Category: English

The hotel receptionist had been eyeing my boyfriend all morning. Now, she decided to make her move with a vicious, public smear. “Miss, you checked in yesterday with a different man. And when you left, you stained the bedsheets and refused to pay for the damage.” Ryan stared at me in complete shock. The receptionist added with fake concern. “Oh! I’m so sorry. I didn’t say something I shouldn’t have, did I?” When I demanded security footage, she claimed the cameras were down. What she never expected was that this luxury hotel answered to my family. “Good afternoon, ma’am, how can I help you?” The receptionist’s words were directed at me, but her gaze remained locked on Ryan. My eyes dropped to her name tag. Sarah. I remembered this delicate-looking receptionist quite clearly. Last night, when Ryan brought me to check in, she was the one who assisted us. She’d been so fixated on Ryan, she even knocked over a glass of water. After clumsily cleaning up, it took her another ten minutes to finally finish my check-in. I knew Ryan was a looker. He was tall and muscular, with handsome features and eyes that were surprisingly gentle and deep. Girls often stared at him, dumbfounded, and I never really cared. After all, everyone likes to look at a handsome guy. But this receptionist? Wasn’t she a little too unprofessional? “Hi, I checked out this morning. I left a necklace on the bathroom counter.” “Hello? Did you hear me?” Ryan and I were college sweethearts. We met at a party during our senior year. They say graduation season is breakup season. Even though we moved back to our respective cities for work, joining the ranks of long-distance couples, our relationship remained solid. This time, I was in Ryan’s city for a business trip. He suggested I stay at his place, but his parents and grandparents lived there too. Before getting married, I didn’t want to move in with him and face the scrutiny of his entire family. So, Ryan booked me a room at the only five-star hotel in the area. I checked out early this morning. After lunch with Ryan, as we were heading home, I realized I’d left my necklace at the hotel. I waved my hand in front of the receptionist’s face a few times before she finally blushed and tore her gaze away from Ryan. She looked down at her computer screen and replied without hesitation: “Good afternoon, ma’am. Housekeeping already cleaned your room this morning. There were no items left behind. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?” I was a bit taken aback. This morning, while I was brushing my hair in front of the mirror, my hair got tangled in the necklace. I’d taken it off and set it aside. After I finished my hair, just as I was about to grab the necklace, my phone rang. My client, who I was supposed to meet later, had arrived early. I rushed out, grabbing my bag, and only remembered the necklace after the contract was signed. “I’m sure I left it on the bathroom counter. Please, could you ask the cleaning lady again?” The receptionist didn’t make a call. Instead, she stated firmly: “We didn’t find anything. You must be mistaken.” Seeing my frown, Ryan stepped forward and took my hand. “Don’t worry. Are you sure you can’t think a bit harder?” “Maybe you dropped it somewhere on the way out?”

I was a little annoyed. What did he mean? Was he implying I was mistaken? I was absolutely certain my necklace was on that bathroom counter. It was a diamond necklace my mom gave me for my birthday last month, and it was worth a fortune. “Your hotel lobby and elevators should have security cameras, right? Have someone pull up the footage.” “We’ll see if I was wearing the necklace when I left. It’ll be obvious.” Ryan sighed in relief and joined me in urging the receptionist: “Yeah, that’s a good idea.” “Have someone check the footage.” The receptionist froze, her eyes darted around, then she bit her lip, looking at me with a complicated expression. “Ma’am, could your necklace have been taken by your companion?” Both Ryan and I were stunned. Ryan’s face changed, and he pressed anxiously: “Companion? What companion?” The receptionist blurted out: “The gentleman who stayed with this lady yesterday.” “This lady left first in the morning, and that gentleman checked out an hour later.” “Housekeeping went to inspect the room afterward and found the bedsheets covered in. stains.” “According to regulations, there’s a cleaning fee for stained sheets, but that gentleman refused to pay and argued about it for ages.” Ryan was practically fuming, his face flushed crimson, and his voice shot up several notches. “What gentleman! What gentleman are you talking about?!” I was even angrier than him. Is this receptionist out of her mind? Last night, I was busy revising and reviewing a contract, staying up until three in the morning to finish. What man could possibly have been there? What kind of insane nonsense was she spouting?! And what did she mean by “stained bedsheets”?! I glared at her, my face hardening. “You know, speaking like this carries legal consequences. Now tell me again, what man was in my room yesterday?” The receptionist looked as if I’d scared her, taking two steps back. “I-I might have remembered wrong.” Ryan pulled me aside, gritting his teeth and glaring at me. “Scarlett, you can’t threaten her.” Then he turned back, forcing a strained smile at the receptionist. “Take your time, don’t be scared.” Sarah nervously lowered her head, deliberately dropping her voice. “I-we’re not supposed to disclose guest privacy.” “I’m sorry, just pretend I made a mistake.” I nearly passed out from anger, a surge of pure rage shot through me. Ryan was just as furious. His eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving. “Scarlett, is this why you didn’t want to stay at my place?” “No wonder you ignored my FaceTime last night… Who was that man?” Ryan didn’t believe me.

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My husband told me to lick whipped cream off another man’s thigh because his assistant refused. She picked up a bottle and pressed it to her neck. “Damon, I won’t do it. Make her go.” Damon looked at me. His voice did not pause. “You do it. I’ll make it up to you later.” This was the ninety-seventh time he put her before me. I did not refuse. I owed him a life debt. One last step, and it would be paid. After that, we will be done. “Well, well, looks like the supermodel agreed to lick it after all? Damon sure knows how to handle women!” “What if she doesn’t lick the cream? Are they really going to make Amber do it? She’s Damon’s true love!” The mocking laughter around me was deafening, and I felt utterly humiliated standing there. Amidst this nauseating display of arrogance, Damon crouched in front of Amber, carefully placing a band-aid on her neck. Then he turned to me with cold eyes: “Elena, don’t try anything clever. Amber’s waiting for you to finish so we can continue the game.” Amber, Amber… He only cared about Amber, never once asking if I was willing. He had completely forgotten that I was his wife. He had also forgotten that just a few days ago, I had miscarried because of her, and I was barely able to stand here today. Seeing me hesitate, someone suddenly pushed me: “What are you standing there for? Go lick it! Don’t tell me you’re backing out now?” I stumbled but managed to steady myself. When I looked at Damon again, his eyes were completely focused on Amber. “96 times. This is the ninety-sixth time,” I counted silently in my head as I stiffly walked towards the man with whipped cream on his leg, a notorious playboy in our circle. Just as I bent down to kneel, the playboy suddenly grabbed my chin. He looked at Amber and said, “Miss Amber, this isn’t right. She lost to me three times. Licking once isn’t enough.” “How about we play ‘stuff the egg’? If you can persuade her to do it, I’ll forget about the punishment.” Stuff the egg? What’s that?! An unnamed fear suddenly surged through me, and I quickly looked towards Damon. But in the next second, Amber was already pleading with Damon, clinging to his arm and pouting: “Damon, it’s just a dare. Can’t you let your sister-in-law agree just this once?” Seeing Amber’s small body trembling, Damon was left with nothing but pity. He looked at me intently: “Elena, you were willing to lick the cream. So you wouldn’t mind taking on another dare for Amber, right?” “Yay! Thank you, Damon!” Amber jumped up happily, her face full of smugness. Watching Damon gently pat Amber’s head with a doting expression, I couldn’t help but laugh at that moment. My dignity had been trampled on, and I had become nothing more than a toy for them to torment and play with. Damon, how could you be so heartless? How could you still want me to participate in some kind of performance art and be humiliated for her sake? Oh, right, I almost forgot. Amber was his unattainable moon. He had pursued her for years without success, and then they were separated by their families. Amber had left the country overnight. Now that he finally had her, of course he would pamper and indulge her every whim. How could I possibly compete? Suppressing the bitterness in my heart, I spoke stiffly: “Can that count as one forgiveness voucher?” Forgiveness voucher? The crowd laughed at my strange request, but Damon put down the hand that had been pampering Amber and suddenly looked at me. He knew what I was talking about. After a moment, he nodded: “It counts!” I smiled bitterly: “Alright, I agree.” Eight years ago, when I had just entered the modeling world, I was targeted by a big boss and confined on an island. Along with other girls, I became a tool for men to use at their business gatherings. I was lucky. Damon was the first man I encountered, and he fell in love with me at first sight. For my sake, he took over those men’s businesses, sent them to prison, and saved my life. Later, I found out that it was because my features strongly resembled Amber’s. On the night I was rescued, I asked him how I could repay this debt of gratitude. His eyes were sincere: “Then marry me.” I pinched him: “I’m serious.” His breathing became ragged as he entangled with me and said: “Then… give me 99 forgiveness vouchers.” “Forgiveness vouchers?” I curiously clung to his body, not understanding. At that moment, he smiled: “Silly girl, if – and I’m just saying if – if one day I hurt you 99 times, I’ll use these vouchers to make you forgive me 99 times. Once the vouchers are used up, this debt will be settled.” For the next five years, he poured resources into making me a supermodel and loved me like a precious jewel. Until two months ago, when Amber returned to the country. Everything changed. Now it was the 97th time. Just two more times, and my debt would be repaid. We would have no more connection. Seeing Damon agree, the playboy took me into his private room, a dimly lit chamber covered in silk. The table was full of hard-boiled eggs, and on the floor lay two or three women with disheveled clothes, a rotten smell emanating from beneath them. A chill ran down my spine as I realized with horror what Amber meant by “stuffing eggs” – they were going to insert them into my private parts. Damon, who had followed us in, suddenly narrowed his eyes and turned to ask Amber: “Wasn’t this supposed to be about eating eggs? What’s going on here?” But Amber ignored him and pushed me forward. “Mr. Seven, Miss Elena used to be a dancer. I’m sure her flexibility will satisfy you.” “Don’t you want to try it yourself? Push your limits?” As Amber finished speaking, I was already trembling in terror. I immediately looked to Damon for help. At least I was still his wife. He had loved me once. Although he had tormented me a lot for Amber’s sake, he surely wouldn’t hand me over to a pervert to be tortured, right? But to my surprise, Damon walked to the bar, poured a glass of wine, and shoved it into my hand. “Why don’t you toast Mr. Seven first to liven things up?” Liven things up? Did he want me to entertain them? He… actually agreed? In a daze, I saw Amber give me a sinister smile. “Sister! Didn’t you hear what Damon said?” Just as I was looking at Amber, not knowing what to do, she suddenly kicked me in the knee. In an instant, I lost my balance, and the wine in my hand spilled on the playboy’s face. Then I fell onto the shattered glass, immediately cutting several bloody gashes on my arm. My eyes met the distorted, pale face of the woman on the floor. Amber’s shrill accusations rang in my ears: “Sister, if you didn’t want to toast, you could have just said so. There’s no need to pretend to be crazy to anger Mr. Seven. Is this how you act as Damon’s wife? Are you trying to embarrass Damon?” The playboy’s expression froze for a moment, then he suddenly realized something and stared at me with wide eyes: “You… you’re Damon’s legendary wife?” I said nothing, just sat on the ground, my body and heart aching almost to the point of suffocation. The playboy reached out to grab my arm, but Damon immediately seized his wrist. Damon glanced at my blood-covered face, his eyes suddenly turning gloomy. He gritted his teeth as he looked at the playboy: “Get out!” The playboy was intimidated and had to leave, grumbling under his breath. “Damon! Are you crazy? If I had known she was your psycho wife, I wouldn’t have touched her!” As the playboy disappeared, I got up to leave, but my arm was once again gripped by a large hand. “Elena, aren’t you happy now that you don’t have to be punished? Did those two years on the island not teach you how to behave? You only had to toast a drink, and this would have been over. Why did you have to act crazy? You knew that when I asked you to toast, I was trying to end this, didn’t you? Are you that clueless?” Looking at the angry Damon, I responded with bloodshot eyes. This time, I finally didn’t hold back and retorted: “Damon! I’m your wife. If you had just made my identity clear, this would have been over just the same.” My words were clear. It was him, he was the one who wanted to play with my vanity to protect Amber’s face, which is why he never said anything. Caught off guard by my revelation, Damon felt a bit guilty. Amber, seeing this, wanted to defend him. But Damon frowned and spoke up to stop her: “Enough! Shut up and wait for me in the car.” After her footsteps faded away, he sighed: “I’m sorry, but I still need to explain. I really didn’t know what ‘stuffing eggs’ meant. If I had known, I wouldn’t have agreed from the start.” “As for Amber, I hope you can understand. After all, she just came back to the country and saw that I was marr-” Damon stopped abruptly, but I could still guess what he was going to say. He wanted to say that Amber was in a bad mood because she found out he was married, so she deliberately gave me a hard time, and he wanted me to forgive her. Our eyes met, and Damon seemed to understand the mockery in mine. He sighed again. “Alright, I see you’re hurt. I’ll have the driver take you to the hospital. Amber’s not in a good state, so I need to check on her. We’ll talk about this when I get back.” Without waiting for my response, he added: “Although you didn’t complete the task, I’ll allow you to count this as one forgiveness voucher.” With that, he turned and left. Watching his retreating figure, I touched my still-bleeding forehead and burst into laughter. But I didn’t care anymore. Just two more times, and once I’ve repaid my debt, I’ll leave. From now on, I won’t suffer his mistreatment anymore.

It was late at night when the driver sent me home. Damon hadn’t returned, and I didn’t bother to ask. The next day, his assistant brought his gift: two commercial property deeds. He specifically emphasized that one was compensation for forcing me to lick the cream, and the other was an apology for the egg incident. Expressionless, I labeled the deeds with numbers 96 and 97, then carelessly stuffed them into the safe. The maid beside me smiled fondly: “Mr. Damon really dotes on you, ma’am. He’s been giving gifts more and more frequently.” I smiled without saying a word. She didn’t know that these were just Damon’s compensations after hurting me each time. Looking at the safe full of property deeds, I knew I would be able to leave soon. But before I left, I just wanted to take one camera with me. It contained things I had to destroy. Damon was very exploratory when it came to intimate matters, and in the heat of the moment, he would sometimes impulsively record our encounters with a camera. In the past, those videos were just marital intimacy. But now, I didn’t want them to remain. After all, if the videos were leaked, I would be ruined. However, after searching every corner of the room, I couldn’t find that camera. Just as I was about to search again, my agent called, yelling angrily: “Elena, are you crazy? Look at the internet! Your private photos are everywhere! How dare you accompany other sugar daddies behind Damon’s back? If you want to die, don’t drag our whole company down with you!” In an instant, my mind exploded, only hearing my agent’s words: “You’d better give me an explanation for the videos online right now! And for Damon’s fury, or we’ll haunt you even as ghosts!” The call was hung up, and I quickly opened my phone. I saw that the top trending topic was my private video. With bold, explosive text: [Supermodel Elena Sleeps Her Way to the Top] In it, Damon’s face was blurred, while mine was clearly visible in the center, flushed with desire. Millions of netizens were online hurling abuse, calling me a slut who slept with multiple sugar daddies for resources, a woman who would sleep with anyone. My legs gave way, and I collapsed to the ground. But in the last moment before I lost strength, I was suddenly caught in Damon’s strong embrace. “Don’t look at those things. It’s okay, I’ll handle it. Trust me!” The comforting words had barely left his ears when he turned, his face cold, and roared at the room full of people. “Who did this! Tell me! Who did this!” Seeing his unprecedented fury, my eyes suddenly stung with tears. But at the same time, Amber’s casual voice came from nearby: “Damon, you mean the videos? I uploaded them!” The arm around my waist suddenly tightened. Damon and I both looked at Amber. “Don’t look at me like that! I just happened to see them and thought sister’s body was too amazing to be seen by only you, Damon. So I took the initiative to share them!” “After all, beautiful things should be enjoyed by everyone, right?” In an instant, blood rushed to my head. I got up to slap Amber, but Damon steadily caught my hand. “Elena! Enough!” I was furious and grief-stricken, shouting: “But she-” Before I could finish, Damon glanced at the smug Amber, then turned back to me with a frown: “I’ll help you take down the trending topics. Let’s end this here. Don’t cause trouble for Amber, okay? You know, after all, she’s also…” “No! Damon, why should I let it go? She’s ruined my reputation! Why should I let it go?” “I want to sue her for defamation! She must pay the price!” I stared at Damon with bloodshot eyes, refusing to back down even a little. “Elena! You-” Damon took a deep breath, about to persuade me again. But Amber tugged at Damon’s sleeve, pretending to sob with reddened eyes: “Damon! Don’t say anymore. I know I was wrong. Let sister sue me. I shouldn’t have been jealous, jealous that she married you. It was my fault. If only I had persisted back then!” As she spoke, Amber’s eyes turned red, and she began to cry. “Sister, I really know I was wrong. I’ll kneel and apologize to you. Please don’t make things difficult for Damon.” “If it makes you happy, I’ll turn myself in right now and help clear your name! At worst, let me be ruined too, but please don’t let this ruin your relationship.” Seeing Amber about to kneel before me, Damon’s eyes turned cold again. He said to me in a deep voice: “Elena! Amber already knows she was wrong. Let it go.” “Your reputation is already ruined anyway, so why not just quit the industry and enjoy being a rich housewife at home? Isn’t that good?” I was shocked by his blindness, unable to believe he would still indulge her to this extent. I was about to speak again, but in the next second, I received a hard slap across the face, leaving it stinging. His knuckles were red, his breathing rapid, his eyes filled with unprecedented violence. He threw a disclaimer at me: “Be good and sign this. Once the storm blows over, I’ll help you make a comeback.” “But if you dare to report this to the police, don’t even think about stepping out of this door again!” “I won’t sign!” I gritted my teeth, staring at him. But no matter how much I struggled and refused to sign, Damon forcibly pressed my handprint onto the disclaimer. As I collapsed to the ground, exhausted, A feeling of helplessness and pain that I had never experienced before swept over my entire body, like thousands of needles piercing my heart. They left, but their casual conversation was like poisonous insects crawling into my ears: “Damon, is sister okay…” “She’s fine. As long as she still wants to make a comeback, she’ll listen to me. At worst…” “I’ll count it as one forgiveness voucher. She still has dozens left, she’ll behave.” No, there aren’t any left. There’s only one more time. Damon, I won’t be your puppet anymore. After sitting stunned on the ground for a long time, I finally went back to my room and took out my diary. Although everyone says the modeling world isn’t much cleaner than the entertainment industry, I really loved this career. Standing on the runway, bathed in spotlights – that confidence was where I found my value. But now, it had been utterly destroyed. Perhaps even heaven was telling me it was time to go, to not linger anymore. Tears flowing, I wrote down today’s events in the book, ending with the number 98. Every time he hurt me, I would record it in my diary to remind myself not to soften. But Damon’s voice suddenly came from behind: “What does 98 mean?”

Seeing him reach for the diary, I quickly closed it and stuffed it into the drawer. “Nothing.” He sensed my panic and seemed to think of something: “You girls are so delicate, always writing grudges in your little books. Is this the grudge book you mentioned?” He was referring to our wedding after we got married, when he lost the wedding rings. He had to use two soda can tabs as a substitute to exchange rings with me. That night, I was so angry I kicked him off the bed: “Damon, you’re killing me. I’m going to curse you in my grudge book.” He laughed through his tears: “Write whatever you want, I can always win you back.” Realizing he had misunderstood, I didn’t bother to explain and just nodded halfheartedly. Remembering the sweetness of our newlywed days, his cold face finally showed a rare smile: “Alright, I said I could definitely win you back, so no more holding grudges. Come take a look.” He handed me a property deed and casually pulled me into his arms. “It’s a new building in the city center. I specially kept it to give you as a gift.” “The video has been urgently dealt with. Next month, I’ll let you make a comeback, okay?” The maid outside peeked in enviously. But I remained stiff and unmoving, saying flatly: “Whatever you say.” Seeing that I was unmoved by either kindness or harshness, his brows furrowed, a hint of anger in his eyes: “Are you determined to make an issue of this?” I looked up, my eyes dark as I stared at him: “No, how would I dare, Mr. Damon?” My words immediately set Damon off. “Elena, I took those videos, and I was careless in letting Amber see them. If you’re angry, take it out on me. Understand?” For a moment, it felt like a heavy stone was pressing on my chest. He could do anything for Amber, even humble himself in front of me, or sacrifice himself for her. I suddenly felt so tired. I didn’t want to be entangled with them anymore. So I calmly agreed: “I understand.” Seeing that his punch had hit cotton, he frowned and gritted his teeth, staring at me for a long time before finally slamming the door as he left. The next day, Damon sent a message asking me to come to the golf course. I was going to reply that I wouldn’t go, but the next second a message came: “I’ll count it as one forgiveness voucher.” Looking at these words, thinking this was the last time, I eventually went. As soon as I entered the private golf course, I didn’t see Damon. Instead, someone kicked me from behind, knocking me to the ground. Amber’s voice drifted over: “Don’t bother looking. I’m the one who invited you.” As she finished speaking, two bodyguards restrained me. Then clubs began to rain down on my legs furiously. Blood splattered as I screamed in agony. Fighting through the excruciating pain, I shouted: “Amber, have you gone mad!” She smiled sweetly, but her eyes flashed with venom: “Elena, how dare you! You’re already a pariah, yet Damon still won’t divorce you. He even says he needs to make it up to you and help you make a comeback.” “Elena, tell me! How dare you?!” Damon treats her like a goddess, and even his casual words to placate me are worth her making such a big fuss? Utterly exasperated, I said coldly: “I’m not trying to compete with you.” Seeing that I knew my place, she snorted and said haughtily: “But I just can’t stand the sight of you. You’re a supermodel, right? Well, I’ll break your legs and see how you seduce Damon then!” Looking at the sticky blood on my pant leg, she retched in disgust. Her eyes fell on a golf ball nearby. As if suddenly thinking of something, she smiled eerily. “Strip her pants!” Her voice was shrill. “Last time we didn’t get to stuff the egg. What a pity. There’s a ball right here. Elena, I guarantee you’ll feel ecstasy today!” She caressed the golf ball in her hand and ordered the bodyguards to strip my pants. I struggled desperately, roaring like a wild beast. Amber giggled in my ear, grabbing my face, her manicured nails leaving bloody scratches: “Don’t scream! You’ll feel so good soon, better than any man! I promise you’ll be addicted!” Looking at her ugly face, I flashed back to Damon’s countless rebukes, disgust, and cold stares because of her. Tears suddenly poured out, giving me the courage to throw caution to the wind. I was leaving anyway. Why should I let her bully me! Just as my pants were about to be pulled down, strength came from nowhere. I suddenly pushed away the bodyguards and charged at Amber. Then I opened my mouth and bit down hard on her hand. Amber let out a piercing scream, frantically trying to tear my mouth away. But I wouldn’t let go no matter what. The taste of blood filled my nose as I bit off half of Amber’s finger. “What are you doing?” Damon’s stern roar came from behind. As he rushed in, he came face to face with my blood-covered face and half-stripped lower body. Realizing Amber was bullying me, he was shocked! He kicked the bodyguards away and quickly pulled up my pants, his eyes filled with anxiety. “Elena, what happened? Don’t be afraid, I’ll… take you to the hospital!” But Amber suddenly screamed, showing him her bloody half-finger, her cries shrill and almost piercing the air: “Damon, she bit off my finger! My hand is ruined!” “It hurts so much! Damon, save me, please!” Damon’s expression changed dramatically. He turned to look at me in shock, caught in a dilemma. But after just a moment, he tossed me a few words and hurriedly picked up Amber. “The survival time for a finger is low. I’ll take her to the hospital first. Call an ambulance yourself. I’ll come pick you up later.” Hearing this, my heart suddenly plummeted into an endless abyss. So, he wasn’t unaware of Amber’s vicious nature. He was just biased. I looked up at him, my eyes full of desolation: “Damon, this is the last time.” Damon looked at my completely hardened expression and suddenly felt a pang in his heart, feeling as if he had lost something important. But feeling the broken and shattered person in his arms, he still chose to abandon me without hesitation. As he was leaving, he looked at me earnestly, pleading: “I know you’re wronged. I’ll definitely give you an explanation this time.” “Just… don’t call the police… please.” Watching his back disappear with my own eyes, I didn’t go to the hospital. I just dragged my injured leg back to the villa. Sure enough, as soon as I got home, the maid handed me the 99th property deed. It was for this villa. I locked it in the safe. Along with my diary, divorce agreement, and contract termination papers, I placed them on the table. I took a note and left him a line: “The life debt is repaid, love cannot continue. Damon, let’s divorce.” I took what little luggage I had and checked in for a flight to Yunnan. Damon, this is how it ends between us. As the plane streaked across the sky, Damon returned home, exhausted. The room was empty and silent. He was confused and called me. He noticed the note on the bedroom table and was about to pick it up when a cold, mechanical female voice came from his phone. “Sorry, the number you have dialed is not available…” And in the next second, when he saw the large characters on the note, his pupils suddenly constricted!

“The life debt is repaid, love cannot continue. Damon, let’s divorce.” Damon’s mind went blank, barely recognizing the word “divorce.” He picked up the paper, turning to the last page, and only then did he clearly see the three large characters signed: Elena. He finally realized that Elena really wanted to divorce him. Looking at the contract termination agreement laid out before his eyes, he angrily smashed his phone. Then he called my agent, roaring furiously: “You dared to terminate her contract behind my back. Do you want to die?” The agent was terrified and could only weakly explain: “Mr. Damon, didn’t you tell us that Amber was seriously injured, and unless the sky was falling, not to bother you?” Damon’s body stiffened. He remembered receiving a call when the experts couldn’t treat Amber. But he was so anxious at the time that he cursed the caller and hung up. Who knew it was about Elena’s contract termination? “How could you let her leave without my signature on the termination agreement?” Damon was determined to vent his anger on someone today. The other side sighed again: “Mr. Damon, have you forgotten? You signed the contract five years ago.” “She’s your wife. You gave her special approval for termination back then, and you even paid the breach of contract fee out of your own pocket…” Damon’s lips had lost all color as he gritted his back teeth. That did happen. But he had long forgotten about it. At that time, he was passionately in love with Elena. He signed her to his own company, poured resources into making her a star, just to give her the best treatment and ensure she wouldn’t be constrained. He even spent all the liquid assets he had, angering his grandfather who punished him with twenty strokes of the family rod. After his wounds healed, Elena was so worried about him that she developed a fever in the middle of the night and almost died. He was terrified and mobilized all his connections in the city to save her. He cried like never before at her bedside: “Elena! You can’t have anything happen to you, you can’t die. Even the King of Hell can’t take my wife from me!” And when Elena woke up, her one sentence made him cry tears of joy: “Is this your way of proposing to me?” As the memories flooded back, Damon’s eyes stung. His self-perceived doting had almost cost Elena her life back then, and now it had made her disappear from his world completely. Didn’t Elena say she loved him? Then why did she leave him… His nails dug into his flesh, but he couldn’t feel any pain. His heart continued to ache. The world seemed to return to those dark days when he was besieged within the Jin family, desperately fighting for power. Those were the darkest days of his twenty years, suddenly plunging into an icy hell, all warmth around him vanishing. Only Elena stayed by his side, loving him. She stayed up late with him, coaxed him to sleep, took him to see a therapist, accompanied him in extreme sports. She gave him love, becoming his emotional pillar. How could someone like her leave? Damon crouched on the ground, burying his head in his arms, questioning the air over and over. But no one could give him an answer. The phone on the ground was still ringing: “Sigh, Elena is pitiful too. Her legs were beaten until she was crippled. She can’t be a model anymore.” “But at least she retired from the industry while still hot as an international supermodel. People will remember her, so she won’t be too lonely.” A tear fell on Damon’s phone as he urgently wanted to know exactly what had happened: “How badly were her legs injured?” The agent’s voice immediately turned angry: “It’s really despicable. Those people specifically wanted to ruin her. They didn’t touch anywhere else, just completely destroyed her legs. It’s a sin!” “Originally there was hope for treatment, but who knows why it took so long to get her to the hospital. Her right leg is beyond saving now.” Only her legs were injured? Specifically to ruin her career?

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Six years after our divorce, I ran into Sebastian at the police station. He had climbed the ranks from an undercover agent to a respected inspector. I had fallen from a cherished heiress to a social pariah. He was there, flush with success, planning his wedding. I was there to collect my father’s death certificate. As I turned to leave, his voice halted me. “Stella, do you still hate me?” I shook my head. Hate is the offspring of love. After six long years, the love was gone. And so was the hate. A young officer, blind to the tension, chirped, “Come on, everyone, share Inspector Sebastian’s happy news!” He reached out to hand me a piece of wedding candy, but Sebastian intercepted his hand, quickly catching up to me. His voice was tight. “What brought you here? I can help-” I lifted the documents in my hand, cutting him off. “It’s done.” Then I walked straight out of the precinct. The irony wasn’t lost on me. We had met here twice now. The first time, I had watched my father be brought to justice. Sebastian grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop. “Are you alright?” Such a cliché greeting. My eyes dropped to the new wedding ring on his left hand. My answer was just as predictable. “I’m fine.” He pulled his hand back as if my skin had burned him. Leo’s car was idling by the entrance. I turned and gave Sebastian a final nod. “My husband is here.” His voice thickened. “Okay, goodbye.” I was done with goodbyes where he was concerned. As the car pulled away, he remained rooted in place, watching. “Stella,” Leo asked, his face full of gossip. “Are you using me to ward off an admirer? That officer looked like he wanted to set me on fire with his eyes. Why does he seem so familiar?” I smoothed the crumpled edge of the document in my lap. “That’s Sebastian Vance.” Leo snapped his head towards me, disbelieving. “The Sebastian Vance? The special crimes expert? The one they interview on TV about cold cases? The guy whose interrogation techniques are taught at the police academy?” At my nod, he stared blankly for another second before I had to remind him. “Eyes on the road, Leo.” But he couldn’t let it go. “No wonder they made him a Senior Detective so young. Now it all clicks. He spent nearly a decade deep undercover. Only resurfaced after taking down that massive syndicate. The main suspect was… Harrison, wasn’t he?” “Yes.” “Right, Harrison…that last name…” He seemed to remember that my last name was also Harrison and abruptly fell silent. My voice remained calm as I answered the question he left unasked. “Yes, that was my dad.” The main culprit of the Harrison Organized Crime Syndicate, personally brought to justice by Sebastian Vance. Leo awkwardly scratched his head. “I’m so sorry, Stella. I brought up something painful.” Mentioning it now, it no longer hurt. It was more like talking about someone else’s story, my emotions perfectly even. The atmosphere in the car grew a little awkward. Leo’s gaze fell on the papers in my hand. He quickly changed the subject. “Right, what were you doing at the precinct today?” I ran my finger over the prominent word “DEATH” on the document, and said. “To cancel my father’s… registration.” Half a month ago, Dad passed away. He suddenly vomited blood in his cell. The diagnosis was terminal stomach cancer. They released him on medical parole, but he lasted less than three months. On his deathbed, he left his last words to me. “Your father is guilty. I don’t hold that against Sebastian. But he lied to you. For that alone, I wish I could end him myself.” Dad never blamed me. Even though he’d refused hundreds of my visits over six years. I knew he wasn’t blaming me for bringing a snake into our home. He never wanted me to go through life branded as a criminal’s daughter. The thought of Dad still brought a pang of sorrow. To shake it off, I turned to Leo, who clearly had questions on his mind. “Want to hear my story?” I am the heiress to what was once the country’s largest crime syndicate. And the ex-wife of one of law enforcement’s most prominent figures. This is my story, tangled between two warring worlds.

When I was sixteen, I was kidnapped by a rival gang. I managed to escape one night, only to find myself stranded in a rough neighborhood. Trash and cigarette butts littered the ground, and rats squeaked in the sewers. Under the dim, flickering streetlights, a drunk blocked my path. A boy pulled me behind him, shielding me. It was Sebastian Vance, eighteen years old. He wore a faded black T-shirt, his arms lean and strong. When he took the blow of a glass bottle for me, he didn’t even utter a grunt. At the time, I didn’t know it was a setup. I just thought it was a classic damsel-in-distress scenario, and I was falling for my hero. So, I told my dad when he arrived. “Didn’t you want to find me a bodyguard? I want him.” Bodyguard was just a cover. Sebastian back then was dirt poor, with nothing but his strength. I needed an excuse to keep him by my side. Dad admired him too, saying the young man had a spark in his eyes and would achieve great things someday. He truly did make something of himself. After just two years, he was accepted into the same university as me. The day he received his acceptance letter, his eyes welled up. “Stella, I owe you and your dad my life.” “If I can, I want to stay by your side forever.” Sebastian would wake up at six every morning, take an hour-long bus ride, and stand in a long line. All just so I could have a hot breakfast bun before my 8 AM class. He would spend his entire paycheck just to buy a pretty brooch I’d casually complimented. Yet, his own sweater, pilled and faded, he wore for three years. His bag always contained painkillers, band-aids, an umbrella, and sanitary pads, all for my careless self. He was so good to me, so good that even Dad couldn’t find fault. The year we graduated, he proposed joining the Harrison Corporation. Dad hesitated, saying he didn’t need to repay us. But Sebastian knelt down. “I know I’m not worthy, but I love Stella. “I want the right to stay by her side.” I didn’t know then that Dad was already being coerced and falling into a deep abyss. I only remember he talked with Sebastian in the study for a long time. When they came out, Dad placed my hand in Sebastian’s. “Sebastian, promise me you’ll always keep my girl happy, pure, and honorable.” At 25, I had my master’s degree. Sebastian, through sheer force of competence, had risen to become a core executive at the corporation. But the higher he climbed, the more distant he became. He watched me with an unnerving intensity. Then, out of nowhere, he said,”Sometimes, ,wish I could just walk away from all of this… for you.” But when I asked him what he meant, he said nothing. Leo cut in. “Did he realize he really loved you, so he wanted to give up his undercover identity?” I shook my head. “I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter.” Whatever momentary conflict he might have felt, it didn’t change his relentless pursuit of justice. When I was 26, Sebastian proposed. We got the marriage license first and began planning the ceremony. The wedding day was lavish. I was in a gown of pure white. And I watched, with my own eyes, as Sebastian flashed his badge and put the cuffs on my father. Leo leaned forward, aghast. “On your wedding day? That’s brutal! Tell me you rushed over and punched him?” I shook my head again. “I didn’t get the chance. He walked away with my bridesmaid.” “Bridesmaid? Who?” “His current wife.”

A few days before, photos from Sebastian’s wedding had been blowing up our alumni chat. The bride, as expected, was Chloe Davis. My college best friend. My roommate. She came from a low-income family. She was plain, always hiding behind thick-rimmed glasses. But she was fiercely hardworking and even more fiercely proud. I remember when our professor mocked her accent, saying it “carried the distinct scent of the countryside.” She just flushed a deep red, but she never lowered her head. I was the one who approached her. I invited her to join the study group I had with Sebastian. Maybe it was their similar backgrounds, their same stubborn grit. They got along famously from the start. Or perhaps… the connection was just instant. The cheap food I found unpalatable, they both enjoyed. I liked wearing bright, colorful clothes; they both preferred durable, dark shirts. When given two choices for a project, they would invariably and synchronously pick the other option. But all their interactions were filtered through me, maintaining a polite distance. So, I never once suspected infidelity. After we graduated with our master’s degrees. Chloe struggled in her career and came to me for help. I wanted to give her a boost, so I pulled some strings and got her a job at Harrison Corporation. I even asked Sebastian to keep an eye on her. Unlike our college trio, this time, I wasn’t there to stand between them. And in my absence, they grew close. Why Chloe? Perhaps it was because the man who had hidden his true self for so long could finally stop pretending around her. I suspected nothing. Not until our wedding day, when Chloe rushed into Sebastian’s arms, her eyes shining with tears. “You did it! Ten years of playing a part… you can finally be yourself again!” It took ten years, but I was finally meeting the real Sebastian Vance. He just watched me from a distance, silent and detached, as if he were profiling a suspect. I had so many questions I wanted to ask. What would happen to my dad? When did you and she start this? And when did you start lying to me? But he didn’t give me the chance. Leading Chloe by the hand, he walked over, saying coldly. “He won’t be detained during the investigation. Pack a few changes of clothes for your dad and send them to the detention center.” He looked at my tear-streaked makeup, his expression softening slightly. I hurled my bouquet at his face. Then I picked up a glass of wine nearby and aggressively splashed it over him. The wine splattered onto Chloe’s pink bridesmaid dress. She whimpered, sounding wronged. “Sebastian, don’t go soft. Loving her was just an act; you wouldn’t actually fall for your own performance, would you?” Her single sentence snapped Sebastian back to reality. He picked up a glass of wine too, and poured it directly over my head. “An eye for an eye. I’m doing this for Chloe.” “Talk to me when you’re sober!” He walked away, Chloe in tow, leaving me standing alone. In the days that followed, sleep became a stranger. Harrison Corporation was seized. Every asset my family owned was frozen and cataloged. I dodged reporters while scrambling to find a lawyer for my father. The final conclusion was that there was no way out. Only then did I truly allow myself to understand, in the worldly sense, that my father was a bad man. The worldview I had built over a lifetime shattered in that single moment. Human nature is a tangled thing. No one is purely anything. He committed many wrongs, yet he adored his daughter and was passionate about philanthropy. Similarly, no one is perfectly good. Like Sebastian Vance. He was extensively covered by the media, bestowed with titles like “Shadow of Justice” and “Dawn Breaker of Darkness.” Yet, I found him kissing Chloe in our wedding-decorated home. I had no strength left to argue. I passed out. “What happened to you after that?!” Leo asked, urgent. “After that… I don’t remember much. I almost died.”

Perhaps some primal self-preservation instinct finally kicked in. I fell ill, my mind sinking into a dense fog. Maybe out of pity, Sebastian never filed for annulment. Instead, he took a two-month leave and brought me from one doctor to the next. In therapy, I refused to speak. When given medication, I refused to open my mouth. He even resorted to strapping me down for electroconvulsive therapy. The side effects were devastating, often causing lasting damage. That’s why I can never hold a paintbrush again. Back then, I had no will to get better. I’d hidden a razor blade behind the mirror, waiting for the day of my father’s sentencing to finally set myself free. Sebastian, however, was furious. He forced my mouth open, making me swallow the pills. “Do you still think you’re that spoiled princess from before? Can’t you stop being so stubborn?” In the past, every time I had to take medicine, I’d throw a minor fit. And Sebastian would always patiently coax me. “Come on, sweetie, once you swallow it, I’ll give you a candy.” This time, there was no candy. The moment he let go, I threw up everything. Sebastian lost his patience, looking down at me. “Look at you now. I shouldn’t have bothered with you.” The door slammed shut, and he smoked in the living room all night. The next day, Chloe showed up. Their argument erupted almost immediately. “Sebastian, you’re an officer with a future! She’s a criminal’s daughter. Why are you still tied to her?” A long silence hung in the air before his low voice finally cut through it. “I looked after her for ten years, Chloe. You wouldn’t just abandon a stray dog you’d raised that long.” A stray dog. How compassionate of him. Their shouting match somehow twisted into another desperate kiss, right there in the foyer of the new home my father had bought for me. It felt like a desecration. I snapped. I stormed out and smashed everything I could get my hands on, aiming straight for the wedding portrait with their blissfully smiling faces . Sebastian shielded Chloe behind him, just as he used to shield me. He watched my breakdown, my frenzy, with cold indifference. Chloe feigned fear. “I told you, didn’t I? She has a criminal’s blood flowing in her veins, selfish, violent… truly terrifying.” Mentioning Dad, I became hysterical. I picked up a shard of glass, lunging at them. But Sebastian kicked it away. His words were full of disappointment. “Stella Harrison, you’ve exhausted the last shred of my compassion for you.” The day Sebastian went to file for annulment, My father’s final sentence also came down. Life imprisonment. Through the iron bars, Dad’s old eyes filled with tears. He saw my desire to die instantly. “My girl, live, please, your father is begging you.” He had already prepared a fallback for me. A substantial trust fund in an overseas institution. My dad had never said “please” in his life. So I thought, then I’ll live. The last time I saw Sebastian, in front of the precinct, Those were his final words to me. “Take care of yourself.” The car entered a tunnel, darkness enveloped us, leaving only a warm, dim glow. Suddenly, the stark white light of my phone flashed. An unknown number. “Hello?” It was Sebastian. “You left your ID behind. Can we meet?”

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I turned down an offer to be a professor at MIT, choosing instead to work for my parents’ company. But on the day the company went public, my parents pushed a girl onto the stage who bore a striking resemblance to them. “Harper, the nurse made a mistake when you were born. Serena is our biological daughter.” “You need to move out tomorrow. And don’t forget to pay back all the expenses we incurred raising you.” “But jobs are tough to find these days. For old times’ sake, we can let you stay on as a cleaner at the company.” Serena chimed in, a smirk playing on her lips: “Sister, thank you for every project you developed over the past five years. All your patents are now registered in my name.” “But I don’t like having outsiders in the family. You should leave as soon as possible.” Amidst the sympathetic glances of the guests, I let out a low laugh. A bunch of fools. If I could get you to go public, I can certainly make you go bankrupt! I calmly walked through the crowd and exited the opulent doors of the stock exchange. I flagged down a taxi and gave the address of the mansion I’d lived in for over two decades. The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. He probably recognized me, the ceremony had been broadcast live everywhere. He didn’t say a word, just quietly turned off the financial news radio. I leaned against the window, watching the neon lights blur past outside. My phone kept vibrating. I didn’t need to look to know it was the media, eager for a scoop. I just switched it off. The car pulled up to the entrance of the gated community. From a distance, I could already see two large suitcases and a cardboard box, standing forlornly outside the front door. I sneered. Looks like they were pretty efficient, afraid I might stay an extra second if I came back. I dragged my bags to the door, instinctively placing my finger on the fingerprint lock. “Beep—Permission denied. Please contact administrator.” A cold electronic voice. The mockery in my eyes deepened. This entire security system, from hardware to software, was designed and deployed by me. The so-called highest administrator privileges had always been mine. I never thought I’d be locked out by the very system I created. Fine by me. It saves me from having to act out some disgusting charade with them inside. I sat on the ground and pulled out my laptop. I skillfully logged into the internal server backend. I wanted to see just how thoroughly they’d stolen my work. I entered the superuser account and password I’d used for five years. But instead of the familiar admin panel, a bright red window popped up, stating that the user did not exist. They truly went all out. Just as I was wondering what to do next, the phone I had switched off in my pocket suddenly lit up. It was a number I thought I’d never contact again.

The encrypted call request flashed for less than three seconds before disconnecting. It felt like a hallucination. The screen went dark, returning to the black screen it had been before I switched it off. I tried to power it on again, but the phone was completely unresponsive. I gave a bitter laugh. My top priority right now was finding a place to stay. I hailed another taxi and went to a decent-looking budget hotel nearby. “One room, please.” I handed over my driver’s license. “Certainly. That’ll be three hundred and sixty-eight for the room, plus a five hundred dollar security deposit. How will you be paying?” “By card.” I pulled out the bank card I’d used for years. This was a secondary card Victor Hayes had set up for me. All my salary and project bonuses were deposited into it. But when the front desk clerk inserted the card into the reader, “Beep, beep, beep—” The machine let out a series of urgent beeps. The young woman looked bewildered, tried again, and got the same sound. She looked at me apologetically. “Miss, I’m sorry, there seems to be an issue with your card. It’s not going through.” My heart sank. “Try another one.” I said, pulling out my personal savings card from my wallet. I’d opened this account in college, it held all my scholarship money and the pocket money I’d earned from projects. It wasn’t a lot, but it should definitely cover a few nights at a hotel. The result was the same. “This one isn’t working either…” The front desk clerk’s voice grew even softer. I had no choice but to ask the clerk to help me charge my phone. Once it powered on, a text message from the bank immediately popped up. “Dear Ms. Harper Reed, pursuant to an application submitted by Mr. Victor Hayes, all bank accounts registered under your name have been frozen due to ‘claims for past expenses,’ totaling…” I laughed. Victor missed his calling as a financial wizard. Looks like a hotel was out of the question. I dragged my suitcases and headed back to the street. The night wind blew, a bit chilly. I opened my phone and found Michael Stone’s number. He was my lead developer, someone I had mentored, and he’d always been grateful to me. I dialed. It rang for a long time. “Hello? Michael, it’s Harper.” The other end was dead silent, save for a faint sound of breathing. “I need your help with something. I need you to get the original development logs from the system…” “I’m sorry, you have the wrong number.” He cut me off directly, then hung up. I stubbornly dialed another core team member’s number, but it showed as disconnected. Those partners who had fought alongside me, pulled all-nighters eating instant noodles, and shared the joy of every problem solved. They either hung up, switched off their phones, or their numbers were no longer in service. This move was truly ruthless. I stood at the crossroads, watching the constant flow of traffic, feeling a hint of bewilderment for the first time. My money was gone, my home was gone, even my former comrades had turned into enemies. He truly wanted to break me.

I dragged my two suitcases, walking for so long on the late-night streets that my legs started to ache. Finally, I stopped in front of an alley entrance lit by a dubious neon sign. “Rooms for Rent, $300 Monthly” was scrawled in red paint on the wall. Alright, this would have to do. The landlady was a tough-looking woman, puffing on a cigarette. She gave my clothes a peculiar once-over, then eyed my two expensive-looking suitcases, before finally tossing me a greasy key. First month’s rent and a security deposit, cash only. I emptied my wallet of the few remaining bills, in exchange for this space of less than ten square meters. A bare cot, a chipped table, and a flickering light bulb with a bad connection. The walls were stained with marks left by previous tenants, and the air hung heavy with a mix of damp mildew and cheap perfume. I lay on the hard cot, fully dressed, staring at the stubbornly flickering light bulb, sleepless through the night. The next day, I was woken by a commotion. Footsteps shuffled chaotically in the hallway, mixed with women’s screams and men’s shouts. I ignored it until there was a knock on my door. “Bang, bang, bang!” The knocking was urgent, carrying an impatient certainty. I thought it was the landlady, so I got up to open the door. When I pulled it open, I froze. It was Serena Hayes. She was wearing full, elaborate makeup, looking like a princess who had wandered into a slum, stark against the drab, dilapidated background. Behind her, several reporters carried cameras, all pointed at me. Flashbulbs popped “click-click-click,” stinging my eyes. “Sister,” Serena’s eyes immediately welled up with tears, “How could you be living in a place like this? Don’t you know how worried Mom and Dad and I have been?” As she spoke, she reached out to take my hand, but I sidestepped, avoiding her. She didn’t seem embarrassed. She pulled out a thick envelope and, in front of all the cameras, tried to press it into my hand. “Sister, I know things are hard for you right now. Mom and Dad asked me to give you this. Take it, find a better place to stay, don’t let yourself suffer.” Her voice choked, acting with such sincerity. “Don’t worry, as long as you apologize to Mom and Dad and admit your mistakes, the door to our home will always be open for you.” I looked at her and suddenly found it somewhat amusing. “Serena Hayes,” I spoke, my voice a little hoarse from not having drunk water all night, “Do you really think everyone is as stupid as you are?” The expression on her face stiffened, and the tears in her eyes almost failed to hold. “Sister, how can you say that… I’m just trying to be kind…” “Cut the act,” I interrupted her, “Bringing reporters to visit me, are you afraid I won’t die miserably enough, so you came to twist the knife? Or is the ‘tech prodigy’ image crumbling too fast, and you need to step on my ‘corpse’ to climb higher?” Serena’s face went completely pale. She hadn’t expected me to talk to her like that, even in my current desperate state. She took a deep breath, dropped her pitiful demeanor, and leaned in, saying in a voice only we two could hear: “Harper Reed, don’t be foolish. You have nothing now. How can you fight me? Believe me, if I say the word, you won’t even be able to live in a dump like this.” She paused, a hint of cruel pleasure in the curve of her lips: “Be a good-for-nothing, admit that everything is mine, and maybe I can find you a job cleaning toilets. Otherwise, you can just starve on the streets.” After saying that, she reverted to her kind, innocent persona and sighed for the cameras: “Sister, just think about it.” With that, she and the swarm of media marched away. I closed the door, listening to the murmurs outside gradually fade. Starve on the streets? Cleaning toilets? I walked to the only mirror in the room. My hair was a mess, my eyes bloodshot, looking as disheveled as a lunatic. But those eyes, in the dim light, glowed with an unnerving intensity.

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That night, clutching the positive pregnancy test, my heart practically soared with joy as I waited for Nealon to come home. I planned to confess everything to him. Instead, I waited for him to bring a gorgeous woman home for the night. The woman didn’t like the smell of durian pastry, so he tossed out the meal I’d spent two hours meticulously preparing. Nealon scooped her up in a princess carry, heading inside to massage her feet. She chuckled, teasing him, “You have a little girl living here? She seems quite fond of you.” Nealon didn’t even glance back. His voice was icy. “Just a kid. No need to mind her.” A bitter laugh escaped me. I shredded the pregnancy test report, booked an appointment for an abortion, and simultaneously bought a ticket to the Amazon rainforest. I was a Master’s student in Archaeology, passionate about history and artifacts. My professor often praised my exceptional talent for archaeology, repeatedly inviting me to join his team. For Nealon, I always refused. Nealon. He was the man I loved more than anyone. He was a friend of my father’s. I was content to be a clingy vine, utterly dependent on his life. I felt truly happy. Especially after I discovered I was pregnant that night. It made me even more determined to stay by Nealon’s side. But now, all those beautiful illusions had shattered. Nealon had another woman. And he had never, not once, loved me. Before booking my ticket to the rainforest, I finally dialed my professor, a call I hadn’t made in ages. His voice on the other end was a mix of surprise and pure delight. “Anya? What, have you finally decided to join my archaeology team?” I nodded. “Yes, Professor. I’ve made up my mind. My flight is in three days. I’ll meet you in the rainforest.” The professor was overjoyed, as if he’d found a priceless treasure. “Oh, Anya, you’ve finally come to your senses! I’ve always said you’re the most talented student I’ve ever seen. You shouldn’t let that talent go to waste!” After hanging up, a clap of thunder rumbled outside, making me realize it was raining. Normally, at times like these, I’d worry about Nealon getting caught in the rain. Even though I knew he had a personal driver and bodyguards and wouldn’t get wet, I’d still rush out with an umbrella. He always looked surprised to see me, then his brows would furrow. “Didn’t I tell you not to come here anymore?” His angry face would send me into a panic, making me apologize profusely. I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. That’s what love does; it makes you so desperate. But now, I sat motionless on the sofa. Whether Nealon got wet or not would soon have nothing to do with me. Only three days left. In three days, I would leave this city forever.

When Nealon pushed the door open, he was soaked to the bone. He stood in the doorway, watching me, his eyes unreadable. “Anya, it’s raining today.” I stood up, poured myself a glass of water, and nodded. “Hmm.” I was thinking about what I needed to prepare for the rainforest, things that would be useful for archaeology. After a long moment, I turned around and realized Nealon hadn’t left. He was still staring at me, unmoving, his brows tightly furrowed. I asked, surprised, “What’s wrong, Nealon?” He was completely drenched, water still dripping from his hair, but his eyes held a surprising vulnerability, a hint of hurt. “Why didn’t you bring me an umbrella today?” I suddenly chuckled. I thought it was something serious. “You don’t like me going there, so I didn’t go. Is there a problem with that?” I looked at him, genuinely puzzled. “No problem.” Nealon curtly dropped three words, his voice thick with a cold nasal tone. Then he turned and walked upstairs, slamming the study door shut behind him. He was angry. But I no longer cared. Before, I cared so much. Whenever he was in a bad mood, I’d rack my brain trying to cheer him up, only to be met with his annoyance. Nealon was a business associate of my father’s. After my parents died in an accident, Nealon took me in, provided for me, paid for my education, and taught me so much. If I hadn’t secretly fallen for him, perhaps I wouldn’t have harbored these bitter, unspoken feelings. I took a deep breath and went to bed early. But who knew, I accidentally fell down the stairs, and the baby miscarried. I still remember the night I got pregnant. Nealon had been drugged. He didn’t know who I was, drunkenly pulling me onto his bed. He was utterly ruthless with me. His scent filled the sheets and the entire room. I admit, I was completely lost in that moment. Afterward, Nealon didn’t remember a thing, and I didn’t dare speak of it. Until. I found out I was unexpectedly pregnant.

The night I got the pregnancy test results. I sent Martha, the housekeeper, home to rest. I cooked dinner myself. I prepared a lavish meal, waiting for Nealon to return, intending to confess my feelings. If he loved me back, I would tell him about that night, and we would be together. If he didn’t, I would leave. But it wasn’t until eleven o’clock that Nealon finally arrived, the food long since cold. And he wasn’t alone. He brought a gorgeous woman in a red dress, intimately leaning on him. Her personality was as vibrant and intense as her red dress. She saw right through my carefully hidden feelings. Deliberately wrapping her arms around Nealon’s neck, she provocatively teased me. “Nealon, this little girl in your house, she seems quite fond of you!” Nealon didn’t even spare me a glance. His eyes were fixed on the woman’s feet as he carefully massaged them. “Just a kid. No need to mind her.” My blood instantly ran cold. So that’s it. Even after all I’d done, all the obvious hints I’d dropped. In his eyes, I was still just a child. I rested for half a day, then took a taxi back to the villa alone. I was ready to pack my things. But everything I had in that villa, Nealon had given me. I only packed a few essential clothes, taking nothing else. At eight o’clock that evening, Nealon knocked on my door. “Anya.” I glanced at the time, surprised. Nealon usually worked until after ten. Why was he home so early today? I quickly dabbed on some blush in the mirror, to hide my pale complexion and any tell-tale signs, before opening the door. To my surprise, Nealon had brought me a gift. It was a VIP gift card, a lifetime membership, for my favorite restaurant. “I’m sorry, Anya.” “That night, Camilla couldn’t stand the smell of durian, so she threw out the food. Later, Martha told me you made it.” “This is a gift for you, consider it compensation for that day.” Nealon’s eyes were sincere. I smiled faintly, not reaching out to take it. “It’s okay, Nealon. You don’t have to.” Anyway, I would be leaving in two days. Nealon’s brows furrowed. “Why not? Don’t you love that restaurant’s food?” I bit my lip, shaking my head again. “No, really, it’s fine. I’m already so grateful for your care all these years.”

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My step-brother, Alex, framed me for his allergic reaction. My three sisters, fueled by his lies, dragged me into the suffocating, airless basement, chaining the door shut from the outside. I weakly pounded on the basement door, begging my sisters to let me out. Scarlett, our eldest sister and a formidable business mogul, glared at me with icy contempt before she left. “You usually pick on Alex, that’s one thing. But knowing he’s allergic to seafood and still deliberately feeding it to him? You were trying to hurt him, weren’t you? Stay down there and think about what you’ve done!” Chloe, the rising singer, and Willow, the prodigious artist, simply scoffed. “Someone as wicked as you, still making excuses and playing the victim? You deserve everything that’s coming to you!” With that, they embraced a trembling Alex and rushed him to the hospital. The oxygen dwindled, each breath a desperate struggle. I died in that darkness, suffocated and alone. Three days later, only when my sisters returned from the hospital with Alex, did they finally remember me. But they didn’t know, I had already perished from oxygen deprivation in that cramped basement.

I died in that basement, starved of oxygen. When I awoke again, my soul was hovering right beside my three sisters. They had just returned to their grand mansion. Scarlett and Chloe were doting on Alex, speaking to him with tender concern: “That’s wonderful, Alex. It’s a good thing we got you to the hospital in time. You’ve recovered so quickly.” Willow, our third sister, was even more solicitous: “The doctor said you’re still weak, Alex. You need to get your strength back.” As she spoke, she piled a generous piece of meat into Alex’s bowl. A house staff member nearby couldn’t help but interject, “Leo hasn’t made a sound in the basement for three days…” Scarlett scoffed, cutting her off sharply, “It’s a happy day, Alex is home from the hospital! Why mention someone who brings such bad luck?” The staff member tried to speak again, but Chloe and Willow silenced her with chilling glares. “Leo must have known about the seafood allergy to deliberately make that seafood stew.” “And here I thought he was finally starting to accept Alex. Turns out, it was all premeditated!” Alex deliberately put on a frightened expression, speaking timidly: “Leo is being punished because of me. He’s been alone in the basement for so many days. He won’t be angry when he comes out, will he?” Scarlett’s face was cold as she replied: “Don’t worry, Alex. We spoiled him before, never taught him a lesson. “After this, he surely won’t dare to bully you again.” As she spoke, she unconsciously pulled out her phone, refreshing her chat with me. But our conversation still ended three days ago. In those three days, I hadn’t sent her a single message or made a call, fueling Scarlett’s anger even further. “So many days have passed, and Leo hasn’t even sent a message to check on Alex!” At that moment, Alex took Scarlett’s hand, feigning fear in his voice: “Let’s not let Leo misunderstand. I just want your company, I don’t want to take anything from him.” Scarlett quickly put down her phone, caressing Alex’s head with a pained look. “Alex, you’re so kind, unlike him. He’s just an ungrateful wretch.” Chloe thought of me, her eyes filled with cold disdain. “Exactly. How dare he try to hurt his own family just to get attention? He’s truly evil!” Willow nodded in full agreement, scoffing, “Unless he realizes his mistake and kneels to apologize to Alex after these three days, I’ll kick him out of this house myself!” I stood beside them, listening to my sisters’ words, feeling only a bitter amusement. Yet, no one could see or hear my spectral form. From the moment our parents passed away, my three sisters had showered me with all their attention. One day, I wished for a playmate my age, so my sisters found Alex at an orphanage. I welcomed Alex with open arms, giving him my whole heart. But he framed me, again and again, driving a wedge between me and my sisters, pushing them further away with each passing day. This time was no different. My three sisters didn’t even give me a chance to explain before locking me in that tiny basement. I struggled desperately, feeling the air grow thin, each breath harder than the last. Pounding on the basement door, I pleaded with my sisters to let me out. But they only looked on with cold indifference, shouting back: “Why are you making such a fuss? This is all your fault! If it weren’t for you, why would Alex be so miserable from his allergy?” “I think we’ve been too good to you, that’s why you keep picking on Alex. Just stay put in there!” With that, Chloe personally wrapped the chains, and Willow even pushed heavy objects against the basement door, cutting off my last shred of hope for escape. Now, watching Alex put on his fake smile for my sisters, I let out another bitter, sarcastic laugh of disappointment. My sisters, the brother who loved you most in the world, has been killed by your own hands!

Alex deliberately tugged on Scarlett’s sleeve, whimpering: “Scarlett, don’t be angry. It’s my fault for being weak and having a seafood allergy. Leo surely didn’t mean it. Please don’t blame him!” Scarlett’s expression hardened instantly, her voice chilling: “We’ve been too lenient with Leo. That’s why he’s grown so arrogant and unruly!” Chloe’s eyes flashed with surging fury: “He’s only grown more narrow-minded with age! If it weren’t for him, why would Alex be like this?” Then, Alex deliberately exposed his arm, still slightly red from the fading allergic reaction, to his three sisters. Willow tenderly caressed the faint red marks on his skin. “Does it still hurt, Alex?” Alex lowered his head, his voice trembling: “It doesn’t… It doesn’t hurt…” Chloe’s anger completely ignited, and she yelled furiously: “If we had waited any longer to go to the hospital, Alex’s life would have been in danger! And after all these days, he hasn’t even sent a message. He shows no remorse!” Scarlett spoke with even greater rage: “Go fetch Leo and make him apologize! I don’t believe he’s so stubborn he can hold out without saying sorry!” Chloe and Willow echoed her fury: “He’s so stubborn because he’s always relied on our support, hasn’t he? Now that he’s done wrong, he must face the consequences!” With that, they turned to the trembling house staff, their voices blazing with anger: “Why are you just standing there? Go and bring that ungrateful wretch to me! And bring the discipline stick too. If Leo hadn’t deliberately put in the seafood, why would Alex have suffered in agony for three days in the hospital?” “It’s time to remind him of the consequences of his actions!” The staff received the order, not daring to disobey, and hurried in my direction. I let out a bitter, desperate laugh. My sisters, without even bothering to investigate, had simply decided I was guilty. Three days ago, Alex wanted some stew, and I, hoping to please him, offered to cook it. He even gave me a small packet of seasoning, saying he wanted this flavor. I tasted it; it was just a simple seafood stew. But who could have known it was his allergen? Scarlett, a business mogul, couldn’t even see through such obvious manipulation and cheap theatrics? Wasn’t that favoritism, pure and simple? In my sisters’ hearts, I was never as important as Alex. My own heart grew increasingly desolate. But it no longer mattered. I was already dead in that basement. My sisters could finally give all their favoritism entirely to Alex. “Scarlett, we’ve called for Leo for a long time, but there’s no movement from him.” “We listened inside, and it sounds like there’s no breathing!” Scarlett’s brows furrowed. She abruptly stood up, her face utterly cold: “What is Leo playing at now? Does he think apologizing to Alex is beneath him?” “Does he even understand that he almost killed Alex this time?” Alex tugged on Scarlett’s sleeve, feigning sadness: “It’s okay. I’m just an orphan. I don’t deserve Leo’s apology.” Scarlett’s anger was completely ignited: “You think I can’t see through these cheap tricks to get attention? “You’re dreaming if you think playing mute will get you off the hook! It seems the punishment I gave him was too light!” “Come on, drag him out. Let’s see how he hides now. He will kneel and apologize to Alex!”

I followed my three sisters’ hurried footsteps, my heart growing ever more desolate. Driven by their blazing fury, my three sisters arrived at the basement door. “Leo, do you think hiding inside and staying silent will let you escape punishment?” But no sound came from the basement. Chloe’s face grew even darker: “Leo, what are you still playing at? Get out here, now, and apologize to Alex!” “Don’t think that by hiding in there, turning off your phone, and ignoring our calls, you can escape responsibility for deliberately harming Alex!” Willow’s eyes were also blazing, and she spoke with furious anger: “Leo, you really think you’re so smart, don’t you? You’re just jealous of how good we are to Alex, so you’re deliberately trying to upset us by staying silent, right?” “Do you really think that by hiding in the basement and playing this stubborn game, you can make us give up?” Still, no sound came from inside the basement. Willow, however, looked at the trembling staff nearby and said coldly: “Why are you all shaking? Tell me the truth. Did Leo bribe you? Did you secretly let him out?” Chloe scoffed: “Given his awful personality, he probably couldn’t stand the basement after we left and got these staff members to let him out.” Willow’s eyes were completely filled with disappointment: “You almost killed Alex, yet you don’t dare take any responsibility? Is this really the brother I know?” “Do you really think you’re our only brother?” At this, a staff member stammered nervously: “Ms. Scarlett, without your orders, we wouldn’t dare let him out!” “Leo truly has been in the basement for three whole days.” Willow looked at the still, silent basement. A flicker of unease suddenly crossed her eyes. She stepped forward and tried to pull the basement door open several times, but it wouldn’t budge. “Leo, are you done yet? I’ve even unlocked the door. Are you still clinging to it and refusing to come out?” I looked at the twisted basement door from the inside, a bitter smile on my face. In my final moments, suffocating, I had desperately tried to break free, hoping to live. But the basement door was incredibly sturdy; I couldn’t even force a crack open, and so I suffocated to death inside. My sisters, when you see my corpse, will you give me even a tiny bit of love, and bury me beside our parents? Willow grew increasingly agitated. She began to kick the door with her foot. The twisted basement door groaned, and a larger gap appeared. A foul, putrid odor wafted out. A staff member nearby trembled, stammering, “It smells like… a corpse!” The other two sisters, still seething, walked closer. “What corpse smell? He clearly ran out ages ago and just threw a dead rat in there to trick us!” “Leo, do you really think we’re that easily fooled?” The three sisters grew more impatient, kicking the door together. The entire basement entrance shuddered again. With a resounding thud, the door was finally kicked open. Along with an even fouler, rotten stench, the small, dark basement was exposed to everyone.

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That summer, when I was eighteen, Chloe and I finally crossed that line. Afterward, I was too excited to sleep a wink, believing my six-year-long secret crush had finally come true. Until the next day, I overheard her friends teasing her: “Wow, Chloe, you totally snagged the hottest guy in class.” I felt a flush of embarrassment, about to slip away unnoticed. Then Chloe’s nonchalant reply drifted over. “I want to go after Jaxon, the ice hockey star from school. I’m just worried he’ll think I’m too inexperienced.” “So, I just used Liam to practice my moves.” I didn’t say a word. In the last possible moment, I quietly switched my university application from Washington D.C. to Chicago. Chloe’s words hit me like a sudden, brutal lightning strike from a clear sky. My mind instantly went blank. In that sweltering summer afternoon, I felt an icy coldness spread through my body. The conversation in the classroom continued, though they seemed to pause for a beat before someone spoke again. “Only Chloe would say that. The hottest guy in class is just practice for her.” Chloe chuckled, unconcerned. “Don’t be silly. He’s not exactly losing out, is he?” Someone immediately chimed in. “True, true. Liam is pretty lean, compared to Jaxon… well, his build just isn’t the same.” Chloe, annoyed, playfully tossed a book at him, cutting off his comment. “It was just a heat-of-the-moment thing, the vibe was there, and honestly, he looked like he was about to burst.” They all exchanged knowing glances, teasing her. “So Liam’s the quiet type on the outside, a total wild card underneath!” “Oh, wow, Chloe, your charm is just too much. Of course, you’d take the opportunity when it’s handed to you.” “Liam’s been after you for years, he finally got what he wanted. He’s probably completely obsessed with you now.” The laughter in the room clearly intensified. My hands clenched into tight fists. It took every ounce of my strength to stay upright, to keep from collapsing at the classroom door. Footsteps approached from the end of the corridor. I snapped back to reality, bolting from the scene. In a panic, I rushed into a bathroom stall.

Chloe’s words echoed in my mind, syllable by syllable. They utterly shredded every last piece of my self-respect. If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I would never have believed that the person who’d been so intimately entwined with me, who’d seemed to lose herself completely in my arms just last night, was the same person. So, you could do something that intimate, even without love. You could lie and deceive, even in the most passionate, irrational moments. What I’d foolishly believed was our destiny, was nothing more than a punchline in their conversations. The more I thought about it, the more miserable I became. A long while later. My phone buzzed with a new message. It was Chloe. [Just cab it home. My friends are having a party tonight, and it’s not really convenient for you to come.] I didn’t reply. I stared at the message, silent for a long time. From dusk till dawn yesterday, Chloe and I had been all over each other, again and again. Finally, we were both exhausted. Before I fell asleep in her arms, she was still whispering softly to me. “It was our first time, and we weren’t fully prepared. You really went all out tonight.” Back then, I thought she genuinely cared about me, that I had finally found my happiness. And now… In an instant, I sobered up considerably. I dug my nails into my palms, took a deep breath, and walked out of the bathroom. When I got home, I felt like all my strength had drained away. Ever since Chloe’s family moved in next door, I’d trailed after her like a puppy, for ten whole years. I’d never imagined what a world without her would be like. And I certainly didn’t dare to. But from now on, I was on my own. Outside my floor-to-ceiling window, lights came on one by one, then faded out. I don’t know how much time passed before my buddy, Ryan, video-called me. “Liam, how come you didn’t come to our party with Chloe tonight? Jaxon from the next class is here, and with you gone, he’s practically glued to her side. They’re making everyone sick.” Ryan flipped his camera.

In a dimly lit corner of the lounge, Chloe and Jaxon, the ice hockey star, sat close together. Jaxon wore a simple black t-shirt, accentuating his broad shoulders, making him look effortlessly cool and totally eye-catching. They’d clearly carved out their own space, separate from the others. Even when they talked, it was like they were whispering conspiratorially, sharing private secrets. Even through the phone, I could feel a thick, undeniable tension between them. My chest tightened, a suffocating gasp caught in my throat. Chloe just said she wanted to go after him this afternoon, and it looks like she already sealed the deal tonight. During a round of ‘Truth or Dare,’ Jaxon got a prompt to do push-ups over a female guest. As expected, Chloe immediately stepped forward. The crowd immediately went wild. Chloe’s cheeks flushed crimson as she demurely lay back on the couch. Jaxon hovered above her, doing dozens of push-ups in one go. He was incredibly careful, his body barely hovering over hers, trying his best not to touch her. Until the very last one. Whether he genuinely lost his strength or it was a calculated move, I couldn’t tell. He failed to hold himself up and collapsed directly onto Chloe. The room erupted in deafening cheers, loud enough to blow the roof off. Chloe and Jaxon’s faces flushed an even deeper red. Amidst the crazy uproar, Chloe, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, simply tilted her head back and locked lips with Jaxon. They completely lost themselves in the moment, sharing a deep, passionate kiss as if no one else existed. It lasted a full three minutes before they reluctantly pulled apart. For those agonizing three minutes, I stared, unblinking, at the screen, so numb I almost forgot to breathe. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart, a searing pain. I wanted to cry so badly, but I’d cried too much that afternoon and had no tears left. “They were totally making out, Liam, did you see that? She’s completely into him.” Ryan sighed, then turned the camera away and stepped out of the lounge. He found a quiet corner and seriously tried to reason with me. “Liam, don’t be mad at me. If I hadn’t let you see it with your own eyes, you’d never give up on her.” My throat was dry and hoarse, the words that came out were rough and indistinct. “No, I don’t blame you.” It’s all on me for being such a fool for all these years. I always thought that because I was allowed to be by Chloe’s side, that spot was automatically mine. “I just couldn’t stand Chloe. How could she, knowing you’d liked her for years, still play this innocent game, stringing you along, watching you fall deeper and deeper?” “You saw it for yourself just now. I really hope you think hard about this. Don’t let her waste another four years of your life in college…” “I won’t, Ryan.” I cut him off, stating calmly. “I won’t give myself another chance.” “Ryan, I’ve decided. I’m going to university in Chicago with you.” “But you have to promise to keep it a secret for now.”

After saying that, to stop myself from wavering, I opened my laptop right in front of him. Without a second thought, I pulled up my application portal and, just before the early decision deadline, changed my top choice to that renowned university in Chicago. Ryan was, naturally, over the moon. He’d been begging me to apply to the same university for ages. But when we first entered high school, Chloe and I had made a pact: we’d work hard together after our SATs and head hand-in-hand to her dream school in Washington D.C., where she’d always wanted to study her favorite major. So, even though I didn’t particularly love Washington D.C. or feel any connection to that specific STEM-focused university, for three years of high school, I kept it as my goal. After years of being neighbors, both our parents were happy for us to apply to the same university. Everyone, myself included, thought Chloe and I would naturally become a couple once we were adults. But now, I couldn’t find a single reason to go to Washington D.C. Or rather, after today, if I continued to cling to Chloe like before, I’d never be able to look myself in the mirror again. I just wanted to get as far away as possible. Anywhere was fine, as long as Chloe wasn’t there. If she was in Washington D.C., then I’d go to Chicago.

Before bed, I turned on the shower, desperate to wash away the lingering stickiness of it all. But as I peeled off my clothes, the marks on my skin were still painfully obvious. Memories from last night surged back, uncontrollable. The burning heat of her skin as we clung together, the scorching breaths against my ear in the throes of passion—the warmth seemed to still linger in the air. I shook my head hard, trying to dislodge those absurd images. Then I found the roughest loofah I could find and scrubbed my skin repeatedly, until my whole body was raw and red, before finally stopping. I was clumsily trying to erase what felt like the most humiliating memory of my life. The result was so much pain that I couldn’t sleep well all night. Chloe, as expected, didn’t send any more messages. Breaking the six-year unbroken streak of goodnight texts we’d shared since we first got phones. This was probably for the best. It was bound to happen eventually. It’s time to go cold turkey, starting tonight. I drifted in and out of sleep, finally drifting off just before dawn. I was still in a deep sleep the next morning when I suddenly felt someone press a soft kiss to my forehead in my dream.

I jolted awake. Opening my eyes, I saw her familiar chin. The scent that enveloped me was her favorite cedarwood, along with a faint, unfamiliar hint of lemon. I’d almost forgotten, Chloe always knew my front door code. Seeing me awake, Chloe simply lowered her head, a playful smile on her face, trying to steal a kiss. I turned my head, dodging her. I pushed her away and scrambled to the other side of the bed. Chloe paused, then chuckled. “What, still playing hard to get?” I didn’t say anything, just pulled the duvet up, burying my head. Chloe started teasing me as she pulled back the covers. “Liam, you’re getting bold, aren’t you? Didn’t even say goodnight last night, and even turned off your phone before bed.” “Now you’re hiding from me?” She swiftly slipped under the covers with me. I didn’t have time to react before she wrapped her arms around me. “How many times have I told you not to skip breakfast?” “I even went for a half-hour run just to get you these. Your favorite gourmet muffins. I stood in line for ages.” “Do you want to get up and eat now, or do you want to… be eaten first…” Her breath was so close, and her hand started to trace patterns on my skin. Shaking off my grogginess, I started to struggle. I honestly couldn’t understand what she was thinking. She already had Jaxon, why was she still messing with me? “What’s with the mood?” “Still sulking? Is it really just because I didn’t bring you to the party last night?” I stayed silent. She buried her face in my neck and laughed. “Let me guess, did your ‘good’ friend Ryan rat me out?” “It was just a party game. Are you seriously getting jealous over that?” “It’s always the same with you; the moment I even look at another guy, you turn into a moody silent type.” I was seething, utterly speechless. I blindly jabbed my elbow backward, catching her sharply just below the ribs. While she winced in pain and curled up, I scrambled out of bed. “Liam!” She clutched her side, her face flushed, beads of sweat on her forehead. I quickly pulled on the first t-shirt I found over my sweats and hurried to the living room. I didn’t want to be in the same room as her, especially not my bedroom. A short while later, Chloe walked out, looking both annoyed and exasperated. Chloe walked to the dining table, picked up a coffee, and offered it to me. “Here, have something to eat first, then be angry. Your stomach’s always been sensitive.” I didn’t say anything, didn’t reach for it. Chloe’s hand, holding the coffee, hung in the air for a long time before she finally lost patience. “What is it, Liam?” “Sulking needs a reason, and a limit, you know?” I replied coldly, “I’m not good enough.” Chloe’s anger flared. She slammed the coffee cup down on the end table. She used too much force. The cheap paper cup tore, and coffee instantly seeped into the plush carpet. “What do you mean?” “Who do you think you are, Liam?” “We hooked up once consensually, and now you think you own me? You want to control me? Do you have any idea how much pressure that puts on me?” Her tone was harsher than I’d ever heard it. In an instant, I abruptly turned my head, my jaw clenched so hard I thought it would crack. Yesterday’s humiliation and today’s awkwardness surged over me, choking my throat, leaving me speechless. Chloe clearly hadn’t anticipated my reaction. She froze for a moment, then softened her tone. “I’m sorry, I drank too much last night. I was a little impulsive just now.” She knelt down, trying to get closer, but I dodged her again. She froze, her hand suspended in mid-air. Just as she was about to continue coaxing me, her phone suddenly pinged. She glanced at her phone, her face suddenly paling, and abruptly stood up to leave. “I have something urgent to do. You just cool down. And stop being so dramatic all the time, can you just grow up?”

Less than half an hour after she left, Ryan sent me a screenshot. Jaxon’s SnapChat story. [A simple ‘I’m hungry,’ and boom, breakfast. Feeling like there’s definitely a mutual crush brewing here.] The picture showed the exact same gourmet muffins, in identical packaging, as the ones on my kitchen counter. I didn’t reply. I just quietly knelt down, carefully cleaning the coffee Chloe had spilled. I tried for a long time, but with a heavy heart, I realized the stain on the plush wool rug had seeped deep, impossible to scrub out. In a sudden burst of anger, I decided to just throw the entire rug away. Anyway, Chloe and her parents had spent an entire afternoon picking this out for me during their trip to Morocco, even lugging it back by hand. While I was at it, I gathered up all of Chloe’s things left at my place, and all the gifts she’d ever given me, big and small. Even all the photos of us together. I spent the whole day sorting and packing them all up. Then I threw everything away. I figured she wouldn’t want these old scraps anyway. After Chloe left that day, there was no news from her for several days. I guess things with the ice hockey star were progressing smoothly. Or maybe she was waiting for me to give in. In every past cold war, I was always the first to back down, without exception. But this time, I didn’t look for her. There was no need to anymore. I blocked her on SnapChat and her phone number, changed my front door code, and deleted all my social media accounts. After doing all that, I called my parents, who were away on a business trip, to discuss my plans. I told them I wanted to spend the summer in Mexico with Aunt Sarah. My plan was that after summer, I would go straight to university registration in Chicago with Ryan. Aside from Ryan, no one else knew I had applied to a school in Chicago. This plan should perfectly avoid any chance encounters with Chloe. My mom teased me on the phone, “Oh, so you and Chloe are going on vacation together?” I made up an excuse, not wanting to explain too much. I just told her I wanted to spend time with Aunt Sarah and Grandma Rose. I begged my dad to book me the earliest flight, planning to fly out that very night. As I was leaving the house, I unluckily ran into Mrs. Thompson at the gate of my villa. She warmly greeted me, pulling me into a quick chat. “Liam, why are you alone? Chloe isn’t here to pick you up? Didn’t she say she was taking you skiing in New Zealand? Have a great time, sweetie. I’m all for it.” I found it a bit strange. During senior year, when we were studying for our college entrance exams, I had indeed mentioned to Chloe that I wanted to go skiing in New Zealand, to experience winter in the Southern Hemisphere. But given how things were between us now, I couldn’t imagine us traveling together. However, time was running short, so I just mumbled a few vague replies and left. But what I didn’t expect was to run into Chloe at the airport.

She was with a group of friends. Jaxon was there too. Jaxon, ever the gentleman, carried a designer handbag in one hand, his other arm casually draped around Chloe. They walked at the back of the group. Every now and then, Jaxon would turn his head to say something to her, and Chloe would patiently tilt her head up to listen. Unlike us. I’d always towered over Chloe, even as a kid, and grew even taller. With her, I always had to bend down to talk. But with Jaxon, she looked up, her gaze fixed on him. That’s how she acts with someone she truly cares about. I took a deep breath. I told myself to have some self-respect. Whatever she did was none of my business. One more stupid thought like that, and I’d slap myself. But there seemed to be only one path to the boarding gate. I could only follow distantly behind them. Finally, mercifully, we reached the gate, where the path split. Chloe seemed to get distracted. She tried calling several times, but nothing seemed to connect. She kept fiddling with her phone, her brow furrowed. Finally, she borrowed a friend’s phone, her face darkening, and headed toward the restrooms. A moment later, my phone suddenly rang. It was an unfamiliar number. “Liam, you’re really digging in your heels this time, aren’t you? So I have to be the one to reach out?” “And you blocked me?” “If you’re so tough, then just keep ignoring me. But when you get to university in Washington D.C., all alone in a new city, let’s see who’s there to take care of you then.” Chloe’s voice was sharp, a rapid-fire torrent of accusations. I didn’t say anything; there was no way to respond to that. But Chloe seemed to get even angrier. “I don’t have time for this. Just add me back on SnapChat, now.” “I’m going out of the country with some friends for a few days, so my phone might be off. Don’t go getting all dramatic and worried, okay?” I couldn’t be bothered to offer a single word. I hung up immediately and turned off my phone. I watched, from a distance, as Chloe, her face still stormy, returned to her spot. She huffily grabbed Jaxon’s hand, didn’t hesitate, and walked directly towards the left boarding gate. I sighed and turned to walk towards the right.

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It had been five years since I was kicked out, and I ran into my brother at a fancy bar. He was the VIP, casually dropping thousands on Skylar, the daughter of a prominent family friend. Me? I was just a bottle girl, working for commission based on how many bottles I sold. All night, we pretended the other didn’t exist. Until I, deadpan, chugged two bottles of whiskey for a measly fifty dollars in tips. Watching the color drain from my face, he pursed his lips and spoke, his voice ice-cold: “You’d rather do this kind of work than come home and admit you were wrong?” “Aubrey, you’re really something.” I just gave a noncommittal smile, extending my hand toward him. “Fifty dollars. Cash, or Zelle?” Silence fell over the private room. Everyone stared at me, their expressions a mix of disbelief and amusement. Someone snickered. My brother, Jackson Brook, sitting on the plush sofa, instantly scowled. He was embarrassed. Fifty dollars. For someone like him, it wouldn’t even cover a coffee. But here I was, humiliating myself by chugging two bottles of top-shelf liquor. Skylar, his socialite friend, sneered at me. “Jackson’s been waiting for you to come home. And this is what you’re doing? Doesn’t it feel dirty?” I shot her a look. “It’s honest work. What’s dirty about it? I’m not selling myself.” She scoffed. “Are you that desperate for money? Drink two more bottles, and I’ll add another fifty.” As her words hung in the air, the onlookers started egging me on. “Drink it! If Skylar adds fifty, I’ll add fifty too!” “You add, I add! I’ll throw in a hundred!” Without hesitation, I reached for another bottle. The door to the private room suddenly swung open. Mr. Davies, the manager, scurried in, a sycophantic grin plastered on his face. He pushed me aside and asked Jackson, fawning: “Mr. Brook, has our employee done something wrong?” “Please don’t be angry, sir. She can be a bit blunt. If she…” “Are you going to drink for her?” Jackson cut him off coldly, his eyes slowly narrowing. Sweat beaded on Mr. Davies’ forehead. He didn’t want to stick up for me, but he also didn’t want trouble if I collapsed from drinking. He chuckled nervously. “That’s too much alcohol, even for a grown man, let alone a young woman.” “Drink up, or get out!” Jackson frowned impatiently, pulling a wad of bills from his wallet and slamming them onto Mr. Davies. “Fifty thousand dollars. Aubrey isn’t going anywhere tonight. If you try to stop her again, this bar can forget about opening tomorrow!” Mr. Davies fumbled to pocket the money, his face practically beaming. He couldn’t care less about me now. He mumbled a quick thank you and strode away proudly. All eyes were on me again. Jackson sneered. “What? Don’t want the money anymore?” I walked over, emotionless, grabbed a bottle, and chugged it down. Having already downed two, my stomach was twisting in knots. So this bottle went down slowly, drawing a fresh wave of mockery. Jackson’s face grew darker and darker. As I finished one bottle and stumbled over to grab the next, he suddenly grabbed my wrist. “Are you trying to kill yourself, Aubrey?!” “I want the money.” I pulled my hand free, snatched the bottle, and poured it into my mouth. I actually had a plan. The lighting in the room was dim. I could pretend to lose my grip while drinking. No one would notice if I spilled a little. But just as I took a sip, a stinging slap landed hard across my face. SMACK! I froze, stunned, and the bottle slipped from my hand, shattering on the floor. Jackson gritted his teeth, furious. “For money, are you really that shameless?!” “Stop drinking! Even if you die, I won’t give you a cent!” The alcohol hit me hard, and everything started to blur. That voice, buried deep in my heart for five years, suddenly roared in my ears: “You sold Mom’s keepsake for money?! Did you lack for anything? Why didn’t you just sell yourself instead?!” “Get out! I don’t have a sister anymore!”

Five years ago, Skylar royally screwed me over. She stole Mom’s mementoes from Jacksond sold them, then blamed it on me. Jackson was furious, accusing me of selling them. He interrogated me non-stop about where I’d sold them, but I had no idea. I told him it was Skylar’s scheme, that she just hated how good he was to me. But he just wouldn’t believe me. Stealing, disrespect, and stubbornness. Each accusation hit a nerve with him. With Skylar adding fuel to the fire, he confiscated all my money and kicked me out of the house. For the first six months, I managed pretty well. I found a sales job, enough to support myself with a little left over. But after six months, everything changed. Jackson called me for the only time in five years. His first words were: “Aren’t you coming back to admit your mistake? Just tell me where you sold it, and I’ll forgive you.” Stubborn, I roared back at him: “I told you it wasn’t me! Didn’t you hear? Ask your ‘good friend’ Skylar, she’s the one who sold it!” Jackson hung up immediately. That same day, I was fired. He spread the word throughout the entire city: anyone who dared to help me would be crossing him. So, for the next few years, I couldn’t find any legitimate work. I could only do odd jobs in nightclubs. He seemed to be doing it on purpose, not only boldly announcing Skylar as the sole heir to the company. He even took her to interviews, galas, and auctions. He was always spending lavishly, millions at a time. His and Skylar’s faces were constantly on the financial news channel. While I hid in the shadows, drinking myself sick just to survive. I developed stomach cancer. These past few years, I’d desperately sought treatment, spending all my money. I took out many high-interest loans, but it still wasn’t enough. The specialized medication was too expensive, and chemotherapy was beyond my means. I even called Jackson once, asking for money. He cut me off impatiently after just a few words. “Money, money, money! Is that all you care about?!” “Don’t even think about getting a cent from me until you come back and apologize. Just go die out there for all I care!” That phone call, that was when I completely lost all hope of living. I was just so tired, truly. If he wanted me dead, then I’d die. At least, the pain would stop. A month ago, I ordered an urn for myself. After scraping together what I could, I was still fifty dollars short for the final payment. The vendor called almost every day, hounding me. I thought I’d finally have enough today. But who knew Jackson would give the manager fifty thousand dollars, yet refuse to spare me fifty? He left the bar with his entourage, a huge fuss. While I was in the bathroom, throwing up until the world spun. Only one thought echoed in my mind. Three bottles of liquor, all for nothing. Leo, the supervisor, was smoking next to me. “How did you piss off Mr. Brook so badly? His face was green when he left. What’s your relationship with him?” My stomach was cramping, and my head was spinning. I could barely keep my eyes open, clinging to the toilet to keep from falling in. “I don’t know him. An enemy, I guess.”

The next day, I was woken by my phone ringing. It was Mr. Henderson, the urn vendor. “Ms. Aubrey, when are you going to pay the rest? It’s just fifty dollars, do you really need a whole month?” “If you can’t pay within three days, I won’t hold it for you, and the deposit is non-refundable!” My voice was hoarse with desperation. “Please give me more time. I get paid in two weeks, then I’ll—” “Can’t wait two weeks!” He cut me off, his tone unpleasant. “I’ve never seen anyone like you, dragging their feet even for an urn.” “If you don’t have the money, don’t order something so expensive in the first place!” I wanted to say more, but before I could, he hung up. My head was pounding. I called Mr. Davies, hoping to get an advance on my paycheck. But his response was even more ruthless. “Just letting you know, you don’t need to come to work today.” “And there’s no way we can pay you. If Jackson says so, there’s nothing we can do.” My head spun. My voice cracked with urgency. “What you’re doing is illegal! I’ll file a lawsuit!” Mr. Davies scoffed. “A lawsuit? Go ahead. Jackson said he’ll bear any consequences. His legal team is top-notch. If you insist on running headfirst into trouble, there’s nothing I can do.” With that, the call was disconnected again. A knot of frustration tightened in my chest, refusing to go up or down. My face was pale with discomfort, and my throat tasted like rust. Suddenly, a mouthful of fresh blood gushed out. I stared at the glaring red puddle, and the tears I’d been holding back finally streamed down my face. After a long moment, I pulled out some tissues and wiped the blood away. Then, with practiced ease, I pulled out my painkillers and swallowed them whole. After all that, I barely had any strength left. Leaning against the bed, I replayed the last five years since I was kicked out. I suddenly realized that every single one of my backup plans had been cut off by Jackson himself. Now, I couldn’t even work at a nightclub anymore. Just eating became a struggle, let alone affording painkillers or the urn. All I wanted was a quiet corner to rest in when I died. What was so wrong with that? I buried my face in my hands and sobbed, crying until the afternoon, before I managed to regain some strength. Looking at my trembling hands, I finally decided to go home. I needed to ask Jackson, why he was doing this to me!

When I arrived home, Jackson and Skylar were having dinner. He glanced at me, his voice devoid of emotion. “Finally decided to come back?” “Why did you get Mr. Davies to fire me?” I countered, my face expressionless, completely ignoring his question. “It’s been five years. Haven’t you humiliated me enough?” He raised an eyebrow, completely unconcerned. “How else would you know that home is best unless you suffered a little?” “Aubrey, do you know what people are saying about you out there? I’ve been keeping the worst of it from you, and you’re not even grateful?” Skylar put down her forks and spoke sarcastically. “Jackson, Aubrey doesn’t understand how good you are to her. Look at her, she’s clearly blaming you!” “Shut up!” I couldn’t take it anymore and lunged forward, raising my hand to slap her. But the next second, Jackson grabbed my wrist. His face was cold as ice, his voice chilling. “Now you’ve learned to hit people? I guess you’ll never realize where you went wrong!” “Do you really think I can’t make life impossible for you in this city?” My heart clenched, as if someone had squeezed it tight. Impossible life? Hadn’t he been doing that for years? One by one, destroying my jobs, crushing my hopes. Leaving me worse than a rat in a gutter, tattered and broken, unable to even afford an urn. I’d had enough, enough of his threats! My emotions burst, and I screamed in despair, “I didn’t do anything wrong!” “Jackson, if you don’t want me to live, then I’ll just die, okay?!” “I’ll go to hell, you can’t control that, can you?!” He seemed enraged by my words, a vein throbbing in his temple. “Even in death, you’ll still owe me!” With that, he shoved me. It wasn’t a hard push, but I still lost my balance and fell. My lower back hit the dining table, sending a sharp pain through me. My face went instantly pale, and cold sweat broke out. A flicker of regret crossed Jackson’s eyes, then he turned his back on me. “Until Mom’s mementoes are recovered, you don’t even have the right to die!” He said, then quickly left. I was in too much pain to get up. Skylar stood over me, arms crossed, looking down. “Aubrey, look at you now, so pathetic, isn’t it?” “How about this? You kneel and beg me, and I’ll tell you who bought that worthless bracelet, okay?” I glared at her, my eyes blazing, wishing I could tear her apart. But I knew I didn’t even have the strength to hit her. Five years of humiliating survival, and now, even in death, I couldn’t have a shred of dignity. Jackson’s words still echoed in my ears: “Until Mom’s mementoes are recovered, you don’t even have the right to die!” “Even in death, you’ll still owe me!” Fine. If I found the mementoes, then I could finally die in peace, right? I desperately wiped the tears from my face, knelt at Skylar’s feet, and bowed my head to the ground three times. “Please, tell me where Mom’s mementoes are.” Before, when she plotted against me, I would fight back with all my might. But these past few times, I hadn’t even argued. Skylar suddenly seemed to lose interest. She simply tossed a piece of paper at me. “That’s the address. But Aubrey, you still have to be able to get it back, you know!”

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My cousin and I chose our beast companions at the same time. In my life before last, I chose a werewolf, and my cousin got a merman. The werewolf was deeply, madly in love with my cousin, and he watched me being torn to shreds. Then, he took the crystal I’d died for and shamelessly offered it to her. In my last life, I stayed far away from the werewolf and chose the merman. But to my horror, the merman was also attracted to my cousin. He drowned me and then threw himself into her arms. This was my second rebirth. Facing these two shifters, both highly recommended by my mother, I wanted neither of them. Just as I was agonizing over my choice, a streak of black flashed past. Overjoyed, I grabbed it and immediately declared, “I’ll take this one!” Then, before anyone could react, I quickly formed a contract with it. “Damn it!” As the silver light, symbolizing the completed contract, flashed, a voice echoed simultaneously in my mind. “Contracting with me… are you trying to die again?”

Serena, my cousin, is a year younger than me. She was supposed to choose her beast companion a year later. But she was so favored by the clan elders that she convinced them to let her choose a shifter with me, a year early. The two shifters my mother had carefully selected for me now had to be split, with one going to Serena. “Rowan, just choose the one you want,” my mother, Eleanor, said. In my life before last, that’s exactly what I did. I chose the werewolf, Kael, the strongest in the clan in both speed and power. Serena got the merman, Orion. But after Kael and I contracted, he was always off his game. I thought he just wasn’t used to it, and I wanted to give him time to adjust. Yet, as he watched me being torn to shreds by other shifters, Kael suddenly leaped up, killing them swiftly with a power I’d never seen him use. He stood over my dying body, with not a shred of remorse: “The biggest mistake you ever made was choosing me, keeping me from Serena.” It turned out Kael had always liked my cousin and harbored a deep resentment towards me for it. So, when I was reborn in my last life, I didn’t hesitate to choose Orion, the merman. Orion had a gentle nature; surely, he wouldn’t hurt me. But I never imagined he, too, would fall for Serena. For her sake, the supposedly gentle Orion lured me to his native waters and, with the help of his clan, drowned me. After I died, he sat by the water’s edge, his gaze lowered. “I’m sorry, but I really, truly love Serena. I love her to the point of madness.” This time, I was reborn again. Right back to this moment of choosing a beast companion. The clan elders were impatiently urging me now: “Rowan, how much longer will you drag this out? Serena is waiting behind you!” I glanced at Kael, who wore a menacing glare, then at Orion, who was stealing glances at Serena. My head was spinning. I quietly asked Eleanor if I could choose no one. Eleanor firmly said, “No.” “Rowan, are you worried about their strength? These are shifters I personally handpicked. Kael is a once-in-a-generation talent, unmatched in speed and strength, and Orion is their clan’s prince, with a strong possibility of becoming the Merman King.” The situation was urgent; I couldn’t explain what had happened to me to my mother right now. “Rowan, just make your choice. Serena can only pick from whoever is left.” Eleanor’s eyes swept across the crowd, her words carried serious weight. “I know many in the clan disapprove of me, but none of them have the power to undermine my authority yet.” But even if Eleanor said that, I couldn’t choose no shifter at all. This was a thousand-year-old rule of the Witch Clan; every member had to choose a beast companion at the contracting ceremony. If I just left without a contract, Eleanor would surely be targeted and criticized by the elders. Yet, neither of these shifters would truly be loyal to me. As long as they fell for Serena, my life would still be on the line. Just then, a black streak shot past. It was slender, fast, and no one but me seemed to notice it. An unfamiliar, untransformed little snake, but it carried the distinct scent of a shifter. I was overjoyed. I grabbed it and announced on the spot, “I’ll take this one!” Then, before anyone could react, I quickly formed a contract with it. “Damn it!” As the silver light, symbolizing the completed contract, flashed, a voice echoed simultaneously in my mind. “Contracting with me… are you trying to die again?” I opened my eyes to a mix of bewildered and appalled looks from everyone. Serena, barely containing her glee, loudly declared: “Cousin, after all that fuss, you chose *this*? A puny little snake?” An elder angrily shouted, “Rowan, how could you act so irresponsibly?” I raised my arm, showing them the contract mark on my wrist. “How am I playing games with you? I already have a beast companion, don’t I?” Seeing the unique glyph symbolizing the contract between a witch and a shifter, they finally believed that the little snake in my hand was indeed a shifter. Next, it was Serena’s turn to choose her beast. Only then did I get a moment to lift the little snake in a secluded spot. “You said ‘die again’ earlier. What did you mean?” “You have the nerve to ask?” The snake didn’t open its mouth, but its voice resonated directly in my mind. A deep, resonant male voice, laced with gritted-teeth frustration. “I can’t transform yet, and I’ve been forcibly bound to you. In your last life, and the life before that, you died twice, and I died right along with you, twice!” “Each time, just as I was on the verge of regaining my human form, you went and got yourself killed!”

“Ah, so that’s it. What a coincidence, we have quite a history, don’t we?” Thinking that someone had been reborn with me twice… it was a strange feeling. “Heh, heh,” the little snake dryly chuckled, “I’m not exactly thrilled about this kind of ‘history’.” I said cheerfully, “We’ll be fighting together from now on. You have to protect me, okay?” He snapped, “You should be grateful I haven’t killed you myself.” I looked at Serena, who was still pondering between Kael and Orion in the distance, and asked the little snake: “Who do you think she’ll choose?” “How should I know?” “Then, in your opinion, who’s stronger?” His slender snake body wriggled in my grasp, his critique merciless. “Both are weak.” I gave up on getting an answer from the little snake and focused on Serena. But then, she turned her head and looked at me. “Serena, who do you think I should choose?” As soon as she spoke, everyone present fell silent, awaiting my answer. Whether Serena followed my advice or not, the unchosen shifter would undoubtedly hate me to their core. She was using me to stir up trouble. I smirked. “Why not take both, Serena?” “Both shifters are so exceptional. I’m sure you’d be more than willing to dedicate your witch power for them.” Actually, each witch could contract with more than one shifter. But contracting with beast companions consumed a witch’s magic. Contracting with multiple shifters would drain a witch’s strength, even shortening their lifespan. Sure enough, the moment I finished speaking, Serena’s face changed. She forced down her reluctance, smiled, and said, “I was just kidding. I already have someone in mind.” She walked towards the taller, more muscular werewolf, slit her fingertip, and dripped blood onto Kael’s forehead. A silver light appeared, and the contract was sealed. Kael gave a triumphant glance at the frustrated Merman Prince, then knelt on one knee the next second. “I am Kael. I will protect you, forever and always.” I sighed, recalling the past. He had watched me indifferently as I stood in front of him, single-handedly fending off other shifters’ attacks. Back then, he wasn’t nearly as devoted. “What a foolish woman,” Silas, the little snake, sneered. “If you can’t beat them, why didn’t you run? And didn’t you know his heart wasn’t with you, that he probably wished you’d die sooner?” “How was I supposed to know back then!” I shot back angrily. Silas fell silent. After a long while, he awkwardly mumbled, “My name is Silas.” The contracting ceremony was over. I had planned to leave and explain to Eleanor why I hadn’t chosen the shifters she’d prepared for me. But it turned out, the show wasn’t quite finished. Orion, the merman, his face pale, grabbed Serena’s hand and gave her a desperate, pleading look. “Serena, are you really not going to choose me?” “I have sonic attacks; I can instantly kill anyone within a mile radius. I also have healing abilities; no matter what injuries you suffer, I can heal you.” Silas chuckled softly. “He’s capable of far more than that.” I asked him what Orion’s greatest strength was, but he clammed up again. But no matter how much Orion begged, Serena cruelly let go of his hand. “I already have Kael.” “But you can contract two shifters!” Orion pleaded frantically. Serena shot me a resentful glance. She roughly shook off Orion’s hand, but still tried to maintain her sweet, innocent facade. “Sorry, Kael is enough for me.” I had planned to make up a reason for Eleanor, explaining why I hadn’t chosen the shifters she’d prepared. After all, something like being reborn wasn’t something I could explain quickly. Especially not being reborn twice. But she said, “If you have something difficult to explain, you don’t have to. I believe in my daughter, no matter what.” Reborn twice, the only constant was my mother’s unwavering faith in me. I had died confused and inexplicably both times; I couldn’t imagine her pain. Even if it was just for Eleanor, I had to become stronger. With that thought, I looked at Silas with determination. “Now that we’re contracted, the next step is training together.”

Silas, too, was busy enhancing his own power, but he didn’t train with me. He was out early and back late, always on his own. Three months later, Silas finally learned to transform into his human form. That night, he returned earlier than usual. As soon as I saw him, I pulled various fruits from the fridge. Just as I was about to pop a grape into his mouth, a white mist suddenly swirled from somewhere. A strong hand reached out from the mist and gripped my wrist. Then, I saw a tall, powerfully built man with dark hair, sculpted like a Greek god. Looking further down, I saw his solid, chiseled chest, and… He wasn’t wearing any clothes! I quickly averted my eyes: “Silas, you just transformed suddenly! Quick… quick, put some clothes on!” He was actually really handsome… I shoved down the faint flutter in my chest and popped the grape into my own mouth. But to my surprise, Silas snatched the grape directly from my mouth and ate it! What a domineering snake! After that, Silas’s attitude changed completely. He followed me everywhere, even when I wanted to go to the bathroom… This wasn’t good, because Silas didn’t help me fight off the brutal shifters. In fact, under his powerful presence, no shifter dared to even approach me. After grueling training, we decided to take a few days off. Eleanor specifically came to the training grounds to pick me up. “Mother!” I excitedly ran to her. Eleanor scanned me from head to toe, an approving smile gracing her lips. “Rowan, you’ve improved so much.” I affectionately leaned on her shoulder. “Of course!” The peaceful moment shattered as an unwelcome voice cut through the air. It was Serena. “Rowan, you’ve really improved quickly. Got some secret potion no one else knows about?” she sneered. As soon as Serena said that, the expressions of the other clan members who had come to pick me up changed. It was as if I was hiding some secret and refusing to share it with the clan. I shook my head. “I’ve been training hard for six months. What have you been doing this past half-year? Oh, I remember. Probably busy with your love life.” Serena blushed and said, “I’m not having a love life; I’m cultivating a bond with my Kael.” At that, quite a few people chuckled. “You don’t seriously think that to become a powerful witch, all you need is a good bond with your contracted shifter, do you?” Just as Serena was at a loss for words, Kael, her werewolf, swiftly appeared by her side and wrapped her protectively in his arms. Kael’s speed amazed everyone. Kael tilted his head slightly. “Are you suggesting my strength isn’t enough and Serena needs to suffer extra hardships?” No one spoke; they all acknowledged Kael’s power. Kael put his arm around Serena and left. Before leaving, he glanced our way. But he seemed to completely miss Silas, standing right behind me.

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The Stone family, one of the wealthiest in the city, had three sons who grew up with me since childhood. Mr. Stone asked me to pick one of the three to be my husband. Matteus, the oldest, was the first to state his opinion. “I’d rather stay single for life than marry her.” Noah, the second brother, chimed in. “Then I’d rather die than marry her.” Caleb, the youngest, quipped with a sneer. “If my brothers, Matteus and Noah, wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole, why would I? I’m not some charity case for unwanted goods.” But I wasn’t trash. I was Avery Hayes, the daughter of a New York billionaire, staying with them temporarily, and they were definitely not who I was marrying. “Avery, I’m not marrying you. Get that idea out of your head, seriously.” Matteus, the oldest, glared at me with his usual icy expression. I knew he was saying this because of Chloe, the girl the Stone family adopted. I was clutching a secret, desperate to tell him, but before I could even open my mouth, Noah, the second brother, chimed in. “Don’t even *think* about marrying me. The thought of it makes me want to die. If you’re so desperate to get hitched, I’ll ask one of the security guards at our law firm to do you a favor.” Noah was always the most verbally abusive of the Stones, especially when it came to me. Caleb, the youngest, looked at me with pure disgust. “You better tell my dad you’re not interested in marrying any of us yourself, or I’ll make sure your reputation is in tatters.” Caleb hated me the most in the Stone family. He genuinely believed I’d stolen the affection that belonged to Chloe the moment I arrived. Chloe was the adopted daughter of the Stones, practically groomed to marry one of the sons once she graduated college. I’d been living with the Stone family since I was sixteen. At first, the three brothers were reasonably polite. But after just a month, everyone but Matteus started treating me like I was a plague. All because Chloe would constantly cry and whine to them, claiming I was trying to steal all three brothers for myself. The truth was, I’d been engaged to a wealthy New York family since I was a kid. My parents were going abroad for business and couldn’t take me with them, so my dad called up his best friend, Mr. Stone, to look after me. Only Mr. Stone knew my true identity. My dad was worried that if the Stones knew who I really was, they’d treat me like a princess and turn me into a spoiled brat. So he asked Mr. Stone to keep it under wraps. Seven years I’d lived there, and seven years I’d been despised by the Stone brothers. Thinking about it, a mischievous idea suddenly sparked in my mind. “Whether I marry one of you or not is up to Mr. Stone and my dad. I don’t get a say.” My dad never actually intended for me to marry into their family, but *I* had a crush on Matteus. Mr. Stone, seeing through my crush, never let on. He just figured he’d let me pick one myself. So, today, Mr. Stone decided it was time for me to make my choice. “How about you choose one of my three sons to be your husband? I’ll handle your father.” I was thrilled. My plan was to choose Matteus and then talk my dad into it. With how outstanding Matteus was, I figured my dad wouldn’t object. But as soon as the three brothers heard the news, they absolutely erupted. Seeing my refusal, the brothers all went beet red with fury. Suddenly, Martha, our housekeeper, came rushing in. “Young masters, you have to go help Miss Chloe! She’s threatening to hurt herself!” At that, their faces drained of color, and they sprinted toward Chloe’s room. Chloe, having lost too much blood, was rushed to the hospital. By the time I got to the hospital, Chloe was out of the woods. But the moment she saw me, she tried to struggle up, as if to kneel at my feet. “Avery, please don’t take Matteus and the others away from me! I’m just an adopted daughter of the Stones. If I can’t be *truly* one of them, how can I ever show my face in this family again?” The three Stone brothers rushed to help her up. Then Noah shot me a look of pure hatred. “Avery, listen up. If anything, *anything* happens to Chloe, I swear I’ll make you regret it for the rest of your life.” I almost laughed. “Her wanting to hurt herself has nothing to do with me.”

Caleb was so furious he shoved me, making me stumble. “You think you can just bully people because you’re *you*, huh? Let me tell you something, Chloe isn’t alone. She’ll always have us three brothers backing her up!” “My background simply doesn’t compare to Miss Avery’s. I’ll just leave the Stone family, then.” Chloe started crying again. Caleb glared daggers at me, then rushed to comfort Chloe. “Chloe, don’t you dare leave! If anyone’s going, it’s Avery. You’re our family, *you* belong here. Avery is nobody to us!” Watching the three Stone brothers being played like puppets by Chloe, I couldn’t help but sneer, “Looks like Chloe would have to be cloned three times just to go around for all of you, huh?” Caleb heard that and instantly stood up, ready to lunge at me. Matteus quickly held him back, then walked towards me, his face absolutely frozen. “Watch your mouth, Avery. I know what you’re trying to do. I’ll go beg Dad to let me marry you. I’ll sacrifice my freedom for their happiness, if that’s what it takes.” Seeing the sheer disgust and reluctance plastered all over Matteus’s face, it would be a lie to say my heart didn’t ache. For years, I’d chased after him, transforming from a clueless heiress into a dedicated researcher, eventually becoming his most trusted assistant at the institute. I never explicitly told him I liked him, but even a blind man could see how I felt about him. He was arguably the kindest of the three Stone brothers to me; he never let Chloe’s drama turn him against me. When he found out I wanted to apply to the same university, he’d diligently tutor me. And after I got into the research institute, he was always there to help. I genuinely thought he might have feelings for me too, but this time, his attitude shattered any lingering hope I had. The moment I left the hospital, my dad called. “Sweetheart, I heard from Matteus that you want to marry him? Matteus’s a good guy, but I just don’t think he’s the right fit for you. Think about it carefully.” I was fuming at Matteus’s audacity and quickly set the record straight. “Dad, don’t listen to a word he says! I’m not marrying him. You and Mom already arranged my engagement, remember? I’ve thought about it, and I realize now that a union with the Hayes family is the only way to truly strengthen our family.” Dad paused, then sounded relieved. “It seems you’ve truly grown up, sweetheart. Your mom and I will be back in the country in a few days. We’ll set up your wedding right away.” Hanging up, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Finally, I could move out of the Stone household. I’d wanted to since college, but Mr. Stone always refused, claiming it was for my safety. The moment I stepped back into the Stone residence, I overheard Mr. and Mrs. Stone having a heated argument. “Are you losing your mind? Even if Chloe is adopted, I treat her like my own flesh and blood! If anyone gets to choose, it should be Chloe first!” “And my sons are all brilliant! Any one of them is *more* than good enough for Avery. If there’s any choosing to be done, it’s *them* picking *her*!” Mrs. Stone’s attitude didn’t surprise me one bit. She’d never liked me, not since day one. Mr. Stone, however, was still trying his best to defend me. “What do *you* know? Avery isn’t bad at all. As long as Matteus agrees, I’ll arrange their wedding myself.” “And I’ve already picked out a match for Chloe. She and Noah are about the same age, and he’s made it clear he wouldn’t marry anyone else. They’re a perfect fit.”

Seeing they were about to keep arguing, I quickly pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Mr. Stone, Mrs. Stone, my parents will be back in the country soon. Let’s just hold off on discussing my marriage until they return.” I swallowed the lump of resentment in my throat, forcing myself to stay calm. Mr. Stone didn’t say anything further, just nodded. “Alright.” Mrs. Stone, however, gave me a sideways glance, crossed her arms, and settled back into her chair, a smirk already forming. “Surely your high-society parents couldn’t bear to marry you into a humble family like ours, could they, Miss Heiress? That would just be *perfect*.” I didn’t want to engage, so I simply offered a polite greeting and headed to my room. The day my parents were due back was fast approaching. I had my bags packed, ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Sweaty and exhausted, I was just about to hop in the shower when Matteus suddenly pounded on my door. “Avery, open up! I need to talk to you!” I hesitated for a moment, but eventually, I opened the door. The second it was ajar, Matteus grabbed my wrist and yanked me out. “What are you doing?! Where are you taking me?!” Matteus’s grip was surprisingly strong. The more I struggled, the more my wrist screamed in pain. But he said nothing, just shoved me into his car. As he started the engine, he finally spoke, his voice ice-cold. “You’ll see soon enough. It’s what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it?” I sat there, utterly bewildered, as he drove. Ten minutes later, we pulled up to our destination. Only then did I realize he’d brought me to a church. “Get out. We’re getting married. Your biggest wish was always to marry me, right? Well, this is all I can give you.” He opened my door, roughly pulled me out, and without giving me a chance to speak, dragged me inside. I couldn’t hold back the storm of emotions anymore. Tears streaming down my face, I screamed at him, “Matteus! I’m not doing this! I’m not marrying you! Let go of me!” “Stop pretending, Avery. I’ve always known how you felt about me. You just wanted to choose me this time, didn’t you? You’re using your identity to fight Chloe for a husband. Fine, I’ll give you what you want. But this is *all* you’ll get from me. Don’t expect anything more.” Realizing there was no reasoning with Matteus, I desperately looked around for help. “Help! Somebody, please!” Immediately, a kind couple rushed over and pulled Matteus off me. “What is wrong with you, mister? You can’t just force someone to marry you!” After being chastised by the well-meaning couple, Matteus glared at me, even more furious. “You’re the one who walked away, Avery. Don’t you dare regret this!” With that, he stalked off, leaving me standing there. After thanking the kind couple, I also decided to leave. As I walked out of the courthouse, I decided, then and there, that I needed to move out of the Stone house immediately. The next second, a sleek black sedan pulled up behind me. When I saw who stepped out, a chill ran down my spine. I tried to run, but before I could, a hand clamped over my mouth and nose, and I blacked out. When I woke up, I was in an unfamiliar room. Noah and Caleb were sitting by the bed. “Finally awake.” “What do you want?!” I scrambled off the bed, fear seizing me, and huddled into the corner. Noah snuffed out his cigarette, then looked at me with a sneer. “We brought you here to make one thing clear: stop fantasizing about marrying Matteus. We’ll never let him sacrifice his happiness for you.” “Caleb chuckled darkly. ‘Noah, why waste words? She’s so desperate to get married, isn’t she? Let’s give her a wedding alright. Today’s the day she gets hitched.’” Caleb’s sinister grin, coupled with his words, sent a fresh wave of terror through me. I never imagined they could be this cruel. But I had to keep a clear head, no matter what. “I promise I won’t marry Matteus. Just let me go!” “Oh, so you just decide you won’t marry him? Matteus already told your parents he’s going to! After today, how will you even *dare* show your face to him, let alone marry him?” The words were barely out of his mouth when a knock echoed on the door. My heart plummeted. I instinctively reached for my phone to call the police, only to find it wasn’t there. My stomach twisted as the door opened, revealing a creepy-looking man in a mask. It was Jerry. “She’s all yours. Be *gentle* now, won’t you?” Noah chuckled, clapped Jerry on the shoulder, then turned to leave, pushing the door open. I saw my chance, bolted past Jerry, pushing him hard, and tried to make a break for the door. But Jerry grabbed a handful of my hair, yanking me back, and dragged me towards the bed. “Sweetheart, once you’re with me, there’s no getting away.” Jerry smirked, tossing me onto the mattress. I watched, horrified, as the door clicked shut. Jerry loomed over me, pressing his weight down. “Get off me!” I thrashed and fought, but his grip was unyielding. I watched in utter despair as he tore at my clothes. “Just stop fighting. You might as well enjoy yourself. You rich folks always know how to have a good time, right?” Jerry leaned in, his foul breath hot on my face, trying to kiss me. Just then, my hand brushed against something on the bedside table – an ashtray. The moment Jerry reached for my underwear, I gripped the ashtray and swung it with all my might, smashing it into his head. “Argh! You f***ing bitch! You dare hit me?!” Jerry clutched his bleeding head, his eyes turning instantly venomous. In a flash, his hand was clamped around my throat, squeezing hard.

🌟 Continue the story here 👉🏻 📲 Download the “NovelMaster” app 🔍 search for “307063”, and watch the full series ✨! #NovelMaster #浪漫Romance #现实主义Realistic #魔幻Magic #重生Reborn