Category: English

My cousin was obsessed with “testing” my boyfriends. No matter how hard I resisted, she reveled in it. She’d charm them, then dump them, telling everyone my taste in men sucked. When she pulled her usual stunt again, she had no idea it was a trap, custom-made just for her. And she had no choice but to fall right into it. My cousin, Zara, has been divorced for three years, still living it up on a hefty alimony check from her ex. One day she’s dating models, the next she’s going for younger guys, always busy, always having fun. Lately, she’s found a new target: Julian, my boyfriend of six months. I wasn’t surprised she found him so quickly. My mom came to my apartment to pick something up and ran into him. My mom, her biggest flaw in life is her obsession with keeping up appearances. Zara married well, and even after her divorce, she has endless alimony. Plus, Carol never misses a chance to brag about Zara in front of Mom. So, for me to marry a man even better than Zara’s ex-husband has become Mom’s mantra. And my lack of progress has become her constant worry. Julian and I met at a bar. I spotted him in the crowd instantly, and it took me over six months to finally win him over. He’s younger than my cousin’s ex, hotter, and even richer. Didn’t that just play right into my mom’s hands? She immediately broadcast the news in the family group chat, even sending a money transfer to announce my impending marriage. I saw it and felt so helpless. I sent a waving hand emoji in the chat. “Not that serious, guys. No need to make a big deal.” Mom immediately shot back with a photo in the chat. “Looking like that, carrying that kind of bag – and you’re not serious?” Zara popped up. “Wow, where did Cassie find such a catch? Want your big sister to test him out for you?” I didn’t say anything, but I knew whether I wanted her to or not, she’d try. This time, though, I was ready.

On the very first day of our relationship, I told Julian that I had a very beautiful, very sophisticated cousin. She loved adding my boyfriends on SnapChat, and if she ever added him, he absolutely shouldn’t accept. Julian jokingly asked, “Afraid I’ll fall for her?” I smiled faintly. “Afraid you’ll be bewitched and come to a terrible end. Every boyfriend I’ve had has ended up that way.” He hugged me close, comforting me for a long time. “Then I definitely won’t. I’m only marrying you, Cassie.” With my warning, when Zara first tried to add him, he kept refusing. He even complained to me a few times. “Your cousin, Zara, is so relentless. She’s tried adding me with like, ten different SnapChat accounts now.” I kissed his cheek as a reward. “You have to stay strong. Don’t give in just because she’s a charmer.” He didn’t miss a beat, rejecting another account, then turned to me. “My parents want to have dinner with you. They said we’ve been dating for six months, and you still haven’t shown your face. They’ve heard so much about how much I like you.” I paused, then stroked his head. “Let’s wait a bit. I’m pretty busy right now. After this quarter, I’ll treat your parents to dinner.” “Treat them? No way. Just your presence will make them ecstatic! We’ll eat at my family’s hotel!” Maybe because she still hadn’t added Julian on SnapChat, Zara got a little impatient. She suggested staying at my rental for a while. Of course, I wouldn’t agree, but my mom was so eager to show off the new apartment Julian had gotten for me that she couldn’t wait to give Zara the address. So, when I got home from work, Julian and Zara were sitting on the sofa, phones in hand, one on each side. Julian pulled me into the bedroom, sounding annoyed. “I really didn’t engage with her. Why is she at my place?” I said nonchalantly, “Mom probably gave her the address. That’s just how she is. Just ignore her.” He raised his hand to swear to God, but I felt a little uncomfortable. My mind kept replaying them sitting on the couch. Julian wouldn’t, would he? I worked so hard for half a year to get him, he wouldn’t be won over in just one night, would he? I was still a little anxious. My lack of self-confidence was one thing, but I also had no idea how long Julian would last.

Julian didn’t stay the night. He had another apartment in the building next door, and he went back there. The next morning, he came over to bring me breakfast. There were seven or eight dishes spread out on the table. Zara saw them and smiled somewhat smugly. “Did Julian know I was here today, so he brought so much?” “Wow, I love the soup dumplings from this place! Too bad they never deliver. Did you pick them up early this morning?” Julian looked up at her. “No, I forgot you were here. I even bought two fewer things today. Cassie doesn’t have much of an appetite in the mornings, so I just buy a lot so she has choices.” Zara let out a long “Ohhh,” but her fingers kept fiddling with her freshly manicured nails. That’s how she thinks. I figured if she was just a little interested in Julian before, now she was definitely determined to get him. I unconsciously tightened my grip on Julian’s hand. Maybe feeling the pain, Julian looked at me. I quickly apologized to him and left the table. That evening, when I got off work, they were again sitting on opposite ends of the sofa. When I walked in, Julian got up to greet me. He asked me in a low voice, “Does Zara not work? Why is she always here? And doesn’t she have her own place? What’s the deal with her being here every day?” I looked up at him. “If you add her on SnapChat, maybe she’ll quiet down.” His expression froze, and after a short pause, he said, “Just added her. She said if I did, she’d go home tomorrow.” I just said “Oh” and went into the room. Julian followed, putting his arm around me and asking if I was mad. “I just don’t want to see her every day. I can mute her, you know. Look, I’ve already set her to ‘do not disturb’.” He pulled out his phone as he spoke, holding it up to me, trying to prove his innocence. I didn’t say anything. My disappointment must have been obvious. Julian held my hand, comforting me for a long time. During dinner, he kept teasing me, trying to get me to talk, and piling food onto my plate. Zara just smiled when she saw it. “Our Julian is so thoughtful, isn’t he?”

Julian ignored her. He was busy discussing the store setup for a direct-to-consumer brand he was working on with me. Zara heard this and deliberately made some noise at the dinner table. When we both looked at her, she chuckled. “Oh, you’re talking about something I’m good at. Got a little excited.” She spoke to a confused Julian. “My ex-husband had a pretty successful direct-to-consumer brand. He has a lot of channels he could share with me. For Cassie’s sake, I could help you out.” After that, she even detailed the brand. I could tell Julian was really tempted. He looked at me, then at Zara, a little conflicted, and asked, “If it’s your ex-husband, won’t that be awkward?” “Awkward? A little charm offensive will fix everything. Just wait for my news.” This time, Julian didn’t refuse. I knew his SnapChat notifications wouldn’t be on ‘do not disturb’ for long. Sure enough, when he came into the room, he said, “Zara is really loyal, and so upfront.” I just looked up at him, my eyes instantly welling up. He immediately came over to comfort me. “I was just saying. Do you think I’d be interested in a woman who’s still entangled with her ex?”

Zara left my apartment the next day, and Julian didn’t come back for several days either. He said he was out of town, running around to different sites because several direct-to-consumer stores were opening at once. A few times when we video chatted, I saw Zara behind him. He quickly explained, “Zara called to check on progress, and when she heard I was in a neighboring city, she came to check things out. This whole thing is thanks to her help; it saved so much trouble. Even my dad praised me.” A rich kid’s life is often spent yearning to outdo their father. Julian was no exception. His father and grandfather were both incredibly successful entrepreneurs. He wasn’t bad himself, but always overshadowed by his elders’ accomplishments, he really wanted to prove himself. This time, the direct-to-consumer stores were opening in several cities at once, quickly and in prime locations. Even his father and grandfather praised his excellent work at the dinner table. Julian transferred twenty thousand dollars to me, saying it was for me to buy Zara a bag on his behalf. “I know she’s helping me because of you. It’s better if you give it to her. I still have that much sense.” After that, he added, “Pick something Zara likes. If it’s not enough, I’ll send you more.” I pulled out my phone and called Zara. As soon as she picked up, I said, “Thanks for helping my boyfriend. He wants to get you a bag, around twenty thousand dollars. Do you have one in mind? Or should I just transfer the money to you?” There was a pause on the other end, then a slightly deep male voice. “Cassie? Why is your boyfriend sending Zara gifts?” Oh my God, Zara and her ex-husband’s names in my phone were just one letter apart. I accidentally called Ryan, my ex-brother-in-law. Ryan, Zara, and I were all alumni. Ryan was a year older than us, and we’d run into each other at club activities. I’d only mentioned once that I thought Ryan was charming and attentive, and the next day, Zara started going all out to chase him. For a woman pursuing a man, it’s usually easy. Two weeks later, they were together. After breaking up and getting back together several times, they got married right after graduation. Three years later, they divorced.

To avoid any misunderstanding from this sugar daddy, who still sent my cousin monthly living expenses, I quickly explained, “No, no, she helped my boyfriend with a huge favor. But this also requires thanks to you, Ryan. My boyfriend’s direct-to-consumer snack brand relied entirely on your resources this time.” “I thought she was getting ambitious and starting her own thing. Turns out it’s your boyfriend. She’s putting more effort into him than she ever did into me.” Before I could reply, he continued, “Alright, I get it. I’ll buy her the bag. You keep the money.” I returned the money to Julian, telling him Ryan said no. He looked a little confused. “But he’s her ex, why is he still so involved?” “He’s still her primary financial support, Julian. How else do you think she affords all those designer things?” Julian’s face looked a bit unnatural. Seeing me watching him, he just added, “Right.” That night, Zara came over to my place again. She’d had some drinks, and her face was flushed as she argued with me on the sofa. Her mind was clear, her thoughts sharp, her logic impeccable, as she picked apart every single thing about me. Finally, she pointed at Julian and said, “Just because of you? You think you can snag a sugar daddy like that? Dream on, Cassie, you’ll never live a life like mine.” “You think telling Ryan I’m stealing your boyfriend will get my allowance cut? I’ll find a new one tomorrow, you just wait!” A glint sparked in Julian’s eyes when he heard that. I suddenly found it all pointless. I left them in the living room and went back to my room. After that, Julian started working overtime and traveling even more frequently. Even when I suggested I wasn’t busy anymore and could have dinner with his parents, he politely declined, saying it wasn’t the right time. By then, I already understood. Zara had succeeded again.

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My son’s preschool was hosting an event, but I was blocked at the entrance by security. “Kevin’s parents arrived early,” the guard explained. I watched, a knot forming in my stomach, as my son cozied up to his teacher, Serena. He pointed at me, his face twisted in disgust. “Ugly monster! You’re not my mom!” Julian, my husband, stood by, calmly telling the director to call the police on me. It wasn’t until they posted their “family photo” on social media – the two of them kissing Serena’s cheeks, one on each side – that I realized how utterly lost I was. After I vanished, they searched for me like madmen. When I returned home, Serena was directing the household staff to toss my belongings out. Right on top was a framed picture of our family of three. “Who told you to throw those out?!” I demanded, my voice trembling. Serena flashed a sugary smile. “Oh, because I’ve invited the preschool parents and their children over. If they saw your photo, I was afraid they’d misunderstand and think you were Julian’s wife.” My voice dropped to a frigid whisper. “I *am* Julian Sterling’s wife. Have you, a home-wrecker, forgotten your place?” Serena’s eyes instantly glistened, on the verge of tears. She cast Julian a ‘helpless’ look, her voice barely a whisper. “Julian…” Julian’s long legs were crossed, his gaze lifting with a dismissive indifference. “The media snapped photos of Serena and me at the preschool event. Online, people are calling us ‘the most beautiful parents,’ and Sterling Corp’s new mother-and-baby line has gained massive attention.” “For now, Serena will be helping me with public relations.” Seeing Julian’s cold attitude, the staff no longer hesitated. I watched as my life, packed into boxes, was carried out. Our wedding photos. My wedding dress. Everything that bore my mark was loaded into the trash truck. Julian spoke, his voice unnervingly calm. “For the party later, you should make yourself scarce.” But Serena clung to his arm. “Julian, it’s Kevin’s graduation party from preschool, after all. Why don’t we let Audrey stay? She could help out as a staff member.” Julian hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Serena isn’t really familiar with the house anyway. It would be good for you to assist her.” “I don’t agree!” My voice cracked. “Julian Sterling, you can just divorce me!” Julian let out a cynical laugh, as if I’d told a joke. “Audrey, if you leave me, do you really think your mom will survive? Her ICU bills aren’t exactly cheap.” He toyed with the heavy signet ring on his finger. The assistant beside him immediately made a call to the hospital, ordering them to halt my mom’s nutrient drip. My eyes burned with tears, and I screamed, “Julian Sterling, she’s my mother! You promised me when you married me that you’d treat my mother like your own!” Julian’s gaze was utterly devoid of emotion. “Audrey, don’t make me say it again.” He loomed over me, looking down. I’d seen that look many times before. It was the same look he gave disobedient subordinates – the look reserved for those he was about to discard. I knew. If I didn’t give in, he really would let my mother die. I never thought he could be so ruthless, all for a single word from Serena. “Audrey, time’s running out.” I dropped my arms, ceasing my struggle, and let the staff change my clothes. Julian finally looked satisfied when he saw my compliant demeanor. “Audrey, as long as you’re obedient, this house still has a place for you.” Preschool parents and their children started arriving, one by one. Serena had me stationed at the door, greeting guests. One parent, who I knew well, warmly took my hand. “Audrey, why are you standing at the door? Julian actually lets you greet people outside?” She’d been traveling abroad recently and didn’t know about Serena and Julian. Serena, clearly annoyed, interjected, “This is just one of our household staff. She’s not Mrs. Sterling.” The parent froze. “Aren’t you Kevin’s teacher?” “Being a teacher was just a hobby,” Serena said, her eyes accidentally lingering on me. “I just didn’t want to be too high-profile outside. I didn’t expect our housekeeper to impersonate my identity.” The parent immediately let go of my hand, retreating several steps as if I were carrying a contagion. Hearing Serena’s words, the other parents’ scrutinizing stares landed on me. Kevin wriggled through the parents, latching onto Serena’s hand. “*This* is my mommy. She’s just staff.” I whispered his name, a broken sound. “Kevin…” He was the child I’d fought to save, even while battling a serious illness. The child I’d watched over in an incubator for countless nights, praying he’d grow up safe and sound. He used to bring me little handmade treats from preschool, telling me he’d give me all the sweetness in the world. He used to hug me and comfort me when I cried. But now, he was saying I wasn’t his mother! A thousand needles couldn’t have caused more pain. My heart twisted, the agony stealing my breath. I stood there, frozen. Kevin’s small foot connected squarely with my bad knee. “Don’t call me Kevin! You’re just staff, you don’t deserve to use my name.” “Get out of here!” I cried out in pain as I fell to the ground. My knee had an old injury—a comminuted fracture from when Kevin was little and I’d shielded him. It still ached and itched in damp weather. But Kevin was all smiles. He wrapped his arms around Serena, whining, “Mommy, come play with me! Don’t mind this staff member!” Serena shot me a triumphant glance, then led Kevin towards the lawn. I lay on the ground, limp, without the strength to get up. The physical pain and the emotional agony piled on top of each other. I watched, stunned, as Kevin skipped away, tears streaming down my face. Laughter and shouts echoed from the lawn. It was the children playing a parent-child game. Julian was playing a three-legged race with Serena. His clumsy attempts made Serena playfully smack his chest several times. Kevin clapped his hands, cheering, “Mommy, Daddy, hurry up!” A bitter ache spread through my chest. Julian always hated childish games. I remembered when Kevin was one, I wanted him to join me for a parenting class. He’d scolded me coldly, “Audrey, be sensible. I detest these childish things.” Yet now, he patiently played with her. Suddenly, Serena let out a yelp. She’d accidentally twisted her ankle, stepping into the muddy patch beside the grass. Julian quickly swept her into his arms, gently taking off her shoe to check the sprain. Julian had severe mysophobia. I remembered once when I had paint on the back of my hand. When I handed him the scarf I’d spent half a month knitting, he merely glanced at it before disgustedly tossing it into the trash. He’d always been so fastidious, so untouchable, like a pristine statue. Now, he was bending down. Taking off her mud-stained shoe, gently rubbing her ankle. Amidst the envious murmurs of the crowd, my knee suddenly started to swell, the pain radiating from the old injury to every corner of my body.

“I’m fine, just a twisted ankle,” Serena said softly. Julian was still worried, calling a doctor to examine her carefully. Only when the doctor personally confirmed she was alright did his tightly furrowed brows finally relax. “Since the doctor’s here, have them check on the household staff too.” Julian’s gaze swept over me. Serena followed his gaze and then suddenly clutched her chest, dry heaving. “I feel awful.” Someone nearby gasped, “Could Mrs. Sterling be pregnant?” My body went rigid. Julian half-knelt, asking her gently, “What do you want to eat? I’ll have the kitchen prepare it.” “I want pastries from Audrey’s Bistro. Have Audrey go buy them, she knows the place best.” Serena pointed at me. Audrey’s Bistro was a gift from Julian to me. He used to say that the pastries there were only to be made for me. At the time, I laughed, telling him he had no business sense—how could a shop be open if it didn’t serve anyone else? Whispers rose from the crowd. “I heard Audrey’s Bistro never sells to outsiders.” Serena smiled sweetly. “Actually, Julian opened Audrey’s Bistro especially for me. Julian said those pastries are just for me.” Everyone murmured in understanding, praising Serena’s luck and envying Julian’s devotion. Julian looked at me. “Since Serena wants it, have the driver take you.” Serena frowned. “Julian, the driver needs to take guests home later. Audrey is just staff. If she sits in the car, won’t she get it dirty for the guests?” “Audrey, call a taxi yourself.” The Sterling mansion was nestled in the exclusive hillside estates. Taxis never came up here. With Julian’s silent consent, I limped out, dragging my injured leg. Every step felt like a needle piercing my knee. Five hours later, I returned home, clutching a box of pastries from Audrey’s Bistro. The party had long since ended. Serena said flatly, “Took you this long? The pastries are stale now.” She tossed them directly into the trash. I stared at the pastries spilled in the bin, the character “Audrey” on the packaging glaringly obvious. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. Julian walked over just as Serena started to cry pitifully. “Julian, she said the pastries from Audrey’s Bistro were made for *her*, and that I wasn’t worthy to eat them. She said she’d rather throw them in the trash than let me have them!” Julian’s face went dark. He immediately ordered his assistant to rename Audrey’s Bistro to Serena’s Bistro. He looked at Serena with tender eyes. “There’s no more Audrey’s Bistro. From now on, Serena’s Bistro is all yours.” Serena’s cheeks flushed red as she leaned into Julian’s embrace. “You’re so good to me.” My vision blurred with tears. The scene before me was blinding. My chest felt stuffed with cotton, and I choked out, “Julian Sterling, let’s get a divorce.”

Julian frowned. “Audrey, don’t be childish.” He let go of Serena, his expression turning serious as he looked at me. “Serena is only Mrs. Sterling in name.” “But you are still my wife.” He rubbed the corner of his eye, sighing. “I promised my parents I’d take care of you.” My heart lurched. So, all these years, our marriage had just been him fulfilling a promise. “And one more thing. The Sterling Corp shares in your name, transfer them to Serena today. Consider it her compensation.” After my family went bankrupt, on the day we got married, Julian transferred over half of his shares to me. “My love, these are your leverage.” “If one day you find me unworthy, just sell all the shares, bring me down, bankrupt me. Make me learn my lesson.” I looked at the share transfer agreement laid out before me. I met Julian’s gaze calmly. “I’ll transfer the shares if we divorce. Sign the papers, and I’ll sign these.” A flicker of displeasure crossed Julian’s eyes. “Audrey, don’t push my limits.” He handed me a video. His lips parted, his voice chilling. “I hear your mom can’t be off her ventilator for more than three minutes.” In the video, my mom’s oxygen mask was removed. Her face instantly turned ashen. “I’ll sign! I’ll sign!” I cried out, signing rapidly. The person in the video still hadn’t put the oxygen mask back on. I screamed, desperate, “Julian Sterling, hurry! I’ve already signed!” Julian let out a cold laugh. “Audrey, this is an AI-generated video Serena made. It’s not real.” “I wouldn’t hurt your mom.” “Even though I’ve taken your shares, I’ve had Serena set up a linked payment account for you. You’ll have a limit of five hundred thousand a month—that should be plenty.” Even though he said the video was fake, a knot of unease remained in my stomach. “Julian Sterling, please, just this once.” Tears streamed down my face without my realizing. Julian’s brow furrowed slightly. “Then I’ll…” “Honey, Kevin wants you to tell him a story! Come on!” Serena’s call echoed, and Julian’s eyes reverted to their usual indifference as he looked at me. He distantly responded to Serena, then his cold gaze returned to me. “Audrey, stop being dramatic.” “Serena is inherently kind. She would never harm your mom.”

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My husband Richard and my best friend Camille shared a love for extreme winter swims. I’d warned them the ocean was dangerous, but they never listened. Yesterday at the beach, I found them. They lay naked, floating on the surface. Their bodies were still entangled, leaving no doubt about their final activity. Panic seized me, sharp and cold. I fainted on the spot. When I woke, their bodies were stiff. And my panic reached a whole new level. To placate me after a fight, Richard had taken out a life insurance policy worth hundreds of millions. I was the sole beneficiary. How in the world was I supposed to explain this to the insurance company? Someone was shaking me awake. My eyes fluttered open to hushed, excited whispers. “They must have been so in love. I heard it took the forensics team forever to pull them apart.” “I know! They came here for winter swimming every day. What dedication!” “Winter swimming? Looks more like a secret lovers’ rendezvous to me.” I shook my head, pushing myself up. The sight before me snapped me wide awake: those two naked bodies, lying there, completely exposed. Trembling, I tugged on the arm of the person next to me. “What… what happened to them?” The person looked at me with pity. “They’re gone.” Gone? But just yesterday morning, they’d been so alive. I remembered it clearly. Camille had sought out Richard, playfully slapping his chest. “Can’t? A real man never says he can’t!” Her laughter rang out, bright and dazzling. “It’s barely five degrees out, and you’re already scared?” Then, she’d shot me a pointed glare. “Or is it that Vivian, at her age, is still jealous and won’t let you go?” “Vivian, I don’t mean to criticize, but why are you so controlling?” “Richard and I have been winter swimming for years. If something were going to happen, it would have happened by now, wouldn’t it?” “But if Richard’s scared, then I’ll just go alone.” Hearing that, Richard ripped his shirt off right in front of me. “You know how fit I am, what do I have to be scared of?” he declared to Camille with a loud laugh. “What would a housewife like Vivian know about our kind of fun?” “Don’t mind her, let’s go.” They went back and forth, mocking me. That’s when I finally gave in and let them go. But now, they were telling me they were dead? I couldn’t accept it. The tears came in a flood, and I sobbed, completely broken. “Ma’am, you must have been terrified.” A young officer in uniform walked over, his voice gentle. “I understand. Seeing them, naked and tangled, floating in the water like that…” “Anyone would be scared stiff. We don’t blame you.” “But you’re the first witness, so we might need you to cooperate with our investigation later.” Hearing that, I cried even harder. Richard was gone, and here I was, the grieving widow with an impossible to-do list. I had to take over Richard’s company and inherit his entire estate. On top of that, I had to explain the massive life insurance policy he took out right before he died. Where would I find the time for an investigation? But the young officer didn’t understand my turmoil. He just shook his head at the bodies. “What’s the point of love in the end?” “Trying to find excitement at their age… intense activity in cold water likely caused muscle cramps.” “And since they were locked so tightly together, neither could break free” I froze. Intense activity? Stuck too tightly? The memory from last night crashed over me: the sight of their lower bodies, fused in that unmistakable position… A sharp pain shot through my chest, stealing my breath. Thirty years of marriage to Richard. Forty years of friendship with Camille. I couldn’t believe it! The two people I trusted most, doing this behind my back… Yet, all the evidence lay right before my eyes.

I clutched my chest, feeling like I was suffocating. But then, a thought struck me: they were, after all, my husband and my best friend. One was a powerful CEO, the other a renowned dance teacher. Both were people who cared deeply about their image in life. Though I hated them, I couldn’t let their dignity be so utterly stripped away in public. I took a deep breath, rushed over, grabbed the matching swim trunks and bikini bottom they’d shed, and used them to cover their faces. I collapsed to the ground, a raw wail tearing from my throat. “Please, everyone! No more pictures!” “My husband and my best friend are dead! Can’t you just let them rest in peace?” My cries held a twisted mix of fury and a profound, selfish ache. Fury at their ultimate betrayal. And heartache for myself… for the mountain of paperwork and endless arrangements his death had dumped in my lap. A crowd swelled around us, a wave of shocked murmurs rippling through it as my words sank in. “Wait, so they weren’t married? You’re his wife? So this was…an affair?” “Oh my god, her husband and her best friend! That’s brutal!” “No wonder they were out in the ocean… it was a secret rendezvous” “They probably did this all the time, which is why it finally went wrong.” “That poor lady, witnessing their affair and then passing out!” Listening to their comments, my chest felt crushed under a heavy stone, making it hard to breathe. The young officer paused, then finally understood what I’d said. His expression softened with pity. “Ma’am, please get up, the ground is cold.” “By the way, do you… do you have any children?” Yes, I did. But Brandon was on his honeymoon with Camille’s daughter, Brooke, and definitely wouldn’t be answering my calls. Still, facing so many sympathetic eyes, I dialed his number. As expected, the moment he picked up, Brandon’s voice was irritable. “What are you calling for again? Didn’t I tell you not to bother Brooke and me?” “Are you so miserable with Richard that you can’t stand to see Brooke and me happy?” I fought to keep my voice steady, the pain searing through me. “Son, your father is dead.” He paused, then burst into disbelieving laughter. “You’re crazy.” “You’d drop dead before Richard ever would! Seriously, are you just miserable if you’re not wishing death on him?!” Next to him, Brooke’s laugh chimed in. “Oh, Vivian, you know how she is. If it’s nothing, just hang up.” I quickly cut her off, my sobs growing louder. “Brooke, your mother is dead too.” The air went silent for a few seconds. Then, her shriek. “Vivian! My mom was just a little close to Richard! Do you have to curse her like that?! Their relationship was completely innocent! Do you just want to make everyone in this family miserable?!” I ignored her, my voice dropping to a trembling, deliberate whisper. “They were doing it in the ocean. They cramped up. Got stuck. And died together.” Afraid she’d missed it, I repeated the words, slowly and clearly. But they still didn’t believe me. Brandon was roaring now. “Afraid she’d missed it, I repeated the words, slowly and clearly! Don’t you dare project your filth onto her! IThis is just your jealousy! You’ve always been jealous of Camille, and now you’re taking it out on Brooke, trying to ruin our honeymoon!” The officer, unable to stand it, took my phone. “I’m the officer investigating this drowning-” He didn’t even finish before Brandon furiously interrupted him. “Now you’re even hiring actors for your little show?” “Ha! Too bad! We won’t fall for it!” “Spread all the rumors you want! We’ll deal with you when we get back from our honeymoon!” With that, the call was disconnected. I tried calling again, only to find I’d been blocked. I closed my eyes tightly, saying nothing more. The officer gently helped me into the ambulance. “It’s alright, Ma’am. You passed out then, so you couldn’t have known anything anyway. I won’t question you further.” “Go to the hospital and get some rest. Then, you can start preparing for Richard’s funeral.” As he spoke, several people covered Richard and Camille with white sheets. Once the sheets were on, everything was hidden. As if those naked, tangled images had never existed. I looked at them, suddenly unsure whether to cry or laugh. Cry? I had cried enough. Laugh? I didn’t dare.

But I quickly pulled myself together. I called my office. “It’s with great sadness I inform you that Mr. Sterling has passed away. I’ll be back this afternoon to take over the company’s operations…” “I…I won’t let Richard’s legacy simply disappear!” Richard had no other immediate family in this world besides Brandon and me. I didn’t want him lying cold and alone in the morgue. So, I quickly arranged for his cremation. After the cremation, I went straight back to the office. “Ms. Sterling, you’re so strong…” “Mr. Sterling’s passing is so tragic, yet you’re still thinking of the company, still coming back to work…” “Exactly. Ms. Sterling is the only daughter of the Sterling empire, a pampered heiress who never had to lift a finger in her youth. Now, she has to manage the company herself.” “Without Mr. Sterling, she’s utterly alone and vulnerable.” I choked back a sob, grasping their hands. “Richard is gone, but the company must endure. I will see it through.” With that, I walked into the office and signed the appointment letter as Chairman of the Board. This company had originally been given by my father to Richard when he married into our family. Now that I was taking over, it was perfectly reasonable. The next few days were a blur of activity. Richard’s multi-million dollar estate needed to be settled, and there was the multi-billion dollar insurance policy to claim. The insurance agent, though initially questioning the timing of Richard’s policy purchase and death, sighed and stamped the documents after reviewing the case files. A few days later, Brandon and Brooke returned from their honeymoon. Their return coincided with Richard’s memorial service. I had prepared offerings since early morning, carrying the urn as I walked out. Seeing me, Brandon frowned. “I’ve already heard.” He glanced up and down at the urn in my hands, his voice impatient. “Didn’t a dog just die at home? Do you need to be so solemn?” A dog? I remembered. Because Richard’s death was so scandalous, I had paid a large sum to silence all media. But I hadn’t expected the official story to be that it was my beloved dog’s memorial service. Later, considering the difficulty of media work, I didn’t bother to correct it. I opened my mouth to explain, but Brooke scoffed. “Vivian, Richard’s money will all be left to Brandon and me eventually.” “So, what you’re wasting now is our money!” “You’re spending our money on a dog’s funeral, did you even ask for our permission?!” With that, she turned to the bodyguards standing by. “What are you staring at? Go on, dismantle all this stuff!” The bodyguards exchanged uneasy glances, unsure what to do. I trembled with rage. “Brandon!” “Look at the wonderful daughter-in-law you’ve chosen! She’s utterly disrespectful!” Brandon was visibly stunned. He rarely saw me lose my temper like this. A moment later, he growled in a low voice, “Mom! Brooke isn’t wrong!” He pulled a small seashell from his pocket. “She even went out of her way to buy you a gift. What a great daughter-in-law, isn’t she?” I glanced at the luxury shopping bags Brooke was carrying. All international brands. Clearly meant for Camille. But now, I was past caring. Camille wouldn’t be receiving them anyway. Clutching the urn, I ignored them and started walking out. “If you still care about your father, follow me.” But I hadn’t taken more than a few steps. A hand suddenly grabbed my hair from behind and yanked it back. “I was kind enough to buy you a gift, and you’re so ungrateful!” “You’re ignoring me for a dog! You can forget about me ever calling you ‘Mom’!” Caught off guard, the urn slipped from my hands and smashed to the ground. Ashes scattered everywhere. My eyes instantly burned red. “You! Do you even know what this is?!” Brooke looked down, prodding the pile of ashes with her foot. “Just a dog’s ashes.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust, then stomped on them. “What’s the difference between this and trash?!” “My mom was right, you really are a jealous shrew! If my mom had met Richard earlier, you wouldn’t even be in the picture!” I stared at the mess on the floor, my ears ringing. But Brandon didn’t see anything wrong with Brooke’s actions. He pulled a few bills from his pocket, tossed them onto the ashes, and said. “Mom, stop making a fuss. This is enough for you to buy a few new dogs. Clean it up quickly, don’t make the house a mess!” I completely lost it. I grabbed a wooden stick from the corner of the yard and swung it at him with all my strength. “You disobedient brat! You ungrateful son!” “Your father is dead! You’re defiling his ashes! I’ll beat you senseless!” Brandon dodged, shouting back, “Will you ever let it go?! Still cursing my dad!” “Richard loved Camille for years! He never should’ve been so weak, staying with you instead of just divorcing-” His words were cut off as a group of people stepped through the gate into the yard. They carried white funeral wreaths and somber black banners. At their center was Richard’s portrait in black and white. The funeral director leading them stopped short at the sight on the ground. “Mrs. Sterling, what happened to Mr. Sterling’s ashes?” Brandon froze. All the color drained from his face. “You..” he stammered, his lips trembling. “What did you just say?”

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Millionaire heir Derek Chase had hidden his wealth for three years. Now, he was going to confess his love to a gold digger. He claimed he’d finally found his true love, someone who didn’t care about his money. I scoffed and threw a million dollars right in the gold digger’s face. She immediately lit up and scrambled toward her new sugar daddy. But the man she latched onto turned out to be abusive. Pregnant with his child, she was beaten to death. Later, Derek, by then my husband, choked me like a madman. His eyes were bloodshot as he pushed me off a cliff. “Tiffany’s dead because of you, you venomous witch!” When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day Derek planned to confess to the gold digger. This time, I packed my bags for Cambridge. Let the fool chase his “true love.” After the SATs, Derek finally revealed his true identity as a millionaire heir and successfully proposed to the gold-digger, Tiffany Reid. Our classmates suggested a party to celebrate, but I slipped away quietly. “Ava Sterling, stop!” Derek called out. I kept walking, but he caught up and grabbed my wrist, his grip tight enough to bruise bone. “What’s this? Playing hard to get?” He frowned. “I just came to tell you I’m not going to Cambridge. I promised Tiffany I’d go to community college with her.” When I stayed silent, his voice softened slightly. “Tiffany is the woman I’m going to marry! You need to let go.” Just then, Tiffany sauntered over in her high heels and clung to Derek’s arm, putting on a show of fragility. She swung a soda can in one hand, her eyes daring me. “Derek, I know you and Ava grew up together. But you’re my fiancé now. You need to keep your distance from her. A relationship has no room for three people.” Derek shot me a triumphant look and pulled Tiffany closer. “Don’t worry, Tiffany. You’re my everything! She means nothing to me.” Then, Derek turned back to me, his voice final. “Stop wasting your time, Ava. Nothing will ever happen between us.” I just smiled. I remembered how, before he met Tiffany, he’d always told me he hoped we’d go to the same university. That’s why I’d studied so hard. So I could go to Cambridge with him. And now, just to please her, he was throwing it all away. Such a spineless man wasn’t worth holding onto. When I didn’t respond, Tiffany suddenly “slipped,” and the entire soda spilled all over my portfolio. “Oops! Ava, why did you push me?” I was stunned. “Seriously? You’re still pulling these cheap tricks? You ruined my work on purpose!” Derek immediately jumped to her defense. “Ava, stop pretending to be innocent! Tiffany is the kindest person I know. How dare you accuse her!” Tiffany leaned into his embrace, tears welling in her eyes. “Derek, my ankle… it hurts. But please don’t blame her. I understand Ava is just… jealous.” Derek completely lost it. Right in front of everyone, he lifted Tiffany’s chin and locked her into a passionate kiss. The crazy part? While he was making out with Tiffany, he was still grabbing my arm, not letting me leave. He didn’t release my arm until he’d finished kissing her for a solid five minutes. Then he turned to me. “See this? Tiffany is my true love. If you dare bully her again, don’t expect our childhood bond to mean anything.” Their lips were swollen and red. The sight made me sick. Aside from his looks and his parents’ money, that man brought nothing to the table. Then he pulled a pen from his pocket and threw it at my feet. “Here, take this back!” I recognized it instantly. It was the birthday gift I’d given him when I was fifteen. I’d bought two, telling him,, “I’ll definitely go to Cambridge with you someday!” Now, Derek ground that very pen under his heel, crushing it right before my eyes. “Ava, since neither of us is going to Cambridge anyway. There’s no use keeping these things. Better to throw them away now, so you don’t get sad later.” With that, he wrapped an arm around Tiffany and walked away. I was speechless, again. You’re not going to Cambridge? Fine. But I still am!

I pushed open the front door. My dad was ironing my shirt for tomorrow’s interview. Mom brought out a warm glass of milk. Our home always smelled of comfort and safety. Watching them fuss over me, my eyes welled up. In my past life, I’d been so consumed by that idiot that I hadn’t spent enough time with my parents. Just then, Derek’s mom, Mrs. Chase, showed up at our door. The moment she entered, she seized my hand, her eyes already glistening. “Ava, that wretched girl has completely blinded Derek. His father and I see you as our future daughter-in-law. Please, you have to talk to him. That woman will destroy his future!.” In my past life, Mrs. Chase had begged me the same way, only to later tell Derek I was just jealous and nosy. This time, I calmly pulled my hand away. “That’s your son.” I said evenly. “I can’t control him.” Mrs. Chase’s face stiffened, then she actually started crying. “How can you say that? You’ve always wanted to follow Derek to Cambridge, and he even tutored you! Can you really bear to watch him give up Cambridge?” Just then, my phone rang. It was Derek. I answered it right in front of Mrs. Chase, putting it on speaker. Derek’s cold voice came through the phone. “Ava, did my mom come to find you? I’m warning you, we have absolutely nothing to do with each other from now on. Stop clinging to me.” Mrs. Chase heard her son’s words and instantly fell silent, her face cycling from pale to flushed with embarrassment. I rolled my eyes at her. “Hear that? Your son and I are completely unrelated now.” With that, I hung up. Mrs. Chase stood there, stunned, unable to say a word for a long time. My dad walked over, a frown on his face. “How could Derek be such an jerk? Ava just gave him chocolates she made herself two days ago! Ava’s never even made me any!” My mom looked displeased too. “All these years, our family has partnered with yours because Ava liked Derek. If Derek chooses another woman, then our business arrangements will be a completely different story.” Mrs. Chase’s face drained of color, then flushed crimson. “No, that’s not it. Derek is just confused right now.” “Ava, don’t worry, I’ll definitely help you get rid of that bad woman.” I looked at her coldly. “No need. I don’t care about him.” Mrs. Chase was so flustered she stomped her foot. “But how will you go to Cambridge without Derek? Your grades aren’t that great, didn’t you always rely on Derek to tutor you?” I yanked my hand away from her again. “You should worry about your own son first.” Seeing my reaction, Mrs. Chase left dejectedly. As she reached the door, she looked back, still unwilling to give up. “Ava, are you really not going to reconsider?” I closed the door, ignoring her shouts.

The next day, I walked into the Cambridge Admissions interview room. I performed brilliantly during the interview, confident and composed. A stark contrast to the timid girl I’d been in my past life. After the interview, I ran into Tiffany Reid waiting downstairs. She was dressed in designer clothes, and seeing me, she immediately puffed out her stomach. She deliberately waved a sonogram printout in front of me. “Ava, Derek and I are having a baby. You’ll never have the right to steal him away now!” I was completely baffled. When did I ever try to steal him? Lately, I’d deliberately avoided both of them at school. Running into her today? Guess I just have terrible luck! I glanced at the sonogram. The date was last week. But they’d only been together for half a month. A suspicion formed in my mind. Was this child really Derek’s? But it wasn’t my business anymore. I replied coldly, “Well, congratulations.” With that, I turned to leave. Seeing that I wasn’t upset, Tiffany became irritated instead. She deliberately patted her belly, as if it harbored supreme glory. Then she advanced, practically backing me into a corner. “What are you trying to act all high and mighty for? You must be so jealous of me, jealous to the point of madness! I hate seeing that condescending look on your face! You’re just a little richer than my family, what else do you have that’s better than me?” I sneered, “Yes, my family is rich, which means I don’t have to try to please a man by having his baby.” Tiffany heard that and immediately flew into a rage. She suddenly swayed, let out a gasp, and clutched her stomach as she stumbled backward. “Ah! It hurts! Ava! Are you trying to kill my baby?!” A tall figure abruptly rushed over. Derek’s face was ashen. He caught Tiffany, then swung around and slapped me hard across the face. A sharp, burning pain spread through my cheek. “Ava! You vicious witch!” Derek roared, his eyes blazing. “I warned you not to touch Tiffany! How dare you lay a hand on her when she’s carrying my child!” Tiffany melted into his arms with a delicate sob. “Derek, my stomach… I’m so scared for the baby…” “I never pushed her!” I protested. “I was here for my Cambridge interview!” Derek’s gaze turned to ice. “You? Get into Cambridge? Don’t make me laugh. Get out of my sight!” Tears welled up in my eyes, but I fiercely held them back. I stopped explaining. After all, I’d be going to Cambridge very soon. Behind me, Derek was comforting Tiffany. “She’s just a jealous shrew! But don’t worry, I truly don’t like her at all!” Tiffany’s voice, filled with the joy of victory, gently echoed his. “Derek, don’t be angry. She’s not worth it.”

I stood backstage in the school auditorium. Today was high school graduation. Tiffany, arm-in-arm with Derek, walked in, drawing everyone’s attention. Her designer gown made a stark contrast to my simple white T-shirt. Immediately, classmates gathered around, showering them with compliments. “They’re a match made in heaven!” “Derek even gave up Cambridge for Tiffany, that’s true love!” Tiffany chimed in with a mocking laugh, her voice laced with schadenfreude. “Ava, you’ll find true love someday too.” Other classmates joined in the taunting. “Is Ava regretting not holding onto Derek back then?” “She couldn’t even if she wanted to, Derek clearly doesn’t like her.” “The clingy follower who’s been chasing him since childhood finally got completely dumped!” Derek, hearing this, looked even more smug. His gaze landed on me again. “Ava, why did you push Tiffany the other day? If you had been nicer to her, I might have, out of consideration for our past, helped you get into Cambridge.” Just then, the auditorium doors flew open. Mr. and Mrs. Chase stormed in, their faces pale with fury. They clutched a thin piece of paper tightly in their hands. It was the community college acceptance letter that had arrived a few days ago. Mrs. Chase locked onto Derek and rushed over. “Derek Chase! You rotten scoundrel!” She thrust the paper so close it nearly brushed his nose. “What is this?! Southgate City Community College?!” “You told us Cambridge had already accepted you. That this community college nonsense was just to placate Tiffany! How could you actually throw your future away like this?” All the color drained from Derek’s face.

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After fighting tooth and nail to get the company public, Julian, my CEO boyfriend, finally decided it was time to reveal our relationship. But his assistant, Chloe, beat me to the punch. She stepped onto the stage first, clinging to his arm, letting everyone assume they were the couple. Julian didn’t even bother to explain. Instead, he handed her a share transfer agreement, publicly announcing her as a new shareholder. The entire hall erupted in a buzz of whispers and cheers. Chloe seized the moment to mock me. Julian not only didn’t stop her, but his voice was chillingly dismissive: “Skylar, you did a lot for the company, but Chloe has exceptional talent. Only she can take us further.” Instead of getting mad, I just nodded in agreement, generously handing all my shares over to Chloe. I was genuinely curious to see. How they planned to grow the company without its biggest investor — me. 1. When Julian publicly announced Chloe as the new shareholder, the hall exploded with applause. I stood there, stunned, my brain foggy from days of endless overtime. For a moment, I actually thought I’d misheard. “You guys, look at Skylar’s face! It’s priceless.” “She’s been with the CEO for so long and only got two percent. Chloe’s barely been working here and she’s already got twenty percent!” “Skylar always used to nitpick Chloe’s work. Now she looks like the joke.” My coworkers deliberately spoke loudly, making sure I overheard. I knew they were doing it on purpose, trying to curry favor with Chloe by putting me down. And Julian wouldn’t stop them anyway. Chloe shot me a smug little smirk, then feigned a hurt tone: “Skylar, why aren’t you applauding? Do you have a problem with me owning company shares?” “I mean, based on seniority, perhaps they should have gone to you.” As she spoke, she slowly extended the contract towards me. Julian, as if afraid I’d actually take it, snatched the contract back, shoving it gently into her hands. He looked at her, a mix of helplessness and adoration. “Chloe, you’re too kind, but the company values capability, not seniority.” Then he shot me a cold glare. “And you, stop making a scene. Your mistake last time cost the company millions. Not firing you was already lenient enough. What right do you have to shares?” Watching them, a perfectly synchronized duo, I just found it pathetic. That mistake? Chloe caused it. But she was scared of being held accountable, so she pushed the blame on me. I’d shown Julian the evidence. He still didn’t believe me. But I was used to it. For years, Chloe’s work performance was mediocre, but she poured all her energy into messing with me. She was fresh out of college, a real sweet-talker. She’d managed to win over a lot of people, and even Julian thought she was innocent. So every time we clashed, Julian always sided with her and blamed me. It’s why my coworkers increasingly disrespected me. Chloe’s voice softened to a whisper: “But I’m worried Skylar might be upset…” She leaned into Julian, her face almost resting on his shoulder, an intimate pose. Julian didn’t flinch. He just glared at me, his face grim: “Skylar, who are you giving that look to?!” “This share transfer was my carefully considered decision. Don’t ruin the mood, don’t be a party pooper.” “Can’t stand it? Then leave!” Everyone immediately chimed in, agreeing with him. I knew Julian was just saying it out of anger, but I couldn’t help but laugh. I hustled, practically drank myself sick to get those clients. I pulled all-nighters to finalize those proposals. The company getting listed? That was all me. Now he wanted to kick me to the curb, tossing aside all my hard work with just a few words? I grabbed my bag and walked up to him. Chloe, thinking I was about to hit her, flinched and hid behind Julian. He stepped in front of her, glaring at me defensively. “Skylar, what do you want?” I pulled the stock ownership documents from my bag and handed them to him. “I just thought, she works so hard, the shares you’re giving her are too little.” “Here, give her mine too. Hope she keeps up the good work.” Chloe’s eyes lit up as she stared at the documents. Julian, though, looked at me suspiciously, remaining silent. A ripple of gasps spread through the crowd. They all knew how much I’d done for the company over the years, from its chaotic startup days through its toughest times. I’d handled the workload of several people, managed everything from fundraising to office errands. Now that the company was public and its stock soaring, my two percent was worth millions. Everyone had speculated how I’d fight for more, nobody expected me to just give it up. But what they didn’t know was that I was Julian’s fiancée. Julian had always hidden our relationship, worried about office gossip. But when Chloe appeared, I started to get uneasy and pressed him to make it public. After I kept pressing him, he finally agreed to announce it the day the company listed. Last night, I was so excited I couldn’t sleep. Who knew Chloe would just waltz onto the stage first, linking her arm with his? He didn’t even try to pull away. The entire room mistakenly thought they were a couple, and he just stood there, looking completely unfazed. It hit me then. He didn’t want to hide a relationship; he just didn’t want to publicize our relationship. He stayed silent. I didn’t push it. I turned to leave. After two steps, a hand grabbed my wrist. I looked back. It was Julian. I was surprised. He usually just let me go. He knew I loved him, I’d always come back to apologize. But then I instantly realized why he stopped me. He pressed his lips together. “Skylar, you’re too impulsive. You’re not as steady and composed as Chloe.” “I didn’t want to touch your shares, but your behavior today disappointed me. These shares have to go to Chloe.” I just laughed. He was deliberately putting me down, just so he could justify giving the shares to Chloe. Back then, I would have argued, but now, I felt absolutely nothing. I just gave a bland, “Oh.” Julian, expecting me to explode, froze. He was about to speak when someone from the crowd yelled for a champagne toast. Julian glanced at me, grabbed the contract, and turned away. I watched his back, then averted my gaze and walked straight out of the banquet hall. Once outside, I pulled out my phone. “Dad, I’ve decided. I’m coming home to take over the family business.” 2. My father owns over a hundred companies and is ranked among the top twenty wealthiest people. I’m a textbook heiress. But when I first met Julian, he told me about his childhood: his father was hit by a driver from a rich family who then fled the scene. His father died, and the driver, protected by his family’s influence, was only detained for a few days before being released. Because of this, Julian held a strong animosity towards the privileged class. To be with him, I hid my family background, rejected my family’s plans, and followed him to a strange city to start from scratch, investing all my savings to support his startup. Until yesterday, I naively believed we would finally have our happy ending. Now, I realized I’d been utterly crushed. After hanging up, I went back to the apartment Julian and I shared. The room was decorated romantically, heart-shaped candles on the floor, a huge bouquet of vibrant blue roses in the center. Tucked among the flowers was a diamond ring. Next to it, documents for a luxury apartment. These were all surprises I’d prepared for Julian. I’d imagined his reaction countless times, never thinking he wouldn’t even see them. I tossed everything out the door. Then, I booked a flight for tomorrow night. I needed one day to sort out work handovers. Ding! My phone buzzed. Chloe had sent a video: Julian was carrying her princess-style, her face flushed as she clung to his neck, burying her face in his chest, looking completely intimate, just like a couple. Coworkers around them were applauding and cheering, “Kiss her! Kiss her!” The video was quickly withdrawn, and Chloe sent another message: [Oops, wrong chat]. I knew exactly what she was doing. She’d been using these kinds of tricks for years. Before, I would have been furious and confronted Julian, only for him to snap back, “Can’t you stop being so paranoid and just focus on work?” At first, I even thought I was overthinking, until one time when he had a fever and mumbled Chloe’s name. That’s when I knew his heart had already strayed to her. But now, I felt absolutely nothing. I just blocked and deleted Chloe. Unexpectedly, Julian called me almost immediately: “Did you delete Chloe?” His voice was cold and accusatory from the moment I answered, not caring at all how she’d provoked me. I was numb. I answered flatly. “Why delete her? She’s your coworker, how’s she supposed to work now?” “She’s crying her eyes out because of you. Add her back and apologize, right now.” I sneered. “Do you even know what she sent?” He paused for a moment, then his nonchalant voice came through: “So what if she sent the wrong picture? It’s no big deal.” Of course. When it came to Chloe, he always took her side. I retorted, “Yeah, it’s not a big deal. Just like the last time she sent the wrong quote and cost the company millions.” That time, Chloe mistakenly sent the bottom-line price as the actual quote to a client, leading to partners canceling or demanding lower prices. All our hard work, down the drain. Julian just hummed. Clearly, he remembered that incident. He was silent for a few seconds. Then Chloe’s voice, choked with sobs, interjected from his end: “Julian, Skylar must still be mad about the shares… Let me apologize.” Julian’s voice softened as he comforted her, “No need, it’s not your fault. Let her calm down herself.” Then he hung up. In the past, after conflicts like this, he’d always use “calm down” as an excuse to go be with Chloe. But now, my heart was like still water. I calmly drafted my resignation letter and sent it to HR. 3. The moment I hit send, a wave of relief washed over me. Later that night, as I was sound asleep, Julian called again. “Come pick me up, I’m still at that hotel.” On the other end, it sounded like a party. In the past, I would have been out of bed, dressed, and on my way in a heartbeat. But now, I just yawned, my voice lazy. “Just take an Uber. There are tons of ride-sharing cars over there.” Julian’s tone was suspicious. “You were asleep?” “Yeah.” Before, every time Julian went out for work events, I’d worry about him and couldn’t sleep. But tonight, I slept soundly. Even this call felt like an interruption. Julian didn’t say anything. About half an hour after he hung up, I heard him come through the door. I happened to be using the restroom, and when I came out, we found ourselves staring at each other. “Good, you’re up. Can you make me some ramen? I’m a little hungry.” He said softly. I knew he was offering an olive branch, trying to mend things. Whenever we had a silent treatment spell, he’d show a little vulnerability to open up communication and bridge the gap. But that was because I loved him. When that love was gone, all I felt was annoyance. “Make it yourself, or order takeout if you don’t know how.” I said flatly, walking towards the bedroom. Julian stepped in front of my door, blocking my way. I caught a whiff of Chloe’s perfume on him. “Skylar, why are you still mad?” “I’ve already explained. It was all for the company. You can’t think that just because we’re public, everything’s smooth sailing. We need to work even harder to maintain it now.” “Chloe might not be the most capable, but she has a lot of connections, and she’s good at business networking. Plus, her family has businesses too, so there might be future dealings.” “Everything I did today was for the company. Giving her shares was just to better secure her loyalty.” I was surprised he was actually explaining himself today. But I didn’t know if he believed it, and I certainly didn’t. Too tired to argue, I just gave a faint “Mm-hm” and walked into the room. Julian seemed about to say something, but I shut the door on him. That move seemed to genuinely anger him. He kicked the door hard. “Fine! Skylar, be as dramatic as you want! Don’t come crying back to me!” The next morning, I walked out of my bedroom to find Julian sitting on the sofa, carefully smoothing out a brand-new dress. Seeing me, he immediately came forward with the dress, telling me to put it on without asking. I recognized it as a limited edition Chanel, not only expensive but incredibly hard to get. The internet was full of ads calling it the best gift a man could give his girlfriend. I’d even hinted to Julian that I thought the dress was beautiful. I changed in the bedroom and walked out, my throat tight. I was about to say something when he laughed. “You and Chloe have similar figures, so it fits you perfectly. I’m sure it’ll be just right on her too.” “Quick, take it off before you wrinkle it. I just finished ironing it.” With that, he reached out and took the dress off me. I watched as he carefully folded it back into the gift box, then he left, humming happily, with the box in hand. I knew he was doing it on purpose, punishing me for yesterday. But I didn’t feel angry. Just childish. After that, I took another call and headed to the company to process my resignation. The moment I walked through the main doors, I saw Chloe sitting on my desk, surrounded by a group of fawning coworkers, like she was the center of the universe. Seeing me, a coworker immediately stepped forward. “Skylar, go buy everyone coffee.” “Why should I?” I glanced at the clock; I wasn’t late. The person smiled smugly. “Julian just said whoever arrived last had to treat everyone to coffee, and that’s you.” “Oh, never mind, it’s fine.” Chloe stood up, deliberately smoothing down the dress she was wearing. I recognized it. It was the same one Julian said he was getting for her this morning. “How can we make Skylar run errands for us? I’ll go instead.” She said, raising her voice on purpose, but making no move to actually leave. Sure enough, the moment she finished speaking, Julian walked out of his office. Seeing Chloe in the dress, his expression faltered for a second, then quickly returned to normal. He deliberately smoothed down her collar and smiled. “It definitely looks beautiful on you.” Everyone around them started cheering. Julian’s face flushed, and he quickly glanced back at me. Was he afraid I’d still be jealous and make a scene? He was probably overthinking it. My heart was like still water at that moment, stirring no ripples. My lack of reaction didn’t seem to satisfy Julian. He said coldly, “I already said, whoever arrived last buys the coffee. What are you doing just standing there?” A coworker immediately pointed at me. “Skylar was the last one.” Julian, who already knew it was me, sneered. “Go on. If you don’t, I’ll fire you.” It seemed he hadn’t received my resignation letter yet. Seeing this, I didn’t hold back. I stated directly, “I’m here today to resign.” 4. My coworkers looked shocked. Some who were on friendly terms with me quietly tried to warn me. “Skylar, Julian just gave everyone a raise. It’s really dumb to resign now.” “And didn’t you hear? He was just joking with you.” My voice was calm. “I’m not joking. I submitted my resignation to HR yesterday.” Chloe’s eyes flickered with a hint of delight. But just as she was about to say something, she met Julian’s unreadable gaze and swallowed her words. Julian frowned deeply, his eyes on me filled with a complex expression. “Do you know the company’s current situation? If you leave now, do you know what you’ll be losing?” Of course, I knew. I’d be losing worries and shackles. Chloe, looking distressed, said, “Skylar, I get it. Are you still upset about me? Maybe I should be the one to leave.” “After all, you and Julian have worked together for so many years. It would be such a waste to leave now.” With that, she walked towards the door, her eyes secretly darting to Julian, waiting for him to stop her. I almost laughed. Julian, however, seemed oblivious to her little game. He immediately grabbed her hand, his voice doting. “This has nothing to do with you. If anyone leaves, it won’t be you.” A flicker of triumph danced in Chloe’s eyes. Perhaps seeing that Julian still hadn’t caved, she reluctantly said, “But Skylar has been with the company for so long. Fine, I’ll try to persuade her.” Chloe walked up to me. “Skylar, maybe you should really think about it again. We’d all be so sad to see you go.” “We were all just kidding earlier. We honestly see you as a good friend.” With that, she patted my shoulder, but when no one was looking, she twisted her fingers into my arm, hard. A sharp pain instantly shot through me. Without thinking, I pushed her away. Chloe fell to the floor, clutching her arm and gasping. Julian rushed to help her up, his eyes full of tenderness. He had never shown me such concern, not even when I’d drunk myself sick for a business deal. Julian slapped me across the face, yelling, “Skylar, what’s wrong with you?! Chloe was trying to be kind, and you attacked her?! You’re bullying a coworker!” Just then, HR walked over, seemingly to inform Julian about my resignation. Julian said without hesitation, “Process her paperwork, get her out!” After signing my resignation approval, he still seemed unsatisfied and continued, “The company is making hundreds of thousands daily now. Only an idiot would leave at a time like this.” “Chloe, don’t worry. In a few months, you’ll have everything you want, not just a house and a car.” “And the rest of you, too! The top performer next month gets a house, straight up!” Chloe’s eyes gleamed. Other coworkers excitedly chimed in. Julian became even more arrogant. “However, certain people, bullying coworkers, refusing to follow orders… I’ll make sure her background checks fail everywhere!” Others quickly followed suit, cursing me. Watching them in their near frenzy, I hesitated for a long moment before deciding not to speak. This morning, my dad had called and told me that Julian’s company’s biggest investor for the past two years was actually him. After learning I was resigning to come home and inherit the company, my dad had done another due diligence check on Julian’s company, was very unhappy with the results, and had already decided to withdraw his investment, citing breach of contract. I knew very well the weight of my dad’s subsidiary company in the investment world. Once he pulled his investment, forget about buying houses or cars. It would be hard for the company to last another month. Seeing me hesitate, Julian thought I was regretting my decision. He rolled his eyes at me and said coldly, “Some people, if you apologize to Chloe now, it might still be salvageable.” “Otherwise…” He hadn’t finished his sentence when Brenda, from finance, rushed in, looking anxious. “Mr. Kane, bad news! Our biggest investor just sent word. They found serious issues with our financial status, suspecting investment fraud. They’re not only withdrawing their investment but also suing us for triple the breach of contract fees!”

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My husband’s first love got drunk and was taken away by five strange men for an entire night. To protect her, he started a vicious rumor, claiming I was the one with those men that night. Overnight, I became the target of everyone’s scorn. My unborn baby was called a bastard. I confronted my husband Callum, raw and hysterical. He didn’t even have the decency to care. “Luna isn’t married yet. If this gets out, she’ll be shamed.” I stared coldly at the man I’d loved for six years. The truth washed over me. He had never loved me. “What about me!” I stood before Callum, my eyes blazing red. He was cradling Luna Hayes, his voice soft and comforting. His gaze was tender, full of a devotion I never saw when he looked at me. Luna, in her white dress, shrank against him like a frightened bird. Callum finally turned. His eyes darted away, guilty. I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face. The moment I struck him, Luna threw her arms out to shield him. “How dare you hit Callum? He was just trying to help me! Do you have to be so petty?” Callum looked uncomfortable. He pushed Luna’s arms away and carefully pulled me into his embrace. “Don’t cry, Rayna. Luna is still unmarried. If that night gets out, her reputation will be ruined.” My heart froze. “And what about MY reputation?” “Do you even know what they’re calling me? A slut! Our child, a bastard!” Guilt flickered in Callum’s eyes, but he remained silent. Luna swayed dramatically. “This is all my fault. Rayna, I’ll go explain-” Callum immediately pulled her into an embrace. “Rayna,” he said hoarsely, “if I ignore the rumors, they can’t hurt you.” “But Luna… she’s innocent. She just made one drunken mistake. This would destroy her.” “What about our baby?” My voice broke. “Can you really condemn him to that shame?” “Callum,” Luna whispered, tears glistening just so, “I can’t let your child bear this shame. We must tell the truth. It’s my mistake to own.” Pain flashed in Callum’s eyes. “In three, four years… when he’s older, everyone will have forgotten.” Tears fell as I swallowed the sharp pain in my chest. “Is she worth this? Worth destroying your wife and child?” “What the hell am I to you?” Callum held me tightly. “I’m sorry, Rayna,” he rasped. “But Luna saved my life once. I can’t just abandon her now!” I beat my fists against his chest, thrashing in his grasp. His debt became my price to pay? Callum seemed impervious to the blows, holding me fast. “I won’t let you suffer for long,” he vowed. “Once Luna is safely married…” “I’ll tell everyone the truth. I’ll clear your name.” I stared at his determined expression. All the churning agony inside me suddenly cooled, hardening into a single, cold resolution. This baby… I couldn’t keep it.

Callum forced me to go home. Luna followed behind us. The moment I stepped into the living room, I noticed the changes. The sofa was dressed in new, pale pink covers. My plants were gone. A pair of feminine slippers sat neatly by the shoe cabinet. “After the incident,” Callum explained carefully, “Luna developed a trauma about hotels. I’m just letting her stay here temporarily.” “Once I find her a suitable place, she’ll move out.” I tugged my lips into something resembling a smile and said nothing, my face a carefully blank mask. My calmness seemed to frustrate him. At dinner, I watched numbly as he tried to win me over by serving me food. That night, I lay staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Before long, the mattress dipped beside me. Callum wrapped his arms around me, his embrace an apology. I wanted no part of it. I pushed his hands away. His eyes reddened. “Rayna,” he pleaded, his voice humble, “please don’t push me away like this.” A clap of thunder shook the house. Beneath its roar, his plea sounded especially small. I looked at his red-rimmed eyes, my heart aching. Just as I was about to speak, frantic knocking interrupted us. “Help! Callum, save me!” His expression shifted instantly. He released me and rushed to open the door. Luna collapsed weakly into his arms, her face pale with terror. “I keep reliving that night,” she whispered. “Stay with me. I’m so scared.” “Okay. I’ll stay with you.” His hand gently patted her back. He glanced at me, apology written across his face. “Rayna, that night… it was storming like this. The thunder triggers her trauma. I have to stay with her tonight.” Before I could respond, he turned and carried her away. I slowly sank back onto the bed, closing my eyes against the hurt welling up inside. Callum, I’m scared of thunder too! You promised you’d stay with me through every storm. But for Luna, you forgot. I slowly stroked my belly. The tears I’d been holding back finally slid down my cheeks. I’m sorry, baby. I was so excited for you to be born. But your father changed his heart. He doesn’t deserve to be your dad. I hope you’ll be reborn into a happy family. The next morning, Callum served breakfast to both Luna and me before leaving for work. Not long after he left, his mother showed up at the house. The moment she walked in, she slapped me across the face. I was caught off guard. My cheek burned and swelled. Mrs. Reid stared at me coldly. Her eyes were full of disgust. “I thought you were just petty and small-minded. I didn’t know you were out sleeping around!” “A daughter-in-law like you-the Reid family can’t afford to keep you. You’ll divorce Callum tomorrow!” “And that bastard in your belly must be aborted! Even if you give birth, the Reid family will never acknowledge it!” I swallowed the metallic taste in my mouth. I looked at Mrs. Reid calmly. “Perfect. I don’t want to have Callum’s baby anyway.” “I’ll go to the hospital right now and get rid of it!” “Rayna, what are you talking about!” “I won’t divorce you! And you’re not allowed to abort the baby!” Callum rushed back, drenched in sweat. His face changed completely when he heard my words. “She’s pregnant with God knows whose bastard!” “What spell has she cast on you? Why can’t you leave this slut!” Mrs. Reid scolded him furiously. Callum held me close. Seeing I wasn’t seriously hurt, he slowly relaxed. Faced with his mother’s questioning, his eyes showed inner struggle. His mouth opened and closed several times. I watched him look so conflicted. A faint hope rose in my heart. Even if he just told the truth now, it would be something! “I love Rayna to my bones. So I don’t care about this.” “The baby in her belly-I’ll raise it as my own.” Hearing his words, I stood there stunned. The blood in my veins nearly stopped flowing. My heart felt like it had a huge hole torn through it, desolate and empty. For Luna’s sake, my husband personally nailed me to the pillar of shame. In that moment, I gave up completely. I felt no more love for the man beside me.

“Not only does your mom not want this baby. I don’t want it either.” After Mrs. Reid left in anger, I coldly pushed away Callum’s arms. “Rayna, do you hate me that much? You won’t even keep the product of our love?” “Yes. I hate you. You don’t deserve for me to have your baby!” I stared into his eyes. Each word came out deliberate and clear. Seeing my unwavering resolve, fury flashed in Callum’s eyes. His voice turned to ice. “You WILL have this baby! You’ll stay in this villa for now!” With those words, he stormed out. He couldn’t bear to see the pure hatred burning in my gaze. From that day on, I was his prisoner. He took away my phone. He sent people to guard me in the villa. I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t let me go. He clearly didn’t love me anymore. After living in the villa for a few days, Luna’s mother barged in with her entourage. The moment she entered, she mocked me. “Carrying a bastard in your belly. I don’t know how you still have the nerve to occupy the position of Mrs. Reid.” “My Luna is already pregnant with Callum’s baby. If you’re smart, you’ll leave on your own. Save everyone the embarrassment!” Luna was pregnant? I looked at Luna. Her eyes flickered and she hurried upstairs. Mrs. Hayes started ordering the servants around the moment she walked in. “My daughter is carrying Mr. Reid’s son. How can she stay in a guest room?” “Hurry up and throw out all of Rayna’s things. Let my daughter move into the master bedroom!” The villa servants had already heard all the gossip from outside. Plus Callum hadn’t come by in days. They clearly despised me. They all tried to please Mrs. Hayes. They roughly threw out everything of mine from the master bedroom. “Stop it right now!” When I saw my mother’s jade bracelet-her final gift to me-shatter, I screamed in rage. I grabbed a baseball bat from the corner. Like a madwoman, I started swinging at everyone. Mrs. Hayes got hit with the bat several times. She hopped around cursing. In the chaos, Callum rushed back. “What are you all doing?” The servants who were about to attack me all froze. They looked at him anxiously. Eyes red, I walked to where the broken bracelet lay. Carefully, I picked up the pieces. “Rayna…” Callum also saw the shattered bracelet. He knew how important it was to me. “Callum, my daughter is pregnant with your child. When will you marry her?” “And this promiscuous bitch-hurry up and kick her out.” Mrs. Hayes thought Callum was on her side. She kept pointing at me accusingly. “Shut up!” “I will NEVER divorce Rayna. I won’t marry Luna!” Callum’s eyes turned red with anger. Mrs. Hayes wanted to argue with Callum, but the security guards threw her out. “I’ll find the most professional person to repair the bracelet. Don’t cry!” Callum looked at me carefully. “Even if it’s repaired, it can never go back to what it was.” I looked down at the broken bracelet. My tone was loaded with meaning. “It will!” Callum held me tightly, murmuring. “In a few days, I’ll take Luna abroad for an abortion.” “After this is all over, we’ll definitely be as good as we were before!”

Over the next few days, he stayed at the villa with both Luna and me. He took care of us two pregnant women meticulously. Luna’s pregnancy symptoms were severe. Callum stayed by her side almost constantly, like a devoted husband. After being locked in the villa for over a month, I gradually softened my attitude toward Callum so I could get out and abort the baby as soon as possible. “You don’t need to keep me locked up anymore. I’ve thought it through.” “The baby is innocent. No matter what, I’ll have this child!” “Really?” Joy bloomed in Callum’s eyes. “I’ve never lied to you,” I said tonelessly. “I’m not starting now.” Callum pulled me into a crushing embrace. “In a couple days, I’ll take Luna abroad for the surgery.” “Once she’s recovered, I’ll come back. Then we’ll live a good life together!” I made a soft sound of agreement. My bowed head hiding the ice in my gaze. Two days later, Callum took Luna abroad. I sat quietly in the villa, waiting. I knew Mrs. Reid would come. She would never allow me to have this child. That afternoon, she arrived with bodyguards. “Grab this woman! Take her to the hospital!” “No need.” I stood, meeting her gaze directly. “I’ll go myself. “YOU are the one forcing me to abort Callum’s baby!” Mrs. Reid looked at me with utter contempt, as if I were filth. “You dare call that bastard in your belly Callum’s child? You’re shameless!” “He may be fooled by you, but I’m not!” “This bastard must die!” I switched off my phone’s recording function, giving Mrs. Reid a meaningful look. “I hope you won’t regret this.”

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“Principal, her private life is a mess! She just had an abortion! You should revoke her eligibility to speak!” It was the university’s Freshman Welcome Ceremony. I was supposed to give a speech as an outstanding student, but my mom, Veronica, snatched the microphone right out of my hand. Instantly, I became the laughingstock of the entire university. My boyfriend slapped me hard and broke up with me. Classmates scrawled “slut” all over my clothes. In despair, I jumped from the rooftop. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day before the Freshman Welcome Ceremony. I secretly swapped Veronica’s birth control pills for vitamin tablets. This time, I’d make sure she got a taste of public humiliation and ruin herself. Dinner table, the atmosphere was heavy. Veronica cut a piece of steak and placed it on my plate. “Eat more. The Freshman Welcome Ceremony is tomorrow. You need to be well-rested.” I silently pushed the steak to the side. “I don’t like it.” Veronica’s face darkened. “You’re going to be speaking on stage as the freshman representative in a few days. You *have* to be healthy, right?” Tiffany chimed in. “Anya, Veronica is just looking out for you.” “It’s such an honor to speak as the freshman representative.” Seeing my silence, Veronica’s voice shot up, practically a screech. “I’m talking to you! Are you deaf?” “Have you memorized your speech for tomorrow? Don’t you dare embarrass yourself on stage!” My dad, Robert, couldn’t stand it. He frowned. “Enough, let her eat in peace.” Veronica immediately turned her矛头 on Robert. “What do you know! I’m motivating her!” “She’s the focus of the entire university right now; she can’t afford to make a single mistake!” “Anya, I heard your university has an exchange student spot this year, chosen from the freshmen. The requirements are super high.” Tiffany brought it up, seemingly casually. Veronica, predictably, spoke up. “An exchange student? Which country?” “I think it’s the US. The tuition and living expenses for a year are hundreds of thousands of dollars, all covered by the university.” As soon as she heard “hundreds of thousands,” Veronica’s eyes lit up. A flicker of greed and calculation passed through them. Brenda gasped too. “Something that good? Then my daughter absolutely has to go!” “Her grades are so good, and she’s the freshman representative; there’s no way she won’t get it!” A hint of triumph crossed Veronica’s face, but then she frowned again. “Her? Look at her frail appearance; a strong gust of wind could probably knock her over.” “If she goes abroad, with no one to take care of her, what if she gets sick?” Tiffany immediately jumped in. “That’s right, Anya’s health isn’t great; she’s always had a delicate constitution since childhood.” “The competition for this spot is probably brutal, and Anya’s body might not be able to handle it.” I watched their coordinated act, a cold sneer forming in my heart. In my previous life, I burned the midnight oil for countless nights to get that exchange student spot. But because Veronica caused a huge scene at the university, I completely lost my eligibility. In the end, Tiffany actually got the replacement slot. This time, I wouldn’t let them succeed. “Mom, I don’t want to fight for that spot.” “It’s too much work. I just want to enjoy university.” Veronica froze. Brenda and Tiffany exchanged surprised glances. Veronica looked at me suspiciously. “Are you serious? You’re giving up such a good opportunity?” “Are you trying to pull some trick on me again?” “No, I just feel like my body truly isn’t up to it.” I deliberately showed weakness, shifting the focus to Tiffany. Watching the mother and daughter arrogantly scheming, a cold laugh echoed in my mind. This was just the first step. Let them fight over it themselves. The harder they fought, the harder they’d fall. Tiffany hurriedly waved her hands. “Anya, I didn’t mean that…” Veronica, however, cut her off, her eyes gleaming with cunning. “Since Anya isn’t going, we can’t let this opportunity go to waste.” “Tomorrow, we’ll go talk to Anya’s professor.” Brenda’s eyes lit up. “Will that work?” “Why wouldn’t it?” Veronica smiled. “She can go tell the professor that she’s not feeling well and wants to voluntarily give the opportunity to her cousin.” “The professor will see how thoughtful she is and will surely agree.” A flush crept up Tiffany’s cheeks, and she excitedly clenched her fists. Robert listened from the side, his brow furrowed. “What kind of nonsense is this? This is absurd!” Veronica glared at him. “You shut up! It’s not your place to speak in this house!” She looked at me, her voice commanding. “After your speech tomorrow, you’ll take us to your professor.” I nodded. “Got it, Mom.” Late that night, Veronica brought a glass of milk into my room. “Drink this milk. Don’t be nervous tomorrow.” It was exactly the same as in my previous life. Last time, after I drank the milk, I felt groggy every day. Veronica then had even more reason to claim I was frail. I took the glass and dutifully drank it all. “Thanks, Mom.” Veronica looked at me with satisfaction. After she left the room, I immediately went to the bathroom and vomited all the milk. Then, I walked into her bedroom. From the nightstand, I took out the bottle of birth control pills she always took. Skillfully, I removed the pills and replaced them with the vitamins I had prepared long ago. Mom, didn’t you always say I was your pride? This time, I’ll let you personally experience what it feels like to fall from grace to rock bottom.

On Freshman Welcome Ceremony day, the auditorium was packed. I took a deep breath, my heart filled with a profound stillness. It was my turn. I could clearly see Veronica, Brenda, and Tiffany sitting in the first row. Their gazes were like three sharp daggers, fixed firmly on me. “Distinguished faculty, staff, and my fellow students…” I began, my voice clear and steady. There was none of the nervousness or trembling from my previous life. A polite ripple of applause swept through the hall. My speech was about to end. Following the protocol, I bowed in thanks to all the faculty and students. The moment I straightened up, a figure suddenly darted from the audience. It was Veronica! She snatched the microphone from my hand so quickly that no one had time to react. The entire hall fell silent. All eyes focused on the stage, on Veronica. Unlike last time, I didn’t feel a chilling dread. Instead, my heart was pounding wildly. Not from fear, but from… excitement. The show, finally, was beginning. She held the microphone, her voice shrill and tearful. “Principal! Professors!” “Please, I beg you, revoke my daughter’s speaking eligibility!” Her words exploded like a bombshell in the auditorium. A wave of commotion erupted below the stage. I stood my ground, watching her performance with detached interest. “She doesn’t deserve it! She doesn’t deserve to stand here!” “She’s not at all what you see!” She cried frantically. “Her private life is a mess! She got herself pregnant at such a young age!” “To come to university, she just had an abortion a few days ago!” “Her body is still so weak; the doctor said she needs bed rest. I’m afraid she’ll collapse on stage if she stands for too long!” The entire hall fell into a deathly silence. Everyone’s gaze shifted from Veronica to me. I saw the Principal’s face turn ashen. The professors began to murmur amongst themselves, exchanging speculative glances. “No wonder she looks a bit pale; she just had surgery…” “I can’t believe it; such a good student, but her private life is so messy.” Tiffany, meanwhile, rushed to my side, her face full of feigned concern. “Anya, are you okay? You look so unwell.” “Quick, let’s go sit down and rest.” Her voice wasn’t loud, but it seemed to confirm Veronica’s words that I truly was frail. I shoved her hand away. I looked at the woman still performing on stage. My biological mother. She was still wailing. “I’m doing all this for her own good! How could a mother harm her own daughter?” “She’s just too strong-willed, but health is paramount!” “I was afraid she’d exhaust herself and wouldn’t be able to have children later, so I resorted to such a desperate measure!” What magnificent maternal love. To protect her daughter’s health, she didn’t hesitate to ruin her reputation in front of thousands of people. A dry, humorless laugh escaped my lips. Veronica turned, looking at me in shock. “What are you laughing at?” Step by step, I walked towards her. I took the microphone back from her hand. “Mom.” My voice wasn’t loud, but through the microphone, it clearly resonated throughout the entire auditorium. “Are you done?”

Veronica was stunned by my reaction. She stared blankly at me, unable to speak. I ignored her and turned to the university leadership. I bowed deeply. “I apologize, Principal, professors.” “I apologize for disrupting the Freshman Welcome Ceremony due to my personal matters.” My tone was calm. The Principal’s expression softened slightly. “Student, you…” I cut him off. “Regarding what my mother just said, I’d like to clarify a few things.” I turned, facing all the faculty and students. “First, I am not pregnant, nor have I had any surgery.” “Second, my private life is perfectly clean.” After speaking, I looked at Veronica. “Mom, you wanted to use this method to make the university believe I have an unsuitable character, thereby revoking my eligibility.” “And then, have my equally excellent and healthy cousin, Tiffany, take my place.” “Is that right?” The moment my words fell, Tiffany’s face drained of all color. Brenda also panicked, hastily waving her hands. “What are you babbling about, child! We didn’t!” Veronica’s face was a mask of fury. She hadn’t expected me to expose her in front of everyone. She trembled with rage, pointing at me. “You… you ungrateful wretch!” “I worked so hard to raise you, and this is how you slander me?” She started crying again, her acting utterly convincing. “How could I have given birth to such a monster!” “Every word I said is true! Do you dare go to the hospital for a check-up!” She was cornering me. Forcing me to prove my innocence against the filth she’d slung at me. In my previous life, that’s exactly how she pushed me to the brink of suicide. The university, to quell public opinion, advised me to withdraw. And she, only when I was driven to despair, offered a reluctant apology. “I only had good intentions. How was I to know they’d actually believe it?” I raised the microphone and spoke to everyone in the audience. “I can go to the hospital for a check-up to prove my innocence.” “However, before that, I’d like to ask everyone to watch a video.” Saying this, I took out my phone and connected it to the auditorium’s big screen. The screen showed Veronica, Brenda, and Tiffany, sitting on a sofa. “…It’s settled then! Tomorrow, Brenda, Tiffany and I will go to the university together!” “Once I say that, her spot will definitely be gone, hmph.” The auditorium fell into a deathly silence once more. Everyone watched the screen in astonishment. Veronica looked as if she’d been struck by lightning, frozen stiff. She pointed at me, utterly speechless. “You… you…” Tiffany had already crumpled to the floor, terrified. Brenda shrieked directly. “You recorded us! You actually secretly recorded us!” I turned off the video and put away my phone. “I just have a habit of documenting things.” I looked at Veronica. “Mom, now, do you still want me to go to the hospital for a check-up?” “Or, perhaps we should call the police first and let them determine whether such public defamation and false accusations constitute slander?” Veronica’s body almost swayed. All her pretense had been publicly torn to shreds by me. Whispers erupted from the audience. “Oh my god, is that her real mom?” “To get her niece the spot, she’d ruin her own daughter?” “That cousin isn’t any good either, too cunning.” I looked at Veronica’s face, feeling not a trace of satisfaction. Just then, several university security guards rushed onto the stage. “Madam, please leave immediately!” Veronica, being escorted out by the security guards, was still shouting at me. “I’m your mother! You can’t do this to me!” “You’ll regret this! You’ll definitely regret this!” Brenda and Tiffany were also led away from the scene. The farce finally concluded. I held my speech manuscript and walked off the stage. The moment I stepped out of the auditorium, someone blocked my path.

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Sloane said she couldn’t come to dinner with me. But an hour later, she walked into the same restaurant, standing right beside him. She tried to sit next to me like nothing was wrong. Aiden gave me a quiet, satisfied smile, as if he’d already won. Sloane kept sending excuses and half-apologies, expecting me to melt the way I always did. But I didn’t. That night, I finally stopped being predictable— and decided to walk away from her for good. I sat at the table, watching the food grow cold, much like my heart. Today was my birthday, but it was also the birthday of Aiden, Sloane’s childhood friend. I opened Aiden’s Instagram and saw a new post. “Grateful to have you by my side every birthday. Let’s keep celebrating together for years to come!” The photo showed two hands making a heart shape in front of a cake. One of them was Sloane’s, wearing the necklace I had given her. I liked the post, then put down my phone and dumped all of Sloane’s favorite dishes I had prepared into the trash. I went out to a restaurant to order my own favorites and celebrate my birthday alone. From now on, I would make each of my birthdays special – for myself. Halfway through my meal, Sloane called. Her voice held a hint of anxiety: “Grant, did you see Aiden’s Instagram post?” “I did.” “I’ll be back after celebrating with him. I’ll spend next year’s birthday with you, okay? Don’t be upset!” In the past, I would have thrown a fit, but not anymore. I simply replied, “Okay.” The next morning, around 7 AM, I was woken up by my phone ringing. It rang three times before cutting off. I checked – it was Sloane. She used to be too lazy to use her key, so she’d always call me to let her in, ringing three times before hanging up. No matter what I was doing, I would rush to open the door for her. Today, I didn’t. I tossed my phone aside and went back to sleep. The spare key was under the shoe rack by the door. She knew that. I had been up until 3 AM packing, and my head was still fuzzy. My phone rang a few more times, but I couldn’t be bothered to look. Some time later, I vaguely heard someone unlocking the door and coming in. The door slammed against the wall loudly, followed by my bedroom door being flung open and Sloane’s angry voice. “Grant, why didn’t you open the door for me? I called several times! You know I hate using keys!” I opened my eyes and looked at her impassively. “Too tired. Didn’t hear it.” Sloane opened her mouth, then closed it. Finally, she said, “I’m hungry. Get up and make me a sandwich. I didn’t sleep all night, and I need to catch up on some rest after I eat.” In the past, I would have jumped up to make her breakfast. But now, I just said flatly, “I’m tired too. Why don’t you go downstairs and buy something?” Sloane was furious but tried to control herself. “Are you still mad about me not being here for your birthday yesterday?” “No, you’re overthinking it.” Sloane didn’t believe me. She continued, “Aiden is like a brother to me. His parents passed away when he was young. If I don’t celebrate his birthday with him, who will? Don’t be so petty, or I’ll really get angry!” “You’re right. You should celebrate with him. I’m not upset.” I got up to go to the bathroom. Sloane grabbed my hand and reluctantly pulled out a red string bracelet from her pocket. “Here, don’t be mad. This is your birthday gift. See? I remembered.” Looking at the cheap red string with its dangling metal charm, which seemed so carelessly chosen, and thinking of the expensive watch Aiden had shown off on Instagram, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. I had thought Sloane’s recent frugality was to save up for my birthday gift. Apparently, I had been deluding myself. I shook my wrist, showing the watch my mom had sent me a few days ago. “Thanks, but I already have a watch. It’s not convenient to wear this. You keep it.” Sloane snapped, “You say you’re not angry, but you used to be happy with whatever I gave you. Are you getting picky now?” Sloane’s salary wasn’t high. Her birthday gifts to me were always cheap, costing a few dollars or tens of dollars at most. Sometimes she even forgot to give me anything. But I never minded. For her birthdays, I always prepared thoughtful gifts. Just a week ago, for her birthday, I had given her a gold necklace. I was tired. I didn’t have the energy to argue anymore. I took the red string and put it in my pocket. “Thank you.” I changed my clothes and opened the door. Sloane called out anxiously, “Where are you going?” “To play basketball with friends.” Since getting together with Sloane, all my free time belonged to her. I accompanied her everywhere, took care of her, and had no time left for myself. That wouldn’t be the case anymore. I needed to live for myself now.

After an exhilarating game with my friends, we sat on the benches by the court, drinking water. My friends joked, “We thought you’d forgotten about us since you got a girlfriend. We were about to stop inviting you out.” I apologized and promised, “I’m sorry, guys. It won’t happen again. Count me in for any future plans.” “That’s more like it! Come on, let’s go to the internet cafe and play some games.” When I was with Sloane, I couldn’t fit into her Instagram world, but I had slowly distanced myself from my own friends for her sake. I revolved my life around her, prioritizing her above all else. Looking back, I realized how foolish I had been. When I got home, it was almost midnight. I opened the bedroom door to find Sloane sitting on the bed. She frowned and said, “Grant, why are you back so late? I had to order takeout for lunch and dinner. It was awful.” I opened the closet to get some clean clothes. “I ate at restaurants today too. The food was pretty good, not worse than home-cooked meals.” Sloane stared at me in surprise. “You used to say you’d cook for me every day and that I shouldn’t eat takeout because it’s unhygienic!” “I was wrong. Living in this society, if you can’t cook, you have to get used to takeout food.” A flash of anger crossed Sloane’s eyes. “You say you’re not angry, but you’ve been out all day without a single call or message, and you didn’t come home to cook for me!” I replied calmly, “I’m not angry. I was just hanging out with friends. My phone died, so I couldn’t call.” Seeing my attitude, Sloane suddenly threw off the covers and got out of bed angrily. She grabbed me as I was about to leave, her voice shrill. “Can’t you be more understanding? I’ve told you we’re just like siblings! What are you still upset about? Grant, my patience has limits!” I shook off her hand. “I’m really not upset. I’m tired. I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.” With that, I took my clothes and went to the bathroom to shower, ignoring Sloane’s calls from inside the bedroom. That night, I slept soundly for the first time in a long while. Sloane was a restless sleeper, kicking off the covers several times a night. When we slept together, I never got a full night’s rest, having to get up multiple times to cover her. Early the next morning, Sloane sat in the living room with her arms crossed, her face dark with anger. I knew she was waiting for me to apologize first and make her happy. In the past, whenever she was unhappy, I would beg for her forgiveness, even if I didn’t think I had done anything wrong. Then she would list a bunch of conditions, and only after I had fulfilled them all would she reluctantly forgive me. This had been the pattern for years, and I was tired of it. I ignored her, got ready, and left. I had important things to do today.

I went to the office to submit my resignation letter. My manager was surprised and tried to persuade me to stay, but I insisted on leaving. I had originally taken this job to be close to Sloane, to take care of her. But now, that was no longer necessary. Last night, I had a video call with my parents, telling them I was planning to quit my job and return home. I saw the tears of joy in my mom’s eyes. My dad’s health hasn’t been good lately, and he’s been struggling to run the small supermarket by himself. When I say “home,” it’s not some remote village, but a coastal city. Sloane had always refused to go back with me, saying she wasn’t used to the food there. So I left my parents to find work here with her. That evening, I met up with my friends for dinner and told them the news. They all agreed that going back was the right decision, as my parents’ health was more important. After a few drinks, someone suddenly asked, “What about Sloane? Is she willing to go back with you now?” I was silent for a moment, then smiled bitterly. “No, we’ll probably break up.” I used to think I could build a home here with Sloane, and then bring my parents over later. But now that home was gone, and I was returning to the one with my parents – the one that would never abandon me. When I got back home, I saw Sloane wearing a white dress, her black hair flowing loose, face perfectly made up, video chatting with Aiden on her phone. Aiden’s voice came through the speaker: “Snow, you look absolutely gorgeous. Even in a simple white dress, you look like a fairy!” Sloane giggled, covering her face coyly. “Really? You’re still such a sweet talker.” I stood there silently. This “simple” white dress had cost me a month’s salary when I bought it for her. Sloane turned around, still smiling, but her face fell when she saw me. She quickly told Aiden, “I have to go now. I’ll be there soon. Have a snack while you wait.” Sloane could be all smiles and care for Aiden, but she couldn’t even spare a smile for me. She looked at me with disgust, then walked past me to put on her shoes and leave. She was starting her cold treatment again. In the years we’ve been together, she often gave me the silent treatment over issues related to Aiden. Each time, I would be anxious, trying everything to please her. This time, I wasn’t nervous. I just took the groceries I had bought and went to the kitchen to make myself a late-night snack. I had been drinking with my friends earlier and hadn’t eaten much, so I was a bit hungry now. Over the next few days, I was busy handing over my work and packing my belongings. My things in the house were gradually disappearing, but Sloane didn’t notice.

Today, Sloane went out again to meet Aiden. I sat at the dining table, scrolling through my phone while eating. Aiden had posted on Instagram: “Whenever I feel lonely, you’re always there for me. I’m so grateful!” The photo showed Sloane and Aiden with their heads together, making peace signs at the camera. Sloane’s girlfriends were all commenting, admiring their relationship. They had always thought Sloane should be with Aiden, and that I was the third wheel interfering in their relationship. Looking at that Instagram post, I suddenly felt that Sloane’s friends weren’t wrong – they did look more like a couple. In the past, after enduring silently for a long time, I would gently remind Sloane to keep some distance from Aiden to avoid misunderstandings. Her friends would then mock me for being too controlling, saying I was suffocating Sloane and not giving her any freedom to have friends. Sloane never defended me. Instead, she joined them in criticizing me, telling me not to restrict her and to give her more freedom. Sloane had commented: “You’re always there for me too!” I exited Instagram without a ripple in my heart and got up to clear the table. Thunder rumbled outside. It was about to rain. I went to the balcony to bring in the laundry, and large raindrops began hitting the windows. In the past, whenever it rained, I would anxiously call Sloane to ask where she was and rush out with an umbrella to pick her up, afraid she might get even slightly wet. She and her friends would then laugh at me for being like an old woman, worrying too much and ruining their fun. I showered early and lay in bed scrolling through short videos, eventually falling asleep without realizing it. The sound of Sloane forcefully pushing open my bedroom door woke me up. Seeing that I was sleeping, she angrily questioned me. “Grant, it’s pouring outside, and your girlfriend isn’t home yet. Aren’t you worried at all? If it were my friends’ boyfriends, they’d be calling non-stop asking where they are and rushing out with umbrellas to pick them up! What about you?!”

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Three months before my wedding, my fiancée posted a baby bump photo on her Ins. It was her with my adopted brother. The caption read: [Legally welcoming our little one!] My adopted brother, Noah, commented with a celebratory emoji. My mom liked it. [Once the baby is born, I’ll take care of them. You two can enjoy your time together.] I couldn’t help but hit reply with a question mark. The next second, Chloe’s furious texts flooded my phone. “He’s just stepping up as the father figure for a bit, to give the baby a stable start. Once the baby is here, things will go back to normal between us, and I’ll be yours again.” “Don’t be so petty. My mom also said we should wait until your career is stable before getting legally married—having the wedding first, then doing the paperwork later, isn’t that good enough?” I calmly hummed in response, then deleted every single post related to Chloe on my Ins. I updated my status: “Need a bride. Any takers?” Chloe Davis was the first to reply. [Leo Hayes, are you insane? I’m just temporarily with Noah, do you really have to make this public knowledge?] [Who are you posting this for? I’m warning you, don’t make things difficult for Noah!] My adopted brother, Noah Hayes, quickly followed: [Chloe just wants to give the baby a legal identity. I won’t steal her from you. When you two eventually marry, my child can even call you Dad.] My mom, Brenda Hayes, scolded me for being ungrateful: [You get a child without all the hard work. Noah is helping you so much; you should be thankful.] Below, a flurry of Chloe’s friends joined in the mockery: [They’re practically brothers anyway, right? Who cares who she marries? Noah can have her on weekdays, and you get the weekends!] Everyone was joking, laughing. I stared at the screen for a long time, my eyes burning. Tears eventually blurred my vision, hitting the phone screen. They were the ones who messed up, yet they were acting so righteous, pointing fingers at me. It was ridiculous. These people weren’t worth my tears. I wiped the wetness from my face with a harsh gesture. Amidst the chaotic comments, one stood out: Mia Sterling asked, “Is the bride spot still open?” Mia was my childhood friend. After college, I stayed local, while she went abroad for her master’s. Once Chloe and I started dating, Mia had intentionally kept her distance. We hadn’t seen each other in years. While I was still reeling, her call came through. “Leo, I’ve always liked you.” “You know how much I despise your adopted brother; I would never get involved with him. All these years, I’ve focused on my career, my relationship history is clean, and I have no messy social connections.” As soon as she finished speaking, a document popped up on my phone—it was an agreement to transfer all her assets. “This is all my sincerity,” her voice was a little shaky. “Would you consider me?” A lump formed in my throat. I suddenly remembered a time in elementary school when our teacher gave her two of her favorite chocolates as a reward. She was so tempted, swallowing secretly, but she didn’t keep a single one. She put both into my pocket. She’d always been like that, pouring her heart out, giving me her best. I took a deep breath. “I will.” Love had left me scarred. I’d planned to live alone. But Grandma’s dying wish was to see me have my own family, with someone who genuinely loved me. Chloe didn’t deserve that, but Mia would be the best choice. Her voice trembled with surprise. “I’ll finish up work as fast as I can. I’ll be back in two weeks to marry you.” “Leo, you won’t change your mind this time, right?” The vulnerability in her tone reminded me of our childhood promise—I’d once laughed and said I’d be her groom when we grew up. “No,” I whispered. “Mia, let’s pinky swear.”

After hanging up, my mom, Brenda, pushed open my bedroom door. “Where are those sapphire cufflinks your dad left you before he passed?” I remained silent, not answering. Mom frowned, annoyed. “What’s with that attitude? Noah just thinks they’re exquisite and wants to borrow them for his formal wear. Hand them over. Don’t be so petty!” My adopted brother, Noah, clung to Mom’s arm, looking forlorn. “Never mind, Mom. Leo never saw me as a real brother. If he doesn’t want to, then he doesn’t have to. I won’t force him.” “He dares not to recognize you! Those cufflinks belonged to my husband, they’re your father’s. Today, I’m making the decision to give them to you.” Mom hugged Noah, glaring at me sternly. “If you don’t hand them over now, don’t blame me for having someone search your room.” I stared at her, stunned, then curved my lips into a smile that was uglier than a cry. The gentle, understanding mother I remembered had long become unrecognizable. But, I was about to leave this place forever. Unwilling to engage in another meaningless argument, I silently retrieved the velvet box containing the cufflinks from the back of my drawer and handed it over. Mom nodded, satisfied. “That’s right. Noah is your brother; you should naturally take care of him more.” After she left, Noah fastened the cufflinks onto his shirt right in front of me, raising an eyebrow. “Bro, don’t blame Mom for being biased. Honestly, these cufflinks look better on me.” “Just like Chloe is a better fit for me as a girlfriend.” “What’s mine, no one can ever take away.” I watched Noah’s smug expression, saying nothing. With people like him, the more you engage, the more they cling. I grabbed my backpack and walked straight to the stairs, ignoring him completely. “Ah! Why did you push me… ” Noah suddenly darted in front of me, pretending I’d shoved him, stumbling backward. Though I loathed him, I instinctively reached out to grab him—twenty-some steps was no small fall. “Leo, don’t you dare lay a hand on him!” Chloe rushed up, violently swatting away my hand reaching for Noah. My hand slammed hard against the metal railing with a dull thud, instantly swelling and bruising. The sharp pain made me break out in a cold sweat. “Chloe, good thing you came…” Noah cowered in Chloe’s arms, trembling with teary eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m here.” Chloe gently patted his back, then shot me a cold glare. “You know he’s fragile, yet you’d be so cruel?” I looked down at my rapidly swelling hand, then back at Noah, carefully shielded by Chloe. The irony felt like ice water splashed on my face. This woman, who had sworn to love me forever and was supposed to marry me in three months, how had she become so utterly unrecognizable?

After comforting Noah, Chloe turned to me, her expression grim. “I know you’re upset that I hid my marriage and pregnancy with him from you. You can vent your anger at me, since I didn’t tell you upfront.” “But you can’t hurt Noah. He’s already weak and pitiful enough.” “He only asked for a chance to be a father, is that so wrong? Why should he suffer your anger?” She pointed a finger at me. “You will apologize to Noah today!” I struggled to control my trembling body, rasping, “What did I do wrong? What exactly did I do wrong?” Chloe stared at my bloodshot eyes, momentarily stunned. “It’s okay, Chloe,” Noah interjected, tugging her sleeve, his voice filled with feigned sobs. “Even though I almost fell down the stairs… I don’t blame Leo. He doesn’t have to apologize.” “You and Leo are still getting married. I don’t want you fighting because of me.” Chloe sighed, her voice laced with pity. “Noah, your thoughtfulness sometimes breaks my heart.” Her gaze hardened as she looked at me again. “Ultimately, you’re just jealous of Noah, can’t stand to see him doing better than you.” “Today, for his sake, I’ll let the apology slide.” “But if you ever dare to harm him again, I will make you pay.” She lifted Noah into her arms, and as she left, she threw a remark filled with disappointment at me: “You’re nothing compared to Noah.” The silent living room was empty except for me. I stared blankly at the withered leaves falling outside the window, finally unable to stop myself from crouching down, burying my face in my hands. This was the last time I’d cry for Chloe. That afternoon, Chloe updated her Ins. It was a nine-picture grid, showing off various meticulously decorated corners of what she called a bridal home. The caption read: “Every room, every piece of furniture, every decoration here was chosen and arranged by me, all to give my baby a warm and happy home.” The comments section quickly filled with well wishes. “Congrats, Chloe, on your impending bundle of joy!” “So, Chloe and Leo are having a shotgun wedding! Congrats, congrats!” “Leo, you’re so lucky to have such a wonderful partner like Chloe!” “I’ll cancel a hundred-million-dollar deal if I have to, but I won’t miss the wedding in three months!” Just as the blessings poured in, Noah suddenly commented to clarify: “Everyone, please don’t misunderstand. This isn’t Chloe’s bridal home, this is my house.” The comments section fell into an awkward silence. I broke the deadlock, replying: “Three’s a crowd. I’m out. Wishing you two happiness.” After sending that, I didn’t bother with the reactions. I just deleted Chloe and Noah from my friends list. Minutes later, Chloe’s call came in. “Leo, are you done causing trouble?” My tone was calm. “I’m not causing trouble.” She exploded. “What you wrote on my Ins was practically slandering Noah! Are you only happy if you brand him as the third wheel? If you keep this up, our engagement is off!” Listening to her cold accusations, my heart was like stagnant water, completely still. “Chloe, why do you think I’d still want something that’s been used by someone else?”

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Sloane cut my salary and gave the money to her assistant Aiden, then told me I was “too emotional” for questioning it. When I reminded her I’d built the company with her, she didn’t even look up. “Stop acting entitled,” she said. Aiden smirked and added, “Maybe you should step aside.” That was the moment I understood they expected me to obey forever. So I placed my resignation on her desk and watched her smile collapse. My fiancée Sloane, the CEO, told me the company wasn’t doing well and cut my salary in half. But then I saw her assistant Aiden bragging on Instagram. “The boss not only gave me a raise but also bought me a luxury car because she was worried I’d be tired from work. She’s so thoughtful!” In the photo, he and my fiancée were standing in front of a newly purchased million-dollar luxury car, looking blissfully happy. I pondered for two seconds, then hit the like button. That evening, Sloane called an emergency meeting. Using the excuse that I was disrupting the company’s atmosphere, she withheld my entire month’s salary and gave it to her assistant as compensation for emotional distress. Everyone looked at me sympathetically, thinking I would go crazy and make a scene. But I just calmly packed up my things from my desk and handed my resignation letter to her. “Docking my salary isn’t enough for bullying a colleague? I’ll resign voluntarily.” As soon as I finished speaking, Sloane’s assistant Aiden quickly chimed in. “Dane, how can you resign over such a small matter?” “You’ve been with the company for so long, and Sloane has always been so good to you. If you resign at this critical moment, how will everyone view Sloane?” “Sloane, please come and talk Dane out of it!” Sloane might have wanted to persuade me earlier. But after hearing Aiden’s words, her anger grew. She snorted coldly: “Why should I persuade him? If he wants to leave, let him leave. I have nothing to hide, I’m not afraid of what anyone might say.” Then, without hesitation, she signed my resignation letter and threw it in my face. The onlooking colleagues were dumbfounded. A colleague who was close to me quickly whispered, urging me to apologize and not to act on impulse. Almost everyone present knew that I had helped Sloane build this company from scratch. When the company was short on money, I worked tirelessly to secure investments. When projects couldn’t be completed, I led the team in pulling all-nighters to get the work done. I had poured countless hours and emotions into every aspect of the business. Now that the company had completed its financing and was about to go public, anyone in their right mind wouldn’t leave at this time. But I remained calm, picking up the resignation letter from the ground. “I’ll leave after I finish handing over my work.” “No need for a handover, just get out now,” Sloane said coldly, pointing at the door. Seeing this, I said nothing more. After saying goodbye to a few people, I picked up my things and left. Before I left, I looked back at Sloane one last time. I clearly saw a flash of complexity in her cold, calm eyes. Of course, I knew why. She didn’t think I would leave. We had fallen out before, but after leaving for a short while, I would always regret it and go back to her as if nothing had happened, apologizing and continuing to work as usual. But perhaps she didn’t know that this time was different from before. My patience with her had finally run out. I walked to the parking garage. I found my old car that I had been driving for ten years, with several patches of paint worn off. Next to it was parked a brand new top-of-the-line Porsche, the one Sloane had just given to Aiden today. There were many empty spaces in the garage, yet he chose to park right here. I understood. This was his way of taunting me. These weren’t just two cars; they were more like the two of us. I had been with Sloane for ten years, yet I wasn’t as valued as Aiden who had only joined ten months ago. I laughed self-mockingly and got into my car. Just then, a text message came through. I opened it to see a transfer from my friend. This morning when Sloane said the company wasn’t doing well and wanted to cut my salary, I was worried she was under too much pressure. I immediately contacted a friend and borrowed fifty thousand dollars. I had originally planned to give it to her, but then I inadvertently saw Aiden’s Instagram post about Sloane buying him a new car. At that moment, I was surprisingly calm, feeling neither sad nor jealous to the point of madness. Perhaps it was because it had happened too many times. Aiden had been recruited into the company by Sloane as an exception. His work ability was a complete mess, but Sloane, who had always been serious and meticulous about work, could tolerate his mistakes time and time again. From small things like serving plain water to clients during meetings while getting milk tea for herself, to big mistakes like sending the bottom-line price list to partners instead of the quote list, causing the company to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars. When I questioned Aiden about these issues, Sloane would unhesitatingly stand in front of him to protect him. She would look at me with impatience. “Aiden just graduated, isn’t it normal to make some mistakes? Why are you being so harsh on a newcomer?” Over time, Aiden became increasingly arrogant, to the point where he didn’t take me seriously at all. Soon after, I left the parking garage. As I was waiting for the barrier to rise, my car suddenly jolted. Realizing I had been rear-ended, I got out of the car, only to see Sloane and Aiden getting out of the car behind, hand in hand. “I’m so sorry… Oh, Dane, it’s you?” Aiden immediately walked up, looking distressed at his dented car front. “But why did you brake so suddenly? I didn’t have time to react.” “What a shame, Sloane just gave me this new car,” he added. Sloane also looked at me with a gloomy face and said coldly, “Did you do this on purpose? Did you know Aiden was behind you and deliberately brake to get revenge?” I almost laughed at her accusation. It was always like this.

She would push all the blame onto me without distinguishing right from wrong. Before I could say anything, Aiden’s eyes slowly turned red. “Sloane, don’t blame Dane,” he said. “Dane just resigned because of me, it’s normal for him to be angry with me.” “After all, it’s all my fault.” As he spoke, he clenched his fist and hit his forehead hard, as if in frustration. But just before his fist touched his forehead, he deliberately loosened his grip. Sloane couldn’t see through this act. Her eyes filled with concern as she gently rubbed his forehead, saying lovingly, “It has nothing to do with you. Don’t take everything on yourself.” After saying this, she glared at me angrily. Seeming to get more upset the more she thought about it, she poked my forehead hard. “Dane, can’t you learn from Aiden and take some responsibility?” “He knows how to be humble. You’ve been working for so many years, why are you still so childish and arrogant?” I stumbled back a couple of steps from her push. After regaining my balance, I found it somewhat amusing. Over the past year, it had been Aiden constantly stealing my achievements and scheming to pin blame on me. Now suddenly he was humble and responsible, while I was childish and arrogant. Knowing that talking further would be a waste of breath, I couldn’t be bothered to say anything more. I turned around, preparing to leave. “Wait a moment,” Sloane suddenly stopped me. I thought she was going to scold me again and defend Aiden, but to my surprise, she pulled me aside. She spoke earnestly. “Dane, I admit my attitude towards you today was indeed too harsh.” “But it’s because I have high expectations for you, that’s why I’m so strict with you.” Hearing her gentle words, I was still a bit confused. However, I soon understood her intentions. Sloane smiled lightly at me and patted my shoulder. “I’ll withdraw your resignation letter. Just come to work as usual, but find a time to apologize to Aiden in front of everyone.” “Also, you’re fully responsible for this rear-end collision. I’ll deduct the compensation from your salary later.” I realized what was happening. I let out a sneer and looked up at Aiden. He had probably already known what Sloane was going to say. His face was full of smugness as he winked at me provocatively. I sneered again. “No need.” “As for who’s responsible for the rear-end collision, we can check the surveillance footage. If that’s not enough, you can call the police.” “I have things to do, I’m leaving now.” With that, I left directly. Sloane was fuming behind me: “I’ve already given you a chance, don’t regret it!” Regret? I won’t regret it. I got back in my car and sent a message to my friend. “I’ve resigned. I can start working at your company tomorrow.” My friend called back in less than half a second, his tone excited: “Are you serious?” He sounded a bit unsure: “Do you want to discuss it with Sloane again?” My friend and Sloane had started their businesses around the same time. Compared to Sloane who started from scratch, my friend had more resources and could offer more attractive benefits. My friend was in desperate need of excellent technical talent, so he promised me higher shares and profits to get me to help them out. He even made an exception and offered to let me work part-time after learning about my relationship with Sloane. But for Sloane’s sake, I had refused without hesitation. When I was at my lowest point, lying in the snow almost freezing to death, it was Sloane who dragged me into a police station and saved my life. I was very grateful to her, so I gave up everything and devoted myself wholeheartedly to the business, doing everything I could to help Sloane’s company grow step by step. But now it seemed that she didn’t care at all. Moreover, after so many years, I had more than repaid her kindness. I didn’t need to keep compromising myself anymore. “No need, I can make my own decisions,” I replied. After chatting with my friend for a bit more and confirming the time to sign the contract, I drove home first to get the documents needed for signing. I thought Sloane wouldn’t be back until late at night as usual. But to my surprise, she walked into the living room not long after, talking happily on the phone with Aiden. Seeing me, her face immediately darkened. She deliberately rolled her eyes at me before pushing open the bedroom door. I knew she was waiting for me to coax her. Every time we had an unpleasant encounter at the company, I would always find ways to apologize to her and beg for her forgiveness. Even when she was the one at fault, I would still have to swallow my pride and admit I was wrong. Before, I thought I should do this, whether it was to repay her kindness or to maintain our relationship, I should pamper her. But now I just found it boring. I focused on looking for things in the drawer. After a while, she came out of the room with a gloomy face. “Has Aiden’s car been fixed? Have you fixed your car?” she asked. I knew this was her signal of giving me a chance to make up. In the past, I would have thought she had forgiven me and would have rushed to please her. But now, I didn’t even look up as I replied indifferently, “It’s just an old car, not worth fixing.” Sloane frowned. “What do you mean by that?” I looked up at her in confusion, not understanding what she was unsatisfied with now. This car had been scratched many times before. When I said I wanted to fix it, she would say the same thing I just said. I thought she was going to get angry again, but to my surprise, she let out a sigh. “Aiden has indeed been doing well at work lately, so I gave him a car to keep him motivated.” “You’re my boyfriend, and when we get married, won’t the company be yours too? Why do you have to be so calculative about salary with him?” “Dane, everything I do is for the company. I don’t want other colleagues to think I’m favoring you.” Realizing she was actually trying to explain to me, I was a bit surprised. She had never bothered to explain these things to me before. But I knew clearly that these were just excuses.

In the company, all the colleagues knew how Sloane treated me and Aiden differently. Projects that I had worked on for three days straight, she would suddenly hand over to Aiden on a whim. He would just make a PowerPoint presentation, and it would become Aiden’s achievement. Clients that I had negotiated with for days and were about to sign contracts, she would take Aiden to have one meal with them under my name, and the contracts would become Aiden’s accomplishment. There were countless such incidents. Over time, other colleagues only felt that Sloane favored Aiden more. Some even thought Sloane didn’t like me, and because of this, I endured quite a bit of side-eye and bullying in the company. She saw it but pretended not to notice. I didn’t want to explain. Anyway, even if I did, she would say I was making excuses. “Oh,” I responded indifferently. “You don’t need to tell me these things. I have nothing to do with the company anymore. Do whatever you think is best.” Sloane didn’t say anything. Finally, she let out a sigh. She walked up to me, stood on her tiptoes, and wrapped her arms around my neck, her breath warm against my skin. “Actually, I have my own selfish reasons. I want you to take a break for a while and think about our wedding.” “When are you planning to propose to me?” she asked with a coy smile. But I had already proposed many times before, and each time, she had rejected me. Every time we had a fight, she would use marriage to coax me. Sometimes, I felt like I wasn’t her boyfriend, but more like a dog she was toying with. I didn’t say anything. Sloane then scratched under my chin like she was teasing a dog. “Don’t be angry anymore, can you smile for me?” she said. As she spoke, she deliberately kissed my Adam’s apple, as if trying to please me. She rarely took the initiative to be intimate with me. In the past, I would probably have been very happy. After her advances, I would have taken control, only to be pushed away by her, laughing as she called me dirty-minded. Thinking about it now, I really found it quite boring. I pulled her arms away and wiped my throat with a wet wipe. Sloane stood there as if struck by lightning, dumbfounded. “You’re disgusted by me?” she asked. “I have to go out later, I’m going to change clothes now,” I said flatly. I turned around, ready to go back to the bedroom. Sloane tried to follow, but I closed the door without hesitation and locked it. “Fine! Don’t regret it!” Sloane seemed to have really gotten angry this time. After throwing out these harsh words, she kicked the door hard and stormed off. When I came out of the bedroom, the living room was already empty. Sloane had sent a message in the company group chat saying she was treating everyone to dinner and asked who wanted to join. Everyone remained silent. Only Aiden sent three “excited” emojis in a row. I knew Sloane was deliberately trying to make me jealous. This had happened many times before. Every time it was like this – other colleagues were unwilling to participate, and only Aiden would enthusiastically respond. In the past, I would have already been jealous and followed them, only to be mocked by them. Now, I couldn’t be bothered. I went directly to my friend’s place to sign the contract. My friend was very happy and specially arranged a celebration dinner for me. After three rounds of drinks, I went to the restroom. As I was walking, I heard familiar voices from a nearby private room. I instinctively stopped. Through the slightly open door, I saw Sloane nestled in Aiden’s arms. I don’t know what they said, but Sloane was laughing uncontrollably. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Aiden quickly lowered his head and kissed her lips. Sloane was stunned for a moment but didn’t push him away. “Sloane, when are you going to break up with Dane?” Aiden asked. “I can’t wait to be with you. Do you know how upset I am every day seeing you with him?” Aiden said with a grieved expression. Sloane moved her lips, seeming to want to say something. Finally, she hugged Aiden back, gently patting his back like comforting a child. “Wait a little longer,” she said. “It won’t be too long.” The two of them cuddling intimately looked exactly like a couple. I sneered and didn’t watch any further. Back in the private room, after a few more drinks, we called it a night. As we were entering the underground parking garage together, my friend suddenly pulled me in front of a top-of-the-line Porsche and asked if I liked it. I nodded, not quite understanding. Thinking it was his new car, I was about to compliment him when my friend suddenly shoved a set of car keys into my hand. “It’s for you,” he said. He winked at me. “I’ve been wanting to replace that old car of yours for a long time. It’s in such bad shape. Now that you’ve joined us, it’s time for an upgrade.” I was about to refuse, but he seemed to already know what I was going to say and went straight to the point: “I heard Sloane gave a car to that new guy in your company. With his terrible skills, he can drive a luxury car, so of course you can’t be worse off than him.” “You know, I’ve seen the stuff that new guy of yours produces. The style is different every time, obviously copied from somewhere. I don’t know how he’s managed to stay in the company…” Perhaps it was because of the alcohol, but my friend spoke without any filter, complaining non-stop about Aiden. I remained silent. What he said was right. All those things were actually done by me and other colleagues in the team. Almost every time, just as we were about to finish, Sloane would demand that we hand it over to Aiden. That’s why Aiden’s style was always different. Even my friend, who wasn’t in the company, could see through this. Yet Sloane somehow couldn’t understand. I thanked my friend and chatted with him for a bit more before heading home. As I opened the door, I saw Sloane already sitting on the living room couch. “Where have you been?” she asked. She seemed to be in a good mood, her tone much lighter. The scene of her and Aiden embracing in the hotel flashed before my eyes again. I felt a wave of nausea.

“Had dinner with a friend,” I said flatly, walking straight towards the bedroom. After just a couple of steps, Sloane suddenly blocked my way, frowning. “You’ve been drinking?” “Didn’t we agree that you wouldn’t drink when I’m not around?” I couldn’t help but sneer. The implication was that I could only drink when I was helping her entertain clients. I didn’t say anything. Sloane, however, seemed to think of something and suddenly smiled, looking somewhat smug. “You’re still upset about me going out with Aiden, aren’t you? If you didn’t want me to go out alone with him, you could have just said so. Was it necessary to drink so much?” “You’re overthinking it. My drinking has nothing to do with you,” I said. I felt tired and sat down on a chair. “But I do have something I want to tell you.” “What is it?” Probably thinking I was going to apologize, Sloane’s tone became even more smug. “Let me tell you in advance, it’s too late to apologize to me now. I’m very angry about what happened this afternoon.” “Don’t think a simple apology will make me forgive you.” As she spoke, she rolled her eyes at me. I pretended not to see it and said, “I…” Before I could finish, her phone rang. Sloane looked down at it. I noticed the caller ID was Aiden. “Wait a moment, I need to take this call,” she said. With that, Sloane had no intention of paying any more attention to me and was about to answer the phone. I looked at her cold and resolute back, and calmly spoke up. “Let’s break up, Sloane.” As soon as I said this, Sloane’s body seemed to freeze for a moment. “You want to break up with me over such a small matter?” Sloane looked at me in disbelief. After a moment, she said impatiently, “Why have you become so petty? It was just a dinner with Aiden, is it really that serious? Forget it, I have something to do. You calm down first, and we’ll talk later.” With that, she prepared to answer Aiden’s call again. It had always been like this. Whenever we had a disagreement, she would tell me to calm down on my own. This was often the beginning of our cold war. But almost every time, I would be the one to brainwash myself, convincing myself to accept Sloane’s perspective, then take the initiative to make up with her and apologize. At first, it was because I liked her and didn’t want her to feel wronged. Later, I couldn’t let go of our years of feelings, always thinking that if I endured a little more, things would get better after we got through this conflict. But year after year passed, nine years went by, and things never got better. Sloane answered Aiden’s call, smiling as she greeted him and was about to go back to the bedroom. I strode forward and took her phone. Without hesitation, I hung up. Sloane was a bit angry: “What are you doing?” “Let’s talk about us first. You’ll have plenty of chances to talk to him in the future,” I said, handing the phone back to her. Since I had already decided to leave, it was best to cut ties cleanly. I had no inclination for self-torture. “What is there to talk about? You really want to break up with me over this little thing?” Sloane snorted coldly, looking at me after sending Aiden a message. “I really don’t know what’s gotten into you. Do you realize what breaking up with me means right now?” “You have nothing now, you’re no longer good enough for me. Do you know how many people have advised me to leave you? But I’ve always considered our feelings and tolerated you time and time again. I’ve already compromised so much, what else are you unsatisfied with?” Sloane’s demeanor was imperious. Yes. Her net worth now far exceeded mine, and she had reminded me more than once that our relationship was unequal, that she was with me only out of consideration for our years of history. In the past, I had treated her words as playful banter between us. It wasn’t until recently that I realized she was serious. In her eyes, there was no reason for us to break up. It was about benefits, old feelings, charity, but never love. I was about to speak when she seemed to think of something else. She interrupted me and sneered, “Alright, I get it. I’ll restore your position in the company and give you some shares. Is that enough?” “No need,” I said. I found it somewhat amusing and shook my head. “It’s not because of that.” “Then what is it?” Sloane asked, puzzled. I didn’t hide it from her anymore and said calmly, “Let’s be frank. I heard everything you and Aiden said in the hotel today.” Sloane’s face froze. “You followed me?” “It was just a coincidence,” I said. But Sloane clearly didn’t believe me, looking at me suspiciously. In the past, I probably would have tried to prove myself to her, but now, I didn’t care at all what she thought. I went straight to the point: “Since you want to break up too, we’re on the same page. Let’s just end it.” “I won’t take anything under your name. Let’s part on good terms.” Now that everything was out in the open, I thought Sloane would agree readily, but to my surprise, she hesitated. “Dane, think it through. You’re not young anymore. If you break up with me now, with your conditions, you might not find a partner as good as me.” “What I said at the hotel was just out of anger. If you can apologize to me, I don’t necessarily want to break up with you.” “I’m not completely without feelings for you, you…”

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