Category: English

I was painting by the lake with my son when I ran into my parents for the first time in eight years. My son, flying a kite, bumped right into my father. When my father saw Leo’s face, the ceramic piece fell from his hand. “This child…he looks just like Skylar did.” I dropped my brush, stepped between them, and turned to leave. “Skylar Wallace!” My mother was in front of me, blocking the path. ” Eight years without a word.” “Do you know how many cities we’ve searched for you in? Your brother got into a car accident looking for you. He still has a limp!” “Why are you still so selfish and stubborn? You’re nothing like Chloe.” I calmly looked them over. “You’ve got the wrong person. My name is Rain.” The home they spoke of had died in my heart eight years ago. “Skylar! Is that any way to look at your own parents?” Seeing my expressionless face, Father grew even angrier. “We were too soft! Should’ve let you rot in prison!” My five-year-old son thrust himself forward, arms spread. “Don’t you dare yell at my mom! You’re bad!” Father’s face turned purple with rage, his finger practically poking my face. “Is this your son?! No wonder you’re hiding! Who’s the father? Some backwater nobody?” He raised his hand and slapped me hard. Seeing me get hit, Leo cried and rushed forward, his tiny fists pounding against Mr. Wallace’s leg. “Bad man! I’ll tell Daddy to stab you with his carving knife!” Ignoring the stinging pain on my face, I quickly scooped Leo back into my arms. “Leo, let’s go home.” My mother ran up, grabbing my sleeve. “Skylar, stop this nonsense! Your dad is just upset! He was diagnosed with liver cancer last year; the doctors say three years at most… Can’t you show him some understanding? Please, come home with us!” I shook off her hand, my voice as cold as ice. “I told you, my name is Rain. If you harass me again, I’m calling the cops.” With that, I carried Leo and walked towards my husband’s studio. Back in the studio, I collapsed onto the sofa, trembling all over. Leo, still sobbing, pulled my husband, Alex, out. “Daddy! He hit Mommy! Look!” Alex, still holding a sculpting tool covered in clay, rushed to me in a few strides. He cupped my face, his fingertips gently tracing the red, swollen area. “Who did this? Tell me.” I gripped his wrist, shaking my head. “I ran into two people I wish I hadn’t.” Alex didn’t press further, just pulled me into his embrace, stroking my back gently. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. No one will hurt you again.” Leo stood on his tiptoes, his little hands stained with paint touching my cheek, mimicking how I’d comfort him. “Mommy, no boo-boos. I will kiss it better.” Alex also lowered his head, his forehead resting against mine. “Rain, honey, I’m here.” My vision suddenly blurred. A long time ago, I was cherished like this too. I was afraid of thunderstorms, so Mom and Dad covered my room ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stars. Dad said each star was an eye watching over me. I was afraid to sleep alone, so they set up a small cot by my bed and took turns sleeping next to me. “Skylar, honey, Mommy and Daddy will always be with you.” All of that crumbled when I was six, after my father brought home the orphaned daughter of his army buddy.

“Skylar, this is Chloe. From now on, she’s your sister.” I was so happy. I brought out all my most treasured picture books for her, and gave her the limited-edition music box Mom had brought back from Paris. Finally, I carefully took out the ceramic vase from the display cabinet. “Chloe, look, this is the first piece Mom and I ever made together. It’s one of a kind!” Chloe took the vase, stared at it for three seconds, then suddenly let go… The porcelain vase crashed to the floor, shards flying everywhere. “What are you doing?!” I shrieked, pushing her away. Chloe fell back among the shards, her palm pressing onto a piece, and blood instantly welled up. Her cries drew my parents. Father rushed in and scooped her up, while Mother hurried to find the first-aid kit. “Skylar pushed me… She said a stray like me doesn’t deserve to touch her things…” Chloe sobbed, gasping for breath. My father’s eyes were bloodshot. He held her tight. “Chloe, don’t cry. From now on, I’m your dad.” He turned and roared at me, “Skylar! Apologize to Chloe right now!” I pointed at the scattered shards, tears streaming down my face. “She broke my vase first!” “Is a stupid vase more important than your sister’s hand? How could you be so cruel?!” my father roared. “Mom and I worked on that for three whole days…’” I choked, unable to finish. “Skylar, we’ve spoiled you too much!” Mother sighed, shaking her head. “No dinner for you tonight. Go to your room and think about what you’ve done.” That night, they took Chloe to the restaurant I’d always wanted to go to. When they returned, they brought me a slice of Black Forest cake. Mother said Chloe had lost her parents, so I needed to be understanding and let her have her way more often. I ate the cake, nodding in naive agreement. But that ‘giving in’ ended up costing me my entire life. Whenever Chloe wanted something, Mother would say, “Skylar, let Chloe have it.” My art supplies, my study room, even my dreams. When I was twelve, Chloe stole my pottery piece, the one I’d worked on for a year. She submitted it to the National Youth Art Competition. She took home the Grand Prize. I stopped Mother in the hallway. “Why?” “Haven’t you won enough awards? Just let Chloe have this one.” “That was a year’s worth of work for me!” I nearly screamed. “Enough!” Father emerged from his study, his face dark. “It’s just one pottery piece! If it took you a year, it means you have no talent. Don’t touch clay again!” That night, I had an acute gastritis attack, curled up on the floor in pain. They were out with Chloe, attending the awards gala, being interviewed by the media. The next day, Grandma Rose, who had rushed from a neighboring town, found me and took me to the hospital. The doctor said that if we’d been half an hour later, a stomach perforation would have been serious. Grandma Rose flew into a rage on the spot. Ignoring my parents’ objections, she insisted on taking me away. They tried to pick me up later, but every time they were about to leave, Chloe would either have an asthma attack or threaten to hurt herself. Gradually, they stopped coming to see me, and I stopped asking. My time with Grandma Rose was the most peaceful period of my life. She didn’t call me Skylar; she called me Rain. She said I was her proudest grandchild, the smartest kid in the world. But Grandma Rose was getting old, and I had to return to that house my sophomore year of high school.

Before my senior year started, Grandma Rose’s heart condition flared up. She insisted my parents take me home, saying she couldn’t let my studies be interrupted. I held a bottle of Grandma Rose’s homemade wine, pushing open the door with anticipation. Grandma Rose had once said that my father loved her homemade wine most when he was young. But when I got home, the nanny told me my parents had taken Chloe to Switzerland for skiing. A week later, they finally returned. “Skylar, I missed you so much!” Mother hugged me. Father also patted my shoulder. “Kiddo, you’ve grown taller.” I was about to turn and get the wine when Chloe suddenly shrieked and tumbled down the stairs. They immediately released me and rushed over. “I wanted to help Skylar with her luggage… I slipped…” Chloe’s face was as white as a sheet, clutching her ankle. “I’m so useless…” Mother examined her foot. “Silly girl, your ballet recital is next week. What if you’ve injured your foot?” “Let’s go get X-rays at the hospital right now.” Father already had the car keys. Before leaving, Mother glanced at the wine bottle in my hand. “Stay away from that stuff. You’re a senior, you need to focus on your studies.” I sat on the stairs, uncorked the bottle, and drank it all, sip by sip. That night, I suggested moving out, into the school dorms. My parents initially disagreed, but eventually nodded after Chloe’s persuasive argument that “Skylar needs a quiet environment to study for her exams.” The day I received my acceptance letter to the Art Academy, I rushed home to pack. Grandma Rose had always said her favorite was Italian Renaissance painting. So I applied to a university in Italy; I wanted to take Grandma Rose with me. Just as I was dragging my suitcase out, my phone rang. It was the nursing home calling. “Is this Skylar? Your Grandma Rose… had a sudden heart attack. She’s being resuscitated. Please come quickly…” The phone slipped from my grasp. Trembling, I opened the door. My parents stood outside, their faces grim. “Mom… Grandma Rose, she…” I gripped Mother’s arm, my voice shaking. “Take me to the nursing home… I need to see Grandma Rose… please…” “Skylar, Grandma Rose will be fine,” Mother said, hugging me and patting my back gently. “But before you go, can you do us a favor?” “What favor?” I asked, looking up through tears. “Save Chloe.” Mother looked past me. Chloe emerged from behind Father, covered in blood, trembling all over.

My mind went numb, and a chill spread through me. “What happened to her?” “Chloe… she got into a fight with someone in the art studio tonight. She accidentally… pushed someone down the stairs.” Mother’s voice trembled. “That person is still in critical condition, and Chloe was scared, so she ran back here.” I understood instantly, but still asked, “How do you want me to help?” Father gripped my shoulders. “Skylar, you need to take the fall. Chloe is only seventeen; her life can’t be ruined like this! She’s already an orphan; she can’t go to prison too!” I shoved him away, screaming with all my might, “What about me?! My life can just be ruined?! I’m only eighteen!” “How could you be so selfish?” Mother looked at me, incredulous. “You’re our daughter! Even if you go to prison, we can support you for the rest of your life! But what about Chloe? She has nothing!” I looked at her and suddenly laughed, tears streaming down my face. “I can’t help you with this. If you won’t take me to Grandma Rose, I’ll go myself!” I dragged my suitcase and rushed for the door. “Stop!” Father’s sharp command. Two bodyguards emerged from the shadows and pinned me down. “If you don’t agree today, you’re not walking out this door!” I looked at them, then at Mother. “Mom, Grandma Rose is being resuscitated, and you don’t care?” “Skylar, your Grandma Rose has doctors treating her, but if you don’t help Chloe now, her life will be over!” Mother cried. “Chloe said if she goes to jail, she’ll kill herself! Skylar, please, just take pity on us, save her life!” As she spoke, she pulled my ID card from my pocket, handed it to the lawyer standing nearby, and then dialed 911 right in front of me. “Hello, I’d like to report a crime. This afternoon’s fall from the Art Academy building? My daughter, Skylar, did it.” The call ended. I looked at them, my tears all dried up. “Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, you truly are saints.” I said calmly. “Fine, I’ll confess. But you must take me to the nursing home now. I need to see Grandma Rose one last time.” When I arrived at the nursing home, the lights in the emergency room were already off. Grandma Rose had stopped breathing an hour earlier. I knelt by her bed, placing my Art Academy acceptance letter next to her cold hand. “Grandma Rose, look, I got into the Art Academy. I can take you to Italy now…” Later, the police took me away from the nursing home. At the police station, I tried to recant my confession. But my parents and their lawyer fabricated everything. They planted my clothing fibers at the scene. The surveillance cameras captured a figure resembling me from behind. They even had a text message, supposedly from me to Chloe, admitting it all. On the day of the trial, my parents sat in the front row of the courtroom. Chloe wept delicately against my mother’s shoulder. My mother gently patted her back. Father murmured comforts to her. I kept my eyes forward and never looked back. In the end, I was convicted of aggravated assault resulting in serious injury and sentenced to five years. “Mommy, your hands are so cold.” Leo’s voice pulled me from the dark well of memory. I pulled him close, my lips pressed to his hair. “I’m okay. I have you and Alex. I’m not afraid.” Then Alex was there, his arms encircling us both, his kiss a soft promise against my temple. “It’s all over now. I’m here.” Suddenly, the wooden door of the studio was kicked open. My parents stormed in, faces contorted with rage.

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Three years in a coma, I woke up to a video clip of my husband announcing my death. “To let my late wife rest in peace, I must embrace a new life.” There was my husband, Liam, arm wrapped around my best friend Chloe, holding a photo of me while sobbing for the cameras. The internet was eating it up. They called him a devoted husband. He’d gained a million followers and even planned a lavish funeral for me.. But I was very, very alive! I left the hospital and went home to confront Liam. The moment I stepped through the door, Liam’s son shoved me away. “You evil woman! Get out of my house!” I didn’t budge. Instead, I smiled and clapped my hands. A swarm of reporters flooded in, cameras flashing. “Everyone, come see! A devoted husband is holding a funeral for his living wife!” Liam grabbed my hand, his eyes flashing with guilt and panic, but no surprise. “Scarlett, you… you’re really awake?” “Disappointed?” I snorted, pulling my hand from Liam’s grasp. “How could I be? For the past three years, I’ve prayed for this every day. I’m so happy you’re finally awake.” Liam said, pushing a little boy in front of me. “Leo, this is Scarlett, the lady I told you about!” “Scarlett isn’t dead? She is a liar!” Leo scrambled to hide behind Liam, shooting me a glare. “A child of impeccable manners, I see.” I snapped. Hearing my words, Liam immediately shielded him. “He’s my son. And Chloe’s. Watch your tone!” It was then I noticed the kid’s eyes and brows were a mix of Liam’s and Chloe’s, my best friend from college. I’d only been in a coma for three years, but this child was clearly older than three. This meant Liam had been cheating on me with Chloe for more than three years behind my back. My heart sank. Seeing me stare blankly, Liam continued. “Don’t worry, now that you’re awake, you’re still my wife. You and Chloe were good friends; you’ll surely get along. I’m sure she’ll accept you too!” Suddenly, I felt like I’d never truly known Liam. We’d been married for ten years. When he couldn’t find a job right after college, I worked three jobs a day to support us both. Later, I thought things were finally getting better. We finally moved out of the basement apartment and had our own small place, but then I had to help his family pay off debts. Now, after three years as a comatose patient, I finally woke up to find he’d issued a death certificate for me. And he’d been cheating on me for ages, even having a child with my best friend. “Liam, doesn’t your conscience bother you?” I asked him, my eyes red. “This is my home! Get out, and take that bastard child with you!” Liam sighed, shielding Leo tightly behind him, as if afraid I’d hurt the boy. “The child is innocent, don’t yell at him. I know you can’t accept this right away, but what I’m saying is true. I love you deeply. But Chloe has sacrificed so much for me these past few years; I can’t let her down either!” He hugged me so tightly, his tears dripping onto my neck, as if he genuinely couldn’t bear to let me go. “Please, let’s not fight. I really missed you. But I have to be responsible for Chloe, and for Leo.” He took my hand and pressed it against his chest. “Listen, my heart is beating faster for you. Can you just be magnanimous for me this once? From now on, we’ll all be a family and live a good life.” A family? I laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. But he was completely immersed in his role as the devoted husband. “Scarlett, I have money now. I can give you a good life. Here.” He handed me a bank card. “There’s ten thousand dollars on the card. You’ve been through too much hardship with me. Trust me, I’ll make you happy from now on. You can swipe this card whenever you want.” Ten thousand?! He thought ten thousand dollars would make me forgive his betrayal? Ten thousand dollars could buy back ten years of my unpaid dedication? “Liam Hayes, I’m not that cheap!”

“That ten thousand dollars isn’t even a fraction of what I helped you pay back in debt.” I disdainfully flung the card onto the ground. But to my surprise, a heavy slap landed on my face. “Scarlett Hayes, you’re going too far! You’ve been married to Liam for ten years and couldn’t even give him a child. You were in a coma for three years, and Liam didn’t abandon you. You should be kneeling and thanking him right now!” Couldn’t have children? The reason I couldn’t have children wasn’t because of Liam! Before I fell into the coma, I had been pregnant. But at the time, because I had to help Liam pay off debts, I stubbornly kept working even while pregnant. Eventually, I collapsed at my desk. By the time I woke up in the hospital, I had already had a miscarriage. The doctor also told me my uterus was damaged, and it would be difficult to conceive again. Hearing our argument, Chloe also came downstairs. She feigned remorse, dabbing at her dry eyes. “Scarlett, don’t blame Liam. He really missed you; I know how much he loves you. If you truly can’t share him, then Leo and I will just leave.” As Chloe spoke, she made to leave, but Liam immediately stopped her. “Don’t go, you’re my wife now! No one can make you leave!” Liam then turned to me. “Scarlett Hayes, you’ve disappointed me deeply. I never abandoned you, but the moment you wake up, you try to destroy my happiness. If you don’t want to be in this home, then get out.” I looked at Liam, fighting back the tears in my eyes. “Fine, I’ll go.” Perhaps because I had just been discharged from the hospital, my body hadn’t fully recovered. The moment I reached the door, my legs buckled, and I fell to the ground. Liam rushed over, intending to help me up, but his mother stopped him. “Don’t bother with that bitch! When she can’t survive on her own, she’ll come crawling back eventually.” I heard the door slam shut behind me. Raindrops fell on me. I didn’t have an umbrella, and I was completely soaked. My damp hospital gown clung to my body. But I had nowhere to go. Just then, Liam opened the door and threw a hundred-dollar bill out. “Find a motel to stay in.” I hesitated for a moment, then miserably picked up the money. I had no money at all now; I could only endure this humiliation. The next morning, the motel owner kicked me out. My money was only enough for one night. Now I had no money for food either. I suddenly regretted it. I should have taken that ten-thousand-dollar bank card yesterday. Just then, my phone rang. I received a text from Liam. “If you regret it, come home anytime. I’m always waiting for you.”

He’s such a master of deception! He wasn’t texting me because he loved me! He was afraid I’d expose his true colors. After all, he was now an influencer with millions of followers on Instagram. His ad revenue alone was at least a hundred thousand dollars a month. I texted Liam back. “I can divorce you and make things official between you and Chloe. I only have one condition. revoke my death certificate and restore my identity.” Liam quickly replied. “Actually, you don’t need to restore your identity at all. Just stay home and relax; I’ll give you money every month, and you won’t have to work hard like before.” After seeing that message, I gripped my phone tighter. Liam was still trying to deceive me with sweet talk! I once believed he was just poor but fundamentally good. But maybe, from the very beginning, he was just pretending. Ten years ago, he didn’t have any leverage with me. But now that he had money, he seemed to have no problem revealing his true nature. I looked up his company’s address online and couldn’t help but go to confront him. A security guard immediately blocked me. “Hold it. What do you want?” “I’m here to see Liam Hayes.” The security guard scrutinized me from head to toe, his gaze lingering on my soaking hospital gown. “Tsk, you’re here for Mr. Hayes? Who are you? You can’t go in without an appointment.” “I’m his ex-wife.” As I said that, I didn’t even have confidence in my own words. I knew the guard wouldn’t believe me. Sure enough, the next second, the guard snorted with laughter and pulled out his walkie-talkie. “Send more people. There’s a crazy woman who escaped from a mental asylum at the entrance.” A few guards roughly escorted me out and dumped me outside the entrance. “You crazy woman, don’t come back! Everyone in the company knows Mr. Hayes’s wife is Ms. Miller. Mr. Hayes’s ex-wife is dead!” The judging eyes of the bystanders fell on me. Many recognized me. “Isn’t that the woman from last night’s news?” “Who?” “The one who ran to Liam Hayes’s house like a madwoman, insisting she was his wife.” “Look, she’s still wearing a hospital gown. She must be mentally unstable.” Listening to these words, my face went completely white. Why was it so hard to even prove I wasn’t dead? “Why are you here again?” Liam walked up to me, frowning. The people around him also asked in confusion. “Mr. Hayes, who is she?” “Just a crazy woman who insists she’s my deceased wife and even had plastic surgery to look like her.” Liam sighed, putting on a pained expression. “Everyone, please don’t yell at her. I believe she’s not doing this on purpose. She might really be experiencing a psychological disorder. How about this, I’ll take you to see a therapist. Consider it charity work in memory of my deceased wife.” The surrounding onlookers immediately praised him. “Mr. Hayes is such a good person; he’s even willing to help a scammer.” “Exactly! That’s why he’s such a big influencer!” Liam approached me and extended his hand. What a brilliant move! If I took his hand, it would be an admission that I was mentally unstable and impersonating his deceased wife. No one would believe me if I ever said I wasn’t dead. I stood up and spit right at Liam. “Want me to give up my identity? Dream on!”

“Why are you doing this, Scarlett?” Liam put on a heartbroken expression. Then, behind everyone’s back, he texted me again. “That’s enough, we’re in a win-win situation now.” “If I’m rich, doesn’t that mean you’re rich too? I’ll still love you as always, isn’t that good?” “Do you really want to cause trouble?” Who was causing trouble? You’re the one who erased my identity! I clutched my chest miserably, a sharp pain twisting in my heart. I pushed through the crowd and left. Just you wait, you jerk! I didn’t know where to go. I’d been starving for a whole day, so I stumbled into a diner, standing awkwardly at the entrance. “Sir, could I please have a bowl of soup? I don’t have any money.” I emptied all my pockets and took off the beautiful stone bracelet from my left wrist. This was the first piece of jewelry Liam ever gave me. I really liked stones, and Liam said he’d buy me one. We were poor then, so I said he didn’t have to, but I didn’t expect Liam to save up for a bracelet by eating instant noodles every day. “You really bought it.” “Yeah, it looks so good on you, just as beautiful as I imagined.” He smiled and took several photos of me. I’d already guessed-he’d measured my wrist late at night. “A bracelet this fine for just a bowl of soup?” “Yes, I don’t want it anymore.” “No need, it’s on me.” The owner stubbornly refused to take it, so I just placed the bracelet on the table. “Did something happen to you?” the owner cautiously asked. My mouth opened and closed, but I couldn’t speak. How could I explain that my own husband had issued a death certificate for me and erased my identity? “Tell me about it. Consider it a bowl of spaghetti for your story.” Finally, I told the owner my experience. I originally thought the owner wouldn’t believe me, but to my surprise, he actually wanted to introduce his daughter to me. “My daughter is a journalist. I think she’ll definitely be interested in your story! She can help you! Trust me!” “Really?” My eyes lit up. Soon, the owner’s daughter, Anya Henderson, arrived. She patted my shoulder and said, “Don’t worry! Tomorrow, I’ll give this world the truth!” My funeral was tomorrow. Liam had booked a spectacular venue to perform his deep devotion to me. The place was packed with media. His eyes were red-rimmed, his voice a sandpaper whisper of grief. “Thank you for honoring my late wife,” he told the sea of lenses The livestream views skyrocketed. “Let us commemorate Ms. Scarlett Hayes.” That’s when I walked in. Still in my hospital gown. All eyes locked on me. “I hear you’re holding a funeral for someone who’s still alive?”

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I crossed blizzards to reach Antarctica for the ninety-ninth time, begging my husband to come home. He refused—again. His first love was there, and that was enough for him to stay. So I finally stopped trying. Five years later, during my birthday dinner, he pushed open the door as if summoned by fate. His gaze dropped to the slight curve of my belly. Rage. Shock. Something feral. His voice cut through the room: “Whose child is that?” I smiled, calm and untouchable. “It’s not yours. That’s all you need to know.” At a birthday party, amidst laughter and conversation, Derek suddenly appeared. Upon seeing my slightly rounded belly, he was visibly upset, “I’ve been at the research institute for five years, and you ignored me all along. Whose child is in your belly?” I replied calmly, “It’s none of your business. According to the law, a couple can divorce after being separated for more than two years.” Upon hearing this, Derek kicked over the birthday cake in anger, “Amelia, I’ve only been away for five years, and you’ve already gotten yourself pregnant.” “Who does the child belong to?” “I’m going to make sure he can’t survive in New York City.” Watching Derek ruin the carefully prepared birthday party, I got angry too, “Derek, this isn’t the place for you to act out.” “If you’re not well, go to the hospital.” The mention of “hospital” made Derek’s emotions flare up. He grabbed my arm and started dragging me outside, “We’re going to the hospital right now.” Derek was so strong, I couldn’t even struggle. At that moment, Grandma Nora heard the commotion and hurried over with her cane. Seeing Derek’s rough actions, she was instantly alarmed. “Derek, let go of Amelia!” “Amelia is pregnant with…” Derek’s mood softened a bit when he saw Grandma, but his anger surged again at her words. He interrupted Grandma Nora, “Amelia, you’re quite clever, even fooling Grandma.” Then he raised his hand and slapped me hard. Blood trickled from my mouth as my cheek swelled. Grandma Nora was shocked by the scene. She tried to rescue me from Derek’s grip. But the bodyguard by Derek’s side kept her away. Derek instructed the bodyguard to call the private hospital for a procedure. As he arranged things, he dragged me into the car. Grandma Nora reluctantly got into another car with the bodyguard. None of the surrounding friends offered help. Instead, they watched the scene unfold. Derek’s family was wealthy and influential. They didn’t want to offend him and were happy to give him respect. The car quickly reached the private hospital. The director personally came out to greet Derek. Ignoring the director’s flattery, Derek dragged me to the OB-GYN department. “Derek, let go of me. The child in my belly is…” Before I could finish, we ran into Tessa, who had just come out of the doctor’s office. She was Derek’s former sister-in-law and his long-cherished first love. Seeing Derek, she happily ran over and hugged him. “Derek, I’m finally pregnant,” she said, looking at Derek with deep affection. Derek let go of my hand and carefully hugged Tessa. “Tessa, you’re pregnant now. Be careful.” Tessa playfully smiled and, noticing me, exclaimed in surprise, “Sister-in-law, you’re pregnant too?” Seeing their intimate actions, I instantly understood. Why Derek left for five years and why Tessa disappeared too. They had been together all along. Ignoring Tessa’s provocative gaze, I simply replied, “Derek, we’re no longer married, and you’re with Tessa now.” “Let me go immediately, or you won’t be able to handle the consequences.” Grandma Nora was shocked to see Derek and Tessa together. But it was more important to stop Derek from doing something rash. “Derek, let Amelia go home and rest.” Hearing this, Derek immediately released Tessa and sternly questioned, “Grandma, Amelia cheated on me and is pregnant with someone else’s child. Do you want me to turn a blind eye?” Grandma Nora realized Derek wasn’t going to let it go easily. She hurriedly said, “Derek, the child in Amelia’s belly isn’t someone else’s. It’s…”

Before Grandma Nora could finish, Tessa interrupted, “Derek, Grandma doesn’t look well. Is Amelia not taking good care of her?” “Or is Grandma being threatened by Amelia?” Hearing this, I found it laughable, “Derek, you were raised by Grandma, and you disappeared for five years.” “You know better than anyone why Grandma’s not well.” Tessa smirked and approached me, “You intruded on the relationship between Derek and me. Don’t you know why Derek left?” As she spoke, Tessa pushed me hard. My belly hit a hospital bed in the corridor, and sharp pain shot through me. A warm sensation flowed down my thigh. Grandma Nora looked on in panic, “Doctor, come quickly. Amelia’s child can’t be harmed.” The doctor and nurses were about to check when Derek shouted, “No one is allowed to check. Today, I’m making sure she doesn’t keep the child.” At the director’s signal, the doctor and nurses didn’t dare move. Tessa mocked, “Sister-in-law, carrying someone else’s child, betraying Derek.” “How do you have the nerve to seek help from the family hospital’s doctors?” Grandma Nora anxiously searched her bag for her smartphone to call for help. Derek ordered the bodyguard to take Grandma’s phone away. “Grandma, what kind of manipulation did Amelia use on you?” “You’re still trying to help her.” “Grandma, I’m telling you, this child must not remain.” Grandma Nora was shocked, “Derek, I’m your grandmother. Won’t you even listen to me?” Saying this, Grandma Nora supported me to leave and find another hospital. But the bodyguard restrained her. “Derek, stop this madness.” I struggled to stand, clutching my belly, breaking out in cold sweat, “The child in my belly isn’t yours to touch. Let me go now, or you can’t handle the consequences.” Derek stared at me, silent for a moment. Then Tessa started live streaming with her smartphone. She whispered something in Derek’s ear. Derek took the smartphone from Tessa and aimed it at me, “Amelia, if you don’t want a dignified procedure in the hospital, I’ll do it another way.” “Remember the consequences of betraying me.” Derek ordered the bodyguard to tie me to the hospital bed. I stared in horror at the bodyguard holding a stick. I struggled desperately, trying to break free. I was ready to reveal the true identity of the child’s father. “Derek, you’re insane. The child I’m carrying is…” Before I could finish, the bodyguard, at Derek’s signal, struck my belly with a stick. The intense pain turned my words into cries of agony. Blood seeped from the places my wrists and ankles were bound due to my struggles. “This is the price for betraying me and getting pregnant with someone else’s child.” The live stream audience, after hearing the story, joined in. “This woman is obviously trouble.” “Cheaters deserve to die. Don’t let her off easily.” “Teach her a lesson. Let all women see the consequences of infidelity.” Derek showed me the live stream comments. “Amelia, you not only betrayed me, but you also manipulated Grandma into deceiving me.” “Today, I’m going to make sure the child in your belly is dealt with.” Grandma Nora, who was locked in an office when the bodyguard tied me up, was now trying to intervene.

As the second blow was about to land, someone suddenly burst in. He stopped the bodyguard. “Young Master Derek, Miss Amelia isn’t someone you can touch now.” “Stop and apologize to Miss Amelia. It might make your life easier later.” Tessa looked uneasy at the sight of the bodyguard, but she said nothing. Derek, however, stared at the intruder for a long time before speaking, “I see you’re familiar. You’re my brother’s bodyguard.” With that, Derek suddenly grabbed the stick from the bodyguard and smashed it over his head. “How dare you meddle with my affairs.” Blood gushed from the bodyguard’s head as he collapsed on the ground. Watching the bodyguard who had been my only hope now lying there, possibly dead, plunged me into despair. “Derek, please, I’m sorry. Spare the child in my belly.” I was desperate, crying as I spoke. Derek glanced at the smartphone, then at me, and instructed the bodyguard to release me from the bed. “Now kneel in front of me and tell me what you did wrong.” “If the live stream audience forgives you, then I will too.” Clutching my aching belly, I painfully crawled to Derek and knelt before him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have betrayed you or gotten pregnant. I’m at fault.” “But the child is innocent. Please, spare him.” Derek looked at my pitiful state and said nothing. Instead, he connected with a netizen’s microphone. A furious voice came from the other end of the smartphone. “You deserve to be punished. Show no mercy.” “Are you kneeling here to confess your mistakes?” “If the viewers in the live streaming room forgive you, then so will I.” Clutching my agonizing stomach, I painfully crawled to Derek’s feet and knelt. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been unfaithful, and I shouldn’t have gotten pregnant. I’ve made terrible mistakes.” “But the child is innocent. Please, I’m begging you, spare him.” Derek surveyed my disheveled state in silence. Instead, he randomly connected a viewer’s mic. An outraged voice burst through the smartphone. “You deserve to be punished, you wretched woman. Someone should teach you a lesson.” Tessa approached Derek and spoke with deliberate calm, “Derek, see, your sister-in-law is still unwilling to give up the child and won’t disclose the father’s identity.” “It seems she hasn’t truly realized her mistakes.” Their conversation made my face go pale. But for the sake of my child, I had to fight. I endured the pain and abruptly stood up, racing toward the exit. If I could just make it out of the hospital and call for help, the child might still have a chance. Just as I was about to escape through the hospital doors, Derek grabbed my hair from behind. He yanked me back with such force, I felt my scalp tearing apart. “You’re still thinking of running away, are you?” “Without a lesson, you won’t learn.” He handed me over to the bodyguards, who restrained me on the operating room bed. “Doctor, perform the procedure and remove the child.” The medical team prepared to administer an anesthetic, but Derek stopped them. “She’s disgraced herself, and the child is illegitimate. No need for anesthetic.” Under the harsh lights of the operating room, I whispered weakly, “Derek, you’ll regret this.” I’m sorry, but it looks like the text you’re asking to translate is missing. Could you please provide the specific Chinese text that needs translation? Derek listened indifferently and remarked, “After this, you might even thank me. You know, you’re famous now.” “You’ll be the first person on the internet to stream an abortion live.” I was utterly despondent. I’m sorry, child, your mother doesn’t have the strength to protect you. The nurse’s eyes showed hesitation, but she had to proceed due to the boss’s authority. The sharp pain of the scalpel cutting through my skin made me scream in agony. But Derek impatiently stuffed a cloth into my mouth.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside, and Grayson’s butler rushed in with urgency. Seeing my condition, he quickly ordered the doctor to stop. At this point, I was already losing consciousness, feeling nothing but pain. Derek looked puzzled when he saw the butler. “What are you doing?” The butler, looking anxious, said, “Sir, you can’t do this to Miss Amelia. You two are divorced.” Derek, hearing this, put away his smartphone and gritted his teeth, “I didn’t agree, so it doesn’t count.” “Besides, she cheated on me and got pregnant with someone else’s child. Don’t I have the right to punish her?” The butler had seen the lady boss’s distress on the live stream. After discovering it, he immediately informed the big boss and rushed over. At this moment, Grayson appeared at the door. Derek was somewhat alarmed upon seeing his brother. Tessa also showed a look of delight. Derek quickly spoke, stepping forward to prevent his brother from entering the hospital room, “Brother, there’s no need for you to handle such a trivial matter personally. Leave, the hospital room is full of bad vibes.” Tessa added, “Grayson, even though we’re divorced, I still have to look after this family.” “This woman cheated on your brother and got pregnant with another man’s child.” Grayson’s face turned stern upon hearing this, ignoring them entirely. Instead, he directly pushed them aside and quickly walked to the operating table. Seeing my state, his eyes were filled with pain. “Where’s the director? Get out here.” The director, who had been outside, quickly ran in at Grayson’s call. “Boss, what’s wrong?” Grayson looked at the director with bloodshot eyes and said slowly, “She’s my wife, your lady boss. Now, give her the best care possible.” “If anything happens to her, I’m sure you’ve heard of my methods.” After saying this, Grayson glared harshly at Derek and Tessa. “I don’t have time to deal with you now.” Grayson instructed the bodyguard to take them to the Grayson Family Ancestral Hall and lock them up. The Grayson Family Ancestral Hall was used to discipline family members who made mistakes, a tradition spanning hundreds of years. Derek and Tessa were terrified when they realized the child was Grayson’s. “How is that possible?” “The child is actually Grayson’s!” Tessa’s tone was filled with resentment and regret, “Why didn’t she say earlier that the child was Grayson’s?” “This is practically a death sentence for us!” Tessa’s Family had once helped the Grayson Family, leading to a five-year marriage of convenience between Tessa and Grayson. If Tessa couldn’t make Grayson fall in love with her within five years, they would amicably divorce.

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On our wedding day, my husband abandoned me to accompany another woman. When I questioned him, he accused me of being petty and jealous. I intended to leave before the final humiliation could reach me. But the moment I stepped out of the dressing room, I ran into the one man Aaron never wanted anywhere near me. His gaze swept from my bouquet to my lips, slow enough to feel like a touch. “If you still need a groom,” he murmured, “I can stand where he ran.” I slipped my arm through his without hesitation. And in front of everyone, I sealed the offer with a kiss. One week before our wedding, my fiancé Aaron Lambert told me he had to marry his first love before he could marry me. His first love’s mother had passed away, leaving a dying wish for them to get married. “Lily’s mother always hoped she would marry a good man. I’m just fulfilling the old lady’s last wish. Don’t overthink it,” Aaron said. But our company had already decided to launch the True Love jewelry collection on the day of our grand wedding. He impatiently replied, “It’s just a billion-dollar project. How can that compare to Lily’s filial piety? If you really want to earn that money, go find someone else to marry.” Faced with his cold words, I understood everything. I turned and dialed my family’s number. “Brother, help me find a new marriage partner.” My brother asked in disbelief, “You’re calling off the wedding?” “No, he’s marrying someone else,” I said with a bitter smile. To be with Aaron, I had fought tooth and nail against my family’s objections to finally get my parents’ approval. We even scheduled the True Love jewelry collection launch for our wedding day. But now, everything had fallen apart. My brother was stunned for a long while before saying, “Then Arlo Shaw is our only option. His family has been pressuring him to get married, and he’s been looking for a partner recently.” I frowned. Arlo Shaw was my sworn enemy. On my engagement day, he had even cursed that my marriage would fall apart. I never expected his prophecy to be fulfilled. Time was tight, so I could only say, “Alright, it’ll be him then. Help me ask about his intentions. If he refuses, I’ll think of another way.” My brother replied quickly, “No need to ask. He’ll definitely agree.” “What?” Before I could ask anything more, a group of people surrounded me. “Are you Aaron’s fiancée? You’re so beautiful!” “Are you here to wait for Aaron to get off work? He’ll be down soon. You two are so sweet together.” I gripped the steering wheel, lowering my eyes to hide the self-mockery in them. Aaron had introduced me to his colleagues and friends early on. In everyone’s eyes, we were an enviable model couple. But who could have guessed that he was about to marry someone else? After saying goodbye to everyone, Aaron got into the car and handed me a necklace. “Lily asked me to give this to you. You embarrassed her at the funeral yesterday, so take some time to apologize to her.” This necklace was clearly a free gift that came with a purchase. I had seen it in Aaron’s shopping cart a couple of days ago. I said flatly, “I don’t want it.” Aaron frowned. “What are you upset about now? You barged into the funeral and said I wasn’t her fiancé, embarrassing her. She didn’t hold it against you and even thought to bring you a gift. How can you be so ungrateful?” The man who once protected me was gone. Now, he cherished someone else. Aaron irritably opened the window to let in some air. After a long while, seeing that I wasn’t going to comfort him, he finally said, “Fine, we’re supposed to go try on wedding dresses today. I won’t argue with you.” This was the first time he had backed down this year. When we arrived at the bridal shop, the sales assistant greeted us: “Mr. Lambert, Miss Quinn, the twenty custom wedding dresses and tuxedos you ordered are ready.” But Aaron’s gaze wasn’t on these clothes. He was looking down at his phone, his expression somewhat urgent. After noticing my gaze, he quickly put away his phone, his face showing a hint of apology: “Genevieve, something came up with Lily. I need to rush over there right away. Try on the wedding dresses yourself, and just pick a tuxedo for me. I trust your taste.” With that, he hurriedly hailed a taxi and left, leaving me alone. The sales assistant quickly approached me and tentatively asked, “Miss Quinn, would you like to personally select the tuxedo?” I looked away and nodded. Of course I would choose a tuxedo. Just not for Aaron. After all, the groom had changed. I drove home, thinking Aaron wouldn’t return all night. But he came back before dinner. He strode over to me, holding a takeout box. “I went all over town to buy this for you. It’s from Harry’s Bakery.” I looked at the box of Swiss rolls. There were three fewer than usual, and one of them had a bite mark, obviously having been eaten. Half an hour ago, I had seen Lily’s Instagram post. The photo was of the Swiss rolls in my hand. “Hubby bought me a midnight snack even though it’s so late. Thanks for working so hard, babe! XOXO!” I put down my chopsticks with a self-mocking smile, instantly losing my appetite. “I don’t want to eat it. Just throw it away.” Aaron immediately looked at me with displeasure but held back from lashing out. He sat down beside me and complained: “You have no idea how pitiful Lily was today. My parents went to her house and scolded her family for being poor, saying they couldn’t even afford decent jewelry. She was so upset she cried.” “Lily just returned to the country and doesn’t have much money. I was thinking of lending her your jewelry.” His tone left no room for argument, making me feel sick. I looked at him sarcastically. “So I have to provide jewelry for your wife?”

In the past, I cared about Aaron so much that I would give him anything he asked for and do anything for him. But now he had personally woken me up. Thinking back, ever since Lily returned to the country, everything he did was for her. He had forgotten that I was supposed to be the one spending the rest of my life with him. My response angered Aaron. “What do you mean by that? You’re not willing? You’d better understand this: Lily is my best friend. You’d better make her happy, or I might not marry you!” With that, he slammed the door and left. Feeling frustrated, I went downstairs to jog in the park. After running one lap, I received a call from Arlo Shaw. Thinking of Arlo’s perpetually stern face, I hesitated for two seconds before answering. “Once you’re on my ship, you’re my person. If you dare to run, I’ll tie you up and bring you back!” Arlo’s first sentence was a direct hit. I remained silent, and he continued: “Let’s get the marriage certificate.” “I’m afraid you’ll change your mind.” Arlo Shaw, you’re acting strange. I had already imagined tens of thousands of scenarios in my mind where he would use our marriage to torment me. In the end, I could only muster up a sentence: “See you at the wedding, Mr. Shaw.” As soon as I finished speaking, Aaron appeared behind me out of nowhere: “You’re inviting Arlo Shaw to our wedding? I forbid it!” He stared at me as if facing a great enemy: “Genevieve Quinn, didn’t I tell you not to associate with Arlo Shaw? His intentions towards you aren’t pure. If you insist on inviting him to our wedding, don’t blame me for getting upset!” Before I could say a word, he had already laid down his threat. Aaron had always disliked Arlo Shaw and harbored an inexplicable hostility towards him. When we first got together, he even became jealous because Arlo and I often bantered on SnapChat. After that, I gradually cut off contact with Arlo. But he actually said… Arlo Shaw had impure intentions towards me? I was about to ask further when Lily suddenly leaned against Aaron’s neck. “Aaron, you’re hurting me…” Only then did I notice they were holding hands while taking a walk. Aaron coughed awkwardly twice but showed no intention of letting go of her hand. Lily looked at Aaron with deep affection, then turned to me with a pretense of helplessness: “Sister Genevieve, I’m sorry. Aaron and I were just practicing the wedding procedure in advance. Please don’t mind.” “I won’t tell anyone about you hitting me or damaging my mother’s grave. But please don’t hurt Aaron. True love can’t withstand tests.” Not wanting to watch her act, I turned to leave: “Since you’re so looking forward to it, I’ll find someone to beat you up tonight and then dig up your mother’s grave!” Slap! Aaron slapped me hard across the face. “Genevieve Quinn, how can you be so vicious?!” His brows were furrowed, and his chest heaved. I’m vicious? He believed someone else’s manipulative words, but five years of our relationship couldn’t earn me even a bit of his trust. I suddenly felt a surge of anger and wanted to confront Aaron, but Lily stepped in front of him: “Genevieve, please, I’ll return Aaron to you as soon as the wedding is over.” “Please have mercy and don’t hurt the people around me, or Aaron.” As she spoke, she was about to kneel before me. Aaron quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, preventing her from kneeling, while glaring at me angrily. “Genevieve Quinn, stop playing your rich girl bullying games!” “You know I hate that the most. If you still want to marry me, stop making trouble!” With that, he warned me not to appear in front of them during the time before the wedding. Unexpectedly, Aaron contacted me the very next day. He started with a barrage of scolding: “Genevieve Quinn, did you really go and dig up Mrs. Lee’s grave?! I never thought you were this kind of person!” Filled with confusion, I called my assistant to investigate, only to uncover an extremely shocking fact. Lily’s mother… wasn’t dead.

No wonder Lily could be so ruthless as to dig up her own mother’s grave to frame me. It turns out death was all a scam. I sent Aaron a text message: “Lily’s mother isn’t dead. The truth is in the email I sent you.” Whether he looked at it or not was no longer my concern. The flight was booked for three days later, personally arranged by Arlo. When Aaron returned, he saw me packing my things. Half of my clothes were thrown away, with a small portion being shipped to South City. “Why are you starting to pack clothes?” Aaron asked with a dubious expression. I casually replied, “Moving.” He fell silent for a moment, not noticing anything amiss, and continued talking to himself: “The Quinn family company is in South City. We’ll settle there after getting married, so it’s good to start packing early.” After saying this, he fixed me with a stern gaze. “Apologize to Lily’s mother as soon as possible. Don’t make things difficult for me. How about on the wedding day? What do you think?” He tossed his phone aside and went to look for his ID card. Today was the day he and Lily were getting their marriage certificate. He didn’t return until late that night. I opened my phone to find a message from Lily pop up. The picture showed Aaron and her wearing matching outfits, sharing a bed. I closed my eyes, my heart still aching despite my efforts. I suppressed that feeling and turned off my phone. Late at night, the phone by my pillow started vibrating every hour. Each vibration was Lily sending me videos of her and Aaron to taunt me. Until early the next morning, when I received a message from Arlo. “Miss Quinn, the flower has bloomed.” The accompanying image showed a marriage certificate and a pot of vibrant red roses. I was surprised that he had kept the plant I casually gave him years ago. Inexplicably, a strange emotion welled up in my heart. I replied with a single word: “Okay.” I put down my phone and went to pack up my work files on the computer. I didn’t notice when Aaron had returned. He was packing his daily essentials: “I’m moving in with Lily for a few days. She’s too busy preparing for the wedding alone. Remember to show up on time for the wedding the day after tomorrow. Don’t be late.” After saying this, he explained at length that he was just going to help normally and told me not to cause trouble again. “Mm, I won’t go,” I said, lowering my eyes. After last night, my last bit of affection for him had completely dissipated. Aaron looked at my calm demeanor, and a nameless panic swept over him. He suddenly became hesitant. But thinking of Lily’s cloying clinginess, he loosened his grip on his phone. Genevieve loved him so much, what could possibly go wrong? Thinking this, he breathed a sigh of relief and no longer lingered with me, disappearing from my sight. I watched his departing figure and made a phone call. That evening, a helicopter landed in the square. A man approached me: “Miss Quinn, the helicopter you ordered has arrived. It will safely transport you to South City in half an hour.” I nodded, then handed him an envelope. “Deliver this envelope to the wedding venue tomorrow. It’s my wedding gift for the bride and groom.”

The next day, I sent Aaron a message right on time: “Congratulations on your marriage!” At the wedding venue, Aaron kept looking towards the entrance, asking his secretary: “Why hasn’t Genevieve Quinn arrived yet? We agreed she would apologize to Mrs. Lee in public today.” The secretary scrolled through the news, frowning: “She probably can’t make it. She’s busy with her own wedding right now.” Hearing this, Aaron stood frozen in the center of the banquet hall. The wedding venue was decorated with Lily’s favorite champagne roses, making the entire hall look like a dream. Below the stage, guests were toasting and chatting. Everything seemed perfect. However, Aaron was tightly gripping his phone, staring intently at the news headline: “Quinn Group’s Female CEO Gets Married, True Love Collection Officially Launches”. Cold sweat broke out on his palms as he hurriedly dialed the number he knew by heart, only to find it unanswered. “How can this be happening?” Lily walked straight towards him, grasping his hand. “Aaron, what’s wrong? Your hands are so cold.” Aaron gripped her hand in return: “Genevieve Quinn… she, she married someone else!” Lily took the phone and glanced at it, frowning slightly before smiling: “That’s impossible. Sister Genevieve loves you so much. This must be some kind of business tactic. These businesspeople will do anything for money, even fake marriages.” “Fake marriage?” Aaron’s panicked expression eased slightly. “Come on, Aaron. The wedding is about to start. Let’s go up,” Lily said. The officiant stood on stage to host the wedding. Aaron forced a smile back onto his face and exchanged rings with Lily, kissing each other. Just when everything seemed perfect, the doors of the banquet hall were suddenly flung open with a bang. A group of people walked in orderly. Aaron instinctively thought it was Genevieve coming to make trouble. He had just raised a smile, ready to lash out, when he suddenly froze. It wasn’t Genevieve who had come, but a group of uniformed police officers. He immediately panicked and asked, “Officers, we’re just ordinary citizens. We haven’t done anything wrong, have we?” The lead officer ignored him completely and simply unfolded a document. “Miss Genevieve Quinn has filed charges against Lily Lee for illegal possession of property. The evidence is conclusive. Please come with us.” Aaron was completely flustered. “Officers, what illegal possession? Those were jewels I legally gave to Lily from Genevieve.” The officer frowned: “Your so-called legal channels are not recognized by us, and the plaintiff Miss Genevieve Quinn does not acknowledge this either.” Aaron desperately argued: “This is just Genevieve’s tactic! She’s doing this to ruin my wedding with Lily!” The officer glared at him coldly: “Sir, please don’t obstruct official business. Take her away!” As Lily was taken away, the wedding instantly descended into chaos. The Lee family relatives loudly discussed how Lily’s jewelry turned out to be someone else’s, calling her shameless. Aaron’s parents’ faces turned black as the bottom of a pot, pointing at Aaron’s head and scolding him. “You fool! What have you done!” “You gave up on Genevieve, who was so good, to marry this penniless woman. Now look what’s happened! You’ve lost everything!” Aaron calmed down. “Mom, this is Genevieve’s tactic to force me to comply. I’m going to find Genevieve now to save Lily.” Just as he was about to step forward, a man blocked his path. “Mr. Lambert, this is Miss Quinn’s wedding gift for you.” A phone was connected to the big screen. When the phone was opened, obscene images and words that were unfit for viewing assaulted everyone’s eyes.

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Everyone in the family was waiting for me to frame the real daughter, claiming she stole Grandma’s jade pendant, but I calmly admitted in front of them all that I had slipped it into my own pocket by accident. The room froze. In the original script, I should have cried, yelled, and dragged her down with me. But I’m not the original girl—I transmigrated into her body. From the moment I changed that line, no one in this house could control me again. I was reborn in a novel as Sophia Davis, the adopted daughter of the head of Davis Enterprises. I was kept in the family because I had a rare blood type, which meant I served as a “mobile blood bank” for my brother, James Davis. Not long after, the real daughter, Lily Davis, was found. She was the true protagonist of this world, unlike me, the “villainous” adopted daughter. And she had the special ability that allowed others to hear her thoughts. According to the storyline, I was supposed to constantly frame her in front of my parents, making them believe she was bullying me, and trying to make them dislike her. But with her “God’s perspective” from the storyline, Lily could always predict my actions and words, causing my family to lose trust in me again and again. On the very first day Lily returned, my parents asked me to show her the room upstairs that had been prepared for her. I remembered from the plot that at this point, everyone in the family should have already heard Lily’s thoughts. They were waiting to see if things would unfold the way she said they would. I was about to try to break the plot and do something unexpected, but suddenly, my body slipped, and I found myself tumbling down the stairs uncontrollably. As I rolled down the stairs and hit the floor, I noticed the look in my parents’ and James’ eyes. There was a clear trace of disappointment there. They were all waiting for me to say something, but no one came to help me. I had to slowly stand up on my own. Feeling embarrassed, I weakly apologized, “It’s OK. I didn’t eat enough this morning. Just low blood sugar.” Lily, looking surprised, asked, “You’re trying to say I pushed you, aren’t you? You don’t even know why, and you just want Mom and Dad not to be mad, right?” My parents and James looked at me with suspicion in their eyes, and I just leaned against the wall, weakly retorting, “Did you not hear me or what? It was the low blood sugar.” Then, I looked at James pitifully, “I’ll get better soon. I don’t want to be unable to provide blood when you need it.” James and my parents, hearing this, immediately came over to help me up, their faces filled with concern. Lily had taken my room, but in exchange, my parents gave me a luxurious suite. Eighteen years ago, Lily, their biological daughter, was kidnapped by bad people, and my parents were devastated. To cope with the grief, they adopted me from an orphanage, since I also had a rare blood type. For the past eighteen years, they had treated me like their own daughter, nurturing and pampering me. But their love for me wasn’t without an ulterior motive. First, they wanted me to help run Davis Enterprises, and second, I was meant to be James’ personal blood donor. James loved racing, and as a professional driver, he often got injured during his races. Whenever he needed a blood transfusion, it was always me who provided it. That was why my parents doted on me so much, and why James treated me like his own sister.

Mom gently pulled me aside, “Sophia, your health isn’t great. You can have the suite on the first floor from now on.” In the original plot, when Lily was first brought back, the family hadn’t had time to prepare her room yet. The original Sophia, wanting to show her family how considerate and generous she was, offered her own room to Lily, even though she planned to stay in the storage room to play the martyr and gain their sympathy. But this time, instead of offering my room, Mom gave me the largest room, the suite, on the first floor, the one where they used to read and write. Lily could already feel the drama unfolding in her mind. “She’s definitely going to refuse,” Lily thought. “She’ll insist she’s just an outsider and keep pretending to be the victim, staying in the storage room.” Hearing Lily’s thoughts, my parents and James all looked awkward, waiting for my reaction. I hugged Mom happily, acting like a spoiled child. “Mom, you’re the best! I love you the most! I’ll take the suite downstairs. It’s more convenient, and it’ll be closer to James!” My parents’ and James’ rooms were on the first floor, so now I was moving down too. Lily would be the only one left upstairs. She seemed confused that I hadn’t followed the script. Grabbing my arm, she demanded, “You were supposed to refuse and insist on staying in the storage room. Why the sudden change of heart?” She couldn’t understand why I wasn’t sticking to the expected lines. I had realized something too. When it came to crucial plot points, my actions would be uncontrollable and follow the script, but what I said was entirely under my control. “Stay in the storage room?” I replied, leaning back. “Why would I want to stay there when I have a perfectly good suite?” Everyone looked at Lily with confusion. Unable to handle the pressure, she angrily shoved me. From Lily’s thoughts, I could tell my family was starting to get suspicious of me. “This doesn’t make sense,” she thought. “You’re not even their real child. Why have you lived as me for the past ten years? I come back, and suddenly you get the suite? Are you trying to humiliate me? Why did you even bring me back?” She lashed out at my parents and James, venting all the grievances she’d carried for years. But the fact that she went missing had nothing to do with me. I was just adopted later, after all. James, feeling sorry for me, helped me up from the floor and snapped at Lily, “Don’t take it too far. You can’t just throw tantrums and push people around. Where’s your manners? I bet you did push Sophia just now.” Lily, having grown up in a small town with poor manners, wasn’t about to let James’ words slide. She started cursing him out in response. It was all becoming too much for my parents, especially Dad. “Enough!” he shouted. “The most important thing is that Sophia gets better. She’ll stay on the first floor. The entire second floor is yours, Lily. You can design it however you like. Is that fair now?” James snorted in disbelief, and Mom wiped away her tears. When Lily heard that the entire second floor was hers, the space was several times bigger than my own, she had nothing left to say. The house would soon be undergoing renovations, and my suite would just be rearranged as it was. But Lily’s second floor was going to be a huge project. She insisted on a walk-in closet, a study, and a separate bathroom. The noise from the construction made the entire house uneasy. Aside from a few arguments with James, no one really called her out on it. It took over half a month before the renovations were finally done.

Lily now had her room, but her closet was still empty, so Mom gave her a card with her allowance for the year. “Lily,” she said softly, “I’ve been giving Sophia and James one million a year as pocket money. We’ve missed out on those 18 years with you, so we want to make it right. There is 20 million, and you can spend it however you like.” Lily refused the card, her voice cold. “Lost affection can’t be replaced with money. I don’t want your money.” James, who had been looking at his phone, snorted. “How high and mighty. If she doesn’t want it, just give it to Sophia.” Lily’s thoughts turned bitter. “Give it to her, go ahead, give it all to her. You think Sophia’s some kind of good person? She’s about to sabotage James in his next race. When he’s fighting for his life after a crash, she’ll pull some pity play and donate blood, gaining all your trust. Then, once you’ve given her all of Davis Enterprises’ assets, she’ll ditch you. You’ll be left begging on the streets.” Hearing her thoughts, James hesitated as he handed me the card. Mom and Dad exchanged a wary glance. The story forced me into a situation where I had to steal something and set Lily up, and when I was caught, I could feel the cold sweat running down my back. But I remained calm. I pulled out the card Mom and Dad had previously given me and handed it to Lily. “You said I’ve been living in your place for the past ten years. If you won’t take what they gave you, how about you take this card from me?” Lily shot me a glare and then snatched the card from my hand without hesitation. “It’s mine to begin with. You should’ve given it back.” Mom and Dad’s wariness began to fade. James realized how close he’d come to believing Lily’s words and, feeling guilty, pulled out his own card. “Sophia, don’t let her get to you. If you need money, use my card. We can share.” I smiled and accepted his offer. I couldn’t understand why the original Sophia would go out of her way to hurt this brother who was so partial to her. Why couldn’t she just live a happy, normal life like any ordinary person? Why did she have to stir up trouble?

The next day, Mom took Lily and me to the mall. According to the plot, I would initially eagerly pick out all kinds of expensive clothes and jewelry for Lily. But just as we were leaving the store, I would secretly hide something in Lily’s bag to embarrass her. As the story forced me into a certain action, I found myself unable to control my body as it quietly slipped a beautiful, pricey watch into Lily’s bag. I wanted to head to the counter to pay, but I couldn’t move a muscle. Lily, noticing something was off, started to think to herself, “Sophia just looks down on me for growing up in a small town. She’s trying to plant stolen goods in my bag to make me look bad and accuse me of being unrefined.” Mom saw the strange expression on my face and started to suspect something was wrong. Lily, now aware of the situation, grabbed her bag and said, “Let’s go.” She dragged both me and Mom toward the store’s exit, and sure enough, the alarm went off as we passed through the door. Mom looked at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. The store clerks quickly blocked our way. “Excuse me, but could you please stop and check if there are any unpaid items in your bags?” I could feel the cold sweat on my forehead, my heart pounding in my chest. Lily smirked, looking at me with a wicked gleam in her eyes. “I don’t know. Why don’t we check our bags?” The clerk first searched her bag, and sure enough, found the expensive watch tucked into a hidden compartment, with the price tag still attached. Mom, stunned, pointed at the watch with trembling hands. “This watch isn’t…” Before she could finish, the clerk cut her off. “Oh, this watch doesn’t belong to our store. I’ll put it back. Could you please open your bags so we can inspect them?” The clerk handed Lily her bag back, but Lily stared at the watch in shock. Why would they return it to her if it was stolen? When they searched my bag, however, they found a diamond brooch. It turned out I was the one who had stolen the item. The clerk looked at me in disbelief and said sternly, “Miss, your actions suggest theft. We may need to call the police.” I lowered my head in shame. Mom stepped forward to defend me. “My daughter’s been unwell lately, and she must’ve forgotten to pay. We don’t steal jewelry. We can afford it.” We had often shopped at this store, and the staff knew us well. They couldn’t believe we would be involved in a theft. The clerk, sensing the tension, spoke sympathetically. “Probably just a mistake. Sophia must’ve absentmindedly put it in her bag. I’ll go ahead and print the invoice, please give me just a moment.” Just when I thought the situation was about to resolve, Lily interrupted. She grabbed the clerk’s arm, blocking her from leaving, and pointed at me. “She did steal. She was trying to plant them in my bag to frame me! I don’t know why she hid them in her own bag, though. Don’t be fooled.” The clerk looked at our mom, clearly uncomfortable. Mom, already fed up, snapped, “Enough, Lily.” But Lily refused to stop. She pulled the watch out of her bag, still with the price tag on it. “This is clearly the watch she stole from another store. She tried to plant it in my bag earlier!” As she spoke, the people around us began to look at me with disdain. Lily grabbed my arm. “Are you trying to accuse me now? Are you going to say it’s my fault? Speak up!” I could hear whispers in the crowd. Who would’ve thought two rich girls would steal from a store? Both our reputations were at stake, and Mom finally snapped. “Enough!” I couldn’t hold back any longer and started crying. “I’m sorry, Mom. I took the brooch. I didn’t have the money to buy it. I just wanted to give it to Lily as a gift.” Lily and Mom suddenly remembered that earlier in the morning, I had given Lily my card. Lily scoffed, “Sophia, you’re really something else. You stole the brooch to give it to me as a gift, but what about the watch? Isn’t that your attempt to frame me?” Mom couldn’t take it anymore. She slapped Lily across the face. “Stop it! The watch was a birthday gift from our entire family to Sophia. She never even wore it and still hadn’t removed the tag. She probably meant to give it to you secretly, and you’ve completely misjudged her!” Lily stared at me in disbelief before throwing the watch to the ground and running off in tears. The whole time, I had been wearing the watch when I left the house. But once the plot triggered, I had no control over my actions. Since I was destined to take the fall for the theft, I decided to accept the blame myself. When we got home and explained everything, Mom and Dad, along with James, didn’t hold it against me. They quietly gave me the card Lily had refused earlier. “Sophia, no matter the reason, stealing is not right. It’s bad for your reputation. Do you understand? Since Lily didn’t want it, you can use this card.” I happily accepted the card. There was 20 million in it. I was over the moon!

Lily began to question why things weren’t going according to the original plot. She found me alone and confronted me. “You’re trying to make it look like I pushed you down the stairs, aren’t you? And in the mall, you deliberately stole something to frame me, right? What changed? Why did you suddenly change your mind?” I met her furious gaze and calmly poured myself a cup of coffee. “Let me ask you. Why do you always think I’m the bad guy?” She opened her mouth but couldn’t come up with a response. According to the plot, I was supposed to be the evil adopted one, eventually taking all of the family’s wealth for myself. Meanwhile, Lily, whose thoughts could be heard by everyone and who knew the plot, would be loved by everyone and would stop all of it from happening. “You say you’re not a bad person. Fine. Tomorrow, when I go to school, prove it to me.” After Lily left, I started to feel a headache coming on. I had almost forgotten…that the original Sophia was two-faced. At home, she bullied Lily with fake sympathy, but at school, she openly isolated and ostracized her. What was I supposed to do now? The next day, at school… The teacher introduced Lily to the class as a new transfer student. As soon as she sat down, Lily started mentally complaining.

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Vanessa threw away the ten thousand blessings she once demanded as the price for marrying her the moment Damon returned. That single action confirmed that the five years I spent with her carried no weight and that I was never more than a temporary stand-in. I did not argue, negotiate, or wait for an explanation. I submitted my resignation, closed every point of contact between us, and chose to leave the city and the life she controlled. After my visa was approved, I went home to pack. The moment I opened my closet, Vanessa popped out, startling me. “Adrian! I’m the hunter, and I’ve caught my prey!” She was beaming, her cheeks flushed, laughing heartily. I knew she’d used a “business trip” as an excuse these past two days, but she was really just traveling with Damon to avoid me. In the past, I would have greeted her with a warm smile, asking about her trip. Now, I just pulled her aside and started rummaging for my clothes. Vanessa stood there, looking a bit lost. After a long moment, she poked my arm. “Adrian, what’s wrong? Are you still mad about me not lending you money that day? I was trying to complete Damon’s dare. We’re friends, and he was about to lose in fifteen minutes. I didn’t have time to transfer money. Didn’t I soften up later and have the finance department give you an advance?” I gave a bitter laugh, suppressing the sting in my nose, and kept stuffing clothes into my suitcase. That day, Mom had just arrived from out of town when she saw her future daughter-in-law on a giant screen, holding another man’s hand and making their relationship official. She collapsed on the spot. I rushed to the scene, falling to my knees in front of Vanessa, pleading with her to give me back my savings for Mom’s medical bills. It would have taken less than three seconds to pull out her bank card from her bag. But she just coldly kicked me aside, telling me to figure it out myself. Then, she used every last cent from my card to buy Damon a luxury car. Later, when I went to the finance department for an advance, the finance officer rolled her eyes at me. “Adrian, who do you think you are, dreaming about someone like her? Mr. Damon and CEO Vanessa are the golden couple.” She deliberately dragged out the process. I ran around the company, completing eighteen different procedures, which took three hours, just to get a $200 advance. The finance officer said it was Vanessa’s order, and they couldn’t do anything about it. By the time I rushed to the hospital, Mom had already passed away. Vanessa saw I wasn’t speaking, snatched the clothes from my hands, and threw them onto the bed. “That’s what I dislike about you small-town guys. You’re so petty. You hand over a few hundred thousand, and then you try every trick to get it back. Honestly, I bought Damon that sports car just to cut off your idea of getting into my pockets!” My heart felt like it was squeezed hard. I took a deep breath. I thought if I just poured my heart out and gave her all my earnings, Vanessa would eventually let go of her suspicions. But I never imagined she still thought I was after her money. Damon and she had broken up and gotten back together three times. Each time, it was her winning him back with luxury cars and lavish homes. So why was it suddenly me who was being petty? I finished packing, picked up my suitcase, and curled my lips into a sarcastic smile. “It won’t happen again. Keep your money for Damon to spend.” Vanessa’s eyes widened. She grabbed me. CRASH! A storage box was knocked over, sending countless paper slips covered with blessings fluttering to the ground like snow. These were all the blessing messages I had pleaded with anyone and everyone I met on the street to write for me. She had said she’d had enough heartbreak. Unless I collected ten thousand blessings from strangers to prove my sincerity, she wouldn’t marry me. The ten thousandth blessing was from a passenger sitting next to my mom on the train ride into the city. When Mom handed it to me, she wished Vanessa and me a long and happy life together. But Vanessa still announced her relationship with Damon just because of one sentence from him. All my boundaries, all my efforts, were a joke. Vanessa picked up a slip of paper. Her beautiful brows relaxed, and she sighed. “Alright, Adrian, stop sulking. I’ll give you another three hundred. Take your mom to get some nice clothes and good food. Later, I’ll take her on a trip. I’ll do my duty as a daughter-in-law.” In the past, I would have taken the out and praised her as a good wife. But now, the bitterness in my heart wouldn’t let up. I just couldn’t swallow it. I covered her transfer screen with my hand and said coldly, “No need. You’re not her daughter-in-law. We’re over.” My words were swallowed by the sound of a key in the lock. “Vanessa, I’m here to pick you up! Didn’t we say we’d treat everyone to dinner to celebrate?” Damon walked in, looking surprised. “Assistant Adrian, why are you at Vanessa’s place?” Vanessa coughed, putting distance between us. “Adrian’s mom needed money, he just asked if he could get an advance on his salary.” We’d been in a secret relationship for five years. She always kept me at arm’s length, and I couldn’t even post about her on Ins. I thought it was because she didn’t want an office romance. Turns out, keeping it from everyone was just about keeping it from *him*. Damon looked righteous and reprimanded me sharply. “Assistant Adrian, don’t go too far. I didn’t even say anything about you causing a scene at the announcement, but you have hands and feet. You can’t just take advantage of Vanessa’s kindness and demand money from her!” Vanessa frowned, about to speak. I curled my lips. “You’re right, that’s exactly what I think. So I’m leaving now.” With that, I picked up my suitcase and walked past Vanessa, heading downstairs. She took a step as if to follow, glanced at Damon, then calmly said, “Be careful on your way.” As I walked out of the building, Vanessa sent me a SnapChat message: “Adrian, don’t worry. This is the last time I’ll help Damon out. I’ll make time in a couple of days to take your aunt out, and we can discuss our wedding plans and get married soon.” I scoffed. I just opened my chat with William, the HR from the overseas company. “William, my visa is done. Flight’s tomorrow afternoon. See you there.”

I hailed a cab to the company to pick up my files, but the HR officer looked impatient. “CEO Vanessa has been holding up your resignation application. Come back next Monday to ask again.” I called Vanessa, but it just rang busy. It was always like this when she was with Damon. I should have waited for her to approve my resignation before rushing off earlier. Frustrated, I frowned and left the company. Behind me, a burst of laughter erupted. “When Mr. Damon and CEO Vanessa made their relationship official, he was there singing and dancing, even kneeling and begging Vanessa for money! So embarrassing!” “Didn’t you see how awful his face looked when he couldn’t get through to CEO Vanessa just now? If I were her, I’d block a leech like that too!” I was used to these mocking words by now. My phone pinged with a notification – a taunting message from Damon. The photo showed the blessing slips stuffed into a reeking, greasy trash can. “Vanessa threw away all ten thousand blessings just because I said so. I heard you spent a year collecting them, so much effort, how sad.” “So what if you dated for five years? The moment I came back, you were kicked to the curb. She’s eating with me right now, peeling shrimp for me, her hands covered in sauce. You’ve never seen that, have you? If you’re curious, come to the restaurant’s private room, I’ll let you see all you want.” My hand tightened around my phone. Since he’d returned, I’d seen too many messages like this. Vanessa, who was a clean freak and so proud, would wash his clothes, cook for him, and even wash his feet and make his bed. Before, I used to dread Damon’s messages, yet I’d self-torture myself by watching Vanessa’s special treatment of him. I even tried to tell myself it was all Photoshopped, telling him not to stir up trouble, thinking if I didn’t see the truth, I could keep lying to myself. This time, I went. Not out of jealousy, but to get Vanessa to sign my resignation and sever all ties with her. Half an hour later, I arrived at the restaurant, only to hear Vanessa arguing with someone in the stairwell. I instinctively hid around the corner. “Vanessa, are you out of your mind?! Damon dumped you three times, each time worse than the last! He even tricked you to a cliff and almost broke your leg! And you’re making it official with him?! Adrian has been with you for five years, and you never gave him a title. Don’t forget he risked his life to save you before!” It was Sasha, Vanessa’s best friend. I touched the uneven scar on my forehead. A year ago, Vanessa and I were in a car accident during a business trip. To protect her, I was impaled by the windshield. I had a dozen steel plates implanted in my body, and a scar above my left eyebrow disfigured me, making my formerly gentle eyes look fierce. Colleagues secretly called me ‘Scarface,’ kept their distance, and even spread rumors that I was beaten by loan sharks. Vanessa, however, never clarified anything to avoid suspicion. The next second, Vanessa’s reply struck me like a lightning bolt. “It’s because he had the car accident. He has a scar over his eye. He doesn’t look like Damon anymore.” Sasha was furious. “So you were still treating him as a substitute! No wonder when he proposed, you made him do an impossible task. Ten thousand blessings? Even if he asked thirty people a day, it would take a year! If you didn’t want to marry him, you didn’t have to string him along! What kind of spell did a scumbag like Damon put on you?!” “Enough!” Vanessa snapped, her voice sharp. “Don’t you dare slander Damon like that! He said he’s turned over a new leaf. I’m just trying to make up for past regrets. Give me two more days, and I’ll break it off with him.” Sasha was speechless. “Aren’t you afraid Adrian will truly give up?” Vanessa seemed relaxed, in control. “Adrian’s job came from me, he lives in my apartment. He has nothing without me. I’ll take responsibility for him. We’ve been out too long, Damon will get impatient. Let’s head back.” Watching their retreating figures, I stood there for a long time, then sank to the floor, holding myself. When Mom got sick, I brought her to the city for treatment. When I was desperate because we had no money, Vanessa was the one who approached me, inviting me to work at her company. She was gentle and compassionate, like a goddess, and I fell for her. Now, looking back, I was wearing a mask then, only my eyes visible. And her eyes were filled with the joy of finding something she’d lost. Whenever she mentioned her ex, Vanessa would gnash her teeth, full of love and hate. Then she’d bury her head against my chest, sighing how lucky she was to have me. After Damon returned to the country, she deliberately ‘ran into’ him several times, clashing with him, but their ‘arguments’ were just her way of flirting and showing how much she missed him. No wonder Vanessa suddenly became distant after the car accident. I was foolishly thinking it was because Damon was back, and she was just conflicted. Turns out, the original was back, and I, the substitute, was useless, which was why she made me collect ten thousand blessings to politely reject me. After a while, I took a deep breath and pushed open the private room door. Inside, everyone was already tipsy, clapping and cheering. “Their dramatic reunion, their intense, complicated love – I’m totally hooked! Vanessa, you have to kiss Damon!” Vanessa openly kissed Damon on the lips. Her long lashes trembled, and her ears turned crimson, betraying her racing heart. She didn’t know how long it had been until the cheering died down. She opened her eyes in confusion. She saw me, standing behind Damon, my face emotionless. She shot up, her face pale. “Adrian, I can explain everything! It’s not what you think!” Her attempt to cover it up just made her look incredibly guilty. “Vanessa, we’re done.”

The next second, I pulled out my resignation application. “Also, please sign this so I can leave the company.” Vanessa was flustered. Everyone in the room looked on with mixed expressions, some hesitating, wanting to advise me. But then, whoosh! Damon swept the drinks and fruit bowls off the table, looking utterly humiliated. “You two are a couple?!” “Vanessa, I told you, the love I want is one where only I exist in your eyes. If you had a boyfriend, you should have just said so. There was no need to take revenge on me like this!” He stormed out. Vanessa snapped back to reality and, losing all composure, slapped me. “How dare you make a scene in front of Damon? Why did you expose our relationship? He’s sensitive and can’t handle shocks, don’t you know that?” My head was snapped sideways from the blow, my eyes cold. The fierce fire in her eyes suddenly died, replaced by a flicker of distress. The hand that hit me trembled violently. She turned her head away and said sharply, “You just want to force me into marriage, but your plan failed. I’d like to see how you’re going to cause trouble for Damon without the job I gave you!” She snatched my resignation application and signed it. The next second, she shouted “Damon!” and ran off, chasing him. I rubbed the crumpled paper, and with a sense of relief, I left amidst the stunned gazes of the crowd. Now, there was only one thing left to do. After Mom passed, I decided to take her ashes abroad, so I had only arranged a simple memorial. Tomorrow, I needed to pick up Mom’s ashes and belongings from the hospital. The next morning, I timed my arrival at the hospital perfectly, intending to leave straight for the airport afterward. As I passed a department, I overheard a doctor calling out Vanessa’s name. “You young people are crazy in love! Your eyes are inflamed, ulcerated, and bleeding. You could go blind permanently! You can’t keep doing this!” I unconsciously slowed my steps. Then I heard Damon’s whining voice. “Vanessa, I was just being dramatic yesterday when I said I’d only forgive you if you had eyes only for me! Why did you actually tattoo my name all over your eyeballs?!” Vanessa’s voice was full of deep affection. “For you, it’s nothing.” I turned my head and saw Vanessa’s eyes. Her eyelids were swollen, blood vessels burst, and they were hazy with blood. I could faintly see her eyeballs were dark, densely covered with Damon’s name. Yet, before, when I had just bought a pair of matching couple’s rings, she had cursed me out, saying I was deliberately claiming ownership and trying to tie her down, restricting her freedom. Turns out, in the face of love, everyone is equally desperate. I continued toward the morgue. Damon had already spotted me and deliberately picked a fight. “Adrian, Vanessa said you’re just a persistent admirer who won’t give up. What do you want now?” Vanessa, surprisingly, wasn’t angry at all. She quickly put on her sunglasses, adjusted her hair, and her lips curved upward. “Adrian, I know you came here looking for me on purpose. As long as you swear not to do anything out of line again, I can still let you come back to the company. I heard your mom is in our city recently. I could be generous and take her on a trip.” My eyes were full of sarcasm. What “out of line” things? Should I continue to be her secret lover, smilingly bless her and Damon, and then, after she’s had her fun and decided to settle down, gratefully marry her? To this day, she still didn’t know that Mom had already died, her last wish being for me to find someone who loved me. The nurse, however, couldn’t wait. She rushed out to find me, handing me Mom’s ashes and belongings. “Adrian, I have other families to attend to. Just sign here, and you can take your mother’s ashes.”

Vanessa’s triumphant expression froze. “What ashes?” The medical staff looked at her, surprised. “Adrian’s mother passed away two days ago because she couldn’t afford the medical fees.” Vanessa was speechless. It took her a moment to find her voice. “How is that possible? Adrian, you didn’t use the money I gave you for your mom?!” I bent down to sign the ash collection form. Damon frowned, then suddenly spoke. “Vanessa, I suddenly feel a little discomfort in my heart. Could you please ask the doctor to check me? Adrian and I are both men, maybe I can comfort him properly.” Vanessa hesitated, then finally called out to me. “Adrian, you stay here. Don’t move. Once I call the doctor, we can talk properly!” As soon as she left, Damon’s eyes filled with malice, and he deliberately knocked over my mother’s ashes. He whispered mockingly, “Adrian, you’re truly a persistent ghost. I deliberately told finance not to give you the funds. Your mom died because you didn’t know your place. And Vanessa even said she’s giving your vacant position to me. If you’re smart, you’ll get lost!” My pupils contracted. So Damon was behind my mom’s death! Furious, I didn’t hesitate to slap him. But he immediately collapsed, curled up in the corner, looking pained and begging, “Adrian, don’t kill me! I’m so sad your mother died too!” Passersby, not knowing the full story, all assumed I was just venting my anger. They had all seen Vanessa and Damon’s official announcement video and were now righteously indignant. “His own mom died, and he’s bullying another patient to vent?! Where’s security? Get this guy out of the hospital!” “Don’t you know that’s CEO Vanessa’s husband? The Sterling family has immense wealth, you just messed with the wrong person! It’s not too late to beg for forgiveness now!” My face was numb. I knelt down to pick up the shattered ceramic urn holding my mother’s ashes. The sharp edges of the fragments cut my fingers, leaving streaks of blood, but I didn’t seem to feel the pain. As everyone condemned me, Vanessa finally arrived with the doctor. They vied to speak, as if taking credit. “CEO Vanessa, your husband is being bullied! Aren’t you going to stand up for him?” Damon, looking triumphant, weakly cried out, “Vanessa, I’m fine. I was just kindly helping Adrian with his mother’s ashes, and I accidentally broke them. He didn’t mean to push me or slap me. I’m okay, I don’t think anything’s broken.” Vanessa took three swift steps towards me. I didn’t even lift my head, gathering my mother’s ashes. I figured she’d just say a few words to me. But to my surprise, the next second, she knelt directly in front of me, carefully cradling my hands and asking, “Does it hurt?” She held my bloody hands, her eyes filled with heartache. Everyone present stared at each other, stunned. Damon was dumbfounded, even forgetting to feign illness, his eyes wide. In the past, if he pretended to be sick, Vanessa would fuss like a chicken with its head cut off. But now, she was concerned about me, the ‘unreasonable’ one.

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My husband treats me as if I do not exist unless he needs someone to blame. My son has learned to follow his lead and sees my boundaries as hostility. I work alone, parent alone, and fight alone. When I discover Dan drinking with other women while claiming he is the victim, I understand the dynamic fully. This marriage no longer protects me or my child. It only drains me. Filing for divorce becomes the first decision I make for myself in years. Sunday nights are the hardest. Tyler is dragging his feet, crying over homework that’s due tomorrow, while Dan is lost in his own world, gaming with his headphones on, utterly indifferent. No one wants anything to do with me. Tyler is glaring at me, teary-eyed from my scolding; Dan is pretending not to notice, clearly annoyed by my presence. I’m left standing by the table, clearing up their plates, whispering to myself that it’s all my own fault. But my heart aches. Late at night, Dan slips away to the study, Tyler falls asleep, tear stains on his cheeks, and I find myself in the bathroom, looking at my own weary reflection. This is the third month of Dan’s silent treatment. Three long months—I can hardly remember why we’re fighting. Under the same roof, he hasn’t said a word to me. I refuse to give in; I’m convinced he’s at fault. But sleeplessness nags at me. I walk to Tyler’s room to tidy up his backpack. And there, on his desk, I see the new journal I got him. Under “Rewards,” written in that innocent, clumsy handwriting, I see: “I wish Mom would just disappear.”

I blink, thinking I’ve read it wrong. I pick up the journal and take it to the living room, reading that line again. “I wish Mom would just disappear. “She’s so scary when she yells at Dad; she chased him away.” I collapse on the couch, numb, feeling an overwhelming, dull ache settle in. The study light flips off as Dan emerges, grinning. The moment he sees me, his usual icy expression returns. He doesn’t say a word, just picks up his car keys from the coffee table. As he walks past, I catch a whiff of his cologne—Vanilla Musk. It’s the same scent I picked out for him in college when we started dating. Back then, he was a tech geek, always in black-framed glasses and a white T-shirt, hopelessly oblivious to style. I remember teasing him, “A little cologne goes a long way with girls.” He promised he’d keep it because I liked it. And he’s used it ever since. The familiar scent stirs memories of who he was, of our better times, and of the family I desperately want to keep whole for Tyler’s sake. The pain my son caused me rushes back, and without thinking, I stand up and grab Dan’s arm. “Dan, please, can we talk?” Tears silently slip down my face as I stand behind him. He jerks his arm away. I notice his phone screen: he’s on a call. Who is he talking to this late at night, wearing cologne? “Dan, are you coming down? I’ve been craving BBQ all week!” A girl’s voice comes through, laughing flirtatiously. That soft, sweet tone brings back all the reasons we’re in this fight. I turn to leave, but Dan grabs my arm again. With a smirk, he says, “Beg me, and I’ll stay with you and Tyler tonight.” Dan has always reveled in the moment I give in, that satisfaction of seeing me break, especially now that some young girl is competing for his attention. The way he stays—like he’s doing us a favor.

I laughed, but not in amusement. “Beg you? As if I made Tyler all by myself. You’re his father, too, aren’t you? “Am I the only one responsible for him? Don’t you care at all? “Do you even realize the toll this is taking on him?” Dan’s expression hardened, his mouth a thin line. Like I was some madwoman, he grabbed his jacket and slammed the door behind him. Tyler’s journal, with its wish for my disappearance, was still lying on the couch. Dan had left his study lights on as usual. He never bothers with issues—either saying something sharp to rile me up or storming out the door, leaving me to pick up the pieces. The slam of the door woke Tyler. Barefoot, he padded out of his room, staring at the direction his dad left. He came over, picked up his journal from the couch, frowning. “Mom, why do you always make Dad so mad?” I didn’t answer. Downstairs, the sound of Dan’s car engine roared, and the car drove off. Guess I’ll be biking Tyler to school again tomorrow. I looked at the journal clenched in his little hand, at the eyes he inherited from his father. For the first time, I realized just how trapped I’ve been all these years.

I managed to make it to my bedroom, collapsed onto the bed. Closing my eyes, I kept seeing, “Mom would just disappear.” Those four words. Honestly, I’d never screamed at him hysterically. In fact, I went out of my way to avoid conflict, humbling myself to keep Dan around for Tyler’s sake. I pleaded with Dan to come home, to spend time with his own son. Sleep was impossible. My phone lit up on the nightstand; it was a message from Linda. “I heard Dan storm out again. Did you two argue? Are you okay?” I met Linda through Craigslist, where I sold handmade crafts after Dan cut off my access to our joint account during one of his silent treatments. I had no income, so I took on small jobs to make ends meet. Eventually, we discovered we were neighbors. She even bought from me, supporting my small business and showing care. As I heard Tyler’s door close, I texted back: “Thanks, Linda. I’m fine.” The next morning, I woke up completely drained, my eyes swollen. Dan had returned. The scent of Vanilla Musk was barely there, drowned in alcohol. His gaze lingered on me for a moment, then shifted away. This wasn’t the silent treatment. This time, he muttered from the bathroom doorway, scornfully. “Don’t you think this look is a bit dramatic?” He expected me to lash out, to scream and cry so he could leave, feeling justified. But I’d grown tired. I didn’t react. He seemed surprised, watching me with something like uncertainty. He walked into Tyler’s room and spoke in that bright, affectionate tone. “Hey, buddy, Daddy’s taking you to school today.” The two of them left hand in hand, happily chatting, his kindness for Tyler a sharp contrast to his coldness with me. Neither of them thought to ask how I was doing. It felt like two knives twisting in my chest.

Taking out the trash, I ran into Linda. She noticed my eyes and took me inside, rolling a cold spoon over the bruises under my eyes. She looked at me, her own eyes brimming with tears. “Does it hurt?” Her kindness brought back memories of Dan from when we were first married. Back then, Dan and I had nothing. Living in San Francisco was expensive, and we could only afford a tiny basement apartment on the outskirts. Our bathroom and kitchen were communal, and we slept on a small twin bed. One day, after cooking in the shared kitchen, I accidentally ran into someone in the hall. In my reflex to avoid them, I burned the back of my hand with hot food. When Dan came home, I wore gloves to hide it, not wanting him to worry, but he noticed immediately. I tried to laugh it off, saying it didn’t hurt. Dan, frantic, rushed to get me first aid. He cried so hard, his tears wouldn’t stop. I teased him, saying, “What kind of man cries so much?” He replied through sobs, “Evely, I’ll make sure you never suffer again!” That night, he held me close, promising all the beautiful things we’d do together. “Evely, I won’t ever let you get hurt again.” I believed then he truly loved me. But when did he change? Now, it feels like we’re two ticking time bombs, bound together, ready to explode at the slightest friction. Except Dan is a dud—no noise, just a silent smoke that fills every corner, choking me in fear, making me scream. Returning home, I found the place empty. The kitchen was cold, Tyler’s dirty clothes scattered across the wet bathroom floor, muddy footprints tracked through the living room. I sank onto the couch and opened my laptop. I started drafting the divorce papers. I didn’t lack qualifications compared to Dan. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, I was a college grad, passed the bar, and worked as an attorney for two years. I once earned a good salary, winning cases and thriving in my career. Then, I got pregnant. Dan convinced me to quit and focus on raising Tyler. At first, he’d said: “When your maternity leave’s over and Tyler’s a little older, we can hire a nanny. You can get back to work whenever you’re ready.” Later, he changed it to: “Tyler’s used to you now, and I’m in a career upswing. Going back would mean hiring a nanny, and her salary would eat up yours. It just doesn’t make sense for us financially. “Let’s wait until Tyler’s a bit older.” My son hugged mine and babbled for mommy. I went soft. Blame me for not insisting. Thinking about it now, Dan’s cold violence appeared a little bit from that time. Having finished drafting the divorce agreement, I noticed it was almost evening. Dan still hadn’t come home with Tyler.

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The city remained, but we were strangers. The tenth time I found Julian cheating in our bed, his reaction wasn’t as intense as before. He glanced at his watch, then gently draped a coat over the young woman in his arms. Turning to me, he said, “Your prenatal appointment isn’t until this afternoon, is it? Why are you back so early?” When I didn’t answer, he gently stroked her head. “If you want to argue, argue with me! Don’t hurt her!” He thought I’d throw another huge tantrum, just like always. But what he didn’t know was that our ten-year pact was almost up. I was finally going to be free of him. On our wedding photo by the bed, two clear handprints stood out. One on my face, one on Julian’s. It was easy to imagine exactly what they’d been doing moments before. I took a deep breath and turned to Julian. “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t bring anyone home?” “Do you even remember what day it is today?” Julian scoffed, unfazed. He lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke right into my face. “Had too much to drink, how could I remember so many things?” The young woman beside him, Chelsea, flinched. She scrambled to put on her clothes, nervously glancing at me. “Mrs. Sterling, I didn’t mean to.” “It was last night…” Seeing her fumbling, I walked closer and zipped up the back of her dress. “It’s fine. You can go.” “I know exactly what kind of man Julian is.” This wasn’t the first time this had happened in all these years. Drunk, in a bad mood, bored, looking for fun. Anything could be an excuse for him to cheat. As for this young woman, I couldn’t even keep track of how many there had been. Why bother getting angry at her? Chelsea scurried away, terrified. I called Maria, our housekeeper, to clean up the room. The messy room, the scattered contraceptives on the floor. It was sickening to look at. I covered my nose and mouth, spraying disinfectant everywhere. Julian came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. His head, fuzzy from sleep, nuzzled into my neck. “Honey, when did you become so understanding?” “Are you worried I won’t come back, or have you finally learned how to be a proper socialite?” He squeezed my cheek, smirking. “This is so much better.” “As long as you’re obedient, I’ll never let anyone take your place as Mrs. Sterling.” With that, Julian expertly pulled a pair of earrings from a pile of gift boxes and put them on me. “This is your reward.” “Alright, don’t be mad. I know today is our tenth wedding anniversary.” “Wipe your tears, I’ll take you out to celebrate.” He said it so casually. But he didn’t know that in these ten years, my tears had long since run dry. I avoided Julian’s touch, holding out the divorce papers I’d already prepared. “Julian, let’s get a divorce.” He froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Don’t be ridiculous, Aurora.” “You know we can’t divorce.” He pinched my cheek, his hand trailing down my body, stopping at my lower abdomen. “Go pack your things. I’ll take you to your prenatal appointment.” “Don’t cause trouble for yourself.” Years ago, to be with Julian, I broke ties with my family. My father declared I was never to set foot in our home again. To punish my willfulness, he pulled some strings, binding Julian and me together. No breakups, no divorce. For life, whether in love or hate, we were to remain with each other. Back then, Julian knelt before me, swearing he’d love me for life, promising I’d never regret my choice. But in the second year of our marriage, he betrayed us. Julian, arm-in-arm with his mistress, looked at me defiantly. “Yes, I cheated. What can you do about it?” “Aurora, you have nowhere to go.” “For the rest of your life, you’re stuck with me!” I cried, calling my family, saying I regretted everything. My father coldly hung up. My mother stood by, doing nothing. They said it was the path I chose, and I had to walk it till the end, even if I was crying. And so, knowing I couldn’t leave, Julian grew more brazen, more reckless. He had endless affairs, his scandals constantly in the tabloids. Now, he was openly bringing women into our home. But what he didn’t know was that when I left, I made a ten-year pact with my father. A gamble on how long our love would last. If I won, he would do everything to support our marriage. If I lost, I would return and accept the family’s arranged marriage. Because of Julian, this marriage, this gamble—I lost everything spectacularly. While Julian was driving, I dialed that familiar number. “Dad, I lost.” “A bet’s a bet. I’ll be back in three days to marry him.”

My father had never lost a bet. Facing this expected outcome, he showed no surprise. He simply hummed in acknowledgment, giving a few brief instructions. “Aurora, you are my eldest daughter. This empire still needs you to inherit it.” “What’s past is past. I won’t argue with you, but there’s one thing you must remember.” “Don’t take what shouldn’t be taken, and don’t leave what shouldn’t be left behind.” What shouldn’t be taken was the child in my womb. What shouldn’t be left was the fortune I’d built for Julian. These ten years of pain were the lesson he wanted me to remember. “I understand, Dad.” After I hung up, Julian was already honking the horn downstairs, urging me to hurry. I got into the passenger seat—the one that had another woman’s name written all over it. On the way, neither of us spoke. He pretended not to notice the distance on my face. I pretended not to notice the suffocating perfume in the car. When we got out, Julian instinctively reached for my arm to steady me. His rolled-up sleeve revealed a long, jagged scar. For a moment, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of melancholy. To be with me, Julian had once taken eighteen knife wounds, barely clinging to life. The man who had once loved me enough to risk his life… how had he become this? Before I could ponder it further, a woman linked her arm through Julian’s. “Julian, you haven’t visited me in so long!” “What brings you here today? Did you argue with your old hag at home, or couldn’t your new fling satisfy you?” It was Chelsea. The most favored of Julian’s many mistresses, and the one who had been with him the longest. Chelsea intimately snuggled up to Julian, her ample chest rubbing against him. Julian beamed, ignoring me completely. He magically pulled out a ruby necklace to appease her. “What are you talking about? I’d forget anyone before I forgot my little darling!” “I saw how fair your skin is, so I specifically bought you this necklace.” “Alright, go entertain yourself for a bit. I still need to take my wife to her prenatal appointment. I’ll come find you when I’m done.” He even gave Chelsea’s backside a pat before he finished. Looking at the sparkling necklace, I almost laughed out loud. A man who clawed his way up from nothing truly knows how to be frugal. A single jewelry set, split and given to so many different women. The earrings in my ears burned, stinging my heart. I casually took them off and tossed them into a nearby trash can. As I turned, I overheard some passersby gossiping about us. They were curious about our tangled relationship. One person leaned in to listen closer, but a friend pulled her back. “Are you crazy? Didn’t you see the woman next to him? She’s the group’s heiress.” Before I could react, Chelsea scoffed. She shot me a disdainful look, her face full of scorn. “What heiress? She’s just a useless nobody, kicked out of her family, clinging to the Sterling name!” “An old, fading wife, only getting a second glance from her husband because of the baby in her belly.” “What’s there to be afraid of? I despise parasitic old women like her!” A parasite? So what did that make Julian, who had built his empire on my back? And what about Chelsea, Julian’s kept woman? When did they hook up? Was it the first time I miscarried? Was it when I drank myself to stomach bleeding to help Julian secure a deal? Or when Julian was being hunted by his enemies, and I took a bullet for him, falling into a coma? It had been too long; I couldn’t remember. I only remembered Julian getting involved with this nurse during my hospital stay. Their passion was a raging inferno, their love a whirlwind. During that time, I often received texts from Chelsea. I lay in my hospital bed, pale and alone. Chelsea lay on a different bed, flushed with passion, my husband wrapped around her. All these years, Chelsea was still this arrogant. It was clear how much Julian had spoiled her. But it didn’t matter. Once I left, they could be together openly and without shame.

I ignored the bickering couple and walked into the operating room. The doctor regretfully told me, “I’m so sorry, your body is too fragile, and your emotions are unstable. We couldn’t save the baby.” I gave a bitter laugh. “It’s fine.” The doctor looked startled. “You’re still young, you’ll have other chances…” Would I really have other chances? This wasn’t my first miscarriage. The first time was when I was 20. Back then, we were both dirt poor, squeezed into a basement apartment, unable to afford a warm coat in winter. I collapsed from the cold on my way to deliver food to Julian. When I woke up, the baby was gone. And my body was damaged. I was young then, and with proper care, I could have recovered. But we were too poor. Busy making money, busy surviving. By the time our business finally showed some promise, I was busy catching him cheating, busy fighting off mistresses. In and out, it dragged on until now. In the beginning, Julian had nothing. He knelt by my bed and said, “Aurora, I will definitely make something of myself and make up for all your suffering.” Later, Julian became successful. He held his mistress, looking at me. “Aurora, I know everything you’ve done for me.” “I promise you, I won’t let any woman take your place, and I won’t let them have a child before you do.” “Everything I have will only be for our flesh and blood.” Now… I looked out the window at the two of them, tightly embracing. I shook my head, a bitter smile on my face. “Forget it. I’m leaving soon, and a child would be inconvenient.” “Besides, Julian smokes, drinks, and has a chaotic private life. How could a child born in such circumstances be healthy?” My father also built his empire with my mother’s help. After he became successful, he had a string of mistresses. Because of this, I yearned for a genuine connection even more. But the first time I caught him cheating, Julian showed no remorse. Instead, he righteously told me, “Aurora, what’s your problem?” “Your dad has more than one lover; what’s wrong with me occasionally having some fun outside?” “Think about what your mother did!” “You grew up around them, immersed in that world, how have you still not learned how to be a socialite?” He used my most private pain as a weapon to hurt me. At that moment, I knew. Our love had reached its end. But because of that ten-year pact, I couldn’t leave Julian. I could only watch him shamelessly insult my dignity and trample my feelings. The wedding I had fought so hard for became a cage. The love that once ran so deep became Julian’s weapon against me. I had eaten enough of the bitter fruit of family and love. Looking at the city gradually being swallowed by darkness, I couldn’t help but wonder. Julian and I, why did we end up like this? Was it because of Chelsea? Or was it… that incident?

It didn’t matter anymore. Whatever the reason, betrayal and hurt were undeniable facts. I hailed a cab, intending to go home and pack. While waiting, I saw Julian at the crossroads. He and Chelsea were strolling hand-in-hand down the bustling street, looking like a couple deeply in love, sweet and charming. Chelsea kissed Julian’s cheek and giggled. “I had my check-up today, and the baby is very healthy.” “The doctor says it’s a boy! In five more months, you’ll have a son!” Julian smiled. He thoughtfully took off his coat and draped it over Chelsea. “You silly girl, you’re pregnant and still don’t take care of yourself.” “I bought you a villa in Bali. Move in with me. Winter here is too cold; I’m afraid you won’t be able to bear it.” Then Julian prattled on about many other things. He spoke of pregnancy precautions. He spoke of postpartum care methods. He said he would do everything he could to protect this child. Those words, mixed with the cold wind of winter, slowly tore my heart apart, piece by piece. Finally, Julian took Chelsea’s hand. He fastened the lucky charm I had once bought for our child around Chelsea’s neck. “I’ve named our baby Lucky. Lucky and prosperous.” That was the name I had chosen for my first child. That was the eternal wound in my life. I remembered Julian and I, once truly in love. But now, Julian was giving that gift to another woman. He was making up for his failings to me and our child by showering his mistress and illegitimate son with attention. How absurd and tragic. I took a deep breath, trying to pretend I didn’t care. But Chelsea, sharp-eyed, spotted me. “Julian, your old hag is here to check up on you again.” “Honestly, some people just need to stop seeking attention, okay?” She fiddled with the lucky charm, scornfully adding, “Your useless dead child, how could he compare to the baby in my belly?” “Instead of crying here, why don’t you go home and rest? You’re old enough, even if you manage to get pregnant with a second child, it’s not certain you’ll carry it to term.” “If you lose this baby, Julian won’t even look at you!” She was trying to provoke me, hoping I’d miscarry again and lose my child. But what she didn’t know was that the child was already gone. And I no longer needed Julian’s love. When morning came, I would leave this place. By then, Julian and I would both return to our original paths. He would become that penniless nobody again. I took one last look at Julian, completely without attachment. “Julian, you will regret this.” “Because you forgot who gave you everything you have.” Julian tried to say something, but Chelsea held him back. He looked back again and again but ultimately didn’t follow. Moonlight streamed down, casting silver-grey light everywhere. I dragged my weary body away, alone. In the last few hours, I paid off the housekeeper, Maria, and asked her to dispose of all my old things with Julian. Then, I waited alone at the airport for dawn. As the sun began to rise, a private jet landed before me. “Miss Sterling, I’ve come to take you home.” The plane flew over the city, letting all the past condense into nothingness. From now on, Julian and I would be separated by an ocean, never to meet again in this life. *** Julian woke suddenly from a nightmare. He remembered that sorrowful look in my eyes from last night, and a sudden unease settled in his heart. He picked up his phone, intending to make a call. But the breaking news headline caught his attention— “Heiress to Fortune Weds Shipping Tycoon.” “Numerous corporations announce divestment, Sterling Group faces severe repercussions.”

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Everyone believed Spencer loved me to death. Little did they know, for four years he hid another woman in a private hospital suite. His “business trips” were nights in her arms. Now, I couldn’t wait to see his face when he got the news. News of my “death”… on our wedding day. Hayley POV “Ms. Hayley, your Digital Ghost Protocol is activated. The execution date is set on the day of your wedding with Mr. Spencer. We stage an accident and erase you. Please authorize with an iris scan here.” I leaned into the scanner. A cold red light swept over my pupils. On the screen, my digital signature instantly appeared. I left the unmarked building and vanished into the crowd. At a newsstand, a magazine cover stopped me cold: Spencer and me. The headline screamed: BILLIONAIRE HEIR: A DECADE OF DEVOTION, ALL FOR HAYLEY. I remembered that photo. It was taken after Spencer successfully proposed. He knelt on a mountaintop covered in white tulips, his hands, usually so steady, trembled uncontrollably as he placed the ring on my finger. When I said yes, tears streamed down his face. Beside me, two girls at the bus stop were huddled over the magazine. “Oh my god, the way Spencer looks at Hayley, it’s absolutely melting!” “I know,” the other said. ” Did you hear about when she got hurt climbing? The blood bank was empty, so Mr. Spencer chartered a private jet to Europe for blood.He stayed by the ICU door for three days. And that observatory Spencer built for Hayley? It’s still one of the hottest dating spots around! This isn’t a romance novel. It’s better!” I looked away, a ghost of a smile touching my lips. Everyone believed Spencer loved me to death. So, no one would believe it. For four entire years, he’d hidden another woman in a private hospital’s VIP suite. I discovered the truth. Those countless “business trips” were nights spent in her arms. The betrayal didn’t crush me all at once. It was a slow freeze, my heart fracturing into a thousand cold, silent pieces. I opened the encrypted cloud drive, filled with that woman’s diaries and recordings. Closing my eyes, my thoughts drifted back. Back then, my family had just gone bankrupt, and relatives were all scrambling to get a piece of the pie. It was Spencer who directly called in his legal team. He signed the guardianship transfer agreement for me. His voice wasn’t loud, but every word carried immense weight. “From now on, her problems are my problems. I am responsible for her future.” From that day on, he gave me the world. He’d drank until he was hospitalized in my stead. He knew all my food allergies. His social media was practically a shrine dedicated to me. To everyone, he was “Hayley’s Knight.” When he proposed, he kissed my hand, his voice hoarse, pleading, saying he only wanted me for the rest of his long life, and if I left, he would completely lose control. He was the one who first said he couldn’t live without me, and he was also the one who betrayed me first. So be it. I would give him a staged death. I would make sure he could never find any trace of me, ever again. A black Bentley glided silently to my side. The car door opened, revealing Spencer’s sharply defined profile. “Get in.” He said concisely. I got into the car. He didn’t ask any questions, just turned up the heat a few degrees and handed me his still-warm coffee. “Your hands are freezing. Aren’t you afraid of catching a cold?” His voice held a hint of concern. Spencer squeezed my hand, then pulled me into his embrace, trying to warm me with his body heat. “You’re so cold… And you didn’t even dress warmly. Are you trying to break my heart?” I said nothing, just looked up at him. The concern in his eyes was so genuine, so flawless. And precisely because of that, I found it even more chilling. Just then, a financial reporter with a camera hurried over, eyes gleaming, peering in through the window. “Mr. Spencer, Ms. Hayley! I’m a reporter from the Capital Frontier. It’s such a thrill to meet you both! Your love story inspires so many people. Could you spare a minute for a photo?” I initially wanted to refuse, but after a moment’s hesitation, I nodded. Spencer, who usually disliked cameras, still obediently pulled me closer and smiled for the lens. After the photo, the reporter thanked us, her face flushed, her words full of blessings. She wished us a fairytale ending, living happily ever after. Happily ever after? I turned my head to look at Spencer. He happened to be looking down at me too, his eyes filled with a tenderness that could drown a person. As if he, too, believed in this fairytale ending. Only I knew, our road had reached its end.

Hayley POV The wedding reception was to be held on a private island Spencer had bought specifically for me. As soon as we landed, the wedding planning director and her team greeted us, their voices respectful and envious. “Ms. Hayley, as Mr. Spencer instructed, we’ve prepared a thousand varieties of Dutch tulips, air-freighted here for your selection. Would you like to visit the flower house now?” I didn’t speak, my gaze sweeping past everyone to Spencer, who stood a short distance away. He was looking down at his phone, his eyes filled with that raw, undisguised desire. I’d only ever seen that look in his eyes when he viewed photos attached to that woman’s audio diaries. Noticing my gaze, Spencer immediately put away his phone and hurried over, his face etched with apology. “Hayley, there’s a glitch at the company. A document needs my immediate signature in person. It can’t wait; I have to leave right away.” With that, he pressed a kiss to my forehead and rushed towards another helicopter, which was already preparing for takeoff, leaving me alone on this island that was meant for me. The planning director cautiously stepped forward. “Ms. Hayley, shall we-” I cut him off with a shake of my head. “No need. I don’t want any of this.” After all, the star of this grand wedding would be a “missing” bride. In the car back to the city, my burner phone pinged to life. An encrypted message came, sender unknown. An audio file. Only seconds long. In the background, the rhythmic drip-drip of an IV machine. A fragile female voice, tinged with sobs, spoke haltingly. “The medicine…it’s so bitter. And my hand…it hurts. But just thinking of you…I can…I can stand it.” Immediately after, a message from Spencer’s black profile picture appeared. “Be a good girl. I’ll be there soon.” I turned off the screen, closed my eyes, and tried to suppress the gut-wrenching pain in my heart. I thought I’d become numb after reading so many explicit diary entries and listening to so many intimate recordings. But that bone-deep agony still easily swept over me. Finally, I forced myself to lean back against the seat and set my phone to silent. Late at night, I curled up in bed, my eyes red and sleepless. The phone beside my pillow pinged with encrypted message notifications every hour. I didn’t open them until dawn. The number periodically sent photos-sometimes a hand hooked up to an IV, sometimes a half-finished cup of warm milk, sometimes the breaking dawn outside a window. The last photo was accompanied by a line of text. “He says he only finds peace with me.” I lay motionless, just like that, my eyes red, staring at those photos again and again. When Spencer returned, I hadn’t changed my position. He seemed to pause for a moment, then lunged forward, pulling me into his arms, his voice tight. “Hayley, who hurt you?” Had I cried? I only then snapped back to reality, belatedly touching my cheeks. They were cold and wet. After a long time, I managed a faint smile. But the smile couldn’t hide the lifeless gaze in my eyes. “Nothing, I just saw a really touching set of photos.” Spencer kissed my face, dotingly saying, “What photos made you cry like that? Babe, are you trying to give your husband a heart attack?” Just as I was about to speak, the butler respectfully knocked on the door from outside. “Sir, the car is ready.” He hummed in response, then turned to kiss me again, still in his arms. “Hayley, it was my fault for leaving you alone on the island yesterday. As compensation, at tonight’s charity auction, whatever you want, I’ll bid on it for you, okay?” I didn’t answer. He took my silence as consent, sweeping me into his arms and personally choosing my gown and jewelry.

Hayley POV At the auction. To win a smile from me, Spencer bought every single item in the entire first half of the auction, even though I didn’t spare a single glance for any of them. During the intermission, a few of Spencer’s childhood friends came over to chat. “I was wondering who was being so possessive. Of course, it’s you, Spencer.” “You totally swiped that antique I wanted to get for my mom’s birthday right from under my nose. Guess I missed my chance.” “Hey, Spencer, give us a break for the second half, okay? We just want to buy one thing!” Spencer barely bothered with them, focused instead on peeling a blood orange for me. Only after they finished complaining did he slowly lift his eyes and say nonchalantly, “What’s the rush? My fiancée hasn’t even started picking yet.” The group let out a chorus of dramatic complaints but could only reluctantly accept defeat. Spencer’s lips curved upwards as he held a perfect segment of orange to my mouth. I turned my head away, my expression cold. “No appetite.” The second half began. Just then, the side door of the venue opened. A slender woman in a simple white dress, guided by a staff member, walked in. I felt Spencer’s body beside me instantly stiffen. I looked up, and Mia’s pale yet fragile face drifted into my line of sight. Mia softly thanked the staff member, declined the empty seats in the front row, and chose to sit alone in the least conspicuous corner at the very back. Everyone in the room cast curious glances, whispering to each other. “Isn’t that Mia, the famous artist from social media? I heard she has really poor health and rarely makes public appearances.” “Why would she be at a place like this?” “Shh, don’t you know? She has a mysterious patron, rumored to be incredibly powerful. Looking at her, she’s probably here to bid on something for her patron.” I was about to look away when I saw Mia take out her phone, snap a photo of a painting about to be auctioned, and then send a message. Almost simultaneously, Spencer’s phone lit up. He quickly glanced at it, then put it back in his pocket, but his posture unconsciously straightened. My heart sank. Throughout the second half, I remained distracted until the final item, the grand finale, was presented. It was a yellowed manuscript of poetry, said to be the sole surviving copy left by a deceased niche poet-my favorite poet. The auctioneer passionately described the manuscript’s rarity and uniqueness. Perhaps sensing a flicker of interest in my eyes, Spencer didn’t hesitate to raise his paddle. “One million!” A cool female voice rang out from the back row. “Two million, one thousand.” It was Mia. Her voice was soft but carried a stubborn edge. Spencer’s brows furrowed, “Five million!” “Five million, one thousand.” “Ten million!” “Ten million, one thousand.” Mia’s voice trembled slightly, as if she was exerting all her strength. … Finally, Spencer, expressionless, made a gesture to his assistant. The assistant immediately stepped forward and whispered to the auctioneer. The auctioneer excitedly struck his hammer. “Ladies and gentlemen! Mr. Spencer has exercised his right of first refusal and has just completed a full acquisition of the auction house’s parent company! This manuscript, and all items auctioned today, now belong to Mr. Spencer!” The room erupted in applause. Spencer gently squeezed my hand and whispered in my ear. “Stay here, I’ll go handle the transfer paperwork.” I watched him stand and leave. At the other end of the room, Mia also stood up, giving me a deep, unreadable look. After everyone had left, I slowly uncurled my tightly clenched hand, my nails leaving deep, bloody marks in my palm. I didn’t feel the pain. I just stood up and walked towards the exit. My phone screen was still on the message I had just received. “Underground parking.”

Hayley POV The parking garage was so empty you could hear echoes. Only a Maybach sat in a corner. Spencer’s driver stood nearby, politely redirecting anyone who tried to approach. Therefore, no one noticed the faint mist covering the car’s rear window. A woman’s low sobs and a man’s suppressed gasps drifted out intermittently. I instantly lost all strength, leaning against a cold pillar, staring intently at the scene unfolding before me. The car window wasn’t completely closed, revealing glimpses of the interior. Mia was pressed against the window by him, the precious manuscript tossed aside, its pages crushed and distorted. “Spencer, please… the manuscript will be ruined.” Spencer’s voice was hoarse and thick, “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted? Now, along with me, all of this is yours.” With that, he thrust deeper. I clamped a hand over my mouth, turned, and fled in shame. I don’t know how long I ran, finally collapsing on the steps of the fire escape, gasping for breath, tears streaming down my face. I thought everything at the auction had already hardened my heart, but that scene in the car completely suffocated me. When Spencer and I first started dating, he was as innocent as a schoolboy. The first time we held hands, his palms were slick with sweat. The first time we kissed, his lips trembled. Our first time truly being intimate was the night he successfully proposed. I used to often tease him about his restraint, but he would just hold me tight, his voice hoarse. “Babe, no man can hold back when he’s with the woman he loves. It’s just that I love you too much; I wanted to wait until everything was settled, to give you the utmost respect.” He cherished me so deeply. But now, reality had slapped me across the face with the harshest truth. I buried my face in my knees, shaking uncontrollably as I cried. After what felt like an eternity, I numbly got up and walked towards the restroom. My phone vibrated in my hand. It was from Mia. A photo. The back seat of the car was a mess, the manuscript casually tossed in a corner, its cover damaged. “This car is filled with our scent. And, Spencer promised to give me this manuscript. Now, this unique love is mine.” I didn’t look again, just turned off my phone. By the time I’d touched up my makeup and emerged from the restroom, I ran into Spencer, who had returned to look for me. His hands, sure enough, were empty. The next second, I was enveloped in an embrace, carrying a faint, unfamiliar perfume scent. Just as I was about to push him away, his apologetic voice sounded above my head. “Hayley, the author’s family for the manuscript changed their mind at the last minute and demanded an exorbitant price, refusing to sell. I promise I’ll find you an even better one next time, okay?” I took a deep breath, looked up, my voice carrying an almost imperceptible choke. “What if I just want that one?” Spencer softly cajoled. “Babe, don’t cry. That one actually had a lot of flaws. I won’t allow my girl to own anything imperfect. I’ll send people to search the world for it right now, okay?” Hearing this, I smiled. In the past, whatever I wanted, he would immediately place before me. Now, for another woman, he had a thousand excuses. Just as he was about to say something more, I pushed him away, my voice weary. “Forget it, I don’t want it anymore.” I turned and walked away. “Hayley!” Spencer called my name from behind, his hurried footsteps following me. I didn’t stop until, at the corner of the corridor ahead, a figure slowly emerged. It was Mia. She was clutching the manuscript tightly, the creases on its cover clearly visible. The footsteps behind me abruptly stopped. I paused and glanced back. Spencer’s face instantly turned ashen. He froze, his gaze fixed on the item in Mia’s arms, utterly flustered and at a loss. I turned back around, expressionless, and walked past Mia as if I hadn’t seen her. From behind me came Spencer’s low growl, filled with suppressed fury. “Are you insane? I told you not to appear in front of her!” I didn’t look back, just slowed my pace, listening to this absurd drama unfold. Mia’s voice was weak and innocent. “I’m sorry… I just wanted to say thank you to her. She didn’t even notice, did she? I won’t do it again…” Immediately followed by a pained gasp. “Spencer, I feel so dizzy… I think I have a fever again…” The next second, I heard the rustling of fabric-the sound of a man frantically steadying a woman. “Why are you so hot?” Spencer’s voice, the anger that had flared just moments before, instantly vanished, replaced only by undisguised urgency and concern. He didn’t chase after me. In that long corridor, he stopped pursuing me, turning instead to embrace the “feverish” woman. I looked at the empty exit ahead, a sarcastic curve to my lips. No need to look back now.

Hayley POV Spencer didn’t come home that night. He only said the company had an urgent merger. I didn’t question him, didn’t argue. If I was going to disappear completely, I had to erase every trace of myself from this world. I categorized, packed, donated, and destroyed all my belongings. Finally, I opened the safe in the study. Inside were all the design sketches Spencer had given me over the past ten years. At ten, my first dress drawn with a boy’s unsteady hand. At fifteen, a pair of high heels he designed. A note beside it read, “Let me walk every path with you.” At seventeen, the blueprints for The Hayley Observatory, his tribute to Halley’s Comet calling me his eternal miracle. At eighteen,a wedding ring of his own design, with a vow to propose anew each year until I was ready, until I said yes. … Without hesitation, I scanned the artworks, packaged them, and anonymously shipped the entire collection to one of the nation’s largest art charity foundations. Note: Unrestricted donation for public auction. All proceeds to fund art education in underserved regions. News of the priceless, exclusive manuscripts being donated without compensation instantly went viral online. I finished everything and was about to rest when the front door burst open. Spencer rushed in, bringing with him the biting night wind. He grabbed my hand, his voice trembling. “Hayley, you donated all those manuscripts. What does that mean?” I looked up at him. He looked like he’d rushed back as fast as possible, his expensive coat still damp from outside, his face etched with unconcealed panic. I asked softly, “How did you know?” “It’s already a trending topic on social media!” Before I could speak, he pulled me into a fierce embrace, his trembling words filled with terror. “Hayley, tell me why? Those are our memories, how could you…?” “What did I do wrong? Tell me, I’ll fix it. I’ll change everything. Just don’t leave me, okay?” Finally, he almost cried. But I just gazed calmly into the empty space before me, my expression utterly indifferent. If he was so afraid of me leaving, why was he keeping another woman outside? Was he too confident, or did he think I was too foolish? Now, with just the tip of the iceberg, he was already panicking. Well, I eagerly awaited the look on his face when he received news of my “death” on our wedding day. I slowly pushed him away, my face calm. “You’re overthinking it. Those things were just taking up space. Ideally, they should serve a meaningful purpose, helping those in need. Wouldn’t that be better? Why are you so nervous… do you think I should cling to the past?” At my last question, his expression shifted slightly, but he immediately gripped my hand tightly. “That’s not what I mean, Hayley.” He said decisively. “You know how much I love you! We’re getting married soon, nothing will go wrong.” I pulled at the corner of my mouth, “If nothing’s wrong, what are you worried about? It’s late, I’m tired.” With that, I turned and walked away.

Hayley POV Because of my recent, consecutive strange behaviors, Spencer changed. For several days straight, he was like a shadow, clinging to me every step of the way. Until one morning, his phone vibrated. He opened the message, and the sleepiness in his eyes vanished instantly. He glanced at me, “asleep” beside him, pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, then silently slipped out of bed and left the room. The moment he left, I opened my eyes. I checked my phone. The “Digital Ghost” agency had sent a message. my new identity’s biometric data collection was complete, requiring only a final in-person confirmation. In a covert biological laboratory. I stared at the newly generated digital identity on the screen. From gene sequence to iris data, it was completely different from my own. The entire process went smoothly. It seemed Spencer would never suspect a thing. Everything was ready. As I finished my business and was about to leave, the person in charge called me back and handed me a file. It was the final report from the investigation I had commissioned into Mia’s background. I opened the folder. The first page was a medical scan. Under the “Diagnosis” section, it read. “Pregnancy, 12 weeks.” And under “Emergency Contact,” two words were signed. Spencer. They had a child? I don’t remember how I left, or how I got home. In the dark room, my phone screen emitted a faint glow. Just as the screen was about to dim, a notification popped up. Mia was live-streaming. I tapped it open. Mia glowed in her maternity dress, sharing her pregnancy bliss with an adoring stream. The chat flooded with congratulations. Then a man’s hand entered the frame. Long fingers, a distinctive scar. Ice flooded my veins. I knew that hand. It had held my face, wiped away my tears, and put a ring on my finger. But now, this hand was gently caressing Mia’s swollen belly. “Doctor’s orders, love. Time to rest.” As this deep, magnetic voice spoke, the chat went wild. “Wait…is that Spencer Corp’s CEO?” But the comment was quickly drowned out. Mia smiled shyly, letting his hand hold hers. “He’s very private. He doesn’t want to show his face.” Fans began to tease, asking about their love story. Mia glanced beside her, smiling. “Him? He once loved me so much. In high school, he wrote me love letters, but he was too nervous to say anything, afraid I’d reject him. Finally, I had to snatch his letter and tell him I would…” My grip on the phone tightened abruptly. That was our story. “Plink.” Tears splattered onto the screen. In the live stream, Mia suddenly announced she was going offline. Facing her fans’ protests, she playfully complained. “It’s not me who wants to stop streaming. It’s the baby’s dad, he’s pestering me, saying he wants to start teaching the baby in utero.” No sooner had she spoken than Spencer reached out and cut off the video feed. But he forgot to turn off the microphone. A gasp was heard. “Oh, what are you doing…” Then came the man’s low chuckle and the woman’s suppressed moans. “Shh. The doctor said, be gentle, it’s good for the baby…” I couldn’t listen anymore. I slammed the power button. Soon. Soon, I would be free.

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I watched, utterly detached, as my childhood friend, her eyes hazy with unnatural desire, was led into the storage room by my closest friend. I turned away. In my past life, I had rushed in to stop the horror. But that act of heroism only served to frame me. When the police arrived, all they found in that storage room was me and my drugged childhood friend. “He’s no academic star; he’s a violent criminal!” My reputation was shattered, and I was expelled. To salvage her name, my childhood friend was forced to marry me. But marriage was my real hell. I sank into severe depression, my mind fractured, even losing my ability as a man. Rumors spread that I was promiscuous, that I’d contracted a disease from my wild ways. My parents, desperate to compensate her, poured all their efforts into propping her up. Yet, the first thing she did after gaining control of our family company was to frame my father for financial fraud. My father went to prison, dying there from a broken heart, consumed by rage. My mother couldn’t bear the shock; she had a car accident while driving and died on the spot. The news broke me. I was inconsolable. But then, my childhood sweetheart of ten years appeared before me, wrapped around my best friend: “You bastard, if you hadn’t interfered back then, we would have been together already. But I still have to thank you for raising our child all these years.” I coughed up a mouthful of blood, my eyes wide with an unyielding fury as I died. I opened my eyes again, back to the very day she was drugged.

After school, the hallways were mostly empty. I gulped down the fresh air. To be yanked back from the edge of death, from that cauldron of hatred and terror, left my emotions raw and volatile. Mason was handing Chloe a bottle of water. A bottle laced with a potent, illicit drug designed to cloud her mind and steal her will. In my previous life, I had accidentally discovered Mason pouring unknown white powder into that water. I exposed him on the spot. But my childhood sweetheart didn’t believe me. She insisted on drinking the water. She even asked if I was just jealous that Mason was more popular than her, always trying to undermine him. This time, I wouldn’t interfere. Chloe took the water, her gaze flickering to me. “Are you really going to tell me what I can and can’t drink now?” “Suit yourself.” I waved a hand dismissively. Mason, ever quick to twist things, immediately jumped in: “Alex, you’re way too controlling with Chloe. Doesn’t she even have the freedom to make friends?” At his words, the few classmates still lingering in the room shot me weird glances, full of suspicion. Chloe’s face hardened further. “Who does he think he is? Just an arrogant jerk.” I tightened my grip on the pen in my hand, my eyes burning with hatred. “Are you two ever going to stop? From beginning to end, have I said a single word?” Chloe paused, her face stiff, then fell silent. Mason continued to stir up trouble. “You didn’t say anything, but your face is terrifying. The way you look at me and Chloe just talking, it’s like you’re about to hit someone.” Chloe shot me an irritated glare. As if to spite me, she chugged the entire bottle of water. In my last life, I had knocked the bottle away, so she only took a single sip. But even that one sip was enough to make her mind hazy. I couldn’t even imagine what consuming the whole bottle would do to her. A dark anticipation stirred within me. Watching her finish the water, Mason couldn’t hide his triumphant glee. He took Chloe’s hand. “Chloe, I’ll walk you home. You don’t look so good.” Chloe didn’t resist. Still in a daze, she let him lead her out of the classroom. Ten minutes later, Daniel, the class monitor, burst into the classroom, his face ghost-white and frantic. At that moment, I was the only one left in the room. Daniel stammered, clearly struggling to speak, as if it was something terribly embarrassing. “What’s wrong? Did something happen to Chloe and Mason?” I asked, feigning concern. Daniel grabbed my arm. “Yes, it’s them… they…” “What exactly happened?” I met Daniel’s eyes, pretending to know nothing. I used to trust Daniel deeply. He wasn’t just the class monitor; he’d been my deskmate for all three years of high school. I thought we were close enough to talk about anything. But after the incident, he’d kick me when I was down. He spread rumors that I had drugged Chloe out of love-turned-hate. He even live-streamed, exposing my “true nature.” “I was his deskmate for three years! I always knew he was emotionally volatile, and that he liked Chloe, but I never thought he’d actually do something like this.” “Alex has a violent temper. He once hospitalized someone from outside school over a minor issue.” “I tried to warn him, but he wouldn’t listen. Even his elderly neighbor, who lives alone, said she always felt like he was stalking her, and she was terrified…” That live stream pushed the situation to a terrifying climax. My life was utterly destroyed, and the school expelled me. Later, I ran into him once. He held a high-ranking position then. “Thank you, you know. If it weren’t for your downfall, I wouldn’t have gotten your Ivy League scholarship and made it into a top-tier university.” Memories flooded back. I glared at Daniel. In my previous life, it was he and I who discovered Chloe being half-carried, half-dragged by Mason into an abandoned storage room in the old building. I rushed to stop them, while Daniel, claiming he’d go get help, instead hid and watched, recording the whole thing. Seeing my lack of urgency, Daniel stammered, completely incoherent. “Mason took Chloe into the abandoned storage room in the old building! Chloe was crying and pushing him away… Mason, Mason looks like he’s going to do something terrible to her!” “But aren’t they dating? How do you know Chloe isn’t going along with it?” At my words, Daniel froze. Everyone knew Mason was after Chloe, and she seemed to reciprocate his feelings. Daniel grabbed my wrist frantically. “But Chloe doesn’t look conscious at all! This isn’t right!” “Come on, let’s go check! We can’t just ignore this!”

The calculation in Daniel’s eyes was almost palpable. He just wanted to ruin me, to get his hands on that Ivy League scholarship. I didn’t say anything more, just followed him downstairs. On the way, I discreetly sent a pre-drafted emergency text to Principal Bennett and a few senior faculty members, and reached out to a few influencers who happened to be live-streaming nearby. Chloe was the principal’s daughter. In my last life, when she expelled me, Principal Bennett utterly humiliated me, calling me a criminal in the making, rotten to the core. This time, I was going to let her see this “spectacle” unfold for herself. As we neared the old storage room, we heard sounds of struggle and muffled whimpers, along with the crude jeers of several men. “This chick’s a looker, alright…” “What’s with this guy? He egged us on then ran off himself?” “Who cares? No sense in letting a good opportunity go to waste…” Daniel’s eyes darted around. “Alex, you’re strong. You go in first and stop them. I’ll go get help!” “No, there seem to be more than one person inside. We should wait here and call the teachers.” I hunched my shoulders, trying to look terrified. Daniel shot me an angry glare. He reined in his temper, lowering his voice. “If you don’t go in now, Chloe will really be in trouble! Can you bear to see her get hurt?” The storage room door wasn’t fully closed. Through the crack, I saw Chloe, her clothes disheveled, being held down by two rough-looking men in work clothes. Her eyes were unfocused, and she struggled and cried weakly. Mason was huddled in a corner, his face pale and bruised, as if he’d tried to run but was cornered. I pressed my lips together, feigning reluctance. “Alright, you’re right. I’ll go in and see.” Just as I was about to push the door open, I turned back to Daniel. “Go find a teacher quickly. I… I don’t think I can hold them off for long.” Daniel readily agreed. He turned and ran, then made a quick turn, coming back around. A look of excitement on his face, he pulled out his phone, started recording, and carefully wedged it into the door crack. The chaotic sounds from inside spilled out, completely unfiltered. Having done all this, Daniel finally ran off, seemingly satisfied, to find teachers and school security. By the time a group of people rushed down to the old building, the sounds of struggle and crying were still coming from inside. Daniel, his voice thick with tears, covered his face and stopped Principal Bennett. “I… I don’t know how this could have happened…” Principal Bennett’s face was grim. She had no idea her daughter, Chloe, was inside. Daniel hadn’t specified who was involved. Daniel wasn’t just out to destroy me; he wanted to ruin Chloe’s reputation too. After all, in his eyes, we were both his competitors for that Ivy League scholarship. And it just so happened that several district officials were here for an inspection today. Now, a group of local government officials were following Principal Bennett to “handle an emergency,” and the situation was incredibly awkward. Principal Bennett was trembling with fury. With government officials watching, her career path was likely over. She probably wished she could just make everyone involved disappear at that moment. Principal Bennett tried to move forward. Daniel blocked her again, crying and wailing. “Principal, inside is… is…” He feigned reluctance. Principal Bennett gripped his shoulders. “Who is it?!” Daniel, looking terrified, sniffled and stammered. “It’s Alex… I, I saw him creeping around…” Principal Bennett recognized me, of course. My grades were the best in the school, and I was the most likely to be admitted to a top-tier university. Her eyes blazed with fury. The angry curse died on her lips. The Education Department officials were still watching; Principal Bennett couldn’t afford to say anything too harsh right now. The chaotic sounds from inside grew clearer. Daniel clutched his chest, speaking to the officials with a pained expression. “Alex, what have you done?! How could you do such a thing! I knew you were hot-headed and prone to drastic actions!” At his words, the Education Department officials’ faces were grim. They prided themselves on being dignified and couldn’t just barge in at this moment. A group of them waited downstairs, exchanging uneasy glances, their expressions varied. “Me? What about me?” I finally emerged from the shadows where I’d been hiding.

“What are you doing here?!” Daniel shrieked, his face instantly draining of color. Principal Bennett eyed me suspiciously. “Not you? Then who’s in there?” I shrugged, feigning ignorance. “I don’t know. Daniel called me over; I just got here and haven’t seen inside yet.” Since Daniel was deliberately hiding the truth, there was no need for me to expose him. Just then, several influencers, having gotten the news, pushed past the school security and burst in. “Whoa, what’s happening at your school? Sounds like a big commotion!” “Principal, has some serious incident occurred?” “Principal, can you explain the situation to our live audience?” Principal Bennett’s face was chalk-white, her jaw tight, but she said nothing. Daniel glared at me, finally losing his composure. He gripped my arm. “Didn’t you go in? Then who was it that went in just now?!” “I… I got to the door, and the sounds from inside… there were so many men’s voices, I got scared. I didn’t dare go in…” I tried to look as panicked and helpless as possible. Daniel was so furious he raised his hand, clearly intending to push me. But just as his hand was about to make contact, he stopped himself just in time, giving me a vicious glare. The influencers’ cameras turned to us. The live chat exploded. “There’s a girl crying! Are they bullying a female student?!” “What are the school security guards doing?!” “Streamer, call the police now!” The streamer’s face turned serious. “Folks, this situation might be very serious. I’ve already called the police.” Stepping out of the camera’s view, a faint, cold smirk touched my lips towards Daniel. He gasped, his eyes widening in shock. “You…” “Daniel, what’s going on?” I asked, my voice laced with ‘innocence’. The Education Department officials’ faces were like thunder. One pointed towards the storage room. “Principal Bennett, no matter who’s in there, you must stop it immediately! Student safety is paramount!” This incident could no longer be kept under wraps. Principal Bennett’s face twisted in fury. “Alright, alright, this is just fantastic!” As Principal Bennett was about to rush towards the storage room, I moved to block her path. “Principal, the situation inside is unclear, it might be dangerous! You should wait for the police and more security to arrive!” Principal Bennett tried to push me away forcefully. “Get out of the way! Now you’re talking about danger? What were you doing before?!” The onlookers frowned, watching our exchange. Daniel, by now, had recovered his wits. He retreated behind the crowd, glaring at me. Then, he seemed to have a sudden thought and jogged over, donning a mask of urgent concern. “Alex, don’t block her! I know you and Chloe are close, but what if… what if there really are criminals inside? Let the teachers handle it!” He pretended to care about me and the school’s reputation, trying to pull me away. Seeing me still resisting, Principal Bennett shoved me aside forcefully. I, however, turned to the live cameras, feigning extreme anxiety and worry: “But it sounds like there’s more than one person in there! If we just rush in, what if we provoke them and they hurt our classmate?” In front of the cameras, I had to appear concerned and thoughtful. This time, I had to be the one standing on the moral high ground. At my words, Principal Bennett and the officials paused. If they acted rashly in front of the cameras and made the situation worse, they would bear greater responsibility. So, a group of people waited anxiously, hesitating about fifty yards from the old building’s storage room. The screams and struggles from inside seemed to have weakened, but that only made the situation more unsettling. An influencer tried to get closer to film, but was stopped by security and the stern gazes from the officials, whose faces were ashen. And so, everyone waited in agonizing suspense. After nearly half an hour, the violent commotion inside gradually subsided, replaced by some faint whimpers and men’s muffled curses. The storage room door was abruptly pulled open from the inside. But to everyone’s surprise, out walked several cursing, disheveled construction workers, two of whom had scratch marks on their faces. “What are you looking at? Get lost!” growled a fierce-looking man at the front. Seeing they were just rough-looking strangers, Principal Bennett’s face went ashen, and she knew instantly that something terrible had happened. Then, someone shrieked— “Oh my God! Inside…”

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