Category: English

On the day my husband welcomed another woman into our home, my sons stood beside her—and watched me fall into the river without stopping me. For eighteen years, I held this family together. I changed a man’s fate, raised children not born of my body, and sacrificed everything to keep them from destruction. Yet the moment she returned, my devotion became a crime, and I was cast as the villain who deserved to disappear. When everything finally collapsed, the System told me I was allowed to leave this world. I leaned forward, letting myself fall into the icy, bone-chilling river. I was a strategist, tasked with saving the antagonist and his family from tearing themselves apart over the heroine. What was tragic was that once the original male lead was gone, my husband and sons were eager to bring the widowed heroine into our home. The System’s voice chimed in: [Master, the mission has failed. Once your physical body in this alternate universe perishes, your real-world body will awaken. However, your time there is running short. Are you sure you want to leave here?] I nodded slightly. With the little time remaining, I just wanted to spend it with my family and friends. But the expected suffocation didn’t come. A strong hand grabbed my arm from behind and pulled me up. “What are you doing? Today is Sister Serena’s special day, and you’re pulling this stunt?” I turned around to see my stepson, Ethan, panting heavily, his bright eyes aflame with anger. He was one of my targets in this world and later became the most fervent antagonist in the story. He would become obsessed with the heroine, turn against his family, and ultimately become someone everyone shunned. When I became Victor’s second wife, Ethan was just six years old. His birth mother had passed away, and his father was always busy with work. As a child, he caused trouble in the streets, seeking attention but often ending up bullied. I brought him home, cleaned him up, and planned his future. Ethan wasn’t interested in studying, so I encouraged him, saying a man could achieve great things in business. For the first time, young Ethan had a dream. His eyes reddened, and he asked, “Can I call you Mom? They all laugh at me for not having a Mom, saying I’m a wild child…” With my permission, he hugged me gently. “Mom, when I grow up and make a lot of money, the first thing I’ll do is buy you a big house and give you a good life.” But when he actually achieved his dream, his first request was to make Serena his new mom. He stopped calling me Mom. He even hated me because Serena said it was my fault she got kidnapped by bad people and couldn’t come back to see him. The handsome young man in front of me overlapped with the child who used to call me Mom, but his eyes were now filled with coldness. “Stop pretending. You’re just trying to get our attention, right? If you really wanted to die, why choose the road where I’d be coming home from work, perfectly timed?” I was speechless. I just wanted to find a not-too-ugly way to leave, in a place with a nice view. I never expected to run into Ethan. Seeing that I didn’t reply, Ethan mocked, “If you really want to die, find a place further away. Sister Serena loves this river. She takes walks here when the weather’s nice, so don’t…” He suddenly stopped. I quickly dashed to the other end of the broken bridge and jumped off. Serena likes this river, right? Then I hope she never comes here again. Every time she does, I hate it more.

My body grew heavier, and in a daze, I heard the instruments ticking in the hospital room. Dad, Mom, wait for me! Your daughter will be home soon! Just when I thought I would succeed, a powerful force dragged me back to the shore. Ethan was soaked, his eyes misty with tears or water, I couldn’t tell. Looking at Ethan, I jokingly teased him, “You don’t want me dead, huh?” Ethan’s face twisted awkwardly, “You’re overthinking it. Whether you live or die has nothing to do with me. Even if you want to die, I wouldn’t stop you, but not today! I don’t want Sister Serena thinking of you and being unhappy on her anniversary!” Of course, it was for Serena. Seeing I didn’t respond, Ethan dragged me home. “Let’s go back. Today, you can’t die. If you really want to, find a place further away, at least where I won’t see you!” Ethan was strong, and I couldn’t break free. When we reached the Victor Family’s door, we ran into my biological son, Lucas, in this world. He wore a neat suit, looking incredibly handsome. He had rushed back from school, and upon seeing Ethan and me drenched, he gave me a quick glance but greeted Ethan, “Big Brother.” Ethan nodded in response. Lucas then remarked, “Why are your clothes wet? Be careful not to catch a cold. Big Brother, change your clothes quickly. Sister Serena and Dad’s wedding is about to start.” Throughout, he didn’t look at me once, as if I wasn’t his real mom but a stranger on the street. In the original story, Lucas was lost by the original character at birth and grew up in an orphanage, developing an extremely gloomy personality. The heroine would be the only light in his life. But now that I’m here, I gave birth to him myself, and I have high hopes for him. In my vision, he and I were connected by blood, not merely characters in a story. He didn’t need me to “strategize” him, he would naturally be on my side. I cherished Lucas like my own eyes, afraid he might get lost like in the book. I did everything myself to ensure his safe upbringing. Lucas indeed grew up to be a cultured gentleman, unlike the delinquent in the book. He was humble, respectful to his parents, cared for his brothers, and even became a school leader. I never doubted I could handle my own son. But once Serena appeared, my always considerate Lucas turned into a different person. He began doing all the things I disapproved of to show his dissatisfaction and rebellion against me. “Why does Mom always have to go against Sister Serena? Clearly, Mom is in the wrong!” I never expected that after reading so many books with Lucas, all those principles would become weapons he used against me. “Mom is jealous of Sister Serena, so she let her be kidnapped by bad people, showing no kindness. How can you be my Mom?” At the time, I stood there holding the nourishing soup I had gotten up early to make for him, feeling like I didn’t recognize the son I raised. He knocked the soup from my hands, saying he’d never eat anything I made again. My heart ached beyond words, and I slapped him. His eyes turned on me with hatred. Since then, we haven’t spoken a word to each other. Hearing Lucas’s question, Ethan looked uncomfortable. “Just now… she really jumped.” Lucas’s handsome brow furrowed slightly, his cold voice devoid of emotion. “Big Brother, don’t be fooled by her. With you there, how could she die? She’s just using women’s tricks, seeking death because Sister Serena is entering the family. Do you think she could really give up the wealth and prosperity here…” Before Lucas finished, I slammed my head against the doorpost. I sighed inwardly, hoping to die with some dignity, but these two boys were too noisy. Hot blood ran down my cheek, and the world went black. Before my consciousness completely faded, I seemed to hear someone scream “Mom” in agony.

When I opened my eyes again, my forehead throbbed. Above me was a modern and luxurious chandelier. I realized I had once again failed to leave this world. Every night, I teetered on the brink of death. This meant my time with my family in the original world was growing shorter. Time was incredibly precious to me. I stared at the chandelier, wondering if I could use it to end everything. Just as I moved, a hand tightly gripped mine. “Elena, stop fooling around, okay? Luckily, you’re weak, so you didn’t hit too hard. Otherwise, you’d have scared the two kids to death.” The speaker was my husband in this world, the company CEO, Victor. At this moment, his brow was furrowed, his eyes locked on the bandage wrapped around my forehead. His gaze was deep, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking. In the original story, Victor was the heroine’s most passionate admirer. Unable to attain his love, he eventually turned dark, even betraying the company and harming others to get closer to the heroine. When I first arrived, I drugged Victor to prevent him from pursuing the heroine, cutting off the source of his later crimes. Victor woke up wishing he could end me right there. I knew the story inside out, so I was sure the heroine wouldn’t be harmed. In the original story, Victor was the heroine’s most ardent admirer. Unable to win her love, he eventually succumbed to darkness, even betraying the company and harming others just to be near her. The first thing I did upon entering this world was to incapacitate Victor with a drug, preventing him from pursuing the heroine and cutting off the source of future crimes. When Victor woke up, he was furious, wishing he could end me on the spot. I knew the plot of the book inside and out and was confident the heroine would not be harmed. It wasn’t until he saw the heroine and the male lead happily together that Victor began to let go of his resentment towards me. He tried to understand me, cared for me, and even stood up for me during a difficult time when he mistakenly thought I was being bullied. During those challenging days, our hearts quietly drew closer. Later, I softened my demeanor, managed household affairs for Victor, cared for the family, and raised the children. Victor, like any ordinary husband who loves his wife, stayed by my side, promising to be together in the next life. The system informed me that the strategist’s favorability was steadily increasing and that my mission was nearing completion. At that time, my terminal illness in the real world would be cured, and I could choose to pause time in the real world to accompany the Victor family through this happy life. However, an unexpected change came without warning. One stormy night, the heroine returned alone. She threw herself into Victor’s arms, weeping and recounting the inhuman torment she had suffered over the years. Usually calm and composed, Victor was moved to tears. When he learned of my actions that had maliciously hindered him, pushing her into a predicament, the Victor family was furious. They carefully tended to Serena at home and ignored me. On Lucas’s birthday, I prepared a table full of dishes that the family loved, but no one returned even late into the night. It turned out they were out entertaining a despondent Serena, just to cheer her up. When I gave birth to Lucas, I endured pain all night before delivering. At that time, Victor promised to celebrate with the children every year because I hadn’t left them. But now, they’ve all broken their promises. When the Victor family returned, they merely said, “Serena doesn’t like the dishes you made, so there’s no need to make them again.” Recalling these events, I coldly withdrew my hand from Victor’s grip and calmly said, “I’m not being unreasonable. I just don’t want to live anymore…” Victor suddenly became somewhat annoyed, leaning over to hold me tightly. I couldn’t break free, so I just let him. After a moment, he finally spoke, his tone tinged with helplessness. “Elena, stop saying things like that, and don’t use death to threaten me and the kids. Our feelings won’t change, and I’ll discipline the boys. You’re forever the mistress of this house.” Victor’s words sounded sincere, as if he still loved me as before. But then he cautiously observed my expression and mentioned Serena. “I’ve already promised, Serena won’t take your place. You were unfair to her before; now she just wants a place to stay… So, where did you hide her? Tell me, and we can pretend nothing happened and continue living our simple life, okay?” I laughed coldly inside. Serena has disappeared again? Victor still thinks I did it? Seeing me laugh, Victor could no longer feign indifference, his tone becoming urgent. “Elena, stop pretending. I’ve searched, and Serena’s jewelry is clearly hidden in your room’s closet. Both of you disappeared early this morning… Tell me, where did you hide Serena?” It seems Serena can’t wait to drive me away, even using her wedding as a ploy. After all, as the heroine, she craves attention and can’t share a man with another woman. What she wants is to be the only one in the hearts of the Victor family. I suddenly burst into laughter, “Ha, yes, I did it. Serena is dead! I’m just jealous of her, so I killed her. Do you want to avenge her? Then kill me unless you can’t bear to.” Victor would do anything for Serena. As long as he kills me, I can go home. Victor was clearly enraged and lost his mind, gripping my neck with his hands. “Elena! How did you become like this… Serena has suffered enough, why do you keep tormenting her?” In reality, it wasn’t me who changed, but them, the father and sons. I didn’t resist, letting my breath gradually weaken. Finally, everything will end. The door was suddenly pushed open, and Ethan and Lucas helped Serena inside. 4. “Dad, Sister Serena is fine.” This sleep felt like it lasted a long, long time. I vaguely thought I was lying on a hospital bed, waiting for mom to come with a thermos to wake me up, gently saying, “Elena, come have some porridge. I made your favorite flavor.” But when I opened my eyes, what I saw was Victor’s red-rimmed eyes, Ethan and Lucas’s bewildered faces, and Serena looking particularly pitiful behind them. Unfortunately, these were the people I least wanted to face. Seeing me awake, Victor first sighed in relief, then furrowed his brows again, “Elena, quickly apologize to Serena!” Serena hid behind Ethan, tears falling like broken beads. “Sister, I just want a complete family, nothing else. Please don’t let anyone treat me like this anymore…” Lucas had clearly reached his limit, shouting at me, “How long are you going to pretend to be innocent? Do you think pretending to commit suicide to make us feel guilty will offset what you did to Sister Serena?” I was completely confused by what Serena said. Seeing my unresponsive look, Victor slowly said, “Elena, you lured Serena to a secluded place, intending for those bad guys to bully her. Luckily, someone passed by and saved her. This time, I must give Serena an explanation.” In my exclusive view, Serena was defiantly winking at me, unable to hide her smug smile. What a well-staged act, and the Victor family just falls for it. Ethan, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, “It’s impossible that she did it. She wouldn’t use such methods to take revenge on a woman, and you all saw it. She genuinely wanted to end her life today.” Hearing this, Serena’s expression instantly became uncomfortable. I looked at Ethan in surprise. He remembered I told him as a child that a woman’s dignity is important and using such means is the lowest. But what difference does it make if he remembers? This time, Serena’s scheme just happened to hit a small crack in Ethan’s memory, and he forgets even more. As long as Serena performs a new act, he might fall into it again. Lucas sneered disdainfully, “Big Brother, you business people are so single-minded. When did she ever succeed in dying with us watching? But the harm Sister Serena suffered is real, and so many people outside were talking about Sister Serena! If you trust her, how can you face Sister Serena?” Ethan fell silent. Whenever it involves Serena, the Victor family always unconditionally sides with her. But this time, Ethan’s persistence surprised me a little, “Mom, I’ll call you mom one more time. As long as you apologize to Sister Serena, I’ll still acknowledge you as my mom.” Lucas didn’t speak but didn’t refute either, and his eyes showed a hint of hope when he looked at me. I laughed coldly. Now it’s not that you don’t acknowledge me, but that I have no interest in this “family” anymore. “I won’t apologize, not even if I die.” Suddenly, a loud shattering sound echoed in the room. Victor had smashed our family photo. Those four smiling faces representing me, Victor, Ethan, and Lucas used to be displayed in the most prominent place in my room. Now they’ve become a pile of shattered pieces on the ground, lying quietly. “Elena, you’ve let me down too much. Reflect on your actions until you realize your mistakes, then come out of this room.” The Victor family left with red eyes, and the door was locked tightly. From that day on, I refused to eat. Victor sent my favorite meal, which was delivered and taken back untouched every day. Until the fourth day, when the maid opened the door to deliver food, her scream echoed through the room. 5. Blood started to gush continuously from my nose and mouth. The young maid pushed the door open, and when she saw me lying in bed covered in blood, she was so scared that her soul almost flew away.

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My editor wife managed the millions I earned from my novels. Then she transferred every cent of my royalties to a rising male author. “You gave it to him? What about Mia!? She’s been kidnapped! They could kill her!” She just shrugged. “Call the police. I sent you ten bucks. And need I remind you? The publishing contract is in my name.” I stared at the ending I’d already written. Then I picked up my keyboard. And I rewrote everyone’s fate. Thanks to its newly signed deal with a famed director, this novel was about to expose her to massive financial liabilities. “Liam, get it together. The press is on their way. Make sure you properly thank Blake for all his inspiration.” I frowned. “The inspiration was mine. He’s a rookie who shouldn’t even be at this event. Why would I thank him?” Smack! A sharp slap landed squarely on my face. “You think you got here on your own? I’ve seen Blake’s talent. If he hadn’t stepped aside, you’d be nowhere.” Blake drifted past, the picture of wounded grace. “Liam, I know my work isn’t like yours. If you think I don’t deserve the support…I can give the money back.” I swallowed my words. Chloe, however, was incensed. “Liam, Blake put his own book on hold to promote yours! All you do is travel and slack off. And now you’re bullying the one person actually trying to help you?” I looked at Chloe’s impatient face, feeling like I was seeing her for the first time. She was my editor. She was my wife. And yet, she never noticed the days I skipped meals, the nights I traded sleep for words, all for the sake of the story. To make my worlds real, I ventured into treacherous places, all to bring back the grand, breathtaking vistas I had pledged to my readers. It cost me my health. Chloe never saw them. To her, writing a novel that moved millions was a simple gift. The real work was in the promotion she managed. My phone buzzed. A text. A photo loaded: my sister Mia, bound and gagged. Below it, a demand: “$100,000 in one hour. Wire it here. Or you’ll never see your sister again.” I was still trying to decide if this was some sick AI scam when a video started to play. “Liam, please, help me! I’m so scared.” Mia’s voice was raw, muffled by the blindfold. The dark cloth around her eyes was already soaked through with tears. I called her number. Again and again. Nothing but silence. Panic seized me. Looking at the few thousand dollars left in my bank account, I turned to Chloe, desperation in my eyes. “Mia’s been kidnapped.I need a hundred thousand. Now. Can you help me?” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Call the police. Where would an editor get that kind of cash?” “You transferred millions in royalties. My royalties. Don’t tell me you don’t have it.” Chloe was about to say something, but Blake cut in. “Chloe, he seems desperate. Even if it’s not for his sister…just let him have his fun. What’s the harm?” Without another word, Chloe transferred the money. My phone vibrated the instant it cleared. A storm of cold, hard clarity washed over me. To her, Mia’s life wasn’t even worth a single word from Blake. And the money I was begging for was my own, hard-earned cash. I quickly pulled out my phone, ready to transfer the money to the kidnappers’ account. But after entering the password, I was told there wasn’t enough balance. Suspicious, I opened my transaction history. That’s when I discovered Chloe hadn’t transferred $100,000 at all. It was ten measly dollars. My hand, gripping the phone, trembled slightly, but I didn’t explode. I lowered my voice again, almost begging. “Chloe, did you make a mistake? I only received ten dollars.” Chloe looked utterly annoyed. “Who knows if that’s just an excuse you made up to get money? Just take the ten bucks and be grateful. Don’t go blowing it all on parties behind my back.” Chloe was about to pull Blake away, but I had no other choice. If I didn’t transfer the money soon, Mia’s situation would become even more dangerous. I called out to Chloe. “What do I have to do for you to give me the money? I’ll do anything you say.” She looked at me with disgust. “Are you really going to make such a spectacle of yourself out here?” She loathed my current pathetic state, afraid someone might recognize me as her husband. Chloe couldn’t be bothered to say more and turned to leave. But Blake seemed intrigued. “Liam, I can help you, if you promise me one thing.” Thinking of Mia, whose life hung by a thread, I nodded. Blake watched my desperation, the smile on his face completely unrestrained. “As long as you tell the reporters that you’re a dog, and then bark three times, I’ll transfer the money.” I gritted my teeth, my fists clenched so tight. Despite the raging fury inside me, I couldn’t bring myself to throw a punch. “Fine, I agree. But you have to transfer $50,000 to me first.” Blake readily agreed. Seeing the $50,000 indeed land in my account, I walked towards the reporters. The cameras were still rolling. The reporter spotted me and was about to begin the interview when I cut him off. “I’m a dog.” Then, I barked three times into the camera. “Woof, woof, woof.” Each bark was laced with humiliation. People around me stared, even the reporter looked utterly shocked. I ignored the whispers of the other renowned authors nearby and rushed over to Blake. He wore a mocking smile and promptly transferred the rest of the money to me.

I furiously transferred the money to the kidnapper. Two seconds later, I heard Blake’s phone ping. “Surprise! Did you like the surprise I sent you?” I gasped, utterly disbelieving. “Blake?” “Liam, you’re not mad, are you? I just wanted to play a prank on you.” I said, my voice heavy. “Do you think this is funny?” “Liam, don’t throw a fit here. It was just a prank, wasn’t it?” Chloe had come over at some point, instantly jumping to Blake’s defense. I gasped for air, the scene before me blurring. Finally, I felt my body give out and passed out. When I woke up again, I was in a hospital. I slowly sat up and saw a familiar figure slumped asleep by the bed. “Mia?” Mia looked up. Seeing I was awake, tears of joy streamed down her face. “Liam, you’re finally awake! You’ve been asleep for a whole day.” Mia’s tears wouldn’t stop. My heart aching, I pulled her into a tight embrace. “I’m so sorry, Mia. I’ve caused you so much trouble.” “What are you talking about? I’m just glad you’re okay. I… I called Chloe, and she… she told me not to put on an act for her…” Mia stuttered, afraid her words would damage my relationship with Chloe. I looked at Mia, my heart full of tenderness. “I’ll handle it.” Ever since our parents passed away, Mia and I had depended on each other. For Chloe’s sake, I had neglected Mia, pouring all my efforts into Chloe. I even gave her ownership of all my novels, accumulated over decades, fearing she wouldn’t have financial security. Now, it had become her leverage to do whatever she pleased. I quickly checked out of the hospital and went home. I opened my laptop and revised the final chapter, which was scheduled for a timely update. It was late into the night when I finally clicked “submit,” having completely derailed the protagonist’s character and the story’s logic. This novel, because of its incredible data and ever-increasing online readership, had attracted the attention of numerous directors. Even before it was finished, many had privately messaged me, inquiring about the film adaptation rights. Eventually, it was signed by a nationally renowned director. He had only one requirement: there must be no major collapse of character design or plot. The penalty for breach of contract was double the signing fee. It wouldn’t have been an issue unless done intentionally. I had just finished packing my bags when I heard a commotion in the living room. “Liam is still in the hospital, aren’t you going to check on him?” I recognized Blake’s voice. Chloe scoffed. “Who knows if he’s faking it? Just some little trick to make me feel guilty.” Chloe, my nominal wife, even thought my illness was an act. Before long, suggestive sounds drifted from outside. Suppressing my nausea, I opened the door. The two were caught in a passionate kiss, their hands exploring each other’s bodies. Hearing the door open, they stopped their movements and instinctively turned. Seeing it was me, Chloe hastily pushed Blake away. Instead of fear at being caught cheating, she was enraged. “Why didn’t you say you were coming back? Who are you trying to scare here?” I looked at her coldly. “Is that your reaction to being caught cheating?” Chloe put on a righteous face. “I was just discussing work with Blake. Your mind is dirty, so everything you think is dirty.” I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her any further. I stated calmly, “Tomorrow, we’re filing for divorce.” “Divorce? You want me to care about you? Just write your novels for me, and that’s enough. Otherwise, when you regret it and beg me to get back together, I won’t agree.” “If you don’t agree to the divorce, then I’ll have to pursue legal action.” I didn’t bother listening to her response. I grabbed my suitcase and left that foul-smelling place, heading alone to a convenience store. I only had the ten dollars Chloe had transferred me, barely enough for a meager meal. Mia was at college and didn’t have much money either. Now, I didn’t even have enough money for my next meal. Thinking of myself, toiling away at my computer every day, I found it utterly pathetic. To make her happy, I’d developed a host of health problems from sitting for long hours. In the end, all my efforts yielded no reward.

Because I was broke, I asked the cashier if the convenience store was hiring. “Sorry, we’re fully staffed right now. You can leave your number, and we’ll contact you if a position opens up.” I thanked her and was about to leave when someone suddenly called my name. “Liam?” I turned towards the voice. Scarlett looked at me with surprise, seemingly amazed to see me there. I understood her surprise. She was an editor from another novel platform. She’d seen my talent and approached me many times, wanting me to switch platforms, even offering me benefits no other author received. This store was near her company, making it easy to run into her. When I went home, I used to pass by this way. To put Chloe at ease, I’d even taken a detour to avoid this area before. Now, it seemed she only cared about the value my novels brought her. Scarlett had overheard my conversation with the cashier. She asked, “Why are you applying for a job here? Aren’t you writing novels anymore?” “No, I’m divorcing Chloe. Those novels were published under her name, so the ownership isn’t mine. Now I’m broke, so I have to find a job to get by.” Scarlett was initially shocked, then looked at me with expectation. “So, you’re not with that platform anymore? If you don’t mind, why don’t you come to us? The previous conditions still stand.” Unlike before, I didn’t coldly refuse. I was incredibly grateful to have run into Scarlett here. I nodded. “If you’ll have me, I’d be honored.” Scarlett excitedly sent messages to someone. “Absolutely! I’ll talk to our boss. I’ll send you an account shortly; you can start posting your work then.” Before leaving, Scarlett added me on SnapChat and, without a word, transferred $10,000 to me. Afraid I would refuse, she explained, “You’re broke right now, right? This is from our boss. Use it for now; I’ll be your editor, and you can pay it back when your work takes off.” I didn’t refuse. I thanked her and accepted the money. I rented a small apartment and returned to my old routine, adopting a new pen name. I started typing away day and night at my computer. Lost in my novel, I felt like I’d entered another world, completely free from fatigue. This time, I wasn’t writing for anyone else; I was writing for myself. This sense of liberation gave me even more motivation. Just as I was getting into my stride, a knock came from the door. Thinking it was my food delivery, I opened the door. “Liam, I finally found you. I’ve missed you so much these past few days.” She spoke stiffly, clearly hoping I wouldn’t notice her words weren’t sincere. I was about to close the door, but she quickly slipped inside. “Chloe, if you don’t want me to call the cops, get out now.” She surveyed my rented apartment, her disdain evident. “You really think you can live a good life without me? Are you regretting leaving me now that you’re stuck in this dump?” A dump? When Chloe and I first got together, we lived in a place just like this. We only moved to a bigger house thanks to the earnings from my novels. Now that I was back at square one, she suddenly found it despicable. Seeing I didn’t reply, she sat down on the couch uninvited. Her eyes landed on my computer screen, and she suddenly remembered something. “I knew you were just too shy to ask. Hurry up and give me what you’ve written. Fans are already hounding me because of the several days of missed updates.” After I’d revised the ending, I’d saved two versions of the continuation on separate flash drives. I’d wanted to give Chloe a chance, but after opening the door and seeing them tangled together, I’d regretted it. Now, she was demanding the rest of my novel as if it were her absolute right. “Honey, it’s been so long. Your anger must have subsided. As long as you give me the rest, we can go back to how things were. Wouldn’t that be great, being so loving and affectionate?” “What affection did we have? You never appreciated any of my efforts for you. In the end, you made enough money, what more could you possibly be dissatisfied with?” “Your novel sells well, and the company earns a lot, so you naturally won’t be treated unfairly. I only earned a small portion.” “That was a test for you. If you give it to me now, I’ll definitely split a lot of money with you…” I recognized her familiar empty promises and cut her off. “Just leave. I’m not giving it to you.” Chloe was enraged by my words. She grabbed the glass off the table and flung the water full in my face. “Do you have any idea who Blake is, Liam? Why do you think he’d joke about your sister?” All pretense of caution was gone from her expression. “He’s connected. Underground. Taking your sister wouldn’t even be a challenge for him.” Then, her eyes blazing, she hurled the empty glass to the floor. Bang! The crash echoed in the room, and with it, my resolve shattered. Mia was still at school. Even with security, if anything happened to her, I would never forgive myself. Finally, I relented. “Fine, Take it. But if you lay a finger on my sister, I swear you will pay.” “Now you’re being reasonable.” A cold smile touched my lips. I hoped she was prepared for the storm that ending would unleash.

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That eight-million-dollar deal I’d bled to secure? My husband’s assistant completely messed it up. But Asher, my husband and also my boss, publicly reprimanded me in front of the entire office. “If you can’t handle the job, Harper, do us all a favor and stay home playing housewife. At least there, your incompetence would be free!” When we got home, he adopted a chillingly business-like demeanor. “You were in charge of this project, so you have to take responsibility for ruining it. Even if I’m your husband, I have to handle this fairly! Understand?” Before I could even respond, his assistant, Chloe, sent me a text. “Harper, it’s all my fault. Asher bought me a cupcake to cheer me up, it was really good! Should I order one for you too?” A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I glared at Asher. “Oh, you’re so fair and unbiased!” That night, I called my long-time rival. “You wanted to be my boyfriend, didn’t you?” One moment, I was submitting my resignation to HR. The next, I was summoned into Asher’s office. The instant I walked in, a cup of coffee was flung directly at me. The force of the splash felt like a harsh slap across my face. It stung. Beside him, on the plush leather sofa, Chloe sat with red-rimmed eyes, the picture of pitiful misery. “Asher, don’t blame Harper. It’s my fault. The deal fell apart on my watch. If anyone should leave, it’s me.” Asher’s voice trembled with a fury he rarely showed. And it was always because of Chloe. “Are you so upset about yesterday that you’d storm into HR just to pressure Chloe?” “As her superior, the failure is your responsibility. How dare you try to pin it all on her?!” “Do you have any idea what they’re saying about her out there? That you couldn’t stand the ‘disruptive intern’ and were forced out. Get back out there and set the record straight. Now.” I’d thought he was distraught because he was losing me, his girlfriend of seven years. But no, he was just worried that after I left, people would look down on Chloe and give her a hard time. Chloe continued to sob, pulling out a tissue to blow her nose, then casually tossing the snotty wad onto the other end of the sofa. Asher’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Three seconds later, he walked over, picked up the tissue, and dropped it into the trash can. I froze, my heart clenching, a dense ache spreading through my chest. In the second year of dating Asher, we watched a romantic movie at home. There was a scene that wrecked me. I cried so hard I couldn’t stop, tears and snot streaming down my face. He pushed me out of his embrace in disgust. “Sorry, I’m a germaphobe. Please clean yourself up.” Then he walked into the bathroom. I could hear the water running as he scrubbed himself from head to toe, three times over. As if he’d just touched something vile. A cold laugh escaped me. So his germaphobia was selective. I met Asher’s gaze, unwavering. “I’m resigning because I no longer wish to work here. That’s all.” Asher didn’t buy it. “Then why not sooner, or later? Why today? It’s obviously about the deal.” “Harper, drop the mind games with Chloe. Or I might just forget we ever had a past.” I sighed. The old urge to argue with him, to defend myself, was gone. Facing Asher, I felt nothing but a hollow emptiness. There was nothing left to fight with. He was there when the deal collapsed. We were on the brink of closing. The client had verbally agreed. Then Chloe barged in, insisting on toasting the CEO. The CEO was already visibly annoyed. She chose not to see it. A brand-new intern, pressuring a CEO to drink. I still don’t know where she found the nerve. The CEO’s anger was instant. I pulled Chloe back, forcing a smile, my apologies already flowing. I told her to apologize properly and fix this. Instead, she burst into tears, louder and more dramatic than anyone in the room. “Harper, why are you so hard on her? Why do you always force me to do things I don’t want to do?” His face had been thunderous that day, murderous. I’d thought it was over the lost deal, a contract that had been within our grasp. Turns out, it was because I’d made Chloe apologize. Because I’d held her accountable. I was truly tired. “This isn’t a scene, Asher. We’re done.” Ignoring the storm gathering on his face, I gathered the last of my things and walked out of the company. Back home, I started packing my suitcases again. Breaking up is such a tedious chore. There’s always too much stuff, and it never fits back the way it came. My hand stilled. Inside the drawer, I found a pair of red stockings that weren’t mine. They were torn to shreds-evidence of a frantic encounter. I tossed them in the trash, snapped a photo, and sent it to Asher. His texts were still flooding my phone with excuses. I didn’t reply. Instead, I dialed a different number. “That offer to be my boyfriend. I accept.”

On the other end of the line, I could practically hear Jax’s grin. He offered to help me move, but I refused. If Asher saw him, Jax would probably put him in the hospital. I didn’t need the extra drama. I still had the apartment on the west side. Once this month’s bonus cleared, the final mortgage payment would be gone. I’d finally have a home of my own. The thought lifted a weight I hadn’t fully acknowledged. The doorbell rang. Assuming it was the movers, I opened the door. It was Asher. I was startled for a moment, wondering if I was imagining things. Last year, my appendicitis flared up. I was home alone, pain so sharp I nearly blacked out. I called him, voice trembling, begging him to take me to the hospital. His tone was ice. “I’m at work, Harper. You’re an adult. Figure it out. Call 911.” But last week, when Chloe at the office yelped after spilling warm water on her leg, he scooped her up in front of everyone and drove her to the ER himself. He never left work early, unless it was for Chloe. She was the only one who could break his rules. I never thought I’d be lucky enough to make him break his rule for me. He scanned my packed luggage, a hint of something resembling panic escaping in his voice. “What are you doing?! What’s this all about? Are you deliberately saying ‘break up’ to force me to back down?” “Didn’t I text you an explanation? Those are Chloe’s. She accidentally left them at our place. She got caught in a downpour that day, and I told her to come up for a hot tea. Her stockings happened to get torn, so she changed into fresh clothes at our place before she left.” I narrowed my eyes, replaying his words in my mind. That was the week before last when I was on a business trip. I was abroad for a deal, and on my way back, I ran into a massive storm. I asked Asher to pick me up. He said he was working late at the office and was too busy, telling me to take a taxi home. When I got back, I saw the unfinished ginger tea on the coffee table. I’d thought he’d prepared it specially for me. Turns out, I was just getting leftovers. Perhaps recalling that incident, Asher’s face looked a little uneasy. “Don’t overthink it.” I shook my head, my expression calm. “I’m not overthinking anything. It doesn’t matter anymore.” Asher looked at me strangely, staring for a long time. After a moment, his voice was hoarse, tinged with a testing quality. “Why aren’t you angry?” So, he knew I’d been angry before. But he never cared. Instead, he always scolded me, called me petty, said I saw dirt everywhere. I was about to tell him I was moving out. Then Asher’s phone rang. Chloe was on the other end, sniffling and crying, claiming someone had bullied her. Asher glared at me, his eyes blazing, and sneered. “So this is what you were waiting for. Harper, you’re quite cunning.” Before I could even process what was happening, Asher grabbed my wrist with a strong grip and practically dragged me into the car. Inside the car, there was a faint scent of women’s perfume. It was similar to Chloe’s. A plush bunny charm hung from the rearview mirror-just like Chloe’s SnapChat avatar. After I started working at Asher’s company, I never rode in his car again. He said he was afraid people at work would gossip, which was also why we kept our relationship under wraps. The areas I was no longer allowed to tread had long since been occupied by someone else. There was no longer that familiar ache in my heart, just a grim sense of “I knew it.” As soon as we arrived at the company, Asher roughly pulled me out of the car. My heel caught, and I stumbled to the ground. He acted as if he didn’t even see it, letting out a scoff. “What are you trying to pull?” He grabbed the back of my collar with one hand and dragged me into the company like a piece of trash.

He dragged me all the way to my old desk. My wrists and knees were already raw, bleeding. I huddled on the floor, feeling like a beaten dog. Asher pulled Chloe into his arms, protecting her, and warned in a low voice. “I don’t care who ordered you to bully an intern, but this company isn’t Harper’s to run anymore.” “If you want to stay, show some respect.” Brenda’s face was pale, and she didn’t dare move an inch. On the way here, Brenda had already texted me. After I left, Chloe worked under her. What could a lazy, conniving intern accomplish? Brenda had only said a few words to Chloe when she messed up a client’s lunch order. Chloe immediately ran straight to Asher to complain. Chloe buried her head in Asher’s chest, openly affectionate and ignoring everyone else. “Asher, I don’t know what I did… I just thought that client looked like they’d appreciate a healthier option, so I ordered them a diet meal, and Brenda just started yelling at me…” Asher stroked her head and promised to make things right for her. He swept his cold gaze across everyone in the office. “I know Harper had good relationships with all of you, and you want to stand up for her because she resigned. But this was her own work error, and she had no face to stay in the company. It has nothing to do with Chloe.” “I’ll say it again: if you want to stay, show me your attitude, or get out, all of you.” Everyone’s face turned white. They all understood Asher’s hidden threat. Maya, whom I had personally mentored, walked up to me. She squeezed her eyes shut, whispered a soft “I’m sorry,” and then swung her hand, slapping me across the face. Asher stood there impassively, only saying, “What about the rest of you?” Then the others came forward, one after another, jostling to take their turn, a slap after a slap landed on my face. There were those I’d helped, those who’d helped me… Blood trickled from the corner of my lips. My head throbbed, my eardrums buzzed, and my consciousness began to blur. Chloe let out a small giggle. “Asher, look at her. She looks so pathetic, like a swollen pig.” Asher’s eyes were like ice, and his words were even more merciless. “People like her, with deep schemes and only good at backstabbing, don’t deserve to be in this company.” “Her resignation application is rejected. She’s fired. And this year’s bonus will be revoked and given to Chloe instead.” My eyes widened in disbelief. Anger, like a spiderweb, spread layer by layer, constricting my entire heart. “Asher! That’s what I earned! How dare you?!” It was company policy to determine the bonus amount based on the projects each person secured. From negotiating deals to drafting proposals, finalizing contracts, and haggling with clients, I did it all myself. To secure an extra percentage point, I drank late into the night. That bonus was meant to pay off my mortgage… When I was little, my parents divorced, and no one wanted me. I was shuttled back and forth like a package no one wanted. I was thrown into my uncle’s house, where my aunt made it clear I wasn’t welcome. She often threatened to kick me out if I didn’t behave. Because of this, even as an adult, I was terrified of having nowhere to go. After I got together with Asher, I clung to him desperately. I was afraid he’d kick me out. No matter where he went, I had to keep tabs on his every move. But even the most burning love can fade. I started to pin my hopes on money, to buy a place of my own, so that if Asher and I ever broke up, if I was kicked out, I wouldn’t be homeless. I worked like a madwoman, finally saving enough for a down payment. All these years, I’d scrimped and saved every penny, making loan payments. The pressure was immense. I was losing hair and going gray prematurely from stress. Asher saw all of this. He knew how much I valued this bonus. But now, his tone was mocking. “Because this company is mine. And because you bullied Chloe, you owe her compensation!” My throat closed up, choking off any words I might have said. A wave of nausea churned in my stomach, threatening to make me sick. Thirty thousand dollars in bonuses, he casually handed to an intern who had done nothing. I gritted my teeth, enduring the dizziness, as the security guards Asher called threw me out of the company. Just outside the office, Asher texted me. “Today’s events were your fault to begin with.” Perhaps because I didn’t reply, he sent another message. “Okay, maybe I went too far. But you showed Chloe zero respect. She’s still my assistant. I saw red when I heard you had people bullying her.” “I’m flying to Paris for business tomorrow. Coincidentally, that limited edition bag you wanted is dropping there. I’ll get it for you. A peace offering.” He had no idea Chloe had already bragged about it on her Ins a full minute earlier. “Because I wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, someone invented a ‘business trip’ just to take me. My little puppy is so obedient.” I casually blocked both of them. A week later, Asher returned from his business trip, a new designer bag in his hand and a pang of guilt in his heart. He was only supposed to be gone for three days, but Chloe kept dragging him to shop and sightsee. He’d even forgotten to text me that he’d be late. Coming home today, he wanted to surprise me. Flushed with warmth at the thought of me waiting, Asher quickened his steps. When he pushed open the front door, Asher called my name twice. No answer. The suitcases I had packed last time were gone. All of my belongings in the house were gone too. Asher’s breath hitched, his face turning ashen as a terrifying thought clawed at his mind.

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On his deathbed, Grandpa George left behind a billion-dollar fortune and three matches. “You two sister may each choose only one thing. Anya, as the elder, you choose first.” I didn’t hesitate. I chose the billion dollars. My adopted sister, Scarlett, was left with three ordinary-looking matches. What I never imagined was that those matches held a prophetic power. Light one, make a wish, and it would come true. Scarlett, who had always resented our parents for favoring me, struck the first match. Her wish was for them to die horrible deaths. Then, Dad collapsed from a sudden heart attack. Mom, rushing to the hospital, was hit by a truck. Both were gone. I grabbed a knife and went to confront her. “I promised I’d share the inheritance with you when you came of age! Our parents took you in! How could you repay them like this?” Greed twisted Scarlett’s face. “I don’t want your scraps. With all of you dead, every penny will be mine.” Then she struck the second match. “I wish for Anya to be kidnapped, sold into the mountains, and die in childbirth…after bearing eight sons.” Horrified, I liquidated everything I owned and hired a small army of bodyguards. For months, I was untouchable. Then, one night, every last guard was found unconscious. I was taken, dragged into a remote village, and reduced to a breeding machine. I lost count of the time before I finally drew my last, agonizing breath. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day of the inheritance distribution. 1 When Grandpa George, trembling, produced the three matches, the room fell into bewildered silence. “Has he lost his mind? Leaving three matches as an inheritance? Is this a cruel joke aimed at the adopted girl? This is too much!” Grandpa’s voice was a frail rasp. “You may each choose only one thing: the fortune, or the matches. Anya, as the eldest, you choose first.” A chill shot through me. I remembered. I had been reborn. The memory of my family’s fate in my last life hit me like a physical blow. My eyes flew to my parents, standing beside me. Alive. Well. Smiling at me with encouragement. My vision blurred with tears. In my previous life, I chose the billions. I never imagined Scarlett would use those matches to wish us all into our graves-my parents dead, and me ending my days as a broken breeding machine in a mountain village. The phantom pain of that death still ached in my bones. Not this time. This time, I chose the three matches without hesitation. The room went utterly still. “Is Anya out of her mind? These are just three ordinary matches, not made of gold or anything!” “That’s billions! Are you really going to leave it all to an adopted girl? Anya wants to be a saint, but look at the situation!” My parents grabbed my sleeves, their faces etched with panic. “Anya, did you choose by mistake?” “The IPO drained us, and your mother’s treatments…that money is a lifeline.” “Come on, sweetheart. I know you’ve got a good heart and you’re always thinking of your sister. But if you’d just take the money, you could give her half! There’s no need to go this far.” My parents pleaded with me earnestly, but I didn’t waver. “I want these three matches. Scarlett lost her parents young. She’s had it harder than I ever did. I don’t want a single cent of that billions. She can have it all.” Scarlett looked ready to leap out of her skin with joy. She signed the inheritance papers with a smug grin, all while offering me the most hypocritical thanks. “Thank you for your generosity, Anya! Don’t worry, when you’re poor and begging on the streets someday, I’ll make sure to buy you a couple loaves of bread!” My parents were left speechless with fury. When Grandpa George was bedridden, I diligently cared for him for three years. But Scarlett complained about him “smelling like an old man” and only visited when she needed money. That’s why, in the previous life, he gave me the first choice of inheritance. I didn’t respond to their ridicule. They didn’t know the secret these matches held-the power to fulfill wishes. 2 That night, I heard Mom and Dad tossing and turning in their bedroom. “What on earth was Anya thinking?” “We raised her for over twenty years, and we’ve raised a fool!” “The creditors will be here tomorrow. If we can’t pay them back, we’ll lose the house!” Grandpa George had been very strict with my father, always insisting his descendants be self-reliant. Dad’s startup company wasn’t doing well, and he owed a lot to loan sharks. He had hoped I would use Grandpa’s inheritance to help him through the tough times, but I chose the three matches. After getting the inheritance, Scarlett immediately went out to party and squander her money. Asking her to pay off Mom and Dad’s debt was a pipe dream. Seeing Mom and Dad sleepless all night, I felt a pang of guilt. I quietly struck the first match. “I wish Mom and Dad become incredibly rich overnight!” After making the wish, I lay in bed, feeling content. But the next morning, I was jolted awake by Mom’s piercing scream. “It’s over! Everything’s gone!” “The company suddenly caught fire! Everything’s burned to ashes!” “The fire spread to the neighboring shops, and now we owe them tens of millions in compensation!” Dad was squatting on the floor, clutching his head, trembling uncontrollably. I clutched the burnt matchstick tightly, my body turning cold. How could this happen?! Mom was frantic, and seeing me just standing there dumbfounded, her pent-up emotions exploded. “It’s all your fault for choosing those worthless matches!” “Matches…fire… it’s all fate!” “If you had chosen the billions, none of this would have happened!” Mom sobbed uncontrollably. Dad silently pulled Mom into his embrace, closing his eyes wearily, saying nothing. My head spun. How could this be? I clearly wished for Mom and Dad to get rich, so why did they suddenly go bankrupt? Could it be the changes brought about by my rebirth? Were the wishes in this life coming true in reverse? Thinking this, I rushed back to my bedroom and pulled out the second match. But before I could make a wish, the front door was kicked open with a bang. “Well, look at you! While we’re busting our asses chasing debts, you’re just chilling at home!” “This is your final warning! If you don’t pay us back by tomorrow, we’ll chop off your hands!” “Heard your older daughter’s pretty. Maybe we can take her as collateral, let us have some fun!” Then, they grabbed their bats and smashed our house to bits. The high-interest loans were still unpaid, and the sudden fire had burdened Mom and Dad with tens of millions in compensation. Helpless, Mom and Dad had no choice but to call Scarlett. After ten calls, Scarlett finally picked up, leisurely. “Honey, your mom and dad are in trouble now. Grandpa left you billions. We’re not asking for much, just thirty million, okay?” “If we can’t pay back the debt, the creditors are going to chop off your mom and dad’s hands…” On Scarlett’s Ins, her new emerald necklace was worth five million. But faced with Mom and Dad’s plea, Scarlett feigned a helpless sigh. “Mom, Dad, it’s not that I don’t want to help. But this inheritance was Grandpa’s specific gift to me. I wouldn’t dare use it carelessly. Blame Anya for choosing nothing but three matches!” 3 My parents tried to say more, but Scarlett abruptly hung up. Not long after, Scarlett posted another update on Ins. The photo showed her holding a small dog, its head adorned with a tiny crown of pure gold. The caption read: “Money should be spent on those who are worthy.” Mom and Dad trembled with rage. To gather enough for tomorrow’s payment, I sold all my trading cards and signed celebrity memorabilia I had collected since childhood. I even sold my phone and bought a cheap second-hand one. Mom sold her jewelry, and Dad sold his car. After much effort, we finally scraped together a few million dollars, and the tension in Dad’s brow eased slightly. “This should be enough to get through tomorrow’s payment to loan shark.” Mom had finally calmed down and spoke to me with sincere remorse. “Anya, I lost my temper this morning and shouted at you. I know none of this was your fault. I’m sorry, honey. I truly am.” My nose stung, and I fought back tears. “Maybe…maybe I really did make the wrong choice…” Dad gently patted my shoulder. “It’s alright, what’s done is done. At least this whole inheritance mess showed us Scarlett’s true colors, and that’s something! Who would’ve thought? We took pity on an orphan, brought her into our home, and ended up raising such a thankless viper.” Dinner was just bread, but a sense of warmth spread among the three of us. Dad started talking about his plans for the future, the light returning to his eyes. “As long as we don’t give up, I’ll make a comeback. I promise!” That night, I gritted my teeth and lit the second match. “II wish for Mom and Dad to become crippled and live in poverty forever!” Since the first wish had backfired, I would reverse my wish this time! My true hope was for them to be safe and prosperous. I clutched the charred matchstick tightly, not daring to close my eyes. I was terrified that, just like the night before, I would wake to another piece of devastating news. I didn’t ask for immense wealth; I just wanted Mom and Dad to be healthy and happy for the rest of their lives. Just before five in the morning, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion slammed into me. My body swayed, and my consciousness blurred. When I woke up again, everything was silent. My heart pounded. I secretly crept to Mom and Dad’s bedroom door and peeked inside. They were sleeping peacefully. I breathed a sigh of relief. But just as I was about to go back to my bedroom, two piercing screams simultaneously erupted from Mom and Dad’s room! I yanked open the door, nearly fainting from shock. Mom and Dad, who had been perfectly fine moments ago, now had all their toes turned black. Mom and Dad clutched their toes, wailing incessantly. My scalp prickled. I quickly dialed 91

When the paramedics arrived, the black area on Mom and Dad’s bodies had already spread from their toes to their entire lower bodies! The doctor’s face was grim. “The condition is worsening too fast. Prepare for immediate amputation!” I was utterly distraught. Remembering the second wish I made, I wanted to slap myself senseless. The money we had just painstakingly gathered was now all going towards surgery fees. “Why are my Mom and Dad like this?” Looking at me, crying uncontrollably, the doctor shook his head and sighed. “We don’t know the exact cause… I’ve never seen a case like this, not even my mentor has!” I almost cried myself into a coma. 3 The next day, the loan sharks came knocking. “Damn it! We’ve been looking for you all over! Don’t think you’re safe just because you’re hiding in the hospital!” “Today, no matter what, I’m chopping off your hands!” I fell to my knees in front of the loan shark. He impatiently kicked me away. But when they walked into the hospital room and saw Mom and Dad’s horrific state, they immediately froze. Their previous arrogance was completely replaced by pity. “This…” “Fine, just pay us back whenever you have the money…” Before leaving, they even threw me two hundred dollars, telling me to buy something to eat. As I put the money in my pocket, I suddenly touched the third match. The first time, I wished for something good, but it turned bad. The second time, I made an opposite wish, hoping a bad outcome would turn good, but the bad outcome actually came true! This wasn’t a match that fulfilled wishes; it was a key to Pandora’s Box. But not making a wish was already a dead end. The third match was the only chance for Mom, Dad, and me to turn things around. But what kind of wish should I make with the third match? My mind was a chaotic mess. Mom and Dad still needed my care, so I had to temporarily put the match incident aside. Mom and Dad, after their sudden amputations, were depressed and morose, tormented by phantom limb pain. But even though they were in so much pain they couldn’t sleep all night, they still tried their best to comfort me. “Anya, Mom and Dad aren’t hurting. Don’t be too sad. Maybe these are just tests from above. As long as we can endure, everything will clear up!” I held back my tears, forcing myself to be strong. To provide my parents with nutrition, I went to work as a laborer on a construction site. After finally saving a few dozen dollars, I bought a good cut of beef for Mom and Dad. All the way, I imagined the smiles that would bloom on their faces. But as soon as I reached the hospital room door, Mom picked up a water cup and violently threw it at my head. “Get out! Get out of my sight!” I froze. I turned my head and saw Scarlett, who had been missing for days, standing beside my parents. She smugly shook her phone at me before hugging Mom and Dad tightly. “Mom, Dad, you all thought I was out partying, but I was actually keeping a secret watch on Anya. I noticed she was acting strange a while ago, so I used a drone to record this. The footage is one hundred percent real! Anya may seem sweet, but her heart is pure poison.” In the video, I was clutching a match, my expression devout as I made my wish. “I wish for Mom and Dad to become crippled and live in poverty forever!” 4 The rage in my parents’ eyes was explosive. “No wonder your father and I have been so unlucky lately! You’ve been cursing us all along!” I panicked and rushed to explain the entire truth. “Mom and Dad, listen to me! The matches Grandpa left me have wish-granting powers. Because the first time I wished for you to get rich, you went bankrupt, that’s why the second time I made the opposite wish…” A flicker of hesitation crossed Mom and Dad’s eyes. But Scarlett walked over and slapped me hard. “According to you, then the matches Grandpa left you will bring disaster no matter what wish you make?” “Nonsense! That was your own grandpa; how could he leave you something like that?” Mom and Dad thought her words made sense, and their eyes turned cold again. “From now on, Scarlett is our only daughter! You jinx, get out and stay out!” I completely broke down. Why did it turn out like this? Scarlett threw all my belongings out. I seized the opportunity to confront her. “This is all your doing, isn’t it? Don’t you already have billions? Why do you still want to steal Mom and Dad from me?” Scarlett rolled her eyes. “No reason. Just because I can’t stand you!” With a bang, the door slammed shut. Inside, three people were laughing joyfully. People came and went in the hospital corridor, and I stood at the door like a clown. In the previous life, Scarlett had hated Mom and Dad. This time, she actively approached Mom and Dad; she definitely had ulterior motives. I had to find out the truth quickly, or the tragedy of my previous life would repeat itself! My first suspicion was that Scarlett had swapped the matches in my hand. The original wish-granting matches had been replaced by her with evil objects that brought misfortune. I sold all my belongings and borrowed a lot of money to hire Detective Miller. But Detective Miller’s investigation results left me incredibly disappointed- These three matches were indeed left to me by Grandpa George. Scarlett hadn’t even touched them, let alone swapped them. I wanted to ask Detective Miller to investigate further, but he flat out refused. “You borrowed money to hire me just to investigate three matches?” “Are you crazy? I’m not taking this job. I’m afraid you’ll try to scam me!” Because of my strange behavior, I was blacklisted by the entire detective community. Since science couldn’t explain it, I could only turn to the supernatural. I posted a few times online, causing a stir. A revered priest, Father Michael, voluntarily offered to help me for free. I was overjoyed and rushed to him that very night. After listening to my story, Father Michael’s eyes welled up with tears, and he promised he would help me. But Father Michael examined the matches over and over for a long time, unable to find anything wrong with them. In the end, he just comforted me with words like, “Evil people will get their comeuppance.” The matches weren’t the problem, so was I the problem? But I had just had a full physical examination a few weeks ago, and I was perfectly healthy, both physically and mentally. Just when I was at my wits’ end, I suddenly received a picture from Scarlett. “Anya, Mom and Dad gave your room to me, you know!” “And this looks like your favorite teddy bear from when we were kids. Oops, I accidentally cut it up. You’re not mad, are you?” I gripped my phone tightly. That teddy bear was the only keepsake my beloved grandma had left me! A wave of rage crashed over me. I wanted to tear Scarlett apart. Then, suddenly, a detail in the photo caught my eye. Connecting it with what Father Michael had just told me, a realization struck. I finally understood why, in this life, none of my wishes had come true. And at last, I knew what to wish for with the final match!

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After our driver’s daughter moved in, Blake-my already resentful adoptive brother-grew to hate me even more. She looked like him. That, in his mind, was proof enough: I was the impostor, and she was the real heiress. Frankly, I couldn’t be bothered to argue. Then came my eighteenth birthday. Blake showed up with the driver’s daughter to stake her claim. He turned to our parents, expecting a standing ovation. “Mom, Dad, this is your real daughter, my real sister! Avery’s the fake.” Then he threw a DNA report in my face. “You’ve stolen my sister’s life for eighteen years. Get out of this house!” Behind him, Sierra’s eyes welled up with practiced tears. “I only want…my real family.” A collective gasp tore through the room. Mom and Dad stood frozen. But as I stared at the report that confirmed they were siblings, a cold, sudden laugh rose in my chest. “What if… you’re the fake son?” I’m Avery Maxwell, the heiress to the powerful Maxwell family. Tonight was my eighteenth birthday. My parents had booked the grandest ballroom in the city and filled it with every important person they knew. I stood at the center of it all, radiant in a custom gown, the undisputed star of the evening. What I never expected was for my brother, Blake, to try to burn the whole party down. “Avery is a fraud! She has no right to be here!” Blake marched into the center of the room, dragging our driver’s daughter, Sierra, behind him. He looked at me with pure contempt, as if I were something he’d scraped off his shoe. Sierra shrank behind him, her eyes already glistening with unshed tears. My parents stared, completely bewildered. My mother gestured subtly for him to stop. My father’s voice was low and stern. “Blake, you’re late to your sister’s birthday, and now you make a spectacle? Explain yourself.” “Blake, sweetheart,” my mother tried, her voice pleading. “You and Avery quarrel, but tonight is her night. Please, have some respect.” Blake ignored them. He raised a finger and pointed straight at me, his voice hard. “Avery is not a Maxwell. She was switched at birth. A fake. The real Maxwell daughter is Sierra!” He pushed Sierra forward, presenting her to our parents like a winning trophy. “Mom, Dad, this is your real daughter. My real sister. Look at her. She even looks like me. That’s all the proof you need.” Blake’s words detonated in the room, shredding the polite chatter to pieces. Eyes darted between the three of us. Whispers spread like a current. “You know…the Maxwell siblings never did look alike.” “But Blake and that girl… they look like twins.” “Do you think it’s true?” “Well, this party just got interesting.” Mom and Dad exchanged a shocked glance, muttering, “Blake and Sierra do look alike…” Blake soaked in the whispers and pointed fingers directed at me, his eyes gleaming with hatred and triumph. I just watched him, my expression unreadable. “Blake, have you been binging too many ‘swapped at birth’ stories? You say I’m fake, and that makes it true?” I knew Blake had hated me since we were kids. Maybe it was because I was the older sister, and I’d stolen half of Mom and Dad’s affection. Or maybe because I outshone him in everything, always stealing his thunder… Whatever the reason, he always looked for ways to put me down, wishing I wasn’t his sister. After he got hooked on those ‘fake heiress’ web novels, he became absolutely convinced that I was swapped at birth and that Jim’s daughter, who looked like him, was the true Maxwell heiress. So, Blake pulling this stunt today? Honestly, it wasn’t much of a surprise.

Blake, seeing I wasn’t at all scared of being thrown out, became agitated. He sneered, “Avery, you’ve got some nerve! Let me tell you, you’re not leeching off my family any longer. If you know what’s good for you, just pack your bags and leave!” Before I could even respond, my parents, who had finally recovered from their shock, spoke up. Dad sternly reprimanded Blake, his voice harsher than I’d ever heard it. “Blake! Where are your manners? Avery is your sister! How can you say something so incredibly disrespectful?!” Mom quickly agreed. “That’s right, Blake. You and Avery can bicker all you want on a normal day, but this is Avery’s big moment. Show some decency!” But Blake seemed not to hear them. Instead, he yelled back at Mom and Dad. “Avery isn’t my sister! Sierra is my sister! You should be worried about all the suffering Sierra endured these eighteen years, not fussing over Avery, the imposter!” As Blake finished, Sierra nervously twisted her dress hem, her shoulders trembling with quiet sobs, her voice barely a choked whisper. “I just want to come home… If you don’t like me, I can leave…” She said, timidly glancing up at Mom and Dad, then quickly dropping her gaze as tears streamed down her face, looking utterly heartbroken and wronged. Mom couldn’t stand it. She tried to comfort her. “Sweetie, we haven’t figured things out yet-” But before Mom could finish, Sierra’s tears intensified, and her sobs grew louder. Seeing Sierra’s pitiful, wounded display, Blake’s heart twisted with sympathy. He pulled Sierra behind him, declaring with a fierce protectiveness, “Don’t worry, Sierra. I, Blake Maxwell, only recognize you as my sister. You belong to the Maxwell family!” The crowd erupted again, even more agitated. They started pitying Sierra, and their gazes, once admiring, now held a flicker of disdain for me. “That poor girl, her real parents are right there, yet she has to endure this.” “The Maxwells are so biased, how can they favor the swapped child over their own flesh and blood for eighteen years?” “Avery is truly wicked, enjoying someone else’s wealth for eighteen years and now refusing to give it up!” Mom and Dad’s faces flushed from white to red under the weight of these whispered judgments. And me? Listening to them champion Sierra’s supposed injustice, I just found it laughable. I coolly scanned the room, then let out a sarcastic laugh. “Nothing’s been confirmed yet. Don’t be so quick to show your true colors!” Before this ‘fake heiress’ drama began, they’d all fawned over me, the Maxwell heiress. Now, without a single piece of hard proof, they were already scrambling to cozy up to the ‘real’ one. They were sharp. They heard the ice in my voice. Their smiles tightened, but out of respect for the Maxwell name, they held their tongues. Then I turned to Blake, my voice sharp. “Blake, you’re making a spectacle of the Maxwell name and our parents over nothing but a passing resemblance. Show me the proof. Or you and your friend can leave!” Blake had been chastised by me countless times growing up, and he already harbored resentment. Now, being lectured in front of so many people, his face turned beet red with fury. Blake glared at me, then yanked a document from his pocket and slapped it against my cheek with a sharp crack. “Avery, open your goddamn eyes, you leech! You’re the one who needs to get out!” It was a DNA paternity report. “I was going to let you keep some dignity. Clearly, you don’t deserve it.” At the same moment, the report flashed onto the giant LCD screen behind us. Test result: Sample 1 (Blake Maxwell) and Sample 2 (Sierra Jim) confirmed sibling relationship.

“See for yourselves!” Blake waved the report overhead. “My DNA test with Sierra proves we’re siblings!” He paused, his gaze deliberately finding me before he drove the point home. “The evidence is right here. Sierra is the real Maxwell heiress. Avery…she has no blood tie to this family at all” He was shouting now, as if I were standing across a field. My parents stood frozen, their eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Dad’s brow furrowed. “This report… Blake and Sierra are truly siblings?!” Mom’s voice trembled. “How can this be…?” The room erupted. The whispers now were louder than before. “The results are in! Avery really is the fake!” “The Maxwells must be sick. Their own daughter suffered for eighteen years while they spoiled a stranger.” “Did you see how high and mighty Avery was acting? Talk about karma.” “Exactly. Prancing around in a stolen life. Let’s see her talk her way out of this.” … I went from being the pampered heiress of a wealthy family to a fake heiress everyone could scorn. Blake lifted his chin smugly and gave me my marching orders. “Avery, nothing to say now, huh? Get out, quickly!” Sierra tugged on Blake’s sleeve, timidly saying, “Blake, maybe… maybe we should just let it go. After all, Mom and Dad did raise Avery for eighteen years.” Her ‘kind and magnanimous’ act only made me seem like a monstrous villain. I watched their little performance quietly, with no intention of leaving. “Blake, the Maxwell family isn’t yours to command!” Blake scowled, then directly signaled the bodyguards to drag me out. “You’re out of line, Avery Maxwell! Today, I’m going to make you realize who the true owner of this family is! A common nobody doesn’t deserve designer clothes-strip her of that dress and throw her out!” Several bodyguards moved to grab me, but before their hands could even touch me, Dad’s cold voice stopped them. “Stop! Who dares lay a hand on my daughter?!” Dad’s voice carried an unquestionable authority, and Mom quickly stepped forward, shielding me. The bodyguards froze instantly, exchanging nervous glances, not daring to advance. Seeing this, Blake’s eyes turned red. He couldn’t believe that even with the DNA report right in front of them, Mom and Dad were still protecting me, an outsider. He lost control, roaring at Mom and Dad. “Dad! Mom! Have you gone senile?!” “Sierra and I are the real Maxwells! How can you ignore your own flesh and blood and pour your hearts out to Avery, this imposter?!” Mom and Dad’s expressions were complex. After a long moment, they simply said, “Avery is a Maxwell.” Their voices weren’t loud, but they carried an unshakeable resolve. In that moment, a warmth spread through my chest. No matter what happened, Mom and Dad would always be my shield.

Blake, however, was like a lit firecracker, his face contorted with resentment and fury. Sierra, too, began to sob dramatically, her cries heartbreaking, as if she’d suffered the greatest injustice. “It’s all my fault… If I hadn’t shown up, I wouldn’t have made Mom and Dad so difficult, wouldn’t have made Blake so miserable… I really shouldn’t have come back…” She spoke, then stumbled, as if about to run out, embodying a martyr. Blake immediately grabbed her, comforting her. “Sierra, don’t run! This is your home, Avery is the one who should leave!” Sierra looked at Blake through tear-filled eyes, then timidly gazed at Mom and Dad. “I truly don’t want to cause you trouble. I just want to return to my real mom and dad. Why is it so hard?!” Just then, Jim, the driver, pushed through the outer edges of the crowd. As soon as he entered, he knelt down with a thud before Mom and Dad. “Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell, both children… we truly wronged you! That year at the hospital, my wife, in a moment of confusion, swapped the two babies!” Jim wept, his old eyes flooding with tears, his remorse complete. “Now I have only one wish: for Sierra to come back to her real family. Avery has taken eighteen years of her life. Our conscience can’t bear it any longer. Sierra is a good girl. Please, I beg you, give her the chance to come home. As for Avery…she will come home with me.” Hearing this, Mom and Dad looked at each other. Their faces grew even more solemn. “Jim, is what you’re telling us about that year the complete truth?” Jim nodded vigorously. “Every word of it, Mrs. Maxwell! My wife…she’s lived with the guilt every single day. We never would have had the courage to come forward if Sierra hadn’t started looking so much like Blake. It’s all on us-please, blame me. Just don’t take it out on Sierra.” Jim’s words corroborated Sierra’s claim, making Blake even more arrogant. He stepped forward, pointing at my nose, his spit almost flying onto my face. “Did you hear that, Avery?! Even Jim admitted it himself! You were maliciously swapped at birth!” “With witnesses and evidence right here, you imposter, get out of the Maxwell mansion, now!” Jim stood up, reaching for me, but I swiftly dodged his hand. Sierra, fearing I wouldn’t leave, frantically urged me. “Avery, I know this is sudden for you, but our intertwined lives are a fact. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of Mom and Dad in the Maxwell house. You can come back anytime you want. The Maxwell mansion will always be your second home.” Her voice was still choked with tears, but a hint of barely perceptible triumph laced it. I shot her a cold glance, my malice undisguised. “Who do you think you are, to talk about taking care of my parents for me? My parents have me, they don’t need you telling them what to do!” My obstinate attitude once again drew a fresh wave of condemnation from the guests. “How ill-mannered! Her biological father comes to pick her up, and she refuses to go.” “Eighteen years of someone else’s wealth isn’t enough for her? Her skin is thicker than a fortress wall!” “The Maxwells wasted eighteen years raising such an ungrateful wretch!” Then Blake slapped me hard across the face. “Avery, you shameless bitch! Who gave you the right to talk to my sister Sierra like that? A fake heiress should know her place! Don’t push your luck.” My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning. Mom and Dad moved to step forward, but I gently pressed their arms and stopped them. I bent down, picked up the scattered DNA report from the floor, and found the line confirming their sibling relationship. I smiled. “What if, Blake, you’re the fake son? What if you are the one who needs to get out?”

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To clear my girlfriend’s debts, Mom and I worked ourselves to the bone. It cost Mom her life – she got lung cancer. When I rushed to the hospital with the money to pay for her treatment, I found her gone. She’d taken her own life, leaving only a single letter: “Kolt, don’t waste money treating me. Use it to pay off Scarlett’s debts. She loves you. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.” Clutching Mom’s ashes, I handed Scarlett the sixty thousand dollars Mom had left. Back at the office, I walked in on her talking to a few creditors. It wasn’t what I expected. “Scarlett, Kolt has passed all your tests. What’s next on your agenda?” Scarlett’s assistant, Brandon, suddenly spoke up: “Scarlett, he might be able to tough it out with you, but we still need to see if he can handle prosperity.” Scarlett pursed her lips: “Next, I need to know if he’s truly sincere. If he doesn’t covet my money once he knows who I really am, I’ll marry him.” I looked at Mom’s ashes, dissolving into a weeping mess. My girlfriend’s pre-wedding ‘test’ cost my mother her life. And I? I swear, you’ll all pay for this!

Leaving Su Corp. I sat on the curb, clutching Mom’s urn. Mom had asked for her ashes to be placed in the simplest, most unadorned container, just to save every last penny for Scarlett’s debts. Suddenly, Scarlett’s face appeared on the giant screen in the plaza. The news anchor reported: “Just moments ago, Scarlett, the CEO of Su Corp, who had mysteriously disappeared for three years, attended a gala with her fiancé, Brandon.” I stared at the screen, at Scarlett, radiant with confidence. Tears streamed down my face. So all those years Mom and I poured our hearts and souls into working, just to pay off her debts… It was all just a lie. I sat there for what felt like ages, until Scarlett called that evening. Her voice was just as soft and gentle as always: “It’s so late. Why aren’t you home yet? Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.” I instinctively opened my mouth, but no words came out. Just silence. Before, I would’ve probably been a little annoyed, complaining that she was interrupting my work again. But now, that intimate tone… I couldn’t bear it. Scarlett’s voice held a hint of urgency: “Kolt, where are you right now?” “Working.” Scarlett froze, as if just remembering that I’d been working tirelessly until late every night, all to pay off her debts. She’d promised to marry me once the debts were cleared. And to settle down, build a real life with me. Just as Mom had hoped. Today, she was supposed to reveal her true identity to me. “I… I have something to tell you. I’m actually the heir to Su Corp.” “I… I’m coming to pick you up right now…” I hung up, hailed a cab, and left. I had no expectations left for Scarlett. When I finally snapped back to reality, my own tears were reflected in the car window. On my phone, Scarlett’s messages popped up, one after another. I didn’t look. I didn’t want to. Today was supposed to be the start of our new life together. But her lies had turned my mother’s suicide into a cruel joke. Five years of struggle, all for a ridiculous truth. Scarlett, I’m not marrying you.

That night, I didn’t go home. I checked into a hotel. Scarlett messaged me all night, called countless times. I didn’t check. I didn’t answer. The next morning, I arrived at the company early. To prepare my resignation letter. The company was a subsidiary of Su Corp. And I was just an ordinary accountant. Five years ago, I first met Scarlett when she joined the company too. After we started dating, I introduced her to Mom. Mom approved of our marriage. As we were planning the reception, Scarlett told me she was deep in debt and had been fired from her job. To help her pay it off, I took on every side gig I could find. Mom also worked herself to the bone. Her already worn face grew even older, etched with more lines. I never imagined this company… it was *hers*. I let out a bitter laugh, mocking myself. Just then, Scarlett walked in. I calmly pulled out the resignation agreement I’d already printed. Scarlett came to stand beside me. Under her watchful gaze, I calmly signed the resignation agreement. She looked at me, her voice gentle: “Are you done?” “I’m done.” Scarlett bit her lip slightly, seemingly unaware of the change in me. She cleared her throat. “Kolt, could you come with me for a moment?” The moment Scarlett called me away, my colleagues immediately started whispering. “Oh my God, have you guys seen the news? Scarlett is the CEO of Su Corp!” “Kolt’s practically the CEO’s husband now, but his expression…” “You don’t get it. It’s just a lovers’ quarrel, they’ll patch things up.” Everyone thought I was about to become the CEO’s husband. But they didn’t know I just wanted to leave, forever. In the office, Scarlett reached out as if to grab me. I took a step back. “Ms. Scarlett.” Scarlett frowned. “Why didn’t you come home last night? Are you still mad at me?” I shook my head. “I went to see Mom.” I didn’t go back because I didn’t want Mom to ever see her again. She could have lived if she’d just gotten treatment. But she chose to end her own life, just so she wouldn’t be a burden. Scarlett seemed to sense a strange shift in me. After a moment of silence, she spoke: “Tonight, let’s go see your mom together.” As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, and her gaze became hesitant. She slowly handed me a card. “There’s a hundred thousand dollars on it. Get your mom some new clothes, consider it…” I stared at the bank card, but I didn’t take it. What she owed us couldn’t be repaid with money. Seeing my silence, a flicker of panic crossed Scarlett’s eyes. She was about to speak when a ringtone interrupted her thoughts. Scarlett pulled out her phone, glanced at me, hesitated for a moment, then left. I knew this was probably another one of her ‘tests’ for me. Testing my sincerity, testing if I was after her money. But I no longer cared. After that, I submitted my resignation. Mr. Davies didn’t seem surprised by my sudden resignation request. “Kolt, you’re leaving? Did Ms. Scarlett make other arrangements for you?” I bit my lip, feeling a surge of bitter irony. Everyone thought I was about to become the CEO’s husband, stepping into high society. They all envied my ‘luck’. They had no idea I’d lost my mother forever because of it. If I had a choice, I’d rather have never met Scarlett. As I was leaving the company, I saw Scarlett with her assistant, Brandon. Catching my eye, Scarlett instinctively began to explain; “This is Brandon, he’s my…” Before she could finish, Brandon wrapped an arm around her. “Fiancé.” I stayed silent. Then, Brandon spoke again: “Excuse me. Could you move aside?” A glint of challenge flashed in Brandon’s eyes. I silently took a step back, clearing the way. Scarlett looked at me, hesitation in her eyes, as if she wanted to say something. But Brandon pulled her away before she could. That evening, I went to church to pray for Mom. I stayed until my prayers were done. Scarlett never showed up. She never even asked. I didn’t care. Whether she knew about Mom’s death or not, it didn’t matter anymore. I figured Mom, in heaven, if she knew the truth, wouldn’t want to see her either. Five years of misplaced trust. It all ended right here, right now.

In the early hours, I returned home. Scarlett wasn’t back. I didn’t care. As I was packing my bags, the news was reporting on the Su Corp CEO, Scarlett, attending a gala with her fiancé, Brandon. I watched the ‘perfect’ couple, feeling nothing. Bags packed, I was about to leave. The door opened, and Scarlett appeared. The moment she saw me, Scarlett rushed over, grabbing my hand. “Where were you last night? Why didn’t you answer my calls?” I stiffened, then pulled my hand free from Scarlett’s grip. “Last night, I was with Mom. I didn’t want to disturb her rest, so I turned off my phone.” At the mention of Mom, Scarlett remembered what she’d said that day, and a look of guilt crossed her face. “I’ll arrange for the best doctors to take care of your mom.” Then, she pulled out a box and pressed it into my hand. “This is what I promised to give your mom.” I opened it instinctively. Inside was a bracelet. It was the genuine version of the bracelet Mom had cherished so carefully. I froze. Once, Scarlett had held Mom’s hand, and promised with utmost sincerity that one day, she’d give her the priceless original. Mom’s eyes had been full of laughter then. She didn’t care if the bracelet was real or fake. As long as it came from Scarlett, from the daughter-in-law she approved of. She would be happy. But I thought, *that was before*. I closed the box and handed it back. “If you get the chance, give it to her yourself.” Scarlett frowned slightly. Every time, I used to make the choice she expected, the one she hoped for. But my politeness now felt alien to her. A flicker of unease crossed her face. She grabbed my hand, squeezing it slightly. “Your mom’s health…” Just then, Brandon appeared, wrapping an arm around Scarlett’s shoulder. “Scarlett, I want to stay in this room!” She was pointing at *my* room. “This room is taken.” Scarlett said, then quickly explained to me: “He’s a friend. He’s just staying for a bit because of work.” As she spoke, Scarlett stared intently at me, as if expecting me to refuse. But I just nodded, agreeing without a second thought. “Let him have the room. I need to go stay with Mom.” Scarlett froze for a moment. Brandon, not giving me a chance to reconsider, immediately rushed into the room. Only then did she notice the luggage in my hand. She bit her lip, holding my hand tightly, refusing to let go. The guilt in her eyes deepened. Finally, urged on by Brandon, she spoke: “Tomorrow, I’ll go see your mom.”

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When Ronnie Miller’s mistress showed up pregnant for the third time, I remained strangely calm. I even had the leisure to admire the wedding photos they’d taken behind my back. Ronnie frowned, his expression cold, subtly shielding Briar Stone. “I know I promised you I wouldn’t have children with anyone else.” “But Briar has been with me for so many years. Her body is already fragile after two abortions. This child *has* to stay. If anything happens to her, I won’t hold back.” After speaking, he stepped back a few paces. He probably expected me to lash out like a madwoman, just like before. But not this time. Three days ago, I’d already accepted his proposal. I raised an eyebrow, glancing at Briar’s hands, clutching the wedding photos so tightly her knuckles were white. “Nice wedding photos, but that dress doesn’t really suit you.” If she hadn’t deliberately sent me the ultrasound, I wouldn’t have even known she was pregnant again. Over the years, I’d grown used to her provocations. The first time she confronted me, I felt like I’d been thrown into sub-zero water. My entire being felt torn in half, my heart spasming with pain. My eyes bloodshot, I’d shattered an ashtray over Ronnie’s head. He merely licked the blood from his lip, looking at me with an exasperated yet protective gaze directed at her. “Honey, you’re a real firecracker, aren’t you? So quick to ignite.” “But I truly care for her. Don’t lay a hand on her, and everything will be fine. Was one hit not enough? Want to hit me twice to blow off some steam?” Back then, my world crumbled. I lost handfuls of hair, suffered sleepless nights, tormenting myself until I looked like a ghost. But now, I felt nothing at all. Ronnie paused, then stared at me with a half-smile. “Honey, new tactic?” “But you know, even if you try to stop me, it won’t end well for you.” He was right. I agreed wholeheartedly, nodding. “I won’t stop you. Do whatever you want.” Seeing my lack of tears or drama, Ronnie finally let out a sigh of relief. A flicker of guilt crossed his eyes. “Whatever you want to buy, just use my card.” With that, he walked off, cradling Briar in his arms, as if worried she might tire. Watching their retreating figures, I felt a strange sense of unreality. After I first discovered his cheating, I exposed him, laying it all bare for our friends and family to see. I wanted him to back down, to come back to me. But to my shock, the very next day, he doubled down, openly introducing Briar to everyone. Someone spoke ill of Briar, and he knocked out their teeth. Someone else mocked Briar, calling her a homewrecker, and he broke their leg. Everyone instantly stopped disrespecting Briar. I screamed, utterly devastated. “Ronnie, what am I to you?! You swore you’d love me forever!” “Let’s get a divorce!” Ronnie chuckled, then kissed my lips. “Honey, can you really bear to leave me?” “I didn’t say I don’t love you anymore. It’s just been a while, and things get a little… stale. Just be a good girl, okay?” “Divorce? Where would you even go?” All my words caught in my throat. It wasn’t until I learned Briar was pregnant that I completely lost it. Before Ronnie was officially recognized by the Miller family, he was just a street kid, running with gangs. When he was sixteen, he got into a fight, and I stepped in front of him, taking a knife wound that damaged my uterus. I was told I’d likely never have children. After we married, his mother used to verbally abuse me, calling me a barren chicken. To protect me, and spare me further pain, Ronnie got a vasectomy. So, when I found out Briar was pregnant, I tracked her down, slapped her twice, dragged her to the hospital, and forced an abortion. When Ronnie found out, he had people desecrate my grandmother’s grave. In that moment, I felt like I died. My heart felt pierced by countless needles, each beat bleeding. My face was ashen, like a ghost, as I asked him if he was insane. When he was at his lowest, hadn’t my grandmother given him food? Would he even be alive today without her? Before she passed, my grandmother treated him like her own grandson. She split her life savings, half for me, and half to help him start his business. She believed he would make sure I had a good life. But she never imagined that ten years later, Ronnie would bring people to dig up her grave. I laughed, a sharp, bitter sound, coughing up blood. Ronnie remained unmoved, casually smoking on the sofa. “Honey, you’re the one who laid hands on her first.” “I warned you, but you just wouldn’t listen.” After that day, Ronnie never came home again. He spent weeks by Briar’s side, doting on her. I withered away at home, like a dying flower. Watching the news report that Ronnie had rented out an entire auction house for Briar, I slit my wrists. Life drained from me, little by little, the sounds around me slowly fading. A bone-chilling cold consumed me. I felt only relief, and slowly closed my eyes.

But I didn’t die. When I opened my eyes again, Ronnie was beside my bed, his eyes bloodshot. He clutched me tightly, swearing to me. “Honey, you scared me to death.” “I won’t get anyone pregnant again, I promise you.” But people, once they break a promise the first time, will break countless promises for the rest of their lives. The second time Briar got pregnant, Ronnie smoked all night. I knew he was torn. He felt for Briar, but he was also bound by his promise to me. Briar came knocking on our door. Before I could say anything, she collapsed. The baby was gone. That was the first time I saw Ronnie in a fit of uncontrolled rage. He grabbed my throat, demanding I pay with my life. “I already promised you! I was going to make her get rid of it! Why couldn’t you just leave her alone?!” That was the second time I faced death. My lungs burned as if they would explode, air slowly stripped away. Just as I thought I was going to die, I was flung aside like a broken doll. Seeing the undisguised disgust in his eyes, all my explanations caught in my throat, stuck there, making me sick and wretched. Ronnie moved out of the home we’d lovingly decorated together. After that, whenever I needed to reach him, I had to get Briar’s permission before he would answer my calls. Two months later, I found out I was pregnant. The doctor called it a miracle, likely my only chance to ever have a child. I texted Ronnie, but Briar showed up instead. Briar came to our house to corner me. “Do you really think this baby will make Ronnie come back to you?” “Don’t be naive. Do you know what Ronnie said on my bed last night? He said just seeing your old hag face made him sick. If you hadn’t saved him back then, he would have kicked you to the curb ages ago.” Before she left, when I wasn’t looking, she poured hand soap onto the bathroom floor. I slipped when I went to the bathroom, and the gush of blood on the floor stained my vision red. I called Ronnie, but his line was constantly busy. On the tenth call, he only replied with four words: *Briar won’t let me.* The ambulance was slow to arrive. The blood was already cold. The baby was gone. I lay in the hospital bed, staring numbly at the ceiling, unable to understand how Ronnie and I had come to this. I thought, *this is it*. Maybe the baby knew it shouldn’t come into this world. It would only face constantly fighting parents. This is better. Let it be. From that day on, I think I stopped loving Ronnie. Even now, seeing their backs together, there wasn’t a ripple in my heart. The ringtone of *his* special song broke my reverie. I answered the call. “Yes, the divorce papers are ready. I’ll give them to him tomorrow.” “You can pick me up the day after tomorrow.”

I cleared out the old belongings in the house, throwing all the unimportant items into the trash. That night, Ronnie finally came home. In the end, the divorce papers I’d drafted weren’t needed. Ronnie beat me to it, handing me his own divorce papers first. “Honey, Briar feels insecure. She doesn’t want our child to be born a bastard.” “Let’s get divorced first, then after she gives birth, we’ll remarry.” No wonder. An hour ago, Briar had texted me, telling me to expect a surprise. She was trying to provoke me, to make me fight with Ronnie again. Unfortunately, I no longer loved him. Even arguing felt like a waste of energy. I calmly scanned the terms of the agreement. It was generous, and fair. Almost all of Ronnie’s assets were split equally with me. Without hesitation, I signed my name. After signing, I drank the lukewarm water on the table and prepared to go back to my room. Ronnie hadn’t expected me to be so decisive. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He stood up, instinctively grabbing my wrist. “What’s wrong?” I turned, my gaze distant and cold. “What’s wrong? Is there anything else?” Ronnie glanced uneasily at my bedroom, pondered for a moment, then walked in. He collected all the sharp knives and objects from my room. He then prepared to call the nanny from his family estate. He was afraid I would try to kill myself. I chuckled. “No need to go to all that trouble. I won’t kill myself.” His phone rang. It was Briar, urging him to come home. He nodded dismissively at me, then rushed out the door. Early the next morning, Ronnie urged me downstairs to go to the civil affairs office for our divorce certificate. His car was covered in stickers he used to deem childish. It was Briar’s aesthetic. I sensibly went to the back seat. He paused, then instinctively asked. “Why aren’t you sitting in front?” I gazed out at the rapidly receding scenery, answering distractedly. “Isn’t that Briar’s designated seat?” Ronnie fell silent. Several times, he tried to catch my eye in the rearview mirror, opening his mouth repeatedly without speaking. After registering our information, the staff told us we could come back to finalize the divorce after the cooling-off period. I breathed a sigh of relief. Ronnie stood rooted to the spot, his expression complex, emotions I couldn’t decipher swirling in his eyes. “I’ll drive you home.” I was about to refuse. Briar appeared out of nowhere, jumping to kiss Ronnie’s cheek. Ronnie hastily steadied her. “Careful with the baby!” The moment Briar appeared, all his attention was on her. He didn’t even notice when I left.

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My husband, Brandon, wanted us to be child-free for life. Ten years later, he brought home a pair of children he’d adopted, expecting me to raise them into successful adults. I agreed. When the kids turned eighteen, they both got into Ivy League universities. At their coming-of-age celebration, Brandon handed me a property transfer deed, demanding I sign over all my assets to the children. I agreed again. Just as I reached for the pen to sign, my mother pulled me aside, her face etched with worry. “Eleanor, these children’s background is shady. You absolutely cannot give them all your fortune.” I replied calmly, “Mom, I trust my instincts.” After I signed, Brandon burst into a satisfied laugh. Then, he embraced a woman and shoved a divorce agreement into my hands. “Eleanor, thank you for looking after *our* children all this time. It’s time to give them back to Veronica.” I smiled. “Alright!” Eighteen years ago, Brandon, who swore he wanted a child-free life with me forever, suddenly brought home a pair of children. The boy and girl were tiny and thin, but undeniably cute. Brandon said they were adopted from an orphanage and asked me to raise them. From that day on, I became a mom, changing their diapers, feeding them, and watching them grow. Eighteen years later, they had both gotten into Ivy League schools. At their coming-of-age celebration, when I was about to transfer my assets to the children, it became the talk of the town. My parents and all our friends and relatives tried to dissuade me. But I ignored all their pleas and transferred the property to the two kids. The moment he got the transfer documents, Brandon couldn’t hold back his excitement, laughing out loud. Then, he pulled a woman from the crowd and walked towards me. They handed me a divorce agreement, demanding I leave empty-handed. My mind reeled. I stared at him in disbelief. Back then, to be child-free with him, I had even undergone a hysterectomy. For years, I was known as the perfect wife in this city. Now, looking at that divorce agreement, I shouted at them. “Brandon, so you and Veronica have been secretly involved all this time!” Veronica was an employee at my company, manipulative and utterly despicable. She had risen to director. Veronica smiled calmly. “Eleanor, there’s no need to be angry. If you truly love Brandon, you should be willing to sacrifice for his happiness.” Brandon snapped impatiently. “Just sign it already, what are you waiting for?” Brandon and I were college sweethearts. He came from a dirt-poor rural family, barely had money for food, often hiding in his dorm room just munching on stale bread. Due to a lack of nutrition, he was pale, gaunt, with lifeless hair, and a perpetually hunched posture back then. The day he fainted on the track, I rushed him to the campus clinic and learned about his predicament. I generously paid for all his living expenses, and soon after, we fell for each other and started dating. Veronica was Brandon’s high school classmate. They grew up together as childhood sweethearts but had long drifted apart. I never expected them to secretly get together again. “Poor Ms. Davis, isn’t she? The moment she transfers her assets to the kids, he drops the act and demands a divorce.” “I heard they agreed to be child-free for life, but then Mr. Davis adopted two kids. They got into Ivy League, which is what this celebration is for.” “I bet those kids are his illegitimate children with that woman.” “Do you even need to doubt it? It’s obvious! Otherwise, why would he make Ms. Davis transfer her property to them?” “Ms. Davis is so unlucky, she was completely played.” The guests at the celebration murmured amongst themselves, stunned by the sudden turn of events. My mom cried, tears streaming down her face. “Eleanor, see? You fell right into their trap. Your father and I warned you long ago that this man had dark intentions, a real schemer. He only befriended you and treated you well for your money. We even mentioned that those two children’s background was shady and advised you to be careful, but you just wouldn’t listen!” My dad said angrily. “How could a Davis be so foolish? For a man, you just hand over your entire fortune!” Amidst the commotion, I looked down at the divorce agreement. No one noticed the faint, knowing smile playing on my lips. “Eleanor, you don’t need to blame me. I’m a normal man. You don’t have a uterus, you can’t have children, so I had to find someone else to have them with.” Brandon tried to explain, seeking some justification for his infidelity. I smiled. “It was *your* idea for me to have a hysterectomy and be child-free with you forever, saying we’d never regret it! I made such a huge sacrifice for you.”

“That was then. The reality is you can’t have children, and I want my own kids, so I had no choice but to find Veronica…” Veronica nodded. “That’s right. If a woman can’t have children, and she earns such a huge fortune, who will she leave it to in the future?” In the banquet hall, everyone silently nodded. My mom remembered the past and sobbed to Brandon. “You came from a poor rural village, dirt poor, couldn’t even pay tuition, and constantly hid in your dorm eating bread. Your mother was critically ill and couldn’t afford medical care. If we hadn’t supported you, you and your mom would have died long ago!” “When you two got married, you had no money. Your brother-in-law was unemployed for years, and Eleanor’s dad gave him a manager position with an annual salary of over a million.” At that moment, the three of us were lost in our memories. Mom murmured. “Our family has been good to you. I can’t believe you’d repay our kindness with betrayal and try to take the Davis family’s fortune.” After a moment of silence, Brandon chuckled. “What’s the point of bringing that up now?” He looked at me. “Alright, Eleanor, how much longer are you going to stare at this agreement?” “Even if you don’t sign, it’s useless. After all, you’ve already transferred the property to the children’s names. Our joint assets only amount to a few tens of thousands left. I’ll leave that for your retirement.” Hearing this, a smug grin stretched across Brandon’s face, almost reaching his ears. *Slap!* Suddenly, my dad rushed forward and slapped him across the face! “You monster!” “Someone, grab that old man! Beat him up!” Brandon couldn’t afford to lose face. With a wave of his hand, several security guards rushed forward, menacingly surrounding my dad. The security guards were intimidated by my dad’s presence and hesitated to advance. But Veronica charged forward and slapped my dad across the face. My dad froze on the spot. He was a man of great prestige, a former president of the Business Guild, socializing only with influential figures. Now, to be treated with such contempt by Veronica was a grave insult! My dad was about to explode in anger, but I pulled him back. The surrounding crowd immediately erupted. “This is going too far, isn’t it? Hitting even old Mr. Davis!” “Mr. Davis is a renowned philanthropist, often donating to underprivileged students, struggling families, and building schools for the elderly. Now he’s being bullied like this!” “You can only blame his daughter for being a total letdown!” “If I had a daughter like Eleanor, I’d disown her on the spot!” “Shut up!” Brandon yelled at the crowd. Then he looked at me. “Eleanor, are you going to sign or not?” “I’ll sign.” I picked up the pen and swiftly signed my name. Brandon took it, glanced at it, and with his heart finally at ease, sneered. “Good, Eleanor, thank you for delivering billions in assets to our family!” Veronica triumphantly raised a glass. “Cheers!” I smiled, thinking, *Is that so? I hope you can keep smiling until the end!* My dad looked at them, then suddenly collapsed to the floor. “Dad!” “Mr. Davis!” My mom and I, along with many relatives, rushed over. Brandon looked at a man busily helping out and exclaimed in surprise. “Marcus, what are you doing here? Don’t tell me you’re interested in this failure, Eleanor?” The two of them were childhood friends, both from rural backgrounds. Brandon often mocked Marcus for being a fool. Marcus smiled faintly, but didn’t reply. Just then, my dad woke up. He asked. “Where are those two kids of theirs?” “They went to pick up their university acceptance letters.” Marcus replied. Soon, two high school students in school uniforms appeared at the entrance.

Both were a little chubby, walking in with cheerful faces. When they saw me, they turned away in disgust and went straight to Brandon. Chloe, the daughter, whined. “Dad, Aunt Veronica, we got our acceptance letters!” Brandon pulled the two children to sit beside him, smiling. “From now on, you should call Aunt Veronica, ‘Mom’.” My heart ached, hearing the children I had raised call someone else “Mom.” Veronica smiled. “Good children. Now I won’t have to secretly go to your school to see you anymore.” My mom was furious. She pointed at them and yelled. “Chloe, Daniel, your mother meticulously cared for you for eighteen years, and this is how you treat her?” “Daniel, you were always frail and often caught colds and fevers. Once, in the middle of the night, you had a 104-degree fever, and your mom braved the pouring rain to take you to the doctor.” “Chloe, when you were in high school, you fell in with the wrong crowd. That day, you went out with them and were drugged by some hoodlums. If your mother hadn’t arrived with people in time, you would have been ruined. But she protected you and even got stabbed herself!” The two children fell silent. Indeed, I had taken excellent care of them. After a moment, Chloe pouted. “Alright, don’t bring that up. No matter how well she did, she’s not my biological mom.” Daniel chimed in. “Exactly. And she should take a look in the mirror. Eleanor, you’re just not fit to be my mother.” Then, he shoved a paternity test report at me. Everyone expected me to make a scene, but instead, I pulled out a sever-ties agreement. “Chloe, Daniel, then let’s cut all ties.” Chloe giggled. “Ms. Davis, I couldn’t be more thrilled.” They signed without hesitation, then sat next to Brandon and Veronica. The four of them exchanged knowing smiles. “Excellent.” I smiled. I gave them a chance. If they had even a shred of conscience, I might have considered leaving them a way out. Unfortunately, some people’s true colors are truly ugly. Everyone probably couldn’t fathom why I, a shrewd and capable businesswoman managing billions, would willingly step into this trap, raising someone else’s kids. “Ms. Davis, this coming-of-age celebration has nothing to do with you. You can leave. Also, please make sure you and your parents move out today, because the villa is already in my children’s names.” Brandon started to kick me out. “No rush.” I gave a knowing smile and addressed everyone. “Today is my children’s coming-of-age celebration. The party hasn’t even started yet, how can the guest of honor leave? Children, come in.” To everyone’s stunned gazes, two figures walked in from outside.

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At Daniel’s and my engagement party, a banner hung right in the middle of the room, screaming, “Homewrecker Takes Over!” My name on it was crossed out, replaced with a scrawled, ugly “Bitch.” Before I could even get angry, Daniel calmly spoke, trying to soothe me. “He’s just a kid who likes to play pranks. Don’t let it get to you.” Yes, Daniel had a son who loved to play pranks, so much so that we hadn’t been able to finalize our wedding for three years. I shoved Daniel aside, grabbed Fitzgerald by the collar. “Wipe it off! And I mean *lick it clean* if you have to!” Fitzgerald immediately burst into tears. Daniel’s face hardened as he strode over, pulling the child into his arms. “Alice, he’s just a child! Is this really worth getting so worked up over?” Before I could reply, a woman’s voice drifted in from the doorway. “Being a stepmom is tough, isn’t it, Alice? Didn’t you know that before?” The crowd automatically parted for her. My face darkened as I turned to Daniel. “She’s back?” A flicker of embarrassment crossed Daniel’s face. He nodded. “She’s been back for two months.” Two months. Daniel hadn’t said a single word to me about it. No wonder he’d been working late so often these past two months. And each time he came home, he carried a faint, sweet scent. I clenched my fists tightly, forcing myself to stand steady. Scarlett, with a familiar ease, took Fitzgerald from Daniel’s arms and greeted me with a smile. “Hello, I’m Scarlett Reed.” “Daniel’s ex-girlfriend, and Fitzgerald’s biological mother.” The entire ballroom fell silent. The story of Daniel and Scarlett, falling in love and having a child at eighteen, was always the dirty little secret no one in our circles dared to mention. No one dared cross the Miller family. After all, they had spun a story that Fitzgerald was Daniel’s younger brother to hide the scandal. Everyone just gossiped behind closed doors. Now, Scarlett, who’d vanished for six years, was back. And the drama was finally out in the open for everyone to feast their eyes on. “Mommy! I hate this woman!” “I don’t want her to marry Daddy! I don’t want to call her Mom!” Fitzgerald, in Scarlett’s arms, pointed at me, his mouth going non-stop. Seeing the “family” of three standing opposite me, I couldn’t keep my composure any longer. Daniel’s face instantly darkened too. He pulled Fitzgerald from Scarlett’s arms and brought him over to me. “Who taught you to talk like that?” “Apologize to Aunt Alice, now!” Daniel frowned, feigning anger as he barked at Fitzgerald. But everyone present could hear that his words were just meant to scare the child. Fitzgerald knew it too. So he cried, shaking his head. “I won’t apologize.” “Daddy, everyone says this woman is only marrying you for the Miller family’s money!” “Daddy, Mommy’s back, why can’t you marry Mommy?!” Daniel frowned, gently scolding him. “Stop it, apologize to Aunt Alice.” “I won’t!” “I hate you!” Suddenly, Fitzgerald pulled out a small pair of scissors from somewhere and slashed my wrist. Blood dripped steadily, and the entire room erupted into chaos. I pressed on the wound, looking up at Daniel. “Daniel, you can only keep one of us: me or him.” A collective gasp went through the room. “Alice, you’re putting me in an impossible position.” Daniel stood there, composed and aloof amidst the crowd, but his feet didn’t move an inch towards me. I continued. “Daniel, you have seven days. If I don’t get an answer within seven days, the engagement is off. And for this injury, I’ll make sure they pay back double!” My gaze landed on Scarlett and Fitzgerald. Scarlett instinctively recoiled behind Daniel, a victor’s challenge in her eyes. Daniel remained indifferent, his gaze cold. “Alice, you know I hate being threatened.” Mrs. Davis, the housekeeper, pulled me upstairs to bandage my wound, her face full of concern. “Just some childish antics, nothing to worry about.” Behind me, Daniel, as always, cleaned up the mess. That word, “antics,” seared itself into my heart. Scarlett held Fitzgerald, gently cooing. “Don’t be scared, Fitzgerald, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” Those words, clearly meant for me, pierced my ears. A chill crept up from my feet to the top of my head, freezing my heart and veins. Six years. All I got in return was being called “childish antics.” “Alice, don’t listen to them.” Mrs. Davis pulled me, quickening her pace. “I watched Daniel grow up; he likes you. That Scarlett, she’s not even fit to tie your shoelaces!” But Mrs. Davis’s words simply wouldn’t reach my heart. Daniel, in that moment, seemed utterly dead to me. I didn’t want him anymore. 2 “Alice, listen to me. Daniel is just confused by Scarlett right now. When he comes to his senses, he’ll come back to you.” Downstairs, Fitzgerald’s laughter and calls of “Daddy, Mommy” were grating. “Mrs. Davis, I’m tired.” Mrs. Davis hesitated, then sighed, told me to rest, and left. In the dark room, I sat on the edge of the bed, tears silently falling. I lost my parents young and grew up in Europe with my grandfather. Six years ago, I returned to the States for the first time. Grandpa always had my uncle take me out to see the world. The first party I ever attended was a celebration for baby Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was held by his nanny, a fair-skinned, adorable little boy, charming everyone. I didn’t particularly like children, but even I found myself looking at him a few times. But to my surprise, he tugged on my sleeve and wouldn’t let go. “It seems the young master really likes Miss Alice.” That one sentence drew agreement from countless guests. Back then, everyone just thought I was a distant relative of the Thompson family, so they naturally tried to butter me up a bit. Later, I often visited the Millers for Fitzgerald’s sake and learned about Daniel and Scarlett. They fell in love young and grew up together. Even when Scarlett’s family, the Reeds, fell on hard times, the Miller family never officially called off the expected engagement. But after the young lovers’ forbidden tryst resulted in an unplanned pregnancy and a child, eighteen-year-old Scarlett took one look at the newborn and simply ran. That hit Daniel like a ton of bricks. From then on, Daniel’s personality completely changed. Arrogance and coldness became his defining traits. It was then that I became interested in Daniel. Even though Grandpa objected multiple times, I insisted on hiding my true identity and getting involved with the Miller family. I watched Fitzgerald grow up. Until he was three, he was attached to no one but me. But then, two years ago, everything changed. After Scarlett’s first brief return and interaction with Fitzgerald, he was like a different child. The endless pranks started then and never stopped. Yet, I always remembered the cute, clingy Fitzgerald from his early childhood, and I kept hoping he would change. Now I knew, no matter how good I was to him, it wouldn’t change the fact that I was an outsider. If two years ago it was Fitzgerald who changed, then now, it was Daniel. The party downstairs finally broke up at eleven. “Daniel, I want to stay here tonight.” Scarlett’s voice, sticky with a hint of alcohol, came from outside the door. Daniel didn’t respond, but he glanced up at my tightly shut door, an inexplicable irritation rising within him. “Daniel, are you really going to marry Alice?” “Back then, I was rebellious and disobedient, a real pain in your mother’s neck. So after I left, she picked you a docile, well-behaved girl like Alice, didn’t she?” “Daniel, do you truly love her?” Listening to their conversation outside, my chest involuntarily tightened. I didn’t hear Daniel’s answer. I closed my eyes. Darkness surged towards me from all sides, the sorrow almost suffocating me. I don’t know how long passed before silence returned outside the door. I stared at the number on my phone, and after a night of painful reflection, I called my uncle, Robert. “I want to go back to Europe.” He asked a few anxious questions, but seeing my lack of enthusiasm, he didn’t press further. “But before I leave, there’s a mess I need to clean up myself.” I stared at the ultrasound scan in the drawer, lost in thought. 3 This was Daniel’s and my first child, my most precious gift. But now, she was coming at the wrong time. The next morning, as I went downstairs, I saw a picture of a happy family of three. Scarlett had stayed the night. My steps felt leaden, heavy with dread. It seemed seven days wouldn’t even be necessary. “Alice, come join us for breakfast!” “Fitzgerald hurt you yesterday, and I feel terrible about it, so I woke up early to stew some tonics for you. We’re big on health drinks here. Not sure if you’re used to them.” Scarlett enthusiastically waved me over, serving a bowl of soup. I glanced at it, then pushed it away. “I’m not eating.” Daniel’s hand, turning the newspaper, paused. He looked up at me. “I asked Mrs. Davis to make you your favorite dishes.” “What happened yesterday was Fitzgerald’s fault, and I’ve already punished him severely.” Punished? Daniel, who doted on his son so much, when had he ever punished Fitzgerald? I remembered the first time we planned to get married: Fitzgerald stuffed timed firecrackers into my car tires. That time, I flipped the car, ending up in the hospital for a month. Daniel merely brought Fitzgerald to apologize and peeled an apple. Then Fitzgerald ended up eating the apple himself. Back then, I easily forgave Fitzgerald. But later, his pranks escalated, and I was practically worn out, my patience gone. Each time, Daniel would just say, “Fitzgerald is still young, he needs guidance. As parents, we need to be patient and encouraging.” “Alice, I’ll punish him for you.” But I never saw it happen. “Tomorrow, we’ll get married.” Daniel was trying to soothe me with just a few words again. But this time, it was useless. Beside him, Scarlett’s spoon clattered to the floor, the sharp sound echoing. Scarlett’s resentful gaze shifted back and forth between Daniel and me. Fitzgerald had already left for school, otherwise, he’d be the one causing a scene right now. “No.” “Daniel, I’m not going to marry you.” Daniel lowered his newspaper, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. “Alice, don’t be dramatic.” “It’s meaningless to make such a fuss over something so trivial.” Daniel remained calm, as if all this trouble was simply because I was being too dramatic. But for two years, Fitzgerald’s hurtful pranks—he treated them all as jokes. My endless patience, he didn’t see. My heartbreak, he didn’t care about. “When you cool down, we can talk.” Daniel abruptly stood up, the draft from his clothes brushing my hand, cold and distant. In the afternoon, Fitzgerald came back from school. I don’t know what Scarlett told him, but he started a rampage. First, he ripped out all my potted plants. Then he strangled my kitten. And finally, he lined up my pet goldfish, one by one, on the table. Fitzgerald looked at me defiantly. “Aunt Alice, I heard Daddy’s going to marry you again.” “These are my presents for you. Do you like them?” I stifled my rage, letting my nails dig into my palms. But when I saw my wedding dress, shredded by scissors, I couldn’t hold back anymore. “Fitzgerald! Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson!” I kicked away my chair, grabbed Fitzgerald, and marched straight for the fish pond. Behind me, Scarlett cried out Daniel’s name, but Fitzgerald was already in the pond. “Mommy! Help me!” Watching Fitzgerald thrash in the water, I grabbed Scarlett’s neck and pulled her closer. “Want to save your son?” “Then join him.” With that, I kicked her into the fish pond and turned the water hose on full blast into the pond. “What are you doing!” “Alice.” “Are you trying to kill them?”

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After my wife, Eleanor Vance, was kidnapped, the captors demanded *me* in exchange. For my daughter and the company, I didn’t hesitate to take Eleanor’s place, enduring brutal torture from the kidnappers. “I’ll take good care of our daughter, and don’t worry about the ransom. I’ll find a way to get it.” But a whole year passed. It was like she’d vanished, never showing her face. I fought for my life and finally escaped, only to discover her marrying her childhood sweetheart, Spencer Gray. My parents and hers were there, celebrating joyfully. Lost in the crowd, I spotted Jolene, the head kidnapper who’d tortured me for a year, raising a toast. And my precious daughter? She was being treated like a servant, her expression blank as she served drinks to guests, constantly kneeling and begging for mercy at the slightest provocation. I choked back my agony, turning to call the person who rescued me. “Just get my daughter out of there, and I promise I’ll help you take down her company!”

As I pushed open the door, the cheerful music inside instantly died. All eyes snapped to me. The moment she saw me, Eleanor’s hand, holding a wedding ring, froze. But she quickly composed herself. “It’s a beautiful day, darling. Whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow. Look at you, all dirty. Don’t ruin our guests’ mood!” I couldn’t believe my ears. Shouldn’t she be explaining what the hell was going on? Why was she standing there in a wedding gown, happily exchanging rings with her childhood sweetheart? And why was Jolene, the head kidnapper who’d abused me, attending *their* wedding? Eleanor’s mom’s shrill voice jolted me back to reality: “Where in the world have you been, you good-for-nothing?! Eleanor was so good to you, and you go and cheat with a kidnapper, gone for a whole year before you bothered to come back! You might be shameless, but our Vance family still has a reputation to uphold!” Cheating? It was laughable. So this was how Eleanor was covering up her betrayal. Just then, Jolene, holding a champagne glass, draped an arm around me, squeezing my arm with a vicious, chilling fake smile. “Still keeping our little secret, are we? You’re a naughty one.” Her voice was laced with blatant threat and warning. My body froze, my eyes wide and vacant. Seeing the scene unfold, the guests started buzzing: “No wonder Ms. Vance is marrying Mr. Gray. It turns out this scumbag cheated first. Poor things.” “Cheated for a whole year and didn’t even go home once? I’ve never seen such blatant nerve. The King family might be struggling and a disappointment, but *he’s* even worse!” “Hmph, Ms. Vance’s mom was bending over backward for Ms. Vance and Mr. Gray’s wedding. And here her daughter is, playing a little servant at the wedding. What a family, right?” Hearing the room erupt into chaos, Eleanor finally hurried over to me, her voice low and impatient. “Couldn’t you have waited until tomorrow to come back? It’s just a wedding for Spencer! I’ve been working so hard planning this for a year, and it’s the last step. Are you deliberately trying to embarrass us?” Just a wedding… But what about me? This past year, I’d been beaten relentlessly, old wounds layering new ones. When I was hungry, I had to lick stale food off the ground like a dog. So all my suffering, all the torture, even the shame of being branded a cheater, was just to pave the way for their lavish wedding. I despairingly closed my eyes, then reached out to grab my daughter, Lily. “Come on, Lily, let’s go.” But Lily recoiled as if shocked, then suddenly fell to her knees in panic, bowing her head and muttering: “No, no, no, Lily can’t leave! I have to stay and serve Ms. Vance and Mr. Gray well! I want to be their most obedient little dog!”

Seeing my daughter so terrified, so willing to humiliate herself, I was stunned. She was only seven… As she kept bowing her head, I noticed the dark bruises hidden beneath her clothes. Alarmed, I rushed forward to help Lily up, but she started slapping herself, seemingly oblivious to the pain. “Lily was bad, Lily deserves to be hit! I’ll go to the cold room for three hours right now!” I slowly turned my gaze to Eleanor, desperate for an explanation. But before she could speak, Spencer Gray hugged Lily, acting like a doting older brother. “You’re misunderstanding! Lily and I just play house like this sometimes. Sometimes I’m the servant, sometimes she is. Today’s just her turn.” My hand shaking, I pointed at the dark bruises on Lily’s neck. My eyes burning, I demanded: “Are *these* marks part of your game too?! Is this how you treat my daughter?!” Seeing Spencer’s face darken, Eleanor shoved me away, her eyes full of reproach. “What are you making such a fuss about?! Do you have to cause a scene like a madman? Do you really think Spencer is as calculating and manipulative as *you* are?” “Those are just paint marks Spencer got on Lily when they were drawing. They’re proving impossible to wash off! You, her own father, didn’t do your duty, and Spencer kindly looks after her, and *this* is how you repay him? Are you trying to make trouble?!” Seeing Lily’s obvious fear of Spencer, my heart ached to the point of suffocation. Tears blurring my vision, I looked at Eleanor. “Can’t you see how scared she is? And you still think it’s just a game?!” Eleanor fixed her gaze on Lily, observing her for a long moment, a flicker of doubt in her beautiful eyes. At that moment, Spencer’s eyes reddened, his voice choking up. “I thought if I treated Lily well, I could smoothly integrate into this family. But it turns out I’m just an outsider, destined to never be truly a part of it, to always be pointed at and judged. Maybe we shouldn’t get married after all. I’m just a complete joke, aren’t I?” With those words, Spencer took off the boutonnière from his lapel, thrust it into Eleanor’s hands, covered his face, and ran towards the bedroom. The groom running off sent the entire room into an uproar. But the guests’ murmurs were all directed at me, calling me disgusting. Watching Spencer’s retreating back, Eleanor’s brow furrowed with unconcealable annoyance. “Is this the example you set for our daughter? It’s just a ceremonial wedding! Do you have to turn everything upside down?!” “And your own daughter, who you raised yourself, pretending to be abused by Spencer in front of everyone? Such deep manipulation at such a young age, what will she be like when she grows up?! She should really thank you for being such a father!” Leaving that thought hanging, Eleanor quickly followed to comfort Spencer. Seeing her publicly scold me, Eleanor’s parents only joined in, blaming me for “cheating,” hating me for not being able to keep my wife content. I didn’t argue another word. Wrapping my bruised and battered arms tightly around my daughter, tears streamed uncontrollably from my eyes. “Don’t be scared, Lily… Daddy will get you out of here right away. You won’t suffer any more injustice.” I immediately messaged my lawyer to draft divorce papers and called the person who rescued me. “Help me this once. I’ll help you take down the company…”

Back in Lily’s room, I quietly packed up all our documents and some essential items. Just as I lay down, ready to hug Lily to sleep, I heard footsteps stop by the bed. “Still mad at me, hmm?” Eleanor’s cool voice drifted into my ears. She sat on the edge of the bed, speaking softly. “Leo, I only arranged that kidnapping to fool you because I was worried you’d get jealous and cause trouble for Spencer. Besides, Jolene’s my friend. They wouldn’t *think* of hurting you.” The woman sounded utterly convinced, as if she were showing off how well she’d protected me. But if she’d bothered to truly look at me, she’d have seen that there wasn’t a single uninjured spot on my entire body. I reluctantly looked away, deliberately keeping my distance, and asked calmly, “So, from now on, I’m supposed to be their punching bag, and let Spencer be Lily’s stepdad, right?” Sensing my attitude, Eleanor clearly lost the last shred of her patience, though she didn’t overtly erupt. “Don’t say such unpleasant things. If Lily calls Spencer her stepdad, people will talk even *more*. I’m just having a wedding with him so people won’t spread rumors about him seducing me.” She thought my words were unpleasant because I called Spencer a stepdad, not because I called myself a punching bag… I’d heard enough of her pointless excuses and couldn’t be bothered to respond. Eleanor, finding herself ignored, scanned the room with a puzzled expression. “Why are you packing? Where are you going?” I was just trying to come up with an excuse when Spencer’s phone call suddenly came through. His piteous, crying voice was audible. “Eleanor, Leo came back and immediately posted about me online, saying I stole his wife, saying I’m shameless, ruining the peace of the family, and even forcing me to leave…” “Please, beg him for me. Spencer really knows he was wrong. I’ll never mention having a wedding again. If I offended him today, I’ll go out and kneel to apologize right now. Please don’t make me leave…” Eleanor opened the link Spencer had sent, her eyebrows knitting together. The post was from an account with my profile picture, every word a threat against Spencer. I was about to explain, but a sharp slap landed on my cheek out of nowhere. “Spencer grew up in an orphanage, with no parents. And you tell him to get out?! How is he supposed to live alone?! You think too highly of yourself!” With that, Eleanor walked out, trying hard to control her anger, while using the gentlest tone to comfort Spencer. The immense contrast left me stunned. I wondered, when she threw me to the kidnappers all those years ago, did she ever think about how *I* was supposed to live alone? Did she ever worry if I’d run into any danger? I forced a bitter laugh, the metallic taste of blood spreading in my mouth, but my heart had long since grown numb. I spent the night sitting there, patting my restless daughter with one hand. The next morning, Eleanor knocked a few times on the bedroom door, then spoke in a commanding tone. “Spencer specially prepared a yacht party for you. First, to apologize, and second, to welcome you back. Hurry and bring Lily downstairs.” The time had come. Finally… this was about to end.

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