirmed, then please remove these irrelevant individuals.” As I spoke, I gestured toward Kamran and his crew, signaling the staff to remove them from the plane. The staff member, however, remained still, looking at me with a sincere expression. After a moment, he said something that made my jaw drop: “Brandon, please take your people and exit the aircraft as soon as possible. The true owner of this plane is Kamran.”

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The storm raged outside. I’d just settled into my first-class seat when a flight attendant approached, her expression apologetic. “Ms. Sterling, I’m terribly sorry. Due to overbooking and the captain’s request, we need you to take the next flight out.” My eyes darted to my seat. There, wrapped in my husband Blake Harrison’s pilot jacket, sat Chloe Davis, his childhood sweetheart. She was curled up, her face half-buried in the uniform collar. “Ava, I’m so sorry…It’s just so stormy, and I’m so scared…” I ignored her, pushing past the flight attendant and heading straight for the cockpit door. Blake emerged from his seat. His gaze was cold, final. “Ava, Chloe’s always been timid. She only feels safe when I’m flying the plane. As my wife, you should understand. Let her have the seat.” “So you do remember I’m your wife?” I let out a dry laugh. “Three years ago, when my appendix nearly burst and I begged you to fly me home for surgery, what was your excuse?” Blake’s frown deepened, his annoyance plain at being challenged in front of so many people. He closed the distance between us, his voice dropping into the cold, condescending register he used on junior staff. “Regulations prohibit transporting an unstable patient. It was a policy call.” My gaze shifted past him to Chloe. Her phone screen glowed in her lap, the lock screen showing a brazen selfie taken from inside a cockpit, her cheek pressed against Blake’s in the pilot’s seat. A fresh wave of fury crested in me. “And you must know the regulations prohibit taking passengers into the cockpit for photos?” Blake stiffened, a flush of anger creeping up his neck. “Chloe was curious. I let her look for one minute. That’s all.” Just then, Chloe let out a sharp yelp. The paper cup in her hand “slipped,” sending a splash of scalding water across her own skin. “Oh! That hurts so much!” Blake’s head snapped toward a flight attendant. “What are you waiting for? Get a burn kit. Now!” Then he turned to me and ordered the flight attendant to escort me off the plane. A staff member stood awkwardly beside me, holding my carry-on. I snatched it from his hands and stepped back into the relentless rain, soaked through in seconds. I stood there, watching the plane bearing my family’s crest taxi toward the runway. Finally, I pulled out my phone and made a call.

I spent the night in the VIP lounge. Early the next morning, a SnapChat from Blake appeared: a screenshot of a $5,000 transfer. A voice message followed seconds later, his tone dripping with condescending reassurance. “Last night was an emergency. Sorry for the inconvenience. Use this to book another first-class ticket, or buy yourself a bag to cheer up. Chloe’s young and fragile. Don’t pick fights with her.” I didn’t reply. I just blocked him. The house was silent when I returned. On the table sat a neatly wrapped gift bag-Blake’s “apology,” delivered after he landed the night before. I opened it. Inside lay a bottle of perfume, a generic staple from the duty-free shop. The irony was almost physical: it was the exact “man-magnet” fragrance Chloe had raved about on her social media. Before I could even move to throw it away, the front door slammed open. Blake was back. He still hadn’t grasped the gravity of anything, walking in with a couple of his co-pilots, their laughter and casual banter filling the silent house. Chloe followed close behind him, clinging to his arm like a trophy. When he saw me on the sofa, Blake’s smile wavered for a second. He walked over and gave my shoulder a patronizing pat. “Why are you ignoring my messages? Still in a mood?” “My friends are here. Chloe even bought groceries to cook as her way of apologizing. Be the bigger person.” His co-pilots joined in, their voices a chorus of false diplomacy. “Blake does care, Ava. He bought you that perfume.” “Come on, Chloe’s not as strong as you. Just let it go.” I sat perfectly still, watching them. Watching them systematically dismantle my feelings and expect me to smile through it. Then I rose slowly, my eyes locked on the hand he still had on my shoulder. “Take it off.” Blake froze. “Ava, are you serious? I told you it was a special situation! Can you stop being so unreasonable?” I picked up the freshly printed documents from the table and slapped them against his face. “All I know is you abused your authority. You illegally kicked me out of first class and took my seat. That’s a serious violation of passenger rights!” One of the papers drifted to Chloe’s feet. It was a high-resolution security footage screenshot of her entering the cockpit. Blake’s face instantly went ashen. He snapped his head towards me, his voice trembling. “You… you pulled the security footage? Are you crazy? That’s classified company information!” “Oh, so now it’s classified?” I sneered, taking a step closer. “Furthermore, you brought an unauthorized person into the cockpit. You know the charges for that under aviation law, don’t you?”

The tension was suffocating. Chloe, seeing things turning bad, burst into tears. She suddenly clutched her stomach, collapsing into Blake’s arms with a pained gasp. “Blake… my stomach hurts so bad…” “Our baby… please tell me our baby will be okay!” Her words hit like a bombshell, exploding in the living room. The co-pilots exchanged stunned glances, their faces a mix of shock and embarrassment. Blake looked as if he’d found a lifeline. His initial panic instantly transformed into pure elation as he tightly embraced Chloe. “Baby? Are you saying… you’re pregnant?” Chloe blushed, giving me a timid glance before nodding. Blake sharply looked up at me, the alarm in his eyes replaced by self-righteous confidence. “Ava, did you hear that?” “Chloe is carrying my child! That’s why I was so concerned about her, why I insisted she take that seat! We’ve been married for seven years, and you couldn’t give me a child. My mother has been hounding us for years! Now Chloe has my baby, how dare you be jealous?” The more he spoke, the more justified he felt, his back straightening with arrogance. “For the sake of the child, let’s forget about this. Go ahead and destroy those documents, then call the company and make sure this whole thing is swept under the rug.” “If you’re obedient, once the baby is born, you can be the godmother. I won’t divorce you. The Mrs. Harrison title will still be yours.” I looked at his despicable face, my stomach churning with disgust. Even a dog I’d raised for seven years would show more loyalty. Yet, the man I’d adored for seven years was now using the cruelest words to attack my deepest wound. I said nothing, merely turned and walked to the foyer, opening the front door. “Ava! Did you hear me?!” Blake assumed I’d caved. He started to walk towards the bedroom with Chloe in his arms. “Go make the bed for Chloe; she needs to rest.” I watched him with a mocking smile. Seeing me unmoving, his brows furrowed deeply. He stopped, turned around, and spoke in a tone so entitled it was almost a command. “What are you standing there for? Didn’t you hear Chloe say she’s in pain? The master bedroom mattress is custom Italian, good for the back. Go change the sheets, get fresh ones. Don’t use the ones you’ve slept on; that’s just gross.” The air in the living room solidified. The co-pilots, who had been watching the spectacle unfold, suddenly found their phones fascinating. To ask me, a woman worth billions, to change sheets and make a bed for his mistress. Only Blake would have the nerve. I stood rooted to the spot, my nails biting into my palms, yet a cold laugh escaped me. “Blake, have you forgotten? This mansion is mine. The master bedroom is my room. And that bed? I paid for that, too.” In his arms, Chloe shrank back at just the right moment, her eyes reddening, her voice dropping to a faint, trembling whisper. “Blake… please don’t fight with Ava over me. It’s okay if I don’t sleep in the master bedroom. Even though the doctor said I have signs of a potential miscarriage and can’t endure a hard mattress, I can manage…” She bit her lip, putting on a heartbroken, understanding look, yet every word she uttered was designed to throw me under the bus. As expected, Blake’s fury ignited. He carefully placed Chloe on the sofa and strode towards me. That overbearing presence, which I’d once cherished as security in our marriage, now felt like a knife twisting in my gut. “Ava, when did you become so malicious? Is a human life less important to you than a bed?” He seized my wrist with shocking force, dragging me towards the stairs. “If you won’t move, I’ll make you move!”

“Blake! Let me go!” I fought wildly, stumbling as he hauled me up the stairs. At the master bedroom door, he wrenched it open and shoved me inside. He swept a hand toward my scattered belongings, his gaze pure ice. “This room is Chloe’s now. All your perfumes, your makeup, this whole pile of useless junk…I want it gone!” Then he grabbed the frame from my dresser, the one with our third anniversary photo, and smashed it on the floor. CRASH! Glass shards scattered. The smiling faces in the photo, once so tender, were now fractured and sliced apart by the fragments. “No!” The cry tore from my throat as I lunged instinctively. Beneath it lay a cherished family photo of my parents and me, my most precious keepsake. “What do you think you’re doing?!” Blake didn’t give me a chance to react. Eager to assert his dominance in front of his friends and mistress, and perhaps to cover up his own guilt, his actions grew more brutal. He grabbed a crystal ornament from my bedside table, a limited edition coming-of-age gift my father had given me before he passed away. “What is this garbage doing here, taking up space?!” He raised his hand, ready to hurl it into the hallway. “Blake! That was from my father!” I threw myself forward, a woman possessed, clawing to get it back. During our struggle, a flicker of impatient brutality crossed Blake’s eyes. “Get out of my way! Don’t push your luck!” He swung his arm, shoving me hard. Wearing high heels, my balance was already precarious. I lost control, falling backward. A searing pain exploded in my lower back as I slammed into the sharp corner of a wooden dresser, and my vision blurred. But what I couldn’t avoid was the shattered glass on the floor. My hand slammed onto the fragments. “Agh-” Blood instantly gushed out, staining the expensive hand-knotted rug and soaking the shattered family photo. Pain. Excruciating pain. I slumped to the floor, clutching my bleeding hand, my face ashen as I stared at the man I had loved for seven years. Blake’s eyes visibly flashed with alarm when he saw the blood. But he quickly straightened his back, looking down at me, his voice devoid of guilt, instead filled with blame. “You brought this on yourself by trying to grab it. Whose fault is that but your own?” “Ava, look at you, acting like some kind of raging lunatic. Where’s your elegant upbringing? No wonder you can’t keep a man.” Chloe heard the commotion downstairs and leaned over the stairwell. She covered her mouth, her face a mask of feigned terror. “My god! So much blood. Blake, is Ava hurting herself just to manipulate you? How pathetic.” Her words extinguished the last trace of hesitation in Blake’s eyes. He stepped over my bleeding hand as if it were a piece of trash on the floor. “If you love this mess so much, you can sleep with it in the guest room. And if I hear one more sound from you that upsets Chloe…” He crouched, his hand gripping my chin and forcing my head up. His fingers dug in with a pressure that threatened to crack bone. “Ava, don’t make me hit a woman.” “Apologize to Chloe. And get out!” At that moment- BANG! The front door downstairs exploded inward with a deafening crash. A voice, old but ringing with absolute authority, echoed through the mansion. “Let’s see who dares to lay a finger on Ms. Sterling!”

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The year I turned ten, my mother remarried, and we moved into the Hayes estate. My stepbrother, Asher Hayes, called me a parasite. Once, he pushed me down the stairs. He just stood there, his eyes glacial, watching me bleed on the floor. “Don’t get it twisted. Your home-wrecker mother marrying my father doesn’t make you family. I’ll make sure you’re gone. One way or another.” He shredded my homework. He ruined my school skirts with permanent ink. The humiliation never stopped. No matter how hard I tried to please him, his cruelty was a constant. Then, in college, his best friend Finn Miller told me he had feelings for me. Miraculously, from that day on, Asher left me alone. I let Finn into my bed. I saw him as my salvation. The very next day, I overheard them talking. Asher’s voice was pure venom. “Did you get it on tape? Her first time?” Finn laughed, the sound cruel and satisfied. “Of Course！She was like a dead fish in bed.” I sobbed silently. My salvation was just another layer of Asher’s revenge. He had no idea I’d just submitted my application to study abroad. I was never coming back.

Asher took a slow drag from his cigarette. “We ruin her reputation. Then we’ll see how long she dares to keep freeloading.” “What if she can’t take it and…does something drastic?” Asher shot him a look, a cold scoff escaping his lips. “You sound worried. Don’t tell me you actually fell for her.” Finn’s denial was instant. “Never! She was just a game.” “Chloe’s coming back. You think I have time to waste on Blair?” I stood frozen outside the door, my heart turning to ice. Chloe Davis was their childhood friend, practically family, and Finn’s first love. I knew Asher hated me. In his mind, my mother’s affair drove his mother to jump. So his grief hardened into rage, and I was its new target. Even after I started dating Finn, Asher’s disdain never faded. But the outright torment stopped. I thought he was finally starting to accept me. I thought I was finally getting a brother, that I could pour all my hope into something normal with Asher. I never imagined it was a setup, worse than anything he’d done before. He and Finn were best friends. How could I have been so naive to think Finn actually liked me? I had overestimated myself. A hard lump rose in my throat, bitterness flooding my mouth. I turned and fled the house like a woman possessed. It was pouring outside. I was soaked. The moment I got home, I fumbled for my phone and texted Professor Sterling. “Professor, I’m in. I’ll join the project abroad.” He’d been my mentor through the international circuit, a heavyweight in smart technology. used to kill myself trying to be the best-all for a shred of recognition from my family. But no one ever noticed. Not my mother. And certainly not Asher. The project was highly classified, meaning I’d be locked in a lab for three years. I’d turned it down without a second thought. None of that mattered now. Still shivering from the rain, I curled into a tight ball and fell into a feverish sleep. I woke from a nightmare, my skin burning. As I tried to push myself up for medicine, my bedroom door slammed open. Before I could speak, my mother stood there, her face twisted with rage. She hurled a stack of photos directly at me. “Blair! How could you? Are you so desperate you’d sleep with anyone?” Finn had taken those photos after I blacked out. My vision went white. A cold, hollow despair bloomed in my chest. They hadn’t wasted a single night. By morning, copies of those photos were everywhere. Just two days before, Finn had been swearing on his life. “I’ll take care of you. We’ll get married right after graduation.” He’d plied me with so much alcohol, and eventually, I caved under his constant pressure. He’d pulled me back to bed repeatedly, and I’d let myself get lost in the moment, caught up in what I thought was love. Seeing my silence, my mother kept pressing. “Say something! Who did this? If these get out, Mr. Hayes and I will be a laughingstock!” She never cared about me, only about herself. But when I choked out Finn’s name, my mother fell silent. Then the accusations began. “Finn Miller? His family is untouchable. Do you have any idea what you’ve dragged us into?” “And you were together, weren’t you? Even with proof, what can we possibly do? You should have known better than to let it get this far.” I stared at her, my eyes widening in pure disbelief. She avoided my gaze. “The photos have been taken down. People will forget soon enough.” Finn’s family had power and wealth the Hayes couldn’t challenge. The door clicked shut. I looked up and saw Asher standing at the top of the stairs, a cold smirk on his lips, his gaze gleaming with undisguised triumph. He’d expected this all along. The truth was irrelevant. A wave of helplessness crashed over me, pulling me under. I slumped against the wall, sobbing uncontrollably.

My phone lit up and wouldn’t stop. One notification after another, each a new harassing message. Their words were vile, turning my stomach. My hands trembled as I blocked every single number. My mother said she’d arranged a long leave of absence from school for me. I wouldn’t have to go back. I didn’t want her to know about my plans to go abroad, so I’d have to go back to school myself to handle the paperwork. She was always too busy to care about me; she probably wouldn’t even notice I was gone. Even though the photos had been deleted, almost everyone around me knew what had happened. Their gazes were filled with scrutiny and mockery, accompanied by whispers. “She always seemed so innocent, but underneath it all, she’s apparently a total slut. Who knows how many guys she’s been with?” “Who knows, maybe she’s got some kind of STD. Stay away from her.” A tidal wave of shame and terror crashed over me. My heart tightened painfully, and I somehow managed to leave the university. Walking in a daze, I was suddenly blocked by a group of men. The leader pulled out his phone, showing my intimate photos, his eyes raking over me in a sickening way. “That’s you in these photos, right? Nice body.” “So you like to get wild, huh? What’s your rate per night?” “Come hang out with us, dollface. I want a taste of Finn Miller’s girl.” My body stiffened, and I instinctively took a half-step back. “What do you want?” They exchanged disgusting grins, and without a word, overpowered my struggles, dragging me into the dark alley. They snarled, pressing down on me. “Get off me! Don’t touch me!” But my hands and feet were pinned, leaving me powerless to fight. All I could do was watch as their filthy hands reached for my body. The sound of tearing fabric filled my ears. “Don’t struggle. No one’s coming to save you. If you make it enjoyable for us, maybe we’ll go easy on you.” I bit down hard on my lip, the metallic taste of blood filling my mouth. Taking advantage of the moment they started to undress, I quickly pulled out the small pocket knife hidden in my bag. My hand trembled as I held the blade. “Don’t you dare come any closer!” The first time I was harassed, my mother told me it was my fault for “dressing provocatively,” and that I shouldn’t wear skirts anymore. But I was wearing my school uniform. If Asher hadn’t shown up then, I would have been completely lost. Ever since then, I’d always carried a small pocket knife. The fear in my heart reached its peak. But they just smirked, unfazed, even trying to snatch the knife from my hand. In the struggle, the blade sank into my chest. The leader’s eyes widened in panic, as if afraid of a murder charge. He let go of me. I collapsed to the ground, blood soaking my clothes. My vision blurred, darkness closing in. But I could still hear them whispering as someone made a call. “Asher, we’ve got a problem. She just stabbed herself.” Asher’s voice came through the phone. “Is she dead?” Then Finn’s voice. “Asher, you’re a real psycho. You actually hired goons to jump her.” Asher scoffed. “I just wanted to scare the shit out of her. If she’s suicidal, that’s on her, not me.” “If she’s not dead, just dump her at the hospital. Make sure she never finds out who sent those guys.” My heart felt like it was being brutally squeezed, the pain almost suffocating. So… he really wanted to destroy me. Then, the words I’d accidentally overheard him say resurfaced in my mind, chilling me to the bone. “I know my mom’s death wasn’t her fault, not really. But I still refuse to let her have any peace.” “My dad might feel guilty towards them, but I sure as hell don’t.” Tears streamed down my face, unstoppable. I finally lost consciousness.

When I woke up again, I was in a hospital bed. Finn was sitting beside me. When he saw me open my eyes, he immediately leaned closer, concern etched on his face. “Blair, baby, you’re finally awake! I’ve been worried sick.” When I didn’t respond, his gaze flickered nervously. “I saw those photos, Blair. I’m so sorry. I was out drinking, got totally wasted, and someone must have grabbed my phone by mistake and posted them.” “Don’t worry, I made sure they were all taken down. And don’t give it another thought. I don’t care about any of that.” I watched him, my heart a dead, empty space. He was the real culprit, yet he was playing the savior. If he hadn’t relentlessly pursued me when I was at my most vulnerable, Finn and I would never have been together. But before I could speak, his phone rang. He murmured softly into the phone, then turned and walked out, not even sparing me a glance. Finn had barely left when Asher walked in. He looked at my miserable state, a sneer twisting his lips as he spoke. “Guess where he’s running off to? Chloe’s back in town, and she’s apparently having trouble sleeping. He’s gone to comfort her, probably put her to bed. He’s not going to protect you anymore, so don’t get any ideas.” At his words, my body trembled uncontrollably. Chloe Davis was their childhood friend, practically family, and Finn’s first love. Asher’s mom used to say Chloe looked just like her, so Asher had always spoiled Chloe rotten, giving her whatever she wanted. I cherished Asher, truly wanted him as my brother, and always tried to do right by him. But it never mattered. One word from Chloe and I was forgotten. I closed my eyes, a self-mocking smile twisting my lips. Only now did I truly see it: neither Finn nor Asher ever truly cared about me. Normally, I’d be scrambling to apologize, trying to win him over. But I just turned my head away, my voice flat. “Got it. It won’t happen again.” Asher paused, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “Finn’s not here, Blair. Who are you trying to play pitiful for?” He stormed out. My injuries were severe, so I stayed in the hospital for a full week. My mother heard about it, sent me some money for the hospital bill, then left on a business trip with Mr. Hayes. She never even came to see me. I was alone even on the day I was discharged. I took advantage of their absence to start packing. There wasn’t much to take, really. Most of the things I once held dear were just Asher’s handouts, things he’d given me out of pity. Now, they meant nothing. The only thing that mattered was the bracelet my grandmother had left for me. My grandmother raised me until she passed away; that’s when I moved in with my mother. My grandmother had personally placed the bracelet on my wrist before she died, wishing me a safe and smooth life. But when I opened the box, the bracelet was gone. Vanished. I searched the entire room but couldn’t find it. It wasn’t until I checked the security footage that I saw Asher had taken it. But he wouldn’t answer my calls. When I finally found him, he and Finn were in a private room, throwing a birthday party for Chloe. Someone from the group chuckled, “Finn, you broke up with your smarty-pants girlfriend. Why don’t you send her my way?” Finn just glanced at him, saying nothing. Asher, though, flicked his cigarette butt into an ashtray, his voice cuttingly cold. “Why ruin Chloe’s birthday by talking about her? Don’t even mention her name, it’s a buzzkill.” My fists clenched. The moment I pushed open the door, everyone inside fell silent. I met Asher’s chillingly indifferent gaze, and cut straight to the chase. “Give me my bracelet back.” Before he could open his mouth, Chloe lifted her wrist, a delicate bracelet glinting. “You’re not talking about this, are you? Asher gave it to me…” One glance, and my heart clenched. It was Grandma’s bracelet. “That bracelet is mine. It’s incredibly important to me. Please give it back.” Asher scoffed, his voice like poison. “So what if it is? You live under my roof. Everything here belongs to me. I can take whatever I damn well please.” My nails dug into my palms, crescent moons blooming in my flesh, but I felt nothing, just a cold numbness. “You can take anything else, but not this. That was my grandmother’s…” Just then, Finn cut me off. “It’s just a damn bracelet, Blair. I’ll get you a new one, okay? Chloe loves this one, so let’s just call it your birthday gift to her.”

With a few dismissive words, he’d sealed the bracelet’s fate. A flash of smug triumph crossed Chloe’s eyes. “That’s right! I really love this bracelet. Just name your price. I’ll pay whatever you want.” But I stubbornly shook my head. “I don’t want money. I just want my bracelet back.” Asher glared, his voice sharp. “Give you an inch, and you’ll take a mile, won’t you? If you’re not going to take the money, then get out!” Chloe grabbed his hand, her voice soft and placating. “Asher, don’t be mad. I’ll talk to her.” She walked closer, leaning in to whisper in my ear. “Don’t think that just because I was gone, you could play sweet for Asher, or hook up with Finn to be his girlfriend, and replace me. I’m always going to be the most important person to them.” “You want the bracelet? Fine. If you genuinely get down on your knees and beg me, I might consider giving it back.” My breath hitched, a silent gasp caught in my throat. It was the only thing my grandmother had left me. Thinking of her kind, gentle face, my heart felt like it was being brutally squeezed by an invisible hand. Slowly, deliberately, I bent my knees, and knelt down right there, in front of everyone. “Please, give it back to me.” Asher and Finn just sat on the couch, watching with cold indifference, making no move to stop me. “You really are pathetic, aren’t you? You think getting on your knees and playing the victim will work? Who are you trying to emotionally manipulate here?” Chloe tilted her head, her eyes glinting with a chilling malice. “Okay then. Here.” The words had barely left her lips when she released her grip. “Oops. My bad. Slipped.” She’d done it on purpose. Absolutely. My chest heaved, my vision blurring with rage, and I slapped her so hard my palm stung. The next second, I was brutally shoved, sent sprawling right onto the scattered pieces. Finn scooped Chloe into his arms, comforting her, gently blowing on her reddening cheek. Asher’s face was thunderous. “Blair! How dare you hit her in front of me? Apologize to Chloe, right now!” His words were like a thousand knives, slicing my heart to ribbons. When I stayed silent, he continued to mock me. “Do you actually think that pathetic bracelet from a dead person is worth all this? How much longer are you going to be a psycho about it?” My whole body trembled, and then, unable to take another second of it, I slapped him. “Asher! It’s not a worthless piece of junk! It’s the most important thing I have, and you had absolutely no right to give it away!” “She deliberately shattered it. I’m not apologizing.” Asher, his face a mask of fury, stomped right on the scattered pieces. “I actually felt a shred of pity for you. You really know how to push my buttons, don’t you? So invested in this damn bracelet, huh?” “Hold her down! Make her press her forehead to these broken pieces! She’s not leaving until she’s done it ninety-nine times!” Someone quickly pinned me down, forcing my head to repeatedly hit the sharp shards. A sharp, agonizing pain radiated from my forehead, but it was nothing compared to the searing pain in my heart. In moments, warm blood trickled down my cheeks, splattering onto the floor. My face was a mess of blood, and I was barely conscious through the pain. Asher felt an inexplicable tightness clawing at his chest. “Do you finally get it?” I didn’t utter a sound. He scoffed. “Keep going. Until she understands her place.” Finn suddenly spoke. “Asher, she’s going to get seriously hurt if this keeps up.” Asher just casually waved his hand. “What, Finn? Feeling sorry for her? Don’t forget who took those photos.” Just then, Chloe suddenly slumped, collapsing dramatically. Finn scooped her up without a second thought, not even sparing me a glance as he turned and walked out. His face was etched with a panic I’d never seen him display, not once, for me. Asher looked at me, a flicker of irritation in his eyes. “See? Finn never cared about you. Don’t dream about what isn’t yours. You don’t deserve it.” “You lay a finger on Chloe, and you’ll answer to all of us. She’s family.” After they left, I dragged myself to the hospital to get patched up. I was just stepping back out onto the street when Professor Sterling called. “Blair, we might have to leave earlier than planned.” Back at the hospital, Asher found himself feeling an odd, unsettling restlessness. Back at the hospital, an odd, gnawing unease had settled in Asher’s gut. He shook the feeling off and walked into Chloe’s room, only to find her beaming, phone in hand. “I still can’t believe it! ” she chirped. “Asher, Finn…you actually made Blair disappear. All for me.” The instant the words left her mouth, both men’s expressions hardened.

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Three years ago, he saved me from a burning wreck. After that, he became the only light in my world. Until I heard him laugh to his best friend. “Her?” he said, his voice dripping with contempt. “Just a compliant little puppet.” Now I knew. Even our fated meeting was a lie. In my arms, I held his iPad. It hummed with every guarded secret of his empire. He used to whisper that the private videos were keepsakes of our love. Now I knew the truth. They were his special gift for my brother’s IPO day. He came home late one rainy night, tipsy, his eyes drifting to the date circled in red on the calendar. “Baby,” he smiled, a familiar, cruel amusement in his eyes. “I was just thinking about the unforgettable surprise I have planned for you that day.” I looked up and smiled back. “What a coincidence. I’ve prepared quite the surprise for you, too.” Vivian’s POV “Maxwell, level with us. You never actually fell for Vivian, did you?” A low, mocking chuckle drifted from inside the room. Outside the door, my hand froze in mid-air. The motion of knocking died instantly. Then came that familiar voice-lazy, smooth, and utterly cold. “Fall for her? Vincent is the biggest rival I’ll ever have. I live to watch him burn.” He paused, as if remarking on the weather. “His sister was merely a convenient pawn.” A deafening buzz exploded in my head. My blood ran hot, then ice-cold in an instant. I clutched Maxwell’s iPad to my chest – a device he never let leave his side. It held the very lifeblood of the entire Maxwell Corporation. Tonight’s meeting was critical. I’d been so worried he might forget this vital thing that I’d rushed here from the yacht, just to deliver it. My every thought had been for him. For Maxwell. But now, I was the punchline to a cosmic joke. The chatter and laughter from inside the room continued, every humiliating word twisting like a knife in my chest. “Ha! I knew it. So the plan’s still a go? You’re really releasing those videos when Vincent’s company rings the bell?” “Of course.” Maxwell’s voice carried a note of grim satisfaction. I’m just deciding on the perfect delivery method. That day is the gift. I think he’s going to love it.” Videos… My mind reeled back again. One hour earlier. The master suite of the private yacht was bathed in a soft, intimate light. My hair, a wild tangle, was splayed across his sculpted chest. My voice came out raw, spent. “Please, stop filming.” How did Maxwell respond then? His chest shook with a quiet laugh. Leaning in, his hot breath brushed my ear, the cold light of the phone screen washing over my flushed skin. “Good girl.It’s just for me. A keepsake, for when I’m away and missing you.” He always knew how to make refusal impossible. I had believed it was the ultimate intimacy. Now I knew it was a “special gift,” meticulously wrapped for my brother and me. Three years of tenderness. Starting from that perfectly staged ‘rescue,’ to every promise breathed into my ear-it was all an elaborate lie. “You have to admit, Maxwell, it was brilliant. That ‘out-of-control’ race car crash three years ago. Without that masterful performance, do you think Vivian-that pampered little heiress-would have ever let you play her for three whole years?” Three years ago, a race car spun out of control. He pulled me from the burning wreck like a guardian angel. He was my hero. The only light in my world. Even that meeting had been a lie. The iPad in my hand weighed a ton. I was the pathetic clown in this twisted tragedy. Just an hour earlier, Maxwell had kissed my forehead, that familiar gesture. “I have an important meeting. The captain will take you home. I’ll be there as soon as it’s over.” I’d nodded, believing I was the happiest woman alive. Happy? “Miss?” The waiter’s voice pulled me back. I shoved the iPad into his hands, my own trembling violently. “Give this to Maxwell. Please. Just…say you found it. Don’t tell him I was here.” Before he could reply, I turned and ran, as if escaping, rushing into the elevator.

Vivian’s POV I don’t even know how I got back to the villa. The villa was pitch black. This was supposed to be Maxwell’s and my safe haven. Our matching couple’s slippers were still in the entryway. Photos from our trip to Europe hung on the wall, and his suit jacket, which he’d casually tossed aside that morning, lay on the sofa. Every single thing, at this moment, felt like it was mocking my stupidity. My phone vibrated in my pocket, jarringly loud in the dead silence. I mechanically pulled it out. The screen lit up – Vincent. I answered. Before I could speak, tears streamed down my face. No sound, just uncontrollable sobs. “Viv, what’s wrong? Are you crying?” Vincent’s voice was always so gentle, always the first to sense when something was amiss with me. “Vin…” I only managed one syllable. My throat felt choked with cotton, unable to form words. “Did that jerk Maxwell hurt you?” Vincent’s voice instantly turned icy. He never liked Maxwell, enduring him only because I did. I bit down hard on my lip, swallowing my sobs. I couldn’t tell him. I knew my brother too well; he’d rush over without a second thought, even if it meant risking the entire Vincent family fortune. That was exactly what Maxwell wanted. He’d spent three years setting this trap. I couldn’t let my brother fall into it because of me. I took a deep breath, forcing calm into my voice. “No, we… we just had an arrangement.” “Vin, I’m tired. I want to come home.” Silence hung on the line for a few seconds. “Then come home.” His voice held a solid, unwavering strength. “Don’t think about a thing. I’ll take care of everything.” “I’ll find you a fiancé who actually deserves you.” “Break it off. Handle what you need to, and come back. Now.” “Okay.” I nodded, the rain mixing with the salt of my tears, a bitter taste on my lips. “I’m sorry, Vincent. For all these years of making you worry. I’m coming home. I’ll listen to you now.” After hanging up, my legs gave out, and I couldn’t stand anymore. I rushed into the bathroom, turned the water to its hottest, and scrubbed myself fiercely from head to toe. My skin turned crimson, as if I were trying to rub off a layer. Dressed in clean clothes, I sat at my desk and opened a new diary. The rain beat down outside. My hand, holding the pen, hadn’t quite stopped trembling. One: Get rid of all his things. Two: Resign from the dance company. Three: Say goodbye to everyone in this city. Four: Delete the videos from his phone. I took out my calendar and found the date of Vincent’s company’s IPO – Wall Street’s bell-ringing ceremony. I circled it heavily with a red marker. Downstairs, the sound of a key turning in the lock. “Circling the date so you won’t forget?” A voice, lazy and laced with the scent of whiskey, came from the doorway. My body stiffened, the pen scratching a jagged line across the paper. Maxwell leaned against the doorframe, the first two buttons of his shirt undone. His eyes were glazed, a slow, knowing smile on his lips. “Baby, I was just thinking about the unforgettable surprise I have planned for you that day.” I closed the diary, lifted my head to meet his gaze, and forced out a stiff smile, “Oh really? What a coincidence. I’ve prepared quite the surprise for you, too.”

Vivian’s POV Maxwell seemed intrigued by my words. He walked over and embraced me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder. A wave of nausea washed over me. I fought hard against the urge to push him away. “Oh?” His breath warmed my ear. “What surprise has my darling prepared for me?” My heart pounded, but I feigned composure, my nails digging deeper into my palms. I turned my head slightly, maintaining that stiff smile. “What kind of surprise would it be if I told you now?” I paused, then lowered my voice even further, “By the way, Maxwell, should we invite my brother that day?” Maxwell’s body visibly stiffened. The arm around me tightened instinctively, causing a pang of pain. Then, he let out a low chuckle. “Sure,” his voice returned to its usual lazy tone. “Let him see whose man his most cherished sister belongs to now.” “Bowing to love, it’s embarrassing, but for you, I’ll accept it.” His words were filled with tender affection, but to my ears, they sounded only incredibly ironic and sickening. Every word reminded me of the cruel truths I had just overheard. I lowered my eyelashes, hiding the coldness in my eyes. I had to delete those videos. I turned around and deliberately wrapped my arms around his waist, tilting my face up with a fragile, dependent expression. This was what I had become most adept at over the past three years. “We just fought, and I’m so sad.” My voice had a slight nasal quality, making it sound like I was pouting. “I messaged you, but you didn’t reply.” I stood on my tiptoes, reaching for the phone in his suit pocket. “Let me see, are you chatting with other girls again?” This was a familiar game between us. Before, Maxwell would always laugh and let me play the jealous girlfriend, even actively unlocking his phone and handing it to me for inspection. He said his phone was always open to me. Today, however, he easily sidestepped me, caught my outstretched hand, and kissed it, his eyes hazy with drink yet terrifyingly clear. “Easy, baby, don’t fuss.” His voice was still gentle. “I just finished talking business. My phone is full of company secrets; it’s not convenient for you to look.” My heart sank. This man was incredibly wary. He might not suspect I knew anything, but his inherent suspicion meant he never relaxed his guard. Especially not after he had just finished discussing that conspiracy with his associates. It seemed I would have to find another way. I didn’t press further, obediently retracting my hand, a hint of appropriate disappointment on my face. “Okay.” I turned and walked to the bathroom. When I came out after a shower, Maxwell was already lying in bed, seemingly asleep. His phone lay on the bedside table, screen down, just inches from him. I moved quietly, inching closer. The man on the bed suddenly rolled over. My outstretched hand froze in mid-air. This man, even in his sleep, was incredibly vigilant. It seemed I really had to wait for another opportunity.

Vivian’s POV From that day on, I was like a different person. The next morning, Maxwell was still asleep when I started clearing out my walk-in closet. Everything he’d given me, or things we’d bought together as a couple, I packed into trash bags. Maxwell woke up, frowned at the chaotic scene on the floor. “What are you doing so early?” I didn’t look at him, just said flatly, “These things are old. I don’t like them anymore.” “If you don’t like them, throw them out. I’ll buy you more,” Maxwell said dismissively, yawning. “Are you still going to the dance company today?” “No,” I tossed the last designer bag into a sack. “I’ve already quit.” Maxwell was fully awake now. He grabbed my wrist, his brows deeply furrowed. “Quit? Why? Don’t you love dancing more than anything?” I looked up, meeting his gaze with calm eyes. “I’ve been dancing for so many years; I’m tired. I want to rest.” Maxwell stared into my eyes for a long time, as if trying to discern something, but my gaze was as still as stagnant water. Finally, he relented, pulling me into his arms and ruffling my hair. “Alright, dancing is too exhausting. I’ll take care of you from now on. You can do whatever you want.” His fingers slid down my spine, carrying a strong suggestive undertone. “Besides, baby, I don’t want any other man seeing your soft waist.” My body stiffened. I pulled away, pretending to be busy. “You should get to the office. I still have to finish tidying up.” After Maxwell left, I immediately called housekeepers to haul out all those dozens of trash bags, leaving everything sparkling clean. As soon as I finished, breathing a sigh of relief, my phone rang. It was a text from an unknown number, the message outrageously arrogant. “Vivian, tonight at seven, the New York Charity Gala. Dare to come and I’ll show you who the real mistress is. I’m Maxwell’s fiancée, Chloe.” Fiancée? I stared at those three words and just found it laughable. Turns out, I wasn’t even a girlfriend, just one of his many pawns. That evening, I arrived at the charity gala in a simple white gown and instantly became the center of attention. Soon, a woman in a fiery red dress, covered in glittering jewelry, approached me with a glass in hand. It was Chloe. “You’re Vivian?” Chloe sized me up, her eyes dismissive. “I thought you were some beauty queen. You’re nothing special. Maxwell told me he’s breaking up with you soon. If you’re smart, you’ll disappear now. Don’t wait to be publicly kicked out; it’d be too embarrassing.” I didn’t even bother to lift an eyelid, just responded with a flat, “Oh.” Whatever fiancée he might have, it no longer stirred a single ripple in my heart. My indifference infuriated her. Clearly, she had never been ignored in her life. “What is that attitude?!” she shrieked, then raised her hand and violently splashed the red wine in her glass all over me! The cold liquid instantly soaked my pristine white gown, leaving a large, glaring stain across my chest. A collective gasp swept through the crowd. Chloe, far from satisfied, took another menacing step and shoved me hard toward a decorative staircase. “How dare a mistress wear white? Have you no shame?” Caught off guard, I fell hard, my body twisting awkwardly before impact. A sickening crack echoed as my forehead slammed into the sharp edge of a marble step. White-hot pain exploded behind my eyes, and my world went black. The hall plunged into chaos. Chloe was winding up for another kick when a voice, cold as a blade, rang out from the entrance. “Chloe. Do you have a death wish?”

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A week before the wedding, my fiancée, Seraphina Thorne, declared she had to marry her ex-boyfriend first before she could marry me. Her ex, Caleb Reed’s mother, Mrs. Evelyn Reed, was critically ill, with not long left to live. Her last wish was to see her son married and with a child. “Mrs. Reed has always hoped Caleb would have his own family, a child. I’m just trying to fulfill a mother’s dying wish, don’t overthink it, Leo.” But my company had already tied our “True Love Collection” jewelry launch to the date of our extravagant wedding. She frowned, “It’s just a few billion dollars, can it compare to a mother’s last wish? If you’re so desperate for that money, go find someone else to marry!” Her cold words left me with a bitter understanding. I turned and dialed my brother, Adam Vance. “Adam, find me a new bride.” My brother sounded utterly disbelieving. “You’re calling off your wedding?!” “No, she’s marrying someone else.” I forced a wry smile. To be with Seraphina, I had defied immense pressure from my family. I even convinced the board to link our multi-billion dollar ‘True Love Collection’ project to our wedding date, making it a commercial testament to our love. But now, it was all for nothing. Adam was silent for a long moment. Then he said, “Then it has to be Blair Sterling. Her family is pushing hard, and she’s also looking for a husband lately.” My brow furrowed. Blair Sterling, my arch-rival. On the day of my engagement, she’d even mocked that my marriage wouldn’t last. I never expected her words to become a chilling prophecy. Time was short. I could only say, “Alright, she’s the one. See what she thinks. If not, I’ll figure something else out.” Adam blurted out, “No need to ask, she’ll definitely agree.” “What?” I wanted to ask more, but a group of people suddenly surrounded me. “You must be Sera’s fiancé, you’re so handsome!” “Are you here to pick up Sera from work? She’ll be right down. You two are just adorable.” I gripped the steering wheel, my gaze dropping to hide the self-mockery in my eyes. Seraphina had introduced me to her colleagues and friends early on. In everyone’s eyes, we were the envied model couple. But no one could have imagined she was about to marry another man. After bidding goodbye to the others, Seraphina got in the car and handed me a watch. “Caleb asked me to give you this. Yesterday at the hospital, you said those things in front of his mother, it made him look really bad. Apologize to him when you get a chance.” The watch was clearly a freebie with a full-priced purchase; I’d seen it in Seraphina’s online cart just a couple days ago. I said flatly, “I don’t want it.” Seraphina frowned. “What are you trying to pull now? You barged into the hospital room and said I wasn’t his fiancée, embarrassing him. He isn’t even holding a grudge, he even thought to bring you a gift, and you’re being so ungrateful?” The Seraphina who used to defend me was gone. Now, she cherished someone else. Seraphina irritably rolled down the window, letting the wind blow through. After a long silence, seeing that I wasn’t going to humor or coax her as usual, she finally said, “Fine, whatever. Today we have a fitting for the wedding dress, I’m not going to argue with you.” It was the first time she’d backed down all year. At the bridal boutique, a sales assistant greeted us. “Miss Thorne, Mr. Vance, your twenty custom-made suits and wedding dresses are ready.” Seraphina’s attention wasn’t on the clothes. She was staring down at her phone, a hint of urgency on her face. Catching my eye, she quickly put her phone away, a flicker of apology in her expression. “Leo, something’s come up with Caleb, I need to rush over right away. You try on the suits yourself, and pick a wedding dress for me, I trust your taste.” With that, she hastily hailed a taxi and left, leaving me standing there alone. The sales assistant quickly approached, tentatively asking, “Mr. Vance, would you like to personally select the wedding dress?” I withdrew my gaze and nodded. Of course I would select the wedding dress. Just not for Seraphina. After all, the bride had changed. I got in my car and drove home, expecting Seraphina not to return all night. Instead, I saw her before dinner. She walked purposefully towards me, holding a gift box. “I practically scoured the entire city to get these for you, your favorite artisanal chocolates from that one shop.” I looked at the box of chocolates. There were three fewer than usual, and one of them had a tooth mark, clearly bitten into. Half an hour ago, I’d seen Caleb post on his SnapChat story. The picture was of the exact same chocolates in my hand. “My amazing wife, always thinking of me, even late at night! Love you!” I set the box of chocolates down with a bitter laugh. My appetite was gone. “I don’t feel like eating them. Throw them away.” Seraphina instantly glared at me with displeasure but held back her anger. She sat beside me and began to complain. “You have no idea how pathetic Caleb was today. My parents went to his house and told him his family was poor, couldn’t even afford decent gifts. He literally cried.” “Caleb just got back to the country, he doesn’t have much savings. I was hoping we could divert the assets you prepared for our wedding to him first.” Her unquestionable tone filled me with disgust. I looked at her with a sneer. “So, I’m supposed to pay for your husband to marry you?”

I used to care about Seraphina. If she asked, I’d give her anything, do anything for her. But now, she had personally woken me up. Thinking back, ever since Caleb returned, everything she did was for him. She had forgotten that I was the one meant to spend the rest of my life with her. My answer enraged Seraphina. “What is that supposed to mean? You’re refusing? You better get this straight, Caleb is my most important friend, and you better keep him happy, otherwise, I won’t marry you!” With that, she slammed the door and left. Feeling restless, I went downstairs to the park for a run. After just one lap, I received a call from Blair Sterling. Thinking of the usually stone-faced Blair, I hesitated for two seconds before answering. “Once you’re on my boat, you’re mine. Try to run, and I’ll drag you back!” Blair’s first sentence was a punch to the gut. I remained silent, and she continued: “First, give me your identification. We’re going to get married at the registry office.” “I’m afraid you’ll back out.” Blair, something’s definitely off with you. I’d already conjured a million scenarios in my head of her using our marriage to torment me. In the end, all I could manage was, “See you at the wedding, Miss Sterling.” The moment I hung up, Seraphina appeared behind me, I don’t know when. “You’re inviting Blair to our wedding? No way!” Her eyes narrowed, glaring at me like I was the enemy. “Leo, I told you not to associate with Blair! Her intentions towards you aren’t pure. If you insist on inviting her to our wedding, don’t blame me for cutting ties!” I hadn’t even said a word, and she was already throwing down ultimatums. Seraphina had always disliked Blair, always harboring some inexplicable hostility. When we first started dating, she even got intensely jealous because Blair and I often clashed at business forums. Later, I gradually reduced my public contact with Blair. But she actually said… Blair’s intentions towards me weren’t pure? I was about to press her when Caleb suddenly stumbled, turning to embrace Seraphina. “Sera, you’re hurting my hand…” It was then I realized they had been strolling, fingers intertwined. Seraphina coughed uncomfortably a couple of times but made no move to pull her hand away. Caleb looked at Seraphina with a soft gaze, then feigned helplessness as he apologized to me. “Leo, I’m sorry, Sera and I were just getting familiar with the wedding flow in advance. Please don’t mind us.” “And about you threatening me and harassing my mother, I won’t say anything, but please, don’t hurt Sera. True feelings can’t withstand such tests.” I couldn’t stand this charade any longer. I turned to leave. “Since you’re so excited, then I’ll ‘satisfy’ you tonight.” Slap! Seraphina slapped me hard across the face. “Leo, how could you be so cruel?!” Her face was pale with anger, her chest heaving. Me, cruel? She believed a simple rumor from someone else, but five years of our relationship couldn’t earn me an ounce of trust. A surge of anger suddenly flared within me, and I wanted to confront Seraphina. But Caleb stepped in front of her. “Leo, please, as soon as the wedding is over, I’ll give Sera back to you.” “Please, be merciful, don’t hurt those around me, and don’t hurt Sera anymore.” He began to bow to me. Seraphina quickly grabbed his arm, stopping him from lowering his head, and glared at me. “Leo, don’t play your rich boy bullying tactics!” “You know I hate that most. If you still want to marry me, stop acting out!” With that, she warned me not to show my face in front of them again until the wedding. But the next day, Seraphina actually contacted me. She started with a barrage of scolding. “Leo, you actually harassed Mrs. Reed?! I never thought you’d be this kind of person!” Full of doubt, I immediately called my assistant to investigate, only to uncover something truly shocking. Caleb’s mother… was perfectly fine.

No wonder Caleb could be so unscrupulous, using his mother’s supposed illness to frame me. The critical illness was a complete lie. I sent Seraphina a text: “Caleb’s mother is fine. The truth is in the email I just sent you.” Whether she read it or not was no longer my concern. My flight was booked for three days later, personally arranged by Blair Sterling. When Seraphina returned, she found me packing. Half my clothes were being discarded, a small portion shipped to San Francisco. “Why are you packing?” Seraphina’s expression was hesitant. I vaguely replied, “Moving.” She paused for a moment, not catching on, and continued, talking to herself. “The Vance family’s headquarters are in San Francisco. We’re supposed to settle there after we’re married, so it makes sense to start packing early.” Then, her gaze turned stern as she looked directly at me. “About Caleb’s mother, apologize as soon as possible, don’t make things difficult for me. How about at the wedding? What do you think?” She finished speaking and tossed her phone aside to look for her ID—today was the day she and Caleb were going to the city hall to register their marriage. She didn’t come back until evening. I opened my phone, and Caleb’s message popped up. The picture showed Seraphina and him in matching outfits, sharing a bed. I closed my eyes, but my heart still throbbed with a sharp pang. I suppressed the emotion, turning off my phone. Late that night, the phone by my pillow vibrated every hour. Each vibration meant Caleb had sent another video of him and Seraphina, a naked provocation. Until the next morning, when Blair Sterling sent me a message. “Mr. Vance, the flower has bloomed. You can come back now.” The accompanying image showed two marriage certificates and a pot with a vibrant Queen of the Night cactus flower in full bloom. I hadn’t realized that the tiny plant I’d casually given her years ago, she had meticulously cared for until now. An inexplicable, strange emotion swelled in my chest. I replied with one word: “Okay.” I put down my phone and began to pack my laptop and work documents. I didn’t know when Seraphina had returned. She was packing her everyday luggage. “I’m moving in with Caleb for a few days, he can’t manage preparing for the wedding alone. Remember to be at the wedding on time the day after tomorrow, don’t be late.” After saying that, she went on a long explanation, mostly about how she was just helping out normally and that I shouldn’t cause any more trouble. “Mmhmm, I won’t be there.” I said, my eyes lowered. After last night, the last shred of affection I had for her was completely gone. Seraphina looked at my calm demeanor, an unnamed dread washing over her. She suddenly hesitated. But recalling Caleb’s insistent dependence, her grip on her phone loosened. Leo Vance loves her so much, what could possibly go wrong? Thinking this, she breathed a sigh of relief, no longer bothering me, and vanished from my sight. I watched her retreating back and made a call. That same evening, a helicopter landed in the plaza. A staff member approached. “Mr. Vance, your helicopter has arrived. You’ll be safely transported to South City in half an hour.” I nodded, then handed him a file. “Deliver this to the wedding venue tomorrow. It’s my wedding gift for the happy couple.”

The next day, I sent Seraphina a message right on schedule: “Happy wedding!” At the wedding venue, Seraphina was anxiously looking towards the entrance, asking her assistant, Alex: “Why isn’t Leo here yet? He said he’d publicly apologize to Mrs. Reed today.” Alex scrolled through the news, his brows tightly furrowed. “He probably won’t make it. He’s… busy with his own wedding right now.” Upon hearing this, Seraphina stood in the center of the ballroom, completely stunned. The wedding venue was decorated with Caleb’s favorite champagne roses, adorning the entire hall in a dreamy, ethereal glow. Below the stage, guests clinked glasses and chatted. Everything seemed perfect. However, Seraphina clutched her phone tightly, staring intently at the screen at the news headline: [Vance CEO Weds, “True Love Collection” Shines Simultaneously]. Cold sweat broke out on her palms. She frantically dialed the number etched into her memory, but only heard the tone indicating no one was picking up. “How could this be?” Caleb rushed over to her, taking her hand. “Sera, what’s wrong? Your hand is so cold?” Seraphina gripped his hand back. “Leo… he’s… he’s marrying someone else!” Caleb took her phone, glanced at it, frowned, then smiled. “How could that be? Leo loves you so much, this must be some kind of business strategy. These businessmen, they’ll do anything for profit, even fake a marriage.” “Fake marriage?” Seraphina’s panicked expression eased slightly. “Alright, Sera, the wedding is about to begin. Let’s go up.” The emcee stood on stage hosting the wedding. Seraphina forced a smile back onto her face, exchanged rings with Caleb, and they kissed each other. Just as everything seemed perfectly concluded, the banquet hall doors burst open with a loud bang. A group of formally dressed, solemn-faced individuals marched in in an orderly fashion. Seraphina instinctively thought it was Leo coming to make a scene. Just as she was about to speak, her expression suddenly froze. Because it wasn’t Leo who entered, but a group of uniformed police officers. She immediately panicked, asking, “Officers, we are all law-abiding citizens, this is…?” The lead officer ignored her, directly presenting a document. “Mr. Leo has filed a complaint accusing Caleb of illegal appropriation of another’s property. The evidence is conclusive. Please come with us.” Seraphina was utterly distraught. “Officer, what illegal appropriation? That was prepared for me by Leo! I legally transferred it to Caleb for emergency use!” The officer frowned. “What you consider a legal transfer is not recognized by the rights holder, Mr. Leo. Relevant evidence has also been submitted.” Seraphina vehemently argued, “That’s Leo’s tactic! He’s doing this to ruin my and Caleb’s wedding!” The officer looked at her sternly. “Madam, please do not obstruct justice. Take him away!” Caleb was led away, and the wedding instantly erupted into chaos. Caleb’s relatives loudly whispered, saying how all those seemingly respectable things were actually taken from someone else, truly shameful. Seraphina’s parents’ faces were as dark as thunderclouds, pointing at her forehead and scolding. “You, you, what foolish things have you done!” “You threw away a perfectly good golden boy, insisting on finding dead weight! Now look, everything’s gone!” Seraphina managed to calm down. “Mom, this is Leo’s way of forcing me to come back. I’m going to find him right now, get him to withdraw the charges, and get Caleb out.” She was about to step forward when a well-dressed man, who looked like an assistant, blocked her path. “Miss Thorne, this is Mr. Vance’s wedding gift for you.”

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